Fic: Deleted Scene: Lardner's Ring
I wanted to post this for your enjoyment before I rush off to work. I hope y'all enjoy. And Much seems to have plans for me so I don't think this will be the last one.
Title: Deleted Scene: Lardner's Ring
Author: Python
Characters: Much/Little John
Rating: PG13
Summary: What was Much supposed to tell Robin and Marian?
Warnings: slash, angst
Disclaimer: I don't own them. I'm only using them for a bit of fun.
It was almost dawn but Much stayed curled against Robin’s back until he was sure Robin was asleep. Robin had been exhausted but thoughts of Marian back with Gisborne would not let him rest. Now, Robin’s body was completely slack against him and there were no murmurs or other signs of a nightmare. He kissed the back of Robin’s neck and eased away.
Much found both Will and Djaq asleep but John’s bunk was empty. He frowned and went in search of him. He stopped when he saw John standing on the top of a hill, facing the east.
Much sighed. John looked so alone up there, the silent sentinel, and Much’s gut twisted in sympathy.
Much scrambled up the hill. John must have heard him coming but didn’t acknowledge his presence. He bit his lip. “Morning,” he said, a little too cheerfully because he didn’t know what else to say.
John barely acknowledged Much with a tilt of his head.
Much swung his arms at his sides and then hugged them across his chest. “Well, Robin’s finally asleep. Maybe we can all have a bit of a rest today.”
John didn’t respond.
Much stepped in front of him. John readily met his gaze with a neutral expression. “Robin needed me,” he said as if that explained everything.
John matched Much’s tone. “I know.”
“Are you angry with me? Did I do something wrong?”
John shook his head.
Much planted his hands on John’s chest. “John?”
John stared down at Much’s hands for a long moment and then at Much’s face. He bowed his head and let his hair fall to cover his face. Then he took a slow step back.
Much gaped at his hands. He saw them shake slightly before he clenched them into fists at his sides. “Look, you know how Robin is when he’s worried about Marian. I have to help him,” he said defensively. “I have to help calm him.” He shrugged helplessly. “I have to look after him.”
“I know,” John repeated softly.
“Then why did you back away?”
Instead of answering, John turned to go. Much jumped forward and grabbed his arm. “Tell me,” Much demanded. “Why did you back away?”
John sighed heavily. “I thought you didn’t fancy our pairing.”
Much heard the hint of pain in John’s voice. “Well,” he stuttered. “What was I supposed to say to Robin and Marian?”
“How about the truth.”
“I want to tell Robin about us, but this isn’t the time or the place. Would you tell Alice if she was here.”
“Yes,” John answered. “I’ll never lie to her again.”
“I’ll tell Robin,” Much said reasonably. “In my own time. Please.”
John jerked his arm free and half turned away again. “I understand.”
The grim finality in John’s tone sparked a wave of panic through Much’s whole body. He touched John’s shoulder. His voice cracked. “Wait.”
John stopped but didn’t turn. He turned his head to the side and glared at Much through the corner of his eye. “You better be letting go,” he growled.
Much’s heart thumped in his chest. He felt John’s power and tense muscles under his fingertips. He swallowed and mentally prepared for a punch in the face. “No.”
“Three seconds before I break your arm. One.”
“Wait. We can talk about this.”
“Two.”
Much was sweating all over. His heart pounded in his ears. “I don’t think Robin could handle the news right now.”
John grunted. “Three.”
Much shut his eyes and stuck his chin out. He spoke desperately and quickly. “And I was afraid he wouldn’t approve and make us stop.”
Suddenly, John’s shoulders slumped. He fully turned his back to Much. His voice was barely above a whisper. “Really?”
Much hugged John from behind. “Really.” His eyes got wide for a split second before he pressed his forehead against John’s back. He spread both palms over John’s chest and felt John’s rapid heartbeat. “You thought I didn’t want to tell him because I might want him to take me back into his bed.”
“There will always be a part of Robin that Marian can never reach, but you can.”
“That’s true,” Much agreed. “Just like there’s part of you that belongs to Alice.”
John clutched Much’s hands over his chest. His voice dropped even lower and Much had to strain to hear him. “I will always love her. That doesn’t mean I can’t love anyone else.”
Much gasped. He urged John to turn around, swiftly grabbed John’s head, and kissed him thoroughly. They kept kissing, softly and intently, until Much felt John’s arms tightly around him. He broke off to whisper against John’s lips, “The only one whose bed I want to be in is yours and I think I’ll be there for a long time.”
