„There once was a mage from Tevinter,
who complained quite a lot 'bout a splinter.
He complained 'bout the heat,
he complained 'bout cold feet.
He did probably freeze till midwinter.“
With a wide gesture of his arm Fen'an Lavellan recited his spontaneous limerick and showed his displeasure at the same time. The Inquisitor shot Dorian a meaningful look and trudged backwards through the snowy landscape of Emprise du Lion.
The Altus had spent most of the morning complaining about the local weather. Fen'an noticed that he liked to do that, whether it be too hot, too wet or too cold.
„You can talk...“, Dorian muttered, his face buried in his collar. „If we stay in this cold any longer I fear my hands will freeze onto my staff.“
„Ever licked a lamppost in winter?“, Fen'an joked laughing and wiggled his eyebrows lewdly. He earned a confused look from Dorian and a knock on his head from his sister.
„Just a joke, geez...“, muttered the elf and rubbed the back of his head. Lavi shot him a skeptical look.
„I never thought I'd find someone complaining more about the cold than you.“, she admitted. „You are usually so... cold-blooded?“
„You have to keep in mind that the climate is much colder here than in Tevinter.“, Bull tossed in and laughed. „Wouldn't be the first Vint to surrender to our weather.“
„Not to forget, firecracker here can use his fire magic to keep himself warm.“, Varric added, who seemed to feel cold too.
„Maybe, but the last time I checked Dorian was a mage too.“, Fen'an objected. „You can warm yourself too, you know?“
„I could, if I didn't had to use my powers every night to not freeze in that pathetic excuse of a tent.“
Dorian shuddered in displeasure.
„I'll never get the cold out of my bones.“
Fen'ans amusement turned into concern.
„Shall I ask for more blankets?“, he asked and made smile appear in the mages face.
„I fear your quartermaster don't like me already.“, Dorian refused. „Better not make it worse.“
A few moments it was silent, safe for the wind and the crunching snow.
„You know...“, Bull began. „The best way to not freeze to death is to share body heat.“
„It would work though.“, Lavi agreed after thinking about it. „Fen is a walking bed heater. People fled from the heat.“
„Really, Lavi?“, Fen'an asked, stopped walking and looked at her outraged. „Why don't you spill all my secrets, while you're at it?“
„Like the fact that you like to cuddle attractive young mages during cold nights?“
„Lavi!!!“
Whilst the Inquisitor bewilderedly threatened his sister with a snow attack, the Iron Bull broke out into loud laughter when he saw Dorians baffled face. The mage composed himself rather quickly and found his usual self.
„Remarkable what creativity you come up with to get me into your tent, Inquisitor.“, he said with a chuckle. Fen'an started to pout.
„This was a totally innocent cuddle invitation.“, he said while turning more red with the second. „Take it or leave it.“
With these last words the Inquisitor hurried to the forefront of the group and didn't dare to look behind.
Lavi didn't worried about have taken it to far. The reddened peaks of his ears told her that he wasn't really mad, just caught.
The elf knew that the mage was dear to Fen'an, even before they both had come to Thedas. Therefor Fen'an was ahead of Dorian in that case and didn't seem to know how the behave around him. For an empath like him this was unusual, but it wasn't new for the most perceptive to be blind on their own account.
But Lavi knew, that her brother was as dear to Dorian, as he was dear to him. What didn't meant that he acted on it. He was as helpless as the Inquisitor in that matter.
She decided to give those two a push in the right direction.
The group had settled in a sheltered rock crevice that only gave enough space for three tents.
Bull had volunteered to take the exposed tent and didn't seem to mind the wind that tugged loudly on his flysheet. Considering that his snoring was much louder than the wind, one wouldn't wonder.
This was at least Lavis opinion, who left her tent cursing in the middle of the night to attend certain businesses. When she returned she noticed that she wasn't the only night owl.
In the light of the campfire, wrapped up in countless blankets and wearing a pissed off face, sat Dorian.
„Is it really warmer out here than in your tent?“, Lavi asked and crossed her arms. „I'm getting cold just looking at you.“
The mage moved and pulled the blanket down under his chin.
