Zevran woke one morning and it was gone; the blur, the vision cuts, the dizzying trails. Blinking in the dim morning light, he almost didn't want to move for fear that it was just a fluke. He looked around their bedroom for the first time in months. Clothes strewn about, having been enthusiastically removed for the previous night's romp, Nyla's panties caught on the ceiling fan. How does that keep happening? Holding his hand up, he looked at his wedding ring for the first time.

"Holy shit," he laughed with eyebrows raised; a band of gold, inlaid with square cut diamonds. Hearing about it and seeing it were two different things. It was over the top. It was so them.

"Nyla! I can…" he scrambled out of bed, threw on the nearest pair of sweatpants, and ran toward the kitchen. "I can see all the things! "

Probably on the roof quitting smoking again… He bounded upstairs and flung the door open to find his favorite thing to see; Nyla dancing.

Leaning back against the door with a gasp, he wished he could hear the music she danced to. The last time he had seen her was on their wedding day, and his eyes grew a little moist.

"Oh my fucking god," he whispered, adjusting his erection. I need to draw all of this.

Possibly one of the most beautiful moments of his life, watching his wife dance for herself across their rooftop in the early morning sun. I need to paint all of this. He memorized the grace with which she moved her arms and held her head, her hair in a bun, exposed shoulders, the shape of her ass, muscular calves… those long fucking legs…

"Jesus goddamn christ!"

"AAAH!" Pulled from his reverie, he rested a hand on his chest. "Fuck!"

Nyla palmed her chest with both hands and panted, "Oh my god, Zevran. What the hell." Removing her earbuds, she could hear his laughter as he doubled over and couldn't help her own breathless giggles.

After taking a few moments to gather his wits, Zevran strode toward her with a smile. She noticed the difference in him; recognition in his gaze, confident stride, his arms held out to her.

"Are you looking at me?" She asked, and when Zevran nodded she ran to him, her face scrunched with an ugly cry she couldn't withhold.

The moment they reached each other was a mad scramble to touch and kiss; hands wandering, eager kisses, giggles and tears as the worst of their troubles had simply vanished.

Nyla eventually pried her face from his; real eye contact. He looked so happy and beautiful, a big smile that touched his eyes. "I love you, pumpkin. What do you want to do first?"

Zevran thought for a few moments, petting her soft hair, letting his gaze wander the contours of her face, the glistening tear tracks down her cheeks. He took her hand and looked at her ring for the first time.

Giggling at her giant, dorky smile he said, "First, I want to clean my paint brushes. Then I want to paint something. Then I want to dress nice and go dancing. Or karaoke. Or both. We need Anders and Leliana for that. I want to choose your outfit." Grabbing her hand, he pulled her toward the door. "Have you had breakfast? I need to make breakfast. Will you watch me?"

Nyla sighed, satisfied, with a full belly of Zevran's amazing egg and chorizo tacos. "I always did everything you said to do, and you still make them so much better."

Content to sit and just use his eyes, he smiled at her, his gaze flicking from her left hand back to her big, dark eyes. "You look lovely."

"You're perfect," she whispered, and took his hand. "Meet me on the roof. I have a secret surprise."

"Ooh!" He hopped up and grabbed his coffee. "Hurry!"

They dashed off in different directions; Zevran made his way to the roof to settle on their hammock. Such a lovely day. Clear skies, the smell of the sea on the air. Peaceful. He wondered what secret she kept, and why they had to sit in their safe space in order for her to share it. It popped into his head, an obnoxious and exciting thought that had his breath catch in his throat. Uughh I hope she tells me she's pregnant.

That was quick, he thought with a wry smile, his 'baby fever' having returned within hours of his eyes. Zevran had been overburdened, and the dream of a little girl in his arms fell by the wayside, instead facing that he may never see his wife again. Or Leliana's cool teeth when she smiled. Or get to look up at Anders to remind him what a tall asshole he remained. No more painting, sketching, tattooing or watching Nyla's pleasured expressions and bouncing bosom in the mirror while he fucked her. Oh, shit, I get to watch myself fuck her again!

What a perfect partner he had found. She married him while he was at his lowest; in the throes of a recovery that may never have happened. He had been such an asshole at times, between the medications, the headaches, spells of confusion, the looming threat of seizures and bouts of all-consuming depression. She took care of both of them, never allowed him to abuse her, which, to his shame, he had done twice that he knew of. Zevran scrubbed his face with his palm, having a strong urge to cry; he would make it up to her. Never again would he be a grumpy dick when all she wanted was a tandem bike ride.

"You alright, pumpkin?" Nyla sat close beside him, settling a book on her knees and wrapping an arm around his waist.

"Not exactly. I feel… raw."

