Rose traced the scar on his left knee with a fingertip before pressing a kiss to the faint white reminder.
Cullen cleared his throat, cheeks turning adorably pink in the candlelight. “Jumping out of the barn with my siblings. Mia’s fault. She said there was enough hay to soften the fall. And Rosie wanted to know what flying felt like. I was… exuberant.”
“And missed the bales entirely?”
He rolled his eyes heavenward, as if praying for rescue. “Yes.”
Giggling, she hitched up the sleeve of her dressing gown and turned her arm so he could see her elbow. “That was jumping from the wardrobe onto the bed with an insufficient supply of pillows.”
His lips were warm and soft against the old scar. Unfortunately, his stubble tickled just enough that she jerked and caught him straight in the nose with the sharpest point of her elbow. He fell back with a groan, hand already reaching up to feel out the damage. “Rose,” he said, though it came out Wose. “You bwoke my nowse.”
“Sorry.” She winced, shrugging out of her silken robe to give him something to staunch the flow. He waved it away, eyes watering but not angry. She almost thought he might be smiling. Through the pain. Sort of. “Sorry sorry sorry. Gave my father a black eye that lasted weeks when he tried to kiss the original better.”
He chuckled. Wetly. Through the blood. That she’d caused.
“I’ll get a healer. No need to add another scar to the collection.” She kissed the top of his hand because she couldn’t reach the damage she’d done. “Or, quite selfishly I grant you, ruin that perfect profile I’m so fond of gazing at across the table in the War Room.”
This time, the blush burned crimson, but he didn’t try to stop her running for the door.
1. What drew your character to their LI and vice versa?
Krem’s a good, kind dude, who makes breakfast and helps her set up her tent, and he’s really cute.
Kylie laughs a lot, she’s nice to the people who matter to her, and it’s pretty hot that she can conjure a hurricane.
29. What are your favorite moments that happen between them?
WELL. It’s cheating to say “every moment,” even though that’s the truth. So.
Krem nearly tripping over naked Kylie his first morning with the Chargers is a solid classic. Krem carrying strawberries all over Ferelden on his way to Haven on the off-chance that the elf who survived the Conclave really is Kylie. Kylie literally turning into a bear (which she didn’t know she could do) because Krem was in trouble. Kylie being in the process of catching a berry mid-air with her mouth when Krem asks her to marry him. That kiss at the end of raise your fists up to the sky.
Aaaand a belated followup on the “what game shall I play?” post.
Your votes were appreciated! I thought it over, and realized that I really want to play Torment, so I’m going to play Torment. :) We don’t have classes next week, so even though I have a bunch of things to do (hello taxes), I think I’ll have time to focus on Torment and hopefully finish before ME:A comes out, and even if I have to slightly delay starting ME:A I think it’s worth it.
Hahahaha my husband is out of town which means game time for me, but did I play anything new last night? OF COURSE NOT. I'd say go gaming lite with the D III expansion, and save up your stamina for the 28th. ;)
It would be really easy for me to dither about what to play for long enough that it becomes a non-issue, which is a big part of why I’m announcing my decision in public. Did you play something old last night? :D (And gaming lite is a good idea, but I am throwing caution to the winds!)
junemermaid answered your question “I’ve been on a bit of a computer-game-playing binge of late after...”
Play Torment: Tides of Numenera, I should very much like someone to talk about it with :D
Well, how can I say no to that? (Have you started? How far in are you?)
ultramidge answered your question “I’ve been on a bit of a computer-game-playing binge of late after...”
I would vote for either 1 or 3. Powering through something before whatever is happening on the 21st is the best bet.
A whole new meaning for the phrase “power gaming.” :)
swaps55 answered your question “I’ve been on a bit of a computer-game-playing binge of late after...”
I am playing Diablo III for the first time (ultimate edition thingy) and it's rather glorious.
I’ve gotten more into it than I expected! I think we greatly benefit from being on the far end of a number of game-altering patches. I would ask if you want to play together but I suspect you’re on one of those console thingies? :)
silksieve answered your question “I’ve been on a bit of a computer-game-playing binge of late after...”
You may like Dishonored! Sounds like Torment is a game you'll want to be able to concentrate on. I will probably not get the expansion, although I hear there are companion missions in it!
I really DO want to get around to Dishonored... Well, I probably won’t spend ALL of 2017 on the new Bioware game, right?
(I’m amused that I’m now the one contemplating buying the expansion when you had to talk me into getting the base game. Companion missions sound exciting! What kind of trouble can Lyndon get us into?)
