[sandbox]

[bringspeopletogether]

No Orlesian nobles pounded down their door to demand their hound back, so when Alistair and Cullen left Halamshiral, the newly-dubbed Gruyere happily trotted alongside their horses.

A few weeks after -- which included some quiet conversation, a few orders placed with a few merchants, and almost an entire extra pack of gifts slung over one of their mounts -- Gru just as happily trotted along as they turned for South Reach.

Years of correspondence led Alistair to build an elaborate image of Cullen's family in his mind; Mia, perhaps, more fully realized than the others, but everyone with a name and a voice to match their letters. They're...not wholly inaccurate? But Mia's definitely shorter than he expected, and one or two of the children a little louder.

(Mia's voice, however, adopts exactly the pitch he imagined it would when Alistair brings up the whole I'm-your-brother-in-law-now thing.)

It's a nice place. Just the right kind of rambunctious, with all the kids running around; just the right kind of homey.

If only Cullen weren't -- well, reacting more or less precisely how Alistair worried he'd react to the reunion.

Comments

[howtoactfereldan]

Cullen tilts his head to the side.

"Is this your way of saying you'd be happy to haul all the water?"

[bringspeopletogether]

Alistair snorts and folds his arms atop his belly.

"I try to flirt," he declares to the ceiling, "and I'm sentenced to hard labor. I see how it is."

[howtoactfereldan]

The instant Alistair takes his eyes off of him, Cullen makes his move. There's not enough room to take a flying leap onto the bed, but there's enough for him to pounce.

He straddles Alistair's lap, pressing himself up over Alistair's face on his arms, still smirking.

"Your flirting was terrible," Cullen informs him. "And I didn't issue a sentence. I asked a question. Precision, Theirin."

[bringspeopletogether]

Alistair yelps, flailing a little before his hands find purchase on Cullen's hips. He starts to laugh.

"Always reminding me to do my best work," he says, "and scolding me when I don't. I'd be helpless without your guidance, love."

[howtoactfereldan]

"Mine," Cullen agrees, "and Chantry sisters everywhere."

[bringspeopletogether]

Serenely:

"You offer much better motivation than a Chantry sister, though."

[howtoactfereldan]

Cullen presses down closer, hovering just above Alistair's face. "Oh? And what's that?"

[bringspeopletogether]

In reply, Alistair winds a hand around the back of Cullen's neck and pulls him into a kiss.

[howtoactfereldan]

"You could do that with a Chantry sister," he murmurs against Alistair's throat.

[bringspeopletogether]

Alistair makes an impressive noise of disgust, lets go of Cullen, and flops back onto the bed.

Gross, Cullen. Gross.

[howtoactfereldan]

Cullen, meanwhile, has broken into an equally impressive burst of laughter.He drops to the bed, falling just to the side of Alistair -- enough to take the bulk of his weight off.

[bringspeopletogether]

The last time he heard Cullen laugh like that had to be -- Maker, it feels like ages ago.

It's a beautiful sound.

Warmed by it, Alistair rolls onto his side, beaming at Cullen. That smile takes all seriousness out of his words as he informs him, "You're awful. Why would you do that to me."

[howtoactfereldan]

"How often," Cullen says, still laughing, "do I manage to get that reaction out of you. It's an achievement, Theirin."

[bringspeopletogether]

"Yes," he says, struggling for anything even marginally close to solemnity. "I'm very proud of you, love. Well done."

[howtoactfereldan]

Cullen grins at him, completely unapologetic. "You can't possibly tell me that you didn't have any daydreams about the younger sisters, at least once."

[bringspeopletogether]

"Sister Mabel," he mutters, cheeks reddening rapidly. "Once."

[howtoactfereldan]

Cullen cackles, rolling over on his back. "Just once?"

[bringspeopletogether]

Alistair groans and covers his face with both hands.

"Stop torturing me and get your water, I beg of you -- "

(This plea might go over better if he wasn't laughing, too.)

[howtoactfereldan]

"But Alistair," Cullen manages, "there's a story."

[bringspeopletogether]

"There is not, I was a teenage boy and she was the only woman under the age of forty in the whole Chantry, that is the only story there -- "

[howtoactfereldan]

"The fact that there isn't a story isn't any better." The cackling has faded into giggling.

[bringspeopletogether]

"And I'm sure you were far too busy studying to do any daydreaming of your own, is that right?"

[howtoactfereldan]

"That's right," Cullen says with satisfaction. "I was a stuffy, horrible little monster with no sense of humor."

[bringspeopletogether]

Alistair rolls his eyes, good-naturedly, and scoots closer to steal a brief but heartfelt kiss.

"That's all right," he says. "I got in enough trouble for the both of us."

[howtoactfereldan]

"Yes, you did." Cullen's smile softens. He slips his hand along Alistair's cheek. "My troublemaker."