Black Emporium 2021
Jul. 16th, 2021 09:35 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
Dear Black Emporium Creator,
I'm
greygerbil on AO3, thank you for writing or drawing for me! Right from the start, I want to say you don’t have to do anything with my prompts, they’re just here in case you want some ideas. If it has my pairing and avoids my DNWs, I’m sure I’ll enjoy it! All ratings are great. I included a list of my general likes and smut likes which apply to all my requests. When it comes to kinks, you can include anything not listed under my DNWs.
Feel free to entirely erase the existence of canon relationships or break them up if they get in the way of the pairings I requested, whichever works best with what you’re trying to do.
Fic where the couple is not yet together but clearly in love, or on the road to getting together, or having their first time kissing/in bed together are great. However, so are established relationship fics. Whatever suits your ideas!
Some prompts may read like ideas for longer fics, but if you’re interested in them, please just grab a scene with the general idea out of the middle of those hypothetical longfics and write me that! I love fic of all length and don’t want anyone to feel like they have to go above the minimum word count. I just get excited writing prompts sometimes.
Considering how you slaughter your way through untold heaps of NPCs in this game, I should also point out I generally have no problem with gore, blood, and graphic violence.
DNWs
Likes
Smut Likes
Art Likes
Male Cadash/Varric Tethras
Male Adaar/Varric Tethras
Male Hawke/Varric Tethras
Fenris/Varric Tethras
Dorian Pavus/Felix Alexius
DNWs
Likes
Smut Likes
Generally, I enjoy a wide variety of different art styles, from traditional oil paintings to manga to western comics to cubism and everything in between, so please feel free to go with whatever you enjoy. I like black-and-white lineart just as much as elaborately shaded coal or pencil drawings and, of course, colours of every sort, traditional and digital alike. I’d very much like to see my requested pairings in your style, but if you have a specific stylistic idea, that’s always super fun, too.
Literally any motive that indicates it is shippy would always be appreciated, from hand-holding to explicit porn. I’m also always here for pictures of battle couples in action, if you enjoy fight scenes, or the characters doing simple, everyday things together and enjoying themselves. I have no separate art prompt this time, but the prompts for the tags I requested hopefully work for art as well.
Varric has a very different relationship with Cadash than he has with Hawke, but I think it’s still quite an interesting one because the Inquisitor gets Varric out of his Kirkwall element (and Cadash makes him camp out in the wild with him most days and Varric allows it, so that must mean something). All personalities and classes are fine for the Inquisitor, and I’m totally happy with custom looks and first names. If you want to delve more into the backstory and/or want to bring in his dwarven heritage and background more, I’d be totally happy for that. Some prompts repeat with Male Adaar/Varric down below, but I also have some things specific to Cadash in here. For smut, I prefer bottom Varric. If you include mpreg, I prefer pregnant Varric.
Varric has a very different relationship with Adaar than he has with Hawke, but I think it’s still quite an interesting one because the Inquisitor gets Varric out of his Kirkwall element (and Adaar makes him camp out in the wild with him most days and Varric allows it, so that must mean something). All personalities and classes are fine for the Inquisitor, and I’m totally happy with custom looks and first names. If you want to delve more into the backstory and/or want to bring in his Tal-Vashoth heritage and background more, I’d be totally happy for that. Some prompts repeat with Male Cadash/Varric above, but I also have some things specific to Adaar in here. For smut, I prefer bottom Varric. If you include mpreg, I prefer pregnant Varric.
I love this pairing anywhere in the timeline – Dragon Age II, Inquisition, Post-Inquisition, it’s all great because the friendship between Varric and Hawke is always great. I was so sad Varric wasn’t ever a love interest, so if you’re so inclined, please fix it for me! For Hawke's personality, I love all colours or colour combinations (Friendly in conversation but stern in actions? A joker who is just a little bit too chipper still while taking off heads? A grumpy ass with a heart of gold?). Sarcastic Hawke and Varric obviously get on like a house on fire, Varric is super fond of Friendly Hawke and his never-ending goodness, even if he does poke fun at him, and the tension between Aggressive Hawke and Varric is amazing (especially if over the years Varric learns that while Hawke may come off as a callous bastard, his actions don’t always match his words). I also enjoy all classes for Hawke. You can go with the default look and first name or do something completely different, both is great. I prefer bottom Varric for smut. If you include mpreg, I prefer pregnant Varric.
(I also have a letter dealing with heats, sex pollen and A/B/O, one with smut prompts, one for mpreg, and one for epistolary fic for this couple, in case you're looking for more prompts.)
I always thought these two could work out pretty well. Varric teases Fenris and brings out a bit of a humorous side in him, but at the same time you can see in the banter he cares about him, and Fenris obviously likes Varric well enough, too. Varric’s big strength is that he’s good with people, so I could see him navigating Fenris’ hang-ups pretty well. I prefer bottom Varric for smut. If you include mpreg, I prefer pregnant Varric.
