Relm knows she's toeing a delicate line here. She hates to push him much in anything - thus why the earlier confrontation took so long to build up to - but this delights her a great deal, and she's relishing the attention. And there's.... something. A spark between them, strong enough that she can all but taste it. Maybe her feelings aren't as one-sided as she thought. Sure, Fenris puts up and occasionally returns Isabela's flirting, but not like this. This is different.
"No, no harm at all." Relm trails a finger across part of his gauntlet: a teasing touch that doesn't actually touch his skin. Safe enough, she hopes. "Quite the opposite. You know me, I'm always down for anything. Especially if it helps vent some pent up energy." She's fully circled him by this point, and stops in front of him, her grin turning into a coy smile. "And we've both got that in spades, don't we?"
It's very much different between him and Isabela. Flirting with her is just par for the course- often a means to get her to give up and go away. Isabela is much more likely to get bored and leave if she doesn't think she has a chase in it. No, this is different, he finds he means it.
The touch is, indeed, safe enough. Though normally an action which would make him tense and shy away, he surprises himself by craving more of it. He offers a crooked smile as she comes back round to face him.
"Given we very almost had quite a violent fight I would say currently we do, yes," his hand moves forward, only slightly, his fingers brushing over her wrist- a show that he didn't mind her touch, welcomed more. "It would be a shame for it to all go to waste."
And there's that smile she adores so much, the one that makes her weak in the knees. All it takes is that, a twist of his lips and the brush of his fingers against her skin to completely disarm her. For all that Relm likes to tease and flirt and push things a little, it actually doesn't take very much to trip her up. With most she can hide it but with Fenris, it's impossible. Almost shyly, she ducks her head a bit and smiles. Maker help her.
"A great shame, yes." She gently traces a part of his chest piece with her finger, still pushing that boundary a bit more while still being cognizant of his markings. "So, how should we let out all that would-have-been-a-fight energy? Furniture breaking, like you suggested? Or did you want to... practice on something else?"
There's a clear out she's offering here. For all her flirting and whatnot, Fenris gets to decide where things go. If he wants to stop now and go back to friendly bantering while they wreck furniture, then that's his choice. She's leaving it up to him.
She steps closer and his breath catches. He doesn't pull away, though, not even as she pushes those boundaries. He doesn't want to step away. A small, spiteful part of his mind whispers that this is a terrible idea. That this is something they'll both no doubt end up regretting- but he silences it. Consequences...well, he'll deal with them when the time comes. Or he won't.
He sees the out for what it is, but he doesn't take it. Instead, his hands moves to where hers lingers on his chest, taking it. His smiles softens, just a touch.
"Oh. I think we could practise something else entirely," there's not a flicker of hesitation as he leans in, pressing his lips against hers.
It's been so long since she felt like this. Most days, she feels older than she is. Aged and bending over all the responsibility and hardship she's endured. But right now, she feels young and almost silly. Just a girl standing in front of the boy she likes hoping he'll return her feelings and give her a kiss. Simpler feelings hearkening back to simpler times. All her worries and frustrations aren't gone, but rather left at the door, and she's all too happy to just get lost in the present and see where this leads.
She shudders out a breath when he takes her hand in his. His hand's warm over hers, and she so wants to twine her fingers in his. But before she can even consider it further, she looks up just in time to see him lean in and kiss her. She sighs into the kiss, exhaling relief and joy as she leans closer to him, kissing him eagerly in return. She's sure her heart's going to burst, but that's all right. There are worse ways to go.
After a long, wonderful moment, she pulls back just a bit to catch her breath. And she's smiling like a loon. Her free hand reaches up and tenderly brushes some of the hair from his face. "I was really hoping you'd do that," she murmurs.
His heart beats a tattoo in his chest as his brain catches up with the rest of him of what he actually just did. He finds he genuinely wants it, all of this. Relm...well she irritates the holy hell out of him a lot of the time, but she's also the reason he's still here. Still free. One of Danarius' traps would have undoubtedly caught him out by now, were it not for her.
More than that, she's a friend- someone he trusts, someone...well, someone he certainly thinks of as more than a friend. His life is far, far richer with her in it. He smiles, soft and genuine at the touch as she pulls back.
"I...admit I have wished to do that for a while."
It just took him time to find the courage to do so.
"And I've been wishing for it to happen for quite awhile." Hawke doesn't normally just sit around and wait for something like that, but with Fenris she erred on the side of caution. Besides, he's had enough forced on him for a lifetime. He deserves to be able to take the reins for a change. "Punch you? Never. Especially not with how thick I was laying on the flirting." It would take something significantly worse than an unwanted kiss for her to punch him. Like... eating babies or killing small puppies or something.
