...My gloved hands have settled against his chest trembling with unconscious emotion, before I return his kiss with a hesitant pressure and movement.


My reaction only spurs him on, and the warm hand that has settled against my neck tightens around the short column of it to hold me in place while he boldly presses forward against me with the length of his body. My heart rate jumps when all the space between us disappears, drowning out all other sound. And then, as if they had a mind of their own, my hands slide around his ribs to settle against his bared back to compensate for him crowding my personal space, and unconsciously welcoming him into it. The earthy scent of something utterly male with a hint of spicy elfroot and leather reaches my nose and further clouds my sensibilities, which spurs me to push back against his taller, muscular frame with an eagerness that again clenches my stomach. My uninhibited reaction shocks a small part of my mind still unbelieving at what's happening here. I don't think I've ever been this forward with someone so quickly, but it's completely blissful to succumb to it though. To him. My trembling hands slide up the firm edges of his back, and in turn he flicks his wet tongue against my bottom lip with a rough sound rumbling in his chest. But when my right hand brushes against his left shoulder his lustful groan rapidly turns into a hiss of pain. He pulls back instinctively with his square features pinched in hurt. The pain held there is warring with the open lust, and affection, that's tinted his cheeks and brightened his eyes. As I see this, my hands slide down to his ribs again and my eyes widen with concern.

"Z-zev stabbed you, didn't he?" I somehow manage to mumble over the heavy breaths leaving my parted lips, and the swimming thoughts mucking up my mind. The idea that I'd caused him pain makes my grip on his body loosen, and I lean back from him a bit in apologetic shame. "I'm sorry," I whisper.

The pain fades almost completely from his expression for him to look down at me endearingly, "Please, no, don't apologize, love." He smooths his rough fingers down the bony line of my spine peaking from my armor in comfort. "I'd told you it was fine." He bends again to brush his swollen, dampened lips against my brow. "If anything, I should apologize for my... impropriety."

I blink at him while the fog of desire slowly lifts from the clutter of my thoughts, allowing me to think a little clearer. Oh, god - I just kissed Sloane like a horny little teenager. The burn of an embarrassed flush crawls up my neck to replace the warmth of lust, and my eyes flick away to settle on a random spot on his opposite shoulder. "Oh, come now, you'll break my heart," he coos and leans into me carefully, and as well as he can with my hardened leather armor in the way. I don't move, too busy scolding myself in my head, as he continues in an unguarded tone, "You can't tell me you feel nothing for me."

My hands clench against his sides while I struggle with what to say, "Well-well... no. I mean..." I sigh with frustration, and allow my forehead to fall against his uninjured shoulder. I struggle with myself, with my thoughts, before speaking quickly and rather jumbled, "It's just - you know. We're - I mean, you're... dammit." I take a deep breath and force myself to have a complete thought before speaking next, "We've been arguing a lot lately... I didn't think- I don't know."

I hear, and feel, him snort before speaking next, "I believe we can account a fair deal of our bickering to sexual tension." I turn my head to look up at him disbelievingly. It didn't even occur to me to think this was a possibility until moments ago. What sexual tension? When? "And perhaps a bit of jealously on my part," he offers sheepishly as explanation instead.

I blink at him again and utter a short, "Huh?"

"You've been-," he hunches his shoulders a bit uncomfortably, and clears his throat before continuing in another breath, "friendly with the blood mage." He moves his other hand slowly so they're both settled against my waist before continuing hesitantly, "I know it shouldn't be any concern of mine if you're attached to him-"

"Hey," I interrupt him gently, "Jowan's just my friend." It's kind of sweet, and totally unexpected... He's jealous. Sloane is jealous with Jowan because of me. It makes no damned sense. And I had no idea. None. My lips purse together at the absurdity of this confession of his, while I struggle to come up with an explanation that would ease his worries, and in turn assuage my own. Something suitable comes to me after a short moment, and I willingly go with the idea, "In the Beyond back at Redcliffe, the spirit of Desire tried to... corrupt us with our deepest desires. The spirit tortured Jowan with an image of his love Lily pregnant with their child. If Jowan had felt anything for me, the spirit would have used my image."

"I had no idea," he breathes relieved and the tension bleeds from his stance again. I can feel the pressure of his hands through my leather tighten some before he continues, "I can't even image what you had gone through there. I'm sorry I wasn't there to aid you," Sloane looks down at me kindly with an amount of regret in his gaze.

"You couldn't have been there," I reassure, but then something occurs to me causing the blush and the nervous chewing on my lip to start back up again.

There's a fine tremor in my gloved fingers settled against him when he asks simply, "What is it?"

"The spirit," I can't believe I'm saying this, "took your shape. I-I almost fell for it, but Aereweld stopped it," I can't look at him while I tell him this. I'd neglected to tell him this part originally, since I'd breezed through what happened when I'd recounted it. It didn't seem important at the time. I'm a little afraid of his reaction when he pieces it together though. I'd just figured it out myself, and I can scarcely believe it. But, many things are oddly black-and-white in the Beyond, and the spirits will use anything to their advantage. Even things you didn't know about yourself.