Title: Deleted Scene: Lardner's Ring
Author: Python
Characters: Much/Little John
Rating: PG13
Summary: What was Much supposed to tell Robin and Marian?
Warnings: slash, angst
Disclaimer: I don't own them. I'm only using them for a bit of fun.
It was almost dawn but Much stayed curled against Robin’s back until he was sure Robin was asleep. Robin had been exhausted but thoughts of Marian back with Gisborne would not let him rest. Now, Robin’s body was completely slack against him and there were no murmurs or other signs of a nightmare. He kissed the back of Robin’s neck and eased away.
Much found both Will and Djaq asleep but John’s bunk was empty. He frowned and went in search of him. He stopped when he saw John standing on the top of a hill, facing the east.
Much sighed. John looked so alone up there, the silent sentinel, and Much’s gut twisted in sympathy.
Much scrambled up the hill. John must have heard him coming but didn’t acknowledge his presence. He bit his lip. “Morning,” he said, a little too cheerfully because he didn’t know what else to say.
John barely acknowledged Much with a tilt of his head.
Much swung his arms at his sides and then hugged them across his chest. “Well, Robin’s finally asleep. Maybe we can all have a bit of a rest today.”
John didn’t respond.
Much stepped in front of him. John readily met his gaze with a neutral expression. “Robin needed me,” he said as if that explained everything.
John matched Much’s tone. “I know.”
“Are you angry with me? Did I do something wrong?”
John shook his head.
Much planted his hands on John’s chest. “John?”
John stared down at Much’s hands for a long moment and then at Much’s face. He bowed his head and let his hair fall to cover his face. Then he took a slow step back.
Much gaped at his hands. He saw them shake slightly before he clenched them into fists at his sides. “Look, you know how Robin is when he’s worried about Marian. I have to help him,” he said defensively. “I have to help calm him.” He shrugged helplessly. “I have to look after him.”
“I know,” John repeated softly.
“Then why did you back away?”
Instead of answering, John turned to go. Much jumped forward and grabbed his arm. “Tell me,” Much demanded. “Why did you back away?”
John sighed heavily. “I thought you didn’t fancy our pairing.”
Much heard the hint of pain in John’s voice. “Well,” he stuttered. “What was I supposed to say to Robin and Marian?”
“How about the truth.”
“I want to tell Robin about us, but this isn’t the time or the place. Would you tell Alice if she was here.”
“Yes,” John answered. “I’ll never lie to her again.”
“I’ll tell Robin,” Much said reasonably. “In my own time. Please.”
John jerked his arm free and half turned away again. “I understand.”
The grim finality in John’s tone sparked a wave of panic through Much’s whole body. He touched John’s shoulder. His voice cracked. “Wait.”
John stopped but didn’t turn. He turned his head to the side and glared at Much through the corner of his eye. “You better be letting go,” he growled.
Much’s heart thumped in his chest. He felt John’s power and tense muscles under his fingertips. He swallowed and mentally prepared for a punch in the face. “No.”
“Three seconds before I break your arm. One.”
“Wait. We can talk about this.”
“Two.”
Much was sweating all over. His heart pounded in his ears. “I don’t think Robin could handle the news right now.”
John grunted. “Three.”
Much shut his eyes and stuck his chin out. He spoke desperately and quickly. “And I was afraid he wouldn’t approve and make us stop.”
Suddenly, John’s shoulders slumped. He fully turned his back to Much. His voice was barely above a whisper. “Really?”
Much hugged John from behind. “Really.” His eyes got wide for a split second before he pressed his forehead against John’s back. He spread both palms over John’s chest and felt John’s rapid heartbeat. “You thought I didn’t want to tell him because I might want him to take me back into his bed.”
“There will always be a part of Robin that Marian can never reach, but you can.”
“That’s true,” Much agreed. “Just like there’s part of you that belongs to Alice.”
John clutched Much’s hands over his chest. His voice dropped even lower and Much had to strain to hear him. “I will always love her. That doesn’t mean I can’t love anyone else.”
Much gasped. He urged John to turn around, swiftly grabbed John’s head, and kissed him thoroughly. They kept kissing, softly and intently, until Much felt John’s arms tightly around him. He broke off to whisper against John’s lips, “The only one whose bed I want to be in is yours and I think I’ll be there for a long time.”