Well, after mentioning the Cullen x Mage prospect multiple people expressed interest so I decided to go with it just because it had been on my mind. Again, a short re-cap for those of you who've never played a female mage (I'm not sure how Cullen comes into play with a male mage, I'd be curious to know if anyone has the answer). I think Cullen addresses you once, maybe just to deliver a message from Gregoir or something similar during the origin story. Upon returning to the tower to eradicate the abominations, Cullen is seen just outside the harrowing chamber, scared out of his wits and trapped in a magical prison set up by Uldred. He is convinced that the mage and her party are an illusion and says something to the effect of "it makes sense for them to send an illusion of her…(blah blah, something about always liking her or thinking she was pretty)" I looked for the exact words on the DAO wiki but couldn't find them, oh well, that will have to suffice. In any case, there's your…not back-story…but justification, for this pairing.

Renya had noticed Cullen from the beginning, from his first day at the tower, in fact. She remembered specifically that she'd been walking to the library for a summoning lecture. Gregoir, the knight-commander, had been chewing the new recruit out for a lack of propriety. She'd caught the word "fraternizing" somewhere in the tirade as she passed by the spectacle with a quirked eyebrow.

In the first few months they never spoke to one another. Renya supposed that he feared either mages in general or the tongue lashing he would get for being too friendly with them.

Later they had a chance encounter when Cullen was injured in a training accident. He'd taken a nasty bump to the head and Renya's mentor had been called to the infirmary to assess the damage. Renya had recently mastered her second-tier healing spells and her mentor encouraged her to step in and do the examination instead.

Cullen had babbled nonsense for a good quarter hour while Renya rehearsed her techniques to work the healing. When she placed a hand on his burning forehead he had looked at her directly for the first time and declared whimsically "You have lovely eyes." Renya had received an admonition from her mentor for taking the compliment to heart with a blush.

"Don't mind what he says; he's delirious." She reminded the young mage. The healing had gone without a hitch and after, Cullen had always spared a smile for her when the chanced to pass in the halls, bringing her to believe that he had not been entirely out of his right mind.

In the three seasons since that incident the two always made time when they could for passing conversation, the only thing they could have with all other templars and mages agreeing to one thing: discouraging friendship between both parties.

They would talk of trivial things: visitors to the tower, upcoming ceremonies and celebrations, or the latest apprentice practice disaster. But sometimes, when Renya was at the infirmary late at night with an intense healing, Cullen would adopt the pretense of escorting her back to her quarters to keep her from causing any trouble. At those times, with everyone else abed, they talked of other things. Cullen would regale her with tales of life outside the tower from the missions he'd been sent on or life as it had been in the chantry. Renya would explain the healing arts to Cullen's unflagging curiosity. Often, the mage would express her dissatisfaction with life cloistered in the tower. She dreamed of becoming a world-class healer whose talents would be needed beyond the confines of the stone edifice on Lake Calenhad. Cullen would always agree wistfully, knowing that a templar's only job was to protect others from mages and to protect mages from themselves. To this, Renya had begun to insist that should she ever be allowed to leave the tower to travel, she would need Cullen to come along as her protector and overseer. After all, a mage could not be trusted out in the big wide world alone. Cullen would always laugh and agree, not daring to dream that things would work out quite so perfectly.

After her Harrowing, Cullen confided in her that should she have failed he was assigned to make the killing blow. A mage corrupted by demons could not be allowed to live. Renya had nodded, understanding. She reassured him that it was his duty, and had the worst occurred, hesitating would have been a disservice to her and the rest of the tower.

But as it was, no such thing had been necessary. Cullen was relieved, admitting that he was not sure who he would talk to if anything happened to her. She was flattered, to say the least, that he valued her company so highly.

All of those things, in one way or another, had brought them to the one night that had changed everything.

Renya rose from her knees at the bedside of the injured templar. He'd suffered severe burns along his left side and a terrible blow to the head. A Harrowing had gone terribly awry that morning, leaving the tower filled with palpable tension and in a near state of frenzy. No matter how rare or frequently these incidences arose, the residents of the tower could never adjust to the aftermath. There was always a few day's studied propriety between mages and templars. It was as if they did not speak to one another they could pretend it hadn't happened. They were faced with the terrible knowledge that this is why the templars existed and mages were never trusted. This particular templar had been helping to oversee the proceedings in the harrowing chamber. He'd choked up when it became clear that the mage had failed, unable to do what he must. The brief hesitation had lead to an hour's fight in the harrowing chamber to subdue the mage.

She sighed. Renya hadn't known the apprentice personally. A girl named Adria, she'd heard. Apparently she'd specialized in elemental magic, a powerful persuasion that, as far as Renya could tell, was more susceptible to temptation from beyond the Fade.

