Chapter 22

Solas had not expected to be invited up to Ellana's apartment. After they dropped off a dejected Dorian, he thought the two might go out for dinner, or even a walk along the harbor. The moment the Tevinter magister exited the vehicle, he was going to suggest either option when Ellana interrupted him with her own proposal.

"Would you like to go to Kirkwall? I didn't know if you had other plans?"

At that moment, Solas had been unsure how to read Ellana. She seemed slightly withdrawn, her eyes intently studying him. When she had first seen him at the party, they had been electric with excitement. In the car, however, he could sense Ellana's mana percolating in the air. It felt stormy and uncertain. What could he do to persuade her how much he was beginning to care for her?

"Spending the evening with you would be lovely," he assured her, putting the car into gear and turning to make the drive over to the bar. "The Kirkwall it is."

The drive was quiet. Solas struggled to find something to say, especially when Ellana had taken out her phone and started texting in earnest. The light from the screen harshly illuminated the rose-colored glitter dusting her face.

"I'm sorry," Ellana said as she tucked the square phone away into her purse. "I was breaking the news to Bull that we lost and letting him know Dorian is home. You have my full attention."

"Do you think it was OK to leave Dorian? He appeared very distraught."

"Bull's flight landed an hour ago, and he will be home soon. Also, I know Dorian is the type to want to lick his wounds privately. He needed some time to process alone, I think. Otherwise, he'd have invited us to stay."

"It's a shame he didn't even place this year. The armor he made was elegant, if perhaps insufficient for battle."

Ellana laughed, crossing her arms and turning her body to look at him as he drove. Realizing again that he was with her in person made Solas momentarily struggle to concentrate on the road. Her hair was down, curled in soft waves falling past her shoulders, and under the thick layer of make-up, he could see the faint lines of her valleslin, twisting as she smirked.

"I feel a little guilty, as Iron Bull had a matching nug ensemble, shorts and all. The overall effect was much more convincing. I think the judges would have been swayed. They had a planned dance routine...but I pleaded injury."

Solas laughed in return, about to ask about the current state of Ellana's ribs injuries when he stopped himself. He didn't want to kill any of the possible romance before the night was over. Out of the corner of his eye, Solas could see Ellana nervously fidget with the nug ear headband she still wore. The art historian was usually so tranquil that it brightened him a bit to think that she too might be anxious about navigating the evening together.

Perhaps even asking the same question: was this a date?

Solas was optimistic.

When they parked up to the Kirkwall, Solas saw a line of costumed patrons out the door reaching down the street.

"Oh," Ellana sighed, "Usually it's empty."

"In Val Royeaux, this is the holiday for artists, I'm sure Varric was happy to oblige such an impulse," Solas observed, noting how elaborate and creative the outfits were. He spotted several obscure movie characters mixed in with postmodern kitsch-inspired looks, such as a traffic cone and waffle.

He could hear the music from the tavern as soon as he parked the car. Solas knew that if Varric saw him, that they'd be ushered in right away, only the noise was overwhelming. Truthfully, however, he was relieved when Ellana turned to him and said, "I don't know if I can do the crowd tonight. That faculty party was out of control."

"Do you want to try somewhere else?"

"No," she shook her head.

For a moment, Solas felt his hope wilt. He was about to admit failure. When Ellana spoke again, her voice was tentative, but her expression was eager "I don't know-if you might. Perhaps we can hang out at my apartment? We can order take out."

"I-I. That sounds nice. Only-"

"Everywhere will be packed and crazed," Ellana calmly pointed out. "I also would love not to be dressed as a nug longer than necessary. Besides, I can show you the objects I picked out for the exhibition. As well as the proposal Dagna and I put together while you were away."

Ellana had touched his arm when she had finished talking. It wasn't intentional, Solas thought, but the small gesture had thrown him off enough that his muttered acceptance had come out as awkward "y-yes, sure.". Solas knew that the art historian's generation had different dating norms. He also knew from overhearing his graduate students gossip that the term "hang out" was synonymous with dating. Only, it was a strange sort of dance, without all the wooing that he felt compelled to do for Ellana, who seemed to have cheered a bit when he had accepted her invitation.

