Ch. 3
"Hawke," Sebastian said appearing from the darkness.
"Sebastian? Where's Aveline?" Hawke asked standing up straight.
"She stopped by the Chantry. She said something about a problem. She told me she wouldn't be able to make it and sent me here."
The mage exhaled an exhausted breath.
"I guess that means we're not going to handle this with diplomacy."
"I'm sorry," the holy man said shaking his head.
"It's not your fault, Sebastian." Hawke looked at the other two men. "This might lead to a fight. Be ready."
"Hawke, we're always ready around you. You never know when someone's going to jump out of the shadows and try to kill us all," Anders said with a laugh.
"Shut up, Anders," Hawke said with a small smile.
The group entered the bar and approached the guard. After a bit of pointless questioning the idiot drew his blade. A few of his friends stood in tune with his threat.
"Do you really think that's smart?" Anders asked.
"I think so," the guard replied, "you're out numbered."
"Really now?" Isabela said drawing her daggers and moving towards the group.
"A little less outnumber than you thought," Varric called from the top of the stairs.
"Do you want to go ahead and give up now?" Hawke asked, making a mental note that it was, in fact, a good idea to leave the Rogues behind for this particular mission.
The guard's buddies took a few steps back, relaxing their fighting stance.
"We have no conflict with you," one of them said before the whole hoard took off out the door, leaving the guard standing alone against the six. Hawke raised her eyebrows and crossed her arms.
"How about now?" she asked.
"I-I," he tried, "I'm not afraid of you!" He made a move to strike her. Hawke couldn't draw her staff quick enough, or even think quickly process to use her Magic. She was so sure he was going to use his brain and stand down. Luckily for her, Fenris made a move before the man's blade could connect with the mage. He moved forward, swinging his sword up and catching the man's duel knives, disarming him. He slid forward, smashing the guard in the face with the hilt of his weapon. He hit the ground. Fenris towered over him.
"Not a good move," the Elf growled. Hawked looked down at the man.
"Now, who paid you off?" she demanded. When he still hesitated, the others circled around him. "Look around, you're really not in the place to deny us our answers."
"Alright, alright," the man cried, "it was a Templar!"
"A Templar?"
"I swear, he even had the seal of the grand cleric." Hawke exchange a few glances with her companions.
"Well, I guess we know where to go then, don't we. Thank you… for eventually answer our questions." The Rogues returned to their places while the original group set out from the bar to seek out their answers at the chantry.
"Ow! Anders, careful," Hawke yelled, flinching as his cold hands pressed down on her bloody wound.
"Sorry," he replied. "Oh, Ser Varnell's blade bit deep. How is it that he got the drop on you, in the first place?"
"I was trying to keep his zealots off you, if you don't remember." Anders hands glowed in healing. "I thought Fenris was taking care of him." She looked down at the floor where her robes lied in ruined tatters. The sword had cut right across her stomach, tearing it almost in two. Though, her body hadn't taken the full blow of his attack, it had dug deeply into her side. She sighed, looking back up at the healer. She noticed how hard he was trying to not look at her body, covered only by her underclothes. He smiled at her.
"It's nothing my magic can't handle." Hawke grinned at him.
"Do you think it'll work on my robe too?" Anders laughed.
"I could try, but I doubt it."
"Damn and that was my favorite too." Another laugh rumbled from his chest.
"We will have a lovely funeral for it. It will be honored as it lived, tremendously."
"Shut up, Anders." Hawke smacked him. He jerked causing pain to shoot up her body. "Ow."
"That's what you get for hitting me."
"Oh, I'll do more than hit you if you keep that up, mister."
"Ehm," the sound of a cleared throat pulled them from their joking match. Fenris stood in the doorway of Anders' Clinic, looking uncomfortable, and hold some red cloth. "I… have returned… with your… dress…" He moved closer, also trying not to look at Hawke's half-nudity. He seemed more distraught by the idea than Anders had. He shoved the clothing into the healer's arms. "Are you alright?" he directed the question to Hawke, but looked at Anders' boots. Hawke sat up; the wound on her side was gone, only a light pink mark remained. She positioned herself behind Anders, peeking around him at the Elf.
"You can look at my face, Fenris," she assured. He looked at her, his cheeks red.
"Are you alright?" he repeated. Hawke smiled.
"I am fine. Anders is a good healer." She reached out and touched Fenris' arm. "Thank you for bringing me my clothes." He shivered at her touch.
"You are welcome, Hawke." She smiled.
"Now if you could both be so kind as to give me a moment, I would like to dress myself." She smiled as the men retreated from the clinic before dressing herself.
"Why do you guys never invite me to play Diamondback with you?" Hawke asked the group as she peered over Anders' shoulder at his hand of cards. Varric laughed.
"Because they're afraid that you will lose all your money to me and they will no longer have anyone to borrow it from," the dwarf informed her. Hawke crossed her arms.
"I'll make sure I don't loan any of you anymore money."
"Come on, Hawke, you don't want to play with these losers anyway. Fenris barely knows how to play, Isabela cheats, and Anders is just plain bad. This is not a mess you want to concern yourself with."
"I do not cheat," Isabela argued. She smiled. "Ok, I do." Hawke shook her head. She squinted at Anders arrangement of cards.
"Isn't that a good hand?" she asked, pointing at the serpents.
"Hey," Anders said, "it is." He tossed them on the table. "I win! Now give me all your money." Hawke shook her head.
"You're welcome," she told the mage. He laughed.
"I vote she play as my partner."
"No partners, Blondie," Varric interjected.
"Merrill is Isabela's partner, and we all know she just uses her magic to help Isabela cheat."