Dorian says it’s an odd question when you ask him if he was involved with Felix, but I don’t think it is at all. They seemed fond of each other and Dorian obviously had nothing but the highest regard for him. Besides, Felix did say he liked trouble! For smut, I prefer bottom Felix. If you include mpreg, I prefer pregnant Felix.
Since I’m not into character death, I’d prefer if the fic wasn’t all about the tragedy of Felix’s looming demise or about said death. It could be set before he was infected or in a Felix Lives AU. Oh, and if you do decide to save him somehow, feel free to include all the angst about his (soon to be averted) death. I just don’t like it if the death actually follows. As for Dorian’s relationships with Iron Bull or The Inquisitor, should you choose to set the fic during/past DA:I, it’d be great if they were very clearly broken up by the time he gets to Felix, or he didn’t romance either of them. It would also be nice if Dorian isn’t in love with either of these dudes anymore (though him still being bitter or disillusioned about love if it ended badly, as well as Felix believing that Dorian is still in love or that he couldn’t give Dorian what he got from his former lovers, are totally fine).
(I also have a letter dealing with heats and sex pollen, one for marriage tropes, one for smut, one for mpreg and kidfic, one for pining tropes, one for iddy prompts, one for AU prompts, and one for epistolary fic for this couple, in case you're looking for more prompts.)
I'm
Feel free to entirely erase the existence of canon relationships or break them up if they get in the way of the pairings I requested, whichever works best with what you’re trying to do.
Fic where the couple is not yet together but clearly in love, or on the road to getting together, or having their first time kissing/in bed together are great. However, so are established relationship fics. Whatever suits your ideas!
Some prompts may read like ideas for longer fics, but if you’re interested in them, please just grab a scene with the general idea out of the middle of those hypothetical longfics and write me that! I love fic of all length and don’t want anyone to feel like they have to go above the minimum word count. I just get excited writing prompts sometimes.
Considering how you slaughter your way through untold heaps of NPCs in this game, I should also point out I generally have no problem with gore, blood, and graphic violence.
Table of Contents
DNWs
Likes
Smut Likes
Art Likes
Male Cadash/Varric Tethras
Male Adaar/Varric Tethras
Male Hawke/Varric Tethras
Fenris/Varric Tethras
Dorian Pavus/Felix Alexius
DNWs and Likes
DNWs
- permanent death of requested characters (they can die temporarily and come back to life, though)
- requested characters cheating on anybody
- open relationships/poly for requested pairings
- completely unhappy endings (vaguely hopeful or bittersweet is fine, just not full dark)
- smut involving underage characters (under 18)
- unrequested incest (not a problem for background characters)
- ageplay, diaper play, daddy or mommy kink
- raceplay
- scat, emetophilia
- necrophilia, cannibalism, debilitating mutilation of requested characters for sexual pleasure, vore
- crackfic (humour is great, but I don’t enjoy complete randomness)
- high school/college AUs (other modern AUs as well as all other sorts of AUs are fine; modern characters just going to school or college as part of their life at some point is also no problem, I just don't want, for example, Ancient Greek characters in a modern college)
- 1st and 2nd person POV (they are fine for epistolary fic and mock articles/social media entries/documents/research papers, though)
Likes
- UST (and also eventual resolving of UST)
- friends to lovers, enemies to lovers, enemies to friends to lovers, friends with benefits to romance
- battle couples fighting together
- loyalty kink
- admiring competence/skill
- sparring
- protectiveness
- possessiveness
- hurt/comfort
- fluff
- mpreg, kidfic
- epistolary fic
- angst
- arranged marriage turning into marriage of love, characters pretending to be in a relationship falling in love
- tough characters being driven to their breaking point
- character who is suffering trying to soldier through
- hurt character trying to comfort distressed person who is helping them
- dancing
- one partner manhandling the other
- focus on height differences if applicable
- PWP
- Soulmate AUs, played straight or averted
- I also enjoy A/B/O AUs, so in case you’re inspired to write that, I placed the character I most enjoy as an omega behind the /. For mpreg childbirth, A/B/O or otherwise, feel free to give them new genitalia to manage it or just have an anal birth or a Caesarian. Male lactation is also fine to include.
Smut Likes
- rough sex
- slow, loving sex
- marking with biting and love bites, scratch marks, bruises
- overstimulation
- focus on hands, fingering, handjobs
- intercrural, intergluteal
- oral
- anal
- rimming
- body worship
- first times (in general, or with that partner, or with a partner of that gender)
- BDSM, D/s, honour bondage
- generally playing around with dominance, one character calling the shots very clearly, or both challenging each other during sex, fighting for control
- however, I also love smut that is just really vanilla and fluffy and gentle
- for vampires (and other people who don’t do lasting damage to each other): bloodplay
Art Likes
Generally, I enjoy a wide variety of different art styles, from traditional oil paintings to manga to western comics to cubism and everything in between, so please feel free to go with whatever you enjoy. I like black-and-white lineart just as much as elaborately shaded coal or pencil drawings and, of course, colours of every sort, traditional and digital alike. I’d very much like to see my requested pairings in your style, but if you have a specific stylistic idea, that’s always super fun, too.
