Dear Black Emporium Author,
This is my second year participating in this exchange, and I have been excited to do it again since the last one concluded!
Dragon Age is a fairly new fandom in my repertoire, and I must admit that I am still within my first playthrough of
Dragon Age II. That said, please rest assured that I know most of the major possible and fixed plot beats, and you don't have to worry about spoilers!
Apart from my DNW list, please consider my prompts optional and flexible. If you have an idea that works just from the tags themselves, go for it and have fun! If you would like more guidance, please read on. I divide my letters into
preferences which are a general list of things I love to see in almost anything and
prompts which are more specific to my tag selections. If you ever find that there seems to be a tension between a preference/DNW and a prompt, please consider the prompt to override the DNW to the extent described if it helps you.
I request fic because that's what I know how to engage with best, but if you want to do an art treat then feel free!
I am
![[archiveofourown.org profile]](https://p.dreamwidth.org/b164c54b26e4/-/archiveofourown.org/favicon.ico)
Prix, by the way!
Preferences
Always feel free to include any supporting characters outside the relationship tag that you see fit. They can be passersby, or you can include them as supporting characters.
Note that my
DNW list is not a value-judgement on anyone else's preferences or interests.
DNWs
General/Non-sexual- graphic torture or gore (canon-typical violence OK)
- graphic depictions of extreme bodily injury (unless magically mostly fixed)
- unrequested AUs except canon divergence
- character or ship bashing*
- unrequested ships (references to explicitly/possibly canon ships OK; I just prefer no love triangles/exes with my requested characters unless specifically prompted)
- unrequested permanent character death of any main character
- hopeless ending (bittersweet or ambiguous OK)
Sexuality-Related- permanent injury related to sexual activity (unintentional or markings such as brands, scars, etc.)
- breathplay
- hardcore or lifestyle BDSM / D/s (lighter and spontaneous forays into BDSM or D/s that do not define characters' whole relationships are fine!)
- noncon (dubcon ok)
- sexual contact with wounds
- spitting as an act of sexual dominance (typical uses of saliva otherwise are whatever)
- semen or anything similar in eyes
- A/B/O
- biologically impossible pregnancies
*Please note that character and ship bashing, to me, includes things like fandom-discourse-heavy topics taking center stage in the narrative. I
love in-universe politics, but I try to have a nuanced opinion where I can and when I can't, I just avoid the thing I don't like. As an
example, I would not like a fic that hyper-focuses on Anders Was Right or Anders Was Entirely Wrong. Instead, regardless of the way you present it, I would prefer such topics to focus on how in affects the characters in question. Let them feel ambivalent or have strong opinions, love, like, and hate! I just wanted to clarify a bit about my comfort level. I didn't put this in the enforceable section on the sign-up form, but I felt like it might help you to know what I mean! I trust your judgment.
Likes
Gen- found family
- monster of the week/casefic
- slice of life (especially dealing with canon-appropriate twists on mundane existence or minor inconveniences)
- character study
- canon-typical violence/aftermath (hurt/comfort)
- canon-divergent AUs
- missing scenes
- survival (zombie, wilderness, apocalypse, etc.)
- political intrigue and machinations
- morality exploration
- world-building with character involvement
- redemption/atonement
- forgiveness
- earn your happy ending
- defeating/killing oppressors and abusers
- rebuilding from the ashes
- hurt/comfort
- enemies to friends
- unusual fic format such as mission reports, letters, etc.
Shippy up to T/PG-13- enemies to lovers
- friends to lovers (especially when it's angsty for a while)
- unresolved sexual tension
- "I had no one else to ____"
- trust and loyalty
- power imbalance (addressing, not addressing, overcoming, confronting, etc.)
- accidental marriage
- arranged/political marriage
- competence affected by relationship (for better or worse)
- compromising mission/duty for love
- choosing love over mission/duty
- us against the world
- awkward flirting
- accidental/impulsive love confession
- non-sexual physical intimacy
- sexually-charged physical intimacy that (for [x] reason) does not reach full realization
NSFWWhen it comes to NSFW fic, I like to prioritize what seems "in-character" for the story you're crafting over my particular preferences or kinks. I want to know about the characters' preferences, hang-ups, kinks, and so on. Unless you feel I wouldn't like it because of my DNWs, let the characters guide any NSFW content.
