Here is the first commission post of mine, for the wonderful @dartheames and her warden Neria!
Warden x Leliana, fluff.
Home is where the heart is
The floorboards creaked, even though her feet were bare, and light; Nerias gift clutched to her chest as she danced in a square, her lilting voice counting 1-2-3. Fire warmed the floor, the crackling fireplace and the smell of pine let her breathe - slow & in control, as her presence made the floorboards shift and shape with every move of her nimble feet.
Snow fell outside in a slow pace, the unhurried snowflakes building impressive homes on the branches outside their window; completely ignoring the laws of physics as the drives grew taller and taller, sometimes even wider than the branch they rested on. One of her crows landed on the branch closest- as it was trained to do- causing it to tap against the window.
“Deimos!” Leliana paused her waltz mid-step and walked over to open the window, snow fluttering inside as she did. Melted water gathered around her toes, her hands fixed on opening the tube around the crows feet that held a damp piece of papyrus. She drew a breath as she recognized Nerias writing and read out loud, “My love, my light. Home soon.”
Leliana, ball of cotton in her throat, sat down on the nearest chair and clutched Nerias gift tighter to her chest. “Home soon.” She repeated, out of breath from relief; the endless nights spent conjuring paths to take if her love, her Neri, didn’t make it home as planned. She fiddled absentmindedly with the wrapping of the gift, staring blindly into the fire before her. Staring so much so, that when the door behind her silently clicked open and weary feet made it to her back, she didn’t notice.
Neria made her way through the room as quiet as she could, interrupted just as she came to stand right behind Leliana, who craned her neck, searching for the source of the sound of her arrival.
Her lips parted, as if to speak, but was interrupted as Nerias lips softly kissed the skin of Leliana’s neck; humming as she lingered there.
“My love,” Leliana choked out, turning to greet Neria. “You are here.”
“I am.” Neria said, trailing her fingers along the alabaster skin of Leliana’s cheek. “I’m sorry it took so long.” She lingered in silence as their eyes met and told stories with the smallest of movements, travelling over their weathered features; searching each other’s face just to see that it actually is; and it is here, at home.
“Oh, and,” she rummaged through her rucksack, brows furrowed until she brought up a soft package, wrapped in crimson satin. “I have something for you.”
A giggle, soft music for the otherwise silent room, escaped Lelianas mouth as she accepted the gift with a wide grin - simultaneously handing Neria the one she had clutched to her chest just moments before.
“I have something for you, too. But we will open them later, yes?” Leliana rose from the chair to face Neria, grasping her hands and sighing in contentment. “Are you not tired? I can prep-”
“No, not tired. Maybe, a little tired, but not that kind of tired. I’ve missed you. Please, open your gift.”
“Is it the soft shoes?”
“You could say so, maybe, but no,” Neria silenced as Leliana unwinded her package with delight of the prospect of soft shoes. “You can wear them underneath shoes, too. They slide well across the floor.” Neria laughed as Leliana froze, unwinding the woolen socks that she found within her package.
“No.” Leliana said, incredulously.
“What, no?”
“Open my gift.” Leliana handed Neria her gift, also wrapped in satin cloth. She leaned on the chair, the back of it, as she rested her knees on the seating, eyes sparkling. Neria, eyebrow raised and chin tucked, stole a kiss as she accepted the package. Within was a pair of woolen socks; almost identical to the ones she had gifted except for the colors; hers a soft green and Lelianas bright pink. Neria choked on a laugh, her hand trembling as she threaded it through Lelianas hair.
“I..” Neria spoke. “I can’t describe it, really. That such a small gift-”
“Can describe such a large feeling?”
“Yes.”
“I can’t explain it either,” Leliana chewed on her lip. “Perhaps,”
“Hmm?” Neria said, lost in thought, fiddling with the edges of her socks, of her world.
“Perhaps we just… Forget the message?”
“The message?”
“The grand exterior of what it means. That the gift is so small and so big. It’s just socks. Maybe we take them for what it is.”
“And what does that mean?”
“Let’s slide across the floor until we grow tired of it.”
