Dragon Age Fic Recs

Hope y'all Thedasians (?) Theodosians (??) are having a well-deserved, restful holiday season.

This is a rather stressful season for me so I'm going on a brief hiatus. Career transition, ailing and wailing family, etc.

Fingers crossed I'll return to post by the last week of Jan. Hope the most recently posted fic recs make up for it. Also realized I didn't actually put in the link to mostly dead things by pentaghastly in its dedicated fic rec post... so it has been edited.

Apparently the full saying is, "The blood of the covenant is thicker than the water of the womb." Meaning, found family can be as meaningful, if not more, than the family you're given.

The holidays can be tough for a variety of reasons. Relatives are living but ill; relatives are deceased; relatives are far away; estranged from family, etc. Please take care, and I hope these fics fit the theme, and comfort and resonate at different measures.

I am sure that there are more fics that fit the bill, but I can't recall them right now. :( Feel free to reply with your own suggestions.

DAO:

The Long Way Home by zinjadu. Alistair/Warden. Separate fic rec post here. Warning: violence and torture in the beginning of the fic.

As The Crow Flies by EverydayAcolyte. Zev/Warden. Epistolary. So short, so good. Fic rec post here.

...And Even the Wind Will Not Blow Me Down by Eadgyth. Alistair/Warden, Cousland Warden. I really adored the fleshed out side characters such as Fergus in this deadfic. More detail in this ship rec list.

DA2:

like the leaves after a long winter by JadeLavellan (Jadestone). F!Hawke/Fenris mention. Breathtaking and atmospheric view of the fallout after All That Remains.

Mrs. Teanettle & Friends by jenny_of_oldstones. Fenris/Hawke. This 4,947 word fic packs a lot of emotion. Separate fic rec post here.

My Heart is Big by kihadu. Fenris/Hawke. Separate fic rec post here.

MUD AND SAND and its sequel GODS OF ANTIVA by spicyshimmy. Anders/Hawke. Anders is so lonely in this fic series-- his desire to belong somewhere is so palpable. Also part of the Anders/Hawke ship rec list.

Your last serving daughter by damalur. Familiarity with DAI is helpful as it takes place after Here Lies the Abyss and is Varric/F!Hawke. Warning: MCD-ish, unhappy ending. I was basically catatonic for the rest of my evening after reading this fic; it was that sad.

DAI

By The Still Waters by orphan_account. Action/Adventure, M!Hawke/Fenris. DA2 familiarity very helpful. Separate fic rec post here.

Mastering the Art of Ferelden Cooking by LadyAmbrosia. Cullen/OC (MGiT). Reminds you of a warm hearth. Has a happy ending.

Unrequited and its sequel Heal My Heart by DeltaIvyRose. Cullen/OC. Really brings to life the ordinary lives affected by our heroes.

The Soul has Bandaged Moments by insideofadog. Cullen/Inky. Often recommended for a reason. Mostly epistolary.

Perennial Dues by SnitchesGetStitches. Solas/Inky, time-travel, DAI: Trespasser familiarity required. It is a WIP, but what is there is over 100k+ words of good worldbuilding.

Title: mostly dead things

Author: pentaghastly

Rating: Teen And Up Audiences

Words: 13,646 – Finished

Spoilers for: DA2

Admin L’s notes:

Fenris/Hawke, F!Hawke. Canon AU. "It's all about the yearning" and other descriptive author tags.

A measured, steadily paced read. I was a little skeptical about the "seeing ghosts" premise, expecting something along the lines of seances or expedited crime-solving. What I received was something better: cackle-worthy interactions between Hawke's friends; a tender bourgeoning relationship between Hawke and whoever Fenris is; and a little unsettling, yearning contemplation of the deaths in the Hawke family. This fic reminded me that the losses Hawke endure in DA2 are indeed no trifling matter, and had a satisfying, if tentatively hopeful, conclusion.

