#thealexmachina

[crackinglamb]

WIP Wednesday

Tagged by @theluckywizard, thank you! 💕

Tagging @lilbittymonster, @ir0n-angel, @anneapocalypse, @thealexmachina, @fogsblue and @natsora. No pressure!

Oh hey, a WIP Wed that I actually got to on the day I was tagged! Happy new year to one and all. I've been haphazardly working on a new Cadash Inquisitor, because dangit, this fandom needs more dwarf love. And to that end, Shae is gonna drag Varric down with her into the depths of idiots to lovers. 🤣

This is just after the end of Act I, when Hawke and Varric have returned from the Deep Roads expedition.

---

[S]he left him to finish up on his own while she set out their dinner on the table. She corked the whiskey bottle and put it back on the shelf while she was at it. She doubted he needed it as long as she could distract him. Then she sat down and waited for him. He wasn’t long. His hair dripped down his shoulders and his feet were bare, but he looked much more like himself than he had an hour ago.

“Eat,” she said simply and carefully didn’t watch as he devoured every scrap and drop with abandon. She’d been afraid he wouldn’t be able to stomach much, but dwarves were hardy, even in the face of privation. A few weeks of big meals and he’d be back to normal again.

“Thank you, Shae,” he said when he was done.

“You’re welcome.”

They were looking at each other again, and the moment stretched. Something beyond mere gratitude passed across his face. Something still vulnerable hid in the corners of his eyes. Dwarves didn’t dream, but Shae wondered if they could still suffer nightmares.

“Do you want me to stay?”

��I...shouldn’t.”

“But do you?”

His shoulders dropped and he closed his eyes. He nodded. Shae busied herself with piling up the cups and plates onto the tray, then rebuilt the fire so it was bright and cheerful. He needed a moment to pull himself together without her watching. At least the linens on the bed were fresh, not that he probably cared right now. It was home, and that was all that mattered. He hadn’t stripped down, and she asked if it would bother him if she took off her pants, since they were leather. He shook his head and turned his back while she did it. He slid under the covers with a sigh and left room for her.

Shae had never thought her first time in bed with Varric Tethras would be this.

She never thought she’d actually end up in bed with him, for that matter.

“Leave the lamp,” he whispered hoarsely. “I’ve had enough of the dark.”

“All right.” She turned it down low, but didn’t extinguish it. Between it and the fireplace, the suite had a glow. There were shadows, but they weren’t threatening. Varric turned on his side facing the wall and she slipped in behind him. She curled against his back and he shuddered out a breath but didn’t push her away. In fact, he reached back for her hand and brought it around his chest, holding it in his own against his heartbeat. They passed from wakefulness to sleep without notice.

[autodiscothings]

For writer asks - 8, 10, 21 please? Thanks!!

unique writing asks🖋️

8. Favorite dialogue in your wip? (If asked more than once, respond with a new piece each time)

“You going to return the gift?” I asked, watching her fold an escaped dress. “You don’t seem enthused.”

“Of course not, Miranda means well. Even if it’s a little heavy handed.” The frown returned.  “She always loved the idea of my violin, but I’m not very good. I played for the fun of it- something I did with Papa, you know? No time for it now, work keeps me busy.”

Violin -like chess- was a fragile, delicate subject to talk around. “I don’t think being good at things is the point of doing them,” I replied.

“I know that.”

I smoothed the bed covers so we could sit down, my bare foot crunching on a closed pizza box shoved underneath the frame. If I drew attention to the mess, she would change the subject.

Instead I squeezed her hand with mine, a silent goad to speak. “It’s hard to explain,” she said, sitting next to me. “It’s not…”

Her words trailed off, but were heavy enough to hang in the air. I kissed the now permanent crease at her brow, in the hope it soothed something. “Something Oriana Lee is not good at,” I murmured against her hair. “At least, according to her.”

10. What scene was the most fun to write for you and why?

Recent ones I enjoyed:

Fish dealing with a vet visit

the above violin conversation, which opens up Ori a little more

Patel explaining the weirdness he feels about his culture appropriated across the galaxy, and having asari say namaste to him

Anything with Bats getting the last word- his comebacks are usually fun

Kolyat harangued by a drell shopkeeper into buying bad import goods out of guilt

How do you come up with titles? Do you use placeholders or tend to change your titles while writing the first draft?

I uh... usually have placeholders, like the way I save personal art as sasasdasd.png or finalfinalohgod.psd instead of something sensible.

  Acts of Repetition started out as Rooftop on Zakera, mainly as I had ‘You Said Something’ by PJ Harvey in my head. (And was the inspiration for chapter 4!)

TY for your ask! Taken from: [unique writing asks🖋️] Ask me more: [ask box]

[theravenofwynter]

@thealexmachina replied to your post “And I’m not even being mean about this, I do love the discussions that...”

yes yes and yes again. also, judging future morals on 2020 bases... :DDD

i could even expand that to go ‘judging another species’ morality based on western customs’; given that we have essentially different dozen version on the western side alone, judging a single species that’s spread out through dozen colonies AND the homeworld...

that seems counterproductive, but it’s a good exercise

[natsora]

End of year writing meme- F, H, N please. Thanks!!

