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“That is not advisable.” he says, brow knitted in concern, as he watches Scarlet choose the ingredients for their dinner while standing on a small footstool.
She hums, distracted by the pots of spices they keep in that cupboard, and doesn’t get down.
Her rounded belly is quite visible under her light clothes - too light, Solas complained that morning while trying to convince her to put something heavier. She had to remind him it’s currently summer.
“Vhenan.” he says louder, walking closer to her, but not daring to touch her, fearing to make her fall. His fingers twitch at his sides as he fights the urge to pick her up and put her down on the floor, away from that frightening, frail stool.
“Mmh.” she repeats, tilting her head. “Would you like something with some Dawn Lotus petals? I heard they are quite tasty if cooked in a potato soup with butter.”
“I would rather see you come down and let me take what you need.” he insists, this time winning over his fear and delicately resting his hands on her hips. He glares at her as she looks down at him with a smile.
“Solas, I’m fine.”
“You are saying that now.”
She laughs sweetly, strokes his cheek, then goes back to the cupboard, much to his dismay. He becomes antsy, constantly checking the stool to make sure it won’t give up under her, squeezing her waist and tightening his grip on her… without putting too much pressure on her body, of course.
“Where is it…?” she mumbles, raising herself on her tiptoes, and Solas risks to have a heartattack.
“My love.” he whines. “Come down.”
Just then a wisp of the Fade enters from the open window. It lingers in the air, observing the scene, then trills playfully and floats near Scarlet’s face, eliciting giggles from her.
“Hello!” she says, holding it in the palm of her only hand. “Do you want to cook with us?”
Usually Solas is happy to see the inhabitants of the Fade come into their house, either attracted by the feelings they sense in it or merely to say hello.
But this time, this little, playful wisp is a dangerous guest and another heartattack threatens to join the first one.
The wisp chirps contently, then flies quickly around Scarlet’s head, playing with her hair. She laughs again and closes her eyes, while Solas’ widen and he desperately tries not to imagine ten thousands different, horrible, bloody scenes in his head.
“Please go away.” he tells the wisp with a hoarse, too-deep voice; the creature makes a confused sound, but his face must really be frightening or at least show all his worry, because the little thing chirps again - albeit sadly this time - and flies out of the window after glancing back at Scarlet in a longingly way.
“Aww!” she exclaims, before pouting at Solas. “Vhenan, it wasn’t doing anything bad!”
“It was distracting you.” he replies through gritted teeth. “Now find that jar and come down.”
“Alright, alright!” She hurries to move all the pots and jars in the cupboard. This would have been much simpler and faster, had she still had her left hand, but she doesn’t complain - she never does - and soon the jar full of Dawn Lotus petals is pressed safely against her chest.
As soon as her foot hits the ground, Solas lets out a relieved sigh and draws away. Then he blushes.
“What?” he babbles, noticing the look she is giving him.
“You worry too much.” she sighs fondly and he bristles, pouting at her.
“I worry just as much it’s needed. You can’t really believe that getting on such a frail contraption would…”
“Solas, this stool is shorter than a nug.”
He looks down at it, studies it for a time, then huffs, his blush deepening.
“It is still dangerous.” he insists, then he smiles and takes her hand, bringing it to his chest. “Let me prepare dinner. You can sit in front of the fireplace or relax in bed while I…”
“Solas, I’m not sick.” she laughs, kissing him. “Come on, help me prepare the soup.”
He whines, but doesn’t say more… at least until she takes a big knife and starts cutting the biggest potatoes at incredible speed, her rogue skills shining through each expert, quick movement, accentuated by the lack of her left arm.
He gasps, the sound a mix between admiration and panic.
“What are you doing?” he says, running to her and gently, but firmly grasping her wrist. “You… you could…!”
“Solas, I know how to handle a knife.” she chides him, kissing his cheek to free her hand more easily. “Please, start preparing the pot and the milk.”
“I can cut the potatoes.” he says, holding his breath as she keeps using the shining knife. “You could hurt yourself, it can happen even to the best of rogues! Or it could fall on your foot and…”
Scarlet sighs again, louder this time, and drops the knife on the counter, before turning to Solas with her hand on her hip and a serious look on her face.
There is a strange fire in her golden eyes and Solas falls silent, fidgeting nervously, but standing proud and tall without breaking eye contact.
“Come with me.” she says, heading towards the living room where the comfy fireplace is. Solas quietly follows her and secretly makes puppy eyes at her back, watching her delicate form sway with each step and the baby bump press against her (light) clothes.
They enter the living room and she points at the armchair he sits on every evening, while she comfortably sits on his lap.
“Sit.” she says, pointing at the armchair, and Solas pouts.
“I am not staying here while you…”
“Solas, please. Sit.” She shakes her finger and he does as she asks, sitting down and waiting for her next move.
He didn’t expect her to get on his legs and start kissing him.
He doesn’t complain, of course. In fact, he moans happily and tangles his hands in her hair, swallowing her giggles as he playfully sucks her lips.
She draws back with a gasp to regain her breath; her mouth is shiny with saliva and all red and plump and Solas feels a familiar tug between his legs. She feels it too because she giggles again and presses his head against her chest.
He groans, hiding his face between her breasts. They are bigger than before since she is pregnant and they are so, so soft.
Her hand starts rubbing soothing circles and random shapes on his neck as she speaks:
“Ma vhenan. You worry too much.”
