I really think that the draw to Solas for me was in his loneliness and the eccentricity solitude fosters. He says himself that he has basically no friends who are not spirits. In Veilguard this is only reinforced when he says it took him centuries to build a rapport with members of the rebellion. Sometimes it just hits me how lonely he was.
I also think it's interesting that, if the Inquisitor romances Blackwall, Solas tells him that he's glad he's found some happiness despite everything. And when Blackwall asks him if he has found someone, Solas says 'no, I find my peace elsewhere'... he's really not all that romantically inclined. One of the reasons I hate most solavellan fic is that people tend to write him as this super experienced fuckboy when the text tells us over and over again that he doesn't form bonds with living people very easily. I get that some people find the idea of being with someone who has thousands of years of experience sexy, but the text tells us repeatedly that he isn't especially invested in relationships with non-spirits, who are non-sexual, so he probably isn't as experienced as people think. I won't get into it too much bc I've already spoken about it, but he never properly learned to bond as a person and not as a spirit. So prior to DAI, he simply doesn't, and we can infer--especially given that he's described as never having been in love before--that he hasn't pursued romance a great deal in his life.
This is probably fed by my own bullshit (it's definitely fed by my own bullshit), but I think I had a hard time figuring out how to romance him bc they would only allow you to romance him with a female elf due to time constraints. This is despite him saying repeatedly that he loves Lavellan's spirit. When you're trans or nonbinary, it's hard to explain how exciting that is; to have characters who say explicitly that they do not define others by their bodies. It's very cool on its own, but for nb players in particular it's especially important. If you struggle with how you're perceived physically, it's nice to be able to make a character who is loved for who they actually are and not for what they look like. To have someone who sees them for who they are and not for what others want them to be. It's something people like me crave and I think this is why I'm so pro-queer Solas, pro-Solas doesn't give a shit about how on fleek your Lavellan's eyebrows are, etc. The physical doesn't factor in to why he loves. He simply loves others for their character, and although he often lets his first impressions colour his views of entire people, he is still willing to listen and learn if you give him a chance to be Wisdom and not Pride. We literally see him begin to question his own convictions re: the Dalish during the balcony scene. Contrary to popular fandom belief, he actually admits to being wrong all the time.
Idk man I just really like having a Lavellan that is an outsider all their life and isn't understood even by their own Clan, only to find her kindred spirit in Fen'harel, the adversary of her people. I'm obsessed with the fact that Solas fell in love for the first time with a mortal, who exists because of his mistake, who he loves enough to throw away his plans and only doesn't follow through because of his guilt. I need to write more fic jsdkdfhkjsg
For my birthday I commissioned Iander (Ian) Lavellan and his fiddle from @catebees and he turned out so beautifully! Thank you so much for sketching him
Ian is non-binary (he/they) and is @theshirallen's OC
Sketch page of Niamh done by @felassan-enansal in exchange for some edits!!! 🥰🥰🥰 My lil baby ouighhghhf. She's so cute and pretty and ouigh. Their teefs....
Lil gremlassan attached to them cuddling Solas. Ogh ogh. Thank u so much!!!
Summary: They watched as the Iron Bull noticed his approach first, his hand lifting in a wave. He said something that Donal couldn't hear and then Laleal turned, a huge smile spreading across her face at the sight of Solas.
She lifted her arms above her head and cheered loud enough to be heard halfway across the tavern.
Summary: With Felassan now assisting the search, Saeris and his companions explore the Crossroads to find the Ben-Hassrath and more of Solas' trail.
(Excerpt under the cut)
By the time Saeris and Felassan arrived at the eluvian that had been secured by Inquisition agents, Bull and Vivienne were already waiting for them. They stood outside the doorway, which was being guarded by two Inquisition guards in plain view of anyone passing by. The use of the room itself struck Saeris as odd - it seemed more conspicuous than he would have liked.
But he supposed there was no way around it. Whatever was happening with the Ben-Hassrath, with Solas, was more important than the Inquisition’s image.
Bull and Vivienne both cast a glance at Felassan, hesitance growing in their eyes. It was clear Felassan hadn’t been around Skyhold long enough for either of them to become acquainted with him just yet.
Granted, with how long Saeris had been gone, they likely hadn’t even been at Skyhold when he had returned with his siblings.
“He’s alright,” Saeris said. “Felassan is a specialist on eluvians and the Crossroads, and a friend to both my family and Briala. I trust him.”
Neither Bull nor Vivienne seemed completely convinced by this, but they didn’t argue, much to his relief. Felassan, on the other hand, seemed slightly surprised by his declaration, and Saeris sensed a strange sort of warmth from him.
Hope, perhaps. Budding trust.
“Can you fight?” Bull asked Felassan, a challenge hidden within his words.
“I can hold my own,” Felassan said easily.
Saeris could see that he could, as well. It was in the way he held himself - a balanced stance, even if he wielded a mage’s staff. It was very similar to the way Solas held himself, too, Saeris remembered. Felassan had been vague about his past with Solas, but given all he knew, Saeris had no doubt that the elf had fought alongside Solas for years.
He wondered if Felassan himself had been a part of the rebellion. It would mean that Felassan was akin to being Solas’ battle brother, the shield at his back. The ghost of devotion in Felassan’s heart was a clear sign of that.