"If I were you," she began after several moments of silence. "I might feel a twinge of grief."

"Yeah?"

"You spent so long seeking the silver lining, trying to reinvent yourself. You were so brave. It was hard." She rested her chin on his shoulder. "The worst is over now, but you suffered so much, and relief from it aches just as much."

"You suffered with me," Zevran spoke softly, his eyes growing moist.

"You're going to make me ugly cry again," she squeaked out, right before she hid behind her hands and ugly cried.

"Amor," Zevran crooned with a giggle, pulling her head against his chest and petting her hair. "You're so fucking cute right now and this hanging secret is murdering me."

She sniffled and slid a book onto his lap.

"You didn't tell me," he whispered, his chest feeling warm and full as he ran gentle fingers along the gold, embossed letters. 'Our Wedding Day'.

"It didn't feel right to say I made us a special book when you couldn't see it."

Zevran's eyebrows scrunched and he tilted his head at her. "What other things did you protect me from?"

"Three weeks ago I was dancing in your studio so you could sleep on the couch and gave myself a black eye on your easel. I also broke the easel. And bought you one just like it. That's everything. I promise."

"Ohh shit. Poor amor." He laughed and leaned over to affectionately brush his nose against hers. "Can't believe you bought a new easel for a blind guy, Nyla, you are too fucking pure."

Opening the book, he giggled at a picture of them together in a car; her big brown eyes smiling, his eyes closed behind sunglasses. "You took a picture of us on the way there?"

"Yeah... also, there are roughly a thousand selfies of us you don't know about."

"Nice!" Zevran smiled. "Look at how you did my hair so perfectly, though!"

"I got really good at it." She flipped the page. "Us waiting in line."

"Look how I hid behind you." He tsked and shook his head. "I felt like if I let you go we'd both fucking vanish forever."

"Oh, hell. That's sad, pumpkin."

"I know people live without eyes all the time. People are born without sight, but… I did not handle it well at all."

"You handled it just right," Nyla whispered, and could still see him bristling. "Look at me. Everything made sense."

"Except for the times I yelled at you." He cringed in memory of his raised voice. "I don't know what was wrong with me."

"Just fucking stop! Go away!"

"Okay, honey. I'm going. Call for me if-"

"Fucking shut up!"

"We've already talked about this. You weren't just blind, you had a head injury. You were off. Way off. Sometimes not you at all." She bit her lip. Why is this all coming up again right now? "Look at the goddamn book I made!"

Marveling again at how he was able to simply see her face, Zevran whispered, "I'm feeling too much stuff right now."

"That's okay." She gave him a big smile and rested her palm on his cheek. "Feel the stuff, honey pumpkin. Today is a big fucking deal."

He relaxed with a sigh, pulling her to lay back on their hammock. Nestled between his legs with her back against his belly, she settled the book on her knees.

They sat in silence, Nyla flipping pages, and Zevran's heart pounding as he tried not to cry; it felt like getting married all over again. Such a beautiful place, no wonder it had been so expensive - not that the word carried any weight. Withholding a tear or two became impossible when he saw her fingers beneath his chin, the moment he had a glimpse of her. Her cheeks were so red, a sheen of sweat on her temples, tears down her cheeks, wisps of hair out of place… so precious and human. Such an intimate moment.

"I had the witness take these pictures," Nyla spoke softly, grinning up at him as she heard a sniffle. "You like it?"

He nodded, cleared his throat and turned the page. "That was the best kiss."

"It really was!" Nyla smiled, crying a little. "Our best work."

Kissing her forehead and chuckling, he whispered, "Our best work."

"Okay so, listen." Nyla paused to take another drink. "Okay I will sing this time. I'm not good at it, so I have to go first. Now, as we all know, Leliana can't dance worth a shit-"

"Hey!"

"It's not like, a huge secret." Nyla lifted her hand to take another drink, Anders' hand gently brushed her arm as a signal to slow down. "Look at this tall asshole babysitting me after a history of dancing shirtless on tables."

Anders snorted and rolled his eyes. "I grew up a little, and you're inclined to strip completely."

"And I need to be extra drunk to pull off karaoke. Anyway. I have to go first because Leli is an amazing singer, and I don't want to follow her."

"Competitive, much?" Leliana giggled.

"Yes," Nyla replied with a firm nod. "And in exchange, I won't dance next to you and make it stand out how inept you are."

Leliana furrowed her brow with a strong desire to take some high road, tell Nyla she didn't care if she looked foolish. I dance for fun! For myself! "Sounds good."

"What song are you going to sing?" Anders asked, leaning heavy on Leliana.

"It's a surprise." Waggling her eyebrows, Nyla hopped up and bounded away as they called her name.

