#I also might try wearing my hair in dual braids if it gets that long again

[lukasdoodles]

Started as Disco hair doodles slowly turned into my favorites and fun hair doodles lol

[autisticcassandracain]

Braids and Cuts

Fandom/Characters: Batman Comics, Cassandra Cain & Duke Thomas

Wordcount: 1475

Summary: Cass convinces Duke to cut his hair with her, and suggests getting braids. Duke has mixed feelings. The last person who'd done his braids was his mom.

Notes: Written for @duketectivecomics’s Duke Week Day 6: Family Bonding! I tried my best to do my research to be respectful and realistic, but I’m white, so if I got anything wrong regarding natural hair, please let me know! You can read this on AO3 here!

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The Wayne Manor bathroom closest to their bedrooms - because there was more than one, he’d never get used to this mansion no matter how long he spent in it - was still larger than Duke’s old bedroom, which made it easily large enough to drag a truly gigantic standing mirror in there, so they’d be able to see the back of their heads without the hassle of a handheld mirror. Duke laid their guards out while Cass stood in front of it.

“Who’s first?” Cass asked, angling her head so she could see both her sides.

“You, ‘cause mine’ll probably take longer.” Plus, he hadn’t entirely decided whether he’d go through with it. It’d taken quite a while for his hair to grow back this long, and even cutting half of it off was... daunting, to say the least.

When you can’t jump off rooftops, just cut your own hair, you’ll get about the same adrenaline rush.

“I want just one side shaved,” Cass reminded him while she sat back in the chair.

Duke pulled out a clipper and rolled his eyes. “I know, you’ve only said it about three hundred times, but thanks for the reminder.”

“You’re welcome.”

“So, lowest guard?”

The mirror reflected Cass’s huge grin. “Yup.”

It was easier than Duke had expected it to be, but then again, Cass’s hair was straight as a board. The scissors went in almost as easy as the clippers, and before he knew it, half her head was gone and shaved.

And yeah, it actually did look pretty damn good.

Admittedly, Duke had been skeptical when Cass’d first suggested getting dual haircuts. Not just because he’d never done his own hair, but because Cass’s fashion sense was... questionable. Sure, she had strong opinion on how she should look, which was something. It was just unfortunate that none of her opinions were any good. She’d been known to combine every colour in the visible light spectrum in the same outfit, socks with crocs, and just straight up rip off pieces of her clothes if she didn’t like how it looked. Sometimes it worked. Most of the time, it really didn’t.

But she’d come prepared with a photo album of approximately a thousand different tapered cuts, saved sides, and every braid, loc, and twist combo with those you could imagine, and, well. When Duke’d first started growing out his hair again, he’d hoped it would lead to him finally learning how to be creative with it, like his mom was. In practice, he’d done absolutely nothing, except narrowly keeping it alive. Maybe it was time for a chop.

“You sure you don’t want me to do the other side?” Duke asked, fully expecting a no.

Instead, Cass paused, looking in the mirror, angling her head this way and that. Then, she grabbed the clippers from his hand, and raked it through her hair.

“Cass!”

“I’m doing a buzzcut.”

“I thought you said you wanted one side? You were pretty adamant about it!”

“Changed my mind.”

“Why?”

“Queer reasons.”

Duke rubbed his nose. “Sure, okay, whatever makes you happy. But can I at least finish it?”

Cass paused, cocked her head a little, then handed him the clippers.

“Thanks. And I hope you’re not expecting me to cut everything off.”

“Nope.”

“Good, because I spent way too long growing it for that.” And with that, he started shaving the rest of her head.

Around the time he was busy trying not to cut her ear off (easy, with the guard, but still), Cass said, “You should get yellow yarn braids.”

Duke threw her an incredulous look through the mirror. “You’re either wildly underestimating how long yarn braids take, or my patience.”

“You like them,” Cass insisted.

Which, yes, she wasn’t wrong, but, “How could you possibly know that?”

“You kept coming back to them. In the style collection.”

And, yeah, he had. Sure, getting yellow yarn braids was about as ironic as writing ‘I AM THE SIGNAL’ on the side of his head, but it was just such a cool look. He could save both sides of his head and keep them long, or shave only one and make them shorter, and both would be amazing.

“I’m not getting them,” he said. He shut the clipper off. “There, how do you like that?”

The only thing left on Cass’s head were tiny, prickly hairs, that she immediately went to rub her hand across. She stood up and twirled a bit in the mirrors, wearing a huge grin. “Love it.”

“Glad to hear that.” He gave her the clippers. “Go wash that, I should probably section my hair first.” She gave him a thumbs up and moved towards the sink.

They worked in silence for a little while, Duke carefully separating his hair with a comb and moisturizing it, while Cass washed and dried the clippers. The sound of running water would’ve been soothing if Duke wasn’t running high on nerves.

“Can I do it?” Cass asked.

“Cass, I love you, but I’d rather die than let you anywhere near my hair.” He gestured towards her hand. “Give me the clippers.”

And with a pout, she handed them over and hopped onto the washing machine to watch.

Well. No putting it off anymore.

He put the clippers to his head and went to work.

It wasn’t as difficult as he’d expected it to be. He slowly worked over his head, making sure to keep his eyes on the mirror, even as he could feel Cass staring at him.

“I could do the braids,” she offered, from atop the washing machine.

“What part of ‘I’d rather die than let you near my hair’ did you not get?” Duke answered, barely paying attention.

“You used to have braids.”

That made him pause his clipping. “How do you know?”

“Saw pictures at your house.”

“Ah.” He’d taken them down for a while, after he’d come out, but he’d taken a few  kid photos with him in foster care, after his parents... you know. It was comforting to hold onto these memories, and over time, it had stopped being strange or embarrassing to see himself look like a little girl. Even a bit nostalgic, in a weird way.

Which might be why he was considering bringing back the styles he’d worn before he’d come out. It made him remember the way his mom used to braid his hair. She was a fast braider, had to be, with box braids being her preferred style. She wore them for as long as she could get away with it, preferring natural looks for her own hair, but gladly braided his with as many beads and bright colours as he asked. He’d never actually been to a professional; braiding had been his and his mom’s little ritual, over the weekend, with Netflix or songs in the background. They’d only stopped when he’d come out and clipped his hair short.

“My mom used to do my braids,” he simply said, and Cass made an understanding noise.

“Don’t you want to learn?” she asked.

On the one hand, he did. He’d always wanted to learn, to be just as fast as his mom. On the other hand, he really, really didn’t. He just wanted his mom to do them for him, forever. Or at least for another few years, to make up for lost time.

Also, on a lighter note, he didn’t feel like sitting still for like, two days, while failing to do his first pair of braids, and really didn’t feel like doing it all alone.

He’d nearly reached the end of his haircut, detangling the last piece of hair to cut before going in for precision clips. It went swift, after that, and in the end, the haircut looked good. Full on the top, low on the sides and back. Mom had always had a full head of hair, but he felt like braids on this style would give it his own twist.

He’d like to show it to her. Maybe she’d even be present enough to appreciate it.

“I’ll do the yarn braids on one condition,” he announced, turning to Cass.

She peaked up. “What?”

“You stay with me the entire time while I do them, and you’re not allowed to get distracted on your phone.”

She grimaced. “You’re mean.”

“You’re the one that wants me to do the braids.”

“Only because it’d make you happy.”

“And because it’d look cool?”

“I’d prefer pink. And orange.”

“Of course you do, you lesbian. Do we have a deal?”

She wrinkled her nose, but said, “Deal.”

It took way longer than he (or Cass, who complained the whole time) would have liked, but two days later, he had yarn braids that ended mid-back, with electric yellow yarn.

He couldn’t be sure, but he thought his mom liked them.

