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Nathaniel and Cousland still having a rivalry with one another after he joins but also they revert back to teenage antics around each other so the rest of the party just has to deal with these two NOBLE adults resorting to name calling and petty baiting.
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Ties that Bind
Hi all! I’m not really a tumblr user but it occurs to me I should at least post my fic here. SO.
If you’re interested in a long, slow burn, sweeping romantic epic with so much banter, intrigue, childhood friends to lovers, mutual pining, idiots in love who just CANNOT grasp the other has feelings too, might I recommend my fanfic, Ties that Bind?
https://archiveofourown.org/works/25171330/
Elspeth Cousland survived the horrors of her family's purge and the Blight with barely a shred of her sanity intact, and is working to put herself back together again. She's determined to be useful and not get shoved to the sidelines. But when her old friend Nathaniel Howe returns to Ferelden, he's less than thrilled by his family's fate, and their friendship shatters under the weight of such trauma. But from the ashes of the old friendship, they slowly find they can forge something new, and make a better world in the process.
“You don’t have to worry about losing me. You’re my best friend, and I won’t let that happen.” Pardon me while I continue to swoon over this lovely art of Liss and Nate that I had the honor of commissioning from @codenameyan ! Yan is the absolute sweetest, incredibly skilled, and so wonderful to work with. I couldn’t more highly recommend commissioning them. <3 Thanks again, Yan!
WIP Wednesday
I’m going to pretend @dreadfutures tagged me because she said it was open. I started a Flufy Modern AU one shot version of my main OC Elspeth Cousland and Nathaniel Howe which has been a ton of fun to play in. Problem is, I need to work on the pacing, because my main pair just spend the entire time teasing each other. One day I’ll come back and turn this into a fully fledged fic. I’ve never posted stories directly to tumblr before so this is about to be an adventure in HTML -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Soldering pedals was one of Elsa’s great joys in life. It was simple, straightforward, necessary, and immediately rewarding. Working on music could be richly satisfying in its own right, of course, but sometimes she just wanted a project with a clear goal and obvious outcome. And as a bonus, she could listen to whatever tracks she or her collaborators had made, with half a mind to future tweaks even as she worked.
Shadow suddenly perked up at her feet, a sure sign that Delilah was home, before turning into a barking dancing ball of energy as she raced towards the doorway. Her mutt was just barely well trained enough not to bump her owner while she was working, but it made her nervous all the same.
Temperance (28/?)
Pairing: Nathaniel Howe/ Female, Non-HoF Cousland
Story Summary: Nathaniel and Elissa were childhood friends, but time and distance tore them apart. In the aftermath of the Fifth Blight, and Ferelden’s Civil War, both Elissa and Nathaniel must attempt reconstruct their tattered lives. As a series of events lead them to be reunited, both are reminded of so many years ago when things were much simpler.
Chapter Summary: Liss celebrates a solemn eighteenth birthday with a dog, a duel, and her whole family.
First Chapter Previous Chapter [AO3 LINK]
Highever, 9:25 Dragon
Dear Nate,
I feel like such a little fool for writing a third letter after the first two have gone unanswered. Maybe I am. Maybe I’ve always been ridiculous for thinking that you cared about me. Maybe I fooled myself. It is so very in character for me to run away with my imagination, after all.
I keep telling myself that this is just you doing that irritating thing you do where you shut down instead of feel things. When you were here, it was so easy to snap you out of it. I could knock on your door until the knocking was more annoying than the feelings. I could send Fergus to tease you out of your head. I could see your face, see in your eyes that you didn’t actually hate me. You were just sad.
It’s harder to do that without you here. I can’t tell if you’re annoyed with me or relieved that I am still bothering to care, even though you’re being an absolute arse, and I would be completely justified for hating you, tossing down my pen, and forgetting you ever existed. At this point, I kind of wish I could. It would hurt less, at least.
Maybe you’ve found someone else. If that’s the case, I’m glad. I’m happy that one of us has the ability to move on. Please feel free to forget I ever said anything about being in love with you. I’d be content with just having my friend back.
I guess that’s what hurts the most. I spent my whole childhood with you by my side. You were the person who I ran to whenever I was hurt or upset, the person I told all of my silly stories to, the person I trusted with all my secrets. I also spent a lot of time being there for you. I dealt with your cold shoulder when your father was around. I dealt with your moodiness. I dealt with all of it because that’s what best friends do.
Maker, Nate, I’m not asking you to marry me. I am asking you to be my best friend again. Please.
Love,
Liss
P.S. Fergus says hello. He also says that if he ever sees you again he is going to hug you first, then kick your arse. I told him he’d have to beat me to it.
Liss folded the parchment, slid it into an envelope, and sealed it with a wax stamp that bore her family crest, a ritual she completed each year in the hope that it would summon her friend’s head out of his own arse. Alas, she wasn’t a mage, and her letters would go unanswered, as Nate forgot she existed. Tears burned hot in her eyes, but she would not let them fall. Not this time.
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Temperance (25/?)