I do like fic about sex pollen/ritual/something-made-them-do-it but only if the characters have an underlying attraction to each other. I also like the messy consequences of those kinds of interactions. You can do fade-to-black or explicit or anything in-between. I love it when sexual content adds to a story or the characterization!
Name Preferences For
Wardens, I am flexible on the use of default names or those of your own. If you use an OC Warden, I would love to have a little background blurb or link to the profile in your author's notes, if you can make that accessible. Where I have asked for Female Cousland, I am perfectly happy with a default background or what's described previously, or you can take a crack at writing my Rosamunde Cousland with the following links to help you! Last time, I had someone else's Warden as a supporting character in my fic, and it was really fun, but you are in no way pressured to do this.
My DA Tumblr: ![[tumblr.com profile]](https://www.tumblr.com/favicon.ico)
couslandofhighever Here's what she looks like: https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=2196807080 (I also use actress Adelaide Kane for reference.)
A profile for her: https://64.media.tumblr.com/1dd48a40627369789b8b7124c8f8a268/912b2399a210afa7-71/s540x810/bd021bcd048771b4662d2ee0c27f8d0255108f03.png For
Hawkes, I prefer the default names, but the characterization is up to you. In some prompts, I have suggested a background/personality that I would really like to see, but if I haven't or if a Hawke appears in a background/supporting role in your story, you don't have to stick to that. My Garrett Hawke is a Purple Mage.
You can do default appearances for them or just not go into great detail about their appearances, depending on your writing style, but in case you're curious this is what my Carver and Hawke look like:
-
https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=2526676434 -
https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=2526675595-
https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=2526676520-
https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=2526676975 -
https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=2526677120For
Inquisitors, I haven't gotten there yet, so if they appear in your story for any reason I'll go on faith that you're doing it well, and you can name them whatever you want, including any of those AUs where some pre-established character in the Inquisitor instead.
Prompts
I have tried to list the following ship tags in an order that makes sense due to overlapping characters or content. In cases where the tags are similar (such as an ot3 versus a twosome with two of the same characters in it), feel free to kind of mix and match and borrow from prompts where it makes sense. This means that some of the prompts may not appear in the exact order I entered them on my sign-up, though I also tried to group those logically for my own sake. I'll list them in the order they appear below, and you can use
CTRL + F.
I don't usually choose this many tags, but I got excited.
Please note that a few of these prompts are carried over from my previous BE letter, either because I did not receive them or I want similar stories again!
Contents 01. Alistair/Morrigan
02. Alistair/Anora Mac Tir/Morrigan
03. Alistair/Female Cousland/Morrigan
04. Alistair/Female Cousland/Anora Mac Tir
05. Female Cousland/Nathaniel Howe
06. Nathaniel Howe/Velanna
07. Female Amell/Cullen Rutherford OR Male Amell/Cullen Rutherford
08. Anders/Female Cousland
09. Anders/Bethany Hawke
10. Anders/Male Hawke/Justice
11. Fenris/Male Hawke/Isabela
12. Fenris/Isabela
13. Isabela/Merrill
14. Carver Hawke/Isabela/Merrill
15. Carver Hawke/Isabela
16. Maurevar Carver/Leandra Hawke/Malcolm Hawke
Alistair/Morrigan
I love their banter and the fact that Alistair continues to reference Morrigan years later, whether his life turned out good or bad. I enjoy the fact that in spite of her apparent animosity toward him, Morrigan tried to express concern for him with regard to how he allowed Goldanna to treat him and make him feel. I am very into the dynamic of people who seem to dislike each other or mix like oil-and-water until an external threat comes along to show that they really do care about each other. I also like how they seem to have influenced each other in an indelible way, especially Alistair by Morrigan.
- In a world state where the Warden is not in a relationship with either of them, the Ritual makes them have strange
feelings that conflict with their preconceived notions of how they feel about each other. I am particularly interested in this because I think Alistair would have a tough time with loveless sex being his first time, and Morrigan expressed knowing that she was messed up because of the way Flemeth presented sexuality to her (bringing men home, using them up, then killing them).
- Alistair and Morrigan are trapped together with a pressing need to get back to the Warden. Their predicament leads them to need to trust each other. It could also involve various tropes such as huddling-for-warmth, bonding through the thrill of survival, and the strange things adrenaline make people do.
