Happy Friday! In order of your recent Rylen-pilling, how about "can i kiss you?" "you have no idea how long i've waited to hear you ask that." for him and Krem? If you're interested in them as a ship.
im afraid i was temporarily possessed by this ship and physically left my body. longest thing i've written for @dadrunkwriting !
between letters and the lines
rating: t
words: 2273
notes: somewhat epistolary, krem gets hurt and rylen realises he loves him because of anxiety!
Dear Captain Rylen,
Just arrived in the Emerald Graves. The Chargers and I have finished explored the exterior of the manor and scared half of them shitless. Can't convince a good portion of them to enter, so pass the attached brief on to the Commander for the Inquisitor's consideration.
Few of your men holding the camps aren't holding up well, so I've sent them to deliver this missive. Could use some R&R for a few weeks, think the ogres scared 'em shitless. Camps will need to be reinforced and resupplied.
An additional report is attached for the Iron Bull. I'd appreciate it if you passed it along.
Kind regards,
Lieutenant Aclassi
---
Lieutenant Aclassi,
The Commander appreciated the concise report. Problem resolved. Recommendations enacted. A few of the men you sent back have been removed from the line of duty and wished to offer their thanks.
Attached is a copy of intel from your chief and Lady Nightingale. The Lady Inquisitor has been expressing interest in quelling the fighting at the Exalted Plains. I imagine Lady Nightingale's scouts could use reinforcements before following up on the rising usurper in Perendale.
Captain Rylen
---
To Captain Rylen,
The Exalted Plains forward camp has been established and has suitable defenses courtesy of our sapper. Suffice to say the local Dalish and the Orlesians are reluctant to approach our camp now. Suggested supply routes and potential campsites are attached. I'm sure Lady Nightingale's scouts will provide more information. Hopefully the Orlesian recruits can make up for my lack of information. Additional copies enclosed for the Commander and the Chief.
Skinner appreciated the whetstone you sent by the way. And Grim liked the book. I think he wants the next installment. If I knew we were sending gifts, I would have sent something earlier. Found some communications from Starkhaven intended for you in Perendale, your siblings are probably expecting a response. Best not to piss them off.
Advice from some scouts we encountered suggests we advance out toward the Western Approach. Waiting for orders before we depart.
The boys are convinced I'm hiding some of our correspondence. Apparently I've been too serious lately and I consult our latest information too frequently. Put their minds to rest, yeah?
Warm regards,
Lt. Krem Aclassi
---
Dear Lieutenant Aclassi,
I apologise if the Chargers find my letters unsatisfactory. When they have to write as many as I do, I will accept their criticisms.
Advance to the Western Approach. Scouts and troops won't arrive for a month or so yet, the Inquisitor has been wrapping up business in the Graves and Plains. Consult the attached map with rough terrain and notable locations. The Iron Bull has provided an old Ben Hassrath report for what you might expect out there. I've taken the liberty to mark a few locations which I suspect will harbour some of the more dangerous wildlife.
Current orders are to establish a camp site suitable for the Inquisitor and his aides. I suspect we will also require locations to keep a couple hundred men, so any up to date information would be valuable.
My family berated me for taking so long to respond. They wished to extend their thanks to you for ensuring their communications reached me.
Please take care out there.
Rylen
---
Captain Rylen,
Attached are maps of the area. Cannot advance without reinforcements. Urgent request for medical supplies, especially treatment for burns. Retreated for the time being. Water supply is extremely poor.
Written by Rocky on behalf of Krem
---
Krem,
As Captain, I should instruct you to push forward now that you are resupplied.
As Rylen, I don't want to ask that of the Chargers. You've been taking jobs for months and haven't taken proper R&R. I don't know the entirety of your situation.
Attached are instructions from your Chief. Indulge my concerns for you and ignore any orders which put you in excessive danger.
I am to lead a contingent to the Western Approach. I hope to see you.
Yours,
Rylen
---
Krem carefully examined the orders from the Iron Bull. Or rather, it was a letter. One he wasn't going to let the boys see.
Apparently, Rylen had become fixated on the Chargers and was greatly impressed by Krem. The successes of their troop seemed to astound Rylen, especially when compared to the ragtag men recruited to the Inquisition.
Bull had his own opinion on the matter, one he described as infatuation.
It wasn't that Krem was disturbed by this. A fair share of men had been infatuated with him through the wild tales told about their company. The problem was that Krem had begun to feel the same.
Back when they were last in Skyhold, Rylen took efforts to join the Chargers, getting to know the best mercenaries under the banner of the Inquisition. Even if he was quiet and concise, the men got along with him. They liked having him around. And most nights Krem ended up helping him back to his bunk before disappearing back to his own.
Bull had instructed them to wait for reinforcements and to take it easy. He said a few scouts should be there to assist them in a few days, with the rest of the troops joining them in a week or so.
Krem withdrew the communications from Rylen and reread them, looking for any sign of the infatuation Bull described. It was a welcome distraction from the shattered leg Stitches treated to the best of his ability.
With a sigh, he passed on the orders to the men and made Dalish their temporary quartermaster. He sent out a few patrols and had Grim start a stew. Another week. He could last that long.
---
Dear Krem,
I can't explain why I'm so worried about you and your Chargers. I didn't feel like this for the templars under my command back in Starkhaven. I don't feel like this for most of my men.
I'm confused and I know the lyrium leaves my memory addled. So please let me see you when I arrive to make sure you're okay with my own eyes. And let me treat you to a drink?
Rylen
---
The Chargers camp was dismal. It looked so incorrect, deprived of the life it should contain. It sat uncomfortably in the pit of Rylen's stomach, how truly empty it felt. This wasn't who the Chargers were.
