#zevwarden my beloved <3

[potatoesandsunshine]

origins has a hold on me...

[daisymeade]

Fic authors self rec! When you get this, reply with your favorite five fics that you've written, then pass on to at least five other writers. Spread the self-love ❤️

Thank you, beloved!!! Hilariously, I only actually have five fics to choose from so that's no need to even pick. 😂 They'll be from most to least favorite.

1. The Hard Choice (Loghain Mac Tir & Gregory Dedrick, Teen+, 2.3k words)

I'm extremely proud of this fic. It's written for what I call my "tapestryverse" which is just game canon without any changes. I had the idea for this a few years after thinking about the similarities between Loghain and Dedrick, the Mayor of Crestwood, and wanting to do some character introspection. I love the mayor a lot, but I also always knew he was going to die in the Joining, from the very first time my Inquisitor gave him to the Wardens. The fic title comes from the name of a Loghain-themed cocktail. It's my favorite drink irl. 😌

2. The Nature of Daylight (Surana/Loghain Mac Tir, M, 3.8k words)

This is the first time I ever wrote smut in my life. When Miles and I came up with fusionverse they snatched Heulwen's canon romance, Zevran, away from me and I was like, who am I going to kiss now? 😂 Loghwen started as a one-off thing! Look at me now! *hundred of Loghwen pictures fall out of my pockets* I've learned my lesson about crackships. Though, it's my most read and kudos'd fic!

3. Solace (Zevran Arainai/Surana, M, 1k words)

Solace was a last minute fic that I wrote for ZevWarden week. I'll admit, I decided to do this because I felt weird at the time that I didn't have as much content for Zevwen that I did Loghwen and the elf-kissing deserved it! I got the entire thing written in a few hours which is a record for me. I need that writing energy more often to be honest. I also came to the conclusion that I'm incapable of writing smut without putting some feelings/introspection/etc into it. Ace win?

4. Blood and Feather (Jowan/Morrigan, Teen+, 4.2k words)

I AM THE CAPTAIN OF THE TRS (Thedosian Royal Ship) JOWIGAN. BOW BEFORE OUR MIGHT. I'm so invested in this ship. Jowan is such a linchpin for so much of my canonverse because Heulwen would have never agreed to Morrigan's ritual, but Jowan would. I'll be honest, I need to do some rewrite's on this, but Miles is absolutely head over heels for it. Their enthusiasm makes me feel all warm and fuzzy right here: 💚 I'm sorry, Lily, Morrigan's bi-ace swag and blood magic instruction captured that man mind, body, and soul.

5. A Bridge Ablaze (Alistair & Surana, Gen, 1.2k words)

Yes, I got this title from the Waidwen quest in POE2. No, I'm not sorry about it. 😂 So, I always play games and imagine how my characters would react because too often I don't get the choices my brain thinks makes sense! WHERE IS YOUR RAGE??? And I was always like 👀 that Alistair raises his voice at you post-Landsmeet if he becomes king and Loghain lives. I did grab heavily from in-game dialogue but feel like it was balanced nicely with my additions and Heulwen's inner monologue. I have a lot of thoughts about their working relationship after this, especially considering Heulwen becomes good friends with Anora. curse of keeping lore in my brain

I have plenty of ideas for other fics but my brain hates me. RIP!

[hiddenbeks]

5 songs + questionnaire

tagged by @katsigian thank youuuu kieran!!

tagging (if you feel like doing this) @tethris @hibernationsuit @yharnams @ravensgard @alexheart ✨

5 songs: picking these from my on repeat playlist hehe

endlessly - muse

stockholm syndrome - muse

frozen pines - lord huron

falska profeter - kent

butterflies and hurricanes - muse

yea i've been listening to absolution a Lot lately. gotta be my favorite album from muse (also many of the songs including the ones above remind me of liah in some way hnnhgnhngnhn)

3 ships you like: i gotta admit i don't really think abt ships that much aside from my own ocxcanon ships lmao but uhhh zevwarden is so important and precious to me!! zevran is still my most beloved video game romance and one of my favorite da characters... i love him... also dame aylin and isobel + shadowzel from bee gee three are recent ships i remember really liking

first ship ever: idk maybe like... tohru and kyo from fruits basket back when i was like 13??

