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[Three Years]

It was nearly three years to the day that Daveth had arrived in Denerim. Tabby had set him up with Slim Couldry, who had pointed him in the direction of a small-time crime group needing to hire skilled muscle. Adeline was a jack-of-all-trades, he learned – she was a skilled acrobat, had a golden-touch for safe-cracking, and could steal the sword from a guard's hand without him realizing it. The two often worked as a team, one causing a distraction or keeping lookout while the other worked.

It was on one such night that things had gone horribly wrong, and Adeline and Daveth had barely escaped Bann Franderel's estate. The thing had been a big setup – the two had been attacked by archers and apostate mages as soon as they reached the treasury. They had run for their lives, counting their blessings when they got out unscathed.

"Sodding mother of Andraste!" Adeline ground through her teeth, yanking off her cowl and kicking the wall viciously, cringing and swearing louder as she jammed her foot. The two were hiding in an alleyway, catching their breath and waiting for the coast to clear.

"Calm down Tabby," Daveth urged as he took off his own cowl, tucking it into his belt. Adeline's hair was puffed up from how forcefully she had pulled off her hood, and Daveth tried not to laugh at how it stuck out like the fur of an angry cat.

"I am calm!" she hissed as she whirled around, her fists balled up at her sides and her eyes nearly glowing with fury. Daveth gently took her hands, cracking her fingers out of fists so she wouldn't leave marks in her palms, and she let out a long sigh, groaning as she leaned back against the wall. She ran a hand over her forehead and through her hair, looking out towards the main street; the search for them had settled down, and it would soon be safe to head home.

"I think you and I need to pay Slim a visit tomorrow," Daveth remarked, and Adeline chuckled.

"Right," she replied. "I doubt he'd do this to us, though – he'd be losing some of his best customers," she added.

"Mmm…" Daveth agreed, pursing his lips. "I'm thinking maybe one of the higher-ups gave our favorite fence false information," he theorized. "You've been getting rather mouthy lately," he added, and Adeline rolled her eyes.

"Rodrick was getting handsy again. And I did give him fair warning," Adeline replied, and Daveth chuckled.

"Maybe he just thinks you need a man in your life, Tabby," he teased, and she snorted.

"Hah, more shackles," the girl muttered cynically.

"You don't really think that, do you?" Daveth asked, leaning over her as he rested a hand on the wall. Adeline rolled her eyes as she looked up at the man – she only ever let Daveth get this close to her; the other men she worked with would risk getting a finger cut off.

"Daveth, the day I find a man who can tolerate me, it'll rain gold sovereigns from the sky," she snorted, and Daveth smirked.

"Too bad your weather-sense is terrible, then," he grinned, leaning forward and kissing her. Adeline started, reaching up to grab his face and push him off, but Daveth kept a tight grip on her hands, knowing he would get his eyes scratched out if he let her go. He kissed her hard and fast before she could start kneeing him in the groin, and he pulled back as he felt her stomping on his foot.

She was staring up at him with huge eyes, panting for breath as she shook, leaning back against the wall. Daveth grinned at her startled expression, and she scowled, slapping him hard across the face. Daveth felt his nose crack, and the warmth of blood in his mouth as he toppled over, blacking out as he hit the ground.

oooo

He came-to a while later, finding Adeline sitting over him with a worried look on her face. She let out a sigh of relief as the rogue opened his eyes, placing a hand over her heart and looking to the sky, murmuring a silent prayer of thanks. "I'm not that bad of a kisser, am I?" Daveth teased, and she scowled down at him.

"What the sod did you think you were doing?" she hissed, and the man grinned, slowly sitting up and touching his nose. "Ah! Don't! It's…" she trailed off, and Daveth stopped with his hand half-way to his nose. "I…broke your nose," she murmured guiltily. The man chuckled at her awkward apology, patting her hand gently as she rested it on her lap.

"I'm sorry if I scared you," Daveth said, and Adeline stared at him. "You've never kissed anyone before, have you?" he asked, and she blushed scarlet, looking down.

"Now I have," she muttered. Her fingers tightened as she gripped them on her legs, her eyes reddening. Daveth swore under his breath – he really hadn't thought that through. He gently placed a hand on her cheek, and Adeline shut her eyes, but didn't flinch away.

"Shh…I'm sorry," he whispered, carefully wiping at her tears. "You're such an idiot," he groaned to himself, smacking his forehead. "This is the way you treat the girl you love?"

"Daveth…" Adeline murmured, blinking as she wiped at her cheeks, "I…" she looked down.

"Hey, don't cry Tabby," he continued softly, and she glanced back at him.

"No, I…" she took a long breath. "You just said…you loved me?" she asked, and Daveth blinked a few times in surprise.

"Ah!" he exclaimed, startling her. "I said it out loud!" Adeline giggled weakly at his outburst as he slapped his hands against either side of his face, staring at the ground. "Maker's breath, I'm sorry," he added, and Adeline shook her head.

"No that's…kind of cute, actually," she admitted, her tears gone. She frowned slightly, though, twining her fingers together. "But I…don't feel the same way."

Daveth let out a long sigh, nodding a bit. "Somehow I expected that," he admitted. He chuckled softly, shaking his head. "Is it…because I'm human?" he asked softly, and Adeline shook her head slowly, taking his hands.

"No," she replied. "I…I do love you, but…like family," she clarified. Daveth was surprised – he hadn't expected that at all. Adeline slowly got to her feet, dusting herself off and helping Daveth up, indicating his nose. "We'll have to get you to a healer," she remarked, and he nodded slightly.

"Right," he sighed. He looked at Adeline as she lightly hugged herself, her eyes on the ground. "Tabby," he murmured, and she glanced up. "Let me kiss you again." She stared at him incredulously, and he held up a hand. "I can't let that be your first experience," he argued. Adeline looked uncertain for a few moments before letting out a long sigh.

"Only if you promise never to do it again," she replied, and Daveth smiled gently at the anxious girl – she was suddenly very bashful, and blushing all the way to the tips of her ears.

"Alright," he said. He motioned with a finger for her to come closer, and he wrapped his arms around her waist, placing a hand on the small of her back, and bringing the other up to the back of her neck. "I'll be gentle," he promised, and Adeline looked down.

She closed her eyes as she felt his lips against hers, and she let out a small sigh – Daveth was very gentle with her now, caressing her with his lips as he cradled the back of her head. He slowly parted her lips with his, and she stiffened for a moment as she felt his tongue in her mouth, heat crawling up her throat as his grip tightened on her. She started kissing back, moving her hands up his chest and to his thick, curly black hair. She let out a soft moan as their tongues wrestled, and Daveth pushed her against the wall, his heart pumping against hers as they gasped for breath.

Adeline stared up at Daveth as he drew away, a smug grin on his face at the sudden look of longing in her eyes. "I'm a bit jealous," Daveth chuckled softly, pressing his forehead against hers, "whoever wins your heart will never let you go." He patted her cheek gently as he let her up, and the girl cleared her throat awkwardly, placing a hand over her fluttering heart; there was a strange feeling in her chest - a tight knot that coiled around her heart - and she wasn't sure what it was.

"Umm…thanks, Davvy," Adeline murmured, and the man chuckled.

"Anything for you, Tabby dear."

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~someone's not being honest with her feeeliiings~