Work Text:
The first time Isa Adaar saw Cassandra, she was kneeling on a hard stone floor, her arms were chained, there was a glowing green thing on her hand, a bloody hole had been ripped through the sky--and Cassandra still managed to make an impression on her, striding out of the dark with Leliana, circling her, leaning down to growl into her ear. She immediately filled the room with her presence, despite Isa knowing that if they were both standing, she’d stand head and shoulders taller than Cassandra.
“Tell me why we shouldn’t kill you now.”
The first words Cassandra ever said to her, and despite the threat they carry, Isa couldn’t help but be distracted by her voice, the lovely accent, the deep quality. She swallowed, looked up at the strange woman circling her, and listened as she explained what’s going on. She answered as best she could while the two women questioned her, knowing her life was on the line. In the dim light of the dungeon, Cassandra’s face is cast with harsh shadows, flickering in the torchlight, and even when Leliana is the one asking questions, Isa finds her gaze inexorably drawn back to the Seeker.
Everything seemed to happen at once then. She was led outside and the mark on her hand burned and writhed under her skin as the sky flashed, confirming Cassandra’s story. Within minutes, she had a staff back and they were fighting their way through demons and wisps and gods-know-what-else on their way to what Cassandra called ‘the Breach.’ The entire time, despite not knowing whether to believe Isa to be guilty or not, Cassandra fought to protect her, to guard her while she casted spells from afar, and Isa was forced to trust her with her life or die. She chose the former.
The fight with the pride demon and sealing the Breach felt like it took a thousand lifetimes and yet no time at all. It was a gruelling fight, and then closing the Breach--the last thing she heard before the resulting explosion knocked her off her feet was Cassandra’s voice, calling for others to help her tend to Isa.
The next time Isa woke, Cassandra enlisted her help in forming the Inquisition. Isa knew she should be concerned, should be questioning why Cassandra was so willing to trust her simply because she heard Divine Justinia call out for help in a spectral vision. And she was concerned, a little. But she wanted to help, wanted to close the breach and restore order. It didn’t hurt that she was drawn to Cassandra, that she wanted to be near her, to get to know the woman who had worked so hard to defend her name. She’d gotten her that far in one piece, after all--sticking around a little longer couldn’t hurt.
The first time Isa saw Cassandra practicing her swordsmanship, she couldn’t help but feel in awe of her, of her power, her presence. She hadn’t been able to really see her abilities for herself out on the field, and she was blown away by the force behind each blow. She walked up, careful to remain out of reach of her sword, and watched with a slight smile. Cassandra glanced at her and made a disgusted noise, and Isa’s face cracked into a grin.
“You’re kind of a force of nature, aren’t you?” Isa quirked. Cassandra paused, standing up and rolling broad shoulders.
“When I need to be,” Cassandra told her, and Isa shook her head.
“It’s impressive.”
“You flatter me,” Cassandra dismissed her, but there was a small grin on her lips, and Isa knew she liked the compliment.
“I’m trying,” Isa teased, voice light. Just a few days ago, this woman was circling her in a dungeon, sword drawn, threatening to kill her, and now here she was, doing her level best to flirt. Isa grinned at her own foolishness, and while they talked of doing the right thing and closing the breach and other such important things, Isa tried not to get distracted by the deep scar on Cassandra’s jaw, or the cut of her nose, or the way her brown eyes turned to honey in the setting sun. She knew she was fighting a losing battle.
When Cassandra told Isa the true story of how she became the right hand to the divine, Isa found herself enthralled with the woman’s tale, hanging on every word. When she finished, Isa couldn’t help but let out a little chuckle.
“You’re delightful, you know that?” Isa told her. Cassandra looked surprised, confused even.
“No, I do not know that,” Cassandra replied. Isa laughed, and Cassandra flushed, a soft hue spreading over those high cheekbones.
“I object!” Cassandra huffed. “There is nothing delightful about me.”
“I beg to differ,” Isa murmured, smiling. Cassandra sighed.
“I think I preferred you in the stock,” she sighed, and there was a teasing lilt to her voice Isa’d not heard before. She loved it.
As time wore on, Isa and Cassandra grew closer. When Cassandra learned that Varric knew where Hawke was and blamed herself, Isa was there to comfort her, to assure her that Cassandra was too hard on herself. She’d never have thought that Cassandra would question herself, but she was glad she’d been there to reassure her. It was the first time Cassandra had shown any hint of weakness around her, and it made Isa feel protective of the other woman. And then she laughed at herself, for thinking Cassandra Allegra Portia Calogera Filomena Pentaghast would ever need protection.
She learned there was a softer side to her, as evidenced by the book she caught her reading. Seeing that blush on her face made it worth it, and for Cassandra to tell her it was “literature. Smutty...literature” made everything worth it.
Later, Isa tracked down a copy for herself, and it was indeed smut. Smut between women, and that was putting all sorts of dangerous thoughts in her head. Thoughts like kissing Cassandra, tracing the line of her jaw with her fingertips, learning what her lips tasted like. Thoughts like those were liable to get her heart broken if she wasn’t careful.
Isa knew she had to get that book for Cassandra, but Varric proved...difficult. She didn’t want to upset Cassandra by telling him why she needed the book, but in the end it was the only way to get him to finish it.
Isa thought she was going to be furious, but Cassandra was so excited to get the book that she apparently forgot to be mad. Of course, Varric had to put in his two cents as well.