last song you heard: falska profeter by swedish rock band kent 😌

favorite childhood book: it was a fantasy book no doubt. the chronicles of narnia.. or rumo & his miraculous adventures by walter moers maybe

currently reading: the long way to a small, angry planet by becky chambers!

currently watching: currently rewatching atla! i'm halfway through book 3 and excited because the second half of book 3 is full of excellent episodes. but also sad because it's coming to an end soon 😔

currently craving: these cookies... they're 20% off in my nearest grocery store rn but i'm too lazy to go get them hhhhhhh

[antivan-beau]

Quite awhile back, I was tagged by @dragonologist-phd​ in a fic writing ask meme! Thanks so much for thinking of me <3 

I tagged some people further down in this post, so consider yourself tagged if you’re seeing this notification now! Also if you’re seeing this on your dash and want to do this, sincerely just go for it, toot your own horn.

How many works do you have on AO3?

Sixteen works, including two fics for the 2021 Black Emporium rare pair exchange that were just made un-anonymous ;D

What’s your total AO3 words count?

Holy shit, somehow recently hit over 100k? 100,909 words.

What are your top 5 fics by kudos?

5. Elder City - Extremely proud of this Zevran & Morrigan character study, not gonna lie.

4. Across a Crow'ded Room - Crowt3 longfic my beloved.

3. Break A Sweat - I’m happy this has so many kudos, since it’s Gen! A fic focused on the Locked Tomb siblings Ianthe and Coronabeth, written for an exchange.

2. Undone by Teeth or Temper - It is porn, so I’m not surprised by its high view count, but it is a femslash rare pair including a pretty widely disliked character, so I have to admit I’m pleased by the high views/kudos ratio.

1. Stupendous Work of a Titty Nature - I got in on the ground floor of the Locked Tomb fandom (pre-ordered GtN because I was a fan of the author’s previous work) and this was one of the earliest fics on AO3 for the series. Also it is silly teenage Gideon/Harrow shenanigans, so I see why people like it.

Do you respond to comments? Why or why not?

Always! It amazes me when people take the time to comment on my stories, so I like to say thanks and start a conversation if I can :)

Also I met my literal, irl girlfriend through AO3 comments, so ~you never know~

What’s the fic you’ve written with the angstiest ending?

Considering I love to read angst, I haven’t written much of it. Arguably Test of Faith, which needs a second chapter one day.

What’s the fic you’ve written with the happiest ending?

Not that many people out there read Discworld fanfic, but No Rest for the Witches, Granny Weatherwax’s Very Stressful Day, is extremely wholesome.

Do you write crossovers? If so, what is the craziest one you’ve ever written?

Crossovers aren’t my thing.

Have you ever received hate on a fic?

I live in fear of being cancelled for romanticizing shitty relationships via my Zevran/Rinna/Taliesen stories, but nope, no hate yet. Just for the record: I think their relationship is bad, tragic, and should not be emulated in any form. I am against girlfriend murder!! Also, I think their pain is entertaining and aspects of their story have the potential to be very funny.

Do you write smut? If so, what kind?

I’ve written a modest amount of smut. My only smut fic to ever see the light of day so far is Undone by Teeth or Temper, though.

Have you ever had a fic stolen?

Thank goodness, no.

Have you ever had a fic translated?

Nope. Hmu if you want to, though!

Have you ever co-written a fic before?

Not officially. But several fics have been brainstormed by me and other people, like many of the jokes in A Little Light Reading were thought up in a conversation with @aubergion​, @rlainarin​, and @m-m-m-myysurana​. And @snarky-warden​ has to hear every single crowt3 thought that enters my head, so she should get some co-credit for those, as well as giving me ideas for the very charming Zevran/Shianni fic I wrote for 2021 Black Emporium.

What’s your all-time favourite ship?

Zevwarden, of course. Zevran/Rinna/Taliesen comes second. Third is “every other conceivable relationship involving two or more dragon age women.”

What’s a WIP that you want to finish but don’t think you ever will?

I’m a clown who sincerely thinks they will finish all their WIPs one day.

What are your writing strengths?

