#rook noa

[crownedinmarigolds]

Man I don't know just had an idea for a scene between them and had to feverishly draw it before bed (it's four am). Lucanis and Noa share some coffee and there is a strange revelation of the status of their relationship! (AKA, when your stoic and watchful leader turns out actually likes having you around) Write up below the cut! (Also in ALT)

Warden Noa "Rook" Espinoza and Lucanis Dellamorte are having some coffee together, making light talk as they're both quiet people. We catch them mid-conversation. Lucanis: Ah, so we are close in age. It's strange to think we may have lived so close to the other. Lucanis: smiling nervously I find myself wondering if we would've liked each other, had we met. Noa: looks into her coffee No, probably not. Lucanis: A little hurt how easily she turns down the thought, he tries to smile through as if it didn't phase him Oh! Haha, maybe not. Noa: She turns to look at him, face remaining stoic I was different then, afraid and naive. Without my experiences, I could not be as I am now. It's the same for you. Noa: off-panel, continues I do not like imagining the road not traveled. Who you are now is enough for me. Why would I want anything different? Lucanis: is a bit unsure how to take her words, though he does understand them as kind Lucanis: He's silent a bit, overwhelmed by such a strong statement after such light conversations during their journey together thus far, but he accepts that this is just her way of thinking. Straight forward, strong, unrelenting. Clearly why she's survived as both a Grey Warden and a Mage. Thank you, Rook. I don't know if I'm a better man after all I've done, but I'm happy you will take me as I am. Noa: simply goes to sip her coffee I do. Lucanis: sighs a bit as he tries to figure out what their relationship actually is

[pausegame]

Neri de Acutis & Rook de Riva | Dragon Age: The Veilguard (2024)

[thesummerstorms]

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Noa de Acutis + Being Intimidating

[sky--phantom]

De Acutis about Jacobus' House

[queen-of-seventeen]

Night out with the married couples in 9:57

Chiara “Rook” De Riva and Lucanis from @karinamay and with Rook wearing the opal ring of Catarina’s favor

With Livia Arainai and Illario

[crownedinmarigolds]

OH! I'll reblog with Noa Espinoza Rook! Thank you for even entertaining requests you are SO talented.

Ok now that my ranting is out of the way, I’ll start taking Rook requests for my daily warmups.

Reblog with an image of your Rook and I might draw yours, similar to what I did with Tavs! No promises on how many I do, we’ll see what I can get to with the free time I have.

[himluv]

The Bet

The next chapter of Say My Name (Say it Twice) is here! Read it below, or over on AO3.

A visit to Treviso never failed to make Lucanis feel better. The night sky overhead coupled with the warm glow of lanterns reflected in the canals were as comforting to him as a favored blanket to a child. He walked the market, slowly purchasing the items on his list while Spite flitted around, smelling everything. 

Bellara wanted to make a Dalish fish soup that required some very specific spices and, of course, fish. He would buy the protein on his way back to the Lighthouse. For now he chatted with the merchants, stopped to trade good-natured barbs with Neri and Noa, and made his wending way to Café Pietra. 

Spite raised his face to the sky and inhaled. Coffee, he said. But, no Rook?

Of course, the only other time the demon had been to the café had been with Rook. It made sense that he would associate this place with her. 

“Not today,” he murmured as they found a table near the water. It was early in the evening and there were fewer patrons than there would be later in the night. He ordered an Andoral’s Breath and a small plate of cantucci, then settled in to enjoy the moment of quiet. Viago was punctual, but Teia was not. They would be late and Lucanis did not mind in the slightest. 

Spite leaned over the table, inhaling the scent of the almond pastries with unabashed hunger. What. Is. That?!

Lucanis sighed and answered in a low voice. “Cantucci,” he said. “A biscuit with almonds.” There were many different interpretations of the form, but Café Pietra favored bold flavors – their cantucci were baked with amaretto for additional punch. 

Goes. With coffee?

“Yes,” he said, although Lucanis would never dip biscotti in a brew as complex and delicately crafted as Andoral’s Breath. Instead, he took a bite of the cantucci – careful to keep the powdered sugar out of his beard – then took a sip of his coffee. 

He savored the blend of the bold, rich roast with the gentle, bittersweetness of roasted almond. A combination that took the best of each to create something exquisite. He sighed. He’d needed this. Though, he had to admit, it would be even more pleasant if Rook were there.

Where. Is. Rook?

“Lucanis,” Teia said as she approached his table.

He stood to greet her with the customary kisses at each cheek, though no lips touched skin. House Dellamorte might view the Seventh Talon as family, but none of them were foolish enough forego the basic precautions. 

Behind her, Viago scowled. Not for any particular reason that Lucanis could tell, that was simply the man’s default expression. 

Lucanis gestured to the table. “Please, sit.”

The Talons sat, each oblivious to the demon flickering between them, sniffing with abandon.

Smells like leather and lavender, Spite said of Teia. Soft and supple. He inhaled, then grinned at Lucanis. Deadly!

Viago seemed harder for the demon to catalog. He sniffed and sniffed, circling the Fifth Talon like a dog scenting a bone. Smells like… death. Like sour, scorching death. Like numbing ice. Like – another deep inhale – bitter fruit.

The poisons, Lucanis realized. The demon scented all the various vials Viago no doubt had secreted across his person. Finally, Spite left Viago to sit at the only remaining chair, as if he too were joining this meeting. 

Teia gave an exaggerated look around the café. “Where is Rook?”

Lucanis shrugged. “I think she’s in Arlathan.” He knew she was in Arlathan, with Davrin and Bellara. “Something about Venatori in the forest?”

Viago shook his head. “They’re growing bold.”

“They’ve been bold,” Teia said, her tone dark. No doubt she was thinking of their raid on the casino. Of Caterina. 

Lucanis gave her a grim smile. “Rook will handle it.”

