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novarex · 7 months

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Thoughts on Nere

Ugh, look at his pretty white eyelashes. I just want to smoosh his face.

I have a lot of thoughts regarding Nere and how he could have gotten where he is by the time we see him. @lysblack has started a really excellent conversation I would like to expand on. For science.

So may I present a somewhat lengthy analysis (rambling thoughts) of Nere, based on comments of other characters, what we know, and my reading of the Drizzt Do'Urdon books that go deeply into Menzoberranzan and life there.

Warning - this is long

Let's start with when we meet Nere.

Before we meet him, we meet the duergar, who have some things to say - Morgal is the one asking if you and the other duergar are "plowing", and from Corsair Greymon asking if "the Sargent has choked on True Soul Nere's prick". I do think that the duergar here are just generally vulgar and probably don't have much respect for anyone, but they are definitely getting to the end of their patience with Nere. They are mostly hired mercenaries with at least one believer in the Absolute among them (Sargent Thrinn). Something to note here is that duergar are a race of dwarves that were experimented on an changed by Mind Flayers and later escaped, that is why they have psionic powers, you can connect to them without them having a tadpole, and they have a special nose for True Souls because they can literally smell the parasite in you.

When you move down to the cave in area where Nere is trapped and Thrinn and her crew are trying to dig him out, you can talk to Nere through the rubble. He is literally suffocating to death on the poison that is filling the room, and obviously panicking - he thinks he is going to die in that room and I don't blame him. In his eyes (and any Lolthsworn drow), the people that are supposed to be rescuing him are just about the worst case scenario - they are inferior, disloyal, stupid, and unlikely to succeed. Like Minthara, I am sure he would MUCH rather have drow coming to rescue him than mercenary duergar and slave deep gnomes. On that note, he even is quick to tell you, another True Soul, not to trust the duergar mercenaries.

I also want to take a moment to say that no matter what we think of his behavior, Nere has to be under an absolute unbearably high amounts of pressure at this point - he is failing in his mission, he is stuck in the rubble that is quickly filling with gas, with wildly unreliable help. Like this is peak desperation. He is lashing out in anger and fear in any way he can. I think our Tav showing up is probably the only thread of hope he has to cling on to. Even Gale recognizes how bad of a situation Nere is in.

When you push into Nere's mind at the rubble and see through his eyes while he is suffocating to death in the cave in, the narrator makes a point to say that he had killed a gnome with powerful magic. He probably went to Sorcere (school for magic) in Menzoberranzan (although it is possible he isn't from Menzo).

Most noble drow have a natural talent for magic (breeding throughout the centuries), but sometimes commoners have the talent for it too. Sorcere is almost exclusively men because women with any talent for magic go to Arach-Tinilith, the school for drow priestesses. Male drow can also go to the school for fighting, Melee-Magthere (Drizzt went here), and they do spend one year at the end of their training in Sorcere learning some magic.

The reason I don't think Nere is a noble is that he would have certainly let us know if he were, especially if you are playing as a drow (I play as a drow female). This could just be an oversight in the writing, but I don't think so. When you fight the spectator over where the petrified drow are, if you manage not to get Dhourn the wizard killed and talk to him (disguise yourself as a female drow if you don't play as one and you can bully him into giving you his research and not have to kill him), he immediately lets you know he is the third boy of house Ba'Tol. In everything else I have experienced, drow are quick to name drop their house. It is extremely important in Lolthsworn society.

Nere is probably a commoner with enough magic talent to go to the school. All drow have a little magic to some degree, but to really learn it you have to go to Sorcere. There are few things you can do as a male in Memzoberranzan that give you any sort of status besides "useless male", and wizard/sorcerer is one. I suppose it is possible he is of noble birth, but I really think he would have let us know.

In Sorcere he would have spent most of his time around other males, as Sorcere is a 30 year long school (unlike Melee-Magthere which is 10), and exclusively male, which could explain why a female hadn't absolutely killed the shit out of him yet. The occasional priestesses from Arach-Tinilith would be around, but I think he could manage to be fine.

Nere certainly has an attitude to match with having gone to Sorcere. Some of his reactions, like blaming others for failures, are actually VERY cultural and expected among Lolthsworn drow. It just tracks. It would be strange if he didn't. He would have, however, faced constant criticism, bullying, sabotage, and crappy backstabbing politics within his time there, so it makes sense that he would have some emotional baggage regarding failure. Pretty much all male drow do to some extent. Even if he didn't have to deal too much with daily subjugation by female drow, he would still have faced a lot of scrutiny from other males in Sorcere. Failure of any kind is extremely dangerous in Lolthsworn society, especially for men.

I don't think his failure necessarily comes from him being bad at things. He has really good stats, so he isn't weak at all. He is also physically very strong. He is taller than both Gale and Astarion. The top of my female drow's head comes up to his chin (as opposed to Astarion and Gale where the top of her head is about dead center on theirs). He is also clearly intended to be intimidating. He has the Muscular feature as well as High Spellcasting - so he is big, strong, and good with magic. Wisdom is his lowest stat, and that could be the source of his problems in life. Strangely, he has really high charisma... but I will get to that shortly.

Anyway, back to the Grymforge. Before you bust him out of the rubble, talk to Thrinn, then go talk to the two drow who want to betray Nere, go back and talk to Thrinn and let her know they are planning to betray him. She doesn't seem particularly concerned with Nere's ability to handle them.

I think it is reasonable to assume that Nere is not a total fuckup. I think he has a lot of talent and strengths, but is either unlucky or unwise, or some combination of both. He has enough intelligence and strength to be powerful, and enough charisma to persuade people, but not enough wisdom and insight to know when to shut up or walk away... or when he is in over his head.

I do think he is unwise... there are some indications that he constantly underestimates what he is up against. This could be from lack of experience or this is just a character flaw.

Baby boy, what about any of this is simple? Please. You should have known better.

He is trying so hard here to convince himself that things are going to work out, but you can here it in his voice that he is trying to believe it. He must think that we are surely powerful enough to speak to Ketheric and convince him that Nere is still worthy. He is lacking the appropriate wisdom and insight to really accept what has happened.

We know from talking to Minthara that the influence of the Absolute is extremely overpowering and overrides any of your own common sense. It turns you into a fanatic and forces you to do things you would never ever do if you had control of yourself. This would also be true of Nere. He has this wild fanaticism and desperation to please Ketheric and the Absolute, but he drops it IMMEDIATELY when you fill him in on what is really going on. Once he is free of the brain's power and sees the bigger puncture, there is a very strong shift in his attitude.

He becomes very reasonable and quickly puts two and two together. This is probably the first time ever in his life where he is free of cult influence - if you convince him to run from the Absolute (and also I assume Lolth, because dear god he CAN NOT go back there without being tortured to death for information and then killed or worse, turned into a drider for his sins against Lolth)... and it does seem like he has a lot to process.

He is actually very calm and grateful for what you have done for him. It is such a shame you can't drag him around with you.

I am also not sure if it is an oversight in writing, or if Nere loses control of his mind again once we leave the area, or if he is just so pissed off at Balthazar and Ketheric and the whole ordeal that he goes after Balthazar to try and mess everything up for the Absolute by sabotaging the Nightsong plot.... but it is just such a shame that he dies anyway. I would like to think it is just a gap in writing because the game is SO HUGE.

If he is wiling to potentially die for a cause, what better cause than getting revenge on the people who did this to him? What better hook to get him to join our party and quest to destroy the Absolute and rid ourselves of the parasite? I think this is a huge missed opportunity.

LET ME DO IT, LARIAN. AGHHHH. LET ME SAVE HIM.

As far as how he became an exile/rogue, because I really do think he was.... (previous post on this)... I think there are a few possibilities, and we have absolute no indication as to what they could have been.

So this is pure speculation with nothing to back it up on my part. Here are a list of reasons he could have resulted in him being separated from Lolthite society.

Was out on some kind of mission and failed, couldn't go back without risk of severe punishment or death.

Separated from expedition to the surface (for slaves, or supplies, or whatever) either through no fault of his own or because he was unwise.

Attempted to kill someone and failed, fled. Probably while they were away from the city.

There was an attempt on his life that failed and he fled. Probably also while they were away from the city.

Was scouting or part of an expedition for a noble house that was annihilated while they were away. Nothing to return to without risking being killed.

I don't think he was some matriarch's special pet, because there is a certain level of obedience a reverence for female drow he would need to have to not be killed. His attitude is way off to have been some matron or priestess's favorite. Sure he is hot, but most drow are hot, so the standards for "too hot to be killed" are way too high for that to have been it. There are plenty of dead hot drow men.

I think it is likely that he made some mistakes that led to him not being able to go back for fear of death. I also think that when he mentions going to the Order of Soul Spiders, that is just him being unwise and not thinking the whole thing thorough. Like baby boy, you are going to be destroyed once the hear what you have to say. Sure, they will want to know it, but you are NOT going to escape punishment for abandoning Lolth. That isn't a possibility. Think it through.

Ok wow this post got too long and way out of hand. Nere is my current hyperfixation, and I hope that at least two of you share this hyperfixation with me and found this worth reading.

Thanks for coming to my Ted Talk.

#nere #bg3 #true soul nere

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chuuyrr · 8 months

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Hiii I really love your scarlet Witch series!!, can I request teen fushiguro scarlet witch reader and shinya meet twin black?, it’s up to you how they meet!!😁

twin red meets double black

jujutsu kaisen x reader x bungo stray dogs | series masterlist

✧˖ ° CW(s): f! reader, mostly bsd, might contain possible spoilers for both bsd and jjk, and said partner is my jjk oc.

