#idhren's feelings about snow are also mine

[erandir]

Snowball Fight

12 Days of Satinalia: Day One

Rating: T Word Count: 1575 Pairings: Idhren Lavellan/Tainan Lavellan, Dorian Pavus/Idhren Lavellan Summary: Two stories about Vints experiencing snow for the first time and the good-natured hazing that follows.

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Outside the ring of aravels the ground was more snow and less slush, and children's laughter filtered through the trees as they ran about and played in the powder. That's where Idhren was headed, to keep an eye on the children per orders when the Keeper grew tired of him moping about around campfires and getting in the way as the clan made their camp secure for the winter.

It was easier to hear the children than to find them. Amid the trees and low drifts of fresh snow they were playing some sort of hiding game that Idhren wasn't familiar with.

Then something struck him high on his back. Cold and wet and splattering up into his hair and then dripping icy water down under his collar. Idhren jumped and turned around, eyes wide in alarm and confusion. A child was peeking out from him from behind a tree, wrapped up in a thick woolen coat, arm still raised from his throw.

"Loren! We don't throw at people who aren't playing!" a much more grown up voice cut through the woods, and a moment later Tainan's red head appearered from within the brush. The child looked over at them, then down at the ground, properly chastized. "I'm sorry," Tainan said to Idhren, "They get a little too excited sometimes."

"You're... playing a game?" Idhren asked as he began to figure out what was happening.

"It's a snowball fight," Tainan replied, nodding. When Idhren only stared at them blankly, Tainan continued, "You do know about snowball fights, right?"

Idhren shook his head, "It doesn't snow in Tevinter," he reminded Tainan. And even if it did, this didn't seem like the kind of activity that would they would approve of.

Tainan's eyes went wide, surprised for a moment, and then a smile crossed their face that Idhren didn't entirely trust. "We'll have to teach you, then," they said cheerfully. "Did you hear, the city boy's never had a snowball fight," they called into the trees.

A few more children had appeared while they spoke. All the clan's children were still a little wary of the new first, and Idhren couldn't blame them. He was a foreigner and he had only been around for a few months. They didn't know what to make of him yet.

"You can be on my team for now," Tainan continued, "If that's alright with everyone."

There were some nods and mumbled agreements. One of the youths, older and a bit more confident than the rest and Idhren thought her name was Rissa, stepped out from the trees. "No magic," she said sternly. "Magic is cheating."

"Okay," Idhren replied. That seemed fair, but he still wasn't certain what this game actually entailed. "How do you play?"

"It's easy," Tainan assured. They crouched down and began gathering a fistfull of snow, "You just get some snow, and pack it tight into a ball. Then you try to hit someone from another team without getting hit yourself."

"Seems easy enough," Idhren replied, though he didn't see the appeal. But he'd never been that kind of child.

"You'll pick it up in no time," Tainan assured. "Loren's also on our team," they said, indicating the child who had originally struck Idhren, "And so's Samrel," they pointed to a tiny child cowering behind a sapling who looked barely old enough to comprehend the game, let alone play it. The two smallest children that Idhren could currently see. Of course.

"Now, everyone stop standing around, let's go!" Tainan enthused, and launched their fresh snowball at Rissa, who shrieked and barely managed to dodge out of the way.

Before Idhren even fully comprehended what was happening, Tainan had grabbed him by the arm and yanked him behind a clump of bushes to instruct him in the art of the perfect snowball.

It was more fun than Idhren had expected. Although, by the end his fingers were numb and he was shivering almost uncontrollably. As the children wore themselves out and the snowball fight petered to a halt, he blew into his hands to try and bring the feeling back into them.

"You'd better get back to camp," Tainan advised when they saw how cold Idhren was. "Keeper will kill me if I let you get sick."

"It wouldn't be your fault," Idhren assured. He had joined the game of his own volition, and he could have stopped to warm himself up.

As Idhren rubbed his hands together, Tainan took him by the shoulders and rubbed them briskly. It helped to bring his shivering back under control. "Well, I still don't want you to get sick," they said. Then, they blew into their own hands before cupping them around Idhren's. Tainan's hands were shockingly warm considering they'd been out here in the snow much longer and been much more involved in the game. Idhren felt his cheeks heat up along with his fingers as Tainan gently helped to rub the feeling back into them. "How's that? Better?"

