Robin would have been lying if he’d said that it didn’t sting a little to hear it put so prosaically and yet the surprise evoked a very different response to the humiliation he had anticipated. How long was he going to spend skulking around, a wan, hazy shadow of his former self? Warsman must have been bewildered by the man who had replaced his draconian teacher when they were first reunited.

“Quite right- and I intend to make up for that time by doing it in a week, if you’ll assist me,” he replied firmly, squaring his shoulders.

... not that it lasted particularly long. There was just something about the way that he tried to save that little blunder that shattered any attempt to look serious and resolved. He really did know him far too well, didn't he?

Robin chuckled, clapping a hand to his shoulder. "Wars, I think your English is better than that, you don't need to pretend for my sake."