A Close Call (Gwaine)

[Yassia Dyfrène de Ailantha]

Yes, Yassia should have felt sorry that she gave Gwaine a hard time for the second time in a row tonight, as all he had done for her was more than most would do. And yet she was farther away from feeling sorry than ever, she even had talked herself into a right rage now, seeing only the things she wanted to see, and what she saw was a man without shame, without morals whom she owed too much for comfort. She should never have let it come that far!
The rich sound of the still damp laundry making contact with Gwaine’s face also didn’t fill her with regret like it should have… for now she only felt satisfaction and her hands were busy fumbling around for something more to throw at him.

They found a single wooden slipper Linda probably used when working in the garden, and grasped it tight, waiting for the right moment to toss it, while she looked at Gwaine with burning eyes.
“What’s wrong with me?! Goodness, Gwaine, you really got some nerve! Do you expect me to BELIEVE –“ now the time was right to throw, and so she did, accompanying the movement with an angry grunt, then picking up the former sentence. “…BELIEVE you did this all for me? Yes, of course, it really looked like you had the worst time of your life!” she sneered, nearly spitting fire now. “Knowing your and Linda’s ‘history’”, the airquotes were almost tangible, “I have no doubt she would have taken me in with only a little ‘please’. But no… you HAVE to play the rent boy!”

Oh sweet stars…! Now that last insult had been one too many, even Yassia realised that. But there was no taking her words back, that, sadly enough was never an option. She would have to deal with the consequences now… better start packing. And also bury all hopes of getting Gwaine as a guide towards Camelot. Really it was all her very own fault! Cursed temper! "Ouch... sorry, Gwaine, I didn't mean that!"

But then Gwaine stopped, turning around and saying something that made her forget the cold water of contrition that had just cooled off her temper. Was he honestly inclining that…?! Now it was her turn to stare at him. MEN!! This conclusion was such an obvious one it actually hurt!
“I am NOT jealous!” she snapped, her eyes gleaming again. She hoped it sounded convincing enough as she hated debates about something so petty. Every fool could see she was not jealous, being in Linda’s place was further from her mind than morals were to Gwaine’s! Of course it would be easier to just tell him why this whole thing made her uncomfortable, but one: Yassie didn’t think it was not HER place to apologize, and two: she had an inkling she would die of shame before she even got half the words out.

[shonz]

By gods! She was truly, genuinely angry. No, she was livid, furious, enraged. Gwaine could use all the words in the world, but there was simply not one there that could totally describe exactly what it was that had possessed Yassia quite so strongly. Gwaine would understand if he had been completely disrespectful towards her, but he wasn’t, was he? On top of rescuing her from those thugs at the tavern, he even managed to find her some warm dinner and bed for the night. Why she was being all prissy about it, he couldn’t understand.

“…BELIEVE you did this all for me? Yes, of course, it really looked like you had the worst time of your life!”

“Did I say anything about me slaving my sexy bottom off to get you dinner and a bed for the night?!” Gwaine couldn’t help but retort back, quite as strongly this time. She was completely being unreasonable, and he was starting to get really irritated. And she was still throwing all kinds of things at him!

“What do you care about my means of payment?! As long as you get food and a bed, you should be thankful! It's not like it's your soul I'm trying to sell!” Gwaine exclaimed just as he held his hands up and blocked the wooden slipper that was flying his way. “Watch it! OW!!” he exclaimed as the slipper hit him in the elbow! He reverted back to his thinking that she was one ungrateful brat after all, for one who seemed to be in dire need of help.

“I have no doubt she would have taken me in with only a little ‘please’. But no… you HAVE to play the rent boy!”

That did it! Gwaine didn’t even hear her apology as he felt smoke spewing out from his own ears. He didn’t care that she was like throwing daggers at him with that look on her face at his remark. “I think YOU want me to be YOUR rent boy.” For all his anger, Gwaine’s voice was low and yet it was menacing. He didn’t even wait for a response from her as he charged towards her direction with burning fire and solid determination in his eyes.

His hand had gotten hold of her arm, and Gwaine backed her against the nearby tree. His eyes flashed with something akin to lust and the desire to teach her a lesson or two. No one, especially not a wandering pauper like her, had any right to accuse him of anything, not especially after he had gone out on a limb to help her. Oh, he was going to teach her an unforgettable lesson all right.

His hands on her dainty shoulders, Gwaine pinned Yassia against the tree trunk. “Don’t deny it now,” he expressed, his voice thick with both anger and yearning. Then in a heartbeat, he leaned closer, his body pressed against her, as his lips found her own and captured it in one hot and searing kiss.

[Yassia Dyfrène de Ailantha]

It really felt good to vent anger in such kind of way, Yassia found it to be a good stress relief. Everything that had piled up during the last few months, all tension, anger and helplessness now flowed into her sentences and actions, and so instead of diminished the fire inside her was only fuelled. It would take a great deal to calm her down now, either something very drastic, or totally unexpected, or both combined for that matter.
A tiny section of Yassia’s mind actually started to wonder how this could possibly work out. Most likely Gwaine would walk away soon, leaving her only with trees and laundry to vent her anger on. She would in his place. Or she would strike back, and obviously that was what Gwaine had in mind as well.

“What do you care about my means of payment?! As long as you get food and a bed, you should be thankful! It's not like it's your soul I'm trying to sell!”

Wasn’t it? Wasn’t it?! It surely felt like that! Yassia might have lived overly sheltered and her views of the world maybe didn’t count as a measure of normal, but nevertheless she already felt polluted by what she had seen. It might not be Gwaine’s fault that she had lead a princess’ life, but that didn’t stop Yassia from blaming him.
“I did ask for food and shelter yes, but not for this kind of… entertainment!” she hissed, her eyes still looking daggers. “Tell me honestly, would YOU like to watch something like that? Oh, scratch that, I bet you would!”

Yassia saw Gwaine’s mood change, saw what she interpreted as danger rise in his eyes, and realised with sudden clarity that she had made her worst mistake ever. Here, posing as a commoner girl, she had no credit to spend. Here, far from Ailantha, no one was afraid of her status. She would not get away this time, as she was regarded as an equal, and equals were prone to retaliate tit for tat. She had crossed a dangerous line, and was sure there would be hell to pay now.
There was nowhere left to turn, she was cornered, trapped between Gwaine and a solid tree trunk. When he moved forward, closing the distance between their two bodies, she knew there was no escape.

