ic inbox;; drift fleet

[fantachetic]

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[veilstrike]

I’m glad it’s said. I know it needed to be.

Do you think he’ll understand?

[theirondragon]

Nah. [He smirks playfully, taking a sip of the brandy before responding further. It was good brandy, but given who gave it to him, he would've been shocked if it wasn't.]

I think you're missing at least six pillows.

[fantachetic]

Maker, isn't there a truth to that?? I've been having a rather difficult time finding anything that isn't artificially stuffed with something. Don't any of these places realize the value of a decent feather pillow?

[theirondragon]

[You know, whether or not Dorian realizes that Bull was teasing him doesn't matter. He's cute when he gets all animated. He chuckles, rolling his shoulder in a shrug.]

I don't know, big guy. I guess it's hard to find people with good taste. [He takes another sip from the brandy snifter, though, and actually sniffs it, because that's what you do with brandy.] This though...this is good shit.

[fantachetic]

[ Sure, he knows Bull is teasing him, but he brings up a valid point in doing it, so Bull has to suffer for it. Dorian hums in agreement, sipping at his brandy. Finding people with taste is so difficult, and of everyone from Thedas, at least Riona has a bit of sophistication about her. ]

I'm glad you enjoy it. It's not often I get to pull it out for guests.

[theirondragon]

[As much shit as he gives Dorian, he can't say the guy doesn't have style or taste, and unlike a lot of frumpy nobles, it doesn't come off as fake with Dorian. That's actually part of the guy's appeal. Sure, he whines, and he's particular, uppity, and a little dainty, but it's honest. All that shit? It's just who Dorian is, but it's only part of who Dorian is. He's also a hard-ass with impossibly high standards and a sense of morality that a lot of people couldn't dream of, and that's not just naivety. It was just...him.]

Now I'm your guest, huh? I thought we are all guests or whatever.

[fantachetic]

[ Dorian huffs, looking annoyed. ] I only meant that I typically don't share.

[ Much of anything, really. With anyone. He only feels close enough to a small number of people enough to trust them with his things that he's worked hard for. ]

[theirondragon]

[Bull chuckles, smirking.] Is that right? So, I guess I should feel special then, huh?

[But he does reach into the very large pockets of those pants of his and produce the books, which are the reason he flew over here in the first place.]

I guess it's good one of us does, then.

[fantachetic]

Ah! [ He'd almost forgotten that was why Bull even came over, and Dorian is quick to take them in hand. Choosing one of them, he reads the synopsis on the back before flipping to the first page.

Yes. He's going to start reading right now. Don't judge him. ]

[fantachetic]

I believe he will understand the concept, but not the feeling. I can't speak for Justice.

[fantachetic]

[ While he's not too keen on closing the respectable distance between them, Dorian's hand itches to hold the bottle. To have something he knows he can rely on until he gets absolutely, irresponsibly drunk. Scooting up, Dorian does move to the bed to sit next to Bull. Closer to the alcohol, he tells himself.

Which he promptly takes from Bull, opens, and takes a hearty drink despite the burn in his throat. ]

[theirondragon]

[Bull chuckles at that, but really only because it's kinda cute. Sometimes, he really didn't know what to do with this guy. Well, he hasn't been asked to leave, he still has some pretty damned good brandy to finish, so he settles back on Dorian's bed, reclining. Silence is fine, too. It's sort of...nice to just not be alone, really. He's used to traveling with his boys, or sleeping near a lot of other people. The bunk thing, the distance of space thing? Weird.

He actually doesn't say anything until his glass is empty, unless Dorian remembers he's there, first.]

Do I get another one or is this my cue to leave? I don't want to interrupt or anything.

[theirondragon]

[See, there's a reason Bull bought more than one bottle because he laughs while he's opening the other one, but it's an appreciative laugh. It's a laugh borne of amusement at something real, normal, and not the least bit completely fucked.]

Nice! [And he raises his own bottle in a sort of...mock toast.] To getting totally fucked up and not thinking about fucking zombies.

