Polo and Dreameh's Medieval RP.

"Well that certainly wouldn't work, seeing as we're sharing a room." Archer pointed out matter of factly, "You certainly wouldn't fool anyone, Derek." He rolled his eyes at this, and grumbled under his breath, "I bet I could fool you, if I tried hard enough..."
Ignoring him, Archer began rummaging around in his saddlebag, and mumbled, "All right, well, if you're going to be pompous about the singing, then... Then I'll just have to play you a tune."
"A tune?" Derek repeated questioningly, watching his friend with a curious gaze as he dug out of his bag what looked like a whistle of sorts. He went on to describe where he had got it, but Derek was not really paying attention. Frankly, he was rather curious to find out what sort of a tune his friend could play on that little instrument. Truth be told, he was rather fond of music.
"It took me weeks to figure out how to play it, mind you." Archer said, dragging Derek's attention back to the present as he finished his speech, "Don't laugh."
"I won't." Derek promised, then he fell silent as Archer began to play.
The music was imperfect, but somehow, that just made it all the more enjoyable. For a while Derek just sat there, watching Archer as he listened. But then, at last, he began to relax, and laid back on the bed, a faint smile on his lips. The sweet tune lulled the stress right from his very bones, and somehow, Derek found himself filled with hope. It had been a very long time since he had felt any sense of optimism, but at that point, it honestly seemed possible that things could change.
When the tune ended, Derek shot Archer a sideways glance, and commented approvingly, "Not bad, my friend." He sat up, sighing softly under his breath, and held out a hand for the whistle.
"May I try?" He asked, seeming a little uncomfortable in the wake of his question, as though he was truly afraid to have even the smallest bit of fun. He was so tightly wound that to unwind and let himself go seemed like an ungodly sin... Still, they were alone, and he desperately wanted to play. It couldn't hurt, right? Just to blow a few quick notes, and just let go of his tension for a few seconds...

"Not bad, my friend."
Archer glanced up to meet the approving glance from his friend, and he found himself smiling widely for a moment or two. Never had he got any approval for something besides wooing a woman, and he had to admit, he rather liked it.
"Thank you," He murmured, still slightly embarrassed, and cleared his throat awkwardly. There was something about Derek that made Archer want to impress him, reveal the old William inside him that had not been unleashed so much in twelve years.
He looked down at the hand held open beside him and frowned questioningly.
"May I try?"
This surprised him. He hadn't seen that coming.
"Of course." He handed the whistle over, finding the look on Derek's face somewhat amusing. He looked like he was nervous the instrument would burst into flames if he touched it. "Just don't break it," Archer added seriously, but he winked to soften the impact. Of course Derek wasn't stupid. Besides, it would be incredibly difficult to break a solid, wooden flute anyway.
He sat back on the bed, curious to find out what other hidden talents his friend had in store.

Derek accepted the whistle, turning it over curiously in his hands and running his fingers over the worn wood. "Just don't break it." Archer warned, and Derek glanced up with a withering glare. Then he saw his friend wink, and he rolled his eyes instead, smiling slightly. Of course Will knew he wouldn't break it. He was just being an ass.
Somewhat nervous, as though he was actually afraid he would break it, Derek lifted the flute with trepidation. His sensitive lips parted, closing softly around the whistle, and he blew tentatively on it, causing the instrument to emit a breath of a note, barely even audible.
Clearing his throat awkwardly, he rubbed the edge of the whistle, then took a breath and tried again, blowing a little more firmly this time.
The whistle vibrated delicately in his fingers, and emitted a shrill note, much to Derek's delight.
Pleased by the success, he gave it a few more tries, covering the different holes in the whistle to see what note each would bring. Back home, he had been taught to play the piano, and he had picked up some skills playing a lute over the years, but he had never attempted anything like this. All the same, he recognized the notes, and it did not take him long to figure out some sort of tune.
Once he had tired of playing, Derek lowered the whistle from his lips, wiped it, and handed it back to Will with a smile.
"That was fun." He said simply, "Thanks."
Fun, huh...? Whoever thought I'd get to use that word again?

Archer - who didn't seem to find the moment quite as awkward as Derek - leant back on the bed with his hands folded behind his head, resting his ankle on his thigh. Funny, he didn't expect his best friend to be the 'musical' type. He always imagined the nobles who played music were stuck up and sour-faced. Apparently not.
When that first note whispered beside him, Archer shot the man a withering look. Perhaps he didn't know how to play it.
However, once Derek began to pick it up, Archer found himself nodding in approval. Soon enough, his friend had picked up a tune, and was playing with much more ease than Archer's attempt. In fact, he founded himself feeling mildly jealous. How could Derek pick it up so quickly?
Once the man had finished he offered Archer his whistle back, and he took it and stuffed it back in his saddle bag.
"That was fun. Thanks."
"That was what?" Archer stared at him incredulously. "I apologise. Can you repeat that again?" He brought a finger pointedly to his earl, raising an eyebrow in mock surprise. "I don't think I heard you right."
Grinning, he shoved his friend playfully on the shoulder. He chuckled, then studied a damp stain on the ceiling, chewing thoughtfully on the inside of his cheek.
"So, what's the plan, then?" He asked seriously. "I mean, we go meet your future wife and we bring her back here, but then what? I mean..." He cleared his throat. "You're going to show yourself to your father after he tried to kill you? Can you trust him?"
That was a stupid question, really. Archer, for one, wouldn't trust that man with anyone's lives, never mind his own son's. But Derek obviously felt different. At least, he didn't want the man dead. Archer had to admit the thought had crossed his mind.