✧˖ ° PAIRING(s): jujutsu kaisen, bungo stray dogs (platonic)

✧˖ ° SYNOPSIS: in which you, the adolescent, adopted child of gojo satoru, who also happens to be the scarlet witch, sees double black once more and they meet your partner.

✧˖ ° SETTING: in a world where curses and jujutsu sorcerers meet gifted ability users given your ability as a scarlet witch! variant who's capable of traveling across the multiverse.

time works in a unique way across the multiverse, and it's been a long while since dazai osamu, your dazai-nii, had seen you.

your visits to their world of gifted mafiosos and detectives have decreased, and he can't help but wonder you had forgotten about him. that being said, dazai has to remind himself that you constantly grow and that you have a life of your own, and the previous visit consisted of you telling him that he was starting high school.

you didn't belong in their world. you belonged from a cursed land full of jujutsu sorcerers, but that was until you came around for what seemed like forever.

dazai couldn't be more happier to see the familiar red psionics you possessed rip through the seams of their reality, even if he and chuuya just had dealt with something that needed their partnership again.

"[name]-chan!" cried out dazai with a happy smile, approaching the red psionics only to realize.. something very different about you.

you were more taller than you were during your last visit. you were also no longer wearing your highschool uniform, but instead a scarlet uniform, one that consisted of a cropped asymmetrical leather red jacket, a black blouse as your inner with black wristers and boots.

you even had accessories of rings and necklaces. seeing you somehow reminded dazai of how chuuya looked like he was when he was fifteen—lots of red, black, and leather.

as you entered to their seams of reality, dazai and chuuya stared at you, almost in disbelief.

"dazai-nii-san! chuuya-nii-san! it's been a long while," you greeted them with a polite and warm smile, running up to them to give them friendly, warm hugs, to which you noted was a little tight, especially when dazai hugged you.

"yes, it has, [name]-chan~ you're taller now! at this rate you're going to be taller than chuuya," dazai immediately changed his facade as he smiled down at you and gave you a headpat.

"shut up, mackerel!" scoffed chuuya at dazai before he smiled down at you, "anyway, i see you've also changed your style kid. not bad. have you been doing well?"

"i'm doing just fine. i actually stopped going to high school," you explained to them as you pulled away from them and walked towards your partner whom they were feeling protective towards you of, "and i have decided to follow the footsteps of my dad and older brother. i am also a special grade jujutsu sorcerer now."

"is that so? my, my, you've truly grown up, [name]-chan! say, what are you doing here?" dazai asked, looking at you with a smile.

"oh, well, nothing really. i just wanted to visit you guys again since i haven't been able and shinya wanted to see for himself where have i been disappearing off to," you explained with a soft chuckle escaping your lips, "i have just finished a mission too."

"a special grade curse? special grade? then that means you've reached your old man's level.." chuuya repeated before his eyes widened.

"i'm not a child anymore, chuuya-nii-san," you stated, still smiling.

"waaaah! our [name]-chan is no longer a baby, chuuya! just look at her!" dazai cried out, dramatically flinging his arms around you, which greatly reminded you of your dad when you were about to go on your first assignment.

however, your reunion with your older brother figures was cut off short when you felt a disturbance in the air.

dazai immediately released you from his hold when he felt you tense up while chuuya gave you an odd look. you immediately put up a red force-field using your chaos magic, just in time the ground trembled and large branches and vines sprouted to attack the three of you.

"what the fuck?!" chuuya yelled out in surprise.

"a special grade curse, made it here? it must have followed me in secret when i came here," you murmured softly, narrowing your eyes.

as you dispersed the red force-field made out of psionics, you gasped sharply when another large vine aimed towards you at breakneck speed, sending you flying past dazai and chuuya who yelled at you in concern.

the former twin black looked at their surroundings to see more of those large branches and vines spreading throughout the city and causing chaos as the ground trembled. chuuya scoffed at the sight and pulled out his phone, which was ringing, only to hear about the situation.

"whatever this curse is. it's taking over the city," chuuya exclaimed to dazai as he gripped his phone.

"[name]-chan!" dazai called for you in the midst of debris and smoke.

and just as he and chuuya were about to approach you, you had flown out of the building you were sent flying to unharmed and immediately began to throwing hexes at the large vines and branches that were onto you.

"i've got this, dazai-nii-san, chuuya-nii-san!" you said, but the flurry of large vines and branches was too much that it was quite overwhelming.

"fuck it, i'm calling for back up. [name] can't do this alone," chuuya dials and puts his phone to his ear again.

dazai had also done the same. but then just as he and his former twin black partner did, they felt their hearts drop when you got hit hard in mid-air by a large vine and branch that threw you off.

and now, dazai, chuuya, and the rest of the armed detective agency and port mafia were stunned as a flash of red stormed towards your falling figure.

everyone screamed for you in concern, thinking that the special grade curse that had escaped into their world attacked you.

but as the smoke cleared out, they realized the debris and smoke were glowing red, and there you were—there was a silhouette carrying your figure bridal style.

"it's.. gravity control.." chuuya muttered in realization.

standing there in the middle of the crater was a tall man with a lean build. he has long, dark messy hair that is usually tied in a half-up, half-do hairstyle, gray eyes, and a mole just below his lips.

he wore nearly the same uniform as okkotsu yuuta, but instead of a white asymmetrical jacket, he has a white button up, and has an oversized dark-blue jacket hanging over his shoulders.

you looked up at the figure carrying you, your eyes widening in awe as you clutched your injured side, "shinya?"

he stared down at you for a second, blinking quietly before a nerve comically protruded on his temple as he growled, "who else would i be?!"

with that, shinya lifted a hand and quickly flicked your forehead, causing you to yelp and thrash in his hold as he gave you a scolding, "just what the hell were you doing, huh? disappearing off like that without a trace, i literally thought you died!"

"ow! that hurts you, jerk!" you then proceeded to yank his hair with your free hand as he pushed your forehead to retaliate against your action while he carried you bridal-style, "i'm sorry, ok?! and i'm trying to patch myself up!"

"sorry?! i was worried sick, idiot! how the hell was i supposed to face gojo-sensei knowing that i lost sight of his kid!"

"i know that, but it's not my fault! my chaos magic just suddenly yeeted me out of our world and brought me here!"

"oh, i don't know.. maybe you could have at least called your partner about you getting yeeted into another universe?!"

everyone watched wordlessly as you bickered with the person they now knew as shinya.

atsushi's eyes widened at the realization, "this is [name]-chan's partner?!"

dazai found himself glancing at chuuya who was as visibly stunned as him. this scene of you and shinya together reminded them of two people they knew all too well, and they were speechless.

it was like seeing their younger selves again, back in the mafia wherein they were still known as twin black.

you two proceeded to argue, blatantly ignoring the armed detective agency and port mafia that was staring at you and shinya, and merely stopped when enormous branches and vines sprouted from the ground and aimed towards you two.

"[NAME]!!" atsushi, dazai, and the others cried out for you in concern.

shinya leapt in the air, still carrying you, dodging the attack as you extended your hand, shooting down the branches with your red psionics.

shinya's feet planted hard back on the ground, creating a crater, as your multiple hex blasts disintegrated the branches and vines and you simultaneously stitched yourself up at a molecular level.

you got off shinya's arms and stood back on your feet, smirking a bit as you grasped his shoulder, "you have my thanks for that, shin."

"ever the egoist like your old man," shinya playfully scoffed at you, patting your hand that was gripping his shoulder, "but what can i say? the apple doesn't fall too far from the tree."

dazai looked at shinya expectantly, knowing who he was referring to. gojo satoru.

you both returned your gazes towards the special grade curse who evidently agitated and surprised all the same, clearly not expecting shinya to have come here as well.

the gifted ability users of both detectives and mafiosos felt as if they were seeing two respective pairs when you twisted your hand ever so gently, conjuring a ball of red psionics while your partner snapped his fingers, making himself glow red as you both began to approach the special grade curse.

partners. that was what you two were.

just like how dazai and chuuya were, how atsushi and akutagawa were, and even how fukuzawa and mori once were together in their prime time.

"speaking of trees, let’s take care of this walking tree ourselves."

in a blink of an eye as soon as the special grade curse made its move, you and shinya enacted quickly, disappearing in a snap at blinding speed that caused shinya's oversized jacket to fall from his shoulders.

you made a straightforward dash, using your red psionics to hoist and levitate yourself in a blink of an eye while shinya made his own gravity incredibly light for him to move at blinding speed with his feet still on the ground unlike you.

the special grade curse evaded your red psionics and extended both of its hands sidewards as you and shinya both attacked from its sides.

you and shinya glowed a menacing red color. you used your red psionics to conjure and bring forth an abnormally large blast of red while shinya picked up an enormous piece of debris from the ground and hurled it towards the curse.

it was a massive rain of chaos and destruction from that. the collision resulting from both attacks caused shockwaves and an immense turbulence of air.

everyone was awestruck by the immense red psionic energy that scattered throughout the atmosphere, filling the entire area.

majority of them even had to hold onto something or stagger or else they would have flown back the intensity.

the special grade curse was unfazed by both attacks and proceeded to retaliate, sending in more enormous vines and branches towards you.

you and shinya supported each other with shinya skillfully performing sharp turns and flips while you made use of your red psionics to disappear and reappear, moving in a fast forward motion to evade, but then the special grade curse decided to take it closer.

both of you were caught off guard as a branch sprouted to his side and a scythe made out of wood formed on his hand with the curse being quick to sweep it towards you both.

