#if you can’t see it: this is Varric getting the shit kicked out of him by a wolf | Explore Tumblr posts and blogs

houseaeducan · 6 months ago

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I never posted this on AO3 bc I wanted to rework some of it and never ended up doing it, but I like enough of it to post here. Basically - DA2 The Boys AU. I wrote when I was watching The Boys for the for the first time (still haven’t seen the new season RIP)

Summary: Hawke has been the best partner Fenris has had in years, aside from one thing: he insists on working with supes.

Hawke goes over the plan again, but Fenris knows everything he needs to. He’s trying to keep focused, to stay ice cold and exact. If there’s ever been a time he couldn’t afford to fuck up, it would be now. Hawke takes another look out the van window and says in a low voice, leaning slightly to the side in that way people do when they’re speaking into an earpiece, “Bela?”

“Quiet, sweet thing.” Her voice comes crackling into Fenris’ ear as well. “Any second now.” There’s a thump, some rustling, a long minute, and then – on the end of the table, the computer lights up, dim gray rectangles of mild movement. The security footage. Must be for nearly every room in the compound.

Hawke laughs at this, an infectious sort of excitement that feels a bit like victory before they’ve even started. “I could kiss you.”

“Hmmm,” Isabela says, pleased with herself. “Maybe later.”

“Cute.” Varric pulls the computer into his lap, eyes scanning the screen. In an upper corner, Fenris can just make out Isabela, tucked away in some tiny security office, feet already kicked up on the desk, over the body of whoever was there when she broke in. “But if any of us are going to be kissing each other, then we better get moving now.”

Hawke nods. He slings his guns over his shoulder, and Fenris, of course already armed, finds himself adjusting his. “Right,” he says. “Merrill and I will take the lower entrance after Bela fucks with the lights.” He nods to Fenris. “Then it should be a straight shot through at the top. I think we should be able to keep casualties to a minimum, at least until we’ve grabbed the V and you’ve dealt with Danarius. But Anders, I need you backing him up just in case.” Next to Hawke, Anders rolls his eyes – this part of the plan is bad, everyone knows it, especially Fenris. Unfortunately, it might also be necessary.

As everyone prepares to move on, Fenris can hear Anders muttering to Hawke, low enough to be a whisper without the intent of one. “He’s just going to kill him and leave as soon as he gets what he wants.” Hawke replies, “He wants the same thing as us.”

–

This isn’t the first Vought facility Fenris has snuck his way into. There have been years of this – or at least something like this. Years of failure, dead ends, a hopeless searching he struggled to put a name to. There had been other partners – good ones, shitty ones, dead ones mostly. Hawke had been the best, lasted the longest, brought him the closest to justice he had felt in a long time. It’s why he’s stuck with him all these years, even when they fight, even when he makes Fenris work with people he can’t stand.

A few paces behind him, Anders glowers at Fenris. He’s holding a handgun, but arming the supe was a moot point on Hawke’s part – Anders is a terrible shot. If they are attacked, then Anders can heal them both while Fenris deals with the problem, and if that’s not enough, then he’ll start doing far more damage with far less control than anything a gun could give him.

His earpiece crackles to life once again. “Hawke and Daisy are in,” Varric says. “Broody, Blondie – I can’t see you.”

“Shit,” Fenris says, “Blindspot? Did we know about this?”

Anders walks forward a few paces and looks up, scanning the ceiling for cameras. “I’m giving you and Isabela a wave, do you see it?”

“Clear as day,” Isabela says pleasantly. “It’s only a few feet, nothing to worry about.”

“And now you’ve given anyone with this footage a full view of your face,” says Fenris. “Lovely.”

“Right,” says Anders. “Because Vought doesn’t already know who we are.”

“Play nice, girls,” says Isabela. “Varric, if you’re all set up, then I’m going to go find Hawke.”

There’s some back and forth as Varric and Isabela coordinate, but Fenris tunes it out. Right now, already so close, just one wrong move away, he needs to be more alert than ever. It’s too quiet up here. Fenris knows that this area is corporate – the real action is downstairs, but that’s no reason for it to stand so empty, even at this hour. He can’t let that stop him, though, not now. Be cautious, not deterred. Danarius is somewhere in this building, and by the night’s end, Fenris will have his revenge and maybe even answers. Or he’ll be dead. Either way, it ends here.

He touches his scarred skin without thinking. It’s painful, but not in any way he hasn’t learned to expect. Anders says, “It’s too quiet.”

It’s taken him long enough to notice, or maybe he’s only just now decided to bring it up. Anders is even more suspicious of Fenris than Fenris is of him.

“It is,” says Fenris. He twists the gun off his shoulder, holding it slightly more at the ready.

“It looks clear enough,” Varric says. “There’s a few guys up ahead, a few doors down, but we knew they’d be there.”

Fenris and Anders exchange an uneasy look, but there’s nothing else to say. For now, Varric is right.

They continue forward quietly, avoiding the guards as well as they might have planned. Fenris is almost glad Anders is his partner on this – if it had been Hawke or Varric or god forbid, Merrill, they might have tried to ask him how he was feeling right now, did he know what he would say to Danarius when he saw him, what he might do. Anders and Fenris have long since given up on any amiability in their relationship, so instead Fenris can concentrate, not on finally confronting the man who ruined his life – he’s had a lifetime for that, nearly two painful decades – but on getting there in the first place.

It goes to shit immediately. Of course. Fenris barely has time to register the first gunshot before the second shot sends a bullet straight at Anders, barely leaving a mark, fucking supes, and Fenris has time to take cover and start shooting.

Their attackers are coming from a door ahead of them, in what Fenris is willing to bet is the cameras’ second blindspot.

“Shit,” Varric says on the other end, “What am I seeing here? Are you being shot at? Broody, are you okay in there?”

“Shot at?” asks Hawke, at the same time Anders says, “Fenris is fine. I’ve been shot, thank you for asking.”

Fenris rolls his eyes – Anders has already healed his already mild scrape – and Hawke crackles briefly on the other end, the sounds of violence just behind him – “Fuck, us too. They knew we were coming.”

There’s no time to worry about Merrill and Hawke, though, and probably little point. Merrill can take control of the blood in someone’s body, make them do what she needs them to as long as they’re in a close enough range. It’s not the most gruesome thing Fenris has seen supes do, at least not the way Merrill uses it, but he thinks it might be his least favorite. He keeps waiting for the day Merrill decides she’s sick of working against her own side.

Fenris makes short enough work of this wave of attackers, with the exception of one, a low-level supe, who sends waves of electricity shooting through the air. This one isn’t dangerous enough to be more than a grunt, and unlike some supes Fenris has dealt with in the past, she does take damage from his bullets, slowly but surely. He knows what Hawke would say if he were here, to leave her to Anders, that there’s a reason why we work with supes, Fenris, but Fenris stays focused in his attack. Fenris has only seen Anders use his non-healing powers a handful of times, but he’s seen enough to not give him any reason to use that ticking time bomb.

The fight long and brutal – Fenris grabs the supe by her hair and crushes her face into the wall, she sends a wave of potent electricity through his leg that Anders is only able to heal just in time to keep it from frying him alive, but eventually, he finishes his work.

One of the attackers is still alive, albeit barely – his heavy breaths moving slower and slower as seconds tick by. Anders grabs him before Fenris can, pushing him against the wall, his hand just under the man’s chin, somewhere between a throttle and a caress. Slowly, the gash across his chest begins to knit together. It’s a familiar sight, though slower than usual – with this, at least, Anders can be very precise.

“How did you know we were coming?” the supe snaps. The man coughs and shakes his head, so Fenris gives him a kick in his healing flesh.

“I don’t know, I don’t know! I swear – they don’t tell us, just–”

“Is Danarius here?” Fenris interrupts. Anders looks at him dangerously. “Is Danarius here, or was this all just a trap?”

“I –” the man sputters out some blood. “He’s here, he’s here. In the control room in the back. He said he wanted to speak with you, after everything you’ve done he, he wanted to –”

Fenris nods at Anders and the supe lets go of the man, the healing ceasing as he slides to the floor. Fenris shoots him one more time for good measure.

Anders is saying something into his headset and Hawke and Varric are responding – Fenris’ thoughts are too loud to hear any of it. Danarius is still here. Danarius is waiting for him. It chills Fenris a bit, when he really thinks about it, but invigorates him more than anything else, that he’s turned himself into something of an even-footed opponent, risen past being one more piece of collateral damage in a long, bloody career. His mother’s life, his sister’s, Fenris’ body had all been dismissed as an unfortunate but worthwhile side effect, but Fenris knew what he had seen the night he had lost everything. It had mattered. It would matter today too.

“Fenris,” Hawke says. “Are you listening? We need to retreat.”

“Pussies,” Isabela says at the same time Varric mutters, “I knew this whole thing was a bad idea.”

Fenris shakes his head. “No,” he says. There’s no question to it. “I came here for a reason.”

“I told you,” Anders says, looking at Fenris but obviously talking to Hawke.

Hawke ignores him. “It’s too dangerous. You won’t get anything done if we all get ourselves killed here. We have to regroup.”

It makes sense, it’s the smart thing to do, and it’s utterly unthinkable. Hawke can make these decisions from a distance, removed but empathetic. He’ll say, “I’m sorry it happened this way, Fenris,” and take too much blame for something that isn’t his fault, that’s no one’s but Danarius’, and for a moment Fenris hates him for it. “You would ask me to leave now? When it’s the only chance I’ll ever have?”

Hawke is replying but Fenris has already pulled out the earpiece, allowing it to fall to the floor with a violent clatter.

“Fenris –” starts Anders.

“Go,” Fenris says. He leans over his gun, reloading before he’s ready to move on.

“You selfish piece of shit. You know he’s not going to leave you.”

Fenris rolls his eyes. He slides the weapon back over his shoulder. “He should leave. This isn’t his business anymore. And so should you.”

“Don’t have to ask me twice.”

But a minute later, after Fenris has moved on, making his way through the compound as silently as possible, still certain he’s being observed, he hears the door open and shut behind him again.

“I told you to go,” he says, frustrated.

“Yeah and Hawke would kill me if I left you without backup,” the supe snaps. “Do you even know where you’re going?”

He doesn’t, but these suddenly empty hallways, the crushing silence around them, is obviously a choice. Fenris nods ahead to a solitary door waiting at the end of the hall. “Forward.”

It only takes them a few moments to make it there. “Hawke ran into some trouble,” Anders says, listening to his earpiece. Fenris regrets throwing his to the ground. It was a childish outburst, not fair to Hawke, who has changed his own plan, the safest plan, to help Fenris now. Embarrassing. “But him and Merrill and Isabela will be here in a few minutes.”

Fenris nods. He needs to back off while they wait, find a place to take cover, but he can’t wrest his eyes away from what’s in front of him. He thinks Anders is about to say something else when the door opens. It is not Danarius.

–

Fenris remembers very little of his sister. This is what he remembers: an apartment – small and shitty, his mother – someone who loved him, his sister – someone he loved. He remembers losing them: his mother falling to the floor, Danarius laughing, Fenris – a child and nearly crushed behind rubble, unable to do anything about it, Varania crushed because he had not been able to save her and because when he had opened his eyes, she had been gone. It had been collateral damage, an unfortunate tragedy, and Fenris too young and too traumatized to know what he had seen.

He knew.

He knew Varania, now, for what little he remembered. He knew that red hair. He had learned to braid on it. He had tied it into pigtails on her first day of school. It was longer now, pulled back, a crimson offset to her white button-down and gray slacks. Very professional. Very Vought.

“Varania,” he says. He feels stupid for it, but what else is there to say?

Anders stares at him, taking hardly any time to look shocked before he looks furious. He thinks that Fenris has known who they’ll find here all this time. Of course he jumps to the most damning option.

“Leto,” says Varania. It’s an old name, one on government papers that Fenris hasn’t used in a very long time. She sounds sad. That’s when the world opens up and falls apart, when the floors turn in on themselves and Fenris is sent crashing down to his knees, on his face, smashed against cold tile. She says again, still sad. “You look like I remember.”

Anders raises his gun – the idiot, what is he going to do, shoot her? – but Fenris glares at him and somehow, that makes him hold his fire.

“You were dead,” he says. The fact that she’s a supe barely registers, but it will later. All of this time – did his mother know? She had to have known, she had to have chosen —

��You assumed,” she says. “You assumed a lot, Leto.”

“Danarius –”

“Took me with him,” she says. “They knew I was a supe, and I was more powerful than they expected. They needed me, needed to work with me, our mother didn’t want to give me up, it was complicated, it – it was easier this way, Leto, necessary. It needed to happen.”

Her words feel like a low tide, washing over Fenris with a meaning he cannot bear to begin to unpack. He wants to say: This never needed to happen. He wants to say: Leave this place. He says, “And you gave yourself to these people? After what they had done?”

She’s angry now; it’s the first time he’s really seen it. “You can’t possibly understand,” she says. “Do you think you’ve suffered? Do you think you’re making a difference? I’ve seen the things you’ve done – things you’ve done to good people, people who were just doing their jobs. You don’t understand the first thing about the way the world works. Staying here, where things really happen, that’s the way things change.”

Her breath hitches when she finishes speaking, and though Fenris is still pulling himself from the ground, face bloody, her hands are shaking.

“You think you’re making a difference in Vought?” It’s Anders, and Fenris could punch him for it. “I’ve been where you are, and if you think they think of us as anything besides a product, as disposable –”

“Maybe you,” says Varania. “I’ve read your file.” She looks at Fenris. “I’m surprised you’re working with supes, from everything I’ve heard.”

“Get out of this place,” he says suddenly. “Leave with me. This doesn’t have to be your future. You know what they did to us.” He means it – he really does. There’ll be time to hate her later, but right now she’s alive, after all this time, after so many years of being alone.

She blinks. He thinks for a moment she might agree. “I can’t, Leto.”

“Varania –” he doesn’t even notice stepping forward until another blast of her powers hits him full force, even more powerful than before, sending him and Anders crushing against the wall. Later, he and Hawke will go over old reports of bodies crumpled like flies with a terrible understanding, but now, Fenris hardly has the time to aim his weapon, firing a round directly into her chest.

She staggers, she sways, she lands upright, hand to her chest, but otherwise unaffected. Anders fires at her – missing once, making it the next time, the time after that, missing again – it gives Fenris just enough time to reload before Varania hits him again.

This time, Fenris thinks he may have hit his head badly. His vision is swimming, his eyes already clouded with blood. He knows Varania can hit him harder than this, though. He knows he’d already be dead if that’s what she meant to do.

“Just come quietly,” she pleads. “It won’t be so bad, it really won’t. You know I don’t want to hurt you, Leto.”

It’s a lie. There’s no way this ends without being hurt. “My name is Fenris,” he says before he shoots his sister and gets ready to die.

Varania steps forward, hands shaking but ready to bring them down with terrible finality, when –

In the moment just before Fenris takes cover, he can still make out Varania’s face in the blue light, outlined with confusion. He doesn’t give himself a moment longer than that before hitting the ground – he knows the supe has no ability to control himself, that everything around him is fair game until he comes to.

That his first instinct is to shield himself is what saves him, because his next is the bizarre compulsion to grab Varania, to protect her like he should have when they were children watching the walls fall in.

This episode of Anders’ doesn’t last long, and though Fenris has been hit some from the fallen debris, he is mostly whole when he comes to. Varania, crushed into the floor, is hardly recognizable, though she looks like the other people Fenris have seen be unfortunate enough to be in the same room as Anders when he loses control. He tries to register her presence there, his sister, what’s happened to her, what didn’t happen all those years ago, and fails. The cold, empty fury in his chest is so devastatingly familiar.

A few yards away, Anders has stopped glowing, stopped distributing uncontrolled violence, crouched over hyperventilating like he isn’t a walking war crime, like he shouldn’t be locked away in some government facility where he can’t do this to anybody else. The supe doesn’t say anything, doesn’t look at Fenris, just stares at what happened to Varania, walks to the other side of the room, and vomits.

When he’s done, he walks back to Fenris, still not saying anything, and lays a hand on his shoulder just long enough to heal. Fenris doesn’t realize how badly it's needed until his wounds have been repaired.

For the first time in as long as Fenris has known the supe, he seems to have nothing to say for him. Finally, mercifully, Hawke and Merrill and Isabela kick in the door, looking like they’ve barely managed their own battles. “What was going on in here?” Hawke asks, out of breath. “Varric said he could see – some kind of –” He looks to what happened to Varania, he looks, worried, to Anders.

“Nothing,” says Fenris. “Danarius isn’t here, it was a dead end.”

He doesn’t know how he must look right now, how he must sound. He just hates the way everyone is looking at him right now.

“Are you alright, Fenris?” Merrill tries.

“I’m perfectly fine,” he says. “Let’s get moving.”

#the thing I specifically really liked about this was the healing magic in battle stuff. kind of horrific <3

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monsterthalia · 2 years ago

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It’s Friday Thalia!!!! How about “A quiet sigh as they turn away” from the sensory prompts, for whoever you think fits best?

I swear this came from this prompt, it just... got a little lost. Iron Bull, Krem and Rowan Lavellan are in the Herald's Rest post-Demands of the Qun. Bull decides to give the two some "privacy".

For @dadrunkwriting Rating: T for language Pairing: Krem/F!Lavellan Words: 1203 One of Bull’s favourite tricks was to pretend to pass out. No-one thought twice about it, even though it should have been obvious to a nug that he was far too large for that quantity of alcohol to knock him out. Everyone saw what they wanted to see, and what they wanted to see was the big stupid Qunari being big and stupid.

Big being the key word there - no-one would try to drag him outside either. So he’d just get to lie there and listen to conversations continue around him.

He didn’t use it often. Only in emergencies. But this was an emergency.

“Is Bull okay?” he heard Rowan say from the table.

“Oh, he’s fine,” Krem replied, and Bull felt a sharp kick in his ribs, like Krem didn’t know he was doing this for his own good. He’d tried every other way of getting Krem some time alone to talk to the Inquisitor, and if he’d found a way that meant he didn’t have to lie on the filthy floor of the Herald’s Rest, he would have taken it. “Just had one too many. Starting to feel it more in his old age.”

The little shit. Catch Bull doing him any more favours.

“It’s been a busy month, I guess,” Rowan was saying, and fuck, but he wanted to be watching her face whilst they talked so he could read her facial cues, instead of just listening so hard from the floor his ears might damn well pop out. “And it’s our first time to stop and breathe since, well -”

She trailed off. “The Storm Coast,” Krem finished for her.

They both sat in gloomy silence, probably reflecting on depressing things like the failed alliance with the Qunari, or how close the day had come to disaster, or anything else besides the fact that they were both young and alive and attractive and were somehow not already screwing on every available surface in the Inquisitor’s suite.

… Sure, perhaps if Bull wasn’t fake-unconsciously matchmaking from the Herald’s Rest floor, maybe he too would be struggling, but he was, and the least they could do in return was make it work.

“Why did you choose us?” Krem said suddenly.

Bull felt Rowan go tense. He went tense. What? This wasn’t in the script?

“What?” said Rowan.

“Varric told me. You threw away an alliance with the Qunari.” Krem sounded… confused? Damn, he normally had a better read on his lieutenant, but maybe even Krem wasn’t sure what he was feeling. “Why sacrifice a giant navy and all those Ben-Hassrath reports for a bunch of mercs? Why make an enemy like that just for - for, what, me, Skinner, Dalish-”

Ah, Bull was satisfied, he knew where this went. Earnest assurances that he meant more to her than any navy, followed by blushing, stammered confessions, kiss, kiss, and Krem turning up at his door in the morning asking how he-

“Because it felt like a trap,” Rowan said simply.

