#oc: cal the canary

[midmorninggrey]

Cal keeps three chickens: Beatrix, Hortensia, and Rosamund. Hortensia is a beast of a bird.

[super-luna-fic]

Camp Justice - Chapter 3: The First Day Part 2

"Hello there my name is- What are you doing here?!?!?"

The individual in question looked at Cal surprised by the sudden outburst though it was soon replaced with a smug look.

"What am I doing here? What are you doing here? I thought the losers stayed in a different cabin?"

"Who are you calling a loser you two-timing traitor?"

"Traitor?!?! What did I even do?"

Cal scoffed, "You really need me to spell it out for you don't you? But then again I expected nothing less from someone who has the memory of a goldfish!"

"You're one to talk, remember what you did last year at that party?"

Cal's face grew two shades darker at just the mere thought of the memory, "We don't talk about that."

The girl briefly pondered in thought while tapping her chin, "Hmm… I think we will."

"You say one word about it and I'll-"

"You'll what, hm?", the girl said as she crossed her arms and stepped closer to Cal.

Their argument attracted the attention of everyone passing by their cabin. None bothered to intervene figuring it was just a minor girl fight. However, a certain green-skinned camper was worried her roommates were going to off each other before the welcoming ceremony even began.

She ran into the cabin determined to dissolve the argument. When she got there she saw the two were standing in each other's faces. Any normal person who saw it would assume they were about to get into it however she was confused when she saw that there was no hostility present in their stances. And grew even more confused when she noticed the friendly smirks on their face.

"It's nice to see you again Maria, How long it's been? Two weeks?" Cal said as she went in for a hug.

"Two weeks too long"

M'gann, aka Miss Martian, stood there with her mouth agape, "Wh-wha-what's going on?"

Cal turned to look at her, "Oh! M'gann, when did you get here? Is this your cabin too?"

M'gann was still rather speechless but nodded her head to respond to the question.

"Sweet! Now if you guys will excuse I need to finish get ready. I don't need a certain vigilante lecturing me about punctuality."

Maria then turned to M'gann with a beaming smile.

"I don't believe we met, I'm Maria, Cal's cousin," she said as she stuck her hand out.

M'gann returned the handshake, "I'm Miss Martian but you can call me M'gann."

"Miss Martian? As in Martian Manhunters niece?" Maria asked in excitement. She couldn't believe her luck. As someone who loved researching, Martians were at the top of her list of research subjects. When she had heard that Martian Manhunter's niece was going to be one of the campers she was excited to go even if everything else about the camp deterred her.

"Yep, that's the one!"

"I almost didn't recognize you, I thought you would be, ya know, a little more… green," Maria said as she tried her best not to offend her new roommate.

M'gann was confused at first but then realized she had shapeshifted into her human form to blend in better with the other campers.

"Oh um, I usually make myself look like this to be more approachable. I find that people tend not to interact with me when I'm green."

As much as she hated to admit, people would actively go out of their way to avoid her. No matter how friendly she presented herself no one wanted to talk to her in her Martian form. Even on Mars, her kind was shunned by the other Martians. She didn't want that happening here especially since she wanted to start a new life. No one here knew her so maybe luck was on her side this time.

Maria, however, was disgusted by M'gann's response. How could anyone not want to get to know anyone based on the color of their skin? But then again her history classes told her the answer to that one.

"Well they just sound like a bunch of haters and besides I bet you look just as beautiful as you do now in your Martian form," she said while offering M'gann a warm smile.

M'gann blushed at the compliment. She wasn't used to humans speaking to her in a kind manner much less complimenting her. She was starting to feel like there was hope after all.

Before she could thank Maria, Cal spawned from the shadows and interrupted their conversation.

"As much as I'd hate to disrupt your little chit-chat, we have about-" she checked the clock, "two minutes before this whole assembly thing and I'm not trying to be late."

"Since when did you care about being late?"

"I don't, but then you know who likes to give me those punctuality lectures which quite frankly I'm not in the mood for. So you girls are either coming with me or you can just stay here and get a dose of Batman's lectures."

No arguments were made as the trio left the cabin and went to the assembly hall which surprisingly wasn't hard to find given how big the camp was.

Once they arrived they scouted out familiar faces at a table in a corner of the room near the stage. They made their way through the crowd and were spotted by Dick. He waved them over to his table with their teammates and one other individual Cal was not familiar with who was sitting next to a grumpy Roy.

"About time you guys came, what took you so long," Wally asked.

"Not all of us can get ready in under a minute," Cal responded.

"I'll take that as a compliment," he smirked and turned his attention to M'gann who was speaking with Dick, "Who's the babe?"

Cal immediately stepped on his foot.

"Ow! What was that for??" he said while cradling his violated foot.

"Your lack of respect for my friend."

He looked at her bewildered, "All I did was ask who she was!"

"You could've simply said 'Who is that girl' but noo you just had to be you."

"She's right bro." Dick butted in. Even though he was supposed to be talking to M'gann, he had sensed 'tension' and thought he should add his two cents.

"Who's side are you on?!"

Smiling wickedly he responded, "None, I just wanted to see how long I can prolong this."

"Dude!"

Kaldur was watching the three bicker from his seat knowing that if he intervened it would do absolutely nothing especially with Dick egging them on. He, however, was so engrossed in their conversation that he didn't realize there was someone sitting to his right.

He flinched slightly but then gathered himself quickly so as not to embarrass himself in front of the others.

He cleared his throat before greeting the unexpected guest.

"Hello Maria"

She jerked her head in surprise at the sound of the voice. She wasn't expecting him to say anything to her since he usually kept to himself. That and she didn't trust herself to carry on a normal conversation with him.

"Kaldur! Hey! I didn't even notice you there."

Lies. She knew he was there. She purposely sat next to him.

He smiled, "I wasn't expecting you to be here. I thought you did not like the life of a hero."

"Oh um well, my dad thought it would've been a good idea for me to learn how to fight." Maria was trying her best not to fumble her words but it was getting harder by the second.

"Why not train personally with Batman? Wouldn't it be more convenient given your familial connections?"

