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"Snow will come this night," the mage informs her comrade as she snuggles deeper into her new bearskin cloak, "At least it will hide all the mud."
"I must admit that I have never seen snow, but it must be unpleasant if it only occurs in this damnable cold. Braska!" Zevran curses as he nicks himself for the third time since attempting to sharpen his daggers in the bitter cold.
Lynx heals the small but deep puncture, then promptly relieves him of both whetstone and blade before shoving a mug of tea into his stiff hands, "You have traveled all over Thedas and have yet to see snow? That's rich."
"Most of my assignments in other countries usually revolved around the warmer months," he defends as he vainly tries to suppress a shiver then hunkers closer to their modest cooking fire, "Antiva always had an overabundance of work during the cooler winter season, since it seemed everyone took advantage of the less oppressive climate and thus found ever new ways of offending one another."
"People in Ferelden usually hole up and make babies when it's too cold to travel or kill things," the Warden admits with a wry smile, "My father always said that he loved blizzards because that's how I came to exist."
"Maybe you can show me an entertaining way to keep warm when the time comes then, yes?" he taunts, making the mage roll her eyes at his antics, "If these blizzards are anything like the cold magicks you wield, it would give me days to worship your celestial self in ways that would keep us sweating instead of shivering."
"You're trying too hard again bird brain," she deadpans, throwing her immense cloak around him, then lays her head on his shoulder to protect her face from the chilly wind, "Keep it up and I'm going to get pissed off enough to turn you into a newt."
"Still having trouble accepting compliments I see," he shakes his head in mock sadness, "I guess it is a good thing that I enjoy a challenge."
"And I still hate head games," she reminds him, the now familiar warning edge creeping into her husky tone.
"I never said that it was a game dea, you did," he boldly chances a kiss to her forehead before leaning back enough to peer down at her, "Which reminds me, we have a few hours before it is safe enough for us to go and I've yet to enlighten you to the joys of an Antivan massage. Is it possible to tempt you with one now?"
Recalling his previous oath that he could prove to her his ability to be a perfect gentleman when the occasion called for it, it dawns on her why this seemingly libidinous act has become so important to him.
He's trying to prove that he can be trusted.
"Fine, you have me at your mercy Zev, but don't abuse it," she concedes and nods her head in the direction of their lone tent, "It's too cold to be naked out here so I'm going inside."
The surprise in his eyes is echoed in his voice, although he makes a good show of concealing it, "Let me warm up my oils dea, then be prepared for the second greatest experience of your life."
One snowy eyebrow lifts, "And what's the first greatest experience?"
"That will be when I make love to you over and over again of course, la mia dea," he declares with that cocky half smirk that he uses when he's toying with someone.
Lynx snorts a short laugh as she gets up and retreats to the relative warmth of the canvas shelter. Inside, her mantle and boots come off easily, but a rare stroke of uncertainty hits her when it comes time to strip out of her armor and clothes.
What the hell am I doing? She inwardly scolds herself Attachments give you nothing but pain in the end. Why are you still allowing him to affect you like this? Lynx drops her head into her hands I don't know how he keeps worming his way in, but even if I did, would I be able to force him back out? She lifts her head and peers through the opening in the tent flaps just as he glances up and offers her a devilish grin Creators, Gods, and Ancestors help me, but I'm not sure that I want the strength to push him away.
Then the most terrifying thought of her thirty years of life slams into her consciousness.
Oh gods, is this...love? No, it can't be, it's not possible. No, no, no, no-
Suddenly Zevran slides into the tent and Lynx finds herself scampering backward like he is carrying a plague rather than a handful of scented oils.
"Cara, what is wrong?" he asks, not bothering to disguise his worry, "Are you hurt?"
"I think I'm in trouble Zevran," she whispers, her arms curling around her middle protectively.
"What is it?" his amber gaze turns predatory as he draws his blades and begins searching for an unknown danger, "Darkspawn?"
She shakes her silvery head, "No, this is much, much worse than darkspawn, I'm afraid to say..."
He reaches out to touch her, but she withdraws until her back presses against the fabric of their shelter. "Dea, you must tell me what is frightening you so that we can dispose of it," the pleading tone of his voice heightens his brogue and she nearly screams in revolt against the urge to surrender to him.
"That's the problem Zev, I've tried to hide, tried to run, tried to kill it, but it won't fucking die," Lynx laughs a tad hysterically instead.
"Then what is it?" his tone is too calm, too even now as he scans her features.
She levels her violet orbs to his tawny ones and takes a shuddering breath before announcing, "I think I might be falling in love with you."
The assassin's visage pales to a sickening gray at her words and it takes a moment for the mage to realize that he is quivering like a leaf in a windstorm.
"Zev? Zevran?" she implores and extends her own trembling hand, but this time the Antivan shies away from the contact, so she allows the limb to drop back around her abdomen, "Zevran I'm sorry. I didn't mean for this...I didn't want thi-"
"Love? How does one love a soulless beast? Enlighten me Warden," he explodes then spits on the ground, "Crows do not love. People like you and I do not love. We fight, we fuck, we survive. What room is left for love? Why did you have to say it? Why now? You are ruining everything!"
"I'm sorry," she repeats, hot salty tears stinging her eyes as they struggle to escape and finally win, "You think I wanted this? Loving people gets you killed, I know that really fucking well Zevran. I'd take it back if I could, but I can't and it's all because you couldn't control yourself and leave me the fuck alone after I warned you to stay away from me!"
"I need...to think," he unexpectedly proclaims in a deadly clam voice then spins around and exits the tent. Just before he disappears from her line of sight though, he looks at Lynx over his shoulder and mutters, "You've damned us both."
To sum it up in a word...Ouch.