#oc: mercy belmont | Explore Tumblr posts and blogs

spacebobastories · 11 months ago

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Okay so, I've been on Tumblr for a long time now and I love to write. I have *so* many things in my head I want to talk about. But what I really want to talk about are my OCs. This beautiful man is named Louis Belmont and I love him so freaking much.

I should be at church but I'm raging on a Sunday Lie to confess, fuck it, worry 'bout it some day Baptized in the crowd 'cause they lookin' pretty thirsty City full of sufferin' take me to the promised land Visits a chapel and these words, your religion Raise your cup for that holy grail that you're sippin' Free up your mind, I know that it can be a prison We ain't got much time, you better spend what you were given

Quotes

“What? You going to cry? Go ahead, make my day.”

“God damn it! It’s boring as hell! Where’s the fun?”

“Hey! Where’s my alcohol?!”

“Any good food here?”

“There’s a fight? Where? Why didn’t you tell me sooner?!”

“You want mercy? Ha! You came at me first. There will be no mercy from me.”

“…is that chocolate? Wanna share?? :3”

Basics

Name: Louis Belmont

Age: 25

Sexuality: Bisexual but leans more towards men

Gender: Male

Eyes: They are a golden color but what is interesting is that his eyes look like they have tiny flames in them. It's like a tiny furnace is in his eyes.

Height: 5'9

Body Type: more on the athletic side. He’s not super muscular, more on the lean side. He relies more on speed than anything, overpowering his foes with his speed and some strength.

Body Refs:

Race: African American/ German

Species: Mink

Sub-species: Wolf Mink

Birthday: July 23rd 1450 B.C.

Zodiac sign: Leo 🦁

Favorite Colors: Yellow (pastel yellow), Gold and red.

Hair color: Auburn (dark red)

Hair length: Stops at his mid back. He also keeps it in braids like his sister, mostly to get it out of the way, but to show off the hair beads he has.

Hair refs:

Piercings: he has quite a few. Mostly on his ears and tongue. He also has nipple piercings as well. His mother didn’t want him to get any piercings but…he never listened and didn’t care. It’s his body anyway. Don’t get me wrong, he loves his mother and will listen to her…but he just really loves piercings and wanted to get a few.

Scars: Louis has a lot of scars on his body. Some from fights and others from just being clumsy. He has a jagged scar across his throat from when he almost got his throat ripped out from a wolf (which is ironic), a scar over his right eye when he was fighting a bandit, a massive one going diagonal across his chest from a monster attack.

Species: He is a Wolf Mink (A Humanoid race that can look like animals or humans with animal qualities)

Voice Claim: https://youtu.be/0F8Qjgmlhkc

Theme song: Raging on a Sunday by Alexander DeLeon

Wardrobe: If Louis could, he would walk around naked. So, his wardrobe isn't that fashionable. He wears loose fitting clothing since he hates the feeling of clothes on his skin.

🔥Louis Belmont ⚔️

What is he like?: Louis is a hyperactive man who likes to be petty and piss people off. He’s nice, in his own way, and can be an asshole and a pest at times, but he means well. (Sometimes) he’s a very smart man under all that pettiness and people think he’s dumb which he uses to his advantage. He’s loud, obnoxious and snarky. He is very flirty and will flirt with anyone, but mostly men which is dangerous given that homosexuality is frowned upon, but he could care less. Louis does have a soft side for children and people are shocked when they see this soft, gentler side of Louis. They don’t expect that of a man like him. He *is* basically a giant man child. He is a hopeless romantic and will love his partner(s) to death. Spoiling them with kisses, cuddles and other things but also showering them with gifts.

Like I said before, he is a *very* hyperactive man. He cannot sit still for the life of him and has to be doing something. Either cleaning his weapons or fiddling with something, sometimes tinkering and fixing things. Other times breaking them to see how they work. He loves to talk to those who will listen and won’t shut up. But he has a serious side and will take things seriously when need be. He doesn’t really like to show weakness and would rather hide his wounds or hide how hurt he is so others don’t worry for him. He is a strong willed and independent man but at the end of the day, he’d rather cuddle and sleep with his partner(s) like any human would.

Likes:

🗡️-cleaning his weapons (he loves taking care of his weapons. He’s always wiping them down and checking for nicks to fix. Plus, having a full blade is not good in battle.)

⚔️-finding new weapons to collect (this man loves collecting new weapons, either to use or just to have. Usually he likes to test out the weapons before adding them to his collection. He has many weapons from around the world that he is proud to show off to people who ask.)

🏃‍♀️-exercising( which includes, running, push ups, climbing. He has so much energy, like *so* much. He loves to run and climb. It his favorite thing to do. Plus, he can chase after a monster or a bounty easily for a couple of miles. He doesn’t tire easily.

🍺-alcohol ( he loves to drink alcohol. No matter what it is, he’s trying it. He’s tried some fancy wine from France and loves the sweeter wine. He’s even tried the cheese platters with the wine and he’s addicted to them)

🤜💫-fighting and sparring (Doesn’t matter if it’s with monsters or humans, he *loves* to fight. It’s in his blood. If he’s not fighting then he’s sparring with his older sisters.)

🍩🍰-sweets(doesn’t matter what it is, as long as it’s super sweet. If there’s one thing he loves more than weapons and monster hunting…okay that’s two, but he absolutely loves sweets. Especially cookies or straight up blocks of honey.)

👹🗡️-monster hunting and learning about new species (he was taught at a young age about monsters and the different species there are in the world. Of course it’s a big world so people believe that monsters aren’t real. But they’d be wrong. Monsters are indeed real and he has been taught how to kill them. He loves learning about new species and soaks up information like a sponge.)

🥰-his mom (he will not hesitate to say his favorite person in the world is his mother. He loves this woman to death because she’s been there for him every step of the way. She taught him so many things. And while it’s a woman’s job to do sewing, cleaning and cooking, Louis wanted to learn everything. So, he knows how to cook and sew properly as well as clean. He’s not ashamed to know these things because it keeps him alive on his missions. She also taught him to read and write.)

😴-taking naps(he loves naps. It’s something he loves to do when he can. It also is a way to keep him quiet for a few hours.)