using your red psionics further, you engaged the curse into a close hand to hand combat, something that dazai and everyone else had never seen you do before, given how as a child or toddler they were familiar with, you were solely relying on taking aims and shots.

they were quickly reminded that right now, you were no longer the child they were familiar with. you were now a special grade sorcerer, a seasoned fighter—most importantly, a grown up who had someone now.

yet, the thought of you having.. a partner, still irks dazai and chuuya, and it was the paternal guardian or older brother instinct they have for you.

you blocked out each swing and brandish of the scythe in a skillful defensive tactic with your red psionics. on the other hand, shinya attacked offensively, particularly at the curse's openings and weak spots while kicking and destroying each branch and vine intended for you both.

your eyes widened for a brief moment just as the blade of the scythe met your face, but shinya activated his technique quickly to pull you to him to prevent you from getting hurt,

"cursed technique adhesion!" was what he yelled, a weaker version of the force from both negative cursed energy was employed to pull you away.

as you were pulled back to him for your safety, shinya darted towards the curse, taking the lead to attack it this time, but you quickly followed him.

with his arm outstretched to his side, he employed another of his cursed techniques, "cursed technique black hole!"

a black hole formed as he snapped his fingers with his index and middle fingers extending. shinya hurled it towards the curse as you leapt and made use of his still outstretched arm to the side as a boost up to attack the curse together with him.

just as the curse was about to fend itself against the black hole made out of positive and negative energy with its own raw immense cursed energy, the black hole had altered into you instead—you had warped reality, changing it from you to attacking it instead of the black hole.

you blitzed towards the curse at blinding speed with your open hands brimming with red psionics.

you successfully stabbed through the curse, but before it could take a hold of you and retaliate, you had disappeared into a red mist of psionic energy, and the next thing the curse knew, the extension technique of shinya had reappeared and it attacked it in a blink of an eye as you warped reality once more.

the black destroyed everything in its path, but the special grade curse withstood, narrowly avoiding it.

"so this is the power of chaos magic. [name]'s warping reality right before our eyes," said fukuzawa with acknowledgement, his eyes widening slightly.

"and [name]-chan uses it in sync with shinya-kun's ability that is quite similar to chuuya's very well. their partnership, it's no doubt based on trust and instinct," mori said in addition, smiling and unfazed by the immense and monstrosity of your power and shinya's cursed technique combined, "and it is burning intensely red with passion and power—just like rubies you could say."

you and shinya knew each other and it was very evident with the way the two of you covered up for each other's weaknesses and fought.

you two didn't even have to utter a single word. everyone watched intently as you and your partner attacked the special grade curse.

it was just a straight up massacre at this point.

you and shinya were on a whole nother level compared to this special grade curse, and as it realized it, it decided to change its tactic.

"shit!" chuuya’s eyes widened as the special grade curse disappeared from you and your partner and reappeared towards them, choosing to attack them instead.

fukuzawa and mori equipped their respective blades as akutagawa and kyouka brought out rashomon and demon snow.

the curse summoned an enormous wooden creature that was shaped into a dragon hybrid of sorts and sent an array of branches in their way, filling the entire landscape.

shinya immediately reacted, activating his solemnity technique to move at blinding speed and appear in front of the armed detective agency and port mafia, "cursed technique reversal cohesion!"

with that he activated another cursed technique of his while you used your red psionics to generate a force-field around all of them, preventing them from getting harmed by the extremely powerful repulsive force that repelled all matter in its vicinity.

it repelled the wooden creature and branches filling the entire landscape as if it was nothing. smoke emerged from the intensity of the force and collision, but as smoke cleared out, the special grade curse decided to attack again in a close hand-to-hand range of combat.

both you and shinya attacked at the same time, making use of your red psionics and gravitational control technique respectively.

you shot multiple hexes while throwing hits and jabs as shinya maneuvered with missile-like kicks simultaneously assisting you and attacking the curse with chains made from gravitons, another one of his cursed techniques.

you made sure to block each and every of the curse’s attempts to land a hit on any of the armed detective agency and port mafia members.

however, your aim kept missing even as you made use of shinya's graviton chains to boost yourself.

every blast of red wasn’t hitting the special grade curse as it swung its scythe and attacked you both. you even got cut and wounded by the blade of the scythe.

"hey, don’t you think the kid’s aim is off?” chuuya exclaimed to dazai, his fists trembling slightly in a worry as he watched your red psionics miss the special grade curse.

"yeah, i can see that," dazai said with furrowed brows, "[name]-chan might be getting tired…"

ranpo scoffed at dazai and chuuya's exchange as he watched you and shinya swept the floor with the curse with hexes and featherlight chains.

a part of him wanted to tell them how stupid they were to think of that, especially dazai.

but ranpo simply decided to keep quiet and a smirk slowly rose on his lips as you disappeared into the red mist you casted along with shinya, leaving the special grade curse baffled for a moment but as soon as the red mist dissipated, the same chains had attacked from the ground, sprouting as it pierced through the curse’s torso, impaling it.

everyone was stunned.

the two of you had impaled the curse with the chains. you and shinya reappeared back, but then the special grade curse held a sinister smile as it spoke in an eerie and croaked tone of voice.

"domain expansion: world of trees."

just like that, both of your eyes widened, in fact, everyone was taken aback by the dense growth of trees and it was so immense enough to split the earth as they sprouted from the ground, a barrier forming and trapping all of you inside along with a large number of gigantic wooden hands that erupt upward from beneath the ground, encircling to prevent anyone from escaping.

"w-what is this?!" atsushi cried out, his eyes widening with worry and fear.

you wiped the blood rolling down from the cut on your temple and huffed a small puff of air, "this is a domain expansion.. an advanced barrier technique of jujutsu sorcerers from our world, and it’s a guaranteed hit once a target is trapped in."

"this is the end for you.." the special grade curse declared, laughing maniacally as it pointed the blade of its wooden scythe towards you and everyone. a mad look visible across its monstrous features.

you scoffed, nearly stumbling as you clutched your bleeding arm, prompting shinya to hold you to him to support you while dazai and chuuya, along with atsushi and the others crept towards you.

"[name]-chan!" dazai exclaimed, looking at you with worrisome eyes.

you were now taking in staggered breaths. dazai was right. you were getting exhausted. you may not have any major casualties from the hand-to-hand combat you had with the curse together with shinya and only sustained bearable cuts and bruises, but all those usage of red psionics was draining, he could tell.

"are you alright, kid? you're hurt pretty badly.." chuuya exclaimed, eyeing the exposed wounds you had on you from the fight earlier.

"i'm fine.." you said to chuuya, breathing heavily as you twitched your fingers to stitch yourself along with your partner shinya who was pretty battered up just as you, "we're fine."

"but you said this is a domain expansion.. a technique with a guaranteed hit, [name]-chan," atsushi proclaimed in a worry

"what [name] said is true, but another thing about domain expansion is.." said shinya, "it can be countered by a more refined domain."

the special grade curse swept its scythe to control the entire landscape of trees and giant hands from wood, but to its surprise, it merely remained motionless.

the curse tried again, but it refused to move and kill all of you once and for all at his command, leaving everyone confused.

"if it's the finest domain of all, it is [name]'s hex."

with a smirk creeping on your face, your eyes glowed a menacing red color as you opened them.

shinya glowed red, both his body and eyes as he, too, smirked, the two of you now emitting an ominous aura, holding a frightening look in your eyes.

the branches and hands lunged towards the curse instead, restraining it and piercing him instead.

with the flick of your hand, the domain expansion of wood and such dissolved as the reddish-black fog of your chaos magic seeped through your fingertips once more, revealing a desolate wasteland with lifeless trees and scarlet skies.

in just a blink of an eye, everything down to the molecular level had been altered, and with that, the curse looked at you and shinya with a stunned look.

"wondering how i did it?" you asked, your tone of voice becoming more and more dangerous and siren-like. it was like, hearing an entirely different you, "i can get into people’s heads you know and for another, i have no cursed technique. i manipulate reality however i want."

before the curse could react, your body had started glowing red along with shinya's.

everyone watched as shinya performed a hand sign and clasped his hands together with both index and middle fingers of his hands raised about his chest level, and then he pointed three of his fingers as his thumb held over his ring finger of his other hand towards the curse.

"domain expansion: fearsome order."

at that instant, a dark zone spread and engulfed the warped reality of a red barren hellish landscape.

it was nearly black within the area with red glowing chains of gravitons now surrounding the entire place. the immense and ominous pressure in the atmosphere was unbearable, incredibly overwhelming.

was this.. bloodlust they were feeling? dread?

everyone's bodies were screaming at them to run, but they couldn't. all they could do was watch this hell unfold.

even dazai couldn't believe what he was seeing. this current state you were in together with your partner, the aura you were giving off, it was black in blood.

without another word, the curse attempted to attack, swinging its wooden scythe in hopes to break through the domain expansion and seize you or shinya, but with shinya having control over the gravitational field of the entire area, he merely pointed at the curse his fingers before bringing his fingers in a downward motion, the body of curse was forced to slam to the ground and create a crater from the impact.

shinya then lifted his fingers upwards, prompting the curse to get lifted up in the air.

a sinister smile crept on his face along with yours as you outstretched your hand next, your eyes glowing a menacing red as you manipulated the curse's body to dislocate and crack, causing it to shrivel in pain.

shinya then snapped his fingers and made the chains of gravitons seize the curse and constrict it, wrapping around its neck, limbs and torso in a strickening way.

shinya glanced at you for a brief moment, the danger and hubris of a smile never leaving his face.

the stare and smile that he gave you was enough to tell you the message.