Spite grinned. Rook. Will. KILL. Them!

Teia shot him an appraising look. “You know,” she said. “I like Rook. She’s good for you.”

Lucanis spluttered into his coffee. “What? That’s not–”

Teia laughed and Viago’s eyes went wide. “Shit,” he said, side-eyeing Teia. “You were right!”

She grinned at him. “You owe me a night at the opera!”

Lucanis frowned. “You bet that Rook and I–”

Teia’s smile vanished into shock, while Viago’s smile suddenly bared teeth.

“Our bet was that you’d caught feelings for Rook,” he said. 

“Not that she returned them!” Teia’s eyes shone in the lantern light, wide and hopeful. 

“Mierda,” Lucanis said. 

She likes. That we like. Rook?

Viago chuckled. “She’ll be planning your wedding in no time.”

The blood drained from Lucanis’s face, even as his stomach flipped at the thought. 

Our Rook. Forever?! 

He needed to get this conversation back under control. “There’s nothing to plan,” he said. “Rook and I are not together.”

Teia scowled and sat back in her chair with her arms crossed. “Yet.”

Viago snorted. “She is tenacious, this one.” He said it with such uncharacteristic fondness that Lucanis’s chest ached. Not because he had once desired that fondness, but because it reminded him of Rook. The softness in Viago’s eyes for Teia was a faint echo of the way Rook looked at him.

Rook. Loves. Us?!

Mierda! Lucanis scowled to tamp down that train of thought.

Teia shrugged. “You’ve never complained about my tenacity before.”

“Yes, he has,” Lucanis said. 

“Yes, I have,” Viago said at the same time. 

Teia rolled her eyes. “You two are no fun.”

Lucanis sighed. “I asked to meet for a reason, if you’re finished harassing me?” He glanced between the Talons, but they kept their silence. He lowered his voice, aware that his cousin might have spies in the café.

“Illario is working with the Venatori.”

Hate him, Spite said. Kill. Him.

Viago went utterly still, his blue eyes locked on Lucanis. “You’re certain?”

He growled. “Heard it from the lips of Zara Renata herself.” She had been dead at the time, but he would spare them the details. 

Teia looked uncertain. “She could have lied.”

Lucanis tilted his head in assent. “Perhaps.”

The Talons exchanged uneasy glances. “But,” Teia said. “Illario has been…”

“Acting suspiciously,” Viago said. 

“At first, I blamed it on your…” Teia winced. “Disappearance. Then Caterina’s death.”

“But, if he’s the one who betrayed you…” Viago’s voice was low and ice cold. It was the voice of one the most lethal men in all Antiva.

Teia looked down at the table. “It would explain his behavior. Not just grief, but–”

“Guilt,” Viago said. 

Teia gasped, her head jerking up to look at Lucanis. “Does that mean–? Caterina?”

“Yes.”

She let out a string of decadent curses. “I’ll kill him myself!”

Viago put a hand on her shoulder. “Patience,” he said. He looked to Lucanis. “If we are to move against him, we need information. Proof.”

Lucanis sat back, bringing his nearly empty cup with him. “Precisely why I am here.”

Viago nodded. “I’ll keep an eye on him. See what we can discover.”

Teia winced. “You should know,” she said. “He’s been spreading rumors about you.”

Now Lucanis stilled in his seat. “What kind of rumors?”

She looked to Viago, who gave Lucanis a guarded look. 

“He’s telling anyone who will listen that you’re an abomination,” she said. 

Viago added, “that you tried to kill him.”

Lucanis focused on keeping his breathing even, but said nothing. He just stared into his coffee cup. 

“Shit.” Viago pinched the bridge of his nose.

“It’s true?” Teia sounded heartbroken. “But how? You’re not–”

Lucanis raised a hand to forestall their questions. “It’s complicated,” he said. “But, the short version is that Zara used the Ossuary as a sort of lab to create abominations.” He scowled, blocking out the memories of that place as he spoke. “And she wanted to make the Demon of Vyrantium more than just a clever title.”

“But,” Teia said. “You seem fine!”

Both Lucanis and Viago gave her dubious looks.

She scoffed. “I mean, fine for being imprisoned and tortured for a year!”

Viago raised an eyebrow at her. “Maker, Teia.”

Show. Her? Spite grinned at Lucanis hopefully.

Lucanis shook his head. “Like I said, it’s complicated. 

“Which part?” Viago asked. “The demon, or trying to kill Illario?”

He snorted. “When haven’t I wanted to kill my idiot cousin?”

“Big difference in wanting to and trying,” the Fifth Talon said.

Teia gave him a hard look. “Does Rook know? About the demon?”

“Of course,” he said, almost offended. “I never kept it from her.” Never mind that he couldn’t. She was a mage and had noticed Spite right away. 

The Talons shared a weighted look, as if his honesty with Rook held some deeper meaning.

“What do you want us to do about the rumors?” Teia asked. 

He shook his head. “Nothing,” he said. “Illario cannot suspect you of taking my side.”

Viago nodded. “Not if we’re to remain close enough to learn his plans.”

“Very well,” she said, though she clearly didn’t like it. “We’ll be on our best behavior.”

Vaigo snorted. “That won’t be conspicuous at all.”

She glared at him and Viago smirked back.

Lucanis sighed. “You two are disgusting.”

Viago scowled at him, but Teia just laughed. “Us? You should see how you look at Rook! Like she hung the moon.”

He made a disgusted noise. “Don’t you have an opera to attend?”

Teia grinned at him. “We do. Although…” she glanced at Viago, then back to Lucanis. “We could always postpone. You could invite Rook! Make a double date of it?”

Both men groaned.

“Enough, Teia,” Viago said. “Leave him be.”

She sighed and shook her head. “See? Like I said, no fun at all.”

Viago smirked and opened his mouth, eyes glittering at whatever he was about to say, but Lucanis stood abruptly.

