arcanedesires

[arcanedesires]

at a friends but i’m planning on writing when i get home! i may also put out a meme call sometime tonight / tomorrow

replies should hopefully come this weekend, work has been crazy busy so there hasn’t been much time for writing like usual

[arcanedesires]

replies should hopefully come this weekend, work has been crazy busy so there hasn’t been much time for writing like usual

[arcanedesires]

going out for a bit and then i’ll be on @forgesdestiny to work on some drafts and my carrd there

[arcanedesires]

for such a big man, aekas blends into the shadows and dark crevices of baldur's gate alleys like they're a second skin. perhaps it's the tadpole lodged in his brain or whatever's left inside his skull, but it seems to aekas that the shadows almost cling to him. his blood sings to be at one with the darkness and the shadows, in a way no one understands since shadowheart turned away from shar and the lady's darkness. there is something unnatural about him, his very inheritance is shadowy and dark, and they all see it as something to fix and not embrace. but the darkness doesn't scare aekas, the way it does everyone else. it is the missing puzzle piece, the very key to who he was before, and in a way, who he still is.

a sly grin spreads across purple lips, far more amused than he perhaps ought to be. “you are a cleric, no?” though it is abundantly clear to them all, brain damage is present in the tiefling. if the strange behaviour did not give it away, the scars above his brow and the lack of a horn and functioning eye were sure to give him away. “but i need no cleric, we all have the same affliction in the organ in between our ears,” he supplies, tapping the tip of his bloodied dagger to his temple. “tadpoles, my friend.”

@arcanedesires asked: “The shadows are my friend.” aekas to karcis send me a meme !!

                Karcis    stares    at    the    man-    though    much    shorter    than    him    he    certainly    would    not    take    him    in    a    fight.    Especially    when    he    says    such    things    unprompted.    Head    turns,    though    he    can't    keep    his    eyes    from    the    mans    figure.    Perhaps    he    is    terrified    to    look    away,    perhaps    he    is    terrified    he    might    react    differently    than    he    had    hoped.    Though    now    he    is    watching    him    from    the    corner    of    his    eye,    he    is    watching    intently.

                "    Funny    you    should    say    that,    Aekas.    "    He    says,    as    if    he    were    to    say    the    same    thing.    "    I    think    you    should    seek    some    help    from    a    Cleric,    my    friend.    There    might    be    some    damage    to    the    organ    in    your    head.    "

[arcanedesires]

@hunt-the-hare sent ; “In spite of all that, I would have easily left you here to rot if they hadn’t stopped me.” for aekas from karcis

aekas cannot say he's surprised to see karcis so soon after the fight they'd had only nights ago, the first time aekas has had the pleasure of being under karcis's fists, and the sick and twisted thing inside him hopes it will not be the last. it had perhaps been cruel of him to spirit astarion away in the night for cazador's palace, to help the pale elf ascend against the wishes of many in the camp, and most importantly, karcis himself. but where was the harm in it? they needed every bit of help they could get, and having the vampire ascendant on their side would be a card they'd surely use, and karcis's little plaything had survived the ordeal. aekas had said as much upon his and astarion's return to camp, only moments before karcis had hit him that first time.

as beaten and bruised as he was the other night, aekas doubts karcis ability to have killed him, that the other tiefling would ever make a true attempt to do so. mortality seemed like such a silly notion when one could transform into a four-armed beast at will. a foolish notion, if aekas was to think on it, but his mind has been too clouded by could-have-beens and would-have-beens to put much thought behind it. the bhaalspawn only laughs at first in answer, setting aside his sword he'd been sharpening to stand from his seat. it's a pointless notion, aekas will never be bigger than karcis unless he becomes the beast itching beneath his skin.

"yes, i suppose i should thank the gentle nature of our companions for still drawing breath. i have no doubt that would please you." it had been a combined effort to pull aekas and karcis apart, one the purple tielfing had been surprised to see evelaena a part of. perhaps, she was smarter than aekas gave her credit for. "i've said my piece on this already, and i don't imagine you've forgotten it," he goads lowly, lone purple eye moving from karcis to search for evelaena in the camp behind him. "but should you wish to hear it again," a lazy smirk spreads across his lips, "i did what needed to be done. we have the added strength we need, and she still lives, no different than before." despite aekas' best efforts.

