10 Kate
10: The way they look in the morning after a rough night
I stole Ari from @onesparrow because I love her and she needs to be in more fics.
Ari stirred, inhaling sharply through her nose as a noise roused her from her sleep. She blinked, squinting eyes that were still blurry with sleep around the room. The light was still dim and grey, too early for even the sun to have risen, much less so for Ari. Rationally, she trusted the security at Skyhold enough not to be immediately concerned, but she was still waking up, and someone was definitely rummaging through her closet.
Blearily, she hauled herself up into a seated position on the mattress and blinked at the person. “Who’s that? Sera? Is that you?”
“Oh, god, sorry.”
Ari blinked in surprise as she recognized the voice. “Kate?”
Kate leaned out of the closet and looked questioningly at Ari, her face screwed up in an exhausted scowl. “I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to wake you up, but I left my really comfy night shirt in here somewhere and I have had an absolute shithole of a night shift and I need it.”
Ari lowered her face into her hands, pressing her fingertips against her eyes in an effort to wake herself a little more. “Which one, the dark blue one?” she mumbled.
“No, the grey one. That…you’re apparently wearing.”
“Oh.” Ari fell back against her pillow and snuggled back into the blankets. “It was in my closet.”
The bed quivered, and there was a muffled thump as Kate threw herself down on the mattress next to Ari. “I hate people,” she announced, snatching the edge of one of Ari’s blankets and tugging it closer. “I hate people and I hate medicine and I fucking hate being awake.”
“Then shut up and go to sleep.”
“You stole my good night shirt!”
“You’re being a bitch.”
“Your fucking hand is glowing in my face.”
“You have your own apartments! Go sleep there if you’re going to be rude!”
“You stole my shirt.”
“You left it.”
Kate wanted the last word, but the only sound that managed to find its way out was a disgruntled growl before her eyes closed and she dozed off. Ari huffed a breathy laugh and shifted around a few times, trying to find a comfortable position. After a few minutes, she cracked open an eye and glanced over to examine her surprise bed mate.
Kate’s mouth was open as she slept, her face uncomfortably squished into the pillow. Her hair was still thrown up in a messy ponytail and braids, but pieces of it were escaping from all directions and falling down to her face, only to be scattered every time she breathed. Dark bags hung under her eyelids, and there was a red scratch on her cheek.
Ari regarded the other woman for a few moments with a strange fondness. Impulsively, she reached out a hand and smoothed back the hair from Kate’s face, earning her a sleepy groan and nothing more. Ari bit back a grin.
“Good morning Madame Doctor,” she murmured sarcastically, rolling over and settling back to sleep for a few more hours.
