slothquisitor

[slothquisitor]

Hi, this is ADORABLE. And it was correct that you gave us this. We needed it.

Also, as an aside, if you’re looking for a Rookanis Modern AU this is it. I devoured it last weekend, and it’s just been completely finished. Do yourself a favor and read it!

DA Kiss Week

This one goes out to @dags-over-caravans, who very sweetly berated me for mentioning an off screen roller rink party in ch22 of All My Friends Are Sad & Bright. This is barely even a one-shot, but could technically be read between ch 21 and ch22. It's also complete and total fluff. A nice little sorbet between the more savory Kiss Week courses we've all been treated to!

Day 7 - Celebration 🛼🛼

__

"You're not very good at this!"

"I told you—" Lucanis's legs slip out from under him again and he manages to half-fall into, half-grab onto Rook. "—I've never been roller-skating before."

"I thought you meant you hadn't been skating, like…since you were a kid."

Pop hits from the 70s are blasting just loud enough that they need to raise their voices to hear each other. The carpet is also loud, an aggressively geometric pattern in a riot of colors that aren't even trying to match. There's a smell in the air that's hard to pin down, a combination of disinfectant spray, stale popcorn, and feet. Everything is vaguely sticky.

There is no universe where Caterina would have allowed Lucanis to set foot into such a place as a child. Even for another child's birthday party. Especially for another child's birthday party. Other children were loud, aggressive, and sticky. All things Lucanis was taught to dislike.

Rook is loud, aggressive, and sticky, and Lucanis loves her.

"No, I meant never," he repeats, his voice swooping up at the end as he struggles to find his balance. He can hold a Warrior III pose for minutes on end, how is this so hard?

His embarrassment is mitigated slightly by the feeling of Rook's arm around his waist and her fingers against his ribs, sure and solid, as she props him up and guides him across the carpet to the rink. She's not bothering to hold back her laughter, but he likes the sight of her easy grin too much to protest. The flash of her teeth, the dimple in her cheek.

Today is her thirty-fourth birthday party. She deserves to grin, and laugh, even if it's at him for forgetting how his own legs work.

Davrin zips effortlessly by and wheels around to a neat stop, arms crossed and eyebrow cocked. How?

"Should we get you a skate-mate?"

Lucanis almost trips over his own feet trying to step down into the rink. "A what?"

Davrin jabs his thumb at a little kid holding onto something that looks like a walker on wheels. Lucanis regrets asking immediately.

"I'll be your skate-mate," Rook says quickly, breezily. Saving him from a heretofore unknown level of humiliation with a soft squeeze to his ribs.

"Sounds like a sex thing," Harding says as she skates by.

"Not a sex thing," Lucanis says.

"Could be a sex thing," Rook says.

They share a glance. Her lips quirk. Lucanis didn't think he could blush harder than he already was, but he continues to learn new, increasingly awkward things about himself tonight.

Then he slips and almost falls—would fall, if not for Rook's arm around him—again.

"How are you so bad at this?" Taash asks, trailing after Harding. In skates, they're almost ridiculously tall.

"I wish I knew," Lucanis says through gritted teeth.

"One foot in front of the other, come on," Rook coaxes.

Together, they make a few halting, stuttering strides. Bellara and Emmrich glide past, holding hands and chatting excitedly. Skating and talking at the same time. Meanwhile, every cell in Lucanis's brain and body is focused singularly on the task of keeping himself upright.

The first few laps are a series of near-accidents and near-constant lurching that makes him feel drunk, or like every step is one step away from falling down a flight of stairs. By the fifth lap, he starts to find his center of gravity. Finally. Sort of.

"So we just do this in a circle, forever?" Lucanis asks, as a child with a skate-mate and bedazzled elbow pads passes them, shooting a perplexed look over her shoulder at their snail-like pace.

"Well, we'll take a break for cake, but yeah, pretty much."

Neve picked up a grocery store ice cream cake on her way here, at Rook's very specific request. She did not want anything homemade, she wanted "the round Carvel ice cream cake with the chocolate on the bottom and the crunchy things in the middle," and Neve knew exactly what that meant.

Lucanis has passed by those ice cream cakes in grocery store bakeries countless times before and never given them a second thought. The same way he wouldn't have given the Lighthouse a second thought, once.

"You hate this," Rook observes, with the gentle tilt to her voice that means she's a little worried about him.

It's not that Lucanis hates it. He's just unaccustomed to being bad at things, in general.

"I'm wondering who decided putting wheels on their feet was fun, that's all."

"You'll get the hang of it," she says, patting his arm, then holding onto him tighter when that throws off his balance.

"You can't be good at everything," Davrin says.

He's skating backwards in front of them. Backwards.

"He's right," Neve says, zooming by. "It wouldn't be fair."

Lucanis feels Rook's shoulder shaking in silent laughter against his armpit.

Their teasing confused him at first, back in the spring when he first started spending time with the whole group, until eventually he realized that's just how they talked to each other. Now, it makes him feel like part of something.

He's theirs, and they're his.

The lighting changes all of a sudden, dimming to soft pinks and purples, hitting the disco ball in the center of the ceiling to bathe the rink in sparkling lights. The music changes a second later to a slow, crooning Motown song.

Maybe it's the shifting lights throwing him off. Maybe it's the abruptness of the mood shift. Maybe it doesn't matter, because either way Lucanis's feet fly out from under him and he goes down hard on his ass and elbows, face up on the rink floor, with Rook splayed on top of him.

"Ow?" she half-groans, half-laughs.

"Sorry, are you okay?"

"I'll live," she says, rolling off his chest to kneel beside him. "You?"

"The only thing I bruised is my pride," he mutters, then winces as he pushes himself up. "And maybe my elbow."

Rook takes his arm in her hands, bringing his elbow up to her face to examine it more closely in the muted, pink light. Reflections from the disco ball shimmer across their skin.

"Should we get you some of those glittery elbow pads?" she asks, glancing up at him, humor dancing in her dark eyes.

"Christmas is coming up," he plays along. If there's one thing Lucanis knows he's good at, it's playing along with Rook.

Her grin is back, her dimple, her flash of teeth. Pink and sparkling under the disco lights.

She leans foward and places a soft kiss to his elbow, where it's cradled between her hands.

"There, all better."

Lucanis smiles. It is better.

[slothquisitor]

Room’s a mess 😂

[slothquisitor]

I am all for Lucanis is an unreliable narrator about his life (because I think that is so true!), but I do think that this particular instance is maybe a symptom of being a nepo baby Crow. I think that he does not consider these contracts broken because they go against his values in some way here. So, I’ve kind of figured that it’s less ‘he’s lying to himself and Davrin’ and more when the contract was made the client lied or didn’t provide enough information and therefore he can technically get out of it. Any other Crow would not probably have this option, but he does because he’s grandson of the First Talon. It’s not a broken contract if it wasn’t a valid one in the first place.

But I like all these questions and implications.

[slothquisitor]

Dragon Age Kiss Week (no prompt)

Honestly, I just wanted to draw That One Concept Art. (Click image for better quality)

NGL, I really like how this one turned out.

[slothquisitor]

Oh my god, I love her. Look at how many knives she has access to!

