The Deck, Tuesday Morning

[not_every_mage]

Even after sleeping on it, Anders didn't feel much better about what had happened in Edge. They'd put so much work into the water filtration system -- only to see it wrecked in what was most likely a matter of hours. And even though they'd fixed the immediate issues, he knew nothing would stop the same people from coming back and keeping water away from the thirsty. Again.

It made a man angry, was all.

Kittens, on the other hand, made a man happy. And if Anders couldn't stop brooding, he could at least get out of his room. Carrying Lachlan in one oversized pocket, he took his breakfast onto the porch and set the cat down. The tuxedo kitten snapped at shadows and tried to catch every insect that happened by -- mostly unsuccessfully -- while Anders sipped at his tea.

[OOC: Open deck, open post!]

Comments

[not_every_mage]

"No complaints so far," Anders told him. "And I don't have anything in particular to do today, so there's every reason to think things will stay that way."

Lachlan sniffed Edward suspiciously for a moment before submitting to the petting.

[doesnotkneel]

Edward scritched Lachlan merrily behind the ears. "I wouldn't be so quick with that sort of thing on this island," he said, though he sounded unconcerned about that. "You say that, and suddenly fish start raining down on us."

[not_every_mage]

"Well, that'd make Lachlan happy," Anders observed. "Though I'd hate to see him lose a fight to a fish. That would wreck his dignity."

[doesnotkneel]

"Ah, I don't know, he looks like the sort who could use a couple of good, hard lessons about life," Edward joked. "What with having you doting on him all the time."

[not_every_mage]

"What's the point of having a pet if you don't spoil it shamelessly?" Anders shrugged. "Life'll knock him around without me helping. It usually does."

[doesnotkneel]

Edward looked up and pulled a face. "That's enough gloom for me this morning, I believe," he said.

[not_every_mage]

"It's only true," Anders protested. "Sorry. Shall we talk about sunlight and butterflies now?"

Lachlan nudged at Edward's hand, urging the petting to continue.

[doesnotkneel]

Edward's scritching traveled to just under Lachlan's chin. "We could," he agreed, "Seems uplifting enough. Talk away."

[not_every_mage]

"I can't --" Anders said, then laughed at the challenge. "All right. Sunshine is lovely and makes the day warm, and we should enjoy it while we have it because soon it will get cold. For the rest of us, that is. Possibly not for Edward, since that's gloomy. And butterflies are pretty. I like the yellow kind. Lachlan's never killed one, though he's dearly wanted to. Oh, wait, that's gloomy too."

He raised one eyebrow at Edward. "Better?"

[doesnotkneel]

Edward let out a theatrical sigh and spread his arms. "Anders, Anders," he said, "How's anyone supposed to have a good time 'round here with you talking about the cold and dead butterflies?"

[not_every_mage]

"There's the whole rest of the building for you to have fun in," Anders said helpfully, gesturing up at it. A tiny curve at the corner of his mouth suggested he wasn't entirely serious about any of this: He just wasn't overflowing with fluffy conversational topics.

He sighed and tried to be at least slightly more pleasant. "Did you go on that trip on Saturday?"

[doesnotkneel]

"I did," Edward said. "Thought I saw the back of your head once, was I right?"

If Anders had pushed it any further, he may well have gotten moody about it. The sudden subject change indicated that All Was Well, though, so he was happy to drop that whole bit.

[not_every_mage]

Anders felt himself on the edge of testiness as well, which was why he'd pulled back. Fighting over nothing at all always just left you feeling stupid.

"I can't say what you saw, but I was there," he confirmed. "Looked at the animals and mummies and things in the natural history museum, and then saw some art. It was an excellent day."

[doesnotkneel]

"Can't say I went close to the art," Edward said lightly. (It'd be a couple of years before Caroline made him recognize the point of it.) "But the history was interesting, as much as the history of the future can be said to be history at all."

[not_every_mage]

"Nathan likes to draw," Anders said by way of explanation. Art wasn't normally his particular passion either. "I'm not sure what I'd make of the history of the future. Learn anything interesting?"

Not that he had much context, but he was still curious.

[doesnotkneel]

"I'm aware of Nathan's pass times. He seems keen on it, so that makes sense," Edward said vaguely. "All I learned was... well, this country was once owned by a whole set of different kings, including my own. Then it declared itself an independent entity, and all those monarchs got a bit cross."

He shrugged.

(He'd have found it more interesting if he'd been aware his grandson would wind up in the middle of all of it, albeit in another version of history.)

[not_every_mage]

"That tends to happen," Anders said dryly. "Nations get a tad upset at losing their land at home, too. But the rebels won?"

That part didn't suck, at least.

[doesnotkneel]

"Aye, or they'd still be flying the British flag over this island," Edward said. "Can't say I can cry about it one way or the other, mate."

[not_every_mage]

"I'd think you'd gone a bit funny if you did," Anders informed him. "But it must be strange to know it's going to happen, anyhow. I've no great love for Ferelden, and I still don't want to see it conquered by Orlais again."

Orlesians were weird and tacky.