Summary:

They’re remarkably gifted, the three Hawke children. That, at least, is what all of the neighbours say. Bethany, from the time that she was born, had been one of the most skilled magic-users in Ferelden, and so sweet that no one dared report her to anyone who might do her harm. Carver could wrestle a great bear into submission (although she’d never tell him as much for fear that his head wouldn’t fit into one of those silly little helmets the Grey Wardens are made to wear). And Marian—

Well.

Apart from being an above-average mage and having a phenomenal arse, Marian Hawke sees ghosts.

.

Title: The Fortress of Highever

Author: howlsmovinglibrary

Rating: Teen And Up Audiences

Words: 36,265 – Finished

Spoilers for: DAO

Admin L’s notes:

Alistair/Warden, Alistair/Female Cousland. Alistair is the best emotional support himbo. Pretend relationship, friends to lovers. Author tags are entertaining and accurate.

I absolutely adore the dialogue and the use of dramatic irony in this fic. Tension flows in the snappy banter between Alistair and Cousland, and between them and everyone else. Throughout the fic, the reader becomes familiar with Cousland's prickly demeanor that belies the character's biased understanding of herself as deserving of love. Cousland's demisexuality, and Alistair's acceptance of it as a welcome part of her, warmed my heart.

This fic is also part of the Alistair/Warden Canon and Canon AU ship rec list.

Summary:

Ismene Cousland knows that the only way Alistair can win the throne is with her help. But after finally escaping the confines of her noblewoman’s life, is marrying him to guarantee his success at the Landsmeet a sacrifice she’s willing to make?

Particularly when she knows that, no matter how she feels, their union will never be anything more than a marriage of political convenience.

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Fenris/Hawke fandom is massive. Loquaciousquark, theherocomplex, the_tevinter_biscuit and queenofkadara are especially prolific for this pairing, to this reader's joy. Fics marked with "^" are ones that have been completed during the modern plague (or recently completed fics).

It was hard to sort between AUs that felt like they could take place in Canon (and add to the expanded draft of FenHawke Canon and Canon AU fic rec list) and the AUs that felt like they should belong with the other fics here. Is there a method to this madness? Who knows.

Fic rec submission box and ask box are open.

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WC <10k

^Water is Taught by Thirst by loquaciousquark. Fairy Tale / Merman AU. Merman Fenris and F!Hawke. A sequel to the lovely oneshot that's linked in the author's summary.

Time Unbound, Anew by theherocomplex. Reincarnation fic? For a Tumblr prompt from loquaciousquark: kissing so desperately that their whole body curves into the other person’s."

^Katzenjammer by cadaverum. Modern College AU, M!Hawke. For want of a lost cat... I enjoyed the appearances of the various DA2 companions.

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WC 10-25k

^The Respite Hollow (or, The Ice Was Cold and So Were Their Hearts Until They Fell In love) by loquaciousquark. sequels are An Ice Like glass (or, While You're Waiting for Closure, Try the Gelato) and Compulsory Figures (Or, What To Do When the Cold Front Blows Through). Figure Skating AU! The shadow of Danarius looms large. As the winter Olympics approach, it might be a good idea to refresh your skating terminology :D

^Family is what you make of it by Elveny. Modern AU, pretend relationship. Fenris is a tattoo artist (the irony!), Hawke is a social worker. Family expectations abound in here. #and they were roommates.

Unbound by VikingEggplant. Pirate AU. Separate fic rec post here.

^Theodosian Idol by theherocomplex. F!Hawke, Pop Idol AU, which is... I don't think I've read any fics with this premise in other fandoms. Mad props for creativity and for implanting Gideon Emery's singing voice in my brain. As if his voice wasn't alluring enough already.

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WC 25k-50k

^Pathetic in Love by KnightOwl725. Modern AU, no magic. This fic delves into the whole thorny tangled mess that a Hawke can be when chasing after Anders, even in the canon universe. Who hasn't wished to be first in someone's heart?

A Convincing Affair by kellbelle. Modern AU, College/Uni AU, pretend relationship. Fenris is threatened with deportation.

The Broken Binding by loquaciousquark. Fairy Tale AU. F!Hawke. Quark wrote this 10 years ago. What was I doing ten years ago?! Not writing a fic like this, that's for sure.

