The Gull and Lantern tavern was actually kind of quiet. At least upstairs, where the rooms were situated.
At first, Rush was a bit worried that this place will be too loud and Bull won't be able to sleep properly, but it turned out it was mostly made out of stone and the only thing that could be heard were distant shouts and muffled murmurs of the loud discussions happening downstairs.
Rush sat on the bed beside her chief as he slept, determined to keep watch, in case of any complications. She already put down most of her armor, now sitting only in the tunic she wore under the armor and loose linen cloth pants.
Krem made himself useful while the healer brewed Bull's antidote and bought them all rooms for the night. He, Stitches and Helisma planned to stay in the room next door, while Rush was to keep Bull company as he recovered. Krem smirked a little as he told her of his plan for the night, but Rush only smiled in response. This suited her just fine.
She still needed to talk to Helisma, but that could wait. The tranquil would hardly get impatient, now, would she?
Her fingers skimmed down the cover of the Tome of Healing. Not the way she wanted to get it, but at least she had it. The spells inside didn't seem all that complicated, either. Not much different from all the body manipulations she did routinely as Knight-Enchanter. She looked at Bull's side and the bandaged knife wound. Should she try to…?
She shook her head. 'No. Not until Bull wakes up, at least', she decided. Qunari were skittish enough around magic as it was. After today, she wouldn't be too surprised if he rejected her healing altogether.
With a sigh, she laid a hand on his chest, caressed the slightly sweaty skin under her palm and allowed herself to think on what happened today. The terrifying ritual they interrupted. The frenzy of battle and her raging bloodlust when she realized Bull had been injured. The frantic way to Redcliffe when she realized that this time, Stitches' cure might not be enough.
Compared to all that, discovering a cure for Tranquility seemed much less important. Almost an afterthought. If it even was a cure and not just a temporary side-effect.
She heard Bull's breathing hitch.
His eye blinked open, then concentrated on her face with a terrifying intensity until he recognized her and relaxed.
He lifted one hand to put it under his head, then smirked at her. "So. Anything happen between us while I was out?"
She stared at him, not understanding what he meant. One amused eye travelled down to his chest and her hand that rested there. Still slowly caressing him.
Her first instinct was to pull her hand off him, but she was too frazzled from today's events to do it. Instead, she smiled and slowly dragged her hand down his chest to rest on his belly, then started caressing there.
His eye darkened.
"I was just waiting for you to wake up," she smiled. "Much more fun when you can enjoy it properly, right?"
He grinned dangerously and lifted a hand to gently touch her cheek. "Careful there, Rush. This small injury won't stop me from dragging you under me and taking what you offer."
She shivered pleasantly, but lost her smile. "That reminds me," her fingers skimmed over to rest at his injured side. "I… The book… It might…" She sighed. "Would you like me to heal that?"
Bull lost his smile as well and turned thoughtful. Then he sighed as well and relaxed against the soft mattress. "Go ahead."
She was a bit surprised. "Are you certain…?"
He smiled at her. "Yes. You need to learn how to heal. Besides, it's better to try here, when we're safe, rather than wait until it's life and death during our next battle." He chuckled with what she'd almost call self-criticism. "And I won't underestimate you. If you say you can do it, then you can do it."
Rush blushed, but smiled too, pleased at the compliment. This… to see him trust her… She swallowed. Then she turned her mind back to the task at hand and looked down at Bull's injury.
Stitches already bandaged it, but she could see blood seeping through the layers of cloth. Poisoned wounds never healed well, and this one was caused by a very powerful poison. She decided to unwrap the bandages first. It might not be necessary for magical healing, but since this was the first time she tried the spell, seeing what she did might help her concentrate.
She pulled the bandages away as gently as she could, watching Bull for any sign of discomfort. He remained stoic through it all; not a twitch betrayed any sign of pain, even if she was certain he felt some.
Once the wound was bare for her to see, she threw the bandages away and put a hand just above the cut. She took a deep breath and focused.
This was tricky. The spell might work on similar principles to what she was used to, but instead of using it inward, she had to push her power out. Nothing too complicated, but it did take more focus.
Her hand glowed blue.
Bull sucked in a quick breath, but when she looked up into his face, his expression wasn't pained. Rush couldn't quite read him, but he didn't seem displeased. She concentrated back on the wound.
