Evening, Hightown
"Alright. I shall see you… when I see you," Donnic said, taking a turn for the stairs to the Keep.
"What?" Aveline said, raising her eyebrows. "You're not coming home with me?"
Donnic chuckled, looking away briefly. "It's not my home," he said, his left leg going on a higher step. "This is my home," he said, waving towards the Keep. "And it's game night."
"But you're working nights until we go to Markham," Aveline complained.
Donnic chuckled. "And whose fault is that?"
"Arse," Aveline mumbled to herself.
"What?" Donnic said.
"I said, 'arse'," Aveline said, looking up at him with a scowl.
Donnic was confused, and a little scared.
"What did I do?"
"You're freezing me out! Because I wouldn't say it back!"
Donnic looked at the stairs, his left leg descending. He looked down, inhaled, and looked back up at her. "We're doing this now?"
"When else? On our fucking trip together?!" Aveline said, raising her voice.
"Alright," Donnic said, nodding once and crossing his arms. "I'm not 'freezing you out'."
"Well, you're not blasting me either, so, what gives?" Aveline said angrily.
"I just think…" Donnic said, avoiding her gaze. "I think I came on too strong, too fast," he said, looking back at her.
"A little," Aveline said, shrugging. She clicked her tongue. "But that's—"
"Shh," Donnic said suddenly. "Fen Fen and Adora, six o'clock."
"Oh," Aveline said, looking behind her, in the distance.
They looked different from the night before—they weren't even touching then. Now Fenris was holding Hawke tightly by the waist and she had her arm wrapped around his shoulder. They kept smirking and whispering things to each other.
Donnic huffed. "Do you think they'll even notice us?"
"Probably not," Aveline said. She began a frown that kept deepening. "What's wrong with his face?"
"He's hap—?"
Fenris's laughter bounced off the walls before Donnic could finish.
"Huh," Aveline said. She smiled, her eyes lighting up. "So that's how that looks like."
"On him or in general?"
"On him."
"Aww, babe. Are you tearing up?"
"No," Aveline said, scowling. She thought about it. "He could be on drugs. I wouldn't put it past Hawke."
"She did smell like grass once."
"I don't count that."
Donnic gasped dramatically. "Captain."
The unlikely Tevinter-Fereldan love congress was coming nearer and nearer and it still hadn't noticed them.
Donnic whistled.
They both flinched and went for the hilt of their swords.
"Having fun?" Aveline said, smirking with her arms crossed.
Fenris took his arm away from Hawke. Donnic frowned at him. He frowned back.
"When's this guy not fun?" Hawke said, putting a hand on Fenris's cheek and another under his chin as a display.
Fenris stood there with high, nonchalant eyebrows.
"A few occasions come to mind," Aveline said, smiling.
Donnic added a throbbing eye and eyebrow towards Hawke's hip for good measure.
Fenris cleared his throat, and took Hawke by the waist again.
Attaboy.
"I am… super fun," Fenris said, looking down and smiling a little.
"A total party boy!" Hawke said dramatically.
"How much have you had to drink, party people?" Aveline said.
"Calm down," Hawke said tiredly. "I had one drink."
"She's being very good," Fenris said, his face cracking just a little into a smirk. He looked at her. "Although that might make me look like the drunk."
"Are you?" Donnic said, raising his eyebrows nonchalantly.
"What?" Fenris said, obviously insulted. "I had two pints. Wait… no," he said, raising a finger and brooding. "Three. But…" He elevated an eyebrow, staring into nothingness. "The first barely qualified."
"What about drugs?" Aveline said bluntly.
They both frowned at her.
"I don't talk to narcs," Hawke said with half-lidded eyes.
"A really bad narc," Donnic said, laughing. "What even was that?"
"Shut up," Aveline said in a higher-pitched voice. She looked back at them. "So… how's your day off?"
"Splendid," Fenris said.
Aveline looked like she was attempting to divide thirteen by the colour purple. "No sarcasm?"
Fenris barely uttered a word and he was already chuckling. "Not this time."
"Oh, he was having a grand time when I found him," Hawke said, putting an arm around his neck. "Weren't you, Fen Fen?"
He gave her a glare.
"This sounds… saucy," Donnic said, squinting. "Is it saucy?"
"Did you walk in on him wanking or something?" Aveline said, chuckling.
Fenris no longer looked happy.
"Maybe I did," Hawke said with big eyes. She turned her head to Fenris, who was staring cold daggers at her. "Ah, what could've been," she said with a smug smile.
"Awkward…" Donnic said, his eyes doubling and going sideways.
Hawke scoffed. "Clearly your boyfriend has no imagination."
Aveline chuckled.
In the meantime, Fenris took out a little black notebook. It wasn't his usual psycho chef notepad. He wrote something down.