Literally any motive that indicates it is shippy would always be appreciated, from hand-holding to explicit porn. I’m also always here for pictures of battle couples in action, if you enjoy fight scenes, or the characters doing simple, everyday things together and enjoying themselves. I have no separate art prompt this time, but the prompts for the tags I requested hopefully work for art as well.
Male Cadash/Varric Tethras
Varric has a very different relationship with Cadash than he has with Hawke, but I think it’s still quite an interesting one because the Inquisitor gets Varric out of his Kirkwall element (and Cadash makes him camp out in the wild with him most days and Varric allows it, so that must mean something). All personalities and classes are fine for the Inquisitor, and I’m totally happy with custom looks and first names. If you want to delve more into the backstory and/or want to bring in his dwarven heritage and background more, I’d be totally happy for that. Some prompts repeat with Male Adaar/Varric down below, but I also have some things specific to Cadash in here. For smut, I prefer bottom Varric. If you include mpreg, I prefer pregnant Varric.
- Maybe Varric and Cadash start out as a friends-with-benefits type of arrangement. Neither of them is in a great situation and it’s nice to just relax and have some fun. However, it doesn’t stay that simple.
- Cadash and Varric get separated from the rest and have to fight their way back to the next Inquisition camp. Whether that’s almost kind of romantic (if it weren’t for all those bugs and nature in general, in Varric’s opinion) or they are a stuck in an absolute hellhole and bond over having to get out, both could be fun.
- Cadash is a big fan of Varric’s books. He’s totally willing to trade kisses for sneak peeks, not just because of the stories, though. (But also, something sweet where Varric tells a tale to distract Cadash from one of the multitude of bad experiences he can have in the game would be great, too.)
- Cadash is a rogue who teaches Varric two-handed dagger combat (Varric can switch from Bianca to two-handed for the first time in this game). During the lessons, they get to know each other even better and start catching feelings.
- House Cadash has Carta ties and Varric, as we know, does business with them. Maybe Varric knew him before the whole Inquisition business happened? Maybe Varric and Cadash even had a Thing (or just a one-night-stand) at one point, or are friends? How do they navigate that now?
- After years of long-distance relationship, Varric and Cadash are overjoyed when Cadash can finally join Varric in Kirkwall.
- Cadash was never really sure what to make of his feelings for Varric, but when Hawke or Bianca (either would work) shows up, the overwhelming jealousy suddenly becomes much less difficult to read. But Varric was only ever friends with Hawke and his romantic feelings aren’t for Bianca these days…
- I’m all for battle synergy expressing how great two characters fit together, so fight scenes would be awesome. Two bowmen could probably get into fun competitions, whereas Varric long-range might distract the people two-handed rogue Cadash is stabbing short-range; or Varric puts aside Bianca and joins him in the front, as he can do in Inquisition. Then there’s the obvious ways tanks and rogues work together, so a full-on warrior Cadash protecting Varric in battle (and having Varric keep his flank free with his crossbow or daggers) would be awesome, too. But really, go wild! There’s so many fun specialisations and attacks and strategies in this game.
- Varric offers House Cadash a seat in the Merchants’ Guild when he becomes Viscount. Maybe Cadash really likes that idea, unlike Varric, who doesn’t enjoy the Merchants Guild very much, and the two of them become a political power couple in Kirkwall.
- I was disappointed how little having Varric with you and, well, being a dwarf yourself mattered in the Descent DLC. I would love Varric and Cadash actually talking about and connecting in regards to their dwarfiness. Is Cadash a proud surfacer like Varric? Was he born topside? Does he like caves? What do the two think about the things they found out? Just them figuring out stuff about their heritage while being/falling in love would be fun.
- For smut, Varric seems like he has a lot of experience. Is it the same for Cadash? Does one of them maybe have less experience with men?
- For Art: Any of the above scenarios would be amazing. If you enjoy that style, the tarot cards that Inquisition used are beautiful and anything of that sort would be great, too. Matching character cards for romance, maybe? Or a shared one? I also enjoy the blocky medieval-ish art style that the narrated cutscenes in Dragon Age 2 used, so that would also be great. However, it doesn’t have to be anything in that style. I’d also really enjoy a picture of Varric and Cadash sparring or fighting together, playing Wicked Grace, being at an official Viscount or Inquisitorial function (formal wear! traditional dwarven or otherwise), or simply hanging out in Skyhold or, later, in Kirkwall.
