RP: Daylen (NSFW Ahead)

[fereldans_king]

Alistair came awake briefly during the night (day? how was time even told around here, with no sun to mark the hours?) as something in the castle rumbled, his sense of the ambient magic in the fortress vibrating like a plucked harp string. But the bed was warm and his arms were full of a comfortable, sleeping mage. After a moment, Alistair made up his mind - he maneuvered himself and Daylen under the bed's blankets and drifted back off to sleep.

There were plenty of people out and about in Skyhold who could handle whatever problem that was. Right now, he needed to be here more than he needed to be a hero.

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[fereldans_king]

Alistair let Daylen push him towards the bath without any protest, stepping in and settling into it with a hiss of pleasure. The water was the perfect temperature, and Alistair soon found himself relaxing into the water, like a puppet with his strings cut - all loose-limbed and sprawled.

Alistair reaches out a hand towards Daylen, and tries to soothe the bittersweet sadness he could hear in the melody of Daylen's emotions. "I can imagine that we might accidentally drown ourselves in our enthusiasm, if we had access to such things all the time."

[daylen_amell_fadewalk]

Daylen pulled the chair around so that he could sit nearby and with a lopsided grin, lifted a foot and stuck it into the warm water, running it over Alistair's thigh. "It would be a beautiful way to go, don't deny it." He twitched his eyebrows upward suggestively.

He shifted, pulling his foot away, letting it drip on the floor so that he could lean forward and scoop a handful of the hot water and carefully dampening Alistair's hair without letting it run into his eyes. "Please tell me there's something suitable in your palace."

[fereldans_king]

Alistair closed his eyes and sighed happily as Daylen's handful of water ran across his scalp and down his back, damp curls beginning to stick to his temples and the back of his neck.

"I don't know if there is anything like those ginormous stone hot spring baths from Orzammar....but I'm pretty sure there is a suitably expansive claw foot rub somewhere on the premise. I think I asked one of my housekeeps if they intended to make Grey Warden soup with it.." Alistair look faintly embarrassed, though he was grinning. "I didn't mean to upset the poor thing."

[daylen_amell_fadewalk]

Several more handfuls of water followed the first, and Daylen started massaging his fingers into Alistair's scalp, letting warmth rise to his fingertips as he kneaded the muscles at the base of his skull and down his neck. "You don't even know what kind of bathtubs your palace has to offer? Are you washing in a basin like a peasant?"

He tsked softly, gently amused, and finding the motion of his fingers, the feel of Alistair's skin and hair distracting.

[fereldans_king]

"I..." Alistair shook his head very softly, to avoid dislodging Daylen's hands. The mage's touch was warm and gentle and slowly turning him into a relaxed puddle of mush. "I try not to bother anyone more than I must. I know we have several generously appointed tubs but...I'd gotten used to stream. Or a bucket. Or if I was lucky, a hip bath in one of the less skeevy inns. It seemed like a waste, to ask everyone to stop what they were doing just to fill a bathtub that could have drown a man."

Alistair stole the soap from where Daylen had placed it, and the wash cloth, before starting the process of soaping himself, beginning with his feet.

[daylen_amell_fadewalk]

"Hm." There was a swell of tender affection in Daylen, even at the vaguely disapproving grunt. "Well, if I fill it and happen to be in it, I hope you won't consider that a waste." He kept trailing small flickers of heat and healing magic into Alistair's shoulders even as he sat forward to wash, running his hands over the developed muscles of his back.

"I promise I won't go demanding outrageous things from your servants just to spoil you."

[fereldans_king]

"No!" Alistair looked up at Daylen, a slightly self-concious look on his face. "No, of course you'd be welcome to...You deserve the chance to enjoy such luxuries, I just..." Alistair made a face, and breathed in to calm the torrent of babble threatening to spill forth. He rinsed his feet and lower legs, and began soaping his thighs.