"What's that?" Donnic said, frowning.
"A notebook," Fenris said calmly, closing it loudly in his hand.
Hawke was chuckling to herself. "So, how's your evening?" she said.
"Good," Aveline said, hands on her hips. She looked at Donnic.
"Great," Donnic said, trying his hardest not to sound sarcastic.
"Good," Fenris said with awkward pathos, his eyes ping-ponging between them.
"Great," Hawke said, looking bored. "See you tomorrow for lunch?"
"Oh, tomorrow," Aveline said, looking down. "I can't make it. Raincheck?"
Hawke scoffed, hand on her hip. "See you in Markham at this point."
"So it seems," Aveline said, giving Donnic a cold look.
Boy, she could be so cutting with little to no effort.
"Bye, you," Hawke said, smiling and waving.
"Bye, you," Aveline said, smiling a little as they left.
"Bye, you," Donnic said mockingly after Fenris.
"No," Fenris said sharply from afar.
Donnic went close behind Aveline, narrowing his eyes. "Are they…?"
"Whatever they're doing, it doesn't look very Andrastian."
"You're not very Andrastian," Donnic said, raising a little eyebrow.
Aveline looked back at him. "Guardsman… What are you implying?"
Donnic shrugged. "I'm investigating."
"For… personal reasons, or…?"
"Personal, experimental," Donnic said, shrugging nonchalantly. "You are pretty cross with me."
"So?" Aveline said, scoffing.
"So… maybe… instead of yelling at me…" Donnic said, gesturing along the air.
"Oh," Aveline said, smirking and crossing her arms. "I'll put a cock cage on you if it gets you in my bed tonight."
Donnic blinked. "I'm sorry, a what?"
Evening, Fenris's Mansion
"After you," Fenris said, holding the door and gesturing for her to go inside.
"Why thank you," Hawke said, walking in.
It wasn't out of character for him. He used to do it all the time. She asked him why he did that once, and he said, "Because I want to." And that was that.
But the gesture was becoming particularly gentlemanly and deliberate, and it made her remember he knew he was biromantic now. "Would you do that for me if I were a man?" she asked as they walked towards the stairs.
Fenris was too busy caressing her behind to contemplate gender ideology. "What?" he said, waking up.
Hawke chuckled. "Would you open the door for me if I were a man?"
"Always," he said matter-of-factly.
"Aww," she said, holding his hand up the stairs. He smiled a little.
He took his hand away, his other one reaching across for hers. He went a little behind her and pushed her up the stairs.
"What are you doing?"
"You're too slow."
He was in a hurry, but he didn't want to show it.
This was a mistake.
"No," she said. "This is too slow."
Suddenly, she ceased all command of her body. She drooped down, and he caught her, his arms wrapping around her chest in a criss-cross.
"What are you doing…?"
"I'm protesting."
Fenris looked up, brooding. "Protesting what?"
"Discrimination against the otherwise slower."
He closed his eyes and cracked his neck. "I don't have time for this," he said, sweeping her off her feet. He walked fast and determined, kicking the door open.
There was a faint sound of rain, the particles tap, tap, tapping on the roof, painting streams in the window.
He put her down before the bed, and started unsnapping his chestplate. "Lights—"
She snapped her fingers hard before he could finish, unable to hold back a smug smirk. The dim room became a wonderland of colour and shadow, and his little grin said she was going to pay for that later.
"By the way," she said, determined. He threw a gauntlet behind her. "If you try to talk me into contact down there or penetration while I'm super horny, I will Sunset you like no tomorrow."
"Alright," he said nonchalantly, throwing the other gauntlet behind her.
"Thank you," she said, breathing out.
Fenris nodded knightly. "Besides," he said, pulling her by the belt to him, "I don't have much to say."
Hawke felt his lips against her mouth, high voltage, the weight of him crushing against her. She wrapped her arms around his neck. His hands clamped on her back and ran down her hips. Sudden nails in her backside, bringing her pelvis into his hard-on.
"Say it, anyway," she whispered.
Double shock when his wet mouth opened, taking the breath out of her. His tongue did the talking, and it had arresting timbre.
"Take your shit off," he said suddenly.
"Yes, Fenris."
She took off her breastplate and before she put it down, she heard his deep voice going, "Uh-uh." He pointed to a basket, where his armour parts were. "You will be neat and tidy from now on."
She tried not to chuckle. "Yes, Fenris," she said, doing as she was told.
"Good girl," he said, running his hands from her breasts to her thighs. He went down suddenly, looking up at her, his mouth that close to her restricted area, and she was fuming when he grinned. He scratched down her legs, then he took all her black rope from her thigh pocket. He stood tall and spun a piece of it lazily. "I'm waiting."
