Author's Note: This chapter got really long, really fast. I've been working full-time and writing in my off hours (somewhere between scrubbing the scent of minimum-wage off of me and falling deep into a damn near comatose heap), so I wasn't tracking my word count very well. Anyway, say hello to the longest chapter yet! And the appearance of a Merrill point of view! I've been watching a lot of Torchwood, and Eve Myles' voice just made this so easy.

Merrill's POV

I rather like Halloween in Kirkwall. Especially the candy. There's just so much of it! You leave out a bowl of snacks, and in return, you get to take snacks from everyone else's bowl. But only if you dress up. I didn't know about that last year, so Hawke had to help me. She found two boxes (one very large and the other small), then went door-to-door looking for slinkies and tin foil. I wasn't really sure why until she started cutting holes and taping things together. She put me in the big box, placed the little box over my head, and put the slinkies over my arms and legs. I thought that was a rather inventive way of making me look like a robot! The rest of the dorm thought so too. I got lots of candy.

Aveline worked all night, but she 'didn't like making a fool of herself' anyway. That made me kind of sad. Who doesn't like dressing up and collecting treats? It's certainly more amusing than throwing stones in a fire and searching for them later. That's what my family always does. All 20 of us gather around a big pit, telling ghost stories, then toss in white stones with our names on them. If you can't find yours the next morning, something bad was going to happen in the coming year. I'm not sure I would call it fun. It's just what our clan had always done, and will always do. We're kind of traditional that way. My mother especially. She's very… adamant about keeping the old ways alive.

She got me the best tutors, so that when the time came, I would be the next head of our little community. The only problem with that is, I was never very popular. Even in our relatively isolated neighborhood, I was an outsider. I had private lessons, and rarely interacted with other children. I've been told I'm a bit socially awkward. But I do try to fit in where I can.

"Ooo, Twix!" I squealed, digging the candy out of my pillowcase. I had to trick-or-treat alone this year. Hawke was getting ready for the party tonight and Aveline was working again. She works a lot. But she did pick me up so we could both go to the party! Even if she chose not to wear a costume, it was still exciting! We don't get to see each other as often as I'd like.

"I suggest you slow down on the candy, Merrill. We both know what happened last year." She looked sideways at me from the driver's seat of her patrol car. I much preferred riding in the front seat than in the backseat. It smells a bit of sweat and vomit back there.

I swallowed, licking my lips. "I had acute food poisoning from a tuna salad sandwich. What's that got to do with-" I saw my girlfriend snort and roll her eyes. I immediately slumped in the seat. "Red lied about that, didn't she?" I muttered quietly.

"Yes." She nodded, patting my knee. "It was your first American Halloween. She didn't want to ruin it by scolding you for eating too many sweets."

I scratched at my hair. "Oh. That was nice, I suppose. But why didn't you warn me?" I asked, somewhat preoccupied searching for another bit of chocolate.

Aveline sighed, turning down another street. "It's a rite of passage for children in this country. They trick-or-treat for hours, eat excessive amounts of candy until they puke, then sleep late the next morning, often repeating the process until adolescence. Teens and adults do the same thing, but with alcohol instead of candy. You're not really American until you've gone through at least one of the two."

"But I'm not American. I'm Welsh." I mumbled, a mouth full of Milky Way.

"I know that." She focused on the road, one hand on the wheel, the other moving as she spoke. "But Hawke and I like to include you in our traditions. It's not as if there are a bunch of Welsh students you can celebrate the holiday with."

I pondered that for a second as I sucked the leftover chocolate off the tips of my fingers. My clan only involves me in things because of Marethari. She has a disappointed frown that turns your bones to jelly. It's nice to feel… included. Even if I have no idea what's going on most of the time. "Hmm. May I ask a silly question?"

My girlfriend chuckled, glancing at me from the corner of her eye. "You wouldn't be yourself if you didn't."

"Okay. Why are you driving so slowly?" I looked out of the window, watching the cracks in the sidewalk creep by.

"Because I'm keeping an eye out for drunks. I'm still technically on duty." She answered plainly, stopping at a light.

