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[Library Spam for Chromie]

[He's annoyed about not being able to change into his shadow form. It's limiting. He either has to amble on the ground or be stuck in the air. Bird don't exactly have dexterity, and land bound creatures don't move as fast as he'd like. No happy medium.

So he walks into the library in the human form. Hands are useful.

But the place is huge. Where the hell would he start?]

[Spam for Esther]

[He knocks on her door, and leans against the frame.]

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[Before Dark Heart took an interest in her, Esther could guarantee that the only person who would show up unexpectedly was her warden. Lydia would have checked in before stopping by, so she can guess who it is when he knocks. She rolls her eyes with a sigh, picking herself up from her bed and marking her place in the library book she was reading.

Opening the door, she braces her free hand against her hip and fixes him with a bored stare.]

What do you want?

[Ah, charming as ever. He smiles at her.]

Hello to you too.

Hello. [Her expression doesn't change in the slightest.]

[Ah, Esther, you're no fun.

Except you are.

His expression turns serious. Which would be a first for him, at least with her.]

I want to ask you some questions.

[Esther narrows her eyes, immediately skeptical.]

What about?

Your um...female opinion on social boundaries.

[The um was only because he doesn't quite know what to call this line of curiosity. He'd never thought about this stuff before his stupid warden got flooded into a younger version of himself and offered to kiss Dark Heart. And now it's like a worm in his brain. He just doesn't understand and he doesn't like feeling that way.]

[Now Esther just looks confused. This is a subject no one's ever consulted her on before, and she can't imagine why he's doing so.]

I'm sorry?

You're a girl aren't you? [This is the most obvious rhetorical question ever.] I want your opinions. I'm trying to understand something, and I've already heard my warden's thoughts. Now I want yours.

Obviously. [Rhetorical or not, it's still the only question he's asked that she knows how to answer.] I don't understand.

Well neither do I. That's the point.

[He huffs and starts over.]

My warden said that physical affection can be harmful to people. I'm trying to understand where the line is, because you humans are touchy feeling all the damn time, and I don't understand.

What? No it's not. [Physical affection is a good thing, Esther believes, no matter what form it takes.]

It's not?

[Confused. So confused. Frustration.]

But he said that some people could make it harmful. Was he lying?

[He would believe this, in a hot second. Because he understands liars.]

I suppose, if they're rough. [Where are these questions coming from? They're bizarre. She stares at him for a few minutes more, realizes he seems just as bewildered as she does, and sighs.]

Come in.

[He doesn't comment on the invitation. He's fine with it. He just follows her inside, and then he wanders around her room a little restlessly.]

Explain it to me. In your words. If someone wanted to hug you or something, even if you didn't like that sort of thing, it wouldn't be bad?

[There's nothing much to her room - she's destroyed most of the accoutrements there, but her bed and bookshelves are still in decent shape. Her artwork hangs on the walls or is scattered around, nearly all of them violent or sexual scenes. She seems completely unrattled by them.]

To me? Of course not. That's only fair.

Fair how? What does that mean?

[He's not really paying attention to the artwork. Maybe he will in a minute, but he's not really focusing on the decore. He's focusing on his confusion and her answers.]

If you want to show affection, you're allowed to.

[However you want to, in her experience.]

[His brow draws together and he looks at her with those eerie red eyes of his sharply.]

And what if the person you want to be affectionate to doesn't want it?

[Those eyes are strange and unnerving, though Esther has done all she can not to react to them.]

Why wouldn't they?

Because I don't like it, that's why.

[He doesn't exactly snap, but he definitely growls.]

Then don't do it. What's the problem?

Are you purposefully trying to be confusing?

[He wouldn't put it past her.]

You just said it was allowed.

Not this time.

For you. You're allowed to do what you want.

Wait. What?

[He's just. So lost.]

How does that even make sense?

Edited 2014-06-17 23:55 (UTC)

...You're a man. [She says this as if it's the most obvious thing in the world, and he should understand every cultural insinuation thereof.] You're allowed to do what you wish.

I'm not a man any more than you're a dog. And even if I was, that makes no sense. How are men allowed to do what they want, but what, women aren't?

[He may as well have a permanent question mark floating over his head.]

[Why are you asking her these things if you're going to nitpick the answers, DH?]

Men are meant to be in charge. That's the way it is.

Oh bullshit.

[Despite being an all around evil jerk, Dark Heart doesn't usually swear. The fact that he is, is pretty telling of how frustrated he is by this whole concept.]

I've never once met a girl that just sat back and obeyed orders, as useful as that would have been. Including you.

Have you ever tried touching one?

[He gives her annoyed, pointed look.]

Of course I have. And the last time, she was very keen on either stabbing me or strangling me.

Was I? [She was. But perhaps he noticed how much calmer she was when he changed to his current form.]

[When Chromie appears, it's the first time she's been visibly tired in her library.]

Can I help you find something?

[Ah, if only he were someone who had the capacity to care about her condition.

No, but he does give her a thorough eyeing before he speaks.]

Aren't you usually taller?

[Chromie sighs.]

No. I can shapeshift, but I prefer this form. Can I help you find something?

Well that's interesting.

[Later though. He'll ask about shapeshifting later. He's got enough questions for the moment.]

Information on social customs. Specifically about touching or any kind of affection.

Did you try the card catalog?

What world and what species?

No. [Because what is a card catalog and how does it work?]

I don't know, humanoids. They're the only ones that seem to have these problems.

Edited (and then my english failed me) 2014-06-18 00:16 (UTC)

There are hundreds of humanoid species and all will display different patterns of customs.

[Chromie puts her hands on her hips.]

[What? Why so many choices?! :c ]

What about the ones here? Since those are the ones I have to deal with.

Most of the residents here are human. I can show you the section on Earth social practices.

[Without waiting for him to respond, she trots off in the direction of the right shelf.]

[He follows because, well, what choice does he have?]

Not everyone here is from Earth. Like you.

I am not humanoid, sir, I take this form for convenience.

[She doesn't turn, just stops abruptly at a rack of reference books, very dry.]

Here you are.

Then we've got that in common.

[See. He knew you were taller.

He turns to her, frowning in thought.]

Tell me about your culture. What are your rules about affection and things like that? Do you think such things can be harmful?

Rules? Yes, sometimes, but they are always there for a reason.

No, not the rules. [Really? Really?] Affection.

What?

[Chromie's turn to be confused.]

I don't see how. Maybe if it's for something harmful itself.

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(no subject)

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