#aveline x isabela

[witsserviceablesubstitute]

Fenris and Anders dynamic is best when it's not taken too seriously. It wasn't thought through well at all (something the devs have admitted to) and so building it into an all defining characterization for either of them engenders mischaracterizations. In my headcanon Fenris and Anders use each other as a whipping post to lance their wounds and it's something they'll eventually grow past. I personally like how honest they are with each other sometimes, neither feel like they need to sand down their edges with the other and it can lead to these hauntingly sincere moments.

A romantic relationship between them during DA2's timeline, though, has only two extremes from my interpretation. I could see them sleeping together with no forethought, a release of tension (as Fenris does do with a rival mage Hawke), and then that spiralling into a very tumultuous romance. If I'm remembering right these are characters who say things like 'there's no place you could go where I wouldn't follow' and 'I'll drown the world in blood to keep you safe'. All that intensity turned on each other... They're two sides of the same coin and both sides are blinkered and passionate. At their best they'd join forces and work through their issues to become this badass force of nature with a singular purpose— tearing down systems of oppression together. At their worst they could destroy Thedas and each other. I can appreciate how epic that potential story would be but I can also understand wanting both characters to find more peace than they're likely to find in each other.

No, my DA2 enemies-to-lovers ship is Aveline and Isabela. It wouldn't work and it's not epic but it is hot.

[illusivesoul]

Dont let your Donnic stop you from finding your Isabela

[alltears]

dragon age twitter au? dragon age twitter au. HAWKE EDITION

[wadebox]

replaying da2 be like

[maintitle]

[julsera]

Happy women's day!! Yes, I am very gay.

[demigoddessqueens]

Dragon Age 2, between Acts 1 and 2. Mage!Hawke, Fenris, Varric, Aveline + whoever else you would like to include. FenHawke being the main focus:

Hawke faints while they’re all walking through Kirkwall, surprising everyone, eventually they find out Hawke has been starving themselves to make sure their family has enough to eat… I headcannon that magic and spellcasting consume a lot of the bodies natural resources, so mages need to consume more calories, hence why they like bread and cheese so much

Thank you for your request! and for the follow 😄

Masterlist 10

Fenris - he’s freaked out when Hawke/you collapse!! Rushes immediately to your aid. Once you/Hawke reveal to him what curtailed your fainting spell, be prepared for the lecture of a lifetime. Fenris sympathizes with your efforts, but is frustrated with your stubbornness given how he feels about you.

Varric - he would be entirely concerned for your/Hawke’s well-being, telling you you’re no good for your family (or him) if you’re half-starved. Saying all this while he’s preparing a whole homemade feast for you

Aveline - she would also lovingly chastise you/Hawke for not letting her know, but also demands you rest while she tends to you

Bonus character(s):

Isabella - tries to make a slight joke out of it, “hey stay with me, can’t you have you fainting on me now while we have each other..”, demands Varric and/or the rest pitch in to help you

Anders - gives Fenris and everyone else a run for their money in freaking out over you, holding you in his arms as he scrounges Varric’s tavern or the kitchens for whatever you need

[privatebooth]

Previously

I just want to gather more people from the gang, don't tell that makes no sense.

Old friends getting back together after a few years of separation! Isn't it great? I think Merrill is telling Carver something nice, and he gets nostalgic about their past adventures.

Isabela is taking Fenris to Kirkwall on her own ship because... he needed to take some ship to get there. We killed Castillon, and Izzy didn't get it from him, but I'm sure she managed to get her hands on another one.

Perhaps Hawke payed her a visit in a dream and asked if she could lend her aid? Can't wrap my head around how mailing services work in Thedas. Best not to think about it. IT'S NOT IMPORTANT.

Fenris goes to Kirkwall! He followed Hawke's instructions, stopped seeing nightmares, and was able to sleep at night. He fully recovered and looks fine as ever but still worries about Hawke. Guess Isabela tries to reassure him, and he is grateful for her support. He really could use a friend in these times.

Carver, Merrill and Aveline wait for their ship to dock. Carver is restless, impatient to save his brother; Merrill is very excited about seeing more old friends back together (and about witnessing an uncommon mystical event); and Aveline is there because... she lives in Kirkwall and still considers Hawke and co her... family?

