#FHawke x Fenris

[pinayelf-archive]

not a meet-cute but a meet....something...

[randomnonsensedragonage]

Reading Lessons

Ilora Hawke & Fenris; Ilora Hawke x Anders - 732 words

Summary: Hawke opens up to Fenris about her problems with Anders.

CW: Angst, depression

A/N: Slowly working on uploading some of my Ao3 only fics to Tumblr as well. This one was originally published in 2020.

Read on Ao3

“Very good, Fenris,” Hawke said. “We’re going to have to find you more difficult material. You’ve made fantastic progress.”

Fenris closed the book he had been reading from and muttered something that sounded like “Hmph.” Even so, Hawke caught the faintest hint of a smile on his face. She gave him a smile of her own, then got up to re-shelve the volume they’d been using.

As soon as she stood, though, a wave of exhaustion washed over her, almost like it had been lying in wait. She steadied herself, waiting for the dizziness to pass.

“Everything all right, Hawke?”

She turned back to face Fenris, who was studying her with intent concern. She smiled faintly and shook her head.

“I’m fine. Just a bit tired. I’ve been staying up late, what with An—” She abruptly cut herself off.

“For goodness sake, you can say his name around me,” Fenris said. “I may not like him, but I know what he means to you.” His eyes narrowed. “Is something the matter between you two?”

Hawke came back to the table and sat down, hesitating before she said anything more. Talking about Anders with Fenris was always a dicey prospect, given how much they hated each other. She worried it was somehow a betrayal of Anders, and she hated to give Fenris any reason to speak ill of him. But as another wave of exhaustion rolled over her, combined with a clawing panic she’d been feeling for weeks now, she couldn’t help it.

“It’s been… difficult, to be honest.” She blinked rapidly, looking down at her knees. “He’s just been so… distant lately. And… and the way he talks… he’s so hopeless.”

To her horror her, voice broke. She cleared her throat. She would not cry.

“He’s never been happy, exactly,” she went on. “He’s always had bad days. But he’s never been this—"

She cut off, trembling with the effort of trying to keep her emotions in check. She couldn’t bring herself to look at Fenris, terrified to see pity in his eyes.

“He’s never been this what?” Fenris said, his voice gentler than usual.

Hawke took a deep breath in. Just get it out, she told herself.

“Last week,” she said, “I caught him trying to give Varric the pillow his mother made for him.” She took another deep breath, steadying her voice. “He’s had it since before the Circle. He can’t sleep without it. Why would he—?”

She couldn’t say anymore. All of it, the tension of the last few weeks, the sleepless nights, trying and failing to get him to talk to her, it all collapsed on her. She covered her face with her hands. Nausea rolled over her and her breath came in gasps.

“Hawke?” Fenris’ voice penetrated her awareness, full of alarm. She heard his chair creak as he got up.

“I can’t… I can’t lose him. Not Anders.”

“Shh…” Fenris. She felt his hand grip her shoulder, steadying her. “It’s all right. It’s all right.”

His low, soothing voice and his hand on her shoulder steadied her, brought her back. Her breathing evened out.

 “Sorry,” she said quietly.

“You don’t have to apologize.” Fenris’ voice was hard. “Am I the first one you’ve talked to about this?”

“Varric knows. But we haven’t spoken about it.”

“If things get worse, you know you can always come to any of us.” He smiled wryly. “And, I have a lot of extra rooms.”

Hawke smiled back. “Thank you. Hopefully it won’t come to that.”

Fenris unfolded himself from his chair, and Hawke stood as well to see him off. As they moved toward the door to the library, she caught a glimpse of blue fabric peeking out of one of his pockets.

“What’s that?” she said.

“It’s nothing.” Fenris quickly stuffed the cloth the rest of the way into his pocket. “Just something Isabela gave me a few years ago.” He muttered this last part, so Hawke had to listen hard to understand.

“From Isabela?” she said. “You kept it? After all this time?”

Fenris shrugged and said no more. Hawke hesitated, then reached over and squeezed his arm.

“I’m sure she’d be flattered.”

“What does it matter?” Fenris said. “We’ll never see her again.”

Almost gently, he pulled his arm away and stalked out of the room. Hawke sighed once, before following him back to the front room.

