Title: The Glint of a Knife
Summary: Fafnir was just relaxing at the bar when a minor confrontation breaks out. Axel from the Guardian guild is roped into breaking it up. But then Fafnir spots the glint of a knife being pulled…
Pairings: None really. Minor Fafnir/Flavio and perhaps platonic Fafnir/Axel?
Prompt: CtS Crew Prompt 1 (yes my own prompt, so sue me)
AN: I so desperately needed to write something today. I feel a little rusty for not being able to write anything remotely substantial for about a week now and guilty about it, too. Not to mention I was getting unfairly frustrated with myself. Thankfully I did manage to write something. I feel relieved to be honest. It's not very long, and it's probably not that good, but I wrote something. It was to one of my own prompts, but still. Now I'm going to lie down for a while, relieved that I can still write. Kinda silly, I know, but that's how I feel at the moment. So hope you enjoy reading nonetheless!
The bar was as busy as usual that night. Despite the frosty night air just outside the doors, the atmosphere of the Stickleback bar was as relaxed yet boisterous as it usually was. Explorers drinking their aches and pains away, or simply basking in the afterglow of a much fought-for achievement.
For Fafnir, Flavio, and Bertrand they were simply visiting the bar to relax and unwind a little before retiring for the night. Bertrand sat across from where Fafnir and Flavio sat, his legs stretched out under the table as he leaned back casually into his chair. Flavio sat close to Fafnir, a somewhat subconscious decision as he found comfort in his presence amidst the bustle of the bar.
While Flavio was cautious of those around them, not wishing to have anyone bump into him or he accidentally bump into them. For Flavio, it was just common courtesy. For Fafnir he was glad that Flavio always sat close to him when the bar was full. All the easier for him to wrap an arm around his shoulders and tug him to his side should any drunkard take a fancy to his beautiful Flavio.
It had happened several times before. And Flavio was oblivious to all. Ironic, right? A cautious and skittish survivalist not knowing when someone was flirting with him.
Ah, but that was just one of his charms.
Fafnir pulled his drink away from his lips mid sip when a disgruntled shout from close by caused Flavio to wince and subconsciously move closer to him. Fafnir glanced over in the direction the shout originated from to find two men, probably in their mid-20s up in each other's faces. Their hands grasped the other's collar as they seemed to hiss and sneer unknown words to each other. As they did so, they pushed and shoved each other around, knocking into tables and chairs, and other explorers.
Someone should step in and stop this nonsense before a really disgruntled explorer gets involved and turn this fracas into a brawl.
"Axel! Get yer ass into gear and get over here!"
At Bar-keep Cass' angry yell, Fafnir glanced over in the direction of where a certain redheaded landsknecht of the Guardian Guild sat with a few of his guildmates. He watched as Axel heaved a deep sigh, probably that of annoyance and frustration, before he pushed himself to his feet. With his face creased into a disgruntled look, he immediately turned away from his teammates and marched over to where the two explorers were still tussling with each other.
Next to Fafnir, Flavio sighed and shook his head. "He gets called to break up fights all the time," he said with sympathy in his voice. "He finds it really annoying. Though, he is a better option than Zeryn."
Despite himself, Fafnir felt a smirk slip across his lips. That blond-haired highlander probably started more bar brawls than anyone else in this entire city. Though he had the habit of ending them too. No one outlived a bar-fight better than he could.
With the two explorers with Axel attempting to break them up still tussling, they stumbled closer to where Fafnir sat. He felt himself frown when the two seemed to be ignoring Axel. Something that was uncommon as the sight of the redhead was usually enough to get brawlers to become best friends again.
This time, however, Axel had to physically get his hands on the two and pry them apart. He grabbed one man by the shoulder and threw him back a couple of feet, causing him to stagger before he fell back to land on his back. With that man out of the way, Axel turned his attention to the other and had him by his upper arm as well.
