Can't Let You Go

                Another three weeks had passed from the time Douglas got his good news and it was now the day of the benefit.  Douglas picked up Anders that Saturday afternoon, driving him back to the estate.  He was admittedly slightly nervous, since Anders had never seen his house before, so he decided to bring him over early for the grand tour since most people always wanted one.  He tried to peek at Anders' reaction as they turned through the large, wrought iron gate and down the wooded drive that opened up after a quarter mile to a view of the mansion.

                "Holy shit, you live here?"  That was a pretty normal reaction.

                "It's an old family estate."

                "Your family?"

                Douglas raised an eyebrow, "Yes."

                "Just... wow."

                Douglas stopped by the front doors, and the two men got out.  Bodahn opened the door to let them in, saying to Douglas, "Good afternoon, Sir.  Welcome back."

                "Thank you, Bodahn.  This is Anders; he is my guest this evening."

                "Pleasure to meet you, Sir."

                "You, too."

                Bodahn wasn't the only one to come greet them after they entered the main hall; Douglas' Bull Mastiff came tearing through the house when he heard his master's car.  Douglas knelt down smiling widely to say hello back, trying not to be bowled over by the large dog's enthusiasm, "and this is Loki."

                "You have a dog?" 

                "No, it's a giraffe... of course, he's a dog," Douglas turned to look and the other man seemed a bit terrified.  "Are you alright?"

                "Fine," Anders' voice was very tense and not at all an indication of being such.

                Douglas stood back up and walked over to Anders, placing a hand on his cheek; the blonde was shaking slightly.  He turned back to the dog, "Loki, go play," and the command was immediately obeyed as the dog took off back through the house to go run around in the yard.  "Are you scared of dogs?"

                "Of course, not."

                Douglas could tell the answer was a lie.  He would have to make sure Ares was put out too, because Anders would really be afraid of dogs if Fellon's tried to eat him.  A light kiss was placed against the tense forehead and then Douglas started showing Anders around the mansion: the lounge, the dining room, the library, the kitchen, the living room, the office...

                Anders asked with a raised eyebrow, "You have a pool inside?"

                "Actually kind of both, this part is indoors, and the glass wall over there slides open so if we are having a party the guest can decided if they want to sit in the sun or in the shade, the pools stay separated though by that small divider underneath.  Indoor side is heated all year long and, of course, the two hot tubs, one on each side and sauna inside."  Douglas pointed out all the things as he spoke, his enthusiasm about the area thinly veiled.

                "Of course."

                "It's a lot, isn't it?"

                "I should say so."

                "Do you just want to see your room?"

                "Is there more besides that left to see?"

                There was a pregnant pause, "No."

                Anders laughed at him, "You are going to have to draw me a map just to get to a bathroom aren't you?"

                "I should hope not, there is one attached to your bedroom."

                Anders raised an eyebrow, "I get my own private bathroom?"

                "Every bedroom does."

                "Beats sharing one with nine people, I suppose."

                "I would guess so," Douglas said distractedly as he made a weird face like he smelled something off.  Kneeling down, he ran his hand through the pool water before straightening with a slight frown.  "Alright, let's go."

                When they got to the main hall, Douglas said, "Wait here a second."  He headed back toward the door, speaking to Bodahn, "When Varric gets here, I need to speak with him immediately.  Also, the pH and the chlorine is off in the pool, have someone look at that today."

                "Yes, sir."

                "Thank you.  Oh, and make sure Ares gets outside."

                Bodahn nearly chuckled his response to the demand, "Sir, that dog doesn't listen to anyone."

                "Then tell Fellon if his dog goes near Anders, I'll shoot it."

                Bodahn's eyes grew wide from equal parts of Douglas' uncharacteristic response and having to relay that message to Fellon, stammering a, "Yes, sir."

                Douglas nodded and returned to Anders, who was studying a painting of a young woman.  "Who is this?"

                 Douglas looked up at it lovingly, studying it for a few moments before answering, "It's my mother."

                "I can see the resemblance."

                Douglas chuckled, "Wait until you see a picture of my father."

                Douglas continued staring at the painting, Anders grabbed his hand giving it a slight squeeze, "You still miss her, don't you?"

                Douglas turned with a sad smile, nodding and saying, "Very much."  He regarded the amber eyes looking back at him and remembered to feel luckily for at least having a chance to know his mother.  Douglas gave the other hand a squeeze back and led Anders up stairs.  When they reached the top, he started pointing out the rooms.  "My room is over there, Fellon's down there..."