🐕😺-animals (he loves animals. No matter what animal, he seems to have a way with them. He can’t really communicate with animals, not really anyway. He can’t really *talk* to them, but he can sense what they’re feeling. Like wolves for instance, he is more wolf-like than anything and it’s easier for him to “communicate” with wolves than any other animal. It could be because of the magic he was born with)

🩷-cuddling(he’s a very touchy person, so, any type of touch he loves. It can be sexual or not. Just holding hands or kissing or just sleeping with someone in a pile is the best feeling in the world to him.)

👶-children(he wants a big family of his own some day)

🌲☀️-summer(he loves the heat and sometimes even sleeps in sunny spots. He loves the smell of summer and the sounds of the bugs that come out. Cicadas are his favorite noise on top of grasshoppers. He loves that he can swim in lakes and not freeze his ass off or just be lazy around the estate when he’s not on a mission)

Dislikes:

😝-bitter things(it tastes horrible to him. Ginger and cranberries are the *worst* to him. He is *super* allergic to them. His throat will swell up and he will start to break out in hives and start itching. He knows the taste of them because he tried them without knowing. Never again.)

🤜💫-people messing with his loved ones (he becomes super protective and a little possessive over his loved ones. If it’s a sibling, super protective. If it’s a lover he becomes both.)

🥶- the cold(he *hates* winter with a passion. The snow is beautiful, he won’t deny that. But at the end of the day, he hates how the cold makes him feel. Sure, he has his fire to keep him warm but it can only do so much)

🗣️-people talking down to him or people ordering him around(now, he knows that if he’s on a mission or a team, he’ll have to deal with it. But if it’s not the team captain or someone he is with, he *hates* being bossed around.)

🕷️- spiders(he hates those spawns of the Devil, he accidentally sat on a nest of spiders and had millions of spiders crawling all over him. To this day he will have someone else kill a spider for him or he’ll freeze in place.)

🌿-vinegar and Eucalyptus(he hates the smell of vinegar, it’s super strong and disgusting to him. Eucalyptus is equally disgusting to him because the smell can make him feel sick.)

🥺-being alone (while he is independent, he absolutely hates being alone. Sometimes he’ll go on missions where he is alone for months on end, but it’s not like he enjoys it. He’s a people person and once he finds his loved one, he’s staying by them until they get tired of him.)

His magic and fighting style

What is the magic the Belmont's are born with? Well, it depends on the person. Many of the Belmont's are born with different magic. You know what they have by their eyes.

Gold/red/aqua- Fire. If the fire is an aqua, then it is a very hot fire. It’s hotter than the red or golden fire.

Deep blue/pale blue-water and ice

Deep green- nature

Brown- Earth

Neon green/pale green- poison

Purple- healing

The Belmont's can be born with one magic type or two. Usually you can tell what they have by their eyes. Same eye color is one magic, two different colors are two different magic.

Louis was born with fire magic and he loves it. He doesn’t do well in cold conditions because while he can keep himself warm, it can tire him out if he tries to keep his body temperature up for long periods of time. He does have a lot of stamina but if he’s trying to stay warm for 5 hours to keep his body temperature up would either get him very sick or he would die.

Louis can create fire balls, light his weapons on fire or make the blades incredibly hot. He can melt through some metals, plastic and can burn wood. He can’t melt through anything, he would have to have hotter flames for that.

He can create fire sprites which are little balls of magic that are warm to the touch but when he snaps his fingers, they can explode. He also can make flames float in or on his hand. Or follow him around. That’s why he rarely ever brings torches with him.

He can create flames that aren’t harmful to others. Which means if he creates a fire and someone were to fall or step in it, it would feel warm to the touch. Now, if he were to create fire by using a fire starter, that fire would hurt others. Louis is immune to fire damage, yet it can still *hurt* him. He’s not completely safe from it. He’s safe from his fire though, but outside sources he’s not.

When he does use his powers or when he becomes angry, his eyes glow brighter until it looks like his eyes themselves are small flames. His eyes can flash a very deep orange to gold when he becomes angry or irritated. Louis can regulate his body temperature and keep others warm or himself warm. That’s why he loves the heat so much and sleeps in the sun. He can feel hot to the touch if he sleeps in the sun and people can become worried, but he’s perfectly fine.

Louis is weak to extreme cold weather and water. If he gets too cold, it takes him a little bit to get himself warm or create a fire. He can blow fire in his hands to get warmed up. Sort of like starting a furnace that’s close to going out.

Fighting style: Louis is a close ranged fighter, preferring to be up close and personal with his opponent. Of course he knows to back up and get on the defensive if it’s an enemy that needs to be taken down from afar then rush in when they are down. If he doesn’t have his sword, he is really good at hand to hand combat. Using his strength and speed to overwhelm his opponent. He can use quick and light attacks or heavy and slow attacks. Usually he likes using quick and heavy attacks to overthrow his opponent. Using upper cuts and blows to the stomach. He is very agile and flexible. He can flip and bounce around, sometimes even bending in odd ways to get his opponent.

Weapon(s): he has a sword he calls Ra which he straps to his hip. The blade is made from rare metals that had come from a fallen meteor. It’s a normal sword to anyone else, but when Louis holds it, it becomes more dangerous than anything else. He can set the blade on fire by running two fingers across it or heating the blade to the point it glows.

Louis is the third son of the Belmont family. They are a family of bounty hunters, monster hunters, doctors, adventurers, collectors and alchemists. They also sometimes work for the church to get rid of monsters that are too close to major cities or towns. They take jobs from families who have money and those who don’t. They are a very old family, have been around for many *many* generations and so they are a very rich noble family. Some of the Belmont's are well known around the world, some as great adventures and others as amazing and smart doctors.

The Belmont's are a family who are born with magic and different colored eyes depending on their magic. Their magic makes them more animalistic than others. There is magic in the world, but with the Belmont's it’s different. They are faster, stronger, and have a sensitive sense of smell, hearing and taste. They can sometimes lose themselves in battle, snarling, growling and sometimes even purring. Their teeth are far sharper than others. Some say it’s a curse that was placed on the Belmont's. Others say that’s just how the Belmont's were born. Sometimes out of battle they can be just as animalistic, protecting those close to them.

