Chapter 10

Wow. Just... wow. Hawke looked at Eve out the corner of his eye again as they strolled arm in arm to the Keep, he thought maybe he should pinch himself it was so unbelievable, she was just, wow.
He always thought Eve looked good, gorgeous really, but most of the time she wore heavy plate armour, or simple trousers with a loose shirt. But seeing her in a dress, for the first time ever he might add, he seriously didn't think there was anyone anymore gorgeous than her. And, though he didn't want to sound like a lech, she had amazing breasts. He wouldn't tell her that though, he'd end up in a lot of pain and she would make a point of covering them up in his presence. That might just be worse than dying, surely.
Maker, was it hot tonight or what? He pulled at the collar of his tunic.
"Are you alright?" She asked sounding only a little on edge.
"Fine." he quickly replied smiling. He knew she wasn't happy about coming with him, he knew she hated parties, being the centre of attention. But he had not wanted to go to this stupid thing on his own and it was a great excuse to spend time with Eve, alone, or rather, without any of his little band of merry men and women.
He had seen the way pretty much all of them looked at her. It didn't matter so much Isabela did, she leered at everyone. But Anders and Fenris? That he didn't like. At all. Maybe he didn't need to worry about Anders, they had spent the better part of a year in each others company and Eve had been clear that she hadn't ever given in to any of his advances, or ever would.
But Fenris was a whole different kettle of fish. Hawke didn't even know Fenris had an interest 'like that' in anyone. He shrugged off Isabela's flirting with cold disdain, and he always seemed to be scowling, or angry, or angrily scowling. At everyone. He supposed there was good reason for it, being a hunted ex-slave with no memories of a life before his master, but still, he could try and smile on occasion.
Maybe Fenris only looked at Eve with interest because she'd already managed to break Anders nose and then smite the shit out of him. Yeah, he reckoned that was it. He definitely didn't look at Eve with the same thoughts as Hawke, no way. Never. At least he better not be, His own thoughts were getting a little on the dirty side right now. He really needed a drink to cool down.
"Are you listening to me?" He heard Eve say angrily. Crap.
"Sorry?"
"I've been asking you for the last few minutes if you know anyone here?"
"Sorry. Just, a lot on my mind."
"Hmm." She sounded unconvinced. And a little pissed off.
"Well there's the Viscount Dumar, his son Seamus, nice enough lad if not a bit keen on the Qunari,"
"What?"
"Don't worry, it was like a year ago now that he decided to run off with some Qunari guys, we had to bring him back. Got a bit messy. You might not want to mention the Q word."
"I'll try and remember that."
"There's the Du Launcet's, though I don't really know them, Comte de Launcet was apparently once engaged to mother before she ran off with father, but I don't think he's bitter about it. Um, Seneschal Bran will probably be there. He's an arrogant twit, so we'll try and avoid him. Other than that, no, I don't really know any of them, I tend not to mix with them if I can help it."
"And you couldn't try to help it this time?" Eve sighed.
"Apparently not." He grinned at her. "Besides, it might be fun!"
"Do you know how many times I've heard the line 'it might be fun' before it turned out it was not fun. At. All?"
"Err, five?"
"Way more than that." She scowled at him.
"There's always a first."
"No there isn't."
"They'll be alcohol. Free alcohol. Decent free alcohol that hasn't been watered down, or corked, or been left in the sun for two weeks!"
"I have missed a decent wine." She relented. Hawke definitely wouldn't be telling her about the very decent wine cellar Fenris had acquired. Just in case.
"See, fun."
"You are impossible."
"Impossibly handsome?"
"Ugh!"
"You didn't deny it though. See, we're well matched, you amazingly wow, and me impossibly handsome."
She laughed at him. She looked even better laughing than scowling, though that was pretty hot too.
"You still introducing me as 'Eve Thorne from Lothering? Fled the Blight just after you did, a stroke of luck we both made it to Kirkwall'." They'd agreed on a simple story to tell people and that was easy enough to believe.
"Since I can't introduce you as the woman I'm courting,"
"Because you're not." She interrupted. 'Unfortunately' he grumbled to himself.
"And cousin meant I couldn't rescue you from any unsuitable suitors with a suave kiss, so yes, friend from Lothering will have to do."
"This way I won't put off any women who'll want to talk to you. You might meet someone nice." She countered.
Hawke didn't want nice. He wanted gorgeous and sexy.
"Yeah, not going to happen."
"And why not? Is the rumour I heard about you true then?"
"Huh?! What rumour?!" What had Varric said now?!
"You and Isabela? Idiot. You know she likes you right?"
"She likes everyone." He told her seriously, because it was true.
"No. She'll fuck everyone. She likes you. Besides she's told me she wants to, hmmm, what did she say... oh yes, she wants to grope your grinder, praise your Maker and possibly, this is my favourite, Arl your Eamon!"
"That last one makes no sense!"
"If you'd been with me during the Blight is would, though you might end up with a disturbing mental image."
"I don't think she's really my type."
"What is your type then? Merrill? Aveline?" She persisted. Was she really that dense and not realise how much she liked him, or was she just playing hard to get?
"Look, we're here, can we drop this? Please?"
"Fine." She unhooked her arm from his and straightened out her dress. "It's Aveline isn't it?" She pressed quietly, grinning at him.
"No. Now shut up and let's try and have some fun."
"If you insist, Messere."

They entered the Keep together, Hawke hoped with a bit of decent alcohol she might be a bit less dense about how much he liked her and more inclined to reignite their romance from the past.