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Hans sat by the fire at his little hiding spot, camp or whatever, waiting for deer meat to cook. The fire crackled, sending thin trails of smoke into the cool evening air. Hans sighed, prodding the meat with the tip of his dagger. It wasn’t much, but it would do. He’d always been better at drinking than cooking, but a man had to eat. And if he was going to show up to Semine's wedding looking like someone worth a damn, he needed to keep at this, hunting, trading, scraping together enough coin for something decent to wear. Still, his thoughts kept drifting back to Henry. That idiot should’ve found him by now. Hans scowled at the fire, tossing a small twig into the flames. Not that he wanted Henry to find him, he was the one who had left the other in Troskowitz after all. But Henry had a way of worming into places he wasn’t supposed to, like Hans' goddamn thoughts for example. So, Henry should’ve at least tried to look for him.
Hans took a swig from his trashy flask, letting the warmth settle in his chest. Maybe Henry wasn’t even thinking about of him. Maybe he had gotten too caught up playing the dutiful servant for someone else. Or worse, maybe he was spending his nights in the tavern, drinking with someone else. The thought made Hans' grip tighten around the flask. The thought of Henry getting comfortable in some peasant girl's bed made his skin crawl.
He eat, then sat on his bedroll, crossing his hands over his chest. Those thoughts of Henry were making him angry. Henry’s his bodyguard, and Hans being the one who left Henry doesn’t matter at all, Henry should look for him anyway! Especially since at least a week has passed!
Hans' thoughts gone to Bozhena's house, to those few days he and Henry spent there. Well, Hans didn't remember much, but he remembers Henry sitting by his side. Henry's hands on his body, changing his bandages, checking if he had a fever, holding his hand.
For fuck’s sake!
He missed this bastard so much. Is it how Mutt felt, when they were getting their stomachs full in Troskowitz? Hans owes this dog a personal apology. He should help Henry look for him right away. God, he’s such a terrible friend.
Hans lay down and wrapped his arms around himself, wondering if Mutt was as miserable as him without Henry. Hans groaned and rolled onto his side, glaring at the fire. The warmth did nothing to ease the tightness in his chest, nor did the burn of cheap alcohol lingering in his throat. Maybe he should just sleep. Maybe if he falls asleep he won’t feel the ache of missing Henry like a damn lovesick fool.
But sleep didn’t come easy. The memory from Bozhena's house clung to him, those hazy days of pain and fever, Henry's hands steady, warm and careful, the way he had sat beside him, never straying far. Hans had been too out of it to appreciate it then, but now? Now it made his gut twist. That idiot should be here. He should have found him.
Sooner or later Hans fell asleep. However, not long after that, he was awakened by the sound of a twig snapping.
Hans' breath hitched, and his hand went straight to his dagger. He pushed himself up, eyes scanning the darkness beyond the firelight.
Hans' fingers tightened around the hilt of his blade. „Fuck off!” he called, his voice rough. „Unless you want me to put a hole in you”
Silence, then another step, closer to the campfire. Close enough that Hans was able to recognize a familiar face.
„No need for that, my lord”
Hans nearly dropped the dagger.
Henry looked exhausted and more than a little annoyed. His clothes were dusty from the road, and Mutt trotted in beside him, tail wagging like crazy, but it could have been the fault of a cut wide open deer that was next to the dog.
Hans' heart did something stupid in his chest, but he ignored it, scowling instead. „Took you long enough” he muttered as the tension left his muscles.
„I’m here hunting poachers and I come across you?” Henry pointed his finger at him, he was wearing pretty good looking gauntlets.
Hans blinked at him from his sitting position, thinking about how to play it out.
„I was sent here by the Nebakov gamekeeper. He said there are poachers here. And I don’t have to be King Solomon to figure out who the poacher is, do I?” Henry shook his head and sighed. „Jesus! You couldn’t choose something different? There’s all sorts of ways to make money”
Hans scoffed and tilted his head at Henry like he was the one talking nonsense. „Oh, so now you’re a lawman, are you?” he drawled. „What’s next, gonna start preaching at me too? Should I get on my knees and beg for mercy, Sir Henry?”
