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

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

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.]]

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"Maybe use your smile for good and convince Varric to have a match with Nate, if you want to go with archery. Or it might be time to let Nate be. He may well think the matter settled." She had a good smile, there was no denying that. There was also no denying that Nate could get... impatient. Or rather, tired of hearing about things he thinks are dealt with. She's best attempting a gift and moving on.

But his smile wasn't present for the other topic, and he looked past her. Deserved? He really wouldn't say that. Wanted, certainly, despite everything that kept happening every time he was close. After a moment, he worked drag himself out of his thoughts and raise an eyebrow at her statement. That was an intentional opening if he'd ever heard one.

"Oh? You're hurting people too?"

"Well, that I can definitely do." She looked over at Anders, her gaze thoughtful, before she sighed. "So should I just wait for him to come to me, or I start acting as if everything is well once more? Or should I bribe him and be done with it?"

She really wanted Anders to be happy. If he was, there was less chance of Justice, less danger to himself and to others. She just prayed to the Maker that somehow, he could find a way to be balanced. At his expression, however, she gave into a sheepish smile.

"Well, I asked a man to dance with me by implying that his dead wife asked me to. And? I have the gall to find him attractive." One corner of her mouth twisted. "I've also letting a Chantry brother from Tevinter flirt with me. I don't know if I'm shameless, or hopeless. Good mix of both, probably."

Edited 2016-03-27 03:27 (UTC)

"Act like everything is well. If it's not, Nate's direct. He'll speak with you, and then you can bribe him." His voice is on the warm side when he describes the man; there's a great deal he finds admirable about Nate. And, selfishly, he's very glad the man is here. He never realizes how much he's missed Nate until the archer's around.

One could say Nate being here made him happy, though Anders wouldn't. Admitting that would be like inviting something to happen to take the man away. Though clearly Bethany's in more need than him.

"Let's take the easiest first. Don't Chantry brothers have vows? Vael complained about his constantly. Pardon, I mean bragged to make himself seem better because he made some fool choice. If he's not able to give you... Well. Perhaps you're fine with something chaste. If you're not, you may want to make it clear to the man. The other... Ow. I'm going to guess he still has something for that dead wife, if he mentioned her." Anders shook his head. "Someone still hung up on someone else is someone you can find attractive, but not expect much of anything with. Not until they're healed."

He exhaled, considering what he's seen of her. "Have you... I can't recall you flirting before. With anyone. Do you know how?"

Bethany nodded her head slowly, before she smiled again. "You're right. Nate will tell me if there's something that needs changing." She leans over, and kisses Ander's cheek. "Thank you. This has been preying on my thoughts."

Oh Anders. You act like Bethany is ever going to let that happen again.

"As far as I know they do." Which made her wistful for Sebastian again, sigh. Someone she could never see again because of the man sitting next to her. "I'm not sure about the Tevinter Chantry though. And ... no. am not fine with something chaste." She nods her head sympathetically, before she sighs, "Well then I know what to do there. Be a friend. I am marvelous at being a friend."

It was getting stuck as a friend ... Bethany arched an eyebrow at Anders. "Because I wasn't allowed to flirt with you. And yes, I can flirt! Well ... not like Isabela and Zevran flirt. That's, ah, a bit beyond me."

He gives her a small smile at the kiss. "You're welcome." And she doesn't have to know that the suggestion of Varric isn't even for an archery contest - Nathaniel will get so worked up at the suggestion that he'll break into conversation about crossbows versus longbows and entirely forget to be bothered. It's far more effective than an actual competition will be.

And she's far better off not dealing with Sebastian So Holy I Wear Andraste On My Crotch Vael. He'd had no sense of humor, and Bethany deserves someone who can laugh at a joke. Sunshine, Varric calls her, and he's right.

Anders sighs at the latter and shakes his head. "Would you like to learn how to flirt a little more? Without, perhaps, sticking your foot in your mouth? And are you willing to give your word that Marian will never, ever learn I worked with you on this?"

