#tevinter circle

12, Cassus, 9.38 Dragon: So, I'm not allowed to mix the potions together for a while again. We'd got off to a good start this time too, mum was telling me all about the herbs we needed and why. She said that she thought if she explained it to me slower that I would start to get it, and I did!!! But when everything was mixed she told me to get another potion off the shelf so we could mix them because, I guess doing that makes this one stronger, or something? Anyway, I did, but then the pot boiled over and the stuff all over the floor, and a bit on her I think. She said I picked the wrong bottle but I was SURE I got the right one! Now I'm not allowed to mix potions for a fortnight! I'm only allowed to help her with gardening stuff again. It's not fair! I know I got it right, I'm gonna check tonight when shes asleep so I can prove it to her. Update: Why do all the potions have such weird spelt names? It's not my fault that two of them have like all the same letters! 1, Parvulis, 9.41 Dragon: Today was my first day at the circle, it's… weird. Dad said it would probably not be nice here y'know with the horns n stuff - but I thought he was probably just being dramatic like he always is. I think he might have been right though… I've tried saying hello, like mum said I should but… everyone just stares at me. I'm around other people for the first time in like ever? But, it still feels as lonely as my bedroom, but like worse? At least my bedroom was my own, and I didn't have every Altus asshole acting like I wasn't welcome here. I'm a mage just like them! I'm Tevene! So why does it feel like this is about to be the longest 6 months of my life? At least I get to go home for a week in Pluitanis I guess. ~ Tysm again for the question! Sorry it took so long, it's been and continues to be a busy week IRL for me so I've not been able to post half as much as I wanted to this week!! D:

Az sat silently, looking down at his plate as he tried to decide which part of dinner he should try and tackle first. The task took a little longer than he would like, not because the options were necessarily bad, just more so that he was still getting used to the food the circle offered it's students.

He had eaten a lot of Tevene food in the past of course, & still did whenever he went home, just like anyone else raised in Tevinter would. But, this version of it felt a bit more… fussy? Anaemic even?

Whenever his mother made stuffed vine leaves, for example, they were served with a deliciously spicy honey sauce and the vine leaves themselves were filled to the brim with rice & fish. The meal was always filling enough that just a few of these could keep you going all day.

Here though, they were filled with rice & the more traditional mince meat, and they were wrapped so tightly that they were practically the same thickness as a cigar. They left you feeling hungry again a few hours later, which Az hated but, probably explained why everyone here seemed to graze all day.

Maybe it was just an Az thing? He did prefer to eat a big meal & then do other things for most of the day before eating again. Maybe they didn't like big meals at the circle? Though, if it was just a preference thing, why did literally not one single other student seem like they also disliked the method?

In all honesty, it was probably just another Qunari thing… yet another reason to throw onto the never ending list of reasons Az was supposedly so 'radically different' from the rest of the circle. So much so, that it apparently warranted his ostracization by his classmates. Well, most of his classmates…

Before he could finish the thought, Az was interrupted by the familiar voice he'd tentatively grown to love hearing during his last few months at the circle.

Looking up from his plate, his eyes' met another's, someone who on his worst nights Az dreamed he could be.

The boy was the prettiest person Az had ever laid his eyes on: he had long flowing black curls that framed his face so perfectly; the most gorgeously olive tinted {& flawlessly smooth} skin, the deepest green eyes he'd ever seen; the most perfect of winged eyeliner; and was almost as tall as Az. Most importantly though, he was human. A human boy.

"Hey Az," the boy spoke, placing his own plate on the table before sitting down across from the Qunari. "How's it going?"

Something about the cadence the boy used when speaking to Az always felt so different from what Az had grown used to. In the circle, people only really ever spoke to Az when necessary, and there was always a hint of malice or fear. Almost as if they were expecting him to suddenly try & start his own miniature version of the Qunari invasion.