Touching him is always a delicate balance. Most of it so far has been with his armor acting as a barrier, and even then that wasn't always enough. She remembers the way he shoved her hand off after they fought Hadriana. Sure, he'd been angry, but all the same, she's never sure how receptive he is to it. And this is a line she toes much more carefully than others with him. Which is why her hand moves so tentatively to cup his cheek, braced to pull back in a second if need be. "May I kiss you again? Practice makes perfect and all."
"Really? I genuinely had no idea," he chuckles, awkwardly. "I...hadn't really realised that's what you were doing at first, to be honest."
He wasn't very good at interpersonal anything, so he definitely didn't pick up what she was putting down. But at least he wasn't into eating babies or killing small puppies. He still had that much going for him.
He appreciates the care she takes in touching him- or not touching him, as the case may be. Though he tenses, just for a moment, as her fingers brush his cheek- he leans into the touch, a faint smile crossing his lips.
"Well. I wouldn't want us to fall out of practise."
"Apparently I wasn't as obvious as I thought." Varric teased her about it often enough, as had Isabela. Perhaps she'd been so focused on everyone else being aware of it that she hadn't stopped to consider if Fenris had been aware of it. Her own nerves over the whole thing hardly helped, either.
Hindsight is 20/20, and now she knows better.
All the tension escapes in a soft sigh as he leans into it. She'd been ready to pull back in a moment, but he leans into it and she's glad. It shows in her smile. "No, that wouldn't do, now would it?"
With all the gentleness and affection she's capable of, she leans up and softly kisses him. He's warm, and she can taste a hint of wine on his lips (it certainly beats the ale that she was drinking earlier). It's still a little cautious, not advancing things further than they already had gone, but it's more than enough for her.
"Honestly, I don't tend to...notice that sort of thing, so it's not completely on you."
He leans into the kiss, then after a moment's hesitation, parts his lips, deepening it. HIs hands move to the small of her back, pulling her closer. He's not powerful, not demanding, but he is asking for more. He's not afraid, not of her. Never of her.
And somehow she's not entirely surprised. It... does explain a lot. But that's to ruminate on more later.
He's way too distracting right now for such thoughts.
He asks, and she gives. Without hesitation or doubt. One arm slings around his neck, still trying not to directly touch his skin if necessary (not that she wouldn't love to, but...) Her tongue slips into his mouth, gently probing and exploring it.
He shifts closer, eager- fighting back his remaining nerves about all of this. His own tongue slips into her mouth, brushing up against hers, tasting her. He tries to ignore his heart thrumming in his chest, not an easy task, as a hand moves up to tangle in the hair at the back of her head. He pulls back long enough to get air, to mumble her name against her lips, before diving into another kiss.
She feels it a little, some of that nervousness, in the way he grips her and in the tension that stiffens his posture. This isn't easy on him, she knows, but she's glad he's opening up to her. In more ways than one.
They're wrapped around each other, limbs tangled in hair and armor. They're going to look like a mess when this is done - if they don't already - but she doesn't care in the least. When he murmurs her name, she sighs against his lips before enthusiastically returning his next kiss. He's so warm and eager, if still a little nervous, and it feeds into her own desires. She slides her tongue against his, less exploratory and more demanding. While she tries to be mindful of his boundaries, it's so hard not to give into her wants a little.
He lets out a soft noise, at the sound of his name on her lips. It makes him bolder, giving him the push he needs to want more- to ask for more. He meets her kiss with his own in kid, wanting her closer, needing her closer. He breaks for air, and to pepper kisses along her jawline.
Likely too fast, but he's nothing if not a man who lets his emotions take the wheel more than common sense most times.
And for better or worse, Relm isn't exactly a paragon of common sense and logic either. What little she has has been spent so far on carefully not stepping on his boundaries. Given that he's escalating things, however, that control slowly begins to break down. Especially given that her neck and jaw are particularly sensitive areas for her and he's planting those kisses just so that a shudder runs through her. Maker help her, he's going to turn her into putty in his hands. "Fenris," she breathes out, her fingers digging in just a little harder.
He hums softly against her skin, his own prickling at the sound of her voice, the touch of her hands. He knows this is a risk, that he's walking a knife's edge here. This is the sort of choice that opens a door that can never be closed again. And yet, he wants this. He doesn't want to back away, to leave things be. Not after keeping his own feelings for her pent up for so long. It's time.
Still, he breathes softly against her neck, eyes flicking up to check on her, to be sure she was fine. Her body language told him she was, but he still needed to make sure. That...well, that was more important than anything else in the world right now.
