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A Satinalia to Remember

Cullen/Female Inquisitor | T | 1,042 words For @merrydisposition for the @daficswap. Happy Holidays! I hope you enjoy it!

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Satinalia was fast approaching and Cullen was determined to find the Inquisitor the perfect gift. They had been… involved now for several months and, Maker's breath, he was the luckiest man in the world. He didn't doubt that she'd picked out his gift months ago, something wonderful and thoughtful and impeccable. He couldn't just hand her a necklace and call it finished.

No, it needed to be perfect.

But what could it be?

He rubbed his neck, sighing as he crumpled up another sheet of scratch paper. The metal tip of his pen had gouged a small hole into his desk before he realized how hard he'd been tapping it. Swearing quietly, he checked the nib. If he ruined another pen so soon, the quartermaster would have his head. (Well, more like stammer at him uncomfortably for twenty minutes, and frankly, Cullen didn't know which would be worse.)

Shoving his things out of the way, he put his head in his arms. Why was this so difficult? She'd love anything he gave her, he was sure. (But how sure was sure? She had been a noblewoman after all, before the Circle. Was she used to elaborate, expensive gifts?)

He groaned, then sat up. Yes, that was perfect!

He pulled another piece of scratch paper toward him and got to writing.

+++

Keryn Trevelyan was exhausted. The winter had made the weather in Skyhold even worse than it had been in autumn, and there were so many things to do and not even a fraction of the time needed to do them properly.

She felt stretched thin, too little butter over too much bread, and honestly, if she were given the opportunity to sleep for a week, she'd probably do it.

Everyone was acting strangely too, more than usual, secretive and smiling in ways they hadn't been a week prior, but she was too tired to pay it much mind.

So she remembered far too late what the next day was. It was Sera who reminded her, dropping down to sit beside her at the bar of the tavern. Keryn had just wanted a stiff drink to help her sleep, but she smiled at Sera as she settled onto the barstool. "So—" Sera said, waving at Cabot, "—whatcha gettin' your Cully-Wully for Satinalia? I betcha good coin he's been agonizing over it for weeks!" She cackled, until she saw Keryn's face. "What? Don't tell me you forgot it was coming?"

Keryn's mouth opened and closed a few times, her eyes locked wide.

Sera cackled louder, gripping the stool between her legs as she rocked back. "You did! And now it's tomorrow! Poor Inky!" She wiped mirthful tears from her eyes. "So, now what're you gonna do? I'd offer to help, but you know me. I don't think he'd like my gifts." She sniggered.

"C-can you at least help me decide what not to do?" Keryn asked, feeling a stress twitch start up in the corner of her eyelid.

"Didju have sex yet? Sex is always a good present. No prep neither."

Keryn remembered the feeling of his desk against her back, the touch of his lips against her neck, and took a long sip of her beer. "Yes," she said simply.

"Shite. Hm. There's always weird sex? Like the shite Bull's into?"

Keryn thought she saw Bull perk up at his name, but he didn't come over to join them at the bar.

"I. I don't know about that. I think we'd have to discuss it first."

"Damn." Sera put her chin in her palms, swinging her legs thoughtfully. "Sexy outfit? Lure him out on a fake errand and when he comes back you're naked on his desk?"

"...All of your suggestions are going to involve sex, aren't they?"

Sera grinned in answer.

Keryn finished her beer and stared at the bottom of the mug, as if the answer would be waiting there.

It wasn't and she asked for another.

+++

The morning and afternoon of Satinalia were busy as usual. If anything, Cullen was even busier, trying to get everything done well before sundown.

As he put his final report on Leliana's desk, he found himself smiling, walking a bit too fast back to his office. He waved over a messenger and held out the invitation he'd written, asking Keryn to meet him in his office as soon as possible.

Then, he climbed up the ladder and arranged the little dinner table he'd set up. It was supposed to be nice night, so he didn't cover the hole in the roof, hoping to let in the star and moonlight. It wasn't much, doing a candlelight dinner in private (with the promise of dessert after), but it was personal and irreplaceable. Perfect.

When the door opened, Cullen peered down the ladder, making sure it was Keryn and not a messenger trying to foist more work on him. It was Keryn though, so he called her up.

She was wearing a long, warm coat, the fur trim at her throat fluffed out and warm. He smiled at her and kissed her hand as she stepped onto the second floor. "Your dinner awaits, my dear."

He'd enlisted the help of the kitchens, so though the foods were some of his favorites from Honnleath, it was also well-cooked, not the blackened char it would have become under his watch.

She was blushing as she ate, still wearing her coat. "Are you cold?" he asked.

The only response he got was a nod and a deeper blush. Bemused, he left the subject alone, falling back into the easy conversation they had.

When the dishes were clean, Cullen held out his hand. "Would you like to stargaze a bit?"

Keryn took the hand and brought it to her lips, looking up at him with glittering, mischievous eyes. "If you like," she said, letting her coat slip open enough to slide down a very bare shoulder, "but I did have something else in mind."

He swallowed and pulled her into his arms, helping her remove the coat. "I think I like your plan better," he said hoarsely.

She laughed and kissed him. "Happy Satinalia," she said.

+++

The next day, Keryn left a large bottle of wine in Sera's room as thanks. It was the cheap stuff, just how she liked it.