- Amicable co-parenting becomes something more. This works whether Alistair fathered Kieran or not, to me. If he did, then it sort of overlaps with my first prompt in this section but with more of a focus on the "aftermath" and responsibility of a child than with questions of sexuality and its meaning. It could be something that happens bit-by-bit over the years through long-distance correspondence or something that happens abruptly around the time of their possible reunion in DAI. If Alistair is king, with or without a queen, Morrigan becoming his court mage would be cool. If Alistair did not father Kieran but rather the Warden, perhaps they come closer together as a result of missing the Warden who is absent or dead. This might considerably complicate Alistair taking on a co-parenting role. This is a lot of stream of consciousness about the concept. Take what you like!
- Alistair stays in the Fade and, for some reason, Morrigan doesn't want to let it stand.
Alistair/Anora Mac Tir/Morrigan
This ship tag gave me feelings that, put most succinctly, ran along the theme of "the devil you know," and variations on it. I would love to see how Morrigan's status as an apostate makes Anora respond, especially if Alistair has a sudden impulse to protect her from being sent to the Circle or otherwise punished for existing. Then there's the fact that Alistair is marrying his ex-sister-in-law who didn't know or care that he existed before and who is a complete stranger. Maybe there's some comfort in the fact that he
knows Morrigan (perhaps quite intimately), then. Of course, Morrigan is a bit suspicious of everyone, and do they give her a reason to be? I'd like a happy or hopeful ending, but I invite any kind of intrigue or drama.
- Morrigan fled, either after the Warden refused to allow her to perform the Dark Ritual or after she completed it with Alistair. Either due to the death of the Warden and her disappearance or the fact that she is carrying his child, Alistair doesn't want to let dead wolves lie. Either he and Anora are becoming fast friends after the initial awkwardness is over, or Alistair feels awkward and ill-at-ease in this so-far apparently loveless and trustless marriage, but he still feels the need to confide in and/or enlist Anora's help.
- In the aftermath of DAI, Morrigan comes back to Ferelden and finds a place in the court. It could be that she is literally a sort of formal court mage for some reason, or perhaps she is trying to conceal her identity in plain sight using tricky tactics since, to my recollection, Anora didn't see Morrigan that much if at all necessarily in DAO. Is Alistair suspicious of her intentions or glad to see her? How does Anora react? How have Anora and Alistair been getting along? Have they ever consummated their marriage? I would kind of prefer it that, even if they have, they have never produced an heir so Kieran might be a solution to a problem if quite a strange one.
- Alistair is beginning to experience symptoms that might be the Calling while the Warden is away searching for a cure. Anora tries to save him and, through whatever hardship, calls upon Morrigan to help. I don't want Alistair to die, but however you manage to resolve it is fine. The Warden can show up in time, or they can just find a temporary solution and leave it on an uneasy note.
Alistair/Female Cousland/Morrigan
The fact that these three are the beginning of DAO and the first three who find their fates entwined gives me warm-fuzzy and tingly-epic feelings. I mentioned above why I like the Alistair/Morrigan dynamic so much, so I'll comment on the other two. For Female Cousland/Morrigan, I like the idea that they came from such different backgrounds but find themselves in roughly the same position. I like how Morrigan starts to feel so soft toward a Female Warden who is kind to her and pays attention when she speaks. For Female Cousland/Alistair, there's something a bit ironic fairy tale about it. They're both people with noble blood who end up clawing through dirt and mud to save their country with an early death and infertility hanging over their heads. The ways in which they all overcome together and apart really fascinate me.
- Something that takes place during the course of DAO that brings the three of them together. For example, Alistair and the Warden are in a relationship when Morrigan suggests the ritual that will allow both of them to survive the final battle. In order to mitigate the discomfort Alistair must surely feel with this situation, the Warden opts to participate. How does this impact the endgame for Morrigan?
- Alistair tries to forget all about the Dark Ritual and the fact that he has an unborn child out there, but he can't. I would prefer this story be with both Alistair and Female Cousland on the throne or together as Grey Wardens still. Beyond the plot of
Awakening, they keep searching for her. Whether they make contact before the timeline point of DAI is up to you. When they find her, they reunite in some fashion and show her that she still has a home with them, even if there is some anger and angst at first about her swanning off into the night.
- As the world changes, Morrigan finds a place in Alistair and Queen Cousland's court as an official court mage. She and Kieran live there, but at first it is based on their previous connection and nothing more. A slow burn (even if it's in a short fic) of the three of them coming together.
