Chapter Twelve: I Know Where You're From

"I know where you're from, but where do you belong?

In this life like weeds, you're the dirt I'll breathe

In this life like weeds, you're a rock to me
All this talkin' all the time and the air fills up, up, up
Until there's nothin' left to breathe
And you think you feel most everything"

***Disclaimer: This chapter is rated MATURE*** You've been warned. :)


Ash awoke slowly, not quite wanting to open her eyes. Her neck felt stiff and she frowned. She realized then that she had no idea when she had fallen asleep. She turned to her side and blinked her eyes open. She didn't see the tent that she expected to see. Instead, she saw grey. Grey that was steadily rising and falling. She bolted up, her arm knocking against him in her haste. Iron Bull grunted.

"Good morning to you too," he said and rubbed at his ribs with one hand. His other arm was stretched out behind Ash. She realized why her neck had been so stiff. "You always this violent in the morning?"

Ash's heart was pounding as she stared down at him. He wasn't seemingly in an hurry to get up. He turned his head and opened his eye. "What?" he asked and laughed. "You look like you saw a ghost or something."

"Di-did we..." she trailed off. No, she would have definitely remembered that. She shook her head. "What...happened?"

"We didn't have sex if that's what you're asking," he winked. "We talked, then you fell asleep. On my arm. I didn't want to wake you up, so..."

So, they both slept in the same tent. Well, that wasn't so bad, she supposed. Ash flopped back down. "Oh," she said.

She heard Iron Bull sit up. "You sound disappointed," he said. She looked to find that he was grinning down at her. He was...very close and above her. Ash felt a sudden heat return to her body.

"N-no," she said, unconvincingly. "Just, not what I expected to wake up to." The tension that was building between the two of them was almost too much for her to handle. Woof. Not that I'm complaining... Iron Bull shifted until she was completely under him, his arms supporting his weight by her sides. Ash's mind immediately went blank and all she could do was stare up at his face.

"Hm," he said. Then, his mouth was on hers. Ash's body arched up into his chest. God. This again. She shifted her hips unconsciously, wanting to get closer than she feasibly could. She roped her arms around his neck, deepening the kiss on her own. Two could play that game.

Iron Bull's hips ground into hers and she moaned when she felt his hardness pressing into her lower stomach. More. She thrust her hips at his in answer and he made a noise from somewhere deep in his chest. It rumbled through her ribcage and into her spine. Ash couldn't take much more of this. Iron Bull's hand pressed its way down her side, the pressure of it made her pulse skip. His right hand was under her tunic, lifting it, while his left pushed to cradle her head, fist balling at the base of her skull. She arched again as his hand pulled down her breast band.

Iron Bull's fist tangled in her hair before pulling her neck back suddenly. She gasped when his teeth found her throat, not entirely gently. His free hand palmed her now exposed breast, the nipple hardening with the friction. She bit her lip to keep from crying out, suddenly aware of the camp around them. She had no idea what ti-She hissed as Iron Bull's mouth closed around her breast, biting gently, chastising her. She clutched at his shoulders.

She couldn't help it. "Bull," she groaned and thrust her hips up to his again. She trailed one hand down his stomach, intent. He grabbed her wrist stopping her, before he moved his other hand to hold her waist, pinning her down. He sat back slightly to look at her face, grinning.

"Much as I'd like to continue this," he said. "Really, really would. There's...stuff we should probably talk about before that. Want to make sure you know what you're getting into."

Ash glared at him. Now. He wanted to do this now? "I don't really care at the moment," she said and ground her hips into his hands for emphasis. "We can talk later." She was burning.

Iron Bull whistled. "Damn," he said. "I knew the meek act wasn't you but..." He drifted one hand to her thigh, which he then squeezed. Her eyes rolled back into her skull. Bull chuckled darkly. "You really are worked up right now, huh?"

Ash cursed. Of course I am. And you are not leaving me like this, dammit. Her hands balled into fists and she made eye contact with him then. "Please, Bull," she said. She couldn't feel much else at the moment. Consequences be damned, she needed this.