People think of them as demons from hell or just cursed beings. But the Belmont's are amazing allies to keep but terrifying enemies to make which is why the church hasn't really done anything about them. The church may have power and influence, but they can’t compare to the Belmont's magical and fighting abilities. Louis is one of the well known monster hunters, he does do bounties but usually if it gets his interest. He travels all over the world to find monsters who people have seen or if there are rumors of said monsters.

I should be at church but I'm raging on a Sunday Lie to confess, fuck it, worry 'bout it some day Baptized in the crowd 'cause they lookin' pretty thirsty I should be at church but I'm raging on a I should be at church but I'm raging on a Sunday Lie to confess, fuck it, worry 'bout it some day Baptized in the crowd 'cause they lookin' pretty thirsty I should be at church but I'm raging on a Sunday

This character was heavily inspired by Castlevania. The Netflix show. All the pictures and gifs are from tumblr. And I made my character from Picrew by the artist naylissah.

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long-liv-prairies · 8 years ago

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Neither Angels, Nor Demons, Nor Powers

Chapter 106 - In Camp - 8,057 words - AO3 Link

Big thanks to @ladydracarysao3 for letting me use her OC Abner from her fic, In Love, Serenity, for this chapter! It was super fun to work with you to bring her into my own world. Everyone should read her fic!

Cullen strolled through the camp, sweating slightly in the damp heat. He couldn’t understand why it was so hot this far south, when winter had just started. There had been reports of strange weather across Thedas ever since the Breach opened. The early spring in Skyhold, freezing in Sahrnia, and now a lengthy summer in southern Orlais.

It meant the leaves were still green and clinging to trees, and the underbrush was thick and difficult to fight through. At least the warmer temperatures meant his soldiers weren’t freezing, and they could spend less time chopping firewood and less resources on food to keep people warm.

People were everywhere, setting up tents, unloading wagons of supplies, stacking weapons and armor in stockpile ready for distribution. A line of people were still spilling into the forest, and they likely wouldn’t stop trickling in until sundown. Mages and healers were setting up stations for healing, and the horses were being seen to by Dennet and his stable hands. Cullen quickly looked away from the brown old man as he found himself seeking Naomi’s tall frame and brown head among them.

They were not ready yet, but by the next day he would be sending units into the forests after Corypheus’s red Templar army, hopefully putting an end to them, finally, after so many months.

Cullen approached the table where Leliana and Josephine had already gathered, taking the map he was handed from Leliana.

“My scouts have been mapping the forest,” she said with her Orlesian lilt. “There are few paths through the trees, but they have marked the easiest routes. A shallow river cuts through the forest a few miles north. It is where the bulk of Corypheus’s forces have been moving.”

“And Corypheus himself? Samson?”

“There has been no sign of them.”

Cullen frowned. He had expected the blighted magister and his general to have arrived. But perhaps it was a good sign. Corypheus had not yet found what he sought in the elven ruins scattered among the trees.

Cullen studied the crudely drawn map, mind racing through possible approaches to the battle. “The battlefield is spread too far,” he said, placing the map back on the table so the women could see. “There is no way to concentrate our attacks for maximum impact.”

“Morrigan believes they are searching the forests for this eluvian,” Leliana continued. “The red Templars have been pushing deeper each day. My agents have harassed them, slowed them down. But that meant driving them apart, where their numbers could be better handled.”

Cullen nodded. It had been their plan, after all, to slow the advance of Corypheus’s forces until they could arrive to stop him. But now they were here and so was Corypheus. “It’s time to start bringing them back together,” Cullen told Leliana. “Have your agents begin herding these far flung groups back here,” he said, indicating the area to their north, centered over the river. “Our troops will be better able to handle a more concentrated target. I’ll send some units out myself, to start squeezing them in. We don’t want any surprises coming at us from behind.”

Leliana nodded. “I’ll send out my runners immediately.”

Cullen turned to Josephine. “Any new developments from our allies?”

“Gaspard’s chevaliers should be here by tomorrow, and Celene arrived earlier today. She would like a chance to speak with you and her captains to coordinate battle plans.”

Cullen nodded, pleased. It would make the campaign easier on his own troops having the support of the Orlesian army and the returned chevaliers. He thanked the Maker Nassella had managed to bring these factions of Orlais back together before this point. He was starting to feel more optimistic about their odds.

“Is there anything else?”

Josephine fiddled with her ledger, then sighed. “Yes, there is one other matter.”

“Which is?”

She pursed her lips, then abruptly turned to walk away. “Perhaps I should just show you,” she said over her shoulder.

Cullen stared at what she had wanted him to see, not entirely certain he could believe his eyes. In front of him, coming down the path that had led them into the forest, was a line of trebuchets.

He turned to Josephine, realizing his mouth was hanging open. “What is this?” he asked.

Josephine shook her head slightly, though a small smile crossed her face. “I called for our allies in Orlais to respond to our needs in this battle with supplies, gold, or men. The Comtesse d’Argent sent these.”

Cullen looked back at the trebuchets, now closer and even larger, the tops of their arms brushing against the low hanging branches of trees. “Does she realize we are in a forest?” he asked.

“I am sure the Comtesse realizes the Arbor Wilds are forested.”

Cullen shook his head, then rubbed at his temples. “And what does she expect me to do with siege equipment in a forest?”

Josephine sighed. “I’m sure she expects you to use them.”

“She would have been just as helpful sending me… puppies,” Cullen grumbled. He looked at the trebuchets once more time then turned away. Orlesians. Absolutely useless, all of them.

“Yes, well, I am certain she meant well.”

“You can tell her it was a waste.”

“I can do no such thing,” Josephine said. “The Comtesse is a close ally of Celene. I will not insult her over a few trebuchets.”

A man in clothes far to fine for a remote forest and wearing a gilded mask approached, bowing to them both. “I am Belmont d’Argent, delivering this gift from my mother, the Comtesse d’Argent.” Cullen doubted this man, more a boy based on the tenor of his voice, had ever been outside his mansion in his life. He certainly hadn’t dressed as if he had, and he probably didn’t know the proper use for a trebuchet any more than his mother. “She hopes your Inquisition will put them to good use.”

“Thank you,” Josephine said, stepping in graciously where Cullen could not. “I am sure Commander Cullen will find a good use for them.”