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WC 50-100k

Champion by Vashoth. Royalty AU. The fic where Princess F!Hawke is trying to protect her sister while a tournament is being held for her hand, and Fenris is an escaped slave posing as a knight. A+ fight scene writing, which is notoriously hard to get. Separate fic rec post here.

Swan Song by Nenalata. Modern Ballet AU. Author summary:

What's the point of having perfect technique and graceful movements when the thought of dancing makes him sick to his stomach? Art is meaningless without passion, without emotion, without intent. Modern, city, dance AU featuring F!Hawke/Fenris and all your favorite denizens of Kirkwall and some of your least favorites.

My Heart Is Big by kihadu. Farm AU. Author summary: Nat Hawke is an ex-assassin living out his days teaching kids how to ride horses when a strange tattooed man appears on his doorstep with no shes but the most wondrous voice Nat has ever heard. So Nat gives him a job.

Notes: I never thought I would enjoy a Farm AU, but I did. Learned quite a lot about horse-keeping through this fic. Separate fic rec post here.

^Damned Spot by queenofkadara. Author describes it as "Crack Modern AU" where Fenris is newly hired as a bouncer at F!Hawke's pub. Standalone fic in a series.

Invicta, Invictus by loquaciousquark. F!Hawke. Tevinter AU in the canon universe. Marian Hawke takes Tevinter by storm, and meets our favorite broody elf. Satisfying worldbuilding.

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>100k

Spire by loquaciousquark. F!Hawke. Another Tevinter AU by the above author, but with the premise that Fenris and Hawke are already in an established relationship. That implication is beautifully explored during Hawke's entry into Tevinter. This fic also has a very satisfying concluding arc.

^Night Shift by ghostbunny. Vampire AU. If you ever wanted to ship FenHawke and Handers in one fic, this fic is for you. Separate fic rec post here.

Through Your Eyes by Regen. Soulmate AU. Similar to the Voiceverse concept where only one soulmate perceives the other in dreams.

^Where the Winds of Fortune Take Me by queenofkadara, Shoute. F!Hawke, Pirate AU! I am quite not sure if Cullen/Lavellan or Hawke/Fenris is the main pairing, and haven't finished reading this 300k+ word epic, but it's an enjoyable, fluffy read with some steamy art *fans self*. Queenofkadara also has a cute Hawke/Fenris series if you want to check it out.

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Note: I didn't recommend fics like Milk Carton kid because they're just too sad for me.

Thank you all for following! I can't believe the number of posts almost equals the number of followers! And 40 followers, meaning 40 living, breathing people appreciating the fic recs!

Thank you all for reading, and I'm so glad my obsession with dragon age is helpful to others.

Title: Viscount Varric and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day.

Author: SailorFish

Rating: Teen And Up Audiences

Words: 5,923 – Finished

Spoilers for: DA2, DAI including Trespasser DLC

Admin L’s notes:

Friendship fic for our favorite chaotic duo, Varric and Hawke!

Edit: warning for violence via the guards.

Say what you want, but the friendship between Varric Tethras and Hawke is one to behold. As Viscount of Kirkwall, Varric has to come up with increasingly creative punishments for his friend, the Champion of Kirkwall, who keeps on getting into trouble.

Featuring emotionally constipated Hawke, Kirkwall gang appearances with a long-suffering bland-as-Bran Seneschal, and delightfully Purple!Hawke. Fenris/Hawke is mentioned but is not the emphasis here.

Summary:

The worst thing about being the Viscount was having to act as judge. The worst thing about acting as judge was having to sentence your friend. Hawke is amused, Varric is not.

Title: Coiling Time

Author: Enceladus (EspressoComfort)

Rating: Explicit

Words: 138,086 – Finished

Spoilers for: DAI INCLUDING TRESPASSER DLC

Admin L’s notes:

Solas/Original Female Character (non-Inky), Solas/MGiT

Is it "Modern Girl" if the character is from a century, clearly beyond ours, that has perfected time travel, and if the character is no blushing, unsure girl? Both the premise and protagonist were very well molded. In particular, I liked how the premise (including the dictum that time travelers are observers and not shakers of history) so clearly affected the protagonist's interactions with the Inquisition members, forcing the main character to skirt around truths with a deftness equal to Solas (do not doubt that it catches his eye). Themes involving time, guilt and culpability, and community thread with immersive scenes of pottery making and tannery.