"Well that's true but my mom wanted me to train with others who're around my age so that it wouldn't be as mentally taxing. Now I'm not complaining or anything. I very much prefer it this way. Training with Batman? Alone? No thanks! Cal and Robin have already tried to teach me and they were ruthless. Imagine if it that was Batman? I mean yea he did teach me a couple of things growing up. But full-on combat training? No sir! Now I can't get out of it because he's one of the instructors but at least it's better than having to do it ever. single. day. of my life and-" she paused when she noticed the amused look Kaldur was giving her.

"…and I'm rambling… sorry bout' that"

"It's fine, it sounded like you needed to get that out. And if it's any consolation to you I'm glad you're here even if you don't want to be."

His gentle smile and kind words caused Maria to blush. And she knew he could see it, her skin tone was not doing her any justice. She was grateful when she was saved by the screeching of the microphone indicating the start of the assembly.

The campers turned their heads toward the stage to see Green Arrow, who was holding the mic, Black Canary, Batman, Superman, Wonder Woman, Martian Manhunter, Green Lantern, and Red Tornado.

"Welcome campers to Camp Justice! We apologize for the delay we had a bit of trouble but things have now been resolved."

Batman looked ahead to avoid making eye contact with Cal. He knew if he did she would have that infuriating smirk she and Dick use when he doesn't follow his own advice. He took part in raising her, he learned how she went about things. He knew she was going to try to pester him later about punctuality and how it goes both ways. Either way, he was screwed.

"We are so excited to be part of your journey in improving your abilities as new and current heroes. Our camp offers tons of activities for you to participate in so I promise you won't be bored," He gestured towards the Justice League members, "Each League member will have an activity that compliments their skills. From there they'll determine which areas you need to focus on more…"

Green Arrow continued on with briefly describing the the layout, the schedule, and the rules. Boredom was evident on the camper's face so he wrapped his speech up before handing the mic to Superman.

They perked up and some even cheered when they saw who was taking over much to Green Arrow's dismay.

"Hello! I'm sure most of you know me and for those of you who don't my name is Superman and I am honored to be here. As a member of the Justice League it is my duty to ensure the safety of this world and others. Being able to help you guys develop the skills to secure a better future is one of our main goals here. I know some of you may not understand at first but I promise you by the end of this camp session you will. Now that doesn't mean you won't have fun. If other certain superhero's had it their way that would be the case," he said as he quickly glanced at Batman. Bruce wasn't sure how much of this he could take and this was only the first day. The only thing that was keeping him sane was knowing that Cal and Dick were not on the roster of campers today at his station.

"With that being said, I hope you all enjoy your time here and learn new things because trust me you will find yourself using it one day."

Superman then passed the mic to Batman. Bruce was not sure why he needed to speak but according to Ollie in rehearsals it gave it more of a dramatic effect.

"Make sure you are prepared because we will not take it easy on you just because you are young. Our decision to choose you was not made lightly so we will not take it lightly. If you find we made the wrong choice you are free to leave. However, if you stay, you will be going through some of the most intense training in your life. But just know that you come out stronger than you have been before. We believe in your abilities to become greater superheroes so don't prove us wrong."

Batman looked out at all the campers. Anticipation was clear in their eyes. At least he didn't scare off any.

"Now that have everything you need to know, gear up. Your training begins now."

Disclaimer: I do not own any of the DC characters or universes. The only characters and universes I own are the ones I create.

DO NOT REPOST

Thank you all for patiently waiting for this chapter. I do apologize for the delay. I will try my best to have more chapters out soon and I hope you enjoyed reading my series so far. Comments and any type of interaction will be most welcomed! :)

A second character list will be released after all other new characters are mentioned!

[priceseyes]

enjoy the silence, cod!mw trilogy: a masterlist.

—  here, you'll find content related to my cod-verse, 'enjoy the silence.' from moodboards to hc posts, all that! i'll be coming back to update it here and there so be sure to check on the original post when i do.

content:

meet my oc: athena 'birdie' kallis.

athena 'birdie' kallis moodboard.

sgt. athena 'birdie' kallis and capt. john price moodboard.

birdie and price hc's.

price and cal.

future mw3 athena and makarov lore.

athena's role in the task force.

cal the dog.

price calling athena his 'lil canary'.

first kiss hc.

athena and price's camera rolls.

price and birdie beach moodboard.

price and athena/birdie ship template.

price and birdie beach headcanons. (coming soon)

art:

sgt. athena 'birdie' kallis and capt. john price commission #1

sgt. athena 'birdie' kallis and capt. john price commission #2

sgt. athena 'birdie' kallis and capt. john price commission #3

sgt. athena 'birdie' kallis and capt. john price commission #4

sgt. athena 'birdie' kallis and capt. john price commission #5

sgt. athena 'birdie' kallis and capt. john price commission #6

sgt. athena 'birdie' kallis and capt. john price commission #7

interlinked au commission #1.

interlinked au commission #2.

sgt. athena 'birdie' kallis and capt. john price commission #8.

sgt. athena 'birdie' kallis and capt. john price commission #9.

playlists:

birdie and price.

athena 'birdie' kallis.

[kyberphilosopher]

Important Information

Rules:

I am a minor. As such, smut can not be requested and can not be written. As a compromise, smutty themes can be used as overtones or undertones, often vaguely or simply eluded to. But pure smut? Not for a few months, which is when I’ll be 18. Sorry horndogs. 

Please request through the submission inbox, or my direct messages. Further more, be polite. Be clear. If I ask a question to clear something up, answer it. Don’t let it dangle. I will always ask if there’s anything else you so desire (a word count, any details) so please tell me if there’s nothing else or if there is. English is also not my first language. 

Do not request something against canon. I have written like that before and did not enjoy that. This means if something is considered canon, say Star Wars, such as a line of dialogue or something shown on screen, I would refuse to write you into it. I feel that it distorts the fiction so much you wouldn’t really be in it, and the characters wouldn’t be themselves anymore. Allow me to write you into the world as a side character, as something not shown directly but something that could fit into canon. 

Some fictional characters have different versions of them. For example, Movie Anakin Skywalker, and the Clone Wars Anakin Skywalker. Ben Affleck Batman, or Christian Bale Batman? Or even, Comic Accurate Batman? Specify for me. If not specified after asking for it, I will write the character with headcanon information pulled from multiple ‘canon’ sources. This will be referred to as ‘headcanoned canon’.

Reblog my stuff? Absolutely. I see all my reblogs. But take it an post it to a different site? No. Don’t do that. Maybe I’ll spread over to Ao3 one day, but for now, please don’t. 

