HI(: Sooooo this is going to be a two-shot. But PLEASE R&R!
It was too hot for this shit. Her clothes felt as if they were melting into her skin, and she thought she might pass out. Maker, she missed her armor. She really didn't know why she was here...actually that's a lie, she did know. Lelianna had dragged her, because apparently Elissa needed to "let go". It was the start of the new year and Denerim thought this was a good enough reason to throw a cluster-fuck party.
"Excuse me, excuse me." Elissa said, trying not to be her normal, easily angered, self.
She was using her polite tone, in other words, a very fake one. Air rushed into her lungs as she stepped outside onto the porch. To her disappointment, it was just as crowded outside as in. She narrowed her eyes gazing across the sea of people, the groups huddled, individuals lingering, and let herself relax.
"Elissa? I didn't know you were here!"
Elissa turned at the sound of the familiar voice. "Yeah...not really my type of place, is it?" She said in amusement. "How have you been, Naelyn?"
Naelyn was a shop owner in Denerim and always had specials and deals for Elissa. She couldn't help but notice his lingering stares and flirtatious remarks...it's not that she minded, he was quite an attractive man, but she couldn't help feel bad for leading him on. She didn't know why she didn't see herself ever being with him. Another lie.
"Well there's not much else to do on a night like this." He said, giving her a prize-winning smile. Maker if he was not charming.
"Sleeping." She said thoughtfully, "killing. Drinking." Behind Naelyn, Elissa spotted a familiar flash of tanned skin. She quickly diverted her eyes and looked back at Naelyn with a newly found mission. She eyed his biceps, "Or workout...maybe I'll join you sometime."
He laughed. "My Lady, you are more than welcome to join me." His muscles flexed as he reached for her. She allowed him to wrap his arms around her waist. He was warm, she also felt one of his hands VERY low on her back. "You smell nice." He said, while she raised her eyebrows against his shirt.
She heard footsteps behind them and felt Naelyn stiffen significantly against her. She smirked, but didn't move an inch to look back at who she know was there.
"Well, well. If it isn't my Dear Grey Warden."
Her body instinctively reacted to the sound of his smooth voice. She didn't blink as she turned to look at him. Maker, he was beautiful. And she hated it. Zevran Arainai was unfairly attractive, and the worst part, he knew it. Raising her eyebrows she crossed her arms under her breasts. Zevran eyes darted down to her exposed flesh and then slowly dragged back up to her face and smirked. The smirk faded when he saw how close Elissa was standing to Naelyn. She almost laughed at the abrupt dark look that crossed into his eyes. Naelyn coughed uncomfortably, and pulled away from Elissa. "Yeah...I don't really want to die tonight...so, she's all yours." Naelyn said, before quickly retreating. Pouting, Elissa watched him go.
"He is the sexiest man I think I've ever seen..." Lie. But the look on the Antivans face was worth it all. With a sigh she turned and started walking inside feeling a smirk pull again on her mouth.
"Where are you going?" Zevran asked her back.
Elissa narrowed her eyes at him lightly, "Clearly away from the elf who is scaring away perfectly good men."
He grabbed her upper arm and forcefully pulled her against his strong, hard chest. Her hands found themselves placed flat against his chest, where she could feel his warmth on her fingertips. Frowning, she wondered just how many girls had felt this chest, been this close to his handsome face. Not that she cared...she didn't, just wondering. Lie. Whatever. She was pissed. Pissed at the god standing before her. She hadn't seen him in days, no doubt he was off with his latest conquest somewhere. The thought sent a kick to her stomach.
"What are you doing?" She asked with venom in her voice. What the hell did he want from her? A welcome back parade? Asshole. "Don't touch me."
He clicked his tongue three times from somewhere above her. "My Dear Warden, I said I was sorry. But, if I am remembering correctly, you said that I no longer owed you anything and I could do as I please." Damn. He had her there. She had said that. But still, he was either in her party or he wasn't, not somewhere in between. Roughly, she pulled away from him, and glared.
"Six days. Six bloody days, that no one knew where you were or if you were coming back." He then quickly pulled her back to him and she fell harder against him this time. His voice sounded tired. "Elissa, I tried to get back...I did." His eyes bore into her in an attempt to make her forgive him, and maker damn her, it was working. Yet, she gave him a blank stare. He pushed her away. "You are too stubborn, love." She winced. She hated when he called her that.
"And you're annoying. I won't put our quests or my life on hold for you. I-WE don't need you."
Lie. Lie. Lie.
"I don't need you either." His gaze was purely terrifying as she could see she had truly pissed him off. His light hazel eyes held a storm that made her want to sigh. She also wanted to punch him in the face. Actually, she really wanted to punch him in the face. His lovely, perfect, tattooed, handsome face. Damn him.
"So, who was it?" She asked, not out of curiosity, but because she needed to know her name so she could write it on her hit list.
He observed her, before he lazily smiled, "The Blacksmith's daughter, Renissa." Elissa's eyes widened and she couldn't help but let her jaw drop. "You got Renissa to sleep with you?" She asked in disbelief. "She wanted to be a Chantry Sister!" She was frustrated. Utterly annoyed, and just maybe a tad jealous. "Did you rape her?"
