#current interest

[kashii9652]

[temporaluno1970]

Ok so

Yeah...

[eggwhiteswithspinach]

The second one was a shocker to me. My imagination of wax seals involves old-timey TV shows where you have a stick and you melt the wax stick over a candle before stamping it for sealing. But there are so many other types of wax seals offered now?

https://medium.com/eggsisting/so-ive-been-obsessed-with-wax-seals-lately-b2896785e638 / #WaxSeals

[kashii9652]

Drawing Scratch with Astarion! Part 2

Alright, we're at part 2! So you got all your shapes sorted out and your form established with them, what next? Well, you connect the lines to make sure the form is established before adding detail! Let me show you what I mean.

Establishing a basic form helps give you a guideline for where to put detailing, and if I didn't say it before, this doesn't just apply to drawing pets or animals! These steps can help guide your process in drawing anything! Objects, sceneries, portraits and action forms for your original characters. Granted, everything is its own form of difficulty, but you're not limited to drawing just one kind of thing if you learn how to use shapes! They're everywhere in everything in our lives, training your eye to see them gives you more to practice! You remember when in art class, your teacher would show you to draw eggs to make a barrel? Or draw a tomato soup cap? Kinda boring in concept, but it's to train your eye to use shapes to your advantage!! Shapes don't have to be how they're shown in a textbook either, you can twist shapes to work for you! Like with our doggos nose here: It's not a traditional egg shape oval, right? Even shapes can be done any number of ways to make forming the guideline easier! But that's enough yapping, let me show you my detailed sketch.

So! If you're ever struggling with the shape of something, like paws or flat things like a collar, there is likely something to help you find the right shape to practice it yourself! The internet is a vast place, and artists would much rather you try to draw yourself than use a 'magic' machine to make it for you. Definitely ask, and don't be shy or scared! We're all learning constantly, and while a lot of learning is done at the beginning, we're all works in progress! Just like our.. Piles of WIPs in the corner, or lost in a random folder on our computer. XD;;;; But that aside, for fur, a good place to start is little tiny triangles, at least for this good boy. Orienting them the right way can be difficult, but there's no shape in using references which show clear line definition for forming things! And like shapes in forming the figure, animals have many shapes that are consistent throughout their species! If you can draw Scratch's nose, you can likely learn to adapt the shape to draw other dogs! If you learn to draw paws, you can adapt them to draw paws for other dogs or even other animals! It takes practice to adapt things, but again, you're not alone in this! The internet is a big ocean, so dive in and find what helps you best! Even with what I've done here, I traced to help define the shapes and replicate them into the figure. Some artists look down on tracing, but when you're starting out, and have no idea how to place the shapes on the page, references can help! Starting out, I would say tracing is good for learning the process, but like riding a bike, you can only do so much on a little kid bike. If you don't get a bigger bike every time you improve in skill, you're stuck going slow on a tiny bike, so even if things feel uncertain, you won't know if you can do a thing unless you try! Even I'm still learning, and feel like I'm only just connecting these things in my head, and it's hard sometimes to see that if you can't see in your head in the first place.. Fiddle-faddling on a page or digital document is still learning! Sometimes, artists have their moments where we just want it to turn out right, but it's making us want to tear our hair out. If you're frustrated, take a break, and come back to it later. We're all on this road together, don't feel bad for learning! I hope this helped you a bit! Thanks Astarion for motivating me to give this a try! I'll post the good boy pic when its done, I'll work on it on my own version of a 'magic' machine to make it look good. ^.^

[kashii9652]

Drawing Scratch with Astarion! Part 1

So, Astarion over at @askastarionancunin asked me with helping him draw our beloved 'Goodest boy in all the realms', Scratch! While I'm not a perfect artist by any means, I wanted to help him out, as well as anyone else who wants to learn how to draw given current times.. Picture I'm using for this is credited to @twilight-sanctuary, I'll link to the post of this and other good boy screenshots. Link With that being said, let's see our good boy!

