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Tiger lily sheets rustled in the night. A restless soul laid between them, tossing and turning in search of a comfortable position to slumber. It did not help that it was colder than usual at Skyhold, so it just added to her further discomfort.
The woman in bed stopped rolling all together and gave a mighty huff of annoyance. She sat up, a big mistake as her blanket no longer covered her from the waist-up. She could feel the biting and sting of the severe temperature without the thick cotton protecting her. She quickly grabbed the sheet to cover herself again, but this time wrapping her body as she sat with her legs curled to her chest. She gazed outside her glass doors leading to her balcony.
Evident by the night sky, stars and moon, it was quite late in the evening. The young woman sighed, that meant nobody would be awake to keep her company until utter fatigue consumed her and forced her into the fade again.
She shivered.
If it's this cold here for me, then it must be worse for Iron Bull, she thought, why doesn't he move up here with me? She blushed at the notion. That is, that it'd be a beneficial arrangement for the both of us. Two bodies generate more body heat after all. It's likely it's colder in his room than mine, considering that there are holes in his room; therefore, it's lacking insulation from the cold, she reasoned.
She shivered again and curled up more.
Perhaps I should pay him a visit and stay the night with him, mused the inquisitor. She felt positively excited at the prospect of spending the night with him. Their relationship was quite new so it meant they never had the chance to just rest together for the night. It eased her mind that despite the lack of time spent just resting next to each other their relationship was indubitably solid the moment she bestowed upon him the necklace of Kadan.
Her eyes darted to the nightstand to her right. Her half of the tooth was encased in an ornate box as wearing the trinket unfortunately did not feel practical to her. She huffed and pouted. She recalled what inspired her to get that size of a tooth from the Hinterland dragon in the first place. She thought the enormity of the necklace would affect his choice on whether or not he would like to accept her proposal, so she got the biggest one as to impress him. At least it worked, she assumed, chuckling lightly to herself. She then huffed again, some plan that was though; I can't even wear mine.
A tender smile graced her face despite her earlier irritation. Iron Bull always did have that affect on her. My Iron Bull, she added with a flutter of her heart. She smiled more and buried her face behind her knees to hide the flush of her face. Furthermore, Iron Bull made her feel like a young maiden experiencing love for the first time again, excited by his name alone, elated when they made eye contact and so on. It's no surprise when simple thoughts like these made her heart beat faster. She loved being by his side, possibly more than anything. She sighed dreamily. The things he does to me, she thought. The things he does to me, she laughed to herself silently at the double meaning.
She considered, perhaps I should go to my Iron Bull, she smiled again, and sleep with him. In this thought, she legitimately considered just slumbering by his side, not unlike their other more passionate nights. But it's cold, she reminded herself, disdain etching itself into her visage. But the Iron Bull, she reminded herself again. She weighed both options before deciding she would like to visit her lover during the night even though it's likely he isn't awake.
She rose from her bed, grumbling as she does so and hissed when her feet met cold stone. She unwrapped the blanket from her body to her chagrin but luckily soon put on a cloak and boots to give her some decency in case she is caught.
She made her way into the hall, staying in the shadow and out of sight, always waiting for the guards to look away before advancing towards the door. She counted her lucky stars as despite it being night, the door to the grand hall -as she dubbed it for "throne room" made her out into too much of an authority figure - was still open. She quietly dashed through the door while being cautious as to not bring attention to herself. She successfully made her way to the courtyard without detection and is yet again faced with another dilemma.
On one hand, she could go through Herald's Rest - she rolls her eyes at the ridiculous name - and thus get out of the cold and eyesight, or go directly to Iron Bull's room by stairs and rampart.
For whatever reason, she felt daring today and ascended the stairs to the ramparts. At his door, she knocked 3 times. Nothing. She knocked again.
"Bull?" She called out. Nothing. She knocked and called out to him softly yet again. The door slowly swung open, revealing her towering lover. He was surprisingly in his pants, but they lacked his usual belt to match. However, the greater shock was that he was wearing the dragon necklace; her eyes were fixated on it and not even regarding the man wearing it anymore.
"What are you doing here, Kadan?" he yawned tiredly, also snapping her out of her trance. He wiped his eye as one does when awoken and stretched slightly, making her lose focus again momentarily. She smiled at his use of endearment, often used only between them.
