#dnd honor among thieves fic

[searchingforserendipity25]

Knit, Purl, Improvise | Dangeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves. ON AO3

For Lukani, as part of the Yuletide Exchange.

“You have dropped a stitch,” Xenk said helpfully, three days into their long scouting mission. 

“Honestly, and this is just a friendly suggestion, feel free to take it, piss off,” Edgin said. And then; “Shit, not the double stitch. I swear double stitches love to be dropped, they’re just dying for it. Where do I -”

“Right there.” 

Xenk shifted closer. The sunlight slanting through the firs and elms fell upon his cheeks with intent, as if it were perfectly aware and quite smug about its role in highlighting his beauty. Edgin stared - it was physically impossible not to stare, okay? Even Holga would have stared, and she was very much not into tall guys. 

Edgin cursed, fished out the lost stitch, and cursed again when it was clear he had to unravel a whole couple of rows to get it back into shape.

Xenk extended a hand. Long fingers, graceful wrists, calluses like - not like Holga, really. Fighter's hands; good hands. Edgin felt a normal amount, about them. "If I may -"

"Nay, you may not - nuh-huh! Get your hands off, mister. No needle-hogging here, thanks very much. If you wanted something to keep busy you should have brought it yourself, deal with it."

Xenk really was quite - well, not much taller than Edgin, but very present. Edgin was very aware of it, with the way they had sat together on the same cold boulder for hours now, peering down at the ravine below, and the cave where a band of traffickers were bound to show up, sooner or later. It looked like it was going to be a later situation.

Even Edgin found it pretty tasteless to make money off looting graves and selling the mummified corpses of ancient pixie chieftains to the highest bidder, though, and their sponsors paid decently, so he didn’t feel too bad about the bother.

Didn’t mean he hadn’t complained about it, but at least he had offered to share his egg sandwich with Xenk - that was nice, right? He was making nice, the way one made nice with an occasional coworker who did not make conversation and did not like egg sandwiches. Who, Edgin asked, did not like egg sandwiches? And he kept looking disapproving when Edgin stepped on the trails of ants that tried to make off with the crusts. No one made off with Edgin's crusts, only Holga and Kira were allowed to have his crusts.

"I am not needle-hogging," Xenk said, spacing out the vowels carefully. "I am not even touching your needles. Which I suspect, by that logics, makes you the needle-hogger here."

"Am not!"

"I merely wished to offer help where I may."

"Well, don't," Edgin snapped, and got busy tug-tug-tugging the yarn, unravelling his afternoon's work. "I am making a lovely scarf for my lovely daughter, and I am perfectly capable of making it myself."

Edgin sighed loudly. "Of course you knit. I bet you do great socks - fancy stuff, right? Marino shawls, and stuff. No, wait." Edgin narrowed his eyes, framed Xenk's face between his fingers like a pretentious portrait trying to get the sitter's measure. "You do lace knitting, don't you."

"The kindly farmers that took me in were often local champions at the local competition of threading thin shawls through rings," Xenk admitted.

"Flunk you," Edgin repeated, with feeling. Xenk's mouth tilted with a smile, just slightly. "Yeah, laugh it up, local father of one precocious kid edits out a few swear words, funny stuff. I'm doing just fine without a knitting advisory, thanks."

"There is no shame in taking aid when it is offered. Indeed, I was laid down for many moons abed with a wound, while in the care of a kindly family of farmers, when I first was taught the craft of knitting. And I must say," Xenk added, tilting his head in that disconcerting, insightful way that made the fine hairs to the back of Edgin's hair rise with not-unpleasant fright. "I am surprised at the techniques you apply. There are easier ways to undo this error than to start wholly anew."

Edgin bristled. The sun was in his eyes, now - the clouds kept chasing each other across the narrow strip of sky they could see from their spying place. Honestly, it was getting kind of chilly; but of course they couldn't start a fire, and like hell he was asking Xenk to cast a warming cantrip.

Xenk had cast a warming cantrip over their camping site every night so far, but it was the principle of the thing.

"So?"

