killedwithlove | for insurgoaltus

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for insurgoaltus

Cole had said he would go to Val Royeaux when they next went there.

It happened sooner than anticipated. Cadash returned from her expedition in Valammar and, as Cole had predicted, Varric was heart broken, the betrayal a step beyond what he could take, even from his beloved, elusive Bianca.

Cadash promptly announced they were going as a group to Val Royeaux. Not just her and Varric, but anyone and everyone who wanted to come and sort out business. Uniforms needed making for this ridiculous ball, Varric needed a cheer up which meant new bow components, Solas was complaining about a lack of the pigments he wanted, and in the end Cadash had just yelled a lot and bundled up everyone who might want to go or be needed.

They made a long, straggling caravan trail of horses, nugalopes, dracolisks and foot soldiers. Cole, still unable to ride on his own, had hopped up onto Dorian's horse for most of the trip, wandering away and back as he was called to help.

But as they drew closer, he went quiet, cuddling into Dorian's back and watching the great, White Spire with an apprehensive gaze. He wanted to make new, better memories to wipe away the fear of his last trip to this place, but that didn't make facing it now any easier.

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Cole crawled over the bath when he was dried off, hooking his chin on the edge of the bath and watching Dorian, letting his hair slowly drip down his naked back.

"Are you going to be upset at me for putting my clothes back on? Because they're dirty?"

Dorian arched an eyebrow at Cole, before tutting softly as he soaped his arms lazily, "I will, and you know it. Didn't you bring any extra clothes with you?"

"Mm. I have my sleep shirt? Aaaand, probably something else." Something other than armour and his usual worn, patched rags.

Oh Maker, this wouldn't do at all. Dorian sighed as he leaned his arms on the outside of the tub, giving his lover a bemused look. "Go check my pack - I am sure I have something that will fit you, more or less."

Cole gave him a smile in return. It was just possible that he had been angling for this. "All right."

He crawled across the floor and dug out some clothes, carefully setting them out so they wouldn't wrinkle. It was far more care than he'd ever given his own clothes.

Dorian eyed him over the tub, before his lips twitched at the corners and he leaned his head back against the lip of the tub to soak in the warmth. It was so damned cold here in the south ...

"I recommend something in blue." He stated lazily. "The darker the better."

"At least it's warmer here than at Skyhold," Cole murmured absently. He wriggled into a blue tunic that didn't really fit, but was better than what he generally wore and then tugged on his usual pants, which were decidedly better than his dirty and muddy armour.

"A small blessing in which we will accept, wholeheartedly." He eyed the tunic on Cole - stretched over his shoulders quite well, before his lips twitched up. "And there you are, decidedly handsome and clean. Now you may kiss me as much as you like."

Cole crawled back over and leaned in for a kiss from Dorian, so that Dorian could stay tucked under the warm water at the same time.

Dorian murmured happily a the kiss, stealing another one as the other man started to slip away. Simply because he was in an excellent mood - and he could.

Cole enjoyed the way Dorian would catch a second kiss, entice him to linger with the promise of his lips.

He did break away eventually. "You want to go shopping and show me off."

"Mmm, yes I do. So I can, at some point, sneak you back here and strip all those nice new clothes off of you." Dorian promised, as he started to push himself out of the tub. "Pass me a towel, would you, amatus?"

Cole stood up, grabbing the towel and wrapping it around Dorian as he rose, to stave off the chill of being wet in the air.

"Why thank you." Dorian tucked the towel around his waist, stepping out to press his mouth against Cole's, before going to dry himself off as he went to get himself dressed into his finest robes.

Cole smiled into the kiss and then backed off, stepping into his shoes and sitting himself up on the desk to watch Dorian get dried and dressed.

"Did lightning magic always come easily to you?"

"No, actually, I used to be quite afraid of lighting magic. Far too close to 'fire of the Maker', that sort of thing." Dorian stated, his gaze thoughtful. "I don't believe it was until I first was with a man that I stopped fearing lighting, because I was risking so much more with that."

"So... what did come naturally?" He was curious, because it was about Dorian, but also because he had the memories of being a that young apostate, who found fire that little bit too entrancing.

"I think it's really weird that the Tevinter Empire care so much about people with the same gender feeling good together."

"Fire. Fire has been pouring out of me since the day I was born." Dorian's grey eyes flashed amusement.

"You are not the only one, Amatus." He slipped on his underthings, then the snug leather pants and undershirt. A bit of that fire entered his voice. "They have not a problem with it - as long as it is just 'fun'. But to love a man, to want to spend the rest of your life with a man and not bear children with a woman you can barely stand? Oh no - that's monstrous."

"Cole was a fire mage." He didn't offer any more explanation. It wasn't needed. Cole had burned with emotions and later, anger.

"Fun is good. But so is love. Love is amazing. Children should be born for love and into love." he came over to Dorian, pressing in close against his back and wrapping his arms around his waist, cheek coming to rest on his shoulder. "I don't want children of my own though. I wouldn't mind having a pet one day. When the world is ripping itself apart."

"I see ... " Well that did explain quite a bit didn't it? Sometimes Dorian had wondered what Cole found so fascinating about him. Perhaps it was as simple as that.

Then again, there was that warmth and affection that came so easily to Cole. He just ... loved. Dorian covered his hands with his own, squeezing his fingers gently. "We shall have to get you one, then."

Cole had never realised Dorian was a fire mage. He always associated him with lightning and crackling energy, not the painful burn of fire.

"One day." He nuzzled against Dorian's back. "It doesn't explain anything. I was just curious. I'm not him and I wouldn't love you just because you both were drawn to fire."

Well, Cole hadn't been around when Dorian had been nothing but anger. Lightening came later, when he realized he didn't have to hide what and who he was anymore.

"Good. That would be creepy." He smiled, turning his head to kiss Cole's cheek. "I haven't a clue why you love me, beyond being magnificent."

But it was why Cole didn't think of Dorian and fire first and above all.

"Because I do. You don't love people for reasons, you just do. I like things about you, but they aren't the reason I love you."

That was fair enough. Dorian loved Cole because he was Cole first and everything else after that.

"Well ... good. Then I suppose I am pleased in being loved for reasons." He squeezed the man closer to him.

Cole smiled and snuggled close for a longer cuddle before wriggling to free himself from the embrace entirely. "We said we'd find Varric and go shopping. So you can put him in purple for Cadash."

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