I'm so mean for that cliff hangar. Not sorry. Cheers!

Unexpected Bath time Visitors

"Varric." Melusine's eyes traveled down from the empty space she'd expected to see Cullen's face to Varric's scowl. "What are you doing here?"

Varric's eyes were wide, and his mouth had dropped open at the sight of her. He opened and closed his mouth a few times before he looked off into the night and held something out for her to take.

"Dorian told me a little about what you're going through."

Melusine's eyebrows rose, "Did you come to offer your services to ease my misery?" Varric grumbled something incomprehensible as Melusine studied the object in his hands. "What is that?"

"I didn't come here to fuck you, Mel. But," he looked to her face and waved the object around, "I figured this might help distract you from your, er, cravings. It seems to help others."

Melusine took the object and read the titles, "Swords and Shields? Is that a penis joke, and in your title, Varric? How infantile."

"You don't have to take it if you don't want it," he moved like he would take the book away, but Melusine evaded, and the dwarf ended up stumbling into her quarters. He righted himself, saw the still steaming back, eyed her scantily clad figure again, then shook his head and turned his gaze back to her face, "It's my least favorite work, but it seems to be popular among the women of the Orlesian courts. It's all fluff and nonsense, but since you aren't getting any action between the sheets," he purposefully kept his eyes on her face even as the night air caused her nipples to perk up, "figured this could be the best I can offer you."

"Thank you." Melusine held the book close to her body. "And, I hope you can forgive me for being such an ass earlier."

"I'll think about it." Varric moved back toward the door but paused when he stood opposite her. It was a narrow space, but since she was so exhausted, Melusine didn't feel her body responding quite so aggressively to his maleness and proximity. She found the dwarf attractive and, if he weren't already signed, sealed, and delivered in her head to Cassandra, and she might've explored the possibilities with him. But as it was, her heart was tenaciously yearning for Cullen just as her mind had convinced itself Varric was for Cassandra and no other. "About what you said earlier."

Melusine frowned, "I should've kept my trap shut, Varric."

"Yes, that's true. But," Varric scratched his chin, "I am curious why you said those things in the first place. You must have an excellent imagination, or you see things I'm don't."

"Call it feminine intuition." Melusine reached out and placed a light hand on his shoulder. "If you pay attention to how Cassandra talks to you versus everyone else, you'll notice something. You'll also notice that the person she's the most careful about touching is you." Melusine withdrew her hand and straightened. "For women like Cassandra, that typically means the opposite of, 'I don't like you.'"

Varric shook his head, "I still don't buy it. But if that's the image you need to keep yourself warm at night," he winked, 'then go for it. My pleasure."

"Don't write off the possibility just yet, unless you don't think YOU could ever be satisfied with someone as beautiful, capable, smart, and dedicated as the Seeker." She patted the book, "Thanks again, Varric. I'll read it tonight, drink a fuck ton of wine while doing it, and hopefully wake up less bitchy tomorrow."

"I hope by Andraste's tits, you do." The dwarf retreated into the darkness with Melusine watching him go.

Before she closed the door to dive back into back, and the vat of wine she'd absconded with earlier, Melusine thought she saw another figure moving off in the darkness. She sighed. It seemed like the only company she'd be keeping tonight would be fictional characters from Varric's mind and her own imagination. She purposefully ignored the sting of rejection Cullen's lack of appearance rendered her heart. She couldn't blame the man. He had such lofty ideals and, in many ways, was like a Disney prince. It was unlikely a man like him would ever be interested in pursuing a madwoman like herself.