Summary: Set during Act 3. Fenris and Anders discuss their relationship with Hawke.
~~~
"You don't have to stay here, you know."
Fenris didn't so much as move a muscle. He remained in place, perched atop a crate in the corner of Anders' clinic, his sword within reach.
From where he sat, he had a clear view of the area, the exit in sight.
He spared Anders an unimpressed glance.
"I know that," he grunted, always at the ready, should the need arise to defend them.
Anders sighed.
As he took stock of his inventory, the clinic quiet for the moment, he frowned to himself.
"Then, why stay?" he asked. "For Hawke?"
"Do you really think that I would remain in your company for Hawke's sake?" Fenris countered, glowering. "No, I am doing this because the templars' numbers are far too great. And despite what you may think of me, I think of you as an ally, and I am concerned about you— about your wellbeing."
Anders didn't even bother to hide his shit-eating grin.
Fenris scowled.
"Aww, Fen," Anders teased, placing his hands over his heart. "You think of me as a friend?"
"Are you hard of hearing, mage?" Fenris snapped. "I said no such thing."
"Really? Because what I heard is that my best friend, Fenris, likes to slum it up with me in my Darktown clinic to protect me."
"Then you're delusional," Fenris snorted, rolling his eyes for good measure.
"Said out of a place of friendly concern, I'm sure."
"Clearly."
Chuckling, Anders started to prepare some poultices, both of them settling down into a somewhat comfortable silence.
If anything, at least it was less tense than before.
Fenris was staring at the doors again, resolute, when Anders finally broke the silence.
"Do you love him?" he asked.
Already, Fenris was regretting not taking Varric up on the offer to check on Merrill instead, but part of him knew this was coming.
This conversation was long overdue.
"Am I supposed to know who you are referring to?" Fenris muttered. "Or should I try and read your mind?"
"Don't play dumb," Anders responded, his brow furrowed. "You know exactly who I'm speaking of."
"By all means, enlighten me anyways."
"Hawke," Anders answered, voice cold as ice. He clenched his jaw. "Garrett."
Fenris crossed his arms over his chest, lips pursed.
"Even if my feelings about him were any of your business, I don't see how they're relevant." Of course, it hurt to admit, but it was the truth nonetheless. "He made his choice, and he chose you. You were quick to replace me, just as you always wanted."
Anders huffed, slamming the poultices down onto a table before he turned to face Fenris. He stared him down, his head held high, hands on his hips.
"I didn't replace you, you foolish man." After a moment, he grumbled. Long, slender fingers combed through messy, blonde hair. "I don't think anyone can replace you, especially not in Garrett’s eyes." Fenris didn't immediately respond, which Anders took as encouragement to keep going. "He does still love you, you know."
"What does it matter? How is it relevant in any way, when he has you?" Fenris repeated, his patience wearing thin. His voice was no less than a steel edge. "What are you trying to accomplish by telling me this? What? Do you want to twist the knife? To brag about how you've managed to to get the one thing —the one person— in life I wanted above else? If so, then save your breath, mage. I will not tolerate your mind games."
"I'm not—" When Fenris turned his glare on him, Anders glowered in turn. "I didn't bring it up to brag. He does love you, and you make him happy."
"And...?"
"And..." Anders paused, hesitant. "It's obvious that he makes you happy as well."
"There better be a purpose in telling me this."
"There is," Anders insisted. "The fact of the matter is that, regardless of our personal feelings about each other, Garrett loves us both. We both make him happy, and I don't want him to lose you simply because I'm with him."
"So, what?" Fenris scoffed, narrowing his eyes at him. "You suggest, what? Sharing him?"
"No need to make it sound so terrible," Anders grumbled. "I don't know how these things are handled in Tevinter, but such arrangements are not unheard of in southern Thedas. You see it done in some places more often than others, I admit, but having multiple partners is far from being rare. Garrett’s father was romantically involved with both Leandra and the templar that freed him. The Hero of Ferelden's grandparents hail from Rivain, where a common household structure is based off of the Qunari Triumvirate. A system of—"
"Three," Fenris finished. "The mind, the body, and the soul."
