Welcome To Nug E Cheese

It’s an ongoing sitcom style AU based on the children’s arcade slash restaurant, Chuck E Cheese. It’s a fun service worker AU with Neve as the manager. Rook works in her store, along with other veilguard members. Solas is the aloof regional manager. There’s a doctor hot pants (Single hot dads in your area). And a potential serial killer. Follow the antics of the gang as they try to save their Dock Town store and live their lives while working a minimum wage job.

It’s silly and fun and earnest and lots and lots of other dragon age OCs come to visit the store. This AU features my main rook, Turvi.

You can send in an ask to get your rook in the fic! Read more if you’re interested here.

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Keep on Trucking

Read on ao3 here.

My second ongoing long fic. My rook Turvi lives in Rivain in the city of Dairsmud, and spends all of his time running his (sea)food truck, They Sea Me Rolling. It’s a mostly lighthearted slice of life fic, with a friends to lovers plot involving his neighbor, Naera.

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Turvi Laidir

My main datv Rook and most specialist blorbo. If I’m writing it’s usually about him. Use the tag #turvi to find more about him. One day I’ll put more links in here.

This piece is a timeline of his life - Life cycle of a pirate

Throwback tag games - a collection of games I did mostly over the summer, a great way to get to know more about Turvi. Also just fun to play, tag me if you do!

Characterization cheat sheet. A handy guide when it comes to Turvi. I love finding these, it makes writing for other rooks so much easier.

Turvi spent a good part of his youth as a slave, this piece details how he got free.

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Lighthouse High

An AU where too many rooks go to high school together. Many shenanigans and hijinks ensue.

"The scholarship only paid for classes. It didn't cover dorms, food, or books. And Razikale is very, very expensive."

"Why didn't you say anything? I could have helped."

"I know you would have, Ma, which is exactly why I didn't tell you. You would have sold everything to keep me there, and I didn't want you to sacrifice anything else," Harding explained.

Ma's eyes softened. "But it was your dream, baby." She reached across the table and held Laces hand.

"And I tried to stay. I worked two jobs to be able to afford it. But I couldn't keep my grades up enough to keep the scholarship too. I was in Razikale. But I was miserable and killing myself. I was actually relieved when I dropped out," Lace said, hanging her head.

"Is that why you didn't tell me, so I wouldn't send you money?" 

"Partly. I also didn't want to let you down. We both worked hard to get me into that school. I just didn't want to disappoint you," she finished, lip wobbling despite her best efforts to keep it together.

Ma tsked and stood, coming around to slide into the booth next to Harding. She threw both arms around her daughter, squeezing tightly. "You could never disappoint me, Lace Harding. I just hate that you had to go through all that alone. You didn't need to struggle and then suffer the loss by yourself."

Harding sniffled as the tears began to fall. "I'm sorry I didn't tell you."

"I know dumpling."

"But I wasn't all alone. Once I moved to Dock Town, I met Neve and everyone else that worked here. And I am taking classes at Down Town Community College - that was me, not Turvi, that goes there."

"You don't say."

Lace giggled. "And it's so much more affordable, and easier to fit around my work schedule. It's taking a lot longer to get my degree this way, but I'm going to get it!"

"I'm so proud of you for working so hard. But are you happy?" Ma asked, wiping a tear off Lace's cheek.

She nodded vigorously. "I know I'm not doing exactly what I thought I would be. But, because of dropping out I have a job I like and friends and a partner that I love. I wouldn't trade those things."

"Good," Ma said with a decisive nod. Then she put both of her hands on Harding's face, squeezing her a little. "From now on, you remember this. We are a team Lace. You don't need to hide the difficult things from me. Got it?"

"Yes, Ma."

"Good girl," Ma said, hugging her again. "Were all your coworkers acting weird because they were trying to cover for you?"

"Yes. Well, except for Lucanis. He's just Like That. I still think he might be a serial killer."

"Really? Tell me all about it," Ma said, grabbing a slice of pizza.

Come back tomorrow for the last installment

Want to read more, welcome to nug e cheese is on AO3. 

Special thanks to @blackwall-my-tiny-husband for the banner and dividers. 

Sending out gentle taggies, as always no pressure and have a consensual forehead kiss either way

"It sure is… busy," Ma said, searching for a polite description.

Harding laughed. "Well it's a restaurant for kids, Ma."

"And kids these days - do they like this place?" She was still looking around, trying to take it all in.

"Yes Ma. They love it. We have a great selection of game machines, our prizes get rotated every couple weeks, and the dance parties are very popular." Ma made a noncommittal humming sound. "Oh, and the food is great."

Harding had taken the full day off to spend with her Ma. She'd taken up Turvi's offer and let her sleep in his room (after a very thorough cleaning) while he stayed with Xi. Both Turvi and Xi had come back over for breakfast at Ma's insistence. Ma had pulled out all the stops, covering every surface of the tiny kitchen in food.

Once everyone else had left for work, Harding took Ma around Dock Town - visiting all her favorite spots. Ma had been very polite, asking about the town and Harding's friends and Taash. So far they'd managed to avoid talking about school, which suited Harding just fine.

Now they stood at the front counter and Lucanis was waiting to take their order. 

"Hey Lucanis, this is my Ma," Harding said.

"Nice to meet you Mrs. Harding. What can I get for you two?" He asked, giving his best customer service smile. Which in reality looked more like a constipated grimace.