What?

“A trap,” Krem echoed.

“It felt weird to me. Gatt was too insistent that there was no other way, that it had be you or the dreadnought. He didn’t even try to think of anything else, or suggest we wait and see what happened, or anything. He was far too ready to ask Bull to make that decision between the you or the Qun.” Rowan fell silent, and Bull was itching to jump to his feet and ask her what the fuck. “It felt like a trap. For me. For Bull. And to get rid of you.”

As she went on, she slipped into a voice Bull was getting to know well - the voice she used when laying out a strategy, when telling her companions how they were going to win.

“They must have known he was never going to be fully theirs whilst you were around. So - they make an offer the Inquisitor can’t refuse. Inquisitor orders Bull to let his Chargers die rather than lose the alliance. Bull loses the only people he cares about outside the Qun, at the hands of the only other person he might have loyalty towards - deal with two problems neatly, and get Hissrad back under their control.”

Silence. Krem must be as stunned as he was. “You’ve-” Krem’s voice broke a little, and he coughed to clear it, continued. “You really thought of all that in the moment?”

“Er, not so clearly.” Suddenly Rowan didn’t sound like the cool, competent strategist any more, but the slightly awkward young woman she only remembered to be around Krem. “In the moment, it was more that I had, er, a gut feeling. That it was bad. I… figured out the rest later.”

Krem whistled, impressed. “That’s - well - that’s one loud gut.”

If Bull was allowed to facepalm, being unconscious, he would have done. Hundreds of years of lovers and love poetry, and Krem goes with ‘that’s one loud gut’.

But Rowan laughed. Laughed. “I guess so,” she replied.

“Well,” Krem went on, and Bull heard a drink being poured, “Thanks anyway. And here’s to loud guts, I guess?”

“To loud guts,” Rowan repeated, even as Bull fervently wished Stop talking about loud guts - “Besides,” she said suddenly, “You know Bull wouldn’t have let you die?”

A pause, filled with unspoken things. “Dorian said he looked to you for orders,” Krem replied in a level voice, and Bull felt something - something, in his chest, at the doubt underneath it.

“Of course he did, I was his commanding officer,” Rowan was saying. “He’s been raised as a Ben-Hassrath, I can only imagine it’s a reflex like - like covering your head when something’s flying at it. Something goes wrong on the battlefield, look to your commanding officer. But I didn’t give him the order to save you, Krem.” Her voice had turned gentle and - dare he say? - intimate? - was it too much to imagine she’d reached out to hold Krem’s hand? - “I just gave him the freedom to do what he already wanted to do.”

Silence fell, and Iron Bull was just about ready to jump up and flip the table. Were they holding hands?? Were they gazing into each others’ eyes?? Was he overly invested in this as a distraction from his own emotional distress, of course he was, he could deal with that tomorrow??

He could just hear Krem saying, “Thank you, Inq- Rowan,” in his own soft, gentle voice, like they were all alone rather than in a busy pub, and if they did not start kissing in the next five seconds-

“Ah! Inquisitor!” Dorian’s voice rang out loudly, and a chair scraped out from under the table, “Mind if I join you? Has Bull had one too many?”

Rowan and Krem snapped back to normality, and were chatting and joking with Dorian in no time, like nothing had happened. And Bull could only lie there, refusing to ruin his ‘pass out’ trick just for the sheer satisfaction of dragging Dorian out of his seat and punching that moustache off his face.

He fully expected the Ben-Hassrath assassins to arrive within the next few days, daggers poisoned with saar-qamek, but the suffering would be nothing compared to this.

#dadrunkwriting #dragon age

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daitranscripts · 2 years ago

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Varric Cutscene: Here Lies the Abyss

Letters

Varric Masterpost Related Quest: Here Lies the Abyss

The PC approaches Varric in the Main Hall. He’s looking into the fireplace.

Choice dependent dialogue:

Hawke left in Fade [1]

Alistair left in Fade [2]

Loghain left in Fade [3]

Stroud left in Fade [4]

1 - Hawke left in Fade

Varric: Did I ever tell you about the time Hawke was on a Merchant Guild hit list? Hawke’s uncle got into an investment scheme with a couple Merchant Caste businessmen. They took a lot of people’s coin in order to arrange the important of wandering hills from the Anderfels. A delicacy, I’m told.

Varric turns and approaches the PC.

Varric: Their weird, foreign foodstuffs arrived… alive. And one of them, true to its name, wandered off in the middle of the night.

Dialogue options:

Special (high approval): [Hug him.] [5] + Varric slightly approves

General: If it helps, tell the story. [6] + Varric approves

General: I’m sorry, Varric. [7]

General: [They] said goodbye to you. [8] + Varric slightly approves

5 - Special: [Hug him.] The PC hugs him. Varric: Shit… [9]

6 - General: If it helps, tell the story. PC: Keep going. I’d like to hear the rest of the story. [9]

7 - General: I’m sorry, Varric. PC: I know Hawke was your friend. This can’t be easy for you. Varric (in party at Adamant): I should have stopped [them]. She’d already paid enough/He’d given up enough. Varric (not in party): It’s just… one time, just once, Hawke shouldn’t have been the one making the sacrifice. Just once… [9]

8 - General: [They] said goodbye to you. PC: [Their] last words were: “Say goodbye to Varric for me.” Varric (male Hawke): That son of a bitch. He would do that. Varric (female Hawke): I wish I’d said something… It doesn’t matter. [9]

9 - Scene continues.

Varric: The Guild… traced the shipment to Hawke’s uncle, but as usual, he was so far in debt he couldn’t see daylight. So they went after Hawke instead. They sent guys from the local Carta to Hawke’s estate one night. Five big dusters, armed to the teeth.

Aggressive Hawke: They kick in the door, and Hawke’s just standing there, fully armed, with me and the guard-captain on either side. Nobody even said a word. The poor sods just looked at Hawke, looked at the captain, and dropped their weapons. They never came back.

Humorous Hawke: They kick in the door, and Hawke yells, “You’re just in time!” And drags them over to a game of Wicked Grace. They played two hands of cards before the city guard showed up to take them away. A couple of them became regulars in our weekly game.

Diplomatic Hawke: They’re about to kick down the door, when Hawke just opens it and invites them all inside. Leandra–Hawke’s mother–made them tea and, for the next two hours, tried to get them to make small talk. They wandered out of the house in a daze. No idea what had just happened. Never came back.

Varric: Hawke just… had that effect on people. I always wanted to tell that one. Thanks. I guess I’ve got some letters to write.

Varric: (Hawke romanced Anders/no romance, no sibling survived): There’s a few people who should know. Varric: (Hawke no romance, Carver alive): Carver should be told. Varric: (Hawke no romance, Bethany alive): Bethany should know what happened. Hawke (Hawke romanced Sebastian): I have to tell Sebastian, or he’ll throw a fit. Hawke (Hawke romanced Isabella): Isabela should know. Hawke (Hawke romanced Fenris): I should be the one to tell Fenris. Hawke (Hawke romanced Merrill): I should tell Merrill the news.

Varric: Excuse me.

Scene ends.

2 - Alistair left in Fade

Varric: So, the line of King Calenhad the Great has finally ended. I didn’t know Alistair well, but he was a friend of a friend.

Varric: One of the Wardens who ended the Fifth Blight. A big hero to a lot of people. He wasn’t the first good man to fall to Corypheus. He won’t be the last. This story’s no good for heroes. [10]

3 - Loghain left in Fade

Varric: I guess the Hero of River Dane’s story finally came to an end. Loghain was the Fereldan ideal, you know? The common boy who freed his kingdom and became a teyrn.

Varric: He helped to end the Fifth Blight. The rest aside, that made him a hero. He wasn’t the first good man to fall to Corypheus. He won’t be the last. This story’s no good for heroes. [10]

4 - Stroud left in Fade

Varric: I knew Stroud, you know. Not well.

Varric (Carver saved): He saved Hawke’s little brother from the Blight. Varric (Bethany saved): He saved Hawke’s little brother from the Blight. Varric (sibling died in deep roads/never went to deep roads): He led the Wardens near Kirkwall.

Varric: Not many people knew who he was, but the man was a hero when it mattered. He wasn’t the first good man to fall to Corypheus. He won’t be the last. This story’s no good for heroes. [10]

10 - Scene continues.

Dialogue options:

General: At least Hawke survived. [11] + Varric slightly approves

General: We heroes might make it. [12] + Varric slightly approves

General: He will be the last. [13] + Varric slightly approves

11 - General: At least Hawke survived. PC: You must be glad that Hawke made it back in one piece. Varric: Yeah. Closest thing I’ve ever seen to a miracle, there.

12 - General: We heroes might make it. PC: Some of us heroes will make it. We’re just too amazing to die. Varric: Well, if we’re both still standing at the end of all this, I’ll buy the drinks.

13 - General: He will be the last. PC: We’re taking down Corypheus before he takes any more lives. Varric: You know, sometimes when you say shit like that, I almost start to believe it.

14 - Scene continues.

Varric: (Sighs.) Hawke asked me to tell everyone back in Kirkwall where [they’re] going.

Varric: (Hawke romanced Anders/no romance, no sibling survived): There’s a bunch of people who probably need to know what’s going on. Varric: (Hawke no romance, Carver alive): I’ll have to let Carver know. I’m sure he’ll take it well. Varric: (Hawke no romance, Bethany alive): I should let Bethany know what’s going on. Varric (Hawke romanced Sebastian): I suppose I have to let Choir Boy know. Varric (Hawke romanced Isabella): Maker’s breath, Isabela’s going to be furious. Varric (Hawke romanced Fenris): Fenris needs to know. Maker, I’m glad I won’t be doing this in person. Varric (Hawke romanced Merrill): I’ll have to let Merrill know.

Varric: I’d better write some letters. Excuse me.

Scene ends.

If talked to again Varric: Sorry, I really need to write some letters. Another time, all right?

#dragon age #dragon age inquisition #dragon age dialogue #dragon age transcripts #dai transcripts #dai dialogue #varric #Varric Tethras #here lies the abyss #hawke #hlta #long post

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giantsreach · 3 years ago

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part of having written carver since like. 2013/14 is that i can never remember which topics i’ve posted meta on but i’m pretty sure i haven’t discussed his banter with fenris in-depth on this blog yet.

i think something that rubs me the wrong way about the way carver and fenris often interact in fan work is that there tends to be an underlying and fundamental misunderstanding about why carver approaches fenris in the manner he does. i’ve seen a lot of carver talking out of his ass to fenris for no reason other than a ) he thinks he knows better, and/or b ) his overly critical eye wants to fault-find. + he’s annoying or smth to that effect. 🙄

these interpretations tend to neglect the actual driving force behind carver interacting with fenris in the first place, and that’s that carver has had little exposure to other warriors. apart from his time in king cailin’s army, he was peerless ( literally ) in his field, and only interacted with his fellow swordspeople when they passed through town via the imperial highway.

now, there is aveline, of course, but the writing makes it clear that aveline takes on the role of yet another older sibling ( or family of a similar, authoritative position ) in his life, and as such, doesn’t quite qualify as a peer in the traditional sense.

this likely isn’t the most flattering way of phrasing it, but carver wants friends. people who he can relate to, who share his interests and background, who find him as compelling as he finds them. carver may seem prickly or sullen in act i ( and he certainly is at times ), but he’s also experiencing two-prongs of isolation:

1 ) cultural, as a fereldan refugee in a city-state that doesn’t try to hide its hatred of foreign asylum-seekers, and 2 ) mundane, as a displaced young man who has never quite fit in at home nor in any village they've settled in, and who has recently lost the family member closest to him, and who watches his surviving sibling pick up new companions left and right as if it’s not at all difficult.

cut to fenris, who is a consummate swordsman. and while carver is initially on edge because he's under the impression fenris could pose a threat to hawke, once the tension is dispelled, he's far from opposed to fenris's presence. if anything, carver is eager for his approval. fenris is, aside from aveline, the only warrior carver gets to spend any considerable amount of time with, and he's singular in his skill and ability. it's plain to see why someone like carver, starved for peers, would want to establish some kind of rapport with someone as exemplary as fenris.

the problem is, naturally, that carver — nineteen and having never learned to read socialize properly, due in equal parts to growing up sheltered as well as having poor self-confidence — cannot stop himself from saying shit that is so mind-blowingly stupid, that it is a wonder fenris was as forbearing as he was. i'm talking about:

Carver: So... this master of yours wants your markings back? Skin and all? Fenris: So his hunters told me. Unwillingly. Carver: So why not cover them up? Wouldn't that make you harder to find? Fenris: Let them come. I am not one to hide. Carver: Still, if it were me— Fenris: It's not. ─────── Carver: So you've really never thought of hiding from those hunters? Fenris: To what end? Carver: So you could, I don't know, have a life? Fenris: What life do you have? There are no hunters after you at all.

i feel like it should be obvious why these banters are in bad taste, so i won’t go into detail to lambaste carver over his blatant ignorance. the dialogue is proof itself, especially considering how little of fenris’s experience carver ( or anyone else for that matter ) can truly comprehend.

what i will do, true to form, is explain that no, carver did not just pull that suggestion, careless as it was, out of his ass. while hawke may or may not do their best to lay low as an apostate, potentially choosing to engage then-knight-captain cullen over the unjust treatment of mages depending on player discretion, carver has internalized how malcolm guided the family. his father taught them to keep their heads down and be prepared to hit the road in case the circle caught scent of them? then that must be the best way to approach it. emotional neglect unfortunately primed carver to idealize and adopt malcolm's choices and general philosophy. this carries over even to legacy, where, regardless of carver's current character arc, carver will agree that malcolm was correct to keep secrets.

so there's fenris, right, who carver believes is in a position similar to that which the hawkes have been in. carver, attempting to help ( as he is wont to do ), wants to share what had worked for them in attaining a semblance of normalcy, not realizing or considering that that is not fenris's foremost goal. hiding is not a one-size fix-all solution, but carver hasn't expanded his horizons well enough to grasp that fully yet.

then there's largest contributors to my secondhand embarrassment in da2:

Carver: You're very different from other elves. Fenris: Oh? You know them all? Carver: No. I just... you look different. There's no denying that. Fenris: It is what I am. And unlike the problems you claim to have, I really did have no choice. Carver: Do we know anyone who isn't brooding every hour of the day? Fenris: Like attracts like, it seems. ─────── Carver: You know, Fenris, I have a tattoo. Fenris: You have a what? Carver: A tattoo. A lot of us got them before Ostagar. It's a Mabari. For strength. Fenris: Does it curse you with the ability to reach into a man and tear out his insides? Carver: Uh. I can make it bark. Fenris: Please don't.

i’ll start with the second one first. at its heart, the tattoo banter hearkens back to the fact carver wants to feel like he has something in common with someone. yes, it is cringe. but it’s also misguidedly sweet, and on top of that, it’s something carver also tries to do with merrill, who carver arguably has the friendliest dynamic with out of hawke’s crew.

Carver: Your people came a long way Merrill, but I like to think that we have Ferelden in common. Merrill: I never saw Lothering. Did you walk as much as we did? Probably more, you didn't start with halla. Our ship stunk. Carver: Your ship? Merrill: There was something foul in the hold. I can still smell it. Carver: Oh, well, that must have been unpleasant. Merrill: It was. Did I miss something dirty again? Carver: No.

speaking of parallels, the “you’re very different from other elves” dialogue mirrors this one with merrill:

Carver: So, you're not like a lot of other girls. Merrill: No, I'm an elf. Carver: Right. Alright then. Merrill: Oh, did I miss something dirty? Carver: What? No! It wasn't dirty. It wasn't anything.

yes, i took 42069 points of psychic damage from reading that too. but the main takeaway from this is that carver is trying, poorly, to make the two people he thinks he could be friends with feel like they’re special. ( you know, like how carver wishes he was. lol. ) to disastrous results. but i think it’s more than worth mentioning that the intent behind his conversation-making is never once condescending.

and it’s not like carver lacks self-awareness, either. after he becomes a warden and returns to the party for mark of the assassin, he admits he lacked polish.

Aveline: I'm glad you found a place with the Wardens. Carver: Well, it's not the city guard, but it'll do. Aveline: Carver... it wasn't the place for you. Carver: No, it's all right. It is. It cost a lot, but I get it. I really was a bit of a tit those days, wasn't I?

Carver: So, we're lost. Varric: Just like old times. Carver: Maker, I hope not. I was an ass. Varric: (laughs) Fair comment, Junior. All right, let's get this done.

and specifically to fenris:

Carver: Orlesians. Can't build a hallway without turning it into a maze. Fenris: Keep going. I'm sure your training will kick in any moment. Carver: Still don't like me? I've tried to change. Fenris: You have. Now you're dangerous. Let's move.

i don’t know how to end this nearly 1.5k meta, so tl;dr i guess

#( here it is the 1.5k carver re fenris meta i've had brainworms over for litr years #at this rate i'll have one for anders merrill fenris and aveline by 2023 afhouwehd #anyway. first day of work is slow )#( miscellaneous ╱ outofchara. )#( re: study ╱ headcanon. )

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writingfromkitchenator · 4 years ago

Text

Varric ~ I’m Glad You’re My Favourite

1,300 Followers Challenge!

Requested by Anon

Words: 1,641

Warnings: Human reader, mild violence, dragons, minor injuries and description of fighting, mild sexual references.

If there was one person that hated the deep roads more than Varric, it was you. Why anyone ever thought that any sort of quest down here was a good idea, you really wished you could answer, but, here you were again, for whatever reason.

Your tongue clicked against your teeth. “I don't want to be the one to say it, but it's awfully quiet down here.”

It was true, the four of you'd been walking for a while, but there'd been no sign of anything, let alone darkspawn.

“Don't test our luck that much,” Varric said. I prefer the quiet.”

“I thought you preferred a loud noisy tavern?”

“You know what I mean.”

“If you two are done,” Fenris said quietly. “I prefer the silence so I can hear if anything approaching.”

“Agreed,” Bethany said. “There's just something not right about this.”

“We could've insisted in Blondie coming,” Varric said back to them. “He is a walking darkspawn detector.”

Fenris snorts and Bethany rolls her eyes.

“Come on,” You said, grinning. “Let's just keep moving. The sooner we're in and out, the better.”

The four of you continued quietly, eyes scanning over every dark corner you came across.

You stopped and held up a hand, stopping them. “Wait here.”

Slipping into the shadows, you quickly disappeared from sight, leaving the three of them looking very uncomfortable.

Varric's finger twitches over the trigger of Bianca, eyes scanning the shadows for you, not liking you being too far out of sight.

Fenris's hand rests on his shoulder. “Easy Varric.”

“I don't like this,” Varric growled. “Something about this makes me very uneasy.”

Fenris just nods in agreement, following Varric's gaze on where you'd gone.

Bethany took a few steps forward, tilting her head a little. “Do you hear that?”

There was a low shuffling, barely audible, but enough that the sound carried through the empty halls, making all of them tense.

You reappeared, quickly pressing a finger to your lips as they all went question what was happening. Silently, you beckon them, but also signalling them to be quiet.

There was a large hall ahead of them, and within the hall was about three baby dragons.

“Shit,” Varric muttered. “Please tell me you haven't seen the mother.”

“She just flew off,” You said quietly, watching the dragons intently. “If we're careful, we can make it through without drawing any attention.”

