Post by Kypriotha on Dec 22, 2021 14:24:18 GMT 10
Title: Drinking Buddies
Rating: PG
For: wordy
Prompt: SotL era - any characters or pairings. Fresh knights at that awkward puppy stage where they're taking on adult responsibilities etc. and trying to navigate their new lives. At the palace, in Corus, on border duty - wherever.
Summary: Raoul is searching for a drinking buddy, but Gary has other plans.
Notes and Warnings: Happy wishing tree wordy ! I'm not quite sure where I was going with this fic, but I hope it's roughly within the ballpark of what you had in mind with this prompt. I hope you have a safe and relaxing holiday season (PG for implied alcoholism)
Raoul let himself into Gary’s room, wincing as he took the turn too fast and bashed his head against the doorframe. He still wasn’t used to all the height and bulk he’d acquired over the last few years. Plus, after weeks of border patrol, his armour had become as commonplace as his clothing and he found himself moving with that little bit of extra force even when he wasn’t wearing it.
Rubbing his head, and half wishing that he was in armour (or at least helm) right now, Raoul surveyed Gary’s unsurprisingly neat room. Raoul’s room in the border fort where they were posted had been a disaster site from about day 3, but Gary’s was still immaculate weeks later - so neat, in fact, that it only took Raoul about one second to ascertain that his friend was not currently in residence. Which was a mystery to Raoul, because he knew Gary wasn’t on duty and, apart from duty (where Gary wasn’t supposed to be), his room (where he clearly wasn’t) and the mess hall (where Raoul wanted to be, but was sure Gary wouldn’t have gone without him), he couldn’t think of anywhere else Gary could be.
Luckily for Raoul, who felt that having to solve such a mystery in that awkward time between finishing a patrol and having his first ale was unfair, the mystery solved itself when he heard Gary’s footsteps behind him. Before he had time to turn around, Gary brushed past him and dumped the ledgers he was carrying on his desk.
“When I said you could stop by anytime, I didn’t quite have in mind when I wasn’t here.”
Raoul grinned at Gary. “Normally I wouldn’t bother coming in if you weren’t here, but I was coming to get you so we could go to the mess.”
“I was in the quartermaster’s office, getting these,” Gary said, gesturing at the ledgers that Raoul hadn’t paid attention to up until that point. “They’re still stretched thin for clerks, so I told the general that I’d help out with the accounts.”
Raoul knew Gary liked books more than him, had always done better in their lessons as Pages, but this genuinely bemused him. “What would you do that for? Don’t you have enough on your plate, with patrols and training Sacherell?”
Gary shrugged, looking tired. “I can’t just sit by and not help, when I know it’s in my power to do so. I know Father would expect me to.”
That much was true. Raoul knew that Duke Gareth took his many duties very seriously. “Still, that doesn’t look like what you need after a long day of patrol. What you need, I think, is a drink.”
Gary arched his brows. “I really don’t think a drink will help me sort out the accounts. Plus, I don’t have time, I want to get this done tonight. They need to order in new supplies before winter.”
“You’re no fun. Remember all the adventures we had as Squires? Now we’re Knights and we have more freedom and you want to give up your free time, your adventuring time, for paperwork?” Raoul was mock pouting, protruding his lower lip in hopes of making Gary laugh, but Gary was gazing down at the ledgers on the desk.
“I didn’t become a Knight for the adventures,” Gary said slowly. “I became a Knight so I could work for the realm.”
Raoul involuntarily took a step back. “What’s that supposed to mean? You think I don’t want to work for the realm?”
“No, I-”
“I work hard! I work just as hard as you on patrol! And when I finish working hard, I want to relax with some good ale and good company. Is that too much to ask?”
Gary, facing Raoul now, held out his hands in an appeasing gesture. “I didn’t mean… I just don’t think we need to go to the mess every night. There are other ways to relax.”
Raoul smirked. “What, with paperwork? No thanks, you can count me out. If you want to stay here and waste a perfectly good evening on accounts, fine, but I’m going to the mess.”
“Do you think it’s a good idea to drink alone?” Gary kept his face impassive.
“The mess will still be busy, there’ll be plenty of others to drink with. I’m sure Douglass and Sacherell will be there.”
“I don’t trust them to keep an eye on you.”
Raoul scowled. “I don’t need a nursemaid. I know perfectly well how much I can handle!”
“Like you did at the solstice party?”
Raoul’s face flushed. “That was one time! If you’re so concerned, come with me and I’ll prove to you that I can handle it.”
Gary’s mouth pinched, so slightly that someone who didn’t know him as well as Raoul would have missed it. Raoul wasn’t sure what it meant, but quickly forgot about it as Gary sighed in defeat. “Fine, I’ll come with you. But I’m bringing one of the ledgers with me and Mithros defend you if any ale gets on it.”
