Moonpriestess30: I do love me some shakespeare :D
Chapter 55 – Where were you?
Makatza flopped onto her bed and felt like a love struck teenager as she cuddled her pillow before being jumped on by her pups who saw the opportunity. She laughed and kissed them both multiple times as they leapt around her licking her face. 'I know, I know, I'm a fool!' She laughs. They were both incredibly happy that their adoptive mother seemed to be getting closer to whom they saw as the Alpha. Ciere grinned as she barked about how she was going to be having siblings soon making Makatza blush. 'Oh don't start, it's bad enough with everyone else,' she smiles as she rolls her eyes. She laid down and sighed looking at her ceiling. 'It's bad enough how much I care about him, you'd think it was love,' she says quietly as she bit her nail. 'It can't be though, we've barely been together a week. Properly anyway... I don't think you can love someone after such a short time. I think I just care about him... a lot. That's okay. There's nothing wrong with that. Especially since we're dating,' she talks to her pups and strokes Elgon. It made no difference, as far as the wolves were concerned they were mated for life and only a more superior male or death was going to change that. She curled up on her bed and let her imagination roam, imagine if I let him stay the night? We would probably have well... we certainly wouldn't be sleeping that's a thing. Honest to god, I don't think I'm bothered about the time that we've been dating. I mean Isabela used to sleep with who she fancied, maybe I should take a leaf out of her book and just go for it and enjoy myself. God knows I would enjoy myself... a lot... with him... fuck... Makatza groaned as her face flushed bright red as her mind wandered, it was going to take a lot for her to fall asleep. Having read rather descriptive books wasn't helping her situation, she could only imagine what it would be like. 'Fuck,' she murmured to herself as she covered her face with her hands. It was going to be a restless night.
-x-
They were walking into the gate of the city and on their way down to the Hanged Man when they were ambushed by a group of men with less than ideal intentions. Hawke swore as he pulled his staff around and threw it into the ground, he had only taken Isabela with him to the coast to do some scouting so they weren't really prepared for a group fight. Luckily he had masses amounts of mana to use and he didn't stinge as the fray began. Throwing up a wall of fire around them all and trapping them in like rats it allowed Isabela to pick them off as he weakened them with energy blasts. One man got too close and Hawke spun his weapon literally beating him with the rather sharp end until he was a drooling, bloody mess on the ground. It didn't take too much longer for the rest of the ambush tot be dealt with and soon they were both checking themselves for injuries and the dead for anything valuable. Garrett recognised the outfits that they wore and sighed heavily as he spotted the Mabari that he had to unfortunately kill. 'Alrighty ho,' Garrett says as he spits the blood off his face. 'That's like the sixth time we've run into these bastards,' he complains as Isabela wipes her dagger on a body that had until the last ten minutes been alive. 'I'm getting sick and tired of it. Any idea who these annoying sons of bitches are?' Isabela begins to pat down a body and pulls out a piece of paper with rough instructions written over it.
'Says something about Dog Lords? Surprised these wankers can write in a legible script to be honest,' she laughs lightly as she rolls her eyes. 'Such a bravado name for pieces of shit,' the pirate boots the one on the floor roughly as she hands it over to him. 'Not so much as a silver on him. Arsehole.'
'Fuck, I need to get rid of these annoying pricks as soon as. I can't walk through the city gates without getting attacked, it's becoming ridiculous,' he sighs as he take out a handkerchief and begins to wipe his face clean. The trip up the coast hadn't been very productive so he was already grumbling about that, now he had this to top off his night. Isabela kissed his cheek and made him smile.
'Oh hush up, look at it this way; now you have the directions to the lead guy and tomorrow night when they come out to play you can kick their asses,' she smiles as she taps the paper she had given him. 'I'm gonna go home and have a bath, you need to go recruit someone else for tomorrow night, I am having a night off from midge bites and dog bites and I can't believe I'm saying this, but mage bites too,' she teases lightly as she squeezes his bum.
