Author's Note: WARNING! SMUT AHEAD. There is sexual content in this chapter. So if you do not want to risk stumbling upon it, I advise just skipping everything after Shale's appearance.

Chapter Rating: M

Pairing: Zevran/(M)Tabris

Disclaimer: I do not own Dragon Age or associated characters.

Chapter 10

A Rock and a Hard Place

The village had been overrun with darkspawn when the party arrived, greeted by corpses strung up at the entrance.

In the midst of the massacre, a peculiar stone statue stood alone in the middle of the village, and Wynne informed them that this was the golem they were searching for. It stood in an aggressive pose, great hulking arms thrown in the air, head tilted back - in a ferocious roar perhaps. Chipped blue crystals were embedded in the shoulders and glowing markings were etched into its stone body. It looked quite bizarre, and probably magical. The password they were given by the merchant did not work however. The statue didn't move.

Niko shrugged and decided they should check for survivors.

Throughout it all, he couldn't stop letting his eyes wander to Zevran. They hadn't spoken much since last night, only a few words of exchange over an early breakfast at the castle. And every time the other elf stood near him, Niko felt heat rise to his ears as he was reminded of how close they'd been the night before; of Zevran's tongue in his mouth and their bodies pressed together.

Nothing was wrong really, it just felt like there were unfinished matters between them. Some sort of tension that they had no time – or privacy – to iron out.

Upon venturing into one of the village cellars, they found a few frightened people behind some kind of magical barrier, the only protection between them and the darkspawn.

Matthias was the name of one of the trapped villagers, son of the mage who used to own the statue in fact. In exchange for rescuing his daughter, who had ran off further into the cellar, Matthias gave them the correct password to activate the golem… though with a warning. He claimed the golem had long ago killed its former master, Matthias' father, Wilhelm. Broken every bone in his body.

Though Wynne and Alistair had reservations about waking the golem after learning that bit of information, Niko decided to give it a try. They already had plenty of other murderers in their group, as Zevran (ironically) pointed out.

Feeling a little silly, Niko stepped forward and, once again, held up the control rod before speaking the password. "Dulen harn."

The first difference Niko noticed was the dirt crumbling out of the statue's elbows where the joints seemed to be trying to move. Then the neck trembled and the arms jerked, all accompanied by the grinding, crunching sound of shifting stone.

Niko couldn't help but wonder what weapon would work best to subdue this creature if they needed to.

Probably a maul… None of them had a maul…

They all took a step back as the statue seemed to acquire full mobility, shaking off the last of the loose rocks and dirt and turning its face to them.

"I knew that the day would come when someone would find the control rod," were the first words out of the golem's stone mouth.

In truth, when they found the stone statue, Niko hadn't expected it to speak at all. The creature proved rather sapient though as it went on.

"I stood here in this spot and watched the wretched villagers scurry around me for- oh, I have no idea how long. Many, many years," the golem informed them, some annoyance marking its otherwise dry voice.

"And the villagers had no idea they were being watched?" Alistair mused. "Creepy."

"Tell me," the golem prompted. "Are all the villagers dead?"

"Not all of them, no," Niko answered.

"Some got away then? How unfortunate."

Niko frowned. "Did you watch the attack?"

"Not as much as it would think," the golem answered. "There was running and screaming… and then days and days of watching the darkspawn prowl around. I would never have thought there could be something less interesting than the villagers, but there it was." The statue's eyes, which were nothing but glowing blue lights, seemed to turn to the brassy control rod in Niko's hand. "Well go on then, out with it," the golem said. "What is its command?"

"Why are you calling me 'it'?" Niko asked.

"Entrenched sense of perversity," the statue answered. "The last one to hold that damnable rod used to call me 'golem'." It spat the word out with vehemence, and then went on mockingly; "'Golem, fetch me that chair', 'do be a good golem and squash that insipid bandit', and let's not forget 'Golem, pick me up. I tire of walking!'" The statue paused, glowing eyes squinting at the Grey Warden. "It… does have the control rod, doesn't it? I am awake… so it… must."

"Is something wrong?" Niko asked because clearly the statue was perturbed. He was surprised someone made of stone could, in fact, be so expressive.

"I see the control rod," it said, staring at the object in the elf's hand. "Yet I feel…" The statue straightened and looked at Niko. "Go on. Order me to do something."