Oh, yes. Her wish was about to come true. She fought all her natural instincts!
She sat at the edge of the bed, spreading her legs as she took off her tunic and threw it away in the 'correct' manner. He stood in front of her, watching, waiting.
"Bra first," he ordered. He started folding the rope.
"Fine," she said, making a face.
"Fine?" he said, that fucking glacial eyebrow raising her pulse. He pulled the folded rope by each end.
"Yes, Fenris," she corrected herself.
"That's better," he said, then the eyebrow flashed so she'd do what she was told.
She took off her bra and squeezed her breasts together—
CRACK!
Before she knew it, he let go of one end of the stretched rope, and, as it if were a whip, slapped her hand away. "Did I tell you to do that?" he said sternly.
"Nope…" she said quietly, avoiding his gaze. Just a little break from the compulsion.
"Trousers," he said, making a little whipping motion beside him. "Now."
"Someone give this man a whip," she said, smirking as she took off her boots.
"No," he said firmly. "Never."
She felt like an idiot for forgetting, but he didn't seem upset or fazed. He was just setting boundaries. It was so very hot.
"How about a flogger?" she said, flashing her eyebrows.
"Another time, perhaps," he said, grinning. "I prefer to savour every small thing."
"Healthy attitude," she said, taking off her trousers. She missed the throw on purpose.
"Oops," she said, crossing her legs.
It didn't annoy him, however. Instead, a corner of his mouth smiled, which worried her a little. He beckoned to her.
It was amazing what a little height difference could do to make him more intimidating. He grabbed her and turned her around, his hand coiling over her neck. His thumb and index finger pressed under the corners of her jaw, lifting her head back to him. The way he did that, firmly but gracefully, send shivers down her spine. His other arm encased her waist, and his lips came close to her ear. "Why do you enjoy testing me?"
"It's funny when you're annoyed," Hawke said, shrugging.
"Again, she withholds the truth of it," Fenris said.
"Bite me," she said confidently.
He didn't take the bait. Instead, he started tying her up the old-fashioned way. Once around the arm pits, once around the top of her chest, another under it and a last one around her waist. Her arms were restrained inside. If she really wanted to, she could get herself out. It wasn't anything fancy. But did she? Not even a little bit. The sensation of being tied up was brilliant, the touch, the attention, the care, the tightness, the challenge.
"Please keep a knife handy," she remembered to say.
"Good thinking," he said, grabbing one from the overflowing basket of sharp metal. And then, unforgettable as it was, he grabbed his notebook and put it on the bed. He spun the knife around in his hand and put it on the nightstand.
Finally, his warmth came back behind her. He had some rope left. He pulled on one of the strings and used it to tie her hands together at the back. The rope above was already digging into her skin, closing around her exquisitely. She looked to her right, in the mirror, and she was dying. The image was breaking down the flood gates.
He tugged at her by the last loose string. "Now tell me the truth," he said, his voice reaching somewhere deep inside her, in a vulnerable place.
"What truth, Fen Fen?" Hawke said, smiling. "You're looking for truth where there is none."
Fenris stared at her. "Fine," he said, looking forward. He grasped her hips and pulled them back into his pelvis. "I will tell you the truth you wish to deny." He walked her into the bed. "The truth is you like irritating me…" he said, pushing her down on the bed. The black jumper flew above her to the sound of buttons being undone. Tremble in the legs, throbbing in the black panties. "… because you want to make me throw you down," he said in a deep voice, pushing her face into the bed, "and fuck you senseless," he said, his cock suddenly slamming on top of her arse. "Isn't that the truth of it?"
He knew! He knew, and it was magnificent. The hand was almost on the trigger, ready to shoot.
Hawke tried to turn her head sideways, while he rubbed himself on her. She caught a glance of the darkness he let out, and she showed a flash of teeth. "Yes," she said, grinning.
Fenris made the world's most terrifying grin. "Finally," he said.
"You have me all figured out now," she said, smirking with half-lidded eyes.
He came down on top of her. "Here's a sneak little peak," he said in her ear. His cock went under her panties, grinding slowly, but firmly. With every breath, he was building it up, until it was damn near a pounding.
"Damn, Fen Fen," she said. He was taking the breath out of her! And her pussy? Dying. It was dying for it.
He stopped just when it started to be pure and utter slamming. What evil!
"And yet…" He sat up on her, grabbed his notebook from the blanket, opened it, his cock still tapping on her backside. "Do you even deserve such nice things?"
"I do," she said, smiling, because she could literally not do much about it. "Look how good I'm being."
"Let's see," he said professorially. "Wandering eyes," he said, giving her a good, hard spank.
She gasped.
"Tried to slap my things off the till," he said, spanking the other cheek.
Another breath escaped her mouth.