"The demon tortured you with what you desired most..." His voice has an odd tone to it, but I can't even dare to look at him in my nervous cowardice, "It tortured you with me?" I nod against his shoulder, both fearful and hopeful at the same time. Funny - I didn't even consciously realize this is what I wanted. That he was what I wanted. But the heady pounding of anticipation in my veins, and the warmth seeping into me by his mere presence is comforting, and wonderful, even with the nerves and silly worries flitting through me and my thoughts. "You desire me, my love," he concludes in a voice rough with unsung emotion that makes me cling to him. I'm relieved, to say the least, when he presses impossibly closer, before upturning my face with a gentle caress of his fingers on the soft underside of my chin. When I finally meet my gaze to his, his eyes are dark, but his expression is as happy as it is sensuous. "You have no idea how enthused I am to know that," he says before moving his face close enough for me to appreciate the flecks of green in his golden, hazel eyes blown wide. He presses his lips against mine in another feather-light touch, one that for some reason makes my knees weak and an undignified whine to bubble out of my throat unwillingly. He breaks away again, and breathlessly mutters, "Maker, but we really must stop this. I unfortunately must tend to my injuries sooner rather than later."

My eyes flick over his face worriedly again, and I take note that the cut on his cheek has scabbed over, but his shoulder must still be oozing blood for him to complain. From a fucking attempt at a back-stab, I bet. I frown at the thought of him being untreated for much longer, and move my arms off of him with a careful, and tentative caress of his sides with my gloved hands. "I'll help," I offer in a voice that's unusually uneven and hesitant.

"Your affections will be my undoing." The corners of his lips twitch upwards, "Very well."

I'm very much conscious of the way he's watching me, when I lower my pack to the ground before him and dig through it for the things I'd need for his wound. "This could be a very compromising position were the circumstances different," he snarks, and I glance at him to see barely-restrained humor shimmering in his eyes. What does he mean? I'm not doing anything. But, now that I'm looking, my face is right by his - oh.

"Get your head out of the gutter," I mumble amused, and lean back from him a bit more.

"You say the strangest, but sweetest things, dearest," he retorts and then crouches in front of me.

And for some inexplicable reason, I feel my cheeks pink at that. I gather the things I need into my lap, and then ask with the utmost caution in a voice labored with insecurity and nerves, "Wh-when did you...?" I look towards him and gesture helplessly between us. Without the heat and press of our bodies against each other, reality has fallen heavy on my mind, which in turn has lead to my thoughts attacking me mercilessly. I know I can't be what he's looking for. He should have pursued Leliana, Morrigan, or, heck - even Zevran. Why me? This is... this is surreal, and right up there with all the other unbelievable things I've experienced recently. I can't help the uncertainty and damning thoughts from creeping into the back of my head, especially now without the distraction each others' lips. I'm nothing more than a plain Jane, even before the blood magic was drawn into my skin. I have no illusions about the fact that this gorgeous man is way out of my league. And now that I'm thinking it, I can't stop thinking it.

I watch silently, and helplessly, when he purses his lips with a far away look about him, before he finally answers my open-ended question, "I'd fancied the idea of you when you had first sought comfort in me en-route to Redcliffe. I'd realized, later, that I appreciated being the one you went to. And sometime later still, I'd realized what that meant. And in Redcliffe, when you'd nearly died, I couldn't bare it... It helped me put things into perspective." The serious expression he was wearing leaves his face when he waggles his eyebrows a bit, "I've been waiting for an opportunity to show you just how much I adore you." He smiles brilliantly at me, "And you, love?"

My lips thin when I take a moment to think about it too. "I-I'm not sure," I reply honestly. "I... don't think I knew until we kissed, that I- well..."

"I see," he says quietly and reaches out to brush a bit of my wild, sweaty hair from my forehead. "I believe you've mentioned on more than one occasion that many things are different in this world of mine, than the one you hail from."

"Why are you saying that?" I blink at him and feel unease creeping back into me slowly, but consuming.

He tilts his head as if the reason were obvious, "Most times when two people care for one another beyond carnal pleasures, as we do, and share something like we had just shared, they are certain of themselves and their partner. You should know it's common enough to have never even shared a kiss with your spouse until your wedding day. Passion is rare, and I'd like to think it means a great deal." He moves to tug off the glove on one of my blood magic imbued hands, and then laces that hand through his larger, warmer one. "You are passionate about me, yes?"

"Yes," I breathe automatically with truth that I cannot hide. Oh, shit. It never even occurred to me... Socially, things are different, and everything I'd just told him - that I desired him - and the way we kissed... There is passion here, but... I've just leapt head-first into something serious without even considering... Oh, fuck, I have no idea what I'm doing. It was different between Aereweld and Ambrosyia... What is going on? That feeling of a panic attack is coming back...

Sloane brushes a kiss to the back of my scarred hand, "Know that I do not call you 'love' idly, Karie."


A/N: Originally this chapter had a much more lighthearted ending, but I dropped it for realism's sake. :P And Zevran was going to make an appearance, but these two just kept talking... Also, the art poll is coming down tomorrow, so vote today for what scene you'd like me to paint!