Cullen shot an unbelieving glance at the Antivan woman, but she glared right back, with a look that suggested he should be polite, or suffer consequences. He could only imagine the number of teas she might make him attend in order to make up for any slight he caused the Comtesse.

So he turned back to the boy and attempted to wipe the frown from his face. “We will use them here, in our main camp,” he said. “Should the red Templars break through our front defenses, they will be invaluable for defending our base.” He had no intention of wasting energy lugging the things through the trees. He would find a spot for them and let them rot.

“Merci,” the boy, Belmont, said with another small bow. “My mother will be pleased.”

“Thank you,” Josephine said to Cullen once Belmont had left. “That is one less political wrinkle I will need to smooth out.”

Cullen got a better look at the trebuchets as they moved past. They looked brand new, and they really were as useful as a litter of puppies in this jungle. At least puppies would grow into Mabari, he thought. “She would have been better off sending the money it took to build these.”

“We cannot always choose the aid we receive,” Josephine replied. “But please, cheer up Commander, I trust that a single Comtesse’s inability to send appropriate aid will not ruin us.”

Cullen let out a long sigh. It could be close. He was feeling more confident in the upcoming battle, but there was still much that could go wrong. “I hope not.”

Cullen returned to his tent late, exhausted from the day of marching, followed by the set-up of the camp. But this exhaustion was not body permeating, and had not threatened to disrupt his ability to function during the entire day. He had finally been able to sleep, for days now, and it made his days significantly better.

And he had Naomi to thank for that. Removing the demons from his mind had not entirely removed the nightmares, but they had been sporadic ever since that night she found his dream, and nowhere near as terrifying or disruptive as they had been for years. He might wake with a start, but he always managed to fall back asleep.

It made being away from her just that much more painful. He wanted to tell her, show her how she had helped him. Apologize, again, for reacting the way he had. Instead, he found himself spending these new nightmare-free and pain-free nights alone.

He was still longing for her body next to his when he prepared to crawl into his bedroll. He always longed for her when they were apart, so used as he was to her presence, and his body responded to those memories of her, to the expectation he now seemed to have of her touch before falling into sleep.

He had never been one for pleasuring himself. When he was younger, yes, he had taken himself to hand, but privacy was sporadic in the dorms, and while that had not stopped many of the other men around him, Cullen had never been quite comfortable without privacy. After he moved to Kirkwall, there had been many years when any thoughts of sexual release were far from his mind.

That was now changed, and Cullen did not hesitate to unlace his breeches and remove his half-hard cock, wrapping his hand around the shaft and stroking until he was fully erect. He closed his eyes and brought an image of Naomi to his mind, naked and lying on their bed, her mouth parted to let past low moans of his name, her hand between her legs. He wondered if she might be in such a position even now, thinking of him while she pleasured herself, just as he thought of her while pumping his length. He wanted to know how often she did it, put her hand between her legs and worked at the center of her pleasure, her fingers growing wet with waves of her arousal, sank those fingers inside her sex to rub along the sensitive walls, imagining the whole time it was his hand there, or his tongue, or his cock…

Cullen bucked his hips, hand sliding from head to base. He gripped himself tighter and did it again, Naomi now straddling his hips, wrapped around his cock, riding him, rolling her own hips languidly at first, but quickly picking up pace. Cullen bit back a moan as be thrust into his hand, imagining instead the hot clench of Naomi’s sex around him, saw clear in his mind her breasts bouncing with every jerk of his hips, her nipples darkened and pearled in the midst of their love-making.

He circled his thumb over the head of his throbbing cock and groaned, pushed over the edge by the friction and fantasy. His body tensed and he spilled hot on his stomach, stroking his cock to prolong the pleasure. Eventually he softened, and he released himself, taking a moment to soak in the glow the exertion had left.

But he quickly grew cold, colder still because Naomi’s body was not pressed hot and similarly spent against him. She was not whispering her love in his ear. It was a release that left him empty instead of full, and Cullen was never entirely satisfied. He would not be satisfied until she was back in his arms.

As he cleaned himself up Cullen wondered if he had overreacted, if perhaps he shouldn’t have kept her from coming with them. They had met no red Templars along the way to the Arbor Wilds, and the main camp here in the woods would be well defended. Naomi could have been safe. He didn’t have to be alone.

But that was selfish. He had no delusions about the upcoming battle; things could go wrong, and this camp could be overrun. Even if they weren’t overrun they could be attacked. Naomi was better off not being there, no matter how much Cullen wanted her in his bed. He loved her far too much to risk her life for better sex before sleep.

He desperately wished to hear her voice though. He wanted, in those moments as he tried to drift to a nightmare-less sleep, the talking devices Naomi had once told him about from her world. With such technology it wouldn’t matter how far apart they were. He would still be able to hear her voice, tell her about the day, the journey, regale her with the story of the trebuchets, hear her laugh, hear of her own days spent in the mountain fortress. He could tell her he loved her every night.

But they weren’t in her world, they were in his. So he imagined all those things instead, and drifted into sleep.

He ran his hand over smooth skin, supple muscles clenching beneath the touch. She giggled and turned a smiling face toward him, bright blue-green eyes meeting his. “That tickles,” she whispered.

He did it again and she giggled louder, back shying away from the touch. “Seriously Cullen,” she repeated through a laugh.

But he didn’t want to stop, so he moved his hand from her back to her side, brushing his fingers along the dip of her waist, then up to her chest, skimming just over the swell of her breast, ending with his hand pushed into the crook of her arm. Her body jerked, a loud laugh falling out of her mouth, and he rose to his knees so he had better access her body to tickle, his other hand joining the fray.

She rolled to her side, attempting to distance herself from his hands, pushing against him. She curled her knees toward her stomach, entire body shaking as she laughed. “Stop!” she cried through her giggling, hands grasping at his shoulders. “Cullen please!”

But he kept going, moving so he could straddle her body and pin her to the bed, running his hands over every sensitive inch of her body that he could, laughing himself at the way she was snorting and gasping, face pinched and teeth flashing white.

And then a hand were flying toward his face, and Cullen was smacked across the cheek with the rogue limb. He sat up, ending his assault and bringing a hand to his face. “Oops,” Naomi gasped, her stomach still heaving beneath him. Then she laughed. “I’m sorry liefje.”