Alistair/Female Cousland/Anora Mac Tir
For this relationship, please give me all the court/palace intrigue. I welcome angst about infidelity, uncertain relationship boundaries, and lines of succession and all that stuff that people might be anxious about not glossing over. If you aren't comfortable with writing infidelity or secrecy (at first, at least), then that's totally fine! Anora can be consenting given the circumstances of their marriage, or Anora could herself be the person in a position not to trust them after they effectively deposed her. But just know that it will not bother me at all to have these controversial elements in a story here. I feel like there could be so many different dynamics, and I want to see what you come up with.
- Alistair comes around to the fact that he cannot bear to lose Lady Cousland even if she cannot be his queen (for whatever in-universe reason you come up with). They have a secret affair with all the angst and guilt that would entail until eventually Anora learns the truth. Rather than making the country explode in another conflict, Anora finds (with however much ease or difficulty) the ability to understand and come around. This could involve varying levels of love for each other at different points or a pretty easy transition into polyamory once all is out in the open between them! I would like it if no one was unhappy
in the end, but being unhappy in the beginning or middle is acceptable.
- Alistair becomes king and has Anora placed in guarded exile but not with lack of comfort. He does not trust her, given what she tried to do when the Warden did not support her claim to the throne. He and Warden Cousland take the throne together as king and queen. At some point in the future, Ferelden is facing a threat which makes Alistair or Queen Cousland think reestablishing contact with Anora, given her status as a sort of back-up heir given that it is unlikely Alistair and Queen Cousland could produce an heir prior to finding a cure for the Calling. This leads to tense interactions at first but a slow-building trust between the three of them. If the Warden is off searching for a cure at the time of your fic, that would be okay, too, as long as Queen/Warden Commander Cousland is apprised of the situation.
- Alistair didn't have his "hardening" moment or is otherwise much more adamant about not becoming king or remaining a Grey Warden. As a result, Warden Cousland enters into a political marriage with Anora. If Alistair and the Warden were in a relationship prior to this, I welcome all the angst about their life paths parting ways as long as it is fixed in the end. If you have a period of time where Queen Cousland and Queen Anora are alone together, I would like for the comfort between them to be fairly easy, even if Queen Cousland is grieving Alistair's loss/absence. However, I assume Queen Cousland would still have her responsibilities as the Warden Commander and then her need to find a cure for the Calling, both for herself and for Alistair, whom she still loves, and this brings them back together. After all, they will need an heir someday...
Female Cousland/Nathaniel Howe
I love how quickly they get on amicable or cooperative terms after so many other outcomes that could have happened. I admire Nathaniel's character and personality a lot, and I think he grows a lot to be involved in such a relatively short story compared to the other game characters. That said, I think there are so many unanswered questions, possible tensions, and differences of opinion and philosophy on their noble-blooded responsibilities that I would like to see these two have a relationship that isn't
just fluff and sugar but a little clash and vinegar, too.
- I would love to see some context from their previous acquaintance as children or teenagers leading into some aspect of their relationship at present. Whether they had a total misconception of the other's personality or they had a moment of accord and clarity before all the years of not being around each other and then Rendon Howe's betrayal before coming back together.
- Prior to a reunion with Delilah, I would like to see a moment where Nathaniel and the Warden Commander Cousland get into some kind of further confrontation as Nathaniel struggles with his father's role in his family's fall. Sometimes, a fight can reveal the romantic attraction and chemistry between people. Whether it stays at that or grows into something messier, I would love to see it. If their relationship becomes messy, then I'm sure it can grow into something healthier in the end, whether you choose to show that or not. I would also like the inclusion of Cousland's grief over her parents as they both lost that.
- Either the specific incident or the aftermath of Nathaniel's saving Fergus Cousland from grave danger. Either he and Warden Commander Cousland established a romantic connection during the events of
Awakening, or this brings them back together to pick up and continue to grow closer from where they left off. I suppose what I'm envisioning her is some family interaction and reconciliation as Nathaniel receives some of the Howe lands back. One thing I love to see from a Female Cousland is how her experience of her sudden loss of any status and her very physical, violent, and temporarily impoverished struggles affect her connection with the people at large as a Ferelden noble, so if you could include that in this kind of story, I'd really enjoy it.
Nathaniel Howe/Velanna
I love their banter, and there's something about Nathaniel's self-awareness as to the reasons an elf might resent humans that I find really appealing. Velanna is exasperated by Nathaniel but in a cute way that seems to show she is coming around after experiencing humor and relative kindness. I just really like their dynamic, and I would love to see it expanded upon.
