[FIN] Broken Bonds

[BlackFireKitsune]

It was Abel's turn to chuckle. "Oh then she'd love you then. The whole house is her domain, so your hands will be full if you let them," he said with a grin, amusement in his expression and in his eyes, but not so much that it overpowered the fondness there. "Mom's domain is everything inside, Dad's is everything outside."

The sensation on his cheek made his heart flutter a little and his smile brighten, so he gave the shorter blond another squeeze. "I would like to," he said as he repositioned some pillows behind him before wrapping his arms around Zevran's waist again, then leaned back comfortably with a contented sigh. "You are one-of-a-kind, after all. I think that's pretty rare."  

[TawnyAngel]

A nice little home on the plains he had once travelled through - maybe not so little with the size of Abel's family - filled with people, conversation, warmth, food, affection....

"You are one of a kind too, and we are perhaps moreso than most people," Zevran chuckled, sitting back just a little in Abel's lap so that he could study his face properly again. "What was it like growing up for you? You speak very fondly of home and family."  

[BlackFireKitsune]

As Zevran leaned back, Abel's arms slipped down so he could instead lace his fingers together at the small of Zev's back. "Perhaps we are," he replied with a quirk of a smile, though the question caught him a little off-guard at first. Only at first, because the next moment his brain caught up with him and reminded him that Zevran hadn't had a family, a home, to grow up in. Not a proper one, at least. Or, rather... he sort of had, for a few years at least.

The taller blond tilted his head back against the headboard of his bed as he hummed thoughtfully, his gaze drifting over various parts of the ceiling while he contemplated how to answer properly. "It's hard not to speak fondly of them, I love them all, and I miss them every day. Growing up was..." How did he even explain this sort of thing? "It was good. We grew up around pokemon and always had them with us - Mom and Dad had a tradition of getting us an Eevee when we were newborns, so we'd have one to grow up with - and we did have a chance to have fun and play like kids should, but they were pretty strict with us too," he went on with a fond, somewhat rueful smile. "Dad expected me and Aaron to start helping around on the ranch when we were young. Both Mom and Dad pushed all of us to take lessons in things - either from them or from tutors - so we all learned an instrument, learned to sing and took dancing lessons.. Dad taught us to shoot - Mom wasn't happy about that one - so our childhoods were pretty busy, but I think it was good. Even though they were strict they were always good to us, and most of the memories I have are good ones. Us kids would get into fights sometimes, verbal or physical, but those didn't happen too often. After a point, anyway, when we started growing out of it. I'm... not sure if that answers your question," the blond went on hesitantly as his gaze flicked back down to his friend's face, searching it for a hint that he'd understood. "I've never really had anyone ask me that before."  

[TawnyAngel]

Zevran listened intently, drinking in every detail Abel offered with a faint smile on his lips. "A rare question then?" he asked with an arched brow and a tiny smirk when Abel finished speaking. "I does, a little, I think. It sounds quite wonderful to me, demanding but... but good, yes." It was hard to imagine what it was actually like but he was glad that Abel looked back with fondness. "And you learned the guitar yes?" he prompted gently. "I have seen it around here but I have never heard you play."  

[BlackFireKitsune]

"Yes," he agreed with a similarly tiny smirk, "a rare question describes it rather well." But good, he did seem to understand. He still wasn't sure he could properly describe it, but hopefully he'd done a somewhat decent job. Maybe. "It was kind of demanding and strict, but they had our best interests at heart. No matter what we were going through, they always loved and took care of us."

Oh, his guitar? "Yeah, I did. I.. honestly, I never really felt like playing it or singing too much because of-- Patty," he'd nearly said Alyssa that time; he was slowly getting used to calling her a different name, her real name, "so I haven't really played it much since then. I'll have to play for you sometime, if you want me to, though I should warn you I really only play it when I'm singing. I was never so into it that I played it by itself just because," he explained, his fingers rubbing small, slow circles into Zev's lower back. "What about you? I remember you told me you sing, did you ever learn any instruments?"  

[TawnyAngel]

It sounded wonderful, strange but wonderful.

When Abel went on Zevran started to grin again. "I do sing, yes, but alas I do not play any instruments. Perhaps singing in three languages makes up for that? I was taught to dance however and I took to it rather well if I do say so myself." There had been some aspects of his training and education that he had disliked quite independent from the methods of teaching but dancing had certainly not been among them, in fact he had loved anything that had required strength and grace.  

[BlackFireKitsune]

"Then I'll have to play songs for us to sing to," Abel decided with a bright smile. He hadn't done that in a while, and the prospect was a little exciting.