Last one I can think of for now. But luckily this can be updated over time. I don’t write drabbles. I know! But just imagine all the times you’ve read a fic so good, only for it to end so soon. I like the thought of writing something both high quality and high quantity, which means I won’t be satisfied with anything under 2,000 words. Unfortunately, this may sometimes come at the expense of time. Especially if what you requested doesn’t fit into my current hyperfixation. 

List of Characters I’ve Written, or Am Open to Writing:

Aayla Secura, Star Wars (Clone Wars)

Ahsoka Tano, Star Wars (Clone Wars and Live Action)

Anakin Skywalker, Star Wars (Clone Wars and Live Action)

Asaaj Ventress, Star Wars (Clone Wars and Books)

Boba Fett, Star Wars (Live Action Original Movies and The Mandalorian)

Bodhi Rook, Star Wars (Rogue One)

Bo-Katan Kryze, Star Wars (Clone Wars and The Mandalorian)

Cal Kestis, Star Wars (Jedi: Fallen Order, Beginning and End of Game)

Cassian Andor, Star Wars (Rogue One)

Darth Maul, Star Wars (Clone Wars)

Din Djarin, Star Wars (The Mandalorian)

Finn, Star Wars (Live Action Sequel Trilogy)

Jyn Erso, Star Wars (Rogue One)

Leia Skywalker, Star Wars (Live Action Original Movies)

Obi-Wan “Ben” Kenobi, Star Wars (Clone Wars and Live Action)

Padme Amidala, Star Wars (Clone Wars and Live Action)

Poe Dameron, Star Wars (Live Action Sequel Trilogy)

Rey, Star Wars (Live Action Sequel Trilogy)

Rex, Star Wars (Clone Wars)

.✫*ﾟ･ﾟ｡.★.*｡･ﾟ✫*.

Batman, DC Comics (All Live Action, All Comic, Arkhamverse, All Animated, Headcanoned Canon)

Bane, DC Comics (Games)

Barry Allen/The Flash, DC Comics (All Live Action, Headcanoned Canon)

Black Canary, DC Comics (Birds of Prey Live Action Movie)

Bruce Wayne, DC Comics (All Live Action, Headcanoned Canon)

Catwoman/Selina Kyle, DC Comics (Headcanoned Canon)

Christopher Smith/Peacemaker, DCEU (All Live Action, Headcanoned Canon)

Cleo Cazo/Ratcatcher 2, DCEU (Live Action)

Conner Kent/Superboy, DC Comics (Titans, All Animated)

Damian Wayne, DC Comics (Animated and Injustice)

Dick Grayson, DC Comics (Titans, All Comic, Arkhamverse, All Animated, All Versions)

Harley Quinn, DC Comics (All Live Action, All Comic, Arkhamverse, All Animated Versions)

Jason Todd/Red Hood, DC Comics (Headcanoned Canon, Arkhamverse, All Animated, Titans, All Versions)

Katana, DC Comics (2016 Suicide Squad Live Action Movie)

Poison Ivy, DC Comics (Arkhamverse, All Comic, All Animated, Headcanoned Canon)

Tim Drake/Red Robin, DC Comics (Arkhamverse, All Comic, All Animated, Headcanoned Canon)

Raven, DC Comics (Headcanoned Canon, All Animated, All Comics, All Titans)

Robert Dubois/Bloodsport, DC Comics (DCEU Live Action)

Scarecrow/Johnathon Crane, DC Comics(All Live Action, Arkhamverse, Headcanoned Canon)

Starfire/Koriand’r, DC Comics (Titans, All Comics, All Animated, Headcanoned Canon)

Superman/Clark Kent, DC Comics (Cavill’s Live Action, All Animated, All Comics)

.✫*ﾟ･ﾟ｡.★.*｡･ﾟ✫*.

Annie Leonhardt, Shingeki no Kyojin (Marley Resident, Season 1-3, Season 4, Titan Form)

Bertholdt Hoover, Shingeki no Kyojin (Marley Resident, Season 1-3)

Carla Jaeger, Shingeki no Kyojin (Pre Beginning)

Eren Jaeger, Shingeki no Kyojin (Season 1-3, Season 4, Titan Form)

Hanji Zoe, Shingeki no Kyojin (All Seasons and OVA)

Jean Kirchstein, Shingeki no Kyojin (Season 1-3, Season 4)

Levi Ackerman, Shingeki no Kyojin (All Seasons and OVA)

Marco Bodt, Shingeki no Kyojin (Season 1)

Mikasa Ackerman, Shingeki no Kyojin (Season 1-3, Season 4)

Moblit Berner, Shingeki no Kyojin (All Seasons and OVA)

Sasha Braus, Shingeki no Kyojin (Season 1-3, Season 4)

L Lawliet, Death Note (Season 1)

Ryuk, Death Note (Season 1)

Touta Matsuda, Death Note (Season 1)

Raye Penber and Naomi Matsura (Season 1, Pre Beginning, Throuple Headcanon Canoned)

.✫*ﾟ･ﾟ｡.★.*｡･ﾟ✫*.

Connor RK800, Detroit: Become Human (Deviant, Android, Mid and Post Game)

Chloe RT600, Detroit: Become Human (Deviant, Android, Pre, Mid, and Post Game)

Gavin Reed, Detroit: Become Human (Mid and Post Game)

Kara AX400, Detroit: Become Human (Post Game)

Luther TR400, Detroit: Become Human (Pre and Post Game)

Markus RK200, Detroit: Become Human (Pre, Mid, and Post Game)

Nines RK900, Detroit: Become Human (Post Game)

North WR400, Detroit: Become Human (Pre, Mid, and Post Game)

Other Worlds and Fandoms Coming Soon. 

.✫*ﾟ･ﾟ｡.★.*｡･ﾟ✫*.

What You Can Expect From Me:

Fanfiction

Headcanons- While I’d consider all of my fanfiction headcanons, I’m referring to those little bullet point things you’ll see writers do. Here’s my deal on that. I won’t do romantic headcanons for the characters listed above. By that I mean you won’t see anything titled, “How Poe Dameron Would Cuddle”, or anything of that sort. But you probably will see just my own little headcanons for fun. Like, little fun facts. You know, “Superman’s favorite food is ____”, “Nines hates rats”.

