Work Text:
Fenris didn't know what to make of Anders' behavior as of late. The man scared him a little, not enough to show it, of course, as he was set on showing himself as a strong alpha; Anders was an actual alpha, though, even if he did not look it and seldom smelled like it. He held no doubt in his heart that the brash, abrasive mage was an alpha, and why should he?
Still, there was something wrong with Anders. He was sweating much more than usual, stray hairs always sticking to his forehead, and his cheeks were always flushed the same pink they got when he got too drunk at Wicked Grace. It had been at least a few days of this change; he smelled strange, too, his usual scent of elfroot and salves replaced with something stronger, just on the wrong side of sweet.
Fenris, Anders and Isabela were tagging along to a mission in the Wounded Coast with Hawke when Anders started trailing behind. Fenris whipped his head around and groaned lightly.
"Can't keep up, mage?" he called out. "You should have stayed back in your sewers if you cannot walk—"
Anders made a little despairing noise from the back of his throat right before he collapsed. Fenris' eyes widened and he phased towards him without thinking, instinct to help the mage in distress kicking in full force. He got there just before he hit his head on the dirt, and carefully moved him to lay on his back.
Isabela and Hawke had followed suit. He was often crowded by alphas; only Merrill and Sebastian shared his status, and he would not confide such a thing to either of them.
"Never expected you to hold Anders if he fell, Fenris," Isabela teased lightly.
Fenris scoffed. "He's clearly ill. I may not enjoy his company, but I do not want him to hit his head. He'd be even more annoying then."
Hawke laughed at that, shook his head and smiled fondly at Fenris. "We should turn back then, yeah? The bandits will still be there when Anders is all better."
Fenris nodded. Once again, by instinct, he scooped Anders up in his arms. He weighed less than he looked and, as he glanced down at him, the smell seemed to grow stronger. He turned around and headed back where they came from, to Kirkwall.
Isabela was eyeing Anders nervously, like she knew something about his illness she didn't want to share. Fenris scoffed and just carried him the way back as Hawke and Isabela bantered to try and keep the energy of the group up. After a while, Anders' eyes fluttered open. He looked around in confusion before noticing Fenris was holding him and squeaked in surprise, trying to pull away.
Fenris' grip tightened. "Calm down, mage! We are going back to Kirkwall. You fainted."
Anders squirmed against his hold, clenching his jaw. Fear bloomed over his face and there was something wrong about it, about how Anders looked at him, then at Hawke, and Isabela.
"I'll… be good," he mumbled. "Just - don't tell. Okay?"
"What?" Hawke breathed. "What are you talking about, Anders?"
Isabela cleared her throat, and that only made Anders panic more. Fenris found himself struggling to keep him contained as he squirmed and whimpered, tears shining in his eyes.
"Anders," Isabela started, stepping closer. "No one is going to hurt you. We want to help."
Fenris was not sure what was happening. He didn't want to drop Anders in case he passed out again, hit his head. He wanted to say it was to avoid a concussion or Hawke's anger, but in truth it was because he did care for him. It was hard not to, when everyone else did, when he was easy to talk to during Wicked Grace, when the riffing back and forth made him feel freer than anything ever did. To be able to bitch at a mage, free of consequence… he relished in it, and in some way, he had come to relish his connection to Anders, too.
Anders shook his head a little, took a deep shuddering breath. "I've been taking heat suppressants since I got here. Too busy. Had to. I think… it's probably taken this toll on my body."
Fenris's hands clenched around Anders' body as his mouth fell open in shock. He must have heard wrong, because how, how could this be what he meant? He was an omega and hiding it, just like him? He was not so foolish as to drug himself like it was nothing, at least—he went on "benders" and locked himself in the mansion for a week at a time every couple months, his heats irregular thanks to the lyrium brands.
