#man bun lucanis

[storiofmylife]

Shadow and Spite !Shadow Dragon Rook x Lucanis Dellamore

It's a bit AU, a bit OOC, and a mix of magical romance. mdni

🍴He’s cooking. In a man bun. In the Fade. She’s watching him. Because she can’t help it. But he’s not alone. Not with the thing Zara Renata put inside him.

In Chapter One of Shadow and Spite, Rook wanders into the Lighthouse pantry expecting a snack—and finds Lucanis, his sleeves rolled, his pan sizzling, and Spite lingering just out of view.

⚔️ A spirit of Determination corrupted into Spite. 💜 A spellblade still recovering from Fade-ravaged wounds. 🍲 And a tension so thick you could cut it with one of Lucanis’ knives.

inspired by this amazing fanart from @snarkspawn

Read the full first chapter now

[merry-kuroo]

MAN BUN ILLARIO

MAN BUN ILLARIO

MAN BUN ILLARIO

MAN BUN ILLARIO

I WANNA SEE HIM WITH HIS HAIR DOWN NEOW

[darlingillustrations]

To celebrate my Birthday Bestie, I attempted to make 🔥steamy🔥 Dragon Age Fanart of Lucanis Dellamorte inspired by the idea of this disaster Antivan staying up all night to make a special birthday cake.

(Mad Respect for all the people out there making art that is so much steamier. I don't know how you do it. My hat's off to you!!)

This one's for you, @vexatious-anamnesis ! I hope you have the best day ever, and that all your cakes are deliciously frosted!!

[esmeriandreamer]

Aassdvshfvsdr I LOVE THIS SO MUCH

Everyone look at this pretty art ❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️

I don't remember who asked for Lucanis in acrobatic poses, but have somr sketches of Lucanis doing stretches and stuff :)

[slecnaztemnot]

Interesting tidbits I noticed in the new trailer!

This image is likely the fade version of the ritual site we disrupt. Could it be the Black city? Its certainly dark enough and one of the theories is that it was originally Arlathan (ancient elven main city).

This could be Ghilian'nain but my mind went to Cetorax first - a horribly "sea smelling" creature mentioned in Tevinter nights, which lived under Minrathous and had tentacles. (also ate people). Location seems to fit.

Notice the dragon flying in the down right corner. Also, the snow + wood roads remind me of beginning of Inquisition and Haven. Possibly Frostback mountains?

This could be a random victim, but the man bun makes me think Felassan - the dreamer agent who worked for Solas in the book Masked Empire. https://dragonage.fandom.com/wiki/Felassan

Notice the shields in the corner - the group approaching the gods likely isn't our group but Grey Wardens, based on the griffon symbol. Also, there seems to be a figure holding Ghilain'nain's thighs. Is it part of her?

This dragon doesn't seem blighted. It could be just an "ordinary" one, but what if its the dragon form of Morrigan or Guardian of Mythal?

I am pretty sure this is our first look at Anderfells.

Davrin is accompanied by a child/teen (?). I don't think the dimensions work for it to be a dwarf. Considering her skin color and the fact we don't see her ears, could this be his daughter? (or another relative?)

Lucanis with a mage (?). I think this is from Lucanis' story quest and its the Tevinter magister planning to kill him, the one mentioned in Tevinter Nights as his next target.

Neve's personal quest? At first I thought it was some corrupted version of Rook, but he is standing behind her. A new dude then (and his beard is different), seems corrupted by Red Lyrium.

This is not Neve, since she has a vallasin. I am fairly sure its Irelin, member of the Veil Jumpers who appeared in Tevinter Nights. https://dragonage.fandom.com/wiki/Irelin

What do you think? Did you also catch anything interesting?

[littlemourningstarr]

Do You Mourn the Passing of the Hours?

Former Professor Emmrich Volkarin had spent years settled into a quiet life running a small, quint flower shop in Nevarra. He expected that any excitement was far behind him. Enter, Lucanis Dellamorte. Professional assassin. Antivan Crow. A possessed man. A possible bad decision to take in Lucanis after an assassination goes slightly off kilter, and suddenly Emmrich finds his life is full of far more excitement than he'd ever had. But maybe, for the man who had begun to experience the world through a cloudy window of fascination but never truly partaking, the excitement would remind him what it was like to truly be alive again.

Chapter Seven!

Pairing: Emmrich Volkarin x Lucanis Dellamorte, Emmrich Volkarin x Spite, Emmrich Volkarin x Lucanis Dellamorte x Spite

Read below or on AO3!

Tags: tags to be added as we go, modern AU, flower shop AU, demonology AU, former professor Emmrich, still assassin Lucanis, physical hurt/comfort, scent kink, Spite is a little freak, mentioned/discussed past Viago/Lucanis, background Teia/Viago, pinning, slow burn, hand kink, masturbation, background Bellara/Irelin, biting, hand jobs, blow jobs, anal sex, anal fingering, surprise piercing

"Ah, thank you Lucanis." Emmrich clasped his hands together, inspecting the very large pot Lucanis had just settled on the table for him, in the shop. He leaned closer, eyeing the leaves- he wanted to ensure they remained a healthy deep green, that he couldn't find any signs of health issues.

Lucanis was standing a step back, arms loosely folded, watching. He'd been awake when Emmrich had been preparing to leave, and instead of remaining in Emmrich's home for the day, had come with him into the shop. It wasn't the first time over the course of the week Lucanis had stayed with him, but that didn't lighten the chills of excitement Emmrich got from the man choosing to spend time with him.

Emmrich continued to inspect the plant, and after a few minutes of this Lucanis said he was going to get them coffee- which, of course, meant he was getting coffee, and he would be picking up a nice chai tea latte for Emmrich. With oatmilk. A lovely drink when the weather was chilled.

The bell chimed when Lucanis stepped out to walk the few blocks to the cafe. Emmrich straightened once he finished his inspection of the plant, heading back to the counter and checking his list of orders to fulfill for the day.

He found he was smiling, as he made notes next to each order, jotting down expected pick up times. He found he had been smiling quite frequently, as of late. That his life felt strangely revitalized.

Perhaps he had become simply too reclusive, when he'd left academia. The discussions over coffee and tea had stopped with colleagues, the students were all working with newer theories- well, mostly- and he simply hadn't made it a point to expand the effort to keep a social life. It was easier to just talk to Manfred.

Maybe not healthy, but still.

But having someone to come home to? It was thrilling. His evenings were filled with talk over dinner, with an evening glass of wine while he researched in the living room and not his study, Lucanis on his own laptop next to him. Just. Existing together.

He wasn't any closer to finding a safe way to separate Lucanis and Spite, and he felt a bit guilty about that. But at the same time, Lucanis seemed no closer to finding any leads on who was behind his abduction- beyond Venatori- and securing his own safe return home.

It just seemed like suddenly there was no rush.

Emmrich flipped the page in his notebook, as the bell over the door chimed. Expecting that he had just lost track of time and Lucanis had returned, he glanced up, ready to ask if he'd be willing to let Emmrich cook for him tonight. He couldn't very well let the young man take care of him every night.

He paused, however, when he realized it was not Lucanis standing inside the shop, but a young woman. Her hair was thrown up into a large bun, her patchwork sweater pulled tight around her against the Nevarra chill.

"Professor Volkarin?"

He hadn't been addressed like that in so long. Another lifetime, ago. She stepped closer, and he realized her face was recognizable. Not one he knew from previous meetings, but from a page on Arlathan University's website, introducing all doctorate students and their areas of study for the year. She had sent it to him herself, worried it had made her sound pretentious.

"Bellara?" She rushed over quickly, stopping when she nearly ran into the counter. He reached over it, grasped both her hands in his, squeezing them affectionately. "My dear what are you doing in Nevarra?"