Drew her in buns w/ throwing knives and I’m absolutely obsessed with the look 😭💜⚔️🐦‍⬛✨🗡️

[slothquisitor]

I read the last part of On Matters of Inertia and getting to read about Cam, Lucanis, and Spite living their lives together was amazing! I love their love! I've been holding back on talking about Harding because I've had my suspicions on some of what could be going on there and am looking forward to seeing what you come up with.

It's a bit of a quieter chapter for sure (plus smut, I guess? I love them, but also *exasperate sloth noises*). I do plan to write some like...fun ficlets that will cover some of the little eight-month time jump. It's not that nothing exciting or worth reading about happened...it's just like...it's not relevant to the next part of the story. Like I for sure want to write the first time Cam shows Lucanis her apartment in the Necropolis, and him befriending all the neighbors with baked goods. It's just that we've got a lot of plot-relevant things to get to lmao. And also, I need this fic to not be 200k, for my own sanity.

I very much welcome any and all speculation on the Harding situation. I'm personally very excited for this arc of the story. Not just because it's clear we're hanging out with Neve and maybe getting some other little cameos from the faves, but I...have some notes....on the way a few things go down in-game lmao. I did also plan out this arc with two DA lore-obsessed friends when I was visiting NC last month, so I'm feeling REALLY good about things that are going to happen. I know that this next section will feel tonally different in the same way the Treviso arc was different from the Minrathous arc, but I hope it's still enjoyable.

Always good to hear from you, ToBP. <3

[slothquisitor]

"Tell me this ends with me asleep in your arms, and I will kill any god you ask."

I've always wanted to try my hand in this cut storyboard scene, but could never find the time...but if I couldn't do it for DA kiss week then when can ya? I wanted the rain, I wanted the wet hair and the kind of desperate embrace.

[slothquisitor]

Today is my last day of freedom ahead of the new school year, and in true sloth fashion, every art/fic/story idea that has alluded me all summer is clamoring for attention now. *sighs*

[slothquisitor]

Morning

Da Kiss Week — Day 1

During their engagement, Rook had to live in a suite at the Diamond. Lucanis would sneak out the window each morning so Teia wouldn’t dob him in to Caterina.

[slothquisitor]

dragon age kiss week day 1 — morning after work

[slothquisitor]

Evening reblog!

On Matters of Inertia: Chapter Nineteen

Part Three: It Was Not Death, For I Stood Up

Summary: Eight months after Treviso, Lucanis and Camina are settling into life when a contract takes them back to familiar friends. Smut in the first section, if that's not your cup of tea, I support you. Just dip once things get spicy and pick up after the section break <3

Also on AO3.

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Eight Months Later….

The Necropolis is lively this evening. Camina has a small host of wisps bobbing along in her wake, several that have followed her all the way from the Palace of Bones. A new section opened up a few weeks back, and she's been busy every day identifying the venerable dead and helping her fellow Watchers date the many unmarked graves. It's warm for Kingsway, and Camina's coat is draped over her arm as she walks the winding cobblestone streets. She forgets sometimes the verticality of this place. It's odd to believe that she's at what may constitute as street level, only the pass over a bridge and be reminded that this is a city built level by level, that the streets run over each other, interlocking and winding on the edge of Necropolis itself.

She's…home. It's a complicated feeling most days, but there's a rightness to it. She's always felt its call, but this time, it felt like a choice to answer. And she's not just reanimating the bones of her old life, but building something entirely new too. Because she's not just home, she's still working with Strife when he has need of her and offering her services to the Veil Jumpers.

It's been two months since they left the Lighthouse behind for good, turning over stewardship to Bellara. They've visited once or twice, but it's not theirs anymore. The rooms have even changed, shifted around to accommodate Bellara's team of Veil Jumpers. Their last team dinner hadn't even been at the Lighthouse. Emmrich and Willow had instead hosted at their townhouse, their whole team piling into the much smaller kitchen. Still, it had felt just the same as all those dinners at the Lighthouse, reminding her that the place wasn't the important bit, but the people.

Camina arrives to her apartment, unlocking both the traditional lock and the magical ward Lucanis had insisted on. She had felt rather insecure introducing him to her tiny apartment after having spent time in the enormous villa he'd grown up in, but he seems to really like it anyway. And the kitchen is getting more use these last two months than it's seen in all the years she's called this place home.

When she walks in, she's unsurprised to find Lucanis barefoot in their kitchen, but she is surprised to see him in Nevarra at all. "I wasn't expecting you home for two more days," she says with a smile. She drops her coat and her bag by the door and closes the short distance into the kitchen. Maker, seeing him comfortable in her space makes her want him out of his clothes immediately.

He grins, setting down the knife he was using to chop vegetables and pulling her into his arms. "It was a quicker contract than expected, and it's led to another."

"Oh?"

"I got a lead for a certain detective on a high-ranking Venatori we've been trying to track since she disappeared right before Elgar'nan showed up in Minrathous."

"So you're leaving again?" she asks, trying not to sound too disappointed.

"The job's in Minrathous. I thought maybe you might want to come too," he says, pressing a kiss to her cheek.

"Rook! Come with us!" Spite says, Lucanis's eyes flashing purple as he gently nuzzles in, letting her know he is also glad to see her. He's gone just as quickly, but it still makes her laugh.

"I should be able to sneak away for a few days," she says, pulling Lucanis in for a proper kiss. His lips are soft, and he tastes like coffee. One of his hands skates down her waist, hand splayed wide, and she winds her arms around his neck. It is all too easy to get lost in him, in the perfect way they slot together. He can't have been home long; his hair is still a little damp from cleaning up, and he smells like her favorite citrus soap.

"I am trying to cook you dinner," he says breathlessly, pulling away only to kiss across her jaw.

"And if I tell you I'm not hungry?" she asks, tilting her head to give him better access.

His grip tightens on her and he picks her up only to deposit her on top of the counter, stepping between her legs. She's taller than him now, and she loves the way the reversal lights up his face, the way he glances up at her with a smile pulling at his lips and crinkling his eyes. Peace and quiet look good on him, with the occasional assassination contract thrown in for excitement. He's spent the last two months settling into the Necropolis with surprising gusto, befriending all their neighbors with homemade goodies, following her into spooky crypts, and gleefully stocking her formerly sparse kitchen.

His fingers trace the line of her jaw, tangle in her hair. "Then I'd say it can probably wait."

And then he presses his lips to hers.

No matter how much time they spend apart, Lucanis continues to be unhurried in this. He likes to take his time, likes to savor every moment, every press of lips, every caress. He's also unfortunately adept at teasing her, seems to delight in her impatience. It's become a game of sorts, how far can they push each other before one of them breaks. It's almost always her.

His fingers are at her waist, toying with where her blouse is tucked into her trousers. She's expecting it, but still gasps when his fingers find skin, as his hand snakes up her back. She keeps her legs locked at his waist, keeping them pressed together. He's dressed casually for him, which still means too many damn layers, but here in the Necropolis he's shed some of the more obvious Crow trappings. She's already managed to ease his vest off of him and has unbuttoned most of his shirt, giving her unfettered access to the expanse of his chest. She runs her hands across his skin, fingers catching in the coarse hair and gently mapping the multitude of scars that pepper his skin. He shivers at the touch, hips stuttering forward.

