Work Text:
“His eyes are like the waters of the Storm Coast. Maker, I could drown in them.”
“Cole, I-” Evelyn lept up from her writing desk with indignation, only to find that Dorian had materialized in her quarters instead. Aside from the eerie accuracy of Dorian's impression, the words he'd chosen were far too close to what she had actually been thinking about at that particular moment. “Dorian!” she hollered, throwing a crumpled piece of parchment across the room in mock defence. “If mind-reading is one of your powers, as the Inquisitor I command you to tell me that you can – and then stop reading mine!”
Dorian smirked in reply, one corner of his moustache twitching. “I may have overheard Cole saying that when you dragged us out to that wretchedly moist corner of Thedas. It wasn't hard to guess who he was talking about. Both the speaker and the object of her affections, however misplaced those affections may or may not be.”
“I see you're getting better at Fade-stepping,” Evelyn rolled her eyes, avoiding the Thom discussion altogether. “So, are you just passing through and wanted to give me a heart attack, or did you want to chat about something?”
“Well, that depends. Are you shackled to your desk, or can I offer you someone far more handsome and entertaining to take the place of that paperwork?”
“Of course I have time for you. And handsome, you say... Did you bring another guest with you? Where might he be hiding?” Evelyn grinned, leading the way to her settee. Their platonic flirting and easy conversation was always an enjoyable distraction from the infinite number of bleak matters she had to shoulder as Inquisitor.
“Overlooking my perfect jawline already?! Next you'll be telling me that you see silver in my hair, and I'll be cast out - friendless in the Frostbacks!" Despite his mock anguish, Dorian busied himself with opening the bottle of wine he'd brought with him. This had become something of a familiar routine for the two of them, to sit and talk together in the evenings; Evelyn brought out a set of clean goblets as he popped the cork.
“Maybe you should suggest 'Friendless in the Frostbacks' to Varric as a new potential title. I'm sure it would somehow turn out to be his smuttiest one yet.”
“Oh, come on,” Dorian chuckled as he poured the lush Tevinter red – generously filling her glass first, then his. “Varric's not nearly done writing about how much he loves Hawke. Two novels wasn't enough for him. I'm guessing it will take him five, maybe ten?”
“At least.” Evelyn raised her glass and they toasted, the wine blossoming pleasantly on her tongue as she drank. “Only took them that many years to get together, give or take. Can you imagine being that oblivious?”
“Never mind that. How disgustingly happy they are together now? It makes me absolutely nauseous to watch.” It was Dorian's turn to roll his eyes, but the tone behind his words was far closer to jealousy than malice.
“They're terrible,” Evelyn agreed, her smile echoing sentiments similar to Dorian's. “I'm sure you didn't come just to gossip about those two, though?”
“I'm afraid it would be a rather short visit if I had.” Dorian raised an eyebrow to confirm that, yes, he had intended that exact phrasing.
The unexpected pun caused Evelyn to nearly choke on her mouthful of wine. “That was awful, and I loved it. Well done.” Underneath the easy banter, she could tell that something more was unsettling Dorian. Evelyn set a reassuring hand on his arm. “So tell me, dear cousin, what's actually on your mind?”
“Well...” Dorian hesitated. “I hear you're planning a dragon hunt soon?”
“I am, yes. Harding mentioned that there's one in the Graves that we'll need to contend with sooner or later.” Evelyn found herself wondering if he did have some telepathic abilities he hadn't disclosed – this was, in fact, part of what had been weighing on her.
“Do you know when you'll be going?”
“You're not planning on abandoning me too, are you? It's much easier to do when I'm not around.” Though Evelyn laughed lightly, a certain heaviness lurked behind her words. The main reason that she was hesitant to leave Skyhold was that she and Blackwall – Thom, now – were still on shaky ground at best. She wasn't quite sure what she might do if he left her a second time.
“Oh no, dear cousin, you're stuck with me for the foreseeable future.” Reaching over, Dorian squeezed her hand reassuringly. “How is that particular mess going now, anyway? You seemed deep in thought when I arrived, and I have never seen you that engaged in any missives from our dear Lady Ambassador.”
“Honestly? I can't bloody stop thinking about him. But I can barely get two words out of him beyond 'my lady', so it's not like we've talked about any of what's happened or how either of us feel about it. And I know you don't like him much...” Evelyn drained the last of her wine, hoping to find courage or something like it. Dorian dutifully refilled her glass, giving both her and the wine a moment to breathe.
When she didn't finish her train of thought, Dorian found himself feeling compelled to fill the silence. “As much as I tease, it's not that I dislike that great hairy lummox, per se. What I specifically don't like is how badly he's making you feel about yourself, and how badly he's treated you thus far.”
Evelyn nodded sadly. “You know, if it were anyone else at all, I would just be able to move on. The perpetually sad and self-deprecating routine would turn me off entirely. But with him... it's like I can feel how much he's suffered in his life. I want to be something good, someone that makes him happy for once. And I know he wants to take care of me too, but it would be nice if he could damn well explicitly communicate that to me for once, instead of making me guess at his motivations and moods all the time.” Setting her wine down, she buried her face in her hands. “I'm pathetic, aren't I? I should be worrying about defeating Corypheus, and I can't even manage to have an honest conversation with someone I'd like to have a long-term relationship with.”
