Denial, Chapter 52: Big Damn Hero
Title: Denial, Chapter 52: Big Damn Hero
Author: darkentwisted
Characters/Pairings: Robin, Brooks (OC), Carter/Much, Will, Djaq, Legrand, Little John
Rating: PG-13
Genre: Angst, Hint of Slash
Words: 2,265
Disclaimer: BBC & TA own; we just want to play in their universe
Notes: Takes place between 2x12 and 2x13. Beta'ed by robinfanatic and wastingyourgum
Summary: A wild night, a narrow escape and an unlikely meeting.
Summary of previous chapters and rules if you want to join in...
Big Damn Hero
by darkentwisted
Charles looked at the quiet group of people as they boarded ship from Cyprus. Not your usual group of soldiers or sailors, he thought to himself. They stood out in spite of their attempt at anonymity, but one really stood out from the others. His youthful unshaven face was a mask of angry determination. Unlike the others he carried himself with a certain air of nobility although he was dressed like a pauper. His eyes caught the yeoman instantly. They had been described to him once by someone he met and he knew them immediately. Introductions were definitely in order.
It didn't take long for him to win the friendship of the ragtag group. The small dark woman was very friendly and kind. The two giants warmed gradually to the stranger they kept running into on the tiny ship, even laughing uncomfortably at his innuendo laced remarks. The young carpenter who never left the woman's side shared stories of incredible escapes as they huddled by the stove for warmth. Only the man he was told was their leader was made of ice, ice with smouldering emerald eyes. He watched the yeoman carefully as if every move he made was a plan to do them harm unfolding and every word a threat. Brooks recognized Robin instantly. He was the living incarnation of stories told to him by a friend.
He remembered that night two months earlier - the last time he saw them. He prayed every night for their safety. He was shaken from his memories by the small woman's voice. It was his time to tell a story and he knew just which one to tell.
>>>----------------------->
"You really meant cards!" Much was still amazed at how the other two men talked him into this. He was even more amazed at how cold it was getting in the room as he shivered in just his undershirt. "I knew it was you!"
Brooks smiled as he sat wearing Carter's Templar tunic and Much's cap. "Really? How so, blondie?" All three men were intent as they held the intricately hand-painted cards in their hands.
Much caught the leering look and tried best he could to cover his exposed body with his free hand. "Your eyes. Only one other person I know has such intense eyes..."
"Your former boyfriend?" Brooks chided.
"My former master!" Much admonished. "He had the greenest eyes, like emeralds on fire. When he got angry, I swear at times they glowed." He sighed deeply. "I guess I'll never see Rob--"
"I haven't played As Nas in ages," Carter interrupted. "But if you have to go, this is the way to do it I guess." He helped himself to another dried fig from Brook's pouch. He was so hungry he could have consumed the whole thing and had to watch Much to make sure he didn't.
"I wish I could have brought more," Brooks said. "But we'll be out of here soon...I hope." He looked over at Much. "Socks, now!"
The squire whimpered and cast a sideways glance at his partner, then slowly took off his hose and handed them to the yeoman. "I just hope there are no scorpions in here."
Carter smirked. "I don't remember this game being played for clothes before..."
"My horse, my rules," Brooks replied bluntly. "Besides, I'm not letting you two go without a repeat performance."
"We are half-naked, surrounded by the enemy, and about to face certain death and this one wants to get a leg over!" Much was indignant but it didn't stop him from taking a quick nod from Brooks' flask. "We are going to die... Worse, we are going to die naked and fornicating!"
Carter shrugged as he looked over his hand. "Can you think of a better way to go?" It was his turn to grin at Charles. "Three of a kind...leggings!"
"I was wondering when you would ask for those," Brooks purred as he slipped them off. He tossed his leggings at Carter and crossed his naked thigh over Much's. "That's better!" he said as he pulled the still fussy squire into a hot tongue battle. He pulled away sensing the tenseness. "Relax, I heard them talking out there. They are planning to attack at first light." He smirked as he cradled his lover's chin. "We have all night for...whatever."
"Comforting," Much replied.
"I intend to be," Brooks leered as he made his way down the other man's now naked chest to his lap, making him hiss at the sudden sensation.
"I fold," Carter said as he dropped his cards and and went over to the other two men. He immediately assisted Charles in calming Much.
Brooks smiled as he came up for air. "I guess that makes me the winner."
They took turns exploring each other with their hot mouths as the Saracen drums became a bizarre rhythm to their lovemaking. They used each other in every possible way that three men could, sure that with the dawn their blood would mix with the sand around them.
>>>------------------------->
"You knew them!" Will was too excited to contain himself. Djaq turned in her lover's arms smiling. "I told you Much was safe."
Robin snorted, "Don't get your hopes up."
Brooks shot the defiant look he was given with one of his own. "If I may finish?" As he spoke he carefully edited the actual events of that night.
>>>------------------------->
Carter and Much spooned on each side of the yeoman. Brooks stroked their hair softly as they dozed. "You aren't asleep are you?"
Carter raised up. "How could you tell?" The soft snores from their lover answered his question. Carter smiled and then turned to Brooks. "How could I sleep knowing in a few hours...?"
"It isn't going to be like that," Brooks frowned. "I came here for a reason."
"I can't ask you to do that." Carter focused intently on his friend. "To give your life for ours..."
"I want to!" Brooks softened, "One horse -- three men. One of us has to stay." He nodded at the bundle of discarded clothing. "You didn't notice I wore enough for two Saracen soldiers did you?"
"No wonder you won!" Carter chuckled softly then sobered. "I can't let you sacrifice yourself for us, Charles."
