Triggers - RP fic part 2
Title: Triggers pt. 2
Author/s: Severedscythe & Unavalible (lemon-sprinkles)
Rating: M. Blood, mentions of relationships some swearing, etc.
Fandom:Dragon Age 2
Pairing: M!Mage Hawke, Fenris, mentions of others.
Disclaimer:Not ours! Bioware owns everything gdi. LEARN TO SHARE.
Spoilers: Yes, actually. An RP based after the events of the game
Word count: 12,105
Notes: Part 2~! This contains the horrendous amount of gay.
Part one is here!
It takes much longer to get back to the estate, and once they're back Garrett can feel every nerve in his side, his arm and shoulder screaming out in pain. Gritting his teeth, he finally pulls away from Fenris and straightens up, not wanting Bodhan or Orana to worry if they saw them-- although the amount dried blood on both of them would certainly make anyone worry.
"There is a letter on the- by the Stone! Are you alright?" Bodhan's voice is laced with concern, and he's hurrying forward before Garrett can tell him he's alright. He's still alive and… he's still himself. He thinks. He hopes.
"I'm fine," Garrett says, and sends Bohdan a wry smile, although it's painful to do so. "Just got... into a scuffle. C-Can you please heat some water for a bath?"
Bohdan nods and he seems hesitant to leave but does so anyways, small legs carrying him surprisingly quickly.
Fenris nods at Bohdan, keeping his arm firmly around Garrett's waist as he uses the other hand to get the sword off his back. He knows how hard Garrett is trying but he can feel him flagging. His fingers flex against his hip once and he frowns, looking down at himself.
"If you could get a message to Anders, Bohdan, that would be wise. Not immediately. After he's had a bath." Garrett's arm looks hideous, but he need to get clean first. They can't do anything with so much blood kicking about. He's not sure that Bohdan is going to listen to him, of course, and he would rather Orana didn't see this at all.
"I'm fine," Garrett says, and sends Fenris a nasty glare as Bodhan leaves the room. "I don't need healing." He feels like shit, and he probably looks like shit, but he's convinced after some rest and a warm bath he'll be fine. Pulling away from Fenris, he shuffles over to the corner of the room where he rests his staff against the wall. He wants to clean it right away, but realizes it will have to wait until the morning.
"You going to bathe with me?" he asks, trying to act casual but failing as the room begins to spin again. He reaches out to hold on to the mantle of the fireplace, and hopes that the water doesn't take too long to heat up in the large bathtub. Bodhan will come get him when it's ready, but he wants it to be ready now.
Any retort Fenris has at Garrett's insistence that he doesn't need healing dies in his mouth as he sways. He tugs his other gauntlet off, letting it fall to the floor as he grabs into his good shoulder and his waist to hold him up.
"Anders is going to be here. That is non-negotiable," he scowls, concern warring with irritation. Concern wins out as he guides Garrett to a chair, the sick, heavy feeling in his stomach sliding its way up to his chest. "You may need some help bathing," he says, a smile quirking at the corner of his mouth. "I would be remiss if I refused to assist you."
Garrett can't help but snort as he sits down, and sends Fenris a small smirk. "You just want to see me naked," he jokes, although any humour is lost as the room spins again, and everything goes black for a quick second before he regains his sense of reality. It doesn't take long for Bodhan to return, wringing his hands as he stares at Garrett slumped over in a chair, covered in blood.
"Your bath is ready..." he says, voice soft, as if he fears he'll hurt Garrett with his voice.
"Thank you, Bodhan," Garrett replies, and he stands up slowly, trying to reassure Bodhan with his actions. It doesn't seem to work. Walking to the bathing room near the kitchens, Garrett walks by himself without the assistance of Fenris, but keeps him in his sight as they venture down the dark hallway into the brightly lit bathing area. The large tub sits in the center of the room, heat radiating off of it while a chair sits close by, towels resting on top of it. Waiting until the door closes, Garrett turns to see he and Fenris are alone, and allows himself to shed the armour so he can inspect the damage fully.
