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dayntee · 3 months ago

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[Fic] That Year at Arlathan University - Chapter 5: Extracurriculars

Full chapter available on AO3 here and below the cut.

Summary: In which many activities take place outside of class.

Still rolling with slow burn, so don’t take the title too dirty just yet y’all. 🤣

******

After buying back some grace, figuratively and literally, with his office mate, life got a little smoother for Solas. Slowly, they began to develop rituals as both colleagues and friends.

On Mondays, he'd arrive early with a tea for her and a flavored latte for himself.

"I don't know how you can drink that sugary garbage," she'd remarked with a grimace on her face.

"And I do not know how you can stomach hot leaf water, but I suppose I will not judge you for that, at least," he had retorted. She glared back at him for but a moment? Which he held, before both burst into laughter.

Tuesdays and Thursdays were busier, the two often hustling from back to back classes. However, they quickly discovered their first session after lunch were in adjacent lecture halls, and began to take meals and walk together.

He'd quiz her on the latest bit of Elvhen he'd taught her, usually aligning the lessons with whatever his students were currently reviewing, and she'd fumble through pronunciations and grammar until she got it right. He'd laugh and she would pout—but ultimately, he exhibited patience through gentle corrections.

Meanwhile, she’d find relatable anecdotes of Dalish experiences to the phrases he’d teach. How they might use them now, or how the context had come to be misinterpreted. Never did she presume the knowledge she offered was correct—instead, she’d begin to dissect the differences in real time, postulating on the hows and whys that it came to be.

He found himself particularly enamored with these discussions.

Wednesdays he would see her very little, and came to learn it was because Harding had roped her into acting assistant coach of AU's archery team. She apologized in advance for the sports bag and bow quiver taking up additional space in the office on these days, but he brushed her concerns aside.

"At present, it is our shared space, and you are entitled to it." For that, she seemed grateful.

Fridays were the only day they seemed to have trouble encountering one another. He'd enter the office as she was leaving for class, or she'd arrive as he was hurrying to a staff meeting. It was always something different; lunches planned were always cancelled for last minute requests, or booked solid due to other events. Eventually, in the back of his mind, he wrote it off as a day to go about his normal business.

After a few weeks of this dance, he’d come in one morning to a small package wrapped in foil on his desk. A folded note accompanied the gift, and he realized this was the first time he’d seen her surprisingly elegant script.

Consider this fair trade for the tea. You seem to like sweet things. I hope the Dalish origin of these isn’t too offensive.

He could hear the teasing tone of her voice as he read. There was no signature, but a little flourished smiley face beneath the message that tugged from him a not dissimilar expression.

Housed within was half a dozen baked treats, dough flaked on the outside, but soft and buttery within, housing a tart jelly made from mixed berries. Their irregular size and shape suggested they were handmade.

He had no idea what they were called, but they might have been even more delicious than his normally preferred Orlesian frilly cakes, and paired even better with coffee.

It was all becoming predictable and oddly… comfortable. He had begun to realize the more time passed, he was beginning to seek if not prefer her company to his usual solitude. Even more interesting was that this disruption in his routine was not unwelcome.

Classes, on the other hand, were another matter entirely. Plenty of students were learning and growing, to his approval.

Others were proving a proper pain in the ass.

Unfortunately, there was only so much adjustment he could make. The politics in play around this year's students were a minefield to navigate and Solas was finding himself spending more time in the administrative offices appealing to Leliana's best nature—as well as reporting his own findings on the evolving situation.

"Exactly how long do I need to tolerate this year's Antivan subterfuge, headmistress?"

"Dean is fine, thank you," Leliana shot him a placid look; they played this game of titles every year. "And you know the answer as well as I—for as long as they are properly funding their students' tuitions."

"There are a lot more of them this year," he noted, standing with his arms crossed behind his back in her office to discuss the matter with her and two others—one Varric Tethras and a tall, stern-faced woman with shortly cropped dark hair.

"You've noticed too, Chuckles?" the dwarf sighed. "They're not the only group making plays either. I've seen more Wardens, more transfer students from Tevinter and Nevarra… Hell, even Isabella is looking to install the Lords of Fortune in our halls."

Solas raised an eyebrow at that. "Are they looking to stir trouble with the Veil Jumpers specifically? They have competing interests, do they not?"

