[ Neria sighs into the feeling of his arms around her, like a great weight has been lifted from that gesture alone. No matter what they do, no matter how far she has fallen into these feelings for him, his embrace continuously reminds her of that day when she returned to Skyhold and he had held her, that he had welcomed her and embraced her as no one else had in so very, very long. No matter the outcome, no matter what her heart says or the depth of her feelings, she knows he cares for her simply because of who she is and she treasures him just as much. It isn't because of their shared history, his attractiveness, the things he has done for her. It is that Cullen is a man she admires, and will continue to do so, no matter where life takes her or if she should remain beside him.
It is difficult to be parted from his lips, she realizes, and she hopes the red in her cheeks from that recognition is not so obvious. Her smile is self-conscious and just on this side of self-deprecating, chiding herself for getting carried away when he was, and still is, very much recovering from a terrible and painful afternoon. She exhales against his lips and lets their foreheads linger together, because that is enough, she thinks, to keep her heart from feeling quite so full.
At last, she opens her eyes to look at him, and though taken aback by the request, she tries to smile through her surprise. ]
Of course I will.
[ I can't bear the thought of being away from you. Her heart skips a beat and her breathing catches, even though she never looks away. Her hands squeeze his and she lifts his knuckles to her lips, in the little space between them. Neria nods again, even if she's already given her consent.
Lowering his hands, she murmurs: ]
You-- I won't go anywhere unless you ask it of me.
[ In truth, it would only take his word to send her away from him now. But if she told him that, what would he say? She can't, not just this moment. What he needs is more important. ]
no subject
It is difficult to be parted from his lips, she realizes, and she hopes the red in her cheeks from that recognition is not so obvious. Her smile is self-conscious and just on this side of self-deprecating, chiding herself for getting carried away when he was, and still is, very much recovering from a terrible and painful afternoon. She exhales against his lips and lets their foreheads linger together, because that is enough, she thinks, to keep her heart from feeling quite so full.
At last, she opens her eyes to look at him, and though taken aback by the request, she tries to smile through her surprise. ]
Of course I will.
[ I can't bear the thought of being away from you. Her heart skips a beat and her breathing catches, even though she never looks away. Her hands squeeze his and she lifts his knuckles to her lips, in the little space between them. Neria nods again, even if she's already given her consent.
Lowering his hands, she murmurs: ]
You-- I won't go anywhere unless you ask it of me.
[ In truth, it would only take his word to send her away from him now. But if she told him that, what would he say? She can't, not just this moment. What he needs is more important. ]