Cuddling afterward had always been one of Hawke's favorite pastimes. Which was why he reciprocated the gentle touches, the sweet kisses, the tender nuzzles. Although now that hot blood had cooled somewhat, it was becoming a touch chilly in the small apartment. Although Hawke did generate plenty of warmth, standing in the kitchen bare-assed was hardly conducive to maximum comfort.
"Glad I am of it," he told his sweet lover with a kiss, then laughed lightly at Bucky's confession. "Definitely a good idea," he agreed, then added with a twinkle, "particularly if my visits are to become a regular occurrence." And Maker, how he hoped that they would.
But it only took moments to wrap up in a blanket and relocate to the couch, Alpine rather haughtily climbing up a blanket-covered leg and settling into Bucky's lap with a prissy little mew, making Hawke laugh as the three of them settled together comfortably.
"Such a princess," he teased, reaching over to rub her tiny head with gentle fingers. And lean over to press a kiss to Bucky's temple, his cheek, then the corner of his mouth. "She and I are both fortunate indeed to have you in our lives, my dear heart."
"I'd like that. I'd like it a lot." If Rowen's visits were to be a regular occurrence. Maybe it'll get him to fill this place with more creature comforts. It's been hard for him to do so, but with Rowen here, it's different. Maybe he'll finally settle in.
Moving to the couch feels a lot better, wrapping up in a blanket and Rowen, not minding it all that it's a tight fit. At least they can cuddle. Of course Alpine wants to join them then, and it makes Bucky smile too, reaching out to pet her as well, before turning into Rowen's kisses. Damn... this feels good.
"I feel every bit of that with you too. I'm so glad I went out that night instead of just locking myself away here in this place." It could've gone any other way, but damn, he was lucky. "Same with tonight."
"As am I," Hawke murmured with another tender nuzzle. "And to think, I actually thought I offended you with my nosy questions that night." He had to chuckle, warm fingertips gently tracing the pattern of muscle along Bucky's shoulders. Both of them, not at all put off by the cool of metal rather than the heat of skin.
"But I admit I was lonely, and bored, and was honestly just seeking someone to talk with." He'd been miserable, actually. Missing Ferelden and Kirkwall, Varric and Fenris, and Carver. All of those he held dear, and everything that was beloved and familiar.
"It's been...difficult," he admitted, unconsciously settling a little closer. "I've never really been alone, totally alone. And the quiet, well...it takes some getting used to." Then Hawke gave a small wry snort. "And I found I had little taste for it."
"I've just got that kinda face," he laughs softly, nuzzling back, enjoying the way Rowen is touching him.
"You were interesting to talk to. Piqued my interest right away, actually." Even if he got a little defensive at first- there was something there that had prompted him to want to go for drinks. Not very like him lately, but he's glad he did.
Rowen seems like such an outgoing, friendly person- he can understand how difficult loneliness would be. "I get it. Being in such a different, unfamiliar place, all alone- it can be a lot. You don't have to be alone anymore. I know-- it's not the same, though. I know you miss them."
"You really do," Hawke agreed, running a fingertip down the bridge of Bucky's nose before tracing his lips with the pad of a thumb. "So gorgeously handsome." Blue eyes twinkled merrily. "It was all I could do to keep my hands off of you that first night." And even then it'd been a close thing, considering the kiss they'd shared at the end of it.
Bless Lady Alpine. Hawke gave her another series of gentle pets, grinning.
"To be honest, I wasn't even halfway sure where the Eluvian would send me. There aren't any road maps for those magic pathways, or not any that anyone knows about, rather." He sighed softly, resting his head against Bucky's, relishing the close tactile contact.
"Varric really did fuss about coming with me," he said quietly. "And I wished he could have. But I had no idea where I'd be, and I couldn't risk his safety. Now, having been here for a while, I'm glad I insisted he stay. He's safe back home, and I know he'll keep an eye on the others, too." Hawke nuzzled Bucky's temple, just breathing him in.
