Divider credit to plutism ln here, please go check them out!!

-author’s note : my first fanfic in here ahhh, please excuse me for my grammar I tried going through the fic and fix any mistakes of mine since English isn’t my first language, nonetheless I hope y’all enjoy it & reblogs are appreciated <3

-fandom; poppy playtime

-pairing; dogday x reader, it can be taken as romantic or platonic

-genre; fluff ig

They always said angels were the most divine beings among god’s creations, and dogday couldn’t agree more.

 In the depths of the hell that was the old playtime co. Factory, to see a kind soul was such a refreshing thing to be witnessed by the big hound, especially a soul willing to throw themselves in the face of danger to save others despite the possibility of dying , but you didn’t have a problem with that as you helped of the old toys like poppy & kissy missy, and he was no exception.

Ever since the moment you saved him, dogday wouldn’t stop calling you “angel”; even after learning your real name, because to him you truly was one, and his words even became more true in his eyes once you tried your hardest to sew his legs back into his upper body after finding them, with the help of poppy & kissy missy of course, and luckily for you & him the sewing operation was successful.

 With his legs back intact to his body it took dogday a couple of days to regain his ability to walk and some of his strength, you guessed it would take him a good while for him to return to his normal self; way before his legs were ripped off, but to dogday he had to repay you for your acts of kindness somehow, and to him the only way to repay it is by trying to be as much useful as possible to the team.

  “I already told you dogday, please rest”, you proceeded to say to the big hound who was looming behind you, but to dogday it wasn’t convincing enough, “but angel please let me accompany you, it can be dangerous out there!” He replied back with a mix of stubbornness & worry about your well being, you just sighed due to how the argument between you two just went back & forth without any winning end, so you decided to end it by sucking it up & letting him win.

  “Fine you can come with me, but don’t try to tire yourself, okay? The stitches on your body hadn’t fully healed yet”, you said to him now being the defeated end of the argument, dogday’s smile widened as his tail wiggled in excitement, he answered back happy with your answer, “you can count on me angel!”, He then walked past you leading the way through the dark hallway that led out of the safe space you & your team resided in, you didn’t reply but you simply smiled at how adorable his response was, because how couldn’t you say no to him? As you snapped back into reality as dogday called out for you to follow him, you gave him a thumbs up as you followed his lead with that smile he adored the most.

 Unknowingly to you, a big reason of the way dogday acted a bit protective over you;  was because being beside was like heaven to him, it felt like he was being greeted by one of the many doors of heaven, as one of them opened upon him showing him only light like the amount of hope you gave him, that there’s still a chance for a better future outside of this old factory for old broken toys like him.

  and he knew for sure he wouldn’t let such a bliss like you slip away from his paws easily.

pairing: jake x fem!reader

college!au, fratboy!jake, established relationship!au

warnings: smut [public sex, fingering, oral (m!receiving), alcohol consumption]

word count: 4k

just some smut with a little plot

There were two things that helped you get through a day in college, coffee and your puppy faced boyfriend who looked like an angel but actually was the devil himself. Speaking of him, he was already seated in the very back of the lecture hall, wearing a simple white t-shirt and blue jeans with a snapback on his head, making him look like a whole snack. It was unusual for him to show up in morning classes on Monday’s since he usually spent his Sunday nights partying with his fellow frat brothers, drinking as much as they could without passing.

He threw a smirk in your direction as soon as he saw you enter the class, patting the empty seat next to him. You walked over to him, swaying your hips teasingly as you did so. You threw your bag on the seat next to him and found your way between his legs, his hands automatically finding their way on your legs as he looked up to you with sleepy eyes. You smiled at him, caressing his cheek with your thumb without saying anything. He looked innocent, too innocent.

‘’I thought that you weren’t going to come. Isn’t it too early for you?’’ You teased him, sitting on his lap.

‘’Hmm, it’s never too early for me to see you.’’ He smiled, hiding his face in your neck, peppering kisses all over your skin. ‘’I also got you some coffee.’’

‘’And that’s why you’re the best.’’ You smiled, getting out of his grip to sit on the seat next to him, making him pout. ‘’You didn’t think I was going to sit down on your lap during the whole lecture, did you?’’

‘’A man can dream, right?’’ He took a sip from his coffee. After dating for more than a year, you still didn’t understand how he could still drink something, after spending the previous night doing nothing but chugging cheap beers. You were worried for him, really but apparently a morning coffee was the only thing which helped Jake to stay wide awake after a night of partying.

