#berenice adaar

[anunquenchableflame]

Berenice Adaar | A ko-fi reward for @shannaraisles!

[shannaraisles]

Send “🛌“ for a drabble of my OC waking up with a character of your choice!

How did they get there? Who knows?

[shannaraisles]

‘Ships & Qs - Berenice Adaar/Cullen Rutherford

No takers so far for this one, so I thought why not just do one anyway? ~grins~ Gives me an excuse to show off this gorgeous artwork by @hes-per-ides of my adorable Benni Adaar again, too! Benni/Cullen is a Modern AU ‘ship - firefighter and EMH (emergency mage healer).  It’s long, so it’s under a cut - enjoy!

Who in your ship is the serial butt-slapper and who is constantly getting their beautiful butt slapped?

Benni is the butt-slapper, and it is purely because Cullen blushes like a fire engine every time she does it. In public, it’s a playful slap to the butt just to shock him into smiling at her in front of their colleagues; in more private moments, she’ll squeeze as well. Cullen would never admit it, but he really likes how brazen she is with her playful affection.

Who wants to be immortal and who wants to die before they’re old?

Interestingly, neither for neither. Benni wants to live her life to the fullest, with friends and love and experiences galore, but she knows it wouldn’t really mean anything if it never ended. For the same reason, she doesn’t want it to be cut short. She’d love to have a future where she and Cullen are elderly and embarrassingly in love in front of their grandchildren. Cullen is a little simpler - he’ll be happy living so long as she is.

Who smokes and who pulls the cigarette from between their lips every time they try to light one?

Cullen smokes, or at least he used to. As of their relationship, he has been trying to give up for a while. Benni takes the cigarette out of his mouth every damned time, regardless of his mood. She’s completely unflappable in the face of his annoyance.

Who always has cold hands and who is always warming them up for them?

Benni always has cold hands (and feet). Cullen would rather not have to warm them up at all, but if he doesn’t, she sticks her hands up his shirt and does it herself.

Who plays candy crush in important meetings and who elbows them in the ribs to make them pay attention?

Benni’s the one on her phone, playing a game or texting, during meetings, to the point where Cullen has given up elbowing her and just confiscates her phone before they go into handover or official meetings. He isn’t subtle about it either - everyone knows she can’t be trusted not to distract herself if she has her phone with her.

Who can fall asleep anywhere (and does) and who has to put them to bed?

Cullen’s the serial sleeper. Benni envies how he can just switch off and sleep anywhere, but he’s pretty much impossible to wake up once he’s settled in. She’s got used to having to haul him back to bed and tuck him in.

Who is the genius procrastinator who wings every test but still comes away with straight As, and who takes preparation and conscientious work very seriously?

If Benni could, she would never sit a test ever again. As it stands, she does the bare minimum, while Cullen crams and studies and write up revision schedules. They both get the same grades in the exams they have to take for work, but they approach it in very different ways.

Who takes their coffee black and who likes it with milk and two sugars, getting called a pussy by Person A?

When they first got together, Cullen drank his coffee black because he seemed to think that was how he was supposed to drink it. Once he tasted Benni’s cream and two sugars, however, he switched and ignores all the teasing from their coworkers because of it.

Who initially seems shady but turns out to be a cinnamon bun, and who initially seems like a cinnamon bun but turns out to be shady?

It’s Cullen who started out seeming shady. He had an attitude and issues, and then sort of melted all over her. Benni, however, is not the shady one in her family. For this context, though? Okay, yeah, she’s a shady cinnamon bun.

Who moans and talks with their mouth full whenever they eat good food, and who tells them to stfu but can’t help laughing?

It takes a while, but this is Cullen’s main method of embarrassing Benni in public. He knows perfectly well what his moans do to her, and her only recourse when he does this is to try and laugh it off or make him shut up. Or both. It never works.

Who gives the bear hugs and who is always sidling up to them and snaking their arms around their waist?

Benni’s the bear-hugger. Cullen pretended not to like it at first, but he can’t really hide the fact that there is something remarkably freeing about having a girlfriend who can completely envelop him in a hug and lift him off his feet in the same motion. He’s definitely the waist from behind hugger, combining that usually with a kiss to her shoulderblade, because he’s just a soppy romantic, really.

Who still buys juice boxes and fruit snacks to put in their lunch?

Benni. She never got juice boxes and fruit snacks when she was in her Circle boarding school, so as soon as she became an independent adult, they became a staple of her packed lunches. Cullen steals her fruit snacks and thinks she doesn’t know it’s him.

