Their first kiss is not long after the Tent Incident, as Alistair calls it in his mind.
There was no build up to this kiss, no romantic mushy stuff, no blushes and coy glances. It was a simple kiss, the kind of simple that Alistair hasn't been acquainted with and that's why it was perfect in his opinion.
They had stopped just outside a village between Redcliffe and the Circle Tower. Their food was low so Bodan, Sandal and Tabris went to resupply.
"I miss the afternoon. All we do all day is walk, it's nice to be able to stop and look around."
Mia turns to Alistair and smiles up at him. She hasn't been with them long enough to appreciate the sentiment, but she understands all the same.
"I don't miss cold stone walls though. Camping is much more fun." He continues brightly. "Though it takes awhile to get used to the ground."
Mia chuckles. "I've never slept in a proper bed."
Alistair is taken by surprise. "But what about Redcliff?"
Mia blushes and bites her lip – a nervous habit. "I actually snuck out and camped in the courtyard – there was grass there at least."
Alistair laughs so hard he has to hold his sides.
Mia grins not shame-faced in the least.
"That's great, Mia. Promise that next time we have to sleep in a proper bed you'll come get me and we'll sneak off together."
Mia laughs. "Of course, Ali." She curls up against his side. "I did think about getting you but didn't know where you where exactly, and I was not going searching through rooms until I found you. I didn't want to accidently find Zev."
They both grimace simultaneously.
And then Mia's face is too close to his and her breath – sweet with wild mint she likes to chew – is mingling with his and then her pink lips are pressed against his. Their eyes are shut but Alistair's hand finds her cheek and Mia's clutches at Alistair's shoulder. Their kiss deepens until Mia moans in the back of her throat.
Alistair feels desire pool in his belly and he pulls back, frightened by this deep want.
But Mia is smiling softly, a smile he's never seen before which makes his heart stutter and the butterflies in his stomach flutter, and when she opens her eyes that silver colour is liquid metal and Alistair realises that he will not leave this woman.
The second kiss is just after they helped the mages.
The second kiss is more passionate, the setting more romantic, Alistair is being sweet and maybe a little bit mushy but that's why Mia thinks it is perfect.
It's the evening after they came from the Circle tower; their first night back outside. The air is clean and crisp; the sun is setting in the west and in the east the sky has been coloured royal blue. They had an early dinner and everyone is sitting around the camp relaxing.
Except for Mia.
She escaped as soon as her bowl of stew was clean; being cooped up in the tower for days has shaken her. No grass, no rain, no animals, barely any breeze or sunlight, the scent of death everywhere. She wonders how she hadn't gone mad.
"Esmirelda?"
She turns. Alistair is lingering at the edge of the trees, fiddling with that rose he's had since she arrived. She beckons him over with a tremulous smile. She's sitting at the edge of a river bank where she can see the sun, hear the trees and animals, feel the breeze and smell the fresh air.
He strides over quickly and drops to the ground almost gracefully, the rose cradled against his chest with one hand. Mia looks across the water but she feels his gaze passing over her (her body responds though he cannot see it) and lingering on her face.
"Are you okay?"
She takes a huge breath and blows it out to steady her nerves. "I am now."
He touches her cheek supportively. "I couldn't picture you there. Not even before it was destroyed. You belong outside."
Mia swallows tears. "I don't think I could picture you there either. You'd get so bored."
He chuckles softly.
"I'm glad I didn't go to Orzammar with you. I don't think I could have done that." Mia admits in a whisper.
Alistair shakes his head ferociously. "I'm glad you didn't come. It was terrible. So much death over nothing. Too many Darkspawn; I wouldn't have been able to concentrate on fighting because I would have been too worried about you... if you'd been tainted... or worse - Brood mother."
Mia echoes Alistair's earlier gesture, her hand coming up to caress his cheek to remind him that they are outside and that she is fine.
"Actually I came to give you this. Do you know what it is?" He flushes as he realises what a stupid question that was.
Mia feels a wicked smile try to reach her lips. "Your new weapon of choice?"
He laughs a little hysterically. "Yes that's right, watch as I thrash our enemies with the might of floral arrangements, fear my thorns Darkspawn... or it could just, you know, be a rose?"
Mia grins as she takes the flower from him. "You've had this since before I came, where did you get it?"
