WIP Week: 3, Your Previously Unpublished WIP

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.

WIP Week: 4, Your Favorite WIP

Day Four of wipweek

Isabela/Aveline is one of my favorite pairings of Dragon Age 2. I love their banter, I love Aveline has this dutiful warrior who through time still manages to figure out how to be with this ruthless but charming pirate. Honestly, I'm not sure why I didn't finish this I think maybe I was just working on it during a weird time and the glut of projects I was trying to juggle was too much. I wish I had written more for them and after re-reading this, I think it might be the thing I fix-up and try to remember how this was supposed to end.

This small excerpt is from the third chapter, a sexy part I'm pretty proud of.

Like children, they had fought to stay awake. Each kiss was a fervent goodbye and even after the room had grown dark and the candles faded, they continued warm and slow and surrounded by the sounds of their own sighs and soft moans. She heard her name over and over from Isabela’s lips in the rhythms of hands and hips, and nimble fingertips. It was easy to forget the time and the place, for all Aveline knew, she was on a boat set for Rivain.

Her swarthy captain knew the use of a grin curved like the moon. Her hands turned the wheel to set them on course, setting her out to sea with the rhythm of the waves. Isabela had learned the shape of her vessel by heart. She knew the swell of her thighs in the dark and how to ride the tide of her until there was little left but a soft breeze.

With her captain at the helm, Aveline trusted each stroke of nimble fingers, each crested wave that set fires in her heart. The stillness between the waves gave her time to navigate the stars behind her eyes. Years of practice had taught her how to skim the cold waves that caressed her skin. And when every inch of her was soaked and sea-salted Isabela’s whispers became the lighthouse in the distance, telling her it was safe to come home.

When sleep finally claimed them, Aveline dreamed of dark curls and a throaty laugh and though she never saw her face, she had no doubt about who was at her side. But in a habit borne of her time with the Isabela, she could not sleep through the night. It was always the same, no matter what time she’d gone to sleep. When she woke, the relief of finding Isabela still at her side was cut brief by her need to know what time they had left. It was early enough, without a peek of sunlight from the arrow slit in far wall where, if this were any sort of decent establishment, there should have been a window. Isabela had insisted on their together at The Hanged Man; for a pirate, she had a good deal more sentimentality than she liked to let on.

There's only four chapters to it, but if you want to read what's available it's called The Anatomy of a Tidal Wave.

Bonus Question: What is your favorite fanwork in any of your fandoms created by someone else?
There is an amazing Critical Role rock star AU that I LOVE so very much called songs from the ash by explosivesky. It's 50k+ of this modern day Perc'ahlia that's just wonderful if you're familiar with Critical Role.

But better, even if you know nothing about Critical Role or the characters from campaign one and just happen to like rock star or movie star AUs, then it's still very enjoyable.