Who packs the other’s lunch and who repays them in sexual favours?

Cullen packs Benni’s lunch - for a healer, she is appalling at remembering to feed herself most of the time. He doesn’t consider the consistent sex life as repayment for something she wouldn’t do anyway, though.

Who leaves notes in the other’s lunch and who tells them they’re dumb (but secretly has a collection of every note Person A has ever written them)?

Cullen packs the lunches, so Cullen writes the notes. He also watches her face when she opens her lunch to see her expression when she reads them. Benni’s collection of those notes is not at all secret. She has a bright pink binder covered in multicolored hearts where she keeps everything even slightly related to their relationship preserved for all time.

Who unconsciously holds their breath the first time they kiss, and who pulls back and says, “Breathe…”?

Cullen was the one who forgot how to breathe. ~chuckles~ She took him by surprise a little, but he certainly warmed up to her. Once she reminded him that breathing was kind of important for his continued enjoyment.

Who gets arrested for a petty crime they committed by accident and who bails them out?

Is this really a surprise at this point? Benni is definitely the accidentally arrested one, and Cullen is absolutely the one who bails her out. Bonus points whenever it happens in the middle of the night.

Who grabs the other’s hand just as they’re getting out of bed and pulls them back under for cuddles?

Cullen, perhaps surprisingly. Benni’s the kind of person that once she’s up, she’s up, and there’s nothing she can do to stay in bed. Which is how Cullen ends up being the one who pulls her back into bed at stupid o’clock and cuddles her until she gives up and cuddles back.

Who gets mad about something unrelated to Person B and punches the wall, and who patches it up and kisses it better?

They follow their actual stereotypes with this one. Cullen has a lot of pent-up anger and frustration, and every now and then it spills over. And yes, he punches walls. Benni’s a healer, first and foremost; she’ll always kiss his boo-boos better. More importantly, she’ll be right there to help him through what caused the injury in the first place.

Who has the plain black phone case and who ordered one with cat ears off ebay?

Ah, now ... Cullen may have ordered the one with cat ears off ebay, but it was a present for Benni. And once he did that, he should have known his plain case wasn’t going to stay plain for long. She bought glittery pens and decorated it while he was sleeping.

Who likes to drive with the music blaring and who is too shy to sing along?

Benni can’t drive, so it’s always Cullen behind the wheel. But she’s the one who turns the music up and sings along at the top of her lungs, while he tries to simultaneously enjoy her unashamed performance and pretend he isn’t in the same car.

Who’s the fantastic kisser and who has the beautiful eyes?

Neither one of them would give me a straight answer for this one, so I’m going to go with both, on both sides.

Who has the sunshine smile and who has the seductive gaze?

Benni‘s definitely got the sunshine smile, and she’s very free with it. She likes to see people smiling, and the best way to do that is to smile herself. And then Cullen will look at her like that, and she gets adorably flustered for about five seconds before dragging him off to a broom closet.

Who gets offended by the intensity of the other’s crush on a celebrity?

Cullen! He knows it’s just a crush, he knows there’s no chance of Benni ever meeting Alistair Theirin, poster boy of the Grey Wardens, but he still gets mildly offended when he overhears her gushing with her friends about him.

Who is embarrassed that they have to wear glasses sometimes and who wants them to wear them in bed?

Cullen is so embarrassed by needing to wear glasses on occasion that he managed to keep it a secret from Benni for quite some time. He stopped being embarrassed about it when he forgot to take them off one afternoon, and wasn’t allowed out of bed until the following evening.

Who cheats on the other then immediately begs for their forgiveness?

Neither one would ever cheat. It’s just not in their natures to be able to do that to someone they love.

Who is the jealous one and asks why the other was being so flirty all night, and who is oblivious to their own charms?

This one depends on the moods they’re in going into the evening. Jealousy only really comes into play when one of them is feeling insecure about something, and it’s fairly easily talked out. However, Benni is the one who seems utterly oblivious to her own charms, which Cullen finds adorable. She’s 6′7″ of curvy Qunari goddess, and she has no idea why horny people flock to her.

Who orders a milkshake with their food and who orders a soda?

It took a bit of coaxing, but Benni finally managed to talk Cullen into enjoying his food rather than just consuming it. Which is why he gets the chocolate milkshake and she gets the soda, because he deserves to have something innocently enjoyable, dammit!