Anders is Maker knows where, Varric - you know he is currently stuck with the Inquisition, and Sebastian - idk, they said something about him invading Kirkwall, but I think pretty much everyone ignores him, so I'm gonna do the same. We weren't that close anyway.

Next

[lycangr0pe]

here is my headcanon for the DA2 polycule for the 0 people who asked

[scarfacemarston]

saw your post saying that you want ideas for Fenris, so here's my 5 cents;

You know the romance ending for Fenris? Whenever I see it and I hear Varric say "a hero was born" for some reason that makes me think that it is giving us the idea that Fenris has become a dad, soooooo, any thoughts on Fenris as a dad?

Have a good day/night

Hey! I LOVE that idea. Seriously, that is so heartwarming to think of. It's been months since I've written hc and I've never written for Fenris before, but I hope you like it! I have bonus hc's from the crew below the cut. Background: Despite being together for over several years since Act 3 and the fact that they might as well have been married, Varric and crew still found themselves surprised to hear that Fenris and Hawke were pregnant/adopting. "Broody with a Broody Jr on the way? I knew it'd happen at some point; you owe me 50 coppers, Rivani."

If pregnant - Hawke was initially worried Fenris would leave them because of their first night together, but he had proven himself loyal to a fault numerous times, the thought thankfully disrupted quickly.

Fenris is the worrying warrior until after the baby is born, or if adopting, til they bring them home.  His mind is always going a mile a minute risk calculation and problem-solving for things that haven't yet happened. Hawke has to get him to snap out of it. He's extremely attentive partially because he tries to think about any possible situation and discomfort and how to avoid it. If Hawke is pregnant, he's ready, whether through ginger tea, soothing balms, hot towels, massages, craving outings, you name it.

It's not original, but the baby would definitely be named Bethany, Leandra, or Malcolm if it's a son. With adoption, he feels a little more in control. (I love the idea of Fenris having a daughter, so that's what I'm using her. Feel free to hc differently!)

The baby loves his voice. Adores it. She perks up whenever Fenris speaks, even if it's the quietest of murmurs or humming. Fenris would talk to the baby if his partner is pregnant, calming her down, especially if she starts kicking.  

He doesn't mind getting up in the middle of the night to take care of her. He's lived on such little sleep before, but this was something worth it. He sometimes likes the quiet to reflect on his new life and gaze at the miracle in his arms.

Fenris has to be reminded to put her down sometimes so Hawke can hold her ---then Hawke has to be reminded to put down the baby so they can get work done.

Definitely lots of story time together and time spent reading books together. 

He wants his child to be curious about the world and not be afraid to question why things are the way they are. He encourages her to ask difficult questions, even if it's something he doesn't always want to answer. He will try to answer in an age-appropriate manner anyhow.

Incredibly protective. He never thought he'd have a family, and now he has someone who depends on him more than anything. He is never far from her; if he can't chase after them, she's in a playpen where he can keep watch. However, he also tells himself that falling and making mistakes is okay. Scratched knees or messes are to be expected. Fenris becomes very good at toeing the line between being protective and allowing her to pick herself up and figure out solutions "by herself." (Of course, he'll still be there to kiss it better or give her a boost.)

He and Hawke agree that they'd rather gift her love and time than gifts.

Somehow, Fenris has ended up with an extra Malbari, 2 cats, and a goat as pets.

He teaches her a lot of skills, Lots of nature excursions, and teaches her things like navigation, plant identification, starting a fire, and helping her learn a language. 

He and Hawke agree to teach her self-defense once she's old enough. He's a firm & thorough but patient teacher.

He and Hawke believe she should do whatever she pleases with her body. Does she want long-flowing hair? He'll show off his braiding skills. Does she want chopped hair like FemHawke? Done. 

If she turns out to be a mage, Fenris would accept it. He would know that was a possibility whether she was biologically theirs - because of Hawke's mage line or, if adopted, that it is a randomized gene. He would be lying if he didn't think their lives would be easier if she wasn't a mage - but that is because he is worried for her and the current politics - not so much because of his past treatment of mages. It would take him a little time to process it, but he would love her just the same……….he only hopes that Hawke or one of their friends can help with the magic because turning the floor into an ice rink or the smell of burnt hair can only be tolerated for so long.

