A/N: This is an archive of short stories and drabbles featuring Cressida Cadash and Sera (although I might deviate to some of Cressida's friendships and other moments in the future). They are all responses to writing challenges and prompts given to me on tumblr. As I write as I receive prompts, these are posted out of chronological order (not that it really matters much). Thanks for reading!
What Stars Are Made Of
"Look up," Sera said. "What do you see?"
"Uh… stars?" Cressida was fairly certain she didn't give the right answer.
Sera blew a raspberry. Now she was sure she didn't give the right answer.
"No, silly," Sera said, tugging on Cressida's arm and pulling her further up on the roof. "Not just stars… What do you see?"
Cressida took a breath and looks again. She'd never thought this much about the sky before. After a lifetime spent mostly underground, navigating backwards pathways through the Deep Roads, infiltrating the deepest alleys of Orzammar, then moving to the surface and doing deals in sewers and slums, she'd never spent this much time outdoors. At night. Confronted by twinkling things in the sky.
It was just sky, wasn't it?
Sera clutched her arm and nestled her chin on Cressida's shoulder. Snow still clung to Skyhold's walls as winter turned to spring, and it was particularly chilly outdoors at night. Cressida smiled as she snaked an arm around Sera's waist and pulled her closer, grateful for her warmth. Though she didn't particularly care for evening escapades around the (very cold) ramparts, this was nice.
This was very nice.
"Okay," Cressida said, looking up at the night sky once again. "What do I see? I see… I see lights. Lots of lights. Like little gems or jewels or silver—"
Sera snorted. "That's the dwarfiest answer I've ever heard."
Cressida frowned. "What else am I supposed to say?" she said. "My parents were from the Smith caste, I grew up surrounded by—"
"Okay, okay," Sera said. "I'm sorry. I was just teasing." She gripped Cressida's arm. "I like when you're dwarfy."
"Oh, thank you!"
"Now you're making fun of me."
"Would I do that?" Cressida asked innocently.
Sera guffawed and kissed Cressida's cheek. "You still haven't told me what you see up there."
"Well, what do you see up there?" Cressida shot back.
Sera paused. She arched her neck back, her short blonde hair falling in a tangle against the nape of her neck. "I see… Dreams. Twinkling little dreams people threw up there 'cause no one else was listening. And when that star stops twinkling, the dream's come to be."
Cressida smiled, brushing Sera's hair away from her face. "I like that," she said. "I like that so much more than silver or gemstones. You've got a beautiful heart, Sera. Don't let anyone take that away from you, all right?"
Sera grabbed Cressida's hand, her luminescent elven eyes glowing in the darkness. "How can they," she replied, "when you've got it already?"
Cressida broke down laughing. She fell forwards, resting her head against Sera's shoulder, cackling with laughter.
"Oi," Sera said, "you're such a git, y'know that, eh?"
"Yeah," Cressida retorted, "but I'm your git, right?"
Sera answered by smacking a kiss right on her lips.