“I think YOU want me to be YOUR rent boy.” “Don’t deny it now,”

Did he still get it all wrong?! Glorious grace, what was this guy’s problem?! He should not invade her personal space like that, how dare - -
He kissed her, pressing her against the trunk with his hard muscular body and every thought just vanished from her mind. There was no time to think, it all happened so quickly, and for a moment Yassia was even too shocked to move, to protest, to do anything. This was the first real kiss she ever had in all her life and she surely hadn’t imagined it to be like… like that! Her body reacted on its own accord and she felt herself melting away in the obvious passion Gwaine displayed … until finally reason kicked back in.

No, this was wrong! She brought her forearms between him and her, pushing him away forcefully. Her eyes wide with shock and something else she didn’t want to linger on, Yassia then raised her hand and slapped Gwaine.
But this slap was born more out of confusion and shock than of real anger, as somehow during this searing kiss, Gwaine had managed to miraculously melt her anger away. There was hardly anything left of it now, and that’s why her voice sounded almost soft, when she stated:
“Like I said. It’s not about THAT.”

[shonz]

Gwaine only let out one exasperated scoff after another at Yassia’s attempts at throwing all his misbehavior tonight back into his face. They were all lost on Gwaine, however. Her fury was certainly unlike any other. It was like that of a woman who caught her man cheating on her in front of her very own eyes. It was making no sense to Gwaine at all. He and Yassia had just met. He wasn't her man. He may have saved her from the brawl at the tavern. He may have gotten her food and a bed at Linda’s place. But they weren't in any way attached...romantically or something. And yet she still behaved like this. To Gwaine, there was really just one explanation. And he was sure he right about it. He was totally convinced she was jealous.

Her lips felt so soft against his own, and her sweet smell assaulted him like crazy. He hadn’t moved his lips against hers, but only savored and enjoyed the feel of the moment. His hand on her shoulders had curled, digging deeper onto her skin as if he was trying to regain control of himself. Ahhh…his first kiss with this lovely maiden. First kisses were always so soft, so pure, so innocent.

And yet, Gwaine didn’t get to indulge in any more of it as he felt Yassia pushing him away with all her might. It wasn’t really strong enough, but Gwaine felt the pressure and hesitantly pulled away, anyway, pulling his body first before detaching his lips from hers. And then he felt the sting of her slap!

It totally shook Gwaine out of his trance, and he only managed to look at Yassia with confusion and disbelief. He couldn’t believe he had actually gone and kissed her. And he couldn’t believe she really slapped him. He braced himself for more angry words, perhaps see a rock flying his way this time, for taking advantage of her just like that. When she spoke though, it was anything but harsh. Her voice was totally soft and devoid of anger. Gwaine’s chest heaved as he tried to catch his breath, recovering from that too quick a kiss. There was no use getting all riled up now when she wasn’t as wound up as before. Best take the most out of this, and tread the waters carefully now. Although, he couldn’t quite deny that he had enjoyed that brief kiss…or more like the feel of her soft lips against his own.

“I’m sorry…I didn’t mean to…” He was supposed to add ‘kiss you’ but then he knew he had totally meant to lock lips with her and teach her a lesson. He wanted to make her stop denying that she wasn’t jealous when in fact she really was. “I will tell Linda to tone it down. Just…let’s get back in there. It’s getting cold out here,” he told her as calmly as he could, even if his heart was still wildly beating inside his chest from the kiss.

[Yassia Dyfrène de Ailantha]

It was not a totally unpleasant experience… Yassia would have been lying if she claimed to feel that way. Gwaine was not forcing anything on her, he did not grope, he just seemed to savour the sheer feeling of his lips on hers… and if she was honest yet again, Yassia could tell where he came from. That didn’t change the fact though that this was wrong! Whatever Gwaine’s intentions were, he surely could not just make out with one woman, then turn around and try out the next, which in this case would be her. He might have wanted to teach her a lesson, but now Yassiw would just return the favor. However irresisitble he thought himself, she was not that kind of girl and would never be! Even that one kiss was clearly pushing it. That’s why she had refused to let it happen.

The kiss had been surprising, unexpected, and totally out of line. Whoever would think of kissing someone that had just mortally offended you? He should have hit her, or yelled at her, not… that! Why had he done that anyway? It never ceased to confuse Yassia, and it didn’t help in the slightest that her body still needed to recover from whatever this kiss had made her feel. Her cheeks were flushed, but not so much in embarrassment as in an other sensation Yassia couldn’t quite define. It was like her body was screaming for more, but her heart and mind clearly overruled this notion, saying ‘no’. It might be overly romantic, but Yassia would not kiss anyone she didn’t love just to kiss someone and oblige to her body’s cravings. That was too far from seemly behaviour to even be taken into account.

Gladly Gwaine took the slap with as good a grace Yassia could possibly imagine. He didn’t yell yet again, he also didn’t try once more… he even apologized and seemed to mean it… right? Sweet stars, Yassia had never come across a man so open and yet so hard to truly figure out.
Now that he mentioned it, it really started to get cold, as she had not brought anything with her outside and the night had put on a slight chill. Poor souls who had to sleep under the stars tonight! And yet… shouldn’t she be one of them? Could she possibly live through a night where she would probably have to witness Gwaine and Linda being even more intimate. Tone it down… that meant nothing! Maybe for now, but the prospect seemed inevitable.

“Alright…”, she began, helplessly and insecure, feeling the balance tip towards staying. Why this was the case though she clearly couldn’t tell. “Alright!” she repeated, a bit more determined this time. “Let’s… let’s just forget this and go back inside. I have a stew to finish after all…” Evading his gaze, she turned towards the door, feeling like an utter fool. How could things possibly have turned out this twisted way?

[shonz]

Gwaine waited with bated breath for a response from her. Any response. If she was going to go and slap him again, he would accept it. If she was going to throw more stuff at him, he’d receive them. He knew he had totally stepped out of line. Never had he trespassed on a woman like that before. No, despite his reputation, he was still honorable. He would never take the first step unless he was encouraged by the woman herself. With Yassia, he had completely forgotten that, too consumed and perhaps a tad too excited at the thought of her jealousy over Linda. He could see now that that wasn’t the case.

She was downright revolted and insulted by the blatant display of affection happening before her very eyes. Simple as that. He just didn’t see it so soon.