“I’m fairly certain I don’t want to hear the rest of this conversation,” he said. He gestured to the plate of cantucci. “Help yourselves.”

Viago scowled. “And where are you going?”

Lucanis smiled. “I have to see a Qunari about some fish.” He gave a shallow bow and hurried back out into the market before the Talons’ flirtations made him nauseous.

Leather and lavender, Spite said. Death. Flirting?

“Yes,” he said as he wound back through the market toward the fishmonger’s stall. “They’re together. At least, right now.” They tended to be on-and-off-again, though they’d been steadier since House De Riva had moved to Treviso after Salle fell to the Antaam.

Together. Like us. And Rook?

“No,” he said. “Rook isn’t… ours.” It was strange to talk about her this way, but he needed to use words Spite would understand.

Noooo, Spite said. Rook is ours! Our Rook!

“No,” Lucanis said, more firmly this time. Like reprimanding a dog.

We. Like. Rook.

He sighed. “Yes.”

Rook. Likes. Us!

Well, she liked Lucanis, at least. How she felt about the demon was less clear. “Maybe,” he said.

No! No maybe. Rook. Likes. US!

Lucanis shook his head. “Even if she does,” he said. “That doesn’t mean we’re together. That doesn’t make her ours.”

Why not?

“Because there’s more to being together than just liking someone.” He browsed the fishmonger’s stall, selecting two of the fresher whitefish he knew had a mild, sweet flavor and flaky texture. They should meet Bellara’s needs perfectly.

Like. What?

Mierda, did he really have to explain commitment to a demon? What had become of his life? He ignored Spite’s question and paid the fishmonger, who grunted their thanks.

Spite remained quiet until they were in the Crossroads. They walked through the spirit market side-by-side when Spite looked at him. Explain. Now?

Lucanis sighed. The demon had been patient, and this was the most polite request Spite had made of him, maybe ever. Either he felt guilty for his outburst with Davrin the night before, or he genuinely wanted to know. Perhaps a little of both.

“Being together is…” Mierda. He didn’t have any experience with this. “Choosing to be with one another. Spending all your time with each other.”

Like. Us?

Lucanis winced. It was easy to forget sometimes, but Spite had even less experience than he did. “We didn’t choose this, Spite.”

The demon didn’t respond to that.

“And,” Lucanis continued. “When people are together there’s usually romantic feelings. Attraction. Love.” He shrugged. “They care for one another.”

Attracted to Rook?

“Yes.” As strange as the fact still was to him, he couldn’t deny it. He was very attracted to Rook.

They walked in silence to the dock, and Spite pointedly ignored the Caretaker as it ferried them back to the Lighthouse eluvian. But before they reached the mirror, Spite stopped.

Lucanis. Loves Rook?

He blinked at the demon, then considered what to say. The fact that his response wasn’t an immediate ‘no’ was more than a little terrifying. After a moment, he shook his head. “I don’t know,” he said. He didn’t think so, not yet. But it was all too easy to imagine a future where he did.

He should be careful. Guard his heart and hers, because the odds of this contract getting a happy ending were not high. But even as he considered walling himself away from Rook, he knew it was too late. 

Regardless of what was to come, Lucanis’s course was set.

I. Like. Rook! Spite said.

Lucanis snorted at that. “I think everyone knows that by now.”

The demon beamed at him, and they stepped through the eluvian and back to the Lighthouse. Back to Rook.

[thecrowroad]

Sunday Monday Snippet

“I was surprised that you allowed Jacobus to form a new house. It’s…such a large step, for one so newly fledged.”

Viago shrugged, one eye on his testing strips as he poured the wine “Egrativi will be a great mercantile house.”

“Mercantile? Not a cuchillo?”

Lucanis leaned forward to pick up a wine glass, passing it over to Rook before taking his own “They’ll do a few contracts, of course. But a house built by orphans especially to protect and support orphans? They’ll not do well as cuchillos in an organisation where nine different people claim the title ‘Orphan Maker’ as their specialty.”

“It’s seven now.” said Teia, also leaning forward to take a glass “Basil Favoto and Kai Devore got into it over a disputed contract while you were away and killed each other. Caterina had both houses make reparations to the Prince of Starkhaven for the very public mess they made.”

“Neither of them were a great loss.” said Viago, his nose wrinkled in distaste “Jacobus is - he could have been something special. But the Occupation and how it’s taken from him, he’s no longer on the Crow Road, Ivenci’s contract shows us that cleanly. We don’t need him as a renegade. Give it five years and he’ll be leading a house of vintners.”

“Noa let him take Quin and Octavian from de Acutis.” said Teia, curling into Viago’s side.

“Vintners and art appraisers then. That could be useful, at least. There’ll be a lot of Orlesian nobles needing to liquidate some assets. I’ll loan them Fletcher, to get them started”

[basedonconjecture]

CHAPTER 15: A GRIEVOUS FAULT, AMBITION

Summary: The funeral of Caterina Dellamorte continues. Lucanis is losing patience with Illario's politicking and commiserates with Teia about his cousin's behavior; Rook gathers intel for Viago while watching Lucanis' back (and keeping an eye out for Spite) but her work is interrupted by an unwelcome guest; Special guest appearances: Chance Candide and the De Acutis siblings. Tags: for alcohol, implied drunkenness, mentions of death Read Chapter: here Full Fic: here Preview:

    In nearly every respect, Orazio Valisti presented more a caricature of the princes of his house than the genuine article. A man in his middle forties, he fashioned himself a bit like a pirate who’d just taken his stolen bounty ashore with the express purpose of spending the entirety. The leather of his doublet was of obviously fine quality and he wore it open over a black silk shirt with so many ruffles the material could have made up several petticoats. Layers of gold chains hung from his neck from which a myriad of jeweled pendants and medallions jangled each time the man waved emphatically about as if he’d just stepped off a ship. Even the pearl that dangled from his ear, nestled among heavily oiled black curls, seemed designed for the affectation — and affectation it almost certainly was. Lucanis doubted the man had ever stepped foot aboard one of the Valisti’s fleet of ships before the Antaam requisitioned them. 

