Disclaimer: Bioware owns, not me.
Author's note: Not beta-read, sorry about that. If you're going "wtf!" while reading this, check out Laufey's Edwin Romance Mod. This one takes place the following day after the ficlet Restless.
Haer'Dalis had not been acquainted with Jaina and her friends for more than a week, since they had rescued him from the wizard Mekrath, and the whole troupe of actors from the Planar Prison. That is why he was confused to see that one member of Jaina's group had already left and another taken her place - the voluptuous dark wizardess in red robes had been replaced by... a tall, dark man in red robes, who even seemed to recognize the bard. Haer'Dalis gladly had dinner with his rescuers, and after observing the Red Wizard for a while, pointed out how similar he was to the woman Jaina had been travelling with before.
"My sister," Edwin said abruptly before Jaina could answer. "She had to return to Thay. I am surprised she did not mention it, for she was called back to serve in an important position under the Zulkirs." He explained all this without twitching an eyebrow at such a blatant lie, and Haer'Dalis couldn't do more than congratulate 'his sister' for such a great promotion.
Jaina's dark eyes lingered on Edwin, and a small, knowing smile curved her lips. Viconia was able to keep her face straight, Jan hid his smile by taking a gulp of ale, and Yoshimo did the same by looking away and calling for another round of drinks, but Minsc's way of playing along was completely sincere.
"Is that where she went! Even if she was a Red Wizard, Boo and I liked her a lot better than her grumpy, evil brother," the Rasheman said, and as if seconding his statement, the hamster sitting on his shoulder squeaked brightly.
Edwin rolled his eyes and grumbled under his breath, while Jaina's smile widened and turned a little sly.
"Oh, I don't know. I'm glad to have Edwin back in all his glory," she said, looking at the wizard in question. She caught his eye under his hood, and they looked at each other long enough to raise a blush on both of their cheeks. The previous night had left both of them lacking of sleep - it was but yesterday when Edwin had been finally turned back to his original male form after spending over a fortnight in a female body. That had triggered something in both himself and Jaina - and on the very same day, they had shared their first kisses, although deviously under the topic of testing if Edwin had regained his original masculine charms as well.
Both of them had been up most of the night, alone in their own rooms, thinking of the other one. The couple of hours of sleep had not made their emotions fade away. While Jaina had finally admitted to herself that she couldn't imagine life without Edwin by her side any more, Edwin, in turn, had come to decide that Jaina deserved to hear the truth about him, and why he had left her in Baldur's Gate. She didn't have any idea it had been because of love for her - for protecting her from the Red Wizards.
"After what happened last week," Haer'Dalis changed the topic, and referred to all the trouble with their various captors, "we - my dear Raelis and our band of thespians - have decided that it is time for us to return home."
"Aw, and I was so looking forward to seeing your play! I thought if someone can spin a good tale, it's the planewalkers," Jan said in honest disappointment.
"You wish to see our play?" the tiefling raised an eyebrow and cocked his head so that the many earrings in his pointed ears jingled.
"You seem like better actors than all the bards of the Swords Coast put together," Jaina admitted. "It would be great to witness your talents."
"In that case, we must perform for you!" Haer'Dalis announced and slammed the table with his palm. "We owe you that much! Come, let us downstairs. I am certain Raelis will gladly organize a private show just for our good friends and saviours!"
Everyone emptied their pints and glasses, and followed the quirky tiefling down to the basement where the theatre was. It looked like packing was already under way for going home, but it did not stop the bards from getting excited about throwing one last show before departing Toril.
The stage was made with haste and the actors changed to their role outfits. Their six viewers did not need to wait for long before the curtain was raised and the play commenced.
Jan was sitting with Minsc and Boo, and they were discussing the play together constantly. Yoshimo and Viconia watched in silence, although at times the rogue needed to explain some cultural points to the drow. Jaina sat down beside Edwin, who lowered his hood to his shoulders when the play started. Even though there was room for 200 people and now there were just six of them in the audience, Jaina and Edwin sat so close together their thighs were touching.
Some time into the enjoyable play, Jan pointed out to Minsc, "It's a shame our good leader is not following the play, especially as I doubt we ever get to see it again."
