Warnings: Jealousy, Dunk is a love-sick fool for his best friend, pining, angst, fluff, very brief mention of smut.
Coming soon: Dunk Confessing His Feelings would Include, Jealous Dunk (boyfriend edition), Dating Dunk Would Include, Dunk's Love Language Would Include.
MASTERLIST
GUESS WHO IS BACK FROM THE DEAD
Dunk was absolutely, irrevocably head over heels for you - literally and figuratively.
The boy would sooner trip over a dragon egg before he would confess those feelings.
Naturally, he found himself… jealous.
Now, this was not something Dunk was particularly accustomed to feeling; he considered himself a rather reasonable, friendly and good-natured fellow.
Yet, more and more frequently, he found himself with a white-hot poker twisting in his ribs whenever you interacted with or mentioned another man.
After all, Dunk had never been in love with somebody before, so these feelings were completely new and he felt out of depth - even more so than usual.
But Dunk was simply too nice to say anything, and would reason to himself that you were ‘just his best friend’ and that ‘he had no right to act like such a great-lumbering, jealous fool.’
Under the jealousy, Dunk was insecure and afraid.
Afraid that you would find a man more worthy than him.
A man with a pretty face and even prettier words.
Afraid that he would lose his best friend and the only girl he has ever loved.
And deep down, he believed that was what he deserved.
You were as fair as the dawn, and he was...just Dunk, squire to an old hedge knight.
You deserved a handsome lord with fancy words and a charming smile.
What could he offer you?
Dunk could hardly string a sentance together in front of you without stumbling over his words, never mind confessing his feelings or telling you how pretty you were.
And forget writing you love letters or poetry - he could hardly read and write enough to get by, never mind damn poetry.
(Though, Dunk would stay up late into the night, practising his reading and writing with a boyish hope that one day, if you hadn't been swept off by some lord, he could write you a love letter).
He was poor, his clothes dirty, and his smile a little crooked.
He could only gift you the little wooden sculptures he'd whittle around the camp in the evenings, or if he was lucky and had a coin to spare, a small pastry from the local markets. Not riches and jewels.
You deserved someone who could give you the world.
And Dunk believed that would never be him.
So, he tried to content himself with being just 'best friends' despite how much he yearned for more.
Despite how he would lie awake every night, imagining a life with you.
Imagining what it would be like to touch you.
What it would feel like to call you his.
To Hold your hand.
Sing you terrible love songs.
Kiss your soft lips.
To spin you in his arms and pepper your cheeks with kisses.
Hear his name on your lips as he made love to you under the night sky.
To wake up next to you in the morning and bury himself back into you all over again.
To live in a little cottage with a herb garden with you.
To simply just love you.
But to Dunk, this was all just a dream.
Yet the thought that one day, someone else would experience everything he had ever dreamed about made him sick.
The thought alone sent white-hot jealousy through his veins.
Even in the most mundane interactions, he found himself prickling.
When you went to the markets for morning bread, he would stand behind you with folded arms and a scowl as you spoke with the merchant boy.
And by the Seven, he hated it when new market stalls popped up.
It was bad enough that he had to watch you do your rounds each morning (and yes, he knew it was ridiculous to be jealous about, but he did not like how the young men would gaze at you with heart-eyes - especially that damn baker-boy).
So if a new stall opened up, his day would be off to an even worse start - a new potential threat to his love life.
One time, a handsome young trader from Essos had set up a temporary stall selling handmade Asshai jewellery.
Of course, you had to go running off to take a look.
By the end of the ordeal, Dunk was all but foaming at the mouth as he watched the young man measure your fingers for rings and take way too long and linger too much as he clasped a necklace around your neck.
Dunk vowed to never visit Asshai after that.
And still, he did not say anything; he just glowered in silence and made comments about the traders 'dubious craftsmanship,' as you left.
He would never outwardly admit that he was jealous.
Dunk would stand a little closer to you when you spoke with others.
Sometimes a little too close - not that you minded if you even noticed at all (Ser Arlan did though, and would roll his eyes at his squires painfully obvious behaviour).
Dunk hated it when you watched sparring matches on market days, and would go to no end to steer you away.
He wanted you to look at him when he sparred. Not other men…he just wanted you to think he was good enough too.
Though Dunk was silent most of the time about his feelings, if a drunkard or perv tried anything with you, he would not hesitate to step in.
At that point it wasn’t jealousy, he was just angry that someone dared hurt you or dishonour you.
And he would not go easy on them…and would not stop until they apologised…
Not to him, but to you.
Despite his jealousy, Dunk’s insecurity remained, and he sought comfort and reassurance in the only way he knew how: touch.
When you strolled through the market stalls, he would walk just a tad too close, brushing his arm against yours.
When you were speaking to someone he deemed better than himself, his fingers would nudge against your hand as if to remind you that he was still there.
Still your Dunk.
And at night, once you had fallen asleep, he would secretly work on making gifts for you - carved little figures, twine bracelets and good luck stones.
In his own lovestruck and insecure way, he hoped that you would be reminded of him each time you saw those trinkets.
That you wouldn't forget about him.
And deep down, perhaps a more territorial side of Dunk liked it when you wore his gifts.
Thanks for reading! I’m finally (mostly) over my food poisoning. Apologies for any mistakes!
If you liked this, I have a Dunk x Reader SERIES ongoing! Feel free to check it out (or not!) Updates will begin for that again now that I’m plague-free!
