I was bored so I decided to try and mimic the kh official art style. I think I did pretty well! This is a redraw of one of Nomura’s drawings of Ephemer, because why not?
[DA+KH] I Never Would Have Shared (Assuming I Ever Let You Go)
Summary: Based on @chibi-mushroom‘s Dragon Age AU for the Kingdom Hearts series, set during Inquisition and after Wicked Eyes and Wicked Hearts. In which Ephemer and Anora meet up in an abandoned part of Skyhold to share a slow dance without the prying eyes of court... and the Inner Circle.
Rating: K+
Word Count: 1,576 words
If you like this story, please reblog!
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She felt ridiculous holding the neatly folded fabric in her arms. A part of her just hoped that no one was noticing that she was almost rushing to one of the empty spires Skyhold had. If anyone had noticed her, they certainly did not try to stop her. A sigh of relief escaped her when she reached the room and closed the heavy door behind her. Anora subconsciously held the fabric tighter, as if they were sheets of gold instead, and she was the thief that stole them.
“We've met up in darker closets before, haven't we?”
Anora nearly jumped out of her skin as she spun around. She visibly relaxed again when she noticed that it was just Ephemer. A faint smile crossed her lips as he moved closer to her.
“I missed you at the Winter Palace.” he then softly told her, brushing his hand against the side of her face. “Dozens of women asked me to dance at every opportunity, but all I could think about was you.”
Anora let out a soft hum as she leaned into his hand. She wished she could say the same- Skyhold was always much quieter when the Inquisitor and his Inner Circle were elsewhere. It meant Anora had more time to focus on her alchemy studies. The quiet was where Anora found peace, admittedly, but the silence without Ephemer almost felt empty if she thought on it too long. She still had other people to eat meals with and relax along to after a long day when Ephemer was gone, it was just his presence that seemed to make things a bit more calmer.
But then Anora remembered why they agreed to meet at this abandoned part of Skyhold. She stepped a little ways from him to look him in the eye.
“Before you went to the Winter Palace,” she carefully explained, her voice soft, “Namine assumed I would be going with the rest of you...”
“But she accidentally forgot about your fear of crowds.” Ephemer finished for her. “So you remained at Skyhold.”
Anora nodded her head- her hair bobbing along with her for a moment.
“It's really pretty, and she went through all that effort to get it. It would be rude not to wear it at least once. But I can't… I didn't want to...”
“Wait,” Ephemer realized, “What's pretty? What did Namine get for you?”
Anora's face almost went scarlet before stepping back a bit. It was then that Ephemer realized she was holding that bundle of fabric- he felt rather dumb for not noticing it before. Carefully, Anora started to unfold the fabric in her arms, revealing a long, light blue ball gown with a straight neckline and sheer sleeves. Ephemer moved forward just to feel the elaborate stitching along the bodice in admiration.
“Why didn't you put it on beforehand?” he then asked, looking up at her with a teasing grin.
“And walk around Skyhold in a fancy dress? I hope you're joking.”
“I would like that.”
Anora looked away for a moment as her face lit up in a light pink. “Yeah… well...” she bashfully stammered, “You know I don't like any more attention than I need.”
Ephemer gave a soft chuckle before placing a finger under her chin. He carefully made her look him in the eye as he mused, “Really? I never would have guessed. You seem to be the most distracting person in this fortress.”
The bashful young woman almost buried her face in the dress to hide how bright red her face had gotten. She tried to shake some of it off, but found it rather hard to look Ephemer in the eye after a comment like that.
“I want...” she started to, but it came out in a squeak instead. She quickly shook her head (Ephemer quietly chuckling at her) before trying her sentence again. “I want to… I want to wear this dress for you, just right here and right now, and maybe… maybe we could… pretend we were at the Winter Palace? Just us? It… it sounds really dumb saying it out loud, but...”
Ephemer quietly silenced her by gently placing his hands on her shoulders. “I love it.” he said to her with a kind smile.
Anora's eyes widened, and her heart started to accelerate, as she let out a sharp gasp of surprise. With one hand, she then quickly spun Ephemer around so he was facing the door.
