Welcome to the new story, everyone! While this fic will include reference to banter from the MOTA DLC, there will be no spoilers for it, so all should be safe to read. As always, it's my goal to combine sex and humor, so I hope you all enjoy!
"Not now, Love. I'm exhausted," Anders said, quill firmly in hand and not about to budge. But he was persistent, wet lips pressed right up against exposed skin. The mage couldn't help but smile. He really was tired; it had only been a day since they'd all returned from the mass chaos that was their time with Tallis up in the mountains. The entire adventure had come as a surprise to Archer Hawke and his companions, and not a thing that occurred was at all expected. The events that took place were tiring enough, but the blonde had worked himself into a state of frustration which was taking a toll on him. He felt he had spent far too much time away from his work, and the rogue elf who they worked with had rubbed him the wrong way. His lover, though a natural flirt, had overstepped his bounds with her, and Anders was upset. They had spent the previous night apart, and the mage wanted nothing more than alone time with his manifesto.
"Seriously, you need to stop," he said. "I love you, truly I do, but I need to focus on this. I haven't been able to work for days." There was no response, and he wasn't backing down. Anders simply sighed and let the quill fall from his left hand. "Alright, you win." He pulled the cat off the desk and into his lap drawing him near to cuddle him against his chest. The orange tabby began to purr and kneed against the feathered pauldrons. Carefully holding onto him, the mage stood up and carried him out of the library and into the kitchen.
"What are you doing?"
"Nuofin," Hawke attempted to say, mouth completely filled with three bites worth of chocolate cake. He did his best to chew and went to reach for a small bottle of milk, but Anders had grabbed it first after setting Guard Captain Mittens down. After pouring a saucer full for his beloved cat, he grabbed a cup and poured some for his lover. The warrior took it immediately and happily drank the entire thing.
"You just ate lunch not two hours ago."
"Your point being?"
"I just don't know how you can possibly eat so much. You're luck you've got the money for it; you'd have died living on what I did for so many years." Anders leaned against the counter a few meters away from his lover, and he desperately tried to remain angry with him. It's just so difficult when he's got a milk moustache. He shook the thought. "That's not even your cake."
"Sandal isn't going to mind if I eat some of it. His name day was two days ago, and we missed it because we were out in the mountains. And besides, cake is meant to be shared with your friends and loved ones. I'm like an uncle to him anyway; I deserve the cake."
"Alright," the mage said as he turned to leave the kitchen. He was stopped instantly as the other man grabbed onto his arm, holding him in place. "Archer, not now."
"You can be mad at me all you want, but you need to talk to me about your name day at the very least. It's next week."
"I'm well aware of that," Anders said as he pulled his arm away and turned around to look at the other man. "I don't know what needs to be said. I don't want to do anything for it. I never have before, so I don't understand the point of starting now."
"Well I'd like to be able to celebrate the day that the love of my life entered this world. And last year, right after we started our relationship, I only found out what day it was on after the fact. I want to do it right this time – get you something or do something you enjoy. You should be excited about it." Hawke loved name days just about as much as he loved Anders, and the thought of letting another one pass by without doing something about it was incredibly painful. He'd been so upset last year, and he vowed that, regardless of Anders' desires, something would be done in the years to come.
"The only thing I want is for you to stop flirting with everyone," the blonde said sternly. He usually wasn't as angry when this sort of thing happened, but something about Tallis made it that much worse. Hawke had apologized later for it, as he always did, but Anders found himself unable to let go of it this time.
"I can do that," Hawke said as he ran his fingers through his thick black hair. "But what else? Do you need new socks? Supplies for your clinic?" He thought for a moment and then smiled. "Oh I know, a cane."
"Very funny," Anders said as he rolled his eyes. "I'm only four years older than you."
The warrior stepped forward and pulled the other man to him by the waist. "Did I ever tell you I have a thing for older men?"
"Do you?" the mage asked with a slight smile and a distant gaze. He was trying his hardest to still be mad at the other man, but he felt his anger slowly, but surely, subsiding. Arms left his sides and snaked their way around his lover, tightening their embrace. Hawke had just bathed, the scent of lavender and vanilla clinging to his skin.
"Oh I know what to get you," he said. He pushed back slightly to look his lover in the eyes. "We already have Dog and Emperor Mittens. Don't you think it's about time that we had a daughter? So much testosterone in this house."
"You'd get me another kitten?"
"Kitten?" Hawke scoffed. "You need a puppy! We'll get you your very own Mabari! She can go with you to your clinic and help out with patients. I bet she'd even be able to deliver copies of your manifesto to the nobles if we asked her to."
"As lovely as that sounds, I don't think we need another child; we don't get to see enough of the ones we do have. Just give me some alone time so I can write; that's what I want for my name day."
"Maker, please tell me you're joking," the warrior said, pulling away from the other man. "If we're going to do something, it can't be like every other bloody night. You already spend more time with your writing than you do with me, and it would be nice if we could spend the evening together. I'll have Bodahn get lobster."
Anders gasped. "You would look into their beady little eyes and eat one, just for me?"
"I'm truly selfless," Hawke said with a nod. "Anyway, I'll plan something for us to do, and there will be cake."
"I don't like cake."
"The cake is for me."
Anders smiled and kissed the other man gently. "Alright, Love. Now I really must get back to my work."
"Alright, but if you're able, we're meeting at the Hanged Man tonight for dinner and cards. I'd like you to come. Meet me at 7 if you can."
"And where are you off to?" the mage asked.
"Secret Champion business," Hawke said with a smile. And with that, he was off to ready himself for the errands he had to run.
Ever since his defeat of the Arishok, Hawke had been allowed to do things that most would not be able to do without the title of 'Champion' added to their name. Orsino had been nice enough to invite Hawke to come to the Circle, a privilege that he hadn't had before the fight. So once each week, he spent most of the afternoon catching up with Bethany, talking about their lives, both past and present. He had always loved his sister, but it wasn't until she was taken away that the warrior really understood how much she meant to him. Though she was younger, she was the problem-solver of their family, always able to make right of any situation. And this was absolutely perfect for the eldest Hawke sibling, who always had a way of finding himself in some sort of predicament.
"I just have no idea what to do," he told her. "What can you do for a man who wants absolutely nothing?"
"Well, you ordered that staff for him, right?" Bethany asked before sipping some of her tea.
"I did, and it should be done by his name day," Hawke said. "I know he'll love it; he's really worn out his current one. But I feel like I should be doing more. It's one thing to just buy him something; it's another entirely to be a romantic and loving partner. Don't get me wrong, I'm as romantic as they come. But I worry if he'll whine about it as he usually does – just complaining that it's taking him away from his all-important work."
"Something tells me you'll figure it out, brother. You always do."
