Work Text:
It had started with a comment from Jenny over dinner.
“Ally’s got it bad for Ronan huh?” She teased, bumping Will’s shoulder with her own. All of the former ward mates (the surviving ones Will couldn’t help but think), had traveled to Castle Araluen for a bit of a reunion. Jenny had spent the entire day doting on her nieces and nephew, thrilled to have one on one time with them.
“Got what?” Will tried to pretend he didn’t understand her meaning. She rolled her eyes.
“She likes him Will, as more than a friend.”
“Don’t be ridiculous, they are like sibling.”
“That’s what’s people could have said about you and Alyss. In fact, I’m quite certain some did.”
“That was completely different.”
“It really wasn’t.”
“And anyway, how can you possibly know what she’s feeling, did she tell you?”
“No,” Jenny shrugged, “but an aunt knows. I’m surprised you didn’t realized it Will, your ranger skills of detection are fading. Try paying closer attention.”
So he did.
And it didn’t take long for him to realize that Jenny was right. As usual.
___________________________________________________________________
“I hope you know that this is completely unacceptable.”
Horace looked away from where the kids were practicing their fencing with Gilan and turned to his friend, trying to figure out if he was being genuine or if he was making a bad joke. Will’s blank expression didn’t lend a single clue. “No, I don’t know that.”
Will sighed. “Horace, she’s a child. She can’t- she isn’t- it’s just- no.”
“Will, they are the same age. Actually that’s not true, Alyson is 6 months older than Ronan.”
“That’s not the point. 16 year old boys are the worse. Remember when we were 16?”
Horace cocked an eyebrow, “Yes, and if they come across any bridges I’ll start to worry.”
“You’ve spent too much time with Halt.” Will muttered.
Horace laughed, “It’s a crush Will, let them be. Besides, Alyson could do worse.”
Will didn’t respond. It was true, the only boy Will would even consider worth his daughter’s interest was Ronan. In fact, years ago, when the children were toddlers still stumbling around, Will, Horace and Cassandra would offen joke about arranging Alyson and Ronan’s marriage so that Will and Horace could be officially related. Now he was starting to wonder how he could ever joke about such a matter.
______________________________________________________
Later that evening, once everyone else had gone to bed, Will walked the halls of Castle Araluen. He hadn’t slept through the night since Alyss had died, the feeling of waking up covered in his wife’s blood never leaving his skin, and being in an unfamiliar bed had only made his insomnia worse.
He noticed a flicker of light coming from the crack under Ronan’s door. Pausing, he leaning in and heard muted voices. He was able to make out Ronan’s clearing, but there was another voice. A female one. One that he knew better than his own.
Flinging open the door, Will stormed inside. There on the bed sat his daughter and Ronan, a blanket draped across them both, their lips pressed together.
“What is going on?” He shouted.
“Dad!“ Alyson leapt up from the bed. Seeing that was still wearing her night clothes, Will let a tiny, minuscule part of himself relax.
“Alyson, go to your room.” His voice shook as he tried to reign in his emotions.
“Dad let me explain,” She begged as she tugged her dressing robe tighter around her.
Will’s eyes remind glued to Ronan. “Is he dying? Is he experiencing some kind of psychological torment? Are you the only person in this entire castle who help him?”
Alyson sighed, “No but-“
“I thought not. Save your explanation for the morning. Now, Go. To. Bed.” His voice was deep and solid, and Alyson knew there would be no arguing with her father. Without another word, she left, shooting one last glance over to Ronan, who was too focused on Will to notice.
Once Alyson left the room, Will took a moment to take a deep breath and think. Ronan sat on the bed, nervously fidgeting with his hands. Will was happy to see that he also had his clothes on. So things hadn’t gone that far tonight. But there’s nothing to say they wouldn’t have if Will hadn’t interrupted.
Finally unable to stand the silence for any longer, Ronan said, “Uncle Will please don’t be mad at Alyson.”
Will raised his hand, cutting him off. “You have one chance to tell me the truth. If you lie to me, I’ll know. Now, why was my daughter in your bed in the middle of the night?”
Ronan had heard countless stories of Ranger Will Treaty, the bravest and smartest of them all (or at least that’s what his dad said), but to Ronan, he was always just Uncle Will, quick with a joke and always ready to listen. He had never understood how the loving and kind man he had grown up with could be the same, larger than life hero his father described him as.
Now he saw it.
He saw the steely expression, the dark eyes, the clenched jaw. He saw The Ranger.
