#jarvaazim

Maraas continued walking, the ascent to Skyhold seeming all the more daunting with a huge Vashoth clinging to his back. “You know, I’m starting to think that hit you took to the head wasn’t as bad as you made it out to be. No man with a concussion could talk as much crap as you do, Jarv.”

“Insultin’ a man with a head wound. Real big of ye, Maraas. Didna realise ye were the kind of man t’ kick another when he’s down.”

“Only when he’s a giant dickhead.” Maraas spoke the words through a shameless grin, turning to regard his friend. “Can I just emphasise the giant part for a second here? I mean, you know you’re taller than me, right?”

“Aye.”

“Makes this pretty hard.”

“Tha’ it does.”

“Glad to see that concerns you.” Snorting, Maraas continued winding his way up the hill with his precious cargo. “You know I’m taking you straight to the healer’s right?”

Jarvaazim stiffened. “Like shit ye are!”

Sensing he had touched a nerve, Maraas kept prodding. “Well, I mean, if you can’t even balance well enough to walk, that’s probably something to be worried about. Wouldn’t want you to drop dead once I leave you alone.” He paused pointedly. “Or… you could prove that you’re fine, and I won’t say another word about it.”

There was a long, significant silence. Maraas’ boots crunched over the mixture of stone and slurry that carpeted their way up into the mountains.

“Fuck, fine. Put me down.”

A victorious smile spread across Maraas’ face. 

“Oh, well… if you insist.”

“Lazy bastard.”

“Lying asshole.”

They paused at that, weighing up the other’s insult. 

Townspeople made way for them, washerwoman scurrying aside and pulling small children along. As much as he loved being out at sea, seeing nothing but the vast expanse of water all around him, sometimes it was nice to come on land for a while – one of the main reasons being his favorite tavern here, where they served the best roast and the finest ale. He'd always had a fondness for Antivan brews.

The sun was barely up but already the tavern was over halfway full, filled with people enjoying some early morning socializing before work. The tavern's heavy door opened with a creak and Jarvaazim stepped inside, briefly glancing around and nodding at the barkeep, who simply nodded back.

“Dis place reeks of 'orse shit.”

“Yer delicate Orlesian nose canna handle the genuine fragrance of my favorite tavern, Larue? Shame.” Jarvaazim flashed a smirk over his shoulder as he weaved around the tables and chairs with a grace one wouldn't expect from a man his size. “Feel free t' go back t' the ship if it's too much for ye.”

Larue's curled bushy mustache twitched and for a moment he seemed to seriously contemplate it, but then he shrugged and swiped a hand through his hair and down the long black braid. “You said the ale 'ere is better than the fabulous sweet wine made in the Heartlands. I still call bullshit. It is not possible.”

“Eh, ye'll squeak differently soon enough. Try it.” Larue had only signed on a few months ago, a disgraced ex-chevalier who'd been down on his luck, and he'd never been to this part of Antiva before. Antiva City, full of splendor, yes, but not a shit town like Afsaansa. It was high time he learned what it was really like.

There was another empty table near the back, next to a table where a human and a dwarf sat playing cards. Jarvaazim dragged a chair back and flopped down with a jingle of trinkets, the wood creaking dangerously under his weight. “Dinna look so sour, Larue. Live a little!” He gestured to the remaining chairs and the disgruntled Orlesian slowly took his seat, joined by the two dwarven sisters who exchanged silent glances.

“Time t' drop that stuck-up Orlesian attitude and learn t' enjoy what life has to offer now that yer free t' do so.”

Larue still didn't look convinced but said nothing as the qunari across of him raised his hand and snapped his fingers. Within seconds a barmaid appeared at their table, wiping her hands on her stained apron. She fished a small notebook and a pencil out of her apron's pocket and held it up, the tip hovering over paper and she smiled sweetly. “What can I get ya gents?” she asked, her smile widening as Larue's mustache twitched again, his face beginning to redden, pointedly staring at the cheap candle on their table.

“Four ale and... whatever ye'd recommend. The special perhaps.”

