[MINGLE] Scout's Honor

[sixthiteration]

WHERE: Hot Springs
WHEN: 21 Sept, after sunset
OPEN TO: ALL - MINGLE
WARNINGS: Please warn in your subject line as needed
NOTES: Details found here

---

It's been a strange, rough couple of months for our intrepid villagers — Bunkers, superpowers and clones, oh my! Perhaps the Observers are sympathetic to their plight, or maybe they just have a peculiar sense of humor. At any rate, they've set up a gathering space chalk full of summer camp goodness, no strings attached. Not that anyone knows that part.

Just before sunset, a cheery message pops up on wrist devices all across the settlement and beyond. The instructions seem simple enough, although one does have to wonder at what dubious gift awaits them all after everything is said and done.

Marshmallows are on the house, so grab yourself a stick, strap on a sash and get to roasting, villagers. Skinny dipping, sing-alongs and friendship bracelets optional.

Comments

[ataashihunter]

"I am called The Iron Bull. I am Qunari. Or was, but that is complicated." Bull shrugs. "I am from a world that has elves and dwarves and stuff"

[killorder]

"Yeah, I was kinda figuring that. Well, I mean, I would have assumed," he admits, letting his gaze focus a bit more and looking at him curiously. "So all of that? The Iron Bull? Not like just Iron or something? I mean, I got a rank and all but it's just Jake."

Yeah, that's getting back to himself nudity and horns aside.

[ataashihunter]

"Nah, I like the The. Makes me more of a weapon. A thing. Makes it scarier for people. Qunari doesn't have names anyway. We have ranks or jobs."

[killorder]

Jake arches a brow. "So, uhmmm, do you want me to be scared of you?" He's not sure he is, but he's willing to check the room, as it were, and get the mood. That he's likely to totally miss without asking. "I mean, the nudity thing didn't scare me but... "

Yeah, not scared, though he probably should be. In the end, he's still not sure what it real, and if it is real, fear is probably a very bad idea.

"Things don't normally flirt. I mean, not that I've noticed though I'm told I'm blind to that."

[ataashihunter]

Bull seems to think about it for a moment. On the one hand, Jake probably should be scared of him but on the other hand that would make things weird. "Yes and no. I am a mercenary and that sort of name really helps. The nobles love that shit when they hire you. And Qunari are not exactly seen as ... well... most people fear us just for what we are."

[killorder]

"Yeah, I can totally see why," he says, because seriously, this is the most surreal thing Jake has ever experienced, and he is partially wondering if he's caught up in fumes from the spring and none of this is real. Or it's a regular person sitting across from him, and he's just seeing the rest. One helluva detailed hallucination though if that's the case.

"Funny. I am part of a special forces unit. Kind of like legalized mercenaries. We just call the unit the Losers," he admits with a snort. "Not exactly fear inducing. Though it should. Would if they knew how destroyed they'll end up but still."

[ataashihunter]

"Well. I am familiar with special forces units." After all he had been part of something similar in Seheron. "And you guys don't have to go looking for employers right? That is the main difference. I need the nobles to be in awe and fear us at the same time. A catchy name and good stories help there. And if they think I'm stupid and decide to share way more than they should, that is a benefit too."

[killorder]

"Right. Hired by the government, sent places no one else will go to do jobs no one will ever know we did," he says, sounding more amused than bothered by what his life is.

"Okay, I'll give you that one. I guess if we were freelancing like some of the Black Ops units do it would be different." And it is, he realizes. He's just never thought about it like that.

Laughing though at that part, a bit more comfortable with the turn of the conversation. "So is the Qunari your unit?" He won't ask breed, that seems so rude.

[ataashihunter]

"Nah, Qunari is what I am, the same way most people here are human. It is a bit more complicated than that since it also involves following the Qun, but most outsiders don't really know the difference and call every one of my race Qunari."

He takes a moment, thinking about how much to tell this guy and then decides to say fuck it. "My mercenary band is called The Bull's Chargers. But that was a cover story for being part of the Ben-Hassrath. We're not a part of the Antaam or the army but rather a part of what humans would consider the priesthood. Their purpose is to protect the Qun and the innocents."

[killorder]

Despite being uncertain at first, the turn of the conversation has Jake's full attention. Differences can be overturned by a lot of things, and shared though not the same experiences can do that.

"So you're a religious group, that acts on behalf then of your religion on missions?" He doesn't think about that it might be the kind of thing most think starts wars. He is thinking about how a group can come together over a lot of things, including religion. "To protect the Qun?"

It's a reason he can understand, one he can believe in, even if he isn't sure who the Qun is by definition.

[ataashihunter]

"It is the easiest way to describe what we are. We find traitors, gather intelligence, uncover dangerous artefacts. Our job is to make sure our people are safe and our soldiers don't walk into traps. We also handle the conversion if people want to convert and re-education of Qunari that stray from the path. It is a big operation." Then he takes a breath. "Though, strictly speaking, I shouldn't say we anymore. They do. I am not part of that anymore."

[killorder]

"Am I asking too much to ask why not?" He can imagine a lot of reasons given what he says he did for them. He might want to talk about the reasons, he might not, and Jake respects that.

