(Rogue) Artemis Hawke/Isabela [1]

DA:2 Act 2: Post-Fade

Isabela's POV

Shake it Out

I could hear Artemis calling from outside my door. "'Bela? I'm going to come in now." She entered cautiously, nearly tiptoeing as she moved to sit next to me on the side of my bunk. "Do you want to talk about it?" She glanced sideways at me. I sat with my face in my hands, finding it difficult to look at her directly. The crying was over, which was a relief, but I still felt like I got hit by an Aveline-sized battering ram.

"I'm sorry for abandoning you in the Fade." I blurted out, running my fingers through my disheveled hair. I was ready for bed by the time she showed up and had removed my jewelry, bandana, and boots. It felt strange to be sleeping at the Hanged Man after spending so many nights at the estate in Hightown, but it was a home of sorts; the kind you ran to after having a bad fight with your lover.

Artemis smoothed back her blood-red locks, re-securing her ponytail nervously. "I know that much." She leaned into my side and gave me an awkward smile (which I barely caught as I stared oh so absorbedly at the dirty floor). "Want to talk about it anyway?"

I groaned, having no intention of discussing my obvious failure. "Here to relive my darkest moments, are you?" I laid down and looked at the ceiling, hoping she would drop the subject.

"No. I'm here to remind you that every demon wants their pound of flesh. She could have tampered with someone else just as easily." She sat back against the wall and draped my calves over her lap, looking down at me with those beautiful blue eyes. They were like calm oceans on a sunny day. I could only hope to feel that serene.

I folded my arms over my chest. "Obviously I like to keep my issues strong, if she came after me so quickly. I mean, 'I like big boats, I cannot lie'? That's cold, even for me." And it was. Ever since Hawke and I became… well, us, I've been much happier; nicer even. I can give Merrill a run for her coin most days. Then I go and fuck it up.

"That's because it wasn't you, Isabela. It was the demon." Missy placed her hand over my calf and I rolled over, facing the room.

I was mad and I wasn't going to allow her to let me off so easily. "Well, I've been a fool, and I've been blind. I can never leave the past behind. Once a selfish bitch, always a selfish bitch." I could hear her starting to form a word, but I cut her off immediately. "Given half the chance would I take any of it back? Yes, of course. I caused all that trouble, and didn't even get a ship. But it's too late for that now." I huffed. I awaited the inevitable retreat, the 'suit yourself', the 'so be it', but none ever came.

Hawke just sighed and ran her hand up and down my calf, stroking it softly. "It's always darkest before the dawn and you'll know better as we go on."

It was hard to be angry at her when she had no will to fight back. We never argued. I would scream and yell and go hoarse, and she would just kiss me and ask if I felt better. And then we would have sex. The most wonderful and apologetic make-up sex. I softened at the thought and rolled onto my back, propping myself on my elbows. "Your romantic poetry is ineffective against my graceless heart." I gave a weak scowl, but she was unfazed.

"Let's bury a dead horse then, and just restart." Artemis sat on her knees near the end of the bed and picked up my right foot. "How about a peace offering?" She smiled down at me as she began to knead.

I huffed and flopped down on my back. Her thumbs worked at my arch and I moaned none too quietly. She had discovered my one weakness prior to the Deep Roads expedition and she was not above using it to get her way. "Do you give free foot massages to all the casualties of the Fade?" I asked as my eyes blissfully closed. Damn rogue hands. Blades, bows, locks, women; no one can resist them. I groaned, knowing exactly how effective they were on every inch of me.

Hawke chuckled at how easily I was turned into an over-sensitive tit. "Only the drop-dead gorgeous ones. Though I was insinuating an exchange." She eased off of the pressure, working on the ever-sore ball of my foot.

I sighed contently. "One, that's a terrible pun. Two, no. Three, I'm going to tell Merrill you said that."

"Go right ahead." I could tell she had her cocky grin on. Everyone knew she only had eyes for me, but Kitten was adorable. Not as outwardly attractive as myself, but cute. And completely smitten with Bethany. "I just got done sneaking her in and out of the Circle for a conjugal visit." She rolled my ankle in code.

I dare say I blushed a bit. "I see. And how is your sister?" Other than exceptionally well-bosomed.

"Vocal." She shivered as she continued her manipulation, happy to keep me distracted.

"Must run in the family. Along with a high incidence of lesbianism." I smiled visibly. Sunshine is probably just as wild… Hmm… "I send her books, you know. Dirty ones. And friend-fiction." I could feel Artemis choke and I giggled like a psychopath, something which I was not known for.

I could feel her icy blue eyes frosting over as she dropped my foot. "Laugh it up, Naishe."

"Well that was a shot in the dark and right at my throat." I sat up a bit and glared back at her, surprised at the use of my proper (though no longer valid) name.

Hawke sighed and picked up my other foot. "Sorry. I'm a little tense after killing my girlfriend." Based on the extra pressure she was putting into my heel, that was an understatement. "Maybe I should arrange a thorough spanking for our mutual benefit." She gave a deep chuckle, her body relaxing.

Girlfriend? Spanking? "I like the sound of that." I smiled wickedly down at her, nipping at my bottom lip. I wasn't sure to which I was referring. In hindsight, probably both.

She shuttered under my gaze before giving a slight scowl. "Only after you get that desire demon out of your head. Shake it out if you have to." She looked down at my foot as she worked attentively on my muscles. "I can't mock punish you while you're still actually punishing yourself."

I sighed, knowing that she wanted me to keep talking. Artemis was my self-appointed therapist and I was helpless to avoid her intentions. "Go looking for heaven and you'll find the devil in me, Hawke." I can't change so easily. Not for anyone… Liar. I didn't know where the last thought came from. It was almost foreign, from some corner of my brain that was entirely unfamiliar. I looked down at her; that beautifully stoic face with that slightly self-amused smile and those crystal blue eyes that made you tumble into oblivion.

