[FIN] Homeward Bound

[BlackFireKitsune]

Yep, there it was. Stubborn was definitely not one of the words Zevran thought of. It wasn't the first word he'd thought of, either, but he didn't really feel like he should say any of the ones that had come before it. Definitely not when anyone in his family could come walking through the door any minute. "I'm sorry," he repeated with a sigh. After opening his mouth to continue he thought better of it and instead downed the rest of his coffee, then carefully set the mug beside him on the swing so it wouldn't fall over - or at least wouldn't do much if it did - and then carefully twisted around so he could still support his boyfriend and also wrap his arms around Zevran's waist. It made his heart ache that Zev was stuck in the middle of something that really wasn't his fault at all, and also that it bothered him so. But what could he do about it?

"I don't really know what to do either," he admitted, turning his head a bit to press a soft kiss to the side of Zevran's neck. "I know he wants me to be happy - he wants all of his kids to be happy - but it's just... not the way he pictured me being happy, and I think he's struggling to come to terms with the difference. He'll come around, and if he doesn't then Mom'll talk to him. I'll talk to him too. I'm glad he doesn't hate you though, that'd be a bit more difficult to fix than what he's hung up on now."  

[TawnyAngel]

"I suppose," Zevran agreed as he slid an arm around Abel in return but he sounded listless and worn as he spoke, as though the cloud that sometimes hug over his moods these days had returned and settled heavily over him. "Is there any point to us shooting together? I do not know that I wish to." He was tired, and he hurt but he didn't want to bother Abel by admitting that because there was nothing he could do. It wasn't important anyway, it was just pain and sooner or later it would stop. "I love you. I wish this were easier... but on the bright side!" he laughed again and gave Abel a playful nudge. "You have no need to worry about winning approval of any of my family. A complication saved!" Thank Andraste for that. He might have liked to have a family but evidence indicated that they could be an issue when you fell for somebody.  

[BlackFireKitsune]

Every lackluster response of his only stabbed another cold knife into his heart, twisted it and ripped it back out again. Abel gave his boyfriend a gentle squeeze. "I don't think it'd hurt if you did, I know he really enjoys shooting. We don't have to right away though, I'm sure traveling for so long was pretty tiring, even if we spent most of it sitting on a boat. We can hold off on it a few days. There's really no rush or anything, and if you don't want to at all then you don't have to. It's entirely up to you, sweetheart." With that said he kissed Zevran's cheek and took a moment to savor the feeling of him snug and warm in his arms, the scent of him and the various soaps and shampoos he used mixing in with the various ranch smells, though the latter of which was mostly just grass and flowers at the moment.

"I love you too," he went on with a fond smile even though Zevran's words only further injured his already pained heart, "and don't say that too loud, else Mom'll hear you and adopt you immediately... if she hasn't decided to already, that is."  

[TawnyAngel]

He needed to then, if it would help. It was simple enough to keep up the act of charming ease, yes? He did it for most people most of the time... But most of the time it didn't feel like an act, it felt only as though he was just a step back from it all - watching others with amusement - instead of lying about it as he'd have to with Abel's father and as he had on some of his more unpleasant assignments. Ah, s**t, relationships were difficult.

"I am yours," Zevran replied after a rather lengthy pause. "If it might help I will do it, I want this to be... I want to fit into your life, not to try to make it fit around me, and so I must persuade your father that I am tolerable." Somehow.

As for the rest, he shrugged with one shoulder again and snorted. "And she is not allowed to adopt me, that would be awkward don't you think?"  

[BlackFireKitsune]

Ah s**t, why did his dad have to be like this? After everything he'd been through, Zevran deserved to be happy and not worry about bullshit like this, and yet here they were. It wasn't fair. Abel gave his love a squeeze and pressed another kiss to his cheek. "And I'm yours. I'll always be yours, no matter what anyone thinks or says, my dad included. You already fit perfectly in my life - the best part of it, even - so don't worry about going out of your way to make my dad like you, okay? He'll come around one way or another anyway." He just hoped that happened sooner rather than later, and without any major issues or arguments.

"And I'll just let you try to win that argument with Mom, because she'd adopt everyone if she could, whether officially or unofficially. She's already adopted Taavi, so I have no doubt you're next on her list. Not that I blame her of course," he added with a smirky smile and gave his boyfriend another fond squeeze, "you're so precious and adorable."  