Xenk considered him. Which was. Certainly an experience. Edgin would like it to be over as soon as possible, but, again: he could not quite look away.

"I believe you to be a man very fond of shortcuts."

"Why, Paladin Xenk, are you calling me a cheater? I am hurt," Edgin said a hand on his chest, nearly stabbed himself in the face, and turned down the needles in a dramatic movement, as if he really had meant to show he was back-stabbed levels of hurt. "Truly."

"I am merely pointing out. As a friendly suggestion. For what it counts, your scarf does look lovely."

Of course it did. Edgin had learned from his Gramps, all the wool-stuff sailors worked at in the quiet of the night, crammed together in miserable bunks by the swaying light of foul-smelling lanterns. Gramps made beautiful cardigans, thick, scratchy, wonderful shirts. So did Edgin.

"Hell yeah it is. Which you only get if you do things properly." Do it proper start to finish, my Ned, and only leave a mistake so the spirits know not to get funny ideas.

Thing was, wool was awfully expensive. Nothing you could make a living out of, really; or at least he'd never managed it. He imagined telling Xenk that, and bit back a shiver: how the hell did people even get through these long waits? How did people get to know each other, even. He had never felt the need to prove himself to Holga - or, well, he did, every day, otherwise he'd have let himself die a thousand times, he cared about her opinion more than anything and sort of built up his identity around her faith in him in a cute, a little codependent way, but. It was different with Xenk.

Whatever - dusk was setting. The ants were going nuts on the bit of crust he had left for them, well away from his blanket - Xenk ought to be happy about that, not that he cared. There were bigger things to worry about. Tonight would be the last one of their watch, he could tell; the air was shivering in the leaves, eager. His neck prickled. Start to finish, and enough mistakes for bad luck to pass through.

Well, Edgin made mistakes aplenty, and the world liked Xenk better than most; between the two of them, they ought to be fine. 

"Your stitches are slipping again," Xenk noted.

"Brotherflunker," Edgin cursed, and bent down to work the needles with furious speed, the better to avoid Xenk's eyes, that tilted mouth.

[beaulesbian]

[stormy-days-27]

one of the first times I played DnD I played a sorcerer that constantly forgot she had spells (because I constantly forgot I had spells and the DM had to keep reminding me), and all I'm saying is I think it'd be really funny if Edgin is definitely 100% a bard but he just constantly forgets he has magic/spells.

bonus points if Xenk has to constantly remind Edgin that he does, in fact, have magic.

just imagine the party is in a tough spot and Edgin has lost his lute and doesn't quite know what to do, and Xenk is like "Edgin. You have spells. It would serve you well to use them." and Edgin is just stands there for a bit like "Oh... right" and then starts casting.

[treesspeaklatin]

Words of affirmation 

"Edgin, the way you defeated that monster was remarkable. Your lute, crashing down on its derriere, produced a heavenly melody, proof of your talent both as an adventurer and as a musician."

Edgin rolls his eyes.

Failure.

Acts of Service 

"Xenk, you didn't have to make soup." 

"I gladly obliged."

"No, you really didn't have to. It's burned." 

Failure. 

Receiving gifts 

"What the hell is that."

"The Stone of Deep Sleep. It makes you sleep for three consecutive days." 

"Xenk."

"You said you had difficulty falling asleep."

"Xenk."

Failure.

Quality time 

"Hey, Xenk, what are you doing here?"

"I felt the need for your companionship."

"Xenk. Uh, here again."

"I felt the need for your companionship."

"Here he comes, straight ahead."

"I felt the need-"

"Ugh!"

Failure.

Physical contact 

"Can you tell me what the hell is wrong with you?"

"Having difficulty expressing my sincere romantic devotion towards you, I did some enlightening reading discovering that love has five languages. I was trying to figure out which one you express yourself in so-"

Edgin's mouth crashes into Xenk's. Edgin's entire body also crashes against Xenk's. 

"The language of idiots, that's the one," Edgin mumbles.

Finally, a success.

