Before he does, Cia can see Anders sleeping still, looking actually peaceful for once. 

"We'll see how long we can keep him resting before he starts up again. You all right? Yesterday...well."

"I'm fine. It's you two I'm worried about?"

Karl wraps an arm around Cia, and starts leading em towards the communal room. "Anders has always struggled with...his emotions. His self-worth. This whole losing time, losing himself in Justice, it's making something wrong compound in him. And he can't see it."

"Hard to see things about yourself. Much easier to see it in other people."

"He's a healer. They do that." 

He hip-checks em lightly. "Don't you start that, by the way, healer you're becoming."

"I'll try not to. Ilska will probably keep me right though."

"Built in keeper, siblings. You're both very lucky." 

Once in the common room, he waves at everyone else. "Morning."

Ilska waves back, but doesn't look up from her book.

Raeli lifts an eyebrow in rather obvious question. (Everything okay?)

He lets Cia go with a squeeze, and sits next to Rae. 

"Justice is taking too much from him. We have to find a link. Blaise and I will keep researching. But in the mean time, I want to do something to make him more sure about his life here. About us."

"I'd suggest dragging him to wicked grace night more often. But Talia might kill us if she needs to play mediator."

"There's that. Definitely. He needs more time out of the shadows. But also-" Karl's grin lights up his face, and he actually blushes. 

"Now that's the face of someone who's had an idea. Spill."

"What if we got married?" 

"Ooh. Dibs on flowerperson!"

Karl grins at em. "Absolutely. And a party, all his family in one place, out in the open and happy, I think will give him something concrete to hold onto." 

He ducks his head, smiling harder. "And maybe I want to call him my husband."

"Good motivation!"

"You should use the Hawkes' garden. It's beautiful."

"I take it I have your blessing, Cia?" 

"C'mon. It just means I officially have two dads. That's awesome."

He reaches over to squeeze eir hand gratefully. "You have an array of wonderful parents. Two of them might be spirits, but it's all fair."

He turns back to Rae. "You think they'd...be all right with that?"

"You know Henri. Any excuse for a party."

"I don't know either of them as well as I should, but I know they care for Anders' a great deal. And honestly, these days? That's enough of a judge of character for me."

"A solid way to judge people. They're good people, and they care about Anders. If for no other reason than that going through the Deep Roads with a man will definitely form a bond."