#look the plan had been to romance Anders and then Hawke is like ready to stay but now?

[contrivedcoincidences6]

Me, so naïve: I’m going to play Surana, romance Alistair, and keep him a Warden. I’m sure I’ll be fine leaving Hawke in the fade.

Me, after romancing Fenris: what the fuck am I supposed to do now?

[felassanis]

WHY FENHAWKE IS IMPORTANT. FENRIS ANALYSIS.

(I’m not saying you have to romance fenris, if you do not like fenris you do you boo boo romance a fucking candelstick. I just have to put this ‘disclaimer’ even tho it’s obvious, cuz we have easily offended geezers up in this fandom who have accused me before of having ‘acted superior with my romance choice’ and all that bollocks.)

Kinda long, kinda detailed, but I had a lot of fun thinking about this. Also, I am not analysing Rivalmance, I am analysing scenes and dialogue from Fenris’s ‘nicemance’’ mentions of mental illness but nothing triggering.

Fenris’s story in Dragon Age II has a outer layer and an inner layer. The outer layer is of course fighting for his freedom. Becoming a free man is his conscious desire. In order to get this Fenris will do anything from never staying in one place for too long to killing anyone that comes after him. This ‘becoming a free man’ is the obvious story regarding Fenris. It’s the first thing we learn about his arc: The slave who wants to be free. And it’s up to our Hawke to help him achieve that.

But, we also have what I call the ‘true story’. His inner layer or ‘subconscious’ desire surrounds the element of revenge, overcoming trauma and learning to move on. It’s the story of Fenris we will eventually learn about and slowly uncover as the game progresses. 

Fenris deep down wants to move on. It’s not just about being free, Fenris knows he wants to be free. He is fully aware of that. What he doesn’t acknowledge however, is that in order to be truly free he’s got to learn to accept what has happened to him, accept it was out of his control and accept that it is in the past. But....he won’t. 

I will admit, Fenris’s speech can be hella emo and overdramatic, the way he talks is extremely gothic novella and the writers could have done a better job at showing not telling. But, the reason he talks the way he does about ‘plagues in his heart’ and whatnot, is to exemplify the complete and utter turmoil this elf possesses. You can tell he’s thought about it a lot, because he talks so poetically that you can’t help but think ‘no one naturally talks likes this’ it shows he has overthought the emotions his past has caused at great lengths. I guess, you could analyse it as ‘no one talks that way, unless they’ve rehearsed it’ which yes, I think he has rehearsed it to some degree. Not to sound purposefully broody and meloncholic just for the aestheitc; he just knows with full clarity how it makes him feel and he’s able to describe it naturally in that articulated manner. 

I highly doubt he even knows he’s doing it honestly, his speech is very different from the other characters. Anders for example also suffers from trauma and mental health, but he doesn’t speak like this. For Fenris it just comes naturally...

Every time we talk to Fenris before spending the night with him is about slavery. We find him running from slavers, we kick down the doors to hunt down his slave master and he talks to Hawke about what has happened to him regarding his days of being a slave. The topic of slavery is heavily ingrained into his character but the game isn’t doing that because Bioware wants you to think ‘OOH he’s so angsty and broody! He’s such a tormented soul don’t you just love him?!’ Nah, Bioware is merely saying that this character’s past was so horrifying that he simply cannot get over it. He talks about it so much because it has engulfed him; he’s not free of the chains as Flemeth said. 

The ‘chains’ she’s referring to is that ‘slavery’ has very much swallowed his whole identity. He’s not yet willing to claw his way out of the jaw of his past. He’s both unwilling and likely unaware he talks about it so much with Hawke.

The only other conversation where it’s not heavily discussed is when him and Hawke discuss the theme of home in his first one on one. It becomes very clear that Fenris has not had a home in a long time due to being on the run, he asks Hawke why they haven’t returned to Ferelden and nearly every option Hawke has is pretty much ‘Kirkwall isn’t so bad, I’ve built a life here’ or ‘my family is here, I have roots’ to which Fenris will sound...longing. Exhibiting a clear desire to have his own place to call home, yet he won’t come out and say it. Hawke says “It sounds like you want to settle down,” and Fenris will respond “I could see myself staying, for the right reasons,” and I just...look, he is deliberately giving himself an out when he says that. ‘The right reasons’ is a clever way of Fenris setting up an escape plan for when his paranoia inevitably settles in and it’s time to pack up and move on. ‘The right reasons,’ yeah, we both know Fenris, that when you decide it’s time to go you can then just be like ‘I haven’t found the right reason to stay’ and run. But the reason you haven’t found the right reason to stay, is because you are not MAKING a reason to stay! 

Moreover, his second one on one? Where if you flirted with him he’s like ‘You’re amazing, but I’m a slave...why would you want me?’ here, Hawke is beginning to represent that ‘right reason’...a reason he could stay, and that gives him some food for thought, as well as some potential fear...This is repeated when the flirting gets a bit more heated durng the second conversation. Where’s he drunk (I think?) and him and Hawke dance around ‘getting to know each other’ only for Fenris to suddenly back out.

A good quote, ‘if you feel as though you have no place in the world, you must make one,’ is something I think resonates with this elf. He doesn’t have a purpose in the world, he is on the run constantly with his past eating away at him. But he does want purpose, he’s just unable to grasp it. His story is about carving himself a new purpose, a new future.

Now, obviously...Fenris can’t really settle down. Not until he’s stopped being hunted which will only occur when Danarius is dead. I’m obviously not glossing over that and saying ‘Fenris is a bitch who won’t move on’ that’s not what I’m saying AT ALL. He has good reason to not stay in one place and he has good reason to paranoid. But, Danarius and the slavers? that’s not the inner conflict that I’m trying to analyse. Danarius and the slavers are an obstacle, they are the physical hurdles he has to jump over. So, yeah I know Fenris cannot do any of what I have said because of those hurdles, but he also can’t do any of that until he’s dealt with his inner conflict; which as I said before is him learning to move on and accepting the past.

The inner conflict NOT BEING ADDRESSED is exactly why after he kills Hadriana he feels EMPTY. In the moment that he is face to face with someone that caused him so much pain; she bullied him to no end and like any person Fenris loses it. All those years of abuse...he has the chance to exact his revenge and he does it. However, after being consumed with hatred for so long and at such an intensity...what is left? Now she’s dead...he feels nothing.

I want to point out that Fenris says ‘I couldn’t let her go, I wanted to...but I couldn’t’ at first I when I heard this line I was a bit confused. But thinking about it, Hadriana isn’t just a character in Dragon Age. In Fenris’s story she represents a chapter in his lifethat Fenris THOUGHT HE HAD CLOSED. He says ‘This hate...I thought I had gotten rid of it’ Hadriana represents Fenris’s rage...Hadriana while a complete fucking bitch, isn’t Danarius. Danarius is the one that haunts Fenris. While I have no doubt that she deserved to die, and I shudder to think what she might have done, she isn’t as bad as Danarius. Fenris...could have let her go, and if he had done then it would have represented some ounce of moving on...but he kills her, he gives into his rage and kills her. 

Fenris had convinced himself that he was over it to some degree, but he isn’t. So once her blood laments his hands, it is a revelation to him. A scary one...and that is why he feels ‘disquiet’. Or alternatively, you could see it as Fenris perhaps ALWAYS knowing he was not over his hate deep down, but Hadriana finally brought it to light. His hate has always been quelling inside of him, but it’s only really after Hadriana, does Fenris finally fucking realise it. So when it’s revealed to him, it becomes too much for him to handle hence why he stomps off leaving the party. Thus, beginning Act 2 of Fenris’s story...

Sorry for all of that, but now I’M GOING TO TALK ABOUT HAWKE.

After he leaves the party, you will find Fenris at Hawke’s estate waiting for them. Now that hot, emotional fury has lifted from his senses he’s ready to be nice again and say sorry. 

After apologising; Hawke as concerned as always, asks him if he’s okay...and Fenris, without being drunk, will be completely honest with Hawke. He will confess the conflict he is feeling, he’ll describe what Hadriana made him feel and he will confess how her death left an emptiness inside of him...I don’t doubt that Fenris is a reserved person. He’s not one to voice his problems and past. While the entire cast of DAII know Fenris was a slave, I feel like only Hawke truly knows the details. However gory. The Fog Warriors story truly shows how much trust he has for Hawke, that isn’t a story that paints him as the good guy...yes, to some degree he was a victim but he did murder people who only wanted to help, who were willing to fight for his freedom. The Fog Warriors are parallel to Hawke, they were people he respected and looked up to just as he does with Hawke yet he killed them. Him telling that story...my god, imagine how hard that must be. Hawke is doing the same thing for him that the Fog Warriors did, but he trusts Hawke so much that he feels like they should know. 

Back to the romance scene, he is completely vulnerable in that moment. After his rant he has a moment of clarity and realises he’s distanced himself from the original goal of meeting up with Hawke. They’re so easy to talk to he forgot himself. So, he’s about to leave. Until Hawke reaches out for him.

