[sandbox]

[bringspeopletogether]

Alistair surprises himself: he adapts to the Basin a lot quicker than he expected.

The camps feel -- snug, he decides. In a good way. Trees overhead, a limited number of egress points, a vantage point so high it puts every night by the ladder to shame: they're not the stone walls of Skyhold, but maybe they're the next best thing. After an initial restless night or two, he sleeps soundly.

(Knowing he's surrounded by lots of people with sharp, pointy weapons? Also helpful.)

Joining the patrol rotations seems like a decent next step. No point in being in the field, especially after all that training with Bull, if he's just going to twiddle his thumbs all day.

Comments

[howtoactfereldan]

"Most unkind of you." He kisses the back of Alistair's neck again. "There's a spider in the middle of the river, minding its own business, not trying to kill anything for once, and here come a bunch of strangers pelting it with rocks. No wonder spiders are always in such a bad mood."

[bringspeopletogether]

"You know for a fact," says Alistair, squeezing Cullen's hand lightly for emphasis, "that were our positions reversed with the spider, it would've gathered up all its spider friends and pounced with just as little warning."

[howtoactfereldan]

Cullen laughs in Alistair's ear, a low, warm rumble, and doesn't reply.

[bringspeopletogether]

There's no other word for it: Alistair melts against Cullen, leaning back as he goes nearly boneless.

(Few sounds get that reliable a reaction out of him. It's become one of Alistair's favorites over the past few months.)

[howtoactfereldan]

That just makes Cullen do it again. (He's noticed.)

He tightens his hold on Alistair, just for a moment, before settling his arm around him more snugly.

[bringspeopletogether]

You're safe, murmurs a new thought.

Maybe that's the best way he can explain I like knowing you're around. Today might not have been awful, but...being on patrol meant giving up safety, in a way he hasn't in a while.

He can return to it at the end of the day, though. To Cullen. To this.

I'm glad you're here.

Alistair raises their clasped hands so he can kiss Cullen's knuckles, and subsides into quiet.

[howtoactfereldan]

"Have you eaten?" Suspicious.

[bringspeopletogether]

Alistair's eyes snap open.









"Um."

[howtoactfereldan]

"Aha!"

This is said as though Cullen just uncovered and foiled a vast conspiracy simultaneously.

[bringspeopletogether]

"Noooooo," Alistair groans, freeing one hand to cover his face. (Ostensibly in shame.) "I've been so good!"

[howtoactfereldan]

"Always." He squeezes Alistair's hand. "But you're eating something before we turn in for good."

[bringspeopletogether]

Alistair twists to look over his shoulder, peeking out from between his fingers.

"You won't demote me to Half Commander, then?"

[howtoactfereldan]

"Now, why would I do that?" Warm, amused. "By that logic I'd be less than a recruit, wouldn't I."

[bringspeopletogether]

"Fair point, I suppose."

He rolls over to face Cullen; as he takes his hand away, it reveals that he's grinning.

"Right then. The sooner I eat, the sooner we can get back to..." A considering pause. "Caboodling."

[howtoactfereldan]

"Ugh."

Cullen, in contrast, rolls onto his back. Away. Pointedly.

"That's what I get for being nice."

[bringspeopletogether]

"What?" says Alistair, laughing. "You don't want to caboodle?"

[howtoactfereldan]

"Bad enough that you made me snuggle." He points at Alistair. "I refuse to do the other thing."

[bringspeopletogether]

Alistair's too busy snickering to answer right away. In lieu of that, he pats Cullen's shoulder.

Once he can actually speak: "Shall I come up with a better word for it? Something manlier?"

[howtoactfereldan]

Cullen snorts. "It's not manliness that's the problem with it."

He tucks his hands behind his head. "Go get your food. And then we'll debate what it is we're doing."

[bringspeopletogether]

"Yes, Commander."

He leans over Cullen, smiling, and gives him a quick kiss before pushing himself to his feet.

"Love you. Back in a moment."

[howtoactfereldan]

"Let me know how many people scatter away when you set foot outside," Cullen says, giving Alistair a lazy grin.

(The moment the tent flap closes, Cullen's diving for the desk.)

[bringspeopletogether]

Alistair reddens -- whether at the remark or the smile, who knows -- and steps outside.

(Both. The answer's both.)

The evening's rations aren't completely depleted by the time he arrives, thank the Maker: he secures a portion of meat and some kind of roasted root or another to bring back to their tent. Midway there, his foot catches a scrap of leather that must have fallen off the heap destined for the camp's makeshift armory. He doesn't notice it until it's winging forward a yard or so.

Hm.

After a couple seconds to ponder, Alistair picks it up to stuff in his pocket.




"Three," he announces as he pushes open the tent flap. "Four if you count the man looking up at the trees and whistling to himself."

[howtoactfereldan]

"Have you ever known someone to do that and not be eavesdropping?" Cullen asks; he's back at the desk, scrawling a few notes, his back to Alistair.

[bringspeopletogether]

"Not a one," says Alistair.

A beat.

With resigned amusement, "You went back to work the instant I left, didn't you."

[howtoactfereldan]

In his very best I am a deeply reasonable and responsible person voice:

"Now, Alistair, would I do that?"