[Open] Time for some enjoyment

[conqueredhearts]

WHO: Iskandar and OPEN
WHAT: Iskandar is here to have a good time. Join him?
WHEN: Throughout Drakonis
WHERE: Skyhold and other fun places
NOTES: Probably lots of cute times. Maybe some sad times depending on the threads. But mostly a lot of cute and loud affection. Because Iskandar.

A. It's a new dog!

He'd been wanting one since first seeing the mabari. Now he had one of his own. A fine pup who tended to spend much of his time tripping over his own feet but was ever eager to be with and please the large man. Really he'd been told that an older dog would be recommended but they'd laid eyes on each other and that had been that. After all, once that bond was formed there simply was no going back.

And so one could find him with a puppy in one of the more open areas. They were training and it seemed that the puppy was at least rather intelligent at picking up on things! So long as Iskandar used his native tongue for the commands, something he'd decided to do just to solidify their bond further.

"Heh. What a clever boy you are, my Achilles Alexander!" The pup gave a bark and then happily ate up the piece of meat that he was given. And yes, Iskandar sure had named this dog after himself.

B. Training is important

The best way to perfect how one used their adjusted powers was to, well, use them. So he was around the training grounds to work with the couple of them that he felt could safely be done here. Name the teleportation and invisibility ones. So it was easy enough to spot him standing in one location only to reappear in another. At times he frowned and rubbed his beard as he considered what he'd been doing before trying again.

One could feel free to interrupt him though. He wasn't needing the concentration to do this really.

C. Memories rise to the surface

There were times when even Iskandar needed a moment to reflect, to think on the sadder days. Though he never regretted any of them that hardly meant they didn't weight on his heart. Many had been lost under his command or had given up much to follow him. Then there were times when he remembered Hephaestion and how perhaps he would never see him again. Or that his son would be someone he'd never lay eyes on.

So he was in the gardens with a kitten and a mabari pup curled up together on his lap. Both were sound asleep as if they'd been playing hard until that moment. He smiled down at them fondly, stroked their soft ears as he admired their pure innocence.

"It has been long since I had your purity, little ones."

Wildcard

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[el_tybs]

"I wouldn't necessarily say 'all is well' in this time," he says softly, giving a slightly amused huff. It's just the future was that much worse. After saying such Sam gives another sigh, bringing a hand up around Iskandar's arm and lightly allowing his fingers to run along the muscled flesh there.

"I think that's my problem right there. The world didn't go forward from that point, I went backwards. I feel the need to mourn, I have all the time in the world to do so, but then at the same time there isn't a need to do so... you're all here. I've woken Jim up several times because of the confusion, the nightmares."

[conqueredhearts]

"Ah now that I understand well. When I died it was in mourning but when I was summoned again the time for mourning was no longer there. It is not so easy to keep moving when your heart tells you to still look back."

He looked up at the stars, the ones he was familiar with now but so different from those of his home. Beautiful in the sky. Always continuing on no matter what happened here below. It was something true in any world based on his experiences. "Mourn now. I will not stop you. Take this time here where you are safe to."

[el_tybs]

It sounded like a completely different instance of what he was referring to, but it did sound like Iskandar understood how he felt very well. Something about that, the comforting way his lover embraced him and told him to mourn... it loosened a bit of tension that lingered.

Sam lets out a heavy sigh at that point, seemingly curling into Iskandar's warm as they sat there, just watching the fire as the man stared at the stars. "Thank you. You know... for hearing me out" A pause. "Though I wasn't planning our trip to out like this," he mutters a bit sheepishly.

[conqueredhearts]

"Sometimes it is not what we plan but what surprises us that is the most important. You need this and I am here for you." He pressed a kiss to the side of his head then smiled fondly at him.

"I will be hear to listen to you anytime you need it. Or simply to hold you without a single word spoken. Whatever will help you to lift the weight your heart carries for a time. For in the end you are not alone in this."

[el_tybs]

The kiss is simple, but it brings a small smile to Sam's lips - that and the soft brush of the man's beard. He already knew his lover would do all those things, which hadn't taken long to learn after his first night in meeting the Rifter, but hearing it and feeling his presence did help.

"That... goes both ways you know. If you needed to talk about something or... just needed someone to sit with you. I can't imagine all of this is quite as easy as you make it out sometimes."

[conqueredhearts]

"If things were easy would they be worth it?" He laughed softly but he understood what Sam had been offering and appreciated it. Loved it even. "Thank you. It warms my heart to know I have such good people that will be there to support me as I support them."

Sam. Jim. And so many others really. "I would not keep these things to myself though. Others are welcome to my thoughts even when they are dark in nature."

[el_tybs]

Sam gives Iskandar a nudge in the ribs at the question. "That's what I meant and you know it." None of this was easy, but Iskandar's attitude did not reflect the hardships like others, he always took it in stride as if it wasn't hard.