"you're gonna make me say it?" you glanced back at him, raising a brow as you returned the smile.

"you always say it anyway whenever we do this together," shinya chuckled at you, shaking his head.

"well, you're not wrong, shin," you said as you shook your head for a moment, before facing the curse along with shinya and pointed your fingers towards the curse, imitating shinya's hand that was outstretched and pointed at the curse with your thumb over your ring finger.

at the tilt of your head, you uttered the word along with shinya, smirking darkly, "bang!"

that being said, the fruition of your partner's domain expansion came to be. the dark zone created an attractive and repulsive force, combining his adhesion and cohesion technique, and just like that, the target was annihilated by the intense combined force.

an immense damage was inflicted in the desolate wasteland of dead trees and bloody-red skies that the armed detective agency and port mafia had to brace themselves from the tremors that resulted.

once the curse was no more, shinya's domain expansion had dissipated and reality warped back down to a molecular level under your power.

everyone watched in awe as the red hellish landscape dispersed, the surroundings now turning back into the lovely streets of their beloved city, yokohama.

"what.. the fuck.. was that?" chuuya was the first one to utter a word, breaking the silence.

"that.. really was something else.." atsushi exclaimed breathlessly, his eyes not breaking away from you and shinya.

one thing was evident to these gifted detectives and mafias with what they just witnessed before their eyes, especially to mori who had seen such a violent raging storm like this before.

partners. that was what you two truly were.

and dazai could see that clearly. in fact, that was what he had been working on to achieve in creating a new generation of double black, specifically with atsushi and akutagawa.

both dazai and chuuya found themselves staring at you and shinya, as the two of you glanced at each other with a proud and knowing look despite being somewhat battered from the fight against the special grade curse.

however, dazai and chuuya immediately stiffen up in unison when they saw your partner draping an arm around your shoulders.

"hatsuki shinya, was it?"

you wanted to cringe at the way dazai and chuuya were eyeing your partner from head to toe, scrunitizing him completely while dazai held you to his side closely—he really was a copy of your adoptive father, gojo satoru, even when it came to his protectiveness.

your partner simply raised a brow at dazai, then at chuuya, unfazed by their hard stares.

dazai's face shifted into a look of disgust as he faked a vomit and pulled you closer to his side, "your partner looks like a mirror copy of hat rack, [name]-chan, and it's disgusting."

at that instant, both gravity manipulation users snapped their heads towards him and scowled,

"EXCUSE ME?!"

dazai shook his head and continued to hold you close to him, "see what i mean, [name]-chan? how could this be? have i rubbed my influences on you that much you got a 'chuuya-copy' as your partner?!"

"dazai-nii-san," your sweat began to drop as you watched dazai and chuuya bicker along with shinya, which made you sigh in defeat.

you could already tell that having them meet your partner would not end well.

✧˖ ° niki says ! ༉‧₊˚.

guess who finally had the time to write for scarlet witch! baby fushiguro! reader after for what seemed like eternity? i found this sitting in my draft and found out i had a whole ass fight scene written in this piece so i polished it real quick while i have spare time so yeah. thanks for reading !

✧˖ ° join my taglist, perhaps ? ༉‧₊˚.

@anonymousewrites @magpiemissy @anqelically @96jnie @lovesick-fairy @soleelia @irethepotato @nianre @xingqiusliegee @lenasvoid @bloobewy @itz-stuts @17chuuya @achlysyo @youdidntseemehere21 @just-here-reading

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supercap2319 · 9 months

Text

Y/N, Peter, Steve, and Bucky are in the kitchen eating cereal and watching the morning news on TV. Peter looks at his dry cereal, then at Bucky. "Mr. Barnes?"

"Yeah, Queens?"

"Can you pass me the milk?"

"It's right next to Y/N." Bucky said.

"We're not speaking to each other."

"What? Still? Why?"

"What's the matter? Maybe we can help you guys out." Steve offered as he buttered his toast.

"Someone, I won't say who, has the insane notion of binding our child's powers." Y/N said as he scrolled through his phone while eating bites of Lucky Charms.

"Why is it insane? Ben conjured an energy construct dinosaur because some other toddler stole his rattle." Peter protested.

"One time. He makes one mistake and you're going to hold it against him for the rest of his life?" Y/N asked.

"Guys?" Steve starts, but they ignore him and keep arguing.

"What's Ben going to think when he learns we took away his powers when he's older? 'Gee, Ben. I'm sorry, but your daddy and I were afraid of what you'd become if we let you have your powers.'"

Peter slams his spoon on the table. "I'm not saying hide the truth. It's just growing up is hard enough without the extra burden of having powers."

"Powers are not a burden, they're a gift."

"It's a lot for any child to deal with. Plus Ben is doubly powered, half spider powers, half psionics. Which is why it could make sense for us to bind his powers."

"Yeah, maybe we could rip off his legs at the same time because they're a part of him too." Y/N replied with a snarky attitude.

Peter frowned and got up as he leaned over the counter close to Y/N's face. "It's not the same thing, Y/N. Ben's powers could be a danger to himself and to others. Just like Strange's prophecy said about Ben."

"You know what? Screw you!"

"Okay that's enough!" Bucky slammed his metal arm on the table, getting all their attention.

"Ding. Ding. Ding, boys. Back to your corners. Steve said.

Y/N stood up. "I'm not hungry anymore. I think you need to give him a chance to learn how to control it, Peter. Maybe that's why we found him. To teach him, guide him. Love him. It's going to take the power of three sorcerers to bind someone as powerful as Ben. And I won't go through with it."

Peter watched Y/N walk away from the kitchen, metaphorical tail between his legs as Peter huffed, an angry wave of emotion coming over him. "Fuck!" He threw his bowl off the table as it shattered onto the floor.

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ollypopwrites · 11 days

Text

From Depths Unknown; Part 2

Part 1 here ; You can also read on Ao3.

Rolan x F!Tav (AFAB, she/her) *Tav is a Storm Sorcerer, but no actual reference to her appearance.

Rating: E

Tags & Warnings: [18+ MDNI] Language, Canon-typical violence, drinking, sexual content (male masturbation, dom/sub undertones, switch dynamics, choking is briefly mentioned), slow burn, slightly enemies to lovers but not quite, background Bloodweave, the use of ‘idiot’ as a term of endearment, domestic violence and past child abuse, jealousy.

Series Summary:

Rolan couldn’t figure out what he did wrong. He thought he had been better, had held his tongue when a particularly harsh remark inevitably wanted to make it out, he had called her a friend, given her party free reign of the tower. But Tav seemed distant.

Notes: We are getting a little spicy! I love these two, we should have another update soon-ish. Maybe not this weekend, but soon.

Baldur’s Gate was busy.

After so long in the Underdark and then the Shadowcursed lands, Tav felt strangely crowded by the amount of people in the streets. And her mental list of tasks was getting longer by the minute. There was so much to do, and time was not on their side given the regular psionic earthquakes shaking the city. As she got them all settled in a room at the Elfsong (discounted thanks to a nasty murder in the room just next door) she wanted one night to get her wits about her.

Most everyone went their separate ways for the night: Shadowheart teamed up with Lae’zel to go speak with Voss, Halsin felt the need to shut himself up in the room, Jaheira had Harper business to attend to, while Wyll and Karlach went searching some old haunts for any friends that may still have been in the city. Gale and Astarion accompanied Tav downstairs to the pub, where they all delightfully wanted to share some quality drinks rather than the beggar's choices they had been drinking on the road. A familiar voice rang out amongst the crowd, singing a jaunty tune that had some nearby patrons singing along.

“That’s Alfira!” Tav said excitedly.

The bard had her audience’s gleeful attention, and nearby Tav spotted Lakrissa watching on. Her eyes flitted around the room, hoping to find another familiar face. The tieflings had set off for Baldur’s Gate shortly after the battle, ready to finally get to their destination now that the road was clear. The party had only crossed paths with them again just before entering Rivington. Rolan, Cal, Lia, Alfira and Lakrissa had joined them for a night of drinking to celebrate.

It was no party as they had after the Grove, but it was a much needed night of relief after the constant threat of the curse. Tav found herself wandering over to talk to him as often as she could. He was like a new person: excitement palpable at the prospect of finally making it to Ramazith’s Tower. She’d never seen him smile so much, and while she would never call him giddy — he was as close as Rolan could possibly be to such a state.

The next night the tieflings left, and with them the rosy glow of victory dissipated. The tadpole crew had been attacked by Githyanki and had to run to their Dream Guardians aid. only to find out that the mysterious entity in the prism was in fact a mindflayer called The Emperor.

The idea that the one thing saving her was the very creature which she was actively trying not to change into felt poetic somehow. Fucked up to be sure, but poetic.

Tav’s eyes danced along the crowd, looking for horns and flashes of red skin. Her excitement spiked, “look! It’s Cal and Lia.”

Astarion groaned, “here we go.”

“What?”

“The tieflings are a charming group but everytime we cross them they need saving,” he said. “We really don’t have time for more heroics, darling, we got them to the city. Let them fend for themselves.”

“They’re friends, Astarion,” Gale scolded lightly.

“Needy friends.”

“I know all about those,” she gave him a pointed look.

Astarion made a show of pouting, and batting his eyelashes which made Gale chuckle slightly into his cup. Their resident vampire couldn’t quite blush, but she saw his lips twitch in a sweet smile as he looked at Gale.

“I’m going to say hello,” Tav said promptly, standing and grabbing her glass. “You two stay here and canoodle or whatever it is you get up to.”

“Canoodle,” Astarion gagged the word. “You’re rubbing off on her now, Wizard.”