Cullen chuckled back, the slight smart already fading. “I suppose I deserved that.”

She continued to giggle, face radiating happiness as she looked at him. “Yes, you did.”

Cullen leaned down and placed a kiss on her laughing lips, smiling when her arms circled around his back, pulling his body down into hers. After a moment he pulled back and looked into her beautiful eyes, shining with joy.

And he felt happy, and warm, and he thought his body might burst because of the love that filled him looking at her. Everything felt right, felt complete.

“I love you Naomi,” he said.

She reached to stroke his face. “I love you too.”

Cullen woke well-rested and pain-free, his entire body buzzing with a soft warmth. He took a moment to stare at the ceiling of his tent, contemplating what had happened while he slept.

He’d had a dream. That in itself might not be significant, except for the fact that he didn’t dream. He had nightmares, but he didn’t dream.

But the night before he’d dreamt. Of Naomi.

Instead of demons and death, it had been Naomi in his mind. The dreams had been nothing special, just simple flashes of joyful moments, most not even memories, just times when they might be content and happy together. But for Cullen, it was huge. It was everything.

He hadn’t had a dream so good in years. He couldn’t remember the last time it had happened. It was impossible to even consider what it might have been about. Cullen felt a tear slip down his cheek, and he raised a hand to wipe it away, hand shaking slightly. His chest started to ache, and he let out a breath he hadn’t realized he was holding.

He needed Naomi there. He needed to pull her into an embrace and tell her what had happened, kiss her and thank her for bringing him such happiness, for loving him. It was not a coincidence that she had removed a demon from feeding off his mind, and days later he was dreaming of her instead, the Circle for once just a memory. It was not a coincidence that his first dream was of her.

Cullen sat up and rubbed a hand over his face, his body still longing for the woman who wasn’t there. For the woman who had fallen in love with him, despite his shortcomings, took it upon herself to find a way to alleviate his symptoms, even cure him, and fought for him at every turn. This woman who he loved, more deeply than he had ever loved anyone, and was too far away for him to tell her.

He missed Naomi so much, with every fiber of his being. It was almost painful to consider how much longer it would be before they were together again.

Even more painful when he considered the possibility that he might never see her again. He was preparing to enter battle, and he knew he could die.

He had never feared death as much as he did in that moment. For the first time in years he had something in his future to anticipate, and someone to share that future with. And he couldn’t accept that he might die and leave her alone. Not after everything else she had endured.

Wanting Naomi reminded him of something she had given him, and he crawled to his bag to dig through its contents, until he found the small envelope she had pressed into his hand the morning he left, her eyes bright with unshed tears. He ran his hand over the slightly creased paper, remembering what she had said when they had parted. She had kissed him, desperate, then begged him to come back, to not leave her alone. Against his better judgement, he had promised. She had given him the letter then, telling him to read it when he needed to feel better.

Cullen ripped open the envelope, slipping the thick letter out and carefully unfolding it, eyes skimming Naomi’s rounded and slightly messy script. Then he settled back to take in her words.

Cullen,

I couldn’t fall asleep after you dozed off, so I decided to write this letter, to make sure that even while we’re apart you have something to remind you of me. I’ve never written anything like this before, but I need to try. You know I love you. I tell you every day. But after tonight, I want to make sure that you understand just what having you in my life has meant for me, and that fighting doesn’t change how I feel about you.

Being brought here was the worst thing that ever happened to me. I was mourning, not only my brother, but the loss of my entire life. I didn’t know yet that the rest of my family was dead, and at one point thinking of them, and knowing they would want me to fight, was the only thing that pulled me back to myself. I actually thought about dying, and that it might not be so bad. That was the only time that has ever happened to me, and it still hurts to think about it. I hate to think of how broken I was in those first few weeks.

Not that things got much better after that. I’ve never been more lonely than I was in the first few months of being here. I made some friends, but aside from Nassella, I was terrified to get close to anyone. And I was still very lost. I loved working in the stables, but it wasn’t what I had imagined my life would be, and it was hard for me to imagine a future here. All I could focus on was catching up, on learning enough to pass for a citizen of this world, and learning enough so I could survive without the Inquisition.

There were also my dreams to deal with, and the fact that they terrified me, especially after Alec made his intentions known to me in Haven. Sometimes I think I should have died a long time ago because of the way I dream. It was only Solas that helped me through and kept me alive. I know you don’t really like the way I dream, and I’d be lying if I didn’t admit sometimes feeling the same. I have found things to love about my dreams, but I know they are dangerous, and I wish that I didn’t always have to be so on guard. Sleeping next to you helps me feel less afraid, knowing that my body is safe.

Looking back on all of this, I realize now just how much you helped me, even in the beginning. We didn’t know each other then, but ever since you brought my brother’s Bible back to me, I’ve felt that I could trust you. And even though we didn’t talk, I think part of me always knew that if I really needed help, if I was really in danger, you would not have hesitated to help me. You don’t know how much easier it made those first few months, knowing that you were in Haven, always just a few yards away from the stables.

And all of that only grew once we came to Skyhold and we actually started to get to know each other. I think I started to fall in love with you that night you found me on the battlements and we looked at the stars. I hadn’t talked like that in so long, about the things that I love and had studied on Earth. I had accepted that I might never talk about those things again, and then you showed up and listened to me. I felt more like myself that night than I had in a long time, and because of you, I realized that maybe I didn’t have to give up everything I loved just because I was in this new world.

We kept talking after that, mostly because I was teaching you some English, but I looked forward to those few hours I spent with you every week more than anything else. It was awkward sometimes, but I still loved it because I felt safe, and because I could be myself. You laughed when I tried to tell jokes, and I guess I laughed back at yours. And playing chess was so much fun, even if I’m a terrible player (I’m still not sure why you kept agreeing to play with me. I really am so bad, haha).

You became one of my best friends last winter. Though I didn’t really think it would be anything more until that day you threw your lyrium kit. After we talked I realized you wanted to kiss me, and I’ll admit it was terrifying. I thought about running away, like I’ve always done in the past. But even after what had happened with Alec (or maybe especially because of what had happened), I knew I couldn’t let this chance by. In you I saw someone I trusted, who allowed me to be myself, and who had been there for me, on more than one occasion, to be sure I didn’t get myself killed in this new world. I finally found the courage to try and move past everything that had happened to me, and I don’t think I could have done that with anyone but you. And I couldn’t have asked for someone more understanding, more patient and gentle when it came to dealing with my past. If nothing else, I will love and thank you for the rest of my life for what you gave me, for what you allowed me to find in myself. Physical intimacy was always something I wanted, and it was because of you that I have been able to experience it, in so many ways. A year ago I would not have imagined spending a night like the one we just had.