1. What was the first element of your OC that you remember creating?
I wanted a Krem romance.
4. In developing their backstory, what elements of the world they live in played the most influential parts?
Iron Bull. 110%. She joined up with the Chargers when she was *mumbles*teen, and was largely feral at that point; most of her actual How To Interact With People and How I See The World personality was formed by Bull.
The Chargers themselves also were important, as a collective: she’d been abandoned by her clan, and was surviving on her own, but along come these misfit assholes who immediately adopt her. And they never abandoned her, ever. It takes her a long, long time to fully internalize that fact.
14. If you had to narrow it down to 2 things that you MUST keep in mind while working with your OC, what would those things be?
Bubblegum and sunshine.
19. What is your favorite fact about your OC?
The spiral in her ear is the one that’s visible, but all of her piercings are enchanted with runes.
2. What’s your most recent fic and how far do you think you’ve come?
Anthem. And, oh god. Oh god. If I traveled back in time to talk to 13 year-old me who was somehow ripping off both Voyager and the X-Files for a school assignment (and not “ripping off” as in “derivative fanwork” but “literally copying an episode onto paper and changing some names”), or 14 year old me who was writing self-insert Voyager fic in an attempt to deal with her depression, and handed either of them Anthem, there is no way she’d believe that she would eventually grow up to write that.
20. Have/Would you ever rewrite a fic? If yes, would you take the original down?
Other things came up that had to put the Biosphere rewrite on pause, but I’m still working on it. I’m doing it mostly because I wrote that fic ten years ago and I’m really interested in a side-by-side comparison of how I’ve grown as an author. Whether I post it or not, I’m not sure - I don’t think the audience is there anymore and, as is my lot in life with things that hold personal meaning for me, I think I’d be devastated if it got little reception. The original’s been taken down for years; I went through my fic journal several years ago, taking down everything except for my forever favorites that were also good, and Biosphere was one that got cut.
12 - Leaning on a shoulder. 1300 words (because I have no chill at all), mostly of Tori/Liam (still with important bits of OT3!) because that’s how this one fell.
Becoming Pathfinder hasn’t been great for Victoria’s anxiety and panic. Somehow, she’s managed to keep this from her boyfriends for a good long while. Until she can’t.
***
Boots crunch on the sand beside her, andsomeone sits down in the small shade of the Nomad. He tosses a rock away,and she cracks one eye open.
Liam.
She closes her eye again, rests her foreheadin her hands, and concentrates on her breathing. Good air in, bad air out,something the owner of her favorite bakery said to her once, when she came infor a fifth evening in a row to buy herself a Made It Through A Crap Daycupcake. Good air in, bad air out. The meds should kick insoon.
It wasn’t even anything specific. Just onetoo many fights, one too many kett that got too close, not enough sleep, threeemails from Tann, a reminder from Lexi that she’s working too hard and noteating enough, SAM pointing out a mining zone just as she drove past it. All ofit would be fine on its own, but together - she felt it rising in that lastfight, a wave of adrenaline unrelated to gunfire surging up inside of her, bringingwith it an all-consuming urge to just panic. She’d tried to channel itinto the fight, maybe blow off the steam by shooting a couple kett in the face,but it hit too fast too strong. At least she was able hold it at bay until afterward.
Liam puts his hand on her knee. “Youokay?”
Victoria sits up a little, leans against theNomad’s wheel, and takes a long sip from her water bottle. The water’s crispand cold, refreshing and centering as it slides down her throat. A soft blanketof calm starts to settle over her, starting in her chest, slowing her heart andher breathing, and gradually spreading outward. She can almost feel themedication transported through her veins. Much better.
“Yeah,” she says quietly, though she isn’t totally there quite just yet. “Thanks.” She takes another drink.
“That happen often?”
She turns to look at him. She thought she hidit well, but - of course he knows the signs of a panic attack. Crisis responseisn’t lacking in panic. His voice is gentle,concerned not accusatory, and she shrugs. “First one on the field,”she admits. “And it’s happening less elsewhere now that Cora’s taken overmost of the bullshit.”
But happening less now implies happening a lot before, and Liam’s smart enough to know that.
He squints at her and then moveshis hand from her knee, settling his arm around her shoulder. He tugs herclose, his armor clanking against hers, and presses a kiss to the top of herhead. “Why didn’t you tell us?” Still gentle and concerned, and shewonders how he does it. From almost anyone else, the question would sound mad,maybe even hurt. But he just sounds worried.