"Alright," he said, glancing around for some inspiration. His eyes landed on the source of his pent up lust, who had been uncharacteristically quiet today. "Go hug Zevran."

"Ah, I don't care much for foreign objects invading my personal space…" the elf interjected. He glanced to Niko, playfulness lightening his features. "Well usually."

Niko turned away, smiling to himself. He felt foolish for getting so cheerful over the little quip, but he'd been aching for some kind of acknowledgement of what had transpired between them last night.

"And… nothing…" the statue said, amazed. "I feel nothing. I feel no compulsion to carry out its command." The statue's brow seemed to rise, as if lifting eyebrows that weren't there. "I suppose this means the rod is… broken?"

'Great,' Niko thought, suddenly feeling a little twitchy and ready to reach for his weapons. 'Just great. I released a stone giant that hates people.'

"So what now?" he asked. "Go on a killing rampage?"

"Don't be ridiculous," the statue replied. "Well… I wouldn't mind killing the birds." It clenched its massive stone fists. "Those evil birds and their foul droppings! I could crush them all!"

Niko grimaced and glanced around, seeing his companions' expressions mostly mirrored his own.

"Hmm." The golem's body relaxed. "I suppose if I can't be commanded, this means… I have free will, yes? It is simply… what should I do?" The statue pondered. "I have no memories beyond watching this village for so long. I have no purpose… I find myself at a bit of a loss." The golem looked to Niko again. "What about it? It must have awoken me for some reason, no? What did it intend to do with me?"

"Mostly we kill darkspawn," Niko answered, giving the short version of his quest. "I was hoping you could help."

"The very creatures that destroyed this village," it responded. "The darkspawn are an evil that must be destroyed, it's true. Though not as evil as the birds… Damnable feathered-fiends!"

It seemed the golem had a bit of a complex.

"I suppose I have two options, do I not?" the statue continued. "Go with it or… go elsewhere? I… do not even know what lies beyond this village."

Niko crossed his arms, studying the golem. "Can I trust you? I mean, you killed your former master."

"Did I?" it sounded genuinely surprised, though not remorseful. Maybe even pleased by the fact. "I remember that I had a former master. The mage with the furry brows who poked and prodded and barked orders. Did I kill him?" It paused in consideration before going on. "I hope I did kill him. Perhaps the last order he barked was 'Golem! Stop crushing my head!' Ha!"

"I noticed you don't call him 'it'," Niko pointed out.

"Yes," the golem replied dryly. "I'm just funny that way."

"Well," Niko sighed. "If you aren't interested in killing us then you're welcome to come with me."

"Aaare you certain you want to bring that… thing with us?" Alistair asked, sounding like he disapproved. "It could be dangerous," he whispered. "And large."

Niko shrugged. "Large and dangerous sounds useful to me. Think of it as a portable battering ram."

"Good point," he conceded. "Better it than me anyhow."

"I will follow it about then… for now." The golem decided. "I am called Shale, by the way."

"I'm Niko," he introduced. "This is Alistair, Wynne, and Zevran."

They made their way back down the slopes of the village. Shale's footsteps were rather heavy and loud… and they also stopped when the group came to the hanging corpses at the bottom of the hill.

Just when Niko glanced back to see why he couldn't hear Shale anymore, he instead heard the frightened squawk of a chicken and a loud thud. Shale looked up at him and shrugged. The Warden didn't fail to notice the splatter of blood under the statue's feet.

On the way back to Redcliffe, they explained a few more details of their quest to Shale, who was unconcerned with the politics and was content as long as it got to crush the heads of darkspawn. It also remarked that they had a very slim chance of success in their undertakings.

Zevran was a little more talkative on the way. He kept asking Shale about what it was like to be a statue and wondering if it would rather be made of flesh. Shale, of course, found the notion utterly disgusting.

"Well that took you longer than we expected," Leliana commented when they returned to the castle.

She, Morrigan, and Sten were already packed and ready to leave.

"There was more trouble there than we expected," Niko answered.

"You were surprised?" Morrigan asked pointedly.

"Not really." It seemed there was always more trouble to be found no matter where they went. "Anyway, this is Shale," Niko said, gesturing to the statue. "Shale, this is Leliana, Morrigan, Sten, and Gideon," he said when the dog padded up to them, cocking his head at Shale.

The others seemed to be a bit confused as to why Niko was introducing them. But then Shale started talking.