The qunari beside him was also unusually quiet. Especially around his men, the Iron Bull shouldn't be this quiet. "I'll check in with the boys. You mind checking on Krem?" he asked, his hulking form already making his way to various tents.
Grim gestured him to Krem's tent and handed him a bowlful of stew and a spoon. "For me?" he asked. The man grunted in disapproval. It must be for Krem then.
He pulled aside the canvas doors and entered into the dimly lit tent. A figure slept quietly on a thick bedroll. Since the man's face had been haunting his dreams, he recognised him as Krem. Unfortunately, he looked incredibly wrong. His dark skin was too pale, colour drained from his face. A crooked leg poked out from beneath the blankets.
Rylen's body moved before he comprehended the scene before him. On his knees, beside Krem, he cupped his cheek and gently shook him awake. His skin was too warm, probably running a fever.
"Go away, Grim" Krem grumbled, squeezing his eyes shut. "You don't need to mother me." Even if the sick man was saying that, he leaned into Rylen's touch.
In any other situation, he might have snorted at him and derided him a bit. But this wasn't any other soldier under his command. "Lieutenant, I'm afraid Grim was quite insistent I fed you," he rumbled.
Krem's eyes shot open, quickly making eye contact with Rylen. At least he was still in there. "Come on big guy. My turn to mother you," Rylen joked, sliding an arm underneath Krem to help him sit up.
"Want me to start calling you mother?" he teased in response, however feeble his voice was.
It brought a smile to his usually stoic face. "Whatever it takes to get our best guys back into action. You look like shit," Rylen retorted.
"Some varghests fucked up our guys. We're luck we all got out," Krem explained, letting Rylen start feeding him.
It was strange to be in the position of nursing someone back to health. As knight-captain of the Templars, he usually passed it off to the medics they had on hand. Then again, he hadn't cared this deeply about an individual since he had been at home and helping his own family.
To prevent himself from overanalyzing his feelings he forced himself to continue speaking. "Bet you're never gonna do that again," he commented, probably too hopefully.
"Not without the Chief at least. He'd have been enough I think. Fights like at least ten guys," Krem supplied, rather unhelpfully for his running mind. He needed to be a put together captain. Not whatever worrywart he'd become.
Rylen squeezed Krem's shoulder and hoped that his worries weren't written all over his face. "It's incredibly hard to be cross with you," he groaned. The cheeky smirk he received in return was a signal that he was well and truly fucked, because he wanted nothing more than to kiss Krem in that moment.
Kiss the man who had most of the life drained out of him, who was holding back incredible amounts of pain to joke with him, who was his subordinate and certainly someone he shouldn't have feelings for.
Rylen pressed those feelings down and instead focused on helping Krem get some food down. The Chargers quickly found out, however, that Rylen was sharing a tent with Krem instead of Bull. But they wouldn't know if Rylen held Krem's hand as he drifted off, or if he brushed hair stuck to Krem's forehead from the sweat. That was between the two of them.
---
Krem's head hadn't felt so clear in days. He was grateful the Inquisitor had finally arrived, alongside one of his acquaintances who was an expert spirit healer. They had to rebreak his leg to ensure it would set properly. But the bone knitted itself back together under the guidance of the healer, and he was able to start hobbling around now that the worst of the injuries were dealt with.
Still hurt like shit, though. His recovery meant that the Inquisition finally departed on its conquest of the Western Approach. Once they received word, he would figure out where the Inquisition wanted him. Since Bull was around, he was leading the healthier guys on excursions, building back up their confidence to return to the Approach.
Rylen hadn't left his side, though. It was something that truly puzzled him. Surely seeing him at his worst would drive anyone away. And yet...
They were sitting together in the centre of their camp, chatting with the remaining scouts and tending to their fire. Or rather, Krem was talking and Rylen was firetending.
During the lulls in the conversation, Krem took time to admire Rylen. His facial tattoos were beautiful, and he carried himself with strength and honour. Every time Rylen caught him staring, he quickly picked the conversation back up where it was left.
Every half hour or so, Rylen reminded Krem that he needed to get up and go on a short walk to prevent his leg from atrophying. Each time, he took Krem by the arm and escorted him a short ways out of the camp, before helping him back.
After the scout told them they made a cute couple, Rylen hastily informed them that the two were not together. That was the final straw for Krem. On their next small walk, Krem stopped him in the forest, just out of sight of the camp.
"Someone got quite defensive when asked if we were together," he joked. Joking was always easier than just stating the truth out loud.
Apparently Rylen never got that message. "It's because you confuse me. I've never wanted a man like I want you before," he confessed. Krem's mouth flew agape, his mind churning to process what he just said. Rylen gave him no reprieve. "I can't stop worrying about you, even though you're one of our most capable men. I've never felt as distressed as when I found you hurt. And I don't know if you want me back."
Even at the best of times, Krem rarely assumed anyone wanted him. He was a stranger to the south, seen as an enemy. He was from Tevinter, and few people looked past that outside of the Chargers. Few people defended him like Bull. So he hadn't hoped that the increasing attention from Rylen was anything more. It usually was too much to hope for.
But his hands pulled Rylen closer by the waist, the one clinging to his arm choosing to hang onto his shoulder. "Can I kiss you?" tumbled out of Krem's mouth. He felt light-headed, just barely in control.
A soft smile crossed Rylen's face, something Krem immediately regretted not being able to bring to his face before. Like this Rylen looked calm. "You have no idea how long I've waited to hear you ask that," he murmured.
Their faces moved closer together, foreheads touching. "And?" Krem breathed. He needed an answer.
"If you don't I might demote you," Rylen hummed in response.
Krem surged forward into his lips, releasing the tension between the two of them. They clung close together, knowing that there was a moment of solace, at least for the two of them.