THE KISS SCENE, wow...ok. The armour design defintely had a hand in it, we know his arms are showed off in that armour because he’s not keen on hiding them, he won’t hide from the slavers who know exactly what those markings mean. 

Hawke grabs HIS SKIN. As they try to stop him from leaving they touch his skin...

Back with Hadriana when Hawke can reach out for him, they grab his shoulder, the part of him that’s cladded in thick leather (or whatever the heck it’s made out of)...nothing happens. HERE THEY TOUCH HIS SKIN. All that SPIKY armour! And Hawke is close enough to Fenris that they can reach out and touch his bare arm. 

He glows, and while it can be speculated, the lyrium seems to briefly cloud his mind and instinctively he seems to think he’s being hurt, on reflex he slams Hawke against the wall. He appears angry, hostile...could be the lyrium defending him...but it’s probably more to do with physical abuse....

I love seeing that blue cloud fade from his eyes, as he slowly slips back to reality and processes what has just happened. His animation shows him stepping back, slowly because he must be thinking ‘I have just made this worse, I came here to apologise, and these damn markings just made me attack Hawke’ in this moment Hawke sees Fenris in a state. The Lyrium, the ‘magic that has spoiled him’ took over...he probably thinks they ought to be mortified. But instead? Hawke kisses him.

Hawke has seen him in the state he probably feels disgusted by. There’s no way this hasn’t happened before, where he’s lost control. And he probably feels akin to a mage succumbing to a demon. But Hawke...Hawke just loves him, and wants to make him feel loved. They saw that flicker of horror in his eye as he pinned them against the wall, and they just would want to blow it out. 

Of course Fenris is going to reciprocate. There’s no one he respects more, no one he trusts more (nor fancies more :) ) and after he did what he did they still kiss him. Finally, it is here that Hawke represents a future, and for that night he’s willing to have a taste of that future. To feel happy and loved, to forget about his past and focus on Hawke...

Then, the past comes to bite him in the arse.

He remembers his life before the the lyrium. Suddenly, without warning it is then stolen from him. He lost his life TWICE.

He lost it twice because of the Lyrium, the lyrium inflicted upon him by Danarius, the Magister who fucking...well, you know. The Magister who enslaved him and others and who has been sending out slavers to hunt him down, the very same slavers Hawke and Fenris fought that very day...the slavers that ambushed him and Hawke.

See where I’m going with this? Fenris recollecting his memories only to lose them is a double edged sword. One side, it’s clearly devastating and anyone would be disturbed if their whole life just vanished so suddenly. And if being with Hawke is just going to repeat that then you can’t blame him for wanting to end it. But also, Hawke? This human that represents a potential future? Being with them made him remember the past, the past he is still haunted by and clings to. How can he have a future with someone when being with them is tainted by the past?

I had a whole rant about this in another post so I won’t ramble too long since this post is already a thicc bitch but...Fenris cannot delve into a relationship with Hawke. He isn’t ready for the committment when he’s still being haunted by the past, both physically and mentally. Before he can have a future, he needs to work on himself in order to be ready for that future. He needs to kill Danarius. Now we circle back to him overcoming his obstacles and finally achieving his subconscious desires. 

I said that mental illness is reallt well portrayed in Fenhawke because Fenris and Hawke are seperated for YEARS. Yet, the beauty of it is that Hawke waits for Fenris. They stay by him, they support him and protect him and they remain at his side until the day they finally get to witness him pull out Danarius’s heart. It utterly evokes the beauty of good relationships such as patience, compromise and adoration of all flaws. Yes, they seperate and yes I know people got a bit mad. However, Fenris leaving Hawke strengthens their bond.

Fenris is the one who closes the chapter on Danarius, because as I have said if you are struggling with mental illness only you can help yourself and take the steps to recovery. There are the lucky few who have others surrounding them that will be of support and of course that helps...but it is down the one person to realise they are drowing, and it’s up to them if they grab the lifeguard.

With Danarius dead, once again that feeling of numbing emptiness prevails and instead of getting angry Fenris owns up to the fact that...he needs to move on. That if he’s ever going to be happy he needs to accept what happened to him. Whether or not you let verania live, it was important for Fenris to think he could have reclaimed the past. Because this time when he is once again proven wrong it finally clicks that the past has nothing for him anymore. I do wish he could have had a family, but...it is kinda fitting that Verania is a mage, that she isn’t interested in reuniting with Fenris. The ties have been cut, the past isn’t the answer.

He feels alone. Obviously, that’s not tue, because guess who’s been by his side all this time? And who is standing there right now, looking upon him with much love in their eyes reminding him ‘I’m here Fenris,’

That smile, *swoons* that smile. :’) As though Hawke has said something so bloody obvious. Making him smile because ‘yeah, he should have known that’ And that MY FRIENDS, Is probably when Fenris is already concieving the possibility of spending the rest of his life with Hawke...RIGHT THEN AND THERE.

Fenris has a long way to go to move on, but the important thing is is that he’s now finally willing and able. He doesn’t know where it will lead, but whatever or wherever it leads he’s going to walk it with Hawke. He talks about wishing he had stayed with Hawke when he finally confronts them with what happened between them all those years ago. He says that because now his head is clearer and he sees what he should have done. But Fenris sweetie, you had to go through what you did in order to be the man you are today, it’s ok that you made mistakes. You’re here now and so is Hawke.

A platonic bond with Fenris is important, but Fenris and Hawke probably never see each other again if that’s the case. If you romanced him, Fenris flees Kirkwall with Hawke. He ain’t leaving their side, because they are his future.

Fenris has a fucking amazing arc, bioware did really well with him and his romance was so well done and I love analysing his behaviour. Hawke really helps him get through his trauma and they are there to take his hands and lead him down the road to recovery. This was a romance DONE RIGHT

thank you for coming to my TedTalk.

[thedasdrabbles]

Slices of Life - Modern AU Thedas Valentines

He didn’t go all out for every holiday. Some didn’t have the same feel behind them, the same groove. Valentine’s Day was one where he put a little extra in, though -- in part because at first he hadn’t thought his lover would expect it and now because he liked to keep the expectations high and the anticipation just on the edge of heart pounding and breathless. He’d left a card tacked to the door for his lover to find when he made it home, a trail of flower petals starting in the foyer and leading up the stairs. The hall was dark save for the gently flickering glow of tiny LED candles that he’d left along the stairs, lighting the way for Ferion to follow. 

The trail led to their bathroom where there was another card, its contents brief and naughty with a post-script that contained promises of more scandalously wicked to come. 

Get cleaned up, get comfortable and come find the rest of your present whenever you’re ready.  - Bull

Alongside the card atop a neatly folded towel was a fresh bar of Ferion’s favorite soap, a new container of the scrub he had mentioned enjoying the last time Bull had brought it home, a small, unopened bottle of lube and a plug, weighted nicely with a heart-shaped flare. It was easily enough to imagine what the rest of his ‘present’ might be from there.... The rest of the night was going to be good. Bull would make sure that he’d get it nice and hard to counter all of the soft. He always did, and each Valentines Day they spent together made it seem like he always would.

--------------------

Rylen didn’t do romance, at least that was what he always said. He had other ways of letting Cullen know that he loved him throughout the year and early on in their relationship they’d come to terms with the fact that Valentine’s Day wasn’t really for them. It meant that neither of them took issue with the fact that as part of his work rotations his travels typically had him out of town over that holiday; something that he was more than alright with as it meant he was back for the ones that meant more to them. 

It didn’t mean that he spent Valentines alone, however. Why waste a perfectly good night centered around fine dining, fine wine and lingerie alone when he could spend it in the company of Miranda… 

 He’d promised to keep his eyes closed after dinner -- a dinner they’d had delivered to his room rather than eating out this time, neither one of them of a mood to deal with the typical crowds drawn to high-end restaurants even if they could have worked a private dining room into their expenditure budget. She’d talked him into wearing a tie that night and he was painfully aware of its closeness, each draw of breath making him all the more aware of it along with the knowledge that he could hear her moving around, breath catching when he caught a trace of her perfume drifting closer.

 When he felt her fingers tug at the tie to loosen it he almost opened his eyes, knowing with the way she had to have  leaned in he would have gotten a glorious eyeful of the tops of her breasts spilling over whatever she was wearing -- either the dress she’d donned for dinner or whatever she had on beneath it. He closed them tighter, though, knowing she hadn’t yet told him he could peek yet and the resulting laughter, sultry and sweet like honey was entirely worth it just like the rest of the night would be… 

--------------------

The kitchen was filled with laughter, music lightly floating through the background. Her sides were starting to ache but it felt so good that she didn’t care. Eli leaned back into Cullen’s arms, cheeks rosy and warm as she tipped her head to rest against his shoulder, peering up to him. She couldn’t remember ever being with anyone who’d made her feel this way before -- so light, so loved. It must have shown in her eyes as they met his because she only had a second to process the desire that shifted through his amber eyes before he was kissing her breathless. 