“Watch the door.” she told him, almost a bit to quickly. “I'm going to change in the corner.”
“Right.” Ephemer agreed with a nod. He could hear her scuttle over to the corner and gently place the dress down in a spot that wasn't as dirty.
“Don't look!” she nervously squeaked out as it sounded like she was taking off her coat now.
“I won't, I won't.” Ephemer promised. A small smile crossed his face before he had the nerve to say, “It's not like I haven't seen you undressed before.”
Not even a second later, a small stone hit Ephemer against the head.
“Ow!” the commander immediately reacted, turning slightly to Anora. “What was that-”
“I said no looking!”
“I wasn't! You threw a rock at me.”
“I did not throw a rock at you.”
It took Ephemer a moment, but when he realized what she was saying, he let out a light chuckle.
“Touche.” he bemused.
As the room was filled with the sounds of Anora wiggling out of her usual clothes and into the dress, Ephemer's mind filled in what he couldn't see with his eyes. He shook his head to get them out before he made it obvious he was thinking that way. He didn't have to fantasize about her anymore- she was right there. Any dreams he could have had could also be fulfilled that very night if they so chose. There was no rush, even if there was some deranged magister running around threatening the fabric of reality as they knew it...
“Okay, you can look now.”
The commander did not need to be told twice at the simple instruction. What he saw nearly made his heart leap into his throat. At that exact moment, he knew that it didn't matter how beautiful a dress looked, Anora would make it even more gorgeous just by wearing it. She didn't have to be so shy, though- or maybe she was just dusting off some of the dirt that got on it while she was changing. Either way, he wished she would stop messing with the skirt and just look up at him.
“Maker's breath.” Ephemer marveled, regardless. Anora froze. She looked up at him with wide, almost terrified eyes.
“It's… not that bad… Is it?”
“Not at all.” he disagreed. He moved a bit closer to place his hands on her hips. Anora gave a small squeak at the touch, but certainly didn't stop him. “Just remind me to thank Namine later. You think she'd like flowers? A kiss would be too embarrassing, wouldn't it?”
Anora looked at him with her eyes wide. Her breathing hitched slightly when she took a step closer to him. How could she had forgotten every time they've done this? Off in some forgotten room somewhere, so close they could hear the other breathe, the tension rising between them when they found they couldn't stop staring into each other's eyes.
“You know, I'd actually like to help you take it off.” he admitted. His hand ran down to the small of her back, assuring that the dress suited her well. “But first, there is something else we must do.”
At Anora's small noise of question, Ephemer took a few steps back to humbly bow to her.
“Lady Anora of the Ferelden Circle, apothecary to the Inquisition, would you honor me with a light dance this evening?”
For a moment, Anora just stood there in frozen surprise. Ephemer started to stand straight again, offering his hand out to her as if nothing were amiss. He waited, patiently, for her response. Anora's eyes carefully looked from him, to his hand, then back up again. Even knowing that Ephemer would be gentle with her, Anora's hand slightly shook as she placed it into his. It was involuntary that Ephemer's hand tightly wrapped around hers, but it was a purposeful motion when he drew her a bit closer. A nervous laughter bubbled from the both of them before Ephemer gently started to lead them into a small waltz.
They danced in time to their own music. They waltzed to steps that only seemed to come closer and closer until they were only simply stepping from side to side. Anora's head rested against Ephemer's shoulder, and she took a deep breath in before letting out a long, relaxed exhale. It was enough to allow Ephemer to completely relax as well- his fingers intertwining with Anora's, and his other hand holding her closer.
“You know,” he mused with his voice no louder than a whisper, “I'm almost glad that you didn't come along with us. I would have had to share; assuming I ever let you go, of course.”
Anora's only response was to further bury her face into Ephemer's shoulder. He gave a soft laughter before continuing on with their silent dance. Even when the world could be perpetually ending, there was always time for a slow dance or two with the one that kept you sane.
My submission for @destiny-islanders & @novallion ‘s The Ties That Bind zine! I had fun with this, and it was good practice for skies and perspective, i think. Thank you so much for having me!
