Room 322, Wednesday Morning

[not_every_mage]

It had been more than a day since the children left, and Anders wasn't sure his head was entirely back to normal yet. It was funny how deeply you could miss someone you'd known for such a short time, and who quite likely wouldn't ever exist at all.

At least it seemed like Leo was headed back someplace where he was safe and loved. Carys, though ... that was another story. He still wasn't entirely certain he and Kathy had done the right thing by making her go home. Her parents had lots of friends, sure, and he liked the idea of palling around with a Champion (whatever that meant exactly) but ... he didn't want to raise a child in a world where her father was an apostate. It seemed likely to lead only to heartbreak for everyone.

He tried to set aside his worry for the girl as he scrounged through his books until he found one on the history of Thedas. Maybe it would at least give him some background on Kirkwall to put a bit of what Carys had said in context.

[OOC: Cracked door, open post.]

Comments

[not_every_mage]

"No -- though Ezra's not bad-looking at all - but ages ago, when I asked why we'd only had one date, you said you liked somebody else and he was older and barely knew you were alive," Anders explained. "Unless I got confused about something?"

[spin_kick_snap]

"And he'd be thrilled to jump onto our Polyamory Pirate Ship," Kathy said, because talking about Ezra was roughly a trillion times easier than acknowledging her stupid crush that would not die.

"...And, no. You're not confused. There was--is--whatever--this guy. Goes by Gorgon, at least when we're out vigilante-ing together. Pretty sure we're still in the same place we were a year ago. I think he's hot, he thinks of me as a kid. Except now we'r about three thousand miles apart, so anything is even less likely to happen now."

[not_every_mage]

"Oh," Anders said, because he wasn't quite sure how to react. It was hard to come up with words that would convey that it didn't sound like much of a loss to him without seeming jealous.

A moment later: "Too bad for him he has such rotten taste, then. You can do better."

[spin_kick_snap]

"With all those guys banging down my door, begging to get a piece of this, you mean?" Kathy asked, trying to sound amused.

[not_every_mage]

"Mmmm," Anders agreed. "Look, the boys here may not be old or mysterious or run around calling ourselves Gorgon, but -- there really isn't anyone here you're interested in? Even if he isn't throwing himself at you?"

[spin_kick_snap]

"Well, umm..." Kathy was back to blushing. "Well, actually..."

She coughed and started fiddling with her hair. "There was sorta a reason maybe that, uhh, Ezra and I had a kid this past weekend. I mean--we're not--not yet--oh god!"

She was just gonna snatch up his book about Thedas and hide behind it.

[not_every_mage]

Anders laughed so hard into his fist that he turned red. "I'm sorry, what was that?" he asked innocently, once he'd composed his face. "You study literature together?"

[spin_kick_snap]

"Nobody thinks you're cute, Anders!" Kathy growled, still trying to hide. "Not one person!"

Which was a lie, but SHUT UP YOUR FACE.

[not_every_mage]

"That's a dirty lie," Anders informed her. "I'm a person, and I think I'm very cute."

[spin_kick_snap]

"You are the only one," she told him haughtily, still a bright red. "The rest of us know better."

[not_every_mage]

"The rest of you don't properly appreciate me," Anders said, equally haughty. "But -- you and Ezra, huh? That's not bad at all. Have fun be safe, all of that."

[spin_kick_snap]

"It's not--it's just--it's not really like that?" Kathy tried. "Just--yeah, having fun. That's it. No..." She waved her hand around, like that could maybe explain all of what it was or wasn't. "Not like you and Nathan. And definitely safe, because I know I'm hardly the only person he's, umm, having fun with."

[not_every_mage]

"As long as he's honest about it," Anders decided. "And fun's good. As long as you're happy, I'm happy for you."

[spin_kick_snap]

"It's nice," Kathy admitted. "He's not what I would expect, really. There's no...expectation in it. He's happy to do whatever I want to do and not a thing more. And it's casual, so I don't have to worry about, well, anything I guess. He's doesn't want to be my boyfriend and I don't think I'd want him to be, even if he were interested."

She shook her head. "This isn't exactly how I expected anything like this to go," she admitted. "I never really saw myself as a friends with benefits type. But it's comfortable, except for when I get all uptight and freak myself out."

[not_every_mage]

"That's what matters, then," Anders said, leaning back on his elbows. "If you wanted a boyfriend and he didn't, that is a bad situation. But if it's just a distraction for everyone? Why not enjoy it?"

He considered it a moment. "Though I may give him the 'if you hurt Kathy I'll fireball you' speech anyhow. Just for fun."

[spin_kick_snap]

Kathy beamed at him. "You know, I think that would be awesome."

Ezra would probably be confused as all heck, but whatever. She had friends who were willing to threaten people on her behalf!

...Which was probably a weird thing to be happy about, but she was anyway.

"Is it weird that I never even considered giving Nathan a 'you hurt Anders and I'll...kick you really hard' speech?"

[not_every_mage]

"I'll get on it next time I see him," Anders promised, grinning back at her. Really, what good was being a friend if it didn't occasionally involve threats of bodily harm?

"And not particularly? It wasn't as new a situation for me as it is for you. Besides, I think people worry less about boys than girls." He twisted at his ponytail, considering this. "You can threaten him now, if you want. He might laugh."

[spin_kick_snap]

"Laugh! He's not supposed to laugh!" Kathy declared. "He is supposed to be super-intimidated! Hmm. Maybe I should do it as Banzai, instead."

Because all those rainbows would guarantee he took her seriously, yes.

[not_every_mage]

"What's your Banzai outfit like these days?" Anders asked lazily. "That might just make him laugh more."

[spin_kick_snap]

Kathy grabbed for one of Anders' pillows, intent on whacking him with it. "Just for that, you're getting no pizza. I'm going to eat it all right here in front of you and laugh. Brat."

[not_every_mage]

"You're going to eat three large pizzas by yourself?" Anders asked,laughing as he swatted back at the pillow. "Really?"

[spin_kick_snap]

"You've clearly never seen me after a real run or I get back from Baltimore," Kathy said. "Ever since I got all fast and bouncy, my metabolism's ramped up by like a billion. I'm kind of ridiculous."

[not_every_mage]

"I don't have that," Anders told her. "But I'm not using my powers to jump off roofs, either."

He had a healthy appetite, but no more than any other ravenous teenage boy.

"And -- am I supposed to disagree about you being ridiculous?"

[spin_kick_snap]

"You know I can hit you, like, eight times before you see me move, right?" Kathy threatened. "I just want to make sure you're aware of this before we continue this conversation."

[not_every_mage]

Anders probably should have thought more before he said the next thing to come out of his mouth.

"Try me."