I think I’m good at consistent character voice, and dialogue overall. It’s very flattering when people say they like my plots and stories, because I work hard at those, but I have a long way to go.

What are your writing weaknesses?

I love a good sword fight but I hate writing sword fights. My greatest weakness, however, is when a character has to stand up from a chair and walk from one place to another. Why is getting characters from place to place so vexing??

What are your thoughts on writing dialogue in other languages in a fic?

Unpopular opinion but, personally I usually find it cringey. Just say, “She said, in Elvish,” or whatever. I also don’t like using real-world languages as stand-ins for fictional foreign languages. (e.g. French for Orlesian, or Italian for Antivan.) (I do this in my own fic, though, so I am a hypocrite.)

What was the first fandom you wrote for?

Uhh technically it may have been Neopets?? But if you count “something I wrote that I mentally classified as fan fiction while I was writing it” I think it would be R.A. Salvatore’s Drizzt books. RIP 2 me.

What’s your favourite fic you’ve written?

Across a Crow'ded Room <3 What a wild display of hubris and ambition to decide I could write complicated longfic when I had literally never written anything longer than about 1000 words. Still going to finish it, though!

[hellas-himself]

ZevWarden Week Day 1: Eye of the Beholder, Identity

Trenzas

It had been days since the archdemon had been defeated, and the air in the Denerim alienage still smelled like smoke. Zevran carefully stepped across the stones, the rain having done nothing but turn the ground muddy and leave the cobblestones slippery. For a moment, he remembered himself as a child, skipping across the cobblestones in Antiva, careful not to fall and scrape his knees for the thousandth time. Of climbing up trees and the neighboring buildings surrounding the brothel despite being told not to.

As he approached the ramshackle house before him, a haggard looking elf stepped out, stretching their arm. The only evidence of any injury was the telltale rips in their sleeve and the slight scar that told him his beloved was working herself ragged.

She didn’t like to leave scars.

The elf gave Zevran a nod, one that Zevran returned with a weak smile before making his way inside. It was… odd, to have these elves look at him as if he had done anything worthy of their respect. Especially when he had never felt like one of them.

“Mi amor,” he said softly, locking up the door with the single bolt it had, not because he had to but, after so many months of sleeping under the night sky, a door with a lock was a luxury. “I’m here.”

He heard a sigh and looked across the room to see the love of his life washing her hands in the basin. Her hair was coming undone from its bun and the shadows beneath her eyes did not sit well with him. Even the soft glow of the candlelight did nothing to hide her exhaustion.

“Hello,” she said, giving him a smile. “How is are dear king?”

Zevran grinned. “He hates you.”

Leliel snorted. “I’ve only been away a few days. He can survive a few days more.”

“Can you blame him?” Zevran asked as he approached her. “I couldn’t bear the thought of being apart from you.”

“Mhm.”

Leliel dried her hands and Zevran walked around the table to hug her from behind. He pressed a kiss to her cheek, feeling her lean back into him.

“I’ve missed you today,” Zevran whispered and Leliel turned around in his hold and wrapped her arms around him.

“I missed you, too.”

They remained that way until a knock came upon the front door.

“I’ll get it.”

“No,” Leliel said as they pulled away. “I’ll get it.”

The smile she gave him was not convincing but he merely nodded and watched her approach the door. To his relief, it was merely Shianni, bringing them a basket of food. After a quick thanks and wish goodnight, Leliel locked the door and carried the basket to the table. It was a simple meal, but by the end, their bellies were full and Leliel looked content.

“They asked me to stay,” Leliel said as she sipped her wine, the last dregs of the bottle they’d brought from the castle. She looked at him almost expectantly.  

“What did you say?”

She shrugged. “I want to help but… it feels wrong. To stay here. Besides, the healer will be here soon. They won’t need me.”

“Wherever you go, amor, I will follow.”

“I know,” she said with a blush. “It’s not that.”

Zevran considered her for a moment, noting how uncertain she seemed.  

“You feel as though you do not belong here.”

Leliel breathed out and nodded, setting her cup down.

“We look the same but… I’m not a city elf. I’m not Dalish.”

“You say that as though this were a shortcoming of yours.”

Her bashful expression tugged on his heart.

