faderift | [OPEN] It's thunder and it's lightning

WHO: Bruce Not-Banner and anybody else
WHAT: Somehow its business as usual. And also a dracolisk who continues to makes his life interesting in all the best ways.
WHEN: Across all of August, 9:42 Dragon
WHERE: Orlais or Skyhold. Timey wimey ball in effect.
NOTES: Catch all and stuff for this month. Like before I'm starting in brackets, but feel free to switch around to prose and I'll follow. If you want to plot stuff or request individual starters, feel free to either PM me, get me on Plurk @

knightblazer or Discord @ knightblazer#8835.

one. fancy roads and fancier people (orlais)

[Orlais is, and will most likely never be, Bruce's cup of tea - to put it mildly. The people here felt too... fake, hiding behind their masks and whispering as if nobody could hear them, could see the way they were so clearly scheming. Things they could all so easily less do of and focus on more important things, like helping the countless people living in constant poverty. Not that he was expecting anything like that anytime soon.

The nerve of these people sometimes.

Though he is but one person Bruce does whatever he can to help still. He goes around lower districts and out into the countryside where the sick, the old and the poor need help the most, and can be easily found giving consultations for those who come to seek for it and medications to those who do need it using his own coin that he gets from working in the Inquisition.

In fact, if you're lucky (or unlucky) enough, you can chance him up in the high quarters, where he grudgingly goes up there in order to shop for all those needed herbs and medicines, some of which only can be found here in the heart of Orlais. Not that knowledge helps him sometimes, because some of these shopkeepers really want to suck people dry and Bruce finds himself having to bargain one too many times. It can get kind of draining after a while.

And yes, while he's here, he's still stuck in the armor set that the Inquisition loaned him.]

two. no more fancy streets for me (skyhold)

[Bruce never thought he'd be thinking it, but it was good to be back in Skyhold. If only because that meant he wasn't in Orlais. For now, anyway.

Either way, its good to be out of that armor.

It's easy enough to settle back into his usual routine once he's settled back down. Bruce can be found in his usual places for the most part during the day - the healing tents where he tends to most of the patients under his care, around the courtyard when he makes his daily rounds to attend to those who can't quite come to him, the gardens where he works however he can to ensure that the herbs and plants continue to flourish and for those who want to seek him out during the night - the battlements, where he dwells up there more often than not and uses those restless nights to experiment with some potion making.

On some nights though instead of the battlements he's instead in the library, perusing through numerous texts and jotting down notes in his worn leather journal. If there's at least one good thing that came out of his mage status being revealed, its at least the fact that he no longer has to sneak around just to read a magical tome or two. Not that it makes him feel any better, but it does help that the rumors around him aren't as strong as they used to be, now that the people have other things to be occupied with.

And finally, he can be sometimes found at the stables, reluctantly tending to the dracolisk he's more or less stuck with at this point. And maybe sometimes taking it out to try and train it. And speaking of that...]

three. you sir are not a dog (skyhold, stables)

--no, I said, stay.

[It's definitely a bit of a sight should one chance upon it - Bruce with a hand raised, making the universal gesture of stop towards the dracolisk that's apparently determined to follow him around. Or at least, as evidenced by Bruce dropping his hand, taking a few steps backward... and sighing when he sees the dracolisk following him still.]

I said, stay. [Bruce runs a hand through his hair and shakes his head.] You can't follow me all around Skyhold.

[He steps forward now, closer to the dracolisk, and it only backs away a little when Bruce comes it too closely for it to really be able to take a good look at its human. It snorts and flicks its tail when they both stop moving, and Bruce is left to stare at it for a good moment.]

Alright, let's try this again. [He raises his hand once more.] Stay.

[He clicks his tongue after that, slowly lowering his hand... and then the dracolisk leans back on its hindlegs, eventually assuming--well, like this.

A few moments pass as Bruce stares at what had just happened. Then he lowers his hand.

--he supposes its close enough.]

wildcard.

[Feel free to throw in your own prompt or PM/contact me to plot out stuff!]

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

[Gavin paused his petting and looked up at Bruce.]

Me? No, no. It definitely likes you more. Can't you tell? He's only relaxed enough to play with me because you're around.

[He gives it one last pet and then stands up to turn to Bruce, with a wistful smile on its face.]

Trust me, I shouldn't be taking care of anything. How are - how are you, though?

