"I have something to show you." Isabela announced as she appeared in Hawke's room. Hawke slowly drew her eyes away from her book – it had been days since she'd had the time to sit and read it – and saw Isabela, standing in the doorway and almost bouncing with excitement.
"Does it involve moving?" Hawke asked, noticing how the pirate remained hovering on the threshold of the doorway.
"Definitely," Isabela's eyes sparkled and Hawke chuckled at the enticing tone. "Now come on, we don't have all night."
"Well, then it's definitely not what I thought it was." Hawke moaned but she was already putting a marker in her page and setting the book on the bedside table.
Once she had taken a light jacket from the wardrobe and tucked her daggers discretely into her belt – after all this was Kirkwall and it wasn't possible to be too careful – Hawke walked to the door and slipped her arm into Isabela's.
"I'm yours for as long as you need me." She granted and Isabela purred possessively.
They walked down the stairs, Isabella telling Bodahn and Orana not to wait up for Hawke getting home, then they strolled out into the evening. It was a still, clear night, just late enough that the streets were mostly clear save for a few figures just hurrying through the dim streets.
Feigning ignorance of the dangers they knew lurked out there, Hawke and Isabela made their way through the streets, the pirate's arm through her own leading them the right way.
It was as they were halfway through Lowtown, past the Hanged Man, that Hawke thought to ask where they might be going, having idly expected the surprise to lead them to the usual tavern.
"You'll see. I can't spoil it for you." Isabela cajoled but she turned her head to Hawke anyway, brushing lips in a promise against her cheek. Hawke laughed lightly at that, the warm, bubbling sound keeping at bay the silence of the night. She allowed Isabela to keep pulling her along, past the Alienage, beyond what used to be the Qunari compound and towards the lower docks area.
"We're running out of city here." Hawke pointed out wryly. Isabela had picked up her pace now, walking quickly down the steps, her hand pulling Hawke along behind her. Suddenly she stopped at the water's edge and turned to face Hawke, one hand reaching for the belt of Hawke's jacket, the other on her shoulder, letting her thumb lightly stroke up her pale bare neck. Despite her tenderness, she had a roguish grin on her face and a bright excitement in her eyes.
Hawke frowned in confusion, waiting for an explanation. Then her eyes drifted over Isabela's shoulder, to see a small wooden dinghy, moored next to the pier. She met Isabela's gaze firmly then, eyebrow raised.
"Isabela, I'm not doing it in a boat."
"Would you maybe think about doing it in a boat?" She smirked in response but drew her hand from Hawke's shoulder, trailing along her arm and linking their hands. One step at a time she slowly started backing away, guiding Hawke towards the small boat. "Besides, that wasn't actually the plan."
"It wasn't?" Hawke's tone crawled with sarcasm.
"Not primarily, though I like the way your mind works." She let go of Hawke's hand to gracefully step into the boat, then she turned to the woman now standing with crossed arms on the shore.
After a battle of wills between them, Hawke broke first, her hands dropping in defeat and her smile breaking through the stern expression she had tried to adopt.
"It's not fair when you use those eyes on me."
"They're not my only weapon," Isabela reached up with her hand, helping Hawke avoid a less elegant clamber into the boat turning to disaster.
"Don't I know it." She muttered, lowering herself to sit on the bench in the centre. Isabela kept a hold of her hand, leaning in to press her lips to Hawke's. It was a swift, surprisingly chaste kiss, because the next moment Isabela had straightened up once more, leaning over the edge of the boat and untying the mooring knot. One smooth kick had them pushing away from the dock and sailing out into the bay.
With practised ease, she let loose the sail, thrusting a rope momentarily into Hawke's hands and then taking it back after tying a complicated knot through another hook elsewhere in the boat.
Soon enough, they were gliding through the water, silently cutting across the black, rippling surface on a breath of wind that Hawke wouldn't have thought capable of moving them. Once Isabela settled herself again next to Hawke, one hand casually resting on the rudder handle, Hawke leaned closer to her, their shoulders gently touching.
Then her eyes landed on a large pair of boots in the bow of the boat.
"Isabela?" Her voice was quiet. As she looked over at her lover, Isabela had a rapt expression on her face, focused on the waves ahead of them. The only response she received was a distracted hum. "Did we just steal someone's boat?"
Isabela looked at her then, a wide eyed expression that quickly turned into a mischievous grin, a flash of unmistakeable pride.
"I believe the term is commandeered. With the full intention of giving it back." She said happily, looking back out at the surface of the water.
Hawke bumped her shoulder playfully, the boat rocking just slightly in response. "Pirate."
"Accomplice."
"Always." She bent and kissed Isabela's bare shoulder, feeling the other woman shift under her. When she looked up, Isabela was staring at her, an expression of wonder written across her face. Then her hands darted up, taking both of Hawke's cheeks and pulling her in, crashing their lips together with Hawke moving just as eagerly beneath her. When their lips parted their faces remained close, both breathing deeply. "I mean it." Hawke whispered into the space between them, voice barely carrying over the gentle noise of waves lapping at the sides of the boat, the cry of a seagull disturbed from its roost somewhere on the cliffs.
Isabela said nothing but nodded, raising her dark eyes to look into Hawke's. Then her gaze darted to something behind Hawke's head and she pulled away suddenly, momentary surprise and then delight shining on her face. Hawke glanced over her shoulder but saw nothing out of the ordinary.
"And here's you trying to make me forget why I actually brought you out here." She said triumphantly and stood up, deftly pulling a rope so the small boat's sails folded down on themselves, the mast left standing tall and exposed.
"I'm still feeling there wasn't actually a plan."
"You think I would steal you away in the night just to have my wicked way with you?" Isabela responded innocently, busy tying up ropes, but still flashing a smirk back at Hawke.
"Whatever could give me that imp- oomph!" She was suddenly pressed back onto the base of the boat by Isabela but just as quickly the enthusiastic woman rolled off her and lay down next to her instead, taking her hand and raising it up to rest between their shoulders.
They were staring up at the clear, dark sky, the mast a dark sentinel picked out only in silhouette by the bright stars twinkling all around it. Hawke marvelled at the sheer number, billions of tiny lights stretching across the vast expanse.
Then she gasped and Isabela gripped her hand just a little tighter. A blaze of light had split across the darkness, there and gone in a blink of an eye.
"Shooting stars!" Hawke exclaimed enthusiastically, childlike in delight.
"The Matrinalis Shower of Souls," Isabela told her, "They always come around this holiday and the night was just so perfect to see them." She sounded just as excited as Hawke, despite the fact she had presumably seen the display many times before.
"So…is this a special year for them?" She queried, distracted from the answer when another light, brighter than before, streaked across the sky, leaving its trail burning in their vision.
Even then, Isabela's reply was a long time coming. "It's the first time I've had someone to share it with."
Hawke rubbed her thumb across the back of her lover's hand, shuffling closer so there was no space between their bodies at all. She wasn't talking about just any partner she had slept with, the sentiment hovering over them as they gazed up, scanning the skies for the ephemeral lights.
"Then I'm the luckiest girl in Thedas." Hawke told her.
"Second luckiest." Isabela retorted, lifting her head and slowly, tenderly kissing Hawke again. They lay there together for a long time, the celestial spectacle dancing above them with no need for words in the warm, still night.
AN: My contribution to Femslash February because my, they're adorable. Hope i did them justice and would love your comments