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wild-houseplant · 2 years

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Hello Plant!!! I found a moment and would like to pose a few questions from the OTP asks. For Rhodri and Zevran:

5. Describe their cozy night in.

8. What happens if one of them gets sick?

30. Your OTP gets to pick out each other's outfits; what is each wearing?

And/or

42. What's their favorite type of weather to enjoy together? (getting snowed in together, watching thunderstorms, etc.)

Please feel free to pick the ones you like and to take as long as you'd like ^^ Lovely even temperatures to you and a spectacular day! And give Rhodri and Zevran all my love ^^

Hello my excellent and superb friend :3 I really appreciate you sending me the ask!! I am greedy and will choose them all, and as I rabbit on and on and on I will be steadily wishing you a very long sequence of perfect days and excellent temperatures.

And, of course, Rhod and Zev send their best love to you. Please keep half an eye on your nearest window; I'm told they had a bit of a shopping spree, as is their wont, and gifts are coming your way in untold quantities. I hid my own presents for you in there too, though, so as to bum off their postage. One must get one's money's worth, don't you think?

Under the cut, you know the score. The curse of the waffler! ok but I kid you not, I went all-out on this one. It's seriously long.

5. Describe their cozy night in.

This will be a lengthy answer, my spiffing friend, as there are headcanons galore in here. I humbly offer my condolences and sincere appreciation for your manifold patience! :D

my tl;dr for this is that they might sit and do their own thing together (Zevran will read, play the mandolin and/or sing, cook, and draw; Rhodri will read and enjoy his singing); dancing is also a thing, and Rhodri starts getting a mite... how would you call it... dumping the affection (sfw).

A cosy night in means they've got time alone, because the Callistus-Amell family usually spend evenings together at every possible opportunity, so it'd mean the parents and siblings all have prior engagements.

Not that they're not a cosy bunch, per se. There's plenty of contentment to be had, but they'll often be pretty involved in some activity or another that you couldn't call cosy. Stuff like dancing, taking in a show, attending a gala, paying visits to friends or vice-versa... probably the closest thing they get to cosy would be sitting and chatting-- and lord knows Aurelio and Revka just won't shut up. Factor in the boisterous twins Mazarin and Evander, plus the quieter but still involved Owen and Bethann, and now also Rhodri and Zevran, and the bastards will stay up until all hours. They don't go to bed until the beloved housekeeper politely but firmly shooes them out around daybreak.

One particular thing I think they'd love, if they wanted something really low-key, would be to just sit together and do their own thing.

I think Zevran in particular would really enjoy this avenue because up to now, he's never really had the opportunity to pursue his interests. The Crows were awful, physically and mentally, about people doing what made them happy, and it’s a forbidden pleasure he now-- tentatively-- relishes. He could turn his hand to anything but I can see him being a voracious reader if given the chance. He also seems to dabble a lot in arty things (tattoo artistry, dance, the mandolin, etc.), which is frankly perfect since the Callistus-Amell bunch are great patrons of the arts, both in Tevinter and Kirkwall.

So now, with an entire library, more comfy chairs than you can shake a packet of peanuts at, and basically anything else his heart desires, Zevvo can park himself beside/on/against Rhodri and devour a pile of books, or practice the mandolin or some other instrument, do some sketching... gosh, he could do whatever he pleased. To actually have the means to pursue what he enjoys, and to actually have that encouraged by Rhodri and the family means more to him than he can find the words for. Better still, it’s not only encouraged but modelled by the rest of the family, and so he treasures the times where he and Rhod can sit together and feed their interests, and share them without fear of something awful coming from the other.

Also, not to be ridiculous, but I hc that he has a very pleasant singing voice- somewhere between baritone and tenor, I can't quite decide, but absolutely splendid vibrato either way- and if he's in the mood to have Rhodri rocking them hard enough to tip the chair over backwards, he'll take the ol' vocal cords out for a spin. Happens more often than we’d think.

