The Reluctant Inquisitor

So I am SLOWLY working my way back through my ancient catalogue of prompts! 

Here we have Dorian x Varlen, set post-Trespasser. 

(~1000 words, mostly under the cut

“You shouldleave. Now.”

Varlen hesitated,suddenly acutely aware of the way his heart thumped deep inside his chest. Notthe kind of rapid beating that accompanied excitement, as he had expected, but alow and cavernous thrum. It resonated in the bones of his ribcage and pulsed at the back of his throat. It made the rest of the world suddenly seem very small.Very silent.

“Dorian…?” Varlen said as he hovered by the open window, mingling with the cool draft of the Tevinternight. His hair drifted gently around his face, the few strands lifted by the gentle wind as wispy and fine as spun silver.

The magister barelyacknowledged the faltering murmur of his name. The only sign that he had heardit was in the way his back stiffened with a kind of affronted dignity. When hespoke, it was with a voice that was hard around the edges. Burnt to a crisp.

“Was I, at any point, unclear?” Dorian turned sharply andVarlen shrunk away from the white-hot anger that smouldered in his eyes. “Ispecifically told you not to come here.Kaffas, Varlen! Why must you never listen?!”

The way Dorian practicallyspat the words left Varlen with what felt like a mouthful of glass, bitingand painful. It hurt to swallow. It hurt to breathe. A part of him screamed at him to run. Argued that maybe Dorian, in his blinding fury, would mistakethis whole episode for a cruel dream if he’d just hurry up and leave. That, when next they met, Dorian would forgivehim, or perhaps fail to bring it up at all. That he would catch Varlen’s eye from across a street, light his heart on fire, and draw him in with the same warmth,the same love, that had dripped fromhis tongue every night at Skyhold.

Creators, he hadmissed him.

Now, standing there,so achingly close that he could smell the spice and wine on his breath, Varlenrealised he still did. That he still felt very far away.

“Please, don’t ask me to go.” Varlen’s voice was barely more than a whisper. It sounded so small andinsignificant, compared to the way Dorian’s had filled the room to its furthestcorners. “I know this isn’t what you wanted…”

“What I wanted?” Dorian repeated incredulously, stressingthe word through clenched teeth. His hands shook at his sides. “Fasta vass, you know full well what Iwanted! It isn’t safe for you here. If you are seen with me by even the most mule-brainedstable boy, you could be in seriousdanger.” Without further ado he stalked over, robes billowing out behind him, and seized Varlen by the upper arm. Before Varlen could even protestor fight back, Dorian dragged him roughly away from the window, drawing thecurtains shut with a snap of thick burgundy. Varlen reached up. Tried to loosen his vice-like grip. But Dorian suddenly turned to face him, his free hand now grabbing Varlen by his othershoulder.

“Why?” Dorian demanded, firing the word like an arrow. But there was something thattrailed behind it; a kind of waver, as though it had been shot from a poorly strungbow. 

Varlen felt Dorian’sgrip tighten again on his shoulders and bit back a wince. Despite hiseffort to hide his discomfort, a spark flashed behind Dorian’s grey eyes and heloosened his grip, breathing hard through his nose. His gaze dropped fromVarlen’s.

Varlen knew it was nowor never. He knew he had tospeak.

“Dorian…” he beganslowly, and reached up, wrapping his hand around one of Dorian’s shakingwrists. “Please, I…” The words stuckin Varlen’s throat, and he cleared it thickly. “I tried. Creators, I really did. To stay behind. To wait at Skyhold.”

Like a proud oakcaught amidst a flooding river, something in Dorian seemed to give way. To crack. His griploosened again, and Varlen was able to move one of Dorian’s hands off hisshoulder and clasp it gently. It shook, so Varlen held it a little tighter. Drewit a little closer to his chest, where his heart continued to hammer out thesteady rhythm of his fear.

“I don’t know how ha…”Varlen swallowed, and old kind of self-consciousness bleeding into his words. “…if it was hard for you, too. But I couldn’ttake it anymore, knowing that you were here. Just… just waiting for the day someone tried to plunge a knife into your back.”

Quickly out of words,Varlen let them drift away, replacing their space with his shivering breaths.In and out. Shallow, as though they were ashamed of themselves. Ashamed of howmuch pain they were in.

Then, after a sharedsilence that was as hollow and heavy as a broken heart, Dorian moved.