Iron Bull muttered a curse in a language she couldn't understand. "Now, that," he said. "That, I like to hear." His hands gripped her legs, pulling them apart as his lips once more made contact with her throat. She moaned with relief.

...

..

Someone cleared their throat. Close. Right outside the tent. Ash immediately shot backwards, eyes wide and it felt as if she'd been dunked in a bucket of ice. Oh gods no. She put her head in her hands, trying to hide her face.

Bull shook his head, scratching at his horns. "Thought that might happen," he said and laughed.

"In case you two forgot," Sythari said glibly. "We have a battle to fight?" Her voice was strained, as if she was trying her best to not laugh. "You're the only two we're waiting on."

Ash was rushing to right herself, struggling a bit on the breast band. This was the last thing she had wanted-new level of embarrassment. Iron Bull squeezed her shoulder reassuringly. He bent his head to her ear.

"No one probably heard much," he whispered to her. "Relax." Tingles shot up her spine at his voice that close. She nodded, mute, focused solely on dressing herself. Iron Bull squeezed her shoulder one more time before he made his way out of the tent.

Ash cursed and shook her head. Right. She stepped out into the sunlight. She had resolved herself to not think about it until later.

Varric whistled. Ash blushed and her resolved crumbled instantaneously. "We had wondered where Tiny had got off to," he said, a little too cheery. "Disappearing like that was impressive, considering you know, how hard he is to miss."

"Lookit her face!" Sera broke into open laughter. "This is too good, this is."

pAsh glared at Bull, but only half of her was in it. The other just wanted to smile with the rest of them. He shrugged./p

"What?" he said. "I said 'probably didn't hear much.' Besides, you weren't exactly complaining." He winked.

"You two can have your lovers' squabble later," Vivienne interrupted. "Perhaps more discreetly this time? There are more pressing matters and I'm sure not all of us wish to be privy to your affairs."

Ash blushed again, effectively silenced. Sera guffawed.

"Seriously," Sera said. "See her friggin' face? Never seen a person turn tha' color before. Like a tomato."

Dorian was grinning. "Oh?" he said. "This is unexpected."

Cassandra was scowling. "Ugh," was all she said.


"Sythari, um," Ash said, unsure of how to start. They had just about joined Cullen's troops at Adamant. Ash could hear the shouts of the soldiers off in the distance. It set her heart pumping. "There's something you need to know now." There was a little important detail Ash had forgotten. She had meant to talk to the Inquisitor about it earlier, but then there was Iron Bull... Ash shook her head. Stupid. She slowed down and Sythari shot her a curious look from over her shoulder.

"What's wrong?" she asked. Ash stopped walking and her next words were quiet.

"Listen, there's things that are going to happen in Adamant that are going to be...bad. Really bad," Ash said. "I'm hoping we can try and avoid it by me telling you. Hopefully."

Sythari frowned. "What?" she asked again. "I don't understand."

"Clarel gets attacked by Corypheus's dragon, archdemon...thing. So do you. The wall you all are on breaks and a hole gets ripped open in the Fade." Ash paused, realizing she was talking too fast. She swallowed. "You all fall in. Physically. You physically go into the fade."

Sythari's mouth worked for a moment, but it seemed she didn't know how to respond. Ash continued slowly, "That's only part of it," she said. "In your escape, Hawke or Stroud...one of them doesn't make it. In my world, it depends on which version of the story you're reading..." She stopped, feeling awkward. How would the Inquisitor handle this? This was really something heavy to drop on her out of the blue, but... Ash picked at a finger.

Sythari blinked a couple times. There was a long silence before Sythari's shoulders relaxed. Then she sighed. "Alright," she said. "At least I know what we're up against." She reached out to take one of Ash's hands. "Thank you. Now I have a chance to keep that from happening." She smiled.

Ash was dumbfounded. This woman... She was amazing. Instead of being in despair, Sythari seemed to accept it as a challenge. She was going to change it. Ash cringed with guilt. Up until this point she had been a coward. She had been trying to run away from this world. From herself and from everyone. Sure, she had tried to fight. But her heart wasn't in it. All she could remember was home. How unfair it was that she was here. But there were all these amazing people around her defying odds and keeping hope every day. Who was she to do any different?

