ye olde mingle of the pathstone variety

[openhands]

Who: crew of the pathstone & you!!!
Broadcast: ??
Action: aboard the pathstone, yo
When: 11/25 & beyond

[So how about that longer hallway? Weird, right? Or you know the new antiquated look in the interior is kinda nice...right? Right.]

[...GET IN HERE, IT'S A MINGLE]

Comments

[killedwithlove]

Why?

[It made her unhappy to hear it, why shouldn't he just have said nothing?]

[openhands]

You know why. Sometimes the truth is unpleasant, but it needs to be known.

[Lies only lend themselves to misguidance at best, corruption at worst.]

[killedwithlove]

But it's only me he feels that way about. And it upset you, hearing me say it.

[openhands]

Of course it upset me, Cole, you are my friend. It matters to me how others treat you.

[killedwithlove]

[And that finally makes him look up in surprise, eyes wide and lips slightly parted.]

I... am?

It does?

[openhands]

Of course. [She cants her head a little.] Did you think otherwise?

[killedwithlove]

I... didn't really think about it.

[It wasn't that he thought they were not friends. He would call Cassandra a friend, but he knew that didn't mean she would do the same.]

Can I hug you?

[openhands]

[What? Oh.]

I-I suppose. If that's what you'd like.

[????]

[killedwithlove]

[Friends hug. He's learned this from Jove, so blame her.]

I don't know, but Jove always hugs me, and Solas did a few times and Elize likes to be hugged, so that's what friends do?

[openhands]

[Cole is asking the wrong person. Cassandra's number of friends can easily be counted on one hand.]

I believe so.

[killedwithlove]

[He hops down off his shelf and comes over and gives her a brief, heartfelt hug.]

[openhands]

[Oh. Okay, we're doing this. She pats him lightly on the back. She's not the best at hugs. Not much practice at them. Sorry, Cole. :C]

[killedwithlove]

[He doesn't linger. It is brief and then he's gone again and back up on his shelf.]

For most of my life, the only person who touched me was Rhys.

[openhands]

You must be getting used to others now, yes?

[killedwithlove]

People still don't really touch me, except Jove and Elize. Cullen pulled me out of the water... oh. Once, we were talking about families and he put his hand on my shoulder and squeezed and left it there for a while.

[This is clearly considered A Big Deal(tm).]

[openhands]

[It is a big deal. Cassandra looks mildly surprised, not because she thinks Cullen is without compassion, but it's Cole. Cole has a way of making most people feel uneasy, but Cullen has more reason than most to be unnerved by him.]

And you don't touch others?

[killedwithlove]

I don't... initiate touching. I make people uncomfortable and being touched by someone who makes you uncomfortable is extra bad. I don't want to do that to people.

Varric pats my back sometimes. My Varric, not this one. This one doesn't really know me, but he calls me 'kid' anyway.

[openhands]

He is fond of his nicknames...

[killedwithlove]

Yes. I don't really understand, but it makes him happy and it means he likes me when he calls me 'kid'.

[openhands]

[Cassandra nods a little because what Cole says is true. It's how Varric shows his affection for other people, irritating though it may be at times. Or confusing in Cole's case.]

I believe that's why it makes him happy, Cole.

[killedwithlove]

People think I'm young, but I'm not. They think I'm like a child, but I was never a child. Neither was Cole. Not in the ways that matter.

He calls me kid and it means I'm younger and inexperienced, but not a child in his mind.

He can explain people, but you can explain the world much better.

[openhands]

[Cassandra shakes her head a little.]

I can only explain the world from my perspective.

[killedwithlove]

Yes. And I understand that perspective better that I do Varric's.

[openhands]

[Surprisex2. You'd think Cassandra would be used to people placing value in her opinions and perspectives without questioning it, but she's still really not. But that's not a bad thing, she supposes. It'd be arrogant to assume others should take her opinions without question.]

Then I'm glad to do what I can to help you understand, Cole.

[killedwithlove]

[Cassandra sees the world is simple, yet complex ways, like a spirit might. She's a little bit Faith and he's human enough to learn and change and her explanations match that.]

I knew Faith once. Twice, now. I'm not powerful like Faith. If I was, I could've saved Cole, but there was no Faith there.

You'll be a good Lord Seeker.