"Yes," Idhren said, face burning in the cold air. "Thanks."

Tainan grinned, bright as the sun, and held onto Idhren's hands just a little bit longer than necessary before letting them go. "You can head back to camp. I'll round up the kids."

"The Keeper sent me to help," Idhren protested, though he longed to go defrost in front of a campfire.

"It's fine," Tainan assured. "They're all tired out and cold, it should be easy to get them in line. I know how to handle them."

"Alright," Idhren agreed, not entirely reluctant. "Thanks. This was... fun."

"Good, I'm glad," Tainan beamed. And that smile felt like it might be enough to keep Idhren warm all winter, so long as it was directed at him.

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Years - and what felt like half a lifetime - later, snow fell on Skyhold despite the myriad ancient enchantments that usually kept the temperature inside its walls mild. Idhren had grown if not accustomed, at least able to tolerate the south's freezing winters in the years since his departure from Tevinter. And the snow was a lot easier to admire from inside a warm tavern.

"You know, it doesn't snow in Tevinter," he commented to Sera as they watched people mill about in the courtyard from the open window of her room. "I'd never seen it before I came south."

"Bet that was a shock," Sera chuckled.

"Definitely," Idhren agreed. "I'd never heard of snowball fights, either. I think even if it did snow up there, Tevinter wouldn't like snowball fights very much."

"Nah," Sera agreed, "They're all too snooty for that. Don't know how to have any fun."

"I bet Dorian's never heard of a snowball fight, either."

Idhren watched the understanding dawn across Sera's face. "Oh. Are you thinking what I'm thinking, then?" she grinned.

"I'll get him to come outside," Idhren offered.

"And I'll shove snow down his robes," Sera giggled maniacally .

"Perfect."

He lured Dorian out of the library with an invitation to the tavern and the promise of mulled wine and a roaring fire to stave off the chill he'd been complaining about all week. They were halfway across the courtyard when a snowball struck Dorian square in the chest. He let out a huff of indignant confusion, and while he was distracted brushing ice off himself Sera appeared as though from nowhere with a handful of snow and a wicked grin. She acted before Dorian had a chance to react, grabbing him by the collar and shoving the snow down his shirt.

Dorian let out the most undignified squawk, jolting upright and practically leaping away, cursing the whole while.

Sera and Idhren burst out laughing. Sera actually fell to the snowy ground from the force of her laughter.

"You planned this!" Dorian accused when he managed to regain some semblance of composure. "I can't believe you would let her drag you into one of her inane pranks."

"Was his idea," Sera managed to gasp between fits of giggles.

"I'm sorry," Idhren forced down his laughter as soon as Dorian turned to him with an expression of shock and betrayal, but he couldn't completely contain his smile. "Consider this your introduction to southern winters?"

A lingering shiver shook Dorian's frame and he brushed some lingering snow off his shoulders in an attempt to hide it. "This is one of the barbaric southern customs you've picked up, then?"

"More childish than barbaric," Idhren said in defense.

"It's a snowball fight. You're supposed to fight back," Sera complained. At last her giggling had subsided and she began packing a new snowball.

"I think I'll pass, if it's all the same to you," Dorian drawled.

"Aww, you're no fun," Sera complained. She blew them both a raspberry and then stalked off, snowball still in hand. Idhren didn't want to know who her new target was.

When she was out of sight around the corner of the tavern, Dorian scowled down at Idhren and said, "You're terrible, and I hate you."

"Oh, don't be like that," Idhren sighed. "I haven't dragged you out of Skyhold once this winter. You had to get a proper taste of southern weather some time." He grabbed Dorian's hand and stood on his toes to press a kiss to the man's cheek. "There is still mulled wine. I wasn't lying about that."

Dorian pouted a moment longer before relenting. "Fine. I suppose that will make up for this indignity."

#12daysofsatinalia #12 days of satinalia #idhren lavellan #tainan lavellan #dorian pavus #pavellan #lavellan #my writing #my fic #you gotta throw snowballs at vints in their first winter #its the law #idhren's feelings about snow are also mine #pretty but at what cost