She was grinning, seeming to bounce on her feet. "I'm sorry for coming unannounced, but I was told I should step away before my defense and I could go anywhere and- well, I thought, isn't this the perfect time to finally meet?" He squeezed her hands again, unable to keep from smiling.

"Brilliant. Oh, welcome to Nevarra, I do hope you enjoy your stay in my fair city." He'd barley finished when the door chimed again, and he caught sight of Lucanis entering, just over Bellara's shoulder.

The younger man paused, only a step in, looking confused. Emmrich offered him a smile, and Bellara glanced over her shoulder.

"Oh Lucanis, wonderful timing." Lucanis crossed the shop, walked around the counter to stand next to Emmrich, handing him his drink. "Thank you. Lucanis, this is Bellara Lutare- the thesis student I've spoken about."

"Oh! This is the one you mentioned to me." Bellara reached out, took one of Lucanis's hands. "Possessed, correct?"

Lucanis jerked his head slightly, looked at Emmrich. "You told someone?"

Emmrich offered a nervous smile. "Bellara is very familiar with my work, and I was hoping for some outside thoughts on how best to assist." He paused, feeling a bit guilty, and added, "I only told Bellara, I do swear."

"And I haven't told a soul!" She released Lucanis's hand, and the man took a long drink of his coffee, offering no response. Emmrich could see the tension in his shoulders, the subtle frown behind the lip of his cup. He wasn't thrilled that Emmrich had spoken to anyone about him.

It hadn't been the best decision, perhaps, but he had been desperate. Standard scholarly advice regarding possession always ended in spirit termination and most often death of the host. Neither were an acceptable outcome.

Emmrich turned his attention back to Bellara. "My dear it truly is exceptional that you've finally come to visit! We have much to discuss, you will have to catch me up on if you've been able to translate that text you found."

"The Elvish is still rough, I was hoping I could perhaps run some thoughts by you- perhaps you can help me understand what they were trying to say about spirits."

"Marvelous! Why don't you join us for dinner tonight? Lucanis, I was going to ask if you'd relinquish the kitchen to me this evening." He glanced over at Lucanis who lowered his coffee, gave a single nod. He still looked tense- and it was then that Emmrich realize he could hear something, a very soft whisper.

A moment later, and his notebook flew off the counter, tossed well over a display of plants and halfway across the room. Bellara jerked back a little, a quick, "oh my!" uttered.

Lucanis gritted his teeth, reached up and pinched the bridge of his nose. "Sorry, Spite is having a moment."

Emmrich set his cup down on the counter right away, turning to face Lucanis and reached for his arms, grasping his biceps and turning the Crow to face him. He was pleased to see that the force of Spite's little outburst hadn't taken a physical toll on Lucanis- in fact, the spirit hadn't seemed to injure the man in Emmrich's presence beyond the one time.

Still, he reached up, gently gripped Lucanis's chin, studying him. "Are you quite alright?" he asked, and Lucanis just stared at him for a moment, pretty dark eyes laced with shock and something Emmrich couldn't read. He nodded, slowly, and Emmrich pulled back, glancing around the shop, unsure where Spite was. "Spite."

Here. It was whispered, into his ear, on the opposite side as Lucanis. Emmrich turned towards the voice, frowning.

"Can you tell me why you threw my notebook?" After a long pause, Emmrich sighed, admitting to himself he wasn't going to get an answer out of him. He moved to get the notebook, but Bellara had already walked across the shop and gathered it up. She offered it back to him. "I am sorry, I promise Spite has become quite a rather enjoyable presence typically."

"I'm going to go." Emmrich glanced back at Lucanis. "I don't want him to cause a scene." Emmrich managed a nod, very much wishing Lucanis would stay. But if he felt more comfortable removing himself and Spite, he couldn't argue that.

"I'll see you for dinner!" Bellara called, as Lucanis walked around the counter and past them, heading for the door. Emmrich sighed, walking back to the counter and setting the notebook on it, turning around and leaning against it-

And finding Bellara with a huge grin. He quirked a brow, and she folded her arms.

"You didn't mention you were dating the possessed man, professor!" Emmrich gawked. Dating? He and Lucanis- they weren't- this wasn't- "I know our emails are usually so scholarly but I would've thought you'd tell me! After all, I have more pictures on my phone of Manfred than my own girlfriend."

"We aren't- wait. Did you say girlfriend?" Bellara kept her grin, and Emmrich laughed. "Is it that lovely former anthropology student you have been speaking about for the better part of a year?"

Bellara swayed a little. "Maybe. So are you? Dating him, I mean."

Emmrich glanced past her at the door, unable to keep himself from feeling a sadness creep in at Lucanis leaving.

"No, my dear," he said, "I am most certainly not. A young man like that would have no interest in someone such as myself." Bellara looked poised to retort, but Emmrich continued on, "Now, I have to get some orders ready, but you are welcome to keep me company. Tell me, did you read the latest book recommendation I shared?"

*

Emmrich drove himself and Bellara to his home that evening. Upon entry it smelled of freshly brewed coffee- something he was already growing very accustomed to. His mind instantly connected it to Lucanis, and his existence in the space.

Something Emmrich was very fond of.

They had barely gotten their shoes off when Lucanis appeared, from the direction of the kitchen, cup in hand. Manfred was walking along side him, occasionally leaning into his leg affectionately.

"Manfred!" Bellara said eagerly. The cat looked at her, a bit confused- but happily trotted over at being called. She scooped him up, petting him affectionately. "Oh it's good to finally meet you. I think you were the only thing that got me through my semester last fall."

Emmrich gestured towards the living room and Bellara left, happily cooing to Manfred. Emmrich turned his attention back to Lucanis, walking over to him and speaking in a softer, hushed voice. "Are you alright? Has Spite calmed down?"

"He's fine," Lucanis said, glancing away. He seemed unwilling to meet Emmrich's gaze. The older man frowned, stepping closer. He reached up, placed a hand on Lucanis's shoulder.

"And you?" Lucanis simply looked at him. "Be honest with me… please."

The added please had Lucanis's eyes softening. He inhaled slowly, nodded. "I'm fine. Sometimes it can be… confusing, to feel Spite's emotions. And make sure they're not my own."

The concept was fascinating, indeed. Emmrich had to wonder how clear cut the line felt. "There is a wide spread theory accepted in academia that you may feel some of a spirit's emotions, but that they cannot overtake you."

Lucanis only nodded, lifting his coffee to take a sip. From the scent, Emmrich believed it was the Trevisan roast he had purchased. Lucanis definitely had a penchant for it.

"Would you be a dear," Emmrich started, "and offer Bellara some coffee, or tea? That way I can begin dinner." Lucanis nodded, stepped around Emmrich, heading for the living room. Emmrich himself went for the kitchen, opening a counter drawer and pulling out a very worn notebook. He flipped through the yellowed pages, taking in the options he had for dinner, mentally considering what he had in the home, as there wasn't time for a trip to the store if they wanted to eat at a decent hour.

He had the hand made cookbook open and was setting out various bowls and pans, when Lucanis came back into the kitchen. He headed for the coffee machine, switching out the Trevisan roast for the Orlesian one Emmrich had tried the night he brought the machine home.

"Thank you," Emmrich said, as the coffee machine gurgled and hissed, sounds that had simply become a part of the background noise of his life. He went to the small closet pantry, retrieved his apron, before returning to the counter where he began to remove his rings.

"Doesn't all of your jewelry get in the way?" Lucanis asked it as he watched Emmrich's hands, eyes locked on as if he was memorizing the layout of bones beneath flesh.

"Honestly? Not really." Emmrich set a thin ring down, the clink on the counter musical. "I've grown so used to it that I barely notice. I imagine it must be… gaudy to those outside of Nevarra."

