Speed Griffon
Garrett sat through the rest of Merrill’s set, listening intently but his mind was on Fenris.
He watched him move around behind the bar, he could see the muscles pulling his shirt taught as he moved his hands were covered in the same white tattoos. “How far did they go?” he wondered.
Fenris looked over and caught him, he smirked and scrunched his nose.
Garrett blushed and looked away back at the stage.
Merrill finished her last song and took her bow.
He clapped till his hands were sore and whistled, Merrill smiled meekly.
Back to her bashful self, stage Merrill and real Merrill were very different.
Hawke attributed this to her history with The Dales.
She hopped off the stage and pulled her stool behind her as Speed Griffon took the stage.
They were a shitty acoustic EDM hybrid band.
Who’s lead singer was incidentally; the bartender, he actually came out from behind the bar to play.
Everyone looked awkwardly at each other as they played, Hawke noticed there were some overly enthusiastic fans at the front. “Huh? well go them.” he said sarcastically.
Varric walked back finally, his shirt was open revealing copious amounts of chest hair.
He adjusted his belt and ordered a bottled water from the bar.
“So, have fun?” Garrett asked
“Well Chuckles, let’s put it this way; if I give you a ride home, you’re not gonna want to ride in the back seat.”
He laughed and drank his water so fast the bottle crushed, then poured some on his chest and down his back.
“How you do it varric, I’ll never know.” garrett joked as Varric shook the excess water from his equally hairy forearms.
After a few moments Merrill bounded up to Hawke and threw her arms around his neck and kissed his cheek.
His eyes darted to the man he’d just met behind the bar, Fenris was busy unloading a box of IPA and hadn’t seen.
“Of course he hadn’t Garrett, he’s not watching you”
Turning his attention back to Merrill who was positively glowing.
Leaning in close to his ear she shouted her voice hardly audible over Speed Griffon’s
questionable attempt at music.
“Come out! So we can chat?” leaning back Garrett nodded casting one last glance over at Fenris busy unloading more amber bottles.
“See ya, Mr.Fenris McSexy-Tatts, it was real” he whispered as he turned away
And he followed Merrill outside.
Sitting down at a picnic table covered in stickers and graffiti of varying quality.
Merrill smiled at Garrett and took a deep breath.
“So, thank you for coming! Did you enjoy the show I noticed your singing.”
Garrett smiled “You were great, I really enjoyed your performance.”
Merrill’s eyes turned to Varric she raised an eyebrow.
“And who’s your friend?” She asked politely
“Varric Tethras, Friend of Garrett, and you newest fan.”
He took her hand kissing it like a knight or something
Merrill blushed and covered her mouth with her free hand.
“How the hell does he do it? And how did that even work?” Garrett thought to himself watching Varric charm the pants of a woman he’d just met.
Speed Griffon was wrapping up, with what sounded dangerously close to an Evanescence cover.
“Oh, let’s hurry back in,” Merrill said “I’m cold and it’s almost time for Justice to go on!”
Garrett was chilly too so they hurried back in.
They pushed past a group of high schoolers and went in, Garrett exited at the prospect of being in the same room as Fenris for a little bit longer.
The lights cut off leaving them in darkness, a fog machine kicked on, followed by an array of blue laser lights.
A group men had taken the stage painted with UV paint wearing UV contacts so it looked their skin was cracked and their eyes glowed.
“Well, this should be interesting.” He said with a smirk
A bass guitar started their first song followed by a bass drum, When the lead singer walked up to the microphone in the light he was wearing a teal and silver many buckled vest with feathered shoulders.
His hair was up in a half ponytail and he started singing in with a weird vocal effect that made it sound like he was singing with 2 voices,
Lifting his hands to cover his face he screamed and the place flooded with spotlights.
“Damn,” Garrett said out loud “These guys really put on a show.
Merrill leaned in to Hawke’s ear while jumping “They’re soo good! That’s Justice, he’s like this activist, but scary there are rumors he bombed a jail after his friend, or ex or something got killed inside.”
They played fast punk rock with singing vocals. Garrett thought they sounded a little like
Reggie and The Full Effect, he hadn’t listen to them in years but they were definitely along those lines, just angrier.
Garrett looked over at the bar Fenris was gone, maybe on break maybe off for the night.
His heart sank a little and he was suddenly quite parched, he tapped Merrill on the shoulder and nodded his head in the direction of the bar.
She in turn tapped Varric and gestured over to Garrett who repeated the gesture.
Varric nodded and winked at Merrill, taking a step closer to her.
Approaching the bar Garrett took a seat and saw Fenris crouched down on the floor squatting while loading the wine fridge.
The back of his shirt had pulled from his belt and you just make out white ink lines going from his lower back to beneath his belt line.
Fenris stood up and stretched then rotated popping his back, as he turned to stretch he caught Hawke staring.
He smiled, adjusted his glasses and licked his lips before heading over to Hawke.
“Shit he’s coming over, be cool Garrett, be fucking cool” he thought to himself as Fenris leaned his elbows on the bar directly across from him.
He smiled as his eyes scanned Garrett’s face, “Hey again,” he said obviously flirting
“Uh-hey,” Garrett stammered
“So, I’m not supposed to,” he said tilting his head “But, what can I get you?”
“I recommend Young’s Chocolate Stout,” he said gesturing over to a case of black bottles of microbrewed beer with purple and gold labels.
“They’re fantastic and full bodied, plus they use real chocolate.” He spoke with an accent, English maybe? Garrett couldn’t place it but he could listen to this guy read the phone book.
He turned back at Garrett and used one finger to push his bangs back over glasses.
“Yeah,” Garrett replied “Give me your favorite, I trust you.” Fenris chuckled
“A bold statement for a man you’ve just met.” he walked over to the case and took a bottle and arched his back slightly reaching for a glass, Garrett was unsure if Fenris knew how sexy he looked or not but it was so hot.
Fenris walked over to the woman from before, she was wearing a dark blue bandana and was ringing up some candy girls’ smirnoff coolers before him.
“Fenris, you know you’re not supposed to,” she said looking up “oh...Nevermind.” She turned and winked at Fenris.
“I can take care of that for you, kitten.” she said pushing buttons on an old register that was covered in band stickers.
Hawke paid and drank from his beer and wondered for a second if this is what Fenris tasted like. The flavor was deep, dark and sweet, and imaging Fenris’s lips made it better somehow.
Justice and The Rebel mages was just as thrilling buzzed, but the lights were a bit brighter and the music was more internal.
This was a good beer, he tried to commit the name to memory.