Dorian sat in the library, a bottle of wine in one hand, his amulet in the other. He was staring at the amulet, watching the way it glinted even in the moonlight. He sat like that for a long time, unmoving. The library was blessedly empty at this time of night so there was no one around to hear him as he cursed under his breath and took a swig of the wine. He hadn't meant for any of this to happen. The Inquisitor, Elden, was kind, perhaps too kind. He knew of people who, had they been in Dorian's position, would have gladly taken advantage of the Inquisitor's affection. That was the last thing Dorian wanted to do. But the Inquisitor had gone out of his way to get his amulet back and Dorian felt like he was doing exactly that. He felt sick to his stomach.

He had to wonder what the Inquisitor wanted out of this. He always came around to talk to him, flirt with him. He even kept Dorian company and listened to him ramble about magical theory. He doubted the warrior understood half of what he said, but he listened and Dorian was surprised how much that meant to him.

Perhaps it didn't mean anything. Either way he supposed it didn't really matter. This wasn't going to go anywhere. It never went anywhere. That idea hurt more than Dorian thought it still could. This had gone far enough. It was time to push this, time to give the Inquisitor the encounter he desired, the encounter they both desired. At least then he would know where they stood and Dorian could stop himself from caring so much.

"So! It's all very nice, this flirting business. I am, however, not a nice man." The Inquisitor smiled at that, as if he thought that that couldn't be farther from the truth and Dorian felt a flash of annoyance. How had he managed to trick this man so thoroughly? So he turned up the charm, because it was easier. It felt like he was back on familiar ground, hiding from the fear and the uncertainty and the way Elden's smile made him feel so warm. "So here is my proposal: we dispense with the chitchat and move on to something more primal."

But Dorian was knocked off balance again only a moment later.

"Do we need to move this quickly?"

"What is it you want from me? A relationship?" Dorian said it mockingly, but he certainly wasn't mocking the Inquisitor. He was mocking himself, belittling himself for the flash of hope he felt at the possibility of more, for even wanting more. He certainly didn't deserve it.

"Is that such a bad thing?"

Dorian's heart twisted at the apprehension in the Inquisitor's voice, the uncertainty on his face and Dorian had nothing to say as he realized that Elden had always wanted more, that this wasn't just a game to him. He had to turn away for a moment to collect himself. He should explain. Elden deserved to know.

"Where I come from, anything between two men… it's about pleasure. You learn not to hope for more. You'd be foolish to."

"This is more," Elden said it so casually, so earnestly, and in that moment Dorian wanted to give Elden what he wanted so badly but he didn't know how.

Dorian finally realized just how much he cared for the Inquisitor and it terrified him. He told himself that it would be fine; eventually the Inquisitor would get bored or realize their "association" was hurting the Inquisition and Elden would apologize because it had to end and Dorian would be in familiar territory again. And yet that hope was still there.

"Fine. Have it your way," Dorian sighed.

Then he kissed Elden and everything seemed different. The way Elden gently touched his cheek, or the way he leaned against him, and even the hand on his back. It all promised something different than the rejection Dorian was waiting for. Elden had always kissed him that way, Dorian just hadn't realized it until now.

And so Dorian concluded his evening sitting in the library, a bottle of wine in his hand once again. He had been prepared to end up back here alone, but nothing else was as he expected.

Dorian was used to rejection, to being used. He was not used to this, whatever this was. So he sat, staring at but not drinking the wine, feeling a spark of hope that he just couldn't bring himself to drown.