Male Adaar/Varric Tethras
Varric has a very different relationship with Adaar than he has with Hawke, but I think it’s still quite an interesting one because the Inquisitor gets Varric out of his Kirkwall element (and Adaar makes him camp out in the wild with him most days and Varric allows it, so that must mean something). All personalities and classes are fine for the Inquisitor, and I’m totally happy with custom looks and first names. If you want to delve more into the backstory and/or want to bring in his Tal-Vashoth heritage and background more, I’d be totally happy for that. Some prompts repeat with Male Cadash/Varric above, but I also have some things specific to Adaar in here. For smut, I prefer bottom Varric. If you include mpreg, I prefer pregnant Varric.
- Maybe Varric and Adaar start out as a friends-with-benefits type of arrangement. Neither of them is in a great situation and it’s nice to just relax and have some fun. However, it doesn’t stay that simple.
- Adaar and Varric get separated from the rest and have to fight their way back to the next Inquisition camp. Whether that’s almost kind of romantic (if it weren’t for all those bugs and nature in general, in Varric’s opinion) or they are a stuck in an absolute hellhole and bond over having to get out, both could be fun.
- Adaar is a big fan of Varric’s books. He’s totally willing to trade kisses for sneak peeks, not just because of the stories, though. (But also, something sweet where Varric tells a tale to distract the Inquisitor from one of the multitude of bad experiences he can have in the game would be great, too.)
- Adaar is a rogue who teaches Varric two-handed dagger combat (Varric can switch from Bianca to two-handed for the first time in this game). During the lessons, they get to know each other even better and start catching feelings.
- Perhaps Adaar used to work around Kirkwall and Varric has hired his mercenary company, the Valo-Kas, before. Maybe Varric and the Inquisitor even had a Thing (or just a one-night-stand) at one point or are friends. How do they navigate that now?
- After years of long-distance relationship, Varric and Adaar are overjoyed when Adaar can finally join Varric in Kirkwall.
- Adaar was never really sure what to make of his feelings for Varric, but when Hawke or Bianca (either would work) shows up, the overwhelming jealousy suddenly becomes much less difficult to read. But Varric was only ever friends with Hawke and his romantic feelings aren’t for Bianca these days…
- I’m all for battle synergy expressing how great two characters fit together, so fight scenes would be awesome. Two bowmen could probably get into fun competitions, whereas Varric long-range might distract the people two-handed rogue Adaar is stabbing short-range; or Varric puts aside Bianca and joins him in the front, as he can do in Inquisition. Then there’s the obvious ways tanks and rogues work together, so a full-on giant warrior Adaar protecting Varric in battle (and having Varric keep his flank free with his crossbow or daggers) would be awesome, too. And would mage Adaar opt to be a spirit warrior in the front or hold the backline with lots of Fade magic? But really, go wild! There’s so many fun specialisations and attacks and strategies in this game.
- I love size differences, so anything focusing on that (whether fluff or smut) would be great, since these two have a pretty big one.
- As a Viscount, Varric hires the Valo-Kas, Adaar’s former company, to help the city guard. I’d love if he also meets Adaar’s friends through that, who are interested in Adaar’s new boyfriend.
- Varric grants Adaar the title of Comte and holdings in Kirkwall. If they’re together, they could be a political power couple after Trespasser; if they’re not, maybe Adaar still really likes the idea of moving to Kirkwall and they start to date while rebuilding Kirkwall together.
- For smut, Varric seems like he has a lot of experience, is it the same for the Inquisitor? Does one of them maybe have less experience with men? Does a mage Inquisitor use his powers for good in the bedroom? Do Aadar and Varric have to figure out how to make the size difference work?
- For Art: Any of the above scenarios would be amazing. If you enjoy that style, the tarot cards that Inquisition used are beautiful and anything of that sort would be great, too. Matching character cards for romance, maybe? Or a shared one? I also enjoy the blocky medieval-ish art style that the narrated cutscenes in Dragon Age 2 used, so that would also be great. However, it doesn’t have to be anything in that style. I’d also really enjoy a picture of Varric and Adaar sparring or fighting together, playing Wicked Grace, being at an official Viscount or Inquisitorial function (formal wear!), or simply hanging out in Skyhold or, later, in Kirkwall. Since there is a height difference between them, let’s just be honest and say I’m into that, so emphasising that visually would be great.
Male Hawke/Varric Tethras
I love this pairing anywhere in the timeline – Dragon Age II, Inquisition, Post-Inquisition, it’s all great because the friendship between Varric and Hawke is always great. I was so sad Varric wasn’t ever a love interest, so if you’re so inclined, please fix it for me! For Hawke's personality, I love all colours or colour combinations (Friendly in conversation but stern in actions? A joker who is just a little bit too chipper still while taking off heads? A grumpy ass with a heart of gold?). Sarcastic Hawke and Varric obviously get on like a house on fire, Varric is super fond of Friendly Hawke and his never-ending goodness, even if he does poke fun at him, and the tension between Aggressive Hawke and Varric is amazing (especially if over the years Varric learns that while Hawke may come off as a callous bastard, his actions don’t always match his words). I also enjoy all classes for Hawke. You can go with the default look and first name or do something completely different, both is great. I prefer bottom Varric for smut. If you include mpreg, I prefer pregnant Varric.