I shot up, clenching my pillowcase between my fists. "But Aveline! You swore you'd come to the party with me! Hawke will be there. And Isabela and Varric. You've already missed trick-or-treating, and you're not even wearing a costume!" I whined rather loudly.

"I'm going to come see everyone later, I promise. I'll be off at 11." Aveline pushed her hand through her hair, speaking calmly.

"Fine." I huffed, hugging my candy to my chest. I should have realized she wasn't wearing her utility belt as a fashion statement.

We finally got to the Blooming Rose, rolling to a stop on the street. We sat quietly for a moment, so she put the car in park. My girlfriend placed a hand on my shoulder, craning her neck to make eye-contact. "Please don't be angry with me. This is the craziest day of the year for campus security. Everyone has to work a shift tonight." She explained, her voice soft.

My gaze flicked to her momentarily and I set my candy by my feet. "I know." I knew Aveline lived to work, and that they needed her. I knew she was the best security guard Kirkwall had ever seen. I knew she wasn't trying to avoid me. But I also knew that we barely got to see each other. For all this 'girlfriend' title, the only change from before is that we actually hung out on weekends, and we cuddled more, and sometimes (if no one was around) we'd kiss. Not like that night she dragged me back to the dorm, pissed out of my mind. And certainly nothing like Isabela and Hawke. Just small, quick kisses; every other day, at best. It was nice and all, but it was… rather boring.

"Tell Isabela not to- Umph!" I interrupted her by unbuckling my seatbelt and throwing my arms around her neck. I held her tightly, hiding my face in the collar of her polo. She doesn't like 'public displays of affection', but we were in a car, and I don't think that counts as a public place. Or maybe it does. I'm not sure. But she didn't push me away. She just sighed and laid her head on mine, squeezing my ribs. "Tell Isabela that I have no intention of throwing anyone over my shoulder tonight. But I'll gladly haul her off to the nearest cell if she can't behave."

I pulled back a bit, moving my hands to Aveline's shoulders. "I'll tell her. Be safe." She smiled and I watched her freckles practically light up. It is hardly difficult to tell what mood the woman is in at any given moment. There is grrr argh grumpy Aveline, silent as a corpse sad Aveline, and freckly smiling happy Aveline. Happy Aveline is my favorite. And I had already gotten away with a not-so-private cuddle… So I kissed her right on the lips.

She halfway tensed, but didn't try to stop my… tad overzealous attentions. When I finally pulled away, satisfied with what had to be nearly a fortnight's worth of snogging, she just blinked at me. Her face was redder than her hair! I looked on curiously as she let out a long breath. "Thank you… for that. I'll try to stay alert." She nodded, buckling her seatbelt. I giggled and bit my lip before getting out of the car and grabbing my costume staff out of the back seat. I adjusted my outfit and looked back through the passenger window.

"And have a Snickers! You turn into a party-pooper when you're hungry!" I shouted, pointing down at my pillowcase full of candy. Aveline was already shifting gears and slowly drove off. I ruffled my own hair. "I'm not sure she heard me. Oh well." I shrugged it off and wandered toward the entrance. It was busy tonight! There was a sign by the bouncer that read 'Tonight Only, All Men and Women 18+ Welcome'. Oooh, how exciting! The bouncer told me Isabela was waiting for me by the bar. It took me nearly 5 minutes to find the bar! It was dark, there was fog and random flashing lights, the crowd was massive, and everyone was in costume. I had to use my staff to push through and had to apologize several times for stepping on people's feet. Not that they could hear me very well over the music.

I finally got to the bar, but I couldn't find any of my friends. I was about to try and flag down Madame Lusine and ask her if she'd seen them when someone bumped into my side, nearly knocking me over. I turned to say something rude, but all I could see was breasts, barely covered in white fabric. Large, tan… "Isabela?" I looked up, and thank the Creators I was right. It would have been embarrassing otherwise. She was wearing a blue bandana on her head, a white tunic-y thing, a rather thick gold necklace, matching earrings, some various pads on her arms, a blue sash of some kind around her hips, gloves, and… boots. Really long boots. I blinked up at her, confused.

"Aren't you going to guess my costume?" She smirked, one hand on her hip and the other holding a mug to her lips. I took a second glance, then realized she had what looked like daggers strapped to her back.

"You're a pirate!" I exclaimed excitedly.