"Ah, shit." Zevran chuckled and called out, "Nyla, keep your clothes on!"

"I will, honey!"

Other patrons laughed, and a couple approached, asking if they could sit at their table with them.

"This is going to be amazing." Anders jumped up and took the seat between Zevran and Leliana. "Next round says she tries to take her clothes off and Zevran has to chase her down."

"I don't know." Leliana sighed, watching Nyla speak with the one managing the music. "Betting loses its zeal when you combine funds, you know?"

"I'll take that bet," the newcomer added with a smirk. "Hale. This is my... Nate."

"Your Nate." Anders rubbed his hands together. "Nyla would have a field day with you."

Hale quirked an eyebrow and tucked her red hair behind her ear. "Sounds fun."

"I like your piercings," Leliana spoke to the other ginger sitting across the table, and Hale replied with a friendly nod and smile. "I'm Leliana, this is Anders, Zevran there, Nyla on stage. What song will it be, Anders?"

"Round of drinks says it's a tropey love song." He glanced at Hale. "Big risk. I know her better."

"I'm in." Hale, nodded. "Not a tropey love song. Looks too sloshed to do some sappy shit."

"Oh, it'll be a tropey love song," Leliana chuckled, tossing back the last of her beer.

Nyla stepped onto the stage and waved at the crowd and spoke into the microphone, "Hi! So… we're celebrating a big fucking deal tonight. The return of my husband's eyesight." A few cheered, a few said awwww, and Nyla palmed her face. "Oh my god. I just told our friends we eloped. I wasn't ready."

More cheers and awwws erupted, and Zevran grinned at Lelianders; this was not what they had planned, but Zevran knew better than to plan anything with her.

Leliana's head whipped around to Zevran. "How dare you!"

Shrugging with a smirk, he held up his left hand. "Surprise."

"How did we miss that?" Anders furrowed his brow and looked closer. "Oh my god that's shiny. I cannot fucking believe you."

"I saw it, I thought it was just jewelry because, obviously, if they got fucking married, they would tell us. Look at her dancing!" Leliana cackled. "There's no way her clothes are staying on."

Hale stuck two fingers in her mouth for a loud whistle and shouted, "Take it off!"

"Please," Zevran laughed, rolling his eyes. "She really might."

"This is buggin' the shit outta you, innit?" Hale held her hands up to her mouth and yelled again, "Take it off!"

Nate smirked, leaning back more comfortably in his seat. "Watch out, she does have a way of getting women out of their clothes."

"I will buy everyone drinks for the rest of the night if they stop encouraging her."

"What, and miss a chance to see some bloke chase his half naked wife across the club?" Hale let out another loud whistle, and it riled up the crowd.

Zevran's wife, the woman he married, ceased her dancing and pointed a finger in his direction. "Who's that sexy thang I see over there? That's me, standin' in the mirror."

Anders and Leliana laughed, cheered, clapped their hands, and Zevran pulled out his phone to record her; sober Nyla's reaction to drunken, rockstar Nyla singing Meghan Trainor's Me Too would be priceless.

"Not a tropey love song!" Leliana called out. "Next round is on us!"

"This is totally their song, though," Anders asserted, leaning on Leliana. "It counts as a tropey love song."

"If I was you, I'd wanna be me too, I'd wanna be me too-"

"It ain't tropey though," Hale spoke up with her eyes still on Nyla. "Damn she can dance though."

"I am… dying." Anders lost himself in another fit of giggles. "Who wants to bet I can get her to do the robot?"

"I'll take that bet," Hale chimed in.

"Dammit, Hale," Nate grumbled with a smirk, and Hale elbowed him with a giggle. "Looks like the next round might be on me."

"I walk in like a dime piece, I go straight to VIP, I never pay for my drinks, my entourage behind me-"

Their voices barely registered for Zevran, his eyes on the woman who married him. "I am going to fuck her to absolute death later."

"R.I.P. Nyla." Leliana raised a glass, and their glasses clinked in front of his camera.

Zevran, surprised anyone had been listening to him despite chattering among themselves, furrowed his brow and mumbled, "That was really weird, you guys."

"I thank God every day. That I woke up feelin' this way, and I can't help lovin' myself-"

Anders stood up and cheered, whistled and called out, "Do the robot, Sketchbook Girl! "

She immediately put the mic back on its stand, continued her singing, and did the robot. "If I was you, I'd wanna be me too. I'd wanna be me too. I'd wanna be me too."

The crowd cheered and whistled, happy laughter, applause, and when her song ended she went rigid and limp as a robot shut down, and laughed hard at her own hijinks. She waved as she bounded off the stage and back to their table.

