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[shok_ebasit_hissra]

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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[propertool]

"I do. You don't get to be a full Enchanter without knowing your way around a demon. And being smart and strong enough to take it out of the equation."

He wasn't exactly some naive Ferelden brat not very bright up top, just waiting for the Templars to decide he deserved Tranquility.

"I will be as gentle as I can. I will stop the moment you ask me to, or the moment anything seems out of the ordinary."

It was the usual promise. And Dorian meant it.

Dorian took the bottle of water he kept by the bed off the nightstand and, carefully, trickled the very smallest amount of the powder in the pouch into it. It swirled through the liquid, quickly turning it a deceptively pretty glowing blue.

[shok_ebasit_hissra]

Bull had been in the Fade bodily once, but going there in his dreams was different. But he trusted Dorian; he trusted him with his life on the battlefield. How was this any different?

"What do I do?" he asked while Dorian poured some of the lyrium into the water. He'd never had lyrium, never really been near it before coming to the south.

[propertool]

"Just chug it. Don't be a princess about it.' Dorian held the bottle toward Bull.

"A little more than half. You're bigger than I am, and you're not a mage. That means more of it. Don't worry about any ill effects, the Templars have issues because they take huge amounts of the stuff at extremely frequent intervals. Which is insane, by the way. I don't envy Cullen."

[shok_ebasit_hissra]

"Wait, why do I have to have lyrium? Dorian..." Bull frowned a bit, looking more hesitant even as he took the bottle. He stared at it, a little unnerved by the glow. Maybe it wasn't any different than drinking a healing potion but he still didn't--

This was new. This was edging along a deep-rooted fear. Bull wasn't necessarily good at confronting those. He stared at Dorian for a long moment, then sighed and took a long swig from the bottle. A little more than half.

[propertool]

"Trust me for a moment. I trust you."

It wasn't an accusation, simply coaching. A reminder. Dorian drank his half smoothly, and wrinkled his nose a little preciously at the taste, despite being familiar.

Too much like metal and maple syrup. Dorian hated maple syrup.

"Now, just go to bed. Relax. Can I do anything to help you along?"

[shok_ebasit_hissra]

"That heat-thing again on my knee," he said as he sank back down, trying not to linger on the worst that could happen. Bull didn't want to taint this experience with his anxieties around the Fade. He did trust Dorian. He'd just never done anything like this before. Ever.

[propertool]

"The lyrium may actually help. Cullen tells me it fills you with a sense of inward peace and supreme confidence. Pity it doesn't do the same for me."

Dorian gave a snort of breath through flared nostrils, but didn't mention what it did for him. Suffice to say, too much of the stuff was very bad for a mage, though just a bit was very good.

He lay his hands on Bull's knee underneath the blanket. It was more careful than usual, the result of making sure only so much proverbial water came out sluice gates which were suddenly much wider.

He kissed Bull on the ear, and settled in to relax himself.

"Sleep tight, amatus. See you in your dreams."

[shok_ebasit_hissra]

Between the gentle heat seeping through his knee and the effects of the lyrium - after a brief, silent panic wondering if it would effect Qunari physiology differently - Bull managed to drift off. He was tired; it had been a long night.

At least the dream started easy enough. A warm beach with a breeze off the water to keep the humidity at bay. It carried scents of flowers that grew around Par Vollen, but also of honeysuckle and lotus flowers.

[propertool]

It was not long before Dorian found his way to Bull. They were literally on top of one another in bed, so naturally, their realms were most adjacent.

He didn't recognize the scene at first, so it was very difficult to try not to put any undue influence on it yet. Dorian didn't know what he was looking at to reinforce it, even when he realized, Oh. It must be Par Vollen.

The scent of spices followed the realization. Dorian was too happy to have made it there to bother trying to stop it.

And there he was. Looking out across the water without the longing of daytime memory. When Bull turned, Dorian was taken aback for a moment, though why he should be he didn't know.

Bull had his other eye here.

"Oh, good. Glad you're here." Dorian beamed at him, and opened his arms.