"I missed you," he murmurs against her lips.

Her fingers tangle in the hair at the nape of his neck, he's trimmed it a bit in the last few months, it's no longer quite so piece-y, but he keeps it long. She suspects it has something to do with how much he loves when she runs her hands through it. But she pulls a little, angling his face up towards hers. His gaze is half-lidded, a soft smile on his lips.

"Is that why I came home to you cooking?"

He laughs. "You and I both know you didn't eat properly while I was gone."

He's not wrong. She tends to forget about regular meals without his insistence, and then just eats whatever is easy and accessible. She shrugs. "I was busy besides-"

He puts a finger against her lips. "If you make a terrible joke right now, I'm going to walk away."

She rolls her hips teasingly against his hardening erection, watching his breath hitch. "Liar."

He grins as he captures her face in his hands. "You think very highly of yourself."

"Says the man who has told me on more than one occasion to appreciate the view," she says as she nips his bottom lip.

"Mierda," he mutters as he kisses her, but he's smiling. His fingers are quick, working loose the buttons of her blouse and quickly finding skin, reverently running his hands up her side, her shoulders, before finally palming her breasts. She finds herself leaning into the devastatingly familiar touch, is unsuprised at his answering groan as he breaks away from her mouth to kiss down the column of her throat. The biting kisses leave her scrambling for purchase against the broad expanse of his shoulders, and there is a gentleness to the way he presses his tongue against her skin in the wake of each bright flash of pleasure pain.

Lucanis is still more gentle with her than he needs to be, but there's a firmness, a confidence in the way he holds her now. As if he might finally believe that she's here to stay, that neither one of them is going anywhere. That the happiness they've found will, in fact, last.

They've both still got too many clothes on for her taste. She reaches between them, working at his belt and pants. He huffs a laugh as her fingers brush his erection, his hips eagerly seeking more friction. "You're always in such a hurry," he says, but there's unmistakable fondness interlaced with the words as he works at her trousers.

"I did miss you, too, you know." She lifts her hips to help him, gasping at the coolness of the counter against her bare ass.

He cocks an eyebrow at her. "Do we need to move somewhere more comfortable?"

Camina pulls him back in closer, the press of their bodies near perfect, his cock brushing her stomach. "Not really interested in waiting that long, are you?"

"No," he whispers. She guides him into her, and the snap of his hips has her seeing stars. They move together in tandem, in rather graceless reachings, and imperfect presses of their lips. They're a little sloppy in their haste, but neither of them seems to mind. The pace he sets is quick, nearly punishing, and it's taking not a little bit of acrobatics to make the counter work for and not against them, but her orgasm catches her anyway, she clutches him tightly, unable to do much else beyond hanging on through the rush.

He kisses her as she comes down, gently, sweetly, and then abruptly pulls out of her. "What're you-" she protests as he pulls her from the counter and turns her around.

His hands roam freely up her stomach to cup her breasts as he kisses across her shoulder. "This alright?" he asks, pressing his cock against her ass.

It's rather more iniative than he usually shows, and she's finding it equal parts frustrating and hot. She's sure he knows it. Instead of answering, she grasps his cock, shifts so that he's angled right, and sinks back onto him. The move is met with a quiet mix of broken Antivan as one hand grips her hip and the other works her clit. The kitchen is filled with the sound of labored breathing and the quick slap of skin against skin.

Her second orgasm comes fast and hard, leaving her grasping for the counter and pulling at the hand still working between her thighs, the overstimulation nearly too much. He picks up the pace then, all but pinning her in place as he thrusts into her. He comes with his face pressed into her neck, her name caught against sweat-slick skin.

After, they don't move, his softening cock still inside her as his hands continue to roam in soft, unhurried caresses as she leans heavily against the counter. He kisses down her spine as she comes back to herself.

"Well, we certainly couldn't have done that in the Lighthouse's kitchen," she says.

He rests his chin against her shoulder. "And why is that?"

"We'd have gotten caught for sure," she says, figuring she's stating the obvious.

Lucanis lets out an unimpressed huff. "Speak for yourself. I was thinking of you often in the pantry…and no one ever caught me."

The joke from him is surprising, even if the blush that creeps across his cheeks is not. She begins to laugh, and he joins her. "How often are we talking?"

He groans, pressing a kiss to her neck. "I knew I shouldn't have said anything."

She tries to ease his face out from his hiding place to no avail, the angle too awkward with him still draped over the back of her. "If you don't give me a number, I'm just going to imagine that it was constant."

He laughs then too, playfully moving to cover her mouth. "Absolutely not."

"Unrelenting even," she manages around his hand, unable to stop grinning ear to ear.

"You're the worst," he replies, but he's still holding her, still pressing intermittent kisses to her skin as they stay wrapped in post-coital bliss.

She smiles. "Oh, I know."

***

Minrathous still smells the same, like rain and desperation and magic. More than a year on, the city is still recovering, but it hides it well. Lucanis really has to look to find pockets of blight still waiting to be cleared. And like all cities, Minrathous has a pulse, a rhythm that even the blight and destruction couldn't smother. He is constantly surprised at the resilience of a place, of the way life continues even against all odds.

They enter through the Minrathous eluvian and quickly disappear into the throngs of people. It's easy enough in a city like this to disappear, and easier still when Camina can glamour them. The magic is less effective in a city of mages, when those you encounter are just as likely to have charms of true sight as not, but it's an extra layer of security Lucanis appreciates as they make their way to Dock Town.

The inn Neve arranged for them is on the edge of Dock Town, so they don't see much of Neve's home streets before ducking inside and out of the persistent drizzle. The inn itself is unassuming, nothing particularly special, but he can tell it's a Shadow Dragon establishment immediately. The sign out front says no vacancies, but the eating area is empty. There's also a hidden door just behind the front desk; the wood beneath is worn on the corner. Even if Neve arranging it wasn't a giveaway, the clear fact that they're used to harboring people does.

The young woman at the counter looks up from the glasses she's cleaning. "Hello there. You've a reservation?"

"Yes, under Saravos," Lucanis says. Normally, he wouldn't bother with this much subterfuge; he rather likes it when his targets know he's coming, but they've been tracking this magister for the better part of the last six months. They don't want to risk spooking him, so he uses the name Neve gave him.

The young woman smiles in a way that tells him that she recognizes the pair of them anyway. "Of course, we've got the whole top floor booked for you and your wife, Master Saravos. Here are the keys. Please let me know if we can do anything for you."

Beside him, Camina snorts. It isn't until they're going upstairs that he asks her why. She looks over at him with a laugh. "Neve decided to marry us off."

He hadn't thought much of it, honestly. "So it would seem."

"Am I going to have to refer to you as my husband to really sell the bit?" Camina asks, leaning casually against the wall while he unlocks the door.

Husband. The way she says it, her eyes bright and a smile on her face feels almost obscene. Maker.

Spite perks up. "Married…to Rook?"

He ignores him. "Glamour or no, I'm pretty sure everyone downstairs knows who we are." He feels the glamour fade then, the magic sliding off of him, like oil on water.

