"They're all fucking terrible people," Holli said, hearing footsteps coming up behind her on the balcony. She already knew it was Cole by how quiet they were. Barely even perceptible, but she was on high alert after everything that had happened tonight. "Did we make the right choice?"
She turned to look at him. Would he even have an answer?
Letting them all live and retain their power had felt like giving them a free pass on the terrible things they'd done. Celene had burnt down an alienage. And Gaspard was the kind of man who would do exactly the same, and likely with far more enthusiasm. He was also a warmonger and likely to be unpredictable. Having them all work together could give them far too much strength. Even with the dirt they had on all of them.
Morrigan and Hawke had already left Holli there alone, and now they had one more person coming to Skyhold with them. How Morrigan felt about the appointment of liaison Holli didn't know.
"I don't know," Cole replied, coming to stand beside her.
Holli let out a sigh, turning around and leaning her back against the railing.
"I don't... feel good about this," she said softly, then sighed again. "At least it's done."
They were going to stay a little longer while Hawke worked out some details with Celene, then they could return to the inn. It couldn't come fast enough.
"You – you never got to dance," he pointed out.
No, she hadn't. Too busy. And no one she wanted to dance with anyway. She had been asked a few times, mostly by old guys who gave her the skeevies.
"It's fine. I'll survive," she gave him a tired smile.
He stood up straighter, offering his hand out to her, his eyes questioning. The music being played inside could faintly be heard from the balcony.
Holli placed her hand in his, letting him pull her closer.
"Can we just... dance slowly?" She asked. "Like where I come from. I'm too tired for Josephine's fancy ones."
Cole nodded, and Holli showed him how, placing his hands on her waist and her own around his neck, and they just swayed to the music. She rested her head against his chest, letting her eyes slip closed. She really was tired. All the backstabbing, constantly having to be on alert, and making nice when she'd rather not had taken its toll. It was like a long shift at the cafe she used to work at, but ten times worse.
She just enjoyed the peace and the company and the warmth emanating from him. It was chilly out here.
"Holli?" Cole asked.
"Mm?" She raised her head, looking up at him questioningly.
He opened his mouth to speak, but nothing came out. He appeared to be struggling with whatever he wanted to say. Then he leaned forward, kissing her so quickly on the lips before pulling back; she had to wonder if it had actually happened. It had been so brief, with no time for her to kiss him back.
"Was – was that all right?" He asked. Worried he might have overstepped or offended, maybe?
"I don't know. You should try it again," she said, offering up a smile to try and set him at ease.
He smiled back, relief and joy in it. He really was cute. Hot, even. He leaned in and kissed her again, his lips lingering a little longer, long enough for her to kiss him back. She pressed herself against him, rising to her tiptoes, and his hands tightened on her waist.
A kaleidoscope of butterflies was set loose in her stomach, her skin heating up as they kissed.
A throat clearing behind her had them both jumping apart.
"Subtle," Varric smirked. "Most of us are heading back to the inn if you're ready."
Holli nodded; she would like to go back. They started to follow Varric, Cole taking her hand, interlacing their fingers together. She squeezed his hand tightly, fighting down the beaming grin that wanted to break out.
-
After another awkward conversation with Varric on the way back to the inn, he let them head to their separate rooms. Did he honestly think they were just going to jump straight into having sex? She wasn't even sure what their kiss meant. She thought she had, but with time to sit and dwell, part of her had wondered if it hadn't been some kind of experimental thing on his part. Maybe he had just wanted to see what it was like. And that sent her down a spiral of self-doubt and cringe she was having trouble recovering from.
In her room she changed out of her pretty gown and into her pyjamas, agonising about the situation the whole time. It had seemed pretty romantic at the time, no words, just action. But now she kinda needed some words.
But Cole was different; he didn't think like her, and sometimes his words didn't always make sense to her. Words may not be helpful here.
Holli was just climbing into bed when Sera came in. The girls were sharing a room for their stay here.
"Getting into bed already?" She said, clearly finding that idea distasteful.
"What else am I going to do?" Holli asked.
"Thought you'd be snuggling up with Coley-Woley," she snickered.
"Ew, never call him that again."
Another laugh from the girl.
"Get dressed," Sera ordered. "We're going to go out and have some fun."
"But I'm tired."
"Only because you're drained from those poncey noble folk. Real fun with real people. I won't take no for an answer."
"Coz that's an attractive quality," Holli said with a sigh as she begrudgingly got out of bed.
