The first night had been out of necessity. The medic who worked on Belathen had suggested someone watch her overnight, and Dorian was all too willing to volunteer. Some little voice in his head kept trying to say this was his fault anyway, and being at her side was the least he could do.

The second night was the mage channeling some measure of Cullen's overprotective nature. Bel was taking it easy, but was obviously unsteady on her feet when she used them. She would probably have been fine but Dorian would rather be safe. She was tired enough that she barely fought his insistence at sleeping in the same room.

After that they were back on the road and it felt more practical. The Iron Bull and Cassandra had elected to share a tent, and though their claims it was for the warmth rang false both the Tevinter and the elf saw the possibilities. Both were naturally cold-blooded after all; any extra heat was welcome. So Dorian used the excuse to stay close to the Dalish woman, the duo combining the extra blankets over their sleeping rolls and ignoring the fact that most mornings they woke up cuddled together in the center of the tent they had shared overnight.

After a week, it finally happened. Before that point they had both managed to look away while pulling themselves together in the morning. But Dorian just happened to turn, and Bel just happened to be still working on her bindings, and it provided an eyeful of Lavellan that he had to admit was instantly confusing. Mostly because he found himself... Old Gods preserve him, he was actually intrigued!

Bel's head turned at that moment, and he hurried to glance away as she finished the process. He took the chance to escape, heading towards the edge of their camp with an unexpected need to focus himself. He had just taken the chance to sit on the line dry tree stump in the area when he heard the unmistakable heavy chuckle of their resident qunari.

"So," the big kossith commented, "you and the boss, huh?"

"The very idea!" Dorian found his cheeks warmed a bit just at the thought.

"Oh I know nothing's happened." Then, lower, the Iron Bull added, "It's just amusing to see you want it to."

Dorian blinked and turned, gape-mouthed. "That's...preposterous! Have you forgotten who you're speaking to? I don't... I'm not... interested in the Inquisitor!"

Bull's shoulders were a large, heavy thing to shrug. Somehow he still managed it. "Suit yourself. But can I ask you a question?"

"Will it be ridiculous?"

The Iron Bull nodded, but asked anyway. "When you're with a man, has it ever been someone you didn't first think of as a friend?"

"What an odd thing to... if you must know, no. I'd never bed someone I don't like. Or don't know for that matter."

There was a responding "Hmm" that seemed far too knowledgeable. "And the girls you failed to see as attractive? We're any of them actually friendly with you?"

Dorian laughed. "It was always my father forcing someone, or my mother. They all seemed like snakes waiting to bite!"

"That's kinda what I thought." Bull brushed a bit of snow from the ground, sitting beside the mage. "Look, I get why we didn't work. Too many power plays. You're not into that, it's fine. But even we started out by liking each other- not common for me. I also see why you work with Cullen." When Dorian turned in surprise, Bull simply reminded "Ben-hassrath" and shrugged again. "There's a lot of respect between the two of you. A lot of love, too, but it started somewhere. It started as a very deep friendship."

"Both very bad examples if you're insinuating I'm NOT attracted to men."

"I'm insinuating nothing. I'm telling you that it's possibly more complicated than that. It just may be that your preferences are simply for someone you actually care about." With that the kossith reached for Dorian's hand. "If that is the case it puts our involvement in a different light as well."

The notion was surprisingly apt. Dorian couldn't actually thing of anything to contradict what the Iron Bull had suggested, and that might be the most damning part of the whole thing. The Tevinter sighed, his head winding up in his lap. "Vishante kaffas. That just makes everything more complicated."

"Better to know, right?" Bull was almost laughing, his hand slapping the mage playfully on the back.

"I'm not sure." But then they both heard rustling as the two women headed out of the tents and started on breakfast as they'd promised, and Dorian was very sure. When Bel looked over with a smile and wave, the simple motion captured his attention fully. Knowing what the flip-flop in his chest was about definitely helped. Considering how recently he'd experienced it with Cullen, Dorian was only miffed he hadn't recognized it before now.

Venedhis. Cullen. This was going to be hard to explain.