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Lucretia led Davrin through the streets of Minrathous, keen eyes searching for the little book shop she had visited so many times before. It was one of the few free days she’d had in weeks, and she was eager to find a new novel to peruse, or perhaps even propose to the book club. With the amount of enemies stacking up, Davrin had insisted on accompanying the mage into the city. She had worried his presence would be an unwelcome reminder of the position Varric’s injury had put her in, but to her own surprise, she found the Warden walking by her side to be a comfort in the familiar city. She had harbored a crush on him ever since she'd met him, and his determination to go with her left butterflies fluttering in her stomach.
As the pair walked, Lucretia couldn’t help glancing over at the tall elf, at the way the passing neon signs reflected off his rich brown skin, and at the way he watched the world around them. Every once in a while, he would look back at Assan, checking to make sure the griffin was still close by. Once, he turned towards Lucretia, the lapels of his overcoat hanging ever so slightly, giving her just a peak at his chest. She looked away, perhaps a little too quickly. She was eager to see, but not so eager to be caught.
The familiar book shop was in sight, offering Lucretia an excuse to focus on something besides the handsome Warden beside her. “We’re here!” she called, flashing Davrin a smile. “Watch your head,” she warned, before dipping into the store. The entry was just a little too low, and she had knocked her head against the doorframe the first time she ran in all those years ago.
Inside stood rows upon rows of bookshelves, each one with a neat label that announced the genre of books to be found within. A warm yellow light, magical in nature, glowed from the ceiling, providing ample light for perusing the pages of the latest novels. In the corners and nooks between shelves rested a series of mismatched chairs. Atop the shelves were numerous displays; some held new arrivals, while others housed miniatures that no doubt related to the books below them. It wasn’t the largest bookstore in the city, but it held warm memories of Lucretia. She always found herself here when she wanted a new book.
Davrin took a deep breath, his eyes fluttering closed. “Smells like a library,” he said as his eyes opened, a smile tugging at the corners of his lips.
Lucretia nodded with excitement before making a beeline for the romance aisle, eager to see what new books had arrived since her last visit. Her dark eyes darted over book spines before pulling out a few titles that sounded interesting. She rested them atop the bookshelf, furrowing her brows as she grabbed one off the short stack to read its little summary.
“Found anything interesting?” asked a velvety smooth voice beside her, accompanied by a curious squawk, snapping Lucretia out of her concentration.
The mage jumped in surprise, looking up from the book she held in her hands, only to find Davrin standing daringly close to her. His warm breath brushed against her cheek, leaving it far warmer than it had been but moments ago. Before she could answer, he reached for the books she had piled atop the bookshelf, skimming over the covers and back pages of each book.
“A few!” Lucretia stammered out, her breath catching in her throat. She noticed the way the books seemed so much smaller when held in his hands, and she found her attention drifting to the gentle way he held the books, his fingers carefully brushing over them as he read. His dark eyes moved quickly. She moved to grab the books back. As much as she appreciated his company, she was not eager for him to discover the dashing heroes she often found herself reading about. There was a pattern, a pattern he was beginning to fit into all too well. “Do you ever try to live what you read, or do you just stick to books?,” he asked as his dark eyes rose to meet hers, a smirk spreading across his full lips. His gaze was playful, but there was something deeper, warmer in his eyes as the mage looked back at him. Something that looked almost affectionate.
Blood rushed to Lucretia’s cheeks as she tried to come up with a response. “Occasionally,” she managed to say, “I've been a little busy hunting gods lately.”
Davrin’s’ smirk deepened. “Even the best hunters need a break,” he responded, his eyes flicking to her lips so briefly Lucretia almost missed it. The man was flirting with her . In a bookstore. It wasn't as if they had never flirted before, but it had always been passing comments quickly followed by discussions about the Gloom Howler, or how to best train Assan. This felt different, the moment making her look back on his insistence on going with her in a new light. Perhaps, his concern for her safety had been a cover for his desire to spend more time with her.
Lucretia was suddenly all too aware of how close he was, the edge of his overcoat brushing against hers. She caught a faint hint of musk and wood radiating off his skin, the aroma wrapping around her until she found herself short of breath. When she glanced towards his lips, she could just make out the stubble along Davrin's upper lip, imagining it brushing against her skin. If she leaned towards him just enough, their lips would meet.
She moved to close the distance, her warm breath mingling with his as her heartbeat pounded in her chest. She had read about moments like this in her romance serials, had absolutely fantasized about moments just like this. She closed her eyes as she let her thoughts run wild, imagining him pressing her against the bookshelf, the shelving digging into her back.
“Oi, no animals in here!” came a sudden yell from behind Davrin, followed by an indignant squawk. The wizened old shopkeeper stood with his hands on his hips, glaring at Assan. “Get him out of here!” Davrin and Lucretia jumped apart, both flushing furiously.
“Sorry about that,” Davrin answered, suddenly looking sheepish as he shooed Assan towards the door, pulling away from Lucretia. “We’ll be outside,” he called to her as he put her books back on top of the shelf in front of him, pausing to look at her over his shoulder. He gave her a smile that was still half caught in a smirk, his gaze so warm Lucretia immediately felt its absence as he turned away with a wink.
Lucretia, still flushing from the Warden's proximity, turned her attention back to the books. That man reminded her of one of the dashing lovers in one of her favorite serials. She was eager to chase in the direction he had left, but she forced herself to stay in place and pick a book, even as her mind strayed back to the kiss they almost had. It was getting harder with each passing day to not imagine him as the love interest in her novels. When she wasn't thinking about the monumental task before her, Lucretia found her thoughts straying to the dashing Warden just a few places away, grinning ear-to-ear as he lept into battle, his eyes pausing to look at her before launching himself into the fray. Already, Lucretia found she could not get enough of that grin.