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The Masked Champion

Summary:

Hawke stared at the headline of the paper he had just picked up at his favorite coffee shop. "The Champion, Hero or Menace?" read in big letters just below a blurry photo of the vigilante, blood smeared across his masked face, and two of his known associates, both glowing blue against the backdrop of the explosion. He moved his eyes the author of the article, which included an interview with Detective Aveline Vallen and Knight-Captain Cullen about the harm and help the vigilante was doing. Throwing the paper back on the table he sighed and picked up his latte. "I'm going to kill Varric."

The Champion knows the secret and not-so-secret identities of all of his friends, but they don't know each other once the masks come off. Sometimes that means the relationships they have during the day and at night are very different.

Because it's the perfect excuse for Anders and Fenris to do the do and hate each other's guts. And because DA2 translates very well into a superhero story.

Chapter Text

“You came in pretty late last night, brother.” Was Carver’s greeting as he leaned on the counter, watching his older brother get his morning coffee. Garrett paused and then continued as if he hadn’t heard him.

“And you didn’t come in through the front door. There’s blood over by the door to the balcony.” Carver crossed his arms, just like the teenager he was. Just out of high school and a fresh and promising recruit for the Templars.

“Maybe it was a burglar and the dog got them.” The older brother smiled as he sipped at his coffee. “You’d be surprised about the crime in this neighborhood.”

“I hear they clean up a lot of thugs every morning from The Champion and his friends.” Carver paused as Leandra came through the kitchen. Garrett smiled at her and both boys greeted her cheerfully.

“Ugh, neither of you are dressed! And is Bethany even awake?” Leandra frowned at her boys. “We’ll be late for the morning prayers at this rate. I’ll go see if I can wake her.”

Once she was gone again, Carver looked back at his brother. Garrett sighed and started to walk past him. “Are you limping brother?”

“Leg cramp.”

 

After the morning service, Leandra was speaking with Elthina and Carver was staring at his brother again. “Bethany, did you notice Garrett get in late last night?”

Bethany looked away from the statue of Andraste to look between her brothers. “You know, I did hear someone come in around four a.m., and if it was a stranger I’m sure his dog would have barked.”

“Maybe it was darkspawn. He’s a coward in the face of a darkspawn.” Garrett shrugged as he scanned the Chantry, looking for someone.

“I would have sensed the darkspawn.” Bethany rolled her eyes. She was conscripted to the Wardens when she graduated, which was a blessing considering that the Templars were breathing down her neck even if the life was hard.

“Could have been mother. I think she has been seeing someone secretly. You should really be asking her about this.”

Both of his younger siblings gave him unimpressed looks. They were both smart, it made sense that they would figure it out, but that didn’t mean that he was going to admit it so easily. It was fun playing the little game with them.

“Oh, so you just sit at home now that you don’t have to work? That big penthouse, just you and mother, all day and then you just go to sleep?” Bethany was definitely mocking him.

“Especially after all those mercenary jobs and smuggling jobs you took to get your fortune? I can’t imagine that someone used to that sort of life style would want to keep getting that kind of thrill or anything.” Carver continued.

“No, that doesn’t sound like our brother at all. He’s not the vigilante type.”

With a sigh, Garrett walked away from the twins, who he could hear continuing to think of other ways to make their point and mock him at the same time. He stopped one of the sisters with a polite smile. “Is Brother Sebastian around?”

“No. I believe he went home to Starkhaven for the weekend, to visit his family’s graves.” She sounded sad. “Was it an urgent matter?”

“No, no. Thank you.” When he looked back, he saw that his mother had rejoined his siblings. He walked back to them.

“Well, why don’t we all go get breakfast?” Leandra smiled at her children. “Bethany and Carver both go back to their training tomorrow, so…”

“I’m sorry mother, but-…”

“You’re so scarce these days. Promise you’ll be home for dinner. It will be a while before you will be able to see either of them.”

With a small nod, Hawke walked out of the Chantry.

Chapter Text

It always surprised him when he walked into the Hanged Man that early in the morning and it was just as busy as usual. It never surprised him when he found Varric there after the other writers at the Gazette said he was ‘researching a piece’.

Predictably, he was telling some of the already drunk patrons some of the details that his editor never believed about his Champion pieces.  The dwarf was heartily laughing as he recounted something that had happened weeks ago, only stopping when he spotted Hawke. He smiled as he shooed the people.

“Varric. How many times…” Hawke started with a sigh.

“Making the Champion sound like this fantastic, impossible hero makes people like him. It also makes it harder for people to make guesses at his real identity. I’m doing him a favor, really.” Varric smirked. “But let me buy you a drink.”

“It’s ten in the morning.” He stared at Varric for a while before smiling. Varric whistled at one of the waitresses.

Once up in Varric’s suite upstairs, Varric was smiling at him. It was obvious to Hawke that his friend was fishing for information. “So, I heard a lot of sirens last night.”

“Yeah, somebody went a little overboard with the magic. I almost thought that Fenris was going to actually kill him this time.”

“They both need to take a chill pill.” Varric nodded downstairs. “But the owner hired Broody to tend bar in the afternoon. I think he’s starting today.”

“Isn’t tonight that Anders and Isabela come by for Wicked Grace?” Hawke held the bridge of his nose as he took a sip of the drink the waitress had brought him.

“Oh yeah, you don’t think that will be a problem will it? I mean how long did it take for Broody and Rivaini to recognize you without the mask?”

Grumbling, Hawke took another sip. It was just terrifying to know that the others interacted outside of their nightly escapades. Anders and Fenris were always on the edge of killing each other. Isabela and Fenris were always on the edge of fucking.

“You should come for a game sometime. Make the pot interesting with that independent fortune of yours.” Varric chuckled.

“I definitely will, but not tonight. Carver and Bethany are both starting their training tomorrow so mom’s having a big send off for them.” Garrett sighed, glancing at the fire behind the dwarf.

“That’s too bad.” Varric frowned, following his friend’s gaze. “But I guess the two of them are settled on their paths? Junior’s going to be a Templar and Sunshine’s going to be a warden?”

“Yep. They both really want to help people, and prove their skills. I’m not really sure who to, but…”

“They’ll do great, if they don’t die horribly.” Varric put up his hands defensively when Hawke glared at him. “Kidding. You know that all the best heroes need tragic backstories.”

“This one doesn’t.” Hawke stood up. “Thanks for the drink, but I have to go talk to Anders. Hopefully he’s at the clinic.”

“Take care, Champion.” Varric winked at him as he walked away.

The clinic was crawling with the sick and injured. There was a pregnant woman about to give birth on one of the cots. One of  Anders’ helpers greeted him, not looking up from wrapping a wound to keep the patient from bleeding out before Anders could see her.

Anders was mixing up a poultice in the back when Hawke found him. He stiffened, knowing that his friend was behind him, but continued as if he hadn’t noticed.

“How are you holding up?”

“I don’t want to talk about it.” Anders turned around, not looking at the other man. “As you can see, I have too many people to take care of to talk about it anyway.”

“You’re not alone in this, you don’t have to…”

“Hawke,” Anders turned to him, obviously trying his best to keep his other side under control, “I really don’t have time right now. These people need me.”

They stared at each other for a while before Garrett nodded. “How can I help?”

The mage seemed taken aback by the offer, but smiled at him. “Go around and check what everyone needs help with. I need to see the most urgent first. Help the ones you can.”

It was several hours until Hawke checked the time on his cell phone. It was so late and most of the people had been cycled out of the illegal clinic, only those that would need long term care were still around.

Anders was smiling at him from where he was healing someone with a badly infected leg. Hawke waved at him before heading out and back to High Town.

 

When he made it home, his family all stared at him. Carver rolled his eyes as Leandra commented that she was about to have Bethany call him. Garrett smiled at her before heading to his room to change. As he changed, he heard his mother yelling about missing their reservation.

Over dinner, their mother was very emotional. She kept reminiscing about her youngest two, them growing up and their father teaching them their skills. It was pretty obvious that she wasn’t ready for the two of them to start their own grown up lives.

Hawke wasn’t really eager to see his siblings go off into their extremely dangerous chosen professions. Being a Warden was a death sentence and Templars were not the most popular group in Kirkwall at the moment. He knew he couldn’t protect them forever, not when they were so eager to go off.

Carver and Bethany kept sharing annoyed glances as Leandra went on and on about how much she’d miss them. Garrett kicked them each under the table with a smile each time they did.

After Garrett took care of the check, he smiled at both of them. “How about I take you both to the port tomorrow?”

Both twins frowned. Carver voiced it for both of them “We don’t need an escort brother.”

He frowned back at them, as their mother sobbed about them being so independent. “I was just hoping to get a few last minutes with my little brother and sister.”

Bethany gave him a sad smile while Carver glared at him brother. She nodded at him. “Alright, but no goodbye hugs.”

“Deal.” He grinned at his little siblings, holding out his arm from his mother before they crossed the busy street.

Chapter Text

“What can I get you?” The dark skinned elf asked as he wiped off a glass. Anders stared at him, completely forgetting what he had walked up to the bar for. Varric had asked for a round of the Hanged Man’s cheapest ale.

“Uh…” Anders took a deep breath to center himself. The elf was new, and gorgeous. The mage wondered if that was his natural hair color, white was so odd. His accent was odd, but Anders could see tattoos on his face and hands, so he may have once been Dalish.

The elf smirked and set the glass down. “Maybe next time you come up to the bar you should make up your mind first.”

“Sorry, I’m just so used to the usual bartender. You’re new aren’t you?” He was totally blowing any chances he had.

“Yes, must spend a lot of time here if you know all of the staff.”

“I’m Anders.” He blinked a few times as the elf smiled at him.

“Fenris.” A very elvish name, maybe even more so than Merrill’s. “What are you having, Anders?”

Isabela was going to filet him if he didn’t bring her back alcohol soon. “Four ales, on Varric Tethras’s tab.”

Fenris nodded, turning to get four glasses. “So, you’re a friend of Varric’s then? He’s the one that got me this job.”

“Yeah, it’s wicked grace night.”

Laughing, the elf started pouring the piss colored liquid into the barely clean glasses. “He’s mentioned game night. Perhaps one night when I’m not working I’ll join in. I’ve been lead to believe that I get an employee discount.”

Anders wasn’t sure what to say in response so he just smiled and grabbed the glasses when they were pushed towards him. “Wish me luck.”

“If Varric cleans you out, maybe I’ll buy you a drink.” Fenris smirked at him again. Anders could feel his face heating up as he turned and headed back up to Varric’s rooms.

Isabela immediately grabbed her mug and started downing it as he sat down. Merrill frowned at her girlfriend before thanking Anders for hers.

“What took so long Blondie?” Varric took his and gave him a judgemental glance. “Merrill already dealt.”

“You didn’t tell me there was a new bartender working tonight.”

“Oh, Broody? He’s not too bad once you get past the rough edges.” Varric made a dismissive gesture before hiding behind his mug.

“Rough spots? He’s…” Anders was blushing again and Varric was choking on his ale. “Do you think…?”

“No way, I’m no wingman. You’re your own if you’re trying to woo him.” Varric set his mug down. Hopefully Hawke would find this as funny as he did.

“I’m a little out of practice.” Ander ran his fingers through his bangs, jumping slightly when Isabela put her arm around him.

“Come on, if you win this hand, I’ll help you out with your little problem.” She winked at him and took a large swig from her mug.

Anders had quiet the losing streak. Varric put his hand up and shook his head when he went to put the last of his coin into the pot. “I will not be responsible for taking your last penny.”

The mage stood with a sigh, looking at the pile of his coin split between Varric and Isabela.

“Come on Rivaini, let’s see who can take each other’s last coin.” Varric smiled at her. She turned her mug over and frowned.

“Going to need more swill before we start another hand, I think I’m getting sober.” Isabela took one of the coins off her pile and held it out. Anders took it, surprising himself with how quickly he grabbed it.

“Uh… I’ll be right back.”

“Not likely.” Isabela chuckled, but didn’t object to him going to get her her ale.

After several minutes of awkward small talk and Fenris mocking him slightly, he came back to the game with Isabela’s ale, a free banana daiquiri, and a date for tomorrow night. Varric smiled at him, making a toast to the possible revival of Anders’ sex life.

 

Isabela had just left, hanging all over Merrill as she said that she was somehow the one walking the completely sober elf home. Anders was gathering up the cards Isabela had thrown in her victory.

“You know Blondie, I’m really happy for you, but I’m going to say it, so Hawke doesn’t have to: are you sure this is a good idea?” Varric was still sitting at the head of the table, sipping on his first mug of ale.

Anders paused and sighed. “It’s been three years since…”

“I’m not talking about having to kill your last boyfriend, I’m talking about your passenger. You’ve been doing a good job at keeping him in check when you’re not on the rooftops with Hawke, but…”

“Varric, thank you, really, for worrying about me, but it’s one date. What’s the worst that could happen?” Anders smiled at him as he set the cards with the rest of the deck.

“Famous last words.” Varric said to himself as he watched the other male leave.

 

When Fenris walked into his condo, well not his condo, he tensed, sensing someone sitting in the dark. The room was lit up by him unconsciously activating his tattoos. “Hawke.”

“This is exactly why Varric asked me to talk to you, about that date you have tomorrow.” He stood up from the chair he was sitting in. “How are you going to explain this to him?”

The elf looked away as the glowing faded. “I’m hoping I won’t have to. It’s just one date Hawke. Aren’t you the one always telling me I need to loosen up a little bit?”

“But I don’t want you to waste all the work you’ve done to move on by accidently becoming a night light.” Hawke sighed and took a few steps toward him. “What would you…”

Hawke.”

“What am I going to do without you tomorrow night?” Hawke crossed his arms.

“What about Justice? You’re so fond of him, which is beyond me. How can you continue to support that abmination?”

“Funny, he asked me the same thing about you just yesterday.” Hawke rolled his eyes. “He’s also busy.”

“You can call Siren or that little blood mage friend of yours. Varric hasn’t been out with you for a while.” Fenris shrugged before heading towards the kitchen. “Now, if you’d please leave. Dealing with drunkards all day was exhausting.”

“Just don’t do anything stupid tomorrow.” Hawke waved at him before leaving. He slammed the elevator button, making the woman waiting next to him jump.

Chapter 4

Notes:

It's the date~ They're both awkward as fuck and I need to go on more dates, because the fuck even happens on them?

If you're American and over the age of 18, go fucking vote. Thanks.

Chapter Text

They had agreed to meet in High Town market. It was a safe enough space during the day, but they were both regretting not being able to take their weapons, feeling exposed without them. Neither of them spent much time out of their ‘homes’ unless it was to get supplies or to beat up thugs with Hawke.

Fenris knew that some of the merchants were eyeing him mistrustingly. A lone elf in High Town without some type of uniform automatically read thief to most humans. It wasn’t so bad when he walked through with Hawke or Varric, which usually angered him even more.

Anders saw Fenris standing in the middle of the market, and smiled. He looked so uncomfortable. It was obvious that he wasn’t used to such a human dominated area. “Sorry I’m late, I had to take care of something before I left.”

“It’s alright. I haven’t been waiting that long.” The elf gave him a half smile. “Did we ever decide what we were doing, I can’t seem to remember?”

“I don’t think we did, but Hawke told me I could use his standing reservation at one of those fancy restaurants.” Anders grinned, it took some prodding to get him to give up which restaurant he had for that day of the week.

Fenris nodded and motioned for Anders to lead the way. “So, you know Hawke too then?”

“Yeah, he’s been a really good friend these past few years.” Anders shrugged. “I’m surprised we hadn’t met before.”

“Hawke seems to try to keep all of his friends from meeting each other.” Fenris mused, putting his hands in his pockets. “Perhaps he is afraid of sharing.”

Anders chuckled, looking over at the elf fondly. “Maybe.”

“So, how did you end up meeting Hawke?”

“He needed my help with something, so we worked out a trade. If it wasn’t for me, he wouldn’t have all that money he has, but do you ever hear him thank me?”

“So, you helped to arrange that trip to deep roads?” Fenris frowned at him.

“I had maps. Did he make you go with him?”

“It was what I did for him in exchange for helping me with a problem. Looking back, it may not have been a very fair trade.”

“Probably not, but there isn’t much we can do about it. He’s stuck with us.”

“More like we’re stuck with him.” Fenris bumped his shoulder against Anders’, making the human blush slightly. “If it wasn’t for Garrett Hawke, we probably wouldn’t have met.”

“Ah, here it is.” Anders opened the door for Fenris. He had never been to a restaurant this fancy in his life, but Hawke had suggested it for a first date. It couldn’t hurt.

They were quiet for a while, sitting at their table after ordering. Fenris was looking down at his hands. Anders was looking around the dining room. Finally he looked back at the elf.

“Your accent, I can’t place it…”

“Tevinter.” Fenris looked up at him, his brows drawn together.

“Oh.” Anders knew exactly how elves were treated in Tevinter, the Ghost never shut up about it. “With the tattoos, I thought maybe you were Dalish.”

Laughing, the smile returned to the elf’s face. “No, there are a lot of things I respect about the Dalish, but mostly they just confuse me.”

“If you want to know more about them, Hawke does have a Dalish friend, though…”

“I’ve met Merrill in passing once. She seems very unhelpful.” Fenris shrugged. “But what about you? Anders is an unusual name.”

“It’s a nickname. I’m originally from the Anderfells, but I spent most of life in Feredelen, was even there during the blight.”

The talk over dinner was friendly, but there was definitely an awkward air of keeping something back. There were details obviously being left out, but it was only a first date. By the time dessert was served, they had told each other everything they were willing to about their lives, peppered with a few well-meant falsehoods.

“I didn’t realize it had gotten so late.” Anders frowned as he looked around, seeing barely any people, besides the guards and people waiting for an easy target.

“Do you want me to walk you back to your place?” Fenris put his hands in his pockets, looking at the blond. Anders blinked at him a few times, planning on asking the elf the same exact thing.

“I-I actually live in Darktown, I don’t know if you want to…”

“Darktown doesn’t scare me.” Fenris nodded, starting to walking. “It’ll be better if we walk together.”

“But then you’ll walk back alone.” Anders took a few steps to catch up with him. Fenris had surprisingly long strides for an elf.

Pausing, he turned around to look at the human man. He couldn’t help but grin at what he was about to suggest. “I only live a few blocks away from here, maybe you could spend the night.” He put his hands up when Anders’ face went bright red. “I have a spare room.”

“Okay.”

They were both surprised about the turn of events, but they were both content to walk quietly to Fenris’ apartment. What was also surprising was that they didn’t encounter any bandits. Even without jumping around rooftops with Hawke, both of them usually faced some resistance when they walked around on a day to day basis.

Just as they were turning to the block that Fenris lived on, they found out exactly why they hadn’t met any bandits. Down an alley, they both paused when they heard fighting.

Someone was yelling something in Dalish while the ground shook slightly. Another woman was laughing and telling someone “You hit like my grandmother.”

When the sounds stopped, someone walked out of the dark, and Anders and Fenris were both standing there, glaring at him.

“Hawke.” They said it together, giving him equally disapproving looks.

The Champion grinned at them both, leaning against the stone wall of the buidling. “Hey guys. How is the date going?”

Fenris and Anders looked at each other and then back at their friend. “Does everyone know your secret identity?”

“Just my closest friends.” He looked over at Anders. “You want an escort back to Darktown after you walk Fenris up?”

“Uh, no, I’m okay!” He put his hands up as he looked away. “I’m going to stay over, actually.”

“On the couch.” Fenris pointed at Hawke, glaring at him harshly.

Laughing, Hawke turned around. “Alright, I’ll let you two get to it. Have a goodnight.”

With a breath out of his nose, Fenris put his hand on Anders’ lower back, nodding that they should go. The touch didn’t help the blush covering the mage’s face.

“Isn’t this Hawke’s building?” Anders leaned against the wall of the elevator.

“Yeah. He lives up in the penthouse though.” Fenris shrugged when the elevator dinged and the doors opened. “There aren’t a lot of elves that live here.”

“How’d you end up here then?”

“I’m squatting.” Fenris smiled at him, leading him out and down the hall.

Chapter Text

“It’s still pretty early,” Anders says as he looks around the apartment. It was furnished, but it was clear that it wasn’t Fenris’. Most of the furniture looked a lot more ornate than Anders expected Fenris to have. “Maybe we could watch a movie or something?”

Fenris stared at him for a while before nodding. He walked over to the excessively large TV, even larger than the one Hawke had, and turned it on. “I have Hawke’s Netflix log in so…”

Anders nodded, sitting on the couch and taking the remote from him. “What are we in the mood for?”

Fenris sat next to him, close enough that they could feel each other’s body heat, but not close enough to actually touch. He rolled his eyes, declaring that he didn’t care. He then spent the next fifteen minutes saying “no” to every one of Anders’ movie choices.

Finally, they settled on some stupid comedy that they both sat at and stared at without laughing at most of the jokes. When it was over, Fenris just turned off the TV, he opened his mouth to comment on the movie, but he found that at some point during the last few minutes, Anders had fallen asleep on his shoulder.

With an affectionate smile, Fenris moved himself as gently as he could before picking up the other male. He laid him on the bed in the guest room, staring at him from the doorway for a while before heading to his own room.

When Anders woke up the next morning, he didn’t hear anything and he was very confused as to where he was. It took his a few minutes to realize, with his face going red, that Fenris must have carried him into this room.

He wondered into the living room and found Fenris on the couch with a book. The elf look up at him and smiled. “Morning, or should I say afternoon?”

“Afternoon?” Anders glanced at a clock to get confirmation about this, and groaned. “I need to get back… There are things I need to take care of…”

Fenris stood up with a slight frown. “I was going to make lunch, but I understand if you don’t have the time.”

“I’m sorry, I really don’t. Raincheck?” The blond frowned back.

“I’ll hold you to it.” Fenris nodded, his eyes looking over Anders. “I had a really good time last night.”

“Me too, I really wish I could stay, but so many other people depend on me in Darktown, I can’t just…”

“Then go, I’ll see you again.” Fenris smiled at him, taking Anders’ shoulders and gently turning him towards the door with a slight chuckle. Anders walked out, waving awkwardly before finally leaving.