The hand that remainedon Varlen’s shoulder slid down, wrapping around the elven man’s back, drawing him in. Hisother, held within Varlen’s, squeezed tight and drew back, guiding him to his chest. For a few slow, long moments, Varlen simply let himself beheld, numb with shock. He closed his eyes against the warmth. Listened to thebeat of Dorian’s heart through his dark robes. It still marched in timewith his own. The threat of hot tears welled up, but it wasn’t until Dorianspoke that they finally spilled over.

“I suppose it was foolish…”Dorian murmured, his voice no longer laced with hardness or bitter cold. “…possibly even selfish, to have asked it of you.”

Varlen clenched histeeth against the threat of sobs. Clawed them back possessively and scrabbled tohide them somewhere deep inside him. “Then why did you?”

Dorian leaned back slightly,his gaze gentle and warm, like a smouldering hearth. “I was afraid, amatus. You see…” he reached up, and gently brushed astrand of hair off Varlen’s face. Smoothed his thumb slowly across his wetcheek, subconsciously trailing the line of his vallaslin.

Then, he gave Varlen asmall smile. It hurt so badly, for all its softness.

“… I’d rather they plungea knife into my back than through my heart.”

28.Teachingthe other something new - Delton x Hanin Lavellan (600 words)

“All right… yes… that’s it…” Delton’s voice was low; husky. Hishot breath brushed past Hanin’s ear, sending a shiver trickling down the elvenman’s spine. Swallowing, Hanin felt his brow tighten of its own accord,silently wishing his hands were more dexterous. Smoother. They felt far tooclumsy for such a… delicate task.

He rotated his fingertips a little, and almost jumped whenhe heard Delton’s breath hitch in response. Instantly, Hanin froze, feelingstrangely breathless despite knowing there was no real danger to the exercise. That even if they were caught, it would hardly matter, all things considered. Delton could talk his way out of pretty much anything.

“What is it?” Hanin murmured, not too sure why he was speakingso quietly. Everything about what they were doing felt… scandalous. Hanin did not want to be seen by prying eyes; something that did not typically bother him. He could feel the other man’swarmth against his skin. It really was not an activity that could be donewithout some invasion of personal space, after all, and Hanin was beginning to feel a light layer of sweat build on his brow.

“N-Nothing, sorry.” a soft chuckle drifted from Delton’s lips,and Hanin sighed, partially in frustration, and partially in relief. “You’re ah… getting better at this. You sure you haven’t done it before, oh brave warrior?”

Hanin shook his head, his gaze once again focused on hishands. On the sensitive object of his attention that resisted him as much as itsubmitted. The whole task required delicate balance – it was a game of pull and push. Hanin intendedto win, despite Delton’s steadfast declaration before they began that such a thing would never occur.

A low hiss interrupted Hanin as he continued working his fingers,and he became aware of Delton’s hand closing around his wrist.

“Slower, Hanin. You’vegotta be gentle about it!”

“Sorry.” Hanin wasn’t sure why he was apologising. Deltonknew he was an amateur at this sort of thing. At soft movements and subtletweaks. He was far more used to kicking in the door, grabbing what he needed,and getting out.

“Good… better…” Delton sounded decidedly breathless, the wayone does when claimed by buzzing anticipation. But his hand remained on Hanin’s wrist,tilting it slightly as though he could feel the sensations through the warrior’s warm skin. “Closer… almost there…”

Hanin focused with every ounce of concentration he could muster, certain that he had finally reached the point of no return. Then, he made a sharp movement with hiswrist. One that was designed around its finality.

It was too sharp.

Delton gasped in surprise, and there was a harsh sound. Short. Shrill. The tell-tale and rather familiar chink! of thin metalsnapping.

Eyes blazing in irritation, Hanin withdrew the pick from thelock, tossing it aside roughly as Delton laughed and straightened, running a hand through his fiery hair. The pick landed in a small pile of other metallic objects, all in a similar state of brokenmelancholy. It was like a graveyard of thieves tools.

With his jaw clenched tightly, Hanin got to his feet, flexinghis hands and fingers which had seized a little due to the slow delicacy of thetask. A flat-palm slapped him reassuringly on the shoulder, and Delton’s eyeswere dancing in amusement when Hanin finally looked over and met them.

“Hey, don’t sweat it. Took me months before my first time. Iwas so nervous too; hands shook like an old man’s!” he let outan easy laugh, the pile of snapped metal now catching and holding hisattention. “Then again, if I failed, I got a metal rod right across my knuckles, or arrested by a guard.”