    Orazio was boastful and arrogant and, ultimately, a fool too enraptured with his own presence but he knew better than to underestimate the Talon. There had been significant contest over who was to follow Lera Valisti as the head of their house after her unfortunate demise at the hand of Emil Kortez several years before and, yet, each who would oppose Orazio’s claim had quickly stepped aside. It couldn’t have been more suspicious had they all turned up dead. He also knew he ought to be paying closer attention to the conversation, but Illario had taken the lead, and his mind kept wandering across the room to where Rook was. Bookended by Noa and Neri de Acutis, she said something that drew laughter from the siblings and, not for the first time since the funeral had moved into the reception, he regretted not being close enough to hear what it was. 

    “How the Crows could have allowed these—these invaders into our city,” Orazio was saying now, drawing his attention back, gesturing emphatically with his wine goblet. “It’s a disgrace.”

    Lucanis felt his brows rise, certain he must have misheard. The implication wouldn’t have been nearly so surprising from an outsider. From one of their own, it bordered on something rather treasonous or, at very least, foolish to speak so loudly in front of so many who’d take personal affront. He’d decided early in the conversation that he cared very little for Orazio Valisti and that opinion had only worsened to such a degree he was no longer in the mood to accept charitable explanations for the man’s thinly veiled insults. House Valisti had lost control of Treviso decades ago. Clearly its current Talon believed himself somehow separate from those who controlled it now, absolved of responsibility, by virtue of…what exactly? He hid his rising ire under a carefully neutral expression.

    “Pardon me,” he interjected, drawing their attention. Avoiding Illario’s eye, he directed his words to the Talon. “You can probably imagine there are a number of things I have missed since the occupation began…but there is one point you can clear up for me, Valisti.”

    As expected, the man’s own self-importance blinded him to caution and he smugly replied, “I shall certainly endeavor to do so.”

    “When the invasion of Treviso occurred,” Lucanis began, thinking back to everything he’d known from before his capture as well as all Viago and Teia had been able to tell him to what he’d managed to piece together in the time he’d been free. He had a theory but one he wasn’t yet sure could hold water. On that score, he was hoping Valisti might reveal something of use. He could feel Illario’s eyes boring into him. “It came by sea, no? Our eyes were on their movements in the west and they sailed right into our city while our backs were turned.”

    “Yes, they struck out at Rivain first,” replied Orazio, lip curling. “And failed, more importantly. Making Antiva look all the worse when they managed to cut one of our strongest ports off from the rest of the country.”

    Lucanis hummed thoughtfully. “So, they sail either from Ventus or directly from Seheron to Rivain with the intent to launch an invasion there, fail, then continue on to Antiva where they take Treviso?” He paused. This was not new information to any of those clustered around him but it was necessary to revisit to get to the heart of his inquiry. “I wonder how they made it past the Armada without incident.”

    “As if the Felicisima are ever out for anything but their own ends,” the older man snorted, drinking deeply from his goblet.

    “That is true,” he conceded, tipping his head at the point. “I did wonder if House Valisti still maintained their relationships with the Raiders. With the loss of your ships, I suppose there is no longer a point to them.”

    The Talon choked on his port.

    “Lucanis…” Illario warned. 

[commander-yinello]

My Rook! Her name is Noa Ingellvar, a Mourn Watch Dwarf Rogue. Two facts I learned since playing:

Mourn Watch is just so cool. I am so glad I chose it.

Emmrich was not on my list of romance at all but since I met him, he's speedrunning his way to the top and might actually take over Davrin o_o

[crownedinmarigolds]

39 for Rook Noa

You always ask me things when I post these and I love you.

39. What is Rook's room at the Lighthouse like?

Warden Noa Espinoza shares a room with her best friend Warden Nythanel... at least to start! When relationships begin to form they may split the rooms up to allow for some privacy for the couples.

But at the start, it is their room! They shared a room at the Antivan Circle, they share a room when staying at Grey Warden keeps, and of course share a tent while traveling. Always together! Their room I imagine is a massive space, perhaps once serving as a greenhouse? Its walls a strange and colorful glass with maybe a few clear windows to look out into the Fade. They may eventually put in a curtain divider between their halves but they're not too worried about invading the others' space.

Noa's side of the room when she slowly moves her things in has a large canopy bed with gauzy and billowing curtains, something from her permanent room at the Warden Keep she hardly has gotten to enjoy. She has a dark wood armoire filled with the few outfits she has saved her money for and barely worn, and along the wall are some memorabilia from her time serving the Grey Wardens. There's a little chest hidden under the bed with a few special treasures inside, like the one letter she's received from her brother in the past couple of decades, and other various trinkets from her past. There are pots of flowers Nyth has pushed into her half from his, but she doesn't mind. She has the few books she's managed to keep over the years, and it's dawning on her how her life of constant motion - especially since the tearing of the Veil - has not left her with much material possession. Perhaps the Lighthouse will let her pretend she has a stable place to call home for a while. 💕

Thank you! Sorry if the formatting is weird, I'm answering from my phone! 😱

[skeeeeeeeelons]

Time to plan my Rook heh heh heh

This guy is gonna try so hard to be good and be a hero and his anxiety is going to go through the ROOF with the pressure on him to make decisions. Noa will be an unrepentant ray of sunshine who is also completely terrified of everything going on around him that is *technically* all his fault. Solas' protégé who refuses to think and act like him and tries to desperately appeal to him to Just Do The Right Thing and not kill everyone by bringing the Veil down.

[thesummerstorms]

Did I just manage to miss an unholy fuckton of dialogue between Neri and Noa de Acutis about the Crows? Or did a lot of it not get implemented?

