[Indraneel/Ravindra] - dragons don't get jokes
Who:
Indraneel
Ravindra
When: Same night as his conversation w/Damica, but much later.
Where: The Hour
Rating & Warnings: PG for some language I think, idr, PG is my safe rating.
Ravi heads over to the Hour to see Amelia and runs into his dragon buddy instead.
The situation in town was scary. Very scary. To say nothing of Ravindra's own personal situation, which was still scary, even if he'd gotten the more irrational parts of his fear worked out talking to Damica. And then there was Sofia demanding he bring Amelia home, everyone working double shifts, the prospect of not being able to see Alex indefinitely until this whole thing blew over, and the worry that Rasmus's abnormal size would make him a target if he did run into this mob on the streets--Ravi was pretty stressed out.
He was on his way to the Hour now, tired and anxious after a very long patrol shift. It was Amelia he was coming to see, to give her a refresher on her swordplay, but he had his satchel with him, carrying his knitting and the clothes he had to give Indraneel. Might as well get both things taken care of in one trip.
He had no trouble getting past the guards at the gates, being still in his uniform armour, and he made his way through the halls toward Amelia's room. She wouldn't be in her workshop this late, he figured.
While everyone stressed over the whole situation with murder and mobs and guards and such, Indraneel spent most of his time exploring the Golden Hour, climbing its walls, peeking into every crevice, harassing its members (those that didn't seem too upset by everything - it was difficult to figure out how to comfort someone you didn't know), and so on. He didn't dare leave the Hour with everything that was going on, even though he didn't really know what was going on. Just that he'd been warned to be careful, and the ledgers had said to stay inside. Which meant no trips to the woods for the moment.
Presently, he was above, claws struggling to find footholds in the ceiling. Climbing was fun! Ceilings were tricky but always a challenge! Challenges were fun! That made his attempts doubly fun!
Of course, he didn't always succeed. And this was one of those times. His foot slipped, claws scrambling, and the movement caused his other feet to lose their hold, the dragon tumbling from the ceiling and landing on his back with a thud. A few feet in front of Ravindra.
The dragon laid there for a moment, tailtip twitching, before he struggled to right himself. He didn't notice the man's presence right away, but when he did, he straightened, leaned back on his haunches, and blinked up at him. Not that he had far up to look, his current posture putting him at about four feet in height. He peered at this guy he'd never seen in the Hour before, the armour putting the dragon somewhat on edge. People in armour tended to try to hurt him.
Oh. That was unexpected. Ravindra stopped dead in his tracks, staring at the small purple thing in front of him. Was...was that a dragon? A drakon? His eyebrows rose as he watched the creature sit up and stare back at him.
Was this Indraneel? Oh man. What if it wasn't, though? He'd embarrass himself just assuming it was. How could he check without asking? WAIT--BRILLIANT.
"Namaste," he said. Indraneel would know it was him, and anybody else could just write it off as a foreign greeting.
The dragon was suddenly at attention, whiskers perked, eyes wide. "Namaste!" he replied, a smile spreading across his muzzle. "You are Ravindra, yes?" he asked in English, actually forgetting for a moment that he could speak Hindi if this was him, despite the greeting. He'd been speaking English since he got here!
Then he paused, poking his snout forward to peer at the armour. This time he spoke in Hindi, "Are you a warrior?" While most of the city would easily recognize the markings of the Guard, he hadn't been out into the city but for that trip through it in Olinda's basket.
Success! The excited response actually managed to get a smile out of Ravi, slight but genuine. "Yes," he answered, also in English.
He knelt, with one arm resting across his knee, to put himself closer to eye-level with Indraneel. This was the first time he'd seen an obviously non-human Other up close before. He'd never seen Alex as a bat, and the most he'd gotten of Rasmus's true form were glimpses in the midst of a fight. That, and the fact that he had a childhood's worth of stories about drakones, made Indraneel very fascinating.
The question gave him pause. After his conversation with Damica, he wasn't sure how to answer that. Before, he would confidently say yes and keep his uncertainty to himself. But he didn't feel right saying that now, when he was sure karma was telling him he'd never really be a warrior despite living like one.