“Ir abelas.” he says, his voice muffled. “I… I just want to…”
“To protect me and the baby?” she finishes for him, smiling gently, love in her voice and eyes. “Oh, ma sa’lath. I know that and I’m so happy. But you have to relax.”
She gently pushes him against the armchair and passes her thumb over his brow.
“Let’s smooth this frown. We cannot hide these gorgeous freckles, although I really love these wrinkles.” she says softly, making him chuckle as she delicately presses her fingers on his forehead. “And let’s raise the corners of this beautiful mouth. You have all the reasons to smile, Solas.”
“I know.” he smiles, resting one hand on her back and the other on her swollen belly. “You are right.”
“Now close your eyes and let me take care of you. You already worried too much for today.”
“Mh.” he smiles amusedly and promptly closes his eyes. “What do you have in mind for your poor husband- oh.”
Scarlet begins rubbing his shoulders, one at a time. There are a few knots - not as many as during the times of the Inquisition, anyway - and she works on each of them until they are all gone.
Then she kisses his face, planting feather-light pecks on his forehead and lips and teasing him with butterfly kisses on his cheeks. Solas moans softly and melts under her touch, letting her do what she most prefer with him.
No matter what she does, he always feels loved and blessed. A blissful hum escapes his lips as he relaxes into the armchair and a hot, pleasant shiver runs down his spine.
Then she starts talking in Elvhen and he turns into a puddle of joy and comfort.
“Ma sa’lath, ma uthlath. You are so kind and good to me. My sweet husband.”
He moans when her mouth finds the tender spot just below his ear. The hand on her back tugs at her dress and he tries to reopen his eyes, but she closes them again with a kiss on his eyelids.
“You deserve all the joy in the world. All the love and praise and peace this world can offer.”
She kisses his chest and slightly opens the front of his shirt, untying the strings there, to better reach his skin. He moans softly and tilts his head sideways to help her access better to his neck.
“Let me make love to you tonight, vhenan. I will kiss every part of your body and feed you… feed you…” Scarlet stops and sits up, a perplexed frown on her face. Solas opens one eye to see what’s happening.
“Uh… How do you say ‘frilly cakes’ in Elvhen?”
He bursts into a happy, cheerful laughter and hugs her, swaying her in his arms as she laughs with him.
Then her shyness overcomes her and she panics a little.
“I… I’m sorry!” she stammers, turning beetle red and torturing the strings of her dress. “I ruined the mood.”
Solas chuckles, tucking strands of red hair behind her long ears.
“No, my sweet wife. You improved it even more.” He kisses her. “Your pronunciation is perfect.”
She kisses his cheek, then tucks her head under his neck.
“I had a good teacher.” She nuzzles him. “You won’t stop worrying about me, will you?”
He sniffles, as if the mere question was preposterous.
“Of course not.” he replies. He waits a second, then: “… Does it bother you?”
“How could it bother me, you silly wolf? I just don’t want your eyebrows to go all white.”
A smug smirk curls Solas’ lips and Scarlet groans, bracing for the words she already knows he is going to pronounce.
“I bet you would like that.”
“Kinkshamed!” she exclaims indignantly, pretending to be annoyed. “In my own house!”
“All this fretting over you will help me get even more wrinkles, I am sure of it.” he continues, tightening his hold on her as she moves to get off his lap. He nuzzles her neck, grinning at her. “Doesn’t that excite you, vhenan?”
“Just to be clear, I do not have an old age kink. I don’t like old men.” she grumbles, swatting his shoulder when he raises an eyebrow. “I like you. You and your wrinkles and laugh lines. And I’d rather see more of those than wrinkles caused by worry.”
“I will have more of both, I swear.” he says, wiggling his eyebrows, and she snorts, before pulling him against her chest again. He makes a happy sound.
“Alright, let’s make a deal then. You can fret over me - without exaggerating - only if you promise to let me take care of you in the same way. Let me give you all the pleasure I can without focusing on me. Let me massage your back every night and your feet every morning. Let me pamper you just like you pamper me.”
Solas raises his head, frowning confused.
“You already do that.”
“You don’t let me do it as much I’d like.” she says softly, pecking his nose. “As much as you deserve.”
He thinks about it. He looks at the fireplace, at the flowers and herbs hanging above it, then back at her. He narrows his eyes, valuating the options.
“Will you let me cook and do the most dangerous stuff in the kitchen?”
She giggles, but nods.
“Will you let me carry you when we go into the forest to pick mushrooms and herbs?”
“Solas, it’s not dangerous!”
“You could trip over stones or fallen branches. Get tired. Hurt your feet.”
“Solas.”
He narrows his eyes even more and Scarlet sighs, a patient, tender smile on her lips.
“Alright, you can carry me in the perfectly safe and quiet forest.”
He smiles too, content and satisfied.
“Then I accept.”
He takes her into his arms and gets up, making her gasp in surprise.
“Come on, now!” he says excitedly. “We need to prepare dinner.”
They head to the kitchen, but before they enter the room, Scarlet stops him by cupping his cheek and moving his head so he is looking at her.
He smiles at her, waiting, and she stares into his eyes for a long moment before saying:
“You are a wonderful husband and I am the luckiest woman in the world.”
He blushes a lot, so much she can see even the faintest freckles stand out on his face. His smile gets flustered, timid, but also flattered, and he says quickly, not knowing how to react: “Thank you, emma lath.”
She kisses him and rests her head on his shoulder.
“Let’s go make dinner, ma vhenan. I can’t wait to cuddle with you in bed and kiss your thighs.”
Solas’ strides are quicker and longer than before and there is a joyous, bright smile on his face.