Dorian called him over.
"Evening Sparkler," Varric said when he made his way towards them, tankard in hand. "Jen," he added nodding at her.
Jen raised her eyebrows, "Since when do you use my name Varric?"
"Since I think you need a new nickname, I'm not sure Kid fits anymore. I feel like you have outgrown it," he shot her a grin as he sat down at their table.
"Yes!" replied Jen enthusiastically.
"Ooh can we come up with suggestions?" Dorian interjected with a dangerous glint in his eyes.
"Of course not, Varric can figure it out on his own can't you Varric," Jen said pleadingly to the dwarf, seeking to cut that idea off before it took hold.
"It's true," Varric replied theatrically. "But I'd keep your suggestions in mind Sparkler," he added brightly.
"Maker help me," Jen grumbled.
"Curly!" Varric shouted, looking towards the door.
Turning her head quickly, Jen saw the Commander dressed in his armour and fur coat as usual, notice them and make his way over.
"Good evening," he said warmly smiling at them all. Jen thought he still looked worn and tired despite the fact that they had all become more settled in Skyhold in recent weeks. Maybe it was simply the way he threw himself into his work, he rarely seemed to stop.
"Curly, would you like to join us in a game of Wicked Grace?" Varric asked, having seemingly produced a deck of cards from nowhere.
Involuntarily the Commander glanced at Jen catching her eye, and she nodded imperceptibly. It was kind of him to take into account her feelings, but she wanted things to be more normal between them. The air had been cleared and Cullen had supported her since, but it seemed he was still not fully comfortable.
"I will join you, although I have to warn you, I'm not very good."
"Don't worry, the stakes won't be very high, will they Varric," Jen said warningly.
"I suppose not," responded Varric dejectedly. "Spoil sport," he added under his breath, causing Dorian to chuckle.
"Anyway," Cullen cut in regarding them all with amusement. "Would any of you like a refill when I go to the bar?"
There was a chorus of assent, and Varric got up to assist Cullen.
"He is a good looking man, Cullen," Dorian murmured absentmindedly as he twirled the end of his moustache.
"I suppose he is," replied Jen, looking over at the Commander laughing at the bar with Varric. He was tall and broad at the shoulders, with a chiselled jaw and his short blonde curls were just about tamed. She turned her attention back to Dorian who was studying Cullen intently, a shrewd expression on his face.
"You have a soft spot for our Commander?" Jen asked, her eyes narrowing.
Dorian laughed quietly. "Well yes dear Cousin, he is very attractive. We have been playing chess together you know?"
This unsettled Jen a little, she hadn't noticed the Commander and Dorian spending time together. Although she didn't claim to be omniscient, she thrived off noticing little things between people. But the distractions of leading the Inquisition seemed to be making her miss details as she tackled larger problems.
"And how is it going?" she asked curiously.
"Not well, we are tied on games thus far, but I assume that isn't what you were asking about?" he asked cheekily.
"I'm interested in the gossip, as you well know," Jen folded her arms.
"Well, suffice to say that sadly I don't think I am the Commander's type," he divulged with a sigh.
Feeling relived that she was now in the loop on their developing friendship, Jen replied, "I'm sorry that is the case."
Looking as though he was about to speak, Dorian abruptly closed his mouth, but studied Jen intensely as though searching for something in her expression.
Cullen and Varric returned from the bar then, both holding several tankards and plonked them down noisily on the table. It soon transpired that Cullen had been telling the truth about his ability to play Wicked Grace. Whenever he tried to bluff, he failed miserably and consequently was picked apart for it. It was endearing to see the Commander flustered as he struggled to play, he was normally so capable that to see a small flaw made him seem more human to her. His association with Roderick had perhaps caused her to place the former Templar on a pedestal, despite the fact that Roderick himself had told her of Cullen's shortcomings. Regardless, Jen was very glad to have insisted on a limit for bets, it would have got out of hand in no time.
As the game came to a close, she found herself withdrawing from the group slightly and observing the three men. They were all laughing and joking, poking fun at each other and she couldn't help but smile as she watched them. It was nice to see, but she felt guilty that she was sat enjoying herself while Cassandra was coming to terms with her Daniel's death at her hand and the disintegration of her Order.
The Seeker had been quiet for the entire journey home and Jen had wanted to be there for her but hadn't known how. Leliana and Josephine had been waiting for them on the steps to the keep, but after seeing the thunderous expression on Cassandra's face, they had advised Jen not to follow the Seeker. Respecting the fact that Leliana knew Cassandra very well, she had heeded that advice for now.
Shaking herself, she picked up her tankard and downed the remaining mead, which caused Varric to whoop with excitement.
"I think it is time for another round," Jen said as she wiped her mouth on the back of her hand and looked to Varric expectantly, who had come out on top in the game. Cullen caught her eye and laughed with her at Varric's indignant expression.
"But they are my winnings!"
"That might be true, but not all of it was won by honest means was it?" Jen clarified cheekily. She had noticed that several cards had disappeared and reappeared at convenient times from Varric's sleeve during the game.
"Fine!" he held his hands up and headed to the bar.
"How did you know he was cheating?" Dorian asked with a raised eyebrow.
"Because I was too!" she produced a card from inside her own sleeve as she burst out laughing. The expressions of amazement and disapproval on both Cullen and Dorian's faces was priceless.
"Don't tell Varric," she added with a wink.
[A/N Now that summer is coming to an end I am hoping that I will get back into the swing of more regular updates. It's definitely been an eventful and busy one. Thank you for reading so far.
"Do you feel cold and lost in desperation? You build up hope, but failure's all you've known. Remember all the sadness and frustration. And let it go. Let it go." RIP CB, gone too soon. Your voice was one of a kind.]