"Flicked my head." A loud spank, followed quickly by another one on her other cheek. "Yelled at me."
She was moaning now.
"Insulted me—"
BAM!
"Stole my drink—"
BAM!
"Implied I'm a wanker—"
BAM!
The sharp flashes of pain crackled through her nerve endings. She was nearing a scream.
"Not to mention…" Fenris said in a low timbre, bending on top of her and pulling her hair so her ear was prepared, "…three—"
BAM!
"—years—"
BAM!
"—of sass."
BAM!
She yelled, moaned, couldn't tell the difference. Tears were streaming up inside her, ready to flow.
He stopped and let her breathe.
"See?" Fenris said softly, letting go of her hair. He petted her gently as her face came down on the blanket. His mouth went to her ear. "You don't have to be a bitch to get what you want."
A twinge of guilt crept up inside.
"I like being a bitch," Hawke maintained, breathing on the blanket. "And you like it too. Otherwise, we'd be done by now."
Immediately he tugged at the tail of the rope, making her slide off the bed. She landed on her knees, and he turned her around. She was a little scared now.
He squatted down in front of her, staring into her. His torso made amazing shadows in the light of the fireplace and his cock was at full mast. He took her face and kissed her, and she melted into him.
"But I thought you adored me," he said, breaking the kiss.
"I adore you." She winked flippantly. "And your glower."
Something in his eyes… cut her deeper than any spank. The sad puppy eyes. "Is this really how you're going to treat me?" he said, holding her face in his hands.
Her resolve was faltering. It all felt… wrong.
"I will do… whatever you wish," Fenris said, smiling and shaking his head. "You just have to ask," he said softly, pulling her to him by her nipples. He was starting to grin. "You don't have to misbehave."
She was damn near ready to say it.
"Just ask, ma adorae," he said, in that Tevene accent that made every syllable blazing and brilliant. He pushed his forehead into hers, and for a moment, she felt disconsolate. She thought she really may have hurt him today, or perhaps… all this time. That she was just being a huge bitch, and he went with it anyway, because she grew on him. But those soft eyes on hers turned dark, and he started standing tall, looking down at her. "And by ask, I mean beg," he said sternly. "I want you to beg. What is it that you want?"
She stared up at him, her eyes doubling. He held out his veiny shaft like a fucking prize. He knew full well it was. Her eyelids were growing heavy from the infatuation. She looked inside for willpower, strength or resistance, but there was none. The words were coming out and she couldn't stop them.
"Please, Fenris," Hawke said, her mouth slightly open in a smile. She was licking her lower lip. "Let me worship your cock. Fuck my mouth. I love it."
There it was again. That fucking mile-long grin. He bent over and took her face. "Good girl," he said, planting his lips onto hers. "Show me," he said, standing back tall and holding out his cock.
Her tongue reached under his shaft, and he immediately took it up and away. The eyebrow was displeased.
"Yes, Fenris," she said, biting her lip hard. Just give it back. Please!
The gorgeous cock came down, bobbing in front of her eyes. She started gently on the little cord between his testicles. He closed his eyes and inhaled. She licked up along the hardness. He was looking real pleased now. She licked his balls and took one in her mouth as he stroked himself. He was starting to shudder, watching her. She released him with a wet pop, and licked her lips. Her tongue scouted the sides of the shaft, and she twinkled at him.
He was already doing his pleasure tic, biting on the middle of his index finger, while the other hand held the tail of the rope.
"Pretty thing, look at you…" Fenris said, petting her hair as she started to suck him. It took effort to reach the long distance to the base with no free hands, but she was a trooper. "You're really enjoying this, aren't you?"
"To my bones!" Hawke said without thinking. She couldn't hide her excitement anymore.
"You want me to choke you?"
"Yes. Choke me with your cock. Please!"
He laughed a low, vibrant laugh.
"You bad girl," he said, and there came those taunting, punishing fingers on her nipples.
The baddest girl in town, she thought, but she swallowed it. She wanted to take him in her mouth again, but he lifted it away from her.
"You want me, don't you?" he said with a dark grin.
She thought she hated him. And yet, out of the corner of her eye, she was eating him up—his lanky silhouette, the thick thighs, the chiselled torso, his alluring grin and the eyes full of happy malice. What a cruel tease he was.
"Yes, Fenris. I want all of you. Please."
He gave another one of those low, smouldering laughs.
"Go on, then," he said, smirking a little as he angled the gleaming shaft of veins towards her. She opened her mouth and he buried his cock inside her. The head hit the back of her throat, the thick bar heavy against her tongue. He kept her lips flush to the base, while she was fighting off her reflexes. Her nipples blazed and blasted, ready to cut through diamonds. Finally, he pushed her off just in time, the slippery spit tethered in a string from his cock to her lips.