As for Rhodri, she's usually reading or writing. Creative outlets done by someone's own hand are limited for Tevinter Altus. The HC here is that the Altus place such high value on convenience that they hire other people to do just about everything for them. It's a lot of work to learn to play an instrument well, or draw well, or act, or anything really. Dancing and maybe designing their own outfits would be about the limit. Maybe crafting stupendous insults to whip out in the Magisterium. Nothing beyond that, though. In practice, this means that if they want something arty, they'll hire someone for that. A singer, an artist, an actor. It's small change for them. If they’re good at it themselves, it’s by sheer miracle.

(It's been that way for ages; many Vints are under the impression that it's the same in other countries. To this day, Rhodri's father Aurelio is convinced that her mother Revka, who is a classically-trained singer, was naturally born with a beautiful voice. He has often taken umbrage to accusations (in Revka's absence, of course) that this is untrue, and swears on his own grave that his wife has never taken a music lesson in her life. Revka has no idea he is under this impression. It's gorgeous oblivion.)

They might dance!

Both of them are great on their feet and love to tear up the dance floor. The Antivan dancing style tends to be a little lacking in modesty compared to the Tevinter approach (think bachata vs. zouk, respectively), which means it's best kept for home. Better for if they're feeling energetic.

Zevran could get seized by a Fast and Ridiculous Mood. Or Rhodri could.

As it says on the tin. What usually happens is one of them ponders something absurd (e.g. 'how hard would it be to recreate a raincloud indoors?' 'will a stack of 250 pancakes weigh more than me?'). Really weird shit, and they ponder it aloud. The other one hears it and gets a wild look in their eye, and next minute you've got the love child of Jackass and Mythbusters unfolding as they get to the bottom of it.

Massage and Tevinter gestures of appreciation (SFW)

Rhod's nowhere near as good at massage as Zevran- at least initially, but has anyone else ever offered him so much as a back rub? Not on your life. She's not awful at it, just amateurish, but Zevran enjoys it all the same. Sometimes he can persuade Rhodri to let him give her one, even though it's "not his job" to do something nice for his stupid wife. Rhodri is a damned fool. Usually if he explains it's for teaching purposes, or to keep his skills current, she's much more amenable. Both are true, and they're the more palatable truths.

Rhodri's also very hung up on showing Zevran that they are equals and that she doesn't consider herself above him in any way. This is especially the case once they're back in Tevinter and it becomes quite clear that she could, in theory, exercise a lot of unfair power over him.

With that in mind, in comes my last headcanon for this question: in Tevinter and Antiva, and parts of Rivain, the feet were once-- and in some contexts still are-- considered a dirty part of the body. Kissing or washing someone's feet are the most significant displays of deference, reverence, and respect in all three nations. Unfortunately, most of the time it's done by slaves who are forced to show submission to their masters, and it's often done in public.

Now, I hope it goes without saying that Rhodri would rather display things like reverence and respect to Zev through everyday behaviour- actually asking for his opinion before reaching a decision together; doing her best to give him whatever reasonable thing he wants; checking in on him; fixing his problems wherever she can and looking ahead to anticipate what he might need, often at cost (often small, but) to her energy and time for herself. Things that actually have an impact on your life, and are petty much what her father would expect of his heir.

But these things are what she considers to be displays of genuine care for someone’s wellbeing, and tender as they might be to onlookers, she doesn’t attach too much emotional significance to them. Certainly she does them lovingly, and out of love, but also out of moral obligations. She performs them almost reflexively, because she has spent her whole life doing it and doesn’t know any different. The result of this is that they come at minimal emotional cost to her.

At the complete opposite end of this, for Rhodri at least, is feet-washing. Showing your love is one thing; showing the extent of it is quite another. There’s no practical reason to wash Zevran’s feet; he is a fastidiously clean man, and his feet are rarely dirty, especially indoors. The only real purpose to being sat down as someone gets on their knees and tenderly washes your clean feet in fragrant water is a symbolic one. And culturally speaking, a Magister kissing or washing the feet of anyone is unheard of, except perhaps for their parents, or the Archon. Her doing it to him is just bananas by Vint standards. Actually, to an outsider it's probably closer to embarrassing because it's so implausible as to seem gauche, if not outright mockery.