Fenris watches as his armour is stripped away and the angry, red scars stand out even further. He hisses out a sympathetic breath, moving before he's realized he's done so, helping him with the shoulder pads and the chest-plate.
"You are going to see Anders. He will make a house-call for this," he says, tone firm. He's not budging on this. This looks… awful. The knowledge that he could easily have lost Garrett wars with the anger and it leaves him feeling sick, like his skin is too tight for his body. The lyrium in his hands glows as he moves, wanting to get him out of his armour and into the bath. He would join him only once he was settled.
Garrett just grumbles, ignoring Fenris' fretting in favour of getting the armour off. His arm is burning, and he can feel the swelling around his shoulder muscle increasing, making it harder and harder to move it. Soon enough he's completely nude, and he gets into the bath. As soon as he washes away the dried and congealing blood the sooner he can see what condition his arm really is in. The hot water bores into his sore muscles quickly, and Garrett keeps his arm out of the water for the time being, trying to enjoy the soothing nature of it now before he ruins it by sticking his injured arm inside the heat.
Fenris strips off methodically, half an eye always on Garrett. He's concerned, and the bath is barely big enough, but if this is what he wants...
He's covered in blood as well and it'd be nice to get rid of it. He sighs, dropping his pants and walking around to the side of the back, leaning down and kissing the top of his head. "Move up."
Garrett does as he's told, scooting forward in the bath. His legs curl in on him a little, and he's grateful that his legs were perfectly fine. Closing his eyes, he hunches forward and waits for Fenris to get in so he can put his arm into the water and have Fenris keep it in there. He's like a small child when he's hurt- he'll try and avoid pain as much as possible, even if it helps in the long run. If he had it his way he'd just go to bed and not clean his arm off and not let the hot water touch the infected marks. But Fenris will make sure he does clean it, and that is what counts.
Fenris settles in behind him, shifting so his legs are on either side of him and tugs him back against his chest. It's not an ideal position; Garrett's much larger than he is, but he wants to hold him now. Wants to protect him. He huffs out a laugh and relaxes back against the tub, the warm water making the ache in his back lessen. A little water sloshes over the edge, splashing over stone.
Now all that’s left is for him to put his mangled arm in the water. This isn't going to be pretty. "I have you, Garrett."
"Do I have to?" he whines, glaring at the water in front of him. He has calmed down a little now that Fenris is behind him, and he figures he's allowed to relax now. He can beat himself up about everything tomorrow. Right now... right now he just wants to relish in the fact that he and Fenris are still alive despite his stupidity. They're still alive, and they're home, and they're taking a warm bath. Everything will be okay.
Snorting, Fenris nods, pressing a gentle kiss to the back of his injured shoulder. He's not going to let him get away with this, and he's prepared to hold his arm down, if he needs to. It needs to be cleaned.
"Afraid so." The humour in his voice is a little forced, but there. "You'll be fine, Garrett. Come on."
Garrett tries not to shiver too much as Fenris touches his shoulder with his lips. He expects pain, but is only met with slight pressure. Centering himself, he finally pushes his arm into the water, and lets out a few swears as the hot water seeps into the cuts and burns the sensitive and puckered skin. "Shit shit shit shitshitshit."
Fenris is ruthless. He slides his arm over his shoulders and holds his arm down, mumbling an apology against his skin. He's not about to let him lift his arm yet; he needs to clean it. Reaching with his other hand, he holds out the cloth to him, not able to reach across Garrett's wide chest himself.
"Here."
Garrett takes it with his good hand, and is tempted to elbow Fenris in the stomach so he can lift his arm up. But he resists, and soon enough the burning stops enough that he can start to wash it without chewing a hole through his cheek where he's been biting down far too much. Brushing away the blood carefully, he ignores how the red mixes with the once crystal clear water, and watches the injury in its full glory take shape. It's not... that bad. It’s red and puckered, the gash marks running down his arm evident. But everything is there-- no huge chunks were removed and save for a few dips in the skin and the large claw marks, his arm looks... normal.