She kissed his balls again, licked them, ate them, while he rubbed his big and shiny cock.
"Mmm," he said in a deep voice. "You look so good with your mouth full," he said, grinning as his thumb dragged along her bottom lip. "Too busy to be talking shit."
She was put in her place. She just wanted that dick in her mouth.
"Please, Fenris," she whispered, gazing at the wet rod.
"My eyes are up here," he said coldly.
"Please, Fenris," she said, blinking up at him.
He was better at hiding his enjoyment now. But his actions spoke louder. He was having a ball.
"Good girl," he said, snapping his finger and pointing at his cock, and she nearly jumped at the permission.
He groaned as she widened her cheeks around the tough shaft, his fingers threading through her hair. He grinded inside her, shuddering and building it up into unapologetic mouth-fucking. She could feel all the excitement pooling in her panties, and she desperately wanted to reach down and satisfy herself, but it just wasn't possible. She was cooking all over and the walls of her mouth started hardening with the madness.
"Fuck, yes," he said, breathing and growling. His eyelids were heavy, and he moved like he knew he was good at it. He gathered her hair up and pulled down her jaw, jamming his dick down her throat.
She moaned wantonly around his cock, as spit spilled down her mouth. She thought, if anyone could see her now, they'd think she was a huge slut, and they would be right. She had no apologies to make either.
"Good girl," he said, pulling out when she couldn't take it anymore, but a tear escaped her. He petted her, grinning with half-lidded eyes, and his finger traced her tear away. "Are these tears of joy, Hawke?" he said in a playfully cruel tone, lifting her chin up. "Are you happy you've let go?" He bent down, staring into her eyes. "That you're my little slut?"
The way he shuffled hardness with softness impressed her. More than that, something in her head sizzled and popped like fireworks. "Yes, Fenris. I'm your happy little slut."
"Wonderful," he said, stroking himself in a taunting display. The wet, merciless hands went to her nipples, twisting them and pulling at them. "Get back to work."
"Yes, Fenris." She put her neck into it, and she could barely register the pain through the exquisite flush of pleasure in her tits, beaming outward through her body. It made her work even harder, and he couldn't help himself moaning and biting on his index finger. But the hand came back pressing hard on her mamillas, and she drove it to a hundred.
His breath came heavy on her hair. "Faster," he said sternly, twisting her nipples.
She pressed her eyes shut and moaned hard on his cock, giving her all. A happy, primal growl escaped his mouth, and immediately, like a chain reaction, her cheeks closed in tightly on his cock, her nipples imploded burning up through her body and she felt her clitoris exploding.
With that, he gave another hard, striking moan and he took his cock away suddenly, rubbing it fast. "Open wide and stick your tongue out."
So she did, looking up at him with a wide grin, her tongue reaching for the heaven of cum. He was nearing the end as he held her face and watched her. He shuddered and grunted, and the hot white liquid spilled down her tongue. It just kept coming, pumping out as he tapped on her tongue, and it was delicious.
Her thighs fell back softly on her knees, and she was catching her breath. "Thank you, Fen Fen," she said, looking down. Tired, devastated, satisfied.
His hand brushed down gently to her chin, lifting her face, and he smiled. "You're welcome, ma adorae."
Moving forward, Fenris learned about aftercare. That it was an essential part of ending a scene, and it was his responsibility to take her back to a level headspace. He asked her what she needed, and she demanded tea, a cuddle and her hair stroked.
"Seems fairly straightforward," he said in bed, giving her what she asked for.
"Thank you," she said, putting an arm over his chest, and she closed her eyes. But her head popped up immediately, her eyes big. "Wait a minute…"
"I told you," he said, his torso vibrating from laughter. "It doesn't hurt as much when I'm the one initiating touch."
"But I touched your chest."
"I saw it coming," he said, petting her.
"Oh. Well, I'm proud of you."
"Thank you," he said, smiling a little as he placed his hand on top of hers. "Besides, you need me right now."
"So you forget the rest."
"All is forgotten. For a little while."
"Hm," Hawke said, smiling as he looked at their hands on his chest. "I've always wanted to do that."
"Always?" Fenris said, raising a smug eyebrow. "Were you obsessed with me or something?"
"'Obsessed' is a strong word. Let's go with 'infatuated'."
He laughed. "That's just a nice word for 'obsessed'."
"Shut up," she said, slapping him gently away. "You're one to talk."
"Me?" he said, laughing. He made himself comfortable, closing his eyes. "I am but a prize stallion."
She guffawed. "A prize stallion!" she said, rolling her eyes. "What have I turned you into?"
A corner of his mouth stretched. "A prize—"
She blew air in his face, and he laughed heartily as he rearranged his hair.
