Thom chopped at the wood sitting outside the stables. His hair stirred in the breeze something the oil he added to his hair had cut back on, but he stopped using the hair oil that made it look greasy. So much of his mood changed when he stopped adding the oil to his hair though the longer strands of hair tickling his nose were frustrating. It was time to get a haircut and to trim up the beard.

Cat was well enough to work, so he left her on her own in the room, he missed the physical work of splitting wood while he took care of her. Maker knows she would have tried to work despite her obvious illness. Thom smiled as he set the next piece of wood and swung the ax. A satisfying sound echoed through the courtyard before he tossed the pieces to the side and did it again.

"I believe the Templars will be glad to see you back at work, I made them take up chopping wood while you were with Catrina." Cullen startled him. "I take it she is better?"

Thom stopped his chopping, "Commander, I did not expect you, is everything ok."

"Yes, I did not mean to bother you, I needed air and saw you down here." Cullen looked to the side and rubbed his neck. "Cat, is she well?"

"Yes, she no longer needs to hold onto something to walk across the room. Like Dorian said it was the illness we all had a week earlier." Thom explained.

"Yes, it was short lived, but it felt like death was knocking," Cullen chuckled. "I imagine our inquisitor is hard to keep in bed resting."

"No, she wanted to get back to work sooner, I just moved the papers to the top of the loft in her room and she could work on them when she could climb the ladder." Thom laughed as he remembered finding the Cat sleeping at the top of the ladder. He woke her up and sent her back to bed after he got her down safe.

"Thom, we had been friends before, could we try again." Cullen asked.

"Can you accept that Cat chose me and not you?" Thom asked needing to know the answer.

"Yes, I am sorry for any pain my indiscretion may have caused." Cullen paced, his hand covered his face, "It was not my finest hour." He admitted.

"Then I believe I would enjoy being your friend." Thom held out his hand and laughed as Cullen shook it. "What a pair we make, Command suited you better than it did me."

"When you let yourself lead, you make an excellent leader. You made a mistake. There was a time I let myself make choices out of fear. Others intervened before I could act on it. I once begged the Hero of Fereldan to murder a group of mages, no care who was guilty. I knew that mages had harmed me. She declined; she said she would not harm the innocent." Cullen said leaning on the well.

"Does it still haunt you?" Thom asked, joining Cullen at the well.

Cullen let out a ragged breath, "Maker yes."

"Many nights that one night is all I can picture while I am trying to sleep," Thom admitted.

"What a pair we make," Cullen laughed, "Cat sees something good in you, I was skeptical at first but I remembered we were so close to friendship before you confessed. I have not always been perfect myself."

"Let me know when you have time for a game of chess, I hear you are quite the opponent." Thom said.

"I will," Cullen chuckled as Thom walked away, "You are going up to check on her aren't you?"

"It seems like hours since I left the room." Thom chuckled, "Perhaps I should give her until noon."

"No, I would do the same thing; go I will find a nice young recruit to finish the wood pile." Cullen walked away laughing, Thom almost felt bad for the recruit that Cullen found to finish the job.

Thom walked up the stairs to the great hall, people parted as he walked through it. The nobles nodded as he passed. When he reached the throne at the back of the hall he heard Dorian call out his name.

"I take it our Kitten better," Dorian said with a slow smile.

"Yes, I was just going to check on her she insisted on reading that report from the Free Marches. I bet she is sleeping. Maker's Breath that man wrote a novel." Thom chuckled and scratched at his beard.

"I wanted to offer you something in peace, but I do not know how to ask without sounding offensive." Dorians styled mustache twitched in contemplation.

"While you figure it out, I had a favor to ask, could you help me cut my hair and trim my beard to a manageable length. I like the beard but, it's hard to keep neat at this length." Thom said.

Dorian sighed and smiled, "Yes I would love to help. Come with me, Cat is fine."

Thom laughed and prayed that he made the right decision. He decided he did, when Dorian finished with him his hair curled against the back of his collar. Dorian trimmed his beard to an inch long, it was soft yet manageable. Thom was sitting on a stool naked to his waist. The whole process took about an hour.

"If you want I can show you how to shave your chest hair," Dorian offered.

"No, thank you, but Cat likes it, besides I tried it once. I don't think my chest itched as much when I got poison Ivy trying to hide in a cave." Thom laughed as he remembered the dare that made him shave off all his body hair.

"If you ever change your mind," Dorian smiled and then he reached out and ran his hand over Thom's chest. Thom let Dorian touch him, he had no illusion that the man wanted him. When he pulled his hand away Dorian smiled "Never mind, Cat would kill me."

"We can't all have perfect smooth chests like Iron Bull," Thom joked as he put on his long sleeved cotton shirt, the one that went under his armor. "Thank you, I feel like myself again."

"Well, nice to meet you Mr. Rainier, I believe I have judged you wrong." Dorian dipped his head in a bow.

"Ok It must be lunchtime; I should bring Cat lunch." Thom got up and noticed the mess his hair left.

