Written for a prompt on Dragon Age Kinkmeme:

"What if the Qunari took Bull's leaving a little harsher? After their attempt on Bull's life fails, maybe a while after, the Qun sends more assassins. Except they don't go after Bull.

They go after Dorian.

Perhaps Dorian's guard is down because this is Skyhold and Bull said the Qunari weren't going to push it any more than they did. Or maybe Dorian's used to these kinds of underhanded schemes from his life in Tevinter and he's ready for them.

Really want scared-out-of-his-mind!Bull, though, tearing through Skyhold when he realizes what's happening. (Guard rotations, sun spots, whatever. He figures it out because Ben Hassrath.)

No main character death or loss of limbs. Hurt/comfort welcome. Qunari assassins are fair game for gory ends, however!"

"Alright, Chargers! That's enough for today! Put away your weapons and get yourselves some drinks!"

"Thank the maker! I think my arm is about to fall off!" Skinner moaned.

"Come on," Dalish said as she shoved Skinner to walk ahead of her, "Drinks are on me this time!"

The Iron Bull smiled, shaking his head fondly as he watched his men walk to the tavern. He sighed and cast his gaze around the training yard. He did a double take as his eye caught sight of a familiar looking dagger thrust deep into a training dummy's head.

He would know a dagger like that anywhere.

Ben-Hassrath.

It was usually a promise of immanent punishment, a warning of retribution.

It was foolish of him to think that they would let him go so easily. Of course they wouldn't let him off easy, he had betrayed the Qun, betrayed his people. Even got some of them killed. There was no way they would forgive him for his defection, no way they would understand why he chose the Chargers over the Qun.

"Chief?"

Krem's voice broke him away from his self-depreciating thoughts and something finally clicked in The Iron Bull's mind. He suddenly remembered something very important.

Or rather, someone very important.

Someone that could be in danger this very moment.

"Dorian!" He exclaimed and no amount of Ben-Hassrath training could have prevented the panic in his voice. He bolted past an anxious and very confused Krem in the direction of the main hall.

"What's happened, Chief?!" Krem shouted, running after the tall Qunari and following close on his heels.

"Ben Hassrath! I need to find the 'vint!" He yelled over his shoulder.

Krem's only reply was vehement cursing.

They must have made quite the spectacle, a hulking Qunari and a fully armoured warrior barreling into the main hall. As it was, the low murmuring in the hall rose in distress at the sight of them.

The two warriors veered to the right, passing an alarmed Varric, who shouted 'What the hell, Tiny!' as they ran by him, and crashed through the door and then up the stairs and into the library.

The Iron Bull's heart thundered in his chest as he skidded to a halt in front of the archway of Dorian's favourite reading nook and he felt his heart drop into his stomach.

The armchair that the mage can often be found lounging in was empty.

Krem came up the last of the stairs, breathing heavily, "Is he there?"

The Iron Bull did not answer. He spun around, his horn barely missing a burning candle. His single eye scanned the rest of the library floor, hoping to catch a glimpse of smooth, tanned skin and brown leather, but there was no sign of him.

He marched over to the nearest person, a man that looked so petrified he might wet his pants, "Have you seen Dorian?" Iron Bull demanded urgently, stabbing a thick finger towards Dorian's usual spot, "The mage that's always there, have you seen him?"

"No! I haven't seen him, I swear! I just got here!" The man was backing away from the Qunari, sounding a bit hysterical. He might have found it amusing if he wasn't terrified himself.

"Iron Bull? What's going on?"

The Iron Bull turned to the Spymaster that was coming down the stairs, "Have you seen Dorian?"

Leliana must have noticed something was off with his tone because her brow furrowed in concern under her hood, "He was bickering with Solas about something earlier and left in a huff." She pointed down towards Solas' study, "He usually goes to sit on the battlements and read there when he's annoyed with him."

