un: sieglindesullivan / video

[grunehexe]

[If you've ever seen an illegal cam recording from the back row of a theater, you are familiar with the style of this broadcast.

Observe, (as best you can), the players upon the stage. The stage being the cave in which many of them have taken shelter from the storm outside, specifically a large, flat rock, at which two fine male specimens you may recognize as Achilles, son of Peleus, and a certain McCree, locked in the midst of a fierce... arm wrestling battle.

Bare arm muscles flexing, beads of sweat dripping, jaws gritting, knuckles white and shaking, eyes narrowed in concentration and competition, testosterone veritably sparking in the air... as two very fit grown men have it out in a no holds barred thirst-fanning battle of the bulges. Arm muscle bulges.

You might catch glimpse of the lovely referee, (blond, very appropriately serious about judging this contest, thanks, Riza), and hear snatches of people rooting for a particular candidate, (the broadcaster herself seems to favor Achilles, if "steel yourself for victory, Achilles!" is any indication), but mostly this is about enjoying a good man on man test of strength.

Until, that is, a voice can be heard.]

- Are you recording that?

[The video sadly? and promptly goes black as the magitek jewelry is clutched to a bosom in scandalous retort.]

Is it not a sight worth sharing? For posterity, you see-

[And apparently she thought it best to post... for posterty. What? Any lady or inclined fella unfortunate enough to not see it go down surely wouldn't want to miss the show... ?]

Comments

[strikingtwice]

I wouldn't mind seeing it either, in that case. I hope you mean to share.

[grunehexe]

I am not so selfish as to keep that to myself. If they were my lover it would be a different story, but...

[This is public property right...]

[grunehexe]

[Well, as long as he... tried.]

A little harmless fun, that is all.

[grunehexe]

I will do my best.

[grunehexe]

[Hmm...

Well, there's one way to test if the worlds are similar.]

Does the name "Date Masamune" ring a bell?

[grunehexe]

I think the men of his particular... time... were not expected to be entirely faithful, no.

[Nor were... men in general as far as she understood it, so. Hmm.]

[grunehexe]

[Twelve-year-old with weird boundaries is her middle name.]

What is it you propose be done with this sort of recording that is... nefarious?

[grunehexe]

"Sieg" is already a kindness I grant you people, on account of your inability to cobble together simple German... not "Green".

[strikingtwice]

Either in particular? [She might seem a little young still but Meallan would guess that she wouldn't need too many more years before she could take her vallaslin if she were Dalish, and it's not uncommon for younger elves in clans to wonder who they may pair with or if the Keeper might need to arrange something with another clan. Although that thought reminds him of something else he'd learned of humans of different cultures in Thedas.]

I am curious, actually. You said you were a lord? Does that mean you need to marry another noble in your world?

[winces]

[ (dirty joke) ]

Oh yes, I know just the recipe! [ grandma's best! .. who knew it could double for a love stew... ]

Anything else..? What about chores? Or singing? Oh — can dancing make them happy? [ BECAUSE SHE MIGHT BE ACTUALLY DECENT AT THAT...! ]

[winces]

No, I don't remember any of that...!

[ look. it's not as if she's ashamed or anything. of course she's not. who would be? and, frankly, she's pretty sure anyone in their right mind would be a little in love with achilles i mean have you seen the man but this isn't really about her, either. this is about achilles, and how he has drawn a crowd about himself, and garnered a following, and how it wouldn't really help his image at all right now, would it, if his fans got wind of some peasant girl being crazy about him.

you know?

so, sorry, hanzo... you and mccree are just collateral damage as she tries to do some damage control. ]

I-I'm very happy for you both!!

[whatshimadayou]

I heard it distinctly. I am not a man who confuses words.

I have admitted nothing. Stop making assumptions!

[Even if it's not exactly wrong.]

[winces]

[ she is struck by the intensity of both riza's words and her stare, so much so that she actually finds herself shrinking back in reflex. for a few moments, she doesn't even know how to respond, merely staring mutely at the other woman, mouth opening and closing as she struggles for words, looking like a dying fish more than a person.

eventually her own shyness gets the better of her, and she has to glance away. she stares down at the squidge in her hands, who peers back up at her curiously. ]

...Thank you, Miss Riza. [ and she truly does appreciate it. those words, that sentiment. the ferocity that had her expressing them in the first place. she doesn't want to discount the thought, the gesture. even if a part of her is still dubious, still unsure. she would like to believe in riza's words, of course she would...

but, as always, she is her own greatest enemy. ]

I-I guess sometimes it's just too easy for me to forget.

[winces]

[ she squints her eyes at him, leaning in. ]

So you don't like him...?

[whatshimadayou]

I-- did not say that either!

Stop making this about Jesse and me.

[grunehexe]

I have my preference, but I prefer my suitors to be more magically inclined...

[See, he gets it. She'll be ready soon enough, she's just planning. Be prepared.]

In my world it was a bit more complicated than that... beyond my manservant, the village only allowed women. I was not expected to marry, but to conceive the next Green Witch with either a traveler who got lost in our forests, or my manservant if no one else happened through...

[It comes out weird in words... but it's just. How things had been. She'd never considered them strange weird before.]

The Green Witch does not have a father, nor a husband.

[winces]

[ too late, it already is!

though, to be fair, at this point olivia had really begun to take interest in this, and not just for the sake of a scapegoat. ]

Oh my gosh, so you do! Does he know?!

[whatshimadayou]

[He takes it back. If there was a cave in now, that would be perfect. Hanzo sighs and rubs his forehead.]

Yes. He knows. Jesse is-- we are--

[He knows the terminology, but it feels difficult to say. So he looks away and huffs softly.]

We are trying.

[heavyhitter]

Come on, German's easy. I'll give you cute nicknames in any language.

[whatshimadayou]

[Hanzo now lets out a quiet laugh, like a low rumble of thunder.]

My father would rise from the grave to strike me for forgetting such a name.

[grunehexe]

"Green" is not cute.

[grunehexe]

- Oh. He is remembered favorably?

[whatshimadayou]

I would say he is certainly remembered.

[It's spoken wryly.]

Date Masamune is a name well known in our history.

[sereneflame]

[Hmmmmmm]

I would be interested to speak to a woman of his particular time to see how much of this is true. He makes them sound like little more than baby-bearers, but I wonder how they feel about their society.

[perma_banned]

Ah. Wait, so he's a barbarian?

I think I've heard stories about a barbarian warlord with a metal arm, once.