#tasami

Tasami - Tamralan x Asami

12. Do they have similar goals? If they clash, how do they deal?

They do share a similar and very important goal, I believe: to make the world a better place for everyone, regardless of the circumstances of their birth. Asami does this on an international scale while Tamralan tends to keep it more local within his clan and family. He simply doesn’t have the connections and time to devote to a larger scale operation. And they both are fully prepared to do whatever it takes to achieve their goals, including, and not limited to, murder.

I don’t know if this counts as a goal, but I feel they value a love that has no strings. Asami is very devoted to her work and Tamralan is devoted to his clan, so there can be long periods of time where they don’t see or hear from each other. It’s important for them to not have any resentment because of this. They don’t try to change each other and love each other exactly as they are. They never established themselves as exclusive, they are still rather committed to each other, and for them, it works.

I don’t see them clashing too much. There are times that he wants Asami to be more safe and there are times that she wants him to actually take care of himself for once. I feel like while they chastise each other for it and promise to try, they both know they can’t force the other and they are who they are. It turns into one of those things that aren’t worth bringing up and arguing about, and also in a way, their stubbornness and devotion to others are one of the many things they love about each other.The big clash is when Tamralan decides that he doesn’t want to wait for those fleeting moments together; he wants her to stay. But Asami isn’t one to settle, and maybe in another life, I can see Tam dropping everything to be with her and work on missions together as Thedas’ deadliest couple. But after his mom dies, he just wants to be with his daughter and grandchildren, the only family he has left. And he wants someone to wake up to everyday. Normally, he’s all for compromise, but I feel this is one thing there can’t be a compromise on.

Sylastian - Sebastian Vael x Sylathi

17. Their ways of expressing their love.

There are many ways they express their love that don’t involve saying the word! They can be rather tactile: holding hands, primping each other before going out in public, small touches as they pass, correcting stances in archery even if they can with verbal cues only, hugs, so many hugs, hair petting, brushing fingers if they’re in official company and standing close enough to touch. Sometimes when life is too much, they just press their foreheads together, close their eyes, and breathe.

Sebastian will leave notes for her to find as that was the only way they communicated for years. He remembers that his letters were sometimes the only hope thing Sylathi looked forward to. They could be simple notes, wishing her well, or complimenting a feature he loved the most about her that day: her eyes, smile, hair, her singing voice when she thinks no one is listening. He will frequently take trips with her to clan Lavellan as he knows her heritage and clan are still very important to her and he would never deprive her of that connection.

Sylathi will pray with him, usually to her gods, but sometimes to Andraste when Sebastian is facing difficult trials. In her notes to him, she would leave drawings of anything that caught her fancy that day, that made her think of him. On late nights where he can’t break away from his study, pouring over paperwork, she brings him tea and food, and stays with him until exhaustion overtakes him. The next morning, she makes sure no one disturbs him so he could sleep for at least an hour longer.

Thelbull - Thelrand x The Iron Bull

19. Describe how they communicate

A lot of their communication isn’t verbal. Bull is trained to read a room and to read people and usually can tell what’s on Thelrand’s mind before he admits it just by looking at his body language. Thelrand isn’t as effective at this as Bull is really good at hiding what he’s thinking, but Bull can’t always hide everything either. Thelrand gets more lovey and physically affectionate when he’s in a good mood and is more distant when he’s struggling. Bull is more playful and talkative when he’s feeling good, and more pensive and silent when something is wrong. They’re both prone to not bring anything up until it’s mentioned so it doesn’t take much prodding to admit what’s on their minds. Most of the time. They both still have their secrets they’re unwilling to share.

Lacelee - Lace Harding x Leonie “Lee”

27. What makes you excited about their relationship?

They needed him and the thought of standing on the sidelines instead of helping from the start ate away his nerves. He needed to leave, to join them, to fight.

As if to protest, a phantom pain ached in his left arm, centering in his hand that no longer was there.

“Good morning, love,” Asami cooed in his ear. He was so wrapped in his thoughts, he didn’t hear her wake.

Her lips were warm and soft against his cheek and she wrapped her arms around his shoulders from behind and nuzzled her chin onto his shoulder. “You’re awfully silent and broody this morning. No wake-up snuggles? Kisses? I thought you would be elated that I’m staying for a couple months instead of a couple weeks, or even a couple days.” He placed the letter face down on the desk and turned around in her arms. Wordlessly, he kissed her, long and deep, molding his body against hers and holding her close with his good arm.

How he hated to get that letter now of all times, when he was the happiest he’d been in years, when he was so blissfully ignorant that the world was falling apart outside of his bubble. He hated that he felt responsible for what happened and will happen and that he couldn’t go back to the way things were before.

Asami abruptly pulled back and eyed him carefully. “You’re up to something.” “I’m sorry.” He also hated that it was all he could say. He reached back for the letter and gave it to her.