However, I will write romantic headcanons for my OC’s. But that’s for later.

Further regarding fanfiction, I typically write angst. Not sure why, it’s just what I started with because I thought the plots were strongest and I wanted to see where I could take it. Like I said, no smut, but you’ll find allusions to it. Fluff? Yeah, it’s there. Hard for me to write fluff without a plot, but it does exist on my page. 

Original Stories

Most people ignore this, but if you see that I’ve posted it won’t always be something regarding your favorite character. I write my own little stories that’s basically just glorified, book length headcanons for a few worlds, but mostly the Star Wars galaxy. Don’t worry, there’s no need to pay attention to it if you don’t want. It’s something I do in my spare time besides x readers and oneshots. 

Spontaneous Posting

What I mean by this, is that unlike a lot of writers, I don’t work on a schedule. There’s no “once a week posting”, or anything like that. What I finish and give the okay to, is posted. If you’ve requested something, I’ll let you know that it’s about to go out. So sometimes a burst of fics may be pumped out in a week, or none will for up to a month.

Going by EST, I typically am most active at night and early morning. Especially in the summer. During fall this may change.

I rarely put out a post that is unrelated to my writings. If it is related to my personal life instead, it will be posted, but not saved. Documented and available, but never pinned or anything. 

FAQ:

Do you write queer pairings?

Yes. My earlier works usually elude to a female reader and it’s blaringly obvious, though it’s shifting into androgyny for ease of reader. I would prefer to have an androgynous reader instead of a set in stone male or female one. 

Am I reading a queer fanfic written by a straight person?

You are not. I am androgynous myself in terms of gender and unlabeled in terms of sexuality. 

Do you write for poc?

This question shocks me, though I’ve gotten it twice. Then I realized- it’s because so many writers forget the point of a reader. The reader may be described as blonde, or white, or thin, or female. You will not find that here. There will be no set in stone appearance for the reader except for mentions of whatever hair you may possess (apologies to those without hair). There will be no talk of ‘light skin’, or ‘curvy figure’. The farthest I’ll go is describing you as pale, if say, you were sick. Because any race or skin tone can go pale, you know? The only thing I’d do- rarely- is give you a real age. But only to further the plot if needed.

 My point is, ‘Y/N’ is not just a pretty white person with long hair. It’s inclusive to anyone. I’ll stand by that. 

Do you write headcanons?

Answered in the above section. Long story short, I’m working on it, but on my terms. 

Do you write song fics?

I haven’t before. Why? They make me cringe. I don’t know why. I’ll write a fic based on a song, or with undertones of a song. But those little paragraphs with the lyrics that aren’t even in time with what you’re reading if you were to read and listen at the same time? I don’t think so. 

Do you know what sex is?

I do. 

Will you have e-sex with me in the direct message chatbox?

I will not. 

Why do you write on tumblr?

I started writing just to share an old word document with over 300 pages worth of an Original Star Wars story. I tried my hand at fanfiction because, while I don’t read it often myself, I know a lot of people do. It helps them escape reality. And, I’m a pretty good writer, I think. At least I can only get better. I’m just one more person trying to put something out for people to enjoy, and maybe even rely on. 

Will you ever write for real people?

If I ever wrote a fanfiction about Christian Bale or like Barack Obama I think I would just disappear. I can’t do it. It’s like warping my own reality. 

How often do you post?

I don’t know. 

Do you have a taglist?

I did! But only for Star Wars. If you want to be tagged in something, let me know. But you have to be specific. Just for a certain character? For a certain fandom? A certain plot? Just og stories? Be clear. 

Dynamics I Enjoy Writing:

Man simps for person who almost wants nothing to do with them. 

Hero simps for villain or villain simps for hero despite the obvious consequences.

Two jokesters destroy some area while left alone together. May get along better than they would admit. 

Two people who are not expected to get along, get along well. 

Hero and villain are best friends but won’t admit it.

Basically if I’m left to my own mind most of my fics will fall under one of these dynamics. Not always- definitely not always. But I kinda like them. 

Numbers:

800-273-8255 USA National Suicide Hotline

1 (300) 22 4636 Australia Suicide and Anxiety Line

1 (833) 456 4566  Canada Suicide Hotline

800-810-1117 China Suicide Hotline

0145394000 France Suicide Hotline

08001810771 Germany Suicide Hotline

8888817666  India Suicide Hotline

810352869090 Japan Suicide Hotline

0078202577577 Russia Suicide Hotline

08457909090 UK Suicide Hotline

4408457909090 Ireland Emergency Hotline

1-800-656-4673 US National Sexual Assault Hotline

741-741 National Panic Hotline (for people who prefer to text)

Anything else? 

Nope. Can’t think of anything. We’ll see if anything changes. Thanks for checking it out. 

Header Credits to: @moonknights​

[midmorninggrey]

welcome to dadwc!! how about some Cal x Fenris + ❛ wouldn’t it be awful if we fell in love again? ❜

happy writing!

-inquisimer

Thank you for this great prompt! I ran with pure messy vibes on this one - I'm just gonna yeet it out here.

For @dadrunkwriting

--

Fenris had expected some form of trouble when Cal had shown up at his door, armed with a bottle of whiskey and a crooked smile, but he hadn’t anticipated having to stop the man from climbing out his third-story window.

“What do you aim to find on my roof, exactly?”

“Fresh air?” Cal kept one leg swung over the sill and looked back at Fenris brightly, as if he’d just told a great joke.

“Keep the window open then. I think you should stay inside.”

“Why?” Cal asked. He wore the purple answer plainly on his brow.

The vague challenge made Fenris’ jaw clench. His eyes went to Cal’s cane, leaning against an old chair where Cal had tossed it before throwing open the window. He knew Cal was getting worse. Hawke told him things; whether she intended to calm or aggravate his fears, Fenris could not say. Two days ago he had seen proof that she did not exaggerate.

“You are prone to accidents,” he said eventually. It was true enough; Cal had never been a graceful man, even in better health.

“I like to think of them as surprises. You know...” Cal tipped his head back and blew out a sigh, drumming his fingers against the soft wood frame. “They add variety.”

Fenris tried to hold firm, as he should have at the door. “I’m in no mood for your surprises.”

“Sorry.” Cal dropped his eyes to the floor between them. “I’m sorry. I had a bad day – I mean, people have had worse days, but today was a real walloper.”

