icyspicy | ✨ INBOX: hotel caelum

[It had been a throwaway remark at best, a little barb to fling back in the wake of asking for a "tiny straw", but Astarion actually hauls himself around to face Winter and looks up at him.]

What do you mean I could?

[He could what? Bite him? Is he serious?]

What can I say?

[ He shrugs a little. This seems like such a silly sentiment to be sharing now, in the most ridiculous of circumstances, but he simply can't ignore the perfect set-up, even when it's coming from the lips of a bat. ]

I enjoyed having your mouth on me.

[Astarion squints up at him with his little red bat eyes, and the remark is two-fold. Impressive, because that sounds like a line he would've used, once upon a time. And jarring, because he hardly knows what to make of it. He wonders there's something else inlaid behind that admission, and he doesn't mean just the flirtiness of it all.

The last person to offer their neck willingly to him was Gale, and though that was the equivalent of a mouthful of sludge, Astarion also took it for what it was -- trust. Ridiculous circumstances or not, it feels as though Winter is extending the same to him, and maybe that wouldn't be too much of an assumption, given their time under the mistletoe.]

You really are a dangerous man, aren't you. [He's still processing.] ...Don't offer something like that unless you mean it.

[ That look of suspicion is very funny on that little furry face, though Winter does catch the meaning easily enough. He's offering to bear his throat to a predator, which is an objectively stupid thing to do, but he'd meant what he said under the mistletoe.

He trusts Astarion. A man who has ample opportunity to bury a knife in his back or his fangs in his neck, and has done neither. ]

I do mean it.

[Winter says that, and just like with Gale, a flood of appreciation washes through Astarion. Gratitude, for handing him trust that he's not sure is entirely deserved.

He quashes it down a little, but presumably, he doesn't have to hide too much on his bat-features, anyway.]

Then... I may take you up on that sometime. If you like my mouth that much.

[Simple for him to fling a flirty retort back, though something about it feels less performative than usual. Still, Astarion heaves a tiny sigh.]

Not now, though. We'll wait for me to be more elf than bat.

[So tiny straw it is.]

I'd appreciate that. As would your dignity, I'm sure.

[ Still, Winter shifts Astarion over to one hand so he can pull a curtain of raven hair away from his shoulder, offering Astarion a perch. ]

Can you hang on for a moment while I gather your things? Then we'll be off.

[Whatever dignity he has left at this point! All the same, he glances up at the offered shoulder and tries his best to clamber up the man's arm to reach it.]

At some point- [grunts a little with the effort, but he's still as dextrous as he was to some degree, so he makes it to his shoulder in a few moments] -I suppose I might give spreading my wings an actual try, too.

[But he'll wait here while Winter grabs his clothes. And his magic boots. Don't leave those.]

A worthwhile endeavor to use them while you have them, right?

[ When he's sure Astarion is securely in place, he crouches to begin making sense of the tangled pile, folding things up and setting them aside. Boots and weapons, too.

But of course, being observant as he is, he can't quite help but notice— ]

Really? The embroidery?

[ Your UNDERWEAR Astarion!!! ]

[You know. Usually he'd not be that embarrassed about someone reading the embroidery so delicately sewn into his underwear, but there's something about this whole situation that smacks of "this might as well happen" that has Astarion going-]

Ugghh.

[And, indeed, feeling a mote of self-consciousness. Just a little thing. But it's there.]

I get bored. And also, don't read that, you nosy warlock. You've not earned it.

[Does he look bedded or beheaded to you, sir!]

[ He glances over to the bat on his shoulder, half-expecting to catch a bit of color on fuzzy cheeks, and grins. ]

No, no, it says right here: "you've managed to bed or behead me, or witness me get turned into a bat." I'm perfectly fine.

[ It says no such thing. But at least he's adding it to the pile now. ]

[Maybe he would be, but he's covered in white fur. (And also he's undead.) He's spared the scrutiny.]

You're very funny.

[But... thank you... for picking up all his clothes.]

So I've been told.