Thank you for the ask!!

F. What stories are you planning for the future?

I have 3 WIPs ready for launch. The Persephone Arc, prequel to Cetus Arc, set between ME1 and ME2 shows what Sara Ryder is doing before she joins up the Initiative. The Lost Childhood, this is my first long fic for Riley Shepard. It covers her origin story. And Splintered Minds, this is a collab between @seokanori and me. She provided plot and I am writing it. It follows directly after Raining in Eos and shows how she handles being back on the Tempest after her ordeal. Things never run smooth for that girl. 

These will be my top priority for the near future. 

H.  How do you write? Paper, pen, computer? Music, no music?

I write 100% on the computer. Notes and research also happen there. I use Ulysses to write on both my Mac and iPhone. I really enjoy the writing in Markdown. It is lightweight and easy to learn. I always write with music. Usually emo, angsty, so I guess that’s why I write angsty stories? xD

N.Anything you were planning to write that never got written?

Answered here!

End of Year Writing Meme

[briarfox13]

3 sentence fix prompt - Fem Shep x Garrus, tattoo shop AU. 😎

Aagh!! Firstly, thank you! I wasn’t expecting anyone to send me anything!!

I hope you like it! I’m not very familiar with tattoo shops =P But I tried =D

He watched her circle the room like a hawk ready to capture its prey in vicious claws; a pale hand fingering through a multitude of different designs, there was something about her that pulled him in and kept him captive. She looked up, a sly grin on her face as she sauntered over to the alien obviously enjoying the hungry look in his eyes.

“I want what you have” she whispered in his ear, a finger trailing across the blue symbols tattooed on his face; Garrus felt their collective hunger grow at her touch and nodded in agreement.

[annafitz]

thealexmachina replied to your photo “Hello friends, I just wanted to post this here in order for you to...”

I love your art so thanks for reblogging otherwise I would have not realised you have a comic coming out. ��

Awww, Thanks for that makes it all worth it! xxxx

[thealexmachina]

Last Line Meme

Thanks to lovely @briarfox13 for the tag.

This is the last thing I typed on my phone yesterday. It will fit - many chapters later - in Killing Field. (It’s will be less innocent in context, I swear. 😜)

“You’re sweet, inside; outside you’re tough as nails, but inside you’re all honey.”

Tagging @obvidalous @naromoreau @theravenofwynter - however, this is 100%, completely, totally optional and zero pressure. *kisses*

[succubused]

thealexmachina replied to your post “really out of all the things to be pissy about re: anthem yall are...”

Tumblr is a walk in the park compared to Bioware's FB. I'm gutted for anyone working on the game because I can see it being demolished already.

yeah....one of the guys I work with came to DICE from bioware and i just don’t ask him about anthem lol

from what i’ve seen it actually looks like it has some really beautiful artwork and conceptual foundations present and it’s actually really fucking tragic that it’s probably going to tank because people are pissed it’s not dragon age 4, since i honestly think anthem would be a solid success if it weren’t being marketed towards an audience that is predisposed to be mad about it

like it’s just a different game. multiplayer games exist. i don’t particularly like them either but it’s just the facts of the industry at the moment and bioware has done some genuinely creative things with what they had to work with so just. please stop fucking shredding these poor devs @ everyone. you can be mad at EA as a corporation but i’m sick of seeing the devs themselves get yelled at for decisions that weren’t theirs to make

[barbex]

thealexmachina replied to your link “In Service to the Inquisitor - Chapter 9”

that was super hot! real nice!

Thank you! 

I was so worried...

[crackinglamb]

This Or That

Tagged by @fadedsweater, thank you!

Tagging @chride, @maculategiraffe, @thealexmachina, @demarogue and @lilbittymonster. No pressure!

Bold your preference.

indoor plants or gardens // cloud-watching or star-gazing // water or fire // paperback or hardcover // running or hiking // sleeping with socks or without socks // fruit or vegetables// hanging plants or succulents // dark wood or light wood // handwritten or typed // instagram or pinterest (neither) // braids or pigtails // dc or marvel // books or movies // oceans or meadows // forests or fields // sweet or salty // ice cream or chocolate // hoodies or sweaters // long hair or short hair // piercings or tattoos // summer or winter // boots or sneakers // cars or motorcycles // curls or straight hair // castles or cottages // sunny days or storms // reptiles or birds (both) // disney or nickelodeon (neither) // strawberries or watermelon // essay or posters // phones or laptops // glass or stone // dark or light // photos or painting // circuses or theaters // reading or writing (both) // dogs or cats // poetry or novels // monsters or ghosts // thrift shops or libraries // fiction or non-fiction

(Clean template under the cut)

indoor plants or gardens // cloud-watching or star-gazing // water or fire // paperback or hardcover // running or hiking // sleeping with socks or without socks // fruit or vegetables// hanging plants or succulents // dark wood or light wood // handwritten or typed // instagram or pinterest // braids or pigtails // dc or marvel // books or movies // oceans or meadows // forests or fields // sweet or salty // ice cream or chocolate // hoodies or sweaters // long hair or short hair // piercings or tattoos // summer or winter // boots or sneakers // cars or motorcycles // curls or straight hair // castles or cottages // sunny days or storms // reptiles or birds // disney or nickelodeon // strawberries or watermelon // essay or posters // phones or laptops // glass or stone // dark or light // photos or painting // circuses or theaters // reading or writing // dogs or cats // poetry or novels // monsters or ghosts // thrift shops or libraries // fiction or non-fiction

[autodiscothings]

Hi - Art Ask: 4, 10, 18? Thanks!!