Who runs their battery down to 1% and who feels the need to charge theirs at 80%?

You know, I think Cullen’s the one who always has his charger with him and never uses it? Whereas Benni is never down to anything past 49% on her battery at all times. What can I say, she’s obsessive about being contactable.

Who has the excellent singing voice and is always singing around the house (and for Person B), but has no interest in going professional?

Cullen! Absolutely Cullen. And Benni loves it. It started with singing in the shower, then he started singing to himself while he was cleaning, then singing along with the radio while they were cooking. It usually turns into dancing and laughing in the kitchen, but she adores his singing.

Who would rather be barefoot if the setting is appropriate, and who has the huge and spectacular shoe collection (possibly also socks)?

To be honest, if Benni could go naked everywhere, she would. She’s not that fussed on clothes unless they’re spectacular, and she is incredibly comfortable in her own skin. And then there’s Cullen, who not only has a pair of shoes for every occasion, but probably has underwear specifically for every day of the week, too.

Who takes their liquor on the rocks and who likes it neat?

Cullen’s a drink it neat kind of guy. Benni, on the other hand, likes to not be hungover, so she’s all about the ice and lots of it.

And I learned a lot about them doing this!

[shannaraisles]

[shannaraisles]

🛌 for one of your OCs waking up with... Coypheus, but Not like, I'm here to kill you. But like, creepy stalker dude, you smell good when you sleep, 😂😂

LOL Oh my gods, you’re evil! I love it!

“I shall seat you on the throne of the gods, and we shall rule all …”

Berenice blinked slowly as she woke up. The dream had been … unsettling. After all, taken on its own, Corypheus’ voice could be considered to be quite sexy, but he wasn’t exactly a looker. And besides, personality counted for a lot. So why was she dreaming about him offering to …

“I see you are awake, my gargantuan goddess.” A cold mouth stroked over her shoulder, cool breath inhaled against her neck with a quietly disturbing growl. “Delicious …”

Benni had never raised a barrier so fast in all her life. The energy sprang into life, physically knocking both her and her decidedly uninvited guest off either side of the bed. For the first time in her life, she actually felt embarrassed about sleeping naked, but there was no time for the niceties right now. Not with the great and ominous Coryphytits himself rising to his feet on the other side of the bedroom.

“What the fuck?” she declared, huffing her hair out of her face, momentarily wishing she hadn’t got into the habit of putting sponges on the sharp tips of her horns. A rather larger part of her was wishing she’d ever learned anything about combat.

“I have been thinking,” the oldest darkspawn in creation was saying as he rounded the bed. “You are no rival to be quashed. I will make you my queen. We will rule the heavens and the earth together.”

“No, thank you!”

Sweet Maker, why do I suddenly have manners? More importantly, why is Corypheus in my bedroom? This thought shot through her rather faster and spurred her into action. She dashed to the balcony doors and threw them open, hurling herself over the ledge with a scream that echoed around Skyhold. The fall hadn’t killed her yet.

And what a view for the Commander as he stretched on the battlements, to see the Inquisitor in all her bare-skinned glory plummeting to the ground from the highest tower, while above them a very familiar voice boomed across the fortress.

“I shall return, my dragon queen, and we shall rule the stars!”

And now I feel kind of dirty. ~snerk~ That was surprisingly fun to write, though.

[They woke up with WHO?! - Prompt me!]

[shannaraisles]

Cherrypicked faves from this post by @sartorialadventure, and my face claim for Berenice Adaar, the character I would definitely put in them.

[shannaraisles]

Last Sentence Meme

I have been tagged by the ineffable @kagetsukai! And while I don’t have anything from any known WIPs to share, I do have a small something that’s been playing on my mind a bit ...

She wrapped her arms gently but firmly about the dwarf she loved, pulling him close into the encapsulating circle of her larger body spooned so completely about his own.

“Shhh,” she whispered, drawing her fingers through his crop of dark curls. “I’m here, kadan. You’re safe.”

Hehehehehe ...

And I shall tag ... @agentkatie, @skyholdherbalist, @thejeeperswife, @thebakerstboyskeeper, @out-of-the-embers, @dreadhobo, @star--nymph, @savvylittleminx, and @puddle--wonderful! No pressure, I’m just nosy!

[shannaraisles]

Character Curiosity Tuesday! How easy or difficult is it for Berenice to say “I love you?”

Hi hi, lovely! I’m still here! ... just not very present, which I am working on, I promise! :)

And that is an excellent question. Thank you so much!

