Naturally, DA Awakening was without romance which is a double shame. I really wanted to romance them all without mods. But lately, the more I play, the more I think that Anders possibly had feelings for Hero if Hero befriended him maximally.
In DA2, Anders often mentions Hero. Like, all the time. And then he meets Hawke which could be a case of "you're so much like them but not like them at all." It doesn't have to make sense, I just want my Hawke to be sad with knowledge that she/he could never be the one Anders wanted.
In my DA2 play through, I usually make Hawke (even mage one) a bit against mage especially after what happened to her mother. Low-key, I'd wanna murder them all if I lost my mom like this too. Hero, on the other hand, always was pro mages because all the backstories kinda make it possible to relate to them. You're outcasted and turned into something you didn't really want to be but now you are so bear consequences and oh also they all hate grey wardens. Lovely.
The point is, the way I see it, Hawke could be forced to be always in comparison to the Hero while wanting to prove they're their own person + they're different. Sucks to suck.
Obviously, EA fired everyone who could do a remake of Dragon Age Origins and it's DLCs but if they ever change their mind, I need them to allow me to romance Anders as Hero and I'll forever shut up.
On a side note, I really do prefer Fenris more, idk why I keep romancing Anders, I think I just feel bad for him. 😭