[lethendralis-paints]

Had the absolute pleasure of illustrating Loquaciousquark's new fanfiction called Iron Bound. It's a Dragon Age 2 royalty AU story and is as captivating as Quark's other writing! I will never get tired of Hawke's and Fenris's love story :D

[Fic] Iron Bound [16/25]

Rating: G Characters/Pairings: Fenris/Hawke, Sebastian Word Count: 5.1k this chapter, ~96k total Summary: Fenris, captain of Starkhaven’s White Guard and the dearest friend of that country’s prince, has arrived in the kingdom of Kirkwall with a retinue of noble-born guards and a carriage brimming with lavish gifts. How else to win over the hearts of a suspicious mountain people who would rather break teeth on stone than accept the prince of Starkhaven stealing away their heir princess?

But stone is all they have in their kitchens lately, and gravel in their quarries and ice in their bitter rivers, and Starkhaven sits abreast the richest lea and moorland south of the Minanter.

And Sebastian Vael, the young prince of that country, needs a wife.

—

Fenris was not sure if he was dreaming. The white stone path under his feet—that felt real. The afternoon autumn sky filled with scudding clouds—that felt real, too, and the tremble of his hands, and the call of two angry swans in the fountains, and the shout of a groundskeeper after them.

But if the world were real, Sebastian’s words had been real, too, and that seemed impossible. Who was he to be given such things? A slave��nothing—less than nothing, a tool to be fed occasionally between sharpenings. And less even than that, because a slave knew his duty above all else, knew himself nothing without it. Fenris had been running from his master ten years. Even now he had failed in the single task demanded of him by his friendship with Starkhaven’s prince: to leave.

And yet.

—

Links: FF.net, AO3

[jaskierx]

A cleanse that isn't pirate related: Fave Dragon Age ship(s) for any or all games?

Mine's Amell/Alistair, purple friendmanced MHawke/Anders, and Trevelyan/Dorian with a very fond spot for blue rivalmanced FHawke/Isabela, and this complex love/hate thing with Solasmance. I haven't decided who'll be first in Veilguard yet, but I'm leaning toward Harding 'cause I've always thought she was just so cute. 😁

excellent question!! (sorry i accidentally wrote a Thesis)

my first ever playthrough was mahariel/alistair with alistair dying at the end and i was BEREFT at the time but i love the angst so much like god. the hero of ferelden suffered more than jesus. she ended the blight. she demanded sovereignty for the dalish in return. her keeper is proud of her. she got everything she ever wanted and it doesn’t matter at all bc alistair is dead and she blames herself and she wants to lie down in the grass and cry and sleep for a billion years but now she feels like she has a duty to rebuild the order but the only guy who knew anything about how to do that is dead and she misses him and Fuck i’m gonna be sick

my favourite da2 romance is red hawke/anders where hawke is a mage and is a very tired boy and just becomes increasingly more disillusioned with everything in the fucking world due to how badly his life is going and at the end he doesn’t even approve of anders doing a bit of terrorism but he runs away with him anyway bc he’s like ‘fuck it i’m not going to deny myself the only person left that i feel anything for when everyone i loved has been killed or turned against me’. but Disclaimer i’ve never done a fenris romance playthrough and idk why bc he would probably sway me

none of the romances i played in inquisition really Got Me the way the other games’ have? i haven’t tried dorian’s bc i’ve never played a male inquisitor. however my most recent playthrough was lavellan/solas and the bit where she gets to say ‘no, you’re not killing solas. I’M killing solas’ was incredibly cathartic and i hope she gets to get his ass in veilguard 🙏 this is absolutely not a hawke/anders ‘let’s make each other worse’ scenario. she wants that egg Obliterated

anyway in veilguard i am making a beeline for taash bc HAVE YOU SEEN HER i want to know everything about her i want to braid her hair while she tells me how she lost her horn and how she killed the world’s scariest dragon and how she’s sooo strong and beautiful i love women x

[baejax-the-great]

Lost

FenHawke (T, about 20 years post-canon)

~~

“Fenris,” Hawke asked quietly, “Do you remember how we first met?”

“Of course.” An automatic reply. Of course he knew how they met. Meeting her was the most important thing that ever happened to him. He could not forget something like that. But as she waited for him to elaborate, he found the details escaped him. They were in Kirkwall, this he knew. She had impressed him with… the Saarebas. No, that was later. Was it saving the mage from slavers? He tried to remember which one, but there had been so many. He opened his mouth to speak, but there was nothing, nothing to say.

“It’s alright,” she assured him, pulling him close, her chest warm and familiar, her heartbeat strong against his ear, “It’s fine. Don’t worry.”