---

This time I cheated a bit and wrote a double drabble of 200 words. Prompt was "Xenk reading about love languages and trying to discover Edgin's ones" by karamazovsister. All my xedgin drabbles are on ao3.

[elwenyere]

Should the Way Become Too Dim (DND: HAT, Xedgin)

Word Count: 6.6k

Rating: T

Tags: 5+1 Things, Holding Hands, Feast of Tropes, Getting Together

Author’s Note: It was a great joy to write this fic for the 2024 Rare Pair Exchange. Thank you to forsworn for the inspiring prompts, and thank you to the Tumblr Anon who expressed interest in Xedgin fic: this story is here because of your kind ask!

Summary:

“Hey.” Holga pointed a half-eaten potato spear at him. “Stop being pissy.”

“I’m not being pissy,” Edgin said, pissily.

“Yes you are. You’ve been pissy ever since you didn’t get to hold hands with Xenk in the caves.”

-----

Or, 5 times the hand-holding was functional + 1 time it was just for the feels

Read the Fic on AO3

[existentialcrisistime]

D&D: Honor Among Thieves (Xenk/Edgin) fic rec list:

These are just based on those I've read and loved so far. There are so many incredible works coming out of this new fandom that I'm sure I'll have enough recs for a second post in another month or so.

Because this turned onto a bit of a long post, the recs are below the cut.

I've marked the rating by each fic, but please do mind the tags!

Curse of the Green Hag by @moorishflower (E, 16k)

Xenk contracts a fuck-or-die curse and turns up on Edgin's doorstep for the first time since Neverwinter. Also contains an excellent cameo from Holga, a bit of bondage, Xenk's first time, and A Lot of emotions. And of course the actual smut is top tier. Already wanting to read this one again.

High Praise Indeed by enchantedsleeper (T, 3k)

Xenk stops by Holga and Edgin's cottage to find Edgin in the throes of a breakup. In the process of trying to persuade Edgin of his many worthy qualities, he accidentally reveals a little too much. Short and very sweet, with cameos from Holga and Kira. Would recommend for fans of pining idiots.

in the absence of truth by @floralprintshark (E, 13k)

Five times Ed says that he hates Xenk and one time he doesn't. Yes, a 5+1 things, but oh it's so much more than that! There are heists and hijinks, accidental asshole Edgin, uncertain and inexperienced Xenk, and a hint of polyamory between Simon and Doric, but the whole party are featured and written perfectly here. Also contains Many emotions. I sent this one to the group chat, and we were ALL screaming about it (in the best way)

Universal Glue by Korwwa (E, 10k)

A rescue mission goes wrong, and Xenk and Edgin get caught in, yes, a glue trap. The premise may sound like a crack fic, but it's definitely taken seriously, whilst still being very fun. Plus a wee bit of angst for (delicious) seasoning.

Scraping the Moss Off the Standing Stones by @letmetellyouaboutmyfeels (E, 4k)

Established relationship, Xenk comes home after a long time away and Edgin takes care of him. Oh boy, this fic sure packs a lot into just 4k words, and I feel like the author just Gets how I imagine Xenk - always seen as holy or evil, but just wanting to be treated like a person. Also very hot - I'm weak for some well-written dirty talk and this is perfect.

When the well runs dry by demon_faith (G, 2k)

Part one of the Time Heals All Wounds series, which can either be read as a series or as stand-alone fics. Established relationship, Edgin is badly injured, and Xenk is unable to heal him. A classic hurt/comfort with a good bit of Edgin whump, and Xenk struggling with the reality of that.

On the edge of a blade by demon_faith (T, 3k)

Part two of the series, again established relationship. This time, Xenk gets badly hurt, and it's up to Edgin to take care of him. Heavy on both the hurt and the comfort.

lay on hands by @hauntedfalcon (E, 2k)

A getting-together/first-time fic, with a healthy dose of body worship. Xenk gets off on Edgin's metaphors. Beautifully written, and also my initial thoughts were - this is an author who sure is clued up on the names of medieval clothing/armor.

half your life (you've been hooked on death) by roundtriptojupiter (T, 2.5k)

Edgin struggles to process the events of the past six months, when Xenk turns up at his doorstep. Or, Edgin and Xenk process grief together, then kiss about it. A great exploration of Edgin's emotions, not only regarding Zia and Holga, but of the other people he may have harmed along the way.

