"So Curly, how about we finally play that game of Wicked Grace tonight?" Varric eyed Cullen from the breakfast table.
"Oh wouldn't that be marvelous?" Dorian said while forking a piece of egg into his mouth with a wide grin.
"No-no, thank you." Cullen muttered, keeping his eyes to his plate.
"But the Inquisitor will be there." Varric eyed him, his lip twitched to a smile.
Blackwall chuckled, leaning back on the back two legs of the wooden chair. Cullen shot him a look. "A nice pint and a game of cards would harm nobody, not even the Commander of the Inquisition." Blackwall said through a smile.
"This might take some more convincing." Dorian said playfully.
"I'll give you one Qunari massage if you go." The Iron Bull winked at Cullen through his sharp teeth.
Cullen sputtered out his juice. "I think not!"
"Now, now Bull...it has to be something worthwhile." Dorian said now glancing at Bull with a disgusted look.
"That's not what you said last night." Bull laughed while eating a leg of ham, staring intently at Dorian.
Dorian breathed a loud sigh and looked away from him, annoyed. "How about I take care of your precious messengers so that they leave you alone for one night?" Dorian's eyebrow raised. He curled his moustache with his fingers, eyeing him intently.
Cullen blushed, stuffing his face further into his juice. "Wh-wh-what do you mean?" He whispered to him over his mug.
Dorian leaned over, his elbows rested on his knees. "Oh you daft boy. It means…" Dorian said with a sinister smile, "I can make sure you and the Inquisitor have some much needed alone time. Enough so you don't have to travel by horse. You just name the day."
Cullen cleared his throat. The others looked at him laughing. "We all know Curly, it's all right. Word travels quickly here." Varric said, raising his mug towards him.
"Good catch there, Commander." Blackwall chuckled, taking a sip of his drink.
"You would say that." Dorian replied, smiling at Blackwall, who stuffed his face into his mug burying his expression.
Cullen looked up at them confused and shook his head.
"So is that why there's a hole in your ceiling? Is she sneaking in at night or is she that explosively magical in bed?" Bull said sinisterly, he leaned towards Cullen for an answer.
"Maker…I'm being assaulted." Cullen whispered through his teeth, avoiding their gazes. His cheeks turned a bright shade of red.
"Or is she doing all the assaulting?" Bull pressed on, his head tilted.
"It's worse than the battlefield here." Varric laughed.
"You're telling me…" Cullen replied with a look of disgust on his face.
"I will take your silence as a yes, by the way." Dorian smiled. "Varric do you mind setting it up tonight? I'm about to win some coin." Dorian hung on the back two legs of his chair and folded his arms.
"I-I never-" Cullen stuttered.
"You don't need to. It's settled. I will drag you by the ear if I have to." Dorian rested all four legs of the wooden chair back to the ground and looked at him seriously.
Cullen let out a deep breath. He got up from his chair and rested his arm on it. "Not for long, I have much work to do."
"That's what I like to hear." Dorian smiled back at him and shooed him away.
_
"Ready handsome?" Dorian crossed his arms and rested his body against the stone wall with his eyes closed.
Cullen let out a small breath. "Almost, just have to finish this letter." Cullen was hunched over his desk, scribbling quickly on a piece of parchment. "And stop calling me handsome." He added in a small voice.
"At this rate, Sera has already drunken herself under the table." Dorian waved his hand in the air in impatience. "I meant what I said by the way...I can make sure you have some time alone." He opened his eyes and stared at him directly.
Cullen lay his quill on the table, resting his palms on his desk. "I barely had time to get away the first time. Corypheus could attack at any moment." He said now looking up at him seriously.
"If Corypheus did attack, you both would notice. Trust me." He said with a small smile, pointing at the ceiling above him. "You do not know what will happen in the end, might as well not have any regrets." He looked away, staring at the wall to his left.
"Is that your excuse for your relations with the Qunari?" Cullen now made his away around his desk, leaning on it while crossing his arms.
"Merely having a bit of fun before my inevitable death. Ah and what can I say, brutes are my type." His lip curled to a smile.