"You're a fucking dork, Sketch." Anders grunted as she plopped onto his lap. "What the fuck is this?"

"You're in my seat."

"So why didn't you sit on your husband or ask me to move? You can't just sit on people, Tiny."

"Husband! Since fucking when? " Leliana folded her arms across her chest and pursed her lips. "I wanted to be there! It's such a big deal! Why would you hide it from us?"

"It's personal." Nyla pouted and sat on Zevran, her heart crumbling under Leliana's disapproval. "Where's my drink?"

"You drank it, amor." Zevran felt her energy plummet and rested his hands on her slumped shoulders. "Leliana, you bully," he spoke playfully. "You have made her sad."

"Made her sad?" Leliana huffed and stood up. "When you have people in your life who thought they were important and you exclude them from your biggest moments, there are ramifications."

"Ow!" Nyla looked at her with wide eyes and a furrowed brow, her heart sinking hard as Leliana turned away from them. "Wait, Leli, don't leave!"

"It's her turn to sing," Anders spoke up, gently patting her back. "It'll be okay, let's just enjoy this. She'll cool off. I'll get us another drink."

"Well," Nyla sighed, pausing as Anders waved at the cocktail waitress. "She's not wrong. I didn't think she'd care that much. Oh, hellooo..." Nyla purred to the redhead watching them with vague interest.

"This is Hale, and... " Anders continued with an elegant gesture, "Her Nate."

"Oh, her Nate." Nyla grinned and leaned forward with her elbows on the table. "What does that mean?"

"It means…" Hale returned her smile and leaned on the table. "None of your business."

"I like your accent." Nyla reached out and shook the hands of Hale and her Nate. "No really, though. Beginning of a relationship? Or, you don't like labels, maybe? It seems to be a really sensitive topic, given that you avoid it."

Hale rolled her eyes and pointed them at the stage.

"Yeah, I'd ignore me too." Nyla slid off of Zevran and sat in the seat Anders vacated. "You're really pretty."

"Yeah?" Hale flashed her a flirty smile. "Nice outfit. Would look better on the floor."

Zevran side-eyed her, furrowed his brow, blinked rapidly, unsure if Hale had flirted with his wife, or if she was still trying to win a bet. Glancing at Nate, his entertained stare was on Zevran for a few moments before drifting away.

"Was that you yelling earlier?" Nyla cackled, bouncing in her seat. "That was really rude but I can't blame you. I look amazing naked. Oh shit, Leli is doing Halo? She isn't serious right now."

"Yep." Anders spoke with a nod. "And it's going to kill me."

"Remember those walls I built, well, baby, they're tumbling down."

"Ohhh…" Nyla's palm landed on her heart, her shoulders slumped. "My god. I'm going to fucking cry."

The room grew still, the bustle of conversation ceased, all eyes on Leliana.

One of Zevran's most precious memories; painting in his room, opening his bedroom door to listen to Leli sing to her acoustic guitar playing, enamored with each new song she learned. Listening to her fuck it up until she had it mastered and he could hum along with a paintbrush in his teeth. Zevran missed his roommates, remembered how much he loved them, and the guilt of excluding them from their marriage plans hit him; he would find a way to make it up to them.

"You're everything I need and more, it's written all over your face. Baby, I can feel your halo, pray it won't fade away."

Zevran's gaze landed on Nyla, her big eyes on Leliana, swiping beneath them with her fingertips. Drinks arrived; Sex on the Beach for Nyla, and three beers, one for Leliana and one for each of their new friends, some orange thing for Anders. Zevran sipped on his tonic water; his medications didn't mix with alcohol. His vision may have returned, but it didn't mean the risk of seizures had passed. If anything, scar tissue in his brain guaranteed at least one more. At least he could see everything as he lived with the anxiety of waking on the floor, feeling as if someone had tried to beat him to death. It didn't concern him too much, after all, his wife would always have his back.

It occurred to him how much he used to drink. Every day straight liquor on ice, unless he was at work. His days off spent subtly intoxicated the moment the sun hit the sky line; perhaps it was a time to develop a different habit.

"Feels like I've been awakened. Every rule I had you break it. The risk that I'm taking. I ain't never gonna shut you out."

Nyla had changed his life so much. Clubs had been a home away from home, and as he was no longer in search of superficial connections for fear of anything real, they had become much less appealing. The emptiness he hadn't noticed went away the moment he pinned Nyla down and forced her to be his girlfriend. Zevran smiled when she finally looked at him, and her eyebrows scrunched, her tears intensified, and her forehead hit the table; third ugly cry of the day.

"Okay, amor?" He giggled, sitting close to her and resting his chin on her back. She responded with a nod - or perhaps just knocked her forehead off the table three times - upon examination, he was unsure. Anders remained enchanted, oblivious to the world around him, their new friends doing the same.