Anders nodded.
"Although, I imagine any relationship that involves the three of us would probably be less symbolic in nature. Speaking from a cultural standpoint, of course."
"Fair enough," Fenris agreed, considering the offer for a moment. "I am not certain how the elite of Tevinter 'handles' such matters. They're all about putting on airs and forging alliances in the public eye. They often do whatever it takes to reinforce their precious bloodlines with even greater magical talent. Everything else is hidden behind closed doors."
"But that's just the nobility, right?" Anders asked. "What of the others? What of the slaves?"
Fenris averted his eyes for a split second, wrinkling his nose.
"The slaves stick together as best as they can, but even some amongst them have been known to turn on others, if it meant saving their own skin." A tough choice, one that every slave was familiar with, in one way or another. "Romance was almost nonexistent, at least from what I saw. You were considered fortunate if your master paired you with someone decent. Very few slaves had a choice in the matter, and even fewer were granted the right of having a marriage that was acknowledged in the eyes of the Imperium."
He took a deep, shuddering breath.
"So, the very notion of being involved with someone in such a way, it never occurred to me that it was possible. Not until I was able to stop running. Not until—"
"Not until Hawke," Anders whispered.
Fenris glanced at him, gave him a sharp, curt nod.
"Not until Hawke."
Silence settled yet again, briefer this time than the first.
Anders eyes flashed blue, there and gone between one blink and the next.
"I think I can understand." When he picked up a roll of bandages, his white-knuckled grip wouldn't let up, but he needed to keep his hands busy while he spoke. "Even the youngest children in the Circle were told by the templars that no 'self-respecting' cleric would ever ordain the marriage of a mage to another. That it would be a disgrace in the eyes of the Maker. The enchanters warned us against developing romantic attachments. The templars are notorious for using such relationships against mages and apostates alike, especially if it means getting them to comply."
Fenris watched him closely, how his gaze grew distant. How his face smoothed out into an emotionless mask, all too familiar.
"I once told Garrett that Justice disapproved of our relationship because he thought him to be a distraction, but that wasn't really the truth," he admitted, his head hung low, hair shielding him from view. His grip on the bandages tightened. "Justice didn't approve because he feared what would be left of us if Garrett was harmed because of us, or if we were used to get to him."
"What made you decide to go for it?"
"Well..." Anders trailed off with a shrug. "I decided that I wouldn't let our fears of 'what if's dictate how we lived our life, and I knew, deep down, that it wasn't my place to make those sort of calls on Garrett's behalf. He's fully capable of deciding whether or not he wants to be with Justice and I, and whether or not any associated risks are worth the effort."
True enough.
"Now, it's up to you," Anders said, "to decide whether you still want to be with him."
He got rid of the crumpled bandages, dusting his hands off onto his coat.
Fenris grumbled.
"Just like that, huh?"
"Just like that." Anders turned towards him, giving him his undivided attention. "Like I said, I want Garrett to be happy. He deserves that much, and your presence is... tolerable."
"Thanks," Fenris deadpanned.
Anders smiled.
"Years ago, when we first met, I might have said differently. But if you can believe it, part of me even wants you to be happy. Now, I don't know if you and I will be snuggling and kissing any time soon, but we could at least be cordial for his sake."
"You mean we'd have to stop arguing at every opportunity?" Fenris shook his head in mock disappointment. "I knew there would be a catch."
"Ha! Was that a joke?" Anders laughed, and Fenris sat up a little straighter, his gaze trained on him. "Did you just make a joke in my presence? Someone alert the Chantry!"
"I despise you."
"So you keep saying, but in all seriousness..." Anders approached, stopping only when he was within reach. "Think on it, if you need to, but Garrett’s decision will be the final one. And I'm sure he will agree, if given the chance."
"You're that certain?" Fenris asked, raising an eyebrow in his direction.
"As certain as I am that the sun will rise tomorrow," Anders said. After a moment of thought, he offered a hand out to him. "So, what do you say? Truce?"
Fenris thought it over, then reached out.
