Inaction [Tag Djaq]

[Allan A Dale]

It was one of those quiet days, when no one was travelling through the forest, when no one was doing deliveries because they’d all been completed earlier, and when everyone was generally just lazing about. Allan had, the moment Robin announced there was bugger all to do, disappeared from camp and headed down to the stream the outlaws used as a water source. He’d taken to doing this recently, because it gave him a chance to be by himself, to be quiet and still (two things he wasn’t really fond of) without managing to offend or annoy someone in some way.

Occasionally, the camp could be a little bit stifling.

He ran a hand through his hair as he looked off into the water, wishing - not for the first time - that he was back at the castle, surrounded by people bustling and going about their daily business, or at least in some kind of town, with newly paid men to steal from and children to watch as they played their odd games, women to whistle at and ale to drink, meat to purchase and bread to slip away into his pocket.

He was sure he wasn’t the only one who missed real life, who missed being around people other than the same six you saw day in, day out, who you shared your bed with, your food, the very air that you’d only just exhaled. It wasn’t that his disliked his friends – god, no, he’d give his life for them… Really give his life, this time – but it was that he was a social creature, despite his occupation, and it grated him to have to hide so constantly. After his time away from the gang, back in actual society, he was finding it difficult to get back into the swing of things. He used any excuse to be heading off to a village, especially Knighton these days, just so he could talk to someone new. Of course, he didn’t often get to talk to people at all, not when he returned to being an outlaw, but there was still the hope of it.

To make matters worse, he didn’t really feel right with the gang these days. Marian had never been there at the same time as him, not with the outlaws, and while he could avoid her in the castle and when he did see her, appreciate her wit (and her blade), he found her grating on his nerves in the forest. She was just like Robin, stuck up and spoilt and unaware of what really mattered-

No, no, that was unfair. Yes, she was a little bit stuck up, he felt, but she was a noble, that was to be expected. Her view of the world was just as idealistic as Robin’s, even if she didn’t notice it. Much and John were both simply antisocial towards him, and Will and Djaq spent a lot of time with one another – they always had done, but he used to be there too, winding them both up, flirting, messing around... With everyone pairing off, as it were, where did that leave him? Seventh wheel on the cart train? He was the odd one out, the spare…

And, to be honest, he was just generally grumping, mostly for the sake of it. Grumping was good, it meant he wasn’t grumpy around the others, although he wasn’t sure they would be all that bothered if he was.

He sighed, picking up a twig and lobbing it into the stream, watching it sail away with the current, bobbing up and down. When had everything started going wrong, really?

(OOC: Is it okay to tag you, dude? =3)

[Anni]

Djaq felt like she had been away for a long time. Of course that was a ridiculous feeling as she had always been there, but in her thoughts and dreams she was far away. Images of home kept coming back to her and she could feeling pang of home-sickness deep in the pit of her stomach, slowly spreading to her heart. Perhaps one thing that was helping this was the change in camp. The change had been there for awhile, especially when Allan had a trip to the dark side. Before she enjoyed Allan and Will's company together. They brightened up her day, but then when it was just Will and her, Djaq felt a wall come between them. It was not a wall to distance them, but she felt something that she was afraid to admit. Now she knew that it was because she had feelings for Will, but still, they had been around each other a lot more than before. Alone together.

But then when Allan came back everything changed again. Will seemed pleased, but then Djaq felt she was no longer in the little group. In fact, Will and Allan spent more time together and she found herself alone more often. These times when alone she found herself thinking of home, and of course she was never jealous of the time Will and Allan spent together, how could she be?

Djaq made her way down to the stream wondering where the rest of the gang was. Robin had said something and left in a hurry. Then Marian disappeared. Much was probably talking to himself as he made supper, and the others . . . She had lost track. Little John had seemed distant lately and it was understandable after his claiming he wanted to die before they went off to the Holy Land.

Once down at the stream, Djaq noticed Allan looking grumpy. She let a little smile play across her lips, her wide brown eyes sparkling as well. "What's with you?" Djaq asked, her accent still thick. Some might think it a silly voice, but Djaq didn't care. Maybe she would if Will thought it was though, but she would not think about Will at the moment.

(((of course it is! =) )))

[Allan A Dale]

Allan hadn't been expecting anyone to follow him – it was far enough away that the rest of the gang didn't usually bother coming up to lurk. But, as usual, today he had been wrong. A thickly accented, familiar voice spoke behind him, making him jump a little bit.

”What's with you?”

Oops, he really must be looking grumpy, because Djaq was actually directly asking. That wasn't good – he didn't like lying to her, it was just kind of wrong to lie to a woman like that, even if she was one of the guys. She'd always be treated slightly differently – no one could expect her to be exactly like one of the guys. It was hammered in with far too much efficency in most men – women are treated differently. But they did their best, and that would have to be enough.

