Hawke's POV
I sat in the passenger seat of Isabela's Shelby, nervously rubbing at the back of my neck. "Do we have to do this? I'm pretty sure Merrill's gay." My girlfriend rolled her eyes and continued looking at the road. "What? My Gaydar has never failed me before. No sense doubting it now." I crossed my arms over my chest and huffed. Pre-screening my lover's ex-lover for my best friend was not exactly going to be fun, by any definition of the word.
She raised her eyebrow doubtfully. "Really? You assumed I was a lesbian."
"Because when we met, you were undressing me with your eyes! And not 24 hours later, you dragged me off to bed. So, ha!" I defiantly stuck my tongue out. I was half-right, at least.
"Sex is a tempestuous beast with a mind all its own. How can anyone say with any level of certainty that they are only attracted to one gender, race, or age group?" The body wants what the body wants. Her tone was skeptical, but I could see the logic in her argument.
I shifted uncomfortably in my seat, looking out the window. "I tried the whole sex with a man thing once. I couldn't figure out where to put my hands, the body hair irked me, and I was trying not to vomit the whole time. And honestly, no matter how many people told me he was 'hot', I just never saw it." It took me five hours to pick out a safe, discrete, well-built male subject. And what do I get in return? Five minutes of awkward undressing, some non-romantic groping, a hasty retreat, and an hour long shower.
I understand how she drew the conclusion, but maybe she should have done multiple trials… Isabela hummed with thought. "Interesting… I've rutted with many 'heterosexual' women. I take it as a challenge, really. And I have a perfect track record thus far." She smiled smugly at her successes and I couldn't help but chuckle.
"You're just full of surprises."
The driver laughed heartily. "Sweet thing, you have no idea." Oh the things I have in store for you… She pinched my cheek as we came to a stoplight and I batted playfully at her hand, blushing slightly at her sexual remark.
"That's a discussion for another time. First, tell me about this Fenris. All I know so far is that he's a short contemporary artist." And according to Varric, a weirdo.
"He's also a tattoo artist. Nearly coated in them, himself. He's got this one right below his-" She started gesturing below the waist and I frantically waved my hand to cut her off.
"Never mind!" Isabela snickered at my discomfort and I cleared my throat. "What makes you think he and Merrill will get along? And don't say 'they're both small'." I pointed accusingly at my girlfriend. If that were the case, we'd just arrange for her to meet Varric.
She scoffed as she turned down another side street. "I don't care if they 'get along'. I just want to know if she finds him physically attractive."
I gave the idea a moment of thought. So what if she thinks Fenris is sexy? She isn't too shy about her admiration of breasts. So that makes her what, bi? Who cares? Aveline is in love with her! I can't screw over my friend by hooking Merrill up with some horny guy! I grasped at straws for a possible loophole, a way for me to get out of this evening without hurting any feelings. "Obviously you find him attractive. And you're a good judge of these things. Perhaps you can find a picture to show her. That should do the trick! So let's turn around at the next light." Isabela didn't seem to hear me the first time, despite the quiet of the night. We passed through another intersection and I looked hopefully over at her. "Ok, maybe the next one?"
"No. You're going with me to his gallery." It's for your own good, Hawke. She stated coldly, her eyes never leaving the road.
I did what anyone would do. I threw myself back in my seat and whined like a two-year-old. "But why?"
"Because you're insecure." I just blinked incredulously at her insensitive observation. She held up a finger, as if to express a point. "I figure, you see Fenris and I in the same room not going at it like rabbits, and maybe you'll no longer feel the need to growl at every man in the tri-state area." I don't mind the possessive roaring, personally; in fact, it kind of does things for me. But it's unnecessary. And I don't want to be the woman with the 'angry shadow'. I could hire a bodyguard for that.
Never going to happen. "I'll growl at the women, too, if they give me reason." I curled my upper lip, exposing a canine (which was above average sized, according to my dentist). All the better to bite them with, when necessary.
My girlfriend released a long breath, her face barely showing emotion. "I can fuck anyone, Hawke."
That hit me like a ton of bricks and I immediately sunk down in my seat. "Thanks for that. I feel so much better…" Not.
