( And she's true to her word, not taking long to get back to the place they'd started to consider a home. Or at least a place as much as home as their usual campgrounds. She's happy to be back, happy to know Astarion is still here, though she can't imagine how he might feel. About being left alone, to fend for himself.
Shit. So Karlach swallows thickly before she knocks and lets herself in, shoulders relaxing as things look relatively the same. )
[ The utter relief he feels at her return is overwhelming, and he pushes himself up as soon as he hears her lumbering up the ladder. Another time, he might make some comment about anyone and everyone hearing her coming, but now isn't the time.
He's glad she's back, a bubble of warmth inside of him, and he goes to meet her with a scowl. ]
( She's so relieved to see him that she can't help but rush to him, whisking him up into a brief but heartfelt hug. To reassure herself that he's as fine as he seems, that nothing bad has happened to him in her absence. To reassure him that she's back and here -- Karlach sets him down gently, too, but keeps her hands on his shoulders unless he shrugs her off.
He's alright, and while she can't quite find it in her to forgive herself for vanishing and leaving him alone, they can make up for it. She'll make it up to him, somehow. )
Couldn't stay away, me. Got back to our world and found it missing my favorite vampire. Definitely not worth staying without you.
( She jokes, knowing Astarion's own proclivities for dancing around the truth and hiding it behind jabs, of how alone he must have felt in her absense. Karlach just doesn't think about the anger, the unfairness, all the other things that bubble just beneath her skin. It's better that way. )
[ If it was any other time, Astarion would turn into more of a hissing cat, a feral creature too uncomfortable to admit that he wants to embrace her. He had missed her, for all that he might find fault with her optimism and her energy, and the idea of her disappearing and leaving him here alone had been an uncomfortable one.
He doesn't shrug her off. He stands and accepts the weight of her, because he had missed it, damningly. ]
And the others? They're going to be heartbroken to hear that you're so ready to abandon them to their wiggly fates.
[ Glancing away shyly, he crosses his arms and scoffs. ]
( He's cute when he's shy, Karlach thinks, her smile growing slightly wider. Not at his discomfort, but at the emotion he's letting himself feel enough to try and hide it. He does care. )
Oh, they'll manage somehow. It didn't feel like any time at all had passed back home, oddly enough. So they'll be waiting for us whenever we managed to end up there -- together.
( She says, squeezing his shoulders. She's not going to leave him alone again if she can help it. )
[ The immediate desire to push her away and go and settle down somewhere to sulk is painful, but he stops himself from leaning too desperately into it. He likes Karlach; she's earned the bare minimum. ]
Marvellous. I have so much to look forward when we get back, then, don't I?
[ Waking up in Cazador's basement. Disgusting. Nose wrinkling, he steps away and motions. ]
Sit down and eat something instead of just standing there.
It won't be all bad, Astarion. We'll be there with you.
( To help him face Cazador. To be there when he has to make that decision on whether or not he's going to damn his soul or save it. Whatever he picks -- well, Karlach knows what she wants him to do. But it wouldn't be fair to him to make that decision for him. He has to do it on his own.
Astarion deserves the choice. Not only because he's been robbed of one ever since becoming a spawn, but because he's the one that has to live with it after.
Still, it's not all doom and gloom. Karlach gives him a final, hopeful squeeze of his arms before letting him go and rummaging around for something -- dried fruit, Gale's leftovers. Finding something with a fair amount of meet, Karlach settles and begins to tear into it. )
I missed you. I mean, you were back there too, but I missed this. Our treehouse and not having to worry. ( About her engine. About Astarion shriveling up and burning to dust in the sun. Little things like that. ) It's nice.
[ Astarion isn't sure if that would make it easier or worse, all things considered. He wants to be able to destroy Cazador, rip power from his hands and claim it for himself, but the issue with that is whether his companions would allow it. He can very easily picture them turning away from him and damning him for his choice, at the sacrifice, of all the lives that would have to be lost in the process.
Even someone as kind and gentle as Karlach would turn against him.