It was 15 minutes into the lecture and your lovely boyfriend wouldn’t stop nudging your leg with his. That’s why you didn’t like to share classes with him, he always distracted you in some kind of way. No matter how many times you told him to stop, he wouldn’t. He’d start poking your sides instead.

‘’I’m bored, let’s get out.’’ He whined, continuing to poke your sides. You really couldn’t stand him sometimes.

“Cut that shot a little close, don’t ya think?” Garrus shouted over the noise. Shepard crouched down beside him, sneaking a peek around the barrier to pull the trigger a few times before smiling over at him.

The shots sang past them, but found themselves unable to stop the couples usual banter in between waves.  Shepard wouldn’t dream of keeping herself from poking back on the unwitting turian despite their sticky situation. 

“You’re not going soft on me are you, Vakarian?” She chuckled, her breath still heavy and deep from the run to cover.  She checked around the corner once more, ensuring they had a decent moment to share.  The turian chortled at her question, a knowing smile crossing his face as he moved in closer to the commander.  She turned back to him, unprepared for the sudden closeness that caused her cheeks to bloom at the playful distance he kept.

“For you?  Never.”  His low gravely voice, reverberated through her body.  All he had to do was speak and she was putty in his hands.  "Just would be a shame to get offed by one of these low level mercs. Thought you were better than that."

She scoffed, the corners of her lips curling at the thought.  "Ooooh, is that a challenge?" 

"For these small fries?”  Garrus chuckled, careful to keep his calculated distance just inches from her face.  “Wouldn't even be worth the bragging rights.  Just wouldn’t want you to um...want you to have that embarrassment.”  His face fell for a moment, his eyes quickly scanning her body for any sort of injury.  She caught his meaning causing her expression to shift to a loving gaze.

“Stop being such a worrywart,” Shepard reached forward, running a soft finger along his jaw and placing a small kiss on the hard plates of his mouth.  They stayed there for a moment, enjoying each others company despite the dangerous moment they had yet again found themselves in.  Shepard trusted him, never finding herself having to worry about the close calls and the near misses she constantly faced.  As long as they had each other, they were unstoppable.  "I’ve got your back if you've got mine,” she finally continued with a wide grin.

This has literally been something I’ve been working on for a few months now and after a kind word, I was finally able to finish it.  Thank you for your support @curiosity-loves-the-kitten !

She’s grown tired of fighting the demon and the offer certainly seems tempting.

“Remember: Take deep breaths and stay strong.”

Solas’ voice rang through her mind.  While it was sound advice when dealing with demons, it was easier said than done.  Nira tried to sever its grasp on her mind but it was all she could do was drown at his voice.  Nothing she did seemed to help.  Its voice rang loudly in her mind like a mighty bell.

Do you really believe that you have the strength to get rid of me, foolish girl?

Nira closed her eyes tight and covered her ears.  She pressed herself up against the closest wall she could find, but in her despair, the Fade had become a lot less stable.  The Fear demon had done this to her.  It had caused her to lose her grip on her own mind.  She had truly tried.  With Solas’ help, she had grown stronger and more confident in her abilities.  None of it had helped.  The demon had grown far stronger than she had ever hoped he would become.

There is not much time left.  You are weak. 

“Go away...”  Nira’sal’s voice was dry and weak from fighting it.  Nothing she did seemed to make it leave her.  

Your Inquisition shall fall just as your clan did.  How could you possibly save them?

The words it repeated scraped along her mind, her mind rattling with the possibilities and what ifs the demon presented her with.  Lifting her head, the demon had taken the form of her brother.  Its usual tactic, but it seemed effective.  Soren meant the world to her and it killed her inside to think that he was now gone.  There was no way she could continue to fight this demon, especially not in this form.  While she had tried with all her might, it persisted.  All she had managed to do, even with Solas’ help, was push it back.  After what happened in the Fade, after what she had seen with her own eyes, the demon knew it had her.  It was only a matter of time before she would give up. 

Corypheus was only getting closer and soon she would face him.  It was quite possible that she would have to face him alone, just as she did at Haven.  Soren kneeled in front of her, a wicked grin spreading across his face.  His face contorted as it got closer to her, but she could still see her big brother.  Her greatest failure.

Do you really think that your friends will stand beside you?  How could they possibly have faith in you, when you do not even have faith in yourself?  Without my help, you will face Corypheus and you will fall. 

