Prompt 31 “You snuck into my room at 4am... to cuddle?
Pairing: Varric & Marian Hawke (platonic)
It's pure chance that he's still awake when the door lock clicks open.
Varric looks up from the papers strewn on the bedcovers - an attempt at his new manuscript - and lifts an eyebrow in the door's direction. He doesn't usually receive many visitors and the fact that it's four in the morning narrows the list down to three possibilities:
One, people that have a bone to pick with him. They are usually much noisier, though, so he crosses that one out.
Two, Isabela. Usually various shades of tipsy.
Three, Hawke.
A tall figure clad in spiky armor shuffles in and Varric has his answer.
"Hawke?"
Marian Hawke looks up and grins at him. The smile is genuine, but her eyes remain cold.
"Hey. I don't suppose my favouritest dwarf can house a sleepless mage for one night?"
"Bear's snores keeping you awake? That's why you snuck into my room at 4 am? Sure, you can have the bed and I'll sleep on the armchair", Varric purposely avoids mentioning Anders, given how subdued Hawke looks.
Hawke shifts her weight from one leg to the other and fiddles with the spikes on her right gauntlet.
"And is there a chance you might... stay here instead?"
Both of Varric's eyebrows shoot up. "So what you are trying to tell me, Chuckles, is that you snuck into my room at four am... to cuddle?"
Hawke laughs. "I know, right? Preposterous."
Varric knows her well, so before she can crack a joke and beat a retreat he abandons the manuscript draft on the bedside table and pats the side of the side of the bed he is not currently occupying.
"Come on, then. You know I would never turn you away, Chuckles."
After she has finally shed all of her spiky armor and is lying under the covers in a simple undershirt and her dark grey breeches, he reasons that he does mean what he said.
Marian Hawke is his best friend, she is family. Underneath the shield of bad jokes and her laid-back attitude, the years spent in Kirkwall has left her a brittle, emptier version of her former self.
With Carver off with the Wardens and Blondie too busy with his Mage Manifesto to prevent her from withering away alone, he is the only family that Hawke has left.
She has already fallen asleep lying on her side, a long leg tangled with both of his and her right hand loosely clasping his left one.
Not for the first time, Varric feels a wave of protectiveness wash over him. She is family, and he would lie and kill until the end of days if it would help keep her safe.
Hawke lets out a sleepy mumble when he gathers her close to him. Cuddling her at four in the morning will have to do for now.
Summery: A new store-front is set to open on main street in Storybrooke and with it brings new resident Mr. Gold to the center of attention. While he looks forward to this new step in business, it is yet unknown if his deafness will set him back once again.
Belle turned the page of her book carefully, her eyes following the flow of words as the narrator continued to speak between the lines of the story. Her free hand wrapped around the ceramic mug of coffee next to her, the heat seeping into her skin as it seemed forgotten.
“Belle.”
Her eyes continued to track the words, bouncing up to the previous paragraph to reread the twist that threw the protagonist into a new dilemma.
“Earth to Belle!”
Blue eyes shot up to where Ruby stood in front of her, one hand on her hip and the other grasping the handle of the coffee pot, a single eyebrow raised in question.
“Were you in a trance or something? I was trying to get your attention for nearly five minutes,” Ruby complained, shaking her head indulgently.
“Sorry, Ruby, sometimes I get so focused I forget the world outside my book.” She laughed.
“Reading something good then?” Ruby asked, leaning forward over the table to take a look, only for Belle to flip it shut and hold it up, putting up the cover of Jane Austin’s Pride and Prejudice for display.
“Oh.” She deflated, looking disappointed. “I thought maybe you were reading something… spicy.” Ruby offered Belle an over exaggerated wink to push her point across.
“Only you would think to read that material in public,” Belle commented, shaking her head affectionately.
Ruby gave a shrug, shifting her weight to the opposite hip. “Small towns, limited options, what can I say? Everyone has needs, even bookworms like yourself.”