"You're an omega?" Hawke asked, surprised, as he kept up the lead towards Kirkwall. They were getting closer, and by the entrance they were going towards it was clear it was towards Hightown. Hawke probably wanted to stay with Anders to check on his health. Maybe even have Anders for himself, when his heat kicked in. Jealousy bloomed over Fenris' stomach and he was unsure who it was for. "You know you could've trusted us with that, right?"
Anders let out a shaky laugh. He was relaxing a little, in Fenris' arms. He never expected to like the sensation of the mage's body heat against his armor. "Not Varric. Darktown would've known their healer is an omega by noon."
Hawke hummed, considered this, and agreed. "Yes, they would've. Maybe it's better if he doesn't know."
The history of it laid thick in the air—Fenris wasn't a fool, he knew omegas in the south suffered as much as they did in Tevinter. There were omega magisters but they were few and far in between, and most often they were just playthings for alpha magisters to push around into voting for their issue of the day, and in the south Chantry sisters were omegas, but that did not matter much at all.
After a beat of silence, Isabela said, "Anders is going to be sick for a while, if he's been taking suppressants for so long. Maybe it's better if he stays out of Darktown. 's not very healthy."
"I can cope," Anders mumbled, without particularly meaning it.
Hawke rolled his eyes. "You can stay at mine, Anders, until it passes. It's no issue."
Fenris cleared his throat. His hands dug onto Anders' side a little too hard and he had to make the effort to untense his muscles. "I would like to be there, as well," he said.
Anders started squirming against him again at that, shook his head, fear percolating over his face, flushed from exertion and illness. "N-no," he breathed out. "I can barely deal with Hawke, and I like him, I'm no fan of alphas like y—"
"I'm just like you, mage," Fenris snarled, interrupting his fearful rambling. It was strange to say that he was like the mage in any way, shape or form, but he was, at least in this, this hiding, this fear.
Isabela and Hawke were both staring, while Anders was so surprised he hadn't even managed to look up at him, mouth still open in silent shock.
"I am an omega," he admitted. "I would prefer for the abomination to not die due to his lack of care for his body, and so I'd like to stay with him in Hawke's estate."
Anders managed to turn to him, still in his arms. With a heaving sigh, he closed his eyes and burrowed his face on the breastplate of Fenris' armor, body shaking slightly. He hoped he gave off enough intimidating energy still, so as to not be bombarded with questions by Isabela and Hawke—he could deal with them later, could avoid Isabela's pointed questions about his past, could almost pretend to be an alpha again.
"Alright, then," Hawke said. "Help me take care of him, then, I don't have much experience with sick omegas."
Fenris kept vigil over the guest bedroom, perched on a seat as Anders slept fitfully through the night. After getting back to Hightown, most of the day had been spent getting him into bed and feeding him both soup and various medications he said could possibly work. Fenris had not talked with him much, as Hawke was always present—he was not sure if he expected him to attack the mage verbally while he was sick, but he had no plan of doing so.
Anders' body was flush with sweat, getting chills through his dreams. He whimpered and moaned for a Ser to stop sometimes, and Fenris found himself reflected in this image. He had many nightmares as well.
After a while, Anders woke, brown eyes opening and turning to look at Fenris.
"What are you doing here?" Anders hissed out.
Fenris scoffed and ignored his question completely. "Would you like tea, water? I am keeping an eye on you."
Anders doubted for a second. He clearly hadn't quite internalized that Fenris was an omega and not a scary alpha ready to use him—every time he offered help he looked at him with big, wide eyes, like he was expecting there to be a catch. "Some tea, please. Thank you."
Fenris dipped his head and nodded. He went downstairs and boiled some water, put some tea leaves in the teapot and let them steep in the water before serving himself and Anders a cup. He went back upstairs with the two cups in saucers and handed one to Anders; he was now sitting straight on the bed and took it gladly. His white undershirt was dark with sweat and illness radiated off him, but he did not seem as weak as before.
"I still can't believe it," Anders started. Off Fenris' blank look, he continued, "you being an omega."
Fenris cracked a small smile, shrugged. "I struggled to believe you were an omega as well, if that is any comfort."
