"You don't have to ask," Brennan answers softly, cupping his hand warmly against the nape of Dorian's neck, a faint smile twitching at the very corner of his lips. "Besides, when have you ever hesitated to follow me into worse? Even if it involved swamps and mosquitoes and a dragon or three."

And the idea of facing any of it without Dorian at his side is depressing at best. As far as he's concerned, the matter is settled, because there's pretty much nothing that could keep him from his lover's side for an extended period of time.

Still, he waits patiently when Dorian segue's into that, holding his breath, because if this is the news Dorian chose to start with, he can only imagine it gets worse from there. Maker.

"The Exalted Council?" he guesses, his tone quiet. And very dry. "I can imagine that was a bit of a clusterfuck. Our favorite kind of politics."