[open] exploration, study, and practice

[kartereo]

WHO: Waver + Open
WHAT: Mucking about
WHEN: Month of Drakonis, contemporary timeline
WHERE: In and around Skyhold
NOTES: None

i. Woods around Skyhold
Months ago, Iskandar had talked to Waver about wanting to build a small place for himself in the area. While Waver had had concerns, like the shards, he also wasn't going to argue with having a little bit more private space. And so with melting snows and the promise of spring that came with longer days, he set out into the forests.

He was methodical as he went, relying on horseback to get to whatever area he wanted to focus on on a given day, and then spending hours on foot making notes on natural clearings, where snow naturally drifted, and where it seemed as if there were heavier animal tracks for the sake of hunting.

Waver didn't enjoy the wind and the cold, but he enjoyed the quiet around him, the challenge before him, and the fact that he was actually working outdoors without wheezing and panting like he might have been a few months ago. For better or for worse, Thedas forced him towards the physical, whereas his life in London had only been academic. Or else it was Iskandar making him do the same.

His work and his thoughts are coupled with keen ears that listen for anyone who might be approaching. Animals, he expects, and hopefully none of them predators.

ii. Library
With Merrill having approved of his general approach of creating course schedules for the Skyhold classrooms, Waver was now tweaking what he had come up with. He wanted to build in a break week at the end of every cycle, both for courses to catch up or for people to take missions, and besides, some complimentary course timings were an issue.

So he sat at a long table in the library, parchment cut into squares in one pile and a drawn up calendar in front of him. As he worked, each class was placed on the calendar, and the squares arranged then rearranged as he tried to find something that would be as close to ideal as possible.

There were mutterings of fuck every so often that snaked down the shelves, coupled with that won't work or else ugh.

But it kept him busy, and he loved the puzzle of it all. And as he worked, there was a pleased smile on his face, one that wouldn't go away even if interrupted.

iii. Training
In asking Iskandar what might be the best weapon for him to learn given that magic might not always be available to him, Waver had been told that knives would be an excellent option. And while most of that learning was done away from prying eyes, there was always the need to practice.

Today, Waver did that in a corner of one of the grounds within the fortress, taking advantage ofa dummy left aside by someone else who forgot to put the thing into proper equipment storage. The daylight was fading, and the area looked as if it would see no traffic.

His movements were faster than they were when he and Iskandar had started out. But with the two little practice knives Waver had, he did nothing but miss mark after mark. The issue he knew was that he was now working with a skinny little dummy, rather than a man who was as big as a house.

He gave it several more attempts before muttering, "Goddamnit."

That one knife also went flying from his hand escaped Waver's notice for a moment. When he realized his left hand had nothing in it, he then immediately let out another swear before starting a search. "Where did that thing go--"

iv. Wildcard
For anything not covered above

Comments

[kartereo]

Waver looks utterly beside himself with embarrassment when Cole manages to find the knife before he does. Still, he takes it, ignoring the red in his own cheeks and the fact that goddamnit, he'd rather not be seen by anyone while practicing until he's at least competent.

"I'm going off the advice of a friend as to weapons to learn," he murmured. Waver knew about mages and staffs here in Thedas, but learning with something else was the point. He needed something that wasn't magic.

"But I'll take help. The same friend who has been assisting could be mistaken for a qunari in terms of size."

[killedwithlove]

"Iskandar." The image is vivid, the flush of embarrassment tying back to the large man, knife in hand, offering out...

"Knives are good, but you need to not be scared of being hurt." He steps in, far too close, too comfortable with it. "You need to be close, cautious, competent and confident. You can use a staff without magic. Or magic without a staff."

[kartereo]

"Yeah, him. Hard to miss a man like that."

Waver paused, taking in all of Cole and trying to piece together what kind of person he was dealing with, exactly. Beyond the forwardness with personal space, there were the words being said.

He did what was natural - shrug off anything that spoke to what made him feel vulnerable.

"I'll bother with a big stick after I'm competent enough that I'm not worn ragged after a brief amount of physical activity." That part was mercifully not bullshit. When Waver first arrived, he could barely run without wheezing moments later. "Competence requires growing skills over time, after all."

[killedwithlove]

"Yes."

It's hard to say what Cole's agreeing to, but the discomfort is there and he can help it by not bringing up those things. And he takes a couple of steps back, tugging his hat down to hide his face a bit more.

"If you want help, I can help. You don't need to ask. I can offer when you're ready."

[kartereo]

"Offer--" Waver reiterates, his eyes narrowing slightly. He's not bothering to hide the question running around his head and plain across his face. What the fuck is going on?

Waver pauses, then pauses to pinch the bridge of his nose between thumb and forefinger. "I'm missing something here, and so all I'm going to ask if that you explain your last two sentences."

