He just stared at her.
He wasn't the type to have the patience to lie. He didn't waste the energy on saying so. Didn't waste the energy to comment on her speech about her invincible dad, either, though his eyes hardened. Deep down, he already knew the reality of it. The one he didn't want to admit.
He'd kill for that man to stay alive.
For Leliana. For their girl.
And he meant his and Leliana's. This girl was his now.
He only nodded silent agreement that they'd need to be quiet so her daddy wouldn't find her. Or him. Fighting was his way of life, what he'd always done. What he'd always do. And somehow he'd have to stop himself from killing, what he was trained to do as quickly as possible. Go for the kill, don't waste time. What he does by reflex, without thinking about it anymore.
He'd have to waste time. Go against everything he knew, against his own nature.
He hoped it'd never come to that.
Better would be to hear about a hit on this guy, take them out first before he has time to learn of it. Killing is what he does. He'd get some enjoyment in that, even as it would be vodka in his fresh wound that he was protecting the man he'd rather be killing. The bastard probably hated Dovev, probably thought he had an enemy in him. When he'd unwittingly gained his protection by shoving his dick where it didn't belong. Well, he'd now live on to do it as much as he'd like. The jackass.
He sighed. No more thinking about it.
She surprised him, though he didn't show it much, reaching out to brush a tear away from his cheek. His chest filled with a form of hope, and quiet pride. There's her momma, after all. Buried in deep where it counted the most. Good girl.
"You seem sad," she said, surprising him more by curling up next to him. He stayed completely still, afraid moving would wake her from this acceptance of him. His own daughter wouldn't lay here this way. Or, well, this daughter does. He'd try to remember that, not break it. This daughter would. His now.
"Do you have to go? I thought we were going to be friends."
He curled his neck tentatively, very carefully, cautiously, breathing a warm breath over the scales between her shoulders. "I am sad," he confirmed in barely a murmur, not looking at her face. "I lose everything that matters to me.. And if I don't lose it, I make certain that I do." Nothing would ever go right in his life, he'd make sure of it whether he intended to or not.
"We can't be friends, baby. You matter to me. I can't come back for you even if I want to." He was still so quiet, leaning in just a little more to touch his lips on her so hesitantly. He may never feel her again. She was his, though. He brushed his lips slowly along her neck, just at the edge of her little mane, breathing in her scent. Memorizing every tiny moment. Trying his best not to frighten her with his possessive nature. Her momma hadn't minded it so much, but she was only partly her momma.
"You are mine, though. You find me if you ever need anything, and I'll keep you safe."
we're slaves to any semblance of touch
Lord, we should quit but we love it too much
