#That must come like a (good) gut punch to Zevvo for a while that this 1 woman just... comes up and plants a kiss on his cheek

[wild-houseplant]

hhhhhh I ran out of tags so quickly ToT I really thought I had more available my golly Anyway the rant continues here!

Them kids of theirs are going to have to marry the spouse of professional chefs or bakers or something... and I feel even then they’d be eating this slice of the baker’s finest plum pie and amid the VERY polite smile their hearts would both sink and become terribly smug because Mum and Dad’s pie is better by a country mile.

Also just? Cooking is great because you’re doing the food stuff, and you’re talking out the kitchen window with the neighbours and passers-by (who consistently half-joke that they hope ‘Stala and Zevvo have put a plate out for them too), and you can dance while you wait for the food to cook and ough the domestic scenes here are so lovely I’m wild about them your honour 8D

and BEACH????? T^T OHHHHH the water must be really good for Astala’s hip, too. Minimal strain on the joint because it’s not weight bearing exercise but it IS fantastic for building muscle and flexibility. Which will also help when they’re out of the water!! Plus everyone extols the virtue of salt water fixing everything and I’m sure that’s no different in Thedas. I imagine the beaches are much cleaner in Antiva than the port of denerim which must delight Astala to no end, too. Crystal-clear water, seeing the fish and plucking up a few gorgeous iridescent shells with Zevvo, who scratches around to find her one with the mollusc still living in it 8D And hey. If it’s edible maybe that goes in the dinner pot that night? impromptu frutti di mare chowder :D ough and those two being defined by-- mostly serious stuff but certainly with a healthy dose of Silly Sausage Hours sounds about right and HONESTLY. With all the stuff they’ve been through (and are going through) collectively and individually they need all those Big Things to get the solid foundation to weather all that. Seriously they must have the wildest workloads of just about anyone on the entire continent-- and those jobs are big enough. They have KIDS they have FAMILY they have the usual spouse gig and that house wont’ take care of itself OUGH. And they STILL have time for the good shit like cooking and hitting the beach and the things that inject a bit of pleasantness into it all.

Honestly I love the take that it’s not all fun and games BUT when the serious stuff comes out it happens privately. There must be so many people that want to undermine that relationship, and being reasonably public figures must put them under a lot of scrutiny. If not from the populace at large, then certainly from people who would love to watch them crumble. They’re so responsible and savvy about the whole thing it’s fantastic!! And as for putting the kids first... well if that isn’t on-brand for those two, I’ll eat my hat. It’s a hard thing to have to plan for but hey. Shit happens. Especially, it seems, if you’re a Crow or a Tabris 8( Also I’m not sure if I was surprised that Astala was the bigger crier of the two simply because I can’t picture her going to tears very often, if at all? I think that’s what it is. To be fair, your average Tabris really Goes Through It, but good for her honestly! Handy that she feels better handling that alone, for both her and Zev’s sakes-- it’s nice to not have to address every single thing that might warrant talking out or whatever (as it would be in Zev’s case handling those emotions). Thank you sooooo so so sos os so much for indulging me!!! You know I love Large Amounts of Lore-- especially when it comes to Astala my dearly beloved UuU What a treasure she is!! And what a treasure you are for showering me with the good stuff!! :D :D :D :D

HI hello I saw you share that ship ask game and I have come PREPARED with multiple rounds if permitted 😈😈😈😈😈

So if I may, for Astala (my beloved!!!!!) and Zev (her beloved!!!) Can I please ask:

- 4

- 10

- 23

And/or

- 37

You know the drill, best beloved. As many or few as you like, but the warning remains: allow me to pester you further and by God I'll do it 🤣🤣 hope you have a gorgeous day!!!

Hello my chlorophyll-filled friend!! The asks are permitted and encouraged!! I love talking about these guys XD XD XD Buckle up, this is a long one. Let's go!

4. Who initiates affection? Why does the other not initiate affection as much?

Both! They are both big on physical affection. Astala loves little casual touches, hugs, hooking arms or holding hands, leaning her head on Zevran's shoulder, or just bending over him and letting herself get heavy like a sack of potatoes. Zevran finds a font of neverending delight in casually affectionate touches that aren't means to an end and just exist because it's nice or because affection for him exists and moves Astala to express it.

As for other signs of affection, Zevran is the one who jumps to verbal affection quicker, and is very good at making Astala start blushing and grinning brightly. Astala's however pack a punch; she gets terribly serious and sappy, and Zevran needs a bit to recover from the onslaught of sweet words whenever the flood is set loose. Astala is quicker to jump to acts of service and little gifts: a food Zevran likes, a trinket that caught her eye and reminded her of him, that sort of things. This doubles when they are away; Astala makes sure to include something nice in almost every letter, and Zevran answers in kind.