As Axel tried to speak with the other man, to calm him down in hopes of not having to literally pick him up by his throat and throw him outside, Fafnir felt his gaze focus on the man that had been shoved to the floor.
The man sat on the floor, his head down as his shoulders heaved. He appeared to be panting. Or maybe just breathing deeply in an attempt to push back his own anger and frustration. However, Fafnir frowned when the man reached for his own boot and...
Fafnir sat up straight in his chair when he caught the glint of something metallic and shiny. He immediately knew what it was. It was a knife.
A trill of panic settled in Fafnir's chest as the man gripped the knife tightly in his hand, holding it with a fist and drew himself to his feet. Axel was still distracted trying to talk some sense into the other guy that he didn't notice that the other was slightly hunched over into an attacking stance. Even from this distance Fafnir could see the rage in the man's eyes, and the white knuckled grip he had on the knife.
With the closest thing he can his hands on being his own thick beer mug, Fafnir pushed himself to his feet abruptly, the chair crashing to the floor behind him from the sudden movement. Gripping the glass tightly, he reeled back his arm and threw the mug as hard as he could.
And his aim was perfect.
The mug literally smashed into the side of the potential-attacker's head, shattering on impact and showering him with glass and alcohol. The force was so sudden and powerful that the man immediately lurched to the side by the force. And the knife tumbled from his hand, landing near Axel's food, the blade embedding deep into the floor.
Good. It missed him. And he wasn't going to get a knife in the back.
Axel dropped his grip he had on the other man and whirled around to look at the other. But his gaze drifted downwards toward the floor. His eyes widened and he took a half step back upon seeing the knife. It took him only a second to realise what had happened and what potentially could have happened.
"Did you just pull a fucking knife on me?" Axel seethed as he glared at the man lying dazed on the floor.
As the other man scrambled back, wanting no part in this, Axel stalked toward the would-be assailant, grabbed him by his throat and proceeded to literally drag him outside. To perhaps (and hopefully) beat some sense into the guy. Number one rule of all bar fights; no weapons are allowed.
Relieved that he had managed to prevent Axel from a potentially dangerous or even fatal stab injury, Fafnir sighed and turned around to pick up his chair. He righted it and sat down, unconcerned that the bar had fallen into a semi-dense silence.
"Wh-what was that?" Flavio asked as he pressed himself against Fafnir's side.
"Saw the guy pull a knife," Fafnir said simply with a shrug. "That shit doesn't fly with me."
Flavio stared at him in disbelief for a moment before a flicker of relief also appeared in his eyes. "Oh thank god you saw that. I can't even imagine the chaos that would have erupted if the guy managed to stab Axel."
Fafnir could. He could see the Guardian guild hunting the bastard down and beating the tar out of him. Which he deserved, let's be honest. Poor Lynus would have been a mess, though. Fafnir could just imagine the fear and panic from the orange-haired medic if Axel did get stabbed.
A few moments later the doors that Axel dragged his would-be assailant through opened and he stepped back inside. He looked around with a curious expression in the area of the bar where Fafnir and his companions sat.
"Hey, who threw that glass?" he asked.
When Axel's gaze landed on Fafnir, he raised his hand in a "hi, yeah, that was me" gesture. A grateful smile immediately broke out across Axel's face and he made a beeline straight toward them. As he approached, Fafnir took to his feet and allowed the other man to take his hand in a firm handshake.
"Man, thanks, I totally owe you one for that," Axel said graciously and gratefully.
"Don't mention it," Fafnir said as he grasped the other man's hand. "If reversed, you would have done the same for me."
Axel nodded his head, still smiling. "Well, let me at least buy you a drink. That was a great shot, by the way. Cass' beer mugs have been designed not to break during a bar fight. You must have thrown it with some force. I don't tell Zeryn, though, he's likely to try to goad you into a fight for the hell of it."
Fafnir just chuckled. He didn't doubt it. "Sure, I'll take you up on that drink."
