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Ian Hawke strode into The Hanged Man with a purpose, reflecting on how her newly cut hair permitted her not to need to debate whether or not she should tie it up to meet with Isabela. It had been approximately three years since her friend had ditched her after the Qunari Crisis, while injured due to the injuries the Arishok inflicted upon her, not allowing her to chase after her. Isabela, in all her glory, had been back for two whole days, and, as Ian had been unable to find any reason not to return to their old routine, she had invited Isabela to play Wicked Grace with her. This was, of course, a thinly veiled plot to show off the new decorations in her room to Isabela, among other reasons. She had ensured that she was wearing an outfit that, while avoiding looking too much like a noble, even if she technically was one, nor appearing pretentious, was relatively nice, if her own opinion was one to go by. She had even gotten the seal of approval from Bodahn before she left.
Ian pushed the door open and immediately glanced around the main seating area for Isabela and anyone else that Isabela might have decided to have accompanied the two in their card game. The shine of Isabela’s jewelry almost instantly caught Ian’s eye as she looked to one of the corners of the bar. She strolled over to where her… Friend? Ian was uncertain as to whether Isabela would still be considered a friend or if that needed to be repaired first, perhaps a week or two of adventuring would do the trick. Either way, she walked over to Isabela and sat on the bench across from her, slightly stiff from pulling a muscle in her side the other day. She flashed Isabela a quick grin before asking, “Planning on playing fair or do I need to ban boots?” with a raised eyebrow.
“Hah, maybe I’ve become a new woman, Hawke, repented to the Chantry and became a sister,” Isabela answered, dealing the cards. Ian just sighed good-naturedly while watching her closely. She took the chance to deal before Ian could ask to shuffle them again, suggesting, perhaps, that she had not become honest and pure. Ian felt almost comforted by this, relieved that she hadn’t grown too much in the past years. Ian picked up her cards. She hoped that-
Holy shit, they were horrific. She now knew that Isabela hadn’t stacked the deck, because nothing but chance would be willing to deliver this upon poor, poor Ian. Nevertheless, Ian tried her best to appear like she had a decent hand, betting a decent amount. She then quickly tried to salvage anything from the hand, even taking two and discarding two, but it seemed that fate wanted her to lose. She watched Isabela take and play, wondering when someone would draw the Angel of Death so she could try again. She practically became religious by the end of the round when Isabela mercifully drew (or pretended to draw) the Angel of Death.
“Thank Andraste,” Ian mumbled as she dropped her cards to the table as Isabela did. Her competitor had a solid hand; it was two matching suits. She then watched as Isabela processed the massacre that was Ian’s own hand with widened eyes.
“How did you even-“ was all Isabela got out before laughing, giving Ian the signal to push over the money. Ian did this willingly, though sighed long-sufferingly. Isabela didn’t look a day older than when she’d seen her last, especially as she laughed. Maker, she barely even looked her age to begin with. Ian remembered her shock when she’d finally gotten that Isabela was half a decade older out of her and the ensuing laughter in the face of this. Ian remembered her laughter well, frequently thought of it, even after she thought that Isabela had truly chosen to depart permanently. Ian felt a little lighter as she straightened up.
“Here’s where you take all my wealth and turn me into Uncle Gamlen?” Ian inquired, a smirk on her face; it looked slightly different, aged, Ian would later be told. Isabela nodded and took a moment to catch her breath, having a beautiful smile on her face as she did. Ian noted a slight fluttering and also adjusted how she sat as she waited.
“Hmmm, maybe later. I’m trying to show how I’ve changed, not what else I can steal,” Isabela answered, her hair falling back over her shoulder as she leaned against her palm. It was longer, Ian noted. She cupped her own hand tightly as she listened, Isabela adding, “But enough about my plans, you have any great plans of redemption? Going to house all the people you’ve wronged? Gotten with another elven smuggler to replace the void in your heart?”
Ian blinked, caught off guard by the reference, but quickly recovered with, “No, I’ve matured, grown wiser, become more conscientious.” She then tapped herself on the temple while nodding, covering any emotion that she showed with a grin. She watched Isabela grin back and felt a shiver run down her spine, settling low in her body. She cleared her throat after and asked, “Sooo, another game where you rob me blind?”
Isabela nodded, commenting, “Do you have any money left, or have I already stolen it all?” as she shuffled the cards.