Nira’sal knew what they really thought.  Even after she had been chosen as the Inquisitor, Cassandra continued to search for Hawke.  She was no one's first choice.  She was just who had fallen into their lap at the right time and place.  Even when Hawke was left in the Fade, she had seen the messages that Leliana had sent to the Hero of Ferelden.  She had seen the looks that Cullen and Josephine would share.  While they would try to play it off, Nira had never led anyone.  She had never had to make these kinds of decisions.  She had been the First that no one wanted and now she was the Inquisitor that no one wanted.  Even to the last moment, they had hoped that she would be replaced.  And who could blame them?

While the others put up with her, no one took her seriously.  And why would they?  She had never given them a reason to do so.

You are useless to them.  They no longer want you around.  You have nothing to offer them.  What could they possibly want from you?

Iron Bull and Blackwall brought their strength in battle.  Nira could always count on them to take a hit.  While Sera wasn’t always the most loyal of the bunch, she was always able to turn the battle on its head.  Cole had found a new purpose now that he had embraced his spirit side.  Dorian was smart and quick as a whip when it came to politics and battle.  Vivienne was fierce and strong and while Varric wasn’t the strongest rogue she had ever seen, he was able to weave stories and had the ability to make you believe just about anything.

Solas...was kind and inhumanly strong.  Nira had grown as a healer, but even Solas was better than her in that department.  She was good for nothing and...

You are weak, but I can change that.

Tears streamed down her face as she concentrated on the face in front of her.  She knew it was just a demon pretending to be her brother, but just having him in front of her, she finally felt herself losing her foothold in this fight. 

I can make you strong.  All you have to do is accept the gift that I offer and then you will have nothing to fear.

The words it spoke were comforting coming from her brother.  He had always been a source of strength for her when she had no one else.  She had become so tired of fighting and nothing she did made any sort of difference.  She had played some hand in uniting Ferelden and Orlais against Corypheus, but the Inquisition could have done that without her with the help of the Champion.  After Redcliffe, Haven had been destroyed.  Helping the Grey Wardens, she had left the Champion of Kirkwall in the Fade.  Each step forward, she had hurt someone.  And now?  She knew that Corypheus was going to win.  Nothing she could do would change that. 

Maybe with this demon’s help.  They would have some sort of a chance.

Nira’sal looked up at the demon.  She was tired.  This demon had been after her since the very start.  She had tried to fight it.  Solas had tried to keep her strong, but this was who she really was.  The elf that gave into her fear.

“Okay.”  

The demon held out his hand.  She looked at her brother’s hand.  She wanted to be strong and brave just like he was.  Soren wasn’t afraid of anything and Nira had always been jealous of that.  Even he tried to toughen her up, but nothing ever worked.  She was weak.

Take my hand and your fears will leave you.  Let me help you.

She nodded her head and reached her hand out.

A snarl echoed from behind her that brought her back to her senses.  

Suddenly, she felt herself being thrown to the side like a ragdoll.  “You will not take her.”  The voice spoke, a low growl emitting under his voice.  More pain shot through Nira’s body as she regained control over her body and senses.  With all the strength she could muster, she pushed herself up onto her hands and opened her eyes taking deep breaths with every small movement.  Though the demon only had her for a few moments, it had completely zapped her of almost all of her strength.

You dare take my prey from me, Dread Wolf?  She has chosen to accept her fear.  Certainly, you would not deny her this.

“Shut up!  You will stand down.”  A menacing growl rumbled through the Fade, forcing Nira to look up at what was happening in front of her.  A large black wolf lunged himself towards the demon and once again she could feel her mind go blank.  

May the Dread Wolf never catch your scent da’len.  The last thing he keeper ever said to her rang through her mind.  Had he found her because she had fallen prey to her fears?  Surely, that was it.  She would be punished for what she had done.  Her keeper had warned her and now...it was over.

Within moments, the demon had fallen.  She had watched the Dread Wolf tear this Fear demon to shreds and now, the wolf made its way towards her.  With each step, the wolf turned into something different, someone familiar.  By the time he reached her, it was Solas that stood before her.  

Solas knelt down a sad expression crossing his features as he looked down at her.  Nira found herself unable to make eye contact with him.  "Are you hurt?  Let me look at you.”  He grabbed her chin to look her over, but she immediately ripped it out of his hand and dropped it to the ground. 

“Who are you?”  Her mind was groggy and cloudy, but she knew what she just saw.  Solas was...

Nira’sal jolted into an upright position, her face covered in sweat and unable to catch her breath.  She closed her eyes for a moment before she was finally able to take in her surroundings.  She was still in Skyhold.  Everything was fine.  It was all just a dream...wasn’t it?

“Are you alright?”  Solas sat up from his sleep silently, placing a gentle hand on hers.  The voice startled her but calmed her at the same time.  