Fenris watches him quietly, smoothing the skin under his fingers and fighting back a sigh. He wants to just lean back, hold onto him and got to sleep, of all things, but he knows he can't. Garrett's got blood in his hair they need to get rid of, and he knows he's as putrid as he can get.
He watches Garrett's progress with his chin braced on his good shoulder, breathing in the steam and something purely...him.
"How does it look?"
"It will give me sexy scars," Garrett jokes, although in the back of his mind he knows he's going to hate these scars in due time. A constant reminder. "It doesn't look too bad, though... it's healing. I hope."
He finishes cleaning up his arm and moves to wash off the rest of his body, towelling his hair and making it stick up all over the place, before he tosses the towel away with his good arm and sighs. "You should clean yourself up, too."
Fenris snorts, reaching his hands up and messing with his hair, smoothing it back and relaxing against the tub, now that his arm is clean. He's worried, but starting to calm down a little. If Garrett says it's healing, then it's healing. He wouldn't lie.
"That's not going to get you out of Anders coming to see you," he says, kissing his shoulder again. It's not sexual, just reassurance. That he's still there and still breathing.
"I never thought I'd hear the day in which you asked for Anders help for anything," Garrett mumbles, and wishes he could kiss Fenris to show him the same reassurance. Instead he starts to swirl his fingers around Fenris' bony kneecap, fingers moving slowly under the water. He's about to say he's sorry once more, but realizes that Fenris might hit him again. So instead he fights off an impending headache and continues to touch the parts of Fenris he can reach.
Rolling his eyes, Fenris slides his fingers through Garrett's hair, moving them in slow, warm circles. He looks to be in a lot of pain; the cut on his own side is sealed, barely a scar, and he can't help but feel guilty for that.
"I am unwilling to let my personal...prejudice get in the way of your recovery." It still sounds like he's talking about skinning himself and putting it on display, or something equally as gruesome, but he's not going to get in the way of Garrett healing.
Nothing is. He smiles a little as the man touches his knee, shifting his leg and pressing a kiss just behind his ear.
"You cleaned yourself up?" he asks, turning into jelly under Fenris' manipulations. The tension and the stress in his body are all but gone, and he lets his body rest so it can attempt to heal. Although his has an ominous feeling, like a poison is seeping through his system... but he tries not to dwell on that. It's probably residual from the attack itself. Still...it's hard to shake.
That head massage is really making it hard to mope, though.
"I will in a moment," Fenris says, wanting to spend some time just touching him, reaffirming with himself that he's okay. "I would rather attend to you."
He's rather gratified as Garrett goes boneless, the blood dripping from his own hair smacking against his shoulder, leaving a slow winding rivulet of red to trail to the water. He keeps his fingers moving, pressing slow circles against his temples.
"You should bathe... so then we can continue this head massage in the bedroom where it's alright if I fall asleep. I don't want you to have to carry my limp, naked body back to the room," he jokes, and he can't help but let out a soft sigh, eyes closing as the headache doesn't go away, but doesn't get worse.
Sometimes Garrett is logical. Sighing, Fenris slides his hands away from his hair, mumbling against his skin.
"Perhaps you should get out and dry then. I will not take long." He has to find where Garrett put the cloth, first. He can't see around him as well as he should be able to. He's tired. He'd much rather just crawl into a corner and go to sleep.
Garrett sighs and opens his eyes. Getting out of the bath slowly and carefully, he favours his one side and passes a clean towel to Fenris so he can clean off properly. In the meantime he goes to sit on the now free chair, legs feeling like jelly from the warm water that had seeped into his muscles. His arm didn't hurt too much right now, and he was grateful for that.
Fenris takes the towel off him, getting clean as quickly as sore muscles allow. The knot is back, his back tense as he scrubs the blood out of his hair and off his skin. He keeps an eye on Garrett the whole time, not wanting him to hurt himself through sheer dint of exhaustion.
Once he's done he pushes himself up to dry off, not envying Bohdan and Orana the task of clearing the water. He'd do it himself, only he's sure if he tries he will fail.
