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[ It’s a particularly comforting metaphor to give to a fellow who struggles to see the appeal of storms, except on a distant theoretical level that allows for other people to go out and love them if they want to, that’s fine, write him a poem to read about it afterwards, but in the meantime he’ll be as indoors as possible, maybe with his head under a pillow, thanks.
Between that and Byerly’s tone, he smiles, and the fear shrinks, and he’s quiet for a moment just to feel it.
Then: ]
Is it when I drool in my sleep? Because, actually, that is on purpose. [ It’s not. ] It’s meant to be endearing. I don’t even do it naturally. I have to work up a big mouthful of spit before I fall asleep so it can leak out overnight.
Between that and Byerly’s tone, he smiles, and the fear shrinks, and he’s quiet for a moment just to feel it.
Then: ]
Is it when I drool in my sleep? Because, actually, that is on purpose. [ It’s not. ] It’s meant to be endearing. I don’t even do it naturally. I have to work up a big mouthful of spit before I fall asleep so it can leak out overnight.
Sure. There’s, uh... being angry at the world for being so fucking relentless you can’t even be left alone when you are asleep. You could throw things, if you choose that one.
You could shut down emotionally for the foreseeable future. That option is not my favorite, though.
You could lose your mind with fear for the future and run away to Gwaren with me after all. That one I like a little more.
Or you could pretend for everyone who needs it, since you are important, and then come over here and let me rub your back and talk to me about it.
You could shut down emotionally for the foreseeable future. That option is not my favorite, though.
You could lose your mind with fear for the future and run away to Gwaren with me after all. That one I like a little more.
Or you could pretend for everyone who needs it, since you are important, and then come over here and let me rub your back and talk to me about it.
[ After a short delay the door cracks open enough to confirm who’s knocking, then wider. On the other side, the room is dimly fire-lit and Bastien is wearing a blanket like a cloak against the cold. ]
After-hours entry fee, [ he whispers, tapping his own cheek and angling it up to be kissed. ]
After-hours entry fee, [ he whispers, tapping his own cheek and angling it up to be kissed. ]
[ He laughs first, fake swoons second, with a backwards stumble that leaves room for Byerly to come in. ]
Unparalleled kissers, you Fereldans, I have always said.
[ Quiet, since the door is open, but he closes and locks it once Byerly is past the threshold and stops whispering while he herds him toward the bed. ]
You are banished from our office, by the way. I forgot to tell you.
Unparalleled kissers, you Fereldans, I have always said.
[ Quiet, since the door is open, but he closes and locks it once Byerly is past the threshold and stops whispering while he herds him toward the bed. ]
You are banished from our office, by the way. I forgot to tell you.
[ A little shrug. He’s not overly concerned about it, himself. ]
She offered to move out of it, so you could come by without it upsetting her, but I don’t want her to go. I’ve been trying to... She was always your lover first, to me, and my friend second. When she was anything to me at all. It might be easier for all of us if it is less like that, don’t you think? At least a little.
And I like her.
She offered to move out of it, so you could come by without it upsetting her, but I don’t want her to go. I’ve been trying to... She was always your lover first, to me, and my friend second. When she was anything to me at all. It might be easier for all of us if it is less like that, don’t you think? At least a little.
And I like her.
Then I will go ashore tomorrow and pick some out. How many—five, do you think? I could do five by lunch.
[ He sits on the edge of the mattress, twisted to rearrange pillows to facilitate a future of back rubs, and adds, ]
No shoes in my bed. But if you can’t stay the night you have to leave your shirt on so I don’t feel teased.
[ He sits on the edge of the mattress, twisted to rearrange pillows to facilitate a future of back rubs, and adds, ]
No shoes in my bed. But if you can’t stay the night you have to leave your shirt on so I don’t feel teased.
[ Charming.
Bastien ruffles his hair first, rearranges some of the blankets to cover what can reasonably be covered, and shifts onto his knees to get to slow and steady work. ]
Maker. You were not lying.
[ He’s also not only here for a back rub. But another are you alright would be almost as broad and useless as tell me things now, so— ]
It is probably very selfish to be glad the Herald didn’t end the war all by herself that way, but I think I am.
Bastien ruffles his hair first, rearranges some of the blankets to cover what can reasonably be covered, and shifts onto his knees to get to slow and steady work. ]
Maker. You were not lying.
[ He’s also not only here for a back rub. But another are you alright would be almost as broad and useless as tell me things now, so— ]
It is probably very selfish to be glad the Herald didn’t end the war all by herself that way, but I think I am.
[ The touch is good. The methodical, rhythmic pattern of it is good. He lets a breath out, and tries to force his back to unclench so that Bastien doesn't break a damn finger. ]
A bit shocking, how easily we could have been bastards. Just a few years of piece, and then -
A bit shocking, how easily we could have been bastards. Just a few years of piece, and then -
Rotten.
[ He has strong hands, but Byerly’s back really is like a cliff face. When he’s finished a preliminary survey of the landscape he leans over to the bed stand to dig around and retrieve the oil kept there for other mostly-Byerly-related reasons. ]
—maybe. I am not sure how much of it to believe could really happen that way. I hope if a smarmy bastard showed up like that and told me there was a massive conspiracy of elves trying to end the world, I would ask some more questions before I believed it.
[ He has strong hands, but Byerly’s back really is like a cliff face. When he’s finished a preliminary survey of the landscape he leans over to the bed stand to dig around and retrieve the oil kept there for other mostly-Byerly-related reasons. ]
—maybe. I am not sure how much of it to believe could really happen that way. I hope if a smarmy bastard showed up like that and told me there was a massive conspiracy of elves trying to end the world, I would ask some more questions before I believed it.
Smarmy bastard? How dare you. My parentage is very well-attested and well-proved; I am a smarmy cad, but never a bastard.
[ He does give a slight shiver when Bastien's fingers touch his skin. It's cold - or, well, he's cold.
Less facetiously: ]
And I hope that I'd never treat an old friend like that. I can't quite remember why we were at odds, but it seemed all out of proportion to - well, even to our friendship as younger men.
[ He does give a slight shiver when Bastien's fingers touch his skin. It's cold - or, well, he's cold.
Less facetiously: ]
And I hope that I'd never treat an old friend like that. I can't quite remember why we were at odds, but it seemed all out of proportion to - well, even to our friendship as younger men.
[ The joke prompts a laugh, and the shiver prompts Bastien to move his knee to straddle his thighs—above them, no spine-misaligning pressure—to apply a little more pressure and speed up and down the length of his spine while he spreads the oil, trying to generate warmth. ]
Mm. And I am not usually so rude, even to people I don’t like. Maybe it was like that because you are so important to me now. My mind couldn’t imagine being indifferent to you. It had to pick something stronger.
[ A pause to rub his thumbs on either side of the base of his neck. ]
And you know—when you went all keen-eyed and started writing in your shorthand? I was so mad, in the dream, but thinking about it now, that was very sexy of you.
Mm. And I am not usually so rude, even to people I don’t like. Maybe it was like that because you are so important to me now. My mind couldn’t imagine being indifferent to you. It had to pick something stronger.
[ A pause to rub his thumbs on either side of the base of his neck. ]
And you know—when you went all keen-eyed and started writing in your shorthand? I was so mad, in the dream, but thinking about it now, that was very sexy of you.
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