Victoria shrugs. “Hi, I’m thePathfinder, and I’m having daily panic attacks because the fate of the entireInitiative has landed on my wildly unqualified shoulders, and I don’t know whatthe fuck I’m doing.” She gives him a wide, fake smile, and then rests herhead on his shoulder. His armor isn’t that comfortable to lean against, butit’s nice sitting here with him.
Liam smooths out her hair. “Lexi giveyou meds?”
She nods and tugs his arm a little tighteraround her. “Right thigh compartment,” she says, patting it.“Also nightstand drawer.” She’s only had a few attacks here that wereso overwhelming she couldn’t even process you have pills for this and shouldtake some. Luckily, SAM spoke up, but SAM can’t hug, SAM can’t hold, andher father certainly didn’t program SAM to talk anyone down from a panicattack. She got her meds okay, but it was a rocky rest of the evening. Havinganother person - a boyfriend who hugs, who holds, who might have a clue how totalk her down from a panic attack - know where to find her meds would be nice,if ever things started to get totally out of hand.
Well. Ideally things wouldn’t get totally outof hand, and ideally she wouldn’t need any help at all - pharmaceutical,artificially intelligent, or otherwise. But after thirty-odd years, she’slearned her mind well enough to accept that, as badly as she wants it, ideallysimply isn’t going to happen.
“Got it,” he says. He links theirfingers together and gives her hand a little squeeze. “Let us know if wecan do anything?”
She wants to make him promises. Wants to tellhim of course, absolutely, wants to tell him that she’ll always saysomething, always ask for help. But her mind can be cruel to her sometimes,cruelest of all when she needs help. The best she can give him is, “I’lltry.”
He seems to accept that, and leans his headagainst hers.
Her hardsuit scrapes on the rocky sand as shescoots a little closer to him. His armored shoulder may not be the mostcomfortable to lean against, but he sure is solid. Stable. Calm. He tightenshis arm in a sideways hug.
“Where’s Jaal?” she asks after awhile, finally calmed enough to notice that he’s missing.
“Went off to scout ahead,” Liam says.“Figured both of us would be too much.”
“And you lost the coin toss?” shegrins.
He shakes his head. “No,” he sayssoftly, brushing his fingers down her arm, though neither of them can feel it.
The terrible joke dies right there onVictoria’s tongue. That single syllable contains so much care and concern, morethan should be allowed for a word with only two letters. He presses a kiss toher temple, and whispers so softly she thinks he doesn’t mean to say the wordsout loud at all, we would never toss a coin about you.
Victoria blinks. They’ve been together a few weeks now, after months of dancing around it, and Liam and Jaal both never stop surprising her with how strong,how intense, how everything they feel for her. It’s a little overwhelming, but the good kind. Not the kind that threw her into a panic attack mid-charge.
“Probably best not to learn Care AndFeeding Of Your Human Girlfriend in the field on the fly, huh?” she says.
Liam smiles. “Something like that.”He shifts a little and fusses with an armor pocket. “Speaking of,” hehands her a protein bar.
She opens the packaging without lookingat it and takes a bite. “This is disgusting,” she says, around amouthful of somehow both chewy and dry snack, but she chews andswallows anyway. The doctor in her knows that she needs to eat something, evenif her tastebuds are screaming in horror. She looks at the wrapper: bananachocolate oatmeal. It tastes remotely like none of those things.
“Take it up with requisitions,” hesays.
“I will,” she says, and takesanother bite. “What’s the point of being Pathfinder if I can’t even getthe good protein bars?”
Liam laughs. “No point at all.”
They sit in silence while she finishes therest of the bar, and washes it all down with half a bottle of water. She spiesJaal climbing over a nearby hill, his silhouette nearly glowing in the settingsun. His rofjinn is an even brighter blue for the red rocks behind him.
“You good?” Liam asks her as Jaalwalks toward them.
a lot of people recently finished the game and some people wanted to know what they had may have missed during their blackout period, so this post is going to be Victoria fic and links to various tags/posts. Use as you wish!
don’t threaten me with a good time
canon
face
intro post #1 | intro post #2
more importantly, fic!
I am forcibly escorted to the resistance headquarters.
(once Jaal has confirmed that Evfra won’t actually kill her for it, nor jeopardize any official alliances, Victoria sends this to Evfra and he does the stare into the camera thing for approximately ten years)