Lucanis shook his head. "It looks good on you." He lifted his hand, as if he was going to reach out, grasp Emmrich's own, run his fingers along the back of his hand, the length of his fingers- but the hand fell back to his side. "Do they mean anything?"

Emmrich glanced at the pile of rings. "Some of them," he admitted. He picked up a larger one that hosted a brilliant green stone. "I bought this to mark my completion of my education and the start of my teaching life." He set it down, picked up a smaller one, with a cluster of red stones. "This was to mark when I was accepted into the Mourn Watch society, while I was still a student."

He set it down, before picking up a thin gold band, slightly engraved but hosting no stones.

"And this," he said, holding it out to Lucanis, "belonged to my father." Lucanis stared at it a moment, before he took it in hand, Emmrich's fingertips brushing the soft skin of his palm. "As I said, I was young when my parents passed- and we didn't have much."

"You wear luxury well." Emmrich quirked a brow, and Lucanis cleared his throat. "What I mean is, you… carry yourself like someone who grew up with…"

"Abundance?"

Lucanis nodded. "I meant it as a compliment."

Emmrich chuckled, as Lucanis passed the ring back. He set it back with the others. "No slight taken my boy. That ring is all I have of him." Emmrich let himself settle in a moment of sadness, missing both his parents, before he straightened his shoulders and settled the apron over his neck. "Now, I do believe I need to begin cooking."

"Here," Lucanis said, before Emmrich could reach back to tie the apron, "Let me." He stepped closer, and Emmrich felt the brush of his knuckles against his back, as Lucanis grabbed the straps and began tying them. He pulled it taut to his waist, and Emmrich could just feel the ghost of his breath, against his neck.

The knot settled, Lucanis drifted his hands, and Emmrich felt them on his narrow waist, grasping gently, thumbs rubbing the soft fabric of his sweater. Emmrich had the desire to lean back into Lucanis, right against his chest- for the man's arms to encircle his waist, for Lucanis to press into the crook of his neck.

He was jarred from the moment, the breath it took for the fantasy to unfold, by the sound of the coffee machine sputtering to silence. Lucanis pulled his hands back quickly, and when Emmrich turned, he was fully facing the coffee machine, focused on it with a hint of color to his cheeks.

Neither spoke, as Lucanis poured a hint of cream into the coffee, added a dash of sugar, and then left Emmrich to his cooking.

Emmrich sighed, grasped the edge of the counter and leaned forward slightly. Never once had he been so plagued with intrusive desires. He simply didn't know what to make of them- the desires, the situation, and Lucanis.

After all, he hadn't imagined his hands on his waist, had he?

*

Dinner went over quite well, in Emmrich's eyes. Bellara was the most joyous conversation partner, as she had been over her emails. She picked his brain in a way no one had since he'd left academia.

He was pleased to notice Lucanis seemed to relax, as well, as the evening progressed. And for every question Bellara asked of Emmrich, she had one for Lucanis, as well. The majority, of which, were not centered around his possession.

Emmrich wasn't entirely sure where Spite was. He couldn't sense him, lingering around Lucanis- nor had he heard him, since he and Bellara had arrived. Manfred had disappeared upstairs when they'd sat down for dinner, so he presumed the two were together.

"I'd love to see Treviso one day," Bellara admitted, setting her fork down. "All the pictures I see, the stories I hear, they're breathtaking."

"It does seem a truly lovely city," Emmrich added. Lucanis glanced at him- and held his stare when he spoke.

"Nothing should stop you from visiting."

It felt like a commanding invitation, spoken directly to him. Emmrich reached for his cup- knowing his tea was gone- but needing something for his hands.

"Maybe after my thesis defense," Bellara offered. "The city is in so many novels, I can't imagine it as anything else but a seat of romance and betrayal."

Lucanis chuckled at that. "I'd say don't believe everything you read in books… but Treviso is anything but dull." He finally pulled his eyes from Emmrich, pushed his seat back. "Do you want more coffee?"

Bellara utterly beamed. "Oh, yes please! That was lovely, where did you get the roast? I might have to stock up before I leave."

Lucanis gathered up her cup with his own, eyes glancing for only a moment at Emmrich. "Emmrich brought home a nice selection. It was quite a surprise." He walked around the table, picked up Emmrich's cup as well. "Tea?"

Lucanis was leaning so close to him, over his shoulder, that he could smell his cologne, the shampoo in his hair. It felt like a dream to see someone else's shampoo bottle in his shower, still. "You know," Emmrich admitted, "I think I'll have a cup of coffee as well." Lucanis's smile grew, and he was off, for the kitchen. Emmrich turned his attention across the table, and Bellara was giving him the most knowing of smiles. "What?"

"Professor, you are utterly smitten."

"It's just Emmrich, please. And I am most certainly not." He folded his hands on the table. "Perhaps you've been reading too much romance."

The elf laughed. "Absolutely not. Why the last one had brothers dueling on a chandelier-"

"And how did the physics of that work?"

Bellara was still explaining the scene, when Lucanis reappeared, managing to hold all three cups. He set Bellara's down, before moving back to Emmrich, handing him the mug- his fingers brushing against Emmrich's for only a moment. "I feel I've missed something."

"Oh, just explaining a scene from a book! You see, these two brothers dueled atop a chandelier because they were both in love with the same girl, but one brother was seen as wanting to tear down his whole house and no one cared for him, but she really knew there had to be more and-" she paused, color creeping onto her cheeks. "I'm sorry. I'm rambling. I do that."

Lucanis sat down, and Emmrich lifted his cup, offering it in a silent toast. "Nonsense, passions should be discussed. Do continue- perhaps you'll be able to persuade me that the scene is, in fact, not utterly ridiculous."

*

Emmrich drove Bellara back to her hotel, late in the evening. The moment the car doors had shut, she had twisted in her seat, eagerly saying you didn't tell me he was staying with you!

The entire drive was like that. Bellara pestering in the most affectionate way about Emmrich and Lucanis. And Emmrich had to wonder, if a woman whom yes he had known for years but also only just met could see through him-

Who else could?

"I'm just saying," she offered, as the hotel came into view, "I could cut the tension with a knife."

It was absurd- Emmrich said as much, but gods and Maker, was it? He felt it too, but assumed it was simply driven from his side, his own attraction. An attraction he could absolutely not deny, at this point. Nor did he, when Bellara flat out asked.

"He's an attractive man," Emmrich conceded, "I'm not blind, my dear. But I am sensible."

Bellara rolled her eyes, as she undid her seat belt. "I think you're being the exact opposite of sensible right now- I mean, he's living with you."

"He's staying with me until he can safely return home. There are… complications. A lot of them, that are not my place to disclose."

Bellara narrowed her eyes, but didn't push. Instead she just opened her door. "Maybe tomorrow we can discuss your theory on spirit temperament and realignment? Because I know it is going to come up in my defense, as I referenced it so heavily. I'd love your opinion on my speaking points."

Emmrich nodded. Of course- he planned to make the most of the few days Bellara would be in Nevarra. A proper passing defense of her thesis would be a point of pride for him, after all of these years in correspondence. She thanked him for dinner and the ride, promised to text him in the morning, before she disappeared into the hotel. Emmrich waited until he could no longer see her in the lobby, before he began the drive home.

When he arrived, he found Lucanis in the living room, the younger man's laptop on the coffee table, completely ignored. Instead he was reading through the old notebook Emmrich had left on the counter, forgotten to put away.

Emmrich sat down on the couch next to him, perhaps a bit closer than he meant to. Lucanis didn't seem to mind, just glanced at him with a little smile. "This is handwritten."

"Yes, my mother's." Emmrich leaned his elbow against the back of the couch, peering down at the book. "Collected recipes from both her and my father's families. Most of it is quite distinctly Nevarran, and I did want Bellara to get to experience as much as possible." Emmrich paused, before he added, "I hope it wasn't too boring."

