[Indeed, it is. It is odd, and it is uniquely terrible- to be frozen in time in the singular moment of the worst thing that had ever happened to you. ...That was, until things got even worse with Cazador himself. Tav had hardly scratched the surface of it. Yet he has seen the scars. And even those are horrifying.
But. The parasite, for all of the problems that presents, has enabled Astarion to make his escape. To be free of him- at least for now. Regardless of how many Gur trackers that were sent.
He lowers his head slightly, the slight breath of a laugh laced underneath his words.]
Let's. I'm finding I'm enjoying myself. And if we take our crossbows, we'll be fine. Mostly.
[Strange as it sounds, strange as it feels, there's a very understated joy in this. Not just in the fact that he gets to gaze down at someone oh so very beautiful as they half-doze upon his lap. Astarion is beautiful, after all. But as the night sky is dark and daytime sky is blue, that's a statement that's simply factual.
Instead, his contentment comes from the fact that the other appears entirely relaxed now. That simply sitting around and talking seems to be doing him some good. That for the first time in days, he does not seem to be preoccupied with being tracked, or in siphoning what information he can from the book found within the necromancer's basement.
Astarion must be somewhere closer to feeling contentment, too. Just the fact that Tav's not been (curtly) told to leave so far indicates as much. He turns quiet then, moving his hands away from Astarion's hair to lean back on his hands.
Some time passes. A minute? Ten? Who knows. Then...]
[ The tenderness is still something strange and unusual for Astarion, still something he is painfully adjusting to - but he wants more of this. He finds himself longing for the soft touches, the smiles, the way that he could reach out and stroke his hands over skin without the need for it to lead to something more. Being able to ask for it is a whole different matter entirely, however, and he doesn't feel as though he quite has the confidence for that level of vulnerability.
Things are progressing, however, and he is getting better. More comfortable. Settled. He can believe that there is something more to this, something real, and he doesn't want to let it go.
Smiling, he tilts his head, watching for a long moment. ]
Consider it a date, then, darling.
[ The tension has bled out of him, leaving him comfortable and settled, and he can simply allow himself to feel this. He can let himself take the comfort, the contentment, all of it - because it is permitted, with no hidden agenda. Astarion is starting to realise he doesn't need to read between the lines of this relationship: they care about one another, and there is no motive beyond caring.
When the hands move away, he tilts his head, pausing when he hears his name. ]
On Tav's side, perhaps his intentions weren't exactly pure the first time he was propositioned by Astarion at camp. In his defense, what had led to it- running the Gur hunter off for instance- was well and truly a decision made with good intentions in mind. As was that night when Astarion had tried to feed off him- of not immediately reaching for a stake, of hearing him out, and of doing his best to understand... and then of offering himself. Solely altruistic, better sense be damned- he hardly had good sense in abundance, anyway.
But yes. Taking Astarion up on his offer of a little fun, at the time, was certainly not anything close.
Even so, what had come after that proposition- the sight of Astarion's scars, a real, tangible display of Cazador's brutality, of identifying their language, of drawing them out so the other man could ponder them, rage over them, of just simply listening while he did all of this- brought about feeling within him. Something altogether more solid than the need to blow off as much steam as possible before ceremorphosis took them all.
He can't help but think, perhaps against what better sense he did have, that Astarion had changed somewhat, as well. Here, in the dim light of his tent, it certainly seemed that way. He's less hardened. Less brittle. Less likely to cut- with his words or... well, literally. If just for this moment.
So.]
...Sorry about your ear.
[He can't help but have a little mirth in his tone as he recalls Astarion's whole... take at being chewed upon while he was feeding- because. Well. the look on his face was priceless.]
[ It is an adjustment, a comfort, to find something or someone that he can let his guard down around. Astarion might never admit it or put it into words, but he is doing what he can to express it, to show the way that he feels now: the fact that he can trust in Tav to take care of him, to ensure his safety, to not hold what he says in anger or frustration against him.
It's painfully strange to admit, but Astarion is getting better at it the more time goes on. He is adjusting, and it's both frightening and wonderful.
