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“You know I adore you, amatus,” Dorian teased, settling into the spot beside Bull on his bed. The sturdy frame did them a great many favors in the past. What started as a tumble to get the impulse out of his system turned into cuddling afterwards, which he’d even given up seeming put out by. With just Bull for company, at least. The frame continued to deal with their combined weight and Dorian’s bullshit in fine form. He rested a hand against the warm chest of his qunari partner. “But you have too firm a hand for Cullen.”
“My firm hands were good for you,” Bull teased, smirking as he peered at Dorian. He had a soft, strong arm around his waist and made small circles against his brown skin with a thumb. Maker, how he loved this tender oaf.
“Mm, they are,” he corrected, adjusting to settle deeper into Bull’s side. Didn’t even volley a sassy comment about his unbathed musk. Sentiment had softened his sharp tongue, which largely found use in flirtation that could be mistaken for criticism or other pursuits best not explored in conversations about the timid Commander and ex-Templar. “But when you push me, my brilliant spirit drives me to push back. You drew me out of my shell with the force of my own driven nature.”
“I love your modesty,” he murmured, kissing Dorian’s temple from his taller vantage point. Granted, on the bed, he could level the playing field with Bull if he so chose. But why sacrifice the charm of feeling small for a change?
“Of course you do,” Dorian basked in the banter for the joy of it. The same assumption of his own splendor that protected him in Tevinter turned out to be quite the delight when he had a partner who truly did believe in him. Despite being a prisoner, Alexius had grown quite fond of Bull. It was as close as Dorian could get to a father’s approval of his choice in romantic pursuits. Pushing aside the bitter twinge at the thought, he rested his leg over one of Bull’s. “Yet you must know that our commander is shy. Despite all my gorgeous glamor, I can be discreet for the sake of our timid lion.”
“I know you can, big guy.” Bull moved his hand lower, although there wasn’t anything suggestive about it. His gaze slid away from his beautiful visage to a certain tower of Skyhold in a communicative gesture. Personally, he fancied the idea that the former spy had elected to let Dorian see his tells. “Just be careful, kadan.”
“His heart is in caring hands.”
“Yeah, but I was talking about you.”
Lifting his head, Dorian hoped his mustache wasn’t too out of sorts from his snuggling instincts. It rather diminished his presence with a man who had the capacity to disregard the whole thing to begin with. Both a blessing and curse, to be so seen.
“Hm.” Bull had a better intuition for his feelings than he did himself, although that was hardly a shock. Growing up in House Pavus did not foster high emotional intelligence. He resigned himself to talking about the matter and draped himself against the qunari once more. “How so?”
“Helping him explore his attraction to you in private is one thing.” Bull slid his hand up and down his ribs, conjuring a warm feeling in his chest. Dorian was beginning to take it personally that Corypheus wanted to end the world. That hare-brained scheme was severely cutting into the time one could spend in bed with a warm and doting lover. Who just so happened to see so clearly where Dorian’s deepest wounds would put him at risk. “Remember that he’s not ashamed.”
“Ah.” Discretion, Dorian understood. Being hidden out of embarrassment was every bit as familiar and indeed, almost entirely identical in his life experience so far. Bull was the start of learning the distinction between privacy and burning, searing, all-consuming shame of simply being oneself. Cullen would never. But truly, with the damage done to him in Tevinter? He wouldn’t necessarily have to. Old wounds could be guarded quite fiercely indeed. Dorian let out a sharp exhale. “Good point.”
“I’ve got other good points for you too,” Bull flirted, and vishante kaffas, he could hear the ridiculous expression that came with that. He couldn’t help but smirk. This man and his endless generosity, giving him an escape from the heavy subject without so much as a prompt.
“You are absurd,” Dorian thanked him in his way, leaning over to meet him in a kiss.