The Iron Bull did not waste any time. He ran back down the stairs. Krem followed, ever the loyal soldier, but so did Leliana, as he made his way to the door leading to the battlements.

He paused outside the door, searching for Dorian. Krem ran into his muscled back, unprepared for his sudden stop, and Leliana, in a show of great reflexes, managed to avoid colliding with them.

Iron Bull's heart did a nauseating flip as he first spotted Dorian on the other side of the Commander's tower, sitting precariously on the edge with his back to them, still alive, and then behind him, crouched low and barely visible over stone, the two heads of what could only be Ben-Hassrath assassins.

Krem must have seen them too, for he swore again. Iron Bull crashed into Cullen's door, almost taking it off it's hinges with the force. Cullen's head shot up from where he was bent over his desk and he jumped to his feet, sending his desk chair skidding back, "Maker! What-?!"

Iron Bull payed him no mind, almost breaking down Cullen's second door in his haste.

What he found waiting for him beyond that door was not what he expected.

He expected to find the assassins with their blades raised, inches from killing the mage or, worse yet, find Dorian already dead.

He did not expect the assassins to be frozen still, standing on the intricate circular design of a magical trap.

"You're late." Dorian commented nonchalantly, his voice lighter than it had any right to be.

The only sounds that broke the awkward silence that followed were the sounds of Iron Bull and Krem's heavy breathing and the page of Dorian's book turning.

"What in the world was that abo-Are those...Are those assassins?!" Cullen asked from behind him as he caught up to them, incredulous.

"Ben-Hassrath assassins." Leliana supplied.

The exchange broke Iron Bull from his shock. Dorian might not be dead but he might have been injured and assassin blades were always poisoned.

With two strides of his long legs, he was behind his lover. His large hands wrapped around Dorian's waist and pulled the squawking mage back onto the battlement, the sudden movement sending the book flying from his hands and down the mountainside.

"Bull! Look at what you've done, you lummox! That book was the only thing worth reading in that entire blighted library!"

Iron Bull ignored his complaints in favour of checking him for injuries. Finding none, he grabbed the mage by his bare shoulder and turned him around to face him.

"Are you hurt?" he demanded, his expression grim.

Dorian scoffed, "Of course not, they never even got close enough to."

Upon seeing Iron Bull's skeptical frown, Dorian rolled his eyes and continued, "This is hardly my first assassination attempt and these idiots," His bejeweled fingers gestured flippantly towards the frozen assassins, "Attacked in broad daylight. Under a six o'clock sun, I might add. As if i wouldn't notice their shadows at this time of day." He sighed and shook his head at them in mock disappointment, "It was pathetic, really."

"Can you undo the spell?" Cullen asked, "We should take them to the inquisitor to be judged."

Dorian waved his hand and the spell dissipated. Krem and Cullen did not give either assassin a chance to recover, they knocked both of them unconscious and as they went about carrying them away, Dorian turned back to Iron Bull.

He considered the Qunari for a moment, growing serious, "You were worried."

Iron Bull stepped closer, his hand finding the side of Dorian's cheek, "I thought..." Iron Bull swallowed a lump that had suddenly grown in his throat, his thumb caressing the mole by the mage's eye, "I thought I would be too late."

Dorian's face softened and one of the man's hands rose to cover the hand on his cheek.

"Oh, Amatus." His other hand came up to stroke the Qunari's cheek and smiled in reassurance, "As you can see, there isn't a scratch on me. I am perfectly capable of taking care of myself.

"Although," His smile turned mischievous now, his mustache curling wickedly, "It's good to know that you'll come charging to my rescue like a knight in shining...well, shining pectorals, I suppose."

Iron Bull laughed breathlessly, the combination of relief and the last of his adrenaline passing making him giddy.

The hand that was on his cheek slid upwards to grab him by the horn and pulled him down into a searing kiss that softened into something sweeter. When they pulled away, Dorian favoured him with a fond look and then leaned in close to murmur into his pointed ear.

"You owe me a book."