"That's definitely not what I meant, but thank you," he smiles, leaning into Rowen's touch. It's still incredible to think that he was wanted, even that night, despite all his trepidations. And man, did he want Rowen too. That kiss lit him up inside. He knew then and there that he was completely taken by this man.
Bless Lady Alpine indeed.
Bucky raises his eyebrows. "You didn't know where you'd end up? How'd you find Earth?" He figures there must've been some scans for similar atmospheres and things like that, but he knows there are a lot more places out there where people can survive.
He's quiet for a moment, letting his fingers slide over Rowen's chest before he asks. "Were the two of you together?"
Hawke shook his head. "Not a clue. Perhaps Andraste or the Maker was guiding my steps, or perhaps it was just dumb luck. Either way, I'm grateful." For so many things, especially that he wasn't still stuck in the Crossroads, trapped between realms without a prayer or even the slightest hope of escape.
Basking in the touch, Hawke closed his eyes as Bucky's fingers roamed, then blinked them back open at the question. "Varric and I?" He shook his head with a rue chuckle. "Not at all. We were best friends, there wasn't an ounce of attraction between us. Chemistry, perhaps," he admitted, reaching up to thread his fingers through Bucky's short tousled hair, "but never any physical attraction."
A moment later, he added, "Which is a shame, because Varric is quite the handsome dwarf. Most dwarves have luxuriously long beards, you see, and they consider all that facial hair their pride and joy. But Varric, Maker bless him, never once sprouted even a single hair on his chin, but his chest..." He spread fingers across Bucky's chest, intimating, and laughing lightly.
"His chest is quite broad - dwarves are solid and stocky - and it's covered in a thick, soft pelt of golden hair. He even wears his tunics half open just to show it off." Hawke laughed again. "It's quite the talk, actually. Everyone that's met him is just fascinated by the chest hair." He grinned, a fond twinkle gleaming in his eye. A moment later, he offered, "I can...show him to you, if you'd like?"
"I'm grateful too. Jesus christ, that's a lot of luck." And relief. No wonder Rowen's friends didn't want him to come alone. He hopes they at least have some way of knowing that he made it and that he's alright.
Bucky nods slowly, giving Rowen a small smile. He figures the other was with someone back home. He must've been. He's such a genuinely good guy, with a big heart. Anyone would be foolish not to snatch that up. The rest of the explanation has Bucky laughing as well, a full on visual of the dwarf in question forming in his head.
"Quite the talk, hm? Well now I have to see him. Yeah, I'd like to." Anything to see more of Rowen's life would be nice. He talks about them all the time. He wonders if he should tell Rowen about Steve. He realizes he's never talked about any of his people before.
"Oh, Varric's chest is famous all over Thedas, I'm sure." Hawke chuckled again, warmed all over when Bucky agreed to his offer. Even if it made him pause, just the slightest. He shifted so that they were face to face, and, after leaning in for a sweet, slow kiss, pulled back and regarded his lover seriously, gaze searching his.
"I can share my memories with you," he explained. "A few, at the first. It will require a meeting of the minds, as the scholars say, and yes, it is magic." Gentle fingers stroked Bucky's cheek and the length of his neck. "For you to actually see what I'm sharing, Bucky...your mind must be...open to mine." Blue searched blue. "Do you understand what that means?"
Before Bucky could answer, Hawke added quickly, "I promise I won't look deeper, I won't look at all, but sharing memories in such a way is profoundly...intimate. Even more so than our lovemaking moments ago. And you should know that, and make the choice yea or nay." He offered a smile. "If the answer's 'nay', I understand, promise I do."
He returns the kiss, then watches as Rowen gets serious, and it makes him a little nervous, but then he sees why. He can feel the hairs raising on the back of his neck. It's not the magic part that gets him, not at all. It's the melding of minds. The fact that his mind must be open.
He trusts Rowen, he really does, but he can already feel the way his heart starts beating hard, and as much as he didn't sweat before, he definitely is now. It's anxiety, PTSD, and as much as he wants to try and push it away, he can't seem to.
Still, he looks apologetic as he shakes his head. "I can't." He closes his eyes, dragging his hand over his face. "It's not you, it's me. I can't. I can't let anyone else in my head."
