#it was between this one and the past illario/hakim fling thing

[himbopunk]

not sure when i'll get back to this one buuuut here's the first chunk from the thing i wrote with bellara meddling/wingmanning lucanis with rook/hakim after clocking his Yearning (kind of based off this sketch comic i did forever ago)

“AHH–!” 

Bellara yelps as her grip slips, nearly falling from the top of the lattice she was using to get onto the next Treviso rooftop. Fortunately, Hakim– more reliably known as Rook– had reflexes that were much quicker than hers, his hand quickly reaching out to catch her. The other elf was able to pull her up onto the roof where he and Lucanis stood without much effort. He was noticeably shorter than her, possibly the shortest in the Veilguard aside from Harding, but his physique was much broader than her own, at least on the top half.

 Bellara sighed in relief as she was able to climb up with his help.

“Thanks, Rook!” She said, somewhat breathlessly, taking a moment before getting up to her feet. She was no stranger to running around and climbing about, but she found herself somewhat out of her element whenever the group found themselves in cities like Treviso and Minrathous, especially compared to the pair of rogues with her. Lucanis was at home in Treviso, obviously, it was his home. Hakim seemed less familiar, but he always seemed in his element here. And in Minrathous, and even in the Necropolis… and in– well, no, actually he always seemed a bit nervous in Arlathan. Probably a healthy thing to be, though, even she sometimes–

“Bellara?” Rook called out, snapping her out of her head. She must have gotten lost in thought for a moment.

“Huh?”

“I just asked if you were okay? We can slow down if you need.” Rook looked at her, the furrow in his brow shifting the shape of the snake tattooed on his forehead just slightly. He seemed concerned more than any kind of frustration with her wandering mind.

“I think I’m okay!”

“Are you sure?” Lucanis asked. “It’s no trouble, we’re not in any rush to get back to the Diamond.” Which they’d need to zipline from the roof to get to… that was a lot less room for error than climbing up the side of a building was, maybe she should take a break…

“I’m fine buuut… if we wanted to take a little break up here, I wouldn’t say no!” Rook and Lucanis glanced at each other, slightly amused, but not saying anything about it outright.

“You know,” Rook says as he stretches his arms out above him, feigning a yawn. “I am getting a bit tired, too, and we’ve been making pretty good time. I’m sure Viago won’t miss us too much if we take a minute. Lucanis?”

“Relax for a moment on a peaceful Treviso rooftop? I don’t know, Rook, it’s a difficult decision, but if we must...” The assassin smirks at the other rogue, who was rolling their eyes at him, grinning. 

“The two of you aren’t even Crows, anyways, I wouldn’t worry too much about being late with Viago.” Lucanis shrugs.

“Oh, I don’t!” Rook exclaims, laughing. Lucanis chuckled alongside him, but there was a glint of something in his eyes as he looked at Rook. She’d noticed it more than once when she was around the two, and more than once around Neve as well. It was fleeting, and hard to decipher exactly, but she’d been noticing it more often than not as of late, especially when he made Hakim smile or laugh. 

The three walk across the connected rooftops, slowly, leisurely. They passed through a door where there was a small bench on the other side, not too far away from the roof that housed the zipline back to the casino. Lucanis noticed the bench first, directing the others towards it with a nod. Bellara hesitated for a moment.

“Did you want to–” She begins to offer Lucanis the seat, but he puts his hand up, interrupting her before she could finish.

“I’m alright, Bellara, but thank you.” He smiles softly at her and she smiles back, taking the seat. Lucanis stood next to her, leaning against the wall, but the moment of relaxation didn't last long, as it seemed like Rook had managed to completely vanish in the time it took her to sit down. Bellara gets right back to her feet, the both of them wary of their leader’s disappearance. 

It’s not unlike Hakim to sneak off from time to time, but a little warning would be nice, given all that the gods have been doing to get back the dagger that hangs on his hip. After a moment of careful scanning, the collective anxiety begins to pass. Bellara doesn’t see him, but can tell that Lucanis clearly noticed something, as he starts walking away with purpose She follows him close behind, across the rooftop, wondering what he caught that she missed. Of course, as they draw closer, she too hears it: a soft mew, followed by barely-audible purring, and the distinct sound of their fearless leader cooing to a small kitten. The pair turns the corner, finding Rook squatted down, scratching the stray behind the ears.

“Rook, sometimes I think you have a sixth sense for finding strays to pet.” Bellara teased, but the other elf barely paid her any mind, preoccupied with the kitten. She turned to Lucanis, expecting him to make a similar comment or joke as well. Instead, she felt as though she was witnessing a moment out of her serials, as that hint of something she sometimes caught, twinkling in Lucanis’ eye? That longing, as it was clear to her now, was written all across his face. He was completely lost in it, as he watched Rook’s moment of tenderness with the cat. The softness in his big, brown eyes, the slight smile… Sure, she had thought there was something going on between them, but now it was clear, Lucanis had it bad.