Stepping away from her, he leans against a nearby wall with his arms crossed, attention still settled on her. The relief at having her back is mixed up with his own comfort, knowing that he will be softer with her company. He had settled into a rhythm to try and keep himself safe, but with Karlach here... Does he need that?
( Karlach, in the middle of stuffing her face, knows that 'mm'. Knows that Astarion wants power more than anything, power to keep himself safe. But that won't save him, Karlach thinks. Power hasn't saved anyone, it's just fucked them over.
She should know.
But she can't tell that to him without him bringing it up first. He likely knows where she stands with the whole thing, anyway. So onto other things. )
Yeah, but it's filled with people I like. Maybe we could fix it up? Give it a little homey touch or something to get it up to your taste.
[ Astarion cannot see a future where he doesn't have the power to do what he wants and needs to do; for him, there is no option beyond hijacking Cazador's ritual for himself. Otherwise, he'll be trapped, stuck in the darkness for the rest of his eternal life, and that isn't a suffering he can content with. Even if his sire were gone, he would still be bereft of colour, of joy, of the life that had been taken from him.
It's hard not to dwell on it, on his own impending doom, but he can at least attempt to focus on Karlach. For now. ]
What count as 'homey' for you? My home was filled with expensive, macabre art, dead bodies and torture chambers.
[ He shakes his head. ]
Or did you intend to live with Halsin and Gale, too?
( It isn't fair for either of them, is it? Her death, his future if he decides to do the right thing, to turn down all that power? Life is just so fucking unfair all the time, and she wishes there was a way to make it less. For the both of them. )
If they want to. It'd be like we're back at the Elf Song, only this time we better have private rooms. You're all great, but if I'm gonna enjoy any 'me' time--
( Karlach laughs too, at the airs. She appreciates Astarion's ability to shift from part to part -- it's useful when they need it, though she will always wish he didn't feel like he had to. )
And kick you out? Never. ( Because he belongs here just as much as she does. And she'll make sure he knows that. ) Tell me more about what I missed.
You can't tell me I missed my chance to dance with you and just expect me to shrug it off!
( Karlach says, with another grin. It's probably something she wouldn't have enjoyed beyond the novelty -- the dance, that is, and the finery -- it seemed too much like the sort of stuff the patriars got up for her her tastes. But the chance to dance with Astarion? That alone would have been worth it.
If he wanted to, of course. )
Sounds boring overall. Especially with what we came from.
You missed it entirely. Maybe the Overseer will take pity on you and host another one.
[ He didn't exactly do much in terms of dancing himself, mostly sticking to the shadows and enjoying the fresh blood that seemed to appear whenever he'd needed it. He hasn't been so full in weeks.
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Where are you? Because I owe you a fucking hug. And -- how have you been?
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I'll be there shortly.
( And she's true to her word, not taking long to get back to the place they'd started to consider a home. Or at least a place as much as home as their usual campgrounds. She's happy to be back, happy to know Astarion is still here, though she can't imagine how he might feel. About being left alone, to fend for himself.
Shit. So Karlach swallows thickly before she knocks and lets herself in, shoulders relaxing as things look relatively the same. )
Astarion? You there, Fangs?
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He's glad she's back, a bubble of warmth inside of him, and he goes to meet her with a scowl. ]
It took you long enough.
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He's alright, and while she can't quite find it in her to forgive herself for vanishing and leaving him alone, they can make up for it. She'll make it up to him, somehow. )
Couldn't stay away, me. Got back to our world and found it missing my favorite vampire. Definitely not worth staying without you.
( She jokes, knowing Astarion's own proclivities for dancing around the truth and hiding it behind jabs, of how alone he must have felt in her absense. Karlach just doesn't think about the anger, the unfairness, all the other things that bubble just beneath her skin. It's better that way. )
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He doesn't shrug her off. He stands and accepts the weight of her, because he had missed it, damningly. ]
And the others? They're going to be heartbroken to hear that you're so ready to abandon them to their wiggly fates.
[ Glancing away shyly, he crosses his arms and scoffs. ]
Well. At least you can move back in now.
