When I Look at You (a Dragon Age fanfiction)

Friends

The next day they left Redcliffe, heading into the Frostback Mountains toward the little village of Haven that was so small and so hidden it might as well have been a myth.

At one point during the morning, Una found herself walking with Leliana. Zev was regaling Wynne with stories of Antiva, Morrigan walking with Grenli—apparently the mabari was helping her search for some kind of mushroom. Alistair was just ahead of the two young women, whistling a tune that Una eventually recognized as the one they had danced to that night in Redcliffe after they had taken back the castle. She smiled fondly at him.

Leliana saw the smile and the direction of her friend's gaze. "So," she said, "you and Alistair ...?"

"Yes?"

"You and Alistair. Together, looking contented. You even have a ... glow about you. So shameless." The bard smirked.

"Shameless?" Una was trying hard not to blush.

"You know, radiating joy and love while everyone has to face death and the Blight and a bleak future."

Great, thought Una. Leliana, too. Was everyone going to lecture her? But then the bard went on.

"Terrible, gloating like that," she said with a grin. She moved closer, lowering her voice. "So ... how is Alistair?"

Una choked. "He looks fine to me," she said.

Leliana bumped the taller woman with her shoulder. "You know what I mean. Alistair and you, those long nights ... He must be quite delightful," she mused. "You wouldn't be so happy otherwise, I think."

Una buried her head in her hands, sure that she must be fiery red.

"He's athletic," Leliana went on, clearly enjoying the other woman's discomfiture. "That's always nice. He is also good at following instructions, isn't he?"

"And he has some brilliant ideas of his own," Una said faintly.

"Ooh, fascinating. The little Templar is all grown up and apparently he ... ahem ... plays well with others."

Both women giggled.

Alistair suddenly turned around, walking backwards, looking them suspiciously. "What are you giggling about? What is she giggling about?" he asked of them both. "You," Una got out between giggles, the laughter now uncontrollable. She and Leliana were leaning on each other, still laughing. "And your performance."

"My performance?" He was honestly confused. They hadn't done any fighting in several days. What was there to laugh about? "What performance? And why does it warrant giggling?"

Leliana managed to get herself under control for a moment. Her eyes twinkled at him as she said, "We're just talking about how you treat her in bed. Nothing you should concern yourself with."

"How I—?" He blushed absolutely scarlet, up to the tips of his ears, and that sent them both off again, giggling madly. "Oh, Maker," he said, throwing up his hands in disgust. "What is wrong with you women?" He stalked off, his ears still red, leaving them still in the throes of their laughter.

"If you find it so unnerving to have your ... activities talked about, Alistair, perhaps you could go about them more quietly," Morrigan remarked acidly as he went past her.

"Sod off, Morrigan."

As their laughter eased, Una decided to do a little table-turning. Zev was far enough ahead to be out of earshot. "And what of you and Zev?" she asked.