That was the trick of it, wasn't it? Anders would always know Nathaniel better in that aspect. Although Bethany would state absolutely that Varric would love to poke at Nathaniel for all he was worth.

She'd also argue that Sebastian had a sense of humor ... but she was not going to bring that up. She'd learned her lesson in that aspect. Besides, she wasn't even sure she knew Sebastian anymore.

One corner of her mouth twitched up, then the other, "Yes, and yes. Besides, I don't want Marian to try and stick me in the Chantry as a sister Warden mage, now do I?"

"Just as much as I don't want Marian to stab me." The smile's slowly coming back to life. Teaching, he's been learning, he's actually rather good at and he enjoys. He may no longer have a formal class or students, but if Bethany wants to learn he will teach.

"So first of all, we have to establish a few things. What are you looking for? An actual relationship? A little fun? Something in between? And men alone, or women as well? It alters the approach. Once we've got you working on those, we can contemplate possible candidates around Skyhold, as well."

"Hmmm, let's not say that one too loud. You call her name and she's likely to appear to do just that." Bethany's dimples flashed, as she folded her hands into her lap and thought about Anders's questions thoroughly before answering.

"Something ... inbetween. I don't want to marry the first person I sleep with, after all, but I cannot do the casual romances that Zevran and Isabela do. That's a bit much, even for me. As for women ... I'll be honest, Isabela has sort of terrified me off of women as a first time approach? Not her fault, honestly, but her 'six things' comment has haunted me since Kirkwall. I don't know how to do six things - let me learn how to do one or two things and then I'll look at women with slightly more confidence."

He was so very, very glad he wasn't drinking anything when she started talking about six things. Leave it to Bela... Anders shook his head.

"First of all, she meant women are good for more than simply sex, whereas men are just there for sex. Or I'm fairly certain that's what she meant. It's not techniques." Maker, was it hard to keep from sounding amused. At least he was fairly certain he was managing. "It's not something you're supposed to know. There's no... There isn't some sort of guide you're missing. She's just calling men useless. Because she's Bela."

He took a breath. "What matters is whether or not you're attracted to women. But we can leave that for later. For now, let's talk approaches. If I was a stranger at a tavern and you were interested, how would you currently start? Or would you know where to?"

"Ooooooh, well that makes a lot more sense." Bethany frowned for a moment, before she shrugged her shoulders, "I don't know. I don't think so. I find some women fascinating - perhaps some sort of hero crush? But I don't have ... fantasies about them." She cleared her throat. "Not like, other ones, anyways."

She gave Anders a wry look, before she cleared her throat, and smiled with all the charm she knew how, and said cheerfully, "Hello! Are you new here - haven't seen you around."

He really didn't need to know about her fantasies. Maker, the pain Marian would bring if he even let that thought linger for long. No. Better to focus on everything else. Case in point: Bethany was probably straight, and definitely awful at this.

Just barely Anders manages to refrain from wincing. "That's... That tends to work in stories. It's neutral, not too aggressive. But that's also a part of the problem. Neutral doesn't give them a reason to put their full attention on you, it doesn't tell them who you are just yet. It's best to play to your strengths from the start."

He could use the lame lines because he treated them as jokes, knowing they were weak and being open about it. She was far too genuine, not as teasing. Anders pondered for a moment.

"All right. You're strong in being warm and welcoming. A better approach still includes that smile, but instead..." Anders pauses, tilts his head, and reached over to place his hand on her arm. "You're new, aren't you? I'm sure I would have noticed you before. Welcome! I'm Bethany, and you are..."

His smile got wry as he dropped his hand. "Obviously you'll want to gauge how tense they look before touching. But instead of being neutral, you're saying outright that they're noticeable and giving them your name, implying availability depending on how the conversation goes."

Honestly, how could she get good at this? In her teenage years she was hiding, and in her adult years she was fighting darkspawn. It was only - well - in the last few years she realized what she had been missing out on. She sighed as she watched Anders go through his little 'I am Bethany' greeting, a wry smile on her face.

