Training His Own

Summary: Will meets up with childhood friends and gets into a bit of a trouble.
Warning(s): AU; Disciplinary Spanking of adults.

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It was nearly a week later. Robin and Marion had been married and King Richard had returned from the crusades, giving them his blessing. Robin was happy; he had the two most important people with him now. Marion, his wife; and his brother, Will. Tonight, he'd arranged for their friends to join them for a feast in the castle. There was still a lot that needed to be done, but it was important to Robin that he take some time to celebrate with his friends...his family.

Will still wasn't used to having family. He was less used to bring a part of a noble family, along with the obligations and scrutiny that entailed. It was nearing All Saints Eve and it was a time of year when he and his friends had tended to get into more trouble than usual, because it was easier to hide their mischief among the other activities occurring. One of his friends, Peter, had made contact and suggested a night of mischief that Will couldn't turn down. It wasn't until they were in the process of causing their mischief that he realized it was his brother they were pranking. In a very unsafe way.

When Will had let him know that he'd been invited to spend some time with his friends, Robin hadn't stopped him. He'd encouraged it, wanting to see his brother happy. So long as Will was there to take part in the feast itself, the rest of the night was his to do as he pleased.

But Robin hadn't been expecting this....

"Peter... we have to stop. What we've done is bad enough and was already dangerous... but this is my brother's feast we targeted! If I had known that, I would have never agreed! And the king is here! If they feel he is in danger and don't realize it is just a very badly thought-out prank, we could be killed before explaining ourselves!" Will argued with his friend from under the tarped wagon of what was supposed to be fruit, but that they'd hid several barrels of fireworks that they planned to set off.

Robin had gone to check on the supplies when he heard the whispered words of his brother. He raised his eyebrows and walked over to the wagon the sounds were coming from. With very little effort, he raised the tarp...spotting his brother and Will's friends, along with the fireworks he could see in the top of the barrels. "What did you do with the fruit?" he asked.

Will's eyes were wide and startled. He hadn't expected anyone to examine the carts a second time; it was obvious that none of his friends had either. "The fruit cart is just off the road before reaching the gates. We changed the carts when I distracted the guard and paid the driver to bring in this cart instead ..." he blurted, ignoring the disgusted looks on his friends' faces at his quickly giving in.

Robin nodded. "Thank you for your honesty, brother." His voice was clear and sincere. While he didn't want to embarrass Will, he wanted to make it clear his brother had done the right thing in telling the truth and not trying to hide. "Using the fireworks in this way is likely to get someone hurt. However, I see no reason why we can't make use of them after the feast."

"O... of course, brother. Do you think the king will like them?" he asked, hoping to remind his friends that they had inadvertently targeted the king and that Robin's suggestion was the best thing that could have happened for them.

"We can go back and retrieve the other cart with the fruit, Sire..." one of Will's quieter friends, Jacob, said.

"I'm sure he will like them as part of the festivities," Robin answered, before nodding to Jacob. "Yes. That would be the best thing to do right now."

"We will get to that right now, Sire!" Peter quickly interjected, grabbing Jacob and their last friend, Philip, and dragging them away to go get the cart of fruit... and leaving Will behind with Robin.

Robin turned to look at his brother, reaching out and clasping Will's shoulders. "What else happened tonight, brother?" he asked softly.

Will winced. He didn't think he'd done anything terribly dangerous, except sneaking in the fireworks... but he also knew Robin might view things differently. Especially since they'd obtained the fireworks by tricking and cheating at cards. Still... he confessed it all, even though it might get him in more trouble.

Squeezing Will's shoulders gently, Robin murmured, "Thank you for telling me everything, Will. I know it's hard, knowing the consequences." He moved one hand to Will's face, holding it so that his brother would look at him. "I'd like to let you off with a warning this time, but I have warned you about dangerous behavior."

"Yessir..." Will whispered, subdued. "You have. Numerous times."

Robin pulled Will into a tight embrace. "Will you feel better to get this over with now, or would you prefer to wait until after the feast?" he asked gently.

"What if the others get back while...?" Will flushed.

"We can take care of it in my quarters," Robin said.

"Then... I would appreciate not having to look forward to it all evening..." Will smiled crookedly.

Robin wrapped his arm around Will, guiding his brother into the castle and heading to their room. "I love you, brother. And I'm very proud of you for telling me the truth, even knowing that you'd be in trouble."

