Last OC Kiss for the event, Day #5- Playful, with my Nerys Lavellan and @aroserinosman's Itharel Andras. Hope you like it, my friend! <3
Fandom: Dragon Age: Inquisition
Pairing: m!Andras/f!Lavellan
Rating: Teen
Summary: Sometimes a hero needs a break and a warm pair of arms to get lost in.
Words: 719
Additional Tags: OC Kiss Week 2026, Day 5- Playful, Orlesian warden, Skyhold
Read on AO3
“Vhenan.”
Nerys Lavellan blinked the sleep from her eyes, the exposed wooden beams running across the ceiling of her bedroom the first thing she saw. But the arms around her were solid, comforting, safe. Real. And she was grateful to be able to feel them again, after so many months apart.
Trailing the tips of her fingers along the arm holding her, she counted the freckles there, each one a beautiful star painted on the canvas of Itharel Andras’s skin. She glanced over her shoulder to be captured once more by a pair of hazel eyes, a color that reminded her much of her home: the forests, the plants, but nothing was more home than the man in bed with her.
“How long have I been asleep?” She asked, the warmth from the blankets piled high a temptation hard to resist. She snuggled deeper, feeling his arms tighten around her in response. “I haven’t missed the war council, have I?”
Itharel’s lips formed into a grin though he tried to fight it, burying his face into the thick waves of her hair, lips trailing along the shell of her ear. “Of course not, my love.”
She raised an inquisitive eyebrow, knowing he might not be lying, but he was certainly hiding something. “Is that so?” Nerys shifted her body to sitting, turning to face him with her legs tucked underneath her, his grip loosening to accommodate the new position. “Why do I feel as if you’re not being entirely truthful?”
Itharel leaned forward, trying to grasp her waist when she slipped out of his path, bare feet dancing across the floor towards the fireplace where he couldn’t grab her.
Lifting a finger as if to scold him, Nerys tried not to laugh when all he did was smile. “You’re up to something.”
“All I want is to stay in bed with the Inquisitor. Is that so awful?” Itharel crawled to the edge of the bed, watching Nerys for any sign of sudden movement, like a cat stalking its prey. “Come back to bed.”
“No.” She said stubbornly, crossing her arms over her chest but refusing to take her eyes off of him. “I need to get ready to meet with Leliana and Cassandra.”
“Do you?”
Itharel placed a singular foot on the floorboards, each movement slow and deliberate. Neither of them were particularly sneaky but her love was nimble enough to catch her should he need to.
“Yes. I’m not here for fun, Itharel. I have a job to do.”
“Certainly you’re owed a break.” Itharel’s other foot joined the first on the floor. Nerys noted he was still near the bed, but she didn’t trust where this was going. Some of his dark hair fell into his eyes and she had to resist reaching out to brush it back. “Maybe for a little longer.”
“Itharel-”
She’d barely gotten his name out of her mouth when he launched himself across the gap between them.
With a squeal, she attempted to escape but wasn’t fast enough. Itharel’s arms snaked around her from behind, pulling her tightly against him and his lips found her exposed neck. Giggles erupted from her lips as he trailed kisses along her neck and across her shoulder, and Nerys couldn’t help when her body relaxed against his.
“You’re going to get me into trouble.” She scolded him softly as he moved his mouth to where her pulse beat steadily.
“How?” He paused his perusal, smirking against her skin. “Aren’t you the boss here?”
Nerys figured Cassandra might argue with her about who made what decisions concerning the Inquisition, but she doubted Itharel wanted to hear them. With a sigh, she relented, letting him guide her back to the warmth of the bed. The cold of the floorboards were starting to chill her skin, but she refused to make a fool of herself and dig herself a burrow out of the blankets.
“Fine, but if Cassandra comes looking for me, I’m blaming you.”
Itharel fell backwards into the bed, pulling her down with him into the softness, a laugh escaping his mouth as they landed amongst the blankets and pillows. “That’s a deal worth taking.”
Nerys didn’t fight him any longer, letting him bury them in the bed again, lost in the safety of each other’s arms.
OC Kiss #4 coming early for @aroserinosman! Some Itharel Andras and Nerys Lavellan <3 Enjoy!
