For Defira - Semantics

It was hard to tell when a new day dawned in Darktown. The sunlight couldn't reach deep into the darkened maze of tunnels where the poor souls of Kirkwall took what little refuge they could find. It was a place of misery and those who took to its murky passages survived on odd jobs or resorted to petty theft. It was a game of survival that far too many lost.

But not all that dwelled there spent their nights sleeping fitfully for fear of being found out by roving gangs. The refugees from Ferelden knew to find the healer when the lantern was lit; but the little flame that normally danced there, illuminating a sign that gave them an ounce of hope was uncharacteristically dark this cool, quiet morning.

Deep within the healer's quarters a soft, blue glow cut through the darkness as fingertips danced over skin lulling the woman sleeping there from a peaceful dream into an even more welcome one. Her mouth curved up into a delicate smile as she felt lips brush against her shoulder. "Good morning, Tahlindra."

"Good morning, Justice," she replied, sleep softening her voice as she turned to him.

Lips brushed against lips, skin whispered against skin. His mouth branded her with kisses making her gasp at little bolts of pleasure shot through her. "Anders tells me today is your day," he hummed against her neck.

She gasped, both at the sensation and in surprise. "My day? What do you mean?"

His mouth was too busy teasing her to give an answer but the way his lips brushed against her collarbone and the way his tongue swirled over her skin erased any conscious thought from her mind. This spirit that had once known nothing aside from the human ideal he embodied now knew how to make her whimper and gasp with only a touch. She was the most important thing to him, this woman that was his. She belonged to him as every fiber of his being was wholly hers.

He brushed a lock of hair from her face as he leaned in to press his lips against hers, the blue light fading from his eyes even as he spoke. "Anders has a day planned for you, but I desired to wish you a happy name day."

By the time she could speak her surprise the eyes she was peering into faded to the deep brown that belonged to her beloved Anders.

"Anders," she murmured and kissed him.

His laugh tickled her lips, "Sweetheart, if this is the way you're going to greet me every time I wake you up, prepare to be woken up by me every morning for the rest of your life."

She braided her fingers in his hair, anchoring his lips to hers. "I've no objections, though I am a bit confused. What's this about my name day?" she asked.

He laughed again. Had she told him when her name day was? She didn't think she had, but it was hard to remember with his fingers sliding across her skin the way they were. She gasped, eliciting another chuckle. "Are you asking yourself when you told me what day your name day is?" he asked. He'd gotten good at reading her thoughts.

"The question did cross my mind."

He caught her bottom lip between his teeth and bit down gently, "Well you're not losing your mind, my love. You've never told me." His mouth was now trailing kisses across her stomach. His ability to distract her from her thoughts was undeniable. "Don't get me wrong, your birth is the most important thing that ever happened and I don't need an excuse to celebrate the existence of my favorite person."

It was her turn to laugh now. "Now you're just being silly."

She squeaked when he nipped her gently. "Silly? Oh, how you wound me with your words! I have a whole day planned for you for your name day, but if it's just silly—"

She cut him off with a kiss that left them both gasping. Brushing her fingers across his cheek she smiled softly, "You are so sweet and I love that you've planned this but, well, I hate to break it to you but today isn't my name day."

"I didn't figure that out of all the days in a year I would be so lucky as to guess the right one so I just had to pick one."

"You know that's not really how it works, right?"

He shrugged and leaned in to capture her mouth with his again.

"Semantics."