faderift | [Open]

WHO: Anders and You*! (*unless you are someone who will turn him in. ONE DAY THERE WILL BE CR. /reaches sadly)
WHAT: Detlef going about his days, helping out, being argumentative, everything
WHEN: Mid-Wintermarch
WHERE: Skyhold
NOTES: Probably nothing? I'll edit if that changes

Healing tents

Anders is found in these most often during the day. Everything's easier when he works, really, when he and Justice can both be on the same page. They're doing good. They're furthering the cause of mage freedom. And more importantly, no one is being hurt. Are you a patient? He's probably checking you over before getting to work. Co-worker? Hand him the elfroot salve, please? Or just drop by and find him where he's most willing to be chatty as he works.

Garden

There's nothing like seeing a mage seemingly talking to a tree. Considering previous events, it's probably a little worrying. But upon closer approach one can see that there's a terrified cat clinging to a very small branch that's just barely supporting its weight, and they can hear the mage trying to talk the cat down as if the cat can understand anything that's being said.

"You can do it. Just step... Come on. A little lower. Please?"

Just outside Skyhold

There's a garden inside the walls. It has plenty of things growing in it, including basically everything Anders is looking for. It's hard for him to stay inside the walls for too long, though. He needs to be outside, to wander some, to remind himself that the walls aren't keeping him in. While it isn't the healthiest method of coping, there are certainly worse ways to go about it.

Anyone running into him out here gets a look that's a mix of surprised and bashful - the latter due to him not really having any way to explain why he's out here with a handful of easy-to-get herbs in hand.

Library

He's seated in the Library, head buried in a book the way it never was when he was at the Circle, with a pair of large tomes next to him. They're probably not that surprising for a spirit healer, treatises on spirits and their nature, but he doesn't look pleased. And he isn't. He's not finding anything that will help with his situation, and Anders is aware that he might not have a lot of time left for the looking.

Approaches from strangers get a glance up and a nod, before he'll ask if they need to get to something past him. Known people get asked a little absently how their day is going before he turns another page.

[Or] Alternately, he's curled up off to the side, on the ground, paging through a book on obscure magic that talks about various rumored spells that the author doubts really exist. His attention is primarily on the shapeshifting portion, and he looks a little wistful. Anyone approaching who glances at the book get a half-smile and asked if it wouldn't be fun, being able to transform into animals.

Wildcard

[Hit him up wherever? He grabs food in the kitchens on the go, sometimes is at the tavern in a corner near the back, sits on the walls and looks out sometimes, surreptitiously feeds the stray cats around skyhold (and scolds any dogs that try to take the food,) and may, every now and then, see if he can zap armor in just the right way so straw and fabric and all sorts of things stick to it.]

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

[Detlef's puzzled look has Bruce even more puzzled, if anything, because now he's not entirely sure at all what's going on. Did he miss something that Detlef talked about earlier? Social things still weren't his best thing even after all this time, he knew; maybe he could ask what he missed and try to pick the conversation back up from there...

Turns out he didn't need to worry so much, though - at least on this issue. Detlef speaks before Bruce can say anything and his words... well. It's certainly clear that Bruce that he did miss something, although he's not entirely sure if he should have just left it be.]

I--no? [Why would they even hit on him?? It's not like there's anything 'attractive' about him or anything. Bruce is terribly confused with this sudden question. Why was--wait, Detlef was hitting on him??

Just what was going on???]

[Anders shakes his head.]

I fail to see how no one's flirted. Maybe you're simply oblivious to it, because I mean what I said. You've warm and kind eyes, and those are highly alluring.

[All right. It was time to fix some things. If Bruce had never been flirted with, then he'd never been taken on a date. He also may well not have been laid, but Anders isn't going to address that. Maybe he'll drop a word with Isabela. For now, though... Anders looks around, sees that no one's regathered, and jerks his head in the direction of the kitchens.]

Let's go eat. And while we do, I'm going to flirt with you, and you're going to see what flirting is. And then we'll see if we can't help you pick someone up.

--you don't have to go to that extent.

[Bruce finally manages out a response after a good moment of silence. He is very much taken aback by this sudden invitation, to put it mildly. It's not that he doesn't appreciate the thought, but this was very much out of his comfort zone. Things like this were not what he came to the Inquisition for.

Realizing that he probably might have sounded rude there, Bruce tries to elaborate further, although as he speaks he realizes again that its probably not helping his case.] I'm perfectly alright not having to do any of that, really. I'm fine.

[Fully, totally fine.]

Not having to.

[Anders echoes the words and blinks. Of course. Bruce isn't a mage who has been shut away and kept from any sort of life under watchful Templar eyes. He's had choices and chances.

Clearing his throat, Anders shrugs and gives Bruce a rueful half- smile.]

Right. You've had that choice. You're such a fixture in the tents I can forget you're not a mage.

[Which isn't helped by the sense of the fade he gets from the man.]

Let's forget this happened, shall we?

[For a moment Bruce is confused at Detlef's reaction, but after a second it clicks to him. The Circle, the Templars. He could easily see where this all comes from.]

You don't need to be a mage just to stay in the tents.

[He returns Detlef's smile with a small one of his own as he says that. It's times like this he remembers the divide that shouldn't exist - because nobody knows he's a mage (save for Cole and River), so they believe he hasn't gone through the life of being in a Circle. It's a fair assumption, of course, but it certainly doesn't make anything easier.]

I do appreciate the concern, though. Thank you for trying, nonetheless. [He doesn't want to leave things on an awkward note just because of this. Bruce just doesn't think his (non existent) love life is that all worthwhile to talk about.]

I know. I'm glad of those who aren't mages who are here. I... You're welcome.

[The wry smile is still on his lips as he shakes his head. He's so eager to help other mages have a chance to live that he forgets who he's talking to, the opposite of effective. They'll catch on. They'll grasp the opportunity. They have to.

He takes a breath.]

Anyway. As the crowd has died down, I think I'm going to go to the library for a few and get some reading in.

[And let this conversation fade from memory, hopefully.]

I'll see you later?

[He hopes he's managed to ease off whatever embarrassment that Detlef feels from that - or at least as much as he's able to. Bruce knows that its probably best for the other to take his time off, too, so he nods and gives another smile.]

I'll see you soon.

[Take all the time you need, Detlef. Bruce will still be around when you're up for company again.]

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