“Coming right up, ser.” she sauntered away and Larue turned in his seat, watching her go. Jarvaazim leaned closer, voice dropping to a whisper though his fanged smirk bordered on vicious. “I'm sure if ye ask, she'll say yes. Like I said, live a little.”

Lyrene appeared almost out of nowhere, sniping Ralon with asnowball to the back of the head, knocking the man forward indignantly. Helanded in the snow face-first, his rear in the air, arms sprawled out in frontof him as the archer let out a thrilled laugh, skipping from where she had concealedherself behind a snow-covered fence. “Less talking, more throwing, your Majesty,” she jeered playfully as Ralon extractedhimself from the snow. But the Antivan did not rise, instead succumbing to afit of laughter, flopping onto his back and covering his face with one glovedhand in mock-shame.

Darren, who had been running around dodging snowballs tossedby some of the other off-duty soldiers, came to a breathless halt when henoticed Hanin standing in the doorway. His face immediately coloured and,puffing, he tucked his hand behind his back, snowball melting into his glove. “S-Sir!I, ah… we were just… um…”

“Come to piss on the parade, sir?” Cyrus asked. He waslounging against the wall of one of the buildings, a pile of pre-rolled snowballsbeside him, clearly content to just peg them at anyone foolish enough toventure too close. Connors sat beside him, dutifully rolling snowball aftersnowball, seemingly content with the task. The dark haired man cocked his head,smirking. “Huh. I figured your allergies would be playing up, what with peoplehaving fun so close-by.”

“I was working,” Hanin replied, still a little caughtoff-guard by the scale of the conflict taking place in the courtyard. Were those… forts on the far side? “Writingreports.”

“Oh…” Darren dropped his snowball and dusted off his gloveanxiously. “You were? Are we being too loud? Maker, I said we shouldn’t do this here…”

“C’mon, it’s the only place with enough room for us all,”Lyrene countered with a pout, wandering over to Darren and slinging her armaround the boy’s shoulders. “Stop acting like you killed somebody, yeah? We’lljust keep it down a bit.” She turned her attention towards Hanin. “That alrightby you, sir?”

Hanin thought on it for a moment… but Darren’s hopeful gaze,peeking out from beneath snow-tousled hair, was enough to break even thestrongest of wills. So, despite his earlier convictions, Hanin just grunted,leaning against the doorframe. Folding his arms, he regarded the group. “Verywell, then.” Darren let out a gasp of delight, Lyrene grinning and laughing aswell, but Hanin raised his hand to silence them. “On one condition.”

“Knew it was too good to be true,” Ralon noted with a sigh,having composed himself and moved to stand with Lyrene and Darren. “What’s itgonna be? Silence? No running?”

Hanin’s gaze flicked between the three members of his squad,then over to Cyrus and Connors, then over to the distant forts on the otherside of the courtyard. “Whose forts are those?”

Ralon frowned, and all of the Dawn Squad turned to regardthe two forts. “Riegler’s squad’s on the right, I think,” he said after amoment. “Yeah… that looks like Sanson and Naria.” Murmurs of agreement rose fromthe others. “The one on the left is Maraas’ and Jarvaazim’s.” Ralon snorted. “Ain’tno one getting into that fort.” Then,slowly, the group turned back to look at Hanin.. “Uh… what about them, sir?”

Confused, they all gazed at Hanin. The warrior, so bitterbefore, so angry, let the momentstretch for a time… then a smirk tugged up the corner of his lips.

“You have half an hour to take one of them.”

“Shit, those kids really don’t let up, do they?” Maraas letout a booming roar, hefting a large snowball in one hand, then leaped up,hurled it over the wall of the fort and sending it crashing into Darren, whowas quite literally knocked flat by the impact. His squadmates immediatelyrushed to cover him, pelting Maraas with counter-snowballs, and the largeVashoth ducked back down again, tossing his head back and laughing. Unrestrained.Fun. This was surprisingly fun. Heglanced across at his teammate, and snorted in amusement. “You wanna share someof those, partner?”