"I'm sorry, I know that this isn't probably the night you had planned," Ellana said when they had hopped out of his car and began the slow walk towards her apartment building.

"I didn't have an explicit plan for tonight," Solas interrupted. "I only thought as far as joining you at the party."

That was true. He had spent the last three days in an Orlesian safe house recuperating before Stroud had driven him back to Val Royeaux. He was still a bit sore from the jump, but he had been determined to make it in time to meet Ellana at the party. "Don't be late for the ball," Leliana had teased him over the phone when he had checked-in with her earlier that evening.

So far, even if the night had taken a couple of disappointing turns, he was thrilled to spend time with Ellana, not at a hospital finally.

Ellana nodded thoughtfully. Pulling out her keys from her purse to unlock the front door. She looked away when she spoke, "I understand if you'd rather-"

"No," Solas boldly insisted, purposefully catching her gaze. "I would enjoy very much to 'hang out' with you."

He was pleased when he saw the flirtatious glint in Ellana's eye. The look made him feel as if he was struck dumb, especially when the two hoovered, staring at each other for a few prolonged seconds, flashing two wild smiles. If it wasn't too soon, he would have stepped forward to pull her into a deep kiss.

Was it too soon?

Ellana practically had skipped up the stairs on the way to her studio. Pausing only to briefly wave to her new neighbor "Thom Rainer," as the burly man went out the back hallway to take out a bag of trash. After she struggled with the lock, the two entered her small apartment. Ellana heading straight for her desk, turning on a reading lamp that softly lit the room.

Solas wasn't sure what to expect, or where to sit, considering there was only her bed, and a desk chair, so he stood in the middle of the small apartment, watching as Ellana took off her coat and hung it in the entry closet. He gave her his wool coat when she outstretched her arms with an impatient glare.

Her expression became nervous again when she stuttered. "Do you mind if I take a quick shower? I'm encrusted in glitter, and one of our drunk colleagues accidentally poured an entire vodka tonic on me shortly before you arrived."

"You seem to have a disorienting effect on beverages," Solas joked, not answering her question.

The two of them were standing so close together he could smell the earthy scent of lavender and rosemary of Ellana's perfume. For a moment, Solas thought she might reach out and touch him again, only she stepped back with a grin.

"Are you suggesting that I am clumsy?" Ellana teased.

"Never! One might argue I find you dizzying at times," Solas admitted in a low baritone, his eyes daring to catch Ellana's again with a wolfish grin.

She was clearly pleased by the comment, her hands absently moving to fondle the comically large felt ears she was still wearing. The reminder that she was still dressed as a nug, however, seemed to sober the moment, and Ellana snapped back into focus, walking past him to her desk, pulling open her computer and a food delivery website.

Solas did his best not to gawk at her slender frame in the fitted jumpsuit she wore. It appeared to him more appropriate as a beach cover-up, a small cut out exposing the curve of her lower back.

"Do you like Antivan? This place is great." Ellana asked in a sing-song voice, clicking off her order in rapid succession. "Why don't you pick out what you want, and by the time I'm done de-nugging the order will have arrived."

"I do, perfect," Solas assessed, walking to stand next to Ellana and look down at the screen. For a moment, he felt a small thrill when he felt her brush up against him. Solas would have called it an accident, except for how she lingered a few seconds longer than necessary, before bouncing over to her dresser and removing a fistful of black fabric.

She walked into the bathroom, stepping out for a moment again still in her nug costume to call out, "Oh, should we split dinner? The app has a feature you can do that with if you look when you're checking out."

"If you like," Solas said, knowing better to argue. Or to point out he knew how to use a delivery app (barely). He waited until he heard the water running in earnest before taking out his credit card, plugging in the numbers for the full amount. He might be uncertain about the etiquette of "hanging out," however, he was old fashioned enough to pay for dinner.

He knew that Ellana would protest when she found out.

Solas would accept his punishment then.

They were-after all-as far as he could tell, on a date.