"How about Ma's favorite, a sausage and mushroom pizza," Harding said. Lucanis rang them up and Harding led the way to a booth in the back. Ma sat down while Harding went to fill their drinks. 

"So, that young man out front—"

"Lucanis."

"Yes, him. Is he one of your friends?" Ma asked as Harding sat across from her.

"Kind of. He's the newest employee here so I haven't known him for very long," she explained.

"What's his deal? He seems rather… odd."

Harding giggled. "You have no idea."

Their gossip session was interrupted when Bellara came and sat down with them to introduce herself to Ma. "Do you go to Razikale U with Harding?" Ma asked.

Bellara blinked rapidly. "Oh, I um. I graduated from there a few years ago."

"Did you meet each other there, then?" Ma asked.

"Oh well. Robotics was in the old science building, Geology is in the new one," explained Bellara.

"Oh fancy. Do you think you could give me a tour of the new building, apple blossom? I'd love to see where you spend all your time at school."

"Oh I don't know if the school allows it—"

"Sure they do, happens all the time. My parents loved touring the school," Bellara said helpfully.

Harding kicked Bellara under the table, giving her wide eyes. "NO, they did away with parent tours while school is in session," she said a little to forcefully.

Bellara sat blinking again. "Oh yeah right, I um, forgot," she said, looking away from the table. "Anyway, I think I hear a kid breaking a game again. Lovely to meet you Mrs. Harding," she said and bolted from the booth.

"You too, dear," Ma said as Bellara waved over her shoulder. Harding sipped her drink, trying to act casual. 

"So Lace, your work and apartment are lovely, but aren't they awfully far away from the school?" Ma asked.

"Oh, um, it's so much cheaper over here in Dock Town, that it's worth it to live and work here, and just commute to school," she explained.

"What is it, an hour one way? Probably even longer by bus."

"Something like that," Lace mumbled.

"I just hope you aren't overtaxing yourself to be closer to your friends," Ma said.

"That's not why I'm in Dock Town, Ma," Harding said, annoyed that she could feel her cheeks getting warm with embarrassment. "Everything was too expensive close to Razikale. And besides, there aren't any Nug E Cheese stores over there, and this is a great job opportunity."

Ma raised her eyebrows. "Is it now."

"Y-y-yes," Harding stammered. "The hours are flexible and the pay is… average."

"At the very least, there is excellent pizza," Turvi said, walking up to their table with a freshly made steaming hot pizza. 

Harding smiled up at him, grateful to have a distraction and hopefully a subject change. "That looks great, I'm starving." She waited a beat before adding, "Why don't you stay and have a slice with us?" 

Turvi smiled. "Sure. But I can't sit for too long, Lucanis probably can't handle too much more time on the register without a break," he said, sliding into the booth next to Harding. 

"So Turvi," Ma started, turning her attention to him. "What brought you to work here at Nug E Cheese? Was it a good opportunity?" Ma said, smiling sweetly. Turvi scrunched his brow slightly, looking at Harding questioningly. Harding was worried when even Turvi could smell a trap. She did her best not to panic, because Turvi was a terrible liar.

"It was a good opportunity for me. The restaurant I worked at before was closing, and I needed another job. Taash already worked here and said they could use the help. Neve is a great manager. The store is close to our apartment, the YMCA, Dock Town Community College." Harding did her best not to react to his inclusion of the community college, but inside she was panicking trying to come up with cover up stories.

"Is that where you go to school?" Ma asked.

Turvi, however, was oblivious to his mistake. "Oh no, not me. That's where—" Harding reached over and pinched the inside of his thigh as hard as she could. "Ow! What—"

"Oh no, did you bite your cheek again, Rook? That's so unfortunate, you can be so clumsy sometimes," Harding said, giving him the sink eye.

"No—"

"And the community college is where you used to go before you… dropped out," Harding said, wiggling her eyebrows at Rook to get him to go along with it. 

"Yes. That is what I meant. I used to go there but not anymore. Go cobras!" He said weakly, grabbing a slice of pizza to stuff into his mouth. Harding turned to her Ma and smiled - too wide and unnatural. 

"I think I hear Lucanis calling for help, I gotta run. I'll catch up with you guys later," Turvi said around a mouthful of pizza. He jumped out of the booth and sprinted to the front.

Ma scrunched her nose as she watched him, face full of concern. And probably suspicion. Harding locked her eyes on her plate, refusing to look up at her Ma.

Ma sighed. Harding continued staring at her plate. "Is there something you need to tell me, Lace?"

It was Harding's turn to sigh. She hated lying to her Ma, but she knew that telling her the truth would probably be worse. 

Harding looked up, meeting Ma's eyes. She was trying to work up the courage to say something, when Ma beat her to it.

"Is that young man on lyrium?"

Shocked, Harding gaped at her mother. "Rook?"

"Yes. He was acting so strange. Stranger than the one at the front counter." She paused. "Wait. Are YOU on lyrium?" 

"No Ma! No one here is on lyrium! He's just a bad liar."

Ma quirked an eyebrow at her.

Harding took a deep breath. "I dropped out of Razikale University after just one semester."

Come back tomorrow for the next installment

Want to read more, welcome to nug e cheese is on AO3. 

Special thanks to @blackwall-my-tiny-husband for the banner and dividers. 

Sending out gentle taggies, as always no pressure and have a consensual forehead kiss either way