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Sierra Tabris strolled back into camp behind Zevran, Leliana, and Morrigan. On the way back from Redcliffe Castle, a pack of darkspawn ambushed them; it would have taken them by surprise if not for Leliana's vigilance. All were tired, and Sierra was grateful for the relative quiet when they entered camp.
Sierra nodded to the rest of the gang as she neared her tent, and sighed as she undid her ponytail. She'd thought today would be the day she spoke with Leliana but - well, maybe tomorrow would be better. Maybe they’d be covered in less darkspawn blood.
As she began to settle into her tent, Zevran nudged her and motioned towards Leliana, who was removing the bulkier items of her armor. Zevran was the one who encouraged her to admit her feelings sooner rather than later but she just couldn't do it. She glowered at him as he wiggled his eyebrows and smirked, but didn't move.
"Sierra, come now. I'm sure she won't bite.” He paused. “Well, perhaps she would, if biting is your thing."
She rolled her eyes. "Shaddup Zev. What do I even say to 'er right now? 'You fight good, let's do it'?"
Zevran laughed. "It's a good start."
Sierra felt her cheeks heat up. "You're damn awful at this, ya know that?"
He shrugged. "Believe me, it is not as hard as you think. Just talk to her."
Sierra sighed; he wasn't going to drop it. She knew he meant well, but it had been almost two weeks since she announced she’s gay and nothing’s happened so far. She stole more glances, made more excuses to talk to her, but hadn’t worked up the courage to say anything important. She honestly wasn't expecting anything different even if she talks to Leliana now, but at least Zevran would get off her back.
"Fine! I'll go. But if it goes bad, I'll kill ya." She probably wouldn't. But the threat might stop him from trying again.
"And if it goes well?" Zevran had such an annoying smirk on his face. She wanted to punch him. She didn't.
She paused. She hadn't considered that. She didn't dare hope it would go well.
"Then I'll owe ya one, alright?"
Zevran grinned in amusement. Defeated, she made her way over to Leliana’s tent.
Leliana had finished removing her armor and was tuning her lute and humming. Sierra froze about five feet away; her heart hammering in her chest told her she couldn't do this. She should just turn around and wait for dinner -
But then those blue eyes looked up and saw Sierra standing there.
"Oh, Sierra! I had been meaning to talk with you." Leliana's face lit up and she smiled and Sierra gave up on any thoughts of leaving that face.
Sierra watched Leliana close the gap between them. She just had to hope she doesn't say anything too embarrassing -
"O-oh Leliana! I, uh, wanted ta talk with ya also, but, it can wait," Sierra blurted out. She was already flustered; she just went on a whim at Zevran’s coaxing, she hadn’t actually planned it out.
"Really? I didn't have anything important to say; you can go first."
Leliana smiled warmly, as if to encourage her to speak.
"A-alright, uh..." Blushing furiously, she avoided eye contact and played with her shoulder length hair. "I just... I wanted to uh..." She peeked at Leliana's face; she looked slightly flushed and her smile faltered and Sierra panicked. What if she realized what was happening and hated it? She couldn't do it, couldn't risk the rejection.
"I, uh, just wanted ta compliment your archery skills," Sierra continued, not exactly lying but not telling the truth either. "You saved me when that, uh, hurlock jumped out at us. I wasn't payin' attention."
Leliana looked at her blankly, as if she wasn't expecting Sierra to say that. She almost looked... disappointed? No, that couldn't be.
"You, uh... You fight good?," Sierra finished lamely, and cursed herself - and Zevran - for actually saying that.
Leliana hesitated a bit, before speaking carefully. "Thank you, Sierra. I just wanted to tell you; I;ve been... contemplating my life for the past few weeks. It has been some time since I left Lothering. When I stepped out of the cloister, I had no idea where my path would lead. I walked where the Maker lead me, and He has rewarded me for my faith; I found you."
Sierra had been staring at the ground in embarrassment, and now she looked up slowly, eyes just a little wider in disbelief. She couldn't possibly mean...?
She laughed nervously under her breath. "So, what, your 'Maker' is some kinda matchmaker or somethin' now?"
Leliana chuckled. "Something like that. The Maker wants His children to be happy," she explained. "Would He have created in us the capacity to love, if He did not intend for us to find it?"
Sierra placed her hands on her hips and grinned a bit. "'Love,' eh?"
It wasn't something she ever thought she was capable of having, within the Alienage or not. But this journey to save the world from the Blight... It's given her hope, and she had never felt that so strongly before.
"Yes," Leliana sighed somewhat longingly. "That gloriously rich and decadent emotion that one finds oneself hopelessly stuck in... Much like caramel pudding."
Sierra raised her eyebrows as her cheeks heated from imagining Leliana "hopelessly stuck" in caramel pudding. Any kind of sweet or pastry was a luxury in the Alienage unless you could find work in the city, and pudding - oh, pudding was her favorite.
Leliana must have noticed Sierra's blush; she began to smirk coyly, as if she'd just found a new plaything.
"Have you, uh.. ever been stuck in caramel pudding?," Sierra asked cautiously.
"Well, you know Orlesians and their curious entertainments," Leliana replied, smirking. "It's much nicer than mud. Oh, I have tales of pudding like you would not believe... Perhaps we could retire to my tent and I could regale you?"
She couldn't really be suggesting...? With her? There's no way, she must be joking. Or, worse, she meant it platonically?
"I was, uh... Gonna stay up and write in that journal for a bit," she responded, glancing upwards at Leliana somewhat hopefully.
"I didn't know you had a journal," Leliana stated, sounding genuinely surprised. "Or that you wrote in it regularly."
"Y-yeah, Wynne practic'lly shoved it in my bag a few days after leavin' the Tower. Somethin' about working on my handwritin' and reading skills."
"Well, maybe you could bring it to my tent and I could watch you write. I could even give suggestions." Leliana cleared her throat. "'Dear Journal, Leliana has shown much affection for me. Even asked me to come to bed with her, but alas... subtlety is lost on me.'"
Sierra felt her face flush but didn't even care that it was probably noticeable for once. "Wait, wh-what? You want m-me ta come ta b-bed? With y-you?"
She was stammering and could hear her heart racing but she just needed to hear her answer.
"Oh, now she gets it," Leliana chuckled affectionately.
"I, uh, I never even considered - A-are you sure this is.. It's... I'm what you want?," Sierra asked apprehensively.
Leliana smiled. "Yes, you are." She held onto Sierra's trembling hand. "Now, come with me before I lose my patience."