faderift | Jail Bird

WHO: Gavin, Open
WHAT: Gavin has finally been released from prison, and is out wandering about. With supervision.
WHEN: Catch all for bloomingtide.
WHERE: All over skyhold
NOTES: He was in jail before, now he's not.

There's something strange about Gavin, lately. He'd been released from jail, but he came out slightly different. Quieter. Smaller. Nervous. He tries to keep a brave face and he still grins, but the grins don't reach his eyes and the laughs sound a little more hollow and he's taken to avoiding people far more often than he once did.

He no longer even tries to be the life of the party.

He is always with another scout - his babysitter, or his guard, either way is misery. Often, it is Dax. Sometimes, it is just a random scout that happened to draw the short straw.

He has a room, now, that he's meant to sleep in, because it got annoying to watch him when he fell asleep in random places. But it is small, and cold, and he dislikes it. It doesn't have a window.

It reminds him of the dungeon.

He still offers a smile and a wave to his friends when he sees them. Most of the time. But no more treats, no stolen cookies or pieces of fabric or little wooden carvings. The gifts are gone.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

Luckily for Anders, the guard has absolutely no notes in his book of 'Warnings about Gavin' that have anything to do with apostate mages. It's all elves. So when the man approaches him, Gavin looks up to the voice without the guard even breaking concentration. He just keeps chewing at his finger nails.

"You - You're the one who--" But he cuts off there, looking sheepish, when he notes the clandestine tone. Right. He didn't want to get Anders into trouble, either. "--- really likes cats," he finished lamely instead. "I - thank you. For the advice. I really - you have no idea how much I appreciated - appreciate it. It w- is incredibly, incredibly kind."

It's a relief when the guard doesn't narrow his eyes, and even more when Gavin catches on to how they should probably not talk about how the cat came to Gavin. Anders smiles a little more as he nods and steps close.

"I've been in a... similar situation before. In the dark... on the topic of cats." It's probably a very good thing he's a mage and he'd never tried to be a spy or bard. "Being introduced may have saved me. And I couldn't do anything for your other circumstances, but I could do that. I'm..."

He takes a breath as he trails off. The guard really does make talking difficult. "If you need to talk more about cats, I know a great many things. And if you need to talk about other matters, I've been a few places."

"I - thank you." He reaches out, clasping both of his hands around one of anders, squeezing it tight without asking. He doesn't even think of asking - the motion is complete and utter gratitude.

The guard, despite both of them being so circumspect, obviously does not give a rat's arse, and lets out a long, loud moan as he closes his eyes and rests back against the tree. Gavin glances back at him, his ears drooping a little, before returning his attention to Anders and letting go of his hand.

"Thank you very much. Though I - I'm afraid I don't - recall your name."

He places his free hand on top of their joined ones and adds a quick squeeze before his hand is released.

"Truth be told, I don't recall mine either." It's delivered as if it's a good, shared joke, and it also serves as protection in case Gavin recoils at what comes next. "But I'm known as Anders, and have been for a very long time. Would you like to see if we can get tea from the kitchens? Or are you busy?"

It's the most subtle offering of an out Anders can manage; he knows full well a great many people want nothing to do with him.

Anders. He did recognize the name, but not the same way most would, probably.

He'd heard the name from both sides, and even if he'd only heard bad things... He wasn't the kind of person to assume they were true.

He'd met a lot of people that he'd been told were evil, heartless, two-faced - only to find they made good friends. And Anders had gone out of his way, had risked himself, to help someone he didn't even know.

That meant more than any rumour.

"Anders. I would - I would love some tea, yes."

He sighs in relief, despite his intentions to not stress over someone else choosing to hate him. He needs a thicker skin. Velanna's said as much, others have implied it, but it's not the easiest thing to learn.

"This way, then. We'll see if your guard wants to fall asleep on the tree or walk up a few steps." There's no doubt they'll be followed, but that's all right. There are places in the dining hall where one can be off to the side and not easily overheard. "They're a nuisance, guards. You'd think people would figure out they don't actually do much when they're following someone around. But they tend to like the show of it."

He leads the way toward the stairs and up to the kitchens.

"It's mostly just to make sure I don't fuck up again," Gavin replies, his ears drooping as he says it. He's very aware of how hard he fucked up last time.

"But I... I'm not planning on doing anything like that ever again, so I... think they get bored."

The guard did follow, but kept his distance as he walked behind them.

"I haven't even tried stealing anything from the kitchens."

The drooping of Gavin's ears hurt, but Anders doesn't know how to fix that, how to heal the lingering wounds. Not yet.

"The good news is we won't have to steal from the kitchens here. Tea's easily requested, as are a few snacks to go with it. Most of the time. When a certain cook or two isn't in there, and they're not right now." The last news is delivered as he peers in. The ones that don't like him in extreme don't tend to be on shift this time of day, and for once his luck holds.

"Eventually they have to decide keeping a guard on you is a waste of time, because it is. Now come, pick a few snacks, and I'll get the tea for the both of us?"

Gavin nodded, and though the cooks usually shooed him away, the one that approached him with cookies seemed to have some pity on her face. The disappointment had come earlier. It was hard to stay mad at a scout who looked so thoroughly dejected. So he took the cookies meekly and with a mumbled 'thank you' before returning to Ander's side.

"A month, they said, at least, and then it will be reviewed. I think they know I didn't - I didn't mean any harm, to anyone, I just--" But he cut off with a miserable look. "... It doesn't matter. I just hope things are back to normal, soon."

"They will be, in a month. You can make it a month, and the cat will help." His voice is certain, even though he isn't. Hopefully someone else will have pissed off Cassandra and Gavin can be forgotten about.

He leads the way for their small parade, himself, sad elf, curious cat, and bored guard, finding a decent table and setting down the pot and cups.

"Have you thought of a name for her yet?"

Jail Bird

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