The sorcerer, Doctor Strange as he'd introduced himself, had first been skeptical, then curious, and finally intrigued with the proposition Hawke had laid before him, and was currently muttering to himself and flitting here and there in his large library, checking book after book. Hawke wasn't sure what the other mage was looking for, but he let him be, obligingly taking a seat out of the way on the stairway, staff leaning between his knees and hands dangling between them.
He hadn't heard from Bucky since he'd left his lover's abode a few hours earlier, and that honestly didn't surprise him. It was a huge decision, this. And as he'd said, he'd not think less or be disappointed in any way if James decided to remain in his own world; no doubt he was also needed here, too. Hawke stared at the floor, mind's eye turning back to the look on Varric's face when he'd told the dwarf of his "brilliant plan" to vanish through an Eluvian and remove himself entirely from Thedas.
It hadn't been impressed, that look.
Now it was time to pay for his idiocy, again, and Hawke had no problem steeling his nerves for that debt, but he damned sure hadn't planned, or even foreseen, having to pay with his heart. A bruised and battered thing, no question, but still willing to reach out, tentative and shy, wanting again to belong to someone who would be kind, sincere. Loving.
He sighed, rubbing his forehead and temple wearily. Pray Maker it wouldn't take much longer and he could just...get it over with.
Bucky hasn't ever been one to reach out, so when Doctor Strange hears from him, he knows it's serious. He also warns Bucky to think hard on this. Leaving one's universe and possibly not being able to come back is no small thing. He knows.
Sam is also very concerned, when Bucky tells him the plan. He doesn't think Bucky should go... but he also knows that Bucky's heart can't take another loss and that if his heart is with Rowen, he'll be too stubborn to stay behind. He says his goodbyes to Sam and his family- and that's pretty much the only attachment he has to this place in terms of people. Everyone else is gone. He's a man out of time, and he figured he'd always stay alone with that- until Rowen came along.
He gets the rest of his affairs in order, then packs a bag. He doesn't have much, but a couple notebooks, photographs. He packs a few of Steve's records as well, though he's not sure he'll have anything to play them on once he's in this whole new world. The rest is all Alpine's things, though she doesn't really need much either. Mostly, he'll just wait and see what'll happen when he gets there.
And then he's off, headed to Bleecker street, Alpine tucked away in his jacket, hoping he's still wanted on this journey. When he gets there, the doors magically open for him, and he heads inside, seeing Rowen there on the steps. "Hey."
The front doors opening caught Hawke's attention; he glanced up, a little surprised to see the figure who entered. Perhaps he'd been too hasty in his estimation, or perhaps he'd once more been an idiot when it came to matters of the heart. Either way, he lumbered to his feet, sliding his staff into its sling on his back.
"Hello," seemed vastly inadequate, but he had nothing else to say by way of greeting; reaching out for a welcoming kiss seemed...inappropriate, given their last conversation. No matter how much he might like to do so, to once more reassure himself that this connection was true, was real.
He'd already donned the armor in which he'd arrived, his father's raiment modified to fit and tailored to his specifications, and packed a few of his "New York" outfits in his satchel, which carried a few other trinkets he'd saved, and Hawke knew he looked decidedly strange here, but once they stepped through Strange's portal, it would be Bucky who looked out of place.
Either way, "I'm glad you came." That he meant without question.
They haven't even left yet, but Bucky already feels out of place. Not because of the armor, but because of how tentative this all seems. Maybe he screwed things up. He went too far. He had to be honest though, didn't he? Shouldn't he also get to speak his mind? Now, though- he regrets it. He doesn't want things to be so strained between them. He didn't meat to complicate things.
"Wow, you look... different." Larger than life. Rowen looks like a champion.
Alpine peeks her little nose out from his jacket, sniffing around a bit. "Of course I came." No matter what, that was always going to be the case. "I wasn't sure if you'd still want me with you, but... I'm here."
"I do. Want you with me. Now and always." That he also meant. Even if, "...even if it makes me a selfish bastard for doing so." Ruefully admitted, but admitted nevertheless. Hawke had to smile and reach out to touch Alpine's small nose with one mailed finger before pulling back and nodding slightly.
