twoforsurprise | One Short Day In Antiva City

One Short Day In Antiva City

Davrin might have forgotten Lucanis' offer about the tailor, but he had not. Not all of their excursions were for fighting demons or cultists or darkspawn, and eventually Rook was going treasure hunting on the Rivani coast with Taash and Harding. And just them. Quite adamant that only Taash and Harding were needed, in fact.

Andraste preserve them, Rook was apparently becoming interested in matchmaking.

It worked out, though. The timing. Lucanis ever so casually mentions that Davrin promised to assist him in some errands in Antiva and Rook is just so happy they're not at each other's throats that they're told to not take however long they need. Lucanis makes a mental note to pick up something nice for Rook when they're in Antiva City.

Ah, Antiva City. A less beautiful Treviso, Lucanis used to say. That was before the Ossuary, before the occupation, before the blight. Now it's hard to not see everything that's been lost. He doesn't insult Davrin by assuming the man can't keep up with the Crow routes along the rooftops and across ziplines, so much faster than the weaving crowded streets up the hill the city is built on overlooking the harbor the few times they need to duck down to street level.

"Should be right around - ah, there it is," Lucanis declares once they're half way up the hill, the financial district of the city settled between the Palace at the top and the harbor and all the wealth the shipping industry brings. This time when he drops down to the street level it is where they'll stay for the time being, heading to an understated store front with a simple hanging sign that looks like an embroidered rose carved into the wood of it.

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"Maybe."

He smirked, happily leaving it ambiguous if he meant hallucinating or flying with that. Assan was just a cub still, if he wanted to get up in the air Spite might be his best chance.

But to the matter at hand. It wasn't a non-serious question- if Spite decided he was against sharing Lucanis in anyway they were going to have to deal with that. But the tea made things easier- or was it just being able to actually meet Spite's eyes, instead of talking to the air? Who knew. High or just confident, either worked.

"Spite. I need to ask you something."

Spite hissed with delight.

{{ ME! }}

Lucanis rolled his eyes.

"Yes, yes - make use of it while you can."

He could not be sure what Davrin would need or want to ask Spite, but he had to admit interest. He took another drink from his tea and carefully set it down so that hand could be used to pet Assan again, since he simply could not let go of Davrin's. For safety reasons, since they were drugged.

Assan was more than happy to be pet and pampered again, chirping and half rolling onto his back in Lucanis lap to better facilitate the adoration. It was a good, temporary distract for Davrin to watch as he tried to put the question into a sensible order.

He looked Spite right in his- well, Lucanis' purple eyes.

"What do you think about what's going on? Between Lucanis and me."

Spite's eyes widened a bit - Lucanis' a second behind him as he realized what Davrin had asked. A hot rush felt like it was crawling up his chest onto his face.

"Spite, don't-"

But it was too late, Spite was already laughing with triumph at being asked to give his opinion. He leaned back quickly when Lucanis paused the petting to grab for him, using the wings to facilitate the quick movement as he darted to put Davrin between them.

{{ A WARM ANCHOR, CALLOUSES FROM SWORD AND SHIELD HE PUTS HIS HAND ON THE BACK OF HIS NECK AND REMEMBERS WHAT YOURS FELT LIKE THERE. FIRE IN THE BLOOD BUT HE WANTS TO BURN, }} Spite's voice was a delighted growl over Davrin's shoulder, near his ear. Lucanis thought he might very well die right here in the forest and getting his body back to Treviso for proper ceremony was going to be such a hassle. {{ A LONG WAY TO FALL BUT YOU MAKE HIM REMEMBER HE CAN FLY. }}

"Spite-!"

Spite's eyes narrowed a little bit as he looked at Davrin, thoughtful.

{{ WANT TO TRY KISSING DAVRIN, TOO. }}

And who would thought Davrin would ever want to kiss a demon back, just in thanks for confirmation? Though he tried to bite his grin back as much as he could, almost able to physically feel the embarrassment rolling off the life-long, next-in-line to lead the Crows, assassin besides him. It probably didn't work well, not with the warmth spreading from his core all the way to tingle at the tips of his fingers, heart and mind nicely melted by drug and emotion.

"So you approve?"

{{ YES! }}

Spite's wings fluffed up with happiness.

{{ BETTER WITH YOU. ORSACCHIOTTO. BELLO. CACCIATORE. - }}

"Okay, that is enough, go - I don't know. Elsewhere. Don't give away everything."

Nothing else for it. Lucanis let out an annoyed huff, and hid his face against Davrin's shoulder. Yes, dying here would not be so bad at all. It was a lovely spot, maybe Assan could dig a hole to drop him into or something. He squeezed Davrin's hand.

Spite laughed, fluffed his wings further and flitted about their little campsite, quite pleased with himself.

"Should I be worried one of those is a meal?"

He didn't speak the language, but he'd traveled enough to at least know food when he heard it in whatever village he was passing through. The question was asked into Lucanis' hair, Davrin having moved to press his lips against the top of the head currently hiding against his shoulder. It was possible Lucanis could still feel the grin he had, but overall it just served to let the scent of the Crow's hair into his nose and throat.