It was a dream.  It was a dream.  It was a dream.  She repeated that in mind over and over again.  She was unable to answer him.  The vision of that thing slowly changing into her Solas had been engrained in her mind.

“Nira’sal,”  Solas spoke calmly, placing a hand on her chin and forcing her to look over.  “Are you alright?”  His eyes grew more concerned with each silent moment that passed.  

She curled her knees into her chest, trying to keep the tears from falling down her cheeks.  “I-I’m okay...I think...The demon-”

“I do not think Fear will be haunting your dreams further.  As I traveled the Fade, I felt his existence fizzle out completely.  You have nothing left to fear.”  Solas smiled softly, rubbing his thumb across her hand.  She could tell how hard he was trying to comfort her, but his words seemed twisted and not quite right.  She knew what she saw, but surely that wasn’t really him.  Solas was kind and gentle and nothing like the tales she heard throughout her village.  Were she even to suggest it, Solas would probably laugh in her face.

There was no way.

“Solas, I saw...”

“Shhhhh...It was all but a dream.”  Solas continued to smile, laying back down in the bed, pulling her with him.  “Rest now.  I will watch over you as you sleep.”  Nira cozied up into the crook of his arm, resting her head on his chest.  She closed his eyes, allowing his warmth to soothe her.  She took a deep breath.  There was nothing to be afraid of.  Solas was here.  As if on cue, Solas held her tighter, placing a small kiss on the top of her head.  “Ar lath ma, vhenan.”

It was a dream.  It was a dream.

Solas could feel her drift back off to sleep.  He took a deep breath.  There was a possibility that he could play off the encounter as a dream, but he had to tread carefully.  

Even were she to figure out the truth, it mattered not.  Their face of with Corypheus was drawing near and soon they would have to part.  His main goal before his departure was to rid her of the Fear demon that plagued her and now she would be free of it.  She would live the rest of her life free of the demon and once word got around that the Dread Wolf was protecting this girl, no other demon would dare come close to her.  With one more deep breath, he closed his eyes, simply enjoying the short time he had left with Nira’sal.

“Everything will be alright, da’len.”

Translations:

Ar lath ma, vhenan - I love you, my heart

da’len - young one

More of my writing can be found here!

divider credits goes to bunnysrph on here, please go check them out!!!

Author’s note; as I promised you all, here’s a short sick-fic with our beloved hound !! I decided to write it specifically due to my current health condition getting worse and I needed some comfort :) anyways I seriously hope y’all enjoy it

Fandom; poppy playtime

paring: dogday x reader, once again it can be up to you if you wanna see it as platonic or romantic

 “i hate being sick”, you sniffed through your stuffy nose, you should’ve expected it coming sooner; that being stuck in an old factory would cause you some type of sickness, but how naive you were to believe your nerve system would handle it for that long.

“It’s okay angel, it’s only normal for one to get sick; especially someone in your position”, dogday tried reassuring you as he snuggled you in order to keep you warm & cozy, he still didn’t have his legs, yet His upper body was just the right length to trap you in his arms if he wanted to.

        You simply shifted in your laying position to face him, eyes feeling a bit heavy due to the cold you were having, all you could do was smile at him; it felt uncomfortable talking with such sore throat. 

       All could dogday do was quietly admire you; his lovely angel, he sighed sheepishly at such silly thought before snuggling you even more, then he notice you starting to get drowsy, which made him chuckle softly, The last thing you were able to hear before drifting off to sleep was a simple soft whisper against you…

                          “Sweet dreams, my angel”

I don’t know what happened, I felt like writing and then this happened.  Sorry.

“You’re still awake?”  Her voice rang in his ears like honey, the sound immediately stealing his attention.  Solas tried to force his mind back to his reading, but despite his best efforts, Nira’sal always knew how to draw him right back.  “It’s getting late...shouldn’t you be coming to bed sometime soon?“  And there it was.  Nira’s arms slipped around his shoulders, her chin finding the crook in his neck as she nuzzled up against his cheek.  A soft hum escaping her lips, keeping herself put.

Solas smiled, glancing at her without even moving his head.  “I’ll join you in a moment, vhenan.  For now, it is important that I focus on the task at hand.” 

Nira’sal made an audible whine as she moved even closer to him.  Her hot breath tickled his neck sending shivers down his spine as she placed a hand on the book in front of him.  “Shouldn’t you be focusing on me instead?” 

Solas closed his eyes, a soft sigh releasing from his lips.  “If I had the time, you know I would...”  He watched her head tilt slightly as a smile danced across her features.  She was incorrigible and she was lucky he spent so much time holding himself back.  If he had his way, he would have taken her soon after their little rendezvous in the Fade.  The elf shook the thought from his mind as he looked back at the book he had been studying.  “There is work to be done.  I apologize, but I cannot be distracted.”