"That was what?" Archer repeated incredulously, and Derek shot him a glance, "I apologise. Can you repeat that again?" Chuckling, Derek rolled his eyes at his friend's mockery, "I don't think I heard you right."
"Oh, shush." He scolded, grinning in amusement when his friend shoved him, and giving him a sharp push back. "I guess there's a little 'fun' left in me yet." A small smile lifted his lips, and he winked at Archer, leaning unconcernedly back on the bed when he began to relax. He was relieved to be able to let go of his tension at last, and frankly he was grateful to Will, too. He would never have been able to do it on his own, but with his friend by his side, it was difficult not to have just a little fun. In fact, he rather hoped that he might learn to be a child again... He'd not got to do that for long enough, really...
"So, what's the plan, then?" Archer asked after a moment, his serious tone causing Derek to revert reluctantly back to reality, "I mean, we go meet your future wife and we bring her back here, but then what? I mean... You're going to show yourself to your father after he tried to kill you? Can you trust him?"
"I don't know, Will." Derek answered wearily, "I assume that my father was just throwing a temper tantrum, and possibly trying to teach me a lesson," He shrugged, "I'm assuming that things will have blown over by the time I return. If he's still out for my head, well..." He sighed heavily, "I'll cross that bridge when I come to it, I suppose."
There was a moment of silence, then Derek looked solemnly at Will, and asked quietly, "What of your plans, William?" His eyes searched his friends, and it was clear that there was more to his question than what he directly asked.
He didn't want to lose his friend again, but he knew that William's life was far from his own... For how long would this man be willing to stay by his side? How long would it be before he had to say goodbye to his best friend all over again?

"I don't know, Will." Derek replied, evidently stressed now. Archer looked away. It had to be hard knowing your own blood wanted you dead, and worse, someone who had complete power over his home town. "I assume that my father was just throwing a temper tantrum, and possibly trying to teach me a lesson. I'm assuming that things will have blown over by the time I return. If he's still out for my head, well..." He sighed. "I'll cross that bridge when I come to it, I suppose."
Right, well they'd have to start planning for that situation when they got back, then. But Archer decided not to send his friend any more anxious for the future, so he decided to drop the subject for the time being.
There was a long, uncomfortable silence, until Derek finally spoke again. His voice was different this time. Quiet, like he was worried for how Archer might respond. "What of your plans, William?"
They met eyes for a moment, and it took Archer a while to find out what his friend was implying. How long are you going to stay here?
He cleared his throat and shrugged. Honestly, the thought hadn't even occurred to him. He never made 'plans'. Travelling the country had been a plan, but he didn't plan on where exactly he'd go first, or where he'd end up. 'Plans' were for nobles who had places to be, not for outlaws like himself.
"I dunno." He grunted, looking down at his hands. "I guess... If you really want to rise up against your father I could," he shrugged, "fight with you." He glanced up at Derek with a questioning glance, as if awaiting his friend's approval, then continued. "But otherwise... I don't know. I mean, I probably won't travel far now that I know you're here, and since my mother's in the state she is. But I can't stay in the same place for too long." He sighed, and brought a knee up to his chest the resting an arm on it. Before he knew it, his fist was clenching. Sometimes he had to admit not having to stick to the law was freedom in some ways, but he still felt trapped. Every now and then he'd have to keep looking over his shoulder. Even more so when he was at home.

Derek listened while Will spoke, then nodded quietly, thinking over his words. "I'd be glad if you'd stick around." He admitted seriously, "But I understand that with the law on your tail, it's not always possible..." Trailing off thoughtfully, Derek folded his fingers into a steeple, and studied them as he considered more carefully what his friend had said. Will had said that if Derek was to rise up against his father, he would fight beside him. That was certainly a brave and loyal declaration to make, but in honesty, Derek had to plans to stir up a rebellion. He had spent years playing the obedient little lapdog, and soon his father's rule would be over, and it would be time for his own rise to power. If it was possible, he would prefer to wait it out. After all, what was the point in stirring up violence where there was none?
"I won't try to overthrow my father." Derek concluded out loud at last, "At least, not until I absolutely have to." His eyes narrowed thoughtfully, "But I have my own power. Not much, mind you, but enough to make some difference..." He cast his friend a glance, and stated solemnly, "You saved my life. That much is worth a pardon for your crimes, and I could easily arrange that. Well... I could try, anyway. I don't mind pulling some strings for a friend if it means you'll be able to stay in Locksley."
Derek looked at Will, seeming a little awkward from his offer, and muttered, "So what do you think?"

Archer shrugged at his first comment. making a small grunting sound under his breath in agreement. He had to admit, sometimes he did wish he wasn't living on the run all the time, since life could get pretty lonely when the only company you had was your own steed. But there was nothing he could do about that, so there was no point wishing for miracles.
After a long, thoughtful silence, Derek finally declared, "I won't try to overthrow my father. At least, not until I absolutely have to."
"Spoil sport." Archer teased quietly, his lips lifting into a smirk. It had been a wild idea, yes. But something needed doing about that pig of a Duke. He was useless, and people were suffering at his hands. Surely Derek knew that? "But I have my own power. Not much, mind you, but enough to make some difference..."
Archer just shrugged. It was more power than he had, technically.
"You saved my life. That much is worth a pardon for your crimes, and I could easily arrange that. Well... I could try, anyway. I don't mind pulling some strings for a friend if it means you'll be able to stay in Locksley."
Archer looked up, frowning, and stared questioning at his best friend. What Derek was implying... He could claim Archer's innocence. He would never have to run again. Nor hide. Nor deny his identity. But... That wasn't right. It just didn't feel right to him.
"So what do you think?"
"I-" He began, then seemed to rethink his words. "That is a very kind suggestion, Derek, but..." He sighed. "I'm not an innocent man. Nor will I ever be." He leant back against the wall, resting his head back so he was looking at the top of the full-sized wardrobe across the room. "I'm an outlaw. I will break the law, no matter what good deeds go to my name. It's who I am."
His eyes seemed to glaze over at that point, as he momentarily reflected on his life as a runaway. It hadn't been all fun and games, certainly.
An elderly couple travelling to the next town to trade goods at the market... I took all their pottery. It wasn't even worth anything to me.
A man and a pregnant woman. I put a knife to her throat so he'd give me their food.
A local tax collector. I beat him until he vomited. He was only doing his job.
He hissed in a breath, then glanced down at his hand, clenched and shaking. It had been doing that a lot, lately. "I've done things... Ungodly things, that shouldn't be forgotten. I-..." He forced a smile. "I am grateful, Derek. I truly am. But... I don't deserve to be pardoned. Not until I truly atone for my sins, and I'll have to do more than one good deed to do that."

