It's My Birthday And I'll Meme If I Want To -- A Quote Prompt Meme

[desertions]

The Quote Prompt Meme
similar to the picture prompt memes but intended solely for QUOTATION PROMPTS shenanigans.

i'll leave headers for various characters of mine
others will leave a quote (or two, or three...)
i'll reply to them with a starter based on the quote.
embed quote images or simply write them in the comments; warn if including NSFW content. here's some inspiration!

fancy html for quotes: <blockquote><font face="courier-new"><big><big><big><big>WHAT CHU GOTTA SAY BRA</big></big></big></big><br /><small>— who said it first</small></font></blockquote> embed an image in your reply: <img src=IMAGEURL _fcksavedurl=IMAGEURL> control height and width of your pictures: <img src="IMAGEURL" _fcksavedurl="IMAGEURL" width="500"><br />OR<br /><img src="IMAGEURL" _fcksavedurl="IMAGEURL" height="INSERT">


Tweaked from 221_b

Comments

[openhands]

"Just one nightmare?" Cassandra asks, arching a brow. She may be able to tell better than he is able how the withdrawal is impacting him and his competency to lead the Inquisition's forces, but it does require a certain degree of honesty. And while she trusts Cullen will not intentionally bullshit her, it's still not a pleasant topic. It's only natural that he might minimize or otherwise avoid it.

She can't say she faults him for it either.

[traumatized]

"Perhaps it was more than just one," He concedes. He never straight out lies to her about how his withdrawl is effecting him, but he does try to downplay it sometimes.

It is not as if she doesn't have plenty of other things to worry about already.

[openhands]

Cassandra makes a soft noise of acknowledgement. It's been a while since his nightmares have kept him awake as far as she knows. Although it's entirely possible he's simply tossed and turned until what seemed like a reasonable hour to get up, not wanting to burden anyone else with it or perhaps even acknowledge how deeply his nightmares affect him. The Inquisition is meant to be a fresh start for Cullen after all, a chance to make himself into the man he wants to be and not the one he was or expected to be in the past.

It's hard to tell if it's the right place to be attempting this still, even by Cassandra's opinion at times. But she believes it is. If there is a place that he can defeat this, it's here with the Inquisition, with something to keep his mind and hands busy rather than trying to fight the pain and nightmares somewhere in the quiet. But sometimes the quiet has its uses.

"Would you like to be alone?"

[traumatized]

Cullen has always talked in his sleep, even before the nightmares set in, but now he would disturb anyone who had to share space with him. Luckily he is no longer a templar and he can keep space of his own. He tries not to let the others know how bad it can still plague him at times. It is not their burden but his own. They have all too much to worry about already.

"I do not mind the company," He admits. Perhaps because with Cassandra, at least, he does not have to pretend like he's okay. She is one of the few people he can talk to freely about what he is going through and he would never be able to verbalize what that means to him.

If it were not for her belief in him he would have faltered by now, he's sure of it.

[openhands]

Cassandra nods and steps aside to allow for more space in front of the chapel's modest alter. She's heard some comments from some of the Inquisition's soldiers that they are surprised the Herald of Andraste would keep such a small chapel. No doubt some were expecting as grand a display as the Grand Cathedral in Orlais. But they forget that this is a fortress. That they have this much space and not simply the small space Leliana cleared for herself in the rookery is a gift all unto itself.

[traumatized]

He steps outside to join her. In all honesty, sometimes he appreciates the smallness of the chapel here. It's private -- a sanctuary in what is otherwise a fortress. It's important for people to have that. But the Inquisition is not the Chantry and to have anything bigger might be alienating to those who believe in other things.