yarking:

I want fic with the kirkwall gang having to deal with a fancy-schmancy socialite thing and Hawke brings along Fenris and everyone thinks he’s going to be a disaster because hurmhurm grumpy angry elf but it turns out he actually knows significantly more than most of the about etiquette a “high culture” because while it’s true he was Danarius’ bodyguard Danarius also trained him to pour wine… and set the table, and keep polite, informed conversation about innocuous topics like their provided food or entertainment, and basically how to engage Danarius’ political rivals without embarrassing himself or Danarius.

I want fic where Fenris has had a few voice lessons, dancing lessons, art lessons, not enough to be particularly skillful at anything, but enough to be able to recognize talent and skill in others and navigate social circles, all the while Danarius’ hand on his shoulder with a honey-sick smile, crowing internally that he could sculpt his pet elf into such a competent valet and relishing the discomfort of his political associates when they discover they’ve been having a stimulating conversation not with Danarius’ favored apprentice but with his little wolf.

Just… give me cultivated cultured!Fenris, who was exposed to these luxuries to further weaponize him in a social capacity, who is as clever as he is strong, who was never taught to read, but still canonically knows four languages. And if you really want to blow my mind, maybe a Fenris whose exposure to fine arts influenced his relationship with freedom, where his tutors are careful to avoid topics that might give him ideas of escape, but the art and music and history created with those themes occasional slip by and resonate. A Fenris that yearns for those connections at the same time as spurning them, because the only reason he has access to these things is the “benevolence” of a master who wants to use this enrichment as a gimmick. Who drinks the wine he served, who knows how good it is, savors it, and who smashes the bottle in defiance, but who still drank the wine.

And for pity’s sake, Fenris who is as rude as he is polite. Half his dialogue is him being a little shit, and the other half is him apologizing for coming off as a little shit.