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“I thought I’d find you here.” Anders crossed his arms as he leaned against the doorway of the study. “And you complain about me staying up too late.”
He saw Cooper jump, shoulders hunching sheepishly as he turned his attention from the map. “Sorry, I didn’t realize how late it had gotten.”
“You’re standing next to a window, Coop.” He pointed out, pushing off of the wall to step into the study. “You’ve been staring at that map for hours.”
“It hasn’t been hours.” The archer protested, leaning back when Anders wrapped his arms around his chest. “My eyes would be melting out of my head.”
“Your eyes are red and bloodshot.” Anders pointed out. “What’s so special about this map that makes it more important than me?”
Cooper smiled slightly at the question, a barely there twist of his lips as he lifted a hand to cover one of Anders’. “Not a damn thing.”
A sweet sentiment, and one that Anders happened to believe wholly, but the mage could tell that there was something on his boyfriend’s mind. Something that had managed to break through the listless fog that had clung to him since the battle against the Arishok. And he wanted to know what it was, wanted to discuss it and share it with Cooper in the hopes of catching even the slightest glimpse of that old spark. He knew that Cooper had been struggling since the battle; even with his healing, there were things that Anders couldn’t completely fix. Unfortunately, those things happened to be directly related to his effectiveness as an archer. And while, with hard work and a few adjustments, Cooper could adapt to his injuries, it was something that he didn’t seem interested in doing. He recognized the depression, and was trying his best to help his boyfriend with it, but there was only so much he could do.
“Well, there has to be something interesting about it.” Anders said, resting his chin on Cooper’s shoulder and staring at the framed map, trying to see what the other saw. “So tell me, what is it?”
Cooper sighed, running a hand through his shaggy mop of hair as he pointed. “That.”
“The Amaranthine ocean?” Anders squinted in confusion.
“No. And yes. But no. I’m thinking more, what’s beyond the Amaranthine ocean. And what’s beyond the Boerlic ocean, what lies above the lands of the Qunari, and to the East.” He said. “I used to talk with Isabella about it, you know, before… everything. She would tell me about her journeys, we even discussed what it would take to make a trip out that far. Now she doesn’t seem to have much to say to me.”
Disappointment crept back into his voice at the end, and it left an ache in Anders to see his genuine interest go.
“Well,” He began thoughtfully, “I don’t know about going up to see what’s north of the Qunari lands. You might not be their favorite person anymore. But a voyage east? Or even south? It would be fascinating.”
Cooper sighed, adjusting his glasses. “It’d be pointless. Impossible even. We’d need a ship, a fast one, supplies that could last. And we could sail and sail and still never find anything. Or fall off the edge of the world.”
“Ah, it’s a dumb idea.” He turned away from the map to glance instead at the floor. “And a commitment I can’t make.”
Anders scowled at that, feeling Justice stir in response to the statement. The spirit was worried, they both were, and he had been since they saw Cooper take the blow that damaged his shoulder. While he had never been arrogant by any means, the archer had always possessed a quiet sort of confidence, a certainty in his own abilities that was gone now. And it hurt to see their Champion so reduced, so diminished on himself. Cooper hadn’t left the estate in days, had lost interest in so many of the things that he used to love, it was distressing because Anders knew from personal experience, there wasn’t much he could do on his own except be supportive.
“Maybe not right now,” Anders offered gently, sliding his hands up and around to press his thumbs into the knots of his shoulders. “One day though, you will. I could come with you, if you’d like?”
“Anders you hate traveling by sea.” Cooper let out a surprised laugh, muscles rolling slightly as he leaned into the touch.
The mage hummed a confirmation at that, letting a little healing magic trickle into the touch. “I absolutely do, but if you think I’m letting you go off to get eaten by some sea monster without me, you have another thing coming.”
He laughed harder. “We’d still need a ship, and a captain.”
“I’m sure that something will turn up. And Isabella will come around, I promise. I’m not sure what’s going on with her right now, but she’ll get over it.” He promised. “You just have to give it a little time.”
Cooper let out another breath, turning to face Anders and cup his cheeks. “What did I do to deserve a guy like you?”
“Well, you kinda came blustering into my clinic…” The blond pointed out, trying to hide his smile. “Showed me nothing but understanding and support for the cause…” He tilted his head to press a kiss into Cooper’s palm. “And not running to fetch the Templars when you found out about Justice was a point in your favor as well.”
“Oh is that all?” He quirked an eyebrow. “You tactfully left out the fact that my estate has become a cat house.”
“Your dog adopted them as her own, Coop.” Anders argued. “We couldn’t just take them away, Rowan would have been devastated.”
“Shit you’re right.” He laughed, kissing his forehead.
Anders squirmed slightly at the feeling of Cooper’s beard scratching against his skin, pulling back. “Okay, time to go to bed, you. And tomorrow we’re shaving that mess off of your face.”
“I thought you liked my facial hair!” Cooper complained, though he didn’t fight it when Anders tugged him out of the study by his hand.
“I like your scruff.” The mage corrected. “Not that overgrown shrub hanging off your chin. You need a haircut too.”
Long hair was a look Anders could enjoy on most men, it truly was, but in his less than humble opinion Cooper looked much better with his usual trimmed style.
The archer chuckled at that, mood lightened as he pushed his glasses up his nose. “I have been letting it grow out haven’t I? I need to clean myself up.”
“Yes you do. Now to bed, Champion.” Anders grinned.
It might not be much, the small superficial changes, but it would help. And Anders wanted to help, wanted Cooper to stop wallowing in self pity. He loved his archer, and was determined to help him just as much as he’d helped Anders over the past few years.