Because there's some fascinating stuff in the Script file that got shared through Google Drive, but I'm not sure if it's canon and I missed it or cut material.

Same with Fletcher.

I definitely got the line from Neri about "hanging his banner"

Rook: You, of course, know about Ivenci's betrayal. Neri: And they will know my response. I've rehung my banner. Neri: There may be a lot of fighting to come. But no de Acutis will stand idle while Treviso is in that traitorous person's hands.

And I recognize most of the ones grouped with it from the post game with my de Riva who saved Treviso. But there are other mentions of banners scattered throughout the text file I don't remember, including from Fletcher?

Were they going to be a bigger thing, or do I need to spend more time stalking the NPCs in Treviso?

[druckkugelschreiber]

Hi! 8 or 14 for the Rook story time prompts?

Hi! Thank you so much for the ask! It's from this list for anyone else interested :D

I'm going to answer prompt 14: Rook at a celebration, this is pre-game of Kestryl just messing around and sneaking into places they shouldn't be (and a hint of Lucanis of course)

1.7k words, enjoy!

The sleekly feathered mask sat snug against my face. It was an unfamiliar sensation and not entirely pleasant. If I had to hide, I tended to use my magic, not fabric, but this was not a place where I wanted to risk even a crackle of magic to be picked up by the other crow mages in presence. 

The opera house was stock-full of gathered crows. High ranking, finished contracts and respect and everything. Lots of jewels worked into the finest leather suits in all of Thedas. The feathers adorning garments here and there were mostly a shimmering black, but some of them sported different colours. Purple, a startling white and red here and there. Sometimes sapphire blue. One of them, who had recently returned from Rivain, had worked peacock feathers into their outfit. 

My own outfit, while looking fine, was decidedly simpler. Not simple enough to make me stand out in the mass of purple, black and blue, but upon closer inspection, one could see that the thread wasn’t as finely sown as the other suits. The leather was fine enough but it lacked the same amount of embellishment. My boots did match the level of fancy though. Very proud of those. Only wore them to the finest occasions. Like this one. 

The Talons were around as well, but I avoided them like demons. They were demons if you asked me. Well, I mean not Teia, but definitely the rest. With Viago it depended on the day really. But the thing is Viago and Teia would recognize me on the spot. Mask or no mask. Magic or no magic. Noa too and that was bad. In this case my multicolored eyes didn’t do me any favors. 

I ducked my way in and out of the crowd. I made it look natural. Listening to the bits of banter here and there, piecing together the gossip without even stopping. Crow gossip was always the same. I suppose any gossip was always the same. Who fucked who, where was there money to be made and who might be getting stabbed or should be getting stabbed. 

My eyes flickered over the different drinks, goblets and finger foods provided, idly keeping note on which had been poisoned and which poisons were being used tonight. Anything that wasn’t house de Riva was substandard of course. My house wasn’t pulling any big moves last I had heard either. I had even risked snooping through Viago’s correspondence to make sure I didn’t get pulled into something. Of course, I hadn’t dared to snoop through a lot, so I might have missed something, but that was always the risk. 

I dodged a servant, who also wore fitting colours. Even the servants needed to have style when in a crow celebration. 

The scent of perfume was heavy in the air, but it all mixed well with each other. Whether that was supposed to be on purpose or a lucky accident I had never figured out. I didn’t like wearing perfume. Sure it masked the scent of poison, but if your poisons smelled that heavily, in my opinion you were doing something decidedly wrong. Not that a mage had much use for poisons, but I was versatile. 

My eyes followed a snack tray. Should I dare? The fingerfoods didn’t lend themselves to poisons and they looked delicious. I had eaten before coming, never go to these things on an empty stomach after all. Viago taught me better than that, but that didn’t mean I didn’t want to snack on the food here. Too many people getting poisoned would look bad on Caterina as a host. And I wasn’t even supposed to be here. Didn’t mean no one knew. I bet Misha knew. They always knew, but they were smarter than getting dragged into even more of my antics. 

I made my way after the snack tray and snagged one before dipping off to the side again. I sniffed the treat intently. I let my eyes flutter shut as if I was enjoying the flavors. It did smell good, but it didn’t really register as I analyzed them for poison contents. No poison as far as I could tell with scent. There was a spell to test with magic, but some poisons were also not recognized. It was a tricky spell and the mage needed to be familiar with a lot of poisons. Lucky that was me. Everything clear. I hummed as I took a neat bite. Flavors exploded on my tongue. Oh yeah, that was good. 

I let my eyes open again and scanned the crowd. The dynamic of the crowd had shifted. Someone important was moving through. I didn’t try to find them, I let my eyes unfocus and follow the shift of the crowd like a herd of deer I was trying to hunt. It came to me naturally, long forgotten memories of forests and the creaking of bows. I pushed them back. They’d just distract me. 

Well, look at that. His outfit wasn’t nearly as fancy as I had expected. No jewels, no white feathers. Dark blue leather. Fuck me. Lucanis Dellamorte. Not the first time, hopefully not the last time. A smirk played around my lips. He was of course followed by Illario, who wore decidedly the flashiest outfit in the room and he made it work. They were both fine as fuck. 

The crowd was abuzz since the last Dellamortes had arrived. No idea where Caterina was. She was creepily agile for an old woman. 

Lucanis and Illario vanished into the crowd for a while. I let them pass. Hyperfocusing on one of them would do me no good. I was here to enjoy the celebration, since I had been stuck in the Anderfels for like six months at this point. Finally back home. 

I made my way around some more buffet tables. They were doing their best to mask the scent of poison. I wrinkled my nose. Someone had not been doing their job well. Urgh. I wandered down and was about to avoid another person standing in my way when I caught a nice scent of spicy cologne and coffee. My eyes wandered up slowly. Dark blue, mid thigh leather boots, dagger hilts peaking out, snug ass pants, a suit of armour so well cut I think there might be a corset in there emphasizing a sleek waist, broad shoulders, some more dagger hilts, silver embroidery in a stylized crows. A high collar with the Dellamorte pin. Jaw length hair smoothed back, a sharp jaw, slightly angled eyes, dark brown. 

