"I'm telling you boss it's true. It's an Antivan noble tradition or something or other. Everyone has them," Bull said, his feet stretched out in front of him, Evelyn's stretched out in front of hers, both of them causing a trip hazard in the Tavern. "I guarantee the ambassador has them too"
"Bullshit," Evelyn said, making Iron Bull laugh out loud.
"Nobles do swear then," he said.
"Ones from Ostwick do," she said, with a wink.
"Do you have any traditions?"
"Not really, not like Nevarra, or apparently, Antiva – which I still say is bull."
"You want to be sure ask Red, I bet she knows. Or Ruffles herself."
"I'm not asking Josephine if she's got...I'm not asking Josephine that."
She was blushing bright red now, from the conversation and the bad ale – being Herald did not make the alcohol any better apparently – and Bull laughed again, patting her on the back a little hard.
"I like you boss."
"Thanks," she said, coughing from the impact of his massive hand. "Feeling's mutual."
He drank the rest of his drink, and they were quiet for a little while. Long enough for Evelyn to really contemplate what The Iron Bull had just told her.
x
"Leliana?"
The Rookery was always quiet despite all the birds and not giving any indication as to whether the Spymaster was there or not until she called out from whatever corner she was hidden in. Evelyn wasn't sure why she needed to hide sometimes even in Skyhold but Leliana continued to guard herself carefully in the dark round room.
"Inquisitor."
Evelyn didn't jump, she'd gotten used to Leliana appearing from no where and instead smiled at the redhead.
"Can I-" she hesitated. "Can I ask you something?"
"Of course," she said, with a smile, leaning back against the railing.
"You know Josephine very well, yes. You are both close?"
"Very. Why do you ask?"
"The Iron Bull told me about an Antivan tradition nobles follow," she said, watching as Leliana smiled.
"Oh you mean the piercings," she chuckled.
"Does she have one?"
Leliana laughed again, light and airy and Evelyn smiled, she always felt a little better when the Spymaster was happy.
"You're very interested in our dear Ambassador," she said, instead of answering and Evelyn could feel the heat on her cheeks immediately. "You have feelings for her?"
"Perhaps."
Leliana smiled.
"I would warn you to be careful with Lady Montyliet," she said, "she may seem worldly but she is an innocent in love."
"I would never hurt her," Evelyn snapped annoyed at the idea she could even hurt Josephine.
Leliana didn't answer.
"I will keep you to that Inquisitor," she said instead, and Evelyn frowned.
"I promise to be careful. I want to know more about her," she said and Leliana 'hummed' though whether she approved or not was unclear to Evelyn.
"If you're so interested why not ask Josie herself?"
"I think it would be impolite to ask a lady such things about herself," she said and Leliana laughed. "Fine," she said, turning away.
"She has two," she said, with a smirk.
Evelyn's eyes widened a little, and Leliana laughed again as the Inquisitor immediately ran off down the stairs.
x
"Why are you staring at me?"
Evelyn looked up at the sound of Josephine's voice, her cheeks flushing hot again and smiling at her. They had been discussing some nobles in Ostwick but she hadn't really been listening, she knew it all anyway – she had grown up around these people. She knew them all and all the politics. She hadn't needed to listen to a thing the Ambassador had told her, which was good because she could barely concentrate on anything except the woman's breasts.
"Sorry, Josephine," she said, looking at her face and smiling.
"You seem to distracted today Inquisitor, is everything okay?"
"Everything is well," she said. Josephine frowned at her.
"Are you certain?"
Evelyn went to answer but paused, looking down at her breasts again and back up her pretty face.
"Damn," she said.
"Please, Inquisitor, tell me what's wrong?"
"I can't stop thinking about your breasts."
Her hand flew to her mouth then and she blushed a brighter red. Josephine turned red too, looking scandalised and Evelyn was pretty sure that Leliana was going to kill her the moment she left the room.
"Iamsosorry, Ididn'tmeantosaythat," she said, words coming out all at once.
"What ever did you mean to say?" Josephine asked.
Evelyn didn't know what to say then.
"I'm just sorry."
She went to leave but Josephine was quicker than she realised, and grabbed her arm to stop her from leaving.
"Tell me what is going on, please."
Evelyn frowned.
"I'm sorry, really, my mind is else-"
"Elsewhere, yes, I am aware of this," Josephine said, letting go of her arm. "You can talk to me Inquisitor."
"I'm just very sorry Lady Montyliet."
She slipped out of the door then, and Josephine didn't stop her.
x
Evelyn couldn't sleep.
She was such an idiot. She should've kept her mouth shut. She should never have run out after saying what she did. She was an idiot.