Anders snorted and took a long sip of his tea. He looked wistful, almost sad, as his hands twitched against the warm cup. "I worked hard to hide it. You don't, not nearly as much, if you haven't gotten sick like me."
"I don't use suppressants," he said. "I hide myself when it happens. I am sure Hawke had a clue with how he came to fetch me for a mission and I barred the door."
Anders considered this, looked down at himself. "And scent suppressants?"
"I bought a mixture of perfume and suppressants that works well enough. You smell sweet now — when your body works through the illness you will be thrown into a heat."
Anders gulped and stared at the bed instead of meeting Fenris' eye, sighed as he curled up on himself. "I don't… know how to have a heat anymore. It's been a very long time. I don't… Alphas are…"
"Terrifying," Fenris filled in for him. He wasn't all too fond of this vulnerability, of telling Anders that he, too, had been a victim of terrible things at the hands of alphas with power, but it wasn't like it was not obvious, with his life story. He took a sip of tea, felt the warmth go over his body. It was late, near witching hour, and he wanted to sleep but did not want to leave Anders alone. "Would you trust Hawke with it?"
Anders sighed. "Maybe," he managed. "I do really like him. But."
"I can be there," Fenris said before he thought better about it. The late hour and Anders' own vulnerability made him say things he normally wouldn't. How crass, to offer this — to be there as Hawke fucked Anders through his heat. A part of him wished for more than just being there, to take Hawke's knot and please it with his mouth, to help spread Anders open for the alpha's indubitably bigger cock. But he was not that much of a fool. He was not going to suggest such a thing.
Anders blinked at him. "You… want to be there?" He swallowed saliva, put down his teacup. "You… is it just that you want Hawke to fuck you instead of me?"
"No," Fenris breathed. "I want to be there, I am not using you as a proxy for any desires. I can even help with my toys, if you'd like. Help you get ready for him." He hoped he sounded utilitarian and not desperate, not pining, not wishing to fuck him. If he did, then it'd be fine—he didn't want Anders to get the wrong idea. Because it was wrong. It was. Had to be, because even if he didn't hate the mage now that he knew he was like him in a tangible way, he wasn't so weak as to like another omega in this way. It was unnatural, anyway.
Anders let out a breathless laugh and got back down on the bed, settled on his side. "Isabela was betting on you wanting to fuck me, when she thought you were an alpha. It used to scare me, but I think I'd appreciate your help."
Fenris swallowed, his stomach twisting uncomfortably at that, a mix of desire and shame curling up him. Was he really so obvious that Isabela could see right through his hatred? He wasn't always desiring like that, was he? He imagined himself as an alpha, pushing his knot into Anders' ass, and his body burned with a desire for something he could never have.
"Alright, that's settled, then," he said. "I should head to bed. Will you be fine on your own?"
Anders doubted at that, stared at his pillow. "Could you stay and cuddle? I know you're not fond of touch but… if you'd like, I can use a healing aura spell, so your brands hurt less? It just." He clearly struggled to show this weakness, his face flushing dark as he closed his eyes. "It has been so long since I was held," he admitted.
Any other hour, any other context, any other day, Fenris would have found this show pitiful. Instead, he understood. "You can try," he said. He was good at ignoring his own needs for others, so it did not matter much if the healing aura helped his brands or not. He pulled the sheets back and settled next to Anders, wrapping his arms around him and his chest to his back. He was smaller than him, just a little, enough to have to pull himself up to put his chin on the back of his neck.
Anders' magic pulsed out of him and around them, creating a cocoon of magic, a translucent veil that rubbed against the lyrium in his body, trawled across it and made everything hurt less. He let out a small breath of relief and nodded.
"Thank you," he managed.
Anders shook his head. "No, thank you," he said, seriously, before he fell asleep with Fenris wrapped around him.
