“Oww…” the collide of her chin and shoulder had gently pushed her forward, leaving a small dull pain she tried to massage away. “Careful there, big guy, watch your footing…” For a moment, she couldn’t help but notice how bony his chin had felt, turning away, she wondered if his chin had hurt as much as her shoulder, which wasn’t much but she still wondered.“If you’re hungry, you could’ve just asked…” She told him with a wide smile, hoping that would set him at ease, but Emma wasn’t known for being being good at easing people, if anything she had a tendency to indirectly making it worse. So, with that, her smile quickly faded away and she bit down on her lip, wondering why she couldn’t just keep her mouth shut sometimes.
“I… suppose so…” Alistair responded slowly. His brows were raised as his mind wasn’t sure how to process the saucy implications behind her words. “Well I, I did spend a decent silver or two so we could get more than our share of food. I suppose if I did a lousy job with the grocery shopping we could resort to eating each other. Morrigan would object to that idea, that’s for sure.”
The sexual encounters Alistair was dealing with today were throwing him off - all two of them. Desperate attempts at humor were coming naturally to him like raising a shield up against a blade in the thick of battle.
He waved at her to continue with him, his palm rubbing the skin behind his neck as if the friction would work away his embarassment. Alistair had learned not to wait for a reaction to his oafishness and just resume whatever he was supposed to be doing at that time immediately (before a cane whacked his wrist, as his schoolboy years taught him). He never looked back at Emma once while he covered the distance between the market square and the tavern door, unthinkably swinging the door open with such force that it implied his anxiety must have cut off the part of his brain which kept a hold of his consciousness. The barkeeper inside surely didn’t appreciate that he had nearly torn the door off its hinges.
“I uh…” The Templar never really knew how to diffuse the awkward moments he ran into. “… Do you want me to carry that grocery basket up to the room for you?
(Source: alistairt)
Alistair cocked his head while he studied her sudden contrast in behavior.“Are you truly alright?” he asked her cautiously, following now as she took the lead in front. Alistair was fairly certain Emma was up to some sort of devious plan, and the glint in her eyes told him it wasn’t something he’d enjoy, something like a birthday party, or a day where - surprise! - all the darkspawn disappeared from Thedas.
“Nooo…why would there be anything wrong?” She hadn’t felt surprised at his suspicion, he was far too used to it. Everyone always reacted the same way when she usually tired to do something generous or joke around — tried. While it hadn’t always been a good feeling because this indicated no one could really trust her or take her seriously, she learned to deal with this behavior though, even learned how to trick and mislead people using their own suspicion.
…But that probably didn’t help anything, did it? That only proved she couldn’t be trusted. Oh well.
Though, at the moment, she had no desire to trick or manipulate Alistair in any way, for one, they needed to bring the food to their starving group before things got ugly, and for another, Alistair had already gone through the painful encounter with that merchant; he could use a break.
The hanging sign of the Gnawing Noble Tavern was getting closer and closer.
“So you aren’t going to do anything else to me?” Alistair asked. “Pull my hair, even?” He quickly stepped forward caught an apple before it tumbled off the edge of the grocery basket, bumping his chin slightly against the top of Emma’s shoulder in the process.
“My apologies!” he blurted quickly - rather than returning the apple to the basket and violating her personal space again Alistair shyly kept the apple to himself.
He heard something - a giggle? - behind him. Alistair turned on his heel to face Emma, her stoic mask betrayed by the glint in her eyes. For a moment he felt rather self-conscious, understanding that with three gossiping persons in the party it was difficult to hide the stigmatization of his virginity.“What?” he asked her coyly, feigning playfulness.
Blinking rapidly, she shook her head and refused to say anything else, fearing that if she were to open her mouth even slightly her laughter would escape. So far, she was failing; her lips twitched, threatening to grin, till she could no longer contain it. Her grin wide with cheerfulness, she held onto her stomach has she burst with laughter. Though she wasn’t laughing at him, she hoped he realized that.
Still, as she wiped her tears with the pad of her fingertips, she poked his playfully poked his nose and grabbed the groceries from his hand, she lead the way back to their companions, her smile remained on her face. It had been a great boost of mood.
