I will never be able to sing highly enough the praises of @sunshinemage​. Once again, I entrusted her with my beloved characters and, once again, she created something so far beyond what I could have ever expected or asked for. <3 I love this odd little family I have created, and I cannot thank her enough for treating them, and me, with kindness and acceptance. If you get the opportunity to work with her, I highly recommend it!

L to R: Nathaniel Howe, Cataline Howe, Theadosia Mac Tir, Loghain Mac Tir, Anora Mac Tir.

Modern!Thedas - Cullen x Trevelyan

She didn’t mean to kiss him, don’t be absurd. 

She just fell, is all. 

Lips first. 

~

Thank you so much @faelavellan for this gorgeously sweet piece of art. It’s just so lovely, as are you! 

Another artist I would happily recommend. 

It is such a rare, wonderful thing to find an artist whose work I not only love, but who is willing to work with this particular OTP and do so with immense kindness and acceptance. @sunshinemage​ does such an amazing job with Theadosia and Loghain every single time, and this was no exception. She thought of things even I had not thought of, and the end result was simply perfect. I cannot thank her enough, nor can I recommend her highly enough. If you get a chance to work with her, DO IT. 10000000/10 would recommend.

12 Days of Satinalia Masterpost (2019)

Day One: The Practice of Grace 

Day Two: Just Perfect 

Day Three: Loons on Ice

Day Four: Know Within My Heart

Day Five: Comforts of Home

Day Six: Snow Rest for the Wicked

Day Seven: All Downhill From Here

Day Eight: Murder Most Merry

Day Nine: Safe and Warm

Day Ten: The Way Home 

Day Eleven: And the Lights All Aglow

Day Twelve: All That I Want

12 Days of Satinalia (12/12): All That I Want

Requested by @kagetsukai​.

———————————————–

He loved this time of year; truly, he did. There was something to be said for the small, odd little family they had built. And despite his token grumbling, Loghain loved the holiday, too. It was good to once again have a family to spend it with, rather than sitting alone in Gwaren with a book and a drink and nothing but the cold echoes of empty halls to keep him company. But even more than the holiday itself, with its light and laughter and love, he liked this even better.

The snow was falling softly outside the large picture windows overlooking Lake Luthias. They always came up here to their mountain house after the holiday for a chance to breathe and recover after the joyful chaos that was Satinalia. Here, for now, it was only the two of them, and he knew the entire week would be spent in lazy mornings with coffee in bed, followed by equally aimless days reading or watching movies of simply losing themselves in each other. It was a beautiful sort of peace and calm, and he would not have traded it for anything.

“You look particularly pensive, love.”

Loghain turned towards the staircase, where Theadosia was descending wearing his old, worn flannel robe and, if he was lucky, absolutely nothing else. The shoulder slipped just slightly, revealing a hint of ivory shoulder and confirming his theory. He smiled. “You know, we could buy you your own robe. One that actually fits you.”

She returned his smile with one of her own; one of the honest, brilliant, rare smiles that were his alone. They’d had this conversation dozens of times, and while he had been half-heartedly serious the first time, he had not been even remotely upset when she had refused to give it up. It was simply a matter of habit and mutual teasing at this point. He also knew she made a point of leaving it behind whenever she had to travel without him, the comfort of her scent on the fabric helping him get through the lonely evenings and mornings without her.

“I like yours,” she replied almost automatically. “Though if you were to insist, I suppose I could part with it.”

Keep reading

12 Days of Satinalia (11/12): And the Lights All Aglow

Requested by @queen-among-writers​.

—————————————————-

There was a quiet in the world.

It was the quiet of thousands of stars glittering in the vast, velvety blue expanse of the night, hidden behind a layer of muted clouds at the moment but still present. And it was the quiet of the delicate snow falling in unhurried paths down from the vault of the sky to join their brothers and sisters in soft, hushed drifts. For a few blissful days, or even weeks, the world would be quieter, swaddled and cradled in a blanket of white that would smooth away the imperfections of it all.

Winter was growing on her. Cat would always be a spring child, and would always wait impatiently for the first green blossoms and sprouts of the warmer months, but she was beginning to appreciate the colder season as well. There was a coziness to the season that she loved, and a chance to spend time with the people she loved best as they found ways to infuse light and joy into the darkest days of the year.

“It’s beautiful, isn’t it?”

She and Nathaniel were curled up together on the bed in their room at Thea and Loghain’s house, watching the snow fall outside, the white flakes tinted by the colorful lights lining the eaves and windows. They always spent Satinalia Eve here, and would be up bright and early the next morning for breakfast and presents and a day full of doing absolutely nothing productive. Satinalia Eve was always an exercise in gleeful chaos, and they loved it, but it also required a span of time to recover as well.

Nathaniel tilted his head so that it was resting against hers, and she felt a soft exhale of warmth as his breath ghosted over her cheek. “It is. As much as I love being with everyone, and being here, it is nice to have this moment just for the two of us. It is good to let the rest of the world fall away, and just have some peace.”

