[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]

"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."

[bringspeopletogether]

"Yours," he agrees, soft. His eyes drift closed; he leans into the caress. "Dropping snow down the backs of everyone's shirts and tying all their bootlaces together."

Beat.

"Also," back to poorly-suppressed laughter, "thank you for not saying 'well if you got in enough trouble for both of us than you must have daydreamed about Sister Mabel at least twice.'"

[howtoactfereldan]

Peaceful:

"I didn't have to say it. You just did."

[bringspeopletogether]

Alistair wrinkles his nose.

"But you were thinking it, weren't you."

[howtoactfereldan]

Cullen stretches up just enough to kiss the tip of Alistair's nose, and doesn't reply. Pointedly.

[bringspeopletogether]

"Mm-hm."

Grinning, he catches Cullen's mouth in another quick kiss.

"Go get your water, love."

[howtoactfereldan]

Cullen sighs -- clearly Alistair was supposed to be the one to do it! -- and rises. "I'll be back."

[bringspeopletogether]

But if Alistair fetched the water, he'd have to put on trousers. Trousers, Cullen.

"I'll be here," he says, cheerfully. "Love you."

And then he returns to sprawling over as much of the bed as he can.

(Outside the bedroom door, there's a scrabbling of dog nails on wood as Gru jumps to his feet. Are the humans finally leaving the room? Is there going to be food?? HE'S BEEN SO PATIENT.)

[howtoactfereldan]

Alistair can hear Cullen's voice, speaking softly to Gru; from the sudden silence, it seems likely that Cullen has rifled through a pack to find some jerky.

There are sounds of scraping -- something heavy across the floor -- and then the door opens and closes.

Shortly thereafter, two buckets spill their contents somewhere. Cullen sighs, heavily, and the door opens and closes again.

(It's a good thing they have those runes to heat the water. Otherwise Cullen might just give it up for a lost cause.)

[bringspeopletogether]

Alistair may enjoy lazing about sometimes, but he isn't heartless. And those heavy sighs do tug on his heartstrings.

With a quiet sigh of his own, he rolls off the bed to fetch his trousers and shirt. (This is how much he loves you, Cullen.)

By the time Cullen returns with the next two buckets of water, Alistair's there, scratching Gru behind the ears, smiling sheepishly. "Is there another pair of buckets about?"

[howtoactfereldan]

"What happened to being an exhibitionist?" Cullen returns, tipping the water into the basin.

[bringspeopletogether]

"I thought it might be kinder on the neighbors to wait a week or two." Serenely.

[howtoactfereldan]

He nods sagely and turns to get more water. (If Alistair wants buckets, he can find them himself.)

[bringspeopletogether]

Fair enough!

Gru gets one final belly pat before Alistair wanders off in search of buckets. Some minutes later, he joins Cullen on his cyclic trek to and from the water.

It takes about thirty seconds after that for him to start whistling with absent contentment.

[howtoactfereldan]

Two more trips and the basin is halfway full. Cullen rubs the back of his neck and says, awkward, looking away, "I'll leave you to it, then."

[bringspeopletogether]

"Are you sure?"

He looks up, brow knitted slightly.

"If you need something to do -- "

[howtoactfereldan]

"I'm fine." He turns away, shoulders hunched. "I'll go wash."

[bringspeopletogether]

"...All right."

Alistair's not sure what to make of the shift in demeanor, but he chances a small smile anyway.

"See you in a bit, then."

[howtoactfereldan]

Cullen lowers his head, picks up only one bucket, and goes outside.

He can clean himself in the stable. It's fine.

[bringspeopletogether]

Alistair watches him go, chewing on his lower lip.

Then, with a sigh, he goes to fetch a heating rune for the basin. Maybe if he's still soaking by the time Cullen gets back, he'll try to coax him into the tub, too.

[howtoactfereldan]

Cold well water isn't ideal, but it will do. Neither is having no towel, but his shirt can suffice.

It's best to just be quick, methodical, impersonal, rough.

(It's not good, having time to think.)



He's back in less than ten minutes, averting his eyes the instant he appears in the door.

[bringspeopletogether]

Alistair pauses midway through scrubbing one shoulder.




"Should I ask?" Quiet.

[howtoactfereldan]

"Need to see about changing the linen," he mutters, and goes for the bedroom.