"I just wish I had thought of that before I'd agreed to this foolishness..." Will sighed.

Robin was quiet until they reached his quarters and then turned to face Will once more, hands resting on his brother's shoulders. "Mistakes happen. You owned up and I know you were trying to talk them out of it when I came. While I am going to spank you, it would have been worse if you hadn't done all those things."

Will swallowed, then nodded. "I deserve it. I'm glad I didn't try and lie, though. It... it was easier not to. Does this mean I'm learning?"

"Yes. That you're learning to trust me. To trust your brother." Robin guided his brother to the bed and sat down, gently pulling Will across his lap.

"I do trust you... I don't think you'll send me away... not anymore..." Will admitted, as he reached down to wrap his arms around his big brother's leg.

"I never would, no matter what," Robin promised. "I love you, my brother. Finding you, having you in my life, has made me so very happy." He rubbed Will's back for a few moments before he bared his brother.

"I'm glad I have you in my life," Will said softly. "It feels like I should already know what you are teaching me, but... I'm thankful to learn it now."

"I love you, brother." Robin rubbed Will's back for a few more moments before he delivered the first swat: stinging, but not truly hard. And then landed a second one at the same force.

Will's breath hitched at the first swat and then he answered, in a high-pitched voice, "I love you too. I... I'm sorry I made this necessary!"

Robin continued to swat down to Will's thighs, still at the same force and speed. "You still did the right thing, Will, and I'm very proud of you for that. You didn't lie and you didn't try to hide things."

"D... don't wanna make you not be able to trust me..." Will admitted, in a small voice.

"I trust you, brother," Robin said, sincerely and honestly. "I believe in you." He continued to rub his brother's back, even as he began a second circuit of swats.

"I... don't want to do anything to change that!" Will gasped out and began to squirm.

"You won't, little brother. I know you won't." Robin wrapped an arm around Will's waist, drawing his brother tight against his stomach, as he began a third circuit of swats; still at the same force, but a little faster now.

Will began to squirm more frantically as the swats rained faster. "I'll be better! I will!" he promised, before slumping and going limp, accepting the punishment without struggle. Tears began to silently slide down his face.

"I know you will. You're already being better for me." Robin stopped spanking and reclothed Will before settling his brother onto his lap instead of over it, hugging him tightly.

"I'm glad you caught us before we could do anything..." Will whispered. "I don't think they'd have stopped if you hadn't."

Robin stroked his brother's hair and down over his back. "It sounded like your voice was the only one speaking out against it."

"They aren't happy I've moved here. Even though you're a hero to the people, you're still a nobleman. They think I'm trying to be better than them. I think this was meant to prove otherwise..." Will sighed. "Guess I really aren't one of them anymore, if I'm the only one that saw what was wrong with the plan."

"That means you're growing up, brother," Robin said gently. "Doing the right thing, even though it's difficult. I'm so very proud of you."

"I'd argue that I was already grown up, but my actions meeting you and what I almost did tonight prove that a lie..." Will sighed again softly, snuggling against his brother. "Maybe if you'd got me when mama died, you would have kept me straight and I'd be more responsible." He paused before continuing, in a sad voice, "Why does growing up have to be so hard?" He was obviously worried his friends weren't friends any longer.

"I would have brought you home the moment I learned of your existence," Robin said. "I'm only sorry I didn't know about you before." He tugged Will closer and tighter against him as he added, "Friends who are willing to do dangerous things that will get you into trouble, especially something that could be seen as an attack on the King, are not true friends to you, brother."

"We didn't know at first who we were targeting. I should have. I don't think Philip or Jacob wanted to go through with it when they found out. Peter always led the charge in what we did. I don't think he liked me going against him... so he dug in. Didn't want to believe me." Will weakly defended his friends.

"I won't forbid you from spending time with other people you care about," Robin said. "But I would encourage you to think about whether Peter, especially, is truly your friend. You don't need someone in your life who would lead you down a dark path you can't return from."

"I want to believe they are real friends..." Will said hesitantly. "We grew up together. They... well, Peter anyway... was against my joining to fight the Sheriff. Said it was too dangerous; though now I think of it, all his examples were of how it was dangerous for those who claimed to be friends with me... I don't know...."