I brightened up the image to make it easier to show the guidelines, and please keep in mind this image is obscuring his feet a bit, so I might not do the best involving that part, so anyone interested in helping us out, I'd deeply appreciate it. ^.^ First thing to keep in mind when drawing anything in any style is to look for basic shapes in any image you see: Breaking it down into shapes to help make the form easier to discern and draw yourself is the key here. I'll show you by using 'magic' to show the guidelines of our beloved doggo.

Arms and legs are cylinders, paws can be a tuna can like cylinder shape. Circles, squares, triangles, ovals, if you learned shapes in school, learning to draw is possible! Training your eye to recognize those patterns is part of the process. So let's finish those shapes of the rest of the pup's form!

Granted, there will be some deviances between this and the final pic I have done, and it takes a bit of fiddle-faddling to get some lines to come out right, hence the dreaded undo redo button, or erasing on paper..

Even so, you have loads of things to help with lining your shapes! Rulers, compasses, all sorts of art tools physically and digitally to help guide your hand! But if your lines are really messy, that's okay!! When we get into Part 2, you'll see any mess you make will be amended in the next step. See you then!

[kashii9652]

Meeting the Party

Note: This is a collection of stories that led up to the events depicted in 'I want us... To live', detailing many things about the party members, including Arianna's first meeting with each of them, alongside the others.

