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Date & Time: September 1st, evening-ish
Location: Just outside the Initiative Hold!
Characters: Alistair and Leliana
Summary: A friend of Alistair's shows up and he wants to show her around!
Warnings: None so far, will update if needed

[Alistair had to admit, he was glad to see Leliana. She was his friend, and although she -- still like to make him blush (the lot of their team seemed to make a game out of that), he trusted her. He just hoped that she wasn't too far a cry from the woman he knew because she was apparently from one of those 'alternate' timelines.

He headed out of the house not long after he'd promised her he would come to see her, and walked toward the Initiative hold. He was sure that even if she'd left the hold itself, she couldn't have gone far.

That pretty ginger hair wasn't hard to spot, even in the dim light.]

--Leliana.

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[ Leliana was occupied with prodding her notebook that Alistair calling out to her startled her. She looked at him, and smiled brightly. It had only been a few months since they last saw each other but Elissa said she hadn't seen Leliana in years, and Leliana assumed that was the case with Alistair as well. ]

Alistair! It's so good to see you again.

Did you really miss me in a matter of weeks?

[He's ... smiling, just a little. Yes, okay, hopefully she's closer to his point in time than Elissa is.]

You look well. Nobody's given you trouble so far?

Yes, I did. Traveling with other people isn't like traveling with you and the others. They had better soup, for instance. [ Giggles. ]

Why would they? Everybody has been dear to me the moment I arrived.

Insulting my cooking. I'm wounded.

[He places his hand to his chest, but once she questions him ... well.]

Just making sure nothing's changed in the past day. Things do that, here.

I've heard... about tricks and experiments. Are they really as awful as they make it sound?

It's ... on the level you would expect from powerful demons.

[Without the 'permanent injury in hallucination-land' thing, though.]

That's terrible! Why would they do that? I thought they wanted us to help.

[He rubs his fingers through his hair.]

Maybe they like the suffering. Or maybe they're just a little ... slow.

[And he taps his temple.]

[ Leliana's eyebrows narrow. Experiments aren't done for fun. They're done for answers. But... she hasn't witnessed them first hand to make deductions. Yet. ]

[ She shakes her head. ]

Come. You have places to show me, and... things to say, yes?

...right, yes.

[He nods, motioning for her to follow him as he starts them out.]

The housing units are -- basic for this world, but they have running water. Tiny, electric larders.

[Alistair puffs up just a little and furrows his brows.]

Anora was brought here with me.

Do they have... "televisions"? This man told me about them. They are portable plays in boxes like this "notebook" they gave me. Spectacular, isn't it?

[ She follows him, blue eyes darting everywhere. There is a song here, somewhere. ]

I deducted as much. This place takes marriage vows most seriously.

I haven't seen any of those.

[He purses his lips.]

...it isn't that. It's -- me. I can't just break vows over a change of circumstance.

[The damage if they both went back and they couldn't trust each other...

It's the reason that he was so relieved to have been rescued from his templar vows by Duncan.]

[ No soap operas for Leliana. ]

[ But, yes. Leliana reaches for his arm and tries to look him directly in the eyes. ]

Alistair. Are you happy?

[He wants to say that happiness isn't really the realm of the Grey Wardens....and he can't quite meet her eyes.]

Elissa's here, you know. Alive. That -- makes me happy. It does.

[ Oh, that makes her happy. Leliana smiles at him. ]

Does she know? Are you two...? [ Complete the sentence, Alistair. ]

She doesn't know she was dead, where I'm from.

[And he more or less just ... fidgets.]

And we're -- not. No.

Did you tell her? And, why not?

[ Hands on her hips. ]

Because it doesn't happen where she's from. Why should I -- put her through that?

[Look at those puppy eyes, Leliana.]

[ Sorry, Alistair. She is a nug person. She is immune to your puppy eyes. ]

But what if she wants it too?

What would it possibly do, letting her know?

[He really is going to fight this.]

What positive thing could there be? I don't want -- her to feel that pain.

So you would rather pine after her from afar?

You could be happier. She could be happier. And if you never try, both of you would live a life full of regrets, never really getting over it because neither party attempted to rekindle it or provide closure.

She wasn't interested in me, when I was at home.

[He ... furrows his brows.]

Were we together, where you were from?

Of course she was! I wouldn't be trying to convince you otherwise.

I can't imagine the two of you not tied to the hip and kissing everywhere you go. [ She prods him teasingly. ]

Well, that wasn't so as far as I remember it.

[He frowns. Yes, this is a bit of a touchy subject.]

Do the details really matter?

Yes! I.

[How to explain this.]

I tried to put my feelings for her behind me, Leliana. Maker, even before her death. Tearing off that bandage again...

[Maybe he doesn't feel as if he's strong enough for it.]

[ She throws her hands in the air in defeat. ]

All right. I'm dropping the topic. Think about what I said, at least.

[He sighs.]

Of course. I'm sorry if I've put a damper on arrival, but I haven't been able to speak to anyone about this sort of thing.

[Anora isn't exactly an open ear.]

Can I ask what it is you chose as your weapon, here?

Of course, Alistair. You're welcome to talk to me any time you want.

It's my voice! Did you expect anything else?

[And he laughs at that, lightly.]

Oh, you rogues -- everyone always thinks you're going to be unpredictable, that's all.

Maybe I'm just trying to throw you off kilter. Who knows?

[ A dark, menacing chuckle. ]

So long as you don't somehow turn out to be a mage.

[H e h, that would just be ... spooky.]

And you think mages are more dangerous than rogues?

[ Oh you poor, innocent thing. You can find a mage casting fireballs. You can't find a rogue that doesn't want to be found... until it's too late. She hums innocently and looks at the buildings ahead of them. ]

I just think you're a little less likely to turn me into a rat.

[He hopes.]

If I had magic, I would never turn you into a rat! Perhaps something cuter. Like a nug. Or maybe a dog. You like dogs, don't you?

What do you do around here, Alistair? I doubt we'll be fighting a war all the time.

There's people who've gotten jobs around here.

Personally, I've spent most of my time training. I'd hate to gain the royal-20, you know?

[He pats his belly.]

Jobs? Hm. Yes, I can see myself taking one up.

[ Leliana laughs. ]

Ah, the joys of marriage.

[He smirks.]

Oh, yes -- I just don't want to lose my girlish figure, you know.

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