![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
"She has more integrity than I have," Astarion drawls. "I'm sure most people familiar with my history might have expected me to be incandescent over the Hilbert thing."
He does open his eyes again, looking up to him.
Astarion shrugs with one shoulder.
"You didn't do it to me."
And he barely knew Hilbert, so, fuck that guy?
"Man, no wonder you got shit for it. That's not a good enough reason. I mean, I'm glad you let me off, don't get me wrong."
Astarion lifts his other hand and gives Jacob's ear a little pinch. Basically painless.
"I'm also terribly biased because I like you," he says. "I suppose that's not good enough either?"
And he raises up to kiss him. "The rest of this fucking place can rot, but you and Ro are what's keeping me from just wasting away."
"...I don't normally enjoy feeling responsible for anything." Astarion kisses him again. "But this, I don't mind, because I prefer you unwasted."
"...I know. I do. But if I have an influence on you, I want it to be a good one."
He shudders, theatrical.
"Ugh. I can't believe I said that. You didn't hear anything of the sort."
"Hard to forget," Astarion says, voice smoky. "I personally think that was a very good choice on my part."
Now that he's here, that he's slowed down enough and gotten the frustration off his chest, he is not inclined to leave.
"Now who's a bad influence?" Astarion teases. "I couldn't agree more."
He goes back to stroking Jacob's hair, seeing as Aylin curls up against his side and starts purring.
He doesn't want him to go anywhere either. Not when he can have him here, and safe, it makes him feel...better.
He lets the silence stretch a moment before he reaches up to take his hand and kisses his fingers.
"Can't believe it's been a month since that. Just a single fucking month."
"It's been...unusually eventful." He passes a fingertip gently over Jacob's bottom lip. "Overall, I think I like it better when it's dull."
He sits up. "A nice holiday."
"Actually nice, this time," Astarion agrees. "Few if any disasters. Hells, I'd take another quiet island, and I thought I'd already had enough of the wilderness."
He wraps an arm around his waist. What a good thought, though.
Astarion laughs and leans into him, pecking him on the lips.
"You know I'd make it worth your while, darling."
Because Jacob has eyes, after all!
"Oh, you just want me to be decorative? Luckily for you, I'm very good at that," he says, almost purring with satisfaction. "Gods know I won't be much use for keeping you warm at night."
He's not cold, he's just sort of...room temperature, always.
He snickers. "Besides, Rosita will be there. She's pretty warm."
"You're right. And I can just go hunting, should your blood be moved in her direction," he says lightly.
He has fantasies of his own, of course, but those aren't to share. Instead, now that he's sitting up, he draws him into a deep kiss.
Page 83 of 132
- «
- 1
- 2
- 3
- 4
- 5
- 6
- 7
- 8
- 9
- 10
- 11
- 12
- 13
- 14
- 15
- 16
- 17
- 18
- 19
- 20
- 21
- 22
- 23
- 24
- 25
- 26
- 27
- 28
- 29
- 30
- 31
- 32
- 33
- 34
- 35
- 36
- 37
- 38
- 39
- 40
- 41
- 42
- 43
- 44
- 45
- 46
- 47
- 48
- 49
- 50
- 51
- 52
- 53
- 54
- 55
- 56
- 57
- 58
- 59
- 60
- 61
- 62
- 63
- 64
- 65
- 66
- 67
- 68
- 69
- 70
- 71
- 72
- 73
- 74
- 75
- 76
- 77
- 78
- 79
- 80
- 81
- 82
- 83
- 84
- 85
- 86
- 87
- 88
- 89
- 90
- 91
- 92
- 93
- 94
- 95
- 96
- 97
- 98
- 99
- 100
- 101
- 102
- 103
- 104
- 105
- 106
- 107
- 108
- 109
- 110
- 111
- 112
- 113
- 114
- 115
- 116
- 117
- 118
- 119
- 120
- 121
- 122
- 123
- 124
- 125
- 126
- 127
- 128
- 129
- 130
- 131
- 132
- »
Page 83 of 132