Fenris has stayed over and bathed a few times on occasion, and Bohdan seems to have clued in that when they bathe Fenris needs a change of clothes. So Garrett isn't surprised when he sees he's set out some clean clothes for the both of them-- simple things used to sleep in. He dresses slowly once Fenris is done bathing, taking his time so as not to overexert himself. He can tell Fenris is stiffening up, something that usually happens during the late night when he's given himself time to finally relax. As soon as they're dressed he pulls Fenris close with his good arm, and hugs him, head ducking down to rest on Fenris' shoulder.
"Thank you."
Dressed and breathing a sigh of something close to relief, Fenris forces himself to relax his shoulders, leaning up and pressing a kiss to his jaw. He's grateful for the clothes, for the time and most of all for the fact that Garrett is still standing, still breathing.
"You are most welcome. Upstairs, I think," he says this with a slight smile, his arm around Garrett's waist. He'd relax more when Garrett was lying down and Anders was on his way.
Resting his arm over Fenris' shoulder, Garrett follows him to the bedroom, telling Bodhan he was going to bed and not to disturb him until later in the morning tomorrow. Bodhan simply nodded in reply, and didn't ask any questions-- something Garrett was thankful for. He'd have to thank him properly later on.
But for now, all he can think about is the sight of the bed in front of him and the warm glow of the fire. Heading to the bed, he pulls away from Fenris and sits down slowly, sighing loudly and happily.
Fenris doesn't fight the smile this time, or the worry. He nudges Garrett back until he can get him to lie down. The room is a sanctuary, a place far away from the worries and troubles of the city. Away from demons and blood mages and, fortunately, dogs who liked to clamber onto the bed in the middle of the night and drool in their ears.
"Let me see," he says, indicating his arm. He needs to see it, needs to-
It has to be at least partly healed. Or he'll go and get Anders now. Himself.
Sighing, Garrett lies down and holds his arm up, wincing as the shoulder screams out at him to stop what he's doing. He doesn't listen, though, and holds his arm into the light so that Fenris can see it fully. "It's fine, Fenris... Don't worry."
Fenris runs his fingers along his arm, tracing raised scars, dipping into the grooves where the skin didn't meet properly. There's something caught in his throat, making it impossible to speak.
He leans down and presses a kiss over the scar on his elbow instead, bracing his arm with his hands, taking some of the pressure off.
"I would rather you never did that again."
"I didn't want to do it in the first place," Garrett replies, a wry smile on his lips. He's not going to tell him why it happened-- why he let the demon get so close. Fenris wouldn't trust his judgment again. He enjoys the tender kisses, even though they hurt a little bit.
Fenris is careful to be gentle, kissing his way down to his palm, humming against his skin. He noses at his palm for just a moment before setting Garrett’s arm down across his stomach, curling his fingers around his own and ducking his head, wet hair falling into his face.
"I will be faster, next time"
Garrett can see Fenris is getting ready to blame himself, and tried to nip it in the bud before the seeds can even begin to grow. Reaching up with his good hand, he traces Fenris' jaw with his fingers before lifting his chin up. "Look at me... It wasn't your fault, Fenris. It was my fault."
The look Fenris gives him is somewhere between self-doubt and gentle reproach. He nods once, not wanting to argue over this, instead squeezing his hand and sighing, watching him. The dark circles under his eyes are standing out a little more and Fenris wonders at the last time he truly slept without nightmares.
"I believe it was the Demon's fault, ultimately."
"Yes, I agree, let us blame the demon," he says, smiling softly. Might as well blame someone who is not in the room, and is not involved in the relationship. He needs to convince Fenris more that it isn't his fault, but he decides that it can wait. Right now he wants to sleep.
"Come give me a kiss and then we can sleep."
"Demanding, aren't you?" he says, but the smile is back. He shifts until he can settle beside him, careful to stay on the side which isn't mangled to hell and back. Hawke did an excellent job of healing his side; he can barely feel the twinge.
He leans over, bracing himself on an arm as he kisses him. This, more than anything, is the reason he finds it so hard to leave, even if it is just to go do something else for a while. "Go to sleep."
"Only if you do," he mumbles, kissing him again, slow and gentle-- grounding. Doing this makes him feel normal again; like he didn't almost lose his soul.
