"Looks like you win again, Inquisitor." Cullen said, reclining back in his chair, "If I'd known how easily you'd beat me, I might not have even suggested we play."

Faylen stared at the chessboard. She had won again? Honestly, she didn't know how that was possible, looking at the pieces she genuinely couldn't tell how or when she had won. There was one piece with a funny cross on its head and another that was clearly a horse, but other than that she was stumped. She had also somehow managed to acquire a large number of Cullen's pieces, which she had lined up next to the board. He only had two of hers.

"I…guess I did?" She muttered, still not entirely sure how. They didn't play chess back in her clan and if they did she probably wouldn't have joined in anyway. She wasn't one for games, but a game with Cullen had its merits. Even though he spent most of his time smirking at her across the table, clearly oblivious to the way she felt her cheeks burning whenever he did so.

"Care for another game?" He asked, his elbows resting on the edge of the table and a glint in his eye.

Faylen's eyes narrowed, "Yes."

He smiled and started setting the board up again. Faylen watched carefully, still trying to figure out whether her pieces went on the black squares or the white ones. How in all Thedas did she keep winning? She'd watched Cullen playing against both Dorian and Leliana and he'd absolutely murdered them, so he obviously wasn't bad at the game. Once she even asked Dorian if Cullen was really any good and he seemed adamant that he was. She just didn't understand it one bit.

She rested her chin in the palm of her hand and sighed. Maybe her random moves had somehow all been correct? Or maybe Andraste really was guiding her on her mission, though she didn't seem to be helping too much out in the field, her area of expertise must be chess games. Though no matter how little Faylen knew of human religion, that still seemed very unlikely. At some point she had stopped watching Cullen's hands reorganising the pieces and started watching his face instead, it was very nice, she found she appreciated his bone structure more than that of any elf she had met, they were all very…thin. She rolled her eyes at that, nice bone structure, very romantic. Someone had mentioned rumours that he found her attractive as well, which was…odd. Faylen was used to being considered rather ungainly, though that might have just been from elven standards, she was much too tall and lanky. Maybe human men found that attractive? She had no idea.

"Ready to start again?" Cullen asked and she nodded firmly, "Good. White always gets first turn, so you start."

White always gets first turn…She supposed that meant she was supposed to only stay on the white squares? With a shrug she made her first move. One of the tall pieces at the back, she'd seen Cullen move one of his pieces over those in the front row once before, so she guessed that was alright? The Commanded nodded thoughtfully and stroked his chin before pushing forward one of the small front pieces on his side. It slid onto a white square which swung Faylen a little. Aren't I supposed to use the white squares? She stared at the board for a few seconds and made her next move.

This went on for a while, she'd just push any piece out into play and hope that it was right, but always somehow managed to score Cullen's pieces. It wasn't until sometime in the middle of game that she noticed what was really happening. Cullen was running his fingers through his hair and smirking at her again, her stomach flipped the way it always did and her cheeks were on fire, but this time, her eyes flicked downward. He had his fingers on one of her pieces! He had been distracting her with his stupid attractive face and moving her pieces! Faylen squinted at him, trying to figure out his motives, what reason could he possibly have to cheat in a game against her? She didn't even know how to play! That's when she realised it. He's letting me win…he's trying to be a gentleman and let me win but I'm so terrible at the game that he has to move the pieces for me. She frowned and started drumming her fingers on the table. If she was bad at the game, she wanted to lose. Cullen needed to play fairly.

"I have a proposition." She announced when he had stopped tampering with her pieces, "A game changer, if you will."

He nodded thoughtfully, that damn smile still on his lips, "Sounds interesting. Let's hear it."

Faylen frowned at him, as she often did, what did those smiles of his mean? Did they mean anything, or was she just being far too optimistic for her own good? With a deep breath and a fluttering heart she decided to answer two questions with one move. Did he actually have feelings for her and was he actually as bad at chess as he seemed.

She crossed her arms, trying to still her frantic heartbeat and stared into his amber eyes, "For every piece I lose, I lose an article of clothing."

Cullen froze. He took a few seconds to compose himself and cleared his throat, awkwardly rubbing the back of his neck as he did so, "Uh…does…does that rule also apply to me?"

