A/n- Yay! More Jane x Gunther! This will be slightly longer then my previous JatD fanfic. As always, I must stress the fact that I don't particularly enjoy AU fanfiction, like when Jane and co. are 18/19. Jane and her friends, at least in my stuff, are the age they are that they are… that they are- er- okay. (Watch, I say this and like, in a week and a half, I'll write one. I bet you.)

Disclaimer: NO MAS! Uh… right?

Summary: Pepper is in need of some hard-to-come-by produce and enlists the help of her friends. Gunther is determined not to get involved, but winds up helping anyway after some… er- coaxing and or adventure. Take your pick.

Rubescens

As soon as Gunther had heard the kitchen girl's cries of indignant distress, he knew it was one of those days where he should have stayed in bed.

Perhaps if he busied himself with some menial task of some sort he wouldn't be caught up in the idiot revelry of the rest of the castle.

The noon sun was bright overhead, as searing as it could have been. The young apprentice stalked across the open courtyard, shielding his eyes from the brightness. He itched for some water, some coolness, something to relieve himself of the scratchy leather breastplate and tunic.

"I cannot believe this!"

Pepper's shrill voice echoed out of her basement kitchen and Gunther winced. Seeing Jane and Jester appear from the castle, he stopped in his tracks.

"What now?" Smithy's voice sounded more annoyed then concerned as he came around from the inside of the stables. He glanced at Gunther who rolled his eyes.

Pepper and Rake come up from the kitchens. The cook looked to be in a slight distress, her hands twisting round the hem of her apron as she came to a stop.

"Oh, Jane! It's horrible!"

Despite himself, Gunther followed after Smithy, who had taken his place in the circle of friends. Gunther held back, a pace away from the rest, his arms crossed over his chest and a glower on his face.

Jane's green eyes grew wide, "What is it Pepper? I heard you from inside the hall!"

Gunther snorted; the whole castle probably heard. Up above them, Dragon circled once- twice- before landing.

Rake put a hand on Pepper's shoulder, "It seems as if we've run out of an ingredient."

"Oh, Jane! This is a disaster!" Pepper motioned back to the kitchens; "I'm to cook my prized mushroom soup for the King's dinner tonight! My store of the special mushrooms has run out!"

"And I certainly didn't eat them!" Dragon called from his perch.

Eyes narrowed, Gunther pursed his lips and barked, suddenly, "My father was here a few days ago." He was taken aback by the way they all turned round to stare at him. "Um- that is to say… he brought you mushrooms. You shouldn't have run out," He avoided their gazes and looked instead at the earth

"I know, but this isn't any old mushroom! They only come from the forest near the castle. They are so hard to find… what am I going to do?" Stroking the back of the girl's hand, Rake tried to soothe his would-be sweetheart.

"Hmm…" Jane tapped her chin thoughtful, "How did you not know you were running out?"

Pepper put her hands on her hips, "A little bit goes a long way. It's been at least a year since I received a fresh bunch."

"Oh no," Gunther knew where this was going. He bit his lip, weighing wither or not he should just leave now or wait and scythe off later.

"Don't worry Pepper!" Here it comes. "We'll all help you; me, Dragon, Rake, Jester, Smithy, and," with a meaningful look from Jane, "Gunther too."

He snorted but the girl's gaze was steadfast. Gunther shrugged, allowing the action as a motion of assent. He didn't want to get into an argument. It was too bleeding hot.

Speaking of heat. Gunther inwardly groaned. It was going to be a tiring process of combing the forest for a tiny mushroom with the swath of sun on one's back.

"Thank you, Jane! Now, the mushrooms are red, bright red! You can't miss them."

"Alright," Jane looked at her friends, "Jester and Rake can head off in one direction, Dragon and I can take another and Smithy-"

"Sorry, Jane," Smithy was already walking back to the stable. "I have to prepare some special equipment for Sir Ivon. I'd like to help, really-" Waving him off, Jane smiled knowingly.

Gunther felt a stab of indignance. Of course, Smithy got the day off. "Good," he masked his bruised pride with a forceful tone, "I'd rather go alone anyway." With that he turned on his heel and walked in the direction of the gates. Gunther noticed with a pang of self-inflicted hate that no one had tried to stop him. His teeth grit.

He heard Dragon hop down into the yard. "Alright, Jane!" The lizard said boisterously.

As the dark-haired apprentice-knight exited the gated archway he looked up in time to see Jane atop Dragon flying low overhead. They sped off in a general westerly direction.

Contemplating how idiotic this was, Gunther followed the same heading, vowing to just search the undergrowth close to the castle as Jane and the beast would look farther out.

Rake and Jester went east, the boy's annoying bells jingling along as he walked. Gunther didn't know how anyone could stand having sound follow you all day. He could go mad.

Dust plumed at his feet as he walked down the lane. Before him, trees jutted up from the earth and Gunther veered off the path as the greenery came within reach. He trudged into the cool shade of the trees, a pained expression on his face.

The boy ran a hand through his hair.

Of all the stupid… why had he agreed to this anyway? It wasn't like he cared.

He didn't want to care; that was the truth of it.

Gunther had always told himself that he didn't care much for the simple life the others lived. He had told himself that he enjoyed the finer things; the silks his father brought home… which he was never aloud to touch, the delicate food nobles eat… again, which his father never really allowed him to taste.

In all honesty, Gunther was at home with a hearty soup or crudely spiced roast; which, much to his own personal pride, he was quite skilled in concocting. One had to be able to bring one's self up when their father was most often gone.

He wondered for a brief moment if his mother had been a good cook, if she had been as obsessed with appearance as his father. What woman would marry such a man? A foolish one. He tried to stay angry, but one can hardly hate what they cannot name or place a face to. The notion of his mother was locked away again in the recesses of his mind where no one could discount them.

A few moments of silence ensued, where all Gunther heard were the buzzing of insects.

"Blazes it's hot," and the collar of his tunic, bunched up under the leather breastplate, was doing nothing to cool him.

Gunther skirted a rather large fallen tree and looked back over his shoulder. To his surprise, the boy realized that he had been walking a lot longer then he had previous thought. He was too absorbed in his own musings to be looking for any mushrooms, too.

A sigh escaped his lips

Sitting down rather forcefully upon a rock, Gunther unhooked his wrist guards and laid them in his lap. Rolling up the sleeves of his tunic he marveled at the way his pale skin clashed with the green of the forest floor. Reaching down he gathered a handful of leaves, turning them over before letting them fall through his fingers.

Had he always looked this sickly? It was probably from the heat.

There was a silky sheen of sweat gathering at the base of his neck and he used his palm to cool the skin there. If he had a little bit of string, of ribbon, he would tie his hair back like when he was at home, but he had nothing.

Getting to his feet, the guards in his hand, Gunther continued on, this time, remembering to look out for tiny red pinpricks against the mud.

For a brief instant he imagined the mushroom's exotic color to be in hue with Jane's hair. Red, vibrant, and fiery. The thought startled him, for there were a good many things other than Jane's hair for which he could associate red to. He tried to think of some.

Blood.

Er-

Berries.

Certain cuts of cloth.

…

Spices?

Mushrooms.

Ahha!

Fire. Warmth.

Jane's hair.

"Damn it."

This annoyed Gunther, and it annoyed him even more now that Jane, along with thoughts of the heat and the way his naked forearms felt in the breeze, were all swirling around in his head at the same time.

Eager to distract himself, Gunther turned at random and started in a new direction.

A/n- First chapter is finished! I believe there will be two more chapters in this. Anyway, the next one should be up soon! Thanks for reading! R&R please! Me gives you a cookie?

Review!