“Expanding one’s vocabulary is nothing to scoff at!”

“Having one walking encyclopedia is more than enough,” Astarion blithely retorted, “two would be intolerable.”

Tav was already making her way across the room as the two started bickering, her presence forgotten quickly as they started in on what she had to believe was their own special form of foreplay. As she came up, Lakrissa spotted her with a happy wave and she plopped down on the seat next to Cal.

“It’s you!” He said happily. “When did you get here?”

“Just got into the city today. We crashed Gortash’s coronation and then nabbed the suite upstairs.”

“Do you ever stop?” Lia asked aghast. “Less than a week ago you were infiltrating Moonrise.”

“I wish I could stop,” Tav took a long drink. “It’s one thing after the other.”

“Being a hero is a full time job then?” Lia smirked.

“More than full time,” Tav said. “And the pay is shit.”

Lia laughed, “in that case, I’ll buy you a drink.”

As Lia stood to head to the bar, Tav turned to Cal. “You lot made it in okay? No trouble?”

“Smoothest part of the journey. We got here just before they closed off the gate,” he said. “Lia’s already got work, and we’ve got a shoddy little place around here.”

“I’m so glad to hear it,” Tav touched his shoulder. “Rolan must be so happy.”

At the mention of his brother, Cal’s smile fell for a moment, but he quickly said, “he’s been working hard.”

“Wouldn’t expect anything less.” She smiled, “is he staying with you?”

“No, he stays at the tower,” Cal said. “We… we haven’t seen much of him since we arrived.”

“Oh,” Tav said dumbly. Something felt off.

“He writes though, just today he sent us some of his earnings,” Cal said. “We go to the shop to see him, but he makes us leave. Doesn’t want anyone to think he’s mucking about.”

Tav’s frown deepened. “I’ve got to head to Sorcerer's Sundries, maybe I can get him to come out for a drink.”

“We’d like that,” Cal smiled.

The first time he can remember his father hitting his mother was because she took the blame for a broken glass. Rolan hadn’t meant to, he was toying with the weave, practicing from a book he was borrowing and the spell went wrong. It shattered the glass into a million shards.

He and his mother had looked at each other for split moment before she grabbed the biggest pieces and put them in the sink. When his father stormed in, she apologized, showing a bloody hand from the glass. Her apology hadn’t mattered, nor had tears or begging. They never did. After she died there was no one else to take the blame or the beatings. Rolan had always been tall, taller than all of his friends, but he was lanky and awkward. His hands were never comfortable in the shape of a fist, his arm never created the momentum to do any damage. He tried; every time his father’s fist made contact all Rolan felt was hot fury, his arms flailing and seeming to slide off of his target. It wasn’t until the hot fury turned into a witchbolt that he ever felt on even ground with his father. Rolan had left the house leaving him in as bad of shape as he always left his son, for once.

He never went back into that house after that night.

The bruises currently on his face felt nostalgic in a way that turned his stomach. Lorroakan and his father were similar in a sense that everything and nothing turned their moods, but his new master had the unfortunate upper hand of also having magic at his disposal. He had worked too hard to get where he was to up and leave the apprenticeship. Too much suffering, too much sacrifice; there would be no running to Cal and Lia’s doorstep as in his youth. He had to stick it out until he was in a position to claim something better.

His mind had justified the beatings as a test, perhaps on keeping the mind focused even under threat. If he let the inkling that he had been duped linger too long he felt a shame and rage that was unbearable. So he put his head down, he worked hard, he took the beatings and he learned. Not from Lorrokan, but from other tellers around the shop. From the books Tolna suggested with her whispers becoming more conspiratorial and her eyes sympathetic. He hadn’t been to see Cal and Lia in days.

He knew how they would react. His plan was to wait until the bruising went down and then face them again. Rolan’s position at the front was never boring, there was no way Sorcerer’s Sundries could ever be boring, he was convinced. It was incredibly busy, people coming in for protections against the threat of the cult that was at the doorstep of the city. He didn’t think twice when an armored group of four walked through the doors, just continued making sure the stock requisition forms were correct.

“Rolan!”

That voice. For a moment he forgot that he had been beaten to a pulp the night before, too distracted by excitement when he looked up and saw her. Gale, Astarion and the Archdruid fell behind as Tav bound up to the front desk.

“Tav,” he greeted, unable to keep the warmth out of his voice. “What are you doing here?”

Her smile fell a bit and her eyes flicked over his face. “Rolan, you - you look a little… worse for wear.” She frowned, “what happened to your face?”

“Nothing for you to worry about,” The stinging of the cut on his lip splitting with his forced smile made him aware of how badly he looked again. And Tav looked unconvinced.

“Hardly a place to learn, working behind a desk,” Halsin commented.

“This is my… apprenticeship.” He shrugged. “It has not been what I expected. Master Lorroakan is a… difficult man.”

There was a crackle of static, the light shining from behind Tav’s eyes. He saw her take a deep breath, and place an easy smile on her face. Saving him his dignity, he’d presume.

“He’s consumed by this pursuit of the Nightsong. I haven’t learnt a thing, and I fear it will stay that way.”

“A lucky escape,” Gale chimed in, “given Lorroakan’s reputation. He’d have little of value to teach you.”

Rolan smiled in thanks. “But never mind that. What can I do for you?”

Tav looked like she wanted to say something, even opened her mouth to start but she hesitated. Finally, she said, “funny you mention it, we actually have information about the Nightsong.”

Rolan leveled her with a serious look. A pit forming in his stomach. “Be very sure before you make a visit to Lorroakan,” he warned, “he’s got a beastly temper.” At her raised eyebrow at the comment, he quickly added, “but if you really do know something, he’ll want to see you. Head upstairs, you can find the way into his tower up there.”

“We will,” she nodded.

“Before we speak with your… beastly master,” Gale chimed in, “might you direct us in the direction of where we can find tomes of a rare nature?”

“Tolna handles tomes,” he said, “just around this pillar.”

“Wonderful, thank you,” Gale said, then leaned in, “if you want a real teacher, the Elfsong is our home for the duration of our stay.” He winked before he walked away, ushering Astarion and Halsin away with him.

“Rolan,” Tav said.

“Don’t,” he said, a bit more brusquely than he wanted to. “There’s nothing you can do.”

“Has that ever stopped me before?”

“I mean it,” his temper flared, he closed his eyes, breathed deeply and then, “your party will be waiting for you.”

“Come by tonight,” she said quickly. “We don’t have to talk about it, but I owe you a bottle of Arabellan Dry.”

She walked away then. He tried not to let his gaze follow her, but it did anyway, interrupted by a customer coming up to the desk. And then another. Incapable of controlling the desire to look at her, he turned to Tolna’a corner of the shop. Tav was looking at him, a darker look than he had seen before. She looked away quickly when she was caught, speaking with Tolna until they decided to make their way up the stairs.

If Lorroakan laid a finger on her, Rolan was not sure he could contain himself. She could handle herself, she had her friends by her side even if she couldn't, but he would never forgive himself if she came down those steps with a single mark from his bastard master.

He wasn’t sure how long they were up there, speaking to his master. But when they came down she was storming towards the entrance, not looking back, with her party following as they always did. At the very least she looked unharmed, if not furious. He opened his mouth to call after her, but someone came up to the counter and he had to keep himself from chasing after her.

After his shift, he withstood the usual line of questions watching Lorroakan closer than ever. The man seemed unharmed, a little angrier than usual, but so distracted he waved Rolan off after one sharp smack across his face. It was not too late, and the walk to the Elfsong was not terribly long.

Rolan made it to the door of the inn, people were gathered outside speaking, the doors open and letting the sounds of revelry spill into the street. There was no initial sight of anyone he knew from his spot on the threshold of the door. The idea of pretending everything was fine made his stomach churn, in fact, he was not sure he was capable of it.

Every negative emotion he ever harbored only ever warped into an anger he was still learning to temper. He was angry and ashamed and the pub was too loud so he turned around. Cowardly of him, he knew, but he couldn’t bring himself to face her or know if she had confronted Lorroakan on his behalf. Ever since she had come back from Moonrise separate from the freed prisoners, an uncomfortable parallel had drawn itself in his mind.

Seeing her bruised and bloody always reminded him of his mother bearing wounds and blame that were meant for him.

When Rolan didn’t show up at the Elfsong, it had stung. She tried not to take it personally, she tried not to think too much on it, but there she was alone with an unopened bottle of his favorite wine. She was sat dejectedly around the unused pipe the room came with, sitting on some of the pillows that littered the floor.

“Well, no point in letting it go to waste,” Astarion sighed, feigning actual sympathy for her situation as he sat with her, “may as well crack it open.”

She tugged it closer to her protectively. “I owe him this bottle, I’ll bring it to him when we go back.”

Astarion gave her a look that not even the tadpole needed to decipher: it screamed ‘you can’t be serious.’ She felt her face heat up, and looked away.

“If I knew you liked your sweethearts a little mean I would have gone about my seduction much differently,” he finally teased.

“And you think you were what? Sweet?”

“Not sweet,” he conceded, “more… sultry.”

“Well it seemed to work on Gale,” she muttered.

Astarion leveled her with a half-hearted glare. “I thought you weren’t interested. I could always ask him if he’s up for a third.”

“No, thank you,” she shuddered dramatically. “That’s too much ego for me.”

“Afraid you couldn’t keep up, darling?”

“I’m afraid I won’t fit into the bed,” she scoffed, “it’s remarkable enough that the pair of your giant heads fit into one room.”