Author/s: Severedscythe & Unavalible (lemon-sprinkles)
Rating: M. Blood, mentions of relationships some swearing, etc.
Fandom:Dragon Age 2
Pairing: M!Mage Hawke, Fenris, mentions of others.
Disclaimer:Not ours! Bioware owns everything gdi. LEARN TO SHARE.
Spoilers: Yes, actually. An RP based after the events of the game
Word count: 12,105
Notes: Part 2~! This contains the horrendous amount of gay.
Part one is here!
It takes much longer to get back to the estate, and once they're back Garrett can feel every nerve in his side, his arm and shoulder screaming out in pain. Gritting his teeth, he finally pulls away from Fenris and straightens up, not wanting Bodhan or Orana to worry if they saw them-- although the amount dried blood on both of them would certainly make anyone worry.
"There is a letter on the- by the Stone! Are you alright?" Bodhan's voice is laced with concern, and he's hurrying forward before Garrett can tell him he's alright. He's still alive and… he's still himself. He thinks. He hopes.
"I'm fine," Garrett says, and sends Bohdan a wry smile, although it's painful to do so. "Just got... into a scuffle. C-Can you please heat some water for a bath?"
Bohdan nods and he seems hesitant to leave but does so anyways, small legs carrying him surprisingly quickly.
Fenris nods at Bohdan, keeping his arm firmly around Garrett's waist as he uses the other hand to get the sword off his back. He knows how hard Garrett is trying but he can feel him flagging. His fingers flex against his hip once and he frowns, looking down at himself.
"If you could get a message to Anders, Bohdan, that would be wise. Not immediately. After he's had a bath." Garrett's arm looks hideous, but he need to get clean first. They can't do anything with so much blood kicking about. He's not sure that Bohdan is going to listen to him, of course, and he would rather Orana didn't see this at all.
"I'm fine," Garrett says, and sends Fenris a nasty glare as Bodhan leaves the room. "I don't need healing." He feels like shit, and he probably looks like shit, but he's convinced after some rest and a warm bath he'll be fine. Pulling away from Fenris, he shuffles over to the corner of the room where he rests his staff against the wall. He wants to clean it right away, but realizes it will have to wait until the morning.
"You going to bathe with me?" he asks, trying to act casual but failing as the room begins to spin again. He reaches out to hold on to the mantle of the fireplace, and hopes that the water doesn't take too long to heat up in the large bathtub. Bodhan will come get him when it's ready, but he wants it to be ready now.
Any retort Fenris has at Garrett's insistence that he doesn't need healing dies in his mouth as he sways. He tugs his other gauntlet off, letting it fall to the floor as he grabs into his good shoulder and his waist to hold him up.
"Anders is going to be here. That is non-negotiable," he scowls, concern warring with irritation. Concern wins out as he guides Garrett to a chair, the sick, heavy feeling in his stomach sliding its way up to his chest. "You may need some help bathing," he says, a smile quirking at the corner of his mouth. "I would be remiss if I refused to assist you."
Garrett can't help but snort as he sits down, and sends Fenris a small smirk. "You just want to see me naked," he jokes, although any humour is lost as the room spins again, and everything goes black for a quick second before he regains his sense of reality. It doesn't take long for Bodhan to return, wringing his hands as he stares at Garrett slumped over in a chair, covered in blood.
"Your bath is ready..." he says, voice soft, as if he fears he'll hurt Garrett with his voice.
"Thank you, Bodhan," Garrett replies, and he stands up slowly, trying to reassure Bodhan with his actions. It doesn't seem to work. Walking to the bathing room near the kitchens, Garrett walks by himself without the assistance of Fenris, but keeps him in his sight as they venture down the dark hallway into the brightly lit bathing area. The large tub sits in the center of the room, heat radiating off of it while a chair sits close by, towels resting on top of it. Waiting until the door closes, Garrett turns to see he and Fenris are alone, and allows himself to shed the armour so he can inspect the damage fully.
