The troubled expression on Mec's face lingered even after Shallan turned towards him and he listened to her speak. After becoming self aware of what he was saying, he grew nervous about his sudden declarations: the announcement of his desire as well as the admission of his fears. Why did he let himself voice such things, especially now? Perhaps it could not be helped, not after toeing the line he insisted he would not cross for what felt like ages.
He drew a sharp breath at the feeling of Shallan's fingers brushing across his cheek. A chill cascaded down his neck, traveling to the tips of his fingers and down his spine. The gesture made him feel vulnerable, the simple touch leaving him exposed. The cool breeze of the warm night suddenly felt like a winter wind, and Mec was left with neither cloak nor cowl. There were still hints of the troubled countenance he expressed before, but they were joined with a bewildered expression as he gazed deep into Shallan's eyes. He did not know what she was going to say next, and every second he spent standing in the cold chill was excruciating.
Shallan's conclusive comments had Mec's thoughts whirling, racing to understand what she was exactly trying to say. The effort was proven unnecessary a moment later, as Shallan rose up to plant a gentle, warm, kiss on Mec's cheek. Mec's eyes widened as he felt himself grow warm, the earlier windchill being pushed away by a more comforting feeling. After Shallan had lowered herself back down, a few seconds passed in silence while the pair gazed into each other's eyes. Finally, Mec drew a long, deep breath, and shy smile inched across his lips as he exhaled.
He gently reached for Shallan's hands, and lightly held her delicate fingers between his as he drew himself closer. After Mec lightly pressed his forehead against the top of Shallan's, he finally managed to will his vocal chords to speak. The words came slowly, softly, his voice low so that only Shallan would hear. "I would like that, very much." He squeezed Shallan's hands gingerly, then lowered his head slowly until his lips nearly brushed against hers, before closing his eyes and pressing a soft kiss to Shallan's lips.
They held the kiss for a few seconds, before finally, almost reluctantly, pulling away from each other. Mec's heart was pounding in his chest, but almost any suggestion of the worried expression he held prior was eliminated. His head turned as if to hide his smile, but the creases in his eyes and the hushed laugh escaping his lips gave him away. All the while, his fingers still squeezed Shallan's, unready to let them go just yet. "Why did we wait so long to do that?" he finally laughed, looking back to Shallan.
A sharp whistle came from the entrance of the inn. "Hey! Someone just ordered another round for everyone! Hurry up or you won't get any!"
Mec watched the person who made thee announcement scurry back into the inn while he straightened himself. "We better hurry, from the sounds of it. This is a rare chance."
After a few hours at passed, it was apparent that on this particular night, a free drink was anything but rare. Many had their fill, and even beyond. For those that joined the festivities late, the generous offerings by the fellow patrons provided an easy gateway for joining in the tomfoolery and ruckus of the night. Others, who were less responsible, easily found themselves getting carried away, drinking themselves silly. Even Mec and Shallan had a few more drinks than they should have. After all, it was hard to pass up a free drink, and maybe a few that were not so free, in between dances, games, and singing out tavern songs.
The morning sun warmed Mec's face, its light gradually penetrating through his eyelids, causing him to finally wake. At first, he was confused as to where he was. His body felt restricted, and the sun was so bright. He was outside, he realized, and he felt warm even though the morning air was cool and there was dew on the grass and the straw around him. "Huh," he ran his hand against the straw he was laying on, realizing that he woke up somewhere outside... again. As the gears in his head turned, despite the aching in his skull, he finally thought to look to his side to understand why he felt so restricted and could not move his other arm. Next to him lay Shallan, nested underneath Mec's arm. A faint memory, one of the few from the previous night, flashed in his mind as he remembered the discussion the two had the night before. He tried hard to remember what happened after that.
Suddenly, a pitcher of water and a couple wooden, overused cups were placed next to Mec with a few soft clunks. Through squeezed eyelids, Mec could barely make out Godrich's firey red hair, and the senior Misfit winked before he disappeared behind the large pile of straw once again. Mec could hear him walking away after a few moments, clearly talking to Charlie the donkey as he lead him somewhere. Mec wondered how it was possible for Godrich to be so lively after witnessing the way he was drinking the night before. He grunted as he poured himself a cup of water, and gingerly carried it to his lips to take a sip. It would only be a few hours before Clair would awaken everyone and bring them to attention with her "Yeetititit!".
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