#i love lucanis's little amused chuckle as well

[fiannans]

I wish I had half as much game as my Rook because this was smooth as f*ck.

[writerfromshikahr]

Because Illario can't help himself flirt with Rook and I had to use "that line" to start a little piece.

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Enough, Illario (Part 1) - Lucanis X Rook Fanfic

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"You know, de Riva, you chose the wrong Dellamorte."

Rook's eyebrow arched. "Is that so? I wasn't aware I had chosen one at all."

Lucanis shot him a look.

"I'm charming, clearly more handsome, and the things I can do to you...." Illario started, but Lucanis kicked him under the café table, making him jolt in his chair.

"That's enough, cousin," Lucanis said quietly.

"What?! We're just having a little fun. Always so serious, Lucanis."

"We are here to discuss Crow business, not inflate your already overstuffed ego. This is why your contracts always go wrong."

Illario smirked. "Sometimes wrong feels better." He winked at Rook.

"I'd prefer not to die anytime soon, yeah..." Rook replied flatly.

"See? Even Rook doesn't fall for your idiotic charm."

"Yet..." Illario added with a sly grin. "I have never failed to bed a Crow I fancy."

"Aww, how sweet. Well, you can call me your first disappointment then," she shot back.

Lucanis spat his coffee back into his cup, trying to stifle a laugh.

"I love a challenge from a beautiful woman," Illario smirked.

Rook's lips curved into a mischievous smile as she leaned forward, resting her chin on her hand. "Oh, I wouldn't call it a challenge. More like an impossibility."

Illario's eyes gleamed with amusement, clearly undeterred. "Impossibility? You wound me, mi amada. Surely you can't deny the allure of an irresistible man like myself."

Lucanis shot his cousin a pointed glare. "The only thing irresistible about you is your ability to ruin a meeting. Maybe focus on that talent instead."

Rook chuckled, her laugh soft and utterly unbothered by Illario's relentless flirting. "Lucanis does have a point. If your jobs are anything like your attempts to flirt, I can see why they might go sideways."

Illario placed a dramatic hand over his chest, pretending to be mortally offended. "You both wound me! And here I thought Antivan Crows were meant to appreciate style and finesse."

Lucanis sighed, clearly done with the conversation but unwilling to abandon the sharp amusement tugging at his lips. "Your version of 'style' belongs in a tavern, Illario, not at a Crow meeting."

Illario choked on his drink. "By the Maker, you two deserve each other. So serious, so sharp-tongued...it's no wonder you're not fun at parties."

"At least we leave them alive," Rook quipped.

Lucanis coughed to disguise the laugh threatening to escape, while his cousin sighed and leaned back in his chair. "Fine, fine. I can tell when I'm not appreciated."

"Can you?" Lucanis muttered under his breath, earning him another laugh from Rook.

Illario wagged a finger at both of them. "One day, Rook, you'll regret underestimating my charms and all I can offer, in the bedroom and on a contract."

"Not likely," Rook replied smoothly, before turning her attention to Lucanis.

Illario leaned closer to her, lowering his voice conspiratorially. "You know, de Riva, a woman like you deserves someone who truly appreciates her. Someone who knows how to make you..."

Lucanis placed his coffee cup down just a little harder than necessary. "Enough, Illario."

"Touchy," he replied, grinning wider as he turned back to Rook. "But I understand. He’s always been the brooding type and never shares his feelings."

"And here I thought assassins were supposed to be elusive and guarded. Unlike you," she replied, her eyes darting briefly toward Lucanis, catching the flicker of tension in his expression.

"Don't worry, if subtlety ever bores you, you know where to find me."

"Careful, Illario," she replied, her tone sharp but amused. "Keep pushing, and Lucanis might decide to silence you for good."

He grinned, clearly enjoying himself. "Ah, but then he’d have to admit why he did it, and we couldn't have that now, could we, cousin?"

"Sometimes incrimination is worth the risk." Lucanis said into his coffee, taking a long, thoughtful sip.

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Part 2 can be found HERE

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[bleummie]

Up and Adder

Okay, so the brainworms had a thought, and Viago is just such a good character. Plus, this letter made me cackle when I read it in-game. I love him and Teia together, but couldn’t stop thinking about this idea. Both Rook and Bishop (Rook’s twin) are Elven with the Crow background! Can’t decide if I want to write more on this or not yet!