[ryqoshay]

Tri-Arame: Betting For Play

Primary Pairing Trio: YuuAyuSetsu Words: ~3.1k Rating: T Time Frame: First year of college? Maybe second? Dunno yet Story Arc: Stand Alone

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Author’s Note: Welp, this ended up a heck of a lot longer than originally intended. Not complaining mind, but there were only two original bits I wanted to include and it just kept growing from there.

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Ayumu startled as an anguished cry sounded from within as she opened the door to her dormroom.

“Y-Yuu-chan?” She inquired, quickly trying to assess the situation. “Are you alr…” Oh.

“Ayumu!” Yuu tossed the controller she was holding into the air as she bounced up to her feet.

“Ayumu-san!” Setsuna greeted as well, deftly deflecting the discarded device to land softly on the bed as she also jumped up.

The two raced across the room toward Ayumu who couldn’t hold back a smile at their antics even if she had wanted to. In the short few weeks the trio had been dating, Yuu and Setsuna had begun a friendly, though no less serious competition to be the first to greet her when she was the last to arrive home. It was one of many ways the two challenged each other but it was probably the one that amused Ayumu the most.

And even if she did feel a little strange being the subject of such a contest, she’d be lying if she said she disliked it. After all, just the way the two lit up merely upon seeing her was enough to warm her heart and drive away any dreariness of the day. As such, she almost preferred coming home last because of this new routine.

“Welcome home!” Setsuna launched herself the last meter or so into a tackling hug.

“I’m back.” Ayumu giggled, wrapping her arms around her girlfriend, and tilting her head down for a kiss.

A sigh sounded from her other girlfriend. “You’re too fast, Setsuna-chan…” Yuu lamented.

Both Ayumu and Setsuna laughed as they parted.

“Well, I do maintain a regular exercise routine, which includes running outside or spending some time on the elliptical.” Setsuna explained as Yuu took her turn to greet Ayumu. “And you know you’re always welcome to join me for my morning routine, Yuu-san.”

“But I do, though… sometimes…” Yuu reminded as she stepped away to allow Ayumu to remove her shoes. “And don’t you also do a bunch of more stuff at the studio?”

“Well, yes,” Setsuna conceded, “but that is more focused on dancing and singing. What I do on my own here is more general fitness.”

“Hrm…” Yuu seemed to consider the idea for a moment before her expression changed. “Anyway, you’re only one win up.” She jutted her chin back toward where they had been playing a moment ago. “You gotta win by two.”

“Right.” Setsuna nodded before turning.

“Eh?” Ayumu uttered as Yuu suddenly slid in close to peck a kiss on her cheek.

Setsuna either caught the movement with her peripheral vision or responded to Ayumu’s voice, or both, as she spun around and strode back. With a sly glance toward Yuu, she mimicked the gesture from Ayumu’s other side. Yuu responded by sticking out her tongue, at which they both giggled.

For her part, Ayumu couldn’t help joining in with the laughter. “Are you two going to carry over your little contest through making dinner tonight as well?” Though the concept was amusing, part of her feared how such a competition might affect Setsuna’s already adventurous attitude in the kitchen.

“Don’t need to.” Yuu said with a grin as she pulled something out of her pocket before presenting it proudly. “I won this at the store on the way home today.”

“Yuu-san and I already picked out what we want and have a pending order up on your laptop.” Setsuna explained.

“Alright, I’ll add my order in a moment.” Ayumu said with a smile.

Though neither girl said as such aloud, Ayumu couldn’t help wondering if the two had made their own side contest with the convenience store promotion. The fact that Yuu had emphasized that she had been the one to win the gift certificate felt like a strong indicator, along with a notable increase in competitiveness between them recently. At least they were having fun.

“Ne, Setsuna-chan,” Yuu spoke up as the two made their way back to the kotatsu “wanna add a little extra incentive to the game tonight?”

“What do you have in mind?” Setsuna tilted her head with curiosity as they retrieved their controllers and took their places.

“Something like the winner gets to make a request of the loser?”

“What kind of request?”

Yuu shrugged. “I dunno, maybe like drawing on their face like when we play Hanetsuki during the New Year celebration?”

“I don’t believe we have any ink…”

“Then maybe make them do pushups, get the winner a snack, clean their ears or something? I’m sure we can figure out something.”

Setsuna considered the suggestion for a moment before smiling strangely. “Alright.”

Ayumu wondered what kind of request Setsuna had chosen that would cause such an expression. Unlike their friend Kasumi, Setsuna was not typically the scheming type, and was not particularly good at it when she did. Rather, she was usually far too earnest and straightforward, to the point that Ayumu occasionally wondered how she had managed to hide her anime obsession from her parents and her dual identity from her fellow high school students.

“Hehe, now I’m getting fired up!” Yuu proclaimed. “I’m so going to win the next three rounds.”

“You seem pretty confident.” Setsuna observed.

“Well yeah, now that I get to make a request of Setsuna-chan, there’s no way I’m passing that up.”

“Hrm, we’ll see about that.”

With her meal chosen and their order submitted, Ayumu moved to sit on her bed. This gave her a good vantage point to observe her girlfriends’ match.

“Ha! Ring out!” Yuu pumped a fist in the air a moment later. “That’s one! Two more to go.”

“Two for me as well.” Setsuna reminded.

“Yeah, but that’s up from one.”

“…” Setsuna pursed her lips into an adorable pout, earning a cheeky grin from Yuu. “Alright, next round.”

The next two rounds were intense. Ayumu watched with bated breath while the two girls participating leaned forward and gripped their controllers harder.

“Victory!” Yuu cried, tossing her controller in the air.

Ayumu reached out to catch the falling device so it didn’t land on either girl in front of her.

Setsuna’s shoulder slumped in defeat.

“Alright, go braid your hair.” Yuu pointed to her rival. “You’re gonna be Nana tonight.”

“Eh?” Setsuna tilted her head with curiosity. “You want me as your prize?”

“Why not?” Yuu grinned. “It’s either you or Ayumu and I didn’t make a wager with her. Besides, I think this prize is one she will enjoy as well.”

Ayumu couldn’t deny that last point.

“While I’m happy to oblige, you really just want me to change my hairstyle to one you see all the time?”

“But we don’t see it all the time.” Yuu insisted. “At least not since we started college. You only wear it to class, and we don’t have any together.”

“You’re…” Setsuna blinked in realization. “You’re right. I hadn’t realized that you two might miss seeing me like that…” She hung her head apologetically. “I’m sorry.”

“No need to apologize, Setsuna-chan!” Yuu laughed, placing a reassuring hand on the other girl’s shoulder. “If you go too long again, I’ll just be sure to win against you again at something.”

“Or try to win.” Setsuna smirked.

“Well, yeah, of course.” Yuu chuckled. “It wouldn’t be as much fun if you just let me win. Anyway, for the record, when I said you’ll be Nana tonight, I meant all night.” She waggled her eyebrows suggestively.

“All night?”

“I suppose you can take out your braids before you fall asleep, but for sure during certain activities.” Yuu emphasized the last two words.

“Yeah, I got that part.” Setsuna rolled her eyes at the less-than-subtle hinting. “But I don’t usually like sleeping with them, so you can’t go overboard and exhaust me again.”

Yuu held her hands up in mock defense. “Hey, I can’t help it if Ayumu gives in too much to her lust.”

“Yuu-chan…” Ayumu interjected, feeling heat rise in her cheeks. She wasn’t wrong, per se, but as was far too often the case, Yuu knew exactly how to embarrass her. Sure, she was looking forward to seeing Setsuna in braids but… wait… What if…? “Ne, Yuu-chan…”

“Mmm?”

“Would you mind if I played a round?”

“Challenger Ayumu wishes to enter the ring?” Yuu dropped her tone to mimic an announcer. “I thought you preferred more RPG or collection style games?”

“There’s some fighting in them.”

“Turn-based, sure, but…” Yuu shrugged and held out her controller.

