Alistair (
bringspeopletogether) wrote2017-07-01 04:58 pm
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[sandbox]
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.
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.
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"No." Feels like his back is breaking into gooseflesh. "No, Alistair. Please." Cullen brings a palm down, hard, on the bed, and twists the blankets tight into his fist. "Whatever you say. I'll -- please."
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His free hand slides back into Cullen's hair. He curls his fingers, pulls: not enough to hurt, but enough for an unmistakable tension.
"Tell me what you want me to do. Tell me what you think about when I'm away."
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As it is, Cullen reddens -- not just his face, either.
"I want -- you to use me. For, for your own..." Even in the middle of this, even as he says it, his mouth quirks at his choice of word: really, Cullen? "Gratification." A small, swift sigh, then rushed: "I serve at your pleasure. For. Anything. Really -- really anything." He draws in a swift breath. "At your order."
He has just enough presence of mind left to swallow down the words my lord. Not now. Not like this. Not after what Alistair's just told him about his name.
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Say something.
He bends his head to Cullen's neck, kissing his pulse point; lingering there, too, as his thoughts spin too fast to cohere. It's -- a lot. Alistair isn't sure he wants to be so unashamedly selfish, not after what they fought about, but a deeper, driving need snatches at the possibility with eager abandon. Yes. I want.
And the utter trust -- the faith Cullen puts in him, to ask this, to lay there with his throat bare and know he will be safe --
After what they fought about, it makes Alistair feel very small. Like he's in the presence of something too great to comprehend.
He closes his eyes. "All right," he whispers against Cullen's throat. Another soft kiss, and he draws Cullen's hair taut again. "Let me -- "
He can't quite stifle a tiny laugh.
"Let me think. Lots to do. Lots of time to do it."
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He is also very, very red.
"You did ask."
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He lets go of Cullen's hair, smoothing it down, and trails his fingertips along Cullen's jaw.
"Thank you. For -- trusting me with all that." Barely a breath, then: "Wow."
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Maybe if they hadn't fought -- if Rainier hadn't --
But they did, and he did, and Cullen -- well. Alistair struggles enough with knowing what's real. Providing what reassurance he can -- being a shelter, a landmark -- that's service, as well.
He aims that crooked smile up at Alistair. "That and more, Theirin. Far more."
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(Moment over. Back to the very pleasurable business literally at hand.)
"What I want," he says eventually in Cullen's ear, breathless, "is to ride you. And I want to watch your face as I do. I want to see how much you enjoy it."
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"At your order," he says helplessly, and then nips at Alistair's shoulder. "I can -- yes. Yes."
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First thing's first. After one last kiss near the base of Cullen's neck -- there's teeth to it; turnabout is fair play -- he maneuvers lower, caressing Cullen as he goes. His hand keeps up its work until the moment he takes Cullen in his mouth.
(Not for too long. Just enough to make up for the lack of grease on hand.)
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"Alistair -- there's, I've got -- "
He indicates his side of the bed. "Oil," he manages, tomato-red once more. Despite that, he's grinning at the ceiling. "I got some. Just in case."
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Sheepish, but grinning too.
"Right. Yes. That'd -- work better. Here." He holds out a hand. "Can you reach it?"
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Upon presenting it to Alistair, he's struck with the bizarre sensation of presenting some kind of prize for Alistair's approval -- like a cat bringing a live rodent into the house, expecting everyone to be pleased.
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Back to work: hands on Cullen again, with a palmful of oil. Alistair's moving quicker, breathing harder, a little clumsy with the impatience of need. He straddles Cullen once everything's ready and plants his hands on the mattress.
Then, carefully, he eases himself down.
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(Which thrills him. It's just what he wanted. He's here for Alistair to use.)
Uneven, low: "Look at you. You're doing so well."
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Still moving with care, he rocks his hips a little: settling in, testing out. It makes his breath catch and hitch, hard. "Yes."
As his fingers curl into the bedsheets and clutch tight, he finds his way toward a slow rhythm. His eyes fall closed, head tipping back as he savors it.
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He catches an arm around Alistair's waist, managing, "Hard to watch -- with your eyes closed, Theirin."
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"Couldn't help it." One hand curls tighter, but the other works free of the blankets and makes a grab for Cullen's shoulder. "You -- Maker, yes -- " A dazed second to catch his breath again. "You feel incredible."
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To distract from his lack of eloquence, he shifts his hips up -- just a little. Testing.
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Not so quiet that time. He digs his nails into Cullen's shoulder as he nods helplessly. "Yes. That."
With effort, he swallows down the please that wants to tack itself to the end of those words. If Cullen wants to...be used, that means Alistair can't ask or plead. He has to tell. Demand.
"Again -- "
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"At your order," he breathes, and sets up a slow, careful, steady rhythm. To make matters worse -- depending on one's definition -- he wraps his free hand around Alistair's length. "Anything. Yes."
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He urges the rhythm a little faster. Along Cullen's shoulder, his fingernails scrape thin, stinging lines. I don't want this to end, he thinks, delirious and giddy.
Every time his head bows of its own accord, he lifts it again, forces his eyes open so he can keep watching Cullen.
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He can do this.
He tightens his hold. Steadies his grip. Thrusts a little harder, as though it could make up for the fact that he's gotten -- erratic.
He should say something. Are you close? Something -- good. You feel incredible. Something intense. (Maybe a little filthy?) But it's too much going on at once.
What winds up happening is Cullen, shoulders tensed with effort, and against the onslaught of sensation, letting out a steady stream of increasingly high-pitched profanity. Odds are he's not quite aware of it.
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Just a little more, just a little harder, if Cullen's hand twists and strokes just a few more times --
"Yes -- "
He can't keep up the rhythm any better than Cullen by now, he's too close, and he can't keep watching anymore either -- his eyes screw shut as the tension builds hotter, stronger, everything circling up to an impossibly high peak. One more thrust against Cullen's hand -- two --
His voice spirals up to a shout as his hand clamps onto Cullen, like he's been struck by lightning and can't let go. Shuddering, he spills across Cullen's hand, his stomach, trying in vain to catch his breath.
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(It's a little strangled, to be honest.)
"I've got you."
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