"Sorry to wake you," she meant her words. She did not enjoying being an inconvenience to others, making her rethink this idea. "But I couldn't seem to sleep and hoped I could..." she trailed off, abashed and flushing not from the cold, or maybe partly from the cold, she couldn't tell in this moment. Her gaze wandered to the side. "If I could perhaps just stay the night with you." Her gaze suddenly snapped to him. "Oh but not in a sexual way- not that there's anything wrong with that! I love having sex with you! It's very enjoyable and pleasurable and ummmm..." Her gaze darted to the sideline again. She felt certain that her face MUST be red by now. She cleared her throat. "Ummm... never mind... sorry to bother you..." Her head was bowed in embarrassment and she swerved around to make a quick retreat to her room FAR away from here and this embarrassing moment to act like this was merely a trick of the fade and hide until something with Corypheus surfaced; thus, forcing her to leave the comforting solitude of her room. Or maybe I can just run back to Ostwick, she considered.
"Wait, Kadan!" Iron Bull grasped her shoulder. The inquisitor stood rigidly with her back still facing him. "Do you want to stay the night? Is that why you came here? You could've just asked," he chuckled slightly. "I don't mind," he assured. She slowly turned to face him, half her face obscured by her hands hiding her blushing cheeks.
"Promise?" He nodded.
"Promise." He stepped to the side and let her in. She was right. It was colder than her room but she could feel the body heat radiating from the Iron Bull's body with their closer proximity. She removed her outer layers, which Bull took from her. He leaned down, which she took as a cue to stand on her tippy toes and kissed him in thanks. She was right, definitely more heat radiating from his body. "You know, Kadan, if you coming here in the middle of the night meant more of this, I really don't mind," he flirted. She rolled her eyes but smirked nonetheless while he placed her outer clothing on a chair by the door she hadn't seen before.
The couple snuggled beneath his covers after deliberation as to whether if this action is permissible from the woman. Iron Bull laid on his back, his right arm embraced his lover close to his body for both their benefits. She laid her head on his bicep and encircled her arms around his right one, her back against his side. The cold air was cruel and nipping, especially here compared to her bedroom, but their combined body heat and his thick blanket practically negated the cold.
"It's good to know that you love having sex together, Kadan," he teased. She groaned, letting go of his arm and decided to roll herself in a bundle with the blanket; thus, robbing him of warmth out of playful spite. "Hey!" he complained. She stuck her tongue out at him. He arched his eyebrow and smirked mischievously. He launched himself at her, delivering a sudden -but welcome- kiss. He then began to pepper pecks all along her neck, as she's defenseless to stop him. She giggled at his sudden affectionate behaviour and how his lips tickled her neck lightly.
She loved whenever they were alone, he became quite forward in displaying his affection for her like this, not that he didn't display public affection. He's surprisingly but also understandably rather reserved displaying affection towards her. She would call him shy but she is near certain if she did that it would begin an onslaught of teasing on his part until he's satisfied by her breathless pleas again. She remembers vividly what occurred after a certain party banter from Cole during their trip to the Hinterland. Iron Bull is a man of his words so the night they were alone in her room was deliciously torturous and tantalizing as he promised.
She finally relented after his many kisses, which satisfied her desire for affection, so she unfurled herself from her warm blanket roll to share with him again. She kissed him one last time on his lips, lingering longer than their first one before they both laid back down; the blanket shielding the duo again.
The two laid on the bed in silence, gazing at the stars through the missing boards of his ceiling. Moments passed and she mulled over if she should ask him what's been on her mind for a while now or not. Her mind ran through multiple scenarios, the best outcome being that he agrees, and according to Dorian, the worst being that he refuses. She came to the conclusion that this time is as good as any so she might as well ask despite every other instinct telling her not to.
"You know, Iron Bull," she began, her hand holding his gripped tighter, "if you really do like this arrangement you could..." She gulped. "Move in with me to my room?" He didn't respond, causing her to panic slightly. "Ummm, well because I thought you would prefer a warmer place to stay, since your roof has holes in it. Also, I'm... uhhh... there too..."
She waited for his answer. "Iron Bull?" She turned and saw he was asleep. "Oh." Her anxiety slowly started to melt away. She could hear it now his rhythmic snoring. As irritating she found snoring, she found it hilarious with his sleep talking.
"Pickled Solas..." mumbled Iron Bull. She chuckled at his nonsensical words.
She caressed his face softly as to not disturb him from his sleep. She then traced the intricacies of his necklace. She stared at it and him in equal measurements of amazement and adoration. She laid a gentle kiss on his lips and forehead before settling beneath the covers again, dozing off to sleep.
"Goodnight, Kadan..."