"yet you have acted as if i killed her in cold blood, ripped her apart with my bare hands before you," his voice low and mocking, he does not know when to quit. maybe it's the reaction he wants, or for karcis to know how he'd kill his precious evelaena if given the chance. "the way i see it, she should thank me. i freed her from cazador, her and astarion both, something you were too weak to do for them." if karcis wished to bring up the past argument, far be it from aekas not to bring it back full force, if only for the fight.

[arcanedesires]

even playfully, evelaena has never spoken to a man like this before. arthur morgan is the exception, the only one she feels safe enough around to let herself do and say things she usually wouldn't. he has held so many firsts for her, though she knows she has likely not been the first of any kind for arthur. but she doesn't mind; nothing else matters to her when she's with arthur. she'd spend forever in these little moments with him if she could. every moment with him is a blessing that she's not sure she deserves. for so long, cazador had made her feel unlovable, unworthy, and it is arthur who chips away at these thoughts with every touch and every loving kiss he grants her. she hopes he knows how much he has done for her, how much he means to her.

she feels giddy, like a girl about to share her very first kiss. she can't help but shuffle forward a step as he moves toward her, pulling her in tight to him as if it's where she belongs. he's the other half of her; she's sure of it. her hand settles on his chest over his heart as his lips press against hers, and she can't help but smile into it, nor the soft, happy sigh of his name against his lips that follows it.

@arcanedesires asked: “Shut up and kiss me.” arthur from evelaena send arthur an ask !!

                Words  put  a  smile  on  his  lips,  tugging  so  wide  it's  a  toothy  grin.  He  dips  his  head,  hat  covering  his  eyes  a  moment,  though  they  wrinkle  at  the  edges  from  years  of  stress  and  work  in  the  sun.  A  chuckle,  deep  and  rumbling  sounds  out  from  within  his  chest-  not  many  tell  Arthur  Morgan  what  to  do.  Especially  women  as  small  and  meek  as  Evelaena.  Though  he's  never  posed  as  a  threat  to  the  woman,  has  he  ??  He  thinks  he's  been  nothing  but  good  to  her,  and  yet  he  still  doesn't  deserve  the  touch  of  a  kind  woman.

                "  Yes  ma'am.  "  He  says  with  a  nod  of  his  head.  Feet  move,  and  when  he's  close  enough,  he  pulls  her  in  tight  against  him,  lips  pressing  to  hers.

[arcanedesires]

@hunt-the-hare sent ; “Because I will break every bone in your body. Not one more goddamn word, am I clear?” aekas from karcis

aekas is a man of few words, always has been, as far as he can remember, with these gaping memories he carries. he speaks only when he has something important to say, though it varies companion by companion whether what he has said was truly worth speaking. generally, his thoughts and opinions go against the majority of the camps, go against good will, or whatever it was preached at him so many times, as if it would change a thing inside him. they cannot all be good; someone must do what's needed when goodness would get in the way of survival.

however, this is not a matter of survival; it is a matter of feelings. something that has seemingly dulled for him since they've reached baldur's gate and he's leaned further into that darkness beneath his skin. a wolfish grin spreads across his lips, though it's much more a baring of sharpened teeth, and to say aekas is not afraid of karcis words. "why should i not speak on this? i say only what everyone is thinking, what you are too blind to see because you've fallen in love with her." truly, what did evelaena offer the camp other than being karcis bedmate?

the tip of his curved knife digs under his fingernail, clearing out the dried blood caked under them, repeating the action until each nail is cleaned before he's pointing the dagger towards the object of his ire. "we need power, not whatever - " he motions the tip of the dagger up and down evelaena's body, "this is. astarion will ascend for our benefit in defeating the netherbrain. it is a noble sacrifice, is it not?" and rids them of the weak link they've been dragging along with them for far too long in aekas opinion. "what is it i am always being told? oh yes, the needs of the many outweigh the needs of the few."