Slowly, ever so slowly, the guard and armour he had built around himself has been dismantled, has been cut down and destroyed, and he has bared himself to Tav. From his scars, physical and emotional, to his vulnerabilities and the nature of who he is... Slowly but surely he has come to peace with it all. It's something he can accept now, something that allows him to start to think about the possibility of hope for the future. He'd never had that before.
Tav speaks, and Astarion can't help his little snort of a laugh, shaking his head. ]
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no subject
But. The parasite, for all of the problems that presents, has enabled Astarion to make his escape. To be free of him- at least for now. Regardless of how many Gur trackers that were sent.
He lowers his head slightly, the slight breath of a laugh laced underneath his words.]
Let's. I'm finding I'm enjoying myself. And if we take our crossbows, we'll be fine. Mostly.
[Strange as it sounds, strange as it feels, there's a very understated joy in this. Not just in the fact that he gets to gaze down at someone oh so very beautiful as they half-doze upon his lap. Astarion is beautiful, after all. But as the night sky is dark and daytime sky is blue, that's a statement that's simply factual.
Instead, his contentment comes from the fact that the other appears entirely relaxed now. That simply sitting around and talking seems to be doing him some good. That for the first time in days, he does not seem to be preoccupied with being tracked, or in siphoning what information he can from the book found within the necromancer's basement.
Astarion must be somewhere closer to feeling contentment, too. Just the fact that Tav's not been (curtly) told to leave so far indicates as much. He turns quiet then, moving his hands away from Astarion's hair to lean back on his hands.
Some time passes. A minute? Ten? Who knows. Then...]
Astarion?
no subject
Things are progressing, however, and he is getting better. More comfortable. Settled. He can believe that there is something more to this, something real, and he doesn't want to let it go.
Smiling, he tilts his head, watching for a long moment. ]
Consider it a date, then, darling.
[ The tension has bled out of him, leaving him comfortable and settled, and he can simply allow himself to feel this. He can let himself take the comfort, the contentment, all of it - because it is permitted, with no hidden agenda. Astarion is starting to realise he doesn't need to read between the lines of this relationship: they care about one another, and there is no motive beyond caring.
When the hands move away, he tilts his head, pausing when he hears his name. ]
Yes, darling?
no subject
On Tav's side, perhaps his intentions weren't exactly pure the first time he was propositioned by Astarion at camp. In his defense, what had led to it- running the Gur hunter off for instance- was well and truly a decision made with good intentions in mind. As was that night when Astarion had tried to feed off him- of not immediately reaching for a stake, of hearing him out, and of doing his best to understand... and then of offering himself. Solely altruistic, better sense be damned- he hardly had good sense in abundance, anyway.
But yes. Taking Astarion up on his offer of a little fun, at the time, was certainly not anything close.
Even so, what had come after that proposition- the sight of Astarion's scars, a real, tangible display of Cazador's brutality, of identifying their language, of drawing them out so the other man could ponder them, rage over them, of just simply listening while he did all of this- brought about feeling within him. Something altogether more solid than the need to blow off as much steam as possible before ceremorphosis took them all.
He can't help but think, perhaps against what better sense he did have, that Astarion had changed somewhat, as well. Here, in the dim light of his tent, it certainly seemed that way. He's less hardened. Less brittle. Less likely to cut- with his words or... well, literally. If just for this moment.
So.]
...Sorry about your ear.
[He can't help but have a little mirth in his tone as he recalls Astarion's whole... take at being chewed upon while he was feeding- because. Well. the look on his face was priceless.]
no subject
It's painfully strange to admit, but Astarion is getting better at it the more time goes on. He is adjusting, and it's both frightening and wonderful.
Slowly, ever so slowly, the guard and armour he had built around himself has been dismantled, has been cut down and destroyed, and he has bared himself to Tav. From his scars, physical and emotional, to his vulnerabilities and the nature of who he is... Slowly but surely he has come to peace with it all. It's something he can accept now, something that allows him to start to think about the possibility of hope for the future. He'd never had that before.
Tav speaks, and Astarion can't help his little snort of a laugh, shaking his head. ]
You are very forgiven, I assure you.