#neve Gallus romance

[talesofesther]

I had to draw my Rook and Neve like this, I had to 💞

[neve-rook-datv]

The Trouble Within - Neve Gallus’ personal notes - Part 1

Disclaimer : This story is inspired by fan critiques and discussions regarding the romance dynamics in Dragon Age: The Veilguard, particularly around the evolution of Neve’s relationship with Rook. Many fans felt some frustration with Neve’s hesitance to fully engage in the romance with Rook, and her reserved demeanor. This piece explores why Neve seems to keep her distance despite the intensity of her feelings and reimagines her interactions with Lucanis, whose light-hearted flirtation serves here as a facade to mask her true emotions toward Rook.

Arlathan Forest is a place that almost feels alive—ancient, watchful. The trees arch overhead, their leaves filtering the light into hues of deep green, amber, and burnt red. The ground is blanketed with fallen leaves that shift in color as the sun moves, and the air is thick with the earthy scent of moss and damp wood. It’s hauntingly beautiful, yet there’s a weight to the silence here, as if the forest is holding its breath, waiting.

And then there’s her.

Rook moves ahead of me, weaving through the trees with an ease that feels almost unnatural, like she belongs here in a way I don’t. The dappled light catches on her face, illuminating her profile in vibrant, natural hues, casting shadows that shift across her skin as she steps in and out of patches of sunlight. I find myself watching the way the colors dance around her, highlighting the quiet strength in her posture, the relaxed yet sharp way she holds herself.

Something about the way she walks—confident, steady, each step deliberate yet unhurried—makes it impossible to look away. Hints of amber and evergreen seem to cling to her, as if the forest itself recognizes her presence, drawn to her as much as… well, as much as I am.

I don’t know when this pull began. At first, I told myself it was curiosity, a fleeting interest in her reckless nature, in the way she throws herself into danger without hesitation. But now, watching her in this light, the forest colors framing her like some figure from an ancient tale, I feel something deeper—something I dare not name.

She turns, catching my gaze, and there’s that familiar smirk tugging at the corner of her lips, her eyes glinting with a hint of mischief. “Something on your mind?” she teases, breaking the silence and pulling me back to reality.

I force a laugh, a quick, dismissive sound to mask the way my chest tightens. “Just keeping an eye out. No harm in staying vigilant.” But the truth is, I’m mesmerized. The word Trouble slips through my mind again, and it feels like a warning—to her, to me. She’s trouble in every way, and yet… I can’t bring myself to look away.

The deeper we move into the forest, the darker and richer the light becomes, casting Rook in a way that feels almost deliberate, as though the forest itself is revealing something hidden in her. There’s a quiet strength in her gaze, a softness I rarely see, and each time she steps into a beam of light, she seems to command the world around her without even trying. I don’t think she realizes the effect she has on me, the way her presence keeps me unsteady, questioning everything I thought I knew.

Calling her Trouble feels like my last line of defense, the only way I have left to protect myself. It’s a label that’s meant to keep her at arm’s length, to remind me not to get too close. But as that barrier slips, I feel something inside me begin to unravel, like a cord stretched too tight, finally giving way. I can’t stop myself from looking her way, each glance feeding a pull I don’t fully understand, one that unsettles and captivates me all at once. The way she moves, how the light wraps around her, draws me in deeper, makes her seem almost otherworldly, untouchable. And yet, in these moments, I feel closer to her than I’d ever let myself admit.

Lucanis keeps things light, and I remind myself that’s all I need. His flirtations are easy, harmless—a game that lets me forget the weight of everything else, if only for a moment. With him, there’s no need to dig deep or question anything; we can laugh, exchange glances, play at something that never asks for more. It’s uncomplicated, a distraction that feels almost safe in its simplicity.

But even as I tell myself that’s enough, I can’t help feeling a pull toward something beyond that ease, something that makes my heart race in a way Lucanis never could. And that’s when I feel her presence, like a quiet tension at the edges of my thoughts, impossible to ignore. And I… I am left to watch, caught between the fear of what this means and the thrill of simply being near her.

