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Cullrian - Milkshake for Elmroko
"You wouldn't know a delicacy if it strode up and bit you on the arse, would you?" Dorian sighed, somewhere between fond and disgusted.
Cullen lowered his tankard and frowned. "It's delicious." He protested, like it should be obvious. Certainly, he had only ever had them in a glass before but the Inquistion hardly had great need of large glass tumblers just so Cullen could appreciate the aesthetics of his rare treat.
Dorian rolled his eyes. "It's flavoured milk."
"Yes." Cullen frowned from the half finished glass to Dorian. "And it's delicious."
"So you've said." Dorian sighed again.
"Try it." Cullen insisted, firmer this time than the previous five attempts to coerce Dorian into trying the strange concoction Josephine was bribing Cullen with now.
"Oh, no, no!" Dorian leaned as far from the offered drink as he could while still in his chair. "Don't you Fereldans have a charming phrase about milkdrinkers? Something about it implying them weak and-"
"Dorian. Just a sip." Cullen had grown accustomed to cutting through Dorian's tirades. The man did adore his own voice but it often had more to do with his stubbornness than anything else. Dorian had decided to look down on the drink and so Cullen potentially tempting him otherwise would not be tolerated.
"I think I'll pass, but all the more for you, I am sure you're very grateful- no thanks necessary." Cullen paid him no mind and took another sip from the glass, standing when he had a small mouthful. Dorian's initial confusion melted into refusal as Cullen stepped towards his side of the table and he realised what the Commander intended. "Cullen, don't you dare. I will set your cloak on fire."
Cullen could not respond but the way he leaned down into Dorian's space with the hint of a smirk curling his still closed mouth was answer enough. The table they sat at was not isolated or tucked away and a few heads turned at the loud protests Dorian was making. Though Dorian was still stunned at what he was reasonably certain Cullen intended, he had to remind himself that this was fine here. No one would look down on them. Perhaps on Cullen, for kissing a Vint, but there was no judgement like he was used to. It certainly didn't mean anything either.
One hand braced on the arm of Dorian's chair and he was breathlessly close to Cullen now. He could push Cullen away, was sure that if he meant it enough Cullen would let him escape, but there's a playful glint in Cullen's eye he has never seen before and Dorian didn't want to be trapped by Cullen for the reasons he might admit- in fact, he was rather enjoying having all that warrior muscle bracketing him into his seat. "Cullen Stanton Rutherford, you stop this right now." He breathed, insisted to himself his voice didn't hitch when Cullen cupped his jaw.
Cullen smirked and it was the last thing Dorian saw before Cullen kissed him. He hadn't thought the man had it in him, the way he sealed their lips together and coaxed Dorian to open his mouth. It was a slow kiss, initially a chaste press but then when it deepened the milk flooded Dorian's mouth. It was warm from Cullen's mouth, smoother than Dorian had anticipated from the cocoa mixed into it. He made a soft noise, whether at the sudden taste or the kiss he didn't know, and the seal of their mouths broke just enough. A dribble of it spilled between them, running down Dorian's chin as he tilted up and kissed back harder.
Cullen grunted as Dorian went from passive to hungrily kissing him, hands snaking around Cullen's neck and fingers digging into Cullen's hair. The hand on Dorian's jaw went around his lower back, holding him up as he surged out of his seat. He could distantly hear Bull's Chargers cheering them on and shouting bawdy suggestions but all he was focused on was the way Dorian was kissing him like he was drowning. He lacked the experience to keep up but he did his best, nipping at Dorian's lip and smirking at the way Dorian shuddered. He knew he was blushing from head to toe, it wasn't something he could help, but he took comfort from having succeeded in his mission.
Dorian pulled away suddenly and Cullen felt he could definitely be smug about the way the infamous flirt was breathing heavier. "Forgive me." Dorian mumbled. "But you couldn't really expect me not to take advantage."
Cullen raised an eyebrow as he let Dorian sit back in his chair but didn't move away. "You took advantage...? I kissed you first."
Dorian inelegantly scrubbed the spilled milk from his chin and refused to look at Cullen. "Yes. Well. That was the game, wasn't it? Though I do believe the rumours this tavern will churn out will have us courting by the end of the week."
Cullen stood upright then and blinked at Dorian in confusion. "Wait, aren't we?"
Dorian spluttered and choked, staring at Cullen in shock that he tried to laugh off. "Courting? No, we aren't courting!"
"Oh." Cullen rubbed at his jaw. "I thought... the chess matches, the swapping books, the meeting up for drinks, the sparring..." Cullen inclined his head. "Apologies." He rubbed at his neck and was now the one avoiding eye contact as he shuffled one foot, debating leaving before he misread anything else.
Dorian surged up to stand and couldn't ignore the shrill edge his tone had taken in shock. "You thought we were courting?!"
Cullen flushed darker and visibly drew back from Dorian. "Um. Yes?"
"As in you want to court me?!" Dorian demanded.
"Uh, also, yes?"
Dorian dropped into his chair as though someone had swiped his legs from under him, Cullen sheepishly hovering over him until he awkwardly sat back down as well. "Well aren't you just full of surprises..."
Cullen watched Dorian nervously, eyes flicking from his glass to Dorian's stunned face and fussing over the remainder of his drink. He jumped like a startled animal when Dorian slowly spoke.
"If we are courting- as I don't think I would mind such a thing- " The flippant way Dorian spoke of them courting didn't match the way he leaned forward, eyes bright if still disbelieving, "you should probably know I'm allergic to milk."
Cullen looked horrified. "You're what?!"
"And cheese."
"Maker's breath! Why did you let me do that?!" Cullen leaned forward as though he might pull the milk from Dorian, alarmed that Dorian would just let him force milk down his throat. "You should have said something!"
"What, and turn down a thorough snogging from the Commander of the Inquistion? Not likely." Dorian scoffed. He leaned forward. "So if we're courting, do I get another kiss?"
Cullen frowned. "Dorian, you're allergic to milk!"
"Yes, thank you for the reminder, but I will take the discomfort for another kiss." Cullen shifted hesitantly before shaking his head firmly. "Come now, you owe me a kiss for the discomfort at least!"
"Kiss the Vint, Commander!" Came Bull's booming cry and Cullen jumped again, as if remembering they were in a tavern and not remotely secluded.
The pressure obviously took whatever bravery Cullen had seized to kiss him the first time so Dorian took matters into his own hands. He hurried around the table and slipped into Cullen's lap, winding his arms around Cullen's shoulders and kissing him hard. Dorian could hear the cheering and whooping starting at the action, feel the heat from Cullen's face as the man flushed, but to Cullen's credit he didn't let it stop him from kissing back.
Dorian still detested the milk- flavoured or not- that he could taste in Cullen's mouth, but it was still very much worth the pain and discomfort later.