howtoactfereldan: (the well of all souls)
Cullen ([personal profile] howtoactfereldan) wrote2017-10-23 10:14 pm

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You'll have to make a decision quickly. Either don't come home and meet me in Halamshiral, or come home and have a day or two before turning for Orlais. They've called an Exalted Council. Josephine, Lavellan, and I must speak for the Inquisition in front of Orlais, Ferelden, and Divine Victoria. Two of those parties appear to be hostile to our continued existence. I will leave it to you to contemplate which two.

Be safe, Alistair, and go with my love
.

Cullen doesn't bother signing it.

The library is silent. No one is in the rotunda -- Solas's rotunda, he thinks, even after all this time. There are always people in the yard, but many fewer than before.

(It's downright lonely, when Alistair travels. Cullen will never complain to him. Not after the last few years.)
bringspeopletogether: ([warden] the dawn will come)

[personal profile] bringspeopletogether 2018-02-23 02:13 am (UTC)(link)
"Of course not." Gently, he nudges Cullen in the side. "We all go together. I wouldn't leave you behind."
bringspeopletogether: ([warden] fond)

[personal profile] bringspeopletogether 2018-02-23 03:14 am (UTC)(link)
"I could," he allows, and lets go of Cullen's hand so he can sling an arm around his shoulders. "But I don't want to."

A beat.

"I could be in favor of taking our new friend back to our quarters to settle in, though."
bringspeopletogether: ([warden] the dawn will come)

[personal profile] bringspeopletogether 2018-02-23 01:10 pm (UTC)(link)
A crooked smile. "I appreciate you indulging me."

He squeezes Cullen gently.

"And you may consider me successfully indulged. Come on, love."
bringspeopletogether: ([warden] look to the sky)

[personal profile] bringspeopletogether 2018-02-26 06:01 pm (UTC)(link)
Alistair nods.

"Can I do anything in the meantime?" he asks. "Besides chase away any callers?"

They begin the walk back to their quarters, the mabari joyfully trotting among at their heels. So what if he's not allowed into this "bedroom" place? HE'S STILL GOT NEW FRIENDS.
bringspeopletogether: ([warden] look to the sky)

[personal profile] bringspeopletogether 2018-02-26 07:44 pm (UTC)(link)
"Two someones," he corrects with a crooked smile. "As much as those someones will allow me."
bringspeopletogether: ([warden] look to the sky)

[personal profile] bringspeopletogether 2018-02-26 10:36 pm (UTC)(link)
Too much pushing.

"All right," he says, no louder. Staying quiet the rest of the way back to their house seems prudent: Alistair doesn't say anything else, but neither does he pull away.

(He feels -- unsteady again. Unsure. Perhaps he hasn't regained as much of his balance as he thought, after the nightmare knocked him askew.)
bringspeopletogether: ([warden] look to the sky)

[personal profile] bringspeopletogether 2018-02-26 11:46 pm (UTC)(link)
Alistair breathes out. "All right," he says again.

The dog circles Alistair's feet; thumps his hindquarters against the ground, gazing up at him. Alistair stretches a hand down to scratch the mabari behind the ears.

"I'll be here." He chances another tiny, lopsided smile. "Rest well."
bringspeopletogether: ([warden] the dawn will come)

[personal profile] bringspeopletogether 2018-02-26 11:53 pm (UTC)(link)
"He did get a bath before he came in." A beat. "Sort of."

Alistair leans to peck Cullen on the cheek.

"I'll give him another to be safe." When that gets an alarmed whine from the mabari, Alistair corrects himself: "Or I'll just keep him off the furniture?"
bringspeopletogether: ([warden] fond)

[personal profile] bringspeopletogether 2018-02-27 01:38 am (UTC)(link)
"Precisely." Laughing a little. "Our training's well under way."

The mabari barks agreement.

Lifting his chin toward the bedroom, Alistair adds, "Go enjoy your lie-down. I love you."
bringspeopletogether: ([warden] funny you should say that)

[personal profile] bringspeopletogether 2018-02-27 02:16 am (UTC)(link)
Alistair runs his hand through his hair and lets out a long, long sigh. He exchanges glances with the mabari; the dog wags his tail hopefully.

"Yes. I agree," he says, putting on a deliberately cheery tone. "We should find a few good toys for you that won't shatter anything when we both start galumphing about."

OH BOY. The mabari barks again, dancing in place with anticipation.

"Come on, then," says Alistair, and leads him along to find a good stick or a length of rope somewhere in the house.




Once they've had a few good rounds of tug-of-war -- well out of earshot of the bedroom -- Alistair murmurs to the mabari, Cullen may grumble sometimes, but he means well. He's a kind man at heart. Don't hold it against him, yes?

Somehow, the mabari manages to bark sotto voce, which sounds like a localized rumble of thunder deep in his chest.

Good boy.
bringspeopletogether: ([warden] look to the sky)

[personal profile] bringspeopletogether 2018-02-27 03:09 am (UTC)(link)
A good meal and some vigorous playtime would wear anybody out, especially a mabari who's probably had to sit all prim and proper far away from his master's table for Maker knows how long. (...Oh, no, what if his master made him wear a mask? The thought's too horrifying for Alistair to contemplate for long.)

Soon enough, they've sprawled out next to the fireplace, Alistair gnawing on some bread he rescued from the pantry, the mabari snoring gently in his sleep. Mabari make fairly good pillows, Alistair decides. Not nearly as good as Cullen, but they'll do in a pinch.

...He knows better than to check on Cullen. Give the man the time apart that he needs; don't hover and fuss. But every few minutes, Alistair finds himself glancing toward the hallway that leads to the bedroom.

Maybe he'll put a kettle on in a bit. Just to have something ready.
bringspeopletogether: ([warden] look to the sky)

[personal profile] bringspeopletogether 2018-02-27 05:50 pm (UTC)(link)
Yes. A kettle seems wise.

Patting the mabari on the side -- he twitches, grumbles, then goes back to sleep -- Alistair hefts himself up to amble for the kitchen. Maybe a full tray, if he can find a way to elevate it off the ground? No, he decides. Too overbearing.

A kettle (wrapped in a warmer), a cup, and a few selections of tea from the cabinets, though: that seems good.

Soon enough, he's wandering to the bedroom with the tray of tea accouterments in hand. There's a little decorative table near the door, holding a vase of flowers and little else. Alistair nudges them aside to set the tray there.

And hesitates.

(Don't knock. Don't bother him. Cullen will come out when he's ready, and the first thing that greets him will be a cup of tea he can either partake of or ignore as he wishes.)

Even after he's made his decision not to knock, Alistair hovers a moment longer.

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