She was shaking her head on his shoulder, and his hand came back down softly on hers. "A better man, I think," he said, smiling a little.
She looked up at him in surprise, and she was thinking. "No. I think you did that all by yourself, Fen Fen."
"You flatter me."
"If I flatter you, it is purely by accident."
He laughed. "You can be very flattering," he said with a soft grin, and went in for a kiss. "When you want to be."
"And that works for you?" she said with curiosity. He had the whole brat taming experience now. With his creativity and discipline, he could get it down to an art.
"Ah," he said, smiling. "My turn to tell the truth."
She raised her eyebrows, waiting.
He looked down, thinking his words carefully. He looked back at her and said, "I have dreamed of doing that to you for a long time."
"Really?"
"Really."
"Huh," she said, chuckling. "Serendipity strikes again."
"Not as well as I," he said with an arrogant voice.
"No. Yeah. You hit with accuracy."
"Thank you."
He looked bothered suddenly.
"What about…" he said, avoiding her gaze, "that… thing I called you?"
"A slut?" she said bluntly.
He couldn't say it now.
"How would you define it?" she said.
He brooded. "Someone who enjoys sex. A lot."
"Then it's an accurate statement."
"I'll say," he said, chuckling.
"You know what?" she said, grinning. "I think you're a slut, too."
"Hey, now," he said, mock-offended, petting her hair. "I didn't make you mine for your excellent points."
"No? Why are you with me, then?" she said, amused. "For the sex you like so much?"
"How shallow you think me," he went on, pretending to be hurt. He put his head on hers. "I'm with you for the special treatment, of course."
"Ha!" she said. "Keep dreaming. Everyone's equal in the Wings of Chaos."
He smiled a little. "Yes… that's one of the reasons."
"I thought you said I was being 'unnecessarily idealistic'."
"Even so."
"Ohhh," she said, smiling evilly. "Are my politics going to your head?"
"Among… other things," he said, raising a naughty eyebrow.
It suddenly dawned on her that if she gave him everything he wanted—provided he knew what that was—he may well come with her and raise a flag for mage rights. A hilarious image, if far-fetched. The important thing was—he was reassessing his beliefs. He was trying. Knowing him, he'd been doing it for quite a while before his pride let him admit it. And it pleased her every time, when they had things in common.
"You're quite the manipulator, by the way," she said, raising an eyebrow. That fucking bait and switch. How he tricked her so brilliantly into feeling guilty for being a brat, then put her in her place. "Which both impresses and worries me."
He laughed a low laugh. "I had you so fooled."
"You did."
"I merely used your weakness against you."
Instrumentally, the brat in her commented.
"My weakness?" she said with a lift of the eyebrows. Okay. But which one?
He nodded. "Compassion," he said softly. "You can't help yourself."
"Nah," Hawke said, smirking with half-lidded eyes. "I just have a weakness for your sad puppy eyes."
Fenris chuckled smugly, putting a leg over the other. "Same difference."
She had this thought before, but suddenly it was too much to bear—that he could break her so easily if he wanted to. Not in a good way.
"I trust you'll use your powers wisely," she demanded with high, proud eyebrows. "I don't wish to harbour a viper in my midst."
That caught him off guard. He looked at the fireplace with a calm veneer. "Touché."
Fenris woke up from a weird dream. A happy dream. He dreamed that he got married in the outfit he'd promised himself, some unknown time ago. They got married in the Chantry that didn't welcome him, except for some reason Varric was officiating. Hawke wore her hair down, as well as a brilliant dark dress in protest of Chantry tradition. But just before he could kiss her, Malcolm Hawke came in the aisle with his imposing cane, looking stern and displeased.
Then he woke up.
There were a few things to analyse there, obviously, but the vividness of the dream was so nerve-wracking he much preferred going back to his game manual. He didn't bother putting his pajamas back on, because the desk was near, opposite the fireplace.
Downright the best distraction he'd ever bought. The concept was intriguing, the lore endless and historically accurate, for the most part. The combat mechanics were varied and sophisticated, but had less to do with reality. Then there were the utility skills—a plethora of them depending on the class and origin of the character, and quite interesting psychological ones. People could roll for all kinds of sensory, intellectual and social actions, from mere logic checks to out-and-out manipulation. There was also a kind of paranormal skill, not magic, but somewhat mystical, that could let you know things out of thin air. Lastly, there was another weird, interesting skill—again, not magic-dependant—that let you tune in to your surroundings and gather information not quite available to standard senses. Knowing Hawke, she was going to max up those two wacky skills, and he was determined to squeeze in as much bullshit as he could were she to fail those checks. He suddenly realised the candle had melted a fair bit.
Then he flinched as he saw out of the corner of his eye that she was leaning against the corner of the wall, topless and tremendously pretty.