Isabela laughed and tapped me on the nose. "Damn right I am." She threw back her drink, then slammed the mug on the bar. She turned back to me, wiping her mouth with her arm. "Care for one?" She offered.

"No, I don't think so." I sputtered out, somewhat distracted by my friend's outfit. "Is that how you lost your pants? Drinking a lot?" I pointed toward her boots. Isabela chuckled and looked as if she was about to say something when a voice called out from behind her.

"Daisy!" I stretched my neck out to one side and saw a familiar face.

"Varric! Who are you dressed up as?" I asked, noticing his clothing hadn't changed very much. Though, he was wearing more jewelry than usual. Oh, and he had a crossbow.

The dwarf propped the weapon on his shoulder as he stood beside his neighbor. "Varric 'Who Just So Happens to Own a Crossbow and Lacks Creativity' Tethras. What could be more amazing than that?" He shrugged, grinning confidently.

I giggled behind my hand. "Nothing, I suppose. Where's Hawke?" I asked curiously, glancing around.

"Behind you." A hand touched my shoulder.

"Ah!" I twirled about, nearly knocking her on the head with my staff. Red just barely ducked in time. I only knew it was her for sure because she screamed 'Jesus!' She certainly didn't look like my roommate. "Oh my. Did Isabela pick your costume?" I was covering half my face to hide my cheeks.

She took a few steps toward her girlfriend, holding her hands up in surrender. "No. …Well, she helped. Can't you see who I am?" I took a good look at her costume. If you could call it that. She had a dark red shirt that… Well, it really didn't cover much at all! It was so tight that it didn't have buttons or anything. It had a large V that stretched from her collarbones down almost to her navel. I think those suspenders are the only things keeping her- No. I won't even think about her private bits or how they're magically held in place without a bra. Also, she wore tight tan-colored trousers with a brown stripe down each side, a tight brown coat that went down to her knee (and didn't cover anything more than her top, really), and dark leather boots that enveloped her calves. There was a holster slung around her hips and a fake gun was strapped to her right thigh. "I keep forgetting you haven't seen Firefly. Let me put it to you this way: I'm a space cowboy." She explained, placing her hands on her hips and grinning.

I shook my head, blushing like mad and embarrassed at having stared for so long. "Oh! That's creative." I mumbled, clearing my throat a few times and keeping tabs on my own feet.

"And what might you be?" She asked, wrapping an arm around Isabela's waist.

"I'm a druid! I've got a staff and these pointed ears I made from-" I began pointing to random parts of my costume, wondering where to start. It did take me a while to piece it together. The pirate cut me off by mussing with my hair.

"Sweetness, you smell too good to be a druid. Tell people you're an elf. They'll totally get it." She smiled, tracing one of the painted lines on my cheek.

I coughed loudly, not used to all this flirtatious attention. Was I like this when I was pissed? "If you say so." I looked around the room, watching as some people danced, some talked, and some… well, they were doing a lot more than friendly touching. "What does one do at a Halloween party?" I asked my friends, almost shouting over the noise.

Isabela answered first. "Dance, drink, poke fun at other costumes, play pranks, take lots of random pictures, drink some more, make out with a random stranger…" She noted, her amber eyes taking stock of everyone at the bar.

"Or, in our case, dance, drink within reason, take a few pictures, and catch a ride back to our respective beds." Hawke asserted, pulling her girlfriend tighter against her side. The pirate rolled her eyes, grumbling something under her breath. The two whispered a bit, then started snogging. They're worse than rabbits these days.

I turned to Varric, distracting myself from getting distracted by those two playing grab-arse in the middle of a party. "Is there any candy?"

"We had a feeling you'd ask about that." He chuckled, strapping his crossbow to his back. "There's a few bowls behind the bar. Feel free to stuff your face, then stuff candy into peoples' costumes." I tilted my head to him. Wouldn't they be a bit cross? As if by magic, he held up his hands. "Don't worry. It's all in the spirit of the holiday." He explained, grinning.

Isabela finally broke her lip-lock on my roommate only to exclaim, "But first, to the dance floor!"