Ian was apparently pure shit at Wicked Grace when playing against Isabela, not having won even one game. She was about to start betting her armor to try to convince her luck to let her win. Nevertheless, she eventually gave up, conceding to Isabela, who looked just as smug as she’d expected. “Bela… Did you know I have… more daggers than before?” Kill her now, that line was so horrible. Most of her daggers were at her house anyway, not on her person. By Andraste’s mercy, however, Isabela just smirked and stood up. Ian quickly followed the movement, feeling rather uncoordinated.
“Let us see them,” Isabela mercifully answered, walking towards the lodging area of The Hanged Man. Ian followed her eagerly, smoothing out her hair when Isabela wasn’t looking. As they walked, Ian tried to grab any more difficult daggers to grab, staying behind Isabela as she did so quickly. Isabela led her to where her room was as Ian juggled her daggers to avoid them falling. She noted that she’d managed to get the same room as before, debating whether or not to mention it. On one hand, it was a funny coincidence, but, on the other, she didn’t want to interrupt the moment. She let the realization go unaired as Isabela turned to look back at her meaningfully.
Ian entered after her, placing her daggers down on the table and quickly sorting them by size. She felt Isabela watching her from behind. Analyzing her, perhaps? After quickly assembling them, she stepped aside and began to speak. “I got this one from the body of a mercenary,” she explained as she picked up one of the larger ones, showing it to Isabela. Her hands were a little shaky as she spoke, and she felt significantly more like there were bees inside her than before. She watched Isabela’s reactions closely, the slight nod, how she changed how she sat, the smirk on her face as she noticed the shaking.
Ian rambled for a little longer before Isabela stood up gracefully, approaching her with a smile on her face and her golden eyes burning a hole into Ian. The latter haphazardly placed the dagger she was currently explaining down. Isabela then slotted her hands over Ian’s waist and pulled her toward her, Ian’s own hands quickly moving over Isabela’s shoulders. Isabela kissed her forcefully, Ian feeling a little like a flag in a hurricane as she kissed back. She had soft lips, Ian noted, as she was pulled by Isabela. Isabela kissed almost like she used to, though this was more insistent. Ian’s legs felt wobbly as she sensed Isabela deepening the kiss, Ian responding in turn. Ian felt her knees buckle as they pressed against the bed, forcing her to sit. She leaned back as Isabela straddled her lap, moving a hand to hold Ian’s jaw. Ian shivered and shifted her hand to cup Isabela’s chest. She felt rather hazy and driven by instinct rather than thought, her lap seeming staticky and alight. Isabela sighed as Ian cupped her, briefly breaking the kiss. Ian took the chance to catch her breath, feeling breathless even after, and kissed her again.
She felt Isabela’s free hand snake around, starting to push up her shirt. She felt how Isabela’s hand was a little rougher than it was three years ago but pushed the thought of the time away. That was then, and it wasn’t then. Instead of thinking, Ian pulled back to remove her shirt properly, revealing her full torso to Isabela. She then leaned back in, but Isabela had paused, staring at something on her stomach. Ian could feel a shift happening in front of her, looking down at herself to figure out what Isabela was looking at. Did she have a new scar or look especially different? She looked the best she could in the moment but couldn’t find any notable scars that she’d gotten after Isabela left, though she wasn’t as lanky as she was three years ago.
“Are you okay?” Ian asked, her thoughts uncertain and getting a good look at Isabela’s face. Her eyes were slightly widened and her eyebrows pinched. Ian was starting to worry a little, herself, about what she wasn’t seeing before Isabela took a deep breath. She opened her mouth to speak but closed it again, instead just pointing out something on her stomach.
Oh. My scar from the Arishok. But she was there? Ian thought, feeling out of place in the situation suddenly. “It’s not a new scar,” Ian started to explain, but Isabela cut her off.
“I know , Hawke,” Isabela responded, her voice cracking a little as she added, “It’s just- you- nevermind, Hawke.” Ian nodded slowly, her emotions mixing within her. However, instead of pushing it or asking more, she just put her shirt back on as Isabela stood up. She felt disappointed, the reality of it sticking like a knife in her rib. Isabela didn’t tell her to stay as she took her daggers, just staring at her like she was about to bleed out on the floor. Ian just shoved her daggers back about where they belonged as she began to leave.
“Goodbye, Isabela. I’ll see you soon so we can go face death together again,” Ian called as she left, trying to sound more like herself, wondering if that was the true issue. She put her mask on as she reentered the bar, wishing she had her hood to better hide her identity. With that, Ian just left the bar with the plan to check on Isabela later, when she wanted her to join in on a job.