Making quick work of cleaning up his workspace, they stood outside and waited for Nyla's taxi. She let Zevran lay his jacket over her bare arms to protect her from a chill wind.
"Tell me, why does Nyla keep her phone in the microwave?" He rested his arm over her shoulder, and she leaned into him.
"Private." She smiled weakly.
"Nyla." He chuckled, shaking his head. "You're very guarded, for a woman who dances by herself on the dance floor."
"I am not guarded. That particular thing is private. How long is it supposed to burn?"
"Alright Miss 'I keep my phone in the microwave for personal reasons," Zevran chuckled, "It should ease up in just a few hours. Laying down will help." He wondered if the pain was making her nervous, interrupted by the arrival of her cab, he had no opportunity to ask. "That was quick."
"Thanks, Zev." She slid his jacket off and handed it to him. "I will see you soon? Tacos?" Some awkwardness occurred as he opened the car door for her. "Ooh, chivalry."
"Remember to change your bandage and use the cream I gave you. You may call or text me if you have concerns. Are you alright?" She seemed off, and he didn't believe her when she nodded, refusing to meet his eyes.
She looked back at him through the rear window of the taxi, and he was looking back with his head tilted and softness in his eyes; it made her feel lonely.
It burns but it's okay. Zev put it there. Zevran original. Her heart rate was rising, she couldn't find her headphones. She needed music, and when she couldn't have it, the loneliness intensified, her arms started to feel numb.
"Please pull over." She tried to mask the building panic, but it was getting a little hard to breathe. The cab smelled funny. Her leg was burning. She reached into her purse and grabbed a ten dollar bill. "I want to walk instead. Take this for your trouble." Her own voice occurred as far too loud in the silence of the car.
"We only drove half a block, you don't have to do that." The man pulled over next to the curb. "You alright?"
"Okay thanks." She dropped the bill on the front seat, pushed the door open and a flash of terror hit as she flung herself out of the car, nearly falling over. She couldn't shake the fear; her leg was burning.
Making her way to the sidewalk, the cab left and she dug through her purse for her headphones again. Sweating, heart pounding, she grabbed her cigarettes and tried to light one and a flash of fire scared her, making her recoil and the lighter take flight. She sat on a bench, and her leg bounced nervously, and cold on her sweat dampened skin made her shiver. I can't even smoke. I want my mom. It burns, mom. It's a tattoo. Zevran original. My dragon.
"Nyla?" He panted, "What happened? Did something happen in the cab?" Having seen her hurl her body from the car and scramble to the sidewalk, he was afraid for her, and he ran as hard as his legs would carry him.
"I'm upset." She spoke shakily followed by a deep breath; relieved to see him, his voice was calming. He picked up her cigarettes and her lighter.
"What about?" Breath slowing, he removed a cigarette from the pack, offered it to her, and she took it between her lips. The flash of fire made her flinch. One drag and her nerves began to settle, a glance at his concerned gaze and she started to feel safer.
"You need a friend." Zevran spoke and removed his jacket, gently draping it over her shoulders again. She nodded, a little embarrassed for her panic, and not wanting to admit she had nobody to call on, that she would have sat on that bench for hours until she could will her legs to drag her to the safety of her home. He sat silently with her until she finished her cigarette, not wanting to pressure her to imagine she had to speak or do anything at all. In that moment, Zevran just wanted to be her friend. "Come with me to my place? Zevran has great friends, and a rooftop. I think you will like it."
With a nod, Nyla followed Zevran's lead, a protective arm over her shoulders. There was something so utterly normal about what was happening, it wasn't normal for Nyla to simply go to a man's house. His arm around her made her feel better, but the burning was still there. The subtle movement of her thigh jiggling with each footfall made it worse, and she wanted to be still.
"Want to tell me what happened, pretty Waitress?" His eyes smiled at her, and she melted. "You panicked?"
"Almost two years ago I was in a fire." She looked at the ground. "Long story short. I don't really want to go into it, please."
"Of course." Expressive face and posture, Nyla had shared as much as she was able, and it was all he could ask for. Even as she occured to be suffering, he still enjoyed being close to her. Holding her tight, his hand on her opposite shoulder, his muse was snug and perfect beneath his arm. He felt a certain pride to be walking with her, this lovely woman with too much personality and too many feelings.