Lucanis shook his head, flipping a few pages in, stopping at random. Emmrich smiled, recognizing the recipe.

"Ah, this was always a favorite when I was a boy." He leaned a bit closer, his eyes tired from the day, as he scanned over the extensive list of ingredients. "I used to be able to convince my mother to make this hazelnut torte on my birthdays." Lucanis tapped the page, as Emmrich added, "I can't remember the last time I made it. Years ago, at least. It's far too much without someone to share it with."

Emmrich's eyes moved to Lucanis's fingers, on the page. He had the urge to take them in his hand, entangle their fingers together. Bellara's comments were still ringing in his head.

This didn't just feel like physical attraction, though. He found he genuinely liked when Lucanis spoke, liked hearing about the starkly different life he led. He found that he would be willing to give almost anything, to see him smile.

"You're quite sure you and Spite are alright?" Lucanis turned his eyes across the room, and Emmrich glanced as well. "Ah. Spite, if you're here with us, do answer for yourself. How are you feeling?"

There was a little rumble, and then a still somewhat annoyed Fine.

"Well, that is most certainly a lie." Next to him, Lucanis shut the cookbook, set it on the coffee table. "Why would you feel the need to lie to me?"

Because Lucanis. Lies. Too.

Emmrich glanced at the man, and Lucanis dropped his eyes to his lap, folding his hands, almost wringing them, as if being still was impossible. Before Emmrich could speak, there was a rushing static in the air, and he watched as Lucanis blinked once, eyes dark and gorgeous-

And then again, eyes shining amethyst.

Spite turned to Emmrich, reached for him and grasped at his sweater, leaning in very close. "Spite, you cannot just-"

"Lucanis. Let me. Did not fight." There was a pause, and then Spite continued. "He's here. He's listening."

Emmrich nodded. Alright, if Lucanis was fine giving Spite a moment in his body, he was content to speak to the spirit in a more physical form.

"You smiled. At her. You should smile. At us." Spite inclined his head a little, before he moved closer, pressed his face directly into the crook of Emmrich's neck. Spine going rigid, Emmrich didn't move for a moment, as Spite all but purred while nosing at his pulse. "We don't like. When you look. Elsewhere."

He was saying we, but Emmrich didn't dare believe that Lucanis was agreeing.

He swallowed thickly, moved his hand to gently touch Spite's back, sliding down along his spine. The spirit relaxed into him at the touch. "Spite, were you jealous?"

"Jealous, yes. You are. Ours. Ours."

Emmrich continued to stroke his back. Rationally, he was shifting through a proper explanation on boundaries for the spirit, yet…

The way Spite said ours left a shiver cloying at his spine, between his vertebrae.

"Spite, Bellara is a dear friend." The spirit lifted his head, and Emmrich moved his hand from his back, gently cupped his face in both, fingers flexing against the man's beard. "Just because she is my friend doesn't mean that you are not my friend as well. Nor Lucanis."

The spirit continued to watch him, eyelids fluttering as Emmrich continued to touch gently.

"Can I trust you to not act out again? If you're feeling such a way, you simply need to tell me." He leaned a bit closer, and Spite's eyes flicked down to Emmrich's mouth.

Emmrich had a moment where he thought the spirit might lean in, might kiss him. It was thrilling, but also filled his gut with a terror- because it was Lucanis's body he was in, and while the spirit might have an attachment to Emmrich, that didn't mean the man he possessed did, to such a degree.

But Spite didn't move. His eyes moved back to Emmrich's, and he blinked, once, amethyst-

Twice, deep brown.

Emmrich watched the switch in consciousness, the way a heavier sort of existing took hold in Lucanis's eyes. He was still cradling his face delicately, and Lucanis made no move to pull away.

Instead he stared at Emmrich with the same sort of intensity Spite had. Emmrich curled his fingers closer to his jaw bone, and Lucanis leaned a breath closer, could so easily have been moved by Emmrich's desires- he could be pulled in, his lips finally tasted, the magnetic pull in Emmrich's gut finally satiated.

Emmrich inhaled slowly and released Lucanis's face, his hands falling to his lap. "Apologies," he said, his voice wavering slightly. "I shouldn't touch without your permission."

"Spite didn't give you much of a choice." Lucanis eased back, into his own space. "He feels calm, now."

Emmrich only nodded. Yes, good…

He stood up abruptly, clearing his throat. "I believe I'll turn in for the night." Lucanis stared up at him, before he glanced away- and was that disappointment?

No, Emmrich was projecting. He had to be.

"Right. Good night." Lucanis reached for his laptop, and Emmrich offered a soft good night as well, before he headed for the stairs. He'd leave Lucanis to his work, his research, his tying up leads so he could one day leave-

Emmrich was half way up the stairs when he paused, hand gripping the railing. He frowned at himself. Of course he would leave- the whole point of him being here was to separate he and Spite, so he could return home. That was it. Nothing more.

Emmrich left his bedroom light off, changed in the dark, leaving his jewelry atop his dresser as always. He crawled into bed, pulling the blanket up over his shoulder, pressing it to his neck. The bed felt strangely cold, as it never had.

He wished it wasn't empty.

He closed his eyes, cursing himself. This was a ridiculous situation to find himself in, at his age. Yet he had been dangerously close to kissing Lucanis- no, Spite- and might have, if he had had but a single moment longer of inaction.

He couldn't deny, he wanted to kiss the man. He wasn't blind, he hadn't been since he'd first met him. He was honest when he'd admitted to Bellara that Lucanis was attractive. Was there a soul that wouldn't think so?

His mind thought back to Lucanis in the kitchen, gently grasping his waist after tying the apron, the feeling of his breath against his neck. Half a step closer, and he could have been pressed flush to Emmrich's back, the heat of his body undeniable. His arms could have encircled him, he could have pressed those hands along the planes of his body…

Emmrich bit his lip, his body feeling far too hot within his skin. The heat was pooling in his pelvis, his groin- and gods be damned, he was half hard at just the thought, the half memory and half fabrication.

He rolled over, squeezing his eyes tightly shut, and told himself to get a handle on this before he made a mistake he couldn't unmake.

[bluerose5]

The Way to a Man's Heart

Part of my Zevran x Lucanis one shot collection, A Tentative Alliance, on ao3.

Prompt fill, "Cooking for each other," for @mango-mage

Word count: 3,219

Summary:

Days after Lucanis made him dessert, Zevran decides to return the favor by making him a dish from home.

It gives them a chance to discuss where their relationship is heading.

...

The last thing Lucanis expected was to find Zevran in the kitchen.

Even in the beginning, before Lucanis and Bellara agreed to take over cooking duties for the team, he couldn't recall a single time he saw Zevran preparing a meal.

However, as soon as Lucanis walked through the doors, his mouth started watering.

At first, he thought that Bellara was trying her hand at an Antivan recipe, mixing up her usual routine perhaps, but that thought immediately vanished the second he heard a familiar voice humming a low tune.

“Zevran?” he called out, his brow furrowed as he approached.

“Over here!” he answered.

Lucanis stopped short when he caught sight of him.

While part of him mourned the current state of his kitchen —pots, pans, and utensils strewn about, his counters covered in the decimated remains of various ingredients— all of that paled in comparison to the man that was Zevran Arainai.

Golden blonde hair, streaked with bits of silver, was thrown back into a messy bun, stray strands falling into his face. His sleeves were pushed up above his elbows, exposing black ink along the length of his arms, slightly faded from the passage of time. Both his skin and his clothes were dusted with specks of flour, smeared and scattered unevenly.

Once he spotted Lucanis, Zevran's lips stretched into a wide smile, brighter than the sun itself.

Lucanis felt his face flush, resisting the urge to avert his eyes.

Clearing his throat, he asked, “You're… cooking?”

