[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

[howtoactfereldan]

Cullen buries his face in Alistair's shoulder, and says, muffled, "Who needs a vacation. This time the cleanup's not happening after an apostate blew up the Chantry and set everything on fire."










"Son of a whore."

[bringspeopletogether]

Alistair's...not quite sure what to make of that.

He looks down at Cullen, brow furrowing; his embrace tightens again.

[howtoactfereldan]

Alistair is going to laugh, and while Cullen sees the humor, he's not quite there yet.

So he says, extra grumpy:

"Corypheus blew up the Temple of Sacred Ashes. Lots of things caught on fire."

[bringspeopletogether]

Just as expected, Alistair slowly dissolves into laughter.

(It's more like helpless giggling, actually, though he'll deny any giggling is taking place.)

He buries his face in Cullen's hair.

[howtoactfereldan]

Cullen pokes his chest.

"Have a heart," he complains. "I've already done this once before."

[bringspeopletogether]

"Sorry -- " He works to bring the giggling under control. "Sorry."

Cullen gets a firm kiss on the forehead.

"Least you've got me to help this time?"

[howtoactfereldan]

"Not to mention Leliana and Josephine. But it's true -- you're a qualified adjutant."

Bask in the compliment, Alistair. Bask.

[bringspeopletogether]

Oh, he's basking all right.

"I'm so honored," he says, and only descends back into a little bit of laughter as he says it.

[howtoactfereldan]

"You've got a writing board over there in your things, don't you?"

[bringspeopletogether]

"I can whip one up, I'm sure." He grins. "Scribble on the back of my shield if necessary."

[howtoactfereldan]

"Very unprofessional, Theirin." He resettles his head on Alistair's shoulder. "We have standards, you know."

[bringspeopletogether]

"Oh, well. My apologies, ser."

He goes back to carding his fingers through Cullen's hair.

"In that case I'll be sure to scribble everything in the back pages of the nearest book instead."

[howtoactfereldan]

"Would those be the books you stole from the library, or the books you stole from me?"

[bringspeopletogether]

Serene: "From the library, of course. I'm not so cruel as to deface your property."

[howtoactfereldan]

"Ah, of course. How could I ever slander your character in such a fashion."

[bringspeopletogether]

Alistair tsks. "I'll let it pass this time," he says. "But only because I love you."

[howtoactfereldan]

"As usual, far more generous than I have any right to expect."

No ire, or self-recrimination: the response is automatic, without force behind it.

[bringspeopletogether]

Alistair exhales another soft laugh, leaning his head against Cullen's.

"Exactly as generous as you deserve," he says: less argument than reminder, falling into the gentle, familiar rhythm of oft-repeated conversation.

[howtoactfereldan]

"Allegedly." Content; he closes his eyes again.

[bringspeopletogether]

"Mm."

Alistair runs his palm up and down Cullen's back, slow.






Whispered: "Hey. Cullen. Guess what?"

[howtoactfereldan]

Without missing a beat: "We won?"

[bringspeopletogether]

"We won," he echoes, beaming.

[howtoactfereldan]

"The winning noise happens out there." Cullen lazily flails his arm at the wall. "The winning peace and quiet happens in here."

[bringspeopletogether]

He chuckles. "Of course," he assures Cullen, and catches the flailing hand. "The winning noise will still be going on after you've slept for a week, I'm sure. Whether there'll still be any wine left to go with it...that's another story."

[howtoactfereldan]

"I trust in the existence of Josephine's exclusive stash, Theirin."