Hawke's POV

Well, my costume was… effective. Varric choked on his words. Merrill's eyes grew three sizes. Some guy dressed as Jack Skellington palmed my ass like a basketball and got socked in the ribs by Sally. Columbia wanted to see my gun in action. The bride of Frankenstein tried to do a reach-around. A witch, a male zombie, and the Queen of Hearts each bought me a drink. Someone wearing a fox suit kept rubbing up against me. I don't even want to talk about what Velma Dinkley very loudly asked me to do to her. Finally, Catwoman and Wonder Woman double-teamed me with a whip and a lasso around my waist. My girlfriend cut that short. Literally. Those blades on her back weren't just for show. Truth be told, my girlfriend twirling her daggers around and cutting me free was the hottest thing I had ever seen in my life.

Isabela. The woman is insatiable. I'd been dressed for the party since around 6, and I didn't get a second of peace afterward. We rolled around until 8:30, then headed straight to the Rose. Not even the dance floor was safe. She was stuck to me in the most sexual way possible. I think she would have reached in my pants if I had stayed still long enough. I was a little buzzed and the whole pantsless pirate thing was sexy as hell, but I was not going to let Merrill leave my sight. Not even for a stockroom rendezvous. This, of course, frustrated my girlfriend to no end. The things she whispered into my ear, trying to spur me on… Aveline would have a coronary. I nearly had a… well, not a coronary.

We only broke off long enough to head back to the bar. Isabela ran upstairs to chat up Lady Elegant while I had another Jack & coke. My roommate and Varric were stuffing treats into people's pockets, even down their shirts. Admittedly, the next time my girlfriend and I got undressed we would find three Kit-Kats, a half-melted peanut butter cup, and a bag of M&Ms. It was hard to be mad. It's not every day you get candy mid-coitus.

I leaned my back against the bar, sipping my drink, when a low voice rumbled beside me. "That's a mighty fine costume you have there." I turned to tell this random Joe 'thanks, but no thanks', when I caught a glimpse of his face in the darkness.

"Teague?" He was wearing a slim black suit with a barely buttoned white shirt underneath and some sunglasses. He also had a toothpick hanging between his teeth.

"Guilty as charged, gorgeous." He grinned, his hazel eyes admiring his handiwork. And more.

"Are you here to see your masterpiece in action?" I smirked, taking a step back and holding my arms out. I did a turn, giving him a good view of the entire ensemble. When I was done, I occupied the barstool next to Michael, gripping the collar of my coat. I always loved the feel of a nice soft suede. I looked up at him, watching as his eyes snapped quickly back to mine. Any other guy would have gotten a really unpleasant earful, but I give the tailor a lot of free passes. He reminds me of a male Isabela, but less crude. "I've been fighting off the hordes all night. What's this shirt made from, anyway? Bedroom material?"

He laughed heartily, wiggling his fingers at me. "Just quality cotton. And a dollop of fairy dust."

I rolled my eyes, suppressing a giggle. "Right. And you are?"

"You don't know?" His body went taut in surprise and his eyes sprang wide. I simply shook my head. "Hold that thought." He turned around, reaching for… a big-ass cross. Except, it had what looked like a turret with a heat-sync at the base, some sort of handle area in the middle, oh, and every nook and cranny was full of toy guns. "How about now?" He grinned, lifting his eyebrows suggestively. Whatever he was dressed up at was cool, but that didn't mean I knew what it was. I shrugged, still shaking my head. He slumped, leaning his cross against the bar and whining, "I'm Wolfwood! From Trigun! Don't tell me you're not into anime. I might actually cry."

"Michael!" I heard my girlfriend practically squeal in excitement.

I took deep, calming breaths as she leapt into his arms for a fierce hug. "'Bela, you minx! What could possibly be so important for you to leave we sexy beasts all alone?" He wrapped an arm around my waist, pretending to pout. I just finished my drink, leaving my glass on the bar.

"If you must know, I was trying to get Lady Elegant to play some decent music. But she's got over 20 requests for 'Thriller', so I'm at a loss. Without anything to dance to, whatever shall I do?" She purred, wrapping herself around my side. I choked back a groan as she wrapped her thigh around mine. My replica sidearm was getting far more real-world use than intended. Luckily, Teague took the opportunity to try and get her attention.