Astarion chuckled a little. “It’s not just our heads that are big, my dear.”

Tav launched a pillow at him, and his true laugh, high pitched and unrehearsed echoed making her smile. “I suppose we ought to tell Dame Aylin about Lorroakan.”

Astarion hummed. “I do want to see her rip him in half, but we just settled in for the night. Perhaps in the morning.”

“The morning sounds good,” Tav nodded, trying to hide her disappointment.

When she had discovered Lorroakans goals for Aylin, Tav found an opportunity present itself. While he had his own head up his ass, and was a cruel bastard, she could feel his power even by just standing in the room. She had more than enough reasons to blast him out of the window; he wanted to imprison Aylin, he had been rather rude to Gale, and then there was the state of Rolan’s face.

Gods, she could have sent a fireball in his face for that alone.

But he was powerful. And having Dame Aylin at their side to rid the world of his wretched smirking face would probably be a good idea. And Tav supposed it would mean a lot to Aylin to take down another megalomaniac that wanted to use her for immortality. After hundreds of years of imprisonment she could offer her new ally that.

“He’s very proud,” Astarion said suddenly.

“Lorroakan? Proud is putting it lightly.”

“Rolan,” Astarion emphasized.

“Oh.”

“When we found you by the lake I thought he might hit you,” Astarion was not looking at her, but his tone had a rare tinge of sincerity.

“Oh, no, Astarion, no,” Tav said immediately. “He was angry, but he had just saved me. Pulled me out of the lake and I — I said some unkind things.”

“I’m only saying,” Astarion seemed to bolster every genuine fiber of his being to say, “you ought not sit around sullenly for a man who is only ever angry at you for helping him. There’s plenty of people whose eye you’ve caught, you hardly have to settle for someone who can’t be bothered to show up.”

It hurt to hear, but there may have been a tinge of truth to it. Still, Astarion had not been there by the lake when he shared his last bottle with her. She’d seen something in him that night, something that plagued her thoughts when the rest of camp went quiet and she was alone. It was some unknown depth she had yet to reach, and desperately wanted to.

She shook her head. “You still can’t have this bottle. I’m a woman of my word.”

“Spoilsport,” he pouted.

The moment passed, and they went about the night without mentioning Rolan. Except when Gale came to sit with them and inquired after him to which Astarion elbowed him hard enough to make the Wizard wheeze. For the rest of the night it was business as usual with her friends and as she fell asleep she found herself wondering if Astarion was right to be warning her off of these feelings that had bloomed.

An ungodly crash shook the building, raining down glass upon the patrons and stopped only by some quick thinking on Tonlu’s behalf. Shortly after Tav and her crew came storming through the door and without even a passing glance they ran up the stairs towards the top of the tower.

“Hey! What are you —“

When none of them were stopped by his exclamation, he jumped over the desk to follow them up. As he followed them into their portal of choice, Lorroakan stood confronting an incredibly tall otherworldly looking winged woman.

Tav stood a decent distance behind, her arms folded over her chest and her stance sturdy. He had rarely seen her in action, and the one time he had it was a dark chaotic whirl when she saved him from the Shadow Curse. Gale stood at her side, even his demeanor in the face of confrontation had changed from its normal welcoming smile to a stern focus. Karlach was bouncing on the balls of her feet in excitement, and the Archdruid stood still but there was something about his demeanor which resembled a creature about to pounce. In all honesty, they were terrifying.

“What are you so scared of magus? Not the Nightsong, surely, she’s nothing but a relic to be purchased and pursued.” The winged woman seethed.

Rolan was brought out of his awe at Tav and her companions. He stared at the winged woman. “My gods, the Nightsong is a person?”

“Boy! At the ready,” Lorroakan commanded, “once I’ve taken control of the aasimar she must go directly into the caging runes.”

Everything in him rejected the idea. He felt Tav’s eyes on him, leaving him bolstered by righteousness “No, Master Lorroakan,” he said firmly, “I would never have assisted you if I knew you planned such horrors.” He would not be cowed by the rage that slipped onto Lorroakan’s face. “You lied to get the Nightsong here. Made us all believe she was nothing but a relic.” He turned to Tav, “I have seen what true leadership can accomplish — “ and finally to his master, “but never under your tutelage.”

“Watch your tongue, you child,” Lorroakan hissed, “I could make it such that no wizard in the realm will touch you.”

“If they’re all like you, I think that sounds like an excellent bargain,” Rolan shot back.

This pleased the aasimar, who rallied a truly hateful laugh, “face us, charlatan! We who detest you so.”

Then it was a blur of violence.

Rolan kept his focus on Lorroakan as did the Nightsong. Tav and her friends kept the myrmidon’s he had summoned at bay after making quick work of his assistant. Tav was a storm of magic, untamed and rawly powerful. She moved in perfect tandem with her companions, they knew how to leave room for attacks, when to parry and duck.

Rolan had to focus. Keeping Lorroakan from blocking or containing the Nightsong was no easy feat. He threw counter spell after counter spell, surprising himself every time his will overpowered his former master’s. The fire myrmidon sent a blaze of fire toward him — not enough to truly hurt him but it broke his focus. With a yell, he saw Tav fly to get in position and then call down a chain of lightning which stuttered the movements of the myrmidon and rained down on its allies. Even Lorroakan was hit.

Finding an opening, Rolan deployed an onslaught of magic missiles which hit him in instant succession. Lorroakan fell to his knees in a daze. Behind them, he saw Gale finish off one of the myrmidon’s and Karlach made quick work of another. The Archdruid had taken the shape of a bear, claws shredding the armor of the third. Tav very nearly pushed him out of the way as another hail of fire fell on them, the smell of burning hair and flesh filling the room. She gave an angry yell, thunder boomed and the construct of fire hit the wall before turning to ash.

Just as he was going to ask if she was okay, Lorroakan howled. They watched as the Nightsong lifted the famed master of Razamith’s Tower and snapped his spine in half over her armored knee.

It was cathartic, and quite the relief when she tossed him onto the floor as if he were nothing.

He watched as she left, wordlessly, in a haze of feathers and silver light.

“Lorroakan is dead,” he said, in disbelief. “The Bastard is dead.”

“Are you alright?” Tav asked.

“I am, now that the bastard is in bits,” he smiled a little. “Lorrokan was a cruel and vicious man. By day, I’d tend the shop. By night, he’d fire the most nonsensical questions at me. And for every one I’d answered wrong he’d beat me.”

Flashes of the nights spent in the tower flickered by, Lorrokan’s pale skin in his memories sometimes replaced by red skin and eyes that matched his own. He looked away from Tav’s intent stare.

“I could have killed him with my own two hands,” he breathed, “but I kept thinking it was all a test. It had to be.” At her patient gaze, her friends, maybe their friends, standing by just as understanding he found himself unfurling. “I thought it was the price to pay to become a true wizard. I realize now he was just a sick, sick man.”

“I’m sorry, Rolan,” Tav said. “You were so looking forward to your apprenticeship.”

“I see things clearly now,” he shook his head, “if I wish to master the weave, I must do it myself.” She didn’t look convinced. “Thankfully I have everything I need, right here.”

“More than everything,” Gale said. “You’ll make a fine wizard, Rolan.”

“Thank you.”

“You should go to Lia and Cal. They’re worried sick, mate.” Karlach piped up.

“I’ll move them in right away,” he assured her. “Lorroakan refused to let them stay here. They are gonna love the tower.”

“I’m sure they will,” Tav smiled, but it was weak and somewhat forced.

She was singed by the fire myrmidon. A few of her hairs were singed, she had ash on her face and an angry burn just below her chin. Tav had looked worse, he knew, but again he understood the gravity of what she had done for him. Even inadvertently.

Instead of anger, he felt deep gratitude and finally the means to pay her back.

“I wouldn’t have all this — the tower, my family — if it weren’t for you.” At once Tav’s face shifted to something softer, the storm in her eyes quelled. “What can I do to thank you?”

“You don’t have to thank me,” she assured him.

Before he could respond, Gale cleared his throat. “Certainly, Tav’s generosity is to be commended but,” he said, “we could make use in the way of supplies and… access to some of the rarer tomes.”

Tav winced slightly. “Supplies would be helpful,” she admitted. “And Gale has tunnel vision about a book that’s hidden in the tower.”

“I’d be happy to assist,” he nodded his head. “I’ve yet to journey into the vaults, we can figure them out together.”

“An excellent idea,” Gale nodded with a slight bow. “Perhaps we may also employ Astarion’s assistance, he’s the pilfering sort.”

“He may have stolen some material components when we were here last,” Tav seemed mortified but Karlach was cackling behind her.

“You can have whatever you like,” Rolan said quickly. “Leave only the scrolls and tomes.”

“Thank you,” she breathed in relief. “We’ll — erm — let you settle in.”

“Before you go, know this,” Rolan quickly gathered his courage, “Ramazith’s tower and its master, are now your friends. And when the time comes, we will stand with you as allies.”

“Enjoy your new digs!” Karlach called as they turned to leave.

“We will be back soon,” Gale assured him.

Tav had nothing else to say to him as she left.

It was a bit awkward as Tav, Gale, Astarion and Rolan ventured into the vaults.

Rolan and Gale were getting along swimmingly, volleying knowledge and theories off of each other. Astarion hung back with Tav, unlocking doors as needed, but lingering behind the two wizards gushing over the hidden collection of Ramazith’s. The tiefling was rather charming, she found, when he was matched in wit and interest. Perhaps it was Gale’s own warm nature that brought it out of him, but regardless, Tav found herself watching the two of them interact so easily with an uncomfortable prickle under her skin.

