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[harderdaddy]

Text | Voice | Video | Action What are yah stupid? You know what ta do. kisses~

C

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[sixfeetofdirt]

"In the moment? Yes. In retrospect, no. It was - loathsome, actually."

He wouldn't be quite this forthcoming with everyone, but Angel saw how he perceives himself, in the fog. Even before that, he felt seen by him in a way that he doesn't with many others.

[harderdaddy]

"Eh, that's somethin', ain't it? Shitty feelin', but knowin' ya don' want that for yourself ain't bad," Angel offers. He might've tried to dismiss or distract from Astarion's concerns if the man hadn't invited him here specifically to share his experience. "What was it ya did that ya found so...loathsome?"

[sixfeetofdirt]

He invited him here specifically to tell him how he died, get a drink and catch up. The conversation just happens to have meandered this way, and he grimaces.

"What do people do to the ones closest to them when they have almost unlimited power, in your experience?"

Not 'do with' or 'do for'. Do to.

[harderdaddy]

It's an important distinction, and the demon makes a face as he considers his own past.
His father. Val.

"...Use 'em. Break 'em."

But he pauses, a conflicted crease of his brow as he thinks of Charlie.
"...piece 'em back together," he adds, less sure of that answer than the others.

[sixfeetofdirt]

Astarion scoffs bitterly into his glass.

"Maybe he'd have gotten around to that last one, given more than a few days," he says. "Though somehow I doubt it."

[harderdaddy]

Frowning, the demon thinks on it a moment. "...you ain't him. An' if livin' that made ya feel that way, then I don't think ya gotta worry about becomin' him. Even if ya suddenly had all the power in the world." Another beat. "...who'd ya hurt in there?"

[sixfeetofdirt]

Astarion shakes his head.

"I'm afraid that's between he and I, darling. Though I'm not concerned about him taking bloody revenge. He's...if anything, too fine about what happened, in my opinion."

[harderdaddy]

There's an accepting nod and Angel sighs. "Sounds messy. I'm sorry. Would ya feel better if he were mad about it?" Sometimes that's easier, if only because it gets it out in the open and dealt with. Or maybe just because it's expected.

[sixfeetofdirt]

"Yes. No? I don't know. I would prefer it if he cared about what happened to him at all, I suppose."

He gulps the wine. It is not a sip.

"Enough of that maudlin nonsense. How was it for you?"

[harderdaddy]

"Got ta be the family disappoint again," Angel offers with a smirk, "Old Man was shit in a whole new way. Cut me off once I started gettin' the family name too dirty with my shit. Popped those pills like they were the fun kinda drugs ta try and keep my mind straight."

[sixfeetofdirt]

"I suppose staying out of even the most benign institutions is fun in a sense," Astarion drawls. "Until my other self stopped having to worry about it altogether, he was just...scuttling around the city's underbelly like an insect, staying away from anyone who might try to 'help'."

In retrospect, it all feels extremely familiar.

backdated to after the flood

[verynormalturnipseller]

[He debated this for a while after coming back to himself, and came to the conclusion that he should do it over the network in case Angel wants space, and also, that he should really just come out and say it.]

Do you want to talk about it or not? Either is fine.

[He hopes the answer is yes, but in all their time together, they've lived in an eternal now, talking around their mutual scars, and he can't just end that by fiat, can he? Even if the barge was particularly insistent?]

[harderdaddy]

[Angel debates his answer internally, torn between very much wanting to pretend it all away and wanting to at least acknowledge his better understanding of Wen Ning's situation.]

...We can talk. Ya know, you were were a pretty damn cute demon.

[Less serious talk isn't so scary to start with.]

[harderdaddy]

Familiar to the both of them, Angel taking a long drink and nodding in understanding. "Ya know, my first flood- I got ta be a squirrel. Feel like it gave me that wrong impression a where these were gonna goes," he laughs.

[verynormalturnipseller]

[Yes, he immediately sees the appeal of starting easy.]

You're cuter.

[That, at least, never goes wrong.]

Can I come see you or would you rather...?

[He's okay with the distance, though he'd rather be together if it gets... less-less-serious.]

[harderdaddy]

You're biased.

[Angel nods quickly.]

Yeah, no. You can come over. Door's open.

[verynormalturnipseller]

[There's a brief delay before he lets himself in. He doesn't want to come over entirely to force a difficult conversation on Angel. To gentle the experience a little, he enters with one of his food delivery baskets, but he didn't want to wait long enough to divert to the kitchen. He's just got a pot of tea and cups.]

So, were... your other shoes alright?

[What a sentence. But Wen Ning was four different people in a week. He can't imagine Angel got off that much more easily.]

[harderdaddy]

[Angel's touching up his makeup, turning in his seat to smirk fondly at the basket. Of course he brought something. He's really too good. How he managed not to turn Angel's life around and avoid Hell is a mystery.]

Got ta be some kinda assassin spy lady. Too bad ya missed that one, I was cute as fuck. You?

[verynormalturnipseller]

That does sound good.

[He crumbles rock sugar into Angel's cup and pours the tea over. It smells like a sweet campfire. Any other time he'd have pestered Angel for a preference, but he's still rattled, so he grabbed his own favorite for once, heavy, dark smoked tea that sneaks into the air.]

I got one fun one, too. I was a vampire.

[He admits to Angel what he felt like he couldn't to Godric, certainly not Astarion.]

Being a vampire is so... easy!

[He was completely right to envy them this whole time.]

[sixfeetofdirt]

Astarion chuckles softly.

"The Admiral doesn't seem particularly interested in...maintaining a particular tone, does he? One day you're an adorable woodland creature, the next you're running from unspeakable horror or certain death."

[harderdaddy]

[It's not the answer Angel would expect, and it draws a surprised snicker.]

Easy, huh? Mmm, too bad I missed that one. Ya know I like bein' bit.
What was like?

[harderdaddy]

"Guess it keeps things interestin'," Angel allows with a grin, "Shit would get borin' if it were all sunshine an' rainbows all the time."

[verynormalturnipseller]

I'll bite you any time you like.

[He doesn't want to crowd Angel or tug him off the stool at his vanity, but he does want cuddling. Wen Ning's solution is to sit down beside the chair and lean his head against Angel's knee, nursing his own cup of tea.]

It was partly just... I wasn't made from demonic cultivation, so things didn't get so bad for my family. The rumors weren't good, but they were different. Besides that, well, vampires heal fast, and they know what they are.

[sixfeetofdirt]

"I wouldn't know, and neither would you," he drawls. "I suppose one could make some cliche comment on light requiring darkness to be better appreciated."

[harderdaddy]

I'd bite ya back if I wouldn't make a mess. [He doesn't want to add to Wen Ning's never healing wounds, which means taking a lot more care to be gentle than Angel might typically care to do. He carefully strokes his fingers through that pretty hair with a fond smile.]

I didn't....fully 'preciate how shit it was for you 'til I lived it. [Which is hard to admit.] Is that your deal? When you graduate your brat?