"You can do me a favor. Who am I?" He grabbed his cross, bouncing in anticipation.

Isabela didn't give him more than a passing glance. "Nicholas D. Wolfwood, also known as Nicholas the Punisher. Obviously." She snorted, then went back to breathing hotly against my neck. Her gloved hand began to wander across my front, which should have kept my eyes glued to her. But something odd was happening on the dance floor. The crowd was moving around and separating, but there wasn't any panic to suggest a bar-fight.

I could see a group forming in the center. "Oh shit, the zombies are lining up… And all the Michael Jacksons! This is going to be awesome!" Once I realized that the beginning beat of Thriller was playing and all sorts of folks were gathering, I couldn't resist taking part. I immediately headed toward a line of zombies, filing in toward the back.

"Hawke! Where are you-?" My girlfriend called as I left. The music turned up and everyone began to clap. The front row (consisting of six Kings of Pop, of varied genders and outfits) met their cue with enthusiasm, grabbing random women from the crowd to lip-sync their solos to. It was pretty well synchronized, considering these were just chance party-goers. Finally, the ominous voice of Vincent Price came on, signaling the zombies, myself, and now Teague and several others to ready ourselves for our dance number. We began to stomp, shuffle and twitch, thrust, claw, clap, step, turn, rock, and wave; as if we'd been doing it our whole lives. Oh sure, it was a bit sloppy at times. But everyone was laughing and just having fun. Even as the song came to a close, various members of our mob began to show off their personal dance moves, drawing attention and praise. Teague and I chuckled and joked all the way back to the bar. Isabela was waiting for us, leaning up against a column and staring wide-eyed at us. "Wow. Sweetness. That was… something." She coughed into her fist, obviously fighting the amused tears that threatened to rain from her amber eyes.

My new buddy Michael just shook his head, grinning brightly. "Say what you will, but we enjoyed ourselves." I agreed by laughing some more and kissing my girlfriend.

"Red!" I broke the embrace to see who was yelling for me; if, in fact, someone was. 'Red' is hardly an uncommon nickname. No shit, there was my favorite fly-half.

"Mad-Dog? What are you doing here?" I stepped back, standing next to Isabela. Madison approached quickly, and I noticed what she was wearing. She was dressed as Alice from Resident Evil: Afterlife. I'll admit, it totally worked for her. "Wow, nice costume!"

The woman simply snorted, punching me hard in the arm. "I'm here to see you, smartass."

"And what a sight it is…" I leaned to the side to look behind Mad-Dog.

"Nice to see you too, Shivs." Yep, Tallis was there too. Dressed as… I had no idea. But it involved point ears and even pointier daggers. As well as some sort of green and leather padding. She certainly didn't stop smirking the entire time I observed her outfit.

The brunette nodded toward my girlfriend, placing her hands on her hips. "So, you're the mystery woman she's been talking about so much at practice." Isabela turned toward me, smiling and raising an eyebrow. "Only good things, I swear." Madison chuckled.

"That's a shame. I'd much rather Hawke talk about all the naughty things we get up to." She winked, then took a bow. "I'm Isabela. Captain Isabela." She specified. I couldn't help the grin on my face. The whole female pirate thing was one hell of a turn-on.

Teague the Tailor decided to join in on the introductions, subtlely clearing his throat. "And I'm Michael."

"You can call me Madison." She offered him her hand, a certain flirtatiousness in her voice that I'd never heard before. I couldn't really blame her for that. If I were interested in men, I would have been drawn by his charms, too.

"A pleasure to meet you." He took her hand, bending forward to kiss her knuckles. Smiles were exchanged. I'd seen that look in his eye before, whenever he and Isabela got a bit too chatty. Good luck with that one, buddy. I'll bet she's absolutely ravenous in the bedroom.

The crimson-haired winger rolled her eyes, ignoring her teammate's flirting. Instead, she undressed me with her eyes, before doing the same to my girlfriend. She sighed, addressing the pirate directly. "I can honestly say I'm a little bit jealous of you right now."

"And who might you be?" Isabela replied in turn, quickly glancing over the competition.

"Today, an elven assassin. But usually I'm Tallis, Kirkwall's left wing." She answered, her voice a little more stern and her stance a little more intimidating.