Faylen blinked, did it? She honestly hadn't thought this far ahead. She swallowed nervously when she was suddenly hit with images of Cullen losing pieces and slowly but surely removing his clothes. Her palms started to sweat, "Yes." She breathed, "Yes, it does."

He breathed deeply, his eyes narrowed and his lips tugged up in a crooked smirk, "I accept your terms, Inquisitor."

From that moment, every move he made was calculated, she noticed the way he purposefully stared into her eyes when he put one of his pieces into play. Like he knew how it made her heart race, and he never stopped smiling. Faylen's hands shook under his gaze as she made her move. Whatever she did, she was sure it was right, she had to be getting better. Cullen grinned at her, his fingers deftly picking up her piece on his next turn. Her heart thumped.

"One down, Faylen." He breathed.

She narrowed her eyes and began unbuttoning her shirt, not once breaking eye contact with him as she let it drop to the floor. Part of her regretted not wearing an undershirt that day, but after one look at Cullen's face she changed her mind. One question answered, he definitely doesn't find me unattractive.

"My move now?" She asked and he nodded mutely. With a sudden burst of confidence, she moved one of her pieces, finding that somehow, she managed to take one of Cullen's. Her eyes widened, "This piece is mine, now."

Cullen shucked his fur pauldrons, they landed somewhere on the floor behind him and Faylen just managed to take in a gulp of air, "Your move."

It continued like that for some time. Cullen managing to take three or four of Faylen's pieces before she took one of his. He was sitting comfortably in his tunic, breeches and left boot when Faylen was down to her breast-band and smalls. Her cheeks and ears were burning and she really hoped she'd manage to at least rid Cullen of his shirt before she had to remove everything.

"Checkmate." He said, bringing her from her reverie. She froze.

"What…?"

Cullen leaned back in his chair, holding her king between his thumb and forefinger, "I win."

"I was right!" She exclaimed, "You've been letting me win the whole time! There's no way you could have beaten me that fast if you were as bad at chess as you seemed."

"What?" Cullen asked, cocking an eyebrow, "That's what this was about? You didn't like me letting you win?"

She cringed, "Partially."

"Then what else was it about, pray tell?" Cullen asked, leaning forward, his eyes meeting hers.

She swallowed, her heart thumping away, "I…I well…I figured that if I was as good at chess as I seemed then I could…"

"Then you could?" Cullen asked, his voice low and rich.

"I…could…" She whispered, leaning in towards him, trying to articulate her motives. Her heart in her throat and her hands shaking, suddenly, she decided she was done playing fair, "Bugger this!"

She swiped the chessboard off the table and it fell to the ground with a clatter, before Cullen could even say a word she had clambered on top of it and crushed her lips to his. Cullen groaned and his hands delved into her hair, while she flung her arms around his shoulders in an attempt to gain purchase upon the table that obviously wasn't designed to hold her weight. The hard wood she was kneeling on made her knees ache, but she was beyond caring, the feeling of Cullen's lips pressed against hers was beyond anything she could have imagined. She loved every single aspect of the kiss, the way his fingers tugged at her hair, how strong his shoulders felt under her arms, the pleasant scratch of his stubble against her cheeks. Elves didn't grow stubble. His mouth opened under hers and moan escaped her lips, digging one hand into his blonde curls as her tongue slid against his.

Without warning, his arms wrapped against her waist and tugged her up against him, the shock at the sudden movement forced their lips apart and from where Faylen was kneeling on the table, she had a good amount of height over Cullen, his head just reaching her chest. She looked down at him, his cheeks flushed and hair tousled, tunic hanging off one shoulder and breathing heavily. A smirk crawled its way onto his lips and he cupped her face in his hand.

"Maker's breath, Faylen. The things you do to me."

She felt herself flushing, "Whatever I do to you, you do to me. Ten-fold."

He placed a hot kiss on her freckled shoulder, "I'm not sure that's possible." He breathed, hands reaching for the laces on the back of her breast band, "I recall myself taking your king, earlier. Surely that must constitute a piece."

Faylen took a breath, her voice shaky with lust, "It would. Yes."

His fingers began undoing the laces with expert precision as he kissed his way across her collarbone, "As per our previous agreement, that means you need to lose one more article of clothing."