The warmth of the day had turned to a cold evening, the wind from the Frostback Mountains bitter as they whipped her hair around her face, each strand painful when they smacked against her cheeks. Pulling her cloak tighter around her body, Nerys Lavellan trudged through the ankle deep snow, the warmth of a distant fire calling her as she pushed on.
Skyhold’s walls were cold and damp. The fires in the fortress’s hearths melted the clinging snow only to have it refreeze once the fires were doused. But she wished to be back there now, the walls a barrier against the frigid winds. A safe haven in the chaos of her daily life… something solid to lean against, to rely on. Trust was in short supply these days, but a home was real.
A contingent of grey wardens were camped out ahead, huddled around a fire as its flames flickered, a gust of wind tearing through their small camp. Nerys paused briefly, eyes sweeping the crowd, searching for one particular person with a pair of hazel eyes set in a scarred face.
She located him easily, sitting a little further from the flames, head bent over his bowl, the steam from the stew warming his face as he slowly ate. Hair fell into his eyes, a brush of brunette against his forehead, and while she couldn’t see them from where she stood, Nerys knew every freckle dotting his brown skin, every scar cut into his soft flesh.
Itharel Andras.
The last time she’d seen him was before the Enclave. He hadn’t stayed long with Clan Lavellan, but the time they’d spent together was important to her. He was important to her. Itharel was compassionate, soft-spoken, kind. Their first meeting was forever imprinted on her soul, those beautiful eyes burned into her memories, the taste of his lips on hers, the feel of his callused hands on her skin…
The letters they’d exchanged since had been few and far between, both being busy with their duties, but there wasn’t a day gone by where Nerys didn’t think of him.
And now he was here…
A shiver wracked her again, and she whispered a spell, a flame catching in her outstretched palm, a flash of heat warming her chilled skin. Then she stepped forward into Itharel’s line of sight.
Another warden noticed her first, standing up immediately, pulling a dagger from his hip to defend himself if needed. “What brings you here, mage? We are not easy targets if you seek such a thing.”
Itharel blinked at her, a moment passing before recognition flickered in those hazel eyes. He stood as well, a hand held out to halt any violence from escalating. “I know her, Willem. Stand down.”
The human muttered something under his breath, eyes flicking between them, a brief hesitation before he sheathed the weapon, slowly returning to his seat with suspicion on his face. She might’ve been offended if her eyes weren’t only for Itharel.
“Aneth ara, Nerys. I assume you’re the Inquisitor Lavellan we were sent to meet.” Itharel mused, a smile twitching at his lips. With a shake of his head, he glanced up at the darkening sky, pondering it briefly before he finally met her gaze once more. “Strange how we’re always meeting at the end of the world.”
“Sadly, I fear this time, it might truly be the end.” Nerys felt the weighted stare of the others, knowing they couldn’t talk as freely with an audience.
Itharel didn’t drop her gaze as he walked to the edge of the fire circle, nodding into the encroaching darkness which surrounded them. She didn’t need him to speak the invitation, extinguishing the fire in her hand and stepping around the other wardens.
When they were a safe distance from the other wardens, Itharel turned to face her, a gentle expression turning his face softer than she’d ever remember seeing it before. She swallowed past the lump in her throat, feeling guilty for pulling him away from whatever mission he’d been on prior to her mess. The Blight… the Fade… it was all caught up together in whatever evil Corypheus was plotting. She needed the best at her side.
Itharel was more than the best to her, but the others did not need to know that.
“I didn’t want to bring you into this. I’m sorry-”
He stepped closer, his hand warm as it rested against her cheek, a distraction from whatever she’d been about to say. Even in the lack of illumination, Nerys read the determination in his eyes, those irises a color that reminded her of the forests she’d grown up in. The forests where they’d met all those years ago, a young man searching for his place in the world and a young woman with the weight of a Dalish clan forced upon her.
“Vhenan, no.” The endearment was a whispered prayer upon his lips, something unexpected and wholly welcome. Nerys forgot how much she missed him, how much she craved having the comfort of someone who understood the perils of being not only an elf in Thedas, but a mage as well. Her fingers curled into shirt, his warmth grounding her to solid ground even as her heart tried to fly like a bird, fluttering against her ribs like little wings. “All you have to do is call and I will answer.”
A vow she didn’t deserve, but she bit her lip, keeping her doubts at bay. Resting her hand flat against his chest, she could feel the steady beating of his heart beneath her palm. A heart she’d fight to protect from the evil pressing ever closer.