To think that it took them so long to come to terms with one another, and that this —of all things— was what brought them together. What made them find a common ground to build off of.
Leave it to Hawke to bring even the most unlikely of allies together, for better or for worse.
➻ Author’s notes: This story is crossposted on multiple sites under the same username!
Kyungsoo watched the Chanbaek couple at a distance, with envious eyes. The two had been together since he could remember, all the way since debut. Fans loved them together because their personalities meshed so well. It was amazing at how easily Chanyeol and Baekhyun got along. They were both loud and playful; smiles always on their faces. Sometimes those smiles could be so contagious that everyone couldn’t help but be happy as well. They were the “power” couple of EXO and the interesting part was that they really were a couple. What fans thought was fanservice was actually the two just showing their love for each other. It was both cute and annoying to Kyungsoo. His own fanservice was mostly done with Kai. The younger male was adorable and close with him, but to be honest, the fan service was usually forced on Kyungsoo’s part. Not that he didn’t want to be close with Kai, or express his admiration and friendly affection for the other. It was just...he wanted to save a lot of that affection for someone he really cared about.
That person, sadly, was Chanyeol. The tall male had such a beautiful soul that Kyungsoo honestly couldn’t help but fall in love with him. Chanyeol was, besides handsome, very talented. He was gifted in rapping, composing, as well as playing instruments. He was also one of the more famous members, with a larger fanbase. Yet, despite his talent, good looks, and fame, he never let it got to his head. He didn’t have an ego and he never acted arrogantly. He took everything in stride and was extremely modest, always down playing the compliments he was given or being extremely thankful for the praises he would receive. And much like he w as teased, he was the happy virus and made it his mission to make anyone and everyone he met happy. In essence, he was the picture of purity and that’s what had initially drawn Kyungsoo in and led him down the winding road of love. A love that was very much one sided.
Kyungsoo didn’t hate Baekhyun, nor did he wish to be Baekhyun (that was just stupid). He was actually very good friends with the fellow vocalists. Some people normally thought they hated each other, but that was never the case. Kyungsoo liked to tease and Baekhyun always took it with a light heart and open mind. Even when he complained on shows, it was always teasing, which Kyungsoo liked. Kyungsoo never voiced his attraction for Chanyeol, especially not to Baekhyun. He wasn’t someone who wrecked relationships. He believed that if love was meant to happen, then he would be in a relationship with that person. To him, it was obvious that chanyeol was not that person. So he stayed silent and instead was a good friend to Baekhyun, letting the older man use his ears when he needed to vent about Chanyeol or a problem that they were having within their relationship.
Kyungsoo had never been in a relationship before, so he was never too sure if he managed to be of any help to Baekhyun. He relied mostly on common sense and what he believed a relationship should be when giving advice. It seemed to work, so that was a good thing. Did he wish, for just a moment, he could be with Chanyeol? Of course, but he did have more respect than that to want something he couldn’t have. So he did what any good friend would do. He pressed his feelings, burying them as deep down inside himself as he could and continued on with his life, working as much as possible to keep himself busy and his mind from wondering.
~*~
“Hey shorty.” Kyungsoo grunted as he found a large hand resting on his head. Lifting his gaze, he stared up at Chanyeol, the giant smiling down at him brightly. Kyungsoo could feel his heart skip a beat before beating faster in his chest. He had to scold himself mentally for such a reaction and calm himself while giving Chanyeol a soft smile in return.
“Hey Chanyeol.” Kyungsoo greeted. “What’s up?”
“Practice, duh.” Chanyeol laughed as he looked around the dance room they were in. They had just taken a ten minute break after spending the last hour going over their relatively new moves for their recent comeback. The members were scattered, with most of them out to use the restroom. A few were still in the room, sitting about and drinking water, like Kyungsoo. The male was still sweaty, but slowly calming down.
“No! You’re kidding me.” Kyungsoo teased with a light laugh, Chanyeol following suite. “I thought we were all taking a nap.”
