[open] peel the scars from off my back

[onlyhymns]

WHO: Cade and you!
WHAT: Just hangin' around, livin' life, bein' weird
WHEN: Cloudreach
WHERE: The Gallows and Lowtown, mostly
NOTES: All the usual warnings that come with Cade. If you'd like a specific prompt, hit me up or just throw one in the comments.

I. Out and about in the Gallows (recommended for our new Templar friends)

Cade has not been to collect his lyrium dosage since before all the Templars were ravaged by their mysterious illness, but he still arrives every morning looking fit as a fiddle (comparatively) to start his workday with Enchanter Shivana. Being that he's a reclusive and fairly off-putting person by virtue of his... well, him-ness, Cade has never been part of any group that hasn't had its share of rumors about what he's about. But lately he's become more of a cautionary tale, a there-but-by-the-grace-of-the-Maker-go-I when he slinks by any on-duty Templar and avoids their gaze.
Despite being kicked out of the Templars, and not collecting his lyrium, he's not having withdrawals. He also works under at least one elf (two if Beleth counts), practices archery on the regular, and almost, if you squint, seems to be starting to live a normal life.
That bastard's hiding something.

II. Lowtown

Now that the weather has gotten warmer, Cade stays out later in his little hiding places where he reads or writes or just watches the sea. He can often be found in the evening with his back to a wall and his gaze beyond the people walking by, finding solitude where there's really none to be found.

Periodically someone tries to mug him and comes away disappointed, or gets a coin or two. It's an occupational hazard of living by the docks.

III. The Chantry Garden

Regardless of weather, every day at dawn Cade can be found at the newly-carved Andraste shine in the center of what remains of the forest, saying his morning prayers before he continues uptown to the Gallows. It's not nice to disturb him, but inevitably someone does on occasion.

IV. Misc!

Choose Your Own Adventure

Comments

[faithlikeaseed]

There'd been so much to do as it was that Myr hadn't pressed on Cade's willingness to get back to work--not with his other scribe suddenly missing, an absence in a month of absences he hadn't expected to hurt quite so much as it does.

But as the day winds to a close outside and their backlog steadily decreases, Myr's had more of an opportunity to think himself--and when Cade pauses, so does he. "If you'd like to take the rest of the afternoon off, Cade, we've caught up enough to be in good shape tomorrow," he offers, kindly. (Suspecting even as he does to be turned down; he knows the former templar well enough by now to understand that.

But still--someone's got to offer Cade the choice.)

[onlyhymns]

Coming abruptly back into the world of the waking, Cade looks over at Myr with a start. "Oh-- no, it's fine," he says automatically, and lurches to his feet, nearly knocking the chair over and catching it just in time. "I, um... are you sure?"

[faithlikeaseed]

Huh. Myr lifts his head at the sound of Cade getting abruptly up, one eyebrow raised above the blindfold. "Which is it, then?" he says, tone gently teasing. Followed immediately by: "I'm sure. I wouldn't mind stopping early myself. It's getting hard to attend to all of this." This being the papers thick on the desk in their neat stacks, the bits and bobs of magical research equipment and spell components--all indicated with a sweep of his arm that's a little like a gesture meant to shove them all off on the floor.

It's been a long month. He corrects, pulls the gesture in, cages his hands in front of him. "So. Let's call it a day."

[onlyhymns]

Cade opens his mouth to stammer a response when Myr asks which it is, but when he realizes the elf is teasing, he closes it again with a faint, embarrassed smile. "If you say so, ser," he says automatically, the honorific escaping him without notice as it often does.

[faithlikeaseed]

"I do say so," Myr replies, with a smile. Now that he's got that moment back under control, it's easy. "Though not with that much authority."

There isn't so much on his end to pack up or square away, near this end of the workday; it's the work of half a minute, and then he's going for his staff and coat and bag. "After you," he says by way of shooing Cade out the door, and, "d'you have any plans for the evening?"

[onlyhymns]

Always tempted to hold the door for other people, but especially Myr, Cade is slightly thrown off being asked to go through it first... but it's not really a big deal. "No," he says after a moment, "other than the usual." Pray, eat, pray again, maybe beat yourself, no time for love in there.

@ii

[faithlikeaseed]

"Right." The note of rueful amusement in the word is self-directed; that cheery breed of question is pure reflex for Myr, even if he knows better than to ask with some people. He worries about Cade the way he worries--worried--worries--about Casimir, not knowing whether this sort of withdrawal is ordinary to an introvert or something more alarming.

And also not quite knowing how to ask. "Well, if you'd not take it amiss, I'm of a mind to trek out to Lowtown after dinner to find dessert, and wouldn't mind the company. My treat."

A beat of a pause, as he navigates the door, then adds, "Or I could bring something back, seeing as it might be better for you to keep off the leg until it's mended."

[onlyhymns]

Cade doesn't take it amiss, though he is perhaps a bit suspicious. Glancing at Myr, he hesitates a moment, then gives a little nod of assent, forcing himself to relax. "I'll go," he agrees, with a faint smile, "I've... got to go down that way anyway." Because it's where he lives. In the shame barracks, for shameful people.

that icon, always

[faithlikeaseed]

It's all part of Myr's dastardly plan to...put a little more meat on Cade's bones and cheer his life a little. He's a total bastard like that. Wanting to make people happy. Who even does a terrible thing like make people happy.

"Then I'll be glad of the company," he replies, warmly. (It's especially true since he really shouldn't be braving Lowtown alone--but he's never let that stop him.) "After dinner, in that case. And say hello to Nari for me if you run into her between now and then."

master of subtlety

[onlyhymns]

Someone like Cade is happiness nightmare mode; it's possible, but it takes a lot of effort that most people wouldn't want to put in. But he seems to ease a little, which is a good start, at least until Myr says the N-word.
Cade actually freezes, his face going hot. He's silent for several seconds, mind racing, until he clears his throat awkwardly and replies "mm, I, um, I will."