"I imagine I look odd, indeed." He tapped his chestplate, the metal giving a light ring. "And it's heavy, believe me, but it's kept me alive." Hawke squinted and tilted his head a bit, sizing his lover up from head to heel. "We'll have to augment your outfit a bit, once we find a decent merchant."
Then he gestured over at the Doctor and his assistant, still riffling through books and chattering back and forth. "The good doctor is working on a way to access the Crossroads. From there, it's just finding the right mirror to take us to the Marches. We can make our way to Kirkwall from there."
Pray the Maker, Andraste, and however many benevolent deities might be listening.
"You're not selfish... and I'm sorry. I think I was the one being selfish. I imagined a life here for us, in a way I thought I had lost. But the where of it doesn't matter so much as the person I'm with- and it's you who I want to be with." No matter where they are. Rowen is the heart of it.
"Not odd, just different. I've seen a hell of a lot of different types of armor. You look good." But he'll definitely be out of place if he shows up in his jeans, so he's glad Rowen has thoughts on his outfit already. "At least I've already got the metal arm."
Bucky looks over at Doctor Strange, glad to see him sorting through things, trying to figure it all out. He knows he'll find a way. "I'll follow your lead on this. Completely. Just tell me what to do or what to not do, and I'll be alright."
Now Hawke reached out, cupping the nape of Bucky's neck and leaning in enough to rest their foreheads together, a silent benediction of acceptance, forgiveness, and apology all three. "It's not wrong to imagine such a thing," he murmured for Bucky's ears alone. "It's a beautiful thing to want." It really was. Then he smiled softly, adding, "And who knows, we might even get it one day."
The words were followed by a soft kiss, a brief touch of lips, then another, a third, and finally one deep enough to count, unabashed and still full of the passion between them that had never really ebbed. "...I love you," Hawke whispered against Bucky's mouth, gently cradling Bucky's face with his other hand. "More than you can know, my sweet James. We'll be together, no matter what."
He closes his eyes when Rowen reaches out to him. That feeling of skin against skin, a loving touch, it makes everything feel right again. He rests his forehead against Rowen's, giving the smallest nod. "We will. We'll have a good life together."
He kisses back, soft and slow, then deep and passionate- most importantly, full of heart. "I love you too. I love you so much," he whispers back, hands sliding to Rowen's face as well, just needing to feel that connection. They'll be alright.
Clearly Alpine wants to get in on the action as well, because she climbs out of Bucky's jacket and paws at Rowen, then moves up to his shoulder. Doctor Strange also clears his throat at that point.
"Sergeant Barnes, Mr. Hawke... I think we're ready."
Holding the small white cat on his shoulder with one hand and the other resting firmly on Bucky's right shoulder, Hawke turned to the sorcerer and nodded. "Thank you, messere." He glanced at Bucky, then added, "So are we."
For good or ill, for better or worse.
Hawke was quite comfortably with magic, thus he didn't turn even a hair when Strange and Wong brought them both to a larger room, bare of most everything, and began to build their spell. The air thickened, crackled, and an unseen wind began to stir across the stone floor. A harsh buzzing noise sounded, and the portal abruptly appeared, spitting sparks and stray grains of sand. Its surface shimmered, wavered, then began to solidify, revealing a series of cobblestone pathways beyond, all of them disappearing into the distance.
Strange called over the magic's noise, "There, Mr. Hawke, I do believe that is your Crossroads! We can hold the portal for perhaps...a minute, no more. If you're going, now's the time!"
Already tasting Thedas air, Hawke tucked Alpine firmly into Bucky's jacked then gripped his hand. "This is it." His blue eyes were alight, bright with both excitement and energy. "Ready?"
"Yeah. We are," he confirms to Strange. He's as ready as he'll ever be. He lets Rowen tuck Alpine back in his jacket to keep him safe, watching as the portal forms. This might be the craziest thing he's ever done.
He's seen these portals before, but they never cease to be amazing. He can already see the land through the shimmering circle, and he finds that he's excited too. He might be tired of fighting, but he's up for a new adventure- with someone he wants to live his life with.
He holds Rowen's hand tightly and gives him a nod. "I'm ready."
That was all the affirmation Hawke needed. Still holding Bucky's hand in a tight grip, he inexorably started for the portal, not even hesitating as he stepped right through. His ears popped from the change in pressure, but it was of very little import.