He decided to answer the question while avoiding the implication. "I'm a member of the Guard," he said, in Hindi, though the organization's name was in English. "It's our job to protect the people of the city."
"Ah!" He probably found Ravindra as fascinating as the man found him. A human that wasn't afraid of him! While the Hour had many, they didn't speak Hindi, which made this one special.
Indraneel's eyes were wild at that bit of knowledge, the dragon overflowing with questions about what was going on and if it would be over soon. "You'll get rid of the people doing the killing then? Make the city safe again so people can go out again and stop being afraid?" Man it's been a long time since he had anyone to speak to in Hindi! Even if it wasn't technically his native tongue, being drakon and all.
The childlike optimism got a wistful sort of half-smile out of Ravi. "I'll try," he said. The situation was complicated, of course, and it wasn't as though he could single-handedly drag every single member of the mob to justice himself. But he was doing as much as he could, getting his people out there and looking. That was a lot to try to explain to somebody who sounded as naive as Indraneel, though.
"You'll know when it's safe," he said, instead of trying to go into the details. "Until then, stay here."
The dragon frowned. Nobody ever told him anything! It wasn't fair! Hmph. He nodded to Ravindra, "I am. Magus told us to stay in." He used the term Magus as a name title. "Though I couldn't understand the whole thing, I thought it was better to listen since I don't want them to not welcome me back." As almost an afterthought, he added, "And if you have family here I thought it safer if I stayed in case something happened."
Oh, speaking of people his new friend knew... The dragon got a very curious look on his face, suddenly. "What sort of creature hunts as a bat but kills as a man, yet doesn't eat the meat of his kill?" Yay riddles!
Why the frown? Was he expecting more of an explanation? Did a frown from a dragon even mean the same thing as a frown from a human? Ravindra frowned too, but his was a thoughtful, puzzled sort. It faded when Indraneel mentioned Ravi's family at the Hour, though. "You stayed to help watch over my goddaughter? That's thoughtful of you." How old was Indraneel, anyway? Obviously as a drakon he was probably centuries old, but Ravi was talking to him like he would a child. He realized this suddenly, and knowing that made it feel a bit awkward.
But he was successfully distracted from that with the question that followed. His eyebrows rose and he didn't try to hide his surprise. There was only one person he knew of in Tyrol that fit that description, but it couldn't be--could it? "Where did you meet such a creature?" he asked.
"Em." Was the dragon's initial response. He glanced around the two to ensure there wasn't anyone too close. Such a secretive dragon! Not that they'd understand him anyway since nobody else here knew Hindi but you can never be too sure about secrets! "In the woods. Before that man was killed. He was a bat, and I didn't realize he wasn't a bat, so I chased him." The dragon grinned broadly, then, and actually let out a laugh. "He flew into a tree!" That grin faded, as though he'd suddenly remembered the bat said he'd been friends with Ravindra. "Oh, but I didn't eat him. He's all right. He said he's a friend of yours. But he wouldn't tell me what he was, and I've never seen or heard of a creature of that type before. There are none like that in India."
Oh, it was Alex. And he'd been chased into a tree. Ravi could just picture the look on his face; it was glorious. He started laughing. And then he couldn't stop, because a drakon chasing Alex into a tree.
When he finally calmed down, wiping tears from his eyes because it was that fucking hilarious oh my god, he managed, between the lingering giggles, "He is--he is a friend of mine--yes. I'm glad you didn't eat him."
And then a pause, to just breathe, to keep himself from bursting into laughter again--he was going to have to mention this just to see Alex's reaction. Finally, seemingly having calmed down enough to keep his amusement at bay, he looked up at Indraneel and said, "He wouldn't tell you what he was because he's afraid of what people will do if they find out. He is a type of non-human that is greatly feared."
Indraneel certainly wasn't expecting such an outburst of a reaction, but he was pleased! So much so that his tail started to wag as he smiled wide, watching Ravi laugh. He liked making people laugh! "He was too small to eat. Not much meat on a bat. But I'm teaching him how to fly while being chased."
The dragon's tufts twitched as he looked thoughtful. "You're the only one I'd tell, and only because he said he is your friend." He paused. "Oh, but he's only just met me, so he probably doesn't trust me."
