Red String of Fate (Dragon Age FanFic)

An Omen of Parting

She wasn’t looking at him. Shit. She must be disgusted, must be regretting the entire thing. But how could she regret something he had done? After all, he had been the one to kiss her, the one to push her up against a wall and trap her in his arms.

Should he apologize? Of course he should apologize. But how? Maker, how could he ever look her in the face again after doing this?

"I…" But the words stuck in his throat.

Luca was trying to talk but nothing seemed.to be coming from his lips. Neria glanced up at him curiously and his expression was not the one she was expecting. She should say something, anything. But what? What could she possibly say? Figure something out, she scolded herself, say something to him... Her eyes focused on a figure behind them and a smile broke out across her face. She leaned towards his ear.

"Harellan, Blackwood is staring at us." She whispered as she tried not to laugh.

That was exactly what Luca needed to hear. His muddled thoughts and feelings were buried under the desire to get as far away from Blackwood as possible. His drive returned to him, and he took Neria’s hand and urged her down the hall. “I’m not one to turn down an audience, but I’d rather not be around that man ever again.” 

Neria couldn't help it, she started laughing again as Luca pulled her out of the building. Her sides were starting to hurt from laughing when he finally stopped pulling her.

"I thought you faced your fears?" She asked between laughs, her eyes watering slightly.

"I did," he replied, trying to look offended and only managing a slight scowl. "That doesn’t mean I want to be kissing you within sight of him." Kissing you. Saying it made it feel all the more real. He turned a little red, and then cleared his throat. Humor. Humor always made him feel more confident than he actually was.

"It ruined the mood I was going for," he said, smirking at her. "You can’t blind someone with your passion when some man is sneaking peeks at you from around the corner."

Neria felt her face heat up when he mentioned the kiss and setting a mood. When she glanced at him, her humor died. There it was. That classic little smirk of his, the sarcastic humor that he hid behind. Neria sighed and rubbed her face.

Maker, how late was it? She got so caught up with Luca that she completely forgot that she was meeting with someone at the tavern.

"Crap, I'm sorry but I have to go." She rushed as she took a couple steps towards the inn. "I'm late for something."

I’m late for something. It was said quickly, apologetically, but it still hit him as hard as an ice spell. His entire body went cold and rigid. He had heard that line before, on the tongues of men and women who would play with him like they would a toy, and flee when he dared to ask for anything more.

For some reason, it hurt even more coming from Neria. He bit down on the inside of his cheek and gave her a curt nod. “Sorry to have kept you.”

Without waiting for a reply, he walked back toward the building. He needed to retrieve his things anyway.

Neria froze. 

Luca took off as quickly as he could. What did she say? He had looked hurt and that pained expression tore at her heart. She couldn’t let him leave like that. Without hesitation, she ran after him and grabbed his wrist.

"I’m meeting the First from the Dalish." She blurted. "But I want to see you when I am done."

He glanced toward her. Was she serious? Surely she wasn’t. She certainly didn’t like him anymore than she had this morning. The kiss had been… amazing - though that was an understatement - but that didn’t change anything between them.