killedwithlove | For insurgoaltus

"Absolutely nothing - as long as they are facing the right way around." Dorian flopped in a chair, pulling up a book and pouring himself a glass of wine. A laugh slipped out.

"Yes, please. If you want to curl up in my bed, all stains must be removed, thank you very much."

He looked over, his grey eyes warming. "I couldn't agree more. Outside of the naked part. That's nice too."

Cole kept cleaning himself, carefully lifting his injured thigh so he could clean it. The bruising was there, but he gently rubbed at the bloodstain, lifting it from his skin.

"Cadash said I have to be in bed to rest. Does this mean I need to get my own bed at some point?"

He leaned his head on the rim of the tub and reached a hand out to Dorian. "I can be naked more, if you like."

Dorian marked his place in the book with a finger as he brought his other hand to his mouth, tilting his dark head a little. "The selfish part of me wants to say - 'No, of course not!' The sensible, rational, doesn't want to be horrible murdered by a bald apostate says ... 'For the state of mind of all our friends, probably.'"

He reached out in turn, choking a little at the thought of Cole ... more naked for his benefit, "While ... I ... would certainly enjoy it, we run into the same problem as we do with the you only using my bed."

"Cadash doesn't care where I sleep. Solas..." Cole went quiet and looked somewhere else.

"I don't sleep. I don't want to. I didn't mind lying in bed with you, because I could watch you and listen to your emotions and I didn't get bored like I do when I have to lie by myself."

He shrugged a little. "I could do it where other people don't see. I'm very good at not being seen."

"Ye-es. Solas." Dorian stated simply, arching an eyebrow. They both had a fairly certain idea of what Solas would think of all this.

Not that Dorian cared much, when Cole talked like that. His smile curved up under his mustache. "I would hate for you get bored ... so I suppose you'll just have to stay as long as you like, then."

A clearing of the throat, "Well. Yes. You ... could do that."

Cole didn't know what Solas thought of him anymore. He was harder to read now, closed off.

"I can pretend I'm not staying here and just not get seen coming up here." He'd sooner Dorian not feel bad about his being here, and since it was what others would think that was the problem...

"Would you like that?"

To be honest, Solas was harder for everyone to read now -- except perhaps Cadash.

"I do not want you to act like you are sneaking around, Cole. I am not ashamed of you." He traced a fingertip along Cole's hand. "I'm just at a loss to explain my feelings without sounding like some sort of pervert."

He laughed again, his gaze warming, "... well of course I would like you naked, Cole. I like all your inside bits. Your outside bits must be equally brilliant. Which is probably why all our friends would call me a pervert to begin with."

"No. Not ashamed. But you think people will say things and try to save me from you." He turned his hand to brush his own fingers along Dorian's wrist and palm.

"I'm not ashamed of my body. I don't know if it's interesting, or nice to look at. Why is liking a body perverted?"

"...Ye-es, that sums it up nicely. They will try to save you from me." He let his eyes fall half closed, sliding his fingers along Cole's lightly.

"It's not, when one had a healthy and respectful appreciation for it. When one respects the mind, as well as the form. I just don't know how to make them believe that I ... that my feelings for you are genuine, and not something I am making up to have my wicked Tevinter way with the 'innocent spirit'."

He looked at Cole, tilting his head. "It will take time, is all. Like you winning me over with logic. I will simply have to be respectful and you will have to be yourself - showing them that you want to have feelings, and be kissed, and sleep curled next to me and talk to me for hours about all sorts of things... and of course, when you want to be naked in front of me, you can be."

"I suppose that's what I want -- I want them to know you chose me."

"They're not very clever if they think I can't tell the difference between genuine emotion and people making believe. I know people. I know what it feels like when someone just wants sex and will say or do anything to get it."

Cole had seen it, heard it, lived it through others. He never talked about what may or may not have happened to the other Cole under the templars' not so tender care.

"I know they're genuine. So does Cadash. I don't have experience with some things, but that doesn't mean I don't know about them. And if people say anything to you, you should tell them to come to me. And I can explain why I've chosen you."

He drew Dorian's hand close enough to kiss the knuckles.

"...I wish you didn't. I wish you knew only the good parts, and not the bad ones. No one should know that sort of cruelty." Especially not from those who were supposed to be guards and guardians.

"I suppose if Cadash knows, that's all that truly matters. Hers, and yours, are the good opinions that matter the most." He thought about it, "And Cullen ... whom I might get a vicious little thrill, having him hear from you why you've chosen me."

He smiled again, eyes brightening. "Such the gentleman..."

"Life isn't always kind. Compassion is most needed when there's harshness and cruelty." Simple fact of what he was and their world.

"Cullen isn't sure what to think about me. I scare him, because of what he's lived through, but he's accepted that I'm not like those spirits, I'm different. He doesn't know I bring him the meals late at night. It helps the aches if he has food."

He pressed his smooth cheek to Dorian's hand. "Who is?"

"Well, that is ... very true. I just wish it wasn't so. Although I am glad to know compassion, once more." It seemed a long time since he had had any.