Ah, the drakon wagging its tail, that was adorable. (It's not a cat, Ravi, don't try to pet it. But...so tempting...!)
"Yes, I imagine he does not," he answered. "Perhaps if you get to know him better, he'll be comfortable enough to tell you." Ravi wasn't going to tell him because Alex did trust him, and even if he had Indraneel's word that he wouldn't tell, it would be Ravi's fault if he slipped up and it got out. Not a breach of trust he was willing to risk. "I'm sure you'll have the chance, if you're going to be teaching him how to fly better."
"Mm." The dragon looked pensive for a moment, then smiled, brushing that aside. It would take time for people to get used to him, he knew. At least they weren't chasing him off with pitchforks!
"You're here to see your family, yes?" Even in Hindi he used that word a lot. He wanted to ask about that gift he'd been promised, but that would be rude! He's a polite drakon!
Sadly the pitchforks were a very real danger right now if he ventured outside the Hour.
"My goddaughter, yes. But I also came to give you the clothes you asked for." Look Indraneel you didn't even need to remind him! He pulled the satchel in front of him and dug out the dhoti and sherwani he'd asked his sister to get for him. They were made from Balfour's material's, not India's, but the craftsmanship was good and they'd do for somebody just looking for a sense of familiarity. Ravi held them out to the dragon, wondering about Indraneel's human form--of course he had a human form, didn't they always?
The dragon perked right up, clapping his forepaws together like an excited child, big smile plastered across his face. Which even showed off teeth! Very sharp teeth. If he smiled like that often it's no wonder he gets chased off so much...
"Oh, thank you, thank you!" he said, eager to get his paws on the new items, which he hugged to his dragon chest. Then he looked around, started to dash off, paused, and turned back to Ravi. "One moment, yes? I do not think it would be appreciated if I changed here." With that, he dashed off to the nearest unoccupied room.
The six-foot-one, barefoot Indian man that stepped out not long after was certainly no child, as some may have expected. The sherwani was in place, draping down his frame, while he was still adjusting the dhoti about his waist. The clothes left his tanned chest bare.
Once he was satisfied with the dhoti's arrangement, he clapped his hands together and bowed graciously to Ravindra, bright smile on his face. He was quite pleased! "Thank you! It's so good to have something comfortable to wear."
Ah, that smile was a little bit terrifying. Even knowing it was an intelligent creature displaying a positive reaction, Ravi couldn't help the flash of primal fear triggered by his danger instinct. But he didn't have to worry about it very long, because the dragon's excitement snapped him out of it. "Yes, of course," he answered, rising as Indraneel ran off to change.
What emerged surprised him. Definitely not a child. Very handsome, though--curse non-humans for being able to pick attractive forms at their whim. "You are welcome," Ravi answered, automatically, before folding his arms and frowning up at Indraneel. "Why does every non-human I meet have to be so tall?"
"Ah?" Indraneel looked down at himself as though examining his own height, hands smoothing down the fabric of the sherwani, then back to Ravindra. "I am sorry. This is what I look like when I become human. Well, as a man. I could have chosen to be a woman but I preferred male." Yes that's right drakones got to choose their human gender. He suddenly looked concerned. "Is it a bad form?"
"To be tall?" The frown turned into a perplexed look. And then, jokingly, "Yes, very bad form. It's rude to be so tall around short people."
The bit about choosing to be a man was curious but that wasn't really the sort of thing you could just ask somebody about. Ravi knew that drakones, when they took on a human form, usually appeared as beautiful women. (So it made sense for Indraneel to be a beautiful man, then.) He did wonder why Indraneel had gone against that tradition, but. Well. Again, not the sort of thing you just ask someone.
Indraneel's face fell. It's not his fault he's so tall! :( He bowed deep to Ravindra, all but prostrating himself to the man as he mumbled, "I am sorry. So sorry." He started to back away to go change back to his drakon form which is shorter that would be better right?? What is a joke???
...That was not the reaction he expected. Awkwaaaard. Ravi glanced around to make sure there was nobody to see because fuuuck how embarrassing. He held his hands up, placating or halting or really a combination of the two. "No, no, stop, get up--a joke, only. I was not serious."