“Mmhmm,” Cat agreed, stifling a yawn as she nuzzled her head closer against his shoulder. “Think we can sleep in tomorrow morning?”

He laughed quietly. “Probably. You know Thea and Loghain will be up too early and making coffee, but Nora probably won’t make an appearance before eight. So I say we wait until we hear her get up, then consider at least the suggestion of getting up and putting on clothes.”

“That sounds like an excellent idea,” Cat agreed softly. They sat there for a while longer, not quite in bed yet but not quite awake either, wrapped in nothing more but each other’s arms and the well-worn quilt Nathaniel had been thoughtful enough to tuck around their shoulders. She nestled closer to his chest, mesmerized by the dancing flickers of white outside, barely visible save for the Satinalia lights.

She tilted her head up and Nathaniel looked down to face her, a quiet smile on his lips. Cat smiled back, then closed the distance between them, her mouth meeting his and warmth flooding her entire body as she sank into their kiss. When they parted, she gave his nose an affectionate rub with hers before finally sinking down against the bed and slipping under the covers. When he joined her, she felt the comforting weight of his arm as it wrapped around her waist, pulling her close.

Outside, the snow continued to fall. The world, at least for now, was at peace.

12 Days of Satinalia (10/12): The Way Home

Requested by @shannaraisles​.

———————————–

Neither Thea nor Loghain were terribly social people. Neither of them had much patience for idiots for one thing, and for another they were both incredibly selective about who they let their guard down around. It was a lesson born of harsh lessons and cruel realities, but they had found a sanctuary in each other, and in the small circle of family and friends they allowed into their lives. And it was not as though they never went out: there were dozens of restaurants and theaters they loved, and of course The Hanged Man was a constant favorite. A safe space, even for them.

This may have been a bit much for both of them.

“It may have been more efficient to simply set up a cage out front, let me sit in that for a while,” Loghain growled under his breath as they navigated the alleys and thoroughfares of the Denerim Night Market, specially bedecked for the Satinalia season. “At least then you would have been spared the not so subtle whispers and sideways looks.”

Thea squeezed his arm, but could not stop the small sigh that escaped her lips. “Loghain, my love, my only, you know I do not give a single fuck about anything they say. I am, however, deeply regretting putting you through this. I promise, we will make it a quick trip.”

To her relief, he did seem to relax a bit, his tension leaving his muscles beneath her touch. Which was good, because Thea herself was not entirely certain how long she would be able to keep her own calm. Despite being early in the evening, the market was already in full swing and the crowds were, in a word, overwhelming. That was bad enough, but throw in the implicit judgement that her and her husband’s presence provoked and it was enough to make her lose her marmalade.

“Promise me we have nothing planned tomorrow?” He asked, and the strain had gone out of his voice.

“Absolutely nothing,” she reassured him, looking up at him through half lowered lashes with a suggestive half-smile on her lips. “Beyond whatever pleasant ideas you have as far as incentives to get me downstairs to make coffee.”

Loghain gave a quiet laugh. “I am sure I can think of something. So, remind me what we are looking for?”

Thea bit her lower lip slightly. “There is a ceramics artist here that makes a very specific type of teacup. Cat discovered them earlier this year and has been mooning over them ever since, and it has been no small task to keep her from buying one for herself. I want to get a set and give one to her, one to Eleanor, one to Nora, and keep one for myself, so that I-”

She paused when she realized Loghain had stopped, his attention fixed on a small, cozy stall set slightly back from the others. The shopkeeper was a woman who could have been Thea’s grandmother, had Thea actually ever known hers, with a kindly face that spoke of a life well lived and full of laughter and love and a bit of heartache. The stall was lined with, to Thea’s immense surprise, antique toys and stuffed animals. She looked to her husband, whose brow had furrowed just slightly as he tentatively reached out a gloved hand to carefully touch an old mabari plush.

“She looks just like Adalla did,” he finally whispered, and Thea’s could hear the faint sounds of heartbreak in his words. Loghain rarely spoke of his childhood dog, who had been stolen from him by an Orlesian Chevalier, only to be returned a broken and beaten mess to die in his arms. In fact, he rarely spoke of his childhood much at all, nor of the circumstances that had left him an orphan at such a young age. “After she died,” he swallowed, then continued, “After she died, my mother gave me a stuffed mabari that looked much like this one. I was… I was devastated, that I was never able to find it again after I was taken away from the home I grew up in.”

Thea gently picked up the mabari toy, handing the woman behind the counter her card at the same time. She did not care how much the thing cost; she could afford it, and it would be worth it to give her husband back some small piece of what he had lost, what he had been forced to give up, all those years ago. To her surprise, the shopkeeper refused to take payment, handing Thea back her card and wrapping her hand around hers with a smile and a shake of her head.

“Please, Lady Mac Tir,” she said, her voice rich and slightly lilting, as though it could not quite settle on the accent it wanted. “I will not accept payment for returning a childhood toy.”

