Chapter Text
Jousting was cancelled. The highlight of the Renaissance Festival was cancelled. The snow from the day before had melted, but patches of ice threatened innocent bystanders who were simply walking, so the horses were too likely to get injured.
That was fine. It was reasonable, really.
Yet, the attendees wouldn’t be disappointed, not when the host said the knights and their noble steeds would be competing in a series of challenges instead.
Sir Robin Hood, is what they called him — the knight that Ren and his friends were to cheer for during this event.
A number of thoughts crossed Ren Amamiya’s mind at the knight’s introduction, the first and most obvious being that ‘Robin Hood’ was definitely not the knight’s real name. The second thought was that the knight was stunning, a genuine picture of what Ren imagined a striking young man who was fighting for the heart of some lady (or lord) would be.
With what poise Robin Hood held himself upon horseback and Ren certainly didn’t miss that the lapel microphone attached to the top of Robin Hood’s armor allowed him to know that the knight sounded just as good as he looked.
Ren was broken out of this reprieve by the shouting of one of his friends.
“Kick his ass and I’ll buy you a beer!” Ryuji shouted. Ren glanced behind him to see the blond standing on the top row of the wooden bleachers on which they sat holding his own cup in the air.
“Make it two and a cookie!” Ann said, quickly rising to her feet beside Ryuji, holding two fingers up for emphasis.
Ren turned back toward the knight who was staring directly at where Ren and his friends sat. The audience seemed to have grown quiet, curious as to how Robin Hood would respond.
“Of course,” The knight said, a smile pulling at his lips as he winked, “for honor — and for beer.”
Robin Hood knew how to work an audience, and Ren hated to admit how enthralled he was with the man’s performance.
Becoming enamored with a man in costume that he didn’t know the real name of was definitely not on the schedule they handed Ren when he and his friends bought tickets to the festival and Ren was almost certain it hadn’t materialized since then.
Enamored might be putting it lightly, though. Ren really meant that he felt like a damsel in distress, hopelessly attracted to the charming knight who he would kill for the opportunity to be ‘saved’ by.
And if anyone was wondering, yes, Ren likely appreciated the aesthetic appeal of Robin Hood more than the chill of the wind and the hot cocoa in his cold hands allowed him to properly express.
What really helped was that Robin Hood’s attention kept being drawn to where Ren and his friends sat because of their endless heckling.
“We know it’s rigged!” Futaba, who sat to Ren’s right, shouted. “Take that chump down anyway!”
“And ruin the art of their tireless efforts to achieve such natural choreography? I think not,” Yusuke chided her, waving his hand in a dismissive manner.
“Can it, Inari!” Futaba responded, reaching over Ren to punch Yusuke in the shoulder.
Ren muttered a curse as he nearly spilt the hot cocoa in his hands all over himself as a result. He was having enough trouble focusing as it was, but found himself grinning at his friends’ antics anyway. Ren shifted a bit, straightening his posture and extending his neck, eyes glued to the scene before him, how effortlessly the two knights fought upon horseback, swords clashing.
Robin Hood’s face was obscured by the helmet he wore as he fought against the other knight — Ren couldn’t be bothered to remember his name (it was likely a stage name as well). After a few minutes, Robin Hood was able to disarm the other knight, who fell from where he sat upon his horse to the fanfare of Ren’s side of the audience.
“Aw, hell yeah! That’s what I’m talking about!” Ryuji shouted.
“Leave it to the underdog from Sherwood!” Ann added.
“Victory certainly doesn’t seem to be the only thing Robin Hood is stealing today,” Haru noted quietly, from where she sat behind Futaba, resting a palm upon Ren’s shoulder.
“I do suppose old habits are hard to break,” Makoto added, from behind Yusuke.
Ren ignored them both, for Robin Hood had removed his helmet again. Robin Hood gestured to their side of the audience, pointedly addressing Ryuji and Ann.
“My lord and lady, are you pleased?” Robin Hood asked, a charming smile pulling at his features.