“You cannot be blamed for being torn from your family as a child and raised up in that tower.”

“I know.”

“But you feel guilty all the same.”

“I wish sometimes that-” She stopped and sighed, shaking her head. “It doesn’t matter.”

Zevran watched her pull the pin out of her hair, allowing it to cascade over her shoulders before she began the attempt at winding it back up.

“Amor. If I may…”

Leliel paused, watching him stand and approach her. He held out his hand and she gave him the pin which he pocketed. He ran his fingers through her hair, enjoying the way she sighed.

“My mother was Dalish,” he began. “But you know this.”

“Mhm. And you’re Antivan.”

He didn’t have to look to see that she was smirking.

“I’ve never found myself to have anything in common with the Dalish or the elves of the alienages besides our ears.” He chuckled. “I admire what you do for them, mi amor.”

“It’s not enough,” she murmured.

“To whom?”

He noticed the way she tensed and said nothing, choosing instead to use her pin to evenly part her hair down the middle. He twisted one half into a bun before beginning to braid the other.

“Do you know the Antivan word for braid, amor?” he asked.

“No. What is it?”

“Trenza.”

“Trenza?”

He playfully tugged on her hair and she giggled.

“Perfect on the first try!”

“Shut up, Zevran,” Leliel said with a laugh.

He smiled.

“Yes, yes. La trenza. One of the very few memories I have of my mother is of her braiding my hair. The other women liked to do the same, and they would tell me stories or sing a song. As if they could leave their memories in every trenza they wove.”

“That’s… that’s very sweet.”

“Trenzas are as simple or as intricate as you wish them to be. You remember the warriors we met amongst the Dalish, who braided their hair as the elders wove their stories by the fire? ”

“Yes.”

“And here, the elves do the same, even if they believe themselves so far removed from the Dalish.”

Zevran had to step back to reach the end of her braid before securing it with a leather cord. He moved on to the second one as Leliel brought the finished braid over her shoulder and began to play with the end of it.

“When you are raised as I am, as you were, being told who we are does not always agree with what we see in the mirror.”

“No… it doesn’t.” Her voice was quiet.

“But then I would braid my hair and remember my mother… remember the others who looked like us and think that perhaps we were not so different after all.”

Zevran reached the end of the braid and began to tie it.

“Mi amor?” Leliel asked softly.

“Hm?”

“I used to wish that I had somewhere to call home… somewhere I belonged.”

He gently placed the braid over her shoulder and watched her turn in her seat to face him. Leliel was blushing, her grey eyes so bright with hope he felt his chest tighten.

“But then I met you and… I belong with you, wherever you are. You’re my home, Zevran.”

He held out his hand to her and helped her to her feet, pulling her into his arms. There were tears in his eyes, tears that she got on her tip toes to kiss as they fell.

“I love you,” she said and kissed him, Zevran bringing his arms around her and holding her close.

“I may be Antivan,” he said with a smile, “But I am yours.”

Leliel laughed. “Oh gods, Zevran.”

“Not how I expected to hear you saying that today, but I’ll take it.”

“You’re terrible,” she managed to say between laughs and brought her arms around his neck. “And I love you for it.”

Perhaps, they may never belong amongst other elves, but he knew that as long as he was with her, he was home. And that was more than he had ever dared hope for.

.

.

.

As some background, I’m Puerto Rican. I grew up living between New York, New Jersey and the island itself. Like many kids of the diaspora, you grow up never feeling enough. In the island, I wasn’t “really” one of them because I lived in the states, and in the states, I’m “too much” and slurs I won’t repeat because fuck that. Sometimes it felt like I was grasping at straws when I sought out my family and culture. But one thing that always stuck with me was the braids. Every culture has their braids, their rituals. My tias would braid our hair and tell us stories, sing us songs. Braids are like a connection between you and your ancestors, your island. So with Zev and Lel, it just felt right for me to put my own personal touch there. <3 

[dovabunny]

Top 10 Songs Tag!

(v.2.0 for reasons)

About a year ago I took the ‘top 10 fave songs’ tag and made it my top 10 songs to write DA fiction to (it’s here, none of these songs are repeated below). However... I’ve wanted to do an update on it, because I have new writing faves and other reasons.

