essea | [ ELVES CATCHALL POST. ]

[ "Well, alright. But don't think I've forgotten about our opera tickets― I'll see if I can't conjure them for a different night."

Gale hasn't forgotten about the opera, but Iorveth sure has. Too late to invite himself to that outing, not that he wants to interrupt a nice night between friends. Astarion could probably stand to spend some time without Iorveth hovering behind him like a one-eyed specter.

Not today, though. Iorveth piles a few portable breakfast items onto a plate, and scrapes his chair back to get up onto his feet; as accustomed as he is to being exhausted, he isn't immune to a post-argument, post-food consumption coma, and he'd like to be in bed with Astarion when the wave of unconsciousness starts to knock. ]

Astarion. Come. [ A quick press of his lips against silver curls, coaxing. With that done, he glances towards Gale and offers: ] ...Where are my manners? The best breakfast I've had in an age― thank you.

[ Not since the one he had with Dolores' friend, the one who gave him embroidery lessons and thought Astarion was his terminally sick love. He won't say that, though, and not just because Gale wouldn't get it. Gods forbid anyone think him sentimental. ]

[ Tara, in the midst of nibbling on her meal, gives Iorveth an appreciative nod of the head at remembering his manners. If he hadn't, she would have had to have words with him — her Gale will not be taken for granted in his own home.

Astarion, on the other hand, should be annoyed by being beckoned like a dog, but making up with Iorveth and getting to participate in a meal like a real person have put him in a good mood. (How quickly he swings from one extreme to another; only hours ago, he was rooting through Gale's study, brooding about the future.) So, he offers Gale his own thanks for breakfast and takes Iorveth by the hand that isn't occupied with his plate to lead him back up the stairs and into the guest room. Gale calls after them, something about making sure not to leave crumbs on the bedsheets.

Back in the room, he takes the liberty of placing Iorveth's plate on the nightstand so that he can manhandle him onto the bed and crawl up beside him, slotting himself into the space created by Iorveth's body just for him. ]

I love you.

[ Just in case that was unclear at any point today. ]

[ Back to being horizontal. Iorveth is reaching behind him for a pillow when Astarion says what he says, and it disarms Iorveth completely; not because he thinks the statement is a lie, but because of the timing of it.

When it finally sinks in, it makes him feel heartsick all over again. One hand glides smoothly to Astarion's waist, pulling him inwards with a clear intent to keep him close. ]

...And I, you. [ The one thing that never wavered, even when he'd hit Astarion with the possibility that he might leave after Astarion got his cloak. Iorveth adores Astarion to death, and he doubts that that will change even if they wind up breaking each other's hearts. Some part of him will always belong to Astarion.

That said, being disarmed means that Iorveth's defenses crumble completely. If he'd retained some of the poised austerity that clings to him like a second skin during breakfast, he sheds it completely now: he looks more tired and raw, pressed against Astarion with his single eye half-narrowed in affection, but he also looks a little younger. Less burdened than usual. ]

...Nothing feels better than being beside you. [ Leaning in, he punctuates that with a nuzzle. ]

[ Iorveth softens, and Astarion loves him all the more for it. He adores watching Iorveth give others verbal—or physical—beatdowns, but he far prefers when Iorveth is sweet and unguarded, a feral fox whose affection and docility he's earned. He breaks out into a warm grin, fondness radiating out of him. ]

Nothing?

[ He closes the small distance between them to press a kiss to the tip of Iorveth's nose, innocent, playful, and full of affection. ]

Not even this? [ Another kiss to Iorveth's strong chin. ] Or this? [ And one to his cheek— ] What about this?

[ Oh. Well, that's unfair. Laughing under his breath, Iorveth angles his head and gives Astarion's earlobe a light nibble in retaliation. He knows how much it means to be trusted with this sort of affection, especially after they've had a bit of a row. ]

Words, [ he laugh-sighs again. ] Fine. Nothing feels better than you.

[ If Astarion must know. Not as grudging of a rephrasing as it could have been, with Iorveth all too happy to spoil Astarion a bit for hurting him earlier, for making him think, even for a second, that Iorveth didn't believe that Astarion cares for him.

Rubbing noses, he drops a light peck to the corner of Astarion's mouth. ]

I wish to build the rest of my life with you.

