[ Once upon a time, Astarion might have wilted at the notion of spending the rest of his long, eternal life in the Hells.
Coming back to the House of Hope as someone to languish there as a guest rather than as a desperate attempt to steal items under the gaze of a devil isn't what he had anticipated, but he had never thought that he would be so desperate to spend his days with Karlach, either. When the two of them had first met he had imagined her to be a dutiful protector, someone that he could use and manipulate to keep himself safe, but... It wasn't long until he realised it wasn't necessary for him to manipulate her at all.
She would protect him because she is, at heart, a good and wonderful person. It had been so painful for him to begin with, knowing she had been there in Baldur's Gate and would have, if she had known, tried to save him long before they had met, but he has forced himself to push those kinds of thoughts away. All it will do is make him sad and sour, and when he has finally found a place of happiness, finally found somewhere to belong... He does not want to ruin it with his own self-deprecating.
They're comfortable here, the two of them together, and he doesn't have to overthink the reasons why. He and Karlach have sworn to make the most of the life that she has, and the fact that she had agreed to this despite her fears means more to him than he could ever express. The idea of losing her when he had just found her was impossible to imagine, and until they can find a way to repair her heart for good, he will spend as long as it takes in the Hells themselves if it means he can stay with her.
It's not difficult to hear her approach, lacking stealth as she does without a reason to try, and he lifts his head from where he is lounging, content and pleased. Taking over the rooms of a rather indulgent devil does have enough perks for someone like Astarion who has often enjoyed the taste of the finer things in life, and his expression warms as he sees Karlach. He could be a little more verbose about his affection for her, but he thinks she knows.
He's here, is he not? He has his freedom, for whatever it is worth, and he has chosen to spend it with her. ]
My skin still acts like mortal skin, so yes. I will get more wrinkly than I already am, you can keep the jokes to yourself.
[ His eyes drag over her body as it's bared, and his lips curl a little. ]
Is that really what you want to talk about? Saggy, wrinkling skin?
no subject
Coming back to the House of Hope as someone to languish there as a guest rather than as a desperate attempt to steal items under the gaze of a devil isn't what he had anticipated, but he had never thought that he would be so desperate to spend his days with Karlach, either. When the two of them had first met he had imagined her to be a dutiful protector, someone that he could use and manipulate to keep himself safe, but... It wasn't long until he realised it wasn't necessary for him to manipulate her at all.
She would protect him because she is, at heart, a good and wonderful person. It had been so painful for him to begin with, knowing she had been there in Baldur's Gate and would have, if she had known, tried to save him long before they had met, but he has forced himself to push those kinds of thoughts away. All it will do is make him sad and sour, and when he has finally found a place of happiness, finally found somewhere to belong... He does not want to ruin it with his own self-deprecating.
They're comfortable here, the two of them together, and he doesn't have to overthink the reasons why. He and Karlach have sworn to make the most of the life that she has, and the fact that she had agreed to this despite her fears means more to him than he could ever express. The idea of losing her when he had just found her was impossible to imagine, and until they can find a way to repair her heart for good, he will spend as long as it takes in the Hells themselves if it means he can stay with her.
It's not difficult to hear her approach, lacking stealth as she does without a reason to try, and he lifts his head from where he is lounging, content and pleased. Taking over the rooms of a rather indulgent devil does have enough perks for someone like Astarion who has often enjoyed the taste of the finer things in life, and his expression warms as he sees Karlach. He could be a little more verbose about his affection for her, but he thinks she knows.
He's here, is he not? He has his freedom, for whatever it is worth, and he has chosen to spend it with her. ]
My skin still acts like mortal skin, so yes. I will get more wrinkly than I already am, you can keep the jokes to yourself.
[ His eyes drag over her body as it's bared, and his lips curl a little. ]
Is that really what you want to talk about? Saggy, wrinkling skin?