Zevran scoffed, "They come crawling to me, My Dear." He paused, and smirked at her reaction. "She was an animal...you know the shy ones-"
"Yes, yes I know. She chewed her bottom lip, she thought carefully. "Wait, you were with her for six days?!" Her chest constricted. What the hell? He never spent more than one night with anyone.
She let out the breath she was holding when she heard him chuckle. "No, My Dear Warden, I found myself being hunted by a group of thugs trying to collect the bounty on my head so I had to lay low until I took care of them." He suddenly smirked, "Why, My Dear? Jealous?"
Elissa mock laughed. "In your dreams."
"Every night." He said and suddenly pulled her impossibly close so there was no space between them. She scoffed, and pulled away.
"You know you can't live without me." Zevran called after her.
"Watch me." She said over her should while threading her arm through Lelianna's.
Elissa's POV
I always woke up in the middle of the night. I stared ahead, my eyes unfocused and my body exhausted. The only thing that made this okay is that we were staying in an inn in Denerim as opposed to in a tent on the ground. I sighed, I knew I wouldn't be able to sleep again tonight. As always, my mind drifted to him. I wondered if he was off somewhere slamming another girl. It was only late at night when I could be truly honest with myself about how I felt. He didn't give a damn. Not a real one. But I did. I always did.
A couple minutes later, I heard the sound of the lock on my door being picked. I wasn't started because I knew exactly who it was. He always was very quiet, but he didn't need to be. I was always awake when he came. With my eyes closed I frowned a little, but I was too tired to really read into what that meant. He stayed unmoving and silent for a while, probably checking to see If I was awake.
"You're awake, you little minx." He said, his voice light and teasing.
I rolled onto my side, facing the direction I knew he was standing. "That would be all your doing." I said, my voice dry. It was strange. Strange how the whole energy of the room changed just by him walking in. Even in the complete darkness he held a special light. And I hated it. He was strong and reckless. Sharp and brilliant. The ever present glint in his eye scared the shit out of me. It could completely destroy me. I put on a cold front, but I never really knew if it was effective because goddamn was he persistent. I snorted at that thought. What an understatement.
"What?" Zevran asked from the dark, his voice low.
"Nothing." I muttered, turning away from him and closing my eyes. Frustrated, I scooted to make room, ignoring the clench in my stomach. "Are you just gonna stand there all night?" I whispered with venom.
"Is that an invitation?" He said to me, although I couldn't see it, I could hear the smirk in his voice. His tone had also lowered a bit, I knew that was his bedroom voice. I scowled at the hitch in my chest.
"Maker, if you're going to sleep here, get your ass over here and close your eyes. I don't have time for this." I sighed.
"And yet, you are awake every night I come here. As if you are waiting."
I stiffened instinctively. Damn him. The blood pounding in my system was suddenly full of adrenaline; he did not know how close I was to breaking, making him leave because I couldn't take it. I had a crappy day, mostly because of him.
Damn him for always being on my mind. My blood boiled. I just wanted to punch him in the face so bad. I ignored his statement. "The exit's the way you came in." I said, my voice cold, and dismissive.
I wanted him to go. Lie.
Without any words, I heard him drop his armor, remove his boots and gloves, and walk over to the bed. He lifted the covers and slickly slipped into the bed with me. His arm instinctively went around my waist and pulled me close. I snorted and pushed his arm away, as I always did. But this time, I didn't push him back, I didn't move away from his warmth. I was too tired. Too tired of pretending. I tried not to think about how many girls he held to his strong chest. How many times he'd done this after he had crazy, meaningless sex. I squeezed my eyes shut, he did this to me. The ass.
"Elissa," He whispered, his breath making me shiver. He made my chest hurt, whenever he spoke to me like that. I wanted him to joke, to call me names. I wish he would just hate me. Lie. I didn't know which hurt more; the nights he was here, making me feel safe, and yet alone, or the nights he wasn't where I could only imagine where he was…who he was with.
It hurt because it wasn't supposed to be this way.
"Sleep." I commanded.
He chuckled, amused. I was here to amuse him, nothing more.
"Goodnight, Beautiful." He said, nuzzling into my neck.
Like always, I fell asleep to the sound of his soft breathing.
…..
Scrunching my face, I slowly opened my eyes, completely disoriented. My eyes immediately met light hazel ones, his gaze was always soft in the morning, instead of keen. The playfulness was there -trust me- it never left, but something about his stare in the morning was always unreadable. His mouth pulled into a slow, lazy smile.
Despite my best efforts, I couldn't help but return it.
"You look even more delectable in the morning." He commented, his eyes roaming over my face and then lower. My smile faded, again I pictured him saying that to countless girls. His hand stopped making circles on my hip as he looked at me with confusion in his eyes. Looking away, I crawled out of the covers and over him toward to washroom.
"Do you have an agenda for today?" he called from the bed. I glanced at him from over my shoulder. He was sitting up, hair mussed, eyes glazed. His shirt was unbuttoned, and of course his chest looked amazing.
In other words, he looked sexy. Damn. I didn't need to wonder why women kept coming back to him.
"Maybe." I said, noncommittally. I grabbed my undergarments and armor. "Do you?" I returned.
"No."
Right. I cared. A lot. I made a face at the closet door before turning around and assessing him blankly. "Okay." I made my way into the washroom.
"Can I join you?" He was suddenly standing very close, practically engulfing me. I wasn't fazed. Lie.
"No, Zevran."