I wanted to keep things simple, to call her Trouble and pretend that’s all she is—a distraction, an annoyance. But standing here in the heart of Arlathan, surrounded by ancient colors and silent trees, I can feel my resolve slipping, the walls I’ve built crumbling with each glance, each step.

She doesn’t know, of course. How could she? She’s focused on the path ahead, oblivious to the chaos she’s causing in my mind. But as the reds and greens cast their final light on her face, I can’t shake the feeling that I’m losing this battle—that “Trouble” is no longer a warning, but a confession.

Edit: Wording, phrasing, flow.

[pinkvbay]

Hi sorry i can't stop thinking about this kiss scene, so i redrew it, dont look at me,,,,,

[senseandaccountability]

They've made Rook's inherent optimism work in the Neve romance, for real. Neve "Positive Pessimism" Gallus, who is scared to let anyone in and to tell Rook she loves her works well romantically when balanced out by a Rook who's all "I'm betting on us EVERY TIME." It's a great dynamic and kudos to the writer for working with it.

[anotherconventionaltumblr]

New NeveRook flashing ⚠️ edit from Dragon Age Veilguard.

Music 🎧 Snow Wife - What Do Girls Do?

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

I'm now realizing that I'm obsessed with my first Rook (and Neve) after finally completing the initial playthrough. I've started a second as an elf and it's just not hitting like my Grey Warden enby Qunari Rook did. 😅

I feel like starting off as a Rook that Neve has to climb like a tree who is taller than basically everyone, makes other versions of Rook seem so short to play now and it just feels wrong. 😂

Anyway, Snow Wife's new song came out and it screamed to be used.

Up on the Tiktok in better quality too!

[grimelven]

“you know, i think you might be trouble.”

[josieofantiva]

Summary:

Neve takes the moment to catch her thoughts, if not her breath. She had taken a war hammer to the gut. It certainly could be worse, but she has not been able to take a deep breath since. Her whole chest throbs in time with her still racing heart. At least a handful of broken ribs. And while she does not know anatomy like the mourn watcher, she suspects this is what a punctured lung feels like. Still, she does not need to be fussed over. She can heal herself just fine, and has done it numerous times for far worse injuries. She would send Rook away, she is fine handling this. After Neve gets injured, she finds herself in the care of Rook's healing hands.

[burnouts3s3]

The Neve Gallus romance with a Female Rook from the Shadow Dragons.

[lord-woolsley]

Good things happen, Neve.

[cleverasafox]

Hey all, I'm here with a very specific and probably super pathetic question 😂

I probably can't afford to pay for it right now, but is there anyone in the Dragon Age community that will do video commissions? Like can I pay someone to make me a video of a Neve Gallus romance with my Althea Rook played out fron start to finish? From the very first time you meet her to the very end? I can't figure out how to do it myself or I 100% would, but I can't express how much I need this in my life to be able to watch whenever I need it 😭💕

Anywho thank you, that's all I needed. Thank you to anyone that reads this and takes interest ♡♡

[masterofpuppets-10]

Can someone tell me if I'm doing something wrong in my neve romance? She is already level 6 and the romance hasn't triggerd yet. I'm also at the lighthouse to talk to everyone and I always take the heart option with her. Can someone help me?

[talesofesther]

something worth losing

Neve Gallus x Rook

Summary: Neve didn't ask for much. She didn't ask for attention or for people to stick with her. Yet one taste from Rook got her yearning to bend her own rules and ask, anyway.

A/N: I love them so much. They're gonna be the death of me, I swear. Another little moment between my two babies, this time with a little more personal touch regarding my Rook. <3

Masterlist

"Venhedis", Neve hissed through her teeth, instinctively scrunching her brow when the sharp pain bit at her skin and regretting it soon after, as the motion only worsened her predicament.

