"Damn, why the hell did I get stuck with this?" He asked Anders who was drinking with him.

"What do you mean?" He replied taking a huge drink of his beer, feeling like this was going to be a long conversation.

"Why did I have to get stuck babysitting, why did she have to take the hit, why..."

"Why are you hopelessly in love with her?" He said with a smirk as the glass left his lips.

"I'm not hopelessly anything."

"Oh so you know you're in love with her?"

"I'm not 'in love' with her."

"You really are naïve aren't you?"

"Blondie, I invented the word Naïve."

"I'd say." He laughed putting a hand on Varric's shoulder.

"I didn't mean it like that moron!" He looked down, "Do you really think she'll be okay?"

"Oh yeah, she's too stubborn and kind to let this get to her."

"Hey, I've been meaning to ask you Blondie...Do you have a thing for Hawke?" He felt something twist in his gut as he was waiting for an answer.

"Of course I do, She's beautiful, intelligent, and has a heart of a gold. I had even confessed to her on multiple occasions."

"What did she say?"

"Every time it came down to the fact she already had someone she cared for. I think her exact words were 'He is haplessly clueless and I enjoy watching him with his ignorance. Eventually I'll tell him but I would like to tell him in the same way he would tell me."

"Do you know who it is?"

"I do."

"Tell me!"

"No." He grinned and saw Isabella coming towards him.

"A mage and a dwarf that has an affair with a crossbow get together for some manly talk...No this isn't a weird sight at all." She giggled, "What are you two men talking about?"

Anders looked at Varric and back at Isabella, "Varric doesn't know who Hawke is in love with."

"You've got to be kidding! I've seen her with him all the time! Especially on her off days. I had even seen her sneaking out of her house one night and she told me she was going to go surprise him but met up with the carta instead, which tired her out and so she went back home.

Varric was getting pissed, "For Andraste's sake would you two please tell me who it is!?"

They both smiled at each other, "No!" They looked at Varric with menacing grins.

"Sod it all, I'm going back up stairs."

"Hey Varric I'll go with you. I have to talk to you about something, and don't worry it's nothing vulgar."

"It better not be. I spent a week trying to console poor Bianca about what you said about her."

"Ha. Ha. Ha. You're hilarious Varric, no this time this involves you."

He sighed. "I guess I have no choice."

"Not if you want Hawke to get better."

This piqued his interest and they walked up to the closed door of his room. "Alright Rivaini what is this about?"

"Hawke told me you were on the search for her poetry book."

"That's right but why would she..."

"The point is, I have it and if you want it you're going to have to win against BOTH of us in a game of wicked grace."

"What. In. Andraste's. Name!?"

"Her idea, and then she'll hand it to you. However, she also has a secondary rule, and that's you read it after the poison is out of her system...Anders found out some new information about how it affects Hawke. For some reason Hawke's blood is very different and so the poison is responding differently. Anders thinks that if she is met with as equal honesty as she is giving out then the magic in her system should be broken. He looked it up and he says that the circle named it Equal-Equal. HE says it was designed to make mages more honest with the Templars and create a trusting bond. Anyway...Wicked grace yeah?"

"Yeah..." He roughly sighed. "Lets go."

"Can't wait." She grinned.

He opened the door and was met with the cards already dealt and three mugs of ale. He walked over to hers and poured it out, then replaced it with water. "We are going to play this the fair way Hawke."

"Fine spoil sport. Alright I'll go first...:

"And Varric evidentially wins the game. I will leave and leave the two of you alone.?" She waved behind her as she closed the door.

"Alright hand the book over." Varric said slightly buzzed

Hawke was reluctant but handed it over anyway. "You will be wanting to look at page fifteen."

"Okay?" He turned to page fifteen and began reading.

I met a dwarf today and he was sly and smooth talker.

he had named his crossbow that hugged his back, that was a shocker.

I can tell he is kind yet has been through a lot.

I hope we can be friends, he seems he would be good in battle and a fair shot.

His hair was in a pony tail and unlike the others he is beardless.

he keeps his cool and sly words to show he isn't too stressed.

I don't trust many people here, I can barely trust my family.

Yet simply for my skills he wanted to help me.

He knows nothing of my nobility.

He knows nothing of mine of Bethany's past.

