Dragon Age x Reader (Oneshots)

Crystal Grace (Cullen x Reader)

You had been unfamiliar with the plant despite your extensive herbalists knowledge, such things had been essential during your life as the First of Clan Lavellan. Its bells turned upwards which you found most intriguing as you dusted the tips of your fingers over the blue petals. Each tiny upturned cup inside held a sprout of purple, so colourful and delicate.

The flower was called Crystal Grace you were told and you were fascinated by them. You had been born in the wilderness of Ferelden but had spend most of your adult life halfway up a volcano near Kirkwall. Pretty flowers were rather in scarce resource there. Of course, the bouquet of your choosing was not common anywhere anyway.

Crystal Grace was a fickle seed that would only sprout in far flung corners of Thedas, so whenever you would come across one while attending to your duties on Inquisitor you were always keen to take a cutting to expand the collection you had amassed in your Skyhold quarters. From a little snip off the vine could sprout whole new plants, able to be admired from the comfort of one's one bed.

The problem was that perhaps this hobby of yours was now becoming borderline obsessive. You had just taken the time to pot your most recent cutting, for now just a singular Crystal Grace flower destined to grow into a full bushel of them, only to realise you had no place to put it.

The mantle of your fireplace, the sides of your bed, the length of your balcony and your entire storage area could all be considered part of an extended garden. You had squirmed in so many 'final' new arrangements and now you were really out of space. This did not please you at all, you couldn't be forced to discard so much as a single flower. Some other resolution would be needed.

After cradling the flowerpot for a while, you conceive possibly making a gift of this tiny piece of your passions... But who would even want it, nevermind appriciate it? You couldn't imagine many of your companions or advisers as keen botanists. Solas might find it moderately intriguing, Cole might try talking to it or something but outside of that? If Crystal Grace was poisonous Leliana might have uses for it but it was a healing plant.

Ah-hah, what if you decided to make of it a gift of significance in its meaning? A healing herb for someone in the process of mending themself. You suddenly had a very firm picture of who should have this flower, so with the pot held in both hands you made your way down out of your own quarters and across Skyhold to Commander Cullen's office.

He was always in his office at this time of day, you visited him often around lunchtime. Caught up in his work as much as he could sometimes be you found he forgot to eat and this was unforgivable offence, so you would visit with snacks. Fresh berries or pastries or it you were very lucky some salted meats. You had come to care for him and you simply wished he took better care of himself. That worry had only amplified since you had learned he had stopped taking his lyrium.

You would hesitate to say you and the Commander were officially an item but there was a palatable something. A tangible possibility of something more, affections that ranged beyond just friends quietly shared between you. You had shared kissed and stolen moments on the balconies but had never actually defined your relationship in words. Actions spoke louder anyway, right?

You knocked a little awkwardly on the door of Cullen's office before pushing your way inside. Just as you had anticipated the ex-Templar was right there at the desk, working away at some report as he would occasional scribble something. Whether he was making notes for his own benefit or properly composing a letter you were unsure.

"Ah, Inquisitor, did you need somethi...." Cullen would begin the sentence on muscle memory. The two of you had become so accustomed to these visits he had assumed correctly it to be you entering but the flower pot was unexpected and only became a factor when he looked up from his desk. "Is that a flowerpot?"

"It is," You nod as you cross the short distance from the door to stand in front of his desk. Carefully you would set the pot down on the wooden table before continuing, "I thought you might like it."

"Can I ask what I've done to warrant a gift? I don't remember any particular occasion," His eyes could drown you, too deep and full, even when consumed with concern. You quickly waved him off, not wishing him to worry over some holiday he thought he had forgotten about.

"No, no. It's nothing like that. I just have too many of them and thought you might like one. The flower it's Crystal Grace. They're my favourite," You explain. This additional piece of information seems to grasp Cullen's attention.

"I didn't know you had a favourite flower," His curiosity seemed to win the better of him, leaning over slightly to better examine the delicate bells of the plant.

"Nor did I until I discovered these," You admit with a small shrug of your shoulder. While your love for nature was boundless you had previously not cultivated any particular favourite. You suppose the same could be said for most things, your becoming Inquisitor and the experienced therein had awoken many facets of your personality that had remained yet dormant to you.

Cullen seemed to take another minute to examine your present, giving you a fleeting moment in turn to admire him. He was rugged and yet soft in many of his features like his perfect lips chipped with that little scar. You watched him doe eyed as you awaited his judgement, hoping he didn't pick up on your overly enthused viewing of him.

Fortunate for you, Cullen had sooner found another focus in the flower. Breathing in deeply he remarked on the exhale, so quietly you almost missed it, "It smells like you."

You furrow your brow. "It... What?" Whatever intentions you had upon giving this gift and whatever reaction you had expected, this was not it.

Your moment of confusion seemed enough to snap Cullen out of it. He stammered slightly, looking away from you in embarrassment as his cheeks were dusted with the beginnings of redness. "I, uh, no... Oh that's not... In my head what I meant was you must wear perfume made from it. I didn't mean to sound... Ack, you must think how strange I am."

A fond laughter flooded over your lips, your hand just grazing your chin as you did so. "Not really. I confess I don't wear perfume. It must just be the number of them in my quarters, I wouldn't be surprised to hear it gets on my clothes."

"Ah, I see," Cullen awkwardly leans on his desk. You would take him in your arms now and kiss him if you could but you fear that may just be too much for the poor Commander this evening. Those perfect lips of his would have to wait for now. Instead you offer him a smile.

"Will you keep it then? The flower?" You ask hopefully, giving him the best puppy eyes you could muster.

"I, uh, yes. Yes, happily, thank you," He nods. "Would you... If you're not busy later care to take a walk with me?" This made you smile. That he'd willingly pry himself from his work in the name of spending time with you confirmed in your heart how important you were to him.

"Of course," You agree before taking your leave, looking forward to the walk and with no idea how comforting the flower that smelled so much like you would become to the Commander.