ROGUE🖤 (Cole x OC! Lavellan) ✓ [COMPLETED]

Ch. 20 *Quarters*❣️

NALIA
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"Ugh...such a long ass day," I mumble to myself, forcing my arm to open the door. I've been spending too much time around Iron Bull, his language is starting to stick on me.

Josephine pointed it out earlier, but I thought she was being weird, well...turns out she was right. I've caught myself cussing over the little things a couple of times already today.

It's been crazy this past week, dealing with Josephines family issues involving assassin's and nobles and Lordship...that and it's been a week since Cole admitted his love to me.
Not that that's a bad thing, of course. It's actually amazing. It's what makes me keep moving forward, through all the exhaustion.

Since that day, we've been spending more time together when the sun goes down. I've been trying to keep it a secret from the others. Just for now, anyway, one day I'll openly tell everyone.
Cole and I spend most of that time in the garden, or on the battlement. It's all innocent...little kisses and hand holding mostly. Nothing extreme. He's still a little shy when it comes to the physical part of things. But I respect that, I won't rush him.

I walk up the steps and enter my room to suddenly find Cole sitting on my bed, his back to me. "It took you a long time to get up here," he says. I hold a hand over my scared heart. I'm still not used to the sudden, 'Surprise! I'm here!' trait of his...but, I'll get used to it. One day, hopefully.

"You frightened me," I say as I walk up to his side and sit beside him. "Is something the matter?" I ask.

He turns and smiles at me. It makes my breath hitch.
"I wanted to see you," he says simply before his hand touches mine.
I blush.
"You're pink," he points out, which makes me laugh as I rub my cheeks. "Sorry, I do that a lot when I'm around you," I reply, still giggling like a fool.

His face changes, from a loving smile to a serious expression. "I really do make you happy?"
"Of course," I say, "you've made me happy for a very long time. You just didn't know it," I run a finger down his nose, and he laughs softly.
I scoot closer to him, cuddling up against his side as my head rests on his shoulder.

"Nalia?"

"Yes?"

He licks his lips. "How else can you show someone that you love them?" He asks quietly.

I raise my head to meet his.
"I guess it depends on the person. You just do what you feel will show them that you love them. Trust your instinct."

"Instinct..." He whispers, eye staring deep within mine.
My heart pounds.
For a moment, we don't do anything, until Cole wraps his arms around my waist to pull me closer.
"Cole?" I ask, feeling his face push aside some of my hair, and his lips kiss a trail up my neck.

My eyes widen.

His kisses lead to my jaw, where he then lifts me onto his lap. I squeak, putting my hands on his shoulders.
"What are you doing?" I ask, fear tightening my vocal cords, making my voice sound high pitched.
"This is what you want," he says, kissing my collarbone, arms holding me steady.
"It'll make you happy..."

My face turns red.
I gently push him away, sliding off his lap and standing in front of him.
"No, Cole. I- its too soon," I sigh. "I don't want to rush this, us," I point at him and me, "rushing things only leads to possible mistakes and regrets. I'm happy just the way we are right now. Aren't you too?"

"Yes," he says, "happier then I've been in a long time."
I nod a little, before turning and walking out onto the balcony. Maybe the chill air will help cool me down, since my heart is pounding and I feel hot all over.

Cole follows, coming to stand beside me as I lean against the railing.

"Nalia? What were you like? Before we met?"

I glance at him. "What a curious thing to ask," I giggle. "It's boring, really."
"You're not boring," he replies, "I think your interesting."

I nudge him with my shoulder. "Alright," I say before exhaling. "Well...when I turned eighteen, I left my clan to explore the world. I traveled all over, honestly. To these little towns, cities, but my favorite to visit were the forests." I sigh in a dreamy way, remembering my trips to the woods. "I used to spend hours exploring," I whisper, pinching a broken piece of stone on the railing.

Those memories seem so long ago, yet it's only been a few years.
I'm only twenty-one, and before I stumbled across Corypheus's plan and got the mark on my hand, I was heading for a new place to stay.
Sometimes I wonder what would've happened if I hadn't heard Justinia's cry for help, if I hadn't rushed into the building blindly...

I'd still be a wanderer, and I wouldn't have met Cole, or any of these people I've come to care about.
And to be honest...I'm happy right now.

He smiles softly. "What will you do, when all of this is over?"

I shrug. "I never thought about it much. This type of thing feels like it's never ending. It's already been eight months since I walked out of that rift at the Temple of Sacred Ashes. But to answer your question as best I can, I guess I'd like to find a home. Someplace in the country, near an ocean. Maybe have a dog...or a husband and kids."

"That sounds wonderful," Cole gently takes my hand, running a thumb against my skin.

"And you? What will you do, after this?" I ask.

"Even though I'm human, I still want to help people," he says, "perhaps I'll travel around Fereldan, help anyone I can." He glances at me from the corner of his eye. "But no matter what, I'll always stand by you, Nalia."

I wrap an arm around him, leaning into his body. "I'll always stand by you too, Cole," I whisper. "I love you."
His eyes widen softly, and he looks at me.
Even though we knew that we loved each other, we didn't say the words.

It surprises him, but he wraps both arms around me, planting a kiss on the top of my head.
"I love you, too, Nalia." He whispers.
I close my eyes, losing myself in his arms.

Months ago, if someone had told me that I'd fall in love with the boy who helped me defeat Envy, I would've laughed in there face and said that they were crazy.
Life is funny sometimes...for so long, I went without falling in love with anyone, my entire life focused and dedicated to becoming a fighter.

But now that's changed. Now all I want, all I need, is him.
Cole.
I smile up at him, before I take off his floppy hat and put it on my head.

"Why do you wear this?" I giggle as it falls over my eyes.

"What's wrong with my hat?" He asks, which makes me take his hand and kiss his knuckles. "Nothing is wrong, it's just really cute." I whisper, before I reach and cup his face.

"Ar lath, ma vhenan," I whisper in my elven tongue.

"I love you, my heart," he whispers, his cheeks turning pink. Looks like he can still read my mind, after all.
I stand on my tippy toes and kiss him, softly, under the sliver ray of moonlight that shines over us on the balcony.