"I spent how long trying to pretend I wasn't worth all the fuss that people would create over me being Maric's bastard? It's a hard mindset to break."

[daylen_amell_fadewalk]

Daylen's hands stilled and he gave a soft sigh. "Hey it's fine. You don't have to explain to me. You could wash in the horse trough and I'd still love you." He leaned forward and pressed a kiss to the top of Alistair's shoulder where the soap hadn't reached yet.

"But I'm going to be around to remind you to take a little for yourself, okay?" He scritched his fingers in the wet curls at Alistair’s neck. "I'm going to fuss and it won't be because you're Maric's bastard." It would be out of love and shared pleasure and a knot of unacknowledged guilt that Daylen was excellent at ignoring.

[fereldans_king]

Alistair, covered in soap suds and a thoughtful expression on his face, leaned his head into Daylen's gentle scritching. His eyes closed in quiet enjoyment of Daylen's closeness, his love. This unending stream of affection was so unfamiliar, so unexpected given the situation they had found themselves in. Alistair felt something fiercely protective rise in his chest, to make sure that Daylen was always around to make good on his promises.

Alistair reached out along the bond, wanting to share that fiery feeling of love and trust and protectiveness with Daylen - he wwasn't sure he'd be able to put it to words without losing something in his tendency to babble. The music of Daylen's emotions resonated with similar emotions...with the exception of a tiny mournful dissonant note that Alistair couldn't quite identify. Not sadness, not frustration...oh.

Alistair looked up at Daylen, a hint of sorrow in his eyes. Of course, Daylen felt guilty about their situation. After all, he had been here before, once.

[daylen_amell_fadewalk]

The wash of Alistair's emotions as he pushed a little made Daylen's breath catch, his eyes half-lidding as they unfocused slightly. It made the vague disquiet, or guilt, or the sense that he'd lost this precious gift once and certainly didn't deserve it again, ease a little.

He blinked at the sorrow in Alistair's eyes, and frowned faintly, shaking his head. "Don't mind me. Baggage. Remember, broken down mule and all?" His half-smile was a little sardonic and he stole the soap back, along with the cloth to begin scrubbing Alistair's back.

He was thoughtful, silent, as he hesitated to explain the little threads of worry that Alistair was surely feeling at this point. That would get messy, when all that was important was warmth and affection and the physical indulgence of letting his fingers trace the strong lines of Alistair's shoulders as he washed him.

So, Daylen changed the subject. "What was Cousland's mabari named?" To something stupid. He flushed, shaking his head at himself. Idiot. He rinsed the cloth and started using it, sopping full of hot water to wash the soap from Alistair's back.

[fereldans_king]

"You're not broken.." Alistair protested softly, but he didn't push. He enjoyed the scrub of the soap and the wash cloth, and sighed in pleasure as hot water washed over his back.

Alistair chuckled at Daylen's question. "Lyon, of all things. He insisted that he looked like one of those gaudy Orlesian lion statues, though I certainly never saw it." He looked up at Daylen, curisoity naked on his face. "What did you name yours? You did have one, right? Can't have a Hero of Fereldan without their faithful mabari, it seems."

[daylen_amell_fadewalk]

"An Orlesian name for a Fereldan dog? Seems kind of heretical." Daylen shook his head, tutting softly. "Of course, my family was from the Free Marches and until Duncan came to the Tower the only thing I remember seeing of Ferelden was the lake from the windows."

He started working soap into Alistair's hair. "Here, tip back." He was careful with the drips so nothing ran forward into Alistair's face. "My mabari's name was Elric. After some warrior prince of the Avvar that I'd read about." There was a deep ripple of sadness that eased to something faded and familiar. "He was a good dog."

[fereldans_king]

"Cousland is a vocal supporter of Orlesian things. Fighting styles, paintings, Orlesian Wardens...He was..is noble man with big dreams, far beyond our home's borders." Alistair barely caught the slip in tense, but forged onward. When Alistair had left Denerim for his visit to Skyhold, he hadn't heard from his friend in over half a year - even the last missive he'd received had been little more than 'Still alive, to dangerous, don't come looking for me.' He hoped, with a tiny, sinking feeling in his gut, that Cousland was even still alive.