Bonus:

The Hawke crew isn't always around, but I like to hear them stay in touch and visit. Maybe they still travel together. I hated the idea of them breaking up.

Varric has most definitely written a few adventures with her in mind - one being a talking animal version of Hawke's adventures. Another about griffons and another about malbari adventurers.

Merrill brings the sweetest gifts and loves telling stories and taking her foraging. Flower crowns are a must.

Isabela develops a liking for stuffed plushies. It started with a stuffed parrot, and before they knew it, the bed was crowded with stuff like Malbari, parrots, griffon, cats, and whatever she could find. Isabela also gives her her first pirate sword. Baby Hawke loves her jewelry.

Aveline - mage or not - offers to train her in combat. Of course, Hawke laughs and says, "She's a baby. I think she's fine for now." She'd offer to babysit - Hawke having a child really has her curious about starting her own family with Donnic when they can find the time. Donnic makes her a set of cards so she can "play" diamondback with them.

Anders offers medical care if he is around and also offers to tutor her in magic - but I think we all know what Fenris' thoughts on that would be. Still, Fenris would begrudgingly be thankful for any care he provided.

[theluckywizard]

Happy dadwc! Let's have "You cannot stain a black coat. -Nicholas Nickelby" from the Dickens prompts, for Kirkwall-era Garrett Hawke?

Thank youuuu! I also incorporated these twin prompts from @about2dance and @bluewren for @dadrunkwriting

This inspired a scene in my MatchmakingMoms!AU where Leandra Hawke and Alsatia Trevelyan are trying to fix up Garrett and Rose, their incorrigible adult children who have no interest in getting fixed up. Context: Dougal is coming to extort more money and effectively interrupted Hawke's introduction to Rose. Hawke is off to deal with him with his friends. WC: 2,211 Characters: Garrett Hawke, Isabela, Fenris, Merrill, Varric, Dougal, Aveline, Anders. Rose Trevelyan, Alsatia Trevelyan and Leandra Hawke are implied. Ship: Garrett Hawke x Aveline Vallen (unrequited)

Striding along the snow dusted streets of Hightown in the clink of his armor and mail, Hawke’s mind bounces between the impertinence of Dougal and the ill-fated introduction he’d just endured. His friends all seem to be waiting for him to say something, unusually short on quips considering everything going on. He glances at them, testing his theory and in spite of their varying moods, their brows all lift inquiringly.

“I don’t know. I mean you saw her. She looked as pinched as every other blazing noblewoman I’ve met, but there was something about her expression—” Hawke says starting right in, swinging along the tidy streets of Hightown toward the lower market where Fenris says Varric is running interference. “She— smirked.”

“She smirked.” Fenris’ flat tone is somehow flatter. Hawke thinks back on her momentarily. Truthfully he couldn’t see well beyond the severity of her coif and gown, but she had pleasant enough face he supposes. He hadn’t been paying much attention until she smirked. And then his friends foisted themselves upon them all. 

“Yeah, her smirk. I mean I can’t blame her. I am me. But it was— nice. And… weirdly familiar.”

“Pinched she may be, but that girl’s been plucked,” remarks Isabela with a wry twist of her lips. 

“What do you mean she’s been plucked?” asks Merrill. “Because she’s a Rose?”

“Yes, because she’s a Rose,” answers Hawke, grinning stupidly.

“She’s had sex,” hisses Isabela to Merrill.

“Ohhh. How do you know she’s— well— been plucked?” asks Merrill.

“I just know,” smiles the Rivaini.

“Anyway. Surely she and her enterprising mother will take a hint after another day or two and flee back to Ostwick,” says Hawke, rather eager to be rid of the intrusion this first holiday alone. They’re certainly in no need of the audience as he and his mother feel out how to be fabulously wealthy and normal all at once.

“You are humoring your mother,” observes Fenris like it’s the strangest thing. “Couldn’t you tell her no?

