. .⠀⠀ 𝒾𝑐𝛼𝑟𝜇𝑠

're you..  s—  'starion!  hells..  that hurt...  @THOUSHALTOBEY

⠀／／⠀Spam :3

sweetest,  i trust your touch more than anyone's.  (  he cupped his face,  kissing the tip of his nose before pulling away.  )    however,  in this group, that doesn't mean much.  @THOUSHALTOBEY

݁⠀ ⠀.̲.̲.̲⠀ ⠀:⠀ ⠀@frctellino ,      (     feigning   hurt,   astarion   placed   a   hand   over   his   heart.   a   soft   gasp   left   his   lips.     )     oh   darling,   i'm   hurt.   do   you   not   trust   my   delicate   touch?   no   harm   came   to   your   / expensive /   lyre.

she does.  she ought to, she cost vivi and i a pretty penny.  i'd *prefer* if she remains untouched by most.  @THOUSHALTOBEY

݁⠀ ⠀.̲.̲.̲⠀ ⠀:⠀ ⠀@frctellino ,     unlikely.     (     he   mumbled,   opening   the   door.   the   shiver   that   rolled   through   his   spine   was   ice   cold.   the   presence   of   cazador   weighed   heavily   on   his   mind.   even   if   he   fought   tooth   and   nail   not   to   show   it.   he   walked   a   short   and   narrow   hall,   throwing   a   glance   back   to   make   sure   icarus   remained   nearby.   the   last   thing   he   wanted   was   yet   another   victim   of   cazador.     )      it's   quiet.   and   for   a   lack   of   a   better   cliché,   / too /   quiet.   stay   close.

(  lyre in hand, he, too, was ready for this battle.  to free all of those who'd been enslaved from the grasp of cazador, not just astarion.  his free hand drifted up, a feather-light touch on astarion's arm.  )  ..  nothing more, nothing less.  (  more a reassurance to himself than anything.  in his mind, he said a brief prayer.  although not necessarily religious, being raised by those dedicated to ilmater does do something to you, he supposed..  as the doors unlocked, he took a suspicious step back.  )  i don't imagine it's because they've heard of our incredible heroics.  how.. odd.  @THOUSHALTOBEY

݁⠀ ⠀.̲.̲.̲⠀ ⠀:⠀ ⠀@frctellino ,      (      astarion   stared   at   the   palace   doors.   it'd   been   a   while   since   he'd   stood   before   them.   though,   hardly   long   enough   in   his   opinion.   his   face   appeared  stoic   yet,   with   a   keen   eye,   traces   of   FEAR   and   HURT   lingered.   one   hand   remained   on   his   dagger,   his   posture   much   more   rigid   than   normal,   as   he   mulled   over   the   possibilities.     )     we're   going   to   kill   cazador.     (    or   die   trying.   he   wasn't   too   fond   of   speaking   such   a   thing   out   loud,   should   whatever   god   be   listening   in.     )     it'll   be   fine,   yes.    (    his   words   were   airy   and   distant.   it   was   hard   to   keep   his   wits   about   him   when   such   a   hefty   cloud   loomed   over   him.   it   was   the   sound   of   a   door   unlocking   that   pulled   him   out   of   his   thoughts.     )     well..   that's   suspiciously   welcoming.

݁⠀ ⠀.̲.̲.̲⠀ ⠀:⠀ ⠀@frctellino ,      are   you?   i   could   find   more   gold   in   a   day   than   you'd   earn   in   a   tenday,   my   love.

please,  every word that comes from my lips is practically liquid gold.  i am the money-maker, after all.  @THOUSHALTOBEY

݁⠀ ⠀.̲.̲.̲⠀ ⠀:⠀ ⠀@frctellino ,   you   can't   even   remember   what   you   said,   i   doubt   it   was   that   great   of   a   loss.

݁⠀ ⠀.̲.̲.̲⠀ ⠀:⠀ ⠀@frctellino ,      perhaps   we   should   find   out.     (    he   dug   through   some   cabinets   and   drawers   as   well,   grinning   when   he   found   an   old,   aged   bottle   of   wine.     )     you   know,   upper   hand   and   all   that.

an amulet.  that old bag said she'd exchange a few potions for it— and a few shiny things as well.  (  he dug through drawers, the wood splintering and decaying.  )  it does make you wonder what it does,  if she wants it so badly.  @THOUSHALTOBEY

݁⠀ ⠀.̲.̲.̲⠀ ⠀:⠀ ⠀@frctellino ,   remind   me   what   we're   looking   for   again.    (    he   walked   through   the   decrepit   building   slowly.   he   ran   his   fingers   over   a   small   table,   finding   a   leather   bound   book.   it   seemed   as   though   someone   left   this   place   in   a   hurry.     )

of course not.  something on *your* mind?  @UPGRDED

݁⠀ ⠀.̲.̲.̲⠀ ⠀:⠀ ⠀@frctellino ,   i   see.   (..)   mind   if   i   join   you?

sometimes.  helps keep me.. uhm.. grounded, i guess.  lets me think clearly.  @UPGRDED

let's watch the titanic. 

it'll come sooner than you think.  @ilokind

the day i'm patient enough to get along with him is going to be a glorious day. 