Thea frowned slightly, but her husband reached over and accepted the mabari with shaking hands. He looked at the hound’s left hind leg and there, in slightly clumsy, childish stitching, Thea saw the name ‘LOGHAIN.’ There was a single tear running down his cheek, and she was surprised to feel the hot sting of tears in her eyes as well. She watched, unable to form words, as Loghain leaned down and wrapped the old woman in a fierce hug. “Thank you,” he murmured, his voice hoarse.

“You have been through much, child,” she said, reaching up and patting his cheek affectionately. “But you have found your way home. It is only fitting your old friend should as well.”

Thea slipped her hand back into Loghain’s, his other arm clutching the small, well-loved dog. As they turned to walk away, she spared a final glance back towards the old lady and the toy stall, but, to her immense confusion, she could not seem to find either of them. Perhaps it was the chaos, perhaps it was her imagination, or perhaps it was a Satinalia miracle. Perhaps it did not matter.

They had all found their way home.

12 Days of Satinalia (9/12): Safe and Warm

Requested by @andrasste​.

———————————-

Even on the coldest winter nights, the food carts at the pod on Beechwood  Street were lively. Lines of shivering patrons stood patiently waiting for food and drink that ranged from Fereldan potatoes in gravy and cheese to spicy bean paste on flatbread from Seheron to hearty meat pies from Nevarra. Groups of people gathered around firepits and congregated beneath colorful awnings stretched out over picnic tables to enjoy food that may not have been great for the body, but did wonders for the soul. Cat loved these food carts, and they did not get out to them as often as she would have liked.

The Howes and the Mac Tirs were settled around one of the firepits, sampling the various plates they had selected and generally just enjoying a night out. They had teased Thea a bit about her insistence on coming out when the temperatures were below freezing, but after warming up by the fire and passing around the food, they agreed it had been worth it. And it was a beautiful night: the sky above them was clear and the stars were twinkling brightly against the deep blue expanse, lending a cheerful sparkle to their outing.

“Simply be glad I am making this our last trip of the season,” Thea pointed out before she nibbled on a gravy-laden fry. “It is supposed to start snowing tomorrow, and I would have had no qualms about dragging you all out here for the sake of me getting these potatoes one more time.”

Cat laughed, but Loghain just shook his head. “At least you’re eating something,” he pointed out dryly, but the kiss he placed on his wife’s cheek was tender, as was her answering smile. “In any case, we should probably think about heading home. It is getting late.”

“Of course,” Cat replied, a small smile tilting at her lips. It was not that late, but she could read between the lines and knew exactly why Thea and Loghain were heading home. Assuming they made it that far. “I think we’re going to stay a little longer, try the hot buttered rum.”

She and Nathaniel accepted hugs and kisses from Thea. “Drive safe you two,” Nathaniel called after them as they left, then went to retrieve the drinks for him and Cat before settling back down beside her and passing one over, then wrapping his free arm around her shoulders. “You sure you’re ok to sit out here a little while longer, Wildflower?” He asked softly.

“I am,” she reassured him, snuggling close and taking a sip of her drink, letting it warm her as it met her mouth and traveled down to her belly. “I’ve got this, and I’ve got you, and we’ve got a lovely fire. Mind, I won’t want to spend all night out here, but for now,” Cat gave a small sigh of contentment, leaning her head against his shoulder. “This is perfect.”

“It is,” he agreed quietly, squeezing her shoulder a little tighter. “You know, this time of year is growing on me. After so many years of simply ignoring it because I was alone, it has been amazing being able to spend it with the people I love.”

Cat tilted her head up so she was facing him, and when he looked at her she could see everything she had been about to say already reflected in the silvery light of his eyes. “I love you, Nate,” she murmured, her lips meeting his and tasting the spices and warmth of their drinks in addition to the dizzying taste that was simply him as he gently cupped her cheek in his hand.

“I love you too, Cat,” he replied, his forehead meeting hers briefly before he dropped a kiss there as well. “And I’m glad I have you here to keep me warm.”

Cat laughed softly. “Always,” she promised, then smiled a little more broadly.

“And when we get home, maybe I can come up with a few more ways to warm you up.”

12 Days of Satinalia (8/12): Murder Most Merry

by @out-of-the-embers.

——————————————–

Lazy, wintry weekend mornings were one of Thea’s favorite indulgences. She had often been accused of hating snow, but that was not it at all: she hated having to drive in it, and she disliked the inevitable grey, gritty, depressing wasteland it eventually turned into, but Thea rather liked the aesthetic of fresh, new snow. She loved cozy mornings spent indoors with a cup of cocoa, sitting at her kitchen island while ethereal flakes of pristine white wandered down from the muted grey of the sky.

For once, she was up and more or less awake before her husband. Normally, her first order of business would have been to start a pot of coffee, but she did not particularly feel as though she needed the caffeine that morning. It was going to be a quiet Saturday with nothing much planned at all, and she’d had a wonderful night’s sleep. A small smile quirked at her lips as she mentally acknowledged just why she had slept so well. Really, it was no wonder Loghain was still sleeping peacefully upstairs.

