A/N - Beware drunk!Inquisitor and mention of Zevran's bisexual nature.
"The wall is cold against his back, but the ale keeps him warm. The cheer he feels is hazy and hollow. 'It isn't the same, it's never the same without him.'..." Cole broke away from channeling Lavallen, to gaze anew upon Dorian. "He misses you. He drinks to forget, but also to remember. He hates that you've left, not the leaving - he resents that he understands."
"Oh Artemis.." Dorian sighs, wearily. "I'm sorry I asked..."
"But he'll be better now that you've returned." Cole added helpfully.
Dorian managed a smirk. "No doubt." he remarked, giving Cole a friendly smack on the arm before stepping away.
Despite his captive audience now gone, Cole continued to observe, muttering to himself. "Nerves tremble beneath the dread..dread composed of eagerness, weariness, tenderness. When Dorian sees Lavallen, he's not going to want to leave again. But he will...he has to..."
Dorian entered the Inquisitor's study without hesitation, though his legs slowed at the sight of Lavallen's cluttered desk. His grey eyes scanned the rest of the room longingly. Nothing had changed, yet everything looked anew after a year away.
Dorian peeked into the keg room, and spotted his lover tucked between the barrels, slumped against the wall just as Cole had claimed. Gaudfae Lavallen's eyes were half shut, his pouty mouth slightly ajar in a grin, his long red hair beautifully disheveled over one shoulder as usual. "Artemis..." Dorian purred, the word dripping with desire and disapproval. "This wasn't quite how I pictured our reunion starting..."
"I'm daydreaming again aren't I? Schtop teasing me Zev.." Gaudfae glowered to the best of his ability, as he struggled to stand.
"Zev?" Dorian repeated, an immediate frown coating his features.
"It is not I this time, your worship." Zevran greets, strolling up beside Dorian, though his gaze was locked on Gaudfae. "It truly is your lover returned from Tevintar."
"Who in Andraste's name are you?" Dorian asks, sharply. The good looks Zevran possessed were not lost on Dorian, and under different circumstances he surely would've flirted rather than snarled.
"Zevran Arrani, at your service Sire." Zevran introduced, bowing his head and flourishing his arms.
"Zevran where have I heard that name bef..." Dorian trailed off in a huff, as Gaudfae's swaying form crashed into him.
"Dorian! It really is you!" Gaudfae gushed, his light voice grew lighter, as he ran his fingertips across Dorian's mustache. "You finally came back to me, thank the Maker.." Gaudfae's lanky arms enclosed around Dorian's abdomen, burying his face in the niche of Dorian's shoulder. Gaudfae's next words were muffled but no less audible. "I'm so glad, snuggling Zev isn't the same..."
Jealousy flared within Dorian's eyes, as his gaze traveled back onto the blonde elf. "I bet." Dorian murmured, his fingers digging into Gaudfae's waist.
Zevran smiled expectantly. "You needn't look so alarmed Dorian, things have never escalated beyond kissing."
A scoff tumbled from Dorian's throat. "What have I to be jealous of?" he responded, herding Gaudfae away from the booze. "I gave permission, insisted actually - no strings attached until my endeavors with my homeland are completed." Dorian said shoving Gaudfae onto the couch.
Even drunk, Gaudfae knew when his lover was jealous, though he snorted a bit at the realization. "I'll always have strings for you Dorian, always." he swore earnestly.
The anguish Dorian felt, evaporated momentarily, before he turned his hardened gaze onto Zevran. "As I said, what have I to be envious of?" he repeated nonchalantly.
Zevran merely smirked, and handed Dorian a palm-sized bottle. "A draught made of blood lotus, should sober him up without the finicky side-effects magic causes." he explained.
"The magical side-effects aren't finicky, he is." Dorian murmured, looking from the bottle to Gaudfae.
"..I know." Zevran said softly.
"You're the finicky ones!" Gaudfae insisted lazily.
Dorian smiled slightly, and allowed the grin to remain as he addressed Zevran. "Thank you, for watching over him."
"I can think of worse fates...such as being brutally dismembered by my Crow brethren.." Zevran remarked. "Especially before I am able to savagely murder them first."
"Ah, so that's where I know you from... I seem to recall Gaudfae and Leliana persuaded Cullen to go out of his way to ensure your safety...Now I see why..." Dorian said apprehensively.
"Which I am eternally grateful for. But," Zevran sighed. "I can see you are still not convinced of our innocent encounters, so allow me to say this - I am no cheat, least not knowingly. And it was always clear to me that Gaudfae held the utmost affection for you. Permission recieved or not, Gaudfae has remained a gentleman, as have I. Besides which, I am fully enamored with Josephine. It was her in fact, that first brought he and I together."
"I'll be sure to have a word with Josie..." Dorian noted.
"If you must. I am only trying to put your mind at ease." Zevran replied. "Goodnight to you Master Pavvus, I feel certain we will cross paths again."
"Count on it." Dorian replied, in a tone that was neither curt nor kind. Dorian watched as Zevran descended the stairs and disappeared from sight. When he was certain Zev was gone, Dorian exhaled his angst. "Well. You two must've made a striking couple in my absence." he scowled, tossing the draught aside and pressing his palm to Gaudfae's forehead.
"AGH..." Gaudfae whimpered, lurching forward with his palms clamped to his neck. The 'sobering' spell was really a more focused mind blast, that generally left the recipient with ringing ears and dry mouth. "To the void with you Dorian!" Gaudfae cursed. "Zev spoke the truth, nothing intimate ever hap..."
"Nothing intimate?!" Dorian interrupted. "How exactly does 'snuggling' not qualify as 'intimate' Artimis?"
Gaudfae laughed through his grimace. "You are a trollop when you're jealous Dorian. You should've told me you were coming."
Deflated Dorian, crumpled onto the couch beside him. "It was meant to be a surprise." he grumbled meekly.
The ringing in his ears, subsiding, Gaudfae whisked his fingers through his own hair before tugging on a lock of Dorian's black mane. The motion annoyed Dorian, just as Gaudfae intended. "I am surprised and overjoyed more than I can say." he reassured.
Dorian however, was not quite finished with his pouting. He crossed his arms, and crossed one leg over the other, before responding. "Bit of a nasty shock you know, coming home to find you overly friendly with that blasted Antivian...flaunting those 'come-hether' eyes and.."
Gaudfae silenced Dorian with a kiss, a romantic gesture that Dorian reacted to wistfully. "He means nothing to me Dorian. Zev's a companion, nothing more." Gaudfae promised, resting his forehead against Dorian's temple, his arm draped across Dorian's chest.
"So was I once." Dorian murmured, his fingers tracing the outline of Gaudfae's shoulder-blade.
"No Dorian," Gaudfae said firmly. "You were always something more."
Dorian forced himself to roll his eyes. "Still a sap I see." Dorian mused, nicking Gaudfae's pointed ear with his thumb. "Good to know somethings don't change."
"Nothing's changed...not even the size of your ego." Gaudfae jeered, swatting at Dorian's palm hovering beside his ear.