Derek frowned, considering what Will told him. It was funny, in his eyes this man would always be the sweet, kindhearted little boy that he had known as a child. Sure, Will had always been a little wild, but he had always been righteous and innocent, too. When Derek had seen this new side of the man, he had rather assumed that it was just a misunderstanding, and that after meeting up with him and perhaps gaining a pardon, Will would return to being Will again. However naive the thought may have been, learning that this was not the truth was something of a blow for Derek.
I will break the law," Will had told him, "No matter what good deeds go to my name. It's who I am."
Those words stuck with him. 'It's who I am'? That was a goddamn lie. Derek knew who William was deep inside, and this man, this outlaw, was far from it.
This is not who you are, Will. This is who you've become...
Sighing softly, Dere turned away, pushing his hair back from his face. He understood. After all, he too had changed, but that did not make it any easier to accept this 'new version' of his old friend.
"I've done things..." Will's quiet voice murmured beside him, and Derek glanced back at the man, "Ungodly things, that shouldn't be forgotten. I-... I am grateful, Derek. I truly am. But... I don't deserve to be pardoned. Not until I truly atone for my sins, and I'll have to do more than one good deed to do that."
"Yes," Derek agreed, nodding, "You do not deserve it." Quiet as his voice was, Derek's words were harsh, and his jaw tightened slightly in regret. "Perhaps I was naive, but... I expected you to change your tune now that you have me to rely on once more. To say that this is who you are...?" Derek trailed off, shaking his head with a snarl of disgust, "Don't make excuses, William. You weren't always this way. If you don't like the way you've turned out, then change." His eyes narrowed savagely, "As your friend, I'm giving you the chance. If you don't take it, then you're a damn coward." With a set jaw, he raised his chin, and muttered defiantly, "It's disgusting how you sit here and contradict yourself. You claim that you're an outlaw by nature, and yet you regret your actions, and wish punishment upon yourself for them. Make up your mind, Will. Because if the Will I knew saw this," He flicked his hand vaguely toward William, "I'm pretty sure he'd punch you in the chops and call you things that I'd be hanged for repeating."

"Yes." Derek's voice was harsh, and it caused Archer to shoot the man a cold, demanding glare. What was that for? "You do not deserve it."
What?
"Perhaps I was naive, but... I expected you to change your tune now that you have me to rely on once more. To say that this is who you are...? Don't make excuses, William. You weren't always this way. If you don't like the way you've turned out, then change."
This hit him like a bow to the stomach, but Archer felt anger simmering away in his heart. What was the bitterness for? He'd just been completely honest with his best friend, as he should be, and all he was receiving in thanks for his honesty was a cold shoulder?
"You make it sound so easy..." He murmured, but he didn't have the chance to continue with his excuses before Derek started to scold him again.
"As your friend, I'm giving you the chance. If you don't take it, then you're a damn coward." Archer jumped off the bed, fuming in his blind fury at this. He was nothing of the sort! Just the day before he'd saved some children from being beaten and risked his own life, then saved his best friend's on his own! How dare Derek call him a coward!
He began pacing the room, trying to calm himself down. They were on the ship, now. He'd have to live with Derek for the next few days whether he liked it or not. He couldn't do with falling out with the man so early on in the voyage. But God... His friend was making it extremely difficult for them both by acting this way...
"It's disgusting how you sit here and contradict yourself. You claim that you're an outlaw by nature, and yet you regret your actions, and wish punishment upon yourself for them." Archer clenched his jaw. The past was the past. He couldn't change his actions, could he? "Make up your mind, Will. Because if the Will I knew saw this, I'm pretty sure he'd punch you in the chops and call you things that I'd be hanged for repeating."
His face softened momentarily at this, but when Archer thought through what Derek had said he felt his fists clench at the blow of his words. How could Derek speak so harshly of him, especially when he'd saved his life only hours earlier?
"Do not scold me like a child, Derek!" He snapped, running a hand through his dark, red hair. This was exactly why he didn't talk to people about his problems. They judged him because of who he was. Why were people so black and white about everything?
"I am an outlaw." He wheeled round the man and gestured to himself, lowering his voice to an angered hiss. "I steal, I maim and I kill, for the sake of survival. No matter what, nothing will change that." He took a step back and released a breath he wasn't aware that he'd been holding, then continued more calmly. "This..." He gestured to the room around them. "This isn't me. It will never be me. Yet I am here, for you. For your sake. That's the reason why I'm here, Derek, to help a friend." He sighed, then shook his head. "Whatever. Think of me what you will, but I'm not going to change." His eyes hardened. "And that does not make me a coward."
Growling to himself he began pacing again, kicking the lavatory door closed angrily with his foot.
"The Will you knew... He's grown up. Reality does that to you." He nodded towards Derek's mask. "But I'm sure you know that already."