Jarvaazim, who had a veritable mountain of snowballs by his side, cocked a brow at Maraas, handsalready working another clutch of loose power into a tight sphere. “Sure. When you stop wastin’ all ourartillery.” He flashed a wicked grin. “Rate you’re goin’, we’ll be out in halfa minute, easy.”

Again, Maraas just succumbed to laughter, shifting to movecloser to Jarvaazim. “Aw, c’mon. Don’t you want to see me floor some of Hanin’sducklings? It’s pretty fun once y—OOF!”

Sadly, sometimes being a Qunari was a distinct tacticaldisadvantage, and Maraas failed to keep his head low enough, copping a directhit, then another in rapid succession, thrown by Lyrene and Darren. However, seeing thedelight on the kid’s face at having actually hit him, Maraas made a big show of falling over, vanishing behindthe wall and groaning loudly, as if dazed. There, lying in the snow, he grinnedas he heard Darren’s delighted laughter and the sound of high-fiving drift overthe fort’s wall. “Reckon Hanin’ll have them cleaning out the stables later forslacking off?” Maraas asked Jarvaazim amiably, tilting his head towards his snow-sculpting teammate. Thepirate hummed, an amused smirk flickering across his lips. Maraas watched the expression appreciatively. Good lips, those...

“Sure. If they lose.” Jarvaazim hefted a perfect snowball in his hand, inspecting it for a moment as thoughit were a work of art, then launched to his feet. “Avast! I may be a man down,but ye’ll never take this fort!” He hurled his snowball, then another, catchingRalon and Cyrus this time. Then, Jarvaazim grinned, snagging a third snowballand aiming it at the pile Connors was building. It smashed into it, scatteringthe carefully moulded snow, earning shouts of dismay from the Dawn Squad astheir supply was ransacked. Triumphant and satisfied, Jarvaazim crouched backdown behind the wall, then tossed a wink to the still-prone Maraas. “Got ‘emgood that time. See? It’s all about tactics.”

“Yeah, yeah, tactics. Huh….”Maraas let out a sigh, his gaze slipping away for a moment to watch the clouds.Then it flicked back, a frown playing across his face. “You’ve uh… got a littlesomething. On your nose.”

Jarvaazim blinked, surprised by the sudden announcement, andreached up, brushing his fingers over his face. “What? Where? Did I get it?”

“Nah, still there.”

Frustrated, Jarvaazim swiped again, then turned towardsMaraas. “Now?”

“Nope. Missed it again.” When Jarvaazim groaned and cursed,Maraas just grinned, gesturing. “C’mere. I’ll get it, you big baby.”

“Ay, says the one who wanted to come play pretend with thekids,” Jarvaazim shot back, although both Vashoth’s tones remained playful. He shuffledover, proving wiser than Maraas and keeping lower than the wall. “All right. Goon, then. Go get i—mmph!”

Without further ado, Maraas reached up, snagged the scarfbundled around Jarvaazim’s neck, and tugged the pirate down for a kiss,catching his lips with his own, smiling as he pressed himself hard against theother man. Jarvaazim pulled back on instinct at first, then let out a grunt ofamusement, leaning into the moment once he realised what was going on. Afterall, he was down there now. Might as well make it worth the trip.

“You’re such a shit,” he informed Maraas once they brokeapart, air steaming between them as their breath mingled with the cold. Themercenary just laughed, a deep, wholesome sound, hand still tangled inJarvaazim’s scarf.

“Maybe,” he agreed after a moment, grinning, “but it keepsthings interesting. Where’s the fun in playing by the rules, right?”

Jarvaazim considered Maraas for a moment, then succumbed tohis trademark smirk. Shit, Maraas really likedthat smirk. “Sounds like one of my lines,” he mused. “Don’t tell me youactually started listenin’ when Ispeak.”

“Hm? You say something?”

Jarvaazim rolled his eyes and let Maraas tug him down foranother kiss. They hummed against one another’s lips, content despite the coldand despite the water slowly seeping through Maraas’ coat from lying in oneplace for so long. It was an easy thing to ignore, with such a good distraction…

Distraction….