                Anders followed the finger that pointed out the doors nearly exactly opposite a long hall.  "You live with your cousin?"

                "Yes, and when Bethany gets back, she will probably live here too.  You know… old family estate."

                "Does your uncle live here too?"

                "Ummm, no.  Varric and Bianca will be there and this is your room," Douglas hurriedly continued before he opened the door.

                The room  was decorated in greens and browns, a large bed in the center, the wood of the room richly hand carved mahogany.  "Some of the old bedrooms got transformed into the new bathrooms.  It seemed more practical than having a bunch of rooms that never saw use," pointing out the large attached bath.  Douglas walked over to the window.  "And you can partially see the gardens and stables from this room."

                There was a click behind him, and Douglas turned to find Anders had shut and locked the door.  Douglas swallowed nervously before he smiled, silently cursing for putting himself in such a position while Anders stalked slowly toward him.  The dark haired man showed his nerves through a chuckle, "Do you want to take a look?"

                Anders shook his head no, pulling Douglas into a kiss.  Hands roamed over his body as teeth moved to his sensitive neck, his breath catching before sending him to panting heavily.  Hands stopped roaming and started yanking the tucked polo from his belted pants and the fabric rapidly moved up his chest.  Douglas breathless said, "Wait, wait, wait," pushing his shirt back down.

                Anders stepped back, huffing a, "Really?"

                 Douglas smiled and joked, "Are you hungry?" knowing they had just come from lunch.

                Anders squinted angrily at him before going to flop down on the bed, grumpily mumbling, "Blue is rapidly becoming my least favorite color."

                "What?"  Anders looked pointedly at him.  "Ohhhh."  The amber eyes redirected their stare at the floor at yet another rejection.

                Douglas sighed, walking over and kneeling in front of him.  "Look at me,"  Anders reluctantly met his gaze, "There is nothing I want more than you right now, but I know myself well enough to know that if I go that far, I'm in, I'd want a full relationship.  So, I prefer to take things slow.  I have also learned from past experiences to first know for sure the other person is ready for that, too."

                Douglas looked at the hands in his and chuckled with a sheepish grin, "I don't know; maybe there is still some small part of me that wants to believe the romantic notion my mother told me, that's what people in love do."

                Douglas stood up, still holding Anders' hands and gaze, "So when you think there is a possibility you may love me back, let me know."  He released Anders' hands, "But right now I need to go make sure Bodahn has gotten someone to take care of the pool."

                A hasty retreat was made while tucking the shirt back in as cheeks started to flush from the burn of embarrassment.

               

*   *   *

 

                The large limousine pulled to a stop in front of the convention center and let the seven companions out.  Fenris got out first in his tux, followed by Fellon looking disgruntled at the thought of being at such an event but no less dashing in his own tuxedo.  After a hard, quick look around, he offered a hand to Isabela who stepped out looking as though she were born in heels and wearing a sequined, form hugging, black gown with two slits up the sides to the tops of her shapely thighs and a deep v in the front.  She was dripping with diamonds while dark hair hung loose in extra large curls while her expression displayed the opposite of her date's.

                Varric and Bianca got out next; she in an emerald green, beaded, corseted, princess gown.  Tight, red curls were partially and loosely pinned up, and emerald jewelry adorned her statuesque figure.  The two beamed at each other, clearly in love and ready to announce it to the other attendees.

                Anders and Douglas were the last to exit the car.  Anders started awkwardly brushing and tugging at his tux, looking very nervous compared to everyone else, having never been to this type of thing before.  Douglas reached out; calming the fidgeting hands and when the other man looked up the action was rewarded with a smile.  The blonde seemed to calm, giving a happy little lopsided grin.

                Douglas had awkwardly avoided Anders after spilling his guts, and the next time he saw the blonde he was with their friends, much to Douglas' relief.  When he had seen Anders had chosen to wear his shoulder length blond hair down tonight, his heart stopped and his jaw nearly hit the floor.  To Douglas, Anders was the most beautiful date he had ever taken to this event, but then again, the blonde was the first one he had actually been involved with, the others just being an accessory that knew how to nod and smile prettily.

                Many people stopped to stare at the group as they entered, drool and jealousy clearly displayed.  Fenris moved to the shadows to work, and the rest parted ways to mingle before dinner.  Douglas flirted and charmed his way through the attendees, expertly deciding through mere expression on how to introduce Anders; coyly introducing him suggestively at those who would approve and to those who wouldn't seriously as a friend with a free clinic serving the disadvantaged of Kirkwall and helping to stop the spread of their diseases. 