"She does not," Isabela disputed.
"Oh… oh no I don't… I just like to watch…" Merrill said waving her hands in conviction.
"Anders," Hawke warned, unamused.
"What?" he asked with a shrug and a smile that betrayed his innocent tone.
"Just sit," Fenris told the mage. "It'll be nice to have some company I can stand." Hawke felt herself blush as she kicked a seat between the elf and the healer. She sat.
"I really don't help Isabela cheat," Merrill defended.
"We know you don't, daisy," Varric comforted the elf.
"Don't worry about it, Merrill," Hawke assured, smacking Anders on the arm.
"Ow," Anders said, but everyone ignored him.
"Just deal the next hand," Fenris said handing the cards to Isabela. Varric snatched them from her hand.
"Remember, elf, she isn't allowed to deal," he said.
"Do I want to know why?" Hawke asked.
"She uses it as an opportunity to cheat," Varric explained. Isabela crossed her arms and squinted. The dwarf laughed. "Don't pout, Rivaini." He dealt the cards to the other three players.
Hawke watched as her companions bet one another for money… most of them losing it all to Varric. Anders asked her for another loan. It was fun watching them, but she was a little glad that they didn't actually pressure her to play. She wasn't much of a card player… well, maybe better than Anders, but she would rather keep her money. By the time they were finally finished with their game, she had fallen asleep on Anders' shoulder.
"Wake up, sweetheart," he said tapping her on the hand.
"Hm?" she moaned, sitting up strait. She had red impressions of feathers pattering her face. The mage smiled at her.
"We're leaving. Would you like to walk back with us?"
"Mm… no. I'll be fine." Fenris stood.
"Come on, Hawke," he said from behind her, "the streets are dangerous at night." He grabbed her arm and pulled her from her seat. She rubbed her eyes.
"Mmm, she's tired," Isabela purred from across the table. "Good thing she'll have two strong men to walk her home."
"Is everything sex with you?" Anders questioned with lowered eyebrows.
"I said nothing about sex. Apparently, that's what's on your mind." She turned to Merrill. "Come on, kitten, I'll walk you home. We don't want to give the men too much responsibility." The two women exited the bar. He couldn't hide his blush.
"Let's go, Hawke. You have to come. I can't say how much I hate having to walk back alone with Anders all the time," Fenris said, looking down at her.
"You're not a field of flowers yourself," Anders insulted, crossing his arms.
"Yes, let's go," she said, heading for the door. The two followed behind her.
The walk was mostly silent and awkward. Hawke could only imagine how it was when it was just Fenris and Anders alone.
"How much did you lose, tonight?" Fenris finally spoke up, directing his question to Anders. Though, his tone was flat, it was oddly not tinged with anger or annoyance.
"Five sovereigns," the mage admitted, "two of them to you."
"For the love of the Maker, Anders," Hawke said, shaking her head. "If you would stop gambling then maybe you could upgrade your living situation."
"And what?" Anders asked. "Bunk with Fenris? Pay him rent? I'm fine with where I am." The elf snorted, answering 'no.'
"Sure, working there is alright, but sleeping there?"
"I admit, it's not the… greatest place to be, but I am fine. Don't worry about me." They halted at the entrance to Darktown. "See you tomorrow?" he asked Hawke.
"To help with the clinic, of course."
"Be careful, sweetheart." Anders smiled before descending down the stairs into the pit of Kirkwall.
Fenris and Hawke continued on.
"How is that he is so bad at cards?" she asked the elf. He laughed a deep, short, disconnected laugh.
"I… am unsure."
"And, how much exactly does he owe you?" Fenris offered another laugh.
"About 30 gold."
"Why doesn't he just give up?" Fenris shrugged.
"Again, I have to say that I am unsure."
There was a wave of silence for a few minutes.
"Have you heard anything from Denarius yet?"
"Nothing."
"Do… you think he has given up?"
"I do not think so."
"I suppose vigilance is key, then?"
"I would say so."
They arrived at the doorstep of Hawke's mansion.
"I really do not wish to drag you into my conflicts," Fenris said, looking away.
"Fenris," Hawke asserted. She moved into his view and touched his arm. "We already went over this. I want to help you with your problems. Maybe even… give you a few…" She blushed. Fenris chuckled.
"Only a few?" Hawke smiled.
"The good kind."
"That's… very tempting Hawke…" He was thoughtful for a moment. "You're a beautiful woman. Is there no one else that has your attention?" Hawke's blush grew.
"You think I'm beautiful?" He laughed gently.
"I don't need to restate the obvious." He touched her hand. "But, what about Anders?"
"What about Anders?"
"It's not my shoulder print on your cheek." Hawke cocked her head to the side. She brushed the side of her face as her cheeks burned.
"Fenris, your shoulders aren't exactly the most habitable place for a girl's cheek." The elf's laugh this time was one of the most genuine Hawke had heard escape his lips.
"My apologies then," he teased. She took a step closer to him.
"It's you that I want." Fenris shook his head.
"I'm an escaped slave, and an elf, living in a borrowed mansion. None of this bothers you?"
"And, I'm an apostate Mage, on the run from Templars. Does that bother you?" Fenris hesitated then smiled.
"You… have a point." Hawke moved even closer to him.
"I care for you, Fenris." She leaned in, resting her cheek on his shoulder, careful to avoid the spikes. Fenris was rigid for a second. It was clear he wasn't used to being so close to a woman, but slowly, after a moment, he wrapped his arms around Hawke's waist. She returned the favor, encasing him in her embrace. And, for that moment, no matter how things were before or would be after, they were both happy, and took joy with just holding one another.