Her brows furrowed as her eyes flitted over the words and she handed it back while tilting her head. “This is hardly news. My family has been keeping me informed and we’ve been doing our best to help, but… Why are you sorry? It’s natural for Cassandra to turn to you for help, but didn’t you tell her not to?”

“I did, but I’m not sorry that the letter was sent, or that she even knew where to send it. I’m sorry because – “

“You’re leaving,” she finished, masking any emotion in her tone.

He nodded. “Yes, I’ve decided to leave, to help, to make things right. To put some sense into Solas’ head. Just, not that I know, I can’t not do something about it. She left a location in Tevinter, so I’ll start there.”

Asami just nodded, then turned to towards the bed to collect her clothes and dress. “I get it. You feel responsible because you didn’t stop him at the Exalted Council.”

Tamralan couldn’t move from the window, grabbing his stump of an arm. “I couldn’t stop him. My hand was trying to kill me. It’s a miracle, I survived that.”

“I know.” She wouldn’t look at him. “You’ve told me the story before: Solas is the infamous Dread Wolf, the enemy of your gods, and the anchor was given to you by mistake, a product of being in the wrong place at the wrong time, a mark that was meant for Solas to have and use to tear down the Veil. It’s by his mercy, by taking the mark, that you’re alive. I know.”

She left the room and he followed her in haste to the living area. She busied herself in picking up toys left scattered by the children. “If I were you, I would have wanted to leave, too.”

“Would you?” His voice shook, and he grabbed her arm gently to stop her. She still didn’t look at him and it nearly broke his heart. “Asami, please look at me.”

She stiffened under his touch, and he watched with dismay as her hands began to shake and she clenched them to hide it.

“No,” her voice cracked, “I wouldn’t.” She yanked her arm free and started to pace. “Because if I were you, I would remember that there are people, people here, that love you, that want you safe, that don’t want to see you go. Who lived through heartbreak and loss when they thought you died at the conclave, who thought the worst when they didn’t see you for hours after the avalanche at Haven, who thought you died buried under feet of snow. Who feared for your life at Adamant, who watched, too late, as you fell off that crumbling bridge. Who protected you through the night from the resulting nightmares.”

At last, she turned her gaze to him. Her dark eyes wide and vulnerable, glassy with frustrated tears that wouldn’t fall. And at last, she pulled him into a tight hug, leaving no space between them. “Damn you! How could you just think to leave me here? To leave Syla and Mal and the babies? Don’t you deserve this? Hasn’t the world hurt you enough?”

Tamralan let the tears fall and buried his face in her shoulder.

“And,” she pulled back and cupped his face. “How dare you think that you’ll go alone, after everything we’ve been through?”

His stomach dropped. “Asami, I can’t ensure your safety. If anything were to happen to you…”

“If anything were to happen to you, without being at your side…” She kissed him tenderly. “Stop breaking my heart at every turn with how many times you escaped death. If this journey becomes the death of us, then let’s die together.”

“...is fine-” the MA continued, “she was brought in after collapsing on the sidewalk. The doctor thinks it was a cluster headache. She is on oxygen and sumatriptan and lidocaine, but won’t be able to get herself home. She has you listed as her emergency contact, so I wanted to see if you were available to come by and bring her home? Otherwise we will just keep her here until she is cognizant enough to get a cab.”

The idea that he was her emergency contact was...unexpected. Yes, they had been...seeing each other for a month or so now, but didn’t she have anyone else? Friends, family, someone around who might have known her better? Gods, he didn’t even know she got cluster headaches. 

None of that changed his answer. “Yes, of course. I’m on my way.”

The drive was not even ten minutes from where he was, but that was still plenty of time to ruminate. 

He made a swift line for registration, the disinterested office manager behind a half glass panel not even looking up before grabbing the standard clipboard.

“Hi, I’m here for Rosalie Nilson? A nurse called me...”

“I just need your Photo ID.”

He slid the card over, trying to refrain from tapping on the counter. 

“And what’s your relationship to the patient, Mr. Lavellan?”

The question caught him off-guard. “I’m her...her emergency contact.” What were they, exactly? Was he reading too much into this? The office manager, of course, didn’t care, and made a point of tapping the edge of his ID against the counter to get his attention before gesturing with their head towards a nurse in the doorway waiting to take him back.

When he found her, she was upright in her hospital bed, determinedly pressing ice to the spot above her eye. There was a moment or two of complete confusion, then a smile. A genuine, warm, relieved smile. “Well look who’s my knight in shining armor again, hmm? You really seem to be making a habit of it.”

He regarded the nurse briefly, and with a nod that it was okay, entered the room and sat by her bedside. “Or maybe you are just in the habit of getting into trouble around me. Should I not try to give you a helping hand?”

“But I wasn’t around you!” Asami retorted. “I made a deliberate point not to faint in your presence.” She would have snorted, but the congestion from the headache made it inelegant, so she reached out over the rail and delicately wove her fingers between his, trying to avoid disturbing the pulse clip. “No, I like it. It’s nice, not always having to go it on my own, you know?”