Who: Leliana & Wash What: A talk about recent events When: Not long after Gale surfaced from 'death' Where: Leli's Rating/Warnings: Relatively low Status: Complete!
Boulette and Schmooples II weren’t very sociable - they were actually quite shy, the smaller nugs out of the three, and when a newcomer crossed their territory they had a habit of squeezing their hairless bundles of pig-bunny fat beneath the couch and biding time. Schmooples, however, the biggest and the ringleader of the pack, had no shame. That one will strut around like she owned the place, dressed in a pink bow and blinking those beady eyes. Not many people in Thedas thought them to be cute, and often they were prime insult material. Nug humper. Titty nug licker.
Or perhaps only if you were Varric Tethras, a man who knew how to conjure imagery with specific words, but that was a thought for another time.
Anyway, it was Schmooples who approached Wash when he entered, a series of snuffsnuff sounds and teeny hand-like paws smacking at the ground. “She doesn’t bite,” Leliana assured. “I promise. But please, take a seat. Would you care for a drink? Water, pink lemonade?”
Her house was tiny but cozy, the aroma of incense and candles sifting through, tiny glass statues of birds of various colors. Dim lamps provided lighting, the blankets on her sofa were nothing but fuzzy soft material - everything was particularly homey with a touch of femininity. Odd for an assassin, but blending in with the rest of the population was a tool of the trade. Who’d suspect her to be a killer?
Not many.
There was something about being in Leliana’s home that made Wash a little uneasy. Maybe it was the little nug sniffing around his feet. Thing wasn’t cute, but it wasn’t exactly ugly either. A ridiculous name like Schmooples seemed appropriate.
Wash’s unease could have come from the fact that he felt a little like an intruder coming into the home. It was warm and lovely, decorated in a classic timeless fashion (if Wash had any knowledge of decorating, which he didn’t, the inside of his own apartment was proof enough of that). It seemed contradictory, much like Leliana herself. Prim and sophisticated with a sort of soft elegance that masked something more powerful and dangerous.
It wasn’t as if Wash didn’t like Leliana or trust her. The exact opposite was true. In a way he felt a little privileged to know the reality of who Leliana was – or had been. People were not defined by the jobs they held or even the paths they choose to take. Proof of that was all around him in the form of fuzzy throw blankets and soft pleasing colors. People were too complex to be defined so easily. Most people, anyway. It was an important lesson Wash had to learn.
No, it wasn’t Schmooples the Nug, the house or even Leliana herself that made Wash uneasy being there. It all came down to, as it usually did, his own guilt. Leli had apologized for not reaching out to him in the past several weeks, but that had been a two way street. Wash hadn’t exactly made any effort himself. He had attended Gale’s funeral, of course, clad in his dress blues as was appropriate when sending off a brother-in-arms. He hadn’t spoken much with anyone else there except for what had been necessary. He didn’t know many of the people and had been seriously lacking in things to say. Combat had taught Wash to compartmentalize his emotions. Grief was acknowledged, but not exactly dealt with. Instead he’d buried it with work and tried to drown it in alcohol to avoid it all together. It hadn’t worked particularly well.
Then Baron Von Plucky had arrived with his message and everything had changed. Grief turned into confusion and confusion into rage and rage eventually into burning anxious frustration. All of which he continued to attempt to avoid and in doing so had left Leliana alone. Hadn’t so much as sent her a text message in an attempt to continue the ruse and at the same time be of some kind of assistance, even if she didn’t need it.
He was a terrible friend and a terrible person because of it.
“I’m good, Leli, thanks,” Wash answered her beverage offer. He stepped around Schmooples carefully to avoid accidentally kicking the poor thing with his boot. “Thank you for having me over. Your place is nice.”
Yeah, that wasn’t awkward at all.
Regardless, she poured white wine - Riesling, to be exact, a very sweet seasonal flavor type - in a glass with a pink-tinted mosaic rose design. Some crafty thing off that Etsy website. If only she was actually good at crafts, she’d sell some online for a change in career. But alas. Leliana could make a fairly hysterical ‘nailed it or failed it’ Pinterest blog. Internet infamousy!
“Thank you for coming,” she giggled, and no worries, she did sense the fog of awkwardness and didn’t judge. Why he felt so odd, though, she didn’t know. Perhaps with what happened? Leliana hadn’t spoken a word to his other friends. Part of her thought they’d be cross with her - and not that she could blame them - and considering what happened was still fresh, she thought it wise to keep a respectable distance unless provoked otherwise.