But Rhodri does mean it. She’s completely, deadly serious every single time, because as far as she’s concerned, this is the most truthful (and emotionally costly) way of conveying to Zevvo how highly she thinks of him and treasures him, and how she sees herself in relation to him. Rhod’s not given to talking about her emotions. Her father didn’t allow it with anyone but him, and she finds words to be frustratingly inadequate. (In fact, she was extremely distressed about one of the last letters she sent to Zevran while they were apart; he had asked her if she missed him and she considered her response woefully understated, and upon their reunion in Kirkwall, bypassed greetings and kissed his feet in front of a very astonished Fenris, Isabela, Varric, and Cousin Tank).

So in practice, expressing the depth of this particularly strong one, even to Zevran, is like offering herself up on a platter. Especially in her case, because in her heart of hearts, she’s such a proud person, and painfully aware that whatever she does could easily be interpreted as hyperbole. In Kinloch Hold, she was roundly mocked for her rather jarring honesty (among other things), and the embarrassment of having something as tender and privately valued as the depth of her affections being mistaken for dramatics, well. I think it would be more than she could stand, and she’d never do it again. But hey, it was explained to Zevran the first time, gravely and in a very soft, embarrassed voice, and the importance was understood immediately.

And better still, Zevran relishes it. He wasn’t sure what he’d think of it at first, since it’s a rather unexpected gesture (by his standards). But yanno, Rhodri’s ‘moral obligation’ loving gestures shocked and awkward-ed the hell out of him for an entire year, and he ended up feeding off them, so. By the time his shoes were off he was convinced, and the bugger swan-dived into the affection like a hog into the trough. He sees the change that comes over her whenever they do it, and since he’s the one usually doing the opening-up emotionally, it feels good to be on the other end for a whole host of reasons. He’s encouraging and appreciative in that gentle way he has, and so she keeps offering.

Anyway, on a night in, she'll probably ask to wash his feet at the end of the evening, and he’ll accept with alacrity. The added bonus of this, of course, is that Tevinter nights are often quite warm. Even without all the humble-adoring-devoted symbolism shit, cool water on the feet before bed is the Good Stuff.

8. What happens if one of them gets sick?

Oh, it's resolved pretty quick for Zevvo. Though Rhod's not as good of a healer as her younger twin siblings, she's a dab hand at anaesthesia- both in the sense of taking away pain and sedation. Zevran's never out of sorts for too long with her to hand, and once Mazarin and Evander bustle in with some foul-tasting cure-all, the matter is resolved before the hour's out. If it takes longer, Rhodri appoints herself as both his nurse and his doctor, and keeps a close eye on him. Most of his issues are chronic, and they have detailed plans from top healers on how to manage them, so she's quick to leap into action and get him as comfy as soon as she can.

Rhod's not so good at being unwell, unfortunately. Not on her own. There are a lot of things that make her uncomfortable in everyday life. Loud noises, certain fabrics, tight shoes, weird temperatures... it's all go in Autism Land. Usually, the way illness manifests in her is that her skin aches. Just a full-body oversensitivity. Light touches are especially painful; clothes or skin glancing over skin are agony. She can't get comfortable; it's always at the forefront of her mind, and it's so distracting that she can't always puzzle out what the bloody problem is before a meltdown is imminent.

Zevran, bless him, only needed to witness this once; now he can spot it from a mile away. Once she starts trying to straitjacket herself with her robes, or she flinches when he touches her, he'll let her know his suspicion that she's not well and she'll arrange for the healer. Even knowing why she's uncomfortable helps, but sparing her pride by letting her sort it out herself is a kindness that she appreciates so much. He'll help out if the pain is stopping her from getting it done, or get her father to do it, but most of the time that's not necessary. Smart feller, that Zevvo.

