Life in Camp Shady Fuckers

[unbrokenoath]

WHO: Everyone living in or visiting the Warden camp
WHAT: Just some low-key action-spammy stuff for a bunch of sketchy losers who got tossed into the camp for sketchy losers. And the people who come to hang out because sketchy losers are the coolest losers.
WHEN: Vaguely stretching around Cloudreach?? Nothing is set in stone, time is an illusion
WHERE: Camp Shady Fuckers The Warden camp
NOTES: Just throw whatever warnings necessary in the heads of your threads

Just throw opens or whatever up this is a low-key general mingly kinda thing for hanging out and shouting at each other. Feel free to interrupt other threads or whatever and idk man this is basically like a network post but in real life.

Comments

[ombranera]

You know more than I do in this.

[ Not much, but more. Still he snuffles close. ]

Does it matter if it is?

[byblow]

Yes.

[ He could probably offer to go back to the tent—where Beleth hasn't moved in yet, or is currently not there, whichever—but the sting of the wind in his eyes is keeping him from sliding back into a daze. ]

I'll say all the same things, but I need to know whether to use my nice voice or my grumpy voice.

[ombranera]

I do not know.

[ The mess with Michel is it's own mess, separate from the strange stone in his chest. ]

It is about- you know Nathaniel and Anders, yes? Some time ago there was this 'challenge one another, fight out your grievances, let the matter be settled' business. Very manly and virile and fine. I challenged Anders under the matter of being less of a pile of saddened puppies at his plight. It was getting depressing, that. He chose seduction as the means. We mutually attempted to Seduce Nathaniel which-

Well it worked well enough until I realized there was Sentiment involved between the two of them, whether they knew it or not. I may or may not have thrown the match after that- watching them afterward. It was hot, it was attractive, I felt smug for having spurred it onward but...

I, perhaps, wanted that? Something with meaning. There was a moment of wistful jealousy, perhaps.

[byblow]

Oh, for Andraste's sake.

[ —that isn't directed at Zevran, particularly, and neither does it sound genuinely distraught. But Nathaniel and Anders? For real? Poor Anders. But Alistair lets it go with a sigh. Zev is having feelings, vocally. That's rarer and more important than anyone having poor taste in men. (He doesn't really mind Nathaniel that much, for the record. It's fun to pretend he does.) He nudges Zevran with a knee. ]

Just a moment?

[ombranera]

Perhaps more than a moment.

[ Perhaps still? It lingers, this weight, this ache for absence, this desire. He does not put a name to it but-

Is it so wrong to wish things to have meaning? For there to be Sentiment? He has spent so much of his life pushing such things away he has forgotten what it might be to have it otherwise. ]

It has been long enough since Rinna that I might...I do not know.

[byblow]

[ Alistair is quiet for a moment before he raises a hand to rub the back of Zevran's neck. ] You deserve it, if you want it. And if you think you want it you probably do.

[ombranera]

This would be so much simpler if you liked men. [ He mumbles. ] And if I was a better judge of what is good for me.

[byblow]

Not chevaliers, for starters.

[ He's joking. Kind of. Not really. But he says it like a joke, and without any real intent to push. Just a reminder. ]

And not me. I have enough trouble keeping up with you already.

You could put out for more applications.

[ombranera]

Alistair...

[ He twists a hand enough to pinch his ribs. Not hard but- enough to make a point. ]

How would I know what to judge? What would I even put on such a thing?

[byblow]

[ Alistair squirms, but otherwise doesn't protest the pinching. He earned it. He's proud of earning it. ]

I don't know. But I'm always happy to judge for you. I'm good at judging. [ And he can always use kindling. ] Are you going to sleep down here tonight?

[ombranera]

[ Zevran sighs at the squirming. His brother, ladies and sers of Thedas. Eternal puppy. ]

That might be for the best. On both counts. Mia knows I am down here so she does not worry.

[byblow]

Good. [ He extracts himself from Zevran's hold, or tries to, leaving one arm around his shoulders, to make toward the tents again. ] I asked Beleth to come stay with me, you know, but she's.

[ Off somewhere. A hand wave to illustrate. ]

Obviously the first question you have to ask anyone is whether or not they'll tolerate me.