“Is there no way around?” Bethany asked. “It seems like a big risk for little reward.”

You shake your head slowly. “All the other passages are blocked. This is it.”

The four of them watch for a long moment, watching the baby dragons move about, seeing exactly what the small dragons were doing.

“Come on,” You said quietly. “We shouldn't linger too long.”

They let you lead the way down and to the side, keeping as far from them as possible and all silently hoping that they wouldn't catch your scent.

“Almost there,” You whispered, more to yourself than the others. “Just a few more-"

There was a roar that caused all of you to freeze mid step, suddenly very aware that you may have just gotten a dragons attention.

“Here she comes!” Varric was first to call. “Can I suggest running?”

You quickly look at the distance between yourselves and the door, then at between you and the dragon. “I think it's going to be too late for that.”

No sooner had you said it than the dragon landed in front of you, roaring in challenge, all your weapons at the ready.

“I blame you for this.” Varric growled to you and you just shoot him a grin.

“Well, you can't complain there's a dull moment.”

With Varric and Bethany attacking from a distance, you and Fenris took the dragon head on. It hadn't been your smartest idea, but you figured that stealth wasn't going to be much good when it knew you were there.

The real problem came when the baby dragons attacked too, distracting you from the swiping claws, gnashing teeth and roars of fire from the big one. While they were young, their bites were still painful, a loud grunt from Fenris quickly telling you that, and even after he cleanly chopped its head off, it still remain clinging to his leg for a few a moments.

This then made the big dragon madder.

“I think she likes you Fenris,” You said, laughing, unable to help it, even as you leapt away from a furious swipe of its claws. “Maybe you can make her stop attacking too?”

“Or,” He snarled, kicking the head away. “You could stop joking and attack it too.”

“Where's the fun in that?” Varric shouted, taking out the other baby dragon with a clean shot, Bethany freezing the third one behind him.

“Don't start!” Fenris snapped and leapt back into the main fight.

Now that all attention could be directed towards the main dragon, the four of you were quickly wearing it down, which seemed to just be making it angrier, and it's attacks started to grow wild.

You bolted and slid underneath it to avoid an attack, your dagger coming up and embedding hard into the base of its neck, making it roar and raise up on its back legs. The dagger slipped from your grasp and you quickly cursed and dodged out of the way, glaring at the dragon as you spun your remaining dagger in hand.

“Don't do anything stupid Y/N.” Varric said, eyeing you carefully as you landed next to him. “We don't need you getting hurt.”

“That's my favourite dagger.”

“And you're my favourite human. I'd rather lose a dagger than you.”

You shoot him a grin. “Then you better cover me.”

Varric doesn't get a chance to answer as you dart forward, the dragon distracted by Fenris, going straight for your dagger, hoping to finally put an end to this fight.

Unfortunately, the quick movement seemed more than enough to get the dragons attention, its tail whipping out and catching you straight across the chest, sending you flying back, completely winded and you were sure with several broken ribs.

The dragon stalked towards you, unfazed by the shouts and attacks from the others. In a few short strides, it was over you, and before you can move a heavy foot pins you down.

All air is knocked from your lungs, you can't even scream as its head lowers towards you, a low, furious hiss sounding through its teeth.

You buried your remaining dagger into its foot, your only remaining defence, but this just made it bare its fangs, the hiss turning to a growl, and you had a brief moment of panic, thinking that this would be it.

Smoke began to billow from its mouth and you tried to squirm free, not feeling like ending up as a fried piece of meat today.

Movement caught the corner of your eye, but before you could focus on it, Varric was standing far to close for comfort.

“Eat this you over grown lizard!”

His shot was clean and accurate, and almost instant kill as the dragon roared, rearing up again, enough time for you to slip away, before collapsed back down, dust filling the air.

You drew in several deep breathes, coughing in the dust, staring at the fallen form of the dragon. “Good shot.”

Varric snorts and shoots you a look. “Was there much doubt when I was that close?”

Grinning, you shake your head. “It was still risky, rather foolish of you really.”

“I'll take that as a thank you,” he shoulder Bianca and heads to the dragon, tugging free your two daggers. “And see, your little daggers are still intact.”

You take his hand when he offers it. “Whole good, what about your safety?”

Varric shoots you a grin, his gaze earnest. “A man in love does not concern himself with safety.”

Behind him, Fenris rolls his eyes as Bethany gives a small giggle, you beaming as Varric.

“I'll try to remember that, I'd hate to have anything happen to my favourite dwarf.”

The snort cuts off Varric's story and his gaze quickly finds you seated a table or two away, your smirk hidden behind your mug of ale, the several patrons around Varric looking a little confused.

Varric grins. “As I was saying, we killed the dragon, found the treasure, and got ourselves free from the deep roads, hopefully for a long time this time, and that concludes our latest adventure.”

One patron was frowning at Varric. “Do you really expect us to believe that you and-"

“He's my favourite dwarf,” You cut over the patron. “So absolutely.”

They stared at you, a little in disbelief, but after a few more quick words from Varric, they moved off, seemingly impressed.

He joins you. “You almost ruined the ending.”

Chuckling, you drain the rest of your mug. “You're such a sap Varric, have I ever told you that?”

Varric smiles and shakes his head. “What do you want me to say? I can hardly use the words I actually said now, can I?”

“Well, it certainly would've gotten a rise out of them,” You thought on your word choice for a moment before breaking into a smirk. “Literally.”

Chuckling, Varric calls for two more drinks. “I meant it at the time, and, if my memory recalls, I made it up to you.”

“You mean I made it up to you,” You clink your mugs together. “I’m glad you’re my favourite, sappy dwarf, Varric.”

He leans over and presses a kiss to your cheek. “And I’m very glad that nothing’s managed to kill my favourite human yet, Y/N, I don’t know what I’d do without you.”

“Tell less exciting stories, that’s for sure.”

Varric laughs and nods. “You know, for once I’m not going to disagree with you.”

#dragon age #dragon age 2 #human reader #varric tethras #varric x reader #short #drabbles #1300 followers challenge

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squeakedout · 4 years ago

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ooo how about 1, 2, 3, 23, 24, 27, 28 for he protag asks? 👀

LET'S GOOOOO

1. What would your Warden generally think of your Hawke and your inquisitor?

oooooh man. Hera would think Athena is well meaning if not a little dumb. She'd also think she takes on too much responsibility for things that ultimately were out of her control/not her fault. They'd get along pretty well, I can see Hera developing a soft spot for her!

As for Circe, I think she'd KIND OF HAVE PETTY BEEF WITH HER FOR PUTTING ALISTAIR IN DANGER LMAOOOO. Like, NOT A LOT. BUT IT'S THERE. That aside, she'd probably relate to her quite a bit re: being suddenly responsible for major decisions and being tasked with saving the world. I think they'd probably banter a lot.

Speaking of banter, I have written banter for them as a fun little exercise!

2. What would your Hawke generally think of your warden and your Inquisitor?

Hawke has a lot of respect for Hera as the HOF, Especially since I have the personal canon that Hawke was at the actual battle of Ostagar with Carver and literally picked him up and started running when she realized shit was going sour. She'd have a lot of sympathy for her and what happened since she experienced part of it first hand.

Hawke thinks Circe's WAY TOO RELAXED ABOUT ALL OF THIS, which is HILARIOUS coming from Ms. Copes With Stressful Situations Through Humor. They don't get off on the best foot, but Athena trusts Varric's judgement and they warm up to each other eventually. I think part of it is that they're two people who are kind of similar but crucially different if that makes sense and that can lead to some issues!

3. What would your Inquisitor generally think of your warden and your Hawke?

I like to think Circe is pretty much the standard Yeah She's Cool And She Saved The World viewpoint until they properly meet. Though I do love the concept of her reading that vaguely threatening letter about keeping Alistair safe and being like "oh, she definitely will kill me in the dead of night if anything happens to this man. noted. I respect that."

As for Hawke, she and Circe actually don't get along initially! I think Circe would be jealous of how close Hawke and Varric are in a very childish way HAHA, pre-conclave Circe used to read romance novels in secret and she was a BIG fan of Swords And Shields and ends up befriending Varric after the initial AHHHHH wears off. Once they get to know each other a bit and open up to each other things change. Of course, then Here Lies The Abyss happens...

23. How old were each of your protagonists at the start of their respective games? Do you think their age affected the choices they made? Looking back would they have done any major action differently?

Hera: 20/21 - I think growing up in the circumstances she grew up in made her more used to making hard choices, but even then she really isn't a mature/old soul type. I think Hera starts the game off basically hardened and gets softened through the course of the story. In her initially play through, I had her kill Cauthrien, so I think in future play throughs I won't have her do that but in the current canon it is a big regret of hers because at that point she's only killing when it's absolutely necessary.

Athena: 20 - and OH GOD YEAH. I think everything with Bethany was one of Athena's greatest regrets to the point that it actively influenced the rest of my play through sdjfdjgjdfjgjfd. That being said, I don't think she'd handle it any differently, I think taking Bethany to the Deep Roads and having her become a Warden was/is an integral part of her story. Kind of kicks off a series of actions she feels directly responsible for and tries to atone for to the point of self destruction.

Circe: 27/28 - Circe starts off pretty purposely immature and unwilling to step up to the plate and evolves into someone who realizes that if she stays the way she is the consequences will affect more than just herself. I can't think of anything major she would do differently, but she would probably have been less antagonistic and childish when the Inquisition first started. (That being said I still play her like that in game because the character evolution is FUN FOR ME TO SEE)

24. How do each of your protagonists handle loss?

I do not need to separate this answer because it is the same for all of them: BADLY. NOT WELL. Hera would absolutely go on a revenge murder quest of some kind for anyone she loves, Athena will always think that she can save everyone and if she can't it is directly because of her own shortcomings, and Circe spins out into anger.

27. What would their fears on the graves in the fade during Here Lies The Abyss be?

oooof.

Hera: Losing her loved ones.

Athena: Being left alone.

Circe: Her legacy being used against her people/being forgotten as an individual.

28. What is their favourite location within their own game and what would be their favourite in each others?

Hera really liked Denerim, it being a big city and near the ocean. I like to think that as she got used to the surface she ended up really liking lakes/rivers/large bodies of water. In Kirkwall she'd probably like the Hanged Man, and in DAI she'd probably love the Storm Coast!

Athena's favorite place was, for obvious reasons, the Hanged Man! In DAO I...want to say pre-blight Lothering. DAI I think she'd love Skyhold.

Circe's fave place in DAI is Skyhold as a whole, though she does love any/all wooded and mountainous areas. In DAO she'd love the Brecilian Forest, in Kirkwall she'd definitely love the Hanged Man too HAHA

#hera brosca #athena hawke #circe lavellan #I AM SO SORRY THIS TOOK SO LONG TO ANSWER

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much-obliged-timothy · 4 years ago

Text

Whumptober #23

Dragon Age - #23 - Exhaustion

Dorian stood at Lavellan’s side as he talked with the villagers. Dorian could see the hunch in his shoulders, the bags under his eyes. Lavellan had been on the move almost constantly, and even when they stopped to rest, he’d sneak outside to light a small fire and write letters to their allies, or to groups they wanted as allies.

He’d also been caught off-guard by enemies this morning, and had to fight his way out alone. All because Dorian, Cassandra, and Varric had been sleeping, blissfully unaware that their Inquisitor was fighting for his life just half a mile from the camp.

“I...apologize,” Lavellan said, lightly pressing a hand to his head. “Could you repeat that part, please?”

“Oh. We’d be willing to trade with the Inquisition, but we want protection in exchange,” the villager said again. “We have a good swordsmith who could repair your forces’ weapons, as well.”

“I’ll send word to the Inquisition immediately, and let you know their answer. I’d expect they’ll agree to those terms. We’ll be in touch. Thank you for your time,” Lavellan said.

“Inquisitor,” the man said, shooting a nervous look to Dorian. He’d been flicking his gaze to Dorian the whole conversation, and Dorian had been waiting for this moment. He’d known it was just a matter of time. “We’d prefer not to have Tevinter mages here. We don’t approve of blood magic and-”

“Wonderful! Then we have something to bond over,” Dorian said.

Dorian saw Lavellan’s temper, usually so controlled, flare up. Before Lavellan could speak, Dorian subtly kicked him in the ankle.

“I am the only Tevinter mage gracing the Inquisition, to my knowledge,” Dorian said. “And I find permanent stations quite boring, so you’ve nothing to fear. I’ll be leaving alongside the Inquisitor, and quite promptly if I may insist.”

“Dorian will not be stationed here. He’s part of my inner circle. I keep my most trusted men close to my side,” Lavellan said, and the villager winced a little at the bite in his words. “As I said: We’ll be in touch.”

Lavellan walked away, and Dorian followed alongside him. When they were a fair distance away, Dorian rested his hand on Lavellan’s arm.

“Easy, Amatus,” he said. “I’m quite used to those reactions.”

“You shouldn’t be,” Lavellan said angrily.

“And you shouldn’t be used to being called knife-ear, but I see it pass right over you. There’s nothing to be done about it,” Dorian said, squeezing his arm. “You need to rest. You’re so tired that you were about to fight that man for my honor. I’m flattered, naturally, but we can’t have you picking fights with potential allies just because they confuse me for a blood mage. I mean, honestly, all I do is practice necromancy.”

“Oh yes, much more reassuring to them,” Lavellan said.

They left the village and began walking along. It was warm out today, which didn’t seem to be helping Lavellan stay awake.

“Amatus,” Dorian said, pulling him to a stop. “I’m aware you’re a very busy man, but promise me you’ll sleep when we get back to camp? I’ll write the letter to the Inquisition. You did just say I’m one of your most trusted men.”

“I do trust you, Dorian. Of course I do. But this is my responsibility,” Lavellan said.

“No. Your responsibility is looking after yourself. Let us help you,” Dorian said. “I can write letters quite well. And if you don’t sleep willingly soon, I will have Cassandra knock you the fuck out. Just a fair warning.”

“I’m fine,” Lavellan insisted. “I know my limits, Dorian.”

“That is a lie if I’ve ever heard one,” Dorian said. “And, let’s not forget-”

A loud roar had them both freezing. They glanced at each other in dread.

“It’s a bear, isn’t it?” Lavellan whispered.

“It’s a bloody bear,” Dorian said miserably.

“Oh, hell, I hate the Hinterlands,” Lavellan said, grabbing his staff and spinning around as the bear charged at both of them.

They dove to the side, and Dorian wondered why the hell that’d come alone. Cassandra would’ve been a wonderful person to have with them at the moment.

Lavellan cast fireballs at the bear, trying to scorch its fur. He only succeeded in angering the bear, though, and it let out an angry snarl before beginning to charge at him.

He tried to dodge out of the way, but he staggered. The bear slammed into him, and he cried out as he was thrown back, hitting the ground hard and losing his grip on his staff.

“He didn’t survive all this shit just to die to a bear!” Dorian snapped, letting his magic slam into the bear.

Lavellan wouldn’t normally make such mistakes. He almost always started off a battle by throwing up a barrier of fire to keep enemies back, and he was usually quick on his feet. But he was exhausted, and the fight this morning had left him battered and drained.

The bear abandoned Lavellan to charge at Dorian. Dorian would never understand how the damn things were so sturdy. Hit anything else with magic, and you could kill it pretty quickly. Bears? Bears you could light on fire, stab through the head, and drop a building on and they’d still come back for more.

Dorian leapt out of the way of the bear and cast his magic at it with a fury that had come from seeing Lavellan’s weakened state. He was working so damn hard, and they just kept demanding more from him. They were making him believe that it was all on his shoulders, that he was weak if he asked for help. They wanted one man to save all of Thedas, and to hell with what those expectations did to him physically or mentally.

“Dorian! Watch out!”

A fireball sailed past Dorian and struck the bear, making it stagger away from Dorian. Dorian used the opportunity to finish the bear off with a final thrust of magic, and was relieved when it fell to the ground dead.

Dorian hurried over to Lavellan, who had sat up and was rubbing his shoulder. He looked up as Dorian reached him.

“I’m alright. Just banged my shoulder,” he said, holding his hand out.

Dorian took it and hauled Lavellan to his feet. Rather than head towards the camp, he led Lavellan to a large tree, taking shelter under the shade of it.

“Dorian?” Lavellan said in confusion.

Dorian sat down and pulled Lavellan down with him. “Twenty minutes. Just sleep for twenty minutes, and then we’ll head back to camp and I’ll write that letter while you get proper rest. But you’re going to give me a heart attack if you keep trying to carry on at this level of exhaustion.” Lavellan opened his mouth to argue, and Dorian lightly pressed his hand over it. “Please, Amatus. You’re worrying me. Please rest, just for a bit. I promise the world won’t end just because you’re sleeping for twenty minutes.”

Lavellan had the slightest hint of relief on his face. Dorian’s eyes softened and he pulled Lavellan against himself.

“Let us help you. You can’t do this alone, and you can’t do this if you’re too tired to even fight a bear,” Dorian said, kissing his head. “Believe me, Amatus. I will never judge you for needing to take a break. I quite like breaks. I encourage them greatly.”

“Twenty minutes,” Lavellan agreed, lying down and settling his head in Dorian’s lap. “If you promise to wake me in twenty minutes, I’ll sleep properly at the camp while you write that letter.”

“Deal,” Dorian said, running his fingers through Lavellan’s hair. “I’ll keep an eye on the world and make sure it doesn’t tear itself apart while you sleep.”

“Thank you, Dorian,” he said, closing his eyes.

Exhaustion overcame him quickly, and he was out in moments. Dorian continued to run his hand through Lavellan’s hair, relieved at the sound sleep he’d fallen into. He’d make sure Lavellan took care of himself, and he’d make damn sure Lavellan didn’t have to tackle any of this alone.

#dragon age #dorian x inquisitor #dorian pavus #Inquisitor Lavellan #whumptober2020 #no.23 #exhaustion #fic #dragon age fanfic #jtdoeswhumptober #My writing #my post

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w-h-4-t · 4 years ago

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Oh Sweet Maker, there’s two of them

Basically @mfmoonbear has an OC (an elf mage named Yelisavita Lavellan) and so do I (an Qunari elf mage named Fen’Harel Adaar). Now they’re here together in a story. A n g e r y co-Inquisitor AU here. Rivalry +100.

They get along. Sometimes.

LET’S GET READY TO RUMBLE!

***

Due to its Andrastian nature, Skyhold was more than just a battle fortress. It was also a tribute to the Maker; the garden was often peaceful as the Chantry mothers swung censures while muttering the Chant of Light. However, Skyhold was also a refuge for all kind of people, including the polytheists of the Dales.

“DIRTHAMEN’S SHADOWY NUTSACK WHAT THE FUCK”

One such example rang through the courtyard as four pairs of feet kicked up dust mid-run. There was a race happening, as usual, between two very competitive people, both dubbed Inquisitor. Yelisavita and Fen’Harel got along well enough at first. Though their time together in Haven was drought with cat fighting they grew to mutually respect each other.

That, however, did nothing to stop their competitive nature.

It all started as a simple ‘race you to the War Room’ which was turning into an all-out mage battle royale. Both Harel and Yel made their way up the steps leading to the Main Hall, shoving each other before Harel caught the small elf in a headlock.

“YOU CHEATING BASTARD!” she screamed, making her face as red as her Valaslin, “LET ME GO!!!”

Harel switched her tactic, looping her arms around Yel before throwing her from the steps, “Make a barrier this time else you’ll get some bad bruises!”

