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“Papae!”
Solas looks down and a huge smile forms on his face. Climbing on the bed, a hairbrush in her hand and a determined light in her eyes, is his daughter.
He closes the book he has been reading for the past hour and places it on the nightstand, pressing his index finger on his mouth. Next to him, Lavellan moves in her sleep and cuddles even further into the sheets and her husband’s body.
“How was your nap, da’vhenan?” he whispers, picking up the little girl and kissing her forehead. He knows for sure a part of it has been good, because he and Lavellan checked their children in their dreams to make sure they were alright. But then he woke up and he’s very curious to know if she kept dreaming about all the animals she loves.
Apparently she did, because she grins, hair sticking out in all directions. Solas snorts, trying to give it some kind of style before taking the hairbrush she is handing him.
“It was good! I dreamed about nugs!”
“Ah, yes. Such sweet creatures.” he smiles, delicately combing the tips of her hair that most need assistance. He pulls gently, not wanting to cause her pain, and holds her soft locks to minimize the discomfort.
“There was a cute wyvern too! Oh, and a bronto too! And a halla and…”
“Da’vhenan.” Solas chuckles, kissing her head. “Lower your voice. Mamae is sleeping.”
The little girl gasps and presses one hand on her mouth, even straightening her back, and stares at her mother with big, wide eyes. She stays like that for a while, following her father’s movements with her head when he passes the hairbrush on her hair. Then, when she thinks he’s done, she turns around and shows him the ribbon she always uses.
“Braid it, please!”
He hesitates, eyeing the ribbon as if it’s an unknown item… and it is, after all this time, after all the millennia he spent bald. Lavellan usually takes care of their daughter’s hair, listening to her requests and trying out new styles to keep it in order during her games and the whole day.
“Papae?”
He looks at his daughter, at her face that reminds him both of himself and his beloved Lavellan, at her puzzled expression. He smiles and motions her to turn around. He saw his wife do this many times with their children and he guesses it can’t be that difficult.
He fumbles with the hair, then with the ribbon, but the little girl doesn’t notice, describing him her dreams in a low voice, her enthusiasm making it higher when she can’t contain it.
Solas listens attentively, but one half of his mind is desperately trying to grasp the mystery that braids are, while his hands try to gasp her hair.
Finally, he considers it done, even decent, and ties the ribbon, observing his masterpiece with a proud smile.
“Done.” he announces with another kiss and the child gasps, happy, and moves her hands to touch the braid and see how it’s been made.
A moment of silence, which Solas spends waiting for a verdict with trepidation, then the little girl giggles.
“Oh, Papae!” she says, turning around with a big smile. “It’s loose!”
“It is?” he mumbles, ears red. “I… can attempt to redo it, if you want.”
The child giggles again and throws her arms around his neck, hugging him tightly; Solas immediately returns the embrace and smiles when she says: “No, it’s alright! I like it!”
She pulls away and grins, even bouncing on her knees: “It will be Papae’s style! I will also put some flowers in it!”
His blush now is caused by gratification and joy. Even after all these years, he still can’t believe he is a father and that he can allows himself to be content and happy.
“I see. I am glad you like it.” he says, then changes topic before his face becomes too red or he starts crying. He is about to tell her they can go choose the flowers together in the garden, when Lavellan stirs and groggily sits up.
“Mamae!” the little girl laughs and her mother smiles back at her, sleepiness replaced by joy and warmth.
“Ma da’fen!” she smooches her face, then carefully observes her with an amused smirk. “Who made this beautiful braid?”
“Papae did! It’s loose, so all my shorter locks fall near my cheeks!”
“It’s very pretty. Papae did a great job.” Lavellan agrees, then she looks up at her husband, her smile softer and sweet, and he feels his blush deepen.
“Da’vhenan, go call your brother and pick up some flowers for your braid with him.” he says, a bit choked up. “Mamae and I will get up soon.”
The little girl cheers and kisses both her parents, before climbing down the bed and running to her brother, probably still napping.
Solas watches her go, then turns his head when he hears Lavellan giggles.
“That was a good braid.” she says and his blush returns, accompanied by a timid smile.
“Thank you, vhenan. I… panicked for a moment, I admit it.” he says, pulling her closer. His gaze softens and he caresses her cheek. “But I remembered how you do it every day and tried to repeat it.”
“You learned well.” she says softly, then presses her lips on his and Solas melts. She beams at him when they pull apart and he tilts his head with a smirk, waiting.
“Will you brush my hair too?”
He kisses the tip of her nose and nods, his smile broader.
“Always, vhenan.”