Moments

Moment of Choice - Part 1

He hunched over the war table, the cozy autumn light highlighting those golden rings of hair. Using a bottle from one of the Grey Warden vintages, Cullen debated where to mark something on the big map. No one'd been willing to crack any of the bottles open to have a taste. Not even Dorian nine silk sheets to the wind was willing to try "some tainted swill probably urinated back in the bottle thrice over that you unearthed from the blighted ground." Skyhold was a lot more empty without him.

Silently shutting the massive war room door, I tiptoed towards the commander currently in a debate about whether the Dragon Piss should provide aid to Lydes or Jadar. Cullen started as my arms slipped below his drapery, pulling myself deeper into him. Even through the armor, I felt his warmth and the hints of a body I craved to crack out of it.

"For the Maker's sake, I hope that's you."

"Does someone else sneak up behind you and kiss your neck?" I asked.

"I would not put it past Cole," Cullen jibed, drawing a laugh from me.

I had to stand on my tiptoes to rest my chin upon his shoulder and gaze across the far emptier map before us. Smells of iron, sunlit dust, and that personal musk I found every morning on the pillows wafted from the fur below my chin. Digging even deeper into him, I asked, "What are you doing?"

"Checking." He decided the ale worked best in a small hamlet in Ferelden, and ran his fingers across mine.

"Checking on what? We stopped the demon army, saved the Empire, and - oh yeah - obliterated Corypheus into tiny magistar pieces. Been pretty quiet since."

"There are a few matters still requiring attention. Did you see the report about the rise in bandit activity along the...?"

I squeezed him tighter, cutting off his concern. The commander faded away to reveal just the man below the armor. "Cullen, this is break time. Putting down the sword for a bit and breathing. I think we deserve this vacation."

He twisted in my arms, spinning until he could beam those amber eyes upon me. Josephine still got letters extolling their exquisiteness from the nobles at the Winter palace, as well as comments about that whiskered jawline one could lick for days, and how that ass was poured into our Inquisition finery. She let me read and reply to the really steamy ones.

Cullen gripped onto me, fingers digging into my back. His hugs were never half assed. It was either full on ensnared pulling me into him or nothing. "I quite agree," he said, catching me off guard.

"Really? The commander can put away his duties for a fortnight? Forget all this rebuilding the world stuff and relax? I'll believe it when I see it."

He snorted at my impertinence, then leaned forward for a kiss. I took advantage of the opportunity, lightly sucking upon his bottom lip and entangling our tongues.

"I have been known to relax from time to time," his fingers drifted ever downward as his voice dropped to a whisper, "when there is sufficient cause." The smirk fell away as he glanced back at that map, "But there yet remain a few fires to manage before we depart."

"Like packing?" I asked.

"I've already finished that and..." he paused, searching my face. "Have you not begun?" I shrugged, it was on my to do list right after mauling my commander in the war room. "You know we leave tomorrow, right?"

"Of course, I can do it later. Not as if I need much. An outfit to the seaside villa and one to return in. Maybe a sack to hold souvenirs."

"We'll be gone for two weeks," Cullen said.