30. Your OTP gets to pick out each other's outfits; what is each wearing?

Somewhat unsure, I tried to ask Rhodri what she'd do for Zevran, and she flat-out refused to participate. As far as she's concerned, it's not an appropriate thing to do when elves are commodified for their looks and have had very little agency over their bodies in general. On top of that, in the event her outfit selection deviated from any of Zevran’s own personal style preferences, she would be horrified if he started doing that thing just to please her. She wasn’t having a bar of Zevran’s gentle reassurances that that wouldn’t happen if she didn’t want it to. If we can put that all aside and delve into her reptile brain, though, where such notions float around unformed and certainly unsaid, she'd probably kit him out in the flowy Antivan shirts he's fond of, in the very finest silks. Complements his shoulders, and better still if it’s tucked in to show off his waistline. The shirt's probably in a jewel colour- purple is my first guess. Tan breeches made of top-notch Antivan leather, and boots of the same, rounded off with an embossed leather belt. Jewellery, especially gold and with precious stones, would be worn generously- possibly more than Zevran would usually wear. (Rhod's got the most awful weak spot for seeing him wear finery that he enjoys, and sometimes she does just take it a little further than necessary). Fingers, toes, ears, neck, wrists-- a nose ring, if he fancies... hell, if he’ll let someone weave filigree gold chain into his braids, it’ll be done.

Zevran has absolutely no problem with kitting Rhodri out for the day, mostly because he knows she wouldn't wear anything she didn't want to, so if he chose something out of the ordinary and she wanted to wear it to please him, it'd have to please her as well. (he sighs and quietly wishes she'd feel the same in regard to him, but what can one do?)

That said, what he’d want choose for her outfit isn’t something she tends to wear any more. As a child, she absolutely did, and the rest of her family certainly dress in it now, but her own pair is much simpler than theirs: traditional Tevinter loungewear. He’d kit her out in an exquisite robe made of Imperial vestment cotton, in peacock green, royal blue, or deep red with gold chain detailing around the seams. It’d be a short-ish wraparound robe that came to the hips or mid-thigh paired with matching pants and a pair of soft shoes.

If Rhodri were really willing to humour him, Zevran would go ham accessorising her, too. Earrings, chain finger rings, cuff bracelets, one of those decorative headchains... she wouldn’t look out of place on the front cover of Lonely Planet: Tevinter edition.

42. What’s their favourite type of weather to enjoy together? (getting snowed in together, watching snowstorms, etc.)

Ahhh, you know what? They’re tropical babies. The year in Ferelden (plus the other twelve in Kinloch Hold for Rhodders), was spent missing the humid afternoon weather. The hot day in both Minrathous and Antiva City builds all through the morning and midday into a swelter, clouds gather, and the air is heavy and exhausting. People who can wangle it will take cover with a cool drink and good company (book or person), or a bed, and spend the next hour enjoying the flash of relief as the rain clears out the humidity and the thunder/lightning gives them something to watch.

Rhodri and Zevran make time to enjoy it together as often as they possibly can, often daily. Usually, especially since she was cured of the Taint, Rhodri’s pretty dozy by this point in the day, and Zevran won’t say no to extra rest either, so they’ll often take the opportunity to sprawl out on a day bed in the observatory or, when the heat’s especially oppressive, outside undercover. Say a few words, knock back a cool drink, and then drift off to sleep. What more could a person want?

#First off: apologies for the length because WOW this was a long one even for me!#But thank you so much for the ask! I have been mulling this one over for months and finally finished it up today #You spoil me ^_^#rhodri amell #askin' games #holy god some of this was awkward to write though #I think I was channeling Rhodri's mortification #secondhand embarrassment haha #she does her best though god bless her #and Zevvo's a good egg who does his best too #that's about all someone can do really #they muddle along together ok I think

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