“Uhm, I was hoping to challenge you, Yuu-chan.” Ayumu clarified.

“I know. I just wanted to be Player 1.” She reached over for the controller in Setsuna’s hand. “Alright, let’s pick our fighters.” She began scrolling through the selection on the screen.

“You can probably see better from here, Ayumu-san.” Setsuna spoke up as she scooted over a bit before patting the area between her and Yuu.

“Mm.” Ayumu nodded and slipped down off the bed before moving the joystick a couple times to search the roster.

“Oh ho, interesting choice.” Yuu commented as final selections were made and the countdown to start the match began. “But no matter, victory will be mine.”

Yuu proved her skill immediately by landing a devastating first blow before Ayumu could react.

“Nice.” Setsuna complimented. “But remember, Yuu-san, first blood isn’t nearly as important as last.”

“Mmh… huh? Wha?” Yuu reacted as her character was tossed into the air. “Wait…”

Ayumu tapped more buttons on her controller, scoring additional hits.

“Ayumu… when…” Yuu sputtered.

Setsuna snickered as the round ended. “That’s one for Ayumu-san.”

“Eh, uhm, beginner’s luck?” Yuu questioned. “Anyway, Round 2.”

The second round went almost exactly the same as the first. Yuu struck the first blow, but eventually succumbed to a flurry of hits from Ayumu.

“Ayumu!” Yuu cried as she was defeated for a second time. “That was amazing! Where did you learn to play like that?” Her eyes sparkled with excitement.

“Do I get the play the winner now?” Setsuna added her energy to the mix.

“Yeah, we should totally get round robin tournament going.” Yuu agreed, handing her controller over to Setsuna. “But really, Ayumu, when did you get so good at fighting games?”

“I, uhm… asked Ai-chan and Rina-chan for a suggestion on which character to try…” Ayumu admitted.

“Oh?”

“You two have been having a lot of fun with this game for the last few nights, so I thought I could maybe join you…”

“You’re always welcome to play with us, Ayumu-san.” Setsuna pointed out.

“I know, I just, thought I might have a fighting chance if I did a little research first, you know, for combos and such.”

“Yeah, that sounds like something you would do.” Yuu laughed. “Well, now that I know you’re secret, I’ll be better prepared for our next match.”

“Speaking of, you get to make a request of Yuu-san, since you won.” Setsuna reminded.

That’s right, that was also part of why Ayumu had wanted to play against Yuu, to maybe get an unexpected victory and get back at her a little for the teasing.

“Right.” Ayumu cleared her throat and turned to the green-tipped girl beside her. “Well, since Yuu-chan likes braids so much, I think she would look quite cute wearing a matching style to Nana-chan.”

“Eh?” Yuu blinked.

Now there was a reaction Ayumu hadn’t anticipated. Yuu wasn’t the type to fluster easily, but there was no hiding the pink blossoming across her cheeks. And it was adorable.

From the other side of her, Ayumu could hear Setsuna’s sharp intake of breath. “I’ve… I don’t think I’ve ever seen Yuu-san with braids before…”

“A… are you sure that’s what you want as your prize?” Yuu seemed at a loss for words.

How had she put it earlier? “Why not?” Ayumu returned. “It’s either you or Setsuna-chan, and you already made the request of her, and I think she’ll like it as well.”

“A-alright…”

“So, if I win against Ayumu-san,” Setsuna pondered “does that mean I can make her wear twin braids as well?”

Still riding the wave of confidence from her victory as well as successful teasing of Yuu, Ayumu couldn’t help smirking a little. “Maybe, if you win.” She winked at the raven-haired girl. “But if I win, I get to be the one to braid your hair.”

“That was what I was about to request when I won our rematch…” Yuu admitted.

“Hmm…” Ayumu thought for a moment. “How about as a consolation prize for both of you, I do both of your braids.”

Yuu chuckled. “Is that really a consolation prize or just an excuse to play with our hair?” Was she trying to turn back the teasing tables?

“Can’t it be both?” Ayumu asked. “I mean both of the other prizes requested so far were ones that will be enjoyed by the others and not just the winner, right?”

“Fair point.” Yuu nodded. “Alright, it’s a deal for me. Setsuna-chan?”

“Deal.” Setsuna agreed as well. “But, who’s going to do Ayumu’s braids when I win?”

Yuu and Ayumu laughed for a moment before the next round of the tournament began.

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“Nana-chan?”

“…”

“Setsuna-chan?”

“…”

“I think we wore her out…” Yuu observed the girl between them.

“Again…” Ayumu added before sighing.

Yuu giggled quietly.

“Mm?”

“I won…” Yuu murmured.

“Won what?”

“I outlasted her.”

Oh, for heaven’s sake, they competed over that as well? Although, Ayumu had to admit the idea was a bit amusing. However…

“Is it really fair when you had me to help?”

Yuu seemed to ponder the question for a moment before grinning. “We really do team up on her a lot, don’t we?”

“Yeah… but it’s hard not to…”

“I know, right? She’s so cute when she makes that expression.” Yuu did a decidedly poor, though likely purposefully so, impression.

“Well, perhaps to keep things fair, maybe next time she and I can team up against you.”

“Now that I’d like to see.”

“You don’t think we can?”

“I didn’t say that. I think Ayumu is certainly up to the task, but…”

Though left unspoken, Yuu’s implication was clear. And if Ayumu was being honest, she had to agree. Setsuna was definitely a passionate participant, but, perhaps as a reflection of other aspects of her personality, she seemed reluctant to, for lack of better words, take the lead. Part of Ayumu wondered if things were fine that way of if it was something they should address and work on at some point.

The sound of Yuu’s yawn pulled Ayumu’s thoughts back to reality.

“Ne, Yuu-chan, do you know if Setsuna-chan took out her contacts?”

“Yeah, before she put on her glasses.”

Oh, right. That made sense. “Also, you promised you’d let her take out her braids before she fell asleep.”

“I think I can take care of that.”

“How?”

“Scoot up a little.”

“Huh?”

“And slide your arm under her.”

“Like this?”

“Perfect.” Yuu lifted Setsuna’s shoulder gently.

Setsuna murmured something before turning with Yuu’s guidance. Once on her side, she wrapped her arms around Ayumu’s waist and buried her face in her chest.

“There we go.” Yuu hummed her approval and started undoing the braids that were now much easier for her to reach.

“Where did you lear…?” Ayumu realized the answer before she finished the question.

“From you of course.” Yuu responded anyway.

Which meant… “You’ve been awake?”

“Not every time.”

“Why didn’t you say anything?”

“Because I couldn’t help being caught up in the cuteness of the gesture.” Yuu admitted. “Ayumu’s thoughtfulness is one of her most adorable traits, and one of my favorites.”

Ayumu felt her cheeks puff in a pout as she reached across Setsuna to gently punch Yuu’s arm who only grinned more in response.

“Anyway, perhaps I’ll challenge you two again and get Setsuna-chan to team up with me that way.” Ayumu pondered.

“Challenger Ayumu wants to enter the ring again?” Yuu did a quieter version of her announcer voice from before. “Winning against us felt pretty good, huh?”

“A little…”

“Though to be honest, I’d’ve brought you in on our little contests earlier, but I’ve just never really seen you as the competitive type.”

“I went up against my rival school idols a lot back in high school.” Ayumu pointed out.

“True,” Yuu conceded “but even then, you weren’t really all that competitive. You worked hard, that’s for sure, and you were incredibly supportive of your fellow school idols, but… hrm…”

“What is it?”

“Oh, hey, idea.” Yuu grinned. “You should totally surprise Setsuna-chan in the morning. Something like seeing who can get the most steps in on the elliptical or whatever.”

“Setsuna-chan would probably win something like that.”

“Possibly. But it really isn’t really about winning or losing, you know.”

“Hmm?”