“This is the part where you thank the Inquisitor,” he said pointedly. “I don’t usually give sneak peaks, after all.”
Isa glared at him. He wasn’t supposed to be playing matchmaker! But he simply gave a jaunty little wave and walked off, leaving the two of them alone with the latest chapter of Swords and Shields.
“I...thank you,” Cassandra finally turned to her, a smile lighting up her face. It was the happiest Isa’d seen her in a long time, and her heart fluttered to know she’d been the one to make Cassandra smile like that. She left her to read, overjoyed to have seen Cassandra be so pleased.
It seemed to Isa that Cassandra might never catch on. She sought out the Seeker every chance she got, talking to her, flirting with her. She listened and consoled and comforted. She spoke with Cassandra every day, or nearly, and yet each time Isa thought she was getting through to her, Cassandra would deflect her compliment, or reject her comment, or somehow else make her feel like she was getting nowhere with the stubborn warrior. She was ready to tear her own hair out in frustration.
But then.
Isa walked through the main hall, lost in thought. She didn’t even hear Cassandra come up behind her, and only knew she was there when she felt a soft, hesitant tap on her shoulder. Turning, she looked down into Cassandra’s flushed face, seeing the anxiety and worry there, written in the way her shoulders were hunched by her ears and her hands gestured awkwardly to join her.
Cassandra led the way outside, walking silently beside Isa for what seemed like minutes until she finally took a breath and stopped.
“I was hoping...we could speak privately,” Cassandra said haltingly, and Isa quirked an eyebrow.
“Are we not?” Isa asked, continuing to walk. She hoped Cassandra would feel more comfortable if she wasn’t staring her right in the face.
“Right,” Cassandra huffed, clearly nervous, jogging a few steps to catch up with her. “Of course we are.”
Isa glanced sideways at her, half amused, half concerned. She’d never seen Cassandra so anxious before, and didn’t know what to do. So, she stayed silent, walking slowly, waiting for Cassandra to speak.
Cassandra sighed and halted. Isa paused, turned to look at her. Her stomach lept at the sight of her, lit by the setting sun. It bathed her in a soft orange glow, lending fire to her skin. The shadows were harsh where they fell on one side of her face, cool purples contrasting with warm highlights, like she’d been painted by one of the old masters. Cassandra wrung her hands in front of her, glancing between the ground and Isa’s face. She raised her eyebrows, waiting patiently for Cassandra to continue.
“The flirting. With me,” Cassandra finally blurted, her voice pitched up at the end as if it were a question. “I’ve...noticed it. Unless it is my imagination, which is entirely possible…”
Isa’s stomach dropped to the ground. This is it, she thought. This is where my hopes get dashed solidly across the cobblestones.
“If it makes you uncomfortable, I can stop,” Isa said. Her chest ached to even say those words, but she wanted Cassandra to be happy more than she cared to admit.
“Inquisitor, I…” Cassandra hesitated, ruffling the short hair on the back of her head in apparent embarrassment. “Isa. I do not...I do not wish you to stop.”
“I...what?” Isa managed to choke out, her cheeks flaring hot. She stared at Cassandra in confusion.
“I wish to...try,” she looked up at Isa then, dark brown eyes captivating in the golden light. “With you.”
“You want to be with me?” Isa had to ask, had to make sure. She didn’t want Cassandra to change her mind, to string her along only to drop her later. She took a step closer to her, and Cassandra didn’t back away. “Are you sure?”
“I am sure,” Cassandra whispered, finally letting her hands fall to her sides. Isa took another step, then another, until they were barely a hands breadth’ apart.
“Cass…” Isa murmured. She reached forward carefully, slowly, broadcasting her movements so Cassandra could anticipate what she was going to do.
One large hand cupped Cassandra’s cheek, tracing that scar along her jaw with her thumb. Cassandra’s eyelids fluttered, dark eyes searching her face. One of her hands came up to haltingly skim along Isa’s side, making her skin tingle and jump under her fingertips. Isa wrapped her free arm around Cassandra’s hips, pulling her closer by the waist, and Cassandra’s breath hitched, both hands flying to grip Isa by the hips.
“Kiss me,” Cassandra breathed.
Isa leaned down as Cassandra stretched up, lips meeting in a slow, soft kiss. Cassandra’s lips were as soft as they looked, sliding against Isa’s own, and she smelled like leather and honey. Isa’s hand slid into her short hair, combing through the soft strands with her fingertips. Cassandra’s hands slipped around her hips to pull her closer, nails scraping softly over the fabric of her shirt, sending shivers down her spine.
Their kiss might have lasted for several minutes, or mere seconds. Isa was so wrapped up in Cassandra, in the feel on her, the taste of honey on her lips, the warmth of her, that she couldn’t have told anyone how long it lasted.
Cassandra made a small noise in the back of her throat as Isa pulled back, trying to chase her lips for a moment before seeming to remember what she was doing. That adorable flush was back on her face, and Isa traced her fingers over Cassandra’s cheekbones, feeling the sharp cut of them under soft skin.
“You know, I was starting to think you’d never catch on,” Isa murmured, and Cassandra laughed, pulling back and smacking her lightly on the shoulder.
“I have been told I can be a little...single-minded,” Cassandra said dryly.
“You? Really?” Isa teased, kissing Cassandra on the tip of her nose. Cassandra made a little noise, her face scrunching up, but the blush deepened with affection.
“You would be surprised,” Cassandra replied, rolling her eyes with a huff.
Isa smiled, leaned in, and kissed her again.