"May I retire, Enchanter Leorah?" She called across the infirmary. The newest senior enchanter had just finished work on another unfortunate templar to be caught in the morning's mess.

Leorah waved her off with an impatient hand, apparently intending to stay and work on the details of settling up with the infirmary's head healer. Renya smoothed the skirts of her mage's robe as she headed for the oak door to the hallway. Sure enough, Cullen had volunteered to take the late shift of awaiting work in the infirmary to cease. Renya was the last regular enchanter to leave—senior enchanters like Leorah did not need to be so closely supervised—and so the templar fell into practiced step with her. They always walked slowly, relishing the short time available even on these late night excursions. But tonight it seemed, the morning's disruption had left things awkward between even them.

"Did you know her?" He asked finally. Renya shook her head mutely. Cullen hadn't been involved in the battle but she assumed he'd heard details of the struggle from the other templars.

"How are things on your end?" She asked.

Cullen shrugged. "About what you'd expect. Gregoir gave a lecture about duty, responsibility, and the like. He'll likely make an example of Damon for hesitating. It's fueled the usual talk of mages, you know." The silence descended again, unforgiving, like the swing of a blade.

"Leorah says I have real natural talent." Renya piped up. "In a few years I may be able to take on an apprentice she says. Or if I decide mentoring isn't my forte she said talent is always needed outside the tower."

Cullen smiled down at her; he'd removed his helm for the walk. "You may yet be free of this place." He agreed.

Renya looked at her booted feet. "Not free," she amended. "But certainly less trapped." He nodded, sobering as well.

"Cullen, if I ever leave here I really do want you to come with me. Or at least, perhaps you could find an assignment at a chantry nearby wherever I may end up." She glanced at his profile nervously. They'd always joked about such a future but never in such detail. The plans were usually more vague stories of grandeur, Renya traveling the world with her stalwart protector templar, healing kings and heroes.

"Anything is possible." He allowed, though his smile looked forced, pained even.

At that point they'd reached Renya's quarters in the Enchanter's wing. As a harrowed mage she'd finally been able to move out of the apprentices dormitories to her own room. She turned to look Cullen in the eyes.

He was afraid for her. That's why he had shelled up, she knew. These events brought the inevitable reality to the forefront of everyone's minds. The truth was that, in theory, even after the Harrowing, Renya could still be seduced by a fade demon, drawn to blood magic. She would never let it happen to her, she knew, but the fear in Cullen's eyes was unmistakable.

"It won't happen to me." She insisted. Impulsively she reached out to touch his cheek. Her thumb caressed the stubble framing his mouth. Cullen's eyes were saucers and he turned away quickly.

"I should really—"

"Cullen." He turned back to her, looking conflicted. Renya took a crazy chance, one that she knew she might regret later. She reached up and grasped the metal collar of his armor, using it to yank him down to her level. She pressed her lips to his, conscious of her shaking hands. When he didn't respond Renya worried that she'd miss stepped, finally crossing the line she knew they'd been toeing together. Until at last, a few seconds, though it felt like minutes, Cullen recovered from the shock and kissed her back.

His armor clinked together faintly when his arms rose to encircle her. She was pressed to the bulging breastplate all templars wore, trapped in his metal embrace as he pressed her back lightly against the door to her room she'd been standing before.

Renya had the building urge to feel what lied beneath the heavy iron plating. It was cold and unyielding to the touch, altogether unsatisfying. Deciding to risk further, she reached behind her back to grasp the door handle. With an uncomfortable maneuver she twisted it, forcing the door open and the two tumbled in together. Once recovered, she quickly re-latched the door and turned to look at Cullen.

He was running one leather clad hand through his auburn curls, looking particularly uncomfortable. "You can leave, if you should." She suggested, allowing him the way out that she was afraid he desired. She stood aside from the door, eyeing his reaction. He stared at the oak barrier intently, weighing his options, the consequences, silently. Finally, he looked at her, raising a hand to her cheek.

"No," he breathed simply. He opened his mouth as if to say something further and then reconsidered, shaking his head to emphasize his decision.

Renya placed her hands on the barrel-shaped breastplate. "Must you be a templar, even here?" She asked. He shook his head again as she looked him in the eye. Alone, he went about the tedious business of shrugging out of the metal contraption. As each piece was removed he set it along the wall near the door, revealing a simple homespun tunic and leather breeches underneath.

Renya admired the man beneath the armor as he came into view. Curious as it was, there had never been an occasion for her to see him without it on. He had broad shoulders that probably just barely fit within the iron spaulders and a trim waist, she supposed from all the continual training the templars endured.