When she finally spoke, he let out the breath he had been holding. “Thank you,” he replied gratefully as she turned towards the door. “I never should have acted like an idiot, both in there and out here. It will never happen again, I promise,” Gwaine said meeting her eyes, and giving her his word. While the kiss had been wonderful, albeit rushed, Gwaine knew it had little to no effect on Yassia. Either that or she was so good at controlling her reactions. Any woman would throw themselves at him now, but not her. This made him respect her, and vowed to act proper from here on. Act as what he had told Linda, as Yassia’s cousin.

He walked after her, arriving at Linda’s backdoor and opening it for her. Linda had been preparing the bed for Yassia, and turned towards them as they entered. Gwaine gave Linda a small nod, beckoning her to him, and she nodded back. “This is your bed, Yassia. You can get your rest as soon as you finish your stew,” Linda said as she walked towards Gwaine, who was still standing by the door, and out to the backyard.

Outside, Gwaine told Linda about how his cousin was getting uncomfortable from all the shameless kissing and flirting, that was why she ran out the door. He told her his cousin had led a sheltered and protected life, and was much too shocked to witness them openly expressing their adoration for each other.

“Does that mean we will not be spending the night together?” Linda asked with a pout. Gwaine leaned and whispered something in her ear which made her giggle. She whispered something back to him for which Gwaine nodded. “All right then,” Linda finally acceded.

And with that Linda turned and walked back into the cottage. She grabbed a bag and a few of her things, and smiled at Yassia. “I’m so sorry for that. Your cousin is a good man. They are few and far in between. He’s helped me in a lot of tight spots before, and this is the only way I know how to pay him back. Don’t be too hard on him, okay? I’ll see you in the morning,” Linda told her. Then she turned and walked back out to where Gwaine was waiting for her outside.

Linda caressed Gwaine’s cheek with her hand, and gave her a kiss on the lips. “Thank you, Linda. You don’t know how much I really appreciate this,” he told her. “Anything for you, Gwaine. I’ll be waiting,” she replied with a playful laugh, putting on her most seductive of smiles before she left.

With a wistful smile on his face, Gwaine watched her retreating back disappear around the corner before he walked into the cottage. “Are you all settled? Is there anything else I can do for you?” Gwaine asked Yassia. It was really weird talking like usual as if nothing had happened between them, but he knew that was all it’s going to be.

[Yassia Dyfrène de Ailantha]

Finally Gwaine seemed to have caught on the actual subject of this whole tense encounter, that she was by no means jealous, just… not used to this and also never actually wanted to get used to it! His sincere apology even put her to shame, as she still felt like an idiot, exploding like that. It was always like that with Yassia, first she ranted and afterwards she felt sorry and craved to make things better, take back whatever she had said or done.
“It’s all good, Gwaine!” she assured him with a little sigh. “I shouldn’t have lashed out at you like that either. It just”, she shrugged, “I think it’s in my blood. My father was like that, you know? And unlike you I cannot promise it won’t happen again… sorry!”

Her shoulders slightly hunched she entered the cottage again, directing an unsure smile at Linda, muttering a thanks and resumed to finish her stew. It wasn’t even cold yet, so the whole incident hadn’t last that long after all, even though it felt like a totally different life, or a dream for that matter. Had Gwaine really just kissed her? The sheer thought alone made her cheeks flush with embarrassment again and she lowered her head over the bowl, wanting to appear thoroughly occupied with eating. Maybe she needed a good nights sleep to think about it all, get her thoughts straight again and seperated from her emotions. Her insides were still slightly in turmoil and she hardly noticed she was eating, nor was she any more hungry. She just told herself she needed to eat and that’s why she did it.

Yassia wondered what the two of them would be talking outside, but she found it too unseemly to try and eavesdrop. She had behaves out of line enough for one night, maybe even enough for a lifetime! What would anyone knowing her from the past say if he stumbled upon her in that state? Oh yes, they would turn their heads embarrassed, walking past her as if they didn’t know her. Yassia Dyfrène de Ailantha was a disgrace to her name and status! Maybe it was best she never got home again, resigning into a fate that hadn’t been hers in the beginning but now seemed to become at rapid speed. She seemed to change with every passing day. Would the young woman returning if all went well still be able to rule a kingdom?

But before she could wallow any more in self pity, Linda returned into her home, grabbing a few things. Yassia was dumbstruck. What was going on here? However much she had wished Linda to be nonexistant just a few minutes ago, now the thought of her actually leaving filled her with unease. Was she driving her out of her own house?!
Yassia was never one to hold a grudge for long. Her temper was like a thunderstorm, quick to appear, causing maximal damage and frightening many of the fainter hearted but ever so quickly it vanished again, leaving her with the damage control. And damage control was what she wanted to settle on now. She smiled at Linda, warmly and a bit bashfully.
“You’re right, that he is. Gwaine is a good man, and I am sorry to cause you both discomfort. I wish I could change who I am. It’s not my place to dictate you what to do and what to forbear. You have shown nothing but kindness and generosity to me, and look how I repay you!” She sighed deeply. “Thank you, Linda. For everything!”

Hardly looking up when Gwaine entered, Yassia carried on spooning her stew. She was still so very embarrassed and confused around him. The easy acquaintance of their first meeting hour was gone, and somehow that made Yassia sad and wondering if they ever could come to that level again.
“Thanks, Gwaine, but no there is nothing else. I got all I asked for, a bed for the night and a meal.” An awkward little silence ensued and finally Yassia cleared her throat. “Where did Linda go off to? I’m sorry for all the hassle I cause!”

[shonz]

Gwaine sat on the stool opposite Yassia, grabbed his own plate of stew and started eating from it. It was utterly delicious. He hadn’t realized he had totally forgotten how good Linda cooked. And he had to admit the taste of the stew had been lost on him earlier because he had been trying not to get too embarrassed at how Linda was feeding him in front of Yassia like a little boy.

“It’s not exactly a first class inn, but like I said it’s better than sleeping under the stars,” Gwaine replied with a smile after swallowing a spoonful of the sumptuous stew. He was glad that she was being appreciative again. He did still feel a tad bit uncomfortable after that kiss they just shared. Yassia seemed to have taken it all in stride, and was acting like it didn’t affect her at all. Gwaine wondered how many men she had kissed before.

“Where did Linda go off to? I’m sorry for all the hassle I cause!”

Gwaine drank some water before reaching a hand up to shush Yassia’s worries. At least she was talking, and there was no uncomfortable silence after that uncomfortable kiss. “Don’t worry about it. She was meeting a friend at the tavern anyway. She’ll be home later.”