Granny stepped out from the kitchen to find her granddaughter, a well-worn apron wrapped around her dress with matching oven gloves on her hands. “Ruby Anita Lucas - I need you behind the counter, I have to get these pies out of the oven.”
“I’m just refilling Belle’s coffee, Granny.”
“Her cup isn’t as deep as the ocean! I need you back here. I don’t have eyes in the back of my head and I can’t have these pies burning,” she reprimanded her granddaughter.
Ruby huffed, her shoulders drooping. “I’ll be right there!”
Granny offered Belle a warm smile and a wink before disappearing back into the kitchen, presumably to save her bakes from the oven.
“How about drinks tonight? Rabbit Hole at eight? First round is on me,” Ruby offered, finally refilling Belle’s coffee mug.
“Count me in.”
xxxxx
The Rabbit Hole was not the classiest place in comparison, but for a small town dive bar, it did its job well enough. If you looked past the occasional drunk patron and the ill-placed dart board, one could even say it was alright.
The smell of spilled beer and rush of heat from the summer weather greeted her as Belle entered the bar. She received a nod of greeting from the bartender where he stood cleaning the counter next to where Leroy was having a drink. She returned it with a quick smile before heading back to the usual table they occupied, finding Ruby already there with a drink in hand.
“Getting started without me, Rubes?” she asked, hanging her purse on the knob of the chair as she took her seat.
Ruby laughed, raising her drink to be on display. “Hardly! This is my first one. I invited Anna out, but she’s in the bathroom.”
“Great! I haven’t had the chance to see her lately with the summer programs running at the library.”
“You need to take more time for yourself,” Ruby pointed out.
Belle couldn’t help but roll her eyes at the comment. “I take plenty.”
“A soak in the bath with a glass of wine and a dirty romance novel don’t count as personal time,” Ruby pointed out, pushing a gin and tonic across the table to her. “Maybe if we get you hooked up with someone you’ll dedicate yourself less to work.”
She shook her head, her curls rustling behind her shoulders. “I love my job. Besides, we all know how bad my dating history is. Do we really need to add to it?”
“What are we adding to?” Anna asked as she walked up and took her seat, setting her drink down.
“Belle’s dating history,” Ruby answered.
Anna squealed excitedly, “Oh! We can do that! Should be easy enough.”
“I don’t want to add to it, Anna,” Belle pointed out. “I want to end it. I’m tired of one bad date after another. I want something to last long term.”
“Like true love!” She sighed dreamily, clasping her hands together.
“Hold onto your glitter, Sparkle Pants.” Ruby laughed, patting Anna’s shoulder. “Not everyone can land it like you did on your second swing.”
Belle laughed lightly, stirring her drink with the straw. “Didn’t Kristoff actually ‘sweep you off your feet’ because you nearly fell into the college fountain?”
“It still counts,” Anna protested, crossing her arms under her chest and pouting.
“And he loves you very much,” Belle commented, smoothing over any of her ruffled feathers from their teasing. “How is your sister’s, by the way?”
Anna relaxed quickly at the change of topic, instantly forgiving her friend’s light-hearted jabs. “Her love life? On hold for now. Elsa wants to finish her PhD before she even considers the notion.”
“I understand that.” Belle nodded in agreement. “Hard enough just to balance everyday life with studying, let alone romance on top of it.”
“Well, since you're done on that front, it just means we can focus on the second part now!” Ruby announced, once again redirecting this on her target.
Belle rolled her eyes, busying herself with taking a long and deep sip of her drink as she watched the two of them. Might as well let them have their fun for now, she thought.
Belle set her drink aside, standing with a stretch of her shoulders as she decided to rack up one of the pool tables for a game. Anna and Ruby seemed to need a minute to put their heads together in private to discuss their strategy and gather a list of options for Belle’s love affairs.
Just as she finished racking the table and applied chalk to her pool cue, the two of them had completed their notes, popping up to present their case.
“Okay, we got this! We have a compilation of who could be your true love,” Anna announced, holding up a napkin with various notes scribbled across it.
“Or at least your next one nighter,” Ruby interjected.