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Oh, they'll manage somehow. It didn't feel like any time at all had passed back home, oddly enough. So they'll be waiting for us whenever we managed to end up there -- together.
( She says, squeezing his shoulders. She's not going to leave him alone again if she can help it. )
Thanks for holding the fort down for me.
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Marvellous. I have so much to look forward when we get back, then, don't I?
[ Waking up in Cazador's basement. Disgusting. Nose wrinkling, he steps away and motions. ]
Sit down and eat something instead of just standing there.
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( To help him face Cazador. To be there when he has to make that decision on whether or not he's going to damn his soul or save it. Whatever he picks -- well, Karlach knows what she wants him to do. But it wouldn't be fair to him to make that decision for him. He has to do it on his own.
Astarion deserves the choice. Not only because he's been robbed of one ever since becoming a spawn, but because he's the one that has to live with it after.
Still, it's not all doom and gloom. Karlach gives him a final, hopeful squeeze of his arms before letting him go and rummaging around for something -- dried fruit, Gale's leftovers. Finding something with a fair amount of meet, Karlach settles and begins to tear into it. )
I missed you. I mean, you were back there too, but I missed this. Our treehouse and not having to worry. ( About her engine. About Astarion shriveling up and burning to dust in the sun. Little things like that. ) It's nice.
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[ Astarion isn't sure if that would make it easier or worse, all things considered. He wants to be able to destroy Cazador, rip power from his hands and claim it for himself, but the issue with that is whether his companions would allow it. He can very easily picture them turning away from him and damning him for his choice, at the sacrifice, of all the lives that would have to be lost in the process.
Even someone as kind and gentle as Karlach would turn against him.
Stepping away from her, he leans against a nearby wall with his arms crossed, attention still settled on her. The relief at having her back is mixed up with his own comfort, knowing that he will be softer with her company. He had settled into a rhythm to try and keep himself safe, but with Karlach here... Does he need that?
He frowns. ]
Is it? It's dirty, and small.
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She should know.
But she can't tell that to him without him bringing it up first. He likely knows where she stands with the whole thing, anyway. So onto other things. )
Yeah, but it's filled with people I like. Maybe we could fix it up? Give it a little homey touch or something to get it up to your taste.
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It's hard not to dwell on it, on his own impending doom, but he can at least attempt to focus on Karlach. For now. ]
What count as 'homey' for you? My home was filled with expensive, macabre art, dead bodies and torture chambers.
[ He shakes his head. ]
Or did you intend to live with Halsin and Gale, too?
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If they want to. It'd be like we're back at the Elf Song, only this time we better have private rooms. You're all great, but if I'm gonna enjoy any 'me' time--
( Now that she can touch people. )
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[ He's not in the least bit offended, obviously, but he does have to play his part - he rolls his eyes, plays the role, and huffs a little laugh. ]
You could just ask for privacy.
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And kick you out? Never. ( Because he belongs here just as much as she does. And she'll make sure he knows that. ) Tell me more about what I missed.
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You barely missed anything at all. [ He shakes his head. ] A little finery, a dance, a labyrinth. A standard few weeks.
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( Karlach says, with another grin. It's probably something she wouldn't have enjoyed beyond the novelty -- the dance, that is, and the finery -- it seemed too much like the sort of stuff the patriars got up for her her tastes. But the chance to dance with Astarion? That alone would have been worth it.
If he wanted to, of course. )
Sounds boring overall. Especially with what we came from.
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[ He didn't exactly do much in terms of dancing himself, mostly sticking to the shadows and enjoying the fresh blood that seemed to appear whenever he'd needed it. He hasn't been so full in weeks.
Looking back over, his lips curl. ]
You could always just ask, darling.
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( That's true enough, and she levels him with a steady gaze. )
Wanna dance, Astarion? You'll have to show me all the fancy steps, unless you want to be tossed around like we do in the lower city.
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[ Looking up at her, thinking about trying to lead her... Well, she's so tall. ]
I can teach you.