"So, that's a no then?" she teases.

She's just trying to fluster him, and she gets a fair few victories there. "Unless you're asking," he replies, groping gracelessly for a teasing note. Instead, it comes out far too honest, far too earnest. Truthfully, it's not something he's spent much time thinking about, certainly never something they've talked about. But…they could, he realizes. And like so many things with her, the sparkling possibility hovers just there….and he is surprised by how much he wants to reach out and grasp it.

As expected, she answers with a joke. "A spring wedding it is then."

He laughs too and lets the joke drop. Spite doesn't, looking between the two of them in confusion. "Marrying Rook…in spring?"

"It's just a joke, Spite," he murmurs. Until they can have a proper conversation about it, preferably not in some inn in Minrathous.

"When are we meeting Neve?" Camina asks, hanging up her wet cloak.

"She's supposed to be meeting us here," Lucanis replies.

"How much gold do you want to bet she already knows we're here?" she asks lightly.

Lucanis does a quick circuit of the room, checking every cupboard, closet, nook and cranny. Spite helps, too, looking for traces of magic. "Sucker's bet."

"You're no fun," she replies, but her eyebrows are raised, the real question going on unasked, but just as clear.

"We're fine," he replies, satisfied with his inspection of the room.

"Were you really concerned?"

He shrugs, noting the familiar tread coming up the stairs. "You can't be too careful."

Camina looks unconvinced. "Well-"

She's interrupted by a knock at the door, and he crosses the room to answer it. Neve stands in the hallway looking the same as ever. However, her coat is new, fitted teal leather. Her dark hair is swept up underneath her black fascinator, and she hesitates at the threshold a moment, taking them both in. "Well, if it isn't two troublemakers come wandering into my city."

"It's good to see you," Lucanis says, stepping aside to let her in.

Camina is already bounding across the room, pulling Neve into a hug that she accepts a little stiffly. "If it isn't our favorite detective."

There's laughter then, the awkwardness of time apart fading in an instant."It's been a minute. How's the Necropolis treating you? All settled in?" Neve asks as they all wander over to the small sitting area of the room.

"Pretty sure Lucanis has befriended more of the neighbors than I even knew I had," Camina says.

Lucanis shrugs. "People are less likely to betray you when they like you. It's insurance." Also, surprising even himself, he genuinely likes the Necropolis. He's come to learn that it's not all deep, dark pits and skeletal constructs. The residential areas are just as full and lively as any other city, and his posession is more a matter of idle curiosity than fear. He followed Camina there happily, but skeptically that it'd be the right fit…and yet. Still, he could do with fewer visits from Vorgoth.

"He takes them baked goods," Camina says fondly as she sits down.

"It's the only way to get the best neighborhood gossip."

Neve smiles because he knows she understands. "I'm glad to hear that it's going so well."

He leans back in his chair. "So, about that lead I sent you."

Neve nods, pulling out her small notebook. "I've got some news on Felicia Erimond."

A known associate of Zara Renata, this contract isn't just about killing Venatori. It's personal. He suspects Neve knows that even if he hasn't told Camina yet. He never met Felicia himself, but he overheard Zara talking about her and another…the name that led them here: Crispin Kavlo.

"The Erimonds are a slippery bunch. Her brother, Livius, was pretty high up in the cult…connected with the mess with the Wardens and the Inquisition. The Inquisition took him into custody, but that's where the paper trail ends. Rumor is he was taken in by the Wardens, but he disappeared. No one's heard of him since. Felicia seems to be of the same ilk. Escaped Minrathous just before Elgar'nan showed up and has been jumping between the hospitality of friends since," Neve explains.

"There were letters from her in Magister Ordelian's office mentioning a friend in Minrathous," Lucanis explains. His most recent target in Vyrantium…he'd recognized Felicia's name immediately. And her letter mentioned she was due to visit Kavlo here.

"And you've found the friend," Camina says with a slight smile.

Neve nods. "With no small amount of work. False names under false names, but if we're lucky here, we'll get two Venatori with one stone."

"Good," Lucanis says.

"This is the address I've tracked them to," she slides a slip of paper across the table.

"You've got your people watching it?" he asks.

Neve shakes her head. "Not closely. Didn't want to risk spooking him. Threads are helpful, but not as good at blending as you. Figured you'd want to check it out for yourself."

"I should go now then. Just to scout it, confirm they're there," Lucanis says. Memorizing the address with a glance. It's in the upper city. Lots of places to hide. Easy.

Neve nods. "That's fine. Rook and I will find some trouble of our own."

Camina smiles at that. "Just like old times."

He presses a kiss to Camina's cheek and gives Neve a nod, and then disappears out the window and into the rain.

***

Neve walks Camina through Dock Town, taking a circuitous route to her apartment. It's strange to see Dock Town now, more than a year after it was attacked. In so many ways, Dock Town got off easy in the final battle; it was already blighted, already damaged. The guilt still lives inside of Camina, still weighs heavily on her heart. On a bad day, she thinks of everything she could have done differently, everything she might have changed, and Minrathous continues to be top of the list…not that she'd sacrifice Treviso…she just wishes she could have found a way to save both. Been faster or better or changed up the teams in some way. On better days, she reminds herself that she can't and couldn't save everyone, everywhere. And yet.

She suspects Neve knows all this, and that's why she walks her around, showing her the places and people she loves, the people who are still here after everything. Guilt and absolution in equal measure.

Camina knows that Neve's apartment is new, well, newer to her at least, since her original place was destroyed in the dragon attack. They don't talk about it as they walk up the steps and Neve unlocks the door. The place is about the same size as Camina's Necropolis flat, but laid out better, giving it the illusion of more space. It's the first time she's been here, and she notes that it is about as clean and organized as Neve's office back at the Lighthouse ever was.

As they walk inside, Neve picks up papers and clothing as they go, mumuring an apology for the mess. It's not really messy, more…lived in.

"You want some tea?" Neve asks as she enters the kitchen. "It won't be as fancy as anything Lucanis makes."

"I'd love some tea, thank you. Hard to make 'boil water, add teabag' very complicated."

"No one is arguing he doesn't make better coffee than I do, I just don't have time for the ritual of it all," Neve says, pressing a rune on an enchanted kettle and setting out two cups.

"Who does?"

Neve glances her way. "How are things…with the Crows and all that? We haven't really had the chance to talk since…well."

Treviso had been hard, harder than she'd thought it could be. She carries guilt around that, too, for not staying. She doesn't actively avoid news from Treviso, as connected to the Crossroads as she is, it would be impossible to do so anyway, but she doesn't look forward to it. There are the good things: adjustments to the structure of the Crows…House Dellamorte has expanded, and there are no more Talon-less houses. All Crow Houses now fall under a Talon who advocates for them, and it's meant somewhat less infighting. Then there are the bad things: like the Crows consolidating power and still keeping a stranglehold on the Crossroads. Antiva seemingly thrives, but she knows whose pockets most of the gold goes to.

Camina sinks down into the nearest chair. "It's certainly interesting. They're changing…hard to say who it benefits most, though. But I mostly cared that Caterina let Lucanis go. There's the official story, of course-"

"I heard. Really working hard on solving that possession problem?"