Fenris watches as his armour is stripped away and the angry, red scars stand out even further. He hisses out a sympathetic breath, moving before he's realized he's done so, helping him with the shoulder pads and the chest-plate.
"You are going to see Anders. He will make a house-call for this," he says, tone firm. He's not budging on this. This looks… awful. The knowledge that he could easily have lost Garrett wars with the anger and it leaves him feeling sick, like his skin is too tight for his body. The lyrium in his hands glows as he moves, wanting to get him out of his armour and into the bath. He would join him only once he was settled.
Garrett just grumbles, ignoring Fenris' fretting in favour of getting the armour off. His arm is burning, and he can feel the swelling around his shoulder muscle increasing, making it harder and harder to move it. Soon enough he's completely nude, and he gets into the bath. As soon as he washes away the dried and congealing blood the sooner he can see what condition his arm really is in. The hot water bores into his sore muscles quickly, and Garrett keeps his arm out of the water for the time being, trying to enjoy the soothing nature of it now before he ruins it by sticking his injured arm inside the heat.
Fenris strips off methodically, half an eye always on Garrett. He's concerned, and the bath is barely big enough, but if this is what he wants...
He's covered in blood as well and it'd be nice to get rid of it. He sighs, dropping his pants and walking around to the side of the back, leaning down and kissing the top of his head. "Move up."
Garrett does as he's told, scooting forward in the bath. His legs curl in on him a little, and he's grateful that his legs were perfectly fine. Closing his eyes, he hunches forward and waits for Fenris to get in so he can put his arm into the water and have Fenris keep it in there. He's like a small child when he's hurt- he'll try and avoid pain as much as possible, even if it helps in the long run. If he had it his way he'd just go to bed and not clean his arm off and not let the hot water touch the infected marks. But Fenris will make sure he does clean it, and that is what counts.
Fenris settles in behind him, shifting so his legs are on either side of him and tugs him back against his chest. It's not an ideal position; Garrett's much larger than he is, but he wants to hold him now. Wants to protect him. He huffs out a laugh and relaxes back against the tub, the warm water making the ache in his back lessen. A little water sloshes over the edge, splashing over stone.
Now all that’s left is for him to put his mangled arm in the water. This isn't going to be pretty. "I have you, Garrett."
"Do I have to?" he whines, glaring at the water in front of him. He has calmed down a little now that Fenris is behind him, and he figures he's allowed to relax now. He can beat himself up about everything tomorrow. Right now... right now he just wants to relish in the fact that he and Fenris are still alive despite his stupidity. They're still alive, and they're home, and they're taking a warm bath. Everything will be okay.
Snorting, Fenris nods, pressing a gentle kiss to the back of his injured shoulder. He's not going to let him get away with this, and he's prepared to hold his arm down, if he needs to. It needs to be cleaned.
"Afraid so." The humour in his voice is a little forced, but there. "You'll be fine, Garrett. Come on."
Garrett tries not to shiver too much as Fenris touches his shoulder with his lips. He expects pain, but is only met with slight pressure. Centering himself, he finally pushes his arm into the water, and lets out a few swears as the hot water seeps into the cuts and burns the sensitive and puckered skin. "Shit shit shit shitshitshit."
Fenris is ruthless. He slides his arm over his shoulders and holds his arm down, mumbling an apology against his skin. He's not about to let him lift his arm yet; he needs to clean it. Reaching with his other hand, he holds out the cloth to him, not able to reach across Garrett's wide chest himself.
"Here."
Garrett takes it with his good hand, and is tempted to elbow Fenris in the stomach so he can lift his arm up. But he resists, and soon enough the burning stops enough that he can start to wash it without chewing a hole through his cheek where he's been biting down far too much. Brushing away the blood carefully, he ignores how the red mixes with the once crystal clear water, and watches the injury in its full glory take shape. It's not... that bad. It’s red and puckered, the gash marks running down his arm evident. But everything is there-- no huge chunks were removed and save for a few dips in the skin and the large claw marks, his arm looks... normal.
Fenris watches him quietly, smoothing the skin under his fingers and fighting back a sigh. He wants to just lean back, hold onto him and got to sleep, of all things, but he knows he can't. Garrett's got blood in his hair they need to get rid of, and he knows he's as putrid as he can get.