'Who the hell am I supposed to take with me then?'
'Who do you think? Drag his lazy ass outta that house. It's about time he had a workout 'cause he certainly ain't getting one elsewhere. He's getting squidgy and you can tell him that. Make him glisten,' she cackles. She says goodbye to her lover and disappears into the shadows, Hawke sighs and starts to make his way into High town.
Hawke knocks on the door, he waits for a moment and then grumbles to himself. There seemed to be no answer. 'Come on, you can't tell me that the one time I want to talk to you, you're out the friggin' house,' he moans, he rubs his hands in the cold trying to keep warm without actually having to create a small fire. 'Maker, when did it get so bloody cold?' He knocked again, 'come on I'm starting to smuggle walnuts here-'
'Hawke?'
He turns around and smiles, 'ah, there you are, where did you go?' He asks his friend as he unlocks the front door. Hawke continues to rub his hands as he looks the elf over, there was no signs of fighting and his armour was shining like usual so he had spent time maintaining it in the last twenty-four hours, something was curious about this behaviour and he was determined to find out what was going on.
'I have been walking,' Fenris states not wanting to draw suspicion to himself about his whereabouts.
Hawke raises a brow as he follows him inside the house, 'at this time in the morning?'
'You are the one calling on me at ''this time of the morning'', is that itself not strange? If I had been asleep you would have woken me,' Fenris points out as he stifles a yawn walking to the kitchen to grab a glass of water before anything else. He assumed Hawke was here for a reason and would follow him into the manor whether he wanted him to or not. Fenris looked around his kitchen, he hadn't planned tonight well enough, he should have taken food it was a little late to eat so he'd just have to wait till morning.
'You always answer the door even if you were asleep. You normally threaten to kill me if I do it again,' Hawke jokes as he sits on the kitchen counter. 'Not that you do, thank the Maker. I know it's a terrible habit that I have. Anyway, what were you walking about for? Without your sword as well! Fenris, look if you're feeling itchy for a fight I'd rather you just come with me with whatever I'm doing. I did offer to take you to the coast tonight-'
'I had already decided on doing other things tonight. I was not looking for a fight, Hawke. I was merely restless,' he says simply annoyed at how inquisitive this man was. He rinsed out a glass and poured himself a glass of water before offering Hawke one to which he refused. 'Why are you here at this time in the morning? Regardless of everything else you are covered in blood. Are you injured? Because you would be best going to the mage or Makatza for healing than I,' Fenris says.
Hawke claps his hands. 'I had some stupid encounter when I entered the city gates, I just want one night off. Anyway, we found a lead to their leader so that means we're getting really close on taking down the Dog Lords, you know that gang in Kirkwall that uses Mabaris? I really want them off the streets, it would help Aveline a lot and there's been a lot of dog thefts around and I reckon they're behind it. Plus, I would get rewarded. They only really roam at night so I was hoping that tomorrow night you would come out and help me. I need someone with good defence and Anders and Sebastian can't really take a lot of blows like you. Would you mind helping me?' He asks. Fenris sighs and looks at his friend, as much as he wants to say no because he wished to spend the evening with Makatza he couldn't let his friend get into danger.
'Whom else is going?' He asks before he agrees.
'Izzy has already said that she's not interested and if I take Merrill she'll cry if we have to kill any dogs so as it stands it'll be me, Varric, if he wants in,... you and I was kinda hoping... Katza,' he says slowly.
Fenris gives him a look, 'why would you take your cousin on an errand like this?' He had to relax his grip on the glass or risk crushing it in his hand. 'Why not take Aveline if it is to do with a gang?'
Hawke breathed in through his teeth in a whistle, 'I don't really want to take Katza but her ability to talk to dogs is really, really handy in a situation like this. She's also proving to be a really good healer and that's like a two for one really. Katza said she wanted to get more involved and you have to admit I've been really good about not dragging her off, it's been a couple months since the whole Wyvern thing,' Hawke grins. 'As for Aveline I've not spoken to her yet but I think she's got a lot on her mind with the Qunari so I kinda wanted to just take some pressure off her. Also you have a soft spot for Katza so I can't see you letting her get hurt.'
