kirkwall_university | Comin' on strong with all the chit-chat

Comin' on strong with all the chit-chat

Hawke really needed another dog.

Well, no, he didn't need another dog, but while Diesel was more than enough dog for any man, Hawke suspected he got lonely at times. So it just seemed like a good idea to look around a little, check out some of the local shelters, see if any of the dogs present really spoke to him. There definitely wasn't room for another dog as big as the Mabari at home, but maybe a medium sized dog? None of those little toy breeds, but a nice, mid-sized mutt. But since he hadn't been looking for any pets since he came to Kirkwall, a year or so ago, he wasn't sure where to go. He is currently deeply doubting his decision to take the advice of one of his fellow students who gushed about the shelter down in Darktown.

He'd told the nice woman at the front desk that he was looking for a smaller pet, someone to be a companion to his big dog, and she'd beamed at him and said he'd come to just the right place - the animals here had a wide variety of temperaments, and surely he would find one that fit his household. Then she'd handed him off to a man who'd only shown him cats, so far. Not that Hawke disliked cats, he just ... well, he was a dog person, plain and simple. And so he'd politely peered at the various felines he'd been introduced to, but he was getting impatient.

"So," he said to the guy, Anders, he thinks he was introduced as. Which sounded like a place and not a person. "Where do you keep your dogs? Kind of time to move on to the main event, don't you think?"

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Hawke considers this, then, once Anders has put the kitten safely away, he reaches out and takes the other man's hand, tugging it toward him and turning it palm up. His own hands are large, callused - clearly he's no stranger to hard work. With a spare pen he'd had in his pocket, he starts writing on the other man's palm, dark curls falling into his eyes as he bends over it.

The blond jumps at the touch, jerking immediately before holding still for the other man to keep writing. After a moment, though, he has to comment, "I meant at the front desk."

Hawke glances up, meeting the other man's gaze from close quarters and smiling roguishly. "This way I know you have it."

Again comes the flush, unbidden and unwanted as brown eyes widen with surprise at the smile. "... Are you usually this quick to give out your number to strange men?" he asks in an attempt at levity, a weak smile at the edges of his lips.

"Only the really attractive ones who are apparently dedicating their lives to good works," the big man replies with barely a breath, grinning.

"... You could just ask me for coffee, you know," he quips, cheeks still a bit reddened, but an answering cheeky smile on his face. It's strange, he hasn't felt like a giddy flirty manchild in a while, but apparently all it takes to bring that side of him back out is another flirty (giant) manchild.

"I could," Hawke agrees, "But this is more memorable. Besides, I really do want you to call me if someone else wants her."

He nods toward the kitten, back in her cage, and grins again. "And maybe when you do, you can tell me more about being a healer."

It's a guess, but not a bad one, he thinks. If Anders was a doctor, he wouldn't be so cagey about his reply, and certainly would say the two were basically the same. Of course, he might be neither, but Hawke is willing to give him the benefit of the doubt.

Anders freezes at that, all the warm colour draining from his face and his hand jerking out of Hawke's.

"I..." he begins, before he's cut off by another potential customer being brought in by a colleague. He smiles wanly at them before gesturing for the door to Hawke. "If that's all for today...?"

Oh, damn it, he'd overplayed his hand. Now Anders really would remember him, but not for the right reasons. He's not sure how to make it right, so all he can think of is to lightly touch the other man's shoulder, leaning on to say, "It's okay. I'm not a cop or anything, remember?"

And then he pulls away and raises the same hand in farewell. "I'll be back."

Brown eyes warily glance up, the shoulder tensed under Hawke's hand when it briefly touches it.

"... Okay," is all Anders can think to say, completely unsure of how to react to the stranger, now. "We'll call to let you know if someone else wants the cat."

Hawke flashes another smile, this one more sheepish, before he walks out the door.

He gives the other man two days. Of he doesn't hear from him in that time, he decides, there's nothing for it but to get the little cat and then lay it on thick how much help he needs to take care of her.

Edited 2017-01-15 18:18 (UTC)

There isn't a call, though Anders is sorely tempted more than once. Hawke is just... so magnetic, not just in appearance, but also in personality, a natural charisma that's dangerous to the mage. Sure, he's not with the police, but he's studying law... what might he do if he finds out Anders is an unregistered mage? Maker knows he's gone through enough trouble changing his name and hiding since escaping the 'boarding school'.

So instead he resists the urge to call, even though by now he's memorised the man's number... and might have been deliberately avoiding showing the favored dark kitten to any potential adopters.

