[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

[bringspeopletogether]

"And leave my poor pillow to languish in the cold on occasion, yes," he agrees with a small laugh, leaning against Cullen in kind.

[howtoactfereldan]

"Suffering in silence until it freezes to death." A quick grin. "Let's go in?"

[bringspeopletogether]

"Poor pillow." He kisses Cullen's cheek. "Yes, let's, before it gets any colder."

Alistair winds up to send his last rock winging over the lake: skip-skip-plunk.

"There." Satisfied. "Eight. Use your bragging rights wisely, Commander."

[howtoactfereldan]

"I always do."

He shifts the rock to his other hand and works his fingers through Alistair's. "Eight's very respectable."

[bringspeopletogether]

"Maybe we really will manage to hit thirty-six before we go home."

He draws his thumb along the side of Cullen's hand as they walk back toward camp.

[howtoactfereldan]

"I aim to move fast enough that we won't get the chance."

[bringspeopletogether]

A low laugh. "All I can think of now is you and me riding by the lake at a full gallop, me frantically throwing rocks in it as we pass. 'We're at thirty-five, we're so close -- !'"

[howtoactfereldan]

"Are you sure," Cullen inquires sweetly, "you wouldn't rather think about the things we can get up to when we return to Skyhold in a timely manner?"

[bringspeopletogether]

"Somewhere with walls."

Alistair gazes dreamily into the middle distance.

"And doors that lock."

[howtoactfereldan]

"And the relative freedom to make noise." Innocent.

[bringspeopletogether]

"Mmm."

Yeah, that dreamy look isn't going anywhere.

"I'd like a nice long break from being quiet."

[howtoactfereldan]

Cullen snorts. Possibly louder than is strictly polite.

"There we go. Least surprising thing I've heard all year."

[bringspeopletogether]

That, finally, pulls Alistair out of his happy daydreaming. He snickers; gives Cullen's hand another squeeze.

"I like to think I add some much-needed predictability to your life, Commander," he says.

[howtoactfereldan]

He laughs, lowering his voice. "Among many other things."

[bringspeopletogether]

"Mostly good ones, I hope," murmurs Alistair. He lifts their clasped hands so he can kiss Cullen's knuckles. "Seeing as you've added so much good to mine."

[howtoactfereldan]

"All good things."

They're technically in sight of the palisade. Cullen doesn't care at all.

He brushes Alistair's cheek. "We can make it a few days."

[bringspeopletogether]

His eyes fall closed; he exhales, quietly. "Yes."

It's going to be...hopefully not too awful. Difficult, he decides. He can prepare for that like he's prepared for every other difficult thing he's faced.

(Oh, Maker, he hopes he can prepare for it.)

No louder, with a quirk of a smile: "And when I see you at the hold, I'll try to refrain from tackling you to the ground in front of everyone."

[howtoactfereldan]

Cullen runs his thumb over Alistair's lower lip. "My bones thank you."

Pause.

"Reduce your speed and I'll look forward to it."

[bringspeopletogether]

It's probably a good thing Alistair's never seen a cheesy video of two lovers running toward each other in slow motion, preferably through a field of flowers. Otherwise he'd definitely be subjecting Cullen to an in-person rendition in a few days.

As it stands: he catches his breath, then turns his head enough to plant a soft kiss in Cullen's palm. "Yes," he says, with faint amusement, "a broken arm might put a bit of a damper on things."

[howtoactfereldan]

In the corner of his eye he spies a pair of walking scouts.

Let them, Cullen thinks.

He slips his hand along Alistair's jaw, running his fingers through Alistair's hair.

[bringspeopletogether]

Alistair's hand rises, of its own accord, to cradle Cullen's wrist. He leans into the touch with another quiet (and faintly shaky) sigh.

I don't want you to go.

His free hand lands at Cullen's waist and slips around to the small of his back.

[howtoactfereldan]

"I love you," Cullen says softly. "We'll be headed home before you know it. It's all right."

Is there anything he could say to help? Anything short of let's leave for Skyhold right now, anyhow.

[bringspeopletogether]

"I love you, too," he whispers; the fingers at Cullen's back curl inward, seeking to hold on tighter. "We'll be fine. A few days isn't -- it's not too terrible, is it."

It's not six weeks. It's not -- to ponder the morbid thoughts that pop up by necessity in wartime -- Cullen dying, or anything of the sort.

[howtoactfereldan]

"Not at all." He runs his thumb slowly over Alistair's cheek. "And we're not making any final decisions until tomorrow night."

Pause.

"I don't have to visit every camp, either. So it might really just be a few days."

[bringspeopletogether]

Alistair nods. He cracks a tiny smile as he leans into Cullen's touch.

"Not even enough time for the ravens carrying my sad letters to reach you," he says.