Boots removed, he rolled his shoulders, straightening back up in his seat. Removing the coat should come next, but as comfortable as Hawke's presence made things, they were still in enemy territory. From the memories he'd leeched from Anders in their time together he knew the mage preferred to be ready to grab his things and bolt, should need to flee or opportunity to escape arise; it had taken many nights for them to feel comfortable in Hightown, and that had been without the whole 'kidnapped by ghosts' angle colouring the experience.
Awkward silence descended. He glanced about the room. 'Small talk' was one of the more difficult human arts, the purpose of which mostly eluded him, but he supposed the world must seem very quiet to mortals who, he had learned, could not hear the exquisite music that permeated the Fade, even when they held pieces of it. Perhaps that was why they were so prone to 'fluttering', because they felt its absence even if they did not know it.
It was quieter now, background hum of Spirit-stacked-on-Spirit aside. He could feel the worst of the storm having abated, for now, and cautiously loosened his grip…
… and Anders reeled as he resurfaced, with a shuddering gasp, trying to regain his bearings.
---
She could tell when he ran out of things to say. She’d never pressed Justice too much about filling in the void, happy enough to do it for both of them when it was needed. She knew he might not be as comfortable as she was making herself, not that she didn’t plan on plundering whatever little knick knacks this room had in case it was necessary to leave it on a moment's notice, but she was trying to do her part. Or at least let him know he wasn’t quite so alone.
Whatever it had been, it seemed to have worked. She noticed when he let go and at Anders’ gasp she stepped forward, exploration into the room with the too big mirror left aside. “Hey.” She set her purloined goods aside and stepped closer, one hand going to his shoulder to help him settle. “Been a few minutes. He said he wanted to catch up.” Her tone was fond even as she knew Anders probably wanted to know how long it had been. “You alright?” Bit of a dumb question, considering the fact that while Justice had left the previous conversation well alone, that might not be the same for Anders. ---
Her hand on his shoulder helped; he set his own atop it, laced his fingers through hers, let the familiar sensation ground him as he ran through the usual checks, breathing gradually returning to something nearer normal. The nails of the other hand weren't bloody, or ash-stained. Good start. Nor did the air smell like an oncoming thunderstorm. None of the myriad aches clamouring for attention felt likely to kill him. Okay.
It took a few moments longer, thumb running distractedly along the side of her hand, to figure out where he was, and why she was here, to remember the conversation with Sypha… and the later one with Hawke. Things were often muddled, after Justice forced rather than gently encouraged a shift.
"I will be. Once I throttle a Seeker or three." He glanced up at her, gave a thin, weary smile - "You did the right thing, telling me. I…" - which shifted into something nearer concern, gaze flitting over her assessingly, as more of the fog faded. "We didn't hurt you, did we?"