Much hung back a little as Robin and Carter walked side by side ahead, he knew Robin was building himself up to the moment. He wanted to give him the space to do so, but stay close enough to show his support, as well as be on hand should he be needed. They were heading for the glade, a small hidden part of the forest, set away from the dirt tracks people traveled. You needed to be adept in your mappings of the forest to know it was there, Robin and Much knew of it from childhood, a regular haunt for childhood games as it was not far from Locksley. They still visited, though their games were certainly of a more grown up variety. It didn't take them far from the direction of camp and would provide somewhere quiet and secluded for Robin to at least attempt to sort out what was growing between himself and Carter. Much wasn't sure if Robin had a plan of any sort, he rarely did and when he did they usually didn't amount to much in terms of detail. For Robin it was jump first ask questions later, it was usually a group effort to come up with a plan from Robin's initial thoughts.
Robin hadn't voiced any ideas or plans with him with this though, and Much doubted it would have done any good, aside from summing up what he was going to say, it all hung on Carter's reactions anyway. Much watched as Robin lay a hand on Carter's shoulder a moment guiding him, and rather than feel a pang of regret for having actually talked Robin into this, he smiled rather gladly that initiative was finally taking place. Personally he wasn't sure how much longer he'd have been able to put up with either of them, they so obviously felt something for each other that it was impossible not to notice, although Much wondered if it was just him. It was hard to ignore looks that he recognized, looks that he gave himself to Robin in Carter's eyes. Looks Robin slyly took at Carter before hiding them with a guilty shadow. Much wasn't sure it was as obvious to the others, but then, they weren't all in love with Robin as he was.
He feigned taking interest in a small cluster of mushrooms he spied growing by the mossy roots of a oak, should either of them wonder where he was. Part of him wanted to know how Robin was going to approach the subject, the other didn't want to hear words of affection being spoken but not directed at him. The glade was small, and scattered with early fallen leaves of autumn creating a blanket of fresh colors.
Robin wasn't sure how he was going to broach the subject, whether he should just come right out and say what he wanted to say, although the words would probably evade him. Not that he had many options, it was either that or, pad around the subject and hope Carter caught on fast to what he was getting at. The glade was a familiar haunt, a place which remained secret save for the few who happened upon it if they strayed from the dirt tracks. He'd never brought any of the gang to it, only he and Much visited it on occasion. He found himself explaining this to Carter.
"I and Much found it when we were young. Strayed from the path, and ended up in here. It's stayed a secret all these years, few know of this place." he spoke softly, stealing a glance at Carter who was looking around interested, once inside the glade it seemed even more secluded. Shrubbery grew thick and the trees were closer together, creating a screen of dark brown and various autumnal hues of the leaves and thick brush. "We still visit, sometimes." Robin added, a smile lighting his lips as he thought back on their last visit.
Carter was watching him slightly warily, reading into the tone and inclination of the statement but not wanting to respond as he wanted to. "It's certainly a beautiful part of the forest." he agreed, casting another glance around the glade before looking at Robin more intently.
"But why bring me here?" he asked, "Seems to be somewhere you wish to be kept a secret."
Robin gave a soft shrug of his shoulders, the small smile on his lips never wavering, nor the intent gaze he was returning to Carter. Carter had to resist reaching out a hand and running fingers along the jawline, a resistance he was learning to live with.
"I wanted you to see it." Robin replied, moving nearer the edge of the glade to pick at a leaf of a small fern growing next to a large tree trunk.
"Why?" Carter asked him.
"Because its important to me, this place. I wanted to share that with you." Robin said, tearing the leaf between his fingers, the green fibers breaking easily under his touch.
