Gods Save Me From Young Men in Love

'Gods save me from young men in love,' Gunnar thought in disgust, when the evening was finally over.

First his idiot host had lost his mind in the elevator and demanded that Meirys leave. That had gotten him sore shins, an bloody nose, and ill will from both women inhabiting Six's body. Not to mention a few harsh words from Gunnar, reminding the boy he wasn't supposed to know Meirys was a threat.

Then Brother Forty-Three had spent half of the meal staring at Six from across the dining hall. While that was convenient for Gunnar's desire to keep an eye on Meirys, it had greatly annoyed the presumably highly-marriageable trio of women at the table Three had chosen to sit at, making them increasingly obnoxious as they tried to claim his attention. Also, Six had noticed the staring, and kept glancing over in their direction.

"She's smiling too much," the monk had eventually muttered darkly, then immediately abandoned his table to loom over the one where Six sat. The old lady presiding over that table had tried to send him away, but he'd refused. He spent the remainder of the meal glowering as Six and her tablemates ignored him.

And after that, when everyone moved back into the drawing room, Three hovered next to Six and fumed as a string of young men had wandered over to flirt with the sister. Some of the suitors he tolerated. Others he chased away with glares and insults.

'This is that woman's fault, isn't it?' he'd asked silently, after snarling at a slightly dough-faced suitor and earning himself a sharp rebuke from Six for his rudeness.

'What is?' Gunnar had stirred himself to respond. He'd given up trying to reign in the monk's behavior after the incident in the lift, and had been ignoring his host and the confused mix of emotions the young man was feeling. Gunnar was trying not to dwell on the long moment during dinner when he was quite certain that he'd locked gazes with Meirys. A moment when Gunnar had felt certain she knew that it wasn't Three who was looking back.

'The flirting,' Three replied. 'It's not Six, it's HER.'

Gunnar snorted. 'This is not flirting. This is Six behaving like a civilized being and displaying basic respect and kindness to others.'

'Then why is she smiling so much, if she's not flirting?' demanded Three.

'Because she's happy?' guessed Gunnar.

'She doesn't smile this much when she talks to me,' Three grumbled inwardly. Then he barred his teeth in warning as the shorter of their opponents from the fight earlier in the afternoon approached. Cobalt. That was the name. "Walk away, Cobalt."

"How can I, when I haven't greeted our lovely guest properly yet?" the other man said with a smirk for Three, and a dazzling smile for Six. Who was frowning at Cobalt in concern.

"You look like you were on the losing end of a fight," she observed, and reach out a hand towards a black eye that nearly mirrored Three's. Her gaze narrowed and she glanced up at the monk. "Was it with Brother Forty-Three?"

Cobalt gave a self-deprecating shrug and a slight smile as he admitted, "Obie's learned a few things since he left for the temple. But no permanent harm done and no grudges held."

Three growled softly in disagreement. Six either ignored him or didn't hear it, as she said to Cobalt, "I'm glad to hear that. Family should not fight each other. I hope you learned your lesson?"

"Definitely," Cobalt said, smirking once again at Three. The monk's fists clenched with the desire to punch the other man, and Gunnar was finding him sufficiently irritating that he was tempted to encourage it.

Also, the evening was becoming tedious. A brawl would definitely have improved things.

But Three restrained himself and Cobalt wandered off a few minutes later. Six continued to chat pleasantly with everyone who approached her, and Gunnar continued to watch for signs that Meirys was going to act. After a bit it became apparent that Six was getting tired, which was certainly reasonable considering the day she'd had.

'Six needs rest,' Gunnar informed his host, since Three was staring down a bald, purple-skinned man who'd approached with a suggesting about how Six could be useful to the Llinn estate while she was healing. The monk's gaze shifted immediately to Six, and he frowned for a moment, then nodded in agreement.

"Time for bed, Six. You need rest," Three announced. Gunnar fought the impulse to jump to the purple man's body for a few moments just so he could smack the monk up the back side of the head.

Six's eyes narrowed and for a few moments it looked like she would argue. Then practicality won out and she nodded. With a smile for the purple skinned man, she said, "Brother Forty-Three is right, I am more tired than I realized. Will you excuse me, Amethystsinger?"

"Of course," the purple-skinned man answered. "Peaceful slumbers, Miss Six."

