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There's a stranger in the Crownsguard training room. Danica sidles into the room as slowly as possible, doing her best not to bring any attention to herself. She particularly doesn't want the Marshal's attention on her, because she's not sure she wants to know how he's going to react to her coming back after the emergency that took her out of training for an entire week. Sure, she'd had to get permission to come back, and the Marshal was probably the person that signed the paperwork to let her do so, but she's still hoping that if she keeps her head down he'll forget about her.
The problem is that she can't stop staring . She'd gotten the news even while she was gone, several of her friends texting her about the Marshal's new boyfriend, but whatever she'd been expecting it wasn't this . The man is too expressive, gesturing wildly with his coffee while he chatters at the Marshal about…whatever people talk to the Marshal about.
Then the Marshal says something in a voice too quiet to hear, and the stranger laughs . Has the Marshal made some sort of joke ? Is he even capable of that?
Danica is so busy gawking that she loses track of where she's going, and she walks straight into a wall of muscle. This is instantly followed by the sound of Todd's practice greatsword clattering to the ground, because what the man lacks in brains he makes up for in sheer clumsiness.
Both of them freeze. Danica catches the Marshal's gaze and feels her soul leave her body. Todd grabs her hand in what she can only assume is fear.
A moment later her gaze is broken because the stranger boops the Marshal's nose . Does this man have no sense of self-preservation? Sure, he's the Marshal's boyfriend and all--but doing something that cute in front of his men ? There's no way the Marshal is going to let him survive that.
Except the Marshal just looks at him and smiles . It's a real, honest, sappily in love and loving it smile. The type of smile reserved for weddings and terrible romantic comedies. And it's on Cor the goddamn Immortal's face .
"Have I died?" Danica whispers to Todd. "Is this Hell? Are we going to suffer an eternity of the Marshal having real emotions at pretty men?"
"That's what I said." Todd finally lets go of her hand and squats down to retrieve his sword. "He heard me and voluntold me for his next demonstration."
Danica winces and mimes zipping her mouth shut. She's not going to say another word about this hiccup in reality anywhere near the Marshal's presence if she can help it. Somehow he always seems to know .
The stranger chatters on for a minute more, presumably saying his goodbyes because he ends his sentence by leaning in and kissing the Marshal. Danica feels her cheeks heat as she watches the brief exchange. There is something enticing about seeing the most closed off, terrifying man in the world gently kiss his boyfriend goodbye.
They part before long, and the stranger waves cheerily at the recruits as he leaves. Danica watches him go, wondering where a man that scrawny found the balls to go out with the Marshal.
"Welcome back to training, Cladis." The Marshal's voice abruptly calls out across the room, and she nearly jumps out of her skin. Todd's sword clatters to the ground again. "Why don't you come up to the front and show everyone that you haven't forgotten how to fight?"
Well, fuck. She should've known she wasn't getting out of this day in one piece the second their eyes caught.