"Idiot, idiot, idiot," she muttered to herself, before punching the nearest post of her bed, the wood splintering and her knuckles bruising. She hissed in pain, shaking out her hand, drops of blood spilling from the cuts.
"You are indeed an idiot Lady Inquisitor," Josephine said, heading up the stairs quietly. She smiled at the Inquisitor and headed over to her. She took Evelyn's hand and inspected the injury, before urging the blonde to sit on the bed. She fetched a small box from the Inquisitor's desk and sat down next to her.
"How did you know that was in there?" Evelyn asked as Josephine opened the box and took out a bandage and a small vial of healing poultice.
"I arranged for it to be put there Inquisitor."
She chuckled and started to clean the small cuts and wrap her hand up, her touches gentle, her hands soft bar a couple of calluses from where she held a quill and changed the world with words. Evelyn found that just as fascinating and arousing as the idea she might have nipple piercings. When she was done she took Evelyn's hand and held it for a moment.
"I'm really sorry about this afternoon," she said, looking down at their clasped hands. "That didn't come out as I intended."
"Then tell me dear inquisitor, what did you intend to say?"
"I wanted to ask you a question about a certain Antivan tradition," she said, words coming easier now that she'd had a few hours to berate herself.
"The nipple piercings?" Josephine said, with a little grin and Evelyn blushed red. "It's an old tradition that started out as a fashion for nobles hundreds of years ago along with some other questionable clothing that did not last the years."
"But the piercings did?"
"Yes, only the rich can afford to adorn parts of the body that only their lovers would see," she said smiling, Evelyn noted Josephine was still holding her hand while she explained it to her, using only the other hand to gesticulate. "It's simply what is done."
"And you have one."
"Of course! All the Montilyets do."
She spoke about it as if it were nothing, as if it were a way of wearing her hair, that all her family did, or a family crest on her clothing but Evelyn's eyes had drifted down her body again, her entire body feeling flush and she was an awful, awful person.
Except Josephine was giggling.
"What?"
"Nothing."
"What?" Evelyn said, smiling at her now as she laughed.
Josephine leaned forward then, and kissed Evelyn gently on the lips, kissing little pecks up the woman's neck to her ear, making Evelyn shiver right down to her core.
"Would you like to see them?" she whispered.
"Holy Maker yes," Evelyn groaned, pulling away and kissing Josephine hard. They both moaned and Evelyn moved to pull Josephine further onto the bed. She started to strip the Ambassador, tugging at the sashes wrapped around her waist and ripping open her top. Josephine was still laughing as she was quickly undressed, clothes thrown aside until she was down to her breast band and small clothes.
She hesitated then, looking at Josephine's face.
"Are you sure about this?" she asked.
"Absolutely dear Inquisitor. I have been thinking about this for sometime."
"Showing me your piercings?" Evelyn asked. Josephine smiled and sat up. She cupped the back of the Inquisitor's neck pulling her down into a deep kiss that took her breath away.
"This," she said, urging the blonde to lie down with her, their bodies pressed together.
Evelyn moaned, hands swiping up Josephine's side and pushing up her band until her breasts were exposed to her eyes. She pulled back from the kiss looking down at her breasts and the gold rings that adorned both nipples.
She sat back to look at them, reaching out with one hand to cup a breast and feel the ring cold on the palm of her hand a contrast to Josephine's soft warm skin.
"Oh Josephine," she murmured, eyes glassy and liquid pooling between her legs as the Ambassador arched up into her her touch with a quiet moan. "How long have you had them for?"
"Since I became of age," she said, voice a little lower than before.
"May I?" Evelyn asked, flicking her tongue over her right nipple to demonstrate.
"Oh, of course," she said with a squeak and she took the nipple in her mouth. Josephine gave a shout of 'yes' as she licked around her nipple, and pulled the ring between her teeth tugging on it gently.
"Inquisitor!" she cried, her hips bucking up.
"I do have a name Lady Montilyet," she said, tugging again, harder this time and making Josephine hiss.
"Evelyn, Evelyn please."
"Better," she said, with a chuckle. "You are beautiful Josephine, a wonder."
The woman went red at her words and she started to play with her other nipple, twisting the golden ring between her fingertips and watching the glint of the metal in the low fire light. She was stunning, the piercings better than she imagined and she had never imagined her body quite like this. Flushed with wanting. With wanting her.
She still wasn't sure of they were really do this or not, despite all they had already done, but when she finally let go of her breasts, Josephine lifted her hips to urge Evelyn on and she pulled down her smalls, laying her bare before her. She ran her hands up her thighs, raking her nails gently into the soft skin and making Josephine moan.
Evelyn had imagined this. Had imagined the heat between the other woman's legs that matched her own, had imagined the way she pressed her hips up as her fingers got closer to her centre. Had imagined the slick as she ran her digits between Josephine's lips and up to her clit.
