Chapter 21
In the University's Ballroom, Ellana was picking at a sad tray of raw vegetables and hummus when she felt a hand graze her lower back. The touch was intimate yet still polite. Spinning around, she was greeted by Solas winking at her. He was wearing a button-down shirt, and black pressed trousers; a forest green blazer casually flung over his shoulder. The rainbow strobe lights flickered over his strong jawline.
Solas was even more attractive than Ellana had remembered.
"I thought you would not be attending Professor," Ellana said, almost bursting at the surprise. She was doing her best to stifle her visible excitement, given the throngs of UofO faculty that passed by in their route towards the dance floor.
After all, nothing traveled faster than faculty gossip.
"I landed an hour or so ago and thought I'd come directly here instead of text," Solas replied in a whisper next to her, appearing to put together his own plate of snacks. A coy smile rose to his lips as she flashed him an unrepentant grin.
"That is lucky," she said, biting down on a carrot with a snap.
"I admire your commitment to your costume to eat a nug's favorite food."
"Do nugs like carrots?" Ellana curiously asked, absently playing with the large felt ears on her head that Dorian had crafted for her costume. "I don't think I've ever seen a nug outside a zoo or biology lab."
She might have committed several terrible crimes not to be dressed as a nug at that very moment. Her costume was at least classy, the pale pink of the romper she had purchased fit her perfectly. Only she had applied a thick layer of pink blush and body glitter to look "extra nuggy" at Dorian's request.
"A friend of mine keeps pet nugs," Solas offered by way of explanation, "They love carrots."
"Are they good pets?" Ellana asked.
She wasn't sure what to say with Solas right in front of her. She found herself playing nervously with her hair. If Solas felt similarly, he didn't reveal any evident emotions.
"No, Schmooples urinates on every available flat surface," Solas replied, pushing around the vegetables on his plate with a plastic fork.
"Poor Schmooples!" Ellana laughed awkwardly.
The music in the background quieted as the soundtrack switched. It had been non-stop noise since the costume contest. Ellana's's head was pounding. She liked dancing and parties, but whatever was going around her was not her type of scene. A few rowdy professors dressed as rugby players were yelling at each other obnoxiously while attempting to throw one of the floral centerpieces from one of the low round tables.
"I understand I missed the costume contest," Solas asked, his voice warm and eager rather than regretful. "Does that mean-did Professor Pavus finally achieve-"
"We did not place at all," Ellana said grimly. "I'm afraid Dorian has taken it rather badly, and after inhaling these veggies, I was going to find him to see if we could leave. I saw him pick up an entire bottle of wine, and then he disappeared."
"May I help?" Solas asked.
"We were going to take a rideshare back to his house-"
"I drove," He said, pulling his keys out of his pocket.
"W-would you mind?"
"Not at all."
"Did you want to stay?" Ellana asked nervously. She wasn't usually so uncertain, but thinking over their last telephone call made her heart flutter with anticipation.
"Only if you do?"
Ellana scanned the room, shaking her head. It was still early in the evening. The sun had set only an hour or so ago, yet many in the room had already downed enough alcohol that a mob-like dance to overtake the entire faculty body. She did not want to stay and risk any unnecessary trauma encountering her drunken colleagues attempting the latest dance moves.
"Let's go." She announced decisively.
"Of course," Solas took Ellana's empty plate from her and threw it into the nearby trash can along with his own. It was a small gesture, but Ellana couldn't help but think it made Solas even more gallant. He returned a few seconds later, subtly running his fingers along her lower back to escort her past the dance floor.
It was a bit of a disproportionate response, but Ellana had to momentarily repressed an urge not to drag Solas into the nearest dark corner and ask him again if he was a "sweet talker."
Finding Dorian would be a good distraction.
Ellana didn't want to do anything she might regret.
She had attempted to text the mustached artist throughout the evening. Only to have all her messages go unanswered. Solas and her split up to circle the dance floor, checked every restroom, and even investigated the coat check area. Almost giving up hope, the two exited the giant building where the party was being held, and walked out into the crisp autumn night.