With a soft gasp followed by a low moan she turned, slipping her arms around his neck. Before she knew it his hands were on her hips, lifting her to set her on the counter. He seemed to take a second to breathe, the briefest of pauses to make sure she was alright and that there was no trace of protest before he was kissing her again. If kissing Rylen was like drowning in desire, kissing Eli was like a rush of spring air, warm and gently demanding in the most wonderful of ways. He couldn’t imagine his life without either of them, but he was so grateful for moments like this, that he could have moments like this. 

Cullen drew back slowly, touching his nose to hers, pressing a kiss to the corner of her mouth only to lean back, smiling. His smile brought the light of the sun to his face, warm and just a bit sheepish. “This isn’t going to get the rest of dinner put away.” 

“Says the man who put me up here,” she laughed, closing her eyes in an attempt to find her breath, always amazed by how easily he could take it away. From the den she heard a woof which drew another soft, breathless laugh. “See… Sari agrees with me.” 

“Traitor…” He muttered beneath his breath, acting cross for the briefest of moments before kissing her again. They’d get back to the leftovers sooner or later… Probably later…

--------------------

“We’re going to miss our reservations.” He’d made plans this year, just as he tried to make plans every year. For Garret Hawke plans were often things to be shuffled around or rescheduled, especially when they involved plans with Anders. The medic had gotten much better over the years, started taking better care of himself, dropped a few bad habits and picked up a handful of others that were less detrimental to their relationship. It wasn’t always easy, but they’d made things work after a fair amount of growth and work between them. 

“We’re not going to miss our reservations. They’re not for another hour and a half, Hawke -- that’s more than enough time for me to finish getting dressed, make sure Liberty and Barkus have had their Valentine’s treats and be on our way.” His lips pursed together into a pout as he looked over to the other man after pulling his shirt down over his head, taking the time to smooth wrinkles that weren’t there out of it. He loved Garret desperately and it had taken him more time than it should have to come to terms with that, even longer to come to terms with the idea that he could be loved that fiercely in return. Spending a day with him meant everything… Spending this day with him meant more. 

“We are going to miss our reservations if you keep looking at me like that while looking like that, though.” Hawke grinned as he stepped up, slipping an arm around Anders’ middle as he planted a kiss on the corner of the other man’s mouth. “Check your hair once or twice more, like I know you’re going to do, grab that necklace you’ve changed your mind on twice… This shirt is fine. It was fine the last time you put it on before you tried something else and it will go well with that coat that you love that you swear doesn’t match the jeans you have on, but it does. I’ll feed your cat and Barkus and then we’ll be on our way. Dinner and a movie. Normal Valentines. Promise.” 

“Normal?” His heart swelled as he looked at Hawke, reaching up to rest a hand alongside the other man’s face. He leaned in to brush a soft kiss to the other man’s lips, his expression radiating all of the love and affection he had found a hard time giving voice to for so long. “Nothing about being with you is normal, Hawke… And that’s part of what I love about it. About you. About us...”

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He approached the tub with two glasses of wine, holding one out to his lover and waiting for him to take it before reaching down to trail his fingers through the water. It was warm enough that it would feel wonderful, the steam already reminding him that Ryn’s next business trip would take them somewhere away from the snow that had fallen outside. They’d stayed in that night, not wanting to get caught out if it came back with a vengeance -- an excuse on his part, really. In truth, he’d just wanted Ryn to himself. 

 He set his glass down on the edge of the tub as he stepped up and into the water, seeming entirely satisfied as he sank down into it opposite the other man. He nudged his lover’s hip with his foot as he leaned back, retrieving his glass to take a sip. “This? This is the life, amatus. Warm, comfortable, quiet dinner at home, wine… You.” His smile was warm, eyes only for the man sitting across from him. He’d known that Ryn was the type of man he could easily find himself falling for almost from the start but he hadn’t expected them to be so good together, so good for each other. 

He took another sip of his wine, easing back again and closing his eyes. It was a moment before he heard the soft clink of a glass being set down across from him, the shift of water moving around him as Ryn leaned forward, kneeling between his knees. He opened his eyes in time to see the other man leaning in, following his lover’s movement as he plucked the glass from his fingers and set it down as well. When he felt Ryn’s lips press against his he pressed back, fingers sliding into the other man’s hair to draw him down closer. Ryn was the best part of this, the best part of everything. Ryn made their house home, made wherever they went when he traveled somewhere that he wanted to be. 

Dorian often thought that Ryn was a better man than him, had thought at first that Ryn might be too good for him -- too good to be true. They’d unearthed flaws, grown and evolved and now they were so good together. Their romance was the kind meant for lifetimes, not just for a single day, and he intended to make sure that Ryn knew that in every way.  

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“Tethras Investigations.” He’d kicked back in his chair, heels on the corner of his desk, the pages for the novel he’d been working on tucked into folders on the opposite side. He had a deadline to meet, but deadlines could wait. Deadlines meant little when it came to spending Valentines with the light of his life, especially when it came to having the opportunity to dress up while doing so. 

He reached up to tip his at up just enough that he could get a good look at her as she came in the door. For a second he lost character -- more than a second, honestly. It was going to take a beat or two for him to pick his jaw up off of the floor. “Shit, Gadget, you didn’t tell me you were going that far out. If I’d’ve known I would’ve done more than just put together some things from my closet…” He caught himself as she clicked her tongue to chastise him, clearing his throat in an attempt to find his character again. “What can I do for you, doll?”

His eyes followed her as she sashayed towards his desk, the glamor of the vintage fashion suiting her far better than he would have expected. He didn’t know why he hadn’t expected that, really, given how good she looked in just about everything she put on. If the Renaissance Festival had been any proof of that, well… 

“I’ve heard you’re good at what you do, possibly the best.” She made her way around to his desk, nudging his feet down off of the corner so she could take a seat on the edge of it. Grinning, Lani leaned back on one hand, resting a foot on the chair between his thighs. “Tell me, Mr Tethras… Are you the best?” 

She was going to be the death of him, the absolute utter death of him. He cracked again, for a shorter spell this time, recovering by holding her gaze as he rested his hand on her calf as he leaned in to brush his lips to her knee. “That all depends, ma’am, on what you’ve heard I’m the best at… Why don’t you let me know and we’ll go from there? All I’ll say up front is that I never leave a job unfinished or a dame unsatisfied.” That was enough to trip her up, his knack for witty dialogue and bad one-liners finally coming through. The resulting laughter was well worth it. 

Shit, everything with her was worth it. She’d done so much for him in the time they’d known one another, drawing him out of a bottle he hadn’t known he’d been hiding him and introducing him to some of the most beautiful parts of life. Whatever he’d done, however he’d managed to get this lucky, Varric knew he’d never be able to top convincing Lanira to be his wife. 

[awesomenightfall]

all this and heaven, too

For @lucyrne​! Modern!AU Varric/Bethany nonsense (featuring garbage!Purple!Hawke, ofc.) Mild language and mild (not explicit) sexual content. yes I also snuck in my guilty pleasure ship, Hawke --> Cassandra. Unbeta’d trash. Sorry.

---

Varric was two clicks away from confirming his Edible Arrangements order before sanity returned.

Sorry I had sex with your little sister, enjoy this fruit basket was probably not the best way to broach the subject of his night with Bethany.

Like most things in Varric’s life, he hadn’t planned for it to happen. Bethany Hawke, infinitely good, patient, and wonderful, having a sliver of interest in someone like him was too fantastical for even his overactive imagination. Sure, there had been months of blatant flirting, but Varric figured it was Bethany just being a nice girl. He never could have dreamed that what started as a friendly dinner and drinks would turn into “Oh shit, it’s 4:00 am and Bethany lost her bra under the bed.”

He never could have dreamed that that the venn diagram of Varric’s Pathetic Fantasies and Varric’s Harsh Reality would actually overlap for once in his life.

And of course, it had to happen with his best friend’s little sister.

Worse, it wasn’t even the usual “I’m so sad and lonely and hate myself” sex Varric indulged in. It ventured into “Oh no, I care about you and respect you” territory and that was terrifying in and of itself without the added complication of it being with a Hawke.

Varric knew there was always the option of never telling his best friend about his transgression, but he had had lived the secret relationship life before, and romance novels made it seem so much more glamorous than reality. No one liked to be kept a secret and both Bethany and Hawke (and himself, damn it) deserved better than that.

So here he was, prepared to send his lifelong friend an Edible Arrangement (because nothing said, “sorry I probably betrayed your trust and banged -- lovingly and respectfully, mind you -- your sister” like chocolate covered fruit) just to avoid the face-to-face confrontation.

Shutting his laptop, Varric looked up to his ceiling for answers and sighed when none were given. If he wanted to see where this thing with Bethany went, they’d eventually have to come clean to Hawke.

His phone dinged and, of course, it was the man he was hoping to avoid for the next fifty years or so.

[I'm a hoe, rich bitch and I work like I'm broke still]: the eagle flies at midnight!! caw caw!!

[Varric]: Hawke? When did you change your name in my phone?

[Varric]: Also, what the hell are you talking about? It’s 9:00 pm.

[I'm a hoe, rich bitch and I work like I'm broke still]: meet me @ the gym tomorrow at 7 sharp. officer mchottie lifts bright and early and im gonna be there to meet her. need my wingdwarf to hype me up

Varric was mid “go fuck yourself” text because he did not do mornings and he doubly did not do the gym when a pang of guilt hit him.