[ Iorveth can't possibly know how much this chaste affection means to him, how wonderful it feels to engage in physicality without any pressure to go further. Healing, he might say, if that weren't an embarrassing thing to admit. He leans in with the intent to kiss Iorveth back, but he stops when Iorveth speaks again— ]

Oh, [ he says, stupidly. It isn't an unpleasant thing to hear, necessarily, but he hasn't any idea how to respond. No one has ever told him anything like it before. After all, before Iorveth, no one ever wanted more than a night with him.

He pulls back an inch, searching Iorveth's face like he's worried that there's some kind of catch, like maybe Iorveth doesn't actually mean it. ]

Really?

[ Said, again, stupidly. ]

[ Oh, Astarion says, and Iorveth thinks "too much?". After all they'd argued about, Iorveth'd thought it would be the logical conclusion: "I would follow you anywhere", seguing neatly into "I want to build my life with you". (An insane man's train of logic, probably.)

Iorveth is as serious as the plague. He returns the bemusement with a kind of bemusement of his own, a question mark floating above his own head, trying to work out if there's a simpler or more meaningful way to phrase what he'd already said. ]

Yes, [ he finally decides. ] You're no tryst. Nor a goal to fulfill, nor a challenge to overcome.

[ Those things have expiration dates, usually. Iorveth presses a palm to Astarion's cheek, keeping their mismatched eyes (one to two) locked. ]

It has become hard, [ he admits, ] to imagine a life without you. It becomes harder every day.

[ Feeling important to someone may be the greatest high in the world, more intoxicating than any drug or any blood. Over the years, worthless wretch started to feel less like an insult and more like a fact of life. To matter to someone is overwhelming in the best sort of way, his body overcome with warm, fuzzy feelings. ]

Every day with you lessens the pain of the past a little more.

[ Because Iorveth doesn't like to hear that his presence 'makes up' for Astarion's suffering. Still, Iorveth makes him so deliriously happy that he can't imagine going back and doing anything differently. All of the sadness and anger and loneliness was only a precursor to him. ]

—I want to keep you forever.

[ An unfair reminder that the rest of Iorveth's life is not exactly the rest of his life. ]

[ "Forever" is a little insane, mostly because Iorveth can't envision it. Two centuries has been enough for him to think about how much of his present is most non-elves' past, so he can't imagine what it must be like for someone that perceives time as nothing more than a routine instead of a creeping inevitability.

Iorveth likes insane, though. Astarion matches his own desire for impossibilities, which only makes Iorveth feel more affectionate. A vicious cycle. ]

Another problem for us to solve, then.

[ If Jaheira could extend her life far longer than she was entitled to, Iorveth might be able to squeeze an extra few centuries with Astarion using a magical trinket or other. It doesn't solve the problem of forever, but it'll be a start.

He rakes his hand through Astarion's hair, pushing it away from that beautiful face. ]

Your cloak first. I'm keen to see you in the sun again.

I'm keen to stand in the sun again, believe me.

[ He'd only had it back for such a short period, but the effect of no longer being confined to the night had been instant. Vampirism has plenty of drawbacks, but if he could at least solve that one, he thinks he can tolerate the rest. It helps that he has a willing donor to keep him well-fed; the hunger never really goes away, but Iorveth's blood quiets the worst of his cravings. ]

—But first, you should get some rest. I hear the Yawning Portal can get rather rowdy.

[ Which he likes, of course. A theatre kid lives for the drama. ]

[ Vampires look lovely in moonlight with their pale skin and red eyes, but Iorveth still recalls how beautiful Astarion'd looked with his silver hair catching the gold glow of midday sun. He deserves that again, Iorveth thinks, and reaches sideways to pull Gale's obscenely soft blankets over their bodies. ]

If you want me to throw a few punches in a tavern to earn you some coin, [ he murmurs, ] I'll consider it.

[ "Acting a fool", Iorveth'd said of things like this once. His opinion hasn't changed― it is foolish to engage in tavern brawls for a lark― but it's also nice, doing things that make someone important to him happy.

His single eye shutters. It's a luxury, still, to feel the weighted assurance of Astarion's presence against his body while he rests. The stillsame sense of being anchored, even when his trancing mind threatens to pull him into unpleasant directions. Like the first night he'd ever spent with Astarion, he focuses on the comfortable reality of the body near him; his meditation becomes peaceful and unburdened, but poor Astarion will have to contend with Iorveth's arms wrapped around him, unwilling to let go without some coaxing. ]

[ Were it anyone else with their arms wrapped around him, Astarion would feel suffocated and trapped. With Iorveth's arms around him, he feels safe, loved. He nestles into the crook of Iorveth's shoulder, mouth pressed against his skin, until night falls and then some. He wakes from his trance before Iorveth does, and he closes his eyes again, pretending to still be meditating while he soaks in Iorveth's affection.