10. Do they share any hobbies or interests? How do these things bring them together?

They share a passion for cooking and baking and generally making edible things! Food is a bit thing for them (yey for growing up without enough to go around) and one of the way they connect and share affection is by making sure the other is eating plenty good food. They both put on a healthy layer of fat once they retire from adventuring.

Fighting and swordplay is also something they share. While learned out of necessity and not always associated with the nicest memories, they do like to get out their weapons and spar from time to time. It keeps them sharp, it's fun, and, in Zevran's words, it gets the blood pumping. They also love to dance together. The injuries Astala has sustained from the Archdemon seriously limit the days they can do either of those things, but sometimes she'll take a worse pain day just for the chance of dancing or sparring with Zevran. Both are activities where they can take joy in each others' abilities, and that also require a certain amount of trust in each other (especially sparring, but also dancing with Astala's bad hip). And it's just fun.

Another thing they share is a love for the sea and warmer climates. Once they settle down in Antiva, they go to the beach or the shore often, take walks, run into the waves. Astala teaches Zevran how to properly ride the waves as they come into the shore. Zevran teaches Astala where to find the best seashells and stones. Sometimes they both just sit and soak in the sun or listen to the waves. They find that enjoying these things together makes them more beautiful (and, in turn, when they're not together, the sea makes them terribly nostalgic).

23. What are the defining characteristics of their relationship?

Loyalty - They've gone through a lot together, and while they can and do stay apart, breaking apart the relationship in any way would break a significant part of themselves. Technically, they could do it, but it would be an ugly and very bloody process. So, together they stay, and they watch over their relationship like a hawk.

Trust and teamwork - Look, when you're the Hero of Ferelden and the Black Shadow, you have to be able to trust your spouse and know they will have your back no matter what. Sure, they hold each other accountable and argue, but that happens exclusively behind closed doors. That is private. They have each others' backs first and foremost.

Respect and admiration - They are both very capable individuals and they know it. A big part of their ability to teamwork is knowing what each of them is good at: Astala has a solid head for plans and for keeping a group together and coordinated, Zevran is very good at making plans become reality and at improvising. A big part of having each others' back, without question, is also their respect for each others' autonomy and decision-making capabilities, even when the other doesn't agree with the decision that has been made. This is a quality asked of them when Zevran goes to Antiva; Astala would rather have him at the Vigil and safe, and Zevran would rather she didn't throw herself into her work as arlessa the way she does (and didn't neglect investigating a plot to assassinate her???? Astala PLEASE!!) But Zevran let her go and kill the Archdemon, and Astala has carried them through the Blight like nobody else could have. They remind each other of that when something the other does makes cold, cold dread settle in their guts. On top of that, the admiration goes past admiration for mere skill. Zevran especially is a master at looking at things and enjoying them as they are. Astala, too, has developed an ability to see beauty wherever she goes. It serves them well, especially when their relationship is going through a rough patch, to remember what they like about each other and rediscover each other anew.

Lots of silly moments - And I mean lots of them. Poking each other, making jokes about other people (where other people can't hear them, obviously), pulling one on their kids, messing with the other Wardens, climbing a roof to sit on the rooftop, you name it. Their silly bones are very well developed, bless them 😌😌 Zevran swears it keeps them young, and he isn't wrong at all.

Kids come first - They had that talk before taking in Virel, Perinella and Carlo. The kids come first. If there's not enough food to go around, if they're being attacked and need to get to safety, if they're in mortal danger but the kids are in danger too, if they have an unexpected day off and are deciding what they should do, if work is getting busy, the kids go first. That is not to say that they don't take some of their free days and go out on a date. Or that they wouldn't do crazy, stupid, reckless things for each other if they were in danger. Or that work doesn't keep them tied to the table or out of the house for too long sometimes. But, on principle, the kids come first. If one of them is bleeding out on the floor and the other is with the kids, the other has to get the kids to safety. They promised each other that.

37. Who’s more emotionally sensitive/cries more often?

Astala, but they both have their days. Astala in general is more comfortable with expressing emotions like grief, sadness, exhaustion disappointment and frustration (even though she's not as free in that expression as she could be). Zevran, by his upbringing, keeps a tight lid on all of that. Tears might even make him uncomfortable at first if they manage to reach that soft part of his heart that he has tried and failed to harden. Astala tries not to cry in front of him at first, because she can sense his discomfort and also prefers to cry in private, but with time the holds on both their emotions ease.

I will say though, Zevran cries of happiness more often than Astala. Happiness gets overwhelming.

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And that's the answers!! Kudos to you if you've taken the time to read through all of this XD XD XD XD It has become a bit longer than I thought, but that's what we're here for. More information!!

Hope you have a lovely day Plant!! Thank you for indulging me!! I love these two buggers so much