"Lothering actually, I saw it by the Chantry. I couldn't just leave it there to be overrun by Darkspawn, this one beautiful thing amongst all this darkness. So I picked it just before we left." He fiddles with a blade of grass before looking back up at her – his cheeks are pink. "It reminds me of you actually so I thought you should have it."
Mia's vision is blurry so she looks down at the flower in her hand. It's deep red, the petals only just opening, it has no voice since its picked but Mia knows this Rose is special – it should have died long before now.
"Esmirelda?"
She should say something, her silence is actually making Alistair more nervous, but she doesn't know what to say. That is the sweetest thing anyone has ever said to her.
She tackles him without warning; he topples back and slams against the ground but Mia's lips are on his before he can complain. His protests are swallowed and his hands seem to take on a mind of their own, roaming about her back...
Mia pulls back sometime later feeling very pleased with herself. Alistair looks thoroughly dazed. "Come on Theirin, before the others send out a search party."
He is still flushed and dazed and sporting the goofiest grin Mia had ever seen when they get back to party camp. Everyone (aside from Dog maybe) looks to them and instantly comes to the wrong conclusion... or the right one in this case, as that was what Mia intended them to think.
Alistair is so getting a ribbing tomorrow.
(The one that led to more)
They've shared many kisses between this one and their first, but this one is tinged with desperation. For tomorrow is the Landsmeet, and if Anora doesn't impress the Warden tonight Alistair may well be King by this time tomorrow.
As desperate as it is they don't rush. Mia wants to savour it and Alistair takes his lead from her – he's gotten very good at reading her body and those lovely little moans she makes.
"Come Ali, I made a promise." She grins and pulls him towards the window.
Somehow he manages to manoeuvre through the small space – even Mia looks a little surprised – and drops to the ground. Mia easily slides through.
And then they are running.
Bodan and the carts with their camp things are still outside the city so they head through the maze of streets, keeping to the shadows (Alistair is pretty sure no shadow can totally conceal him, but Mia knows what she's doing and he can take care of himself no matter what the others might think).
Mia is on his heels, giggling, and he too is trying not laugh. It seems ridiculous what they are doing but also exciting at the same time.
Bodan and Sandal are fast asleep at camp. They steal away Mia's tent surprisingly quietly and head into the trees. This is her realm now so while he carry's the huge structure she cuts a path in the underbrush he can navigate without tripping.
They come to the edge of a narrow stream; the tree's thinning out enough to make space for her tent. Alistair has gotten used to Mia appearing in his tent randomly some nights and is truthfully glad for her company tonight.
"Come on, Ali, no thinking just yet."
He makes a small fire while Mia flits around putting her tent up.
"We'll get up a little early so we can get back at a decent time. Hopefully they won't notice we've gone tonight..."
"Can you imagine Eamon's face?"
"Before or after the heart attack?"
Alistair laughs.
They sit in silence and watch the fire burn up its fuel. Crickets are chirping away happily in the trees and a soft breeze brushes against leaves; sometimes when he's around Mia Alistair thinks he can understand the animals better.
Without speaking a word they scatter the ashes a little and slip into Mia's tent. Her musky bedroll is laid out neatly in the very middle; Mia takes the left side as she usually does and Alistair now thinks nothing of slipping off his shirt and handing it to her.
She curls up against his side, shivering a little until his body heat warms her up, and traces the muscles of his torso. He grabs her hand and brings it to his lips. "Our vows aren't legal in the eye of the Chantry... if I'm made King they will want me to take a bride."
"And she will probably have to be a noble, I know." Mia nuzzles his neck. "It will work out, Alistair, or if not then you could always do something so monumentally stupid they'd have to chuck you out..."
He laughs softly. "I think you overestimate me."
Mia giggles. "Or maybe I have faith in your ability to get yourself out of tight corners." She laughs again. "Maybe you ought to give them the puppy eyes... you could ask them to walk off a cliff and they'd likely say yes."
His next laugh rumbles in his chest.
"Definitely overestimating me." He turns and hovers over her, kissing her softly for several moments. "I love you Mia."
She kisses him hard before returning his sentiment.
It is only natural after such a sweet declaration that their clothes come off and they end up fully tangled together, consummating those vows they made in front of the Dalish and the rest of their companions.
For all his size Alistair is a gentle lover, though Mia knows it is partly due to inexperience, he also takes the time to learn how to pleasure her too.