The unsteadiness in Cal’s voice wasn’t from drink.

“I just want to go somewhere I can see the stars, you know?”

“Cal -”

“I’m really sorry, Fenris, this is unfair. I’ll go.” He started to pull himself back inside, but Fenris surprised himself with the first forward step he’d taken all night.

“I will hold the bottle.”

So they went and carefully found their familiar seats on Fenris’ roof, an arm’s length apart. Their search for stars was in vain. The smog from Lowtown had drifted to the skies above the manor, and the autumn moon was the only light strong enough to shine through the haze. The looming glow was swollen and menacing, as if it had swallowed up all its children, the constellations.

Fenris soon opened the whiskey against the chill. Cal, with his southern blood, seemed unbothered and sat with his hands folded loosely over his knees. Three fingers on his left hand and four on his right, Fenris counted. At least magic hadn’t claimed any more.

The first swallow from the bottle held no warmth but still burned his throat. Cal turned his head towards Fenris’ stifled cough.

“Didn’t bring you the good stuff, sorry.”

Fenris’ stomach lurched; the bruise blooming across Cal’s temple had gone black in the moonlight. His head had hit the stone with a crack. They’d been on their way up to Hawke’s, and Fenris had been a flight behind him on the Hightown steps, haggling with Varric over borrowed coin that now seemed unimportant. There must have been a misstep or a moment of hesitation because his eyes were drawn to Cal in time to see him drop backwards. There had been nothing to break his fall.

Three long stride were all that had separated them, but in the time it had taken for Fenris reach him, Cal had already begun to laugh. The noise was a shrill defense; it rang out like the bell in a watchtower. Heeding the warning, Fenris had retreated and allowed the others to hear Cal’s apologies and help him to his feet.

He knew Cal’s other laugh, the one Fenris liked to think was hard-fought and true. The laugh that always started as if Cal was choking on it, as if the joy was too big for his chest, until it was finally pressed out in one long, squeaky wheeze. The sound was ridiculous and foolish and safe. Fenris hoped that Cal still laughed like that with other people. In the year since his mistake, Fenris had not heard it, and just as he had kept away from Cal’s pain, he did not presume to approach his happiness.

Sitting on the cold roof, Fenris suddenly felt he was between both.

“Can we pretend that everything is alright?” Cal asked, quiet. “I mean, I know you’ll be alright. I’ve always known that.”

There was never a bitter edge in Cal's words, no matter how Fenris searched for one. He slowly worked the cork back into the bottle.

“There is no need for us to pretend.”

[midmorninggrey]

Corny Combat Dialogue: OC Edition

One of my favorite parts of playing Dragon Age is when all the companions start yelling. So I started a list of weird things my OCs might yell.

Cal the Canary

[Combat]

"Incoming!"

"We've got company."

"Cut them down!"

"Come on then!"

"Right, they're coming at us now."

"Was this part of the plan?"

"Horsefeathers!"

"Whoops, watch out for that one."

"I've got your back!"

"You should've run when you had the chance!"

"First time?"

"I'm going to hit you now!"

"My arms don't have the reach."

"I can't hold them much longer!"

"I'm feeling a little peaky."

[Low Health/KO]

"Andraste's arse, Anders!"

"Merrill - not good!"

"Get up, Isabela! Pretty please!"

"How'd they best Aveliene?"

"They got Varric!"

"Oh no, there goes Sebastian."

"No, Bethany! You'll regret that, you bastards."

"Fenris! Not while I live!"

"Hawke! Hold on, Hawke!"

"Fall back, Hawke!"

"Get to Hawke."

[Locks/Interactions]

"I'm stuck...(Again.)"

"I walked into a trap."

"There's a trap over here! You'll never guess how I know."

"Oh, bother."

"I'm not the one to ask for that, sorry."

"Why don't you let me take a try?"

"There you go."

[After Combat]

"Everyone here?"

"I felt braver when they were trying to kill us. Now they're just...on the ground, aren't they?"

"Maker, what a mess." 

"That was fun. Let's never do it again."

"Hawke, have you ever thought of staying in? With a hot drink or something?"

Arden Trevelyan 

[Combat]

"Be ready."

"Don't try me."

"Pray that you come back stronger in the next life."

"Is this how you thought you'd die?"

"Do not fear the pain - it is your teacher."

"Not today!" 

"Stop sniveling."

"I'll break your skull."

[Low Health/KO]

"Seeker! The Maker does not will it!"

"Don't touch them!

"No, it's not his/her time!"

"Sera! Shit!"

"Bull! Gods."

"Ah, Solas is taking a nap."

"Dorian - no! You will not take him!"

[Locks/Interactions]

"Let us meet this moment with quiet contemplation."

"Fuck! More demons."

"Don't ask me where I learned to do that."

"I've been told I have nimble fingers."

"Blasted - shit assed - what bloody arsehole?!...And praise be to Andraste. Sorry."

[After Combat]

"Is everyone alright?"

"It's done. For now."

"May the Maker show us mercy."

"Take a breath if you need it."

"Let's move on."

Celeste Trevelyan 

[Combat]

"They're coming this way!"

"There are things worse than death! I think."

"That hurt." 

"Ow!"

"Back to the shadows!" 

"I don't fear you!"

"Take that! And that!" 

"Got one! Did you see?"

"I don't feel so good."

[Low Health/KO]

"Cole! I won't let them hurt you!"

"Wait, Solas fell!"

"I think Vivienne's hurt."

"I have to help Varric!" 

"Blackwall - Get up! Victory!"

"I need to help them!"

[Locks/Interactions]

"Why won't it open...?"

"I don't want to do that."

"No?"

"I guess so."

"Aha! It's not so tricky."

[After Combat]

"Is it over?"

"I think I'm ready to go."

"Yuck."