Perhaps that was a little tactless. "My point is that if I only wanted sex, I'd get it elsewhere. I want you. Or had you not noticed?" She poked me in the arm, her voice much warmer than before. I cracked the slightest smile, lacing our fingers together on the shift knob.
"Of all the people in the world, why me?" I didn't mean to sound so discouraging, but I simply didn't understand. I'm not rich or worldly, or even exceptionally attractive. What do I have to offer someone like you?
Isabela just sighed, her head tilted slightly toward me. "I've been wondering about that myself. I could go on and on about civility, adulation, wittiness… But what it boils down to is that we trust each other, you actually listen to me when I speak, and you won't judge my taste in films." I can't even admit to Varric that I watch Syfy flicks. His ridicule would haunt me for the rest of my days and my badass reputation would be tarnished beyond repair. Cassandra, meanwhile, would never breathe a word.
Can't deny her logic. I squeezed her hand, grinning toothily. "I'll watch whatever movies you want, Isabela, so long as there's popcorn." My girlfriend broke into a series of light-hearted chuckles and shook her head. I continued to smile at her. "What? Was I supposed to require more convincing?"
"You're so easy." She remarked jokingly as we stopped at another light.
"Only when it comes to you, my Pirate Queen." I brought the top of her hand to my lips, sprinkling it with kisses.
Isabela cupped my chin and looked me in the eye, giving me an imperial talking-to. "Then, Sir Hawke, I order you to behave yourself and get over your nonsensical jealousy issues." She leaned over to me for a quick peck and I found myself sighing, accepting my defeat with what little grace I could muster.
"I'll do my best." I sat up straight in my seat. "But if Fenris starts anything, I'm going to paint the walls with him." I pointed out while cracking my knuckles.
My girlfriend just rolled her eyes. "Bad artist joke there, kid. Scratch wittiness."
We spent the rest of the drive in relative silence, minus the sounds of the radio. Isabela parked us in an open lot, but I wasn't familiar with the part of the city we were in. It seemed to be part of downtown, but off in a corner. As she led me down the sidewalk, I noticed that we were surrounded by head shops, liquor stores, and cheap-looking apartments. The whole area made my skin crawl. She brought me down an alley and to a dark green door. I stopped a few feet away, feeling nervous and generally unsure of what was about to happen. I focused on our 'showboat agreement', using it as an excuse to steel my nerves.
"Alright. How much flaunting am I doing? Are we talking first base, maybe sliding to second?" I licked my lips nervously. Remember propriety. Respect the man's space. Even if he turns out to be a vile sack of-
The older woman tugged at my hand, sighing when I refused to budge. "Don't do anything I wouldn't do." I raised my eyebrow at the comment, taking a step closer to her. I can't imagine that list is very long… "Whatever sails your ship, Hawke."
A licentious grin spread over my face. "Do you have any lipstick in your purse?"
"Yes. But it's not your-" Before she could blink, I pulled mightily at our joined hands, heaving her forward into my arms. …Shade. I kissed her so hard and sloppily that it almost hurt, but she didn't seem to mind. If anything, she hissed when I finally drew away, my mission completed. Isabela just blinked at me a few times, her amber eyes scanning my face. I could feel the lipstick smeared from my nose to my chin. My first instinct would usually be to wipe it off, but I was here to make a point. That's one way to wear makeup. Having understood my intention, Isabela placed her hands on my shoulders and leaned forward to place a forceful kiss to my neck, actually biting my skin. The way Isabela so swiftly reigned over my senses was baffling, but I groaned my approval. I'll have to remember that for later. She pulled back with a 'pop' to admire her own work.
"Impressive symbolism. But your face is more a mess than anything." She fetched a tissue from her purse and attempted to wipe off my lips.
I, of course, dodged her advances by craning my neck, quoting Isabela verbatim. "And cover up all your hard work? Don't be ridiculous." But she was nothing if not persistent and the next thing I knew, she grabbed hold of my ear piercing with her other hand. "OW! What the fu-" She covered my mouth with the tissue, removing the evidence of my original kiss. I squinted maliciously as she released my ear.
