OTHERWORDLY.

[yoloed]

Otherwordly Meme

Sometimes all you need is a word to spark off an idea.

1. Post a comment with your character's name, canon, and any preferences you may have (no shipping, no smut, etc.)

2. Leave the comment blank or post a word or two in the body.

It may also help if you list scenarios you would like to play.

3. Reply to other people, either with words you picked out, or words they posted as prompts for a thread.

( A cleanup of the previous Otherwordly Meme. )

Comments

[traumatized]

Cullen is busy during the day, helping prepare the troops for the fight ahead. He doesn't exactly have a lot of time to mingle or catch up with people. And he's never been one for crowds either. Which is what takes him away from the fire tonight, wandering a little further from the camps.

What he doesn't expect is to run into someone else, let alone someone he knows.

"It's beautiful tonight, isn't it?" He says, mostly to alert her of his presence more than anything else.

[questionablewit]

Hawke actually tries to avoid most of the Inquisition during the day. The Champion of Kirkwall is a notable and divisive figure; she doesn't want to cause a stir. She also doesn't want to deal with the accusations or praise that people might want to heap on her. It'd only be a distraction from stopping Corypheus. That's what everyone needs to concentrate on.

Besides, she doesn't know which out of the accusations or praise is harder to bear. She keeps near Varric. He still just treats her like Hawke.

So she hasn't had many chances to speak to Cullen, and particularly not in private. She doesn't object, though. She respects Cullen; but more than that, he was there. He knows what a complicated wreck Kirkwall was.

"It's one good thing about not living in cities," she answers, looking over as he approaches. "Better views at night. I'm not entirely sure it's worth the trade of never being able to find decent beer, though."

[traumatized]

He can only imagine Hawke wants her space -- and during the day he's generally too busy to give it much thought anyway. There's always something else for the Commander of the Inquisition forces to be doing. Right now they have to focus on beating Corypheus -- everything else can come later.

"You should talk to Iron Bull and his men," He muses with a shrug. "They often manage to sneak in some good booze from Skyhold when we go out."

He could stop them, but he knows it's good for morale. As long as it doesn't impare their fighting, he doesn't care.

[questionablewit]

Hawke snorts, an amused sound. "I drank with Iron Bull exactly once, not long after I arrived. I can still feel the hangover. I think I'll stick to tamer forms of alcohol."

He's looming above her, rather, given that he's standing and she's lying on her back. She scoots over on her blanket, making space for him to sit if he wants. Beats sitting directly on the sand, at least.

[traumatized]

"A wise decision, to be sure."

Cullen has never been much of a drinker, really. He preferred to be in control -- it's why he's been so dilligent in his attempts to quit the lyrium. Though occasionally he has a drink to dull the pain of the withdrawl.

At her indication he sits down next to her so he's no longer looming over her.

[questionablewit]

Hawke talks more than she follows through, alcohol-wise. She likes the stuff, but what she likes more is the camaraderie of drinking with friends. Getting drunk is less appealing, and risky. Too much trouble comes her way for it to be a good idea, especially these days, when she doesn't have a group of people around to watch her back most of the time.

It'd been a nice illusion for a few hours, though, if possibly not worth the following morning.

"Yes, finally some evidence that it's possible to learn from one's mistakes. I must be growing smarter as I get older."

Now that she's no longer being loomed over, she goes back to looking at the sky. "I used to invent stories about the constellations," she says, apropos of nothing. "It was a game in my family. I never remember the real ones, only the ones we made up."

[traumatized]

Cullen goes out with his troops for drinks sometimes. To get to know them. For the morale of it, the camaraderie which is vital to work as a team. But he rarely partakes much himself. He's just never had a taste for it.

"Better than the alternative, at least."

Sometimes he thinks he doesn't get smarter at all. But he hopes he does. Likes to think he does.

"The ones you made up were probably better anyway. My sister Mia used to tell us stories about the stars."

[questionablewit]

"You have a sister?"

Why is she surprised by this? Lots of people have sisters. She has a sister. As Cullen knows all too well, having been the one who took Bethany to the Circle. She did blame him for that at first, but the blame transferred to Meredith soon enough. It could have been worse than Cullen. It could have been much worse.

"Mia," she says, instead, to distract herself. "Pretty name. What sorts of stories did she tell?"

[traumatized]

"Two. And a brother."

He hasn't seem them in a very long time, and probably doesn't write as often as he ought to but he has them and he loves them. Perhaps someday when this is all over he'll get to see them again.

"About the legends the stars were based on, mostly. The stories behind the constellations."