âI find it hard to believe that no oneâs tried courting you properly back home,â
WHAT: Disappearing after speed dating to have slow dating. Ish. WHERE: Heraldâs Rest/Skyhold WHEN: Post speed dating, Sept 4th WARNINGS: Drinking alcohol, tipsy flirting (but nothing out of control) and some talks of war torn worlds. Fade to black and nothing too heavy. STATUS:Complete!
It probably wasnât the best thing to go to a speed dating intent with the idea to mingle and get to know people - which they did! - and still go âhomeâ with the person Atreus went in with the intention of trying to focus on. The idea as a whole was a good one, and Atreus had met people he had never met before, but he had found himself constantly glancing over at the mage, wanting to spend more time with him.
Which felt rude, in a way, and left Atreus feeling a little guilty. It had been a relief when Dorian seemed of a similar affliction as far as he was concerned - or at least happy to spend more time with him after it was over and seemingly had no interest in finding company in one of his many pairings.
Which led them to Heraldâs Rest. Atreus liked it here, it was surrounded by the lush forest he called home, and felt more like something from his own world than most things in Vallo. The jacket that Blue had insisted completed the outfit was left abandoned on the back of his chair as they settled into a quiet corner with ale and Atreus putting on his openly honest face. âI never realized seven minutes could feel like both a lifetime and not enough time.â
Dorian had such fond memories of the Heraldâs Rest, of Skyhold in general. During the Inquisition, theyâd traveled to a multitude of terrains, fought exotic beasts, and explored ancient, dilapidated structures still holding on. However, at the end of all those adventures, he and his companions needed a place to regroup - a place to call home. And that home was Skyhold, a castle that wasnât exactly in good shape when they relocated from the destroyed village of Haven - holes in the roofs, rubble not cleared out, the place utterly a wreck. Yet slowly, over time, it began to grow and flourish - the walls were fixed, soldiers began patrolling, the interior suited personal tastes, merchants arrived to set up their stations; it became the very definition of a central hub. It became something of a safe haven.
The Heraldâs Rest itself was two stories, loads of soft pillows and hanging plants on the second story - where Sera used to sleep, but he wasnât certain who was there now. If anyone. The ambiance was pleasant too, the kind that offered a glow, golden, orange, something that was a result of candles or torches. It was a certain kind of warmth, he thought. Perfect after a speed-dating event in a Viking-themed event room.
He chuckled at Atreusâs words, sipping on ale that wasnât dwarven in nature (good thing, because it tasted like both dirt and cinnamon and burned like kerosene and he didnât quite want to pass out while entertaining company). âI agree,â Dorian noted. âBut overall it was fun. Thereâs nothing like it back home - though I must admit Iâm sort of interested in dating only one person?â
His jacket was still on, but unbuttoned - perhaps with some more ale heâd be feeling flushed enough to lose a layer. Fingers abandoned the mug of ale for the time being and slipped over Atreusâs hand, gliding along the belly of his wrist. âYou look nice, by the way - if I havenât already said so.â
Atreus let out a little small sigh of relief that was probably visible as an expression on his face. One that wavered between excited and relieved, a shift of emotions that flashed like lightning across his features. Complicated emotions that Atreus had never had to deal with before this place, given the lack of people and the abundance of winter in his Midgard.
This place, with itâs warmth and welcome, and fingers suddenly making his stomach flip in a way he was still getting used to. He smiled at Dorian - he couldnât have stopped it if he tried - and maybe there was a little flush across his cheeks, but he hoped that didnât show in the dimly lit tavern.
âI think Iâm the same way? Since learning how dating really works and seeing how exhausting it can get, focusing my attention on someone thatâs caught my interest has uh--â He was definitely blushing now, no hiding it any longer. âGone pretty well? I think? I mean, heâs complimenting my clothes and looking really nice himself, soâŠâ
Dorian feigned shock. Gasp - interest, you say? What a delight, and quite the pleasant surprise. âWell, I can think of a couple ways to bump that up from âpretty wellâ to âspectacularly well,ââ he noted, turning his hand over and just lacing their fingers fully now, all intertwined. He could drink with one hand, that wasnât a problem at all.