He stays like that for awhile, content, until he grows restless enough to want Iorveth to consciously pay attention to him again. Shifting in his arms, Astarion kisses the delicate bit of skin behind Iorveth's ear, unable to resist nibbling gently on his earlobe. What can he say? He likes how vulnerable and defenseless Iorveth looks while trancing, which is probably questionably healthy. ]

Darling, [ he whispers, nudging lightly. ]

[ Astarion, privy to all of Iorveth's vulnerabilities. He shifts where he's wrapped himself around the body next to him, smoothing a palm up what he knows is Astarion's back, before cracking open his remaining green eye. Kneaded awake by his favorite cat. ]

...A pleasant thing, for your face to be the first thing I see. [ Everyone who modded out Grinchstarion is weak....... Iorveth plants a kiss to Astarion's jaw, and slowly, slowly unfurls his grip from around that eminently holdable waist. ] Is it already dark?

[ He'll answer his own question: a sideways roll that unfortunately pulls him away from the not-so-warm body on the bed, to peek through the curtains at the state of the outside world, at the bustling night that follows the busy day in Waterdeep. ]

Mm. We should get ready to leave.

We should, [ he agrees. They're on a time table; he'd hate to get stuck at the tavern just as the sun rises.

Still. Astarion isn't exactly the type of person to hop to. He flops onto his back, sprawled out over more bed than he can politely claim, pouting a little. He longs for the days when they'll have nothing to do but lie in bed with the curtains open, basking in the sunlight (a realistic goal when one is in a relationship with Iorveth, who couldn't be idle if he tried). ]

At least kiss me good morning first. [ A pause, then a correction: ] Well. Good night.

[ Iorveth listens to his instinct to roll his eye at the request, but the exasperation is largely dampened by the slight smile touching at the corner of his lips. He hasn't been sane about Astarion in a while, but he objectively acknowledges his insanity every time this kind of behavior registers as cute instead of annoying.

Sliding gracefully back to Astarion's side, Iorveth cups his cheek and tilts his chin up to slot their mouths together, lingering in that contact for perhaps longer than strictly necessary. Despite everything, this really is his favorite gesture of affection.

Once he pulls back, exhaling softly against Astarion's lips: ]

Ceádmil, elaine.

[ Essentially "hi beautiful" in his language. An indulgent combing of fingers through trance-mussed curls, and Iorveth draws himself up and off of the bed. ]

Come. If you lounge so sweetly, we'll never leave this room.

[ Astarion is the only person in Toril capable of tempting Iorveth into being lazy. Very dangerous. With some finality, he strides towards the door and opens it, where he finds a basket with a rather large coinpurse settled neatly inside, accompanied by a letter:

"Friends,

You'll find in this handy purse an allowance that should keep you well entertained for the next few days.
Do try not to spend it all in the first night. Tara will get cross with you for being reckless with finances, and her forms of retribution can be quite petty.

(Don't tell her I said that.)

Take care, and have fun― responsibly!

Yours in fond camaraderie,

G. Dekarios" ]

[ Slowly, lazily, Astarion forces himself up and out of bed, following behind Iorveth. It is, perhaps, good for him that Iorveth is so full of dogged determination. If not, they'd never get anything done. He rests his chin on Iorveth's shoulder as he peers over it out into the hall, eyes scanning Gale's letter. ]

'Responsibly'.

[ A scoff. When have they ever done anything responsibly? He doesn't intend to start now — responsibility is boring.

Astarion peels himself away from Iorveth to pick up the coin purse, feeling its weight and shaking it a little before opening it to peek inside. ]

Hmm. I could spend this all in one night.

[ A lot of gold and silver, with a few twinkles of what could probably be platinum. Iorveth has no idea what "market value" entails, or what common luxuries are worth (he can definitely haggle and call bullshit on the value of weapons and armor), but the contents of the purse seem to be enough to feed someone comfortably for, say, at least a tenday. ]

I'll hold the purse, then.

[ He says, plucking it from Astarion's hand and patting at his pant leg for pockets that, unfortunately, he doesn't have; all of this done with austere solemnity, as if Iorveth isn't immune to Astarion asking him for things with big sad cat eyes. It's all over for him if and when he feels a tug on his sleeve. ]

We'll leave in half a bell's time. Go get changed.

