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niriaveil · 15 days ago

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here is my ideal post-endgame veilguard scenario with rookanis + here's how we can get lucanis fired from his job as first talon + illario and lucanis bonding + i just need to imagine my rook and lucanis on vacation please thank you.

veilguard spoilers, obviously. but the rest is under a cut because it's long ─

so my rook had illario jailed because at the time, she knew that the voice of the gods can be overwhelming - and because like, he had lucanis sent to the ossuary and experimented on and kidnapped caterina; and that it's very likely that illario himself has an envy demon within himself. which means!

it's a problem for future them!

but after everything, after they get back to treviso and after the realization that they won, settles in. i imagine lucanis tries to forgive. or as much as he can, anyway. illario is allowed onto the dellamorte estate with (trusted by lucanis to carefully keep an eye on him) guards and given an olive branch, or as much as one as lucanis can give. he's still family, he's still basically lucanis's brother. he's still the only other grandson that caterina has left besides lucanis.

(it's a bit awkward when rook and illario run into each other. because illario definitely made my rook go down - thank you underdog mode - and it definitely gave her a horrifying scar and it's like. hey. we tried to kill each other. now we have to live in the same estate and be normal. for the sake of the same person.)

the thing is, post-game, it becomes so evidently clear to lucanis that he himself is not made for being a first talon. it doesn't help that caterina interjects and basically bulldozes him into decisions that she wants him to make, that she thinks he should make - that even now, given the title and everything, she is still making decisions for him. it was something that he had spent his entire life running from, being first talon.

he knows that illario would fit better, has always vied for being first talon and has spent so much of himself in preparing himself for that role - and now lucanis has it, lucanis who did not want it. of course, lucanis could make himself a good first talon, he could give more of himself to his grandmother and to become the first talon that she wants him to be.

but he doesn't. for the first time in his life, he doesn't want to conform. lucanis wants a future for him and rook, one that isn't covered in blood and death.

(rook, lying in bed after their long day and running their thumb under the bags of lucanis's eyes. lying together, entwined like this, and their brow is furrowed. "you deserve so much more than this," rook murmurs, painfully soft and yearning.

it brings him back to another time. "if i were first talon, you would not have to do this," illario had told him once. perhaps back then he had meant it with love, or envy, or both of those feelings. but he had said it and meant it.

"i have you," lucanis kisses the palm of rook's hand. it is only by virtue of them - and spite - that he has begun to wonder of a future beyond this. something more that isn't tied to blood, murder, and the crows. it is a future that he wants to share in.

and he plans:)

it starts off small: lucanis inviting illario into his study, to talk. to spend time together. it's so tense and hostile the entire time. there's so much envy and regret and anger between them that nothing really happens except a shouting match, or a fighting match - or both. blows with words and fists.

but, it starts a routine. lucanis, in his office. olive branch. illario comes in to spend time. lucanis broaches the subject like this:

lucanis, sitting at his desk looking over the work and papers that he has yet to answer to: what would you do? illario, on the lounge chair reading his own book and simmering in his thoughts: pardon? lucanis: about this contract. what would you do?

"in my place," he doesn't say. no need to rub salt in the wound. but they both hear it anyway.

the thing is: lucanis isn't subtle. illario knows he isn't subtle. but illario has been playing 5d chess with himself this entire time and thinks that this is a trap, or a test, or both - given that they both grew up under caterina. when lucanis hands him the contract to read over, illario is jumping to so many conclusions in his mind that he thinks he's being set up in a long roundabout way by his grandmother, through lucanis.

but illario reads over it. ponders for a second. there's pride to think about, and the message you want to send, and the intended reaction from the one who finds the message. you want it done cleanly, professional, wrapped up nice in a little bow.

he gives him his honest advice. the thing about illario is that, despite everything, he's methodical. all loose ends tied up nicely. always leave yourself a way out of a mess.

he thinks lucanis won't take his advice. he thinks lucanis will only do what caterina wants him to do, or that worse, lucanis will tell caterina what illario would do and then caterina will do something either the opposite of that or something better than him, just to make him look the fool. again.

but then the next time they're in the study together, weeks later. lucanis reads over his paperwork and hums thoughtfully. illario glances up from his newest book and finds it suspicious that lucanis is already staring at him.

"what," he barks. clearly, his fool of a cousin wants something.

but lucanis gives a small smile - the faintest lift at the corner of his lips. a genuine small smile. "your advice was good. the job was well-done."

what, thinks illario. he rises from his chair and stalks over to the desk. lucanis wordlessly hands him the report from the contract that illario gave advice on. he reads over it, then twice more just for good measure. that he isn't being tricked. but no, it is there - clear as day - that lucanis took illario's advice and the contract was completed in the way illario suggested.

the next time illario runs into rook - by himself, the guards have long been sent away now, months later. but illario knows that the ones who watch the main villa keep their eyes on him, caterina's orders no doubt. she stares at him with scrutiny every time they see each other. she has always stared at him with scrutiny.

but, rook:

they're in the music room when illario finds them. it isn't often that rook is in the villa unattended by lucanis or someone else from their world-saving group, but they're alone and they like to frequent the music room. they're the only ones who tend to visit this room anyway.