Wash, well. He was of a different background. Military, like her lover. Part of him understood her methods, why she did what she had to do, why they did what they had to do. But he had attended his best friend’s funeral and it was a hard thing to stomach, believing Gale to be gone forever and then having a bird drop off a message claiming otherwise.
Leliana slid into the spot beside him, cradling the precious vessel of fermented grape juice. “I have not seen you since the funeral, and gratitude over a text seemed very...impersonal. I’m sorry.”
“Yeah,” Wash rubbed at the back of his neck where the port was. “I’m sorry about that. I…” he trailed off a little. “You don’t have to apologize to me, Leli. I get it. I understand. I’m just glad that everything’s back the way they should be. That you both are ok now. Relieved, actually.” That was something of an understatement. He felt as though he could breathe again and he’d only been on the periphery of the entire ordeal. “I’m sorry you had to go through that. Both of you. And I’m sorry I wasn’t...around...to help you. That I didn’t contact you like I should have.”
“Do not apologize,” she told him, voice soft despite the clear demand - knives and silk, that’s what she was. Why she and Gale were in the business they were in was a complicated matter. Both of them dreaming of war, losing themselves to it, becoming only husks of who they used to be. Their lives were becoming a reflection to that, both so close the edge at risk of falling. “I…needed the distance, Wash. I could not afford distractions.”
Even if it made her seem cold to the rest of his friends, it was for the best. Nightingale had to be focused on making sure everything was flawlessly executed. No cracks or fissures in her plan that’d cause it to crumble. “You kept our secret, helped when he asked. We owe you for your assistance.”
The command was clear and like the soldier he’d been trained to be, Wash shut his mouth and his hand fell from the back of his neck. For a moment Leliana was Carolina, both of this reality and the reality of his dreamscape. Strong, willful, dangerous and commanding, chastising the rookie for speaking out of turn, for acting without thinking.
Steel grey eyes darted to the floor, but only for an instant. When he looked back up, Carolina was gone and Leliana was there again. “I know,” he said. Of course he knew. Of anyone, Wash knew only too well what it took to complete a clandestine mission, even a mission of vengeance. “It’s just…” his thought trailed off, lost in a cloud of what he’d wanted and what he’d been actually capable of. He simply shrugged, “I know.”
The soldier then relaxed and for a moment looked a little confused as if Leliana had said they’d owed him for simply visiting a friend. He shook his head slightly. “You don’t owe me for anything,” he told her, brows furrowed slightly. “Gale is my friend - you’re my friend.” He laughed a little self consciously, “and I know that sounds cheesy as hell, but I don’t have anyone else. So,” he shrugged again, “I was glad to do it.”
Schmooples made it a point to be an invasive little pest, determined to make her presence known, and hopped onto the sofa. There was some adjustment and shifting to be done, with this strange hybrid of an animal attempting to wedge its fat between the two humans but she succeeded - and rolled on her back for adorable belly exposure. Ruining a moment, good on you, nug.
“It’s not cheesy,” she sighed, though the exhale of breathe was more towards the animal insistent on acting like a total ham, strangely shaped nose nudging her for pets. Leliana complied, of course, nails raking gently along the nug’s side. “Friends are the family we choose, and some ties are stronger than blood.”
All she had were her friends. Her father was some anonymous figure, mother deceased at an early age, and there was the widow that had raised her and then shunned her after it was revealed Leliana had been involved with a woman, but she had passed a while back. So for blood, no, she had none of that, and she was at peace with the reality.
Schmooples’ sudden arrival on the couch caused Wash to scoot over enough to let the nug have her space (this was her house, after all. Wash was just a guest). He stared a little at that adorable fat belly and the unease he’d been feeling since coming into the house started to fade away. Because, seriously, how could anyone feel uneasy with a pig(?)-bunny(?)-rhino(?) looking at you in such away that was clear that she wanted a happy hand on her belly, thank you very much, Mr. Man.
He couldn’t help it. The big bad marine was a sucker when it came to animals - cats in particular and Schmooples was close enough. Well, not really, but how could he resist? A soft laugh and he obliged the nug with an affectionate tummy rub, visibly relaxing as he did so.