It's to help elaborate on some shortcomings I may not have fully figured out in the plot, but.. I'm hoping you'll understand, even if in some ways it's kinda a retcon. Still hoping you enjoy. ^.^ AO3 Link

~~~~~~~~~~~

Chapter 1: A safe place to vent....

"Gale~ Our fellow wizard and bookworm~ If it isn't too much trouble.. May I ask you a favor?"

He sighs exasperatedly as he pitches his tent, but decides to hear him out.

"I'm listening."

"You've seen the warrior with the fire sword?" Astarion asks

They both watch, Astarion staring at her with quiet but furious disdain as she stocks the campfire with wood, setting it alight with her sword, his eyes widening in intrigue but pushing that down to prove his point about her actions earlier.

"I have before.. And have now, but-" Gale quietly observed, a grin coming to his face.

"Arianna's got you that riled up that you need to ask ME for a favor?"

"SSHHH! Keep it do- Okay, you know what? Come with me."

Astarion pulls Gale into the nearby woods, nearly knocking him over but he regained his footing, continuing to follow.

"Okay.. If it's so bad you don't want her listening, then it must be really ba-"

"Shut up." He hissed angrily, slapping his shoulder with considerable strength and roughness.

"Oww!" Gale looked at him angrily, seeing him beginning to boil over.

"I swear to gods…!! If I have to save anyone else, at her shitty request?! I know the Gith was on the ship, but asking ME to shoot her down, when SHE was perfectly capable of doing it herself.."

Astarion started, his rant revving up, rapidly in intensity.

"Now hold on-"

"Yes, it added to our numbers, YES, it gives us gear and a future advantage against the goblins, and YES, I'M MAD THAT SHE BASICALLY FORCED ME TO STAY AT CAMP, MISSING OUT ON THE FIGHT WITH THE SHADOW DRUIDS!!!"

"Astarion-"

"I've had it up to HERE with that Elven whelp. Storybook heroes be damned, she is reckless, she is too heavily reliant on teammates, and- oh gods.. 'Astarion, can you get this door open? Can you open this chest? Can you steal the ring from the child to preserve my ALL IMPORTANT REPUTATION WITH THE DRUID AND TIEFLING CAMP.'"

"I thought you wanted that ring anyways-"

"NOT. The point…!!" Astarion growled.

Astarion continued to rant and rage about, while Gale begrudgingly listened while reading one of his books: After a while, he finished off with this.

"I swear to all that is, if she does ONE MORE THING that pushes me over the edge..!! That girl…. Will be the one who needs saving next..! I'll be the one putting a knife to her neck again, consequences be damned. Maybe it'll scare her into behaving.. Less like this.."

He heaved a heavy sigh, fists clenched and staring intensely at the dirt ground with monstrous glare.. He then turned, looking at Gale and letting up on his emotions.. Just a bit.

"In any case.. I doubt you want to listen to me for any longer.. Apologies."

"On that we can agree on.." Gale said as he glared back with arms crossed, rebuffing his apology.

He had taken a shine to Arianna, so to see Astarion rant about her for a solid 20 minutes.. Maybe a half hour.. Made him extremely irritated.

"Judging by the fact you didn't originally plan on ranting to me.. You must want this from me pretty badly.."

"Hmm, how wise." Astarion quipped as he turned half way to face him with a cocky grin.

"Yes, with your myriad of books and arcane wizardry.." He continued, turning to fully face him.

"I was hoping you would be able to spare a tome or two, for me… To vent my frustrations..?" he asked, a bit of an aggressive tone to his trademark hand and body flourishes.

"Not wanting to alienate our party by strangling our mutual savior to death?"

"I mean… Yeah, basically." Astarion confirmed.

"Strangling… Not the most fitting end for her in my opinion.. Gored and seared on the end of her flaming blade seems more-"

"I'm going to pretend I didn't hear that…" he said with another sigh, turning away for a moment to try to keep himself in check: pressing his temple with one hand, holding the other to his chest.

"Is it ONLY Arianna you have a problem with? Or is there a method of killing you have devised for all of us, should we perturb you too much?" He asked, head turning to look at him, his expression visibly strained.