Gwaine was about to resume eating his own stew when he realized that Yassia didn’t have her own glass of water. He stood from his seat and grabbed a glass from the cupboard. He placed the glass near her plate and poured her some water before sitting back on his own seat. He gave her a small smile and continued eating. Think about a topic, Gwaine. We can’t have any of those awkward silences, remember?

“Linda is a widow. While we’re intimate and all, we’re not really…together,” Gwaine spoke out of the blue. Not really sure if that was a good enough topic to venture into. Perhaps, it would help that he clear things up between him and Linda. Hopefully, it would make Yassia understand where he was coming from. “I rescued her from a band of bandits a year ago when she was traveling to the next village. She had almost been…violated by those pigs. I happen to be traveling the road, and well…” Could he tell her he killed those bandits? He wasn’t sure.

“Linda had no money to offer me as thanks. I wasn’t really asking for a reward, but she felt indebted. She offered to let me stay here that night since I was also just visiting. When I slept, she came to me and begged me to take her. That it would make her feel better for she hadn’t been with a man for a long time. I am only a human, Yassia. I’d be a hypocrite if I don’t tell you I wasn’t tempted. So I took her, and it had been like that every time I come to town. She is a very good friend. Nothing more.”

Gwaine wasn’t sure if Yassia wanted to hear any of it, but he wanted to talk about it nevertheless. “Forgive me. Beautiful women are one of my greatest weakness. Although, I have never in my life violated anyone. It is always with their consent that I come to their bed. I honor and respect them as they should be respected.” Then he paused as he was now veering towards the subject of their kiss, and how Gwaine had totally taken his liberty on her.

“That kiss…our kiss…that was actually the first time that I had kissed anyone without their permission. Forgive me. I don't know what came over me. With all my heart, I promise I will never do it again to you or to anybody,” Gwaine said, his eyes looking down low on his plate, before moving up to meet hers. Somehow, it was important for him to let Yassia know that he was remorseful.

[Yassia Dyfrène de Ailantha]

The silence really was an awkward one whenever either of them stopped talking for merely ten seconds. Was this how it would be going on all evening and potentially the next day as well, if she agreed on Gwaine showing her the way to Camelot? The prospect was almost a reason for calling it off! But then again, maybe not… it was never good to end an acquaintance on a sour not, so maybe they should both work on making amends, however difficult it might prove to be?

Accepting the glass of water with a thankful nod and a hestitant smile, Yassia now resumed to listen to Gwaine’s change of topic. It was good that he talked, so the silence would not come down on them like a thick blanket. Listening to the story he told, kept a few most embarrassing thoughts and memories at bay. However unfazed Yassia might appear outwardly, inside everything was turned upside down and it would need a while to settle. She could only thank her noble upbrining, concerning lessons of self-composure and countenance, for this apparent deceit of reality. The less Gwaine realised of her inward struggle, the better. He would only jump to the false comclusions again, and who knew what it might lead to this time!

The chosen topic though was maybe not the best in Yassia’s eyes. More lingering on the topic of Linda and Gwaine. Did she really want to hear the details? On one hand it was probably best if she was let in on the story, to understand the relationship they had even to a certain extent, but then on the other hand it made her realise even more how different mind sets could be! That a woman could practically BEG a man to take her, because she felt indepted to him was so beyond Yassia she could hardly grasp the meaning of his words. Weren’t there any other means of ‘payment’? Gwaine had said himself that they were nothing more but friends, so how could they even think of share something like that that was supposed to be for lovers and married couples! At least where Yassia came from… she couldn’t actually claim to be so very urbane…

“I see”, she therefore commented and made sure to keep all judgemental tone from her voice. “Yes, now that explains it… I think…”
The new topic he was shifting on was even less suited to keep Yassia level-headed. Why did he HAVE to bring up the kiss again?! Her cheeks flushed deep red without her being able to do anything about it, and so she at least tried to hide her face under her long hair. This conversation was the most awkward she had had in all her life, it even rated above the one where her mother had told her about children and birth in course of her medical training…
“It’s… it’s forgiven Gwaine”, Yassia said after she was sure she could trust her voice again. Forgiven, yes… but forgotten? Which woman who was made of flesh and blood would be able to FORGET that?

Awkwardly clearing her throat once again, she tried a makeshift explanation, to talk it all down. “You were angry… I was provoking you. We both acted out of line. I mean”, suddenly she can’t surpress a chuckle, “I was throwing laundry and shoes at you… not very well-mannered.”

[shonz]

Gwaine had launched head on into his story. Yassia looked all composed as she took it all in. But from her actions during dinner earlier that night, the way she had rushed out of the cottage and then released all her anger at him in the backyard, Gwaine felt that she was anything but composed and well put together from within. The play of emotions in her eyes were evidence of that.

While Gwaine tried his best not to look her in the eye, the few glimpses that he had given her showed questions and a degree of shock at the story that he was telling her. But despite the questions that seem to be plaguing her mind, she made no other outward reaction. She even made him even finish his tale before commenting in a calm voice. He gave her a small smile and then a nod when she acknowledged that his story now explained things for her. Did it really? Despite what she was saying, Gwaine could still see some lingering doubts in her eyes. Still, he was not one to pry no matter how much he wanted to know what was going on inside that pretty little head of hers.

He tried not to notice the flush of red that rose on her cheeks at the mention of their earlier kiss. Embarrassing her was far from his intentions when he brought it up. He just thought it was best to put it out in the open, talk about it like adults, and then forget about it. Well, maybe not forget about it, but at least be able to talk about it like grown ups. Gwaine never really liked keeping things awkward between him and others, especially with women.

“Thank you,” he replied gratefully when Yassia forgave him. That was all he needed. He didn’t want to part with her on awkward terms. And besides, he still wanted very much to accompany her to Camelot. He never turned back on his promises.

Gwaine chuckled back when she tried to make his actions her fault. While there may have been some truth to that, Gwaine was at least glad that she was starting to take it all in stride. And then of course, she was sort of apologizing for her ill manners, which intrigued Gwaine. A random village maiden wouldn’t worry too much about manners and decorum as much as she does. Yassia was acting unlike any random straggler. But then of course, what would she be doing all penniless and accepting help from well-meaning strangers if she weren’t a random straggler. Gwaine didn’t want to think about other possibilities. Whatever Yassia’s story was, it was hers to tell, and not for him to pry.

