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'Can you imagine, amatus, there's a work on reverberation of the Fade energy in thin-Veiled areas! And the papers by the Dalish researchers give a whole new perspective we didn't even acknowledge ten years ago. And, oh, amatus, you'll like that one: a paper, co-authored by the dreamer, claiming to talk to Solas himself about the Veil. If only I could meet him…'
'If you meet Solas, you'll punch him, even in the Fade,' Dionysios chuckled, leaning on the marble table encrusted with intertwined black snakes, now all but covered with books and journals. The spacious Archon's office was turned into a study with stacks of books and pages with diagrams occupying every available space. Right in front of the former Inquisitor, behind the huge ebony desk, sat Dorian with ink on his fingers and a spark of joy in his eyes. Several months before those eyes had been lacklustre, the room filled with treatises and reports, and Dionysios nearly gave all hope of seeing his husband full of life again.
'How dare you think I'd be so crude!' the mock offence didn't make Dorian's smile less broad. 'We'd have a civilised discussion about the construction of the Veil.'
'Or he'd end up bruised not only from the dragon,' the former Inquisitor came closer to the desk. 'How are the preparations going?'
'Splendidly,' Archon Pavus absentmindedly smeared ink on his chin, but didn't seem to notice it, 'but I'm afraid I'll need to use time magic to read everything I require to be ready. You must understand, it would be a disaster if I couldn't answer some apprentice's question.' Dionysios shook his head and laughed. 'Truly, though, I'm so glad First Enchanter Lavinius came up with this idea. I feel as if I'm young again.'
'I'm happy to hear it, but you're still not old,' Dionysios took his husband's chin in his magical prosthesis and wiped the ink with the handkerchief, 'and you could thank a certain southern mage for nudging that conceited prick into inviting you to deliver a lecture about the Fade.' Dorian frowned, not saying a word. 'Here's my special ability to render you speechless.' The former Inquisitor kissed the slightly parted lips. The kiss was gentle and soft, and they parted smiling.
'Why…' the other man leaned back in his chair, 'why would you do this? It must have been difficult, that scholar is exceptionally petty.'
'That was my last chance, love,' Dionysios sighed. 'It was nearly two years ago when I noticed how you deteriorated under the burdens of ruling the Imperium. You became irritated, indifferent to whatever happened to you. Your eyes were hollow, I felt like I was speaking to a Tranquil.'
'You didn't even tell me?' Dorian's voice was trembling.
'I didn't, because I knew that wouldn't help,' the former Inquisitor made a vague gesture, 'before all that, before I became a Pavus, when I had been a leader of a huge organisation, I had felt the same. You give it everything you have, and it swallows you whole. I had you by my side, though, and you always kept me alive with your playful banter, talks about magic theory and those nights when we didn't need words to communicate.' He smiled, remembering what happened a decade before.
'You could try using my methods before going to these sharks in Minrathous Circle,' Dorian didn't sound certain. 'Or… you did, didn't you?'
Dionysios nodded with a sad smile. 'I tried doing my best in bed, but sex with you was mechanical,' he put up a hand, because his husband wanted to interrupt, 'not your fault, as I said. I bought best wines, took you to theatres, to our estate in Ventus. Maker's breath, I organised that Satinalia, when our children came from the Circles to the mansion, and we stayed there the whole week.'
'It was a wonderful celebration,' Dorian's eyes were full of tears, 'I still have all the enchanted trinkets Mavaar, Lyra and Myron gifted me. It kept warmth in my heart for months.' Dionysios put his hand on the other mage's cheek.
'I saw how happy you were, but behind that happiness there was the same dreariness. You were livelier for some time, but then the indifference and irritation came back, every time I tried to cheer you up.' The former Inquisitor stood straight. 'Several months ago I saw you and Bellara talking about magic theory. I was stunned, because there was a spark in your eyes that I thought I'd never see again. It seemed as if she infected you with her own enthusiasm.'
'I've already told her to try a career at the Circle,' Dorian smiled, 'She's a remarkable scholar with the ability to make even a standing stone interested in magic theory, let alone a mage apprentice.'
'I hope she'll heed your advice,' Dionysios said, 'So that's when I sought out First Enchanter Lavinius. I knew that you love not only magic research itself, but presenting it to others, telling people about everything incredible that you find in magic. A lecture sounded like an ideal variant.'
'And he agreed right away?' There was a smirk on the other man's face.
'Not until I threatened to go to another Circle, which would be glad to house a lecture from the Archon himself,' the former Inquisitor chuckled. 'They miraculously found a time slot in their big amphitheatre for you. Everything else was easy — writing to important Enchanters in the South, explaining everything to Elaine, who invited the magisters and scholars from the Imperium. And organising refreshments for the banquet after the lecture.'
'You shouldn't have bothered yourself for this,' Dorian took his hand and squeezed affectionately, 'sacrificing so much time just for my whims.'
'Happiness isn't a whim,' Dionysios squeezed his husband's hand back. 'And to be happy you need something you love, and I'm always ready to provide it.'
'I love you, Nionios, more than anything in the world,' the grey eyes glistened, the voice was nearly a whisper.
'I'm not the only thing you love,' full lips touched the Archon's nose. 'Magic research makes you shine, and to see that I'm ready to persuade thousands of self-centred morons.'
'Nonsense,' Dorian's voice regained its usual playfulness, 'you're not a "thing", amatus. I just wonder how could I meet such a wonderful person as yourself?'
'You haven't heard? Andraste personally delivered me from the Fade right into your hands,' Dionysios laughed, and it proved to be contagious.
'I need to properly thank the holy woman, she did remarkable job,' Dorian walked around the desk and placed his hands on his husband's waist. 'Now as I understood I need to rectify something,' he leaned to speak into Dionysios' ear, 'specifically my not mechanical performance in bed.'