"Just my luck, I'll say hello to the one who has got burns healing up or something. But, let's give it ago." She sucked in a breath, flicked her hair behind her and fixed Anders with the smile, and a quiet but warm tone, her fingers curling around his arm.

"You're new, aren't you?" A tilt of her head, "I'm sure I would have noticed you before. Welcome!" Brighten the smile, easy enough. "I'm Bethany, and you are...?"

He snorts, unable to hold it back at her first statement, but he gets himself back under control and manages to nod after.

"Don't try to seduce someone with heavy scarring with a reference to their looks, please. That can only backfire. And don't jump to offering them healing, either." That's at least one mistake he's not made. "Your delivery was good, though. Let's continue with this."

He leans forward, eyebrow raised, a small smile on his lips and some interest in his eyes. Anders is not ever going to be asked to participate in any sort of play, but at least he knows flirting well enough to perform this part.

"Dietrich." He's on the opposite of a roll with D names, may as well try another. "I've only just arrived, Bethany. What do you do for the Inquisition?"

Bethany arched an eyebrow at Anders, her voice faintly wry, "You ... do remember which Hawke you're speaking with, Anders? That seems more of Carver's particular brand of backfired flirting."

Her lips twitched again, but this time it's warmth there as she leans in a little herself. "Dietrich - what an interesting name." She pauses at the question, before offering a mysterious smile. This, at least, she had mastered. "A little bit of everything - but primarily I am a Grey Warden."

"Carver's even worse. Everyone except Merrill knew he was constantly hitting on her." And Maker if that match wouldn't have been a disaster. ...Or maybe not, considering. Maybe Carver could have helped her step away from blood magic. Then again. Carver. He probably couldn't have even gotten Merrill to remember not to cover every single chair with things in whatever residence they wound up sharing. At least it would have been funny.

Anders nods approvingly. "Offering a little, but not too much. Good. But you want to find out about him too, see if you can find an opening so you discover if he's even worth your time." And now back to Dietrich... "A Grey Warden? Have you fought an Ogre? Is it true you all glow in the dark?"

"That ... is." Sigh, so absolutely true. Oh, Carver. "Well, luckily, we don't have to worry about that particular situation." Unless Carver got tired of hiding out in the Free Marches, that is. Hm.

She nodded her head in turn, before she pressed her lips together and then twisted a lock of her hair around her finger as she smiled at 'Dietrich'. "Mmm hmmm, and yes I have. Several of them, in fact. But no, we don't glow in the dark." She offered a little smile in turn, "What about you, Dietrich, what are you doing here with the Inquisition?"

They have the far superior Hawke twin. He'd rather not have the other one too.

Anders looks at the twirling of her hair and reaches out, resting fingers on hers to urge her hand down. "That's cute. It works for Merrill, but it doesn't suit you." It's actually a little frightening. If she'd been a Circle mage with a habit of that... But she's not. And there may never be a need for fear like that again if mages are lucky. Beyond that, no Templar will ever lay a hand on her if he has absolutely anything to say about it.

"Be confident. You're Bethany, Grey Warden. You've fought what would make many men piss their pants as they turn to flee. The man you're flirting with is lucky, but don't show that. Simply be certain that if this one turns you down, you can find another in no time." He raises an eyebrow as if to check that the message is gotten across before reverting. And maybe it's time to give her a little bit of a challenge.

"I'm here as an archer. Fast, flashy, and substance. You probably haven't seen the like. I took on a giant once. That has to be something like an Ogre."

Oh Anders, just because you and Carver had some ... disagreements. All right, Carver said he hated you because you never got off of mage rights, but Carver was very bitter teenager. He grew out of it! Mostly.

She tilts her head a little, sighing, "I was trying to be distracting, honestly. Most of the time when people ask me idiotic questions about whether or not we glow, I'm far too honest and then things get ... ah. Graphic." In a not fun, flirty way.

"Right. Bethany. Grey Warden. Confident woman who kills horrible things." She breathed in, her lips twitching up at that statement, but her brown eyes warmed at the compliment and the truth behind it..