The brunet pinched the bridge of his nose but his cheeks flushed slightly „For God’s sake, Hans, this isn’t a joke. You’re a noble. If someone catches you out here, gutting deer like some common bandit, they’ll drag you to the bailiff in chains. Or worse”
Hans waved him off „Oh please, I’m not that significant in this land full of bandits and murderers”
Henry sighed again „That’s not the point, and you know it”
Hans rolled his eyes, but the weight of Henry's stare made his smirk falter. It was that look again, the same one Henry had worn back at Bozhena's cottage, when Hans had been too weak to lift his own damn cup, and Henry had been the one sitting at his side, steady and reliable, like some fool who actually cared.
Hans hated it, because the moment he started thinking about how much he missed that, he’d start wanting things he had no business wanting.
So he shook his head and forced a grin. „Go back to that gamekeeper of yours, tell him you killed me or something. Semine's wedding is in three days so the problem will solve itself. Take my shit if you want” he nodded towards his hunting kit.
Henry looked at it but didn’t move. Mutt moved and sat next to Hans, wagging his tail as he looked into man's eyes.
Hans mentally apologized for not prioritizing looking for the dog. Mutt seemed to understand. Hans scratched him behind his ear.
„It’s chilly at nights out here” Henry broke the silence.
Hans shrugged „I manage”
Henry finally moved and sat next to Hans. So now the noble was trapped between Henry and Mutt.
The blacksmith's boy said quieter then before „Can I stay here until morning? I'm tired and getting back to Nebakov gamekeeper will take hours even on horseback”
„You bought a horse? Where did you get the money for this?” Hans asked louder than necessary out of shock.
„I found Pebbles. The guy wanted next to nothing for her” Henry explained with a little, warm smile.
„Unbelievable” Hans mumbled.
Henry huffed a quiet laugh „What’s unbelievable? That I actually managed to make a deal? Or that you’re still alive after playing hermit in the woods for a week?”
Hans rolled his eyes „Both”
Henry just shook his head, amused, then he took of some of his steel, before lying down on his side on the bedroll. Mutt shifted, letting out a soft huff as he curled up against Hans' side. It was getting late, and the fire had burned low.
Hans looked at Henry from the corner of his eye. He hadn’t expected him to stay. He figured Henry would scold him, make some self-righteous speech about responsibilities. But instead, he was just… here. Lying next to him like it was the most natural thing in the world.
Hans let out a slow breath „Fine. You can stay”
Henry shot him a look „I wasn’t actually asking for permission”
Hans smirked „Oh? So now you’re ordering me around?”
Henry's expression didn’t change, but there was something unreadable in his gaze. A quiet confidence that made Hans' stomach twist in a way he didn’t particularly like.
„Try not to freeze to death, Sir Hans” Henry murmured, closing his eyes.
Hans scoffed, looking away, then lying down himself, with his back to Henry „Night”
„Good night, my Lord”
Hans wasn’t entirely sure if he wanted Henry to leave in the morning.
Hans woke up when sky was more grayish then pitch black, as it always was right before sunrise. Mutt was curled against his torso, and he actually had his arm over the dog, holding him close. Mutt was warm and fluffy and nice. Even that specific dog scent didn't bother him in the moment.The noble didn't think much about it, his brain had almost fallen back asleep already. Then, however, he realized there’s this nice warmth also behind him. The realization immediately made him wide awake. He was closer to Henry then before, close enough that Henry was basically spooning him. Henry's arm was wrapped around Hans, around his waist more specifically. God, if someone saw them like this, they would thought that they are sodomites. His heart started beating in rapid pace. He had to took a few deeper breaths to calm down. Then he thought about moving Henry's hand away. And he almost did push it away but… as he grabbed Henry's hand, his own hand kind of… lingered there. It reminded Hans, how Henry held his hand when he was feverish. Well, back then he was feverish enough, that he could imagine that, but the feeling of Henry's hand against his own felt familiar enough. It gave him sense of safety in some strange way. So Hans let it be and fall back asleep, holding Henry's hand.