So instead of instinctively reaching for the container that held her precious coffee, Thea instead selected the ceramic jar that held the rich, spiced cocoa mix Josephine had brought back the last time she visited her family in Antiva. Thea was still not entirely sure what all was in the blend, but it glittered slightly in the warm light of the kitchen and it tickled her nose pleasantly. Humming quietly to herself, she set a pan of milk on the stove to warm and began carefully measuring the precious powder into her and Loghain’s favorite mugs.

Naturally, cocoa required marshmallows. If it’s not the law, it ought to be, she thought to herself in a moment of silliness. I should see if Nora will put that on her next legislative docket: all cocoa must come with no fewer than three standard size marshmallows or a dozen mini marshmallows. Thea poked around in the pantry, trying to find them, her brow furrowing as her search proved fruitless. Then, she sighed, looking over at the dining room table. 

Keep reading

12 Days of Satinalia (6/12): Snow Rest for the Wicked

Requested by @andrasste​.

————————-

It was not exactly clear how the fight started.

Thea had her suspicions, and she would be sure to discuss them at length with the culprit later that evening, preferably after a couple drinks, a hot shower, and much less clothing when she would have an advantage. For the moment, however, she was backed up against the wall of the guest house, frantically packing snow into a roughly spherical orb. Her heart was racing, there was snow melting down the back of her jacket, and she could already tell her hair was going to be an absolute mess by the time she made it inside.

And she was having way too much fun.

“Damn it, Nate,” she laughed as a snowball nailed her in the hip. She lobbed her own projectile in his general direction but missed when he darted to the other side, his own laughter echoing in the snowy stillness of the yard. He jogged towards the tree line and Thea made to follow, but stopped short. The forest surrounding her house was a mix of coniferous and deciduous trees so, while the foliage would not be as thick as it was in the summer, visibility would still be iffy. In other words, it was almost certainly a trap.

“Truce?”

Thea turned around, new snowball already in hand and ready to throw, but she held off as she faced her cousin. Cat was unarmed at the moment, her cheeks red and her smile bright, and her hands were up in a gesture of goodwill. “On what terms?” Thea asked, still not lowering her own arm. “Also, I am noticing your husband has remarkably managed to not hit you once.”

“Exactly,” Cat agreed, stepping closer and utterly ignoring Thea’s suspicion. “Thus making me a good ally. You already know they’re drawing you into a trap.”

“‘They’?”

Cat giggled. “When was the last time you saw your husband?” She pointed out. “I mean… other than when he started this whole shenanigan.”

“Oh I knew it!” Thea said, finally allowing her arm to drop.

Cat nodded, trying and failing to school her expression into something serious. “So here’s what I propose: I go in first, see if I can’t draw their attention. Then you come in, and try to pelt them with as many snowballs as you can manage.”

Thea considered for a moment, biting her lower lip. Then, she held out her hand and Cat accepted it. “Deal. Let’s go.”

They walked towards the woods, then Thea allowed Cat to go ahead first. She waited for a count of ten, then followed as quietly as she could. Her ears were sharp, listening for anything that might indicate Nathaniel or Loghain’s location. Or, for that matter, Cat’s. She paused, frowning slightly. Then, out of nowhere, she was hit with two bursts of frigid powder. Shaking the snow from her eyes, she glared in the general direction of the assault, only to find Cat and Nathaniel nearly doubled over with laughter.

“Oh, you two are the worst,” she called, ducking behind a tree and trying to pack together her own snowball. “Cat, I am never trusting you again.”

“Oh come on, Thea, you are supposed to be the clever one,” Cat laughed, but the sound shifted to a surprised yelp when she was surprised by a sudden snowball hitting her square on the shoulder.

“She’s right, you know,” Loghain pointed out, joining Thea at her side behind the tree. “It was obviously a trap.”

She threw him a withering glance before throwing a snowball in the general direction of Cat and Nathaniel before dodging one of theirs. “I knew it was a trap, for the record. I just thought you were the one helping him set it.”

Loghain frowned, launching a snowball and managing to hit Nate dead center in his chest. “Theadosia, why in the world would I be working against you?”

“Says the man who started this whole thing in the first place!”

“I did not!” He retorted, and there was genuine protest in his tone. “Cat was the one who got you in the back of the head.”

Thea stared at him for a moment. “Are you fucking kidding me?”

He raised an eyebrow in her direction before sending another snowball flying at Cat. “What do you think, sweetheart.”

“I think it’s time we demonstrate to my darling cousin and my best friend what happens when they start snowball fights with the most brilliant tactician in Ferelden and his equally brilliant wife.”

Loghain smiled at her.

“Yes. I think it is.”

12 Days of Satinalia (5/12): Comforts of Home

Requested by @izzyb900​.

