#kandersgiving 2017

[storybookhawke]

The Second Best Thing I’ve Ever Done

an Anders/Karl Apostate AU - rated M - ~30k [tags: fluff, domestic, bed-sharing, apostates, romance, slow build, strangers to lovers, angst, flirting, cats, skinny dipping, bamf anders, family + much more]

Karl has lived all his life as an apostate, the only one of his relatives, working on his family’s farm miles from the nearest village. It’s worked well for him so far, and he feels he could peacefully live out the rest of his life like this, even if it means never using his magic. But that peaceful life is put in danger when he finds an intruder in the barn one night—a blond boy about his age… wearing Circle robes.

[Read here on AO3]

[newkate]

The Cure

For @teamblueandangry Kandersgiving event - Day 4: AU/Free

AU where the touch of Justice cures Karl permanently. 

(I’m not saying that would have changed the whole plot of DA2 and DAI but yes it would have. I kind of want to write 40K of this but here are the bullet points.)

1.

When they were free and safe, catching their breath on the narrow bed after a messy, shakily desperate reunion, Anders offered to remove the brand from his forehead.

Karl traced the raised ridges of the sunburst with his finger. He’d not seen it in the mirror yet, not since he’d been cured, but he’d already made up his mind.

“No, love, leave it,” he said. “It’s fine. It happened, no point pretending it didn’t. You have plenty of new scars too.”

He ran his hand over the recently healed sword wound over Anders’ heart and leaned in to kiss it.

“Love, my love,” Anders sighed, and then the spirit that had mended Karl’s sundered mind was looking at him from his lover’s eyes, its voice coming from the familiar lips. “They’ll never take another mage. We won’t let them.”

2.

In those half-formed dreams he had, before his dreams were ripped from him altogether, Karl had imagined they’d run away together. They’d hide in some village, never again do magic to avoid any suspicion. They’d have a little farm, a cow and a goat, and they wouldn’t need anything else.

Things were different now. Anders, for all that he still was every bit Karl’s Anders, had become something new: more than human now, indestructible, unstoppable, burning with one purpose: to make this world a just one, a safe one.

And Karl himself was changed, new, bare, tender, like a thin pink skin that’s revealed when a scab comes off.

“I’m just… emotional,” he told Anders’ friend Bethany the next day. She came to visit while Anders saw to his patients, likely because Karl seemed too unstable to leave unsupervised. Even just thinking about that brought him near tears, and he had to bite his lips to stop them from trembling.

Bethany, a sweet little hedge mage half his age, patted his shoulder comfortingly.

“Emotions are good,” she said. “Better than not having any. I was like this all through puberty, I remember. Even now if I hear ‘Andraste’s mabari’ at the wrong time of the month, I’ll bawl my eyes out. But you’ll get used to it. Just cry whenever you need, it really helps.”

He wasn’t going to, would hate for Anders to see him like that. But that same night as soon as they kissed again the tears spilt out, burning and abundant, and Anders held him tight while Karl wept on his shoulder.

“I’m not sad, I’m just - too happy,” he sobbed out, and Anders kissed his hair and said it was all right, and soon it really felt like that.

But, whether he was fine or not, they had work to do.

3.

Samson’s name had been passed around Gallows in whispers, from one trusted friend to another. Before he was given the brand, while he’d still been planning to escape with Anders’ help, Karl had counted on Samson to get them out of Kirkwall, provided they could find the money.

“Apparently, if an escaped mage can’t come up with coin, Samson sends them to some unsavoury people,” he explained. “Some of them could be slavers. We need to make sure this doesn’t happen.”

Anders promised Samson any treatment that could ease the pains of Lyrium withdrawal, Karl promised not to burn him alive, and just like that, Samson was now working for them. Soon he brought them their first mage runaways, Feynriel and Olivia, and Karl had students again. Olivia’s father tipped them about the escaped Starkhaven mages, and with their friends’ help they brought them in, too. They all spent some weeks turning the sewers into a decent enough place to live, for themselves and other refugees. Between them they could provide clean water and safe fire, they could reshape stone and light darkness. They diverted the sewage away from the living spaces, widened the gaps in the rock to let in more light, and began trading their skills and knowledge for food and necessities.

The plan was coming together.

4.

A few weeks later Karl felt strong enough to talk about what had happened to him, and asked Anders to take him back to the chantry. There he prayed before Andraste’s statue for courage and then approached the Grand Cleric and pushed his hood off to show her the brand.

“I am a Harrowed mage,” he said. “I was illegally made Tranquil, against my will, by Ser Alric. With, I suspect, Knight-Commander’s full knowledge and approval.”

“This seems highly unlikely,” she said calmly. “You don’t sound like a Tranquil. Are you sure your brand isn’t a fake, child?”

“I… got better,” he said, already trembling, overcome with anger and frustration. “Will you bring them to justice?”

“The misdeeds of the Templars are the Knight-Commander’s domain. You should speak to her.”

“As I said, I believe she had a hand in this.”

“You seem to be here without templar escort,” she said. “Am I to understand I’m speaking to an escaped apostate? If you wish me to start the investigation and have a chance to take this to trial, you must turn yourself in. That’s the proper way to see the justice done.”

“I’m not going back to the Circle. I’m not safe there. That’s where I was illegally made Tranquil.”

“There’s little I can do on a hearsay from an apostate, I’m afraid.”

He stumbled away from her, weeping in strange, inexplicable, helpless shame, and Anders put his arms around him and led him outside, into the light.

“I want to ask your spirit,” he said when he could speak again. “Can murder be justified? Am I consumed by my anger?”

Anders had killed many templars to save him, Karl knew. He’d killed before, too, in his time with the Wardens. Perhaps even earlier, if he was cornered during his many escapes. But for Karl that would be a new line to cross.

“Justice isn’t vengeance,” Anders said. “It’s not about an eye for an eye. It’s about creating a better world. I believe this particular murder would go a long way toward that goal.”

They ambushed Alric the very next day on his way from the brothel. Karl forced him to his knees and pressed his fingers to Alric’s forehead, and set his brain on fire.

He was ill for days afterwards, unable to keep anything down, his hand sore as if his own fire had harmed him. The catharsis had brought some measure of solace, he supposed.

5.

Hawke was about to head out on his daredevil expedition, and Anders declined to go and leave Karl behind.

“Well, without the Warden and the healer this enterprise just became a lot more dangerous,” Hawke said. “I understand, it’s just that I wanted to take Bethany with me, to make sure the templars don’t snatch her while I’m away. Now I’m not so sure.”

“She can stay with us,” Karl offered, and she did.