[midmorninggrey]

Cal Notes (Act 2 & 3)

A Brief Word on Cal's Magic and Health Cal is an unusually gifted force mage. This talent can be beautiful; he can feel all the threads of energy keeping a bird on a branch, and all the threads waiting to pull the bird into flight. However, if he magnifies energy beyond its natural limits, his magic becomes a weapon of war. This power does not come without a cost. Manipulating energy threads often comes with the risk of rebounding force on Cal's body. The most common damage caused by this reflected energy are small fractures in his extremities, particularly his fingers and toes. Even with treatment, these force fractures never completely mend, and without regular healing spells, they will begin to slowly break again. The continued trauma eventually led to the amputation of three of his fingers and two of his toes. After years of fighting Darkspawn, Cal also began to experience occasional episodes of dizziness and loss of coordination. During his last months serving as a Grey Warden in Ferelden and his first year in Kirkwall, Cal spent an enormous amount of magical energy keeping his body able to fight. This was unsustainable, and Cal's ability to heal himself eventually became significantly less effective and his symptoms returned. Regular visits to Anders help with his mobility and pain, although his symptoms can have unpredictable flare-ups or remissions.

[midmorninggrey]

Cal bothers Fenris (Instance #732)

[midmorninggrey]

Tagged by @inquisimer to create my OCs in this picrew, and their swords in this picrew. Thank you! I've never done a picrew before - so many choices. Shout out to the artists who put them together!

Gillian Hawke - If she's going to kill people, Gill figures she might as well use a fancy knife (rubies and gold preferred.)

Celeste Trevelyan - I think this sword design is something crazy Cece would draw up to show Dagna. She has the tastes of any self-respecting teenage necromancer: bats, purple, and moss. Luckily for an Inquisition that is already struggling with a questionable image, the young Herald decides to stick with her bow and staff.

Marcus (AKA Cal) - The sword with personal significance! It's supposed to have a carved griffon head on the pommel, but I thought the sunburst was nice. Marcus' silverite arming sword was a gift from Warden-Commander Duncan. Given his status as a mage, Marcus didn't need to learn swordsmanship, but he pursued it with a tenacity that earned him grudging respect from his fellow Wardens. However, his friend Magaleth the Mapmaker wasn't terribly impressed by his skills, so she enchanted a Lightning Rune into the sword.

---

Tagging onto @samseabxrn (I've been sending a lot your way so no pressure) and whoever else wants to look at all these snazzy character creation choices.

[midmorninggrey]

WIP Wednesday!

@blarrghe kindly tagged me! Their lovely art inspired me to return to some sketches of Celeste and Marcus/Cal.

Tagging some people from a few weeks ago (I think?) @samseabxrn @dungeons-and-dragon-age @inquisimer and whoever else feels like sharing!

[midmorninggrey]

"Were you expecting flowers or something?"

"Oh no. I've never gotten flowers."

[midmorninggrey]

Grey's Dragon Age OCs

I'd like a place to keep all of my OCs and their "expanded canon" backstories straight, so I wrote up some key points.

"Ferelden’s Finest Four" – Wardens Before the Fifth Blight

Magaleth the Mapmaker (aka “Mags”)

A Dalish-born apostate who earned a name for herself among the Grey Wardens as a daring and resourceful researcher. She could maintain her humor in the darkest of places.

When the Order was allowed back into Ferelden, she was assigned by Warden-Commander Duncan to lead an expedition to map the Deep Roads beneath the country.

She married her fellow Warden Loran.

With the jangle of all her equipment, Magaleth was usually heard before she was seen. However, a Dalish eye would recognize her unfinished vallaslin.

Tag #oc: Magaleth the Mapmaker

Loran the Lamenter (aka “Half Ears” or “Stoat”*)

A well-read elven revolutionary from Starkhaven. Following his part in a failed assassination attempt on the Vael family, Magaleth recruited him to the Wardens. They were married shortly afterward.

Loran was known for his missing right ear and a sour attitude that only Magaleth could sweeten. He also had a great knack for killing ogres.

*It was unwise to call him either of these to his face.

Tag #oc: Loran the Lamenter

Toni the Terror (aka “Antonia”)

One of the first recruits to survive the Joining when the order returned to Ferelden. Toni had a short but colorful stint in the Denerim city guard before she volunteered to join the Grey Wardens.

She was a brawler on battlefields and barroom floors, but Toni had a big heart under all her bluster. Mutton, her Mabari war hound, was more pampered than an Orlesian lap dog.

During her travels with Magaleth, Toni fell in love with Arden Trevelyan, and together they had an unlikely daughter named Celeste.

Tag oc: Toni the Terror

Cal the Canary (aka "The Wee Shem")

Former apprentice to Uldred.

Recruited by Duncan from Kinloch Hold at age sixteen due to pressing circumstances.

His innate abilities with force magic made him a powerful weapon against the unchecked Darkspawn in Ferelden, and Duncan trusted him to Magaleth’s command. Cal served the Order faithfully until he fled Ferelden following the Battle of Ostagar.

On a ship to Kirkwall, he allied himself with fellow Fereldens Gillian Hawke and her sister Bethany.

From the back of the Hanged Man, he built a reputation as a trustworthy source for untrustworthy information. He was a favorite of smugglers, nobles, actresses, and, if the rumors are true, a certain broody elf.

Bitter history with the healer Anders was a constant strain on his standing with Hawke.

After the destruction of the Kirkwall Chantry, Cal returned to the Grey Warden order.

Tag #oc: Cal the Canary

Kirkwall

Gillian Hawke

Hawke would like to be her mother's daughter. She throws a great party if her guests can stomach three hours of raucous social debate before the liquor truly starts flowing.

-Dual Wielding Rogue (Shadow & Assassin Specializations)

- Primarily Green with a healthy amount of Red.

- Paints in her spare time

- Bethany sent to the Circle

- Duels the Arishok (good times)

- Romanced Merrill

- Sided with the Mages

- Anders Spared

Tag #oc: Gillian Hawke

The Inquisition

Celeste Trevelyan (aka “The Herald”)

Due to her youth and limited magical talents, it is easy to underestimate Celeste. It is not a mistake one makes twice.

-Human Mage (Necromancer Specialization)

-Seventeen at the time of the Conclave explosion

- Mages Conscripted

- Drank from the Well of Sorrows (Were her motives any better than Morrigan's? Not really.)

- Warden (Marcus) left in the Fade

- Wardens Conscripted

- Briala Rules Through Gaspard

- Good friends with Cole and the Bog Unicorn

Tag #oc: Celeste Trevelyan

Arden Trevelyan (aka “Ostwick’s Dragon” or “The Regent”)

Celeste's Father.

After a troubled childhood, Trevelyan disappeared from Ostwick society as a teenager. Nearly a decade later, he returned with ink on his face and his child in his arms. His family sent him to oversee their expansive lyrium operation, and in the mines, he was feared by allies and enemies alike.