"Do not scold me like a child, Derek!" Archer snapped, and Derek, taken aback, glanced down at his friend, who now stood on the floor, fuming up at him. His brows creased slowly into a frown. "I am an outlaw." Archer hissed angrily, "I steal, I maim and I kill, for the sake of survival. No matter what, nothing will change that." Inclining his head in silent acceptance, Derek folded his arms, and waited patiently for Archer to go on. He was silent and thoughtful, his walls of authority suddenly as high as they'd ever been. Any hint of the boy he had once been had shrunk away at the first sign of anger from Archer, and suddenly they were not two childhood friends any more, but rather two abrasive strangers with paths strung roughly together by half-made plans and the vague taste of distant memories.
"This..." Archer's voice calmed, "This isn't me. It will never be me. Yet I am here, for you. For your sake. That's the reason why I'm here, Derek, to help a friend." At this, Derek's eyes narrowed savagely, and an angry hiss escaped his lips. He grasped the edge of the bed, looking about ready to jump up and start shouting. He loathed[/i[ guilt trips! But with an effort, he managed to restrain himself, and listened with shortening patience as Archer continued, [i]"Whatever. Think of me what you will, but I'm not going to change.And that does not make me a coward."
He kicked a door, and Derek's lips curled into a distasteful sneer at the rough gesture.
"The Will you knew... He's grown up. Reality does that to you. But I'm sure you know that already." When Will nodded toward his mask, Derek looked away, stung, and any anger that he had been building up died on the spot. It was a sorry sight, really. As a half defeated man, when he gave up hope like this, Derek looked dead on his feet.
"Okay." He replied at last, quietly, "You've made your point. I apologize for upsetting you."
He slipped off the bed, finding his feet in a dignified fashion, and pushed his hair neatly back from his face. "Still..." He mumbled, staring at the ground, and trying to convince himself that he could not see the white edge of his mask out of the corner of his eye, "You might want to ask yourself, Archer, if this 'grown up', this 'outlaw' that you have become truly is your true self, as you claim it to be."
He turned away, stepping toward the round window, and leaned on the sill as he mumbled quietly, "All I know is, I've seen two sides of you. Hell..." He turned to face the man, and his eyes narrowed as he muttered, "You've given them both names, Archer." Shaking his head, Derek walked over to the door, and finished simply, "You'd do well to remember that I know who you are, and where you come from. And 'this'," He mimicked Archer's gesture sarcastically, "Is not you, Will. You were always a good man, and I know that that good man is still in there somewhere. Perhaps life has forced you to make some unfair choices, and do some regrettable things, but you don't have to let that shape who you are. I fear both of us may be guilty of that..."
With a subtle shrug of his shoulders, Derek turned away, and let himself out of the room. He had work to do, people to see and issues to discuss - but more importantly, he needed to put some distance between himself and the man that he dearly wished might suddenly vanish to reveal his dear old friend once more.

"Okay. You've made your point. I apologize for upsetting you."
What?!
At the sight of Derek's slumped shoulders and lightless eyes Archer felt the anger in him melt, soon to be replaced by simmering guilt at his harsh words. He couldn't help it. If Derek had ever looked like that when they'd been boys Archer would have put an arm around his friend, then nuggied his neat hair to cheer him up. Archer suddenly wished he could go back to that.
Why did life have to be so complicated?
What's more, why did Derek have to go and pull the 'apology' card? It only made Archer feel worse about what he'd said, and in all fairness, he hadn't started the argument in the first place.
He clenched his jaw defiantly, and to keep from taking back his words, stared sulkily at the wall. What he'd said was truee, and he wasn't taking back he truth. He had changed. So had Derek. It was fact, wasn't it?
"You might want to ask yourself, Archer, if this 'grown up', this 'outlaw' that you have become truly is your true self, as you claim it to be."
"It is." He grunted, perhaps a bit too quickly, and glared down at his hands. That's what he said. He was sticking to that statement. William Danforth was still in there somewhere, but he would ever be whole again like the child he once was.
"All I know is, I've seen two sides of you. Hell..." Archer felt a pair of eyes burning the back of his head. "You've given them both names, Archer. You'd do well to remember that I know who you are, and where you come from. And 'this'..." Archer flinched at the word. 'this' and 'that' were words that stated him as an object. A thing. A street rat. He'd heard them too many times before. "Is not you, Will. You were always a good man, and I know that that good man is still in there somewhere. Perhaps life has forced you to make some unfair choices, and do some regrettable things, but you don't have to let that shape who you are. I fear both of us may be guilty of that..."
Archer still refused to look up until he felt his friend's absence haunting the room, and he released an irritable growl.
Derek was really down-put by what Archer had said, and his feelings had been strongly hurt. But Archer stood by his words. He would not let them crumble by giving into guilt.
But he looked so sad...
No! No, he didn't. He wanted his own way. That was all. As all rich men do.
But I hurt his feelings.
So what?
He doesn't deserve to have his feelings hurt.
He called me a coward. He deserved everything I gave him.
But I care about him.
That's true.
I should apologise.
For what? For telling the truth?
He deserves an apology.
I'm not apologising.
Go apologise.
No.
You have to sleep in the same room as him. Go apologise.
Fine...

"I'm not ruddy apologising for-" He began to grumble sulkily to himself, then he realised he was talking to himself, and rolled his eyes. He'd been living alone for far too long...
With an irritable growl he wheeled round and stormed out of the door after his friend. "Derek, wait." He pleaded, then leapt in front of his friend to stop him in his tracks. Guilt had loosened the frown from his face, and he felt the side of his mouth lift with some ease in order to lighten the tension between them both.
"Okay, I agree what I said was-" He cocked his head awkwardly, "Somewhat harsh. But, well..." He grimaced. "I-... I don't have a lever, Derek." He tried to make a strange gesture towards his stomach. "I don't have a magic lever you can pull whenever you want to see William Danforth again." ((Technically he does, but we won't go there. )) He managed a smile, and lifted an eyebrow in a comical fashion. "But I understand what you mean. William has been a bit..." He pulled a face. "Inactive, but so has the Derek I know." He placed a hand on his friend's shoulder. "And I mean that in no disrespect. I am a swine," he put a hand on his own chest to demonstrate. "But you're as stiff as a post." He winked. "The Derek I know wasn't like that. So... I'm going to do what we outlaws like to call a 'compromise'. I will try and be the man you remember, and you will try and..." He grinned. "Try and lighten up." He chuckled slightly. "We're not going to a funeral, my friend. We're going on a voyage to meet the woman you will soon be entitled to make love to on a daily basis!" He patted Derek's shoulder firmly and leant coolly back on the wall. "You don't want to meet her with a sour face, do you?"
His lips pulled up into a cheeky smile, and his blue eyes sparkled in that annoyingly handsome way that usually had the women swooning in from everywhere.
"Do we have a deal?"