He lived only two blocks away. His home was clean and warm, and Zevran pulled out a chair for her to sit at his kitchen table. Zevran's muse was sitting at his kitchen table with her little black book of love and desire, and he had to draw her.
"I live here with Anders and Leliana. My room is upstairs. Leliana's room is at the end of that hallway, and Anders' room is that door right there." He pointed. "Would you like a drink?"
"Hi, Zev." Anders came out of his room with a thick schoolbook in his hands. "We have company?" He looked up, and dropped his book on the table. "Holy shit, Sketchbook Girl."
"It's not a sketchbook, it's a journal." She smiled, toying with the corners of her black book. "Hi Anders. Lovely to meet you while you're not busy dancing on a table."
"I wasn't dancing. Zevran Arainai, we need to have a meeting. Right now. Come here." He grabbed Zevran by the arm and dragged him away to his room.
"Oooh... Arainai." Nyla spoke the pretty word and it rolled off of her tongue so nicely. She hadn't even thought to ask! She could hear Anders speaking in hushed tones, but couldn't catch the what he was saying. She tried, though.
"What the hell, Zevran! You invited Sketchbook Girl over? Why didn't you tell me you decided to woo Sketchbook Girl? This is a big deal, Zevran! Nobody ever has the balls to woo their Sketchbook Girl! I certainly didn't think you did. Oh my god. I cannot believe this. Sketchbook Girl is at our kitchen table and you couldn't have even taken a moment to send a text? How is this even happening?"
"I'm surprised you do not already know. Leliana made an appointment for her at my parlor to get a tattoo-" he began, and didn't even get the time to share the complexities of it all. He wanted to share that she kissed him. Sure, he devoured her as soon as her lips met his, but she started it.
"That clever girl!" Anders laughed loudly and bounced with excitement. "I wish I could have seen your face! She's fucking brilliant I need to go high five her." And with that, he was out his bedroom door and running down the hallway.
When he left Anders' room, he was trying not to laugh. Any moment they would be sitting at the table and fawning all over her, and the thought brought him joy. He wanted them to come out and fawn over her.
"Sorry for the interruption. How may I serve my Waitress?"
"So much alcohol." She sighed, resting her chin on her hand. "You're going to kill me with that predatory look on your face."
"Alcohol thins the blood. None for twenty-four hours. Something else?" He did not alter the look on his face, he only moved in closer. Zevran loved how much she enjoyed him, and how openly she spoke it; this woman's lack of shame rivaled his own. "Water, almond milk, orange juice?"
"Orange juice!"
It was that moment Zevran's two overzealous roommates came from Leliana's room and stood at the end of the hallway with their giddy, playful smiles.
"Hi!" Nyla giggled, matching their happy and bright faces with her own. "It's good to see you too."
"How's the tattoo? Zevran is brilliant, yes?" Leliana asked, and they sat at the table at the same time, leaning forward. Peas in a pod, Nyla thought.
"I don't like that it burns." She gave a crooked smile and fiddled with the corners of her book. "And yes, he's... brilliant." Funny, smart, sexy, eloquent, and those lips… Nyla felt her face heating.
Zevran placed a glass of orange juice in front of Nyla, and gave Leliana's shoulder a squeeze as he walked by her.
"Nyla has had a rough night." Zevran took a seat in a chair beside Nyla, and sat back, resting an ankle on his knee. "It was her first time getting tattooed."
"Awww." Anders and Leliana spoke in unison.
Zevran's friends knew how to make someone feel loved, he enjoyed this about them. For as much as they were a pain in his ass, they were his family. They were also predictable. Leliana jumped up and retrieved a cheesecake from the fridge, and Anders put the kettle on. Zevran smoldered at Nyla as her eyes darted around at the commotion.
"You were saying?" Leliana spoke as the pair sat back down. "What was rough?"
"His jacket is over her shoulders." Anders whispered to Leliana, completely audible to everyone.
