The Inquisitor is slightly disappointed in the attire chosen for the Winter Palace and Cullen knows just how to distract her.

"You're disappointed." Cullen said, smirking lightly as he watched the Inquisitor look over herself in the mirror.

"What?" Olivianna asked, brushing her blond bangs aside as she looked to Cullen, confused and slightly annoyed at his amused expression.

"You're disappointed. I can tell by the way your keep scrunching your eyebrows together." Taking a step closer to the woman the smirk faded, his eyes looking her over slowly. "You can't tell me you dislike the outfit?"

"Perhaps not on you." She replied, releasing a sigh as her eyes fled back to the mirror and her reflection. She and the Commander (as well as the rest of their party) were currently all dressed in the same very red, very martial outfit, which was not what she had expected when they had all agreed to personally attend the ball at the Winter Palace. While she did enjoy seeing Cullen out of his usual armor she was less than impressed with how it looked on her.

"Maybe disappointed is the correct word." She mumbled under her breath.

"Were you expecting something more…extravagant?" He asked, watching her expression closely.

"Something less martial and obvious of our standing, I suppose. I know we are here to represent the Inquisition, but would it have been so bad to wear things more suitable for a ball?"

Cullen laughed lightly, "If I do recall correctly, I remember you saying you were glad to be away from your family and their fancy, royal bullshit. Or am I wrong?"

Olivianna rolled her eyes, looking back to the Commander with a more annoyed expression that before. "Royalty bullshit and doing something of your own accord are two very different things." She stated, lifting her arms to look the military garb over one more time before dropping them by her side with a huff. "Sure, I hated getting dressed up when I was younger, but that's because I was being presented to potential suitors. This…this is different. I was looking forward to…to…oh, I don't know." Sighing again she turned to leave, but Cullen stepped into her path, stopping her.

"I'm sorry you are unable to dress up how you wished, but you look fine,Olivianna. In fact," he reached down and grabbed her right hand softly, lifting it to his lips, "it's rather nice knowing you are not dressed for battle. It is—"

"Boring?" She interrupted with a smile, chuckling as Cullen lowered her hand only to wrap his arm around her waist and pull her against his chest. "Boring it may be, but would it be so bad for this night to go smoothly; without any bloodshed?"

"Perhaps," She smirked at him from beneath her lashes, laying her hands flat on his chest, feeling the muscles beneath. "Though if it takes a boring night to get you out of your armor, then I say we do this more often."

Cullen blushed lightly, suddenly very aware of Olivianna's hands and body pressed against his own. The two hadn't shared more than a few stolen kisses since that night on the battlements a month ago, and while they had tried to share nights together since, they were both very important and very busy people, which left them with no time to do anything but.

His mind had run rampant with thoughts her, and the more time she spent away from Skyhold without him the more risqué those thoughts became, which made it hard for him to concentrate on the moment, let alone their task ahead. And with the way she was looking at him he dared to guess she was facing the same distraction.

"Inquisitor," Cullen whispered his voice low and rough as he leaned closer, sliding his free hand to the back of her head to guide her closer.

"Yes, Commander?" she whispered back, smiling as she slowly rose to her tip-toes, making an obvious effort to press her body closer.

"Maker, how I've mi—"

"Inquisitor, are you ready? I'm afraid it is time to leave for the Winter Palace."

The two froze at the sound of Josephine's voice, staring at each other in slight annoyance, lips but a breath away from touching. With a sigh Olivianna lowered herself, standing flat on her feet as she pulled away from Cullen slowly. "Maker's breath, interrupted again." She spoke, trying to sound amused though the words came out strained and laced with frustration.

"Inquisitor?" Josephine called again, this time her voice being accompanied by a knock.

"Yes Josephine, I am coming!" She shouted, pouting as Cullen drew his hands away and took a step back.

The Commander chuckled, watching as his Inquisitor crossed her arms over her chest in disappointment. "Don't give me that look. It was not easy for me to pull away either, you know."

"Oh?" Olivianna asked, raising an eyebrow as a small blush spread across her cheeks. "Do tell me, dear Commander, just how hard was it?"

Cullen's eyes widened slightly as his own face became shaded in red, a small smirk pulling at the corners of his lips. The woman giggled, but before she could say anything to ease her embarrassment and make his own worse he leaned forward, stealing a small kiss before pushing the woman towards the door.

"Aaaaw." She moaned, disappointed as Cullen's hands pushed against her back, forcing her towards the exit. "That's it?"

"That's it." He chuckled deeply, stopping as the two reached the door. He looked over the woman's shoulder, noticing the blush had faded from her cheeks as she looked up to him, smiling warmly, her green eyes amused yet left wanting. "At least…" he coughed, about to continue when the door opened and Josephine grabbed the Inquisitor by the arm quickly, dragging her towards the carriages that awaited them before he could finish.

He caught her gaze as she looked back, her lips curled into a smile as another blush appeared on her features. He smiled back, watching as Leliana appeared, causing the Inquisitor to jump, the blush on her cheeks darkening before she was pulled around a corner and out of sight.

With another laugh the Commander followed after them, taking a deep breath to try and calm his nerves as he attempted to clear his head, trying not to think of how badly he wanted his Inquisitor alone. "At least for now." He whispered to himself, straightening his coat as he chased after them.