Adult-FanFiction.org : Games

Can't Let You Go	By : Ellynndaria Category: +A through F > Dragon Age (all) > Dragon Age (all) Views: 7632 -:- Recommendations : 1 -:- Currently Reading : 1
Disclaimer: We do not own Dragon Age, nor the characters from it. We do not make any money from the writing of this story.

Chapter List
- 30
- 31
- 32
                Anders was practically living at the estate now, weeks having passed since Fellon showed up on his doorstep. Christmas was coming on fast and Thanksgiving well behind while Anders’ former lover still worked up the motivation to get out of bed now that the side effects of withdrawal were passing. The nightmares continued; they had gotten worse once exhaustion and the physical symptoms were no longer requiring heavy sedation.
                Anders had been sleeping fitfully himself. Between Douglas’ nightmares and uncharacteristic silence, they both had a lot of time to think. On rare occasion, Anders would take a break and lose himself mindlessly in the television located in the family room, one of the few in the house, but for the vast majority of this short “vacation” he had lain in bed. It had been fairly easy to remember the notebook after first seeing Douglas, and Anders hadn’t touched another drink since arriving. He hoped what he had seen was enough of a wakeup call not to do this to others and himself again.
                Douglas still wanted him to leave, and as the weeks had drawn on, his irritably compounded. Anders could tell it wasn’t just the depression of late that was causing the sour mood. The active and social man was getting restless even though he was still refusing to do anything but sleep and eat. At least, the doctor thought so with all the huffs and squirming to get comfortable.
                At the moment, Douglas had nodded off again, but he wouldn’t be asleep for long. Just because he didn’t leave his room, didn’t mean the man still didn’t wake up before the crack of dawn to watch the sun rise. The naps were getting shorter and less frequent, and Anders decided the restlessness might be partial boredom. All offers to venture downstairs or to bring up the laptop, a TV, anything, were refused. Douglas complained Anders was the one getting bored, and the fact couldn’t convincingly be denied. In a last ditch effort, Anders thought to get a book for Douglas while he slept. Better not to ask, just get one and let him decide if he wanted to pick it up or let it sit. Douglas was always reading before, maybe it would help. Anders made his way through the large, quiet house to the library.
               In all honesty, Anders had always thought it was a bit pretentious to own a library, like one had so much money and nothing better to do with a room. Not that he wouldn’t like to have one himself, he loved reading, but he was never going to have so many books and an otherwise useless space. He had thought the same when Douglas first showed him the wooded room with floor to ceiling bookcases filled to near capacity, but seeing how much free time was spent reading within this house, Anders no longer thought that.
               The polished reds were aglow with sunlight through the windows, deceiving the dark stain with its cheeriness. The feel of the room Anders was entering felt drastically different to the one he had just left even though they were on the same side of the house, but he didn’t have much time to absorb the warmth before spying Fellon stretched out across a large chaise.
               It was too late to turn and bolt back through the door, but running into the elder Hawke brother on the near daily basis had almost managed to banish the burn that crept into Anders’ cheeks. Almost. Anders couldn’t turn to face the books quickly enough, although it surely appeared embarrassing the way he about-faced into the shelf. It wasn’t fast enough not to notice the loose jeans and mostly unbuttoned shirt, showing off a generous amount of tanned muscled chest, hint of tattoo and a glint of nipple ring. Anders tried to focus on the titles swimming before him and not think about how relaxed the other man had looked with his glasses and crosses ankles. Probably more relaxed than Anders had ever seen him anyway although for some reason it did not surprise the doctor the book being read was The Art of War.
               A husky voice unexpectedly next to his ear had Anders about jumping out of his skin. "Looking for something in particular?" Fellon asked.
               Snapping his attention to the other man, Anders was met with a familiar smirk, but this one seemed more predatory, more dangerous. He cleared his throat nervously. "I uhhh- Not really..." Anders swallowed, looking once again at the shelf before him, feeling even more embarrassed and guilty. "Douglas is finally starting to get bored but doesn't want to get out of bed yet. I thought I would get him a book."
               "Oh, I see," Fellon murmured. A "hmm..." was hummed against Anders' ear, more a sound of pleasure than of pondering. "Here we are. This is one of his favorites..." Fellon pressed flush against Anders' back, reaching for a shelf above their heads and pulling down an old and well used, but clearly cared for, hardback.
               Anders shivered at the sound in his ear. The smell of the other man wrapped around him, clean and yet somehow straight forward, dominating the space and Anders’ senses. Douglas’ was lighter, more of an infiltration, slowly creeping in until swept away instead of flat out swooning, which is what Anders almost felt like doing now. Trying not to lean back into the man behind him, Anders stammered his thanks for the book as his eyes scanned the unfamiliar Asian characters.
               The smirk returned as amber eyes turned to reinforce the gratitude. Fellon purred, "Happy to lend a hand. Feel free to come in here anytime."
               Anders was about to say thanks again when he caught the double meaning which set him to stuttering instead. Fellon appeared highly amused, but turned his head and gave Anders' ear a teasing nip before pushing away from the bookshelf and going back to his couch, resuming his previous position as if he'd never gotten up. Cringing at himself for being a stuttering fool, Anders fully turned around with a smirk of his own. "With such skillful hands offering up their assistance, it would make coming in here less daunting and more pleasurable." Anders waved the book. "Thanks again."
               Fellon's grip on his book faltered for a brief moment, and he lifted surprised eyes to Anders, his lips curling into an almost-smile. "Like I said... any time."
               Anders smiled triumphantly back before leaving the library. It was a small victory, no doubt, but he couldn’t continue to let Fellon get the better of him. If flirtation was Fellon’s new game, well at least this was one Anders knew how to play. He didn’t land Douglas Hawke by being a blubbering mess, and he wasn’t going to start now that Fellon was trying to get under his skin. Bounding up the stairs from his win, Anders made it back to the bedroom in no time at all, and worried blue eyes were waiting to greet him and the mood instantly deflated.
               Douglas looked down to his hands in his lap, sitting up in bed now. “I had wondered where you went. I thought, maybe, you had finally gone back to work and gave me some peace.” The tone was mostly flat, but there was something there, a hint of worry.
               “No, not yet. I will soon enough probably.” Anders didn’t mention when Douglas would eat without being told, and get out of bed on occasion, he would go back. The depression had less of a strangle hold, but the grip was still firm. The only one Anders might have trusted to stay with Douglas if he left was across the country now. The clinic would have to make do with practitioners and volunteers. Thankfully, he had rarely used the pool of retirees and they were itching to help. Anders climbed back up on the bed, reclaiming his spot. “I brought you something.”
               The book was presented, and for a split second the blue eyes were near a bright as the sun through the windows. The pale hands that had been wringing and restless took the book without hesitation, while Douglas looked up to Anders’ face. “The Art of War. How did you know?”
               Anders looked down at the book, a little taken aback and wondering if Fellon had known it was the same. Anders hadn’t of course. “I had help.”
               The look vanished, and Douglas swallowed and nodded before glancing out the windows and then the clock. Everyone would still be at the estate at this time even though it was silent. If it was a favorite, anyone could know although now even Anders was disappointed he didn’t; anything to bring the sparkle back for a moment longer. But it had been there, that’s what mattered, and so had the worry. Anders could hold on to those while they slogged through more rounds of dismissals and demands of departure that were no doubt still on the horizon.
- 30
- 31
- 32
You need to be logged in to leave a review for this story.You need to be logged in to leave a review for this story.
Report Story

Can't Let You Go