While they waited they took her, Merrill, a few Strakhaven mages and Fenris all around Kirkwall, trying to dig deeper into the grizzly matter that was brought to Hawke by Ser Emeric.

“If we are to live free among other free people, we have to do our part in fighting those who use magic for evil,” Karl said. He knew Fenris still had reservations about their little commune, and it seemed important to show him their dedication. Karl’s right palm still itched a little, but he mostly ignored it. Solving this crime would be the comfort he needed. “We know a mage is involved. We will find and stop them.”

They kept digging, and eventually came to the end of their search. The dead murderer’s secret room held some remnants of his horrific experiments, and a shrine to a woman who looked disconcertingly like Bethany’s mother.

“Imagine if this creep met her and became obsessed with her,” Bethany said and turned the portrait to face the wall. “Well, she’s safe now.”

6.

Orsino stared at Karl, fascinated. They’d arranged the meeting in the Darktown, and the old man’s huge eyes were watering, perhaps from the stench, perhaps from the same emotion that had Karl on edge of tears too.

“Unbelievable,” he said again. “Karl, I’m so sorry I couldn’t protect you. But this, this is a miracle.”

“It’s a simple enough cure,” Anders said. “I can do it with a single touch, but summoning a spirit isn’t difficult. Anyone can do it. We can cure everyone, and we don’t have to be afraid any longer. The templars have lost their best weapon.”

“This changes everything,” Orsino agreed. “I will make sure the other Circles know. This can not be silenced.”

“I’ll cure everyone I can get my hands on,” Anders said. “Anyone you can send my way. Afterwards we’ll take care of them right here, in this sanctum we’ve built, among our people. We’ll nurture them through their recovery, help them face the horrors they might have been put through. Make sure they heal, the way they’d never be able to if we send them back to Circles. This is what we’ve been working toward.”

“That’s very good,” said Orsino. “A good start. Let me talk to other First Enchanters. I understand you’re overjoyed to be free and together, and you might not be seeing the bigger picture yet.”

7.

Later that year the conclave had voted for separation of the Circles from the Chantry, and the uprisings were on the way. Grand Cleric Elthina left Kirkwall, fearing for her safety. The Nevarran accord was broken, but the Templars and the Seekers both were in disarray, a lot of them opposing the order once the truth of the Rite of Tranquility was known.

The Gallows stood empty, following a swift uprising of mages fully supported by the new Viscount. Dumar had retired to rebuild his relationship with his son, and named Hawke his successor. Hawke, friend of the mages, darling of the nobility after all the favours he’d done for them, a close friend of the new Starkhaven king and even a trusted ally of the Arishok, ruled well and fair, even though there were rumours that his friend Varric did most of the work. Once the Kirkwall mages rebelled, Hawke sent in the city guard to fight on their side. After a short siege, with the mages who’d not escaped by then holding the Gallows and keeping the templars trapped in the courtyard, the templars ran out of lyrium and surrendered.

For a few happy years Karl and Anders lived and worked side by side, teaching the children, curing the Tranquil, building a community that accepted mages as their own. They penned a few papers together arguing for the rights of mages, outlining their ideas for peaceful coexistence.

“What would I do without you,” Anders kept saying. “I swear, without you, without your love, I’d given up a long time ago.”

“I know you too well,” Karl said. “You’d never give up.”

Still, it was good to know he was helping. It was good to be alive, to be able to love, to be loved. His unruly emotions had mostly settled down, except for one: he was still as overcome by tenderness and desire whenever Anders touched him, looked at him, smiled at him. But that they could certainly live with.

There was a call for help from a rebelling Circle, and they gathered a fighting force of battle mages and set off. Halfway into their march the forward scouts brought back an elf in tattered clothing. He seemed weak and confused, he refused to talk, and he was clutching a strange dark orb to his chest.

“Friend,” called Justice to him as soon as he came near. “I know, this is strange. Like you, I didn’t want a body, but you will see, you will understand the beauty of this world. You will love it. I will help you.”

“What?” Karl asked, but Justice only kept beaming at the man, and didn’t explain. Karl could sense the man’s power, though. Definitely a mage, in need of shelter, food, probably healing. “Well, he’s right, anyway. You’re among friends now. You’ll see, we’re good people.”

[thejourneymaninn]

First friend

for @teamblueandangry‘s Kandersgiving

“Tell me about the world outside.”

“What?”

The boy’s head swivelled around. Eyes narrowed in suspicion, he peered up at Karl from beneath messy strands of blonde hair. That little furrow between his brows, growing deeper with every passing second of silence…Karl would really have liked to kiss it. Well. Maybe later. Much later. He had a reputation to maintain, sure, but the kid was…well, that was just it, wasn’t it? Almost still a kid. Almost. Not quite. But from what Karl had seen, he didn’t seem to be interested in the…social aspects of Circle life yet. Pity. He really was kind of cute, from up close. Ah well, maybe one day. No need to rush things. It was a Circle, after all, you were bound to run into everyone again at some point during the rounds. Unless they disappeared overnight, never to be mentioned again…

He softly shook his head and plopped down next to the boy in his best display of well-rehearsed casualness. Not the time for that. He’d come for stories. Although an ally to complain with wouldn’t hurt either. Someone who wasn’t too cowed to open their mouth, now that would be a nice change.

Karl made a point of shrugging extensively as he flashed the boy his best lazy smile. “I don’t remember it. Any of it. Sometimes I see pictures in my head when I read a story, but I never know if it’s a memory or just my imagination. No one ever really talks about it, they all just pretend like it doesn’t exist. But you, you keep trying to get back there. I was just curious….But if you don’t want to talk, that’s fine.” He added another shrug for good measure. “Just thought I’d ask.” He made to get up….

“Wait…”

…and sat back down with a grin.

“Why would you ask me? No one wants to be seen with me. I’m on the Templars’ watch-list.” For a moment there, he looked endearingly proud beneath the still very-present layer of suspicion.

Karl shrugged again. There could never be too many shrugs, right? “The Templars can kiss my pale, robed ass. Anyone who makes them look even more stupid than they already do is alright in my book. I’m Karl, by the way. And you’re Anders, I know that much.”

“Yes.” There was a brief pause. “Anders. I’ve never seen you in class.” His eyes narrowed again.

Karl had to bite his lip hard to keep himself from laughing. He really shouldn’t. It wasn’t funny. Quite the opposite.

He wordlessly reached out a hand and sent a tiny cone of cold along Anders’ thigh. Snowflakes gathered on his robes in a glittering trail, then melted into nothingness, a couple of tiny stains the only proof they’d ever existed.