- Any kind of missing scene at the Keep. Whether it's just a deep conversation or something that leads to a make-out or hook-up is up to you.
- Nathaniel is a rogue/assassin and seems quite suited to traveling across the wilderness and surviving off the land for a long time. Velanna still wants to find her sister and is suspicious of humans. It doesn't really matter to me what the objective is, as long as it's fun for you to write, but I would love to read a sort of "quest" fic about the two of them cooperating on their own after both survive
Awakening. This could include all those nice outdoor survival tropes like saving each other from big animals or huddling-for-warmth.
- The Warden gives Velanna a book with blank pages for her to write in. I really like stories that include a passage from a book or a letter or something like that. Some kind of correspondence between Nathaniel and Velanna or her sharing something she has written with him would be nice.
Female Amell/Cullen Rutherford OR Male Amell/Cullen Rutherford
This is a combined prompt because I am equally interested in it occurring with Male or Female Amell, even though I think Cullen only has his wrought attraction to Amell if she is female. I live in a flirt-with-me-you-fool mod world. For this ship, I am looking for something that is messy and not really healthy at first, though I understand Cullen gets a lot of ~character development~ later on, and you're welcome to include that.
- Amell uses Cullen's obvious, inappropriate attraction to them as an exploit during their life in the Circle. I love power imbalance as a theme, as mentioned in my general likes. I would not like to read a fic about Amell just being abused by Cullen from his position of authority, but if it was a kind of back-and-forth emotional manipulation and inappropriate interaction that snowballed, I would love to read about it. Make it as creepy as you like as long as there's some element of consent/desire on the part of the Amell to use it to their advantage.
- Amell finds a way to evade Cullen's fixation with them. Either they find it uncomfortable and ignore it or they flirt with him in a way that is deflective more than manipulative, and it doesn't get that messy. After Amell is enlisted into the Wardens, Cullen is still pining, but they are lost to him. At some point during or after Cullen's time in Kirkwall, Warden Amell and Cullen are runited. Amell now has a lot more personal leverage and power, and Cullen still has some problematic views about mages. I would love a game of cat-and-mouse or some other kind of triumph of wills for the Amell whilst giving Cullen a heaping serving of character development. You can include stuff about Cullen's struggles from DAI that I don't get know, too. Hawke and pals cameos welcome but not required, since y'know, Hawke and Amell are related.
- Amell and Cullen reunite after his DAI character development, and Amell is surprised that Cullen is even the same person. Go from there. Even if it's a relatively happy story, I would like some acknowledgment of the baggage.
Anders/Female Cousland
I'm not gonna lie. The way Anders flirted with Female Cousland made me
cringe, but in a... fun... way?
Awakening Anders really reminds me of, like, a university philosophy student who will never graduate. I would like to explore these feelings more, thank you in advance. Another thing I like about Anders is that he actually seems to have the most sincere or uncomplicated faith in Andraste of anyone in the games spare maybe Leliana and the characters in DAI I haven't met yet. I enjoy the contrast between that and his absolute rancor with what the Chantry does. Female Cousland, I imagine, probably had a pretty conventional Ferelden experience with Andrastianism, whether she believed or not. She comes from a noble background, and she was likely only academically aware of the plight of mages if at all prior to her experiences in DAO. See above for notes on Female Cousland characterization, but however you choose to go about it, I would love it if she was kind of not at all impressed with Anders's flirting skills but came to like him or care about him anyway.
- A fic about an Anders who is not yet or never will be blended with Justice. I would love a canon-divergent AU what-if about what he could have accomplished through a friendship and growing relationship with Female Cousland had they stayed together. If you want Justice to get another host or to simply return to the Fade, either would work. You could even have Female Cousland blend with Justice, though I have
no idea what that would look like. What is another approach to trying to create real change for mages, and how do they face it together?
- Female Cousland meets Anders again after he has blended with Justice, and she is horrified by the results. This could be in the aftermath of his surviving the events of DA2 or sometime before that ever happens. It could be a story of her helping him heal and atone for what he has done, it could be a story about finally separating him from Justice/Vengeance for real, or it could be a much more angsty story about Female Cousland being in a position to need to bring Anders to "justice." (Sorry for the mood-inappropriate pun.) For this prompt in particular, you could have a really sad, Anders-character-death ending, or you could save him!