“My hands are better suited to combat than petty thievery.”Hanin grumbled, although he knew he was just making excuses. Delton knew ittoo, and he smirked, giving Hanin’s shoulder a final, reassuring squeeze.

“Yeah yeah, all right. Whatever helps to lessen the sting, big guy.”

I decided to go with number 4! Varlen to Dorian, sent between Inquisition and Trespasser!

(Written on thick paper, it appears to be a letter inincredibly good condition, found within a locked chest in a manor in Tevinter.Whoever received it went to great lengths to ensure it was preserved).

Vhenan,

It’s been, what, a few weeks now since you left for Tevinter?I don’t know. It feels like a lot longer, to be honest, but… ah, you know whatI mean. I know I said I’d give you some time to settle in, and I did, but Ijust want to tell you about… things. Anything, really. Oh who am I kidding – nothing’sreally changed much around here. Skyhold’s still got weird holes in all thewrong places. Cullen’s still wearing that mantle of his like he’s some kind of two-leggeddruffolo calf. Riv’s good – seems a lot more relaxed now that Corypheus isdealt with, but there’s still a million and one things to do. And Solas to dealwith. I still don’t know what to make of that. Thought he was one of the goodguys, but if he was, why would he up and leave like that? It doesn’t makesense. OH. Sera asked about you! Told me to tell you that “if you start withall that evil blood-magicky nonsense and eatin’ elves for supper and whatnot,don’t come back!” I mean, frankly, I agree on all points, so if you do any ofthose things, do let me know. That way I can inform the desperately waitingpopulace of my renewed status as a strappingbachelor.

Okay. Serious stuff now. I… know you’re busy. Someone’s gotto fix that mess of a Magisterium you’ve got up there, after all, and whobetter than the moustachioed mage who swept me off my very nimble feet? But… look,you’ll tell me if anything happens, right? I know we talked about it before youleft, and I know you agreed, but I just need to make sure you weren’t makingthings up to get me to calm down. So, here’s the deal: I promise to tell you ifI get kidnapped and murdered by angry Venatori, and I’d just like you to showme the same courtesy. Give and take,Dorian - that is the solid foundationupon which our whirlwind romance is built.

Right. Okay, this is getting long. I’ll make this last bitquick: I love you. I know we never said it much when we were together, but Ithink you’d agree that it went withoutsaying. But now that I can’t… showyou… I want to at least tell you in the ever-so-personal form of a letterthat will probably be read by six different sets of eyes before it even reachesyou (hey Leliana – you can skip this last bit, it’s sappy). It’s… not the same without you here, vhenan. Sometimes Iswear I hear you in the morning. You know… riseand shine amatus… You used to love whispering that whenever I slept in.Then occupy me for another hour regardless.If you… ever intend to come back, or settle in enough and let me come to you, just tell me when. You know I’ll bewaiting for your word. I don’t want to make this harder for you than it has tobe. I don’t know if it hurts as much for you as it does for… ah, never mind.You just stay safe, got it? If I get a letter from some Magister sending theircondolences and a few gold pieces as compensation, I will find your body, raiseit from the dead myself, and thenkill you personally for putting methough that kind of emotional trauma!

Ar lath ma, vhenan. Take care of yourself, and teach thoseevil Vints a thing or two about the world outside. (Speaking of which - I’ve enclosed a handkerchief in the envelope. I knowyou like to pretend you don’t have allergies, but keep it with you, because I’mnot there to lend you mine anymore).

--- Varlen (a.k.a. thebest kisser in Thedas, who also happens to have the best hair in Thedas. Yep - you’re missing out, Dorian! Should come back and visit or something. Y’know. Maybe. Just a thought.)

(Thank you for the questions! I’ve already answered some, so I’ll just copy/paste the answer below for those ones

8.      What wouldthey consider the most romantic thing that happened between them?

 Itwas late, and Dorian had been pouringover books for days on end, trying to find out who Corypheus once was, and ifit could help the Inquisitor to somehow bring him down, or at least, cause astir in Tevinter. He was bone-tired, frustrated, and the words on the page werebeginning to blur together, but he had been tasked with a job, and he intendedto do it. He was, after all, the Inquisition’s resident rebellious hereticarchivist. Well, Varlen had been hovering, ducking in to check on Dorian,making sure he was eating, and generally worrying, despite Dorian’s numerousreassurances that he was fine, and that he was more than used to pulling a few all-nightersfor the sake of a good book. But, whenVarlen came to visit and saw Dorian pretty much passed out over the Liberalum,he sighed softly and scooped Dorian up into his arms. Dorian was so exhaustedthat he did not even stir, and Varlen took him up to his personal quarters,where he suspected less people would disturb the mage with their demandsregarding Corypheus’ lineage. 

