For DA Drunk writing - otp prompt “Move over.” for which ever pairing you like :)
I did Cullen x Maighread for this, since it’s been a while since I’ve written for them. Hope you like!
The silence was a balm for Cullen. Time with Maighread –time to themselves, uninterrupted by some emergency or other – was so rare thatthere was nothing he cherished more. And this time, she was gone for weeks,first to the cathedral-like forests of the Emerald Graves, and then south,following the long trail of red lyrium away from rogue dalesmen and giants tothe bitter, snowy climes of the Emprise in search of Samson’s mines and the redtemplars who guarded them. He had met her in the lower courtyard that morningas her party returned, knowing to catch her as she dismounted and stumbled onlegs cramped with days of hard travel. He had used it as an excuse to bring herclose, to breathe her in and confirm to the incessant, frantic voice that hadhounded him every day that she was safe, and whole, and home.
“Thank the Maker,” she had muttered against his mantle. “I thoughtI was never going to be warm again.”
Unable to entirely stifle his chuckle, he had only held hertighter. “If you would like some extra warming up later, I would be happy tooblige.”
Now they sat on the west-facing balcony in her quarters,watching the stars and the slow, stately progress of the moons across the sky.They were wrapped side by side in one of the many quilted blankets that layeredher bed, with pillows shielding them from the cold stone beneath and heat runesborrowed from Dagna scattered about to stave off the worst of the mountain air.The remains of a hearty Fereldan picnic sat at his elbow, along with a mostly-emptybottle of plum wine Mia had sent him from her home in South Reach. With theheady alcohol humming in his veins and the cool breath of night against hisforehead, he let his mind drift, content with the world and the woman whoshared his place in it.
Concerned, he disentangled his hand from hers and wrapped itaround her shoulder instead, chafing to drive away the chill. “Are you alright?”he asked.
“There’s a draught,” she complained, wrinkling her nose. “Moveover, you’re hogging the blanket. Please?” she added hopefully, when his onlyreaction was a tiny pull at the corner of his mouth.
He had missed her. So much.
“And what if I decide to hold the blanket to ransom?” heteased, with a subtle shift in weight.
She gave him a wry look. “Then it would backfire on youhorribly.”
“My Commander always tells me I shouldn’t negotiate withkidnappers,” she informed him loftily, before tilting her chin inconsideration. “Blanketnappers,” she amended, and grinned. “Scoundrels.”
“Scoundrel?” he repeated, his wounded expression betrayed byan irrepressible grin. “My lady is harsh. Tell me, what will you do, if notnegotiate?”
“I can think of a few things,” she purred, letting her handsmooth up the inside of his thigh as he leaned down to her mouth. The kisstasted of summer fruit and the faint salt of his skin, his stubble a familiartickle she had almost gone mad without in her time away.
When they paused for breath, Cullen hummed, his smilelingering with ghostlike pressure against hers.
“Luckily for you this scoundrel is generous,” he murmured,with one more quick press of his mouth. “Come here.”
His hand fell to her waist as he stretched out his legs andopened the blanket to invite her to move. Grinning, she took his meaning andshuffled forward on her knees before folding herself down again, settledagainst his chest with his thighs a reassuring weight on either side. Themovement was awkward, the new position had shifted the blanket, and for a fewmoments Maighread fussed with the ends of it to make sure she was tucked inright down to her toes.
“Maker, stop fidgeting, woman,” he huffed as she finally letherself fall into the embrace, against his heart. His arms snaked around hermiddle, tucking in the edges of the blanket and smiling when her hands came upto rest against his forearms.
“There now, isn’t this better?”
She let her head fall back against his shoulder. “I think itmight be.”
A sigh fell from her lips as her body relaxed, her head tiltingso she could tuck her forehead against the strong curve of his jaw. Together, the gesture said, I missed you, and as they sat togetherand watched the slow turn of the heavens, he sighed too and let her know with softtouches and softer kisses how glad he was to have her back.