Isabela practically giggled as she slid away from me. "That's what you get for abusing my cosmetics." She pulled out her tube of lipstick, using a compact mirror to quickly fix the damage I had done to her pristine look.
I rubbed hard at my piercing, feeling a slight throb developing. "And biting me wasn't revenge enough?"
"It's not punishment if you enjoy it." She winked at me as she turned to the door and I could feel myself turn bright red.
"I-" The thought never took flight, as she swung open the large door and stepped inside. I took a deep breath, cracked my neck, and purposefully widened my pupils. If I was going in there, it would be on my own terms. Hello Vindictive Hawke. Time for you to mark your territory.
As I stepped through the entrance, I scanned the area. It was an open hallway of sorts; not very large, but it could probably hold 50 or so people somewhat comfortably. The walls, which were all a dingy tan color, where covered in paintings of various sizes. The floor was made of creaky wood planks, obviously long in disrepair. In the center of the room were some sculptures (which looked like slaves and freaky winged warriors). To make the whole thing creepier, there were no windows, and on the far left, there was an equally treacherous looking set of stairs. My girlfriend took my hand as a deep voice rose from above. "Isabela, ravishing as always."
A thin figure stepped slowly down the stairs. His hair was white and covered part of his face. He was pale. Like, ghostly pale. And he was dressed all in black. Tight leather pants, a chain wallet, a button-up shirt with rolled up sleeves, and a vest (with a silver pocket watch in it). As he moved closer to us, I noticed his arms were coated in ink and lines even ran past his chin, halting at a thin set of lips. He looked sharp. Not well-dressed necessarily, but actually pointy. His ears, his nose, his bones; all pointy. And his green eyes were worse. They were emerald daggers, frightening in their intensity. Where I had 'wolf eyes', he had dragon eyes. But, as Isabela had informed me, he had Merrill's short and slender build. He posed me no direct physical threat.
The man and I stared silently at each other for a moment before my girlfriend decided to make formal introductions. Here goes nothing… She stood to the side of us, maintaining the ability to reach out if we needed to be pulled apart. "Fenris, this is-"
I threw on my best psychopath's smile, immediately extending my hand to him. "Cassandra Hawke. Her girlfriend."
"I see." He glanced to Isabela, then back to me, his gaze flicking momentarily to the large mark on my neck. His face was frozen in a permanent scowl as he took my hand, shaking it with plenty of excess force. He was strong for a man of his size. But I wasn't going to be intimidated. Not tonight.
"I hope so." I looked him right in the eye, still smirking maniacally and keeping a firm grip on his icicle of a hand.
Down girl. The Pirate Queen took hold of my bicep, giving me the 'knock this shit off' look from my peripheral vision. I released the man only when her grasp on my arm became painful. She flashed Fenris a sarcastic smile. "Aren't you going to give us the grand tour?"
He let out a long breath, finally tearing his focus from me. "Why not?" He took a step back, tilting his head toward the first of many pieces in the gallery. Isabela wrapped an arm around my waist, practically pushing me to follow the man. "Here we have the Righteous Warriors. This is the Mirror to the Past. The Jack Ketch. Social Slavery. Opposing Sides. The True Believers. March of the Possessed. The Sins of the Past…" We had nearly done a full circle of the room, but I could not have cared less. His art was gloomy, but it did have great shapes and lines. Had they been birthed from any other hands, I might have enjoyed them. But no matter how many hours he slaved over an easel, the guy was still an asshole. I mean, I showed up under the assumption that he would be some flamboyant man-whore and I would be able to easily and relatively politely scare him off. But he walked around as pretentious and arrogant as ever. I was playing the icy-hearted jerk, but it seemed to come naturally to him. That bothered me.
"So… Fenris. Is that a first or a last name?" I asked as politely and casually as I could stand. In case I have to give the Medical Examiner an ID. Might be hard to tell after I kick in that self-righteous face of yours.
He answered without looking away from his own painting. "Neither. It is what I choose to call myself."