——————————————-

“Alright, my love,” Cat said as she settled down onto the sofa and handed Nathaniel the ice pack she’d retrieved from the freezer, “You have your ice, your painkillers, and a cup of hot cocoa. Anything else you need before we begin the festive film watching?”

Nathaniel took a sip of his cocoa, then offered her a grateful smile. “I’m good,” he assured her. “Did you let Thea know I am expected to make a full recovery?”

“I texted her while the milk was heating up,” Cat giggled. “She said to let them know if we need anything, and she is sorry she acted like such a loon.”

He laughed, lifting up his good arm to wrap around her shoulders as she snuggled up next to him. “I love that woman, but you would think she had personally shoved me onto the icy spot of pavement and broken every bone in my body.”

“I know. But she only feels guilty and worries so much because she loves you, too,” Cat reminded him. “And I think some part of her, illogical though it may be, is still a little afraid you are going to disappear again.”

Nathaniel exhaled deeply. “Never, Wildflower,” he murmured as he pressed a kiss to her head. “I am never, ever, ever going to leave you.”

“Of course not,” Cat smiled. “We all know you won’t, including Thea when she is not in one of her tizzies. You know the holidays tend to make her a little more high-strung.”

“Mmhmm,” he agreed. “Good point. So,” he set his now empty mug on the table and reached for the remote. “What are we going to watch first?”

Cat thought for a moment. “Well, you’re the one with the sprained wrist and I am supposed to be taking care of you. You pick.”

“Ok, how about… what was that stop-motion one you and Thea were just aghast that I had not seen?”

“Oh!” Cat smiled a bit brighter. “The Nightmare Before Satinalia. How have you never seen it? It is so good!”

Nathaniel held up his hands in mock surrender. “So I keep hearing,” he chuckled. “But isn’t that an All Soul’s Day movie?”

Cat shook her head. “A question only asked by the woefully uninitiated. The correct answer, Nate, is that it is gleefully and unapologetically both. It is the perfect multi-holiday film. Plus, the soundtrack is fantastic.”

“Alright, love,” he laughed. “Far be it for me to question the wisdom of the two smartest women I know .Besides, if you like it, I know it will be good.” He lay down, stretching out over the sofa and resting his head on her lap. Cat reached down and gently brushed a strand of raven-dark hair way from his face, then leaned down and pressed a kiss to his cheek.

“I’m glad we’re doing this, Nate,” she murmured softly. “As much as I love the holidays and spending time with everyone and doing all the fun things we do… it’s nice to just have moments like this, where it is just us.”

“Absolutely,” Nathaniel said. “But you know we had better save The Grinch for our movie night with Thea and Loghain. That’s one of their favorites.”

Cat grinned.

“Can’t imagine why.”

12 Days of Satinalia (4/12): Know Within My Heart

Requested by @izzyb900​.

——————————————–

“It sounds like you were being a loon.”

Thea glared at her husband, but resisted the impulse to lob a handful of raw cookie dough in his direction. He must have guessed where her thoughts had gone, too, because he simply raised an eyebrow before continuing to add honey to the cup of tea he was making her. She settled for an exasperated sigh and a shrug of resigned acceptance.

“Well, yes, probably,” she conceded, reaching for the rolling pin. “But you are supposed to be on my side.”

Loghain gave her a small, surprisingly soft smile as he handed her the tea, wrapping an arm around her waist and pressing a kiss to her head. “Theadosia, I will always be on your side. You know I will. That being said, Nathaniel sprained a wrist, he did not end up in a coma or with a broken spine. To paraphrase Bull, you have done worse when we are in bed together.”

She gave a small snort of laughter despite herself, leaning back into his arms. “Alright, fair enough,” she conceded. “I just… I worry. You know I worry.”

“I know, Theadosia,” Loghain replied, turning her around and tilting her chin up so she was facing him. “We love you, sweetheart. I love you, and Cat and Nate love you. No one blames you for this, and no one is going to leave you over this.”

And there it was. “So many years, and I still can’t seem to shake that fear, can I?” She whispered, and Loghain held her a little closer.

“I wish I had something more useful to say,” he admitted. “But in the meantime, you know he is fine, and he is in good hands. Can you honestly think of anyone better suited to making sure he takes care of himself than Cat?”

“Considering she is one of the only people who can manage me when I’m sick or injured? No,” Thea laughed. “You’re right. They will let us know if they need anything, and in the meantime, I need to get these cookies made. Nora and I got about half of them done yesterday, but I still need to get the rest of these taken care of today so I do not have to try and balance it with everything else we have planned tomorrow.” She looked around at the organized chaos that currently comprised her kitchen. “Although, to be honest, I would rather sit down with this cup of tea and a movie.”

Loghain stepped to the other side of the counter and looked at the list of baked goods she still needed to make. “So your plan is to supply the entirety of the capitol with enough sugary cheer to get them through to Sweetest Day?”

Thea rolled her eyes. “It is not that bad,” she protested half-heartedly. “Most of the remainder of the list is for people at the office. The ones for the rest of our friends and family are finished, they just need to be sorted into the proper tins and have a ribbon slapped on them.”