Derek had taken only a few steps when a familiar voice behind him called him back. "Derek, wait." He hesitated, and before he knew it, Will stood before him, his expression softer than before. When he saw his friend smile, Derek let his shoulders drop an inch, and shifted his weight back onto his heels, no longer intending to leave. Raising an eyebrow, Derek waited for his friend to speak. And speak he did, in a disjointed, unclear sort of fashion. In fact, between his mindless babble and his wild hand gestures, Derek eventually couldn't help but smile. His friend may have been just a little eccentric at times, that that was one of the qualities in him that Derek held most dear. He truly was something else.
Though his words made little sense, Derek soon got the gist, and eventually William finished by saying, "But I understand what you mean. William has been a bit... Inactive, but so has the Derek I know." He frowned, swallowing guiltily, and letting his gaze fall upon the hand that Will laid on his shoulder. "And I mean that in no disrespect. I am a swine, but you're as stiff as a post. The Derek I know wasn't like that. So... I'm going to do what we outlaws like to call a 'compromise'. I will try and be the man you remember, and you will try and..." William grinned, "Try and lighten up."
"Okay." Derek inclined his head gently, then met Will's gaze, and allowed himself a small smile, "That sounds like a reasonable compromise to me. I'll do it. Or..." He chuckled slightly, "At the very least, I'll try." And try he would, though he could not promise success. It was not always easy for someone like him to 'lighten up'... But if he had Will at his side, well... Perhaps there was a chance, albeit a slim one, that he might find himself again...
He heard a soft chuckle from Will, and when he looked up at the man, he continued to talking, "We're not going to a funeral, my friend. We're going on a voyage to meet the woman you will soon be entitled to make love to on a daily basis!" Derek pulled a face at this, flinching away automatically when Will patted his left shoulder, "You don't want to meet her with a sour face, do you?"
"Why not?" He retorted, taking the sting from his sarcasm with a rare smile, "She might as well get used to it... Besides, it seems like a funeral to me. As if I need more responsibilities, and more people to please." He rolled his eyes, but Will ignored his sulking and asked simply, "Do we have a deal?"
He looked up at his friend, and was met by a pair of handsome blue eyes, sparkling playfully at him. In a heartbeat, Derek was grinning despite himself. Now that was the William Danforth that he remembered!
His cheeks flushed with colour, and feeling suddenly happy, he clasped Will's hand, smiling warmly. "Okay." He replied with enthusiasm, "We have a deal. But you know I might need your help lightening up sometimes..." He laughed, and released his friend's hand to scratch the back of his head awkwardly, "It's been too long since I've let myself, well... Be myself." He shrugged, "Honestly, I find it difficult to remember how."

William didn't have to wait long for Derek to bloom a warm smile at the sight of him again. In only a handful of seconds, they were both the men they wished each other to be, and they were damned proud of it!
Will felt a warm gush in his chest as his friend clasped his hand - almost as if ready for an arm wrestle - and he held it there for a long time, just staring at his friend's smiling face. He couldn't understand why Derek didn't smile more often, and he looked forward to the day that he did it more in public without fearing for other people's opinions of him.
"Okay." He agreed finally. "We have a deal. But you know I might need your help lightening up sometimes..."
Will shrugged. He could cope with that.
"It's been too long since I've let myself, well... Be myself. Honestly, I find it difficult to remember how."
"Then don't try and remember." William slipped the hand Derek had held in his pocket, trying to hide the tingling sensation on his palm. "Just... 'Be'." He jerked his head towards the end of the corridor in a gesture for Derek to follow him, then started walking casually with both hands in his pockets, slouching his shoulders. He did not look like the rich man he was supposed to be playing. "All I'm saying is I want to see you smile more," he pointed an accusing finger towards his friend, although he was smiling crookedly. "In public. I know, I know." He turned away again. "It's a scary concept. Terrifying, even. Heaven forbid that people discover your facial muscles actually work." He snickered deviously to himself at his sarcasm, then nudged his friend playfully in the side. "How about we start with something simple, eh? I dare you to smile at a stranger."
Once they reached the door to the dining hall, Will turned back to his friend, eyebrows raised challengingly.

"Easy for you to say..." Derek muttered, rolling his eyes incredulously, and shooting Will a small smile. "All I'm saying is I want to see you smile more," Will amended, pointing an accusing finger at him. "I am smi-"
"In public. I know, I know." Derek just shrugged when his friend cut off his objections. He walked along beside Will for a moment, then suddenly froze. "Wait," He said, horrified, "Did you say in public?!"
"It's a scary concept." Will admitted, though Derek was sure he could pick up on a note of ill-placed sarcasm in the man's voice, "Terrifying, even. Heaven forbid that people discover your facial muscles actually work."
Derek looked away sulkily when Will snickered, but he was forced to smile again when his friend elbowed him in the side, even though he responded with a withering glare.

"How about we start with something simple, eh? I dare you to smile at a stranger." Will dared, raising a challenging eyebrow as they reached the dining hall. "What?" Derek retorted, frowning, "Just smile randomly at someone I don't know? No. What would be the point of that?" He shook his head, "They'd think I'm a moron." He looked at Will, meeting those raised eyebrows, and looked sulkily away. "Don't look at me like that!" He complained, "Just be happy that I'm friendly around you." He folded his arms grumpily, "I shouldn't have to be friendly with strangers, too. They're not my friends. They're supposed to respect me, not like me." He nodded firmly, then looked back at Will, who was still stubbornly holding the same challenging smirk.
"Oh, FINE!" Derek relented at last, a laugh escaping his lips as he cuffed Will on the back of the head with fond annoyance, "I'll go smile at some poor stranger, and scare the life out of them. Would that make you happy, William?"

