Song: Bizarre Love Triangle (version by Stabbing Westward) (783 words)
"There's no sense in telling me; the wisdom of a fool won't set you free." "That's the way that it goes – it's what nobody knows." "And every day my confusion grows."
"They say that giving a mage such a fine brandy is a waste," the elf grunted. "Or is it only wasted on abominations? I can never remember..."
"Really? And how do you know about drinks so much? I bet you lapped what was left in the glasses of your master," Anders quipped. He looked abnormally distressed, but paranoid as usual.
"No, I used to drown kittens in fine spirits," Fenris replied, silencing the mage, who left his glass on the table and walked away quietly. "Where's Hawke?" he asked Varric after a while.
"I'm not her nanny, why don't you ask someone else?" the dwarf replied, somewhat annoyed. He was trying to focus on Isabela's cards and he could have sworn that she had hidden a King of Diamonds in her cleavage.
"Isabela, where's Hawke?"
Isabela looked down between her legs. "She's certainly not here," she pouted. "But if you find her, tell her to come and see me tonight," she purred. Fenris rolled his eyes. He really needed to see her. After the argument they had had about Hadriana and the way he had stormed out of her house... He had been a fool. She had even reached out to him once more, bringing him a book that she thought he would find interesting, and he had barked and driven her away. He wanted to apologize, but... It was all her fault. She was always consorting with mages and protecting apostates, and they just did not see eye to eye when it came to that, and then, then she would show up and ask how he was doing, bring him meals, and give him books. And he did not know how to feel about her.
Why did she have to be so confusing?
He left the tavern and wandered around Lowtown. Perhaps she had gone to see her uncle? No; who would? He looked around and sighed. He had promised himself that he would never go there, but these were extraordinary circumstances.
"Merrill," he grumbled when she opened the door. Venhedis; she smelled like the magisters.
"She's not here," she replied nonchalantly, and she shut the door in his face. He tried to contain his anger and turned around to leave when he heard the door opening again. "Try the clinic," she said, and he could have sworn that she had smirked.
But why would Hawke be at the clinic? Anders was at the tavern... No, he had left. Fenris frowned and strode across the alienage to the steps that led to Darktown.
The lantern was lit, which meant that Anders had to be in. As he got closer to the door, Fenris heard their voices. Some of the words were lost, but from where he was, he could hear enough.
"Maker, if it hadn't been for you...! I needed to leave, I couldn't stay there!"
"But I had no idea where you'd go...! I was concerned, Anders!"
Fenris blinked. He could have sworn that he had heard the same words the night that he had showed up in her estate. What... What was Hawke playing at? He realized that they were talking about something else now, and decided to eavesdrop some more.
"–rejected the idea! Then this means... Perhaps there's still some hope..."
"I'm sure there is," she said. "And I will help you through it..."
"I don't know what to say," Anders replied. "I know you will, but I'm not sure if I want you to do it. This could be a disaster... I don't want you to be more involved–"
"But I already am. Anders, we are friends. That's what friends do; they stick together in hard times, regardless of personal opinions or... There's not much I can do for you or for Justice, but perhaps–" and then she went silent.
Fenris peered into the clinic and saw the mage's arms around her, their lips locked in a kiss that filled him with envy and shame. That was what he should have done that night when he had come to her, or when she had come to him. He should not have remained silent.
"Anders, I..." she hesitated. Fenris's heart skipped a beat. "I don't know..."
"If you're willing, perhaps we could... I know this may come as a surprise to you but... I can't live without it. Don't say anything now. If your door is open tonight, I will come to you..."
Fenris smirked. 'Tonight', he had said. That meant that he still had a chance – there was still hope for him. He only had to beat the mage to her door. He walked away, letting the shadows of Darktown shelter him from their eyes.
.
A/N: This title was kind of a given. I think the love triangles usually go Alistair-Cousland-Nathaniel, or Anders-Hawke-Fenris. Oddly enough, these are not my HC DA II characters. Not even Merrill, but I kinda like the way she came out here. It's eerie to see how similar the romances with Fenris and Anders are: guy has a crisis quest, guy gets the job done, guy runs away, there's this conversation of "Oh, where have you been?" and then romance. Possibly the only difference is that Fenris will kill Hadriana regardless of your opinion -like someone else later on will blow up the Chantry no matter what you say *cough*- and that Fenris can say "You will be the death of me" whereas Anders says he "can't live without it."
And that's the end of the challenge, woo!