Astarion sighed in annoyance, his head craning to look at the sun filtering through the trees, musing quietly to himself.

"Probably should have bought some journals myself than come to you…" he said, hushed under his breath.

"Come again?" Gale asks, more annoyed now as he set his hands down, turning towards him with some manner of aggression.

"Nothing! Nothing…" Astarion exclaimed with hands held up defensively.

"But regarding the others.. Come on..!! Look at everyone here: A sad, mismatched battalion of weirdos, with worms in our heads and possibly privy to every thought inside them, if we learned more control.. You don't blame me for being even a bit self-conscious, right?"

"I hate to agree with someone of your sort, but.. " Gale leaned against the tree, head angled to observe sunlight peeking through the treetops,trying to calm himself down. "You're not wrong: They very well could be used for that.."

It wasn't the most… Optimal of circumstances, but it was what they were dealing with, and to make sure they would all live to keep dealing with it..

"Alright.. I'll give you what you want, with a free security enchantment.."

"Perfect, exactly what I need." Astarion grinned happily.

Gale paused to channel his energy… And in a flourish of hand motions, a dark tome was pulled from his vast storage of books with magic: a black leather journal locked with a silver dagger through the dark iron metal fastener. It was filled with loads of pages to fill with all manner of rants and raves, and enchanted to keep out unwanted eyes.

Astarion eyed it with a covetous gaze, and tried to take it from the wizard, but Gale pulled away just as quick, prompting a low, irritated growl from the other.

"Given your rant, I imagine you have much more to say about everyone else, myself included. So, to make certain of the party's safety, I have a 'favor' for you as well."

"Oh, for the LOVE OF….!!" Astarion began, but quickly composed himself, staring at Gale with a intense glower.

"Fine. What is it?"

"I'll supply you with vent journals like this one, with no need compensate me in return.. But you need to use this journal to balance out what negativity you write."

He explained, handing him another journal first: with bright red leather & dark brown strap holding it shut, a gold lock fastening it closed.

"You use this journal, a supply of invisible ink and spell to see it.. To try and come up with SOMETHING nice to say about your fellow companions."

"That..!! You can't be serious.. Something nice.. About all of them..?!" Astarion protested loudly, red eyes filled with anger and personal torment at the thought.

"Those are my conditions. You're not in much state to refuse considering how you lost control and ranted to me, of all people. Do you think I'd keep quiet about the threat you pose to Arianna?"

Astarion froze.

"If you know what's good for you.. You'll keep quiet." He snarled in a menacing tone.

"I'm just as much a match for you as she would be. And if we got into a skirmish this far out, I have the means to call for help, while you don't. So I ask you.."

He rounded Astarion to his left shoulder, blackmailing him in equal measure as he had just done.

"You want to take a chance with potentially alienating everyone on our side with an ill-advised choice? Or risk a breach in control of your anger and end up killing one of them?"

Astarion seethed quietly, red eyes glaring daggers into the wizard's stern brown ones. He stood his ground, ready to summon his staff at a moments notice.

"It's your decision, Astarion."

His eyes widened for a moment at those words, his anger beginning to subside.. His gaze fell to the book, feeling conflicted about the offer, but the words Gale just said.. It was different for him, compared to others being told the same.

Gale quietly observed his reaction, but said nothing.

"I see you need some time.. Take a bit to decompress, I'll be back once I've pitched my tent."

"Alright.. Fair enough." The elf replied back in a low tone, sitting down in the leaves and dirt, looking over the red journal he was given. fingers lightly tracing over the cover, contemplating his answer for when he returned.