Her curiosity finally satisfied, Renya reached out to touch his unarmored chest. Unsure, Cullen followed suit, wrapping his bare hands around her waist, as she kissed him again.

Which of them began the halting and awkward movement towards her bed, Renya was not sure. Cullen was the first to breach the territory of exploring beneath their clothes and Renya lead the movement to finally remove them. And after what could have been hours or mere minutes, the two were kneeling on top of the blankets of Renya's modest bed, holding each other in their bare arms, unsure of how to look at one another.

Renya pulled away from his kiss tentatively. "Have you ever…" She trailed off, staring at the blank wall over her friend's shoulder. Cullen shook his head mutely until he found the words.

"And you?" He croaked.

"No," She whispered.

"I didn't think this was possible." The templar admitted with a slight shrug as he held her shoulders.

"It isn't." She agreed. "But less plausible things have happened."

They kneeled together in silence, absorbing the moment. Renya was determined to remember everything, lest this never happen again. Cullen's fingers on her shoulders were rough and calloused but she didn't mind, the rough sand-paper feeling made her aware that it was real, that she was alive. She couldn't remember that last time she'd had any real physical contact. She couldn't remember sharing a hug or putting an arm around a friend in years, since she was a young initiate in the circle. Such things were discouraged.

His breath against her forehead was moist and hurried, creating condensation that trailed away from her hairline. His chest was pressed to hers, hard and molded, but soft to the touch if she traced her fingers along it. His legs were also conjoined to her own, separated only by the thick forest of hairs that prickled along her never-touched thighs. And lastly, she thought, unable to fight down the blush she felt arising, was his solid member. Of course, healers had to understand the full anatomy of the human body. She'd seen diagrams and understood the organ, but seeing it here, in this context, on this person, made her head light. It was pressed between their stomachs, undeniable, though they both tried to pretend as if it weren't there.

Finally, Cullen looked her in the eye and she nodded faintly. With that permission, he laid her back on top of the sheets, settling himself between her legs as he held himself apart from her body with his forearms.

He cleared his throat nervously. "Are you ready?" He asked, unsure of the protocol for this particular oddity. In response, Renya pulled his body down to meet hers, pressing their lips back together.

While she concentrated on the hurried, bruising kisses, Renya could feel his hand fumbling between their bodies. She jumped at a sudden touch at her center for which he quickly apologized. She wasn't sure what part of him it had been but then the soft probing came again, slipping on the wetness between her legs. He breath caught in her throat until she thought she may choke.

It wasn't unpleasant, far from it. The gentle touches sent a tingling wave radiating from her core until she was shivering. At last, the probing finger was replaced with something quite larger hovering between her legs. It pressed, tentatively, and then more forcefully.

Renya gritted her teeth against the dull pain, the stretching, aching intrusion. She let her head fall back against the bed, resigned to the uncomfortable sensation until at last, with one quick, slippery push, it had filled her entirely.

She gasped, unsure of whether it was pain or bliss and heard Cullen moan above her. He kissed her clumsily, mashing his lips to hers, as if just to gain any contact possible. The pressure between her legs began to recede and she whimpered involuntarily.

"Does it hurt?" he murmured against her lips between staggered breaths.

"I don't know," she confessed, strangled for air that she couldn't get enough of in the heat of the moment.

After a still moment Renya relaxed. Now that it had been within her once, the lack of the thick, moist, pressure made her insides throb—this time not with pain, but with insatiable need. At her prodding, Cullen began to press into her once again.

They moaned together, unsure of how to proceed, only knowing that this one moment was bliss.

At last, Cullen began moving faster with abandon. Renya mewled appreciatively at the hard, thrusting weight. She wrapped her arms around his back, arching to the tantalizing rhythm.

Her breath was ragged and she could no more stop the desperate cries escaping her throat than she could stop the waves of shudders wracking her body.

All at once the sensations erupted within her. Her eyes screwed shut and every muscle in her body contracted. Her legs vibrated, out of her control. Her hands clenched, digging her nails into Cullen's shoulders.

"Renya" Cullen moaned against her neck as they collapsed together, heaving for breath. The two looked into each other's eyes, neither knowing what would come next.

For that moment though, it had been done and nothing could return them to the way things were that morning. Together, they would face the morning.

So I realize that wasn't as intense as the last two, graphically speaking, and ended rather abruptly. It was supposed to be more in-depth but it really wrote itself. I'm not sure that I'm content with how it turned out, but that's what I get for doing a last minute rush job just to get it finished.

Either way, next up is Zevran x Dalish. Remember to leave me encouraging comments and suggest the next pairings!