[sandbox]

[bringspeopletogether]

Skyhold gets quieter and quieter as the days move on. It's not a complete stand-down; there's cleanup to do, stragglers to round up, the same sort of business Alistair remembers from the months after the Blight. The Thaw, as Wardens call it. Thedas is thawing again, but the fortress only grows colder for it.

He won't lie: he'd feel warmer if Kieran and Morrigan were still there.

When Cullen suggests a vacation, Alistair lights up, only to deflate slightly when he realizes they'll be "vacationing" in Orlais. There's business to attend in Val Royeaux -- not the sort of business that'll keep Cullen occupied from sunup to sundown, but enough to require an in-person visit for a week or so. On the one hand: Orlais. On the other: he can't argue that time away from Skyhold, especially in Cullen's company, will help.

...So will the cheese, probably.

(Look, as Alistair has said many a time, he is a very predictable man.)

They room at a small place in the university quarter that's downright plain for Val Royeaux. Libraries for Cullen, a cafe around the corner for both of them, limited contact with people trilling about whatever stupid, petty scandal's hit the court this week -- it could be far worse. Alistair takes to writing his letters at the cafe, usually accompanied by some flaky pastry or another.

Today, they're cheese-filled. It's hard to descend too far into a personal funk when you've got a cheese-filled pastry.

Comments

[bringspeopletogether]

"You do?"

Soft; intrigued. Idly, he traces a slow circle with his forefinger.

[howtoactfereldan]

"Mm-hmm." It comes out on a soft sigh. He can't quite keep from pinking when he says, "I like being yours."

[bringspeopletogether]

Alistair smiles.

"You always will be," he whispers. He touches his lips to Cullen's neck. "I like that you're mine. That I'm the only one who gets to see you like this."

A pause.

Softer, "And I like knowing I'm yours, too."

[howtoactfereldan]

Cullen shivers pleasantly.

"Even when you have to go out in a scarf?" he murmurs.

[bringspeopletogether]

He chuckles. "Even then," he says.

A faint flush spreads down the tips of his ears.

"...Maybe especially then. When you -- " A huff of laughter, slightly nervous. "When you claim me like that. When I carry the mark all day. It's -- nice."

[howtoactfereldan]

"...you're suggesting it should happen more frequently?"

Cullen rather likes the sound of that.

[bringspeopletogether]

"Maybe."

The flush spreads further -- but Alistair's still smiling.

"I expect there are a few shops around here that sell nice scarves."

[howtoactfereldan]

Cullen laughs quietly, and trails his fingertip down the side of Alistair's neck.

"That depends on what you mean by nice. But if you're inclined toward something more functional than frippery... I can recommend a place."

Pause.

"Or surprise you."

[bringspeopletogether]

Alistair arches his neck with a soft hum.

"I like surprises," he murmurs. "You think up good ones."

[howtoactfereldan]

"...name one." Amused. "Besides the almonds. Which -- that's not very inventive."

[bringspeopletogether]

"The almonds were a good one," he protests. "Inventive doesn't enter into it. They did their job, didn't they? But, if you insist -- "

He taps Cullen's chest.

Softer, "All of this was a good surprise, too."

[howtoactfereldan]

"Not one I masterminded," he protests lightly, hoping that'll cover for the fact that he's not one hundred per cent sure what exactly Alistair means.

[bringspeopletogether]

"Well, no, it's not like I did, either." He's laughing, a little. "And in hindsight it should've been no surprise at all. But at the time, yes, it was a very nice surprise when all this began. This us business."

[howtoactfereldan]

"That's a rather different matter from choosing presents that aren't terrible."

[bringspeopletogether]

"Perhaps." Comfortably, as he fishes out another almond. "But you still surprised me with it. And it was a good thing. So..."

He holds the almond to Cullen's lips.

"You do have the capacity for good surprises."

[howtoactfereldan]

"Just for that..."

Crunch.

"I'm finding you the worst, most Orlesian scarf that exists in this wretched city. And I expect you to wear it."

[bringspeopletogether]

Alistair dissolves into laughter as he leans his head against Cullen's shoulder.

"Then I reserve the right to take a pair of scissors to the worst bits of it," he says. "Or wear it somewhere that's not around my neck."

[howtoactfereldan]

Cullen chokes.

And coughs.

It's hard to tell what's coughing and what's laughter.

[bringspeopletogether]

Alistair just beams, the picture of serenity, and eats another almond.

[howtoactfereldan]

Hoarsely:

"What an excellent way to never get me to touch it ever again. Costumes."

[bringspeopletogether]

"I love you too," says Alistair, still with that unholy cheer, before kissing Cullen on the cheek.

[howtoactfereldan]

"You're vile," Cullen announces, "and I hate you." Then he aggressively ruffles Alistair's hair.

[bringspeopletogether]

Alistair yelps and tries to squirm away, to no avail.

(Not that he's trying particularly hard. That'd mean squirming away from Cullen entirely.)

Pretty soon he's laughing again as he tries -- also in vain -- to smooth his hair back down.

[howtoactfereldan]

Cullen watches this process, amused; if he's got a much firmer hold on Alistair now, what of it?

"Exactly what do you think that's going to accomplish?"

[bringspeopletogether]

"It's good to have a dream, Cullen," he says, as solemnly as he can. (So: not very.) "And my dream is having hair that stays un-mussed for five seconds."