“Damn, I wish.” Chanyeol chuckled, letting out a soft break before turning to glance at the room. “Actually…” he started and turned back to face Kyungsoo. Do you a schedule for practice?” he asked.
Kyungsoo blinked and rubbed his chin. What was his schedule for the rest of the day. He didn’t remember off hand, but he knew the shooting for his movie had been completed and he wasn’t needed for the drama for another three weeks. So...was he free? He was thinking his schedule was free for the time being. “No. Not that I know of. I believe I’m free.” he told him with a smile.
“Yeah? Awesome! So do you wanna go out afterwards?” Chanyeol asked. Kyungsoo raised a brow and Chanyeol chuckled. “I mean after we get back and shower and changed.” He clarified and Kyungsoo nodded, chuckling.
“Sure. Any place in particular or just what ever place we come across?” Kyungsoo asked curiously. It wasn’t everyday that Chanyeol wanted to go somewhere with him. He was usually going out with Baekhyun, so he had to admit, he liked this change. It had been a while since he had some quality time with Chanyeol. He actually missed it and was looking for to it now.
“No, not really. We could go down to the river. Or go out and see a movie?” Chanyeol suggested. “Just not somewhere that’s going to be overly crowded. Is that okay?” Chanyeol asked.
“A trip to the river sounds nice. I haven’t been down there in a while.”
“Then we’ll go there!” Chanyeol said happily. “I’ll meet you at my car when we’re changed and ready.”
“Sounds good to me. I’ll see ya then.” Kyungsoo nodded, smiling as Chanyeol left his side then. Alone again, Kyungsoo turned to face the mirror and started practicing the steps once more.
~~~
Chanyeol stepped out of the practice room, smiling as he spotted Baekhyun leaning against the wall a few feet away. Walking over, he wrapped his arms around the other, leaning down to kiss him gently.
“Mmm.” Baekhyun hummed into the kiss, returning it lightly before pulling back from the kiss. “How did it go?” he asked, raising a brow.
“Good!.” Chanyeol told him, pecking his lips gently. “We’re going to head to the Han River. You sure you want this love?” Chanyeol asked, eyes searching Baekhyun’s for reassurance.
“Yes. I know about his feelings for you. And you know, why not? You like him, I like him.” Baekhyun smiled. “Why not try?”
“True. But what if he doesn’t want this? What if he only wants me?” Chanyeol asked.
“Well, we need to find out right? So we’ll do this. And however it goes, it goes.” Baekhyun told him with a smile. He leaned up and kissed him softly, arms winding around his waist. “I love you baby.” he cooed.
“You’re crazy, you know that?” Chanyeol asked and chuckled. “I love you too, baby. Let’s head back in and finish practice.” Baekhyun nodded and took Chanyeol’s hand, walking back into the practice room as their break came to and end.
~*~
Kyungsoo let out a soft sigh as he exited the car parked at the Han River. Well it was really the grassy park, they still had a walk to actually get down to the water. The cool summer night air washed over him and it was like all worries and stress was just washed away. He would never admit to it the others, but he was a nature lover. There was something about being outside that he just found so relaxing. Maybe it was the lovely scenery or maybe it was the fresh air. Whatever it was, he absolutely loved it.
“It’s beautiful out tonight.” Chanyeol commented next to Kyungsoo, startling the other out of his thoughts. Smiling softly, Kyungsoo looked at Chanyeol and nodded his head.
“It is.” he said. “I like it here.” he said gently, eyes scanning the area. “Let’s head down okay?” he asked and smiled at Chanyeol. Nodding, Chanyeol took Kyungsoo’s hand and tugged him towards the path that would lead them down to the river. They walked in a comfortable silence, neither one feeling the need to talk. That’s what Kyungsoo liked about Chanyeol the taller male made him feel so comfortable and relaxed. He didn’t feel the need to fill the silence with noise, like he did with some of the others. He also didn’t feel like he was giving off a mean or unapproachable vibe. Being with Chanyeol just felt so natural. Reaching the water, they walked down the small incline to the edge and stopped.
“It’s cooler here.” Chanyeol mused as he took a seat on the concrete, legs folded neatly in front of him.