Carter didn't reply for a moment, although the question of 'why?' still hung in his mind. He kept quiet though, because he was touched that Robin was opening up that little bit with him. In the past weeks since he'd decided to stay he'd been increasingly frustrated with himself regarding Robin. He'd found himself wanting to be around him more and more, to reach out and caress him, brush the hair out of his face, feel the touch of his skin under his fingertips. Their conversations bordered on revealing that little bit too much, at first he wondered if he was reading the other man the wrong way, but Robin seemed to be holding back and on his guard the same as himself.
Carter could understand that, Robin had Much and wouldn't do anything to jeopardize what they had. Carter wanted what they had, unfortunately he wanted that with Robin. But he couldn't so he guarded himself, to protect them all. Robin couldn't function without Much and the gang couldn't function with Robin, it was like some strange chain linking them all together. Without one link the entire structure would collapse. He wanted to be part of that gang and each person had to make sacrifices, and he chose to sacrifice his feelings, he'd bury them and guard them in order to belong, no matter how much it pained him.
Still, if they could find some middle ground amidst the problem, where they could share some secrets, even intimate, seemingly innocent ones such as a glade in the middle of the forest that no one knew about, then he'd take what he could. The fact that Robin implied it was a place he and Much still returned to, and Carter didn't want to let his mind wander as to what they got up to once here, told him that Robin was determined to make sure he knew where he stood. Robin had made it clear he felt some similar feelings towards him, but he would never act on them. Perhaps, here in a secret glade of the forest Robin was making the point of drawing the line, the glances and flirtatious behavior, however light and innocent had to be brought to a halt before it got out of control and someone or all of them got hurt.
He leaned against a tree with his shoulder, looking over the glade, spying Much opposite who had settled at the bottom a tree, rolling what seemed to be a mushroom between his fingers and not paying them much attention. Robin followed his glance and watched Much for a moment before turning to Carter, who had fallen silent.
"Much and I had a talk last night." he said, bringing Carter's attention back to him. Carter looked at him curiously, as if wondering what the small piece of information meant to him. When Robin didn't continue he took the hint and asked.
"About what?" he asked, folding his arms, partly because despite his best intentions in his head, he still fought the urge to reach out and touch Robin.
Robin took a breath and looked at the ground a moment before answering, raising his eyes again having decided to take the plunge and get it over with. "You," he paused again before adding, "Us."
Carter felt himself tense up a little, trying to follow what Robin was saying, at the same moment his mouth going dry. He was rather surprised, he supposed in the long term this conversation may have arisen, but never so early on. But then perhaps it was for the best, set down the rules now, vocally, none of the guessing games and following unspoken, silent rules. His mind whirred, catching up and realizing he should in some way respond, though he was reluctant to go down this road. But evidently Robin thought it necessary to deal with the problem early on, before things became complicated.
"What about us?" Carter asked, pausing as he said the 'us' because when he really thought about it, technically there wasn't an 'us' when it came to himself and Robin. And then, as if his mind were just catching up he pondered on the thought, that Robin and Much had been discussing whatever that 'us' was.
"Well, that was part of the conversation. The fact that, there is no us, and discussing whether there should be, an us." Robin replied, speaking slowly, watching him intently, and Carter wondered if it was just him or had Robin gravitated closer to him as he had been speaking.
In fact Robin had moved in close, and reached out a hand and Carter reminisced on the last time Robin had reached out for him, in the barn, where he'd asked for help and it had come so simply and plainly and he'd melted into an embrace. To be held so warmly and tenderly was a gift he hadn't known he'd wanted for but since its giving, he'd yearned for it even more. But the hand didn't brush against him, and he forced himself to not shift towards it, instead Robin leaned closer, the hand settling upon the tree trunk right by Carter's' head. Carter was tempted to look across the glade, where he was suddenly fully conscious of Much, wondering what the other man was doing as this all played out. But there was that intense look in Robin's eyes, the look which dared people to look away as they read into you so easily and he dared not look away less he never get the opportunity see it observing him again. Because he wanted Robin to look at him that way, he wanted to return the look, to read the other as easily as he was read, to understand readily from a single glance everything he was thinking and feeling.
