Disclaimer: Dragon Age II and all related names are owned by BioWare.
Isabela threw back the rest of her drink, plonking the empty mug down on the table. She noticed Kianna was momentarily distracted by something Varric was doing at the bar, so the rogue took the opportunity to admire the woman. She looked over each feature with love in her eyes, but her gaze continued to be drawn back to the symmetrical set of blue branching tattoos Kianna had on her cheeks.
"You know I love tattoos?" she mused aloud, bringing Kianna's attention back to the table.
"You may have mentioned it once or twice," Kianna smiled. "And I should hope you like them with that one you have on your -"
"HAWKE!" Isabela interjected, not out of embarrassment, but simply because she liked her secrets.
"Sorry," Kianna quickly apologized, holding her hands up in a show of surrender.
Isabela roller her eyes, an amused sigh leaving her lips. "I swear, sometimes your mouth runs faster than your brain."
"Yeah, but sometimes you like it," Kianna teased.
"Now stop that," Isabela scolded only half sincerely. "You're going to make me want sex."
Kianna's eyebrows shot up incredulously.
"Ok more than I usually do," Isabela amended her statement.
"We should get a new tattoo together," Kianna said.
"What, like some stupid matching thing?" Isabela asked.
"Not if you don't want to. Although I was going to get your name tattooed in a giant heart right here on my chest," Kianna managed to say with a straight face, tapping just above her left breast. However, as Isabela's expression darkened, she couldn't help but burst into laughter. "I'm shitting you, Isabela. Relax. Maker."
"Hilarious," Isabela said with a fake smile, never liking being the butt of a joke. "When did you get these anyways?" she asked, reaching her hand up to trace the branching path of the tattoo on Kianna's left cheek. The warrior's chest tightened at Isabela's gentle touch.
"Back in Ferelden. In Lothering. I got them with my father." She smiled, remembering. "He actually took both Carver and me - he had invited Bethany too, but she didn't want to go. So," she chuckled," so then we got to the place, and Carver froze up." Kianna shook her head, her smile wide. "He wouldn't even go in, he was too scared of the needles. Figures, huh? He was too afraid of a little needle prick to get a tattoo, and yet he went charging at that ogre head on." After once last, forced laugh, her smile rapidly faded.
"It's been years since he died, Kianna. You haven't let him go?" Isabela asked cautiously.
"No, I have. I just - damn his fool ass. Why'd he have to charge that beast? He was so stupid," her voice trailed off again and she stared steadfastly at the table to the left of Isabela's elbow. "I should have stopped him," she continued after a moment, "what happened to Carver, what happend to all of them - Bethany and Mother, too - it's all my fault. If I'd been stronger, if I'd protected them better -"
"Bullshit! You stop that right now!" Isabela yelled, causing several people to look up from their drinks. She reached across the table taking both of Kianna's hands in her own and shaking them lightly to bring the warrior out of it. "See, there you go with your mouth again. Maker! If you'd stop and think for one damn second, then you'd realize that none of that is your fault. Things. Happen. That's the way of life. Stressing over it, reliving the past, going over what might have happened if you might have acted differently isn't going to change a sodding thing!
"And have you ever stopped to think about all the people who's lives you've changed for the better? Because of you, Kirkwall stands. Because of you, mages everywhere are beginning to stand up against the templars. Because of you, Anders has hope, Merrill has friends who support and look after her, Sebastian has vengeance, Fenris has his freedom, Aveline has her position in the city guard and a husband who loves her, Varric has...well whatever it is Varric has, I'm sure it's due to you, and me...I have you." She paused, trying to decide just how much she wanted to admit, how vulnerable she wanted to allow herself to be. "Every day, despite my best efforts, I'm becoming a better person. Because of you, Kianna. So don't you dare think everyone would be better off without you," she finished with a dangerous tone to her voice, forcing anger to cover her vulnerability.
The anger, however, was easily seen through by Hawke. The warrior had known Isabela too long to be fooled by the rogue's defense mechanisms. Instead, she took strength and courage from her lover's words, finding peace through the rogue's admission.
"Thank you, Isabela," she said tenderly.
Isabela smiled briefly before her eyes began darting around uncomfortably. "Just, don't let it go to your head, ok, Hawke?" With the use of Kianna's last name, the conversation was over. The warrior laughed lightly and nodded, content with the knowledge that Isabela really cared for her, despite the rogue's odd way of showing it. A moment later, Isabela, having regained her composure, smiled broadly. "So, do you know a good place to get tattoos?"