Relm's dimly aware of the same worries that run through Fenris' mind, and frankly, if she allowed herself a moment to think about them, she'd probably freak out. She guards quite a bit about herself, her heart most of all, and this is very, very dangerous. He's the closest anyone's gotten to really see it in years. And if this goes wrong, well... there's a lot of heartbreak she's setting herself up for.
Which is exactly why she's not letting herself think about it.
She feels him hesitate, and she looks down. Words aren't needed; she knows what he's asking. In response, she offers a smile and a quick kiss to his nose. It's all right, Fenris.
He scrunches up his face, almost comically, at the nose kiss. Not out of disgust, far from it, he just wasn't quite expecting it. Once the shock has worn off, he chuckles, leaning in to capture her lips into another fierce, devouring kiss. His hands slip up, following the curve of her form.
If he's going to regret this in the morning, he'll damn well enjoy it now.
He pulls back from his kiss, to take in a shaky breath, his hands coming to rest on her hips, his forehead resting against hers, his heart thudding in his chest. Words probably aren't needed and yet...
"We should probably move out of the hallway."
Edited (wow screw you dreamwidth) 2018-12-06 01:46 (UTC)
She laughs in delight at his initial reaction to the nose kiss. He's not upset, and the way his face contorts at it amuses her far more than it should. She can't help but laugh. A laugh which very quickly turns into a moan when he kisses her again. It demands and consumes, and she's all too happy to lose herself in it, in him, and take just as much as he is.
There's a gasp when he pulls back, head spinning and filling with that heady haze that makes it hard to think and easy to be impulsive. She leans her head against his, enjoying the closeness while also battling not to shove him down to the floor and have her way with him. And his suggestion makes the urge harder to fight.
"I was going to suggest we go somewhere a little more comfortable," she says. "But I was loathe to part from you." She kisses him again, short but potent, pulling back after a moment to bite softly on his bottom lip.
He truly enjoys her laugh- it's not a new thought to enter his mind, he's heard her laugh plenty, always found it comforting. But it's the first time it's solidified as a concept- just how much he enjoys her laugh- how he wants to hear more of it. He wants to be the cause of it.
He chuckles, a deep rumbling sound from his chest, a sound that dissolves into a moan of his own, as she bites on his lip. His hand curls around her waist a little tighter, pulling her closer. When he speaks again, there's a huskiness to his voice, an unmistakable undertone of desire.
"Hmmm, well, somewhere more comfortable would be preferable. And fortunately, we would not be parted long."
She swears if they get any closer they'll meld together, not that she would mind all that much. And yet it still doesn't feel close enough. She just wants to be wrapped up in him and never let go. But he's right in that they have to move, and the parting is only temporary. A small little sacrifice for a better pay-off.
And oh does that tone in his voice promise a hell of a pay-off. Maker help her, his voice is delectable enough with a normal pitch, let alone that. She swallows thickly and nods, pressing another kiss to his lips before stepping back. "Then by all means." She'll let him lead; she already barged in once already, she's not about to drag him through his house.
Oh, he most certainly has a lot of plans for the rest of the evening- where there will be considerably more closeness. Not a smart choice, but he's not thinking all that straight any more. Whatever comes in the morning, he'll deal with it then.
He takes her hand in his, fingers entwining with hers. He stares at them for a moment, before offering a small smile, heading up through the run down hallways and t the ramshackle room he's claimed as his own. It's...still pretty awful, honestly- dirty and cold and generally miserable. He glances around seemingly realising this with a wince.
"My apologies. This isn't the most romantic of settings."
There's a little tiny part of her whispering that this is going very fast and maybe they should slow it down. The rest of her brain promptly smothers it. She's wanted this for too long to stop this now, as selfish as it is. A dilemma for the morning.
She can't help the stupid little smile she has when he takes her hand in his. It's the little things that do it to her, setting off butterflies in her stomach. Her thumb gently rubs against his hand as she follows him through the mansion. One day, she muses, she'll drag the others along and give this place a proper cleaning. She'll likely have to bribe them - and Fenris - with a gallon of booze and food, but it might be feasible! (Let her dream, okay)
At his apology, Relm smiles softly. "Oh, Fenris," she murmurs, reaching over and cupping his cheek. "I wasn't exactly expecting that. This is perfect. Though if you want, I could get a fire going." It's one of the indisputably great advantages to being a mage: instant fires. And warmed up baths, too.
They will have to pry his corpses away from his cold, dead fingers. They add to the aesthetic None of his Hightown neighbours bother him if they know there's dead people hanging around. It's the perfect deterrent.
