Oh, I've been worryin' that my time is a little unclear
I've been worryin' that I'm losing the ones I hold dear
I've been worryin' that we all live our lives in the confines of fear
-The Fear by Ben Howard

Home was something Dorian had been contemplating quite a bit lately. He still called Tevinter his home. After all, it allowed him to smugly turn his nose up at the southern barbarians and their terrible weather. Really, though, Tevinter hadn't felt like home in a very long time. The nostalgia was still there, and he still cared about it a great deal and wanted to make it better, but Skyhold had become something he had never had before, something he had never dared hope to find. He wasn't a pariah any longer, he didn't have to hide who he truly was, and he had friends. And he had found love. He wasn't sure what home was anymore. A place one belonged? The place one was from? Could one have both, or was he just asking for too much?

Sitting in the tavern watching the Iron Bull and Cassandra arm wrestle, he couldn't help but smile. Such thoughts could be entertained later. He was always good at indulging while ignoring the worries at hand. He was going to enjoy this peaceful happiness while he could. Well, maybe not exactly peaceful, he mused as Cassandra slammed Iron Bull's arm down so hard it cracked the table and the entire tavern cheered (Dorian joined in, of course). It was getting late, however, and there was somewhere he needed to be, so when Varric offered to buy him another round he turned him down for what must have been the first time. Varric gave him a knowing grin, no doubt guessing where he was off to, and Dorian fixed him with a mock glare as he headed out into the cool night.

Dorian stood in the doorway watching the Inquisitor and his advisers in the war room as they worked. When Elden had failed to show in his quarters, Dorian knew he would find him here. They were supposed to have finished some time ago, but of course it had gone on longer than expected. Even from here Dorian could see the dark circles under Elden's eyes and the way he stooped slightly, leaning against the table. He looked exhausted, and no wonder given the state of the map. It looked like everyone across Thedas wanted something from him, and the end result made the table look more like a pincushion.

Apparently Dorian would have to resort to kidnapping the Inquisitor if he was going to get him away from work anytime soon. He was considering barging in and doing so now but lucky for them they seemed to be wrapping things up. Elden stayed behind as his advisors filed out past Dorian. Cullen smiled a friendly greeting, Harding grinned outright, and Josephine mouthed 'sorry' as she hurried past.

Dorian stayed where he was a moment longer simply admiring the Inquisitor as he stood with his back to him reviewing the map. He couldn't help but marvel at the happiness he had found here and he was filled with such a rush of affection for this man. Of love.

Dorian had always thought love was something huge, something so earth-shattering that to admit to it would destroy him. Instead it had come to him gradually. When he finally gave voice to everything he felt for Elden, it just made sense. It was warm and easy and familiar and it didn't break him apart but instead built him up. This was what it was supposed to be like, he realized. Not the torturous despair and anxiety of the relationships he had had before, trying to make something out of a one-sided affair, always afraid at any moment the other man would get bored and walk away. This simply fit and made complete sense. This was something comfortable. It was two men rearranging their lives to accommodate the other equally, supporting on the bad days, celebrating on the good, and simply content to exist together. When he realized it was love, it didn't change anything because it had already been true for some time. For once it was safe for him to simply let it have a name because there was no question that Elden loved him too.

"Are you planning to spend all your nights in here, then?" Dorian asked, leaning on the doorframe.

Startled, Elden turned around. "Oh, Dorian, I'm so sorry, I didn't know you were waiting up for me."

"Must I compete with your advisors? Next time should I pose in the corner with a bottle of wine?" Dorian asked as he approached, eyebrow raised.

"You never need to compete for me, love," Elden said, taking Dorian's hands in his and pulling him close.

"You are painfully sappy this evening, amatus," Dorian said, pulling a face.

Elden chuckled. "You were the one who came looking for me. Did I miss dinner?"

"Yes, and after all the work I did bribing a servant to set it all up for us."

"How romantic. You know, if you actually gave me a hint that I was supposed to be somewhere I might have actually tried to be on time."

"Well, it wouldn't be a surprise, then, would it? Really, if you aren't going to play along I'll just eat it all myself."

"What if I said I'd make it up to you?" Elden asked, leaning closer.

"Now you're talking." Dorian kissed him, but broke it off much too quickly. He had a plan, after all, even though he very much would have liked to continue that particular activity. "You must be starving," he said, taking Elden's hand and leading him out of the room. "Lucky for you I can reheat anything that's gone cold. After all the work the servants put into it, it would be a shame to waste it."

At this late hour there was no one out in the great hall as they hurried up to Elden's quarters. Inside Elden paused at the top of the stairs as he surveyed the setup. He turned quickly, taking Dorian by surprise, and wrapped his arms around him again.