William leant a shoulder on the wall of the corridor and crossed his arms over his slim chest, raising an eyebrow at his friends retorts. Really... Derek was getting his knickers in a twist for no reason. They'd have to work on his sense of humour before he met this bird...
"Don't look at me like that!" Derek snapped, but Will held his smirk firmly, not once twitching away at his friend's annoyance. Just the fact Derek hadn't hit him showed that it was working.
"Just be happy that I'm friendly around you. I shouldn't have to be friendly with strangers, too. They're not my friends. They're supposed to respect me, not like me."
"There's a thinner line between the two than you think, my friend." Will murmured, raising his eyebrows, and rested his temple against the wall. Nearly there...
Eventually, the pressure of Will's challenging smirk and his absence of words proved too much, and Derek finally snapped. He chuckled, and Will grinned smugly at his friend, pushing himself off the wall with naught but a slight shift of his shoulder. He'd won. Now he knew how to get to his friend in the future.
He grunted in surprise when he was cuffed on the back of the head, and chuckled to himself. At least Derek had lightened up for someone. Especially after his first impression had been pretty grim, although Archer had been the same.
"I'll go smile at some poor stranger, and scare the life out of them. Would that make you happy, William?"
"It most certainly would." Will grinned, then opened the door to urge his friend into the dining hall. "Go on then, sir." He teased, jerking his head towards the open door. "After you."

The dining hall was nothing special. A large room with a small bar in the corner, and tables all around the perimeter of the room serving different breakfast foods. Some chairs and tables had been offered around the middle of the room, but most people were standing in groups, exchanging pleasantries when they entered.
Archer made a bee line straight for the bread board, and grabbed a handful of small, white rolls. His dignity didn't find him until he'd ripped the first couple like a lion with it's prey, and with an awkward clear of his throat, he found a plate and placed the rest on.
He found a block of cheese and some grapes, then found his friend again by the drinks section and nudged him playfully in the shoulder, his mouth full of bread. Once he'd swallowed his mouthful, he placed the plate down on the nearest table and picked at a few grapes in a dignified fashion, shifting his weight onto one foot. He grinned cheekily.
"Right, you've had the chance to practice." He teased. "Now smile. You're scaring everyone."

((That's totally not something that was said to Gaara in Naruto Bless his little fluffiness. ))

Derek followed Will into the dining hall, and when his friend bolted off to attack the food, Derek pulled a displeased face, and turned his back, deciding that it was easier to pretend that he did not know William until such time as the man had remembered his etiquette.
Elegant as ever, Derek glided over to the bar area of the dining hall, and ordered himself a glass of scotch, which he sipped from in a dignified fashion. Soon enough, Will appeared beside him with a plate full of food, and Derek was glad to see that his now less-starved friend appeared to have remembered that he was a man and not a mindless animal.
"Right, you've had the chance to practice." Will teased, "Now smile. You're scaring everyone."
"No I'm not." Derek retorted, frowning, "But if I smile, I will be..." He sighed heavily, and downed the last of his Scotch, then glanced around, holding his empty glass. A waiter boy nearby noticed his predicament, and approached with an empty tray, silently offering to take the glass. Derek offered an appreciative nod, and placed his glass down on the tray. He was about to turn away, but then he hesitated, and offered the shy boy a small smile. His face split into a grin in response, and with the tray in hand, he scurried away - clearly overjoyed to have witnessed such a friendly action from the son of the Duke.
A bark of laughter escaped Derek's lips, and he shook his head, casting a sideways glance toward Will and smiling in sheepish amusement.
"There you are." He said, "I scared him off. You happy?"
Rolling his eyes, Derek smoothed back his hair, then got himself another glass of scotch, and sat down at the table Will had placed his food on. He took a brief sip of his drink, then slammed the glass down on the table with a faint clink.

"Lighten up." Will scolded, breaking off some cheese and shoving it in his mouth. Once he'd chewed a few times, he stuffed two grapes in before he'd even swallowed the first mouthful. Gesturing for a glass of rum from the bar man. He washed down his food with a few mouthfuls of his drink and studied the hall for any possible 'victims' as Derek thought of it.
A waiter approached them, and Archer clutched his drink protectively to show he wasn't done, and he watched the young man pause as he and Derek met eyes. Will didn't know what was going on, but when the waiter disappeared with his face lit into a huge grin, he had a pretty good idea.
"There you are." Derek told him, chuckling to himself. Will did the same. He couldn't help it, that boy's face had been a picture. "I scared him off. You happy?"
"Very." Will replied smugly, picking off another grape from his plate. He studied it for a while, then popped it in his mouth anyway. "You see the effect you have on people? That was priceless." He joked, sipping at his rum again.
"Right. Now." He leant a hand down on the table Derek had sat at, leaning down to whisper in his ear. "Try it with a woman." He challenged, his eyes sparkling. "I dare you."

Derek rolled his eyes at Will's joking, and grumbled grumpily, "Yes, people think I'm a joke..." Will ignored him, sipping poshly from a glass of rum, then leaned closer and whispered challengingly, "Right. Now. Try it with a woman. I dare you."
Derek shook his head firmly, pausing to take another sip of his scotch.
"No. Not today." He answered, setting the glass down again and meeting Will's eyes, "It was difficult enough finding a woman willing to marry me. I'd had enough of awkward introductions, fear and rejection to last me a lifetime." He ran a finger thoughtfully along the rim of his glass, causing it to whistle softly. His brows creased into a frown. "It's not pleasant," He said quietly, "Whether I'm smiling or not," He gestured to his mask, "I am a monster. I see no point in being friendly to some poor lady who'd be hard put not to turn and run at the mere sight of me." Sighing quietly, Derek pushed his glass away, and looked briefly up at Will. "I appreciate you trying to help me, my friend... But I must still behave a certain way in the public eye." He smiled softly, "Around you, however, I promise I'll try not to... Hold back so much." He shrugged, then stood up, and took his empty glass over to the bar, setting it down on the counter before making his way back over to Will.