"Technically I'm not part of the military that I was but I still have my unit. Someone turned on us and got a lot of people killed. Kids. And now we're legally dead." He figures if he's going to ask, he might as well explain his own. "So not really part of it either."

[ataashihunter]

"I am a traitor. I chose to defy an order and go against what is best for the Qun to save a group of people who aren't even followers of the Qun and in the process sacrificed a warship full of people. " His voice is calm, maybe a little too calm.

[killorder]

Jake frowns then, blinking at how the first part of that struck him so much of his own life. "That's why we're dead," he admits. "Because we defied a direct order and saved others."

He shakes his head, still shocked how close that echoes his story. "Did you do the right thing?"

[ataashihunter]

"Yeah, The Qunari have been trying to kill me since it happened too. But they trained me too well." He grins a little at that. Then his face turns sober.

"That depends on who you ask. I sacrificed many lives to save those of my men and cost the Inquisition an alliance with the Qunari. The Chargers are good and that alliance might have backfired when it comes to politics, but the Qunari might have been handy in a war. So it is hard to say. I am at peace with the choice I made and I think it was the best one, but an argument could be made that it wasn't."

[killorder]

Jake hints at a smile then, a nod. There are parallels there, and it helps to ease his tension somewhat at the differences, at how different things here can be. How different Bull is, but their lives sharing some of the same traits.

"That's the part that matters. If you're at peace. You can't second guess things beyond that," he says, believing in that. Not that he's found that ability within himself and is still trying. "An argument can always be made. I did the right thing and I got children killed. I will blame myself for that always. They were going to die no matter what we did. Now though maybe others won't. I don't know. You can't blame yourself."

Despite his usual goofiness, there's a seriousness there in that moment. He hasn't talked about this, hasn't had the time, and not it's coming out. He makes a sound, looking away. "Sorry. Too many thoughts and not enough alcohol around this place maybe."

[ataashihunter]

Bull looks over, studying him for a moment, taking in the seriousness and the sound and the way he looks away. Interesting. Then he smiles slightly. "True. We could go see if we could find some, or we could find some other way to distract ourselves." he grins and raises an eyebrow.

[killorder]

And suddenly there is an entire moment of deer in the headlights, jaw slack and his eyes wide. Yet it isn't because he's fairly certain he is not man enough to handle any other ways of distraction with Bull, but because his mind is constantly holding to thoughts he's not sure how to vocalize, even if they don't matter for the time being.

"I... things is... I think I might be, kind of, that is..." He winces, making a face as she closes his eyes for a minute. "I know they're not here, but there's this person that I kind of think I might... And one day I can say this without panicking over the face he might give me for it."

He shakes his head, looking down. "No offense. I just ramble, and trying to get my thoughts sorted on someone. That's all."

[ataashihunter]

Bull pauses the moment he sees that deer in headlights look and when Jake starts to backpedal he holds his hands up. "None taken. It was merely an offer." His tone is still warm and cheerful. That is the other side about being someone who flirts a lot and invites people to bed, you get used to being turned down too. And the way Bull sees it it is not a bad thing really.

"He knows or are you figuring out how to tell him?"

[killorder]

Jake sighs, shaking his head though there's more than one part to that questions. Which leads to a hard shrug as he sinks back against the side of the spring.

"He... probably doesn't know. At all. I don't get words right when I'm not scared. Worrying I'll screw up our unit and all? Yeah, no, they don't know. Not here either so not sure it matters."

[ataashihunter]

"In my experience, if your unit gets screwed up by that it was too fragile anyway. Then again Qunari fool around a lot in our units we also consider your unit your family." He smiles slightly. "Is it wanting to fuck him or more?"

[killorder]

Jake isn't sure he can handle this without acting like a damn idiot. Yet he has a chance to talk about things he's never had anyone to talk about it with.

"I've had... I am an issue sometimes. No chill, I've been told," he admits. "So... it's more me fucking things up. Because it's not just sex, no." Shaking his head at that. "Which is ... Not his type. We spend a lot of time together. I know his type."

This man is so open about things, and maybe it's a different world, different species as it is, and maybe it's just easier because of that. Or because human are fucking dumb about sex.

[ataashihunter]

"Yeah,is the issue that he isn't into guys?" Because otherwise he has a hard time imagining anyone not being into Jake. The guy looks good. "I'd say that if you're not going to try anything with him, the best is probably to try to get over him."

[killorder]

"Not as far as I know, and I probably know more about his sex life than the girls in it," he admits, making a face, not knowing that there's a reason for that and he hasn't caught onto that as of yet.

"Easier said then done? I mean... Well, he's not here, but not sure I want to be over him." He's never thought about being over him. Just thought about not giving up on someone that he knows better than anyone else, but too blind to see the truth. "Besides, figure I've got things to do and worry about here and see what happens."

[ataashihunter]

"That either says something about his taste in girls or you." Bull shrugs. "But that is a good approach. It also depends on what you want when you're here." Bull smiles slightly. "It is different than what I am used to, but if you want to wait for him I think that is nice of you."