Frowning, Maraas pulled out of the kiss, placing a stillinghand on Jarvaazim’s chest. “Hey… is it real quiet, or—”

Suddenly, the Dawn Squad came careening over the wall,whooping and roaring battle cries, snow trailing behind their coats and boots inan explosion of white as they breached the forts defences and surrounded thepair of Vashoth. “Surrender!” Lyrene declared as they all aimed snowballs atthem. “Or we’ll be forced to… wait…”

Maraas watched in amusement as realisation dawned on each oftheir determined faces, exhilaration turning to confusion turning to understanding.“UGH!” Lyrene abandoned her snowball, vaulting back over the fort wall withreckless abandon, crying, “Nope! Not worth it!” Connors followed, albeitsilently, until only Cyrus, Ralon, and Darren remained. The three young menstared down at the Qunari, who stared back, utterly unperturbed by the untimelyinvasion.

“Well shit, don’t let us stop you or anything,” Cyrus saidwith a smirk, folding his arms. “Was a lot of work getting this far – might as well get a showfor it.”

“Hm, gotta agree,” added Ralon, nodding sagely. “But eitherway…” He flashed a grin. “We win.”

“We did?” Darren asked, seemingly shocked by the prospect.He was also the only one who remained steadfastly in the confusion stage of the realisation process. But his expressionbrightened nonetheless, and he clutched his snowball close, as though it were aprize. “We won!”

Jarvaazim opened his mouth to argue, but Maraas tugged himdown again, chuckling, keeping his voice low. “Ah, c’mon… let the kid have it.”He released Jarvaazim and sat up, brushing the snow off his coat and raisinghis hands. “All right, all right! You win – we surrender,” he declared loudly,then let out a melodramatic sigh. “Alas. It was a hard battle, but it seems FortHorny has fallen.”

“Oh now that’sdisgusting,” Cyrus declared, wrinkling his nose. “Really?”

“First order of business: renaming Fort Horny,” Ralon announced with a snort of laughter. Darren justblinked, blue eyes flicking between his squadmates and the pair of Vashoth.

“I don’t get it. What’s wrong? It makes sense.” He gesturedwith his melty snowball to Maraas and Jarvaazim. “They both have horns.”

Laughing, Maraas hauled himself to his feet then reachedout, ruffling Darren’s messy blond hair, earning a squeak from the boy. “That’sright. We sure do. Keep up the good work, kid.”

Darren pouted, sensing there was something he was missing,and Jarvaazim stepped forward, draping an arm around Maraas’ shoulders. “Cyrus’llexplain it to ye after, lad,” he declared, then winked at the man in question,whose expression had gone from amused to horrified in a matter of seconds.

“Like hell I will! Ralon, you do it.”

“Whoa, hey, you heard the big guy – it’s your job!”

“This isn’t fair! Can someone please just tell me what I’mmissing? What’s wrong with the name?”

Laughing, Maraas and Jarvaazim exited their fort to the sound of the trio bickering, acceptingdefeat with a surprising amount of grace. “Can’t believe we lost to that lot,”Jarvaazim grumbled as they wandered off towards the tavern, thoughts of thewaiting fire all too alluring. Maraas just hummed, nodding, content with hisarm wrapped around the pirate’s waist.

“Ah, they fought well,” he said. Then, he started to chuckle.Jarvaazim cocked his head, bemused as he regarded Maraas.

“What?” He frowned, then added accusingly. “What did you do?”

“You know that mound of snow at the centre of the fort?”

“Aye. The one you told me not t’ touch.”

Maraas glanced across, eyes glinting, and grinned a wickedgrin. “Let’s just say… I cleaned out thestables earlier.” He gave Jarvaazim a knowing look, then burst intolaughter when he saw the telltale look of horror sweep over the pirate’s face.

“Oh now that’sdisgusting,” he declared, then snorted despite himself. “Well… they’re in for anasty surprise when they go digging around in it.”

Chuckling to himself, Maraas reached out, shoving open thedoor to the tavern as they arrived.