Ash smiled and reached out to pull Sythari into a hug. "We can do this," she said. "We will." They were both silent for a moment after that. Then, Sythari grinned.

"How's about we go give that magister something real to whine about for once?" They both turned, hands on their staffs and walked further towards the advancing troops, joining the other members of the Inquisition on the way.


Ash spun her arms, flame erupting as she spread them wide towards the demons advancing in front of her. She was vaguely aware of the hum of Solas's and Sythari's magic. The two operated as one body. Where Solas was calm, Sythari was fury. Each of them kept up a maddening pace. They alternated between erecting barriers around Iron Bull and Varric and casting walls of ice and fire. Ash was doing her best to keep up. She had Varric had a vantage point from a wooden platform and they each were picking off the demons as they got to close. Iron Bull and Hawke were at the front, drawing the demons away from the rest, grouping them together to make it easier for the mage's attacks to reach them.

A shade reached behind Bull, claws up to drag down his back. Ash let loose her storm, satisfied as the lighting paralyzed the creature long enough for Bull to swing around and run it through with his axe.

"Nice shot!" he yelled and ran off to challenge a terror going after Sythari. Ash saw three more erupting from an archway to their left. She looked to Varric and they both nodded.

Varric aimed Bianca and let loose a hail of arrows just as Ash yelled and the ground beneath the demons erupted in flames. They howled. Ash grinned. Ye-

She heard a scream coming from below her. Ash looked down as the ground beneath her feet began to glow. She froze, eyes widening.

"Oh shit," Varric cursed from somewhere beside her. "Ash, mo-"

The world went black for a few moments. Ash blinked, eyes wincing from a pain in the back of her skull. Her ears were ringing and she shook her head slowly trying to clear her eyes. Something sharp stabbed at her arm. Pain shot through her and it was as if her nerves all combusted at once. Ash screamed and looked up to see the terror's gaping mouth inches from her. She fought back an urge to vomit at the spittle dripping from it's teeth. The mouth was opened, jaw broken impossibly wide. Delirious still, she looked down to notice that the demon held her up by her left arm, her staff uselessly at its feet. Panicking, she wrestled her arm, hearing something snap but not feeling any pain. The demon reared back and screamed again. She was going to die. Shit. This thing was going to kill her. No. No, no, no, no, NO!

Ash roared. There was a light, and heat shooting through her body, racing up her arm to where the demons claws were embedded. It screeched again and the next thing Ash felt was solid ground beneath her back. She scrambled backwards on her elbows and watched as blue flames flickered up the demon's arm. It started writhing when they went towards its chest, then its neck. She was transfixed.

"Ash!" she looked to see Sythari running towards her, then back to the demon at a strange hiss. The demon was burning from the inside out, she realized vaguely. It crashed down to its knees, twitching before suddenly going still. The blue began to turn to black.

Ash was being lifted. She looked to see Iron Bull grabbing her and hoisting her up to his shoulder. Her arm jarred against his armor and she hissed. Her vision began to dance. She looked at her arm. There was a lot of red.

Bull grunted. "Hang on," he said. "We're regrouping with Cullen." Ash felt her eyes getting heavier.


Author note:

I had fun writing this chapter. Also, goes without saying, obviously I'm putting smut in this story. But! I want to fully flesh out the Iron Bull romance without relying exclusively on smut. It honestly is my favorite relationship in the game (sorry Solas!) because Iron Bull is just so easy going. Plus, I always love the romance stories where they start out being friends first, which is how I see Iron Bull's going. Anyway!

(I apologize if the action-y bit was terrible, I don't feel that I'm that strong at writing it)

(Don't hate me for leaving you at a cliffhanger?)

Also, I would like to note that I am reading all of your comments! Even though I haven't responded to any. I really, really love what you all have to say and I promise that I'm going to start responding to you (I just recently figured out that that was an option, lol). Much love!

Thanks for reading!

Hugs.