This boys voice, however, was always so much more relaxed, like he was genuinely comfortable around Az and maybe even wanted to get to know him & hear what he had to say. It always came across like he was speaking to a friend, someone he actually considered a peer or… a person.

It left Az desperately missing their conversations whenever they weren't around one another.

It also made him feel light headed whenever they did speak to each other. Something that was only exacerbated whenever their eyes or hands met and the butterflies & ever looming blush tried to push past his collar & onto his cheeks.

It took a while but, over time Az did get pretty good at rerouting those thoughts to more productive ones.

Well, that was until the nights where he lay awake envious of his friend's life slowly twisted into nights spent envious of those around his friend. Those that got to touch him… to kiss him… to feel him…

After that, his feelings were much harder to ignore.

"Uh… Az?" The voice repeated, shaking the thoughts from Az's mind.

"R-ren! Hey!" Az choked out, his hand scrambling slightly to find his drink. "Sorry, what were you saying?"

Ren smiled again at Az & picked up a piece of Nevarran flat bread from his own plate as he spoke, "I was just wondering how you were? You seem a little, far away today. Haven't been smiling as much whenever I've seen you between classes."

Az grabbed his glass of water, as the blush crept a little further up his neck again when he realised that his… friend, was possibly paying closer attention to Az than he had thought. At least enough attention to actually notice something so small.

"Oh, yeah. I'm okay thanks, just… same old same old. Y'know?" Az mumbled into his glass, embarrassed.

Ren's face seemed to shift at this, his eyes narrowing as his lips twisted into a frown.

"Is it…?"

"Oh, no!" Az laughed slightly, trying & failing to reassure his friend, "well… kind of but- it's fine really!"

"You shouldn't let people treat you the way they do," Ren continued, pointing a piece of tzatziki covered flat bread in Az's direction.

Az snorted in spite of himself, "And do what exactly? What tutor is going to stick their neck out for the 'Ox-girl' exactly?"

Ren took a bite of the flatbread, pausing momentarily as he chewed his food, a mixture of both frustration & uncertainty etched into his features. Though, after a few seconds of this, he swallowed the bite & quickly perked up in his seat.

"I'll see if my dad can get some of my schedule moved around, that way we'll be in more of the same classes! " The boy almost yelled excitedly, "And then, I'll be there to tell them to eat Venhedis if anyone starts anything! And I'll make sure that none of the tutors try call you a 'girl' again."

Az also perked up at the thought, it would be hilarious watching those magisters kids get put in their place by one of their own. And it would be nice to get to experience at least a smidge of respect the other trans kids got. It might be even nicer getting to spend more time with Ren… But…

"You can't," Az answered, deflated. "That's really not fair on you, I know you like your classes-"

"They're the same classes Az!" Ren retorted.

"But, your friends aren't in mine-"

"Okay, Az now you're just being ridiculous." Ren laughs, rolling his eyes as he spoke.

"I am not!" Az protests, his eyebrows knitting together in annoyance.

"You are! Come on, think about it: What friends do I have other than you, really? And before you start, anyone you could even argue are my "friends" aren't even in my current classes anyway, remember? Plus…" Ren slid his free hand across the table, grabbing Az's & squeezing it tightly. "You're the only one I care about here… I want to help."

Az's eyes widen slightly at the sentiment, as the blush officially crept its way past his neck & began to burn his cheeks. Normally, he would continue to deny the offer, not wanting to burden his friend but… the way Ren was looking at him right then made him melt. There was so much concern and determination in his eyes, the sight forced an extremely excitable group of butterflies to flutter around in Az's stomach.

A few seconds passed like this, until Az was able to break the spellbinding eye contact the pair had been locked in. In doing so, the Qunari also glanced back down at his plate as he cleared his throat.

"O-oh-kay." Was all Az could mutter out, trying to keep his voice as steady as he could.

Ren smiled brightly again, his thumb grazing across Az's knuckles before he pulled his hand away again, leaving Az's hand feeling unbearably cold.