driftfleet | (no subject)

Who: Natasha Romanoff
Broadcast: video
Action: SS Vanquish
When: now or later

[Natasha's face appears on the video, looking tired but focused. Thoughtful. She also looks like the image she presents, insofar as she can control it, is intentional. She's in her quarters, but the camera is angled to reveal little aside from a blank ship wall and the edge of her bunk behind her face and shoulders. There's no fumbling.

When the video starts, she flashes a slight smile.]

As announcements go, this one's a bit late. As of the end of calibrations, I've been the listed captain for the Vanquish.

[It's not an announcement that comes with any pride, or any sense of authority.]

It has had me thinking. I know different ships treat the titles differently, take them more seriously—or less. Most of the time it hasn't mattered to me all that much.

Not like there's any qualifications for it.

[The 'but' in her words is heavily implied in the pause that follows, the slow way she sighs through her nose.]

I've been wondering lately how people would like it to be. If you had a say in it—hypothetically unless you're my crew I suppose—how would you like captains to treat their job? And what would you say their job is.

[She leans back a little, visibly waiting for a response before the video cuts out.]

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

[In fact, she has. Guess most people wouldn't match up after that.]

No, you certainly are not. Though I still don't know all that much about you.

What would you like to know? We happen to be discussing my favorite topic.

Yourself? [With some amusement.] How'd you and the Bull meet?

Naturally so. [ He's definitely preening. He knows he's fabulous. ]

I met him unofficially in the city of Redcliffe. I was there following a rather unsavory theory about my old mentor. It involved the time magic that he and I had developed years previous. It was reacting to the rifts in the Fade, causing time to distort around them. He was with the Inquisitor, an elf woman named Sera, and a dwarf by the name of Varric Tethras. Whilst the Inquisitor was quick to accept my help on the matter, Bull treated my presence rather hesitantly, as he would.

You see, Tevinter and Par Vollen, which is the country of origin for Qunari, have been at war on and off again for..quite some time over the island of Seheron. As a Qunari spy, it was only natural that he viewed me with distrust. An Altus mage from the Imperium? There's little worse I could have been, save for a Magister.

Anyway.. My mentor revealed his intentions, trying to eradicate the Inquisitor, and I was pulled into the loop. We ended up one year into our future should the plan have gone through. It was abhorrent what had happened in so little time, but as luck would have it, I am quite the natural when it comes to thaumaturgy, so we foiled his plans in the end. It..took a great deal of time for us to trust one another. Or rather, it took a great deal for me to trust him. I said some very unbecoming things in assumption that he would treat all mages like the ones under the Qun.

I have..quite a lot to say about that particular topic, mind you.

So I see. And while the details are a little lost on me, I think I can put together the gist.

[It's not actually that hard to follow. Her brain sifts through the unknown names, replacing them with nation one and nation two, and so forth.]

What you're saying is that it was something of a slow burn.

Yes, quite. He's certainly a lot keener than he lets others believe. I found myself annoyed with him quite a great deal in the beginning with all his boasting and lasciviousness. It was.. quite a lot to deal with. In Tevinter, that's not something that's common. Even more ridiculous was the notion that we were both men.

I have a hard time picturing him any keener. [Look. She's met the guy. And Natasha doesn't think she's had a single conversation that hasn't featured boasting and lasciviousness.]

Is that not common where you're from? The two of you being men.

In Tevinter, certainly not. While it's practiced, it's hidden away like some disgusting aberration. Being an Altus, it was seen as my duty to conform to the image of the perfect scion. When I denied it, I was cast away like some--

[ Breathe, Dorian. He clears his throat, mentally admonishing himself. ]

One does not flaunt their dirty laundry in public, you see.

I didn't mean to pry. Just curiosity about where the two of you are coming from.

You're not prying if I share the information. Things are...mercifully different, both here and in Ferelden. Apparently, it is not a big deal who you share a bed with, matching genitalia or no.

People do seem to be remarkably liberal about that here. It's not such a shock back home either, but it's fairly recent that people have been open about it.

It's still something I am coming to terms with. Public displays of affection are still..hesitantly taken.

There's a certain irony hearing that from you. [Since she's definitely heard his private displays of affection a time or two. But that is, in fact, private.] I get it though. If you're not used to it, it doesn't always feel safe.

[ HUFF!! He does have the decency to at least look a little embarrassed by it, but he's not sorry. ]

That about sums it up, yes.

[Oh, don't be sorry. Natasha smiles a little at that expression though.]

Is he one for public affection?

Maker, yes. He has never been shy about touching, whether it be myself, the members of his team, the barmaids at the Herald's Rest..

Now that I find very easy to believe.

It's a bit infuriating at times.

Oh? It gets to be a little much?

No, he's very considerate when it comes to what I like, but it comes naturally to him. It makes me a bit envious.

You wish you were more demonstrative?

Perhaps. Such things like love are novel ideas in a country where you marry to strengthen bloodlines and little more. My parents despised one another, but duty surpasses silly notions like tolerating one another. Don't get me wrong, my country is known for its passion and pride, but love and devotion are unique to the Soporati.

Love just isn't a priority for everyone, all the time. [And it probably shouldn't be, though Natasha doesn't say it to argue that his people are right or to devalue love.

She just understands what it's like to grow up thinking that love is a fairy tale, something for fools and children, and romantic Americans.] I can see why you'd pick him over someone you hate.