Giggling like an ass, Harel continued up the stairs, hopping over several steps at a time before she felt something cold take hold of her legs. At once, the Qunari elf listed forward before catching herself, attempting to yank her legs from its new icy prison.

“You little fuckin-” Harel started.

“Fucking what? Cheater? I didn’t cheat first, remember?” Yel interjected with a smile as she jogged back up the steps, taking her time before stopping by Harel, “Aw is the Dread Wolf stuck? Do you need help puppy?”

A menacing stare shot from the half-Qunari as her body began shaking. Soon enough, the ice began hissing as little wisps of flames licked out from Harel’s skin, eating away the ice.

“I’m a mage too, you fuck,” Harel growled

Yel simply smiled, coating her hand in a slick sheet of ice before reaching up to pat the angry co-Inquisitor’s cheek, “Uh-huh, I see that. Have fun with that ice, it’s extra reinforced for shitheads like you.”

Flinching at the cold touch, Harel pulled back before focusing to burn the ice away; Yel jogged up the stairs, only turning around for one second to mouth I win.

Oh that fucking does it.

Summoning every drop of magic in her bones, Harel blasted the ice chunks away, scaring quite a few people and earning a far away cheer from someone in particular.

“BEAT HER ASS!!!!” Sera yelled from the tavern rooftop, “SORRY YEL BUT I’M ROOTIN’ FER THE TALL ONE!!!”

Hearing the aftermath, Yel turned around slowly, green eyes shining with surprise. Harel shook the chips of ice from her feet before giving her signature wide-eyed, wide grin.

“You heard her,” Harel said as she began clomping up the stairs, “I’m gonna beat YOUR ASSSSSSSS!!!!”

Now, Yelisavita was a powerful and highly dangerous mage. She survived a great deal of trauma and death. Crawling out of Haven’s ruins, she proved she was indeed walking in the Maker’s Light despite being an Alienage elf.

In that moment, however, Yel was a fennec in the eyes of a hyena. One would think she’d be careful now that she’d angered the other mage.

“Says the idiot caught in a simple ice spell.” Yel antagonized before leaping away, breaking into a sprint.

Summoning another bout of magic, Harel brought forth ice, Faade Stepping in a blue blur past the stairs and into the Main Hall. Unfortunately for Harel’s dumbass, Yel had caught on, Fade Stepping in tandem past her.

Varric had to hold down his many Merchant’ Guild letters as the two flew past, his hands gripping the many pages tightly, “HEY! Can’t a dwarf do some paper mache in peace?”

Back to shoving each other, Harel and Yel scrapped with Yel’s hands around Harel’s horns and Harel’s own trying to push the elf away.

“NO!” they shouted together at Varric, on the same page for once.

The black bones of Harel’s horns began to smoke as Yel funnelled fire into her hands.

‘YOU LITTLE SHIT!” Harel said before finally pushing her off, “Did you just try to burn off my fucking horns??!!!”

Harel in turn pushed the office doors open, noticing the absence at the desk before breaking into a sprint. Kicking in the office exit, Harel opened the door just in time to see Yel cracking the War Room entry open.

Using the opportunity, Yel took off once more, diving through the Ambassador’s office towards the War Room.

“GET BACK HERE!!!!”

Instead of saying some crude quip, Harel continued running, pulling magic from her body once more to Fade Step, meeting Yel halfway as she flew forward in a blue streak. The Alienage elf turned back at the last second, her green eyes once again wide in surprise as Harel leapt forward, grabbing Yel and sending them both tumbling through the door. They rolled, pulling each other’s hair and scrabbling like wet cats before someone cleared their throat.

“Good day, Inquisitors,” Cullen said, raising his voice to cut off the tail end of their argument, “I see everyone is in high spirits.”

For a moment, the two stayed the way they were with Yel’s hands around Harel’s throat and Harel’s hand pushing Yel’s face back.

Releasing her grip, Yel pushed Harel’s face back, shoving her into the ground before getting up. She gave a great smile as she dusted herself off, moving to take her place at the War Table.

“Good day, Commander,” she said with a smile, a light blush painting pink shades around her Valaslin.

Cullen smiled back, gripping the pommel of his sword before looking away, also blushing just a bit.

“FUCKIN-” Harel shouted as she moved off the ground, interrupting what was supposed to be a lovely moment, “I will put my foot so far up your a-”

Another throat cleared, this time, from the very end of the War Table.

“Harel,” Josephine assuaged, “I will kindly ask that you show a modicum of decorum. Thank you.”

Scrunching up her face, Harel looked between Yel and Josephine, at first settling on the elf’s smug grin before staring at the lovely Antivan.

“Lucky little fuck,” Harel muttered as she took her place next to Yel, “Damn fuckin lucky that Josie’s here or else I’d-”

“You’d what? Cry at me, wolf?” Yel replied, her smug grin only growing wider.

And once again, the flames of rivalry grew, fanning into an inferno as static crackled in Harel’s palms and fire spun around Yel’s body.

“YOU ARE NOT CHILDREN” Leliana shouted, clapping her hands, her eyes glistening like vicious sapphires, “So for Andraste’s sake, stop fighting like infants! Behave yourself!”

Yel and Harel differed in many ways but there was one thing they agreed on. Leliana was scary and when that Orlesian had enough of their shit, it was time to stand straight, shut up and do their job.

“E-emerald Graves,” Harel stuttered, looking at Yel, “Thinking we could go to the Graves to do...do that thing…”

Yel nodded before staring at the map, trying her best not to look up at Leliana, “We should go to the Hissing Waste’s actually but sure….sure….The Graves sounds...important too.”

At the opposite end of the table, Josephine sidled up to Cullen, finishing the last flourish of her letter before whispering, “ Our paramours continue to be interesting, do they not?” she dips the quill in ink, writing another line, “However, it would be preferable if they did not fight so much. It is indeed troubling for our reputation when they scrap in the public eye.”

Cullen sighs as he looks at Yel, watching her brush back a strand of strawberry blonde hair before pushing a map marker away from Harel’s hand, “ They’re not so bad, Ambassador. My sisters and I fought in a similar way, but because we hated each other. I think they’ll be fine.”

Turning away from her clipboard, Josephine looked at Harel who continued trying to pick up the map marker, only to have it shoved away, “Perhaps you are correct. Maybe they are growing to be friends.”

“IF YOU PUSH THAT MARKER ONE MORE TIME I SWEAR ON ANDRUIL’S SWEATY TIT’S I’LL SKIN YOU ALIVE!!!!”

“Oh, you want to lose again, pup? Don’t go crying to your prissy little bedbuddy -I mean no disrespect Ambassador- ” Yel stops for a moment, looking at Josephine before turning to Harel once more, “when I tan your hide faster than you can say Mythal.”

“Inquisitor-” Cullen starts before Harel shoots a glare at him.

“Don’t even try it, Curly!”

“DON’T TALK TO HIM LIKE THAT!” Yel shouts back, giving the taller half-elf a shove.

And once more, a fight broke out in the War Room as all three Advisors watched the pair roll around on the floor. One would say they were akin to a wolf and a lioness fighting when in fact they were just two aggressive nugs duking it out.

Today was just one of those days where they didn’t get along more than usual. Hopefully, soon they’d be back to some kind of mutual idiocy with Yel on Harel’s shoulders, steering the half-Qunari around by the horns before they’d both fall down some hill.

Josephine and Cullen, though different in many aspects both thought the same thing as they watched their other halves fight.

Maker help me and my competitive girlfriend.

#Harel: *breathes* Yel: (+999 Rivalry)#birds of a feather fight forever #dragon age ocs #Yelisavita Lavellan #Fen'Harel Adaar #dragon age fic #dragon ag drabble #dai fanfic #da:i fanfic #mage inquisitor #inquisitors #Qunari elf #elf inquisitor #qunari inquisitor

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strivingscribe · 4 years ago

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ILIC ~ CH 31

It’s Lost Its Charm by MsMoon

Chapter 31 ~ A Multi-Pronged Attack Plan

Chapters: 31/?

Chapter Navigation: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15,16, 17, 18,19,20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31,

Fandom: Dragon Age: Inquisition, Dragon Age,

Rating: Explicit

Warnings: Violence,

Relationships: I feel like it’s a little early for that…

Summary: Now that Amy's awake, it's time to hammer out some plans...

Magpie had left Siheta and Bull in the Chantry, sprinting towards Amy's new room. She was relieved to see Tunan and Tunen more presentable than they had been... Not that Tunan was much of a chore in the mornings. He was mostly quiet, needing time to wake up fully before being ready to converse with anyone... Tunen on the other hand. She was a feral cat and needed expert care after waking otherwise you'd get swiped.

“Hey! Good. You're both up. Uh...” she stuttered in place, trying to think of what to say next exactly. “There's a council meeting right now, but if you guys wanted to wait in the tavern—”

“Council meeting?” Tunan asked, his voice conveying a sense of puzzling concern.

“Yes. With Amy being...well, back. Mostly. Everyone's gathering to discuss...things.” she shrugged.

“When are we leaving?” Tunen interrupted.

“What?” Magpie felt as cold as everything in her seeped into a deep dread. Leaving?

“Yes, leaving, as in returning home.” Tunen clarified. Had she asked out loud? She must've.

“I'm... not leaving.” Magpie announced, incredulous.

The twins did that thing that they do from time to time where they exchanged a glance that held layers of communication. Magpie could read Tunen's frustration along with Tunan's (strangely smug?) acceptance. It was endearing because she was able to read it...it was also irritating.

One of Tunan's fingers twitched towards his sister. “Um. Why not?” he asked haltingly. “I mean...”

“We came here to find you.” Tunen follows, her manner abrupt. Clearly, it's still too early for her to stray away from that hissing cat inside of her.

“And I appreciate that.” Magpie said.

“Can I just..” Tunan was now actually holding his hand up towards Tunen, attempting to cage the beast. “Can I ask...why you want to stay?”

Magpie blinked at him. “I mean.. you did. Just now.” His expression fell, as if to say, ‘really? now? you're doing this now?’. If she was being honest, she'd have to admit that she was stalling, because...

Because this was an out. She could leave. But she didn't want to... and now she needed to ask herself why.

“I mean... the Inquisition is in a position to actually fix the problem.” The typical excuse was the easiest to fall back to.

“What problem?” Tunen asked.

“Uhhh! The breach? All the breaches?”

“OK, so...” Tunan stepped in again, apparently taking on the role as mediator. “You think the Inquisition can help, and you want to be a part of that?” he asked, and Magpie at least felt like he was genuinely interested in her response.

She took a deep breath and tried to settle herself. “I think... I think...yeah.”

Great work there. So eloquent.

“Look, I just feel like... I need to be here.”

Tunen had been staring at her in complete befuddlement. Her eyes twitched towards her brother, and she deflated with a sigh at the look of obvious reproach on his face.

“Just... tell me you're not doing this for the shems.” Tunen grumbled.

Magpie felt her back teeth grind. Something about that statement rankled her, but she's fighting to keep that from showing.

“I am in a position to help. And I want to stay for me.”

“What makes you think they'd allow you to do anything worth doing anyway?” Tunen countered. “And even if you did do anything worth doing, what makes you think they’d let you own it?”

“Look, I'm technically working for Amy, here.” Magpie argued, dismissively. “That carries a lot of weight.” And that much was true. Even though Magpie wasn’t really working for Amy, she’d managed to convince others that she was… and when people heard that, they kind of fell in line.

“Yeah, and who's she anyway?” Tunen continued, not at all impressed. “Until I got here and you started talking about her, I had never heard of her.”

"Well, she's a big deal right now to everyone.” Magpie snapped.

She couldn't help but notice that Tunan kept turning between the two of them, a single hand stretched in both directions, though his focus shifted as each of them spoke.

“According to who? And for how long? I swear, these shems just give out shit and then take it away. That’s what they do. What assurances do you have that any progress you've made is safe or will last?”

“Alright.” Tunan's voice was very deep, and he typically kept his tone low. Now was one of those rare times his voice felt as though it boomed simply because he wasn't trying to sound docile anymore. The boom of his unfiltered voice shocked even him. He cleared his throat, and lowered his voice again. “Let's take a breath... and remember that we are all here for each other.” he reminded, as though he were attempting to sooth a pair of caged beasts.

“I... want to stay.” Magpie announced, feeling the truth of that and the weight behind it even if she wasn’t certain the motivations in the statement yet. “This has become important to me, and I feel like I am not done here. I appreciate that you came all this way; and I am sorry that I'm the only one that was here, and I'm not being as cooperative as you'd like.”

“That's not—” Tunen began, but couldn’t really finish her thought.

“But!... It all boils down to me not wanting to leave yet.”

At that Tunan nodded, giving his sister a placating look. His head tilting, his brow peaking in his version of puppy dog eyes. She sighed at that, the fight mostly taken out of her.

Tunen shrugged, reluctantly. “Well... at least it's interesting here.”

Tunan continued nodding as well, seemingly relieved.

“But we aren't going to keep sleeping on the floor, are we?” Tunen pleaded.

Magpie chuckled, shaking her head. “Doubtful.”

“Well, that's a relief.” Tunan murmured, preaching against the wall now that he didn't feel the need to dive between the two of them as a negotiator. “And your Amy is pleasant enough.”

‘for a shem.’ Went unsaid, but Magpie had a feeling that was very much felt. Even if Tunan didn’t voice it as much as Tunen, he had never been overly fond of operating near or with humans.

But that was a discussion for another day.

“Great.” Magpie said. “Good talk. Now...if you'll excuse me. I have a meeting to get to.”

“Oooh. Fancy.” Tunen cooed, her tension seemingly defused now that they’d talked.

With a soft snort Magpie left them, making her way to the council chamber. She was relieved that the map room was enormous (at least in comparison to Josie's office) and that she wasn't the last one here.

Seeing Amy was a bit of a shock. She was between Josephine and Leliana — odd because they usually flanked the table at opposite ends. Cullen was glaring down at the map. Madame de Fer was there as well, near Leliana's usual spot.

Magpie was a little shocked to find Amy in...well...nice clothes. Amy always had to make do with whatever she could find. Seeing her in something fitted was...strange.

She was wearing a very delicate looking white tunic with long sleeves that billowed, but over that was a tightly fitted dark leather vest, very tailored breeches, and knee-high boots. There were various straps and belts, both to keep things in place and to string sheaths onto.... Her hair was mostly down. The braid had been undone, a thick ponytail hanging low on the nape of her neck while errant curls leaked out to frame her face....

She looked good. Even better, she looked…healthy. Not leaning or waning as Magpie had seen after her previous episodes.

Thankfully, Magpie noticed Sehita in the shadows behind Amy. The towering woman caught Magpie's eye and nodded for her to join them. That put a halt on her next internal crisis, as she had no idea where to really put herself. She trotted over, relieved when Amy's eyes lighted on her and she smiled.

Amy reached for her hand once she was in range, the gesture instantly assuaging her tension. The fact that it was easy for Amy to turn away from the others to greet her was…comforting. She could deal with the questions of why she didn't want to go home, and if she had a proper place that would affect any change later. Right now, she was needed and wanted and that counted for something.

“Well damn.” Varric said, entering with Sam right behind him. “Would you look at this.” he said, motioning to Amy.

“Yeah, they can't keep me down, and honestly that's what matters most.” Amy said with a conspirator’s grin and a stubborn gleam in her eyes.

Again, Varric seemed to come up short, blinking rapidly and holding his hands up. “And with complete sentences this time.”

“Every time I go down, I come back with upgrades.” Amy warned. “One day I'll be invulnerable.”

Cullen half scoffed half laughed at that.

“I said 'one day'.” Amy defended.

Sara and Blackwall were the last to show up, and Sara couldn't just show up without making a fuss.

“Ooiii! Lookatchu! All gussied up!” Sara crowed with a leer.

“I mean, I don't know what you've been doing, but I—” Amy reached down, griping, and pushing up her own breasts as though she were situating them properly. “was getting fancy.” It seemed to be the right response, as Sera giggled, and Blackwall looked elsewhere with a grin.

The room filled up soon after. Solas, Cassandra, and Bull finally making their way into the chamber. Even this big room seemed a little crowded.

“So, we have our Charmer back and better than ever.” Varric noticed as a way of kicking off the meeting.

“Indeed.” Leliana confirmed. “And considering that the information she has shared with us has been verified, I believe we are ready to move.” Gazes sharpened as that was dropped in front of them.

Not that Magpie ever had any real doubts about the things that Amy was saying. With everything going on, a human touched enough to predict the future wasn’t that crazy. She’d seen Sam use a glowing hole in his hand to close rifts, after all.

“Verified? Then…?” Cassandra’s questions went unspoken as she couldn’t find the proper words or the paths for those words to take.

“Our two-pronged plan will begin tomorrow.” Cullen stated with the certainty of steel. “Cassandra will disguise herself as a Lieutenant with a regiment under her to reinforce our position on the Storm Coast. Simultaneously, Sam will make his way to initiate contact with the mages at Redcliff. According to Amy, after the initial contact, Sam will be invited back to Redcliff formally. This will give Cassandra and her team time to deal with whatever is going on at Caer Oswin.”

“Our scouts have confirmed that while Caer Oswin is inhabited, there is very little in the way of noticeable traffic.” Lelianna informed. “It should be easy for a regiment and a team to secure the grounds.”

“Considering the time it will take for Sam to initiate the plan with the mages, Cassandra’s team could potentially be finished and on their way to Therinfall before Sam is finished with Redcliff.” Cullen estimated, though whether this is his opinion on the time it would take traveling back and forth between Redcliff, or his high estimations of Cassandra, it was difficult to say.

“It is not the entourage that I had hoped for,” Josephine began. “however, I was able to secure a few prominent Orlesian nobles to accompany our concerned party to Therinfall.”

“Abernache?” Amy cut in to ask.

Josephine eyed her first, eyes drifting to the ever-present paperwork in front of her before saying, “Yes…Lord Abernache is among those who are interested in confronting the Templar order.” She seemed only slightly put off by Amy’s insight.

“A prominent figure?” Madame Vivienne asked, though by her tone one may think she were inquiring about the weather.

Amy shrugged. “No more or less than anyone else. He has his part to play, and that is enough to note his significance. That should be enough on its own.”

Perhaps Amy didn’t see it as she wasn’t really meeting anyone’s eye, but Magpie couldn’t help but notice the slightest arch in Vivienne’s brow. As though Amy had said something she had not anticipated… What that meant, Magpie wasn’t sure, but she did know look of reappraisal when she saw one.

“How far is Caer Oswin from Therinfal as far as traveling time?” Amy asked.

“It would take a well-armed troop of men moving with purpose less than a full day’s travel, given the terrain…and the need for secrecy.” Cullen shrugged his shoulders. “Perhaps a few hours more, but not by much.”

“After the hubbub at Redcliff, I intend to take my team and hustle towards Therinfal Redoubt.” Sam announced.

“That might be unsafe…” Amy murmured, concerned. “Mostly because you will have already undergone so much.”

Sam smirked at her. “Ease up, mum. We’re all grown, and we can take care of ourselves.”

Amy’s eyes scrunched up as she glared at him, but it was more for being called ‘mum’ than anything.

“Bull, Solas, and Varric will be accompanying me during my tour of Redcliff.” Sam announced. The three people he had called out nodded their assent. “We’ll have another team waiting in the wings to help Cassandra. Madame Vivienne, Sera, Blackwall, that’ll be you. Don’t imagine any of you will have a problem handling rogue templars.”