Thankfully it wasn't too deep. She pushed a bit more power into Bull's body and watched the skin on his side knit itself closed. Much faster than she would have expected. Were Qunari more attuned to magic than humans? It would explain their fear of mages, then, as they would also be more susceptible to magic's corruption.
A couple seconds later, the only thing that remained of the wound was a thin white line, all but invisible on Bull's grey skin. She rested her palm on the place where the wound used to be and gently skimmed her fingers down the fresh scar.
She only had time to hear Bull growl, before his hands shot out and grabbed her by the waist. He pulled her close to his chest, then in one smooth move, she found herself lying under his muscular form, both his arms and legs trapping her against the bed.
A spike of pure heat passed through her gut. She grabbed his arms and held on. Her eyes met his in shock.
He pinned her with an intense stare. Then he leaned down and took a deep breath of the skin on her neck. He rasped, "You smell of power, Rush," and licked her neck.
She moaned and felt him grin into her skin, before he clamped his mouth down on the sensitive skin and sucked hard. The stubble on his cheeks burned and added to the delicious sensations coursing through her body.
"Bull," she rasped back, breathless.
He purred. Then he lifted his head to look at her. His expression turned serious. "Last chance to back out, if you're not certain."
Was he seriously asking her that, now? She felt oddly touched. "I'm certain. I want you," she answered with a smile.
He smiled back. It was not his usual devious grin, though. This one was… almost innocent. Gentle. Rush was briefly struck breathless by the sheer beauty of that expression, but she didn't have long to admire it. Bull moved.
One of his hands let go of her waist and rose up to gather her wrists in one strong fist. Then he pinned her completely against the bed and spread her legs to rest between them. Leaving her no escape. She stifled a moan.
He growled at her. "Let it out, Rush. Never suppress anything while you're with me. Let go, and enjoy your ride." He grinned.
'Ride'? Rush narrowed her eyes. That almost made this all seem like a reward for a job well done, instead of the connection she sought.
Then she relaxed. No matter how he looked at it, what he told himself, he still cared about her. She knew that. She cared about him too and was certain he knew that as well. If his Qunari pride didn't let him admit it,… well, this was the time to show him just how serious they were.
She lifted her head and caught his lips in a gentle kiss. His eye briefly closed in pleasure before he looked down at her. 'This isn't just physical,' she told him without words. Bull stared at her for a second, then his eye gentled, his fingers caressed her cheek and he leaned down to kiss her properly.
Their second kiss was much gentler than the first one. Unhurried, slow paced, just the touch of their lips to let them enjoy the feeling. His lips caressed hers and Rush felt precious. She moaned and parted her lips to softly bite him. Bull grinned and suddenly, the feeling between them changed.
His tongue licked her parted lips, then pushed inside. It moved, slow but insistent, against her own.
The hand not holding her wrists grabbed her chin. She knew what to expect now and relaxed in his hold. He opened her mouth fully and took control of the kiss. At the feel of his much bigger tongue moving, so strong inside her, Rush felt another spike of heat pass through her.
This time, she felt ready to respond, too. The first hesitant response was met with an appreciative groan. She took it as encouragement and responded with passion.
She was losing herself in their kiss when she felt the hand on her chin move. His fingers skimmed down her throat. She felt her heart beat even harder under his touch, and Bull must have felt it too, as he groaned louder. Then he moved his hand lower to rest at the collar of her linen tunic. Rush felt him grin, then he hooked single finger under the collar. He pulled his tongue out of her mouth, and lifted himself up to look her in the eyes…
He ripped her tunic in half.
Rush gasped in surprised excitement and stared up at Bull. One though flashed through her mind, ironically in Bull's own voice. 'That's hot.'
Bull, it seemed, had similar thoughts running through his mind. Lying as she did half-naked under him, she almost felt the need to cover up under his piercing stare. Almost. Instead, she decided to let him look his fill. When he groaned lustfully, she felt powerful like never before. "Now these are damned fantastic, Rush," he praised in a low voice, staring at her breasts.
She opened her mouth to respond, but the only thing that came out was a choked whimper as Bull chose that moment to take her right nipple in his mouth. Her hands involuntarily twitched in his grasp, but Bull held fast. She couldn't move. That realization only made her passion burn brighter.
