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

action! ota

[winces]

[ annnnd here is olivia, one of the nearby spectators, looking torn between joining in the cheering crowd and — well. looking embarrassed about it all. she stands not too far away from sieglinde, whose broadcast is well-known by now. she's got leukos in her arms (that some might recall as belonging to achilles, the competitor with braided hair), while sapphire sits atop saffron's head, attempting to get a good look at it all.

should you happen to be around, you might hear her mutter to herself: ]

H-How can they stand it...? Everyone's watching...!

[grunehexe]

D- Does that not make it more exciting for men of this sort... ?

[Don't mind Sieglinde's commentary, or the fact that she is, for some inexplicable reason, covering her own nameless squidge's "eyes" as she continues to watch and cheer on her favorite in the competition.]

They perform better before an audience that desires to see them succeed, no?

[winces]

[ good on you, sieglinde, for endeavoring to maintain your squidge's purity... unlike your own.............. ]

Is — Is this a performance? [ olivia, meanwhile, can barely squeak out her own response. half-hiding behind a hand, she can't help but look... but also she shouldn't look...!

shouldn't she?! ]

[grunehexe]

[Bask, Olivia, bask in the pervading incense that is pointless macho competition.]

In a way, yes- much like the male peacock spreads his tail feathers and struts about, men perform such spectacles to display their musculature to available mates and in order to raise their status amongst their own...

[She probably shouldn't talk about men the same way most talked about animals they were studying, but.]

[winces]

[ she would bask if she were alone, okay!

...wait. ]

Do— Do you really think so...?

[ because, if that's the case, then perhaps she has no right to be that embarrassed for them... if they mean to be watched, if they like to be watched — then isn't it better to indulge them?? ]

[grunehexe]

Of course!

[It's science, Olivia.]

Otherwise, men would not do half of the things they do. It is simply how their brains work.

[Especially the ones with nice muscles, she's found...]

[winces]

[ olivia turns to sieglinde in mild wonder. ]

You know an awful lot about men, Master... Did you study them for very long?

[grunehexe]

Naturally, there were quite a few tomes on the subject of the sexes within my library.

[She seems Totally Confident on this matter, per usual, but...]

I have found a few points learned therein to have been slightly exaggerated, [Some men COULD contain their lusts, how odd!], but for the most part, it is proving accurate.

[winces]

Ah... I admit, all I know of them are from my experiences with them... [ book-learning wasn't a luxury she had, growing up. ]

makes this work somehow, idk

[strictdiscipline]

[Don't be so shy, Olivia.

At this point, Riza's taken a step back, not too keen placing herself in such close proximity to such a staggering display of testosterone. (Less of a view this way, but one can only take so much of two men grunting and straining inches away. And she can judge just as fine from two feet away as two inches away.)

It's close enough to catch Olivia's quiet words, and close enough for her to turn her head and raise one eyebrow.]

Most men enjoy showing off their masculinity in front of a crowd, in my experience.

[Not that she particularly cares about the peacocking happening in front of her, but she can certainly appreciate other parts of this spectacle.

werk it gurl

[winces]

[ you might as well tell her not to BREATHE, riza. ]

Y-You mean this is what they want? A crowd?

[ it might seem a little strange, that someone who actually performs for a living has any kind of stage fright, but there you have it. olivia, not making sense since 1988. ]

[strictdiscipline]

[Is it stage fright or is it mortification over the stupid actions of her boyfriend....

Either way, Olivia's discomfort is about as entertaining as the show in front of them.]

I doubt they would have made such a fuss over this [read: all that prepwork] if they hadn't. Don't you usually perform in front of a crowd when you dance?

[winces]

[ why not both, tho. ]

Well — yes. [ but that's a different matter entirely and let's not get started on the absurdity of her own stage fright... ] But usually I have time to prepare, and steel myself... This is — all so sudden!

[strictdiscipline]

I believe it's called improvisation.

[Not half bad too. But alright, she'll relent. Riza glances over, expression softening.]

Does it really bother you that much?

[Do you not like looking at attractive men.]

[winces]

[ second-hand embarrassment is the leading cause of death in smol dancers, riza, didn't you know.

but when riza asks her that, she has to take a moment to actually look around her. everyone else seems to be having fun, and even achilles and mccree themselves seem unbothered by it all... while olivia has no doubt in her mind that riza possesses the fortitude to put an end to all this with just a look, she certainly doesn't want to be the reason that everyone's fun has to come to an end. ]

No... If it's really something they like, then — then they should keep doing it...! I guess I was just projecting too much.

[strictdiscipline]

[If she didn't then, she certainly does now.

If Riza were the girl she had been many years ago, before she joined the military and before she'd joined up with ALASTAIR, she likely would have had much the same reaction. But she's older now, and if not wiser then at least more appreciative of the small things life sees fit to give her, and the bared arms are certainly one of the better things life's given her of late.

She can admire guns of all shapes and sizes and sorts.

And, from one woman to another:]

It's not a wholly bad sight. [A pause.] Unless neither of them are your type.

[winces]

[ in this moment, let us all be quite thankful that olivia does not possesses inhuman strength...

and that squidges are not actually made of bubbles...

because the sudden jerking movement that olivia makes with her hands, as well the the octave her voice reaches in that moment would have definitely broken something otherwise. ]

—T-Type?!

[whatshimadayou]

[Despite his own irritation, Hanzo has shown up with his arms crossed and looking annoyed.

He notes how flustered Olivia seems to be, but assumes she is simply embarrassed. He could hardly blame her.]

I imagine that is the point.

Stupid. Showing off.

[He scoffs, narrowing his eyes as he watches.]

[winces]

[ she looks to hanzo, looking a bit grateful she has an excuse to look anywhere else but the two men before them. ]

D-Do you know either of them, Mr. Hanzo...?

[ his ire seems rather personal, after all. ]

[whatshimadayou]

I know the one with the metal arm and ridiculous get up. Jesse and I have... been traveling together for awhile now since the mission began.

[winces]

Mr. McCree? Oh, he's very nice! He'd said he would show me how to shoot his gun one day. [ surprisingly not a euphemism, whoa. ]

[whatshimadayou]

Yes, that sounds like something he would say, wanting to show off his clumsy weapon.

[Hanzo says it's clumsy, but he has seen McCree shoot. Somehow the oaf makes it look graceful, but a six-shooter is just ridiculous to him.]

[winces]

Oh... is it clumsy? It might be perfect for me, then, heh...!

[ yet let's diffuse the tension by making a joke at one's own expense, yes. ]

[whatshimadayou]

[Hanzo scoffs gently.]

Simply because you have difficulty climbing a mountain does not mean you are clumsy, Olivia.

[winces]

Oh, I know... I'm clumsy for other reasons!

[ but she waves a hand in the air, seeming to just Accept this about herself. ]

Since Mr. McCree is your friend, will you not cheer him on?