“Not at all.” Madame Vivienne replied coolly.

“Cullen will move some troops into the Hinterlands after the initial contact, under the guise of reinforcing the camps we’ve established and surveying the damage that the Mages and Templars have reeked. In truth, he will be in place should anything happen that requires us to take Redcliff from the mages and the magister.”

Sam paused and surveyed Amy. “We don’t have much time, but while this is all happening, at least in the day and a half it’ll take us to travel there, make contact, and return, we would like it if you met with a few tutors that could assist you with your magic.”

Amy gave a single, decisive nod. “I would like to begin that as immediately as I can, actually.”

“I don’t see why not.” Sam murmured with a shrug. Everyone was already on standby as it was. “It shouldn’t be too difficult wrangle everyone together after the noon meal.”

“Tutors?” Solas asked, his eyes darting back and forth. “What tutors are those?”

“Madame Vivienne has brought a magic user with her. One who relies on his music to work his magic.” Lelianna announced.

“Zither??” Amy asked, half laughing already. “Oh, this’ll be a wild ride.”

Again, while Madame Vivienne’s face revealed nothing, Magpie noted her eyes darting to a very smug looking Lelianna. Lelianna hadn’t told Amy anything about anyone named Zither, that much Magpie was certain of… whether or not the mage recognized this wasn’t entirely clear, considering her consummate poker face.

“From what I understand,” Josephine began, flipping through some of the pages on her clipboard. “we have several mages that are more than willing to weigh in their opinions as well. Norton, Baxtien, Elossa, even Siheta will all be present and capable of aiding Amy if their expertise should be needed.”

“Oh good. Always better to perform for a crowd.” Amy half grumbled with a taxed smile.

“If you can perform at all.” Bull grunted with a smirk. Amy flicked her middle finger up at him with a dazzling smile. “Seriously, Charmer, maybe you’ve got everyone else convinced you’re almighty, but I’m still on the fence here. You haven’t really given me anything that’s impressed me.”

It was a bluff, but the tension that spiked through the room at Bull’s words was very real. Everyone held their breath, waiting to see how Amy would handle this.

She smirked. “I can give you eleven reasons.” She said with honey-sweet words, and her grin only depend when Bull’s attention snapped away, obviously trying to pair the number 11 with anything significant to him. He didn’t have 11 chargers… so… She held a finger to her lips as though she were telling a secret. “The first hit’s free.” She used the same finger tracing the secret on her lips to point to the hinterlands. “She’s right here… and she’s so pretty.” She said, leaning over the map almost suggestively, her eyes never leaving Bull’s. “All orange and yellow with such majestic curling horns and livid fire. I know you’d love to take her.” He smile was positively feline.

Bull blinked hard before taking in a deep breath through his nose and letting it out.

“Wait…” Sam’s face went slack. “Are you ….talking about a dragon?”

“A Ferelden Frostback, right under your noses. Weak to cold but resistant to fire damage. She cannot be slowed or disabled, and she’s got a whole mess of drakes to protect her and her dragonlings.” She straightened before looking to Sam with a more serious air. “There’s a pass leading to Redcliff that’s being guarded by bandits that aren’t bandits.” She waved off his look of confusion. “One mystery at a time, Sam. I can explain later. One of your scouts will warn you of this when you try to take the road, that is if they haven’t already.”

“They…haven’t. We’ve been focusing on the people and the cult, and you know, that whole mage/templar fight thing that’s going on.” Sam grumbled.

Amy ignored Sam’s cross tone to continue explaining. “The bandits are set up in a nice little nook. Beyond that nook is a natural stone archway that leads to her lair.” Her eyes bore into Bull. “I wouldn’t advise entering that archway and her lair until you’re completely ready to take on a high dragon.”

“I’m always ready to take on a high dragon.” Bull practically growled; his enthusiasm high.

“Bull.” Sam murmured, attempting to regain control.

“Boss.” He whined.

“Priorities.” Sam reminded. “Take out the bandits, set up a camp there to fall back to if things go south with the mages, take on the mages. Then, once we’ve gotten the mages taken care of…maybe after we’ve sealed the breach, we’ll go after the dragon. It isn’t as if we’ll never be in the Hinterlands again.”

Bull seemed mollified even if slightly petulant.

“There were some names that you mentioned that I’d like to revisit.” Lelianna noted. “Names of some mages that you said Sam should talk to.”

“Yes!” Amy said, snapping right back into the gravity of the situation before them. She righted herself, and her attention was now back on Sam. “Clemence will be the easiest to find. You’ll be asked to meet in the tavern, and he’s there. He’s a tranquil alchemist, but Alexius doesn’t want the tranquil around. So, he’ll volunteer to go with you and join the inquisition.”

“Lucky.”

“Talwyn is at the bar in the tavern. You can speak to him after Clemence. But you should keep these interactions subtle.” She scowled, sounding disgruntled as she continued. “I’m sure Linnea will be watching you, and she could be a problem.”

Taking a deep breath, she continued, “Next is either Lysas or Hanley. Hanley’s a human mage standing near the statue to the hero of Ferelden, and he’ll be very happy to see you. He hates the involvement of the mages with Tevinter. I don’t think it would be hard to convince him to go to the crossroads to wait for you. Lysas is an elf mage who you’ll find against one of the stone archways that lead to the chantry. He voted to abandon the chantry, but the alliance with Tevinter has him shaken. He’s another one that I might be persuaded to leave if promised some protections.”

“Considering that all rouge mage and templar activity has been thoroughly halted, none of them should have a reason to stay.”

“They might not have the choice, considering that they’re Tevinter chattel.” She growled. “I don’t know if they realize it yet, but Alexius will confirm that when you meet him.”

“asshole.” Sera spat.

Amy’s face pulled into a complicated frown. There was disapproval there, but her expression seemed… almost sorrowful as well. It made Magpie wonder if perhaps there wasn’t more to this story…

“We all have our missions.” Cullen said, with what felt like finality. “If there’s nothing more, be ready to move out a dawn.”

Magpie watched as everyone began to filter out of the room, and Amy zoned in on one person… She made a beeline for Solas.

#ILIC #It's Lost Its Charm #Dragon Age #Dragon Age Fan Fiction #DAFF #DAFF It's Lost Its Charm #Amy McManus #Magpie

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nightwingshero · 4 years ago

Note

A, F, G, M, P, R, and S for Evune, Athera, Blair, Suzume, and Kumeko :D

MEL! THIS IS MERCY?! You're killin' me, smalls! Lol under the cut, love!

A: Aptitude

1. What are your oc’s natural abilities, things they’ve been doing since young?

Evune: Sneaking around and throwing knives. Evune doesn't really like to play the Game, but she's had some bard training when she lived with her noble guardian, and then when she was living in the alienage. She's had to steal, fight, and learned some bow skills before being reunited with her clan.

Athera: Aside from when her magic manifested when she was a child, I would say she's always had a special touch with halla and is rather good at drawing. But she hung around the clan's halla, sticking with the halla keeper because she was always fascinated with them.

Blair: She's always been a pretty smart cookie, so I'm going to say chess was something she was pretty quick to pick up on when she was young. She plays often with her dad.

Suzume: Drawing, cooking, and skateboarding. She's always been pretty good with balance and being naturally good on her feet, so that was something that caught her attention rather quickly. Now, drawing and cooking almost seems to be a family thing, mostly because of her father's quirk got him into art as well. So she would often sit in her room and just draw alone, and then come help her mother cook when it was time--which explains the cooking ability.

Kumeko: Dancing and hacking! Shopping doesn't count, so I won't add it. But Kumeko loves to dance to her music, and will play Just Dance often. She's always light on her feet, and when she started walking as a kid, she would bounce. So her mom says it's pretty much in her blood at this point. Now, her fascination with electronics might have something to do with her quirk, but this girl was taking computers apart and rebuidling them when she was a kid.

2. What activities have they participated in?

Evune: A few games here and there with her clan. There's a game that her and Athera would play with the kids as they told the stories of their gods, and Evune would lead Fen'an with her and they would play tag and chase them around as they pretended to be Fen'Harel. She also does arm wrestling with Thyra, plays chess with Cullen, and does shooting contests with and plays Wicked Grace with Varric.

Athera: She would teach the children of their clan the history and the stories of their people, often leading to the tag game with Evune. She will read with Dorian, practice magic with Halesta, and play chess with Solas. She would often ask him things he saw of her people in the fade as well.

Blair: Lots and lots of science fairs and clubs. She did chess club at one point too, and then learned to play the violin. But she didn't really stick with that, since she preferred doing science stuff, especially astronomy. She does a lot of ice skating too, if that counts, and she'll go out with friends.

Suzume: Heh. Well, she'll get dragged go to karaoke with Kumeko and a few more friends here and there. She's done the Sports Festival a few times with Kumeko when they attended U.A. High. She even placed one year. But when it comes to activites to participate in, mroe often than not, it's Kumeko or someone else coming up with the idea and having her tag along. She'll go to the school events in support for the students, and she'll do team ups with heroes here and there when she has the time. Every now and then she'll anonymously participate in art festivals just to share her art.

Kumeko: Karaoke! Though the last time her and Suzume went they ended up getting thrown out and banned because someone decided that the music selection wasn't cool enough and she hacked the machine. She did the Sports Festival in high school, and does a lot of team ups, especially when her agency is contacted and Fatgum has his plate full (I know what I did there--yes, it was on purpose.) I'm gonna throw shopping on here because she loves it so damn much. DJing is something she does often too, more out of a hobby than anything.

3. What abilities do they have that they’ve worked for?

Evune: The bow. Evune had more experience with dagger growing up and she had to work extra hard to master the bow because that demanded a patience from her that she didn't have. But she gives people a run for their money now, often outshooting most people.

Athera: Making wolves and hallawith her magic. That took forever to master. She can use her elemental magic and manifest it in the forms of wolves, and her protective barriers come out as halla. It took her years to perfect, and it's still hard for her to do sometimes.

Blair: Definitely controlling her powers. Girl was a walking hazard because of it. She was too scared to really practice it because it seemed to always hurt people, and she hated herself for it.

Suzume: The patience to handle those crazy ass class 1-A kids, epsecially the one that blows shit up without warning and has rage issues or the perverted one she's kicked out of her class a few times. Tattoos. She can draw, it took her time to nail skating and cooking, but tattoos...that took her the longest. If she can do it herself, she will; it makes it easier for her to use with her quirk. But it took time because it's not the same as drawing in her sketchbook.

Kumeko: Fighting. Honestly, it was so hard for her because she's not really...a natural fighter. She had to really work at making her quirk for her in fight scenarios, but luckily she was able to really adapt her dancing and hacking into her own odd style that actually works well for her. U.A. was hard for her in the beginning, but she really pulled through and excelled.

4. What things are they bad at?

Evune: Holding her tongue. Evune can and will say whatever it is that's on her mind. It gets her into so much trouble, but she never really learns from it. She will always tell you what she's thinking whether you wanna hear it or not.

Athera: Making very hard decisions. She hates being put on the spot and making choices that really don't have a good ending either way. The pressure isn't something she wants and she fears the backlash and the consequences of the choices.

Blair: Lying. Girl can't lie to save her life. Not that she would ever really want to, but it's always bitter on her tongue whenever she has to, and it never goes well.

Suzume: Being emotionally vulnerable. Not that she doesn't have emotions or doesn't want to share her emotions, she just gets shy and awkward with it. Word vomit is what ends up happening if she's not careful, and so she finds it easier to stay quiet.

Kumeko: Dealing with loss, honestly. She's naturally a go lucky and cheerful person. It's not that she hasn't dealt with loss before, she just takes it really hard when it does happen. It weighs on her shoulders and mind for a long time.

5. What is their most impressive talent?

Evune: A combo move with Fen’an. She jumps back and fires arrows, while her wolf moves in from the side and attacks when their opponent isn’t looking. She’s so good with her bow and working alongside her wolf companion when she needs to--which happens more often than not.

Athera: Her magic, honestly. She’s the First for a reason, and when Falessan was around, he tuaght her a trick or two. The wolf elemental magic is something she only uses when she needs to, and it’s very impressive. Though it takes quite a bit of mana to pull off.

Blair: I know this is going to not really count, but I can’t help it; I’m going to say her intelligience. I could say her meta powers, but honestly, Blair is stupid smart and isn’t afraid to flex it. She has enough braincells to cover for those who are lacking.

Suzume: Okay, so I would say Quirk wise, it’s going to be her ability to animate her tattoos and drawings, but the most impressive? Using her samurai tattoo to cover herself. Its one of her ultimate moves, though whatever damage the samurai suffers, is damage she absolutely feels once it returns to her. It’s cool to see though, she’s such a badass!

Kumeko: This girl can be deafening. I’m not even kidding. She can hack into surrounding sound systems or use her very own built in speakers to deafen an enemy temporarily. Like...some are left immobilzed because of it. She doesn’t do it often because its more of a last resort ultimate move, but it’s super impressive and handy...she can definitely be someone to fear.

F: Fun

1. What do they do for fun?

Evune: She loves to drink and watch people when she has nothing else to really do, and that’s usually watching Thyra start bar fights and wrestling with a lot of the warriors and soldiers of the Inquistion so she can prove her Avaar strength. Other than that, she’s joking around with Dorian, making fun of people or playing Wicked Grace with Varric. She’ll also sing to herself when she thinks no one is listening.

Athera: She loves to read and draw for fun, mostly. She’s very at peace with quiet time to herself, and as things progress with the Inquisition, she doesn’t really get a lot of it. If she’s not doing that, she’s playing chess or spending time with some of her companions to get to know them better or because she enjoys their company.

Blair: Video games, movie marathons, and ice skating. She’s such a nerd at heart, and when she isn’t working on things for fun (yes...for fun), she’s either gaming out or watching movies and eating crepes. Winter is her favorite season, and she goes ice skating every year with her parents and friends. Its one of those things she’s been doing since she was a kid.

Suzume: Mostly skating, drawing, and cooking. She likes to read too, but she’s most likely doing one of the first three things. Music is often blared while doing any of them, and she gets super focused. There are a few places she likes to go for skating, and she’ll usually meet Kumeko there, or just skate around and look at different things with her cat in her backpack.

Kumeko: A little bit of everything. Shopping, dancing, and going to amusement parks. Kumeko likes the rush of things, and likes to be on the move. The girl can’t sit still, she’s gotta be doing something, and so she’s usually always out and about with something on her agenda. Much to Suzume’s dismay because she’s dragged with her.

2. What is their ideal party?

Evune: Small with only the closest of friends. Evune doesn’t like meeting new people, she’s very wary of them. She wants a small get together on the beach at night around a campfire and laughing together. She does go to the big parties Dorian throws at his dad’s in the College AU, mostly after they play a gig or something.

Athera: Something casual with boardgames and cherades! Probably a cookout, if we’re being honest. More people than Evune would invite, mostly because she oddly has a lot of connections--she’s even shocked by it. Its very casual because she’s more comfortable that way

Blair: Honestly, there are a few. She loves surprsie parties, both for herself and for others. Slumber parties are a thing too, mostly because she would throw all the blankets and pillows she had in the living room, make crepes and hot chocolate (or get wine) and have a movie marathon in her pjs with her friend.

Suzume: That’s a huge no. No way in hell. Parties aren’t her scene at all, she doens’t really like going to them because she’s secretly (not that secret tbh) shy and gets nervous. She will go to the hero galas, she will allow Kumeko to drag her to places, but she doesn’t really prefer a type of party. The word just puts dread in her stomach. Now...honestly, a dinner party with a few friends isn’t so bad, but it has to be super casual. Best Jeanist’s annual Halloween party isn’t too bad either.

Kumeko: All of them. Honestly, there isn’t one that she doens’t like, Kumeko loves people, loves music, and parties have plenty of both. Dance parties (which is usually her and a few more friends playing Just Dance at Suzume’s because someone hates going to clubs) or ones that have karaoke so she can challenge Present Mic. Kumeko is perfect for throwing surprise birthday parties too, Suzume finds out every year (as if she could ever forget that).

3. Who would they have the most fun with?

Evune: She’s honestly one of those people that if she can’t have fun with you, she probably won’t like you. Naturally quiet, it would seem that would be impossible to gauge, but it’s really not. Evune has a sense of humor, and she prides herself in being a good judge on character. I would say Arkyn, Thyra, Emerson, Varric, and Dorian are the people she has the most fun with. Cullen, too, but I think it’s different with him--not as chaotic.

Athera: She will try to have fun with pretty much anyone because she wants to get along with everyone. I think the main people she would have the most fun with would be Josephine, Iron Bull, Krem, Leliana, Dorian, and Varric.

Blair: You either love her or you hate her, because she’s not afraid to say what’s on her mind and correct you when you’re wrong. But she has tons of fun with Cisco, Caitlin, Felicity, Ray, Sara, and eventually Mick. You wouldn’t expect it, but it is what it is.

Suzume: Not Hawks. It depends, honestly, but she has a lot of fun with Kumeko, Aizawa, and Tai. Midnight as well whenever she has the energy to actually hang out with her outside of work. She also has a lot of fun teaching and training some of her students (more than that one angry explosive one), but at the end of the day, Tai is really all she needs. That or staying home and locking the door, and ignoring Kumeko when she pounds on her door or when Chicken Nugget calls her 5 times in a row for a casual hero hangout.

Kumeko: Who doesn’t she have fun with? Listen, it takes a lot for Kumeko to not like you, but if you rub her the wrong way, you will absolutely get the cold shoulder. Other than that, that girl is gonna have fun with whoever she’s with. Suzume she forcibly is fun with, she has tons of fun with her boyfriend Aizawa, Hawks, Present Mic, Tai, Rumi, and Midnight.

4. Can they have fun while conforming to rules?

Evune: If she has to break the rules to have fun, they’re getting broken. They’re just a suggestion, right?

Athera: She will do her best when it’s within her control. She doesn’t want there to be any trouble, so she’ll try to avoid it if she can...though her cousin sometimes makes it hard.

Blair: Often, she’s a straight shooter, and it’s not until Leonard and Mick come into her life that she starts seeing the fun to bending just the slightest for fun.

Suzume: For the most part, she can. It depends on who you are and what the situation is if she’s willing to be lienient. Like how she will sometimes let Kaminara, Sero, and Kirishima get away with things here and there.

Kumeko: What they don’t know won’t hurt them. Kumeko is okay with breaking minor rules to keep that fun going, as long as it’s not crazy or gets people hurt. She has her limits. But at the end of the day, she’s still a hero. She will draw the line somewhere, she won’t let things go too far.

5. Do they go out a lot?

Evune: Shockingly, she does. She’s introverted, but she’s hanging around with people and watches on the sidelines. In the college AU, her and Emerson are often at the diner, their regular place, and at the bar where they perfomr. If its not that, and she’s going out, then it’s most likely a friend’s house.

Athera: She does! Athera loves visiting parks and other places where she can draw. The library is also a place she goes often when she wants out of the house, meeting other friends there for maybe a study session in the college au.

Blair: YES. Honestly, the cafe is like her second home, and the observatory is her third. She will often go to book stores and such to buy books and other things she might need.

Suzume: If she’s not at home, drawing, reading, or watching movies, she’s out skating or with Kumeko. At a certain point, she finds herself visiting Fatgum’s agency rather...frequently. For no specific reason, she swears.

Kumeko: ALL. THE. TIME. She always has some place to be and Aizawa has to sometimes beg to get her to have a day in (she caves rather easily, actually). But she’s usually out and about, plus she is a hero, so patrols are also a thing.