Camina laughs. "As far as anyone knows."

"I also heard that the Crows are making the King nervous," Neve says.

Camina nods. "Well, between the Crows and the merchant princes…he's becoming less relevant." Sometimes, she thinks she should be asking more questions…digging deeper to see if Caterina and Mariana are as good as their word. But she got what she wanted from them: Lucanis's freedom to decide his own fate.

"With Caterina still on top, I hear," Neve replies.

"As she wanted."

"How's Lucanis feel about that?"

"Honestly, he doesn't seem to worry about it much. They exchange regular letters, and he's seen her a few times…not in Treviso, but elsewhere. I don't think they really talk about it." If she had her way, Lucanis would have been done with Caterina entirely, but he loves her, so that means he'll never cut her out of his life completely. Camina has complicated feelings about it; she keeps them to herself.

"Really? What else would they talk about?"

Camina sighs. "You'd be surprised at the ability of that family to talk for an hour and say nothing at all. I sat through a couple of meals…it was certainly something."

"I might know a bit about that, actually," Neve says as she pours the boiling water from the kettle into their cups. "There's a reason I don't have contact with my family."

"Sounds complicated."

"Family usually is. Well, I didn't just bring you here to commiserate over family drama."

Camina laughs. "I figured."

Neve sets a mug in front of her and takes a seat at the table as well. She shifts a little uncomfortably. "I need to tell you something….I never stopped looking for Harding."

Neve might as well have thrown a bucket of ice over her. "What?"

"Taash asked me…and well, you know me…I do love a hopeless case," Neve says with a rueful smile.

"Have you found something?" she asks, afraid to hope too loudly. She's made peace with Lace being dead. It's been a year…and they never found the body…but she's seen Tearstone. It's not surprising.

Neve sighs. "I was hoping you could tell me."

"What does that mean?" Camina asks and wishes it sounded more generous. It's not that she wants Lace to be dead, but the idea that she might not be…that she might be somewhere out in the world and they simply haven't tried hard enough to find her fills her with a near-paralyzing amount of guilt.

"Harding wasn't the only dwarf that got Titan powers."

This is news to her. "Seriously?"

Neve nods. "Orzammar tried to keep it quiet, but I learned that from an Inquisition contact. Then I remembered how Shaper Valta was able to talk to Harding through whatever connection they shared…so I've been trying to hunt down a dwarf who might be willing to talk to me…Anyone in Orzammar was out…but we have friends in Kal-Sharok and across the rest of Thedas…"

"And you found someone."

Neve nods, pulling a letter out of her pocket. "Got this a few days ago…courtesy of 'Friends of Red Jenny'."

Camina has heard of the Jennies. Varric had plenty of stories about an old Inquisition friend who knew how to stir up lots of chaos. "Varric claimed to know a Red Jenny."

"Rumor is the Inquisitor has ties to them," Neve replies.

Who doesn't the Inquisitor have ties to, though? Camina opens the letter.

Oi — Heard you’re poking your nose into dwarves throwing magic about. Got a pal you might wanna meet — all very hush-hush, good fun. Come have a chinwag. Blade and Stars in Jader. Tell the barkeep you’re here for an old mate from Denerim — you’ll get where you’re meant to be. We’ll find you. Or we won’t. Depends how you behave. — Friends of Red Jenny (Hi!)

"It just arrived? Out of nowhere?" Camina asks.

Neve shrugs. "I might have mentioned my search to Dorian. Turn over every rock, you know?"

"And you think this is linked to Lace?"

Neve's smile is tight. "It's a lead, isn't it? Will you come with me? You've been to Jader, right?"

Camina nods. "Just the once, but yeah, let's take out some Venatori…then…to Jader. Should we tell Taash?"

"Not yet. Not until we have something…this might not be anything. They've only just stopped asking me about her. I'd hate to get their hopes up for nothing."

Camina feels the same way…still, it feels bad not to bring them in on it. But Neve is right, they've only just seemed to be doing okay. She'd hate to drag them along for a flimsy lead that might not lead them anywhere at all.

"Yeah, okay."

[slothquisitor]

On Matters of Inertia: Chapter Nineteen

Part Three: It Was Not Death, For I Stood Up

Summary: Eight months after Treviso, Lucanis and Camina are settling into life when a contract takes them back to familiar friends. Smut in the first section, if that's not your cup of tea, I support you. Just dip once things get spicy and pick up after the section break <3

Also on AO3.

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Eight Months Later….

The Necropolis is lively this evening. Camina has a small host of wisps bobbing along in her wake, several that have followed her all the way from the Palace of Bones. A new section opened up a few weeks back, and she's been busy every day identifying the venerable dead and helping her fellow Watchers date the many unmarked graves. It's warm for Kingsway, and Camina's coat is draped over her arm as she walks the winding cobblestone streets. She forgets sometimes the verticality of this place. It's odd to believe that she's at what may constitute as street level, only the pass over a bridge and be reminded that this is a city built level by level, that the streets run over each other, interlocking and winding on the edge of Necropolis itself.

She's…home. It's a complicated feeling most days, but there's a rightness to it. She's always felt its call, but this time, it felt like a choice to answer. And she's not just reanimating the bones of her old life, but building something entirely new too. Because she's not just home, she's still working with Strife when he has need of her and offering her services to the Veil Jumpers.

It's been two months since they left the Lighthouse behind for good, turning over stewardship to Bellara. They've visited once or twice, but it's not theirs anymore. The rooms have even changed, shifted around to accommodate Bellara's team of Veil Jumpers. Their last team dinner hadn't even been at the Lighthouse. Emmrich and Willow had instead hosted at their townhouse, their whole team piling into the much smaller kitchen. Still, it had felt just the same as all those dinners at the Lighthouse, reminding her that the place wasn't the important bit, but the people.

Camina arrives to her apartment, unlocking both the traditional lock and the magical ward Lucanis had insisted on. She had felt rather insecure introducing him to her tiny apartment after having spent time in the enormous villa he'd grown up in, but he seems to really like it anyway. And the kitchen is getting more use these last two months than it's seen in all the years she's called this place home.

When she walks in, she's unsurprised to find Lucanis barefoot in their kitchen, but she is surprised to see him in Nevarra at all. "I wasn't expecting you home for two more days," she says with a smile. She drops her coat and her bag by the door and closes the short distance into the kitchen. Maker, seeing him comfortable in her space makes her want him out of his clothes immediately.

He grins, setting down the knife he was using to chop vegetables and pulling her into his arms. "It was a quicker contract than expected, and it's led to another."

"Oh?"

"I got a lead for a certain detective on a high-ranking Venatori we've been trying to track since she disappeared right before Elgar'nan showed up in Minrathous."

"So you're leaving again?" she asks, trying not to sound too disappointed.

"The job's in Minrathous. I thought maybe you might want to come too," he says, pressing a kiss to her cheek.

"Rook! Come with us!" Spite says, Lucanis's eyes flashing purple as he gently nuzzles in, letting her know he is also glad to see her. He's gone just as quickly, but it still makes her laugh.