Neve had snuck into the dining room of the Lighthouse, where she knew a small mirror lay forgotten on the counter beside the stove. She could have gone to Bellara's room, no shortage of mirrors there, but Neve knew the elf was working on her archive and she didn't want to bring unnecessary worry.

Because, Neve was trying to take off the stitches closing the wound on her forehead.

They needed to come off, Neve decided this morning. The wound she had gotten when she followed Rook to the heart of Solas' ritual was almost healed, even the black and blues around her eye were barely visible anymore, so she figured the stitches could go too.

A mistake, maybe. The small mirror Neve used as her guide wasn't much help, as her fingers accidentally tugged and twisted the small stitches in ways they weren't supposed to go. Her skin around the healing scar started to turn a bit red, still quite sensitive and now hurting because of Neve's less-than-gentle ministrations.

The mage huffed, sitting back on her stool and dropping her hands to her lap. A soft crackle coming from the ever-burning fire of the hearth caught Neve's attention, it bathed the dining room in warm tones of yellow and orange, reflecting against pans and porcelain plates.

It was still a bit of a mystery to her; why she had so promptly and willingly followed Rook into a dangerous ritual upon knowing the woman for no longer than a couple hours back then. Neve spoke of delivering a job well done, and while that was true, she had a feeling she'd have done the same regardless.

Neve picked at her nails, pointer finger to thumb, scraping the teal color—another thing that bothered her since then, she was usually better at keeping it neat.

Rook had a dangerous pull to her, something alluring. It beckoned Neve closer like a lighthouse did to lost ships drifting through tempestuous seas.

Neve pushed the feeling away and stored it in her heart's 'best ignored' drawer. Or she tried to.

The heavy dining room doors were pushed open, disrupting the silence, and in walked the subject of her troubles.

Rook had a whole apple held in her mouth, as the doors closed behind her again, she brought a hand up to hold the fruit, taking a bite out of it. The corner of her eyes scrunched with a smile when she spotted Neve sitting by the corner.

"Skipping dinner, Rook?" Neve teased in lieu of a greeting, a smirk to her lips.

Rook raised a finger as she swallowed, walking up to Neve. "Actually, I was just about to start making dinner." She left her apple on the counter beside Neve and leaned her hip against it. Her hair was damp, half of it haphazardly tied back. Her clothes were casual, even more so than usual; a blue shirt with a few buttons undone, sleeves a little too long almost covering her hands.

Neve hummed. The image of Rook like that—soft and ever so casual under the warm light of the fire, with an easy smile and pinkish cheeks from a recent hot bath—got Neve's heart stumbling in ways it shouldn't. She forced her eyes away. "Then I might be the one to skip dinner today."

"Hey," Rook grumbled in the same beat, crossing her arms over her chest as a stubborn child would, "I'm a decent cook."

"By whose standards?" Neve raised a brow, there was a playful edge to her voice, "I'm not sure the undead count as a valid opinion."

Rook rolled her eyes, but wasn't able to fight the grin stretching her lips. "Alright, it's not like I had that many options to practice with back in the Necropolis. But,"—her eyes lit up rather pridefully—"Lucanis has been introducing me to some Trevisan culinary, and says I'm a natural."

Neve chuckled, a quiet little thing as she averted her gaze back to her lap, where she fidgeted with the small scissors she'd been using to try and fail to cut her stitches earlier. For some reason, the thought of Rook spending time with Lucanis, alone, caused a bitter and heavy twist to Neve's chest. The smile on her lips faltered and faded, and she was glad her loose hair shielded her from Rook's attentive eyes.

Neve felt more than saw the way Rook walked around her, stepping closer, near the stove and the forgotten mirror lying beside it.

"What are you up to, anyway?" Rook asked, picking up the small mirror for a moment and putting it down again—always so antsy. She added, softer; "Hiding from the wisps?"

With a clearing of her throat, Neve schooled her expression back to something nonchalant and raised her gaze. "No, I…" She gestured to the stitches and scar on her forehead with a careless shrug, "I was trying to get these off." A humorless laugh. "Not much luck though."