Zevran chuckled, stirring a tomato sauce atop the Lighthouse's magic-fueled stove.

“Good to know that your eyesight is still intact, my dear. I figured that I would repay you for that lovely dessert you made me the other day.”

Well, it was nice to know that his efforts were appreciated. It had been a while since Lucanis last made cinnamon rolls, but knowing how much Zevran loved cinnamon, it seemed like one of the more obvious choices to go with. Still…

“You didn't have to do that,” Lucanis said.

Zevran didn't even hesitate.

“Yes, I did,” he replied in that same matter-of-fact tone that Lucanis used on him. He cast Lucanis a tender look, causing his heart to skip a beat. “I know that you didn't expect me to return the favor, but I—” Trailing off, he sighed, staring into the pot for a moment before he managed to speak again, his voice soft, gentle. “I don't know. You like food, so I decided to make you food. I tried to think of something from home that you haven't made yet.”

Warmth spread throughout his chest, Lucanis touched by the gesture.

Slowly, he eased closer, leaning against the counter.

“Well, in all honesty, I didn't even realize you knew how to cook,” Lucanis admitted.

Zevran gaped at him.

“What?!” He gasped. “Oh, how you wound me!” He all but tossed his spoon aside to clutch at his chest with one hand, the back of his other one placed against his forehead. Lucanis winced when some of the sauce splashed nearby, but he bit his tongue, refraining from bringing it up. “How will I ever recover from such an insult?”

“Dramatically, by the looks of it,” Lucanis teased, “but is it really so surprising when I haven't seen you step foot into the kitchen on your own, let alone to cook a meal?”

Zevran laughed with a shrug.

“I didn't want to impose and make anyone feel uncomfortable. My companions from the Fifth Blight, hmm… Let's just say that they were more suspicious of me at first than the others were of you,” Zevran noted. “Kind of reckless on their part, I must say. I know that we met under very different circumstances, but I'm still surprised that they let you near any food or drinks.”

“Hey, now,” Lucanis protested. “I haven't poisoned anyone.”

“Not yet, anyways,” Zevran corrected.

Lucanis watched him closely as he added some basil to the sauce, then continued to stir.

Once that was done, he set the first pot aside, stopping only to take a sip from a glass of brandy before he brought water to a boil in another pot. When Lucanis tried to swoop in to taste some of the sauce, Zevran was quick to block his path. He gave Lucanis's hand a light tap before he shoved his glass towards him, Lucanis taking it from him before one of them dropped it.

“Patience, my dear!” Zevran chastised. “You are interrupting the process.”

Lucanis huffed, Spite snickering in the back of his mind.

He wondered how much time they could spend in the kitchen together before the others started to hear them shouting in Antivan. 

A question for them to answer another day, perhaps.

Swirling the brandy around in slow, even circles, Lucanis stared down into the glass when he asked, “Were you truly concerned about that?”

Zevran glanced towards him, quirking a brow up in his direction.

“About you poisoning me? How could I know for certain that you wouldn't, considering your loyalty to the Crows? I didn't want to doubt, but you—” He grimaced, stealing his drink back to take a heavier swig this time. He returned it to Lucanis just as quickly in order to add salt to the water, his face scrunched up. “You never know.” With a sigh, the tip of Zevran's ear twitched ever so slightly. “I might have made it a habit to make sure you and the others took the first bites before I dug in.”

“Of course you did.” How didn't he notice that before?

Not that Lucanis could really blame him when he put it into context like that, but some part of him couldn't help but to feel offended, hurt even.

“You're pouting,” Zevran said in a sing-song tone.

“Am not.”

“Are too.”

“Am not.”

“Uh-huh, see, you say that, but then you could put the saddest puppies to shame with those big, brown eyes of yours.”

Lucanis grumbled, his shoulders drooping.

“I want you to feel safe around me,” he eventually said, unable to meet his eyes.

A minute passed by as silence hung heavy in the air, but Zevran didn't let the tension overstay its welcome, his voice filled with certainty when he spoke.

“I do now."

Lucanis braced himself, then locked eyes with him again.

“You do?”

“Would I lie to you?” When Lucanis opened his mouth to respond, Zevran backtracked, rushing to interrupt. “On second thought, don't answer that.”

They shared a laugh.

“In all seriousness, though, about the cooking, I mean,” Zevran continued, “you do realize that I had to take care of myself before you came along as my personal chef, right?”

“Heh, fair enough,” Lucanis said, watching Zevran collect a tray off the counter, covered in small, pillowy bits of dough. “How did you learn?”

“The children were expected to do all sorts of tasks in the brothel I was raised in. I used to have to help with prep in the kitchen. I always said that was how I first learned how to wield a knife,” Zevran explained. “Then, when I was bought by the Crows, the way I obtained my meals mostly depended on the day. On rare occasions, the master assassins would invite us to dine with them, a pat on the head for a job well done, if you will. On other days, I would charm someone from a local tavern, convince them to treat me for an evening. But most of the time…”

He swallowed thickly, his stare distant.

“It was Rinna, Taliesen, and I. All of us in our cramped, little apartment in Antiva City, learning together through trial-and-error.”

Lucanis felt his chest tighten, his heart aching for Zevran as his expression twisted with sorrow.

“You mentioned them before,” Lucanis stated. “You three worked as a unit within the Crows, correct?”

“That, we did.” Zevran took a deep, shaky breath, carefully adding his gnocchi to the water. “But we were so much more than that, too.”

Lucanis didn't want to dig up any unhappy memories for him, but the words spilled out before he could stop them, too curious for his own good.

“You never did say what happened to—”

“I killed them,” Zevran stated, straight to the point. He tossed the tray out of the way once he was finished with it, mixing up the gnocchi in the water before covering the pot with a lid. “Both of them. Perhaps that should come as a warning to you to get out while you still can.”

As if Lucanis scared that easily.

“I'm not going anywhere.”

A single glimpse at Lucanis's face had him pursing his lips.

“Don't look at me like that.”

“Like what?”

“You know what I mean,” he retorted. “Like you pity me.” Then, in a smaller voice, he added, “Or like you care.”

“Well, I do care what happens to you. Past, present, future. It doesn't matter,” Lucanis insisted. “I hate that you had to go through that.”

Zevran allowed that to sink in before he replied.

“I know.” He blew out a tired breath. “I know, but think about it like this. Had I not gone through the things that I have, then we probably wouldn't have ever met.”

“Yeah...” Lucanis knew that he was only telling the truth; however, he didn't want to linger on that thought for too long, so he took advantage of the lull in the conversation to change the subject, knowing that it must have taken a lot on Zevran's part to even share that information with him. “So, you made me gnocchi?”

Zevran accepted the silent offer to switch topics, grateful for the distraction.

“With my own two hands,” he said, “and I fully expect a batch of churros in return for all of my hard work.”

“I should have known you had an ulterior motive for doing this,” Lucanis snorted.

“Maker, could you imagine? Doing something for someone without any expectation of payment?”

“What a ridiculous notion, indeed,” Lucanis deadpanned. “Fortunately for you, I would be more than happy to oblige.” Anything for him.

“I had a feeling you would be.” Zevran smirked his way, eyeing him up and down. “You know, if you keep on spoiling me like this, then you might end up stuck with me.”

For someone who could be so closed-off at times, he said that with such confidence. Caught off guard by his straightforward remark, Lucanis turned his gaze away, smiling to himself.

Even Spite seemed to preen at the very idea.

“I fail to see the problem with that.”

“Ha! Let's see if you still feel that way after we take out the gods together.”

“I look forward to it.” But that did beg the question. “Say, now that I think about it, we never really did discuss ‘us’ yet, have we?”

Zevran fell silent as he lifted the lid off the pot. Once the gnocchi floated to the top, he worked on straining them next. Grabbing a dish to serve them in, he ladeled a portion of the sauce directly into the bottom.