What defines your artistic style?

I think it’s:

distinct use of colour and contrast

neon-noir style and mood

visible textures

(Someone else might have other ideas, though.)

What do you like most about your art?

I’m fairly consistent and disciplined about it, and finish things. I also take it seriously, which has been an insult levelled against me I now wear like a pin badge.

(I am learning the art of juggling breaks though, I needed one this month.)

What is your purpose for drawing?

Sometimes it’s money as it’s work

Sometimes it’s because it gives me specific joy and amuses me (Fish surrounded by sci-fi snacks as she’s a fat ma’am, Bats in an ahegao shirt as he’s a repugnant asari being, animal crossing style Ori and Kol, etc)

Sometimes it’s spite

occasionally it’s because I’m bored and want to do something, so a quick Ori portrait- almost like a habit at this point

I think the main purpose is, is that each painting is practise for the next one. Once you develop a habit, it’s easier to move on and do more of it.

Thank you for your ask! Taken from: https://autodiscothings.tumblr.com/post/626351431141687296/artist-questions-ask-meme

[theravenofwynter]

@thealexmachina replied to your post “Stayed up until 4am playing DAO”

hahaha stayed up till 1 playing DAI... I knew we are friends for a reason.

great minds my dear, great minds! :D

[shepofshipsart]

thealexmachina ответил(a) на ваш фотосет “Commissions for wonderful @briarfox13, featuring Saskia Shepard,...”

Gorgeous art!

Thank you! ♥

[briarfox13]

For the ‘get to know my character’ ask - #13?

Aagh thank you, my dear, for asking

What are your character’s sleeping habits? Heavy or light sleeper? Blanket stealer? One that always rolls onto the floor? Pushes their lover onto the floor? Sleeptalker or walker?

I didn’t know who to pick, so I picked several I hope that’s okay =) 

Saskia Shepard-Saskia is a very heavy sleeper, once she’s gone that’s it nothing will wake her up. But she always gets up on time and is ready to do her duty 

Mara Shepard-she starfishes, leaving Kaidan with very little of the bed, it wouldn’t be the first time Mara’s woken up with Kaidan sleeping at the other end of the bed. 

Merrin Ryder-Very much a blanket sleeper, Merrin often turns herself into a burrito as it makes her feel safe, loved and warm. It combats her anxiety, Jaal doesn’t mind her stealing the duvet so much and likes to give her all the snuggles.  

Asha Mahariel-She much prefers sleeping where she can see the stars, cuddled up to her Alistair for warmth. Sometime she’ll mumble odd things which he finds adorable. 

Merra Hawke-Merra is pretty normal when she sleeps, but she does two things that annoy Anders: Insist Ser Woofington the Mabari sleeps on the bed, and she kicks him in her sleep, more than once he’s woken up on the floor the dog taken his place =P 

Blackie Trevelyan-Blackie is an insomniac and spends most of her night wandering around and chatting with people, if and when she does sleep it isn’t very good. She’s often plagued with nightmares about her dead siblings, but sometimes she is able to curl up and sleep normally, usually cuddled up to Dorian or Cullen. 

[misseffect]

15 Questions, 15 Mutuals

Thank you for the tag @nicolasadrabbles 💕

1. Are you named after anyone?

My middle name was my Nana’s first name! But otherwise, no

2. When was the last time you cried?

Whenever I last got my period 🙃

3. Do you have kids?

nooooope

4. Do you use sarcasm a lot?

I’m British

6. What's your eye color?

Blue

7. Scary movies or happy endings?

Happy endings, but only because I don’t like scary movies.

8. Any special talents?

I caught a mouse in a pint glass once

9. Where were you born?

Somewhere in the midlands (which DO exist and I will not hear otherwise)

10. What are your hobbies?

Writing, viddy games, horse riding

11. Have you any pets?

This is Bee and I love her with my whole heart

12. What sports do you play/have played?

I go to the gym a couple of times a week, but I’m not much of a sport person and I'm even less of a team sport person.

13. How tall are you?

Almost (almost) 5’5

14. Favourite subject in school?

English Lit

15. Dream job?

no job! only money

Tagging @otemporanerys @kalliesa @ninanirina @diaphanouso @angry-jager @shepgarrus @thealexmachina @dispatchwithlove @jusbeinkt @kesla @shakariantrashdeluxe @possumteeths

[thealexmachina]

Killing Field, a Mass Effect contemporary AU story

Chapter 4 - All Their Lives - read on AO3

(chapter rating - E for blood, violence and language)