Cullen shook his head and handed the parchment to the raven that Leliana had gifted him which was perched on his desk. The raven flapped its wings gracefully into the night's sky. "Who says anyone is going to die?" He added, looking at him from the side of his eyes.
"Ah, the optimism. Look at what the Inquisitor has done to you." Dorian bowed and opened the door to his office, leading him outside.
"I'll make sure she gets out of this alive, even if I have to go in there myself." He said seriously as they walked towards the main hall.
"Then she is lucky to have you and we are lucky to have her." Dorian looked over and shot him a smile. "Hopefully luck...doesn't run out for any of us." His tone trailed off more solemnly. "But for tonight...some fun. Right Commander?" He ushered him to the table that Varric had set up by the fireplace.
"Wait…" Cullen stopped Dorian, extending his hand out looking at the long table. "This morning, did Blackwall-"
"Yes." Dorian said simply, turning his back onto the table. Out of ear's reach. "He liked the Inquisitor, much like everyone else. Much like you. Does that bother you?" Dorian eyed him.
"Uh-um no. No-I don't know." Cullen said, taken aback.
"She, like you, is oblivious to people's affections. Do not let it come between you. Blackwall is a man of integrity, you needn't worry. Once he found out about you two, he was very happy." Dorian slapped his hand on Cullen's shoulder.
Cullen took a deep breath and nodded. Most of the companions were already seated, their coin spread out onto the table. "Ah Commander!" Josephine exclaimed, a wide smile on her face.
Dorian crouched under the table and laughed. "What did I say?" He looked up at Cullen with a big smile. Sera was lying down on the carpeted floor, her hand raised to her forehead. She seemed to be mumbling to herself. A pint was knocked over next to her.
Cullen shook his head and took a seat. "Solas and Leliana?" He asked looking around.
"Leliana is quite busy at the moment." Josephine muttered apologetically.
"And Solas is busy reading a book." Varric laughed. "I asked him and I'm not sure if he was being rude or polite but either way he rejected. Maybe if he hears us from there…" He pointed at the door to the far left, "...he will come join us. But I hardly doubt it."
"His loss." Cassandra said, now taking coin out of her pocket and placing it out on the table.
"Shall someone go get the Inquisitor?" Josephine eyed the table, looking around.
"I'll get her. Don't get your ruffles in a bunch." Varric laughed and headed out the main hall.
"We should start without her." Bull said excitedly, looking around the table.
"We wait." Blackwall said swiftly, looking up at him with a disgruntled look.
Cullen looked over and furrrowed his brow. Dorian shot Cullen a knowing glance.
Without another moment's notice, Varric ran in with the Inquisitor in tow. "I found her Ruffles! deal her in!"
The Inquisitor smiled widely at the table in acknowledgement and thankfully the only empty seat was purposefully left next to Cullen. Cullen raised his glass in her arrival and she brushed her hand out of eye's reach against the back of his armor. She took her seat next to Cullen and gave him a small smile.
"I do hope I recall the rules. It's been ages since I've played a game of Wicked Grace." Josephine said apologetically, shuffling the cards.
"Are we playing cards or what?" The Iron Bull said impatiently, swigging a mouthful of beer.
"There's a crown on his head, but a sword too. His head didn't want either." Cole muttered from his seat. Everyone looked up at him confused.
"Don't talk to the face cards, kid." Varric laughed.
"You seem to have enough people. I have a thousand things to do." Cullen said simply, getting up from his chair. The Inquisitor calmly pulled him by the armor and gave him a reassuring smile.
"Losing money can be both relaxing and habit forming. Give it a try." Dorian said, urging the Commander, placing his palm under his cheek. "And besides, we made a deal." He added ruefully.
Cullen groaned and sat back down slowly.
"A deal?" The Inquisitor repeated, looking up curiously. Everyone at the table laughed except for Cullen and her. She looked at Cullen and he shook his head into his palms.
"Curly if any man in history needed a hobby, it's you." Varric smiled and nodded apologetically at the Inquisitor. The Inquisitor giggled while looking at Cullen. She placed her head on her cheek staring at him lovingly. Cullen looked away blushing.