“I mean yeah, sure, it’s feels good to win, but it’s also fun to see Setsuna-chan’s smile when she wins.”

“Ah.”

“But you already know that, don’t you?”

“Huh?”

“That was why you were so supportive of your rival school idols, or at least part of it, right? Because watching them do well was also fun.”

Ah, so that’s what it was all about. It all made sense now. Ayumu had fun surprising her girlfriends with a couple early wins, but even as they adjusted and started winning matches again, it hadn’t diminished Ayumu’s enjoyment at all.

And the silly little requests had really just been a fun bonus. She hadn’t minded at all that the request made of her after her first loss was that she would join in on the twin braids brigade, in fact, she had expected it.

Sure, Ayumu wasn’t nearly as competitive as either Yuu or Setsuna. And sure, she was quite content watching her girlfriends compete over the most random things. But that didn’t mean she couldn’t join in on the fun every so often, right?

“Ayumu?”

“Mm, sorry, I was just thinking.”

“About?”

“What hairstyles I’ll have you try next time I win against you.”

“Tha… I… if I let you win…”

For the second time that night, Ayumu got to witness Yuu’s flustered expression and she couldn’t help smiling.

“Good night, Yuu-chan.” She said quietly before closing her eyes.

“Good night, Ayumu.” Yuu replied, shifting just enough to plant a kiss on Ayumu’s forehead without waking the sleeping girl between them. “I love you.”

“I love you too.”

“…ve… y… wo…” Setsuna murmured into Ayumu’s chest before nuzzling in more.

Did Yuu-chan actually wake her up or is she just sleep talking, again? Ayumu wondered. Either way, she tilted her chin down just enough to press her lips atop the other girl’s head before whispering a similar sentiment to her. Finally, Yuu’s affirmations to Setsuna were the last sounds Ayumu heard before sleep took over.

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Author’s Note Coninued in Followup Post

[storytimewithcort]

Skyrim Drabbles (Farkas) (Part 1)

Fandom: The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim 

Basic Summary: Short blurbs from various points in my Dragonborn's life in Whiterun.

Warning: violence a bit

A/n: When playing, I travel with Aela, Barbas and Meeko. Because sexy badass ladies and puppies, obviously. However, I married Farkas, because he's a sweet big 'ol puppy dog...wolf...man. I adore him. So here's an fictionalized story about my player/oc interacting with Farkas. Mostly his point of view. 🧡

Part 1 of 2

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Aela shouted as she released an arrow in the direction of the beast charging towards Farkas. He steadied his stance as the troll came barreling in his direction and the arrow slammed into its shoulder. Farkas could see the blood flowing from the wound, but the troll seemed unaffected from the injury. He glanced over to Ria as she pulled out her sword, Farkas followed suit, his greatsword slightly shining in the dull light of the gray afternoon.

Moments before the troll reached melee range a dual-pronged arrow came flying through the sky striking the troll in the side of the neck. The troll cried out, stumbling down onto one knee. He heard Ria charge the beast as soon as it fell, but he instead tried to see where the new arrow came from. Across the field he spotted someone on a horse. They were in full armor so he couldn’t see much of their face, but it seemed they were taller than he was and they had their sights locked on the troll as they docked their bow to shoot another arrow at it. This one hit at the same time as another one of Aela’s arrows and the dual impact felled the beast almost instantly. Ria quickly made a gash across his chest to ensure the kill.

The helpful warrior trotted their horse up to the troll and hopped off next to Aela.

“You're a good shot!” Aela boasted, always pleased to meet someone who shared her affinity with a bow.

“Thank you. Just luck really, I'm still getting used to using a bow.” They responded, surprisingly soft spoken. They slipped off their helmet and spoke again, their back to Farkas, “I hope I wasn't intruding, I just couldn't let that brute run rampant so close to a family farm.”

He hadn't been caught off guard like this in years, Farkas had expected a burly Nord not too different from himself, but when the archer turned his way they, she, was anything but. Her high cheekbones implied elven heritage. Her light eyes in contrast to her deep woodsy colored hair were bewitching. Her hair looked like it was once painstakingly braided into a beautiful and intricate design,  but days of traveling and helmet wearing had made strands poke out all over and a long chunk of dark mahogany fell in front of her left ear.

“Shit” he muttered bewildered as he vaguely heard Aela invite the woman to Jorrvaskr.

----

Another gray day stretched out over the Gildergreen tree beneath the stairs leading up to Jorrvaskr. Farkas stood atop the hill watching down on the few townspeople mill about and a couple young girls looking for coin. He wasn't too focused on anything in particular until a sight caught him by surprise. Under the tree was the Dragonborn, a fighter who just yesterday he watched sparing with Vilkas and Aela with a ferocity that he hasn't seen in anyone without wolf's blood.

She,Téli, had been spending a lot of time at Jorrvaskr the last few days since she came to Whiterun. After she met the few Companions and helped fall a troll last week with ease, she had been coming by to both train and do any little errand the Circle requested from her. She did every task no matter how small or opposingly violent with no question. And she did them well. There were even rumors that said she could take down an actual dragon single handedly. She was obviously a mighty warrior.

Here she was squatting down to an orphan child with a soft smile across her face. The little girl looked enamored as she listened to whatever story Téli was telling. Her eyes looked so peaceful and kind as she reached into her pack and pulled out a few gold pieces, not copper, gold pieces and handed them to the child. She also handed over a netted bag full of apples and yams to the girl with a little laugh as the girl squealed in appreciation. The sound somehow floated across the courtyard all the way to where Farkas stood and he was floored by the sweetness of the sound. He had never really thought about how nice laughter could sound, but he quickly decided laughter could sound beautiful if coming from the right person.

"What are you looking at?" Vilkas' voice sounded, breaking Farkas from whatever weird draw the warrior down below had on him. Vilkas' matching dark hair to Farkas' own blew in the damp breeze.

"The tree." Farkas answered. Only a partial lie.

Vilkas looked down to the tree and cocked his head to the side. "Aye, it is looking much better these days. Whatever magic the Dragonborn achieved is a blessing to Whiterun." Taking step closer to his brother, "What do you think of the Dragonborn? I'm still not convinced we can trust her to be a Companion."

Fumbling over his words at first, Farkas managed to respond. "I..I think she is strong and....soft."

"Soft!?" Vilkas spit out the word with confusion until his gaze caught said person patting the head of a girl by the tree, with an almost maternal look in her eyes. She then picked up their pack and smiled as she made her way up the stairs leading to Jorrvaskr. Looking back to his brother, Vilkas saw the lopsided smile Farkas typically saved for a particularly delicious meal or newly tempered set of armor.  Vilkas let out a tuft of laughter, "You like her!"

"Quiet!" Farkas hissed as Téli reached hearing range of the twins.

"Good day." She greeted, smile still intact.

----

Farkas couldn't understand why she was so enthusiastic today. It was pouring rain and the whole city seemed to be in a somber mood. Every one except Téli. She showed up at Jorrvaskr early in the day, begging Farkas to follow her. He couldn't say ‘no’ to her, he was too caught up in how pleasing she looked. This was the first time he had seen her without armor. She was indeed of elven descent, tall and willowy, despite her obvious arm muscles that came from wielding her large steel warhammer. Her simple gray and blue dress was perfectly tailored for her, and as much as Farkas liked a solid woman who stood strong in armor, he couldn't help but flush at the sight of her gentle yet supple curves. Her hair looked recently washed or at the very least combed out. Every part of her looked as soft as he thought it would.

She now pulled on his arm as she dragged him down the steps leading toward the main gated entrance to Whiterun. She stopped at the bottom of the stairs and pointed to the left where a row of houses stood.

“There it is!” she exclaimed with glee.

“There's what?” he asked, looking between the buildings around.