He turns his head, kissing the hand cupping his face. There's some trepidation- the thought of allowing magic in his home, for it to be used so...simply. He knows he shouldn't allow it- he's not entirely comfortable with the idea. But...but he trusts her, and he needs her to know that.
"I...I suppose you could."
He needs her to realise he trusts her with this, even if he doesn't like it. That much is important. Maker, that trepidation is probably one hell of a mood killer and he's already kicking himself over it.
Can they at least just dust the furniture and mop the floors?? The corpses can stay but that doesn't mean the rest of the place has to be a dump.
The hesitation doesn't surprise her, though it's a bit of a bummer. But it is what it is. This isn't going to happen overnight, and the fact that he's willing to let her do it showcases just how far he's come.
"C'mere." She tips his face towards her before leaning in and kissing him. It's partly because, well, she wants to, but it's also part distraction. With her free hand, she quietly summons a flame in the nearby fireplace. It's not large, just enough to be able to catch onto the logs and grow on its own.
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"No, no harm at all." Relm trails a finger across part of his gauntlet: a teasing touch that doesn't actually touch his skin. Safe enough, she hopes. "Quite the opposite. You know me, I'm always down for anything. Especially if it helps vent some pent up energy." She's fully circled him by this point, and stops in front of him, her grin turning into a coy smile. "And we've both got that in spades, don't we?"
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The touch is, indeed, safe enough. Though normally an action which would make him tense and shy away, he surprises himself by craving more of it. He offers a crooked smile as she comes back round to face him.
"Given we very almost had quite a violent fight I would say currently we do, yes," his hand moves forward, only slightly, his fingers brushing over her wrist- a show that he didn't mind her touch, welcomed more. "It would be a shame for it to all go to waste."
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"A great shame, yes." She gently traces a part of his chest piece with her finger, still pushing that boundary a bit more while still being cognizant of his markings. "So, how should we let out all that would-have-been-a-fight energy? Furniture breaking, like you suggested? Or did you want to... practice on something else?"
There's a clear out she's offering here. For all her flirting and whatnot, Fenris gets to decide where things go. If he wants to stop now and go back to friendly bantering while they wreck furniture, then that's his choice. She's leaving it up to him.
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He sees the out for what it is, but he doesn't take it. Instead, his hands moves to where hers lingers on his chest, taking it. His smiles softens, just a touch.
"Oh. I think we could practise something else entirely," there's not a flicker of hesitation as he leans in, pressing his lips against hers.
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She shudders out a breath when he takes her hand in his. His hand's warm over hers, and she so wants to twine her fingers in his. But before she can even consider it further, she looks up just in time to see him lean in and kiss her. She sighs into the kiss, exhaling relief and joy as she leans closer to him, kissing him eagerly in return. She's sure her heart's going to burst, but that's all right. There are worse ways to go.
After a long, wonderful moment, she pulls back just a bit to catch her breath. And she's smiling like a loon. Her free hand reaches up and tenderly brushes some of the hair from his face. "I was really hoping you'd do that," she murmurs.
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More than that, she's a friend- someone he trusts, someone...well, someone he certainly thinks of as more than a friend. His life is far, far richer with her in it. He smiles, soft and genuine at the touch as she pulls back.
"I...admit I have wished to do that for a while."
It just took him time to find the courage to do so.
"I'm glad you didn't punch me for it."
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Touching him is always a delicate balance. Most of it so far has been with his armor acting as a barrier, and even then that wasn't always enough. She remembers the way he shoved her hand off after they fought Hadriana. Sure, he'd been angry, but all the same, she's never sure how receptive he is to it. And this is a line she toes much more carefully than others with him. Which is why her hand moves so tentatively to cup his cheek, braced to pull back in a second if need be. "May I kiss you again? Practice makes perfect and all."
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He wasn't very good at interpersonal anything, so he definitely didn't pick up what she was putting down. But at least he wasn't into eating babies or killing small puppies. He still had that much going for him.
He appreciates the care she takes in touching him- or not touching him, as the case may be. Though he tenses, just for a moment, as her fingers brush his cheek- he leans into the touch, a faint smile crossing his lips.
"Well. I wouldn't want us to fall out of practise."
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Hindsight is 20/20, and now she knows better.
All the tension escapes in a soft sigh as he leans into it. She'd been ready to pull back in a moment, but he leans into it and she's glad. It shows in her smile. "No, that wouldn't do, now would it?"
With all the gentleness and affection she's capable of, she leans up and softly kisses him. He's warm, and she can taste a hint of wine on his lips (it certainly beats the ale that she was drinking earlier). It's still a little cautious, not advancing things further than they already had gone, but it's more than enough for her.