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Rook was a little shocked by the fact she’d found a letter adorned with the seal of the Antivan crows upon waking, tapping her fingers on the teacup clutched in her hand. With a raised eyebrow and a look of recognition, Lucanis fell into step behind her, halting just short enough to feel the body heat radiating off her back. 

He clutched his coffee cup tighter, giving Rook a sympathetic look. His nose scrunched at the smell of her tea, but he made no effort to move away as he tried to read the letter over her shoulder. 

Upon first inspection, there was a note in a different handwriting from the rest, scrawled messily in the top margin. 

“Rook, if you don’t mind getting this letter to your sister, that would be appreciated. I found this crumpled up beside the waste bin in 

Vi’s office and thought it was too good not to send.

-Teia”

Rook snorted in amusement at that, before sipping on her tea some more, earning her a disgusted noise from Lucanis. She shot him a playful glare before continuing to read the letter. 

The date reads six months ago- six months into Rook and Bishop’s not-so-subtle leave of absence from the Crows. While Rook remained pissed at Bishop for impulsive ‘plan’ that led to the rescue gone wrong that got them sent away from home with Varric, she couldn’t deny that what they did was worth it. 

With a sigh at the memory (and her sisters impulsive antics), she continues reading the letter. 

“Idiot: 

I hope you're reading this. If the trail really has led you to Tevinter, it'll be harder to get messages through. The Antaam in Antiva are prickly about anything to do with our neighboring kingdom. Back home, things have cooled, but they are not forgotten. Killing all those Antaam may have felt righteous in the moment, but the Talons are still complaining that your actions ruined weeks of setting up a larger, more effective strike. 

I am one of the Talons still complaining. Consider this trip with Varric a contract. Crows don't fail contracts, especially Crows from House de Riva who may need to improve their judgment. But there is more at stake than honor. Whatever this "Solas" is up to needs to be stopped. I've seen enough of his handiwork to know that.

Don't get careless out there. Don't fail. And don't get yourself killed, or I will come after you in the Fade myself.

-Viago”

Rook couldn’t stop the chuckle that tore from her throat at the passive aggressive unsent letter addressed to her sister. She turned to Lucanis to show him the letter as well, watching his face closely as it contorted into an amused smirk. 

“Something juicy?” Neve asks as she saunters over to the kitchen table with her own cup of coffee. 

“Just a funny letter addressed to my sister.” Rook replies, holding out the letter with a small chuckle. With a raised eyebrow, Neve takes it, scanning over the note amusedly. 

“This Viago seems awfully concerned.” Neve chuckles with a knowing smirk. 

“That’s seriously what you took from that?” Lucanis asks incredulously with a shake of his head. 

“Bishop’s always had a way of getting under Viago’s skin. It’s quite entertaining actually. But Teia’s always ranted about how whenever Bishop isn’t there he gets more pissy than usual. I’m not sure that’s possible though, considering when she is there, she drives him up the wall.” Rook admits. 

As if on cue, looking absolutely disheveled, Bishop sauntered into the dining hall, very obviously having just woken up. Mindlessly, the elf shuffles over to the coffee, and dispenses some for herself, stretching in the process. Alert, her eyes dart over to the group gathered around the table. 

“What’s this?” Bishop points to the letter in Rook’s hand. 

With a slight chuckle, and poorly contained laughter from the rest of the group, Bishop takes the letter suspiciously. 

As she reads the first couple lines of Viago’s scrawl, Bishop lets out a loud cackle, which only becomes louder as she reads the rest of the note. 

“Yikes.” Is the only response from the elf as she carefully folds the letter, giving away the fact that her defiant and unbothered attitude she presented wasn’t exactly the truth. Gingerly, she tucks the letter into her pants pocket and finishes adding cream and sugar to her coffee. This earns a couple raised eyebrows and a knowing look from Neve, but Bishop ignores it for now, as she walks off with her coffee. 

“How long have your sister and him been involved?” Neve asks pointedly. 

Rook raises an eyebrow curiously, and Lucanis stifles a chuckle. “They aren’t? What?” 

“You sure? Wasn’t he the one that immediately went on a rant directed at your sister when we went to inquire about hiring Lucanis? Which, I’ll remind you, was pretty much the second your sister set foot out of the eluvian at the Diamond.” Neve says with a chuckle. 