“It feels nice.” Kyungsoo muttered as he took a seat next to the other. ‘It’s been way too hot lately. The cool air is a nice change.”
“True. And at least it isn’t as cold as it normally is in the winter time.” Chanyeol chuckled and leaned back, hands braced on the ground behind him. “And it’s romantic out here. You can bring a special someone out here and just have a quiet day down at the river.”
“Sounds so nice.” Kyungsoo whispered, and wistful look in his eyes. “You should bring Baekhyun down one day.” he said with a soft chuckle. “He’d like it here.”
“Maybe.” Chanyeol mused, head turning ot face Kyungsoo. The younger male was staring out at the water, eyes sparkling from the lights of the buildings across the way. Chanyeol had to admit, the other was very handsome just like that; face neutral of most emotions, seemingly lost in his thoughts. Of course Chanyeol thought Kyungsoo was absolutely breathtaking when he smiled or sung. There was just this glow about him that surrounded his body and made him seem so angelic. Baekhyun had the same glow about him as well. But Baekhyun tended to be more cute than anything else, but that was just his personality. The other wasn’t afraid to make an idiot of himself and be just as childish as Chanyeol could be. What made Kyungsoo different from Baekhyun is that the other was more mature. He didn’t usually act silly, but there were rare occasions where Kyungsoo opened up and acted just as silly as the rest of them. And that’s why Chanyeol found himself falling for the other, because he needed that maturity and seriousness in his life. That’s probably why Baekhyun found himself also pinning over the short penguin-looking male. Kyungsoo was just...Kyungsoo and that’s all he could describe him as and that’s really the way he needed to be described.
“Kyungsoo, is there anyone that has caught your attention?” Chanyeol asked, wanting to make as much of a casual conversation that he could without letting on to his true intention. Kyungsoo looked over at him and raised a brow before shaking his head some.
“No not really.” he said. “I haven’t had enough time to stop and let myself find love.” It was an obvious lie to Kyungsoo, but he wasn’t aware that Chanyeol knew it was a lie as well.
“Really? What’s your ideal type?” Chanyeol asked curiously.
“Someone I can be myself around. Someone who I don’t feel pressured to impress and will accept me for who I am.” Kyungsoo paused for a moment, thinking over some other attributes he wanted in his ideal type to have. “Someone who can make me laugh. Someone with a good soul and values family and love and work ethic.” he said and hummed softly, nodding his head.
“You mentioned nothing about looks.” Chanyeol laughed. “Tall, short? PRetty? Actress?” he pressed.
“I don’t care.” Kyungsoo gave a soft smile. “I fall for personality, not looks. If the person has the type of personality I like and we mesh well, I will automatically find them attractive.” he explained. Chanyeol nodded as he listened and chuckled.
“You have such a pure soul Soo. I like it.” Chanyeol chuckled.
“Thank you.” Kyungsoo replied and smiled. There was a small hint of a blush on Kyungsoo’s cheeks. He could feel it and he wanted so desperately to cover it. His crush just complimented him, and while it may not be a big deal to Chanyeol, it was a huge deal to Kyungsoo. It was a moment he wasn’t going ot forget anytime soon. He looked over and noticed Chanyeol checking his phone and it prompted Kyungsoo to pull out his own and check it. He was just making sure that he hadn’t missed any calls from their manager or any of the members. Seeing none, he placed his phone on the ground next to him, near Chanyeol’s own cell phone. They sat there for a moment in silence, before Chanyeol got up and stretched.
“Hey Soo.” the older called, Kyungsoo’s attention being drawn to the other. And before the male could answer, Chanyeol grabbed his arms and hauled him up onto his feet. With a very cheeky grin that left Kyungsoo momentarily confused, Chanyeol tugged them a few feet forward, jumping into the river Kyungsoo following. And the moment the cold water of the river hit his body, Kyungsoo was very glad that they both could swim. Then again, he was sure that was the only reason Chanyeol pulled such a bold stunt, because they both could swim and most likely wouldn’t drown. Surfacing, Kyungsoo spat out water, arms and legs kicking to keep himself afloat, a glare sent to the smiling Chanyeol.