Maker strike me down. Lucanis Dellamorte. Face to face once more. He wore a mask, but it did nothing to hide his stunning features. The Demon of Vyrantium and I had snuck into his house again. Just this time I think my disguise was way better than the servant I had played last time. 

He dipped his head politely. “Were you looking to eat something?” he pointed at the table in gloved hands. His voice rumbled. He had such a nice voice. 

“I wouldn’t eat that if I had no tastebuds left”, it didn’t smell like poison but that was only because I had seen Cara mess around here earlier. 

Lucanis eyebrows twitched strong enough to see them over the rim of his mask. “You dislike Gazpacho?” 

“Might make you shit liquid for a week, might make you vomit blood, might kill you. Who knows?”, I flashed a grin, that was no joy and all fake, a hint of cockiness. 

“Ah”, his eyes flickered down my suit. It was a bit looser than the other skintight outfits, flowy sleeves and something trailing down my back between a coat and the idea of a dress. I rarely wore dresses but this was nice. Especially the way he looked at me. Feeling way too warm all of a sudden. “De Riva I presume?”

“Is that important?” my smirk turned flirty, while the voice in the back of my head was screaming. Was I really flirting with Lucanis Dellamorte? What the fuck? I mean after fucking Illario, you’d think the Dellamorte’s had lost their charm. They really hadn’t. This was still the Demon of Vyrantium. Well, no chance like today! Viago had sent me to the Anderfels for Illario, so he’d probably send me all the way down to Ferelden for Lucanis. He’d be worth it. 

“It is if I want to know if your word has any worth to it”, his voice was perfectly even, almost cold really. 

Ouch. My smirk wanted to turn into a grin out of sheer delight just having this conversation. “You wouldn’t know either way.”

His dark eyes met my green and amber ones. “Why would you tell me if it is poisoned?”

“Maybe I don’t want you to embarrass yourself?” 

“Since when would that be a concern of yours?” 

Okay, this was great. Sass. “It isn’t really.”

“Do you warn everyone off the poisoned food?”

“Are you everyone?” 

His eyes narrowed. “You know who I am?”

“I know you are wearing a mask and all, but it does nothing to hide that pretty face of yours. Everyone knows who you are”, I raised an eyebrow. He couldn’t really believe he was hiding right? 

“I know everyone here. Most of everyone here. Except you”, hard brown eyes. 

Oh I had walked right into that one. “I haven’t been in the country for a while.”

“Where were you?”

I laughed. “I’m not discussing my work with you.”

“Are poisons not your work?”

“You’re not my mark”, fencing with words. I had an absolute blast just bantering with him. 

“Ahhh, so warning me off, so I do not consume what was placed for your mark?”

“I have extra”, but please believe that. Wouldn’t really make a difference for my imaginary target. 

“Of course, but that means you should know what exactly your poison does.”

“I know exactly what my poisons do. Question is, will you know if you eat it?” I waggled my eyebrows. 

Lucanis' eyes narrowed in brief confusion. 

“Cousin!” Illario’s voice carried over the crowd. 

That was my clue. As Lucanis' eyes shifted to find Illario, I ducked back into the crowd. Illario would also recognize me on the spot, though he’d not rat me out. My heart thundered in my chest. The thrill of a single conversation with the Demon danced through my whole body. I so needed to tell Misha about this.

[queen-of-seventeen]

The day my DWTS Illario au obsession started

My “Rook” Livia Arainai De Riva

Read on ao3

[capucapo]

(( rp log continued from here !!! directly copied from Discord w minor editing for typos and formatting. Less card games this installment, I promise. I also realized that I probably should have just included Noa and Seto's interaction in this series but I've been promising 4 parts since the beginning so I'll post that as a standalone follow up next lol

Seto Kaiba @blueeyesking , me as Noa, Mokuba, and the Yugis. Wyatt @seashaper , Hika @nameless-brand , and Pyre @redeyesandchilifries ))

NOA

[ Noa only rolls his eyes at Rook's taunting and threats. Empty, empty words. Don't they realize that he's in control of everything here? That the only reason he doesn't snap his fingers and turn them inside out is that they simply aren't worth the processing power?

Far away on his own tower, Noa is unfazed by the blade drawn by the other. He looks away as the chair goes flying into the void, no longer interested in the stranger's temper tantrum.

Mokuba still hasn't attacked. Noa feels rage boil inside of him. What's going on? Why does his connection to his little brother feel so unstable now? Why are so many of the teenager's thoughts coming through as static?

"Attack him already!" Noa snaps, quickly growing impatient with this impasse. "Show them what it really means to be a Kaiba!!!"

But he doesn't.

No, Mokuba's turn comes to an end instead, without the fearsome dragon moving a powerful muscle. Lightning splits the darkness of the void as Noa's rage overflows.

"What are you doing?!" he snaps, bracing himself against the parapet as he shouts down to his puppet below. "You were supposed to kill him!!! Did you forget that he hurt you?? Or who it was that saved you??!" ]

Seto Kaiba

Seto draws, saying nothing. Giant Germ.

Unfortunately… This is his perfect chance for a comeback. At least, it will let him stall another turn. He sets the Giant Germ in attack position, then sets his Ring of Defense face-down beside Crush Card Virus.

It just requires a sacrifice of Giant Germ for him to activate and reveal Crush Card Virus, which will allow him to destroy Red-Eyes Archfiend and look at Mokuba's hand, then destroy any monsters in Mokuba's hand that have 1500ATK or more. And then Mokuba can choose three monsters of 1500+ATK from his deck to send to the graveyard.