Varric's shoulders went up in a shrug. "Damned if I know, but you gotta admit it's strange these groups are rolling into our halls all at once. Things only get busy when trouble's brewing,"

"Loathe I am to admit, I agree with Varric," the other woman in the room crossed her arms pointedly. "We have seen supporting evidence in admissions. They have increased this year by nearly forty percent, and more than half of the students have received support from one scholarship or another. The Chantry is struggling to maintain comparable funding from Orlais and Fereldan."

"Thank you, Cassandra," Leliana tented her hands in front of her. "I have also begun to hear whispers among my contacts that additional financiers have begun looking into investments in and around Arlathan, particularly within the city center. New businesses springing up rapidly and bids for available land are rising to unusual levels," her brow furrowed. "The source of these efforts is muddied; they don't all appear to be related, but I do not suspect it is a coincidence. It may not be within the University's power to intervene, but I would advise we keep our collective ears to the ground, yes?"

The others in the room nodded their agreement before turning to leave.

"Solas, if you've a moment,"

Solas halted his exit, allowing the others to leave and gently closing the door behind him.

"Speak plainly now; what have your people reported?"

Solas took a slow, measured breath; there was but one individual who was currently aware of at least part of his secret, purely out of necessity. He required the dean's assistance to keep his storied history and suspiciously long lifespan under wraps, especially amongst the longer tenured faculty. Thankfully, Leliana was a trustworthy woman once her loyalty was earned, and that had been a foundation he had been careful to lay the grounds for over a decade in advance. She knew little more than that he was of ancient times and that their goals were, more or less, aligned.

"How much do you know of the Evanuris?"

"I believe I have heard you use the term before. Is that not the name of the Elven pantheon?"

"In a manner of speaking," he stepped forward and took a seat; this was going to take some explanation. "The Evanuris fancy themselves gods, but in truth, they are no more powerful today than a duke or empress might be,"

"That is still quite powerful,"

"Yes and no," he frowned. "Their names may carry power, most certainly amongst the Dalish, but the world at large currently views them as religious myths of legend rather than the truth of them. Powerful aristocrats who happened to be in the right place at the right time. I have heard-" he paused, trying to word his next statement both carefully and clearly. "I have heard they desire to re-emerge. To public view."

Leliana leaned in, concern shadowing her eyes. "You are certain? The Chantry would be put in an… awkward position at the appearance of Elven gods made flesh,"

"Yes, I imagine it would," there was an underlying wryness to Solas' agreement, but they both knew his current arrangement bringing the Chantry and Veil Jumpers together in the foundation of Arlathan University was the lesser of two evils. "The work we have all been doing here explicitly discredits their divinity. It is my intention to ensure the world will know who they really are, and why they should remain irrelevant in today's society. We can, and should, continue our progress in unearthing the truths of Elvhenan and giving a deserving history back to the People, but…"

"But?"

"If the Evanuris wish to regain their power and influence, they will intervene, and it will not be for anyone's benefit but their own. What I do not know is the manner in which they will attempt this,"

"Then we will remain vigilant," she leaned back slightly, letting out a breath she hadn't known she was holding. "Are you prepared to stand against your own gods, Professor?"

Solas barked a laugh he couldn't hold back, and she eyed him closely. She was not one to appreciate being left out of a hidden meaning.

"Forgive me, Leliana. But it won't have been the first time, and just as unlikely to be the last," he responded after calming his amusement. He removed his glasses and cleaned them with the edge of his sweater. "Even if we are successful in our efforts, they won't go quietly back into the shadows without a fight."

Leliana smiled, a fire in her eyes as bright as the color of her locks.

"Then we shall give them one,"

Notes:

Ahahaha, I bet you didn't expect PLOT.

Funny how this started as a vehicle for crack and smut and has somehow turned into modern day financial intrigue. *throws up hands* I've got no excuses, let's see where it goes.

#solavellan #dragon age #dragon age the veilguard #solas #dragon age inquisition #solas dragon age #ao3 link #ao3 #college au #arlathan university #university au #i'm on alt universe bs and unapologetic about it #slow burn #listen I need fluff before smut #and I like cute stuff #and what’s better than a lover than a lover who’s a friend?#but also I have no idea where this plot is going lol

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neigepomme · 2 months ago

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˙ ✩°˖ ✈️ bulking szn / caleb x reader

synopsis; who knew your lovely and insanely strong boyfriend could get even more muscular — even more sexy. gotta thank bulking season for that!