With a giggle, Nira’sal slid her finger under his chin and slowly moved his face back in her direction.  “It’s far too late for that and you know it.”

The girl turned and sat on his lap, wrapping her arms around his neck.  Her smile only widened as she watched him become completely mesmerized by her.  Her simple movements were intoxicating and despite what he knew, he didn’t care.  Whenever he was with her, his plans, the orb, Corypheus, all of his problems seemed to evaporate into thin air.  He was no longer Fen’harel.  He was Solas.  An elf with no home but the Fade itself.  An elf that had somehow gained the attention of another and despite what the future would bring, he would not let her go for life itself.  Whatever his plans were before, they didn’t matter.

Solas wrapped an arm around her back, using his other hand to move some of the strands of hair from her face as he gazed at her.  The smile that seemed to light up these empty halls was nothing but contagious as he felt his lips curl, easily mimicking what they were focused on.  “It’s time for you to take a break, okay?” 

“I suppose I could make some time.  That is if you make it worth my while,” Solas chuckled at her as he slowly lost his resolve.  It was far too late and he was far too tired for her to be looking at him the way she was right now.

Solas bent down and placed a small kiss on her nose.  Before he was even able to pull away from her, Nira pulled him back down to her until his lips crashed into hers.  Her grip on his neck tightened as she kept him there, unable to pull away.  As if he even wanted to...

The warmth of her lips sent a jolt through his body.  It was perfect, she was perfect.  Her breath, her smell, her sounds, every part of her drew him in deeper.  He was already struggling to keep his head above water, but she continued to pull him under.  It wouldn’t be long before he completely lost control of himself.  His hands found themselves under her shirt, his fingers wrapping around the small of her back as he held her.  He just wanted to touch her.  Whatever he had to do to draw her closer.  He needed her closer.

The kiss was far more intense than usual and he had found himself drawn closer to the edge before Nira finally pulled back glancing up at him with her that mischevious grin he knew all too well.  “I hope that was worth it enough,” Nira chuckled as she tried to push herself back up to her feet.

Without hesitation, Solas grabbed her hand and attempting to pull her back but she didn’t budge.  “Vhenan, don’t go.”  She stopped, her eyes shifting over to watch him.  She was quiet for a moment, but he could see the change as it happened before him.

Her demeanor suddenly shifted, her eyes growing dark and intense as she glared over at him.  “I didn’t go anywhere.  You were the one that left.”

His eyes opened slowly, painfully aware of exactly where he was.  Once again, he had fallen asleep on his desk, a book laid out in front of him that he had used as a pillow during the night.  Sleep had been a cruel mistress to him.  Before Nira’sal, he had been able to use his time while he was asleep to travel to unknown places in the Fade, but now his love haunts his dreams not allowing him to go anywhere else.

His mind was obsessed with her and what he had done to her.  While he knew he had to keep his mind focused on what he must do, he found himself thinking of her even more during those times.  The feeling of her warm lips still danced along his and all he could do was yearn for more.  Even if his dreams ended with her piercing stare and that harsh tone in her voice.  He deserved every second of it.  She was alone and in pain and that was all his doing.  He should have never gotten involved with her.

Still...how could he say no when she looked at him like that?

Her melodic chuckle rang through his mind.  A sound that sent a wave of loneliness over him.  Solas frowned, placing his head back on the desk as he allowed himself to be crushed by those very waves.  All he could do was close his eyes and hope that once again she would grace his dreams.

More of my writing can be found here!

Totally written at the last minute for #turianweek because I will find any excuse to write Garrus related stuff and I need an excuse to fill in some Shakarian time. Day one was introductions. This may not be their official introduction, but it's when they first started to get to know each other so I think it counts.

“Garrus,” Melody Shepard called out as she peeked her head around the corner of the elevator.  Noticing the pair of turian feet under the Mako, she became curious enough to investigate.  She wasn’t quite sure how she felt about this turian she had just met already feeling around in the underbelly of their primary mode of transportation, but it seemed as if it were already too late.  With no one around to watch this alien aboard the Normandy, parts of the Mako lay strewn along the ground around him.  She shrugged.  It wasn’t like he was going anywhere anytime soon.

She bent over, strands of hair covering her eyes, a smirk sliding across her face.  “Garrus?  If you’re looking for the kitchen, you’re not going to find it down there.”