"Maybe you won't!" The yeoman whispered back, "I once met a fortune teller, a young gypsy girl who read my cards. She told me I would live a thousand lives before the shadow of death caught up with me. I didn't understand what she meant, but since then I have been almost drowned, poisoned, hung, stabbed, starved to death, and burned alive and walked away from all of it without a scratch." He looked at the blond knight. "I'll take my chances."
"You shouldn't tempt fate," Much whispered as he raised up.
"Hello you! Back from dreamland?" Brooks smiled and brushed his lips against the squire's. "I wont let you two die," he shrugged. "Not even if it means I have to die myself. Before first light, you dress, crawl through that window, get on the horse and ride back to your camp."
"We'll send a regiment back for you," Carter nodded.
"Just make sure I get a Christian burial," Brooks replied.
>>>--------------------------->
The ship swayed back and forth on the waves as the outlaws sat listening to the strange story. Djaq hugged her knees as she studied the man who told it. "You were trapped and surrounded by the enemy. How did Carter and Much escape?"
"I had on two Saracen uniforms. Hot as hell! I don't recommend walking in the desert for three days like that. They put them on and I dressed in Carter's chain mail and tunic."
"So you were then trapped all by yourself," Legrand said, almost disbelieving. "How did you get here?"
"Darndest thing," Brooks replied grinning. "I was standing there with my weapon ready when the Saracens broke down the door. The first man rushed toward me with that awful war cry of theirs and the floor dropped out from under me."
"You fainted," Will smirked.
"No! Even better, green eyes!" Brooks mused. "It seemed that ancient village was a smuggler's den riddled with old tunnels. The floorboards gave way under the heavy soldier's weight and we both landed at the bottom of one of them. I landed hard but he landed on my sword."
"Ouch!" Little John grimaced.
Brooks nodded. "I lay under sixteen stone of sweaty, bleeding, dead Saracen for a day it seemed, until the other soldiers left. I guess they thought we were both dead. When they were gone, I pried myself out from under him and followed the tunnels to the edge of the village. I dug my way out of the sand and figured maybe a life at sea was safer after all."
"You expect me to believe you met our old friends in the Holy Land?" Robin sneered accusingly. "No! I don't know how you know them. Maybe you are one of Prince John's spies." He pointed at the yeoman crossing the short distance to meet him face to face. "How you know about my friends, I will find out." Robin leaned in to the handsome sailor, "If they met with ill will at your hands, I will make you pay."
"Robin!" Djaq spat. "Don't mind him. He is upset. His fiancée..."
"I don't need you to speak for me, Djaq!" Robin fumed. "It was a good story but that is all. Much is probably..."
"Probably safe back in the King's camp with Carter because of me!" Brooks snorted. He glared at the outlaw leader. "A little gratitude maybe..." He got up to leave then stopped and retrieved something out of his doublet. "Oh by the way, if you see blue eyes again, he might want to have this back. He seemed awfully attached to it." He slapped the sweat-stained, familiar beige cap into the archer's hand. Brooks grabbed the bottle of wine and looked at the others, leering, "Who's up for a game of strip As-Nas below deck?"
Djaq giggled at the forward remark and took the lecher's outstretched hand. "How about we play a nice game of cards with our clothes on and then go to bed...alone."
"Killjoy!" Brooks mused taking her arm and Will's and walking down the stairs with them.
Robin looked at the ragged piece of cloth and lifted it to his nose, taking in the familiar scent. "Much..."
>>>------------------------->
"He was in love with you." The voice reached Robin's ears but he ignored it, looking out onto the dark ocean. "I said..."
"I know what you said!" Robin spat back menacingly. "If I wanted your opinion I would ask for it!"
"It wasn't an opinion, it was an observation," Brooks snorted. "Much was right. You are a--"
"A what?" Robin spun around angrily.
"A hard man to love."
"Much knew..."
"Did he?" Charles leaned against the railing sizing up the man in front of him in the darkness. "'Cos the man I met was heartbroken."
"He is with Carter now."
"He is, but you left him with unfinished business. Much still loves you. "
Robin shifted uncomfortably under the stranger's gaze. "Two men cannot...and even if they could..." Robin blushed against the darkness. "If I could love him as he wanted, there's no chance for that now."
"Well Carter and Much do love each other. I've never seen two people so much in love. The problem is you're the ghost that's still there."
"Much knows how I feel about him!" Robin sighed raggedly, "He also knows I love Marian."
"Yes he does and it's killing him." Brooks looked out at the ocean. "I personally hope you never see him again."
"I'm sorry?" Robin turned again in anger.
"I hope for Carter's sake Much stays far away from you. I don't want to ever see them hurt and if it's at your hands then we'll have a problem." He tucked his hands under his arms against the cold and walked away. "Good night, Robert of Locksley."
Brooks ran into a small figure heaving over the side as he made his way back to his bunk. "How far along?"
Djaq almost leapt overboard in surprise. She took a swig from a flask and wiped her mouth. There was no getting around the discussion she could see. "Almost four months I think. How did you know?"
"Your sea legs are too good for it to be seasickness. Does he know?"
"Will? No."
"You haven't told anybody yet, have you?"
"You won't..."
Brooks shook his head, "You have my word. But he has a right to know."
"I know and I will." She smiled. "I like you, Yeoman Brooks. You are a good man." She looked at him coyly. "You were more than just friends with them, weren't you?"
"Carter and Much? I would lay down my life for them and almost did."
"But you barely know them?"
"I know enough." He slung his arm around the small girl's shoulder. "Enough to know they love each other deeply and that kind of love deserves a fighting chance."
Now that Much and Carter are safe, join me and wastingyourgum in a game of cards.