Benni ... she’s kind of hard to figure out there. She’s very confident, very sensual, very tactile and affectionate with virtually everyone around her. She’s very good at making sure the people around her feel loved, but the words really don’t come easily to her. I think that comes from her Circle upbringing, where any kind of fling was a secretive affair no matter who it was with, and there was no suggestion that it would ever have a future, so bringing emotions into it was just a bad idea all ‘round. She never knew who was listening, so she never even told her closest friends that she loved them, even though the attachment and the depth of the bond was definitely there. Sharing her body with someone comes naturally to her, she doesn’t feel any shame in having a fling here and there, which is probably why it took a while for her to realize that in the wider world most people don’t do that. Once she was aware that her growing affection for Carver/Cullen (still haven’t really decided on that!) was deeper than just a physical attraction, and that he reciprocated, she made a definite effort to reserve the most of her affection for him. But she never said “I love you” until she thought she was going to die. (For Cullen, this would be just after they breach the gates at Adamant - brilliant timing, I know; for Carver, this would probably be sooner, most likely during the attack on Haven - she’s known him a little longer, and he’s an active part of her party). She definitely never says the words until she’s certain, and even then, they don’t come easily unless she thinks she may regret not saying them. She shows her love far more than she puts words to it.

[shannaraisles]

new challenge: put your music on shuffle, and find a way to make whatever song comes up relevant to your ship

Yay! This one made me giggle, because what came up is perfect for one OC in particular, but crowbarring it into a ship was kinda fun!

What I got - Born This Way, Lady Gaga

Which is absolutely perfect for Berenice Adaar, because she is easily my most confident, happy in herself character. But I can definitely see her just pounding that confidence into Cullen until he starts, if not believing it about himself, then at least performing that belief. She would be so proud of him. But then, I think Benni’s one of those people who just spreads self-confidence to the people she cares about - she’s happy with herself, with who she is and how she looks, and that is infectious.

And just because I can, let’s have another look at the gorgeous art @hes-per-ides did of my Benni, shall we?

[shannaraisles]

This or That - Berenice Adaar

(Art by the incomparable @hes-per-ides)

I fancied doing a random this or that, and found this one that tickled my fancy where Benni is concerned. Rather than make it an ask meme, though, I just did it. :)

cacti or succulents / butterflies or honeybees / typewritten or handwritten / flower crowns or oversized sun hats / polaroids or film /

road tripping or camping in the woods / cozy beanbags or breezy hammocks / oversized jumpers or fluffy bathrobes / banana bread or pumpkin spiced loaf / the smell of old books or the smell of petrichor / chapstick or matte lipstick / macarons or eclairs / a candlelit bath or a sunlit reading room / a matinee at a musical or a evening at the art gallery / creamy hot cocoa with marshmallows or dippable hot chocolate with churros / poetry or prose / vinyl or cassettes / antique shops or second hand stores / a heavy, rich chocolate cake or a light, summer sponge cake / purikuras or photo booths / cozy scarfs or warm beanies / rose gold or copper / sunset on the beach or night city from an airplane / mason jars or coffee mugs / blue skies or thunderstorms / hot tea or warm soup / picnic on a grassy hill or tea in a flower garden / silk or lace / sketching in a museum or journaling in a café / converse high tops or beaded summer sandals / sweet crêpes or fluffy pancakes / galaxies or nebulae / cuff-chain earrings or full finger rings / knee socks or leggings / in bed or out in the rain / winter or summer / autumn leaves or spring flowers / summer fruits or tropical fruits / malt shakes or ice cream floats / waves lapping at the shore or wind rolling over wheat fields / sunflowers or lavender / enamel pins or embroidered patches / fresh cheeses and cured meats or fresh bread and homemade jams / fireworks or sparklers / bath bombs or scented candles / library borrower cards or vintage postcards / singing and playing an instrument or singing in the car with the windows down / filling your passport with stamps or collecting souvenirs

[shannaraisles]

I made Berenice Adaar with a doll maker. I have no regrets.

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TMI Tuesday!

Ask about me! Ask about us! Ask about these guys - Callum, Rumor, Lizzie, Berenice! Ask about anything!

[shannaraisles]

I made a sort of visual moodboard/aesthetic for Berenice! Maybe I should label the pictures as to what they pertain to ...