“This house!” she clarified, letting go of him to  running up to one of the houses. “This one right here is all mine.” Pulling out a key with a flourish before turning to open the door. She runs inside and disappeared, leaving Farkas to follow behind shaking his head in amusement.

She showed off the mostly empty building like it was a castle made of gems and gold. She explained how as much as she enjoyed doing jobs for the Companions, doing jobs for the Jarl paid better. It also opened up real estate opportunities.

“I moved in last night! I finally got to bathe without worrying about who else in the inn might try to steal a peak. I got to sleep in a decent bed, and I actually cooked breakfast today. It's silly and domestic, but I love it.” Téli said happily.

“Does this mean you are hanging your armor up? Going to be a city girl now?” Farkas laughed.

“Heavens no. It's just nice to have somewhere to come home to after diving into caverns or fighting dragons.” She walked over to a little fire place, striking up a little fire to warm the house. “I've spent enough time in Whiterun this past month, I know it's a nice place to come home to.”

Farkas took the seat next to her, pulling himself close to the newly growing warmth the fire could offer his damp clothes. He watched her as she added some wood to her little fire. Her clothes were now also pretty wet, but she didn't seem to notice how they clung or maybe she just didn't care. Vilkas had pointed out to him a few days ago how comfortable Téli acted around him and he still didn't know how to take the news.

“Why are you showing me your house?” He asked when she glanced his way.

“Because I'm excited.”

“But why me?”

“I..” she started before chewing her bottom lip for a moment in thought. “Well, you've always been nice to me. You trust in my skills. You are far more clever than you think you are. And you don't ever act like I'm harassing you by just being around, which honestly is how a lot of people seem to act around me.” She shrugged, “Mostly, I just like spending time with you. I know this isn't as exciting as slashing draugrs...” She trailed off, but it didn't matter, Farkas was through the roof with joy. He couldn't remember the last time someone had so many kind things to say about him. It was also the first time he felt this enamored with someone outside of his family and the Circle.

He was smitten. Vilkas would never let him live this down.

--------

Part 2 coming soon. Thanks folks!

[dangerwatson]

            SO, MS. WATSON. YOU WANNA MAKE A DIFFERENCE.

It’s ya girl Lin back on my ‘ let’s cry about a beautiful woman together ’ bs. Here’s MJ ! It’s long, but that’s to have all her relevant information in one place should you ( or me more than likely ) need to hit it up for future reference. I’m excited to have her here ya’ll.

BASICS.

Given / Birth Name : Mary Jane Watson Nickname / Preferred Name : MJ, Red Alias(es) : N/A Birthdate / Age : June 19th 1991 / Twenty - Seven Place of Birth : Montoursville, Pennsylvania Current Location : Little Italy, NYC Gender Identity : Cis Female Sexual / Romantic Orientation : Disaster Bisexual Ethnicity / Race / Cultural Heritage: African - American && German Marital Status : Single Occupation : Field Reporter && Political commentator for Weekly Review Religious Beliefs : Agnostic. Raised Christian.

CHARACTERISTICS.

Height : 5′8″ Weight : 135 Body Type / Build : Entirely Average. Could stand to go to the gym, but honestly who has that kind of time. Don’t compare her to fruit she hates that. Eye Color : Green  Hair Color / Texture : Auburn. Worn natural, 4b curls and all. Sometimes braided, sometimes weaved, sometimes in bantu knots or covered by headscarves. She’s very particular with her hair - touching it can and will lead to physical harm against the perpetrator if unwelcome. Recognizable Features / Scars : Big ol’ dimples and a slight cleft chin. Dusting of dark freckles across nose and chest. Speech Patterns / Accent : Has a deeper voice, boarding whisky worn. Because she’s moved around the majority of her childhood MJ has no discernible accent, giving her a modulated tone that’s perfect for clear annunciation across media platforms. Languages Spoken : English, French, ASL Powers / Skills / Abilities : No powers, however MJ has a nose for good stories, and tends to follow wherever they take her.  Overall Health : Good.

RELATIONSHIPS.

Order of Birth : Youngest Number of Siblings : 1 Father’s Status + Relationship : Phillip Watson, alive. An abusive alcoholic, former High School English teacher. No relationship amends have been made. Mother’s Status + Relationship : Madeline Watson nee Rains, deceased. A starry eyed dreamer, former actress turned stay at home mother. Left Phillip after he struck Gayle, bounced both children through various family members. Passed away shortly after from congenital heart failure exacerbated by stress and lack of access to treatment. Sibling Status + Relationship : Gayle Watson, older sister by almost five years. Unlike MJ, continued to have a relationship with their father. Married her schoolyard sweetheart and had two children. He divorced her around the same time MJ graduated high school, leaving both sisters ( and her nephews ) living under Aunt Anne’s roof. They’re nearly estranged. When she visits her aunt and nephews, both sisters make a point of keeping their conversations short -- if they happen at all. Loyalty / Affiliation : Outwardly neutral, though subject to change behind closed doors.

PERSONALITY.

MBTI : ESFJ Hobbies : Dancing. Doesn’t matter where, when, why or how. Catch her pulling an n*sync routine in her living room at 4 PM on a Tuesday. MJ also has a knack for exploration. There are a lot of ( read : free ) things to do around the city and magically finds them all. Who cares if you have no interest in the Fungi Festival, there are booths everywhere for a quick way to kill an afternoon. Tried needlework one afternoon, didn’t stick and now there’s an abomination of mutant looking cats hanging above her bathroom door. Bad Habits : Smoking. Fixing / hyper - focusing on her hair when uncomfortable or stressed. Jumping head first into the dating scene only to find out it’s the shallow end. Providing 20 second long fart sounds whenever someone asks “how are you?” Taking care of others before taking care of herself. Three Positive Traits : The silent Mom Friend. Allow me to explain : MJ is traditionally that bitch^tm making sure you get home okay after hanging out, she ensures your soul is as well nourished as your body. For all of her outward party-girl aesthetics and a forced mean girl perception on her by others, she makes sure her friends are in good headspaces. That they feel encouraged to follow their ambitions and ultimately celebrate every success no matter the size. It’s the type of selflessness that she’d wanted for herself growing up, so I’ve labeled it as her BEST trait. She’s incredibly outgoing. An extrovert through and through, getting her battery charged by being around people. It’s what makes her an attractive personality. When in a battle of small talk, MJ not only listens and remembers those small shared details but she knows how to keep the conversation going without making it seem like a chore. I love how in tune she is like that, girl vibes hard with new and old friends alike. Finally, MJ would make a professional bargain hunter blush. She grew up poor and as a direct result is extremely careful about what she’s doing with money. And yes, being financially responsible during these trying times as a Millennial trying to earn that bread is pretty much a given good quality. We all wish it wasn’t, but here we are. Three Negative Traits : MJ is stubborn to a fault. When she digs her heels into something it’s hard to get her to stop until a desired outcome is achieved ( or undesired, event depending ). While this is usually reworded as a positive asset —- being so DRIVEN and MOTIVATED —– that’s simply not the case with her. She’s lived through all consequences resulting from this inability to budge and none of the supposed rewards. Been fired from more jobs than she’d care to admit for telling former bosses where to shove unrealistic worker expectations, or coworkers where they can file passive aggressive bullpucky. She’s also incredibly stunted emotionally. As mentioned, she’s a silent Mom Friend, but reciprocation of her actions isn’t met with as much of an openness as one might expect. MJ keeps her feelings to herself, and it usually builds up until she suffers a full scale breakdown triggered by something mundane like … dropping a fry or seeing a lady bug stepped on. Decompressing is a word in her vocabulary, for sure, but it was easier to partake in as a 20 year old than as a near 30 year old with responsibilities and bills to pay. Picky puts it in palatable terms, but MJ knows what she likes and how she likes it. When she doesn’t, then she’ll quickly find a preference. In the meantime we’ll say she’s very particular about what styles she likes to wear, how her make up is, how her hair looks, and over all what image she’s presenting to a general public. It’s a habit she hasn’t been able to shake. Moral Alignment : Neutral Good

ASSOCIATIONS.