⋆ 800 words / suggestive (NSFW) / fem reader / 2nd person

caleb's hot. he's been hot.

you know that, and everyone around you knows that — it's almost become a running joke how he gets stares from everyone when he's out and about.

what you didn't know is that he could get even more attractive. who could blame you, though? he looks like he inspired michelangelo's david — and he can get hotter? now that's just plain greedy. except it's happening, and all you can do is stare at him more than usual.

and here was your greek god of a boyfriend standing in the kitchen, preparing his protein shake. sitting at the kitchen island with your chin resting on your hand, you were staring at him, ogling him. his arms looked so good. how would they feel around your neck, you wondered — but your daydreams had to be cut short by the sound of a refrigerator door closing loudly.

"you know baby, a picture might last you longer. i can feel your eyes on me, and i'm not even facing you."

"mmh, i'm just not used to this whole," you make vague gestures in the air, "bulking thing. gotta stare and memorize it."

he laughs, and you keep on openly admiring him. when he mentioned that he'd be bulking soon, you just nodded, not entirely sure what that implied. the caleb you knew from your childhood and teenage years was strong, yes, but mostly athletic. this meatier, buffer version was new, but so, so, so welcome.

right now, his muscles weren't as defined as you were used to. he looked more.. soft. still as strong, but he seemed bigger — he could already dwarf you before, but now, it was way more serious. not only that, he's traded his looser shirtless tank tops for compression shirts, and it was such a delight for your eyes. his pecs looked bigger, and his back — his back. just a little more broad. just a hint more sexy. was it even legal to look that good?

but man, whenever you hugged him? it was like heaven held you in its embrace. the cherry on top of your very attractive (beef)cake. he was so much warmer too — caleb always ran hot. he's your personal heater during the winter months, but now? he was burning hot. or maybe is it just how you see him? who knows, honestly.

funniest thing about this situation, though? caleb knew you'd react like that upon seeing him get more buff, but he didn't know you'd be that affected by bulking season. he knew how much you enjoyed his physique, and bulking up in order to cut and get stronger and bigger than you, just seemed like a nice challenge. a good way to keep himself busy and please you.

there was one more thing though, way more challenging than keeping tracks of his macros in his new diet. you made it insanely difficult to keep his hands to himself. first, it was the staring. he was well aware that you couldn't really help yourself, he was there looking all handsome just for you. the half-lidded stares when he worked out, lingering glances at his arms and chest, bedroom eyes when he wore that compression shirt one size too small, were to be expected. the way you basically undressed him with your gaze occasionally made him flushed, but caleb couldn't even comment on it — he did the same to you practically daily.

and then came the physical touch.

caleb wasn't shy. he knew he looked attractive, and he knew that you found him attractive. he also knew you were touchy, but your touchiness increased tenfold when he started bulking, always poking and prodding at his body. a perpetually careful hand making goosebumps appear on his skin as you softly traced the lines of the veins on his arms. did you know what you were doing? or were you unconsciously exercising your right to touch his body as if it were yours to own. oh well, it basically was — he was your possession as much as you were his.

god, you made it so hard to hold back, though. caleb just wanted to manhandle you and show you that he wasn't just getting softer — his strength remained. he could still bend you whatever which way he pleased (and he knew you'd enjoy it), but he held back. he held back because after years of yearning, years of practiced patience, he knew the reward was worth it.

so caleb just kept on tolerating it. after all, bulking season wasn't over just yet — he could handle your hands roaming around a little more. three more weeks until he could show you his full potential.

you'd get your lovely buff caleb showing off his muscles for you, and in return, he'd get his even lovelier girlfriend underneath him and return all the physical touches he's been subjected to while bulking — he'll have you oh so pliant and responsive to his roughhousing in bed.

fair trade!

🍎 pomme's final notes — don't look at me too hard this is so self indulgent i just really like strong guys and i've been rewatching caleb content and his back is just. irresistible i'm gonna chew on him like those buff bear breads

#⋆ pomme writes #caleb #caleb x reader #caleb x you #lads x reader #lads caleb #lads #love and deepspace x reader #love and deepspace #⋆ pomme after hours #⋆ neigepomme #im crying i feel like a liar #i was like “omgg sorry i mostly write fluff :((”#and here comes the caleb demons.#um i do have some really cute fluffy stuff planned tho i swear!!

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