Shit.

[Varric]: Fine, but I’m only telling one Champion of Kirkwall story and then I’m out of there. I hate how gyms smell of sweat, self loathing, and despair.

[I'm a hoe, rich bitch and I work like I'm broke still]: ur the best! ;)

No he wasn’t.

He was garbage that was falling in love with his best friend’s sister.

---

“So who is this mystery lady that I got out of bed for?” Varric asked, plopping down on a nearby bench. “A cop? What, going legit, Hawke?”

He and Varric had skirted the law enough times that it was hilarious to think that Hawke wanted to hook up with an officer of the law. Varric was sure this was some kind of weird fantasy fulfillment or maybe Hawke had just run out of women in Kirkwall to have sex with. Either way, he had an ulterior motive: he was helping his friend, so perhaps Hawke would be more open to the possibility of Varric maybe, just maybe, dating his sister.

Hawke craned his neck, tilting his head towards the far side of the room. “10:00 o’clock. Don’t be so obvious. Wait a few seconds before looking.”

“Discretion is my middle name. So, about Bethany --”

“What about her?” Hawke started stretching just for show.

Varric’s throat dried up. The rational part of his mind knew Hawke would probably be fine with it. But the irrational part of his mind, the one that sounded suspiciously like the father of his ex, was screaming that he was worthless and what did have to bring to the table of any relationship?

He was a moderately successful author, he reminded himself. A businessman. A pretty damn good friend. Hawke’s damn good friend. Hawke’s damn good friend who helped get him laid by talking about how awesome Hawke was all the time.

But still...

“We--” Varric narrowed his eyes once he hit the 10:00 position. There stood a very familiar woman, tall, with cropped hair and cheekbones that could cut a man. “Wait. Isn’t that the cop who arrested me a few months back?”

Hawke’s eyes widened innocently. Too innocently. “What? Whatever do you mean?”

Varric scowled. “You can’t be serious.”

“Oh my dear, Varric,” Hawke chuckled. “I’m always serious.”

A headache starting from the base of his neck starting creeping up. It was a welcome distraction from his internal “This Is Why I Suck” monologue. “Hawke. She arrested me!”

“Well, maybe you deserved it.”

“She arrested and questioned me trying to get to you!” Varric hissed. It was taking all of his impeccable self control not to drop the Fine, you want to hook up with the cop that cuffed me? Good, because I made your sister scream my name last night. In your apartment bomb. “Where’s your loyalty?”

Says the dwarf sleeping with his friend’s precious little sister.

Hawke gestured towards the woman in question with a flourish. “Who needs loyalty when you could have those biceps? And did you see her abs? I know for a fact that she’s a huge fan of yours. You’re my in.”

Varric scrubbed his hand with his face. He’d rather listen to Anders’ manifesto -- the unabridged version -- than do this, but his conscience was eating at him.

“You owe me. You owe me so much and I’m going to collect, you bastard.”

“I wouldn’t have it any other way.”

---

Varric’s pocket vibrated, no doubt a message from Hawke scheming another plan to try to get a date with Officer Pentaghast, who did not take their earlier bait. In fact, she had looked them both over and only uttered a disgusted little, “Ugh” at the interruption to her workout. Varric imagined that the chase made her all the more appealing to Hawke; he was a true masochist.

Maybe that’s why they were such good friends. They did so love to suffer for their bad decisions.

“Is everything alright?” Bethany asked, pausing the television. It was Thursday, which meant they were indulging in their weekly bad reality show watching ritual, but Varric could barely concentrate on the shitty lives of the people on TV because he was so entrenched in his own bullshit. “You’re a million miles away.”

“Yes,” he said immediately but then thought better of himself. Bethany deserved better. “Shit, no. Sorry, Sunshine.”

Bethany gave him a sympathetic look and took his hand. “You’re not internally monologuing again, are you?”

“She said wisely, knowing full well that was exactly what he was doing.” Varric chuckled. “Just thinking about Hawke.”

“Ugh,” she said, not able to disguise the fondness in her voice. “Must you? He gets your attention every other hour of the day. Concentrate on the Hawke in front of you, if you please.”

He leaned over and pressed a kiss to her cheek. Varric had done it a thousand times in the years he had known her, but it felt new, exciting. Great, now he was feeling mushy and gross. As if things weren’t bad enough already. “Sorry. I’m just a little worried what he’ll think.”

Bethany clicked off the television and faced him fully. She frowned a little. “Why? We’re not doing anything wrong.”

He put his hands up. “I know that. You know that. Will he know that?”

“Who cares? You’re talking about a man who has slept with literally all of my friends. And all of your friends. Just desserts, if you ask me.”

Varric snorted. “Going through your rebellious stage, Sunshine?”

She tossed the remote off the couch and climbed into his lap. “Shall we find out?”

Oh, he was in.

---

Three shots of whiskey and Varric was ready.

He was a grown ass dwarf and he was going to bite the bullet and face judgment.

… okay, maybe after one more shot of liquid courage.

“I’m going to just say it,” Varric gasped at the after burn, wiping his mouth with the back of his hand. “I’m dating your sister. I care about her. She puts up with me, weirdly enough. And she deserves better than us sneaking around. So… there it is.”

Varric steeled himself for the outcome. He didn’t want to lose Hawke -- either Hawke -- but he wasn’t going to damn this relationship to failure without a fight. He just hoped his best friend didn’t deck him too hard.

Hawke put his beer down. “I know.”

“You-- what?”

“Do you think I’m an idiot? Don’t answer that,” Hawke amended quickly. “But come on, I’m not blind.”

Varric’s shoulder sagged in relief. And then, he was annoyed.

What the fuck? He had been stressed for weeks for nothing?

Maker, he hated this man.

“So you knew the entire time,” Varric said flatly.

“Duh,” said Hawke. “You’re my best mate. She’s my sister. It was so obvious. I think it’s great. I’m happy for you.”

Maker, he loved this man.

Hawke jabbed his beer bottle in Varric’s direction threateningly. “But I better not hear one word about a certain married ex coming into the picture if you’re seriously with my sister. If you hurt her, I hurt you. Clear?”

“Crystal. I know my word doesn’t mean much, but I’ll do this right, Hawke.”

“Great,” Hawke said cheerfully. “Now that that’s all resolved, let’s talk about me and Cassandra --”

“You’re on a first name basis?!”

“ -- picture this. I’m thinking.. Flowers. A shit ton of them. Maybe confetti. Women like confetti, right?”

Varric took another shot with a smirk, feeling better than he had in weeks.

“Sure, Hawke. She’ll like confetti. And extremely loud and ostentatious confessions of love, maybe with doves...”

[typhonserpent]

You Showed Me, Chapter 7

Fandom: Dragon Age 2 Rating: Explicit Genre: Romance/Omegaverse Pairing: Fenris/Anders Summary: Omegaverse AU. Fenris has a secret that nobody else knows. When he has to travel to Orlais to help Hawke and her new friend Tallis steal a priceless jewel, his secret becomes harder to hide. When Anders discovers what Fenris is hiding, what he does with the knowledge is not what Fenris expected.

✦ Start ✦ My Writing Tag ✦ AO3 Link ✦

Prev Chapter ✦ Start ✦ Next Chapter (coming soon!)

They opened the door to a guard in red armor.

"What in the name?" He shouted in a thick Orlesian accent, stopped only by the sight of Tallis calmly approaching him with her hands out.

"There's no need for you to die today, friend. Just move on. You never saw us."

He cupped his hand to his mouth and just barely managed to begin the word, "Thieves!" Before his shout turned into a gurgle, blood shooting up around Tallis' dagger in his neck. His body spasmed briefly before he collapsed, dead in seconds.

"You could have walked away." She sighed as she knelt next to him and yanked the dagger out of his neck.

Hawke cocked an eyebrow, "Something wrong?"

"I didn't want to kill him."

"I've seen you kill several men."

"There are other paths. They do not all need to lead to the same destination."

Fenris grumbled, "Cheap words from a criminal."

Which had Tallis shooting to her feet, glaring while she pointed her dagger at him, "You've never sought a different path, Fenris? Really? In between resigning yourself to a life of slavery and escaping to Kirkwall you didn't stop to reconsider the path you were walking in your life?"

"Wait, how-"

"Enough!" Hawke stepped between the two of them, "We're here for the Heart." And with those words, shouldered past Tallis and into the manor vault. Tallis had her lips pursed shut, eyes glued to the ground and avoiding Fenris' accusing glare while she turned and followed Hawke.

Fenris was shaking, livid, and followed only because Anders had decided to obey as well. He kept his eyes on the back of her head the whole time.

x - X - x

The iron gate came down and separated Anders and Fenris from Hawke and Tallis with a deafening clang.

Any number of traps were to be expected in an Orlesian vault, but when Fenris tried to lift the gate only to find it thoroughly locked in place, he set his glare on Tallis.

"I swear I didn't know!" She hissed, holding up her hands, "There's gotta be some sort of switch."