~~~~~~~~

Gale quietly strolled up, Astarion leaned against the large tree he was once at, the elf facing the other with more controlled and rational emotions.

"Made your decision..?" Gale asks, leaned against another tree nearby, a safe distance from him.

"I mean.. How hard could it be?" Astarion asked with his usual confidence. "Really.. Not hard at all…"

The mask he wore slipped a bit, Gale seeing a bit more of his insecurity, but vocalized this time around.

"Doesn't have to be all sunshine and rainbows, at the very least.. Write about observations, clues as to who they are as a person, like a profile for a case or something.."

Astarion's eyes widened once more at the point Gale made. Like.. This suddenly felt possible for him now.. Things clicked into place, like a lockpick in a treasure chest. His lips formed a smile, seeing the possibilities as he looked through the crimson journal, already seeing what he would write.

A sultry and arrogant fanged grin slowly formed as he beheld his thoughts, feeling.. More in control, more secure.. And able to take up Gale's bargain.

"I do believe.. I can do that.." Astarion answered, looking over the red book's blank pages and tracing over the lines inside, mental dialog already consuming his thoughts.

"Alright then." Gale handed him the other journal, walking off.

"Just keep the worst of it under wraps and if you need to vent in other ways, be mindful of it being near camp. I'll have the ink ready in a bit for the black journal, so.."

Gale could see that he was already not listening, so he threw a pinecone at his head.. With more strength than the vampire expected.

"Owww!" He dramatically exclaimed, letting out a breathy hiss as he glared.

Gale returned his gaze with a mix of annoyance and a pleading look in his eyes.

"The invisible ink will be ready in due time, so please.. Try to hold yourself together until then?"

Astarion briefly pouted and sulked, then turned back to both journals in his lap, and a smile returned to his face, pleased with this turn of events and nodding in understanding.

"Will do…"

Gale went to back to camp, preparing dinner for the rest of the party.

Meanwhile, the vampire quietly stowed away both journals in his back pocket, retrieving some regular ink from camp, and set back out into the woods.

In the quiet, tranquil sights and sounds of the forest, atop a large branch in the treetops, Astarion journaled his findings in equal measure across both journals, to build the habit he promised Gale.

He.. Was surprised about how much good about everyone came to mind, after he got his anger out..

'Maybe.. I made the right call joining them.. Joining her..' he quietly considered.

His quill pen flitting back and forth as he wrote, but his pace slowed, and.. He noticed he his penmanship was getting shakier, setting down the quill and looking at his right hand: long nailed fingers unsteady from hunger, now shaking much worse without the quill to hold..