"Ok…" Isabela pinched my side, gesturing to his turned back. I'm not here for my health. At least try to make conversation. I cleared my throat. "Your work is very dark." I noted indifferently.
"I paint what I feel; nothing more." He stated coldly.
My girlfriend leaned to whisper in my ear. "He's not very talkative."
No shit. "I see that." I grumbled under my breath. She tapped her heel against my calf, silently issuing me a topic of mutual interest.
"Isabela tells me you do tattoos, as well?" Atta girl. The older woman winked at me approvingly.
Fenris slowly faced us, looking almost intrigued. "I believe in freedom of bodily expression. And it funds my gallery." His tone was actually somewhat refined, as if he just realized I was a grown woman and not a pesky mosquito.
I slathered on a plastic smile. "I'd love to see your portfolio." He nodded and walked away, quickly heading up the stairs. Once he was out of earshot, I stepped away from Isabela, facing her directly. "How can you have sex with someone who doesn't even smile? It's like fucking a robot." I asked incredulously, folding my arms awkwardly across my chest. This guy gives me the creeps.
"I've since upgraded." She gave me a grin and a wink, soothing my frustrations. I wrapped my girlfriend up in a hug, burying my nose in the scent of her hair. I've moved up to cuddling, apparently. I smiled against her forehead, pleasantly surprised as she relaxed completely in my embrace.
A throat cleared from behind me. We slid silently apart, looked at a displeased Fenris. He handed me a large black binder. "Here." He had an open bottle of red wine in his other hand. No wonder he's grouchy. He's pretty sloshed. I pretended not to notice, instead focusing on the pictures of his previous tattoo work. It was as good as I expected. And I discerned that some of the work in the binder was actually from his body. It was interesting to look at his tattoos without truly looking at him. Clinically speaking, they were beautiful and elaborate; a lot of wolves, a bloody heart (anatomically correct, of course), and a dragon spanning most of his back. The lines that ran to his mouth were part of an intricate network and apparently it was done with glow-in-the-dark ink. "Do you plan on having work done?" He asked impatiently, taking a long swig from his bottle.
I closed the binder and handed it back to him. "I'm not sure yet. What is your stance on pin-ups?" Isabela gave me a confused look from the corner of my eye.
"I don't care for them, personally. But I've done several over the years." He opened the binder up to a section near the back, which I didn't get to see before. They were cool, I guess. But not what I was looking for. Instead, I pulled out my phone, quickly finding Isabela's picture from the previous day. I turned the screen to show him.
"Could you create one from this?" I asked rather haughtily. I intended to be a bastard, after all. But I was kind of curious if he could do it. It's a pretty awesome tattoo. Maybe... eventually, I'd feel confident enough for it.
"I… could." He was obviously holding back a sneer as he took another swig and that made me just a little more pleased with myself.
As I turned the screen back, my girlfriend swiped the phone from my hand. Oh… "That photo does compliment me well." She remarked slightly vainly, her amber eyes still focused on the photo. A bit early for branding, though. But I can see where this is going and I'm more than happy to play along.
I grazed one hand along her side, placing it gently on the small of her back, while the other rested on her ribs. That got Isabela's attention. "It's alright. But I prefer the real thing…" I gave her a wicked smirk, my gaze drifting up and down. She allowed me to initiate a kiss, her arms hanging loosely around me. I was enjoying the lead, nipping and sucking her lips at my own leisure. All that talk, and you kiss me like a middle schooler?
But it must not have been the show she was expecting, because she slipped my phone into the back pocket of my jeans, her grip lingering there a little longer than necessary. I growled around her tongue, returning the favor. If this is part of the game, I might as well participate. Unfairly, of course. She pressed herself tighter to my front, bending her leg at the knee. I kneaded the flesh under my hand, then allowed my grip to slide down her thigh, slithering back beneath her dress. She moaned into the kiss as I scratched lightly at her skin, her hips shifting just the least bit into me.
"If this is an attempt at creating jealousy, I dare say you've only made me nauseous." Fenris snubbed us. I didn't loosen my hold, but I did break contact with Isabela's lips.
"Shit…" Hit the nail right on the head.
