But that was why she thought he was the best person for miles around. He never left ‘well enough’ alone if he thought he could make someone’s day a little better.
Fawn folded her arms over her chest, a posture that more often than not just became hugging herself instead of a confident pose. “Did you tell her you weren’t interested?”
“I’ve tried,” he insisted, though Fawn doubted he’d actually used the word ‘no’ in any capacity. “Look, I… any favor I can do for you in exchange, anything you want, I promise, you’ll have it.”
Fawn worried her teeth against her lower lip. “Anything? What if I wanted the tavern?”
That made him crack a smile, meeting her eyes again. He scoffed, “You’d be begging for me to take it back after a day. An hour, maybe.”
“So little faith in me.”
“I have all the faith in you, just not your social stamina.”
“Fine, I’ll think of something else,” she replied, rolling her eyes.
It wouldn’t be the first time he promised her anything and she didn’t take him up on it. There wasn’t much she wanted, aside from the occasional free drink. Sometimes she thought she should be a little more creative in what he owed her, perhaps a bite of whatever he was eating for the rest of his life. He would do it, too.
Her eyes slipped down Erryc’s shirt, a habit of hers he had thankfully not noticed yet, or at least had not mentioned. It was simply easier to let her gaze rest on the worn brass of his belt buckle, than it was to constantly look up and make eye contact.
All too often her resting gaze traveled even lower, shape of the fabric of his pants below, the way it hinted and moved as he walked. Her tongue pressed against the back of her teeth as she bit her lower lip, contemplating.
No, she couldn’t even begin to think of what she wanted from him. At least, something that wouldn’t mortify her to ask.
“I’m more than willing to help, but what are you even asking for?” she said, realizing he’d managed to skip right over that. She hugged herself a little tighter, giving him a lopsided shrug, “I don’t know that I’m the right person to steal a grandchild for Oona.”
“What? No, no.” Erryc’s cheeks and ears flushed a dark green before he glanced back at the door again. “Maybe it’s a little much to ask, but when Oona comes in to drop her delivery off, if you could perhaps, uh, kiss me? Or maybe if that’s toomuch, just on the cheek? Or maybe just hold my hand or, I mean–”
“It’s not too much,” she said, the words terribly quiet, even for her. She swallowed, holding his gaze a little too fraught. Her heart was hammering in her chest so hard she wasn’t sure how he didn’t hear it.
“It’s not?”
“No.”
They stood for a moment in silence, somewhat awkwardly meeting each other’s eyes and then glancing away, then meeting them again.
“Well. Thank you, that’s um. A relief. It’ll be good to nip this in the bud,” he said, suddenly unable to figure out what he wanted to do with his hands. He filtered through crossing his arms over his chest, digging his hands in his pockets, straightening his shirt.
Finally he settled on grabbing the door handle to leave.
“I-it has been a while since, um, since, I’ve… uh,” she called after him, stopping him before he opened it. “And you’re so... maybe we should try it out. Just the once.”
2
No sooner than she’d suggested it, Fawn regretted saying it out loud. Her cheeks flushed so hot she felt heat rush up her ears and neck, and all the way down her back.
But he had already asked her for a kiss.
Fawn swallowed, looking at his mouth. His ever present smile was gone, but she was already set on this path.
“J-just um, so it doesn’t look like it’s the first time we’ve done it when she comes in,” she added quickly, staring at Erryc’s hand still tense on the door handle. “Old ladies are discerning like that.”
She wished he would just laugh and roll his eyes at her, tell her she was being ridiculous. Surely no one would have insight on whether it was the first, the second, or the hundredth time they’d kissed.
“Oh. Yeah. Uh, good thinking,” he nodded, releasing the door handle. He stood there for a moment, his hands flexing at his sides.
The moment drew long between them.
“Um. Do you need me to stand on a box, or…?” Fawn mumbled, looking around the room. There was a barrel that might have made her just a bit taller than him if she stood on it. Maybe she could kneel on it.