"More squishy flesh creatures," the statue mused, unimpressed. Its eyes turned on Gideon and seemed to glare at him. "I'm watching you, dog. Do you know how many of your kind urinated on me in that village? And all I could do was stand there and watch, helpless. If I see one of those legs of yours lift in my direction – pow!" Shale threatened, slamming one heavy stone fist into an equally heavy palm for emphasis.

Gideon whined, and the others stared in shock.

"Oh it… it talks," Leliana stammered and smiled. "How interesting!"

"The control rod doesn't work, so Shale has free will," Niko explained. "But it has decided to join us anyway."

"We are glad to have you along, Shale," Leliana welcomed.

"Oh speak for yourself, woman," Morrigan snapped in annoyance. She then looked to Niko. "One of those mindless, Chantry-leashed mages sought you while you were away."

Wynne threw a nasty glare in Morrigan's direction, which she ignored.

"Uh… Oh, you mean one of the Tranquil?" Niko asked.

"Indeed," Morrigan grouched. "He is still in the courtyard, I believe."

"Alright."

As Niko turned for the castle courtyard, he could vaguely hear Sten asking what a golem is.

-o-o-o-

After speaking with the representative from the Circle of Magi about gathering resources, they set out on the road again. Niko wanted to travel close to Lake Calenhad in case they found any indication as to where Sten might have lost his sword. He wasn't quite sure what to look for though. Abnormally large corpses? Their equipment had probably been looted by now, but there may be a clue somewhere.

The party hadn't quite yet reached the docks when the sun began to set. The tents were hastily arranged while dinner was made. It was Alistair's turn to cook again and no one was looking forward to the grey mush he always prepared. If it weren't for the fact that the ex-Templar worked so diligently on the stews, serving them up with an eager smile, Niko would have thought he was making the bland meals on purpose just to get out of future cooking duty.

It wasn't until after supper that the elven Grey Warden was finally able to shrug off some of his armor; unbuckling belts, bracers, greaves, and the leather cuirass, which was a literal weight off of his chest. This left him in a pair of dark leather pants and a red sleeveless tunic.

He thought maybe he'd better clean off some of the darkspawn blood smeared across the leather pieces, but couldn't bring himself to do it. He'd been on his feet nonstop since early morning and there was nothing that sounded less appealing than more work.

There was something else nagging him in the back of his mind though; he was just too exhausted to chase after the niggling thought to figure it out. Rubbing his shoulder, he scanned the camp. He noticed their newest recruit, Shale, was off on the outskirts near the Dwarven merchant Bodahn and his son Sandal, who often liked to travel close to Niko and his companions for safety. He'd talked to Shale earlier to make sure the statue was settled in. He wasn't sure what exactly "settling in" would mean for a golem, but Shale did seem content enough.

Most of the others were getting ready to go to sleep. Niko was considering the option too when he heard someone approaching him.

"Tsk tsk tsk, look at you," Zevran said when Niko turned to look at him. "Your weary stance, the dark circles under your eyes. Poor man. All this constant walking has gotten to you." His voice lowered and a suggestive gleam lit his eyes. "Do you know what you need?"

Niko gave a tired smirk. "A horse?"

Zevran chuckled softly. "A little late for that, I should think." He half-smiled, an expression settling onto his face that was almost predatory, an assassin priming his target. His eyes trailed over the other elf in consideration before taking a deliberate step closer and catching Niko's inquisitive gaze. "My thought is this: we retire to your tent and I show you the sort of massage skills one only learns growing up in an Antivan whorehouse."

Niko's eyebrows raised at the suggestion, and suddenly he didn't feel so very tired anymore. "Are you suggesting what I think are?"

Zevran smiled knowingly and reached forward to idly play with the v-shaped collar of Niko's shirt. "If you mean to ask whether or not there might be more than a massage involved, allow me simply to say that you won't be disappointed with any of the techniques I have picked up over the years." His tone had lowered to an unmistakably seductive level, each lilted word going straight to Niko's groin.

"Sounds good to me." The response came out of Niko's mouth before he even realized he was saying it. He was so preoccupied with the tingling of his skin, warmth creeping up his neck. All that pent up desire for the other elf was returning full force, and he realized that was the thought that had been chasing him.

"A willing victim it is," Zevran said, taking one more step forward to close the remaining distance, lust-tinged heat radiating between them. "And, if I may ask, should the opportunity to proceed past the massage present itself…?"