Lifting his arm up, he pulled up his sleeves to reveal the area near his elbow where the wooden slipper she had thrown at him had made a red bruising mark. “This is going to turn black and blue tomorrow for sure,” he teased as he showed it to her, laughing. It was nothing really, just a small bruise when he had protected himself from the slipper that was flying his way.

Then he looked at her and smiled. “I enjoyed the kiss, despite how brief it was, but I know there was nothing more to it for you. Let's just forget about it and start anew," he told her honestly. “Friends?” he asked, reaching a hand out for a shake. "I still do want to show you the way to Camelot, if you’d still have me guide you.”

[Yassia Dyfrène de Ailantha]

It felt so much better now she and Gwaine had made up and tried to talk through their difficulties. As much as Yassia was short-tempered and could explode within a minute, as much did she hate actual differences or arguments once she had cooled off a little. It made her be so shabby, so unforgiving, so rude and she yearned to make amends. Until now, gladly enough, no argument had been so severe she had not been able to put it right again, and that this was the case even with Gwaine filled her with much relief. A lot could have been destroyed by this misunderstanding. From the moment Gwaine had spoken up for her in that tavern, calling her his sister to save her from those men, Yassia had believed she could trust him. His… actions with Linda had blemished this perfect picture maybe, but it hadn’t destroyed it. She still liked Gwaine, in all his loud and completely shameful manner, however different they may be.

Laughing and joking together felt good too, it erased the awkwardness from just moments ago, and so Yassia was more than happy to take him up on the joke, teasing him almost fondly. “Now, don’t you men all love your many battlescars, however petty they may be? Just think about it: you can show that around in the next tavern and brag about the fierce fight you had with a foreign wildcat.” The image in her head was actually quite funny to behold. She was sure, Gwaine could make the most of it, as he seemed to always be able to make the most out of everything. Even if he did that in her presence – ever assumed he was still willing to accompany her to Camelot – she would not be angry at him for telling lies. No, that was just too interesting and funny an idea!

Of course Gwaine couldn’t resist to bring up the kiss one last time, almost like a little sideblow in hopes to make her blush again. Whether that had been his intention or not didn’t matter, it was working. But she chose not to be angry or even annoyed at him this time, but simply took his hand, grasping it firmly with a smile. Starting anew did sound very good indeed, and Yassia hoped they would manage – for at least the rest of the evening they spent awake. How long that would be she didn’t really know, she was starting to feel the exhaustion of the day more prominently. The stew might have helped with that, it made her feel all warm and settled.
“Friends it is, Gwaine”, she assured him, nodding gravely. “And I would be most glad to have you as my guide towards Camelot. You seem to know your way around here quite a lot, and I don’t want to risk getting lost again.”

Surpressing a yawn, even stiffling the very inkling of it politely with her hand as she had been taught to do, she smiled at him apologetically. “I am not saying I want to retire just now, Gwaine, don’t let my reactions dishearten you. If you are still up for more talking, it would be my pleasure to keep you company for a little while longer.”


[OOC: sorry that took so long Gwaine, I had a bit of a writers block with Yassia in general!]

[shonz]

Gwaine couldn’t keep the hearty laugh that escaped his lips at Yassia’s suggestion. Pretending his possible scar to be caused by a foreign wildcat would truly make an unforgettable story of bravery during late nights at taverns. Gwaine could already imagine the looks on other people’s faces as he weaves his tale of meeting a wild animal in his many travels, facing it with strength and courage as he fought for dear life. Right.

“Now that is a very good suggestion,” Gwaine told Yassia, laughter in his eyes. “It will definitely sound so much better than parrying a wooden slipper from a lady. With your permission, I will officially make that the story of this scar.” While Yassia had been ferocious when she was angry at him, she was a hoot now that things had started to boil down between them. He definitely liked this better. He was starting to feel like she was the younger sister he never had.

He saw the shift in her expression when he brought up the kiss once again. He hoped she wouldn’t shut him down. He hoped she would forgive him and forget about that one wonderful albeit unsolicited kiss. When she nodded her assent, Gwaine let go of the breath he didn’t realize he had been holding. It meant so much to him to finally have settled things between them. They’d certainly make good friends.

“I’ll be the best male friend you ever have,” Gwaine told her with a wink. Yes, the earlier tension had officially thawed out. It was so much better this way indeed.

When she apologized for the yawn she was trying to stifle, Gwaine only dismissed it. “You go and rest, Yassia. You’ve had quite a day today. We’ll have more time to talk tomorrow on the way to Camelot.” He stood up and started gathering up the dishes from the table and placing them on a basin of water on the sink.

“I think Linda meant for you to take that extra bed,” he told her pointing to a single bed with new sheets. He knew because that bed was almost always occupied with laundry when Linda wasn’t entertaining visitors. Now, it was all clean. It seemed Linda had taken the extra effort to prepare this one for Yassia. Linda’s own bed, which was merely separated by a curtain from Yassia’s, contained all those laundry.

“Well, I’ll give you some privacy. Sleep well, Yassia,” Gwaine bid his goodnight as he walked towards the door. He knew women needed time and space to prepare themselves for sleep. He will give her that. He was off to fetch Linda from the tavern anyway.



[ooc: pfft it’s perfectly okay. i’ve had my share of writer’s block, too. ^_^ ]

[Yassia Dyfrène de Ailantha]

Yassia was glad he took her suggestion so good-humouredly. Not everyone could fare so well with her sense of humor that was often self-mocking and mildly offensive. She had just suggested that Gwaine better lied but he didn’t seem to take offense. And now he asked for her permission – as if he needed it! That just showed how he wanted to keep her in the joke,draw it out. Oh, she would do him the favor! It had been too long since she last had joked around with someone quite as freely, when all her concerns and her anxiety didn’t matter for a little while. But Gwaine just seemed to be the type of carefree soul she needed to do just that, he was of the material to lighten up any black mood anyone might be in.
“I, Yassia, will gladly permit you to spread this tale all over Albion!”, she said in her most regal manner, lifting her chin and looking down on him in the parody of a stuck-up noble.It didn’t take much to get the expression exactly right, as she had grown up amongst such people. How odd it was to mock her true self…

The best male friend you ever have… now that was something! It only showed how close the two of them considered each other without anything like love or passion involved. Just a moment ago Yassia wouldn’t have thought it possible that such things existed, but Gwaine, with his simple grace of stepping down, taking a no with good intentions and meaning it, had convinced her otherwise. Still, the last one with a true claim to be her best male friend had been her stepbrother Mircea, and following in his footsteps would be a hard legacy. Yassia told him as much.
“Woah, quite the high stakes you set yourself there, Gwaine! But I think I learned before that you are by no means afraid of heights”, she winked and leaned back into her chair. “But it’s not like you have any competetition right now”, she added and a quick shadow crossed her face. “So you might have an easy job there.”