Alistair cocked his head while he studied her sudden contrast in behavior.
“Are you truly alright?” he asked her cautiously, following now as she took the lead in front. Alistair was fairly certain Emma was up to some sort of devious plan, and the glint in her eyes told him it wasn’t something he’d enjoy, something like a birthday party, or a day where - surprise! - all the darkspawn disappeared from Thedas.
Emma could no longer maintain her blank expression, she cracked on a smile and released a warm giggle at the picture his memory painted in her head. She cupped her mouth to prevent her from laughing further, and prayed her smile would go away soon, in some childish way, she was trying to continue to look displeased, hopefully at a last attempt to convince her friend to go talk to that gorgeous woman, or because it some strange way she would win whatever argument they were having.Looking back at Alistair, she gnawed on her lips, struggling to keep a serious front. I’m still mad at you, she thought, but deep down, no, no she wasn’t. Her guilt faded, she felt warm and content.
He heard something - a giggle? - behind him. Alistair turned on his heel to face Emma, her stoic mask betrayed by the glint in her eyes. For a moment he felt rather self-conscious, understanding that with three gossiping persons in the party it was difficult to hide the stigmatization of his virginity.
“What?” he asked her coyly, feigning playfulness.
(Source: alistairt)
“What do you mean?” She muttered, keeping her eyes to the ground, her feet were slowing down, and her pace became sluggish. This was her way of saying, she was very much interested in hearing what he had to say, the slower the walked, the more time they had to talk, even if it did mean her companions had to wait a little longer for their dinner, it’s not like they would get much privacy when there were so many open ears surrounding them. Then again, that was rather hypocritical of her since she had a tendency to eavesdrop herself.“She wasn’t the type you were looking for? I mean…” How could she word this right? “She wasn’t your type because she came on too strong?” Or had she simply pushed too hard?
Alistair temporarily stopped his pace, feeling something absolutely terrible and awkward had been initiated between them. Of course, SHE’D remember, he thought. Who wouldn’t remember being rejected by a lumbering, improper fool?
“I uh…” He spoke before any rational thought had crossed his mind. “You know how I am, Em. I still think about all the times the Revered Mother slapped my wrist with her cane whenever I even looked at her funny. And if I was, it was probably because I felt guilty stealing a sweetroll for dessert that evening, not… not, you know. Ew.”
(Source: alistairt)
Funny, I do the same thing! I suppose that’s a mystery man has yet to solve.
Of course they do, Anon. And then you’re going to ask if you or I exist, while I crawl in the fetal position and beseech the Maker to protect me in his loving grace.
Maker, yes! As a matter of fact, I am a gentleman - which is just a more fancier term for calling someone a boy.
“She wasn’t probably interested?” An eyebrow rose and her tone had a hint of irritation and sarcasm behind it. She knew perfectly well that Alistair had also noticed her attempts of flirting, maybe deep down inside he denied it and didn’t believe it, but she knew. “Her breasts were ready to poke your eye out if you would’ve gotten close enough.” Her arms were crossed over her chest, indicating that she had indeed felt a bit annoyed by Alistair’s cowardice toward the beautiful women of this country, while yes, he had lacked experience, she wished to give him a boost, to push him further into becoming more open with his feelings. How else was he going to get a girlfriend at this rate? Just because they were both Grey Wardens didn’t mean they had feelings; didn’t mean they couldn’t search for someone to talk to, or have a silly fling.Oh…right.
Now she could feel guilt erupting from the pit of her stomach when she forgot that ‘flings’ weren’t something her friend took lightly, being raised in the chantry and all. Plus, he was still awkward. He may have been sweet, but very awkward.“No…” she replied, “I’m sorry.” With a deep breath, her eyes averted from his, she kept her gaze down to the ground as they walked the rest of the way.
“Well…” Alistair pursed his lips, feeling rather guilty now. “Then I suppose it was a good idea to um, not get so close? I mean, for the sake of my eyesight, of course.” He forced on a sheepish grin, though he knew it fell upon a less than impressed audience.
“Don’t be sorry, Em. I just…” Alistair sighed. “She ah, didn’t seem … too friendly to you, did she?”
(Source: alistairt)
No, I do not have them.
:)