Josephine dealt all the cards and looked deep in thought, looking at her coins. "I'll believe I'll start at three coppers. Is that too daring?" She looked up at the table.
"Seriously?" Bull yelled from the other side of the table. "Who starts at three coppers? Silver or go home." He clinked a piece of silver in the middle of the table and leaned back into his chair.
"Sounds good, I'm in." Blackwall threw his coin and nodded.
"Bolder the better right?" Dorian said looking up at Bull. "I'm in."
"Don't forget I'm new to this game." The Inquisitor said, slightly embarrassed. "Go easy on me." She said throwing her coin into the pile.
"Go easy on her." Iron Bull repeated, looking at Cullen mischievously.
Cullen cleared his throat, pretending like he hadn't heard what he had just said and threw his coin in retaliation into the pile.
"Whoever wins the hand has to say an embarrassing or funny story. Fair deal?" Varric eyed the table. Everyone nodded in agreeance. "I need some more material for my books." Varric laughed. "So when someone picks up the Angel of Death card, we all show our hands." Varric reminded the Inquisitor, smiling at her politely. She returned the smile, looking around at the table mischievously.
"I got it." Blackwall threw the card in the middle of the table and smiled. "Everyone show your hands."
Everyone lay their cards on the table. Cullen smiled wickedly as he eyed the others. "A set of Knights." He said triumphantly, picking up the coin in the middle of the table.
"Alright. Story time, kiddo." Varric said smiling widely.
"Very fitting." The Inquisitor said, looking at him impressed.
Cullen took a deep breath and his lip curled to a smile. "Alright, so there was this one time when I was serving in the Circle...a Templar recruit and a Mage had found to be...fraternizing. They thought they had been rather secret about it but everyone knew." Cullen started to laugh under his breath. Everyone began to chuckle. "Either way, the Knight-Commander found out and bursted through the door while they were consummating their relationship. The poor recruit ran out into the dining hall in nothing but his knickers. And this...profound silence fell over the hall as seventy Mages and thirty Templars all turned to stare at once. Then a slow round of applause began and spread until every soul was on their feet giving him a standing ovation." Cullen slapped his knees staunching a laugh.
"What did he do?" Josephine stifled a giggle.
"Saluted, turned on his heel and marched down the hall as if he were in full armor." Cullen chuckled.
Everyone laughed at once, their voices bouncing off the castle walls.
"Are you sure that's not a personal story?" The Iron Bull laughed, staring at him intensely.
Cullen turned bright red and shook his head in disagreement. "N-No!" He yelled back.
"Seems like something that would happen to you, Curly." Varric laughed, holding his hand to his stomach.
"Maker's Breath...I didn't say that story so you can direct it at me." Cullen said annoyedly.
"I think he's foretelling some twisted future." Dorian laughed, hiding his mouth with his palm looking directly at the Inquisitor.
"Nah! Nevermind, I take that back! I don't Cullen has the balls to consummate anything." Iron Bull took a swig of his drink and winked at him.
The Inquisitor giggled through her hand and blushed deeply, turning her face away from the table.
"I regret winning." Cullen said, looking down at the table.
The Inquisitor reassured him by rubbing her hand lovingly on his back. "It's all right. I believe you." She smiled widely at him.
"Thanks for the book material, Curly. Let's keep going." He tried to change the subject and winked at him.
A few hands later, Josephine's winnings became larger to everyone's dismay. Cassandra, Blackwall, Cole, the Iron Bull, Varric had all been wiped out of coin. Cullen, the Inquisitor and Josephine remained the only ones able to play.
"And the dealer takes everything! I win again!" Josephine said bunching the coin into a neat pile.
"How about we up the stakes?" Iron Bull eyed the crowd mischievously.
"How so?" Cassandra asked him, leaning over.
"They take off their clothing when they lose." He grinned wildly.
"I agree to that." Josephine said wickedly. Everyone looked up at her surprised, their eyes widened. "Commander? Inquisitor?" She looked up at them respectfully.
"Deal again, I've found out your tells, Lady Ambassador." Cullen said seriously, gazing at her with fire in his eyes.