The Crossroads was just as it had been the last time he'd been here; dim, quiet, and almost eerily unearthly. Ancient elven trees stood silent and leafless, their circular branches curling at their apex as if reaching for each other. Tall, dark mirrors stood sentinel in their cracked stone bases, their brilliance forever dimmed.
The mist swirled, curling around both men as if in odd welcome, but Hawke was already looking ahead, seeking the Eluvian that had brought him here.
"This is the Crossroads," he told Bucky after a moment, his voice quiet but resonating with an odd choral sound. "The ancient elves of Thedas built it as a means of cross-continental transportation, using the mirrors as doorways." He nodded at the nearest, down the path a bit.
Behind them, Strange gave a final farewell before the buzzing portal shrank, then vanished completely.
Hawke glanced at his companion, smile a little crooked. "Well, let's get going, shall we?"
Bucky doesn't hesitate either, even though the world he steps into is an eerie one. Beautiful in it's own way, though- and unlike anything he's ever really seem. It might be closer to Wakanda than New York City, but still very different.
He only turns to lift his hand to Strange, saying a final goodby to him, and the world he knows. It's emotional and intense, saying goodbye to the only world he's ever known, leaving behind that kind of life for this new one. The portal vanishes moments after that, and Bucky looks at Rowen, giving him a small nod. "I'll go where you go, just lead the way."
And hopefully Rowen will explain more of what he's in for, now that they're here.
"This isn't really a place," Hawke said as they headed further down the path, walking carefully. "It's somewhere between dreaming and awake, sort of...a realm outside of consciousness." He gave a mild grimace, shaking his head. "Don't ask how it works, because I have no idea. It's magic, old, old magic. And the elves who created it are thousands of years gone."
Eyes and ears alert, even here, Hawke stepped with deliberate precision, keeping Bucky but a single pace behind him, for safety's sake.
"We need to find a mirror that's not dark, but bright and unbroken." He gestured to one as they passed, its reflective surface dim and cracked in many places. "Many of them are like that one, but there are still a few that are active. They just don't...stay in the same place...is the problem."
"...What?" That definitely sets him on edge a little. He doesn't like that place between dreaming and awake. All kinds of things can happen there. He does want to ask why, but- it's magic. Instead he keeps his eyes on Alpine, making sure she's okay. This is probably strangest for her out of all of them.
"Okay. Bright and unbroken. What if there aren't any left? Then what happens?" They're definitely passing a lot of dim and broken ones. Bucky zips his jacket up a little more. "Are these more portals? Strange probably could have given us a direct ride..."
That's how those portals of his work- he thinks. "I see something bright up ahead- could that be something?"
"We discussed that, him opening a portal straight into Thedas," Hawke replied. "But for whatever reason, it never seemed to work. He kept hitting some sort of barrier about halfway through. So we opted for the Crossroads, because at least that offered a chance."
Following Bucky's gaze ahead, Hawke paused and squinted down the pathway. "Could be. Let's give it a look." Pray Andraste they found something; Hawke would take a mirror to Tevinter at this point.
And by a miracle, it wasn't too further along that both of them could see the mirror clearly, twinkling in the dimness with motes of magic swirling in the air all around it. "Blessed be," Hawke breathed in relief as they approached. "But we'll have to be careful, since we don't know just where this leads."
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for endof_theline
Date: 2025-01-05 08:41 pm (UTC)The sorcerer, Doctor Strange as he'd introduced himself, had first been skeptical, then curious, and finally intrigued with the proposition Hawke had laid before him, and was currently muttering to himself and flitting here and there in his large library, checking book after book. Hawke wasn't sure what the other mage was looking for, but he let him be, obligingly taking a seat out of the way on the stairway, staff leaning between his knees and hands dangling between them.
He hadn't heard from Bucky since he'd left his lover's abode a few hours earlier, and that honestly didn't surprise him. It was a huge decision, this. And as he'd said, he'd not think less or be disappointed in any way if James decided to remain in his own world; no doubt he was also needed here, too. Hawke stared at the floor, mind's eye turning back to the look on Varric's face when he'd told the dwarf of his "brilliant plan" to vanish through an Eluvian and remove himself entirely from Thedas.