Well that just confused him. Though he did stop moving away, he did bow once more before standing upright again. Slouching, though. He gave Ravindra a perplexed look. "I am sorry. I have not... dealt with humans very much. My family did not really do jokes. Mostly pranks. Like when my sister had me convinced that sacrifices were meant for drakones to eat." A brief smile flickered across his face before fading. "That did not end well..."
Suddenly brushing that aside, he offered Ravindra an apologetic smile. "Ah, you may have to explain these jokes to me."
Oh wow what did you even say to that, the bit about eating sacrifices. Ravi forced a polite smile that was really more of a wince. He shouldn't have made the joke in the first place. Note to self: drakones don't get jokes.
Talking to Indraneel was so much easier when he was a dragon, Ravi decided. Because then he could treat his naivete as a childlike lack of understanding and didn't have to worry about the human social norms that came along with talking to people who looked like humans.
"A joke is..." How did you explain this to somebody who didn't understand? "Like a prank, but with words. It's something that isn't true, so when you say it like it is true, it's funny."
What are human social norms? This drakon certainly didn't know!
Indraneel nodded, his smile growing as the situation seemed to settle. At least to him. "I will have to be careful of what I believe, then. Though I'm not sure that will be easy." He offered Ravindra another bow. "Oh, but you wished to visit with your family. I am keeping you from that, am I not?"
Yeah, and Ravi would be careful not to make jokes around Indraneel anymore. Having to explain them every time would get tedious really fast.
Indraneel gave him an out and he took it. They could talk again when Ravi wasn't still stuck on the embarrassing response to a simple joke. "Ah, yes, but don't worry about it. I'm glad I ran into you." (Not a lie; getting to talk Hindi face to face with somebody that wasn't his sister was pretty great, and he HAD planned to meet him anyway to give him those clothes.) "We'll talk again later."
Indraneel bowed his head, hands clasped. He's very polite! "Thank you again! I shall look forward to speaking with you again! Namaste!"
Though the drakon didn't really have anywhere specific to go, he smoothed down the fabric of his new clothes and started down the hall. Even though he planned on staying within the Hour, it would still be easier to approach people as a human than to try and do so as a dragon! Who could he find to pester...
Indraneel
Ravindra
When: Same night as his conversation w/Damica, but much later.
Where: The Hour
Rating & Warnings: PG for some language I think, idr, PG is my safe rating.
Ravi heads over to the Hour to see Amelia and runs into his dragon buddy instead.
The situation in town was scary. Very scary. To say nothing of Ravindra's own personal situation, which was still scary, even if he'd gotten the more irrational parts of his fear worked out talking to Damica. And then there was Sofia demanding he bring Amelia home, everyone working double shifts, the prospect of not being able to see Alex indefinitely until this whole thing blew over, and the worry that Rasmus's abnormal size would make him a target if he did run into this mob on the streets--Ravi was pretty stressed out.
He was on his way to the Hour now, tired and anxious after a very long patrol shift. It was Amelia he was coming to see, to give her a refresher on her swordplay, but he had his satchel with him, carrying his knitting and the clothes he had to give Indraneel. Might as well get both things taken care of in one trip.
He had no trouble getting past the guards at the gates, being still in his uniform armour, and he made his way through the halls toward Amelia's room. She wouldn't be in her workshop this late, he figured.
While everyone stressed over the whole situation with murder and mobs and guards and such, Indraneel spent most of his time exploring the Golden Hour, climbing its walls, peeking into every crevice, harassing its members (those that didn't seem too upset by everything - it was difficult to figure out how to comfort someone you didn't know), and so on. He didn't dare leave the Hour with everything that was going on, even though he didn't really know what was going on. Just that he'd been warned to be careful, and the ledgers had said to stay inside. Which meant no trips to the woods for the moment.
Presently, he was above, claws struggling to find footholds in the ceiling. Climbing was fun! Ceilings were tricky but always a challenge! Challenges were fun! That made his attempts doubly fun!
Of course, he didn't always succeed. And this was one of those times. His foot slipped, claws scrambling, and the movement caused his other feet to lose their hold, the dragon tumbling from the ceiling and landing on his back with a thud. A few feet in front of Ravindra.