Nervously, Lucanis took a swig out of Zevran's drink while he awaited his answer, savoring that delicious burn in the back of his throat.

“Is there anything left to discuss?” Zevran asked, genuinely curious. “You made me dessert, and it was sweet. You were sweet, but if my companionship is all that you seek, then that shall be enough for me.”

Pouring the gnocchi into the dish next, Zevran added another layer of sauce on top. From there, he mixed it all together, just enough to evenly coat the gnocchi.

Lucanis tapped a finger upon the glass of brandy.

“And if I told you that I wanted to explore what's between us beyond ‘companionship’?” he wondered.

Zevran stopped what he was doing in order to consider the offer, continuing after a brief pause.

“Then I would say that I'm interested,” he told him, “but I wouldn't ask anything of you that you are not willing to give. Whatever happens next, my dear, is up to you.”

“That's a lot of power you're giving me.”

“I trust you with it.”

Lucanis shifted at the absolute certainty with which he spoke.

Butterflies filled his stomach.

“I'm glad that you do, but I never…” He trailed off, his expression turning surprisingly bashful.

“What?” Zevran asked, grabbing a wedge of aged cheese out of Lucanis's stash to grate over the top of the gnocchi. “Something wrong?”

“No, no, no,” Lucanis rushed to assure him. “It's just that I, uh—” Lucanis rubbed at the back of his neck. “I've never really been in a relationship before.”

He saw it the instant that realization dawned on Zevran, his eyes widening ever so slightly, lips parted.

Then, understanding took the place of his initial shock.

“Ah,” he said, “I seem to recall that, when we first met, you said that a lot of decisions were made for you, even before the Ossuary. Were there expectations for you as the First Talon's heir, or…?”

“You are asking if I had a marriage lined up.” Lucanis snorted. “The answer to that is no. Not that I'm aware of, at least. Although, I would not put it past Caterina to have had a match already in mind for me, if she was determined to have our family's bloodline continue.”

He wrinkled his nose at the thought of being coerced into a marriage on those grounds, but quickly banished the idea from his mind.

An issue to worry about later, perhaps.

“The truth is that I was content without being involved with someone, simple as that. I didn't actively seek out that kind of connection when I met people. I had my job. I had my family. I had the Crows. What else did one need, so far as I was concerned?” Lucanis shrugged as Zevran wrapped up what he was doing. “Every now and then, I would become interested in another, but nothing ever really came from it.”

Wiping his hands off on a rag, Zevran flashed him a mischievous grin.

“You mean, like what happened with Viago?”

Lucanis sputtered in protest.

Finishing off their drink, he set the glass aside on the counter, crossing his arms over his chest.

“I should have known you were listening in,” he huffed.

“What? It's not like you and Emmrich were trying to keep quiet about it,” Zevran said. “Plus, I had to make sure there wasn't any competition to worry about.”

Maybe it was the alcohol —or, Maker, maybe it was Spite’s influence— but Lucanis was overtaken by a sudden surge of confidence.

Without thinking, he stepped forward, reaching out to take Zevran’s hand in his as Zevran turned to face him.

Lucanis laced their fingers together, his heart threatening to pound out of his chest.

Using his free hand, he reached out to cup Zevran’s cheek, brushing a smudge of flour away with his thumb. Zevran immediately leaned into his touch, warm, brown eyes —like amber— fixated on Lucanis the entire time.

Lucanis glanced down towards his lips before staring deep into his eyes once more.

“There's not,” he assured him.

“Right. Okay.” Zevran took a moment to catch his breath, taken aback by the intensity of his gaze. “Lucky for you, I'm not exactly the jealous type, but still, it's good to know.”

“Mm-hmm…”

“And for future reference,” Zevran whispered, covering the hand on his cheek with his own, “give me a knife as a gift, and I can guarantee it'll work out in your favor.”

“Is that so?”

“You have my word.” Turning his head to the side, he pressed a kiss upon his palm. Heat lingered where Zevran's lips grazed against his skin. “What comes after, you'll have to find out for yourself, though. Can't go ruining the surprise, now can I?”

“We wouldn't want that,” Lucanis agreed.

“Not at all.” Zevran searched his expression, deep in thought. “On another note, if you've never been in a relationship before, that does bring up another question. Just so we're on the same page here, have you ever—”

“Had sex?” Lucanis interrupted, already anticipating where that question was headed. Might as well get it all out in the open now. “No, I haven't.”

“Huh. I mean, I had a hunch, but I didn't want to assume either way.” Then, under his breath, he muttered to himself, “The universe is trying to teach me a lesson for calling him woo-less, isn't it?”

Lucanis furrowed his brow at him.

“What?” he asked, utterly confused.

“Nothing, my dear.” Zevran waved off his concern. “Just reminiscing.”

As if that helped ease Lucanis's anxiety about sharing this information in the slightest.

“This isn't going to be a problem, is it?”

“Of course not,” Zevran said. “A change of pace? Most certainly, but a problem? Not at all.” When Lucanis responded by wrapping his arms around Zevran's waist, Zevran settled his arms around his neck, both of them resting their foreheads against one another. “I told you that whatever happens next is up to you. If you don't want to have sex, then we won't have sex. If you decide that you do want to explore sex with me, then we'll take it at your pace.”

He made it sound so simple, but the fact that he was willing to let Lucanis take the lead on this was more encouraging than he would ever know.

“Thank you.” Lucanis tightened his hold on him. “For being so understanding. It means a lot, truly.”

“Don't mention it.”

Zevran teased his fingers through his hair, Lucanis melting into his embrace.

“I'm serious,” Lucanis said.

“So am I,” Zevran joked. “I have a reputation to uphold, after all. I can't have people thinking that I'm being considerate of others’ feelings. Could you imagine?”

“Apologies. I didn't even consider the possibility of a fate so cruel.” Lucanis rolled his eyes, unable to keep his smile at bay. “Now, if you don't mind, I'm starving, and there are a bunch of gnocchi calling my name.”

Zevran chuckled when he dragged him along, Lucanis grabbing a fork to dig in.

The first bite, and every one after that, was nothing short of divine. The texture of the gnocchi was perfect, and the sauce was thick and luscious, both of which paired well with the sharp, savory flavors from the cheese.

All of that made better by the fact that Zevran cooked it especially for him.

Lucanis released an obscenely loud moan once he tasted it, not even bothering to muffle the sound as Zevran shushed him through a bout of laughter.

“Do you want the others to think that we're fooling around in the kitchen?” Zevran asked. “Because you making noises like that is not going to help our case at all, if they come barging in.”

“Let them,” Lucanis hummed through another bite. “Maker, a man after my own heart! I could kiss you right now, but—” He gestured towards the dish as a way of explanation, giving Zevran a playful wink. “—I'm a little busy at the moment.”

Shaking his head at him, Zevran placed his hand on his hips, watching in amusement.

“Are you at least going to save some for any of the others?”

“Not a chance.”

[halla-hunts-the-wolf]

BIoware, give us the Lucanis Man bun and my life is yours!!

[starrose17]

Fanfic: Post-end romance scene with Lucanis x male!elf Crow Rook

Also on AO3

Are You Happy?

At the Dellamorte estate, the warm Treviso summer air brought the smell of fresh fruit and sweet buns, caught on the breeze that fluttered the muslin curtains hanging across the open archways.

The clear blue sky shone through those archways, sunrays dancing across the open-floor bedroom and the large, elegant bed, piled with pillows and cushions decorated in fashionable Antivan patterns. But the silken sheets lay a little crumpled against the naked body that lay in the middle.

Rook was lying on his front, his skin warm in that late afternoon sun, head cradled in his arms as he watched with a gentle smile at his lover, his Lucanis. Lucanis was just as naked, standing by one of the archways looking out over the Treviso rooftops, absently listening to the busy voices indistinguishable from down below.