"I should be able to sneak away for a few days," she says, pulling Lucanis in for a proper kiss. His lips are soft, and he tastes like coffee. One of his hands skates down her waist, hand splayed wide, and she winds her arms around his neck. It is all too easy to get lost in him, in the perfect way they slot together. He can't have been home long; his hair is still a little damp from cleaning up, and he smells like her favorite citrus soap.

"I am trying to cook you dinner," he says breathlessly, pulling away only to kiss across her jaw.

"And if I tell you I'm not hungry?" she asks, tilting her head to give him better access.

His grip tightens on her and he picks her up only to deposit her on top of the counter, stepping between her legs. She's taller than him now, and she loves the way the reversal lights up his face, the way he glances up at her with a smile pulling at his lips and crinkling his eyes. Peace and quiet look good on him, with the occasional assassination contract thrown in for excitement. He's spent the last two months settling into the Necropolis with surprising gusto, befriending all their neighbors with homemade goodies, following her into spooky crypts, and gleefully stocking her formerly sparse kitchen.

His fingers trace the line of her jaw, tangle in her hair. "Then I'd say it can probably wait."

And then he presses his lips to hers.

No matter how much time they spend apart, Lucanis continues to be unhurried in this. He likes to take his time, likes to savor every moment, every press of lips, every caress. He's also unfortunately adept at teasing her, seems to delight in her impatience. It's become a game of sorts, how far can they push each other before one of them breaks. It's almost always her.

His fingers are at her waist, toying with where her blouse is tucked into her trousers. She's expecting it, but still gasps when his fingers find skin, as his hand snakes up her back. She keeps her legs locked at his waist, keeping them pressed together. He's dressed casually for him, which still means too many damn layers, but here in the Necropolis he's shed some of the more obvious Crow trappings. She's already managed to ease his vest off of him and has unbuttoned most of his shirt, giving her unfettered access to the expanse of his chest. She runs her hands across his skin, fingers catching in the coarse hair and gently mapping the multitude of scars that pepper his skin. He shivers at the touch, hips stuttering forward.

"I missed you," he murmurs against her lips.

Her fingers tangle in the hair at the nape of his neck, he's trimmed it a bit in the last few months, it's no longer quite so piece-y, but he keeps it long. She suspects it has something to do with how much he loves when she runs her hands through it. But she pulls a little, angling his face up towards hers. His gaze is half-lidded, a soft smile on his lips.

"Is that why I came home to you cooking?"

He laughs. "You and I both know you didn't eat properly while I was gone."

He's not wrong. She tends to forget about regular meals without his insistence, and then just eats whatever is easy and accessible. She shrugs. "I was busy besides-"

He puts a finger against her lips. "If you make a terrible joke right now, I'm going to walk away."

She rolls her hips teasingly against his hardening erection, watching his breath hitch. "Liar."

He grins as he captures her face in his hands. "You think very highly of yourself."

"Says the man who has told me on more than one occasion to appreciate the view," she says as she nips his bottom lip.

"Mierda," he mutters as he kisses her, but he's smiling. His fingers are quick, working loose the buttons of her blouse and quickly finding skin, reverently running his hands up her side, her shoulders, before finally palming her breasts. She finds herself leaning into the devastatingly familiar touch, is unsuprised at his answering groan as he breaks away from her mouth to kiss down the column of her throat. The biting kisses leave her scrambling for purchase against the broad expanse of his shoulders, and there is a gentleness to the way he presses his tongue against her skin in the wake of each bright flash of pleasure pain.

Lucanis is still more gentle with her than he needs to be, but there's a firmness, a confidence in the way he holds her now. As if he might finally believe that she's here to stay, that neither one of them is going anywhere. That the happiness they've found will, in fact, last.

They've both still got too many clothes on for her taste. She reaches between them, working at his belt and pants. He huffs a laugh as her fingers brush his erection, his hips eagerly seeking more friction. "You're always in such a hurry," he says, but there's unmistakable fondness interlaced with the words as he works at her trousers.

"I did miss you, too, you know." She lifts her hips to help him, gasping at the coolness of the counter against her bare ass.

He cocks an eyebrow at her. "Do we need to move somewhere more comfortable?"

Camina pulls him back in closer, the press of their bodies near perfect, his cock brushing her stomach. "Not really interested in waiting that long, are you?"

"No," he whispers. She guides him into her, and the snap of his hips has her seeing stars. They move together in tandem, in rather graceless reachings, and imperfect presses of their lips. They're a little sloppy in their haste, but neither of them seems to mind. The pace he sets is quick, nearly punishing, and it's taking not a little bit of acrobatics to make the counter work for and not against them, but her orgasm catches her anyway, she clutches him tightly, unable to do much else beyond hanging on through the rush.

He kisses her as she comes down, gently, sweetly, and then abruptly pulls out of her. "What're you-" she protests as he pulls her from the counter and turns her around.

His hands roam freely up her stomach to cup her breasts as he kisses across her shoulder. "This alright?" he asks, pressing his cock against her ass.

It's rather more iniative than he usually shows, and she's finding it equal parts frustrating and hot. She's sure he knows it. Instead of answering, she grasps his cock, shifts so that he's angled right, and sinks back onto him. The move is met with a quiet mix of broken Antivan as one hand grips her hip and the other works her clit. The kitchen is filled with the sound of labored breathing and the quick slap of skin against skin.

Her second orgasm comes fast and hard, leaving her grasping for the counter and pulling at the hand still working between her thighs, the overstimulation nearly too much. He picks up the pace then, all but pinning her in place as he thrusts into her. He comes with his face pressed into her neck, her name caught against sweat-slick skin.

After, they don't move, his softening cock still inside her as his hands continue to roam in soft, unhurried caresses as she leans heavily against the counter. He kisses down her spine as she comes back to herself.

"Well, we certainly couldn't have done that in the Lighthouse's kitchen," she says.

He rests his chin against her shoulder. "And why is that?"

"We'd have gotten caught for sure," she says, figuring she's stating the obvious.

Lucanis lets out an unimpressed huff. "Speak for yourself. I was thinking of you often in the pantry…and no one ever caught me."

The joke from him is surprising, even if the blush that creeps across his cheeks is not. She begins to laugh, and he joins her. "How often are we talking?"

He groans, pressing a kiss to her neck. "I knew I shouldn't have said anything."

She tries to ease his face out from his hiding place to no avail, the angle too awkward with him still draped over the back of her. "If you don't give me a number, I'm just going to imagine that it was constant."

He laughs then too, playfully moving to cover her mouth. "Absolutely not."

"Unrelenting even," she manages around his hand, unable to stop grinning ear to ear.

"You're the worst," he replies, but he's still holding her, still pressing intermittent kisses to her skin as they stay wrapped in post-coital bliss.

She smiles. "Oh, I know."

***

Minrathous still smells the same, like rain and desperation and magic. More than a year on, the city is still recovering, but it hides it well. Lucanis really has to look to find pockets of blight still waiting to be cleared. And like all cities, Minrathous has a pulse, a rhythm that even the blight and destruction couldn't smother. He is constantly surprised at the resilience of a place, of the way life continues even against all odds.

