Tales From Thedas: Dragon Age One Shots

Anything Worth Doing

Dorian took another large swallow of wine straight from the bottle of Vint-9 he'd stolen from Skyhold's cellars. He couldn't believe how utterly stupid he'd been, how weak, how needy, how... trusting.

Kadan my ass, he grumbled before giving a choked growl as a tear tracked down his cheek. As if it had actually meant something, as if it were real. Said in earnest, not jest and he'd eaten it up as though it was made of the most precious gold. Fool, he berated himself for the hundredth time this evening. Stupid, needy, foolish, weak fool.

He leaned back against the cold stone wall of the tower he'd fled to and stared up into the sky at the multitide of stars. Skyhold was such a romantic place despite the threat to the world, or perhaps because of it. It had certainly cast a spell on him. Lulling him into a sense of security and safety so strong he'd let not only his guard drop, but his common sense as well. How had he convinced himself a Qunari felt anything for him? Was he really that blind or had he purposely ignored it all?

It certainly was no secret the Bull was... enthusiastic and... friendly. He'd heard the whispers and the rumours even before they'd left Haven; that many in the Inquisition enjoyed riding the Bull was no secret. He'd known it then and yet still believed Bull when he'd said he would stop seeing those others. That he only wanted him, Dorian, and no one else. Not true though.

He sighed, tipping the bottle to his lips again. He cringed at the spectacle he must have made when he'd fled the tavern after walking in on Bull and his... guest. His appearance had likely been much worse by the time he'd entered the grand hall, face flushed, eyes bright and shoulders trembling with anger, shock and hurt. Maker, how was he going to leave the tower now, never mind show his face to anyone?

To make that all so much worse was the fact that the Tevinter elf had witnessed it all. As if he didn't have enough to contend with.

Fenris had come to Skyhold to join the Inquisition a few weeks after Hawke had left for Weisshaupt. According to what he'd heard, the warrior had decided fighting with the Inquisition was safer than trying to fight slavers and Red Templars alone. And the warrior had been here long enough to make it clear he did not trust Dorian.

Recently, he'd also begun to needle him with questions about his choice of lover. Reminding him just what Bull was, as though he were concerned about his welfare. The comments had drawn more than one raised eyebrow from the inner circle. Not just from Dorian, but Varric and others, and then he'd started shadowing him on the battlefield to the point where Dorian was practically tripping over him every time he moved.

They'd argued about it just that morning after a rather intense scuffle with a band of Venatori and then again against Red Templars. That confrontation was still fresh in his mind, despite all the wine he'd drunk since.

----xxx----

"Kaffas! For Maker's sake Fenris I am not about to start slicing my hand open and bursting out in demons every time we engage an enemy! Stop shadowing me as if I am! I get it, you hate mages and you especially hate me because I'm from Tevinter, but you do not need to remind me of it every time we're out in the field!" He'd shouted.

"I wouldn't have to shadow you if you stopped performing and paid attention to what's behind you!" Fenris had shouted back, face flushed and breath heaving. "You have no idea how often you've had an enemy at your back! You're completely oblivious to your own safety!"

"I am not performing you miserable, prickly mage-hating elf! It's powerful magic which means it needs focus or I'd be blasting allies and enemies. You clearly have no idea how much power I wield so stop telling me how to do my job!"

"I wouldn't have to if you'd watch your back instead of making every spell you cast look like an audition for admirers!"

"I am not looking for anything! I'm trying to keep everyone safe!"