The dragon laid there for a moment, tailtip twitching, before he struggled to right himself. He didn't notice the man's presence right away, but when he did, he straightened, leaned back on his haunches, and blinked up at him. Not that he had far up to look, his current posture putting him at about four feet in height. He peered at this guy he'd never seen in the Hour before, the armour putting the dragon somewhat on edge. People in armour tended to try to hurt him.
Oh. That was unexpected. Ravindra stopped dead in his tracks, staring at the small purple thing in front of him. Was...was that a dragon? A drakon? His eyebrows rose as he watched the creature sit up and stare back at him.
Was this Indraneel? Oh man. What if it wasn't, though? He'd embarrass himself just assuming it was. How could he check without asking? WAIT--BRILLIANT.
"Namaste," he said. Indraneel would know it was him, and anybody else could just write it off as a foreign greeting.
The dragon was suddenly at attention, whiskers perked, eyes wide. "Namaste!" he replied, a smile spreading across his muzzle. "You are Ravindra, yes?" he asked in English, actually forgetting for a moment that he could speak Hindi if this was him, despite the greeting. He'd been speaking English since he got here!
Then he paused, poking his snout forward to peer at the armour. This time he spoke in Hindi, "Are you a warrior?" While most of the city would easily recognize the markings of the Guard, he hadn't been out into the city but for that trip through it in Olinda's basket.
Success! The excited response actually managed to get a smile out of Ravi, slight but genuine. "Yes," he answered, also in English.
He knelt, with one arm resting across his knee, to put himself closer to eye-level with Indraneel. This was the first time he'd seen an obviously non-human Other up close before. He'd never seen Alex as a bat, and the most he'd gotten of Rasmus's true form were glimpses in the midst of a fight. That, and the fact that he had a childhood's worth of stories about drakones, made Indraneel very fascinating.
The question gave him pause. After his conversation with Damica, he wasn't sure how to answer that. Before, he would confidently say yes and keep his uncertainty to himself. But he didn't feel right saying that now, when he was sure karma was telling him he'd never really be a warrior despite living like one.
He decided to answer the question while avoiding the implication. "I'm a member of the Guard," he said, in Hindi, though the organization's name was in English. "It's our job to protect the people of the city."
"Ah!" He probably found Ravindra as fascinating as the man found him. A human that wasn't afraid of him! While the Hour had many, they didn't speak Hindi, which made this one special.
Indraneel's eyes were wild at that bit of knowledge, the dragon overflowing with questions about what was going on and if it would be over soon. "You'll get rid of the people doing the killing then? Make the city safe again so people can go out again and stop being afraid?" Man it's been a long time since he had anyone to speak to in Hindi! Even if it wasn't technically his native tongue, being drakon and all.
The childlike optimism got a wistful sort of half-smile out of Ravi. "I'll try," he said. The situation was complicated, of course, and it wasn't as though he could single-handedly drag every single member of the mob to justice himself. But he was doing as much as he could, getting his people out there and looking. That was a lot to try to explain to somebody who sounded as naive as Indraneel, though.
"You'll know when it's safe," he said, instead of trying to go into the details. "Until then, stay here."
The dragon frowned. Nobody ever told him anything! It wasn't fair! Hmph. He nodded to Ravindra, "I am. Magus told us to stay in." He used the term Magus as a name title. "Though I couldn't understand the whole thing, I thought it was better to listen since I don't want them to not welcome me back." As almost an afterthought, he added, "And if you have family here I thought it safer if I stayed in case something happened."
Oh, speaking of people his new friend knew... The dragon got a very curious look on his face, suddenly. "What sort of creature hunts as a bat but kills as a man, yet doesn't eat the meat of his kill?" Yay riddles!
Why the frown? Was he expecting more of an explanation? Did a frown from a dragon even mean the same thing as a frown from a human? Ravindra frowned too, but his was a thoughtful, puzzled sort. It faded when Indraneel mentioned Ravi's family at the Hour, though. "You stayed to help watch over my goddaughter? That's thoughtful of you." How old was Indraneel, anyway? Obviously as a drakon he was probably centuries old, but Ravi was talking to him like he would a child. He realized this suddenly, and knowing that made it feel a bit awkward.
