AUHTHOR'S NOTE: You know, I just recently found out this pairing is called Zevris? LOL

Zevran's head was beginning to droop as he read the novel. He felt light headed from blood loss and not eating. On top which drinking wine on an empty stomach made him drowsy. Closing the novel, he was about to curl up under the welcoming warmth of his covers when he heard mention of an earring. His mind groggily tried to focus on the subject, his hand groping tiredly at his throat. Instead of touching the familiar chain his fingers brushed over the bruise he had received from being in a head lock earlier. This time Zevran woke up, sitting straight up as he searched his person for the necklace with the earring on it. He came up empty and a sense of dread in the pit of his belly. Outside he heard the familiar voice of the dwarf and Hawke talking. Fenris's deep tones replying to their plying comments from time to time.

"You smell like shit and you keep looking at your bedroom door. So who's the lucky lady?" The dwarf asked, his voice muffled by the door. Zevran sat up, his chains clinking quietly as he shifted. He clenched his fists, wishing he had one of his daggers in hand to defend himself. This was it, it was over!

"Not so lucky if I tripped on a chamber pot this morning. Spilled the bloody thing on myself and now I have to deal with the stink in there. I was in the process of cleaning it up when you all showed up." Fenris answered in a bored tone. Zevran felt his muscles relax when he heard a sound of disappoint from the dwarf.

"Ah, come on! You never have any fun, do you? You need to get laid, that's what you need broody elf."

"VARRIC!" Snapped the voice of an embarrassed Hawke. Zevran bit his lip, trying not to laugh himself despite the dire situation. He had used to joke with his companions in the same way before they had all gone their separate ways.

"At least that explains the stink." Donnic chipped in helpfully earning a wicked scowl from Fenris.

"You dare to insult me in my home? Maybe I'll tell Aveline you were seeking the attentions of another lady. She'll be most interested to hear you have an eye for Bianca." Fenris threatened the guardsman. Donnic balked, turning pale at the thought as he hastily began pawing through the one of the covered baskets. Varric shot the dark elf a glare as he drew Bianca all the way off the table so she would suffer no more abuse. Finding what he sought, Donnic hastily shoved a bottle of wine into Fenris's hands. Knocking over the small pile of coin he had managed to accumulate in the game despite losing. Fenris righted the bottle and set it to the side as he straightened up the scattered coin. A smile teased the edge of his lips as he tried to keep from laughing outright at the guardsmen. Any threat to his marriage, no matter if it was true or not, scared the poor man.

"Maybe we should have played strip poker. None of you can get your head out of the gutter." Hawke stated bluntly, drawing a general chuckle from the others. They passed a few minutes with nothing more than the general comment and the shuffling of cards. After about half an hour of losing and gaining coin, Hawke folded his hand and laid the cards flat on the table.

"Well, I have to get going. I have to meet with Anders about something." Hawke said, not inclined to discuss what the matter was. Fenris raised a brow as Hawke straightened up, dusting off his robes as he left. Pretty soon the trio fell to idle chatter before eventually Varric and Donnic left as well on their own agendas.

Once the door had swung shut on the last person Fenris felt as if he could breathe again. He had lost a good ten silver from the card game. On the other hand Hawke had "forgotten" his baskets of food and wine. He tended to be doing that more often, as if he feared he would come to mansion one day to find him dead from starvation. Fenris appreciated the thought behind the action, but he wasn't a charity case. Except for two opened bottles of wine, the others really hadn't bothered to eat anything. At least that left plenty for Zevran to eat.

Picking up one of the baskets, Fenris walked over to the door and paused, listening. He heard a steady heartbeat coming from within, deep and slow like a drum. When he unbolted the door he cautiously let it swing open this time. In order to set off any traps the other elf might have decided. Instead, he saw Zevran had fallen asleep across the pillows. One of his many blankets half pulled up to his chest as he slept soundly. Fenris stepped carefully into the room, continuing to cast suspicious glances at the blond as set down the basket of food.