Mad-Dog laughed at the whole ordeal, playfully pushing the other woman. "She's here because she wants Red all to herself." Tallis, of course, didn't deny it.

"I-" I thought about making some point about her being shit outta luck, but my girlfriend interrupted me.

She wrapped an arm around my waist, her other hand reaching across to stroke down my cheek. "Well, there's a lot of Hawke to go around. You just have to ask me nicely." I turned to look at her, completely shocked. Not only because she just offered me up like a piece of meat to my teammate and my friend, but also because she did so in front of both Madison and Michael (ironically, my teammate and my friend). Talk about awkward. And, to make things worse, Tallis continued to ogle me, giving a single 'hmm' of consideration.

I began to cough loudly, pointing to some random table toward the front of the Rose. Far away from the current situation. "Is that Daisy over there? We should check on her. Now." I grunted at Isabela. She looked half-amused at me. I stared down at her, grabbing her ass none too gently. Now. She seemed to get that message quite clearly, and we took a step away from the bar. "It's nice seeing all of you. Have fun. Get home safe. Don't take candy from strangers." I blabbed as we walked away, waving at the group over my shoulder. I had to practically drag my girlfriend by the arm to keep us moving forward.

"Oh, you enjoy raining on my parade, don't you?" She joked once we were out of earshot. I nearly made a snarky comment when I recognized a familiar face in the crowd.

"No, but I know someone who does." I replied, smiling. "Hey, Aveline!"

Aveline's POV

I feel ridiculous. I'm sitting in the passenger seat of a patrol vehicle, dressed in… The stupidest thing I've ever worn, excluding the Smokey the Bear costume I was stuffed into for an FFA function. That was sweaty and uncomfortable. This is simply… ridiculous. I have not dressed for Halloween since I was seven. The only neighbor within walking distance of my childhood home was a dentist. I never had to buy floss or a toothbrush until I left for Kirkwall, which was fortunate. But it did ruin the holiday for me.

This year, of course, I don't have much choice. Merrill wants me in costume. I want to see her happy. So I'm wearing a costume. I went to Varric in search of ideas a few weeks ago and he helped me piece the outfit together on my days off. I was grateful for the assistance. And the final product is… interesting. I'm not sure my girlfriend will like it, but I did try.

Donnic fiddles with the radio as he drives; a major point of contention for me, but I say nothing. He is dropping me off in town at midnight on Halloween, asking nothing in return. So I will withhold judgment. Even if he does drive like an ass. He pulls up to a corner a block or so from the Blooming Rose, wishing me a good night as I exit the vehicle. I walk the extra distance, not wanting him to know where I'm headed. I'd certainly hear talk at work if I was seen walking into a lesbian nightclub, Halloween or not. After convincing myself that I will be worse off avoiding the party than attending it, I go inside. It's dark, there are probably far more people than fire regulations allow, and everyone is in costume. It would be difficult to find anyone specific (especially my short and slight Daisy) in a room such as this.

The first person I recognize is Isabela. She's dressed as a slutty pirate, fittingly enough. I approach her from the side, thinking of something snarky to say. A voice calls out, "Hey, Aveline!" I turn to find-

"Hawke? What in God's name are you wearing?" I sputter out in shock. There's so much skin! Practically her whole chest is exposed! And the rest seems painted on, it's so tightly fitted.

"What, no comment about me not wearing pants?" Isabela interrupts, wrapping an arm around her girlfriend and tucking her thumb into the side of her pants. I roll my eyes, groaning.

"Your lack of decency hardly surprises me, slattern." I point accusingly, watching her shrug me off. "But you, Cassandra, I would expect to have a sense of self. Instead you allow yourself to be dressed and paraded about by a woman who thinks nothing of flashing everyone her tits."

My teammate smiles, then begins to laugh. "I'm going to take that with a grain of salt. After all, you're here dressed as a blacksmith-"

"Warrior." I insert, practically grunting.

Hawke just nods and waves me off, continuing. "-not because you want to, but because it'll make your girlfriend smile." The two women smirk, looking at me as if waiting for me to argue. But I have no rebuttal.

