[sandbox]

[bringspeopletogether]

The letter he finally sends is maybe a little more impolitic than it ought to be, but if he doesn't send something now, he'll still be writing when his Calling arrives.



Fiona,

Ivette Cousland is looking for you. The name might ring a bell. Hero of Ferelden? Slayed the Archdemon some years ago?

Anyway. She's not having any luck, so I thought I'd try my hand at getting in touch.

Cousland's been searching for a cure for the Calling these past five years or so; she even retired as Warden-Commander of Vigil's Keep so she could pursue her research better. She knows your leaving the Wardens wasn't like mine. You didn't just walk away from Weisshaupt: you managed to un-Join somehow, with no ill effects. You're our last, best lead on the matter, so you can understand why she's rather eager to speak to you. It's very likely she doesn't have much time left, what with it being almost a decade and a half since her Joining and living through a Blight.

Frankly, I don't expect I have much time left, either.

Cullen and I are in South Reach these days. I'll always know where to find Cousland, if you'd rather speak with her directly. For all our sakes, I hope you'll be in touch.

--Alistair





Two weeks later, a raven knocks its beak against their window frame.

This is a matter best discussed in person, says the note attached to its leg. I can be to South Reach by the end of the month.

It's signed only with the letter F. Alistair spends the next few hours talking up a nervous storm, hands digging in his hair, half anxious, half furious. (This is exactly what he didn't want: for her to read this as an overture. For her to think she could have any claim to Alistair's time, Alistair's space, outside of giving him and Cousland the information they needed.)

Then he writes a letter to Cousland and sends the raven on its way.

Comments

[bringspeopletogether]

"If they have, they haven't informed me either," he says. "Though now I'd be interested to know what they might think up. That Fellow Adjacent to the Hero of Ferelden. The Former Commander's Husband. Oi, You Over There."

[howtoactfereldan]

“They can’t use Husband-Commander.”

Cullen slips his other arm around Alistair.

“That one’s for my use only.”

[bringspeopletogether]

He leans into the embrace, eyes closing.

"I've no objection." Soft, and warm.

[howtoactfereldan]

He smooths a palm up and down Alistair’s back.

Low: “At your order, ser.”

[bringspeopletogether]

Alistair draws a slow breath. There's a very strong urge to just slump bonelessly against Cullen and let him cart Alistair over his shoulder to...wherever. Sadly, if he did that now, he might send them both toppling and knock over half the crockery around the kitchen.

The next best thing:

"I know I should get the letter over with," he murmurs, "but all I want this instant is to go catch up on the lie-in we didn't get this morning. Can we?"

Just for a little bit. And then back to business.

[howtoactfereldan]

Cullen laughs quietly.

“We can — if you’re the one to leave the note for Ivette to let her know we’ve gone caboodling and she shouldn’t wait up.”

[bringspeopletogether]

At that, Alistair thumps his head onto Cullen's shoulder.

Muffled, but amused: "If you're humoring me to the point of willingly calling it caboodling, I must be very bad off indeed."

[howtoactfereldan]

“I was merely offering a template for the note,” Cullen says, thoroughly innocent. “It’s more efficient that way.”

[bringspeopletogether]

"Mm-hm." Warmly, before he kisses Cullen on the cheek. "I'm not saying I don't appreciate you humoring me. But I expect if I used that word in any correspondence to Ivette, she'd make a bunch of vomiting noises and set it on fire."

[howtoactfereldan]

“...and that’s not reason to do it?”

[bringspeopletogether]

He smiles, crookedly.

"If we're leaving her to her own devices so soon after all that, I'd at least try not to be obnoxious about it."

[howtoactfereldan]

“You really think she couldn’t use a few hours herself?”

Cullen runs the pad of his thumb over Alistar’s lower lip.

“The one time I try to instigate mischief. See if I ever do it again.”

[bringspeopletogether]

Unbidden, Alistair's eyes slip closed.

"I taught you so well and now I can't even reap the reward of all your hard work," he murmurs. "We'll have to save it for another time."

A quiet sigh.

"All right. We'll give Ivette a few hours. Take a few for ourselves." Gently, he starts to disengage from Cullen. "I'll -- find some paper. For a note."

[howtoactfereldan]

Cullen lets him go, eyeing the door to the bedroom. “I’ll be waiting.” Softly.

[bringspeopletogether]

Alistair nods.

With Cullen's penchant for math treatises and Alistair's penchant for doodling, a quill and a scrap of paper are never hard to find. Going back to bed, he writes, and hesitates. Some quip about this being the sort of morning that requires returning to bed well before midday is...it feels like he should include it, but he can't shape the joke properly.

Thank you for your help, he writes instead. Steal all the snacks from the larder that you'd like.

He leaves it in prominent view on the kitchen table and slumps toward the bedroom.

[howtoactfereldan]

Cullen looks up from his seat on the edge of the bed, shirtsleeves rolled up.

Geoffrey sits — lounges — atop Alistair’s pillow as though he owns the place.

[bringspeopletogether]

Alistair aims a tired smile at Cullen...and then he spots Geoffrey.




Slowly dissolving into laughter, he sinks next to his husband and lets his head list onto his shoulder.

[howtoactfereldan]

Cullen slips an arm about his shoulders

“You’ll have to move him,” he murmurs. “I’m terrified of his wrath, you know.”

[bringspeopletogether]

"Oh yes," he giggles. "I can tell."

He can't say why Geoffrey sitting there on his pillow is the funniest thing in the world to him right now. He's just -- it's been a long couple of weeks, planning all this, thinking of few things but the Calling, then being around Fiona (even if she wasn't awful) and learning there's a chance he might survive beyond the next few years after all --

It's been a lot. And Cullen loves him enough to do silly things like buy him a stuffed golem and claim he's terrified of it. Right after the living reminder of Alistair being abandoned as a child gets up, bids them all good day, and heads out the door.

It's a lot, and he's so relieved, beyond articulation, to be here in this room with Cullen.

[howtoactfereldan]

“Quaking in my boots,” he agrees, rubbing Alistair’s back. “Quaked right out of them, in fact.”

With his free hand he points to where said boots are neatly lined up together.

[bringspeopletogether]

"I'll -- " Snicker. "I'll protect you, love, don't worry."

He wraps an arm around Cullen's middle. (Clinging a bit, in contrast to the laughter.)

"I'm sure Geoffrey's very proud of himself for striking such fear in your heart."

[howtoactfereldan]

“Very accomplished for such a small golem,” Cullen agrees, squeezing Alistair.

[bringspeopletogether]

It takes a little effort to stretch toward his pillow without breaking their embrace, but Alistair manages it: he snags Geoffrey and tucks him under his free arm.

"Well done," he informs the toy. "Now, stay there a moment."

How tightly did he lace up his boots this morning? Hopefully not so tightly that he can't toe them off without letting go of Cullen or Geoffrey. Time to find out!

[howtoactfereldan]

Cullen watches this process, amused.

“You know,” he murmurs into Alistair’s ear, “neither one of us is going anywhere. You could let go. It would be much faster.”

[bringspeopletogether]

With his heel stuck firmly in the ankle of one boot, Alistair pauses. The tips of his ears go red.

"Well," he says, lightly, "you've always been a brilliant tactician. I suppose I'll give it a try."

He eases away from Cullen just enough to pick the laces of his boots free.