“Then I propose a compromise,” Loghain said, setting the list aside. “Sit down with me on the sofa for fifteen minutes. Long enough to drink your tea. You can tell me what needs to go to whom, and I will help you get the cookies you’ve already finished wrapped up and labeled while you work on rolling out the next batch.”

Thea managed a small smile. “And how exactly is that a compromise, love of mine? It sounds like you taking on extra work.”

“You are compromising by letting me help my wife, who I love and treasure and who has been running herself ragged trying to make everyone else happy rather than letting herself enjoy the season,” he replied, returning to her side and taking her in his arms. Thea let herself rest her head against his chest with a soft sigh.

“I’m sorry,” she murmured. “I have been so wrapped up in everything… I have not been spending nearly enough time with you, just enjoying it. You’re right.”

“I know,” Loghain answered simply, and she laughed. “Theadosia, I love you. I love that you are so thoughtful and you want to do so much for the people you care about, but I would also love it if that included yourself. So come on.” He picked up her teacup and took her gently by the hand, leading her into the living room. “Let’s you and I sit down, and enjoy the snow falling outside, and simply take a moment to be us.”

She settled onto the sofa beside him, curling up close to him and letting him wrap his arm around her as she nestled her head against his shoulder. “Alright, Loghain,” she said, “You have convinced me. Though now I fear the greater challenge will be convincing me to stand back up and get back to work.”

He chuckled quietly, his hand reaching up to stroke her hair.

“For this? Worth it.”

12 Days of Satinalia (3/12): Loons on Ice

Requested by @shannaraisles​.

————————————

“Your wife is going to kill me.”

Nathaniel repressed the urge to laugh, because he knew Thea would not appreciate it in the moment. She was pacing back and forth in the hospital room, biting her lower lip so hard he was a bit surprised she had not drawn blood, and otherwise being a nervous wreck. “Thea, it was not your fault. Whoever was responsible for de-icing the sidewalks just missed a spot, and I got unlucky. You had nothing to do with it.”

“If I hadn’t asked you to help with my parcels, you would have seen the ice on the pavement,” Thea argued, “And you would not have fallen. Andraste’s blood, we’re lucky you didn’t hit your head. Damn it, Cat is going to murder me.”

Nathaniel just shook his head. “It was not. Your. Fault,” he repeated. “Even if I hadn’t been carrying your parcels which, by the way, I volunteered to do and was in no way coerced, there is still a good chance I would not have seen the ice. It’s the price I pay for being tall: we don’t always see the things our miniature counterparts do.”

He thought for sure that would snap her out of her anxiety, but she merely shot him a single withering glance before resuming her pacing. Nathaniel sighed. “Teddy Girl, if you don’t knock it out, I’m going to call Anders back in here to give you a sedative. I’m fine. My wrist hurts like the void, but at least it is my left one. I bet the x-rays will show it is not even broken.”

“I feel awful,” Thea admitted, “And then I feel awful for feeling awful, because you’re the one who is actually, you know, in pain. I just hate that it happened so close to the holiday, and that it is going to affect the rest of your season, and-”

“Thea, come here.” Nathaniel gestured her over, Thea complied. He had her lean down close enough that he could cup her cheek in his uninjured hand, and he leaned forward so his forehead was touching hers. “Thea, you are my best friend. You are practically my sister. I love you with my whole heart, so I hope you will trust me when I say you are being an absolute loon.”

She stepped back with an impressive scowl, and he grinned. He thought that might get through to her. Finally she rolled her eyes, but managed a small smile of her own. “Alright, fair enough,” she conceded. “Still, I don’t imagine Cat is going to be terribly thrilled I broke her husband.”

“And somehow I do not think my husband is so easily broken,” Cat spoke up as she entered the room, an expression somewhere between exasperation and sympathy in her violet eyes. “Besides, it is my own fault for letting the two of you loose in town without supervision,” she teased as she took a seat beside him and leaned over to brush a kiss to his cheek. “How are you feeling, love?”

Nathaniel shrugged. “It hurts, but not nearly so bad as Thea’s dramatics probably made it sound.”

“I was not overdramatic,” Thea sniffed. “But since Catkin is here I will leave you in her much more capable care, yes?” She stood up and pressed a kiss first to Cat’s cheek, then his. “Anders should be back any minute with the x-ray results. Keep me posted, yes?”

“Of course,” Cat promised, gently ushering Thea out. “Go home, see if your husband won’t make you a cup of tea. I’ll let you know when we hear something.” She shut the door behind her cousin, then returned to his side with a soft smile on her lips. “So… icy pavement?”

Nathaniel nodded. “Yes. Thea is blaming herself because of course she is, but there was really nothing either of us could have done. Just bad luck.”

“Mmhmm,” Cat agreed. “Well, while I am sorry you are in pain, I do not hate the idea of getting to take care of you for once, rather than the other way around. And hopefully it will just be a sprain rather than a break.”