After a moment of silence, he pulled himself out and dusted himself off.  "I was just um…calibrating your vehicle.  I was only going to take a look, but I noticed something and I…”  He paused, pushing himself to his feet, his eyes scanning her reaction, obviously realizing that he had made assumptions too soon.  “I…realize now that I probably should have gotten your permission before…”  His eyes fell back down to the mess he created around the Mako.  “I’m sorry.”

Melody put her hands behind her back, her smile only growing in her failing attempt to play nice with the new guy.  She had only interacted directly with aliens a handful of times, but she knew nothing about them.  Commanding them was a chance for her to get to learn.  If only she could shake this impending awkwardness that he could no doubt pick up on.  “Nono, it’s fine.  You’re part of the team now, so feel free to do what you gotta do.”  

“Oh…well, I appreciate that.  Just let me know if you don’t like any of the changes that I add and I can have them removed right away.”  Garrus said casually, obviously just as lost for words as she was.  

“Sure…”   The awkwardness only seemed more and more evident to both of them as the silence between them only grew with each moment.  The two of them stood there for what felt like an eternity.  Her reason for being here completely disappearing in her mind after the presumptuous action had taken her off guard.

Garrus was the one that finally broke the silence.  “Was there…something that you needed me for Commander?”

She smacked herself on the top of her head.  “Oh, right!  I heard from some of the C-SEC guys that you were a pretty good shot.  I was coming down here to see if you wanted to see if you were up for a bit of a challenge.”  Her grin spread as she folded her arms in front of her chest.  “I’ve been told I’m one of the best snipers in the Milky Way.”

Garrus scoffed at the comment, his eyes giving her a quick once over.  “You?  You’re a little small to be holding up something that large.  Pistol, I’m sure, but a rifle?  I don’t think so.”  He tilted his head to the side as he watched her.

“Well then, why don’t you put your money where your mouth is, Vakarian?  Let’s get a couple rounds in at the shooting range and the winner buys lunch.”  She playfully smacked his armor, confidence oozing out of her very core.  Garrus didn’t look impressed.  “It could…also, give us a chance to get to know each other.  I’ve never really spent a lot of time around a turian.  This could be fun.”

“A free lunch, eh?  I suppose I can make some time.”  

“Well Shepard, same question.”  Garrus grinned, his head looking over in her direction after hitting another target.  Their little game had become more entertaining than Melody had expected.  With each hit, the shooter got to ask the other a personal question.  The officers weren’t wrong.  Garrus was a good shot, but who was better?

“I have three brothers and a sister,”  Shepard responded as she set up her next shot.  “I have one brother that’s older than me, and everyone else is younger.”

“That’s a pretty big family.”  Garrus laughed, watching her intently.  “How do you keep up with them all?”

“No way.  You get one question per shot, Vakarian.  Those were the rules.”  Melody closed her left eye, the other looking through the scope as she lined up her shot.  She took a deep breath and let the bullet fly continuing her perfect score.  Upon realizing at how good a shot both of them were, the game quickly became who would miss first. 

The turian laughed as he inspected the target.  “A human that can shoot, I’m almost impressed.”

“Well, don’t get too cocky.  I’m just getting warmed up.”  She sat back on her bum and crossed her legs, thinking hard about her next question.  “Okay okay, I got one.  Are you closer to your mom or dad?”

“I was closest with my mother.  I haven’t really kept in contact with my father and I’d like for it to stay that way.”

“How come?”

Garrus shot a look over at her, a smirk on his face as he lined up his next shot.  “Now look who’s trying to break the rules.”

Shepard placed another bullet in the chamber as she looked down the target practice hall.  “I was only curious,” she mumbled.

Another shot rang out from the hall followed by the noise the target made as it flipped backward.  “My father is just a rules man.  I’ve tried to make him happy, but every step forward only seems to get me two steps back.  I’ve gotten to the point where I’ve stopped trying.”  

The hall fell silent.  Obviously, that question was a lot heavier than she had meant for this session to go, but it only brought out more questions.  “And your mother?  What does she say?  Maybe she can say something to him.”

“She’s gone,”  Garrus said matter-of-factly.  He quickly cleared his throat as he stood.  “You got three answers.  You owe me,” he chuckled followed by silence.  “You must be really close with your family.”

Melody’s mouth fell open as she kept her eyes trained on him.  “I suppose.  I’m also more close with my mother.  I followed in her footsteps when I joined the Alliance.  With everything that has happened, I’ve gotten distracted.  I haven’t talked to her in a while.”

His eyes fell, but a smile formed as his fixed his eyes straight ahead.  “You should.”