It had barely been an hour since Anders had left that the door was opening again. Fenris looked over, glaring at Hawke as he entered with a grin.

“Have you ever heard of knocking?” Fenris’ eyes went back to his book, hoping that Hawke would just leave.

“This isn’t even your apartment.” Hawke stood at the edge of the couch with his hands on his hips, trying to look offended.

“You should still knock.”

“How’d it go last night? No glowing?”

“No, there was no glowing.” Fenris rolled his eyes.

“You going to see him again?”

“Yes.” Fenris took a deep breath and looked over at the human again. “Why are you really here Hawke?”

“A guy can’t be interested in his friends’ love lives?” Hawke put his hand on his chest, looking thoroughly hurt. Fenris stared at him, completely unimpressed by the act. “Alright, I need to stop by the Chantry and was hoping you could take along.”

“I will not be witness to you thoroughly embarrassing yourself as you try to woo a priest.” Fenris went back to his book. “You’re perfectly capable of going by yourself.”

“Fine, but I’ll see you tonight? Last night, after we stopped trailing you and Anders, we found a lead on some Magisters in the alienage.”

“You can always count on me for that my friend. Now go, before you lose your nerve, and don’t even talk to him.”

 

Sebastian was praying at the foot of the giant golden statue when Hawke entered. As he stood and watched the priest finished, a few of the priestesses asked him if he needed anything, but he just shrugged them off.

“Hawke.” Sebastian smiled at him when he stood up. “I heard you were looking for me.”

“Yeah, I’m sorry that I forgot about…” Hawke took a few steps towards him, but the priest just put his hand up.

“It’s alright. You have a lot on your mind, the way that you spend your nights.” He nodded for Hawke to follow him.

“You looked better in the armor than a robe, though this could be easier acc-…” Hawke put his hands in his pockets as he followed behind Sebastian.

“I am a brother of the Chantry, and it is who I am supposed to be.” Sebastian cut him off, not sounding as confident with his statement as he should have.

Hawke just hummed in sarcastic agreement. Sebastian glanced back him, his eyes narrowed. He got a grin back in reply.

Sebastian finally stopped at the confessionals. Hawke blinked a few times. “What?”

“This is why you wanted to talk to me right? Everything you do as the Champion, I’m sure there are some things you want to get forgiveness for and…”

“No, this isn’t why… you know why I really wanted to see you, right?” Hawke crowded into Sebastian’s space, the priest taking steps backwards until his back was against the confessionals.

“You know that I can’t Hawke, and you know why.” Sebastian glared up at Hawke, his face going red.

“Screw that. You’ve gone against those stupid rules before, why do you even bother trying to talk yourself out of it.” Hawke put stroked Sebastian’s cheek, making the other male’s eyes flutter shut. “You’re not fooling me Sebastian.”

“I made a vow Hawke, a vow to the Maker.”

“I’m sure the Maker will understand. Come on, it’s been a while, I’m sure you’re all pent up.”

Sebastian whimpered, looking around. There wasn’t anyone else around. “We can’t do this here…”

“Maybe we can use the confessionals after all.”

“We can’t! You’re already asking me to… we can’t!”

“Then where would you suggest?” Hawke breathed it in Sebastian’s ear, making him shiver.

“I’ll meet you at your place later, I promise.” Sebastian turned to face Hawke, their faces long a fraction of an inch apart.

“Hmm, bring your bow. I could use your help tonight.” Hawke smirked at him but Sebastian just nodded. “My mother has dinner with Gamlen tonight, around six. I’ll see you then.”

Without another word, Hawke was walking out of the Chantry, a smug grin on his face. Sebastian took a few deep breaths against the confessionals, his face still red. He tried to put on a smile when the Grand Cleric walked by with a few of the mothers, but they just all gave him an odd look before continuing their conversation.

Chapter 6

Notes:

Writing is really hard T^T. Anyway, new chapter. It has Aveline and Donnic, so that's pretty cool, right?

Chapter Text

Hawke was wandering around the market district of Hightown, wondering if he should pick up anything special for him and Sebastian. One of the stores was advertising an Antivian brandy and an Orlaesian wine, which was tempting.

“Hawke, or is it always Champion now?” A uniformed police officer said as he stood next to him, looking into the store too. Garrett looked over at him, recognizing him as Aveline’s fiancé.

“Everything alright officer?”

“That depends, Aveline asked me to bring you in if I happened to see you while on patrol.” Donnic frowned at him. “She was pretty angry when she asked.”

“I’ll be prepared for a verbal beating, thanks Donnic.” Hawke turned and headed toward the keep.

When he walked into the main office of the Kirkwall police department, the officer at the front desk barely looked up at him from his phone call to point in the direction Aveline’s desk. Hawke winked at a pair of new recruits that were staring at him, looking like they were about to passout.

Aveline was on the phone when Hawke arrived at her desk, angrily taking notes. When she hung up the phone, without a goodbye, she looked up at Hawke, waiting for him to say something, giving him her favorite look: ‘the disapproving mother’ look as Varric liked to call it.

“Donnic said that you were angry.” Hawke sat on the edge of her desk, getting a little closer to her. “Did I do something, or do you need my help?”

“I have a warning to pass to you.” She sighed as her angry aura disappeared. Looking around, she handed him a folder from her desk. “We’ve been trying to keep the press off of these, but the incidents have been escalating.”

The file was filled with pictures of graffiti, “DOWN WITH THE CHAMPION” with various symbols next to them. The mark of the Tevinter Imperium, the Templars, the Qun, some of the more minor criminal and mercenary groups, and even the symbol of the city itself. He flipped through a few more, finding the graffiti paired with dead bodies.

“You may have made this city safer for some people, but it has not made the Champion the most popular citizen.” Aveline took the folder back. “Maybe the Champion should lay low for a while.”

“I can’t Aveline. He’s a symbol for hope, and if I stop now, it’ll give these bastards time to regroup, get stronger. I can’t give them exactly what they want, maybe I’m the only thing between these assholes and something catastrophic happening in this city.”

Sighing again, Aveline stood up. “Then at least be more careful, for me. Every time Varric writes an article about you almost dying… Well, anyway, I have a crime scene to get to.”

“Need any help?”

“It’s a police matter.” Aveline pulled on her jacket, and glared at him. “Give me a call tomorrow, so I know that you didn’t die.”

“I won’t.” He grinned at her, watching her leave as she scoffed.

 

It was almost six, and his mother was still in his apartment. Hawke was following her around, silently swearing and pantomiming his anger. She was talking about Carver and Bethany and Hawke just wanted her to leave.

“Dear, you don’t think something had happened to either of them, do you?” Leandra turned to her son, who quickly put on a concerned face.

“They’re fine mother. They’ve been gone for less than two days. I’m sure we’ll hear from both of them soon, now go. You don’t want to keep Uncle Gamlen waiting, do you?” Garrett smiled at his mother, silently screaming as he heard the doorbell ring.

“Oh, were you expecting company? Were you trying to rush me out the door?” Leandra gave her son half a glare before heading to open the door.

Sebastian went bright red when faced with Leandra, Hawke covering his face and leaning on a wall behind her. He nodded his head at her. “Madame Hawke.”

“Brother Sebastian, I was just on my way out.”

He nodded and moved out of the way. She sent her son back a judgmental glance before smiling at Sebastian and heading towards the elevator. Hawke looked like he was going to fall over as Sebastian shut the door.

“So, what are our plans for the evening?” Sebastian wasn’t looking at Hawke, his face still red.

“I ordered dinner, should be here soon. And I got us a bottle of wine, from Orlais. And then…” Hawke glanced up at him. “And then we could continue where we left off earlier in the chantry?”

Sebastian finally looked up at the other man. “Where is this wine?”

With a huge grin, Garrett nodded towards the kitchen. He pulled down two wine glasses as Sebastian pulled the only bottle off the wine rack.

“I was going to get up a big thing in the dining room, but Mother…” He handed Sebastian the corkscrew.

“It’s alright.” Sebastian popped the cork off the bottle and poured them both glasses. After downing his entire glass in one go, he set it down. He put his hand on Hawke’s shoulder and pulled him closer.

Hawke blinked a few times before sitting his glass on the counter and putting his lips against the priest’s. He wrapped her arms around his shoulders, pulling him in closer.

“You were right…” Sebastian said, out of breath. “I do miss this.”

With a very animalistic noise, Hawke picked him up and put him on the counter. “Why wait for dinner then?”

Sebastian let out a desperate moan as their lips collided again.

Chapter 7

Notes:

So on top of the fact that I already never update this one, I fucked up my computer so... This chapter was brought to you through the struggle of using Google docs on my phone.

Expect even worse updates. Im sorry.

(See the end of the chapter for more notes.)

Chapter Text

Hawke was content to lay there with Sebastian forever. He palmed sleepy circles into the other man’s back. Sebastian was quiet, worryingly quiet as he laid with his head on Hawke’s heart.

 

“Please tell me you're not regretting this.” Hawke tilted the his lovers face up, gently, so they were looking at each other.

 

Sebastian stared at Hawke for a while before answering with a frown. “Not this, not you… just how this and my duty to the Chantry, to Andraste conflict.”

Hawke nodded, kissing Sebastian’s forehead. “I wish… I'm sorry that I put you in this position.”

 

“No. I could've refused you today, or any time before. I choose to act against my vows to be with you.” He leaned up to press his lips against Hawke’s. Hawke dug his fingers into Sebastian's hair with a groan, pulling him in closer for a deeper kiss.

 

After another round, Hawke glanced at the clock on his nightstand with a groan. “We better move. I told Justice and Ghost that we’d meet them soon. Plus, mother should be back from Gamlen’s soon.”

 

Sebastian kissed Hawke’s shoulder before getting out of bed. “You want me to commit many sins tonight.”

 

“As many as I can get out of you.” Hawke winked at the other male before going over to his closet.

 

Ghost and Justice were both standing in the agreed on rooftop. Neither was looking at the other, their arms crossed and scowls plastered on their faces. Hawke stared at them with a grimace, knowing in that moment that Fenris and Anders dating was the worst idea in the history of anything. Hawke was an expert on bad ideas.

 

“We’re here.” Hawke finally said after shaking off his worries. “Lovers quarrel?”

 

Both turned to glare at him.

 

Fenris spat, his voice sounded so different when he was in costume, in character. “As if…”

 

“What? Because I'm a mage?” Anders’ voice was different too, but it was still a wonder that they hadn't recognized each other yet.

 

“No. It's because you're insufferable, looking for injustices that aren't there.” Fenris was glaring at the mage now.

 

“Please, we’re all the Maker’s children.” Sebastian took a few steps toward the two.

 

“Shut up choir boy.” Both of them snarled at the priest, who took a step back so he was behind Hawke again.

 

“Come on. There are better things to fight than each other.”  Hawke put his hands up as he stood between the two men.

 

“We're hunting Tevinters tonight, right? Maybe we can give Ghost back to them instead.”

 

The words made Fenris glow blue, taking a few steps towards Anders. “Say that again mage.”

 

Hawke put his hand square on Fenris’s chest, looking his directly in the eyes. “Save it for the slavers.”

 

When Anders laughed, Hawke turned his glare to the mage. “If you want to return Ghost to slavery so badly, maybe we should drop you off at the circle.”

 

Justice went pale, taking a step back.

 

“Exactly. No one is going anywhere they don't want to, not on my watch. You two don't have to like each other, you don't even have to get along, you just have to work together.” Hawke looked at the two of them.

 

They both nodded, saying his alias at the same time. “Champion.”

 

It was a conversation he had every time he took both of them out, but the two had such complementary fighting styles that they actually made a good team. When they weren't trying to sell each other back to their abusers.

 

Sesbastian looked at Hawke like he had forgotten what these little outings were like. Hawke just nodded for the three men to follow him.

 

The alienage was too quiet. It was too early for the elves to be barricaded in  their homes or for average bandit to be laying in wait. Hawke glanced over at Ghost and Justice. They were both glowing, glaring at each other. He hadn't heard either of them talk since they arrived in the alienage so it was obvious that they had manage to perfect the art of silent communication. That would come in handy if their day-to-day counterparts got into a long term relationship.

 

“Champion,” Sebastian said it quietly, pointing at the robed woman flanked by four heavily armed men. They each bore the mark of one of the most active slave trading groups in Kirkwall.

 

She raised her arm, blasting open one of the doors. Before Hawke could give out orders, Ghost was charging into the open space of the alienage. Hawke groaned, pulling out his daggers before joining the fight.

 

As Sebastian and Anders focused their ranged attacks on the armed goons, Fenris and Hawke worked on wearing down the mage.

 

She cackled as she fell back, red swirling around her as two of the goons fell. A few more slavers appeared seemingly from nowhere.

 

“Blood magic.” Anders scoffed as he threw a fireball in the middle of the group of men drawing in close to Sebastian.

 

“Ghost!” Hawke yelled as Fenris ran towards the enemy mage at full speed. The mage threw him back easily. Hawke grimaced at the crunching sound from Fenris slammed into the large tree in the center of the space.

 

“Andraste’s flaming knickers,” Anders sounded annoyed as he took a few steps towards where Fenris was lying unconscious at the base of the tree. “Champion?”

 

“I'm good, go ahead and heal him.” Hawke punched the mage in the face, knocking her to the ground.

 

An arrow lodged itself into the eye of a goon that was coming at Anders while he gathered up his energy to heal the elf.

 

Anders was interrupted a few times, defending himself and the elf he hated. It wasn't until the fight was over that he was actually able to heal Ghost to the point of regaining consciousness.

 

Fenris woke up with a groan, his hands roaming over himself to assess his injuries. He looked up, anger the only thing on his face as he stood up, shaking. “You used magic on me?”

 

“You ungrateful…! I just saved your life!” Anders practically growled it at the shorter male. “If you’d really rather die from your wounds, I can put them right back!”

 

“I'd like to see you try, abomination .” Fenris took a few steps towards Anders.

 

“Enough!” Hawke’s voice bellowed in the square of the alienage. “The guard have to be on their way, we need to go.”

 

Anders and Fenris both deflated slightly, following Hawke away from the scene of the fight. Once they were out of the path of the guard and out of sight of civilians, Hawke took off his mask.

 

Both Justice and Ghost just gave him unimpressed looks before they disappeared in opposite directions.

 

“I think they've gotten worse since the last time I was out here with you.” Sebastian put his hand on Hawke’s shoulder.

 

“I know. I don't know if they'll ever be able to see eye to eye.” Hawke wiped his face, only smearing the sweat and blood. “Come on, we should get you back to the Chantry.”

 

“You should get back to your mother.” Sebastian gave him a judgemental look.

 

“Bringing up my mother when I was going to suggest banging you in a holy broom closet.” Hawke chuckled before pulling Sebastian in for a kiss.

Notes:

I honestly have no idea what's happening in this story. The only plans I really have are the first fenders sex and when one of them finds out the terrible truth... But otherwise next chapter will be a surprise to all of us.

Chapter Text

Hawke was sitting at the bar, listening to Fenris rant about Justice healing him, almost over a week ago. It was the first time he had seen the elf since that night, so Fenris had a lot to say about it.

“So don’t let that damned abomination heal me, without my permission, again!” Fenris leaned across the bar to say it quietly, but with the full effect of a shout.

Hawke ran his fingers through his beard. “Yeah, yeah, I got it.” He sipped at his drink as he nodded for the elf to go serve the other customers. Once Fenris was back, grumbling about drunkards, he set the mug down. “How are things with Anders?”

Fenris looked down, focusing on the empty glass in his hand. “Alright, we had a movie date the other night, but he had to leave early to help with an emergency at the clinic.”

“No glowing still?” Hawke couldn’t help but smile, knowing that he wasn’t just talking about Fenris’s tendency to glow.

No.”

Humming, Hawke held out his mug to Fenris, hoping to get a refill.

“We’ve been, uh, texting a lot. We have a shopping date after I get after I get off.” Fenris rubbed the back of his neck, his face slightly red.

“Just be careful, okay? And not just with the glowing.” Hawke smiled at him as he took the refilled mug. “But I’ve got some business to discuss with Isabella upstairs.”

“I’d wait, before you came in, your little Dalish friend headed up there, her face bright red.”

“I’ll talk to Varric then.” Hawke dropped a few coins on the bar before heading towards the stairs.

 

Anders walked in not long before Fenris’s shift ended. As he walked up to the bar, Fenris hadn’t noticed him yet. He could hear Fenris being flirted with by a slightly older woman. The elf was smiling back at her, laughing. His heart sank until he heard him reply.

“I’m flattered, but I’m seeing someone.” He put his hands up apologetically. As she moved away from the bar, he scanned the room, smiling when his eyes fell on Anders.

Anders smiled as he walked over to the bar. “How early am I?”

“Not too early, let me just take a few more orders and clock out.” Fenris replied, pouring a drink. Ander looked at it, confused. The elf winked at him. “It’s going on Hawke’s tab.”

Anders grinned at him, taking the drink.

A few minutes later, Fenris was walking out from behind the bar, his hands in his pockets. Anders walked over to him. “So, I know we were going to just window shop, but I actually need to grab a few things for the clinic.”

“That’s fine, lead the way then.”

They were quiet at the first few shops they hit, Fenris briefly questioning what he used the things for at the clinic, but otherwise not talking too much. Over texting the last few days, they covered most of what they had done since arriving in Kirkwall, at least what they were willing to share. Their time wearing masks with Hawke was left out, and their pasts.

“That should be everything I need.” Anders glanced at the list he had. “Do you need anything?”

“I can’t think of anything from Low Town, but there are a few things from High Town.” Fenris shrugged, staring at Anders.

“Do you want to grab them on our way back to your place?” Anders smiled up at him and Fenris’s face went bright red, making Anders’s smile grow. “You still have that spare room, right?”

Fenris just nodded, walking beside Anders as they headed towards High Town. As they walked, Fenris felt something in his hand. He looked down and saw that Anders was holding his hand. Smiling, softly at the human, he continued to walk with him in contented silence.

They hadn’t talked much until they got back to Fenris’s apartment, Anders setting his own wares in the spare room while Fenris put his own things away. They both stood awkwardly in the living room.

Fenris walked over to Anders, standing close to the human. Anders took another step towards the elf and gently pressing his lips against his. Fenris pulled Anders even closer, deepening the kiss.

The kiss wasn’t long, and once it was over they were both breathing heavily, looking at each other warily. Both were unsure of the other’s reaction.

Fenris sat down on the couch, pulling Anders to sit next to him. “Is this… Is this…”

“Yes, at least I want it to be.” Anders scooted a little closer to Fenris. The elf pulled Anders in for another kiss, a little harsher than the first.

“Me too.” Fenris huffed when he released Anders. “But…”

Anders smiled at him, nodding slightly. “I already said I was going to sleep in the spare room.”

Fenris smiled back at him.

After another soft, slow kiss, they managed to pick a movie. A dumb rom com that Isabella had mentioned at one point. They spent most of the movie heavily making out on the couch.

The next morning, they woke up to someone opening the door. They had fallen asleep on the couch, Fenris laying on top of Anders. Hawke was standing at the end of the couch whistling. Scrambling to right themselves, they both glared at Hawke.

“So… do you guys want to grab lunch with me and Sebastian?” Hawke scratched the back of his neck.

They both scoffed, lamenting that they’d rather go through various means of torture rather than sit through a meal with the priest. Somehow, Hawke talked them into cleaning themselves up and accompanying them anyway.

Chapter Text

Hawke spent most of brunch with his mouth open slightly as he watched Anders and Fenris interact. It was so different than watching the two as Justice and Ghost. Such a huge difference that it was practically giving him whiplash.

They were fighting, but jokingly over the fact that Anders was taking forever to make up his mind and that Fenris picked the most boring thing off the menu. It was sweet and confusing.

“Will you please just make up your mind?” Fenris tapped his fingers on the table, next to his closed menu. He was half glaring, half smiling at Anders.

“Oh,” Anders slammed the menu against the table, turning to look at the elf harshly, “I’m sorry that not all of us get the same thing every time they’re at a restaurant.”

“It certainly makes the process quicker for everyone involved though.” Fenris rolled his eyes as he turned away from the other man. “If you don’t pick by the time the waitress comes back, I’m going to choose for you.”

Anders mouth gapped open as he stared at the elf who just grunted as he motioned towards the human’s menu. He grumbled something under his breath as he picked it back up.

Sebastian was chuckled slightly as he continued looking at his own menu and Hawke was about to have an aneurism. He almost hoped that the two would have the same dynamic out of costume as when they were in costume, but watching Fenris look at Anders fondly while the mage angrily flipped the over the menu. Watching them get along so well now, there would be considerable fallout when the other shoe dropped. And it would drop. Eventually they’d both find out the truth about each other and Hawke didn’t want to watch this easy relationship Fenris and Anders were building.

The waitress came over, it had been the third time since they ordered their drinks, her smile had gotten more fake with every subsequent visit. “You boys ready?”

“Yes.” Fenris said firmly, ordering a basic veggie burger for himself and chicken parm for Anders.

“You can’t just…” Anders paused as the anger fell off his face. “That sounds perfect actually. Uh…”

Fenris smirked at him as Sebastian ordered something, substituting almost everything about it. Hawke’s head was pounding by the time he was able to tell the waitress his order.

“So, you two are…” Sebastian started after the waitress left with their menus, his words trailing off when Fenris and Anders both gave the priest a strange look.

“We’re what?” The two said at the same time, their eyes narrowing in sync. The two were always in sync as Ghost and Justice, especially if they were fighting with each other while they were fighting the bad guys.

Sebastian cleared his throat and looked to Hawke, who was looking at him expectantly. He was curious what his boyfriend thought about Fenris and Anders’ relationship. “You’re good together… a good fit.”

Anders and Fenris looked at each and they both smiled awkwardly as their faces turned bright red. If Hawke didn’t have such a sense of dread, he’d probably think it was adorable.

Silence stretched on between them for a while before Anders looked up at Hawke. “This place is a little… drab for you, isn’t it Hawke?”

“I loved coming to this diner when we still lived with Gamlen. They have good food, and no one here is looking to judge you.” Hawke smirked as he looked between the two men across the table. “Which is a plus, considering how much attention the two of you tend to draw.”