“Why?”
“Why not?” Chanyeol countered with a laugh, which somehow managed to pull a smile from Kyungsoo, who shook his head.
“It’s official, you’re crazy!” Kyungsoo laughed as he turned and started swimming towards the wall to pull himself out. He heard the splashing behind him and assumed Chanyeol was going ot swim up next to him to get out as well. Instead, an arm slipped around his waist and he found himself pressed against the wall. Shortly after, he was turned and a pair of dry, cracked lips pressed against his in an almost urgent kiss. It was weird, to him, being kissed. He had fantasized many times about kissing Chanyeol and even though he had a few kissing scenes, they never gave him the accuracy of feeling what a kiss was, which was two lips pressed against another set of lips. They were pressing, almost as if in a shoving war and it was starting to get uncomfortable for Kyungsoo, but then Chanyeol’s head tilted slightly and the pressure changed.
Kyungsoo found his top lip slipping between Chanyeol’s as Chanyeol’s bottom lip slipped between his lips. And he honestly couldn’t say he hated it. In fact, he really liked it. Especially as Chanyeol’s lips started moving slowly over his. So Kyungsoo mirrored his actions, taking cues from the more experienced male. He was getting lost in the kiss and the sensations and he never wanted it to end. And in the back of his mind, he vaguely realized that he was kissing Chanyeol, a man he had been pining after for long, yet refused to make any sort of move because he was taken. He was kissing a taken man and he loved it.
They pulled back from the kiss slowly, and only when the need for air became too great. Even then, they didn’t pull that far away, lips still brushing against each other as they panted softly, trying to calm racing hearts. It amazed Kyungsoo how such a simple action such as kissing could get him so worked up that his heart felt like it was going to pound right out of his chest. All this was so new him and it both excited and scared him. And with good reason it scared him.
“Baekhyun?” It was just a name, but an important name. As much as Kyungsoo wanted to celebrate his achievement of kissing Chanyeol, he had promised himself long ago that he wouldn’t ruin anyone’s relationship and he didn’t want to start now. Despite how wonderful Chanyeol’s lips felt against his. His eyes turned to stare at Chanyeol’s eyes which were scanning his, as if Kyungsoo already held the answer to that question. Did he? Was Chanyeol finally done with Baekhyun and now he was looking for someone else? Was he just a rebound? Or was Chanyeol doing the unthinkable and cheating on his boyfriend? So many questions were running through his head and he hated that. “Chanyeol.” he whispered.
“It’s not what you think.” Chanyeol said gently, head tilting to brush their lips together once more. And Kyungsoo wanted to give in so easily. He wanted to get lost in Chanyeol’s kiss once more, but he had to stop himself, pulling back.
“Then what is this?” he asked, chewing on his lower lip lightly. Chanyeol pulled back further and smiled softly at him as he raised his hand from out of the water to stroke Kyungsoo’s cheek gently.
“So much more. But maybe we should get out before we talk?” he suggested and Kyungsoo had to agree. It would be better if they were out of the water before they started discussing the kiss and what Chanyeol wanted for the future. The taller male pulled back from Kyungsoo, and the wide eyed male turned and heaved himself out of the water, Chanyeol following suite. They sat on the edge of the concrete wall, feet dangling and water still dripping from their bodies. While the silence that settled between them wasn’t awkward, it was heavy as it loomed over them, each trying to anticipate the other’s next move and reaction. “I know about your feelings.” Chanyeol finally said, shocking Kyungsoo as the other stared at him, mouth slightly open.
“What?”
“I know. I mean I didn’t know until recently. Baek mentioned your favoritism towards me and I started watching you.” Chanyeol explained. “You like me. It’s okay to admit it, so please be honest with me.” he told him.
Kyungsoo was quiet for a moment before he let out a deep sigh. “I didn’t want to say anything. I don’t want to be a relationship wrecker. You and Baekhyun are so cute together. Perfect. And I just want you two to be happy, regardless of my wants.” Chanyeol listened to him quietly, taking in all of Kyungsoo’s words carefully as he formulated his reply.
