They didn't venture out of the house until much later that same day, and after much consideration decided that they would take a stroll down to the Hanged Man. They walked hand in hand in the sweet and heavy summer night down into Lowtown, both of them smiling and giddy from the long day full of love that they had shared together, the moment creating a perfect memory in each of their minds.
They were hoping for a quiet drink together before retiring back to her house for the night, but all thoughts of that were crushed as a familiar voice called out to them as they walked through the open door of the tavern "Well if it isn't the lovebirds come to grace us with their company!" They should have known Varric would be there as the dwarf had found out long ago that drunks were a wildly appreciative audience for his particular brand of grandiose and embellished stories. "So" he continued as they walked up to his table where he was presiding like a king at court. "How did the marathon game of find the mages staff go?" he asked with mock sincerity. Anders blushed like a girl at that comment while Hawke just rolled her eyes at the dwarf; honestly he was enjoying Anders reaction more. Varric had always to loved to tease Anders whenever he had the opportunity and he was not about to pass up this golden opportunity now that it had fallen in his lap. "Oh, I'm sorry, did I guess wrong? Did you play the old favorite of oh no the terrible horrible templars are coming and I must find a safe place to hide my staff instead?" Varric had a dozen of these horrible double entendre mage jokes and if he had his way he would end up using all of them by the end of the evening.
If it was possible Anders blush deepened as he growled at Varric "What I wouldn't give for a spell that would clamp that mouth of yours shut for more than five minutes!" Varric laughed as Anders rose to the bait. "Well there's the blondie I recognize, always running around with that little black storm cloud over your head. I thought you had been overpowered by this new Anders that smiles and laughs and makes cow eyes at Hawke whenever she walks into the room, I was getting worried there for a minute." Anders shot a murderous look at Varric "I'm going to get the drinks, I'll be back in a minute" he said to Hawke as he stomped off in the direction of the bar.
Varric pulled out a chair and motioned to Hawke "Sit down Buttercup, you look completely worn out" he waited until Anders was safely busy at the bar before continuing "You know deep down that mage of yours is a good guy. I'm happy for the two of you. But, I'll warn you now, if he ever breaks your heart Bianca and I will be coming to straighten him out!" "Thank you, Varric" Hawke responded "I appreciate you looking out for me." Anders came back from the bar then carrying three huge tankards of ale. "Drink up Varric. I did promise to buy you one for your help yesterday, plus if you are busy drinking you can't be talking" he teased as he watched the dwarf take a huge gulp of the strong brew. In the end it only took two more trips to the bar, five of those huge drinks and one long story about the deep roads for Varric to start snoring at the table, dwarves somehow had an amazing capacity for holding their liquor. Anders pushed his mostly untouched drink to the middle of the table, as Hawke did the same with hers as well. "So, which one of those games was your favorite?" he suddenly asked her as they quietly got up and snuck away from the still snoring dwarf. "Personally I think we will have to replay them all again several times before I can find a favorite" he continued with a wolfish grin as they ran out the door and raced each other back up to the house in Hightown.