It hadn't been impressed, that look.
Now it was time to pay for his idiocy, again, and Hawke had no problem steeling his nerves for that debt, but he damned sure hadn't planned, or even foreseen, having to pay with his heart. A bruised and battered thing, no question, but still willing to reach out, tentative and shy, wanting again to belong to someone who would be kind, sincere. Loving.
He sighed, rubbing his forehead and temple wearily. Pray Maker it wouldn't take much longer and he could just...get it over with.
no subject
Date: 2025-01-05 09:07 pm (UTC)Sam is also very concerned, when Bucky tells him the plan. He doesn't think Bucky should go... but he also knows that Bucky's heart can't take another loss and that if his heart is with Rowen, he'll be too stubborn to stay behind. He says his goodbyes to Sam and his family- and that's pretty much the only attachment he has to this place in terms of people. Everyone else is gone. He's a man out of time, and he figured he'd always stay alone with that- until Rowen came along.
He gets the rest of his affairs in order, then packs a bag. He doesn't have much, but a couple notebooks, photographs. He packs a few of Steve's records as well, though he's not sure he'll have anything to play them on once he's in this whole new world. The rest is all Alpine's things, though she doesn't really need much either. Mostly, he'll just wait and see what'll happen when he gets there.
And then he's off, headed to Bleecker street, Alpine tucked away in his jacket, hoping he's still wanted on this journey. When he gets there, the doors magically open for him, and he heads inside, seeing Rowen there on the steps. "Hey."
no subject
Date: 2025-01-05 09:39 pm (UTC)"Hello," seemed vastly inadequate, but he had nothing else to say by way of greeting; reaching out for a welcoming kiss seemed...inappropriate, given their last conversation. No matter how much he might like to do so, to once more reassure himself that this connection was true, was real.
He'd already donned the armor in which he'd arrived, his father's raiment modified to fit and tailored to his specifications, and packed a few of his "New York" outfits in his satchel, which carried a few other trinkets he'd saved, and Hawke knew he looked decidedly strange here, but once they stepped through Strange's portal, it would be Bucky who looked out of place.
Either way, "I'm glad you came." That he meant without question.
no subject
Date: 2025-01-05 09:52 pm (UTC)"Wow, you look... different." Larger than life. Rowen looks like a champion.
Alpine peeks her little nose out from his jacket, sniffing around a bit. "Of course I came." No matter what, that was always going to be the case. "I wasn't sure if you'd still want me with you, but... I'm here."
no subject
Date: 2025-01-05 10:42 pm (UTC)"I imagine I look odd, indeed." He tapped his chestplate, the metal giving a light ring. "And it's heavy, believe me, but it's kept me alive." Hawke squinted and tilted his head a bit, sizing his lover up from head to heel. "We'll have to augment your outfit a bit, once we find a decent merchant."
Then he gestured over at the Doctor and his assistant, still riffling through books and chattering back and forth. "The good doctor is working on a way to access the Crossroads. From there, it's just finding the right mirror to take us to the Marches. We can make our way to Kirkwall from there."
Pray the Maker, Andraste, and however many benevolent deities might be listening.
no subject
Date: 2025-01-05 11:00 pm (UTC)"Not odd, just different. I've seen a hell of a lot of different types of armor. You look good." But he'll definitely be out of place if he shows up in his jeans, so he's glad Rowen has thoughts on his outfit already. "At least I've already got the metal arm."
Bucky looks over at Doctor Strange, glad to see him sorting through things, trying to figure it all out. He knows he'll find a way. "I'll follow your lead on this. Completely. Just tell me what to do or what to not do, and I'll be alright."
no subject
Date: 2025-01-05 11:08 pm (UTC)The words were followed by a soft kiss, a brief touch of lips, then another, a third, and finally one deep enough to count, unabashed and still full of the passion between them that had never really ebbed. "...I love you," Hawke whispered against Bucky's mouth, gently cradling Bucky's face with his other hand. "More than you can know, my sweet James. We'll be together, no matter what."
no subject
Date: 2025-01-05 11:42 pm (UTC)He kisses back, soft and slow, then deep and passionate- most importantly, full of heart. "I love you too. I love you so much," he whispers back, hands sliding to Rowen's face as well, just needing to feel that connection. They'll be alright.