- Generally, I’d love any of their day-to-day craziness, from fighting evil Templars and crazed blood mages and bandits to dealing with the Merchant’s Guild or the upper echelons of Kirkwall in general. I just enjoy reading about them having adventures together.
- I’m all for battle synergy expressing how great two characters fit together, so fight scenes would be awesome. Two bowmen could probably get into fun competitions, whereas Varric long-range might distract the people two-handed rogue Hawke is stabbing short-range (and what if Varric laid aside Bianca in Inquisition – since you can actually take it from him in that game – and went two-handed, how does their combat change? Does two-handed Hawke teach him some things?). How do Varric and mage Hawke make up for both being squishies? Maybe Hawke picks up some Arcane Warrior skills or Varric teaches him to evade? Or something macabre based on my gameplay experiences: blood mage Hawke siphoning blood from Varric for his attacks, since Varric can afford not to be in top shape standing in the backline. Then there’s the obvious ways tanks and rogues work together, so a full-on warrior Hawke protecting Varric in battle (and having Varric cover his flank with his crossbow in turn) would be awesome, too. But really, go wild! There’s so many fun specialisations and attacks and strategies in this game.
- I have always wanted the scene that you get with the LI after Hawke’s mother dies with an LI Varric, so that would be great.
- Generally, Hawke goes through a lot of shit in the game. He can be left without any of his family, or at least just one sibling (and depending on how that goes, they might feel quite distant from him/not be on super friendly terms). Perhaps Varric can pick him up in one of his worse moments.
- But the same is true for Varric. The whole Bartrand story obviously wears on him despite the fact they weren’t exactly super close. Hawke consoling him or trying to cheer him up would be sweet.
- Speaking of families, I would love for Varric and Hawke to build one. Be it through mpreg (I’d prefer pregnant Varric – maybe because of dwarven biology, or magic, or some weird artefact Hawke picked up?) or because they end up adopting one of Varric’s informer urchins or stumble over an abandoned qunari baby during some quest, or Hawke gets handed a baby from a former fling who then walks out on them, or whatever else you can imagine. Hell, maybe they even start parenting together before they are a couple. But these two might also eventually go for having a family on purpose, post-Inquisition maybe?
- I could see them ending up as friends with benefits who both want to be more than friends with benefits, but figure that it might ruin their friendship to ask, and that what they have right now is basically like a relationship already, so maybe they shouldn’t push their luck, leading to all the mutual unnecessary pining and hopefully, eventually, a good resolution.
- Hawke is left behind in the Fade. Months later, he is spat back out into the real world after fighting his way through, or being released by whatever kept him. Whether him and Varric were long in a relationship or just had unspoken feelings for each other (aside from being good friends, anyway, since that’s obviously also important), their reunion would be awesome.
- I would also love to see their new dynamic now that Varric is Viscount and Hawke helps him out. How do they settle back into Kirkwall? Were they already together or does the reunion spur them to admit feelings?
- Smut is always welcome. I would love to see their first time, whether it’s the culmination of a romantic confession or a drunken spur-of-the-moment thing or anything in between. However, I’m also here for their thousandth time in the middle of a long relationship when they’re already comfortable with each other and know all the ways to drive their partner mad in the best way.
- For Art: Any of the above scenarios would be amazing. If you enjoy that style, the tarot cards that Inquisition used are beautiful and anything of that sort would be great, too. Matching character cards for romance, maybe? Or a shared one? I also enjoy the blocky medieval-ish art style that the narrated cutscenes in Dragon Age 2 used, so that would also be great. However, it doesn’t have to be anything in that style. I’d also really enjoy a picture of Varric and Hawke sparring or fighting together, playing Wicked Grace, being at an official Viscount function (formal wear!), or simply hanging out at Hawke’s mansion. If Hawke is left in the Fade but returns, Varric welcoming him back (with a hug, kiss, and/or maybe some tears?) would be awesome. Also, let’s just be honest, I’m into height differences, so emphasising that visually would be great in general.
(I also have a letter dealing with heats, sex pollen and A/B/O, one with smut prompts, one for mpreg, and one for epistolary fic for this couple, in case you're looking for more prompts.)
Fenris/Varric Tethras
I always thought these two could work out pretty well. Varric teases Fenris and brings out a bit of a humorous side in him, but at the same time you can see in the banter he cares about him, and Fenris obviously likes Varric well enough, too. Varric’s big strength is that he’s good with people, so I could see him navigating Fenris’ hang-ups pretty well. I prefer bottom Varric for smut. If you include mpreg, I prefer pregnant Varric.