[shannaraisles]

Berenice “Benni” Adaar

((Profile lifted from @kagetsukai’s OC pages))

Main story: [Unwritten]

Face claim: Ashley Graham

Basics:

Race: Qunari Age: 28 (at the Conclave) Gender: Female Class: Mage Sexuality: Bisexual Family: Deceased

Physical Appearance:

Weight: Fluctuates between 290-310lbs Height: 6′7″ Body build: Plus size hourglass; soft Eye color: Violet Hair color: Black Skin tone: Bronze

Favorites:

Color: Purple; blue; gold Smells: Parchment/books; pine needles; worn leather Food: Bubble & squeak with bacon; treacle tart Fruit: Oranges; blueberries Drinks: Hot tea; cider Alcoholic drinks: Mead; white wine Hobbies: Reading; sewing; herbalism

Traits:

Extremely skilled at: Spirit healing Extremely unskilled at: Combative martial/magical Positive personality traits: Gentle; calm; diplomatic ;understanding; supportive; brave Negative personality traits: Doesn’t willingly express anger, frustration, or fear;  stubborn; hides when upset; avoids confrontation; forgets self-care in favor of others

Visuals:

[shannaraisles]

More Berenice Adaar Headcanons

She still has family in the world - her older brother had already joined the Valo-kas when the templars descended on her home and slaughtered their family to take her to the Circle.

Starkhaven Circle wasn’t kind to her, but it did teach her to disregard the opinion of anyone who had no real impact on her life. It also taught her the value of being seemingly obedient and well-behaved, of traveling under the radar.

She was escorted to Ostwick by four templars when the Starkhaven Circle was disbanded, under the theory that she might become dangerous now that she was out of the building she had known for a decade or more. Her behavior on the journey was so meek and obedient that the knight-captain praised her to the Knight-Commander and First Enchanter of Ostwick Circle, a fact that had a direct impact on her treatment there.

She rose to the rank of enchanter within four years of arriving in Ostwick, and as a reward for her continued good behavior, the First Enchanter petitioned for and won permission to tell Benni about her living brother. A year later, a message was sent to the Valo-kas requesting a meeting between the two siblings, and since then, they have been in constant contact via letters.

When Benni became the Herald of Andraste, her brother was quick to go to Haven and volunteer himself as a member of the Inquisition forces. He is very protective of his warm and cuddly mage sister.

[shannaraisles]

Random facts about Berenice Adaar

She was born into a Vashoth family outside Starkhaven in 9:13 Dragon, the youngest of three. Her parents worked land they rented from a local farmer, and apart from the occasional flare up with bigoted neighbors, lived in relative peace with the humans and elves in the area.

She came into her magic at the age of six while playing with some human friends. One of the little girls fell and cut open her leg, and Berenice healed the cut by magic. The children told their parents, and their parents told the local chantry. Within days, the Templars arrived to take Berenice to the nearest Circle. Her family objected and fought back and, unfortunately, were slaughtered by the templars, out of sight of Berenice, who had already been carried away.

She was taken to the Circle in Starkhaven, where she was given the name Berenice and enrolled as an apprentice. She didn’t find out why her parents didn’t come for her or answer her letters until after her Harrowing, by which time she had lost all sense of connection with them.

She made particularly close friends with an elven apprentice named Lethon and a human apprentice named Sofie who were around her own age. They gave her the nickname of “Benni”, which she now requests others use when she trusts them. When Sofie failed her Harrowing, Berenice mourned her as though they had been sisters.

Because of her appearance, Benni was often the focus of harsher rules from the templars and even the enchanters in Starkhaven. Thanks to the advice of another elven mage, Ilnarel, she learned not to object or fight back, but to give them no reason to focus on her in the first place. Despite her size and horns, she learned how to become invisible in a crowd.

She met Rylen while she was at Starkhaven, and remembers him as a stern-faced human man with smiling eyes and an encouraging wink whenever she needed it.

She was Harrowed in 9:19 Dragon at the age of sixteen, possibly in an attempt to rush her through it and have her possessed so she could be disposed of. Thankfully, that didn’t happen, and the knight-commander was forced to elevate her to full mage at a young age.

When the Starkhaven Circle was half-destroyed by fire in 9:31 Dragon, it was decided not to send her to Kirkwall, where the Qunari were already settling in for their indefinite stay. Instead, she was sent to Ostwick.

She was very much an outsider in the Ostwick Circle, but worked diligently to earn some trust, quickly rising to the rank of enchanter and being allowed to teach. Her first apprentice was Maxwell Trevelyan, which forged a close friendship between them.