My girlfriend gave me one last hungry kiss before disentangling our limbs. Her arm stayed casually wrapped around my waist as she cleared her throat. "Hawke's a little insecure. She throws her weight around whenever anyone so much as looks my way." She addressed him honestly. I would have growled at the comment, too, but it would have only put her point across further.
"I imagine that's tiring." He retorted to her. Are you fucking smiling, elf? His attention turned to me and he took another long drag from his wine. "Do you not please her?" His tone was entirely arrogant and my fists clenched tight.
"I-" Am going to fucking kill you, you uppity son of a bitch. I bit my own tongue hard, trying despite myself to keep to Isabela's 'no unnecessary violence' rule. "Yes, I do." I choked out between clenched teeth.
She came to my defense, leaning in to place a peck on my cheek. "She does quite well, actually."
Fenris used the back of his hand to wipe away some excess drink from his mouth. "Then why are you threatened by the presence of others? Do you assume she'll run away for someone better?" He was definitely smirking now, his big green eyes glowing an angry jade.
"Who, like you? Alone on a Friday night, drinking wine by the bottle?" I rejoined, taking a half step forward as a warning. My girlfriend was staying put, but she had a hand on my shoulder. Whether it was to support or discourage the engagement, I wasn't sure. You'd better mind your tongue, buddy.
"You don't even look legal to drink." He chuckled behind his wine, gulping down the remainder.
A malicious smile lit up my pale face. "I can bear my own existence whilst sober." His chest puffed out as he slowly lowered the empty bottle from his lips, abruptly dropping his portfolio to the floor.
God dammit. I don't need this shit tonight. We stared angrily at each other for a moment before Isabela pushed roughly at my ribs, nearly knocking me over. I turned my head to look at her, but she was eyeing Fenris. "Enough." I'd never heard her truly angry before, but I knew it when I heard it. "We're leaving. As your only friend, Leto, I suggest you sleep this off." She pointed a reproving finger at him, her body looking just as edgy as mine.
Leto? I looked back to the named man as he shattered his empty bottle on the wall to the side of him. "You've no power over me."
"You'd better respect sound advice when it's given." I cautioned him as I cracked my knuckles, rolling my tense neck muscles. "And you'd better apologize to my lady for your rudeness. Or the next thing that's going to come out of your mouth is your teeth."
Fenris looked at me, then his gaze fixed back on my girlfriend. "When you're finished with this 'knight in shining armor' shit, I'll be here."
"That's it; you're dead!" I swung at him then, but rather than get his jaw shattered, he lost his balance and crumpled to the floor. I stood over him, trying in a split second to decide whether or not to kick the man while he was down. Luckily for him, Isabela made the choice for me.
"Stand down, Hawke. He's not worth the effort." She slid between us and I looked warily at her. A tan hand rested on my collarbone. She was definitely pissed, but her touch was tender toward me. Even her golden eyes were softened in contact with my icy blue pair. Fenris was the focus of her rage, just as he was mine. With a defeated growl, I turned my back to them, heading toward the door.
"Oh, Isabela. How nice it must be for you to have a beast such as this at your beckon call." I could hear the amusement in his voice as I kicked open the entrance.
I stood outside the doorway as my girlfriend addressed the pathetic drunk. "Good night Fenris."
And in moments she was standing in the alley beside me, digging the car keys out of her purse. I noticed her hands were shaking somewhat, so I reached out to take them. Her eyes met mine, defeated and dull. "Are you alright?" She took a long breath, but the stress didn't leave her body. I just continued to blink at her, trying to push the anger from the front of my mind.
Isabela gave me a weak grin. "I'll be right as rain after a little port." She glanced away momentarily and I released her hands. Tonight went worse than predicted. I bet she's waiting for the 'I told you so'.
"Do you still want me to stay with you tonight?" I asked hesitantly as she located her keys. She looked back up at me, attempting to hold her wavering smile.
"Only the saddest of souls get drunk alone."
Without another word, I offered her my hand, and we marched silently into the night.
