AN: Set after 'All New Faded for Her". Aili tries to comfort Solas.

Rated: K

Aili hovered in the doorway to the rotunda with a covered tray in her hands, watching Solas as he contemplated a bare stretch of wall, his sketchbook laying open on his desk. His posture was stiff, the motions of his hand agitated and unhappy. He glanced back at the wall and then down at his drawing, his mouth puckering in a sour frown of dissatisfaction. His brow furrowed deeply as he heaved an aggravated sigh and tore the page out roughly, crumpling it in his hands before tossing it away.

"Was there something you needed, Lethallan?" he asked suddenly, his eyes never leaving his work as he began a new drawing.

"If you're busy, I can come back another time," Aili said uncertainly, taking a few hesitant steps into the room. "I don't want to bother you."

"You are no bother," he sighed, setting down the thin stick of graphite he had been sketching with. "I am simply…distracted. I am not certain I can be much use to you at present, but if you require my services, I will do my best to assist you."

"Please, Lethallin," she began thickly, her brows furrowing anxiously. "You just lost someone dear to you. You have every right to mourn them. Please don't feel like you have to force yourself to act like it doesn't bother you. Not with me."

"I…thank you," he stammered, the words catching slightly in his throat. "It is…difficult, but I would rather not dwell on it. I have already taken my time to grieve. If you have a question for me, it would be a welcome diversion from my own thoughts."

"I'm afraid I come bearing only friendly concern…and these," she set the wooden tray down on his desk and removed the covering, revealing a small plate piled high with desserts.

Solas' face froze in an expression of complete astonishment, his mouth gaped slightly and his blue eyes blinked in wonder at the sight before him. He glanced back up at her questioningly, clearly awaiting some sort of explanation.

"Y-you always offer to eat the extra servings from the dessert course," she stammered, fearing that she had picked the wrong thing to cheer him up. "I didn't know which one was your favorite though…so I just took one of everything."

"You stole these from the kitchen?" he asked with a huff of mild amusement.

"The Herald of Andraste doesn't steal," she told him, feigning offense. "I requisitioned them for the sake of furthering the goals of the Inquisition…without asking."

Solas laughed and shook his head at her. Aili beamed at him.

"It's good to see you smile again," she said earnestly, reaching out and placing a comforting hand on his arm.

"You make it difficult to steep myself in melancholy," he replied, his smile melting into softness, something bright and wincing flickering behind his gaze.

"Then you…aren't mad at me?" She asked tentatively. "For stopping you from hurting those mages?"

"They should have faced justice for what they did," Solas said, inhaling sharply through his nose. "But…you have a forgiving nature, and I do not begrudge your request that I spare them."

"I didn't do it for them," she exclaimed indignantly. "They were a bunch of ill-informed morons. But…they were also scared."

She held his gaze, sincerity and thinly veiled affection gleaming in her eyes as she continued softly. "They were scared and they did something stupid trying to save themselves. And their ignorance was born from years of Chantry oppression in what was arguably the most abusive and negligent Circle in Thedas. They deserved to be punished…but they didn't deserve to die. And I knew that if I could see that…eventually you would too. I didn't want you to bear the weight of their deaths along with everything else, and I imagine your friend wouldn't have wanted that for you either. They weren't worth it."

"You presume much," he told her stiffly, clenching his jaw and glancing away.

"I've seen you pity other enemies with crimes just as heinous," she pointed out. "Or did I just imagine that conversation you had with Bull about how everyone we face in battle has potential- how they are living people with hopes and dreams and families?"

"Perhaps…my anger clouded my judgement in this matter," Solas admitted pensively after a moment of silence, "but their actions still merited some sort of retribution."

"Which is precisely why they are sitting in one of Skyhold's prison cells being glared at by a pair of Cullen's Templars as we speak," she told him with an expectant grin.

"You…you arrested them?" he asked, his eyebrows rising in shock at the revelation.

"Of course I did," Aili shrugged, frowning slightly. "I couldn't just let them walk away after what they did. If nothing else, I had to make sure they couldn't hurt people anymore, spirit or otherwise. I've been waiting for you come back to pass judgement though."

"You have a sentence in mind, then?" he asked curiously.

"One or two," she confided with a grim smile. "My favorite involves digging latrines for our troops in the Fallow Mire."

He gave a snort of laughter and her expression softened into one of warm and open sympathy.

"I know it won't bring your friend back… Ir abelas, Lethallin." She made a gesture with her hand as though she wanted to touch him, but thought better of it. "You know…I'm here if you need me. Always. You don't have to grieve alone."

He reached out and took her hand loosely in his, smiling fondly as the color rose in her cheeks.

"I know now."