The existence of his daughter, Celeste, was largely kept secret until he brought her to live with his sister in 9:40 Dragon. Trevelyan went missing again that same year and was thought to have been killed by Cadash smugglers until he was found by Inquisition Scout Lace Harding.

In a contentious compromise, Trevelyan was appointed as Regent Inquisitor, serving as the highest-ranking advisor to the Inquisition as it worked to defeat Corypheus. The founding advisors did construct a contingency plan to remove Trevelyan, but it remained in Leliana's drawer.

[midmorninggrey]

hawke's trying to hold kirkwall together and these two are making vines in the hanged man

[midmorninggrey]

Character Cuddle Scale

How-to: rate your OC based on how they handle cuddling/being cuddled

Tagged by @dungeons-and-dragon-age Thank you!! With absolutely zero pressure, I'll pass it on to @blarrghe @inquisimer @carnalapples and anybody else who wants to write about their OCs!

Celeste Trevelyan – 4/10. Meh. You’re not a dog.

Celeste was raised to see everyone as a potential threat (great job Arden), so the idea of cuddling doesn’t easily translate into her worldview. She slowly warms to it, and she likes an occasional hug from her dad, but she will almost always find more comfort in petting her dog or undead horse. Leaning on Cole is a close second though.

An elite club in Skyhold exists of those who have received one of Celeste’s super quick blink-and-you’ll-miss-it hugs. Its members include Varric, Cassandra, and Solas.

Arden Trevelyan – 3/10. Rare but Great Dad Hugs.

He has long arms. He’s a dad. If someone manages to crack his cold exterior, they may find that he gives really good hugs. And if someone was brave enough to hug him, they might be surprised that he’s happy to give one back.

Gillian Hawke – 1/10. It’s lonely at the top.

Gill remembers story time with her mother and the twins. They’d all pile into bed together at night and read exactly two stories (or one long one.) Bethany always fell asleep before Leandra closed the book. One evening, Gill decided she was too old to be coddled that way and went to bed on her own.

Gill is all for performative acts of closeness, but letting a friend give her a genuine hug is far too vulnerable. She would say they were being childish.

(She gets a 1 instead of a 0 because Merrill is the sole exception here.)

Cal – 3/10. Handle with Care

He's complicated. Touching Cal too early in any relationship is a sure way to get his super smiley “this is nice” defensive wall up. He won’t set boundaries, in part because he doesn’t know what those are, and partly because touch is a tangible way to measure his worth, even though it makes him uncomfortable.

Also, depending on Cal’s health and how often he is using his force magic, touch can be physically painful.

But if he trusts someone, all he really wants is a hug (although he probably won’t ask for one.)

Magaleth – 5/10. Middle of the Map

Mags spent much of her early life traveling alone by choice, so she’s happy to accept and give touch, but she can go without it. Hugs are typically reserved for greeting close friends. If an acquaintance tried to hug her, she’d go along and laugh, but she would think they were a bit weird.

Loran – 4/10. It may take seven years.

After growing up in a single room with his extended family, Loran values his personal space and does not invite many people inside it. The fear of being outed also keeps him at a distance. However, if he decides he likes someone, he will start showing them city dances and fighting moves. Sometimes Loran does miss the closeness and familiarity of the Alienage, and he lets in fellow elves far faster than dwarfs, humans, or qunari.

Toni - 9/10. No armor around her heart.

Toni will meet someone and have her arm around them within a half-hour. Life is short, so you better be kind, and her kindness comes with a hug. She can overstep people’s boundaries a bit, but she eventually gets better at being patient instead of trying to push her way into everyone's space. The quickest way to Toni's heart is a shoulder or foot massage.

[midmorninggrey]

welcome to DADWC! how do you feel about Cal x Fenris for "his dark eyes took me in, and I wondered what they would look like if he fell in love"?

Hey, thanks for the @dadrunkwriting prompt! I felt this was the perfect excuse to write Cal Being An Idiot.

WC: ~1000

One night, all three of them ended up sitting down at the docks with a half-full bottle of rum that Isabela had swiped on their way out of The Hanged Man. Cal was the one who was supposed to be watching the bar, but she’d stolen him too. With the card game finished, Fenris had followed on his own accord. She’d ordered their boots off and they dangled their feet over the edge of the broken pier, toes kissing the black water. The sea was no cooler than the air, which was as thick and sweet as the drink.

After a time, Cal and Isabela tried stargazing through the smear of foundry smoke. The shape of a particular group of stars got them arguing, as much as they ever argued.

"Canary, do you even know what a woman looks like?"

"I just don't think that's what it is - really." 

"Fenris," Isabela drew herself up and pulled her hair away from where it had stuck on the back of her neck. "Tell us - do you see a lady of the evening?"

Cal took a long sip from the rum bottle, wondering how it happened that he was always between the two of them.

Fenris’ eyes flicked across to her.  "Only one."

“Shame. She's quite a looker up there,” Isabela shrugged and took the bottle from Cal for a last gulping drink, then put it back in his hands so she could stand.

"Now, I'm off to find someone who doesn’t need a reminder of what a woman looks like."

“Good luck,” Cal said.

"Don't get too hot under all that armor," Isabela chimed back. Through the warm haze of rum, he didn't understand why she looked at him when she was speaking to Fenris. Cal was only in his shirtsleeves. Before he could think to ask her, she tucked her boots beneath her arm and strutted down the dock and off into the dark.

They watched her go in silence. Cal handed Fenris the rum, expecting him to take it and make a quick departure himself, then lay back into the space Isabela had left behind. The rough wood felt good against his sore back and he wanted to rest a moment longer in the open air.

To his surprise, Fenris leaned back on a hand and kept his feet over the water. Outside of Hawke’s study for Fenris’ lessons, it was rare for the two to be alone together.

“I think that’s a bit of Bellitanus,” he said to fill the strange space usually full of books and chalk. “You know, the maiden. But I think she wears clothes. The Oak should be next to her – my friend told me it’s really a sign of Andriul. The goddess of the hunt.”

Fenris did nothing to acknowledge his prattling, so Cal folded his hands on his chest and said nothing more. The waves rippled beneath them.

