slipped along the way

[unmarred]

(from here)

So... up the stairs they go, mostly side by side. Mark lags by a step or two.

There is a persistent silence.



"I... didn't think you'd react the way you did," he says finally. "I mean, I thought you might—that there might be something there, but not that you'd actually."

Comments

[thisvorlunatic]

"I'm getting all upset and protective," Stalas says wryly. "As predicted."

[unmarred]

"There's plenty of horrifying details. I'd have to explain what a shock-stick is... it doesn't matter that much. He hurt me, a lot, until I was so fucking terrified of him that if I did anything I expected to piss him off I'd be too scared to think or move. Learned to work around that as well as I could. And then, oh happy day, he had me and Miles and a deadly weapon all together close by and he handed me the nerve disruptor with obvious intentions and I shot him before I could freeze up. Thus ends Galen."

[thisvorlunatic]

"Good riddance. I think I might hate him more than I hate my brother Bhelen, and that is saying something."

[unmarred]

"Story you want to share? I've heard some pieces, I think."

[thisvorlunatic]

"So, King Endrin Aeducan has three sons by two mothers. Trian, Stalas, and Bhelen. I'm the odd one out, mother-wise. Trian was a fucking clod, nothing in his head but propriety, tradition, and the joy of exercising power. He would have made a shit king. Bhelen... Bhelen was always a little quiet. Good long-term planner. Smart. Knew how to avoid offending anybody. And me, well, you know me. So one day, not too long ago, our father made me a commander. I was excited about my first mission, even though all I got to command was my own second and a couple of scouts, heading into the old Aeducan Thaig to retrieve Aeducan's shield from his tomb. Bhelen took me aside the night before and we had a little talk. I asked him if he'd ever thought of petitioning Father to make him heir, told him I'd back him in a hot second given that the other options were Trian and me and even if Father could ram it past the Assembly I'd hate to have to rule Orzammar one day. Rather command armies. We joked around a little. I thought, you know... he was my brother. We were never close, but I was glad we were getting along. And then he warned me that he thought Trian might be making a move against me."

[unmarred]

"Which Trian wasn't."

[thisvorlunatic]

"Ha. There were some mercenaries between me and the shield - had to kill 'em all, I hated that, I hate killing people - and then when we headed back to the rendezvous we found Trian's body. And I knew. I knew instantly. I didn't want to know. But I knew exactly what had happened. And Bhelen burst in, dragging Father behind him... he'd bribed both the scouts to lie and say they'd seen me kill my brother in cold blood. I have never been so angry in my life."

[unmarred]

Mark hugs him.

[thisvorlunatic]

"I definitely did not expect this much of us crying on each other," Stalas mumbles.

[unmarred]

"It's okay. It's good. It's okay."

[thisvorlunatic]

"Yeah," he sighs. "Yeah."

Cuddles.

[unmarred]

Cuddles.

[thisvorlunatic]

Slightly weepy cuddles.

"I don't think I'll ever see my home again," Stalas murmurs. "I mean, never seeing my home again because I've moved to another planet is better than never seeing my home again because I was eaten by darkspawn... but..."

[unmarred]

"Yeah," Mark says softly. "I know what you mean. I don't have a home the same way, but I know what it means to you."

[thisvorlunatic]

Stalas hugs him tighter.

"It's comforting. To have someone who understands. Miles keeps saying you're not allowed in his club, but... I think you're allowed in mine."

[unmarred]

Well, now Mark is going to be crying into Stalas's chest some more.

[thisvorlunatic]

That's okay. That was pretty predictable.

[unmarred]

Yes, a bit.



"Thank you," he mumbles, eventually, when he can talk again. "Thank you, thank you... you're so good... shut the fuck up about my standards, I don't care, you're perfect, you're amazing, you're the best thing that's happened to me, I love you."

[thisvorlunatic]

"I... Ancestors, Mark, I don't know what to say. You're welcome? I like you, I care about you, I still think your standards are for shit but I understand them much better now..."

[unmarred]

Mark starts giggling helplessly. And sort of tearfully. Giggle-crying.

[thisvorlunatic]

Well. Okay. Good. Stalas will take that.

Snuggle.

[unmarred]

After a minute, the weepy giggles trail off. Mark hiccups.

[thisvorlunatic]

Stalas cracks up.

"That was just needlessly adorable."

[unmarred]

"It's not like I did it on purpose!"

[thisvorlunatic]

"Uh-huh."

The way they're curled up together, Stalas happens to be very well-placed to kiss Mark's forehead just now. It occurs to him to do, and he doesn't see any reason not to, so he does it.