Niko gasped softly when he felt fingers caress his leather-clad hip.

Zevran was trying to make sure his intentions were as clear as possible. Which was understandable, even considering their heated kiss back at Redcliffe castle.

Niko wanted to be clear, too.

Holding Zevran's serene, amber gaze, he leaned in, and the assassin could feel the feather-light breath on his lips when Niko replied. "I'll leave it to you."

Zevran grinned and both of his tactful hands gripped Niko's waist to take them a step back towards the tent. "Then why are we still talking?"

-o-o-o-

Niko was surprised that a massage was involved at all really. When they entered the tent, Zevran produced a few small vials of assorted oils, choosing one before giving Niko a smirk and instructing him to lie on his stomach.

The Warden did so, removing his shirt first and setting it aside. He laid flat on his belly, resting his chin on arms crossed in front of him, and remained very still. Outside he could hear some rustling coming from another tent and Gideon digging at the ground, but he couldn't tell what Zevran was doing behind him.

A brief image of the assassin withdrawing a knife and slitting his throat entered Niko's mind. He would be dead and Zevran would be long gone before anyone was the wiser.

The morbid thought was interrupted when he heard fabric drop beside him and Niko glanced to the side, realizing it was Zevran's tunic. He'd taken it off and was now rubbing oil into his hands.

Niko relaxed a bit, closing his eyes and smiling when he felt Zevran straddle his hips.

"I can practically hear you smirking up there," he pointed out and Zevran pretty much confirmed it by letting out a huff of laughter.

"No smirking here, no," he lied. "Though I must say I have found myself in a rather privileged position."

"Congratulations. I'm sure you- ohh..." Niko lost track of what he was about to say when he felt strong hands press into the knotted muscles of his back, slowly easing away some of the tension there. With a reaction like that, he was sure the Antivan elf was all the more satisfied with himself.

"Hm you like that, do you?" Zevran asked. Oh yes, he was smirking.

Niko felt more relaxed than he had in months as Zevran worked his hands all over his upper body, pressing broad strokes down the curve of his back and caressing his spine. His whole body felt hot and pliable. Soothing oil, warmed by Zevran's own palms, was rubbed into his skin. It smelled woody and a bit sweet, like cypress and pine with a touch of honey. Niko rather liked it; it reminded him of the wood piles his father kept by the fireplace, and of the very forests he often found himself sleeping in now.

Zevran gently removed Niko's arms out from under his chin and brought them to rest against his sides instead. The Warden didn't object at all, completely content to let Zevran mold him anew with his capable hands. He rubbed Niko's arms and then worked his shoulders again, digging his thumbs into the thick muscle and then massaging luxurious strokes down his back.

Zevran smiled with each short moan he elicited from the Warden, deliberately drawing them out of him, though Niko tried to stifle it every time. Zevran then began rubbing little circles into the small of his back, just above the waistband of Niko's leather trousers.

"So much tension in those muscles, my dear Warden," he said softly while he moved backwards to kneel above the other elf's thighs. His hardening length barely brushed against Niko's leg as he did so, but it sent a bit of a silent thrill through them both.

"I think you're enjoying this as much as I am," Niko pointed out to the assassin.

Zevran snickered quietly, almost unheard. "How could I not?"

He splayed his hands out, digging the heels of his palms into Niko's lower back and then caressed up and down his sides with firm fingertips. It was so soothing, the tent was so warm, and Niko was so worn out from hiking around the country. He could very easily drift to sleep like this if it weren't for the slow, sensuous haze of desire mounting between them, and the knowledge that all of their cravings would soon be satisfied.

He drew in a breathy gasp, momentarily surprised when Zevran's hands slipped under his pants and his smallclothes. He felt firm hands kneading his ass and he was unable to suppress the low moan that slowly escaped his lips. And Zevran didn't stop until those muscles were as free of tension as the others.

When he did finally withdraw his hands, Zevran was silent and Niko was as relaxed and aroused as he could stand to be at the same time. He closed his eyes, inhaling the refreshing fragrance of cypress that lingered on his skin, mixed with Zevran own unique, somewhat spicy scent. The camp was mostly quiet now. There were no more noises from the tents nearby and Gideon's yapping had long ago ceased. The crickets, of course, chirped their nightly song, and camp was near enough to the water's edge that they could faintly hear the ripples in the lake lapping gently against the shore.

