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As Elden Hawke stood before the Warden Commander (short dark hair typically ruffled and bright green eyes cowering under the sight-on-sight survey) that he only heard legends about, he felt like he was being stripped naked, and being forced to run through Hightown, as a target of a humiliation technique. This was do, in part, from the Warden's scrutinizing gaze...
Hawke was reminded of his father's eyes whenever he would lie about steeling a cookie from the kitchens, or when he'd accidentally light his brother's hair on fire...
Completely accidental, I assure you.
In contrast, the Warden's Mabari, Boneified and, Hawke's Mabari, Arcane'nine were getting along marvelously. For over-sized warhounds they were particularly content to chase each other around like playful puppies given the time and place...
Hawke flexed his wrist as Anders stepped up beside him. "I'm glad you came, Aldren. It has been a long time, and it's good to know you still are willing to meet old friends." Anders smiled sincerely.
They'd met in a non-descriptive portion of the map, out of the prying eyes of Templars and enemies alike. It was covered, a small clearing just outside the Kokori wilds. Few people ventured here still, even though the Blight was well done with and over. There was going to be another decade or so of recovery before the lands turned back to complete normality. Aldren was a young elf, with obvious clothes that marked him as a Mage. His hair was a dark brown, almost black, and it stuck up in the front - short in the back. Hawke was reminded of the king of fereldan's hair. The Warden Commander's eyes were a piercing light coloration - contrasting his appearance nicely. "You've changed, Anders." The Warden observed mildly, with a small smile. "Whether that is a good change or a bad change remains to be seen..." His eyes showed doubt upon a glance to Hawke.
"Think of it as a good change-" Hawke interfered with the conversation, "-though - with him, everything is great." Hawke's thumb ran across Anders's waste somewhat.
"And you're the champion, yes? Alistair spoke of you not to long before news reached Fereldan that everything went up in flames, apparently literally-" He gave a weary look to Anders, "-At Kirkwall."
"There was no more room for compromise. You, yourself should have known that by growing up in one of the circles." Anders said darkly. His eyes shadowed mildly, showing Justice's remaining wrath left in the dark depths of the Apostate's mind. Even if Justice/Vengeance didn't show himself directly, lighting up cracks in Ander's body with waves of incriminating blue that caused an inevitable red flag upon sight - he was still there...and it showed in different ways.
"I'm not against the cause, Anders - but I question your methods." He sighed sagely, closing his eyes with a reminiscing air to it, "I suppose, there's nothing that can be changed now." A pause, "But you did not call me here to talk morals as we used to while in Vigil's Keep." His eye-lids opened again, "You came to introduce me to your lofty Paramour, yes? I have heard many tales of you, Champion."
"None so 'lofty' as yours I assume? Ok, I admit that one was...bad." The champion cleared his throat, "You'll have to excuse me...I'm normally better at the witt and charm."
"Uhuh." Aldren didn't look so impressed with Hawke.
"Do you still have that appetite of yours, Aldren? I brought your favorite." Anders interrupted, breaking up the tension and awkwardness on Hawke's part. Maker bless him.
Aldren's eyes lit up, food was a one-way lane to his good side. "You didn't?"
Anders pulls out a bunch of sandwiches from the tiny basket, causing an uproar from the commander's stomach. It made Hawke force back a laugh, out of fear that he may make a worse impression.
"You are amazing." He said as he caught one.
"I know." Smugness was more of Anders's trait lately, and it relieved Hawke to finally worm out the old Anders in him.
Having sat down for a while, the Warden Commander began poking and prodding Hawke for info.
As if he was Anders's protective parent or something?!
He asked him where he intends to take Anders, what they plan to do, and varying other questions. Hawke felt like the male had a quill and paper, and was putting all his answers under the magnifying glass. After a time, when they'd finished up, the Warden swept his hands back and forth to rid them of the crumbs. "I should be getting back, Anders. It was amazing talking to you again, as always. We will have to do this again sometime."
Anders tried to hold back the laugh. Of course, the joke was self-explanatory - seeing as though the Warden was so involved in beating answers out of Hawke that he hadn't said more to Anders past 'you are amazing'.
"Ah, but a word with your paramour before you go, if you would please. I will not take him long."
Anders chuckled, allowing his lover to walk off with his trusted friend. "I really must say you have great taste..." But as they made it a ways away the Warden kept a fake smile on his face as he spoke the threat. "If you hurt him, I swear to the maker that I will shove my boot so far up your ass the light won't shine...and leave you for dead in the deep-roads." He patted him non-nonchalantly on the back, as if it was yet another day in the office. "Okay? Okay. Good, now that that's established, I believe we have an accord." He turns away, and starts back towards Anders.
Hawke put his hand on his ass just instinctively through that conversation, and found himself cognitively removing it afterwards.
"It was good seeing you again, and-" Hawke could tell he grit his teeth saying it, "-Nice meeting your paramour, but I truly must go. If I leave Oghren to the casks for very long alone in the keep, he's going to end up in his small clothes shouting and dancing from the roof-tops, I swear it."
Anders chuckled, mildly, "Maker, cover the kitten's eyes."
"As ever." He smiled genuinely.
After the Warden Commander left, Hawke turned to Anders casually. "I'm not particularly sure if he enjoyed my presence."
"Trust me, love - I've seen where the people end up, that he doesn't like." Anders smiled softly, "And it isn't standing still alive." He intertwined his fingers with Hawke, "Come. If you're good enough we might be able to sneak a session under the stars without notice of anyone."
"You're smaller than I am, and yet I prefer you to top~"
"That's because I'm amazing and you know it."
"I cannot deny..."
END