'Ah.. Haven't had a snack in a while..' he thought to himself, and as if on cue..

His elven ears perked up as he heard a rustle in the bushes, sensing the feeling of a warm blooded creature nearby. He set his journals aside on the branch, carefully sliding down the tree… And skulking to corner his prey.. A furry boar..

Only to have it run off in another direction..

"Hmmph." He said, though not out of annoyance, instead.. He smiled, fanged teeth shown in excitement.

"My offer going to plan, a hunt and some well earned dinner.. Must be my lucky day.."

His eyes hungrily watched the creature get a few paces ahead.. Then he took off, chasing it, ravenous for a deserved meal..

[kashii9652]

Chapter 3: Can't keep this pace forever...

AO3 Link

~~~~~~~~~~~~

Morning, Day ??? since abduction, 22 Eleasis

Upon waking early the next morning, the sun felt like daggers piercing into Arianna’s eyes, quickly turning over and hauling her pillow over her head, feeling like it was pounding and writhing like an intellect devourer was about to spring from out the top of her head..

Upon feeling someone touch her shoulder, she flinched.. Very intensely, peering out from under her pillow to see Shadowheart and Gale looking over her.

“H-hey.. You doing okay?” Shadowheart asked, kneeling to her level.

“She.. Doesn’t look okay..” Gale replied.

Both Karlach and Wyll eyed each other worriedly like they knew why she was in such a condition, and she.. Couldn’t stand it anymore, quickly pacing over to Shadowheart, kneeling and whispered something in her ear, carefully doing so as to not burn her, just as Astarion roused himself from meditation.

“SHE DID WHAT?!” Shadowheart screamed as she leapt to her feet, completely irate. If someone her age was capable of having an anger vein, she’d DEFINITELY have one right now.

Arianna groaned loudly at the screaming, clutching her head in pain, prompting the other to quickly get into gear to help her to her tent instead of out in front of the firepit, being gentle with her as to not cause further discomfort, Karlach helping as well.

Astarion.. Knew his proverbial goose was cooked once Karlach spilled who was in the party when she took that ghastly potion.. As well as the reasoning why it happened, but right now, Arianna’s care mattered the most: running over to the communal chest to grab food, beginning to make something light for breakfast to bring to her.

“You know you’re not going to gain favor with her by-” Gale began, but Astarion quickly cut him off.

“I’m not doing it to ‘gain favor’ with anyone, I’m doing something to make sure she doesn’t turn into a mindflayer by sunset…” he growled in an intense, furious cadence. He then paused, setting down his knife he was cutting fruit with & turning to face Gale, brows furrowed angrily.

“You know, of all people, I thought you would’ve noticed she was pushing herself too hard when this all started, and even more so after that visit to the Underdark… Why didn’t you say something to her? Or at least tell everyone else, so they would get her to STOP?”

“I.. I honestly don’t know.. We all saw it, but thought it was just fatigue from going questing too often, not enough rest here at camp.. Who am I to deny a woman her enjoyment, if it’s from helping others?” Gale explained, a wounded look in his eyes, thinking back to the cavern where they shared an intimate interest in magic together, a moment showing their deep friendship.

Astarion scowled loudly, continuing his work, said scowl startling Gale from his brief recollection of the past, prompting a heavy sigh of annoyance as he quietly observed, containing his emotion.. For now.

“Can’t help anyone if you're dead, Dekarios. Everyone here knows that being on potentially borrowed time doesn’t mean a thing if it applies to all of us, but it means something MORE since she’s the one suffering the most right now..”

Gale clenched his fists angrily as his annoyance built to a greater degree, until he could no longer stand it: not that Astarion wouldn't know this, but even if he did, he wasn't the only one who considered Arianna important to them.

He quickly stood up and paced over, foreheads barely a breadth apart as Gale's brown eyes glared intensely into the other's crimson red ones, Astarion trying to maintain eye contact while handling a knife, as well as his stormy emotions..