However, Seto pauses, watching Mokuba instead of playing and drawing his attention away from the inner conflict.

NOA

[ He won't give up this easily. Reappropriates some processes, affording more energy towards his control over Mokuba. There's no one else in this world he wants beside him when he takes over and makes it new. Why would he?

Humans are worthless.

"This isn't over, Mokuba. Don't listen to these liars," Noa growls, the gentleness of his voice long abandoned. "They don't care about you!! Don't you see that? They just want to use you to escape from here and save themselves. I'm the only one who's ever loved you!!! Who ever will love you!!"

Mokuba's brows knit tight as he glances in Noa's direction. The storm inside his head starts to calm as his eyes glaze over again

Noa smirks.

"That's it!! That's my good Baby Brother. Don't give up now!!! You can still win, you can still make me proud!! We can get sundaes after this, wouldn't that be nice? We'll be a happy family, forever! You just have to kill Seto Kaiba first!"

Mokuba doesn't respond.

Seto Kaiba

"No, Mokuba!" Seto doesn't play his cards. "These friends of yours- Levant, and Rook, and Chi, and Lark! They love you! You will always have friends who love you, Mokuba!" He gestures to Rook and Levant, calling on his memories of their time together in the Minecraft server, or of Mokuba's blog, for names of his friends. "These people wouldn't dream of leaving you behind, and neither would I. Do you remember what I wrote, Mokuba? In response to that ask you got, a few days ago?"

Seto places the cards in his hand onto their slot on his Duel Disk.

"This arena Noa has conjured… was from a duel between myself and Yugi. The same stakes. And when I knew I was going to lose, I stood at the edge, bargaining my life- but while I was there, I saw you, Mokuba, inside of my rotting Blue-Eyes. I kept trying to save you, and failing, over and over, until the version of myself standing on the dueling podium started to rot, too."

"When that duel concluded, Téa and Joey reminded me of two very important things, that at the time I refused to listen to: Duel Monsters is not about murder, and that I hadn't won against Yugi- I had lost to myself, for bargaining my life as if it meant nothing… and refusing to let myself live with a loss."

"It was only after that duel that I had a real chance to save you from Pegasus, Mokuba… and I lost, despite my best efforts. It took Yugi and his friends to save us both. And when I awoke in that dungeon, alone, it was a vision of myself, as I was when we were kids, that lead me back to you. I knew then, when we embraced… I needed to be a better person. For you, Mokuba, if nothing else."

He had been staring at the floor, lost in the memories, but now Seto looks up at his little brother with an intensity he rarely holds.

"It's like I told you: I would live for you, Mokuba. It's harder than letting yourself die, because you have to continue on, and accept your losses."

Seto Kaiba ends his turn without taking the chance to win.

Mokuba

Those names are so familiar. How could Mokuba forget Lark? They had gone out of their way to make cookies for his birthday. By hand. And they were the best damn cookies that Mokuba had ever tasted.

He was eating one when their jet went down--

And Chi. Had she ever logged back in to their server? He didn't know her well, he'd mostly gotten frustrated with her unusual language barrier. But for some reason, it had always made him so sad to pass by her small base, overgrown with bamboo and reeds he always felt a little guilty for harvesting.

Did she ever get to see Turtle Cove…?

Mokuba shakes his head. No. No. He needs to focus. He needs to play.

[ He needs to win. ]

He looks at that face down card across the field, then at the Giant Germ that Seto had summoned. There's one reason that card in his deck. He has a feeling he knows exactly what that face down card is, now. He's confident that he could come back from the virus trap-- should Seto really prove that obvious. He already has a plan, but...

Wait.

But maybe that's what Seto wants him to think? He's the best Duelist in the world, after all--

Mokuba grits his teeth and draws a card. Lightning Storm. Seriously? SERIOUSLY ??? He should be smirking.

Whatever that face down card was that made him so nervous, Virus or not, it would be useless now. All he needs to do is play this one card. Giant Germ's effect won't matter either once Archfiend's own effect activates.

But Mokuba's eyes flicker from the card in his hand to his opponent across the rooftoop.

what he wrote…?

what the fuck [ heck ] is he talking about?

He would die for me--

His eyebrows turn up, from something vengeful to something helpless. A kind of panicked confusion the young Kaiba rarely showed. His cards shake in his hand.

Mokuba looks up at one tower, to Joey, and Duke Ootogi, to the monkey with Tristan's voice.

Joey, who Mokuba has poisoned once. Who Mokuba had hurt… and who had forgiven him. They were supposed to duel, Red Eyes against Red Eyes, weren't they…

But not like this--

Tristan, who Mokuba had saved from Death-T.

[ From Seto's Death Themepark. ]

So what.

He looks to the tower opposite. To Rook, who he barely recognizes in human form. How long has it been since he wore his own tiefling skin…?

Levant. He'd never gotten to meet her in person before she died. Disappeared? For a second, his face burns. He'd given up on her so easily, tried to just accept the unfortunate fact and move on. But she got sucked into this for him anyway.

Téa, who had helped him escape from Marik's Ghouls and avoid being controlled by the Millennium Rod--

To Noa.

Who's only tried to keep him from these people who love him. Who put their own lives in danger just because he dropped some coordinates with no explanation.

Mokuba's stomach twists.

Something just doesn't feel right

His attention snaps back to Seto, crashing back into the reality of the situation like a car into a brick wall. He stares blankly at the oldest Kaiba as he goes on, and on. Admitting to things that Seto Kaiba would never.

To things that Mokuba never knew. That Noa can't block him from hearing now.

When he takes a breath, he finally realizes that he's crying.

He didn't even cry when Pegasus locked him in a cold dungeon, bound in chains.

He didn't even cry when he saw his brother again--

No.

Not Noa.

"Niisama*…" Mokuba gasps.

It's quiet. Maybe no one else even hears it. But that's the moment that Noa's control snaps like piano wire.