Carter realized long silences were quickly seeping into this mostly one sided conversation, he'd barely spoken a few words since Robin had led them into this glade and started stating some obvious intentions. It was time for him to catch up and make his own known, and he cocked his head to the side with a smile edging on the side of his mouth, giving Robin a pointed look.
"And did you come to any conclusions about, us?" he asked, almost whisperingly and Robin didn't speak, merely nodded his head and Carter didn't want to guess but Robin's face seemed to be looming ever closer to his.
"And they were?" Carter pressed, because he was curious, because he needed to know if fate had dealt him a good hand in the course of one night.
"Well, I think it all depends on you." Robin said after a pause, and Carter could feel the words, breath ghosting over his face. "Personally I'm all for an 'us', Much seems obliging. I just need to know,"
He paused, there was a mixture of emotions running through Carter's eyes, surprise, slight shock, relief. Robin had to be relieved himself, the man could have easily pushed him away and he wouldn't have pursued, but Carter still remained still, not reaching out, although Robin had closed the distance between them rather quickly. He couldn't resist any longer and lifted his hand to brush against Carter's jaw, the line of his mouth, thumb brushing over the edge of the lips where a smile was hovering amidst the confusion.
"Know what?" Carter managed to choke out in a whisper although he was sure all breath was quickly leaving his body, suddenly he felt heady, as if Robin was stealing all of his air. When Robin brushed his hand over his jaw and finger pressed lightly over his mouth he gave up talking and thinking, senses honing in on that one single touch.
"If you feel the same way." Robin whispered, Carter barely able to hear the sounds, and he paid no heed to them anyway because suddenly Robin's fingers were gone, replaced instead by his mouth and lips softly brushing against his own, seeking permission to press closer and firmer and who was he to refuse something he'd been wanting for so long.
Carter could feel Robin pressing closer into him and dropped his arms from where they were folded on his chest. Robin immediately came closer, pressing hard and firm, the kiss possessive and wanting as he slid fingers through Carter's hair and grasped on tightly. Although Carter had untangled his arms, he could only grasp at the bark of the tree behind him, fingers rasping against the trunk as if to hold himself up as he felt breath rushing out of him, caught up in surprise and relief. Part of his mind was still catching up with the fact that Robin was kissing him, the other trying to keep up with the kiss, the feel of lips and warm mouth against his, holding and pushing and taking, wanting and tasting with a hungry aggression.
Much watched, carefully at first as he watched Robin and Carter talking across the glade. Carter leaned up against a tree, looked at Robin in a familiar way, head to one side, arms folded. But Robin seemed to be throwing him for a loop, growing closer to the man and lying a hand on the tree trunk next to his head. Much wondered what words Robin had came up with, although it didn't seem to be taking long to make his point. Carter seemed confused, but didn't move his eyes from Robin and Robin merely moved closer, then he saw Robin lift his other hand brush against Carter's face and he rubbed a hand along his own jaw. He knew what the small touches felt like, Robin's fingers could make his skin dance, as if his nerves craved the touch and reveled in it. He wondered if Carter felt that, and eyed the two as Robin moved even closer and suddenly Much realized the conversation was over and Robin was kissing Carter and Carter was kissing him back.
He felt a sense of relief, Carter hadn't pushed Robin away and floored him. It hadn't really been an outcome Much had foreseen, but it had remained a possibility lying deep down inside. He knew they still had some things to sort between them all, that Carter was responding as he had hoped was a good thing. But he was unsure as to his own feelings toward Carter and how his inclusion alongside himself and Robin would present itself, but these things would eventually be sorted. As long as Robin was happy, could be happier now this was starting to sort itself out, then all would be well. He saw Carter drop his arms, grasping at the tree behind him as if to hold himself up, and Much couldn't help but smile at that. Robin had a certain way of kissing sometimes, where it was impossible to keep oneself upright, you merely held on for dear life and lost yourself in the feeling. Robin was making sure his feelings were understood and Carter was obviously getting the message.