“Weren’t you the one who said to her ‘Playing by the book isn’t an option in this scenario, we need every tool at our disposal, and the tadpoles are the means to ensuring we survive?’”

Astarion, in his haste and anger, nicked the top of his finely manicured nails and fingertips with the knife: the pointer and middle finger of his right hand, and as a poorly executed reflex, dragged said knife across his knuckles in just as swift a reaction.

“SHIT..!!” He screamed, hissing quietly to himself in pain as he held his hand to his mouth, darkly colored blood flowing slowly from the wounds inflicted.

Gale shook his head in disappointment, walking off to his tent & pulling a set of bandages from his pack, then returned, setting it upon the table Astarion was working, then walked off, wanting no part in this anymore while Astarion wasn't in the right mindset to listen.

"Normally I wouldn't trust you to be within 100 feet of her right now, given what I heard that night. But a lot has happened between us as a party. Given that.."

He turned on his heel, then turned his head to sternly eye the vampire with a quiet and menacing anger.

“I don’t think the lady would enjoy blood covered apples for breakfast, clean yourself up and make sure she’s taken care of: You’re off the hook for today, no leaving camp until this is sorted out and she's doing better."

“What?! You can't be serious!!” Astarion protested.

“The fact is: you wouldn’t bother with any of this if you weren’t responsible in some way… If I see you anywhere else, other than at Arianna's side caring for her, you'll have to contend with one of your nice shirts either being thrown in the fire, or subject to a fire bolt in combat.”

'And that's the least of what I have planned if you so much lay a hand on her..' he thought to himself, keeping his threat internally should it come to that.. “You basta-” with a flick of Gale's wrist, he was silenced by Gale’s magic, the latter entirely done with the conversation emotionally.. And Astarion had no ability to continue his protests despite wanting to, angrily gritting his teeth and with intense fury flowing through his cold body… He did as he was told: he cleaned himself up, bandaged himself, then continued his work.

Meanwhile, during this argument…

“Is it a sign of ceremorphosis? Is she going to be okay?” Karlach asked worriedly, Shadowheart scanning Arianna’s condition with her hands.

“I don’t believe so.. I think this is just a fever from the potion she consumed affecting the tadpole.. It's.. Very out of character for her to drink something so grotesque..

I'm worried her past use of those powers eventually led to her being compelled to drink it..”

Shadowheart stood, melancholy eyes looking into Karlach's fiery ones for a drawn out moment, then she turned to her tent.

“Nonetheless.. We should look for that poison Nettie gave us, if we still have it.. As much as I’d hate to use it, Arianna wouldn't want to be responsible for more death..” she explained as she went to look for some medicine in her belongings.

“The very best scenario is that we care for her for a few days, have the others quest on our behalf, and hope she comes out of it in some form stronger than before..”

“So you’re not leaving camp?” Karlach asked, arms crossed nervously as she watched over Arianna in the meantime, her face pale and fever raising in temperature.

“Not until she’s better, a cleric’s job is best suited here: When someone is on the cusp of losing their life.”

She had medicine in her arms, to help with reducing the fever and pain, though they didn't taste well on their own, so she also brought strawberries to mix in the remedy.

“And a warrior like yourself is best suited out there, looking for a means to rid ourselves of these damn things… Any ally we’re able to gain, any resource found is one step closer to making this.. Nightmare a thing of the past..”

“You’ll keep tabs on her for me and tell me how she’s doing?” Her fiery eyes were now on the cusp of tearing up.

“Always, as I would for any of us.” She raised her hand to Karlach’s shoulder to comfort her, but scalded herself on the surface air surrounding her, prompting a loud laugh from the tiefling.

“Thanks for the reassurance, soldier.. The minute I get this engine fixed, you’re one of many who’s getting a big, tight hug.”

“I.. Appreciate it.” Shadowheart replied, a bit of an embarrassed blush, but grateful, waving goodbye to Karlach as she rushed to get her pack together and go out into the fray with the others.