[ Unfortunately for Gale, the fact that he hasn't designated clothes for them to borrow means that he's given Astarion carte blanche to rifle through his things. Iorveth, on the other hand, finds a suitably green shirt (ill-fitting) to slip on, and jams himself into ugly brown trousers that he chose specifically because the pockets are deep enough― the worst addition to the already tragic outfit is a heinous slip-on sandal that Iorveth has stuck his feet into, mostly because none of Gale's shoes fit him. A Criminal. ]

[ It's cute that Iorveth pretends he can say 'no' to Astarion, but he allows him to continue on with that delusion. It'll make it all the more satisfying when Iorveth crumbles because of a well-timed pout. Instead of arguing about who gets to hold the purse, Astarion carries on and gets to searching through Gale's clothing. He, of course, takes his time, unwilling to wear anything that might be—gasp—unflattering.

He returns to Iorveth dressed in what's probably one of Gale's more expensive outfits; a silky purple (of course) shirt with silver embroidery, tucked in to hide how ill-fitting it is, and a pair of dark trousers cinched with a belt to keep them from falling off of his elfin frame. It's all a bit too baggy to be truly flattering, but at least it isn't ugly.

The same can't be said for Iorveth. When he returns to their room, Gale's loafers padding softly against the floor as he walks, he regards Iorveth's outfit with wide, horrified eyes. ]

Oh, my sweet. [ Said with the same intonation as bless your heart. ] Not sandals!

[ Iorveth has blinders on; to him, Astarion is basically the prettiest person not-alive, no matter what he's wearing. On the flipside, he's working his way up from less than zero, so his concern is more "stay covered" instead of "look good".

Case in point: the sandals. Waterdhavian Crocs, in the worst shade of custard-beige possible. The only nice thing he's wearing is the eyepatch that Astarion got for him, and the little ring on a chain he finally took out of his traveling pack to slip back around his neck. ]

They fit, [ he says, as if that solves the problem of them being, well. Extremely ugly. He'd been looking all over for his traveling boots, but it's very likely that Gale took them out back and burned them for being hopelessly waterlogged and muddy.

Iorveth has no idea how close to getting dumped he is, so he extends a hand and motions towards the general direction of the tower exit. ] Come. You'll have to lead the way, I've no idea where this tavern of yours is.

[ Astarion resists the urge to gag at Iorveth's horrible outfit choice. He just doesn't know any better, he reminds himself. That's why he needs you to guide him... But, gods, it's a challenge loving someone with such abysmal fashion sense. Actual tweet by him.

He does somehow still love Iorveth despite everything, so he averts his eyes from the fashion crime happening (hopefully that's not part of the Code Legal) and takes his hand to lead him down the stairs and out of the tower into the crisp Waterdhavian night. The Yawning Portal is close by, and it takes little time before they're standing before a four-story building made of stone, the colors of each floor mismatched due to reconstruction. The tavern is flanked by Mother Salinka's House of Pleasure and Lankathla Dree's Bakery, the former of which has more business at this hour. A weathered old sign hangs from a pole set into the wall, reading The Yawning Portal in carved script.

The tavern is bustling, as one can hear from the outside. One can hear the sound of a bard playing the lute and singing jauntily, and below that, the muffled sound of many voices holding conversation. A red-faced dwarf stumbles out through the swinging double doors that serve as the entrance to the lobby, pushed by one of the housejacks on duty, a tall, muscled tiefling who reminds him terribly of Karlach.

"Fuckin'..." the dwarf slurs, unsteady on his feet. He lurches directly into Iorveth, pauses, and says, "Who built this pole here?" before wandering away, muttering drunkly and incoherently under his breath. ]

Well, what do you think?

Impressive, for a tavern.

[ Clearly, it's an establishment that's stood the test of time and serves strong drinks, if the piss-drunk dwarf is any indication. Iorveth looks up at the crooked slant of the angled roof and its many, many chimneys, before snapping his attention back towards Astarion, head tipped inquisitively. ]

What about it enticed you?

[ Expensive wine? Pretty women? Iorveth lets go of Astarion's hand, giving him more space to lead and direct (or pretend not to know the weird elf with his ugly shoes); he can see the housejack at the entrance appraising them both, though her scrutiny seems less to be about wanting to throw them out and more about seeing if they have any coats that need to be checked.

