faderift | [Open] A cat a day brings the healer to play

WHO: Anders and peoples
WHAT: Hanging out and doing things around Kirkwall now that they're back
WHEN: Through the month
WHERE: Various locations around Kirkwall
NOTES: Nothing comes to mind atm.

1. The Cat Prompt (open)

He has a new cat. It's rather obvious by the way there's an orange bundle of fluff hanging on to his shoulder for dear life now, from time to time, supported often by his hand. Most of the time he has one (or both) cats with him he's in the herb garden, carefully picking and trimming and weeding as Purrelden sprawls in the sun and Lord Pawdric alternates between napping in Anders' belt pouch, sitting on his shoulder, or stumbling around on tiny kitten legs after caterpillars.

A great deal of Anders' attention is on his cats. He likes letting them roam, but he doesn't want them to be hurt and he's pretty aware of his own... popularity, which means anyone coming into the garden is looked at and nodded to whether he likes them or not. If he likes them, it's friendly with an added small smile. If he doesn't, or if he doesn't know them, it's a warning. He sees them.

2. There's Always An Infirmary Prompt (open)

The doors open behind him but he can't turn just yet - he's at the tricky stage of making this potion.

"Hang on, I'll be right with you. Unless you're dying. Are you dying?" Because he can risk burning a hole in the desk if someone's dying.

3. Of Course He's At The Hanged Man Prompt. (open)

Bluffing is not something Anders is good at. It's not that he hasn't spent time trying - he tried all the time back in the Circle and the Templars just weren't having it - but somehow he keeps failing. All the same, he's sitting at a table, trying to work on his card game abilities.

He doesn't bother looking up when someone approaches, which isn't the best technique when it comes to self-preservation, but he's not great at that either.

"Right. I'm not betting because I'm shit at card games, but I'd like to get better. Sit down if you're in."

4. Ye Olde Schoole Ande Clinice Prompte (Opene)

He's in the middle of a small flock of kids and teenagers, leading them back inside the Clinic as they excitedly describe how awesome the little orb they just made out of spirit was, and how they'd be juggling in a day, just wait and see, how theirs was the biggest, theirs was the coolest, they were the fastest, and so on. Anders looks happy.

It continues even as the babbling horde descends on one of his workers to get their lunch and he turns to see if anyone's here for him specifically.

5. The Obligatory Sappy Prompt (closed to Nate)

There's a lot of mail from the office, and surprisingly, not all of the paperwork is for Nate. While he's certain he'll get tired of it in time, there's still a nice novelty to having some to do. Responsibility feels... nice, really. Even when he's always had a lot of it on his shoulders.

Anders leaves behind a few cookies for Alistair and Loghain when they go into the Warden office before bringing all the stuff Nate and he need to see to home. The pillows get stacked to support Nate, the pens and ink and parchment and cats and dog get gathered, and then the parchment gets re-gathered because Lady gets excited and Pawdric gets startled.

"Do you need me to grab anything else? Before I get settled next to you?"

6. Cats' Day Out Prompt (Closed to Kirk)

He has two leashes, and two cats... and a cat on each shoulder rather than them on the ground. Pawdric, at least, has an excuse. He's tiny with short little legs. Purrelden? She's spoiled and lazy. And he's not fighting her about it, because he loves her and the spoiling is his own fault.

Though he's a little less than impressed by the claws in his shoulder from her when he reaches up to knock at Kirk's door.

"You're the one that had to be there," he reminds her.

7. I See You Creepin' Prompt (closed to Thane)

While Anders has never been good, exactly, about staying on the run, he's gotten pretty good at noticing when he's being watched. Much of the time it's just staring or glaring, but this guy has been following him and it's starting to make him nervous. It's entirely because of his shadow that he doesn't head for the docks to go to Darktown at his usual time - instead he detours to be out in the open in the courtyard before he whirls around and heads straight for the guy.

"What, exactly, do you want from me?"

8. Bad Patient Prompt (closed to Vandelin)

It's another day in the infirmary, though he's not really had a lot of time to make potions today. The patients have been fairly non-stop, so he's taking the break that has finally arrived to carefully feed little Pawdric. Purrelden sits like a queen on top of a shelf, watching the squeaking kitten stuff himself. Pawdric's just finished up and is getting carefully wiped down when Anders hears someone at the door and looks up.

"Vandelin!" The elf gets a smile and a nod to one of the two chairs in the room. "Come on in. What can I do for you?"

9. Just In Case Another Patient Is Bad Prompt (closed to Bethany)

The day has been on the longer side and as much as he'd like to curl up with Nate and doze off right away there's something he needs to do first. Anders comes into the room and smiles at Bethany and his husband both before jerking his head in the direction of the hallway.

"I'll be right back, love. Bethany, do you have a moment?"

[ooc: As usual, if you'd like something that's not here feel free to pop up a header or chat with me on Plurk or Discord!]

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

There are few times in which he has been detected, though in retrospect it makes sense. Anders has commonly escaped from many places, and has been a man on the run constantly. It seems that Thane should have been more careful.