But he was successfully distracted from that with the question that followed. His eyebrows rose and he didn't try to hide his surprise. There was only one person he knew of in Tyrol that fit that description, but it couldn't be--could it? "Where did you meet such a creature?" he asked.
"Em." Was the dragon's initial response. He glanced around the two to ensure there wasn't anyone too close. Such a secretive dragon! Not that they'd understand him anyway since nobody else here knew Hindi but you can never be too sure about secrets! "In the woods. Before that man was killed. He was a bat, and I didn't realize he wasn't a bat, so I chased him." The dragon grinned broadly, then, and actually let out a laugh. "He flew into a tree!" That grin faded, as though he'd suddenly remembered the bat said he'd been friends with Ravindra. "Oh, but I didn't eat him. He's all right. He said he's a friend of yours. But he wouldn't tell me what he was, and I've never seen or heard of a creature of that type before. There are none like that in India."
Oh, it was Alex. And he'd been chased into a tree. Ravi could just picture the look on his face; it was glorious. He started laughing. And then he couldn't stop, because a drakon chasing Alex into a tree.
When he finally calmed down, wiping tears from his eyes because it was that fucking hilarious oh my god, he managed, between the lingering giggles, "He is--he is a friend of mine--yes. I'm glad you didn't eat him."
And then a pause, to just breathe, to keep himself from bursting into laughter again--he was going to have to mention this just to see Alex's reaction. Finally, seemingly having calmed down enough to keep his amusement at bay, he looked up at Indraneel and said, "He wouldn't tell you what he was because he's afraid of what people will do if they find out. He is a type of non-human that is greatly feared."
Indraneel certainly wasn't expecting such an outburst of a reaction, but he was pleased! So much so that his tail started to wag as he smiled wide, watching Ravi laugh. He liked making people laugh! "He was too small to eat. Not much meat on a bat. But I'm teaching him how to fly while being chased."
The dragon's tufts twitched as he looked thoughtful. "You're the only one I'd tell, and only because he said he is your friend." He paused. "Oh, but he's only just met me, so he probably doesn't trust me."
Ah, the drakon wagging its tail, that was adorable. (It's not a cat, Ravi, don't try to pet it. But...so tempting...!)
"Yes, I imagine he does not," he answered. "Perhaps if you get to know him better, he'll be comfortable enough to tell you." Ravi wasn't going to tell him because Alex did trust him, and even if he had Indraneel's word that he wouldn't tell, it would be Ravi's fault if he slipped up and it got out. Not a breach of trust he was willing to risk. "I'm sure you'll have the chance, if you're going to be teaching him how to fly better."
"Mm." The dragon looked pensive for a moment, then smiled, brushing that aside. It would take time for people to get used to him, he knew. At least they weren't chasing him off with pitchforks!
"You're here to see your family, yes?" Even in Hindi he used that word a lot. He wanted to ask about that gift he'd been promised, but that would be rude! He's a polite drakon!
Sadly the pitchforks were a very real danger right now if he ventured outside the Hour.
"My goddaughter, yes. But I also came to give you the clothes you asked for." Look Indraneel you didn't even need to remind him! He pulled the satchel in front of him and dug out the dhoti and sherwani he'd asked his sister to get for him. They were made from Balfour's material's, not India's, but the craftsmanship was good and they'd do for somebody just looking for a sense of familiarity. Ravi held them out to the dragon, wondering about Indraneel's human form--of course he had a human form, didn't they always?
The dragon perked right up, clapping his forepaws together like an excited child, big smile plastered across his face. Which even showed off teeth! Very sharp teeth. If he smiled like that often it's no wonder he gets chased off so much...
"Oh, thank you, thank you!" he said, eager to get his paws on the new items, which he hugged to his dragon chest. Then he looked around, started to dash off, paused, and turned back to Ravi. "One moment, yes? I do not think it would be appreciated if I changed here." With that, he dashed off to the nearest unoccupied room.
The six-foot-one, barefoot Indian man that stepped out not long after was certainly no child, as some may have expected. The sherwani was in place, draping down his frame, while he was still adjusting the dhoti about his waist. The clothes left his tanned chest bare.
