Well it's time to celebrate your birthday, it happens every year

[pinprick]

WHO: Anders, Nathaniel, and invitees!
WHAT: Fancy birthday party in Camp Shady
WHEN: Harvestmere 27, evening
WHERE: Camp Shady
NOTES: Will update.

Since many Wardens moved into the Kestrel House, there is plenty of space in the camp for a big top tent. Finding enough candlesticks, tables, and chairs required a lot of time and a number of bribes to pull off. The tables are nicely draped with fabric lent by one of Anders' patients, and each is decorated with flowers. The tent is alight and smells like good food--more donations from grateful patients.

One of the Wardens is known for her fiddling, and she plays lively dances and crooning ballads. In the center table is an ice sculpture of a cat chasing a butterfly (you guessed it--donated by a mage patient). It glitters spectacularly in the candlelight.

On the menu is a slow-roasted pig, spiced hot cider, spectacular salads, jams, cakes, delectably seasoned vegetables, a lamb-flank, and your choice of wine. There is even a hard-won bottle of Antivan brandy Nathaniel had to win several card games to achieve.

Relax, enjoy, greet the birthday boy, and mingle. The nights will be cold soon, but under this tent, life glows.

Comments

Later on

[el_tybs]

He had greeted Anders at the beginning of course, but seeing as he had so many guests he kept it short. With the party underway though and plenty of time for everyone to mingle, he takes this chance to find a seat next to Anders, a plate of food at hand as well.

"Having a good time?" he asks with a smile before making an 'ah' noise and raising his plate as Purrelden comes climbing into his lap. He has no issue with sharing, but he also doesn't want a cat on his plate either. Tearing a piece of meat he offers it to the cat to satisfy her for the moment as he glances back at Anders.

[justice_is_blond]

"I am." He says it quietly, smiling. "It's a little... intimidating, but knowing the people here makes it something I can deal with. Something I can enjoy." With trepidation and nerves, but he's here nonetheless.

"Are you?" Purrelden's definitely pleased with the meat, making a happy chirp as she takes it and jumps on to the table so she can watch him eat while she eats.

[el_tybs]

Sam laughs at that, setting his plate down now that it seems somewhat safe. "I know what you mean." The whole intimidating part. "That's a bit how I felt at the beginning of the year when there was suddenly a small gathering of people wishing me happy birthday and putting gifts into my hands." He had planned on having a quiet day that day to be alone in his thoughts, but Burns and the others from Ostwick had practically told everyone. "Course I didn't have anything like this," he says looking at the fiddler and table of food. "I bet this was quite the surprise for you."

Seeing that Purrelden is enjoying herself he smiles, reaching over to lightly scratch the cat on her head as she eats. "I'm enjoying myself. Certainly beats going to the tavern for a drink."

[justice_is_blond]

The smile strengthens as they find common ground. He's never sure how other mages had it, the ones in other Circles. Sometimes he envies the group from the White Spire, while at other times he knows he would not have survived his need to be free if he'd been held there instead.

"It was very much the surprise. I asked Nate for something small, and helped a little with the names of those I wanted here, and..." He exhales, amused, with a glance around again. "It's not exactly small. I'm not complaining. Don't take this as that. It's nice and pleasant and I wasn't entirely prepared."

Purrelden lives up to the pun of her name, purring as she gets her ears scratched. She, at least, enjoys being in the spotlight. He's still adapting.

[el_tybs]

He is very much in the same boat as you, Anders - he's not much of putting himself on center stage. Being present, but not having the spotlight on him.

"Oh," taking his hand back from petting Purrelden - sorry - he reaches around and removes the pouch hanging off his shoulder, handing it over to Anders. "I didn't hand this to you when I came in since it needed a bit of explanation." The leather bag is obviously part of the gift, big enough for Purrelden and lined with fur to make it more comfortable. Inside is a loosely wrapped package with a sweater and a patch of fur. "I'm afraid I got the pelt a little late so the blanket isn't quite done yet, but it should be ready by the end of the week."

[justice_is_blond]

Purrelden protests the removal of his hand, trying to follow it with a paw that's too slow. Anders also reaches out, but it's for the package being offered. He opens it up and clues in pretty quickly as to the niceness of the pouch itself. That gets offered to Purrelden, who starts sniffing at it before jumping in and moving about inside. It gives him free reign to look at the other two items and shake his head, smiling.

"A fur blanket and a sweater. I might actually be comfortable for the first winter since I wound up in the south." He flashes a grin at Sam. "Thank you, Sam. It's a lovely feeling to be warm."

The grin grows and becomes a little cheeky. "Speaking of, you've apparently a few people helping you stay warm? Do tell. I'm behind on the gossip; I'd thought you were with Kirk alone for a time there."

[el_tybs]

"It beats going all the way to the desert in order to find warmth," Sam says with a grin. When he had been invited to the party he had wracked his brain on what the other mage could possibly need. Eventually he had recalled the conversation they had in the Western Approach.