“See? Mage. I’m not a Templar spy, no need to worry. I’m in advanced classes. Mostly elemental and force. Naturally, I mean, I’m cool, and I’m a force of nature.”

He wriggled his fingers in an exaggerated fashion, but Anders didn’t seem to be paying attention. His gaze was fixed on where the snowflakes had been.

“I’m not good at elemental.” Something settled in his eyes, making them appear darker as he spoke again. “Fire’s hard to control.”

“Well, if you ever need help, my fireballs leave all customers satisfied.”

Anders rolled his eyes, but that little quirk at the corners of his mouth didn’t escape Karl’s notice. “Thanks, but I’m more than capable of satisfying with my healing hands.”

So…maybe not that much later after all. Karl tried not to smirk too obviously. “Healing hands, huh? You got Wynne?”

“Yes.”

“Good. She’s alright. Well, mostly. Likes to meddle, but won’t sell you out to the Templars…Has she given you all the ‘smart choices’ talk yet?”

The look on Anders’ face would have been answer enough. “Does she ever not?” He fell silent, chewing on his lip. “She’s nice though, reminds me of…“ He broke off abruptly. “She says I could become a Spirit Healer.”

Of course. As if the poor guy didn’t draw enough Templar attention already. One of the rarest talents, lucrative, feared and tightly leashed. But somehow, it suited him. Special. Like those eyes that seemed clueless at first glance but had been watching him intently the entire time, taking in everything with hardly any signs of movement…They really were an unusual colour…

“I bet you’d be great at it.”

Anders raised his pointy chin defiantly. “I won’t stay long enough to find out. I’m going home. The Templars can’t stop me!”

“Guess I should tell you that there’s no chance and you’d better accept your fate…but you know what, you’re so persistent, you might actually make it one day. And I’d love for someone to get out. To prove we won’t all be Templar slaves forever.”

“Why don’t you try to escape then?”

Ah, yes. The question of long-abandoned dreams.

“I was brought here when I was four. I don’t remember a ‘home’ I could return to. They took the world away before I even had a chance to see it. I tried anyway. Once. Years ago. It didn’t end well. There’s nothing out there for me.” The forced nonchalance of his shrug came less easy this time. “So yeah, the revolution won’t start with me. But you…for a child to swim all the way across the lake—“

“Riiiight, Grandpa, because you’re so much older and wiser. Bet your hair’s going to go grey any day now. You’ll leave a nice, shiny trail of silver when they drag your brittle ass to your Harrowing.”

“You were a child then is what I meant, alright, no need to go all Surana on me.”

“You too, eh?” For the first time since Karl sat down next to him, Anders gave him an actual, full smile. Followed by a soft, melodic laugh. Karl made a mental note to coax that sound out of him more often.

“Yes. Don’t make me speak about it. I’m scarred for life.”

Anders laughed again. Karl leaned back in his chair and propped his feet up on the table.

“So…about the world outside…”

[talesfromthefade]

Kandersgiving 2017

Day Two: First Kiss

@teamblueandangry

“It’s a gilded cage, how can you not see that,” the younger boy huffs, dragging a frustrated hand through his long strawberry blonde hair.

“Anders,” Karl tries patiently in the same calm as anything voice he always uses, which only seems to rankle the other boy still further.

“You come when you’re called. They tell you to jump, you ask how high, and what does it get you? A pat on the back? Extra library and research privileges? You’re still stuck here, living and dying in this tower,” Anders continues, pacing in front of the bed where Karl sits listening, watching, waiting for him to wind down a little, for an opening. “Is that really what you want? Don’t you ever dream of anything else? Of something more? Of getting out of here,” he asks, shaking his head, before finally throwing himself down onto the bed beside his mentor to stare blankly up at the ceiling with a heavy sigh.

“I’ve never known anything else,” Karl admits softly, carefully sliding to lie down across the mattress beside Anders. “Nothing I can remember, at least. I was only four when they brought me here.”

Anders falls quiet for a moment, and in the otherwise empty and silent dormitory, listens to the steady breaths of the mage beside him, shifts onto his side to watch the steady rise and fall of his chest, and slowly allows his own to match his pace.

“I’m sorry.”

Karl shakes his head. It’s not Anders fault, besides he’s not sure whether that being the case is such a bad thing: to have no recollection of what was lost, what might have been, the way Anders does. It’s fortunate the First Enchanter is so patient and has such a soft spot for the younger mage. There’s not many that could have made as many attempts to break out without being forced to take the brand.

“You’ve not tried to run away for months now,” Karl muses thoughtfully, brow furrowing a little at the realization.

“Everyone knows Irving told you to take me under your wing. I’m not giving Greagior or the rest of them a reason to come after you when I’m gone.”

It’s a thoughtful sentiment. Probably even a sincere one, Karl thinks. Still, he can’t help but feel there’s something more, another reason for the lack of any recent escape attempts Anders isn’t saying. Or perhaps this is simply wishful thinking, chancing a sideways glance at the handsome boy beside him.

“What do you want, Anders,” Karl muses thoughtfully, rolling over, blue eyes searching the amber ones that meet his. “What are you running towards when you escape? What do you dream about?”

“I want to be free,” Anders replies plaintively. “Free to, I don’t know… “ he shrugs frustratedly. “No. That’s not true. All I want is a pretty girl. A decent meal. The right to shoot lightning at fools,” he corrects himself, grinning at little at the sheer ridiculousness of his last request. “I just want to live, to choose a life for myself the way anyone else can.”

“Templars, the Chantry, they’ve taught everyone to fear us. Nobody even questions it anymore,” Anders bitterly. “They slap a collar on anyone with even a hint of magical ability. We are all Maleficarum and Abominations waiting to happen. But we’re not. Not all of us. You would never– but you’re just as trapped here as the rest of us,” the blonde whispers as sorrowful amber eyes brim with unshed tears.

“Marina is pretty.”

“What,” Anders ejaculates, utterly bewildered.

“Apprentice Amell is a pretty young woman,” Karl offers softly, no longer daring to look at the other boy.

“I- No. I mean, yes, she is, but… that would just be strange. I mean, she’s a friend. She’s more like a- a sister,” the blonde protests. “That’s really what you got out of all of that,” Anders manages, shaking his head. “That I need fixing up with someone?”

“Do you?”

“No! And, anyway, even if I did, I could- I can manage it just fine, myself.” Karl nods, though Anders doesn’t look much comforted by the gesture.

“I just don’t see how I can change or fix any of the rest of it,” he admits ruefully.