As much as both men were enjoying the kiss the need for breath was fast becoming a problem and much as he hated to Robin pulled back gently, his grip on the back of Carter's head slipping a little and his fingers slid down to run along his neck. Carter tried to get his brain back in gear, and lifted a hand to stroke along Robin's jaw, taking in the slightly smug, smiling face looking at him. A smile curled onto his own mouth.
"Does that answer your question?" he said, quietly.
"I think I can take that as a yes." Robin gave a soft chuckle under his breath and watched Carter lifted his head a little, eyes looking elsewhere.
"I know we're new, to this, us, but how is this going to work exactly?" Carter asked, eyes looking past Robin, to where Much still sat across the clearing, watching them closely.
"Haven't quite figured that part out yet." Robin replied in all honesty, and stepped back slightly so he could turn and look at Much himself. "But I think we'll have some fun figuring it out."
He gave a slight inflection of his head at Much and Much stood and started to cross the small space between them.
"I take it this means I can't kill you." Much said as he came to stand in front of them, hand resting lightly on the hilt of his sword as he gave Carter a wry look.
"You like me really." Carter replied with a grin.
"Yes well, you can't be all bad." Much said, giving a glance at Robin. "You have good taste at least."
"Oh, Much." Robin interjected sounding touched, a hint of a smile on his lips before he turned to Carter with a serious look. "He will kill you if you hurt me."
"Of that I've no doubt." Carter chuckled, before turning serious himself. "So, what about the others?"
"Well I'm not sharing him with anyone else, it'll be bad enough taking care of both of you." Much said in amusement.
"I think they'll figure things out." Robin concluded.
"Yeah, for one thing you two may start acting, normal, around each other again."
"What's that supposed to mean?" Robin said, trying to sound innocent and failing miserably.
"Oh please, you know exactly what I mean. All the moping, the barely speaking, never mind trying to avoid being alone together. Positively ridiculous, and childish. Believe me, you two have been the gossip of the camp these last few weeks."
"Oh really." Robin gave him a look and folded his arms. Carter squared up as well, both trying to look offended, but rather looking pleased with themselves.
"Yes really," replied Much catching a look in Robin's eyes. A glinting playful look, which didn't bode well for them leaving the clearing any time soon. He lifted a finger and pointed it at Robin trying to look stern. "Don't look at me like that."
Robin merely grinned and dropped his arms down, slowly advancing, despite Much's warnings.
"I didn't think you were the type to listen to idle gossip." He said, a smile edging the corners of his mouth.
"Well you know that isn't true." Much said matter of factly, he wasn't going to deny it, Robin knew better. He took a few steps backwards, Robin could be quite incorrigible and now the mischievous look in his eyes was settled firmly in place. "Robin, we need to get back to the camp. The others will be wondering where we are."
"Actually I'm rather interested in what everyones been saying about us also." Carter interjected with large smile, and Much knew for certain that dealing with these two would definitely keep him occupied. Robin alone was a handful, adding Carter into the mix was a recipe for mayhem.
"Yes, tell us Much, what have they been saying." Robin added, before sliding a tongue along his bottom lip every so quickly.
"What's said by the camp fire, stays by the camp fire." Much replied, finding himself backed against a tree himself. He used to be better at evading Robin, especially in the clearing, but Carter's presence had thrown him a little, especially seeing as the man was advancing along with Robin.
"Says who?" Carter asked.
"New rule, applied as of right now." Much replied.
"Don't worry, he'll tell us," Robin said, grabbing a fist full of Much's shirt to prevent him moving any further back and instead pulling forward. Much acquiesced, sliding hands onto Robin's chest as he was pulled closer, a smile lighting his lips, quite happy to be captured when Robin added "Eventually."
fin
may return to this trip to DeNile at a later date xx