Zevran remained fast asleep throughout, only turning over and muttering in his sleep before settling back into the pillows. Fenris watched him for a while with a mixture of apprehension and jealousy. He had truly stepped over a line today by harboring the assassin and lying to Hawke. Now they would all be on a wild goose chase searching for an earring on an ear that didn't exist. Taking one last glance at the golden haired elf, Fenris pulled the blanket up close to Zevran's chin as a last thought.

…...

When he awoke for the third time, it was near evening. Outside the window the light was pale, bathing the room in a fire as the sun set. Sitting up groggily, Zevran tried to rub the sleep from his eyes as he focused on his surroundings. He hadn't meant to fall asleep again as his body already felt as if he'd been hit by a horse carriage. Letting out a small groan as he sat up he spotted a covered basket. Right then his stomach began to growl awakening his appetite.

Swallowing the sudden flood of saliva in his mouth Zevran grabbed the basket and yanked the napkin off. A fresh loaf of bread was in there, along with cheese, cold ham, and a jar of jam. Salivating he ripped off a piece of the bread, putting a hunk of cheese and ham on it before devouring it. Hunger sharpened the taste buds and the simple fair tasted like the sweetest delicacy to him. It was only after he had begun to work on his third hunk of bread he remembered Fenris.

Glancing around the room, he noticed the door to the bedroom was ajar. Craning his neck he could see the cold fireplace and the great dining room table standing in front of it. To live in such splendor and to care less about what could happen to the building. Zevran knew the other elf was squatting here, but wondered if he wasn't concerned about the inhabitants returning. Tugging on his chains he wondered if he should try picking the locks again. Fenris had fetched a different set of chains to prevent him from escaping.

"Fenris?" Zevran called getting up on his knees to better see out the door. He heard no reply but spotted two bottles of wine laying on the table. He checked his pitcher for water but it was bone dry. Swallowing dryly Zevran took a breath to speak louder.

"Fenris!" Zevran yelled into the empty mansion. He heard no reply to his call and began to wonder if Fenris had left. A few seconds later, he heard a grunt and the creaking of springs. A moment later Fenris appeared in the doorway fully outfitted in his newly polished spiked armor. Zevran felt his heart speed up at the sight of the other elf, glad he hadn't been abandoned.

"What is it?" Fenris asked, frowning at Zevran. Zevran held up his wrists in supplication and jingled them.

"Can you undo these? I have….business." Zevran said raising his eyebrows for emphasis. Fenris furrowed his brow as he glanced down at the bound wrists. He still didn't trust the blond to not bolt at the first opportunity. Whether it was illogical or not.

Walking over to the bed Fenris sat next to Zevran. Taking one of the slim wrists in his hands he ran a gauntlet covered finger along the edge. Automatically the manacle popped off as Fenris repeated the procedure on the other one. Zevran massaged the bruised flesh as he quickly stood up to go to the bathroom.

"There's an outhouse in the courtyard out the backdoor. Try not to let anyone see you." Fenris said without being asked. Zevran nodded, quickly disappearing out the open door.

Fenris sighed, covering his eyes to ease his headache. He hadn't managed to get much sleep after the others had left. After cleaning up his armor and the mess from the afternoon he'd lain on the couch in the breakfast room. Attempting to snatch a few hours' sleep before heading out with Hawke at night. Hawke had decided to bring along Merrill and Anders since to allow the others to rest. Leaving him to defend them as they threw spells from a safe distance leaving him to get pummeled, stabbed, and beaten. While he never told Hawk, it was one of the reasons he hated mages. They didn't know the true meaning of battle and as a result didn't respect life. No wonder the Quanari cut out the tongues of their mages at birth.

Having relieved himself, Zevran was heading back inside when he spotted a familiar face heading up towards the mansion. The courtyard was surrounded on two sides by stone walls, the last part being a latticework for a flowering vine. Isabela didn't see the assassin gawking at her as she headed to the front door of the mansion. Zevran didn't stay long before he darted into the mansion and began bounding up the staircase two stairs at a time. What is the world was she doing here? The last time he had seen the captain was in Denerim.

When Howl had still been alive.

AUTHOR'S NOTE: I find it hilarious Fenris carries around a sword bigger than he is. LOL