“I understand and I thank you for being so considerate of us Kyungsoo. But I have to say...I love you.” he said gently. “I don’t really know when, but I do know feelings have developed for you.”
“But...Baekhyun?”
“Let me finish.” Chanyeol said as he pressed his finger to Kyungsoo’s lips to silence the other. “I’ve talked to Baek when I came to the realization that I want more than friendship with you. He was more than understanding when I talked to him and even confessed having similar emotions.”
“Chanyeol?” Kyungsoo whispered confused.
“What I’m saying is that Baek and I both like you and we really would like for you to come into our relationship, if you’re willing.”
Kyungsoo honestly couldn’t believe this. Was Chanyeol honestly proposing a threesome between Baekhyun, Chanyeol and himself. Though he didn’t really have strong feelings for Baekhyun, the other was very attractive and his best friend. It wouldn’t be such a bad thing to be with him as well. He just found it all so strange that he spent so much time trying to keep his feelings for Chanyeol at bay. And suddenly he was going to have his deepest desire become reality with an additional bonus of having Baekhyun. His heart was on such a rollercoaster ride. “I don’t really know what to say.” he said gently. “Besides yes. But this is so sudden and almost confusing. I feel lost and hopeful.” Kyungsoo looked away then and sighed. “Are you sure this is okay? “
Chanyeol reached out and grabbed Kyungsoo’s cheeks gently in his hands, forcing the other to look at him. ‘I am one hundred percent sure.” he told him with such confidence that it made Kyungsoo’s heart flutter. “And Baek is as well. It was actually his idea, that I take you out so we could discuss this, since your feelings were for me and not him. Are you sure you want to do this? With Baekhyun included?” Chanyeol asked once more. He needed to make sure that this was what Kyungsoo really wanted. The last thing he wanted was for Kyungsoo to agree and then regret the decision.
“I’m sure. I...won’t lie. It may be awkward at first, but I want to give this a try.” Kyungsoo nodded at him. ‘ISo I want to do this, and be with you and Baekhyun. I don’t know how things will go for us, but I will work hard to make it work for us.”
“We will too, Soo. We will make this work.” Chanyeol smiled widely and leaned in, connecting their lips once more into a soft kiss. Kyungsoo leaned into the kissin, running slim fingers through Chanyeol’s damp hair, stroking it gently as he once more started to get lost in the kis.s He wanted it to last forever, especially when Chanyeol’s arm wrapped around him and pulled him close. A soft gasp left him as his wed body was pressed against Chanyeol’s equally wet and cold body. The momentary shock of the wetness had Kyungsoo’s lips parting and Chanyeol used it to his advantage, slipping his tongue into Kyungsoo’s waiting mouth. A moan left Kyungsoo as Chanyeol licked at his tongue. It was a strange sensation but not unpleasant. So Kyungsoo wanted more. He dared to move his own tongue, letting it slide smoothly over Chanyeol’s. Their lips moved against each other as heads tilted in opposite directions to deepen the kiss further. Kyungsoo let Chanyeol’s tongue move within his mouth, licking at the roof of his mouth which caused him to shudder so violently. Chanyeol pulled back from the kiss with a light chuckle and smiled at him, lickig his lips.
“Wow.” Kyungsoo whispered with a soft smile. “That was...intense.”
“It can be even more intense if you give it a chance.” Chanyeol grinned.
“I don’t know if I’ll be able to handle that. But I can’t wait.” Chanyeol let out a chuckle as he climbed to his feed before helping Kyungsoo up to his.
“Let’s head back to the dorm and get changed.” Chanyeol suggested as he grabbed their phones and took Kyungsoo’s hand and led him back to the jeep. The right back to the dorm was made in a comfortable silence, hands held over the center console, eyes focused on the long road ahead of them. By the time they arrived home, they were nearly dry, but still chilled to the bone. They made their way upstairs, punching in the code and walking inside. They were greeted with the quiet drone of some sort of TV program playing in the living room, but otherwise it was quite. Then again, it was pretty late at night, most members were probably asleep. Walking into the living room, the two glanced at the empty seats and Kyungsoo sighed. Walking over to the coffee table, he grabbed the remote and turned off the TV before turning and facing Chanyeol.
