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]

"I saw the signs about it," Anders said, looking a bit confused by the segue. "Couldn't figure out what it had to do with me, so I ignored it. Why, do people turn into animals there?"

He wouldn't put it past Fandom, honestly.

[halfbad.livejournal.com]

"No no, it's just a strange custom, apparently," Nathan said, shaking his head. "It's like a party but with more...glitter, I think the girl who I talked to said. And you dress up and there's dancing."

[not_every_mage]

"Oh," Anders said, frowning a bit as he thought it over. "I don't understand what glitter has to do with the rest of it, but that sounds sort of fun. Were you going to go?"

[halfbad.livejournal.com]

"I thought about it," Nathan answered, sounding a little shy. "But, I think I'd feel better about it if we could go together? If you want, of course. I didn't want to assume but it might be fun?"

[not_every_mage]

"Sure, of course," Anders said in an instant, and then chewed his thumbnail. "Wait, together or together, together?"

There were hand motions that went with that and possibly illuminated the question not at all. He preferred together-together, but he also didn't want to assume.

[halfbad.livejournal.com]

"The kind of together where we show up together?" Did that make sense? Nathan wasn't great at making sense sometimes. "Not separate where we meet up but together where it's like...a date?"

Was it okay to hope for that? Because he was.

[not_every_mage]

"Like a date," Anders repeated. From his smile, it was safe to say that was the kind of together he'd been angling for. "I like that kind of together, so ... yes. Absolutely."

[halfbad.livejournal.com]

"I didn't get you a ticket because I didn't want to assume," Nathan said apologetically. "Sorry. I just didn't want to make your plans for you."

[not_every_mage]

"No, that makes sense ," Anders assured him. "I can take care of it."

Anyhow, he had a job and Nathan didn't. He would have felt bad asking for things he could get himself.

He was stuck on the date part, though. "You're ready for people to know we're" --- it took him a minute to come up with the expression he wanted to use -- "seeing each other?"

[halfbad.livejournal.com]

"Why not?" Nathan shrugged and then nodded. "I am. I'm fine with it. Are you? Is it okay with you?"

[not_every_mage]

"I think it's fantastic but I know some people get weird about boys being together," Anders explained. "But if you want to go together and I do too, that's what matters."

[halfbad.livejournal.com]

"I don't care about them," Nathan said, smiling slightly. "I care about you."

[not_every_mage]

Anders flat-out grinned at that. "You're about the sweetest person I have ever known," he decided, and lightly reached out to brush some hair out of Nathan's eyes. "Thank you for asking me."

[halfbad.livejournal.com]

Nathan smiled fully finally and resisted the urge to duck his head. "Thank you for saying yes. Now all that's left is to find something suitable to wear."

[not_every_mage]

"True, and I still don't own a good suit," Anders informed him, smile still lighting up his face. "I'll find something. It seems like a waste to buy something fancy if we're only going to wear it a few times a year, doesn't it it?"

[halfbad.livejournal.com]

"Yes," he agreed with a slight nod. "The girl who told me about this, she said what I'd been wearing was fine but I think maybe just a nice pair of trousers and clean shirt would work. I don't know how to tie a tie anyway."

[not_every_mage]

"They're strange-looking anyhow," Anders informed him. "I might not be in a place to judge, but I don't understand why a piece of cloth around your neck means you're dressed up. At home we go for fur or embroidery."

He wouldn't wear fur or embroidery to the dance. Probably. Silk, however, remained a possibility.

"I'll find something I like. Probably even something clean."

[halfbad.livejournal.com]

"So will I," Nathan said, nodding. "And I'll make sure it doesn't smell like the preserve too."

He'd just have to remind himself not to go out there before the dance so he didn't end up smelling like tree bark and moss.

[not_every_mage]

"You are trying to make it fancy," Anders laughed. "And I'll leave the staff at home. Probably no one will be trying to kill us."

[halfbad.livejournal.com]

Nathan winced at the thought of someone targeting dance. "Let's hope not because I think that would honestly turn me off any other dances this place might have. No one wants a terrible first experience."

[not_every_mage]

"It would be exciting," Anders offered, half-heartedly. "But not in the good way. I want a nice, peaceful dance too."

[halfbad.livejournal.com]

"Then, hopefully we'll get that," Nathan decided with a nod. "Something uneventful and not overwhelming."

The being inside would already be difficult but tolerable and he didn't need something insane happening to make it worse.

[not_every_mage]

"And -- speaking of overwhelming -- if it's too much for you we can leave and walk to the beach," Anders offered, knowing Nathan's issues with being inside at night. "Like you said, we want a good first time. Not pushing it until you get sick."

[halfbad.livejournal.com]

"I should be okay for awhile but thank you," Nathan said appreciatively. "I'll let you know if it's too much and I feel like I'm getting sick. Hopefully I can avoid that, though."