Epic Rescue

Disclaimer: I do not own Dragon Age.

Note: the prompt was Zevran's quote: "Ha! Let's see... When was the last time I slipped my hand into some dark hole? Hmmm... Long story, that."

Sometimes, Zevran felt that he was entirely too sentimental for his own good and that that was going to get him into trouble some day. His current situation was clearly a warning against such foibles.

"Oh, if only the others could see you now," Taliesin laughed. "The great Zevran on his hands and knees, his hand trapped in a mouse hole."

The warning was also clearly from someone who hated him as they had sent Taliesin to him during this trying time so who even knew how helpful said warning would be?

"Dare I even ask how this came to be?" Taliesin asked, sounding far too eager for Zevran to believe that he wouldn't be holding this incident over his head for approximately…forever.

"You just did," Zevran pointed out, reluctant to divulge further information. Explaining the situation really wouldn't help matters, he knew, but Taliesin was persistent and he was trapped. He closed his eyes. "A mouse took my earring and escaped into the wall."

Taliesin's eyes widened and he let out a startled chuckle. "What? That earring you take with you everywhere?"

"No, I just found a different one randomly and resented the mouse taking my prize," Zevran deadpanned.

"I don't think that I believe you," Taliesin sniffed. He tilted his head. "Then again, maybe you do just have an earring fetish. I've never really understood your fascination with that other one anyway."

Zevran felt something crawl onto his hand and stay on it. It wouldn't be able to take the earring he had clenched tightly in his fist but it also wasn't moving. He attempted to shake the creature off but his mobility was rather limited and it wouldn't budge. "What's not to understand?" he asked flippantly. "It's a nice earring."

"That it is," Taliesin agreed. "But you don't even have a pierced ear so it's not like you can wear it and you've had it for ages so it's not like you're planning on selling it."

"It's a trophy," Zevran explained. "My first mark was wearing that and nothing else."

Taliesin smirked. "I did hear about that. You do find yourself in the strangest circumstances, my friend."

"Like this one?" Zevran asked, breathing a sigh of relief as the mouse finally deigned to leave his hand alone. He attempted once again to extricate his hand but to no avail.

"Like this one," Taliesin echoed. "Although it seems to be rather less impressive than the earring story."

"True, which is why if I ever feel the need to allude to it I'll be much more vague," Zevran declared. "Maybe I'll say something about slipping my hand into some dark hole. That will really leave people wondering."

"If I didn't know what happened, I would assume you were talking about sex," Taliesin announced.

Zevran grinned. "I can't say I'm surprised. Now, what happened was this: I had the earring on my table but I accidentally knocked it off. A mouse kidnapped it and took it to its evil base so I'm attempting a rescue mission."

"That is certainly a grandiose way to put it," Taliesin remarked wryly.

"Are you just going to stand there or are you going to help me?" Zevran demanded, tugging futilely on his trapped hand again.

Taliesin was quiet as he seemed to weigh his options.

"Taliesin!" Zevran exclaimed.

"What?" Taliesin asked innocently as he went over to stand beside Zevran. "What do you need me to do?"

"Help me pull," Zevran instructed.

Taliesin got down on his knees as well. "Why are you even having trouble getting out?" he inquired as he began to do as requested. "Did you have any problems getting in?"

"Well, no," Zevran admitted. "But getting in I didn't have to keep my fist clenched."

Taliesin stopped pulling. "Wait…you're telling me that the only reason you're trapped is because you won't let go of that damn earring?"

"If I let go of 'that damned earring', as you so eloquently put it, then there will have been no reason for me to have stuck my hand in the mouse hold to begin with," Zevran said reasonably.

"There already is no reason for you to have done that," Taliesin said irritably, grabbing Zevran's arm again and giving one final tug. To his surprise, Zevran's fist was pulled free.

Zevran didn't so much as wince looking at the fresh cuts on his hand. He finally unclenched his fist and held undamaged the earring up proudly. "Success! Thank you for your aid in this noble endeavor, Taliesin."

Taliesin rolled his eyes. Zevran always had a bit of a flair for the dramatic. "Yeah, sure. Now, if you'll excuse me I'm going to go tell Rinna all about that dark hole you slipped your hand into…"

Review Please!