Isabela's POV
A quiet car ride and a half a bottle of port later, I could tell Hawke was borderline sloshed. She sat in my kitchen, barely staying atop her stool, cheeks and ears extremely flushed. "If I never see that man again, it'll still be too soon. Such blatant disrespect is unacceptable." She asserted before taking another sip from her glass.
Looks like Hawke can drink like a pirate, too. I had given up the glass entirely and I was fighting back a case of the chuckles whilst drinking straight from the bottle. "He's not usually so confrontational when he's drunk. He mostly just broods and grumbles under his breath." I put on an angry scowl, mocking Fenris' face.
Cassandra groaned and looked disgustingly toward me. "I get that he's not hideous, but what did you two ever have in common?" I did laugh a bit then, and I haphazardly set the bottle back on the counter.
"Honestly? Genitals and free time." She rolled her pretty blue eyes at me as I shrugged, leaning against the black marble of the island.
"I know I'm going to regret asking this, but… How was Fenris?"
"Adventurous." I answered without thinking. That's when I realized I was pretty close to drunk myself, considering the way I was staring so deeply into her eyes and grinning like a fool. I had to shake my head to snap my brain back into the conversation. "What we had wasn't romantic, Hawke. I had needs. He met them."
She took a long sip of her drink, looking displeased at my response. "But you had a running arrangement? He seems to think he's your standby man." The larger woman remarked as she licked her lips.
I blinked a few times, batting down my very sudden and very powerful sexual urges. It took a few seconds to stop imagining the wizardly of that tongue. Girl wants to talk. We'll talk. "I've enjoyed his company for a year or so. But not exclusively."
She groaned loudly and sneered at me. "So if you weren't out prowling for chicks last weekend, you'd of been fucking that guy?" Her nails dug into the flesh above her knees.
Is Cassandra pissed at me, or him? I gulped nervously, moving from behind the island to sit on the opposing stool. "I only saw Fenris while we were mutually intoxicated."
"Then he is your drunken standby. Fabulous." She turned back to her drink, downing the wine glass like a shot. Ok, she's pissed at me. I placed my hands on her knees, tilting my head in discontentment. Her gaze met mine again and I couldn't help but sigh.
"It was just sex, Hawke. I don't know what else to say." Please don't be pissed at me anymore. There's been enough fighting for one night.
She pushed my hands off of her legs and I felt legitimately hurt by the action. I looked into her eyes. She was clearly drunk, but looked more confused than anything. "What does that make me? Did you only agree to be my girlfriend out of pity? Maybe everything past that was guilt over a one night stand."
What kind of stupid monologue is that? I can't explain why, but I became irate at her accusation. "This is not a bit of 'girly fun'. If it was, I would have simply dragged you from that diner and taken you in the parking garage." I slid from my seat, placing my hands firmly on her shoulders. "Furthermore, I never feel guilt over my appetites. It's who and what I am." Hawke shook her head at me, diverting her gaze to move her glass into the sink.
"I was an idiot to think-" I had no patience for her tone and stuck my fingers to her lips.
"Shush."
She blinked angrily at me, swatting my hand away. "Did you just 'shush' me?" She asked indignantly.
"Yes. Now shut up." I pulled roughly at her collar to force her onto her feet, then crashed our mouths together. We tasted entirely of mulled wine and my partner wasn't exactly participatory, but it was heated nonetheless. Cassandra stood like a statue until I began to pop open the buttons of her jacket.
She jerked her head back, placing her hands on my ribs. "What are you do-" I cut her off with another sloppy kiss, trying despite her to remove the article.
"Getting you naked. Be quiet or help." I snarled and pushed her arms down, finally able to toss the jacket away and continue my efforts.
"You can't merely-" The sentence was interrupted by Hawke's shirt being pulled over her head. I barely noticed that she had at least raised her arms up in assistance.
I began to fumble with the button of her jeans. "Yes, I can. We're frustrated and tipsy. A rough tumble is exactly what we need." She unsuccessfully tried to argue.
"I don't-" My hand in her pants stopped that ship from ever setting sail, and she only released a low moan in response.