"I can feel your halo... halo…"

Stuck between wanting to be enraptured by Leliana's performance and figuring out what was going on with his wife, he sighed, wrapping an arm around Nyla and squeezing her close to watch Leliana finish her song, which followed by the crowd going wild, including Nyla who had ceased her crying to howl and bang the table with her fists.

"God damn that was so good!" She reached for a napkin and blew her nose. "Oh my god, I'm the crying drunk girl. I'm not drinking anymore."

Zevran rolled his eyes with a giggle, of course he had more concern over her emotional outburst than she did, and of course she immediately reached for her drink. Being the sober one was not at all dull, as he had expected. Anders lifted his drink of orange whatever to his mouth with a trembling hand, Leliana tripped over a chair during her glamorous walk back from her moment in the spotlight, and Hale bounded away muttering something about 'Dramatic shite.'

Nate, as always, looked cool and vaguely amused, leaning back in his chair and taking in the scene in quiet contemplation. Zevran knew that move. Sitting around being good-looking and mysterious always lead to curiosity, and often times, sexy invitations; Zevran didn't miss it. He'd rather go home to his wife who loved him and have well-practiced sex which guaranteed satisfaction all around. They were so good at sex, and still had several avenues to explore. Nyla's fist hit the table again, catching Zevran's attention.

"It totally doesn't mean that!" Nyla insisted, narrowing her eyes at Leliana. "This is not the time or place to get into it, it's so personal. Stop being mad at me!"

"I'm mad at both of you!"

"We were going to tell you," Zevran spoke up, and both women looked at him with steely glares. "Woah."

"Go on," Leliana demanded, sipping her beer.

"We are having a wedding party. Because I have my eyes back, and I want to see my wife in a white dress. Invitations will be going out after they are printed. We were going to announce our marriage on them."

"Don't you think that's a bit impersonal?" Leliana asserted, folding her arms across her chest. "I should find out before whoever- hi Dorian - before that jack-off hears about it."

"Before this jack-off hears about what?" Dorian sat at the table, his large boyfriend they affectionately called Bull sitting by his side, Emily on his other.

"Zevla eloped!" Leliana spoke firmly with a glare, and Nyla slid down in her chair and under the table while Emily and Dorian squealed.

"Emily knows, now everyone knows," Nyla spoke from her dark place, reaching up to grab her drink. "I have to tell my brother before he finds out on god damn Instagram. Why does everyone still use Instagram?"

Anders leaned down. "Sketch, honey, get off the floor-"

"Give me a goddamn minute. Jesus christ." After taking a long drink she muttered, "Go... bellydance on a table or something. You're not my mom. Stupid Instagram."

Zevran smiled and held up his left hand, flashing a band of gold and diamonds which inspired a chorus of 'ooohs' from the new arrivals. "Amor, your Ginger Crush is about to sing."

Nyla popped back into her chair and placed her empty glass on the table, her wide eyes on the stage. "I love this song!"

"Who doesn't?" Leliana responded, bobbing her head to the beat of Blondie's Call Me.

"Color me your color, baby. Color me your car. Color me your color, darling, I know who you are."

"Still mad?" Nyla asked with a pout.

"Forever!" Leliana snapped at her with a pointed finger, and went back to her casual head bobbing.

"At least it's explicit," Nyla grumbled and tried to drink from her empty glass, setting it back down as if its emptiness were a shocking mystery. "The fuck?"

"Call me, my love. You can call me any day or night. Call me."

"Where did her accent go?" Nyla stared at the stage with starry eyes. "She's like… a rockstar…"

"Little gay there, Sketch," Anders teased, sliding his drink across the table and away from her grasp.

"What? She's really pretty and I love her moves. Look at the shoulder shimmy. She's not shy to let her boobies move when she's dancing. Do you know how shy large-busted women get when they dance? I used to squash mine for classes."

"So…" Leliana leaned on the table, "She's pretty. You like her moves. Especially the way she moves her boobies."

"Yes," Nyla responded with an enthusiastic nod. "Wait-"

A chorus of the word 'gay' sounded around the table.

"Zev?" Nyla looked at him with the question in her eyes.

"What? It's okay to hop borders," he responded with a shrug, and she rolled her eyes.

"Whatever, I'm just going to watch-"

"Her boobies," Anders cut in, withholding a giggle.

"If I want to watch Ginger Crush's boobies, that's my prerogative," Nyla mumbled, suddenly wondering if there wasn't a little truth to her gayness. "Shutup. I don't have time for an identity crisis right now."