Anders had gotten through the worst of his illness. After that night with Fenris, they started to share the guestroom bed—he hadn't gotten sleep like that in ages, always having nightmares, as there was a long list of demons that came to him. While sick, he had sweat a lot, had dizzy spells where he'd end up leaning against the wall, and vomited a number of times. He was weak overall, but as he was given more food by the workers at Hawke's estate than he had by himself in the clinic, he regained some strength.
"I can wash myself, you know," Anders started as Hawke drew him a bath, using a rune to warm up the cold water.
Hawke smiled at him. "But it feels good to let someone else do it for you, Anders," he replied. "Let me have this, alright? You can bathe on your own back in Darktown."
Anders snorted, rolled his eyes. "Sure. Just don't overdo it." As the bath got warm, he entered in, quite self-conscious about the state of his body. He was all too skinny for how toned he was with the Wardens, having lost weight rapidly in Kirkwall. There was always too much to do, and he ended up giving most of his food to the people that came to the clinic. Perhaps worse were the scars along his back and shoulders, bite marks from Templar alphas, lashings and whippings all over the expanse of his back. His body held a million stories he never wanted to tell.
Hawke did not mention them. He washed him like he was a precious object, some kind of antique, maybe, ran his hands through his messy auburn hair and rubbed the hair soap hard into his scalp. He cleaned his body and leaned down, beckoned for him to bend further so he could wash his back. His face was in front of the water and he avoided looking at himself, not wanting to notice how the years had passed and hit him so hard after Karl's death.
Hawke hummed contemplatively as he continued his work. "So, you and Fenris, huh?"
Anders grunted. "Yeah?" They were not dating, he wouldn't call it dating even if they did sleep together most nights. Nothing untoward had happened, not even a kiss, and Anders was unsure if Fenris even knew how to have a relationship.
"It would make a little more sense if he was an alpha, but I guess it helps you understand each other." He ran his hand up to Anders' shoulder, covering an ugly, deep bite mark—the Templars were like feral dogs, always nearly mauling him. "You're going to get your heat once you get the worst of this over with, yeah?"
He sighed a little, nodded. "Yes, most likely. The Taint messed with my cycle, but after so long, my body will just want it to happen as soon as I'm healthy."
"Are you…" Hawke doubted for a second. "Going to spend it with Fenris?"
Anders couldn't help but smile. He struggled to think himself desirable, much less by two people, now, and yet the proof was right there. "We talked about it first night we spent together, actually. He wanted to be there while you helped me through it." He paused, considered. "If you wish to, of course."
"What?!" Hawke breathed out. "If I wish to? You think I'd say no to the two most gorgeous men I've ever met inviting me to a heat-induced threesome? I may be crazy, but not that crazy, Anders, I'll have you know."
Anders laughed. Hawke leaned forward to kiss one of his whip scars, and his heart clenched painfully in his chest. Oh, he knew he was a goner for Hawke the moment he met him, but now it could maybe actually happen. He didn't know what to do with himself, with that information, beyond hope for the best when his sickness passed.
Fenris woke up before Anders did to the smell of his heat. There was an off note to it—he knew the smell of an omega's heat well, having been among many other omega slaves in his time in Tevinter, and Anders' was just on the wrong side of way too sweet. He nosed at his shoulder and slid out from beneath the bedsheets. He went to Hawke's room only wearing smalls, knocked on the door before making his way inside.
Hawke was still fast asleep, but he woke up easily at the sound of footsteps. He straightened up and rubbed his eyes, showing off his bare chest—he was muscular and had a fair amount of hair all over his torso, which always drew Fenris' attention the few times they had gone and relaxed on the Wounded Coast after a job there, undressed to their undergarments and soaked their feet in the sea. A part of him worried it was just instinct that made him want Hawke, or even worse, conditioning, but Hawke had not betrayed or hurt him. At least not yet. Maybe there were a couple human alphas he could trust.
"What is it, Fenris?" he asked.
"Anders' heat started," he said. "I can smell it. He's not awake yet, but I expect he will be a mess when he does."