Niko felt more of Zevran's weight on him when the Antivan elf leaned in, his long blond hair tickling Niko's shoulders as he placed soft kisses on the back of his neck.

Smiling, Niko hummed in approval and Zevran responded by trailing his lips to Niko's ear, licking the shell and nipping the pointed tip.

His pants were becoming uncomfortably constricting, and Niko felt heat pool into his stomach, anxious and excited for what was to come. He brought himself up on his elbows and looked back at Zevran. He was met with soft lips against his own and the Antivan's hand caressing his cheek.

"If you are of a mind to," Zevran said, each word brushing his lips against Niko's. "I would prefer to continue the massage with far less clothing."

He kissed him again and Niko was unable to give his answer until Zevran withdrew.

"I'm definitely of a mind to," he mumbled.

Niko maneuvered onto his back and Zevran helped him out of his leather pants, peeling them off along with his smallclothes.

If he weren't so relaxed from such a thorough massage, Niko would feel more vulnerable lying naked under Zevran, who was still half-dressed and hovering above him. The assassin smirked, eyes trailing over Niko's body, gaze lingering on his half-hard cock before reaching for the vial of scented massage oil again.

Niko watched as Zevran warmed the oil in his palms, marveling at the other elf's shirtless form; his taut biceps and smooth, firm chest. Not that he'd never seen it before. Zevran often walked around camp at night in nothing more than a simple pair of loose trews, like he was in now. Zevran was more muscular than any elf he'd met before, though still lean and agile. The dark lines of the tattoos on his back matched the sharp elegance of the one on his face. And the markings came around to the front in curved points just enough to accentuate the slight curve of his hips. No doubt there were similar ones in less conspicuous places…

Niko bit his bottom lip against another moan as Zevran gripped his legs, kneading the top muscle and rubbing small circles into the inner thighs with his thumbs. Then Zevran worked on each calf individually, slowing in his ministrations as he met the other elf's half-lidded eyes.

Never dropping his gaze from Niko's, he slowly traced one finger over the Warden's ankle, causing him to shiver. Zevran smiled leisurely and Niko watched as the Antivan came back to him, kissing his way up Niko's chest, his neck, and then finally made it to his lips. Niko wrapped his arms around Zevran's back and drew him nearer, allowing more of the assassin's weight to press down on him.

Their bodies were practically molded together; hips aligned, bare stomachs and chests pressed together, lips collectively seeking more and becoming wet, open-mouthed revelry.

Niko groaned into Zevran's mouth when the Antivan ground his hips against Niko's, pressing his clothed length against Niko's naked one. In response, the Warden's hands lowered from Zevran's back and hastily reached for the Antivan's trousers, trying to tug them off.

Zevran withdrew with a smirk, leaving Niko panting while he removed the dark blue trews he wore, sliding them off easily and tossing them aside with his earlier-discarded tunic.

Niko grinned, pleased with the sight. He sat up and went to the Antivan on his knees, and Zevran locked his arms around Niko's waist, resuming their kiss.

The Warden's arms draped over Zevran's shoulders and he slid his fingers into the elf's soft hair, forcing a deeper kiss, tongues sliding together. Zevran let his hands roam freely down Niko's body, pressing firm fingers that, in Niko's imagination, would leave lasting marks.

They lowered back down on the bedroll, their kisses turning fierce and rough as need and heat grew between them. Zevran gripped Niko's thigh, giving a hard squeeze just above his knee before placing himself between the Warden's legs. Niko drove his hips upward, prompting both of them to moan loudly before quickly biting it back. They both quieted for a second, and Niko was wincing, hoping no one heard them. Zevran caught his eye and they both smiled, soft breaths of laughter intermingling as their lips slowly came together again, kissing gently this time.

Zevran then sat up and reached for one of his vials. This one was not a massage oil, and Niko watched with anticipation as Zevran removed its cap and poured some onto his fingers. The Warden readily drew his knees back to his chest, where he felt his heart beating hard and fast, both eager for the pleasure and wary of the inevitable pain.

As Zevran sunk one slick finger in, Niko bit down on his lip and reminded himself to relax. It made it a little easier for Zevran to prepare him. The Antivan was surprisingly tender and patient, leaving an affectionate kiss on Niko's inner thigh before adding a second finger. Niko was somewhere between pleasured and pained as both fingers moved in and out with a scissoring motion. It was dizzying and delightful.

