[sandbox]

[bringspeopletogether]

Herald's Rest gets as crowded as any respectable small-town tavern come nightfall. Considering Skyhold's a village unto itself nowadays, that's no surprise.

Maryden's holding her usual court over near the fire, her song weaving in and out of the noise: voices, laughter, shouts, clattering. Bull's there, towering over half the crowd even while seated, deep in enthusiastic conversation with Krem, but the rest of the Chargers don't seem to be anywhere near. When Alistair stands still, he's pretty sure he can hear about five different languages in a ten-foot radius.

He's nothing strange or remarkable in here. It's...nice.

And there's alcohol. Even nicer.

Comments

[bringspeopletogether]

"You could adopt a cat and keep it as a mouser," suggests Alistair.

Innocently.

[howtoactfereldan]

Absent, without rancor: "Or you could carry your own damn cheese."

[bringspeopletogether]

"But what if -- "

He taps Cullen's arm a couple times for emphasis.

"What if Corypheus's -- " (Alistair can't quite get his mouth around Corypheus's name anymore. It's a rather impressive mangling that he promptly pretends didn't happen.) "What if his only weakness is finely aged cheddar. And you go into battle without any. I can't let that happen as Double Commander."

[howtoactfereldan]

"Then in all fairness," Cullen says, "it ought to be the Inquisitor carrying it. Not me."

[bringspeopletogether]

"Excellent point." Alistair grins. "I'll inform her of the change in strategy immediately."

[howtoactfereldan]

"And my coat lives to see another day."

[bringspeopletogether]

He snickers. "Until I spill another beer on it."

[howtoactfereldan]

Cullen heaves a heavy sigh, chest rising and falling under Alistair's head. "I don't know what I've done to make you despise me."

[bringspeopletogether]

"You didn't let me taste your beer, that's what."

[howtoactfereldan]

"If Cabot won't help you, I don't know what I could have done."

[bringspeopletogether]

"I'll have to bribe him next time." He tries to stifle a yawn, with little success. "Or sneak in when there's nobody else around."

Beat.

"Or just keep drinking whatever he gave me. Did the job nicely, didn't it."

Which, to Alistair, is the really important bit.

[howtoactfereldan]

He rests his chin on Alistair's head, and huffs out a breath.

This is, apparently, Cullen's answer.

[bringspeopletogether]

As far as Alistair's concerned, it's a perfectly satisfactory one.

His eyes drift closed again. Everything's warm, hazy, kind of wobbly. The noise two floors down creates a pleasant wash of sound: lots of people, lots of life. And Cullen's around. He's real.

This is real.

[howtoactfereldan]

"Let me know when I ought to get you a cup of tea and pack you off to bed," Cullen murmurs.

[bringspeopletogether]

"Probably soon," he admits, not much louder than Cullen, without opening his eyes. "...Probably going to need help getting to my quarters."

Climbing that ladder in Cullen's office when he's this inebriated? Not happening.

"Unless the chaise is free. And you don't mind my snoring being the first thing the guards hear in the morning."

[howtoactfereldan]

He laughs, low.

"I don't mind. But I wager your bed's more comfortable."

[bringspeopletogether]

"I could stretch out my legs in an actual bed." Thoughtful.

(But...Cullen's not going to be around. And Alistair probably shouldn't ask if he can stay.)

He opens one eye, peers up at Cullen. "I promise next time I'll pick something more fun. I don't want you to be miserable."

[howtoactfereldan]

Cullen lifts his head, raises an eyebrow, ruffles Alistair's hair.

"Miserable's overstating it."

[bringspeopletogether]

Alistair pulls a face, but doesn't make any move to resist the hair-ruffling.

"All right," he says, "but I stand by the 'more fun' bit. Or pleasant. Relaxing. Something like that. Not making you hide up here so you don't run into anybody."

[howtoactfereldan]

"You're not making me hide up here. I want to hide up here." Light. "It's all right, Alistair."

[bringspeopletogether]

The skeptical look Alistair shoots him loses some of its impact, due to the yawn that soon follows.

"You shouldn't have to hide anywhere," he mumbles, closing his eyes. "Means you're not comfortable. I want you to be comfortable."

[howtoactfereldan]

"I choose to hide," he says softly, "because I want them to be comfortable."

Back to stroking Alistair's hair, slow, meditative.

"When they come to me, they're ready to work, because they rested well. When they fight, they're awake and aware. Maybe a few more come home because of that. I don't have many ways to keep them safe. Allow me this one, Alistair."

[bringspeopletogether]

"All right."

Alistair sighs, very quiet. He's nearly boneless with relaxation: no small miracle, even if it's mostly the alcohol's doing.

"You're a good man."

[howtoactfereldan]

Cullen laughs, low. "And you're drunk."

[bringspeopletogether]

"Very," he agrees, peaceable, and chuckles. "Help me up?"

Because as wonderful as it would be to fall asleep right here, an actual bed does sound much better.