„The fire at least gives me the illusion of warmth.“, he said. „And should I freeze here, I surely make a great statue. A memorial for anyone who may come after me.“
„You know... what I said about my brother earlier wasn't a joke.“, Lavi replied and watched the man pitiful. „You should go to him.“
„You suggest to walk into the night quarters of the Inquisitor uninvited and in the middle of the night? To a man, who gets so nervous after a few kind words that he rather throw himself down the rail of the rotunda than to continue talking to me?“
Lavi began to laugh.
„That's nothing...“, she said and remembered something out of their former life. „One time we had guests over and he didn't eat for two days so he wouldn't have to leave his room and talk to them.“
Dorian tried to fight a laugh.
„The man is a walking anxiety disorder, go easy on him.“, Lavi grinned and took a deep breath. „And go to him. I promise he won't kick you out. He likes you.“
Dorian avoided her gaze and watched the fire.
„You probably will be overwhelmed by the heat, but that's better than freezing here, I guess. I mean, dying in the arms of the Herald of Andraste... what a way to go.“
With this being said the elf left him alone with his thoughts.
It seemed inappropriate for him to take the offer.
There were already wicked tongues accusing him of using the Inquisitor for his own evil plans, that's what it was like being a tevinter mage. The Inquisitor shouldn't be talked about like that though.
Then again had Fen'an himself offered, although a bit involuntarily, and Dorian doubted that he would be of much use if he'd spend one more night in his draughy tent. The Inquisitor surely knew this. He couldn't let his best mage freeze to death.
Dorian took a deep breath and made a decision.
The mage rose and made his way to the tent of the Inquisitor.
Fen'an Lavellan had a light sleep. The moment Dorian entered the tent, the elf woke with a start and searched hasty for his staff.
„Dorian!“, he said with a sleepy voice. „Are we getting attacked?“
Dorian looked at him surprised. Fen'ans blue hair stood in all directions and he watched around alarmed, yet tired. He looked much younger like this, too young to shoulder the responsibly he bore.
Dorian coughed slightly.
„No... all is still.“, he answered and almost wished to not have come here.
The tension left the elf's body as he slumped down.
„Oh...“, he muttered and blinked lost.
There was an awkward silence between the two mages.
„So... not that I'd mind...“, Fen'an began after a while. „But why are you in my tent then?“
Dorian blinked.
„Um...“, he began and coughed. „After a long thought I decided that I could maybe take your offer... before I am too frozen-stiff to do so. I would make a great ice statue, I am sure, but let's be honest, you're lost out there without my help.“
Fen'an nodded and watched him silently.
„You won't run away, will you?“, Dorian asked concerned.
„No.. I'm not awake enough for that.“, Fen'an replied and moved over. „Ask again tomorrow when I am mentally fit enough.“
The elf patted beside himself on the bedroll and Dorian followed his invitation cautiously.
The mage learned two things in that night.
Firstly Lavi hadn't lied when she compared her brother with a bed heating. The same fire that the elf usually used against his enemies seemed to accumulate in his sleeping body at night. In fact had in been so warm under their blankets that Dorian had briefly forgotten that he was still in Emprise when he woke up.
Secondly, and even more interesting, was the Inquisitor a massive cuddler. The careful kept distance between him and Dorian from when they had fallen asleep now was non existent. Dorian had found the elf spread over him in the morning, where he had sleeped peacefully... until he woke up and realized in which position he was.
Like a scalded cat Fen'an had jumped away, had watched the mage utterly horrified for a second and then stormed out of the tent under a stream of apologies.
Even for Dorian this had been a rather strange start in the day.
The mage could hear the elf arguing with his sister outside, not understanding what about though. The siblings spoke in a language only known by them, like usual.
He just wanted to leave the tent, when he heard Bull greeting the Inquisitor. The qunari straight walked alongside his the tent. Dorian paused. If the Iron Bull saw him coming out of this Inquisitors tent, what would he-
„Hey Vint!“, the qunari shouted and shook the thin fabric beside him. „I know you're in there. No use in hiding.“
Dorian straightened himself and walked out of the tent. Bull grinned knowingly.
„Did you sleep well?“, he asked impish and Dorian tried to hide his blush.
„It was purely for practical reasons.“, he replied and made the qunari laugh even more.
„Of course.“, he said, still laughing and went to the camp fire, where the twins continued to slang each other lovingly.
Dorian feared that he would end up as the victim of countless innuendos the following day.
