The fire crackled low, throwing restless shadows across the clearing. Beyond the circle of light, the night hummed with insects and the distant rustle of leaves, but here it was only the two of you. Zevran sat half-turned toward the flames, leather pulled back from one shoulder, the fabric at his chest cut where a fresh wound had torn through. Blood had dried dark along the edge, though the gash itself still glistened faintly in the firelight.

“You know,” he drawled, voice light despite the wince when he shifted, “I would almost accuse you of doing this on purpose. A wound is such a convenient excuse to have your hands on me.” A grin curved his lips, but the tightness in his jaw betrayed the sting beneath.

You ignored his teasing, leaning closer. The fire painted his skin in warm tones, tattoos curling like shadows across the angles of his face. His eyes glinted, gold catching every flicker of light as he watched your hands.

The faint glow of your spell lit beneath your palms as you pressed them gently over the cut. Warmth seeped into his skin, knitting torn flesh with patient care. He hissed softly, not from pain but from the strange comfort of it, his gaze never leaving your face.

Your hand brushed the lines of an older scar running beneath the wound, and without thinking, your fingers traced its curve. The scar was pale, uneven, carved long before you’d ever known him. He stilled under the touch, grin fading for a flicker of a second.

“Ah,” he murmured, softer now, almost thoughtful. His hand shot up suddenly, catching yours and pressing it firmly against his chest, right over the scar. The beat of his heart thudded beneath your palm — quick, unsteady, nothing like the calm mask he wore.

Zevran’s smile returned, sharper this time, but his voice betrayed him with its low tremor. “Careful, mi amor. That scar is sensitive. You wouldn’t want me to think you’re taking liberties, hm?”

His thumb brushed along your wrist, lazy and deliberate. But his eyes, open and raw for just a moment, told another story entirely.