Magic Box, Sunday

[not_every_mage]

After too brief a stop at the picnic, Anders grudgingly went to the shop for his usual shift.

It was a good thing the shop was already decorated for the fall within an inch of its life and there wasn't much new merchandise to unpack this week. Anders had too many things on his mind to be a truly efficient employee. He made a cursory pass at sweeping the floors then sat back at the counter and wrote a list of ways to about help Karl find a job and a place to live. (Rapunzel had been quiet about the mage sleeping on the floor so far, but he didn't want to push either her tolerance or the school's any further than he had to.)

For another, there was the mystery of Nathan's guest. He didn't think the man/wolf intended any harm whether he was Nathan's father or not, but it was still maddening that he couldn't do much more than worry and wait until the danger passed.

The problem with caring about people, he thought, was that it meant opening yourself to concerns like these. Anders almost wished he could learn to be callous.

[OOC: Open magic box, no OCD!]

Comments

[doesnotkneel]

Edward had never been told that Anders worked here - in fact, he still didn't actually know about it. But he'd wandered from the picnic and started poking around, and well, something called the Magic Box drew his get-rich-quick mind right to it.

He nudged open the door and squinted. "...Should've known I'd find you here."

[not_every_mage]

"Every Sunday," Anders confirmed, jerking his head up from his writing with a smile for Edward. "Well, unless the island's gone mad or I lose track of the days again. But usually I'm here. Were you looking for me?"

[doesnotkneel]

"No, just pottering about, trying to find a thing to occupy myself with," Edward said easily. He stepped inside, letting the door slam shut behind him. "One of the lads outside mentioned this being some sort of magic box - I see they ain't lying."

[not_every_mage]

"All the mage goods you could ever want, and a lot of nonsense no one should want," Anders told him. "But they pay me well and don't care if I wear my staff."

Which reminded him he should ask Rinoa if she'd hire Karl. He could stand behind a counter at least as well as Anders could, and he'd be neater with the things in the store besides.

"So, nothing in particular to keep you busy this weekend?"

[doesnotkneel]

"My parents don't know I'm here," Edward said, with an idle shrug. He poked at something that looked fairly expensive. "So no, nothing much to do myself. Have you had a peaceful weekend?"

[not_every_mage]

"My friend Karl is here," Anders blurted, as if he'd been looking for an excuse to bring it up. "It's fantastic. He ran away looking for me and somehow got pulled to the island."

[doesnotkneel]

Edward blinked. "Happy tidings, then," he said, smiling. "You dragged him out for a drink yet?"

Ed. Really.

[not_every_mage]

"He got confused trying to order tea yesterday," Anders said,shaking his head. "It didn't seem like quite the time to add alcohol to the mix. But soon."

[doesnotkneel]

"Excellent," Edward said. He leaned over and squinted at something else that looked expensive as well. "The alcohol is the best part of livin' on this island. Well, not the best part, but a pleasant one. He's havin' trouble then?"

[not_every_mage]

Anders shrugged,leaning forward to see what Edward was looking at. "No more so than we were," he said. "I can help with whatever doesn't become clear in time. He's -- we were very close at home."

[doesnotkneel]

Edward glanced away from the statuette, the words how expensive is this? almost on his lips before he realized that might not be too appropriate. "How long've you known him?"

[not_every_mage]

"Maker, since I was a shiny new apprentice of 12," Anders reminisced. "He showed me how to manage the Tower, which Templars were the least awful, which Circle mages to avoid ... covered for me a few times when I ran off. He's a good man. And" -- Anders' voice dropped slightly -- "he was my first on top of it."

[doesnotkneel]

Edward waited another moment or two for Anders to clarify and/or extend his sentence, since he clearly wasn't done talking. First what?

[not_every_mage]

Anders waited as well, because he wasn't sure why Edward was standing there staring at him.

Just before it would have turned into a staring contest, he sighed.

"First lover."

[doesnotkneel]

... All right then.

"Sorry," Edward said, "I must've misheard you - thought your friend was a man."

[no-tranquility.livejournal.com]

It was getting close to store closing time when Karl stopped in to see Anders. He'd passed Anders' shift people-watching at the brunch and then exploring the island.

He rubbed at his forehead as he entered the store. He'd eaten too much and spent too much time in the sun, he thought. He didn't feel quite right.

"You know," he told Anders as he came into the store, "I never thought I'd climb as many stairs in a day as I do in the Tower, but the island proved me wrong."

[not_every_mage]

"You get used to it," Anders said sympathetically. "Let me tally the money and we'll go eat. Or drink. You haven't seen the pub here yet."

[no-tranquility.livejournal.com]

"That sounds" -- Karl began, and winced at a fresh stab of pain in his head -- "like an excellent idea for another time. Sorry. I'm feeling poorly."

[not_every_mage]

"Potions wouldn't help?" Anders said, walking around the counter quickly. Karl didn't get sick often; none of them did. "Or you can go back to the dorm and lie down. I'd make milk toast for you."

[no-tranquility.livejournal.com]

"Thank you, but it's not a milk toast kind of ache," Karl frowned. "Or a potion one either. But maybe if I lie down ..."

His voice trailed off and he squinted over Anders' shoulder to the back corner of the store. "Anders, what is that light?"

[not_every_mage]

"What light?" Anders asked, swiveling to look where Karl was pointing. A portal had opened there, blue and throbbing with energy. Instinctively, Anders' hand went to his staff.

[no-tranquility.livejournal.com]

Meanwhile, Karl had gone pale and was stepping quickly toward the portal, staff thudding against the backs of his thighs.

"I have to go," he said, more to himself than to Anders. "The noise, the noise in my head -- it won't go away until I go."

[not_every_mage]

"Fight it," Anders said, and grabbed at Karl's coat. "It's a demon, it has to be, or a Templar trick. Fight it. It's not safe to go back."

[no-tranquility.livejournal.com]

"But I have to," Karl repeated, and stepped away from Anders' grip as if his hand held no strength at all. "This was wonderful, I don't want to go, but I have to --"

And then, in three certain strides, he was through the portal.

[not_every_mage]

Anders rushed after him with a shout, but it was too late; the portal closed up even as he reached it.

Anders stayed in the store for quite some time, waving his staff at thin air and rummaging through every book on the shelves in dim hopes of finding some spell or ritual or potion that might help.

Some hours later, he gave up and walked back to the dorms. He felt very alone.