[To think that was an excuse he threw up in a moment. Giving the ring had been an impulse decision, oen that went against his own basis of self survival, and his brain just threw in a patchwork of what he thought could stick as excuse. He wanted to avoid big speeches, big presents and wanted to make sure she had no chance to say no, so... that's how he landed. At least the ring was now in her hands and he just had to make sure he was discreet while casting his ward every morning. It... was probaly going to be useful considering their next step was probably the Moonrise tower as soon as they reached the artifact.
If he was going to put any effort in protecting anyone, it was going to be her.
He gave her all the time to check the ring and merely moved just a bit closer to the flames to toss a piece of wood in the fire. They... probably needed to break more things if they wanted it to last until morning, but as long as the other managed to stay warm it wasn't a problem for the cold blooded elf. He couldn't even quite feel the cold unless it was too much and it started to freeze his limbs. And she... she had his blanket, at least. It was full of holes and Astarion didn't want to tell her it was the same piece of cloth he had been buried into, but... it was at least moderately warm.
Analyzing anything else was too much for him. Already allowing the word 'friend' to leave his lips had been difficult, thinking or focusing on any other feeling- he was Astarion, fappish, fun of energies nobleman who rarely took anything seriously, that was the reputation he had to keep. She already got to see far too much of his more vulnerable side, he had to be careful on how much to share.]
Mh?
[She didn't want to go to the druid, huh? He could only think of her past words and how she probably worried on how it would reflect on her. He could understand that, and that probably reflected how she would have replied if he seriously offered his lap- good to know he didn't embarrass himself in such a way. Her next words only got a chuckle from him-]
All devoted to the cause and everyone in the group, mh? I should... have expected a reply like this. But it's admirable that your feelings lie with so many people.
[Part of her charm, honestly. Even if he had a hard time to appreciate people who offered so much of them to others, he somehow ended liking it in her. Oh, why couldn't they go back to when things were easier and he just wanted to use that woman?]
While I appreciate your words, they're... a bit pointless. At least in my situation. [Him, Karlach and Gale were running out of time, one way or another, and no one could change that. In Astarion's case, strength in unity meant nothing: they couldn't overcome a vampire master, his thralls, six more spawns and an army of fanatics that was serving him.] And, trust me, I know I need others. Almost as much as you need sleep.
[He needed her to shut up. He didn't need Nepione to bring up his worries, how he had a goal in surviving his master, if even possible, and the tadpole without knowing how to move right after. What was even a spawn supposed to do in its freedom, assuming the best of all options? From Astarion's point of view he was like Gale and Karlach: still fighting, but running out of time.
He ended up sighing, trying to choose what to do, and reached up for her shoulder, trying to pull her down on his lap to make her rest. If she was going to get angry like he suspected, even better. How dared she make him feel so exposed? He didn't care about the horns, nor about how uncomfortably he was going to sit unless she moved away, his priority was to chance the topic and make sure she couldn't see his face.]
I will wake you up before the others, so no one will get the 'wrong idea'.
![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
timeasmymeasure
no subject
Date: 2023-12-21 06:52 pm (UTC)If he was going to put any effort in protecting anyone, it was going to be her.
He gave her all the time to check the ring and merely moved just a bit closer to the flames to toss a piece of wood in the fire. They... probably needed to break more things if they wanted it to last until morning, but as long as the other managed to stay warm it wasn't a problem for the cold blooded elf. He couldn't even quite feel the cold unless it was too much and it started to freeze his limbs. And she... she had his blanket, at least. It was full of holes and Astarion didn't want to tell her it was the same piece of cloth he had been buried into, but... it was at least moderately warm.
Analyzing anything else was too much for him. Already allowing the word 'friend' to leave his lips had been difficult, thinking or focusing on any other feeling- he was Astarion, fappish, fun of energies nobleman who rarely took anything seriously, that was the reputation he had to keep. She already got to see far too much of his more vulnerable side, he had to be careful on how much to share.]
Mh?
[She didn't want to go to the druid, huh? He could only think of her past words and how she probably worried on how it would reflect on her. He could understand that, and that probably reflected how she would have replied if he seriously offered his lap- good to know he didn't embarrass himself in such a way. Her next words only got a chuckle from him-]
All devoted to the cause and everyone in the group, mh? I should... have expected a reply like this. But it's admirable that your feelings lie with so many people.
[Part of her charm, honestly. Even if he had a hard time to appreciate people who offered so much of them to others, he somehow ended liking it in her. Oh, why couldn't they go back to when things were easier and he just wanted to use that woman?]
While I appreciate your words, they're... a bit pointless. At least in my situation. [Him, Karlach and Gale were running out of time, one way or another, and no one could change that. In Astarion's case, strength in unity meant nothing: they couldn't overcome a vampire master, his thralls, six more spawns and an army of fanatics that was serving him.] And, trust me, I know I need others. Almost as much as you need sleep.
[He needed her to shut up. He didn't need Nepione to bring up his worries, how he had a goal in surviving his master, if even possible, and the tadpole without knowing how to move right after. What was even a spawn supposed to do in its freedom, assuming the best of all options? From Astarion's point of view he was like Gale and Karlach: still fighting, but running out of time.
He ended up sighing, trying to choose what to do, and reached up for her shoulder, trying to pull her down on his lap to make her rest. If she was going to get angry like he suspected, even better. How dared she make him feel so exposed? He didn't care about the horns, nor about how uncomfortably he was going to sit unless she moved away, his priority was to chance the topic and make sure she couldn't see his face.]
I will wake you up before the others, so no one will get the 'wrong idea'.