“If I’d known you were the Inquisitor, I would have come earlier. I could’ve-”
Nerys pressed a finger against his lips, halting his words. He raised his eyebrows at the touch, trying not to grin when she shifted closer, fingers tickling his cheek as they trailed from his face to his hair. His silky strands fell through her fingers, their warm breath intermingling between them.
“Your journey is as important as my own.” She told him, his lips lingering so close she could practically taste him. “I’m just grateful you are here now.”
Itharel’s hands came to rest on her hips, his grip firm yet gentle, like so many parts of him. “I’ll be here until you have no more use of me, vhenan.”
Nerys didn’t think there’d be a day when she wouldn’t desire his presence in her life. Words that she didn’t dare utter in the current circumstances of their lives, so instead of speaking, she pressed her lips to his waiting mouth, taking every piece of warmth he had to give, knowing their time might be cut short with this war.
Itharel responded immediately, bringing her flush to his chest, the movement so sudden that she tightened her grip on his hair, forcing them so close she could feel his pulse pounding in time with hers. He filled her senses, the heat of his body a comfort as he pressed against her, the taste of the stew he’d eaten on his tongue. The Veil could be torn down around them, the world on the brink of the end, and she’d let it if only for another taste of him.
Love.
The word whispered itself into her mind, a shadow that’d haunted her over the years, her feelings for this former blood mage only increasing with each fleeting kiss they shared, his gentleness a craving she couldn’t shake. Perhaps it was love, perhaps they would never know the true depths of their affection, but they had now and she wouldn’t waste it.
Itharel broke the kiss first, eyes shut as he pressed his forehead against hers, a gasped breath in the quite as he tried to regain his senses. “I will fight for you, vhenan. Whatever you need.”
Touching his cheek softly, she traced the veins in his skin, knowing he meant every word he uttered. “I need you with me, Itharel.”
A huffed laugh escaped him, warm breath ghosting across her lips. He pressed a kiss to her upturned nose, the action endearing. When he opened his hazel eyes, the intensity with which he looked at her nearly melted her into a puddle at his feet.
“And I shall be. Always. You're my heart and my home."
Aidan! You are so fucking cool. Not only do you have some kick ass OCs, but you are a fab writer. And an overall awesome person. You've always been a good friend and we've always had fun, haven't we? Shipping OCs, writing fics, just chatting <3
Skull- What memories/thoughts do they guard the most from others?
Memories of her mother. Those are the most precious thing to her because she has so little of them. Her father, Soris, and Shianni are people she can easily discuss these with, but she doesn't offer these to people she doesn't trust. It takes her a while before she even talks to Zevran about her mother. She's protective of them, she doesn't want other people to tarnish them.
Ribcage- Who/what are they trying to protect?
Her people. The alienage. Her family. The only people she's known her entire life. She doesn't want the elven people to end up like her mother, like the others that didn't make it out of the Arl's house. She wants a better life for them all. And then there is Zevran. After meeting him, falling for him, she fights for him too. To keep him out of the hands of the Crows. To keep him free and safe.
Phalanges- What is their relationship with touch?
Complicated. After dealing with the Arl's son, that entire situation, she's hesitant to let anyone close. Zevran has to break down the walls she's built, and though he isn't human, he's still an assassin who was sent to kill her. Her trust is difficult to gain after the events that led to her becoming a warden. But he does get through, and by the end of the Fifth Blight, she accepts touch from different places. The gentle caresses from Zevran, a friendly hug from Leliana, a comforting hand on Morrigan's arm. It gets easier as time goes on.
Thank you for the ask! I love these two a completely normal amount heh
Do they actually love love each other? Has it changed over time?
Yes. It's more of Ari falls first but Illario falls harder. And for Illario, experiencing real, genuine emotion in regards to another person is a lot to handle. It's the first and only time it's happened and it wasn't even for a woman he easily has access to. When he returns to Antiva, prior to everything with Lucanis and Zara, the time away from Ari makes him truly believe it was a fluke. That the feelings he had weren't real, that he can easily get over her. But he doesn't. Because the moment he sees her again during DATV, it all comes crashing down on him. He actually loves her, and now he has himself in a mess that might make her despise him.