"Cover me with kisses, baby. Cover me with love. Roll me in designer sheets, I'll never get enough."

"Oh my god," Nyla gasped.

"You don't have to face it all at once, Zevran's wife," Dorian spoke seriously, as if delivering sage advice. "But if you discover that you are a little gay, find yourself a woman who looks at you the way Emily looks at Leliana."

"You little shit." Emily let out a nervous and awkward chuckle, her cheeks turning a bright pink as Leliana winked at her. Leaning closer to Dorian to speak in hushed tones, they could hear a distinct, "Call me out like this!"

"Like it's a secret." Dorian smirked, raising an elegant hand to examine his fingernails.

"Call me, oh love. When you're ready we can share the wine. Call me."

Hale beckoned the audience with her hands and a smile, encouraging them to stand up and dance with her. Nyla hopped up, as well as several others. One thing Zevran loved about Nyla; her penchant for dancing on a whim, and also mimicking other dancers when she really appreciated their movements.

"Ooh, ooh, ooh, ooh, ooh, he speaks the languages of love…"

Nyla danced with Hale, singing along and shaking her shoulders. When she reached down to grab the hem of her shirt, Zevran was too slow and it landed in his arms. With a deep sigh, he shook his head and watched Nyla dance in her tank top.

"Nyla, please, for the love of god, keep the rest of it on." Zevran draped her sweater over the back of her chair and grumbled, "The last thing we need right now is to deal with charges of indecent exposure."

"I'd say it's pretty decent," Bull spoke up with a facetious smile.

"Thank you!" Nyla gestured to him with an open palm. "There is literally no reason whatsoever I shouldn't be able to walk around as topless as men do. Hiding this business is more of a crime than exposing it."

"Yes, but only when you're drunk," Zevran reminded her. "These sentiments never carry over into sobriety."

"They do so," Nyla insisted. "The propensity for actually being nude doesn't. But, it still stands. Women should have the choice to be topless. Yes, all of them. Was that gay?" She asked, but it was more of a question for herself than anyone else.

She sat down, hurling headlong into the crisis she swore she didn't have time for. Do other straight girls think boobies should be freely displayed? I don't necessarily want to touch boobies but the thought doesn't repulse me. They are pretty. Mine are especially pretty. Is that gay? Is this all just extensions of a desire to have more same sex attachments or do I really feel sexy when I think of boobies? Nyla closed her eyes and imagined breasts, to see what she would feel.

"Amor?" Zevran sat closer to her, tuning out the playful chatter of their friends, wrapping an arm around her shoulders, kissing her temple. She had been so quiet for so long; not what one would expect of a drunken Nyla.

"Hold on, I'm… uh." Opening her eyes, she blinked at him. "Having an identity crisis."

"Share with me?"

Nyla took a deep breath. "I'm trying to… figure out how gay I am. So far I have, boobies are nice, and I want more women in my life, but not necessarily to be sexy with them."

"Not necessarily?" Zevran smiled, his face mere inches from hers.

"No I mean not at all!" She laughed and buried her face in his neck. "I'm having a near gay experience!"

Something about it, the innocence in her tone, combined with her frustration and the acknowledged silliness of it all had Zevran laughing with her.

"Okay, hold on," Nyla interrupted their laughter. "Okay, as I was sitting here imagining boobies at great length-"

Zevran snorted and laughed, her preference to keep using the word boobies striking him as comical; his giggles tapered as he indulged in her big, dark eyes taking in his smile. "I'm listening, darling. Go on."

"I genuinely enjoyed imagining the boobies. I don't want to touch the boobies, I want to look at and appreciate them. Bodies are art, to me."

"Ooh." Zevran tilted his head. "Get into photography."

"And…" Nyla side eyed him and furrowed her brow. "Take pictures of-"

"People dancing. Anything. Look at something, love it, take a picture of it."

"Oh." Nyla's eyes widened, and she could see the brilliance in his idea. "I love loving things."

"Yes! And you are so good at it! Your picture books are beautiful. Even the sad ones, which, when you examine them, were always expressions of love."

"Hey!" Leliana leaned on them. "Fucking secret newlyweds, let's go dancing now. Ginger Crush and her Nate are coming, too."

"It's okay, Leliana," Nyla reassured her. "I'm not gay, I just love stuff."

"Whatever you say, Tiny Gay," Anders spoke in a sing-song voice, standing up and gathering purses and sweaters.

"I'm not-"

It was the club they met, and although she smelled doom on the horizon, Nyla flung herself into it half-cocked and ready to dance. With an arm around Emily and the other around Hale, her new Ginger Crush, she dragged them to the dance floor. Leliana's hand held firm by Emily, who dragged her along despite her reluctance. Anders followed them close behind; his shirt would be off within the hour and they would have to pull him off of a table, but at least they knew where he was. Who wouldn't want to dance with four beautiful women?

