His companion was unimpressed. “No, look at him. He’s too red in the face, you ought to cut him off. No more ale, you hear?”
“That’s no way to measure if someone's had enough. Take Fawn for example, she’s always a naturally rosy color,” the drunker one said.
“Around him, sure,” the other patron scoffed, belligerently enough that Erryc paid his words no mind, though it made the red in Fawn’s face renew with a vigor.
“Let’s see if you can walk a straight line first,” Erryc sighed, taking the cup’s handle from the man.
“C’mon, pour me another,” he called, even as he started to slide from his seat, clutching the counter as he wobbled to stand.
Fawn slipped into one of the seats at the bar unobtrusively. She reached into the common dish of hazelnuts, plucking up a couple to chew on while she waited. It wasn’t the first time someone had pointed out Fawn’s horrible ruddiness. Any hint of guilt or nerves or fluster announced itself to the room while she tried to shrink back. She’d always been self conscious of how itshowed so clearly on her skin, and she’d never been able to train herself out of it.
The tavern door opened again as they were all watching the man stumble his way through a straight line, and a familiar older woman came in, carrying a large woven basket, steam still wafting out of the cloth folds covering the top.
Oona brushed some of the snow off the shoulders of her cloak. “Good day, Erryc! I have tomorrow’s rolls. They’re hot out of the oven, so they should keep well enough overnight.”
“Oona! What an unexpected visit,” Erryc said a little too loudly, catching Fawn’s eye.
She felt her cheeks flush with heat, as if their ruse had already been found out.
Oona paused at the counter. “Did you forget? I’m not running the bakery tomorrow. I’m spending the holiday with my daughter.”
“Oh, right. I had my days mixed up,” he nodded, drying his hands off on his apron. “Uh, just give me a second, Fawn, I’ll be right back.”
Fawn stared at Erryc, still a foot taller than her even up on the barstool. Her eyes darted between him and Oona for a heartrending second. She had hoped for a little more time to prepare herself, but it seemed now was the moment.
Fawn planted a hand on the counter and stood on the rungs of her barstool. Erryc’s eyes met hers, and the world seemed to stop for a moment.
She couldn’t do it.
Fawn pecked his cheek and sank back into her chair sheepishly. It was still the boldest thing she’d ever done in her life.
Erryc nodded, a hint of darker green gracing his cheeks again, as he nodded and went to take the basket from Oona.Fawn tried not to catch Erryc’s eye. She could just imagine him saying, ‘that wasn’t what we rehearsed.’
The older woman had an amused look on her face, pursing her lips as if she was holding herself back from asking what that was about.
Worst of all, Fawn knew that expression. It felt familiar, like she had worn it herself many times, accompanied by shaking her head and rolling her eyes at each new foolish girl who had flung herself at Erryc in some bizarre attempt at winning his affection.
Gods, that’s what she looked like, probably.
As soon as Oona left, Fawn was going to leave as well. She needed a week or two of sitting at home, contemplating living utterly alone in the woods, only the local wandering yakgoats to embarrass herself in front of, before she could talk to Erryc properly after this. After time had dulled the sharp edges of today’s memory, maybe she could think about being friends with him again.
Fawn counted out three more hazelnuts, chewing through them slowly before she let herself slink away from the counter and to go hide in her corner.
Rather anticlimactic, she thought to herself.Especially for the last time you’ll ever kiss him.
It was such a sobering thought, she didn’t even react when Erryc put an arm around her again, redirecting her path to tug her to his side. Her body met his, and Oona raised an eyebrow at them.
Oh, we’re still doing this?Fawn nearly asked, but thankfully kept the words from tumbling out. This time, she was going to follow his lead, she decided, and simply nod along with the conversation.
“I’m sure I’ll see you both at the festival tonight, lovebirds?” Oona asked as she re-tied her cloak’s fastenings, and the pair of them froze.
“Oh. Perhaps. I hadn’t thought to ask Fawn if she was free tonight,” Erryc said, and turned to her with an apologetic look. “Uh, you wouldn’t happen to be–”
“I am. Of course. It’s a date,” she added quickly.
In an attempt to be convincing, she leaned into the embrace, hoping they looked like a real couple. She put a hand on his stomach, just a bit lower than her chin. She would have put it on his chest but it seemed a little awkward like this.
Then she felt something move, like a twitch against her side, Fawn held still. It wouldn’t be the first time he had put a baby bird or a squirrel in his apron pocket and forgotten about it.