By the time Zevran added a third finger, Niko was eagerly pressing back against him, and Zevran soon decided to withdraw all three fingers completely. Niko grinned as he inclined his head to watch Zevran. The assassin was adding more slippery contents of the vial to his hand, which he then wrapped around his cock. He prepared himself now, eyes flickering to Niko, who gazed hungrily at Zevran's solid length.

Zevran smirked at this and soon crawled back over to Niko, kissing him firmly once more before kneeling back. With one hand he grasped the Warden's hip, and with the other he guided himself in.

They both let out gasping moans, unconcerned with who may have heard them this time. Zevran was slow to push in further, letting Niko grow accustomed to the sensation.

Niko clenched his teeth against the tight burn inside of him, and he wanted to both laugh and cry thinking about "foreign objects invading his personal space". He didn't do either of those things though. Instead Niko forced his own eyes open so he could see Zevran hovering over him, his hands planted on either side of Niko's head. He brought his legs up to wrap around the Antivan's body and Zevran sank in deeper to fill him. Niko stifled a moan and threw his head back, so Zevran used the opportunity to lean down and kiss the exposed skin.

Zevran took him slowly at first. Inch by inch, the heat and haze of ecstasy grew until nothing but desire filled the small quarters of the tent. He watched as the tense lines of Niko's face smoothed, and he knew the exact moment that the discomfort was overwhelmed by sheer pleasure for him. Peering down at the Grey Warden, he was unable to resist slipping his tongue into those parted lips, giving a particularly hard thrust as he did so. Niko's muffled moan against his lips had a dizzying effect on Zevran, who pressed more fiercely against the other elf's lips in an effort to capture the feeling.

He pulled back and watched Niko's lids close over the green of his eyes, dark lashes suddenly netting Zevran's attention. He placed brief kisses on those too before repositioning himself to take harder, quicker thrusts into the Warden.

Niko's hands were all over Zevran, each ghosting touch over his back and arms a whisper of want and gratitude. He'd needed this. All of his time was spent as a leader, a role he'd never asked for. Day in and day out, he thought constantly of avoiding ambush and intrigue, warring across the back roads of the nation, yet still somehow on the front lines, the tip of the spear against the Blight. It was too much pressure, and every night Niko was afraid he would fold under its weight.

But tonight, with Zevran, his burdens were left outside the tent. In here, it was just the two of them, and the assassin was more than willing to be the one who helped strip away Niko's worries. He knew that every day the Grey Warden fought hard to maintain control; control of the darkspawn threat, control of their battles, control of his own emotions. What he wanted now was to hand over that control to someone else, to let it go for just one night.

Zevran suddenly withdrew his still hard cock from him, and Niko was about to groan in protest. But he was pleasantly surprised when he was swiftly flipped, now on his hands and knees. He couldn't help but grin when Zevran took him from this new position, feeling that last bit of control slip away when the Antivan grasped his hips and plunged into him.

He dug his fingers into the fabric of the bedroll beneath him, angling himself back into Zevran's firm thrusts. One of the assassin's hands remained on his hip, clutching there while the other slid down the curve of Niko's back and came to a grip on his shoulder, thumb pressing in to muscle in massaging motions. It was the perfect balance of domination and affection, and it soon brought Niko over the edge.

He grit his teeth against a moan as he felt Zevran's thrusts becoming erratic. Both of his hands came back to Niko's hips, taking a bruising hold as the unbearable pleasure buzzed in his abdomen, overwhelming his senses until it spilled over and an Antivan swear escaped from behind clenched teeth.

They were both panting heavily, sweat-slicked bodies pressed together. Zevran's forehead fell to Niko's shoulder and the Warden smiled as he felt the heavy rise and fall of Zevran's heaving chest against his back.

The assassin dropped a kiss on Niko's shoulder before pulling out of him. Niko laid down on his back and Zevran cleaned them up.

Now that it was over, the exhaustion of the day's trek set in again for both of them. While Zevran was unsure about staying in the Warden's tent, his mind was made up for him when Niko pulled him down to lie beside him. He chuckled softly, eyes drooping as his head hit the soft pillow, and he rolled Niko over to spoon him close. He fell asleep breathing in the earthy, masculine scent of the massage oil clinging to the Warden's skin.