Chapter Text
Trevelyan picked up her last few items that needed to be brought on her trip to the Hissing Wastes and shoved them into her pack roughly. As she did, a small slip of parchment fluttered from between the folds of clothing and landed on the coverlet spread across her bed. Raising an eyebrow, she leaned over to pick it up. On it was a simple note in a careful hand that had obviously taken care to be neat when that was not the usual.
Wait for me? I want to see you before you leave. I’ll return as soon as inspection is over.
She smiled and fingered the note lightly, one finger tracing the lettering, until she was startled by a knock at the door.
“Come in,” she called. She heard the heavy wood push closed and the distinctive thunk of the lock falling into place and smiled. Heavy footfalls sounded on the stairs and she dropped the note to her bed and walked to meet him.
“Good timing,” she said. “I just found your note.”
Cullen chuckled and rubbed at the back of his neck, a flush rising to his face. “I hope you don’t mind. I worry when you go. I wanted to see you once more.”
Trevelyan smiled at him and threw her arms around his neck, reaching up to kiss him lightly on the cheek. “I’ll be fine, Cullen. You know that.”
“I know you can handle yourself, my love, but that doesn’t change the fact that I worry,” Cullen said, resting his forehead against hers, his hands coming to wrap around her waist.
Trevelyan smiled and dipped her hand into the front of her tunic for a moment. Tugging at the leather cord that lay against her collarbone, she pulled it out. “I have this,” she said softly. “Nothing can go wrong.”
Seeing his coin in her palm sent a wave of emotion through Cullen. “You wear it?” he asked.
It was Trevelyan’s turn to blush. “For luck,” she murmured, his intense gaze causing her heart to beat faster. It wasn’t the first time he’d looked at her this way, not by far, but her reaction was always the same.
Cullen bent his head and kissed her, hoping that even a fraction of the emotion he felt could be shown. Trevelyan’s hand slid from his shoulder to the back of his head, her fingers twining in his blonde curls as she returned the kiss. They broke apart a moment later, both slightly short of breath, and she rest her head against his chest.
“I have to go,” she said. “The others will be waiting.”
Cullen tightened his arms around her. “I wish I could come with you,” he said.
“Wait for me,” she whispered. “I’ll be home as soon as I can. With luck I’ll be finished and on my way home within a week.”
Cullen brushed his lips against hers once more. “Just come back to me,” he said before releasing her. Trevelyan’s hands slid down the commander’s arms before she turned to her bed to pick up her pack. Swinging it over her shoulder, she brushed her hand along Cullen’s, squeezing his fingertips so briefly it could have been his imagination as she headed towards the stairs. Looking back at him once more before leaving, she paused.
“I love you,” she said, but it was so soft she may well have just mouthed the words. Losing his thoughts, Cullen crossed the distance between them with two large, easy steps and kissed her hard once more.
“And I love you. I will see you soon,” he said.
Trevelyan nodded and turned away, heading down the stairs to meet with her party for the trip to the Hissing Wastes.