Pairing: Nathaniel Howe/ Female, Non-HoF Cousland
Story Summary: Nathaniel and Elissa were childhood friends, but time and distance tore them apart. In the aftermath of the Fifth Blight, and Ferelden’s Civil War, both Elissa and Nathaniel must attempt reconstruct their tattered lives. As a series of events lead them to be reunited, both are reminded of so many years ago when things were much simpler.
Chapter Summary: Unable to sleep, Nathaniel decides to do what he should have done a long time ago.
Notes: I know the entire story is marked for this, but I just wanted to add a brief TW reminder for discussion of trauma and posttraumatic symptoms.
First Chapter Previous Chapter [AO3 LINK]
Denerim, 9:31 Dragon
Nathaniel closed the door to his room and leaned back against it with a sigh. His heartbeat pounded in his chest, throbbed in his ears, and his head was spinning. He made the journey to Denerim specifically to see Liss, and still he was completely unprepared for the staggering reality of standing in the same room with her for the first time in nine years. He had nearly forgotten the effect she had on him, how hard it was to breathe around her without the words spilling out. Years of hiding and denying, telling himself she was his past and not his future, ignoring her letters, becoming involved with other people, and he still loved her just as much as he did the night they kissed on her bedroom floor.
He should have written to her. The girl he loved his entire life wrote him a letter confessing that she loved him too, and he had been a coward. What was he so afraid of? His father? The distance? The lung-crushing, overwhelming fear that he would love her like that forever and never get to be with her? He laughed bitterly and flopped down on his bed. The joke was on him, wasn’t it? His father was dead, he was just down the hall from her, and he was paralyzed. How could he tell her his feelings now? If he could go back in time and kick his own stupid eighteen year-old arse, he would.
Still, he could not dismiss the hope that blossomed in his chest. Despite everything that had happened in the time they were apart, despite Liss’ new sharp edges and bitterness, she still ran to him and embraced him, told him she missed him. That couldn’t mean nothing, could it?
Nathaniel inhaled, and breathed out a long, slow breath in an attempt to quiet his restless mind and soothe his restless body so that he could sleep. He did not actually want to sleep, discouraged by the threat of taint-fueled nightmares looming over him. He rarely wanted to sleep anymore. He wondered if they would ever go away.
Just as he began to drift off, a knock at the door jolted him upright, and he was thankful he had not bothered to undress. He slid out of bed and rushed to the door, only partially wondering who might be knocking at such a late hour. It was something Liss had always done. Had she come back?
Temperance (19/?)
Pairing: Nathaniel Howe/ Female, Non-HoF Cousland
Story Summary: Nathaniel and Elissa were childhood friends, but time and distance tore them apart. In the aftermath of the Fifth Blight, and Ferelden’s Civil War, both Elissa and Nathaniel must attempt reconstruct their tattered lives. As a series of events lead them to be reunited, both are reminded of so many years ago when things were much simpler.
Chapter Summary: Home is where the hurt is.
Notes: Just a brief trigger warning for some trauma sympmtoms discussed. Take care of yourselves!
First Chapter Previous Chapter [AO3 LINK]
The Fereldan Countryside, 9:31 Dragon
Cold, morning air pricked Liss’ skin as her eyes flickered open, blinking away the darkness of sleep. She shuddered even beneath two heavy blankets, warmed only by the memory of the night before that made her face burn hot and her stomach flutter. It could very well have been a dream. Her imagination was fairly vivid, after all, and it was not uncommon for her to dream about kissing handsome men under the stars. Those dreams, however, had ceased since the night her family died. She only had bad dreams now.
No, kissing Alistair wasn’t a dream, nor was him holding her afterward, sharing his warmth until she fell asleep. Perhaps he had fallen asleep, too. She couldn’t remember, but she could still smell him in her hair and on her clothes, and her lips still tingled with the memory of his. A smile twitched at those same lips as she sat up and stretched briefly before drawing the blankets back up around her. Damn the winter for existing.
Looking around the makeshift camp, she noticed Alistair standing near the horses, still as a statue, staring off in the distance toward Amaranthine. Remnants of smoke clouds lingered in the sky. What had the Wardens done? Were they all right? She supposed Alistair probably wondered the same.
Liss rose to her feet and walked over to him, footsteps intentionally loud so as to not startle the jumpy man. Closing the distance, she slid her arms through his and clasped her hands over his abdomen, pressing her cheek against his back. He tensed beneath her touch, spine stiffening and he held his breath.
“Oh, sorry,” she said, pulling away from him quickly, “I didn’t mean to startle you.”
“You didn’t. Not exactly,” he answered with a heavy sigh as he turned to face her, pointing toward the smokey sky, “That’s Amaranthine, isn’t it?”
Liss just nodded slowly and watched concern wash over Alistair’s face, knitting his brow and causing his lower lip to tremble. Maker, was he going to cry?
“Well,” he announced very suddenly, wiping at his eyes with a thumb and index finger that he brought together to pinch the bridge of his nose. He sniffed and continued, “It’s probably just… a funeral pyre to destroy all the rotten darkspawn corpses. Can’t leave them just lying about. That’s how you get diseases.”
