14
3 months later

Hawke's voice cut through the chilled, silent air. "It's a pretty night, isn't it? I love it when the stars are out…"

Isabela rolled her eyes, but answered. "You haven't seen anything until you've been out on the open ocean on a starry night."

Hawke smiled. "You'll have to take me some time."

Isabela ignored that. They walked shoulder to shoulder, through the twisting paths of the Wounded Coast. Hawke took one of Isabela's hands in her own and interlinked their fingers.

"What's this?" Isabela asked, looking down at the public display of affection with discomfort.

"What? Nobody's around…" Hawke muttered. Isabela let it happen, wondering when Hawke was going to stop this charade and find a cozy place for them to get to business.

Hawke cleared her throat. "So… I was wondering if you'd like to come over for dinner one night this week?"

"No" Isabela replied curtly.

"Well… that was direct…" Hawke said, disappointment written on her face.

"What were you expecting? I don't do dates. You of all people should know that."

"What do you call this, then?" Hawke asked, gesturing with her free hand at the starry sky and lapping waves.

Isabela let out an exasperated sigh. "I call this you wasting time, when you should be rutting me on the shoreline."

Hawke separated their fingers, and took her hand back, leaving Isabela's feeling strangely limp hanging at her side.

"I'm sorry, did I ruin the romantic evening you had planned? Cut the nugshit, Hawke, we both know what we come out here for" Isabela said impatiently.

Hawke started walking faster. "Well, it's very clear what you come out here for. Maker as my witness, you have the one-track mind of an adolescent boy. Can't two friends just take a walk?"

"We're not friends, Hawke. We're playmates. Nothing more, and nothing less."

Hawke nodded slowly. "Yes, I know. You keep reminding me, and for some blighted reason, I keep forgetting."

"That's nobody's fault but your own, Hawke."

Hawke stopped walking. "You know what? I'm no longer in the mood for a walk. I'm going back to the city. You can come if you'd like. Or stay out here by yourself. I don't really care, either way." She turned and started walking in the direction that they'd come from.

Isabela was tempted to let Hawke leave in her pissy mood, but she hadn't been dragged 30 minutes outside of Kirkwall for nothing. She tackled Hawke to the ground, and lay on top of her, pressing her curves into Hawke's body. "Do you remember the first time I did this? It wasn't far from here. Your heart was beating like a scared baby bird."

Hawke ran her hands over Isabela's hips. "Yes, I remember."

"You've changed a lot since then. The baby bird has learned to fly."

In a fluid motion, Hawke flipped Isabela onto her back and straddled her. She leaned down and kissed her, gently sucking on Isabela's lower lip. Hawke pulled away from the kiss and put her forehead against Isabela's. "Do you remember the first time that you had me pinned here? You told me something important."

Isabela started working on the fasteners at the front of Hawke's robes. "Hmm… that I was going to rut you silly one day. And I have."

Hawke shook her head. "You said that I wasn't ready for you. And that you'd wait. Well, I'm telling you the same thing. You and I… we're more than you think we are. You don't want to admit it yet, and I'll respect that. But when you're ready, I'll be waiting. Because I think you're worth it."

Hawke pushed her mouth back onto Isabela's in a passionate kiss, stifling the pirate's reply.