"It reeks of leather, spanish accent, smoldering gazes and acrylic paint." Nyla mimicked his accent with a smirk, and playfully lifted the collar up for a sniff. "Also… sandalwood? Is it sandalwood and… grapefruit? Also a hint of accidental genuine smiling. But... something citrus and woodsy. Oh my god it actually smells good," Nyla sighed, chuckled and her cheeks felt hot. "Shutup, Nyla."
They were looking at her; Anders chuckled, Leliana was beaming, giggling and pointing at Zevran who was suddenly feeling very shy, hiding a wide grin behind the back of his hand. He truly did like this woman!
"One would hope he'd smell good, with all the bath oils, bath bombs and other fabulous shit Zev has taking up the edges of the tub. I've never seen someone so dedicated to cleanliness."
"Look at this! Anders trying to embarrass Zevran . What is so wrong with wanting to smell nice? Not everyone can go six days without a shower." Zevran countered.
"It was exam time!" Anders shrugged. "Trying to embarrass you , Zevran? Does this not a muse you?"
Zevran chuckled and shook his head. "Bear in mind I know where you sleep, my friend."
Leliana nudged Anders out of the way with a plate of cheesecake in her hand. "I shudder to think what your lecture halls must smell like," she teased. The kettle whistled, and she poured tea. "Zevran was saying, you had a rough night?"
"Yes, it was painful, exhausting, I had a bit of panic in the end there, but he was very attentive. However, I have managed to end up in good company with cheesecake in my mouth and too many beverages in front of me. Things aren't so bad." She sighed in contentment, closing her eyes for just a moment to savor the food, the company, the piece of her life that was separate from the loneliness she had been contending with. "Thanks! This is nice."
"I told you she was sweet." Leliana elbowed Anders.
"Gossip later, Leli." Zevran chuckled, enjoying his muse's enjoyment. She looked soft, tired, content, this was good for her. "I was saying she had a rough night so you would go easy on her, not so you would pry."
"It's alright, Zev. They care about you. I'm glad you have people that care about you. They're sizing me up." She leaned toward Zevran and whispered loudly, "I think Leliana is trying to play matchmaker."
"Trying?" Zevran chuckled, "As if she hadn't nailed it on the first attempt." Palming his face in embarrassment, he sighed. "Shit… Nyla. Making it worse."
"Mmm! Wow." She spoke with a smirking mouth full of cheesecake, "Worse? Or better?" She was absolutely melting, and surprised she could come off so cool.
"Interesting dynamic." Anders looked at them with his eyebrows raised. "I am be mused."
"Anders asking about dynamics now?" Zevran chuckled and shot a death glare at him. I will literally kill you, Anders.. .
"Okay," Nyla began, "Anders, since you're curious about dynamics and the status of things on the very first night I have actually spent any substantial amount of time with this exquisite male, this is what I have gathered so far. High intensity, and brazen, overtly sexual flirting. Also, massive withholds on the depth of our feelings for each other, which we detract from with the overtly sexual flirting because, well, rushing things isn't healthy 's also a lot of sizing each other up, seeing what the other is available for. That part is probably going to get a little juicy at times." She chewed her cheesecake slowly, and smirked at him. "I need to stop talking."
The room grew completely silent, and Leliana giggled, loving every bit of what was happening. "I think she was a psych major."
She shrugged and gently placed her fork on an empty plate. "Well… yeah. But I prefer dancing." See, this is why you can't have friends. Too weird, Nyla. Too weird.
Anders cackled happily, Leliana beamed at her, and Zevran needed to draw her.
"You know what you should do? You should take Sketchbook Girl on a date to the museum ." Anders chuckled. "That would be a mus ing, yes?"
"It's not a sketchbook." Nyla chuckled. "Oh my god, your friends are silly."
"I know this." Zevran stood, glaring at Anders pointedly. "It's their only redeeming quality." He beckoned her as he went to the stairs. "Come, I want to show you something."
"Do you both have to tell us everything? Keep it down, alright? I have exams tomorrow." Anders shouted after them after they disappeared up the stairs. "I will not be a muse d!" Looking at Leliana who was giggling uncontrollably, he laughed with her, "I'm pretty sure he's actually going to kill me, Leli. Did you see his face?"