It's hard for Hawke to wait. He's not good at that sort of thing, far more used to acting on his urges immediately (and putting off or 'forgetting' other committments he's made temporarily). But he can also be remarkably single minded, and so after he has given the two days he decided on, he shows up at the shelter again.

This time with a massive Mabari in tow.

There may have also been a call or two to the front desk ensuring Anders would be working today, by a mysterious man who never offered any contact information.

Needless to say, he causes a commotion, bringing that dog in. When Anders is told there's a man with a very large dog that's just arrived, somehow he just knows who it is and approaches the front desk with a bit of trepidation, glancing at the mabari and then at Hawke.

"... I'm not sure it was a good idea bringing your dog to a cat shelter, Mr. Hawke."

"Just Hawke," the big man corrects cheerfully. "And really, I can't take the little girl home until she meets her other new roommate, can I? Don't worry, I fed him before we came."

Staring a moment longer at the dog, Anders reluctantly nods and gestures for Hawke to sit in the waiting room. "Please, just... keep a good grip on him."

Then he's heading back to the cats, fetching the kitten and murmuring to her as he returns, including a prayer to the Maker for safety. Eying Hawke and the dog, he slowly sits on the ground, setting the kitten down in front of him. She mewls curiously, glancing back at Anders, then at Hawke and the dog, taking a careful step forward.

Diesel is large, even for a Mabari, and he's just a touch overweight, like a warrior slowly going to seed. His tongue lolls out when he sees the cat, and Hawke leans forward, murmuring something to him and stroking his massive neck. Diesel lets out a soft whuff, and then flops into his belly, resting his chin on his outstretched paws and watching the cat with soulful brown eyes.

For all his casual, devil-may-care air, the human keeps his hand lightly on the dog's back, though there's no tension in his body. He watches the cat rather than Diesel, interested expression on his face.

The kitten sniffs at the air, straining slightly against Anders' hands until he finally releases her. Then she's trotting forward before stopping just short of Diesel's snout, regarding him solemnly.

The big dog's muscles tense for a moment, but he doesn't get up, doesn't push forward. Hawke gently strokes his back, smile growing bit by bit, and still watching. It's clear Diesel is waiting for her to approach, letting the much smaller animal take things at her own speed. He does whuff again, though, and his tail thumps the ground - as Anders had said, he's clearly very excited to see her, while the kitten still seems cautious, uncertain.

"Good boy," Hawke murmurs. "Very good, stay ... "

Waiting a moment longer, the cat comes closer. A paw lifts to bat at the air just above Diesel's nose a few times before finally, gently, making contact, the kittens head tilted curiously as she mews. Anders is very much absorbed in watching, all his muscles tensed and ready to send him darting forward to grab the cat in case Diesel reacts badly.

Hawke, much more sure of his own dog - he grew up with the beast, after all - lets his eyes drift up to Anders, noting the protective tension. He misses when Diesel's tongue flops out again, ostensibly licking his chops, but lightly swiping the kitten's paw in the process. His gaze, partially cross-eyed, remains on the kitten, but he still doesn't surge up to greet her or bowl her over, the way he might with another dog.

"I told you he was a big softie," Hawke murmurs, his voice low and soothing, almost a rumble in his chest, when he comments to Anders. The same way he might speak to a skittish animal, really.

Anders' eyes dart up to stare at Hawke, and the kitten continues batting at Diesel's snout and tongue, moving closer to the big hound. Then the small creature flops over onto her back, side pressed up against Diesel's cheek while her paws fly in the air.

Her caretaker meanwhile lowers his gaze, combing back a loose lock of hair as he clears his throat. "Well, then. It looks like they shouldn't have any trouble getting on."

Diesel tilts his head to whuff doggy breaths into her side, tail thumping harder, and Hawke chuckles.

"I guess not. Seems like she'll be coming home with us. But I don't know the first thing about taking care of cats... Don't suppose you know any handsome blonds who'd be willing to help a guy out, provide a little education? Say, in exchange for dinner?"

The kitten practically cuddles Diesel's face, purring loudly, and Anders stares at Hawke for a long moment, weighing the options in his mind. Then there's a slight quirk to his lips.

"You have a specific type you need for tutoring?"

Hawke nods solemnly. "What can I say, my brain is very finicky. I have a definite preferred learning method and type, otherwise it takes everything ten times as long to stick."

He leans in a little, adding in a low, conspiratorial tone, as he nods his head at the happy little kitten, "Do it for her?"

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