“I really don’t think it’s broken,” he assured her, reaching his good hand up to place against her cheek. “And I promise, I will not let this affect our holiday plans. Besides,” he teased, “Maybe this is just fair turnabout for me asking you to go ice skating. You were not able to sit properly for at least a week after the first time we went.”

Cat giggled quietly. “Hey, ice skating is growing on me. I did not fall once the last time,” she pointed out, then pressed a kiss to his palm. “So aside from this little mishap… did the two of you have fun? Were you able to finish your errands?”

“We were,” he confirmed. “Fortunately, the bookshop was our last stop, so we were pretty much done when I fell. I think I am officially done with Satinalia shopping, and now I just need to get everything wrapped. Are we still planning on getting together with Loghain and doing everything over there?”

“Yes. Everything that is not for the three of us we will wrap at their house. After the great wrapping paper debacle, it was decided that it was in everyone’s best interest to keep Thea well away from the tape and wrapping paper,” Cat said, a tiny smile tilting at her lips.

Nathaniel laughed. “Why, oh why is she so bad at wrapping things?”

“No idea,” Cat shrugged. “But I suspect she may also be single-handedly keeping the gift bag market in business. So,” she leaned closer, resting her head on his good shoulder and nuzzling her cheek against it. “What can I do to make sure you heal up properly?”

“You are already doing it, Wildflower,” he pointed out. “You’re here. You’re keeping me distracted from the pain. You calmed Thea down.”

Cat did laugh then. “All easy enough to do, though I should probably text Loghain and suggest his slip a little something extra in her tea,” she mused. “Well, when we get home I’ll get you the ice pack and some painkillers. Other than that,” she leaned closer to him, whispering in his ear, “It looks like I’ll just be on top for awhile.” She tilted his head towards her, pressing her lips against his. He chuckled softly, the pain in his wrist no longer quiet so pronounced.

“Oh, well now I am definitely not sorry I slipped.”

12 Days of Satinalia (2/12): Just Perfect

Requested by @theearlkindagay​.

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“Remind me again why we aren’t just doing all our Satinalia shopping online?”

Nathaniel flicked a marshmallow at his best friend, who wrinkled her nose slightly as the sugary projectile bounced off her cheek before landing neatly in her hot cocoa. “Because you are a stickler for color, and they never get the samples quite right on the websites.”

Thea gave a small shrug, taking a sip of her drink as she looked around the café, her expression somewhere between resigned and thoughtful. “And because you are terribly precise when it comes to picking the perfect gemstones for Catkin,” She added with a wry smile. “How do we ever get anything done, being such perfectionists?”

Nathaniel drained the last of his cocoa before setting the cup aside, signing their check, and standing up to stretch briefly. “I have to assume our respective spouses have something to do with it,” he observed, offering Thea his arm as they stepped back out into the melee that was the Denerim market square. The gesture was not simply a friendly one, though it was well-known the exiled Howe son and the temperamental teyrna of Gwaren were lifelong companions and were now, in fact, family by his marriage to her favorite cousin. Rather, Nathaniel knew the otherwise formidable Thea tended to panic in crowded, confined spaces, and this was an inconspicuous way of giving her an anchor. “The same people responsible for making sure we do not get into too much trouble.”

She looked up at him with a small half-smile, giving his arm a small, grateful squeeze with just the faintest trace of mischief in her storm blue eyes. “Which is why I question their wisdom in letting us both out unsupervised.” Thea turned back towards the market with a small sigh. “Though I suppose they are also the whole reason we are subjecting ourselves to this exercise in absurdity.”

“Something like that,” Nathaniel agreed with a small laugh. In all honesty, he was grateful Thea was there: no one else knew Cat as well as they did, and Nathaniel felt better when Thea approved of the gifts he bought for his wife. And, surprisingly, the crowds were not too terrible. Even in the press of holiday shoppers, Thea’s presence created an aura of sorts around them: people instinctively gave her space. Some simply stared at the two of them, others gave a small nod of respect, and still others simply turned up their noses before returning to their own errands. “So, where do you want to start?”

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12 Days of Satinalia (1/12): The Practice of Grace

Requested by @eeveevie​.

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I love my husband. I love my husband. I love my husband.

Cataline Howe kept up the silent litany in her head as she laced up her skates. Really, she wanted to be here. She loved her husband with all her heart and there was no place she would rather be than spending time with him. The reality, however, was that she was just plain awful when it came to ice skating. Nathaniel had pointed out she simply needed more practice, probably in what he believed was an attempt to be helpful, but Cat still tended to take an uncharacteristically pessimistic view of the entire exercise. For all that she was considered uncommonly graceful in her day to day life, ice skating had proven to be a test of her not inconsiderable patience and the durability of her tailbone.

