A/N: I just get so many little scenarios in my head, and I feel the need to type them out. This is just a snippet that I probably won't touch again, so I'm just going to mark it as complete.
At first he just thought it was admiration. After all, she was the Inquisitor, the Herald of Andraste. She was a leader to her people and had helped Cullen, and he would always be indebted to her.
He initially learned of their relationship from Leliana. Despite being the spymaster, when she had juicy bits of information that weren't confidential, she could be quite the gossip. Cullen had been happy for the Inquisitor; everyone had been happy for her. Well, perhaps not everyone. Sera would never approve of that man, and Vivienne seemed to only reluctantly accept it.
And because everyone cared for and respected her so much, their hearts all broke for her when he left. One night the Inquisitor and Solas returned in silence, the Inquisitor's face now absent of the tattoos which marked her as Dalish. It didn't take long for everyone to find out what had happened, though "why" was a mystery. Despite her sorrow, she continued on as strongly as ever. When it was over, he was gone, and soon all of her friends began to depart. The only ones who remained by her side were Cullen, Josephine and The Iron Bull. The Inquisitor still bore her bright smile, though those who knew her could see that its brightness had dimmed and that the smile was sometimes forced. It's not as though she were unhappy for the entirety of those two years, but Cullen could always tell that a part of her was missing. A part of her heart had been taken, and she would never get it back.
Then why did it anger him so much when Solas came back? Of course, everyone was angry at Solas. He had betrayed them all, and his sinister plan could end up destroying everyone. Some people were even mad at the Inquisitor for wanting to redeem him, for there was no redemption on the Dread Wolf's path.
Cullen, like the others, was angered as well, but he eventually realized that he wasn't angry for the same reasons. Of course he was angry over Solas' betrayal, and because he worried for the safety of his loved ones. It was more than that, though. He saw the Inquisitor smile brighter than ever, but it was so forced. She was so broken, and Cullen could never forgive Solas for doing that to her. Why, though? He didn't dare ponder this as he waited silently in a room full of the Inquisitor's companions as they waited for Josephine and the Inquisitor to finish their discussions.
Hair black as the night, smile soft as her lovely voice, eyes green as the rifts she used to close, but they linger on him. Why? Why won't she look away?
"Because she loves him," Cole said, answering the thoughts he had voiced.
There was silence for a moment before The Iron Bull said, "Two silver those were Cullen's thoughts."
Cullen glared at the qunari, who, in response, said, "Called it."
"You know," Dorian said, "I do love the Inquisitor; she's the dearest friend I have. However, she can be rather thickheaded. I'm afraid you'll have to spell it out for her, Cullen."
"Really?" Cullen said. "So we're just going to assume that those were my thoughts, then?" He sighed. "There's nothing to spell out, and even if there were, there would be no point in doing so."
Vivienne rolled her eyes. "Oh, for pity's sake, do something about it already."
"You're a romantic, Iron Lady?" Varric said in amusement.
"Hardly," she said, "but so long as the Inquisitor holds onto her feelings of love and this foolish notion of redemption, nothing can be done to stop Solas."
Varric sighed. "It's not that simple. There are two things Hawke and the Inquisitor have taught me; One: my best friends have terrible taste in men and tend to go for the tortured mages willing to do anything for their cause. Two: they'll stand by those sons of bitches no matter how bad it gets."
"I would never support Anders' actions in Kirkwall, but blowing up the Chantry and potentially destroying the world are hardly on the same level, Varric," Cassandra pointed out.
"Maybe not, but compared to Hawke, the Inquisitor is a hopeless romantic."