Forgotten Boy

Hot And Cold

Cole didn't speak to me much as we left Skyhold, just resumed the normal position behind me as we rode my nuggalope.
I could sense that there was tension between us and it made me scared to try and talk to him.

Dorian suggested that we stop after we'd traveled for the best part of a day, so we set up camp. We lay around the crackling fire and Dorian was soon snoring lightly beside us. I turned to Cole but he was facing away from me, the light of the fire dancing across the back of his dark leathers.
I lay back and looked up at the star speckled sky, watching them sparkle in the darkness.

"Are you angry with me?" Cole asked quietly, breaking my train of thought.

"No, why would I be?"

"You're quiet. And you haven't spoken to me since we left."

"I wasn't sure what to say, and I wasn't sure you'd want to talk to me."

He lay on his back as well and turned his head to face me, "why wouldn't I want to talk to you? You're the only person I want to talk to."

It was hard to hide a smirk but I managed it, "so why were you so quiet?"

"I didn't think you wanted to speak to me. I thought I'd done something wrong."

"You haven't done anything wrong, Cole, but what happened in the barn..."

"I won't do it again if you don't want me to." He looked up at the stars, uncomfortable with the topic.

"It's just... I don't think you quite understand the concept of all this, I don't think-"

"I'm not a child."

"I know but you don't grasp things as well as others do, and that's not a bad thing, but I don't want you to be thinking you understand these things when you don't."

"I do understand. I have seen others tangle themselves in relationships, love, lust and loss. I've watched for so long, the meaning slipping my grasp, but now I feel it. I know what they felt and I know why they did the things they did. I'm not a child."

"I know you're not," I sighed, "I just don't want-"

He was by my side in an instant and leaning over me, his blonde locks draped across his face. His eyes were calm and cool, the pale blue orbs looking almost into my soul. He leaned towards my face and kissed me gently, while I lay and did nothing. It was strange and new, but not entirely unwelcome-I had a strong desire for comfort and the young man's lips were soft and warm. I kissed back and he placed a hand gently on my face. How were his hands so cold while his mouth was so hot?
When he released my lips, his eyes continued to hold me, keeping me wrapped up in the safety he offered. "I'm not a child." I watched him carefully and waiting for my stomach to stop fluttering.
The nervous edge started to creep back into his eyes after a few moments and he moved back to his original spot near the fire. He didn't say anything more and neither did I, just stared at the flames and waited for sleep to take me.