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This was – hnn – awkward didn’t cover it.
“I’m flattered - I am.” Cullen stared at the unearthed flower, roots and all, hanging from Inquisitor Adaar’s claws. Bits of dirt clung to the roots and some of the flower’s petrels had worn off. As she’d explained it, she’d heard humans gave flowers to those they wanted to woo and being distinctly not human, the Inquisitor brought the whole thing.
Although flower giving wasn’t a universal trait, it appeared being let down gently was.
Before Cullen could finish his thought the Inquisitor’s shoulders stooped. Her brassy eyes shifted from an embarrassed sort of glee to something plain embarrassed. The hand holder the flower dropped. Flushed, shame rolling in his gut, Cullen hurried to clarify himself.
“It’s not that you’re not beautiful! Or that you’re not an amazing woman. It’s just that. . .well.”
“You’re gay, aren’t you?”
What? “No! Nothing like that!”
“Are you sure, Kadan? Your hair is immaculate and I’ve caught Dorian watching you more than once.”
Snapping his jaw shut, Cullen resisted the burning urge to touch his hair. Vivienne had styled it. She refused to see council with him until he did something with his previously curly locks.
“No – and that was a rude insinuation by human standards.” Whatever mirth the Inquisitor had gained in teasing him bled away and he was left with a solemn qunari again. Why was this so difficult? “It’s nothing personal. I just. . .”
There was liking a person and being attracted to a person. He just wasn’t attracted to qunari, or dwarves for that matter. They were too hard, too strange, too just. .it wasn’t even a comfort level; he just wasn’t attracted to them. He could admire them, certainly. See what characteristics about them drove their lovers wild – just not him.
“Advisor Cullen,” the Inquisitor prompted and he looked back to her. She was smiling again, faint and mournful but he knew by her tone that she would be fine, that she hadn’t felt slighted. “Thank you. You are kind – kinder than most give you credit for.” “No, please it’s alright.”
This was awkward. He felt awkward. This wasn’t good.
He leaned back on his heels and searched for something more to say. The Inquisitor pushed her flowers forward again.
“Take them. As a gesture of friendship.”
Oh for the sake of Andraste. “Keep them. I think they’re better suited for Blackwall in any case.”
At her quizzical look Cullen wanted to groan. “The warrior has taken a liking to you.”
Her brows shot up. “Oh. Oh, right.”
And now her face was turning blue, embarrassment clear on her face. Clearing his throat, Cullen bid her goodbye and took his leave.
The inquisitor could be a tenacious woman but so remarkably blind at times.