Just realized that we hit the 450 review mark last chapter! Staring open-mouthed at my screen right now. Thank you to everyone who's left feedback; it really does brighten up my day.

A double update, so an early - and rather silly - chapter. A second should be later today.

Distraction

Morgana

The sword feels good in her hand after the couple of days of rest. Comfortable, familiar.

Now armoured, he weighs his own blade in his hand, flexing his wrist. He obviously feels the same. He looks up from it, giving her a half-smile that's a promise, and, in this case, a challenge. Almost the same as the one he gave her after...

She feels heat come to her cheeks as she remembers the kiss, grip briefly loosening on her sword hilt; he raises his eyebrows slightly, thoughts seemingly in the same direction, just a hint of colour in his own face.

Damn. He knows he does this to her.

She wonders if the others have worked it out yet; they're still in the main camp, working through tactics and sparring themselves.

She rolls her shoulders, a habit she's acquired from him, and gives him a wide grin when he doesn't move towards her. "A little rusty, are we?"

His own smile grows wider, and he finally steps forward. "As if. Says the woman who still can't set an ochs." He cocks his head, eyebrows raising again. Again, a challenge, and one she's happy to meet.

They circle each other, small clanks of metal from their armour the only sounds, before he remarks, pseudo-casually, "Your posture is off."

Her gaze briefly flickers down to her feet, then straight back to him. She recognises his attempts to throw her off. "Almost." She lunges for him, nearly getting past his guard, but he steps back, throwing up an arm.

Blade meets bracer, his eyes meet hers, and he murmurs, "Better." Hazel eyes dart momentarily to her lips, which are wearing a triumphant smile, and then he backs away with a soft laugh. "Guess I shouldn't be going so easy on you." He dodges one of her frustrated stabs, but it catches him in the side plates of his armour. He looks down before stepping away, dislodging it with a gloved hand. "Definitely not. But it's rather difficult to act like you're a darkspawn."

She smiles in sympathy for a moment, still circling him. "I know. But distractions..."

"Are bad. Yes." He goes in for a low swipe, knees bent, graceful but efficient, in a move that would have taken her kneecaps if not for the armour. She nearly falls, shifting her balance at the last moment and only just managing to steady herself. Then she looks at him, breathing heavily, and wipes her brow.

His eyes are softer, and he says quietly, "Well, you're certainly... distracting."

A low laugh, and she asks teasingly, "Getting soft?"

"What, me? Never." He springs forward, in a move aiming straight for the chest.

They cross swords briefly, but her reflexes let her down, and when he sweeps her ankles out from under her with a swift foot (surprisingly dirty move for a templar-in-training, she thinks), she ends up, as usual, on the ground and at the point of his sword. Hers is somewhere a few feet away, having slid away in the fight. This would have scared her, once, when she was fresh out of the Circle and so naive. Now he gives her a small, slightly crooked smile, and her heart isn't speeding up from fear.

"Nope," he says, "I think it's definitely you that's getting rusty." He stabs his sword beside him on the ground, then, as always, offers her a hand, eyes kind.

She takes it, lets him pull her up... and further...

She understands his intention quite quickly. Arms tight round her, he proceeds to give her a surprisingly gentle second kiss, ignoring the slight awkwardness of armour (she thanks the Maker they're only in basic mail, rather than heavy plate).

They both knew that the sparring was as much of an excuse to be alone than actual training, but she only freely admits it now.

She breaks away reluctantly, still slightly breathlessly, and looks round at the sound of a quietly-cleared throat.

Leliana and Zevran stand only a couple of feet away, the elf leaning against a tree, the two both giving them almost identically amused (and slightly lascivious) smiles.

Well, there goes the "not letting the whole camp know". She pauses, arms still around Alistair's neck, speech temporarily deserting her except for one word.

"Bugger."