Ren glanced over his shoulder, if only to gauge Ann and Ryuji’s reactions to the knight continuing to play into their heckling. Ryuji’s jaw hung a little agape, but Ann bumped her shoulder against him, a bit quicker on the uptake. The blonde seemed determined to lean into it, overacting as she adapted some faux European drawl, bringing one finger to her chin in mock contemplation.
“My lord, I believe this brave warrior can do better. What say you?” Ann said, addressing Ryuji.
Ryuji was shaken from his stupor, then, stumbling rather than easily falling into the role Ann assigned him.
“Yeah, Ann! I mean, my lady, I — uh — do believe you are right. Only if Sir —,” Ryuji stopped mid speech.
Ren, despite how endless amusing he found it that Ryuji seemed to have already forgotten the name of the knight he had promised a beer to, quickly came to his friend’s rescue.
He was anything but inconspicuous about it, though.
“Robin — Hood,” Ren said, in a loud, obviously fraudulent coughing fit.
“Robin Hood —,” Ryuji continued then, louder than he was before, “Only if Sir Robin Hood wins this tournament, will we reward him with a position among our numbers.”
“Fair enough,” Robin Hood responded, with what appeared to be small laugh escaping him, “I will do what I can to prove myself worthy!”
Ren barely listened to his friends speak as he watched the two knights prepare for their next trial, a battle upon foot rather than steed. It was only when Robin Hood’s features were once again obscured by the helmet the knight wore that the buzz of conversation behind him roared to life in his ears.
“This is so much more fun than it was last year!” Ann exclaimed, to the murmured agreement of Ryuji and what Ren assumed was Haru, “Shiho and Yuuki are going to be so upset they missed it!”
“We could come back tomorrow,” Ren said, the suggestion falling easily from his lips even as his eyes were glued to the proceedings before him.
The announcer of the event was currently speaking to the audience, giving them a brief description of the next trial, of how Robin Hood and his rival would face off on foot with only the weapons on the field at their disposal. It was nothing Ren hadn’t already expected, since it followed jousting in the years prior.
“Yeah, unless one of you manages to woo Sir Robin Hood over there and get us discount tickets, I know I can’t afford it,” Ryuji explained.
“I could cover you,” Ren offered, just a little bit desperate to catch not only the last day of the Renaissance Festival but for a chance to see Robin Hood in action again.
“Ren can afford it, with one of the several jobs he insists upon having,” Haru noted, a small laugh escaping her.
Ren had the gall to look aghast at the accusation.
“It’s only two,” Ren said in mock offense, the curve of his mouth betraying his amusement, “Boss’s cafe doesn’t count.”
“Yeah, yeah. Whatever,” Ryuji interjected, “— I’m saying I’m down if you’re paying.”
“It’s a deal,” Ren agreed.
Then, Ren turned his attention to the clearing that acted as a stage for the knights and watched them perform, attention rapt on Sir Robin Hood.
Robin Hood had forgone a shield and wielded a sword, approaching his opponent who held both a sword and shield. When Ren blinked, he missed the moment that Robin Hood disarmed the other man. His side of the audience roared in applause, and Robin Hood stabbed his sword into the ground. He removed his helmet and waved to the crowd, an acknowledgement of his victory. The announcer proceeded to proclaim said victory when the unthinkable happened. The other knight came up behind Robin Hood and seemingly smashed a shield against his unprotected head, knocking him to the ground.
For a moment, everyone was hushed — as if they truly believed the show being performed for them was reality. The other knight removed his helmet then, discarding his shield. The announcer had proceeded to explain that it seemed he was the winner now when Ren spotted Robin Hood rising to his feet and seizing a war hammer. Robin Hood came up from behind the knight and carefully placed the weapon between the other man’s legs, bringing it up with what seemed excessive force.
All the men in the audience, Ren included, simultaneously winced as the other man fell to the ground.
Robin Hood didn’t take his eyes off the other knight, a smirk pulling at his lips.