Hawke shook his head, taking Bucky's face in both warm hands. "It's all right, darling, I understand, really I do." There was no censure or judgment in Hawke's voice, and he gathered Bucky into strong arms, a protective shelter from all that haunted him. Oh, would that he could take a few of those demons away...
But he understood, he really and truly did. Fenris had battled his own ghosts in much the same way, and it had taken years for the elf to trust the mage enough to let Hawke in. And Hawke was patient; he wasn't one to just lose interest and flit to the next one in line.
Lips at Bucky's temple, Hawke murmured, "I'll just have to paint you a portrait with words, instead." A soft smile followed. "How's that?"
There's only softness in Rowen's eyes, and Bucky truly does wish he could be okay with this. He doesn't even think he could try. It would just end in disaster, and he doesn't want that.
He tries to even out his breathing, slow his heart, focus on the here and now. Warm hands, warmer eyes looking back at him. Soft lips against his temple, the solid couch under him. "Yeah... that would be... it would be better."
So he did, speaking low and soothingly as he held his broken soldier in a firm, solid embrace. He told Bucky of life back in Ferelden, growing up the eldest brother on a backwater farm in a very small village right in the middle of the country. Of how his mother and father had managed to elope together, despite the impossibility of their relationship back in Kirkwall.
He spoke of the Chantry, where Bethany could always be found hidden away in the library there, and the Templars, how he and Carver had enjoyed taunting the new recruits with glimpses of magic and then outmaneuvering them before they even realized they'd been pranked.
"It was a good place to grow up," he murmured with a low chuckle. "After Father...vanished, I was more or less obliged to take up the mantle of 'man of the house' and step into his shoes. Very large shoes, as I recall."
Bucky relaxes back into Rowen's arms as he starts talking, watching him as he listens to the stories of Ferelden, and how the other man grew up. It sounds so vivid and lively. It sounds good. He relaxes enough to smile, laugh at the antics Rowen and his sister and his friends got up to. He can picture it all, because Rowen really is such a good storyteller. Steve would've liked him.
"Sounds like a real good place." Bucky leans in to kiss Rowen's temple, then pulls back to look at him again. "How old were you when he vanished?" He can understand that. His father died when he was at a young age as well. Bucky was the man of the house.
"Seventeen," was the quiet answer. "Bethany and Carver were thirteen. Mother was devastated," Hawke recalled, drifting back into memory though his hold on Bucky never loosened. "But we managed. At least until the war arrived."
A darker time, one which uprooted his entire family from their home and sent them hurtling into chaos. A chaos which lasted for an entire bloody decade.
"Darkspawn erupted from the Deep Roads," Hawke heard himself say. "They formed a Blight, and much of the country was overrun." He paused his narrative there to give a short precis about the loathsome creatures and where they slumbered, ending with, "And still no one knows how they truly come about. But it's death to be infected, and even that's a mercy."
Bucky doesn't know what Darkspawn are, or what this Blight is, but it sounds a lot like what the Nazis tried to inflict on them, just less-- infected. Just in a different way, maybe. And then there was HYRDA, but Bucky doesn't want to think about them any more than Rowen wnts to think about the Darkspawn. One and the same, maybe.
"I'm sorry. That must've been a lot for you. For all of you." There are things that are the same, and different. All the wars and people trying to take over the world. He wishes he understood more of where Rowen's coming from. He wants to.
"It was hardest on Mother, I think. She was born in Kirkwall to a noble family there. But gave it all up for my father. Yet they were happy, at least, in Ferelden. When she returned to the Marches, however, it was to poverty and ruin. And grieving the loss of her only daughter."
Hawke sighed, falling quiet. "We've both suffered much, have we not?" It was so very obvious, yes. He didn't take up the story again, but instead leaned into his very handsome lover for more sweet kisses.
"...yet had it not all happened the way that it did," he finally whispered after they parted, "then I would not be here, with you." And that was a sobering thought indeed.
"Giving it up for love really is something. It all seems so short though, doesn't it." He reaches out, turning back into Rowen's embrace, sliding his hand across his shoulder.