“I’m sorr-”  Garrus held up a hand stopping her, placing the butt of his sniper on the ground as he looked over to her.

“Don’t be.  It’s been a while.”  The two were silent for a few moments as Garrus came up with his next question.  Melody sat there flabbergasted.  She had no idea what to say to him.  She couldn’t even imagine what her life would be like if her mother was gone.  The thought alone… “Did you always want to join the Alliance?”  Garrus finally continued, obviously used to the silence that followed that fact.

Melody smiled as she remembered her childhood.  The memories flooded back to her as she lined up her next shot.  Another shot rang out.  “My mother and father did want me to go into the Alliance.  They would dress me up in the uniforms when I was small and did everything they could to make me interested in joining.  They were probably a lot more strict on me because their attempts didn’t work on my brother.”  She leaned her head back, thinking back to answer his question.  

Garrus lined up his next shot, awaiting his answer.

She thought for another moment before her face lit up.  “Once I learned about the different types of aliens, there was a time that I wanted to grow up and be an Elcor.  I liked the way they talked,” Melody said.  Her life long dream obviously dashed as she grew up.

Garrus laughed, a sudden shot quickly followed, but this time no target was hit.  Both of their eyes went wide as the realization slowly hit them.

“I won!”  Shepard jumped up.  “Ha!  In your face!”

“Pbbt, my finger slipped.  You can’t expect me to keep a straight shot after a reveal like that.”  Garrus placed his rifle on his back, his arms crossing as he turned to her.

“The only thing I wanna hear out of you is ‘You are the best sniper in all the galaxy’.”  She made her way over to the turian, a smug grin crossing her features.

Garrus walked by her, not even making eye contact.  “I’m not saying that.  The deal was lunch, not admitting defeat.”

Melody ran up beside him and looked up at him.  “But you are admitting it.”

“We are going to have a rematch and that’s final.”

“Name the time and place.  I’ll take you on anywhere!”

prompt for @pokidragon -  ”I thought you were dead” or “how did we survive that?”

I hope it’s okay that I cheated.  I actually started writing this like months ago and forgot about it.  When I thought about what I wanted to write for this, I realized that I had already started it before.  So, I finished this one instead of writing a new one.  Hey, as long as I’m writing right?

“Solas, we have to hurry.  We don’t have time!”  Dorian spoke loudly over the storm, turning back to the elf as the rest of the Inquisition made their way out into the cold.  Corypheus had just made himself known and since the Inquisition had just used her as a scape goat for their own necks, Nira’sal was now alone with the demon.  She had done nothing wrong.  Over the past few weeks, she had done nothing but try to help those around her and now, because of him, she was now facing what could possibly be her death.  He felt his mask slip.  His face contorting as he looked back on Haven.  

There was no way she was going to make it out of there.  Solas knew little of Corypheus, but what he did know was that he was sure he would not allow her to live after the impact she had made on his plans.  There was no hope for her by herself.  He had to save her.  The blame for everything that had happened over the past few weeks was directly on his shoulders and there was no way he could continue moving forward knowing that she was left to pay the price.  “We cannot just leave her behind.  We have to go back.”

Nira had done nothing but show kindness to him ever since she stepped through the Fade.  She had gone out of her way to help him in any way that she could and what had he done for her in return?

He had lied to her as he kept his true identity a secret and ultimately, he had led her to her death.  

Dorian touched his arm, tugging it gently, pulling his composure back.   “I understand your frustration, but she’s a big girl.  She can handle herself, I’m sure of it.  Our priority now is to make sure the rest of the Inquisition gets out of here safely.”  Solas turned to Dorian with a pained expression.  “We can return for her once we get them at a safe distance, I swear to you.”

Dorian went on ahead, joining Cullen and the others in making sure that all of their people were together.  The blizzard only making their journey that much more difficult and with their home in flames behind them, it was hard to imagine any of them actually accomplishing such a feat.

Solas had to remain positive.  Nira’sal was special.  He had to believe that she would be able to pull herself out of this and when she did, she would expect the rest of the Inquisition’s forces to be well taken care of.  At the very least, he could accomplish that much.

Solas cared little for the others and while he had tried to do the same for Nira from the very beginning, his mind refused to push her out of his thoughts.  Since As he was told, Solas had done everything in his power to find a way to remove the anchor.   He had gotten to the point where he was failing to take care of himself and upon learning of that, Nira took it upon herself to check in on him...constantly. She would appear in front of him at all moments of the day making sure that he took time to rest and nourish himself in between his long study sessions.  

At first, he had found it a bit annoying, but as time passed that changed and the two of them became very close.

Inseparable.

