Char: Iron Bull & Val'Aishlym, mentions Dorian & Val'Aishlym

Summary: The selfish claim to be unselfish while the unselfish claim to be selfish. Who is correct?

Sprout: Enter The Bull

Augmented Reality

Bull sought out the bald elf in his usual spot, in the rotunda under the library. As soon as the elf spotted him, he sighed and dropped his head. "I'm guessing you're coming to me to question the Inquisitor's behaviors." Bull raised an eyebrow.

"I'm assuming Dorian has been consulting you, then?"

"Your worries are understandable, but I have no idea how to explain his behaviors." Solas frowned. He was hesitating, that much Bull could tell. The mage knew something but he just didn't want to say it out loud.

"Hey, if it's something private, I won't pry." Bull shrugged. Solas took on that look again.

"…" Solas opened his mouth but nothing came out. He closed his mouth before opening again: "Sometimes it is better to pry." He looked down at the table. "He holds a deep depression within….its locked deep….keeping that locked up for so long, it will not end well." Bull sighed, crossing his arms.

"Hopefully he won't do anything too reckless…"

"You mean purposely allowing the enemy close so he can be hit?" Solas frowned. Bull stood straighter at that.

"What? Why would he-"

"Why do you not ask him?" Solas asked with a frown. "I have asked and have gotten the answers. You are not human, I am sure he would tell you."

"What about Dorian?" Bull asked. He felt like he was just repeating himself over and over again.

"What about Dorian?" Solas responded back. "He is human…." Solas sighed. "Val'Aishlym…he….fears rejection." Is that what he feared, in truth? He feared being rejected….that must be why he doesn't talk about himself. He'd rather for it people didn't like him for no reason rather than not liking him because he is himself.

"And the emotionless creepy feel your feelings stuff?" Bull asked.

"He is a tranquil mage." Solas frowned. Well that wasn't something he was expecting.

"W…what? But…he expresses emotion from time to time. It was to my understanding that tranquil mages lacked that ability."

"I thought the same. That is….until he asked me whether or not touching the Fade could reverse the effects of being tranquil. It would seem it, in some ways, does. He cannot call upon magic but some of his emotions have been restored." Solas crossed his arms.

"He said he felt other people's emotions…Do you think he's been drawing on their emotions to remember how to feel them?"

"That was my theory." Solas nodded. "It would seem he uses people as….let's say channeler or so. Whatever emotion he feels, he'll seek the person whose emotion matches what he needs. I believe whatever emotion he felt from Dorian is why he didn't avoid him – he is human after all."

"I don't understand – how did all this even happen? How does it all work?"

"You both are obviously bursting with questions." Solas had an irritated scowl across his face. "You both come to me to ask questions because you don't want to 'bother' Val'Aishlym. Has it occurred to either one of you that if he hasn't told you, he doesn't want to or doesn't know you want to know? You're too blind to realize you're being selfish by being unselfish." He made a shooing motion. "I do not wish to speak on the matter any longer. I've spoken more than I warrant. If you want to know more, ask him yourself." Bull grunted but nodded.

"Right….thanks…" Bull left the rotunda with more questions then he'd entered with. He doubted Val'aishlym would tell him anything. Sure, he wasn't human, but he wasn't an elf neither.