She’d never been so annoyed at Gale before, not even when he nearly blew them all up in the name of forgiveness for his ex. He also thought he would be saving the world, but even so — the fact he even considered it worth mentioning had made her want to smack him. Now she just wished he’d shut up.

“I think one wizard is more than enough,” Astarion said blithely. “You needn’t bring this one back to our rooms.”

“He has a big fancy tower now,” Tav replied. “Our suite at the Elfsong looks like a hovel in comparison.”

“Do you think they’d even notice if we left?”

“Probably not.”

Astarion sighed dramatically. Tav felt his eyes slinking toward her. “Shall we take off without them?”

“That sounds like a terrible idea. I’m in.”

It was a terrible idea and they had quite a few burns to show for it. They had stumbled upon an armory, full to the brim with enchanted armors and weapons. Of course, the room had vaulted a fireball at them at Astarion’s initial failure to pick a magical lock. But a column of alabaster had saved them from being incinerated, only the immeasurable heat had gotten them. Tav was, as Gale had so diplomatically put it at the start of their journey, not studied in magic. She just was magic, always had been.

Her knowledge of the arcane only went so far beyond what she felt. She knew spells, knew the names of them, but she mostly just went with her gut at what to throw around and found its name later. When faced with a room full of enchanted objects, she only could pick them up to see what they did. Some of it came with tags that had details of the magical abilities they held, but at some point Lorroakan had taken to hoarding rather than cataloging.

Tav slipped on a ring, basic in appearance, a simple gold band with writing engraved around its circumference and felt herself thrust into a state of unbeing. She could see Astarion, but around him was a whirl of chaos. Energies of different colors collided and roared, in a cacophony that felt somehow familiar but overwhelming. Her hand reached out and a trail of lightning wrapped around her arm. She knew the tingling zap of it well, the rumble of thunder taking the place of her heart beat and the soft spray of rain. But it became too much, the sear of the lightning overtaking her and she wrenched the ring off.

“Tav where the hells did you go?” Astarion asked.

“Did I go somewhere?”

“You disappeared!” He said. “Is that a ring of invisibility?”

“Definitely not,” Tav said, quickly taking off her vambraces where her skin still tingled.

“Oh, my,” Astarion looked down at her arm. “Have you always had that?”

Her forearm was covered in white divuts that spidered out and glowed slightly. As if lightning lived there in her arms. It didn’t hurt, but it felt as if the remnants of a touch were electrically charged. Her and Astarion were still enraptured by the marks when the door flew open.

“There you two are,” Gale said. “By Mystra’s eyelids, you can’t go wandering off in a highly guarded wizard’s tower!”

“By who’s eyelids, darling?”

Even without knowing all the details of their relationship, Tav could see the coldness in Astarion’s eyes and the flood of tension that took over the room. Gale looked as if he had fallen into a frozen lake. Something was transpiring between her friends and she felt as if she was not supposed to see it.

“Look what we found!” Tav said to Rolan who stood back with arms folded and looking unamused. “An armory!”

“Is that so?”

She bounded up to him, if only to get away from the unspoken conversation happening between Gale and Astarion.

“What happened to your arm?”

“Oh, I don’t know.”

Rolan leveled her with a look.

“I put on this ring, and Astarion said I disappeared — “ Rolan’s eye actually twitched, so she barreled on before he could yell, “but I could see him it was just like I don’t know, everything around was just energy. And something reached out to grab my hand and it felt like my magic, like my own magic was holding my hand!” She was excited despite the unusual state of her arm. “And when I took it off I had this.”

He grabbed her arm, fingers running over the divots and inspecting it. Turning it over, his nails dragged along the sensitive flesh of the inside and dragged over her palm. A pleasurable shudder rippled down her spine.

“Did that hurt?”

“Uh,” she felt her brain zap, “no.”

It felt very good.

“They’re fading.”

Now that she looked at it, the glow was siphoning away very slowly. “Huh.”

Rolan brought her arm closer for him to inspect. His hands were incredibly warm. As he asked her questions about what she saw, she found herself answering almost dazedly. It was only after he seemed to have asked all the questions he could and was simply holding her arm in quiet contemplation that she realized he was rubbing his thumb along her skin.

“Rolan,” she said quietly.

“Hmm?”

“Can I have my arm back?”

He dropped it as if it flooded him with an electric shock. “You seem fine. Please refrain from playing with magical artifacts you have no idea how to properly use.”

“That’s no fun.”

His eye twitched again.

“Erm,” she said, “did you find Karsus’ book?”

Rolan’s eyes slid over her shoulder, back where Astarion and Gale were. He motioned for her to follow him, and around the same pillar of stone which had saved her and Astarion, he led her out of the room.

“We found the book.”

“Oh, good,” she said. “Gale says it’s integral for figuring out how to deal with the Elder Brain.”

“Yes,” Rolan said quietly. “What do you know of Karsus?”

“Only what Gale has told me,” she replied. “Fall of netheril, tried to become a god, - just the juicy stuff.”

“Then you know how it ended last time someone played with that kind of power.”

“I do.”

“Gale is an immensely talented and knowledgeable wizard,” Rolan prefaced.

“Got a crush, do you?”

The tone of her voice was a little more pointed than she liked. An ugly thing inside of her scratching at her chest at his praise of Gale. Which was unreasonable. Gale was everything he said; Gale was one of her best friends. There was no reason for her to be acting this way.

Rolan frowned. “I’m not trying to argue with you nor insult him, I’m only letting you know there was something about the way he talked about the crown, and the book. Please, keep an eye on him.”

Tav remembered how Gale had reacted to first seeing the crown, and then to the way he had near badgered her about finding the book. He had to correct himself when he talked about what the crown would do for him — the quick addition of for us that he added as an afterthought.

Tav nodded.

“I don’t mean to intrude,” he said. “You’ve helped my family a hundred times over. I owe it to you to do the same.”

“You don’t owe me anything.” She corrected. She hated how transactional it sounded.

“Are you angry with me?” He asked, an edge to his voice that she knew spelled trouble.

“Angry? No.”

Yes. No? She wasn’t sure. She almost wanted to pick a fight. It seemed to be the only time he ever gave her any mind. She didn’t know arcane history, couldn’t gush over magical theory with him — and he had never shown up for that bottle of wine. He only paid attention to her when he was upset with her. She wanted to needle at him, to make herself the focus of that blazing amber gaze even if he was snarling at her.

Astarion was walking out of the room, jolting them out of the staring contest they were having. “Send him back when you’re done with him,” Astarion waved at Rolan. “He wants to identify some of those objects.”

He walked off, an air of finality about his path. Something had happened. Her role of leadership reared its head, if there was dissent amongst the camp it was her job to temper it.

“You have to go,” he said.

“Duty calls.” She sighed. “Thank you for the warning. We will drop by again, I’m sure.”

Rolan only nodded in reply and she set off.

Only in crowds would she thaw. He’d been making his way to the Eflsong with Lia and Cal, under the guise of watching Alfira perform or to see Lakrissa. The team of heroes often joined them, sometimes looking worse for wear but never bringing whatever challenges they were facing with them. Tav talked when everyone was around, talked to him and was friendly enough. But they never had a moment alone.

Even if they did he was not sure what he would say. Being the new owner of Ramazith’s was a full time endeavor; if he wasn’t experimenting he was busy trying to manage the shop. More and more people were turning up for protective measures against the string of events which threatened the city. Cal and Lia helped, happy to have a place to live and a job. It was becoming a rather fluid family business.

But when the day slowed down or at night when laid in bed in Lorroakan’s reclaimed room, his mind drifted always to her. If he saw her at the bar that night he had committed to memory what she wore, any new cuts and bruises, and how the old ones were healing. His hand would drift under his trousers, gently massaging his length as it swelled with interest at the thought of her.

Every peak of cleavage where that damned pearl pendant dangled so teasingly where he wanted to kiss was seared into his mind. Each glance at her leaning over the bar to speak with Alan and order a round of drinks for everyone had him begging to grab at the swell of her bottom. Her eyes when she had stared Lorroakan down before she erupted in a flurry of magic. The calm before the storm of her wrath. How they would soften for her friends, and even him when she glanced over.

Rolan would stroke himself to different imaginings of her. His gallant hero riding him, hands on his chest and glorious as she chased her pleasure. Or beneath him, soft and pliant for once, only for him. Teasing but humbled as he was a benevolent but stern authority, until she finally allowed him to experience the bliss of her submission. To let him take care of her for once.

He could even be the submissive, he thought despite never having considered it before, imagining cooing praise as he gave her whatever she wanted. Gods, he knew she would take him apart in ways he could never recreate with anyone else. He would trust her to hold her hand around his throat, to lovingly claw at his skin, to whisper words of adoration in contrast to the way she had control of his very breath in her grip.He would spill over into his own hand with visions of her eyes crinkling at the corners with a smile. She was, so far unwittingly, boring her way into his mind the same way the illithids had done to her.

But that very tadpole had kept her very busy. The trouble in Baldur’s Gate only grew more intense. Everyone had seen less of her crew as the days went on, only Alfira or Lakrissa getting glimpses of them racing to and fro at the inn day in and out. Everything was coming to a catalyst, he could feel it in the air. It was bad enough that his family had viewed Baldur’s Gate as a haven only to find it on the verge of chaos, now the very object of his desires was at the very center of it all. Storybooks often spoke about the plight of heroes, rarely did they touch upon the abject misery of the ones who loved them.

Watching them destroy their bodies, minds and hearts to be brave enough to save the day. Unable to do anything but offer mere pittances. And Tav wouldn’t even allow him to do that.