Time Travel, character of color, pottery, tannery, some angst, lots of good fluff.

Summary:

Coiling Time aka. the Thedosian Pottery fic

"Just that feeling when you’re about to go but then you’ve forgotten this particular data strand and the continuity just barely lets you pass through deflux... You know, like every molecule in your body is screaming in frustration at you over being reassembled just a little off. Oh fuck,” a wave of nausea and pain passes through me, and I accept a hot metal cup of liquid with shaking hands and a grateful sigh. “Thank you. I really must have miscalced some… something, something bad this time. Was it a timecode thing? Two days, you said?”

The man hums, as if in agreement.

“Well, there goes my plan to document hand-building techniques and drip glaze for a few months in the nineteen-seventies... Oh, this tastes nice and herb-y. Is that mint? And... Fennel seed?”

“Elfroot, mostly,” the man says, and I nod, leaning back.

Categorizing fics is kind of tricky? Here is a list of fics pairing Cullen with a non-Inquisitor character, who may or may not be Trevelyan or Lavellan. Fics marked with ^ were completed during the modern plague (aka are recent fics).

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WC 25k-50k

The Art of Love by Sloth_Race. Cullen/Lavellan. Smut.

Cullen seeks accommodations at a brothel. He is very gentlemanly in this fic.

Mastering the Art of Ferelden Cooking by LadyAmbrosia. Cullen x MGiT

Author summary: "Food blogger Kit ends up in Ferelden after entering the realm of dreamers when an explosion rocks the Fade." If nothing else, the punny chapter titles are delectable.

^Secrets Kept by Meraad. FWB turns into something more. Cullen crushes on Inky. Unreliable narrator.

^The Architect's Shield by disasterhawke. Separate fic rec post here.

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WC 50-100k

^Unrequited and its sequel Heal My Heart by DeltaIvyRose. Cullen/OC. Total series WC is 50-100k.

What a lovely imagining of Cullen and a non-Inquisitor character growing up together. The second work in the series emphasizes familial ties, and the love and safety that the Inquisition is really fighting for. Sometimes it is good to read fic that emphasizes the loveliness of "ordinary" characters that are not part of the Inner Circle.

Fluff, Childhood friends, friends to lovers, Mutual Pining.

Side by Side by GilShalos1. Unreliable Narrator, so much!

Cullen's second-in-command follows him to the Inquisition. I appreciated reading a fic where the main female character doesn't fit the typical bill of "small and slender" in terms of attractiveness.

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WC 100k-200k

^The Kitchen by sarenka. Takes place during the events of DAI. Mentions past Cullen/Inky.

Title: My Heart is Big

Author: kihadu

Rating: Mature

Words: 56,189 – Finished

Spoilers for: DA2

Admin L’s notes:

Fenris/M!Hawke, Modern AU, Farm AU.

Nat Hawke, a man fleeing his mysterious past, meets Fenris, another man also fleeing his past. Before this fic, I've never imagined that I would enjoy reading a farm AU! This fic exemplifies how much I adore fanfic authors for injecting their real-life expertise into their hobby writing.

I personally thought the narrative tactfully showed Nat's privacy regarding his gender identity. It aligned with the experience of my real life transgender friend, where she takes care to make sure she doesn't inadvertently out herself, where the loss of control over that reveal is something that can be anxiety-inducing. I also appreciated the depiction of some of Hawke's other friends including Isabela.

Summary:

Can we just appreciate what a treasure Zevran is, and how unfailingly loyal a romanced Zevran becomes?

Fics marked with ^have been completed in the past few years. *means re-read in part or whole.

As with all rec lists, I'm pretty sure I'll discover more I want to rec right as I post this...

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WC: <10k

Jealousy by galpalaven. Jealous Zev ftw.

