shok_ebasit_hissra | (no subject)

It was late when he texted Dorian, just to warn the mage that he was on his way home. He'd promised he would; some nights it wasn't an issue, but Bull just had a feeling when he left the Bramford earlier. He hadn't been wrong, apparently. He took the elevator, even if he didn't trust it, because he'd taken a bad blow to his left leg and the idea of walking up all the stairs proved more daunting.

He leaned on the wall as he went down the hall and let himself into his apartment. He liked that Dorian spent the night; he liked that Dorian spent the night even when Bull had to work. It would be just as easy for Dorian to get an undisturbed night of sleep in his own apartment, but he was always there. Bull liked seeing him, asleep and relaxed and somehow taking up three quarters of the massive bed.

Bull landed on the bed more heavily than he meant to and he hissed, teeth grit against the pain. He breathed through it; it wasn't the worst pain he'd ever had. He was annoyed that it had slowed him up at all. Bull leaned down to work the brace loose, to take it off so he could remove his boots, at last. He might not bother changing for bed.

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"Add it to your wishlist for the house. Or we'll get one after we find a place." He watched Dorian relax; Bull felt warm and loose, like he could fall asleep. Dorian had that effect.

"In that order? Yes, vaguely, not at all." He leaned to kiss Dorian. "I could not have imagined this with a Tevinter mage, but I would not have it another way." Bull lightly butted his forehead against Dorian's. "In your wildest dreams, did you ever think you'd want to bed a Qunari? A Ben-Hassrath?"

"Honestly, I figure that in any other situation. if I'd run across a Ben-Hassrath, I'd have been bound and collared before the thought managed to cross my mind."

Dorian laughed, even though it wasn't funny. It was true enough, and not even necessarily because he was Tevinter. The Qun had a special fear of mages.

"Although ... wanting is a different matter. I admit I have a great deal of admiration for a race that is so very muscular."

He traced the swell and fall of Bull's chest with his fingertips.

"You do look so very tempting when you're wet. Almost makes me miss the Storm Coast."

"You probably have run across Ben-Hassrath before now. Most of them in the south are Viddathari." Spies that blended in were the easiest ones to use; Hissrad was good.

Bull laughed at the mention of the Storm Coast. "I got fond of hearing you complain about the rain... and the way robes you wore clung to you when you were soaked."

"At least you're over the stage of calling them my dresses," Dorian said, giving Bull a doleful look. He was not willing to admit that the cut of his own robes was particularly dress-like, when compared to austere Solas.

He floated gently beside Bull, anchoring himself to the man with arms loosely holding Bull's shoulders. Problems seemed very far away here.

"It was fun getting a rise out of you. I liked the looks you'd give me, somewhere between outrage and interest." Bull grinned over at Dorian, watching him float. "And if Solas was around, I didn't need to say a word."

"Why pick on me? What did I do to deserve it?" Dorian laughed. It echoed, bell-like, in the marble halls of the baths.

"You had a whole Inquisition, and yet you decided I was the one to tease relentlessly."

"You're pretty," he said, eyes warm. "And a Vint. And the more I found out about you, the more I thought... we might have some things in common."

Bull was quiet a moment, then added, "Did I mention that you're pretty?"

Dorian blushed softly at the compliment, especially when it was repeated. It had been the very first thing Bull had said; you can't trust the pretty ones. At the time, Dorian had thought it was just an insult at the expense of his breeding.

But perhaps Bull had simply been -- well, not smitten; he was far too canny for that. But honestly appreciative.

"So you were pulling on my pigtails? Because I was nice to look at?"

Dorian laughed, trying to hide that he liked the answer.

"And I wanted to figure you out. The more you talked to me, the easier it was. I wanted to know if you were interested. And, to be fair, you were plenty antagonistic yourself," he pointed out.

He could remember Dorian asking him if he was happy to be killing his countrymen, or if it bothered him to be traveling with a Vint, among other things.

Dorian lowered his eyes, peering across at Bull through damp lashes. He certainly had been distrustful of Bull to begin with. And perhaps Bull hadn't deserved it; perhaps none of them had deserved his antagonism.

He'd been afraid. And he hadn't known what other armor he could possibly wear against it, than snide remarks.

"Bull," he said. "I'm sorry. I care about you very much. You're a good man. I want to be with you, as long as possible."

Bull's entire demeanor softened. He sat up and pulled Dorian's floating body close to him, back into his arms. He cradled him close, studying his face for a moment before he spoke.

"I have thick skin, Dorian Pavus," he said tenderly. "It takes more than some needling from a good-looking altus to get under it. Especially when I know that under all of that bluster you were afraid and frustrated and lonely and far from home." He leaned close, touching their foreheads together. "Especially when I know what that feels like."

Bull gave him a kiss, tender and lingering.

"You've got me, kadan. I'm not going anywhere."

"Always with the feelings." Dorian joked, but his smile was gracious.

He threw his arms more tightly around Bull's shoulders.

"I'll let you rest now, and see you in the A.M.?"

Bull woke slowly, feeling a little more groggy than felt right. He wasn't sure what time it was, only that the morning light was still faint. He could feel Dorian against his side and the familiarity of that was comforting. He rolled carefully so he could wrap around the mage. He swore he could still smell the bergamont from the baths. But that had been a dream.

"Good morning, dearheart," Dorian said. He extricated himself from the hug after a time and pulled himself over Bull's chest, kept himself propped up with a hand on either side of Bull's head. He dipped down for a long, slow kiss, before parting again, staring down at Bull with unusually bright eyes, for Dorian in the morning.

"Nice to have you in the flesh again. Are you hungry?"

Bull relaxed onto his back as Dorian leaned over him. He closed his eye for the kiss and slid his hands down Dorian's side, content to take in the realness of him. When they parted he found himself staring at Dorian's eyes, lost there; it took him a minute to respond to what Dorian had said.

"Huh? Yeah, food sounds good." Bull blinked like he meant to clear his head a little and leaned up to get another kiss. "That was... something," he said when they broke apart. He stayed leaning up like that, propped on his elbows.