In the midst of his musings on her one night as they closed the shop, a violent earthquake shook the city. They were more common these days but this one felt different, it lasted longer, the tremor nearly knocked potion bottles off the wall and the whole city seemed to freeze moments after it passed.

“Do you think it’s them?” Cal had asked, breaking the terrified silence.

“It always is.”

They had gone to the Elfsong after the shop was locked up. All agreeing that their friends might need them, even if just to buy them a drink. When he arrived, the place was packed. Voices loud as people theorized and panicked over drinks, not even Alfira’s songs could carry over the din.

Their heroes were nowhere to be seen.

They found Lakrissa, who was attempting to be a one woman crowd for Alfira. “Have they returned? Do they know what’s going on?”

Lakrissa looked grim. “We saw the Archdruid carrying someone small — maybe a halfling or a gnome or something — up the stairs. They looked bad.”

Rolan felt his stomach plummet through the wood floor.

“Tav came down to grab wine, Alfira said she was heading up to the roof when she came down to perform.”

Rolan was turning for the stairs before Lakrissa finished the sentence. Something was off. He passed by the suite which he knew her party was in, voices were low but they were in there. He saw the open hatch and climbed up with a grunt.

The roof was not lit up, but the city lights allowed for a low glow that partially blotted out the stars. The crescent moon above was not much helpful but it was out clear as day. He spotted a figure, alone, slumped over at the far end of the roof. Even in the dark he knew it was her.

He approached only to be met with her calling, in slurred together words, “‘ready told you, Karlach. I don’ wanna watch you arm wrestle Minsc.”

“They should sell tickets to that,” he said in response. “You’d all be rich.”

She turned around sharply. “S’ you.”

“It’s me,” he replied. “May I join you?”

“M’pissed, and miserable,” she slurred. “Not good,” she belched, “company.”

It was oddly charming, despite her drooping eyes and the way she dryly licked her lips after. He was so used to her being a force of unflappable willpower and leadership, seeing her just be a person who gets piss drunk to drown her sorrows was novel. Rolan sat next to her, amongst a small nest of pillows and blankets Alfira and Lakrissa had put up there when they first got to the city. Tav looked out at the water.

“I wanna go swimming.”

“I think the Chionthar is only slightly safer than a cursed lake,” he replied. “Best stay on land.”

“No fun.”

Despite her attempts at lightning the mood everything felt off. She leaned her chin on the stone wall that she sat in front of. The bottle in her hand precariously tipped.

“I felt that quake earlier, your doing?”

“killed a Bhaalspawn.” She said plainly. “Stole a netherstone. Brain is getting restless.”

If anyone else had strung those words together it would have been utter nonsense.

“Thats good, isn’t it? You ought to be celebrating.”

“No,” she shook her head slowly. “No celebrating.”

“What happened?”

“Bhaalspawn bitch took Yenna,” she sniffed.

The little girl they had picked up in Rivington. Rolan had yet to meet her, but she had been their newest addition. Rolan recalled being horrified that they allowed a child in their camp, given their circumstances. He thought it might not be a good idea to bring that up, just then.

“Is she alright?”

“Physically? Sure.”

It was quiet again. He heard her breathing pick up, a wet swallow.

“They made her eat her fucking cat.” She spat, voice cracking. “She’s ten years old. Lost her mother, and all she had was Grub. They took her from right under my nose. Killed the damn cat and made her eat it.”

When he looked over he saw tears, his heart stuttering. Half unsure what to do in the face of such a horrifying thing to imagine and half desperate to hold her.

“Everywhere I go,” she said distractedly, “there’s just blood and horror.” She pulled a long drink of wine from the bottle. “And everyone’s fucking lost it in this city. Gale wants to become a God, and we all know it’s just to get back at Mystra — they ought to call her the bitch queen — and just two days ago I had to talk Astarion out of the right of ascension — 2000 people he was going to sacrifice!” She was ranting, hiccups and sobs breaking through every once in a while. “Karlach’s given up. Shadowheart’s parents — we looked for them and she fought so hard and they’re just gone. Lae’zel wants me to make a deal with a devil, and poor Wyll,” she sniffled. “His dad — he — and Mizora that cunt! We have to find his dad.” She had her head in her hands. “There’s still one more netherstone, we have to get the hammer, then there’s the brain.”

“You need to breathe,” he reached out.

“I’m not meant to do this!” She yelled suddenly. “I’m not — I’m supposed to take over my mum and dad’s stupid pub, I’m supposed to be at home, with my little sister and my mother.”

“Tav,” he tried to interrupt.”

“Instead I’m here, and I’ve got this thing in my head and they want time to lead them — and I don’t know why! I’m nothing — no one — I don’t know what to do —“

“Sweetheart, stop,” he pleaded, reaching out to her. “You’re alright.”

“I’m not,” she choked. “I can’t, Rolan. I can’t do this.”

“You can,” he said firmly. He grabbed her face, forcing her to look at him, “you’re going to sleep this off, and tomorrow you will infuriate me by accomplishing the impossible — as you always do.”

She was at least calming down, breathing coming easier even if fresh warm tears spilled out of her eyes onto his hands. His thumb gently wiped them away, careful of his nails.

“You didn’t see what I saw out there in the cursed lands, or even in the tower. You may be an idiot but you’re a capable idiot. If anyone can save the city, it’s you and your freak show of friends.”

She smiled, a soft laugh nothing more than a breath escaping her lips. Rolan had a sinking feeling he was in over his head, with the way she still looked so lovely to him; face puffy, drunk and still covered in gore he thought she was the most beautiful person in the world. His thumb gently rubbed the skin of her cheek, and she closed her eyes, seeming to have rid herself of all the tears she could and now seeming calmer.

They sat like that for a while. She breathed and came back to herself, he contemplated how awful he had been to her before. Tav was larger than life, but even she was only flesh and blood. The weight on her shoulders was more than he could even imagine. He’d never been more sure about his decision to offer his help when the time came, anything to lighten her load.

For a moment he thought she might have passed out until she spoke.

“Are you going to kiss me?”

Rolan felt struck by lightning by the change of subject. “You — do you want me to kiss you?”

Tav opened her eyes, albeit somewhat blearily she smiled mischievously. “Don’t be dumb,” she said, “you know I do.”

“I do not know that,” he said defensively.

“Well now you do,” she leaned forward, her hands still curled into his robes. Her eyes slid shut again and Rolan tilted his head and leaned in, unable to resist the magnetic force that she seemed to emanate as their lips came closer.

Her breath smelt so strongly of wine, he suddenly outstretched his arms to keep her at a safe distance. “You’re drunk,” he scolded. Whether it was her or himself he was scolding, was unclear.

“Yes.” She nodded and then seemed to get dizzy from the motion

“We should get you to bed.”

“Oh?”

“Stop it,” he tried not to laugh, but it didn’t work. “You’re going to bed to sleep.”

“That isn’t fun.”

“I’m not fun,” he reminded her. “I’m a prick with a stick up my arse, as my sister so kindly put it.”

“Sorry, Rolan,” Tav said seriously, “wasn’t paying attention. Whose prick is going in whose arse? Because m’not equipped — I guess we could buy one but at this hour?“

“Bed!” Rolan said immediately.

“No,” she whined, “I’m sleeping up here.”

“You are not.”

“I am,” she said, draining the last of her bottle only to have it yanked away from her. “You can’t carry me down the ladder.”

It was said petulantly, with a singsong voice and a cackle of laughter afterwards, but she was right. Rolan grabbed at the pillows and blankets Alfira had snuck up and threw together a makeshift bed. He shoved at her shoulder until she laid back and she sighed happily, turning onto her side.

“I like when we get along.” She said in a quiet voice.

“Me too.”

After a while he laid on the ground. His feet faced her head and there was a safe amount of distance, in case anyone found them. He didn’t need her friends getting the wrong idea if they found them, he was already sure Astarion wanted to kill him.

He felt something pulling at one of his horns and his eyes slid open. Tav was over him, trying to lift his head.

“What are you doing?”

“Pillow,” she said plainly. “Head up.”

He allowed her to place one under his head, and then rested back. When she laid back down, her fingers brushed against him. Barely noticeable, only The back of her knuckles pressed against his. He curled one finger around hers and she did the same. As he looked down, even in the darkness her arms still had marks from whatever had happened when she put on that ring in the tower.

After a few days with no other side effects, they had all assumed it had been some kind of magic attachment that hadn’t taken full hold. The lines were thin, barely there, but he considered what it could have been. After all the work that had to be done at the shop, it had slipped his mind to research it. At least now he had something to do to keep his mind off of her running to infiltrate the new archduke’s home and murder him.

“Why didn’t you come?” Her voice interrupted his thoughts.

“What do you mean?”

“Gale wanted to teach you,” she mumbled, “and I… have that bottle for you.”

Things had happened so fast, getting Cal and Lia settled, being thrust into owning not just a massive home but a very popular magical goods shop had made him forget that night entirely. He had made it all the way to the door of the Elfsong, skin still stinging from Lorroakan’s ‘training’ just the hour before.

“I got as far as the front door,” he said, “and turned around.”

“Why?”

“I was… overwhelmed.”

“Oh.”

He said nothing in response and after a few moments he heard her start to snore. With a sigh he settled in and closed his eyes. The stone roof was a poor substitute for his new large, exceedingly comfortable bed in the tower. Leaving her side seemed far from worth it to sleep in his own bed, even if she did snore.

Thank you so much for reading!

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#rolan fic #rolan x tav #rolan x reader #bg3 fanfiction #olly writes

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