((Standard author's note of not owning anything that Bioware already does, with the exception of Behren here's name and personality. He's not really one of mine, though. He only appeared for the sake of this story, though he's proven persistent and may appear elsewhere. We'll have to see.))
A bath like this was truly heavenly. Large, warmed, and private, at least for the most part. Anders didn't particularly care. He'd shed his robes and sunk down into the water up to his chest, reclining back against the edge of the pool. Something like this was unheard of back at the Circle. Sure, it took mages all of a flick of the wrist to get water heated, but something like this? A bath you could practically swim in (Not that he knew how, mind you, which probably made the shallow water a blessing.) and heated on top of that?
He'd died and gone to the Maker.
Already washed, he was content to lounge until his skin wrinkled up like a dried grape. Hearing a noise, however, he cracked open one eye to find the Warden-Commander entering the chamber, pulling off his own garments as he went.
"Nice to know my fellow Wardens aren't shy," the mage quipped, hoping that he'd at least have startled the man, but Behren Cousland gave no outside indication that he was surprised.
"You spend as much time on the road as I have and you give up being shy very quickly. There's no secrets among traveling companions. Or at least there shouldn't be." He sat on a low bench and kicked off his boots, then stood and shed his breeches in the same motion.
"Very much like the Tower, with the exception of the secrets part. If we didn't have that, we'd never have to worry about blood mages and abominations. And the templar, most likely." Anders chuckled.
Behren climbed into the pool, letting out a soft hiss as the water began wrapping around him. Obviously seeing no need to shout, and since neither was really bothered by the other's lack of clothes, he slid along the perimeter and finally settled within arm's reach of Anders. Letting out a content sigh, he rest his back against the edge and closed his eyes.
"This is one thing that Howe managed to do right about this place. I can see why Nathaniel would've liked growing up here." On one hand, he could just be talking out loud, on the other, it might have been conversation.
"Friend of yours?"
He nodded, not bothering to open his eyes. "Of a sort. He's Howe's eldest boy. We knew each other as children, but that was about all. At least until recently."
"Oh?"
A smile pulled at the corner of the other man's lips. "Seems he's yet another that owes me his life."
"How do you mean?"
"You know the prisoner that Varel wanted me to see?"
"Maker, you're jesting!"
"I'm not. We...talked things over and I'm not sure he's very happy with me putting him through the Joining, but it was better than the alternative. It was well within my rights to have him hung, but it wouldn't be the first time I've had a potential murderer serving with me. And that turned out rather well."
"You're obviously a lucky man, then, Commander. Or a persuasive one, to turn enemies into allies."
"Indeed. And then, of course, there's your situation."
Anders blinked. "Me?"
Behren smiled a little. "I could have turned you over to that harpy. I can only imagine what she would have done to you."
"Nothing pleasant, I assure you."
The distance between them suddenly wasn't as great as it had been. Behren had a presence and proximity only made it stronger. Or worse, if he were angry about something.
"Not like the pleasant things you might find here, hmm?" A hand reached out, brushing knuckles down the mage's cheek.
Anders stilled, drawing back when he could think again. "What things might those be?"
Behren finished closing the distance between the two of them. Short of scrambling out of the bath (He'd catch him, he just knew it.) or using a spell (That would probably just piss him off.), Anders was stuck, finding himself pinned against the edge of the pool.
"Something very pleasant, if you let it be." Strong hands framed his shoulders and Behren was leaning in even closer.
Nervously licking his lips, Anders turned before the two of them might touch. "Not exactly a pleasure I know much about."
The noble chuckled. "You're not a virgin, are you, Anders?"
"Hardly," he laughed, turning back again, realizing his mistake as he felt a pair of lips claim his own.
He found himself gasping as he fought with the tongue that had invaded his mouth. Pushing him away did little good. Behren was much stronger than he was. He'd also been sitting and found his legs straddled, further pinning him in place. All he could do was bring a hand up to weakly tug at the others' hair.
"So I saved you from the templar," the words murmured against his throat. "I think that earns me a little gratitude, don't you?"
"I already agreed to serve you...Commander."
"Then am I going to have to make this an order?"
"Just...why?"
Behren went back to kissing him. "Would it be enough to say that I find you attractive?" The kissing turned to nibbling and sharp, short nips. "That from the moment I saw you, I wondered what it would be like? Us, together?"
"Even...We were fighting!"
