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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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."

"You are going to get a big head, then how will you fit into your armor?" Lucanis teased, tossing the truffles gently towards Assan to catch and eat, waiting for him to finish with one before the other. Spite hissed with pleasure, flitting about. Once the truffles were passed out, he made sure the bag was securely closed and set it aside, bringing a hand up to run his fingers through Davrin's hair.

"Well. My lap is free if it's too heavy to hold your head up on its own."

Since Assan was no longer taking up lap space and all.

Who was he to refuse such an invitation? He slid off the log, repositioning himself to sit in front of Lucanis, back facing the other man, and tilted his head back to rest against one thigh. Truly baring his neck to the other man.

He watched with a faint smile as Assan tried to earn another treat with a variety of poses and inquiring noises, but didn't move towards the bag or suggest he'd earned some more. They didn't need him getting used to endless treats.

"Thanks. For coming here with me. I don't usually know what to do with downtime."

Even his main hobby of whittling served a purpose, making models of creatures to help preserve their memory and knowledge of how to fight them.

Ah. It felt like such an unexpected gift, that show of trust. Lucanis adjusted how he sat to make room for Davrin between his legs (oh again) as he gently began to stroke his hands through Davrin's hair again, fingers against scalp. He smiled at Assan's antics too, glad he wasn't the one who had to make the call of how many treats that griffon got. It was becoming startlingly clear to Lucanis that he would be an all too permissive parent. Probably better a snake could not be spoiled.

"This may shock you to hear, but neither do I," Lucanis replied, a smile in his voice. "I was not raised to accept time to just be. Maintain weapons, train, study, every minute could be accounted for and should. So ... thank you for inviting me."

"The Crows and the Wardens could trade notes on all the menial tasks they'll dole out before letting a man sit."

Maintaining equipment, sparring, working out, researching monsters, cleaning, the list went on and on for him, too. The Dalish were about as bad, what with nearly always being on the edge of survival, but the tasks of his youth had more of a playful tinge to them than the wardens and, he suspected, the Crows.

He tilted his head back a little further, chasing the petting fingers a bit. Assan might be rubbing off on him when it came to seeking out attention.

"If anyone else asks, we killed a rage demon."

People tended to see the house Lucanis grew up in and made assumptions as to how permissive his upbringing was, not considering that he was not spared any of the harsh realities of Crow training. If anything, he got them worse in some ways. Caterina's grandchildren would not be bested by anyone else.

Lucanis smiled as Davrin leaned in to the way he was stroking his hair, letting a finger trail down to trace an ear.

"Mmmm. Came out of one of those tears in the fade, yes? Practically right on top of us."

"We were both very brave and dashing."

The reply is slightly delayed, a small shiver running down his spine at the tracing of his ear. It wasn't some secret key to elf seduction he'd heard some humans claim, but it was still sensitive skin and felt nice.

"And definitely didn't spend the afternoon drinking tea and cuddling."

Luckily Lucanis had mainly heard that rumor from Teia complaining about it, so he was under no illusions as to how effective it was - at least no more so than it would be to anyone with ears. That alone though could make it nice, couldn't it? Davrin seemed to enjoy it, if Lucanis was right in feeling that shiver, sitting as they were. He wanted to make Davrin do it again.

"Certainly not."

{{ ARE YOU GOING TO KISS HIM? }}

Mierde!

"-- Not with you hovering like that. At least not while he is aware of it."

And hopefully knowing Spite was so likely to be hovering would not put Davrin off of it in the future after this tea faded.

Being a Warden called for accepting a lot of hard facts. Davrin was confident, once he could no longer see Spite, the fact he was always there to watch and comment would just be another one of those. But he smirked a little at that exchange, reaching one hand up to tangle his fingers in Lucanis' hair and lightly tug him down.

"Maybe just one."

Every time Lucanis thought it wasn't possible to be more attracted to Davrin, he had to go and prove him wrong. His teeth bit at his own bottom lip when Davrin tugged at his hair like that.

"You are quite generous, orsacchiotto."

Hopefully Davrin wouldn't mind Spite's excited whooping as Lucanis leaned down to press his mouth to Davrin's.