That was somehow even worse, and it makes Lucanis sigh and huff against Davrin's shoulder, shoulders shaking lightly with his own repressed laughter. This was so terribly absurd. He had known some of it was coming as soon as Davrin asked - he had come up a lot in their conversations as they laid the groundwork for where to go from here, how to work together. And Lucanis had realized that while the demon didn't exactly work like a person in terms of attraction and desires, much like Bellara had tried to explain ... near as Lucanis could tell? Spite was interested in Davrin too. Something Lucanis had no desire to explain, given how tenuous this peace was, but it turned out he had no reason to worry about how Davrin would take it.

At least, not while he was high on mushrooms. Maybe later he would be more concerned.

"Big bear," Lucanis recited. "Handsome. Hunter."

He felt the heat on his neck for admitting that last one, especially.

"Handsome hunter, hm?"

He shouldn't gloat. He shouldn't bask. He was a Grey Warden, the definition of duty and sacrifice. But it turned something in him liquid and warm to feel the honesty and embarrassment. He could see and hear Spite, for now, but just maybe the spirit was a better wingman than Lucanis- or all of history- gave the entities credit for.

He slanted his shoulder, trying to slide Lucanis' head off his arm, to catch his chin with his fingers and tilt it up to look the man in the face again.

"You must know how gorgeous you are."

Handsome hunter, yes. Who for some reason had chosen Lucanis as his prey. And even after seeing Lucanis' messed up mind, he hadn't changed his mind. It was not something Lucanis expected. Not at his worst, broken heart laid bare. Nothing there worth loving.

And yet, as soon as they were out, Davrin had given him the sweetest kiss of his life.

He tilts his head up when Davrin directs him to, how could he pass up a chance to look into that stunning face?

"A few months out of being held in prison for a year? I've looked better."

Said with a slightly wry smile. He was still working on shedding those signs. Slowly but surely, one day at a time. He knew he was decently attractive for a human man of his age, but gorgeous? That was pushing it.

"That's not what I meant."

He was still half expecting Spite to swoop back in and involve himself in the conversation, but he was warm and calm and looking directly at the target of his hunt- except he was more than that. When a hunt was done, it was over. Move on. He may have caught Lucanis, or Lucanis him, but he was far, far from done. He could admit that to himself. He frowned slightly, trying to find the words, and leaned in for a brief kiss to keep the moment from turning against them as he struggled.

"All of you. Body and..." he glanced over at Spite briefly, "souls. Nothing could hide that."

Spite was letting them talk... though he was very much watching it happen, a wide grin on his face. Lucanis knew he should be suspicious, like when an animal suddenly goes quiet, but Davrin's sweetness was terribly distracting.

"Men like you are why the Wardens have the reputation they do. Brave, honorable, everything a hero should be," he said, reaching up to touch Davrin's wrist. "... I am sorry you felt out of place in your family, and what made you leave, but... the world is a better place for having you out in it, helping people."

Treviso alone had felt the benefit of Davrin's help in countless lives.

Lucanis had felt the benefit of Davrin's attention. For all that they'd started off at odds, without Davrin and Rook, Lucanis isn't sure where he'd be right now.

No, he knows. Dead at the bottom of Rialto Bay. Maybe face down in one of the canals choked with blight and bodies already, one more casualty.

{{ HE THOUGHT YOU WERE ATTRACTIVE RIGHT AWAY. }}

Aaand there was the moment killer.

"Not helping, Spite."

Moment very much killed, but Davrin could only find it in himself to grin. Maybe the first date was going to be a bust for grand romantic moments, but this was good, too. A day out with Lucanis and the kids- and he bit down a laugh with that thought. Spite wouldn't appreciate the comparison. Neither would Lucanis, likely.

What was there to do but carefully but the tea down and embrace the moment? He slid his arm around Lucanis' shoulders, shifting to lean a bit against the Crow's side, grin just growing as Assan shifted and stretched to use the pair of them as somewhat bumpy bed.

"I thought you were dangerous and going to get as all killed." Something he had truly excelled at keeping to himself. "But also very nice to look at. And listen to."

This time when Lucanis moved to hide his face it was to try to hold back a laugh, but the chuckle still escaped. Andraste this was so absurd. There was also no place he'd rather be.

"Indeed? Clearly you were a self-righteous dullard who was going to good intentions your way into disaster while refusing to admit it as soon as you opened your mouth," Lucanis teased, pulling back to look up at Davrin, eyes sparkling with amusement. "But those shoulders. At least if Rook was going to drag someone like you around they picked someone nice to look at. Especially when you got annoyed."

"No wonder I'm so attractive," he drawled, "seeing how you're constantly annoying."

Note the present tense. Just because he now found the man irresistible didn't mean they'd stopped intentionally poking at each other. It just came with the territory.