Rook followed the motion, instinctively taking half a step closer to Neve; and with the detective still sitting on the tall stool, Rook was almost standing between her legs.

Neve gulped at the sudden proximity, feeling a little trapped, a little too hot. Her heart picked up pace and beat loudly in her ears.

"Oh," Rook whispered. She raised a hand before her brain could catch up with her actions, and Neve held her breath when the warmth of Rook's skin was just shy of touching her.

But Rook reeled herself in before it, blinking a couple of times. She lowered her hand and took a step back again, shifting on her feet. The air became something heavy between the two women, almost electrical.

"I could help, if you'd like." There was a timidness to Rook's voice that hadn't been there before, a deeper pink blush beneath the crooked scar across her cheek.

It was a peculiar thing, that scar, starting from behind Rook's chocolate-colored hair and ending just past her lower lip. When Neve caught herself stealing a glance at the end of it, she reasoned it was just curiosity at how such a mark came to be. There were others too, sometimes when Rook had a button or two of her blouse undone—like now, despite Neve trying not to think too deeply on it—bigger and harsher scars could be spotted, seemingly the same on each side of her chest and going lower on her stomach until it disappeared.

And Neve stared at Rook, eyebrows softly furrowing, as if she was a mystery for the detective to solve. A daunting case bound to end in disaster; she had always been a sucker for those.

Neve had taken small notes about each member of their team—a habit that came with the territory and she couldn't shake. Rook's was the one containing the most lines, and a small inquiry about the origin of her scars was among them.

Maybe someday she'd solve it.

Perhaps a little too late, Neve realized she still hadn't answered. Rook looked at her patiently though. Neve shook her head, feeling her cheeks warm up. "It's alright, you don't have to."

An unreadable expression clouded Rook's gaze then; as if taken back to a memory. "It's my fault you got that scar in the first place," Rook's voice became too gentle for Neve's liking. It was dangerous, when Rook spoke to her as if Neve was worth caring for.

Just as quickly, Rook's easy smile came back. "The least I can do is help you take care of it now."

A beat or two passed as Neve weighed her options. Rook offered a tempting bargain, and it was ever so difficult to tell her no.

Just like when Neve's smile gets a little too loose each time Rook makes those terrible puns and jokes, and she can't help but laugh anyway, because it's Rook who said them.

"Alright," Neve shrugged, trying to make light of a situation that had already caused her blood to pump faster and her mouth to go dry, "Suit yourself."

Wordlessly, Rook wiggled her fingers, asking for the scissors Neve still held. She placed it upon her hand and Rook stepped closer.

This time, Neve allowed her to stand between her legs. She was engulfed in the warmth of Rook's presence, hyperaware of a proximity that was foreign territory for both of them. Her hands closed into fists, and teal nails carved half-moons on her palms.

The moment had a sort of intimacy to it that it shouldn't have. Rook reached for Neve, but her hand lingered by the detective's cheek, just shy of touching. "May I?"

The consideration for her feelings made Neve's stomach flutter with butterflies. For the first time, she didn't trust her voice, not when Rook was standing so close, being so gentle. Neve simply nodded.

Only then did Rook's fingers finally found Neve. She brushed dark strands of hair aside, bringing them behind Neve's ear with a type of tenderness Neve had forgotten the feeling of—Rook didn't have to, she did anyway. She then took hold of Neve's jaw, holding her steady in place while she moved to ever so carefully cut through the stitches and pull them loose.

Neve's eyes dropped close against her better judgment, she couldn't fight the way she leaned into Rook's touch either. Neve hardly felt when the stitches were removed, focusing instead on the shape and warmth of Rook's hand against her skin—how Rook absentmindedly moved her thumb back and forth by the corner of her mouth, in a soothing motion, taking Neve's mind off any slight pain she might feel.

It didn't mean anything, couldn't mean anything; Neve insisted on telling herself. Rook was only helping her, nothing more.

It was done. But still, Rook refused to move away. Her hand lingered, holding onto Neve, and for some reason, Neve let her.