They enter through the Minrathous eluvian and quickly disappear into the throngs of people. It's easy enough in a city like this to disappear, and easier still when Camina can glamour them. The magic is less effective in a city of mages, when those you encounter are just as likely to have charms of true sight as not, but it's an extra layer of security Lucanis appreciates as they make their way to Dock Town.

The inn Neve arranged for them is on the edge of Dock Town, so they don't see much of Neve's home streets before ducking inside and out of the persistent drizzle. The inn itself is unassuming, nothing particularly special, but he can tell it's a Shadow Dragon establishment immediately. The sign out front says no vacancies, but the eating area is empty. There's also a hidden door just behind the front desk; the wood beneath is worn on the corner. Even if Neve arranging it wasn't a giveaway, the clear fact that they're used to harboring people does.

The young woman at the counter looks up from the glasses she's cleaning. "Hello there. You've a reservation?"

"Yes, under Saravos," Lucanis says. Normally, he wouldn't bother with this much subterfuge; he rather likes it when his targets know he's coming, but they've been tracking this magister for the better part of the last six months. They don't want to risk spooking him, so he uses the name Neve gave him.

The young woman smiles in a way that tells him that she recognizes the pair of them anyway. "Of course, we've got the whole top floor booked for you and your wife, Master Saravos. Here are the keys. Please let me know if we can do anything for you."

Beside him, Camina snorts. It isn't until they're going upstairs that he asks her why. She looks over at him with a laugh. "Neve decided to marry us off."

He hadn't thought much of it, honestly. "So it would seem."

"Am I going to have to refer to you as my husband to really sell the bit?" Camina asks, leaning casually against the wall while he unlocks the door.

Husband. The way she says it, her eyes bright and a smile on her face feels almost obscene. Maker.

Spite perks up. "Married…to Rook?"

He ignores him. "Glamour or no, I'm pretty sure everyone downstairs knows who we are." He feels the glamour fade then, the magic sliding off of him, like oil on water.

"So, that's a no then?" she teases.

She's just trying to fluster him, and she gets a fair few victories there. "Unless you're asking," he replies, groping gracelessly for a teasing note. Instead, it comes out far too honest, far too earnest. Truthfully, it's not something he's spent much time thinking about, certainly never something they've talked about. But…they could, he realizes. And like so many things with her, the sparkling possibility hovers just there….and he is surprised by how much he wants to reach out and grasp it.

As expected, she answers with a joke. "A spring wedding it is then."

He laughs too and lets the joke drop. Spite doesn't, looking between the two of them in confusion. "Marrying Rook…in spring?"

"It's just a joke, Spite," he murmurs. Until they can have a proper conversation about it, preferably not in some inn in Minrathous.

"When are we meeting Neve?" Camina asks, hanging up her wet cloak.

"She's supposed to be meeting us here," Lucanis replies.

"How much gold do you want to bet she already knows we're here?" she asks lightly.

Lucanis does a quick circuit of the room, checking every cupboard, closet, nook and cranny. Spite helps, too, looking for traces of magic. "Sucker's bet."

"You're no fun," she replies, but her eyebrows are raised, the real question going on unasked, but just as clear.

"We're fine," he replies, satisfied with his inspection of the room.

"Were you really concerned?"

He shrugs, noting the familiar tread coming up the stairs. "You can't be too careful."

Camina looks unconvinced. "Well-"

She's interrupted by a knock at the door, and he crosses the room to answer it. Neve stands in the hallway looking the same as ever. However, her coat is new, fitted teal leather. Her dark hair is swept up underneath her black fascinator, and she hesitates at the threshold a moment, taking them both in. "Well, if it isn't two troublemakers come wandering into my city."

"It's good to see you," Lucanis says, stepping aside to let her in.

Camina is already bounding across the room, pulling Neve into a hug that she accepts a little stiffly. "If it isn't our favorite detective."

There's laughter then, the awkwardness of time apart fading in an instant."It's been a minute. How's the Necropolis treating you? All settled in?" Neve asks as they all wander over to the small sitting area of the room.

"Pretty sure Lucanis has befriended more of the neighbors than I even knew I had," Camina says.

Lucanis shrugs. "People are less likely to betray you when they like you. It's insurance." Also, surprising even himself, he genuinely likes the Necropolis. He's come to learn that it's not all deep, dark pits and skeletal constructs. The residential areas are just as full and lively as any other city, and his posession is more a matter of idle curiosity than fear. He followed Camina there happily, but skeptically that it'd be the right fit…and yet. Still, he could do with fewer visits from Vorgoth.

"He takes them baked goods," Camina says fondly as she sits down.

"It's the only way to get the best neighborhood gossip."

Neve smiles because he knows she understands. "I'm glad to hear that it's going so well."

He leans back in his chair. "So, about that lead I sent you."

Neve nods, pulling out her small notebook. "I've got some news on Felicia Erimond."

A known associate of Zara Renata, this contract isn't just about killing Venatori. It's personal. He suspects Neve knows that even if he hasn't told Camina yet. He never met Felicia himself, but he overheard Zara talking about her and another…the name that led them here: Crispin Kavlo.

"The Erimonds are a slippery bunch. Her brother, Livius, was pretty high up in the cult…connected with the mess with the Wardens and the Inquisition. The Inquisition took him into custody, but that's where the paper trail ends. Rumor is he was taken in by the Wardens, but he disappeared. No one's heard of him since. Felicia seems to be of the same ilk. Escaped Minrathous just before Elgar'nan showed up and has been jumping between the hospitality of friends since," Neve explains.

"There were letters from her in Magister Ordelian's office mentioning a friend in Minrathous," Lucanis explains. His most recent target in Vyrantium…he'd recognized Felicia's name immediately. And her letter mentioned she was due to visit Kavlo here.

"And you've found the friend," Camina says with a slight smile.

Neve nods. "With no small amount of work. False names under false names, but if we're lucky here, we'll get two Venatori with one stone."

"Good," Lucanis says.

"This is the address I've tracked them to," she slides a slip of paper across the table.

"You've got your people watching it?" he asks.

Neve shakes her head. "Not closely. Didn't want to risk spooking him. Threads are helpful, but not as good at blending as you. Figured you'd want to check it out for yourself."

"I should go now then. Just to scout it, confirm they're there," Lucanis says. Memorizing the address with a glance. It's in the upper city. Lots of places to hide. Easy.

Neve nods. "That's fine. Rook and I will find some trouble of our own."

Camina smiles at that. "Just like old times."

He presses a kiss to Camina's cheek and gives Neve a nod, and then disappears out the window and into the rain.

***

Neve walks Camina through Dock Town, taking a circuitous route to her apartment. It's strange to see Dock Town now, more than a year after it was attacked. In so many ways, Dock Town got off easy in the final battle; it was already blighted, already damaged. The guilt still lives inside of Camina, still weighs heavily on her heart. On a bad day, she thinks of everything she could have done differently, everything she might have changed, and Minrathous continues to be top of the list…not that she'd sacrifice Treviso…she just wishes she could have found a way to save both. Been faster or better or changed up the teams in some way. On better days, she reminds herself that she can't and couldn't save everyone, everywhere. And yet.

She suspects Neve knows all this, and that's why she walks her around, showing her the places and people she loves, the people who are still here after everything. Guilt and absolution in equal measure.