“Ruby!” Belle called out, her cheeks pinking in embarrassment.
The taller brunette simply shrugged. “Like I said, everyone has needs.”
Anna cleared her throat to get their attention, holding up the bar napkin to display it to Belle, watching her as she leaned against the pool table.
“Number one on the list, Dr. Archie Hopper. He’s mild mannered, very sweet, loves dogs and has a successful career.” Anna offered up their first choice, listing their reasoning.
“Number two,” Ruby pitched in. “Will Scarlet. He’s hot, not to mention hot, oh and he’s also hot if you didn’t know… Oh, and he has an English accent,” she pointed out, waggling her eyebrows.
“And number three,” Anna continued, “August Booth. Everyone finds him handsome, he is a writer, and he has always been chivalrous.”
Belle humored her friends as she heard them out, spinning the pool cue between her hands as they finished. “Those are my options you two have found?
“Well, the top three at least... Jefferson came in fourth place, but he can be pretty eccentric,” Ruby noted.
Anna giggled in excitement. “So, what do you think?”
“I think Dr. Hopper is very nice, but I can’t say he’s my type. Will is still in love with his ex and everyone knows he’s completely heartbroken,” Belle answered, taking a moment to think. “As far as August is concerned, I don’t know him well enough, but he seems to be taken by his typewriter.”
“What about Jefferson?” Anna offered up, reaching for success.
“That would just be awkward. I’m friends with both Jefferson and his daughter, that would change our dynamic a lot.”
Ruby smiled behind her glass as she took a drink. “I wouldn’t throw that out the window. Have you seen a shirtless Jefferson? It could be a good change in dynamic.” She wiggled her eyebrows suggestively.
Belle shook her head, reaching back to tuck her hair behind her ear. “I don't even want to know where you saw that.”
“Fair enough.” Ruby laughed, grabbing a spare pool cue from the rack to line up the first shot.
“Ooh, the loser buys the next round!” Anna announced, following over to watch the match.
xxxxx
A fair few drinks and a couple games of pool later, the girls were certainly enjoying their night.
On the other side of the bar, other town residents were trying their best to enjoy their night, as well.
Marcus had closed the shop for the night and taken care of errands while Jefferson had a father daughter night at home. Rather than interrupt their time, he had decided to have a drink at the bar to relax, thinking that the night cap might provide a calmer night than he had previous.
Drinking was something he was always careful about. In his previous line of work, he had seen people turn to it as a crutch far too easily. It was a dark path to watch someone spiral out of control with it and he didn’t fancy finding himself in the same position.
It was the first time he had come to the Rabbit Hole and he was thankful that the bartender had little interest in holding a conversation with the lone drinker. Rather, he seemed to keep himself busy with filling drink orders and cleaning his work space.
No one enjoyed a nosy bartender.
Rather, Marcus’ attention was focused on the same pair the bartender seemed to have a casual interest in. They had been at the opposite end of the counter before he came in and despite the music, the pool games, and the general chatter in the space - even with his hearing aid volume turned down - he was sure he could hear the two men from a mile away.
Keith Nottingham slammed his glass back down against the bar top, tossing back the end of his rum and coke.
“You’re better off without that cheating bitch, at least now you’re free to get some real ass,” he pointed out, rubbing the stubble of his beard. He turned and tapped his glass twice on the bar for another round.
Arthur grumbled under his breath as he complained about his ex-wife. She had barely sent him the divorce papers before she was already in another man’s bed.
He folded his arms and shook his head. “In this town? Knowing you, I’d be getting your sloppy seconds.”
“Fine, then. You can sit here and sulk, and in the meantime, I’m going to find some better company for the night.”
Keith grabbed up his fresh drink with a grin, watching as Belle leaned over the pool table to line up another shot in the game. He already knew whose company he wanted for the night.
He got up, leaving Arthur to deal with his own problems. As he walked up behind the petite brunette, it seemed that her two friends had excused themselves to make a phone call outside.
Keith knew an opening when he had one. He leaned over her back while she was focused on lining up another shot in her pool game.