'Irregardless to a ''soft spot'', it does not mean I wish to see her in danger either,' Fenris said feeling his heart stop in anxiety at the thought. 'I will admit she is powerful-'
'Fenris, you and I both know she is far stronger than the both of us in terms of literal power,' Garrett laughs as he watches his friend. 'Come on, please? Look after my ass so I don't get it bitten off by some hungry hound and keep an eye on Katza so she doesn't accidentally get herself stabbed or vaporise us all.'
The elf sighed heavily and gave Hawke a look of deep annoyance. 'Very well. I will join you,' he says simply. At least Hawke had gotten distracted to why he had been out the house in the early hours, 'do not expect me to choose between you and your cousin though. If you are in danger I expect you to get yourself out of it,' Fenris jokes ever so lightly. 'You are more than capable of looking after yourself.'
Garrett snorts in amusement and shakes his head, 'she's wearing off on you,' he smiles as he looks at the elf, he looked a lot more relaxed than he had ever seen and he wondered if a walk had really done that. 'Are you actually going to do anything about it?'
'About what?' He said ignorantly, almost acting oblivious to Hawke's clear intention.
'Maker. About Katza. About you. About you having a crush on Katza,' Garrett said in an overly dramatic sigh in a voice for the hard of hearing, he gave Fenris a look he was being purposely deflective and Garrett was tired of the mucking about. 'Are you getting my drift?'
'Unfortunately,' Fenris says baring his teeth a little. 'To what ''crush'' are you referring to?'
'Fuck, man! Come on, I'm being perfectly open here. You like her, you care a lot. Maker, for all I can see you're pretty much in love with her,' he says rubbing his eyes, this man was being infuriating but there was no way he was this truly oblivious. 'Look, I'm your friend right?'
'I would say, yes,' Fenris admits, something Hawke had said shook him a little. Love? Was that really an option? Did he really care that way? If so, that was much more dangerous than entertaining the idea of companionship. 'I respect you and you are different from any mages I have met, so yes. I would say that we are friends.'
He nods and inhales deeply, 'as your friend I just want to say that you should think about telling her how you feel. Let her know that you're an option, otherwise other people are gonna start thinking that they have a chance,' he says simply. Garrett was concerned, he had spoken to his mother earlier that morning and she had casually mentioned that there had been interest in Makatza when it came to courting.
Fenris sighs and leans against the table, placing his hands on the top as he does so. 'I did not think that you would like the hypothetical idea of your cousin and I together. It is that simple in your eyes?'
'I do like the idea of you two together, she seems to bring out the best in you and you actually have a personality besides brooding. You're bound to get a bit of teasing from Isabela and Varric. Though I gotta say that if you hurt her I'll set your ass on fire,' he laughs. 'Otherwise yeah, it's that simple. I waited for years for Isabela to actually take an interest, don't do what I did. She's been here for what...-'
'Ten months,' Fenris says simply, it's not that he had been counting. He just happened to be aware of the time that she had been around.
'Really? That long, wow. Well you're halfway there if you're trying to copy Izzy and me,' he teases. He gets off the table and pats his friend on the shoulder. 'Look, whatever you decide I'll support, though you better be able to run fast if you do choose her, Silvanus may be a lot older than us but he's a wicked shot when it comes to throwing a dagger,' he grins. 'I'll leave you to your beauty sleep,' he nods and begins to walk towards the kitchen door.
'Hawke?' Fenris says after a moment. Something he had said was preying on his mind a little, maybe it was the realisation or the possibility, Fenris wasn't quite sure at this moment.
'Hmm?'
'You think I am in love?' He inquires looking at the ceiling.
Garrett chuckles and runs his hand over his beard as he smiles at the elf, 'Fenris, it's practically fairytale,' he says with a smirk.