"I'm starting not to like you." I groan at the winger, rubbing at my face. She just stares on, a bit of amusement clear in her blue eyes. With a sigh, I admit defeat. "Especially when you're right."

Isabela chuckles throatily, extricating herself from her girlfriend to grab my wrist. "Come on then, prude. Let's find my Kitten and see what she thinks." And so I allow myself to be dragged along. I'm beyond embarrassment by the time we locate Merrill at the far end of the bar, sitting on a stool between two large men. I believe they're Tweedle Dee and Tweedle Dum. She's chattering on about something, and they look as bored as kids at court.

My teammate and her partner press to Merrill's side, quickly getting her attention. "Look who we found." They point toward me, grinning like mad. My girlfriend twirls about on her stool, her entire face illuminating as she sees me.

"Aveline!" She screams, nearly knocking me flat on my ass as she leaps into my arms. Luckily, I had sort of expected that. I hardly grunt as she squeezes me with her arms and legs, and I hold her up with my arms under her thighs. She leans back, still wrapped around my waist and smiling bright. "You dressed up!" She squeals, gripping the leather straps over my shoulders. It takes me a moment to realize the compromised position we're in with her wrapped around me like this. Her face is hardly an inch or so from mine and she smells like fresh-cut flowers. I blush, gulping when my throat feels suddenly dry. Merrill must notice it, because she lowers herself down to the floor, standing on her own, but not letting go of my shoulders. She clears her throat, her cheeks bright red and her eyes bright green. "This is very sweet of you. I know you don't like wearing anything but your uniform." She smoothes over the straps she was clutching earlier, shyly looking away. "I forgot to ask how your patrol went, didn't I?" I clear my throat, tucking some stray hairs behind her ears.

"I'm here. That's all that's important." Honestly, it's been a long night of vomiting coeds and frat boys climbing on statues. But I haven't had to hit anyone, so it isn't worth discussing.

Isabela, whom I almost forget is standing not but two feet away, begins to groan. "How adorable. I think I'm going to hurl." She makes a sickly face, quickly hooking her arm around Cassandra's elbow. "Hawke, sweetness, do you mind escorting me to the bathroom?" Her eyelids lower and her pupils dilate.

"Um… alright." My teammate stutters, glancing up at Merrill and I. Given the choice between the two of us and sex, she chooses sex. She nods at her girlfriend, then waves at us. "I'll see you guys later. I think. Enjoy the party." The pirate grins, swaying her hips as they strut away. I shake my head, not in the least bit surprised by their impropriety.

"They're going to… you know, in the restroom, aren't they?" Daisy mumbles as I plop down on her stool, watching the Tweedle twins through my peripheral vision. They continue to hunch over their drinks in silence.

I clap my hands on my thighs. "I try not to think about it too hard." I explain politely.

My girlfriend gives a few short nods, then steps closer to me. "Would you like a drink? They've got this thing that looks like candy corn, but it's supposed to be orange flavored. I considered ordering one, just to try it, but… Then I remembered that might not be such a good idea. I'm underage in this country and I didn't do very well with drinking last time I was here and the costumes might be more frightening if I was-" She rambles. It's cute, but it isn't going anywhere. I reach for her hand, clasping it between mine.

"Merrill, if you find Varric and arrange a ride back to the dorm, then I will gladly have a drink." I say slowly, trying to calm her down.

"Oh, alright! I'll go look for him!" She smiles, then runs off. I sit with my back to the bar. With a growl, the men on either side of me leave. I chuckle at myself. I love doing that.

I don't have to wait long for my girlfriend and the dwarf to show up. Varric is carrying a crossbow on one shoulder. For professional reasons, I declare that it's fake and not illegal. In reality, I doubt it. "Well well well, Guardswoman Vallen, come from on high to mingle with the commoners? Or are you just here for Daisy?" He begins, grinning so much his teeth are showing. I tilt my head, raising an eyebrow at him. He laughs and holds up a hand. "Nevermind. That was rhetorical. So I hear you might need help getting home later?" He states more than he asks.

The brunette frantically nods her head, answering for me. "Yes. If it isn't too much to ask. We wouldn't want to be a bother or anything."