Oh? His smile shifted to a smirk. "Ah, then you and I need to dance sometime. I haven't had a very good year so I'm a little rusty, but I think it's all muscle memory anyway. What dances do you know? My favorite has to be the tango."  

[TawnyAngel]

Zevran grinned and, because Abel had done it just now, leant in to kiss his friend's nose. "I shall hold you to that, I hope you know. And I know many dances, the tango among them! Also waltz, your standard ballroom, flamenco, the highland style of Ferelden, salsa, samba, a few other that I have propbably forgotten and!" Zevran grinned and raised a finger in the air. "I can do all in either part where partners are involved, even in heels if required."  

[BlackFireKitsune]

"Then we'll make sure to do it when I'm in a little better shape, yeah? That way I don't have to take a break after five minutes." Maybe not five minutes, but still. The kiss to his nose softened his smile and he leaned forward to press a quick kiss to the side of Zevran's neck. "Ah, you have a few dances on me! I know most of those but not all of them, so you'll have to teach me the rest. And that's pretty impressive; does that mean you've danced in heels before?"  

[TawnyAngel]

Zevran smirked and gave an amused chuckle. "Indeed, the things required of me in the past have been diverse at times. Dancing in heels is not hard as such once you have the balance of it, it simply tires you faster. Nothing aches the next day quite like feet and calves that have danced for hours in heels.... Well," the smirk grew wider, "perhaps some things do but those I find more pleasant."  

[BlackFireKitsune]

He chuckled again, his smirk widening a bit. "That's what a good foot and calf massage is for! But now you have me curious what else they required of you like that, apart from dancing in heels. And," a flirtatious tone tinged his voice, "I don't mind being sore from those types of things, not one bit."  

[TawnyAngel]

¡Abel really wanted to know what else they had required?.. Oh, 'like that', that was quite alright. "Performance arts?" Zevran asked with a questioning tilt of his head. "Song was involved, makeup artistry, seduction...." Should he not have said that? Zevran frowned and looked down for a moment; when he looked up again his expression bore a hint of uncertainty again. "But I hope you realise I have never been anything but sincere with you. No tricks or lies." He hadn't lied to his recollection, though he might have avoided the truth a few times.  

[BlackFireKitsune]

He hadn't expected that. He really hadn't expected that but he couldn't help but feel like he should've. Still it made him angry, upset, his heart hurt--

But Zevran's uncertain look kept him from falling into that angry pit again. Just a scant moment or two passed between his admission before Abel smiled and leaned forward to plant another kiss on Zevran's nose. "I know," he said, his voice and expression soft. "I never thought you did, and I still don't. But," his eyebrows rose and his expression took on a curious air, "makeup artistry too?" Come to think of it, Zevran had made mention of makeup before but he hadn't ever really thought much of the comment. "So you've worn makeup before? Man, singing and dancing in heels and makeup; I can't help but wonder if I saw you like that, if I'd recognize you." ...no, he probably still would. Zevran stuck out like a sore thumb -- or maybe that was just because he paid him so much attention, he couldn't not notice him.  

[TawnyAngel]

He wasn't proud of those parts of his history but nor was he ashamed, he had done as he had needed to at the time and in those cases he had been the one in control. His only worry had been what Abel would think and with his brief fear that Abel would judge him harshly assuaged Zevran relaxed again.

"Si," he nodded, "many times, and let me tell you it takes a great deal of effort! With skill and patience however you can achieve near any result, including the erasure of certain identifying marks." The smirk softened back to a smile then and Zevran canted his head to the side. "Perhaps you would know me though. Even with makeup to contour my face differently and hide my tattoos, even with contacts to change the colour of my eyes my smile for you would be the same. Some things cannot be painted over so easily." He could probably hide it if he wished, but why would he wish to now? He was free, living his own life, and Abel was his friend. Abel was unlike any other friend he had ever known.  

[BlackFireKitsune]

"It sounds like a great deal of effort! Man, I can't even picture you like that," he admitted, then leaned back again to stare at Zevran's face as he attempted to picture it anyway. ...nope, he couldn't. "On one hand I'm curious to know what you'd look like with makeup on, but on the other hand I kind of like you just the way you are." Oh yes, he liked him very much the way he was.

"Ah... That's true, isn't it?" He hadn't thought about that. No, he hadn't; the way Zevran looked at him with such affection, such care... "I've never seen you smile for someone else the way you smile for me," he murmured as he leaned forward to press another kiss to the side of the shorter blond's neck, both because he wanted to and because it was the perfect excuse to hide the shyness that started to creep into his expression. No, the expressions Zev had made for him.. He hadn't ever seen him show them to anyone else. He'd sort of registered it subconsciously but hadn't ever really thought about it... but it was true.