A/N: This is Part 1 of a 2-Part story, taking place in my canon universe after "The Lift Away". Each part will be a one-shot of two very important events in Dorian and Aeric's life together. Sugary sweet fluff ahead.


"Greatest of These"

ooo

Aeric twisted a small leather bag in his pocket, his fingertips wrapping around the tiny drawstring over and over again. As the sun began to set over blue-green waves mere feet away, he smiled and glanced at Dorian beside him on the blanket. He was lying beneath the makeshift shade Aeric had constructed for them out of palm fronds. A book held aloft with one hand, Dorian was reading again, a light shirt of blue linen draped around him and held just closed by two wooden buttons. His trousers were rolled up just enough to keep the hems from dragging in the warm sand. Aeric wore a similar outfit, enjoying the feel of the salty breeze ripple through his loose clothing.

"You stare at the water as if mesmerized by it, amatus," Dorian spoke up, breaking the silence.

Aeric smiled. "I thought you were reading."

"I was," Dorian replied. "But I saw you so lost in thought, and that magnificent sunset behind you, and got distracted." He returned the smile as he sat up and set aside his book. "Something on your mind?"

"Yes." Aeric hesitated, his hand running over the bag in his pocket once more. "I had a question for you."

Dorian raised an eyebrow. "You're being awfully mysterious."

Aeric shrugged, hesitating. He thought he knew how Dorian would respond, but they'd never talked about it before… "What do you think about getting married?"

Dorian frowned a moment before bursting into laughter. Well, that wasn't quite the response Aeric was expecting… "Did my mother put you up to this?" Dorian asked between chuckles. "Up to her old tricks again, is she? You can tell her that I can handle the Magisterium just fine without a wife in tow, thank you. I've been making excellent progress on my own thus far, and I'm perfectly happy being with you to sully it all now with such a ridiculous notion as marriage."

"A ridiculous notion, is it?" Aeric said, biting his lip. Creators, Dorian wasn't understanding at all, and Aeric wasn't sure how to proceed.

"What is it, amatus?" Dorian had noticed Aeric's hesitation, and his laughter petered out. "You can't possibly agree with her, can you? Tevinter can't have corrupted you so much already that you would think this is a good idea." When Aeric didn't answer right away, only looking up at him with what was probably a perplexed expression on his face, Dorian huffed and crossed his arms. "You're being perhaps even more taciturn than usual. Well, I'll tell you what I told them. I refuse to marry, so long as I have you."

Aeric blinked at him, once, then smirked. He felt like laughing at the absurdity of it all. "Well, then," he said at last in as casual a tone as he could manage. "I suppose I won't need this, then." He pulled the leather bag from his pocket.

"What is that?" Dorian stared at it for a few moments, his brow furrowed in confusion, before his mouth fell open and his eyes widened as he realized. "Fasta vass," he breathed. "You meant to you!"

"I had hoped that part would have been obvious," Aeric replied with a chuckle. Pulling at the ends of the bag with his fingertips, he opened it and shook out an ironbark pendant on a soft leather lanyard. The pendant was about the size of a Tevinter gold imperial, intricately carved in intertwining swirls. The wood had been stained a vibrant blue, then lacquered so it had a delicate sheen. "In my clan," he said, showing the still gaping Dorian the pendant, "we give these pendants when we become betrothed. The interconnecting knots symbolize two people coming together as one. If we have the skill, we carve the pendants ourselves, as an act of devotion to our intended."

"You made this?" Dorian said in a hoarse whisper.

Aeric nodded, feeling himself smile, though it did not appear on his face. Dorian was constantly surprised by the things Aeric could make. "My father is the clan's master craftsman, remember? He taught me."

Dorian seemed to be barely breathing. "It's magnificent."

"I'm glad you like it," Aeric said, his heart swelling with affection. He tried to adopt as straight a face as possible. "But, if marriage is so ridiculous, I'll just get rid of it, then…" Not quite managing to hide his grin, he held the pendant over his head as if to throw it into the ocean.