Hawke stirred immediately at that, getting out of bed. He sniffed the air and Fenris tried not to look at how his length stiffened in his smalls, and failed at it. He sucked in a breath at the smell of an alpha's arousal, his own starting to overwhelm him, his own cock starting to stir and his ass starting to leak slick. It was a mess, really, a chain reaction of want.
"Since you want to, ah, want to be there—can I…?"
Fenris didn't know what overcame him. Usually he was awkward at best, had responded to Hawke's flirting with awkward laughter and eyerolls, reminders of his fake alphaness, trying to make him not pursue anything so he wouldn't know the truth. But as Hawke asked with his eyes if he could touch him, fuck him, enjoy him, he didn't doubt before grabbing him by the arm and pushing him against the wall, pressing their mouths together into a kiss. He moaned softly, his cock rubbing against Hawke's own through their smalls, humping into the touch as his ass dripped slick. They made out for a couple seconds and Hawke pulled away, grinned, and led him back to the guest room.
Anders was awake now, his eyes dark with want as Fenris and Hawke walked into the room. He threw the bedsheets off the bed, exposing himself in how wet and hard he was. "Please," he managed.
Hawke was the first to go to him, pulling him into a hungry kiss as he undressed him. He worked his undershirt off and threw it to the ground before doing the same with his smalls, maneuvering Anders around and leaving him naked. Fenris joined in, trailing kisses and teasing bites down Anders' shoulder, minding the scars left by others less kind than himself and Hawke, licking at them to gain soft whimpers out of him.
"Yes, that's it," Fenris breathed out, voice low, almost growling, as he pressed against Anders' ass, pushing a finger in as Hawke kept kissing him. Anders moaned softly and ground back against him. "Such a good boy, such a good omega, just let yourself be here, in heat, for us."
Anders let out an embarrassing little whine into Hawke's neck, hips bucking. "Yes," he breathed out. "Fuck, keep talking like that, Fenris, your voice… Maker…"
Fenris laughed softly and pushed a second finger inside, licking at his scars with an adoration he never thought he could treat a mage. He had moments of weakness, before he knew Anders was an omega—he'd imagined fucking Anders, riding his fat alpha cock, snarling insults at him as he used him as another toy to get past his heat with. But now, he wanted to bring him to climax again and again.
He looked up at Hawke as he fingered Anders' hole open, small movements to not stretch him too quickly. "Can you get the toys I brought?"
Hawke nodded, pecked him on the lips before going to get the two toys he had brought; he'd gotten them off Isabela, made a couple comments about how he wanted to surprise a special omega, lied off his ass, and she'd bought it. Or at least pretended she did. He took one of the toys in hand, a fat cock with a thick knot at the base, and showed it off to Anders.
"What do you think?" he asked, smiling. "You want me to use it on you?"
"Yes," Anders breathed. "After you fuck me, fuck me with that. Stretch me out, please, so I can take Hawke!"
Fenris groaned at that, leaned in to kiss him. Their first kiss drew just as many sparks behind his eyes as his first with Hawke, made him whine and moan, his cock pressing against Anders' thigh as they made out. Hawke was stroking himself watching, and when he turned around to look over his length, he hissed out.
"You really are going to need the training, mage, fuck," he breathed out, salivating at the sight.
Hawke flushed a nice dark red all over his face and laughed. "No need to stroke my ego, Fenris. Just get on with it."
Fenris rolled his eyes, scoffed, and obeyed the order nonetheless. He grabbed Anders' hands and pressed him against the headboard as he prepped his ass with deft fingers, watching him as he writhed and begged for more, more, more. He was a veritable wreck against his fingers, and where Fenris would have before found something to destroy he found something to cherish and please.
He pressed himself inside and moaned, brought himself down to settle over Anders, kissing him. He watched the dark brown in his eyes be swallowed up by the black of his dilated pupils, how his ass clenched around him. It was addictive, to pump inside him. It had been a long time since he'd fucked someone, and the sensation was exquisite.