"If you two wanted to watch the party heading down to Undermountain, you just missed it," she calls out to them. When all she gets is a blank look from Iorveth in return, she laughs and waves them inside. "Or not. We've got drinks too, if you're looking for them." ]

Oh, yes, [ Astarion pipes up, like he just realized he forgot to mention something. ] They lower people to their possible dooms here, I hear. Very entertaining.

[ So, there's that. He grins, making his way past the lobby and into the taproom. The walls and floors are made of well-worn wood, which is perhaps not the best idea, considering the whole place is lit by numerous chandeliers and table-set candles. The whole place is covered in a thin layer of pipe smoke from its customers, who are scattered among sturdy wooden tables on the ground floor and the balcony above. This floor, at least, seems inhabited mostly by adventurers, if their clothing and weapons are any indication.

And, of course, taking up the lion's share of the space is a well leading down to the Undermountain, easily 40 feet wide and encircled by a waist-high stone ridge to keep the average customer from falling down it in a drunken stupor. Two tieflings stand beside it, whooping with excitement and downing flagons of ale before the proprietor fastens them each to a blood-stained rope, lowering them down one by one with a pulley system. ]

They say the dungeons below were built by some insane wizard, or something of the sort.

[ Well, that's different. The proprietor, a rather sullen-looking human who seems to be the only person in the room who views the ceremony for what it might be (a funeral), spends a good minute lowering the rope until it goes slack, then abandons the cheering adventurers to take his post back behind the bar counter. ]

Just a normal wizard, then.

[ Translation: "all wizards are insane." He tries to approach the outer perimeter of the tavern's namesake out of sheer curiosity, but stops once a pair of drunk dwarves (possibly friends of the one that he bumped into outside) try to slur at him about they braved the well and came back alive That One Time.

Nope. Iorveth sidesteps them gracefully, and tries to maneuver Astarion towards one of the many tables lining the far end of the room. ]

A tavern built on top of a dungeon－ now I've seen everything. [ A glance upwards, to a second floor balcony overlooking the taproom. A few groups of adventurers are watching the well with obvious interest, alongside a smattering of lone visitors, some with their heads down and hoods up. ] Though I expected you to choose something less...

[ Waving a hand. ] ...Sweaty.

[ Astarion perches on a wooden chair, slinging an arm over the back while he glances out at the patrons acting, as Iorveth would say, a fool. Plenty of drunks, some of them imbibing in order to muster up the courage to be dropped down into the well, others enjoying watching said fools as a form of entertainment.

Waving a hand, he says, ] It's hardly my first time in a sweaty bar.

[ Or his second, or his third. Hells, he's more accustomed to being someplace like this than someplace Iorveth might imagine him in. That isn't a good thing, necessarily, but it is A Thing. ]

...And, well, when I'd mentioned it last night. [ A little squirming, now. ] —I suppose I'd hoped you'd be jealous of all the sweaty drunkards I'd catch the attention of.

[ Embarrassing!!! But also true, because at the time he'd mentioned it, he'd still been angry with Iorveth. ]

[ Oh. Iorveth is swapping a grimy chair in favor of one that looks less liable to stick to his trousers, when Astarion confesses his true intentions for having chosen such a rowdy establishment; it makes him pause, his unobscured brow hiked in perfect scrutiny, and scrape his seat a polite distance away from Astarion instead of right beside him. ]

You would've put me in a foul mood, to be sure. [ Maybe not jealousy. Probably something worse. Likely, he would've left, and it would've been a shitshow. Iorveth leans back in his perch, watching Astarion squirm in dim tavern lighting.

Exasperating. Immature. Very sweet. Iorveth's lips curl as he settles into his seat, his expression just shy of sly. ]

And you think I'd be less inclined to be jealous now, after I promised my life to you this morning?

[ Trick question: Iorveth might covet Astarion, but he would rather claw out his remaining eye than be the kind of person who dictates who Astarion can and cannot speak to. Still, he gets the feeling that his foolish cat likes the thought of him seething with rage if Astarion so much as smiles at someone else, so.

A sigh, mock-disappointed. ] You think so little of me.

[ Drama king. Very unserious. Iorveth is very secure in his adoration of Astarion, and he's also very secure in his own knowledge that, if Astarion ever got unasked-for and unwanted attention from an ill-intentioned third party, he would gut the source of that unwanted attention in witness of any of the Gods milling about this mortal plane. ]

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