[arcanedesires]

@hunt-the-hare sent ; “Do I get to skin you?” For evelaena from Remmick

evelaena thought she’d known fear living with the o’driscolls, but everything she’d felt with them paled in comparison to this. it’s a primitive kind of fear that makes her heart pound and her palms sweat. she is the rabbit caught in the hunter's snare before a wolf. the lamb away from the safety of its flock and its shepherd, with no way back into the arms of safety. she cannot help but wonder what she has done to be deserving of such torment. was it the things she's done to survive?

"please. . ." the word bubbles up in a mix of nervous laughter and a sob. it's not the first time she's had to beg for her life, but the fear makes it feel as if it might be the last. her words are her only defence, they always have been until this moment where everything she's ever learned in her life seems to leave her mind. but fear will do that to a person, won't it?

it wasn't as if she had meant for those o'driscoll boys to find her in town, to chase her out into the woods and a tangle of vines that led her into an old hunter's trap, forgotten at some point from the look of it. she'd expected those o'driscoll's to come crashing through the treeline, not this . . . man. had he killed them all or would he become another of their victims too?

"this isn't the time for jokes," she tries to keep her voice light, keep the fear she feels out of it, but he doesn't strike her as the type to joke about such a thing. "i need . . . i need help, please." oh, how she hates to beg, to be at this strangers mercy, but what choice does she have now? she'd do what she must to make it out of this alive. she always has.

[arcanedesires]

BALDUR’S GATE 3 RP CANON COMPLIANT/DIVERGENT MEME: send in prompts for starters in between “canon events” for us to add our own flavor and further canon development to the game! this list is NOT EXHAUSTIVE, merely a “jumping off point.” if there are other canon events not included here, you can also send those in as well!

ACT ONE.

[ NAUTILOID. ] A starter where our muses awaken on the beach after the nautiloid crashes.

[ ETHEL. ] A starter where our muses are exploring the area around Aunt Ethel’s house.

[ HARPIES. ] A starter where our muses save the tiefling child from the harpies.

[ PICKPOCKET. ] A starter where our muses were pickpocketed by the tiefling kids—and now have to find their stuff.

[ LESSONS. ] A starter where our muses teach the tieflings how to fight, with Wyll.

[ TIEFLING PARTY. ] A starter where our muses approach one another at the tiefling party, to gossip, chat, dance, or hit on each other.

[ BRIDGE. ] A starter where our muses discuss Raphael’s deal.

[ MIZORA. ] A starter where our muses discuss Wyll’s pact—and his transformation.

[ BLOODLESS. ] A starter where one of our muse’s reacts the other being sucked dry by Astarion.

[ DREAM GUARDIAN. ] A starter where our muses react to the Dream Guardian visiting their dreams, and the power of the tadpoles.

[ SPORES. ] A starter where our muses react to the effects of the Myconoid’s gift.

[ SCRYING EYE. ] A starter where our muses are forced to think of a way to shank the scrying eye in the Grymforge.

[ SCRATCH. ] A starter where our muses react to Best Boy coming to camp the first time.

ACT TWO….

[ LAST LIGHT. ] For our muses to rest together at the Last Light Inn.

[ FAIRY. ] For our muses to listen to the moonlight lantern fairy curse their name.

[ SHAR. ] For our muses to complete the Shar puzzles together!

[ NIGHTSONG. ] For our muses to react after Shadowheart saves / does not save the Nightsong!

[ ENGINE. ] For our muses to react to Karlach being able to touch again.

[ FLESH. ] For our muses to explore the guts of Moonlight Towers together.

[ LOVE. ] For our muses to react to Dame Aylin and Isobel being reunited.

[ ORPHAN. ] For our muses to react to Arabella’s tragedy.

[ HIDE N SEEK. ] For our muses to play hide and seek with Thaniel!

ACT THREE. (spoilers under the cut.)

[ CIRCUS ] for a love trial, with more or different questions, and our own answers.

[ REFUGEES ] for our muses to try to help the refugees in some small way, large or small.

[ MANSION. ] for our muses to explore Cazador’s mansion.