And then he nods. They really have. Life has not been kind, yet here they are. Somehow they're still able to love, and cherish, and hold one another, kissing so sweetly, so passionately. Despite it all they're still able to live this life. Lucky enough to do so when others haven't been able to.
"That's definitely one way to look at it. I think-- I think it's a good thing." One that's been hard for him, but Rowen always gets him to see a different aspect of life and living. "I'm glad to be here with you."
"There's nowhere else I'd rather be than here with you," Hawke agreed, shifting even further into Bucky's embrace. That prompted a bit of shifting, a bit of finagling, a disturbed Alpine giving a huffy little growl before abandoning her men for her comfy cat pillow across the room, but it wasn't long before Hawke reclined on the couch with Bucky stretched out atop him, the soldier's weight absolutely delicious.
Still wrapped in the blanket, snug and warm together, Hawke didn't hesitate to slip his hands up those fascinating arms to drape over Bucky's shoulders and pull him down for more eager, hungry kisses. "I think we disturbed our lady," Hawke smirked a minute later, chewing his lower lip in amusement. "But I do believe she'll recover before too long."
He feels a little bit bad for Alpine, but he's sure she'll manage to find her way back eventually. She really is good at giving space, though. Until then, he shifts on the couch whichever way Rowen will have him, settling comfortably over him.
"She'll be just fine," Bucky says against Rowen's lips before kissing him again, parting his lips to let him in deep, returning the kiss in kind. He realizes that he could spend a very long time doing just this. He's never felt this relaxed before- not so much as he can remember, anyway.
"I'd ask you to spend the night, but I don't know if you can sleep like this." Bucky doesn't think he could be able to fall asleep around Rowen either way, but he'd want him to stay.
Hawke laughed after the latest kiss ended, grinning as he rubbed Bucky's nose with his. "I've slept on dirt, dragon bones, scorching sand, and in a pile of elves, dwarves, and dogs. So I don't think this couch - or even the floor - will pose much of a challenge."
To emphasize his statement, Hawke casually wound his legs with Bucky's, settling nice and comfortably beneath his sweet soldier. "We don't have to stay here all night," he added. "When we get sleepy, we can just make a pallet on the floor." One bare shoulder shrugged. "It'll suffice."
That said, he entertained himself in gently stroking his fingers through Bucky's tousled hair, just enjoying the feel of warm skin against warm skin. Thick muscle, toned and tight, and the closeness of a second heartbeat, a soothing rhythm.
"I'll stay," Hawke whispered, gently kissing the corner of Bucky's mouth. "If you wish."
That does make him smile, feeling a bit of relief. He still won't sleep, but he'll be more comfortable on the floor. "I usually sleep on the floor. But really, whatever's more comfortable for you, because I doubt I'll sleep." It's not something he wants to subject Rowen too, especially after their first night together. His nightmares often get violent.
"I'd like you to stay." He tilts his head so he can kiss Rowen fully.
Hawke blinked awake, automatically realizing that he'd apparently fallen asleep on the couch a few hours ago with his lover a perfect weighted blanket of comfort and closeness, but had at some point migrated to a thick pallet in the middle of the bare floor, still bare-assed but covered by another warm blanket, this one alas made of cloth. A small thunderstorm was rumbling against the back of his neck, revealed after a closer though groggy inspecting to be a slumbering Alpine, the small kitten tucked between his shoulder and the pillow, snoozing away.
Propping up on an elbow, stifling a yawn, Hawke blinked a few more times, shaking his fuzzy head to clear it, then realized that he was alone in the room; his sweet soldier was nowhere in sight. The last thing Hawke remembered was Bucky kissing him so gently, so tenderly, both of them warm in each other's arms as they cuddled on the couch.
At some point, however, they must have migrated from there to here, and Hawke must have been tireder than he realized, or else Bucky truly was that stealthy. From what he'd already inferred about his enigmatic host, Hawke thought the latter might be the case, sadly enough. Curiosity piqued him to seek out his missing companion, but prudence negated that thought, though the mage did get to his feet and hunt for at least his smalls; strutting about naked through another man's abode was just shamefully uncouth.