The surrounding trees, except for a few stray evergreens, were completely bare. The air felt as if it were threatening to snow at any moment.
On the University quad ahead, Ellana could make out the shape of the winning costumes surrounded by a crowd of eager students and faculty alike. A professor in the History department whom she had never met before, Sethius Corypheus, had fashioned an elaborate, fully functioning trebuchet that he could sit in and move around like a small car. Zevran, the reigning champion of the costume contest, had fashioned a matching elaborate Archdemon outfit, with hand-painted fabric and beading, that glimmered in the street lamps like slick oil. The two were currently prepping the trebuchet to launch a few projectiles.
"Are they...?" Solas asked Ellana, his voice trailing off.
"Yes, the legendary Siege of Haven." Ellana shook her head, remembering how Dorian had almost fallen off the stage when Corypheus had wheeled the trebuchet into the ballroom, a smoke machine attached to the back made it appear as though Zevran, holding onto the arm, was floating off the ground. The spectacle inspired the entire audience to cheer. None of the judges paid any additional attention to any of the other costumes. She was pretty sure that the judges had picked the other winners (both in store-bought costumes). at random: a ghost and a promiscuous looking witch.
The obscure historical moment had become a cultural touchpoint after a hit drama had won Best Picture at the Orlesian movie awards.
Solas and Ellana were about to join the crowd, when Dorian called out to them from a bench along the sidewalk. The shirtless mage appeared to be shivering in the cold. His Darkspawn costume consisted of impressive hand-poured bronze horns paired with spandex shorts. The armor was more conceptual, a breastplate with elbow and shin guards. The mask, also made by the mage, was sitting discarded on the ground. The ferocious snarl of a Hurlock stared back at Ellana from the weeds.
It had been a clever and elegant costume.
That and Dorian looked stunning in next to nothing.
Ellana thought he should have at least placed second.
Dorian thought so too, judging by the way he sat, forlornly looking at the sky, clutching a wine bottle in his arms in the same way one might a small kitten.
"Would you like to go home?" Ellana asked him in a tender voice.
"Please! I cannot stand the indignity any longer!" Dorian replied in Tevene, flopping down on the bench with a dramatic sigh.
Solas looked to be doing his best not to laugh.
"We found ourselves a driver," Ellana said in her best attempt to be cheerful.
"Oh, Solas, your lover returns." Dorian appraised, switching back to Common. He gave a small wave to the neurologist, who waved back.
Ellena winced stares at Solas, trying to gauge his reaction. She didn't want him to think she had presumed that He might have feelings for her, or that she had any expectations.
"Thank you, Professor Pavos," Solas said dryly. "Only I don't think that I can hear you over your outfit."
"Really, but you're always so nondescript," Dorian jostled. "What is your costume? Stick-up-the-?"
"Dorian!" Ellana interrupted with a slight hiss. She was relieved to hear Solas laughing heartily rather than take any obvious offense.
The conversation was interrupted by a roar on the quad. Zevran and Corypheus had successfully set-up the trebuchet to launch a mass of stuffed animal nugs across the yard. A group of costumed spectators ran off after to catch them, some tripping and falling, while others climbed up the sides of the old stone buildings to find those that were caught on the lower roofs.
"Are you kidding!" Dorian yelled back towards a smirking Zevran. He waved his middle fingers in the air at the whooping elf, who was enthusiastically reciprocating the rude gesture.
"Alright, let's take you home," Ellana said, grabbing Dorian by the arm as Solas knelt to pick up Dorian's discarded things.
The three turned to leave, only for Dorian to cry out when one of the second rounds of nug plushies hit him in the back of his head—falling to the ground with a soft thud. Dorian scooped it up with a sigh.
Corypheus was jeering in Tevene, mocking Dorian's slutty costume.
Ellana thought that Dorian might throw the stuffed animal in the trash as a response, only he sweetly held the thing in his arms, tenderly petting it the entire car ride to his apartment.