faderift | I'm back where I belong

WHO: Iron Bull and YOU
WHAT: Bull returns to Skyhold. Where did he go? Maybe you should find out.
WHEN: 22nd of Haring
WHERE: Tavern, then training yard.
NOTES: Will update as needed.

Skyhold was certainly a welcome sight to return to. More so his corner in the tavern, still left unoccupied and ready to be settled into. Oh, Orlais had its perks. He'd brought back a few things from the capital after his stay there on 'business', in fact. But this place suited him in a way the gilded halls of the masked empire never could.

Bull could be found in the Herald's Rest through most of the day, eased back into the biggest chair the place had to offer, helping himself to enough drinks to down a small regiment of soldiers, occasionally flirting with the serving girl as she comes around for drinks, because why not? There was time enough to take it easy, to gover things with the Chargers to see what had happened in his absence, trading tales with barks of laughter that bounced against the wooden rafters of the tavern with ease.

The drinks definitely helped, where unwinding was concerned. So too did heading out to the ring to knock the boys around some, reminding them that break time was over. Krem still needed to work on blocking that shield bash, after all. And if anyone else wanted a swing at the Bull?

Hey. He wouldn't say no.

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Sina was back to making her deliveries, however long it took her now that she was recovering from her shard's minute reaction to the abomination. It was the only circumstance under which she'd ever enter the Herald's Rest, which she tended to avoid due to its abundance of drunk people and loud noises.

She was making her way toward the stairs with her basket, humming faintly to herself, when she passed easily the biggest qunari she'd ever seen (and she hadn't seen many). She couldn't help but stop and stare, but caught herself in time and hurried up the stairs. On her way back down she stole another glance, and while making her deliveries seemed to keep making excuses to catch a glimpse of the grim-looking fellow. She clearly found him fascinating, but too intimidating to approach.

'Intimidating' was one of the main reasons he made such a successful mercenary. He wasn't exactly shying away from the image, but this was no battlefield. This was as sedate as he was ever likely to be, enjoying his drink and chatting amiably with those nearby.

He'd caught sight of her, alright. The way she scurried away and peered down from the upper levels. But that wasn't all that uncommon a reaction, and you didn't go chasing them down hoping to change their minds about you. His gaze flickered her direction just the once.

Then he'd taken another drink of his ale, and that seemed that.

Once her errands were finally complete, Sina decided it was time to finally be brave. She approached him with a timid smile, basket in hands, and carefully extended a packet for him to take.
"Hello," she said with a practiced air, "are you... well you must be..!" She looked aside, beginning to lose her nerve. "This is for you. Welcome back to Skyhold." She wondered if she should call him ser, a thing people did sometimes, but it felt too unnatural.

The packet contained a tea blended for the easing of sore muscles, one she tended to give out to returning soldiers and fighters.

So she did mean to come back around. It was obviously an effort for her. Naturally timidness probably wasn't helped by that particular brand of nervousness she was sporting. When she edged closer he remained still, one brow raised, making little effort to appear any more intimidating than she might already find him.

One hand reaches for the packet, drawing it in with a faint sniff. Tea, then. He's not really a fan of the stuff, but the gesture can certainly be appreciated. "You giving this to all the boys here, or just the ones that make you nervous?" he chuckles, the noise low in his throat.

"Relax. I'm not going to eat you."

Sina blushed at his comment and covered her mouth in a mix of horror and amusement that he'd think she was flirting with him, but she moved past it well enough.
"I'd just... heard you were a friend of the Herald's, and that you've been out doing work for the Inquisition." She held the basket awkwardly in front of her with both hands. "It's... I'm... I never met her, but I believe in the things you're doing." She looked down and away, worried she was overstepping somehow. He was important, after all, who was she to just go walking up to people?
"You're busy," she decided, "I'm sorry. I'll go."

"Easy, easy."

His gaze stayed trained on her, the way she cowered behind that basket. Not all that uncommon a reaction, but this wasn't to do with his size. There was something else there. Bull eased back again, setting the pouch of tea on the table in front of him. For a moment, he looked thoughtful.

"You apologizing for something in particular?"

Sina wasn't sure she understood. She looked back at him, blinked owlishly, and shook her head. "...bothering you?" she said, after a moment's consideration.
"I haven't met many qunari. Telva... talvash..." Suddenly the word evaded her, and she shook her head again, this time at her own incompetence. The ones here were that other thing, weren't they? Not qunari? Or were they qunari and also the other thing? She struggled to remember what Korrin had told her.

"Tal-Vashoth. But you were right the first time." He'd be annoyed at the comparison, but it had been his cover for long enough. Even if here people were more or less aware of the fact that he was straight up Qunari.

"Does it look like I'm busy?" He gestured around him before raising an eyebrow at her. "You weren't bothering me. So there's no need for apologies."

"Tal-Vashoth," Sina repeated, hoping to secure it a bit better in her mind before she tried to say it again. At his reassurance, she closed her eyes, took a deep breath, calmed herself, and breathed it back out. She opened her eyes again with a faint smile.

"Please forgive me. I'm a mess these days," she said with a timid quirk of her mouth, "...I'm trying to make myself useful. And my hope is to let those able to leave Skyhold know how much their efforts are appreciated." She glanced down into her basket, her smile becoming more self-effacing. "If ever you need tea, or medicine, or something else from the garden, I'm at your disposal."

"Good to know. I'll let Stitches know. He usually patches us up when we get back from a mission." He jerked his head in the direction their healer was most likely to be, but the tea wasn't stowed away just yet.

"And I told you. No need for apologies, or forgiveness, or any of that. You need to come see me? You come see me. If it's a bother or I've got something else going on? You'll know."

"Please do," Sina replied, with regards to letting their healer know about the garden-- and then she blushed again, made aware of how often she apologized.
"Right," she agreed, taking care not to apologize again, "I appreciate it." Looking down at her basket, she decided she ought to get back to the garden and restock. "It's a pleasure to meet you, then."

"Likewise."

And with that, Bull had settled back into his seat. She looked like she wanted to scamper off. Best to let her. "And thanks for the tea." With a smirk he shook the little packet between his fingers before reaching to stow it away in a pocket.

Helpful little thing, he'd note later. If a bit skittish. But he tended to bring out that reaction in people. It wasn't so surprising, really.

Returning his smirk with a smile of her own, Sina took her leave.

I'm back where I belong

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