"Fuck, Anders, ah, venhedis," he cursed.
"Yes," Anders moaned, hands writhing against his tight hold. "Yes, keep talking! Your voice is so - sexy! So dominant!"
Fenris had never imagined himself being described as dominant, and his head spun at the fact. He pushed deeper inside him, thrusting as he mumbled various curses in Tevine, each colorful expression Anders didn't understand seeming to draw more whines out of him.
Hawke laughed softly and settled behind Fenris. "Fenris, do you think you can take it if I make you the middle of this sandwich?" His hair tickled against the small of his back as fingers found a spot between his legs, digging inside him.
He let out an embarrassing moan at the idea. "Fuck," he breathed out, hands digging further into Anders' wrists. "Yes, I can, can take it," he breathed out.
"That's perfect, that's a good boy," Hawke breathed out.
Fenris' cock throbbed inside Anders, and Anders let out a breathless little giggle that made him want to bite and kiss him all at once. This aggression was completely without the intent to harm, and this realization—that he wanted to bring Anders only pleasure, made the other copper drop: he was in love with Hawke and Anders both; his heart beat faster in the same way for them both.
To not panic, he leaned down to kiss Anders again, shushing his commentary about his need for praise.
The rest of the morning went by in a haze of pleasure and want. Fenris fucked Anders until he came inside, then pulled out to replace his cock with the toy. He delighted in gaining moans and whimpers from him, watched as he fell apart against them. Hawke fucked Fenris for a while before he pulled away to join him in teasing Anders, playing with his nipples and kissing him as Fenris stretched his hole with the toy.
"There we go," Fenris breathed, looking up at Hawke. "He's ready for you."
"He's been for a while, you just want to keep my cock to yourself," Hawke teased as he settled in front of Anders, lining his cock up against him.
Fenris snorted and leaned forward to kiss Anders, drinking in his moans just as Hawke entered him. It was a beautiful scene to watch, how he filled Anders to the brim, until his swelling knot was flush against his hole. Fenris stroked himself mindlessly as Anders fell apart, moaning and whimpering, spilling all over himself way before Hawke was done fucking into him.
It was the best sex he'd ever had, he realized belatedly as Hawke finished knotted deep inside Anders, spilling into him and dragging his nails over old scars. Hawke gasped for breath as he collapsed on top of him, and Fenris helped them both turn to lay on their sides so Hawke wouldn't crush Anders underneath him.
Anders was slowly starting to get back to rights, the cum inside him quelling the fires of his heat, at least for the time being. He looked up at Hawke, then turned to Fenris.
"That was… incredible," he said. "I… I did not know heats could be good."
Fenris smiled and settled behind him, spooning him. "I can imagine. We will have to see if mine can be as good, then?"
Hawke's eyes widened minutely before he broke off into a grin. "Is that your way of saying you want this to be an arrangement, Fenris?"
Fenris hummed and settled his chin on Anders' shoulder. "Perhaps. Would that be welcome?"
"Yes," Anders said, the words rushing out of his mouth. "I really do… like you both."
Hawke was, as always, the first to say it. He was good with his words in that way, something Fenris and Anders both lacked, always trying to run away from truth and feelings. "I love you too, Anders. And you, Fenris, if you'd like me to."
Anders let out a content little sigh and curled up against Hawke. "Mmh. Agreed."
Fenris' heartrate picked up at that and he was ever thankful for his darker skin, the way it hid how his face burned at the ease in which Anders said it, implied he loved him. He did not know how to love, but he knew he could try, and he knew what he felt was what most people would call love. He leaned down to press a kiss to Anders' shoulder. "I do, for both of you," he said.
"Mmh," Hawke moaned softly, in agreement. "Let's take a nap before Anders' heat hits again, yes?"
"Sounds good," Fenris agreed, closed his eyes.
He was with them, know, in more ways than he could understand, in more ways than he could ever have imagined. His alpha and his omega both. For once, he was happy for his designation, as it meant he had breached the distance between himself and Anders.