Chapter Text
Vitka let out a squeal of both delight and distress as Cullen wrapped his arms around her waist as he jumped into the water. Of course she acted affronted by the action, how dare he get her hair wet, but she couldn’t have been happier. This was the first outing they had as a family since the Inquisitor defeated Corypheus, and she never felt so content. Papa was sitting with his legs hanging over the dock as he watched Ami lead Mahariel in circles around the lake as the dog paddled through the water. She stood just at waist level in the water and glared at Cullen as the man laughed at her, but she couldn’t fight the grin that tugged at her lips.
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The Sun was hot in a way that made Amadeus feel content. They had rarely left Skyhold where it seemed to always be snowing, and he didn’t realized how much he missed warm summers. He laughed silently when Mahariel immediately jumped into the cool lake to escape the hot summer air. Vitka dressed down to her swimming clothes but refused to step into the water until Papa Leo practically through her in. Papa was more than happy to watch as the others played in the water, basking in the sun. That was until Maha decided to shake his fur dry while standing next to the man. Shortly after Papa Leo dragged him off of the dock into the water. He complained a bit until Cullen kissed him silly, causing Vitka to make an exaggerated gagging noise at them. Ami took this moment of distraction to strike, pouring a bucket of water over his sisters head while she wasn’t looking. She let out a frustrated scream before she started chasing him out of the water.
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It was bad enough when Mahariel trotted over to soak him, but in his distraction he hadn’t heard as Cullen quietly swam over to and yanked him right off of the dock. As Dorian opened his mouth to complain Cullen littered his face with gentle kisses, until he was so distracted he almost forgot why he was angry. He remembered the first time Cullen had brought him here. It was not long before the final stand against Corypheus, and the man had given him his lucky coin. He promised that after it was over, all the war and fighting, they would get a house together, raise their children, get a dog, and live happily ever after. Not in those exact words of course that would be awfully cliche, but close enough. He felt ridiculous that day, men like him did not get happily ever after, yet, here he was, kissing the love of his life, as their children and dog played on a warm, peaceful summer day. Well, it was peaceful until he heard Vitka shriek before she sprinted after a fleeing Amadeus, Mahariel happily chasing after them.
—
This was heaven. This was everything Cullen had ever hoped for, all the things he had secretly dreamed of. Dorian laughed his velveteen laugh as Vitka chased after her brother, carrying the small elf back to the water to dunk him under. When the little elves head popped back over the surface of the water he silently laughed, eyes sparkling as he splashed at his sister. Cullen turned his attention back to Dorian, who was smiling brighter than he had ever remembered seeing. He was practically breathless at how gorgeous Dorian looked. He lightly brushed his lips across the other mans temples. “I love you,” he whispered against his ear. They would be going to visit his family by the end of the day, and he knew Dorian was nervous. He was afraid they would reject him, or worse his children. But Cullen had been writing Mia about them for almost a year now, and his family could not wait to meet the man he loved, and the children they shared. He could not think of anything in this world that could make him happier than having both sides of his family come together.