Bucky had apparently been busy; his own discarded clothing had disappeared, while Hawke's were folded perfectly and placed on the end of the counter (the edge of which was still memorably cracked and woefully misshapen, he noted with a grin). Slipping into his undergarments, Hawke heard himself sigh softly as he considered dressing the rest of the way; what now?
Bucky doesn't sleep- but he does make sure they end up settled comfortably on the floor. As comfortable as one can get there- but too him, that's where it's at. Rowen didn't seem opposed to it either, so he's not worried. Alpine is perfectly happy as she snuggles in with them too, and Bucky realizes how nice this is. He realizes just how much he wants exactly this, even if he's not sure if he deserves it.
This could work. He could actually be with Rowen and it could work, right? God, he hopes so.
When the sun rises, so does Bucky. He's tired, but it's alright. He thinks it might be nice to laze around and have some breakfast- but he has nothing. Luckily there's a great place just down the block he can pick something up from, so he gets up and gets ready, quiet as a ghost. He really is that stealthy. He sets Rowen's clothes folded on the counter, then glances around, looking for something to write on to leave a note, but he doesn't have any of that either. Jeez, he really has to get a few things for this place, if he's gonna have the other man over more often. Instead he figures he'll be quick, and slips out to go grab them breakfast.
He's back not much later than when Rowen starts getting dressed, quiet as he slips back into the apartment, but he sees Rowen standing there getting dressed and he lets out a breath. "Oh, hey. You're up. Sorry, I slipped out. I went to go grab us food."
Hawke was just turning from the sink, water glass in hand, when the door to Bucky's apartment opened and the man himself came in, followed by delicious smells and a waft of early morning air. Hawke had bestirred himself to shrug on his shirt, not bothering to button it, and his dark hair was roughly tousled, sharp jaw shadowed from a few days of stubble, but his blue eyes brightened right up to see his lover, safe, hale, and hearty.
And still just as gorgeous as he'd been last night, making Hawke's mouth water for an entirely different reason than the promise of breakfast.
"Good morning." It was a low, warm rumble, accentuated with a smile and a lingering kiss of both greeting and greed. "No need to apologize. I figured you were either out on an errand or in the washroom; I haven't been awake all that long." A rueful moue at himself, but it faded as the scents from the bags caught his interest. On cue, his stomach rumbled.
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Date: 2024-06-16 05:47 pm (UTC)"Glad I am of it," he told his sweet lover with a kiss, then laughed lightly at Bucky's confession. "Definitely a good idea," he agreed, then added with a twinkle, "particularly if my visits are to become a regular occurrence." And Maker, how he hoped that they would.
But it only took moments to wrap up in a blanket and relocate to the couch, Alpine rather haughtily climbing up a blanket-covered leg and settling into Bucky's lap with a prissy little mew, making Hawke laugh as the three of them settled together comfortably.
"Such a princess," he teased, reaching over to rub her tiny head with gentle fingers. And lean over to press a kiss to Bucky's temple, his cheek, then the corner of his mouth. "She and I are both fortunate indeed to have you in our lives, my dear heart."
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Date: 2024-06-16 06:08 pm (UTC)Moving to the couch feels a lot better, wrapping up in a blanket and Rowen, not minding it all that it's a tight fit. At least they can cuddle. Of course Alpine wants to join them then, and it makes Bucky smile too, reaching out to pet her as well, before turning into Rowen's kisses. Damn... this feels good.
"I feel every bit of that with you too. I'm so glad I went out that night instead of just locking myself away here in this place." It could've gone any other way, but damn, he was lucky. "Same with tonight."
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Date: 2024-06-16 06:18 pm (UTC)"But I admit I was lonely, and bored, and was honestly just seeking someone to talk with." He'd been miserable, actually. Missing Ferelden and Kirkwall, Varric and Fenris, and Carver. All of those he held dear, and everything that was beloved and familiar.