- Anders comes to Female Cousland or happens upon her in the aftermath of DA2. He wants help, and she helps him live out some atonement. I am a big sucker for redemption arcs, and while some people don't think Anders has much if anything to atone for, he has a lot of innocent blood on his hands in canon, in my opinion. While I don't want this to be a discourse/issue-fic, I would love to read about
active and living redemption/atonement with Female Cousland being someone he knew from
before who has been through some shit herself and helps him.
Anders/Bethany Hawke
They have such little content, but their dynamic is so much gentler than Anders's dynamic with most of the other companions. Bethany seems to love and seek peace and feels burdened by the life choices she faces, even by how grateful she is for her freedom. I would love it if they got the opportunity to stay in each other's lives and change them for the better.
- Perhaps Anders goes with or follows shortly after Bethany when the Grey Wardens take her. She seems to not like this fate, while Anders seemed to like being a Grey Warden for a time. I would like to have them deal with that, and if it meant that Anders left and largely stayed away from Kirkwall, whether he properly started cooperating with the Wardens or became something like an on-his-terms consultant, I think it could be interesting.
- A scene in Kirkwall where Bethany witnesses Anders go into Justice/Vengeance mode and helps him not do anything he'll regret or comforts him in the aftermath. How far you want to follow the story after that is up to you.
- I
do not want daddy kink, haha. That said, Bethany mentions that Anders reminds her of her father. I would like to see that expanded upon. I think this runs something along the lines of, "If someone sees the best parts of you, how do you respond?" Or, if you wanted to do an established relationship to some extent even, Anders mentions wanting to be a father, and they could have a family in the end.
Anders/Male Hawke/Justice
For this prompt, I would really enjoy seeing a
Red Warrior or Rogue Hawke, rather than a mage. I would like this because I think when Hawke is a mage, the dynamic and stakes of his choosing Anders are a bit different and maybe a bit easier. On the other hand, a primarily Reddish personality seems to fit with Anders increasingly radical ideas about justice for the mages. The fact that Anders and Justice are merged together is really interesting to me, and I would like a bit more nuance than the canon line of "Justice is no longer in any way self-aware." Whether he's just a voice in Anders's subconscious or he has or develops more of a sense of self again, I would like to know what he thinks of Anders's feelings, how he feels about such an intimate connection with Anders, and what he thinks of Hawke and their intimate connection.
- For some reason, I like the idea of a kind of (perhaps very unhealthy) spiritual or religious fervor attached to Anders's feelings about Hawke. If the same kind of intensity is shared or not is up to you. If this is the case, I wonder whether Justice would approve or disapprove, or can Justice only feel what Anders feels? If the last option, what does that lead Justice to do around Hawke if he manifests?
- Justice was confused by the nuance of human emotions at the best of times. Being entwined with or inseparable from Anders is very intimate. He is aware if and when Anders ever has a romantic or sexual thought. Maybe that has affected their relationship for a while, or maybe it only becomes a thing quite abruptly. When Anders begins to have feelings for Hawke, is Justice initially jealous, or does Justice really, really want it, too? Is Justice confused and frustrated by this distraction from their mission, or does he accept and long for Hawke's love too?
- The first time Hawke encounters Justice when they're relatively alone. I would like it if they could speak to each other and then Anders sort of learns from the experience from Hawke. Growing intimacy through communication. Can be a warm thing or it can be weird or both!
Fenris/Male Hawke/Isabela
For this prompt, I would really love a Mage Hawke with a Purple or Blue personality or something in-between. Playing a Purple Mage Hawke, I initially considered rivaling Isabela, but I found it completely impossible. I love how well that kind of Hawke just clicks with Isabela, whether or not he ever wants to sleep with her. Fenris and Isabela seem like they both need something they could find in each other or someone else but are afraid to fully give into. I am really drawn to that dynamic. And finally, Fenris/Purple Mage Hawke is my main ship for DA2. I love the way it can help Fenris to feel accepted as a man, not pitied or abused, to have Hawke make stupid and inappropriate jokes. In turn, I love how it helps to reorient Fenris's worldview, even if he still has reservations about mages. The theme for all three of them, I think, is learning to trust and open up, though I think Hawke didn't have that much of a problem with that all along.
- A love triangle that turns into pretty healthy polyamory. I think it might be especially interesting if it's something along the lines of Fenris and Isabela are approaching each other from a friends-with-benefits standpoint because neither of them is very interested in emotional vulnerability. Then Hawke accidentally stumbles into the middle of it, perhaps due to obliviousness, and makes everything a lot more open, if messy.
