What Makes A Man

A/N: Title is from the WESTLIFE song "What Makes A Man" from the album "Coast to Coast"

Warning: SLASH

Pairing: Robin/Prince John


Chapter 1

Youth

John was a few years older than he and John was always at the fore front of his thoughts. Robin always grew annoyed when John followed him everywhere like a puppy but slowly in time got used to it. John had even started to like him after a while. Robin sometimes felt stupid around John, when John said something that he didn't understand or when he said something that John thought childish. If no one was around during these times then John would sit down and explain what the word meant or why he thought something was childish, when people were around John would laugh and joke with them, and bully Robin, he would always apologise after would's saying that he was sorry and he hadn't meant anything by it, that he was just trying to look god in front of his friends and Robin would always forgive him and say that is was all right and that he understood. It wasn't all right and he didn't understand not really, why did John care what his friends thought of him? half of them would stop being John's friend should John ever lose his position as heir to throne. Robin knew that no matter what, he would always be John's friend nothing could ever come between them, they would be friends for life. Always.

When Robin had first started hanging around with him, he was annoyed, what did that kid see in him? He had tried everything to shake him off but nothing seemed to work no matter how hard he tried, it just seemed to make Robin like him more, there was only a four year age gap between them, but John used it to his advantage over Robin. The fact that he was taller than Robin helped too, as he could look down on him better. After a while John had gotten used to Robin's company and if he was totally honest with himself (and if you couldn't be honest to yourself who could you be honest to?) he liked Robin's company, he liked having some one around that liked him for him, not for the fact that he was a Prince. John could be mean to Robin at times but only when his brothers or his friends were around, it was strange the effect that someone could have on you, the first time John had been mean to Robin, Robin had cried. Once John was able to get away from his friends he apologised to Robin, he didn't mean it, not really, her had just wanted to look tough in front of them, he wanted, needed, craved there respect, he didn't want to lose his friendship with Robin just because he wanted to look cool. After a while the age gap between him and Robin didn't seem to matter anymore, he no longer used it as a tool, as a weapon, what did it matter? it was only for years anyway.

Robin had just entered his teens when he realized that spending time with John, during the day, as friends wasn't enough, it wasn't nearly enough, he wanted more, yet he knew he could lose his friendship with John if he did it, if he said what he wanted to say, so he kept quiet, he ever mentioned it, never once let himself slip. John didn't even notice. Spending time with John was a pleasure able kind of torture, he wanted so much more, yet he was scared of losing what he already had, life just wasn't fair sometimes.

John had noticed the change in his friend, he knew why as well, he had seen Robin stare at him, had seen the looks Robin gave him, had seen the change in the way Robin acted around him, oh he knew all right but Robin wasn't to know that, well not yet anyway.


A/N: Yea it's short -shrugs- its the first chapter, tis always short.