@chmpion : “ yes it’s dangerous, that’s why it’ll be fun ! ”
𝑃𝐼𝑁 𝐼𝑇 ! 𝑎𝑐.
𝐻𝐼𝑆 𝐶𝑂𝑁𝐶𝐸𝑅𝑁 𝐼𝑆 𝐵𝑅𝑈𝑆𝐻𝐸𝐷 𝑂𝐹𝐹 , 𝐴𝑆 𝐼𝑇 𝐼𝑆 𝑆𝑂 𝑂𝐹𝑇𝐸𝑁 . but it stands nonetheless . he humors hawke with a smile and shake of his head ❛ i hear you say that and yet i still doubt it ❜
his definition of fun does not exactly include the possibility of getting mauled . as it had meant in the past before . anders’ open hands face eachother , trying to signal a disparity ❛ you’re the only person i know that puts fun and danger on the same step ❜ and yet - those same hands already reach for his staff . of course he’ll tag along . someone sensible has to . the repurposed branch snaps into its holster and anders turns , to face hawke once again . as if he’s waiting for her to hand out more information ❛ hypothetically speaking ; if i was to join you on this little expidition . how high are the chances of us meeting our grim end ? higher or lower than last time , when you told me ‘ it’ll be fun ‘ ? ❜
he was often busy , for it was not just battle and war that made up the inquisitor’s duties ━ nobles , treaties , polity... things he often did not care for , thrust onto him with little warning. hard to get used to , he could hardly find the words to say ━ let alone speak with the ‘ refined ‘ mannerisms that they truly desired from him. was it so difficult to speak ? josephine had no problem , but then again ━ she was an ambassador... her whole life had been drenched in politics. i would call it sad , but she does not seem to mind it. any chance of a possible reprieve from reading and signing the same , over - bloated , perfumed , notices of greed and desire of stature would be... worth more than gold at this point ━ which is why he was so eager to meet this... hawke.
champion of kirkwall is what they called her , though he was sure that the name wasn’t chosen... a title she didn’t ask for , but one she had to wear all the same. hm , sounds familiar. one in the same , not leaders by desire , but out of necessity... a common theme , the people of thedas need someone to look up to , to provide structure ━ or someone to put the blame on. the anchor glowed dim beneath his golden gauntlet , quick flex of his fingers and wrist quickly dissipated the dull ache... habit now second nature , ( 𝚊 𝚋𝚞𝚛𝚍𝚎𝚗 , 𝚊𝚜 𝚖𝚞𝚌𝚑 𝚊𝚜 𝚒𝚝 𝚠𝚊𝚜 𝚊 ‘ 𝚐𝚒𝚏𝚝 ‘ , 𝚊𝚜 𝚜𝚘𝚕𝚊𝚜 𝚌𝚊𝚕𝚕𝚎𝚍 𝚒𝚝. 𝚏𝚘𝚛 𝚜𝚘𝚖𝚎 𝚛𝚎𝚊𝚜𝚘𝚗 , 𝚑𝚎 𝚍𝚘𝚞𝚋𝚝𝚎𝚍 𝚝𝚑𝚊𝚝. ) perhaps a reaction to someone of great strength being present. rarely does he speak , a fact that varric must have told hawke prior to her arrival... he possessed the ability , he simply chose not to do so. everyone knew better than to ask. armored boots stepped heavily , wide gait as he approached rather silently. what do you have to say , champion of kirkwall ?
He feels a thousand miles away... or like he’s sinking into the churning of the Waking Sea somewhere along the shipping lane to Amaranthine. There is a tremor to his hands that he thinks will never leave and time is moving so slowly.
Mae’s voice is dull against his ears before all of a sudden with long monotone ring does sound come back into focus. The rogue reels a moment, clenching his eyes shut tight and his hands follow slowly, flexing a few times. The rowdy patrons of The Man can be heard only to be dulled as he watches Hawke close the heavy wooden door of his suite.
(his hands are no longer bloody, but the wash basin tinged rust is telling.)
Varric cannot recall much of what happened after they had found Bartrand. The smell of viscera and rot lingered as one of the unfortunate memories, but he knows he was bloodier when they left. His shirt is soft and fresh from being washed, Bianca is set with care in her place, and his coat is hung over the back of his writing chair.
Tethras turns his gaze upwards and to Mae finally, swallowing around the lump in his throat. “What did we see—” and he can’t get it out as he sees Bartrand’s face all over again. He can hear his brother ask for mercy, and while he may not have liked Bartrand he did not deserve that fate... what ever that fate was.
Lost in his thoughts Varric feels the bed dip at his side, and fine fingers resting on his shoulder before it smooths and slides across the width of him to bring him closer. Neither him nor Mae found solace in touch, both reeling from the comfort others might find or give, so his temple falls with hesitance to her shoulder as her hand smooths back across his taut shoulders, her thumb smoothing against his spine before out to his shoulder again. He’s seen those hands wound and kill, but he has never rarely felt safer than he did now with her at his side.
“It’s still missing... who’s next?” Varric wonders, swallowing thick around what ever grief rattled in his chest for Bartrand.
When you have nothing to say, set something on fire. || @chmpion
There’s an affectionate glint to his eyes as he turns his gaze towards Margaret. “Arson, unfortunately, doesn’t fix everything” he sighs with a bit of a dramatic wave of his hand as he moves around his suite.
(it’d make things easier sometimes if it were.)
“If you’re itching to turn something to ash I have a thick stack of Merchant Guild letters that need tending to” he motions slightly to his writing desk, scooting the chair Hawke was currently occupying at his table in a little to get past her and to one of his trunks. He opened the lid, shuffling about the assortment of clothes before he found the second harness for Bianca. The other was looking rough, and he didn’t want to be without during the expedition if his current one broke.
“I ordered some food--” he notes, readjusting his clothes back into their proper places, “Why don’t you call your brother up from the rabble and you two help me finish the meal? I’m not too hungry--” if he’d ordered a double helping well that couldn’t be helped, could it?