Clearly Alpine wants to get in on the action as well, because she climbs out of Bucky's jacket and paws at Rowen, then moves up to his shoulder. Doctor Strange also clears his throat at that point.
"Sergeant Barnes, Mr. Hawke... I think we're ready."
no subject
Date: 2025-01-06 02:15 am (UTC)For good or ill, for better or worse.
Hawke was quite comfortably with magic, thus he didn't turn even a hair when Strange and Wong brought them both to a larger room, bare of most everything, and began to build their spell. The air thickened, crackled, and an unseen wind began to stir across the stone floor. A harsh buzzing noise sounded, and the portal abruptly appeared, spitting sparks and stray grains of sand. Its surface shimmered, wavered, then began to solidify, revealing a series of cobblestone pathways beyond, all of them disappearing into the distance.
Strange called over the magic's noise, "There, Mr. Hawke, I do believe that is your Crossroads! We can hold the portal for perhaps...a minute, no more. If you're going, now's the time!"
Already tasting Thedas air, Hawke tucked Alpine firmly into Bucky's jacked then gripped his hand. "This is it." His blue eyes were alight, bright with both excitement and energy. "Ready?"
no subject
Date: 2025-01-07 04:29 pm (UTC)He's seen these portals before, but they never cease to be amazing. He can already see the land through the shimmering circle, and he finds that he's excited too. He might be tired of fighting, but he's up for a new adventure- with someone he wants to live his life with.
He holds Rowen's hand tightly and gives him a nod. "I'm ready."
no subject
Date: 2025-01-08 12:18 am (UTC)The Crossroads was just as it had been the last time he'd been here; dim, quiet, and almost eerily unearthly. Ancient elven trees stood silent and leafless, their circular branches curling at their apex as if reaching for each other. Tall, dark mirrors stood sentinel in their cracked stone bases, their brilliance forever dimmed.
The mist swirled, curling around both men as if in odd welcome, but Hawke was already looking ahead, seeking the Eluvian that had brought him here.
"This is the Crossroads," he told Bucky after a moment, his voice quiet but resonating with an odd choral sound. "The ancient elves of Thedas built it as a means of cross-continental transportation, using the mirrors as doorways." He nodded at the nearest, down the path a bit.
Behind them, Strange gave a final farewell before the buzzing portal shrank, then vanished completely.
Hawke glanced at his companion, smile a little crooked. "Well, let's get going, shall we?"
no subject
Date: 2025-01-08 12:57 am (UTC)He only turns to lift his hand to Strange, saying a final goodby to him, and the world he knows. It's emotional and intense, saying goodbye to the only world he's ever known, leaving behind that kind of life for this new one. The portal vanishes moments after that, and Bucky looks at Rowen, giving him a small nod. "I'll go where you go, just lead the way."
And hopefully Rowen will explain more of what he's in for, now that they're here.
no subject
Date: 2025-01-08 01:05 am (UTC)Eyes and ears alert, even here, Hawke stepped with deliberate precision, keeping Bucky but a single pace behind him, for safety's sake.
"We need to find a mirror that's not dark, but bright and unbroken." He gestured to one as they passed, its reflective surface dim and cracked in many places. "Many of them are like that one, but there are still a few that are active. They just don't...stay in the same place...is the problem."
no subject
Date: 2025-01-08 01:52 am (UTC)"Okay. Bright and unbroken. What if there aren't any left? Then what happens?" They're definitely passing a lot of dim and broken ones. Bucky zips his jacket up a little more. "Are these more portals? Strange probably could have given us a direct ride..."
That's how those portals of his work- he thinks. "I see something bright up ahead- could that be something?"
no subject
Date: 2025-01-12 07:34 pm (UTC)Following Bucky's gaze ahead, Hawke paused and squinted down the pathway. "Could be. Let's give it a look." Pray Andraste they found something; Hawke would take a mirror to Tevinter at this point.
And by a miracle, it wasn't too further along that both of them could see the mirror clearly, twinkling in the dimness with motes of magic swirling in the air all around it. "Blessed be," Hawke breathed in relief as they approached. "But we'll have to be careful, since we don't know just where this leads."