WIP Week: 3, Your Previously Unpublished WIP

[singedsun]

Day Three for wipweek

Another Dragon Age story today. I really like sibling stories and I have tried a few times (unsuccessfully so) to write something about the early lives of the Hawke twins from Dragon Age 2. I'm sort of fascinated by everyone in their family but Hawke. Bethany is one of my favorite characters of the game, but their mother's odd behavior regarding whichever twin makes it with Hawke to Kirkwall is always interesting to me as well. I will probably try and continue more times to write twin stories and fail at it, but I do like trying at least. Here is a pretty short preview of what this one was trying to be:

Three.

Mother lays them down for a nap and they struggle against sleep, against silence. They have beds next to each other, with interchangeable and very often exchanged pillows and blankets in the same faded blue color they both love. She quiets first, like most days and its not long before they both find solace in blanketed caverns of comfort. It doesn't matter which of them gets to sleep first, or last. It doesn't matter if they find their rest in beds or on the floor, covered or uncovered, warm or cold. Eventually they're only a tangled mess of chubby limbs, dark hair and soft breaths.

Five.

On their birthday Carver gets a wooden sword from their father. Bethany gets a tiny, metal one on a silver chain, from their mother. It's the first time they've ever had different gifts and this pleases them in a way they don't have words for. Bethany clutches her small version of Carver's practice sword in her hands while he brandishes it at their sister, who already knows all the moves to make. She runs her fingers along the rough molded metal as though it's wood grain.

Five and one day.

Carver falls under the swing of Marian's sword, and Bethany calls out his name. It's only a scratch on his cheek but Bethany's knees are in the dirt at his side and her fingertips glow, magic drifting from them. The jagged line of broken skin on her brother's arm disappears. Then she's pulled roughly away, her fingers examined and Carver forgotten by all but her as she's rushed indoors.

Rereading this one reminds me that I once started a fic very similarly for the Vox Machina twins from Critical Role that I also did nothing with. Clearly, I have a thing for writing sibling relationships.

Bonus Question: What fanwork would you most like to receive as a gift?
I've been lucky a few times to get art for my fic, which I always love. However, I spend so much time making fanmixes for fics and pairings that I enjoy and it always pleases me to get a fanmix for something I've written. I feel like there's so much room for interpretation with music and since I love so many different types of music, it's really hard to pick music I'm not going to enjoy in some way or another. I also feel like music often picks up on a theme/thematic element of a story than might not come across in artwork.