Learning about your struggles with lyrium also gave me new questions to find answers for. I know that you can endure anything it throws at you, because you are one of the strongest and dedicated people I have ever met, but I hope that I have been able to help you, even if in just some small way. And seeing this problem, and with the confidence you give me to pursue my interest in science, led me to working with Dagna to make a microscope and return to research. Having a purpose like this again, something to work toward, is more important than I can adequately put into words.

This has already gotten longer than I expected, so I will try to wrap it up. I’m not entirely sure why I wrote out everything that has happened to me over the last couple of years, but now I can see more clearly just how much you have changed my life. Yes, coming to Thedas was horrible, but at every step you have been there to make it better, to push me forward so that I could find a way to make a life here. Even if it was just being a presence that I could count on for my own sense of security, to bigger things, like holding me and letting me cry when I found out my family had died in the Fade, or kissing me when I had finally let my cousin’s actions hold me back long enough, you have shown compassion and understanding and love that I needed.

I love you more than I have ever loved anyone, Cullen. You have always been there, and I know I wouldn’t be where I am now without you. I wouldn’t be the person I am now without you. You are one of the kindest people I have ever met, and one of the strongest. I am in awe of what you overcame after your time in the Circle, and that even if it took time, you decided to return to the good person you have always been. You make me want to fight for my life here, to fight to make it better for both of us, and for everyone else. I will miss you every day that you are gone, and will probably think about you constantly. I can’t help worrying that you won’t return, but I will pray and hope for it to happen with all my heart.

So please, stay safe, and come back to me. It hurts right now, in my chest, to even imagine that you won’t. It’s entirely selfish, but I don’t want to lose any more people that I love.

You are the best thing that has ever happened to me, in either world I have ever known.

With all the love I can give,

Naomi

Cullen let the letter fall into his lap with slightly trembling hands, amazed he had managed to finish at all with the way his eyes were spilling tears down his cheeks. He wiped at his eyes for the tenth time, drawing in a few deep breaths to calm the racing of his heart.

He had been crying nearly from the beginning, from the moment he had read about her thoughts of dying during those early days back in Haven. He had worried about her then, he knew, but knowing now just how deep into mourning she had fallen, he wished he had tried to do more for her. She was a stranger then, but part of him felt that he should have realized what she would one day mean to him, and fought to make her grief and transition into her new world easier.

But it was foolish to think like that. He had been focused on his work, on the task of building an army from nothing. It was no surprise he had paid little attention to a random woman, even if she was from another world.

How things had changed, over these years. Naomi was now more important to him than any other person in the world. Her well-being was more important to him than his own.

And he was the same to her. He knew he was the first man she had opened herself to, and that he made her feel safe. But he hadn’t realized that he was part of the reason she had returned to her studies, that because of him she had been inspired and confident enough to take up research again. It was perhaps what he found most satisfying about her letter, that he had not only helped her move forward, but that he had helped her be the person she already was.

It was so similar to how he felt of her. She inspired him and encouraged him to move forward, to keep to his course to leave lyrium behind and forge a new life free of the Templars. But she had also reminded him of who he was before the lyrium and the fall of the Circle. Someone who was happy, who was optimistic about the future, who saw the world as a place filled with hope, with light, with a promise that things could be better.

Yet she accepted him as he was, even when he failed. She said he was the best thing that had ever happened to her. Cullen felt just the same, and he realized, looking at her words, wishing even more desperately that they weren’t so far apart, that there was no reason for him to continue to wait.

He wanted to marry her.

He had felt it for a while, this growing surety that Naomi was the woman he should marry. But he had put off the thought, and therefore any decision, making excuses about wanting to ensure she would have a future, make sure that he could promise he would be there.

But he no longer wanted to wait. Should he survive this battle, he needed to be sure that Naomi understood that he wanted her in his life just as she wanted him. That he was ready to devote himself to her forever. If he waited for a perfect time, when the world was entirely at peace, it would likely never come. He had already nearly lost her more than once. He didn’t want to wait any longer.

Cullen looked back down at the letter, heart starting to race again. This was it, his waiting was over. He had met the woman he was going to marry, and he was going to ask her.

James felt a small wave of relief when the camp came into view, and he adjusted the body he had draped over his back. He stepped over the last few roots until he was free of the trees, dodging a horse that was being led around the edge of the camp. The rest of James’s unit started to disperse, and he made his way toward the healer’s tent, the man on his back groaning slightly.

“Don’t worry Denis, we’re almost there.”

The man groaned again. “Took you long enough.”

James shook his head. The man had been irritable since the night before, ever since James had hoisted him on his back to carry him back to camp. Not that the man had been especially cheerful before his leg had been bent and broken during their last skirmish with red Templars, but he’d been especially insufferable afterwards.

“We walked all night to get you back,” James said, ducking inside the tent.

“Not fast enough,” Denis moaned as James slipped him off his back to the floor. Denis’s leg was bloodied and James realized, guiltily, still bent slightly out of shape. One of the healers joined James at Denis’s side, shooting James a small smile.

“Back again I see,” the woman said. James shrugged and the woman chuckled. “You never seem to need any healing. Not even a scratch.”

“I’ve been lucky I guess,” James said.

“Or good,” another women’s voice added from across the tent, in a thick accent James had never heard before. He glanced over his shoulder to see a petite woman with bronze skin and long dreaded hair having her hand looked at by a mage. She gave James a sly smile. “You travel with the Inquisitor. That means yer good.”

James cleared his throat. The dark geometric tattoos covering the woman’s face did nothing to hide how beautiful she was. He wasn’t often distracted by a pretty face, but something about the way this woman was smiling at him made him feel… warm.

“Yeah, I work with Nassella,” he told her. “But that doesn’t mean I’m good.”