[shok_ebasit_hissra]

"Where else would I be?" Bull smiled, looking at Dorian. He didn't wear a brace here, either; his fingers were all whole as he cradled Dorian's face, holding him still for a light kiss. When he broke it, he touched their foreheads together, a gentle headbutt.

Bull's memory - his dream - of Par Vollen were touched by other memories, things he'd like from other places. The scent of spice didn't throw him off too badly. He liked that, too.

[propertool]

Dorian wrapped his arms around Bull's shoulders and gave a silvery laugh. He pulled him into a hug. Dorian was dressed only in an ornately filigreed white lounge robe, and a pair of silky underthings. He'd remembered the robe from home, and he'd remembered the silky underthings because Bull had a thing for them.

"Do you want to stay here?" Here would be comfortable, after all.

"You're gorgeous on the beach when it's not cold and overcast with constant rain."

[shok_ebasit_hissra]

"I don't know, you looked pretty good on the Storm Coast, even if you were complaining about it the whole time." Bull enjoyed the slide of the robe against his skin, the warmth of Dorian beneath it not at all concealed.

He looked up when Dorian asked if he wanted to stay and he looked at the coast line. "Where else would we go?"

[propertool]

"Literally anywhere you could imagine. We could go to the public baths in Minrathous. The library in Asariel. We could go back to the Exalted Plains and have sex directly on the ruins that have very specific signage about not being on the ruins."

Dorian got a better hold of Bull's neck and used it to pull himself up, and straddle his waist. He loved to do it, but so often Bull's knee precluded it.

[shok_ebasit_hissra]

Bull adjusted his hold on Dorian as the mage climbed him. It wasn't hard to hold him; it never really was. Here, it was even easier. "Somehow I think the Exalted Plains idea is... vaguely offensive," he said with a quiet laugh.

"Minrathous doesn't sound like a bad idea."

[propertool]

Dorian wanted to point out that Dorian was vaguely offensive, but was too enamored with the idea of bringing Bull home, even for just a while. Even if it was only an empty facsimile.

He kissed Bull again, dotting his face with warm, brief pecks, before he dropped from his arms and took Bull by the hand. He tugged him along behind, pulling him in a gentle coaxing toward the short waves of the warm northern seas.

Once Dorian stepped out onto the water, as if by magic, the space under his feet became a floating step of black jet stone. It was followed by another, and another, appearing as if by faith, until eventually the scene before them began to change and melt into something entirely different.

It was the public baths, the largest and most famous in the entirety of Tevinter. The architecture soared above their heads, and the water in the baths smelled like minerals, and bergamot and rose petals, which floated on top of the gently steaming water.

Dorian told himself not to think of how Bull would never have been allowed into them.

"I thought about the gardens at the Proving Grounds, but this seemed much more relaxing."

[shok_ebasit_hissra]

Bull closed his eyes under Dorian's sweet kisses, basking in them. When he opened his eyes again it was o see the jet stone Dorian created as he moved. He followed him, not unnerved as the landscape around them changed. It was a dream, and it was pleasant.

The scent hit him first, before he lifted his head to look at the architecture all around them. He squeezed Dorian's hand.

"Mm, having a public bath all to ourselves? There is something to be said for that," he said as he leaned in to kiss Dorian's neck.

[propertool]

"Isn't there?"

Dorian gently pulled Bull down the stairs and into the water with him. He gave a full-bodied shiver of pleasure at the touch of the water, which was the perfect temperature. The one that was just a mite too hot if you moved around vigorously, but if you sat in one spot and soaked, it was absolute divinity.

He groaned. He let himself be lewd about it.

"Help me get this robe off, now."

Dorian could have simply willed it to disappear. But that would take the fun out of it. Both the peek of a dusky nipple from beneath near-translucent fabric and getting Bull to peel it off.

No doubt accompanied by much slipping and sliding together.

[shok_ebasit_hissra]

He followed Dorian into the water without a care for what he was still wearing. Instead, he focused on peeling the mage out of his damp robe, taking kisses as he pleased between appreciating the view. Seeing Dorian's skin revealed bit by bit from beneath wet, clinging fabric was something to be savored.