Course they couldn't have a conversation without Anders bringing something up that put a bit of red on his cheeks. Same sighs a bit. "Exactly what did you hear?" Apparently someone told Anders something. He's just curious to hear before he says anything.

[justice_is_blond]

"I thought I was prying for information from you," he returns with a grin. Fur does beat having to travel for warmth, but that doesn't mean he's not going to focus on the color he's yet again brought to Sam's face.

"Someone who answers a question with a question has something to hide. I would know. I've been an apostate for a long time. So talk, Sam. Tell me what's new with you. Tell me who all Fortitude gets to see a great deal of."

[el_tybs]

"Or someone answering a question with a question is curious of the reasons why the other party wants to know," he points out. It isn't like he is hiding anything, but Anders was one of the few people who actively sought out to make him turn red.

The mention of Fortitude has the spirit buzzing in the back of Sam's mind, and making him give a sigh. "Did you have to put it like that?" See this is why he was asking questions. "For a while it has only been Kirk," he confirms, taking a sip of his drink. "Some things happened recently though which got Cyril and I talking. I suppose we're in a relationship of some sort now, but it's with the understanding that he will have other partners as well."

[justice_is_blond]

"If you'd not asked questions, I wouldn't have put it like that."

His expression is all innocence, though he gets a little more solemn as Sam continues. "And Kirk is... all right with this too? Not to pry too much. But I like to know what's making my friends happy." In the Circles, gossip had been all they got. There's not as much chatting here, mostly because there's more to do, but Anders misses that one single aspect of his past life.

"And I suppose it may be complicated when you're with a Rifter. There's no telling if they'll be taken back to their own worlds, or what the shards are doing."

[el_tybs]

Sam's lips thin a little bit at those last statements. Facts that he already knew, but didn't really want to focus too much about. If Kirk had not been a Rifter... things might be different there as well.

"Kirk doesn't have an issue with it. It isn't like we are exclusive either - I know he enjoys other partners as well." He's not going to mention the point that Kirk had gotten visibly upset when he heard about Cyril, but that had been with the assumption that he was getting kicked out and ending what they had. They didn't, so water under the bridge.

"Having multiple partners is... different, but it is an idea that I'm getting used to."

[justice_is_blond]

"Mm." He nods. He sees the change in Sam's lips and knows they're on slightly tricky territory here now. Maybe it hadn't been as simple and straightforward as Sam's making it seem.

"I'd... There's one person, if she were to be interested, I'd see if Nate would be flexible on. As a regular partner. But I know it's not an easy concept for him. I can be monogamous with an occasional threesome visitor." A beat. "I can be monogamous, even. He's inclined toward that," like a lot of people, really, "and is happy. And when he's happy, I'm glad."

[el_tybs]

As he listens, Sam nods his head lightly at Anders' words, fingers tapping on his mug all the while. "You're... glad?" Normally people said 'I'm happy' when saying such things. Just a curious choice of words.

"Does Nate know this person?" He's not just about to ask whom they were since that might be a bit too private. Course Anders was dipping into his personal life...

[justice_is_blond]

"I'm glad." Happiness is almost always twinged with guilt, even though he's felt it several times tonight. If asked, he'll explain, but if Sam simply repeats the word he doesn't intend to elaborate.

"And yes. Nate knows them, and even knows how I feel. It's too important to not tell the full truth with."

[el_tybs]

Perhaps a different day he would press about it, but considering it was Anders' birthday party and the man wasn't saying more on his own, Sam was just going to leave it at that.

"Sounds like you're very open with each other."

[justice_is_blond]

Anders' expression turns wry.

"Hiding things never seems to turn out well," he half-drawls. They both know what he's referring to, he's pretty sure. "But more seriously, I've never mislead him and I'm not about to. What he doesn't know could hurt him and I've..." He sighs and the amusement fades away. "I've hurt enough people. I'd like it if I could avoid doing that again."

[el_tybs]

Sam hums lightly in agreement at that, letting the seriousness of those words sit there for a moment.

"You're a pretty lucky guy to have someone like him," he says after a moment though, a small smile pulling at his lips. "I mean, having to deal with Purrelden using him like a bed and all." He doesn't know Nate himself very well, but the man clearly cared for Anders, standing by him this long and even throwing this party.

[justice_is_blond]

"I'm very lucky," Anders says as the smile returns in part. "He's amazing. Steady, earnest, compassionate..." He shakes his head. "I'm the luckiest person in Thedas to have his love and support. You can be second-luckiest, I'll give you that."

[el_tybs]

Honestly didn't every man feel like they were the luckiest when they found something like that? Especially men like them. "Second-luckiest. Well aren't I fortunate? Suppose I'll have to just accept that. Hard to argue since he's given you such a fine party. I must say the jams are rather good."