Yikes, smut warning, not for the faint of heart. I tried to make it 'pretty-smut' as opposed to 'super-dirty-smut' if that helps. grin I'm really enjoying this, I hope you are too! Any reviews are welcomed, let me know how I'm doing! Thanks!
"Um, this view isn't too shabby, either!" Varric chuckled as he handed her the blanket.
"I'm not above punching you, you know, old friend." She jokingly chided Varric as she wrapped the blanket around herself and started to make her way to the fire.
"Go ahead, Hawke. Just avoid the face, old friend. It's way too handsome to be sporting a black eye." Varric joked back.
"Mmmffpph," Hawke grumbled and playfully punched Varric in the shoulder as she passed him to warm herself before the fire.
"Where did Fenris go, I wonder?" Merrill asked as she found a spot near the fire.
"Oh, he probably went to find a private spot to brood. It's not every day one gets to observe a beautiful show like the one Hawke just put on for us. He may need a minute or two to… recover." Varric grinned.
"Oh dear, did the sight of Hawke's… did it make him ill? Will he be alright? We should go find him!" Merrill's lower lip trembled.
"No, Daisy, he isn't ill… exactly. Fenris will be alright, just give him his brood time." Varric rejoined, "I hope he hurries up, I'm famished!"
Hawke didn't buy Varric's assessment of Fenris's swift departure. He was probably disgusted by the sight of her near nakedness. After all, he'd had a taste of the goods and had run away so fast there were still figurative burn marks on her bedroom carpet. He'd probably prefer to settle down with some sweet elf girl that cooked and cleaned and not an armor clad, dagger wielding human crusader who ran with blood mages and Abominations.
Hawke shook her head to chase away any more thoughts of that damned broody elf, that damned sexy, frustrating, intolerable, delicious… Hawke caught herself, "I'm doing it again! Ugh!"
Hawke went over to Merrill to help clean and prepare the rabbits for roasting on the pit above the fire. It never ceased to amaze her just how much Merrill cared for each member of their merry group, but especially Fenris. Despite his hate for blood magic and mages in general, no matter how many nasty comments he directed at Merrill, she still cared. She had such a generous heart, Hawke only hoped that Varric knew what he was doing. She'd kill him herself if he broke her heart.
She decided to pull Varric aside and have a little chat about his growing interest in the sweet blood mage.
Varric was stacking the firewood that Merrill had collected earlier as Hawke approached him. "I know what you're going to say, Hawke. I've already turned it all over and over in my head, but it's no use. I think I love her." Varric looked up helplessly into Hawke's eyes.
"That's all that matters, then, my friend." Hawke reassured him. "None of us knows what the future may bring. If you love her, cherish it and her and don't let anyone or anything stand in your way. You both deserve some happiness, my friend."
"Thanks, Hawke. I hoped you'd understand. She's just wonderful, isn't she?" Varric muffled a small cough to cover the moistness gathering in his eyes. "What about you, Hawke? We're not blind fools, you know. We can all see that something is going on between you and the elf. Just what is going on?"
"Absolutely nothing is going on, my friend. Absolutely nothing." Hawke sighed.
"Are you sure? Because to us, it seems like there's a whole lot of something going on." Varric said, "I don't mean to pry, Hawke, but we're all worried about you. You know I'd never spin tales about anything you shared with me in confidence. Well, I might but I'd change the names to protect the innocent."
"I appreciate that, Varric, truly." She laughed, "I've just been working too hard and overwhelmed what with Mother pressuring me to start seeking a suitor. That's why I decided to take this trip, so I could just relax." Hawke assured him, "I just need to clear my head."
"How about we give you a severely muddled head, first? It's not as pretty here as the Hanged Man but it just might do. I brought a deck of cards and several bottles of Corff's finest swill, so perhaps we could get flaming drunk in front of the fire and play some Wicked Grace after our rabbit feast?" Varric asked.
"Maker yes, my friend! You're an angel!" Hawke replied.
Fenris eventually returned as the women finished preparing their supper. Varric made a crack under his breath about women's work that earned him a cuff on the ear from Hawke as they sat down around the fire to consume the repast. Merrill prodded Varric to tell them all a story, so he regaled them with the tale of the vicious Revainne sea monster and the ancient pirate obsessed with taking it down.
As he finished the tale with a flourish, his audience somberly nodded at the tragedy of the old pirate's death after coming so close to finally capturing the dreaded beast. After a few moments of contemplation, they all began clearing up from supper and cracked a few jokes about Isabella and her relic.
"Bring on the ale and the cards, dwarf! In that order, mind you." Hawke trumpeted.
They settled themselves to play some Wicked Grace on a large boulder that had a virtually flat top, serving as a makeshift table. Varric distributed bottles of ale to groans of delight from Hawke. After a few hands of cards and several more bottles of ale, everyone seemed quite comfortably buzzed, enjoying the evening thoroughly.
At one point, Merrill insisted on showing them all her very best Isabella walk, stating that she had been practicing at home and was sure she had it down. The result of her strutting, hips swinging wildly dissolved Hawke into uncontrollable giggles that had her rolling in the sand with tears streaming from her eyes. This caused both Varric and Merrill to also start giggling uncontrollably. Varric then performed his own exaggerated version of the Isabella walk which resulted in a fresh wave of giggles and then hiccups from Hawke and Merrill.
Fenris observed all of this silliness with his usual cool gaze but Hawke pointedly noticed just the slightest of smirks teasing the corner of his mouth. She'd pay good money to see him do the Isabella walk, she thought to herself. Maker, she'd sell tickets!