"It sounds as if Peter may no longer be a true friend," Robin said softly. "If he was more concerned with the danger he was in than the danger you were in." He gently stroked Will's hair. "Of course, you won't be acting dangerously under my watch, little brother."

"No, sir. I won't," Will agreed quietly.

Robin squeezed him gently. "When you're ready, we can go and conclude the preparations for the feast. But you are more than welcome to stay in my arms like this for as long as you'd like."

"I think I need to help prepare. I want to be there when my friends return. It would help me to see their response to the festivities planning..." Will said hesitantly. He didn't say he wanted to see if Robin catching them affected their view of him.

Robin nodded in understanding and released his brother after one last hug. "After the feast, you can stay the night in here with me," he offered.

"I thank you for your care and concern, brother, but I am alright to sleep alone and you are newlywed. Your bride deserves your focus..." Will smiled in amusement. "And as I am just down the hallway, I know where to go if I need you."

"You also deserve my attention and focus, brother," Robin said seriously, before wrapping his arm around Will's shoulders to lead him back towards the preparations for the feast.

"Yes... and I do not feel neglected in the least. And I quite like the idea of being an uncle, which I will not be able to be if I sleep in your room..." Will teased gently, as they walked out the door.

"Just so long as you know that you are still welcome to stay with me whenever you need to. Or want to." Robin headed back to where the carts were.

Will saw the cart with fruit, but the only one still there was Philip. "Did Peter and Jacob leave?" he asked quietly.

Philip fidgeted nervously, glancing at Robin. "Jacob said he would return in time for the festivities tonight. I wanted to offer my help as a way to apologize for what we nearly did...." There was no mention of Peter.

"Your help would be appreciated, thank you." Robin nodded to Philip; his arm still wrapped around Will's shoulders. "The first thing is to get the barrels of fruit inside." He squeezed Will's shoulders and then moved to start collecting the barrels.

Will gave Philip a small, grateful smile and began to unload the fruit.

Philip gave a brisk nod, then smiled his own big, bright smile, obviously relieved Robin accepted him, and began to help.

****

Philip had stayed by Will's side the entire rest of the day, helping with whatever chore they'd been given without complaint. When it came time to clean up for the festival, Will insisted Philip use his quarters and borrow some of the clothing Robin had given him. He wanted his friend to sit beside him at the feast, after having helped so much.

While Philip had gone to clean up in Will's quarters, Will went to Robin's. While there, he quietly explained, "Philip is an orphan, like I was. He did not know who his father was and his mother died the same day as mine from the same illness. I always thought he sided with Peter when I left, but... tonight he didn't, so maybe I was mistaken...."

Robin patted the bed next to him, encouraging Will to sit with him, and wrapped his arm around his brother's shoulders. "If you feel he's a true friend to you and if you would like, you can invite him to move into the castle as well," he offered. "There's space enough."

"We could both work as your men... do what you ask..." Will leaned into Robin. He wasn't sure what to call it; not exactly a soldier, but....

Robin brushed a kiss against Will's head. "My men," he agreed. "You both did that very well today anyway."

Will smiled. "I think he'd say yes, if you asked...."

"I will, then. If it's what you want," Robin said.

"If he's willing... it'd be nice to have him around," Will admitted.

"Is there anything else I can give you or do for you, brother?" Robin asked. "Anything that would make you happy?"

"You've given me anything I could have possibly wanted," Will said quietly. "More than I thought I wanted."

"I'm glad. I want to give you everything, brother. Because I know you didn't have it before and I don't think I can ever make up for that," Robin said sincerely. "But I intend to do my best."

"I have family now... it's what I needed most." Will impulsively threw his arms around Robin in a hug.

Robin wrapped his arms around Will in a tight hug, pressing a kiss to the side of his head. "I love you, brother. I always will."

"I love you too..." Will smiled, before pulling back. "We should probably finish getting ready. The feast starts soon."

Robin nodded and let go of his brother. "And I'll invite Phillip to come live here before the feast."

"Thank you..." Will gave his brother a grateful smile. "It means so much "

"I want to make you happy." Robin moved over to get changed for the feast. It didn't bother him that Will was still there. He had no problem turning his back on his brother.

Will quickly got ready as well, noting the trust Robin was offering. Soon, they were ready to head out and face the guests, Will ready to take his place as Robin's right-hand man. He was home.

The End