She shuddered under his touch as the fabric fell from her breasts, flung somewhere on the other side of the room. Her heart was pounding so loudly that she swore he would be able to feel it as his finger lightly brushed the underside of her breast, he looked up at her, his golden eyes swimming with lust as he took her nipple in his mouth, never breaking eye contact. Faylen moaned at the sensation, readjusting herself slightly so her legs hung off the edge of the table where she could wrap them around his torso and tug him ever closer to her. He groaned against her breast, the vibrations eliciting another moan from Faylen's mouth as she tangled her fingers in his hair. His fingers quickly set about circling the nipple on her other breast while his other hand pressed firmly into her hip, fingers digging into her skin. The feeling was divine, but she couldn't help wanting him closer, desperately, impossibly closer. She was absolutely throbbing for want of him and had been since the start of their game, she needed more. Despite her better judgement, she ground her pelvis against his chest, desperate of any sort of friction, voice catching with desire at the feeling. Cullen must have felt what she was doing because his lips released her breast and his fingers slowly trailed down to her smalls, gently stroking the outside of the fabric. His touch was just enough to make her shiver, but nothing more.

"Cullen…" she breathed, half moan, half plead.

He looked up at her, eyes hooded, "Was this your intention the whole time, Faylen?" he asked, his lips curled up in a smile. Fingers pressing harder now.

She laughed breathily, "No. I really just-"

His fingers dipped past the waistband of her smalls and her breath hitched.

"-really just wanted to find out if I was…" he stroked her gently, "…if I was actually any good at chess."

"I hope it doesn't offend you, my lady." He whispered, slowly (too slowly) pulling her last article of clothing down over her narrow hips. Smiling deviously and pressing a warm kiss to her inner thigh, "But you are terrible at chess."

Faylen let her head hang back, breathing heavily as Cullen swung her legs over his shoulders. She had been reduced to a quivering mess. Leaning back on one of her elbows to maintain some semblance of balance, she reached forward and stroked his hair with her other hand, "I couldn't give a toss about chess right now." She hissed.

Cullen didn't have the decency to respond. He shot her a crooked smile before gently, so gently, pressing his lips to her sex. Faylen's entire body shuddered and her grip on his hair tightened, fingernails digging into his scalp. She could feel him smiling against her as his tongue darted out and dipped between her folds.

"Ohhh." She breathed, the arm keeping her upright almost buckling as the waves of pleasure washed over her, "Cullen…I…hng…" Faylen forced out, her words completely vanishing as his tongue circled her clitoris, "fuck…"

He laughed breathily before slowly pushing a finger inside her. Faylen moaned and this time her arm did give way, she fell back onto the table with a thump and a laughed escaped her lips. Cullen stopped his ministrations briefly and peered up at her.

"Are you okay?" He asked, the barest hint of teasing in his voice.

She chucked, and dismissed his concern with a wave, "Don't stop on my account."

"As you wish, my lady."

This time he used two fingers and Faylen was sure she had died and gone to the Fade. The sensations were too good for the physical world, she hissed through her teeth when his lips wrapped around her clit and he sucked. She was panting now, her toes curling around the back of Cullen's head and her hands gripping the edge of the table so hard her knuckles turned white.

"That isn't fair." She said breathily and Cullen snorted.

"Says the elf who pushed my chessboard off the table."

His teeth nipped her gently and her breath hitched, "point taken."

The hand that didn't have his fingers (fuck. His fingers) inside of her, had a hard grip on her hip. Squeezing as his fingers went in and out, in and out. She groaned loudly as he started sucking her clit again and dug her heels into his back, desperately pushing him closer to her. He was so skilled with his fingers and tongue and she could feel pleasure coiling inside the pit of her stomach but it still wasn't enough. She ground helplessly against his mouth and hand but it still wasn't enough.

"Cullen…" She moaned, "I need you."

He gave her one last slow lick before gently pushing her legs from his shoulders, standing from his chair and leaning over her. He smiled down at her, moving in until his lips were just brushing hers, "Then you shall have me."

