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“Why haven’t you talked to him? He listens to you!”
“He listens to me?” Valerin tipped her head back, hand resting over her forehead as she began to laugh.
Dorian huffed out a frustrated sigh, crossing and uncrossing his arms in unsettled agitation. He even began to tap his foot in his irritation as he waited for the other mage to quell her laughter. And it took a bit, a few deep breaths and an extended silence before she could get it under control.
“Dorian, do you honestly think if my brother listened to anything I asked of him, we’d even be in this predicament?” She shook her head and let out a curt sigh. “No, this calls for drastic measures.”
He quirked a brow at her. “Drastic?”
Valerin hummed a yes as she started to walk away from him. “Just you wait, he’ll be cleaned up and back to normal by supper.” She paused and turned slightly to look back at him. “Just promise you don’t try to peak in on the process.”
Dorian’s brows pulled together in concern, his lips pressing into a thin line of disapproval. “I don’t see-”
“Not a word! No peaking. Think of it as a gift.”
With a heavy sigh, he slowly nodded his agreement. And as Valerin departed his company, he sunk down into his seat by the window. Suddenly, Dorian wasn’t quite sure he could make it to supper.
“Hawke?” Valerin called, stepped across the threshold of the tavern.
“Over here.”
With a smile, Valerin headed in the direction of the voice. Ashley Hawke sat alone at the end of the bar, a half-drunk ale in front of her. She turned to Valerin with a smile, leaning back and gesturing to the open seat beside herself.
“What can I do for you, Val?”
Graciously, she took the seat and waved the barkeep off when he came to check on them. “It’s about Vaxus. You’ve seen him lately, yes?”
Ashley’s brow quirked up in curiosity even as she nodded. She remained quiet, however, in hopes Valerin would continue unprompted.
“Well…” Valerin twisted her hands together, wringing her fingers. “Dorian and I think it’s maybe gotten a little out of hand.”
A light chuckle slipped past Ashley’s lips before she muffled it with a slug of her drink. Slowly she set it down, staring into the remainder of the pale liquid as she formed her words.
“Have you tried talking to him?” Ashley looked at Valerin now, genuine curiosity in her voice.
“Yes. My brother is nothing if not stubborn when he’s set his mind on something.”
“It would appear so,” Ashley laughed. Silence settled as she took another slug of her ale to polish it off. “I take it this is related to why you’re here and passing on drinks?”
Valerin nodded, scratching at her cheek. “I hope you might help me press the issue.”
Setting the empty mug down on the bar, Ashley pushed away from it and stood up. She stretched a moment before setting her hands on her hips. “I don’t see why not. It is, after all, for a good cause?”
Again, Valerin nodded, this time biting her lip to hide an amused smile.
“Lead on, then!”
“Would you stop squirming?” Ashley demanded, shoving her knee into his gut to make a point.
He grunted, scowling beyond her at his sister.
“Is this necessary?”
“You didn’t take care of it when I asked nicely,” Valerin shrugged.
He huffed out a sigh. “I meant… this.” He wiggled his arms out from under Ashley and gestured at her as she perched herself over him.
Ashley tipped her head down at him with a wicked grin. “Like Val said, if you would have done it when she asked… or Dorian asked, for that matter, I wouldn’t be involved.”
“I thought Dorian was warming up to it…” he murmured, then glanced up at his sister. “And I thought you liked beards.”
Valerin shifted one foot awkwardly, rubbing her shoulder. “Not on you, brother. It’s… never mind.” She coughed and turned around to compose herself, feeling as the heat of embarrassment grew over her cheeks.
With a defeated sigh and a shrug, Vaxus finally relaxed allowed Ashley to proceed. A matter which she took no time to take advantage of. She slid off of his lap pulled the razor off the nearby table. She tapped his chin and he tilted his head back for her as she began.
“Do I get to keep a little stubble?” Vaxus asked after a while as Ashley dipped her latest pass of the blade into the bowl of water.
She paused, looking over her shoulder for Valerin’s input. The mage shook her head, pressing her lips together as she tried to hide a smirk. “Like a babe’s bottom, I believe that was Dorian’s request.”
Ashley shrugged and turned back to Vaxus. “You heard the lady.” Instead of frustration or defiance on the matter, however, she watched as a slight rosy color spread out over his cheeks and even climbed down toward his chest. “Between you and me,” she commented quietly. “I’ll miss the scruffy look.”
“I won’t,” he burbled out.
Glancing over her shoulder a quick moment, Ashley caught Valerin’s eye as they both began to giggle.
“Vax, you’re too easy.”
This time he huffed, but kept his mouth shut. Trying, instead, to settle the butterflies in his stomach and hide the blushing.
Vaxus couldn’t stop running his hand over his neck and chin. Softer than he could even remember. Probably since he was a teenager. It felt weird but also oddly good. That, or the “I want nothing more than to please my love” side of him was talking. Or both.
He leaned on the balcony, watching the people bustle about the courtyard of Skyhold going about their evening errands.
“Amatus?”
Dorian’s voice drifted out from the stairwell and Vaxus turned. A broad grin spread out across his face as he all but skipped back inside and across his room to his love. The sheer look of happiness on Dorian’s face made Vaxus’ heart swell with joy.
“Ah! I can finally kiss you again,” Dorian grinned. “Your sister is a miracle worker.”
He planted a swift one to his lips, then followed up with several more exploratory ones across the now soft skin.
“Not even a spot of scruff,” he murmured. “Color me surprised, amatus.”
Even as Vaxus wrapped his arms around Dorian to pull him into an embrace, he made a mental note to have a chat with his sister in the morning.