"You'll tell me if he ever gets bored of me, right?"

He whispered it against Lucanis' lips as he pulled back for a moment, before capturing his mouth again for another moment. As if he could ask Lucanis anything Spite wouldn't hear- though, really, he could be partly asking Spite as well. A Warden lead a dangerous life, but hardly the dramatic, political chess game the House of Crows specialized in. Killing Darkspawn and moving on to kill another monster may get dull, over time.

In truth, Lucanis wasn't very good at the political chess game part either. It was one of the reasons he never wanted first talon. He wanted to do, not direct.

"I don't think either of us ever would, though I don't know how comforting that is..."

Lucanis' words were a soft confession against Davrin's lips before yet another kiss. He supposed a spirit or demon partner being discouraging instead of encouraging would be worse at a time like this, but either way he had gotten good at tuning Spite out when he wanted to focus on something.

"We'll see when the world stops ending."

It's more teasing than anything, but, given they survived, things would change. He'd have to decide if he was hanging up his sword or joining the new era of Wardens this new form of Blight would call for. Have to keep Assan safe and busy. But why linger on potentials, when the only thing he could actually impact was here and now?

"I brought a blanket, you know. If your back is complaining."

They could both be laying down instead of Lucanis held hunched over. A finely trained Crow he may be, but neither of them were getting any younger. At least that sounded more reasonable than just requesting he lay down beside him for the experience of it.

"Are you calling me 'old'?" Lucanis replied with a grin, but he still straightened up, stretching his arms above his head for a moment. His back needed it, even if he hated taking his hands off Davrin.

"I suppose that might be better. It isn't like a blanket over dirt is a tempting enough bed to put me to sleep."

Nor was the company one he wanted to sleep through, even if Davrin was also now one of the few people Lucanis even could.

"No roughing it for the Crows?"

He lingers for a moment before hauling himself up to gather the blanket from the large pocket of his satchel, carefully aware from the ginger wort, and sets about making a nice spot in the semi-shade of the trees to recline in, confident the fire was contained enough to not need their attention for the moment. Lucanis may note that, with the blanket moved, the bottle of wine he'd brought clinked slightly in the bag, but he didn't move to retrieve it. No matter his original intentions, seeing demons meant he wasn't going to be touching alcohol for a bit.

When done, he sat on the blanket, gesturing for Lucanis to take his turn resting his head on Davrin's lap.

Honestly if he had suggested breaking out the wine Lucanis would have lightly protested until the tea wore off at least, so they were on the same page about mixing toxins. He had not somehow expected Davrin to turn the tables on him so. He was a little awkward at first with the movement - when was the last time he laid a head in someone's lap? When he was a small child, maybe. Long enough ago that it may as well have happened to someone else.

"Alright?" he finally asked when he'd laid back on Davrin's lap to look up at him, dark hair spread out across the Warden's thighs. Then-

"Our contracts are usually against people, not bears. We can rough it if we need, but that tends to mean terrible inns or flophouses to avoid being noticed. The last time I had a contract to take me into the woods was against an Orlesian nobleman who fancied himself a big game hunter- his camp was larger than the Lighthouse and fully staffed."

It would be impressive indeed to fail at resting on someone's leg, so Davrin just quirks a little smile down at him at the question, fingers already moving to return the favor by brushing through his hair, nails light against his scalp. He wasn't going to press for it, but Davrin was willing to wager he could make the man nap if he really wanted to. But he was enjoying the date too much to just press to make a point.

The story got a laughed out of him- he'd seen the kind of insane 'camping' the rich managed.

"Emmrich almost did the same to poor Harding before Rook stepped in. Shaving mirrors and pounds of books. Then again, maybe you wouldn't be much better. How many knives and coffee pots would you need for a camp out?"

Even though it was his throat, Lucanis couldn't quite manage that same purring sound that Spite did. Still there was a pleased groan at the touch, his eyes sliding shut. And Spite ever so helpfully started making that odd purring sound on his own to fill in, in case it wasn't clear that Lucanis was enjoying himself.

It paused when Lucanis let put a snort of held back laughter, reaching up to pat Davrin's boot - the one he kept a knife in.

"How many knives do you have, hm?"

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