[ TENTACLES. ] for our muses reaction to the reveal of the Act 3 Dream Guardian spoilers, and their subsequent request.

[ ELFSONG. ] For our muses to get a drink together and enjoy a good rest for a change.

[ STEEL FOUNDRY. ] for our muses to try to figure out a way into the steel foundry.

and that’s all for now, i may write more later!

[arcanedesires]

Arthur Morgan’s Funniest Jokes

From Red Dead Redemption 2: Tweak as Necessary

“Why? You want rescuing again?” “Five thousand dollars? For me? Can I turn myself in?” “They gonna hang him? Here’s hoping!” “Well, stick around. You love her that much, maybe you can die for her as well.” “In spite of all that, I would have easily left you hear to rot if they hadn’t stopped me.” “And I didn’t kill any of us! Well, I killed some of your relatives, but they would’ve killed all of us.” “It’s me, dumbass.” “I do not want to hear about what you got up to in the military.” “Stranded that long, huh. And you unfortunately survived.” “Seeing double? That gives you twice the chance of hitting someone.” “I just wanna see you when you meet your match, as far as an ancient predator with a big mouth…” “Fantastic. Let’s hope it bites you first.” “Think, man. A mind is a terrible thing to lose! Especially over such a nice floor as this.” “Does this trolley go to Tahiti?!” “Oh, I love you desperately. You’re my favorite parasite.” “No, ringworm’s my favorite parasite. You’re my second favorite parasite.” “I lied. It’s ringworm, then rats with the plague, then you.” “Well, thanks for the introduction! How do you spell it? So I can tell the undertaker.” Well when government agents are hunting you down, sometimes shopping trips need to be cut short!” “And if needs be, we can eat you, you’re the fattest.” “As long as we get paid or you get shot, I’m happy.” “Because I will break every bone in your body. Not one more goddamn word, am I clear?” “That’s two bones right there.” “Your job’s starting the fights, it ain’t winning them.” “Yes, you are a compulsive liar.” “You should have taken the money.” “He may be as dumb as rocks and dull as rusted iron…” “I told them you weren’t the right man for this.” “You got any other lost maidens need saving?” “How did someone even come up with them words?” “Look, I’m sorry friend, I can barely speak English.” “Starving would be preferrable.” “You know, I thought about getting into hosiery, but…I just look better in a suit.” “Oh, I’m colder than you realize. I feel bad I didn’t rob and kill the bastard.” “Made a meal outta that, didn’t you?” “Dammit, you did run.” “Remind me to rob your trains, mister.” “I don’t wanna get shot, that’s all.” “That is kinda brilliant. For you, I mean.” “That’s a real idea! I think that’s the first time you ever had one of them!” “You might be the first bastard to have half his brains eaten by a wolf and end up more intelligent.” “You know that attempt to seem all enigmatic and interesting? That might work for others, but for you it just makes you look stupid.” “Must be tough being rich, huh?” “Managing not to annoy folks?” “I’m miserable.” “Get your hands dirty for a change.” “Forgive me if I slip and stab you in the face.” “I was enjoying the monologue.” “You must be nervous being so close to water.” “I do my utmost to avoid you.” “Robbing graverobbers…we’ve hit the big time.” “You can see why he has such a high opinion of himself.” “We’ll just follow the smell.” “You still strong enough to hold up a wagon?” “See, you ain’t so uselessafter all.” “Sure, I can just take my winters in my country club in California.” “What you think? Find another old lady to strangle?” “Do I get to skin you?”

[arcanedesires]

rdr2 starters

change pronouns as needed. all quotes were taken out of context from the game.