Fenris and Anders looked at each other, and the looks of confusion on both their faces probably meant they hadn’t noticed that the other was odd.

“Wow, you guys really didn’t...” They were both now glaring at him and he put his hands up. “I’m shutting up.”

The silence continued until they got their food, Sebastian ocassionally looking at Hawke, who was still looking at Fenris and Anders with disbelief. The two weren’t looking at each other, but they were smiling as they both looked at their phone. By the way they were sitting, Hawke suspected that they were holding hands under the table. It was blowing his mind.

Once they all started eating their food, Sebastian started talking again, making Fenris and Anders both groan with the first word.

“So, we’re having a special service at the Chantry…”

“If you’re seriously trying to get us to come and repent our sins, you should look at yourself for a while.” Anders glared up at Sebastian.

“No, it’s not… I was just…” Sebastian sighed, glancing at Hawke, who was laughing. “Forget I said anything.”

“You said something?” Fenris was grinning as he looked up at Sebastian, who was pouting. Hawke started to full out laugh at the look on the priest’s face. He looked utterly scandalized by Fenris and Anders.

“Hawke…” Sebastian turned to the man, his eyes pitifully desperate.

“Don’t look at me. The Maker made them like this.” Hawke grinned, going back to his food.

Fenris and Anders both complained when Hawke picked up the check, but neither moved to stop him. The two groups parted ways, with Hawke following after a Sebastian who was complaining about not wanting to be followed.

“I suppose that you have to return to your clinic.” Fenris rubbed the back of his neck as he looked down at the ground.

“Actually, my helpers told me they can take care of things for today… unless you had plans.” Anders smiled at him, taking his hand. The elf looked up at him with a smile.

Chapter 10

Notes:

(See the end of the chapter for notes.)

Chapter Text

“Broody and Blondie seem to be doing well.” Varric raised his glass towards Hawke when the human hadn’t said anything for a while. Hawke just groaned, putting his head on the table. It had only been two days since he had the most awkward double date with the two of them. “Have they figured it out yet?”

“No, at least it doesn’t seem like it.”

“You look like you need a drink.” Varric whistled, getting the attention of one of the waitresses. “It’s not going to be that bad.”

“Have you heard Justice and Ghost fight? I’d rather be up to my neck in darkspawn that be there when they finally start fighting.”

“Maybe not. I’ve seen Fenris and Anders, and they’re so cute I almost puked.” Varric chuckled as he tossed a coin to the woman setting a mug of swill next to Hawke. “You take them both out for any fights lately?”

“No. I took just Justice out to protect some apostates that were fleeing the city.” Hawke downed the entire mug and then continued as if he hadn’t. “He wouldn’t shut up about I didn’t defend him, that I should have sided with him over the whole healing thing.”

“And Ghost?”

“He basically said he’d kill me if I let Justice heal him without permission again.”

“I think the two of them are so angry, they might wake up an archdemon and start another damned Blight.” Varric smile was obviously forced as sat his mug down. “You going out tonight?”

“Isabela wants some help with recovering some lost property.” Hawke shrugged, looking at the bottom of his empty mug.

“That girl always gets you into the worst trouble. Are you sure she doesn’t just need your help stealing something?”

“You want in.” Hawke gave the dwarf an unimpressed look.

“I want in.” Varric grinned at him, taking a swig from his mug. “Unless you’re bringing Broody or Blondie.”

“They have a date.” Hawke stood up to find a waitress to get a refill. “You might want to start using their real names. You call them that when they’re in and out of costume.”

The dwarf just hummed in response. “I may like drama, but I don’t want to be the cause of that drama.”

 

Anders leaned against the breakfast bar of Fenris’s apartment, watching the elf hustling between pans and cutting boards, cooking up a storm. The human had a fond smile on his face as he watched him. “I didn’t realize you could cook.”

Fenris paused, then glanced over at Anders with a shrug. “I’m no chef, but I manage.”

“Where’d you learn?”

“I don’t really remember, just something I’ve always…” He trailed off and looked back down at the potatoes he was peeling. “Do you not know how to cook, anything?”

“I never really had the opportunity to learn.” Anders rubbed the back of his neck.

Neither of them were sure how to bring up the things they hadn’t shared yet, or how the other would react. They both knew they wouldn’t share everything, but the other deserved to know at least some version of the truth.

“Anders.” Fenris set down the knife and moved over to stand across from the other man. “I-I… I used to be a slave, in Tevinter.”

With a nod, Anders put his hand on Fenris’s. He watched the elf’s face twist uncomfortably at the touch, but he didn’t pull his hand away. It took a while for Anders to notice the way Fenris reacted to touches, but he was noticing. “I’m sorry.”

“I don’t want your pity.” Fenris pulled his hand away then.

“I don’t pity you Fenris. I think you’re strong.” Anders’ face was filled with nothing but endearment. Fenris’ expression softened, but still wasn’t quite looking at the human. “Thank you, for telling me.”

Fenris leaned across the breakfast bar to kiss Anders, a gentle, slow kiss. When he pulled back he was smiling.

“I think your one thing is burning.” Anders glanced around him to where there was smoke coming from one of the pots.

Panic filled Fenris’ eyes as he moved away from Anders to check on the pan. He let out a relieved sigh after he somehow managed to save whatever was in that pan. Anders just continued to watch the elf, silently, until he was presented with a plate. Fenris joined him at the breakfast bar, eating quietly next to him. Despite the confession, there seemed to be less tension now that was out in the open.

After they ate, they were sitting on the couch, Ander’s half laying on the smaller man. “I’m sorry, if I’ve done anything that… you know…”

“You don’t need to apologize, you didn’t know.” Fenris rested his head against Anders’ as he wrapped an arm around him.

“If you don’t mind… what did you do, as a…” Anders couldn’t even bring himself to say the word. He had heard Ghost complain about it to no end, and has much as he hated Ghost, he knew that slaves had it bad in Tevinter. It was just a fact.

“Whatever I was told to.” Fenris tensed and Anders put his hand over the one wrapped around his waist. “But mostly, I was… a killer and a plaything.”

Anders didn’t know what to say; he felt like whatever he said wouldn’t be enough. He knew what it was like, to be a ‘plaything’, but he also knew that it wasn’t the time to bring up his own past.

“You don’t have to be either of those, now.” Anders moved so he could look Fenris in the eyes. “Or ever again.”

Fenris’ eyes were wide but Anders didn’t get much time to appreciate the look as he was being kissed and pushed back against the sofa. Anders made a surprised noise as he wrapped his arms around the elf.

When Fenris pulled back, his pupils blown and his mouth opening, just about to suggest moving to the bedroom, Anders phone rang. He groaned as Fenris moved off of him. It was one of his helpers at the clinic. When he answered, she was in a panic.

“I’m on my way.” Anders sighed before hanging up, giving Fenris an apologetic look. Fenris motioned towards the door.

“There will be other times, I’m not going anywhere.”

With a nod, Anders gave him a small peck before leaving.

Notes:

Cock blocked.

Chapter 11

Notes:

(See the end of the chapter for notes.)

Chapter Text

The Champion and Siren were sitting on the wall on the edge of the roof, in costume. Justice was pacing and in a near panicked state. “What do I do? I think I really like him! I don’t want to mess this up.”

Hawke huffed, glancing at Siren who was grinning. He didn’t really know what to tell, especially since he knew one of his idiot friends was going to ruin their relationship eventually. “You’re going to be fine, just be yourself.”

“I think that may be the wrong advice, he’s got two people in there Hawke.” Siren hummed, still grinning.

Justice glared at her, then at Hawke. “He’s… he’s one of the best people I’ve ever… and I don’t want to lose him…”

There was a scoff from behind them. “You’re seeing someone, that’s rich. You’re completely intolerable, how could anyone love someone like you?”

Justice turned to glare at Ghost, glowing slightly. “What would you know about love? Someone as bitter could never feel love!”

Siren was giggling as she watched. Hawke felt like he was going to be sick.

“You don’t know anything about me, abomination! I’ll have you know that I’m seeing someone and…” Ghost pointed and accusatory finger at Justice. He was starting to glow too.

Justice started laughing and slapped the finger out his face. “That has to be a lie, slave!”

Hawke pinched the bridge of his nose as he got up and stood between them. “Can we not do this? I just want to get our target and move on with my night.”

Both them growled before turning away from each other. They were still glowing and Hawke could feel the anger and hatred rolling off both of them.

“Oh, the sexual tension is so thick I could cut it with my daggers.” Siren walked over, leaning on Hawke’s shoulders. “Your boytoys aren’t going to like that.”

“Siren, please stop talking.” Hawke covered his entire face, shaking his head slightly.

Justice and Ghost were glaring at each other, speaking in unison. “I would never with this thing.”

“I don’t get paid enough for this.” Hawke groaned, moving towards the edge of the roof. “I’m going to go ahead and start, if you guys don’t want to join me…”

Siren stared at where Hawke disappeared before walking over to the edge, winking at the two men glaring at each other furiously. “Don’t you lovebirds have too much fun up here!”

Neither man said anything as they jumped off the roof to join Siren and the Champion in what was already a heated fight. They stayed on opposite sides of the fight, but Hawke could see them somehow managing to work together.

Once the fight was over, Ghost left the alley without a word. Justice was glaring after him. “How dare he… that fucking elf…”

Siren looked over at Hawke, who looked a little like he was having a heart attack. Without another word, Justice disappeared into the darkness.

“So, I’m sensing a story here.” She was grinning at him.

“No, no way Isabella.” Hawke leaned over one of the bodies, rummaging through the pockets. “Can you help me search these bodies?”

“Can I keep what I find?” She sounded excited, and completely distracted.

“Anything that doesn’t seem like a clue as to what this group wants or where they’re based.” Hawke sighed, pocketing something.

“So, something like this letter from a Dan- Danarius? Odd name, very Tevinter-y.”

Hawke turned and blinked at her, moving towards her. He grabbed the letter from her hand. Once he read over it, he groaned. “This night just keeps getting worse and worse for them.”

“So, that story…” She was leaning on his shoulder again. He turned to glare at her, but just deflated.

 

Fenris was tearing off his armor, grumbling about Justice and everything he hated about him. “I’m going to kill that fucking abomination if it’s the last thing I do.”

His trek home was interrupted by a few minor thugs, but they weren’t difficult to take care of, they were just annoying. It took him almost twice as long to get back to his apartment and he had a few more injuries to show for it.

He winced when he pulled off one of his pulled off his chest plate. There was a sizable gash on his side, right where he was unprotected. Swearing, he finished undressing and started to shove his armor in a drawer, he’d clean it later when he wasn’t so exhausted, and kicked the clothing into the pile of dirty clothes.

Wounds needed to be taken care of, but Fenris just wanted to take a hot shower to ease the aches. He rubbed at his shoulder. It was one more body slam away from being dislocated.

A knock on his door made him pause. He grabbed pants and moved to the door. “Who is it?”

“It’s me, I just… needed to talk to you.” Anders’s voice was on the other side of the door.

Fenris closed his eyes tightly, Justice’s words were still running through his head. Even through the battle they had been hurling insults at each other. Most of the time he was able to brush them off easily, but they were so personal and so relevant. He was just as scared of losing Anders as Justice seemed to be of losing his boyfriend.

Anders was panting like he had run the entire way from Darktown to Fenris’s apartment. Fenris’s eyes went wide as he moved enough to let the other man in, and shut the door. Anders opened his mouth to say something, but his eyes roamed over Fenris’s body.

“Oh my… Maker, you’re hurt.” Anders reached out to the worst wound, the one on Fenris’s side.

Fenris flinched back, turning his gaze away. “A few thugs earlier, but I’ll be alright.”

Biting his lip, Anders looked up at him. “I-I… I could heal you.”

“What?” The elf’s response had a biting tone and Anders was the one flinching this time.

“I’m a mage, and I’ve been meaning to tell you. I’m sorry that I didn’t…” Anders let the words fall out of his mouth and Fenris sighed, cupping Anders’s cheek.

“It’s okay, I’m just a little… surprised. I haven’t had the best experiences with magic in my life.” Fenris smiled slightly. “But you’re different.”

Anders smiled back at him. “Why don’t you lie down and I’ll take care of those wounds?”

With a nod, Fenris turned and walked back into his room. He laid down on the bed, wincing slightly as he put too much pressure on his bruised elbow. Anders sat next to him. “Just try to relax, this won’t hurt.”

Before Anders started, Fenris wrapped a hand behind Anders head and pulled him into a kiss. “Thank you.”

“Of course. I’m a healer after all.” Anders kissed him again before pulling back and putting glowing hands over the wounds. “So, your tattoos cover your whole body then?”

“Yes.” Fenris closed his eyes, hoping that Anders wouldn’t ask much more about them. They weren’t a subject he wanted to talk about.

“Was it painful, when you got them?”

“Very.”

“I’m sorry.”

“It wasn’t your fault. You have nothing to be sorry for.” Fenris sighed as he felt his wounds close and some of the pain ebb away with the touch of the magic. Neither said anything until almost all of the elf’s wounds were healed.

Leaning up on his elbows, Fenris smiled at Anders. “Thank you again.”

“When I heal Hawke for getting into fights with thugs, I usually charge him ten sovereigns.” Anders grinned at him, adjusting himself so they were closer.

“I don’t have that kind of money. The Hanged Man barely pays be anything.” Fenris moved closer, their lips almost touching.

“Perhaps we can arrange for some other kind of compensation then.” Anders moved one of his hands onto Fenris’s bare chest.

“What do you have in mind?” Fenris had his cupping the back of Anders’ head again. Anders moved the last very fractions of an inch to press their lips together.

Slowly, Fenris lowered back until he was laying against the bed. Anders was moving down with him, their kiss slow, but hungry. When the mage finally pulled back, he was panting again and looking into Fenris’s lust filled eyes.

Anders pulled off his shirt before lowering back down to press their lips together, this kiss deeper, more passionate than before. Fenris ran his hands down Anders back, his fingers chasing scars.

His brows were furrowed when Anders pulled back again, trying to catch his breath. “What are these from?”

“Some people don’t exactly appreciate mages being free.” Anders huffed, looking away slightly.

Fenris cupped his cheeks and smiled. “I’m glad you’re free, and I’ll make sure you stay that way.”

With a soft smile, Anders was kissing him again, moving so he was straddling the man under him. Fenris let out a moan as the mage rocked into him, their mouths moving apart again. Anders mouth moved to the elf’s ear, sucking in the earlobe before gently biting at the pointy tip.

Now Fenris was panting as his hands moved down the human’s chest, stopping when he came to Anders’s fly. He slowly unbuttoned and then unzipped them.

“Are you sure about this?” Anders huffed into Fenris’s ear. He let out a whimper when Fenris cupped his dick through his underwear.

“Very. Are you sure?” Fenris used his other hand to move Anders’s face so they were eye to eye.

“I want you, fuck, I want you so much.” Anders was kissing him again as he reached back to move his pants out of the way.

Fenris moved Anders off him with strong hands, getting a whine from Anders. The human finished taking off his pants, discarding them onto the floor, while he watched Fenris move to one of the dressers. He walked back to the bed with a small bottle in his hands.

Anders moved to the edge of the bed, pulling Fenris closing with one hand and undoing his pants with the other. Fenris groaned as he felt Anders hands on his dick, throwing his head back slightly.

The bottle was pulled out of his hand and Anders chuckled. “How long have you had this?”

“I got it the other night, after… it felt like we were…” Fenris cleared his throat, looking down at the human.

Anders hummed, putting the bottle back in the elf’s hands and moved so he was laying in the center of the bed, propped up on the pillows. Fenris gripped the bottle tightly as he crawled up the bed, in between Anders’s legs.

As the sound of the lid popping open filled the room, Anders pulled Fenris down closer. Anders gasped when he felt fingers touching his rim. Fenris’s lips were kissing and biting at Anders’s neck.

Fenris was so hard it was painful, and the noises Anders was making was only making it worse. He pulled his fingers out of Anders and moved his face so he was looking at Anders. Anders was reaching for him, looking totally blissed out.

Please...” Anders was biting his lip. Fenris nodded and gripped one of Anders’s thighs tightly, lifting him so he had a better angle. Both men let out desperate noises as Fenris slid inside of Anders slowly.

Fuck…” They panted together once Fenris was in to the hilt. Their lips found each other, the kiss was lazy but short.

“I’m going to need you to move…” Anders entwined his fingers in Fenris’s hair. The elf huffed in amusement, giving him a quick peck on the lips before pulling out slightly and then pushing back in.

They started slow, but Anders pushed on Fenris’s shoulder, panting. Fenris stopped his movements, but Anders pushed hard enough to get him to pull out. Opening mouth to ask if everything was alright, Fenris squeaked in surprise when he was rolled onto his back. Anders straddled him again, kissing him hard.

Anders leaned back, reaching behind himself to grab ahold of Fenris’s cock. He sank down onto it slowly, needy whimpers escaping Anders’s mouth as Fenris let out a loud groan. Once he was fully seated, Anders started to slam down onto Fenris, hard and fast. Fenris watched the blond bob up and down on his dick with lust filled eyes.

“Fuck, I’m so close…” Anders moaned out as he leaned down, not changing his pace. Fenris was kissing him hard, one hand holding Anders’s face against his and the other stroking his dick.

Anders came first, coating both of their stomachs. He let his head fall against Fenris’s neck, making choked sounds as Fenris gripped his hips, slamming up into him.

“Don’t pull out.” Anders’s voice was raspy as he whispered in Fenris’s ear. It was enough to send him over the edge, shooting inside while screaming the human’s name.

They were both panting, laying together, completely limp. Eventually, Anders managed to move himself off of Fenris’s softening dick, drawing a whimper from both of them. The human rested his head against the smaller man’s chest, looking up at him. Fenris craned his neck at an awkward angle to kiss him, carding his fingers through the hair that had fallen out of the ponytail sometime during sex.

Neither said anything after the kiss, but they both held onto each other tightly. They listened to each other’s breathing as they drifted off to sleep.

Notes:

The consummated their relationship, so now it's time for shit to start hitting the fan! :D

Chapter Text

Fenris woke up, his head pounding, the phantom of dreams that might have been memories making his thoughts hazy. His marks hurt, worse than they usually did. He pulled his hand away from the man lying next to him to hold his head as he sat up. All the years of trying desperately to remember his life from before the markings and it was being with Anders that had drawn them out.

He looked down at the human, who seemed to be sleeping peacefully as he curled to be closer to Fenris since he moved. Fenris felt his breath hitch as he looked at the mage, who wanted to be with him. The elf needed time to think, to process everything. He caressed Anders’ cheek, the human smiled at the gentle touch but didn’t wake up, before getting off the bed.

Wavering slightly on his feet, Fenris moved to the bathroom. There were hickeys all the way from his collar bone to his ear. His face flushed as he looked at himself in the mirror, the dark marks from Anders didn’t compete with the lyrium brands for attention.

Standing under the stream of the shower, his hand braced against the wall as he tried to keep his thoughts on track. Anders, the fleeting memories of his former life, and Danarius all competed for space in his head, which only made his head ache worse.

His eyes went wide as he started falling forwards, his marks glowing as his hand phased through the shower wall. He righted himself quickly, pulling his arm close to his torso as he willed the marks to stop glowing. A few deep breaths helped to calm him down before he reached for his washrag and his soap.

 

Anders stretched as he woke up, frowning slightly as he realized that he was alone in the bed. He glanced at the cracked bathroom door when he registered the sound of running water. With a sigh, he ran his fingers through his hair and spread out on the bed, his eyes on the ceiling.

Being with Fenris was amazing; it had been a long time since Anders had felt so good, or so much for someone else. It was terrifying. The angry hum of Justice had been ever present since he started seeing the elf, but it was almost overwhelming now that they had taken their relationship to the next level. As far as his ride-along was concerned, this was little more than a distraction: the spirit really didn’t like Fenris.

It was hard to ignore Justice, it was always in his head. They never communicated in words, just emotions and images. Sometimes it was difficult to understand what Justice wanted, but it was clear that it wanted Anders to cut things off with the elf, and there was no way in hell that Anders was going to do that. He knew he was being selfish, but being with Fenris made him feel normal, and that was something he definitely needed in his life.

He looked towards the bathroom door again when he heard the shower stop running. Dragging Fenris into his mess of a life was completely unfair, but he didn’t want to let the elf go.

Fenris had a guarded expression on his face when he came in the room, toweling off his hair. Anders’ brows creased as he frowned, sitting up.

“Hey?”

The elf looked towards him and sighed, dropping the towel around his shoulders. “Good morning.”

“Everything okay?” Anders moved to the edge of the bed, reaching for him cautiously.

“I-I… I just have… I need some time to… process.” His gaze moved away from Anders again and Anders hand fell from where he was reaching between them. Fenris closed his eyes and cleared his throat. “I enjoyed last night, and I… but it’s…”

“Do you want me to go?” Anders bit his lip as he waited for Fenris’ response.

“I-I… yes.” The elf sighed as looked at Anders again. The human nodded and stood up, moving into Fenris’ space slowly. When Fenris didn’t pulled back, Anders cupped his cheek and kissed him softly.

“Can me later, okay?” Anders smiled at him, his heart pounding in his chest as he hoped for a ‘yes’.

“Okay.” Fenris gently took Anders’ hand off his face, his lips turned down into a slight frown. It was a cute expression, even if it made Anders’ heart hurt. He moved away from him, gathering up his clothes.

“Thank you, for understanding.” Fenris opened one of his drawers as Anders got dressed.

“Of course.” Anders pulled his shirt on and looked at the elf with a smile. “I’ll see you later?”

Fenris glanced at him, humming. “Of course.”

Once Anders was gone, the click of the front door echoing into the bedroom, Fenris laid down on his bed. He let out a frustrated groan as he closed his eyes tightly. Images of a red headed elf blended with Anders and then Danarius. His marks were still throbbing, like they were getting ready to burst with light again.

Anders rubbed his face as he waited for the elevator. He wished he had stayed to talk to Fenris, to help him through whatever was happening to him, but he couldn’t go back now. Whatever was on Fenris’ mind, he hoped that the elf would trust him enough to share it with him eventually. Though with the huge secret he was keeping from the elf, he couldn’t expect much trust between them.

