A/N: These are an assortment of unrelated drabbles originally posted on Tumblr. This first one was inspired by this line from an ask: "now I'm imagining Aeric falling ill with the blight sickness and Dorian reacting to it". Dorian/Aeric. AU.
"Just a Scratch"
ooo
"It's only a scratch, ma'nehn," Aeric told Dorian as the mage frowned at the wound on his shoulder. Yet even as the words left his mouth, Aeric could tell something was wrong. Black tendrils coiled out from the cut left by the darkspawn's blade, the blood that bubbled out of it thick and black like oil. Already Aeric felt feverish, the palms of his hands growing clammy and pale.
"Kaffas… No, no…" Dorian's hands shook as they came alight with magic, the glow alternating between bright orange and darkest green. "I've… I've seen this before. In Felix. It's not just a scratch, amatus."
Aeric swallowed. The black tendrils were longer now. "I know."
"You idiot! Why weren't you more careful?" Dorian's voice shook as much as his hands did.
"I'm sorry, Dorian."
"Sorry? In a few hours, you could be dead!" Dorian growled. He glanced around frantically, his eyes darting from the darkspawn bodies at their feet to the coastline and back again. Rain drizzled over them in a fine mist. "There might still be Grey Wardens nearby," he murmured. "I've heard they know how to treat Blight sickness."
"The ones in the area belonged to Clarel," Aeric murmured. He was beginning to feel lightheaded, and would need to sit down soon. Creators, it was spreading fast. "They've all moved on to the Anderfels now. I… I don't think there's enough time."
Dorian glared at him, his teeth clenched. "No! I will give you time. Alexius and I did it before for Felix. I can do it again for you." He pushed Aeric to sit down on a rock nearby. Dorian crouched down beside him, his hands still glowing in alternating colors.
"Ma'nehn…"
"Shut up and let me concentrate." Dorian wiped wetness from his eyes as he settled down to work. Aeric was almost certain it wasn't from the rain. "I will give you more time," Dorian whispered brokenly. "Please, Maker, please let there be more time…"