Rating: PG
For: wordy
Prompt: SotL era - any characters or pairings. Fresh knights at that awkward puppy stage where they're taking on adult responsibilities etc. and trying to navigate their new lives. At the palace, in Corus, on border duty - wherever.
Summary: Raoul is searching for a drinking buddy, but Gary has other plans.
Notes and Warnings: Happy wishing tree wordy ! I'm not quite sure where I was going with this fic, but I hope it's roughly within the ballpark of what you had in mind with this prompt. I hope you have a safe and relaxing holiday season (PG for implied alcoholism)
Raoul let himself into Gary’s room, wincing as he took the turn too fast and bashed his head against the doorframe. He still wasn’t used to all the height and bulk he’d acquired over the last few years. Plus, after weeks of border patrol, his armour had become as commonplace as his clothing and he found himself moving with that little bit of extra force even when he wasn’t wearing it.
Rubbing his head, and half wishing that he was in armour (or at least helm) right now, Raoul surveyed Gary’s unsurprisingly neat room. Raoul’s room in the border fort where they were posted had been a disaster site from about day 3, but Gary’s was still immaculate weeks later - so neat, in fact, that it only took Raoul about one second to ascertain that his friend was not currently in residence. Which was a mystery to Raoul, because he knew Gary wasn’t on duty and, apart from duty (where Gary wasn’t supposed to be), his room (where he clearly wasn’t) and the mess hall (where Raoul wanted to be, but was sure Gary wouldn’t have gone without him), he couldn’t think of anywhere else Gary could be.
Luckily for Raoul, who felt that having to solve such a mystery in that awkward time between finishing a patrol and having his first ale was unfair, the mystery solved itself when he heard Gary’s footsteps behind him. Before he had time to turn around, Gary brushed past him and dumped the ledgers he was carrying on his desk.
“When I said you could stop by anytime, I didn’t quite have in mind when I wasn’t here.”
Raoul grinned at Gary. “Normally I wouldn’t bother coming in if you weren’t here, but I was coming to get you so we could go to the mess.”
“I was in the quartermaster’s office, getting these,” Gary said, gesturing at the ledgers that Raoul hadn’t paid attention to up until that point. “They’re still stretched thin for clerks, so I told the general that I’d help out with the accounts.”
Raoul knew Gary liked books more than him, had always done better in their lessons as Pages, but this genuinely bemused him. “What would you do that for? Don’t you have enough on your plate, with patrols and training Sacherell?”
Gary shrugged, looking tired. “I can’t just sit by and not help, when I know it’s in my power to do so. I know Father would expect me to.”
That much was true. Raoul knew that Duke Gareth took his many duties very seriously. “Still, that doesn’t look like what you need after a long day of patrol. What you need, I think, is a drink.”
Gary arched his brows. “I really don’t think a drink will help me sort out the accounts. Plus, I don’t have time, I want to get this done tonight. They need to order in new supplies before winter.”
“You’re no fun. Remember all the adventures we had as Squires? Now we’re Knights and we have more freedom and you want to give up your free time, your adventuring time, for paperwork?” Raoul was mock pouting, protruding his lower lip in hopes of making Gary laugh, but Gary was gazing down at the ledgers on the desk.
“I didn’t become a Knight for the adventures,” Gary said slowly. “I became a Knight so I could work for the realm.”
Raoul involuntarily took a step back. “What’s that supposed to mean? You think I don’t want to work for the realm?”
“No, I-”
“I work hard! I work just as hard as you on patrol! And when I finish working hard, I want to relax with some good ale and good company. Is that too much to ask?”
Gary, facing Raoul now, held out his hands in an appeasing gesture. “I didn’t mean… I just don’t think we need to go to the mess every night. There are other ways to relax.”
Raoul smirked. “What, with paperwork? No thanks, you can count me out. If you want to stay here and waste a perfectly good evening on accounts, fine, but I’m going to the mess.”
“Do you think it’s a good idea to drink alone?” Gary kept his face impassive.
“The mess will still be busy, there’ll be plenty of others to drink with. I’m sure Douglass and Sacherell will be there.”
“I don’t trust them to keep an eye on you.”
Raoul scowled. “I don’t need a nursemaid. I know perfectly well how much I can handle!”
“Like you did at the solstice party?”
Raoul’s face flushed. “That was one time! If you’re so concerned, come with me and I’ll prove to you that I can handle it.”
Gary’s mouth pinched, so slightly that someone who didn’t know him as well as Raoul would have missed it. Raoul wasn’t sure what it meant, but quickly forgot about it as Gary sighed in defeat. “Fine, I’ll come with you. But I’m bringing one of the ledgers with me and Mithros defend you if any ale gets on it.”