Suddenly, Mokuba lets out a shrill, blood curdling scream. It's the same scream he's always loved to do from some random corner of the mansion, just to see if Isono or Fuguta would come running first.

But this time, it's real.

He drops his cards as he falls to his knees, grabbing his head as he screams again

Seto Kaiba

Seto watches silently as Mokuba's false reality is shattered, but when the boy speaks, and finally, screams, Seto surges forward to the opposite edge of his tower, reaching toward his little brother.

"Mokuba!!"

Mokuba

There's still so much confusion, so much chaos inside his mind as Mokuba fights against whatever is surpressing so many of his thoughts.

Against Noa--

But he looks up, through the pain and the chaos and the static and the memories he can't trust.

And in that very second, he realizes exactly where he wants to be.

Desperately, frantically he skitters to his feet, breaking into a clumsy sprint towards Seto's arms. Towards his brother's arms--

NOA

[ Such a shame they'd never meet.

Lightning cracks the sky of the infinite void once again and Noa's sapphire eyes flash with rage. How could Mokuba possibly override his reprogramming? How could his precious Baby Brother betray him? Didn't Mokuba know how lucky he was, to be chosen by such a powerful Big Brother?

As the two opponents race towards each other's embrace, Noa puts his foot down.

Literally.

The virtual god stomps a foot in frustration, and a ripple spreads out from his tower. Somewhere far away, the ground shakes.

But more importantly, as the shockwave passes through the two brothers, they freeze. Bound first in time alone, cyan crystals rapidly climb up their paused forms, from toe to fingertip.

So Mokuba managed to break his control. To choose the brother who hurt him over the one who could give him everything.

Fine.

Then Noa would hurt him too. ]

Rook

Madison Rook is fixated on the scene as Mokuba's friends and brother shout out, as the boy himself breaks free of that brat's manipulation, Rook is so, so proud of him and his strength. But that rush doesn't last long, the moment they take to relax is the moment Noa lashes out, and Rook's pulse pauses in time with the brothers as they instantly recognize the stillness, and just as quickly spot the crystal texture overtaking their forms.

An empathic fear rises in their chest, a knowledge and terror for what's about to happen that they swallow down with rage, anger and disgust at what's been done that they can channel outwards instead of let break them apart inside. Rook's already pale fingers grip white on their sword and they point it from the tower at the Kaiba brothers, pulse pounding faster in their ears, half growling to themselves, half shouting to Noa.

"How fucking *dare* you. Not on my watch, you little bastard!"

The crystal on Madison Rook's sword glows with more intent, a concentration of passionate soul, and fires a violet beam of light at the victims of Noa's selfish play. Seto Kaiba, positioned between Rook and Mokuba, takes the 'hit', the beam dispersing on contact into buzzing violet sparks that wrap around him to flow down the edges of the horrible change, undoing it in favor of real(ish) skin and fabric. They spiral up his arm towards Mokuba, but he's just barely too far away, and the sparks fizzle in midair before they reach him. In seconds, the soul magic has faded away, leaving Seto unbound and animate.

Rook takes a deep breath, allowing themselves the confidence from their plan having worked, and steps away from the others on the tower, shifting position, trying to get a good angle to hit Mokuba too, before it's too late. They succeeded once; they can save them both. They won't let their apprentice hurt like they did.

Noa

[ As diligent as he is, Noa doesn't expect Rook's swift reaction. A frustrated growl shakes the ground and the towers as Noa shoots a glare in Rook's direction.

But he doesn't hesitate for another breath (as if he needs such a primitive function) Noa waves a hand, and in that instant, two things happen.

Mokuba disappears, consumed in less than a second by a cascade of glowing hexagons and pixels.

And the towers begin to fall away, brick by brick, from the bottom up. In the moment that the final stones cascade from beneath their feet, every last member of the unwilling audience is caught within a different, ornate birdcage, catching on some unseen tether to hang, suspended in the void.

The look that Noa shoots at Seto is venomous as he appears on the rooftop before him.

"You really couldn't be satisfied until you took everything from me, could you Seto?"

Seto

Seto regains his momentum and stumbles, briefly disoriented by the petrification he suffered. As his eyes refocus, he sees what's happened.

"MOKUBA!!"

No... he just got his little brother back! Seto rushes to reach the statue made of Mokuba, and almost does, before it disappears in cyan hexagons and the towers begin to crumble around the arena. Seto comes to a stop in front of where the statue of his brother should have been... and the boy who nearly took everything from him appears before him. It takes all of his self-restraint not to resort to simply punching him in his smug face- but he does wish that he had a gun.

Seto's eyes narrow in a challenging glare at Noa, returning his venom.

"I could say the same to you. If you hadn't been so foolish as to capture us physically, you could easily have taken KaibaCorp from me by working quietly in my computers, Noa- but your pride was your undoing. You had to try to make me suffer before taking it all from me. You're pathetic."

Noa

[ Noa stands confidently before the taller Kaiba with his arms crossed defiantly, seemingly unafraid that the other might resort to violence.

"Oh believe me, Seto. If it were that easy, I would have reclaimed Kaiba Corp from you long ago. In fact, you never would have taken it in the first place," he hisses. "The truth is that I've only recently restored my access to the Internet. Besides that little roadblock, there's the matter of your biometric security measures. You really did think of everything, didn't you? I have to admit, I'm almost impressed that a nobody off the streets like you could be so impressive. Anyway, it would be awfully hard to be the face of the company from behind a screen. No, I had to obtain a body of my own somehow. So thought, say. Why not kill two birds with one stone?"

"But you want to talk about pride, Seto? Please. You had every opportunity to save your little brother, and maybe even his stupid friends too! If you'd only just lied down and given up. Now, because of your pride, you'll all die here. You're the one who's really killing Mokuba! But at least you'll be together in death, right? As losers?"