It started, as so many of their worst ideas did, with a bet. A casual challenge flung out by Isabela, wondering if any of them had the capacity to drink Fenris under the table.

"You can try," Fenris said, a slight smirk twisting his lips in a way that said he didn't believe any of them capable of it.

There were drinks after that; rather a lot of them. Easily three times what they usually drank, when gathered together here in Varric's suite.

Carver was the first to succumb, rather to everyone's surprise – everyone's but Hawke, that is – collapsing slowly forward onto the table following a rather liquid belch.

"He never could hold his drink," Hawke said, with the fondness he never showed when Carver was awake. He hauled his brother away from the table, seeing him laid out on a pallet on the floor by the wall, out of the way and safely rolled over onto his side, before the contest resumed.

The next to pass out was Merrill, though it took rather more alcohol than any of them would have guessed, given her tiny frame. But she went round after round, drinking her shot and getting progressively more silly, until between one breath and the next she fell asleep, slumping over sideways against Varric's shoulder and making tiny little snoring sounds. Varric carried her off and tucked her into his bed himself, making sure a basin was handy before returning to the table.

The bottle went round and round again, then another one started around once it was emptied, the remaining contestants – Hawke, Isabela, Sebastian, Aveline, and Varric – all taking a shot each time Fenris took one, and eyeing each other as they waited to see who would succumb next.

Varric eventually turned rather green, and declared himself finished. He sat back and watched as the bottle continued circling the table, everyone drinking with a slightly grim expression now, except Fenris, who looked amused, and Sebastian, who had the same slight smile on his lips that he usually did.

It was Hawke that gave up next, the giant of a man finally having imbibed more alcohol than he could tolerate. He raced from the room, and they heard the sound of retching from the hall.

Varric grimaced. "Corff and Norah aren't going to like that."

The others grunted. Isabela suddenly rose to her feet, her dark skin going pale. "I think I'd better retire to my own rooms for the night," she announced, and hurriedly stumbled off.

When they turned to Sebastian after she'd left, it was to find that the man had passed out. Varric sighed, and dragged him away from the table, grinning as he bedded the archer down on the same pallet as Carver.

"Don't they look sweet together," he said, after draping their arms over each other's waist, and turned back to the table to find that the remaining drinkers – Aveline and Fenris – weren't paying him the least attention, instead sitting there passing the bottle back and forth, pouring for each other and knocking back drinks as fast as they could. They finished the current bottle, and sat staring at each other as unblinkingly as cats while Varric hurriedly ordered and opened another.

He resumed his seat, watching the two drink. A faint sweat had broken out on Aveline's face. Fenris' hands were shaking now, and his movements slowed just the slightest bit as he lifted each glass.

Halfway through the bottle, Fenris suddenly covered the mouth of his glass with his hand. "Enough," he rasped, and took the bottle from Aveline's hand. He started to pour her another shot, then she suddenly shook her head, her pale complexion going noticeably green – an odd effect, with freckles.

"No," she croaked out.

Fenris smiled again; another smirk of amusement. "A tie then," he said gravely, before setting down the bottle with exquisite care.

Aveline rose shakily to her feet, lifting her sword and shield from where they hung on the back of her chair. "I should get back to the barracks," she said, and walked away, her steps only wavering slightly.

Varric grinned, and shook his head. "Impressive," he said.

There was no answer from Fenris; the elf had slid under the table, and was curled up on the floor, fast asleep.