Minsc glanced at Jaina and Edwin. They had been silent until now, when Edwin had suddenly turned towards her on the bench and said something to her on a low voice. Now they were discussing together in whispers - Edwin looking extremely concerned, and Jaina at times puzzled and other times smirking teasingly.
"Boo thinks Jaina is explaining how we know Haer'Dalis and his pretty friends, since he wasn't there," Minsc said and nodded firm in this belief.
Jan watched, however, how Edwin and Jaina slowly turned to face each other, and were not following the play at all anymore. Edwin's arm moved to the back-rest of the bench, behind Jaina's shoulders, and he bowed his head explaining something into her ear with a very serious face. When he finished, he pulled back a little as if afraid she was going to punch him.
Right then, Jan could easily read Jaina's reaction from her lips and incredulous face. "What?"
The gnome realized that watching those two was at least as entertaining as the professional play on stage. The Red Wizard and the dark rogue in black leather now got into a more heated discussion - Jaina was ranting at Edwin in whisper, and he was shooting defensive retorts back at her. Jan wondered what Edwin had done this time, but then again, Jaina and Edwin hardly needed a reason for bickering like an old married couple.
After a while, Edwin was able to get a word in from Jaina, and took the opportunity of explaining something in great lenght and, to Jan's surprise, with a shockingly sincere face. It was indeed strange to see his manners so open and his face not contorted with arrogant sneers. Jan realized with a jolt that it looked like Edwin was apologizing for something.
It seemed to be working too. Jaina's shoulders lowered as she listened to Edwin's low voice. He finished speaking, and Jaina sat quietly for a while, looking at him like he had pulled the rug from under her. Then, she tilted her head, and Jan watched how her expression melted. She looked at Edwin with soft eyes, and touched his arm with her hand.
"I'm not mad," Jan could read the whisper from her lips. Those words seemed to release all the anxiety from Edwin; his muscles relaxed and he sighed of relief. The arm on the backrest moved closer to Jaina, and Jan thought they probably didn't even realize it themselves that they were constantly leaning closer towards each other. As they continued talking in soft whispers to each other, now both of them smiling a little and their eyes twinkling with what looked like flirt and tease, Jaina was soon sitting under Edwin's arm, against his side.
After a short while, Jan interrupted Minsc's enjoyment of the play. The gnome poked the bulky berserker next to him and nodded wildly towards Edwin and Jaina sitting a few rows in front of them, on the left side of the audience. Neither the rogue nor the wizard seemed to remember that they were not alone - and so Jan, Minsc, Yoshimo and Viconia gaped at how their leader took Edwin's bearded jaw into her hands and kissed him.
The actors on stage noticed it as well, and while they did smile for a brief moment for seeing such a romantic gesture in the audience, they continued undisturbed.
Undisturbed were also Edwin and Jaina. At first he seemed surprised, but soon he tilted his head to kiss her back, and his arms went around her to hold her close against his chest. His hands slid softly over the black leather, feeling the curve of her waist, while he felt how her nimble hands slipped from his jaw to the nape of his neck and her fingers squirmed into his dark hair.
None of the others had any idea what Edwin had just explained to Jaina and how it had suddenly ended up in her kissing him, and Edwin would never want anyone else but Jaina know. Even with her kissing him, he still couldn't believe she had understood and forgiven him. Then again, he could hardly believe he had her in his arms like this now, but it made him feel like they could come through together - like he had just explained to her, they were being hunted by the Red Wizards and Degardan, who had before his death changed Edwin back to his male form, had been the first of many. In the beginning, when he had met Jaina in Nashkel, Edwin's orders had had nothing to do with Dynaheir but she had proved to be a good excuse. In truth, his target had always been one of the Bhaalspawns in the area: Jaina. He was to either recruit her to serve Thay's interests, or eliminate her. After realizing there was no way she could be made to do anything but her own mind, Edwin couldn't bring himself to hurt her. He had not confessed his admiration for her, but he had explained how he had left to distract the Red Wizards from her.
Even though Jaina was definitely not pleased about him leaving her without a word, she understood why he had done it. More than that, she was kissing him. Edwin was starting to feel like he was in Reverse World for everything having gone exactly the opposite of his own very pessimistic expectations.