"It's wonderful. You're wonderful," Elden said, kissing Dorian again.

"My, you really are sappy tonight," Dorian said, a bit stunned by the sudden kiss. "All I did was provide the bribery. I'd hate to see how you plan on thanking the servants actually responsible."

Elden smiled radiantly at him before pulling away, taking a seat at the table set for two and decorated with roses and candles. Dorian was surprised at how cold it felt without his arms around him. It was silly, of course, how much he enjoyed just being close. All of this had seemed so impossible before, and yet here he was, unable to have enough and actually able to revel in it all now that Corypheus had been defeated.

Dinner was quiet and comfortable, the two of them just sitting and talking about nothing and everything. Dorian found himself staring fondly more often than he would ever admit, but somehow he didn't mind when it was just Elden. After dinner Elden stood to call someone to clear away the plates, but Dorian didn't want to wait. He stood and caught his hand, pulled him into a tight embrace and kissed him, never wanting to let him go again, letting the warmth of the embrace overwhelm him, their fingers weaving together.

Suddenly Elden gasped in pain, pulling his left hand free. Startled, Dorian worried he had somehow hurt him, but then the hand pulsed green, something it hadn't done in a long time. Usually it only acted up around rifts.

"Well, that's odd," Elden began, but was cut off when it flared brighter than it ever had, dyeing the room green. Elden cried out and fell to his knees, gripping his wrist tightly. Dorian knelt beside him, arm around his shoulders to support him, but had no idea what to do. He could feel the wild energy of the Anchor, the power of it so much more than Dorian had ever felt from it before. How Elden was managing to keep it under some form of control he had no idea.

"Inquisitor?" Josephine called from the doorway. "What's—oh my."

She ran up the steps and crouched with them, but really there was nothing to do as painful as it was to admit. Dorian ached, unable to do anything as the Anchor flared even more brightly and Elden tried to bite back the agony. He simply held Elden tightly, waiting for it to stop. When it finally subsided Dorian realized that others had entered, including Cullen and Harding and others of the inner circle. Dorian cupped Elden's cheek and pressed his forehead to his as Elden sagged against him trying to catch his breath. When he seemed to have recovered Dorian pulled back and helped him stand.

"Maker, what was that?" Cullen asked.

"Did it cause the earthquake as well?" Josephine asked.

Dorian hadn't even noticed that the ground had been shaking.

"I think rifts are opening again," Elden said. His voice was hoarse and he sounded exhausted, Dorian noted with a sinking feeling.

"We won't know anything until we start getting messages in," Dorian interrupted. "I recommend contacting Leliana, but until then the Inquisitor needs to rest."

"I agree," Cullen began.

"No, I can feel them," Elden said, gazing out the window. "They must be dealt with now."

"You can feel them? From this distance?" Dorian said. "This is new and doesn't exactly bode well."

Elden led the way back to the war room, still clutching his left arm, Dorian sticking close to his side. Once there Elden stood before the map for a long moment, then looked out the window, then back to the map.

"Something wrong, amatus?" Dorian teased with a grin, just hoping to lighten the mood a little, to see Elden smile again.

"This isn't a precise thing, you know," Elden said in mock seriousness, failing to completely suppress the grin tugging at his lips. "It's not like I'm feeling the precise location on the map. Vague directions and distance aren't much to go on."

Finally he was able to start marking down likely areas. No doubt he would insist on riding out immediately. Taking advantage of the extra time, Dorian rushed out of the room and practically vaulted up the stairs to the library and began pulling out any books he could find that might be useful, toppling already precarious stacks propped up in corners and generally making even more of a mess of his little alcove as he threw everything into a bag.

"Going somewhere?"

Startled, Dorian spun around to see Elden smiling at him. How was a man that large able to move that quietly?

"If you think you're going to leave me behind—"

"No no, I wouldn't dream of it," Elden said, raising a placating hand. "You can take your time. I'm not going to try to leave without you. I've still got to go put my armor on and pack, so you may very well finish before me."

"Are you sure you're all right?" Dorian asked seriously.

"What? Yes, of course."

Dorian reached out and cupped his cheek, drawing close until Elden wrapped his arms around him. That was much better and more reassuring than the simple gesture really should be. "You haven't been sleeping well lately. And I know whatever that was took a lot out of you. Surely this can wait until the morning."

"Thank you for your concern, but I'm fine, really. One of the rifts opened up near a town in the mountains so I'd rather not save it for the morning. It's big." Elden looked out the window, brow furrowed in concentration. "It feels like they are all connected. If we're lucky, closing this one will take care of the others as well."

"Much as I admire your optimism," Dorian said, "when are we ever that lucky?"

Elden sighed. "Good point."