[Closed] Everything is a privilege

[happiertimes]

who: Cullen Rutherford, Dorian Pavus, Relm Hawke and etc
what: Checking on the electrical fences (Re: this post)
when: 9/3 - 9/12
where: Southern Fence of the Quarantine
warnings: language, violence, Thedosians?

A few days after asking if anyone else wanted to go with him to the Southern Quandrant to check on the electric fencing that keeps the Quarantine safe from the wildlife, he has assembled the group that has agreed to come with him. It's not about running away from the Dragosta festivities so much as it is getting away from the crowds of the Quarantine during these particular holidays.

At least for him it is.

Comments

[indigobird]

[Relm? Maker, no one calls her that. When did they get so friendly? But now's not exactly the time to contemplate that.]

Well, that was my plan-

[She steps out from behind him just as he strikes down at the monster. The monster moved just in time for the blow to avoid its skull, but it strikes its shoulder instead. It snarls and backs off, though it's now bleeding rather badly. With a powerful push from its legs, it leaps out of striking range of Cullen's sword. But just as the creature considers its next move, Hawke lets loose a streak of lightning, blasting the monster back several feet as it tumbles over the ground.]

-I was just moving because you were blocking me. Unless you'd rather I just zap you along with it next time.

[happiertimes]

[Yes, well, calling her Hawke seems both redundant and awkward considering she is not the first person he thinks of when that name comes up. However, her personal name is a different story.

Maybe she wants to reconsider the stupid nickname she gave him now.

He waits until the creature is done flying through the air and twitching on the ground before he comes over and stabs it, putting it out of its misery. Poor sod.]

That's when you move slightly to the side and learn to aim. I know that you can do that because I've seen you do so in the training grounds. That doesn't mean, however, that you need to jump in front of me to get one up.

[That's immature and stupid. He's fought alongside and against mages both for most of his life, woman.]

[indigobird]

[...naaaaaah.

Hawke cocks a brow as he walks back from killing the thing.]

I was moving to the side. At most I was side by side with you, I never went in front. And yes, I could lean and aim, but the issue with doing that with lightning spells is that lightning bolts tend to arc. And they like to arc to nearby persons. A wide berth lessens that possibility. So again, I was trying to prevent you from being zapped.

[Don't lecture her about how to use her magic, bucko.]

[happiertimes]

[He gives her a half-pleased smile. It's better that he's had the opportunity to get some of his irritation out in a constructive way and he's willing to be less of a stick in the mud, as Dorian would say, because of it.]

I am perfectly capable of protecting myself from erstwhile magic. Lyrium certainly helps to nullify magic, but it's not necessary all the time.

[indigobird]

[Having grown up nowhere near a Circle, Hawke's knowledge of templars and the workings of their Order was rather limited until she came to Kirkwall. Even then, the knowledge came in bits and pieces, scrapped together from rumors and her own experiences.

Not needing lyrium comes as a surprise to her, though one she doesn't let show. Instead, she just shrugs and turns around, seemingly to walk back to where they had been.

...until she decides to be a little shit and toss a small, quick bolt of lightning over her shoulder at him. Very fast, but minor enough that at worse it'd make his hair stand on end for a little bit. Let's see if Cullen can back his talk, hm?]

[happiertimes]

[Because he's not a fool and remembers all too well how close they've come to literally fighting one another, he doesn't let down his guard around her. Instead of the charge hitting him, it bounces and slides off his shield as it should.

Well, a stray bolt singes the sleeve of his shirt, but he shakes that off. It can be replaced easily.]

There was a point to that, I'm sure.

[indigobird]

I wanted to see dampen it without the lyrium.

[She looks a bit disappointed. But damn, his reflexes are good, she'll give him that.]

[happiertimes]

There's no point when it's easier to deflect it.

[He knows she's not really trying to hurt him. Or at least he hopes that's the case.]

[indigobird]

But so much less fun. [Perhaps she'll try again later, though she wonders if that means using a stronger spell. Which means risk for actually hurting him which, while she wants to smack him upside the head sometimes (or punch him when she's really ticked), she doesn't want to see him seriously injured.] Though...

[And it finally occurs to her: he hasn't been taking lyrium. She remembers Samson, begging on the streets for the stuff. And Cullen has been off it for...] How long have you been here?

[happiertimes]

For you, yes.

[While he still has the capabilities to use his Templar skills, the pain involved because of the very lack of lyrium they are discussing is worse than the pain of just going without the damn stuff.

At her question, he merely raises an eyebrow in question.]

Six months, I believe. Why?

[indigobird]

[...and if Hawke knew it'd be literally painful she wouldn't try and see if he could do it.

She frowns at his answer. Six months. That's... not an insignificant amount of time.]

And you've had no lyrium that entire time?

[happiertimes]

[ Yes, well, he knows that it will be painful. Which is why he's not wasting his energy to try and do it without the use of lyrium. There's only so much he can suffer through without making the pain truly known and he'd rather keep all signs of weakness confined to himself and Iona. ]

I've been without lyrium since Cassandra and Leliana came to Kirkwall on behalf of Divine Justinia and asked me to join the Inquisition. I believe that would be closer to three years at this point.

[indigobird]

[Well, Cullen, you get to see Hawke genuinely shocked. Her brow shoots up on her head and she looks honestly dumbfounded for a moment.]

As Varric would say: well, shit. How'd you buck the addiction? I've seen templars peddling for it on the streets, giving every coin they had to it.