[ombranera]

Sleeping in a tree or whatever it is the Dalish do.

[ A little squirrel, their Beleth.

Zevran follows along, stepping off Alistair's boots to walk as best he can without tripping. Too much snow, too thin boots, etc, etc. ]

If they cannot understand what we share, they are out. Obviously.

[byblow]

[ If truly necessary Alistair would, of course, nobly step back to a more comprehensible and typical friendly distance, with only one or two self-pitying comments about being picked last for everything. But he would rather it not be necessary. So he grins. ]

And Doghren.

[ He glances down, considers his options for a few more paces, then ducks down—one arm still around Zevran's shoulders, but the other sweeping for his legs, aiming to sweep him up to carry. ]

[ombranera]

And Doghren.

[ Love Zevran, love his dog. His horrible, hideous little dog. That he shares with Alistair. It does not need to make sense to anyone but them and honestly? It does not make much sense to either of them and that is just as well.

Without missing a beat or batting an eye he hooks an arm around Alistair's shoulders and hops up as soon as Alistair goes for the sweep, tucking himself against his chest as though it was his idea. ]

They need to not judge me for my past either, though that was a requirement for the roommate form and worked out quite well.

[byblow]

No one with any sense would judge you once they got to know you.

[ So decrees Alistair, King of Opinions About Zevran, who once sort of judged him and still occasionally frowns. But in a loving way. Zevran is too tall, all joking aside, to be cradled like a child, but since he's cooperating it isn't too awkward or difficult to stomp through the snow with him. ]

Do you think the Gauntlet is still there, in the ruins? We could put people through that.

[ombranera]

Some people take issue with the promiscuity, the past as an assassin, the present as an assassin building a new house of assassins, and so on.

[ Which he would do less of.

The Promiscuity, that is. If he found someone. He does not have to continue if he does not wish to and he is quite certain if he found one person with which to have this thing with- he would not wish to. ]

Now that would be quite cruel, subjecting The Guardian to so many. [ See, it's a joke, because so many people would want this, want him. Get it? Ha. Ha. ]

[byblow]

If you sort through them and I sort through them, we could probably narrow it down to a respectable dozen.

[ He could put Zevran down, once they make it to the camp, where low walls of ice and dirt and stone prevent drifts from building. Or he could carry him all the way to the tent. Guess which. ]

The ones who won't judge you will be a large group, and I can bully most of them into putting up with me, but then we'll have to narrow down to the ones you find attractive and the ones who are clever enough to keep you interested. I won't toss all of the Orlesians out of the mix, but I think they ought to have to pass an extra test.

[ombranera]

Did you know Beleth threatened Michel?

[ It is a bit off topic and on topic, that. Orlesians and suitability and whatnot but- the thought lingers and he does wonder. It is easier to mumble it into Alistair's shoulder as he considers actually going through with this mess. Perhaps it is making things too complicated but-

Alistair had been right to worry. He does not always know what it is that he endures while in the thick of it. ]

[byblow]

[ There's a pause during which loyalties conflict—but if Zevran knows, he knows, and he would have won anyway. Easily. ]

She might have mentioned. It didn't sound like he was very bothered by it.

[ombranera]

Did you encourage this?

[ He will have words with her one way or the other, but how many words he needs to have- that depends on Alistair's answer. ]

[byblow]

I didn't know until after she'd done it. [ He does put him down now—a little further from the tent than necessary, but holding someone who's irritated with him and has jabby joints at their disposal is a bit less appealing. ] Why, is he actually worried?

[ombranera]

He is worried about our association turning out poorly for me. There may also have been the incident at the soiree that has him concerned but- I do not need people making my choices for me.

[ He says, slipping down, while asking Alistair to help him make this one vital choice for him. ]

[byblow]

I don't think he should take the fact that you have people who care so much about you that there are elves willing to get a chevalier alone at all, let alone to threaten one, as a reason to worry about you.

[ Anyway. ]

She said he said it wasn't any of her business. He's fine. [ Unfortunately. ]

[ombranera]

No, he takes Beleth's warning as proof that what we share is dangerous for me, or that it might bring me to harm. She had no right to make such a statement- let along asking him about family lines and nobility as though I do not know what it is I am doing.

And he is right. It isn't.