Krem jumped, a light knocking on the window that felt like thunder in the dead silence. He looked uneasily to the window of her simple room, from his simple house. It was a hard enough life being poor, and living in Tevinter, harder when you hate yourself, and the thing that topped it all off was the fact that he became friends with the daughter of a powerful noble. Well, more like a good friend of hers had a crush on Haylem, and then they slowly started to develop a relationship, and everyone else was dragged into the damn situation.

I'm not complaining.

Krem smiled at the thought that went through his mind, pressing down the dress on his body and he practically pranced to the window. Pitch black outside, unable to see anything outside, because of the light inside.

But he could feel kind eyes focused on him.

The window cracked open, Krem's muscles protesting as it jammed half way up. A gentle chuckle came through the window, and fingers came up from underneath the window, close to his hands. "A'right, pull..!" Her voice was a little rough, but in it's own way it was kind.

It groaned under their combined strength, and threw up in one protest, slamming against the top of the window frame, making him gasp, taking a step back. He heard laughter, and two legs dropped into his room.

The light was soft, but his heart melted when he saw her creep in. Dressed in boy's clothes, it was still obvious what her gender was. Wide hips, but her chest was rather flat. Much like he wish his was like. Her hair however.. chaotic, thick and black, almost glossy. She rarely did anything with it besides brush it, natural thick curls that got in her face, kind brown eyes and natural dark Tevinter skin. Yes.. He smiled widely, bringing his hands behind himself, sloping his shoulders. He didn't have that natural beauty… he didn't want it. He admired it.

"Kremmy!" She breathed quickly, shutting the window after her and then she launched herself at him. Smiling widely, a smile he wish he'd never forget and they held each other tightly, in a hug full of a strange affection, their relationship was undefined.

It felt good. To have pressure on his skin, feeling her warm body against his, and he pressed his face into her neck, feeling vibrations go up as she laughed softly. "Good to see you, Haylem." "Aw, you're a sweet heart." Her hands pressed against his shoulders, and they looked at each other. He took in her slightly crooked nose, from too many falls, a little flat on her face, and a crooked smile, but that was just her.

"So…"

Haylem barely batted an eye at the hovel he called home. Swallowing as she just.. fell, on the bed. Bringing herself up to sit, raking fingers through the hair he loved to braid. She smiled at him, patting the bed next to her.

"So."

He did, feeling his skin crawl. She stared at him, and he swallowed, flattening his dress once more. "..I missed you, those damn nobles.. They expect us, I mean, well… me, to be a proper girl.. I don't want to be." She rolled her shoulders back, and then rested her head on his, making his heart skip a beat. "Sodding dresses, proper language. 'Please and thank you?' No! Not to them.." He laughed at her then. They had so much in common.

"I wish you'd be a rebel with me.. dressing in these clothes," She launched a leg up, making him laugh even louder as she grabbed it, shooting him a seductive grin that was just plain funny. "It really shows off the legs!" His shoulders shook, and he looked down, he wasn't really feeling it, not tonight, at least.

She noticed.

"Kremmy?"

He didn't respond, frowning deeper, he brought his hands together. A deep sigh escaping him.

"Krem?"

She put a hand on his, staring at him with worried eyes. Care, affection. She cared.

He bit the inside of his cheek. "Nothing.. It's nothing." "Bullocks. What is it? Please tell me.."

He looked up at her worried tone, her voice urgent. Those brown eyes just stared at him. "..I just.. I wish I could be like you, you know? You can get away with anything thanks to your blood. I'd be belted if anyone found me in men's clothing.."

He saw it, right on the tip of her tongue. But she didn't say it. She smiled. "..Well.." Her eyes darted away only for a moment. Suddenly, gentle lips pressed against his cheek, she was so close.. he could smell her mother's perfume. "..Frankly Krem.. I find you to be incredibly manly." He snorted. Disbelief going through him, he just tisked.

"Hey! I'm not just saying that!" "Yes you are.." "No!" She grabbed his cheek, making him jump, pulling his face to look at her, his own squashed in her hand. Her gaze was stern, her face not as close any more, she just stared at him. "...I.."

She let go of his face, her eyes growing wide and her hands flew up in the air as a dramatic sign of defeat. "I cannot believe you!" She stood up, the bed bounced. She was there, and then she wasn't. Standing up, pacing across the floorboards, she grunted, and he watched in awe. The sudden energy in the room knocked him out of the mood, slapping him almost.