❛   greek myths are best in explaining the very punishment that imbue our daily existence.  ❜  

❛   prometheus gave us light, and warmth, and eternal damnation.    ❜  

❛   and the awareness of our isolation for everything holy.  ❜

❛   it’s enough to make a man drink.  ❜  

❛   you know… it’s not too late to repent.   ❜  

❛   in that case, i’m sure there’s priests who will happily take your confession.  ❜  

❛   when i go, i hope they cover my grave with roses.  ❜  

❛   when i die, i just want to be buried with friends. ❜  

❛   face me to the west so i can watch the setting sun & remember all the fine times we had. ❜  

❛   reserving judgements is a matter of infinite hope.  ❜  

❛   i’ve lived a bad life.   ❜  

❛   we’ve all lived bad lives. we all sin.  ❜  

❛   forgive me, but… that’s the problem. you don’t know you.  ❜  

❛   whenever we happen to meet, you’re always helping people and smiling.  ❜  

❛  i had a son… he passed away. ❜  

❛   i had a girl who loved me… i threw that away.  ❜  

❛    my momma died when i was a kid.    ❜  

❛    my daddy… well, i watched him die. and it weren’t soon enough.  ❜  

❛    life is full of pain. but there is also love, and beauty. ❜  

❛   be grateful that for the first time, you see your life clearly. ❜  

❛    perhaps you could help somebody? helping makes you really happy. ❜  

❛   there is nothing to be afraid of.  ❜  

❛   take a gamble that love exists, and do a loving act. ❜

❛ killing in cold blood, revenge, we all do bad things, but…  ❜  

❛   listen to me. when the time comes… you gotta run and don’t look back.  ❜  

❛   …we ain’t both gonna make it.  ❜  

❛   it would mean a lot to me… please.    ❜  

❛    all you can do now is decide the man you wanna be, for the time you have left.  ❜  

❛    i ain’t looking for forgiveness… it ain’t about that. ❜  

❛   don’t forgive me… just take the money and get outta here, please.  ❜  

❛    i know i ruined your life. i suffer for it every day.  ❜  

❛   but… don’t let yourself get killed for… for pride.  ❜  

❛   i’ve seen it kill too many folk.  ❜

❛   maybe when your mother is done mourning… i’ll keep her in black, on your behalf.  ❜  

❛    maybe we should cut you open and count the rings of whiskey.  ❜  

❛   you speak as if killing is something i cared about.  ❜  

❛   look, just do one thing or another…not be two people at once. that’s all i’m saying.  ❜  

❛   you was the sweetest little thing we ever saw…and the saddest.  ❜  

❛   it feels like… like our luck has turned… you know… and it ain’t turning back.   ❜  

❛    be loyal to what matters.  ❜  

❛   you and me, we ain’t decent… but those folk… they was.  ❜  

❛   this whole thing is pretty much done.    ❜  

❛   we’re more ghosts than people.  ❜  

❛   despite my best efforts to the contrary… it turns out i’ve won.  ❜ 

❛  we can’t change what’s done. we can only move on.    ❜  

❛   i gave you all i had… i did.  ❜  

❛   i wish things were different.  ❜ 

[arcanedesires]

@thehollyverse sent ; ❛    be loyal to what matters.  ❜ holly for evelaena

evelaena already follows these words religiously, though it's a more recent development in her life, if she's honest. she's had little cause to devote loyalty to anyone since her family married her off, and even less after her no-good husband had put himself into debts he couldn't pay and gave her away to settle them. not that he was much of a good man before that, but she'd be mostly taken care of, a roof over her head and food in her belly, what else could she have needed? a little kindness, maybe, but she tries not to think too much about it.

she hadn't known what to expect when hitching up with the van der linde gang; they had seemed kind enough ( kinder than colm was anyhow ) and that had been all that mattered in her great escape from the o'driscoll's. the whole thing was meant to be temporary; they'd never accept her if they knew the truth about her, but it didn't stop the feelings forming in her heart for them.

she lifts her head to smile at holly, hands pausing in their work of scrubbing one of arthur's shirts across the washboard. her hands are no longer soft and delicate as they once were, though she does not mind it as much as she once thought she would. "i don't think i've ever been around so many people loyal to one another before," she admits quietly, like its some kind of sin of her past, and maybe it is. "i've always thought that it was loyalty to one's self that mattered most, but i think i'm starting to believe differently."

[arcanedesires]

BALDUR’S GATE 3 RP CANON COMPLIANT/DIVERGENT MEME: send in prompts for starters in between “canon events” for us to add our own flavor and further canon development to the game! this list is NOT EXHAUSTIVE, merely a “jumping off point.” if there are other canon events not included here, you can also send those in as well!

