When Anders didn't show up for supper that night, Gale tried not to worry.
Given all that he had been through, Anders needed time to himself, he tried to reason, but it was a futile effort.
He could only pour over scrolls for so long before he went in search for him.
Not that he had to go far.
Anders was still in camp at least, perched on an outcropping of rock that overlooked the nearby lake.
He waved his hand through the air in intricate patterns, and wisps of light burst forth in an array of colors, forming shapes as he willed it.
Before Gale had a chance to announce his presence, Anders angled his head ever so slightly to the side and spoke.
"Surprised it took you this long to come find me," he greeted.
After a split second of hesitation, Gale stepped forward to join him, taking a seat on the rock beside him as silver moonlight shined down on them from above.
"How did you know I was there?" he asked, watching the first wisp dissipate before Anders crafted another.
"I was what my people called a Grey Warden, remember?" he said as way of explanation. "Always had to be alert in case of a random darkspawn attack." His face scrunched up then, nose wrinkled in disdain. "And it always paid to be vigilant in the Circles."
Gale watched him closely, how he steeled himself at the mere mention of the Circles, how guarded his expression became.
It hurt in a way that he had no words for, to hear what he had suffered in that Thedas of his for simply possessing magic.
It was mind-boggling to Gale, the very notion...
In an attempt to turn both of their minds away to less infuriating subjects, Gale nodded at Anders' light display.
"Having fun?" he asked, glad to see it when Anders cracked a smile.
"Yeah, I guess I am," he admitted in a small whisper. "It's calming, you know, to be able to cast for the sake of doing it. To not have to use my magic for battle for once. To not have to hide it for fear of the Templars or the Chantry.
"Maker, I can't even explain to you how happy I am to finally be able to wear robes out in the open again!" Anders laughed, even as his eyes started to glisten with unshed tears. "It might be strange, having to use a source of power other than the Fade, but..."
He trailed off with a shrug, then looked over at Gale, golden brown eyes drinking in the sight of him from head to toe.
Gale shivered when a nightly breeze trailed over him.
Goosebumps spread over his skin like wildfire.
Smirking, Anders leaned in and whispered, "But I had an excellent teacher."
Gale's heart skipped a beat.
"Is that so?" he breathed.
Anders' eyes darted down to Gale's lips, and he sank his teeth into his bottom lip.
Gale swallowed thickly in response.
He couldn't help it. He was drawn in like a moth to a flame.
He leaned in closer as well, so close that he could feel Anders' breath upon his lips.
Their noses brushed. They adjusted the angle, but then uncertainty struck Gale at the most inopportune moment.
He averted his eyes with a bashful grin.
"I, uh, ahem." He cleared his throat. "Are we really about to...?"
"I don't know," Anders answered. "Are we? Because I'm certainly not opposed."
"Neither am I," Gale said, perhaps a bit too fast, had it been anyone else, "but you deserve a more romantic display, surely!"
"Heh." Anders chucked and shook his head at him in disbelief. "Gale, what could possibly be more romantic than this? Here I am, embracing my freedom with a smart, handsome man such as yourself and getting swept up in the moment under the night sky. Let me spell it out for you: if there was ever a time for you to make your move, then this is it."
"Okay, alright. On that note, I must confess," he told him, "that it has been a while since I've been with anyone physically. Turns out, self-imposed isolation isn't exactly conducive to matters of the flesh."
"No matter," Anders said. Reaching out, he grabbed Gale by the fabric of his robes and dragged him forward until their lips were only a hair’s width away. "I have to say it's been a while for me as well. Perhaps this is something we can explore again. Together."
"And Justice?" Gale asked, concerned. "Is he okay with this too?"
"Trust me," Anders said, huffing out a breath of a laugh, "you would know if he had an issue with it. He doesn't." Not now. Not when they had the luxury to focus their attention elsewhere. Not when they didn't have a current cause to consume their days. Anders tightened his grip, pressed himself against him. "Now, kiss me."
"You don't have to tell me twice."
Their lips barely brushed when a voice pierced through the darkness.
"Mr. Dekarios!" Tara called out. "Mr. Dekarios! Where are y— Oh, there you are! And Mr. Anders, too. How delightful!"
They jumped apart, wide-eyed with shock, when their resident tressym made an appearance.
Their faces instantly flooded with warmth, neither of them quite able to meet each other's eyes.
Tara sat down a few feet away, staring at them intently.
"Mr. Dekarios! The gravest emergency has occurred, and I need your immediate assistance." It was then that she sensed the tension between the two, her ears perking up. "Wait! I wasn't interrupting anything, was I?"
"No!" they both answered, but Tara was far from dumb.
"Oh, my! I was, wasn't I? Well, by all means, don't let me interrupt," she said, yet she made no move to leave, watching them as her wings fluttered.
Anders had to slap a hand over his mouth to muffle his giggles, ignoring Gale's glare while he got to his feet.
"Why, Lady Tara, our conversation can surely wait in the face of what sounds like a dire circumstance," Anders said, bowing lightly to her. "May I?"
She tilted her head up and said, "You may."
Anders gathered her into his arms.
"What a gentleman!" she praised as he pet her. "Isn't he such a darling, Mr. Dekarios?"
"Yes, Tara, he is," Gale said, following their lead as he stood up with a groan. "Now, what is this emergency you spoke of?"
"Ah, yes!" She ruffled her feathers. "Sir Astarion left at the most inopportune time to go hunting. Usually, he is up for such a task, but my feathers need preening and my fur needs brushing before I head to bed. It is a task of the utmost importance, you understand."
"But of course," Anders readily agreed. "Let's see to that at once, shall we?"
"Leave it to you to encourage her," Gale sighed.
"Try not to get jealous," Anders teased, leading the way to his tent. "I'll make sure to spare some time for you later. We still have much to discuss, after all."
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