He watches Garrett's progress with his chin braced on his good shoulder, breathing in the steam and something purely...him.
"How does it look?"
"It will give me sexy scars," Garrett jokes, although in the back of his mind he knows he's going to hate these scars in due time. A constant reminder. "It doesn't look too bad, though... it's healing. I hope."
He finishes cleaning up his arm and moves to wash off the rest of his body, towelling his hair and making it stick up all over the place, before he tosses the towel away with his good arm and sighs. "You should clean yourself up, too."
Fenris snorts, reaching his hands up and messing with his hair, smoothing it back and relaxing against the tub, now that his arm is clean. He's worried, but starting to calm down a little. If Garrett says it's healing, then it's healing. He wouldn't lie.
"That's not going to get you out of Anders coming to see you," he says, kissing his shoulder again. It's not sexual, just reassurance. That he's still there and still breathing.
"I never thought I'd hear the day in which you asked for Anders help for anything," Garrett mumbles, and wishes he could kiss Fenris to show him the same reassurance. Instead he starts to swirl his fingers around Fenris' bony kneecap, fingers moving slowly under the water. He's about to say he's sorry once more, but realizes that Fenris might hit him again. So instead he fights off an impending headache and continues to touch the parts of Fenris he can reach.
Rolling his eyes, Fenris slides his fingers through Garrett's hair, moving them in slow, warm circles. He looks to be in a lot of pain; the cut on his own side is sealed, barely a scar, and he can't help but feel guilty for that.
"I am unwilling to let my personal...prejudice get in the way of your recovery." It still sounds like he's talking about skinning himself and putting it on display, or something equally as gruesome, but he's not going to get in the way of Garrett healing.
Nothing is. He smiles a little as the man touches his knee, shifting his leg and pressing a kiss just behind his ear.
"You cleaned yourself up?" he asks, turning into jelly under Fenris' manipulations. The tension and the stress in his body are all but gone, and he lets his body rest so it can attempt to heal. Although his has an ominous feeling, like a poison is seeping through his system... but he tries not to dwell on that. It's probably residual from the attack itself. Still...it's hard to shake.
That head massage is really making it hard to mope, though.
"I will in a moment," Fenris says, wanting to spend some time just touching him, reaffirming with himself that he's okay. "I would rather attend to you."
He's rather gratified as Garrett goes boneless, the blood dripping from his own hair smacking against his shoulder, leaving a slow winding rivulet of red to trail to the water. He keeps his fingers moving, pressing slow circles against his temples.
"You should bathe... so then we can continue this head massage in the bedroom where it's alright if I fall asleep. I don't want you to have to carry my limp, naked body back to the room," he jokes, and he can't help but let out a soft sigh, eyes closing as the headache doesn't go away, but doesn't get worse.
Sometimes Garrett is logical. Sighing, Fenris slides his hands away from his hair, mumbling against his skin.
"Perhaps you should get out and dry then. I will not take long." He has to find where Garrett put the cloth, first. He can't see around him as well as he should be able to. He's tired. He'd much rather just crawl into a corner and go to sleep.
Garrett sighs and opens his eyes. Getting out of the bath slowly and carefully, he favours his one side and passes a clean towel to Fenris so he can clean off properly. In the meantime he goes to sit on the now free chair, legs feeling like jelly from the warm water that had seeped into his muscles. His arm didn't hurt too much right now, and he was grateful for that.
Fenris takes the towel off him, getting clean as quickly as sore muscles allow. The knot is back, his back tense as he scrubs the blood out of his hair and off his skin. He keeps an eye on Garrett the whole time, not wanting him to hurt himself through sheer dint of exhaustion.
Once he's done he pushes himself up to dry off, not envying Bohdan and Orana the task of clearing the water. He'd do it himself, only he's sure if he tries he will fail.
