Hi guys! This is my first attempt at a Dragon Age story and I decided it needed to be Hawke/Varric. They were perfect for each other and I'm forever angry he wasn't a love interest. Anyways, this is how I imagine a relationship would go down between them in the events of Inquisition, specifically in the Here Lies The Abyss questline.


"So, Varric. Does Bianca know?"

"Does Bianca know what?"

"That you and Hawke are madly in love with each other, of course."

Varric gaped at Inquisitor Jane Trevelyan. They were camped out in the Western Approach, close to where they had helped Hawke and Stroud at the Warden outpost. They were waiting for them to arrive so they could begin the final assault at Adamant. Cullen and his troops had stayed back to give the smaller party an advance to scout ahead. Varric had elected to take the night watch, hoping that everyone else would head straight to bed. Something about the endless sands and skies put him in a reminiscent mood.

All he wanted to do was think of Kirkwall, of everyone he left behind, of Hawke.

His mind always went back to Hawke.

Varric had hoped Jane would go to sleep when Vivienne and Cassandra did, but alas, the Inquisitor was sitting up beside him, wide awake, keeping Varric from his memories. With Cullen staying with the troops, Jane was restless and needed to talk to someone. Varric fit the role perfectly.

"I don't know what you're talking about, Jane. I'm not in love with Hawke."

"Well, it's obvious she's in love with you."

Varric scrunched his eyebrows in disbelief. Hawke in love with him? The thought was laughable. She was his best friend, nothing more.

"You're right about a lot of things, Inquisitor, but this is not one of them," Varric stated, moving his gaze back to the fire in front of them.

Jane rolled her eyes and stood, "You're either completely blind or in denial, Varric. Goodnight."

Finally, he was left with his thoughts that the Inquisitor had so kindly muddled even further with Hawke.

Varric thought about what Jane had said. What did she mean it was "obvious she was in love with him?" How would the Inquisitor, of all people, even come to that conclusion? She had only been around Hawke for the few weeks it took to prepare for Adamant. Surely, there hadn't been anything that would give an indication of Hawke's feelings for him?

His mind brought those weeks into focus and he realized, shit, there was plenty that would have made it seem like they were more than friends.

"You're not leaving for Crestwood tonight, are you? It's getting pretty late and the mountainside isn't very forgiving once it gets dark," Varric asked after the Inquisitor left him and Hawke alone on the ramparts.

"I really should get going, Varric. Stroud's waiting for me and-"

"Hawke, trust me on this, you don't want to be on that mountain at night. Stay here til morning, then I'll let you leave with good conscience."

Hawke looked at him and sighed in defeat. He was right, of course. "Fine, but I hope you know, I'm sleeping in your room and you're supplying me with ale and Wicked Grace."

Varric chuckled and placed his hand on the small of Hawke's back, guiding her towards the stairs that would lead into the tavern. "Anything for you, Hawke."

"Anything for you?" Had he really said that? Shit, if anyone had heard him say that, they would have thought him and Hawke were a couple. Which they weren't. But...what if? No. Varric hated "what ifs." He couldn't allow his mind to go there.

Varric stood next to the bar waiting for his and Hawke's drinks to be brought to him. He looked across the room to where he left her. She was sat next to Bull and going on about the dragon they had taken down in the Bone Pit. Half of what she was saying was lies to make the story better; Varric had taught her well.

He got the drinks and brought them back over to the table, setting one down in front of Hawke. Varric settled himself in the chair on the other side of Hawke, his arm automatically resting across the back of her chair. Hawke sat back on instinct, moving comfortably into the dwarf at her side.

Shit shit shit. Even when he didn't realize it, they acted like a couple. But it was always so natural. Varric thought back to all the nights spent at the Hanged Man. Even then, his arm found a way around Hawke's shoulders.

Varric stood and paced back and forth beside the fire. He liked having the moments to himself to reminisce, but the Inquisitor had ruined that for him by saying Hawke was in love with him.

"Hawke, you are so drunk," Varric laughed as he helped her through the door of his room.

"No, I'm not! I only had a few of those drinks you kept bringing me," Hawke slurred, landing with a thud on his bed.

