Pairing: Zevran/Fenris (Background Fenris/Zevran/Hawke).
Rating: E
Word count: 2,078
Where Fenris’ past made him sharp, covered him in armour that’s all rough edges and spines, Zevran learned to be an easy lover. To add honey to his touch and to his words.
Fenris does not wish for honey now.
***
Zevran fought beside them at the Battle of Kirkwall. Then he left with Isabela on a ship, and they have not heard from him since. Not until he seeks the Inquisition's aid when evading the Crows, leading him to the Western Approach, and leading him to cross paths with Hawke and Fenris again.
Part of a series of vignettes focused on Ash Hawke, Fenris and Zevran's relationship.
An Archive of Our Own, a project of the
Organization for Transformative Works
Also Ruby totally does a boudoir photoshoot for Percy as a wedding present 👀
I feel like Leo is a shutterbug and he probably helped out, but he got kind of weirdly shy about it because it's one thing to casually see your guy BFF's butt in the locker room but taking photos of one of your girl BFFs dolled up in fancy lacy underwear is a VERY different experience.
He gets over himself, though, because it's cute watching her and Piper flirt with Annabeth and make her blush. the tension-breaking giggle fit helps a lot too.
Phillip has been gone a decade. Can he win back his husband? Will his son ever forgive him? How will the rest of the Osbornes react meeting Phillip and finding out his truth?
_______
Jason took the pins out of his mouth and punched them into the cushion on his workbench. He sat back and looked between both cuffs of the coat he was tailoring.
“How does it feel?” Jason asked his client.
The man looked in the mirror and nodded. “Looks right. And you can have it completed by tomorrow?”
“I most certainly can, your grace.” Jason helped him out of the coat and then hung it on the form behind him. “And the trousers. I will have them delivered upon completion.”
The duke nodded. “Fantastic! Thank you.”
Jason walked him to the door and then set to work on his alterations.
The bell over the door rang and he called, “Be with you just a moment.”
“It’s no hurry.”
Jason looked up. There was something familiar about that voice. His feet were faster than his mind and he seized the man’s hands. Then he dropped them as anger took over him.
“Where the hell have you been, Pippa?” He demanded.
The man cleared his throat and held out a hand for a shake. “Hello, my name is Phillip Osborne.”
Jason looked down at the extended hand and then pushed it away. “Do you know it took me nearly a year to get him not to cry for you at night?”
“I still cry for the both of you.” Phillip admitted softly.
Jason rubbed his face. “That’s not fair, Pippa. You’re the one that left.”
“I had to. You didn’t let me to be me. You couldn’t.” Phillip pulled Jason’s hand from his face. “I missed you. Every day I missed you and Michael. But it wasn’t fair for me to stay and be someone I wasn’t.”
“This is too much, Pippa.” Jason stepped back. “Where-where are you staying?”
Phillip swallowed. “With Anthony, Susan, and Zoe.”
Jason’s head snapped up. “What did you just say?”
The bell over the door rang as Jason’s assistant David came back from deliveries. “Do you need help, Mr. Osborne?”
Phillip stepped toward the door. “I was just leaving.” He was gone before Jason could stop him.
****
It had felt like a knife in his heart every time Jason used the old nickname. He’d introduced himself in the hopes that Jason wouldn’t use it. And he had hoped it would keep him from doing it. Phillip was wrong.
Anthony suggested the shop would be the best place to approach Jason the first time. He wouldn’t be able to run, so Anthony assumed.
Phillip walked into the bookshop and threw his hat down on the chair just inside the door.
Susan looked over a moment from the customer she was assisting and then back. Zoe held Bartholomew’s newest addition in her arms while she spoke with him and his wife in the back of the small shop.
Susan passed the customer to Anthony behind the counter and then walked over to Phillip where he stood in frustration by the door. She put a hand on his arm and gave it a slight squeeze.
“He doesn’t want me here.” Phillip fought the stinging in the back of his eyes. “I mean, I knew he’d be upset at my absence, but I always assumed…” He swallowed and brushed angrily at a tear. “Has Anthony made any shortbread today?”
Susan smiled and rubbed his arm. “Come along, Phil.” She gave a nod to Zoe as they passed.
Phillip couldn’t help but notice the quick brush of Susan’s hand down Zoe’s back. It was a horribly kept secret in the family that Susan and Zoe were lovers. No one ever acknowledged it, but everyone spoke about Susan, Anthony, and Zoe as a unit. And it was easy to spot the fondness that passed between them.
Susan sat a glass of milk and a plate of shortbread in front of a chair and motioned for Phillip to sit. “Tell me.”
Phillip did, nibbling at the pastry.
“So he didn’t exactly shun you,” Susan pointed out.
“But he didn’t welcome me with open arms either.” He brushed crumbs from his hands and took a long drink from the milk. “I suppose he’s justified. Michael is twelve now and I’ve been gone nearly all his life. I left them. I deserve to have him angry with me.”
“Perhaps. But you also deserve a little grace.”
“I expect that from you.” Phillip looked at the rings that adorned each of her hands. Anthony had one similar to the one on her left and Zoe had one matching the right.
Susan twirled the ring on her right hand. “Well, of course. I’m a very learned woman.”
“You know what I mean.”
She sighed. “My respect for you and your situation has nothing to do with mine.”
Anthony poked his head through the door. “Darling? Someone is asking for something and I cannot seem to find it.”