"No, don't do that!" Dorian laughed, reaching for the pendant. Aeric tried to dive out of the way, but Dorian tackled him to the blanket, both of them overcome with laughter. "Maker's breath!" Dorian said breathlessly, pinning Aeric with his hands on the elf's wrists. "What kind of proposal is this?"

"A terrible one, apparently." Aeric gazed up at Dorian, at his bright gray eyes shining with love and disbelief. "So, what do you think, ma'nehn?"

"I…" Dorian floundered. Aeric loved moments like these, when Dorian was at a total loss of what to say. His mustache twitched in consternation, his mouth opening and closing as he searched for words. It was adorable. "We don't have such a thing in Tevinter. Not for couples such as ourselves. It's unheard of."

"I know," Aeric said softly. "But we can go back to Skyhold for the wedding, if there's one to be had." He smiled. "It's all right to say no, if it makes you uncomfortable. You and marriage have a complicated history."

"I just…" Dorian sighed. "I never thought I could have this. To wed for love is rare enough amongst the nobility here, much less for a love between two men. I never even considered it a possibility."

"It can be, if we go south." Still pinned to the blanket, Aeric craned his neck to kiss Dorian gently on the lips. "I'll still love you regardless, ma'nehn. I only wanted to declare that love in front of our friends and family, and to be able to call you my husband."

"Oh, is that all?" Dorian said in a low voice that quavered a little. His eyes were over-bright as they searched Aeric's face. "I want that too, more than anything." He cleared his throat and smiled. "Marry me, amatus."

"This is my proposal," Aeric protested with a grin. "You're supposed to marry me."

Dorian shook his head. "I'm taking over." He kissed Aeric again, lips urgent as they closed upon each other. When they parted, Dorian rested his forehead against Aeric's. "I haven't anything to give you, but I beg you to marry me, Aeric Lavellan. Marry me and make me happier than I already am, impossible as that may seem."

Their heads still pressed together, Aeric nodded slightly, just once. Dorian's face broke into the widest grin Aeric had ever seen before he kissed him once more. Dorian's mustache tickled as their lips moved with lingering caresses and playful nips. With the rushing sound of waves crashing into the shore and the warm sunlight filtering through their palm frond shade, Aeric couldn't think of a more perfect moment.

As the kiss ended, Aeric gave a little smile. "Are you going to let me up, ma'nehn?"

Dorian's grin turned mischievous. "I don't know," he said in a sing-songy sort of voice. "Are you going to let me have that marvelous thing you made?"

Aeric chuckled and opened his hand, letting Dorian pluck the pendant from it. The mage released him, and they both sat up. Aeric watched Dorian for a moment, his chest feeling full to bursting as Dorian gazed at the pendant and touched it with reverent fingertips.

"Let me put it on you," Aeric offered gently.

Dorian gave back the pendant then sat still as Aeric got to his knees. Reaching around him, Aeric strung the lanyard around Dorian's neck, closing it by threading a wooden toggle through a loop on the other end. A tiny smile flitted across Dorian's lips as he looked down at the pendant, his face a mixture of joy and ever-present disbelief.

Aeric cleared his throat. "The lanyard is long enough that you can hide it under your clothes if you need to, while you're working with the Magisterium."

But Dorian had already begun shaking his head even before the sentence was fully out of Aeric's mouth. "Not a chance. You're my fiancé now, and if their little minds explode from the sheer audacity of it, then so be it." He grinned. "Venhedis, that sounds strange. You're my fiancé, and I'm yours. What an incredible thing."

Aeric put his arms around Dorian, hugging him close as they watched the waves rise and fall together. The sky was a symphony of color, blue and red and purple and orange all splashed across the heavens as the sun sank below the horizon. "We'll be husbands before long," Aeric murmured, resting his head on Dorian's shoulder.

"I can't wait, amatus. I simply cannot wait."