He took a deep breath as he felt something, a familiar sensation of something else with a taint approaching. The elevator dinged and the door opened.

“Bethany?” He looked at the girl, taking a calming breath when he saw her and some other Grey Warden. “Hawke didn’t mention that you were back in town.”

“My unit stopped to resupply, so I thought I’d visit mother in my down time.” She looked at him strangely, her eyes lingering on his neck. “Isn’t this the floor that Fenris lives on?”

“Yes?” Anders moved onto the elevator, his face going red under the girl’s gaze.

“Does he know?”

“Know what?”

“That you’re a defacto warden?” She leaned back against the rail of the elevator.

Grimacing, Anders glanced at the floor counter. Another thing he was keeping from the elf.

“How is the Warden? Who are you under?” Anders rubbed the back of his neck, ignoring the question.

“It’s hard. Better than being in the circle I’d imagine though.” Sighing, the looked at the button panel. “I’m currently under Alistair, but I usually serve under Stroud.”

“Alistair huh? Surprised they let him lead anything the way the Hero of Ferelden talked about him.” He snorted as he crossed his arms.

“Oh.” Bethany sounded like she had some kind of life altering revelation. “A lot of the things make a lot more sense now.”

The elevator dinged again and the doors opened. Both Bethany and Anders stared at Hawke, who looked shocked.

He pointed at Anders, then at Bethany, then back at Anders. Then back at Bethany. Anders patted his friend on the shoulder as he walked past him. Bethany made a whining noise when Hawke started talking to her.

Chapter Text

Fenris didn’t answer the door when Hawke knocked. With a huff, Hawke opened it anyway. He called the elf’s name, but didn’t see him in the living room or the kitchen. Finally, he found him sitting with his back against his bed, drinking straight from a bottle.

“Was he that bad?” Hawke leaned in the door frame, sighing when the elf glared at him. “Did he leave on his own or…”

“I asked him to leave.” Fenris set the bottle down next to him and looked at his hands. “Being with him… it brought back memories, from before the marks.”

“So, you remember…”

“No, they faded quickly. My marks, they…” Fenris flexed his hands as the marks glowed. “The things he stirs up in me, it’s terrifying.”

“I understand, you’ve been through a lot.” He moved into the room and sat on the bed next to where Fenris was on the floor.

“So, has he. Did you know that he’s a mage, an apostate?” The words left a bitter taste in Fenris’s mouth, he tried washing it away with a swig from his bottle. Once he lowered it from his lips, Hawke grabbed it, chugging it.

“Of course. It wasn’t my place to tell his secrets, just as it isn’t my place to tell yours.” Hawke handed him back the bottle. “Does he know what those marks really are?”

Fenris didn’t say anything as he covered his face with his hands.

“What are you afraid of with him?”

“Now that I know he’s a mage… I’m afraid he’ll… use me like…”

“I can tell you that Anders isn’t the type of man that would ever do that.” Hawke moved to sit on the floor with him. “Does this have to do with what Justice said last night?”

“Why would I give a damn what that abomination thinks?” Fenris scoffed, curling up slightly.

“Because I think you’re just as worried as he is that you’re going to mess up your chance at happiness.” Hawke put his hand on Fenris’s shoulder. “Take it from me, just because it isn’t easy, or is doesn’t seem like you can’t have it, doesn’t mean you shouldn’t try.”

“You think that just because you’re constantly corrupting a priest, you’re an expert in difficult relationships?” Fenris looked at him.

“The closest to one you’re going to find unless Meredith and Orsino start dating.” Hawke grinned at him. “But, tell me, all fears and weird reactions, how do you feel about Anders?”

“Hawke, he and I have only known each other a few weeks.” Fenris started, but glanced at the soft look on Hawke’s face. “I really like him Hawke, and I don’t want to lose him. I never thought I’d ever feel this way about anyone…”

“Then you should tell him. I know he’s just as nervous you are, and talking about your feelings might…”

Fenris just sighed and swallowed down what was left in his bottle. “I just need to process what happened with my marks. I’m not ready to tell him about them, about…”

“Danariaus?” Hawke still had the note he and Isabela had found the night before with him, but it wasn’t exactly the right time to bring it up. He was, of course, going to do it anyway. “Those slavers last night, they had a note from him on them.”

Fenris stood up with a groan. “I need more wine.”

Hawke moved back onto the bed, glancing up when Fenris came back with another bottle. “And what did this note from my former master say?”

“To track you, but not to engage.” Hawke held it out to him, Fenris snatched it out of his hand.

“He won’t give up until he has me back or he’s dead.” Fenris took a swig as he crumbled the note.

“What do you want to do?”

“I don’t know yet.”

“I’ll stand with you, whatever you decide to do.” Hawke stood up and patted his shoulder. “With both Danariaus and Anders.”

“Thank you, Hawke, you’re a true friend.” Fenris tipped the bottle back again without looking at the other man as he left.

Hawke cringed as he heard the sound of a bottle shattering. Anders’ clinic was going to be his next step. The mage probably hadn’t been back long, Bethany hadn’t had much time to talk to him, so he didn’t have much of a head start.

*-*-*-*-*-*

The angry hum of Justice was overwhelming as he walked back to his clinic. Much longer than Anders was going to lose control to the spirit. He needed to hurry to get to the clinic so he could fight with the spirit without the prying eyes.

Once he was back in the clinic, luckily it was empty, he closed the doors and leaned on the potions table. He could feel his grip slipping so he swept his arm across the table, knocking all the vials onto the ground.

“No!” Anders fell to the ground, images from Justice filling his mind. “I won’t…”

He grunted as he felt his control go, the burning of the fade surging through him for just a moment before he managed to reel it back. His breathing was erratic as he closed his eyes tightly.

“Anders?” Hawke’s voice. Anders felt his throat close as he tried to pull himself up, he wanted to call out for help. He opened his eyes as he felt strong hands pulling him off the ground. “What the hell?”

“Justice isn’t happy about how close I’m becoming to Fenris.” Anders managed to stammer out now that he was standing, Hawke’s hands still holding him up.

“You let it in, only you can make this work Anders. You can’t let it control you.” Hawke tightened his grip on the other man.

“I know, but it just sees him as a distraction to freeing mages. And maybe…”

“Whatever ‘maybe’ you’re about to say, you’re wrong. You and Fenris, the two of you are… great together, whatever that party-pooper in your head may think.” Hawke sighed as Anders pulled out of his grip, leaning against the table he had cleared.

“What if I lose control and Fenris gets hurt?”

“Fenris can take care of himself.” Hawke crossed his arms. “Shouldn’t Justice be just as concerned with Fenris as he is with mages, considering…?”

“I’ve tried to reason with it, but it doesn’t… it doesn’t understand any more than it wants to. Ghost has poisoned it against the suffering of slaves in Tevinter.” Anders gritted his teeth, Hawke taking a small step back when his eyes flashed blue for a moment.

“Get it together Anders. Your patients need you, the mages need you, not Justice.” Hawke huffed out. Anders was shaking. “Fenris needs you.”

“I need him too.”

“You and Justice need some time to calm down, but don’t give this up just because of your ride-along not liking him.” Hawke punched his shoulder lightly.

Anders groaned, but nodded. “He said that he needs time too.”

“I know, I already talked to him. He’ll be in touch again soon, I’m sure.” Hawke turned away from him, but stopped. “I can still count on you, for whatever.”

“Of course, even if I don’t always agree on your actions.” Anders moved himself onto his coat in the corner. “Though, tonight I might go hunt some templars, that should appease Justice for a while.”

“Call me if you get in over your head.”

Chapter 14

Notes:

Wow, I updated finally. Bet you all were starting to think I forgot how to.

(See the end of the chapter for more notes.)

Chapter Text

Anders and Fenris both called Hawke after they talked on the phone later, both seemed even more nervous after the conversation, which had been short. Anders explained that he had some of his own problems, which Fenris was really wanted to help him through even if he wouldn’t let Anders help him with his. Fenris had said ‘I guess we’re both dealing with our own demons’ and Anders didn’t think it was as funny as Hawke did. The two agreed to give each other space for as long as needed, but Hawke hoped it wasn’t too long. Especially when they were both venting by killing their preferred wrong-doers without Hawke.

Aveline had been showing him photo after photo, either of piles of Templars or of Slavers. Only two of them actually involved Hawke, but the look on her face made him believe that she was blaming him.

“I had nothing to do with those, Ghost and Justice…” Hawke sighed, he had already said this, twice, but Aveline just showed him another pair of photos. It had only been three days since Anders and Fenris had both reacted badly to the new development in their relationship. The two were communicating by text still, barely.

“And I made it clear that they are your responsibility.” She slammed her hands down on his desk. “Even if I understand their intentions, these attacks are only escalating. Most of these occurred in broad daylight, Hawke.”

“They’ve both been working through some things. Fighting, calms them both down, even if you have evidence to the contrary.” Hawke glanced at her, and she wasn’t buying it. “I’ll try talking to them, reel them in.”

“You better, my superiors are starting to get anxious about this. They want the Champion and his friends brought in. Among being vigilantes, most of your companions are too interesting for them to ignore.”

“And you’d have to admit to helping us as well, even if you don’t put on the mask anymore City Guard.” Hawke raised his eyebrows at her. If they were arrested it would be bad for all of them. Merrill and Anders would both be killed by the templars, Isabela would spend the rest of her life behind bars, and the Chantry would probably study Fenris’ markings.

“You do more harm than good, Hawke, I don’t want to see you go away. Even if I don’t always agree with your methods, you give this city hope.” She put her hands on his shoulders. “But you need control the two of them.”

“That’s the problem Aveline, people have been trying to control the two of them for too long.”

“I have to get back to work.” She huffed before leaving him sitting in his study, with the pictures of Anders’ and Fenris’ trails of destruction.

He sent both of them a text, asking how they were doing. Both insisted they were fine, even telling him that they had talked on the phone for several hours earlier. They also both asked him to join them in killing Templars or Slavers.

Two days later, Hawke had just fallen asleep, but his phone ringing woke him up. It was rather late, he had convinced Sebastian to spend the night. He blinked at the phone, seeing Aveline’s name on the screen. When he answered, he was ready for a lecture.

“A whole battalion of Templars are heading for Darktown, with enough Mage’s Bane to keep the whole Circle from doing magic for a week.” Her voice had an edge of panic.

He sat straight up, the priest groaning in annoyance next to him. “I need to call him, text me if you get any updates.”

The call ended and he got up, looking for pants as he found Anders’ in his contacts. He didn’t answer on the first call, but he did on the second. The mage sounded groggy, like he had been asleep.

“If you’re in your clinic you need to get out, and quick. There are more Templars than you can hope to defeat on your own heading your way, with Mage Bane.” Hawke said it quickly, jabbing at his boyfriend’s shoulder to make him wake up.

“Oh shit… shit…” Anders grunted in pain, and Hawke imagined he was trying to keep Justice in control.

“If you try to fight them, innocent people are just going to get hurt.” Hawke threw Sebastian his pants. “I’ll try to meet you. Stay safe.”

They must’ve looked odd, running through town in plain clothes at such a late hour, but Hawke didn’t even spare anyone a glance. Just at the enterance to Darktown from Lowtown, they ran into Anders.

“You made it.” Hawke huffed thankfully as he looked over Anders. He didn’t look hurt, but he always wasn’t wearing any of his normal attire, his face was almost completely obscured by his hood.

“They didn’t pay me much attention, but… they were using their dispelling powers and the Bane all over Darktown. I couldn’t escape their effects.” Anders pushed his head down and closed his eyes tightly. “The only way I’ll be able to do magic for a while is to call on Justice.”

“Anders, I’m sorry.”

“You’re the only reason I’m not dead, or worse.” He looked at Hawke. “But I can’t go back there for a while, not after that.”

“I’m sure Fenris would not mind you staying with him for a few days.” Sebastian smiled at Anders, patting his shoulder.

Anders didn’t look like he was as sure as the priest, but he just nodded. Hawke gently touched his shoulder and started walking back to Hightown.

“You want me to stay in case he says ‘no’?” Hawke had handed Sebastian his keys and sent him back to his place already.

“If he does, I’ll just come knock on your door.” Anders sighed, bringing his hand up to knock on Fenris’ door.

“I’ll leave it open, good luck, and feel better.” Once he was on the elevator, Hawke called Aveline to assure her that her warning was appreciated and helpful.

Fenris’ hair was a mess when he opened the door, his eyes droopy with sleep. He had a string of curse words ready to spew at Hawke, but his grimace faded to a smile when he focused on Anders’ face.

“Are you okay?” His tone was soft, and he reached for Anders, who flinched away from the touch.

“Can I come in?” Anders looked down, swallowing hard. Fenris moved to let him in without a word, shutting the door behind the mage.

“What happened?”

Anders turned to Fenris and pushed himself against the elf’s chest, starting to sob. Fenris held him tight, shushing him quietly. “It’s okay, you’re safe now.”

The human pulled back slightly when he stopped sobbing, tears still flowing from his eyes. “C-Can I stay here for a while?”

Nodding, Fenris kissed one of his tear tracts. “Would you like to stay in the spare room, or…?”

Anders pressed his lips against Fenris’, it was soft and cautious. Fenris kissing him back, gently. “I’m sorry I woke you.”

“Don’t be.” Fenris moved a piece of hair behind Anders’ ear with a smile. “Let’s get some sleep, and if you’re up for it, you can tell me what happened in the morning.”

The small squeak Anders let out was probably a yes. Once they were in Fenris’s bed, cuddled close, they stared at each other. Anders hands were on the elf’s chest and Fenris was carding his fingers through the human’s hair. It didn’t take long for Anders to fall asleep. Fenris pulled his closer once he was sure the other man was asleep, he kissed his head and closed his own eyes.

Notes:

This is going to go swimmingly.

Someone is going to find out things soon, and that's going to go even better.

Chapter Text

 

Fenris sat up when he felt Anders jolt out of his arms and start mumbling. He soothed his fingers through Anders’ hair and shushed him. “Hey, hey, you’re okay, you’re safe now.”

Anders eyes fluttered open, panting as he looked up at Fenris. “I-I… I’m sorry… I…”

He shushed the human again, leaning down to kiss his temple. “You’re safe now.”

Nodding, Anders sat up and pressed his face into Fenris’ neck. Fenris wrapped his arms around him gently.

“You want to go back to sleep, or do you want some breakfast?” He was still working his fingers through Anders’ hair, keeping his tone low.

It took a few moments before Anders pulled back and looked at Fenris. He seemed to be searching his face. Finally, he pressed his forehead to Fenris’. “I could use some food.”

“Okay, I’ll be right…” Fenris moved to get off the bed, but Anders grabbed his hand. “You want to come along?”

Nodding, Anders let the elf pull him off the bed, only letting go of Fenris’ hand once they were in the kitchen. He sat at the island and put his hands on top of the counter, they were shaking. Fenris leaned across the counter and took the hands in his. “You’re okay, you don’t have to be…”

“I’m not… not nervous…” Anders bit his lip, not looking up at him. “The Templars… they stormed Darktown… their abilities, drained my mana, blocked it from recharging… I can’t…”

“Your magic… it’ll come back.” Fenris rubbed his thumbs on the back of Anders hands.

“It’ll take a while, they… they were throwing around so much…” Anders moved his hands so his fingers were intertwined with Fenris’. “I hate feeling so helpless… magic is…”

“You’re safe here, you can stay here as long as you need.”

Fenris looked down at their hands. He took a deep breath as he felt a slight draw on the lyrium in skin. Anders didn’t know about it, so it wasn’t intentional, but it still stung enough for him to want to pull his hands away. The lyrium would help, but Fenris wasn’t ready to talk about what the marks really were, wasn’t ready to discover if Anders would use him like other mages. His heart ached though, seeing Anders looked so drained. He was content to let Anders draw on him unknowingly, to help him recover just a little quicker. Anders was too precious to him to not do anything to help him, but he was too scared to do everything he could.

Anders smiled, squeezing Fenris’ hands. “Thank you, it… it means a lot. Even with the warning Hawke gave me, when I saw the Templars… I thought for sure that I was going back to the Circle, that this life was over…”

“No one is taking you anywhere.” Fenris brought one of the hands up, kissing Anders’ fingers gently. “You’re going to stay right here with me.”

They stared at each other before Fenris finally pulled his hands out of Anders’ grip. He turned and flexed them, the marks glowing where Anders had been touching. Swallowing hard, he opened the fridge. “What are you hungry for…”

“Whatever you’re willing to make.” Anders sounded so tired, but Fenris knew what it was like to be plagued by nightmares, to be scared to sleep through the night.

They were silent for a while, Fenris cooking and Anders watching. Fenris glanced over at him, he had his hands close to his chest. They were shaking less. “How long… how long until you…”

“A normal amount of Mage Bane would usually keep mana from recharging for about a day… but the amount they were throwing around Darktown…” Anders rubbed the back of his neck. “I’d guess it’ll take a week… and then almost a whole day to recharge.”

“Would anything help?”

“Lyrium.” Anders brought his hands out to look at them. “Lyrium potions would only help so much, it would only cut it by a day or so… too much and I’d just make myself sick.”

“It still wouldn’t hurt to ask Hawke if he has some, or could get you some.” Fenris turned back to what he was making.

“Maybe we should ask him if he’d be willing to go back to the deep roads… raw lyrium would probably knock off a few days.”

Fenris tensed, feeling his skin crawl. He swallowed hard. “They’d be crawling with darkspawn. There were too many down there last time I went.”

“Now if we had a warden, that would be something.” Hawke’s voice made them both jump. They stared at him. “Sorry, I knocked but…”

“Hawke.” Fenris went back to putting the food on plates. He slid one in front of Anders and then leaned on the counter to eat his own.

Anders didn’t say anything as he started eating.

“How are you doing today, Anders?” Hawke eyed up the plate.

“Fenris is taking very good care of me, but sadly, there isn’t much we can do besides wait for the effects to wear off.” Anders stabbed at the food in front of him particularly hard.

Hawke glanced at Fenris, who just lowered his gaze. “I have some people tracking down some lyrium potions, but apparently all the lyrium in the city was used on the raid last night. It could be a while.”

“I’ll manage without magic for a while.”

“Is there anything else I could do to help, either of you?” Hawke looked between them, but they both just shook their heads. He hummed and turned. “Let me know if you think of anything.”

Once he was gone, both men deflated. They glanced at each other, unsure if the other had gotten the hints Hawke had given to parts of their hidden pasts. Neither of them said anything though, going back to eating.

“I think I’m going to grab a shower.” Anders stood at the entrance of the kitchen, watching Fenris put the plates in the dishwasher. Fenris looked at him with a raised eyebrow. He looked down, his face going red. “I was hoping you would join me.”

Fenris stood up and stiffened as he stared at the other man.

“You don’t have to…” Anders looked away, biting his lip. “I just thought…”

“No, I’m just surprised…” Fenris took a deep breath. “That you’d want to… after what happened to you last night.”

“It doesn’t have to be… sexual… I just didn’t want to…” Anders stopped talking when Fenris kissed him gently.

“I’ll join you, and we’ll see where it goes.” Fenris pressed their foreheads together with a soft smile.

“You sure? Last time…”

“I’ve had time to process, and I want this, I want you.”

Anders smiled back, bringing his arms up to pull Fenris closer. “I love you.”

Fenris’ eyes went wide, his throat going dry. As the silence dragged on, the smile fell off Anders’ face. With a deep breath, Fenris closed his eyes. “I love you too.”

Anders kissed him, laughing. “I’m glad.”

“Me too.” Fenris pulled back, running his hand down Anders’ arm to take his hand. “Come on…”

Nodding, Anders squeezed his hand.

Chapter 16

Notes:

(See the end of the chapter for notes.)

Chapter Text

 Anders stood under the water, letting it run over him as he made small content sounds. Fenris stood against the wall, watching him with a small smile. His eyes roamed over the mage’s body, taking in the curves and muscles along with the numerous scars. He had his own scars, but the tattoos made them so much less noticeable.

He took a step forward, putting a hand on Anders’ hip, waiting for a reaction before going any farther. Anders let out a small moan and turned his head back to look at Fenris, he looked so hungry. Fenris pressed against the mage’s back and pressed their lips together, despite the odd angle. Both groaned as they pulled their lips apart.

“This okay?” Fenris asked as he looked at Anders, sure the look on his face just as hungry.

“It’s perfect.” Anders bit his lip as he stared in the elf’s.

The elf nodded before latching his lips on the mage’s neck, sucking and biting marks into the pale skin. Anders let out a small moan, bracing himself against the shower wall as he pressed back into Fenris. Fenris wrapped his arms around Anders’ torso, holding him tightly as he continued marking Anders’ neck and shoulders.

Anders was rocking back against his now painfully hard dick, and Fenris groaned against the mage’s skin from the touch. He moved one of his hands to touch Anders’ equally hard member, drawing a surprised gasp from him.

“Fenris… please…” Anders groaned as Fenris pumped his dick, rocking back hard. The noise the Fenris made was close to a growl, and it made the human groan again. He looked back when he felt Fenris pull away from him and watched as he sunk to his knees, his hand not leaving Anders’ dick the entire time as he trailed his lips down the scars of Anders’ back.

Anders threw his head back when Fenris used his free hand to spread his ass cheeks open and lips pressed against his hole softly. “Oh, sweet Maker…”

Fenris let out a little huff of laughter before pressing his lips to the hole again before starting to gently prod at the muscles with his tongue. He pushed in very gently, lapping at the muscles for a while before pressing a finger inside, and then another. The small thrusts and flexing of the fingers were excruciating, sending shivers down Anders’ spine.

Fuck, Fenris, please…” Ander pressed back into the fingers that were stretching him out as Fenris moved to nibble at his cheeks. He was so close.

Fenris hummed, his lips vibrating against Anders skin and making him moan.

“Fenris… I need you… fuck me, please…” Anders panted looking back, hoping to catch the elf’s gaze.

Groaning, Fenris stood up and quickly latched their lips together in a heated kiss as he pressed the tip of his dick against Anders’ hole. As he pushed in, their lips pulled apart and Anders came just as Fenris was in to the hilt.