                Douglas caught a glimpse of Fellon's scar twitching, and he politely excused himself from the couple he was chatting with and made his way over.  "Governor Theirin, how do you do?"

                Alistair replied, "Very well, thank you.  How are you, Douglas?"

                "I'm doing very well, also, Sir."

                Isabela looked at Douglas slightly relieved, turning to her man, "Fellon, dear, I think I saw Bridgette waving at us from across the room; let's go say hello.  Please excuse us."  Isabela also knew how to expertly play this high society game, and the men all gave slight bows as the couple left.

                "Mrs. Theirin, every year I say you cannot look more beautiful than you did the last and every year I am wrong."

                "Why, thank you, Douglas.  Although, it is starting to become a bit challenging to outdo myself just for you and I must say you look as handsome as ever but," she looked at him with a raised eyebrow,  "who is your friend?"  Her twinkling blue gaze shifted to the blonde standing slightly behind to his right.

                "This is Anders..."

                She cut him off, smiling widely, "I knew that was you, Anders."

                "Idonea, I was wondering if you were going to remember me."  Anders smiled widely back.

                Douglas raised an eyebrow of his own.  "You two know each other?"

                Idonea said, "We all went to college together, but Anders was my lab partner before I changed majors."

                Alistair added, "Oh, I remember now."

                They chatted about what they had done since school, and they were very impressed with Anders' clinic.  Douglas asked them about their two sons, and was informed they were doing well although Alistair was still hoping for a Daddy's little princess, which would have been a shocking admittance at a function such as this to these types of people, but Douglas loved it and laughed, agreeing he could defiantly see a tiny little Idonea with her daddy wrapped firmly around a tiny finger.  Of all the guests at the party, Alistair and Idonea were always Douglas' favorite.  They were the most important people at the event but they were the least fake.  They unfortunately had to move on, Idonea telling Anders to keep in touch, and they left the couple to be fawned over and bored to death by the other guests.

                Afterward they had talked to several other party guests, a couple in different foreign languages, much to Anders' further amazement, always mentioning the clinic even though Douglas knew that although these fake people smiled and nodded, they didn't give a rat's ass if it didn't involve them and how they could make more money.

                Douglas had to head off a couple more near explosions from Fellon, the man aggressive in nature but completely aggravated by the fakeness of just about everyone in the room and he mercifully disappeared after about an hour, most likely to drink and God only knew what else with the staff.

                A couple of blondes on the fringe of the crowd had Douglas' own eye twitching, their police dress uniforms perfect against the glamorous attire of the rest of the attendees.  The middle-aged woman with a severe bun and piercing blue eyes also studied the crowd and he had not escaped her calculated scrutiny either.  The gaze wasn't held for long, the woman turning to excuse herself from her companion.

                Amused, Douglas smirked to himself before making his way over to the now alone man.  "I always wondered how you made Chief so quickly, Cullen, but sleeping with Commissioner Stannard?"  He tutted, "Now, I would have thought that was beneath you."

                Green eyes flared at the accusation, but they did not sway the smirk still firmly in place.  "A man such as yourself should know slander is an offense punishable by law."

                "And a man such as yourself should know since I said it to you it is merely an insult."

                "What do you want, Mr. Hawke?"

                "Oh, nothing.  I just thought I would have a word or two with my favorite man of the law."

                Cullen's gaze flicked to Anders a moment, who now appeared somewhat uncomfortable, before it returned to Douglas.  "Are you setting your sights on me now?  Destroying Howe's career wasn't enough; you also had to steal his man, too?"

                Rage flared for a second in Douglas' expression which brought a pleased smirk to Cullen's own lips at inducing any reaction out of the normally extremely guarded man.  Douglas calmed himself, replacing his fake smile before responding, "Believe me, if I ever set my 'sights' on you, you would be the last to know."

                Cullen's own angry expression went unchecked, but he was called away by the Commissioner.  "This time, I will pretend that wasn't a threat, Mr. Hawke.  Good evening."

                While Douglas watched him go with a distracted frown, Anders stepped closer and chided softly, "Was that necessary?"

                Douglas was still distracted, but answered, "Unfortunately, yes."  Finally, he blinked away his focused squint, turning to his date with an apologetic smile.  "I'm sorry; we have a few more people to speak with about your clinic before dinner.  Shall we?"

                Douglas was able to talk to everyone, having been well practiced from previous years on how much time he could spend chatting before dinner was served and the main festivities of the evening took place.  The group mingled for a short time after all the donations and awards were presented to keep up appearances before they tiredly headed home.