“Not this time. The mother’s an old friend. And I’m a sucker for seeing my mother rekindling old friendships after everything. The aren’t many who will associate with her after her infamous flight to Ferelden. Even all these years later. And no amount of gilding will cover up that stain.”

“You’re a good son, Hawke,” says Merrill. “I thought she looked lovely.”

“Yes, my mother is a delight,” teases Hawke. 

Merrill smacks him with the back of her hand. “That Rose girl.”

“She was fine I suppose. Nothing that could tempt me outright I don’t think. But fine.”

Dougal and his horde of unwashed brutes loiter restlessly in the Guild Quarter, heavily armed and bearing torches. Varric wisely stands to one side with enough space between him and the gang that he can’t be jumped without pulling Bianca first. Dougal himself is cursed with an unearned sense of confidence, eyes glittering over the warped smile on his face 

“You’re only missing pitchforks,” Hawke says with an affable smile.

“We’re missing a little more than that.”

“Says you. We had an agreement,” says Hawke, reaching casually for the weapon of one of Dougal’s henchmen. The young dwarf, not knowing what to do with such a bold, unconcerned incursion, allows it. Hawke inspects it and hands it back to him, ruffling his hand in the hair of the dwarf. 

“I’ve seen the spoils of your expedition,” says Dougal. “The lavish estate. The fine furnishings. I think I deserve a larger share of your fortune. Fair is fair, right?”

“I’ll be the last one to say we should have listened to Bartrand,” interjects Varric. “But we should have listened to Bartrand.”

“Isn’t this a conversation we should have had— say— eight months ago?” asks Hawke.

“What can I say. Things have gone poorly for me and I’m a bitter man,” says Dougal, inspecting his stubby fingers.

“So you admit to being a shit investor and then come slithering my way thinking you can make me cough up more?” asks Hawke, his amusement supreme.

“Now you’re getting it,” says Dougal.

“And if I say no?” says Hawke, crossing his arms. He’s already counted the opposition— twelve excluding the man himself who would doubtlessly hide behind his muscle. Daggers and hammers and crossbows. Leather armor at least. He feels a swell of pity for the goons that have fallen in with this slimeball. Most of them are just trying to make it in this town the same way he was. And Maker, he’d really rather not kill anyone tonight of all nights.

“Let’s just say that I’d hate to see something happen to that lovely mother of yours who spends all together too much time alone. A hundred sovereigns and you can make this go away.”

“Extortion’s never really been a favorite of mine, you know,” says Hawke cheerfully, drawing his sword from its sheath on his back. He tosses it lightly in a little show, admiring how the brazier light flashes on each side of the fuller. “But shameless creature that I am, I suppose I’m tough to blackmail. You can’t stain a black coat.”

“A man does what he must,” says Dougal, easy amongst his squad of stabby goobers. 

“You’ve already interrupted Hawke’s special day,” says Isabela with her usual wry grin. “Now you’re threatening to kill his mother?”

“Special day?” asks Dougal.

Hawke rolls his eyes lightly. “It’s not that special.”

“Well now you have to tell me,” says the rat.

“If you must know—” Hawke begins.

“Hawke’s mother is trying to set him up with a wife,” finishes Merrill, utterly delighted.

“Oh?” Dougal’s brow arches high and then he laughs, a pitying one that echoes off the cornices and columns until it devolves into wheezes. He clutches his side, recovering himself while his men chuckle along dutifully. “Well it’s a good thing I’m claiming my due now. She’ll drain your coffers dry and run off with the stable boy.”

Hawke snorts at the man's confident advice. “Today is not your day,” he says, smiling as he slips his shield onto his left arm. “Why don’t you let all these nice people head along home to their lovely spouses and fight me head to head like the Maker intended?”

“You and I both know I pay good coin for this back up.”

“Good, is it?” Hawke asks. He turns to the men. “I’ll pay you double this month’s wages to fuck right off right now! Toss in a wheel of cheese for your trouble!”

“You can’t buy their loyalty. They’re all family!” laughs Dougal. “Though maybe you don’t quite understand. I heard you notoriously lost your family during your little expedition.”

“Bold blazing words from an actual turkey. Come on then. Let’s get this over with,” says Hawke stretching his neck and rolling his shoulders in preparation before flipping down his visor. He sees the faint the shimmer of Merrill’s barrier hugging him as he invites the onslaught, pounding on his shield to draw them upon him. 

