A/N: Based on the calming sentence prompt "I'll stay right here, okay?"
Originally posted on tumblr and also found on AO3.
Cullen jumped off of his horse as soon as the tents marking the Inquisitor's party came into view, wincing slightly as muscles protested the half-day of hard riding. Hardly pausing to shove the reins at the soldier accompanying him, he rushed towards the center of the camp, the letter their spymistress had shoved into his face that morning still ringing in his mind:
Leliana,
We got jumped by red templars not far from Skyhold while on our way back. Evelyn foolishly jumped in front of a blow for Dorian. She lost a lot of blood. Send aid.
-Cassandra
In spite of reassurances from an agent that everything had been stabilized, his brain could only conjure up images of her broken form, had been haunting him with her death ever since he read the missive.
To his surprise, Varric and Cassandra lingered around the campfire in a surprisingly amiable silence and he skidded a stop when the woman looked up at him.
"Commander, we didn't think to expect you so soon."
"Where is Evelyn?" he asked, voice tight with the tension that had been building ever since morning.
"Calm down, Curly," Varric drawled, an amused note in his voice. "She woke up a few hours ago and she'll be fine with some rest. Sparkler's tending to her now in there, if you want to bring him fresh bandages."
The dwarf's low chuckle followed him as he hurried towards the indicated tent with a hastily muttered "thank you." His racing heart slowed somewhat as he heard the murmur of low voices inside, the chime of her laugh, weaker than usual, but still audible.
He burst into the tent with enough force that Evelyn shrieked in surprise and Dorian spun around, a hand outstretched as if to ward him off. Barely noticing the disapproving look on the other man's face, he moved towards makeshift bed, eyes taking in the familiar form sitting atop the blankets, noting the ragged cloth wrapped around her torso, drinking in her image. Alive.
"Blessed Andraste, you're here." His voice, when he found it, was hoarse, quiet, but grew louder as he rambled. "Are you in pain? Should you be sitting up? Do you need anything?"
His jaw snapped shut when she held up a hand to arrest the sudden flood of questions, laughing quietly. Maker, he'd missed that sound, thought for several long hours that he'd never hear it again. He took a deep breath and released it slowly, feeling the rest of the tension leave him. She would be okay. "Never scare me like that again." Don't leave me.
Her smile was warm and full of everything they both left unsaid, but her voice was light, teasing, as she responded with a wry gesture towards her injured chest, "I'll stay right here, okay?"