“I don’t expect you to.”

“I know,” Karl nods again. “I would, though,” he confesses softly, finally dragging his eyes back up to meet Anders’, which suddenly feel as though they pierce right through him, see everything he’s tried so hard for so long to keep contained, hidden, even from himself. The things he dreams of, the ‘something more’ he longs for… or, more accurately, someone. “You deserve freedom, happiness,” he continues, forcing himself to continue to meet those passionately fiery and rapidly widening amber eyes. “Love,” he whispers, his throat seems to constrict, tongue swelling and threatening to tie over the word.

“You would give me that,” Anders whispers.

“Anders,” Karl whispers, swallowing. “I would give you the world, were it within my power to.”

“I don’t want the world.”

“Of course,” Karl nods, rolling back onto his back to stare up at the ceiling once more, doing his level best to ignore the sudden weightless feeling in the pit of his stomach and clenching in the space where his heart should be. “Just the right to shoot lightning at fools, right,” he tries, but the words are far too stiff to convincingly pass as the causal, teasing tone he’d aimed for.  Maker, but he’d known better, hadn’t he? Whatever had possessed him to think…

“Karl?”

“Yes,” he manages to choke out, letting his eyes slide closed with a silent prayer to spontaneously melt into the bed beneath him.

“I- um,” Anders stammers uncharacteristically unsure of himself. “I’m not- that is… well, it doesn’t necessarily have to be a pretty girl.”

He doesn’t dare open his eyes. He’s not even sure at this point that he’s breathing as he struggles not to get his hopes up, heart hiccuping in spite of himself. “Oh? An ugly one would do, then,” he teases with a hollow chuckle.

“Karl.” There’s a hand on his cheek, warm and soft, a thumb wiping away a tear he’d not even realized had escaped. A rustle of the quilt and slight squeak from the frame as the other boy shifts, and Karl still hasn’t opened his eyes, but he knows, can feel Anders’ arm and its warmth where it rests propping him up as clearly as if it were an extension of himself. He swallows again, feeling his Adam's apple bob with it. “Karl,” Anders calls again, voice infinitely softer and more patient than Karl has ever had the occasion to hear him use. “Look at me? Please?”

He does. And Anders is just where he knew he would be, hovering just above him. A breath, then another pass wordlessly, blue eyes watering, longing to look away and simultaneously lacking the willpower to do so. Whatever those bright amber eyes are searching for, Anders seems to find it, suddenly breaking into a dazzling smile. Karl has only scant seconds to appreciate it before the younger boy lets the hands that had been supporting his weight go out from under him in favor of falling on top of him and crushing his lips to his. His name, a breathless whisper on Anders’ lips as they finally pull apart, has never sounded so good.

[teamblueandangry]

It’s that time of year, it’s Kandersgiving 2017!

Thurs. Nov 23th - Sun. Nov 26th we’ll be celebrating Anders and Karl! This year’s themes will be centered around the firsts of their friendship and relationship. As always, you don’t have to follow the days’ themes, they’re just starters! (Check out last year’s entries here)

So if you want to draw, or write, or just talk about your headcanons for them, tag #Kandersgiving 2017 and @teamblueandangry so we can reblog!

Thursday: First Friend - When do they become friends? Is Karl’s good nature there to ground Anders? Were the pair of them both troublemakers? How does it start?

Friday: First Kiss/First Date - When did it become more than friends? If everybody was kissing everybody, when did that first kiss mean something? What kind of date could they get away with in the Circle?

Saturday: First Love - What made Anders stop escaping for Karl? What was their ‘first time’ like? How did they say goodbye before Karl was taken to Kirkwall?

Sunday: If We Were Free - AU/Free Day! AU where they both escape! Another AU where they stayed together in any universe. 

(We’ll be filling in between with older Kanders posts for the weekend)

Happy Kandersgiving!!

The lovey banner was created by @storybookhawke!!

[storybookhawke]

He looks forlorn and filthy, covered in a sheen of rain mixed with dirt and sweat. His eyes are a golden-brown that shimmer like sunlight through whiskey in the lantern’s wavering light. But, what is most striking about this intruder is what he’s wearing, and the realization makes Karl gasp.

Circle robes.

an illustration for the first chapter of my newest Kanders fic The Second Best Thing I’ve Ever Done, finished for kandersgiving 2017

[storybookhawke]

I always picture Karl Thekla as the type who was a snarky cynical asshole when he was a teen and then mellowed out into a lovely gentlemanly individual when he grows older. Which is why he loves Anders so much.

[storybookhawke]

Anders who has issues with his self-image—too tall, too skinny, too sharp a face, awkwardly long limbs, bony hips and knobby knees—but those are all the things Karl loves to worship with his hands and lips and tongue, just a few of the things he loves about Anders.

[storybookhawke]

“Hmm... four goats, ten rams, three cows, eight chickens… Oh, I suppose we have two druffalo too.”

That captures Anders’ attention. “What? Where? Show me, please!

an illustration for the second chapter of my newest Kanders fic The Second Best Thing I’ve Ever Done, finished for kandersgiving 2017

[storybookhawke]

Together, they lean against a nearby tree, touching from shoulder to hip, while watching the rest of the robes get reduced to smoldering embers.

an illustration for the third chapter of my newest Kanders fic The Second Best Thing I’ve Ever Done, finished for kandersgiving 2017

[newkate]

The Third Time

A fic for @teamblueandangry​ Kandersgiving event, Thursday prompt: First Friend.

The news spread through the tower like a lightning: they caught that Anders kid again.

Everyone who was in the library crowded to the windows to watch. The Anders kid was in the yard, still chained up in heavy runed cuffs, hunched over under the autumn drizzle. All down his right side his robes were caked in mud, and his whole left cheek was a swollen, blood-crusted mess. The templar who held the end of the chain fastened it to a ring in the wall and left the kid there, tethered like a horse, with two other templars keeping guard.

“It’s his third time,” said on of the apprentices, a boy about Anders’ age, fifteen or so. “He’d been gone for months. We all thought he’d be dead by now.”

The templar who’d gone inside to announce the success of their hunt had come out again, followed by the Knight-Commander, the Knight-Captain, the First Enchanter and a few senior mages. They stood around the boy, talked among themselves for a while, then began questioning him. He kept his head down until one of the templars smacked him under his chin. He looked up and sullenly fixed his eyes on the wall, but he began to say something. Karl tried to read his lips, curious, fascinated, but couldn’t make out anything.

“He’ll get a whipping this time, you’ll see,” the first boy said. “They won’t just let him keep running. Thirty lashes, I bet.”