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He leans into the kiss, then after a moment's hesitation, parts his lips, deepening it. HIs hands move to the small of her back, pulling her closer. He's not powerful, not demanding, but he is asking for more. He's not afraid, not of her. Never of her.
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He's way too distracting right now for such thoughts.
He asks, and she gives. Without hesitation or doubt. One arm slings around his neck, still trying not to directly touch his skin if necessary (not that she wouldn't love to, but...) Her tongue slips into his mouth, gently probing and exploring it.
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They're wrapped around each other, limbs tangled in hair and armor. They're going to look like a mess when this is done - if they don't already - but she doesn't care in the least. When he murmurs her name, she sighs against his lips before enthusiastically returning his next kiss. He's so warm and eager, if still a little nervous, and it feeds into her own desires. She slides her tongue against his, less exploratory and more demanding. While she tries to be mindful of his boundaries, it's so hard not to give into her wants a little.
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Likely too fast, but he's nothing if not a man who lets his emotions take the wheel more than common sense most times.
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Still, he breathes softly against her neck, eyes flicking up to check on her, to be sure she was fine. Her body language told him she was, but he still needed to make sure. That...well, that was more important than anything else in the world right now.
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Which is exactly why she's not letting herself think about it.
She feels him hesitate, and she looks down. Words aren't needed; she knows what he's asking. In response, she offers a smile and a quick kiss to his nose. It's all right, Fenris.
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If he's going to regret this in the morning, he'll damn well enjoy it now.
He pulls back from his kiss, to take in a shaky breath, his hands coming to rest on her hips, his forehead resting against hers, his heart thudding in his chest. Words probably aren't needed and yet...
"We should probably move out of the hallway."
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There's a gasp when he pulls back, head spinning and filling with that heady haze that makes it hard to think and easy to be impulsive. She leans her head against his, enjoying the closeness while also battling not to shove him down to the floor and have her way with him. And his suggestion makes the urge harder to fight.
"I was going to suggest we go somewhere a little more comfortable," she says. "But I was loathe to part from you." She kisses him again, short but potent, pulling back after a moment to bite softly on his bottom lip.
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He chuckles, a deep rumbling sound from his chest, a sound that dissolves into a moan of his own, as she bites on his lip. His hand curls around her waist a little tighter, pulling her closer. When he speaks again, there's a huskiness to his voice, an unmistakable undertone of desire.
"Hmmm, well, somewhere more comfortable would be preferable. And fortunately, we would not be parted long."
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And oh does that tone in his voice promise a hell of a pay-off. Maker help her, his voice is delectable enough with a normal pitch, let alone that. She swallows thickly and nods, pressing another kiss to his lips before stepping back. "Then by all means." She'll let him lead; she already barged in once already, she's not about to drag him through his house.
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He takes her hand in his, fingers entwining with hers. He stares at them for a moment, before offering a small smile, heading up through the run down hallways and t the ramshackle room he's claimed as his own. It's...still pretty awful, honestly- dirty and cold and generally miserable. He glances around seemingly realising this with a wince.
"My apologies. This isn't the most romantic of settings."
At least there aren't any corpses in this room?
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She can't help the stupid little smile she has when he takes her hand in his. It's the little things that do it to her, setting off butterflies in her stomach. Her thumb gently rubs against his hand as she follows him through the mansion. One day, she muses, she'll drag the others along and give this place a proper cleaning. She'll likely have to bribe them - and Fenris - with a gallon of booze and food, but it might be feasible! (Let her dream, okay)
At his apology, Relm smiles softly. "Oh, Fenris," she murmurs, reaching over and cupping his cheek. "I wasn't exactly expecting that. This is perfect. Though if you want, I could get a fire going." It's one of the indisputably great advantages to being a mage: instant fires. And warmed up baths, too.
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He turns his head, kissing the hand cupping his face. There's some trepidation- the thought of allowing magic in his home, for it to be used so...simply. He knows he shouldn't allow it- he's not entirely comfortable with the idea. But...but he trusts her, and he needs her to know that.
"I...I suppose you could."
He needs her to realise he trusts her with this, even if he doesn't like it. That much is important. Maker, that trepidation is probably one hell of a mood killer and he's already kicking himself over it.
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The hesitation doesn't surprise her, though it's a bit of a bummer. But it is what it is. This isn't going to happen overnight, and the fact that he's willing to let her do it showcases just how far he's come.
"C'mere." She tips his face towards her before leaning in and kissing him. It's partly because, well, she wants to, but it's also part distraction. With her free hand, she quietly summons a flame in the nearby fireplace. It's not large, just enough to be able to catch onto the logs and grow on its own.
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so late wow
shhhh you're fiiiine
<3
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