Finding Home (Completed)

Chapter XXXI

Back at the estate, they made their way upstairs, the allure of a hot bath and clean skin at the forefront of their minds. Iri made her way to her room and Fenris and Anders ducked into theirs. Fenris grabbed two towels and tugged Anders down the hall after Iri. Pushing his way into the room, Anders stalled outside the bathing chambers. "Amatus?" Fenris asked inquisitively. "I'm not sure if this is alright, should we not ask Iri first?" he whispered, worried that he'd overstep her boundaries. Fenris chuckled, "I'm sure she won't mind, now come on." he replied, opening the door and stepping inside. "Come to keep me company, have you?" she said with a smile, already in the tub, surrounded by bubbles that smelled of lavender. "If I must." he teased, peeling of his leather garments and tossing them to the side before climbing in across from her.

"Are you coming Anders, or to you intend to loiter outside the door like a spy?" she called from inside. Anders sheepishly poked his head inside, an awkward grin on his lips. "I don't want to intrude." he said, still not entering. "Get that gorgeous ass in the tub, wash away the days troubles and have some wine." she replied, swishing the liquid around in her glass. He obliged, letting his robes fall to the floor before sliding into the large tub. Iri straightened up, maneuvering so Anders was situated behind her while Fenris poured two more glasses of wine. He handed one to Anders and set his own on the side of the tub, reaching to rub Iri's feet.

"So, how was your day, Anders? Many patients at the clinic?" she asked as she settled against him, the ragged scars on his chest, rough against the smooth skin of her back. "Not so many, fairly quiet really, that's why I left early." he replied, still not quite comfortable with her warm flesh pressed to his. He mentally coaxed himself to avoid an erection, which was proving difficult in his current position. Fenris snickered at him, sitting up to work his way up Iri's calf to her thigh. "She has quite the effect, doesn't she, Amatus?" he teased, grinning as Anders face turned a lovely shade of pink. "Oh, stop that, Fenris!" Iri scolded, splashing water over his face. He held up his hands in defence, "Alright, alright, I'm sorry!" he whined, reaching for a towel to dry himself off.

"Anders, I wanted to speak with you." she redirected the conversation to a less uncomfortable subject. "Oh?" he asked. "Justice does not belong trapped within you, nor do you deserve to carry this burden. I would like the two of you to discuss separating, I think it best if we could utilize you both at the same time." Anders raised his glass to his lips, allowing the liquid to flow into his mouth, holding it for a moment to savour the taste before swallowing. "You could do that? Justice could survive outside of the fade?" he replied. A fascinating thought, he'd wondered on his choice to welcome Justice in on many occasions. He always came back to the same conclusion, his choice had been wrong. Justice was changing, he was changing, slowly, but changing none the less. The thirst for vengeance, at times, was almost too much to bare, and the thought that he'd corrupted such a spirit, haunted him.

"Ah, I see you've thought on this already. And what of Justice, does he agree with your desire to part?" Anders quirked an eyebrow at her and shot Fenris a questioning look, "I know, she does that. Speaking of which, you said you would explain when we were home. We are home, so I am hoping our next discussion, will be that one." he grumbled, playfully unamused eyes landing on her. She laughed, "Yes, emma lath, as you wish." she replied. "I ONLY FEARED FOR YOUR SAFETY, YOUR SANITY. IF DEVOTION BELIEVES SHE CAN DO THIS, I TRUST IN HER." Justice boomed to Anders. "Justice is in agreement with you, as long as the process is safe." Anders answered.

She turned in the tub to face him, eyes settling on the scars that her fingers reached to trace. A pained look came to her face and she jerked them away, making a hissing sound as if she'd been burned. Anders stiffened, but relaxed when she laid her palm flat to his chest and met his eye. "Such pain and torment, you and Fenris are alike in that. One should never be made to suffer so." She smiled sadly, reaching to tug the tie from his hair before tucking it behind his ears and cupping his face. "I can take them, if they trouble you." His eyebrows raised, shocked that removing his scars was even possible. He wondered for a moment what it would be like to be rid of them, but they served as a reminder. "I don't think I'm quite finished with them yet, but thank you, Iri." he replied softly, a small smile tugging at his lips.