Just felt inspired by so many awesome people on discord to write this small OS as a tribute to @ashalle-art‘s and my own new Polyship.SolasxAshalleLavellanxCullenRutherford. And I just needed to get this out of my system and decided to take one of the 12 Days of Satinalia prompts.
Ao3 Link: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28011462
12 Day’s of Satinalia: Snowball Fight
The air was especially chilly on this morning. A clear blue sky laid above the Towers of the Stronghold that was surrounded by the majestic Frostback mountains. Most of Skyhold’s inhabitants were located inside the main building or in the nearby Tavern, only a few of them outside at this early hour. The soldiers were patrolling the walls to keep a lookout for their enemies. Some of them were sparring against the Iron Bull and his group of mercenaries and the clash of their swords and shield mixed with the laughter of children that played in the snow. An almost peaceful display, considering the times that they were in.
Solas’s breath came out in small puffs when he accompanied the red-head on a stroll through the Stronghold, their feet leaving a trail behind in the freshly fallen snow. His eyes shifted towards the Seeker that was slashing at the training puppets with an angry yell. But he could catch her, pausing every so often to watch the playing children with a softened expression. He nodded politely into her direction, his arms folded behind his back as he watched the faint embarrassed blush to creep up on her cheeks. Possibly because she did not want him to see her appearing soft. Or anyone else in that regard. Cassandra was a well guarded woman after all, and he knew that it would only be worse when Varric would be here, instead of playing cards with Cole and Sera at the tavern.
‘What are they doing?’, he could hear the Inquisitor ask with a quite puzzled voice when she paused to watch the children that threw balls out of snow against each other, laughing loudly as they did so. Her blue eyes were lit with curiosity as she watched them. Indicating that this was one of the things that she had never seen before. And how could she? Tevinter was not known for its snowy day’s, amongst some other things that were denied to her before. His gaze took in the expression on her face that was a mixture of curiosity and childlike wonder. He couldn’t help but to look at her fondly, like he always did when her face lit up and when she expressed that thirst for knowledge.
‘It is known as a Snowball fight, a common tradition for children in the cold and snowy winter months. Amongst some other traditions…’ Solas didn’t even get to finish the explanation, facing a handful of snow that was thrown right into his face. The cold and wet mass stuck to his face, leaving behind a prickling sensation as the cold that crept into his skin.
‘Oh, I’m so sorry.’, she shrieked, her hands covering her o-shaped mouth. She really felt remorse for a moment, yet also couldn’t hold the snort in that escaped her lips because he looked so incredibly ridiculous. ‘I… I didn’t mean to hit you. Well… I actually did but… I’m so sorry.’ Ashalle managed to get through the snorts before it erupted into giggles. Giggles that turned into a shriek when he threw a fistful of snow back towards her. She was quick enough to dodge it, bending down to form another ball that she could throw at the other elven mage in return. Her blue eyes sparking in joy as they engaged into a snowball fight like the children did.
Cullen had just decided to take the longer route to the kitchens. He needed some exercise and could use the excuse to patrol the walls in order to look after his fellow soldiers before he made his way down the stairs that lead to the snowy patch between the tavern and the stairs that led up to the main building. It turned out to be a mistake as soon as he felt something cold and wet that hit the back of his blonde locks. He paused as he felt the cold liquid that was trickling down on his neck, leaving him uncomfortable and chilly.
His body shifted as he turned to see who it was that hit him, guessing that it must’ve been some of the children that were playing in the snow. But the expression of the Inquisitor made it perfectly clear that it weren’t them, but her instead. She tried to hide the guilt in her blue eyes quickly, pointing at the elven mage next to her that still held a snowball in his hand.
‘It was him.’, she stated out with a breathy laugh, and he made sure to give them a scornful look before he bent down to gather a fistful of snow as an answer, resulting in a giggling squeal when she tried to dodge away. He followed swift, not minding the heavy weight of his armour as he dashed through the snow. His breaths came out in white puff’s, his cheeks taking on a red hue from the cold and the exhausting movement. Cullen might’ve been at a disadvantage against the two elves that weren’t dressed as heavy as he was, and he sputtered when another cold wave hit his face. Yet, this time thrown by Solas, his expression all smug and cocky as he arched a brow in a mocked tease.