Varric pats her shoulder blade, halting the worrisome look on her face. "Of course I'll give you both a ride, if for no other reason but to see Lady Man-Hands drink." He explains. He glances around at the bar, as if looking for something. "Where are the girls?" He asks us. Merrill's face turns pink.

"They went to the bathroom a few minutes ago to… well-" She starts making odd gestures with her hands, but doesn't seem to be able to form words. I speak up for her.

"Be improper." I answer clearly.

The dwarf immediately catches my meaning and straps his crossbow to his back. "Ah. Let me distract you with an extra stiff drink, then." He offers politely, smiling to himself.

"Thank you Varric. I appreciate that." He walks behind the bar, undaunted by Madame Lusine bickering at him behind her fake vampire fangs. He rummages about, looking for something. Merrill is still standing in front of me, staring.

"You look very strong in that outfit. Even more than usual, I mean." She mutters quietly, rocking back and forth on her feet.

I smile, amused at how bashful she looks. This is the same woman who nearly dragged me to bed in a drunken haze, who just hours earlier was making out with me in a security vehicle, and just minutes ago had her thighs locked around me in the middle of a Halloween party, surrounded by a few hundred people. But, even through all that, giving me a kind word makes her nervous. "I'll take that as a compliment." I joke. Her eyes widen as she begins to babble incoherently, something to the effect of 'it's a good thing, I swear'. I finally do laugh, placing my hands on her waist. "Come here," I grunt playfully, spinning her about and pulling her onto my lap. She squeals with excitement, in no way resisting my hold.

She sits sideways on my thighs, biting her lip. She reaches up, hesitantly tracing her fingertips over my leather headband. "I like this. It suits you." She says softly, her gaze never leaving the braid.

I keep my eyes forward, watching the movements of the crowd. "I might keep it. It works well to keep loose hair out of my eyes."

"Would you continue wearing it even if it didn't?" Daisy asks quietly.

I look up at her, raising an eyebrow. "For you…" I pause, observing her blinking anxiously. "Probably." I admit, smiling. My girlfriend blushes some more, then kisses my temple, her arms wrapped tightly around my shoulders. Varric returns then, brandishing a dusty bottle with a faded label and a small glass. He sets both on the bar next to me, climbs up onto a barstool, and pours me a drink.

"Here you are. One scotch for our resident bodyguard." I eagerly accept, sipping the amber liquid as my friends look on curiously.

"That's good." I practically moan. They chuckle at me, watching me savor the drink as if it were my last. I offer Daisy a single sip, which she takes, only to crinkle her nose and stick out her tongue after barely a drop. I laugh, which only causes her to pout. She watches the crowd, her foot tapping against my shin. I sigh, bouncing my thigh to get her attention. I tilt my head toward the hopping mob. "Go on, Merrill. I'll meet you on the floor after another one of these." I lift my glass, taking another sip.

My girlfriend glances between the crowd and I. "Do you have to be drunk to dance with me?" She asks somewhat playfully.

I shake my head. "No. I just have to drink enough to convince myself that I'm intoxicated. That's the only way I'll ever dance." I admit.

Merrill smiles brightly, kissing me on the cheek as she slides off of my lap and onto her dainty little feet. She points to a random spot near the front of the nightclub, blushing. "I'll be over there, then. Dancing. By myself." She mumbles under her breath, glancing at me continuously as she walks away. I watch, grinning, as she frolics across the room. I finish my first drink, passing Varric my empty glass. My eyes never leave my girlfriend. He refills it, nudging my shoulder with his elbow so that I can retrieve my drink without distractedly spilling it on myself.

"Aren't you going to go be with your girlfriend? That's what you're here for, right?" The dwarf asks. Both of us study her slowly swaying side to side, finding the rhythm of the music.

"In a moment." I breathe as she becomes taken by whatever song was on, her arms in the air and her hips circling. My second drink goes down much quicker than my first. As does my third. Now is as good a time as any to make an ass of myself. I leave my glass on the bar, wiping my mouth with the back of my hand as I slide down from my stool. I adjust my costume, rolling my shoulders. I turn to Varric, poking him squarely in the chest. "Laugh and it'll be the last thing you ever do."

Author's Note: I'm hoping to get another chapter cranked out by next weekend. I'm wondering if I should do a Varric POV... Hmm... Suggestions?