Bull licked and suckled on her nipple as if he never tasted anything better. When he used his teeth to nip at the underside of one breast, Rush keened and struggled in his grasp again. She couldn't stop the movement of her hips or arms. Bull didn't let go, instead he pressed his hips against her center. She threw her head back and added her throaty moan to the mix of sounds - his loud suckling and slurping.
He pressed his weight against her wrists and used his free hand to skim down to rest below her navel. The muscles at her abdomen contracted and her eyes almost rolled to the back to her head at the promise his touch held. He grinned around his mouthful, but didn't stop. The hand slipped inside her cloth pants. Fingers gently parted her folds and rested at her opening. Her moans grew embarrassingly loud, but Bull didn't mind. He moaned himself when he felt her wetness on his fingers.
Rush looked down from where she was pinned.
The sight that greeted her almost made her come on spot. Bull, one hand above her, holding her wrists tight, his giant, horned head all but glued to her breasts and the other inside her pants. She felt his finger move, firm but caring, against the sensitive place above her opening and was ready to sob with need. Then a single finger slipped inside and she keened.
Just before she could climb to her peak, he moved his fingers away.
"Please," she whispered brokenly.
Bull looked up at her and his eye met hers. He let go of her wrists and scooted down the bed to pull her pants open. Rush moved to help him, but at his warning growl, abandoned the idea and let him do what he wanted. Once his head was close enough to her again, she caressed his horns. That was met with another appreciative groan.
Once she was naked, Bull paused on his knees between her spread legs, looking her over, head to toe. Rush shivered in excitement, and looked at him properly too. He towered over her, his massive bulk almost intimidating. Heaving breaths and unreadable eye, scarred, muscular torso and a hand missing couple fingers… he was breathtaking.
She leaned forward and opened his belt. Fingers slipped into her hair to caress her and she smiled up at him; a smile which he gladly returned. She threw the belt aside and unlaced his pants too. She went to pull them off, and the fingers in her hair twitched. She threw a quick curious look up at Bull, but continued.
The moment his pants fell down, she stopped and stared. She almost forgot just how damned big he was. Much bigger than anything, anyone she ever had before. 'How the hell does he ever fit into any of the women he sleeps with', she wondered silently. She looked up. Bull stared down at her, his face unreadable, the fingers in her hair still.
Was something wrong? Did he wait for something to happen? The blank look in his eyes… if it were anyone else, she'd say he looked uncertain. What did he expect her to do, scream in terror? Because that was the last thing she wanted to do. Sure, the size of him was intimidating, but there was no way she would back out n…
Oh.
She smiled and took his length into her hand. "So, I think after this, I might become a size queen," she grinned up at him and gave him a squeeze.
His deep laugh put her worries at ease. The horribly blank look left his eye and the fingers in her hair started moving again. He pulled her head back, then leaned in and Rush gasped just from watching his huge form loom over her. Bull kissed her one more time, gently. Then he… stepped away?
She watched as he climbed down from the bed and kicked his boots and pants away. She turned towards him, expecting him to get back to her. Instead, he grinned. Before she had a chance to wonder, he grabbed her legs under her knees and dragged her to the edge of the bed.
She gasped and her hands jumped to his arms. Half her ass now hung over the edge of the bed and it was only his hands that kept her legs up. She was completely open and at his mercy. Rush shivered in excitement.
Bull spread her legs spread even wider and set them around his hips.
She almost forgot how to breathe. The sight was too much for her to handle. Her eyes closed of their own accord.
Bull growled in response. "Look me in the eye, Rush, and don't look away." His voice was soft, but unyielding.
She obeyed and turned to stare up at him. Their eyes connected and held. Bull reached lower and set his tip against her. Rush held her breath. When he pressed inside, her brow scrunched in discomfort. It's been a while for her, and never had she had a partner of Bull's size. He groaned above her and slipped one hand lower to play with her. Sparks shot through her entire body and she moaned, never taking her eyes off Bull. Slowly, against all odds, her body relaxed and he pressed inside again.
This time, Rush made herself relax against the intrusion. Little by little, he penetrated deeper. When he was more than half-way inside, he paused and, still looking at her, grabbed her by the hips and slammed inside. Rush saw stars. She shouted and her nails dug into the skin at his arms.