“He’s not Harrowed,” said someone else, with something like a disappointment in their voice. That was a good point: torturing young, weak mages was how you got abominations. The templars wouldn’t want to be held responsible. They usually left the apprentices to the mercies of the senior enchanters.

“Solitary, then. Let’s see him try to run from there, from the cage.”

The interrogation continued, even as the mages’ robes darkened from the rain. From the way Anders shuffled on his feet and pulled on the chain Karl could tell he was exhausted. The boy fell silent, ignored a repeated question, and received a hard shove to his back from one of his templar guards.

This is a spectacle, Karl thought. All for our benefit. Entertainment, to keep us placid. A lesson, to keep us scared.

“Look at him, all freckled from the sun,” said a new voice. “We’ve not been outside since he jumped into the lake. They better punish him properly this time.”

“They should make him Tranquil.”

“They won’t. He’s a spirit healer.”

“So what, he can do what he wants? They have to do something.”

There was a chorus of agreement. If anyone was friends with Anders, or had any sympathy for him, they kept silent. But then, so did Karl.

The templars led Anders inside the tower and everyone went back to their books, as if they’d all lost interest.

Anders didn’t turn up at dinner, or to any of the classes. Karl checked the apprentice dormitories, the baths, the library, and even tried to sneak to the detention level, but found no signs of him.

If they did make him Tranquil, he might never see him again. A lot of the Tranquil worked in the areas off-limits for mages: the kitchens, the laundry, the enchantment workshop. He wouldn’t ever know for sure what had happened, unless Anders would be put on cleaning duty and Karl would bump into him quietly scrubbing floors or stripping beds somewhere.

At supper Anders suddenly showed up at the dining hall: in fresh robes, his hair still wet from the baths, no brand on his forehead. His bruises hadn’t been healed. On his clean face they looked even starker: black and swollen, striped with drying scabs. A templar at the door stopped Anders, inspected his cheek, nodded and let him through.

Anders filled his bowl, took his bread and sat at the end of the table, by himself.

Their side of the hall was quiet for a moment, all eyes on him while he stared at his food. Once he began to eat, wolfing his stew like a man starved, the talk began again, louder now. A boy from another apprentices’ table finished whispering to his friends and moved over to perch on Karl’s bench.

“We’re throwing him a party tonight,” he said. “Everyone’s invited. No magic, obviously, we don’t want to get in trouble. Just fists.”

“You want to beat him up?” Karl asked, disbelieving. “Why?”

“Did you forget? We were locked in our cells for a week after he ran, until the templars found out how he did it. And last year, with the lake--”

“He didn’t do anything to us. The templars did.”

“Yeah, because of him! That must be why they didn’t let him heal up. To let us know it’s all right.”

Karl swallowed his last spoonful and stood up. He had about three years on this kid, and nearly a foot in height. Besides, he was Karl Thekla. They knew who he was.

“Nobody touches him,” he said, just loudly enough. He stared the kid down until he ducked his head and quietly slunk away. Then Karl went over to sit next to Anders.

He was still eating, visibly struggling to slow down and chew properly. He gave Karl a wary glance and stuffed the rest of his bread in his mouth, as if Karl was coming to steal it. His fingers, Karl could see now, were bruised too, every knuckle scraped bloody.

“Hey,” Karl said. “I’m Karl Thekla.”

“I know,” Anders said with his mouth full. “The best fire mage in our generation.”

“I try,” Karl said modestly.

“They say you could have been Harrowed at seventeen, you were that good. What happened, where did it all go wrong, how come you’re still an apprentice?”

Irwing had been pushing for an early Harrowing, just to show off their fire prodigy. Karl’s mentor had somehow convinced him to wait a few more years. He’d always said: Karl, it’s not about the size of your fireballs. Unless you fix your attitude problem, any third-rate Rage demon will have you for breakfast.

“That was just last year, I’m only eighteen now,” Karl said.

“Yeah? You look about thirty with this stupid beard. So what does great Karl Thekla want with me? Came to tell me to sleep with one eye open?”

“No, you can sleep properly, you’re fine. I wanted to ask why you didn’t heal yourself.”

“Oh,” said Anders and carefully scraped the last of the stew from his bowl. “They wanted everyone to see what there are consequences, and so on. They said it’s this or solitary. I’m still deciding.”

“Does it hurt?”

“Nothing’s broken. I don’t care, it’s just, they said next time it’s definitely solitary.”

“Next time? Are you really going to try again?”

“Yes,” said Anders. “If you’re spying for the templars - tell them, they already fucking know. Again and always until I’m free.”

It was a stupid teenage boy’s boast, but there was some strange music to it that echoed in Karl’s mind: again and always. Until he’s free.

“How?” he asked quietly, and Anders’ eyes lit up a little.

“That’s actually easy,” he said. “Thing is, we’re not guarded all that well. I have about five new escape ideas already. The reason everyone doesn’t run isn’t because it’s hard. They’re just cowards. If we all ran, they couldn’t catch us all. Right?”

“You’re mad, you know?” Karl said reverently. “Do you want to meet up tomorrow in the library? I’m always in the arcane section. We could talk more.”

“Why?” Anders asked and waved his arm around. “Did you not notice the general feeling toward me? You don’t want to be seen with me.”

“I don’t care. I think you’re amazing.”

“Well,” said Anders, grinning, licking his spoon clean. “Then, I guess, I must be. If Karl Thekla himself thinks so.”

[thejourneymaninn]

First date

for @teamblueandangry Kandersgiving 

“The wardrobe? That’s what you wanted to show me?”

He turned to face Anders with a grin. Not that they hadn’t had some spectacular times in there – hundreds of years of Circle life, countless generations of mages, and the Templars still hadn’t figured out why half the wardrobes in the apprentice dorms were stuffed to the brim while the other half only contained two or three robes that could easily be shoved to one side. Andraste bless their dull little hearts. But with all the fuss Anders had been making, the mysterious demeanour and constant hints at “a special” surprise, he had to admit he’d expected something a little less…common.

Anders ignored his raised eyebrows. “Not just the wardrobe, you old shield-brain. Look.”

He pulled the door open - and the witty and seductive retort Karl had been preparing died on his lips.

Quickly, Anders clambered inside, tugging on Karl’s sleeve. “Come on, before someone sees.”

Karl followed without words or resistance, still staring in amazement at the tiny colourful spheres hovering just below the ceiling. When Anders closed the door behind them, Karl realized they emitted a soft light, bathing the tiny space in a cold, eerily beautiful glow.