The war was over. The Gods were gone. Life was returning to normal, and Rook and Lucanis had returned to Treviso, to begin a life together neither of them had really expected to be able to start. Lucanis was now First Talon, head of the Dellamorte family, he had alot of responsiblity now.

But not today. Today was for them, today...hadn't really had much of anything happening outside of their bed.

"Lucanis?"

Lucanis smiled at the voice, and turned to look across at his beautiful elf, his safe heart, the one person in the world to give his body and soul to without question.

"Yes, my love?"

Rook gazed at him softly, "Are you happy?"

Lucanis had suffered more than anyone, his ordeal in the Ossuary, his torture and imprisonment, being blamed for failing to kill Ghilan'nain, Spite, so many things had happened to this one man in such a short space of time.

Rook hoped, beyond anything else, that there was perhaps for the first time peace in Lucanis' life now. And he hoped he had brought some of that peace.

At the question, Lucanis' trademark smirk grew on his lips, and he all but sauntered over to Rook, Rook watching with raised, curious eyebrows as Lucanis knelt down at the side of the bed so they were face to face.

Lucanis raised one hand to stroke down across a long bang of Rook's dark hair, from scalp to the tip that rested against his shoulder, and smiled.

"I want to cover your naked body in rose petals, and as I remove them one by one, to kiss every bit of skin they had rest upon. I want to massage your back with lavender oil, until any remaining memories of our fights with the Gods has gone from your mind, and all you can think of is my hands on your body. I want keep a locket of your silken hair on a band on my wrist, so i may feel my pulse resting against it, knowing my heart beats for you. But most of all, I want to have you beneath me, where i can make you reach the very peak of ecstasy, and then keep you there for as many hours as there are in a day. Only if all of that can happen, will I be truly happy."

Rook had stopped breathing, air caught in his throat as he stared helplessly at Lucanis, watching that smirk curl Lucanis' lips again just a little bit. Rook's mind had stopped, his lungs had stopped, everything had stopped but his heart that beat wildly in his chest.

"...oh....Lucanis..."

He all but moaned the name. He couldn't think, he could do nothing but gaze at Lucanis with the expression of a man desperately in love. "Well, I err," he tried again, clearing his throat and swallowing heavily, before his own smirk came back to life, and he nudged closer to the edge of the bed so his face was so very close to his lovers, "I'm sure we can fit all that in before dinner."

Lucanis' smile widened, and he closed the distance between them and captured Rook's lips, hot and hungry and passionate. He moved without breaking that kiss to climb on top of him, Rook rolling onto his back and wrapping his arms around Lucanis as their naked bodies melded together, heat and skin and soft sheets. Rook moaned deeply into the kiss, his hand in Lucanis' hair, his other running down his back. Over the scars. Over the history. Over the body he loved.

"Mmm..." Lucanis hummed into the kiss, "You taste better than coffee."

Rook let out a genuine chuckle, breaking the kiss and looking up at him with mock shock.

"Alright wow now I know you love me."

"Yes, savor those words, it is doubtful they will ever be muttered again."

"Mm, your love for coffee has been betrayed, it won't like that."

"I don't care what it likes, I like you more."

Rook grinned as Lucanis bent his head down for another kiss. Rook's lips parted to eagerly accept that wanting tongue, Lucanis licking against those lips and then sliding inside, perfect and delicious and making Rook's entire body melt into the mattress.

One of Lucanis' hands began to trail down Rook's body, making landfall at his cock, taking a hold of it gently and beginning to run his thumb up and down it firmly.

Rook sighed blissfully into their kiss.

"Oh I see, so we're starting with the ecstasy part first are we?"

"No, this is just a taste. The ecstasy will come later." Lucanis moved so his lips were right against Rook's ear, breath hot and filled with passionate promise, "As will you. Many times."

A deep, shivering tremble palpitated throughout Rook's entire body, his eyes rolling at the thought as his eyelids fluttered.

"Well..." he managed to croak out huskily, "I guess I am sleeping with the Boss." he pulled lightly at Lucanis' hair so he'd move away from his ear to be able look at him. His eyes trailed all over Lucanis' face, giving him a warm, beautiful smile.

"I'm yours."

Lucanis' smirk grew again, and his lips came to suck gently at the pulse point on Rook's neck.

"As I am yours."

[utilitycaster]

further updates in video game attempts!

first, thanks to everyone who suggested anti-motion sickness mitigation! I had motion blur and camera shake off already, but increasing the FOV and putting a central dot in both helped a lot. Some is still just getting accustomed to it but it's definitely lessened.

finally found a fight where keysmashing was insufficient and I died several times (champion essence fight in the crossroads) but I perservered (made Harding heal my stupid ass)

finally increased bond with neve (went to docktown). she still does not usually like my decisions but she doesn't NOT like them which we are counting for a win. this is all going to be in vain anyway bc I already know about the Big Choice and I am going to fucking tank my approval with her anyway but.

accidentally took bellara and not neve to rescue lucanis. this was not an issue bc lucanis is fucking great, I just wanted to do it for story reasons, and bellara was very helpful.

everyone in treviso and minrathous is like LET'S DO A RUN AND TALK. illario is a douche. I know some spoilers about him but that doesn't matter right now: what matters is he has a man bun and he wears his leathers undone halfway to the navel. peak fuckboy hours. Teia and Viago are great. Calivan has the world's most annoying voice but we murdered him. also Elgar'nan has an annoying voice.

flirting with bellara is great, you tell her she's smart and she gets flustered and apologizes for rambling and you tell her it's cute and she rambles more.

Matt Mercer is here and he is dressed like Orville Peck in pirate drag. it is perfect. no notes.

You can pet cats in minrathous, and also, you can pet dogs in minrathous. Frankly this is the main thing dock town has going for it, sorry Neve but I hate your city. why do i have to play chutes and ladders to fucking get anywhere.

[storiofmylife]

Shadow and Spite || Rookanis

It’s a bit AU, a bit OOC, and a mix of magical romance. mdni

✨ No notes. No missions. Just a gut feeling—and him.

In Chapter Two of Shadow and Spite, Rook investigates a dangerous flare in the Lighthouse's east wing… and Lucanis decides to tag along.

The glyphs are tricky. The tension is worse. And Spite? Spite is watching from the corner of the room, making mental notes like a demon with a diary.

🧿 Glyph critiques 🗡️ Quiet gestures that mean more than they say 🐺 Spite is starting to like her. And that’s… a problem.

Read Chapter Two now

[merry-kuroo]

Half of me thinks Illario betrayed Lucanis and the other half doesn't think he did it. (The new Lucanis video that dropped today is fueling my doubt 😭)

Secret third option? Illario leaked Lucanis's whereabouts on the ship accidentally...he didn't mean to get him killed/captured. The emotion he showed in The Wake was real.

I don't know. I'm just in denial 😂😂 I gotta stop over analyzing what's been revealed so far and just wait for the game lol 😆

[glittering-darmallon]

Rook's Common Asks Pt 3

Original list by @akuma-misery and can be found here

Thanks @so--whoonos, @larknnightingale, and @elfmaid (i have your other submission ready to write for pt 4) for the asks

Shepherd: How does your Rook dance?

Valo-Asaara: Terribly... If he's leading. He's big, not the most dexterous, and likely keeps bumping into things, hits his horns on low hanging lights, probably steps on a partner's toe. If he's following, it's a little better. He might not be smart, but he can follow instructions (no surprises there). He's still gonna be awkward, but he looks marginally better at it when following.

Valrys: Serviceably. They're better at the courtly and more formal dances (A spirit taught them these as a kid). Lace has been teaching them more casual dances. They do okay. 

