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[dawnwillcome]

Leave me a message if something has happened that I should know about.

If this is about saving the world, press 1.
If something needs to be done about Dorian, please press 2.

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[serves]

[Sleep doesn't come easily, especailly so when it's a bad day. He sweats, he shivers, but eventually his body gives up and he falls into a fitful sleep. He sleeps through the text and through the knocking.

The door leading to the ladder is unlocked, however, as he knew she'd be coming by. There's a loose linen shirt on the floor, thrown off when it was far too stifling. He's face down on the cot, hair no longer smoothy pushed back.

It's been a long day.]

[dawnwillcome]

[When there's no answer Jove tries the door, lets herself in and silently makes her way into his room. She leaves the broth on his desk and scoops up the shirt, folds it and leaves it on a chair when she doesn't immediately see where he keeps his dirty clothes. It must have been bad this time if he hadn't woken at all, if he was exhausted enough to sleep through all this, and Jove very nearly sees herself out to let him rest.

She will, she decides, but first she steps silently over to him and reaches down to brush her fingers through his hair, carefully pushing it off his forehead. She doesn't expect that to wake him when she hasn't already, after all.]

[serves]

[But of course it does. Her cool fingers through his hair, damp from sweat, rouses him from his sleep. He looks startled, for a moment, and then rolls onto his side.]

I'm sorry, I didn't hear you--[His voice is thick from the few hours of sleep he's managed.]

How's Elize?

[Priorities.]

[dawnwillcome]

[Well shit. With a sigh, Jove sits on the edge of his bed.]

She's just fine, if a little sad she wasn't able to see you. I'm sorry I woke you, I had intended to go, but...

[But she had to stop and touch him first? No, she'll just trail off there and not finish that sentence.]

[serves]

[He rolls onto his back. He doesn't mind that she woke him up, though he takes a moment to rub the sleep out his eyes with one hand. The other reaches for Jove's knee.]

I'm sorry.

[dawnwillcome]

[She covers his hand with hers and gives it a gentle squeeze.]

Stop doing that.

[serves]

[He sighs.]

I owe Elize the bigger apology.

[dawnwillcome]

You'll make it up to her when you're feeling better. I'll be sure to hold you to it, in fact.

[Another smile, trying to draw one out of him. Her poor Commander.]

[serves]

She wants to spend time with the both of us. Together.

[He smiles, but it's more of a self-deprecating one.]

I never thought I'd be hiding this from a child.

[dawnwillcome]

Hopefully the next planet will be somewhere a child would enjoy, then. We could take her there together.

[And there goes her smile, fading into a concerned frown as she reaches out to lay her hand on his shoulder.]

Don't do this to yourself, Cullen. There's nothing shameful about what you're going through.

[serves]

This may never get better. It could get worse, in fact. The spirit and the body don't always have the same perseverance.

[dawnwillcome]

It could just be a case of your body still in the process of healing itself. [Her hand leaves his shoulder so she can run her fingers through his hair again, soothing and affectionate to balance out how cruel he's being to himself.] I choose to believe it's only a matter of time, and you have plenty of that.

[serves]

[He closes his eyes as she speaks, as her fingers comb through his hair. His head aches and there's that hollow emptiness somewhere deep. His mind insists lyrium would fix the hurt and make everything easier, but his heart knows better. Besides, it's worlds away. A small blessing should his resolve ever crack.]

Time can't fix everything. [The withdrawal, the nightmares--he's a broken man no matter which way you cut it.]

[dawnwillcome]

[It's quite clear that nothing she says is going to get him to sway at all, so Jove just sighs and goes on stroking his hair. She wishes she could fix this, but the important problems are rarely the easy ones to see to.]

I brought some broth, if you feel up to eating. Perhaps it would help.

[serves]

[He did this. Sometimes he thinks this is his penance, for all that he let happen.

The hand on her knee grasps, lightly. He's afraid of his hands trembling.]

This helps.

[The pain in his skull seems to lessen with each pass of her hand.]

[dawnwillcome]

[That gets a soft smile from her.]

You can be unbearably sweet, did you know that? Here.

[She pulls away then, but only so she can settle herself onto his bed. With his pillows propped up behind her she lounges back and then opens her arms to him, clearly inviting him to come curl up against her.]

This should be even more helpful.

[serves]

[He's so worn out that he only hesitates for half a moment before carefully settling against her, head on her stomach for optimal petting position.]

Talk to me. [That also helps. Even if he's got his eyes shut, he's listening.]

[dawnwillcome]

[She settles her arms around him, one hand resting on his shoulder while the other resumes carding through his hair. There's so little she can do for him, but there's no question she would do anything in her power to relieve even a fraction of the discomfort he feels now.]

Let me see... When I was a child, long before my magic had developed, all I wanted was to watch over my clan's halla. I was convinced that when I was old enough I would take over for the man who herded our halla and not even the Keeper could convince me to follow a different path. When we traveled I even made sure to stow away in the herdsman's aravel so I would be closest when we stopped to set up camp. That way I could be sure none of the other children could volunteer to help him unhitch the halla and get them fed for the night before I did.

[serves]

[That almost gets a laugh. It's more like an amused huff.]

Master Dennet would like to hear that one.

[dawnwillcome]

Did you know that when I first met him, he called me a halla rider and I got immediately offended?

[It almost seems funny now.]

I was still so wary of humans, so certain that the next moment I turned around there'd be one to slip a knife between my ribs or worse. As it turns out, he just thought they were beautiful.

[serves]

Sometimes I wish I could be out there with you. Not hear about all these things secondhand or through reports.

[But he knows his place.]

[dawnwillcome]

You're with me when it counts. Having you by my side at the Winter Palace and Adamant was more helpful than you probably realize.

[And he'll be there with her when they go to the Arbor Wilds, which may be the most important part of all.]

And anyway, do you really want to trudge around behind me while I lead a druffalo back to its pen? There are much more interesting things to do in Skyhold.

[serves]

Like I said. I've read the reports.

[Don't mind him as he nestles in just a little more, a hand resting on her leg.]

[dawnwillcome]

[She doesn't mind at all, not if it's something that's giving him comfort. This is Cullen, after all. He's been so hesitant about pushing boundaries she doubts there's any chance of it happening now, when he feels so unwell.]

Perhaps when we return I'll have Cassandra stay behind for a few outings, then. I trust you'll watch my back?

[Or lower, that's the joke.]

[serves]

[She's awfully comfortable for being the size of his index finger.]

I can't imagine her taking that well.