They walk through the Lowtown bazaar, side by side, fingers intertwined. It is a far cry from years past when the warrior's cheeks burned red at any public display of love between him and the mage. Issac smiles at Anders while the mage investigates a stall with several small trinkets lined up on a wooden shelf.
"What are you looking at Anders?" Issac leans in.
"Oh I had some of these when I was a boy!" Anders holds up a small metal cast warrior with a spear. "If you had enough of them you could make a whole battlefield right in a small patch of dirt." He laughs, but then looks away sighing.
"Do you want one?" The warrior asks unsure.
"Huh? Oh, no...no. I was just thinking that's all. Well we best get going, didn't you say you wanted to look for some new boots?" Issac takes note of the sad and distant look in Anders' eyes.
…..
"You've been quiet since this morning Anders. What's wrong?" The mage looks up from his picked at dinner plate.
"Nothing Issac its nothing." Issac crosses his arms.
"Well it has to be something! You look upset." He frowns, and puts a hand over one of Anders'. "Please tell me love. You know you can tell me anything. What's bothering you?"
"That toy." Anders looks down.
"A toy bothered you? Was there a Templar in the set or something?" Issac shrugs genuinely confused as to why a toy would upset Anders.
"See you wouldn't get it!" He rises from the table turning to leave the room.
"Wouldn't get what? You didn't even bloody tell me anything!" Issac's voice starts getting louder. "And then that's what you do, you don't tell me and then you go off to pout!" He slams a fist into the table causing the flatware to tremble.
"Maybe you should just leave it Issac!" The mage snarls back. Issac glares at him teeth clenched.
"Fine." He snorts. "Keep your blighted secrets then, what should I care anyway?"
"Issac..." Anders sits back at the table. "Its hard, its just hard to talk about...I didn't get to have a whole childhood you know." Anders rubs his temples in a circular motion. "I wanted to maybe... have a chance to get that back...with..." He bites his lip slightly hesitating.
"With what?" Issac's eyes open wide, unsure of what his lover was going to answer him with.
"I wanted...children." Anders grows quiet. The warrior studies him closely, as the corners of Anders mouth pull into a frown.
"Why would I be against that?" Issac moves towards Anders placing an arm around his shoulder.
"You said after your mother passed that you'd only want a child if it could be of your own blood. I'm sorry but you and I, well that wouldn't be possible." Issac strokes his goatee with his free hand lost in thought.