"I'm sure he was every bit as wonderful and slobbery as Lyon was. Did he dig up strange things for you too?"

[daylen_amell_fadewalk]

"Oh yes. Old bones, old boots, Oghren's underwear once. I preferred the genlock hand I found on my pillow, honestly." Daylen finished rinsing the soap from Alistair's hair and leaned in to give him a hug around the neck.

"Cousland sounds like a right ass, by the way. His love of ponce and circumstance just adds to that image. I mean, I'm sure he's a wonderful man." He nuzzled up against Alistair's ear and then leaned back again. "I bet he'll hate me. It'll be grand."

Daylen grinned, ducking his head, concern underneath the fond teasing he felt. He didn't want Alistair to worry about Cousland, he didn't want him to ever worry about anything if Daylen could help it.

[fereldans_king]

"Please tell me that Oghren's underwear was at least disposed of properly? Say...dumped in the fire, far away from everyone else." Alistair leaned into Daylen's arms as he spoke, enjoying the hug and the moment of calm relaxation.

Alistair bristled slightly at Daylen's proclamation, but forced himself to relax as he realized Daylen was simply teasing. Cousland was his friend, one of the very few he had but... "...He was rather pretentious. He expected everyone to hold themselves to the high standard that he held himself. Bit him in the ass more than once, I'm afraid."

Alistair smiled, and ran a gentle (but damp) hand in a caress of Daylen's cheek. "Oh, you two will drive me insane, bantering back and forth about the idiotic nobles in my court."

[daylen_amell_fadewalk]

"Keep you sane more like." Daylen tipped his head to press his face into Alistair's palm. "Not having anyone around to talk back to them when you can't must make you crazy."

He stood, running a hand over the scar on his ribs when it twinged, healing it with an absent flicker of power, leaving it faded and thin. "You want fresh water for soaking now that you're clean?" He wiggled his fingers as he offered. It was strange to be so full of mana again. It was making him eager to use it, especially to Alistair's benefit and comfort.

[fereldans_king]

Alistair stretched out, making something of a spectacle of himself as he sprawled in the tub. "You really are spoiling me. Not only do I get to take a hot bath, but now I get to soak in it as well!" He grinned. "I certainly won't stop you, this time."

He tilted his head at Daylen, inquiringly. "Unless, you'd like to get clean now. How are you feeling? Do you need me to get up, and get anything?"

[daylen_amell_fadewalk]

Daylen let his eyes trail over Alistair as he sprawled, smiling with a lifted eyebrow. "It's not entirely to your benefit. But you should hop out for a minute if you want me to swap it out. Otherwise it's all boiling steam and then freezing ice and I promise you'll scream."

He flushed slightly as he considered Alistair's question. Partially just from the attention, and that he was feeling... good. He did want to wash, but watching Alistair loll was worth waiting. He had that steadily burning knot of desire low in his abdomen that flared whenever they touched. He shrugged a shoulder. "I can go forage while you're soaking. Tea, a little more food wouldn't be amiss, see if I can't find additional clothing for either of us?"

There was also the part of him that wanted to drag Alistair back into bed as soon as they were both passably clean. But he was ignoring that in favor of being responsible or productive or something. It was hard to remember when he was busy ogling all of Alistair.

He wet his lips and smiled ruefully.

[fereldans_king]

Alistair climbed out of the bath with a good-natured grumble, standing on the very edge of the rug to help contain the puddle of dripping bathwater. "Right, boiling steam and freezing ice are bad things when naked. I think we both want me in one piece." He rewarded Daylen's lingering look with a small smirk and full body stretch, flexing as he did so.