“Let’s go to my room.” It was a suggestion that Kyungsoo easily agreed to. Taking Chanyeol’s outstretched hand, he held it and gave it a gentle squeeze before heading down the hall of the bedrooms, stopping briefly so Chanyeol could open his door before walking in. They were greeted with the sight of Baekhyun reclining on the bed, playing with phone. The sound of them entering the room drew his attention away from the device momentarily as he looked up at them.
“Oh.” Baekhyun said and grinned at them. ‘You guys are home so soon. Did everything go okay?” he asked, eyes moving down to stare at their joined hands before lifting once more to start at the two.
“It went good. Really good.” Chanyeol said with a grin and looked over at Kyungsoo who nodded his head in agreement. ‘He has agreed, but he wants to take it slow.”
“Slow?” Baekhyun asked.
“Yeah.” Kyungsoo nodded and chewed on his bottom lip. “I like Chanyeol. And I’m not opposed to this threesome idea, it's just I’ve never looked at you in that light before.” he confessed. He wasn’t afraid to admit that he hadn’t liked Baekhyun in that way and he still didn’t. But that didn’t mean he would never like Baekhyun like that. In fact he was hoping to fall for Baekhyun. IT would make this relationship work better and that's what he wanted, for everything to work better.
“Ah, I see.” Baekhyun chuckled. “Alright then. We’ll take this slow. How about we start with some late night cuddling?” he asked.
“Sure. But after a shower. We went swimming and now we need to get cleaned.” Chanyeol laughed.
“Okay! Shower well.” Baekhyun smiled at them.
“We will babe.”
And as Chanyeol tugged Kyungsoo out of the room, he couldn’t help but smile. They were all going to work on this relationship and he couldn’t wait to see the good things it brought in the future.
There was no accusation in her tone, as she sat there with her head on Elliot's shoulder, voice soft. She was looking at him with gentle curiosity in her eyes. But he didn't see it, couldn't bear to look at her when faced with that question.
"Its complicated Kathy." He says instead.
She hums, then without missing a beat, detaches herself from his shoulder and starts rummaging around in the bedside table.
He turns to watch her with a furrowed brow, "What are you doing?"
She takes out a magazine and tosses it in his lap.
At a glace, he sees it reads; "non-monogamy."
—
Or,
Elliot is in love with Olivia. Elliot is still married to Kathy. Kathy introduces the term, "Polyamory."
An Archive of Our Own, a project of the Organization for Transformative Works
Chapters: 1/1
Fandom: Mass Effect Trilogy, Mass Effect - All Media Types
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Relationships: Thane Krios/Female Shepard/Garrus Vakarian, Thane Krios/Shepard/Garrus Vakarian, Thane Krios/Female Shepard, Thane Krios/Garrus Vakarian, Female Shepard/Garrus Vakarian
Characters: Thane Krios, Female Shepard (Mass Effect), Garrus Vakarian, Ashley Williams, Kolyat Krios
Additional Tags: Romance, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Bittersweet Ending, Colonist (Mass Effect), Ruthless (Mass Effect), Adept (Mass Effect), Paragon Shepard (Mass Effect), Polyamory, OT3, Kepral's Syndrome, Chronic Illness, Insecurity, Eventual Smut, about halfway through iirc, Threesome - F/M/M, Oral Sex, Alien Biology, Spitroasting, mentions of pegging, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Mass Effect 3, Banter, Knotting, just in case, two guesses as to who has the knot, Reunions, Reunion Sex, Huerta Memorial Hospital, The Citadel (Mass Effect), One Shot
Series: Part 8 of Polyamorous Negotiations
Summary:
It has been months since Thane last saw Garrus and Shepard, months since he's been recovering from his operation. For a while, Thane started to wonder if something had happened to them during the war.
Safe to say, he has never been so glad to be proven wrong.
