[Oliver] A Big Man in a Big City

[Ethan Malaghas]

15th of Searing, 4622

Ethan hopped off the back of the caravan, pack in hand. Gods, it was cold here! He shivered, pulling his rucksack closer and straightening up to his full seven foot height. He had a coat on, a basic wool thing his mother had sent him off with, but it was meant to counter the winters of Grisic not the snowdrifts here! He cupped his hands around his mouth and blew into them, looking around. The caravan owner shooed him off, having long since ceased to be afraid of the affable giant.

"Oh! Sorry..." Ethan apologized, copying his words in sign. He of course didn't hear the man's muttering reply. He didn't hear much of anything, in fact. His eardrums had been blown out long ago, leaving him with no hearing at all. Like the snow around him the world was blanketed in silence. Even if the movement around him told him it was busy, he stood there quietly for a moment, marveling at the sheer size of the place. He caught sight of a few choice gestures, and open mouths shouting at him. From what he could gather, they wanted him out of the damn road. He blushed and shuffled over to the side of the street, watching the relieved traffic pass by. Oh dear. It was finally hitting him. He didn't have his siblings there. There were no brothers to laugh and sign at him that they were going to get a sausage bowl at a bar. No home to go to.

Ethan was alone, and that thought filled him with dread. He didn't want to rely on his magic. He shouldn't be using it. It was a horrible, horrible curse on his soul. Using it would just make it worse, and bury its claws deep within him until he changed into a monster or worse. But what was he supposed to do? Stand here? He signed at a few people, who peered at his hand gestures and then ignored him.

"Goodness." Ethan sighed. Well, he needed to get warm. That was first on the list. He walked down the street, until he found the sign for a bar. Thankfully they were universal in every country, and he smiled at the smell of beer and food cooking. He ducked into the doorway and, upon straightening up, conked his head on a low hanging beam. He winced, rubbing the top of his skull and twisting around to look at it. Alright. That was unnecessary. He found a chair to sit in, and felt the wood protest as he sat down. His knees hit the top of the table. Was nothing built for him here?

He folded his hands neatly and looked around, as if expecting to be given a menu.

[Oliver]

"Oh, Eric... Not this again? I said we don't need this... By the Pillars, what are we suppose to be doing with all this stuff!" Oliver complained, rolling his eyes as they appeared to be in some kind of market. Oliver was getting irritated with Eric's excessive buying habits and not to mention it appears that he was already completely peeved off.

"Oh, this is for the new living room. The carpet looks great." Eric explained.

Oliver rolled his eyes and huffed "What's wrong with the normal living room carpet." The man rolled his eyes again at how extravagant Eric was being. He loved him, but sometimes he could be extremely annoying when it came to shopping "Eric... Can we ever go to a market without you wanting to buy like a hoarder... I swear you have an issue with money... I told you not to-"

He was interrupted by the salesperson at the market store who appeared to see the couple arguing begging on a bargain, hoping that Eric would snag more loose change out of Oliver's pocket once again "Can I interest you in?"

"No, we're leaving, have a nice day" He smiled politely before dragging Eric away from the market; it was obvious that Oliver was protecting him from making bad decisions knowing that he's not necessary the greatest person with money "Look, its for your own good, come on, we wouldn't want to get in debt, we're financially stable at the moment..." He said with a sigh as Eric seemed rather peeved, but then he began to see Oliver's reasoning.

"Alright, I suppose your right, I am a bit extravagant." Eric chuckled.

"Well, yes... You brought us a room in one of those fancy places again when I'm fine just huddled up in a cosy cabin..." He spoke softly.

"You just want an excuse to..."

"Shh... Not in public..." He said blushing as if he had been embarrassed to talk about sex in a public manner, especially when the man was only just getting comfortable with his sexuality.

Oliver eyed the bar for a moment as he appeared to be thirsty after Oliver's exhausting trip, although he was beginning to think that there was no end of torture. He let his impulse get to him at that moment where he needed an ice cold pint to chill out "I'll tell you what... Lets have a drink, although not too much... I don't wanna be carrying a drunken fool back to the inn do I?" He chuckled as Eric rolled his eyes.

"I'm not that bad..."

"Tell that to the last innkeeper who threw us out for being a noisy nuisance..."

They entered the bar as they walked in, sitting down at the table. Oliver smiled friendily over at the big guy who was sitting by his self. He must have been preparing for a date so he thought, but still it was better to mind his own business and keep his focus on Eric "What'ya having?"

"Hmm... I don't know so many options."

Oliver rolled his eyes yet again and sighed, knowing that this was going to be a long night. Perhaps Eric might just get drunk once again, but not if Oliver could help it "I'm buying tonight..." He assertively gestured his kindness, only because he didn't want Eric to get stupidly drunk. Oliver eventually got up and sighed "Where are you going?" He asked.

"Where do you think? To get the drinks silly." He ruffled his hair playfully and kissed his forehead "I'll be back in a mo..."

He said, leaving Eric to his own devices. Eventually, Oliver would bump into a rude nobleman savant who appeared to have barged into Oliver on purpose, mostly to cause trouble? What was his beef? "Watch where you're going..." He responded as Oliver looked at him incredulously. He was shocked by his reaction to the incident, as if he was the one causing the problem.

"I'm not the one with my head up my arse, am I?" He sarcastically pointed out.

"Are you disrespecting me?" The nobleman immediately started picking a fight with Oliver as he pushed him three times, until he ended up stumbling over to the tall man's table. Eric watched with concern as Oliver got up, heaving with anger "You want a fight? Well, fight like a man. Not a pussy."

Eric got up from his chair and pulled Oliver aside "It's not worth it... Let's just go..."

The nobleman challenged him further as he appeared to become more pugnacious and aggressive, he eventually beckoned him over to start a fight "Nah, you heard him... He should fight like a man, not a pussy, am I right?" He used his own words against him, so much that Oliver would eventually be pulled away by Eric, who was struggling for a fight.

"Oliver! It's not worth it hun..."

He sighed, feeling defeated as he moved back, like a coward away from the scene of the fight. He had always taught himself to defend his own honor if people chose to chip away at it, but this time it was a different society, it was best to simply reign himself in and be normal.