“You're hardly pathetic, love. He's a lucky man to have you, for as long as you choose to put up with that great hairy bear arse. And I do mean bear like the woodland creature.” Dorian put an arm around Evelyn's slumped shoulders and squeezed her to his side, which earned him a grateful peek from between her fingers. “Besides, you're quite eloquent in communicating your thoughts and feelings. It's part of why I adore your company. I have never met anyone else as passionate and driven as you are. If you stood for him with even half of the conviction that you stood for me, he would be a fool to throw that support away.”
Evelyn straightened back up, taking another long drink of wine after leaning her head on his shoulder for a moment. “Thank you, Dorian. That means a lot, really. I feel somewhat better, being able to say all that to someone else instead of just chasing words around in my head.”
“What else are friends for? Though if you ever want to make him maddeningly jealous, just say the word and Bull and I will be right here for a sleepover. Any time you want.” He threw in a salacious wink for good measure.
Evelyn laughed, low and warm. “Mmm, you insatiable flirt. That is a tempting offer. But I wouldn't want to keep you two from having your fun. Speaking of which, how is that going?”
“I believe I have you to thank for Bull and I getting together. If not directly, then certainly indirectly.”
“I'm glad. You deserve to be happy.” Evelyn returned the earlier hospitality, refilling Dorian's goblet with the remainder of the wine bottle. “Shall I open a second one?”
“If we must, I suppose.”
“As the Inquisitor, I believe it's necessary for this important strategy session.”
“Then I happily follow your orders, my dear Inquisitor.”
Crossing to her liquor cabinet, Evelyn selected a reasonably decent bottle from her private stash. She passed it off to Dorian to open, so that it could breathe for a bit before they drank it. “Part of the reason I haven't finalized plans for the dragon hunt yet is that... well... I haven't quite settled on who to bring to the Graves.”
“Make him talk to you, my darling girl. I'm more than happy to offer some ice magic if you need to keep him in place so that he can't run off. And if he'd rather sulk here at Skyhold for awhile, there are plenty of us that will happily follow you into the field.”
Evelyn squeezed his knee in reply, feeling genuinely warmed by Dorian's unwavering support... and perhaps a bit of the wine. “I just may take you up on that if my feminine wiles don't work on him.”
“I just hope his simple bear brain can handle your radiant charm.”
She chuckled again.“Are you interested in coming along to the Graves?”
“Potentially. I'm more interested in the dragon though... or rather, something specific from the dragon when you bring it down.”
“Oh?” It was refreshing for Evelyn to see Dorian as flustered as he suddenly was, as it happened so very rarely. “What specifically from the dragon were you hoping for?”
“A tooth, actually. But you must swear to keep my request secret from everyone. Including Blackwall – er, Thom – and Josephine, and especially from The Iron Bull.”
“Exactly what kind of potion will you be making from this tooth?' Evelyn's eyes widened. “Wait. Can you control dragon corpses or something?”
“Sadly, no.” Dorian looked away from her face, staring out the window. Evelyn could swear he was blushing – another rarity. “It's... uh... for a gift, actually.”
“A gift?”
“Yes.” Dorian continued to stare conspicuously in any direction but toward Evelyn's face, as he offered just as much in the way of additional information.
“For who?” It was her turn to nudge his knee with hers. Still no eye contact, which was highly suspicious.
Dorian spoke in a tone so low, it barely qualified as a whisper. “For Bull. And myself, technically.”
“That's so sweet of you! Wait. Is this a weird sex toy thing, and if so, do I want to know?”
“Nothing like that, though I imagine that could potentially lead to some quite fun options too.” Finally, Dorian met Evelyn's gaze again, his mouth tugging into a hesitant grin. There was definitely a flush to his cheeks. “It's a Qunari custom, actually. When two people choose to commit to each other, they each wear half of a dragon's tooth.”
“You big softie.” Suddenly, Evelyn was grinning from ear to ear. “I'm so happy for you. Both of you.”
“Bull doesn't know anything about this yet. And, to be completely transparent, I don't know how he'll take it.” Years of past hurts and betrayals were suddenly written on Dorian's face.
Evelyn felt a surge of protective rage flow through her, feeling determined to shield her dear friend from any further harm or rejection.“Are you kidding? You've made him the happiest I've ever seen him, in all the time he's been here. Truly. And the fact that you're going out of your way to give him a gift based in Qunari traditions? If he cries, which I'm betting he might, I want to be there to see it in person to see it.”
“I might be able to arrange that,” Dorian chuckled. “You really think he'll like it?”
“He'll love it. I promise you. And I say we drink to your happiness, my dear cousin, both current and future.” Evelyn downed the rest of her wine glass and waited for Dorian to do the same. Immediately afterward, she refilled both their glasses, pouring from the new bottle. Their glasses resounded with a clink when she tapped hers against his, and they both drank deeply again.
“I'm not used to... someone choosing me,” Dorian confessed. “Not the way you have, certainly, and not the way he has, either.”
“What was it you said to me earlier? Something about our respective lummoxes being able to handle our charms?” Tilting her face up, Evelyn pressed a quick kiss to his temple. “You're a dear friend, Dorian, and Bull is lucky to have you. So am I.”
“Now that sounds like familiar advice.” The haunted look in Dorian's face was gone, as quickly as it had come, replaced with a warm smile.
“I learned from the best.” Evelyn smiled back, and began to lay out her tactical plan for obtaining said dragon's tooth without the Ben-Hassrath catching on as to its intended use. “Now, here's what I'm thinking. I'll ask for several of the teeth to be sent back here for my personal use, and I'll let you pick the one you think is best...”