“What…what are they?” he whispered, trying (and most likely failing) not to sound as awestruck as he felt.

“Wisps.” Anders gazed up at them with a soft smile. “They like me. And they’ll be our stars for tonight. We can pretend we’re outside, just the two of us at the top of a hill, or on a pirate ship, sailing across the ocean.” He gestured at the floor. “Sit down. I tried to make it cozy.”

Karl had been too engrossed in Anders’ shimmering little friends to fully take in their surroundings. A couple of (probably) stolen pillows propped against the walls, a couple of threadbare blankets and discarded robes spread out on the floor and in the middle, a neatly arranged pile of (definitely) stolen food…He had to admit, it looked oddly comfortable for the inside of a large wooden box. There was even…Maker, a bottle of wine? How had Anders managed to get his hands on Templar supplies? Now Karl was all for pissing them off but the punishment for that…

He gave Anders a stern frown. Or well, he tried to. He got as far as thinking about possibly maybe doing so. As always, his resolve melted in the face of Anders’ smile.

He smiled back.

They sat down across from each other, limbs awkwardly folded around themselves. Karl had never noticed how narrow the wardrobe really was. Usually, they spent their time in here standing…well, sometimes, kneeling.

Carefully manoeuvring through the limited space available, Anders passed him a piece of slightly squashed pie. “See! There’s food and everything. I told you we could pull it off.” His face was all triumphant smugness. And underneath, something else. Something infinitely more dangerous. That one word Karl had always insisted they avoid, lurking in the shadows, waiting for the right moment to pounce and swallow them whole. “A real date! Like in the books.”

Anders leaned in, bony elbows digging into Karl’s thighs. When their lips met, Karl’s stomach did a strange little lurch, as if he’d jumped right off the tower’s roof. This didn’t feel like it had before. Suddenly, their crammed little wardrobe contained the whole world. It was all right there in Anders’ eyes.

[thejourneymaninn]

Forever

@teamblueandangry Kandersgiving

“Tell me again.”

Karl raised his arms above his head. As he stretched his body, his movements were as languid as his grin. “You’ll never get tired of that story, will you?”

“Nope,” Anders agreed, punctuating the words with a playful bite to his neck. “Never.”

Around them, the room was getting dark. From the great hall below, they could hear the faint sounds of rowdy laughter and toppling chairs. Ale, tales and boasting - the usual. They hadn’t been in the mood for it tonight.

Karl settled back into the pillows, one arm propping up his head, the other slung around Anders’ waist. He could feel Anders’ fingers dance across his chest, playing an unknown song on his skin. At the top of the bed, Ser Pounce-a-lot had claimed half of Karl’s pillow for himself and lay curled up into a little ball of purring contentment.

“Alright,” he relented, putting on his best storyteller voice, the one that never failed to take both of them back to a time of gangly limbs and patchy attempts at beards. ”So, I’m in the Gallows, all forlorn and alone, surrounded by grey walls and evil Templars. Suddenly, the door bursts open and in waltzes the Commander, not looking left or right, not stopping for anyone, you know how she is. Walks right up to the Templars, demands to see the ‘shem in charge’ – and then she conscripts me, right in the middle of the most infamous Circle in Thedas, in front of everyone. With one of our surly friends on either side of her and Oghren burping in the back. The look on Meredith’s face –“

“Describe her again.”

“Shiny and polished. Skin liked cracked stone, urine-blond, always rigid, doesn’t have a single flexible part in her body. Full of righteous evil. Weird taste in headwear, has probably seen one or two Andraste statues too many. Anyway, she stares at me like I’d asked her to suck my staff, and then she throws the biggest fit, goes into an endless speech about divine right and the dangers of magic and the Commander doesn’t say one fucking word the whole time, just stands there with her arms crossed and that creepy bland expression, and you can see Meredith get more unnerved with every passing second…But she keeps going, brave little fanatic that she is. And when she’s finally finished, the Commander nods. ‘Very informative. We’ll be going now. This way, Warden Thekla.’ And we march right out of there. And then…well, you know what happened next.”

“Husband,” Anders murmured against his skin.

Karl smiled at the word. Not exactly new, it had been several months already, but he felt he needed to savour it for as long as he could, hold onto that feeling, that reminder. Free. His. Forever. He ran a finger along the shell of Anders’ ear. “I’m still not convinced she actually has the authority to declare us that.”

“Does it matter?” He could feel Anders’ mouth curve into a grin. “Would anyone dare question her?”

Karl nodded solemnly. “I pity the fool who tries.”

“Thank you for indulging me yet again,” Anders said, nestling into the crook of Karl’s arm. “It’s my favourite story. Though it leaves out the part where I was left to my own devices for weeks, fighting Darkspawn with no one but Gloomy and Bubbly at my side, sobbing into my pillow every night that the Commander abandoned me right after I told her the story of my one true love who was taken away by the evil Templars…I’m still mad she didn’t tell me she was planning to get you out.”

“She didn’t want to get your hopes up. Or risk you smuggling yourself along in one of the trunks.”

“You know me so well, love.”

“Well enough to know you would have risked everything for a chance to save me…And she clearly knew that too. And let’s face it, it’s not like she needed your help. It all worked out. And your face when we all walked into the great hall…that was priceless too. You had no idea.”

“How was I supposed to know she’d do that?” Anders muttered. “Why would anyone in their right mind do something like that for me? It’s not like she doesn’t have enough trouble of her own, why would she take on mine.”

“She likes you.”

I don’t know why, though. I’ve pissed her off so many times…”

“Ah yes, that big mouth of yours—“Anders twisted his neck to glare at him, all reproach, hurt feelings and betrayal, and Karl bit back a chuckle. “—which I love, darling, it’s entertaining and endearing and a vital part of the whole, charming package. And as for the Commander…she knows you have a good heart. Anyone who spends more than a few days with you and isn’t a complete idiot would know that. And you ‘returned to help when given the opportunity to run’. I think that impressed her. Perhaps she wants to return the favour. Although I’m still not sure how happy she is with the extra Warden mage that got her…”

“I’m almost positive I saw a smile when she muttered about our ‘stupid shem business’, so I’d say you’re good. And she gave us a room to ourselves. Who would have thought we’d ever have that…”

“Yes.” Karl nodded. “Some days, I still have to pinch myself to believe I’m really here. No more stuffy wardrobes for us, no more keeping quiet. It’s quite invigorating to know how vocal you can be…”

Anders flashed him a crooked grin. “See, the world outside isn’t so bad after all, old man.”

“It has you. That’s all I really need. Well, and that whole ‘being free’ thing is pretty nice too.”

