(A/N) Sometime after the battle between Hal and Hotspur
Inside he feels numb and cold , almost dead and yet he thrums with life, he can hear the blood roaring in his ears as he rides to the outskirts of town. No one answers when he knocks but he is sure the man is there, he leaves his horse tied next to the huntsman's and traipses to the back of the house. Hal marches with determination, his legs carrying him into the forest to where the huntsman must be, where he hasto be. He had stopped all arguments against his departure with harsh words and ignored the looks that followed after him. There is only one place he wants to be, somewhere he knows will validate the notion that even now, body burning with pain and aching from victory, he is alive.
Eric doesn't expect the whirlwind that is another human to come stumbling out of the forest. Making such a raucous as to scare birds from their perches, he sees Hal wobbling over ferns and roots to where he sits by the pool of water gurgling beneath a waterfall. Instantly he is up, seeing the distressing amount of red smeared across the man's face and his heart clenches painfully at the sight of him limping. There is relief in the prince's eyes when he is close enough to wrap an arm around the other's shoulders and ease him to the ground.
"Hal," he doesn't mean for worry to color his tone.
"Dear huntsman, fear not for death is yet to set upon me."
If the state of his being is anything to go by, Eric doubts each word as it is spoken. Hooking an arm underneath the man's legs he carries him to the water's edge and sets about divesting him of the mail and leather.
"What has happened, why are you in such a state?"
"Victory of course! As bloodied as I am do not worry, my enemy lies dead surrounded by those who would pledge their allegiance to him."
Hal has the gall to laugh and Eric fixes him with a glare for it. Armor gone, he is at least relieved to see there are no wounds to the man's chest, but his arms bear scratches. Hal looks at him, his face is half content grin half an arrogant smirk and he reaches out to fist a hand into the huntsman's hair, dragging him into a kiss. He tastes like copper. It lasts mere seconds before he pulls away and starts stripping in earnest.
"What are you doing, winter comes and you would expose yourself to it?"
"I would cleanse my body and rid it of a battle's lingering filth."
It's cold, even with the sun high in the sky and most of the light snow melted. Truly, his lord cannot be serious, except he is and Eric bites back a laugh at the sight of his pale buttocks disappearing into the water. Hal yelps, pulls his arms in close and groans at the feel of chilled water easing the fire around his wounds.
"Huntsman, c-come, join me and perhaps the water will not be so cold."
Foolish, he is so foolish for even entertaining the idea and he ignores the smile Hal gives him as he shucks off his clothing. The water is chilly, not freezing thankfully and his body tenses as he submerges up to his shoulders. Hal floats, or rather he hops-Eric suspects he is favoring his uninjured leg-over and wraps his arms around the other's chest. Exhaling the huntsman invites him closer and already the water feels warmer. Shivers pass between them, small and intimate and Eric reaches up to place icy hands on his lover's face. So close are they now that he can see the jagged lines of a split lip, the splotchy edge of a bruise forming and with gentle strokes he wipes the grime away.
"You would make me worry by showing up like this."
Hal chuckles and presses closer, "I save thee from later anger. Had I showed up in bandages you would bemoan my aversion to seeing you sooner."
"I would not."
"You would!"
Eric opens his mouth to deny such pitiful words about his character, but they are muffled by another kiss and he sucks at the bloodied lip in retribution. Whining the prince pulls away and lifts his leg close to the surface to inspect the most annoying of his wounds; beneath the water he looks as white as porcelain. Eric can see the gash along the man's thigh and with a careful hand he grabs the injured leg and draws his lover closer. It isn't deep and he guesses it was more the tip of the weapon than the deadly length of metal behind it that would inflict such a graze.
Pressed together tightly he permits them a few more moments in the cold water before gathering the prince into his hands, earning a bemused noise from the other who wraps legs and arms around him. Gliding back to the shore with his prize, the huntsman lays his fair skinned lover across the grass and covers the man with his own body. Neither let go as they kiss and if possible Hal wraps tighter, dragging his huntsman so close as to share their body heat in a way anything but innocent.
Romantic is the last word he would use to describe their need to use spit to slick the way, or the ruddy lines of blood that twine around his thigh to drip into the grass, but Hal wouldn't dare to use it anyway. He would use words to describe certain parts and make a whole from the little pieces. Eric's mouth is hot against his skin and searing when he latches onto a peaked nipple. The huntsman's hands wander, swiping away water and blood and heating his skin in a most pleasurable way. Thick and imposing is his lover's cock as it pushes into him and he moans for more.
Here, on the ground, with the smell of the forest and his lover's arousal thick in the air Eric cannot help himself as he thrusts edge on rough. Hal is a vision, one that twists and writhes and offers encouragement in the simplest of touches and yet they are heavy with meaning. A hand gripping at the nape of his neck keeps them close so that his lover might kiss him exactly when and how he likes. The other rakes what skin it can reach with blunt nails that send shivers down his spine. This visage of sharp beauty and soft words makes his blood boil, makes reason differ to instinct and he cannot help but touch.
Reaching between them he takes Hal in hand and the man arches, head thrown back as he pants and claws for purchase. His voice pitches higher and with a breathy moan he spills across their stomachs. Leaning in Eric descends upon that extended neck and latches on, thrusting through the prince's orgasm before reaching his own and comes, buried to the hilt inside his lover.
Behind them the waterfall continues to churn, above the clouds drift by and all around the forest grows. The world moves on but for them time hangs in the air, kept afloat by their labored breathing and only when they pause to kiss does it coming falling down upon them. Eric realizes belatedly that he should have wrapped Hal's wound and Hal squirms away from the rock that had been sticking into his side all the while they had been lying there.
They dress, shivering and cursing the weather and even though Hal protests, Eric carries him back to his house, smug in his small victory. He bandages the gash, places a chaste kiss on his lover's split lip and makes soup to warm them.