By now his crew is well aware of his distaste for outright murder. He’d seen Varric and Isabela’s precision— pinning culprits to walls with bolts and removing armor with surgical slashes of blades. And Fenris had mercifully learned to execute a relatively delicate little pop on the head when needed. Merrill summons her fantastically freaky tendrils and wraps them up as needed. Hawke is appreciative of their restraint considering.

“I don’t suppose anyone had the forethought to fetch Aveline?” asks Hawke, sending assailants tumbling back with aggravated nudges of his elbow and bashes of his shield.

“Blondie went for her,” says Varric, ducking under a triplet.

“I wish he’d hurry the blazes up,” says Hawke, glancing down at the blood pooling in his mail under his gauntlet. “Fuck.” He shakes his arm out like it might make it feel better and then gets right back to it.

It's Dougal’s numbers versus the eclectic capabilities of Hawke’s crew. The clash carries on long enough that everyone involved starts getting loose and careless in their movements, the early snap of battle settling into a languor as everyone starts hankering after stamina pots and lyrium draughts. Hawke flips his visor up to swipe sweat from his brow.

“So how’d you know this girl anyhow?” asks Dougal, sashaying lightly away from one of Merrill’s grabby vines.

“Daughter of a family friend,” grunts Hawke, shoving one back with the flat of his foot against the poor sod’s stomach. Convenient to be so tall in a fight against dwarves.

“Does she have a nice set of badonkers, at least?” inquires Dougal.

“Acceptable,” remarks Isabela, stepping on her unconscious quarry as she binds his wrists behind him. “Hard to tell underneath those bloody stays that are getting so popular these days.”

“She was perfectly prim,” insists Merrill, cracking the head of a cheeky bastard with her staff.

“You’re all getting ahead of yourselves,” says Hawke, hovering somewhere between exasperation and unbridled laughter. “I have about as much chance of settling down with her as I have sprinting up Viscount’s court in my birthday suit.”

“Hawke,” says Fenris in the simplest challenge.

“Well all right, through the Chantry then.”

“Hawke,” says Isabela, eyebrow raised as she disarms another assailant, kicking their blade far across the stones. 

“You don’t really believe that I’d—“

“Hawke,” says Varric, tilting his head in amazement.

“You do something one time!” he grumbles, knocking back the last goon between him and Dougal hard enough that the blighter doesn’t even get up.

“You’re not going to kill me,” says Dougal, backed against a wall. “You’re soft. Effective but soft.”

“You don’t know that,” says Hawke. “Maybe I want to get back to future wife with the badonkers. I’d get there faster if I stuck you with my sword.”

“Everybody knows your soft, Hawke,” says Dougal, dodging the admittedly lazy thrusts of Hawke’s blade. “Maybe if you’d been quicker to kill you wouldn’t have had to make a deal with me.”

“For Maker’s sake,” mutters Hawke, deftly cornering Dougal with renewed fire and squashing him against the wall with the flat of his blade. “Do I talk this much?”

“Yes!” comes the hollered chorus. 

“You can’t get rid of me so easy,” says Dougal, glancing at his subdued henchmen. “There’s only two ways to make me go away.”

“Three, actually,” comes a blessed voice from across the yard. The shuffling sound says she came with reinforcements. Dougal’s head falls back in annoyance.

“It’s my word against yours, Hawke,” he spits.

“When’s the last time you did a favor for the Viscount?” Hawke asks with a grin. “Or are you going to extort him too?”

“Not a bad bit of rescuing, if I do say so myself,” says Anders, attending to Fenris who mutters a string of Tevinter curses while a laceration in his side gets a dose of luminescent relief.

Aveline’s guards shackle the ones writhing in pain and check those who have already been trussed up. Hawke asks Anders to work on the most dire of Dougal’s injured goons, eager to relish in being the bigger man.

“Well, Hawke. Can’t say I’ll shed any tears about this one,” says Aveline come alongside Hawke. 

He feels a shadow of the same thrill he once got when she came around, but her indifference to him has at last settled permanently within him, the disappointment sticking like a splinter too deep.

