Archive of Our Own ^beta

“Stay still!” Herbert demands, his voice soft but commanding as he pinches the last tissue he has on him under Lance’s bloody, swollen nose.

“Not my fault you’re pinching so bloody— FUCK!” he yelps as his head suddenly throbs with pain.

“Stop being a baby, you got yourself into this predicament. You know better than to start game talk, Lance! You always get carried away and it always ends up in a brawl!”

Lancelot sighs, “I know! I’m trying to control it better. You know that!”

Herbert hums, “I know,”

Lancelot lets out a pained wince, “Ow…”

Herbert pouts with sympathy, stroking Lancelot’s shoulder with his free hand.

“You’re being so brave.. I’m here..”

“I bought some more water and tissue if needed, Herbert!” Arthur’s voice booms loudly, scaring the crap out of the blonde and making him nearly drop the red-stained tissue he was holding.

“We bought..” Patsy murmurs quietly beside Arthur, Herbert shoots them a grateful look.

“Pop them on the bench if that’s no problem!” and the two were quick to oblige Herbert’s orders. For someone so scrawny and dainty, he definitely kept the group in check when someone was in need. Especially if that someone was his boyfriend.

“I’m going to check on Gwen, she’s pretty shaken up from the whole ordeal!” Arthur declares, leaving without even saying hello to Lance. Herbert can’t help but laugh.

“Gwen? Shaken up? I’ll sure believe that when I see it!”

Gwendolyn or Gwen is known as being Arthur’s girlfriend. A gorgeous, feisty girl with beautiful, long red hair; she pulls it off so well it makes Herbert jealous and he doesn’t even like the colour red, (it clashes with his pale complexion.)

“Herb… the tissue…” Lance mutters and Herbert quickly realises his hand is coated in the never-ending stream of blood flooding out of his boyfriend’s nose.

“Argh! Ew! Oh my god!” he hisses, throwing it away immediately — the mangled thing somehow succeeded in landing in the bin. “I just got my nails done!” Herbert whines, Lancelot scoffs.

“Wow, so glad to know where your priorities lie, my dear.”

“You can go wash your hands. I can stay with Lance…” Patsy speaks up, Herbert forgot the boy was still there which made his heart ache with guilt.

“Are you sure, Patsy?” he asks softly, the blue-eyed boy nods,

“When Arthur got injuries from sports when we were little, why I was practically his nurse!”

The thought of a young Patsy scurrying to help a young Arthur made Herbert smile fondly,

“Ok.”

He turned to Lance who looked groggy from the pain and softly kissed his temple,

“I’ll be right back, my darling boy,” he whispers gently and for a second Lancelot’s features relax.

With Herbert gone, Patsy awkwardly shuffles over. Luckily, most of the blood had seemed to drain all of what wanted to escape on poor Herbert’s hand, leaving a few drops staining the grass.

“Would you like some water?” he questions slowly and Lancelot nods. Patsy silently passes him a bottle, Lancelot chugs half of it down.

“God, that’s good…” he moans and Patsy sits himself on the bench.

“I remember when we were 12 and Arthur broke his wrist that one time we played hockey,” Lance recalls and Patsy is surprised by the comment. He continues:

“You made sure you were with him every step of the way. You’re a good friend, Patsy.”

“Well… I wish Arthur could see that...” Patsy fiddles with his fingers, blushing at the attention to detail.

“He does.” Lancelot reassures him and the two share a smile.

Herbert eventually walks back in, predictably having taken a while to attempt to salvage his nails.

“I’ll go update Dennis, Robin and Bedevere,” and before the two of them can even thank him, Patsy is gone.

“I like him, he’s sweet.” Herbert says,

“He is,” Lance agrees.

Herbert sits back next to Lancelot, caressing his boyfriend’s arm, he goes to touch his forehead. Lance attempts to duck.

“Let me see,” his voice is soothing and Lancelot simply lets him, tired from the whole thing anyway.

Herbert lifts the hair stuck to Lance’s sweaty forehead, there’s a graze that looks like it hurts. Herbert frowns.

“Oh my... it doesn’t look pretty...”

Lancelot hums,

“Is that so?” he states sarcastically, Herbert blushes.

“I think I know what could help heal it though,” Lancelot sighs, faking pain.

Herbert moves closer, “What?”

“A kiss?”

Herbert snorts, “You’re so stupid,”

“But you love me anyways,” Lancelot grins.

Herbert kisses his boyfriend on the lips, “Yeah, I do.”