"It's never easy, is it?" Hawke sighed, "Alright, we'll look around on this side and you two circle back and see if there was a switch we missed."

Fenris glanced at Tallis, then back at Hawke, "Will you be alright here?"

"After the blight, a dragon, and a crazed magister?" Hawke winked, "I think I can handle a few Orlesian guards."

His eyes passed over Tallis again, then returned to Hawke. He nodded, then swiveled and left with Anders close behind.

They had left the hallway well behind them before Anders said, "Something the matter?"

"I never told Tallis about by time as a slave. Unless Hawke mentioned it to her, she knows too much."

"You think she set up the trap?"

"I don't know. Maybe." He paused, studying a painting of the younger Duke Prosper, flanked by two vases. He picked up each vase in turn, and replaced them when no mechanism was found.

"No." He concluded, "I don't think she could have set that up in advance. But I think Hawke trusts her too much."

There was a deafening CRASH to his left, where they'd entered the vaults. Armored footsteps rattled their way down the hall. Grabbing Fenris' arm, Anders ducked around the corner and took refuge in the shadows of a rounded door frame. While Anders flattened himself against the wall, Fenris peered around the corner to catch sight of the platoon of guards that were running past, directly towards Hawke and Tallis.

He didn't stop staring until Anders tapped him on the shoulder and jerked his head backwards. Anders opened the door they'd been hiding next to and revealed a storage closet. A broom and mop leaned against one corner with a bucket nearby. A pile of rags accompanied some scrub brushes and a bar of soap on the wall shelf. Anders shut the door behind them, leaving them in total darkness until a mage light flared to light in his palm.

"What now?" Fenris asked.

"Well, while you were snooping around the corner, I managed to find something."

There was one stone in the wall that stood out, perfectly round and smooth, and when Anders pressed it the wall swung away to reveal a second hallway behind.

"The way we came in is out of the question," Anders continued, "I think this is our only option."

There was no small amount of dust and cobwebs in the passage. Thankfully only the smaller breeds of spider managed to cross their paths. The first door they came across opened to the back of a tapestry which bore the Prosper family crest. Pushing it aside spit them into a familiar hallway. The loud clank of dishware and the murmur of conversation greeted them. Servants in the kitchen down the hall were scrubbing away evidence of the Duke's party.

Following their previous route led them back to the vault entrance, the guard’s body still growing cold at the entrance.

The iron gates that had separated their party before were returned to their previous position. Fenris noted the thicker-than-usual crack in the ceiling as they passed under them, this time with far lighter steps. Even slowly creeping along, Fenris managed to brush a stone which sank slightly before he realized his error and retreated.

It was only by following the path that didn't lead further into the vaults that they managed to find the dungeon. They entered a small room with a steel door on the other side, marked only by a tiny window with bars on it. Next to it was a chest that with Hawke's staff resting beside it. A guard was asleep on a cot in the corner.

Fenris phased his hand through the guard’s back and made quick work of him before he even woke up. With a squeeze of Fenris' hand, the guard only gurgled quietly before going limp. Opening the chest revealed Tallis' throwing daggers. After gathering the weapons and relieving the guard of his keys, they went inside.

Rows and rows of cells were empty, and just as Anders inhaled and cupped his mouth, a familiar voice echoed through the otherwise empty prison.

"I have a question." Tallis said, and Fenris put his hand over Anders' mouth.

"When the duke told you what I was, you said you didn't care. Was that true?"

"You could have told me the truth." Hawke replied, "I might have listened."

"And what if you didn't?"

"I suppose we'll never know."

A short pause, and Fenris' hand slowly lowered. Tallis continued, "I am sorry. This didn't work out like I'd planned ... obviously."

"What was your plan exactly?"

"The one I expected to find is named Salit, a member of the Ben-Hassrath ... the Heart of the Many. I was told he's here to sell secrets to the Orlesians, and I came to stop him. I ... suppose I was misinformed."

"So you came here to stop this Salit from betraying your people?"

"You probably won't believe me, but this isn't a political mission. It's ... personal."

"What do you mean?"

"Salit was my bessrathari - the one who recruited me into the Ben-Hassrath. My tutor. I was a slave, being transported in chains to a new master who had bought a whole ship of us. The Qunari love raiding any Tevinter ship that comes close to their waters. They freed us all, giving us the choice to go where we wished or join the Qun. Salit saw my potential, convinced me that I could make a difference."

Eyes wide, Fenris ran towards the cell that held Hawke and Tallis. Tallis' voice cracked, "It doesn't matter now."

Tallis came into view first, seated on the floor with her back against the wall. Laying eyes on her was like finding a lost piece of a puzzle.

"Dithari?" He asked.

She met his gaze, eyes glazed over. She looked ready to cry even though a smile tugged at her lips.

"You remembered." She breathed.

"You ... dyed your hair."

"No, but it was dark in Danarius' basement. I don’t blame you for not noticing."

Fenris was breathless as she rose, a far cry from the timid girl who'd washed his wounds and coaxed him to drink water and healing potions. When she moved to press her hand against the bars of the cell, he stared at her eyes. Wide, stormy gray, and as gentle as he remembered them.

"You two know each other now?" Hawke quipped from her corner of the cell, "Any other secrets people want to share? Anders, you're not the Divine or anything, are you?"

"Knickerweasels, no." Anders laughed.

“Why didn’t you say something sooner?” Fenris breathed.

“Would you have listened to me?” She asked, cocking an eyebrow, “Be honest.”

His eyes met the floor.

Tallis coughed to clear her throat, finally moving her hand away from Fenris'. "Well, mushy reunions aside, I say we get out of here before the Duke decides we would taste good in the soup ... or whatever he has planned."

Bending down, Tallis removed a single pin from her hair and set to work picking the cell's lock. Seconds later, the gate was sliding up.

"So, back through the castle, then?" Hawke said as she took the lead.

Tallis took one step forward before Fenris' hand on her shoulder stopped her. "Wait," He said, "You said this Salit was selling secrets?"

"He is." She nodded, "Or at least he intends to. One last act of defiance. I couldn't let him do that. Not when he'll hurt so many others in the process."

Hawke was already out the cell door, taking her staff from Andes. She glanced back at Tallis, "He'll hurt other Qunari?"

"Not every Qunari is a soldier." Fenris replied.

"There are tens of thousands of farmers, aristans, craftsmen ..." Tallis continued, "People who have never hurt anyone. People who's only crime is living! People who helped me when I didn't even have the words to ask for help!" Her voice was echoing in the empty prison. Having realized this, she took a breath and pressed her hands together. Fenris recognized the meditation technique he'd seen repeated by both Qunari and Tal Vashoth.

"I never knew what it was like to have someone help you without any concern for themselves." She continued, voice steady, "I want to pay them back. They don't deserve what Salit is going to do to them."

Slowly, Fenris' eyes were drawn to Anders, who was staring back with complete helplessness. Light may have been shed on the situation, but the path still wasn’t clear yet. Someone had to make a decision. Tallis shuffled her feet, eyes on the floor.

"One last question." Fenris said, causing her head to snap up, "Did you involve Hawke to get to me?"

She shook her head, "I chose Hawke because she was the only one on the invitation list who wasn't a personal friend of the Montfort family. And she's also the Champion of Kirkwall. And a Ferelden with no reason to love Orlais."

This time, Hawke chimed in with a question, "So what was supposed to happen when all this was over?"

"Truth? This wasn't exactly what I was expecting." Tallis was wearing a smile that was some mix of awkward politeness and genuine amusement, "Asit tal-eb."

Fenris translated aloud, "'It is to be'."

They spent another few seconds in awkward silence. Anders offered Tallis her throwing daggers, which she accepted with a forced smile.

Finally, Fenris took the lead. “Come. We will stop Salit.”

[poweredbycoffeeandwine]

for the prompts, how about kissing prompts. Mercedes and Anders. At the others place. the reason is Longing.

Ah my dear, thank you for the prompt! I hope you enjoy it. Just a touch angsty with a helping of fluff. *kisses*

Mercedes Hawke x Anders - Dragon Age 2 - Established Romance 

Sanctuary

She had lost much to that damned Deep Roads Expedition. Mercedes went into that hell, eyes open, but possibly a bit naive. She had always viewed it as the only way out, the way to bring their mother out of poverty. The only option to drag the Amell name out of the mud, and back to its former glory. How she would earn back some of Leandra’s respect.

No one could have foreseen what would happen. Not a single soul would have believed that Mercedes Hawke would return home battered, bruised, and without her brother. Of course, others saw it as fortunate that he was not dead. The Wardens surely a better outcome, however, Anders knew differently. It only mattered that Carver was not present, Leandra raged at her eldest daughter. Lay blame at her feet for the loss of the twins. After all this time, Bethany’s early return to the Maker’s side something she could still not forgive.

Hawke lost much, but nothing so impactful as the light in her eyes. The Darktown mage noticed it immediately. Not having much of a grasp on family dynamics, he couldn’t quite relate to the knot of nerves Mercedes became as each step brought them closer to Kirkwall. Watching Mercedes take the verbal thrashing, meek and submissive, was almost too much for even Justice to witness.