"If you can't sleep, I have a much better thing for you to read," Hawke said with a devilish grin, holding up a piece of paper.
Fenris raised an eyebrow, leaning back in the chair. "Oh?"
"I wanted to show you some appreciation for trying to get on with Anders."
Finally. What took her so long?
"So I wrote a little something about us," she said, winking.
Holy shit. Marry her, the hard-up grinning lunatic said.
Stand down, you fucking animal, the gruff voice commanded.
Seconded, the boring band-aid bath guy commented.
Fuck all of you, the hard-up grinning lunatic said. There will be no standing down.
"Go on. Lay it on me," he said, beckoning with four fingers.
"But then I thought…" she said, holding her chin and squinting. "I could make this even more interesting."
Yes, the hard-up grinning lunatic said. Good girl. Let your creativity run free. On my dick.
"How?" he said.
She rested her arm up on the wall, her breasts perking up as she held her hip. She bit her lip slowly, her rosy luscious lip. "You could read it to me with your lovely voice." She raised a playful eyebrow. "You know… for motivation."
Read her the whole fucking unabridged version of Carmenum di Amatus, the hard-up grinning lunatic said.
You fucking simp, the gruff voice said.
You fucking bore, the hard-up grinning lunatic said. What part of 'she's dying to be dicked down' don't you understand?
You may control the dick, but I control the voice, the gruff one said. And that's not going to happen, dicking or no dicking.
What about her writing? the hard-up grinning lunatic said. Are you telling me you don't want to see her cumming spontaneously just because of your damn voice?
I'm… not saying that, the gruff voice said.
Good. Now shut up and start talking, the hard-up grinning lunatic said.
Fenris stood up, and sat down quietly in his armchair, spreading his legs with an inviting look.
"Yeaaah," she said approvingly. She walked slowly, temptingly, towards him. "But first," she said, shifting her weight on one leg. Her mostly naked, painted body was blazing iridescent in the fireplace, making shadows in all the right places.
"What?" he said, forgetting she was talking.
"Do you remember that conversation we had a long while ago, about trying to be nice with Anders and Merrill?" she repeated, looking very amused at his lack of self-control. What did she want from him? He was exhausted.
"Which one?" he said, rolling his eyes.
A year and a half ago, The Hanged Man
The gang were having drinks after work. Varric was working overtime trying to create a happy atmosphere after a tense debate between Fenris and the mages a few days prior.
And as it so happened, the formation at the table left Fenris sitting next to Anders and in front of Merrill, who were at the edge. Hawke sat next to Merrill, watching them, while the others were gossiping about the Guard.
It wasn't horrible. Nothing awful was happening. Things simply reverted back to the usual chilliness between them. However, Fenris was sporting ice compared to them on any given day.
"Can you pass me that quill?" Anders said.
Fenris didn't seem to hear him.
Hawke narrowed her eyes.
"Hello? Can you pass me that quill?" Anders said slowly.
Fenris rolled his eyes, and passed the object without so much as a look in his direction.
At least they had a modicum of manners.
"You look glum, Fenris," Merrill said.
He didn't respond.
"Are you still sore from our little spat the other day?" Merrill guessed.
"I don't even remember it," Fenris said flatly, avoiding looking in her direction.
"I do," Hawke said, smiling towards the mages. "The prison slavery complex. Do Circle mages count in the debate?"
Fenris gave her a deadly look. "All is forgotten."
"Great," she said with a smile. "Merrill was telling me earlier that she enjoys our game nights, but the games we play aren't intellectually challenging enough for her. So, I told her about your Necropolis game, but I don't really understand it, so..."
"So…?" Fenris said.
Merrill was looking at him with an eager smile, wanting to hear about it.
Hawke pursed her lips, bobbing her head towards Merrill. "So… discuss."
Fenris sighed, perusing an interesting wall behind her. "It's a tactical skirmish game." He raised an arrogant eyebrow. "I doubt you'd understand."
"Like… what we do every single day?" Merrill said, obviously confused by his comment.
"Yes," he said, smirking to himself. "Like what 'we' do, every single day." Because at the time, she was still finding her footing.
"Then I'd probably like it," Merrill said, not registering his sarcasm. "Maybe you can bring it sometime."
"What a great idea!" Hawke said excitedly. "Bring it for game night."
Fenris looked away, breathing, and possibly fuming. He suddenly looked at Hawke with suspicion. "Ah, of course. How to get rid of competition at Wicked Grace by Hildegaard Hawke," he said condescendingly. "Nice try."
He just loved calling her that whenever he was annoyed, or 'clown mage'. It was his rule, his religion.
She chuckled flippantly. "I didn't even think of that."
"So that's a no on Necropolis?" Merrill said, a little sadness in her eyes.