[killedwithlove]

"I know when people need help. When they hurt, what will help. If you need help and want it, I'll know. I'll find you. I know when I should go help."

He rarely comes out and just says what he is (or should that be, what he isn't?) without prompting. But it's hard for him to hide that he's not human once he starts interacting.

[kartereo]

Being a rifter, Waver's first thoughts isn't spirits. It is simply a type of magic, a variation on the type of mind manipulation from home. It will never be spirits, unless told or prompted directly.

"That's--" he pauses, trying to find the right words that aren't either a bit unnerving with that kind of phrasing. "Quite the skill set."

Good enough.

"But were you serious about helping out with the knives for the time being?"

[killedwithlove]

"I don't mean to be unnerving. It just happens. Unnerving is better than creepy."

Yes, he did just read thoughts then.

But he nods, the brim of his giant hat flopping. "Yes." He reaches behind him, drawing a pair of wickedly sharp knives. "I fight with knives, too."

[kartereo]

"People are always ruder in their heads."

It's a not very clever way of confirming what Waver suspects is going on, but no matter. He'd rather not focus on what is and isn't peering into his head, and his attention shifts to what Cole has just pulled out. There's a low whistle, impressed and a little nervous.

"Those look very well cared for."

[killedwithlove]

"Mm. Usually." It doesn't bother him though.

He flips one in his fingers, holding the blade and offering the hilt out to Waver. "When the attack on Haven came, the Herald said I could take better knives to fight. I took these."

[kartereo]

Waver's nose wrinkles at the word usually, but it is a mark of distaste for whoever's been enough of a dick to say something out loud than it is directed at Cole himself.

Waver leans over to inspect the item first, wanting to make sure that there's no fine work on the handle that he needs to be cautious of not to ruin. Satisfied, he takes the offered knife carefully. He then brings the blade closer to his eye line.

"I think you'd be hard pressed to find something better. This thing could split a hair."

[killedwithlove]

The knives are sharp and well cared for but not new and not fancy. There's barely any sign of the whetstone used to keep them sharp, the metal is buffed and polished to move those scratches.

"If it isn't sharp, it's cruel. Catching cloth, scratching skin, ripping and rending instead of slicing smoothly, sweetly. I kill when I have to. I try to be kind about it."

[kartereo]

"I believe the sentiment is appreciated." But the idea of practicing with something this dire was something Waver had some reservations about. There was little point in voicing them, so Waver didn't.

"Where do we start?"

[killedwithlove]

"Not with these knives." He took his knife back and sheathed them both on his back. "You should start with- blunted knife, careful movements, Mother standing behind me, guiding my movements. I've never taught anyone anything."

[kartereo]

Waver patted the side of his coat. The interior was lined with pockets, and today one of those had a set of extremely child-safe practice knives. "The starting point's easy."

But as for the rest, Waver gave a moment's pause. "If you can remember how you were guided and can re-enact those movements slowly, I'd say that's a fine step to start in instruction."

[killedwithlove]

Cole tries to remember. Cole's memories aren't always clear to him, but if he digs back into the hurt of his father, he can find a clearer point.

There's a flicker of pain on his face and then he nods. "Yes. I can show you."

[kartereo]

Waver steps back slowly, then openly gestures. "Please, then."

[killedwithlove]

Cole starts the old routine. It's simple, understated, something that was taught to a child of ten or eleven. How to stab, slash, twist the knife in your fingers to reverse to grip, back slash and twist back.

[kartereo]

Waver watches quietly, trying to commit each movement to memory. Iskandar's approach was more hands on - this felt like learning flow before remotely applying it. Everything was simpler as well, but that was hardly a bad thing. Simple was easier to memorize, easier to act out, better for someone who hadn't been in a life threatening situation while in Thedas.

He also doesn't dare interrupt. waver would rather Cole announce that he's done than Waver ask an obvious question and make a fool of himself.

[killedwithlove]

Cole stands straight again, looking at Waver. "Now... you try. Just the same."

He stands where Waver can see and does the motions again. Slow, letting him see and copy.

[kartereo]

"Got it."

Waver's memory was, in fact, fairly good. The issue was speed, as none of the movements were natural or well connected. It was if he paused to look at a photograph, did a part of the motion, then looked at the next photograph to complete the motion

Terrible form. But every step was remembered.

[killedwithlove]

Cole doesn't notice that. Waver is working on it. Form will come with practice, he assumes.

"Now you do that for a long time. Until it feels natural."

[kartereo]

Waver nodded.

"Repeated motion I can do. But nothing looked out of alignment?"

[killedwithlove]

"I don't understand."

Cole... is not a good teacher. He never learned these things, though Cole did. He rocks on his feet.

"You just... do it until it feels smooth. Natural."

[kartereo]

"The flow of movement is awkward. But the movements themselves were close enough to what you demonstrated."

There's an undercurrent of apology for not clarifying what he meant.