"To get the full value of joy you must have someone to divide it with."
― Mark Twain
3. Bliss
Few things feel as good as this, Bull decided lustily, his nostrils flaring with pleasure. He flicked his tongue over the smooth ridges, savoring the earthy and spicy taste.
Mm. Chocolate.
From where he stood everything in the world was right. Beyond the crenelated ramparts the mountaintops shone, radiant and pristine with freshly fallen snow. He contemplated the delicate bar of chocolate and nibbled off the corner. It was a slow routine he engaged in anytime he was lucky enough to receive one of his chocolate deliveries. He'd steal away, take his time unsealing the fine wrapper, and then wave the bar gently under his nose, feeling himself begin to salivate from the sugary and nutty odor. Varric and another trader at Skyhold, Ofir, usually came through— although Varric's supplier had chocolate that was a tad purer; it contained less milk and sugar, which he favored slightly more. Only slightly. The bittersweet taste lingered on the tip of his tongue as the chocolate slowly dissolved in his mouth. He noticed his fingertips were coated lightly with it and knew he would be licking them clean when he was done, a punctuating gesture concluding his ritual — not one precious bit should be wasted.
He grunted with pleasure as he gingerly bit off another chunk. Just then, the tower door creaked.
"Hey chief," Krem's low voice echoed behind him.
He turned, furtively hiding the chocolate behind his back, a protective lover shielding his naked, vulnerable mistress.
"Been looking for you. Armory won't give Rocky the explosives; said you need to sign off. They're still mad about the avalanche on the southern pass…"
Krem had known Iron Bull long enough to recognize that suspicious, nonchalant look. He furrowed his brow. A streak of something brown edged the corner of his mouth. Krem pointed at it.
"You got something on your—"
"No, I don't," Bull said slowly.
Ah, shit. Bull knew that smug grin. Let the busting of the chops begin.
"I knew you were up to something when you ran off all secretively like that!"
"I'm going to trust you to keep your mouth shut," Bull grumbled. "But only after you open it up to try some of this," he continued, breaking off a square and handing it almost reverentially to him.
"What's this?" Krem wondered, scrunching his nose. "It's not that Qunari dog crap rations stuff you've tried pushing on us before, is it? Because I don't—"
"Shut up and eat it," he ordered gruffly.
He watched, grimacing in frustration as Krem examined the square of perfection skeptically. He sniffed it tentatively and then ventured a tiny bite. The subsequent expression on Krem's face made him erupt in laughter. His eyes widened in delighted surprise and he quickly popped the entire thing in his mouth.
"I don't know if I like it yet. I need another piece to decide," he proposed, staring at Bull's chocolate bar covetously.
Bull clapped him affectionately on the back and then broke off half of the bar, handing it to his eager lieutenant.
"Here." He watched Krem lean back against the wall, chewing his piece with a contented look.
"This is good. Were you holding out on us, boss?"
Ah, yes. The others would want some too. It was pointless now. Varric and Ofir were going to retire richly on their orders. Krem sighed, finally slowing down as he realized it was almost all gone. They remained in comfortable silence enjoying the last of their chocolate and gazing at the picturesque landscape.
"Sometimes I think this is even better than sex," Bull mused, licking his thumb.
Krem looked at him as if he had gone mad.
"What are you talking about? I don't see why you can't have them both, together," he stated with a shameless grin.
Bull burst out laughing again, punching him on the shoulder.
"Cremisius Aclassi, get back to work! Break's over."
Bull eyed Krem, who was sucking the final traces of chocolate off his fingers, with silent admiration as they sauntered down the stairwell.
Shit! It's genius! Why didn't I think of that before?