A Candle in the Darkness (A Dragon Age: Inquisition fanfiction)

Cards and Chess

28 Drakonis, 9:42

Upstairs in her quarters, she found Cullen just getting into bed. "Oh, I missed the show."

He raised his eyebrows at her, clearly not amused.

Quickly stripping down to camisole and smalls, or as quickly as her boot-laces would allow, she said, "It's a good thing you never get cold," trying and failing to stifle a giggle.

"I am never playing cards again," he muttered. "I still can't find my—it doesn't matter. I don't know how Varric talked me into that."

"I thought that was fun—I was going to invite you to the next diamondback night."

Cullen groaned. "I don't think so."

"That's too bad. Watching you lose made me want to play cards more often."

"I do not need help embarrassing myself in front of you."

Antonia sat down next to him on the bed, putting her hands on his chest. His skin was warm, almost hot to the touch, as he usually was, and the muscles were firm under her fingertips. "Oh, but you were blushing. It was adorable." She bent and kissed his chest. He felt and tasted so good under her lips that she kissed him again, and again, working her way to the hollow of his throat.

"Maker's breath." But the tone was one of annoyance, rather than arousal.

Antonia stopped kissing him with some reluctance, sitting up to look at him. "You're not seriously upset about this, are you? Because I don't think anyone thought that was embarrassing—mostly, they thought it was funny, and admired your valiant attempt to win back our collective honor from Josephine the card sharp." She climbed over him and got under the covers. "It meant a lot to me that you came, and to Varric and the others, too."

"Really?"

"Of course! You and I have been spending so much time together, I think they all feel a little ... unsure of where they fit, and they're all very important to me. Having you there tonight, telling stories and entering into the spirit of the game, will make everyone more comfortable with you. Isn't that worth parting with a bit of your dignity?"

"I suppose, when you put it that way ..." He lifted an arm, letting her curl up against his side.

"You know the next time we go into battle, they're all going to count on you to have their back—and they'll feel better about it now that they've seen yours."

Cullen groaned.

"No, seriously, pun aside," Antonia said. "We're a better unit if we know each other better."

"Have you ever left a card game in nothing but your smalls?"

"No, but then, I hate being cold. Varric and the Iron Bull fleeced me proper the first several times we played ... and unlike Josephine, they didn't give my winnings back." She looked at him with curiosity. "What possessed you to start betting with your clothes, anyway?"

"I don't know." She was happy to see him smile a bit and feel the tension start to leave his body. "I was just so sure I knew what she was going to do, and it seemed as though I nearly won every hand and then made one small error, so the next hand had to go better." He shook his head. "Foolish of me."

"Cards and chess—very different skills," Antonia said. "My strategy is usually to bet as little as I can and just enjoy the game."

"I used to be quite good at it. We often played in the barracks at night." Cullen shivered suddenly. "We had a game planned the night after Uldred's meeting."

"Is that why you tried to leave at the beginning of the game, those memories?" she asked quietly. He nodded, and Antonia wrapped herself around him, trying to impart whatever comfort she could. "I'm sorry."

"Well, for what it's worth, I'm ... mostly glad I stayed."

"Did you notice the way Black—Rainier and Josephine were looking at each other? Quite a difference from how unhappy she was that I had him brought here from Orlais."

Cullen looked at her in surprise. "She wasn't unhappy with you. She was unhappy with him, for not telling us all—especially her—the truth."

"Oh. So ... you knew about the two of them?"

He smiled, leaning over to kiss her temple. "I'm surprised your network hadn't picked up on it yet."

"I am, too ... although with the Iron Bull busy with Dorian, and Krem busy with Scout Harding, information trickles in a little more slowly these days."

"What about Varric? Who's got his spy network tangled up? Or should we find him someone?"

"Oh, now that is adorable. Commander Cullen, playing matchmaker!" She shifted until she was lying on top of him. "No one would ever believe it."

"We've talked before about what a terrible influence you are, haven't we?" he asked, his voice low and husky.

"I'm not the one who bet their pants on a hand of Wicked Grace," she reminded him.

"More's the pity, too."

Their mouths were very close together now. "We could try that sometime."

"Or ... we could skip the cards." His lips just brushed hers.

"How do we know who wins?" She pulled back just a little, teasing him.

With a low growl, he rolled her over, his hand on her thigh pulling her leg over his hip so she could feel him against her. "Is this a competition, Inquisitor?" he asked, his tone dark and just a little dangerous.

"Possibly." She wrapped the other leg around his waist, arching against him, the thin layers of their smallclothes only enhancing the sensation. "But what are the rules?"

Cullen chuckled low in his throat. "I'll tell you after I've won."

Whatever reply Antonia might have made was lost in his kiss. Hours later, she still wasn't certain what the rules had been, but they both were satisfied with the outcome.