He wasn’t worried. He knew how they met, he did. It was days later when he told her, triumphantly, of how he tricked her in Lowtown, how she pulled her daggers on him in Hightown. Of course he would never forget something so important. Her smile was thin as she listened, but she kissed his knuckles and thanked him, told him she loved him.

~~

Prolonged exposure to lyrium causes templars to slowly lose their memories. It never occurred to Hawke that Fenris might meet the same fate.

Read the rest on AO3! 

A very angsty one-shot. There are no happy endings here. 

[anotherdayforchaosfay]

70. “After everything we’ve been through, you still don’t think that I love you?” (For Dragon age even if I'm not in the fandom reading your work is lovely.)

This got angsty and had me almost near tears. Willow Hawke x Fenris, post-romance wtf (players will know what I’m referring to). Pulled from my own experiences. Sorry for inconsistencies related to Willow. I’m still fleshing her out, seeing as I’ve written virtually nothing strictly Dragon Age 2.

If punctuation is off, I dunno wtf is happening because randomly the punctuation from One Drive to Twitter goes bonkers.

Under the cut because long. It can also be read on AO3.

Prompt: After everything we’ve been through, you still don’t think that I love you?

Willow wanted little more than to just scream, to rage, to be let the world know the anger burning inside her. She sat alone, overlooking the cliffs with the sea slamming against the walls. There were few birds this time of day. The sun was coming down, as was the temperature. She shivered in her armor, layers meant for fighting but not for warmth. As rarely as sitting alone like this occurred, she ought to be treasuring it, she knows this, but Willow wants only to be held. To not be alone. Life is so heavy.

Light steps behind her, deliberate so as not to surprise but quiet enough to be just be an alert. Fenris.

“Isabela is waiting with Merrill. They have a fire set up and dinner over the fire.” His voice was soft, but stiff. To the point.  

“Thanks.”

There was a pause. She knew he was there, could simply feel like she always does, and it hurt. The pain stronger with the silence.  

“If you’re going to linger, at least sit next to me. You don’t have to talk, just...be here. Even if it’s just for a minute.”

Another pause. She understood his fear, or tried to. He’d been through hell and a half, always expecting the worst in people, in himself, in her. So, she waited.

Fenris’s shadow moved beside her, taking a seat on the rapidly cooling rock she sat on. She didn’t look at him, didn’t reach for him, just sat there.  

“I’m sorry.” His voice was soft.  

Willow shrugged, never taking her eyes off the horizon. "That’s Fereldan.” She pointed to the horizon, of nothing but darkness rapidly filling it. “I don’t know if it’s home anymore.”

“Willow-”

“I used to imagine going back. Kirkwall is ruins waiting to happen, a shit pit of a city, but it’s where I’m at. Been here for years now, and I still don’t call it home.” She took a pebble near her and tossed it over the cliff.  

“Are you...alright?” His eyes reflected the moonlight when she looked at him.

“No. I’m not alright. I’m leagues from alright.” Tears ran down her face, freely, quietly. “I haven’t been alright in a long time.” She looked at him, not bothering to wipe the tears away. “My sister is far away, my brother is dead, my mother is murdered, and now I’m here. Alone.” She turned her gaze back over the horizon. “I’m alone.”

They sat like that for a time, Maker knows how long, and rage continue to burn her hollow.

Fenris got up and left, saying nothing but touching her shoulder before he walked away. At least he touched her, but that made it hurt all the more. She wanted to be held, to be loved, to not be so fucking alone. He comes, he goes, he never stays. She knows why, can sympathize, but damnit, she wanted feel something because she was getting numb.

The more she thought about it, the more it hurt. The more it hurt, the more she cried. She knew if Isabela saw her, she’d get teasing her suggestions for hurting others. Take it out on someone else. If Merrill saw her, she’d instead comfort her, and do what she does for so many of the elves in the Alienage. Hold her hand, comfort her, say the right things, redirect. That’s not what Willow wanted right now.  

The weight of a blanket came over her shoulders and a bowl of hot something thrust in her hands. “The air is cold and the food warm.” Fenris sat down next to her, a blanket over his shoulders, a bowl in his hand. He moved with such grace, a dance in every step. Willow tried to match it, but humans can only so far.

“Thank you, Fenris.” They ate in relative silence, her sniffling and the sound of eating being about the only sounds.  

“Do you hate me?”  

The question startled Willow out of her thoughts, forcing her to look at him. “Excuse me?”

“I asked, do you hate me?” He looked at her, but not at her eyes. He looked at her hands, shame in his shoulders.