His hand cupped her cheek and his lips gently pressed against hers. Her heart raced as she pulled herself up, crossing her legs and watching him. Now that he was standing, it was quite apparent that he was already hard. Solid. Faylen sucked in a breath just at the sight of him standing there, and he was still full clothed. Why have I let him keep his clothes on for so long? Cullen slowly pulled his tunic over his head and let it fall to the floor, he was glorious.

"I almost wish I were better at chess." Faylen breathed, "If it meant having the privilege of experiencing this earlier."

Cullen laughed at that, rubbing the back of his neck, "Thank you for saying so."

She grinned, "Anytime."

He smiled gently at her as his hands worked at the laces on his breeches, shoving them and his smalls down in one go. Faylen froze, breath caught in her throat. She had seen a cock before, of course she had. But Cullen- she took in a shaky breath, unable to stop staring at it- it wasn't that he was particularly large (though he certainly wasn't lacking), it was more something to do with the way he held himself, this raw confidence that spread to every aspect of his gorgeous body made his cock seem almost…proud.

Faylen heaved a breath, and cleared her throat when she realised that he had seen her staring, "I…uh…that's um…really nice."

Cullen snickered, "Thank you, again."

She cringed, "Sorry…I just…words aren't really coming to me right now."

He kissed her cheek, "I know. It's fine."

Faylen leaned back, resting on the table as she had been before and Cullen leaned over her, bracing her arms on either side of her head. She went to wrap her arms around him, but he moved his knee up onto the table and the second he put his weight on it, the table let out an ungodly creak. They both froze, afraid that a single movement would break it.

"Bed?" Faylen squeaked, as exciting as the idea of sex with Cullen on the table was, she'd really rather not having to explain why she needed a new one to Josephine.

"Bed." Cullen agreed.

He tucked his arms under her and she yelped when he hoisted her into the air. She frowned at him and he ignored it, steadily walking across the room to her bed, her lying in his arms.

"Maker's balls" he hissed, jumping slightly.

Faylen raised an eyebrow, "what was that?"

He winced, "Stepped on a chess piece."

The elf snorted as he deposited her on her bed, "Well done."

Cullen smirked, settling in between her legs, "I wasn't the one who pushed them onto the floor, was I? By all rights I should be furious."

Faylen took a moment to appreciate her own ability to roll her eyes nonchalantly even when she had Cullen stark naked, his cock pressing insistently against her stomach. Very insistently. She took in a deep breath and hooked her legs around his waist, shooting him a smirk before rocking her hips against his. He groaned at the contact, running his fingers down the side of her body and firmly kissing her lips.

"Are you sure you want to do this, Faylen?" He breathed, his eyes staring into hers.

She looked up at him, incredulous, "Obviously. You weren't this is hesitant earlier, Commander."

He laughed breathily, "I didn't have time to think about it earlier."

Faylen kissed the tip of his nose, "Then stop thinking."

He did. Faylen sucked in a moan as he entered her, slowly, carefully. It ached slightly, but she was too elated to really notice. Her arms wrapped around his shoulders and tugged his lips down to hers, running her fingers through his hair. She opened her mouth under his and he groaned when their tongues met, slowly beginning to move his hips, grinding against her, moving in and out, in and out. Faylen hissed through her teeth at the feeling and the knowledge that it was Cullen deep inside her. Their kiss became messy, all tongues fighting and teeth clicking, she dug her heels in his back, urging him to just keep going. He pushed faster, harder and one his hands slid down between them, firmly rubbing circles around her clit and summoning moans from her lips. Her legs twitched and her eyes squeezed shut, bucking her hips up to meet his. His mouth pulled from hers as they both struggled to breathe through the passion.

"Faylen…I…" Cullen forced out, his voice coarse and uneven, "I…"

She laughed and cupped his cheek in her hand, "I know. Me too."

He smiled and bucked into her, faster and faster. Faylen felt herself rising higher and higher, her breath ragged and her whole body shaking, the coil in the base of her stomach tightening until it was almost painful. Then finally, finally she came with a strangled moan and Cullen quickly followed, thrusting his hips erratically and a groan escaping his lips. They both shuddered to a stop, an awkward laugh escaping Faylen's lip and her cheeks burning. Cullen returned the laugh and placed a gentle kiss on her lips.

"Maybe we should play chess more often." He said.

Faylen snorted, "Only if you stop letting me win."

He grinned, "Duly noted."