G: Gorgeous

1. What is their most attractive external feature?

Evune: I feel like there’s a lot attractive about her, but I would have to say her smirk. Its so teasing and it will absolutely draw you in--especially with her gorgeous eyes sparkling with mischief. Her vallasin are also very striking on her face, even if the silvery tint of them.

Athera: Hmmm...defintitely her eyes. Which...I know I eluded to that or Evune too, but they really just have gorgeous eyes. Athera’s have a teal/light blue eye color with specks of silver. They’re gorgeous. The light hitting them just gives you different shades that just...wow. Its no surprise that she caught the attention of the Dread Wolf.

Blair: Her smile. She is always smiling and it will just blow you away--you can’t help but smile right back at her. That smile will become the center of your galaxy if you’re not careful. It’s even more wow-ing when she actually decides to wear lipstick.

Suzume: Honestly...I could say hair, or her beautiful green eyes, or the way her blush makes her face light up...but it’s honestly her tattoos. Suzume is decently curved with an hourglass figure, but it’s not something she shows off. At least...not upfront. Her tattoos. Suzume has an eye of an artist, and every tattoo is placed perfectly, allowing the lines to flow naturally with her body. They’re gorgeous honestly. You could look at them for hours, though after a while I could guess you’d be staring for other reasons.

Kumeko: She would tell you its her hair, half (natural) metallic silver, and half (dyed) electric blue. But...it’s gonna be her curves. She has pretty decent curves, and she absolutely shows them off. She’s not really overly revealing or anything, she just wears clothes that really complement her and she’s proud of how she looks.

2. What is the most attractive part of their personality?

Evune: Her fierceness and her sense of humor. She’s very passionate and is just...a lot of fun, to be honest.

Athera: Her kindness and patience. She’s kind to everyone and is always patient with people, epsecially when they need it.

Blair: Her compassion. There’s an empathy that Blair has about her that just draws you in and you can’t really escape it, no matter how long you try.

Suzume: Her belief in others, especially in herself. Even she struggles with self doubt, but honestly, the sheer belief in herself and confidence in her students and friends so heartwarming.

Kumeko: Her bubbliness. Mostly because she uses it to make everyone’s day good, including hers, and she never fails to be optimistic.

3. What benefits come with being their friend?

Evune: A fierce loyalty, honestly. She will have your back whether you’re right or wrong, because that doesn’t matter--you do. Plus, she’ll drink and sing with you.

Athera: She is lowkey a mom friend, so she’ll make sure you’re doing okay. Plus, she’s defintely someone to mentor you if you needed.

Blair: A friend that will always make sure you’re knowledgeable about what you’re talking about. She’ll correct you for your benefit, and do it kindly, just to make sure you’re at your best.

Suzume: ...uh...she draws. And cooks...she’ll probably grumble about it, but she’ll absolutely bring you food to work and honestly, she’s just a good support. She speaks honestly about her opinion, but she has your back.

Kumeko: Lots of shopping sprees and a true cheerleader, honestly. Constantly cheering you on and trying to play matchmaker for you (yes Suzume is bitching in the corner, its fine.)

4. What parts of them do they like and dislike?

Evune: There might be a scar or two with a bad memory, but other than that, nothing. Evune is very “take me as I am, or don’t take me at all” and she will be very direct about it. She’s not about that.

Athera: She’s never really thought about that because she just...never really considered pulling herself apart like that. If she had to choose something, it would be the way she comes across as naive (because she is, just don’t tell her that). She hates how people treat her because of it. Also her nose.

Blair: Her feet. She’s so weird about her feet, she is always wearing socks because of it.

Suzume: She hates that she’s quiet and awkward, honestly. She can be shy at times, depending on who she’s around, and she doesn’t understand it because she’s mostly a confident person. She also lowkey hates that she looks so different from her adoptive family, only because of the questions seh gets because of it. Its why she put dark green streaks in her hair.

Kumeko: This girl loves every damn inch of herself, who are we kidding?

5. What parts of others do they envy?

Evune: I wouldn’t call it envy, but she feels very bitter regarding the people who have had a good life and still find a reason to bitch about it. She just wants her people to have better.

Athera: The lack of responsibility. She wishes that she didn’t have the fate of the world on her shoulders, and she envies those who don’t have to worry about the things she does.

Blair: Not having meta powers that might kill your friends when you lose control. Gee, must be nice.

Suzume: Mostly, nothing. She does wish she could be more charismatic though. It would help her speak to a certain someone without blushing like mad and glaring at the ground.

Kumeko: Not a damn thing. This girl is happy with herself and what she can do, it took her some time to get there. But ultimately, she came to the conclusion that you have to love yourself for who you are and focus on what you can become, instead of seeing all the things you aren’t and comparing yourself to other people when it’s not relevant to you.

M: Maternal

1. Would they want a daughter or a son?

Evune: Her and Cullen end up actually having a girl and then a boy, but she never really thought she would have kids to be honest.

Athera: She ends up with twins: a boy and a girl. But she’s in Evune’s boat, she wasn’t exactly planning on having kids or even meeting someone.

Blair: She never thought about kids until Leonard, then once she’s pregnant, she can’t help but imagine a little girl, which she ends up having.

Suzume: She didn’t really have a preference, she was just shocked that she was becoming a mom. Suzume wasn’t sure how it happened, but it did.

Kumeko: Girls. She wanted daughters because after pretty much adopting Eri, she wanted more little precious girls running around their house. They ended up with twins, a boy and girl, and she was so excited and happy.

2. How many children do they want?

Evune: She’s never really thought about it, but she’s happy with the one, open to having just one more.

Athera: Just the two. Athera has a lot on her plate, the twins are honestly enough for her.

Blair: I would say probably 4, because she wants a big family. She loves kids.

Suzume: She wants a couple more because she at least wants another girl, and maybe just another, depending.

Kumeko: I think she’d wanna try for another to make it an even number, with Eri and the twins making three, but after that, she’s good.

3. Would they be a good parent?

Evune: She didn’t think she would, to be honest, but she’s a fantastic mom. She really tries her best and loves her children deeply.

Athera: Yes, though she doesn’t feel like it. Their father is gone and she has so much repsonibility, she feels that she’s failing at being a mother.

Blair: Absolutely. She’s really good with kids and that definitely applied to her parenting.

Suzume: Yes, though she was worried for a minute that she wouldn’t be. She’s a high school teacher, so she doesn’t have a whole lot of experience with tiny humans. But she’s fantastic, just like Tai said she would be.

Kumeko: She is PHENOMENAL. She honestly is super mom, and she’s the go-to nanny when Suzume needs someone to babysit.

4. What would they name a son? what would they name a daughter?

Evune: I haven’t decided on the son’s name, but the girl is Mirae, which means Little Thief in elvish. They did it on purpose becaus Cullen would call Evune his little thief because she would take or mess with things on his desk.

Athera: The daughter is named Soufei (the strength of a thousand wolves) and Hallen (which has something to do with halla). Essentially, wolf and halla related for her and Solas. Symbolism.

Blair: I...have not named their daughter. But it would probably be something space related because Blair is definitely that person...girl really loves space.

Suzume: I haven’t really figured out the details for their kids just yet, but she would want their names to be meaningful.

Kumeko: Same as Suzume, but honestly, whatever sounds good. Kumeko just wants it to sound cool and she’s good.

5. Would they adopt?

Evune: She would if the occasion would arise where she came across a child in need. She doesn’t have the heart to just ignore that.

Athera: I don’t think she would actively seek adopting a child. I think that Athera would do everything in her power to make sure the child found a loving and safe home, only adopting if she failed, because she’s not letting an orphan suffer a terrible fate with an orphanage or worse.

Blair: She would, and I think it was something she considered at one point. Like, no, she really didn’t think she would have kids, but she had little thoughts of “what if” when it came to adopting.

Suzume: In a heartbeat. She was adopted herself, so that’s definitely something she would do. Giving a child a loving home is something she would think about doing. Especially with how she takes some of the students under her wing.

Kumeko: I mean, technically, she does. Her and Aizawa adopt Eri, so yeah, she absolutely would do that.

P: Personality

1. What is their best personality trait?

Evune: Her sense of humor, I think. Evune is sarcastic and hilarious. Granted she will use it to tear you down, but when she’s doing it for genuine fun with her friends, she’ll have to in stitches.

Athera: Patience. It makes her so kind and forgiving, honestly. Athera is so soft most of the time, and people are sometimes shocked with the lack of judgement that comes with her.

Blair: Cheerfulness. She’s usually always in such a good mood, to be honest. There’s always an underlying happy disposition with her...until you piss her off.

Suzume: If you asked her, she would just shrug and avoid you. But her fierceness...is just...she’s very passionate, truly. She’s very strong-willed, especially when it comes to her protecting people.

Kumeko: Determination. This girl doesn’t know what the phrase “give up” means, it’s not a thing she has ever done or heard. She sticks to something to the very end. She won’t quit you.

2. What is their worst personality trait?

Evune: Arrogance. And with her, its more patronizing. Mostly because of her tongue, she will cut you with words and make you feel small. It will drive her to challenge you, mock you, and make a show to demonstrate how wrong you are and to stroke her pride.

Athera: Arrogance as well, but hers is different. While Evune’s is external, Athera’s is internal. She will raise her head high, and naively believe she’s right (whether she is or not), and brings about a stubborness that can be suffocating. You won’t be able to talk to her, she won’t hear you because she has already made up her mind.

Blair: Logical. I know that doesn’t sound bad, but when someone is looking for emotional support, Blair isn’t the girl for you. She’ll immediately break down the situation and come at you with logic rather than the emotional support you need.

Suzume: Guarded and pessimistic. Suzume has a hard time being emotionally vulnerable at times, mostly because sh’s not sure how to be. She knows she’s hard to read and that people get frustrated and kinda give up on their first try with her. She can be a little pessimistic, though she’s normally a realist. It’s always something to do with her personally though.

Kumeko: Obnoxious. Its not a secret that Kumeko can be...a little much sometimes. She tries to tone it down for certain people or when the situation calls for it, but mostly, she’s a take it or leave it kinda girl. If she’s too loud for you, she’ll say “sorry, but that’s how I am” and then move away from you with a smile.

3. What of their personality do others love?

Evune: With her, it’s not just one thing. It’s everything that makes her her. She’s just a mix of things honestly, you can’t detangle that mess.

Athera: Her kindness. It makes her forgiving and warm to those who interact with her.

Blair: I would say her dependability. Blair is always there, no matter what, and she absolutely has your back--whether that’s physically or mentally.

Suzume: When you really get to know her, her softness. Because not everyone gets to see it or even recognizes it when it happens.

Kumeko: Charisma! She has a natural charisma that she oozes and so many people get blown away by it.

4. What of their personality do others envy?

Evune: The way she gives zero fucks about anyone other than those close to her. She will dead ass ignore you.

Athera: I want to say resilience because the girl has gone through some stuff, and she’s still standing. She lost her arm, girl has guts.

Blair: Tenacity. She won’t back down, her spine is made of steel. Especially when she knows she’s right about something. Good luck with that.

Suzume: Her ability to stay calm. Suzume is very level-headed, even in the most dangerous of situations. Girl will jump in front of her students or that yellow hero to protect him (he doesn’t need it), and won’t even flinch.

Kumeko: The way she can make every situation seem bright, no matter how dark it really is. She always makes things better.

5. Do they hate anything about their personality/about other’s personalities?

Evune: For herself? No. Others? Absolutely. If you rub her the wrong way, she’s not going to like you. It’s not really about a specific thing, it’s just a vibe. Like Cassandra and Blackwall...she doesn’t like them. If you lie to her though, you’re done for.

Athera: She hates dishonesty because she’s the kind of person that you can come to about these things with no judgement on her part. Now about herself, she does hate how she can be a little too nice. It makes her think that people try walking over her or steer her in the direction they personally want her to go.

Blair: Her being more logical in emotional situations bothers her, so she tries to work on it. She hates people that are deceptive, the kind that like to play their cards close to their chests. Not necessarily lying (though she hates that too), but just not being upfront about it.

Suzume: Arrogance, she can’t stand it. You will absolutey paint a target on your back with it, because she’ll be super sarcastic and dismissive of you if you are. If you’re overly arrogant, she will watch and hope for you to trip and fall on your face so she can just raise her brow at you and walk away after being like “see? Not so great, huh?”. She is not Bakugo’s favorite teacher. She wishes she wasn’t so awkward at times, to be honest. It would make things easier for her.

Kumeko: Just...bitterness. Like, being mean for no reason. She doesn’t understand it and she won’t put up with it. If you’re being a bully, she will absolutely call you out on it, Kumeko isn’t afraid to step in when she needs to. Now, she loves everything about herself and her personality--shocking nobody.

R: Rules

1. Do they follow rules?

Evune: No, they’re just kind suggestions or she just doesn’t care. She makes her own rules. Meme of “I’m the Captain now” goes: here.

Athera: She does her best! They’re there for a reason and she doesn’t want trouble.

Blair: Yes, but she will bend them for the greater good. But mostly, she’s following the rules.

Suzume: Oh yeah, she follows rules. Now, there may be moments where she instills her own set of rules, but not very often. It depends on the situation.

Kumeko: Is a very good law-abiding hero! She will encourage you to not jay walk and all sorts of things.

2. Would they be a strict or laid-back parent?

Evune: A mixture of both. She’s firm, but she’s also the parent that’s probably doing something really stupid to make the kids laugh.

Athera: More on the strict side, but it’s a soft version of it. Very guiding, in a way.

Blair: More on the stricter side. She’s a fun parent, but there’s a routine and schedule thats down pat and she has a calendar that has post it notes to keep track of everything.

Suzume: Another mixture, but she’s soft. She it more guiding than strict, and she will have fun with her kids, she’s just more quiet than Tai is.

Kumeko: Abosultely laid back. Aizawa has to be the strict parent because Kumeko can’t be strict to save her life, she likes having too much fun with her kids.

3. Have they ever been consequenced for breaking a rule?

Evune: Yes, but that doesn’t stop her. That just tells her she needs to up her game and not get caught. The noble was a strict guardian, so she had to really watch her step.

Athera: Yes, and she immediately felt bad about it. She’s the one to learn her lesson unlike her cousin.

Blair: No, not really. Blair hasn’t really broken any rules.

Suzume: No, because if she did, it was small or she wasn’t caught.

Kumeko: Yep, as a kid, and she would put on the innocent “I won’t do it again, promise” only to do it again, but better.

4. Have they broken any rules they now regret breaking?

Evune: Nope! No regrets!

Athera: Yes, messing with the Dread Wolf statues outside of the clan--she worried that she might have put a curse on her clan for it.

Blair: Nope!

Suzume: No, she was never caught. Maybe pirating that movie once, but that’s it. It just put a virus on her laptop when she was a kid.

Kumeko: Getting kicked out of the karaoke bar after hacking the machine. It was her favorite place.

5. Do they find any rules they/others follow absolutely ridiculous?

Evune: The rule that her and Varric can’t participate in the archery contest because they would both win every damn match.

Athera: Some of them, but she follows them anyway. Like the whole mage and elf restrictions are ridiculous to her.

Blair: She personally thinks that any rule Rip has is stupid, but she follows them because he’s captain.

Suzume: There are some rules that will make her look at you like “really?”, but she follows them because they’re there for a reason and she needs to set a good example.

Kumeko: Mosly the rules at the karaoke bar, but other than that, she has no issue with following rules.

S: Streets

1. Are they street-smart?

Evune: Absolutely. She knows her way around and isn’t stupid. She lived on the streets when she was in the alienage, she’s no stranger to it.

Athera: Not in the slightest. This girl has lived in her clan for all of her life, she’s way too sheltered for it. Evune would have to go with her so nothing bad would happen.

Blair: A little bit, yeah. She doesn’t use that knowledge to her advantage, she’s just aware of some of it.

Suzume: Yes. Suzume is very street-smart, she can hold her own.

Kumeko: Absolutely not. Kumeko struggles with it a bit, and even Fatgum has to explain some things here and there to her, because she’s never really had to think much of it. Just fight the villain, then save and smile at the civilians.

2. Would they give money to someone on the streets?

Evune: Yes, she’s been there and she knows what it’s like, so she’s going to give what she can. But will also keep an extra eye out because she’s a rogue and she knows what cons can be played.

Athera: Of course. Athera is a giving person, she would want to help in anyway she can.

Blair: Without question. She will even try and help them find a job or to better their situation.

Suzume: In a heartbeat. But she’s also escorting them to a shelter, a soup kitchen, or somewhere they will be safe. The streets aren’t safe to live on and they deserve more.

Kumeko: She’s not only giving them money, she’s using her standing as a hero to help out with charity if she can. Hiring them for something, even, to help get them on their feet.

3. Have they ever gotten in a fight on the streets?

Evune: Ha! That’s not even a question? What kind are we talking? Fists? Knives? She’s done both!

Athera: Nope, never. Very sheltered, this one.

Blair: Only hero fights when she’s patrolling. Other than that, no.

Suzume: Yep! As a hero, she’s had her fair share of fights, even on her time off.

Kumeko: Pretty much the same as Suzume: she’s a hero, she’s fighting often.

4. Has anything happened to them on the streets?

Evune: A lot, honestly. Mostly fighting, robbing, and just trying to survive, honestly. Not much different than any other elf in the alienages.

Athera: No, she’s never had an instance like that.

Blair: You mean like when Leonard Snart kidnapped her ass with Mick? Or when she almost lost control of her powers when patrolling with Ollie? Pffft, what?

Suzume: She’s been jumped before...or at least, there was an attempt of it. Girl can kick ass and take names. So that’s what she did.

Kumeko: A guy tried taking her purse once, but she blasted his ass with her speakers and turned him in to the authorities.

5. Are they cautious when out?

Evune: Very much so. Her guard never falls when she’s out and about. She learned you have to always be careful.

Athera: Yes, she knows that her kind isn’t treated well, and she won’t let her guard slip to allow her to be vulnerable.

Blair: Not really, no. She’s going to just go about about her day like normal until something happens that calls for her to be cautious.

Suzume: Yes and no. She’s aware, but not like...overly cautious. Its a mixture of ease and caution.

Kumeko: Not at all. If something happens, she’s goit it. Anyone would be stupid to mess with her.

#my ocs #asks #dragon age #arrowverse #mha

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emerald-amidst-gold · 4 years ago

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Ngl whenever I see OC asks I'm tempted to just ask all of them lmao

Buuut, let's see... from the OC creation asks, maybe 12, 15, 19? And for the other one, 1, 8, 52, 69? For any OC you'd like ~

I’m not shitting you when I say, DO IT.

It’s my favorite time of the day~! Do you think I’ll ever shut up? Not likely, so let’s gooo! >:D

***

12. What have you found to be most difficult about creating art for your OC (any form of art: writing, drawing, edits, etc.)?

You know, I always think about this to be fair because it’s something that can be a bit of a block for me when writing any of my OCs since they’re all really different personality wise. Fane, in particular, is a bit of a challenge. Especially when it’s not his POV. He’s hard to explain at times, and it’s why I take so long to create one shots or chapters because I want to make sure I’ve been as clear as possible with him or how other’s perceive him. I have to think in my head, ‘How would such and such really feel about Fane’s personality? How would they respond to his outbursts or his views on the world?’ It takes a lot of reviewing banter from Inquisition and seeing how characters interact with one another for me to confidently piece together dialogue in regards to Fane, and at times, my mind wanders into non canon territory to where I then have to yank it back. Fane lets my mind explore, but the wanderlust gets to be a bit..much. I think so, at any rate. Lol.