It was significant of just how tired she really was that Yassia didn’t put up much of an objection to Gwaine’s suggestion, but only nodded, getting up from the table and taking a few dishes herself. A few months before the princess would have objected to even lift a single finger in housework, but that had changed as well, amongst many other things. She might still see it as stooping very low to maybe take up the job of a barmaid to serve other people, but this, simply cleaning up from her own mess, almost was natural to her now. The less people noticed her attitude, the better anyway.
Looking at the clean and freshly made bed, Yassia nodded with a very grateful smile. “How very sweet of Linda indeed! I can count the times when I was able to sleep in such a good bed lately at the fingers of one hand.” That, too, had changed. Yassia was sure, whenever she arrived in Camelot she would not take the luxury that was her due for granted.

“Sleep well, too, Gwaine”[/color], she called after him. “And, once again, thanks for everything!”
With a relenting sigh, Yassia started to undress, getting rid of her worn out travelling garments, only leaving on the chemise that would serve as her nightgown. Oh how she wished to finally have the chance to take a proper warm bath and to change her dresses daily! To some things you just couldn’t attach quite so readily as to others. But with Gwaine’s help and a little good fortune she would have all those things ready at her service pretty soon. She dozed off after mere minutes, a happy smile on her face – something she hadn’t thought possible a mere hour ago.

[shonz]

As Gwaine closed the door behind him, he couldn’t help the relieved sigh that escaped his lips at the turn of events. He had thought he and Yassia would never make up after the public display of affection that he and Linda were having before her, and moreso after he had stolen a kiss. He had to admit he had been worried that Yassia might decide not to accept Linda’s hospitality anymore and just sleep in the forest. If anything would happen to her, Gwaine would surely have it on his conscience.

At least now, not only had Yassia forgiven him, she even managed to joke around with him. Her impersonation of a noble had been eerily spot on that Gwaine almost did a double-take. That prominent chin and the way she spoke the words almost had Gwaine convinced that she was nobility. She could have easily fooled anybody. Nah, he though, anybody knows how haughty nobles can be. It wasn’t so hard to impersonate one.

As he made his way towards the tavern, he remembered the hint of melancholy on her face at his declaration that he was going to be her best male friend ever. It seemed he had touched a sensitive chord somewhere, and he hoped he had not reminded her of anything hurtful. Gwaine had done too many transgressions to her in one night to last night a lifetime. He didn’t need another reason to make her resent him again.

When he opened the door to the tavern, he saw Linda sitting by the bar chatting up the barmaid. Gwaine really didn’t like the idea of walking across the room after he had made a mess of things in there rescuing Yassia, so he stepped back outside and called out a boy who was still prancing about. He gave the boy a coin and told him to ask Linda to come out, which the boy gladly obliged to.

In no time, Gwaine and Linda were on their way back to her cottage. Fortunately or unfortunately, Linda had taken liberty at dunking drink after drink into her system while waiting for him. She was a bit drunk, yes, but not too drunk to completely pass out. “That was a good buzz, sweetheart,” she told him as Gwaine slowly opened the door to her cottage.

The lights were already out which meant that Yassia had finally fallen asleep. “How is your cousin?” Linda asked. “She’s asleep. She was tired after a long journey. You should get your rest, too,” Gwaine whispered as he walked towards Linda’s bed and cleared the laundry from it. “I’ll be right with you, baby. Stay where you are,” Linda teased as she disappeared through some curtains at the back of the room.

Gwaine was taking his shirt off when Linda spoke. He looked to where she had disappeared to, wondering if he understood her right. Did she mean for him to sleep with her on the bed? He was setting himself up for a night on the floor, already grabbing some blankets and pillows, but Gwaine didn’t even have time to contemplate any answer as he felt arms wrap around his waist from behind.

“Hey, go get your rest, baby. I’ll sleep here on the floor,” he whispered. His eyes darted towards the thin curtain that separated Linda and Yassia’s bed, and hoped that Yassia was really and truly fast asleep.

“Oh no, you’re not. You’re sleeping with me. I’ve missed you, Gwaine. And you promised…” Linda whispered back as she moved in front of him, her chest brushing against his.

“Okay, okay,” Gwaine acceded hoping it would silence Linda up.

Unfortunately, it didn’t. Linda had seriously taken Gwaine up on his promise of “payment”, and Gwaine had no choice but to oblige her. Trying to be as quiet and as discreet as he possibly could, Gwaine made love to Linda. He tried to silence her moans with kisses but some still managed to break out. He sent out fervent whispers hoping Yassia wouldn’t be easily waken up by the noises that Linda and the bed underneath them was making. This is crazy, Gwaine told himself, but he had to give in to Linda’s wishes. He just hoped he wouldn’t destroy his new found understanding with Yassia all too soon, if and when she hears them from her side of the curtain.

[Yassia Dyfrène de Ailantha]

It was a sorry fact about Yassia that ever since she had started on her journey, her sleep, ere sound and secure, not to be disturbed by an earthquake as her mother would have said, had become light, fidgety even. That was mostly due to the constant danger she felt herself in, while her life still seemed to be pending, teethering on knife’s edge, even with walls around her to shield her from the danger outside. Out into the woods, where she had slept most times to save money, only turning to a tavern if the weather was all too bad, you had to be alert to every little sound, or it might be the last thing you hear.

As a result, she did wake up briefly when the door opened and voiced whispered, but telling herself in half-sleep that it had to be Gwaine and Linda, and therefore nothing to worry about. She dozed off again, not knowing if it had been hours or mere minutes she had been asleep, but what she heard sent her alarm bells ringing. Some odd noises… creaking of wood… panting… moaning… was there a fight going on? Had someone entered the cottage, had her uncle’s men finally tracked her down and Gwaine was trying to hold them off? In complete darkness? Then another moan, higher pitched this time sent Yassia bolt awake and she realised with a gut-wrenching stab inside her groins that it was a completely different fight Gwaine was battling right now…

It felt like her insides would be turning right out, a nausea born out of shock and denial. No, this wasn’t happening, it COULND’T be happening! There was no way she could go back to sleep now, no way she could ignore it or tune it out, now that she knew what was happening. Gwaine… I’ll never forgive that! She thoughts angrily, grinding her teeth. With a muffled growl of anger she buried her head under her pillow, squeezing her eyes tight shut, and willed her thoughts into another direction. She would simply hum a song in her mind until this was over…

El gall i la gallina
Estaven al balcó,
La gallina s'adormia
I el gall li fa un petó.