He doesn't care and he says that he hopes this partnership lasts.

For the sake of my heart, I hope so too.

I had just met him today so I highly doubt...for this man, I will swoon.

Varric was speechless and he could feel his heart hitting the front of his chest. "Wow...and that was the day we met?"

"Yes, truthfully I rushed on a lot of my poems because I was either about to fight or I was calming down from one."

"Are there anymore?" As soon as the words left his lips his skin felt cold as soon as he saw her smile and nod. "Okay. What pages?"

"Try page forty-five."

We finally had made it into the deep roads and I had left Bethany at home.

I tried to hold it together but Varric somehow had known.

He had asked me if I was okay and I hat to tell him.

I have become to trust him so much it's like he has become another limb.

As weird as that sounds I don't know how to word it any other way.

He once compared me to a real hawk, watching over everyone making sure they wouldn't stray.

However, I believe he has been watching over me.

Making sure that if needed he would take the sacrificing shot from an enemy.

He is my closest friend and I trust him with anything and everything,

He makes me feel comfortable with the self confidence, humor, and kindness he brings.

"If I didn't know any better Hawke I'd say you are a pro at writing."

"Awe, if you want some tips Varric I can help you out." She mischievously said.

"Are there any others?"

"Yeah, I believe it's page ninety-eight."

"That far!? I'm going to have to confiscate this someday."

"Feel free." She said waving her hand at the book.

I got shot today, I had to lie to him about knowing I got shot.

my skin feels like it's melting it's so hot.

I am in a lot of pain, so much pain I can barely breathe sometimes.

However, it was all worth it because if he had gotten shot I know I wouldn't be able to handle it and I would die at the same time.

I got dizzy and I remember Anders examining me.

I don't have to look over to know the pain on Varric's face or the guilt in his heart...Even from here it's plain to see.

He is in charge of taking care of me until I get better.

Anders already told me before Varric of what the poison is doing to me and said it might be more than just a stresser.

He said that I will become more honest with my feelings but it would be the feelings I'm connected to the strongest.

Considering that I've known my trusted dwarf the longest...

"You just left it there." He practically shouted. He put his hand over his heart unconsciously trying to stop the pounding in his chest. He could barely breathe at this point and his mind was spinning.

"Turn the page."

He also happens to be the one I have loved the longest.

Varric was already sitting down with Hawke but now he felt like he was falling. "Since the beginning...?" His voice shook as he asked.

"Since the beginning. Even though I didn't know it by then. I wrote about the most memorable days here considering I don't know how long until I get into my family's estate. I love you Varric Tethras."

"You're...You're not joking. Are you?"

"I'm afraid not. You see, something Ander's didn't tell you is that the magic is only temporary and ware off tomorrow."

"But he said all of that it's an honest to honest thing that breaks it!"

"He lied for me when I accidentally told him and Isabella how I felt about you."

"That's how they knew..." He let out a heavy breath.

"What about you Varric?" She asked innocently.

"What do you mean?"

"Do you feel the same?"

He looked back at the pages he's read and looked back at his times with her and realized he could never look away from her eyes, at times begged for her smile, and when she was shot he remembers being close to tears several times when he thought she was going to die from the wound before they got her to Ander's. He had always loved her. He just didn't know how much until now. He looked back at Hawke and it was like he was seeing her for the first time. Her eyes, her smile, her messy hair, and above all...how he couldn't ever help himself when it came to flirting with her. She was beautiful and relentless but also spectacular and kind. "I...think...I think I have loved you since the beginning as well I just didn't realize it until now. Between the flirting and the humor I never realized it. I deeply apologize. Please forgive me?"

"I forgive you on one condition. This may sound weird to you but if it does you can blame the poison."

"O-okay?" His heart was beating faster and the feeling that he felt all over his body was almost indescribable.

"I want you to ask me to marry you. I have thought about it for a long time but thanks to getting shot I don't have to wait...or at least...I hope I don't."

He couldn't help himself he leaned forward and held himself on one hand with the other holding her hand, "Marry me Hawke! Maker please Marry me!"

"I thought you would never ask." She said with a smile and they shared a kiss that lasted a good hour or so. "I love you Varric."

"I love you too my one and only Hawke."