He scratched behind Assan's ears and looked over at Spite- yup. Still there. That was not going to stop being weird. It was one thing to know the spirit was always there. This? Davrin couldn't help wonder how Lucanis adapted to having running commentary on every aspect of his life. How that might impact other potential activities...

Nope. He was just going to wait for the drug to wear off and not think along those lines again.

Oh, yes. For that matter, being called annoying? Gets a grin from Lucanis.

{{ IS THIS WHAT ILLARIO MEANT BY 'PULLING PIGTAILS'? }}

And that was Lucanis groaning again, covering his face with a hand. He, too, could not wait for Davrin to stop seeing (and hearing) Spite. Not that this stopped them from interacting entirely, given Davrin's... baby sitting of the demon when Lucanis needed to sleep. But at least he wasn't awake for that conversation. He could tell himself all that happened was just Spite trying to eat weird things.

"Assan - never learn to speak. It is too troublesome," Lucanis told the griffon, very serious, as he reached out to stroke the feathers at the base of his wings.

"That's exactly what he meant."

He just tightened his hold on Lucanis' shoulders for a moment in a non-apology for filling Spite in. If any creature in the Lighthouse would understand the idea that sometimes attention was attention, good or bad, it would be Spite.

Assan looked Lucanis in the eye, tilting his head slightly, then looked over at Davrin with an inquisitive squawk.

"He says you're too late. Just a matter of time before you understand him, too."

Assan nodded, fluffing his wings happily, before resting his head back on Lucanis' lap.

Awful, Davrin! Just awful! Spite laughed, delighted at finding out this new information. Because yes, it completely made sense to him now.

"I know when he wants more f-o-o-d," Lucanis pointed out, petting him. He wasn't sure if the griffon knew how to spell, but he didn't want Assan to get too happy to hear the magic word when Lucanis could not provide.

Alas, Assan perks up at the magical word- though it's hard for Davrin to tell if he actually can spell, or just now associates anything spelled out with food and treats. He slides off their laps, happily turning in excited circles and chirping for the expected reward, before sitting and looking Lucanis in the eye. Hopefully. Lovingly.

Where. Are. His. Treats.

"Well, he understands you."

There were more truffles in the bag he'd brought, Davrin wasn't insane enough to try making a tea out of the stuff without some just for Assan. But he'll hold off offering for a moment. Watching someone else get harassed for a change brought a grin to his face. No wonder Rook enjoyed hyping Assan up then walking away for Davrin to deal with.

"Mierda-" Lucanis swore as the griffon did, apparently, know how to spell. Or just broadly assumed any spelled word meant 'food'. Too clever, really, even if Lucanis was also holding back a laugh as best he could. "No, no, if I had any you could have them all, I was not saying I had anything for you -- don't you just grin about this, Davrin. Help me out here."

"I can't believe you're going to break his heart like this."

He was going to break into full blown, breath stealing laughter in a moment. But for now he calls on all his training, years of discipline and sacrifice, to keep his face almost straight, lips twitching uncontrollably back up into a grin.

Assan, for his part, looked back and forth between the two of them like he was following the conversation, waiting for someone, anyone, to help this poor, starving griffon.

"Don't you dare give me that-"

{{ HE HAS MORE TRUFFLES IN THE PACK. }}

Spite's words were actually to Assan, like he was hopeful that maybe this time the griffon would be able to hear him, but Lucanis still acted on that information now that he had it.

"I take back what I said about you, Spite, you are a treasure," Lucanis said, looking right at Davrin as he did before leaning over so he could snag the pack with his fingertips. It wasn't like they were going to have more tea anyway. Lucanis did not want to risk an upset stomach at the very least for having more of it.

"Betrayed by a demon. Talk about predictable."

He glanced at Spite, trying to decide if he should clarify he didn't actually mean that, but held his tongue. He wasn't going to clarify every time he couldn't see the demon, no point confusing him by doing it only now.

"Go on, Assan. Lucanis found the stash. Just don't give them to him all at once."

For as much as Spite was very touchy about such things at the beginning, he merely cackled at Davrin's accusation, leaning in to the elf's personal space even if he couldn't touch him.

{{ SIDING WITH ASSAN, }} he clarified, {{ STILL MY FAVORITE PERSON WHO IS NOT A GRIFFON. }}

"Don't suck up to Davrin now," Lucanis said, rolling his eyes. Griffons were clearly made of stronger stuff - well, obviously, given what Assan got in his beak without having any problems. But knowing what the truffle tea could do to them did a very good job of having Lucanis be extremely careful of how many of them he gave over to Assan at once, selecting two smaller ones from the bag. "Here we go, treats for the good boy."

He left Lucanis to dealing with the needy spirit and griffon, shifting enough so that he could rest his chin on the man's shoulder and watch as he did what he must. When they'd met, he'd never have put gold on the Crow being able to patiently deal with what were, essentially, very deadly children. But he'd overlooked a good deal when they first met.

"It's not sucking up if it's just the truth."

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(Davrin you are not prepared for this answer...)

Certainly not. But at least he's high

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