The other man's grin was feral. "And you were quite the distraction."
He really shouldn't be intrigued by that. It should frighten him. The insistence frightened him. It certainly shouldn't be turning him on, not like it was.
"That was hardly my fault," he protested. "I can't help your preferences."
"Are you saying you wouldn't even consider it?" Fingers brushed down the line of his jaw again.
Maker, he needed to stop touching him like that. Anders mouth went dry, only able to shake his head in response.
"Please, Anders." Breath hot on cool skin. "I'm aching, I want you so badly." Lips against his again and reason fled.
He found himself clinging to the body over top of his, returning the kisses with a fervor he didn't know he possessed, dueling with that quick tongue. Hands came up, pulling his away, pinning his wrists to the edge of the bath. His whimpers only seemed to goad Behren on.
So dizzy from the kisses, he hadn't realized his partner had pulled away from him. He was only vaguely aware that his body was being turned around and it was his chest that was pressed against the edge of the bath and that Behren's was flush with his back. More nips at his throat and he could feel hands guiding him, skimming up and down his arms and his sides. Reality crashed into him once again as he felt the first press of something inside of him.
Bucking forward, he was stopped by a firm hand on his shoulder. "Easy, Anders. I won't hurt you, I promise." The words were murmured softly, close to his ear. "But I need to do this or I will."
Lip caught in his teeth, he let out a whine as he felt the pressure again. "Behren, stop."
A pause, but that tightness was still there, moving ever so slightly. "Just trust me," the words were soft, purring all the way through him. "Let yourself go."
Maker knew why, but that undid him. Tension pulled at his lower body and he found himself welcoming the intrusion. It seemed to sate the ache that had begun between his legs. One became two and the stretch of his body became something he wanted. Which, of course, was when it drew away.
Letting out a growl of frustration, a hand between his shoulders kept him from turning around. It then slid down to join the other at his hips, both guiding him and holding him steady until he found himself groaning at the sensation of Behren easing inside of him. He could barely hear the other man murmuring for him to breathe before he started moving.
Anders sagged forward, arms braced against the edge of the pool, his body rocking with each thrust. What started out as breathy groans were starting to turn into deeper moans of pleasure the more comfortable he grew with the feeling of Behren moving inside of him. He groaned even further as he felt the man leaning close to him again.
"Shhh. They're going to think I'm murdering you down here if you keep that up." Laughter tickled against his skin. Of course, the nip to his shoulder didn't help with his trying to quiet down after that.
He was practically biting the fist he pressed to his lips, using that to muffle what threatened to turn into outright screams as Behren picked up the pace, though not ones of pain. Definitely not pain.
"Maker's breath, I came down here to relax."
The exasperated voice managed to cut over the sounds of his own breathing in his ears and he let out a startled cry. Behren's hands immediately seized his hips to keep him from twisting away from the other man, instead pulling the two of them closer together.
Wide eyes fixed on Nathaniel, who stood there shirtless, his hands hooked in the waist of his breeches. A frown marred his sharp features, making him look slightly more like the paintings Behren had given him permission to "flame, freeze, or deface in any means that strikes your fancy."
"You won't be disturbing us, you know."
The frown twisted into a smirk. "You realize the feeling wouldn't exactly be mutual? You always were pretty shameless, Behren."
"Not my fault scandal was always more fun. Besides, you can't tell me you don't remember being where he is, can you, Nate?" The other noble grinned.
"Never in that position," he shot back, the protest rather ready on his tongue.
Behren had stilled while the two of them were talking and Anders was biting back whimpers. Regardless of the other man's presence, his body wanted those movements to continue. Listening to the two of them banter, though, a cold feeling began to settle into his stomach once again. It only grew stronger as he realized Nathaniel wasn't leaving.
"We could fix that. You know I'd be happy to oblige." Behren was taunting him.
Nate crossed his arms. "You seem to have things...well in hand."
A laugh. "Yes, but he's noisy."
The other noble arched a brow, not missing the invitation in those words. Still, it was...comforting to realize he wasn't seizing the offer right away, especially since it was Behren that was making it. "Anders?" He was looking to the mage for permission, not his partner.
He swallowed, realizing exactly the position he was going to be in. He could feel Behren leaning forward, pressing the two of them together again.
"You won't regret it, mage. I promise you that." He rocked his hips up once more, the motion just as teasing as his banter with Nathaniel.