"Oh don't worry," Dorian waved his hand and the little hairs lit on fire and fizzled out. "Go take care of my Kitten and tell her I expect a visit when she is able."

"Good afternoon Dorian and I will." Thom strode out of the room carrying his armor.

When Thom reached the Great hall he dropped the armor next to the door to Cat's room and went to the Buffett set up for lunch. People seemed to be looking at him with an odd expression on their face but he shrugged. He took a tray and grabbed rolls, crusted fried chicken, along with fruit, and a couple large brownies.

Thom strolled over to the Bedroom door he balanced the tray on his arm, opened the door, and picked up the armor with his free hand. "That Thom is very strong," He heard a noble say as the door shut behind him. He dropped the armor just inside the door and carried the tray to the top of the stairs.

As suspected Cat was lying on the couch with the large report open against her chest and she was sound asleep. Careful not to wake her he took the report and folded the corner of the page and put it on her desk next to the tray of food. Next he lifted her and put her on her bed before covering her with a blanket.

As he sat at the desk Thom grabbed a book about jousting, Cat hated jousting but it was a conversation starter for him and Varric so she snuck a couple books into her library. He ate most of the chicken, and a roll slathered with butter before eating a large brownie. Satisfied he considered taking a nap. Thom climbed onto the large bed and fell asleep.

Cat woke and found herself moved from where she fell asleep. A tray sat on her desk with chicken, her favorite piece sat next to what she assumed was Thom's share. She noticed then he was sound asleep in her bed. Cat picked up the thigh and nibbled at it, he had been so caring these last few days. She ate the grapes and strawberries that had been mixed and then ate half her brownieCat stood and wandered to the bed and noticed Thom's makeover.

Her hand stroked his shorter beard. She cried as she considered what that meant. Had he done so much growing inside? Thom's arm shot out and pulled her down onto him. "My haircut was supposed to make you happy, not make you cry."

"Oh it makes me happy," Cat smiled and leaned down to kiss Thom. Without warning Thom rolled them so he was on top of her, his lips now out of reach of hers.

"Thom, I want to kiss you." Cat squirmed trying to reach his lips. He pinned her hands over her head and her breath catch in her throat.

"Do you often go around kissing people without permission?" He smirked, he lips hovered over hers.

"Thom may I kiss you?" Cat breathed out and Thom obliged. His beard was different against her face, it was nice still.

"What are you wearing under your robe?" Thom asked between kisses, her hands remained pinned above her head as he rolled to her side and the robe she wore inched up her legs.

"Nothing," Cat admitted as his hand found the answer for itself.

"Are you better?" Thom asked as his finger dipped into her heat.

"Yes," Cat said trying to focus as his finger touched her clit and then moved away.

"Why were you sleeping then?" Thom teased her clit again and leaned in to kiss her.

"The report was boring." Cat tried to arch her body to force his attention back to her clit but Thom pulled his hand away and pulled her to sitting. He pulled her robe up over her head and kissed her until she was on her back again, her arms pushed back over her head.

His right hand found its way down to the delta between her legs and she moaned as he took his finger and circled her clit. She bucked when he sucked on her nipple, her hands begged to run through his hair but he held them steady despite his attention to both her breasts and her clit.

Thom's finger circled in the same pattern his tongue did on her breast, with every passing moment she realized release was getting closer. The air stilled and her heart stopped beating as he stopped moving, she tried to steady her breath as her body adjusted to normal. Just as she succeeded Thom put his hand back.

This time his thumb toyed with her sensitive nub as his middle finger entered her. The buildup came quicker this time. She tried to move her hips begging for more, but once again he stopped just as she was about to orgasm.

"Thom, why are you doing this? I need you!" Cat cried as he pushed two fingers into her and resumed his efforts.

"I was not sure you liked it Milady, are you sure you want me to continue, you keep lifting your hips, and I thought it meant you wanted me to stop." Thom said in his playful tone.

Cat struggled to keep her hips down and let him do all the work as he once again brought her to the edge of orgasm. She moaned as his lips claimed hers and then it happened, her body clenched as his fingers worked on her. She bucked as her body released, sobbing into the kiss. He pulled his hand out and ended the kiss, smiling down at her.

Thom released her hands and pulled her so she was in his arms. "If you are well I will go back down and work on the toy I am building for a while."

Cat protested. "I thought you wanted to spend the afternoon in bed."

"Oh I do," Thom laughed, "but you have work to do, and I still like to bathe before I go to bed at night. Go back to work love." He said as he bounced down the stairs.

"Makers Breath what have I started?" Cat asked herself as she put her robes back on she liked this new Thom, her body tingled still from his efforts. A few moments later a small elven child came in the room and handed her a letter.

"I told you to get to work, and get out two of those Antivan scarves I saw in your dresser, I have plans for later. ~T"

Cat stretched and went to her desk to give the child a silver coin, she sent him on his way and pulled out two scarves and tossed them to her bed before sitting down to work reading. She grinned as she eyed the scarves. She could get used to this Thom. The reading now helped distract her mind for the mischief he would cause later.