“He threatened Mother," says Hawke, "Like a common hoodlum."

“The worst crime of all,” says Aveline with a wry little smile. “Give my best to Leandra.”

“Didn’t you hear? Leandra is hosting Hawke’s future wife,” chimes in Isabela.

“And she’s lovely!” adds Merrill, earnestly excited.

“Future wife, Hawke?” asks Aveline. “Leandra must be beside herself.”

Hawke’s eyes roll deeply back into their sockets. “They’re visiting for the week. An old friend and her daughter. Figure I’ll spend a little extra time down in Lowtown this week.”

“Aw, Hawke. What if she’s nice? You could use a nice girl,” says Aveline

“Like a singing, dancing bogfisher,” gazing at Aveline doubtfully.

She shakes her head at him in that same Maker-forsaken sisterly way she always has, but he has to acknowledge there’s some truth to it. His romantic heart has too long been preoccupied and alone, fixating on an impractical mirage. He daydreams of something. A secret intimacy of terrible jokes and favorite touches. Of lazy mornings and shared investigations. But he doubts the finicky creature who smirked at him once would be the woman for the job. There isn’t space in this life of his for anyone who can’t keep pace with his nonsense.

Hawke glances around at the carnage— a rather tidy victory, he admits— barely a mess for the street sweeps to cope with, and little more than a sweat broken. He remembers the stab wound near his elbow and shakes out his forearm and hand again before downing a mild healing pot and making a note to dress it at home.

“Watch your coffers, Hawke,” warns Dougal with a smirk as he’s hauled away.

“Better hurry on back,” says Aveline again with that same teasing diffidence.

Hawke snorts softly and thanks her for her timely aid. He makes everyone promise to bother him at the Hanged Man later where he’ll be taking refuge from the machinations of his mother and the elder Trevelyan woman.

Varric comes up alongside him and pats his back, fully aware of the long misery that’s in the midst of flickering out at last. “Come on, Chuckles. I’ll walk you home.”

[divinekangaroo]

I attempted to replay DAII a few weeks back for the pleasure/refresher of the story and the character arcs but just couldn’t bring myself to do it. Have lost lots of capacity to enjoy game mechanics which extend length of time to engage w story and notwithstanding the dialogue is quite excellent (in a game context) it’s clunky for, say, a story, and the physical/visual staging in character interactions is v dated. (Key Settings are pretty decent for symbolism tho)

and that’s when I realised the first time ever why sometimes fans *do* get interested enough to write full novelisations of a thing.

[glwritesff]

I know I’m never around anymore but I had this amazing thought. Baldur’s Gate 3’s Karlach and Shadowheart, Dragon Age 2’s Isabela and Aveline, and Critical Role Campaign 2’s Jester and Yasha all somehow having one of those chicken fights in the pool. Smols on swoles’ shoulders. I can see it so vividly. Idk how they end up there since obviously Karlach could evaporate the pool but it’s a hilarious and wholesome image regardless. Whether it’s a romantic ship thing or platonic, it’s so damn amusing to me. If I find time I’ll do a fanfic for it but otherwise I throw it to the hands of others to enjoy.

[anneapocalypse]

I love my emotionally repressed pirate not-gf.

[sulky-valkyrie]

Hey Val!! Challenge time! “Yeah, that’s my partner over there. Oh, and right there is my other partner. I am so lucky to have them, actually.” for Zevran, Isabela, and Fenris?

I didn't use the prompt dialogue exactly, but I hope you'll forgive me <3 for @dadrunkwriting

Someone was pounding on the mansion door.  “Fenris!”  The echo and the distance made it impossible to recognize the voice over the throbbing of his head. 

He groaned and pulled the pillow over his ears.  It didn’t help.  Wine hangovers could be bad enough, but Antivan port was a whole new world of pain.  A hand caressed his back.  “Oh, sweetie, you really overdid it last night.”

“You’ve made a deal with a demon,” Fenris grumbled.  “That’s the only explanation why you’re upright.”

Bela chuckled softly as she stroked his hair, and even that hurt.  Or maybe it was the continued banging on the door.  “Should I go get rid of Hawke?”