Will had been expecting hesitance from his friend, but when he saw Derek's lips pull into a firm line as he shook his head, Will realised he'd lost. He had reached Derek's boundaries. Women.
Of all things...
"It was difficult enough finding a woman willing to marry me. I'd had enough of awkward introductions, fear and rejection to last me a lifetime." Archer sat beside his friend and rolled his head back to stare at the low ceiling above them. A rich man with a fear of being rejected? Unbelievable. "It's not pleasant. Whether I'm smiling or not, I am a monster. I see no point in being friendly to some poor lady who'd be hard put not to turn and run at the mere sight of me."
Poor lady?
Turn and run?
Did he seriously believe what he was saying?
"I appreciate you trying to help me, my friend... But I must still behave a certain way in the public eye." He attempted a mild smile. "Around you, however, I promise I'll try not to... Hold back so much." With that he disappeared to the bar to leave his glass, then headed back and sat down in his place. Archer gulped down the last of his rum and slammed it like a drunkard on the table, although he was not affected by the alcohol as of yet. He shot Derek a displeased glare and watched the final drops of rum roll around the bottom of the glass.
"I'm not asking you to wear a joker's hat and juggle red and green balls, Derek." He groaned, then leant back on his seat and rested his ankle on his knee. "This won't affect how people see you other than they may be a little less scared of you." He watched his friend seriously for a moment, then sighed. "I know that you're not a monster," he placed a hand on his chest to emphasise his point. "I don't care what you say. Being a monster has nothing to do with what you look like. It's about what you do and how you are that decides that. Believe me, I've seen many monsters on my travels." He shook his head. "You are nothing like any of them. The only reason people would have for rejecting you is only because you didn't look appealing to them. Again, that has nothing to do with the mask." He shrugged. "It's because you either looked scared or miserable with being in their company. Woman don't like that."
He smirked slightly.
"Honestly, how do you think a street rat like me gets on so well with the ladies? I mean, really, I smell," he pressed one finger down as if ticking it off a list. "Mostly or urine or dirt, I'm skinny, I haven't brushed my teeth in days, and I look very evidently like I'm on the run." He gestured down at himself. "But I know how to charm." He grinned, then poked Derek's thick arm. "That, my friend, is what gets the ladies kissing your feet. Even mine."

"It's all very well for you to say that..." Derek mumbled, "But you know me, Will. Others don't see it that way. Our world is just a collection of tiny minds filled with a fear for anything outside their box of knowledge..." He trailed off, sighing, and thought back over what Will had said. Smiling would do nothing for him but damage his reputation. People did not like him to behave in a friendly fashion. They liked him to rule from the shadows, and tweak the duke's puppet strings from where they could not see him. Such was the fate of the shadow king.
Sighing softly, Derek turned his attention back to Will, starting to listen halfway through his speech, "...The only reason people would have for rejecting you is only because you didn't look appealing to them. Again, that has nothing to do with the mask. It's because you either looked scared or miserable with being in their company. Women don't like that."
"I'm not scared." Derek snapped quickly. Then, taking the edge from his tone, he mumbled, "It's not like that. You don't understand..."
But Will, clearly not interested in his excuses, continued speaking about himself, and his own way with the ladies. Derek offered a subtle smile of appreciation at his friend's crude description of himself, but he said nothing at first. Once Will was done listing his flaws, he changed tact and said, "But I know how to charm." Derek twitched away from the touch on his arm, "That, my friend, is what gets the ladies kissing your feet. Even mine."
"I have no interest in charming any ladies." Derek pointed out firmly, shaking his head. "If I had my way, I would not be married at all. I have found a bride now, and charming or not, I am to be her husband. Why should I waste my time and effort wooing the women when I have no use for them?" He shrugged vaguely, and added, "You may thrive off of pleasures of the flesh, but I do not. If I wanted to be charming, were it not for this mask, I most certainly could." He smoothed his hair back pompously, "But I have no desire to have the ladies kissing any feet. Even mine."
He stood abruptly, tapping his fingers on the table, then said, "Come, Will, let us go. I don't want to dicuss this any longer. I would rather just forget, until such time..."
He trailed off, never quite finishing his sentence.
I don't want to get married...

"I have no interest in charming any ladies."
Archer stopped in his tracks, blinking at his friend with wide, surprised eyes. He'd thought-... He'd presumed all this fuss- And Derek genuinely didn't want anything to do with any female? At all? What was wrong with him?
When Derek went on to explain, Archer just felt himself become more and more confused. If Derek was going to marry a woman, wouldn't it just be more pleasant to learn how to charm her before he met her, so their first meeting would at least be a successful one? He just didn't get it...
"You may thrive off of pleasures of the flesh, but I do not. If I wanted to be charming, were it not for this mask, I most certainly could."
"You can even with the ma-" Archer began to argue, but Derek interrupted him.
"But I have no desire to have the ladies kissing any feet. Even mine."
They both stood, and Archer rolled his eyes. Derek was being completely unreasonable. He my have been deprived of sexual contact from women but that was no reason to deny them altogether. He just needed a little push, and he'd be the ladies' man he could have been all along.
"Come, Will, let us go. I don't want to dicuss this any longer. I would rather just forget, until such time..."
"Now now," Archer grunted, displeased, and downed the last drop of rum from his glass. "I'm not your manservant, you know." He picked at the last few crumbs of cheese from his plate, then finished his grapes and left his glass by the bar beside Derek's. Then, in his own time, he walked back towards his friend with a hand in his pocket and the other hooked around his belt, and headed off towards the door.
"God, that was pleasant." He rubbed his bloated stomach with a content smile. "I might travel with you more often." He opened his mouth, pulling a face, and released a loud burp. "Although next time we might have to get you on the wine, if you're going to be like this every meal time." He slapped his friend on the back firmly, winked at him, then lengthened his stride as they headed through the door.
"Come. I want to show you something."
Oh yes, now who's giving orders?
He waved his friend over, then headed towards a small stair case that would take them downstairs to the stable area.

