OC + Love Interest Sleeping Styles
I was tagged by the creator of this tag game, @kogarashi-art! Thank you! (And I am so sorry this took so long to post!)
What does your OC's sleeping arrangement/style look like with their Love Interest? Cuddling? Pillow nests? As far apart as possible? Separate beds or even rooms?
While they’re still not at the point where they’re actively sharing a bed together in my fic, the few times they have shared a bed we’ve gotten a glimpse: they sleep completely wrapped up in each other. This can be spooning or simply entwined. They’re two halves a whole who’ve been separated for far too long, so when they’re in bed together, they fuse. Plus, they’re both desperate for each others’ warmth as Meira is always cold and so is Cullen because of his lyrium withdrawal. Cullen’s coldness does eventually subside as he overcomes the worst of the symptoms and he gradually becomes a hot box. Eventually, this means that they gravitate away from one another in their sleep during the night, but they always fall asleep wrapped around each other and when they begin to stir in the morning Cullen pulls Meira close to cuddle until they have to get out of bed.
In my fic, they have three beds to choose from: Cullen’s bed in the loft above his office that has a (fixed and enchanted) window open to the sky, Cullen’s bed in his private quarters within the main keep and Meira’s bed (which is in what is traditionally the Inquisitor’s room, but Ellana gifted that room to her sister). At a guess, I’d say the one in Cullen’s office probably gets used the most often for sleeping as it’s just more convenient for him. And not to say that other…activities don’t ever happen there, but Meira especially is a very private and shy woman who just would not be comfortable with the notion that someone could walk in on them or hear them (even if she may tease Cullen about it). The more romantic activities would be reserved for the bed in Meira’s quarters (it will be their shared quarters when they’re married) as it’s the most private while still offering the openness that Cullen desires because of his claustrophobia.
Anaia likes a lot of pillows and blankets while Cullen, after years with nothing but the basics, is more comfortable with one pillow and one blanket (both of which are in horrendous states in Ana’s opinion). Ana also loves sleep. She does sometimes stay up too late reading, but often she goes to bed early and sleeps in late (when she can; obviously, as Inquisitor this rarely happens—it’s usually late nights and early mornings, so my girl is perpetually tired). So, if Ana is sleeping in her quarters (like when she knows Cullen is going to have a briefing in his office that will run late or something similar), this often means Cullen is coming in to Ana buried within a nest of pillows and blankets and has to dig for her. Not that he minds as Ana loves wearing “pretty things” to bed (especially once she has someone to wear them for, lol) and he rather enjoys the “discovery”. It may mean that not much sleep happens after for either of them.
But a lot of times, Ana will be up in Cullen’s loft tucked under the covers reading while she waits for him to finish up his work. Prior to them sharing a bed, Ana would often sneak up to Cullen’s loft to hide and/or read which meant Cullen often found her asleep on his bed. This meant that he obtained an extra blanket that was soft and heavy which he kept neatly folded in his trunk to drape over Ana whenever he found her napping up there. This becomes her blanket once they’re regularly sharing a bed in order to keep warm from the incessant draft coming in from the opening in his ceiling.
On the rare occasion they do get to actually fall asleep together, it’s spent pressed against one another as they sit up reading and sipping on something warm. Ana is often reading some fictional work while sipping on chamomile tea with a bit of milk and honey in order to unwind while Cullen is going over reports and letting his cuppa grow cold.
Do these two sleep? They’re usually too busy using the bed for other things because they can’t keep their hands off each other. It’s how they end up with six kids. Hahaha XD (This is all affectionate—they’re madly in love and making up for a decade and some change of lost time. They deserve every moment they can to express it).
In seriousness, they both enjoy minimal blankets and pillows. They like soft and light sheets with a moderately heavy comforter. This gets changed out for a heavier, fur-lined blanket in the winter months. How they often fall asleep is with Elera’s head on Cullen’s chest and her arm draped across his stomach (which gets a bit softer with age and causes her to smile) as she listens to him read the Chant of Light aloud with Dane curled up at their feet while Cullen runs the fingers of his free hand through Elera’s hair or caresses the point of her ear. Elera loves Cullen’s voice and finds the steady beat of his heart soothing.
Sometimes it’s the other way around in that Elera is the one reading some fictional work (while Cullen often grumbles his way through it, even if he secretly loves it) as Cullen absently pets Dane while studying his wife in the candlelight who seems to only grow more beautiful with age.
When their kids are younger, they’re sometimes joined by a few little ones and fall asleep facing each other with arms around their babes and smiles on their faces in disbelief that the life they longed for has finally come to fruition.
Tagging @animezinglife, @dogot, @kogarashi-art, and @phillypumpkin! And anyone else who sees this and wants to join in without waiting for an official tag. Feel free to play along!
