antivanleather | First Cut - It's the deepest, woah [Action/Voice] Backdated to this morning

[Another day dawns and it's normal enough for the village. People laughing, groaning as they wake, brushing their teeth, taking a shower, or sleeping in. Things that are normal enough for anyone that isn't nocturnal.

What might not be normal is the fact that there is, your bed, hammock, or wherever it is that you sleep, an elf.

A tanned, tattooed sleeping elf, all but cuddled up next to whoever's still in bed with him, or curled around a pillow if they've stepped out for the aforementioned shower. The exhausted thing is out cold, wings tucked up against his spine, fingers of one hand curled as though cupping the face of a lover. Or around the hilt of an absent knife. Care to wake him from his deep slumber? Perhaps with a kiss? Or a fist. Whichever comes first.

Later in the day a voice rich with laughter crackles across the network]

-nd it records voice as well? Marvelous! Ah, the wonders of this world shall never cease. Allow me to introduce myself. My name is Zevran, Zev to my friends, and I was wondering if anyone could point me in the direction of a prime hunting ground. I've recently found my blades and find myself in need of an...exhausting diversion.

(ooc: Breaking time is just fine, and the art linked was drawn by the lovely Plum, Sabriel's mun. Tattoos doodled in by me.)

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

I am? Really? [Zevran reaches up to run his fingers over the tips of his ears, putting on his most shocked expression.] Oh Maker what have they done to me? What have they done to my lovely rounded ears and statuesque figure?

[He can only hold the horrified tone and expression for so long, however, and quickly gives into a low chuff of laughter.] Yes my fine looking friend, I am an elf. Are we so rare in these parts?

[A beat, then he's laughing in earnest at that face. Oh. Oh Michael that face.]

Michael I can promise you I've had tussles with men like you before, perhaps even two or three at the same time. It's so invigorating!

[Michael takes the elf's joking actions well, chuckling as he watches him pretend to discover his ears. He's a touch weirded out when he's told he's fine-looking, but takes it in stride. Many people considred elves much more handsome than human beings, so if he was being told he was fine-looking by an elf, he would take the compliment.]

I'm willing to bet you've never fought someone like me before, but I will agree I've got that invigorating edge to my fights!

Elves---well, elves aren't exactly real where I'm from. They're in stories and things... so seeing a real elf is amazing to me.

...is this really racist?

I know we are considered to be subservient and less than humans a great deal of the time- but to not even be considered real is a new low for mankind. I'm astonished.

[Spoken in a fairly flat deadpan. Elves, not real? Where and when was this man from?]

I'm sorry, man. I didn't mean to say you weren't real---just.. not where I'm from. Either that or you all hide really, really well. I mean, we had writers like Tolkien who spun amazing stories about you and stuff.

[He'll ramble on like this forever if he's not stopped.]

Men that spin tales of the fantastic nature of elves? Without demonizing or belittling them? Ha!

[Zev's laugh is short, acidic, but is quickly smoothed over by a curl of a grin.]

That is something of a surprise.

Ooooh, I detect a hint of bitterness. I'm guessing there are assholes amongst elves just like with any sentient race. I mean, if intelligence exists, so does stupidity. You guys have customer service, too? Now that would be something.

I know many men, dwarves, elves, and qunari that make asses of themselves all on their own. No one race has the market cornered on stupidity.

[A beat.]

Elves are accustomed to service, though it is not always of our own choice. Is that not how it is in your country?

Isn't that how it is everywhere? Although the service I've been enlisted in isn't one my government knows anything about.

[Michael sighs, rubbing his face with his hand.]

It's super complicated, man.

Then state it simply? I have found that things are only as complicated as you wish them to be. If you wish something to be simple, make it simple.

I dunno. I'd have to know a bit more about you before spilling stuff as complicated as this, no matter how simply I break it down. It's not stuff I can tell to just anyone, even if they are someone with awesome ears.

What is it you wish to know? My life's history? The story of my torrid romances? What it is I do for a living, as it were, what it was I had been doing before I woke in this strange place?

Whatever you feel would do. I just---well, it's---then again, I can't say it's nothing personal considering it kind of is personal---but that's not to say it's about you! It's just...

[He's rambling. With a sigh, his shoulders slump.]

I just can't.

Then do not worry about it. Struggling to make conversation is not enjoyable at all, in my experience. Let us find something more pleasant to discuss.

I'm sorry, man. Not usually this awkward. Honest.

All right, full stop! Conversation restart! What do you plan to do now that you're stuck in this place where everything is free and there's all of this forest and stuff?

Find some means of keeping myself busy, I suppose. From what I have read there are missions one might take in return for points, which are spent much like currency. So it is not entirely devoid of methods to better one's standing.

I'm never out of ideas on how to keep myself busy so no missions for me. The last thing I want is to start taking orders again after ten years straight of it.

It's less a manner of taking orders and more a manner of procuring more useful equipment. The listed rewards provided seem intriguing.

If it means even more reading then count me out. I'm not a fan of reading instruction manuals either. Live spontaneously! That's my motto.

Pretty and mindless. Such a pity; I had hoped they'd made men a little differently in this place.

And here I was hoping they would make people a little less judgmental and petty but I guess not. Thanks, man. Thanks a bunch.

[And without another word, he's going to hang up. The last thing he needs is passive aggression and insults.]

First Cut - It's the deepest, woah [Action/Voice] Backdated to this morning

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