One Song : Dead and Lovely - Tom Waits One Quote / Piece of Art : “Beware; for I am fearless, and therefore powerful.” One Fear : Following the Watson Women path of horrible no good very bad mistakes and poor life decisions. One Strength : Persistence One Object : Breathe Right Nasal Strips One Place : May’s kitchen One Food : Garlic One Scent : Cinnamon. One Lucky Charm : Old tattered friendship bracelet

-----------------------

Pretty typical “American Dream !” 50′s family dynamic. Everyone looking great in their Sunday best photos, father with a steady job, stay at home mom to save on daycare, two daughters and a stray cat named Sir Stinkybottom.

Father started facing emotional breaking points brought about by lack of what he considered satisfactory income and inbound midlife crisis. Turned to drinking, ( turned into a right train wreck. )

Mary-Jane, Gayle and Maddie hopped from various family member’s couches to crash for a couple of weeks at a time during the separation process from Phillip.  This lasted a year.

Maddie passed away when MJ was around 10 and Gayle 15, Gayle instantly taking up the role of Mother Figure to MJ’s wild child foil. MJ maintains she doesn’t remember all that much about her mother while Gayle remembers everything and that becomes a point of contention. 

Father returns into their life. It’s messy, he eats away at their still developing ego’s like the cancerous human blob he’s chosen to become. Their Aunt Anna, who they live with, intervenes when she can.

Gayle gets the fuck outta there by marrying her high school sweetheart, moving to the midwest and popping out two adorable munchkins named Kevin and Thommy.

MJ has the pleasure of dealing with their dad alone for the next five years. Which she does by a little thing called home avoidance. Garners the reputation quickly as a party girl at Midtown, someone ready to go anywhere and everywhere at any time. 

Began solidly working around fifteen to help Anna out, sometimes in Diners, sometimes in retail. Her ability to sell her brand began early and honed with surgical precision during these years. All currently reflected across media platforms where she became a 2010 influencer ( and paid for little more than modeling ).

Started college at seventeen, typical move. Took 6 years for her to finish as she paid her way through without loans. The last thing MJ wanted when finally breaking out of Queens was a student dept choker. Graduated at 23 with a dual bachelors in journalism and political science.

Bounced between larger broadcasting industries for a few years as an underpaid intern before growing concerned by their lacking criteria. The burnout was real.

Tirelessly sought employment at her favorite ( but SMALL ) news agency. By luck of the draw she was screen tested and hired on for a slot as field reporter.  

She’s been with Weekly Review since. Now having two years under her belt ( still extremely Green in her industry ), she’s pushing for higher scope investigative journalist pieces. And for once, they’re not telling her no.

[onestowatch]

KORDELYA Muses on Red Flags and Toxic Relationships on “Torero” [Q&A]

Photo: Mike Anderson

When you’re wearing rose-colored glasses, sometimes all the red flags just look like flags. It’s one of many poignant pieces of wisdom garnered from Bojack Horseman and the foundation of Mexican-American artist KORDELYA’s latest stunner of a single, “Torero.”

“Torero,” which translates to bullfighter, serves as the perfect representation for a track whose main themes revolve around toxic relationships and how we are often blind to seemingly obvious dangers and destructive traits. All this is conveyed over an irresistible Latin pop vibe rife with punchy production and KORDELYA’s siren-like vocals.

We had the chance to speak with KORDELYA about her new single, those red flags whose color only seem to make itself known in hindsight, and plenty more.

Ones to Watch: Who is KORDELYA? What is she all about as an artist?

KORDELYA: I'm a 5'2" Mexican girl who started writing in Spanglish when I felt that writing a song in only Spanish or only English didn't feel right anymore. I speak Spanglish every day and there are so many expressions and slang that are not quite translatable, so I wanted to be honest in who I am in my writing too. I also wanted to be able to translate what my song is saying into the beat of the track and instruments too so I started teaching myself how to use Logic and Ableton to produce what I had in mind. When I make a song I'm always thinking what it is going to look like as well. I always want the visuals and audio to be seamless, to complement each other, and for you to get a bit more of what the story in the song is about.

What is “Torero” about?

“Torero” is about seeing those red flags of a toxic relationship or friendship a bit too late. Toxic relationships have always been fascinating to me. They always seem so perfect when they start out that sometimes we are blind to the red flags just to feel loved again. The imagery of the classic “Torero” (bullfighter in Spanish) that uses a literal red flag called “Tercio de muerte” or “Third of death” as they go in for the kill always struck me as the perfect metaphor for this. By the time you realize what you've gotten yourself into, it’s the third act and you can’t seem to find a way out.

The visualizer is stunning, how did you go about deciding on the art direction

Thank you so much. Been playing around with this idea of the infinite braids for a while now. I love the imagery it brings of your head being tied to something or someone that can literally and figuratively have a hold on you.

A central reference of the visualizer is the “red flag” of the bullfighter; is that about our desire for love, despite its failings?

Yes! I love that the red flag is a symbol always up for interpretation as either a good or bad thing, so I really wanted to put the listener in that mindset. We also used the 🚩emoji to tease the artwork to confuse the hell out of everyone lol. In the artwork, it also gives off that theatre curtain look which gave me the feeling of the start of a show or a relationship when you don't know what's hiding behind the curtain that shows that person for who they really are.

Also lots of metaphors abound, particularly feminine ones, that both empower and entangle, was that a deliberate contrast?

Exactly, you get it! I play a lot with things that have a dual meaning. Braids have always had a big place in Mexican culture and really long hair has always been considered a symbol for femininity. What I find interesting is that having long hair or a ponytail can also be dangerous because it is one of the things that someone could use to grab a hold of you if you are in a dangerous situation.

Can we expect more of this sound in the future, on your upcoming album

Yes and no. There are always new sounds and genres that I like to play with in every album to keep experimenting. I think my spirit animal might be a Racoon because I always try to grab and investigate everything just to try it out lol. I'm always so curious about new sounds and instruments that can give each song I make its own identity and style.

Besides the album set to release in 2022, what else should we be on the lookout for?

New music videos, new features with other artists, and more live shows!

What's inspiring you right now outside of music? 

Crazy films or series like Squid Games and bubble tea

Who are your Ones to Watch?

brakence and my buddy Phil Good be making some bopss.

[bestblowdryerforthickhairst-blog]

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Perhaps it doesn't seem fancy, but when it's snowing or raining they will thank you. After countless hours spent using blow dryers that were distinct, I discovered that no equipment will dry your hair or make it seem better compared to Rusk W8less. That's why I rounded up these hair dryers with diffusers that are fine to help you always save. We expect that this review of five highly rated blow dryers helps you find. Dryers have a spray coating of Tourmaline that can wear off. You may learn a lot by reading what they must say about durability, performance and characteristics. The instructions say to wash out the display by hand push on Lizzy to the slot to suck lint . The directions recommend cleaning the vent and going away from the house. I think"she" will be useful for cleaning under the stove and fridge and under automobile seats. As for quality, I think it is terrific!

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Set it on low or medium and slightly twist the strand to give it more significance to the curl that is long run. Try the Amika Tourmaline Clip-Free Curler to shoot strands of hair near the face and curl loosely out (away from the facial skin!) . But often we end up buying a hair dryer that doesn't fulfill our expectations. A great tight seal was made by the finish on your vacuum cleaner. Nozzles behave like diffusers and usually snap onto the close of the dryer. I like my new toy. I never expected it to work, although the photo of it seemed like a killer concept. About 75 percent by herself we still keep your eye on her as she enjoys to additionally use the cabinet door to improve up herself to get to the faucet. With the usage of ionic technology, the negative ions result in a faster drying period moisture, smoother results, and less frizz. It's made her a little more independent. This blow dryer has got a power .

