Parkour!

[foxsays]

WHO: Araceli Bonaventura; open
WHAT: Climbing lesson 1: falling without breaking your neck
WHEN: After the wake; lessons can be picked up whenever
WHERE: Stables and that crumbling chunk of the battlements next to them
NOTES: lessons offered

prepwork;
A distinct advantage to her home is that when she taught herself, she had plenty of deep water to land in.  Skyhold has snow but until she has to, she's not going to go prowling the mountains in a hurry.  Skyhold does have plenty of straw from the stables and after a few tests, it's entirely sufficient to her needs and so armed with a rake, she gathers it into piles because whatever, her needs are greater and the horses can get it back later.  Anyone showing up early will have their attire inspected and be told to do a few stretches.  If demonstrations are truly needed, this is the time to ask.

falling!  (with style);
The roof of the stables themselves are low enough that it would take an exceptionally bad fall to cause an injury so that's where she bases the lesson, a ladder handily placed to help less confident climbers up and she talks them through it, the importance of breathing, of relaxing stressed several times.  The instructions are usually to stand on the edge of the roof, take a deep breath and allow her to give them a quick shove as they spread their arms and go as limp as possible to land in the straw but for those a little more confident and with at least some skill in climbing, there's the stables and hayloft to climb then up to the battlements, ropes helpfully attached because she has absolutely no desire to see someone injured in her first few days here.  Her instructions are clear, emphasis on not rushing, on looking for where your hand has to go next, to use the legs.

Everyday is leg day if it's parkour day.

warm down;
The lesson might be over but she won't let people leave without some cursory stretching at least.  They're cautioned about some stiffness the next day or so before she starts tidying up the straw into the proper place, happy enough to chat away or answer questions; if someone is willing to help clear up then she'll be in their debt because who enjoys dealing with straw, no one that's who.

Comments

[savethecat]

Gorse is still nervous, but little by little it eases with Zevran's gentleness. At first he tries to just enjoy the sensation, all new and unfamiliar, then as he becomes more accustomed to it, to follow along and match Zevran's movements. Zevran is being kind enough to teach him after all, he might as well learn, though the actual pitch and reasoning are sort of bleeding away from his mind during the process.

[ombranera]

Curious as to whether or not the ears were as much a thing for Gorse as they are for himself and seemed to be for Taas, Zevran lets his hands slip back a touch further, teasing at the fine, pointed tips with one while curling around the nape of his neck with the other. Taking charge, guiding, easing Gorse into this little by little as his tongue came into play, darting out to wet their lips.

[savethecat]

Ears were, apparently, a thing. This is a surprise for the Vashoth, the pleasant feeling he gets when Zevran's fingers trace along the skin leading to a shiver from him. "Oh-"

[ombranera]

"Oh?" He pulls back enough, resting their foreheads together to better hear more from Gorse. "Good, yes?"

Better than good. He keeps his touch light, stroking shell of Gorse's ear. Slow and gentle- this is new. All of this is new.

[savethecat]

Gorse blinked a few times, the slow sort of dizzy kind. Zevran was much too close to focus properly on, though Gorse had to wonder if he'd never noticed before the bright copper shade his eyes were.

"Um. Y-yeah. Yes."

Very yes. He has to close his eyes for a moment and just focus on catching his breath, his hear pounding like he's just run a me.

[ombranera]

Taking pity he slowed the idle stroking to a stop, leaning in to brush their lips together sweetly instead. A bare brush of contact before he lets his hands settle in Gorse's hair to play with the strands that were escaping from his bun. "For someone that has never kissed before? You are a natural, Ciccia."

Uncertain? Surely. But no fumbling, no rushing, no awkward biting- it had been quite sweet.

[savethecat]

The blush deepened at the compliment, even as he smiled a bit from it, pleased to have done well. He was a bit relieved that Zevran had moved his hand to his hair instead - not that Gorse had disliked it, he very much had liked it. Maybe a little too much for being in public. He was feeling very self-conscious.

"Thank you. I mean, um. You're- it's because you're a good teacher. Uh. I should probably go help finish clean up. Maybe."

This might not be much for most people, just relatively chaste kissing, but it was quite a bit for Gorse to take in all at once.

[ombranera]

Now that was a good look for him- a very good look. He hadn't had quite so shy and expressive a partner in- well. A solid few years or so. Someone so lovely normally wasn't quite so unspoilt.

Perhaps he shouldn't ruin Gorse.

He would leave anything further up to the Vashoth, that was most fair. Zevran sank back on his heels and dropped his hands to Gorse's, bringing them up to kiss his knuckles. "I shall see you again later, yes? I've more tales from the fifth blight to tell if you are of a mind to hear them."

[savethecat]

"Yes," Gorse said, probably a little too quickly. He didn't want Zevran to get the wrong idea about his temporary fleeing, though. He needed a breather now but he was happy to continue later on when he didn't feel so ... off-kilter.

"I mean, um. Yes. I'd like that."

[ombranera]

"Until then, Ciccia." Another kiss pressed to the back of Gorse's hands before he takes his leave. That had gone better than expected to be sure- and he may have wrangled a pleasant evening's company out of it as well. Marvelous.