It took another half hour for Three to usher Six across the room to the lift, despite Three's efforts to cut off conversational attempts from those who intercepted their movement. The pair were silent as the lift doors closed and the slow ascent to the manor's top level began. Six stared at the dark glass of the windows as though she could see to the garden beyond, Three snuck sideways glances at her every few seconds.

'Apologize,' Gunnar instructed.

'For what?' Three returned. 'I haven't done anything wrong.'

'You've been acting like a jealous lover all night.'

"No I haven't!" Three hissed. Gunnar flinched inwardly, looking up at Six's reflection in the windows. His heart sank as he saw Meirys looking back and not Six.

'Damn it, watch what you say out loud!' Gunnar snarled silently. This was why Gunnar's people usually only occupied bodies whose souls had departed for visits of any length. Hosts could be so . . . undisciplined.

"Haven't what?" Six asked. Or was maybe it was Meirys. There were subtle differences in the way the two women spoke, cues that would likely go unnoticed by anyone not actively watching for them. But at this particular moment Gunnar couldn't tell for certain which woman had asked the question.

'Apologize,' Gunnar said again. 'For being controlling and arrogant, and generally bad company. Before Six decides she doesn't want anything to do with you.'

For a moment Gunnar was certain Three would be mulish. But after a moment the monk sighed, and scrubbed his face with his hands, wincing a bit as he put pressure on his tender nose and bruised eye.

"I haven't been behaving well today," he said. "I'm sorry for laughing at you this morning. I'm sorry for letting anger get the better of me and for hurting you. I'm sorry I left you with Mother this afternoon. I'm sorry I made you angry by telling you that Meir--that Sera--doesn't have your best interests at heart. I'm sorry for not rescuing you from Aunt Sunny before dinner and not bringing you to my table. I'm sorry for being bad company this evening."

Six was silent, until she said, "I notice you have not apologized for being rude to Sera."

"Because I'm not sorry about that," Three said, turning to look down at the women. "Sera should know that you aren't unprotected. And there will be consequences if she hurts you."

Six's eyes narrowed, and she drew breath to speak. But then a smile that was most definitely from Meirys crossed her features. A prickle of warning went down Three's spine as Meirys said mildly, "I am deeply concerned with Sister Forty-Six's happiness and well-being, Brother Forty-Three."

"Good," Three said shortly. "Then you won't mind leaving in the morning. I'll ask Mother to write to the Temple and ask them to send someone else to be your host."

"No." There was so much passion packed into the single word that Gunnar was fairly certain it was Six who'd responded. His guess was confirmed when she continued fiercely, "Suggest it againand it will be the last time I ever speak to you."

Apparently Three also recognized he was speaking to Six again, because he blanched.

"Six," he began, raising his hands placatingly.

"NO." Six said again. "YOU do not get to make my choices for me," she said, stabbing him in the chest for emphasis. "Sera is staying. As long as she wishes to. She. Is. My. Friend. I don't know why you doubt that, but you had better get over it. It hasn't even been a day and I'm already tired of dealing with your . . . whatever this is."

The lift came to a halt, and for the second time that day, Six stormed out. She made her way down the hall and opened one of the doors, stalked through, and slammed it shut. Three sighed and reached for the door, but it opened abruptly before he could touch the handle. Cheeks blazing, Six emerged back into the hall.

"I've forgotten which room is mine," she said stiffly, looking at Three's shoulder.

"That one," Three said expressionlessly, pointing to the next door over. Six stomped down the hall and entered her room, once again slamming the door behind her. Three stared after her for a few minutes before finally turning to his own room. He closed his own door quietly and leaned wearily against it, asking idly, "Why did it have to be her?"

That felt like a question that would lead to a heart-to-heart conversation, something which Gunnar had no desire to have with Three. So he didn't respond.

An hour or so later Three was still slumped against the door, lost in his thoughts and tangle of emotions, when someone knocked sharply. The young man tensed immediately. He took a moment for a deep, steadying breath and then turned to open the door.

Lady Snowpearl stood on the other side, expression grim. She made a shooing motion and Three stepped back. His mother strode over the threshold and made her way to a lamp, switching it on before she turned back to face her son, who'd silently closed the door again.

For a long minute Lady Snowpearl regarded her son grimly. Finally she spoke.

"Explain to me why I just received a call from a Mother Superior Emberstone informing me that you kidnapped Six from her hospital room after assaulting the Father Superior of the Second Temple and are now on the run from the law," she instructed coldly.

Three flinched, but squared his shoulders and began to explain.