This put her in a bit of an interesting place, though, as Bellara also knew that Rook had a thing for Lucanis, they had for a while now. He’d brought it up a week or so back, he’d been a couple drinks in, lamenting about his unrequited feelings to her, Harding, and Davrin in the hidden music room. Harding seemed unconvinced by the unrequited end of it. Davrin threatened to tell Lucanis himself, if Rook wouldn’t, which of course they objected to. Of course, that then devolved into the two half-drunkenly roughhousing when Hakim tried to stop Davrin from leaving the room. Harding and Bellara had just sort of watched and laughed at the display. (Davrin won.) (Of course.)

Bellara recalled saying that she wasn’t sure, when he’d said it then, having only ever seen that occasional twinkle from earlier. But now? She knew this went both ways, and it seemed she wasn’t the only one. Harding could tell, Davrin too, but neither of the men involved seemed to have any clue. Should she say something to Lucanis, to Hakim? Both? No, they were both so bad at talking about feelings… putting them on the spot would only make things worse, if they even believed her. She’d have to figure something else out. She thought again about her serials, about how the moment reminded her of the one she’d read last year, where the Orlesian bard was caught gazing at the Guard-Captain, refusing to acknowledge her feelings but thrown into them by circumstance, as they were paired together at the Marquis’ gala, finally unable to–

Wait. Maybe that was it. Maybe Bellara needed to find some way to help them talk on their own, where the feelings were impossible to ignore…

Bellara cleared her throat, not loud enough to startle the animal, but just enough to get Lucanis’ attention. He suddenly became aware of what he was doing, of Bellara watching him stare, slightly flustered to be caught in the act of yearning. The man avoided eye contact, staring directly at the floor. She had moved closer to tease him quietly, when they felt a sudden, but distant, dull ache strike them both, interrupting the moment.

The sensation was very distinct, Bellara felt the strange vibration of it in her bones and teeth, and yet simultaneously somewhere far, far outside of her, like a sound in the distance. It wasn’t something she’d experienced often, as far as magic sensations go. The only significant time recently was when she had investigated goings-on in Minrathous with Rook and Neve. Unfortunately, that sensation could only be one thing.

“Blood magic…” She whispers, under her breath. She turned to Lucanis, the longing from a moment ago had evaporated entirely, his face awash in disgust as he seemed to be sensing something similar to her. He matched her gaze, as he realized the same.

“Venatori.” Lucanis hisses, in reply to her statement. Bellara feels a second thrumming energy nearby, a sensation she’d come to associate with the presence of the demon, Spite, even if she couldn’t hear him like Professor Volkarin– Emmrich was able to.

Though both statements were spoken softly, Rook had heard them, and immediately turned towards the other two, ready for action.

“Where? Here?” He asked, in hushed tones, as he approached the other two. Bellara nods.

“They must be nearby. Keep an eye out.” Lucanis says, blades already in hand. 

Bellara and Rook both pull their bows from their backs, ready to cover the Crow. She sighed quietly to herself, as the beautiful moment was entirely ruined by the task at hand. But there’ll be another time, she thought, there had to be some way to make this happen without their enemies interrupting things…

WIP WEDNESDAY THURSDAY 3/20/25

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[himbopunk]

i think i've said this before but i keep playing more and more with the idea of hakim more directly romancing illario in his companion au... both in the way of making their past fling a bit more emotionally involved and also exploring how thatd make them engage each other during the time of datv... i think it would be interesting also in the context of lucanis' stuff if its like. Hey hakim you have a history with the guy too and hakims like year i care for the guy but i still think he's up to no good. And whatever decision lucanis makes he still has contact with hakim but hakim lets the decision happen. and maybe that causes issues between them, that hakim didn't side with him but then hakims also like, you know me, you know where i came from, in what world did you think i was going to let the venatori dig their disgusting fingers into this, you're lucky you cousin didn't kill you for that one, because no amount of love, or whatever fucked up thing you claim to have for me, would ever stop me from my freedom, and i would've sliced your throat with no hesitation to keep it that way.

their potential relationship during vg in a canon where hakim doesnt end up with lucanis & neve is so like. Messy in such a specific way to me because hakim really doesnt like or believe in or stand by anything illario is doing really, but he does believe people can get new starts at the same time. if anything so much of what illario is like in vg is probably a result of the same digging in his heels that wouldve led to hakim ending things before...