“No, I don’t. Nor do I fault you for walking away. It hurt, it still does, but I don’t hate you.” She set her empty bowl aside, and gently place her hand on his. They were shaking. “You did what you needed to do. I just wish I received more than a cold shoulder.”

He relaxed, turning his hand over that he may hold hers. “It was difficult, and I feel ashamed for having not spoken to you sooner. I didn’t know what to say, or how to say it, and it seemed best to stay quiet.”

“Has it helped? Staying away?”

“Yes. No. I’m not sure.” His thumb runs over fingers, gentle and kind. “I remembered too much at all once. It’s taken time to work through all of it. I’m still working on it with a little help.” Willow stiffened and made to pull her hand back, but Fenris held tight. “Not like that. Varric is a good listener.”

“I... see.” She ground her jaw, relaxed it again, her stomach sank. “I would have listened.” Her hand in his.  

“It was too much, Willow. There was too much and a lot of it was you. I didn’t want to have you tainted by my mind not knowing what’s happening.” His hand was under her chin, forcing her to look in his eyes. They were like spring at midnight. “They weren’t good memories, Willow.”

She tried to look away, but his hand cupped her face.  

“We’d been through so much, and though single-minded I was, I couldn’t ignore my feelings for you. I did what I thought was best, and it was the best, but I didn’t know what would happen. Not for a minute.”

Willow held still now, shaking, crying, but listening.

“Being you was the single greatest experience of my life. I don’t regret it, only what happened after.” In a single swift move, he pulled her into his arms, wrapping her in his. “After everything we’ve been through, you still don’t think I love you?”  

Her words were mixed with sobs, “how could I think you loved me when you avoided me as though I were a plague? How could I believe you loved me when, at the sight of me, you left whatever room I was in. You spent months avoiding me? How the fuck should I have felt?” She tried to push him, to shove him, but he held firm.

“I needed time and didn’t know how to say it, but I know now. Willow, I’m sorry.”  

She shook in his arms, “let go of me.”

He released her, but not her hand. “I need time, and so do you. You’ve suffered loss after loss, but right now, you need time.”

“What the fuck do you think I need time for? Another funeral? Another war? What do I need time for?”

“To remember.” He kissed her forehead before gathering their bowls, both having been shoved aside. “Remember life with your family. It hurts, every day, but it helps too.”  

He stood up and made to walk away.  

“Fenris.”

“Yes.”

“Thank you.”

She knew he nodded his head, that he did his slightly less pronounced bow, before he walked away. When sure he was out of earshot, she spoke barely above a whisper, “I love you too.”  

[nerdierholler]

Going Home

Last part of my AU where Fenris stays behind in Skyhold after Hawke goes to Adamant and they’re reunited after . Previously…Part 1: Waiting, Part 2: The Waiting Ends, Part 3: Hidden Wound, Part 4: A Bath, Part 5: Night.

Her job done, Hawke starts thinking of home.

Sitting in a quiet spot above the gardens, Hawke leaned against Fenris, resting against his shoulder. “I think I’m ready to go home.”

Several weeks had passed since their reunion. Their wounds were almost mended and they’d talked about what happened in the Fade. With less raw emotions, it had been easier to discuss why Hawke offered to stay and the surge of conflicting feelings it brought out in Fenris.

Now, the Inquisition was accelerating it’s plans for dealing with Corypheus and, Hawke’s task complete, they were content to fade into the background bustle of the keep. The two of them spent less time by the fire in the main hall and more together in less traveled, out of the way spots. However, this was the first mention of leaving.

Fenris cocked his head to one side, trying to look at Hawke without disturbing her. “Home?” he asked. After being on the run again, he wasn’t sure where home was, what was safe.

“Kirkwall. The estate.” Hawke toyed with ends of the red fabric wrapped around his wrist. “Though I doubt Aveline has been able to keep the tax collectors and officials away from your mansion with it truly being empty. But you’re more than welcome to mine.”

She looked up at him with hopeful eyes but Fenris could also see hesitation. She was steeling herself for a rejection of the offer in case he wanted a return to the way things had been before they fled the city.

“I don’t know, Hawke, it might be nice to get away from your snoring again.”

“I…” she sat upright in surprise and playfully swatted his arm, “I do not snore.”

“Is that so?”

“It is.”

“In that case,” Fenris pulled her into a gentle kiss. “It would be my pleasure to continue waking up by your side every morning.”