[TawnyAngel]

Zevran smiled slightly and closed his eyes in pleasure as Abel pressed his lips to his cheek. "I believe you," he said softly, opening his eyes again to look out over the ranch. "I just wish that this was easier. After everything that's happened lately... It would just be nice for something to work out without any trouble. Still," he gave Abel a slight squeeze, "it will work out, as you say." Hopefully. Hopefully soon.

"And I will win that argument," he continued in lighter tones and with a smirk, turning his head a little so that he could look up at Abel out of the corner of one eye. "If she did that we would be brothers, and I am willing to try many things Abel but that is not one of them! Instead, she will have to wait for us to get married," he joked, snorting at the absurdity of the idea of him getting married. It was a nice thing for normal people to do but for him? Impossible to imagine.  

[BlackFireKitsune]

"Mmh, I wish it was too," Abel agreed before he sighed softly. Why couldn't this be easier? Why did everything always have to be so difficult or complicated? "It'd be nice if things could just... be easy for once, yeah. But yeah, it'll work out." One way or another, eventually. He still hoped it happened sooner rather than later though.

It was Abel's turn to smirk. "I wouldn't try it either! But Mom won't want to wait that long," because he couldn't imagine ever getting married, married life wasn't for him, it never was and never would be, "about one visit's all she'll wait. And besides, her unofficially adopting you won't change anything about our relationship except for the fact she'll want me to bring you back to visit all the time. Just you try and win that argument with her though; if you think I'm stubborn, wait 'til you see where I got it from."

...why wasn't married life for him, if it was with Zev?  

[TawnyAngel]

"Forever is a long time to wait," Zevran agreed with a brief chuckle, and then he poked Abel in the ribs on principle at the absurd idea. "But if it's unofficial I suppose I don't mind especially if it means visiting her and eating her cooking more often, that was a good sandwich. Stubbornness," he grinned and shifted slightly against Abel, "I save it up. Most of the time it's easier to go with the flow." If somebody was really determined to have their way it was seldom worth fighting them about it; much better to let them win, and if it did matter to try to find a way around them rather than pushing back head on. In this case however he didn't mind at all....

Was it really so absurd? People who loved one another, who wanted to spend their lives together, got married didn't they? But it was so... Normal. Anyway, Abel didn't seem interested in the idea either so it wasn't important.  

[BlackFireKitsune]

"Forever is a long time to wait," he agreed a tad absently, and moved one hand to gently catch the finger that poked his ribs. Once he'd caught it he twined his fingers through Zevran's and lifted their linked hands so he could press a soft, lingering kiss to his palm. Why forever? Why couldn't he? He'd sworn off such an idea years ago, but then again he'd sworn off dating too, and here he sat now, happily dating a man - another thing he'd thought he'd never do - without any desire to end their relationship anytime soon. Preferably never. Couples who wanted to stay together forever generally got married; it was the logical next step.

So why not?

...s**t, Zevran had said a lot more words than that. What else had he said? Something about a sandwich, and they'd been talking about his mother adopting him, so that was probably related. Probably. "Mom makes excellent sandwiches, and lots of other recipes, though I still refuse to pick between hers or yours so I don't doom myself either here or back home," he added with a bit of a smirk, his voice back to its usual warm tones as he pushed thoughts of marriage aside. Zevran didn't seem too interested in the idea in any case, so the point was entirely moot. "But she's always loved whenever we brought friends over, or partners and the like. She loves to basically adopt whoever she can, and I remember more than one occasion where she went out for groceries and came back with a pokemon she found. She'd do the same with people if she could, I'm sure," the blond added with a chuckle. It wasn't like he did the exact same thing or anything. "But you know I'm the same way; it's a lot easier to just go along with things more often than not, especially when the other person's really stubborn about whatever it is."  

[TawnyAngel]

Yes, it was a silly idea after all. So sentimental! Neither he nor Abel had any use for such things.

"Ah, very sensible on your part," Zevran smirked and squeezed Abel's fingers. "I am relieved to find that she likes me in person so far, you can never be sure... And there's another thing you have learned from her eh? How many of us have you brought home now?" He was lucky, so lucky, that he had run into Abel that rainy day. Luckier still that they had got to know one another, gone to that fair together, survived everything life had thrown at them.... And Taliesen had not. s**t.

"Well, while we are out here why don't you point out some of the sights and tell me what trouble you've got into around them in the past!"