"A hard no," Fenris said flatly.
Anders scoffed as he was writing. "What… a… surprise."
Alright… Hawke thought. It's time to have a little chat…
"Hey, Anders," she said. "Can you give this pommel to that lass?" she said, pointing to Guardswoman Eustice.
"Sure," he said, shrugging.
"Ugh, my leg still hurts," Hawke said, rubbing it under the table.
"Aww, I'm sorry," Merrill said.
"Do you mind getting me another ale?"
"Of course not."
When she left too, Hawke sighed dramatically.
"What?" Fenris said gruffly.
She came forward, looking down. "While I appreciate that you have… valid issues because of…" She looked up. She needed to word this right. "… rightly detestable psychopathic mages…"
He crossed his arms with a glower.
"… Anders and Merrill are not—"
He scoffed. "Time will tell."
"I'm sorry…" Hawke said, drawing on the table with her nail so she could hold back her violence. "Are you waiting for them to fuck up?"
"I don't care."
"What do you care about, then? Do you care about anything?"
Fenris rubbed his forehead. "I care about peace… and quiet."
"Well then," she said with a threatening smile. "Start making room in your schedule for bonding with them, or at the very least, regarding them as people."
Fenris sneered at her with narrowed eyes. "I'm rather busy."
Hawke scoffed. "Doing what?"
He wasn't so quick with the wit now that he was realising he had no damned hobby or purpose or life of his own.
"If you don't even regard them with minimal respect as fellow mortals, then the team suffers. Cracks form everywhere in our line-up. I don't know about you, but I like my back being watched." Fenris smirked to himself. "It's just standard logic. If you don't have their back, they won't have yours. And one of these days, you'll die, because I can't be in three places at once."
"So, then…" he said, smiling daggers at her. "Have you had the same conversation with them, by any chance?"
"Obviously," she said, rolling her eyes. "They bitch about you; you bitch about them. I have to hear it all."
"You don't have to please damn near everybody."
"No? Just some?"
"I don't think bonding with those creatures will benefit anyone."
"You can't know if you don't give them a chance. What do you have to lose?"
"My sanity?" he said, raising an eyebrow.
"Don't flatter yourself. Your sanity is in serious question already," she said, rolling her eyes. "Acting like a jerk won't give you any peace and quiet." She narrowed her eyes and held her chin up. "What was that saying? Insanity is doing the same thing over and over again, but expecting different results?"
"Like you telling me over and over again to give them a chance?" Fenris said, rolling his eyes.
"No. You're right. There's no use repeating myself," she said, burying her chest under the table. "I'll just make fun of you."
Fenris raised an eyebrow.
"Yep. I'll just point out… every time… how funny," Hawke said calmly, closing her eyes and raising a finger, "and also incredibly sad it is to watch you looking like a moody, constipated giraffe every time an out-of-breath cat guy and an awkward little girl come near you. I think that will be a situation that benefits 'damn near everybody', especially me," she said with a smile.
Not one muscle moved on his face.
"And I know I'm an absolute hilarity," Hawke said smugly, as she kept touching the middle of her chest. "But at some point…" She made a little twinkle, and an exaggerated shrug, "… it gets tiring."
Fenris looked like he was trying and failing, to make her brain explode with his mind.
Anders and Merrill were coming back. She pursed her lips and raised her eyebrows at him with a condescending tilt of the head.
He grunted and looked at Anders after he sat down next to him. "How was your day?" he said flatly.
"Good?" Anders said, raising an eyebrow.
"Yours?" Fenris said, looking at Merrill. "Good?"
"Yes?" Merrill said.
He looked back at Hawke, pursing his lips grumpily. "Good."
"Great," she said patronisingly, drawing out the word.
"What do you want from me?" Fenris said, annoyed.
"I don't know," she said tiredly. "A brain?"
He smirked. "I'm not a charity. Try this one," he said, pointing to Anders.
Anders looked up from his papers, winking at her.
Hawke winked back. "Maybe I will," she said to Fenris.
Night time, Fenris's Mansion
"And yet, here you are," Fenris said, showing off and looking real pleased.
"Obviously," Hawke said, rolling her eyes and smiling. "I was just trying to annoy you."
"You were successful."
"So here I was thinking…" she said, chin in hand. "How could that have gone differently?"
You could have caught her off guard in the corridor, and announced your interest in her, like a man, the gruff voice said.
You could have caught her off guard in the corridor, and tried to explain it's hard for you to be around them, the boring band-aid bath guy said.
You could have caught her off guard in the corridor, and fucked her on Varric's table, the hard-up grinning lunatic said.
"Many ways come to mind," Fenris said, grinning through his hair.
"Well…" Hawke said, holding out the paper. "Here's my version of events."