"So you're the one -- he keeps telling me to stop being a doter." Dorian's lips quirk, "Then ... perhaps all who matter, won't care at a bit."

"You are. Kissing my hand, ready to firmly guide our friends towards reason, willing to be naked for me." He arched an eyebrow, "Just who is courting who here, Cole?"

"And you'd like to know Compassion better."

Things that were never predicted to come from Cole: innuendo.

"Yes. He needs it. He forgets when it hurts and then it hurts more, so I bring him the foods that help ease it, help him sleep, or just breathe. I like Cullen."

He shrugged slightly, smiling a little. "Why does only one of us have to court?"

Now please observe both of Dorian's eyebrows raise, but two can play at this game. "Intimately, if so blessed."

His expression sobers a little at the mention of his friend's pain, and he knows he'll be share something he uses for his own lyrium potions to help ease the addiction. "So do I. Which is why we have to take care of the lummox."

"Mmm, I shall not argue it, especially when it comes in such a charming package." He smiled again, easy and brilliant. "Court away."

Cole gave a small smile and offered out both his hands. "I want to get out now, please help me."

He knew to keep the leg resting. And he wasn't confident on his ability to get out without a second leg for balance. "I like taking care of Cullen. He takes care of everyone but himself. He thinks he doesn't deserve it, but we know he does."

"Gladly - hold on." He put his book aside, and grabbed the towel, slinging it over his shoulder so he could take both of Cole's hands and pull him up carefully, his grip firm.

"Now, I've got the towel right here ... so we're going to get you out of the tub and to the chair, so we can get you dried off, all right? How's that leg?" He asked, careful not to glance down.

Cole could pull himself upright between Dorian and his good leg, standing steady on it and holding onto Dorian.

"All right. It feels better for the heat in the water." He held on tight, realising he'd need to either hop out, literally, or Dorian would have to take his weight to get him over the lip of the tub again.

"You can look down if you want."

Dorian was realizing the logistics of this, and gave out a wry little smirk of his own as he shifted Cole's hands to his shoulders. "I am glad for that ... and I am afraid I must do a little more than that, Nug."

He cleared his throat and took the towel off his own shoulder, shaking it out so he could wrap it around Cole's middle. He saw glimpses of pale skin, lean muscles and other rather interesting things, which he did enjoy very much. Then he scolded himself, and made sure to tuck the towel right at Cole's hips, before putting his arms at Cole's waist. "Hold on tight, if you would?"

And with that, he lifted Cole bodily up and with ease, moving to carry him over to the chair, carefully putting him down again. "... well that was bracing. And pleasant."

Cole quickly realised what was about to happen. The only real interest he had in the towel was stopping the water getting all over Dorian.

But if Dorian got wet, he'd have to take off his clothes.

He'd think about it.

He wrapped his arms around Dorian's neck, holding tight as he was lifted. It jostled his leg, but he stayed silent and just held on until he was on the chair.

"Thank you."

Dorian got a little ... well damp, but nothing that wouldn't dry off in a few minutes, so he didn't worry about it. He went to grab another towel, for Cole's hair and shoulders, his lips curving up.

"For a view like that? I am fairly certain I should be thanking you." He came back around, kneeling down a little, his smile warm. "Either way - let's get you dried off, and bandage up that leg, all right?"

Cole watched Dorian moving around, following him the entire time he wasn't actually with Cole. When he came back, he reached out for him again, smiling when he saw Dorian's smile.

"I told you I'm happy to be naked. I wear clothes because that's what people do. I wear armour to stop injuries, though. Armour's different. I don't need armour in here, with you."

He stretched his leg out carefully. "Don't get into bed wet either, right?"

As if Dorian could resist that smile, and he came closer, like a moth to the flame.

"Well usually if two people are going to be naked together, other things are going to happen." Dorian stated wryly, although he was still smiling. "And I am happy, that you trust me enough to be naked here - sans clothing and armor."

"Absolutely right." He lifted the other towel, draping it over Cole's head. "Go ahead and dry yourself off."

"You don't have to be naked. Clothing masked and masqueraded, hiding, hidden, holding yourself inside of them." Clothing was important to Dorian, it made statements about who he wanted to show himself to be, kept his real self safely hidden under layers.

He reached up and started to dry off his hair, then down his neck, shoulders and arms before moving to his chest.

"Dorian. Do you... not like caring so deeply that you feel like you need to look after me?"

Dorian pulled out his healing kit - a small thing compared to Solas's - glancing up at Cole. "Yes, I suppose I do. Vivienne is not wrong about clothes making the mage. I dress as I do to intimidate, and ... in some cases attract."

He shook his head a little, "Quite the opposite, actually. The more I care about you, the more I want to protect you. To make sure that you come home safe, to me. Selfish, that, but the truth. If I fuss, it means that little extra bit of precaution will keep you from getting killed." He looks sober, "If I do not seem like I take it seriously -- it's because it means that much more to me. If I pretend it doesn't matter in some ways, while fussing in others, then it evens out. I show you I love you, even when I can't say it."

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