We can burn much brighter (if we don't look back) by enchantedsleeper (T, 6k)

Xenk apprehends Forge and learns of the events that transpired at Neverwinter. Grappling with the fact that his past almost repeated itself while he was too far away to help, he encounters Edgin. Such a lovely post-movie fic, exploring just how Edgin and Xenk are processing their feelings in the wake of it.

Do you know you'll never fly alone? by MayGlenn (T, 1.2k)

Something a bit more light-hearted to end the recs list on: a fix-it of sorts, but for the poor undead guy in the post-credits scene. Xenk takes Edgin on a late night ride, to fix an issue he'd left behind, but maybe for something more also...

And that's that for now! Please do feel free to recommend your favourite D&D: Honor Among Thieves fics in return, or yell about which of these you loved the most. My comments and inbox are always open :))

And to the fic writers (and all fic writers out there), thank you so much for sharing these stories with us! You're all absolutely wonderful, talented people <3

[handwrittenhello]

"Dad?" Kira's voice filtered through the mindless haze of Edgin's cursing as he weeded the garden.

"Yeah, hon?" he replied distractedly. The mint was starting to take over, and while its leaves made a nice tea, there was only so much they could harvest at a time. He tried to calculate how much he could rip out without going overboard.

"I want to be a rogue."

Edgin's hands stilled on a clump of roots. He stared at the dirt underneath his fingernails. "Okay," he finally said, hearing himself from a distance.

"What?"

"Okay," he repeated. Thoughts surfaced one after another in his mind. He didn't put words to any of them. You're too young. We don't have to steal to get by anymore. I'm a horrible influence. Your mom would hate me.

"I thought..." She trailed off. "You're not mad?"

Edgin finally looked up. She stood just outside the garden, hovering behind the gate as if to keep a barrier between them. Her hands twisted in the fabric of her dress. It was getting short on her—she'd grown recently.

"Do you want me to be?" he asked mildly. "I don't know what you want me to say, honey." He couldn't say what he actually thought. He'd promised honesty, but...

"It's just... Uncle Forge..." Even now, she still called him that, and Edgin winced every time. A habit of two years was going to be hard to break.

Or, as his mind liked to remind him late at night when he should be sleeping, maybe she didn't want to break it. Maybe she wished he were her dad instead. What good was Edgin, failure of a man, compared to a life in Neverwinter Castle? A life she could never go back to, once he'd come along and stirred up a bunch of shit.

"What about him?" Edgin asked, turning back to the vegetables. As he pulled up carrots he imagined it was Forge's guts he was pulling out.

"I'm not doing it to be like him," she said in a rush. "I don't want to be like him."

Ha, Edgin thought savagely. Shaped in your image my ASS. "Well, good, because he's rotting in prison."

"That's not what I mean!" she said, but she was hiding a smile. "I just meant, I'm not following anyone. It's what I want to do."

"Well, you don't need my permission." As much as he hated it, he'd missed two years of her life; she was nearly grown, now. Another year or so and she'd be old enough to take on an apprenticeship, even though it seemed like yesterday he could fit her tiny swaddled body in the crook of one arm.

"You don't like it." She'd caught him out, and he froze.

Then he brushed the dirt from his hands and stood, his knees cracking loudly in protest. Gods, he was so old. To prove to himself he still could, he hopped over the fence to join her outside the garden.

"You're right, I don't like it. I don't like that you grew up while I wasn't there to see. I don't like that we never had the option of an honest living. I don't like that your mom would hate me for doing this to you." He reached out and pulled her into a hug. "But I like you, no matter what. If you think that becoming a rogue is what's right for you, then do it. Don't ever change yourself just because you think someone will love you better for it."

"That's so sappy," she said, but her face was buried in his shirt and he knew she was hiding tears.