"Good luck finding a shirt that actually fits. I had a difficult time finding something that wasn't a tent or just this side of too tight. But if you are inclined to go adventuring for such necessities, I suppose I can languish here, deprived of your company." Alistair's tone was gently teasing.

He could feel Daylen's desire to touch and to hold, a constant, gentle buzz in the back of his head. It was incredibly distracting, but also made Alistair...proud of? happy with? himself - to be wanted so fiercely was a heady experience. He wanted to have Daylen all to himself, wrapped in his arms and wrapped up in each other in as many ways as they could find. He blushed as several of those possible ways came to mind, and his libido began to make itself known again.

[daylen_amell_fadewalk]

"Maker's breath, man." Daylen's voice broke as he watched Alistair tease him, stretching and flexing and... he cleared his breath and shook his head sharply, focusing back on the tub. He hadn't expected quite that level of invitation to leer and blood was surging lower, his skin prickling hot all over his body.

He waved an almost lazy hand, fire was his element, and the water in the tub boiled into a sudden cloud of steam, which with a little encouragement went sailing up the chimney. An easy repetition of the spell to summon ice from earlier, and he encouraged it to melt and heat along with the rune.

"Well, there you go. I'll-- Maker, you're making it really hard to leave this room." The look he turned on Alistair was one of naked hunger, and he ran fingers through his hair before forcing himself to turn away and hunt up the wash cloth he'd used earlier and wipe himself down cursorily.

[fereldans_king]

For a man who used to clank around in full plate, Alistair could occasionally be very stealthy. He snuck up behind Daylen and pressed a tender kiss to the back of the mage's neck, leaning forward to whisper, "Then you should hurry back, shouldn't you?" He was gone just as quickly, back standing next to the tub, grinning as innocently as he could, considering the circumstances.

[daylen_amell_fadewalk]

Daylen huffed as Alistair stole away, giving him a narrow look over his shoulder as he tugged on his clothes. "If this is the thanks I get we're going back to you hauling your own bath water," he muttered, though he was only irritated in so far as his arousal was thwarted.

He pulled on the too-large boots and set about tucking in his shirt and tugging the ties of his trousers closed, shooting frequent glances at Alistair through his eyelashes and the fringe of his hair. "It'll serve you right if I get lost and spend the next three days wandering around in the cellars. Now, enjoy your soak." He made a shooing gesture toward the tub.

[fereldans_king]

Alistair chuckled as he climbed back into the tub, the laugh turning into a pleased his at the fresh, hot water. He sprawled in the tub again, and pushed a thought of thanks and love towards Daylen. "If you're gone too long, I'll come looking for you. I promise."

Alistair closed his eyes and hummed gleefully as the warm of the water began to soak back into his bones. He called out just before Daylen walked through the door, "But do hurry back." He opened his eyes just halfway, and let all of the desire he felt building fill his gaze.

[daylen_amell_fadewalk]

Daylen stumbled slightly as he crossed the threshold, overwhelmed for just a moment with Alistair's existence, the push of love, the tangle of their desires for each other. He poked his head back in and asked, too innocently, "If I wanted to find some lightly scented oil... or lubricating... salve, where do you think I should look?" His eyebrow waggle was as terrible as Zevran's ever was, and he ducked back out into the hall before waiting for the answer.

He had to take hold of himself to make it down the hall, away from Alistair, each step both harder and easier. At least he had the warm knot of him in the very center of his being to hold onto, to remind himself he was real, and all was well. No more nightmares, he reminded himself. Not of that kind, anyway.

[fereldans_king]

Alistair laughed aloud at Daylen's outrageous eyebrow waggle, but the mage was gone out the door before he could actually respond. He reached out with his sense and felt where Daylen was, 'watching' him for a moment before letting go of his focus and letting his mind wander.

He luxuriated in the bath, carefully burying the momentary flash of guilt for taking advantage of Daylen's magic under a thick layer of 'He said he wanted to spoil me, and I'm going to let him, at least for a little while.'