On a more personal level, Fane is also me, in a way. He’s a persona that allows me to express what I tend to go through mentally at times. While it’s a sort of comfort for me to get things off my chest through him, I also have to take a step back and breathe, especially if my mind that day isn’t in the best of places. I mean, I want to write during those times, but it can be incredibly difficult to formulate words with enough sensitivity so it doesn’t hit too hard for anyone else and come off wrong.

15. What is something about your OC can make you laugh?

I’m gonna use Estoria for this because one thing I’ve created with her always makes me smile and giggle like a madman. That thing is, is the fact that she’s a flirter, but if it’s directed at her then she’s a bumbling fool. She’s all miss big bad mercenary elf until someone says, “You’re eyes are truly a delight.’ and then she just laughs nervously and nearly crumbles into a ball at their feet.

And you bet your ass that Solas’s smooth talk kills her to where she actively has Cullen syndrome and runs away--tripping and stumbling over her own feet because she can’t. Then, when she does manage to get away she just sits on the floor and goes with all the enthusiasm of a teenager, “He..he thinks I’m graceful? He thinks I’m graceful!” Then she just rolls around on the floor, kicking her legs like a happy little flower. :3

19. What is your favorite fact about your OC?

That Fane has a sweet tooth. Hands down. Man becomes a literal puppy around cake, cookies, anything sweet. I have it in my fluffy little head that he swipes those things from Skyhold’s kitchen without anyone seeing because he’s embarrassed. He’ll try to be all sneaky and slick, but someone always stumbles upon him stuffing his face and then..well, you know. Fane becomes Aterian and Solas has to be called to tame a dragon before the walls come down. *smiles pleasantly*

1. What is/are your OC’s nickname(s) and how did it come about?

We’ll go down the line for this one!

Fane is ‘Tempest’ due to his ‘calm before the storm’ demeanor when in battle. Varric gave it to him when he saw how fast Fane could move despite his size, and how hard he could hit once closing in. He’s literally a lightning bolt as he’s never in the same place twice and he does it all without batting an eye like how a real storm can destroy everything in its path, but when the clouds part, it’s calm, controlled without a shred of guilt towards the wreckage.

Estoria is ‘Snapdragon’. He adoptive father gave it to her as a sign of affection and to let her know that she is strong, even if the world believes she’s just a delicate little flower to be set on a window and forgotten. It also came about whenever he saw just how fierce a fighter she could be and how passionate she would get towards specific topics--’snapping’ like a dragon does with their treasure hoard or young.

Mhairi is ‘Snow bird’ or ‘Fawn’. Courtesy of Varric and Dorian! Snow bird is Dorian’s nickname for her and it’s mainly due to her proclivity towards ice magic. Fawn is Varric’s choice due to how wide eyed and curious Mhairi is, like a newborn fawn discovering the world for the first time.

8. How does your OC talk/what does your OC’s voice sound like?

This is Fane’s. Fane’s, Fane’s. Only because I have so many thoughts about his voice that I have to try to explain it! All right, so his voice is deep, obviously. However, it’s gruff, it’s tired, and it rumbles like the softest of thunder. You can take the man out of the dragon, but you can’t take the dragon out of the man. He always has a slight growl to his voice, even if he’s not irritated. He does have an accent, more or less along the lines of what the game gives us, but it’s deeper, has more timbre and husk to it. It drops dangerously low when he’s furious--almost warbling with the natural growl. It jumps a slight octave when he’s flustered--sometimes cracking on specific syllables. When he speaks Elvhen though..well, let’s just say Solas has an existential crisis to where he blanks for a good twenty seconds because how the words just roll near perfectly from a deep, deep, near criminally seductive grave. It’s a good time. *waggles eyebrows*

52. What are some of your OC’s motivations?

Oh god. Well, it is time to try and explain why Fane does the shit that he does! Namely, why the hell he supports the destruction of the Veil, even if he knows it could kill people he loves.

One: Fane is heavily devoted to Solas. Centuries of bonding and losing each other does that, after all. He strives in every fashion to lessen the burden on Solas’s shoulders because he’s seen it happen before. He’s seen and felt Solas practically scream for an end. So, he refuses to abandon him again to that torture, even if he has to bloody his hands from those he had come to consider friends. It’s a difficult road for both of them, but Fane tries to keep a tiny shred of hope in his heart that everything will be okay in the end--that they’ll be okay. He just wants to protect Solas with everything he has, even if it brands him a monster. So, in a way, Solas’s continued presence motivates Fane to keep pushing, even if it’s indirectly.

Two: Fane is passionate towards his kin. He wants to free them from the world they are forced to endure. Another reason for why he supports Solas beyond their close bond. He knows that dragons are needed for the world to survive. So, the thought of his kin being able to show what they are truly made to do is what guides him to endure a lot of the heart break and a lot of the words that are eventually hurled at him. It doesn’t make fighting them any easier though.

Three: Fane is heavily mired with family or those he considers family. He took Mhairi’s place in his father’s experiments because he wanted to protect her, not himself. He throws himself in front of blades, magic that’ll make him ill, and kin bearing claws just to keep those close to him alive because he can’t stand the thought of their eyes going dead and grey. He doesn’t want to kill; he wants to preserve, even if eventually, he’ll have to turn his back because of necessity.

69. What is your OC’s favorite kind of weather?

Fane likes snowy, cold, frigid weather. He was a snowy dragon. Who lived on mountain. Had ice in his lungs. Boy melts in the desert, trust me. Besides that, he just likes the way the world looks when its blanketed with snow and ice. It’s still and quiet. Those aren’t things he’s used to, so he greedily indulges in them when they’re present.

Estoria is the opposite. She loves the heat, but primarily she loves rain. She’ll stand out and just look up at the sky with a huge smile on her face--completely unconcerned that she could get sick. All because it reminds her that the world is still moving along, even if the people in it believe it’s not. It’s still growing, flourishing, thriving, and that gives her comfort and joy.

***

Wowee! That was a lot, but damn was it fun! Thank you for the ask, as always! I can ramble, ramble, ramble like my life depends on it! XD

#dragon age #oc: fane lavellan #oc: estoria lavellan #oc: mhairi lavellan #oc asks #all my children today!#well except for ONE #but they won't be revealed until my next chapter comes out #eheheh~#ask

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pikapeppa · 5 years ago

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Felassan/f!Lavellan: The Vagaries of Names

Chapter 6 of The Love That Grows From Violence (Felassan x Tamaris Lavellan) is up on AO3!

In which Felassan and Tamaris are still bumming around the mansion talking and eating, and Varric comes to pay a visit.

~6400 words; read here on AO3. Featuring beautiful art by @lethendralis-paints!! Please check out the chapter for the full piece!!!

Tamaris scraped her hair back from her face. “...and he was all, ‘we must be beyond reproach and give them no reason to think we’re suspicious even though the orb is elvhen.’ And that’s when he mentioned Skyhold. We spent the next three days tromping through the snow, and then there it was: an entire fucking castle in the middle of the Frostback Mountains that nobody knew about.” She tapped her fingers moodily on the open copy of This Shit Is Weird. “So yeah, what Varric described was pretty accurate, minus the stuff Solas only said to me.”

“Interesting,” Felassan said. He pushed the book aside and placed a plate in front of her. “And the part about the fledgling Inquisition singing your praises to the heavens, quite literally?” He shot her a grin as he started spooning food onto her plate. “Was that accurate too, or a colourful embellishment?”

She groaned, and Felassan laughed brightly. “Oh, no.”

“Oh, yes,” she drawled. “They sang me a Chantry hymn. A Chantry hymn to praise the most non-Andrastian elf in the fucking Inquisition.”

“Non-Andrastian because you believed in the elvhen gods instead?” he asked.

She shot him a hard look, and he raised his eyebrows expectantly. After a moment, Tamaris sighed again. “Fine, all right, yes. I did.” She gave him another resentful look. “As much as anyone can believe in a bunch of ‘gods’ who are either ignoring their people’s prayers or who got trapped by a tricky wolf.”

Felassan smiled faintly, then spooned another poached egg onto Tamaris’s plate. She waved irritably for him to stop. “Quit it, will you? Sit down. I can serve myself.”

“Can you?” Felassan said. “Or will you eat straight from the pan given half a chance?”

She eyed him flatly without replying. She couldn’t give him the satisfaction of being right. “Don’t give me a hard time,” she retorted. “I saw you eating grapes straight from the icebox yesterday. You didn’t want to put them in a fancy serving bowl first?”

He tsked at her sarcastic tone. “There’s a difference between being hedonistic and being slovenly. But fine, since you insist.” He set the pan down in front of her, then picked up a piece of toast and tossed it carelessly onto her plate before taking another piece of toast for himself and sitting beside her.

He leisurely kicked his feet up on the table and bit into his toast, and Tamaris watched him with a combination of amusement and exasperation. He carried himself with such elegant confidence, almost like a noble with no doubt about his place in court. It seemed so incongruent with his humble beginnings as a slave in Andruil’s household.

He swallowed his bite of toast, then raised a roguish eyebrow. “Enjoying the view, are you?”

She ignored his playful flirt. “You’re strange.”

He smirked. “It takes a special sort of mind to see its reflection in the eyes of another.”

She rolled her eyes. “Ha ha, yes, I’m strange too. I just mean…” You don’t act like someone who used to be a slave, she thought. Not that she had met many people who had lived most of their lives as slaves, in truth. The only former slave she’d spent any real time around was Hawke’s husband Fenris, so maybe her expectations were biased by how taciturn and unsmiling he was during his and Hawke’s brief travels with them – when Hawke wasn’t teasing and flirting with him, at least.

She tried to find a more tactful way to state her thoughts. “I wouldn’t have known you were a slave if you hadn’t told me,” she said.

“Because I don’t act like one, you mean?” he said, and he took another bite of toast.

Fuck, she thought. She should have known he would guess what she was really thinking. “Yeah,” she admitted. “That’s a shitty thing to think, I know.”

“I’m curious now how you think slaves are supposed to act,” he said. “Should I be crawling on the floor beneath your feet? Making myself unheard and unseen as I walk around your mansion trying to pretend I don’t exist?”

His tone was laced with humour, but Tamaris didn’t smile. “Nobody should have to act that way,” she said quietly.

His impish smile softened. “You’re right; they shouldn’t. And there was once a time when I walked with my head bowed and my eyes on the ground. But eyes on the ground does not mean that those eyes are closed. Silent servants are the ones who hear the most. Nobles always seem to forget this, whether their ears are pointed or round. You’d think they’d learn eventually, but…” He shrugged and took another bite of toast.

Tamaris nodded thoughtfully. Sera had often said the same thing, in her annoyingly roundabout sort of way.

“In any case, I haven’t been a slave for several millennia,” Felassan said. “I have, however, been many other things over the course of many years.”

“You mentioned that before,” Tamaris said.

“It is the truth, and not just for me,” he said. “After all, were you always as you are now? A–”

“A bitch?” Tamaris helpfully supplied.

He grinned, but went on as though she hadn’t spoken. “A warrior with sharp edges and a soft heart? An elf with eyes that are far older than the rest of her face? A woman who dances with fire?”

She stared at him for a long moment with her heart in her throat. He was smiling still, but there was something intense about his catlike amethyst eyes – and something unnervingly warm.

Her belly was wriggling – and not in an unpleasant way. She dropped her eyes to her plate and picked up her fork. “Get your fucking feet off the table while I’m eating.”

Felassan chuckled and slowly shifted his feet back to the ground. “By all means, eat. It’s better when it’s hot.”

Tamaris eyed the breakfast Felassan had made. He’d poached some eggs in a pan of savoury sauce made from tomatoes, sweet peppers, onions and red wine, drizzled with olive oil and flavoured with something that smelled sweet and spicy at the same time – some interesting herbal mixture, probably, knowing him. The dish was actually semi-familiar to her, thanks to some strings Josephine had pulled to get a Nevarran chef to Skyhold for one of her fancy formal dinners, but the spicy scent and the vibrant crimson of the sauce weren’t quite what she remembered.

“This is a dish from Nevarra, isn’t it?” she asked him.

He raised an eyebrow and swallowed another bite of toast. “Would it shock you if I said it was an ancient Elvhen dish that the Nevarrans stole?”

She lifted her eyebrows slightly, then scoffed and dipped the tines of her fork into the sauce. “Not at all.”

He twisted his lips ruefully. “Ah. Shame. Because it’s not.”

She gave him an exasperated look, and he chuckled. “The Nevarrans didn’t steal this dish, but we had something very much like it in Arlathan. Not surprising, really, given how simple it is to make. Although the spices–”

Tamaris cut in. “Let me guess. Your own special herbal mixture?”

He tutted. “So dismissive! I heard no complaints from you last night when you were inhaling that salad.”

She opened her mouth to make a snappy remark, then paused. “Okay, fine, that salad was really good,” she admitted.

“So is this,” he said, and he tapped the edge of her plate. “Now eat. You look like you need it.”

“I look like death warmed over, you mean,” she grumbled. Last night was the first night in some time that she hadn’t drunk herself to sleep – a fact that her persistent headache and nausea were not-so-kindly reminding her of.

“Such bluntness is your hallmark, not mine,” he said airily. “Besides, I would never speak such a lie.”

She gave him a chiding look. “Yes you would. You were a spy.”

“I was, but no longer,” he said. “Now I can say whatever I want. For example, that you look perfectly alluring despite your sickly pallor.”

She tsked. “You’re so full of shit.” Even more irritating was the fact that Felassan looked like the picture of health. His tawny skin was glowing and his glossy hair was pulled back in a tidy tail at his nape, which only made Tamaris more aware of her own untamed curls. And he was so fucking chipper.

He chuckled and took another bite of toast. “Eat, Tamaris. It’ll help.” He picked up This Shit Is Weird and kicked his feet back up on the table.

She eyed his feet hopelessly. I give up, she thought, then took a bite of egg.

It was, of course, delicious: savoury and sweet and creamy from the perfectly runny egg yolk. And spicy.

Very spicy.

Tamaris cleared her throat, then sucked in a breath. “Damn, this is hot.”

“Too hot for you?” he said slyly.

“No, actually,” she retorted. “I love it. It’ll kick my headache right out.” She dipped her toast in the sauce and bit it with relish.

He bowed his head politely. “I’m sorry to hear you’re still having a headache. With any luck, we can get our hands on the herbs I need to make that tea.”

She swallowed her toast and shrugged. “Varric will probably show up today to see if I’m dead, so we can ask him to get what you need.” She took another bite of eggs and sauce.

“It is a shame that I can’t collect the herbs myself,” Felassan said. “They’re more potent when they’re fresh.”

“Varric said we can get anything in this city if you look in the right places,” Tamaris told him. “He can get your herbs fresh if that’s what you need.”

Felassan nodded. “Of course.”

She looked at him. He was gazing at the fire, and his expression was slightly wistful.

Before Tamaris could ask what was wrong, he turned to her with a mischievous smile. “So. Skyhold. What did you think of Fen’Harel’s beloved fortress?”

She swallowed her eggs and gave him an odd look. “Why do you call him Fen’Harel?”

He tilted his head quizzically, so she elaborated. “You call Solas ‘Fen’Harel’. But he told me that Fen’Harel was an insult from his enemies.”

Felassan laughed. “Ah, the vagaries of names. Fen’Harel was an insult seeded by the Evanuris and their followers, yes, but he relished in it at first. ‘They should bear dread for me,’ he said, ‘for it’s through my forces that their atrocities will be laid to rest.’” He gave her a knowing look. “Pride once took great pride in the title of the Rebel Wolf.”

Tamaris frowned. “Rebel Wolf?”

He smiled faintly. “Words change, as do people and their places in time. It makes sense, really. I can understand how the word ‘rebel’ became twisted with negative connotations due to long association with the mighty gods’ greatest detractor and foe.”

His tone was irreverent, but Tamaris frowned thoughtfully as she considered what Solas had told her a year ago. “Rebel Wolf… yes, I can see that.”

Felassan nodded. “Fen’Harel proudly adopted the insult as his informal title among our ranks. It bolstered courage among our people, and importantly, it allowed us to laugh at our foes. Ridicule can be a powerful weapon against those who hold themselves in such high esteem. But those of us who called ourselves his friends still called him Solas, for pride is who he was to us.”

Tamaris scoffed. She’d suddenly remembered the way Solas had once described himself to Blackwall. “Young, cocky, and ready to fight?” she drawled.

Felassan smiled slowly. “He said that, did he?”

“Not directly to me, but yes.”

He shook his head and let out a soft little laugh. “Yes, that’s… that is exactly who he was, once, and it was glorious. But as time wore on and the Evanuris’s tactics grew more vicious, Solas became…” He tilted his head thoughtfully. “Not disheartened per se, but… serious. He was no longer quick to laugh like he once was. His title and its insult began to chip away at him. So I began calling him Fen’Harel.”

“Why?” Tamaris asked.

Felassan blinked. “To cheer him up, of course.”

She raised an eyebrow. “You insulted him to cheer him up?”

“Of course,” Felassan said. “It cheers me up when you roast me.”

She laughed despite herself. “I don’t roast you.”

He smiled. “My humorously wounded feelings would say otherwise. But yes, I called him Fen’Harel in jest, but also to remind him what it meant to those of us who followed him and fought for his cause. He was the young and uppity Rebel Wolf to the Evanuris and their ilk, but to us, he was the man who snatched us from the jaws of slavery and, for many, of a certain and ugly death.” He waved his hand in an elegant gesture. “So yes: I called him Fen’Harel as a reminder of all that he was trying to achieve.” He shot her a wry little smirk. “Perhaps it was too effective a reminder, given the position we now find ourselves in.”

“You feel sorry for him,” Tamaris said.

She realized belatedly how accusatory she sounded, but it was too late; the words were out, and Felassan was gazing at her with a rather contemplative look on his face.

“Don’t you?” he said.

“No,” she said instantly. “I feel sorry for everyone in this world that he’s trying to murder for no good reason.”

Felassan nodded an acknowledgement, but Tamaris wasn’t finished. “He was only awake in this world for one year before deciding there was nothing of value in it. And then he spent another entire year with us, and he still has so much disdain for us that he’s going to try and kill us all?”

“It is not a matter of disdain for your people that drives him,” Felassan told her. “It’s a matter of guilt for ours.”

“That doesn’t make it better!” she snapped. “And you — you’re from his time, and you still purposely fucked up his plans. You must think there’s something of value in this time.”

Felassan slowly ran a hand over his hair. “I understand change better than Fen’Harel does,” he said.

“But you think there’s something of value here,” she pushed.

“I think there is value to be found everywhere, if you look in the right places,” he said.

“Then how can you feel sorry for him?” Tamaris demanded. “He tried to kill you, for fuck’s sake. How can you feel sorry for someone who was once your friend, betraying you like this?”

He looked her in the eye, and Tamaris scowled. He was wearing that soft and world-weary look again – the one that smacked of thousands of years of life and knowledge and war.

“Don’t look at me like that,” she said.

His eyebrows rose. “Like what?”

“Like I’m a fucking child,” she said in a hard voice. “If you have something to say, just say it.”

He frowned slightly. Then he reached out and lifted her chin with a gentle hand.

“Do not mistake my sympathy for a lack of anger,” he said quietly. “You know that it is possible to harbour both.”