SO....! Here we go!

Rules: List 10 songs you’re vibing to and tag 10 friends 

Here’s my best Inspo songs atm! PLEASE COME TAKE SOME OF MY FEELS OH MAKER I HAVE SO MANY

1. Taylor Swift (don’t judge me): You need to Calm Down - Dorian strutting down the streets of Minrathous with this playing in the back yes gawd work

“ You are somebody that I don't know - But you're takin' shots at me like it's Patrón - And I'm just like, damn... it's 7 AM” and of course a reminder that “Shade never made anybody less gay!”

2.  Rag’n’Bone Man: Skin - This is Anders’ anthem to Karl as the Chantry blows, knowing full well these are his last moments

“ When I heard that sound When the walls came down I was thinking about you About you”

3. Lewis Capaldi: Someone you loved - FENRIS FEELS HNNGGG, him trying to cope with Hawke leaving him and moving on

“ Now the day bleeds into nightfall And you're not here To get me through it all I let my guard down And then you pulled the rug I was getting kinda used to being someone you loved “

4. Lady Gaga: Always Remember Us This Way (A Star Is Born) - ZevWarden feels so good it hurts. Zevran thinking back on his beloved, his only and last love who died to save the world, this song is his bittersweet melody memory.

“ Lovers in the night Poets trying to write We don't know how to rhyme But, damn, we try But all I really know You're where I wanna go The part of me that's you will never die”

5. Lewis Capaldi: Fade - Fenders Handers man... them Handers feels... Fenris Hawke knowing their love for the mage is both dangerous, broken, but perfect, all while feeling him slip from their lyrium fingers. 

“ Wish somebody would've told me... That I'd end up so caught up in need of your demons That I'd be lost without you leading me astray Guess I'm such a fucking fool for the way that you caught me Girl, you make my heart break more every day...But don't fade away”

6. This is Me (The Greatest Showman) - Anders and Fenris, as individuals. Anders throwing off his shame of being a mage, Fenris holding his head high to meet someone's eyes, both fiercely refusing to be held down by those who tell them who they’re supposed to be. Slaves, Mages... It shines light again on just how similar their are and makes the fenders ship so bittersweetly beautiful.

“ I am not a stranger to the dark Hide away, they say 'Cause we don't want your broken parts I've learned to be ashamed of all my scars Run away, they say No one'll love you as you are”

7. Billie Eilish: Bad Guy - Isabela. Duh. And not the least bit sorry about it.

“ I'm that bad type Make your mama sad type Make your girlfriend mad tight Might seduce your dad type I'm the bad guy, duh”

8. Dermot Kennedy: Power over Me - Cullen falling in love, helplessly and wholeheartedly with Dorian the Inquisitor

“ Call and I'll rush out... All out of breath now.... You've got that power over me, my my. Everything I hold dear resides in those eyes”

9. Common, John Legend: Glory (Selma Soundtrack) - Mage Freedom vibes.

“ The movement is a rhythm to us Freedom is like religion to us Justice is juxtapositionin' us Justice for all just ain't specific enough”

10. Janelle Monae: The Way You Make Me Feel - Okay, so, hear me out. Alistair. Him figuring out why his heart beats faster when he looks at Zevran the Warden. He might not have the words, but heckie, he can say how they make him feel.

“ Baby, don't make me spell it out for you All of the feelings that I've got for you Can't be explained, but I can try for you Yeah, baby, don't make me spell it out for you”

BONUS: Just some fave South African songs I’m really vibing atm as I’m pretty homesick atm. Guaranteed to get you into a jiving mood!

~ Miriam Makeba: The Click Song (aka the hardest song ever)

~ The Ndlovu Youth Choir: My African Dream (cry with me pls)

~ Mango Groove: Special Star (this is my go-to dancing in the kitchen song)

I’m sending a friendly tag to some darlings, let me know what songs you’re vibing on or inspire you atm? in general or about an OC or ship? @typhonserpent @mago-emplumado @blatterburystreet @lethendralis-paints @storybookhawke @cicide76536 @kimsywims @emotionalmorphine @hollyand-writes @morthils @mhandersmyheart @contreparry And anyone else you wants to!