Purchasing the ancestral home of the Amell’s brought some measure of peace between the two. He watched her move through the large Hightown mansion. Delicate fingers trailing across wooden banisters while descending the wide staircase. Light catching her dark tresses, catching glints of rusty gold and garnet in the sun. She was perfection and didn’t have a clue.

“Anders!” she smiled sweetly, pulling him into an embrace. Being close to her never ceased to make his heart skip a beat, he prayed to the Maker he would never take it for granted. “I’m so glad you came. Bodahn prepared a wonderful dinner, and wouldn’t you know it, Mother has something planned with a socialite.”

He brushed a kiss on the top of her head, and squeezed her affectionately, “Sounds amazing. The clinic was nearly bursting today.”

Eyebrows creased as she reprimanded him, “I sat around like a useless noble today, and you needed help? Why didn’t you come get me? You know I would have come.”

“Hawke, it isn’t exactly a quick trip from Darktown to your front door.” He chuckled stroking her hair, happy to keep her in the circle of his arms.

“You could have sent an urchin, you know Varric pays them well to keep them in your vicinity, you could have…” she trailed off, the gleam missing from her eyes for far too long returning. “I have something for you.”

She tugged him by the hand, leading him to her bedroom. “I like where this is going already.” She shoved him playfully as she moved to rummage through her belongings. He loved this sanctuary she’d created. Soft and comforting, the few nights he’d managed to make his way to her place had been the most restful he’d experienced in too long.

She returned to his side, slight blush on her skin, and presented him with a small box. He looked at her skeptically, “You don’t need to buy me things, Hawke. You know I’m happy just to be with you.”

“Hush, you.” she kissed him softly, and brushed his hair off his forehead. “I’ll have you know I didn’t buy it for you specifically, but it should be yours.”

When he didn’t move, she gave him a pointed look, and crossed her arms over her chest. “You will not get a bite to eat until you accept this gift.”

“You wound me, dear lady,” he took her hand in his placing them over his heart. “Alright, you win, but only because I would be a fool to lose a meal prepared by Bodahn. That dwarf is the real magician here.”

She chuckled, and scooted closer to him, anticipation and giddiness warring across her face. He almost prolonged the game, if just to keep her like this again. He kissed her fingertips, and released her hand to open the box. Inside was a large black iron key, detailed and exquisite. “What is this?”

“Do you remember when we cleared out the cellar of the mansion to get to my Grandfather’s will?” He nodded, clutching the key, remaining silent. Could he dare to hope, his greatest wish about to be realized. “That cellar entrance right outside of your clinic door leads to my home. The key will get you in quickly. No more traveling in sight of the Templars.”

He stared at her stunned. The implications of her solution running through his mind. He would have so much less to worry about. Not to mention safety, fewer nights he was too afraid to sleep fully. Constant alert, waiting for the day Meredith would finally find him. “Hawke….I…”

“Anders, please,” she bit her lower lip, so hopeful he could hardly stand it. “Move in with me, there is more than enough room…”

He silenced her with a kiss. Soft at first, a tentative thing, afraid of losing the grip he had on his emotions. She reached for him, bringing him closer, tipping her head back, and parting her lips to give him access. His heart thumped wildly in his chest, as he clutched her. She groaned softly, breath shaky, as he moved his tongue against hers. From below Bodhan called, dinner served and ready. They eased apart gently, small kisses being peppered across her jawline, her grip tight on his robes. “I take it that’s a yes?” she replied breathlessly.

This maddening woman who’d frightened him with her disregard for her personal safety over that of her friends. This saint of a woman, risking her life for the downtrodden and insignificant. His beautiful Mercedes, willing to offer him that which he’d never had, but longed for with every fiber of his being. She had just given him a place to belong. “Yes.”

[purplehairedhero]

A Fen/Femhawke Baby Fic List

A Fenris/FemHawke family/pregnancy/baby fic lists. Still a WIP. Only criteria is that it is FemHawke/Fenris, and it can’t be sad/depressing (I’m looking at you “Here Lies the Abyss” fics). Send me recs! Edit: 10/19/17 New stories added, Natural by Cannibal Kats and several at the bottom. 

“Hiding, Not Quite Hidden” by Brosca-Pride. Hawke and Fenris, together forever, even if it means hiding themselves and children from everything.

“Was it Worth it:?” by CannibalKats. Just a short piece about Fenris and Dahl Hawke during Inquisition. Bonus Papa Fenris.

“Take Care of Her” by CannibalKats. Anders, Hawke, and Fenris are the only members of the Kirkwall crew still on the run. Fenris catches Anders leaving in the middle of the night and promises not to let Hawke follow.

“Natural” by CannibalKats.  A short bit of fluff. The birth of Fenris and Dahl's first child. While not graphic childbirth is described from Fenris' pov.

“Wander Wild and Far.” by Spirrum. After Adamant Hawke leaves for Weisshaupt as planned, but finds instead an entirely different adventure, a stray Fereldan Queen, a dragon, and that being pregnant wile the world is ending is not all that it’s cracked up to be.

“So Much Hinges on a Maybe.” by Spirrum. Hawke and Fenris, and trying to get pregnant.

“Frostling” by Spirrum.You can grow to love a great many things.

“Smaller Flames.” by Spirrum. Their youngest discovers her magic, in true Hawke fashion. With an explosion

Broody Porcupine Snapshot Series by TheFlamingNymph. An AO3 collection.

“Little Monster” by TheFlamingNymph. Hawke just wants a nap. Just one.

Fenris and Hawke’s Family Series by SassyOrlesian. An AO3 collection.

“What I was made for” by MiaCousland. Hawke and Fenris’ child is brought into the world.

“Steal and Shadow” by MiaCousland. Hawke has to find her way throught the Frostback Mountains to answer a letter that has been sent by an old friend from Kirkwall. Note: Haven’t read this one personally yet.

“The Elf and the Babe” by Gaqalesqua. Fenris, romanced by a female Hawke, turns up at Skyhold wearing a baby sling with a baby in it. Trevelyan investigates.

“The Life We’ve Wrought” by ClockWorkSymmetry. Hawke x Fenris is adorable.

Wil and Cro Hawke Series by NovemberOcean (TwilightHawke). An AO3 collection.

“A Change in Principles” by K4t3yk4t. He hadn’t expected things to end up like this. Of course, there had been signs, and of course, they’d planned for it, but he had never expected anything like this to happen. Not to him. He feels rooted; an immobilization worse than any command had ever caused, worse than seeing Hawke nearly die, worse, so much worse. And yet...

“Ardently” by Uniqueinalltheworld.When Marian Hawke decided to leave her children with responsible adults before helping the inquisition, she had counted on being able to find one somewhere. Unfortunately, it seems like Anders and Fenris will have to do.

“Dawn” by Alistairweekend. “Mm...your kid before five in the morning.”

“Hawkquisition Series & other Stories” by Rannadylin. Most of her work has a baby or pregnancy existing somewhere. Special mention goes to Sapling.

Misadventures of Mari Hawke Series by Wintryone. An AO3 collection.

“A Different Kind of Magic” by sevanderslice. Fenris’s thoughts after the birth of his children.

“Finally together, Birds of a Feather, part 1″ by Hatsepsut. Fenris and Hawke are together after three years, and their relationship evolves. Moving in together, falling even deeper in love, going through the paces that are life, having a family, while the world crashes around their ears.

“Come Back to Me.” by Hatsepsut. Fenris leaves he City of Chains after the night he spends with Hawke; heavy words had been exchanged and everything between them looked hopeless. Eleven months later, he is back, determined to win the affection of the woman he can't forget again. But she seems to have a secret...

“On Waking” by loquaciousquark. Years after the events of Act III, Hawke and Fenris’s six-year-old daughter tries to figure out her mother’s past, her place in the tiny town of Wilhaven, and why her father never wakes up. AUTHORS SEAL OF APPROVAL.

“No Labor Like Love” by loquaciousquark. Hawke is pregnant. Fenris copes as best he can; everyone else laughs from a distance. A series of unconnected vignettes spanning the pregnancy of a Champion. AUTHORS SEAL OF APPROVAL.  The quintessential pregnancy/family fic.

“Given Respite” by loquaciousquark. Dorian meets Fenris. An interlude set after “Here Lies The Abyss.” Same universe as On Waking? AUTHORS SEAL OF APPROVAL. Honestly anything written by loquacious is amazing but this is a BABY fic list but seriously do yourself a favor and devour their work. Has a “sequel” written by Jade_Sabre called “Memorare” but not very related to this list either.

“A Deafening Sound” by loquaciousquark. Fenris and his newborn daughter.

“Whats that Holiday fic” by loquaciousquark. Carver meets his newborn nephew. This. THIS. This is the story I started this list looking for. I knew I wasn’t crazy! But on tumblr of all places???

“More Beach fic” by loquaciousquark. The fam is at the beach.

“I Mourn your Absence.” by loquaciousquark. Fenris and Leda go after Hawke.

“In Retrospect, a chicken was a bad choice.” by jadesabre301. The title says it all. Features laquaciousquark’s Leda Hawke.