“I really didn’t have a family until the marines.” He said, almost as if he were talking to Schmooples , “My father was probably some anonymous one night stand. My mother had a reputation for those. The man that should have been my father figure routinely beat the crap out of me. Probably did me a favor, though. I don’t think I’d survived boot camp otherwise.” It was a lot easier telling this to Schmooples. All she wanted was to be pet, she didn’t pass any sort of judgment.
“Then there was my squad.” Wash went on, scratching Schmoople’s side affectionately, “They were my family. And then I fucked up and I lost them. I don’t know where they are or even if they’re still alive. And it worries me.” a breath “Then I signed on to Valar. You, Gale, Kyu – hell even Katou and Lina – you guys are literally all I have, so…yeah,” he looked up at Leliana, “you don’t owe me. If anything, I owe you.” He grinned down at the nug, patting her side, “ain’t that right, Schmooples?”
Schmooples was absolutely loving the attention, those little snuffs mixed with a quiet piggy squeal, a subtle whistle of cuteness singing through the house - meanwhile the other two started easing out from their safe spot beneath the couch, but Boulette and Schmooples II kept a cautious distance. Leliana couldn’t wait for a bigger home, one with a little doggy door for all the animals to escape to. This one was beginning to feel, ah…
A bit cramped.
“I’m flattered to be considered part of this family,” she smiled, lips against the colored wine glass, and she reached over to squeeze his hand. The redhead had a bit of a maternal instinct in her; she’s had many apprentices under her charge she had looked out for (Cindy came to mind), usually was one of the older ones (in her early thirties, nothing tragic), it was very easy for her to gather a circle of ‘baby birds’ to watch over. “But the beauty of is it that no matter the problem, family has each other’s backs. Keeping a checks and balances of who owes who what is unnecessary, come to think of it.”
The last of Wash’s unease left his shoulders when Leli reached out and squeezed his hand. His skin was rough from the manual work he’d been doing lately, a good kind of rough. Grey eyes looked up from the nug between them towards Leliana. And it was Leliana sitting there. No fleeting image of the past or of a dream. A genuine smile spread across Wash’s face and lit up his tired grey eyes. Family was good. It was good that his was safe again.
“Yeah, you’re right,” he said with a light easy chuckle. “And I got your back, I promise. Now, though, I think the only thing we have to worry about is getting you both settled back in, right? Gale talked about buying a house for the two of you and…” he looked down at Schmooples, still grinning a little, “your brood.”
“We thought it best to combine households,” Leliana mused, adjusting the bow on the nug’s collar. Had to make sure it wasn’t wrinkled - these hairless creatures needed to look their best at all times. “Though we both have relatively small places, as we didn’t expect to ever accommodate another person. Or a farm for that matter.”
Three nugs, three ravens, and a drooly chocolate lab. Space was requirement. Inside and outside, where the pack could run free and roll around in pits of mud. The ravens crossed over with training; they had cages, but also remained close by even outside of them. “I have funds set aside for a rainy. It’s a matter of finding a place.” By the beach like Gale wanted, somewhat away from a crowd. No where too busy. “Have you and Kyu been well? I know you’ve been wanting to confess the three grand words to her.”
“I’m not sure anyone does expect to suddenly have a farm,” Wash agreed. And what an interesting farm it was. He watched Leliana adjust Schmooples’s bow. It somehow the pink frilly thing suited the nug, just as everything in the house seemed to suit Leliana in that contradicting secret life kind of way. Couldn’t have it all smooshed and wrinkled from the little cuddle fest.
Wash looked up again, a little heat rising up his neck into his cheeks. Jesus, when was the last time he’d blushed when his relationship with Kyu was brought up? He must be feeling better. His hand found its way to the back of his neck again. His fingers toyed at the implant just below his hairline.
He chuckled a little sheepishly. “Yeah...well...I did tell her. Actually, Gale kind of lit a fire under my ass,” though that probably hadn’t been Gale’s intention at the time, but when he had told Wash not to wait to tell Kyu that he loved her, all the doubt Wash had felt about the issue had suddenly seemed rather stupid. So, he’d gone home and told her that very night. “She told me she loves me too.” He was smiling again. He’d never smiled so much in his life. “I never thought anyone would say that to me. She’s just so amazing.”