(  watching astarion sink down, so moved, it had him staring with his mouth agape.  as soon as he stopped catching flies, he joined the vampire on the ground, sitting on his heels. )  i.. i didn't want to show you something that didn't capture you properly.  so.. i used to spend a lot of time looking at your face in the light of my oil lamp,  (  he confessed, laughing softly— nervously.  he was overjoyed astarion liked the drawings. more than liked.  )  @THOUSHALTOBEY

݁⠀ ⠀.̲.̲.̲⠀ ⠀:⠀ ⠀@frctellino ,      (      astarion   sunk   down   onto   his   knees.   it   was   a   powerful   thing   to   see   yourself   after   centuries   of   going   without.   but   it   wasn't   just   / seeing /   himself.   it   was   seeing   himself   through   another's   eyes—-   icarus'   eyes.   it   patched   together   pieces   of   himself   he   was   sure   he'd   lost.     )     nervous?   why?     (     he   pried   his   eyes   off   the   parchment   and   looked   to   the   bard.   these   meant   more   to   the   spawn   than   the   other   could   ever   know.   it   was   a   gift   of   which   he   wasn't   sure   he'd   ever  be   able   to   repay.      )

(  there were many, in many different positions.  astarion above him after the first feeding.  laying in the grass.  his back on full display.  smeared with gore and blood after a battle.  a close up of his eyes, curls falling in them.  each one had care and time put into them.  some had been drawn the moment astarion was sleeping.. to show them, these sketches he'd been doing since he first let astarion feed, felt more like bearing his soul than a song ever did.  )  ..  i'm happy you enjoy them.  i.. was a bit nervous to show you.  (  he hoped he did astarion justice.  that's why he'd worked so hard on these, more than others.  he so desperately wanted to immortalize the man who hadn't seen his reflection in.. centuries.  )  @THOUSHALTOBEY

(  icarus, despite trying to seem cool and detached at times, was quite the opposite.  he cared for everyone and everything.  he was an artist, a poet, a singer.  he had been taught to have a sensitive soul and care for all those around him, especially those suffering—-  and meeting astarion, oh, please, it was glaring.  obviously, the knife to the throat wasn't a great start, but they soon recovered.  )  and i'll never tire of saying it,  (  he assured.  it was so easy for him to say these things now— and yet, hearing astarion say it made him flush, despite not having a drop of wine.  )  ... thank you.  (  no poetry in his words. they were quiet, timid.  his hand grew warmer in astarion's grasp.  ) @THOUSHALTOBEY

݁⠀ ⠀.̲.̲.̲⠀ ⠀:⠀ ⠀@frctellino ,     (    astarion's   free   hand   wrapped   around   the   one   icarus   had   on   his   chest,   holding   it   delicately.   EASY   TARGET—-   what   he   had   once   deemed   the   bard   to   be.   perhaps   it   was   still   true   but   no   longer   was   that   how   he   saw   him.   not   after   the   pictures   drawn   and   the   songs   made   in   his   image.   not   after   the   offers   of   blood   and   understanding   when   he   craved   it   most.   icarus   was   good   and   gentle   in   ways   the   spawn   was   sure   he,   himself   had   forgotten.   if   he   ever   had   been.    the   cloud   of   wine   on   his   thoughts   allowed   him   to   think   about   something   else   though.   he   wasn't   one   to   relish   his   painful   past.     )    the   flattery   is   something   i   will   never   tire   of.     (    he   hummed,   red   eyes   lingering   on   the   tent   ceiling.     )     i   suppose   i   am   too.     (     it   was   quieter   than   before   but   it   only   proved   how   genuine   his   words   were.   how   afraid   he   was   to   speak   them.      )

they always have been,  you know that.  (  oh yes, he remembered those words.  easy target.  it still brought him some unease.. but one cannot dwell on the past when the present with the same man ks so
            lovely.  he rested one hand on astarion's chest, the other draping over his side.  )  .. i'm so lucky.  @THOUSHALTOBEY