‘What is it commander? Unable to keep up?’ The stormy eyes glinted in a cocky and calculating way, his lips curved into a mischievous smirk. An expression that he was used to seeing on other occasions and that always managed to rile him up as much as it turned him on. Possibly too much, because he was too late to doge away from the ball that hit his chest plate with a thud. White powder decorated his armour, slowly melting away on the metal plate.
And he couldn’t help but wonder if Solas provoked him on purpose. If Solas had seen Ashalle’s movement before, giving her just the perfect opportunity to strike. Of course this was just a game, something that he played as a child with his siblings back in Honnleath. The days when they roamed around the house of his birth, forming animals out of the snow before they engaged into a fight just like this. He was still fond of those memories, glad that the Lyrium hadn’t taken them away.
But he shook the memory away for now, aiming to hit the cocky elven mage, that dodged the snowball easily. ‘Too slow.’, he whispered into his ear with his deep and rhythmic voice, causing him to shiver because of the closeness to his ear. He reached out to get a grip on him, but only for him to doge away once more. Solas surely was fast, and he aimed to throw another ball of snow after him, hitting this time because he used more force. That was his advantage at least, while he clearly lacked the ability to move with their speed.
A triumphant smile caused his lips to curl, his scar shifting with the movement. His breath got knocked out when he felt the weight of Ashalle as she crushed against him, only to let a handful of the white and powdery mass slip into the small slit that laid between his armour and his neck. He felt as it trickled down again, soaking the clothes that he wore underneath the plate armour. Goosebumps started to crawl on his skin, causing the hairs on his arms to stand up. Cullen shivered, opening his mouth to say something before they got sealed with her lips.
‘Got you.’, she whispered cheekily against his lips before she sealed them with those sweet and lush lips that felt warm on his own that were chapped from the cold. Not to mention that they had the ability to render him completely speechless at once. Soft fingers curled into the hair of his neck, tugging slightly as she held on. A soft tongue caressed over his lips, slowly invading his mouth. Something that he gave to her willingly with a muffled sound that left his lips while his fingers were clutching into the soft fabric of her winter coat.
He could feel the fingers that moved from his hair towards the stubble on his cheeks. Cold fingertips pressed into his skin, joined by another pair of long and slender hands that wrapped around his neck. They came to a halt on his cold chest platter, male lips brushing against his ear and that caused him to groan against the woman's lips.
‘Let us shed those cold clothes off commander’, Solas suggested with his deep and melodic voice, lips brushing against his ear with a dark chuckle. He could feel how Cullen shifted underneath the tips of his fingers, felt as Ashalle pressed herself closer too. Fingertips brushed not only against the cold metal of the commander’s armour but against the soft fabric of her coat as well. His ears twitched when he heard her breathy giggle that got muffled by Cullen’s lips before she broke the kiss with a mischievous glint in her deep blue eyes.
‘No… I can’t.’ The man in question protested, even though it was clear that he was fighting against the temptation already. ‘I still need to do some paperwork...and then there’s the meeting with Cassandra…’, he added, only to be interrupted by soft lips that trailed over his sensitive neckline.
‘But commander, he’s right you know? Aren’t you cold? You two can strip your armours and tunics off while I undress to give you a treat. Sounding good?’, she purred against his skin, her lips nipping at his neck skilfully. Both of his lovers could watch as he twitched, the sensation too good to deny it.
‘No…. I really can’t… Maker’s Breath.’ Cullen brought over his lips.
‘You really should take a break with us. We can take a nice, long and hot bath afterwards to relax our tense muscles.’ Ashalle added with a luscious movement against the commander's body before she met Solas gaze, eyes darkened as much as Cullen’s were.
All three of them knew, that they wouldn’t leave their shared quarters for quite some time this day once more distracting him from his duties.