Vhenan by vivisextion. "Or, what happens when elves catch feelings". I am a sucker for a good feelings realization fic.

As the Crow Flies* by EverydayAcolyte. Epistolary fic. Separate fic rec post here.

^a gentle, beating heart by rynleaf. Sort of epistolary? Good pining fic; the Warden misses her Zevran very much.

Giving Thanks by Milosmental. Secondary Male Hawke/Fenris, humorous with implied sexual themes. Of course the Hanged Man has themed costume nights, what are you talking about? Mind the tags.

^earring (proposal) by artie_mis. Fluff, POV Zevran as he falls for the Warden.

^The Antivan Elf and the Warden-Commander by project_icarus. Mind the explicit rating. spoilers for DAO - Awakening. POV Anders. Outsider POV fics hit in a special place.

Summary: "The Warden-Commander really should have checked the room was empty before she let her secret elven lover undress her."

Trust by serenityfalls. An art comic. Rated M. While you're there, just check out the rest of the artist's work.

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WC: 10k-25k

Honey and salt by nlans. Tactful exploration of what it might mean to be the King Consort's lover. My heart just hurt so much for Zevran in this fic. Completed 2018.

By Any Other Name* by EverydayAcolyte. Romance, Fluff, mutual pining, language kink. Zevran having all the feels and mustering up the courage to confront them. Also appreciate that for the entire fic, the Warden's gender is unspecified.

^Flight of a Crow* by Philosophizes. Origins from Zevran's POV. Adored how nonplussed Zevran would get when he's down to do some sexin' and all the Warden gives is hugs.

Lessons of Letters and the Heart by KieraVenic. Mahariel musters the courage to ask Zevran a favor... (hint: it's not what their campmates expect).

^Just a Moment's Peace by howlsmovinglibrary. Delightful college AU! I am usually hesitant to try AUs but the characters didn't feel OOC. Surana, mired in her insecurities, is so oblivious to flirting.

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WC: 25k-50k

^A Man's Word is His Bond* by howlsmovinglibrary. Soulmate AU. Separate fic rec post here.

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WC 50-100k

I tend to veer towards handers fics that highlight Anders' willpower, his heart for the refugees and for the oppressed, his cleverness. He was a spirit healer first and foremost.

Fics with asterisks* are those that I've come back to, or think about often. ^marks fics written in the modern plague (aka within the last 2 or so years).

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WC <10k

^a brighter word than bright, a fairer word than fair by amells (aeviternal). Hawke and Anders are very happy to be together. Fluff and smut.

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WC 10-25k

^sweet painted lady by Adarian. "Instead of becoming a mercenary or a smuggler, Hawke instead accepts work from Madame Lusine and spends a year working at the Blooming Rose." With this setup, F!Hawke meets Anders.

^Collision by dismalzelenka. Spicy first meeting fic for the Handers gift exchange. Fic rec post here.

Between the Shadow and Me by Ferasha. M!Hawke. This was a very interesting fic posing Hawke and Anders in a May/December romance. Never heard of Salieri Syndrome before this fic.

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WC 25k-50k

for who would lose, though full of pain, this intellectual being* by angel_deux. After fleeing Kirkwall, Anders is made tranquil. Separate fic rec post here.

^You're the Best Thing I Never Knew I Needed by TheMoments (TBs_LMC).

Summary: The same day Anders, Varric, Fenris and Hawke return from the Deep Roads, Hawke’s world spirals out of control, complete with betrayals from unexpected corners. The one man she turns to suddenly becomes the best thing she never knew she needed…and not entirely through his own doing.

Notes: Very Anders positive fic and optimistic about mage rights.

Still Intact, I See! by TCRegan. Canon AU in that Hawke meets Anders in the Deep Roads.

It was an interesting setting; I don't read that many fics with a world state where the Hero of Ferelden is kind of a jerk. This fic really tugged at my heartstrings, reminding me that Anders spent a whole year in solitary confinement.

MUD AND SAND and its sequel GODS OF ANTIVA by spicyshimmy. Tevinter AU, non-Justice Anders.

