[sandbox]

[bringspeopletogether]

Back to Skyhold. Back to work.

Alistair resumes training with the Chargers a few days after his and Cullen's return; the company got back from Halamshiral just before the Basin group showed up, Bull explains, so he was giving them a rest before picking up exercises again. Krem fills Alistair in on all the details as they're exchanging blows. Some of it is just Orlesian Worst Game Ever nonsense, but since it ends with a whole lot of shamefaced nobles with no mercenaries to their names, Alistair's pretty damn pleased.

(Maybe he can get the new mercenaries in on his plan to dress up the training dummies in Orlesian garb. Hmmmmmm.)

Cullen's in a war room meeting by the time Alistair's done. He throws some water on his face and heads for the kitchens -- maybe he can split a small meal with Kieran before Morrigan's return.

Comments

[bringspeopletogether]

Kieran nods. "I'm nearly done," he says. To Alistair: "How soon can we go?"

"Let's wait until sunrise," he answers, with a quirk of a smile. "Let Leliana sleep a bit longer."

(Assuming she's slept at all since the Breach opened. It wouldn't surprise Alistair if she hadn't.)

Once Kieran finishes off the last few bites of his breakfast, he scales the ladder to find the journal he and Alistair brought over last night. Alistair waits until the boy's out of sight; then he drags both hands over his hair with a long, long sigh before resting his face in one hand.

[howtoactfereldan]

Cullen rests a hand on his back, makes slow circles with his palm.

Little point in asking what's wrong, he thinks.

[bringspeopletogether]

Alistair leans into the touch.

Half-mumbled, after a moment: "How are you feeling?"

[howtoactfereldan]

"Exhausted."

Thoughtful.

"And you?"

[bringspeopletogether]

A humorless huff of breath. "The same."

He rests his head against Cullen's.

"Kieran didn't give you any trouble?"

[howtoactfereldan]

"None." Cullen's a little surprised Alistair would even ask; by all accounts (not to mention Cullen's own observations) Kieran is an uncommonly cooperative boy.

He settles his arm around Alistair.

[bringspeopletogether]

He cracks a wry smile at Cullen's tone.

"Stupid question, I know," he murmurs, settling more comfortably against him. "Thank you for keeping an eye on him."

[howtoactfereldan]

"I'm glad to." No louder, as he tightens his hold. "I'd want to do so regardless, under the circumstances."

[bringspeopletogether]

Alistair nods. Another quiet sigh follows, as he closes his eyes.

"You're good with him." Soft. "Must be all the siblings." The quirk of a smile returns. "And having to corral me all the time."

[howtoactfereldan]

"I think most of the credit is Morrigan's, really."

Alistair's hair is already a mess. Surely it won't matter if Cullen runs his fingers through it.

"She's raised him to be both curious and polite, making him someone I'd get on well with under any circumstances."

[bringspeopletogether]

Alistair hums, quietly pleased, and lets Cullen do his worst.

"Yes." Still soft. "She's done extraordinarily well. More than I would've expected."

[howtoactfereldan]

Cullen keeps it up. "Might consider telling her that, if you haven't."

[bringspeopletogether]

"When she returns."

The stillness after that says what Alistair can't: If she returns.

[howtoactfereldan]

"When she returns," Cullen echoes.

Firmly.

And then, quieter -- he's not sure how well sound carries upstairs -- he says, "Look, can you think of anyone better suited to taking down a dragon singlehandedly? Because I can't. How many years have you spent saying she'd turn you into a frog?"

[bringspeopletogether]

Another halfhearted smile. "As long as I've known her."

He retrieves his tea -- it doesn't take much moving to do it, fortunately -- more to hold on to something warm than to drink it.

"She's more likely to get hurt because Bull shoved her aside to reach the dragon first."

[howtoactfereldan]

"And Bull respects expertise."

Cullen isn't currently chewing something, so he leans in and touches his lips to Alistair's temple, lingering.

"Nothing's likely to happen today. It's business as usual. Just... picture the dragon turning into a very large frog, all right?"

[bringspeopletogether]

That pulls a soft laugh out of him. "All right," he agrees.

He wraps his hands more snugly around the mug.

More hesitant, "I'll -- try not to hover while you're working. You've enough to take care of already."

[howtoactfereldan]

"I'm not likely to be at my desk today." Faintly apologetic. "Which is good news, I suppose."

[bringspeopletogether]

"Better for your constitution than being cooped up all day." He smiles, crookedly, trying to put some feeling into it. "Will you need anything once you're back?"

[howtoactfereldan]

"...peace and quiet?"

He gently ruffles Alistair's hair.

[bringspeopletogether]

Another quiet laugh. "Definitely business as usual, then," he says. "All right. Peace and quiet are yours."

[howtoactfereldan]

They'll see about that. Cullen has it in mind to do something... inadvisable.

He'll need to talk to Dagna first. Still.

"And you? After you visit Leliana?"

[bringspeopletogether]

Alistair shrugs, gaze sliding down to his tea.

"Whatever Kieran wants to do, I expect," he says, low. "Broken up by moments where I sneak away to have a quiet panic or five."

[howtoactfereldan]

"He might enjoy a chat with Dagna."

Hopefully it won't break up Dagna's day too much. Then again, it's not like most people are going to get any meaningful work done.

"She's certainly got enough to say about runecraft -- he might find some of it interesting. And consider he might also want some time to himself."

Cullen rubs a thumb into some of the tighter muscles near Alistair's neck. "What can I do that will help the panic?"

[bringspeopletogether]

"I don't know." He closes his eyes, trying to relax into the touch. "It's the light. Can't avoid that. Makes it feel like everything's -- crumbling."

A humorless smile.

"Like whatever demon got me finally got bored enough to let me go."