Derek winced at the sound of Will’s loud belch, and looked away in disgust, fanning a hand before his nose to waft the revolting stench away. “Good God, Will…” He muttered under his breath, “Are you an animal?”
Grumbling irritably to himself, he brushed a speck of dust from his shoulder, and strode on with his friend beside him, ignoring Will’s talk about how ‘pleasant’ the meal had been. He could speak for himself. Derek, for one, had been nothing short of agonizingly uncomfortable.
As he felt a slap on his back, Will’s voice broke through his thoughts, teasing, ”...Although next time we might have to get you on the wine, if you're going to be like this every meal time."
He grunted, twitching away from Will’s touch, and mumbled defensively, “I tried, okay?”
He rolled his eyes at Will’s wink, then began following his friend with a heavy sigh as he said, "Come. I want to show you something."
“What?” Derek demanded, quickening his pace slightly to keep up with Will. When he walked faster, his gait showed a slight limp on the left side, also souvenir of the incident in his childhood.
“Where are we going, Will?” He demanded, trying desperately to sound more curious than harsh, but failing miserably. “This is the way to the stables.” His jaw tightened, and he began hanging back slightly as he asked, with slightly more urgency, “What business do we have down here?”

Archer brushed off his friend's concerns with the mildest of shrugs, urging Derek to follow him as he jogged down the stairs to the stable block. Immediately the smell of urine and horse faeces wafted through the floorboards, and once Archer had passed through a few doorways he found himself standing in a cramped stable area. It was mostly empty, bar a few horses, each one tied face-first to the wall, separated by wooden planks, each munching on a small mountain of hay.
Archer glanced back at his friend, who looked evidently stressed by the scene, and nudged him gently. "Don't look like that." He told him gently. "They don't all bite. Well..." He smirked. "Mine doesn't, at least."
Just then, across the room, a hoof stamped against the hard wall, and a stressed screech echoed through the stables. A young boy was shouting something, and when Archer frowned at the space where the screech had come from, he saw Little Brother napping away from his 'stable'. The boy was that same stable boy Archer had met on the top deck, and he looked terrified. An older stable boy, perhaps in his late teens, was pressing his back against the Highland's rump, trying to shove him back into the claustrophobic space. Little Brother had his head high, pulling desperately against the rope around his head.
Just then, he squealed and kicked out behind him at the older boy's leg. He cried in pain and staggered to the side, rubbing his inner calf. In a flash Archer had stepped in, snatching the lead rope away from the younger boy and leading Little Brother away from the stable. Immediately the pony calmed down at his soft touch, and the two stopped a few paces away from small area.
"Easy there, my lad." He crooned, caressing the pony's long forelock with his fingertip. Then, he turned to the younger boy, glaring accusingly at him. "What were you trying to do, boy?"
"I'm sorry, sir." The boy looked shaken. "He looked stressed so I thought I'd walk him round for a bit, then he wouldn't go back to his stall and-"
"Alright." He silenced the boy with a flick of his hand. "No harm done. Go check on your friend. I'll get him loaded." The boy scrambled away to the older lad, who was now up and walking, if maybe with a slight limp.
Archer turned back to the pony, and scratched a spot on his shoulder. Little Brother's upper lip loosened immediately at the contact.
The two stood silently for a while, Little Brother resting his wide brow on Archer's stomach, and Archer murmuring assuringly to his friend. After a few moments, he led the pony slowly back towards the stable area, talking to him the whole time. It took naught but a loose lead rein and a handful of words to get Little Brother back to his stable.
Archer tied him up, then dodged out of the stable to meet his stressed friend by the door.
"Don't worry, he won't hurt a fly." Archer assured him, despite the events that had just taken place. "I'd just like to show you something. It won't take a minute." He cocked his head towards Little Brother's rump, and ushered him to the empty stable next to him.

When they reached the stables, it was to find rather a commotion going on, and while Will rushed instantly forward, Derek hung back, frozen in the doorway with his arms folded across his chest, frowning nervously. A pony that he recognized as Will's was causing trouble for the stable boys, and even the pair of them could not force the poor beast into its stall.
Obstinate animals... It's foolish to force them. Somebody is going to be hurt.
As if on cue with his thoughts, Little Brother kicked out, and Derek's frown deepened when one of the stable boys fell down with a yell of pain, clutching his leg. Derek stepped forward as if to help, but then his gaze shot to Little Brother and he stopped, stepping hesitantly back again as fear barred the way forward.
He watched through wide eyes, deafened by his pounding heart, as Will raced forward to help. The world seemed to swim around him, and Derek placed a palm on the wall to steady himself as his friend hushed the pony, and led it back into its stall with surprising ease. Derek saw that the stable boys, too, seemed relatively unharmed, and he felt himself gradually begin to calm again. Swallowing nervously and letting his tongue dart out to moisten his lips, Derek crept forward, fixing Will with a scolding frown.
"Don't worry, he won't hurt a fly." His friend assured him, but Derek just scoffed in response.
"I'd just like to show you something. It won't take a minute."
"What could you possibly have to show me here?" Derek snapped, made aggressive by his fear, "I have no business down here! There are important things that I should be doing..." He grumbled irritably on, but despite his reluctance, he edged after Will toward the empty stall, pausing outside and peering in with trepidation.
"What is it?" He asked, sounding close to defeat, "Can't you show me this thing elsewhere?" He edged his way into the stall, kicking irritably at the straw underfoot which threatened to scratch his smart, polished shoes.