OH, GREY WARDEN.

@worthfuls :    princess   alice   bingley,   original   character.

@aldovah :    ásgeirr   bjoaeldsen,   tes   v:   skyrim.

@lyriam :    fenris,   dragon   age   ii.

@alistirs :    alistair   theirin,   dragon   age:   origins.

@kirkwaell :   noora   hawke,   dragon   age   ii.

it does not feel natural to put up her wall of ice.ㅤnot with alistair, not anymore.ㅤafter such hideous words were exchanged, she would usually present herself as distant, forbidding.ㅤmake him grovel on his knees, begging forgiveness for the things he'd said.ㅤbut he looked so tired, his broad - shouldered frame filled the doorway, yet he looked so small.ㅤhow was she meant to take any pleasure in that?ㅤhow was she meant to feel anything beside the ache in her heart.ㅤwhere had he been sleeping when he was not with her?ㅤwhy did it look like he had not been sleeping at all?ㅤstill, she does not move.ㅤbarring him entry from what should have been their shared chamber for the past few nights.

icy eyes peer up at him, not quite scowling, though her hardened expression conveyed her wrath well enough.ㅤshe stands rigid as a statue, hand still lingering on the open door as if she were on the verge of closing it in his face.ㅤshe still might, with the rage boiling in her belly.ㅤif he expected a warm, teary welcome and open arms, he was mistaken.ㅤher pride was too great, despite however much her heart yearned to reach out and touch him.ㅤshe would not relent first.ㅤ"we have not spoken at all since that night."ㅤshe corrects sharply, at last breaking her chilly silence.

her   gaze   shoots   daggers,   voice   pierces   his   ears   like   the   sharpest   blade.   he   deserves   it.   alistair   keeps   his   gaze   trained   on   the   floor,   only   looking   up   as   soon   as   she’s   stopped.   his   eyes   feel   tired,   mentally   he   feels   as   though   he   wants   to   go   to   sleep   and   never   wake.   but   he’s   here   now.   he   wants   desperately   to   melt   into   her   arms,   but   he’s   afraid   to.   he   hurt   her,   spewed   vitriol   instead   of   the   love   he   felt   for   her.   as   much   as   he   wants   to,   he   won’t   touch   her   until   she   says   it’s   okay.

“i woke to an empty bed”ㅤshe explains simply, breezing past his attempt at deflection.ㅤit was unusual now to wake alone without his arms around her, or her head upon his chest.ㅤespecially after their few nights spent in anger, sleeping separately, she had been eager to make up for lost time.ㅤinstead, she woke alone.

pushing up on her toes, she drapes her arms about his shoulders, clasping her hands behind his neck.ㅤpulling him down so she might press their foreheads together, looking into his eyes.ㅤ“you think i cannot tell when something is troubling you?”ㅤshe whispers, nudging her nose against his before pressing a quick kiss to his lips.ㅤ“what is it?”

it   feels   odd,   this   casual   affection   after   a   brief   spell   of   not   even   speaking.   perhaps   he   had   not   quite   forgiven   himself   yet   for   how   he   spoke   to   her   ——   the   words   he   said.   his   tone   of   voice.   he   didn’t   even   know   he   was   capable   of   speaking   in   that   way.   and   yet,   he   did.   he   spoke   that   way   to   the   woman   he   loved.   if   anything,   he   was   certainly   still   ashamed. 

“   i   forget   you   know   me   better   than   i   think.   ”    he   offers   a   gentle   smile,   looking   past   the   awkward   he   felt   moments   earlier   and   allowing   his   eyes   to   close,   cheek   pressed   to   hers.    he   was   thinking   about   loghain.   he   was   thinking   about   how   he   was   going   to   be   forced   to   undergo   the   joining   in   a   day’s   time,   how   the   pain   of   the   ceremony   wasn’t   even   enough   for   someone   like   him.   he   was   thinking   about   how   his   worst   enemy   joining   his   ranks   saved   the   love   of   his   life.   he   was   thinking   about   how   he   got   angry   at   her   for   it.   long   arms   wrap   around   elethea,   pulling   her   flush   to   him.   he’s   going   to   relish   in   this   feeling   before   he   brings   up   what   caused   their   fight   and   subsequent   separation.