They told Varric their plans later that evening and, with a heavy heart, he told them he understood, but he had to see this thing with the Inquisition through.

A week later Hawke and Fenris gathered with a small caravan at the gates of Skyhold, ready to begin their long journey north to the Free Marches.

“You know, Hawke,” Varric started, “things won’t be the same here without you.”

“They never are.” Hawke was smiling but her voice threatened to crack. “For one thing, you’ll lose less money at Wicked Grace.”

“I don’t know about that, you’ve seen the way Ruffles plays.”

A moment passed, neither wanting to give into the sadness that filled the air around them. It was Fenris who broke the silence, “You can always try to make it up against Donnic after you return.”

Varric chucked at the memory of their games together in Fenris’ mansion, “That might not be a bad idea.”

The horses and wagons of the caravan started to pull away, forcing their final goodbyes.

“Take care of her, Fenris. Keep her safe.”

Fenris gave a small bow, “You have my word.”

Hawke started to protest her need to be protected but stopped, instead looking to the Inquisitor, “And you, make sure Varric makes it back to Kirkwall. I’m not sure how much longer the Merchant’s Guild can deal with his absence.”

Varric snorted and Hawke turned her attention back to him. “First round at The Hanged Man is on me when you get back.”

“And I’ll buy the second, or we can put it on my tab.”

“Deal.”

By now the caravan was halfway across the bridge.

“Looks like they’re leaving without you. You two should get going, Buttercup.”

Hawke and Fenris looked at each other, then Hawke bent down and wrapped Varric in a sudden hug. “I’ll see you soon.”

“Take care,” he said softly against her.

Hawke stood and, with a final wave, she and Fenris jogged through the gates to catch up with the others.

They found the estate much as they’d left it. There was a little more dust and a few more cobwebs, but between Aveline’s patrols and periodic visits from Orana, it seemed to have made it through the worst of the chaos in the months following the Chantry explosion.

That night, Hawke laid in her bed, sinking into the familiar mattress, sweaty limbs tangled with Fenris’. The glow from the fire warmed her, easing her further and further into a satisfied hazy sleep. Gathering the last of her energy, she propped herself on one elbow, looking down at Fenris to find a similar expression on his face.

She watched him with a rare carefree smile then kissed him. Once. Twice. Three times. Brief but deliberate. Her lips hovered just above his, almost ghosting against them when she spoke, “Welcome home.”

[pebsterino]

Akt3 Reunion!

I’m done with it and im happy and also anxious because its very late! T_T

I’m sorry if there are any typos im too dead to see anything at this point!

And yes, Lara is slightly taller than Fenris! :)

[noctuaalba]

Fenris lineartt?

‘‘you can’t fight slavers if you aren’t cute” - I live for undercut post Da2 Fenris, please forgive me

+ fenhawke dooble because I missed my Unsinkable Ship 

 @darth-salem-emperor-of-earth you requested fenris too!

[thatssolavellan]

- It’s time for me to move on. Unless you’d... care to get to know each other better, Champion?

-  That depends. How much do you wish to test this luck of yours?

- Oh, I see. Fair enough, then!

Zevran X Fenris in a FenHawke situation

[lethendralis-paints]

Happy Valentine's Day, friends!

Whether you're with someone special or on your own, I'm wishing you lots of good vibes today! Don't forget that you are worthy of admiration, respect, love, devotion and room for growth in your relationships! And most of all, don't forget to love yourself and treat yourself kindly!

[pinayelf-archive]

Sparks

[emma-lovesyou]

Honestly not sure if im exited for dreadwolf more for the chance for my lavellan to see solas again. Or potential new romances. Omg the next in the line of broody sad love.

[lethendralis-reblogs]

I LOVE LOVE tha tone shot and I love Scouty's art! A perfect combination of writer and artist!

The mattress shifted as she shuffled closer. She wrapped her arms around his neck from behind in a tight embrace, and Fenris happily leaned into the warmth of her bare chest. Hawke was pressed against him from his hips to his head, and the heated silk of her golden skin against his own was more soothing than any blanket he’d ever felt.

She nuzzled his cheekbone. “I love your body,” she told him. “I’m going to make you love it too.”

“How do you plan to do that?” he mumbled.

She smiled against his cheek. “You’ll see,” she whispered.

*******************

@schoute made me this BREATHTAKING SCENE from My Body Is A Cage - one of my favourite Fenhawke oneshots, where Hawke helps Fenris confront his dislike of his own bare skin. 