"what did you do to my cousin," he says in lieu of greeting.

rook looks up, thoughtfully munches on one of the cookies on their plate, and says: "what are you talking about?"

the thing is, illario knows his cousin. he knows his cousin so painfully well that any sort of idea that has him not bidding to caterina's whim must not be lucanis's idea at all. his cousin is a guard dog and a lap dog to their demon of a grandmother. therefore, any idea in which lucanis wants for himself, it must have been brought about an outside force.

and the only outside force in their lives is rook.

(it reminds me of the quote. "and cain says, 'when you split me and my brother in the womb, you did not divide us evenly. he got kindness, and i got longing. he got complacence, and i got ambition. i want to kill him sometimes.'")

"my cousin," illario repeats, not unkindly. or kindly. it is exasperated. "you did something to him when you met him. or while he was working for you. what did you do to him."

rook blinks at him, owlishly. tilts their head like they're processing his words, and then - their head tips back, laughter. their laughter echoes in the room. "illario," they say, grinning all the while. "what makes you think i did anything? all i did was stay by his side."

"his demon, then."

rook shakes their head. "you think spite makes him do anything? lucanis and spite understand each other, but they've never made each other do something that the other one didn't want to do. it's a working relationship."

illario cannot fathom a world in which lucanis wants for himself. but. but then again, when they were children, illario could not have fathomed a world in which he would try to kill his own cousin.

people change. he did, didn't he? so did lucanis, then.

there is something to be said about lucanis. for all his faults, he is stubborn and committed to a job once started. now that illario has fallen into the bait of solving the worst jobs that lucanis has to deal with as first talon, illario must now be given the credit for said jobs.

it's over dinner, of all the fucking things.

"my boy," caterina says. at the dinner table, she still sits at the head. lucanis is at her right, rook next to him; across from lucanis sits illario, alone on his side of the table. but her gaze is on lucanis, and when isn't it? she looks at him like he hung the sun in the sky. "i'm surprised how well you have done so far."

vague terms, always vague terms. something about needing to speak in codes in case someone was listening, but it's her old habit to break.

lucanis bows his head. "thank you, caterina."

"i am surprised by how you handled the contract in genellan," caterina muses. "the outcome was... unlike you."

ah, illario thinks. the genellan contract was the one (of many) contracts that lucanis asked for his advice on. the outcome was crude, but effective.

(rook pointedly looks away at this point, filling their mouth with food. lucanis has done much to keep them away from crow business, he does not want them to be sullied by how unpleasant it can be. despite rook's complaints of wanting to support him in everything he does, this - at least - is his selfish request.)

but lucanis looks at illario. there's a flash of something in his eyes - determination? - and it shines like steel catching in the light. his shoulders are square. "you should be praising illario for that one," he says, tipping his head towards his cousin. "and for many others. he has been extremely helpful."

caterina's gaze lands on illario like a branding iron. despite what happened to lucanis, despite what he did to caterina - there was pride in her gaze. at least illario had carefully thought out everything back then, during the coup. she had to be begrudgingly proud of him for that.

"i see," she says. she brings the wine glass up to her mouth. "you are a creative one, illario."

from caterina, that is as close to saying i'm proud of you that illario will ever get.

lucanis must have found whatever he was looking for in that exchange then. there is something bright in his eyes, something that makes illario unsettled by the intense focus in his gaze.

afterwards, illario gets more work from the dellamorte house. lucanis assigns him on jobs, even caterina asks him to do a job once, but it is lucanis who keeps him busy. lucanis who asks him for advice, lucanis who keeps illario as busy as he wants to be. though the other crows stare at him warily, hands wrapped around their daggers just in case, it is hard to keep that wary gaze when lucanis will clap him on the shoulder - in public! of all things! in front of teia and viago, who narrow their eyes, share a glance, and then nod to each other in their weird silent conversational way.

it's been over a year since he was freed from his cell, near two now since lucanis had done the impossible and killed a god ("rook killed one as well," he adds in whenever illario mentions it. as if having two god-killers in their estate was normal.) that he seems to pull a miracle again.

in the study, lucanis sits at his desk and stares at papers that he does not really read. illario is in the lounge chair, like always, but he does not even pretend he is putting his full attention on his book like he normally does. even rook, the famed slayer of elgar'nan and the one who took down fen'harel, looks as nervous as a crow in their first time on a rooftop.

caterina sits in the chair opposite of lucanis, her hands on her cane, and waits. it was by invitation that caterina came to the study today, and it was by insistence that rook came as well. though for all that they try to pretend that they don't exist in the room, lucanis seems emboldened by their presence.