[and he takes a really healthy hit of his own bottle, and exhales hard at the burn going down. That was good. That was very good.]

[fantachetic]

[ The story was compelling enough that everything around him was muted. Pulled into the mystery and the surrounding.. It wasn't anything like he'd read before, and not the predictable drivel that Varric writes. It's only when Bull speaks again that he remembers that he's not alone and his head shoots up, looking at his guest. ]

My apologies, Bull.

[ He closes the book, setting it on the desk and clearing his throat. He takes both their glasses and refills them before resuming his seat. He casts a sidelong glance at the book, his foot bouncing in impatience. He was getting to a good part. ]

[theirondragon]

[He laughs.]

Don't sweat it, Dorian. I told you they were good.

[He motions toward the book.]

Go ahead. I'll finish my glass and leave. [Though he does look at the book again before continuing.] You know, if you don't finish it before I finish this.

[fantachetic]

[ Dorian has to clear his throat from the burn, his eyes watering, but he doesn't regret the strength nor the quantity. It's helping to process everything Bull's told him. The more numb he is, the better it will be later on. Tomorrow, he may hate himself, but that is a problem for future Dorian. ]

Not thinking about zombies, indeed. [ His voice is a bit raspy from the drink, but it doesn't stop him from having another. Here is to not thinking about how his best friend died and he wasn't there. Here is to being utterly useless in a situation that could have benefited from his expertise. ]

[fantachetic]

A challenge, is it?

[ It's one that he'll gladly take. Bull hasn't seen the ferocity with which he reads, yet. He wasn't pushing himself before, simply enjoying the story. ]

This author certainly knows how to titillate.

[theirondragon]

[Even the Bull has to clear his throat after that stuff. This was going to be a good day...night...maybe he'd actually sleep. It was hard to say.]

You know, I only went out there for horn balm. [He shook his head slightly and eyed the bottle again before taking another, shorter, pull from it.

And clearing his throat again.]

Didn't even find any.

[veilstrike]

As long as he can understand some of it. That's all I can ask of him.

[fantachetic]

You found rather more than horn balm.

[ Not that he wanted to. He's sure Bull went on a whim, and regretted it. Continues to regret it, if their current conversation is anything worth mentioning. ]

[theirondragon]

[The only response Bull offered to the comment was a nod at first. He could try to play it off, pretend it was awesome how many he killed, but...they'd been people...innocent travelers just like them. It'd only been a day.]

...wildfires spread slower than...whatever that was.

[fantachetic]

[ Dorian occupies himself by taking another drink, composing in his head what he is going to say. There are many things he wants to ask, all for the sake of knowing, but his search for knowledge can be a bit crass. ]

What do you believe caused it? It couldn't possibly have been these 'Atroma' we've heard so much about?

[theirondragon]

Don't know.

[And he really hasn't been trying to puzzle it out, Dorian.]

Look. All I know is this: if they bite you, you die. Then you get back up and join the pack. I mean... [He looked thoughtfully at his bottle before knocking it back again, growling out a breath afterward. Surely this shit would kick in soon, right?]

I guess somebody had to start it, right?

[fantachetic]

So-- what? Someone was bitten and it locked down an entire waystation?

[ That seems too quick for just one person to have started. The question remains unanswered just how it started with whoever got the ball rolling, so to speak. Surely, they had to know beforehand, didn't they?

Whatever this is, or was, is contagious, that's for certain. Much like the Taint in Thedas, which is greatly concerning. What has to be done to prevent it from occurring again? ]

Was it someone from the Fleet who started this, or do we have to be concerned about future places we visit?

[theirondragon]

I guess? It's fast. I was trying to help people get across the courtyard to the shuttles, but a group caught up with us.

[He looked off, taking another big hit from that bottle before continuing. This time, it didn't burn. Good.]

Everybody was panicking. A guy went down. Two people trampled him before the undead got to him. You ever seen somebody rip out a guy's throat with human teeth? He bled out in seconds. And then he got up, rolled over, and bit into the guy next to him who was pinned.

...it was fucking. Fast.