Work Text:
Turning saints into the sea.
The party was borning, Leta wasn’t even sure why she and the rest of the Ghosts were here, they were all too tense to actually enjoy the fancy alcohol and foods passed around on silver trays by eerily perfect servators.
The nobles enjoyed the spectacle she supposed, having a few rough and dirty soldiers mingle with them for a while, A chance for the young ladies of the court to play around, a chance for the men to try and sound impressive.
Across the marble floor, Gaunt was engaged in conversation with a woman in a pale yellow gown, she kept laughing and touching Gaunt’s arm, it made Leta’s blood boil.
“Here..” A glass of something amber was thrust into her hands by Corbec, who leaned against the wall next to her “You look as if you’re about to breathe fire.”
She took a liberal mouthful of the drink, Corbec followed her eyes and clicked his tongue
“Ah..yes, our dashing Colonel-Commissar is quite popular with the ladies of the court.”
“A obstute observation, Colonel.”
Corbec laughed, “You’ve been spending too much time with him, Lass, you’re starting to sound like him.”
She wanted to stomp across the room in her dull combat boots, to grab Gaunt and kiss him full on the lips, in front of everyone, stake her claim.
But this was not the time or the place.
The Ghosts kept their secret, no one else would.
“He’s bored shitless..” Corbec sipped his drink “You can tell, he’s not relaxed at all.”
“Then why is he still talking to her?”
“Because it's what Commissar's do, Wolf.”
The woman put her hand on Gaunt’s chest and Leta almost crushed the small glass in her hands.
“Want me to rescue him?”
“What?”
“I can get his attention, say something important has come up.”
“I can’t ask you to do that.”
“You stopped a piece of shrapnel going through my arse, Middenlocke, I can return the favor.”
Leta smiled, “Thank you, Colm.”
“Of course.”
The Colonel stood up and walked across the room with the same seriousness that he walked across the battlefield.
She watched as he caught Gaunt’s ear, and whispered something, then she watched as Gaunt bowed to the lady and the two men walked back to her.
“Middenlocke..” Gaunt greeted
“Sir.” Leta saluted with her free hand
“The Colonel said you had information for me.”
“Yes sir.”
Gaunt gestured “Come, Let's discuss it somewhere quiet.”
Leta nodded “After you, Colonel-Commissar.”
She handed her half drank drink to Corbec, who smiled in response.
Somewhere quiet, was a small room off the main ballroom, large windows covered by heavy velvet curtains, and small candle like sconces lit the room.
Once inside, Gaunt shut the door behind them, to outsiders, he was simply receiving a message from high command, no one would think twice, in fact no one had looked twice at her since she entered, or if they did, they didn’t approach her.
“Everything okay?” Gaunt’s voice was soft “Nobody’s bothering you, are they?”
She smiled and reached up to cup his face, he was beautiful in the low light, he wore his uniform well, as if he was born to wear it, maybe he was.
“I just..” She felt childish saying it aloud “I disliked the attention you’re getting.”
“From Lady Moss?”
“Is that her name?”
Gaunt smiled, “You’re adorable when you’re jealous.”
“Don’t dismiss me like I’m a child.”
He placed his hands on top of hers, rough, the hands of the man who led his men from the front, who saw as much mud and blood as an everyday soldier.
“Leta..my love..” He shifted closer, his words a whisper, meant for her and her alone “No one, And I mean no one, will ever make me even think twice, not when I have you.”
“Even Lady Moss?”
He chuckled, “She is a dreadful bore…she breeds dogs…little rat-like things.”
She smiled, he moved her hands and kissed along her knuckles, still bruised from the battle only last night, the battle which this party was a celebration of.
“I like my women to have more..”
“Violent interests?”
“In common with me.”
He released her hands, and went to step back, she stopped him, her arms around his neck, pulling him down closer to her level.
“One more..before you go..”
She pulled down the collar of his stiffly starched shirt and sank her teeth into the skin where his neck met his shoulder, he let out a barely contained groan, thankfully her head absorbed most of it.
“There..”
She let him go and stepped back, admiring the teeth marks on his skin and the slight pink to his cheeks.
He straightened and adjusted his collar.
“Just in case you seem to..get carried away with the pleasantries.”
Gaunt chuckled and smoothed down his shirt
“I’ll get revenge..don’t you worry.”
He kissed her forehead and then turned, she caught the glint in his eyes and smiled
“Now, let's go before our absence is missed.”
“After you, Sir.”
“All though you may wish to wipe the smirk off your face.”
“What smirk?” he glanced at her, his face solemn once again
“Never mind.”
They returned to the ballroom, Leta returned to her corner with Corbec and Gaunt returned to Lady Moss and her rat-like dogs.
“That was quick.” Chuckled Corbec, eyebrows raised as he handed Leta her drink back.
“Get your mind outta the gutter, Colonel.”
“Rich, coming from you.”
Leta sipped her drink, across the ballroom, She noticed that just visible over the edge of Gaunt’s collar was a red mark.
Hopefully people would think it an injury from the battle or razor burn, but they knew the truth, it was her mark.
He was hers.