Chapter Text
“So theoretically, how long could a Fereldan spend talking to a dog?” Zevran asked as he and the Warden’s other companions sat eating their dinner.
“Considering what we told him earlier? Indefinitely.” Leliana replied nonchalantly.
“I believe that begs the question, what exactly did you tell him then?” Warden Cousland asked, standing with his food in hand behind the two rogues. During their silence he sat in the almost too small space between them, forcing them to shift apart in order for him to join them. After another tense moment, Zevran spoke.
“To be fair, Warden, it is more along the lines of what we did not tell him,” he said with a grin. Cousland just stared at him, waiting patiently for either of them to fill in their intentional blanks.
“Though you should know Warden, that he brought up the subject first, asking for my intentions towards you. He believed that we were sweet on each other.” Leliana explained hesitantly. At the Warden’s shocked face she nodded sympathetically. However since Cousland’s expression of shock could easily have been mistaken for his expression of confusion, they were very similar, Leliana hoped he knew that her intentions were good.
“Then he assumed I knew the source of your good favour and believed you and I to be amors, when in reality, I have eyes.” Zevran added with a wink. Cousland’s cheeks, dark as they were, began to redden under Zevran’s knowing smirk. Zevran tried not to laugh, he really did, but could not help the few chuckles at Cousland’s face.
“Then, once we corrected him in that you have no particularly special feelings towards Zevran, Morrigan, or I. Then, we simply just, suggested what type of person you might be inclined to have feelings toward.” Leliana added, trying to soften the blow. Cousland’s cheeks, if anything, got darker at her admission and his normally stoic expression began to pull downward into what would have been a fierce frown on anyone else. However on his face was just a slight tug down on the edges of his lips.
“Then there was a very amusing bit where he was confused on why I had not made you my own dear Warden, but we rectified his mistake quickly do not fear. Our kingly friend is not the sharpest sword on the stand it seems,” Zevran added quickly, interrupting whatever thought Cousland might have had.
“Oh good, that’s just what I was worried about thank you Zevran. Alistair is perfectly intelligent, just because he was mostly raised in a chantry does not mean his education was lacking. I just, I can’t believe that you two-” Cousland began.
“He started the conversation!” Both Leliana and Zevran claimed in their defense.
“Regardless, my feelings were my own! Don’t you two think I should have had the chance to tell him on my own? When I was ready to face the repercussions?” He said plainly, looking at them with disappointment.
“We did not say exactly-”
“Alluding to it is close enough Zevran!” Cousland interrupted as he stood, his food forgotten. “I need to speak with him, maybe I can fix this somehow.” He began to pace in front of the two rogues, both of whom shot nervous glances at each other. Normally it was as hard to get Cousland to open up as it was to get Sten to speak about anything. Seeing him this concerned and ruffled made them start to think twice about their actions.
“Perhaps Warden, you should let him continue talking to the dog.” Zevran quietly interjected as Cousland began rubbing at his chin as he stalked back and forth.
“I can’t let this go on too long, what if he thinks I’ve been entirely lecherous to him? What if he hates me for it? It’s entirely inappropriate, we’re brothers in arms I shouldn’t have even been so obvious for you two to figure it out.” The Warden said, mostly speaking to himself at that point.
“He never said he was opposed to the thought of two men together, I think Zevran is right and you should let him work through this on his own. Alistair will come talk to you when he is ready,” Leliana added, supporting her fellow rogue.
“What if he’s never ready? What if he-”
“Kadan,” Sten interrupted loudly from the open space next to camp, both away from the main fire and where Alistair and Calenhad were on watch. Cousland stopped immediately, his head popping up to stare at the Qunari. In response, Sten hefted his recently reclaimed sword on his shoulder and beckoned Cousland over. The human in question just nodded and abruptly headed toward his own tent to grab his own sword and practice leathers.
Leliana and Zevran were both adequately stunned by the new development and watched wordlessly as the two warriors then begin to spar. It wasn’t strange for the two of them to spar, but dropping everything he was doing to spar was newer. Though they both used large two handed swords, their fighting styles were so vastly different that it made every spar a battle of strategy rather than might. Cousland had flexibility and reach, while Sten had brute strength and steadfast swings.
The two didn’t need words but as they practiced, the rogues could see the conversation between their blades. Nervous, unbridled energy from Cousland, then steady relentlessness from Sten. Slowly Cousland fell into his more focused fighting, taking calculated risks, getting up close to the qunari to land better hits as he normally did in battle. Without pause, Sten rebuffed his advance and forced him back with sheer weight alone.
During any other spar, Cousland would have taken that as an opportunity to dive down and under Sten’s wide shoves to overwhelm him. Instead, he took the full force of the qunari’s might and buckled under the pressure. For a moment, Leliana and Zevran were worried that Sten wouldn’t know to stop, or couldn’t see the distracted state their leader was in, but Sten’s blade stopped next to Cousland’s throat, ending the spar. After a moment, he withdrew his sword and reached out his large hand to help him back to his feet.
On most nights, you couldn’t stop hearing the clash of metal until well into the night, for Sten to win so quickly proved how unsettled Cousland was about being found out. Instead of berating him for his absent mindedness, Sten instead simply told him to prepare himself and they went at it again.
Cousland went down four more times before he finally found his footing and let his frustration take over, getting all of his nervous energy out. He had never let his emotions rule him, but Cousland’s nerves could give him a hard time. It was good that Sten had told him to spar, and Cousland was grateful for the outlet it provided.
While the two rogue’s attention had shifted some during this, they both drifted back when they realized how intently Alistair had began watching the spar. Leliana and Zevran knew what that look meant. Whether Cousland or Sten had noticed was anyone’s guess. Or even if Alistair knew how he had been looking at his fellow Warden.
As they observed quietly, they saw both Wardens eyes begin to get hooded with weariness. The rogues finally agreed that it was late, and they were travelling to the Brecilian Forest come morning for seemingly no reason since they had already gained the trust of both elves and weres. Either way, it was a long walk, one best not unprepared for. However, if they both decided to keep an ear open towards the Warden’s tent, well that was their little secret.
And if neither Warden slept in a tent that night, that was their little secret as well.
The loud and raucous laughter that rang through camp come morning once the two Wardens found a quiet moment to talk wasn’t necessarily a secret, and later, neither was the fact that poor Alistair had thought that the two rogues had meant that Cousland had feelings towards their, albeit two-handed warrior, resident qunari.
If Sten found it amusing, he never revealed it, and instead gave them both a withering look for their lingering chuckles throughout the day.