Camina knows that Neve's apartment is new, well, newer to her at least, since her original place was destroyed in the dragon attack. They don't talk about it as they walk up the steps and Neve unlocks the door. The place is about the same size as Camina's Necropolis flat, but laid out better, giving it the illusion of more space. It's the first time she's been here, and she notes that it is about as clean and organized as Neve's office back at the Lighthouse ever was.

As they walk inside, Neve picks up papers and clothing as they go, mumuring an apology for the mess. It's not really messy, more…lived in.

"You want some tea?" Neve asks as she enters the kitchen. "It won't be as fancy as anything Lucanis makes."

"I'd love some tea, thank you. Hard to make 'boil water, add teabag' very complicated."

"No one is arguing he doesn't make better coffee than I do, I just don't have time for the ritual of it all," Neve says, pressing a rune on an enchanted kettle and setting out two cups.

"Who does?"

Neve glances her way. "How are things…with the Crows and all that? We haven't really had the chance to talk since…well."

Treviso had been hard, harder than she'd thought it could be. She carries guilt around that, too, for not staying. She doesn't actively avoid news from Treviso, as connected to the Crossroads as she is, it would be impossible to do so anyway, but she doesn't look forward to it. There are the good things: adjustments to the structure of the Crows…House Dellamorte has expanded, and there are no more Talon-less houses. All Crow Houses now fall under a Talon who advocates for them, and it's meant somewhat less infighting. Then there are the bad things: like the Crows consolidating power and still keeping a stranglehold on the Crossroads. Antiva seemingly thrives, but she knows whose pockets most of the gold goes to.

Camina sinks down into the nearest chair. "It's certainly interesting. They're changing…hard to say who it benefits most, though. But I mostly cared that Caterina let Lucanis go. There's the official story, of course-"

"I heard. Really working hard on solving that possession problem?"

Camina laughs. "As far as anyone knows."

"I also heard that the Crows are making the King nervous," Neve says.

Camina nods. "Well, between the Crows and the merchant princes…he's becoming less relevant." Sometimes, she thinks she should be asking more questions…digging deeper to see if Caterina and Mariana are as good as their word. But she got what she wanted from them: Lucanis's freedom to decide his own fate.

"With Caterina still on top, I hear," Neve replies.

"As she wanted."

"How's Lucanis feel about that?"

"Honestly, he doesn't seem to worry about it much. They exchange regular letters, and he's seen her a few times…not in Treviso, but elsewhere. I don't think they really talk about it." If she had her way, Lucanis would have been done with Caterina entirely, but he loves her, so that means he'll never cut her out of his life completely. Camina has complicated feelings about it; she keeps them to herself.

"Really? What else would they talk about?"

Camina sighs. "You'd be surprised at the ability of that family to talk for an hour and say nothing at all. I sat through a couple of meals…it was certainly something."

"I might know a bit about that, actually," Neve says as she pours the boiling water from the kettle into their cups. "There's a reason I don't have contact with my family."

"Sounds complicated."

"Family usually is. Well, I didn't just bring you here to commiserate over family drama."

Camina laughs. "I figured."

Neve sets a mug in front of her and takes a seat at the table as well. She shifts a little uncomfortably. "I need to tell you something….I never stopped looking for Harding."

Neve might as well have thrown a bucket of ice over her. "What?"

"Taash asked me…and well, you know me…I do love a hopeless case," Neve says with a rueful smile.

"Have you found something?" she asks, afraid to hope too loudly. She's made peace with Lace being dead. It's been a year…and they never found the body…but she's seen Tearstone. It's not surprising.

Neve sighs. "I was hoping you could tell me."

"What does that mean?" Camina asks and wishes it sounded more generous. It's not that she wants Lace to be dead, but the idea that she might not be…that she might be somewhere out in the world and they simply haven't tried hard enough to find her fills her with a near-paralyzing amount of guilt.

"Harding wasn't the only dwarf that got Titan powers."

This is news to her. "Seriously?"

Neve nods. "Orzammar tried to keep it quiet, but I learned that from an Inquisition contact. Then I remembered how Shaper Valta was able to talk to Harding through whatever connection they shared…so I've been trying to hunt down a dwarf who might be willing to talk to me…Anyone in Orzammar was out…but we have friends in Kal-Sharok and across the rest of Thedas…"

"And you found someone."

Neve nods, pulling a letter out of her pocket. "Got this a few days ago…courtesy of 'Friends of Red Jenny'."

Camina has heard of the Jennies. Varric had plenty of stories about an old Inquisition friend who knew how to stir up lots of chaos. "Varric claimed to know a Red Jenny."

"Rumor is the Inquisitor has ties to them," Neve replies.

Who doesn't the Inquisitor have ties to, though? Camina opens the letter.

Oi — Heard you’re poking your nose into dwarves throwing magic about. Got a pal you might wanna meet — all very hush-hush, good fun. Come have a chinwag. Blade and Stars in Jader. Tell the barkeep you’re here for an old mate from Denerim — you’ll get where you’re meant to be. We’ll find you. Or we won’t. Depends how you behave. — Friends of Red Jenny (Hi!)

"It just arrived? Out of nowhere?" Camina asks.

Neve shrugs. "I might have mentioned my search to Dorian. Turn over every rock, you know?"

"And you think this is linked to Lace?"

Neve's smile is tight. "It's a lead, isn't it? Will you come with me? You've been to Jader, right?"

Camina nods. "Just the once, but yeah, let's take out some Venatori…then…to Jader. Should we tell Taash?"

"Not yet. Not until we have something…this might not be anything. They've only just stopped asking me about her. I'd hate to get their hopes up for nothing."

Camina feels the same way…still, it feels bad not to bring them in on it. But Neve is right, they've only just seemed to be doing okay. She'd hate to drag them along for a flimsy lead that might not lead them anywhere at all.

"Yeah, okay."

[slothquisitor]

Between our groomer having a baby and me being out of town, the summer shave is so overdue, but BAT MODE ACTIVATED (finally, lmao).

[slothquisitor]

How do Crows kiss? Tenderly, passionately, affectionately 🔥

[slothquisitor]

You’re so welcome!!!! Honestly, this is why I wanted to learn art at all, really. Just to like…make people happy with it. Kind of the best to just roll up to your dms with art and surprise you (very anxiously lmao). Also, I’m dying at homiehubby in homicide! You deserve only nice things, my friend!

I love and adore @qaanngi and her Crow daughter, Amri de Riva. So naturally, I had to draw some cuteness with Lucanis. Amri is probably suggesting murder, and we love that for her.

[slothquisitor]

I love and adore @qaanngi and her Crow daughter, Amri de Riva. So naturally, I had to draw some cuteness with Lucanis. Amri is probably suggesting murder, and we love that for her.

[slothquisitor]

"Everything will be alright. I've got you, don't I?"

lena-oleanderson // sea meets earth by fever fever // calling a wolf a wolf by kaveh akbar // portrait of a lady by t.s. eliot // x // great expectations by charles dickens // writing prompts for the broken-hearted by eden robinson // saying something by carol ann duffy // moodylilac // my love mine all mine by mitski // screenshots from dragon age: the veilguard