After the wiggling and giggling had died down, Merrill declared that she was quite a bit dizzy and needed help to find her bed. They all agreed they should retire before their antics caught the attention of some dangerous pack of raiders or slavers. They were certainly in no shape to defend themselves, although Titus could probably make short shrift of any ne'er do wells all on his own.
Hawke called to Titus to give him some choice morsels left over from their supper. He'd spent the entire evening chasing anything that moved, sometimes chasing nothing at all and just running headlong in every direction. He seemed to really take to the ocean breeze and open spaces, Hawke thought to herself. She resolved to bring him out here much more often, it did them both good.
As Hawke started to head toward her tent, Fenris caught her attention and motioned her away from the camp a small distance.
"I thought perhaps Titus and I could take watch in shifts. Would this be agreeable to you?" Fenris asked.
"Titus is a very light sleeper. He'd alert us to trouble well before any was close enough to do us any harm. You don't need to take watch, you should get some sleep." Hawke replied.
"As you wish, Hawke. Merrill mentioned that I might have insulted you earlier when I disappeared after the incident with your… garments. She thought I was taken ill. I just wanted to say that I meant no offense."
Hawke grew irritated at his overly civil tone, "It's fine, Fenris. I'm sure the sight of my body was disgusting to you. I'm over it. I've lived through worse reactions. Is there anything else? I'm really tired." She kicked herself for letting that slip out. She didn't want his pity or for him to realize how easily he could hurt her.
Fenris looked confused, "Why would you think your body disgusts me?"
"Just let it go, Fenris. Yours wasn't exactly the reaction of a man overcome with passion. Can I go to bed, now?" Hawke sighed with fatigue. She was still a bit woozy from the ale and she wobbled and nearly lost her balance. Fenris quickly reacted, grabbing each of her upper arms to steady her against his chest. His embrace was like a bolt of electricity shooting through her from her toes to the top of her head.
"Hawke… Your body is a masterpiece of curves and softness. Your breasts yearn to be touched, your flat stomach and gorgeous hips are perfectly formed. Your body could lure a man to his death, woman. The sight of you today… it utterly stopped my heart and I couldn't breathe from wanting to touch you."
Realization dawned in Fenris' mind as Hawke gasped at his confession and pressed her body further into his chest, need shining like a beacon in her eyes.
She wanted him! Maker, she needed him! Doubts and fears assailed him but he shoved and locked them away as he lowered his head to capture her lips with his own. He kept his eyes open, watching her as he plundered her mouth. She groaned and slid her hands into his hair, desperately struggling to get closer. He couldn't help the groan that escaped him as she pressed her hips into his and began slowly rubbing against him.
He slid a hand behind her neck and grabbed a handful of her hair and slid the other hand under her shirt to caress her breasts. He lightly brushed his palm back and forth over her hardening nipples, sending convulsions through her body. He held her captive to his mouth and hands as he continued teasing and tweaking. He then slowly caressed his free hand further down to the waistband of her short breeches and slid it inside. Hawke thrust her hips forward, aching desperately for his touch.
He lightly traced his hand along her folds, teasing her to maddening heights. Her soft, panting breaths mingled with their fevered kiss. He slowly slid a finger into her wetness and felt her clench her muscles around it. His heart was racing as he slid in a second finger and began to work them in slow circles inside her while his thumb teased the nub at the apex of her sex. She was thrashing so thoroughly, he had to spin her around and brace her against a nearby boulder to keep their balance. He continued to work her sex and watch her face as she succumbed to her need. She shattered into a million pieces right there before his gaze, quivering from her release.
"God's, she's so beautiful." He thought to himself as he removed his hand from her breeches. She opened her eyes and their gazes locked, both trying to communicate what their souls were screaming to the other without words.
"Your body is perfection, Hawke." Fenris whispered as he brought his digits to his lips. "And you taste sweeter than the finest Aggregio Pavali. I could do that to you for eternity and it would never be enough."
Hawke blushed and giggled at the same time, "This is information you could have brought to my attention… Oh let's say… three years ago! If I would have known all I had to do was walk around nearly naked, I could have done it much sooner and avoided a lot of frustrating nights alone in my bed!"
"I'm sorry, Hawke. We never really discussed what happened between us three years ago," he replied.
"You didn't seem to want to talk about it. I was hurt and confused. I thought…" Hawke started to speak but Fenris interrupted her.
"I felt like a fool. I thought it better if you hated me, I deserved no less. But it isn't better. That night, I remember your touch as if it were yesterday. I should have asked your forgiveness long ago. I hope you can forgive me now."
"I didn't hate you, Fenris. I understand. I always understood," Hawke began, "But it did hurt and I wanted you so desperately, it was killing me inside. I tried to forget your touch, blot out your kiss but they burned molten in my dreams."
"You dreamt of me, Hawke?" he asked.
"Every bloody night, you fool!" she declared, no longer ashamed.
"I am indeed a lucky man. If there is a future to be had, Hawke, I will walk into it gladly at your side," Fenris veritably snarled as he leaned down to plunder her mouth once again. Hawke answered by putting every ounce of pent up passion into that kiss, rocking Fenris back onto his heels.
When they came back up for air, he took her hand and led her back to her tent, the others long asleep and unaware of their intimate encounter. He lay down with Hawke and was content to simply watch her as she drifted off to sleep.
How could he have been such a fool? Hawke didn't hate him, she didn't care that he was a former slave or that he had no title or gold. She just loved. She loved him despite everything he had done to destroy it. He didn't deserve her, he knew that. But he swore to himself he would do whatever he could to earn that love, even if it took him the rest of his life.