LOOK HOW BEAUTIFUL THIS IS - I AM SO PROUD OF SCHOUTE’S WORK AND SO THRILLED BY THIS SCENE  ❤️❤️❤️

[melkeyway]

Lani Hawke and her (not so) grumpy boyfriend

I finally got around to redrawing/colouring this sketch.  Fun fact: I didn’t always like Fenris but I think his VA really helped.

[nerdierholler]

A Bath

A continuation of my AU where Fenris stays behind in Skyhold after Hawke goes to Adamant and they’re reunited after. Previously...Part 1: Waiting, Part 2: The Waiting Ends, Part 3: Hidden Wound

Hawke and Fenris enjoy a bath but not all acts of intimacy end up being sexy.

Closing her eyes, Hawke rested her head on the back of the tub. She let her hair fall over the edge, dangling several inches above the floor. Behind her she could hear Fenris bringing a small stool from the across the room. Wordlessly he began combing his fingers through her hair, gentle caresses, mindful of knots which were patiently untangling once discovered. She could almost imagine being back at the estate after a meal and a few glasses of wine, a lazy evening together about to unfold.

“Shall I continue?” Fenris whispered in her ear.

She nodded and heard Fenris’ feet briefly padding across the stone before returning. She sat up and tilted her head back in anticipation. A wave of water cascaded down her hair, then another, and another. Fenris’ hands worked at her scalp, massaging tiny circles into it. She could feel the lather building and hear the soft fizzing just beside her ear. He reached down, gathering the full length of her hair and piling it on top of her head before beginning to work it into a lather once more.

Hawke let out a soft appreciative moan, “This is better than any healer’s services.”

“You’re still going in the morning,” he chided playfully.

“I know, I know, but this is what I really needed right now.”

Fenris angled Hawke’s head back a bit further to rinse her hair, the suds sliding down the wet locks into the water. Confident the soap was gone, he set the pitcher down beside him.

Hawke turned to look over her shoulder, “Care to join me?”

“Only if you insist.”

“I do.”

Fenris removed his leather leggings and small clothes, tossing them into the pile of garments in the corner while Hawke moved forward to make room. The water was still comfortably warm as he slipped in behind her, legs stretched on either side of her body.

Once he was settled, Hawke leaned back, resting her head against his chest. All Fenris could think about was how much he’d missed her. He’d worried he’d never see her again, hear her voice or touch her skin again, yet here they were. He planted a kiss on her neck and began drawing patterns on her arms with his fingertips. He connected the freckles and scars into strange constellations, made small swirls and long lines from the ends of her fingers to the tops of her shoulders, smiling when goose pimples formed on her flesh.

This was what he wanted. The only thing a demon could tempt him with was more moments like this, the quiet in betweens when they were together and whatever impending disaster was going on, didn’t matter. He wanted a “normal boring life” as Hawke put it. Hawke deserved it, and he could finally admit, he did too.

Hawke shifted against him, taking his hand and using it to draw on her skin once more. Lost in his thoughts, his fingers had gone still.

“My apologies,” he smiled against her neck, kissing it again, “I was a little distracted.”

“Excuses, excuses.”

A low chuckle from Hawke reverberated through the water and into Fenris’ chest. This close, skin slick and nothing between them, Fenris could feel his body respond. He hadn’t planned on doing anything more, but as he shifted into a more comfortable position, his interest was clear. Fenris nervously cleared his throat. There would be no mistaking his hardness pressed against Hawke’s back.

Hawke turned and gave Fenris a sly smile that made him blush, blood rushing to the tips of his ears, but said nothing and settled back against him, making no effort to pursue anything more. Eventually the tension he was holding in began to dissipate and he relaxed once more in the water, content to share this moment together.

Gradually, the water cooled and in a reluctant dreamlike haze, they untangled themselves and got out. Fenris found salve and bandages and re-dressed Hawke’s wound for the night. They gathered their belongings and left the warmth of the bath, bracing against the first chill air as they opened the door and made their way back to their room.

Author’s Note: I kind of wanted to consider what could be a very realistic outcome their bath together. When I asked myself where I thought a bath together would lead, it wasn’t passionate kisses, it was awkward boners and two people comfortable enough with each other to accept the other wasn’t interested and let it go. I feel like too often in fic we would see him continuing to playfully tease her until she reciprocated. And that’s fine, I like stuff like that too, but I wanted to take a chance at showing the everyday alternative where one person wants to have sex and the other just isn’t in the mood but that doesn’t mean they aren’t still close or intimate.