Dragon Age Inquisition: The Legacy of Dorian Pavus

15: Old Gods

"For what?"

"For being angry with you. The mark saved your life. It saved all our lives and it's power scares me. But that's not your fault."

"I love how much you care Dorian." I said, my voice thick with emotion. "I've never had anyone say these things to me before."

He laughed, his sombre expression replaced with it's usual mischievousness. "Now that, I find hard to believe." He said, kissing me again. "With your strapping physique, your beautiful green eyes and a voice to melt butter. How can no one have ever loved these things about you?"

"I suppose I was waiting for you."

"Ah amatus. I adore you so much." He sighed, releasing me. "But we should stop now before we draw a crowd."

I looked around the library to find the space empty and smiled. "I don't think we need to worry about that. Seems our discussion has scared everyone away."

"Imagine that." He said, looking around. "Perhaps we should argue more often."

"Let's not." I said. "I much prefer when we're not arguing."

"You're very dull you know."

"I try."

"Hmph." He snorted, crossing his arms over his chest.

"But there is one thing I'd like to ask you."

"Just the one? Pity."

"What does amatus mean?"

"You mean you don't know? What's the world coming to when a man pays a compliment to someone and they don't even understand the meaning? Barbarians, all of you."

"Dorian."

"It means... my beloved."

"Does that mean... ?"

"Yes, yes. Try not to get all syrupy now, but it means I love you. I love you with all my heart. Now shoo before you make me cry. I'm still angry, you know."

I laughed, all the tension between us dissolving as if it had never been. "Yes." I smirked. "I can see that."

He frowned at me. "Go away now. I need to stew for a while."

"Very well." I said, heading for the stairs. "Oh, Dorian?"

"Yes? What is it now?"

"I love you too."

I smiled as I took the stairs, the stunned expression on his face carrying me down as though I were weightless, so light was my heart.

Dorian

He... loved me? Dorian stared unseeing at the spot where Nathaniel had flashed him a grin, and said the words he'd never thought to ever hear before disappearing from sight.

He was rooted in place, his mind at a complete loss as to what he'd been planning to do. He felt as though he were in a dream. A beautiful dream where what he most desired came true, but would end the moment he woke. But he wasn't sleeping and it wasn't a dream and the man he loved had just told him he loved him back. It was so surreal he felt he should pinch himself just to be certain, but if it was a dream, he didn't want to wake up.

A commotion on the stairs drew him from his thoughts and he sighed and stretched to recover some sense of normalcy to his appearance. He frowned when Sera bounded up the stairs, a foul expression on her face. On seeing him, she frowned harder before coming to a stop before him.

"There you are prissy pants." She said in her girlish voice. "I need to talk to you. Come outside with me yeah?"

Dorian frowned. "You want to talk to me? Are you sure you're in the right place? I thought you hated mages. Me especially since I'm one of the evil ones from Tevinter. Wouldn't you rather talk to someone you don't threaten on a daily basis? Perhaps Varric or Iron Bull?"