"It's been...difficult," he admitted, unconsciously settling a little closer. "I've never really been alone, totally alone. And the quiet, well...it takes some getting used to." Then Hawke gave a small wry snort. "And I found I had little taste for it."
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Date: 2024-06-16 06:28 pm (UTC)"You were interesting to talk to. Piqued my interest right away, actually." Even if he got a little defensive at first- there was something there that had prompted him to want to go for drinks. Not very like him lately, but he's glad he did.
Rowen seems like such an outgoing, friendly person- he can understand how difficult loneliness would be. "I get it. Being in such a different, unfamiliar place, all alone- it can be a lot. You don't have to be alone anymore. I know-- it's not the same, though. I know you miss them."
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Date: 2024-06-16 06:44 pm (UTC)Bless Lady Alpine. Hawke gave her another series of gentle pets, grinning.
"To be honest, I wasn't even halfway sure where the Eluvian would send me. There aren't any road maps for those magic pathways, or not any that anyone knows about, rather." He sighed softly, resting his head against Bucky's, relishing the close tactile contact.
"Varric really did fuss about coming with me," he said quietly. "And I wished he could have. But I had no idea where I'd be, and I couldn't risk his safety. Now, having been here for a while, I'm glad I insisted he stay. He's safe back home, and I know he'll keep an eye on the others, too." Hawke nuzzled Bucky's temple, just breathing him in.
"Takes quite a burden from me, I admit."
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Date: 2024-06-16 06:58 pm (UTC)Bless Lady Alpine indeed.
Bucky raises his eyebrows. "You didn't know where you'd end up? How'd you find Earth?" He figures there must've been some scans for similar atmospheres and things like that, but he knows there are a lot more places out there where people can survive.
He's quiet for a moment, letting his fingers slide over Rowen's chest before he asks. "Were the two of you together?"
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Date: 2024-06-16 07:13 pm (UTC)Basking in the touch, Hawke closed his eyes as Bucky's fingers roamed, then blinked them back open at the question. "Varric and I?" He shook his head with a rue chuckle. "Not at all. We were best friends, there wasn't an ounce of attraction between us. Chemistry, perhaps," he admitted, reaching up to thread his fingers through Bucky's short tousled hair, "but never any physical attraction."
A moment later, he added, "Which is a shame, because Varric is quite the handsome dwarf. Most dwarves have luxuriously long beards, you see, and they consider all that facial hair their pride and joy. But Varric, Maker bless him, never once sprouted even a single hair on his chin, but his chest..." He spread fingers across Bucky's chest, intimating, and laughing lightly.
"His chest is quite broad - dwarves are solid and stocky - and it's covered in a thick, soft pelt of golden hair. He even wears his tunics half open just to show it off." Hawke laughed again. "It's quite the talk, actually. Everyone that's met him is just fascinated by the chest hair." He grinned, a fond twinkle gleaming in his eye. A moment later, he offered, "I can...show him to you, if you'd like?"
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Date: 2024-06-16 09:51 pm (UTC)Bucky nods slowly, giving Rowen a small smile. He figures the other was with someone back home. He must've been. He's such a genuinely good guy, with a big heart. Anyone would be foolish not to snatch that up. The rest of the explanation has Bucky laughing as well, a full on visual of the dwarf in question forming in his head.
"Quite the talk, hm? Well now I have to see him. Yeah, I'd like to." Anything to see more of Rowen's life would be nice. He talks about them all the time. He wonders if he should tell Rowen about Steve. He realizes he's never talked about any of his people before.
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Date: 2024-06-16 10:20 pm (UTC)"I can share my memories with you," he explained. "A few, at the first. It will require a meeting of the minds, as the scholars say, and yes, it is magic." Gentle fingers stroked Bucky's cheek and the length of his neck. "For you to actually see what I'm sharing, Bucky...your mind must be...open to mine." Blue searched blue. "Do you understand what that means?"
Before Bucky could answer, Hawke added quickly, "I promise I won't look deeper, I won't look at all, but sharing memories in such a way is profoundly...intimate. Even more so than our lovemaking moments ago. And you should know that, and make the choice yea or nay." He offered a smile. "If the answer's 'nay', I understand, promise I do."