She could have said no. Maybe a smarter person would have, but Nathaniel had been so quietly hopeful when he had suggested coming back to the ice rink that Cat would not have turned him down for absolutely anything, scrapes and bumps and other indignities be damned. He had so precious few good memories from his childhood, and ice skating was one of them. This winter activity meant something to him, and he wanted to share it with her. If a few bruises to her ego and her ass were the price she paid, then it was well worth it.

Cat took a deep breath, then stood up on legs that were shaking far more than she would have liked, but she carefully tottered off of the bench and towards the rink proper. To her bemusement, there was no one else on the ice except for Nathaniel. Actually, come to think of it, she had not seen anyone else in the rest of the building either, save for the helpful clerk who had taken their admission. Perplexed or not, she was at least grateful there would not be an audience for her exhibition in clumsiness.

Nathaniel glided over to her, making it look effortless. His face lit up in a rare smile when he saw her, and he reached out a hand to gently take hers. As he did so, soft, familiar music filtered through the arena’s sound system, and the rink’s lights shifted from a utilitarian fluorescence to a soft, dreamy shade of violet. Cat looked up at him as she realized what the song was. “Did you ask them to play this?”

“I did,” he confirmed, leaning down and brushing a kiss against her lips. “I gave them an entire playlist, actually.” He took her by the hand again and slowly helped her start drifting over the ice, which somehow seemed a little less harsh and unyielding in the more forgiving light.

Despite herself, Cat smiled, her fingers lacing easily with her husband’s as they made their way around the rink. “And can I also assume you are responsible for the fact there is no one else here to witness my less than graceful performance?”

Nathaniel laughed, squeezing her hand briefly. “It was not my idea, but yes, I made it happen. Loghain actually pointed out that if I was that concerned about protecting your dignity, it was not terribly difficult to simply rent out the rink for a couple hours. Normally they do it for private birthday parties, but nowhere does it say it cannot also be done for two people who are hopelessly in love with each other and simply want a romantic winter experience away from prying eyes.”

“That is one of the sweetest things you have ever done for me,” Cat said, leaning carefully against Nathaniel’s shoulder. “Which, if I may be so bold, is saying something.”

“It is the least I can do,” he countered. “I know you do this because it makes me happy, but what makes me even happier is being able to share this with you. You, my love,” he leaned down and pressed a kiss to the top of her head, “Are my Wildflower, even in the midst of winter when the world is blanketed in snow and ice. You are still the most beautiful thing in my life.”

Cat smiled brightly up at him, the warmth in her heart radiating out to the rest of her. “I love you, Nate,” she said, and he smiled back at her.

“I love you too, Cat,” he replied, shifting so that he was facing her and he could take both her hands in his. “And hey, after this, you and I can go back to the house, and I will make you a cup of hot chocolate with the mini marshmallows you love so much. I’ll make a fire, and you and I can curl up on the sofa under a blanket.”

“Mmm, that does sound nice,” Cat agreed, a slightly more suggestive smile curving at her lips. “And is that before or after we get out of these winter clothes?”

He laughed softly. “I will leave that to you, love, though I think we both already know what the answer is. I doubt you will be quite as sore as you were the last time we came; you are already doing worlds better than last time. You realize we have been on the ice for ten minutes already and you haven’t fallen once?”

“A personal best,” Cat laughed, the sound echoing in the empty rink. “Perhaps because I was so distracted by your impossibly sweet gesture?”

Nathaniel nodded. “You’re joking, but you are also not wrong. You are naturally graceful, Wildflower. When you aren’t over thinking this, it comes easier to you. See?” He gently released her hands, and to Cat’s immense surprise she was able to keep her balance, her strides gliding easily over the surface of the ice.

“Alright,” she conceded, “You may have a point. However,” she skated over and slipped her hand back into his, “I think I much prefer to skate this way.”

He gave a small laugh of his own.

“You know what, Cat? So do I.”

SF&R Side Stories Masterpost

Includes links to all side stories, one-shots, and prompts for the Songs Forgotten and Remembered timeline.

Individual story links under the read more!

Art by @noctuaalba.

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Before I Close My Eyes Masterpost

Nine years ago, Cataline Cousland’s world came crashing down around her when the man she’d been in love with since childhood left Denerim, and her, behind. No matter how much she tried to tell herself Nathaniel had to leave for his own well-being, Cat never stopped regretting not telling him how she felt before he left. Now, to her surprise, her lost love has returned, and all signs point to him having feelings for her as well. Is it too late for both of them, or has their time apart merely made them more certain of each other?

Chapter One: I Wrote My Own Pain

Chapter Two: Down By the Creek, I Couldn’t Sleep

Chapter Three: I Think I’m Losing Connection

Chapter Four: Why Don’t We Full on Pretend

Chapter Five: So I Followed a Feeling

Chapter Six: An Endless Direction

Chapter Seven: In the Night, I am Wild Eyed (NSFW)

Chapter Eight: Wild Roses, They Don’t Mean a Thing

Chapter Nine: A Serpent on a Bed of Leaves

Chapter Ten: You Keep Me Still

Chapter Eleven: And You’ve Got Me Now