“You’ll never make the pocket at this angle, babe. Let me show you a better one…” he whispered, running his fingers down her spine towards her backside.
Belle gasped, jumping at the unexpected touch, the butt of her pool cue to smacking into Keith’s gut as she spun around. The unexpected jab to his gut forced him to let go of his grip on his glass as he clutched at his stomach, the drink flying forward as the liquid contents spilled down the front of Belle’s dress before the glass hit and shattered on the bar floor.
“Keith, what the hell!” Belle exclaimed, taking in her soaked state.
“Whoops, sorry babe,” he answered, brushing the incident off as he took in the view of Belle’s dress.
The top of her dress clung to her like a second skin, the light color fabric losing its opacity as it exposed the lines of the bra beneath.
Keith grinned, his eyes traveling in a particular direction as he spoke again. “Why don’t you come back to my place and we can get you out of that wet dress?”
From the counter, Arthur let out a wolf whistle at the sight. Sure he had his own problems to deal with, but he certainly wasn’t going to miss out on a free show when it was put on display so well.
Belle had opened her mouth to tell him off as the weight of a thick knit cardigan landed around her shoulders, large enough that it fell around her front to cover her wet bodice.
“I don’t think that will be necessary.” An accented voice cut in as Marcus stepped in between them, forcing Keith to take a step back. “I’m quite sure she can take care of herself,” he commented. “Whether you are capable of taking care of yourself is another matter.”
Before Keith had a chance to sputter anything back, Marcus had set his hand on Belle’s shoulder lightly as he led her away back to her table, leaving Keith to deal with the broken glass and the irritated bartender.
“Are you alright, Miss French?”
“Yes… Yes I am. Thank you,” she answered, gripping onto the sides of his cardigan as she held it around herself.
“Think nothing of it,” Marcus answered. “If you like —”
“Oh my god, Belle! What happened!” Ruby called out as she jogged back to their table. “Are you alright?”
“You’re soaked through and there isn’t even a fountain in here!” Anna added, grabbing up their note napkins from earlier as she started to pat her friend dry.
Marcus smiled to himself as he slipped his hands into his pockets, taking the chance to excuse himself from the bar. He was right - Belle could take care of herself, and she certainly had enough additional help.
Belle nodded. “Yes, I’m fine. I just got soaked from Keith’s drink when he—”
“When he what? I can’t believe the nerve of him. I’ll… Wait, whose sweater is that?” Ruby questioned.
Another snippet from the next chapter of In All Things.
“Please, just let me handle things. Everything will be fine if -”
“Stop it!” Belle’s eyes flashed as she stepped forward, her hands curling into fists at her sides. “Don’t patronize me, I’m not stupid. I know what I saw in those ledgers, and if any of that is your idea of handling things, then you might as well sell off the land to the King now. The better to let him sort out how to manage our meager stores through the winter.”
The force of her voice caused Maurice to startle, and Gold had to fight to keep from smiling.
Give me a number up to 500 and I’ll try to write that many words and post a snippet!
betweenpaperpages replied to your post: Hi if anyone sees my muse could you please tell...
I saw her on the side of the motorway. The odd thing is, she said she was traveling to the air port to pick up @thatravenclawbitch ’s. Something about them running away to Greta Green?
Are there certain stories that you want banners for? Do you know what size? I’ll give it a go.
Basically my main Masterlist now is just a page with six links leading to the individual masterlists (Rumbelle is split in chapter fics, one-shots and the Starbucks series, then I got Anyelle, assorted OUAT drabbles and Caryl fics). And it looks very... spartan. I wish I could have banners with links to the individual pages instead, because otherwise it’s pretty sad.
If you could help that would be awesome! Could pay you in fic if you wish.
betweenpaperpages replied to your post: What the hell just happened on the Oscars. I was...
How did they fuck up?
THEY READ THE WRONG ENVELOPE! They called up La La Land as Best Picture. They went through their whole acceptance speeches and then find out Moonlight won, not them.