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Date: 2024-06-16 11:06 pm (UTC)He trusts Rowen, he really does, but he can already feel the way his heart starts beating hard, and as much as he didn't sweat before, he definitely is now. It's anxiety, PTSD, and as much as he wants to try and push it away, he can't seem to.
Still, he looks apologetic as he shakes his head. "I can't." He closes his eyes, dragging his hand over his face. "It's not you, it's me. I can't. I can't let anyone else in my head."
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Date: 2024-06-16 11:12 pm (UTC)But he understood, he really and truly did. Fenris had battled his own ghosts in much the same way, and it had taken years for the elf to trust the mage enough to let Hawke in. And Hawke was patient; he wasn't one to just lose interest and flit to the next one in line.
Lips at Bucky's temple, Hawke murmured, "I'll just have to paint you a portrait with words, instead." A soft smile followed. "How's that?"
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Date: 2024-06-16 11:17 pm (UTC)He tries to even out his breathing, slow his heart, focus on the here and now. Warm hands, warmer eyes looking back at him. Soft lips against his temple, the solid couch under him. "Yeah... that would be... it would be better."
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Date: 2024-06-16 11:24 pm (UTC)He spoke of the Chantry, where Bethany could always be found hidden away in the library there, and the Templars, how he and Carver had enjoyed taunting the new recruits with glimpses of magic and then outmaneuvering them before they even realized they'd been pranked.
"It was a good place to grow up," he murmured with a low chuckle. "After Father...vanished, I was more or less obliged to take up the mantle of 'man of the house' and step into his shoes. Very large shoes, as I recall."
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Date: 2024-06-17 12:52 am (UTC)"Sounds like a real good place." Bucky leans in to kiss Rowen's temple, then pulls back to look at him again. "How old were you when he vanished?" He can understand that. His father died when he was at a young age as well. Bucky was the man of the house.
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Date: 2024-06-17 01:30 am (UTC)A darker time, one which uprooted his entire family from their home and sent them hurtling into chaos. A chaos which lasted for an entire bloody decade.
"Darkspawn erupted from the Deep Roads," Hawke heard himself say. "They formed a Blight, and much of the country was overrun." He paused his narrative there to give a short precis about the loathsome creatures and where they slumbered, ending with, "And still no one knows how they truly come about. But it's death to be infected, and even that's a mercy."
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Date: 2024-06-17 01:56 am (UTC)"I'm sorry. That must've been a lot for you. For all of you." There are things that are the same, and different. All the wars and people trying to take over the world. He wishes he understood more of where Rowen's coming from. He wants to.
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Date: 2024-06-17 02:00 am (UTC)Hawke sighed, falling quiet. "We've both suffered much, have we not?" It was so very obvious, yes. He didn't take up the story again, but instead leaned into his very handsome lover for more sweet kisses.
"...yet had it not all happened the way that it did," he finally whispered after they parted, "then I would not be here, with you." And that was a sobering thought indeed.
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Date: 2024-06-17 02:07 am (UTC)And then he nods. They really have. Life has not been kind, yet here they are. Somehow they're still able to love, and cherish, and hold one another, kissing so sweetly, so passionately. Despite it all they're still able to live this life. Lucky enough to do so when others haven't been able to.
"That's definitely one way to look at it. I think-- I think it's a good thing." One that's been hard for him, but Rowen always gets him to see a different aspect of life and living. "I'm glad to be here with you."
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Date: 2024-06-17 02:11 am (UTC)Still wrapped in the blanket, snug and warm together, Hawke didn't hesitate to slip his hands up those fascinating arms to drape over Bucky's shoulders and pull him down for more eager, hungry kisses. "I think we disturbed our lady," Hawke smirked a minute later, chewing his lower lip in amusement. "But I do believe she'll recover before too long."
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Date: 2024-06-18 12:23 am (UTC)"She'll be just fine," Bucky says against Rowen's lips before kissing him again, parting his lips to let him in deep, returning the kiss in kind. He realizes that he could spend a very long time doing just this. He's never felt this relaxed before- not so much as he can remember, anyway.
