Voicemail: Scorched

[avelinerampant]

This is Officer Vallen. Leave a message, if you like.

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[Drunken Voice]

[justice_is_blond]

Ossifer. Officer. Always so formal. Always on duty. It's tiring. Every day, serving. Working. And you don't realize until you're here and then you've less to do. And you miss making a diff-- a diff-- thing. A thing. So you keep on with one duty but you can't with the others. Maybe not you. Maybe just me. Is it you too?

[Sober Voice]

[avelinerampant]

Go to bed, Anders. You're drunk.

[That is a yes.]

[justice_is_blond]

I'm not drunk enough yet. Need it to stress less. And hurt less. And everything less.

[avelinerampant]

. . .

Where are you?

[justice_is_blond]

The hole of the fox. The foxy hole. [He huffs, amused at himself.] Ginko's coming too. I think. That's what he implicated. Implemeted. Something.

[avelinerampant]

Alright. Good. Don't cause any trouble, alright? Just...take it easy.

[There's a long pause while Aveline takes a long, slow breath. Ginko? Well, Anders knew him, so he must be a friend. Better not to leave him alone in that state.]

You're a mess, d'you know that?

[justice_is_blond]

I am. A mess, and trouble. I was born both. There's nothing really to do about it. You go quiet, quietly, or you mess. So I mess. Mess up, make messes, be a mess.

[Drunken Anders can be a very honest Anders. Slightly more honest than he'd like to be, even.]

[avelinerampant]

Maybe. But this time, you did better than me.

[justice_is_blond]

Yes. I scared a girl into going and becoming Tranquil. Much better.

[His voice is a little hoarse. He's not drunk enough yet, apparently.]

[avelinerampant]

I got Brienne killed. [There, she said it. Aveline opens her mouth, but what else is there to say?] It was my fault. She didn't have to die, but she did anyways, to save my life.

[justice_is_blond]

[He's silent. Anders' brain is muddled right now, but he can still think a little.]

Come drink too?

[avelinerampant]

I—

[She shouldn't. It won't lead down any good roads; she decides almost immediately to say no.]

Alright. Save me a spot.

[justice_is_blond]

I stole another stool. They didn't notice. Too drunk. I need to get there.

after the party sometime...

[unyieldingly]

Aveline? Are you there?

[avelinerampant]

[Aveline sounds tired, but her response is prompt, and there's none of the dangerous slurring or stuttering in her voice that might indicate a real problem with her injury.]

I'm here, Hawke. You get him sorted out?

[unyieldingly]

Yes, he's all right. Shaken, but all right.

[She's fairly concerned as well. She thought this Templar would be something easily dealt with. But after what they'd seen.]

Are you okay? How's your head holding up?

[avelinerampant]

Bit of a headache, I can't complain. Not when I know enough mages that even when half of them are busy dealing with—

[She stops, and you can almost hear the wince. When Aveline continues, it a little less intense, and whatever she was about to say about Anders, she's thought better of it.]

...I got Surana to patch me up. I'll be fine, don't worry about me.

[unyieldingly]

You can't blame him for being upset. First Tony, now this... And we didn't get the chance to warn him.

[She hears that, frowning.]

It still sounds like it's bothering you.

[avelinerampant]

I know that, I'm just griping...I hate it when I can see something coming and it still catches me by surprise. It's not really his fault, even if it is.

[She sighs, and there's a long, reluctant silence.]

It's just a headache! [Well, it's a bad one, but—] Hawke...

[I'm too tired to fight about this.]

[unyieldingly]

Isn't that always the case with him, though?

[The Chantry, for instance. She hates thinking it and she hasn't stopped caring for Anders, but the truth is still there, plain to see. He hasn't really changed.]

Aveline.

[Her voice softens, not trying to argue with her.]

Let me come over and have a look at it.

[avelinerampant]

It's exhausting.

[And that weariness in her tone is also a relief, that at least Hawke understands how blatantly frustrating Anders is. You can't even condemn him whole, because he means so well, the git.]

—It's fine. Didn't hurt when I left, it's just...lingering. [But she knows that tone, gentle and clear like she's trying to talk to a politician, or a simpleton. Infuriating because there it is, that Hawke stubbornness, lurking just under the surface.]

...


Fine. Do you know how to get to the house?

[unyieldingly]

I know. I'll see what I can do about him.

[Whether it means giving him a place to stay so this Templar doesn't come looking for him or shoving herself in the way, she doesn't know. She needs to wait and see how things change.]

And you're probably not even taking it easy, if I know you.

[There's a smile in her voice.]

I believe so. But if you have some directions, I'd be glad to have them instead.

[avelinerampant]

[Aveline relates the location of her home longsufferingly. It just feels so indulgent— Who needs healed twice? She should be able to deal with this on her own.

But then, this isn't Kirkwall, here there aren't a thousand pricking needs to call on the Hawke of Hightown, and not nearly so many friends to do the same.

Just this once.]