Work Text:
The Inquisitor flumped on her bed, immediately rubbing her dry eyes with both hands. Tomorrow was shaping up to be yet another “big day” as Josie so loved to phrase it. There seemed to be a “big day” at least once a week for the past nine months. At the start of this mess, back when “the Inquisition” wasn’t a rising military and political force, but a tiny group of faithful, “big days” were day trips to close rifts or meetings with various influential individuals. Now it seemed that big days always risked death, either physical death fighting templars, venatori, and twisted wardens or social and political death from mismanaging a dinner or inheritance dispute. Honestly, she'd rather take the fighting.
The soft closing of one of her wardrobe drawers made her jerk up, stars somewhat blinding her as she assessed for danger, cursing herself for leaving her staff in the war room. But before her reaction was even finished, it was Bull’s calm low voice, soothing her immediately, “Whoa boss, It’s just me. Didn’t think you’d miss seeing my big ass when you came in.”
“Weren’t you a spy, Bull? Sneaking around should be your bread and butter.” She replied dryly. He chuffed a faint laugh and twisted something round his hands. The inquisitor tilted her head sideways, trying to see what new treat Bull was bringing to bed this time. “Whatcha got there?”
There was business they should discuss, like always, but the promise of Bull’s brand of distraction and comfort sounded oh so appealing. She wet her lips, letting her teeth drag on her lower lip and holding Bull’s intensely fixed gaze.
“Careful now, or I might get sidetracked and forget to show you your gift.” The growl was faint, but present. When this arrangement, for lack of a better word, had started, Bull had always emphasized that he was here to provide the inquisitor with exactly what she needed. Peace, distraction, relief, freedom from choices, and someone taking care of her needs. But the longer it went on, the more she slipped inside of Bull’s many-layered walls, the more she realized he needed this too. As their initial bargain to bring him into the Inquisition had benefited them both, her gaining the muscle of both Bull and his Chargers and him able to pass information through the Ben-Hassrath network; so too did this bargain. After fighting forces beyond even Bull’s imagination, he needed the control, needed to exercise his mind to find exactly the ways to make her break in the most heavenly ways, needed to pace himself and be reminded his hands can be used for tender things, and not just violence and blood. They had just finished a long trip into the Western Approach and after her meetings with the council ran late last night, neither of them had the hours of unwinding they both needed after weeks of rushed and quiet trysts in the tent.
But even with the flaring of heat in her belly, the word gift hadn’t failed to catch the inquisitor’s attention. It had been years since someone had gotten her anything, and she’d never recieved more than a flower from a past lover. She felt the phantom weight in her pocket of the dragon tooth she had recently dropped off to Dagna, with quiet, clear instructions not just for the finished product, but for her silence. It would take a well-earned miracle to keep the secret from Bull, and intervention from the Maker himself to keep Leliana from finding out, but she wanted to try at least to surprise him. By the time the Inquisitor returned from her next trip, this time to the Emerald Graves, it should be finished. Maybe by then, she would know what to say to Bull, how to put the vulnerable and complex feelings in her mind into comprehensive language. “Oh, what’s this gift, then?”
Now Bull’s smirk finally widened into a full, though still mischievous, grin. “Yeah, I thought you might like the sound of that.” He let himself fall hard enough on the bed to bounce her, gravity pulling them together and joint laughter marring their kiss. The Iron Bull brushed a loose chunk of hair behind her ear, letting his hand rest on her neck. “So I hear you’re heading out without me tomorrow.”
“Fucking hell, between you and Leiliana is there any secret in these walls?” She grumbled, pulling away from his hand and flopping flat on the bed. Such a fruitless effort “ I was gonna come tell you once I had a chance to catch my breath. I want to keep an eye on Cole and Solas wants to chec-“
“Boss, boss, stop. It’s fine, I get it. I need to exercise the Chargers for a bit anyway. They’ve been getting too comfy since the Coast. Need to remind them who they’re working for.” The lightness in his tone shifted, no longer joking, but still careful not to encourage her anxiety or wallowing. “But if I can’t go with you, then I feel all the better that this finally arrived.”
For all the inquisitor could tell, it was just a length of fine, almost shimmery blueish rope. Nothing unusual for her chambers at this point in their dynamic, but nothing she’d particularly consider a gift. Still, she let Bull continue uninterrupted.
“Its- Well I ordered it about a while ago, had to borrow some of the shit you’ve been hoarding” He caught her hand before her light shoulder slap could land, “Honestly wasn’t sure it was gonna come in since I was calling in some favors from back in Par Vollen, but I guess my money is still good, even as a Tal-Vashoth.” It had been a few weeks since the alliance with the Qunari had fallen through, three weeks since she had a heart attack on the balcony, watching assassins disguised as her forces try to slit his throat. Krem had quietly thanked her as they walked the battlements that night and assured her the other chargers had no idea how the alliance had failed or what exact choices had led to The Iron Bull’s change in station. But, importantly, Krem did.
“I may not love our home like Dorian does, but I’m still Tevinter. I know what it means to turn your back on everything, home, culture, identity. Having you there, having you make the choice… It helped him more than you know.”