"I'd ask you to spend the night, but I don't know if you can sleep like this." Bucky doesn't think he could be able to fall asleep around Rowen either way, but he'd want him to stay.
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Date: 2024-06-19 12:05 am (UTC)To emphasize his statement, Hawke casually wound his legs with Bucky's, settling nice and comfortably beneath his sweet soldier. "We don't have to stay here all night," he added. "When we get sleepy, we can just make a pallet on the floor." One bare shoulder shrugged. "It'll suffice."
That said, he entertained himself in gently stroking his fingers through Bucky's tousled hair, just enjoying the feel of warm skin against warm skin. Thick muscle, toned and tight, and the closeness of a second heartbeat, a soothing rhythm.
"I'll stay," Hawke whispered, gently kissing the corner of Bucky's mouth. "If you wish."
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Date: 2024-06-19 01:56 am (UTC)"I'd like you to stay." He tilts his head so he can kiss Rowen fully.
maaaaaan, this heat is gonna kill meeeeeee /melts
Date: 2024-06-22 07:59 pm (UTC)Propping up on an elbow, stifling a yawn, Hawke blinked a few more times, shaking his fuzzy head to clear it, then realized that he was alone in the room; his sweet soldier was nowhere in sight. The last thing Hawke remembered was Bucky kissing him so gently, so tenderly, both of them warm in each other's arms as they cuddled on the couch.
At some point, however, they must have migrated from there to here, and Hawke must have been tireder than he realized, or else Bucky truly was that stealthy. From what he'd already inferred about his enigmatic host, Hawke thought the latter might be the case, sadly enough. Curiosity piqued him to seek out his missing companion, but prudence negated that thought, though the mage did get to his feet and hunt for at least his smalls; strutting about naked through another man's abode was just shamefully uncouth.
Bucky had apparently been busy; his own discarded clothing had disappeared, while Hawke's were folded perfectly and placed on the end of the counter (the edge of which was still memorably cracked and woefully misshapen, he noted with a grin). Slipping into his undergarments, Hawke heard himself sigh softly as he considered dressing the rest of the way; what now?
oh man, me too. i am laying here trying not to move a single muscle it's so hot D:
Date: 2024-06-22 08:32 pm (UTC)This could work. He could actually be with Rowen and it could work, right? God, he hopes so.
When the sun rises, so does Bucky. He's tired, but it's alright. He thinks it might be nice to laze around and have some breakfast- but he has nothing. Luckily there's a great place just down the block he can pick something up from, so he gets up and gets ready, quiet as a ghost. He really is that stealthy. He sets Rowen's clothes folded on the counter, then glances around, looking for something to write on to leave a note, but he doesn't have any of that either. Jeez, he really has to get a few things for this place, if he's gonna have the other man over more often. Instead he figures he'll be quick, and slips out to go grab them breakfast.
He's back not much later than when Rowen starts getting dressed, quiet as he slips back into the apartment, but he sees Rowen standing there getting dressed and he lets out a breath. "Oh, hey. You're up. Sorry, I slipped out. I went to go grab us food."
ditto. ac is chugging full blast, along with three fans. ugh weather is brutal
Date: 2024-06-22 08:58 pm (UTC)And still just as gorgeous as he'd been last night, making Hawke's mouth water for an entirely different reason than the promise of breakfast.
"Good morning." It was a low, warm rumble, accentuated with a smile and a lingering kiss of both greeting and greed. "No need to apologize. I figured you were either out on an errand or in the washroom; I haven't been awake all that long." A rueful moue at himself, but it faded as the scents from the bags caught his interest. On cue, his stomach rumbled.
"What did you find?"
I don't even have a working AC, I'm honestly not sure how I'm even alive right now ;_;
From:oh my god. sending you snowy vibes RIGHT NOW
From:Oh god I WISHHHH. How I miss the snow.
From:i wish we even HAD snow. other than the random blizzard once a decade
From:Yeah I think it snowed for like 10 minutes this year.
From:i refuse to go outside willingly until november
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