In the end it was not a quick trip to the Exalted Plains. Leave it to Belathen Lavellan to have the bridge she'd ordered rebuilt lead to a fortress she had to overtake. The reports back were all that kept Cullen calm as he waited for word she was safe. He hated sending her out, wishing he was with her.

On the other hand, a month and a half was a nice enough time to get used to his new romantic entanglement. Truthfully, spending the evenings with Dorian was a comfort. After a few weeks had passed, the Tevinter Mage even stopped leaving before morning broke. It was a subtle but welcome change. Cullen couldn't even begin to express how much it meant to him.

It was in those early hours, feeling the warmth nearby and sighing softly in relief, that Cullen was woken abruptly by a quietly whispered phrase. "I think I've actually fallen in love with you."

Cullen rolled over to meet Dorian's eyes. Dorian gasped a bit on surprise, flushing.

"I'm glad to hear that," Cullen responded in the same almost reverent whisper. "I'd hate to be falling alone."

"You know, in Tevinter even best friends of different genders are told that romance is ill-advised."

"Then I'm doubly glad we are in the south." With that, Cullen leaned in for a soft kiss. Dorian was smiling beneath it almost immediately, but pulled away abruptly. "Is something wrong?"

"When I've been with another man who has a relationship I'm used to being a dirty secret," Dorian explained. "The fact that Bel knows and encourages us..." He fumbled for the words a moment before shaking his head. "It seems surreal."

"I can't say it's common in Fereldan either," Cullen admitted. "I'm not sure I could have offered if our situations were reversed."

They both had to chuckle at that. Because of course the Inquisitor was the type to do something completely against all traditions and seem oblivious. At the end of the shared laughter however Cullen managed to catch the other man in another deep kiss, and nothing else mattered for the rest of the morning until the sun was well on its way up the sky.

It was two days later while they were sharing dinner in Lavellan's deserted quarters (not only did she encourage it, but she had asked Cullen to look after the cat that kept scratching at her window) when a thought dawned on the Commander.

"The fact that I'm... with... Lavellan isn't going to be an issue for us, is it?" He seemed concerned by the very concept, the the point that Dorian could see the shake in his lover's hand and heard the tremble in his voice.

"Certainly not." Dorian was pleased to see his partner ease at the quick response. "I like Bel. I count her among my very few true friends. One of only four I've ever had." The Tevinter paused at that with a sigh. "And three of you are here in Skyhold."

Cullen smiled. "Building new ties, then?"

There was a quiet pause before the mage could answer. "I suppose I am."

"We talked about a lot of things when we first started. You said you want something- well, something more as I recall. Is that still true?"

Dorian found himself stalled again. "Well, I suppose this war won't go on forever, will it? What do you plan to do?"

"As long as there is an Inquisition, I will stay. I'm tired of always moving on. I'd like to stay, see what it's like to really be part of something bigger than myself."

Dorian nodded. "Just like you to throw yourself into your work regardless of the situation. What about Bel? I would have thought she intended to go back to her clan."

Cullen went quiet. Uncomfortably so. "I... that might have been true."

Dorian couldn't help his surprise. "But not any longer?"

"I miscalculated on a mission," Cullen whispered. "We've been keeping it quiet but... Belathen may be the last of the Lavellan clan."

"And I've stumbled straight into something I should have left alone." Dorian chided himself with a sip of his drink. "My apologies."

"Don't worry about it. It's... well, you are the one she considers her best friend. You SHOULD know." The Commander seemed distracted then, looking up at the ceiling. "She promised she forgives me, you know. That it has been set aside. Yet I can't tell myself it's alright."

"Probably because it isn't. That doesn't mean you are to blame." Dorian moved to Cullen, wrapping the larger man in a hug. "If she can see that, so can you."

It was an unexpectedly tender moment. Cullen couldn't help but turn to meet Dorian's mouth, to relish the momentary touch between them. It was fiery, tangible- there was a lack of resistance that the former Templar couldn't attribute to his relationship with the Inquisitor. It felt dangerous, exciting. That was the reason Cullen had first found himself so entranced by the Tevinter male...

Now it was so much more. There was a strength of character he hadn't expected, and a resounding intellect. The whole package greatly appealed. In the end it was not so different from Bel after all - yet it was deep as well. Cullen only wished that he could share this joy with her more evenly.

Then Dorian was behind him, carefully rubbing his shoulders, and Cullen found himself melting at the touch. All other thoughts dissipated except how comfortable and right this felt. This was definitely love. This was... almost perfect. But something nagged at the back of his mind, as if something was missing. The idea was dismissed when Dorian started to nip lightly at Cullen's neck and made even that odd sensation of something amiss disappear.