10. Under the Weather
Unfortunately for Jerin, the day that Velanna had told him he could return to "strenuous activity"-namely showing me what he can do with those swords of his-it's pouring down rain. And not just any rain; the nasty icy stuf that usually stays in the south. I can't help but feel sorry for the poor man. But given his disdain for sympathy, I do my best not to let it show.
This is easier said than done, especially when I catch a glimpse of the warrior at his window, staring mournfully out at the sheets of water falling from the heavens. He looks like a little boy, denied a chance to play with his friends thanks to the weather.
"It'll stop eventually, you know," I comment, biting the inside of my cheek to keep from laughing.
"Spyin' on me agin, Commander?" As usual, I can't tell if he's teasing me or honestly irked.
"No, never," I reply. "Just passing by and couldn't resist givin' you a reminder."
"I see," he mutters, still glaring at the rain.
"You can't make it stop by sheer force of will, Jer," I chuckle.
He spins around as if I'd hit him. "Don' call me that!" The demand is made with an almost pained vehemence that trails off in a softer, "Don't..."
I raise an eyebrow at his reaction, wondering what nerve I touched to earn that. "Sorry, Jerin. I tend to slide into nicknames when I'm more comfortable with people, sometimes. But if it's gonna earn me a hissy fit like that, I'll be sure not to do it with you."
Jerin eyes me as if unsure whether I'm serious or just mocking him. "I... that would be wise, I think, Commander."
"Well, then." I cough. "On that note, I think I'll leave you be. Wasn't intending to interrupt your brooding anyway," I tease.
"If you wish," he shrugs, turning to look back out the window.
As I continue down the hallway, it occurs to me that this is exactly the kind of weather that would have me hunting up Anders for a game of Diamondback. The quiet sadness is not entirely unexpected, but it is more proniunced than I'd thought it would be. I lean against the wall for a second, resting my head back to meet the wood as I wait for the acute sadness to pass.
Once it finally does, I continue on, aimlessly making my way to the throne room. There I find Oghren thoroughly-and gleefully-trouncing Jowan and a couple of the militia at a hand of Diamondback. I grin, tempted to lean against the wall and just watch this go down. I don't give in to the temptation, instead circling their table until I'm next to Jowan.
"You know Oghren cheats, right?" I whisper in the mage's ear.
He nods almost despairingly. "Figures that out pretty quick. Not that he needs to against me..."
"Than why...?"
"Nothin' else to do," he shrugs, answering the question before I'm done asking it.
"Ah. I guess this does beat staring out the window trying to will the rain away."
"Only just," Jowan half-grumbles.
"Hey! Commander! You ain't tellin' him my cards are ya?!" Oghren interrupts gruffly.
"So what if I am?" I retort, winking at the dwarf. "It's just leveling the playing field."
He grumbles but doesn't deny it. I watch for a few more minutes before leaving. I feel like heading for my room and taking a nap or something. This is the sort of day that gently coerces you into curling up in bed with a mug of hot tea and good book to read until you fall asleep. That plan in mind, I take a somewhat lengthy but worthwhile detour past the kitchen to make up said tea, carefully carrying a steaming mug of the brew with me when I leave a few minutes later.
Since it's easier to stay in a curled up position in my window seat than on the bed, I grab a pillow to lean against and a blanket to pull over my legs-my feet get cold easy-before settling in there. I'm still working my way through the tome of myths and legends, currently reading the tale of Dane and the Werewolf.
Between the steady patter of rain against the window and the soothing warmth of my tea, not to mention the blanket, I'm almost surprised it takes me as long as it does to drift off.
oOo
"How much further was Orzammar supposed to be?"
"D-Does it matter?" I stutter, chilly and just a tad grumpy as I shuck my soaked tunic and bend to work at the buckles on my boots with numbed fingers. "N-Not like we ca-an keep walk-walking in this any-way..."
Alistair chuckles as he gently nudges my hands out of the way. "Let me. My fingers aren't half-frozen from mountain rain. Maybe I'll have more luck."
Much as I want to protest, I know he's probably right. The rainstorm that caught us off-guard as we worked our way through the Frostback Mountains is as freezing as it is torrential. Down below, the weather's tilting toward early autumn, but up among the frozen peaks, that makes little to no difference regarding the rain's temperature. Alistair was lucky enough to be wearing gauntlets that covered all of his hand; not fingerless glove like mine and Zev's.
So I let my knight-who's halfway out of his shining armor-loosen the necessary buckles and gently ease off my boots. My toes instantly curl as a rush of cold air skitters across the floor of the cave in which we've taken shelter. It's not until he's set the boots aside and looks up at me that I see concern darken Alistair's eyes.
"Maker, Rahna, you're turning blue," he informs me, frowning with worry.
"I am?" I glance down at my hands, and sure enough, the lower half of all of my fingernails are a pale, icy blue. "D-Didn't think I was that c-cold..."
Alistair swears under his breath and hurriedly yanks a blanket out of his pack, cocooning me inside it. "Can't have you freezing to death, O Fearless Leader." He tries to smile, but I can see the fear in his eyes even as he kisses the tip of my nose. "Get off the rest of your wet things, right now."
"F-For me be-bein' the lead-er you're awful b-bossy," I tease as I obey, wriggling out of my dripping wet trousers and socks and hugging the blanket close around me.
He shrugs, finishing the process of removing his armor. His clothes, at least, are dry. "You've rubbed off on me, I suppose, love. C'mere." He pulls me toward him, separating the edges of the blanket to wrap it around both of us as we settle into a nook towards the back of the cave.