people do change, indeed. illario never imagined lucanis being with someone before. but the way that he speaks about rook, the way that he looks at them - that soft yearning gaze, the way he always reaches for them easily. how many nights had illario been rudely woken up by pots and pans clanking together in the kitchen at three in the morning only to see lucanis cooking? and when illario had the decency to ask what was wrong with him to be cooking at a time like this, lucanis had smiled, shrugged, and said, "rook was hungry." as if it was the most simple answer in the world.

so when lucanis squares his shoulders, raises his chin, and says: "I am passing the mantle of first talon to Illario." illario has to make sure he hasn't died. or is dreaming. or is still stuck in that fuzzy-head sensation he had around zara, sometimes, when he dreamed of what he wanted beyond all else. that what he just heard was real.

and then rook chokes on their drink and he is reminded of the reality before him.

caterina does not back down or acquiesce easily. she is a dellamorte, after all. "why?"

why can be 'he is a traitor, he is a coward; he imprisoned you, he kidnapped me; he tried to overthrow our house, he allied himself with venatori to overthrow our house; he used blood magic on you' or it can be 'illario, really?' or it can even be 'this is not what i wanted to hear from you, lucanis. why would you say that?'.

lucanis says, "he has been handling more and more of the contracts already." which illario thinks - bastard, i knew you didn't want to do the paperwork. and then lucanis says, "you trained both of us to be the heirs of the dellamorte name, but i know now that only one of us is truly suited to be the first talon that you want." which illario thinks - holy shit, you did not just say that.

and then:

you're admitting that i'm a better first talon than you? in front of our grandmother? our grandmother who thinks you can do no wrong and fail no job in history? the one who holds you so high on a pedestal that i couldn't even begin to climb to the heights that she held you at?

(he pointedly ignores the second choked slurping noise coming from rook. but he finds that, yes, if he had a drink, he would relate.)

caterina glances over at illario, who sits ramrod straight so quickly out of habit. he glances between his cousin and his grandmother. his look of surprise must be genuine enough for her because she turns back to lucanis.

but lucanis beats her to it: "you have already seen his work and have praised him for it several times. it is in both of our hearts that we know he is suited for it."

"the other houses will think dellamorte weak," caterina says, eyes narrowed. "if you instill a traitor as first talon. and they will come after us."

"then they will find my blade," lucanis replies easily. "but i presume that illario would have taken care of them long before they come to our villa to protest."

illario smiles. "of course."

"and i would never leave my dear cousin out to fend for himself," lucanis adds. "he still hates getting blood on his shirt."

caterina looks between illario and lucanis. she must see something, anything at all, because she takes in a deep breath. for a fraction of a second, there is warmth in her gaze - a reminder of her love, no matter how hidden in her heart it is. but then it is gone, replaced by her always piercing eyes. always looking for opportunities, always looking for ways to protect herself and the dellamorte name.

then she says: "you are first talon, if that is what you want, then so be it."

when she leaves, it is not a storm walking away in her wake that leaves behind broken hearts and shattered egos. it is simply a grandmother leaving to her room, the simple walk of a woman who - hopefully - trusts in her grandson's enough to keep their family name alive.

"so," says rook after a few moments of silence, moving over to lean into lucanis's personal space - his personal space! and is allowed to do so! - before adding, "does this mean we get to go our on vacation?" and illario groans and holds his head in his hands because could rook have the decency to not sound like an excited child?

and could lucanis not have the decency to mimic their giddy smile and feed into it!?

"did you make me first talon so you could go on vacation," illario says, head in his hands. his despair must not be muffled enough by his gloves because lucanis laughs so loudly that illario thinks about killing him, again.

"why cousin, i would never," lucanis says smoothly. "i simply had a job lined up conveniently after you became first talon."

"a job with me," rook adds in helpfully. illario thinks about killing them too, but lucanis would get to him first.

but:

it doesn't need to be spoken. the gratitude. the passing of a mantle. the trust that sits between them. forgiven and forgotten, water under the bridge. that whatever else they are, they were family first. that lucanis will stay with illario, or bring him back from the brink, or give him another chance - that illario might allow him the chance to help him.

but they'll speak about it, one day. maybe at caterina's birthday. or maybe at lucanis's wedding where illario will get his perfect revenge in detailing everything embarrassing about his cousin in front of everyone who respects him. they will fight, they will punch each other, and then they will hug it out and cry - most likely. before viago poisons them. or after.

"get out," illario says instead, feeling choked up for no reason at all.

he can see lucanis's smile even when his eyes are closed. "as you say, first talon."

#veilguard spoilers #jaime da lb #i just think this is how it happens. do i have perfect voices for lucanis and illario? god no. but i'll get better #but this is roughly what i imagine. especially imagine being illario in a rookanis scenario. imagine having to deal with that.#living in the same house. having to watch your cousin and his partner be romantic and not try to kill them. i would be sick.

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