The emptiness he felt deep within himself was unfamiliar and strange, but he knew.  Since the Inquisition began, it had become increasingly obvious that his feelings towards Nira’sal were becoming more permanent.  She was always around, but Solas found himself yearning for even more of her time.

He closed his eyes.  Forcing the next thought from his mind.  You know this is a mistake.  I cannot involve myself with her.  The thought rang loudly in his mind.

“It’s okay, you know?”  Without warning, the boy appeared beside him, a gentle smile gracing his cheeks.  The long brim of his hat covered most of his face as he squatted to play with the snow beneath his feet.

“I can have no ties to this world or the people that linger here,” Solas said quietly.  It could be difficult, but he would have to find a way to hide how he felt.  “Despite what these feelings may be, Nira’sal must remain nothing to me.”  In this end, this was the easiest path for him.

Cole played with his hands, his eyes scanning the ground as he pieced his next words together carefully.  “She is nothing, but she is something.  You must pick a side.  One day the chains will break and he will no longer hold you.”

Solas was quiet for a long while before finally turning to the spirit before giving his answer.  “You know what I must do, Compassion.  I cannot just...”

“It’s Cole now.  I like that name.”

Solas had known Compassion for a very long time.  While he did not enjoy the fact that the spirit had found a physical form, compromising his very being, it was good that it felt it had a purpose now.  “Very well, but the fact remains.  My duty must remain my primary focus.”  Solas’ paused for a moment, allowing his words to trail off.  After a moment, a small smile slid across his features.  “My feelings for her are far deeper than I had initially expected.  My duty was to distance myself from the Inquisition while still guiding them in the correct direction.  It seems that I have failed at that.”

“Perhaps.  But is failure such a bad thing?”  Solas caught a smile run across his face before he disappeared.

“There!  There she is!”  The commander shouted from the front lines immediately breaking Solas’ focus.  Seeing the direction that Cullen had run, Solas made his way in the same direction.  Had she really survived?  A million thoughts raced through his mind as he pushed through the crowd.  Maybe he was wrong?  What if it had been a straggler and she was still back there?  What if someone had found her in the snow and caught up with the group?  What if she were alive and standing there?  What would he say to her?  It had to be her.  It had to be.

And there she was.  

The little blonde elf stood for a long moment between the rocks, before quickly losing her balance just as Cullen had reached her.  Cullen knelt in the snow, placing his coat around her before pulling her into his arms.  Solas stopped in his tracks, his heart violently lept in his throat.  She was alive.  A weight lifted off his chest as Cullen lifted her into his arms.  Solas leaned against his staff as he tried to compose himself, but he could not help the happiness that shown on his features.

With Nira’sal in his arms, Cullen made his way towards Solas.  “She’s alright, barely.  Can you take care of her?”  Carefully, Cullen placed her in his arms.  “We’ll set up camp here until she awakens.”  Solas nodded as Cullen passed him, barking orders at the read of the crowd.  Walking away from the scene, Solas couldn’t take his eyes off of her.  She looked weak, exhausted, but she was still breathing.  He distanced himself from everyone as they began to set up camp before he sat, making sure not to lay her body on the snow.  

“I thought you were dead.”  He said quietly. Solas couldn’t stop the smile that spread across his face as he gently pushed the bangs out of her face.  As he placed his hand on her forehead, magic trickled from where he touched her, instantly gaining a small reaction from her.  

Her eyes flickered open, but only barely.  “S-Solas?”  When she looked up at him, her eyes instantly filled with tears.

His smiled widened.  He had never been very good at comforting others.  Getting close to people was never something he had been particularly good at.  Despite that fact, Nira’sal had come to her if she even so much as stubbed her toe.  He would seemingly have to learn this trait if this continued.  “You’re alright now.  Get some rest.”  

Nira’sal pushed herself up a little and weakly wrapped her arms around his neck.  “I was so scared.”  Her tears warmed his shoulder as she buried her face into his coat.  

Solas wrapped his arms around her waist and held her close.  “I know.  So was I, but you must rest.  I will keep watch over you.”  

She nodded, resting her head on his shoulder and holding onto him tightly.  Solas ran his fingers along her arm, doing whatever he could think of to try to console her.  The small motion seemed to work as her tears calmed and she slowly drifted to sleep.  

As he watched her, a different thought ran through his mind.

It was far too late to turn back.

Solas leaned his head against hers.  Despite the million reasons why he knew they could not be together, nothing else seemed to matter now.  He would stay with her, at least for now.  While this dream may end, perhaps failure was not a bad option.  At least for now, may he never wake up.

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