Oh, not at all. Items, sure. Injuries - why not, this place had a sadistic charm to it. A pet? Not uncommon. But six of them? Leliana was sure she won the award for ‘most animals received via dreams’ if there was ever such a competition. Hopefully there wouldn’t be anymore, considering the Thedosian Spymaster version of herself still managed to breed nugs during times of war and veil rifts.
But how cute, look at him. Wash was smitten! And of course she’d take notice to the flush on his face, all awkward and mirthful. “I’m happy for you,” she expressed, nose scrunched. “You deserve to be loved. Anyone tells you otherwise, well, just point me at them. I’ll throttle them kindly.” A threat that sounded like a sweet promise. “It feels good to say it, no? To tell the person you love you do love them.”
How does one throttle another kindly? Wash had no doubt that Leliana was capable of such a feat, but he couldn’t quite get the image in his head to define it.
There had been a time in Wash’s life (one not really all that long ago, to be honest) when he would have disagreed with Leliana’s statement. Things were different now. He was different now, and in ways that had nothing to do with the network and all its oddities, although, he probably had the network to thank for it.
He nodded his head in earnest agreement. “It really does. To say it, to hear it…its all new to me, but I’m not scared anymore. I’m happy.” And it felt a little weird to say that, but a good kind of weird.
“How are you doing now, Leli?” He asked next. “Now that that everythings…kind of…getting back to normal?” Or what could be considered normal for any of them here.
Ah, yes. Normalcy. “I’m more...idle, than I’m used to being,” she spoke carefully, fingertips stroking the rim of the glass. “I don’t think I have ever imagined myself settling, so to say, but the change of pace will be refreshing.” All Leliana had were her connections; there’d been no family, no lover (at least not in the way Gale had become) to tie her down. Friends knew of her career choice or at least had an idea. But she’d always been a bird flying free, and now…
“There are still a couple things to sort out, but other than that, the transition has been easy. Sometimes you don’t even know what kind of life you want until you’ve almost lost the chance to have it.”
Wash nodded slowly. He was thankful that Leliana seemed to be handling the shift in her life well. Wash was very familiar with having to leave a life of combat and death and try to sort out the pieces. However, compared to what had felicitated the shift in Leliana’s life, this probably was the easy part. Settling down, building a home with Gale and their little managire seemed like a fitting reward for what Leliana had to go through the past month. And Wash was happy for her.
His hand still rested on Schmooples belly, though he had stopped petting her. “Do you have any plans now?” He asked. “Besides getting a bigger house?”
Schmooples was comfortable; even the cease of pets didn’t phase her, but eventually the other two had their curiosity activated. Extra set of oddly shaped noses sniffing at the stranger’s general direction. A whiff of his shoes, cautious circling around the couch, and eventually Boulette stood on her hind legs to peek at them, aww.
Leliana had to giggle, reaching out to give the smaller nug a shower of attention. “Not particularly,” she answered, shoulders shrugged. “I’m sure I’ll come up with something soon. Charity work, maybe, or something with animal shelters.” She’d always been a very quiet philanthropist underneath the politically-inclined assassination work. It was a habit from the Church she couldn’t kick, but a preferable one to have. “But for once I do not feel so...rushed. I should enjoy it while I can.”
Little snuffling noise and the sounds of naked paw-hands on the floor drew Wash’s attention from Leliana to the other two nugs who had inched out of their secure hiding spots in curiosity. So caught up in his conversation with Leiliana, Wash had just about forgotten they were there (except for Schmooples, of course. She had seen to that).
Washed laughed a little as nugs sniffed around his boots. These little things really were so ugly they were cute. Or maybe Wash really was just a sucker for an animal, no matter what it was.
“You should enjoy it,” he agreed with Leliana as he cautiously reached out to pet Boulett’s head. “It’s what you want and damn if you don’t deserve it. And, if you decide to go the animal shelter route-” she was practically there already “- I’d be happy to help.”
Not that Wash had a whole lot of free time these days. However, a chance to be surrounded by cats, dogs, birds and whatever else Leliana decided to take in? Yeah, he’d make time for that.
Those nugs embodied the saying of ‘so ugly they’re cute,’ really. They had a habit of winning just about everyone over despite their interesting appearances, and they were her babies. Probably the closest thing to an actual baby unless Gale decided to surprise her with a ‘let’s discuss children’ bomb. That’d be an interesting talk.
“I’ll make sure to bring you along for all that kennel scrubbing,” she smiled, a hint of mischief. “But thank you, regardless. For coming to talk.” And everything else.