"What're y-you do-ing?" I mutter, still shivering as he wraps his arms around me and pulls me close.
"Making sure you don't, y'know, die, silly woman," he teases, his big, warm hands tracing circles against my back.
"Oh. Thanks." Were I not so cold I can't think straight, I probably would've figured that out, given the heavenly way his body heat reaches through his clothes and starts warming me up. I curl into a tighter ball against his chest, and feel him instinctively flinch when my ice cold feet brush against his leg.
He forestalls my apology with a kiss. "Don't even worry about it, love."
"You really are perfect," I rib, curling my fingers into the fabric of his shirt.
"I just don't want you to die and leave me in charge," he jokes.
I poke him in the ribs for that. "At least you're honest..."
"Ow! To a fault, it seems."
"That's why I love you," y'know." I kiss the underside of his jaw, smirking when I feel the resulting shudder ripple through his body
"Yep," he replies breathlessly, grinning at me.
I roll my eyes. "That and your humility..."
"'M sure I don't know what you're talking about..." he murmurs innocently, trailing one hand lightly up my spine and giving me shivers that are in no way related to the cold.
"Sure ya don't." I humor him, snuggling up against his chest with his heartbeat in my ear. "Hmm, maybe I don't mind this weather quite so much after all..."
His answering chuckle rumbles through his chest as his kisses the top of my head, and I know I don't mind this sort of weather so much after all.
oOo
I jerk out of my doze and stare out the window, smiling wistfully at the memory. Our wonderful private moment was ruined a few seconds later when Zevran came to check on us-he'd apparently noticed me turning blue as well-and, being him, couldn't resist making some suggestive remark that had Alistair blushing furiously. The warrior barely managed to catch my arm before I went chasing after my fellow rogue in nothing more than my smalls and the blanket.
I settled for getting my revenge later. My smile turns to a smirk at the memory. Zev didn't tease for quite a while after that. Betcha anything that Aenya keeps him in line... The dwarf didn't seem to enjoy him making comments like that about anyone other than her. Given Zev's flirtatious nature, I can't help but wonder what kind of compromise took place to make them both happy. And while my mind's already on them, I spare a moment to wonder how their campaign against the Crows is going. I almost wish I could be in Antiva, helping them. I'll bet even dreary days like this aren't boring for them, what with the constant threat of discovery and death hanging over their heads.
But I'm glad I'm here. Someone has to make Oghren behave and keep Jerin's transition to Warden life as easy as possible. Even if it means enduring the occasional boring day trapped inside by nasty weather, with no Alistair to snuggle or Zevran to regale me with tales of his exploits.
oOo
All interest in my current book lost once I've finished the really interesting stories, so I climb out of the window seat and head for the library. Maybe Velanna would let me read something from the Dalish stories she's been writing down. They would, at least, be tales I haven't heard a dozen times over growing up.
However, when I reach the library, I'm forced to scratch that plan. Velanna is there, and does have the book of tales with her, but it's... currently in use. The blonde mage is turned sideways on the short bench she's apparently claimed as her own, feet braced against the side of one bookshelf and her back against another, with her pet project propped against her knees as she reads one of the tales aloud.
I can't help but grin, and have to slap a hand over my mouth to keep a laugh from spilling out, when I see her audience. Jerin sits on the floor, leaning against the bookshelf Velanna's also using as a backrest, his eyes closed as he listens to her tell the tale of Fen'Harel. As I watch, he cracks open one eye and gently corrects a detail she recorded wrong. Velanna blushes-blushes-and mutters something about it being silly of her to forget as she reaches for quill and ink to correct her mistake.
That's when I realize my teasing accusation a few days ago was more right than I knew: however he might feel about her, Velanna is sweet on Jerin.
This could be very interesting to watch play out... I smirk to myself as I quietly back away, plans to borrow Velanna's book put on a very definite hold.
"Spying again, Rahna?" I jump and nearly shriek at the whispered question, and Jowan barely catches my wrist in time to keep me from instinctively slugging him.
"Sweet Andraste, you of all people should know better than to sneak up on me like that!" I hiss at the mage, who's trying desperately not to laugh.
"Sorry."
"No, you're not." I cross my arms and glare at him, but that only lasts a few seconds. "Oh, forget it. I can't stay mad at you. Wanna go beg Cook for a snack? I'm sodding hungry."
Jowan laughs and tweaks one of my rumpled pigtails. "That's 'cause you slept through lunch."
"Hmm. That would make sense." My stomach growls, even louder than usual, as if to underscore my comment. "What was it?"
"Chicken and dumplings," he replies, biting back a laugh as my stomach grumbles again and my eyes widen.
"Out of my way, mage," I order playfully as I push past him, making for the kitchen with more speed than usual. I hear him laughing as he trails along behind me, but I don't care.
Food now, revenge later, I tell myself, knowing damn well said revenge will likely never manifest itself.
A/N: Oh, sweet Maker in heaven... Sulky!Jerin was soo fun to write. :3 As was Crushing!Velanna :3 Needless to say, I ship them so. hard. now. Unfortunately for Velanna(and us...) it's going to take awhile before we know if anything comes of this, because reasons. Involving some unresolved issues from Jerin's past(that yes, also tie into why he snapped at Rahna when she called him Jer). All will be brought to light and resolved eventually, but it will take time. My characters never seem to rush. XD I think they like torturing people. And that flashback... *flails* Oh, that flashback. I am so very glad the muses decided to remind me I hadn't done one of those yet for Always. Because alksfs so cute. And I'm soooo sorry this is late; ffnet wasn't letting me post last week. :(