“Not many people work with her,” the woman with tattoos said. “Either you know how to fight, or yer sleeping with her, and since I’m pretty sure she’s sleeping with that bald elf, I’m gonna say you know how to use those muscles of yers.” That statement was followed by a generous sweep of her brown eyes over his body, covered in armor, dirt, and blood as it was.

James desperately hoped he wasn’t flushing red. He was pretty sure the woman was just joking, and that she couldn’t really know how he felt about Nassella, but he didn’t like how close she was getting to the truth of his feelings. “Yeah, I know how to use them,” he told her.

She smirked. “I bet you do.”

Before James could process exactly what she meant with that comment, the healer inspecting Denis was pulling on his arm to get his attention. “Quit your flirting and help me straighten his leg.”

“I wasn’t flirting,” James mumbled. But he moved to hold down Denis’s shoulders so the healer could set the broken bone.

Denis cried out in pain the moment his leg was touched, and thrashed out with his good leg, forcing the healer to retreat. “You need to stay still,” James told the man.

“It fucking hurts!” Denis yelled.

“Of course it hurts,” James said through gritted teeth. “But we still need to straighten it.”

When Denis couldn’t keep still during the next attempt, James seriously thought about knocking the man out. “Let me help,” the tattooed woman said, now healed. She grabbed the man’s good leg and nodded at the healer. With a few tugs, the bone was straightened, Denis screaming profanities the entire time.

James was glad to get out of the tent, away from Denis and his complaints. He knew he couldn’t entirely blame the other man; his leg was badly broken, after all. Still, he figured the man might be better at keeping the pain better contained.

“Should have shoved a stick in his mouth for him to bite on,” the tattooed woman said as she followed him out of the tent. “My ears are still ringing.”

James chuckled. “His leg was broken pretty bad.” He looked down, surprised at just how short she was. The human woman was barely taller than Nassella, though he could tell she was packed with muscle. This close, he could see the dark metal ring that looped through the septum of her nose.

The woman scoffed. “I’ve had worse injuries after a turn in the sheets.”

James frowned. “Really? That shouldn’t be… painful.”

The woman laughed. “It can if yer doing it right.” James didn’t know what to say to that, though he was sure she must be joking, at least a little. She laughed again. “So you heading out on another patrol?”

“Not until tomorrow,” James told her.

She grinned. “Perfect.” Then she walked away with a wink, hips swaying slightly as she did.

James rubbed the back of his neck. He hadn’t intended to flirt, but she certainly had been. He watched her disappear behind a tent, staring at the swing of her ass the entire way.

Maybe he should have tried to flirt back.

But they were in the middle of a war camp. It wasn’t really the most appropriate time to try and pick up a woman for a night. He didn’t even know where they would go.

He went to find Cullen and give him a report on the mission. The blonde man was leaning over a map, surrounded by scouts and officers, just as he had been every day since they had arrived. James joined them around the table, Cullen giving him a small nod to acknowledge his arrival.

“Our attacks are working. The red Templars have been steadily moving toward the river valley. Tomorrow we will begin our sweep, before they can reach that temple deep in the forest in force. Start putting into place your plans for the assault.”

The scouts and officers trickled away, and Cullen stood tall, placing his hand on the pommel of his sword. “You’re back,” he said, giving James a small smile. “How was the sweep?”

“It went as planned. We actually destroyed the entire camp and all the red Templars that were there. No casualties, though we had one broken leg and a few flesh wounds. Everyone should mend just fine though.”

“Good, good,” Cullen said, moving a few metal pieces on the map. “Any sign of Samson or Corypheus?”

“We didn’t see them,” James said. He pulled a scrap of paper from his belt and handed it to Cullen. “But we found these orders from Samson to the men in the camp. He’s out there somewhere.”

Cullen glanced over the paper, frowning. “Yes, he’s here…” He looked back at the map, shaking his head slightly. “But nowhere we have been.” He moved a few more pieces. “He must be deeper in the forest then, where we haven’t been able to reach.”

“We’ll find him when we start pushing deeper in tomorrow.”

“Yes, I imagine we will,” Cullen said, standing straight again. “Thank you James. Take the night off. Once we attack tomorrow, it will be some time before you will have a chance to sleep, much less relax.”

“Will do,” James said, turning to walk away.

“Wait!” Cullen called after him. James looked back at the older man, who had started to blush, and was rubbing at the back of his neck. “I had a… question,” he said.

James stopped. “Yeah?”

Cullen kept rubbing at his neck, staring back at the map. “It’s about a custom from your world.”

“Ok…” James responded, returning to the table. “What kind of custom?”

“This is… personal,” Cullen continued, avoiding James’s question. “And I would appreciate it if you kept this between us.”

“Sure,” James said, wondering why Cullen seemed so nervous.

“Right,” Cullen said. Then he took a deep breath and dropped his hand to his side. He met James’s gaze. “How would a man ask a woman to marry him on your world?”

James felt his mouth drop open. “Marriage?”

Cullen started to turn bright red. “Yes, I… intend to ask Naomi to marry me, and I wanted to do it in… a way that she would recognize. So if there is something specific I should say, something I should do, I would like to know.”

It took a moment for James’s thoughts to clear from the shock, during which Cullen shuffled nervously. “You… want to marry Naomi?”

Cullen stopped his shuffling, and a small smile turned up the corner of his mouth. “Yes.”

“Wow,” James said, leaning his hands against the table. Cullen wanted to marry his sister. His sister was going to marry Cullen. Cullen was going to be his brother-in-law…

“I hope that will not be a problem,” Cullen said. He had started to look worried.

“No, no of course not,” James said, realizing that his reaction was not exactly ideal, that he was coming across as upset. “I was just surprised. I think this is great. I’m happy for you guys.”

And he was. Naomi deserved to be happy. She deserved to be with someone like Cullen. Someone who clearly loved her.

“Good,” Cullen said, relaxing. “So… what do I do?”

James wondered why Cullen was wanting to do this now, when he was preparing for battle. Though, James realized it was probably because they were preparing for battle.

“Well, first you’ll need a ring.”

James found himself relaxing by a fire that night, sitting next to Bull, the rest of the Chargers scattered around, along with an assortment of people he didn’t recognize. They’d long since finished the stew that had been kept warm by the flames, and were now just enjoying the company of friends before they entered one of the largest fights of their lives.