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[failsoup]

47 for cullen x inquisitor :)

Thank you so much for the request! This is literally my first ask :o So excited

—

The sound of clashing metal rang in the Commander's’ ears as he paced the courtyard, amber eyes keeping track of the dozen or so inquisition recruits who were learning how to defend against duellists. The hulking red templar beasts that had assaulted Haven a few months earlier had not only dwarfed the forces struggling to protect the stronghold, but had also used incredibly swift and strong dual handed attacks, cutting down men before they even had a chance to raise their shields.

“Keep your eyes on the bulk of your opponent’s body, not just the blades! Focus too much on one blade, and you’ll find yourself with the other in your back!” He bellowed, expression severe as he watched most of his men struggle to keep their defense, let alone get in any attacks.

“Ohhh- and dead.” Came a cheer from the far end of the courtyard. Cullen looked to the source of the noise, and scowled. Sera, why wasn’t he surprised. He stalked towards her perch on the small stone wall along the courtyard, noticing the humor that sparkled in her eyes once she saw his approach. “Oh, we gonna’ get a scolding from the big bad cully-wully?” she sang, with a cackle.

“You do realize that you are fighting on the same side as these men and women, yes?” He grumbled, keeping his temper in check.

“Humor softens the fear of failure- blood spilling, armor shattered, looming red torment above sending me to the maker…” The young blonde boy seemed to materialize from nowhere, perched next to Sera. Cullen sighed and rubbed his forehead.

“Cole…” The commander warned. He almost requested the pair get off their asses to help, but then he imagined the pair of them attempting to explain how to defend in such a situation…

“I dunno’ you just swoosh, and do it? They move, you see it, you move, clang, defend. Kick’em between the legs- though I’m not sure they’ve got anything down there but lyrium bits, and that might hurt you more than them!”

“Silver slashing, body light like a feather, no heavy armor to restrict movements, but soft spots visible for attack”

Better not. Suddenly pain erupted in his left shin, causing him to release a snarl at the damn elf, who simply grinned and nodded back towards the keep. Irritated, he turned to where she had indicated he look.

 Long chestnut hair coiled down a narrow back, braids looped into delicate designs atop her head as gold glistened at her ears. A dress of plum hugged her figure, before cascading loosely away from her hips. Her shoulders were bare, the tops of her breasts open to the cool breeze and sunlight. Never before had he seen such a beautiful sight. He froze, completely lost in this vision. He followed her decent down the steps, Lady Josephine and Leliana flanking her, with Cassandra and Vivienne trailing behind. The women were all dressed to impress, and at the doorway, Dorian and Blackwall could be seen- Blackwall also looking well groomed, and Dorian… well, looking like Dorian. How did he manage to keep up that appearance, even in battle? At the bottom of the stairs was a gathering of- shit. Shit. It was the Orlesian envoy. The ambassador had been working tirelessly to acquire an invitation to Halamshiral in hopes of preventing the assassination of Empress Celene. He quickly looked down at his armour, dirty, sweaty… how could he have forgotten? They had mentioned it this morning had they not?

Looking back at the party, he noticed that they approached the courtyard where the Inquisition forces trained. Quickly he moved away from Sera and Cole and got back to work, correcting the movements of the soldiers.

“As usual, our dutiful commander is working tirelessly training new recruits. Many of our volunteers have never seen battle, so it takes weeks, and months of dedication to see them fit for the front lines.” Josephine offered commentary. Cullen suddenly felt like a circus performer, being watched by a crowd desperate for entertainment. He turned to them and offered them a quick bow, a few well dressed guests whispered, however his eyes were on his Lady Inquisitor. She looked him over, her brow pinched, though she smiled. She was angry. Not at him surely. Listening carefully he was able to pick up a few of the Orlesians hushed words as Josephine continued the tour.

“Hm, he’s Ferelden- attractive though, hard to tell under all of the armour, a pity he wasn’t part of the greeting party.” One woman sighed quietly to another beside her.

“Mm, yes- though I am surprised to see the Lady Inquisitor out of armour. The rumors said she was a bloodthirsty barbarian, married only to the sword!”

“At her age? You’d think as a noble she’d be betrothed, Marcher or not.”

He saw Evelyn’s eye twitch, as the corners of her mouth tightened. Likely biting her cheeks to keep from attacking the women with snide comments. Yes, self control, please maker let her stay in control.

 —–

 As the sun began to set, Cullen retired to his quarters to wash and change, choosing his formal attire for the dinner with the Orlesians. A quick look in the small mirror, and he was off to the hall.

Upon entering he was greeted by a bombardment of scents. Smoldering wood from the fireplaces, delicious aromas from the kitchens, and overly floral perfumes from their guests. A number of Ferelden delegates who had arrived the day before were also gathered, but few mingled with their neighboring visitors. Cullen found his way to the Ambassador and got to work impressing their guests as best he could, feeling uncomfortable by their stares, and giggles, and side comments about his relationship status. Outside of skyhold, he doubted anyone knew of his entanglement with the Inquisitor- though they had tried to keep it secret, the battlements weren’t the most private place to sneak off for a “break”.

The dinner went smoothly, though by the time things were winding down, he was exhausted. Varric was doing well to entertain the guests, with Dorian, which took pressure off of him, and Evelyn. Moving to her side, he was once again struck by her beauty.

“Why on earth do you not dress like this more often?” He asked quietly for only her to hear.

“Vivienne forced me into this…. Thing.” She seethed., face crinkling in disgust.

He couldn’t help but laugh, “Dress, it’s called a dress… how on earth are you a noble when you dislike such attire so much?”

“It’s because I’m a noble that I dislike it. My mother used to dress me up like a doll whenever visitors came, and covered me in this disgusting perfume- I hated it. My brothers never had to wear corsets, or lace, or-” She rambled off into grumbling.

Cullen simply smiled, “Well, even if I never get to see you in such attire again, that colour suits you.” She looked up at him and glared, the spot between her forehead scrunching up in anger.

“Would everyone please stop making fun of me? I’ve heard nothing but ‘barbarian trying to look civil’ jokes since this lot arrived!” He tried his best to sober his expression.

“I wasn’t making fun. You’re beautiful.” Her face softened a bit at that. He took a quick glance around and made sure nobody was watching when he stole a kiss from her cheek, whispering quickly, “You’re also terribly cute when you’re angry.”

She punched him.

The rest of the evening she proceeded to give him the cold shoulder until the guests dispersed. When the hall was nearly empty, Cullen said his farewells and returned to his tower, however when he arrived, he was startled to find candles lit, with plum silk fanned out over the surface of his desk, pooled around the Inquisitor, who sat cross armed waiting for him.

“Come to scold me?” He mused, slowly making his way towards her. She uncrossed her ankles and slid off the edge of the table, her feet softly touching the ground. They were bare, her hair no longer bound by the braids it ran wild over her shoulders. The candle light illuminated her eyes, the colour of pine, her freckles and lines offering character to her heart shaped face. Cullen stood half an arm’s length away from her, looking down with a small crooked smile.

“I heard an Orlesian tried to court you?” She stated, more than asked. Her brow rose as she looked up at him.

“Ah, yes. Are you mad at me for that too?” He mused, curious as to where this was going.

“No, however I haven’t forgotten that comment.” she grumbled, “I was getting ready for bed, and figured you deserved one last look at this dress, because you’ll never see me in it again.”

He smiled, taking a step back to observe the inquisitor. She was lovely.

“Now, if you’re quite done, I think it’s time to retire this pointless piece of cloth.” Her arms uncrossed, and she closed the space between them. Her scowl turned into a sly grin, “Now, if you would?” Eve’s voice was like velvet, sending a shiver up the commanders spine. He gulped, and looked at the complicated lacing. He was certain Vivienne would be better at removing such an intricate garb, if anything he’d simply damage it.