Dorian slept for the entire night and some of the next day. When he awoke, he wasdressed in Varlen’s comfy (although hideous)pyjamas, snuggled amongst a rather ludicrous amount of cushions, and his handshad been lovingly cleaned of the ink stains that had accumulated on them overthe past few days. Also, on the table beside the bed, was a plate of freshfruit, some savoury pastries that he had not eaten since he was last inTevinter, and a large pitcher of water, which was just as well because Maker he was thirsty. Varlen had evidentiallymanaged to charm some of the kitchen staff into making something special (and by ‘charmed’, he had made adeal – they would make the Tevinter pastries, and he would scrub up the dishesfrom the previous night). 

Despite his growling stomach, Dorian waited until Varlen’s door clicked openand the elven man stepped in (smelling alarmingly like dish-soap, althoughDorian did not press the matter). Then, he made a half-assed joke about Varlen “beinglate for their breakfast date” and they both ate together, grinning and cross-leggedon the bed, uncaring about the crumbs or the mess, and just enjoying each other’scompany. They ended up cuddling up for about an hour afterwards, withfull-stomachs and content conversation, before reluctantly returning to theirrespective duties. It was the most romantic moment because it had been entirelyunexpected by Dorian, and Varlen had been worried Dorian would be frustrated bythe interruption, as opposed to truly touched by the gesture. Both were very pleasantly surprised.

10.  Who getsjealous the most?

They’re both pretty relaxed actually, and trust each othercompletely, so jealousy isn’t a massive factor in their relationship. Theyunderstand each other’s personality types, and how they interact with people,and that they are both generally charismatic and charming by nature. I guessthe person who gets jealous the mostis probably Dorian, but it’s more because Varlen can’t seem to go five stepswithout getting some kind of look or remark, especially when they’re out onInquisition business in towns and cities. He’s got a rather unique look, so hegarners a lot attention (that he is often alarmingly oblivious to). It’s morethat Dorian likes to quietly assert his presence at Varlen’s side, and he can’thelp it – Dorian gets this warm feeling at the way Varlen just drops everythingthe moment he touches his arm to get his attention, or indicates he wants tospeak to him. It’s not a prerequisite, or even an expectation, but Dorian doesfind it… nice, to be someone’spriority. Varlen mostly gets jealous of inanimate/intangible things that reallysnatch Dorian’s attention away, like a particularly thick tome, or a philosophicalquestion that has stumped him, because Dorian can get very involved inscholarly pursuits!

18.  What was thebiggest hurdle in their relationship?

Tevinter. Initially becauseof Varlen’s preconceived prejudices against the Imperium, instilled in him as achild and carried with him ever since. It made him wary of Dorian, and while hestill found himself going out of his way to speak with him, Varlen tended tofeel on edge. Once they got to know each other, and trust each other, and thenfall in love, Tevinter was always this massive presence, looming on the peripheryof their relationship. Varlen wanted Dorian to stay with him more thananything, but also understood that when the time came, he would have to goback, and do what he could for his homeland. So, Varlen decided he would gotoo, and that led to their first big fight, because Dorian thought it was toodangerous, especially for an elf, and Varlen found that pretty hilarious,considering Dorian was going to be evoking the collective wrath of the majorityof the Magisterium!

27. One headcanon you have about thisOTP?

Dorian’sgeneral disgust for nature and theoutdoors is something Varlen finds utterly hilarious, and he enjoys teasing himto no end about it. While Varlen only hates certain aspects of the outdoors, Dorian will complain and gripe and sneezethe moment he sets foot in a forest or a field. Varlen will comment on how lovely the flowers smell, or the wing-colour of a certain species of rare butterfly,and Dorian will just sniffle loudly and fold his arms, knowing that Varlen wasteasing him as he pranced about in glee. But, for all his smart-ass commentary, Varlen always keeps a sparehandkerchief, ready to offer it at a moment’s notice when Dorian’s allergies become unbearable. Additionally, once they stop forthe evening, he boils some water over the campfire and leaves it in Dorian’stent, steaming it up a bit to help him overcome the day’s congestion. He thinks Dorian doesn’t realise it’s him, but really, who else would it be? Dorian always repays him with a kiss to the forehead, before he retreats to his home-made steam-room to try and relax (or even escape the cold).