"Yeah, one of those drinks was Qunari, way stronger than what we're used to."

Hawke groaned into the mattress before flipping herself face up. A lazy smile spread across her face as she gazed at Varric with glassy eyes. "Will you take off my boots?"

Varric chuckled and did as he was asked. After he got her boots off, Hawke moved herself under the covers, still smiling at Varric. He was in the process of taking off his own boots and coat. She couldn't take her eyes off of him.

Finally, Varric crawled into bed beside her. He held up his arm so she could snuggle herself into his side. Varric looked down at her and sighed. She needed this. she needed a break to just be herself and stop worrying about everyone else's problems. In this moment, she was just Hawke, not Champion, not Viscountess, and Varric wouldn't have it any other way.

Soon, he realized Hawke was asleep in his embrace. Varric kissed the top of her head and allowed himself to relax completely himself. He needed this break as much as she did.

He woke the next morning to find Hawke completely wrapped around him. His hands were wrapped around her waist, holding her closer than he ever had before. But this didn't matter. It couldn't. Hawke was his best friend and she needed him. There was no telling what was going to happen at Adamant. For all he knew, they could both wind up dead.

So he held her closer still. She needed this comfort and he wanted to give it to her.

Thinking of the night before she left for Crestwood was a bad idea. He hadn't thought about her sleeping next to him like that in a few weeks, and the thought of it now made him have feelings he wasn't prepared to feel.

As long as he'd known her, they'd been like that. Completely and utterly comfortable and open with each other. Varric thought nothing of it then, but now. Now was different. He had never seen Hawke act the way she does with him around anyone else.

Varric sighed and sat himself back down next to the fire. He looked to the horizon, hoping that the endless sea of stars would calm his mind down. Instead, his mind became even more clouded with the sight of Hawke and Stroud approaching the camp.

"Hawke, you made it. Good to see you, Stroud," Varric said, rising to greet them.

"I'd be one happy woman if I never see another grain of sand in my life," Hawke stated, dropping her gear next where Varric had placed Bianca.

Varric laughed and agreed with her. The sight of her had rendered him momentarily speechless. She looked so tired, but she was determined to finish this. Hawke plopped down in the spot Varric had just vacated. The once vibrant Hawke he knew was slowly fading out, and he couldn't stand it.

Stroud eyed the pair as Varric sat down next to Hawke. He didn't want to intrude on them, so he set up his tent and bid them goodnight. His words fell on deaf ears as Hawke and Varric had already retreated into their own world.

"You ready for this?" Varric asked as Hawke moved into the usual position under his arm.

"Can someone ever really be ready for a battle like this?" she replied, her head falling to rest in the crook of his shoulder.

"You've got a point there."

She didn't respond to him. Silence replaced their conversation. Varric was sure Hawke had fallen asleep as the silence stretched on. His arm was numb but he wasn't about to tell her to move.

Varric fell back into his reverie. It felt good to have Hawke back at his side. He had missed her far too much. He thought back to what the Inquisitor had said, "it's obvious she's in love with you."

He couldn't be sure about it, but he knew one thing for certain now. It was obvious to himself that he was completely in love with his best friend and had been since day one. How had he not realized it sooner? Maybe it was the whole "world is ending" thing, maybe it was the prying done by the Inquisitor, who knows. He just needed that one push to think about their relationship, really think about it. They had been acting like a couple for years, no wonder everyone thought they were together.

Should he tell her? No, no, what if she didn't feel the same? Varric wasn't sure he could handle that. Not when he had just figured out how he felt. Maybe after Adamant he could tell her. It might be easier then.

Varric looked down at the sleeping form next to him. She was beautiful. Maker, he was really gone now.

He had to tell her. He just needed to have patience.

In the meantime, he needed to think of how he was going to tell Bianca. That was a letter he wasn't looking forward to writing.


So that's part one! Let me know what you think! Also, if any of the readers on this are readers from any of my other stories, here's a quick update on those. I know it's been a while. Love Across The Wastes will hopefully pick up soon with a Butch/Ana chapter. I think I'm going to rewrite Constant. I wasn't happy with the way it was going and I feel Joker and Shepard needed better, so I'm going to be working on that as well.

Thanks for reading!