“Always Safe with Us.” by Tadeusz. Hawke thought raising a baby with a trio of parents would be easier than with just two. That’s hilarious, Hawke. Totally cute that you think that. All it does is create more confusion about who has to get up when that baby cries at night.

“Hands and Feet” by Toffle. The revelation does not come in ice, or fire. It comes only with a gentle touch.

“Celebration” by Scurvaliciousbay. Fenris wakes up to Katra making a cake for their daughter’s first birthday. “Three Words” is a sequel. Fenris is putting his daughter to bed when she says something unexpected.

“New Beginnings” by onemooncircles. Heading home after concluding his business with the Inquisition, Varric pays a visit to some friends he has lied through his teeth to protect.

“The Wolf Within” by Ivy_Adair. Five years after Fenris left Marian Hawke behind in Kirkwall, he returns to discover that some things never change but others, like the addition of a little girl with black hair and green eyes, change completely. He mush come full circle to realize that he isn’t his past and that the wolf within him won’t be his future. A modern!AU.

“Medela” by mahuika. It surprises him, as it always has, how resilient a heart can be when he’s so used to seeing them ripped out and half-beating in his hand. Or, Varania is invited to meet her niece. AUTHORS SEAL OF APPROVAL.

“Exhale” by Chalahandra. Rhonwen gurgles, pushing herself up from the quilt. It’s a sunny day, with birds chirping and people talking quietly - and for the first time in a very long time, Fenris lets himself smile.

“A Cold Winter Day.” by Pinkwebby. Hawke has been pregnant for nine months, and she is ready to give birth to this child. Is she really ready to have a kid though?

“Playing in the Rain” by servantofclio. Hawke watches her partner and children in the rain. Has sequal “A Reunion and a Reckoning.” Fenris catches up to Hawke at Skyhold.

Dragon Age: Generations Series by DancingMantis. Roots and Wings more relevant to list.

“She Came Back.” by LittleWritings. Fenris finds Hawke at Weishaupt. Its a little rough but different than most.

While you were Sleeping Series by hollandmarie. VERY CUTE.

“The Hawke Child.” by CaptainStornChaser. "Am I the father?" He asked her, standing from where he had been waiting for her inside the entrance hall of her estate, reminiscent of the night the child may very well have been conceived.Marian merely stared at him evenly for a few moments. "You should go home, Fenris."

“What If.” by RaddishRodya. Hawke and Fenris have a discussion about what would happen if they had children. Also, Fenris learns how to play dictionary tag.

“Hesitations” by wiltedartist. Dehlian Hawke knows one thing and thing only: She has no idea as to how she will inform Fenris he will be a father. Sequel “The Empty Thirst.” How strange, he realized to himself, that he never knew just how much he needed one thing. Control. Fenris!F!Hawke, pregnant sex and dominant Fenris

“Mama Bird” by sparkyarcher. Elia comes home to a suspiciously quiet estate. Adorableness ensues.

“Another Heart” by aryadeschain.One sleepless night turned out to present Fenris a pleasant surprise.

“For What it’s Worth” by Nyessa. Years after Isabela runs away from Kirkwall with the Tome of Koslun, Imogen Hawke catches up to her in Denerim to settle some unfinished business.

“Dragon Age Prompts” by Jawbones. Chap. 4 “Lullaby”  "The way you said 'I love you': Not said to me" Might be more in series.

“A Hawkling Tale.” by Sportsoma.  Hawke surely does, and there's a little memento in case she wants to forget. However, being a mage and fearing the Chantry will take her expected bundle of joy, Hawke flees Kirkwall. Also a series sharing same name.

“Under the Skin.” by Lavender_Seaglass. After all that she's been through, Hawke doesn't plan on going anywhere else, let alone leaving him behind. This is, however, not something she's sure how to face. Doing things is easy; it's the regrets that kill you.

“Unplanned Consequences.” by Dragondreads.  When Hawke finds herself in the awkward position of being pregnant after the only night of passion she found with Fenris, she turns to her friend Varric for help

“Sweet Vermouth” by AngelicSentinel. Fenris would do anything for Hawke—Even conquer the Fade itself.

“I remain at your side.” by Lourdes23. When Kirkwall fell so did its Champion. Changed by betrayal, hunted and outcast, Hawke must find the strength to rise up once more in defense of a world gone mad. Yet humans can only withstand so much before desperation drives them beyond reason. When she's at her breaking point, and the weight of her duties seems too much to bear, who will stand with her and share the burden?Who will champion the Champion?  

“New Beginnings.” by Jessica Pendragon. He has dealt in death for so long and now only wants to hold life in his hands.

“Find Your Own Way Back Home.” by locketofyourhair. These books are slim, without names on the covers, and when he opens one, he can see that some of the pages are blank. Others are covered with small handwriting that he knows well, and it feels like a blow to see it again. They are journals; they are Hawke’s journals.He reads them as he finds himself adrift without her.

“Of Sausages and Surprises.” by RedIn. It was one of those evenings when her mother tried to make a noble fragile flower of her. She invited Comtesse Berauear and her two cocky daughters; Lizzeta and Pavetta. It was meant to be a boring, annoying evening or so Hawke thought.Sandal was the last person who she thought would interrupt the boredom of their well-mannered Hightown style party.

“Foxes on the Run” by ms45. Hawke gives birth whilst on the run from the Chantry.

“Milk” by Persephone. Hawke/LI - Lactating. Smut.

“Only You.” by kellbelle. This is a story of Hawke fleeing Kirkwall alone, having never romanced anyone and believing the man she loves could never love her back.

“Isabela and the Dread Pirate Captain Hook” by Dakoyone. Isabela tells a story from her grand pirating adventure days to the littlest Hawkes. No actual mention of Fenris but all her other stories are Fenhawke and there is a father so...

“That Which is Lost” by Niamh_St_George. A decade after the events in Kirkwall, Amelle Hawke and Fenris have made a quiet life for themselves. But when their idyll is shattered, Fenris discovers that while men are dealt with easily enough, it is once again magic standing poised to take everything away.

[orodrethsgeek]

I was excited to hear that you have a Hawke who romances Orsino! What was their meeting like? What's Hawke's view on magic? How do you see the ending playing out since they both walk away alive?

Hey there! Thanks so much for asking about them!

They’ve got two first meetings, sort of. The first one pretty much follows game canon—Kellan and co rescue Orsino from a group of Qunari during the Act II invasion, and Kellan later favors Orsino’s diversion over Meredith’s frontal assault. Both of them have much larger concerns than really noticing each other, though a few things do stick out—Kellan has Anders and Merrill (and Varric) in his party during the invasion, and Orsino definitely notices that his erstwhile rescuer is fighting openly alongside a pair of apostates. And on the other side of things, Orsino’s flair and sarcasm (directed at Meredith) absolutely made an impression in Kellan’s mind—Orsino had presence; he was clever, courageous without being reckless, and spirited enough to still go toe-to-toe with his jailers. Kellan joked to Varric on the way into the palace that he thought he was in love, but that’s all it was at the time; he forgot all about Orsino during the fight with the Arishok.

Their second, more official meeting happened during the ceremony Kirkwall held to formally bestow Kellan with the title ‘Champion of Kirkwall.’ By then it was a well known fact that the Champion sheltered apostates among his companions, and that he was himself the proud son of an apostate, so Orsino sought him out during the ceremony’s reception to sound Kellan out as a potential ally against Meredith. For his part, Kellan had dropped some not-so-subtle hints when the ceremony was still in its planning stages that, as the First Enchanter had been instrumental in getting him in the palace to confront the Arishok, he expected to see Orsino attending the ceremony and the celebrations afterward. (Orsino having been more or less forbidden from appearing at most public functions for some time, since the last time he’d been permitted to attend he’d “started” an argument with Meredith.) It was a minor power struggle more than anything—Kellan was testing the waters, seeing what his new status as a bonafide city hero got him in terms of concessions—but he was still genuinely pleased to see Orsino there, and even more pleased that Orsino sought him out.

Orsino wasn’t entirely sure what to make of Kellan for a while. After the battle with the Arishok, there was a virtual explosion of tales about the Champion and his prior exploits—not all of them flattering, given Kellan’s past. Some of the stories painted him as a self-centered manipulator who only ever looked out for himself; others celebrated him as a debonair, slightly tragic figure, given all his losses. Orsino suspected the truth lay somewhere in the middle, but with his people at stake Orsino couldn’t afford to take chances just because Kellan seemed friendly and had a pro-mage reputation. Kellan was much more certain of Orsino from the start—he had a penchant for recognizing good in other people, and he saw it in Orsino. And for a lot of complicated psychological and spiritual reasons, by this point in his life Kellan was hanging a lot of weight on being able to protect good people. So a lot of their early interactions followed a pattern: Orsino testing the waters and asking for progressively bigger favors, and Kellan consistently saying, “yes, of course, come to me for anything you need.”