“Yes. Free. Except for the horrible nightmares and daily monster hunts.” A shadow flitted across Anders’ face. “I didn’t exactly give you ‘forever’.”

“I prefer the taint to the brand.”

“You’re harrowed. The law says—“

“We both know they don’t care about the law.” Karl shrugged, taking care to keep his expression calm. This particular inner turmoil could wait; Anders didn’t need to be reminded of how real a danger it had been, not tonight. “And it’s not like our lives are already over. We may have less time, but that doesn’t mean we don’t still have a lot of it.”

Anders nodded. Resting his chin on Karl’s chest, he reached up to twist a strand of hair around his finger. “I get to see you go grey after all…”

Yes. Prematurely and unfairly so!

“I’ll make sure to leave a silver trail for you to follow wherever I go.”

“Thanks, I’d appreciate it. And should you forget in your old age, I’m sure your creaking bones will help me locate you. Can’t risk you getting lost again after all the Commander went through to get you out.”

“Yes,” Karl said absently. Pounce’s purr sent faint vibrations through his skin as his thoughts chased one another in a constantly accelerating spiral.

“What’s on your mind, love?” Anders’ voice was soft. And once again, his eyes held all the knowledge from which Karl so desperately wanted to protect him.

He sighed. It hadn’t worked when they were young (younger!), and it wouldn’t work now. “I still can’t believe the Knight Commander actually let me leave. For a moment there, I thought she’d just execute us all right on the spot. If anyone had the guts to defy the Wardens, it’d be her.”

“She sounds lovely.”

“And all the others are still there, still at her every whim. The First Enchanter’s trying his best, he really is, but he doesn’t stand a chance. They keep stripping away what little influence he has. And the way she trains her Templars…There’s no room for any trace of mercy or compassion. I thought they were bad growing up, but this… You know Cullen’s there too?”

“That creep who had the hots for Surana? How did he end up there?”

“I wouldn’t know, his Highness has a strict policy against conversing with us lowly, cursed folk. He’s always right at Meredith’s heel, her devoted puppy. But he’s far from the worst. Hates us, certainly, wants us all caged or killed…but at least he doesn’t keep Tranquil as his personal ‘pets’.” He swallowed. “You wouldn’t believe the kind of sadists they have in there…” He caught the shadows gathering in Anders’ eyes and internally cursed himself. A whole fucking year. “I mean—“

“We could always go back. Try to change things, like we talked about back when we were children.” Anders swallowed visibly. “Justice…after the stories you…and I…told him, he suggested…” He trailed off, biting his lip.

“Yes. I heard.”

“You…did?”

Karl looked down at him with a smile. “Don’t I always?”

“But you…you didn’t say anything…or…ask me not to.”

“Why would I do that? It’s your choice. That’s the whole point of all of this, isn’t it? So we’d finally have one.”

“Karl…“

“I can’t give you advice on this, I know even less about the whole thing than you do…But whatever happens, I’m with you. I’d offer to be the one to do it but…I don’t have your talents. You’re the one the spirits flock to, the one most at home in the Fade. I’ve certainly never managed to charm a bunch of wisps into posing as stars so we could make out beneath them. But if you think it could work anyway, I’ll ask Justice if he—“

“No!” Anders shot up. “No. Not you, absolutely not, never, over my dead body. I already lost you once. If Justice needs me, if we choose to fight, I’ll be the one to do it. I’d do anything to keep you safe, I couldn’t bear it if…” He trailed off, eyes narrowing at the chuckle Karl hadn’t managed to hold in. “Care to tell me what’s so funny?”

He stroked his thumb along Anders’ jaw and gently pulled him back down. “Nothing. It’s just…not surprising. You will always help a friend in need, it’s who you are. And I love who you are. And I’ll love you no matter how things turn out. You’ll still be you, even if you’re different. There’s a reason he likes you. Just like those wisps did. Perhaps this was always meant to happen.”

“Yes. Perhaps. And perhaps it’s a trap.”

“The Chantry doesn’t know everything. And it’s often wrong…So, so often. Just look at us.”

“Yes.” There was a long pause. “You think the Commander would let us go?”

“Hmm… Subversion against the Chantry… I have a feeling she’d be delighted. Well, unofficially. Officially, we’d probably ‘die in a Darkspawn attack, bodies were never found”.”

“Too bad.” Anders grinned. “I quite like your body.”

“I’m glad this creaking old thing can still be of use. Yours isn’t too shabby either, now that I think of it.”

“Still a poet at heart, I see.”

“For you, always,” he said, letting his hand land on Anders’ hip with a playful smack.

They fell silent, listening to the singing and stomping from below. Karl was about to doze off when Anders spoke again.

“We could stay here until we’re all old and wrinkly. Leave the big fights to others and just be happy for once. Just you and me, shooting lightning at fools, raising kittens, killing the occasional Darkspawn, pissing off Nate…”

Karl bopped his nose against Anders’ head, a smile spreading across his face. “Just me, my husband, our cat, and a band of noisy, nosy misfits? Sounds good to me. We should definitely consider that option.”

“Yes…” Karl could feel Anders’ lips moving against his chest. He raised his hand and began to carefully pet Anders’ hair, watching his fingers disappear between the soft strands as he massaged his scalp.

“We don’t have to decide right now. We’re free. We finally have the whole world to choose from. And whatever we decide, we’ll decide together.”

“Yes. Together,” Anders murmured, so softly that Karl could just barely make out the last word. “Forever.”

[newkate]

Pact

For @teamblueandangry Kandersgiving event - Day Two: First Kiss

“Escaping is the easy part,” Anders said. “Figuring out where to go, now that’s hard.”

He was in Karl’s bed, resting his back after working on his essay. Karl was still at the writing desk, scratching out the closing paragraph of his argument.

“My parents don’t want me back, obviously, I’m over that idea,” Anders said. “And having a noble patron is far less useful than it might seem. It’s all about going where they can’t find you, even with the phylactery. What do you think about Tevinter?”

“Well, it’s far, to start with. You’d have to get on a boat across the sea, unless you want to go all the way around through Orlais,” Karl said and saw Anders shudder, as any proper Fereldan would. “Besides, there’s all the dark magic, slavery and human sacrifice.”

“Are you sure that’s all true?”

“I only know what’s in the books. Our library is curated by the Chantry, we wouldn’t have anything about Tevinter being lovely. The books agree it’s warm there, though. Lots of fruit.”

“Hmm,” said Anders and fluffed Karl’s pillow under his head.

