Work Text:
“Da’vhenan, look!”
Scarlet shakes the wolf plush in front of the toddler’s face; he squeals and catches it, successfully distracted from the pebbles he wanted to put into his mouth.
Scarlet quickly takes them in her right hand and throws them into the river, watching them hit the water with a satisfying ‘plop’. She then looks down at her son, grinning, and sits back on the grass.
“You should stop trying to eat everything you come across, Fenor.” she says with a smile, smoothing back his hair, red like hers. His eyes are the same color of Solas' and she melts when the little one looks at her with innocence and affection.
“Mamae.” he babbles, crawling on her lap. “Mamae, Wolfie.”
“Yes, Wolfie. It’s all yours.” she kisses the top of his head. “Mamae made it for you.”
Fenor giggles and gets up wobbly to press a kiss on her cheek. He smells like grass, there is a streak of dirt on his left, round cheek, and his chubby fingers are sticky with honey and the resin they have found earlier.
Scarlet giggles with him and rubs their noses together, letting him grasp her hair and tug at it.
“It looks like Papae, see?” she continues, picking up the plush. Fenor nods, agreeing, and traces one eye with his index finger.
“Cute.” he says, pressing the toy against his chest and lulling it. “Where Mamae?”
“Hm?” The corners of Scarlet’s lips quirk up. “You want a plush of Mamae too?”
Fenor nods solemnly now and she laughs, squishing his cheeks.
“Da’fen, you know I don’t always turn into a wolf. That’s Papae’s thing.”
The child pouts and cuddles into her arms, looking up at her with cute, pleading eyes.
Solas’ eyes.
Damn.
Scarlet melts again.
“Doll.” Fenor mumbles. “Mamae doll.”
“Oh, you want a doll then!” She hums, thinking deeply about it as she adjusts him in her embrace so that he doesn’t rest his head against her left mechanical arm, which is hard and cold.
“I think I can do that.” she says at the end, grinning when Fenor cheers and hugs her. “You know what? I will make you and Papae too! So you will have the whole family to play with!” She taps the head of the wolf plush. “And Wolfie too, I suppose.”
Fenor giggles and gives her another grateful kiss, which she promptly returns by smooching his face and booping his nose.
“Aren’t you the cutest wolf in all Thedas?” she coos, blowing raspberries on his belly and joining him in his laughter.
A whine behind her makes her gasp and turn around. Her surprised and alarmed expression turns into a bright smile.
“Look, Fenor! Here is Papae!”
A large, black wolf towers over them, but both mother and son are delighted to see him and the child gets down on the grass to hug his big snout. The wolf purrs and licks his face, making him laugh, then he turns to Scarlet and wags his tail.
His gaze is soft and sweet and she reaches out with her right hand to scratch the side of his muzzle and ears. The wolf grunts happily and steps closer to lay his head down on her lap.
“Did you check the surroundings?” she says, caressing his fur as Fenor climbs on him and wraps his short arms around his neck.
Solas grumbles a positive answer, eyes closed because both the caresses and their son’s embrace are relaxing, sweet, comforting, domestic.
“Are you less worried now?” Scarlet continues with a an amused smile. “Do we have to fear sudden attacks from demons, monsters, bandits, or brave nugs looking for food?”
The majority of those things stopped existing since the restoration of Elvhenan - except for nugs, of course, which are still proliferating a lot, much to Leliana’s joy. Once one bit Fenor’s finger, mistaking it for food, and since then Solas is wary and cautious around them.
He opens one eye, looking at Scarlet with an unreadable expression, and she giggles, leaning down to press a kiss on his wet nose. He smiles and licks her face, snickering when she squeals and wipes the drool away by rubbing her face on his neck.
“Papae!”
Fenor jumps down and shows him the finished plush; Solas makes a pleased sound and suddenly turns back into his normal, elven form. He laughs as the child throws his arms around him, then says, admiring the plush: “It is beautiful, da’vhenan.”
“Mamae!”
“Yes, Mamae is very good at sewing, isn’t she?” Solas smiles at her and Scarlet smiles back, shy; he gets up and gives her a proper kiss, grinning when he sees how red her cheeks now are.
“I promised him I will make dolls of us too.” she says, scooping up the child and pressing a soft peck on his head. “The complete family.”
Family. That word gives her the butterflies and she can’t stop grinning, elated, joyous, so much tears prickle her eyes.
Solas’ eyes are glistening too, his smile is big and bright, and he leans in to press another kiss on her lips.
Fenor gurgles and both parents look down, watching him play with the wolf plush, safe into their embrace.