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yeetmeoutthewindowdaddy · 3 months ago

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How Rolan got his nickname

A Tsundere Rolan (OVA)

This is how Rolan acquired the nickname that this Tav calls him in my fanfics about them.

(This isn't a part of the Tsundere Rolan series per say, but it is canon. I know OVA stands for "original video animation", but you get the gist of what I'm going for here, yeah?)

I've color coded the dialog for Rolan, Tav, Lia, and Cal for easier reading.

AN: Tav's normally high charisma flies out the window when he tries to flirt with someone who he has romantic feelings for. Tav vacillates between cocksure and bashful around Rolan. Boi is in loooove and doesn't know what to do about it. Lust, he can handle. But love? Panic.

TW: Lorroakan's abuse is mentioned.

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Rolan was trying to get some important work done.

Trying being the operative word, because Tav had somehow made his way up to the top of Ramazith's Tower where Rolan was attempting to work.

"Don't touch that." Rolan snapped at Tav without even bothering to look up from his papers.

Tav startled, sheepishly pulling his hand away from a particularly volatile looking alchemical concoction as he glanced at Rolan.

"How'd you know I was going to touch something when you weren't even looking at me?" He asked.

Rolan let out a long suffering sigh as he sat back, giving up on accomplishing anything productive while Tav was around.

"I asked myself 'what would a particularly droll child be getting into right about now?'" Rolan said in an acerbic tone.

Rolan stood and began to organize the papers which were strewn haphazardly arranged in an organized chaos across his desk.

"I've also set up wards that warn me whenever an idiot is near something they shouldn't be." Rolan added offhandedly, waving his hand in a dismissive gesture.

"Ouch, snapdragon. You're a bit spicier than normal today." Tav said with a good natured chuckle.

Rolan's tail spade flicked in annoyance.

"I wouldn't be acting 'spicier than normal' if you hadn't-" Rolan began before stopping himself.

"What did you just call me?" He asked in a low tone that would dissuade most people from continuing to poke the cave bear.

Tav was not most people.

"Snapdragon!" Tav cheerfully repeated, heedless of the owlbear nest he'd just walked into.

"...the flower?" Rolan asked, his anger temporarily waylaid by confusion. Did he like that Tav nicknamed him after a flower? Why was he blushing!?

"Yeah, it really suits you!" Tav responded in a jovial tone.

"It does?" Rolan asked, still undecided if he was irked or pleased.

"Yeah!" Tav said.

"Dragons are incredibly powerful, fearsome creatures and you're so powerful that with a snap" Tav snapped to emphasize his point, "you can take down an impressive number of enemies before they even knew what hit them!" Tav said with star-struck eyes.

Pleased with Tav's reasoning, Rolan's tail began to lazily sway from smug satisfaction.

"And snapdragons are my favorite flowers and uh, they're beautiful." Tav blushed, "Like you are." he bashfully added.

Rolan's tail loosely coiled in delight.

Maybe the bard wasn't as annoying as Rolan thought he was.

"Uh, not only that, dragons are known for being grumpy— like you are. And you snap at people a lot, so I thought that as a nickname it fit you perfectly!" Tav foolishly continued.

Rolan's tail began to lash in irritation.

The bard wasn't as annoying as Rolan thought he was, he was more annoying than Rolan thought he was.

"You don't know when to quit when you're ahead." Rolan humorlessly chuckled.

"Huh?" Tav questioned.

Rolan had just opened his mouth to tell that moron exactly how moronic he was when the whoosh of the teleportation portal being used interrupted him.

"Rolan! Some arsehole customer is refusing to speak with anyone who isn't you. I'd tell them to bugger off but they're wanting to buy some really expensive merchandise." Lia said in a clearly exasperated tone.

"Hey Lia!" Tav said, oblivious to how close he had just come to receiving the verbal lashing of a lifetime.

"Hi Tav!" Lia replied, happy to see the large man.

"I presume that they're refusing to speak with my simulacrum?" Rolan redundantly inquired, his ire shifting from Tav to the problem customer.

"Yep." Lia succinctly responded.

Rolan rubbed his temples as he sighed, "Zurgan."

Tav, sensing that Rolan was no longer in a mood to tolerate his presence, wisely decided to leave.

"Damn, that sounds annoying." Tav said as he inched his way over to the portal.

"Not quite as annoying as you are." Rolan spat.

"I'll leave you too it!" Tav continued, ignoring Rolan's barb.

"Bye Tav!" Lia cheerfully said.

"Goodbye, Tav." Rolan sourly said.

"Bye Lia!" Tav said as he meandered over to the portal.

"Bye snapdragon!" Tav flirtatiously said, winking at Rolan as he stepped through the portal.

"DON'T CALL ME THAT!" Rolan yelled after him, but it was too late— the minotaur had already teleported away.

Lia had the grace to not tease her brother about the nickname for a whole 2 seconds before she started in on him.

"Snapdragon?" she teasingly inquired.

"Lia." Rolan said, shooting his sister a withering glare.

