✨ INBOX: hotel caelum

[icyspicy]

𝖜𝖎𝖓𝖙𝖊𝖗 🐙✨

summer

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ABOUT ME

Hello! This is very delightful, though I have no idea what I'm doing!

NOTE

Confused by the username? Good.

Message @summer

code | art

BIRTHDAY DIRECTORY QR CODE

NAME: Winter BIRTHDAY: December 21st FAV CAKE FLAVOR: Black Forest WHAT THEY WANT MOST FOR THEIR BIRTHDAY: To have a good time.

Comments

text, late December-ish;

[astarion]

[Rather out of the blue, but that’s not a first from this vampire, is it—]

Darling, have you any free time? I’m feeling a bit

[like shit, really, after some mistlefoe nonsense]

restless, and I can’t think of more entertaining company.

[icyspicy]

For you, Astarion? Always.

[ And sincerely, he’s on vacation. What does he have but free time? ]

I can come meet you. Where are you at?

[astarion]

[Maybe Winter had plans, he doesn't know! But he's glad he doesn't.

Astarion thought about blowing off steam on the fight club floor, but something about drawing more blood in the wake of... everything felt like it would be unsatisfactory, believe it or not. No, something else. A bit of wandering later, and he had found-]

Come meet me on floor [REDACTED, I DON'T KNOW] and we'll have a day of relaxation, letting all manner of worries bleed away. You'll see.

[icyspicy]

[ Someone still needs to explain the Fight Club floor to Winter, he doesn't know what it's for. ]

My, my. You have a plan already, I see. Very well. I'll be right there.

[ Time for an elevator ride to floor (REDACTED)! ]

[astarion]

[They can definitely plan on going together someday. Can't wait for these two str 8 losers to engage in fisticuffs (not with each other.)]

I'll be waiting.

[When the elevator brings Winter to floor (REDACTED), Astarion is there waiting for him, hands on his hips, flashing a grin that does seem, once again, sharp along the edges. But he's amused, and fairly glad to see the warlock, all the same.

Behind him is quite a view. Not hard to guess at what this place might be... a spa/hot springs combo, though hopefully this time without the sleepy or touchy-feely side-effects. It's a different arrangement, anyway.]

There you are. Well? What do you think? Does a nice, relaxing dip and some languid conversation strike your fancy? I know it's not exactly as exciting as thievery, but...

[icyspicy]

[ Astarion looks so proud over his discovery, and it draws a chuckle out of him. ]

Someone looks like the cat that caught the canary. I'd be more than happy to join you, my friend. Thievery is all well and good, but my boss would have my head if she knew I'd been working during my vacation.

[ "Working." ]

[astarion]

What your boss doesn't know won't hurt her. Though I'm not much in a mood to do some heavy-lifting today, [because haha the espresso machine was indeed heavy] so whiling away the hours while soaking in steaming hot water will just have to do.

I even dipped my hand in first. [He holds it up, wiggling pale fingers.] No strange changes upon me just yet.

[So surely it's fine! Probably! Anyhow, there is an arrangement of white towels and clean robes folded up and resting neatly upon nearby shelving, as well as a few partitions to change behind, if one cares for modesty. Next to all of this is a decorative fountain of a woman with fine features, pouring out water from a jug. How very tasteful.]

[icyspicy]

[ Another laugh. Yes, that espresso machine was unfairly heavy. If they're ever going to do something like that again, they're going to prepare better.

Probably. ]

Not feeling the need to take a nap or give me a hug? Then I'll say it's a success. Shall we? Gods know I could use a bit of relaxation and good company.

1/2

[astarion]

No. No sleeping and no hugging.

[Not that either of these things are inherently bad, it's simply that Astarion does not want to deal with the hotel causing shenanigans against his will again. (lol)

But he moves to grab a towel and a robe, letting both fall over his arm, then twirls around to face Winter again.]

For once in my godsforsaken life, let me just have a day. To relax! And do nothing but enjoy myself! I think both you and I deserve that much.

[Thoughtlessly, idly, he flicks his hand through the water of the fountain, the stream that flows from the serene woman's jar.]

Don't you agr-

[astarion]

[Anyway, there is a literal, cartoonish poof of smoke. And when it clears, only a pile of Astarion's clothes remains, topped with a rumpled white towel and robe.

Though there's movement underneath it all. And... is that angry squeaking?]

[icyspicy]

[ Astarion really did just doom himself with that little monologue, didn't he? Winter startles, but without knowing what's happening, there's really no way for him to stop it, even if the incantation for Counterspell flies to the tip of his tongue.

