"No," Alistair says, and, "Maker," and then, "no," again for good measure--but there's relief in it, too, that that would be what Zevran asks, that there's no sudden understanding or pity on his face. "He didn't mean anything by it. I just--"

He stops, scowl shifting from troubled to fondly irritated as he gestures to the air between them with his free arm.

"This is that talking about it that I didn't want to do." You can't trick him, see. He's too clever. "But thank you," he adds, "for offering."