#lagunapoint

“How interesting,” he murmured, a barely noticeable smile playing on his lips, his voice tinged with a light playfulness that always made her heart beat a little faster.

“This part is the hardest,” Ellana admitted, shrugging.

“In that case, I see no other choice but to stay here. Perhaps you will have questions,” he said thoughtfully, picking up one of the books. He sat on the couch, crossing his legs in his usual manner, and opened it in the middle.

Lavellan smiled and shook her head, settling more comfortably at the desk. Under his gaze, watching her over the top of the book, she felt incredibly self-conscious, but it was the kind of pleasant awkwardness that, with one quick glance, turns into desire. “Does he really think this will help me finish the chapter? Oh, Maker…”

Ellana pretended not to notice his eyes on her as she heard him slowly turn the page. She read the same line over and over again, but goosebumps danced across her skin, and all her energy was focused on resisting the urge to steal a quick glance at him. At his relaxed posture, his leg crossed over the other, his thoughtful eyes fixed on the pages. She tried not to dwell on how his long fingers held the book firmly or how delicately they grasped the edge of the page to turn it. But it was all in vain. Each time, her thoughts returned to his presence, and she imagined countless ways those hands could be used on her body.

Suddenly, the door flew open, and a cold wind rushed into the room, blowing out the candles and scattering the parchments across the floor. A messenger ran in, his hurried steps echoing off the stone walls.

“Lady Inquisitor, lady Montilyet asked me to check if the new books have arrived.”

“Tell her everything is fine.”

The messenger nodded but continued,  

“Lady Montilyet also inquired if you might need a consultant to assist with the materials?”

Ellana met Solas’ gaze, feeling her heart skip a beat for a brief moment. His eyes were calm, but there was a quiet confidence in them.

“Tell her I already have a consultant,” she smiled.

“Lady Montilyet anticipated your response, lady Inquisitor,” he blurted. “She asked me to get the name of your consultant so she could give them clear instructions on your study plan.”

Ellana barely held back a smile, sensing the atmosphere thickening with unspoken intrigue. Her eyes met Solas’ again, and time seemed to slow. In that moment, the room felt smaller, filled with unsaid words and secret thoughts.  

Solas observed her with that same enigmatic expression that always stirred her soul. Ellana blushed to the tips of her ears; she had never spoken aloud what she was about to say, and her heart noticeably sped up.

“Messer Solas,” the words slipped from her lips with a strong, perhaps overly confident tone. “He doesn’t need any additional guidance. He… is perfectly skilled in everything necessary.” She continued without breaking eye contact with Solas, as if issuing him a challenge, one he answered with the faintest, barely noticeable smile.

Then, she picked up her quill, her entire demeanor signaling that the conversation was over. 

“Of course, lady Inquisitor,” the messenger muttered, stammering slightly. “I’ll relay this to lady Montilyet.”

The messenger turned on his heels, and only then did his gaze land on Solas. He had just noticed him and, flustered, gave a quick, unsure nod in his direction. Solas, unhurried, returned the greeting with a slow, deliberate nod. Ellana watched the way his elevated mannerisms surfaced in every gesture, glance, and the proud way he held his broad shoulders. She first noticed it at one of the early banquets in Skyhold, where they spent quite a bit of time in the same room, content with merely exchanging fleeting glances. Thoughtfully, she touched her cold fingers to her neck and took a deep breath, trying to push away the images beginning to form in her mind.

When the messenger finally left, the door clicked shut softly behind him, and the room was once again bathed in half-light and silence, broken only by the crackling of the logs in the hearth. She stared uselessly at the page open before her, doodling swirls on the parchment instead of taking notes. Her thoughts were entirely consumed by Solas' teasing gaze across from her. He made no moves, simply reading in silence, intensifying the electric tension hanging in the air. And with that calmness, he only fueled the fire burning inside her.

“So, Messer?..” Solas stretched the words, his eyes still on the book, but his voice carried an undercurrent of desire he could barely contain. Ellana laughed, and her laughter, like a flowing breeze, filled the room, gently touching his heart. In that moment, he could no longer resist - her laughter was almost unbearably pleasant.

Ellana rose from her chair and leaned against the edge of the table, her gaze drifting toward the balcony and the snow-covered mountains, shrouded in mist. Solas closed the book and approached her slowly, unhurriedly.