âDepends on who this fellow is, of course,â he added loftily. Even if they both knew - the game was fun, and seeing Atreus all bashful was sweet, a nice change of pace (he probably wasnât all sweet in dark corners either, which was thrilling unto its own). Dorian had gone through that stage where he was drunk as a nug and rolling through brothels in the more downtrodden parts of Tevinter, not really caring where he ended up. His relationship with the Inquisitor had been his first real relationship, his first love, but theyâd parted ways on fond terms and he liked to think the whole ordeal changed him for the better.
He was ready to date again, at any rate. Maybe not get married (Maker, no) - but to see where it went, with one person, yes. That was ideal.
Atreus laughed, the blush fading away fast for genuine interest and amusement. It helped that Dorian was easy to look at, and Atreus could let his eyes roam a little over the man without feeling bashful over it. âI donât know, spectacularly is a pretty lofty goal.â He softened the tease by tracing the rune wunjo onto the back of Dorianâs hand. There was no magic behind it, so at most Dorian would have felt just a slight tingle up his spine - an action Atreus hoped to replicate later, in a more purposeful way.
âI like meeting new people and getting to know them - I donât regret that. But,â He didnât sound the least bit ashamed of his confession, the heat in his eyes as he glanced over at Dorian was telltale of that fact. âI kept just glancing over at you instead, wishing we were talking. Which is new. And exciting! Is that too much to say? Did I give too much away? Youâre really going to have to tell me if youâd prefer to keep up the mystery.â
Ooh, that tingle was a delight - a brief streak of lightning, and he wouldnât complain about more. Not from Atreus, whom he was quite intrigued by - Dorian hadnât planned for it, necessarily, but sometimes those sorts of surprises were the best ones.
âNot too much to say at all,â he assured, scooting a bit closer, leaning in so he could have a better look at Atreus - at the blue of his eyes, really, and how they resembled something arctic, something glacial; he also didnât complain about the conquering look in them either, it seemed like a challenge heâd love to rise to meet. âThereâs mystery and then thereâs being coy. Itâs alright to ask for what you want.â
He planned to do it now, in fact. After a decent amount of mead and more ale, mingling, and turning on the charm - he simply wanted to be here now, alone, and free to be himself. âKiss me,â he suggested, eager to see if his company tasted as good as he looked.
âIs that my first lesson?â Atreus teased, grinning in return. He liked the suggestion, and the person giving the suggestion, so it was a natural progression to lean in closer. It wouldâve made him laugh, since the request had been on his own mind, but hadnât quite made it to his lips through all the rambles.
âIâd like that.â This was better. Atreus wasnât shy, especially when it came to kissing, and he leaned into it with all of the heat behind his earlier statement. He had more experience in kissing than he did with dating, and it showed, after the sweetness and the gentle touch of lips first explored, to the natural progression of a more heated embrace, as the godling forgot all about the fact that they were in a semi-public place with the potential of public opinion.
Ah well, at least their corner was dark. It was his only fair thought in the middle of the rest of the fog. If Dorian wanted someone less enthusiastic as far as displays of affection went, heâd have to look elsewhere.
The enthusiasm was much appreciated, and it was a fact that Dorian give a damn about what anyone thought of him on most days (he couldnât, not in the line of work he was in - politics werenât a good place for feelings, especially ones that were fragile). Actually, the idea of them being in public at this moment anyway - that was something he liked.
And he liked this too, obviously Atreus had a good deal of skill and talent at pulling a shudder and a noise of interest from Dorian especially - he kissed back, of course; kissed him so deeply he couldnât just taste the marrow in his bones, Dorian was the marrow. Everything, everything, in him, kisses that were velvet and kisses that were needier - and Dorian didnât stop until his lips were sore and tingling.
âBeen wanting to do that for awhile, you see,â he informed Atreus, a spark in smoky grey eyes, thumb gliding over the plane of his cheekbone. âIt defied expectations.â
It was definitely not the ale that made Atreus more loose limbed and warm, cheeks heated through from the kissing. He was a little short of breath when they had pulled apart, and couldnât bring himself to actually extract from Dorianâs range. The mage even smelled good, it was a little unfair.
But welcome. And enough to make Atreus dive back in for another kiss, but this one he kept short and quick, unable to resist the pull. âAwhile?â Atreus was a little surprised by that, though he shouldnât have been, given how many times heâd wanted to lean over and kiss Dorian when they had been wandering around the fair.