"You.. I.." She paced, looking at him with stern eyes and then she'd turn back and forth again and again. "..You fight, so hard Krem! You're amazing! You're strong, you're courageous, why does it matter that you're born with tits! You're more man than they are, Krem! Just because you wear a dress doesn't mean piss!" She walked to him, quick and he tilted his head up, staring into her excited eyes, her grip on his hands was tight, energetic, calloused.

"Come on Krem.. You can't possibly believe that bull, could you?" He swallowed down his words. "..N-.. I.. I don't know?"

As she climbed on the bed again, she rested it on his lap, sighing out. "You are a man, Krem." "..I feel like one, but I'm born with… these…" One of his hands went to his chest, two lumps hidden away underneath his outfit. "That doesn't mean anything.. we have no control over our bodies.. Remember Selvin? He was probably the most girly boy in the world, and he's happy wearing a skirt." "His parents flogged him." "DOESN'T MATTER." Her voice was sharp on that one, making him flinch.

She laughed, a bright laugh that filled his chest with that feeling. ".hah.." She smiled at him again, her eyes growing soft. Those deep brown eyes… He sighed, tilting his head to the side, watching her. They stared at each other for a long moment. "..Are you.. Are you still thinking about passing in the military?"

His back went straight. "...Maybe." "Krem.." "Yes." She turned straight, hunched over herself and she rubbed her eyes. "I'm scared for you, that's all…" She said meekly. He brought a hand to her shoulders, rubbing her back gently. "I know.. I know, Don't worry about me." "Of course I'll worry about you, Krem. You're the only friendship that I really, really want to keep. Piss on my parents, it terrifies me to think of you getting hurt.." He wrapped his arms around her, resting his chin on her shoulder, leaning his body on hers, which only made her sit up a little more, knocking their foreheads together.

"Yeah."

"So.."

A hand was on his hip, he saw a grin split across her face and then she pushed him down roughly on the sheets, falling next to him, curled up cutely, using his arm as a pillow. Her arm was around his waist, staring at him with a curious expression, the same one he had on his face. "What?"

"..If you're planning to go in like a man…" She propped herself up on her elbow, long hair falling down, and he brought a hand up to those curls. He tensed slightly, trying not to make it visible but he didn't like where those words were.. "Like the man you are.." She corrected, pushing a lock out of her eyes. "..I am so going to cut your hair. what a shame.. I kind of like it long.. but you know, we can define that jaw anyways. That'll be a good thing for you.. Oh! And I can show you how to bind.. the proper way, Krem. Not through those damn wraps. That'll break your ribs.."

"What do you know about binding?" He questioned, raising a brow. She snorted. "When I hit the age thirteen, and the lumps started growing from my chest? I was scared out of my mind because I didn't know what the hell was happening to me.. I couldn't connect the dots that women have tits so.. I found out how to bind, hurting myself in the beginning until I found better ways-" "Wait," he sat up a little. "You bind?" "Nah, not anymore.. I bound them while they were developing, ya know? They.. They didn't grow anymore.." "Oh."

They fell on the bed again, staring at the ceiling together.

"..Things.. things will get better, for me, right?" He asked, uneasy. He wanted to hear her say everything would be okay.. to be encouraged. She sniffed him out on his true feelings before he had a chance to cover it up. And she embraced him fully. Even calling him a man, while he still had long hair, and wore a dress. Of course, never in front of the guys. She didn't want to put him in a weird position. "Of course, Krem. Otherwise, they'll have me and my name to go against. I swear it." He laughed slightly, it only grew as a shadow went over him, she crawled on top, aiming for the candle on the bedside. "Thank you, Haylem." "Why are you thanking me? I'm saying the truth.." "Whatever." The light went out at a soft breath. Then the warm body came to his side, they dove under the covers together, breathing shakily as they couldn't see one another. "..Don't worry Krem. You'll break their teeth if they try to get you." He laughed one last time at that, calmness sweeping over them.

"Thank you, Haylem.."

"Mm. I'll kidnap you in a few days, we can work through it together.. Deal?"

He smiled in the pitch black, holding her close, the warm body in his arms and he felt a hand go against his chest, as she rested there.

"Deal."

Deal.