Upon entering Zevran's room, Nyla smiled at the scent of him within it, commingled with paint and canvas. It was as tidy as an artist's room could be. Stacked canvases, paint brushes neatly organized on a table, clear plastic cups of green water, paintings on his walls.
"That went better and worse than my imagination was capable of coming up with." Zevran shook his head. "I hope you like them as much as they like you."
"I like them a lot. Though, I didn't like being teased about you so I got them back by giving them far more than they asked for."
"It was a very you thing to say, Nyla. Speaking to the point of overexposure and standing proud, or…" he shrugged and handed her a bottle of Tylenol, "sometimes completely losing your shit."
"Oh my god." Nyla laughed and popped two pills in her mouth. "You're literally killing me."
"I had no idea you were a psych major."
"How would you? I mean," she took his extended hand, and he guided her to climb through the open window, helping her lift her tattooed leg; his touch made her crave more. "All we ever do is talk about the moment, and flirt with each other."
"I never tire of either." Zevran held her hand and they climbed the few stairs of the fire escape, and then onto the rooftop. "This is my spot. Where I relax. It's prettiest at night."
"It is pretty. Nyla sat next to him. "It's a good night for a relaxing place to sit. Thank you for bringing me here."
"It's been a hell of a day, no?" He smiled and chuckled.
Nyla looked at him, amber-brown eyes and golden hair making her innards quiver. The way he carried himself, so masculine, so much confidence, cockiness. "I'm glad for your meddling friend."
"Ah, Leli. Big sister, spymaster. She drives me crazy sometimes, but I trust her." He stared at the city lights, and when he looked at her, she was devouring him with her eyes; he rewarded her with a smoldering gaze. "How is your leg."
"It burns, but not nearly as bad as it did. I want to kiss you right now." She spoke with a tired smile. "You look too good." She laid back with her hands folded behind her head and looked at the sky. "Feels good up here."
Zevran snuggled up close to her, laying on his side, propping his head up on his elbow. With a hand on her cheek, he directed her face to look at him. A thumb idly caressed her jaw, and he indulged in the many colors of her dark chocolate eyes. They accidentally smiled at each other, and he leaned in slowly, pressing his lips to hers.
Her hand caressed his face, ran through his hair and they followed up with a satisfied sigh. Laying on his back, Zevran watched the sky with her.
"Ridiculously awesome kissing, Nyla." He whispered.
Her hand grabbed onto his. "Yes. I feel safe with you, Zev. Thanks for… intuiting my pace and not… taking things too far."
"You are easy to read, Nyla." He stroked her hand with his thumb.
They silently cuddled on the rooftop, Nyla dozing off several times to pop awake with a snort, Zevran enjoying her. At midnight when the chill was too much, they climbed back in the window.
"Stay the night?" He offered with a smile, "King size bed, maximum occupancy, four."
"Oh my god." Nyla chuckled, shaking her head. "Dammit." She flopped his jacket onto a chair, kicked off her shoes, and crawled under the blankets; soft, warm, surrounded by his scent. "Wait. Have you washed your sheets since the last foursome?"
"I'm kidding, Nyla. Well, foursomes, yes, but I don't bring others into my space. Only Leli and Anders come in here."
"Thanks. I get it. That makes sense." She glanced around his room at paintings that her eyes were too tired to focus on. "I wouldn't invite anyone into my room if my poems were all over the walls."
"Excuse me, Nyla. I must change," he spoke as he began pulling his shirt off. She looked away shyly as Zevran changed into his sweatpants. Nyla couldn't help stealing a glance. Dark swirls caught her eye briefly before his shirt slid over his stomach. She swallowed, and sighed, intrigued, wanting to see what was under there. As he climbed in bed with her, she cuddled up to him, unshy, letting herself melt against him, her cheek resting on his chest, impressed with the firm contours of him. Her hand rested over his heart.
"Zev?" She whispered after a while. The humor was clear in her whisper, Zevran could hear her teasing smile. "I'm not wearing panties."
"Zevran is painfully aware of this, Nyla! Go to sleep." He laughed, slinging a forearm over his eyes and pulling her tightly against him.
They slept.