"I'm ready to suffer and I'm ready to hope. So here's to drinks in the dark at the end of my rope." Her words broke me from my train of thought and I shook my head, my own eyes slamming shut.

"Would you please stop rhyming?" I growled as I retrieved my foot. I leaned back against the headboard in a huff. She sat silently at the end of my bed, frozen in place. She wants to comfort you, you insensitive bitch… No, she has to understand… "That's probably what will happen if you stay with me, Hawke. Suffering. Death." I was holding back tears. Very few enemies survived run-ins with the Pirate Queen, but many more lovers found similar fates. I'm dangerous to be around. Look at the Siren's Call. My crew. No demon can replace them. Nothing can bring them back.

"Damned if I do, damned if I don't. The company is better this way." I could feel her shift and sense her smile.

I groaned, hating her, hating myself, hating the whole reality of my situation. I was a dead woman walking, just waiting for Castillon or the Qun'ari to finish the job. "You can't get yourself killed for a piece of ass. Aveline would piss on your grave and Leandra would disown you."

"It's a good thing you're not just a piece of ass then, isn't it?" Hawke purred as she shifted again, this time much closer.

I opened my eyes to find her knees on the outside of my legs and her hands on either side of my hips. When I looked up at her face, her eyes held concupiscence; pure, unadulterated lust, which left me hot in the best of places and utterly distracted. "No, no. Turn down the charm, Missy. I'll have none of it." I shook my finger at her, but her toothy grin only became wider.

"But you're so pretty…" Her eyes glinted with mischief as she leaned closer to me, her lips an inch from mine.

I gulped hard, my throat suddenly the only dry part of my body. "Don't give me that look." Shit, shit, shit! Before I could stop her, she grabbed my sides and began to tickle me forcefully. I squirmed and fought to escape, but she was much stronger. "Hawke!" I squealed as laughter began to take over. She had me completely pinned to the bed and I was choking and cackling underneath her.

"Just say it." Her smile was full of arrogance and mirth, and her breath was hot against my ear. "Say 'I'm your pretty pirate'," she sing-songed at me as she reached down to tickle that stupid spot on the front of my hip. The one she accidentally found during sex, leaving me a gasping, giggling little girl. My own body betrays me!

I was barely breathing between snorts and chuckles. My ribs and stomach felt sore, but I was always one for disobedience. "Never!"

"Fine, we'll play this your way." In the blink of an eye, I found myself on my stomach with her against my back. She pushed her arms all the way up my tunic and latched onto my breasts. I gasped into my pillow and she laughed. I tried to push her off, but she was a dead weight. She settled between my legs, spreading them open as she reached under my bra to play with my nipples.

"This is completely unfair." I grunted as I caught my breath. I was almost always on top and I certainly did not appreciate teasing after such a long, shitty day. Even if her touch did make me sweat. And my heart thump. And my breasts sore. And between my legs… I could go on for hours about the delicious things her fingers left me wanting; needing, even.

She scolded me as she nibbled at my ear. "You're right; you are being completely unfair to yourself." Her right hand continued to massage my breast, but the other was on the move. She was scraping her nails down my ribs at a torturously slow pace. It left me gasping, knowing exactly what she was going to do. But she was making me wait. It was maddening.

"Hawke…" I groaned out, trying to press myself into her. My arms were fully restrained and my fidgeting only made her move slower. It was positively insane how controlling she could be sometimes. It sure was hard to dance with that devil on my back.

"Come on, 'Bela. I just want to make love to you and forget this ever happened." She pouted against my hair as her hand reached the top of my panties, the tip of her middle finger just brushing underneath. Her other hand was skillfully tweaking and massaging, leaving me nearly breathless. I will not bow to her ridiculous whims!

"Manipulative little c-" I broke off when I felt her hand start to pull up, almost to my navel. My body was already bucking helplessly against the mattress. I had been beat at my own game. "Fine! I'm a pretty pirate." I grumbled under my breath, hissing through closed teeth.

"You're my pretty pirate." She asserted as she moved her hand back down and ran her finger over my panties. I shuttered hard, my legs squeezing together in an attempt to trap her. "All mine." She purred against my neck. Her tongue flicked over my pulse and I moaned like a bitch in heat. "And when we get back to Hightown, I'll prove it." She withdrew completely, slapping my ass and hopping to her feet at the side of the bed.

I growled. "I hate you, Missy." I got up on shaky knees and turned, throwing a pillow at her face.

She ducked out of the way, an overconfident smirk reddening her pale cheeks. "I love you too. Now get your boots on." Her childish ways were usually highly amusing, making me smile just as smugly as her prowess in the bedroom. But I froze in place. "I love you too?" Before I could delve too deeply into the meaning behind that particular sentiment, something hit me in the rear.

"OW!" I sat straight up and looked behind me. She threw my boots at me! I got red-faced and stared her down. The cocky little rogue took one look at me and ran like hell, a witch's cackle shrieking in my ears as she bolted out of the door and down the stairs. I flew from the bed and quickly dressed, cursing every buckle, snap, lace, and knot. You want to play dirty? I can play dirty!

"You'd better run!" I shouted as I darted through my door, past the bar, and into the night. I'd never been so happy to be on the offensive. Anger, despair, sadness, dread. All these were memories as I sprinted through the back alleys, quickly catching up to my Goddess of the Hunt. Kirkwall was dead silent, minus the sound of two lovers laughing maniacally as they chased each other through the streets. I never felt so free.