Based off of the prompt: Imagine being head over heels in love with Bard, and him being oblivious about your feelings, until you end up screaming out that you love him during a small argument - which can be found at imaginexhobbit.

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You could feel your hands grow clammy and hot as they curled into themselves, your nails making small crescent shaped indents into the smooth skin of your palms. Your stomach continued to twist into itself as you looked up into the pale green eyes of the man that stood before you.

The same green eyes that belong to the man that you unwillingly fell in love with, years ago.

His green eyes stared intensely and unyielding into your own, reflecting the words that left his mouth as he pulled you away into the small, dark alley between two, tall aged stone buildings in the newly reestablished city of Dale.

The tight space cause his muscular chest to almost be flush against your own as he looked down at you, his gaze and question unwavering. His scent – a light air of ginger, mixed with the slight musk that always seemed to shrouded him – filled your senses. You silently took in a deep breath of it, your eyes never leaving his own.

You bit your lip lightly once his eyes finally left yours, letting out a small sigh as he looked down in the almost nonexistent space between the two of you.

"Bard," you whispered, causing him to snap him eyes back to your own. "I only wished to help – I did not mean to worry you-"

"I told you to remain with the other women! I needed you to help protect the children, not the men who ought to be protecting you," He retorted in a harsh whisper. You had no purpose in picking up a sword."

You eyed him closely, anger beginning to develop from the pride that he effectively injured with his words. "I didn't?" You asked sharply. "I seemed to have a fairly strong one when I saved you life."

At that, Bard reached out and took your arm into his calloused hand with a little more force that he meant to use. You winced slightly as he pulled back the brown sleeve of the tunic that clothed your body, revealing the once, deep wound that could only be inflicted by a serrated orc blade. He grew silent as the pad of his thumb ghosted over the healing, bruised skin.

"And yet, you were injured, [y/n]," He finally responded, his voice straining to remain quiet in the shadows you hid in.

You would never admit that his touch caused your heart to flutter and your cheeks to warm, as did his genuine worry for you, even though it was just him fulfilling his obligation as the new master of Dale.

Instead, you pulled you arm from his hands, your eyes studying his face closely. "A small price I paid for your life," You scolded quietly, a light quiver lacing your words. "At least pretend to be grateful."

"Grateful?" Bard grounded out a little louder than he wished. He looked down at the opening of the alley, making sure that he didn't draw any attention. "Why would I be grateful for you being so willing to lose your life for me?"

"But I didn't!"

"But you could have! And you were willing!" Bard bit his lip as he saw you shrink back at his words, your eyes falling away from him. He leaned in towards you, dipping his head until he finally met your gaze. "Why, [y/n]? Bain, Singrid, Tilda - " He paused, "All the children of Laketown love you. Why would you allow them to have the risk of losing you?"

The softness in his voice caused you to speak with a softness of your own. "Do I need a reason?"

He let out a light scoff. "Yes!"

"And why?"

"Why?" He repeated, standing to his full height. He ran his hand down his thick, black beard, his nimble fingers dangling at his chin. "It might help me believe that you're not as selfish as you seem right now."

You let out a scowl of your own. "Selfish?" You scolded at him as he nodded at you. "If being selfish means saving your life, then so be it!" You retorted as you lightly shoved against his chest, pushing him as far as the tight space would allow you to. "Must I have a reason to want to help stand, and protect what little we have left? A reason to try and protect you?"

"Yes," He answered softly.

You shook your head slightly. He truly didn't realize what your reason was. What your reason has always been. Why you always put a little more thought than what was needed into your appearance; why you always seemed to have a smile when speaking with the bowman; why you always defended Bard in his absence whenever people spoke badly of the failure of Lord Girion, his ancestor.

It was just like Bard, to give so much attention to things far from him but being unable to discern what was right below his nose. He had always been that way, even when he was a child.

You shrugged in defeat. "I don't have one. Perhaps it is because I'm foolish and do things without a questioning thought. Perhaps its because I felt I had more purpose holding a sword, than holding onto myself, wondering if its over," You paused, letting out a jagged breath, the anger from before beginning to bubble back up. "Perhaps, its because I had the misfortune of falling in love with a man that does not seem to even realize that I'm standing right before him."

Your shoulders sank as Bard's eyebrows knitted together in question.

"Oh, Bard," You whispered, your hand raising to ghost against his bearded cheek. "If only you weren't as blind as a bat in daylight, then maybe you would have realized that I am in love with you."

You smiled sadly as surprise took his face. You let your hand fall back to your side as you repeated your confession just a little louder, before turning to walk towards the mouth of the alley way.

You stopped once you felt Bard take a gentle hold of your wrist, causing you to turn to look back up at him.

You rose a single eyebrow in silent question as you watched as his green eyes seemed to peer into your own, as if searching for a sign that what fell from your lips was what he actually heard.

A few moments of silence passed before you finally tried to pull your wrist away from Bard, only to have him pull you towards him, almost stumbling over your feet.

"Why do you think I wanted you to stay behind, [y/n]?" He asked softly, taking a few steps towards you.

You lips quivered slightly as he took a final step, his chest once again flush with your own.

"I wanted to protect you, and have some sort of guarantee that you would be okay."

You let out a quiet sigh. "I understand that, but you don't seem to understand me-"

You were silence by the light brush of Bard's lips against yours. He lingered there, his warm breath fanning across your face. Before pulling away, he gently pressed his lips against yours, his hand releasing your wrist to come up and cradle your head.

He rested his forehead against yours, a sad, short laugh leaving his lips as you absently gazed into his eyes, although your mind was somewhere completely different.

"It seems as if we have both been blind to the other," He whispered to you, his nose gently pressing against yours. "And selfish."

You nodded slowly at his words, a small laugh of your own leaving your lips.

The smile disappeared when he pulled away from you fully, his hands falling to take yours into them. He squeezed tightly, his eyes falling to the wound that still laid uncovered on your forearm.

He once again, carefully, ghosted his thumb along the wound, his own shoulders falling in disappointment and guilt. He trailed his hand up the length of your arm, gently ghosting along your neck until he reached your warmed cheek. "And for good reason?"

You smiled lightly as his uncertainty. You further laced your fingers through his, tilting your head into his warm palm, the callouses on his hand rubbing roughly against the smooth skin of your face.

"Nothing less."