#them.......

The best pillow✨

[ID from alt: A pixel drawing of Nine from 17776. It uses four shades of red plus white, and they are surrounded by pixellated stars and hearts, plus text that reads 'them!!!'. End ID]

"Let's watch a movie, come on."

Tails exhaled sharply through his nose, closing his eyes briefly before looking up to see his big brother's gentle smile, a hand held out towards him to take if he wanted.

He took a deep breath and gave the computer on his desk another look, but Sonic was right. He had been working on this invention all day - for multiple days - and nothing was any clearer than it had been a week ago.

So, swallowing his frustration and thoughts that he should be better than this, dammit - Tails held down the power button on the device until the screen went blank and then blindly reached for his brother's hand as he stumbled up from the desk chair.

Forcing technology to close wasn't exactly the best way to shut it down, but it was the quickest and in this case, Tails couldn't bear looking at the bright screen any more lest he be compelled to continue work or, more importantly, further escalate the headache that throbbed behind his eyes now they weren't staring at tiny details that blurred from aching.

Sonic made a quiet clicking noise with his tongue as he led them out of the lab, having clearly noticed the way Tails rubbed at his face with a pained grimace. Still, the hedgehog made no comment as he entered the living room of their small space, carefully leading Tails around some of the mess to gently push him onto the sofa.

Tails immediately curled his tails around his body, settling into the corner of the sofa as Sonic waited patiently in front of him until he could look up enough to meet light green eyes.

"Where'd you keep the headache meds again?"

Tails made a gesture towards the little kitchen, tiredness calling him strongly now he was in a safe and comfortable space. "Third cupboard, top shelf," he managed to mumble.

Sonic made a brief gesture of 'be right back' in the shorthand they'd accumulated over the years of communicating with one another without words, even when sign wasn't exactly needed. It was simple and succinct and Tails nodded drowsily in response as Sonic quickly disappeared from view. He returned a moment and some small noises later, holding out two different bottles with a questioning expression.

Tails didn't bother to speak; he just pointed to the correct one after a glance, and barely blinked when Sonic once again flickered away and back in half a second with a water bottle and can of plain lemonade, once again holding them both out. Tails fumbled for the lemonade, preferring fizzy right now to take pills with, since his mouth and throat already felt not only dry but felt bad.

Sonic put the water bottle on the floor next to the side of the sofa, smiling fondly in response to Tails' latent thank you flat hand extended from white muzzle in the simple sign.

"Anytime, lil bro," Sonic said softly, sitting next to the tired fox as meds were swallowed, happy to take the role reversal of being the main speaking one tonight. He switched on the TV as Tails sipped at the can, eyes already half closed. Knowing the kit wouldn't be awake much longer - lemonade was a useful fizz without caffeine for moment like this when it was warranted - Sonic simply flicked to a movie channel and let it play some cartoon dog investigating with a group of humans that seemed almost half way through already.

solas/cassandra?? (yes this is bc of that gifset that popped out of my queue what of it) they are SO GOOD

cassandra's faith in the maker and her deep willingness to question her own beliefs and assumptions and learn more; the questions she poses to everyone, and the way she listens to and learns from their answers and takes the time to consider all of it

all of this would fascinate solas, lbr. he lived in the time of arlathan, and then entered uthenera, and then woke up in a world of mortals. while there is canon evidence that dwarves existed during the time of the elves, afaik there is no canon evidence that humans did. they might have! but it's also possible that they did not, that they as an entire race came later

in either case, i think it's safe to say that, prior to waking (a year before the events of inquisition! one! year!!!! that's all! still wild to me) he'd had little to no experience with humans. and then he sees how modern elves are treated by humans, and i'm sure he develops some Strong Opinions about them as a people, just as he develops Strong Opinions about the "fall" of the dwarves and Strong Opinions about the qunari

but unlike the dwarves and unlike the qunari (unless you're playing an adaar, and even then tbh, bc adaar is a tal-vashoth), being part of the inquisition gives him constant exposure to humans and he's going to realize they're not all cut of the same cloth, no more than all elves are the same

(and then the tension comes in because he is forcing himself to be willing to do what he's planning to do and it's easier if he's less attached, if he doesn't examine the rich depth of modern lives, etc)

but learning to value humans and then falling for a woman who embodies faith, yes, but also a deep and abiding morality, one that drives her to question that which her faith teaches her - which would, i'm sure, hit very close to home for solas re: the elvhen learning to question the evanuris - like.... help??

and he sees her adapt to cole, a spirit. he sees her willing to admit when she was wrong. and, as in that gifset, she asks him questions, offers her thoughts without insistence, and clearly listens to his answers, all of which is - as evidenced in dai by what kind of interactions he most approves of - something he loves