She couldn’t reply; her mouth was suddenly dry. Her chest was jangling, partly from the delicacy of Felassan’s fingers on her chin, but mostly at the ferocity in his eyes. His odd violet eyes were so bright and clear, and Tamaris couldn’t tell if the uncanny light in them was from conviction or from a hint of untapped magic.

She took a deep and slightly shaky breath. “Good,” she said. “I’m glad I’m not the only angry one.”

Felassan stared at her without replying, and she gazed helplessly back at him. She still couldn’t decide if his eyes were actually glowing, or if it was the fierceness of his expression that was taking her breath away.

Then his lips started to slowly curl at the corners. By the time his face was lit with that full breathtaking smile, her heart was pounding in her ears.

She swallowed hard. “Keep it in your pants, Felassan,” she breathed.

His smile curled into something wicked, and a tantalizing rush of heat raced down her throat and into her chest.

Then someone knocked on the front door.

Tamaris jumped, and Felassan’s hand fell away from her face. Then Varric’s voice called through the door. “Hey, Cuddles. You alive in there?”

Felassan’s smile widened. “Cuddles?”

She curled her lip at him, then rose from her chair and went to open the door.

Varric sidled inside, and his eyes darted over her face. “You okay? Hey, it smells good in here.”

“You’re just in time for breakfast,” Tamaris said. She gave Varric a long-suffering look and lowered her voice. “He cooks.”

Varric gave her an odd look. “Is that a bad thing?” he asked.

“No,” Tamaris muttered petulantly.

He raised one eyebrow, then turned to Felassan, who had wandered over to join them and was leaning casually against the doorjamb. Varric held out his hand. “Hey there. Varric Tethras, reluctant Viscount of this fair city-state.”

Felassan bowed his head graciously and shook Varric’s hand. “I am Felassan. Former Tranquil and current victim to Tamaris’s dubious hospitality.”

Varric snorted a laugh, but Tamaris straightened with indignation. “‘Dubious hospitality’?” she said archly. “I told you this house is yours as much as mine!”

“And you got mad at me for reading Varric’s excellent book,” he said.

“That you stole from my pack!” she exclaimed.

Felassan shrugged elegantly. “A minor detail. Varric, come and eat. Tamaris, yours is cold now.”

“It’s cold because you won’t stop talking to let me eat,” she complained.

Felassan tutted. “Always so focused on the details,” he said. He shot Varric a smirk, then sauntered toward the kitchen.

Tamaris grumbled in annoyance, then turned to Varric. “Look, he’s actually a really good cook. Do you…” She trailed off; Varric was giving her a funny look.

She frowned. “What?”

He continued to eye her shrewdly. “Remind me how long he’s been here?”

“Three days,” she said. “Why?”

Varric’s eyebrows rose even higher. Then he chuckled and shook his head. “Andraste’s ass. I know how this story ends.”

She scowled. “What the fuck are you on about?”

He patted her elbow. “Nothing, elf. I am hungry, though.” He made his way toward the dining table, and Tamaris grumpily followed him.

Varric took a seat across from Tamaris’s now-cold breakfast. “So you’re okay then? Not, uh, sick?”

She sat down and picked up her fork. “I’m good. I’m going to stop drinking.”

His eyebrows rose. “Oh. That’s… yeah, that’s probably good.”

She nodded brusquely. “It helps that I ran out of hard liquor,” she said. She took a bite of egg and gave Varric what she hoped was a reassuring half-smile. She still had some wine and beer in the house, but it seemed likely that Felassan would use it in his cooking at some point.

Varric returned her smile, and Tamaris felt a pang of guilt at the obvious relief in his face. A moment later, Felassan wandered out of the kitchen with a clean plate and utensils for Varric.

He set them in front of Varric, who raised his eyebrows. “Hey, thanks,” he said. He peered at the pan of eggs and sauce with interest. “Is this…? It looks like that Nevarran dish.”

“It is a similar dish,” Felassan said. “And there’s coffee in the kitchen if you’re in need.”

“I’m surprised you’re not offering him tea,” Tamaris said snidely.

Felassan grinned at her as he made his way around the table. “Don’t worry, Tamaris. My special teas are just for you.”

She rolled her eyes and took a vicious bite of toast. Felassan draped himself lazily in the chair beside her and smiled at Varric. “It is good to meet you. As our lovely hostess mentioned, I have been reading your book. I was just asking her what she thought of Skyhold.”

Varric chuckled and helped himself to breakfast. “Oh, I’m sure she had a lot to say about it.”

Felassan grinned at Tamaris. “Do you, now? I imagine it must have been quite the shocking change from your aravels.”

She swallowed a mouthful of toast and egg. “Hey, I like aravels, all right?” she said defensively. “They’re homey. And I like sleeping outside, too, if you want to make fun of me for that.”

“I’m sure I will, eventually,” he said pleasantly. “Now come, tell me what you thought of Fen’Harel’s stronghold.”

She shrugged and took another bite of eggs. “It was a good headquarters for the Inquisition.”

Felassan nodded. “It is an excellent headquarters for an organization to grow its power, yes. What else?”

“It was…” She shrugged irritably. It had been a year since she’d lived in Skyhold, and everything felt so different then compared to now. “I don’t know what you want me to say. It was fine.”

“Fine?” Felassan chuckled. “I’m sure Fen’Harel was disgruntled by that assessment.”

Tamaris scowled and took another bite of her food. Then Varric spoke to Felassan. “She was like a nervous cat for the first week we were there. And every time something got renovated and the castle got nicer, it was like she got nervous all over again.”

Felassan laughed brightly, and Tamaris shot Varric a resentful look. “I’m a simple girl with simple tastes, all right? I don’t like fancy shit. I’m not used to it.”

Varric smiled. “Hence the Avvar decor in the Great Hall.”

“Exactly,” she said. “Although that also had the benefit of pissing Vivienne off.”

Varric chuckled. Then Felassan addressed him once more. “Your book mentioned that Solas had a preference for the rotunda. Is that correct?”

Varric nodded. “He painted huge murals on the walls, like the ones in that Shattered Library place.”

Felassan’s eyebrows rose. “So the murals are still intact there as well? Interesting.”

Tamaris pushed her empty plate away. “Did Solas spend most of his time in the rotunda back in the olden days too?”

Felassan shot her a chiding smirk — likely at her irreverent reference to the ‘olden days’. “Some, but not most. The rotunda is where he gave his rousing speeches.”

Varric huffed in amusement. “He gave rousing speeches? I can’t see it.”

“I can,” Tamaris said quietly.

Felassan nodded and lifted his feet onto the table. “Oh, he was very inspiring. But the rotunda was likely much larger in our time than it is now.”

“What do you mean?” Tamaris asked.

“The fortress you lived in can’t possibly be the same as the one we knew,” he explained. “The original fortress was a thorough melding of the magical and the mundane. The castle you occupied was likely built in parts and pieces over many ages.”

She stared at him. She felt stupid for not having thought of this before, because it made perfect sense. Of course Skyhold couldn’t be the exact same building as the one from thousands of years ago, especially if it was originally a merging of the Fade and the real world like the Vir Dirthara was.

Varric, meanwhile, seemed unsurprised. “Yeah, that makes sense. Gatsi — our head stonemason — he said the castle was a mishmash of styles and stone from different places and eras.”

“But Skyhold felt like a whole,” Tamaris put in. “Even if it was a mishmash, it didn’t feel like one. It felt like it was supposed to be as it was. It felt… It didn’t feel like a patchwork or anything.” She wrinkled her nose. “I… It’s hard to explain what I mean. It felt—”

“It felt like safety. Didn’t it?” Felassan said. “It felt like coming home.”

She looked at him sharply. “Yes,” she said. “It… it took a while, but yes. It did.”

He nodded an acknowledgement. “A lingering quality of Fen’Harel’s magic in the foundations. Skyhold was a refuge for freed slaves as well as a fortress. It too played many roles over time — including beyond our time, clearly.”

She frowned thoughtfully as she pulled a joint of elfroot and embrium from her shirt pocket. “It’s where he made the Veil, isn’t it? Or triggered it or whatever.” She lit the joint and took a drag from it, then blew the smoke over her shoulder before looking at Felassan.

He was staring at her intently. She blinked at him. “What? What’s wrong?”

“How do you know that?” he asked.

She frowned. “It’s… he practically told me. He said the castle was named ‘Tarasyl’an te’las’ back in your time. ‘The place where the sky was held back.’” She huffed and lifted the joint to her mouth. “In retrospect, he obviously meant the Veil, but hindsight is perfect, blah blah and so on.”

“When did he tell you that?” Felassan said. He reached for the joint in her fingers, and she handed it to him.

“When he was still with the Inquisition,” she said. “We’d been living there for… I don’t know, maybe eight months. We had a bunch of scholars studying the castle just for interest’s sake, and he told me that little tidbit and said I could pass it on to them.”

Felassan released a mouthful of smoke. “He told you that while he was still with you? Fenedhis.” He shook his head and smiled. “He really wanted you to figure it out, didn’t he?”

She gave him a skeptical look. “His whole ‘not telling me shit’ thing would say otherwise,” she drawled. She reached for the joint, and Felassan took another quick drag before handing it back to her.

“Truly, I’m shocked at how much he revealed to you,” he said. “There was only a handful of us who called the castle by that name, and only then when times were so desperate that the Veil was all he could think to do.”

She blinked. “Really? What did you call it before that?” She tucked the joint at the corner of her lips for safekeeping and started gathering the dishes.

Felassan barked out a laugh. “Oh, nothing nearly so lyrical as Tarasyl’an te’las.”

She paused and looked at him. “Come on, tell me.”

He shook his head and chuckled. “I can’t tell you what we called it.”

“Why the fuck not?” she demanded.

He waved his hand in an expansive gesture. “We once prided ourselves on our wonderful use of metaphor. The castle’s common name was… not very poetic.”

She gave him a flat look. “Just tell me.”

He sighed. “Twist my arm, why don’t you. We called it Arla’fen.”

She frowned and took a slow pull from the joint, then lifted it away from her lips. “‘Home of the wolf’? That’s it?”

He rose to his feet and continued collecting the dishes. “It meant ‘the wolf’s den.’”

Tamaris raised her eyebrows, then snorted. “That sounds like a place where a bunch of rowdy boys gather together to watch each other getting into fighting matches.”

“And wouldn’t that be undignified,” Felassan said without turning around.

She stared at him, then smiled slowly. “That’s exactly what you did, isn’t it? You and your rebel buddies would have fighting matches for fun.”

He smirked at her over his shoulder. “I told you it was not very poetic.”

She could feel her smile growing wider by the moment. “Did you howl at each other like wolves too?” she said.

“It is possible that there was some howling involved,” he said in a dignified manner.

She laughed, and Felassan grinned at her as he finished stacking the dirty dishes. “Well, if you’ve finished roasting me, I’ll go to the kitchen to deal with these.”

“This is hardly a roast,” she said. “When I decide to roast you, you’ll know.” She lifted the joint to her lips once more.

Felassan reached out and plucked it from her lips. “I’ll look forward to it, avise.” He placed the joint between his own lips and smirked at her, then picked up the dishes and walked away.

She huffed in amusement and shook her head, then plopped down in her chair again and looked at Varric.

His chin was propped on one fist, and his eyebrows were raised. Tamaris gave him a flat look. “Come on, Varric, out with the judgment. Let’s hear it.”

“What was that he called you?” Varric asked. “Avise’?”

“It means ‘fire’,” Tamaris said. “Or ‘flame’.” She shrugged. “It’s a long and stupid story.”

Varric didn’t bat an eye. “He’s got a nickname for you?”

“You have a nickname for me,” she pointed out.

“I’ve known you for four years,” Varric said.

“You started calling me ‘Cuddles’ two days after we met!” she exclaimed.

He tilted his head, and Tamaris folded her arms. “So what then? Do you want to chaperone us? Feel free to move in. Mythal knows this fucking place is big enough.”

Varric sat back in his chair. “No no, I won’t interrupt. Just… be careful, huh?”

She softened. He was just trying to be a good friend. “Seriously, don’t worry,” she assured him. “Nothing’s going to happen. We’re both too fucked up.”

Varric frowned slightly. “Don’t be so hard on yourself. You’re doing okay.”

She shrugged, and Varric leaned toward her. “Seriously. It’s good that you’re going to cut back on the drinking. We were all a little… well.”

“You were worried,” she mumbled. “I know. I get it.”

He shrugged and leaned back in his chair again. “Just looking out for you, Cuddles.”

She tsked at the nickname, and Varric smiled and stood up. “Well, I just wanted to check in since I hadn’t heard from you. I should probably get back to the Keep. Bran will be getting tired of running my meetings by now.”

She raised her eyebrows. “You had meetings this morning?”

“Yeah,” he said. “I didn’t really need to be there, though. Besides, when you miss meetings, people think you’re all the busier, and they’re less likely to try and bother you unless it’s really urgent.”

Tamaris scowled. “If that’s true, why did Josephine always insist that I had to be at every fucking meeting?”

He chuckled. “Don’t ask me. I wasn’t one of your advisors.” He started to make his way toward the door.

Tamaris stood up. “Oh hey, hang on a second. Can you get supplies for us while we’re cooped up here?”

He glanced up at her in surprise. “Cooped up? Why can’t you leave?”

“I don’t think it’s a good idea for Felassan to be alone until he gets a better handle on his magic,” she said quietly.

Varric’s eyebrows rose. “Oh. Shit, yeah, okay. What do you need?”

“We made a list,” she said, and she reached into her pocket. “It’s right…” She trailed off and rifled around in her pockets for a second. “Fuck, where is it? Felassan!”

He poked his head out of the kitchen. “You bellowed?”

“Do you have the supply list?” she asked.

“I do,” he said. He came out of the kitchen and pulled a piece of parchment from his pocket, which he handed to Varric. “Are you leaving already?” he asked.

“Yeah, unfortunately,” Varric said. “Viscount duty calls.”

“That is a shame,” Felassan said. “I was hoping to hear some of your stories first-hand. Your lovely ex-Inquisitor is not the strongest weaver of tales.”

Tamaris tutted. “Excuse me. Who’s roasting whom here?”

Felassan smiled at her, and Varric chuckled. “Don’t worry, I’ll be back and I’ll tell you some stories then. Let’s see what you’ve got here…” He unfolded the parchment and peered at it. “Hmm. Yeah, this is… oh, black lotus, huh? And deep mushroom, all fresh? That’ll be tricky. But I know a guy. Might be a couple days, though.”

Felassan bowed his head politely. “Your effort is appreciated, truly. More by Tamaris than myself.”

Varric looked at Tamaris. “This is for you? Why?”

She shrugged. “Withdrawal. He’s going to make me some kind of fancy tea.”

“Oh, yeah. You mentioned that.” He looked at Felassan. “You a healer?”

Felassan waved dismissively. “More of an amateur herbalist.”

“Not amateur,” Tamaris protested. “You have herbs for everything.”

He smiled at her. “I do believe that was almost a compliment,” he said, and he gave her a small but still somehow mocking bow.

She rolled her eyes, then paused and looked him over. “Hang on. Where’s my joint?”

“I finished it,” he said.

She slumped in exasperation. “But it doesn’t even do anything for you!”

“It held the sweetness of your lips,” he said. “That’s more than enough for me.”

Varric’s eyebrows leapt up, and Tamaris winced internally. Fuck, she thought. Now Varric was really going to worry about something brewing between her and Felassan.

Before either she or Varric could speak, Felassan took a step back. “Varric, it was a pleasure,” he said warmly. “I look forward to your next visit.” He turned and made his way back to the kitchen, but not before Tamaris noticed the tips of his ears turning pink.

A pang of sympathy twisted her heart. He clearly hadn’t meant to say that comment about her lips out loud.

That also meant he didn’t really mean it, which was for the best.

She turned to Varric, whose eyebrows were almost buried in his hairline. “He’s just… it’s the Tranquility cure,” she explained lamely. “He’s all over the place. It’s not… he doesn’t mean it.”

A sudden image intruded in her mind: Felassan’s fingers on her chin and his wickedly heated smile.

She ignored the memory. He didn’t mean it, she thought. Varric, meanwhile, was still eyeing her skeptically.

“Uh-huh,” he said, and he turned toward the door. “I’ll check on you every couple days, and I’ll have Bran set you up with a raven so you can send letters if you need something sooner.”

“Sure,” she said, and she followed him to the door. As he stepped outside, however, she stopped him with a hand on his shoulder.

He looked askance at her, and she gave him a serious look. “Listen, Varric, I didn’t come here to be a burden on you,” she said. “I didn’t… this is a pain in your ass. Checking on us and bringing supplies and shit. I – you’re busy with all your other responsibilities, I know, and I just wanted—”

“Hey,” he cut her off gently. “Don’t worry about it. Maker knows you did enough for us over the past few years.”

She nodded and awkwardly ran a hand through her hair. “Just… thanks, okay? I really appreciate it.”

He patted her metal elbow. “I know, Cuddles. Don’t worry about it. Just take some time to look after yourself. Things’ll be busy once you’re ready to get back into it.”

She sighed. His reminder about the tenuous situation in the world was fair but unpleasant. “Yeah, okay,” she said. “Thanks again.”

He smiled faintly. “See you in a couple days,” he said. He waved casually and walked away, and Tamaris returned to the house.

Felassan was finishing the cleanup in the kitchen. When she sidled into the kitchen to join him, he turned to her with a smile, and she was relieved to see that he didn’t seem awkward after the provocative comment he’d made in Varric’s presence.

“So here we are, with the full day ahead of us,” he said cheerfully. “What should we do with it?”

Once again, the memory of his blazing violet eyes and his suggestively curled lips rose to her mind. Fuck off, she told herself, and she shrugged as casually as she could. “I was going to start tagging the shit in this house that I want to sell or get rid of. If we’re going to be living here for a while, we should redecorate. Make it more homey.”

“‘We’?” he said with interest. “Does that mean I get a say in the decor?”

“Of course,” she said. “You’re living here too.”

“How perfectly egalitarian of you,” he said, and he bowed his head again. “You have my thanks.”

He was smiling that gorgeous smile, and his polite tone was laced with a hint of laughter. Tamaris grunted and left the kitchen and his stupid tempting smile behind, then made her way upstairs.

She stepped into her bedroom and wandered over to the window, then opened it and gulped in a breath of fresh air — or as fresh as the air in a city could ever get.

It held the sweetness of your lips. That’s more than enough for me. Felassan’s smooth and lilting voice rose unwittingly in her mind, and she scraped her metal fingers through her hair as though to push away the memory of his words.

She was being stupid. Felassan was only hitting on her because he was getting over his Tranquility, and she was only responding to his flirts because she was… well, she had no excuse. She was just horny for no good reason in particular.

She scoffed quietly at herself and took another calming breath of city air. Regardless of the reasons for their shared sexual frustration, what she’d said to Varric was true: neither she nor Felassan were in any position to get involved any more intimately than they already were. Felassan couldn’t control his flirtatious impulses, though, and that wasn’t his fault, so Tamaris would just have to be especially careful to rebuff him.

It’ll be fine, she thought. I was the fucking Inquisitor. If I can foil a qunari invasion and trick the Orlesian court into thinking I have any kind of couth, then I can say no to sex with a handsome man. With that bolstering thought, she pushed away from the window and turned her mind to the fascinating task of redecorating.

#felassan #felassan romance #felassan/lavellan #felassan x lavellan #the love that grows from violence #pikapeppa writes

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