Too little too late. ]

... Astarion?

[ Just gonna crouch over these clothes and move them off of whatever is moving and squeaking. ]

[astarion]

[When he removes the pile of garments from the little thing flailing beneath, he finds-

A BAT, POPPING ITS HEAD OUT AND SQUEAKING BLOODY MURDER, ITS WINGS STILL TANGLED IN THE POOFY SLEEVES OF ASTARION'S WHITE SHIRT--

...Yet, somehow in all of that, the tone and timbre of Astarion's voice:]

What in the hells is happening-?!

[icyspicy]

[ HELP. Winter starts again, yanking his hands away when that little furry head pops up. ]

Astarion, is that— [ you? Oh, but it is. It even sounds like him and everything. Winter is trying very, very valiantly not to just burst out laughing, one hand pressed over his mouth. ]

Stop— stop flailing for a moment and let me help you get free.

[astarion]

[The vampire has not yet cottoned on to exactly what’s happening.]

Of course it’s me, what are you— [startled bat squeak] Why are you so big?!

[WINTER IS A GIANT NOW? Why is that so funny? He sees that repressed laugh, which only bolsters his befuddlement.

Until he catches sight of his own limbs: wings, caught in some oversized cloth, and—]

What?! What is this—!!

[More angry bat noises, and a lot more flailing in his own pile of clothes. Sorry Winter. Also don’t look at his underwear.]

[icyspicy]

Astarion!

[ Now he has an extra-flaily bat on his hands help!! ]

For the love of— hold still or you're going to hurt yourself!

[astarion]

[Thankfully, at some point, Astarion is just too caught in his own shirt that he can't really flail much more. It's the worst bat burrito known to man.]

Why am I a bat!

[One more strain against the material, but to no avail, and then he just deflates. Winter will have more than enough time to free him now.]

No, I know why- [for irony] -but why!

[he just wanted a spa day with NO SHENANIGANS]

[icyspicy]

Apparently not all the water in the place is innocuous.

[ Now that Astarion has gotten himself stuck, Winter can work on freeing him a bit easier, fingers working the fabric away from tiny wings. ]

Do you suppose the spa water will turn you back?

[ They should be so lucky, right? ]

[astarion]

[Oh gods this is HUMILIATING.

While Winter works to free him-]

Try it! Splash me! Dunk me in! I don’t want to be stuck like this.

[icyspicy]

Stop. I'm not going to dunk you in while you're tangled in your own clothes.

[ Eventually, though, he does work Astarion free, scooping him up in his palms to bear him over to the edge of the spa proper. ]

Maybe just dip a wing in.

[ Just in case it doesn't work. ]

[astarion]

[Lifted up, it’s almost dizzying, being small enough to be cupped in someone’s palms. Though “small” is relative — for a bit, he’s big enough that his wings drape over Winter’s touch, dangling, as he’s brought to the spa’s edge.

He immediately dips a wing in!

…And waits. Moments pass. An unfortunately, all Astarion is rewarded with is a wet wing.]

Is this— is this all just some cosmic joke.

[Flops down in Winter’s hands, defeated.]

[icyspicy]

[ There's some part of Winter that thought maybe he could take this seriously, but then Astarion has to go and flop. The warlock tries and utterly fails to bite back a laugh. ]

Well, look on the bright side. You're very adorable.

[astarion]

[Astarion pouts, or at least as much as a bat can pout.]

Oh, you think this is funny, don't you? [He heard that laugh, sir!!] If this blasted hotel isn't compelling us to kiss people, or to bite people, then it's making us change shape into something we're not!

I just wanted a spa day, is that so much to ask?

[icyspicy]

[ Astarion is not helping his case for Winter finding him adorable.

Although— ]

Hold on. When were you compelled to bite people?

[astarion]

[His ears flick, and he folds his wings in — one of them is still wet and dripping a little, sorry Winter.

He hadn’t really meant to say that part aloud, but now that it’s out there, there’s no point in denying it.]

Yes… I did. That mistletoe that made everyone aggressive towards each other apparently had no qualms in making me act more like an opportunist. A predator.

[He doesn’t look up at Winter, but his tone is rueful.]

Lucky you didn’t find me in such a state.

[icyspicy]

[ Winter can handle a little water. It’s hard to mind when Astarion has gone from adorably frustrated to rueful in the space of a moment. The warlock frowns. ]

I’m sorry you were made to go through that. Are you alright?