Fic: Watching Your Back, Ending 2 - The House
Title: Watching Your Back, Ending 2 - The House
Author: wastingyourgum
Characters/Pairings: Much/Little John
Rating: 15 (hint of slash, nothing major)
Genre: Angst, Slash
Spoilers: 3x12
Words: 725
Disclaimer: BBC & TA own until 7.30 tonight when the people will rise up and take control away from them in a glorious revolution...
Summary: Alternate ending number 2 - Much runs back to the collapsed house...
Notes: Beta services provided by the ever-lovely darkentwisted and robinfanatic
This is one of two alternate endings to Watching Your Back - please read that first then decide which way you want Much to run...
To the House...
There's dust everywhere and where's there's not dust, there's smoke and worse, fire.
"John!" Much frantically claws at the rubble, searching for any sign of life. "John!" He's almost given up hope when a large beam to his left topples over revealing John choking and gasping for air beneath it.
"John!" He dashes over, grabs John under the arms and starts trying to haul him out of what remains of the house. John gives a cry of pain as he does so and Much realises with horror that his legs are still trapped.
"I thought you went to the castle?" John groans as he tries in vain to move the beam across his shins.
"I started to but then this happened so I came back." Much is scanning the debris looking for... there! He picks up a long metal shaft from a broken wagon and brings it over. "Here." He wedges it under the beam then pulls on the free end trying to lever the beam up and away from John's legs. John reaches up and helps as much as he can and slowly the beam lifts a few inches. John pulls himself backwards on his hands and once he's clear, Much drops the beam again with a crash.
"Can you stand?" he asks.
John nods and starts to struggle to his feet. Much leans in to help him and between them they stagger over to the wall of the next house. Much peers in through the window then pulls open the door which is hanging off its hinges.
"Come on, there's a bed to the left there, just a few steps," Much encourages John as he collapses onto it.
Much swings John's legs up onto the bed so he can see them better. As Much grabs a jug of water from the table, John props himself up on his elbows. He gasps in agony as Much gently pours the water over his legs, trying to clean the dust and dirt from them. They're badly cut and bruised but mercifully there's no sign of any broken bones.
"Much..."
"Are you hurt anywhere else?"
"No, I'm fine, thank you. Much..."
"How's your head?"
"It's fine."
"Your back?"
"Much." John's voice is quietly insistent. "I'm fine. You should go."
Much can see he genuinely means it. He should go to the castle, tell Robin how he feels. He may never get another chance. He may already have missed this one. John loves him so much he wants him to go and have that chance that he himself has already taken with Much and had cast back in his face.
And that's why he doesn't.
Instead he puts down the water jug, places his hand on John's chest and pushes him down onto the bed, gently climbing on top of him as he does so. John starts to speak but Much puts a finger to his lips, quickly replaced with his own lips as he leans over and quietly kisses him. John presses his hands to Much's back, holding him close and for long moments they softly explore each others mouths; tongues and teeth gently licking and biting at each other.
John's eyes are wide with surprise and wonder. "But... Robin..?"
"Robin is an idiot," Much says with feeling and John laughs as Much continues. "You and everybody else can see how I feel about him. If he can't then he obviously doesn't feel the same. Why should I continue to want something I can't have, when what I can have is so much better?"
John's laugh this time is gently mocking. "I wouldn't say better..."
"I would and I'm an idiot for not seeing it sooner myself."
"You are the wisest man I know, Much."
"Wise? Me? Are you sure your head is not hurt?" Much laughs.
"Yes, wise and brave and loyal and..." Much quiets him with another kiss.
"We should still get to the castle," says John. "Robin will need us."
"In a minute. I need you first - if you're sure your back is fine...?"
"My back is fine... fat face."
Much grins. "Shut up, badger beard."
"Oh no, you don't tell me to shut up - I tell you to..."
Much places his finger to John's lips again.
"Shut up, John."
John shuts up. He's already said all he ever needs to say.
Author: wastingyourgum
Characters/Pairings: Much/Little John
Rating: 15 (hint of slash, nothing major)
Genre: Angst, Slash
Spoilers: 3x12
Words: 725
Disclaimer: BBC & TA own until 7.30 tonight when the people will rise up and take control away from them in a glorious revolution...
Summary: Alternate ending number 2 - Much runs back to the collapsed house...
Notes: Beta services provided by the ever-lovely darkentwisted and robinfanatic
This is one of two alternate endings to Watching Your Back - please read that first then decide which way you want Much to run...
To the House...
There's dust everywhere and where's there's not dust, there's smoke and worse, fire.
"John!" Much frantically claws at the rubble, searching for any sign of life. "John!" He's almost given up hope when a large beam to his left topples over revealing John choking and gasping for air beneath it.
"John!" He dashes over, grabs John under the arms and starts trying to haul him out of what remains of the house. John gives a cry of pain as he does so and Much realises with horror that his legs are still trapped.
"I thought you went to the castle?" John groans as he tries in vain to move the beam across his shins.
"I started to but then this happened so I came back." Much is scanning the debris looking for... there! He picks up a long metal shaft from a broken wagon and brings it over. "Here." He wedges it under the beam then pulls on the free end trying to lever the beam up and away from John's legs. John reaches up and helps as much as he can and slowly the beam lifts a few inches. John pulls himself backwards on his hands and once he's clear, Much drops the beam again with a crash.
"Can you stand?" he asks.
John nods and starts to struggle to his feet. Much leans in to help him and between them they stagger over to the wall of the next house. Much peers in through the window then pulls open the door which is hanging off its hinges.
"Come on, there's a bed to the left there, just a few steps," Much encourages John as he collapses onto it.
Much swings John's legs up onto the bed so he can see them better. As Much grabs a jug of water from the table, John props himself up on his elbows. He gasps in agony as Much gently pours the water over his legs, trying to clean the dust and dirt from them. They're badly cut and bruised but mercifully there's no sign of any broken bones.
"Much..."
"Are you hurt anywhere else?"
"No, I'm fine, thank you. Much..."
"How's your head?"
"It's fine."
"Your back?"
"Much." John's voice is quietly insistent. "I'm fine. You should go."
Much can see he genuinely means it. He should go to the castle, tell Robin how he feels. He may never get another chance. He may already have missed this one. John loves him so much he wants him to go and have that chance that he himself has already taken with Much and had cast back in his face.
And that's why he doesn't.
Instead he puts down the water jug, places his hand on John's chest and pushes him down onto the bed, gently climbing on top of him as he does so. John starts to speak but Much puts a finger to his lips, quickly replaced with his own lips as he leans over and quietly kisses him. John presses his hands to Much's back, holding him close and for long moments they softly explore each others mouths; tongues and teeth gently licking and biting at each other.
John's eyes are wide with surprise and wonder. "But... Robin..?"
"Robin is an idiot," Much says with feeling and John laughs as Much continues. "You and everybody else can see how I feel about him. If he can't then he obviously doesn't feel the same. Why should I continue to want something I can't have, when what I can have is so much better?"
John's laugh this time is gently mocking. "I wouldn't say better..."
"I would and I'm an idiot for not seeing it sooner myself."
"You are the wisest man I know, Much."
"Wise? Me? Are you sure your head is not hurt?" Much laughs.
"Yes, wise and brave and loyal and..." Much quiets him with another kiss.
"We should still get to the castle," says John. "Robin will need us."
"In a minute. I need you first - if you're sure your back is fine...?"
"My back is fine... fat face."
Much grins. "Shut up, badger beard."
"Oh no, you don't tell me to shut up - I tell you to..."
Much places his finger to John's lips again.
"Shut up, John."
John shuts up. He's already said all he ever needs to say.