Anders panted as he rested his head against the shower wall, his body shuddering. Fenris was running a hand up and down his side as he breathed in his ear. “You okay?”

“Yeah… just give me a moment before you start moving.” Anders huffed, closing is eyes tightly.

“Take all the time you need.” Fenris latched his lips onto Anders’ ear, drawing a pleasured whimper from the human.

“Okay… move, fucking move…” Anders said after his breathing had calmed down a little.

Strong hands gripped his hips, stabilizing him, as Fenris started moving his own hips. Slowly at first, drawing whimpers from the mage as the elf’s breathing hitched. The thrusts grew harder and more frequent steadily, making them both start swearing and calling out each other’s names.

Anders’ legs were shaking and he felt himself slipping. He bit his lip as he tried to brace himself against the wall tighter, but his arms were shaking too. “S-Stop… I-I… I… I’m going to fall if we…”

Fenris stopped immediately, pulling out and turning Anders around, backing him up against the wall and kissing him gently. “But you’re okay to keep going?”

Nodding, Anders wrapped his arms around Fenris’ shoulders. “It feels so good… just hard to stand…”

He let out a surprised squeak as he was picked up off the ground and pressed against the shower wall. Anders searched Fenris’s face and swallowed hard as he wrapped his legs around the elf’s waist. From Fenris’ size he didn’t expect him to be able to lift him so easily.

“This okay?” Fenris seemed completely unfazed by supporting almost all of Anders’ weight in his arms.

“Yeah… you’re really strong.” Anders panted as he leaned forward to kiss him.

With a smirk, Fenris pushed back into him, making Anders scream with pleasure as he he pulled Fenris against him tighter. Fenris didn’t work up to the hard, punishing thrusts this time, starting at the fast pace this time. It wasn’t long before they came together, screaming each other’s names.

They stared into each other’s eyes as they came down from the high of their orgasms, holding each other tightly as their bodies were shaking. Fenris pressed in to kiss Anders, it was slow, tender.

“You think you can stand yet?” Fenris asked, his voice sounding completely wrecked.

Still breathing heavily and not trusting his voice, Anders nodded and moved his legs off of Fenris’ waist and putting his feet on the floor. He stumbled slightly as Fenris let go of his hips, but with the help of the wall, he was able to stand.

Fenris pressed a small kiss to Anders lips before taking a step back to grab a bottle of shampoo. Anders smiled at him, taking the bottle from him.

“So, I realized that there is something I need Hawke to do for me…” Anders said as they were laying on Fenris’ bed, naked. Fenris had his head leaned back and his eyes closed tightly, his skin burned where they were touching and Anders was unknowingly drawing on the lyrium in his markings.

“Oh?” Fenris opened his eyes to find Anders looking up at him with concern.

“Are you okay? You look like you’re… like you’re in pain.”

“Fine, I’m fine, promise.” Fenris kissed the top of Anders’ head. “What do you need from Hawke?”

“I need him to grab me some clothes, I didn’t grab any spares when I left last night.” The look on Anders face didn’t change, but it was clear to him that Fenris wasn’t going to give him a straight answer.

Fenris let out a huff of laughter. “You can borrow some of my stuff until he can get to your place.”

“Will it fit? I mean you’re…”

“An elf?”

“Well, yeah…” Anders sighed and moved away from Fenris, turning to sit facing away from him. The elf followed the human’s movements, then looked down at himself to watch the glow fade from his marks. The mage rubbed the back of his neck. “Though, I mean you usually wear your clothes a little baggy.”

Fenris opened his mouth, about to offer that the mage just look through his drawers, but he stopped short. His Ghost armor was in his dresser. Once the glow had completely faded, he got up and opened one drawer. He threw a pair of underwear at Anders before putting on a pair himself.

He looked back when he didn’t hear any movement. Anders was just holding up the underwear, stretching the waistband as if he was trying to decide if they’d fit or not. “Why do you wear such tight underwear? I’m not complaining, because your ass looks great in them, but… can you breathe in these things?”

Huffing with amusement, Fenris turned back to the dresser. “Just try them on.”

Once they were both dressed, Anders went out to the living room to call Hawke. Fenris moved into the bathroom and looked at himself in the mirror. He looked tired himself and his marks still hurt slightly. Anders drawing from the lyrium was wearing on him.

“So, what are the plans for the rest of the day?” Anders came into the bathroom, catching Fenris’ gaze in the mirror.

“I have to work tonight, but if you don’t want to stay here alone, you can come along and spend some time with Varric or Isabela.”

“Okay.” Anders put a hand on Fenris’ shoulder. Fenris was glad for the layer of fabric that separated them, keeping Anders from drawing on him. “Are you sure you’re okay?”

“Yeah, just didn’t get much sleep last night, worrying about you.” Fenris turned and leaned against the counter. “I’m glad you made it out of there.”

Smiling, Anders kissed him. “Me too, thank you for letting me stay here.”

“Of course.” Fenris kissed him back, wrapping his arms around the mage.

Notes:

You can never go wrong with shower sex. (quietly chants 'shower sex shower sex' while writing)

Also, sex is whatever, sharing underwear is the ultimate sign of intimacy.

Our regularly scheduled drama will pick up again next chapter as we get closer and closer to one of them finding out about their secret identities.

Chapter Text

Fenris crossed his arms across himself tightly as he walked into Hawke’s apartment. Anders had just fallen asleep when Hawke asked Fenris to come up, and Fenris wanted to get back to him as soon as possible. The look on Hawke’s face when he opened the door though didn’t make it seem like it would a pleasant conversation.

Hawke shut the door of his study, locking it to ensure that his mother wouldn’t be able to barge in on them. “I got a letter from Danarius.”

“You mean you found another letter from him?” Fenris brought his eyebrows together, not looking at his friend.

“No.” Hawke walked past the elf and took a letter off his desk. He held it out to him with a frown. “I got a letter from him.”

The elf’s hand was shaking as he reached for the letter, which was on expensive perfumed paper. He unfolded it and looked at the familiar loops and swirls of Danarius’s handwriting, but he couldn’t read it. The unnecessarily extravagant cursive made it impossible for him to make out the individual letters, except for those making up Hawke’s name in the greeting and the few times his own name was written in the letter. “What does it… say?”

“He wants to know if he can buy you back, wants to come here personally to get you.” Hawke swallowed hard as he looked at Fenris. “I thought you should know.”

Fenris crumpled the papers in his hand and glared at Hawke. “Arrange a meeting with him. I want this over with.”

“You know he won’t come alone, right?”

“Neither will we.”

“Are you sure about this? What if…”

Shaking his head, Fenris looked down at the crumbled letter in his hand. “I’ve been running from this for too long Hawke. This won’t end until one of us is dead or…”

“And what about Anders? If something goes wrong…”

Fenris didn’t look at Hawke as he flexed his free hand, the marks on it lighting up. “There’s still… a rift between us and I… I can’t be completely honest with him until I’m sure…”

“That you’re finally free from Danarius, or that he won’t use you like Danarius did?”

Fenris turned and started walking towards the door. “Let me know when you hear from my former master.”

Hawke sighed, sitting down at his desk. He heard his mother say goodbye to the elf before the front door slammed. His eyes went to his mostly unused stationary set before picking up a pen.

 

Anders sat down on the bed, rubbing the back of his neck. Fenris crotched down in front of him, taking his hands. “Everything okay?”

“Yeah, just…” Anders kept his gaze away from Fenris’s face as he didn’t finish his thought.

“If you don’t want to… if you’re not feeling up for this…” Fenris gave him a small smile. “I’ll call Isabela and…”

“No, I just, this will be the first time out since it happened and…” Anders finally looked at Fenris. “I want to go out, it’ll be fun.”

“After our last double date with Hawke, I’m not so sure about that.”

Anders let out a laugh. “This one will be better.”

“Yes, Isabela asking about our sex life will be infinitely better than Sebastian giving us hypocritical moral lessons.” Fenris rolled his eyes as he stood back up.

Anders stood up and held the elf’s hands. “Come on, lighten up. You’ve been really tense the last few days.”

“I’m just worried about you.”

“Don’t be. I’m… I’m recovering way quicker than I thought I would.” Anders smiled at him. “I think I may even be able to start treating people in the clinic again.”

Fenris closed his eyes tightly as he took a few deep breaths. “Are you sure it’s a good idea? To go back? Shouldn’t you…”

“I’ll be fine. The refugees need me Fenris.”

“The templars…”

“Are nothing new.”

“They are for me.” Fenris opened his eyes, the expression on his face soft as he moved closer to his lover. “I don’t ever want to see you hurt again.”

Anders pressed their lips together and then pulled away with a smile. “I know, but it’s a risk I need to take to do what I need to.”

“Are you sure there isn’t anything I can do to convince you?” Fenris squeezed the mage’s hands.

“Sorry.” Anders looked away from him, dropping one of the elf’s hands. He tugged on the hand he was still holding. “Come on, if we’re late, Isabela will be drunk before the appetizers come.”

Fenris smiled as he let himself be dragged out of his apartment. “You’re kidding yourself if you think Isabela isn’t going to show up drunk.”

 

Hawke had just slipped the letter he had written Danarius into the mail slot when he heard the sound of heavy footfalls behind him. He turned and blinked at the three templars standing way to close to him for his liking.

“Cullen.” He shifted his weight onto one leg as he looked at the blond man in the center. Maker, he hated the templar uniforms, they all looked so pretentious.

“Hawke.” Cullen sighed as he lowered his gaze, as if he couldn’t stand holding the other man’s stare. “The Knight Commander would like a word.”

“Oh? She couldn’t have picked up a phone? Instead of sending her second in command and two arms goons?” Hawke raised an eyebrow. The other two templars both tensed up as they stared at Hawke with blank expressions. It was honestly a little terrifying. A little.

“Are you going to come quietly?”

“Am I in trouble?”

“That remains to be seen, but it will only be worse if we have to force you to come.” Cullen looked up at Hawke again.

Hawke just grinned as he turned away from them.

“Hawke!” Cullen called after him.

“Let me grab my coat, I’ll meet you outside.”

The templars were waiting in the lobby of the building still when Hawke came back down several minutes later. He rolled his eyes as he walked passed them and out of the building without a word to them. They followed silently behind him the entire way to the templars’ quarters. Once they were inside, Cullen and one of the other templars broke off, assumedly to take care of other matters, but one kept following him. He knew where Meredith’s office was, he didn’t need an escort.

“Ah, Hawke. Come in.” Meredith said from where she was standing by the window looking out into the yard where the mages usually gathered. It was almost completely empty save for a few of the more senior mages.

“Knight Commander.” Hawke leaned in the doorway, crossing his arms. “What do I owe the pleasure of being summoned by three of your men?”

“I thought it may finally be time to address the thin line you are walking, Champion.” She turned to look at him, her eyes cold.

“I have no idea what you’re talking about.” He chuckled as he looked away from her, feeling her eyes on him heavily.

“I know some of your friends are apostates.” Meredith moved around her desk to stand closer to him. “But I have been hearing rumors that they are so much worse than that.”

“What exactly are you accusing me of, Knight Commander?”

“Harboring blood mages and terrorists.”

He couldn’t help but laugh as he thought of the two mages she was talking about, happily on a double date as they spoke. “You must run in interesting circles, hearing rumors like that.”

“My men-…”

“Have been so poisoned that anytime a mage acts against them they see blood magic.” Hawke finally stepped into the room, getting into Meredith’s face. “Do you have any proof of these accusations, about my supposed friends? Or that I’m even the Champion?”

“Not yet.”

“Then this conversation is over.” Hawke turned to leave, but paused. “Unless there’s something else you’d like to baselessly accuse the city’s favorite citizen of?”

“Nothing more for today, Hawke.” Her expression didn’t change. “We’ll talk again when I have more than rumors.”

Chapter 18

Notes:

I'm back! Life is really hard.

It's a bit on the short side, but it's a good one.

Chapter Text

“What exactly are we waiting for?” Justice asked, leaning against the dumpster. It was the first outing that he’d been up for since the incident at his clinic. Hawke had been apprehensive about asking him, but they needed a mage and Merrill was busy and Bethany was in frickin’ Orlais. He almost dropped the coin just to hire a mercenary.

Fenris was standing rigidly in the darkest part of the alley, his eyes focused on the opening, waiting. It was honestly kind of creepy.

“Broody is finally going to settle an old score.” Varric said as he loaded a bolt into his crossbow.

Justice snorted, glancing back at Ghost. “Oh, with his ‘master’?” He scoffed when Ghost turned to glare at him, looking towards Hawke.

Hawke listed off the names of all the gods he could think of and prayed that Anders wasn’t going to say what he thought he was. He did of course.

“I’d say you sell him back to this ‘Danarius’, but I don’t think he’d be worth the coin.” Nothing in Anders’s tone was joking, he meant what he said.

Fenris’s marks flared, but he didn’t move or respond. Hawke swallowed hard as looked at the elf, seeing his shoulder slump slightly.

“Perhaps when we’re finished here, we should see what the Templars will give me for you?” Hawke raised an eyebrow at him and the smug look on Anders’ face fell off.

“The Templars are monsters, if we’re going to get rid of the abomination, we should just kill him.” Fenris’s voice wavered as he spoke.

“A change in heart about Templars? What gives?” The smug look returned to Anders’s face and Hawke just wanted to crawl in a hole and die.

“Shut up mage.”

Hawke caught Varric’s eye, seeing that he wasn’t the only one that was uncomfortable with what was happening. Luckily, Anders did shut up and no one else spoke until they heard footsteps approaching.

The fashion of the men that approached them was clearly Tevinter. Three mages, one significantly older than the others was clearly Danarius. Five armed goons were also accompanying them.

“Your letter said that you’d be alone, Hawke.” Danarius spoke and Hawke just glared at him.

“So did yours, but we both knew the other was lying.” Hawke crossed his arms as he shifted the weight on his feet.

“Where is he?” A smile grew on Danarius’s face and Hawke wanted to smack it off. “My little Fenris.”

Hawke could almost hear Anders entire world shattering as he felt Fenris move to stand beside him in the light. He glanced over at the elf to see him taking off his mask, his eyes narrowed towards the blood mage.

Anders’ grip on reality felt skewed. The fade made more sense than the world did in that moment. Fenris. Fenris. Fenris, who he loved with all his heart, who pledged to protect him from Templars. Ghost, the annoying elf that wanted him dead, who hated him for what he was. Fenris was Ghost. They were the same, they’d been the whole time. How could he have not noticed? How could they still be together? Did he still love Fenris now that he knew the truth? Would Fenris still love him if he found out?

“Danarius.” The venom in Fenris’s voice almost made Hawke flinch.

“So, Hawke, how much for you to return him?” Danarius reached out towards the elf, his bony fingers flexing. Fenris did flinch back.

Watching Fenris flinch back, looking so vunerable, scared, Anders questions were answered. He still loved him, so much. He’d need time to reconcile the two halves of Fenris, but he wanted him still. And Fenris would want nothing to do with him.

“He’s not for sell. He doesn’t belong to anyone.” Hawke had given Anders a moment to say it, but apparently he was still processing.

“Then I guess I’ll just have to take him back.” Danarius reach back for his staff, but stumbled back when a wall of ice formed between the two groups.

“No!” Anders yelled, and when Hawke looked back at him, he could tell he was fighting the spirit inside just as much as he was about to fight their enemy.

As they fought, Anders and Fenris fell into their usual pattern that worked so well, but without their usual bickering. Danarius had fallen back, first letting his own campions die, then summoning the dead and demons to fight for him. Hawke really hated when his enemies were blood mages.

It was clear that they were winning, that Danarius was running out of energy, but Hawke glanced over at Fenris. The elf was bleeding heavily, and it looked like he was about to fall over. And he did, just as Anders landed the killing blow to the blood mage with a satisfied scream.

As soon it was over, Anders rushed to Fenris. Hawke stood by them, watching. Fenris was completely unconscious as the mage moved his head into his lap. He cradled the elf’s face as tears started streaming his own.

“Fenris.” Anders looked so conflicted as he moved the blood stained hair out of his lover’s eyes. He then glared up at Hawke. “You knew! You didn’t say anything!”

“What was I supposed to say? You were both so happy.” Hawke sighed, turning away.

“He hates me, and after what everything I’ve said… how could he not?” Anders looked down at him again. “I wanted to sell him back to the man that…”

“He loves you.”

“He loves Anders, the little mage that can’t even protect himself. He wants me dead.” Anders’s eyes moved down Fenris’s body, taking stock of his wounds. “I love him so much, and I-I…”

“You didn’t know.” Hawke knelt down next to them.

“And who’s fault is that?”

“Anders, we need to go, we need to get him medical attention.” Hawke put his hand on Anders’s shoulder, but the touch was shrugged off. “Please.”

“Are you going to tell him?”

“No. For the same reason I didn’t before, this isn’t my business. You both asked me to stay out of this when you first started dating.”

Nodding, Anders moved away from the elf. “I’ll meet you back at the clinic, as Anders and not Justice.”

Before Hawke could respond, the mage was sprinting away. Sighing, Hawke manhandled Fenris so he was carrying him on his back.

Varric was just staring at him. “I wouldn’t say that this mess is our best work.”

Groaning, Hawke just nodded for Varric to follow him.

 

Chapter 19

Notes:

(See the end of the chapter for notes.)

Chapter Text

Anders sprinted to his clinic, justice’s anger fighting against him with every step. He pushed every protest from the spirit into the back of his mind, trying to ignore it, but it was so hard to ignore someone that shared his mind. His focus had to be changing quickly and preparing to heal Fenris.

Slowing slightly, his fists clenched harder on either side of him, he wondered if Fenris would be mad at Anders for healing him with out permission the way he was angry with Justice. There had to be a way around it, had to be.

Luckily, there weren’t many people in the clinic when he got there, and most were asleep. He rushed behind the rickety wall into what functioned at his bedroom. Stripping quickly, he looked around for clean, normal clothes. The only clean shirt he could find was one of Fenris’s he hadn’t returned yet. Anders took a minute to sniff it before he slipped it on, it still smelled like the elf even after being washed.

The door to the clinic opened and he heard Varric calling for him. He kicked his costume and staff under his cot before calling back for them to bring him to the back. His heart sang when he saw Fenris as Hawke laid him on the bed. The elf looked so pale and helpless in the flickering lamp light.

Cupping his cheek, Anders smiled at him sadly. “Varric, out on the shelves there’s a green potion in a small vial, could you grab it for me?”

The dwarf didn’t move immediately, but when he did move it was quick.

“You’re not going to heal him?” Hawke leaned against the wall, but quickly moved away when it waivered.

“Not without his permission, not again.” Anders’ eyes trailed down Fenris’ blood-soaked armor. “Can you help me get his armor off?”

Varric came back before they had Fenris completely undressed. Anders took the vial with a thanks and popped the cork. He tilted the elf’s head back slightly before pouring the contents into his mouth.

Anders pried off the rest of the armor before Fenris made a pained groan and his eyes fluttered opened. A relieved sigh came out of Anders as he held Fenris’ face in his hands.

“Hey, it’s okay, you’re safe.” Anders said it softly as Fenris’ eyes focused up at him. The elf just groaned again, one of his hands moving to the worst of his wound. “I can heal you… can I heal you?”

Fenris nodded and let his eyes flutter closed again.

A slight glow starting swirling around Anders’ hands as he moved them over his lover’s wounds. The glow brightened as the marks on Fenris’ body started glowing. Grunting as his back arched, Fenris reached out and grabbed at the front of Anders’ shirt.

His eyes going wide, Anders looked up at Fenris’ face. The familiar burn of refined lyrium enhancing his magic, the familiar glow of Ghost’s markings. Anders knew that Ghost had lyrium in them, but it didn’t register, now that he knew Fenris and Ghost were one in the same, that Fenris had lyrium burned into his flesh. Lyrium that he had used to heal him when his mana had been beyond depleted.

Still healing him, Anders pressed a kiss to Fenris’ sweat dampened forehead. “It’s okay, it’ll be over soon. Bare it a little longer.”

“I-It’s okay… I trust you Anders.” Fenris opened his eyes, looking at Anders so openly. “Thank you.”

Anders looked away, focusing on healing the worst wounds, the internal injuries first. He could feel everyone as he scrubbed the elf with magic. So many old wounds, so much magic holding him together, so much of it blood magic.

Even with pulling from Fenris’ marks, he felt drained by the time he was finished healing him. He slumped forward, his head hanging over Fenris.

The elf wrapped a hand around the back of Anders’ neck. He could feel his mana recharging as his head was tilted back and lips were on his.

“Well, would you look at that.” Varric’s voice made the two men pull away from each other. Anders moved to sit on the floor, his head between his knees as he forced himself to hold his tears back.

Fenris looked at the dwarf and then up at Hawke. He swallowed hard. “Danarius?”

“Dead. Justice landed a final blow while you passed out.” Hawke looked away. “After how you reacted last time he healed you, we thought it best if we brought you to Anders.”

“Good.” Fenris’ voice was full of venom and Anders felt his heart sink. “Thank you, Hawke, Varric, for helping me finally end it. I no longer have to live with that shadow at my back.”

“Justice did do quite a bit of helping too, ya know.” Varric’s voice was light, as if it was a joke.

“He didn’t do it for me.”

Anders felt like he was slapped in the face.

Hawke and Varric shared a look before the human cleared his throat. “We should go. You and Anders both look like you need to rest.”

Once they were alone Fenris put a hand on Anders’ shoulder. “You okay?”

“Y-Yeah… you were just really injured and now I’m exhausted.” Anders sighed as he forced himself to stand. His legs were shaking so bad.

Fenris let his hand trail down Anders arm as the human stood up, grapping his hand. “Lay with me.”

He wanted to say no, he wanted to shower and have some time to think, but Fenris sounded so soft, looked so desperate that he nodded and moved so he was pressed up against the smaller man. Fenris wrapped his arms around him tightly. “Thank you again, for healing me.”

“When you were… when Hawke called to say how bad it was, I thought I was going to lose you.” Anders closed his eyes tightly. “So, you’re the Ghost, huh?”