He tilts his head as he's confronted, then answers honestly: "Very little, actually. Perhaps to better understand you, but nothing beyond that. You are not in danger with me."

Anders hears the words, but he also hears the way they're spoken - without anger or malice, as far as he can tell. After a moment he takes a breath and nods. Maybe he shouldn't have been quite so confrontational, but he thinks his reaction was reasonable enough that he doesn't offer an apology.

"Have you considered that a conversation might be more productive?" His voice is mild now. "I'm willing to talk."

The elf smiles faintly, then shakes his head. "I prefer to watch people naturally from a distance. People tend to be more sincere. That, and I'm not the best conversationalist."

A small bow of his head is given. "I have you at a disadvantage as far as introductions go, my apologies. My name is Thane. I was given to the Inquisition just a short time ago. I'm still becoming acquainted with working in such an organization."

There's a fair amount to process there, but one part in particular stands out, especially as the person standing in front of him is an elf.

"...given to the Inquisition? Forgive me, but I'm not sure I follow that. And poor conversationalist or not, you may walk with me now. I'm heading to Darktown." It may be a poor choice, but he doesn't feel currently threatened. Anders tends to have a decent sense of when someone he's talking with wants to kill him, he thinks.

"I appreciate the gesture, especially considering the circumstances. I wouldn't blame you for asking me to leave after following you for so long," Thane says, a bit wryly.

The elf welcomes himself to Anders' side, looking perfectly composed. He does attempt to elaborate: "I served a noble family for most of my life. I was given as a gesture of good will and support for the Inquisition. Whatever is needed of me, it will be done."

"I find I judge people by a slightly different standard than most do. Those who have attacked me, and those who have not and may not." His voice is equally wry as they start walking, and it helps to cover the discomfort the elf's words stir up.

"Are you..." Does he have the right to question it? He wants to see equality and choices for everyone, but he's no elf. This might be something that he shouldn't poke into. All the same, how can he ignore it? "Are you all right with that? That you've been... given?"

That does earn a soft, gentle chuckle from Thane. "I think in your position, that would be fair. Then I hope being in Kirkwall does not bring you too much discomfort, Anders."

The question does make him pause, although briefly. Eventually, he shrugs, his arms folding behind his back. "It is for a good cause. The Inquisition could use as many weapons at its disposal -- and I am exceptional at what I do."

He waves off the discomfort bit. It brings him a lot of discomfort, there are a lot of wounds from here that have been stirred up in one way or another, but he's not going to pile that on someone else. Especially a stranger.

Especially a stranger he feels he's on very delicate terrain with. That feels like a partial answer. It feels like the answer of someone taught they're an object to be used... like a Circle mage, or a slave. With a mage he'd challenge it outright, which hasn't always gone exactly well for him. But an elf?

"I... see." His voice probably makes the lie obvious, if the way he's looking at the ground doesn't. After a moment he settles on what should be an easier topic. "What is it you do?"

The way that Anders responds isn't a clear call out, but he suspects enough that he doesn't necessarily approve of Thane's words. He doesn't argue or point it out; Thane can't change who or what he is. He will abide by it.

"I am an assassin. I have been one for most of my life."

That puts a different angle on it. An assassin needs a patron or a group if they want to be an assassin for very long. It's still a little complicated, he feels, when Thane's an elf, but Thane doesn't seem to be exactly uncomfortable. Not unhappy, though perhaps not happy. That's not altogether unfamiliar.

"I've known another who was an assassin for most of his life. He was a Crow. For a while he was with the Inquisition, but then he headed off and I've no idea where he is now." Hopefully Zevran's alive out there somewhere. He seemed pretty good at surviving.

They've reached the boat that ferries people between the Gallows and the main city, and Anders climbs on, expecting that Thane will likely follow. "You'd said you'd hoped to learn little, but what were the questions you thought you might see an answer to?"

"You speak of Zevran, I take it. You are not the first to mention him or imply him," Thane muses faintly. "He's made quite the impression. I do not expect to do the same, but I am glad he had who think fondly of him."

Thane does, indeed, follow Anders. He sits, elegantly sweeping out his coat before sitting across from the mage.

"What sort of man you are," Thane answers honestly. "Rumors and tales about you can only be the grain of truth, and I had no desire to pay them much heed. Even Varric Tethras' books can be an exaggeration of truth, or skimming the details of what I seek. Nobles in Orlais look at you as a villainous mage who only sought chaos, others brushing you off as a monstrous abomination. I hardly think any of those tell me much about you."

The boat starts to move and the corner of Anders' mouth turns upward.

"I like to think I'm more than the sum of those, it's true. Especially when it comes to my goals." A beat. At least there's a lot of comfort to be found in the assassin following him to learn about him, rather than following him because someone's offered a lucrative contract. Anders has no doubt that a few of those are floating around.

"But you might be right in that asking me questions might not get you the whole picture. I'm biased in many ways, and I've many sides. Seeing the Clinic with me will get you one side." Anders shrugs. "But does anyone truly see every side of a person they're not kin or married to?"

[Open] A cat a day brings the healer to play

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