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Honestly, Cullen wouldn’t have arrested Garrett Hawke in the first place, considering the man he’d been “assaulting” was a regular face around this jail and guilty of worse crimes than throwing a punch here or there. In fact, Cullen was rather impressed with the way the fellow stood up for his friends and defended the woman’s honor after she’d been harassed by the real villain.
However, rules are rules, and so Hawke had been sentenced to a week behind bars. Only…the man was rarely behind them. Of all the crazy things that could happen, it seemed that being in jail suited the man just fine. He treated it like he was on a cruise through the Carribean. He got along with all the guards and had the adoration of his fellow inmates. Even the crotchety old cook that Cullen often had to beg for a stray biscuit seemed to love the man and could often be found smuggling him snacks and piling him with enough food for three people.
Warden Rutherford sighed and refilled his coffee cup, sneaking in four packets of sugar when he noticed no one around to judge him. He was just going to his office for a while to wind down before the often stressful task of trying to herd his charges back to their rooms for the evening began.
Only, when he opened his office door what should he find but Garrett Hawke himself lounging at his desk like he owned the place, his crusty shoes all over his pristine desk.
“Curly, there you are. I thought you’d never show,” Hawke grinned, not showing a shred of apology for his misdeeds.
“Inmate 23, how may I help you?”
Hawke frowned and finally pulled his feet off of the desk, only to lean over and pout.
“Now, now, Cullen. None of this number business. My friends call me Hawke. We’ve known each other for many years now.”
“I am not your friend. I am your warden, and apparently a very bad one at that if you’re being allowed to roam freely and mess about in my own office. What are you doing here?”
“Ah, we have a meeting. My lawyer should be here in a moment. He’s going to get me out.”
Cullen quirked an eyebrow at the smirking man. He wondered if he should remind Hawke that he was supposed to be out two days ago but instead chose to remain.
“Why is your lawyer only just now showing up? Didn’t they bring him in when you were first booked?”
Hawke shrugged, “He was busy.”
Cullen shook his head, “Alright.”
Honestly, he was quite aware that the man was just having a grand ole’ time trying to make the most of his first jail trip. If they lived in a larger town with stricter laws, Cullen might have made a fuss and had the man dragged bodily from the premises, but he was rather in awe of how he seemed to keep the inmates in line just with his mere presence, so he allowed him to hang about.
There was a light knock on the door and Cullen turned to face their guest, sighing wearily when he recognized the “lawyer.”
“Varric Tethras, since when were you a lawyer?”
The dwarf shrugged, grinning crookedly and adjusting new glasses on his nose. He had even dressed the part in an expensive-looking suit with a crimson tie, and a leather briefcase that he’d wager was filled goodies for Hawke rather than important documents.
“Since a few days ago, actually. It’s good to have connections in high places. Good to see ya, curly. Now, about my client…”
“Your client has been a free man for two days, Mr. Tethras. Take him and go.”
Hawke cackled behind him as he gathers a bag from behind the desk. apparently having already packed his belongings.
“See ya, Rutherford. Drinks at the pub this weekend?”
Cullen ruffles his hair and cracks a slight grin of his own as he meets Hawke’s teasing glint over his shoulder.
“I’ll be there, as usual.”