"You've a customer waiting for you, snapdragon." Lia replied in a teasingly-smug voice.

"Only Tav can call me that!" Rolan objected, desperate to prevent his sister from adopting the use of the nickname.

Rolan realized his mistake too late, as Lia quickly pounced on the opportunity to tease Rolan about his obvious crush on Tav. "Oho! I see, only Tav can call you that." She leered in delight.

"Zurgan." Rolan cursed, blushing.

---

Later that night Rolan was diligently working in his office when a soft knock interrupted him.

"Enter." He said distractedly.

Cal opened the door, a cup of tea in hand.

"Brought you some tea." He said in a soft voice.

"Thank you, just set it on the desk." Rolan replied, not looking up from his papers.

"I have an important letter for you as well." Cal said after he'd carefully set the teacup down on the only (mostly) clear portion of the desk.

That sentence made Rolan instantly look up from his work.

"What!? Why didn't you tell me that immediately?" He asked, vexed.

But Cal didn't say anything as he pulled an envelope from his breast pocket and handed it to his crabby older brother.

"Goodnight Rolan." Cal said as he left, a knowing smile on his face.

Rolan sighed, he loved his siblings— but they drove him mad.

The envelope was sealed with a wax signet that Rolan was sure he'd seen before, but he couldn't recall from where.

He carefully opened it and began to read.

Rolan, I am so sorry about earlier. It took me much longer than it should have, but I finally realized that I'd offended you when I likened you to a grumpy dragon. Earlier today when we were hanging out at the top of the tower I was worried that I had made you uncomfortable by comparing your beauty to snapdragons and so I kept talking in the hope that I would make you un-uncomfortable. Instead I opened my big, dumb, mouth and ended up insulting you. I like you. I really like you. I like you so much that I am thrown off-kilter and I panic. I am trying so hard to not mess things up, but I am way out of my depth when it comes to this sort of stuff— romance 'n such. Had I not been a foolish coward, I would've told you all the reasons why I think that snapdragons perfectly represent you. Snapdragons are my favorite flower, and you're my favorite person. I especially like red and purple snapdragons, and their specific meanings make me think of you. Snapdragons are not only beautiful, they also symbolize grace under pressure and inner strength in the face of hardship. Red snapdragons symbolize love, passion, desire, and energy. Purple snapdragons represent dignity, respect, spirituality, and a mastery of the Weave. Snapdragons have delicately soft petals which beautifully sway in the lightest of breezes. Yet in spite of their delicate appearance they are sturdy and resilient, standing tall and proud against harsh conditions— symbolizing both perseverance and resilience. The duality of their grace and strength represent the dualities of life itself. And you. Snapdragons represent exactly what I see when I look at you: Someone who is passionate and dignified. Someone who is determined and resilient. Someone who has put an incredible amount of work into mastering magic. You've gone through the actual hells to get to where you are today. You've faced horrors that would've broken most people. You didn't let the world's rothé-shit beat you down, you rose above it and came out stronger from it. You've achieved the impossible, you fulfilled your dreams despite all the obstacles you've faced. You've displayed immense inner strength in the face of many hardships. You did not let anything stop you from achieving your goals. Not prejudice, not poverty, not a lack of a "proper" education, not being banished from your home for the crime of being born a tiefling, and certainly not everything that came after it— you persevered through it all. You wouldn't allow anything to keep you from fulfilling your destiny. You wouldn't allow anything to stop you from giving your siblings a better life. The moment that made me fall for you was when you stood up to Lorroakan after you'd found out what he was planning to do to the Nightsong. I know that bastard abused you. I would've known even if you hadn't been covered in bruises— your normally vibrant eyes were dull when I first saw you behind the counter of Sorcerous Sundries. Yet there you were, standing tall and proud against the man who had tried very hard to snuff out the roaring fire that burns in you— and in that moment your soul was blazing brighter than the sun. Seeing you stand up to him, seeing you decide to do what was right even if it cost you everything you'd worked so hard for and then some— it was utterly mesmerizing. I knew that I liked you— but that moment was when I figured out that I really, really like you. I was so captivated by your display of bravery and candor that I nearly got scorched by the fire myrmidon that dickwad had summoned. I know that you don't always feel as though you've properly earned the title of 'Master of Ramazith's Tower'— but you have. We couldn't've defeated the Netherbrain without you and the improvements you made to your tower's defenses. You're amazing, snapdragon. I don't ever want you to doubt that I think the world of you. Even if you don't feel the same, it would be an honor to have you as my friend. — Tav p.s. I asked Cal to give you this letter, he seems less likely to snoop than Lia.

Rolan wasn't sure when he began to cry. This letter was the most heartfelt thing he'd ever received. He smiled as he dipped a quill in ink and began to write.

Tav, You're an absolute buffoon, but I feel similarly. Meet me at the tower tonight after the shop is closed. — Rolan Your snapdragon

Rolan was going to entrust Cal, who is indeed less likely to snoop than Lia is, to promptly deliver his very important note to Tav.