Cal had long ago decided that denying Fenris’ looks was like denying the sun in the sky; he might as well enjoy the warmth of both from a distance. Now the sun had set and Fenris was still shining. Looking up, Cal watched the shadows play on the proud arch of his brow, along the curve of his jaw, and down the long lines of his neck. His eyes went to his mouth on the rim of the bottle, noticing the sheen of sweat on his upper lip.

"That -” Fenris interrupted Cal’s daze by pointing a finger at the sky. “- is the red jewel of Minrathous. I knew I was headed away from Tevinter when it was at my back. I had hoped that one night I would look up and it would be gone." 

Cal squinted up at the star. 

"Maybe it's watching over you."

"Not likely."

"I can't believe you made it all this way." Cal swallowed. "I mean, I can, actually."

"It was difficult." Fenris made the admission slowly. "Some days I have trouble believing it myself."

"Having to watch out for yourself all the time. It's hard." The words sound hollow and dull, like hitting a half full jug; both too much and not enough to ring true. He was surprised when Fenris’ answer was prompt.

“It’s the second rule of survival.”

“You have -” It took two tries for Cal to sit up. "You have rules?"

"Yes.” Fenris sounded annoyed, but Cal saw some satisfaction in the tilt of his chin. When Fenris passed the bottle back, he took it with both hands and a grin.

"What are they? What's the first - the most important?"

Cal hadn’t realized how close they were until Fenris turned his eyes on him. In the night, his green eyes had turned as black as the sea. The darkness made them look soft, and he wondered what it would be like if they were that way in the daylight.  

"Sorry," Cal ducked his head away to the safety of the rum bottle. There wasn't much left. "You don't have to tell me that."

They sat in silence again, longer this time. A breeze picked up across the harbor, and though it was still as hot as breath, it stung of fresh salt. Cal gave Fenris the last drink.

"My first rule of survival is to always have an extra pair of socks," he offered eventually. 

"Oh? That is mine as well."

"Really?"

Fenris looked down at his bare feet, only ever wrapped in the traditional elven style, and stretched his toes. "I like knit stockings best."

Cal let his head fall back and he laughed until he wheezed. Fenris joined him with only a smile, laughter held in the lines around his eyes, but the stars seemed a little brighter to Cal then.  

[midmorninggrey]

A short piece for the last day of @tranquilweek! I took inspiration from the prompts Redcliffe Village and A once fond memory.

After lunch, Owain finds an unusual visitor in the storeroom.

Rating: G

WC: ~800

CW: Includes a young child trying to cope with life in the Circle.

The kitchens had served the stale seeded bread again at midday meal. Owain had eaten it without complaint, soaking the slice in the thin broth of his stew, but the gritty texture against his teeth remained uncomfortable. He felt no annoyance or pain at this inconvenience; he only preferred when the bread was plain and did not leave seeds between his teeth for the rest of the afternoon.

His morning in the storeroom had been spent sorting a shipment of dried bloodroot stems. Although the Circle had specifically requested bloodroot harvested from the Korcari Wilds, the supplier had sent a mix of plants from the Korcari Wilds and Brecilian Forest. Owain had noticed the discrepancy as soon as he had opened the first crate. Bloodroot sprouted earlier in the Brecilian Forest, and therefore had darker, thicker stems than the Korcari variety. However, although it looked sturdier, the strength of Brecilian bloodroot was unpredictable; the stalks could turn reliable, tested potions into disasters. Owain had gone to work and had methodically sifted through a quarter of the irregular plants, using tweezers to pluck out the larger stalks, before his grumbling stomach became a distraction. He estimated he would be done with all three crates by nightfall.

Tranquility had rid him of any painful and conflicting emotions, but he was able to acknowledge the strangeness of the sight waiting for him when he returned to the storeroom. A small boy was standing among the crates, hands folded. He was a ward too young to be considered a proper apprentice, instead acting as a page for minor messages and tasks throughout the Circle, and through his errands his face had become familiar to Owain. He had found the boy to be of no particular significance.

Today the boy was different. Today, showing through the yellow curls across his brow, there was a red sunburst.

“Hello, Callahan,” Owain said, recalling how Enchanter Wynne had once introduced the boy. “What is the purpose of this costume?”

The boy kept his face still and answered in a flat echo. “I’m like you.”

“No, you are not,” Owain corrected him. “The Rite of Tranquility is not performed on children. You have put ink on your face.”

The boy’s sunburst was drawn in the same scarlet ink that mages used to correct apprentice’s work. Owain used to be afraid of the bright marks that would come back on his papers, he recalled. His fears had often been illogical.

“Maybe I’m an...anomaly,” the boy said seriously, taking care to enunciate the word while maintaining his monotone impression. Owain had heard mimicry of his speech before, made with what he understood were crude intentions. They did not offend or amuse him, and he was just as unbothered by the boy’s display. It was, however, unusual.

“This is abnormal,” Owain blinked. He decided that the boy was trying to amuse himself as he could within the walls of the Circle. His own childhood joys had been found in the golden fields and stretches of woods surrounding Redcliffe village. The tall grass had snapped around his legs as he ran with his sister up to the meadow to catch fireflies. She had been faster, but she had always let him hold the ones she caught, and he had waited eagerly for the gentle, giggling transfer of light into his plump hands. Watching the glow between his fingers had felt like magic.

Owain could remember he had experienced wonder by his sister’s side, and he could remember that he had felt fear when he was taken away from her, but neither emotion reached him now. He had made the decision to leave them behind, to free himself, like when he’d opened his hands and released the fireflies back into the twilight dark.

“I must concentrate on my work,” Owain said and stepped around the boy. “Please take your distractions elsewhere.”

Disappointment cracked the boy’s thin mask. “I’ll be quiet.”

“It would not be useful for you to stay here.”

“I-” The boy’s eyes dropped to the floor. “Please, can I stay? I like it here.”

Owain considered the request. Now that he had reason to review their encounters, he realized the page had lingered in the storeroom after his deliveries several times. He had been quiet on those occasions, and instead of prodding with clumsy hands and questions like other apprentices, he had only watched Owain work. He had not become a distraction to his work then; if Owain continued this conversation, the boy would likely continue to be a distraction now.

“If you are quiet, you may stay until someone comes to collect you.”

The boy’s round face split into a smile below the ink sunburst, a contradictory sight with even a false brand. However, Owain had picked up his tweezers, and from then noticed him no more than the seeds stuck in his teeth.