“As much as I hate to resort to such uncouth, below the belt tactics,” Robin Hood said, “I’m afraid you left me no choice —.” He paused, eyes glancing towards the audience then back to the knight before him. “Surrender, and do so with the grace of one befitting your station.”
Ren was left gaping.
The commanding tone was a great look on Robin Hood.
He could imagine Robin Hood telling him all kinds of things to do in that voice. Him in the place of the knight on his knees before Robin Hood, complying with every word out of that man’s mouth.
Ren was fucked.
Ren was totally fucked.
“Ren —. Ren,” Futaba said, waving a hand in front of his face.
“Yeah, what?” Ren responded, turning to look at her.
“You’re drooling,” Futaba said, grinning.
Ren pointedly ignored the snicker coming from Yusuke on his other side.
“Besides, go tip your boy,” Ryuji said, then, having already hopped off the top row of the bleachers. He leaned a little heavily on the support beams. Ren overlooked it, certain that Ryuji was feeling the cold and pressure from the fall in his leg. Ryuji smiled, “They’re accepting cash. — Save enough for tickets for tomorrow.”
“Ann’s already approaching him, and now she’s pointing over here,” Yusuke said, gaze trained on the knight, “— At us.” He paused, then corrected himself, looking at Ren, “No, it appears she’s referring to you.”
“Up and at ‘em, Ren. Route unlocked to Sherwood Forest,” Futaba said, pushing Ren up from where he sat. Ren was glad the people who were sitting in front of him already left because the force of with which Futaba pushed him was enough to have him spill at least a fourth of what was left in his cup on the empty row before him.
Ren handed what remained of the hot chocolate to Makoto before pulling his wallet out of his jacket pocket and heading over to Ann and Robin Hood.
“We so enjoyed your performance, Sir Robin Hood,” Ann said as Ren approached them. Ren and Ann’s eyes locked for but a moment before she returned her attention to Robin Hood, gesturing in Ren’s direction. Ren was by her side by the time she spoke again, “but instead of Ryuji buying you that drink, our friend Ren Amamiya has offered to do the honors.”
Then, Robin Hood was looking at Ren, and Ren couldn’t attribute the warmth he felt to the hot chocolate that was missing from his hands, nor the sun shining brightly overhead. If anything, the wind chill had dropped the temperature since they first arrived.
“How kind of you, Sir Amamiya,” Robin Hood said, a polite smile pulling at his features. “I accept. If you will but allow me a moment to rid myself of this cumbersome armor, I’ll meet you back here in say, a half hour?”
“Sir Robin Hood,” Ren said with what he hoped was a charming smile pulling at his features, “I shall eagerly await your return.”
Witnessing the subtle arch of Robin Hood’s brow was reward enough, even as the other man turned to walk away.
“Way to turn it on, Ren,” Ann complimented him, thankfully quietly, as the two walked back over to their friends, “And you’re welcome, by the way.”
Ryuji seemed to have heard that part of their exchange, because he was quick to interject himself in the conversation.
“Yeah, just make sure to ask his name when he comes back,” Ryuji said, elbowing Ren in the side, “No way in hell it’s Robin Hood.”
“Haven’t you heard of stage names, Ryuji?” Haru asked, a smile pulling at her features that Ren knew only he could recognize as mischievous.
“Of course I have. I was just — ugh. It’s a joke.” Ryuji sighed.
Yusuke joined them.
“Your cadence was an indicator of such,” Yusuke noted, “And I believe Haru was playing along. Might I suggest we find a way to occupy ourselves until Robin Hood’s return?”
“Oh, I saw a booth offering Tarot Readings,” Ann suggested.
“Let’s see if Ren’s date will go well!” Futaba said, already dragging Ren by his wrist towards their destination.
“I guess I don’t get a say in this,” Ren said, even as he grinned, putting up no resistance to being led around by a girl who wouldn’t have gone out in public a few months ago, let alone a crowded festival
“Oh, it’s all in good fun, Ren,” Haru explained, “And I’ll pay for your reading.”
“C’mon man, what harm could it do?” Ryuji added, as the group made their way to the booth.