ACT ONE.

[ NAUTILOID. ] A starter where our muses awaken on the beach after the nautiloid crashes.

[ ETHEL. ] A starter where our muses are exploring the area around Aunt Ethel’s house.

[ HARPIES. ] A starter where our muses save the tiefling child from the harpies.

[ PICKPOCKET. ] A starter where our muses were pickpocketed by the tiefling kids—and now have to find their stuff.

[ LESSONS. ] A starter where our muses teach the tieflings how to fight, with Wyll.

[ TIEFLING PARTY. ] A starter where our muses approach one another at the tiefling party, to gossip, chat, dance, or hit on each other.

[ BRIDGE. ] A starter where our muses discuss Raphael’s deal.

[ MIZORA. ] A starter where our muses discuss Wyll’s pact—and his transformation.

[ BLOODLESS. ] A starter where one of our muse’s reacts the other being sucked dry by Astarion.

[ DREAM GUARDIAN. ] A starter where our muses react to the Dream Guardian visiting their dreams, and the power of the tadpoles.

[ SPORES. ] A starter where our muses react to the effects of the Myconoid’s gift.

[ SCRYING EYE. ] A starter where our muses are forced to think of a way to shank the scrying eye in the Grymforge.

[ SCRATCH. ] A starter where our muses react to Best Boy coming to camp the first time.

ACT TWO….

[ LAST LIGHT. ] For our muses to rest together at the Last Light Inn.

[ FAIRY. ] For our muses to listen to the moonlight lantern fairy curse their name.

[ SHAR. ] For our muses to complete the Shar puzzles together!

[ NIGHTSONG. ] For our muses to react after Shadowheart saves / does not save the Nightsong!

[ ENGINE. ] For our muses to react to Karlach being able to touch again.

[ FLESH. ] For our muses to explore the guts of Moonlight Towers together.

[ LOVE. ] For our muses to react to Dame Aylin and Isobel being reunited.

[ ORPHAN. ] For our muses to react to Arabella’s tragedy.

[ HIDE N SEEK. ] For our muses to play hide and seek with Thaniel!

ACT THREE. (spoilers under the cut.)

[ CIRCUS ] for a love trial, with more or different questions, and our own answers.

[ REFUGEES ] for our muses to try to help the refugees in some small way, large or small.

[ MANSION. ] for our muses to explore Cazador’s mansion.

[ TENTACLES. ] for our muses reaction to the reveal of the Act 3 Dream Guardian spoilers, and their subsequent request.

[ ELFSONG. ] For our muses to get a drink together and enjoy a good rest for a change.

[ STEEL FOUNDRY. ] for our muses to try to figure out a way into the steel foundry.

and that’s all for now, i may write more later!

[arcanedesires]

danergous? he wants to scoff at the notion, to point out the fact that everything they've done since the tadpoles were put in their heads was DANGEROUS. invading a camp full of goblins for a druid healer that could have been dead? infiltrating moonrise towers and killing the chosen of myrkul as if one god was not after them already? seems like all they've done is dangerous acts they are all lucky to have made it out alive from.

"we need all the power we can get before going against the absolute." he needs assurance that he won't have to go back to living in a dark, damp hole, hiding away from the sun and the world. it can't all be taken away from him again. he won't let it. "imagine the kind of power we could use against the absolute if i was the vampire ascendant!" imagine all the food he could eat again, all the time he could spend in the sun as karcis will be able to in the end.

"this isn't about the both of us, it's about her. you just refuse to say it." it seems so clear where karcis loyalties lie here, where karcis' love lies.

                Karcis    doesn't    tend    to    lie.    Though    often    times    he    never    speaks    on    his    true    feelings.    Maybe    he    should.    Maybe    he    needs    to.    Maybe    it    would    stop    Astarion    from    doing    something    stupid.    The    Tiefling    loves    this    man,    and    he    loves    Evelaena,    but    were    Astarion    to    force    him    to    make    a    choice,    he    truly    does    not    have    one.

