"Why a lion?" Elysse held Cullen's helm between her hands. She turned it over, fingers tracing along the grooves and divots in the metal. "Was it made to match your mantle?"
Cullen glanced up from the book in his hands, his loose hair falling down around his eyes. He shifted on their bed, coming close enough that his arm brushed against hers. "It was a mistake."
"A mistake?"
He made a tired grunting sound than turned into a laugh when she put the helmet in place. Leaning over the side of the bed, she retrieved his mantle from the floor and draped it across his shoulders.
"Yes," he said, shaking his head slightly though he did not remove either item. "The fur on the mantle is actually from a bear."
Elysse gave an exaggerated gasp, a hand flying to cover her mouth like the women so often did in Varric's novels. "A bear you killed?"
"It was attacking our camp." His expression was nearly a pout as though he had to defend himself. "I had little choice in the matter."
She grinned and kissed the curve of his shoulder. "Poor thing never stood a chance."
"Yes, well." Cullen tipped the visor up, his fingers going to the scar that crossed his lip. "He did manage to get a few good blows in himself before the end."
"And the helm?"
His cheeks deepened with a slight blush and he looked away. "... I may or may not have made a certain comment about the Orlesians, not knowing that the armorer hailed from Val Royeaux. By the time I realized what he'd done, it seemed a waste to—don't laugh!"
Elysse shook her head, lips pursed as she tried and failed to contain the sound bubbling in her chest. His face turned rosy with his scowl. She laughed freely and kissed his shoulder again, her arms wrapping around his waist before she snuggled in closer. "So which are you, Commander? The bear or the lion?"
Cullen raised a brow at her. A smirk spread across his lips and he took the helm off, holding it in his hands for a second or so before placing it on top of her head. It tilted awkwardly, designed for a much larger head than hers. She had to crane her neck further back to look at him.
"The lion suits you much better, I think," he said. His smirk broadened, turning smug as he leaned down towards her. One of his hands came up to brush along the back of her neck. His head tilted to the side. Her chest tightened in anticipation as he—stopped.
Cullen grumbled under his breath, his own helm holding him at bay. His fingers left her skin as he took the helm off again, scowling when a set of giggles escaped her. The hand returned to the neck, the other curling around the curve of her hip. He yanked her closer and she gasped, all but ending up in his lap.
"That leaves me as the bear, does it not?" His voice rumbled deep within his chest. The hand on her hip slid to the small of her back. He pressed her closer.
Elysse wrapped her arms around his shoulders, fingers winding through his loose curls and tugging gently. His body was warm and familiar and inviting as she settled against him. His breath tickled her lips. She closed her eyes in anticipation.
His kiss didn't come.
Peeking out beneath her eyelashes, Cullen grinned down at her, his smugness growing with each passing second. "My dear Commander," she huffed, "is there a reason why you aren't currently pushing me down into the bed and taking me in a manly fashion?"
He chuckled under his breath, hand shifting so that his thumb could trace her lower lip. "I was enjoying the view too much."
She nudged him hard in the side which only caused his laugh to deepen. "I am going to get you back for that one, Cullen. I'm going to—"
His lips stole the rest of her words. He pressed her down, his grin seared into his kiss while he made playful, bearish growls between his bouts of laughter, coaxing her to respond in kind until the room filled with the sounds of their mirth.