- One set of two is already in the early stages of a flirtationship with something a mutual understanding, whether they have become intimately involved yet or not. Out of concern for the third, a friend, they work together to try and solve a problem for them. This leads to some kind of adventure and increased emotional (and perhaps physical) intimacy.
- Either Isabela or Fenris leaves, and Hawke and the one who is left follow to win them back. This could involve a seafaring adventure or simply a trek across Kirkwall. Alternatively, perhaps one of them left a long time ago, and it is only in the aftermath of DA2 that the three of them are together again to pick up the pieces.
Fenris/Isabela
It seems like Fenris/Isabela makes sense because they're both very attractive people who have a problem with emotional intimacy. They seem like they make good friends but aren't entirely sure why they want to sleep together except that, well, they do. I would like a story that takes it from that level into a more romantic one, even if the lines are still blurry.
- Classic plot of at least three movies: They are friends with benefits, but they are desperately trying to keep it that way as their lives and emotions become more and more entwined.
- One of them perceives the other as taking their sexual relationship as permission to stick their nose where it doesn't belong and intrude on something private. "Mind your own business," or "I didn't ask you," and the productive confrontation that follows. It could lead to their "breaking off" their friends-with-benefits type arrangement or of an increasingly unhealthy intensity to it. So long as it heals and grows back stronger in the end.
- They had a friends with benefits relationship that ran its course and ended amicably. After the events of DA2, they meet again and find that being a bit older and with more baggage, they are finally ready to share each other's emotional burdens a bit more, too.
Isabella/Merrill
I love how gentle Isabela is with Merrill in a way that is sometimes a little condescending and, at other times, heartfelt and instructive. I think it shows a lot of nuance to Isabela's personality that she might not often show to everyone in their friend group. Merrill is looking for a place to belong, and she clearly looks at Isabela as someone who knows how to belong anywhere. What happens if she finds out that isn't always true? They have this very sweet bond as "the girls," who are most-often around, and I would love to read about them growing to be more. I think it's really sexy when Isabela calls Merrill "kitten," so if you want to include that, it'd be nice.
- Friends-to-Lovers, but it's really messy. Isabela isn't ready to commit, and Merrill does not know what she's doing wrong. Merrill has self-esteem issues with asserting what she wants and needs, and Isabela is hiding behind fun and games and denial. Or anything like that! Perhaps they got drunk one night which led to a confession of feelings that one of them doubts or they slept together/fooled around (and what's the difference between the two?). They ~make love~, but Isabela wants to believe it's only "skin-deep," or Merrill is trying to convince herself that it is, poorly, because she wants to save face. I would like an ending where they are at least tentatively on the same page and content.
- Rom-Com Trope nonsense in Kirkwall where Isabela is trying to hook Merrill up with someone she thinks is suitable for her. She is trying to help her be more attuned to flirtation and "dirty things," while also trying to look out for her. Merrill is taking her lessons very seriously, but she finds that she is a little uncertain about whether she is interested in the selected "target." The more they go down this path, the more they are mutually into each other and don't know what to do about it until finally they do. (If you want to include an explicit scene, Isabela could be giving Merrill 'lessons' during this scheme, but it becomes more than that? But I also welcome the fully T-rated version of this.) If the "target" for hypothetical Merrill romance is a canon-character, I would like that they be oblivious/interested in someone else so that they aren't hurt when Merrill and Isabela realize they want each other instead.
- Merrill and Isabela on an adventure together where Isabela can show off her swashbuckling skills. Perhaps Merrill accidentally gets herself into trouble, and Isabela is the one who saves her from harm. Alternatively, Merrill getting a chance to show that she can be competent and even quite powerful/frightening/cool to Isabela would be wonderful! This could be at any point you want to squeeze it into canon or post-canon, as you like.
Carver Hawke/Isabela/Merrill
I went into detail about what I like about Isabela/Merrill above, so I'll talk about the toher two dynamics. I think there's a contrast in how Carver interacts with Isabela versus how he interacts with Merrill. On the Isabela side of things, Carver seems almost irritated that she's flirting with him and that it's working. He doesn't trust that she's being sincere, even though she clearly finds him attractive, if somewhat naive. On Merrill's side, Carver seems a bit confused by his attraction yet again, but he doesn't get too hung up on the fact that Merrill is a mage in spite of his baggage about his family. He is very swee toward her, but she is oblivious. I like the she is honest that she would like it if she didn't miss "dirty things," all the time and how embarrassed he gets. He's trying to be so respectful. Plus, I really like Carver as a character. His insecurities and protectiveness of Hawke and the tension between the two is just really compelling to me.
