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[harderdaddy]

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

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[sixfeetofdirt]

"He was her mortal enemy, perhaps," Astarion drawls. "He barely knew her. She was very set on dismantling his evil empire and he was foolish enough to start a fight near a penthouse window."

[harderdaddy]

"Oooh, Evil Empire, huh? Someone had an eventful time~" But despite the teasing grin, Angel's brows soften, sure that wasn't a pleasant way to go. "Heard that one's quick at least. That true?"

[sixfeetofdirt]

"A few moments of helpless panic and then - nothing," he confirms. "I can only assume I was dead before I even had a moment for it to hurt. Just as well, really. How was the time for you?"

[harderdaddy]

"Managed not ta die, so maybe a little better than yours," he teased. Gallows humor wasn't always appreciated, but Astarion knew who he was inviting to catch up with him. "Surprise surprise, I weren't so great at keepin' my emotions all nice and under control. But I got ta be human. This shit feels weird all over again." He nods towards himself and his demon form.

[sixfeetofdirt]

"It's peculiar, isn't it? Becoming mortal again. Waking up in the new body you've become accustomed to and having it feel...alien," he says, frowning faintly. "If only for a short while."

[harderdaddy]

"Weird as shit." Putting on a playful look, Angel sighs, "Shame ya didn' get ta see my beautiful mug." He laughs, and settles to give Astarion a more serious look. "So, mortal, evil empire, murder. Seems ya had a lot goin' on. Ya enjoy yourself?"

[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.

[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.

[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]

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

[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]

"Eh, people who say that ain't seen real dark, they're just tryin' ta sound profound when they ain't," Angel argues calmly, lips quirking. "But but I guess they ain't completely wrong neither? Ya do...learn shit. Just don' like how we gotta learn it."

[sixfeetofdirt]

"And a lot of what you learn is shit," Astarion says, a little more...contemplatively. "And rather difficult to apply, once you're out from under the crushing heel where you learnt it."