~~~~~~

Once Astarion got the breakfast situated, he carried the large plate as well as a flask of water to Arianna's tent, seeing that the medicine Shadowheart had given her was doing its job, but.. Didn't alleviate the more magic aligned symptoms.

“You sure she can stomach all that right now?” she asked

“Whatever she can get down, I'm sure will help.. Just wanted to have some variety.” he explained, then flashed a grin at the cleric.

“As we all would want when we're ill and out, I'm sure?”

“Flattery and favors won't get you out of this I'm afraid.. Since it'll be a while since she'll be able to speak comfortably, I better get the truth from you about this. All of it: no tricks.. Or else.” she chastised sternly. Astarion.. Surprisingly complied, sitting down with the food, and handing her a warmed breadroll to Arianna to try and eat, quietly observing her.. To find she was at least not nauseous, just her head was affected, at least for now.. He sighed, leaning his chin on his hand, not fondly recollecting the past events.

“It.. Started well before we started adventuring in the Underdark… And before we took on that ghastly giant spider…”

He cringed a bit upon recalling the giant arachnid, but shook his head to refocus.

“I wanted to spare her a feeding that night, so.. I went into the woods, and.. Unfortunately.. Got a bit intoxicated off a bear's blood.. I said some things that.. She had to remind me of.. Things I now profoundly regret..”

~~~~~~

Night, Day ??? since abduction, 22 Eleasis

“THERE you are, Arianna~ My best friend~~ I’ve been looking for you~”

Arianna looked at Astarion confused, eyes widening in fear as he flopped onto her front and wrapped his arms around her clumsily, giggling and struggling to hold himself up.

“Uh.. At your service, I guess?” she replied back, an awkward smile and a blush on her face.

“Are you now?~” he said with a giggle, helping himself up a bit so his full weight wasn’t on her.

“Don’t make promises you can’t keep, okay, Darling? You know people like me will milk it for allll it’s worth, eheheh..”

“I’m sure you will..” she carefully helped him over to the bedrolls closest to the fire, helping him sit down.

“Ah ah ah~ There’s no need for that.. I found a bear to drink from tonight~ He had a few good swipes here and there.. But it was no match for me~”

“You can tell me about it when we sit down.”

“I suppose we’re having a party?” he asked, eyes glittering like a little kid’s.

“Yeah.. Sure, want a snack?”

“Yes, a bit of fruit would be nice..” he requested, still tipsy as she helped him sit down.

She got herself strawberries and Astarion an assortment of fruit to pick from, as well as water to help him with.. Whatever the equivalent to a hangover on blood would be, drinking from some herself: she sat herself closer to him than she normally would be, so he didn’t end up going.. Streaking into the woods and getting full of ticks or something equally problematic..

“So~ He got a few good hits in, took a bit of my blood.. But then I took all of his!~ Ahahaha~” he said, doing cheering motions with his water and an apple in his other hand.

“Sounds.. Like a very intense fight.”

“Would be if it were the others.. But I handled it with the dazzling display of finesse I’m known for~”

“Did it.. Taste good at least?”

“It’s.. Agreeable with my stomach at least, nothing compared to humanoid blood.. But any meal worth having is gonna be a bit of a struggle to acquire, darling~”

His face then went sullen, before ravenously biting into the apple in his hand, chewing and swallowing part of it while looking up at the stars.

“At least tastes better than the gruel Cazador gave to.. Well, not even feed me, more like sustain… Barely.. Rats and bugs and all manner of gods forsaken scraps just to make sure-”

“Sounds.. Delicious..” she interrupted, not really wanting to hear about it, but sure he would at least not get descriptive, hopefully..

“Yes, exactly as appetizing as it sounds..”

“Mhm..” she still felt bad for him though, looking at him sadly, his eyes meeting hers.

“Ah, no need to pity me, dear~ That was all in the past.. I’ll never have to grovel for him again..”

“That’s good at least.. You’re free, and you can do better for yourself than what little he did for you.”

“Yes, exactly!~ I can be SO much better than that pitiful excuse for a man.. Get all the things I rightly deserve~ Be all the things I deserve to be! Stronger~ More powerful~ More-”

“Not what I meant, but.. Yeah.” she rubbed her neck awkwardly, not wanting to discourage him, but it was true.. She more meant have more than torture food and a more comfortable place..

“Oh? Knowing you, you meant something like ‘being a kinder, compassionate person..’ Pet bunnies, open an orphanage for kittens, puppies and other lost souls to huddle under the same roof.. Pheh, your sweetness is utterly ghastly sometimes..”

She sighed, trying to roll the insult off her shoulders, looking at the ground and hugging her knees.

“I meant have food that’s not vomit worthy, and a comfier bed than a stone floor.. Like how we are right now.”

“Oh! My apologies, dear Arianna~ But you are right.. This is FAR better than where I was.. But.. It could be better..” he ate the apple again, and looked into the sky with a devious smile.

“Once I have the power to bend others to my will.. Acts of charity will be the least I can do for the citizens of Faerun.. And for you.”

That.. Crossed a bit of a line with her, her gaze sharply turning back towards the drunkard.

“I don’t want you to do anything for me with potential consequences like that.” she stated firmly.

“Heh, what consequences? Have you seen the state of things right now? In Baldur’s Gate and other cities with similar systems of power? You can’t see what’s going on and say I’m wrong about this-”

“What about the people who would try to stop you? Drawing their ire would be.. Unwise.” she asked, looking at him concerned.

“Oh, like you?” he asked, gesturing his flask of water in her direction, finishing his apple and tossing the core into the fire carelessly, causing Arianna to flinch and return his stare with a peeved expression, but Astarion was unphased.

“Folks like you.. Heroes with their sense of ‘right & wrong’, ‘good & evil’... I’d figure you’d have more sense than them, given you helped me when I needed blood.. Do you consider yourself different?”

She.. Didn’t have an answer, she.. Didn’t know enough to HAVE an answer.. But that didn’t seem to matter to him as he took a bundle of grapes from the fruit basket she brought, plopping one into his mouth and chewing.

“Having trouble with your answer, Arianna? Perhaps.. Maybe there’s more.. Rattling in that head of yours than you deigned to share.. Nightmares, maybe? A fear of the dark?”

She flinched, how did he know about that..?!

‘He’s just drunk.. He doesn’t mean any of it..’ she tried to tell herself, feeling hints of wrapping and undulating shadows begin to reach for her feet, and wisp away at her back.. But she didn’t want to concern anyone else with it, so she feigned comfort.. Astarion though..

“I see.. So your own drunken ramblings weren’t some tale to win sympathy from me.. Careful about sharing the truth with people, not everyone is as ‘kind’ as me.. To not exploit things like that for personal benefit..”

“You aren’t being very ‘kind’ right now.”

“Very foolish to expect that of me…”

She clenched her fists, blue eyes becoming fiery from spurned anger.

“I’d at least expect kindness in return for helping a drunk bastard like you get fed, at least somewhat sober and avoid you prancing off into the wilderness like a deer who ate fermented berries.”

He stopped his eating for a moment, setting the grapes down in his lap as he glared back.

“I SAID I was looking for you, doesn’t mean you have to oblige me with such saccharine kindness.”

“Okay, next time you’re drunk, I’ll make sure to not escort you back to your tent.

Let whatever is crawling around take nips and bites while you’re conked out on the gravel.”

“I’d be careful about your next words, dear..” he spoke sullenly, almost hauntingly so.

“Fine. Goodnight.”

She began to haul herself up and walk off with her snack, Astarion in her blind spot as she did so.. A grave mistake.