Once he was satisfied with the dhoti's arrangement, he clapped his hands together and bowed graciously to Ravindra, bright smile on his face. He was quite pleased! "Thank you! It's so good to have something comfortable to wear."
Ah, that smile was a little bit terrifying. Even knowing it was an intelligent creature displaying a positive reaction, Ravi couldn't help the flash of primal fear triggered by his danger instinct. But he didn't have to worry about it very long, because the dragon's excitement snapped him out of it. "Yes, of course," he answered, rising as Indraneel ran off to change.
What emerged surprised him. Definitely not a child. Very handsome, though--curse non-humans for being able to pick attractive forms at their whim. "You are welcome," Ravi answered, automatically, before folding his arms and frowning up at Indraneel. "Why does every non-human I meet have to be so tall?"
"Ah?" Indraneel looked down at himself as though examining his own height, hands smoothing down the fabric of the sherwani, then back to Ravindra. "I am sorry. This is what I look like when I become human. Well, as a man. I could have chosen to be a woman but I preferred male." Yes that's right drakones got to choose their human gender. He suddenly looked concerned. "Is it a bad form?"
"To be tall?" The frown turned into a perplexed look. And then, jokingly, "Yes, very bad form. It's rude to be so tall around short people."
The bit about choosing to be a man was curious but that wasn't really the sort of thing you could just ask somebody about. Ravi knew that drakones, when they took on a human form, usually appeared as beautiful women. (So it made sense for Indraneel to be a beautiful man, then.) He did wonder why Indraneel had gone against that tradition, but. Well. Again, not the sort of thing you just ask someone.
Indraneel's face fell. It's not his fault he's so tall! :( He bowed deep to Ravindra, all but prostrating himself to the man as he mumbled, "I am sorry. So sorry." He started to back away to go change back to his drakon form which is shorter that would be better right?? What is a joke???
...That was not the reaction he expected. Awkwaaaard. Ravi glanced around to make sure there was nobody to see because fuuuck how embarrassing. He held his hands up, placating or halting or really a combination of the two. "No, no, stop, get up--a joke, only. I was not serious."
Well that just confused him. Though he did stop moving away, he did bow once more before standing upright again. Slouching, though. He gave Ravindra a perplexed look. "I am sorry. I have not... dealt with humans very much. My family did not really do jokes. Mostly pranks. Like when my sister had me convinced that sacrifices were meant for drakones to eat." A brief smile flickered across his face before fading. "That did not end well..."
Suddenly brushing that aside, he offered Ravindra an apologetic smile. "Ah, you may have to explain these jokes to me."
Oh wow what did you even say to that, the bit about eating sacrifices. Ravi forced a polite smile that was really more of a wince. He shouldn't have made the joke in the first place. Note to self: drakones don't get jokes.
Talking to Indraneel was so much easier when he was a dragon, Ravi decided. Because then he could treat his naivete as a childlike lack of understanding and didn't have to worry about the human social norms that came along with talking to people who looked like humans.
"A joke is..." How did you explain this to somebody who didn't understand? "Like a prank, but with words. It's something that isn't true, so when you say it like it is true, it's funny."
What are human social norms? This drakon certainly didn't know!
Indraneel nodded, his smile growing as the situation seemed to settle. At least to him. "I will have to be careful of what I believe, then. Though I'm not sure that will be easy." He offered Ravindra another bow. "Oh, but you wished to visit with your family. I am keeping you from that, am I not?"
Yeah, and Ravi would be careful not to make jokes around Indraneel anymore. Having to explain them every time would get tedious really fast.
Indraneel gave him an out and he took it. They could talk again when Ravi wasn't still stuck on the embarrassing response to a simple joke. "Ah, yes, but don't worry about it. I'm glad I ran into you." (Not a lie; getting to talk Hindi face to face with somebody that wasn't his sister was pretty great, and he HAD planned to meet him anyway to give him those clothes.) "We'll talk again later."
Indraneel bowed his head, hands clasped. He's very polite! "Thank you again! I shall look forward to speaking with you again! Namaste!"
Though the drakon didn't really have anywhere specific to go, he smoothed down the fabric of his new clothes and started down the hall. Even though he planned on staying within the Hour, it would still be easier to approach people as a human than to try and do so as a dragon! Who could he find to pester...