Ariadne is a lot more close to the chest with her emotions. The only one she truly expresses without an issue is anger, because it's useful. So she's a lot more reserved when it comes to her love. But she feels it so deeply. With Illario, she thought she'd found someone who understood her, saw her for her and not the Shadow Dragon or daughter of an important Commander. She was Ari, and it really made her fall for him. But when he left Minrathous (after she got hurt because of him), she was so genuinely distraught.
Over time, after everything that happened over the course of DATV, I think while they have a few things they might be unsure about, in the end, those feelings didn't just go away. And as they get to know each other, truly know each other, post-game, that love does get deeper and stronger. They became a force to be reckoned with both on and off the battlefield.
3. In what ways are they good and bad for each other?
There are many layers here, especially depending on if we're pre-canon or post-canon.
As far as the ways they're good for each other:
Illario helps Ariadne find her strength. Not only in a fight, but in herself. She knows who she is when it comes to the Shadow Dragons, when it comes to fighting for slaves and for freedom, but when it involves herself, her wants and needs, she usually pushes those to the side until it's too late. And Illario helps her be a little more selfish in choosing her own needs over those of others.
For Illario, Ariadne helps him realize that he doesn't have to be the best at everything to be loved: he doesn't have to be First Talon or be the best assassin. He doesn't have to be the most charming person in the room. He can be himself, the man he in inside, not the one he uses to perform. He can take the mask off, he can be Illario, not a Dellamorte, not a Crow. I think it's really hard for him to show this side of him, but Ari makes it easier.
The ways they're bad for each other:
Gestures at DATV lol In all seriousness, I think Illario is a lot worse for Ari than the other way around. One of the things Illario tends to do, especially post DATV, is try to avoid arguments. He deflects, tries to charm Ari into forgetting what she was mad about, and in the end, it only makes her angrier. Because he won't take responsibility for the bad choices he makes. And while most of that is a wall to try to avoid talking about Zara or about Elgar'nan or about his coup, he really also wants to avoid anything unpleasant when it comes to Ariadne. Because he doesn't want to prove to her that he is still that fuck up even if she doesn't believe it.
8. What would it take for them to break up?
Answered here!
15. Do they have doubts about each other? Are those doubts well-founded or exaggerated?
Of course they do. There is a lot of history, a lot of bad memories, that they share between them. I think most of Ari's doubts stem from his earlier betrayals of his family, of her when it came to Elgar'nan and Zara. As much as she hates thinking about, she always wonders what might have happened if Illario's plans had worked out. Would he have stayed with Zara? Would he have killed her for Elgar'nan? It's a difficult thought process, and despite Illario's assurances that it was all for the First Talon position, she doesn't know if that's the truth or not. I'd said her doubts aren't exaggerated at all, and over time, they ease a bit, but in the beginning, it's a lot to think on.
As far as Illario goes, his doubts are more of the 'does she truly forgive me' and 'how can see even look at me, why does she love me when there isn't anything to love' sort of doubts. He has a hard time believing anyone is capable of forgiveness (especially considering how the Crows operate), and he's always expecting a knife in the back. He knows Caterina and Lucanis won't kill him, if only because the Dellamortes are so little in number and not for any true affection. And the rest of the Crows all want to end him for his betrayal, so when it comes to Ari, someone who doesn't even have a connection to his world, it's a strange feeling to know that she does, in fact, believe he can be better. And it's because of her that he tries.
1. Do you have a good relationship with your parents?
"Of course! They've been the anchors of my life and because of them I am where I am right now. Me being a detective wouldn't have been possible if it weren't for their efforts. I love them dearly, and always will."
9. Do you bite your nails?
"Uhm, not quite.. I mean, mostly when I feel stressed out while trying to figure out the case, I kind of bite my nails out of nervousness, and mom did poke me about it a lot. She's right, I can't make that into a habit, but I can't help it. There is too much on my plate yet I can try to suppress this as much as I can."
19. Would you go back in time if you were given the chance?
"Hmm.. if I ever had the chance to do that, I think I wouldn't mind. But as compared to what I'm dealing with recently, it's much better than what I endured back there. There was a lot of struggle for me while I was working my way to become a detective, and I wouldn't want to go through that phase again."
52. Do you believe everything happens for a reason?
"I believe whatever happens, it's already written in the records. Destiny writes itself, cause it knows better for what you deserve and what you're truly capable of. So, I just let things go as they should" *shrugs and smiles*