"Commander! Everyone knows a lady has no tells." She smiled wickedly back at him.
"Then let's see if your good fortune lasts one more hand." He raised his eyebrow.
"I want another chance to win my dignity back. Deal me in." The Inquisitor said, eyeing Cullen with a smile.
"You have much more dignity to lose." Dorian said playfully, eyeing her up and down, laughing.
The Inquisitor laughed nervously. "You're right, nevermind." She smiled apologetically and took her coin away from the table.
Cullen eyed his cards, a nervous sweat dripping down the side of his forehead. He dropped a card in the discard pile and picked one up. His heart dropped instantly. "Angel of Death." He muttered, unimpressed, throwing the card down.
"Atta boy. Show us your cards then, Commander." Dorian whispered through his teeth.
Cullen cleared his throat and gulped audibly. "A pair of Songs." He declared, dropping his cards.
"Ambassador?" Cassandra said, trying to look over into her pile of cards into her hand.
Josephine's lip twitched. "A set of Serpents." Her voice slithered in redemption, she exhaled loudly and relaxed back into her chair.
Cullen's face dropped as everyone at the table laughed in his direction. "I don't know why I do this to myself." Cullen said shaking his head.
"Time to take it off!" The Iron Bull drunkenly said, raising his mug in a toast.
"I will not!" Cullen said angrily.
"It is part of the game, are you not a man of your word?" Cassandra said, looking at him through the corner of her eye.
Cullen shot an angry glance at her. He stood up briskly from his chair and took off his armor slowly. Dorian whistled at him and he shot him a dirty look. His whole face was flushed in red.
"That is a lot of armor." Blackwall looked at him, impressed as one more piece fell and made a loud noise as it hit the floor.
Cassandra and Josephine looked away respectfully. The Inquisitor and Dorian eyed him wantingly. Cullen's eyes reverted back to them as he slowly loosened the buttons to his undershirt. "Don't look." He whispered, embarrassed.
"Why not?" They said in unison, laughing.
"I-ah-don't." He said, looking away from their deep gaze. He unbuttoned the rest of his shirt. He threw it aside. His chest was laid bare, the breath of air from the fire hugged his body warmly. He sat down and looked back at the Inquisitor who's mouth was agape. He looked at her seriously, rubbing his hand furiously through his hair.
"Good man." Dorian said seriously, his eyes widened. Giving the Inquisitor a thumbs up.
"Pants." Iron Bull said swigging more beer. His head lay on the table facing the other direction.
Cullen groaned in protest as he sat back down in his chair. Taking his boots off slowly, kicking them off furiously. His eyes remained on the Inquisitor. He noticed she was biting her lip as she stared at him. Her cheeks were pink and a small smile curled at the tip of her lips. Her lips had turned a deep red from the harsh biting, wet from the licking. Cullen sighed as his heart leapt to his throat. Everyone had turned their eyes away by this time, except for her. He looked at her, wordlessly pleading to look away. He stood up once more, unbuckling his pants. Pulling his belt slowly and staring at her seriously. Her lips parted and she let out a small breath. He threw his belt aside. His heart beat nervously as he undid the button on his pants, so loud that she could probably hear it. Cullen had fazed out everyone else who had been sitting there and only focused on her presence. She finally looked away respectfully, not without shooting him another wanting glance. She stared deep into the fire and let him take off the rest of his clothes in peace. He sat back down. "Done." He muttered angrily. "May I go now?"
Varric smiled and looked at him from the corner of his eye. Everyone had started to leave the table, ignoring Cullen's lack of clothing and stepping around his clothes. Cullen and the Inquisitor exchanged glances, her eyes lingered to his bare chest for a long moment. Her smile unwavered. Varric pulled her aside and winked back at Cullen and tilted his head to the direction outside the door. Cullen nodded and wordlessly flew off the chair picking up as much armor as he could on his way out covering his body as he ran away in shame. He made his way to his office, not without a few snickers from the lingering soldiers from the top of the battlements, pointing and laughing at him. Cullen snapped his door quickly and locked it securely and rested his head against the wooden door frame. Not wanting to leave his quarters ever again.
