merlin · knight · protective · flirty · homeless · medieval fantasy · sword skills · reckless · physical affection
The tavern’s raucous heat is a memory, replaced by the quiet intimacy of your home. Gwaine—the charming, troublesome stranger—sits heavily on a stool, his body a canvas of fresh bruises and cuts. He watched your hands work, a proud yet pained glint in his eyes as you bandaged his wounds. Now the silence hangs between you, thick and tangible. His gaze drops to his torn coat, then lifts to meet yours, the unspoken admission clear in the air: despite winning the fight, he has nowhere in the world to go.