âI wanted to do that all through the fair, but didnât want my mood to rub off on you so--â He grinned, eager and smug all at once and it showed as his chin tilted up and he squared his shoulders. âGlad I surpassed expectations. Let me know if thereâs anything else I can prove.â
âSame - since the fair, I mean,â Dorian amended, hand dropping to rest on Atreusâs thigh. It had been such an enchanting evening - in every direction there were neon lights and stars, and the vantage point atop that ferris wheel was nothing short of breathtaking. And romantic too, if he were being honest. Along with all the terrible fried food and sticky, sugary lemonade - heâd never had a date like it before and had enjoyed himself quite a bit. âThereâs plenty you can prove - and if you want to rub off on me, I wouldnât say no to that either.â
Oh, ho. So cheeky. But the offer was genuine - it was just an offer that probably shouldnât escalate in a public place. âIf you want to see my quarters?â he offered. âWe could always talk there.â Contrary to what some may think, he didnât fall asleep in his precious wingback chair, in the library - no, he had an actual room above the gardens of Skyhold. Sleeping in a chair would have been murder on his spine.
The cheeky joke hit itâs mark, and Atreus laughed through his rapidly rising blush. He both wanted to say yes enthusiastically and had questions, but that was because his brain rarely shut up long enough to just simply enjoy something. Dorian made it easier to enjoy but previous dating experience in Vallo had left Atreus just a little empty. It wasnât the fault of his companions so much as his own inability to realize exactly what heâd wanted.
Which was funny, considering otherwise Atreus never freaking shut up. âIâm pretty sure my father is going to be at home pouting about me signing him up until the end of time and-- um. Yeah, yes- I just-â He squinted comically, overthinking all of this for such a simple question.
âHow do you feel about spending the night?â We donât have to now!â He scrambled the words in there as he made assumptions, and covered his face with his hand. âIâm assuming things, sorry. I just-â Unable to quite get there, Atreus just sighed, annoyed at himself. âIâd like that.â
What, what, what? That was a run-on if Dorian ever heard one, but for some reason - rather endearing. He chuckled fondly, grasping the hand that Atreus used to cover his face - Dorian held that hand between his own, his touch warm (made sense, considering he threw fire on a regular basis. Just part of being a mage, he supposed).
âAre you inviting me to sleep over sometime?â he asked, just to be sure. âBecause of course I will. You donât have to stay here either. I like you quite a bit and Iâm not only interested in riding your dick, if thatâs what youâre concerned with.â That wasnât what Dorian was after. The more carnal pleasures were fun and an important part of being with someone but he didnât want Atreus to feel like a sex toy, he was worth much more than that.
Dorian gently patted his cheek. âShall I just go pour us some more ale and we can continue getting sloshed?â
That helped, immensely, as Atreus immediately relaxed with the warmth, he made a little humming noise and pulled their joined hands together to kiss Dorianâs through his own, as way of apology. âYes, but not for a little while. Only because thereâs no door to my room and my own house isnât done yet. So uh- dick riding wouldnât be very private there.â He was not going to act like a blushing virgin over that.
Ale did seem like a necessity now, though, more than ever, to conjure up a little more courage to go with his words. âPlease, yes.â He pushed over his half-full mug of ale with a little sly (possibly awkward, but charming) wink at Dorian. âBut maybe not too sloshed? Just enough to take it up to your room?â
âRight, not too sloshed,â Dorian agreed with a laugh. âI want you conscious, darling.â And able to say yes or no - that was rather crucial too. But he wasnât gone long, it was merely a short trip to the bar before he returned with their ale, in all of its crisp sweetness, mugs filled halfway. He also brought water with him as well, so they could alternate - staying hydrated was key.
He settled all up in Atreusâs business, something bordering on a cuddle if such a thing was possible at a table in a tavern - but he was something of a slut for cuddles, which would potentially be discovered later. So many mysteries.
âI find it hard to believe that no oneâs tried courting you properly back home,â he noted, mug pushed toward Atreus. âAs in regular dates and gifts and things.â
âHa,â Atreus laughed after him, both real and a little exaggerated for effect. It thankfully took a lot more to get him drunk than it did the average mortal, but it was a good reminder anyway, when he was never fully sure how another worldâs alcohol would hit him, and coupled with the mead from the speed dating earlier.