Had imagined the sounds the other woman would make.
This was all so much better.
She pressed a little harder against her clit, running her fingers around the bundle of nerves and watching as Josephine's eyes fell closed and her mouth open in silent praise. She wondered how far she could push her, and she bent her head to take a pierced nipple into her mouth once more. Josephine managed a strangled cry, hips following every move of her fingers.
"May I?" Evelyn whispered, placing a single finger at her entrance, teasing but not pushing in.
"Always so polite," Josephine joked, eyes still squeezed shut, breath coming out in pants.
"I was raised a noble remember," Evelyn said with a smile, circling her finger lightly around her entrance and gaining a whine from the other woman in response. "But that doesn't answer my question." She pushed her finger in a little deeper, for a brief moment, and chuckled when Josephine's moan turned into a whine once more.
"Yes, yes, anything you want Lady Trevelyan."
"Dangerous thing to say to a women who's gotten used to getting exactly what she wants," Evelyn said, pressing her finger into Josephine's body.
She answered with a long moan and a whispered plea of 'more' that the Inquisitor was more than willing to accommodate. She pushed another finger into her heat, feeling the slick flesh stretch around her Evelyn groaning at the feeling.
She was suddenly too hot in her own clothes, shifting on the bed so she could rub her own swollen clit against the rough tight fabric of her leggings. She started a quick rhythm with her fingers, watching the reactions of her beautiful Ambassador – the way her face twisted in pleasure and her hips moved with her thrusts and her hand seeking out Evelyn's and holding tight as the Inquisitor fucked her.
Evelyn pressed a third finger past her tight entrance and into the depth of her, listening to her cries for her name.
"You're so beautiful like this Josie," she whispered, leaning over to kiss her on the lips. "So close, you're so close aren't you?"
Josephine nodded, her cries coming more and more desperate with every thrust into her body.
"I can feel it, feel every tremor of your body, every beat of your pulse, you want it, want this."
"Yes, yes Evelyn please," she moaned, her hips a little out of control now, hand squeezing Evelyn's just as tightly as her body.
"Whatever you want Lady Montilyet," she said, moving her thumb to press down on the clit. Josephine screamed as her body shook, inside and out, pulling at Evelyn's fingers. The inquisitor leaned forward to tug on one her piercings again, feeling more pleasure shoot through the ambassador until she was trembling and whimpering.
When Evelyn pulled her fingers free and looked up at Josephine, she was smiling at her, tears in her eyes.
"Are you okay?" Evelyn asked.
Josephine nodded, breathing hard. She pulled the inquisitor down to lie with her again and kiss her in between deep breaths.
"That was amazing."
"You are amazing Josephine," Evelyn told her. "Please, please tell me we'll do this again. I want more, more than this." She cupped her breasts again, her thumb absently playing with the golden ring in her nipple and Josephine nodded.
"You have real feelings for me?" she asked, pulling her hand away from her breast for a moment. "Beyond this?"
"Yes. Yes absolutely yes." Evelyn said, smiling at her, hoping she could convey everything in one facial expression. Josephine smiled back, kissing her.
"Then I believe I am amenable to doing this again my lady. And more," she said. "But first, I have heard rumours that you have a tattoo. One I doubt is a family tradition."
Evelyn blushed bright red.
"Who told you?!" she cried.
"I suspect the same person who told you about my piercings."
x
"Did you ask her?" Bull asked as Evelyn walked through the tavern.
"Ask what?" Evelyn she said, trying to ignore the heat she felt in her cheeks.
"Don't play coy with me boss, I know you better than that," he said, handing her a mug and urging her to drink. She frowned at him, taking a gulp of the ale. It was a little better today. Or maybe she was become desensitised to it. "Did you ask the Ambassador about the Antivan tradition I told you about."
"Of course she did," Leliana said, stepping out of a shadow in the corner. "Haven't you seen the smile on Josephine's face today, or the way they're both walking a little funny this morning."
Evelyn was pretty sure she was about to combust.
"Way to go boss!" Bull clapped her on the back, as hard as ever and she spilt most of her ale.
Probably wasn't a bad thing.
"How do you know?!" Evelyn said, surprised by the sudden appearance of her Spymaster. Again. "We, we-"
"You decided to keep it a secret, I know," Leliana said, grinning. "We sharn't say a word Inquisitor."
"Not a word," Bull agreed.
Evelyn glared at them, but it just made them both laugh.
"A thank you would be nice though," he added.
The Inquisitor just huffed and walked away, leaving the two spies laughing behind her.
"Good work Red," Bull said, offering her his hand. She shook it with a smirk.
"And you," she said, before disappearing again.