He had the decency to toss the wet robe onto the tile floor rather than just leaving it to float and later sink in the bath. He pulled Dorian close to him and dipped down for a more insistent, claiming kiss.

[propertool]

The water was lovely. They'd have to find a way to do this in the material world at some point; perhaps sneaking away to the seaside on a calm day. The water made them both bouyant, so much easier for Dorian to get his legs wrapped around Bull's taller frame, thighs around his waist.

It was a good kiss. Dorian deepened it, pressing his mouth hungrily against Bull's. He slipped his hands over Bull's strong shoulders, liking the way the water made his skin feel silky. His mouth taste sweeter.

[shok_ebasit_hissra]

The steam from the baths made everything a more heady experience; the scent of the spices in the air and the water but also that of Dorian's skin, his hair, him.

Bull had the irrational urge to devour him.

Instead, he settled for breaking the kiss so that he could leave a trail of love bites down Dorian's neck, until he got to his shoulder where he was safe to bite a little harder, mark a bit deeper. His arms tightened around Dorian, anticipating a protesting squirm before he finally let go.

[propertool]

Dorian gave a loud noise, pleasure and pain, when Bull's teeth dug into his shoulder. He hadn't expected it, so he gave a fit of struggle in Bull's bearhug. But he hadn't disliked it, either.

He panted against Bull's neck. "Andraste, more of that."

Wisps had started to gather at the peripheral of the dream. They had little power or intelligence of their own, so Dorian's barriers ignored them. But he thought he might make use, if it didn't worry Bull.

"Do you mind an audience?" he murmured, thoughtful. The mark on his shoulder throbbed against the hot water. This was a good chance to let Bull run a little wilder, if he was of the mood.

[shok_ebasit_hissra]

"No," he rumbled against Dorian's skin, mouth trailing until he found another safe place to bite him.

If Dorian wanted more, Bull was inclined to indulge him.

He felt a little more relaxed about that idea here, for some reason. His blunt nails dug against Dorian's perfect skin, squeezing muscle just to feel him flex. He loved Dorian's body, loved the practiced strength in him.

[propertool]

Dorian whimpered at the drag of Bull's nails, flat but Qunari-strong. He arched his body into Bull's roaming mouth, even when it bit into his chest, leaving a round mark below his collar. Even in the warm baths, all of the attention had Dorian's nipples almost achingly hard.

The wisps surrounding the pool of the baths gathered together, coalesced into misty figures, still translucent and not fully formed. Tevinter lords and ladies. They made indistinct whispers at first, from behind their hands and their fans and scarves. Dorian's will slowly reasserted their existence, slowly made the figures more there.

The whispers made it very clear that what was going on was forbidden.

He rubbed at the bruise forming on his shoulder, eyes heavy-lidded as he glanced up at Bull to make certain this was all something he could handle.

[shok_ebasit_hissra]

Bull wasn't just Qunari, he was a big Qunari; by all rights he belonged in the beresaad, he was bigger even than many soldiers. But he was too intelligent, and even being as large and as obvious as he was he managed being a spy.

Being in the middle of Minrathos, surrounded by Tevinter whispers and gasps, made him want to be extra Qunari. If they wanted to see what the rumors and the stereotypes were about, he could show them. He wanted to show then what it looked like when one of their own was clinging to a Qunari's horns, begging sweetly.

Besides, Dorian was inclined to do the forbidden.

His mouth moved, teasing every place he knew got Dorian flustered without offering actual relief. He made sure every whisperer could see him and the bruises Bull left.

[propertool]

It went on for minutes like that, Bull's mouth against him, searching for all of the parts of Dorian that Bull knew got a reaction in bed. Soft sighs became tense groans, searching for that more that he so badly wanted. Until Dorian was shaking against Bull, breath coming in fits and starts. His eyes felt blurry and every piece of him felt like a raw nerve, ready to reach for the edge, but never quite there.

Dorian tried to rut himself against Bull's hip.

"Maker, Bull. Please. Stop. No more."

But Dorian had not said katoh. The words were part of the game they were playing.