- With their luck, I’m assuming a date would include at least one attack by blood mages or mercenaries, but they could still have fun, I’m sure.
- One thing I like about this pairing is how the compact, muscular dwarf Varric is the sly rogue who keeps in the backline and moves across the battlefield like an acrobat, while petite, thin elf Fenris busts out the man-sized greatsword and has tank stamina and endurance. It would be fun just to see them work together in a fight (not like you need to walk far in Kirkwall to find one). Perhaps the enemies even underestimate Fenris’ strength and get a rough wake-up call.
- I’d also love to see one of them rescue the other – Varric getting Fenris out of a bad spot with people trying to recapture him (either physically or through using his nebulous contacts), or Fenris protecting Varric from merchant’s guild assassins.
- Maybe Varric can get Fenris to clean up that damn house. Or at least one room. Maybe the bedroom. Alternatively, Varric just moves Fenris into the Hanged Man.
- Fenris old master decides that if he can’t capture Fenris, he’s going to get him by snatching Varric away and using him as bait. Fenris saves Varric (alone or with Hawke’s help) or Varric gets away, but Fenris is worried that being with Varric puts Varric at too much risk. Varric makes it very clear he doesn’t plan on letting some slaver stop him from being with Fenris.
- Fenris returns to Kirkwall after Inquisition and him and Varric reconnect. Feelings develop while Fenris helps Varric with rebuilding the city.
- Fenris and Varric have been together for a long while when Varric gets dragged off by Cassandra. Fenris catches up with them eventually, so now the Inquisitor has a pissed off elf who won’t leave as part of his team.
- For smut, depending on how you interpret Fenris’s backstory, he does have bad experiences with sex and Varric probably cottoned on to that, so he might not wish to push Fenris, but perhaps Fenris, who does find himself wanting to go there, interprets that as a lack of interest and they have to clear up that misunderstanding first (mentioning/discussing/describing past noncon/dubcon here is fine). Otherwise, maybe Fenris has no/limited experience with sex and that would be interesting to explore, too. Generally, I do love the idea of Fenris feeling safe to experiment with Varric and Varric encouraging him happily. On the other hand, you can also not go into any of that and have a Fenris who is both experienced and very interested, that would definitely be fun.
- For Art: Any of the above scenarios would be amazing. If you enjoy that style, the tarot cards that Inquisition used are beautiful and anything of that sort would be great, too. Matching character cards for romance, maybe? Or a shared one? I also enjoy the blocky medieval-ish art style that the narrated cutscenes in Dragon Age 2 used, so that would also be great. However, it doesn’t have to be anything in that style. I’d also really enjoy a picture of Varric and Fenris sparring or fighting together, playing Wicked Grace at the Hanged Man, hanging out in Fenris’s chaotic mansion, or just wandering the Wounded Coast or some other place. I also like Fenris’s glowing lyrium tattoos, so anything that shows their glow would also be nice. Since there is a height difference between them, let’s just be honest and say I’m into that, so emphasising that visually would be great.
Dorian Pavus/Felix Alexius
Dorian says it’s an odd question when you ask him if he was involved with Felix, but I don’t think it is at all. They seemed fond of each other and Dorian obviously had nothing but the highest regard for him. Besides, Felix did say he liked trouble! For smut, I prefer bottom Felix. If you include mpreg, I prefer pregnant Felix.
Since I’m not into character death, I’d prefer if the fic wasn’t all about the tragedy of Felix’s looming demise or about said death. It could be set before he was infected or in a Felix Lives AU. Oh, and if you do decide to save him somehow, feel free to include all the angst about his (soon to be averted) death. I just don’t like it if the death actually follows. As for Dorian’s relationships with Iron Bull or The Inquisitor, should you choose to set the fic during/past DA:I, it’d be great if they were very clearly broken up by the time he gets to Felix, or he didn’t romance either of them. It would also be nice if Dorian isn’t in love with either of these dudes anymore (though him still being bitter or disillusioned about love if it ended badly, as well as Felix believing that Dorian is still in love or that he couldn’t give Dorian what he got from his former lovers, are totally fine).
- Felix survives is pretty much a background AU for most of these prompts, but totally also a prompt in itself. Whether Felix actually gets rescued on purpose (someone finds a cure) or it’s a magical accident or he’s made a Grey Warden… just let him live! And make out with Dorian!
- I enjoy love confessions being blurted out at inopportune times! Perhaps they confess their love right after Felix barely survived his cure. Perhaps it’s in a battle Felix accidentally got pulled into as well. Maybe it’s even before the infection and the two of them somehow got into trouble in Tevinter (I’m sure Dorian can manage to find some and we know Felix likes it).
- Friends to lovers seems like a great trope for these two. I would love to see their friendship develop and then shift into something more, maybe after Felix is cured and they see each other again and all their old feelings suddenly resurface stronger (plus some little crushes they may already have had).