“Ready for tomorrow?” James asked Bull.

The giant Qunari chuckled. “I’ve been ready for days. No more of these tiny skirmishes, I’m ready to get my axe stained with some red Templar blood.”

“That’s one way to look at it,” James said.

“You feel different?”

James took a deep breath. “I’m ready to destroy these bastards and stop Corypheus. This is how we have to do it, so I guess I’m looking forward to that.”

Bull chuckled again. “Don’t get me wrong, I’m looking forward to that too. But you might as well enjoy the fighting along the way.”

“Yeah, I guess,” James responded, watching the pulsing glow of the embers in the fire. He didn’t think he would ever enjoy fighting as much as Bull did. The Qunari relished every battle, every kill that he made. James could never love it like that, but he did appreciate the rush of adrenaline that came with every altercation, when he got into the flow of battle, and let his training and instincts take over. It felt natural now, after so many months, and he enjoyed that feeling. The feeling that he was good at something, that he could contribute.

“You know that woman?” Bull asked.

James looked away from the fire, his night-vision thrown a little off. “What?”

“There,” Bull said, pointing his chin across the fire. “She’s staring at you.”

James followed the gesture, and saw across the fire the tattooed woman from earlier that day, her dark eyes fixed on him. When he met her gaze she smirked, then stood and started making her way around the fire. James hadn’t even noticed her arrive.

“So… you know her?” Bull asked again.

“I met her earlier,” James said, watching her as she got closer, still grinning.

The woman reached them and abruptly turned, squeezing into the seat between Bull and James on the log. “Fancy meeting you here,” she said, looking up at James through her eyelashes.

“Same,” James replied. He tried to smirk back. She really was very beautiful. “I’m James,” he told her. “I don’t think we exchanged names earlier.”

“Abner,” she replied, smiling a little broader. “I was hoping to run into ya tonight.” She moved her leg, pressing it into his. James felt his face flush. And the rest of his body.

“And why was that?” he asked her.

Abner’s smirk was nothing short of mischievous. “I wanted to see these… muscles of yers in action.”

James frowned. “Well, you’d be better of waiting until tomorrow, when the fighting starts.”

“Oh, I think we could find some way to use them tonight.”

“I don’t know, it’s dark…”

Abner laughed, then placed her hand above his knee, squeezing slightly. She turned toward Bull. “Is he always this thick?”

Bull chuckled. “When it comes to his… muscles, yes.”

James glared at Bull, but the Qunari just winked. Abner’s hand moved a fraction higher, and James felt blood start to rush toward his groin. He spread his legs a little wider to relieve the pressure, which just brought the limb in closer contact to hers.

He knew exactly what Abner was talking about. He just wasn’t sure it was what he wanted. Though his cock would disagree, the way it was half-heartedly starting to strain against his breeches in interest.

“I’m not thick,” James told the Qunari. Bull snorted and Abner laughed.

“Something tells me that’s not true,” she snickered.

James flushed even more, realizing immediately what his statement sounded like. “That’s not what I meant,” he mumbled, staring back at the fire.

“Course not,” Abner said, still laughing.

“No need to be modest James,” Bull said. “I’ve seen your… muscles. Nothing to be ashamed of there…”

“For the love of… Bull!” James said loudly. “You don’t need to tell her that!” Abner was cackling.

“You could just show her,” Bull offered, still grinning.

James groaned, then made the mistake of meeting Abner’s gaze. She was smirking at him, her eyes burning with suggestion. Then she raised a single eyebrow higher, and dropped those dark eyes lower, landing for a second on his crotch.

And he wanted to show her. He wanted to spend that night with someone like her, lost in the pleasure of another person instead of fretting over the next morning’s battle. She certainly wanted the same.

“Yeah… maybe I could do that.”

Her eyes glinted with amusement, and James’s face burned red. He looked back at the fire, remembering that Bull was still there. He didn’t actually like flirting with an audience.

“You show me yer… muscles, and I’ll show you mine,” Abner said quietly, squeezing his leg again.

James looked back at her eyes. He wanted to say yes, but something in him hesitated. The one other time he’d gotten close to sleeping with another woman, he’d backed out at the very end, unwilling to find himself in another situation as the one with Mayra. He didn’t want someone else to get attached to him, when he wasn’t ready to do the same. “I’m not sure,” he told her.

Abner sighed, then stood, stretching toward the sky, angling her ass toward his face. She placed a hand on his shoulder and smiled. “Right. Well, if you decide you don’t want to spend yer last night before ya might die alone, come find me.”

With that she walked away, backside still swinging enticingly.

“What are you doing James?” Bull asked before she was even out of the fire’s light.

“Nothing,” James said.

Bull let out a long breath. “Obviously. But why? You’re clearly into her.”

James ran his hand over his face. “I want to avoid another Mayra. It would need to be casual…”

“Mayra wasn’t looking for casual. She wanted to have sex, but she didn’t want casual. But Abner just wants sex James. You don’t need to worry about that.”

“And how do you know that?”

“She basically told you,” Bull rumbled. “So if you want something casual, she’s a good bet.”

“I don’t know…”

“Go have fun James. She’s right, you know, you might not make it past the next few days. If you don’t want to be alone, then don’t be alone.”

James looked back toward where Abner had disappeared. Bull was right, of course. Abner didn’t seem like she was looking for anything beyond a night of sex. James didn’t need to worry about finding himself in another Mayra situation.

He should go. He didn’t need to worry about hurting another woman because he wasn’t over Nassella, because this woman didn’t want anything beyond one night.

And James wanted to have fun. He didn’t want to be alone.

So he stood and left Bull behind, hurrying through the camp, until he saw the telltale dreads and short stature of Abner.

“Hey!” he called after her. “Abner!”

The woman stopped and turned toward him, smiling while she placed a hand on a cocked hip. “Change yer mind handsome?”

James grinned, allowing his eyes to travel down her body, slender, but packed with muscle. His hands itched to touch them, now that he had committed himself. “If you agree to show me yours first.”

Abner laughed, then reached to take his hand and dragged him through the camp.

#NeitherAngelsNorDemonsNorPowers #cullen rutherford #James Westerkamp #dragon age #dragon age inquisition #dragon age au #my fanfiction

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