Did this help in any way? So far not really, and she was in desperate need of air. But along with the air came the muffled sounds and as innocent as Yassia might be, she didn’t need her eyes to imagine what was going on right now on the other side of the thin curtain.

-Dolent, més que dolent!
Què dirà la gent?
-Que diguin el que vulguin
Que jo ja estic content!¹

And the topic of the song she had chosen to sing in her mind didn’t help in any way either. Yeah, what would the people say… not that Gwaine or Linda did care! So what was it to be? Suffocating or enduring? Gladly just mere minutes later they both seemed to have fallen asleep, and after another hour of tossing and turning, Yassia did so as well.

~.~

¹:
The rooster and the hen
Were on the balcony,
The hen was falling asleep
And the rooster gave her a kiss.
-Naughty, more than naughty!
What will people say?
-Let them say what they want,
For now I'm happy!

[shonz]

The tryst had been a brief but intense one. First is because Gwaine was all too distracted about Yassia sleeping on the other side of the curtain to focus on pleasing Linda. Second, Linda was a little drunk to contain herself from moaning out loud no matter how hard Gwaine tried to silence them with kisses. He decided one round was enough. Still, it had been one amazing romp in the sheets, and Gwaine had no complaints whatsoever.

Linda had fallen asleep not too soon after she had climaxed, and Gwaine, too, followed suit thereafter. Too exhausted from the day’s events, Gwaine didn’t bother putting some clothes back on, and just pulled the blankets over himself and Linda. Then he dozed off in seconds.

--

Usually an early riser, Gwaine was already up before the sun had already peeked over the horizon. He was feeling parched, too, after realizing that he hadn’t drank anything after his tumble in the sheets with Linda last night. He moved Linda’s arm, which was draped across his midsection, to the side before sitting up. He groaned at the dry feeling in his throat, and turned to make sure he had not disturbed Linda's deep slumber.

Wanting to wash down the cobwebs from his throat with water as soon as possible, Gwaine grabbed a towel from a chair and wound it around his naked waist. He emerged from the curtain, and, upon seeing that Yassia was still lying on the bed fast asleep, he tiptoed his way towards the cupboards in the kichen. He took a glass trying to make as little sound as possible, and then poured himself some water before drowning it in one long gulp. Still thirsty, he poured himself another round and drank it all again in one swig. And another until he was fully satisfied that his throat was all clear.

Then suddenly, his stomach grumbled, and Gwaine placed a hand over his flat and hard abs hoping to silence the grumbling sound to no avail. He silently laughed at himself, and started opening cabinets to see if Linda had any other food in store for a quick snack before breakfast. Right, a half-naked man was indeed raiding her food supply at five o’clock in the morning.

[Yassia Dyfrène de Ailantha]

Somehow she must have fallen asleep after all. There could be no other explanation, because she definitely woke up and admitted to herself that the had no memory of the past few hours aside from disturbing undefined dream flashes. Yassia refrained from groaning and tried to move in her sheets. Her whole two arms hurt, and it took the princess a few moments to remember why. She must have fallen asleep with her hands still tightly pressed on her ears. And with a sudden surge of unease she also rembered WHY she had been covering her ears. Gwaine and Linda... making love just a few meters beside her...! uuurgh ...

Then something else occurred to her as she was trying to distract herself from all too vivid memories. She had been woken by something... an out of place sound, somehow... a growl... When you slept in the woods you were alert to such sounds, as they could be your undoing. Wild animals were anywhere and they were often enough mightily hungry! But somehow her sleeping brain must have made the connection still that wild animals were rare to break into closed cottages, hence why she didn't panic. But what was so similar to such a growl it could be caused by the two people she knew where in this room with her? Sweet stars, don't let them start all over again!!!

But then Yassia simply resigned to listen, and she heared quiet shuffling in the room. One of the two must be up, or both. Her instincts told her it was very early still, so she wondered. And she realised she was mightily thirsty. A night spent grinding teeth and biting down screams of frustration apparently could do this to you. Hmm... but did she want to meet them just now? She was not only angry, she was embarrassed too? Talking to any of them would be awkward!
In the end, thirst won over her considerations and bashfulness, and Yassia got out of bed as silently as she could, wearing her chemise only.

Suddenly a tall, half-naked figure, only covered with a very short towel came into view and it was enought to make Yassia jump and gasp quietly in shock. Oh no... how embarassing!
"Gwaiiine", she protested in a hushed tone, turning away, face red. "Is it not enough I had to listen, do I have to watch now, too? Sweet stars, cover yourself if you please?!"

[shonz]

Gwaine practically jumped at the sound of Yassia’s voice, and almost dropped the loaf of bread that he had found inside Linda’s cabinets. He had been so intent on searching for food that he didn't heard any movement from behind him. And besides, it was too early to expect anybody, let alone expect Yassia, to be up even before the sun was out. It was crazy how his heart hammered against his chest at her unexpected appearance. Gwaine couldn’t help but feel like he had been caught doing something bad.

Then he realized he had a reason to feel like he had been caught doing something bad after all. First, he was only wearing a skimpy little towel around his waist, and it wasn’t even thick enough to leave nothing to the imagination. Actually, Yassia was lucky that he had put something on. Normally, when it was just him and Linda, he would be walking around her cottage naked as this time of the day. Second, his concern from the previous night resurfaced just as he saw her standing there all shocked to see him in virtually nothing. He and Linda did the deed late last night with just a curtain separating them from Yassia. Gwaine had been worried that Yassia might have heard their grunts and moans.

And true enough, Gwaine’s worries were confirmed. They were intensified a million times over, too when it came right out of Yassia's mouth. He didn’t know what to say or do. He just stood there, dumbfounded, not a word coming out of his mouth. And they were practically standing in front of each other, Gwaine looking at her while she looked away both in shock or surprise, not knowing how to proceed.