The touch moved up. Rook's fingers traced the outlines of the new scar etched onto Neve's forehead. She kept going until she reached the arch of Neve's eyebrow and then the crinkle at the corner of her eye. Exploring, mapping, keeping. As if Rook wanted to carve the shape of Neve's features into her memory.

Neve shuddered under the gesture, as if stars were dancing across her skin. Her throat closed up and held her breath hostage until her lungs ached and then some. Oh, this was dangerous. The tender look in Rook's eyes spelled trouble, the care she held Neve with would be her undoing.

There was a soft furrow on Rook's brows, like caught in a trance, not fully aware of what she was doing or how it caused Neve's heart to seek a new home outside her ribcage.

"Rook…" It bordered on being a whimper, all breathless and teary and desperate. And Neve almost grimaced at the sound of her own voice. Pleading, though she wasn't sure what for.

In the same breath, Rook let go of her, perhaps quicker than Neve would've liked her to. A soft gasp of surprise fell past Rook's lips, her eyes somewhat apologetic.

But that's what Neve wanted, wasn't it? Safety, distance?

Neve tried to tell herself 'yes'. It was a lie.

Neve didn't ask for much. She didn't ask for attention or for people to stick with her. Yet one taste from Rook got her yearning to bend her own rules and ask, anyway.

Rook cleared her throat, gaze shifting between countertops and porcelain plates, nowhere near Neve. Her fingers tapped the side of her thigh in an unsteady rhythm, Neve caught it with a glance.

The silence was loud, thick with unsaid words and actions that spoke better than such. The detective was rarely out of words or a good quip, but right now, her tongue was tied. All she could hear was the thundering of her own heart.

Ever so slowly, Rook raised her gaze. Their eyes met then, and Neve knew she should have looked away, but didn’t. Questions hung, stretched out in the space between them.

What is this? What are we doing?

Do you feel it too?

None knew the answers.

"All done." Rook was the first to speak, a touch of hesitance to her words and the way she fidgeted with her hands.

Neve felt her skin prickle. She clenched and unclenched her hands, slick with perspiration. A beat passed, and she stood up from her stool, smoothing out her pants in an attempt to dry her hands. "Thanks… Rook."

Before Neve did something she would certainly regret, she gave Rook a tight-lipped smile and turned to walk away.

Neve was halfway to the doors when Rook asked, all hopeful and chipper; "See you at dinner?"

Neve had read it once, maybe it was on one of Bellara's serials. A tale of a warrior and his maiden, who were always forced apart; yet each time they said goodbye and had to walk away from each other, they would look back over their shoulders, until they couldn't see the other anymore; looking back to the one they hoped to return to.

Neve stopped in her steps with one last click of her prosthetic on the stone floor.

How dangerous it would be, to have something worth coming back to. To have something worth losing.

For several beats, the only sound was the crackling of the fireplace.

Neve looked back and over her shoulder, her chest tightening when she caught the way Rook's lips stretched in a gentle smile.

"I wouldn't miss it."

⋆* ☾ ⋆*･ﾟ:⋆*･ﾟ

"Something worth losing" means a person, thing, or idea that is so valuable to you that even if you were to lose it, the potential pain of that loss would still be justified because of how much it means to you; essentially, it signifies something precious enough that the risk of losing it is worth taking.

Neve's taglist is open, let me know if you'd like to be added. Or you can follow @talesofesther-library and turn notifications on to know when I’ve posted a new story/chapter.

Thank you for reading this little story. Feedback and reblogs are literally what keeps me motivated to continue posting here, so I’d appreciate it if you could take some time to reblog and comment. <3

You do not have permission to repost, copy, or translate my works on any platforms (even with credit), please respect.

[neve-rook-datv]

The Trouble Within - Neve Gallus’ Personal Notes - Part 4

Contains spoilers

From the very first moments I spent with Rook, I knew she was unlike anyone I’d ever met. Watching her throw herself into danger without a second thought, risking everything to save Varric and to stop Solas… There’s a fire in her, something fierce and unyielding—a determination that’s almost reckless, a courage that never wavers. She doesn’t falter every choice she makes feels as natural as breathing, as inevitable as the rise of dawn.