The former has its own fic rec post here. Both were originally written as a fill on the DA kinkmeme, so expect some kinky scenes. I thought it a very interesting look into what it means to trade one form of slavery for the other, and how restless Anders might become in a society that practices inequality even though he personally might not be victimized by that form of inequality.

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WC 50k-100k

Red Right Hand by Khirsah. "Aggressive Warrior Hawke is a hard man to say no to." Merits its explicit rating. This fic inspired me to replay as Aggressive Hawke.

SECOND AS A FARCE by spicyshimmy.

Summary: Originally written as a fill on the Dragon Age Kinkmeme. On one of his many escapes from the Circle, Anders runs into Malcolm Hawke, and becomes an honorary member of the family. Sometime between the ages of eighteen and twenty, Garrett Hawke became a man. Not just any man, either. Possibly the man, a specimen Anders had only ever read about in the romance novels his old friend Karl Thekla kept hidden behind the histories of Shartan and the Exalted Marches.

Notes: Oblivious non-Justice Anders. This involves Dragon Age: Awakening. The awkwardness of crushing on your adoptive sibling!

Oblivious Narrator, friends to lovers, mutual pining.

AU fics

Cinderanders by jullikesmagpies, mesitka. M!Hawke. WC 10,111. Fairy Tale AU. Top-tier crack in which Anders goes to a ball.

False Starts by insanity_by_proxy. F!Hawke. WC 14,667. Modern with Magic AU. "Five times Anders really should have just asked Hawke out, and one time she beats him to it."

^Darkfeathers by Dark and Stormy (betagyre). F!Hawke. WC 14,821. Avvar AU, secondary Cullen/Trevelyan. Anders is a lonely Augur of Darkfeather Hold.

Of Baskets of Flowers, Stray Cats, and Minefields: An Unusual Love Story by Gwyn_Paige. F!Hawke. Modern AU. Very fluffy!

Temptations of the Wicked by mevima, un-shit-yourself (fenix-down). WC 144,237. Modern Priest AU with Father Anders. I personally haven't finished this fic but I can imagine that it can hit all the right buttons for people. Merits its mature rating with the growing BDSM relationship between Anders and M!Hawke.

^Night Shift by ghostbunny. M!Hawke. WC 194,309. Vampire AU. Separate fic rec post here.

Title: Unbound

Author: VikingEggplant

Rating: Teen and Up

Words: 17,712 – Finished

Spoilers for: DA2

Admin L’s notes:

This is a high-octane fic that reimagines Fenris' quest "Alone" as a showdown on the high seas. Such a satisfying read!

The story threads together Hawke's interference in her friends' lives in such a way that in her time of need, they all stand by her. Isabela does actual captain-y things with her ship; Aveline and Donnic have some delicious banter; Merrill's sweetness is a major balm later. The fast pacing is buoyed by the dramatic tension created by multiple conflicts between Hawke and her friends, with cinematic turns of phrase, reminiscent of the final fight scene of the third Pirates of the Caribbean movie.* Hawke also does some very cathartic yelling at people I wish we could do in DA2.

Canon AU, Pirate AU (ish), mentions of slavery, Kirkwall gang shenanigans, F!Hawke. Fenris/Hawke, one-sided Anders/Hawke.

*Turns out that the author listened to the soundtrack of the movie on repeat while writing this fic!

Summary:

When Danarius returns for Fenris, it's up to Hawke and Co. to save him. Featuring Isabela's ship, some blood mages, and adventure on the high seas.

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-- after you read the fic --

Title: Collision

Author: dismalzelenka

Rating: Explicit

Words: 10,202– Finished

Spoilers for: DAI

Admin’s assessment: 5/5 (I should stop rating as I like all fics I've rec'ed lol)

Admin L’s notes:

Hawke/Anders

A very spicy first meeting fic between F!Hawke and Anders. Smut galore, followed by a sweet reunion scene that is worth the payoff.

Summary:

She was a farm girl with a secret. He was a runaway Circle apprentice hiding in her family barn.

Sometimes, two people collide and the whole of the world ripples at their feet.