Work Text:
A sun toasted breeze blanketed the dimly lit room with lazy gusts. A heated wind through the wooden paneling of the only window in the room. With it came the smell of fresh bread, animals and that overwhelming scent of fresh leather. Quieted rambles of goat and child bleating from the streets below the second story room gradually woke up the sore elf. It had been a long night and an even longer mission but it had been worth every sovereign. Though the heat was particularly heady that morning, misting the bronze skinned antivan with a layer of fresh sweat already, it didn’t seem to bother him in the least.
Rising from his bed, zevran combed fingers through his tangled hair from forehead to nape as he filtered bits of sleep from himself with a prolonged and envigorated yawn. Moving as lazily as the morning heat, bared feet curling onto worn wooden floors as various bones in his body softly popped and cracked with his movement. Each one sending a brief sense of relief through him as he stretched and then stood. It wasn’t until he heard a voice call after him sleepily that he twisted his form from startle and found someone in the bed as well. Thankfully he recalled them after some thought and offered that traditional grin.
"Sweet thing, did you rest well?“ zevran asked of his bed companion in antivan. A muffled groan and a shift of sheets in response before they sat themselves up and began rubbing the sleep from their eyes. Zevran found himself surprised, if not at least pleasantly surprised. Having been under the impression he took a woman to bed, to find he must have had a bit more to drink than he remembered.
"What? Your bed sucks” came the companions complaint, “..back is killing me” In which a hand would accompany a rub down of said back.
Zevran laughed, unbothered to find out he mistakenly took a man to bed, “That’s probably no fault of the bed” Without missing a beat the elf began dressing, collecting discarded clothing to set aside for wash. He may be untidy now and again but Zevran cared enough to wear clean clothing when able. The human stayed in the bed, propping up one of the pillows and leaning back against it to watch zevran.
"You’re a lot shorter than I remember you" the unnamed human commented. Zevran peered over at him as he began fastening his belt, a momentarily quiet clank of metal and creak of firm leather.
"You’re a lot less clothed than I remember you" zevran countered with a cheeky smile, “I rather like that”.
Seconds later a voice howled up from outside.
“Zevraaaaaan!” it came again, louder and clearer. The elf eventually turned to face the window, pushing it open and leaning to pop his head out. A snarky back and forth of harsh Antivan, followed with a shaking arm to dismiss the hollering one outside. After a few moments zevran was content to close the window again before he felt a warmth to his back and soft groan of wood.
"Again?“ he’d chuckle while turning around before the sight of steel danced before his eyes and he was greeted with an attempt on his life. Thankfully his gauntlet managed to ward off any wound of real depth, but the bleeding that seeped up from the scored leather of his forearm warned him to be better on guard for the next motion.
It was a fairly silent exchange. The elf had a way of appearing harmless but this is the sort of thing he lived for and he was more than pleased for the opportunity. A dark bloodthirst pooled into his gaze while his charming smile stiffened and his free hand moved to strike a small throwing dagger up into the underside of the human’s naked throat. It all happened within seconds of one another and once zevran proved himself quick enough to survive, the heady smell of the life draining out onto the wood floor overtook that familiar scent of leather he so loved.
Dislodging the small blade from the skull of his once lover, he wiped what he could off, using the other’s hair.
"I’m flattered that someone finds me worth the trouble” Zevran leaned against the closed window for a moment while he kept an eye on the dying, failed assassin at his feet making a mess of things.
"Too bad" his bloodthirst gradually dissipated into boredom before he stepped over the dead assailant to collect his things, pilfer the humans things then take his leave. When he finally made it out onto the dusty streets where he met with the one that had been yelling up at him earlier.
"You were right Taliesen, like always" lifting a small pouch of coin and tossing it underhanded at his ally.
“Why did you wait so long to deal with it?” Taliesen asked with little actual interest.
"Well I wanted to be certain first… but it was quite exciting too, no?“ cheeky laughter filled zevran as he waved to a stall woman selling bread.
"No, you’re going to get yourself killed one day Zev and then it will be too late to tell you I told you so”
"Well then I’ll just be sure to come back to haunt you so you can do the honors" Zevran retorted, then produced a slip of paper he had found amongst the assassins things. Tali snatched it from Zevran and read it.
"Maker" Taliesen shook his head, tucking the paper away and they both continued their walk avoiding the matter entirely as they sought out Rinnala.