[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]

"Good, because I didn't bring enough spares for that."

Cullen, in contrast, pulls Alistair just a little bit closer.

[bringspeopletogether]

Yeah, that didn't take long: Alistair's hands wander back to Cullen's waist.

"I see." Gravely. "So it all comes down to conservation of supplies. Smart of you."

[howtoactfereldan]

"You say the nicest things." Dry.

[bringspeopletogether]

Cheerfully deadpan: "And they say romance is dead."

He leans just a little further to brush a kiss over Cullen's scar.

[howtoactfereldan]

Cullen closes his eyes in pleasure, touches his forehead to Alistair's.

"Do they?" he murmurs.

[bringspeopletogether]

"Some, I'd assume." His smile softens. "Can't say I believe them."

[howtoactfereldan]

"It does seem illogical. And improbable."

Beat.

"As arguably it was never alive to begin with."

[bringspeopletogether]

Alistair sighs. With deep fondness: "You're impossible."

Another light kiss.

[howtoactfereldan]

"Incorrigible. Intractable. Intolerable."

[bringspeopletogether]

"Indubitably."

He resttles one hand on the back of Cullen's head.

"Well, not the last one," he amends. "You're perfectly tolerable. Better than."

[howtoactfereldan]

"Slightly tolerable."

[bringspeopletogether]

"Tolerable enough that I need reminders to keep my hands off you in public."

Teasing.

[howtoactfereldan]

"That's what happens when I'm told to hush and look pretty."

[bringspeopletogether]

To that, Alistair just huffs a laugh.

His fingers work a little deeper into Cullen's hair, idly.

[howtoactfereldan]

He lets his head fall against Alistair's shoulder.

There are other things he could do. Maybe should do. But -- they could wait. They could. Nothing bad will happen if they do.

[bringspeopletogether]

Alistair kisses Cullen's temple. Keeps moving his fingers through his hair, slow and gentle.








"Want to go back to bed?" he asks in a low murmur. "Or we could walk a bit. It's nice out."

For a Basin-given value of nice.

[howtoactfereldan]

"We could walk to the lake."

It's -- enough like making rounds to satisfy.

[bringspeopletogether]

"All right."

In which case --

Alistair wraps Cullen in a firm embrace, just to get that one last little bit out of his system, and kisses the top of his head before letting go.

[howtoactfereldan]

Breastplate, pauldrons, greaves, gloves, vambraces, sword belt, coat.

Half a smile in Alistair's direction. "Just think," he says, lightly, "soon you can peel all this off of me."

[bringspeopletogether]

"One of my favorite pastimes." Cheerful.

Alistair's opted for a woolen coat -- not necessary for a quick dash for dinner, but more necessary for a longer walk. Before they step out of the tent, he catches Cullen's hand in one more quick squeeze.

There. Now it's all out of his system. For now.

At least the man who'd been idly whistling to himself decided he had better things to do than keep eavesdropping.

[howtoactfereldan]

Yes, well. Once they're out past the palisade, Cullen reaches for Alistair's hand himself.

The lake isn't far. Almost all the light is gone from the sky -- almost. Far out beyond the mist, there's still a bruise-colored glow; by the shoreline, Cullen stops, regarding it with pleasure.

[bringspeopletogether]

It's dark enough for Alistair to spend a few extra moments surveying the lake, less in pleasure than in vigilance. Eventually, he looks to Cullen with a small, warm smile.

Gently, he disengages his hand so he can slide his arm around his waist -- then pauses, midway through the action.

Soft: "Is this all right?"

[howtoactfereldan]

"I suppose," Cullen says, grave, mirroring the action.

[bringspeopletogether]

Alistair chuckles -- faint, a little self-deprecating -- and settles his arm in place.

After a moment, he leans his head against Cullen's.

[howtoactfereldan]

Cullen breathes in, appreciating the sharp edge of cold in the air, and lets it out slowly.

And squeezes Alistair, brief. Quiet: "All right?"