"I'm a bard. It comes with the job description."

"Good thing I'm not becoming a bard then." He broke the hug and pushed her away in mock disgust as she laughed.

"I take it all back, you're a disgrace of a daughter. I'm sending you to bardic college until you learn some respect."

She laughed again, a beautiful sound. He vowed, not for the first time, to do everything in his power to make sure she never stopped.

[toshkakoshka]

>be me

>see ao3 tag for xedgin because im relapsing

>see "bottom xenk" and 33k+ words of it with a dbh plot

>look at language

>its in chinese

[moorishflower]

To the Ends of the Earth (Xenk/Edgin magical binding, Mature)

To the Ends of the Earth || Xenk Yendar/Edgin Darvis || Mature || Complete

Magical Bond, Pining, Enemies to Friends to Lovers, Sharing a Bed, Gift Giving, Medium Burn, As in not quite slow burn, Imprisonment, Caretaking, Healing, Sharing Trauma, Hand Jobs, Geographical Isolation, Cold Weather, This was compared to Left Hand of Darkness and honestly I can't ask for more

Sent by the High Harpers to retrieve a criminal to aid in a desperate mission, and authorized to use binding magic to ensure his cooperation, Xenk comes to understand and long for the former Harper agent Edgin Darvis during the tenday they spend in Icewind Dale, surrounded on all sides by ice, and cold, and endless lonely nothingness.

[Read it on AO3!]

[haveyoureadthisfanfic]

Summary: Xenk struggles to endure and prays to Ilmater for help. Ilmater answers.

Author: @frenchkey

[revirag]

I just finished watching the DnD: Honor among thieves movie, it was fun and a good amount of silly and i highly recommend watching it! That said, slight spoilers ahead.

Where are my Edgin/Xenk shippers? Is there a fun shipname I haven't seen yet? Xengin? Edgenk? Honestly all the variations I can think of suck, I am looking for options!

A recent escaped inmate bard whose only choice of attack is swinging his (very sturdily made) lant around and a some flavour of neurodivergent paladin who seems, moves and speaks like a fairy tale knight? A trying-to-be responsible dad, his daughter and their motly found-family versus a long-lived loner who does not appreciate irony? Come on, you throw in the fact that being with Xenk constantly reminds Edgin that he has caused the murder of his own wife while you surround Xenk with a ragtag group of assholes, who unlike most people in his life don't see him as a paladin but as a (how dare he be so good at everything, that asshole) person.

There is some peak chance for whump with both of them, especially with Xenk who is 100+ years old, does not seem to have a truly permanent base of operations and has seen his family die and come back as monsters when he was a child and has spent fighting and killing his people since then.

I want to see a Xenk who rather then just appearing, helping and disappearing again starts to form a life around these people, who gets to have and adapt to a quasi-daughter (and a quasi-sister, Holga and Edgin are raising a kid together, they are basically chosen siblings at this point and you can fight me on this). While Edgin is drinking in the corner of a pub cause how is this his taste? He is ashamed of himself.

[gothiethefairy]

so, after watching the movie, my first thoughts were "edgin and xenk should've kissed and adopted a baby together to raise so kira can have a sibling."

so i decided to plop an orphan tabaxi cub into xenk's arms. xenk was close by where edgin, holga and kira lives so decides to stop there bc xenk may be "mr. perfect paladin" but he's not too knowledgeable about taking care of a baby. edgin is reluctant at first but he does have a soft spot for kids, especially babies so he lets xenk into their home.

- xenk was at first planning on taking the orphan to an orphanage, similar to the one he stayed at when he was a child. (kinda like a church) edgin wasn't on board with the idea, pushing xenk to take the baby in. ("but i travel a lot. i am not fit to raise a child." "yeah, neither was i! it's fine, the kid can stay here! you can stay here!" -cue awkward silence-)

- the tabaxi cub is a lot smaller than your average cub, and xenk suspects because the baby is a runt. the only item the child has is a bracelet with the markings of trees on it.