“She came in to talk.” Ronan saw the immediate disbelief on Will’s face and continued in a hurry. “No really. We hadn’t had a moment alone since you two arrived. We were always either with Maddie or our parents or someone else. We just, we just wanted some time. To catch up.”
“And how did “catching up” turn into you shoving your tongue down my 16 year old daughter’s throat?”
Ronan blushed so deeply that even in the dim light Will could see it from across the room, “It just sorta happened.” He mumbled.
Will shook his head, “No, it didn’t. You don’t just kiss someone like that for the hell of it. Have you planing this?”
“No! Not really. I mean,” Ronan rubbed the back of his neck, clearly unsure how to explain what he was feeling to the father of the girl he had just been caught kissing in his bed.
Will sighed and said, “Ok, why don’t you try to tell me about it like you would if it was any other girl? Tell me as Uncle Will, not Alyson’s dad.”
Ronan nodded. He used to tell Will everything. Every fight he had with his parents, every crush, every fear. He could do this. “She’s my best friend. There is no one like her. She’s incredible. Brave and smart and strong. I’ve never known life without her. And the older we get, I don’t- it’s like I’m starting realize I don’t even know if I could live without her. I know I wouldn’t want to. It feels like something has changed, a shift in the wind. I told her that tonight, and she said she feels the same way. Then we just… you know, kissed.”
Ronan couldn’t read Will’s face. He didn’t look angry, he looked sort of, sad? “I’m sorry Uncle Will.” He wasn’t quiet sure what he was apologizing for, but he felt like it was the right thing to say.
“I would have thought you’d be old enough to realize this, but apparently not.” Sighing heavily, Will pull a chair over to the bed and seat besides Ronan. “People do not treat men and women the same. They don’t hold them to the same standards. If someone else where to discover Alyson and you… together, she would be ruined. Her reputation, her future, it would all be tarnished. She would be shunned by society. Whereas you, would be fine. Frankly, your reputation would benefit. You’d be admired by your peers. And anyone who disapproved of your actions would be told “He’s a teenage boy, what do you expect?” Do you understand?”
Ronan swallowed, “I’m not sure. Why is it so different?”
“I don’t know. I wish I could change it. I hate that I need to raise my daughter in a world that will never respect her as much as it will me, but that is the way of the world. For now. So if you truly care about Alyson-“
“I do!”
“-Then you need to respect her, and understand that the choices you make will have greater consequences for her than for you.”
Ronan looked down in deep thought. “I didn’t think about it like that.”
“I know you didn’t Ro. I know you wouldn’t hurt Alyson. I probably shouldn’t have come charging in here like a hellhound. But she’s my little girl. Someday you’ll understand what that means. How it clouds your judgement and causes you to act irrational.” Will stood up and squeezed Ronan’s shoulder. “In the morning, we are all going to sit down and have a chat. If you and Alyson genuinely want to peruse a relationship with one another, then there need to be ground rules. Starting with no more midnight rendezvous.” Ronan nodded.
“Alright then, get some rest kiddo.” Will started to leave the room when Ronan called out after him.
“I love you Uncle Will.”
Will smiled, “Love you too Ro.” He shut the door softly as he stepped into the hall.
“Looks like we’re going to be brothers after all.”
Will startled at the sound of Horace’s voice. He turned to his friend, “How long have you been standing out here?”
“Long enough to figure out what was happening. I’m pretty sure you just gave Ronan the fright of his life.”
“I’m not going to apologize for it.”
“And I’m not expecting you too. In fact, I have half the mind to go in there and scold him myself. He should know better. Cassie will have a fit.”
Will laughed, “She shouldn’t go too hard on him, I don’t think he meant harm.”
“No, but like you said, this isn’t just about him. Had anyone else found them, we’d be planing a wedding for the spring.”
Will shuttered at the thought. “Believe me, I know. And we are definitely bring that up when we talk with them.”
“I can’t say I’m looking forward to that conversation.”
“Neither am I. I’m not ready for this Horace. I knew parenting would be hard. That there would be sleepless nights and fights and fear. I knew there would be nappies to clean and busies to kiss and sacrifices to make. But this, this never even crossed my mind.”
“Tell me about it. If I’m not up worrying about one kid, I’m worrying about the other. I assumed things would get easier as they got older, but I’m realizing that was ignorant thinking. It seems to get harder every day.”
“But it’s worth it, isn’t it?” Will grinned.
Slinging his arm over Will’s shoulders, Horace says, “Yeah brother, it is so worth it.”