FIVE FAVORITE CHAPTERS
I love these sorts of tags, thank you so much @virshiral 🌿💚
This is a great activity in procrastination (but I am currently working on chapter 3 of A Witness to My Crimes and chapter 69 of The Theory of Being, I promise.)
I am going to try and choose one chapter of a few different fics, which is a little difficult to narrow down on some more than others (looking at you, The Theory of Being).
From The Theory of Being, Chapter 8 (To Break Chains):
The song continued and began to crest. A buildup of emotion and sound at its peak. Wait, no. This wasn't right. This never happened. The song was new to her, one that never rang through the halls of the Forgotten.
I chose this chapter for my longfic because it was the scene that popped into my mind that sort of inspired the entire story.
I was driving down the road and a song (Theory of Being by Audiomachine) came up on my shuffle, and I had a daydream-y kind of moment with Fen'harel at a masquerade and the thought of 'what if Lavellan was a Forgotten One?'
So reaching that chapter and writing out that vision, it'll probably remain as one of my favorites.
Dragon Age - Explicit - Solas x Lavellan
From A Witness to My Crimes, Chapter 2 (Payback's a Bitch):
More flashes. Like an old film running off its tracks. Screaming. Riley yelling his name as she clawed at the ground. He never felt helpless before and he fucking hated it.
Granted there are only two chapters to choose from in regards to this one but c'est la vie.
I had been mulling around dabbling outside of the Dragon Age fandom for awhile, and had done some one-shots here and there but this one is turning out to be one of my favorites. The tone change in terms of what I am used to writing has been fun, leaning into a toxic dynamic and playing around there has been great.
I am really proud of how I meshed the past and present in this chapter, along with the fine line between intimacy and possession later on in the chapter.
The Boys - Explicit - Soldier Boy x Cataclysm
From One Nug Short of Sensible, Chapter 3 (A Nug Worth Keepin'):
Her palms felt cold against his clammy cheeks. All he could think was how pretty she was. A light, purposeful pat refocused him, bringing his attention back to her while a weak chuckle dropped from her lips, "You can tell me I'm pretty later. Can't check out on me now, cowboy. Gotta let me gloat about this later."
The first of my Rhela / Geldauran stories in a multi-chapter. There is something about these two that has captured my heart so so much. I am decidedly not normal about them in any way (gods, look at how much commissioned art they have now...) and had low key made me the 'cowboy person' in a few writing circles which is... endlessly hilarious to me for a variety of reasons.
I wanted their attraction to be instantaneous but both of them trying to ignore it for as long as they can. This story was meant to be a one-shot, turned into 3 chapters and is just about my god reincarnation modern AU Geldauran (as a Texan-style Sheriff) meeting his eventual Undersheriff and love of his life.
Dragon Age - Teen - Rhela Ghilain x Geldauran
From This Forgotten Binding, Chapter 8 (Banal'rasen or Mien'harel):
Hope that began to crawl underneath his skin. Hope that was broken, and bruised. Like a soldier who could only pull themselves forward with their fingers. Clawing at the dirt beneath them. But that hope was there, alive, and refusing to surrender to the idea that the course of his life was already decided.
I love this entire story for so many reasons and I truly wish I could share it with more people. It's from my first fandom event (summer DABB 2025!) and it was my first dive into a true AU.
Forgotten Gods, god reincarnations, modern Thedas (with magic!), museums, universities, archaeology, the works. It had so many things crammed into it and I am so immensely proud of it.
This chapter (much like my chapter chosen for The Theory of Being) contains the scene that sort of kicked off the entire idea. A walk through a museum of relics owned by the Forgotten Ones.
Dragon Age - Explicit - Solas/Fen'harel x Isathe/Aseradiva
From Mending Strings of Loss, Chapter 2 (Confronting Fears):
About ten minutes after their arrival, as Cullen was passing a message to a scout, his door swung open violently. Ellana standing in the doorway, both the Commander and the scout jumped at the noise. The Inquisitor pointed to the door, "Out, I need to speak with Commander Cullen alone." Maker's breath, she is still mad. She also had him cornered. The scout made a swift exit and every part of Cullen wished he could follow.
I chose this one as it appears to be the first one I finished for the Dragon Age fandom? It was a short, 2 chapter piece. Some of my early early work but I also love it as something to look back on and see how I have changed in terms of my story telling, and own writing ability.
It also isn't Solavellan, which is fun! And I truly enjoy torturing Cullen (affectionately).
Dragon Age - Mature - Cullen Rutherford x Inquisitor Lavellan