Rather later, and after a rather delicious though rather awkward dinner Zevran loitered in the kitchen doorway, Joanna's gift held tucked under one arm wrapped up in brown paper. Strangely he found himself feeling a little nervous, not that she wouldn't like it but that she would react in a way he wasn't sure how to deal with. He glanced at Abel to reassure himself, the sight of Abel was always reassuring, and then stepped into the room. "Knock knock!" he said cheerfully. "Joanna, did you want to know what the surprise was?"  

[BlackFireKitsune]

...Zevran made a good point, how many pokemon - or people - had he brought home that had needed help? Some number he wasn't sure of, but either way he was more than happy to hold his love and to point out various spots of the ranch and relate amusing or embarrassing stories about them.


After dinner, his father and Aaron had headed back outside while Joanna had retreated to the kitchen to put leftover food away and clean up the dishes. Abel gave his boyfriend a warm, encouraging smile and reached out to gently touch the small of his back. Sincerity wasn't something Zevran felt too comfortable with, he knew quite well, and the taller blond had every intention of supporting it fully whenever he could. Zev could be an absolute sweetheart when he tried, and sometimes when he didn't.

At her guest's verbal knocking Joanna straightened up after putting a couple dirty plates in the dishwasher and beamed over at Zevran. "I do! I've been very curious about it ever since you mentioned it earlier."  

[TawnyAngel]

Zevran didn't acknowledge Abel's light touch but he hoped that he knew he appreciated it all the same. "Ah, of course," he chuckled as he crossed the room slowly to sit at the kitchen table. "Curiosity killed the cat, but satisfaction brought it back." As he spoke Zevran placed the brown paper package on the table and pushed it towards Joanna. "This is," he gestured at it almost dismissively, "a small token of thanks for having me in your home, and part of it is also an activity for a little later in our stay! I hope you will like it."

Inside the package was the result of many hours of careful work. The book was rustic looking, its cover was brown paper rather like the package it was wrapped in but the pages within were smooth and had taken well to ink and paint. The first page said 'Recipes for Joanna, from Zevran' in large neatly curling script. About half of the subsequent pages bore a neatly written recipe illustrated in coloured pencil and livened up by amusing comments, observations, and short anecdotes through the method section.  

[BlackFireKitsune]

Abel followed after his boyfriend and quietly sat down in a chair beside him, content to watch with a warm smile on his face. While he was quite sure his mom would love the gift, he wanted to see just how she'd react to it, and what Zevran would think of that reaction.

After closing the dishwasher up Joanna grabbed a dish towel to wipe her hands off on, then hastened over to the table, beaming brightly still. "That's so sweet of you dear, you really didn't need to get anything for me. I'm sure I'll love it," she assured him confidently, though her bright gaze was already wholly focused on the simple packaging covering the gift. She remained standing as she pulled the package closer, inspected the brown paper wrapped around it for a moment before she started to carefully remove it. Curiosity reigned in her expression both before and after she uncovered the book - the fact it was a book didn't surprise her, but the lack of any lettering to indicate its contents did a little bit - but the moment she opened it to the first neatly lettered page her eyes gleamed and she said somewhat breathlessly, "oh." Quickly she turned to the first of the recipes. Her colorful eyes widened as she skimmed over amounts and instructions and methods, comments and pictures, drinking in every detail of the first page, then the next, then the next. Tears welled up in her eyes as she did so. "Oh honey, it's beautiful," she murmured, her voice soft and taut with emotion after those first few pages, and she pulled her hands away from the book to turn and pull Zevran into a hug - carefully, gently - and went on, smiling brightly despite the tears that started to slide down here cheeks, "come here. Thank you so much dear, you're such a sweetheart."  

[TawnyAngel]

...She definitely liked it.

Zevran returned the hug after a couple of moments of uncertainty and laughed briefly because he didn't really know what else to do. "I am glad you like it! I thought it apt given how we started to get to know one another... ah... and I hope it is useful, and amusing." He struggled enough to be sincere with Abel sometimes, dealing with it in other people was entirely foreign. Should he have said something less... less light? Less jovial? And when did the hugging stop? He didn't object exactly, he just felt as though he didn't know the rules. He didn't have a problem with breaking rules of course, but one should do so knowingly rather than out of ignorance!  

[BlackFireKitsune]

"I love it!" She corrected him without hesitation, beaming happily still as she gave him a fond squeeze and kissed the top of his head before letting him go and eagerly flipping through the pages again. "You said it's also an activity though -- does that mean there's empty pages to fill out? That we can both fill out?"