Halt was all too aware of his apprentice as he came stomping out of his room, slamming the door behind him. He groaned internally. All he had to do was wait, Will was taking the afternoon off to go swimming with Horace, because today was too hot to keep him working the whole day. But this morning Halt was nursing much more than coffee, a relentless, pounding headache. Half the time he was sure he was going to pass out and opening his eyes fully made the room spin, its the heat, it had to be. This summer was one of the fiercest Redmont had ever faced with crops dying and people spending more and more time either in their shady houses or by the lake near the castle. Will had been working hard recently and it was too hot to practice archery all day, he risked the probability of a sunstroke apprentice if he were to let that happen.

"Morning Halt," Will waved a hand in greeting, pouring himself a mug of coffee and siting down opposite his mentor. He mearly grunted in response. A frown creased Will's features, "Something wrong? You look more glum than usual." Its true he had a glum resting face but Will could tell something else was bothering Halt after all he was in his last year of his apprenticeship, there was practically nothing he could hide from him.

"I'm fine, you excited to see Horace?" he dodged the question Will noted.

"Mhm," he hated lying to Halt but nothing was worse than seeing him hide something and Will not knowing what it was. It kinda hurt to see Halt lie to his face like that. He needed to stay, even if it meant sacrificing his day with his best friend. "He won't be able to make it actually." he got up from the table and hoped Horace would forgive him.

"Shame," preoccupied, another note.

"Yea well, I guess it's just you and me then!" he smiled and then left to practise archery.

Over the course of the day Halt tried to get rid of him on many occasions, even sent him on a coffee run, to which Will responded with an eyebrow raise. He was getting pretty tired of Halt trying to act okay and all he wanted to do was for him to confide in him, tell him the truth. When he did eventually go out it was to deliver a hastily scrawled note to Horace about how he was really sorry and couldn't come because Halt was too stubborn to admit he was sick. It wasn't very often that Will got annoyed with his mentor however, today was one of those days, it wasn't hos fault that he was sick and that wasn't the part that he was angry about, it was the fact that he had lied to his face, multiple times, surely he knew that not everyone was invincible?

"Hmm, we seem low on honey." A ploy, around the fifth Halt had tried today. He really didn't mean to but Will snapped. He rolled his eyes.

"Just stop lying to me please!"

"I don't know what your talking about,"

"Nearly five years Halt, five years we've lived together, you can't lie to me, not to mention multiple times and expect to get away with it. Frankly the fact that you thought you could is slightly insulting." he finished by standing up, locking eyes with him form across the room.

"What's insulting is that you think I would lie to you after everything we've been through,"

"You have lied to me! All I've heard today are lies and ploys to get me out of the cabin. And you wont even tell me whats wrong so I can't even help you!" he ran a hand through his hair, a habit he picked up from Horace, Horace. "Worst of all, I cancelled on Horace to stay here and look after you, but all you've been trying to do all day is get as far away as you can from me!" He'd struck a nerve he knew. His shoulders sank.

"You're right, it wasn't fair on you, I'm sorry." Will took a couple of seconds to process what he'd just said. He crossed the room quickly and wrapped his father up in a hug,

"Now will you tell me what's really wrong?" he guided him to the table and at down next to him. Halt put his head in his hands.

"It's the blasted heat, given me a headache."

"Headache?"

"Fine," he grumbled "A really bad headache that makes me want to pass out, happy?"

"Let's get you into bed." To his surprise, Halt didn't object as he guided him into his bedroom and made sure he lay down, "Try to get some rest, yea? Night Halt,"

"Night Will," satisfied he could hear the drowsy tone in his voice, Will let the door close with a click.

The next morning Halt woke to a clear and non painful head. he walked out of his room and rubbed the sleep out of his eyes, accepting the mug of coffee his apprentice gave him. "Feeling better?" Will asked

"Very. Thank you." It wasn't very much but it was enough to send Will colliding into Halt, small arms wrapping around him. he hugged him back. He vowed never to lie to his apprentice again.

"I'm glad you're okay Halt," he tightened his hold on the small boy.

"Me to Will, me too."