Fenris sighed. “Yeah, I’m sorry, I should’ve told you… I just… I-I…”

“No, it’s okay. I understand why you didn’t tell me that you’re a vigilante… but why… why didn’t tell me your marks were lyrium?”

Fenris tensed and his breath hitched. “I’m sorry.”

Anders opened his eyes, looking into Fenris’. “You don’t have to apologize, but I just… why?”

“My master in Tevinter… he used them- me… to strengthen his blood magic, to scare his guests. I was… I was afraid you’d…” Fenris looked away, swallowing hard.

“Fenris, I would never, will never use you like that, never.” Anders forced Fenris to look at him. “I promise.”

“I-I… know. I know. I trust you.” Fenris swallowed again.

“But, you used them… to help me when I was weakened by the Templars, even though you didn’t trust me then?” Anders moved the white hair out of Fenris’ face.

“If I had told you, let you actively draw from them, you would’ve been better so much quicker… I-I…”

“Does it hurt, when you use them? When people drawing from them?” Anders knew the answer. He’d heard Ghost mention the pain a few times, then it had annoyed him. He thought it couldn’t have hurt that much, but seeming Fenris’ response to him healing him, he knew it did. Healing was usually soothing, pleasurable even, but it wasn’t with Fenris lighting up his marks.

“Yeah, it does, but it’s worth it if it means helping you.” Fenris smiled at him. “I don’t think I can do it often, but if you need…”

“Don’t. Don’t offer me something you don’t really want to give me.” Anders cut him off, looking at him sadly. “I will never ask you to do that for me.”

“You don’t have to.” Fenris pressed their foreheads together. “I want to help you, like you helped me, because I love you.”

Anders pulled him closer, his eyes shutting tightly. “I love you too, so much.”

They fell asleep like that, holding each other closely. Anders’ sleep wasn’t peaceful though, not with Justice’s rage at the situation pounding at the back of his mind where he had shoved it.

Notes:

Grow a fucking backbone Anders. Fenris is so sweet, and an asshole.

Happy Easter if you're into that, or Happy Passover if that's more your speed. Or Happy April Fool's. Whatever.

Chapter 20

Notes:

(See the end of the chapter for notes.)

Chapter Text

Anders finally had enough trying to sleep, fighting against the emotional ramage that Justice was going on. The memories of his fights with Ghost being thrown his face to get him to throw Fenris out of his bed – out of his life, were what made him draw the line and open his eyes to effectively walk away from the fight. It didn’t keep him from feeling Justice’s rage. Ghost had committed so many injustices to Anders personally, much less mages, that Justice couldn’t let it stand. But that was before they knew how much they had in common. They had so much in common, more than Ghost or Justice had ever realized, even if Anders and Fenris had never spoken the fact out loud.

His own emotions of love and worry were hiding behind Justice’s anger as he held Fenris in his arms. The elf was shivering slightly, making small noises. He was having a nightmare and it broke Anders’ heart, having to shush him. The elf could take care of himself, Anders had seen him fight, but seeming like this was terrible.

“M-Master… pl-please…” Fenris’ voice broke as his marks flared and Anders felt him absorb the energy. A burst of magic that was itching to release itself in a destructive manner that Anders would have to deal with after he was sure his boyfriend was okay.

“Fenris, hey, hey, you don’t have a master. You’re free and no one is going to hurt you like that again.” Anders held his tight, kissing the top of his head. “I’m right here and I’ll protect you from anyone who tries to put you back in chains.”

Hands gripped his shirt tightly, but Fenris seemed to calm slightly.

“Shh, I’m right here, I love you, Maker, I love you so much.” Anders felt tears pooling in his eyes. He didn’t try to fight them back as he pressed his face in Fenris’ blood crusted hair. They both needed to clean up. “Please don’t leave me.”

Fenris moved and made a noise. His voice was heavy with sleep, but he was definitely awake, or at least waking up. “I’m not going anywhere.”

Anders sobbed and dug his fingers into Fenris’ skin. He had been hoping to be finished with his cry fest before Fenris woke, along with figuring out his own emotions.

“Why are you crying?” Fenris pushed back a little, despite the tight grip the mage had on him. His big green eyes met Anders’ and the human sobbed again. “Hey, hey, it’s okay…”

“I just… I’m so scared of losing you, I love you so much…” Anders pressed their foreheads together.

“I love you too.” Fenris tilted his head just so their lips would touch lightly. Anders sobbed as he pressed his lips back, with full force.

They laid there, neither saying anything as Anders let his tears stop on their own. When he finally finished crying, he looked over Fenris. “You need a shower.”

Huffing, Fenris looked up at the ceiling. “Yeah? You have one I could use?”

“N-Not really…” Anders felt his face go red. “We have a basin that… I uh…”

“Why don’t you move in with me?” Fenris was looking at the human again, his expression so open.

“Wh-What? But my… I can’t…”

“You can keep the clinic open, but… I’d feel better knowing you were sleeping somewhere safe, somewhere with indoor plumbing.” Fenris cupped Anders’ cheek. “Please, I know we… it might seem a little fast, but you could take the spare room if you’d… I just…”

Anders kissed him again, tears threaten to start falling down his cheeks – again. “Okay. Okay.”

“Really?” Fenris smiled against Anders’ lips, holding his face gently.

“Yeah, I-I…” Anders let out a little laugh as he pulled back slightly. “Lets get cleaned up a little, so we can walk around town, and get a real shower at your place. Then we can get some food and talk about it over breakfast.”

Fenris let his hands linger on Anders as the human got out of the bed, only sitting up when he was completely out of reach. “Sounds like a plan.”

“I’ll be right back.” Anders pressed a kiss to Fenris’ forehead and left the small room. He looked around the clinic. It was the emptiest he’d ever seen it since he had opened it. With a sigh, he walked over to the small basin of water he kept to clean himself up. When he needed a real shower, he usually went to Hawke’s or Varric’s, but lately he hadn’t needed.

He looked into the reflection in the water and quickly sunk his hands to splash his face. It was too much to see his face at the moment, he just needed to be with Fenris so he wouldn’t have to focus on anything else.

Once he was cleaned better, the blood from the fight and from healing Fenris was all dried and more flaked off than washed off, but he’d be fine to talk around town. He put himself in clothes he had hanging next to the washing station and grabbed something for Fenris.

Fenris took off the last of his clothes while Anders was gone. Anders had brought the basin with him and set it on the floor in front of the elf. He dipped the rag in and started washing off the blood on his boyfriend.

Letting out a small noise that Anders wasn’t sure whether it was panic or pleasure, Fenris closed his eyes and dropped his chin to his chest.  Anders withdrew the rag and looked up at the elf. “You okay?”

“Yeah… it’s just…” Fenris opened his eyes slightly, but didn’t look at the mage. “Danarius sometimes had me wash him like this after he covered himself in blood from…”

“Oh… Fenris, I’m sorry I didn’t…” Anders dropped the rag in the basin and took a step away from the elf.

“No, it’s… it’s just nice to have someone choose to… pamper me this way.” Fenris swallowed hard before looking up at Anders through bloodied bangs. “It’s an old memory, and with Danarius finally gone, that’s all it’ll ever be.”

“Okay. So, you want me to keep…?” Anders knelt to pick the rag back up.

“If you want to… please?”

Fenris made little contented noises when Anders rubbed over certain spots, but Anders just focused on removing as much blood from the elf as possible. There was so much in his hair, and with his hair bleached white from the lyrium, it was so noticeable. He was practically in the smaller man’s lap as he pulled at the hair with the wet rag.

“Ugh… I don’t think it’s getting much better without a shower…” Anders pouted as he held up a few strands of hair cemented together. “Maybe I have a hat you can borrow…”

Fenris laughed, wrapping an arm around Anders to keep him from getting up. “Thank you.”

“Of course.” Anders smiled and pressed a kiss to his lips. “But we should get going…”

Once Fenris was dressed, his hair tucked under a pink beanie with cat ears Anders had been given by a patient, they headed out. They were both gripping each other’s hand too tightly as they walked, and neither said anything as they moved through the city. Even when they got to Fenris’ apartment, they both silently walked to the bathroom. Their hands only parted as they got undressed and one got the shower ready.

The first few minutes of the shower were spent with the two holding each other under the spray, the water tinged a slight pink. Finally, Fenris pulled away and reached for the shampoo.

They stayed in for breakfast, Anders stood next to Fenris in the kitchen, watching as he cooked. Fenris tried explaining what he was doing, but Anders just looked confused. By all accounts, eggs sounded easy, but it didn’t look as easy as Fenris worked.

“So, you really want me to move in with you?” Anders said as he stabbed at his eggs, not looking at the elf.

“Yeah, I do… I think we’d both feel safer if you were here…” Fenris set his fork down and looked up at Anders. “Did you change your mind?”

“No, I just wanted to make sure…” Anders sighed and shook his head. “I feel like there’s still so much we don’t know about each other, I mean… after finding out you’re Ghost…”

“I know, but living together… I think…” Fenris closed his eyes. “I trust you Anders, I-I… I want to tell you everything, if you need me to… and I… want to know about you, but I understand…”

“Thank you, for letting me in. I know how difficult it must’ve been for you, especially after you found out I was a mage.” Anders reached out to gently touch his cheek. “Even if moving in seems quick… if we could still go slow with that that, I think that’d be best for both of us.”

Fenris put his hand over Anders’ and nodded. “Yeah, I think so too.” He took the hand on his cheek and turned his head to kiss the palm.

Anders smiled. “Can I get that back so I can finish my food?”

Fenris hummed with a soft smile when he released the human’s hand. Anders pressed a peck on the elf’s lips before returning to his food.

After they finished eating, they laid in Fenris’ bed, tangled up together. Anders fingers were absently tracing the lyrium branding his lover’s skin. Fenris was tense, but every time stopped the movement of his fingers, he told him not to.

“Anders.” Fenris had his face buried into the human’s shoulder as fingers brushed at the intricate designs on his lower back. His voice had an odd tone to it.

“Hey, you okay?” Anders put his hand flat on the elf’s back as he pressed his nose into the now clean hair.

“Fuck me.”

The human wasn’t sure he heard Fenris right. He’d fantasized about taking Fenris a few times, but he had never planned to ask and he never imagined that Fenris would bring it up. “Wh-What?”

“I want you… inside of me.”

Anders put a hand under Fenris’ chin and tilted it so he could look in Fenris’ eyes. “Are you sure? After…”

“I’m sure. I trust you.” Fenris moved so he was straddling Anders and their foreheads were pressed together. “You’ve trusted me all those times, and I want…”

Neither of them had explicitly talked about the abuse, Fenris had mentioned it more than Anders did, but they both knew that the other had been forced to take and give things they didn’t want to. It was in the way they reacted to certain phrases or touches, what they screamed out in their nightmares.

Anders kissed him softly, tangling his fingers in Fenris’ hair. “What I went through was different, and I’ve had plenty of people who helped me…”

Fenris grimaced down at Anders. “Before you, the only person I remember is D-…”

“Don’t. Don’t go down that path, not right now. He’s gone, and I’m here.” Anders pulled on Fenris’ head to kiss his forehead. “We can talk about it later if you want to, but right now this is what we both want, right?”

Nodding, Fenris pressed in to kiss him again. “Yes.”

“Tell me what you want, I don’t want to do anything to hurt you.” Anders smiled at him as he ran his hands down the elf’s back and slipped the tips of his fingertips under his underwear.

“I-I… I don’t know, I’ve never been on… been prepped when I was on the receiving end.” Fenris’ face went bright red, and if it weren’t for the dark implications of what he said, Anders would’ve thought it was cute.

“I’m not just going to prep you, Fenris, I’m going to pamper you.” Anders smiled at him. “Why don’t you take these off and lay on your stomach for me? I’ll grab the lube.”

Fenris was still red as he crawled off of Anders and pulled off his underwear. Anders snuck a peak at Fenris’ half hard cock before rummaging through the bedside drawer. He sat next to Fenris once the elf got himself comfortable, holding a pillow against his chest tightly.

“Relax, if you tell me to stop, I’ll stop immediately.” Anders put a hand on Fenris’ firm ass. The elf tensed but said nothing. It wasn’t a shock, Fenris usually freaked out anytime his hand ventured towards his ass. They should’ve worked up to this, but Anders wanted to be close to Fenris after what he’d found out, after almost losing him, so he wasn’t going to object now that Fenris had suggested it. If Fenris changed his mind, they could finish with some frottage and take a nap.

“You okay?” Anders asked, gently massaging his boyfriend’s ass.

“Y-Yeah… just, trying to… it’s…”

“I got you.” With that confirmation, Anders moved so his face was in Fenris’ ass. He pressed a kiss on one cheek, and then the other before he spread the elf’s ass to press a kiss to his hole. Fenris made a surprised squeak as a hand wildly reach back.

“Wh-What are you doing?”

“Eating you out.” Anders rested his chin against Fenris’ ass. “I could not if you aren’t okay with that.”

“No… no! I just…” Fenris whined and buried his face in the pillow.

“Just try to relax okay?” Anders ran a hand up and down Fenris’ back.

“I’m trying… it’s just…”

“Just think about me, about how great it feels with me, how good I’m going to make you feel.” Anders rubbed a finger around Fenris’ rim as he talked, drawing a gasp from the elf. “It’s just you and me here.”

Justice ramped up the constant stream of anger that Anders had become numb to in the last few hours just to remind him that it wasn’t just them. Anders wasn’t exactly going to tell Fenris about his tagalong at that moment.

Instead, the mage substituted his finger for his tongue and Fenris relaxed slightly. Slowly, but firmly, he tried dipping the tip of his tongue into the hole. Fenris was so tight, even with the massaging. The elf’s back arched as Anders finally got his tongue in slightly. Swirling and propping, Anders worked him slowly with his tongue until that wasn’t enough on its own.

Fenris was panting heavily when Anders pulled back slightly to warm up the lube on his fingers. He let the elf catch his breath before kissing between his thighs and pressing a finger in.

“Sweet Maker…” Fenris shivered once the finger was all the way in.

“You can just call me Anders.”

Fenris groaned at the joke, following it up with a moan as Anders flexed his fingers.

“Fuck… Anders… I’m gonna… gonna…” Fenris said after a lot time of Anders fingering and rimming him. He was so soft, but still so tight.

Anders pulled his fingers out and moved so was on top of Fenris, his cock sandwiched between his ass cheeks. “Can I put it in?”

“Y-Yes…” Fenris turned his head to try to look at him. “C-Can…”

“We face each other? It’s a little rougher that way, but…”

“I want to look at you, please?” Fenris was pouting. It was an unusual look on the elf, who always looked so dominate and sure while fucking into the mage.

Anders moved so his weight wasn’t on Fenris so he could turn over. They kissed for a long time, before either of them seemed to remember the end goal. Fenris gripped Anders’ arms hard as the mage lined himself up.

“Just tell me if you need me to stop.” Anders stared down at his face as he started pushing in. It had been a long time since he last gave. “Fuck… you’re so tight.”

Fenris’ head fell back as his face twisted in pleasure. Once Anders was fully in, he let his eyes close. “You’re so big…”

“You okay?” Anders stayed as still as possible so Fenris could get used to it.

“G-Give me a minute…”

“Take all the time you need.” Anders kissed his forehead as he soothed his side.

“O-Okay… slowly…” Fenris had his eyes closed tightly but his mouth hanging open. Anders kissed him as he slowly pulled out before pushing back in just as slowly.

A few drags and Fenris came with scream, his arms and legs wrapping around Anders. Anders kissed him through his orgasm, stopping once Fenris stopped shaking.

“K-Keeping going… h-harder.” Fenris opened his eyes and looked up at the mage.

It didn’t take long for Anders to spill inside the elf without much warning. He rested his head against Fenris’ chest as he caught his breath.

He pulled out without a word and flopped down next to Fenris. Fenris looked over at him.

“Was… was it what you wanted?” Anders said as he let his eyes fluttered closed.

Fenris hummed with a smile. “Yeah, it was good… I-I don’t know if I can do it all the time…”

“I like bottoming, so don’t worry.” Anders smiled as he felt Fenris rest his head on his chest. “But whenever you want to switch it up again, let me know.”

“I love you.”

“I love you too.” Anders wrapped his arms around Fenris tightly as he felt Justice flood him with emotions again. Most of it rage directed towards him. It was hot, the spirit was fighting for control. He wasn’t going to give it, not yet, not with Fenris.

Notes:

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Chapter 21

Notes:

(See the end of the chapter for notes.)

Chapter Text

Despite the fact that Anders had moved into Fenris’s apartment, he’d barely been there. Anders wished he could be there to help his boyfriend adjust to his new reality, of being truly and completely free, but there were so many other things going on that he wouldn’t have been much help to him. Templars had all but taken over the city, and the mages were all terrified. Justice was angry.

Even before bonding with Anders, Justice was sympathetic to that mage’s cause, but being able to replay his past, feel what he felt with every punishment the Templars dealt, it had made him so much more extreme. It was getting clearer to Anders that Kirkwall, the most extreme anti-magic city on the continent, was not the best place for him to settle if he wanted to control the spirit. Especially now that the Knight-Commander had declared herself interim ruler.

He walked into the main police station, to meet with Aveline, and there were half a dozen templars inside. None of the officers or detectives looked very happy about their presence. Justice was fighting for control. It was getting harder for Anders to fight against it.

One of the high ranking templars was in Aveline’s office. She’d only recently become acting-chief, but she’d already made the city better, made Hawke and the rest of them less necessary.

“-no right to make demands or take our detainees.” Aveline said firmly, and Anders could tell she was getting dangerously close to losing her cool. She had no special love for mages, but the Templars of Kirkwall really pushed her buttons in the way they insisted on being involved with everything in the city. “So if you would-…”

“Beg your pardon, but this is in fact a Templar matter, as your prisoners is a mage. We have jurisdiction.”

“He is not an abomination, or blood mage, so you don’t. His crime was shop lifting, not within your organization’s purview.” Anders could see her gripping the edge of her desk as she glared at the man. “Being a mage is no longer a crime.”

“They always start small. And you do not have the facilities to properly hold a mage, he must come with us. We’ll be leaving with him.” There was the sound of papers shuffling. “These papers are indidments, written by the Knight-Commander herself.”

“On what charges?” Aveline practically shouted as snatched the papers.

“Improper use of magic. Harboring blood mages. Practicing without proper authorization.”

“This is all preposterous.” Aveline sounded defeated. “He is just-…”

“A petty thief? How long until he turns to more?” The man turned towards the door and Anders quickly moved out of sight. “Now, I’ll just instruct one of your men to fetch me the prisoner?”

“Don’t think I won’t be fighting this.” Aveline’s voice was gravely. Anders hadn’t heard her sound like that since she stopped putting on a mask to join Champion.

“Go ahead and try.” He’s voice sounded amused as he walked out.

Anders’ blood was boiling, and worse, so was Justice. He could feel the power of the fade trying to burst out of him, unspeakable power tingling as his fingertips. His own consciousness being pressed farther and farther back into his mind.

“Not here, not now.” Aveline’s voice cut through Justice’s rage, the firm grip on his wrist pulling Anders back to the front of his own mind.

He turned and looked at Aveline. “What are they going to do to…”

“I don’t know. I’ll do everything I can, but the Templars may work faster than I can to keep him in their grasps.” Aveline said it quietly, her eyes on the Templars as they surrounded the prisoner. He was barely a man. Anders had seen him in Darktown before, a Fereledan refugee who was his younger siblings’ only care taker. He escaped the tower just before it collapsed during the Blight, only to have to run with his family. “It was his first offence; his sentence should’ve been light.”

“The Templars will see to it that it won’t be.” Anders closed his eyes. Justice pulled images from his mind to try to convince to let it control the body. Aveline was right that he couldn’t. The cops would all be the way, and some would fight him once they saw he was an abomination. “What did you need Aveline? I have…”

He was going to do what he could to rescue that boy, but he and his family couldn’t stay in Kirkwall if he managed it.

“To simply warn you about this.” Aveline’s voice was quiet. “Before they would tell us in advance about raids, but now… They raided the Alienage last night, and I only found out when a few parents came to complain about their children being taken.”

“Merill…”

“She’s fine. I checked with Hawke, and she was with him a majority of the night and then spent the rest with Isabela at the Hanged Man.” Aveline’s hand was on his shoulder. “Who knows where they’ll strike next. It could be Darktown again, or High Town even. You especially need to be careful.”

“I can… I could do something Aveline.”

“You already do too much. The Champion is not popular among the Templars, but they want Justice the most. Take care of yourself.”

Sighing, Anders glanced at the Templars again as they were finally leaving. “Yeah, yeah. I’ll… I need to go Aveline. Thank you for the warning.”

If he hurried, he could get into his disguise and caught up with the Templars. His magic would be a little cruder than usual without his staff, but with Justice, it would be powerful.

He had just put on the mask when Justice’s patience completely waned, and Anders lost complete control over himself. It was always so strange, seeing in a blurry haze was Justice did with his body. The extreme feelings of the spirit completely overwhelming him. Sometimes it was difficult to find where Anders ended and Justice began.

Once the Templars were all on the ground of the alley they’d taken as a short cut, Anders wriggled back control to talk to the boy. The boy was shaking, terrified.

“It’s okay, you’re safe now.” Anders said it gently, holding out his hands.

“St-Stay away from me! Ab-abomination!” He started backing away, his hands still bound.

“The Templars will be looking for you, you need to get your family out of Kirkwall.” Anders said it quickly, flicking his hand to magically undo the binding. “Hurry.”

The boy looked at him, terror still his eyes, before turning and running as fast as he could.

Once he was gone, he slumped back against the wall of the nearest building and looked at the pile of Templars. Most of them were undoubtedly dead.

“Justice.” An all too familiar voice came from the end of the alley, and Anders turned to look at him, his heart dropping. The disapproving look on Fenris’s face wasn’t something he wasn’t used to seeing without the mask to cover part of it. He wasn’t used to Fenris calling him that in his plain clothes.

Anders had left early that morning, and didn’t get to see his boyfriend. The elf looked so good. He didn’t say anything as he, hopefully, subtly looked the other man up and down.

“You’re killing Templars in broad daylight now? Terrifying children? Other mages?” There was venom in his words as he walked closer, careful of the bodies and the pools of blood.