[Bruce certainly couldn't tell, and it probably shows as much on his face as he blinks and also kind of stares a little. He's pretty sure that isn't the case at all, though before he can voice that out Gavin moves the conversation along and asks what is probably the inevitable.

The pause is much longer this time, though not so long that it drags, and Bruce breaks it with a sigh as he glances to the side.]

I'm fine. [Which is pretty much the truth, even with recent events. If anything, he'll count still being around instead of being locked up or something as an achievement of its own.] Busy, but I'm sure that isn't news to you.

Generally when it takes that long for someone to say 'I'm fine', it means they are lying, [Gavin pointed out, but his voice was kind, not accusatory].

And no, not news... I don't know, Bruce, I've been hearing different things. I was worried.

[...to be entirely fair, Bruce knows he'd be saying the same as well, had Gavin been the one to be troubled. That thought is what makes him sigh again more than anything else.]

I... [He trails off, rubbing the side of his face.] If its about me being a mage, then yes. It's true.

[...he can't really hide it anymore, can he.]

[Gavin didn't seem particularly effected by that, and kept watching Bruce as if expecting to say something else. When Bruce didn't continue, he gave a confused look.]

Is that it? With all the muttering about lies and deceit I would have figured it was something, you know, important.

Well, I did say I was just a surgeon when I first joined.

[At least Bruce sounds more exasperated now than anything else. He scratches the back of his head this time, lips pursed together briefly.]

You've seen how distrusted mages tend to be around here. Lying about it... well, it didn't exactly make anything better. [Not that Bruce can blame them - the anger is understandable. And if anything he does deserve it.]

Well, sure, and Dalish is "just" an archer with a bow that looks suspiciously like a magic staff. You are hardly the first apostate here, Bruce. But humans get very weird about that sort of thing, I guess. You've been here long enough that if you were really any danger to us, we'd have seen it by now.

[A wry smile crosses Bruce's face at this point. Gavin's trust in him was--well, it wasn't really well-deserved, honestly, considering the secrets that he still kept. If only things were that simple...

If only.]

Mages have always been a touchy subject for humans. [That, he can easily agree.] And since Kirkwall, its only been all the harder. I can understand why they'd be mad at me for keep up my lie for as long as I have.

I guess.

[A far more somber expression drew across his face - one that had not been seen on it before he was jailed, but was slowly growing more common.]

We just have a lot bigger things to worry about. You're here. You're helping. That should be enough for them. I don't understand why they keep wanting to fight amongst themselves. At least they didn't try locking you up like they did with Lady Galadriel.

[the expression disappeared, replaced with a wide, if slightly forced, smile.]

I'd hate to have to attempt jailbreak twice.

[Bruce isn't entirely fond of seeing that kind of expression on Gavin - the last few months had all taken a toll on them, especially as this war with Corypheus wages on. It's a sign that shows just how much this fight had affected them all.

Truly - the sooner this finishes, the better.]

I was given a few choice words and had to answer some questions, but I suppose my efforts before all this allowed me to be let off easy. [Of course, now he actually has to go out on missions--but he supposes its a small price to pay.] I can understand their concern - after all if I lied about me being a mage, they'll have to worry about what else I may have been lying about all this time.

[The answer to which... well, that's something he hopes nobody ever has to find out.

And just like Gavin, Bruce's own smile is equally wry.]

But I definitely wouldn't have wanted you to get in trouble again for my sake.

I think lying about being a mage is pretty understandable, considering. And sure I understand it, I just... wish we were more concerned about the rest of everything else than each other. It's not like Corypheus' spies aren't obvious.... We pretty much have to look around and go 'do any of us have red crystals growing out of us? No? Well good then.'

[Of course it wasn't that simple, and he knew that, but he was trying to cheer Bruce up.]

[It most certainly isn't that simple, but still Bruce does know what Gavin is trying to do. And he doesn't want to keep him worrying, so--

He manages out a small laugh - its quiet and soft and perhaps a bit too forced, but its still a laugh nonetheless.]

It would make everyone's job much easier. [A tired smile, now.] I apologize, Ashar--Gavin. I didn't mean to make you worry.

[Gavin offered a smile and reached over to squeeze Bruce's shoulder companionably.]

That's what friends do, Bruce.

[Friends, huh? Bruce had never quite dared to think of many people that way, but... perhaps. Maybe. Gavin is much more than an acquaintance, after all.]

I'll be alright. [He tries to keep smiling, but it comes out a lot more crooked.] All things considered, I think I got off light.

[OPEN] It's thunder and it's lightning

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