And all the while it's all evasion

[stumbledfromtheashes]

who: Iona Lavellan (stumbledfromtheashes) and OPEN
what: catch-all for the month of April
when: April
where: All over the place
warnings: None? Will edit if that changes.


(Starters are in the comments, or feel free to write your own!)

Comments

[stumbledfromtheashes]

The temptation to close the distance between them is annoyingly intense, but she resists, refrains from indulging. Refrains from giving in. She tilts her head curiously at him, as he speaks of returning the favour.

His next words are the ones that catch her by surprise, though. “I don’t expect you to trust me immediately, Serah Rutherford,” she replies, voice soft and thoughtful. “You don’t know me in the slightest, and I don’t expect my knowing you in our Thedas to replace my actually earning your trust.” She doesn’t know if he feels any, but she’s doing her best to release him from any obligations he might feel he has. “Dorian is horribly biased in my favour, after all.” There’s a flicker of a smirk across her lips as she says it.

[happiertimes]

He smiles, slow and almost smug.

"Yes, Dorian's opinion might be biased, but I am aware of how difficult it is to earn that sort of bias. I've seen first-hand the sort of things he's willing to do for those who support him as well. So, let's just say that I'm swayed by his bias a little but not completely."

He's not so stupid as to miss the fact that she's trying to give him some sort of out. However, he doesn't know many people here and he's not exactly the type to just make friends out of the gate. (He's not like his other friends and acquaintances back in Thedas. Nor is he as likable as another famous former Templar since he's being honest with himself.)

"However, if you think you must earn my trust, I would say that anyone dedicated to helping others makes it easier than you imagine. And unlike Cassandra, I won't expect you to run into a dangerous situation to prove yourself."

[stumbledfromtheashes]

There’s no hiding her fondness for Dorian, even if she wanted to. And she doesn’t. “He’s a good friend.” Which is, of course, putting their relationship mildly. He’s her best friend. But he’s more than that, too. She’s never had a brother, before. But he is hers.

“Which I appreciate,” she tells him with a grin, “because I suspect there are far less dangerous situations here than there are in Thedas. Certainly none quite so... consuming.”

[happiertimes]

It's good that she doesn't hold back her fondness for Dorian. For all the sniping that he and the Tevene do with one another, he respects the man a great deal. Not only is he a damn fine mage, but he has managed to get where he is by being the opposite of what most people would consider a typical Tevinter mage and/or Magister. And it's nice (and sort of sad) to know that he can still surprise his friend by being a human being in regards to Southern mages. "So he's proven over the last year, yes."

Even if he's still a shit sometimes.

"Cassandra is a fine woman, but she does happen to need grand gestures." Cullen shakes his head as he remembers what Mahanon had to do to win over the Seeker's heart. "In all things. I'd like to believe I'm less of an extremist."

[stumbledfromtheashes]

“Yes well, it did make for a bit of clashing, in the beginning.” She does like Cassandra. Even considers the woman a friend. But she can be... frustrating, at times. “Being expected to make a grand gesture for complete bloody strangers after waking up lacking a not inconsiderable bit of memory might have led me to be a bit...” she smirks at Cullen. “Impolite.” The being chastised for arming herself in a dangerous situation hadn’t helped matters. “I’ve certainly found you to be.”

[happiertimes]

"You would not be the first to clash with her. She, Leliana, Josephine and myself are all what you would call 'strong personalities'. It makes for headaches." Which he doesn't care for at all.

"Impolite, yes. That's certainly one way to spin the story, if you're Josephine. If you must know, Mahanon told her in the beginning that he was going to help but he would not be abused, verbally or otherwise. I think she respected him more after that."

[stumbledfromtheashes]

“Oh I have NO DOUBT.” She laughs. “And I am well aware. I’ve spent enough time with the four of you to be... rather familiar with all of your strong personalities.” Although she likes her three advisors more than Cassandra, quite possibly. Strong personalities or not. Because her first meetings with them were a bit less fraught with confrontation, perhaps.

“A man after my own heart.” It hurts a little less, now, hearing about his Inquisitor. Although it makes sense. Some time has passed, since she first learned of him. The damage has already been done.

[happiertimes]

"I would imagine that is true." Considering how much time Mahanon had spent with his Inquisition advisors, it only makes sense that it would be true for another Inquisitor. No one person could take care of everything that had to be done by themselves. Not while out in the field. And no one as smart as she is would ignore the wealth of experience that he and the others represent.

"Hopefully, you and he don't share the exact same tastes." For many reasons, but mainly because he doesn't think Cassandra would find that truly flattering. And while he likes the man he calls friend, Cullen doesn't want to bed him.

[stumbledfromtheashes]

No, she couldn’t. Particularly after Adamant. But even before, ignoring their wealth of knowledge would have been a blisteringly stupid move. No, she knows too well the sort of power knowledge can have, and given the range of what her advisors know... She’ll continue to spend all the time with them required of her.

Were Iona to learn that Cullen’s Inquisitor was bedding Cassandra she would burst into laughter and reassure him that no, she had never contemplated such a thing. No, her tastes seem to tend more towards the taller. And amber-eyed. With curly hair. “I suspect we don’t,” she tells him, amused. “There’s an entire world’s worth of difference between us, after all. Despite the similarities our worlds might share.”

[happiertimes]

Like he said, she is smart enough to use the tools around her. And, yes, he is a tool to be wielded by the right person, much like Leliana's secrets and Josephine's sugary words. Although, one of her advisors might appreciate the time spend with her a bit more than the others. If he's not a blithering idiot.

What oddly specific tastes Iona has.

"Yes, there is, but perhaps that is for the best. At least for now."

He takes the pot from her hands and places it on the table by he door.

"Thank you for thinking about me. I appreciate the effort. Is there anything I can do for you in return?"