The wind howled around the ship as it blew the waves into a frenzy that beat relentlessly upon the vessel. Rain poured onto the deck in a rhythmic pitter-patter that was broken only by the frequent claps of thunder. Great flashes of lightning followed without fail, lighting up even the darkest cabins buried in the belly of the ship.
Hawke stared up at the ceiling as it was illuminated briefly and watched as it was enveloped by darkness once more. Even after months on the ship, he still couldn't understand how Isabela could sleep so peacefully while the world around them rocked about. Sighing to himself as he realized this would be another sleepless night, he glanced at the pirate queen that adorned the space beside him. He chuckled softly as he brushed the hair out of her face.
Isabela was never more at home than she was here - and it showed. She lay on her stomach, the blanket just barely covering the curves of her naked ass. Her face glowed with contentment even as she slept and Hawke couldn't help but wonder what she was dreaming, though a second thought made him realize he was probably better off not knowing.
He ran his fingers down her back and softly kissed her shoulder. Her body arched briefly as his facial hair skimmed her skin, leaving goosebumps in their wake. As he pulled away, his hand slid the blanket over her, which she promptly snuggled into. Giving up all pretenses of sleep, he sat up and swung his legs over the side of the bed. Leaning forward, he ruffled his hair slightly and looked out the darkened window before him. He grabbed a blanket from the foot of the bed and wrapped it around himself as he stood and approached the storm beyond the glass. Even though he tried not to think about it, Hawke couldn't help but relive the past decade and the events that had forced him and Isabela to flee the home they had made in Kirkwall.
He thought of Varric and Aveline. Aside from Isabela, they were the closest friends he had. It felt strange to be separated from them after everything they had faced together. He knew things were better for them this way though. Ever since the war between the mages and Templars had broken out, things had gone to hell… and "the Champion" was at the very heart of it all. Not only had he taken sides in the first battle, but one of his companions had initiated the entire thing. Anders… Even now Hawke felt guilty for how things had turned out, as if he could have foreseen it and stopped it all from happening. He couldn't help but think that many lives could have been saved… including Anders'.
Before his thoughts could linger on the topic any longer, he was interrupted by a tired yet sultry voice.
"If you brood out that window any longer, I'm going to start calling you Fenris," Isabela said with a smirk.
Hawke laughed as he turned his head toward her. "So now you want to role play, do you?" he responded, matching her expression.
"Ooh. Why haven't we thought of that before?" she cooed.
The covers slid from her as she stood and strolled over to him. Hawke could only shake his head in amusement - and amazement. She parted the blanket and ducked under his arms, turning so that she could look out the window with him. His strong arms rested around her slender neck as he pulled the blanket around them both.
"So, if I might shock you with a serious question…" she held his arm with both hands, stroking the hair on it with her nails as she continued. "What's going on in that head of yours? I didn't think you could possibly stay awake after that little romp of ours earlier. Maybe I'm giving myself too much credit… Oh, who am I kidding? That was fantastic. I thought you'd be passed out until midday tomorrow at least..."
"I love it when you get serious," Hawke interrupted sarcastically.
"Oh, do shut up," she said with a shake of her head. "You know what I'm trying to say. Besides, you can't blame a girl for getting hung up on sex like that."
Hawke laughed under his breath and kissed the top of her head. They'd been together for years now and still she struggled with these serious talks. He couldn't help but love her for it.
"Sorry, love," he replied. "You know I haven't gotten used to the rocking of this boat-"
"Ship," she interrupted. "A boat is something you pour gravy out of."
"Ship," he continued. "I don't understand how you sleep at all, let alone through this typhoon."
Isabela sighed as she tilted her head back and rested it against his chest. "A little rain does not make a typhoon, you big baby," she said. "More to the point, you've been sleeping well enough these past couple of weeks. Why the sudden restlessness?"
He nuzzled his cheek against her hair, breathing in her scent as he thought about the answer to her question.
"I was thinking about Anders," he finally admitted.
Isabela bit her lip. "You're not still feeling guilty, are you?" she asked. "I thought you'd moved past that."
"I have - for the most part," he said. "That doesn't mean it doesn't affect me. He was our friend..."
She nodded in response. They'd spoken of Anders and everything that had happened enough times for Isabela to know that nothing she said could bring him comfort. Instead, she let him be. They stood silent, but her presence was all Hawke really needed at the moment. She knew that. They watched the waves toss them about for a while before he interrupted the quiet that had surrounded them.
"If I'm honest, the real reason I can't sleep is... well..." he paused as he tried to suppress a smile.
"What?" she asked cautiously, trying to read his face from the corner of her eye.
"I miss that little dwarf and his absurd amount of chest hair," he said with a grin.
Isabela laughed. "Mmm, Varric. You're lucky you won me over when you did, you know," she joked. "If you'd waited much longer I would have been with that paragon of manliness instead. I finally would've had my way with Bianca too."
"I don't understand how either of you can be turned on by a crossbow," Hawke laughed.
"I'm sorry," she said. "Have we met?"
"Right. I forgot who I was talking to for a moment," he teased.
Isabela giggled. "You know who I miss?" she asked.
"If you say Fenris I'm going to lock you in the brig," he taunted.
"I thought we only did that on Tuesdays?" she said with a smile.
Hawke rolled his eyes. "You're incorrigible."
"You love it, kitten. Now do you want to know who I miss or not?" she asked impatiently.
"Yes, yes, go on then," he replied.
"I never thought I'd say it, but that ginger-haired, battering ram of a woman has really left a void," she said. "Who would have thought I'd miss that big girl telling me to 'shut up' all of the time?"
He couldn't help but laugh as he saw at her pouty expression reflected in the window. "We'll see them soon enough," he said as he hugged her tighter. "And just think of all the insults Aveline will have stockpiled for you while we've been away. You know how she loves to practice them."
Isabela turned to face him as she snickered to herself. "She really does, doesn't she?"
"Mmhmm," he replied, suddenly distracted from their conversation by the feel of her body pressed against his.
Letting the blanket drop, he ran his fingers down her spine, leaving a ticklish trail that caused her to bend into him. A chill ran through them both as the frigid air mingled with their now exposed skin. He let his eyes take in the sight of her body. It was a sight he should have been used to, but he still found his breath caught in his throat every time he saw her.
"Who knew talking about Aveline would get you so frisky?" she joked as her nimble fingers outlined the muscles on his stomach.
"I think you know better than that," he said wryly.
Slowly he shuffled her backward until she was pressed against the window. She gasped as the icy glass met with her bare skin.
"Of course," she responded, her brows furrowing together in a serious expression. "It was Varric keeping you… up, after all." She smiled coyly as she pressed her hips against his, forcing a moan out of him.
Hawke cleared his throat and assumed a smug expression, narrowing his eyes at her. "You are an evil woman," he whispered.
"Mmm. Maybe you should spank me then," she murmured, her lips brushing against his ear as she spoke.
He pulled his head away just long enough to look at her face. The smile she wore wasn't one anyone else was privy to. It was an expression she saved solely for him. It was full of promises for the future, and love - though you'd rarely hear her talk outwardly of either. Hawke knew that look all too well by now, but he still found nothing in the world more seductive.
With a devilish grin, his hand smacked the supple skin of her backside and Isabela let out a tickled yelp. He moved his lips to hers as the longing overwhelmed them. His hands meandered up and down her body, exploring every inch as they went. She moaned, wrapping her legs around him as he lifted her against the glass. It was then that the world around them ceased to exist. The storm, all but forgotten in that moment, took the opportunity to streak the sky with lightning, silhouetting the shape of them pressed together as one.
