[Fin] Home for Christmas

[TawnyAngel]

Hearing that Abel had wanted to bring him after all untied a knot in his chest that had been lingering since the trip had first been mentioned, and he hadn't been asked. He knew it was foolish but he had felt excluded, perhaps even a little hurt, but Abel had wanted him there and now that he wasn't he missed him. And he missed Abel.

"Oh, well, I shall have to check my calender; I may be able to slot you in, I shall have to see," Zevran replied teasingly. He allowed a moment's pause before continuing; "By which I mean I would like that very much. I suspect you already guessed as much but I though I would be clear as you cannot see my expression." It would be nice to meet Joanna, he already rather liked her and he was sure the rest of Abel's family was very nice too. More importantly he liked the idea of going there - or anywhere - with Abel. "And think nothing of it," he added belatedly, "I ah... I am just pleased that you wish I was there." He was being really very silly and sentimental tonight.  

[BlackFireKitsune]

"Oh, that's so kind of you to fit me in somewhere, I know you have a very busy schedule," he retorted with a grin and a chuckle. "I did guess as much, yes." He didn't need to see Zevran to guess the look on his face, the curve of his lips whenever he smiled that shy, uncertain smile... "Of course I wish you were here," he said, his expression and voice softening from the warm, fuzzy feeling spreading through his chest, his tones reflecting just how much he wished his friend were there - his best friend - and just how badly he missed him. "How could I not? I... miss you," he admitted softly, hesitance tinging his tones as he voiced the phrase much differently than he had the previous times. Why did he miss him so much?  

[TawnyAngel]

Abel sounded different when he said it that time, he sounded... well he sounded as hesitant as Zevran felt himself. This had become rather a strange conversation but he didn't regret it even a little; Abel missed him enough to comment on it, he mattered.

Zevran closed his eyes and combed the fingers of his free hand through his hair. "I am nothing if not kind and generous," he said for the sake of something to say, and then; "You know your bed is quite large when you are not in it."  

[BlackFireKitsune]

"That's very true, though you're so much more than that too." Hay rustled beneath him as he shifted onto his side, one arm curled up under his head as a kind of pillow while he rested his phone experimentally on the side of his face to see if it stayed and if he could still hear and talk okay without holding it there. A small smile formed on his face at Zev's observation. "It is pretty big when you're in it alone, yeah. I'll be back in it soon though, don't worry."  

[TawnyAngel]

It would indeed be quite soon, less than two weeks. More than one week. It felt like too long. Zevran squeezed Abel's pillow against his chest and sighed slightly. "Yes, soon enough," he replied, sounding more than a little wistful. Until Abel returned he would just have to keep keeping himself busy, perhaps even more than he had been until now. Thinking of that; "Ah, I have a card game tomorrow night so I will not be able to message you much in the evening. I will let you know when I get back though?" Perhaps Abel would want to talk again.  

[BlackFireKitsune]

Ah, yep, this would work just fine. Abel curled his other arm around himself and shifted a bit to get comfortable, his smile softening as his eyes slid shut again. Zevran didn't have to say that he missed him for the feeling to manifest in his voice, and the knowledge of that fact made his heart skip a beat. Zevran really, truly did miss him just as much.

Oh? "Ah, okay," Abel replied, being careful to keep any disappointment from his voice. It would only be for a few hours anyway, why should he get disappointed? "Yeah, let me know when you're back and I'll see if I can sneak out to call you again." 'Sneak out' indeed. "That sounds like fun though. What else are you gonna do tomorrow?"  

[TawnyAngel]

Sneak out to call him? Zevran grinned at the idea and squirmed into a slightly different position under the warm covers, he would vastly prefer it if Abel were here but he was still glad that he was here. "The moment I get in, I promise. Humm, and I had not made any real plans for tomorrow yet; you know how well I do not get on with plans! I think I shall go to the gym in the morning though, I trained the pokemon today so tomorrow shall be my turn. After that perhaps I shall go down to the Christmas market and buy myself breakfast, I walked past many delicious smells earlier but I wanted to get back and start on the jam so I did not linger. Humm. Well if it is nice in the afternoon I could take some of the pokemon out and about to stretch their legs, or whatever limbs they prefer to stretch. Mmh, I should do some grocery shopping too but I can fit that in before my game easily." That was quite a lot to get done in one day but it hardly mattered if one or more of the half formed plans didn't come to fruition.  

[BlackFireKitsune]

Despite the anxious cold that crept through his veins earlier, he now felt comfortable, warm and relaxed, perfectly content and... happy? Was that the right feeling? He wasn't sure, but either way he set such thoughts aside and basked in it instead. Thinking could come later, like tomorrow, when he was awake. Listening to Zevran ponder aloud what he'd do with his time tomorrow relaxed him further; perhaps because he just liked his voice and listening to him talk? "Good, it's a promise then," he murmured, his voice tinged with the sleepiness that had slowly begun to creep over him. "That all sounds good -- especially going to the gym," the smirk on his face was practically audible in his voice, "but the market sounds fun too. I'd still like to go with you when we get back."  

[TawnyAngel]

Abel was starting to sound rather sleepy, it was really quite endearing. Zevran's grin softened back to a smile and he curled his fingers lightly into the material of the pillowcase, half imagining that his friend was here and that it was his hair he was touching. "Then we shall do that," he replied softly, "and we can go to the new sandwich place I mentioned the other day, it is really very good. Perhaps it will snow here again and we can go for a walk in it, I was disappointed that it did not settle properly the other day." On the other hand it would be much more fun to go out and experience it with Abel beside him. A week and a few days felt like far too long for him to be gone; he missed him, and he was missed.  

[BlackFireKitsune]

"Mmh, I like that idea, that sounds good. We can go for lunch or something -- and you know that when it really snows I'm dragging you outside first thing," he said with a sleepy smile, slowly drifting further towards sleep but trying to stave it off. Not that he was trying that hard, though.  

[TawnyAngel]

"I would like that, we can take a flask of something hot to drink," Zevran said, keeping his voice lazy and soft to avoid dragging Abel back from the edge of sleep, where it sounded as though he was teetering.  

[BlackFireKitsune]

Despite the distance, he couldn't help but feel like Zevran was beside him for some reason, and the feeling brought him more comfort. "Hot chocolate maybe," he murmured softly, slipping further towards sleep.  

[TawnyAngel]

Zevran smiled and closed his eyes, he could almost picture the sleepy expression on Abel's face. "That sounds perfect, we shall do it." It was hardly an indulgent plan but he already found himself looking forward to it a great deal, simple pleasures like a walk in lovely scenery in good company was... Well it seemed so normal. A normal life.  

[BlackFireKitsune]

"Mmh," Abel agreed sleepily, too far gone to respond more than that. Whatever tension remained ebbed away as his breathing evened out and he drifted off to sleep.  

[TawnyAngel]

And there, he was asleep. Zevran flexed his fingers, imagining the line of his friend's jaw and the curve of his lashes. "Sleep well Abel," he murmured, and then he almost hung up the phone but... well he was still awake. Perhaps he would stay on the line and listen to Abel's relaxed breathing, it might help him to fall asleep too.

After a little while it did.