- when kira asked for the baby's name, xenk said they did not have one so they were brainstorming ideas. holga took one look at the cub and said "looks like a gary to me." so the name stuck. (xenk wasn't too keen the name, trying to be respectful of the tabaxi culture. edgin added "of the woods" to the name to please xenk. so the cub's name is gary of the woods.)

- our running joke with this au is that the baby is small, but when they grow up, ends up being the tallest of the whole bunch. holga still calls gary "little bit" tho.

- edgin is stubborn about it, but helping xenk take care of a baby is making him fall for the guy. xenk has always found edgin to be interesting, but he too is falling for edgin bc edgin treats him like a normal person and is actually a good father, even if edgin doesn't believe it himself half of the time. it's all very slow-burn. (one particular scenario i have is edgin encouraging xenk to sing a lullaby to little gary, who is crying. xenk is slow to start but starts singing a thayan lullaby his mother used to sing. it calms the baby down and it actually makes xenk emotional. edgin is all, heart in his eyes bc this was the most he's ever seen xenk emote and also wtf, this guy has a voice of an angel.)

- gary when he's older: this is my papa, xenk. and my dad, edgin. and my auntie holga. and my big sister, kira. and my other auntie doric. and that's simon!! (´∀`) he's my best friend!! (simon with his hands over his heart, getting all teary eyed)

- gary of the woods looks like this:

[love-toxin]

absolutely slogging my way thru this week of work (it's tuesday 😭) and the only thing holding me together rn is that i rewatched dndhat and this funky guy is in my brain

[trexrecs]

XEDGIN FIC REC

If not by faith by @moorishflower

Dungeons and Dragons: Honor Among Thieves: Xenk/ Edgin

E, 69k, Canon divergence, Courtship

There are a lot of great Xedgin fics, but this one really stood out to me. It's a total canon divergence; Edgin and Helga decide that their town isn't safe and decide to travel south, eventually encountering Xenk. But despite Xenk's evident goodness and their immediate chemistry, Edgin can't get over his prejudice against Thayans.

The family comes to settle down in the same town where it turns out Xenk is living and Edgin is forced to face his prejudices for the sake of his daughter.

I love how the author has incorporated the relationships between all four main characters in this fic; one of the most poignant scenes is when Xenk teaches Kira and Edgin how to do Kira's hair. Edgin's love for his daughter and his feelings of inadequacy are depicted really well, and the development of the relationship between him and Xenk is also very well done.

Xedgin is an easy ship to get into; if you're for some reason reading this but haven't watched Honor Among Thieves, go do it. It's a delightful movie, and there's a relatively small but amazing collection of fics to get into after.

[treesspeaklatin]

Edgin is a loving man. Xenk shouldn't be surprised he's good at this. Slipping his arm under Xenk's, pulling him close by the waist, resting his hand on Xenk’s thigh. Touches so skillful they seem sincere.

"How did you two fall in love?"

"He was noble, perfect and obnoxious," Edgin says, his gaze mischievous. "How could I let that go?" 

Edgin is also a professional fraudster. 

"And you, Xenk?"

Under the table, Edgin intertwines their fingers. No one will see, so why?

Xenk swallows. He can't pretend. "I had no choice.” 

His heart has always been willing prey for that thief.

---

prompt fake/pretend by karamazovsisters.

all my xedgin drabbles are here on ao3

[ari-the-arotistic]

Title: The most beautiful person in the world

Author: Xenk Yendar(Ari_the_Arotistic)

Rating: General Audiences

Pairings: Simon/Doric, Edgin/Xenk

Summary:

"So, how's the most beautiful person in the world today?" Doric asked Simon with a slightly flirtatious smile as she finished off her coffee, causing the sorcerer to nearly spit out his own drink, spluttering in embarrassment. Before he could even begin to form a response, they were both distracted by the loud sound of plates being set on the table as Xenk brought over their breakfast.

"Edgin is doing wonderfully, thank you for asking." The paladin replied in a chipper tone, an innocent smile on his face

-

Doric tries to move her relationship with Simon along with some light flirting, but Xenk is Xenk