Not trusting his voice, Anders nodded. He felt Behren bring a hand up, stroking his hair as he chuckled softly. He did, though, gasp as he felt kisses behind his ear, nibbling starting there, either a distraction or a reward for his acceptance.
Divesting himself of the rest of his clothes, Nate approached, kneeling at the side of the bath, making himself fairly level with the other two. Anders found himself gazing up into a pair of welcoming grey eyes. As he leaned forward, he caught the gentle smile that ghosted over the other man's lips, feeling a hand reaching out to brush back his hair. Lips wrapping around the firmness that he found himself guided to, he eased himself into a slow pace, finding what he was comfortable with and what Nathaniel seemed to be enjoying.
After the two of them had grown used to the position, Behren slowly began moving his hips once again. Anders groaned, not expecting the sensation, which made Nathaniel buck in surprise. The chuckle behind him told him someone was enjoying the play between them.
Concentrating on tending to Nate was growing more and more difficult as Behren began to pick up the pace. The one thing that he found encouraging, though, was that his groans seemed to please Nathaniel even more than what he was simply doing with his lips and tongue. More than once, he had to pull back, bowing his head as the motions of the man behind him completely stole his breath, leaving him whispering out pleas for sensations he didn't even quite understand.
Nate was amazingly patient with him, though amused, it seemed, at his helplessness under Behren's attentions. Slim fingers guided him through the motions, welcoming him back after each break in their contact. The only time they grew insistent was when he felt the shift in Behren's position, the man's hands changing the angle of his hips, the firmness inside of him starting to brush against something that made his entire body twinge. Wanting to pull back, he felt a grip in his hair, Nate keeping him full as he moaned. The sensation sang through his body like pure lyrium, his muscles trembling, making him rely more on the hold the other two men had on him to keep him up. His back arched and Nate relented, allowing him to pull away as he breathed out one curse after another, yet each one seemed more of a blessing for the man behind him and the feelings that he was causing.
As he started to come down, he became acutely aware of the sensations around him, or, more specifically, the feel of Behren pulsing inside of him, the buck of hips against his backside and the pinch of short nails into his sides. Hold on him released, he felt the skim of hands along his back and up to his chest as well, there being a slight pull in the gesture.
Much as he wanted to sink into the water and never emerge, he couldn't allow himself to leave off yet. Inching forward, he bit back a groan as he and Behren eased apart. Flicking his gaze upward, he leaned in and resumed his stalled attentions, able to keep his pace quick and follow Nate's urgings with greater ease, now that he wasn't so distracted.
Nate urged him back too late and his attentions were rewarded with not only bucking hips and deep groans, but also the very tangible warmth of the release he finally managed to coax from his partner. He was still coughing as Nate eased himself down into the water next to him, reaching a hand around to join the one that Behren was rubbing against the mage's back.
Leaning back, Anders felt himself resting against a shoulder that squared as another voice called in from the doorway.
"Commander, hate to interrupt, but you're needed right away." Thankfully, Varel kept well out of the room.
Behren let out an exasperated sigh, laying a kiss on Anders' shoulder before he pushed himself to his feet, walking dripping from the pool. He had sense enough to gather up a towel and then his clothes, but it was amusing enough for the other two to watch him exit, cursing and muttering about how urgency was going to get quite the eyeful the next time it interrupted his bath.
Nathaniel shook his head as he watched the other man take his leave. "He hasn't changed a bit," he chuckled. His gaze rolled over to the mage beside him. "Comes on strong, but only when it's something he really wants."
Anders swallowed. "I can't believe I- That we- Maker, I can't shake the feeling I was bullied into that."
"If he thought for one moment that you didn't want it, he would have stopped."
"I'm not wholly sure what I wanted in that instance," Anders mumbled.
Nate chuckled again. "He has that effect. Are you all right?" he asked softly. He actually held out an arm, welcoming the mage into his hold.
Settling his head against the dark-haired man's shoulder, Anders relaxed as he felt the curl of fingers against his own. He was quiet as he considered the question, truly giving thought to his answer. "I'll likely be thankful for my magic tomorrow," he replied with a soft chuckle. "But," he brought a hand up, letting his fingers linger on his lips, "I am. You?" His gaze turned up again, the same fingers brushing against the chest he was leaning on.
"Aye, quite all right. Though a word from the wise," he added, mirth still peppering his voice. "Knowing Behren like I do, I'd be prepared for more."