He looked away then. Usually his response to something like that would be to bring up one of the terrible things he’d done under Danarius’s orders, but he couldn’t bring himself to act in character. Anders knew how much it would hurt him to hear it, how much he was haunted by the terrible things he’d done as a slave. “I did what I had to.”

Humming, Fenris crossed his arms once he was standing in front of him.

“What are you doing here Ghost?” His eyes closed as he felt Justice trying to fight him again. The spirit wanted to knock his judgmental words back into his mouth.

“Heard fighting, sounded like you.”

It was the first time Anders had seen Fenris as Justice since Danarius was killed, but this was going not as he had expected. “So? Were you going to lend me a hand?”

“You finished before I could decide.” Fenris cleared his throat. “There was something I wanted to ask you.”

“Oh? What could possible want to know from me?”

“Danarius. You threw the first spell in the fight, landed the final blow. Why?” Fenris’s large eyes were locked on Anders, uncomfortably so. “You were ready to sell me back to him.”

Anders sighed and looked at Fenris without turning back to him. “Seeing you… react to him… I couldn’t let you go back to that… as much as I’d love to get rid of you.”

Fenris’s gaze softened as he turned away. “Thank you.”

“Don’t mention it. Seriously, don’t mention it.” He scoffed as he looked down to the ground as Fenris started walking away.

“Don’t worry, I won’t again.”

Once Fenris was gone, Anders let himself deflate. If Fenris was in his costume, it might’ve been easier to be callous with him, but it was Fenris, his Fenris. He was in too deep.

After finding some place to change back into his civilian clothes, he headed up to Hawke’s loft. He sat across from Hawke in his study, his head hanging low.

“I can’t… I can’t keep doing this Hawke, I can’t… I can’t be Anders to some people, and Justice…”

“You mean you can’t do this with Fenris?” Hawke leaned forward, looking at him with an unimpressed look on his face. Anders swallowed hard and nodded without looking up at him. “You could tell him.”

“Maybe he’d forgive me for lying to him, but… I don’t think he could look past Justice. While I’m not like others… I-I am an abomination. He could never… accept me as that if he knew. H-He...”

“He’s going to find out Anders, you can’t hide it forever. You only hid it from me for about twelve hours when we first met.” Hawke rubbed his face. “Unless you can figure out a way to separate you and Justice without killing yourself, this isn’t going to change.”

“No… no, you’re right… I-I… thank you Hawke.” Anders got up.

“Where are you going?” Hawke said as he stared at him.

“To have dinner with my boyfriend for the first time in two weeks.”

“Are you going to tell him the truth?”

“N-Not yet.” Then Anders walked out.

Fenris was just sitting down on the couch with a plate when Anders walked in. The elf looked at him with a frown, and Anders walked over and knelt next to the couch.

“I’m sorry.”

“For what?” His brows creased as he stared at the human, twisting to set his food down on the endtable.

“For being here, I know how… how hard things have been with you since… I’m sorry, and I don’t have an excuse. I-I’m going to try to be…”

Fenris cupped his cheek, pressing his thumb to Anders lips to shut him up. “I’m glad you’re here now. There is more food in the kitchen. We can talk while we eat.”

Smiling, Anders started standing back up, pausing to press a chaste kiss on his lover’s lips. “I’ll be right back.”

“I’ll be right here.” Fenris smiled at him, watching him until he disappeared.

Notes:

Things are getting interesting.
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Chapter 22

Notes:

(See the end of the chapter for notes.)

Chapter Text

 

Anders had been leaning against the back of the couch for what seemed like forever. Even after promising Fenris and himself that he’d spend more time at home, he found that he’d been leaving even more than before. At least he thought he had a good reason. He couldn’t exactly do his research with Fenris around.

Fenris shifted on the couch to look back at him. “You going to sit down?”

He tensed, not turning to look at his boyfriend. “I-I… I’m sorry. I just… there’s something that I need to take care of… and until I get it fixed, I can’t… tell you.”

“Is it with the clinic?”

“No. It’s… it’s more… personal than that. I’ll explain everything when its over.”

“I can help you.”

“You can’t, I’m sorry. You can’t, not with this.” Anders closed his eyes tightly. “When its over, we can do anything, go anywhere, but until then… I’ll be here, with you, when I can, but I need to focus on this.”

“I’m here for you, Anders.” Fenris’s voice was soft as he put his hand over Anders’s. “You know that.”

“Yeah, I know. Thank you.” Anders glanced back at him. “But… I have time right now… and we haven’t seen each other for more than small talk or sex lately. How are you, like with the whole freedom situation?”

“I think I finally adjusted to what that means, that I don’t have to live my life constantly looking over my shoulder… I can have a life, a real life where I don’t ever have to take someone’s orders again.” Fenris squeezed Anders’ hand.

Letting out a cold laugh, Anders let his head fall back. The only reason he wasn’t tranquil within the walls of the Kirkwall Circle was the protection of Hawke’s status. Years before he wasn’t executed because a similar circumstance with a Grey Warden. “I hope that I know what that feels like someday.”

“You will.” Fenris’s chest was against his back now, his arms wrapped around Anders’s chest. “I know we don’t agree on what should happen with mages here in the south, but I do know the way the circles are, what the Templars are unjust, cruel. I will do what I can to help change things.”

Anders smiled as he moved his hands over Fenris’s. “Thank you. It really means a lot to hear you say that.”

“I mean it. Anders, I won’t let anything happen to you.”

“I know. Me either.”

*-*-*-*-*-*

It was a good thing that Leandra was out for the day. Anders had just thrown a third book across the study, and Hawke sighed from where he was sitting at curled up his fireplace, thumbing through his mail. He knew better than to say anything, there was still a bump on his skull from where Anders had chucked a large volume Hawke had gotten him from the Orlais circle at his head.

Anders was paging hurriedly through another book when Hawke got up as he heard a soft knock on his door, but before he left the study, there was a louder knock. He had specifically told Merrill not to bring Isabela.

When he opened the door, he held the bridge of his nose. Merrill was standing with a stack of books up to her nose, most looked to be hand-bound leather. Isabela was blowing bubbles with her gum and held out a single old looking text to Hawke.

“Hello Hawke.” Merrill said cheerily as Hawke took the book from the human woman.

“Hey Merrill.” He opened it and took a breath through his nose. “You didn’t steal this one from the Qunari, did you?”

“Like I’d make that mistake twice.” She laughed as she pushed passed him, immediately sitting on his couch and putting her feet up on his coffee table. “Do you have any rum?”

“Anyway.” Hawke looked back at Merrill as he motioned for the elf to come in. “Thank you for coming.”

“How is he holding up? I mean, he’s really serious about this? Separating himself and Justice?” Merrill said it quietly as Hawke took some of the books off the stack.

“He’s… stressed, and he’s been keeping himself away from Fenris, because Justice knows what’s up and I don’t really think the spirit is thrilled about this.”

“Well, maybe we can use some of these to figure it out. The Keeper said this is everything our clan has on abominations and spirits.”

“You know a thing or two about demons, maybe you’d be able to…”

“Even I did, I doubt he’d let me help, with the blood magic and all.” Merrill rolled her eyes. “But I can help him look through books.”

“Yeah, yeah, this way then.”

*-*-*-*-*-*

Anders had spent three straight days in Hawke’s study, he hadn’t even checked in on the clinic. Hawke opened the door and moved out of the way for Fenris to come in.

“Just, get him something to eat. Take his mind off this for a little bit at least. If he keeps going like this…” Hawke didn’t know how to finish that sentence. He’d been watching Anders since he decided to try to split him and Justice, and it wasn’t going well. In the mage’s frustration, the spirit would break through. The study had only caught on fire twice at least. “Just, get him out of here, remind him why he’s doing this.”

“That’s hard to do when I don’t really know what it is that he’s doing.” Fenris glanced down the hallway towards the door to the study.

“He’s doing it for you, for the both of you.” Hawke crossed his arms with a frown. “Unfortunately, I promised I wouldn’t tell you what is that he’s doing.”

“I understand. I’m not thrilled about it but…” Fenris started walking towards the study, and Hawke bolted to walk ahead of him.

“Anders, Fenris is here.” Hawke said quickly as he popped his head into study.

Anders jumped and quickly moved to close all the books around him. He stood and stared at the door, waiting for Fenris to come in.

“Hey?” Fenris’s tone was cautious as he stay by the door, staring at his boyfriend.

“Hey… I, uh, sorry… I should’ve called or at least texted you… I…” Anders didn’t quite meet his boyfriend’s glance as he ran his hands through his hair.

“It’s okay, but you look like you could use a break.” Fenris took a few steps closer and held out a hand towards him.

“No, I-…”

“It wasn’t really a question Anders.” Fenris swallowed hard and looked down. “Please, come have dinner with me, get some sleep.”

“I need to…”

“Please, Anders. It’s been days since I’ve seen you, please?”

There was several moments of tense silence before Anders walked towards Fenris and took his outstretched hand. “Okay, okay.”

Fenris smiled up at him and squeezed his hand. “Alright, good. Good.”

They were mostly quiet as they walked to dinner, just taking in each other’s company. Anders let Fenris do most of the talking since he couldn’t really talk about what he’d been doing. Fenris wasn’t much of a talker, but tried to keep the conversation going, if only so Anders didn’t look off into the distance with contemplation.

It was still light out when they left the restaurant, but the sun was starting to set. They had both become quiet again. Fenris kept glancing over at his boyfriend, who only stared straight ahead, dark circles prominent under his eyes. He wanted to know, he wanted to help Anders, but he had wasted to much breath already trying to convince Anders to let him in.

They were close to the Chantry when they heard a girl shriek. Fenris felt the hair on the back of his neck stand up as he tore his hand away from Anders. He wished he had his sword as he looked towards the direction the scream had come from, listening for more.

When he started running, he felt Anders running by his side. The lyrium in his skin itched as he felt the magic fill the air as the mage was gearing up for a fight just the same as Fenris was.

Fenris stopped short when he saw half a dozen templars all surrounding a young woman. She was sobbing, on her knees pleading, telling them that she just wanted to see her family – insisting that she wasn’t a blood mage.

As much as Fenris felt for her, he knew the two of them wouldn’t win the fight against so many templars, but Anders didn’t stop moving. A wall of ice separated the highest ranking of the templars and the girl.

Taking a centering breath, Fenris adjusted the weight on his feet to join the fight as a fireball knock two of the templars back. He stopped short again when he noticed something odd about Anders. The mage was glowing, a way that Fenris had only seen once before, like the Fade was spilling out through him.

You won’t take another mage.” The words came from Anders, but it wasn’t his voice.

Fenris closed his eyes tightly as he willed himself to be imagining it. He’d heard that voice before, when Justice gave over control to Justice.

I will wipe out your unjust order.”

Fenris opened his eyes and stared in terrified aw as the spirit made short work of the templars. He’d been dating a monster.

Notes:

Like my writing? Like me? Check me out on tumblr (@parismoniousbitch) to find even more ways to connect. Some times I hand out spoilers if you chat me up - but I can't promise they'll make anything better.

Chapter 23

Notes:

(See the end of the chapter for notes.)

Chapter Text

 

Fenris was completely frozen, except his eyes that followed every movement of Anders’ body under control of the spirit. Of course, he’d seen the spirit at work before, but he’d never been this brutal before. The way the magic felt as the aftershocks hit the lyrium in the elf’s skin was different than before, almost painful. Something had changed with Justice.

But when he watched Anders’ body march towards the very young mage the templars had been harassing, Fenris moved slowly at first.

“Demon!” The girl screamed, backing away from Justice.

“I am no Demon.” Justice’s eyes flared as he grabbed a hold of her robes. “You are one of them! To call me so!”

Fenris moved quickly, pulling Anders away from the girl. “Anders! Stop it. The girl is a mage.”

The templars-…

Without looking at the girl, Fenris commanded her to run. His eyes locked with Anders as he heard the girl scamper off.

“Anders, pull yourself together. Take back control. Don’t let this monster do this.” Fenris hadn’t intended to sound so angry as he spoke, but he was. He was furious.

The glowing faded from Anders and tears started falling down his face. “Fenris? I almost…”

“Yeah you did.” Fenris let go of him and took a few steps back.

“I-I…”

Before Anders could stammer out an apology or whatever, Fenris’s fist collided with his face. The hit was so hard, that Anders lost his balance and only barely caught himself from falling to the ground completely.

“I deserve that.”

“You’re an abomination.”

“I-I… I should’ve told you.”

“I never want to see you again.” Fenris turned and walked away from Anders.

Once he was outside the alley, the heard someone sobbing. Looking down, he saw that it was the girl that Anders and his demonic ride along had saved and then almost killed.

“You alright?” Fenris stopped next to where she was sitting between a pair of trashcans, but didn’t look down at her.

“What was that thing?”

“Exactly what it looked like.” Fenris needed to take his frustration out on something, but it wouldn’t be the girl.

“What can I do now? I just wanted to see my family.”

“Come with me I know someone that can help you.” Fenris finally looked at her. “I won’t let any templars or abominations hurt you.”

Hawke. He had probably knew about Anders the whole time, there was no way he couldn’t have. Fenris was going to take his frustrations out on his dear friend Hawke as soon as the mage girl was taken care of.

*-*-*-*-*-*

“What happened?” Hawke said once he had brushed off his mother and had Fenris and the girl both in his study. His mother had made the girl a mug of tea and wrapped her in a blanket.

“The templars… but then there was a demon. It tried to kill me.” The girl was shaking as she held the mug tightly.

Hawke looked towards Fenris, who was leaned against a bookshelf, his eyes on the fireplace. “What?”

“Anders and I found her being attacked by templars.” Fenris looked disgusted as he closed his eyes, his body getting ever more tense. “And then Justice made an appearance.”

“Fenris, I-I…”

“We’ll talk about it later. Right now, take care of this girl.”

Taking a deep breath, Hawke knelt down in front of the girl. He asked her what her name was, where she was from, and what she wanted to do. It wouldn’t be difficult to get her back to the circle, or out of the city, but her family made things a little trickier. His friends never made things easy for him.

Once things were decided, he sent her to bed. She needed rest before anything; she’d been through a lot for the day. In the morning, Hawke would have her out of Kirkwall and track down her family to send after her.

“So, you know.”

Hawke barely flinched at the punch to his face, but his jaw almost dislocated from the force. He had been expecting it. Still hurt like a bitch though.

“You knew.” His voice was hoarse like those two words were difficult to say. Fenris’ gaze was harsh, even with the tears welling in his eyes.

“Funny.” Hawke rubbed his jaw as he stared at the elf. “That’s what he said when he found out who you were.”

“I don’t think this is funny. You should’ve told me.”

He should’ve told you.” Taking a few breaths, he looked away from Fenris. “He looked over your secret identity when he found out, still lo-…”

I’m not a fucking abomination! He let himself get possessed, and now the thing inside of him is really a monster!” Fenris took a few steps towards Hawke, his voice loud and harsh. There was a crazy look in his eyes. “And you let me… fall for him!”

“Fenris, I am sorry, but it wasn’t for me to tell you.” Hawke crossed his arms, looking away because seeing Fenris look so angry was making him uncomfortable.

“He was more than ready to hand me back to Danarius!” His voice broke as Hawke could see his marks glowing from his peripherial vision.

“Fenris.”

“I loved him. I fell in love with a monster, and you let me.”

“He was looking for a way to separate himself and Justice without…”

“Save it.” Fenris pushed Hawke away, almost making Hawke lose his balance. “It doesn’t matter now.”

“Wait. If he would’ve told you…”

“It doesn’t matter what I feel. It doesn’t change what he is Hawke. He isn’t a person.” Then Fenris left, slamming the study door.

Hawke rubbed his face as he slumped into the plush chair the girl had been sitting in earlier. His jaw was throbbing where Fenris’s fist had collided with it.

“Hawke, what do I owe the pleasure?” Varric’s voice said after the second ring.

“Fenris just found out.”

“Uh? Found out about what? Gotta be more specific there pal.”

“About Justice and Anders and… you know.”

“Oh.” There was a long pause. “I take it Broody didn’t take it well.”

“He called him a monster… fucking decked me.”

“You might’ve deserved it.”

“You could’ve told them.”

“I was not getting into the middle of that.” Varric’s tone was a little too light for Hawke’s liking, but he’d take it. “But anyway, how’s Blondie doing? Considering?”

“What?”

“Anders? How is he?”

“I… I don’t know. I haven’t…” Hawke shot out of the chair and rushed out of the study, ignoring his mother as she started asking a hundred question. “I’ll talk to you later Varric.”

“Keep me updated. And good luck, Maker knows you need it.”

“Thanks.” Hawke hung up and tried Anders’ number. No answer. He had to find him, before he did something stupid… -er.

Notes:

Things are getting serious, the end is neigh. If I don't get deleted in the purge, you can follow me on the blue hell site (tumblr): parismoniousbitch. I also just made a twitter, and I have nothing on it yet, but it exists and I'll be posting stuff there eventually if I figure out how it works: @kukiwrites

Chapter 24

Notes:

(See the end of the chapter for notes.)

Chapter Text

Calling Anders was pointless, he knew that. There was no way he’d pick up his phone, and Hawke wasn’t sure where to start looking for him. His clinic maybe, or any of the number of passages out of the Circle. Except he was probably terrified of hurting someone at the moment, but he was definitely trying to blow off some steam.

Anders was dangerous. Before Hawke could be a concerned friend, he had to be responsible. He wouldn’t get through to Anders’ phone, but he had to make some calls.

“Brother, I’m on duty.” Carver hissed through the phone, his tone low.

“I know, I know.” Hawke rubbed his face as he walked down the stairs, he had too much nervous energy to be stuck in the elevator. “But… you need to get the word to the other templars about something, for their own safety.”

“Since when do you care about our safety?”

“Carver, please.” Hawke paused and gripped the handrail tighter. “Anders isn’t stable right now, he doesn’t have great control over Justice. If you or the other templars find him, don’t engage.”

“What?”

“Somethings happened, and he’s not in a great state of mind, plus Justice is getting stronger, getting… it’s a demon now.”

“Then the Order should-…”

“Please. While I don’t agree with your Order, there are good people in it. Let me handle this.”

“What are you going to do? You’re not more equipped to deal with an abomination than the Order is. If you’re set on this, at least let me help you.”

Hawke closed his eyes. A templar would be helpful, but his mother would kill him if Carver got hurt because of this. His little brother was also the only templar who he could trust completely. The little brat hadn’t turned in either of the mages Hawke was protecting, or the pirate, or the walking lyrium deposit.

“Okay. Meet me at the Chantry. When do you get off duty?”

“In about an hour. I’ll be there.”

Hawke leaned next to the door to the lobby, staring at his phone now that his brother had hung up. He scrolled through his contacts.

“Aveline. Are you on the clock right now?”

“Well, hello to you too Hawke.” He could hear her roll her eyes. “I’m not actually.”

“Damn it.”

“Oh. You needed me as a detective?”

“Anders… is unhinged, and I wanted to warn your people to not try to engage, but I also need to know where he is, or what he’s doing.”

“So, Justice finally took over?”

“I don’t know. I just know… I know he’s not himself, and I either need to help him or stop him, before it’s too late.”

“Donnic is on patrol right now, I’ll put a bug in his ear.” She sighed. “Thank you, and be careful.”

“Actually, were you offering to come join me? City Guard hasn’t made an appearance in a while, wouldn’t want the city to forget about her.”

“I’ll think about it.”

“Meet me at the Chantry in about an hour. And bring the change of clothes, just in case.”

The call ended and Hawke headed out. It wouldn’t hurt to at least check the clinic. Predictably, Anders wasn’t there. He asked around Darktown for a while, killing time, but no one had seen him for days.

*-*-*-*-*-*

“Hawke.” Sebastian looked shocked, but pleased to see him when he walked into the Chantry.

“Hey.” Hawke couldn’t help himself as he pulled him into a tight hug, burying his face into the other man’s neck. “It’s good to see you.”

“We had dinner two days ago.”

Hawke pulled away, but kept one hand on Sebastian’s shoulder. “Yeah, sorry… just…”

“Are you okay? Did something happen?”

“Just, Anders and Fenris, it’s complicated and I just…” Hawke hadn’t even realized how much Fenris and Anders’ relationship crumbling had shaken him until he saw his own secret-sometimes boyfriend. His and Sebastian’s relationship was shaky at best, but he really loved the man. “Didn’t realize how much I needed to see you until I did.”

Sebastian gently touched Hawke’s cheek. “We should go somewhere more private.”

“I don’t have much time. I’m supposed to meet Carver and Aveline…” Hawke really wanted to spend some private time with Sebastian. The last time he saw him, it had just been dinner a short kiss. He’d settle for just holding him if he had to.

“Then we’ll just have to make it quick, or make them wait.” Sebastian’s smile was soft as he took his hand from Hawke’s face. He took the hand off his shoulder as well, holding it tightly. He lead Hawke to a small mostly empty room off a sparsely used corridor.

“Sebastian.” Hawke stared at him as his eyes adjusted to the dark.

Shushing him, Sebastian dropped his robes. “We’ll still have to be quiet.”

Nodding, Hawke pressed in, locking their lips together as Hawke’s fingers explored Sebastian’s mostly exposed body.

“Hawke.” Sebastian huffed as he was backed against the wall. “I love you.”

Hawke’s heart was pounding, and he kissed Sebastian harder as the priest’s hands worked to remove his clothing. “I love you too.”

*-*-*-*-*-*

Aveline was the first to arrive, and when she asked one of the Sisters if she’d seen Hawke, she was told that he and Brother Sebastian had spirited away, probably for some private praying. Her snickering as she walked away, meant that the two of them were as subtle as ever about their relationship. Why they even bothered to try and hide it was beyond her.

Hawke and Anders were still praying when Aveline looked up to someone calling her name. The Hawke twins, they both smiled at her. They looked so much older than the last time she’d seen them, and it had only been a few months.

“Bethany! Carver!” She pulled them both into hugs. Bethany hugged her back, while Carver grumbled stoically.

“So, my brother talked you into helping him with his current problem?” Carver said, leaning against the wall with his arms crossed in an attempt to retrain his manly persona.

