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Elyan swatted away Gwaine’s sword with his own, the vibration ricocheting up his tired muscles. He pushed through the soreness and forced the rogue to take a step back with a powerful shove. They had been at it for a while now and neither one had gained any ground, but that also meant that neither had they lost any.
The sweat dripped down Elyan’s face as he tried to advance again only to be knocked back by a clash of Gwaine’s sword.
It wasn’t that the day was particularly hot, it was actually quite lovely out; the leaves were just starting their shift to the yellows of autumn. It’s just that Gwaine was a tough combatant and so far they were pretty evenly matched.
He could see Gwaine was in a similar state to himself. His movements were a little stiffer and his shirt stuck to his skin disgustingly showing off the pull of each muscle. The hair that he took ludicrously good care of was plastered to his forehead with sweat.
Gwaine lunged again and Elyan had to put his full concentration into blocking it. He’s not sure how much longer he could keep this up. And he knew that was Gwaine’s plan to beat him. Gwaine was strong, sure, but his real power came from his stamina. Stamina that the knight was obviously trying to use to his advantage.
Elyan though has strategy on his side. Knowing the rogue dives head first into fights without taking time to observe his advantage or disadvantage.
All Elyan had to do was wait.
He knew any minute the knight would have to pause to brush the hair out of his eyes, leaving a pretty opening for Elyan to exploit.
As if on queue Gwaine huffed in exasperation before trying to blow the stray fringe out of his eyes. Elyan waited. It wouldn’t be much longer now.
Elyan watched as the annoyance grew on Gwaine’s face at the inability to move the damp strands out of his eye line. Finally, Gwaine blew angrily through his nose and took one hand off his sword to brush the hair away from his face.
Elyan chose the moment to pounce and Gwaine was on the ground before he could finish pushing his hair back.
Normally Gwaine would just brush the loss off. Laughing as he stood and asked for a rematch. Today though he used his hand to move Elyan’s dull blade away from his throat before rising and all but stomping away, leaving a very confused Elyan in his wake.
From across the field, Elyan heard Merlin’s voice pipe up. He hadn’t even known the servant had been watching, but it was obvious he had with the way he all but yelled “Gwaine.”
The knight turned looking disappointed for a moment before Merlin gave him a small smile and beckoned him with one finger over to him.
Elyan furrowed his brows as Gwaine’s shoulders slumped, and his usual strut was replaced with a slow dragging of his feet, the confusion growing even more. Merlin just rolled his eyes before moving towards the knight himself.
Elyan watched utterly bewildered as Merlin whispered something as he leaned into Gwaine's space, and the knight returned the movement with a small smile and a hand on the servant's shoulder. Merlin reached for the piece of scratchy cloth he called a neckerchief around his neck and undid it. Gwaine watched in fascination as the cloth fell away revealing Merlin’s pale neck. Elyan himself had to close his mouth. He didn’t even know Merlin could be seen without the piece.
Merlin didn’t give either of them the time to adjust and secured it around Gwaine’s neck and from the slight distance away Elyan still heard Gwaine snark “I don’t know if it goes with my outfit”
Merlin gave a slight huff as he rolled his eyes before dragging the scarf up and over Gwaine’s face into his hair, effectively keeping the strands away from his features.
"There, much better right?" The servant chirped.
Gwaine twisted his head to and fro, but his hair stayed out of the way, he looked a little like a dog trying to get the water out of its coat.
"Much," the knight said with a smile.
Merlin gave a blinding one in return before patting the man on the cheek and turning to leave “Now take him down for me” he yelled over his shoulder.
Gwaine turned back to Elyan, his smile transforming into a smirk. “With pleasure”
Elyan just sighed as he prepared to lose.
The next day he noticed Merlin wearing a much finer neckerchief and Gwaine showed up to training still wearing the scrap in his hair.