- A sorta-love triangle with a happy ending. Something like: Carver has his heart set on Merrill, but she's still fairly oblivious and shy about it, and it doesn't seem to be going anywhere. Isabela is oblivious about how sincere Carver is about it, and she impulsively makes out with him (or more), after survival or an argument or because of general drunken impulse. Carver regrets it a lot, because he had his heart and mind set on Merrill. Isabela figures out what's going on, decides to help him get Merrill's consistent attention, and all three of them end up together.
- Following her realization that she doesn't always pick up on "dirty things" but that she would like to more often, Merrill goes to Isabela for help. Perhaps Merrill does have some reciprocated attraction to Carver but has no idea how to present herself as less awkward and more interest. Isabela takes it on herself to help her. Perhaps it ends up involving "lessons" on kissing and things. How Carver finds out is up to you. They both try to seduce him at once and he feels like it's a trick and panics? He walks in on one of their "practice" sessions for some reason and gets hurt and jealous, but they got after him?
- The three of them are a part of Hawke's party doing something outside Kirkwall, and they get separated from him. They go on whatever genre-adventure you want that you can fit within Thedas: wilderness survival, haunted caves/house/whatever, stumbled into the ritual of a scary cult. I would just really like to see how the three of them get along and bond through their adventure or quest. If you want to include a "cult ritual made them do it" trope to write an Explicit fic, that would be up my alley, but I would be just as thrilled with a lower rating!
Carver Hawke/Isabela
I'm gonna copy-paste a bit from the above, in case this one is all you were interested in reading: Carver seems almost irritated that Isabela flirts with him and that it's working. He doesn't trust that she's being sincere, even though she clearly finds him attractive, if somewhat naive. Isabela probably thinks she's just doing it for fun to watch him squirm, but I would love to see her sort of over-invest herself and accidentally her way into being in love with him for real.
- We know from Isabela's deft tongue that Carver has seen someone at the Blooming Rose before. A pet headcanon of mine is that this is how he lost his virginity and that he keeps going back to the same girl to find a semblance of emotional connection or the experience of having a partner. I doubt that Isabela fully understands this or has thought about it. I would be interested in reading a fic where this becomes some kind of issue. Maybe Isabela and Carver end up sleeping together with little forethought, and Isabela thinks it's no big deal, especially because he goes to a brothel sometimes, but because he knows her and wants that kind of connection, it's more to him, and Isabela finds that his earnestness makes it more to her.
- After Carver is saved by the Grey Wardens or becomes a Templar, Isabela sees him again and is very impressed with how the "puppy" boy grew up and into himself. I would like a more confident Carver to not miss too much of a beat but still be a bit surprised when he and Isabela can't keep their hands off each other. Especially if he's a Grey Warden, you could go with the idea that the "increased appetite" goes for libido, too. If you want to skip past the sexy parts and focus on a plot in addition or instead, I would love to see them kind of run away together onto Isabela's newest ship and being badasses together.
- I would love a fic where they argue a lot and that really focuses on their getting to know each other and some belligerent sexual tension. One idea for how this all could culminate into increased intimacy is if Carver stumbled upon something - a letter, an altercation, a meeting - or made Isabela
admit something in the heat of an argument that makes her feel intensely vulnerable and mad about it. His attempts to make amends and sincere lack of making fun of her, judging her, or caring about her in spite of his objections, leads to them finally seeing that they genuinely care about each other.
Maurevar Carver/Leandra Hawke/Malcolm Hawke
I am really intrigued by this parent-generation ship tag. Since only one of these three is alive in DA2, I don't have extremely strong opinions about their character dynamics, but if you want to write it, I'd love to read it! Here are a few ideas.
- An angsty idea: When Carver is a little boy and Malcolm and Leandra are watching him learn to do something or play, they see that they made the right choice in naming him, even though his namesake is long gone.
- How and when did Maurevar and Malcolm's relationship become romantic? Was it before or after he met and fell in love with Leandra? How did this impact the development of the relationship between the three of them? If they all had feelings for each other, did they ever have a plan that included Maurevar coming with them?
- Any moment from their relationship when they were all in Kirkwall, happy, sexy, or sad. I don't want full PWP, but as long as there is emotional context, I would be happy.
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