“I’ll be right there.” Susan smiled at Phillip. “You can go back to the house if you want. We will all be there in an hour.”
Phillip nodded and stood. “Thank you, but I want to help here for a while, if I may. If I go there I will do nothing and then think of all the things I could have said to him.”
Susan nodded and waved for him to come along. She slid her arm through his. “I will let you sit behind the counter and show you how to work the figures.”
“I love numbers.”
“I know.” Susan patted his arm.
****
Phillip was surprised to see Jason waiting in the parlor when they all arrived home.
He stood quickly. “I came to apologize.” He looked over Phillip’s shoulder.
The trio mumbled excuses and went in separate directions.
Phillip removed his hat and motioned for Jason to sit down as he took his own seat.
Jason shook his head. “I can’t stay long. Michael worries.” He reached into his pocket and held something out.
Phillip took it. He saw a smiling boy that looked like a younger version of Jason, but with a few of Phillip’s features. He ran a finger over the sweet face and whispered, “Michael.”
“Jess painted it. I want you to have it.”
Phillip pressed the small picture to his chest. “Thank you.”
“I want you to leave.” Jason put his hat on his head and started for the door.
“Is it really so awful to see me like this?” Phillip said softly.
Jason stopped but didn’t turn. “You were gone without a word to me or Michael for ten years. He’s nearly grown and you were gone. I was alone. And I was scared.” He slowly turned. “I would have let you do whatever you wanted. And I told you that so many times. But you decided leaving us was better. I will never forgive you for that, Pippa.” He swallowed. “Phillip. It’s a good name.”
“Do you hate that I kept yours?”
“I gave it to you, didn’t I?” Jason smiled and then looked away. “I want time to figure out a way to tell Michael. It wasn’t fair how you did it. He needs his mother.” He looked up.
“Should I come in a dress?” Phillip felt extremely uncomfortable with the suggestion, but he was willing to do whatever Jason asked to see his son.
Jason shook his head. “If he’s going to meet you, he will meet the real you.”
“And you?” Phillip took a tentative step forward.
“Have you joined a club? I could get you into mine.”
The words were so soft. Almost as though he hoped Phillip would decline. So he did. “Anthony has my name in at his. It’s a… certain group of men. With like sensibilities.”
“There are more men like you?”
Phillip shrugged. “Men that enjoy the company of other men. So in that sense, yes, men like me. But not men who were born women as far as I know.”
There was silence for a few heartbeats.
Then Jason said softly, “God, I missed you. Phillip.” He said the name as an afterthought, but it sounded good from his lips.
Phillip smiled. “I missed you too, Jay.”
Jason put his hat back on. “I will see you. Soon. I promise.”
Phillip hurried to the kitchen where he knew Anthony would be speaking with the cook about supper. Anthony gave a nod to Phillip and finished his conversation with the cook. He motioned for Phillip to follow him out of the room.
“A good conversation?” Anthony asked.
Phillip showed him the miniature portrait of Michael. “He gave me this. And said he would let me see Michael after he figured out what to say to him.”
Anthony squeezed Phillip’s shoulder. “Fantastic!”
Phillip felt his face splitting apart from his smile. But then he had a horrible thought. “What if he changes his mind?”
Anthony stopped walking and leaned against the wall. He crossed his arms. “What if he does?”
“I don’t see my son.” Phillip leaned against the wall beside Anthony. “And I have to continue on as I have been.”
“Do you fight for him?”
“No. I would be laughed out of any room fighting for him.” Phillip sighed. “I’d have to let him go.”
Anthony nodded. “So hope for the best. Jay said he’d let you see him. Just give it time and hope he follows through.” He pushed off the wall and took hold of Phillip’s sleeve and dragged him down the hall. “We need a drink.”
Summary: "I'll second-guess myself if I'm trying to look sexy without focusing it on someone. I also don't want to give Leo a stroke by eyefucking the camera, so I'm going to eyefuck you instead."
Drops of Jupiter, as covered by Boyce Avenue (ofc).
Percy at a piano in an empty theater. Cut to Jason, nine or so years old (probably animated?), at ballet class, captivated by the older dancers in a way he doesn't understand.
While cutting back to Percy every so often, the video tells a story. Bits and pieces from Jason's life, as a kid, as a teenager. Little signs of gender feelings that weren't obvious at the time, primarily related to ballet, and moments of pain that were ignored into numbness:
Jason, Piper and Leo walking down the street, talking and hanging out. They walk past a dance shop. Jason looks at a pair of pointe shoes in the window, blushes, and looks away.
Jason's father berating him. Thalia holding him.
Transitions further into more recent events, such as the afternoon at the dance studio with Charlie and Annabeth, when Annabeth started Thinking and went "try putting on your wig, see if you feel less uncomfortable with your reflection"
Walking home with Percy, on the same route past the dance shop. Percy, who hugged Ruby on sight and marveled over how cute she looked in the wig and one of Charlie's spare ballet skirts (support!!), picks up on the Pointe Shoes Thing.
Narration shows Percy consulting with Annabeth and Charlie, who come up with a pattern for pointe shoes that will fit an Amazon and having them made.
Final chorus, Ruby joins Percy onstage and does a routine in her new pointe shoes.
This is the last song on the album and the last video released, so it's big and theatrical and basically a huge celebration of how ridiculous Percy is over his girl. 💜