                "    Because    it's    too    dangerous,    Astarion.    "    Once    the    Absolute    is    gone,    who    is    to    say    the    vampire    wont    get    bored    ??    Who    is    to    say    that    he    wont    use    that    power    to    abuse    others    like    his    own    abuser    did    ??    After    all,    forever    is    a    long    time,    and    he'll    run    out    of    entertainment    sooner    or    later.

                "    For    the    both    of    you.    "

[arcanedesires]

‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎‏‏‎ i'm not a good person.‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏ ‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ i'm barely a person at all.

[arcanedesires]

@thehollyverse sent ; ‘If you want to kill yourself, do not use us as your knife.’ From Karcis for astarion because I guarantee they were fighting about his ascension

this is ridiculous. pure fucking shit. "i'm not using anyone as a knife, darling," he states, an annoyed edge to his voice. how many times have they talked about this? argued endlessly without a change in the outcome, only more anger between them? it's pointless to have the argument yet again, but astarion has an inkling of why this has come about again the closer they get to cazador's palace. the tent he stays in alone, now that both karcis and evelaena believe him too dangerous for her to be around alone. as if that could be true.

"i am doing this for us." perhaps, not a complete lie, but it is certainly not the full truth on the matter either, and they both know it, even if astarion likes to pretend otherwise. "just think about how that power can help us defeat the absolute. the advantage it would give us for me to have that kind of power, for it to be at our disposal not cazador's. why should we not grasp it and use it to aid us?"

[arcanedesires]

"we are all good at getting the dirty work done ourselves here." born and raised alongside one another in mass bloodshed, all in the name of bhaal and their cult. there was no one else in the world who knew the art and perfection of murder as the bhaalspawn did, and those who joined them could only hope and pray that they might live long enough to achieve a fraction of the skill of a bhaalspawn. fenris's hands are covered in the blood of his elder brothers, his rite of passage to prove his worth among his bhaalspawn siblings, and fight to keep himself in the position of power he now occupies despite those who envy it and find him undeserving of it. though none have dared remove him from it, no matter how much they longed to be in his place. not that he can picture aekas allowing such a thing to happen when the tiefling refuses to meet face-to-face with those supporting their cause outside the chosen of bane.

who would take over representing aekas in his place if he was not here? aeyarus? or the more laughable option of nick? perhaps that was why she seemed so insistent on tagging along on his business. to bond by placing a knife in his back and claim some accident to aekas and the others. surely it would not be aekas who wished him dead after all fenris had done for bhaal's chosen. everything he had risked.

fenris rounds his desk so it no longer remains between them, his fingers brushing over the edges of it as he walks around to her. "bond over it? why would we need to do that, hm? we share a common cause, that should be bond enough for us."

                A    grin,    so    wide    she    could    split    from    ear    to    ear    spreads    across    her    face    at    the    mention    of    a    next    time.    Of    course    there    would    be    a    next    time,    and    a    time    after    that,    and    a    time    after    that-    all    of    which    she    would    hope    she'd    be    invited.    Never    mind    the    fact    that    she'd    get    off,    wasn't    it    just    nice    to    invite    your    friends    ??    Your    peers    ??    Not    that    there's    an    HR    department    she    can    call    were    she    to    be    left    out.    And    Gortash    wouldn't    care.    Aekas    is    too    busy    doing    god    knows    what.    And    how    would    it    look    running    to    Bhaal    about    it    ??    Like    a    little    rich    boy    running    to    papa,    that's    how.    Instead    she    has    to    reply    on    her    charisma,    her    body    even.    However    she's    almost    certain    he    is    not    the    type    to    fall    for    the    latter    trick.

                Nick's    smile    softens    as    he    stands,    a    hand    pressed    to    the    hard    wood    beneath    her.    Business    of    her    concern,    was    it    not    ??    However,    she    lets    that    little    bit    go.

                "    Good,    I'll    gladly    await    then.    You    know    I'm    quite    good    with    getting    the    dirty    work    done    myself,    Fenris.    Who    knows,    maybe    we    can    bond    over    the    next    one.    "