Luca: Dances well. With his father being high ranking in the military, all the kids had to learn the formal dances in case they were required to attend balls or parties (they were). And with his long limbs, the lines are so good. His skill with tumbling helps his balance. He looks graceful.

Camillus: Cannot dance, doesn't like dancing, won't do it. Don't ask him.

Canelo: Boy dances dirty AF. He loves a good body roll; he's got dexterity oozing from his pores. He might not be otherwise charming when he speaks, but he's got the expression through dance down pat. Lucanis does not know what to do with himself when Canelo brings him to his favorite hidden gem of a tavern.

Lucanis was raised wealthy; he knows formal dancing, and has no idea what to do when it's more of the common dances, and: "Mierda! Where did Canelo learn to move his hips like that?"-

It's better you don't know the answer to that question, Lucanis. Just enjoy the show.

Skeletons in the Closet: The most embarrassing thing your Rook have ever done.

Valo-Asaara: Forgot to duck a low beam in the drowned district and got his horns stuck in the wood. It required four people to help free him, four people and several hours. He does not like to talk about the incident. He was mortified.

Luca: Was demonstrating  for his students how to block a spell with his mage blade. The other instructor sent a spell at him that was more powerful than he'd anticipated, and he ended up smacking himself in the face with his blade. Gave himself a bloody nose and two black eyes that he sported for two weeks.

Mr. Sandman: Do your Rook have any rituals/habits that help them fall asleep?

Valrys: Drinking their favorite tea (lavender black tea  with candied lemon peel- the sugar sweetens the tea and the hot water pulls a nice citrusy flavor out of the peel- No, they do not care that black tea has caffeine and the candied lemon peel has sugar. It works for them). They put on a nightly mask of green tea powder and some kind of face cream. Then they put their hair in their night time braided twin tails.

Canelo: Works a bit of oil into the ends of his curls. Ties his hair up in a satin scarf- A sleep bonnet would be more practical but he's used to the scarf. You can just wrap it around the top of your head like a bandana and wrap the ends around your hair tying it into a bun. Will make it hard to sleep on your back, but I guarantee this is how he did it when living on the streets. Some nondescript satin scarf he stole off a clothes line. Stole three of them. One for each of them.

And then he'll sit and watch the fish for a little while.

Camillus: Will curl up with a book in the dining room by the fire and read for an hour or so. He will do this while wearing this ridiculous dressing robe and imbibing a glass of wine.

Luca: Nope- there is no routine or habit. When he falls asleep at a late hour because his brain will not shut off, he is sure it will wake him up at like 4 am to think about things like, "Hey….Luca. It's been a while since you've thought about foxes. You should totally wake up and thing about them at this convenient hour"- Moral of story no ritual or routine would help him and the man is a prolific napper. A twenty minute snooze and he's good to go for another 8 hours

Valo-Asaara: Strangely yes. He'll remove his horn caps and any jewelry so he can apply horn balm. Then, he'll give his hair a good brushing before braiding it in a simple plait (he learned the hard way about  not tying back his hair to sleep. He inhaled his hair once while sleeping and woke up spluttering. He'll also use a good skin cream on his hands, feet, elbows and knees. The boy may be all no thoughts head empty but even he knows how much dry skin sucks sometimes.

Sleeping Beauty: Is your Rook an early bird or an owl?

Valrys: Neither. They're very efficient and at their best in the afternoon

Canelo: Night Owl- their profession lends itself better for cover of darkness, especially for someone who hides on rooftops like Batman so he can shoot his targets- And his previous profession…also better at night

Valo-Asaara: Though he is more likely than Taash to sleep in ("No, you're so warm. Come back here. Five more minutes")- when he is sleeping alone, he is up at the crack of dawn for morning exercises and breakfast

Camillus: Early bird, but you can bet he's gonna complain about being up that early regardless.

Luca: Night owl. His work schedule did not align with this. He would drink copious amounts of coffee to be awake for his students and he doesn't even like coffee. Everything he likes to do for fun is evening or later. You see his dilemma.

[rowanisawriter]

One time i see art of lucanis with man bun and i held my breath until i saw colored spots dancing in my field of view

[raptortier]

Thedas Weekend Drawing Prompt Post

Feeling this week: Okay SO. I've been wanting to practice traditional inking lately. I love doing black & white pieces, which doesn't help with subject matter probably but that's what I'll be trying to do with prompts from this week. So whatever y'all think would be cool like that, hmu!

wrt to color palettes/wheels/vibes, I'll definitely still take them!

Last updated: 4/7/2025

Prompts

Colors

I've accumulated a hoard of art supplies over my many years of life, so. feel free to pick a few from the wheels or spin for funsies. Colored Pencil Collection Picker Wheel Alcohol Marker Collection Picker Wheel I've matched the palettes below to traditional supplies! Color Palette Challenge Dragon Age: The Veilguard Color Palettes

Expressions

Expression Chart #1 Expression Chart #2 Expression Chart #3 Expression Chart #4 "[Character] touched a fish while wading in the ocean"

Other Art Prompts

OC Memes Inquisitor Art Meme Kissing #1 Kissing #2 Kissing #3 Shippy Poses Aug-Kissed Prompts

AUs

Modern/Mundane AUs Genres (fantasy, sci-fi, western, etc) Cross-canon (Pokémon, Digimon, etc.)

Outfits

idk, I like drawing clothes "[Character] in short shorts and a crop top" "[Character] wearing medieval knight armor" Fashion Elves Prompt List

Different hair styles

"[Character] puts their hair up in a bun" "[Character] grows their hair out" "What if [Character] got an undercut"

NSFW

I'll take suggestive prompts! I'd say most things are good to go, just nothing too intercourse-y Also over/under/revealing clothes > no clothes p much

OCs

Onion Mahariel She/Her, Transgender Woman 19 Dalish Elf, June vallaslin (old drawings will be Gilhan'nain) Warrior, Champion specialization (maybe) Art Tag on Bluesky Full Bio Page on Tumblr Ships: => Onion/Leliana

Bacon Lavellan He/Him, Cisgender Man 28 (Inquisition) Elf, Elgar'nan vallaslin Warrior, Reaver specialization Art Tag on Bluesky Full Bio Page on Tumblr Ships: => Bacon/Cassandra (canon/main) => Bacon/Dorian => Bacon & Vivienne => Bacon & Varric => Bacon & Cassandra & Dorian & Varric (main party, "The Book Club")

Anise Lavellan She/Her, Cisgender Woman 26 (Inquisition) Elf, Mythal vallaslin Warrior, Reaver specialization Art Tag on Bluesky Full Bio Page on Tumblr Ships: => Anise/Solas (canon/main) => Anise/Solas/Varric => Anise & Cassandra => Anise & Dorian

Fig Thorne He/Him, Transgender Man 30 Elf, Andruil vallaslin Grey Warden, Warrior Art Tag on Bluesky Full Bio Page on Tumblr Ships: => Fig/Lucanis (canon/main) => Fig/Davrin => Fig/Lucanis/Davrin => Fig/Emmrich => Fig & Varric => Fig & Taash

Ships from Canon

Inquisition => Solas/Varric => Dorian/Cullen => Cassandra/Leliana => Leliana/Josephine => Blackwall/Josephine => Iron Bull/Josephine => Sera/Dagna => Leliana/Morrigan => Cassandra & Cullen => Iron Bull & Krem => Varric & Cole => Solas & Cole

Veilguard => Solas/Varric => Neve/Lucanis => Davrin/Lucanis => Neve/Bellara => Bellara/Harding => Davrin & Taash => Lucanis & Taash => Neve & Harding => Emmrich & Bellara

Absolution => Miriam/Qwydion => Roland/Lacklon => Miriam & Roland

[inqellvar]

i love lucanis but... holy shit illario?? man bun, hot voice and 75% chance of betraying the crows? don't mind if I do!