- Would also like a version were they already fell for each other and became lovers in Tevinter before Felix was infected. (If you want to write a dramatic story with that prompt: Perhaps Felix broke up with Dorian because of the taint, not wanting Dorian to be tied to a dead man, and Dorian accepted it as the reasonable thing to do, but was secretly heart-broken? Can they pick it up again when Felix is cured and do the friends-to-lovers walk a second time? That’d be great.)
- I generally see them as about the same age, but I don’t think it ever actually says for Felix. Is he Dorian’s age or was there maybe a bit of an age difference and Felix had a puppy love crush on Dorian when he first came around the house and Felix was like sixteen, seventeen? Does Dorian now see him in a new light after they have been separated and Felix has gone through such harrowing experiences, where before Dorian perhaps always still had that image of the teenager in mind, even though Felix had long grown up?
- Considering Alexius picked Dorian up when they were both visitors to a brothel, I doubt Dorian has little experience with men, but for Felix I could see it! Does Dorian show him what he’s been missing out on?
- Maybe Felix was a bit of a late-bloomer, so he hadn’t slept with anyone yet before he was infected, man or woman, and afterwards he was worried he might be able to pass on the blight, so he remained a virgin despite being basically Dorian’s age or just a few years younger. After Felix is cured and Dorian finds out, he decides to give Felix a few hands-on lessons. Are they already in a relationship or are they pretending just to have fun but actually pining?
- Dorian joins a cured Felix back in Tevinter after DA:I. Maybe they had a long-distance relationship so far and now finally get to be sweet with each other in person?
- Dorian decides to meet with his parents. He pretends like it doesn’t really shake him (as usual), but Felix welcomes him back in their shared home in the aftermath and reminds him he doesn’t need to conform to his family anymore.
- Dorian and Felix geeking out over filling the library in their new home.
- Felix spoke to the Inquisitor, asking about the Other Future, or questioned his father about his intentions. Dorian cheers him up afterwards, as Felix is shaken to learn what was to be done in the name of protecting him.
- Dorian always assumed Felix was straight (maybe Felix thought so, too, or maybe he just didn’t think he was Dorian’s type). Then, as Felix is cured and with the Inquisition, or maybe earlier when they’re still together in Tevinter, a man starts hitting on Felix and Felix seems mildly interested – though of course his true interests lie elsewhere… does Dorian intervene?
- Dorian is a flirt and terribly charming. Felix is very reasonable and understanding and usually not super bothered by that. Still, it can get a little much sometimes to see how many people are infatuated with Dorian and especially in Tevinter, Felix’s lack of magic talent makes him sort of second-class to most nobles, so he probably gets overlooked a lot on principle when people consider if Dorian is free. How does he try to recapture Dorian’s interest? Does Dorian make it clear that sort of effort (while appreciated) was never even necessary?
- Dorian’s ex is either the Iron Bull or the Inquisitor. Felix secretly wonders how he is ever going to stand up to either of them (he’s not a Dom or generally as sexually experienced as the Bull, nor an amazing main character hero).
- Dorian said that in Tevinter, you don’t often get relationships between men. Maybe, out of habit, he tries to keep things light with Felix, more friends-with-benefits despite being desperately in love. Meanwhile, Felix doesn’t want to pressure Dorian and lose him, since he knows Dorian has a wild history and might still not be into commitment, but he wishes he could be his only partner. Do they eventually manage to figure out they want the same thing?
- Just generally Dorian and Felix hanging around Skyhold after Felix is cured, being in love and not quite daring to admit it since neither wants to ruin the friendship. What (or who) pushes them into it? Dorian’s meddling friends definitely welcome!
- Being tainted, Felix hasn’t really been touched in a long while except for by people trying to work magic or medicine on him and he’s only recently been cured. When Dorian starts being affectionate (whether in a relationship or casually), he’s very eager for it.
- Dorian has a lot of sex, but he didn’t get much physical attention divorced from that, Tevinter being as it is. Luckily, Felix is very happy to give it even when Dorian is not the type to directly ask for a hug.
- Dorian has to defend them in a battle and Felix isn’t much use in a fight (especially not if he’s still weak suffering/recovering from the blight), so it’s on Dorian to pull himself up again and again and he’s not going to fail. Would love Felix patching him up after!
- Felix is not much of a fighter, but somehow he ends up in a situation where he has to defend Dorian (who is maybe trying to open one of those magical barriers or already beaten on the ground or something) and he just won’t let himself be defeated, despite the fact that he’s neither a good mage nor all that great with a blade. He can still be a meat shield, after all.
- Felix got cured in Haven, but while he’s still recovering, Corypheus attacks. So he basically has no choice but to drag himself, half-dead, through the snow to Skyhold with the others. Dorian is at his side, of course.
