milliways_bar | (no subject)

Raven always feels lucky.

In the grand scheme of things, this means something between 'jack' and 'shit'.

Still, optimism was ever the province of fools. Or Ravens.

Pragmatism and good sense are not really his thing.

"Ramon."

He settles himself on the arm of the chair. It is possible this is deliberate.

It is equally possible he doesn't see why this is possibly rude.

Ramon automatically assumes it's deliberate - he doesn't expect much else from the Bird in their interactions. So the stare up at him is somewhere between annoyed and resigned.

'Raven.'

Raven grins.

"You are also fond of nouns, perhaps."

'Mmmm, perhaps.'

He's not entirely sure what a noun is. English is his third language and he didn't learn it in school. Not that he's about to admit that obviously.

'How're you?'

Raven shrugs.

"Well enough."

He pulls a cigarette from his pocket, and lights it with an idle flick of the end.

He offers a second one to Ramon.

"Yourself?"

He takes the cigarette a touch warily. He trusts Raven about as far as he can throw him, which he figures isn't far.

'Excellent thanks. Just got back from vacation a couple of days ago.' He lights his cigarette casually. 'There are a bunch of other chairs around you know.'

"Yes, I know. I like the arm of this one. It is squishy."

He exhales a cloud of smoke, and studies it carefully.

Squishy?!

Ramon, for want of any better ideas, also studies the cloud of smoke. And then, not to be outdone, makes his own.

Raven still freaks him out, and confuses him to all hell. He somehow doubts that this is just a social call - or rather, it probably is but with the intent of being as annoying as possible.

'Fine then.' He considers. 'Just out of curiousity, what would happen if you got shot?'

Raven tilts his head, considering.

"I would bleed, I think."

He looks at Ramon, then, expression more than vaguely intent.

"And then I would be very irritated."

It might be a warning.

It might be a statement of fact.

Ramon will take it as the former. Of course. He was just curious anyway, but isn't going to let that stop him being...well, himself.

'Oh. So perhaps I shouldn't shoot your ass to get it off the arm of my chair?'

It might be said in calm tone of voice. Then again, there might be a slightly annoyed edge to it too.

Raven blinks at him.

"Asking perhaps works better."

He grins brightly.

"Sometimes."

'I have the feeling that this is one of the times where it wouldn't. But I guess it can't hurt to try. Could you please get of my chair? I don't like most people this close.'

Figures its worth a try. Maybe Raven will shift because he knows Ramon's not expecting him to. On the other hand, he might do his 'I'm oblivious' thing and just not.

"It is better if I take up less space?"

He sounds curious.

He has not moved, yet.

Give him time.

Ramon glares at him for a moment. 'Well, that might be a noble thing Raven, if we were actually short of space. But we're not. And unlikely to be so for the duration of this conversation I think. With that in mind, perhaps you could move your bony feathered ass?'

Raven just looks at him.

"You are not so good at polite, I think."

'I never said I was did I? I certainly never meant to give the impression I was even capable of it.'

He is capable, if he wants to be. Just...Raven freaks him and he doesn't like feeling like that. But it's not in his nature to back down when rattled.

"Almost everyone is capable of it, perhaps."

Raven grins. There are teeth in it.

"It merely requires patience."

He frowns, slightly.

"Is that another thing you do not have much truck with?"

'Ah well, that's a handy get-out clause for me actually. Because patience is something I'm really not capable of.' And this is really true. 'I'm told it partly has to do with being a Beserker, but I don't know if thats true - or maybe I just can't be bothered to learn.'

He shrugs easily enough, despite the teeth in the grin. 'You can honestly tell me you bother with being polite all the time?'

"I am rarely polite. It saves time."

He grins.

"I still do not deny my capability for it. That would be silly."

'I thought you were all for silly? I thought you liked silly?'

He pulls on his cigarette a little and really wants to shove him off the chair. He wont, because he's not suicidal. But still really wants to.

'And see? Why bother to learn something that just wastes time anyway?'

"Mostly, I think, because people are often fooled by polite."

His grin has edges.

"There is a difference, perhaps, between enjoying pretending to be silly, and enjoying silly."

'Hmmm...well, that depends entirely on whether you care or not what people think of you. If you're not ashamed of what you are, then why not just let people see? No point pretending to be something you're not, esecially if you've got the power behind you to back up what you say.'

"Sometimes power is better unused."

His voice is soft, but oddly sharp.

Ramon looks up at him with a curious expression. 'Oh? I think I disagree - surely there's no point having it if you don't use it?'

"Some things simply exist, whether they are used or not."

He shrugs.

That is only half of it.