"I'm so glad you're home," Sebastian said as he closed the doors to their chambers.

"I know. You've told me five times already," Hawke laughed halfheartedly. She didn't think she had ever felt this exhausted. Every muscle ached, and felt like they had been replaced by lead. Her eyes felt like she had been crying for the last few hours, but in her defense, she probably had been.

He gently grabbed her hand, and spoke so softly that it melted her heart, "That's because I don't know how to tell you how much I missed you other than repeating it. I know it's cliché, but now I know why people call the one they love their other half. It felt like part of me had been ripped away."

Hawke felt tears start to well up in her eyes again, and buried her head in his chest. It was cliché, but what he had said was sweeter than sugar, and described exactly how she had felt being away from both him and Bethany. He wrapped his arms tightly around her, seemingly not caring about her armor stabbing into him. The tension in her shoulders faded slightly. There was no place she felt safer than in his arms.

He turned his head to place kisses on the side of her head, "I love you so much. I promise that I will always remain at your side from now on."

"And I won't leave like that again. Not without you," she said between tears into his chest.

He held her tightly against him as she continued to sob. He continued to press kisses against the side of her head, and whispered reassurances into her hair. They started swaying slightly to the beat of their hearts after a few minutes.

"You should take your armor off, mo gràdh," he said once she calmed down.

"I know."

"Do you want help?" he asked, sounding nothing but concerned.

She pulled away, "No, I'll take care of it."

He placed his fingers under her chin, and tilted her head up to look at him, "Let me take care of you."

"Sebastian…" she started to say.

"Let me do this, please. I have lived here while you have struggled through the worst parts of Thedas."

"Alright," she sighed. She stepped back completely, and held up her arms to make it easier for him. He started with the armor on her arms, undoing the buckles and setting them to the side. Then, he knelt in front of her, and began on the armor on her legs. He stood, and took the armor on her torso off.

"There you go," he said, swiping his thumb across the tear tracks on her cheek.

She hummed in response. She already felt better without the added weight of her armor. She felt grosser though. It was as if without that extra weight, all the grime had room to breathe, and make itself known.

"I need to take a bath," she groaned, and started to turn away.

He caught her hand, "Let me help, mo leanann."

How could she say no to him? She nodded, and he wrapped his arm around her waist. He led her to their bath chambers. She sat on one of the stools as he began to heat and fill the bath. He had taken off his coat, and rolled up the sleeves of his tunic before he stuck his hand in to test the water. Once he was happy with the temperature, he turned to the cabinet that housed all their soaps and bath oils. He shot her a smile as he grabbed her favorites. The smells of lavender, roses, and honey filled the air as the oils mixed with the steaming water.

She had managed to undo her hair, and get undressed as he worked. Her hair hung around her face in greasy clumps, showing just how long it had been since her last proper bath. She was taken aback when his face didn't light up like a tomato when he saw her naked. Under normal circumstances they'd both be blushing, but he was too worried, and she was too tired. He frowned slightly when he saw her new scars. He didn't need to say anything for her to know he wished he had been there to stop them from happening.

He replaced the frown with a soft smile, and helped her stand up, "I think it's ready."

"Smells nice."

"I did use your favorites."

"I noticed."

He guided her to the bath, and helped her in. She sighed when the hot water hit her skin. She was grateful Sebastian was standing there, because she would've slipped right under the surface of the water otherwise.

He let her get used to and relax into the water before he started gently pouring water onto her hair. Once it was nice and wet, he grabbed the shampoo and started massaging it in. His fingers felt like heaven on her scalp. Her hair wasn't particularly tangled thanks to the braids, but he separated the clumps.

When he was satisfied with her hair, he began massaging soap into her neck and shoulders. He scrubbed at the residual dirt and sweat still stuck on her skin. The soreness in her muscles faded with every pass of his hands. He helped her stand, and started working on her lower torso. The fact that she didn't even have to resist the urge to make a dirty joke as his hands traveled further down her body showed just how out of it was.

He handed her towels as he helped her back out of the tub. He disappeared into their bedchambers wordlessly as she dried off. She couldn't remember ever feeling this clean, and she loved it.

"I set some bed clothes out for you," he explained when he walked back in.

"Bed clothes?"

"I can see how tired you are, mo gràdh, and it's not nearly too early to head to bed. I'll be in there once I've drained the tub."

She didn't bother trying to argue with him. She finished drying off, and handed the towels back to him. She saw one of her favorite nightgowns waiting for her on the bed. She pulled it on, reveling in the feeling of the fine fabric on her clean skin. He walked back into the room just in time to see her attempting to braid her hair. He pushed her hands away, and tried to do it himself. It took him longer than it would've taken her, and the braids were messier, but she appreciated the thought.

He rested his hands on her shoulders, "Let me change, and I'll join you."

"You don't have to."

"Yes, I do, and more importantly, I want to."

She slid under the covers of the bed as he got changed. True to his word, he slid in a few moments later. He pulled her into his arms, pressing his chest against her back. He whispered sweet nothings into her hair to lull her into sleeping. Thankfully, it was a dreamless sleep.