"Yesss," Bull whispered above her, still watching her. His hands let go of her waist and moved to grab her by the arms.
Before she realized what was happening, Bull had her hands pinned against the bed again. She stared at him, a bit surprised. He simply grinned down at her, then moved.
Her eyes closed in pleasure again, and this time, Bull let her. The feeling of him, all around her, inside her, was overwhelming. If their kiss made her think 'too much', this was a hundred times worse. Or better. She couldn't decide.
Eyes closed, she became aware of the sounds. Deep panting growls, intersected with her own keening moans and the slick sounds of their bodies joining. It was indecent. And, oh so wonderful. She took a deep breath and smelled Bull's exotic, spicy scent. Her head spun. She opened her eyes opened to see Bull was still watching her, watching every twitch she made. There was a frightening intensity in him; more than she thought herself capable of handling.
Then she saw the small twitch at the corner of his lips. As if he wanted to snarl, let go and pound her into the mattress, but didn't want to scare her. With shock she realized that he still controlled himself. If this is what sex with Bull was like while he controlled himself, what would it be like if he let go?
Later they'll have to try that, she promised herself, but for now, she wanted to make this just as good for him as it was for her.
The least she could do for him was accept him completely. To enjoy the ride, she thought with a mental smirk. She relaxed as much as she could physically and, still looking into his eye, sent a spark of magic to relax her muscles, then turned her hips up to let him slip even deeper inside her.
Bull's next thrust buried him inside her to the hilt. He groaned, his eye briefly closed, then he fixed her with another intense stare and picked up his pace. He was so deep inside her that she felt his balls slap against her backside with every close snap of his hips.
She angled herself again and gasped. He hit something inside her; something she never felt before.
He sent her a wicked grin and hit that spot again. And again. She squirmed in his hold to relieve some of that building pressure, but Bull wouldn't let her move an inch away from him. The pressure built inside her, stronger and stronger, until the only thing she could do was pant and moan under him, completely at his mercy.
When her peak came, it slammed into her hard. She screamed in pleasure, head thrown back, legs clutching Bull around the waist. She was grateful he held her down or she might have fallen off the bed with the force of her thrashing. Bull kept pounding into her through it all, making her descent last even longer. She felt tears spring into her eyes from the force of her pleasure.
At last, when her eyes cleared, she looked up to meet Bull's stare. He was snarling and his moves became even more erratic. He was close, she realized.
An idea entered her mind. Rush sent another spike of magic through her body, tightening around him. It made the pulsating, vibrating tremors, the after-effects of her orgasm, even stronger. When Bull felt the vibrations go through her, clutching him so tight, his own eye rolled into the back of his head and his hips lost their rhythm.
She felt him pulse inside her as he came. As the waves of his peak continued, Bull leaned over her and his teeth closed around her bare shoulder.
He bit down, hard.
The pain only heightened her pleasure and made her clutch him that much harder. Rush didn't even try to squirm in his desperate hold. She let him ride it out.
When it was over, Bull stayed where he was, panting harshly into her neck. She smiled and tried to lift her hands. They slipped from his now lax hold. She caressed his head, one hand gently scratching his horns. He groaned again and closed his arms around her.
"Damn, Rush, that was…" he paused, lifted his head with a bewildered look in his eye. Then he masked the expression and smiled down at her, "That was good. We definitely have to do this again sometime."
She only caressed his head in response. 'Silly man,' she thought. She understood the silent question for what it was. Will you want me again, or did you just want to satisfy your curiosity? As if she'd want to leave him, to give this up, after what just happened between them. She played along, "Definitely. Anytime you want, Chief."
Somehow, calling him the Iron Bull would have felt wrong now. It was a name that was meant to make their enemies tremble in fear. She didn't sleep with 'The Iron Bull', she slept with… him. Despite what she might have called him in the throes of passion, the name didn't fit him. Not completely.
'Chief' was the closest to a name she had for him. She wondered if he had a more fitting name, one she could use.
It didn't matter at the moment. Bull smiled down at her, then leaned in and gave her a slow, gentle kiss. The most innocent one they shared yet. Nothing more than a sweet peck of lips. It was… tender.
She closed her eyes with a soft sigh, and kissed him back.