They left for the west the next morning and Bull had been extra ferocious the entire time, desperate to get his hands dirty and recklessly charging in. They had burnt through so much elf root she had to send out some of Leliana’s people to harvest more. Eventually, with enough demon essence and venatori blood coating his axe blade, Bull had finally started to seem settled again. The last thing they did before leaving the region was take down that dragon, and Bull had been beautiful to watch. She could have sworn she saw him find himself again, find his joy as he laughed through the danger and pain, dodging the ruins and flames.
“Up you get kadan. It’ll be easier to show you than tell you.” Bull broke her train of thought, hauling her up with a single hand. “Down to your smalls, and none of that bullshit shyness. I’ve seen it all and can’t wait to see it again.”
________________________________________________________________
It took twenty minutes of torture, and eventually Bull blindfolded her because she wouldn’t stop turning to watch his massive, beautiful hands tying the tiniest of careful knots and her shifting was driving him insane. The blindfold kept her stiller, but as Bull’s hands traveled around her, first around her hips, then moving to bind around each arm before finally moving to her chest, his cruel hands deliberately brushing her nipples just enough to make them peak, she was barely holding it together, panting for him. Finally, both hands rested on her hips, his comfortably large body close enough to ghost against her bared spine. “I have some pants for you to wear with it, as well as a different chest covering, something to match your eyes, but this should get the idea across.” Bull turned her to where she knew a mirror was awaiting her and kissed the crown of her head before using his teeth to loosen the blindfold and let it fall to the floor.
It was immediately foreign, and strangely sensual at first, but for something made of rope and knots, it filled her with power. There is no reason for this to feel as protective, if not more, than the chain mail and enchanted robes she normally wore to the field. Each arm was its own segment of the rope, binding around her wrists, then traveling to support her elbows before crossing and finishing just below her shoulder, simply arranged compared to the criss-cross woven across her clavicle. The simple breast binding she wore was fully visible, and her stomach was fully exposed. She knew enough of the Qunari from Bull to know that southern Thedas’s insistence on constant coverage was laughable to them. Bull was rarely covered up himself, after all, but it would take some adjusting on her end. She could feel the open metal circle resting in the small of the back, an anchor point for the continued weave up and around her hips that would allow her to adjust this section as necessary without fully undoing the striking knotwork.
“It’s called an Antaam Saar, a type of armor. The rope, as well as the accompanying pieces, are made from magically charged materials and then further enchanted. You’re just as armored up as normal, but this is- Well anyone who sees it can probably figure out it’s qunari. I know- Wearing it at skyhold- well it’s too bloody cold anyway and it’ll piss Josephine off to make that many excuses to all the chantry prudes in the halls. But when we’re out, when you’re out…”
The Iron Bull didn’t stumble with his words. Ever. The inquisitor treasured every time she successfully made his breath hitch. He was never embarrassed, and even if he did get nervous, he always directed it into physical release, of one type or another. She leaned back into him, letting him take some of her weight. “It’s beautiful, Bull. Thank you”
Her weight seemed to steady the roiling sea in his stomach, and Bull started dragging a single finger along each twist. “The first time you put it on, traditionally we recite some of the Cantos of the Qun.” Indeed, Bull had been so faintly whispering she wasn’t sure she was supposed to hear him. “I know everyone thinks Andraste has blessed you and I know you have your own opinions on all that, but even- even if I’m not bound to it anymore. Can’t hurt to have one more blessing… If that’s alright with you.”
Her breath caught a little in her throat, picking up on all the pain in those words but also his continued, careful protection. Every hair on her body stood on end when Bull gingerly, slowly buried his head into her neck, just breathing her in, smelling her hair, before pressing a hot, open-mouthed kiss where her neck and shoulder met. “And besides all that, you look hot as hell, marked for everyone to see… as mine.” The snarl that ate his last words was echoed by a bite with just the right amount of pain. His patience had just about run out.
Good. So had hers… but there were still some games left to play. As Bull began soothing the pain with kisses, his hands beginning to travel from her hips over her exposed abs, hardened from all the walking and training she was undertaking, the Inquisitor refused to let herself be distracted. “So… if you’re off with the Chargers… shall I ask Blackwall to help me tie the knots?”
She swore as Bull’s teeth came down again, this time higher on her neck. Sera and Dorian would have a field day with all these hickeys. Bull growled, “If the would-be warden wants to admire you, I cannot blame him nor stop him, but, no, Kadan. He won’t be aiding you.”
“Well Varrick isn’t going to be able to reach the top knots unless I sit on the ground.”
Bull’s growl deepened and his hand moved up to ghost along her throat, a gentle promise that sent burning arousal through her core. “Then it is a good thing that this little knot here,” He tugged at one near the base of her neck and the entire system around her upper body tightened, “can loosen it enough for you to wiggle out of. As my memory serves, you’re quite good at wriggling free.” A nip on her earlobe. “As for your hips, there’s a trick with this ring,” he gives it a tug that pulls her against the hardness awaiting her, “that I’ll show you when we’re all done here…. If you’re good for me. As for the arms, well, I guess you better not leave me behind for too long.”
Every inch of the inquisitor’s body was on fire, an absolute inferno. She tried to lean further into Bull, just to feel him fully step away, the absence of his warmth and strength as painful as the love bites. Her hair fell around her, escaping her haphazard bun from this morning, waves of red obscuring her vision when she whipped around to glare at him.
Iron Bull, her protector, her lover, and maybe someday soon something more, smiled like the predator he was and quietly, dangerously ordered her. “Get on the bed. Time to show you the other benefits of your gift.”