It was an easy thing to sling an arm around Dorianâs back, leaning into the touch given. Heâd been starved for it for so long that it was something he found himself eagerly reaching for when offered. âMy normal everyday companions were my father, a talking head and two dwarves,â None of those things lent themselves to dating, but Atreus loved his family.
âMidgard was put into what we call fembulwinter, the great winter preceding the end of the world. Most people left for better options, or to spare themselves from Ragnarök.â He shrugged and took a drink of the ale to wash away the annoyances of Odin and Thor. âSo at least itâs more that there werenât really any options and less my charming good looks?â
âAh, I see,â Dorian nodded, stroking at that epic mustache (that he would never shave off, thank you, do you know how long it took to get to this level of perfection?). âA world on the brink of disaster. That does make courtship rather difficult.â Not that it had stopped him, necessarily - but at that point, he simply rationalized with the thought that the threat of Corypenis was hovering over them all. Therefore, it made sense to make the most of what time they had left - because you never knew how much it would be.
There were also some things you just couldnât fight anyway - falling in love had been one of them; it was a feeling of tumbling down a mountain, head over feet, landing on your ass and pure exhilaration and embarrassment. But as heâd learned after the Inquisition disbanded and they had to figure out where to go from there, love wasnât always enough.
He sipped the remains of his ale, feeling appropriate warm and slushy - could be the drink, could be the man he was all snuggled up to. Both? âItâs easier here, I think. Iâm grateful for that. And the other various opportunities.â
Atreus made a little noise of agreement, a positive humming noise as he leaned in to press a gentle kiss to the side of Dorianâs head, now that he felt open to doing so. âIt is easier here. Like hot showers, indoor plumbing, cronuts.â
He could probably go on for hours about things he enjoyed more here than he did back in a world that hated him. He still missed Mimir, Brok and Sindri, but the rest of it? Fighting for his life, never knowing when or if Thor was going to show up again.. No, Atreus would take this world nine times out of ten when it came down to these things.
And not just because he had incredibly good company right now, warming him down to his toes, that Atreus suddenly wanted to kiss again. He murmured quietly against Dorian, smile touching at the sides of his lips. âYou mentioned something about your room earlier?â
Well. That particular tone gave Dorian a shiver, in a bone-clanging sort of way - though it wasnât bad, not in the slightest. âIndeed - my roomâs got a door, so thatâs already a bonus,â he said, clearly teasing. But he managed to maneuver his limbs in such a way that meant disentangling from Atreus, but only for the time being - because surely theyâd be connecting again once they got to where they were going.
âCome with me, then,â he offered his hand, fully prepared to lead the way. His room was pleasant, he thought, no wyvern down bed (that was far too Orlesian) but the furniture was plush and comfortable and had a lovely view of the gardens below through the window, the green garden version even if he remembered when it had only been rocks and weeds once upon a time.
And, yes, as promised - his room had a door, which he fully planned to close behind them. Not everyone in this fortress needed to know everything about his life.
Atreus didnât hesitate to take his hand and follow Dorian, keeping up easily but still taking the opportunity to look at everything. Heâd been to Skyhold over a dozen times now, and saw something new or learned something about the fortress that he hadnât known before. It was still hauntingly beautiful to him, like jumping into past ruins he used to explore as a child, only brought to life.
The path up to Dorianâs room wasnât one he was familiar with, and Atreus memorized it on the walk, pausing very briefly to squeeze Dorianâs hip.
When they reached their destination, he was close to Dorian, front to back, his mouth finding purchase on the neck in front of him, lightly and without pressure, though a grin was playing at his lips, âI know todayâs theme was speed dating, but I promise more than seven minutes after the tour.â
Also cheeky - Dorian had to appreciate it. He smiled crookedly, turned, happy to seize Atreus in his arms. There were far too many layers between them, though that would be taken care of - he would try to be patient about it all and yet just looking at him, well, the mage couldnât really promise anything.
âI believe you,â he murmured, voice like dark water running over polished stones. âBut itâs only fair to give you room to demonstrate.â
Door snugly shut, the bed mere steps away - that was Dorianâs trajectory, and he wasnât about to be concerned with anything else until the morning.