One eyebrow raises at that statement, before she gives him a considering look, "I've known quite a few archers -- but not one that could take down a giant. That is impressive. All on your own, then?"

Like the Maker's knickers any archer had ever done that.

"Maybe keep dismemberment out of flirty conversations. There's a time for jokes about being kicked by a Templar, and a time... No, Varric's right, there's generally always a time for Templar jokes."

Except in front of Templars here. Things are supposed to be different here, and he should try to remember that despite what all happens.

"Of course all on my own. I'm legendary where I come from." Possibly the most annoying type of person to flirt with, in Anders' opinion, was someone absolutely full of themselves. Which means if he's to give her a true challenge... "All you have to do is find a good vantage point and keep moving, because they're slow. Use the land. Know what you're doing. I'm good like that."

"Gracious, so many rules ... I feel like I should be writing some of these down." Her lips twitched upwards again into a wry smile. "Varric should know. He has the best."

She had to wonder if Varric dared to tell those jokes in front of the Templars here.

Bethany bit her bottom lip, hard, before she tipped her head to the side, "You know ... one of my closest friends is an archer. I don't think he's ever taken down a giant on his own, but he'd love to hear the story. It's so ... very impressive." And implausible. "Perhaps you could buy me a drink and tell me the tale?"

"Is he? Well." Anders does his best impression of a man caught out. Which isn't hard. He's awful at bluffing to begin with, so 'caught out' is a fairly natural expression. "The Storm coast is practically crawling with them. You can't miss seeing them. And there's hills, hills and waves, that you can use. What you need is to be smart with the setup. Be on the edge of one of the more cliff-like hills, but not too on the edge."

The story's starting to pick up steam and he leans forward as if he's sure he's being convincing. "You have to dodge the boulders, after all. They fling them. But I'm ever so flexible."

It's an awful line, deliberately so, and all he can hope is that Varric or Bela do not walk in to the tavern right at this moment.

Bethany arched an eyebrow at this, before she leaned in turn, smiling oh-so-sweetly before she stated with almost sing-song tone, "You know, funny thing about the Storm Coast - there's a number of darkspawn running about there ... but not Giants. In fact they aren't native to the area at all." She tipped her head, "Which, you might have known, if you had ever killed a giant with your own bow and arrows. Which ... also impossible, unless your arrows are made out of pure silverite through and through, because they wouldn't be able to pierce the giant's skin." A tilt of the head, before she moved to rise, then arched an eyebrow at Anders. "This ... would be the point where I walked away, right? Because I would feel like walking away..."

"That's exactly when. And anyone who heard you handle that will be more impressed and less likely to lie to you. You handled that well. A part of this was to make sure you'd not take anything from someone - it's better to walk away from someone undesirable than put up with it just for the sake of being liked, or something along those lines."

Which is important. Maybe not as much for a Grey Warden, considering how short their lives were going to be, but for mages who deserved better than the first person to come along, it matters.

"Has this... maybe helped?"

Bethany exhaled slowly, folding her fingers together, looking pleased. "Oh good -- because I didn't want to seem rude but ... that was just ridiculous. I mean, really. Is that what I have to look forward to? Pompous little poppinjays who are just looking for someone to twitter at their dubious heroics?"

She made a face, shaking her head. "Ugh. Well ... there must be nice ones out there too."

A bright smile, before she leaned over and kissed his cheek. "Immensely. Thank you ever so much."

He smiled at the little kiss as he shakes his head.

"There are a great many nice ones out there. But there are going to be plenty who are poppinjays because you're a Grey Warden and they'll feel threatened. Weed them out, keep calm despite them being infuriating, and you'll find the better ones."

Especially with a smile like hers. There should be people who will see her as a person and not just a mage now, too.

"Don't rush it, make sure you're comfortable and enjoying the company you get, and it will go well."

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sunshinethroughgrey - 2016-04-18 03:30 (UTC) - Expand

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