I could see why Varric had chosen her; he must have seen the same spark, that raw resilience that defines her. Rook gives herself fully, a woman who seems to burn from within, her will unyielding. She doesn’t just lead us; she inspires something in all of us, something I didn’t know was there until I saw it reflected in her. She doesn’t hold anything back—not for the mission, not for the cause, and somehow, I know, not even for me.

And that, perhaps, is what makes her different, what sets her apart from anyone I’ve ever known. She’s given everything, not only to this team but to each of us, and somehow, in the quiet moments I can admit, to me. Rook is more than just a leader. She’s something I’ve found myself needing, a presence that fills spaces in my heart I didn’t realize were empty.

And now, I don’t know if I’ve lost her. Rook is somewhere in the Fade, trapped in that endless, treacherous place, and the not knowing gnaws at me, a hollow ache that echoes through my every thought. Here in the Lighthouse, I feel myself unraveling, pacing its halls like a ghost, unable to shake the fear that I may never see her again. My composure slips further with each step, each turn of the corridor, until I can’t bear it any longer.

I find myself in her quarters, a place that holds the imprint of her, her presence woven into every corner. I sit down, her scent faint but familiar in the air, and in the silence, memories overwhelm me, unbidden and sharp.

I remember that first kiss—how I finally let myself give in, how I let my fears fall away just long enough to feel the warmth of her against me, to let go of every wall I’d kept between us. I can still feel the softness of her lips, the way she held me, steady and sure, as though she knew all along that I was worth the risk.

It was as if the world itself had quieted, every fear, every worry melting away the moment her lips met mine. There was a warmth in her, a steady, grounding presence that reached through my doubts and settled something deep within me. Her touch was gentle yet unwavering, and as I leaned into her, I felt a sense of relief, a release I hadn’t even realized I needed.

In that moment, everything felt right. My heart hammered in my chest, a mix of excitement and calm, an intensity that was somehow both thrilling and soothing. For the first time, I felt myself truly let go, surrendering to the safety of her arms, the warmth of her embrace.

I felt a kind of comfort I’d longed for but never dared to believe in, a reassurance that I wasn’t alone, that she saw me—all of me—and chose to stay. And in that moment, I let myself believe in something more, in the hope that maybe, just maybe, we could have something beyond the danger, beyond the loss.

But even then, I couldn’t bring myself to say the words. I’d told her that I couldn’t see a future, that it wasn’t possible… that I was afraid of losing her. And now, I am left with the weight of all the things I should have said, the words I held back because of fear, words that sit heavy in my chest like stones. I regret it now, bitterly, achingly, that I never told her I love you. I should have told her then, when I had the chance, when she looked at me with that unwavering certainty that I’d only ever dreamed of feeling.

Now, as I sit here in the quiet of her room, with nothing but the shadows and the ache of her absence, I feel the enormity of it, this loss I can’t yet name. If she never returns, I’ll carry these words like a scar, a reminder of what I was too afraid to say.

[pinkvbay]

This took 3 days.... i'll call it: "Beautiful, gorgeous elf flirting with you but you can't pounce because you are jaded and yearning is the only thing you know." Maybe that's too long idk.

[greenjudy]

Neve and Lucanis my beloveds

Noria is turning out to be one of my favorite Veilguard commentators on YouTube. I've placed the video below the cut to protect anyone who is really trying to steer clear of spoilers for character beats as well as story beats, because even the thumbnail is a little telling. If that's not you, have a look.

[anotherconventionaltumblr]

⚠️ Flashing and spoilers for Neve romance ahead. Edit of my enby Qunari Rook and Neve thus far from Dragon Age The Veilguard, nearing the end but not quite!

.

.

.

Music 🎧 : Ella Isaacson - Fmlylm

.

.

.

#nevestan