Seeing as Zevran is flirty, obnoxious, and an all-in-all slacker, I wondered how a more serious Grey Warden could fall in love him. This little ficlet is the result of my curiosity.
Disclaimer: I do not own Dragon Age. And I will never own it, unless fate smiles upon me. *sighs*
The sun was much warmer than usual on one Ferelden morning, as Tara Mahariel's little group of wayward travelers - today consisting of Zevran, Morrigan, and Tara's faithful Mabari war hound Barkspawn - headed towards Denerim for supplies.
The city, at the moment, was quite well-stocked with healing potions and poultices. So, travelers were headed naturally in that direction. Every once in a while, Tara would ask Barkspawn if he saw interesting. Only once did he find anything, and it was a slobber-covered ball of thread. Athene let Barkspawn keep that gift, thank you very much.
Today, the roads were quiet. Too quiet for Tara's liking, as it was usually the first tell-tale sign that some grissly battle awaited her group. She could hope, though.
Morrigan, who was one of Tara's best friends, caught up to her. "I was thinking you may find it interesting to know that the assassin appears quite fixated with your rear end." She snickered. Tara turned over her shoulder, and, sure enough, the Antivan's eyes were snapped away from the Dalish elf's lower area. "You cannot blame him, though. 'Tis fine enough a rear end."
Tara scoffed good-naturedly. Zevran was handsome enough for some women, though the female elf judged on the inside before the outside; it was one of the most important lessons taught to her in the Clan.
Suddenly, Barkspawn snarled, jumping in front of Athene. "What's wrong, boy?" She asked, scanning the direction that her dog was glaring at.
A large group of darkspawn - probably about fifteen or twenty, came out from the trees. Bodies of travelers and merchants stuck out from the bushes. Instantly, Tara pulled out her twin Dar'Misu blades, leaping into the battle.
Sinking one of her blades into a Hurlock's throat, and the other into a Gemlock's stomach, Tara protected Morrigan from an arrow being aimed at the apostate's chest. Giving a grunt of thanks, Morrigan shot a freezing spell at another darkspawn.
Barkspawn was smart enough to avoid biting any of the darkspawn; he'd learned the hard way, as he was only Tara's dog when she saved him from darkspawn taint in the blood of one he'd killed. He fought hard to protect his mistress.
Zevran fought in a similar way to Tara, - unsurprising, as both were rogues and elven - using twin blades, only ones doused in crippling poisons, and with longer blades. His gloves were covered in darkspawn blood, making the Antivan scoff in disgust.
The battle was easy enough at first, as killing darkspawn was second nature to Tara by this time, but she still was not used to fighting ogres. Naturally, that was what appeared next.
A tall ogre - an Alpha, nontheless - crashed through the trees, snarling in anticipation for a fight. Tara tore out a Dar'Misu from a Hurlock, choosing the Ogre Alpha for her next victim.
She sank her blades into the creature's legs, hoping to weaken it, but it instead gave a cry of fury, holding its fist and preparing to crush Tara's entire body. She screamed, horror-stricken and unable to move.
It was Zevran's perfect opporutunity. Let the creature kill her, Rinna seemed to whisper, and escape to Antiva. No one will ever know.
It was perfect, as if the Maker himself let it happen. Every instinct in Zevran urged him to take the chance, and escape with his life and his freedom.
He didn't understand it, then, when he reacted in a way Rinna would describe as wrongly.
"Tara!" Jumping to the Dalish elf's rescue, he pushed the woman out of the way of the crashing, boulder-sized ogre fist. With a sickening crack, Zevran felt the bones break in his left leg.
It was pain as he had felt only two times before. He gasped in pain, tracing the leg. Blood, scarlet and sticky, emerged from the wound.
Something flashed in Tara's eyes - gratitude? Of course. Attraction? Possibly. Zevran didn't discover for sure, though, as it was the last thing the Antivan saw before he slipped into unconsciousness.
"Zevran, no!" Tara yelled, picking up the male elf's body and carrying it to a safer area. Crying in hatred, Tara jumped onto the ogre's chest, stabbing mercilessly into the darkspawn's heart until death's cold hand swept over it.
Sweating and covered in blood, Tara ran back to Zevran. Checking his pulse, she breathed freely. He was still alive.
"Morrigan, help me carry him back!" She called to her friend, who nodded and held up Zevran's legs, unnaturally gently for the apostate.
Both women ran through the forest, making it to the campsite after fifteen minutes of tracking it. "Make room!" Tara snapped. Leliana knocked away some pots in the tent Zevran deemed as his own, making room for the Antivan as Wynne made her way to him.
"Move, girls, I need to work." Wynne said gently as she worked on his leg.
Tara prayed - Creators, Maker, whoever was watching - that it wouldn't be a lasting injury. It wouldn't kill him, unless he went to long without treatment. The Dalish elf had confidence in Wynne's abilities, though worried all the same.
Waving her hands over the broken leg, a blue light came from Wynne's palm. With a more gentle snap, Tara knew that Wynne had fixed it.
"It'll take time for it to heal completely, so for Andraste's sake DON'T crowd into his tent." said Wynne sternly. Tara nodded, taking it as her turn to be first. The others accepted it as so.
Tara sat by Zevran's side as the elf stirred. Every time she had called him an idiot and a letcher she regretted.
Zevran blinked, awaking completely. Looking at his healed leg, then to Tara, he chuckled. "My heroics got the better of me." Tara smiled sadly.
"You saved my life." She murmured. Zevran frowned.
"It was nothing. You spared mine, now I say we're even, my dear." He replied, brushing off the injury as though it were a scratch.
"That may be true, but I appreciate it all the same." Tara gently played with Zevran's hair, the Antivan grabbing her hand.
"Don't obsess over it." He chuckled. Tara blinked, then, without warning, pressed her warm lips against Zevran's. The Antivan blinked in surprise, but did not protest.
It was a quick kiss, though. Tara pulled back.
"Thank you, Zevran. I won't forget it." She said as a token of farewell, leaving the tent. Zevran laughed gently.
"She's one hell of a woman."
Gah! Zevran still feels too OOC to me! His personality is hard to capture. I do hope that it was a good story, as I feel proud of it other than Zevran's OOCness.
And for those of you who watch iCarly, the title came from the same episode, though the plot idea had been stirring in my head before I watched the episode.
~AerisSerris