Zevran, who would rather watch, stood in his usual spot. The same spot he stood the moment he met her. She looked so happy, dancing with her friends, watching Hale and mimicking her moves, sharing some of her own. Zevran couldn't recall a time she smiled so big and played so hard.

Leliana, who had enough drinks to make the shitty dancing thing a non-issue, actually danced, and Nyla grabbed her by the shoulders and shook her. This made him laugh and quirk an eyebrow at her, until he realized her game. Standing tall, Nyla flopped her arms, shook her own shoulders, grabbed Leliana's arms, flopped them around, and Nyla's mouth moved to say the words, 'Fucking relax!' She had a point; Leliana stood stiff as a board, and of course a board couldn't dance worth a shit.

Zevran fell in love with Nyla all over again. She would be such a good mom.

"Hello, you!"

"Isabela!" Zevran smiled, happy to see her after so long.

"I haven't seen you since I got you in trouble," she spoke with a smile and a kiss on his cheek. "Where have you been?"

"It is wonderful to see you," he replied with a gentle hand on her arm and a step back. "We have been busy. You will see us around more."

"We?" Isabela tilted her head at him and asked, "Everything turned out alright, then?"

Zevran replied with his new favorite thing; he lifted his hand to display his gold and diamond ring. "We worked it out fine."

"Well!" She laughed, stepping closer to wrap an arm around him, and he politely stepped away. "Ah, I don't want to get you in trouble with the wife now, do I?"

"Isabela," he smiled and chuckled with a shake of his head. "While I know it is in your nature to be physically affectionate, I prefer you are not so with me. And yes, it has everything to do with my personal preference to remain respectful to my partner, and our carefully constructed boundaries."

"Haven't you grown," she replied with a playful smirk, reaching out to wrap an arm around his neck and remembering not to.

Nyla ceased her dancing to see Zevran's rapt attention on Isabela. Again! We have been here for twenty fucking minutes and already- god dammit why is she so pretty? Nyla approached them and tried to look casual, his eyes flicked toward her and he smiled. Still, she felt the familiar pang of jealousy and humiliation.

"Perhaps I will introduce you formally now," he reached out and put an arm over her shoulders. Emily bounded to them, and he tucked her beneath his other arm.

"Zev, I'd like to go talk," Nyla spoke softly in his ear, and he nodded.

"One moment," he nodded to Isabela, grabbing Emily by the shoulders and standing the woman inches from each other. "Isabela, this is Reception. She really, really needs to get laid."

"What-" Emily blushed furiously, glancing back at the two walking away, and then back to Isabela. "Well, I mean, he's not wrong."

"Hello," Isabela purred with a coquettish smile. "So, your name is… Reception?"

"Emily," she smiled, blushed, bit her lip. "Emily Hawke."

Zevran and Nyla stepped outside among the chatty, drunk smokers, and she lead him further away to the side of the building.

"What's on your mind, amor?" He asked, tilting his head at her with his best smile.

She stared into his soft, golden-brown eyes, feeling twinges of anger, jealousy, humiliation, her self worth plummeting at just the thought of Isabela and the great sex he probably had with her, the very real-feeling threat that he would want to again.

"I don't want you to hang out with Isabela."

"Mmm…" he nodded, trying to digest her words, but they made him feel ill. "I can't agree to that."

"Because she's that special to you?" Nyla bit her lip and looked at the ground.

"Yes, though, not for the reasons you imagine, I wager." He watched her face, the furrowed brow, nibbling her lip, the way she leaned back against the wall and idly tapped it with her fists. "You don't trust me, Nyla?"

"I don't trust her," she grumbled, pushing herself off the wall with her forearms.

"You don't trust me to set boundaries with her," he said with a pointed glare. "Do you imagine I married you just to throw it away on some dalliance?"

"Is our marriage the only thing keeping you from a dalliance?" She glared back at him.

"Of course," he replied. "Without you, I would be all over the place, seeking exactly what I have with you."

"If you're so content, why do you feel the need to be around her? Why do you say no to my request?"

"For one, Nyla, that was not a request, it was… I don't know what it was. A command? And second- " He lowered his pointing finger, took a deep breath to keep his temper in check. "And second, there is a very good reason I remain friends with her, and I am not inclined to tell her personal business just to garner your trust - which I should already have."

"Why?" Nyla met his eyes again. "Why should you already have my trust?"

"What?" He scoffed, running a hand through his hair. "Damn, if you don't trust me already, then why the hell are we married?"

"Ouch! A marriage doesn't imply a perfect relationship!" She rested her hands on her hips. "It means commitment to facing obstacles together, and this is one of them."

"Then what do you expect from me? Do you want me to say 'Yes dear, since I can't avoid fucking Isabela, I will stay away from her'? When does that end? After all, I am a bisexual man, perhaps I should eliminate all people from my life so I don't accidentally fuck them."

"Wait." She held her hands up. "I don't mean-"

"If we play by your rules, that is what I am reduced to, right? A man with no agency, to be passed around or kept at the whim of another?"

"No," Nyla spoke softly, reaching toward him but he waved her away. "Baby, I didn't mean to open this can of worms. I don't think of you as a possession. I know you have agency. I just… wanted to feel safe."

"If offering you all of me doesn't do that." he held up his left hand, apparently also a convenient move during fights, "Then it's not on me to convince you."

"I didn't mean to-" She began with gentleness in her tone, her eyebrows knitted together. "I was hurting and I needed help. I immediately went to my best friend."

"Shit." Zevran met her eyes again, so full of softness and hurt, and he melted. "That makes sense. I am glad that you did."

"I did it wrong but… I needed to do something. I needed to hear all of that from you." The ache in her chest dissipated when he closed the distance between them and wrapped his arms around her waist. "It's a sticky situation. I get triggered when I'm jealous, you get triggered when I get jealous because it's as if I don't trust you. Maybe... marriage counseling?"

"If you believe that is what we need, I will go with you," he spoke softly. "In the meantime, I will tell you a bit about Isabela. I think… you may feel softer toward her." After a few moments, she nodded. "Isabela married a very bad man."

"How bad?"

"Very bad." Zevran sighed deeply, feeling a flash of anger. "She was my lover, had always been a free spirit, you see. I discovered many bruises on her."

"Oh, shit." Nyla took a moment to feel grateful to have never had that in her life. "What did you do?"

"I beat his ass, of course," Zevran asserted with a firm nod. "I taught her a little about self defense. Went to court with her to support her in getting a restraining order."

"Woah." Nyla stared him in awe. "Pumpkin, you're such a badass."

"I was just being a good person. I'm not the one who survived him." Pursing his lips and sighing through another spark of anger he muttered, "The son of a bitch. Anyway. Isabela is someone who I consider a dear friend. We rarely talk, I'm not even sure if we have each other's phone numbers, but she knows how to find me if she ever needs."

"That's amazing." Nyla smoldered at him with her sly smile and purred, "You should be rewarded."

He chuckled as she attacked his neck and fumbled with the zipper of his jeans. "Right here?"

"I found them! They're… very busy."

"Shit-" Nyla pulled her hand out of Zevran's pants and folded her arms across her chest. "Dammit Anders, where's your god damn shirt?"

"Leli has it, I hope." Anders chuckled and rested his hands on his hips. "So… I got kicked out. Party continues at our place. Emily and Isabela are coming. Ginger Crush and her Nate are staying."

"I must warn you," Zevran spoke with his back toward him, adjusting everything to zip his tight pants back up. "If you take Isabela home, sex will happen."

"I'm pretty sure we're monogamous," Leliana chimed in.

"Pretty sure?" Anders furrowed his brow at her. "What does that mean?"

"What does that mean?" Leliana smirked at him, and they stared at each other for a few moments of silence. "Well, I guess we'll see what happens."

Nyla cuddled beneath Zevran's arm in the cab, watching him watch the world go by. The night's events replayed in her mind making her feel warm, and she remembered back when she had no one. When she found her Zevran, he opened up a world of good people for her, and always seemed to attract more. She had a tribe.

~~Bonus~~

"Zev." Nyla stepped out into the living room in the outfit he chose for her. "So, I couldn't help noticing… that this isn't enough clothes for the outside."

"Damn." he bit his lip and stared at her with wide eyes. "I love it when you take me seriously when I clearly don't deserve it."

"So, do I get something to wear on top of the garter belt?" She giggled, holding the long leather coat aside with a hand on her hip. "The heels were a nice touch, though I usually like to color coordinate my bra and panties."

"I… like the combination of black and red on you." Clearing his throat, he jumped up grabbed her hand, pulling her toward the bedroom.

She laughed and kept his pace, her heels clacking on the wood floor as she ran. "Are we doing the thing with the ropes and feathers?"

He let go of her hand at the threshold and went for his sketchbook. Sitting on the bed with his back against the headboard, a pencil between his fingers, a clean page in front of him. "If that is your wish, amor, I will gladly deliver. In a little bit."

"Let me guess," Nyla purred, crawling across the bed, and his gaze flicked up to her. The smirk playing on his lips and familiar predatory glare sent shivers along her skin. "You need to draw this."