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No? I'm sure Mae would oblige you if she could. Or if there were a few more of her.
[He grins.]
Okay, the other reason I wanted to catch you is that we need to figure out what to do for Ro's birthday. It was during the breach.
...I hate losing a whole goddamn week to nonsense.
Ugh - Hells, of course it was.
Hmm.
Any ideas? We can use the Enclosure, naturally, but I'm not sure what she'd appreciate.
[As opposed to it being a bitter reminder of a world lost to her.]
[He hesitates.]
Think you and I can put together a cake?
Certainly. I've been practicing with desserts here and there, when circumstances permit.
She hasn't said anything, of course, but we should do it quick. I've got my kitchen stocked.
Of course. I'll find a recipe and see you shortly?
[He won't. He's going to disappear :( ]
Fair warning that when we can gossip without being heard, I'm going to ask you about this newest development.
Of course. Fair warning in return that I do not actually have any complaints about this.
But I'm glad.
"Astarion?" she calls, careful to block Aylin from running out. "I come bearing gifts as well as my usual amazingness."
Astarion appears from another room - he has multiple rooms now! It's still rather thrilling! - a moment later. Aylin, for her part, is a homebody and comes to sing the song of her people to Rosita but makes no attempt to escape.
"Hello, damia. I don't need the bribes, but I do appreciate them - come in."
With Erskine everywhere in tow, she's been scarce since the pairing announcement, so her, "It's so good to see you," is a bit warmer even than usual.
"And you."
He takes the parcel, but just holds on to it for a moment as he steps forward to give her a hug.
"How did the flood treat you?"
"Honestly?" Obviously. "Hated it. I barely got any fucking sleep, I don't like being that close to anyone that long but I was trying to avoid that guy in particular, so naturally, we get to spend three days practically - and occasionally literally - holding hands."
She's had worse floods, for sure, but this one rubbed the wrong way against quite a bit of the way her traumas manifest.
"How'd you and Gale go?"
"Fine. He's such a miserable lump at the moment that it was basically the equivalent of dragging a large, sad suitcase about. I'm sorry you had a poor time of it."
"I've gotten the impression that's kind of how he always is," she admits. "Am I wrong and he's upset about the pairing?"
"No, no. He seems - I think he shares a degree of my relief that he doesn't have to catch someone up on centuries of Faerunian history," Astarion remarks. "I think I've gotten used to him now. The differences between the one I've got here and the one I met back home."
"Does he know a version of you back home?"
"He does. I haven't asked about him much," Astarion admits. "Though given the way Gale's journey unfolded compared to mine, I can only imagine that other Astarion was giving free rein to impulses that I was being constantly pressured to control."
"It's... weird. To think there are other versions of us out there. For me, anyway."
"I try not to think about it too hard," he admits.
If there's one other Astarion, who's to say there aren't a thousand others? A thousand Cazadors, a thousand rituals, a thousand Elder Brains-
If he follows that thought, he can't help but think his own efforts are rather cheapened.
"Besides, I'm sure you're the best Rosita these many planes have to offer."
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