“Yeah. He was. But that’s just how they always are.” Rook replies

“I remember that. They bickered like an old married couple.” Harding interjects, obviously having listened in to the earlier discussion. This causes a raised eyebrow from Lucanis. 

“Your sister back talks the Talon of house de Riva, and gets away with it? Seriously, that’s-“ He asks. 

“Yeah, but she’s also one of the only people dumb enough to do so.” Rook interrupts. 

“I think he’s fond of her. And I’ve only got one interaction and this letter to base it off of.” Neve adds with a smirk. 

“But him and Teia-“ 

“Are together for a week before splitting for months on end. Then repeating the process.”  Lucanis adds thoughtfully, as if he’s piecing together the possibility of Viago feeling something for Rook’s somehow more chaotic twin. 

“Next time you see the two of them, just watch.” Neve says as she pats her now mortified friend on the shoulder. 

Lucanis gives Rook a sympathetic smile before placing a kiss to the top of her head, and squeezing her shoulder. 

“Not you too, Lucanis. Please tell me Neve is completely off base with this guess.” In response, Lucanis only quietly presses another kiss to her hair, not answering Rook directly. Rook grumbles, now reanalyzing every single moment she’s ever seen with the Talon of their house and Bishop. 

Rook grimaces at the thought of having to investigate further, but supposes there is no harm in paying closer attention next time they seem to all have business in Treviso. 

Right?

[exalted-dawn-drabbles]

hiiii happy friday! Talenna/Lucanis for "you take the umbrella. i'll be fine." from the will they won't they prompts?

hehehehe a little slice of life for you on this fine eve uwu for @dadrunkwriting, DA4 Content ahead! Rated G: Fluff, Slice of Life, ~500 words

The Love in Pointless Things | By Exalted_Dawn

A curious piece of oiled canvas, dark like ink, hung over her head, only just barely in view. The peppered pelt of rain against her head – a steady, meandering rhythm– came to a sudden and regrettable stop. Talenna tipped her head back to further study the strange contraption, all wooden dowels and blackness, before turning her head back to Lucanis. “Alright, you’ve stumped me. What sort of far-fangled shem contraption is it this time?” 

He walked beside her, an arm outstretched to hold the silly thing over her even as he himself was becoming increasingly soaked through by the storm. 

Lucanis lifted his brow at her. “You have never seen a umbrello before?” 

Talenna snorted. “No, certainly not.” She held her hand out in front of her, catching the rain drops against the heart of her palm. The sky continued to empty itself over them, striking the cobblestone and splashing up against their legs. Everywhere soaked, save the small pocket Lucanis kept above her head. 

“It is meant to keep us dry,” he explained. 

“Well it’s doing a shite job of it,” she chuckled, pointedly noting how thoroughly soaked he was. He looked just as waterlogged as the street cats. She turned her amusement back to the strange contraption. “Is there some special reason we need to stay dry? It’s only rain– it won’t hurt you.”

She might as well have insulted his taste in knives.

Lucanis looked taken aback, leveling her with a scowl so stormy it rivaled the clouds above them. “It may not bleed you, but Traviesa, sickness can kill just as efficiently as any blade or vial of poison. Are you not from Ferelden? I assumed you would know this better than most.” 

“I ‘would know better than most’ that it’s important not to freeze your arse off by staying too long in wet clothes, but this is hardly Ferelden, and it’s only a few more blocks before we reach the Diamond-” Talenna tilted the ‘umbrello’ back over Lucanis’ head. The man had looked absolutely miserable just as soon as the weather had picked up. Out of the two of them, it was clear who needed the comfort more. “Take it. I assure you, I’ll be fine.” 

Lucanis looked like he was about to argue, but Talenna stooped to press a quick kiss to his lips. In spite of how silly, it was at least a sweet gesture. He was sweet.

“Fine,” he said, huffing as they parted. The mighty Demon of Vyrantium was surprisingly weak to kisses. “But if we return only for you to fall ill? I will be hearing no arguments this time about taking bed rest.” 

She grinned. “I’ll even have that gods-awful tea,” she promised. 

With laughter in her eyes, she danced back out into the rain, immediately swept up once more in its rhythm.