“I volunteered.” Aveline grimaced, wondering how she convinced herself to help. “I don’t remember him mentioning Bethany coming.”

“Carver called me. Anders is a Warden and I’m a Warden, so I’d be useful in helping find him. Luckily I was on downtime in Starkhaven when he called.” Bethany sighed, leaning next to her brother.

“Well, having a mage and a templar if it comes to a fight with him helps put me at ease a bit.” Aveline nodded. “And it’s good to see you both.”

“And hopefully we won’t get killed by an abomination.” Carver and Bethany said at the same time.

“Considering the four of us made it out of Ferelden during the blight together, I think one abomination will be easy.” Hawke said as he approached them. “I mean, we even won the favor of a scary dragon-lady to boot.”

“Brother.” The twins rolled their eyes in unison.

“It’s good to see you both, it’d be better if it were different circumstances.” Hawke ruffled his brother’s hair, and pulled Bethany in for a hug. “Now, let’s go somewhere private to discuss the plan.”

“It isn’t the same private room you and Brother Sebastian were in, right?” Carver grimaced as Bethany jabbed him in the ribs.

“Oh, by the way, Bethany, Carver, I brought something for you.”

“You didn’t even know I was going to be here.” Bethany put a hand on her hip as she followed her brother.

“Yeah, but I was hoping Carver would call you.” He turned and grinned at her.

“What is it anyway?”

“If you’re going to fight with the Champion, you have to look the part.” He stretched.

“There isn’t going to be tights, are there?”

Notes:

If I'm not deleted, I'm on Tumblr: @parsimoniousbitch
I also have a twitter I still don't know how to use: @kukiwrites

Chapter 25

Notes:

I'm not dead. And I didn't get deleted off tumblr. Have a chapter. We're so close to the end.

(See the end of the chapter for more notes.)

Chapter Text

They checked all of Kirkwall: High Town, Low Town, Darktown, the Gallows. It went quicker than Hawke was expecting. Aveline asking around with the guards, Carver asking the templars, and Bethany’s Blight senses all told them the same thing – he wasn’t in town.

“So, where to next? You think he just… left?” Carver asked as he perched himself over the edge of a building, looking out over the city.

“Where would he go? Kirkwall may be the worst on mages in the south, but Ferelden, Orlais, Antiva, they’re not much better.” Bethany nudged at her twin’s back, making him flounder so he wouldn’t fall to his death.

“Tevinter? I know that once he would’ve wanted to escape there.” Aveline didn’t look up from the adjustments she was making to her shield.

“No. Freeing the mages here is too important to him. And being with Fenris definitely made him change his mind about Tevinter.” Hawke sighed, turning away from the city. He could see Sundermount and the ocean.

“Where do you go whenever Brother Sebastian breaks up with you?” Carver was giving him a cheeky grin, even if Hawke couldn’t see it.

“The bottom of bottle.” Bethany was giggling.

Why did Hawke miss them?

“We’re going up to the Bone Pit.” Hawke rolled his eyes as he unceremoniously jumped down from the building. He heard all three of them call out a variation of his name.

When they all finally climbed down, he was leaning against the wall, impatiently.

“How did you… what the…” The twins sputtered in unison, pointing at him.

“I forgot how much I hate it when you do that.” Aveline sighed and started walking ahead. “So why the Bone Pit?”

“We had to close it for the moment. Those idiots accidently opened up an old cave – with dark spawn, now it’s over run so I’ve heard. I haven’t had time to get up there to clear them out.”

“Why do you think he’s in a darkspawn infested cave, exactly?” Bethany moved to walk next to Hawke.

“He’s throwing fireballs at things to blow off steam. If Anders killed many more templars, Meredith would probably go nuclear. So, what’s Anders’ second favorite thing to kill?” Carver moved to Hawke’s other side.

“Oh.”

“It’s a theory at least.” Hawke glanced over at Bethany. “Can you tell the difference between Wardens and darkspawn with your… thing?”

“Yeah, I should be able to.”

“Wait, this isn’t just a trick to help you clear out your mine, is it?” Carver was glaring at him.

“Well, we should clear out the dark spawn first, because it could be threat to the town if they get out and it’s definitely hurting commerce, and I can’t pay the workers without them working forever, so…” Hawke glanced between his younger siblings.

“You’re a shrewd man Hawke.” Aveline turned to glare at him.

“Bethany’s entire job is killing darkspawn, and you and Carver are also sworn to protect people, so… you know, it makes sense.” Hawke shrugged. “My intention wasn’t free mine clearing, but now that we’re headed there, might as well.”

“I hate you.” The twins said it in unison.

The miners had exaggerated on the amount of darkspawn, or Aveline and the Hawke siblings just spent too much time fighting them. But they were making steady pace of the bastards, with Hawke glancing at Bethany if she could sort out Anders through all the darkspawn or not. She hadn’t yet. But the darkspawn made her ability to find other wardens a little fuzzy apparently.

“I feel him, he’s close.” Bethany said it quietly as she shoved the blade of her staff through the eye socket of a darkspawn that had tackled Carver. “Probably in the next ‘room’.”

“Good.”

He was. Fireballs flying at a seemingly endless stream of darkspawn. It must’ve been where the miners made the opening. Hawke needed to look into getting better liability insurance for the mine.

“What the fuck are you doing here?” Anders didn’t look over at them as he sent a fireball at the darkspawn that were rushing at them.

“Looking for you.” Hawke slashed at the darkspawn as he trudged towards the mage. “What are you doing here?”

“Doesn’t matter.” Anders glanced at him as he threw a spell that narrowly missed Hawke. Hawke wasn’t confident he wasn’t being targeted.

“I know you’re upset, about what happened with Fenris, and what happened with Justice, but…”

“Hawke, shut up. This has… just keep fighting, I need to get this wall sealed up.” Anders nearly hit him as he swung his staff. “Bethany. A little help.”

“On it.” Bethany managed to clear a path for herself to get closer to them.

It seemed to go on forever, but the two mages managed to seal the hole, and they all managed to clear out the remaining darkspawn.

Carver and Aveline were leaning on their swords, catching their breath.

“You brought Carver? What did…?” Anders backed away from Hawke when he noticed the templar. “I thought you…”

Hawke put his hands up. “I didn’t… After what Fenris-…”

“Stop saying his name.” Ander’s voice changed as he yelled, his eyes glowing slightly.

“I didn’t know if you’d be able to be talked to or what… I brought him just incase there wasn’t an Anders anymore.” Hawke grabbed his shoulders. “Anders, you’re my friend, and I want to help you. With Justice, with…”

Anders sighed as he looked away, the glow receding from his face. “Okay, Hawke. You’re the only person I can trust with this. I figured it out, and I need your help gathering materials.”

“Figured what out?” Bethany looked skeptical.

“How I’m going to make things right… at least with Justice… He can’t be…” Anders looked at her for a moment before looking back at Hawke. “Tell me you’ll help me.”

“Of course.” Hawke smiled at him, squeezing his shoulders. “What do you need me to do?”

Notes:

Tumblr: parsimoniousbitch
Twitter: @kukiwrites

Chapter 26

Notes:

I'm not dead. Sorry, I don't currently have weekends cuz working full time and part time job. I'm trying, but I'm so tired.

(See the end of the chapter for more notes.)

Chapter Text

It had been over a week since Hawke had finished helping Anders gather materials for his whatever that would free him of the demon. The mage had said he needed time to brew it, but he needed to do it alone. Kirkwall, for the first time since he landed, was quiet. There was almost no crime to fight, there was nothing wrong with his mines; nothing to do. He was going crazy, his mind racing with something going wrong with Anders, whether it was blowing up Darktown with the potion brewing or Justice taking over completely and marching on the Gallows.

Then of course, he hadn’t heard from Fenris. Varric had also gotten a nice punch to the face from the elf, when he found out that the dwarf also knew about Anders and Justice. Isabella managed to dodge it by being a much better liar than everyone else. But otherwise, he didn’t know what was happening, expect that Fenris wasn’t in a great place.

It had been too quiet. Something big was coming and Hawke wasn’t ready. He had an idea that it would involve the Circle, and he just didn’t want to deal with it. Maker, it would come down to him though, him and his friends. The city was going to burn.

He rested leaned on the railing for his balcony, barely able to see the Chantry over the shorter buildings. There was a lot of shouting coming from that direction, that he could hear the murmur meant it was loud. Maybe the start of what he’d been dreading for a while.

As he heard a loud, desperate knock on his front door, he took an unconcerned sip of his coffee. His mother opened the door, giving the person a surprised but polite greeting.

“Brother Sebastian.”

Hawke didn’t turn as he heard the balcony doors slide open, Sebastian sounded out of breath. “There’s quite a ruckus over at the Chantry.”

“The First Enchanter and Knight Commander have both gone mad, they’re both marching on the Chantry, demanding to see the Grand Cleric.” Sebastian stood in the doorway. “You might be the only one that can calm this down…”

“No, this won’t end well.” Hawke sighed and turned to look back at the priest. He was in his battle gear, like he knew it too.

“But we can’t not try. Hawke, please.”

Hawke hummed and pushed passed him without saying anything else. Sebastian followed after him, pleading, but Hawke wasn’t listening. He shut his bedroom door in the man’s face.

When he opened the door again, he was in his Champion costume, minus the mask that kept his identity safe. “It’s time this ends, no matter the consequences.”

“Garrett, you…” His mother gasped, covering her face as she stared at him.

Smiling softly, he walked over to her, taking her hands gently. “Stay up here, everything is going to be alright Mother.”

She pulled her hands from his and held his face. “Oh, darling, go. Do what you must, but stay safe.”

“I will try.”

Nodding, Leandra turned to Sebastian. “I doubt I need to ask, but keep him safe, bring him back to me.”

Hawke glanced back and saw Sebastian’s face light up, bright-red as he nodded. “Of course ma’am.”

Grinning ear to ear, Hawke took a few quick steps and captured Sebastian’s lips. Sebastian kissed him back, like it was going to be the last kiss. Maker, Hawke hoped it wouldn’t be.

The crowds parted as Hawke walked towards the Chantry. Everyone had something to say as he passed. There had been rumors, once he managed to make Hawke and Champion public figures, that they were one in the same, but it was official.

His eyes caught some of his friends as he walked. Isabella and Merrill a ways off from the Chantry, but still within ear-shot of the argument. Once they noticed him, they both moved to walk behind him. Fenris was hiding in the shadows, and even in the tension, fell in with him. Varric was standing up close, rolling his eyes as he slowly moved next to Hawke. Aveline was with a group of uniform officers, but she also walked to be with Hawke.

Carver glanced over at him from where he was standing with his shoulders slumped and head bowed with the rest of the templars at Meredith’s feet. Hawke nodded at him before stepping up directly in between Orsino and Meredith.

All that was missing were Bethany and Anders. She was far away, rejoined her unit not long after helping with the Anders problem. Anders, Hawke hoped he’d stay out of this.

Accusations from the mage and templar were thrown at him as he looked out towards the crowd, gauging the faces of the populace, whether or not he had their trust and support. He cut them both off and shouted at both of them with ease, not really sure what his point was. Maybe he could bore them both enough that they’d just back down.

“You have no place in this Champion.” Meredith spat out, glaring at him.

“The Grand Cleric…” Orisino stopped but was interrupted by a voice from the crowd.

“Elthinia cannot help you now.” Anders’ said as he stepped forward, in front of Hawke’s posse at the front of the crowd. There was something off about him, and he was wearing all black, and not like he did when he borrowed Fenris’s clothing.

“Anders.” Hawke said it quietly as he stared at his friend.

“I’m sorry Hawke, but I lied to you.” Anders stared at him, barely showing any emotion on his face.

Swallowing hard, Hawke started walking towards him, stopping when the ground began to shake violently. He closed his eyes as he heard an ungodly boom from behind him, the force of a blast pushing him forward slightly. Just barely he could heard screams. The two he heard most clearly were from Sebastian – screaming out for Elthinia who had been like a mother to him, and Fenris – swearing at his abomination of an ex-boyfriend.

As the explosion cleared, Hawke could hear Meredith and Orsino both yelling again, eventually calling upon him, to choose a side. He opened his eyes, looking passed Anders, towards the rest of his friends, trying to make a quick assessment of where they stood. The looks on their faces said that they stood with him, no matter what. Maker, he wanted to end this, take down both sides, but even him, even with the help of his companions, he couldn’t do that much. Or he could die trying.

“Fuck it.” Hawke turned to the two that were squaring up for a fight. “You’re both crazy.”

As swords and staffs were drawn, the civilians all ran away, trying to save themselves from the ensuing chaos.

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Chapter 27

Notes:

Last Chapter, technically. There will be an epilogue.

Chapter Text

Hawke lost sight of all his friends in the fight, except Anders. He could see Anders standing to the side, doing nothing. No templar or mage brave or stupid enough to attack the abomination.

Meredith and Orisno stood opposite each other in the courtyard, a few battered mages and templars on either side. Hawke saw bodies all around him, lifeless. Mages and templars. He didn’t care at the two crazy people yelling at each other, only that he could see movement, from the most familiar forms.

He counted them. Varric and Aveline, Isabela and Merrill, Carver, Sebastian, Fenris. Anders still standing off to the side.

“It’s your last chance to pick a side Champion.” Meredith pointed towards him.

“Hawke!” Orsino yelled out.

Rolling his eyes, he just scoffed. He started walking around, checking on his people. “I’ll see you both in the Gallows.”

He could hear them both take off, turning tail and running. It didn’t matter, as long as his people were in fighting shape, he had a chance to save the rest of the city from the madness.

Hawke looked around at his friends. They were all standing up from where they were down. None were so were far gone that a potion wouldn’t fix. Or a healer, except his healer had to be dealt with it, and it couldn’t be only his decision.

And of course Fenris was the worst off of them all, and he looked more angry than Hawke had ever seen him.

He looked at Anders. The mage looked so calm, and it boiled Hawke’s blood a little bit.

As he walked over, he could feel the rest gathering just behind him, all except Fenris.

“Anders.” Hawke started as he took another step towards him.

“I’m sorry, I lied to you about the potion.” Anders turned away from him, and there was almost a smile in his voice. “But-…”

“You used what we got you to make this bomb.”

“Justice and I are one now, there is no separating us.” And now it sounded like there was a reassignment, almost bitter. “And I’ve done what I must to make everyone see, see how unjustly the mages have been treated in Thedas.”

“Anders. You used me, your friends, to kill all those innocent people!” Hawke was walking towards him quickly. He could feel Isabela, Varric, and Aveline walking towards them as well. Sebastian was sobbing, quietly calling for Elthenia, and Merrill was quietly comforting him as best she could. Fenris and Carver were eerily quiet, but he couldn’t look back, couldn’t take his eyes off the abomination.

“They weren’t so innocent.” Anders sighed,  his gaze aimed towards the ruins he created. “But they too deserve Justice.”

“Anders. What the fuck are you saying?” Fenris’s voice was suddenly right next to Hawke, and it was no where near as scathing as Hawke was expecting it to be. It was almost like Fenris was begging. Begging him not to say what he meant.

“My life will-…”

Fenris cut him off by running up to him, pulling him around and holding the collar of his robes. “No. Fuck you. You don’t get to do this.”

Hawke took a step towards them, thinking of separating, but paused. “Fenris.”

“No. Hawke. This is… this is mine to handle.” Fenris’s reply was firm, his eyes locked on Anders’. The mage was staring down without focus. Growling, the elf shook his former lover. “Anders, fucking look at me.”

Anders glanced up at him for a second, and then away. “I deserve to die. Even before this, you thought so. No abomination like me should last.”

“Anders, I’m sorry, I-I… we can figure something out…”

“Oh.” Anders looked up at him now, his eyes wide. “You still…?”

“Of course I still love you.” Fenris moved his hands from Ander’s collar to his face. “But I can’t… what you are… you’ve really become an abomination, if what you said is true, if you and the demon are one.”

“Justice hated when you, because you distracted me from our cause. But my work is done, I’ve laid the groundwork for a revolution.” Anders’ eyes were glossy with tears. “What side will you be on Fenris?”

“No.” Fenris whispered it, then screamed it. “No!”

“I love you.” Anders leaned in to press a soft kiss on his lips.

Hawke could hear Sebastian getting over his tears, and now yelling for retribution for the death of the closest thing to a mother he’d ever had. But this was Fenris’ decision, if he wanted it to be. If Fenris had washed his hands of this, walked away, it would’ve been Hawke’s choice. He wasn’t sure what he’d choose.

“You can’t. You don’t get to martyr yourself like this.” Fenris’ marks were glowing, as he pressed a little closer, a sob escaping him.

“It’s okay.” Anders took one of Fenris’s hands and laid it flat on his chest. “Go ahead, take it. It’s yours.”

“No.” Fenris closed his eyes tightly, weakly trying to pull his hand away. “Don’t make me do this.”

“Justice will be served for the lives I took today. I want it to be you.”

Fenris kissed him, hard. He didn’t remove his lips as Hawke watched his hand pressed into Anders’s chest.

The elf held a heart in his hand as he gently laid Anders on the ground. He brushed his blond hair from his face to kiss his forehead gently.

“Fenris.” Hawke’s voice was the only one he actually heard. Everyone could choke in that moment, as they stood there gawking at him having to take the life of the only person he’d actually loved.

“Hawke, I’m leaving.”

“Fenris, wait, this isn’t… don’t you want-…”

“I want peace Hawke. Whatever else happens because of his actions is not my concern. I just want to be left in peace.” Fenris then walked off, heart still in hand.

Chapter 28: Epilogue

Chapter Text

Two years after Fenris left Kirkwall and he had yet to know peace. The entirety of Southern Thedas was in chaos, mages and Templars both wreaking havoc across the countryside of every country. Political tensions broke, taking advantage of the already chaotic situation. War was everywhere, and as new fights broke out, Fenris would move on.

Fenris saw the breaks in the veil before he heard word in a small town. He’d avoided them, but demons seemed to be drawn to him. It might’ve been his usual pissed off attitude, or the lyrium in his skin. But he knew how to fight demons.

But they weren’t all demons. Some were harmless spirits, until the templars threatened them or the mages mangled them.

Not they evoked any sympathy in him.

But one day he walked past one that seemed open, with no demons insight. He peered inside as he paused for just a moment, and he saw a spirit. There was something familiar about it as he stared at it, the energy, so faint, was something he’d felt before.

“Justice!” He yelled through the rift, his hand holding his sword tightly.

There was a moment, but the figure turned towards him.

“Elf.” The voice was like the echo he remembered.

“Justice!’ Fenris reached out. He’d been in the fade, just his mind though. But he managed this time to make it in his whole body.

“Elf.” The figure moved through others and finally floated in front of him. “I am not quite the same, since you killed my host. My friend.”

“If it wasn’t for you, I wouldn’t have had to!” Fenris growled, taking a step forwards.

“You want to set things right. What the mages had found is not justice.”

“Shut up.”

“I have caused this chaos. Allow me to assist.”

Fenris glared at him for a few moments before finally removing his hand from his sword. “Like you helped Anders? Drove him crazy?”

“His anger is what changed me, all I did was grant him more power.” The spirit motioned towards him. “You have power of your own, though you are no mage.”

Fenris looked down at his hand and then back at Justice. Too much was wrong in this world, but he never really thought about justice for the things he’d seen, only freedom for himself.

They both stood there in the fade for a few moments, each looking at the other. Their hatred towards each other was almost palpable, but so was their mutual love for one man.

“For Anders.” Fenris held out his hand, welcoming the spirit as he continued to glare at it.

When Fenris woke up, he was sure he was in the real world again, and he had a splitting head ache, like there was a war drum beating in his head. Then there was an echo of voice. “For Anders.”

He held his head and sat up.

“Broody. You’re finally awake.” There was a familiar voice, and a chuckle.

Fenris’s eyes followed the voice. “Varric?”

“Hey, we found you lying outside a fade rift, were you trying to fight off some demons.” Varric looked almost exactly the same. Fenris had he’d was being held captive by the chantry.

“‘We’?” Fenris looked around. A Qunari without a shirt and a Dalish woman with a bow were chatting. There was an odd magic he could feel coming from the woman.

His eyes saw an elven mage, not a city elf or Dalish, just an elf. An echo of something made him not want to trust him.

“The Inquisition.” The dwarf scratched his cheek. “Joined up, the Herald needed a guiding hand, and I have some experience with heroes.”

Fenris scoffed as he closed his eyes. “Some hero Hawke turned out to be.”

Laughing, Varric looked around too. “So, what were you doing?”

“Ah, so he’d awake.” The male elf said as he walked over before crouching down. Then he said something in Elvehn.

“Piss off.” Fenris sighed as he looked at the other elf.

The elf looked at him strangely. Fenris felt very strongly about punching him.

“Fenris, buddy, the world is falling apart, we’re just trying to put it back together.” Varric moved a little closer to him. “We could use a man of your talents.”

Fenris couldn’t help but smirk. He wondered how long he’d be able to control the spirit that was made of the remnants of the spirit of his lost lover. It felt oddly comforting. If nothing else, they could talk of Anders.

“Broody? You okay?”

“I don’t know. I will tell you when I figure this out.” Fenris huffed as he got up, making the two other back away slightly.

“You have been touched by the fade, and recently. Did you go inside the rift?” The elf asked as he stood as well.

Fenris just glared at him.

“Maker’s Balls Fenris, why did you do that? Do you know what’s in there? It’s scary shit.”

“Justice.” Fenris pushed past them, and started walking away, but the Dalish woman stopped him.

Her smile was bright, and she seemed so eager. “Fenris? Varric’s told me so much about you, and I-…”

“Fine.” Fenris huffed.

Something stirred him in, like the spirit thought that this was the path they were supposed to be on.

Her smile grew, but she didn’t seem to quite believe him.

As they walk, Fenris a few paces behind the group, Varric turned to him. “When you were in the fade, you didn’t happen to see Hawke, did you?”

Fenris blinked at him, but he couldn’t help himself from laughing. Of course that idiot would get himself trapped in the fade. “Sebastian is going to tear down Kirkwall to find you.”

If Fenris and his new companion didn’t help the Inquisitor get justice, at least he’d be able to join Anders and release himself from what he’d done.