Fenris has stayed over and bathed a few times on occasion, and Bohdan seems to have clued in that when they bathe Fenris needs a change of clothes. So Garrett isn't surprised when he sees he's set out some clean clothes for the both of them-- simple things used to sleep in. He dresses slowly once Fenris is done bathing, taking his time so as not to overexert himself. He can tell Fenris is stiffening up, something that usually happens during the late night when he's given himself time to finally relax. As soon as they're dressed he pulls Fenris close with his good arm, and hugs him, head ducking down to rest on Fenris' shoulder.
"Thank you."
Dressed and breathing a sigh of something close to relief, Fenris forces himself to relax his shoulders, leaning up and pressing a kiss to his jaw. He's grateful for the clothes, for the time and most of all for the fact that Garrett is still standing, still breathing.
"You are most welcome. Upstairs, I think," he says this with a slight smile, his arm around Garrett's waist. He'd relax more when Garrett was lying down and Anders was on his way.
Resting his arm over Fenris' shoulder, Garrett follows him to the bedroom, telling Bodhan he was going to bed and not to disturb him until later in the morning tomorrow. Bodhan simply nodded in reply, and didn't ask any questions-- something Garrett was thankful for. He'd have to thank him properly later on.
But for now, all he can think about is the sight of the bed in front of him and the warm glow of the fire. Heading to the bed, he pulls away from Fenris and sits down slowly, sighing loudly and happily.
Fenris doesn't fight the smile this time, or the worry. He nudges Garrett back until he can get him to lie down. The room is a sanctuary, a place far away from the worries and troubles of the city. Away from demons and blood mages and, fortunately, dogs who liked to clamber onto the bed in the middle of the night and drool in their ears.
"Let me see," he says, indicating his arm. He needs to see it, needs to-
It has to be at least partly healed. Or he'll go and get Anders now. Himself.
Sighing, Garrett lies down and holds his arm up, wincing as the shoulder screams out at him to stop what he's doing. He doesn't listen, though, and holds his arm into the light so that Fenris can see it fully. "It's fine, Fenris... Don't worry."
Fenris runs his fingers along his arm, tracing raised scars, dipping into the grooves where the skin didn't meet properly. There's something caught in his throat, making it impossible to speak.
He leans down and presses a kiss over the scar on his elbow instead, bracing his arm with his hands, taking some of the pressure off.
"I would rather you never did that again."
"I didn't want to do it in the first place," Garrett replies, a wry smile on his lips. He's not going to tell him why it happened-- why he let the demon get so close. Fenris wouldn't trust his judgment again. He enjoys the tender kisses, even though they hurt a little bit.
Fenris is careful to be gentle, kissing his way down to his palm, humming against his skin. He noses at his palm for just a moment before setting Garrett’s arm down across his stomach, curling his fingers around his own and ducking his head, wet hair falling into his face.
"I will be faster, next time"
Garrett can see Fenris is getting ready to blame himself, and tried to nip it in the bud before the seeds can even begin to grow. Reaching up with his good hand, he traces Fenris' jaw with his fingers before lifting his chin up. "Look at me... It wasn't your fault, Fenris. It was my fault."
The look Fenris gives him is somewhere between self-doubt and gentle reproach. He nods once, not wanting to argue over this, instead squeezing his hand and sighing, watching him. The dark circles under his eyes are standing out a little more and Fenris wonders at the last time he truly slept without nightmares.
"I believe it was the Demon's fault, ultimately."
"Yes, I agree, let us blame the demon," he says, smiling softly. Might as well blame someone who is not in the room, and is not involved in the relationship. He needs to convince Fenris more that it isn't his fault, but he decides that it can wait. Right now he wants to sleep.
"Come give me a kiss and then we can sleep."
"Demanding, aren't you?" he says, but the smile is back. He shifts until he can settle beside him, careful to stay on the side which isn't mangled to hell and back. Hawke did an excellent job of healing his side; he can barely feel the twinge.
He leans over, bracing himself on an arm as he kisses him. This, more than anything, is the reason he finds it so hard to leave, even if it is just to go do something else for a while. "Go to sleep."
"Only if you do," he mumbles, kissing him again, slow and gentle-- grounding. Doing this makes him feel normal again; like he didn't almost lose his soul.