[Open] Tell me would you kill to save a life?

[justice_is_blond]

WHO: Anders and, at last, fully open!
WHAT: Anders is back in Skyhold after the revelation and Warden mission
WHEN: Around mid-Drakonis
WHERE: around Skyhold
NOTES: It's Anders. Beyond that, if someone does swing for him, he will be defending himself or we can have a handy-dandy Warden NPC Joeth Smithicus step in, up to you!

1. The Healing Tents

He's more quiet than he was before as he works, trying to stay out of the way while still being available. The atmosphere isn't a pleasant one, and he knows there's a lot of anger, but how is he going to help out if he's sitting in the Warden camp all the time? Even more, how is he going to keep Justice in check if their hands are figuratively tied?

The fact of the matter is that staying somewhere safe where people don't loathe him isn't an option so he's here. He only wishes it wasn't putting a weight on the shoulders of someone he's directly hurt.

Whenever someone comes in he looks over, focusing on the fact that it's all right however many times he hears no as the answer to his question - "Can I help you?"

2. Wardentown

It's not the most glamorous setting, but the life of a Grey Warden rarely is. There had been nights at Vigil's Keep... but those are long gone, and now it's tents and fire pit and keeping snow from piling up.

a) Magic-

Anders is currently kneeling near the tent that he shares with Nate, working on creating a pair of small walls of earth - one around the tent, and another small, circular one nearby. Earth isn't something he struggles with, but keeping them level and not causing any extra dips in the surrounding ground is a challenge. His lips are pressed together as he works on precision, and an approach gets a sharp glance and no words, but he's not annoyed someone's come over. A moment later he'll raise an eyebrow, but he's not starting this conversation.

b) Kitten

No matter how many times he has to keep drying her off and warming her up, Hero of Purrelden doesn't want to stay in his lap today. She's insisting on pouncing on snowbanks, batting at ice, and attempting to climb tents. The latter she's pulled away from each time while protesting loudly, but there's a little smile on his face as she misbehaves. It's nice to have a cat again, no matter how much more difficult than Ser Pounce-a-lot she is.

"Still better than a mabari," he'll say to anyone who comes close.

c) Foraging

He's not alone, which sometimes puts him on edge, and sometimes makes him feel a little safer. All the same, Anders is in the area outside the Warden camp with another Warden, looking to see what foodstuffs can be found to add to the pot. They're not in danger of going hungry but it's best to be prepared and know what's growing out here. There's no telling how long the Wardens will be near Skyhold, after all.

There's also no telling who he'll run across out here, and he's more on edge and defensive due to the fact that he doesn't know how someone might react if they come across him when not anticipating that he might be around.

"Watch the snow back that way," is what he says, though, tilting his head in the direction he's come. "There's some hiding a nasty drop. I've marked it with stones." Let them react to that how they will.

3. Wildcard me!

[[ooc: Come at me bros! Skyhold, Warden camp, whatever. If you've got a question about a scenario, feel free to private plurk me @ Nadat or PM this journal.]]

Comments

[justice_is_blond]

"If it bothered you instead of making you blush in such a pretty way then I'd stop."

He flashes a smile at the sigh before dipping his finger in the stew and offering it to Purrelden. As long as he doesn't stick it back in he's not contaminating his own food with mole-mouth. Or everything else Purrelden has been going after.

"But unless you actually mind, I think I'm going to continue." Finger cleaned, Anders leans back against Nate, purposefully invading his personal space as much as possible. He likes the closeness. And he has a feeling Nate might as well, because otherwise the archer would say something.

[pinprick]

Nathaniel doesn't mind, and shifts to allow Anders to make himself comfortable. "You're no worse than Oghren. He's just less...flirty about it, at least in my direction."

[justice_is_blond]

Instead, Anders sits back up and gives Nathaniel a look of pain and horror, hand over his heart in dramatic fashion.

"No worse? As if I'm comparable? Ow, Nate. Nathaniel, perhaps I should say, if you're going to make comments like that."

It doesn't help that Justice actually agrees in a way, and thinks that Anders' flirting and preoccupation with physical acts is a deliberate waste of time.

"And now I'm getting judgment from both sides. Maybe I should go find Zevran. He likes my flirting."

[pinprick]

"You know that's not what I meant." Nathaniel nudges him slightly. "I like your flirting just fine. Who's judging you? Oh--"

That does make Nathaniel frown, though not because of Anders.

[justice_is_blond]

The mock horror fades as he sees Nate frown. Sometimes he forgets how poorly Nate and Justice had gotten on. It isn't even like he got along with Justice back in the early days.

"I'm used to it. And it's not nearly as intense as it was in Kirkwall. There's progress being made here." And Justice doesn't exactly care that Anders isn't having the easiest time, but that's little surprise. Really, that's likely for the better. If Justice was furious every time someone was an ass to Anders, there would be a row of bodies stretching from here to Starkhaven, and Anders' would likely be one of them as soon as the Inquisition caught up with him. Or the Wardens. Someone.

For now, he could try to be distracting. "But you were saying you like my flirting?"

[pinprick]

"If Justice is bullying you again..." He huffs softly. "I know...I know you're looking for things to do about it. Is there anything I can do?"

[justice_is_blond]

"It's not... It's not bullying. He shares this body, and so he speaks up when its use is... not something he has an appreciation for. It's not like he can walk away from it." Though Anders can't say he'd object if Justice tried. There were always plenty of corpses. Why not give the Kristoff thing another try? The thought is scornfully rejected by Justice, and Anders shakes his head as he focuses back on Nate.

"Actually. There are four options that seem like they might do something. And one that at the very least can't be harmful, so it's going into the mix. If you'd like to take a look at them..." The glance he gives Nate is a little nervous. "I don't know how, how it's going to go. There's... risk."

To Anders, to the others who help. If he's to be honest, he's a little scared, but he's also aware of the fact that he and Justice can't go on like this. Justice doesn't see much of a problem in it. He wouldn't.

[pinprick]

"The ones Adelaide sent? I didn't look too closely. But I'll do anything I can."

[justice_is_blond]

He gets why Nate doesn't respond to the denial of bullying, but he wishes Nate and Justice could get along a little, just in case the rituals didn't work. Just in case he'd forever be possessed.

"There's a few things we're likely going to need. Lyrium's among the hardest of them. People too, though, and I've... My name alone means that even people who were fine with Detlef will not be friendly. I've never tried anything like this. Obviously." More than that, he could use Nate. He could use a friend.

[pinprick]

"If I've learned anything, it's that the average peasant is seldom concerned with higher-echelon politics. A great many of them might never have heard of you. You've proven yourself as a healer of the Inquisition, and people will remember that and return the favor."

[justice_is_blond]

Anders sighs.

"Once I wanted everyone to know my name. Anders, companion of Jonas, defender of Vigil's Keep, successful apostate, survivor of Kinloch Hold. Now I wish I could be forgotten. But I'd take just being known as a healer if I could."

He's not who anyone wants him to be. Not the people who consider him a monster, not the ones who think of him as a hero.