Instead of revealing his innermost thoughts to the Saracen, he slipped on a mask – an easy grin, open and friendly, the sort that said “I'm your friend, don't worry about me” - and patted the ground beside him in an offering for her to sit and stay a while. Now that someone had interrupted his grump, there wasn't much point in resuming it.

”Nout,” he replied, waiting for her to accept his offer. He wondered if she would – out of all the others, she'd been the most willing to listen to him, the most willing to save him, the most willing to forgive him... And that meant a lot, at the end of the day, to a small time thief with no family and few friends. It most certainly had nothing to do with the fact he did still (despite all his misgivings and reassurances to himself that his emotions were playing tricks on him) really quite fancy her. Oh, if Will grew a backbone and did something he'd make sure he forgot all about it, and he didn't intend to act on it (which was a large part of the reason he pursued Kate so earnestly – the other part being that she was quite an extraordinary bird) because he knew it would completely wreck the relationship he'd managed to build back up with his best friend, but it didn't really stop a man from feeling things, did it?

”What's with you?” he asked, mimicking Djaq's tone of voice and accent with questionable skill, concerned that something was wrong. He wasn't taking the mick, though – he loved Djaq's voice. It was sweet and spicy at the same time, like warm spiced honey or a ripe apple, crisp and smooth. It was just wonderful, especially amid all these “normal” voices he heard every day.

[Anni]

Djaq knew that she was never one hundred percent one of the guys, but she did appreciate them making an effort. Of course, after a while, she felt more comfortable growing out her hair to shoulder length and wearing more feminine clothing. By the time they had saved Marian after Guy stabbed her, she felt like she was officially one of guys in the gang. Of course her more feminine transformation wasn’t just because she was more confident, but it had to do with her feelings for another in the gang. But she couldn’t think of that right now. It had been ages since she had talked to Allan and she wouldn’t let outside forces get in the way of that.

She watched as he put on his general happy face, the same face he had on even when they all thought they were going to die. Allan was not in the right business. He should have been an entertainer, but as it was, it was quite difficult to find any work that paid well. Thieving was the most attractive. I am a thief, Djaq thought to herself with a chuckle. That had finally sunk in a few months ago, but still. She had been such a good little girl when she was little.

Djaq noticed Allan pat the ground beside him and she went to sit down. She brought her knees up, hugging her arms around her legs as she rested her chin on her knees. That was the universal pose that a woman got into when she was upset, or wanted to talk. For Djaq it was the latter. She was a little worried about Allan and her maternal instinct always took over with these lads.

She looked over at him with one eyebrow raised when he responded. She knew that there was more than what he was telling her. That was for certain as he had just recently come back from the Dark Side and had given up his sexy leather for the typical dirty Outlaw clothes. Djaq’s own clothes had recently been washed as she always made sure to stay clean. The men on the other hand were usually quite dirty, but their was something mysterious about quiet Will in all his dirt and grass stains, and Allan did look better with all the tear and wear. Still, the leather . . . Djaq sighed.

“Nothing much myself,” she said with a smile. Allan had gotten good at mimicking her voice and of course she found it nice to hear the familiar accent. She did let out a small giggle though, simply because it was funny to hear Allan mimic her.

[Allan A Dale]

(OOC: Can I just say that if Djaq had said the leather thing out loud, Allan would have such an inflated ego right now XD;; )

Allan would admit to anyone (except possibly Will and Djaq themselves... And Much, because he couldn't keep his mouth shut) that he'd been most pleased when Djaq had started being more... well, feminine. She was a pretty bird and deserved to flaunt it, even if she was in a country where if she'd been caught, she'd be hanged just for not being English. But he wasn't thinking about that. He was fairly sure it was partly to try and impress Will, which stung a bit (he honestly thought she should just look pretty for herself), but that was life.

He was pleased that the Saracen sat down, and disappointed at the same time. Hoorah, he had company, but boo, he couldn't brood anymore. She settled down into that pose, though - oh God, she wasn't going to have a girly talk with him about Will, was she? He didn't think he could handle hearing how much she loved his eyes, or admired the way he worked with wood, or liked his moustache or those other things women seemed to talk about. He might joke about it sometimes, but he wasn't actually a girl.

Funnily enough.

Ah, okay, she was being skeptical. And she was sighing. Why was she sighing? He couldn't possibly be exasperating to her her yet, they'd barely even started talking! She was probably thinking again - that was likely her greatest problem, all that thinking. She never seemed to stop. Surely that would hurt your head, if you thought all the time? Allan shook his own head - he was starting to confuse himself and it was giving him a headache.

"So what's with the sigh then, eh?" he asked, nudging her in the side. He was glad he'd gotten a chuckle out of her, at least. A little bit of gratification never hurt. "You got something on your mind, mate - I know I ain't the best listener in the world but I can probably keep my trap shut for a good ten minutes if I try."

Well, the offer was out there, and hopefully it would keep her from persuing what was wrong with him.