“How do you know it’s him?”

“Who else would it be?”

He rolled over and rubbed his temples.  “He normally just barges in.”

She picked up her shirt, sniffed it, made a face, then grabbed his tunic and pulled it over her head.  It barely covered her ass and looked far better on her than it ever had on him.  “True, but he saw us head out together last night; maybe he’s trying to be polite.” 

“Trying, perhaps, but failing.”

Bela snorted.  “It’s what he does best.”

“Trying?  Or failing?”

She laughed, making him wince, and padded out, bare feet blessedly soundless as Fenris carefully sat up.  He heard the front door creak open, and an exclamation of surprise, then Aveline’s voice wafted up toward the bedroom.

“Nuncio said he’s a murderer.  Hawke thought it was a load of nugshit, so he passed it off to the guard.  And why are you here, anyway?”

“For sex, naturally!  I believe you’re familiar with the concept - Maker, I hope you are.  Married three years and he better be cupping your Joining, if you know what I mean.”

“Why is it always sex with you?” Their voices were getting closer.

“What else would it be?  I just told you that’s why I’m here.  And why Fenris isn’t going anywhere today.”  

His leggings were within reach, but putting them on felt like too much work, especially considering the roiling chaos in his belly.  “What, did you tie him up?”

“Hardly.  Someone learned that he can’t drink Antivan port the same way he drinks wine, and by the Maker, I’m going to get what I came here for.”

“This is serious, Isabela. This Zevran is a menace - I’ve heard about him before.  Tried to kill the Hero of Fereldan, for the Maker’s sake.”

The bed shifted behind Fenris and an arm snaked around his waist as a kiss was pressed to his hip.  “I did no such thing.  They didn’t have the title at the time.”

He smiled and reached back to ruffle Zevran’s hair.  “So who is this Nuncio?”

Zevran rolled over.  “Just another Crow, mi amor.  They come in flocks, you know.  This one believes strongly in delegation, but I suppose he’s decided I’ve killed enough of his House.”  He sighed.  “Such a waste.”  He slipped off the bed and started digging through the clothing that had been strewn about the room over the course of yesterday evening’s activities.  “I have something for that head of yours.”

Fenris snorted, then grimaced as he squeezed the back of his neck to try to ease the pain.  “Poison, I hope?”

“For you? No,” Zevran chuckled.  Bela and Aveline were arguing their way up the stairs, and Zevran pulled a dagger out nonchalantly.  “For our visitor?  Depends.”

He shook his head, then leaned on the table by the bed, breathing slowly through his nose, as a wave of dizziness and nausea hit him.  “Unlikely.”

The door banged open as Aveline barged in.  “The guard needs your help.”

“The guard can make an appointment,” he grumbled as he headed past her to the privy.

“Fine, this is the meeting to schedule the appointment,” Aveline snapped, catching his arm.  “The appointment to go find an Antivan Crow menacing my city.”

“Oh surely you can settle this amicably!”  Zevran exclaimed.  “A Crow can be a deadly beast, and a team not in full harmony will have a terrible time bringing one to his knees, even if he wants to be there.”

She let go of Fenris’ arm in surprise.  “Who the void are you?”  She blinked a few more times to try to adjust her eyes to the darkness of the far corner.  “And why are you naked?”

Bela laughed.  “I told you: for sex.  Also, congratulations on apprehending the suspect.”  She ruffled Aveline’s hair.  “However, we’re still using him.”

“Using and abusing!” Zevran said cheerfully as he slipped the dagger back into its sheath, so casually that it looked like he’d just happened to be holding it rather than readying to kill someone.  “Now, am I coming quietly or loudly?  And will you be taking me directly to Nuncio after that?”

Isabela frowned.  “Zev, you don’t -”

“Oh, mi amor, you’re so mistaken.  This was the point all along.”

Aveline sighed and pinched her nose.  “You’re lucky.”

“To have them?”  Zevran grinned.  “I thank the Maker for them every day.”

[mass-effect-galaxy]

Dragon Age 2 - The Movie

This is the "Tale of the Champion" who came to Kirkwall as a poor refugee and rose to the rank of the Champion of Kirkwall - losing everything she had on that path.