Anders’ own bed was an arm’s length away: last year they’d managed to swap dorms, and now shared the same bunk. Of course, Anders was too lazy to climb into his own bed when he just wanted a quick lie down, so there were always a few strands of long blond hair on Karl’s pillow. Sometimes cat fur too - Anders had won the affections of the tower’s mouser, and often cuddled and played with him right here.

Anders was taller than Karl now, too tall for an apprentice’s bed, really. When he stretched out like this his feet dangled from the end of the bed just a little. He was definitely getting too wide for their narrow bunks: he’s been putting a lot of hours into his staff work lately, and his chest and shoulders were broad and strong. He looked like a fighter.

His Harrowing was probably soon. He was talented, quick, probably the strongest of all the older apprentices, when it came to the matter of sheer will. Karl’s should have been a few years ago, really, but he’d not been taken yet. It wasn’t anything to worry about, he was sure. He was more than ready. His mentor just liked having Karl as his dogsbody, grading his pupils��� papers and taking over his classes whenever the old man wanted an extra nap.

“Haven’t heard you talk about running away for a while,” Karl said.

“I wanted to wait for my Harrowing before I go again. In case they catch me, there wouldn’t be any talk about Tranquility.”

“Was there? They threatened you with that?”

“They did. I know they wouldn’t really do it, I’m their precious young spirit healer, dear old Wynne isn’t going to last forever, blah blah. But still, they talk about it every time, and I’m this close to pissing myself every time they do, even though I know it’s all just empty threats. So, after I’m Harrowed, they wouldn’t be able to. They’d have no right.”

“They still can do a lot of other things, though.”

“I don’t care. If it’s not Tranquility, it’s worth it.”

Karl finished the sentence, cleaned the quill and closed the inkwell.

“Is it really?” he said, turning in his chair to face Anders. There was nobody else in the dorm - they’d come here just for some quiet. Most of their roommates were at their classes, and they’d kicked the rest out to the library. Karl could pull rank if he wanted. He wasn’t the oldest apprentice, but he and Anders were the First Enchanter’s pets, the gifted kids. That came with perks.

“It really is,” Anders said. “Do you even remember the way the earth smells? Mud, grass, dust after rain, snow. Sun on your face. Rain on your skin. Sleeping under the stars, with nobody snoring next to you, no clanging footsteps in the corridor.”

“I don’t snore.”

“I don’t mean you. If you snored, I’m sure it would be adorable. That’s not the point, I just need to get out. I’ve been taking my time, training, getting strong, putting meat on my bones. Now it’s time to make plans. I think I’m going to head to Denerim first. It’s supposed to be a huge, busy place, it’s probably easy to hide there. I’ve always wanted to see it. The markets, the brothels…”

“Why are you telling me this?” Karl said, frowning from the odd ache in his chest. Even if Anders was only joking, listening to this was strangely hurtful.

“They’re going to question you anyway, whether I tell you or not. Everyone knows you’re my best friend. I know you won’t tell them anything.”

“No, of course I wouldn’t,” Karl said, and briefly wondered how hard the interrogators would push, but that didn’t matter. He wouldn’t talk. “I’m just wondering.”

“I suppose I like the idea that you would know where I’d be. You’d think about me, and imagine me in all those exotic places. And I’d think about you, here.”

He was quiet for a while, and Karl stared at him, waiting.

“The thing is,” Anders finally continued. “I’ll have to go when the opportunity presents, so there might not be time for a goodbye. So I want to say now that I’ll really miss you, and I hope your Harrowing goes well.”

Karl slid off his chair and knelt next to the bed, to be able to whisper if a Templar walked past the room, and to take a better look at Anders’ face.

“Are you really planning to run away again?” he asked.

“I have to. It’s not a whim, I really have to. I can’t wait for my Harrowing. It can still be years from now, there’s no way to tell. I can’t stand it here. Karl, you’re the only one who makes this all bearable.”

“You have lots of friends now,” Karl muttered. Since he’d stopped running, Anders had become popular, well-liked. Everyone loved how funny, sweet and witty he was. Nobody except Karl now saw his darker moods, or the jittery restlessness that sometimes came with all that good cheer.

“I only really care about you,” Anders said. There was a new intensity in the way he kept meeting and holding Karl’s eyes. He still hadn’t moved, just lying there, his hands clasped on his chest, his hair spilt over Karl’s pillow. There was a patch of sunlight from the small high window painting his cheek, making his freckles stand out.

“You’re the only one who makes this bearable for me,” Karl said. “Please don’t leave me.”

Anders’ eyes flew wide, his lips parted - not to say anything, just in surprise - and Karl leaned closer and kissed him.

He pulled back quickly, deafened by the pounding of his own heart, and peered through the doorway to check the corridor outside. A whole cadre of templars could have crept up on them just then, and he wouldn’t have noticed.

Anders grabbed at his robes and pulled him into another kiss. It was a wet, slippery and messy one, and Karl loved it anyway.

“Take me with you,” he said when their mouths parted again. The idea was a flash of inspiration; he couldn’t understand why he’d not thought of this before. “You’ll have to teach me everything about the outside, but I’ll learn. We’ll go together.”

“No,” said Anders, and Karl’s heart dropped.

“Why not?”

“Because - what if they catch us? No!”

“You said you didn’t care what they’d do…”

“I care if they do it to you!”

They stared at each other, almost angry, both red-faced and panting.

“What if,” Karl said. “We just wait until after our Harrowing. Then we’d know it’s at least not going to be Tranquility. All right? The moment we’re both Harrowed, if you want to go, we’ll go.”

“All right,” Anders said after a pause.

“I’ll try to make it more bearable until then.”

“All right,” said Anders again, smiled, and pulled him closer.

[storybookhawke]

Anders snuck out of his bunk almost nightly to sneak into Karl’s bed, who just moved over to make room. Their shared body warmth reminded each other that they’re not alone, that they’re there for each other, that they love each other. In a place where intimacy, both emotional and physical, is discouraged, what Karl and Anders has between them was nothing but courage.

[thejourneymaninn]

Rating: Teen And Up Audiences

Category: M/M

Fandoms: Dragon Age (Video Games),Dragon Age: Origins - Awakening,Dragon Age II

Relationships: Anders/Karl

Characters: Anders, Karl, Female Warden

Additional Tags: Fluff, Angst, Established Relationship, Circle life, Grey Wardens Happy Ending AU, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, First Love,First Date, First Meeting, both are free, and no one dies, Open Ending, Angst with a Happy Ending, mentions of other Awakening and DA2 characters, kandersgiving 2017

Chapters: 4/4

Or: All my Kandersgiving shorts in one place