“How do I-” He began, his hands half outstretched to help her. She hooked one finger in the collar of his formal tunic and pulled him towards her, connecting their lips. Her lips tasted of wine, while the sweet smell of lavender came from her curls that tickled his face. When they broke their kiss, she breathed, “Tear. It. Off.” He could tell her anger and irritation from the day was fuelling her fire. Damn was she ever cute when angry, but the aftermath was so, so much better.

[mediocrewritingsofacrazycanadian]

Paetrix Nix

Full Name: Paetrix Kerredice Hayra Nix (Pay-tricks Care-a-dice Hay-ra Nicks)

NickName(s): Nix, Trixy, Trix

Age: 26

Race: Half nymph/half metal sprite 

Height: 4′10″

Eye color: One neon green and one gun metal grey 

Hair: Dark green, super short, almost a buzz-cut (basically just long enough that you can still see color but that’s about it)

Abilities: Creating weapons and armor, weaving magic into the weapons and armor she creates, being really fucking fast, major heat resistance thanks to metal sprite heritage (can stick her hand in a fire and it’s fine basically), heals really quick, really nice voice.

Weapons: Anything she can hold basically, she’s at least somewhat proficient in almost all hand weapons (she prefers small ones though as she is fast and also a smol bean) 

Job: Armor and weapon making

Personality: Loud as hell (”Whattdya mean I’m not whispering? I’m quiet as fuck!” yelled as anyone who ever points out that she couldn’t whisper to save her life), loves dirty jokes more than life itself some days (if you have delicate sensibilities avoid her like the plague as she will make you turn bright red and possibly faint, it’s happened before, is actually chill as hell most of the time and takes a while to anger (unless those she cares about are threatened, then duck and cover cause she’s a scary bitch), sarcasm is her second language (swears are the third), totally loyal to those she calls friend (will still kick your ass if you do stupid shit even if you’re her friend), a generally grounded and solid person, can and does spend hours just cleaning the weapons in her work area because it’s how she relaxes and will also spend hours just designing new armor and weapons because it’s one of the few things she can focus on for more than five seconds without going nuts, fidgets a lot (taps her fingers and her foot, jiggles her leg, makes weird noises, talks a mile a minute), so basically hella ADHD, hides in her workshop when overwhelmed and just breathes in the familiar smells and runs her hands over her tools and looks over her designs until she’s calm again, likes naps (usually in her workroom...or on the deck...or in hallways...she naps in weird places), doesn’t know how to comfort people effectively and usually offers to get whoever is upset a cookie and pats them on the shoulder (or alternatively offers to kill whoever upset her friend), easily distracted, cheats at card games, gives excellent cuddles when in the mood for them, laughs really loudly and often (sometimes at whatever joke she tells herself in her head because she thinks she’s really funny), talks a lot or not all there is no in between.

Physical description: Smol bean with well-muscled arms and legs and back and a chubby tummy, buzz-cut that she’s had forever because she got tired of her hair getting in the way (has to cut it all the damn time cause nymphs have fast growing hair and she hates it), rough hands with calluses and scars (she loves them because they show how hard she works), pale as fuck with faint shimmer to her skin when light hits it (stupid nymph DNA), tiny dual-pointed ears (like they’re pointed at the top and then there’s a little secondary rounded point on the side just below the tip), small feet that she almost always has bare because shoes suck, prefers fitted tops that don’t get in her way (she owns basically nothing but tank tops and shirts with the sleeves cut off) and looser fitted cargo-type pants with a billion pockets for her tools and such, always has her tool belt on, wears fingerless gloves a lot when not working at her forge, always has a bandanna either in her back pocket or on her head to keep sweat out of her eyes when she’s working, carries a little sketchbook and notebook and pencil around with her to sketch or write down new ideas when they hit or she forgets them, likes black and army green and camouflage and bright red and blue, runs her hand over her hair when she’s nervous, bites her lip or sticks her tongue out slightly between her teeth when thinking or working on her designs, perpetually chapped and bitten lips, scars everywhere (lots on her arms and hands), eyes always alert and glancing around, doesn’t sleep enough or sleeps too much, almost always has snacks in her pockets and yet still forgets to eat some days (or eats way too much by accident), loves her chubby tummy most days but is insecure other days, constantly cracker her joints (usually her fingers and neck but everything else too), arm wrestles everyone and usually wins, is deceptively strong (could kick the ass of someone twice her size probably without weapons) but is also hella fast on her feet and rather acrobatic when she wants to be.

Back Story:

Nix was found as a baby by a human blacksmith named Vladik while he was walking into town to go to work, she had been left just off the forest path in a baby basket with a note with her name and her species and her birth date on it in fancy writing and Vladik basically just went “Well this is my baby now I guess” and took her to his shop. The people of the little village he called home had all known each other forever and they all pitched in to help him raise Nix as he was totally new at being a father. Nix (who prefers Nix or Trixy to Paetrix) had a happy life in the village, it was like having a huge family and she loved it and they loved her. They never did discover who her birth parents were and to be honest Nix never really cared. Vladik started training her at a young age to be a blacksmith and she picked it up insanely fast and soon they learned that she could weave magic into the metal without even trying and he was so proud of her for how hard she worked then to not only learn his trade but also how to properly use and control her magic and he always made sure to tell her that. Nix always knew that she was adopted because Vladik never tried to hide it from her at all (He’d always say “Trixy you’re my kid regardless of how I came to have you and I love you no matter what, never forget that.”) he loved her as his own until the day he died. Nix grew up always feeling feeling a little weird in her own skin, some days she was totally good to look in the mirror and see her long hair braided over her shoulder and her delicate face smiling and some days she hated looking at herself at all and eventually when she was about 11 she talked to Vladik about it and he was totally freaked that his baby might not like herself and he got Nix to talk to his most trusted friend who just happened to be the local baker/ town mom, her name was Sylva and she loved Nix like crazy. So Nix explained it all to Sylva and Sylva being the smart lady she was helped Nix figure out that the reason she felt like this was because she wasn’t totally a girl (Sylva described it like “Some days you feel as though your body is perfect for you, like it’s where you belong and others you feel like it;s not really your body at all because maybe you feel as though on those days you were meant to be in a more masculine body, or entirely in a boys body. Sound about right?” and Nix was like *star eyes* “holy hell that sounds exactly right...What do I do now?” and Sylva was like “Well we could cut your hair shorter if that would help and me and some of the others can make you some more masculine clothes and use male pronouns for you when you ask us too.” and Nix started crying cause she was happy and a little scared to tell people of course.) So with her newfound identity Nix felt better and after she cute her hair shorter the first time she wanted it all off so she could work easier and because it made her feel good. Vladik started calling her Trix instead of Trixy on boy days cause the Trixy felt a little too girly for her and the town was totally accepting of her and her identity. When Nix was about 20 Vladik passed away (at about 80) peacefully in his sleep and it devastated her, she closed down the blacksmith shop and refused to leave their house for weeks after the funeral. When she finally did leave it was to say goodbye to everyone in town because she’d decided that she was going to leave town and explore the world that Vladik had never gotten to see in honor of his wish that she find her happiness wherever and however she could. After a bit of wandering Nix stopped in a little port town to get some extra money working for the local blacksmith and Glory happened to stop in to get her sword repaired and she was so enamored with Nix’s work that she offered her a position on her crew and Nix wanted to see the world so she accepted and within a year she had re-worked an empty cabin into a functioning blacksmith workroom complete with forge (magic is a dandy thing isn’t it). Glory and crew accepted Nix’s identity and pronouns changes and everything super easily (pretty laid back and accepting pirates tbh) and totally enveloped her into the family before she even knew what was happening and Nix had zero problems with it.