18. Lifting-off-the-ground hug - with your current favorite otp?
First of all, I just need you to know that this ask brought me so much joy to fill. Thanks so much :D
There were few things Liss enjoyed more than visiting Nate’s family. She adored Delilah and her husband. Their little boy, Tom— named lovingly after the youngest Howe sibling who was believed to have perished at Ostagar— was a delightfully rambunctious child. At five years old, he terrorized his parents with pranks and general silliness. Lizards up his mama’s skirts, hiding his papa’s shoes, sneaking out of his bed at night to eat sweets from the cupboard. Anything one could imagine a mischievous child getting up to, and he had done it, reminding her so much of herself when she was his age.
Nate stood at her side, smile quirking up at the corner of his mouth as they approached Delilah’s cozy little home. “You know, Tom is going to be ecstatic to see that you’re with me this time.”
“You think?” Liss perked up and turned to look at him.
“He asked where you were at least twenty times the last time I visited,” he remarked dryly, “It seems I have some competition.”
“I mean,” Liss teased, tapping a finger on her chin, “He thinks all of my jokes are funny and responds much more positively to tickling.”
Nate laughed and wrapped his arm around her shoulders, pulling her toward him to press a kiss to her temple before speaking again. “You can’t still be sour about the tickling.”
“You pushed me off the bed!” She furrowed her brows at him in mock contempt.
“It was a reflex,” he argued, “I warned you.”
“Your nephew has never caused me physical harm when tickled.” She crossed her arms. “He just makes this adorable little giggle that is irresistible.”
“You didn’t get hurt, Liss.”
“My pride, Nate. My pride will never recover.”
“Well then, he said, squaring up to face her and brushing a strand of hair from her face, “Forgive me, my lady. Is there any way I can make it up to you?”
Liss bit her lip and smiled. “I can think of a few things you could do.” She tilted her head up to him, presenting her lips to be kissed.
Nate leaned forward, nose brushing hers, lips nearly meeting when a door slammed open, causing them both to jump and turn in the direction of the sound. A tiny dark-haired boy stood at the doorway, grinning from ear to ear.
“Liss,” he shrieked, excitedly, and took off in a run toward her, completely disregarding Nate.
Liss bent down to catch his embrace as he leapt into her arms, and she stood, squeezing him tightly. It reminded her of Oren, good memories of how he’d run to her and ask her to tell him a story, or complain about his father. Tom wrapped his arms around her neck and buried his face into her hair.
“You haven’t come here in one million years,” he mumbled, almost unintelligibly into her hair, and then pulled back to scowl at her. She couldn’t help but laugh. He was completely serious, but it was too damn cute.
“Oh hush,” she said kissing his cheek, “It hasn’t been a million years.”
“It felt like it,” he whined, “I missed you too much.”
“Oh yeah? How much is too much?”
Tom spread his arms out as wide as he could and looked from one hand to the other discerningly before looking back to Liss. “That much.”
Liss feigned shock, widening her eyes as she looked at the space between his hands. “Wow. That’s a lot!” She turned to look at Nate who was smiling fondly. “I don’t even think your uncle missed me that much when I didn’t see him for a while.
Nate raised his eyebrows. “No, I didn’t. I actually didn’t miss her at all.”
Tom gasped and his head snapped toward Nate and then back to Liss. “Don’t worry. Mama says Uncle Nate’s a big—“
“Tom,” Delilah scolded, now standing in the doorway. “What happened to not telling Uncle Nate I said that?”
Nate moved to greet his sister with a hug and kiss on the cheek. “Now I’m curious. I’m a big what, Delilah?”
Delilah glared at him, and Tom hopped down from Liss’ arms, motioning for her to crouch down so he could whisper something to her. Liss did as he requested.
“Mama says he’s a big arsehole,” the little boy whispered, immediately giggling and covering his mouth.
“Tom that’s a naughty word,” Liss scolded, barely able to contain her laughter. She raised her voice and stood up. “It’s not nice to call Nate a big arsehole.”
Nate looked at Liss, then Tom, and then back to his sister who shrugged honestly. Though he tried to look stern, a grin twitched at his lips and it wasn’t long before he was laughing. Delilah laughed too, and Tom and Liss followed suit.
“Well, there’s no need to stand outside all evening,” Delilah finally spoke up, “Supper’s almost ready, and we can tease Nathaniel inside, where it’s warm.”
“Yes,” Nate said sarcastically, “Sounds like a blast.”
Delilah winked before turning to head inside. Nate held the door as Tom ran to catch up with her, and Liss trailed behind. Just as she reached the door, about to enter the house, Nate caught her arm gently, and she brought her gaze to meet his.
He pulled her close to him, and pressed his lips gently to hers. So gently she thought she might faint. Heat rose to her face and she cleared her throat and blinked at him.
“You still pushed me out of bed, you big arsehole,” she said, reaching up to poke his nose before entering the house.
Nate just sighed, rolled his eyes, and followed behind her.
