The first time is in a dank maze of a cave, separated from the rest of the companions for reasons that cease to matter when the influence of a desire demon is upon them. Her mere presence unearths buried thoughts and wants from them both with her essence so heavy in the air.

Anders has lied to himself about a great many things in the past, but that the elf is beautiful is something he has not ever bothered to deny to himself. Fenris might think of himself as nothing more than a living weapon marred by lyrium scars, but Anders sees more than that. A strong man in body as well as spirit, and a man who broke freeand will do whatever it takes to stay so. Those things speak more to Anders than the contrasts between pure white hair and olive skin, more than his rare wry smiles or emerald green eyes. His will to stay free triumphs over all that, with ease.

Anders is not pleased that something so abhorrent as a demon is able to hold power over them, but he is aware that if there was no desire in them for each other to begin with, she would not have it.

If Fenris had never wanted him in some way, he would not have approached him with lust in his eyes. If it had never been there to begin with, the demon would have been unable to call on it.

There was already something there in them both; her presence is only influencing them to act upon it. They make no deals with her as there is no need when what they both want is right next to them. She has no promises to make; but they do, if they so wish.

The promise of a moment of truce and of a closeness neither has had for far too long, when clothes are discarded on the ground for them to lie down upon; a moment of bodies pressed together, of lips and fingers and more. Moment upon moment of more, touches leading to panting and crying out in a language he no longer has any reason to use.

"Ja. Ja. Ja. Mer… Ja."

It is not something they can speak of afterwards, and so they settle for speaking less overall. Less insults, less baiting, less arguments. When their eyes are able to meet again, it is plain for both of them to see that things are different, now.

The second time is after a night at the Hanged Man, of games and of drinking and the decision to leave at different times but walk to the borrowed mansion together. Justice is calmed by Fenris' lyrium song, and Anders is calmed by the change in Fenris' eyes. They are no longer filled with contempt or disgust, and as Anders settle in his lap and then rocks against him, filled with him, they meet his and hold his gaze until they both are spent.

The third time is so late at night that it might as well be considered morning, but with no sleep between sunset and sunrise and no way to see the colour of the sky change, such words holds little meaning to Anders.

They try to speak while Anders heals a gash that Fenris would have refused healing for before, but there are times when kisses are needed more than words, and this time is one of them, as well as a time for them to learn about each other in new ways.

A time to learn where a flicker of a tongue will earn a gasp of sudden pleasure, a time to explore how a finger or two is to curl just soto bring the other over the edge, a time for bodies to learn about each other.

The fourth time is filled with more kisses than all the others put together, and Anders is glad of it. He can see the agreement in Fenris' eyes as well as feel it against his lips and his neck, his collar bones and trail of hair that travels from his stomach and further down.

Before the fifth time, they have not pretended to loathe each other for long enough for the others to notice, and neither of them cares. What arguments they have are closer to fond bickering than anything else, and what they disagree on is no longer a cause for fighting.

There is a sixth time, a gentle one in a freshly made bed, and Anders stops counting after that.

Eventually, after one of so many times, he is able to whisper of more than promises of pleasure in Fenris' ear.

"Älskade vän. Älskade.Dig flyr jag aldrig från."

There is no way for Fenris to know what those words mean, and there is no way for Anders to know the words of his response.

It does not matter when he can read it in his eyes, just as Fenris can read it in his.

Curious to know what Anders is saying? Here it is:

"Yes. Yes. Yes... More. Yes."

"Beloved friend. Beloved. I will never run from you."