Sera was changing out of her formal Inquisition outfit as well, back into her regular clothes. Holli changed into her jeans and a jersey, slipping on her converses.
"We'll have to go out the window. The others probably won't let you out without a babysitter. Do something about your hand; try and cover up that light, will you?"
"It's too hot for gloves," Holli whined.
"Just wrap it with something," Sera rolled her eyes.
Holli huffed but found some fabric she could use to do so. She even had to wind it through her fingers to try and prevent gaps. She held her hand up for Sera to see, silently asking if she was satisfied and making sure to infuse the look with as much attitude as possible.
When they were dressed and ready to go, Sera opened the window and climbed out onto the roof of the first floor. They moved carefully and quietly.
"How are we supposed to get down?" Holli whispered.
Sera expertly dropped over the edge and swung down to the ground below, all in near complete silence. Holli's jaw dropped, mostly in indignation. How the hell was she supposed to do that?
"Hurry up!" Sera loudly whispered.
"Where are you going?"
Holli got such a fright from the sudden voice she nearly lost her balance on the uneven surface. Cole reached out to steady her, far more stable than she was. He was standing there, changed out of his Inquisition clothes and into that coat of his that she liked. He didn't have his hat, though, and his hair was still tied. It was a nice look on him.
"I'm not sure," Holli whispered. "Somewhere fun, so Sera reckons. Want to come?"
He nodded.
"We just have to get down," she said, leaning over the edge and trying to find some way to get down safely.
"I can carry you down on my back," he told her.
"Really?"
He wasn't that much bigger than her, only a few inches taller and broader. Definitely stronger, though... He nodded in answer to her question, crouching down with his back to her.
Holli climbed on, wrapping her arms around his neck and her legs around his waist as he stood up. She clung tightly to him, trying not to strangle him.
Even with her weight on his back, he effortlessly dropped over the roof and scrambled down the wall. It was impressive. Once on the ground, he gently set her down.
"I guess you're coming too, then," Sera said, eyeing Cole.
Whether she was annoyed at the prospect or not, Holli honestly couldn't tell.
Cole only nodded, and the three of them took off at a jog down the street.
"Where are we going?" Holli finally asked, once they were well out of the bounds of possibly being heard by the others at the inn.
"To meet up with some friends of mine," Sera said.
"They'd still be awake at this hour?"
They were well past midnight by this point. She knew in her own world parties could rage on til the early hours, but they had music and booze. Without a person to play an instrument, what did they use here? Or did they just drink in silence? Did they have drinking games?
"It's not that late," Sera laughed. "And they're not little old grannies who need to be in bed right early."
Sera led them down empty streets and through dark alleys. In her own world, doing something like this would be beyond stupid. And of course, she'd done it with Curtis and Yvette, sometimes by herself. When she really thought about it, sometimes she did do stupid shit. Maybe the others were right not to trust her at times...
Was it as stupid now? She was with Cole and Sera, who were both pretty fucking deadly. And she had her own magic that she would probably use if her friends couldn't manage on their own.
"What are we going to be doing with these friends?" Holli asked.
If they were going to rob nobles or mess with people, any other day she might be keen, but tonight she was not.
"Catch up with them, drink, eat. Real food, real drink. Not that shite at the Winter Palace. If anyone asks, yes, you're from the Inquisition, but you're just... nobodies. Not the Herald and her lover boy."
Holli felt her cheeks flush, and she cast a side-eye towards Cole. He didn't seem embarrassed. He didn't say anything either, nothing to confirm or deny.
When Sera stopped outside of a pretty nondescript door, she did a musical little knock on it, and it easily swung open.
Sera grinned wide, leading them inside, where they were greeted by a man a little bit older than Sera, in his mid to late twenties maybe. He greeted Sera with a wide smile and a hug, but when he looked at Holli and Cole, there was a wariness to him.
"These the Inquisition types you been running with now?"
"They're all right; he's a scout, and she's one of the merchant's daughters," Sera said dismissively.
"Sera, you're daft if you think we don't know who the Herald of Andraste is."
Sera rolled her eyes with a loud huff. "Yeah, all right, she's the bloody Herald. But she's good people. At least, she ain't shit people."
Holli poked her tongue out at Sera for that one.
"We're just here to unwind, Jorvan, have a bit of fun," Sera told the guy. "You going to let us in?"
"All right, just try and keep a low profile, all right?"
"Quiet as chantrymice," Sera agreed.