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Hawke offers her hand and Merrill takes it, letting Hawke help her over a rough patch of ground. Isabela usually teases Hawke about being gallant but Isabela isn’t with them tonight.
If Hawke were really gallant, Merrill wouldn’t be the only person she helped. Varric has a much harder time with terrain outside of the city and Hawke likes him a lot but Hawke never helps Varric. She likes feeling special when it comes to Hawke.
So she lets her guide her over rough patches even though she doesn’t need the help at all. It’s nice being the only person Hawke offers for. And if she lets her hand linger on Hawke’s a little, well, she’s allowed to now.
Hawke doesn’t let go though. She cradles Merrill’s hand carefully in her own gauntleted one and leads her towards one of the few places around Kirkwall that still has grass. Hawke sits and Merrill follows, kneeling next to her.
She waits, because Hawke clearly has something to say that she doesn’t want to say wrong. Usually, Hawke just speaks and Merrill admires her for it. Even if it’s the wrong thing, Hawke doesn’t allow the world to silence her or make her stutter over something as small as words.
They sit side by side, armed and out in a dangerous area around Kirkwall. Merrill can hear the noisy walk of an armored guardsman and wonders if this a normal patrol or Aveline keeping tabs on them. Aveline can be overbearing but Merrill kind of likes that too. It’s nice to have someone like Aveline watching out for her sometimes.
Hawke clears her throat and Merrill turns, attentive and smiling.
“So I have no idea what I’m doing now and I’m realizing that this is as far from romantic as I could possibly manage but,”
Merrill giggles, “You’re babbling. You sound like me.”
Hawke pauses, lips quirking into a half smile, “There are worse fates.”
There’s another awkward pause while Hawke gathers her thoughts. Merrill waits patiently.
“Are… do the Dalish have… I don’t even know if the Dalish would allow two women… Humans don’t even allow two women, now that I’m thinking of it…” Hawke rubs the back of her neck sheepishly.
“Did a great job not babbling there, right?” Hawke says, not quite laughing. She’s nervous and Merrill has never seen her this way before.
Merrill leans over, takes Hawke’s face in both her hands, and kisses her.
“Yes, we have our own rites. No, two women can’t. But we don’t have to do things the Dalish way or the human way,” She leans her forehead against Hawke’s, smiles, and says, “We could do something just for us. Our way.”
“Was that a yes?” Hawke asks and Merrill laughs.
“Yes, ma vhenan, yes.”