"Well, I'll gladly listen. But... perhaps not tonight?" He wasn't sure if he could manage any more dark thoughts tonight. Had to spread it out, right?

[conqueredhearts]

"No need to worry, Sam. My thoughts are not dark this night." He pulled him in for a quick kiss then even playfully ruffled his hair. Not because of age or size difference but because he just liked how that hair looked when it was mussed with.

"Besides, we have to focus on figuring out what bird you should take the shape of, yes?"

[el_tybs]

How Iskandar steals kisses always manages to bring a smile to Sam's face, though there is a huff accompanying it due to his hair being ruffled. "Are you sure about that?" he asks, running a hand through his hair, not so much straightening it, but just flattening it out. He'd bet those thoughts were dark in other ways.

"Right, that's mostly why we came out here. I had a couple ideas."

[conqueredhearts]

"I would not call thoughts of bedding you dark." He laughed gently and gave him a kiss to the cheek then gave him a grin afterwards. He was curious to say the least about what birds Sam had in mind.

"What would you like to change into?"

[el_tybs]

"Is that a confession that you are having such thoughts?" he asks, huffing slightly at how easily Iskandar was able to brighten his mood from his thoughts moments ago. That and the slight scrape of his beard each time he leaned in to give him a kiss.

"I have a couple in mind. Either something small, easy to conceal and hide, or something large, powerful, less likely to be messed with."

[conqueredhearts]

"I would not really consider it a confession when I am always ready to bed you at any given moment." He laughed softly, not even the slightest bit ashamed of his confession. Then again, why would he be? He loved to bed this man so of course he'd tell him about it.

"Perhaps a bird of prey then. But one of a smaller nature. A falcon maybe?"

[el_tybs]

If Iskandar ever showed shame, Sam would be most surprised as he's learned - possibly the hard way - that this man did not in fact have any shame. Which probably was both to his delight and chagrin equally. "Any given moment?" There's only the faintest of a flush, more then likely hidden by the dark and the flames, but he hadn't been expecting kind of answer. Eager, sure. Any given moment? That's a lot of moments... and he definitely is going to wondering about that.

"I hadn't considered that. That might be a good compromise between the two. Won't be many out here, mostly eagles, but we can certainly look."

[conqueredhearts]

"Of course." He said it so matter-of-factly that they could have been talking about the weather. Of course he thought about bedding him a lot. Why wouldn't he when he adored him so much?

"There won't? Hmmm...are we at all close to where we might find some? We could always go to that location to watch them."

[el_tybs]

That's a lot of moments. Sam would admit that he had frequent thoughts of such activities with the large Rifter - how could he not? - but it wasn't merely that often. Course now that he was aware of it he had a feeling he probably was going to think about it more, wondering when, how and if Iskandar would do anything at any given moment.

"Hm. Well we didn't plan for a very long trip so we can't go to the coast where they would be more common. If we head north from here though and stick to more open spaced areas near the mountain... we should be able to see some."

[conqueredhearts]

He looked over to where the mountains were, stroking his beard in thought as he did. Over there, hm? Yes that wasn't too long a journey honestly. Nodding a bit, he turned back to Sam and grinned at him.

"Then when the sun rises we will go that direction and look for a falcon. I rather love the idea of you as one too. It is a fine, fine form."

[el_tybs]

"I take it you like falcons." He hadn't considered such a species when he realized he should have an animal that wasn't bound to the ground.

"I've always wanted to fly. Never thought I'd actually get to do it."

[conqueredhearts]

"Actually I like eagles the best. I just feel that a falcon will suit you more and will be faster which will be to your advantage."

He stroked his chin then, looking at the sky. "In my world I had a chariot that could fly through the air pulled by two oxen. I miss doing that some days."

[el_tybs]

"I-" Well whatever he was about to say immediately died on his tongue, which he promptly bit as he shut him mouth.

"Flying chariot... and oxen." Just keep laying on the bizarre here, Iskandar.

[conqueredhearts]

"It is called the Gordius Wheel. One of my greatest weapons."

He grinned with pride, obviously not realizing that something like that might be considered strange. It was so normal in his own world. Well, as long as one knew about Servants and Masters.

[el_tybs]

"But flying ox- how many things can fly in your world?" Dragons, birds, and shapeshifters were one thing in this world, and only birds were common.

Course dragons were proving to be rather numerous as of late.

[conqueredhearts]

"Depends on whether they are magical or not honestly. Even then there are vehicles that can fly among those that are not magical." Which meant... a lot. There was a lot that could fly.

[el_tybs]

A lot. Yeah that's the gist Sam was getting out of that answer. "Flying ships in sky and now flying cattle. Earth sounds like it's quite the place."

[conqueredhearts]

"Well it's not common for oxen to fly. Mine are the Children of Zeus which makes them unique." Because that would actually mean something. Only not really.

[el_tybs]

Sam pauses again and just stares at Iskandar, waiting to see if there was a follow up to that. "... Who is Zuse?" Clearly another oxen right?