- One character falling ill (or suffering from an infected wound, or in Felix’s case maybe going through difficult blight treatment) and the other caring about them is already one of my favourite tropes, so that alone would make me happy. If you want to up the ante, maybe there is a feverish confession. What is it about? Is it a love confession or perhaps something more indiscreet, a smutty fantasy? Or maybe something innocent but with implications towards their feelings, like them wishing for the other person to embrace them or stay with them through the night?
- I would love for Dorian to reveal what happened between him and his father to Felix and just generally get to vent his frustration with the Tevinter system in earnest for once, since he’s usually more of a hide-the-pain-with-jokes type of person.
- Felix is so serene about even his own death, but maybe he can have a moment as well. Does he still dream about the attack that killed his mother and left him infected? What about when his grandfather tried to have him assassinated? Did he ever suffer at the hands of other high-born people, or family members/acquaintances for his lack of magic, but didn’t tell people? (I’d also be fine with noncon for this specific prompt, perhaps someone making use of the fact that he has no magical way to defend himself, because it would be interesting to see how Felix handles it.) Him telling Dorian would be nice.
- Felix going through some sort of blight cure would need some seeing to. Dorian fussing with him (maybe while sort of still trying to keep up the irreverent attitude – does he manage?) would be fun.
- But maybe Dorian also goes down with a nasty flu or something at some point! Felix wants him to get better, of course, but maybe also enjoys that he gets to repay Dorian a little bit for caring about him when he was in recovery.
- For a pre-blight prompt, one of them falling ill and the other caring about them when they don’t know each other that well yet back in Tevinter would be a great chance for them to start falling in love.
- Dorian had the best intentions about not touching the son of the man who pulled him out of his life of chaotic squalor and actually put him on a good path. However, he didn’t expect Felix to be his soulmate.
- Dorian and Felix knew they were soulmates, but Felix told Dorian it would be fine if he left since he has to get used to living without him, as he’s dying from the blight. When they meet again, Dorian realises he can’t leave him a second time. Then, when they’ve already resigned themselves to Felix’s imminent death, a cure is found.
- Arranged marriages are always awesome. In a first step to reforming Tevinter, Dorian and Felix decide to get married (whether it’s wholly officially recognised or not) to bind their powerful families together and make a point that political alliances are still possible and valuable if they don’t result in biological babies. Is it a love marriage from the start or did they do it out of political cunning but now realise it means more?
- Felix, who is with the administrative Inquisition staff, is at some point handed an orphan baby to care for because everyone else has too much to do. The kid has no other family and him and Dorian accidentally fall into the role of parents (and get together if they aren’t already).
- One/some of their relatives or friends get offed in some political plot. Dorian and Felix, currently back in Tevinter trying to reform it, are left caring for their orphaned baby. Are they already together and realise they’re now basically starting a family or does this bring them closer?
- So mpreg probably can’t be something that’s usually possible for human and other magically talented races, as otherwise Dorian’s whole backstory collapses in on itself. But maybe there’s just a stigma against it in Tevinter as it is traditionally thought to produce or for some reason actually does often produce less magically powerful children? But Dorian wants a child with his lover/husband Felix, anyway, and goes against all established norms and traditions.
- Dorian and Felix stumble over some ancient magic artefact that leaves Felix pregnant with Dorian’s baby. Do they consider reverse-engineering the magic? What does it feel like for Dorian that he may give his father exactly what he wants in the end, an heir? That must be a weird and not altogether positive feeling.
- The secret to mpreg/fpreg is discovered in Tevinter during the timeline of DA:I. Great, now it wouldn’t be a problem anymore to favour someone of the same gender and Dorian can marry some magically gifted dude he will never get along with and they can despise each other till they’re both old! Dorian, of course, promptly decides to scandalise everybody by marrying Felix, whose lack of magical talent basically makes him a no-go as a partner for the entirety of Tevinter’s upper crust, male or female.
- For Art: Any of the above scenarios would be amazing. If you enjoy that style, the tarot cards that Inquisition used are beautiful and anything of that sort would be great, too. Matching character cards for romance, maybe? Or a shared one? I also like the blocky medieval-ish art style that the narrated cutscenes in Dragon Age 2 used, so that would also be great. However, it doesn’t have to be anything in that style. I’d also really enjoy a picture of Felix and Dorian sitting over books together, exploring some beautiful or interesting landscape, being at an official Inquisition or Tevinter function (formal wear!), or simply hanging out and being sweet together. A picture of Felix still recovering on the sickbed, but already talking with Dorian, or Dorian kissing him as he wakes up from the improbable but suddenly available blight cure would be great, too. We also see an updated character design for Dorian in the ending slide when he’s back in Tevinter with the Lucerni/in the senate, so him in that outfit and Felix also with an adjusted character design would be cool.
(I also have a letter dealing with heats and sex pollen, one for marriage tropes, one for smut, one for mpreg and kidfic, one for pining tropes, one for iddy prompts, one for AU prompts, and one for epistolary fic for this couple, in case you're looking for more prompts.)