It must have taken them a good couple of minutes or so before Gwaine broke the silence. “Bread?” he asked Yassia quite sheepishly as he waited for her to turn. He wondered if she would even turn at all. He looked at the towel wrapped around his waist, and heaved a sigh. “Come on, it’s not like I’m naked. Haven’t you seen a man wearing a towel before?” He didn’t mean to sound cocky or anything. He just didn’t want to add more to the tension that seem to be always floating between him and Yassia. He wasn’t going to do anything to her. She might as well just get used to seeing him this way. Because whatever the fates had in store for them, Gwaine felt that it was having fun seeing him and Yassia always feeling awkward around each other.

Then his stomach growled quite angrily, and Gwaine knew he’d feed himself first before grabbing some pants. “I’m famished so please let me eat some bread first before I put some clothes on…please…” he begged her, and then grabbed some plates and knives from the cupboard. He placed them on the table before walking back towards the cabinet to grab the butter he had spied earlier. Yes, Gwaine was walking around the kitchen with just that towel on whether Yassia liked it or not. So she had heard him and Linda last night. There was nothing more for Gwaine to hide.

“I’m sorry about…whatever you heard last night. Linda was drunk…and I did promise payment,” he told her slowly, as he sat by the table and started spreading butter on a slice of bread. He was ashamed of course, but there was no use crying over spilled milk now. “Please, Yassia…come here, and have some bread. We have a long day ahead of us.” Yes, Gwaine was still hoping she would still let him take her to Camelot despite everything.

[Yassia Dyfrène de Ailantha]

At least it seemed Gwaine felt as awkward as Yassia herself. She could see it in his face, he was every bit as shocked as she, though of course for other reasons. Did he only now remember Linda had had another guest for the night? The very same girl he had saved from rogues, and the very same girl he had kissed out of a serious misconception… yes, talk about awkward. Pressing the knuckle of her thumb against the root of her nose for a moment, Yassia wondered how many akward situations she might still have to go through with this man. It was almost unbelievable! Was she living a bad jugglers’ tale now? One of those were people couldn’t stop laughing at the stupidity of the protagonists? Hadn’t the situation been so uneasy for herself, Yassia might have laughed too. Especially when Gwaine nearly dropped that loaf of bread he had been fishing for in the cupboard. Thank the Gods only nearly… what might have happened if he bent down to take it up again, she didn’t even want to think of!

She scowled as Gwaine tried to justify his appearance, still not knowing where exactly to look. On his bare chest? That was unseemly enough! Looking below… no, that was unthinkable! But could she look into his face without turning bright crimson again?
“It’s none of your business, but no I haven’t”, she pressed out between grinded teeth. It was true. The sheltered life she had been living so far, had spared – or deprived her of? – such sights. It was unseemly for a lady of her state to even see a man’s bare breast if it wasn’t her husband. On her travels here, she couldn’t quite evade such incidents, seeing men working on the fields without a shirt and such, but this… this was clearly pushing it! However, seeing how shameless Gwaine appeared she might really have to get used to this, if she still wanted to have him as her guide.

“The damage is done, don’t beg me for this Gwaine”, she replied in a hushed voice. The stars prevent Linda happened upon this scene! Let her sleep for just a few moments longer! “Just go ahead and have your bread, I should get dressed anyway.”
She was just about to turn away and make for her bed – it was unseemly enough to be running around in a foreign place with only a chemise on! – when Gwaine steered the subject on this dreadful subject yet again. Couldn’t he just leave it be?!! Making a cutting motion with her hand – something she didn’t even think how it might look to others, as she had been used to do this from an early age – Yassia cut him short. “Can we please not speak about it as well? Please Gwaine, I would feel better if we dropped that subject altogether.”

This man was truly putting her through drastic treatment. When they parted she might be as numbed to shame as he was, the way he constantly toed the lines of her composure. But then again, it was by no means his fault. He wasn’t the likes of her, and she knew enough about common life to realize that it was probably her behaving odd, not him.
That was why she gave in with a sigh, after a moment of hesitation, when he asked her to sit with him and have some bread. She was hungry, and Gwaine was right, they had a long day ahead of them. Taking a bit of the bread she chewed slowly, not quite knowing where to steer the conversation. “So… how’s the area we have ahead of us? Dangerous terrain or easy to cross? More woods than fields?”

[shonz]

“It’s none of your business, but no I haven’t”

Sure, it may not be any of his business, but Yassia’s reply had made Gwaine examine her even more. Last night ,when Yassia had hurried out of the cottage fuming at the blatant display of affection between him and Linda, he had shrugged it off as mere jealousy on her part. Of course, it wasn’t that, he found out not too soon. But now, after acting all uncomfortably around an almost naked man, Gwaine couldn’t help but wonder if she’s really who she presented herself to be. Not to overgeneralize all nomads and wanderers, but they’re almost often used to all kinds of things, dangerous or not, scary or not…naked people or not. But Yassia…she seemed to be playing the innocent card, or acted like one. She can’t really be just any wanderer now, could she? Maybe she’s a stowaway, probably some noble kid who ran away from home. Yes, those noble sons and daughters are almost always the sheltered and a tad bit haughty type. Yassia had streaks of those that Gwaine had seen. Of course, he wouldn’t be voicing his theories out loud now. He just thought it would be interesting to dig deeper into her story more. Maybe later.

While he thought an apology about all the bedtime “raucous” that Yassia had heard last night would appease her, she only quite adamantly begged him to just forget about it. Her words were calm enough, but her actions and that look of exasperation on her face told him she was anything but calm. “Fine, I’ll shut up. I was only trying to apologize like any gentle—like any man who have wronged a woman should.” He decided not to say ‘gentleman’ because he had a feeling it would only rile her up again. In her eyes and mind, he knew he was far from being a gentleman.

“So… how’s the area we have ahead of us? Dangerous terrain or easy to cross? More woods than fields?”

“A lot of both actually,” Gwaine responded, his bread stopping halfway to his mouth as he answered Yassia’s question. Might as well give her the details lest she might interrupt his oncoming bite again. “We’ll be passing through some hostile forests with all kinds of surprises. Then there also villages where we can find shelter for a night before reaching Camelot.” It was a couple of days walk. Who knows what they’ll meet out there.

He pushed the butter and the bread knife her way before he took a huge bite from his own bread. “Ummm hmmm…deh-leh-shus!” Gwaine moaned with delight, savoring the bread still in his mouth. As if in response, his stomach grumbled, and Gwaine couldn’t help but laugh out loud. He chewed on his food and swallowed before looking sheepishly at Yassia. “Sorry about that. Did I tell you I was starving to death?” he expressed, laughter still in his eyes.