"Don't say you're not willing. We both know that's a lie." I ran my fingertips over the flimsy fabric barrier, a satisfied smirk gracing my lips at the evidence of her arousal.
Cassandra had a death drip on the black marble island and I could feel her knees shaking. "'Bela…" I couldn't tell if it was a plea or a challenge, but I didn't care. I gave a little extra pressure and her breath became shaky.
I leaned into her ear. "Bedroom. Now." I removed my hand and turned away, kicking off my heels. I heard an angry sound behind me as I began my march. "Growl all you want. Either way, we're having sex." Regardless of the noise she made, Hawke was walking right behind me, shedding her jeans on the way. I pulled my own dress off as we entered the bedroom. I could only imagine the look on her face when she realized I had nothing underneath.
"Isa-" The younger woman tried to say something more, but she was definitely surprised when I threw her tall ass on the bed. I swiftly pinned her beneath me, immobilizing her arms over her head. I immediately took possession of her lips: a mix of drunk, sloppy, and way too horny to listen to a word she had to say. Cassandra attempted to move her hands, but I clutched her wrists tightly. She turned her head just enough to speak. "Dammit woman! I'm not even fighting! I've wanted you all week."
"I can easily rectify that." I was practically panting by then and dipped to suck vehemently at her neck again. A loud groan echoed in the room, the source unknown. Hawke was nearly pleading by the time I brought my kisses back to her lips and I reveled in the feeling.
But it was my turn to be shocked. She found a way to flip us over, and her mouth was quickly ripped from mine. She growled down at me, only adding to the throbbing in my loins. Our eyes met, our pupils dilated. "I refuse to get rough with you tonight, Isabela, but don't assume I'm going to go quietly, either." She grinned licentiously at me, the slightest bit of anger and indignation evident in her voice. I couldn't resist mirroring the emotion.
"Oh, not at all, Hawke. I intend to make you scream."
Meanwhile...
Varric sat awake in his bedroom, looking over the drafts on his desk. A purist, his typewriter sat idly by. The machine was practically begging for use. He cracked his knuckles and began to type out a prompt. But it swiftly joined the pile of crumpled paper in the corner of the room and he tried again. Somewhere mid-sentence, his attention was drawn to noises from below. Damn contractor still hasn't given me an estimate on sound-proofing. Well… I'm already awake… He stopped typing, requiring the quiet to hear whatever they were doing.
"I have you now!" Is that… Hawke?
"Oh no, you don't!" And Isabela, feisty as ever. *shuffle, thump, creak*
"OW! Ow… Oh… Shit." The dwarf listened attentively to the sounds that followed. There were a series of exasperated calls to various deities, some unladylike grunts and groans, numerous curses, an almost terrifying roar, and… Is that Portuguese? Since when does Rivaini speak Portuguese? Once his ears stopped ringing, he wrote the phrase down phonetically, making a note to look it up later. Figuring they were finished with their tumbling, he started on his typewriter once more.
Not moments later, the dwarf's train of thought hit another screeching halt. "Don't even try to move, Hawke! I'm not finished with you!" Damn, Rivaini! Give the girl a break. She's good, but she's not-
"I have not yet begun to fight!" *whap* I stand corrected! The pirate's found herself a worthy rival.
He chuckled lightly to himself. "How pissed would they be if I used them for a story?"
"Hit me with that pillow one more time, and I swear I'll-!" *whap*…
*shriek* "STOP BITING ME!"
He tossed away another wasted page, beginning anew with the given inspiration. "I'll risk it."
Author's Note:
1. Fenris isn't jealous of Hawke. He's been off and on with Isabela for so long that he thinks the idea of her having a 'girlfriend' is a joke. So he doesn't take her, or their relationship, seriously. Isabela didn't realize he would be drunk, or so easily angered. It was only Hawke who had malicious intentions. And I know I'm going to get crap for tearing down everyone's favorite brooding elf. I don't care. But, if it helps you sleep at night, he will redeem himself later. Probably much, much later.
2. The last segment was originally going to just be a long smut train, but my next few chapters will be relatively Varric-less, so I wanted to make up for it now. Needless to say, he cancels that sound-proofing install.