Kellan doesn’t… precisely have views on magic itself. It exists, no different than any other talent or trade exists—although, in a way, that is a view. He doesn’t see magic as a curse from the Maker or a mark of displeasure; how could it be, when his father was the best man he ever knew and his sister was the sweetest soul ever born? It was easier to believe the Chantry had got it wrong, somehow, than to believe Malcolm and Bethany ought to have been locked away in a Circle all their lives. The problem with the magisters of old wasn’t that they were mages, but that they were, on the whole, people like him—ruthless and cunning and by and large unconcerned about other people as long as they got what they wanted. (Once, shortly after Bethany’s magic manifested, Kellan overhead his father tell his mother it could have been worse, that Kellan could have inherited the ability instead of Bethany. That stung more than he’d ever admit, but he couldn’t deny that his father was right—he wasn’t at all certain he had it in him to constantly resist demonic temptation.)

As far as the end game goes, I already wholesale reject Orsino turning himself into a horrifying flesh monster in universes where Hawke sides with the mages XD Given that the game developers themselves admitted it made no sense from a story point of view, I subscribe to the headcanon that Varric made it up, possibly to protect Orsino and the surviving Circle mages—no one (coughCassandra/theChantrycough) will look for him if he’s supposedly dead.

In Kellanverse in particular, Kellan is a bit more forward-thinking than the game allows Hawke to be: he sends Merrill and Isabela to the docks rather than taking them to the Gallows with the rest of his companions. He tells Isabela to get her ship ready, to muster up whatever crew she can, and sail to the Gallows as soon as possible. He’s not planning on outright defeating the templars; his plan is to protect as many of the Circle mages as possible until Isabela gets there, and then make a break for the open ocean.

A few other end game detail points:

- Sebastian’s whole friendship path character arc is learning to not seek revenge, and in Kellanverse in particular Sebastian becomes very outspoken about the abuses being heaped on the Gallows mages by the templars, and sees the Kirkwall Chantry’s refusal to intervene as tacit approval of what is happening. Given all that, though he loathes Anders for blowing up the Chantry and wants to see him face justice for his actions, he’s able to put that aside (at least temporarily) and defend the Circle mages. He and Kellan part ways some time after the end of the game, with Sebastian returning to Starkhaven to raise a force to rebuild Kirkwall, not invade it. Fenris and Varric go with him.

- Since Sandal is inexplicably in the Gallows during the final act, he ends up onboard the ship with everyone, too. The crew Isabela was able to muster is not enough for a ship this size, and the Circle mages have less than no idea how to sail, but Sandal employs a few enchantments to, among other things, ensure that the ship is never becalmed—the sails always have wind. Kellan is starting to wonder about the things Sandal knows and how he gets into places he shouldn’t. At some point they’re able to pick up Bodahn and possibly Orana as well, so Sandal and his father are reunited.

- Possibly around the time we pick up Bodahn and Orana, Merrill also arranges for her eluvian to be brought onto the ship. There wasn’t time to transport it to the ship when we first fled, but she won’t abandon it forever.

- Merrill and Isabela are a couple.

- Anders survives, though the published Tale of the Champion claims he was later executed at sea.

- Orsino and the surviving Senior Enchanters start a Circle of sorts on the ship, training the apprentices without templar oversight. As time goes on, they make a point of collecting any books on magic they can find when Isabela stops in port to take on more supplies, and occasionally they take in a few Circle-escapees or young apostates and their families. They keep sailing and keep as low a profile as possible. It's hard to declare an Exalted March against a ship.

Aaaand I have… more than half “talked” your ear off, lol, sorry about that. I hope this answers your questions! Thanks again so much for asking about my newest garbage child :3

[happywitch416]

Honestly I want you to review everyone in DA. But for now, have some more characters: Sophia Dryden, Nathaniel Howe, Isabela, and Lace Harding.

Everytime I tried to post this from mobile it went fucky. I got on the computer for you. You better feel loved. lol

Sophia Dryden

How I feel about this character

Sophia, the would be queen and warden commander. I like her story, she is a complex history full of ambitious chances taken. But she also manages to always lose, which ties back into her ambition, she never knows when to stop. Everything is full kilt, no halves. When she is approached for the rebellion, which got the wardens kicked out of Ferelden, I do not think she agreed from a place of wanting to save the people, she was ready to exact her revenge on the people who took her kingdom. We would have had a very different story if she had been successful. I have to admire the balls she had to get the entire order kicked out of the country for like 200 years. Thats impressive fuckery.

All the people I ship romantically with this character

I don’t have any ships here. She’s technically a ghoul in DAO? And animated by a demon. That just sounds like a bad plan romantically. And she does not strike me as a romance type. Marriage of power? Sure. For love? No.

My non-romantic OTP for this character

I want her to meet Justice/Anders. Possessed Grey Wardens should stick together. And I want to know what they agree on because I definitely think they could share sentiments. Justice will stop at nothing to achieve his goals and she could write the book on it.

My unpopular opinion about this character

I don’t think she’s evil, I think she had a potential for greatness that was encouraged and supported and when faced with the failure of her ambitions she kept pushing. I find it rather admirable even if I don’t condone murder and battle. Or demon possession but I think that could be negotiated. 

One thing I wish would happen / had happened with this character in canon.

That you could recruit her. A warden commander, possessed or otherwise, would be a good ally for the Blight. She has experience and knowledge which the warden and Alistair lack. And if an undead warden makes the killing blow against an archdemon what do we get? 

Nathaniel Howe

How I feel about this character

First off, poor kid’s dad was an absolute asshole. After spending his childhood wanting to make him proud, including spending time as a squire to a jerk, learning that his father was a grade A douche must have been hard. And we deal with this grief by breaking into the family castle to steal shit before getting wrestled into a cell by the wardens. I dig it. 

All the people I ship romantically with this character

Velanna is a ship I have seen a bit of and I find it nice. Their banter is a good setup for it. 

My non-romantic OTP for this character

Sigrun, their dialogue cracks me up.

My unpopular opinion about this character

His story is more tragic than the Cousland warden’s. The Couslands had a happy life until they died and Nathaniel went from one misery to the next. They both lost everything and this isn’t a comparison of who had it worse, just an acknowledgment that they both got it bad and setting Nathaniel up as a villain is in poor taste and weak spines.

One thing I wish would happen / had happened with this character in canon.

I am pretty happy with his canon. He gets the chance to make the name Howe mean something again, to remind himself and the world that being noble can be more than a bloodline. 

Isabela

How I feel about this character

Look. Isabela is my canon romance for Hawke. If I must abide by canon, it is always, always Isabela. She’s funny. She grows as a person through the events of da2. She could, and does if you fuck up, take off at a run with the qunari but she could also come back. She could save her skin, but tries to save yours even though it means facing down her worst nightmares, life under the Qun which would be awful. And shes a pirate! 

All the people I ship romantically with this character

Merrill and Hawke, either together or separately. I understand the Fenris thing that can happen but eh. 

My non-romantic OTP for this character

Varric, their banter makes me happy. And they get each other without having to do the deep talks. 

My unpopular opinion about this character

I really, really hate how Anders and Aveline treat her. To the point I won’t have them in the same party as her because it makes me so mad. Lets slutshame someone who was sold into a marriage. And if I have to explain the connotations of that kind of marriage you are probably too young to be here. The writers could have done better. Instead, I will ignore canon and substitute my own. I also have a problem with fandom going lol booze and sex Isabela, like please, lets have some character depth here. Its just the cheese all over again. 

One thing I wish would happen / had happened with this character in canon.

Let me go on the boat with her. I need a tropical island date. Sail away from Kirkwall and ignore the explosions lol

Lace Harding

How I feel about this character

Lace is the best. Funny? Dwarf archer?  Adventure! I am not even a little in love with her. Its big in love with her. She means business at work but plays hard too.

All the people I ship romantically with this character

Me lol i do totally see her with most inquisitors, especially ones that are more no i am not some religious icon. Definitely Krem, they could have danger adventures followed by cuddling and it would be cute as shit. The Iron Bull would be their strongest shipper because a happy Krem makes leaving the Qun not hurt as bad, that he has a family here. And Lace would be down for mayhem. 

My non-romantic OTP for this character

Sera, i could see them very much running pranks together. I could also see her trading romance novels with Cassandra. The Iron Bull as per above. Mayhem. 

I could eventually see her and Leliana warming to each other, Lace has a serious case of hero worship and rightful terror of Leliana. But I could see them bonding over wine and Leliana teaching her the ins and outs of working in an urban setting.

My unpopular opinion about this character

Hm. I’m not sure I have an unpopular opinion of her? Maybe that even with an inquisitor that is very into being the Herald, the shine would wear off for her taking them from otherworldly to human. Its hard to think of someone as being an icon when you’ve heard them whine about a sunburn. Or seen them without coffee. A lot of people seem to dig that whole star struck for eternity thing.

One thing I wish would happen / had happened with this character in canon.

An actual in game romance, instead of the barest nods you get in Trespasser. Cowards. Let us kiss the dwarves. Also, kit her out with some beyond the basic equipment. She does a lot for the Inquisition, give her a dragonbone bow or something please. I would also like her taking pot shots at Corphytits in the final battle. She would be there, first on a horse with your companions and advisors, because she’s not going to go through another Haven.