“Perfectly skilled?” Solas’ voice held a low, playful edge, a teasing lilt. He wasn’t crossing any lines, but his desire was palpable, like an invisible thread pulling them closer together. Ellana felt a soft shiver run through her, not from the cold, but from the sweet anticipation.

She didn’t answer, feeling the warmth rise to her cheeks.

He stepped closer, his eyes never leaving Ellana, and each of his slow, confident movements was deeply felt, sending a shiver down her spine as the space between them seemed to shrink with every step. The air around them thickened with unspoken tension, and her pulse quickened in response to the undeniable pull drawing them together. Solas leaned in, as if about to say something important. His warm breath grazed her skin, causing her self-control to falter.

“Perhaps you should confirm that for yourself,” his lips curving into a subtle, almost imperceptible smile. Ellana couldn’t suppress the deep breath that filled her lungs. Her heart raced as her fingers barely grazed his wrist, gently pulling him closer.

"...and as my consultant, you must suggest a more effective way to learn," she whispered in his ear, her warm breath teasing his skin. She wrapped her arms around him, pressing her entire body against his, her cold nose brushing his neck. Feeling his fingers tangle in her hair and his other hand rest comfortably on her hip, she gently ran her fingertip from his earlobe down the delicate skin of his neck, knowing how much he liked it. She took her time, savoring the moment, breathing him in, soaking up his heated warmth. Ellana allowed herself a quick kiss on the hollow of his neck. Her kiss burned him, sending a sweet haze through his mind. She gasped softly as he suddenly and tightly pulled her closer to his body.

His lips met hers, and their breaths intertwined. The tension that had been building between them all day finally burst, and they both got lost in a moment that seemed impossible to escape from. In that instant, the outside world disappeared, leaving only the two of them in the quiet of the cozy room, surrounded by the warmth of the fireplace and the bitter scent of herbs.

Without breaking the kiss, Solas confidently slid his fingers under the edge of her blouse, tightly pressed by her corset, fueling his desire. Ellana met his touch with a hot sigh into his heated lips. She surrendered completely to his caresses, to his presence, to his warmth. And for a moment, it seemed as though all her worries, all the unanswered questions from her books, had vanished in this quiet and tender moment between them.

Solas lifted his head slightly, his breath barely brushing her lips. He looked thoughtful, as if he were wrestling with inner doubts. His gaze was serious, but it held the same desire that blazed in Ellana's heart. With a playful, airy gesture, he ran his fingers along the top edge of her everyday corset, brushing against the thin fabric of her blouse and sensing the tempting softness of the skin beneath. His burning touch moved to her sensitive neck, and finally, his fingers slid into her hair, gently gripping it at the roots.

"Vhenan," his voice was quiet, barely audible, and she sensed something deeper, something troubled in it, "you have no idea how much you tease me."

His gaze softened, and he slowly leaned toward her, his forehead touching hers.

"And I can't... stay away," he whispered, his voice filled with sincere turmoil, "I don't know where this will lead us, Vhenan, but I can't pretend this doesn't exist anymore."

Solas's words filled the room with a thick silence, and the tension between them became almost unbearable. His gaze grew darker, and a flicker of desire, one he could no longer suppress, gleamed in his eyes.

Ellana's heart pounded even harder at his words. She gazed at Solas intently, feeling in every one of his movements the internal battle raging within him.

"Solas," her voice was quiet but steady, "These moments... they’re real. We are real. Let us stay." 

In that moment, his resistance finally wavered. He could no longer fight what he felt, and as if freeing himself from the internal struggle, he leaned in, his lips slowly finding hers. The kiss was gentle, but it carried the depth of the desire that had been held back for so long. Ellana responded to the kiss with equal passion, wrapping her arms around his neck, pulling him closer. Her breath mingled with his, and the entire world outside seemed to vanish, as if they were alone in this cozy, warm space created just for the two of them. 

His hands slid to her waist again, but this time without hesitation, with a certainty that showed he had no intention of retreating anymore. Her fingers gripped his strong shoulders, and she became lost in the moment, feeling his touch sending waves of warmth through her lower belly. Each second felt like an eternity, yet too fleeting, as if they couldn’t get enough of each other.

When they pulled apart for just a moment, Solas gazed at her, his eyes full of the deep tenderness he usually kept hidden. They both knew that uncertainty lay ahead, that each of them had their duties and dark secrets, but in that moment, nothing mattered except the two of them.