[ He doesn't want to just leave Astarion's things here, but a bit of looking around nets him a canvas bag from behind one of the screens, likely something to put one's clothes in in the first place. He just shoves all of Astarion's stuff inside and slings it over his bat-free shoulder. ]

Now, any preferences on where to head, my fuzzy friend?

[Thank you, again, for being his inventory space also.

Once they're prepared to go, Astarion seems to give it some thought, shuffling around on the warlock's shoulder idly.]

Somewhere nice. What are the chances of something nonsensical happening a second time? [Er, actually don't answer that.] I can think of a spot. Bring us back to the elevators, darling, and send us down to floor 70.

[ If this makes him encumbered he's feeding your boots to Gale—

I mean, heading to the elevator now! ]

It seems to me that you've done your fair share of exploring this place if you can think of something so easily. Not going to share with me what it might be?

[Joke’s on you, Gale’s cheese-eating grandpa said the wizard didn’t have to eat devour magic shoes anymore!!

To the elevator they go!]

How else am I supposed to run up the bill without exploring? Besides, this floor was one worth remembering. Let’s just say… it’s very sunny.

[ The way he actually pauses mid-step. ]

And that's not a problem for you? I was given to believe that vampires and sunlight don't exactly mix.

[A delighted little cackle of a bat-squeak.]

It normally would be enough to disintegrate me straight into ash, but... The tadpole, remember? There are a few upsides to the ceremorphosis process being frozen in place, at least for a vampire. One of them being the ability to bathe in sunlight without issue.

May as well enjoy it while I can.

[ Not the bat-squeak chuckle help. He's so cute.

With that cleared up, he heads to the elevator, ushering them both inside and pushing the button for the correct floor. ]

Well now. I never expected having a mindflayer parasite in your head would come with benefits. Is there anything else you can do now that you couldn't before?

[The elevator doors shut and they begin their journey to a very "sunny" place, apparently.]

Stand in running water. Enter abodes without requiring an invitation -- that's a good one, too.

So you've none of the weaknesses of a typical vampire? Well, save for a stake to the heart, but that would kill anyone.

The worst weaknesses are gone, yes.

[The sunlight was a big one. He'll miss the warmth of it, the color daylight affords the world, if and when things ever revert back to "normal."]

However, a few other traits remain. The lack of a reflection, or the fact that most food and drink tastes like a poor imitation of itself. That sort of thing.

[The lingering scent of death, a colder touch, never aging, not remembering most of his past, weak to radiant damage, always, always hungry--]

[ Well, perhaps it's good that the tadpole isn't so all-consuming as to remove everything, as awful as these afflictions sound. He frowns a bit, turning them over in his head. ]

The lack of— oh, that explains why you looked at me like that when I changed into you. I'm sorry. I can only imagine that was quite jarring.

It was jarring, but you hardly need to apologize for it. I had missed seeing myself, as briefly as it lasted.

[And later, seeing himself in a mirror that actually reflected him back, the experience was a bit more... fraught. But that's hardly anyone's fault; viewing his reflection after centuries of hardship was undoubtedly going to be a surreal feeling.

He offers as a joke-]

Vampires are supposed to be ageless, but I think the years have taken their toll. Not that I'm not still beautiful, mind.

[ He's not sure if Astarion would have considered it a curse or a gift to lay eyes on himself for the first time in who knows how many years. (Given that he's both an elf and a vampire, Winter can only begin to guess.) ]

I think you're perfectly beautiful. But then, this version of you is all I've known. Perhaps I'm biased.

[It can be a little bit of both. But he'd rather have seen his own visage than not, for what it's worth.]

Or perhaps you're just given to flattery, Winter.

[This isn't a bad thing, really.]

Still, call me beautiful as often as you like. I do love to hear it, especially from an equally beautiful man.

[Heh. Anyway! The elevator eventually comes to a stop, and when the doors open, they are greeted by the scenic view of a beachside cafe. Very tropical, with the distant ocean glittering and refracting sunlight.]

BIRTHDAY DIRECTORY QR CODE

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject