TLV: IC Contact

[sixfeetofdirt]

Careful; I bite.

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[sixfeetofdirt]

"Ah - yes, likewise," Astarion says. "Baldur's Gate grew up around the mouth of a river. It's a cliché, but the water really is the lifeblood of that place."

[ravenswrath]

They continue walking, coming across another alley, seemingly deserted. "I believe that. It was the same in Dunwall and in Karnaca. We - " He pauses, reaching out to Astarion's sleeve to try and pull him back.

He can sense movement on the other side, through the wall. One person pacing on the fire escape, two others on the ground - likely an ambush of some kind. Not for them, but he doesn't think they'll be particular about it if they're startled.

"There are a few friends around that corner," he tells him in a whisper.

[sixfeetofdirt]

Astarion goes still the moment Corvo touches him.

"Then we might as well turn around, I really don't feel like getting involved in someone else's drama tonight," he drawls.

[ravenswrath]

Corvo wants to argue with him, but the impulse to do so comes from his own feeling of being too close, too cramped, too restricted.

He gives a reluctant nod and takes a step back.

"Have you own drama to contend with?" he wonders.

[sixfeetofdirt]

"No, and I'm trying to keep it that way." This won't even last the next twenty-four hours, but he doesn't know that yet! "My warden is incredibly tiresome about these things."

[ravenswrath]

"Mm, you should borrow Richter. He's incredibly permissive."

He doesn't know John very well, but he can't imagine having a warden who asks questions. At least Corvo can successfully shut down on Richter and dismiss all of his concerns.

[sixfeetofdirt]

"Mmm, but if he were my warden I probably couldn't fuck him," Astarion says, thoughtfully.

"...Not that I think that's ever particularly likely, but it's an entertaining way to annoy Trevor."

[ravenswrath]

Corvo wrinkles his nose in disgust.

"Would that be worth it?"

[sixfeetofdirt]

Astarion laughs.

"That really rather depends on how good he is in bed, doesn't it? Anyway, just mentioning it is enough to rile him up."

[ravenswrath]

"You aren't the first person to mention that," he says with a sigh and tries to think of literally anything except his warden. "The amount of fucking on this prison ship is truly extraordinary."

[sixfeetofdirt]

"Extraordinary? Do you think so?" Astarion laughs. "It seems entirely inevitable to me. Why shouldn't we seek out whatever escapes and indulgences our jail can offer?"

[ravenswrath]

"Inevitable!"

He supposes that having so many people, looking as they do, together in one spot would make it inevitable. But that isn't the first thing that comes to mind.

"It's not an escape for me, though. Hence - extraordinary. To imagine."

[sixfeetofdirt]

"...Hm."

Astarion's gaze flicks down for a moment.

"Do you not...work?"

[ravenswrath]

He almost, almost asks, then sputters out a cough. "Yes. But meaningless sex with people I don't know isn't...it's not...it's more trouble than it's worth."

[sixfeetofdirt]

"Ahh. Well, I can't agree, but - to each his own. You'll simply have to pursue other pastimes."

[ravenswrath]

"Ah yes. Thank you for the advice."

Corvo has done everything he can to pass the time. Being out in the city is good enough for a while, a nice distraction, an almost literal escape, but it's not what he wants. Drinking doesn't help, making the charms doesn't help -

He's in a fucking spiral, but he doesn't take it out on Astarion. He just laughs at himself.

"I suppose I should take up knitting. Crochet. Perhaps fishing."

[sixfeetofdirt]

"Fishing is certainly time consuming," Astarion agrees. "Sculpture, perhaps? Whittling?"

[ravenswrath]

"Ah, I've heard weaving is a good way to pass the time."

They make it back to the main road and he crosses his arms. "Have you seen that inmate fight club the Belmonte have cooked up?"

[sixfeetofdirt]

"I'm...aware of it," he says. "Have you attended?"

[ravenswrath]

"I haven't. Maybe twenty years ago, it would have appealed to me, but I'm too old for that now."

And he doesn't think it would be fair. He'd rather run drills on his own.

[sixfeetofdirt]

"Likewise. I'd much rather have my own company in that place, anyway. And whatever gets summoned for me to kill, of course."

[ravenswrath]

"You and I have the same mind about it. That ship is too small. I don't care if it isn't real." He leads him idly through the streets, no real destination in mind. "What do you usually hunt?"

[sixfeetofdirt]

"Oh, creatures from home - goblins, gnolls, bugbears. What about you?"

[ravenswrath]

"Men," he answers casually. "We don't have worse monsters than that. Sometimes I wonder if I should spawn a river and just possess a hagfish, though. Wait for some unsuspecting person to put their foot in and bite them."

[sixfeetofdirt]

"That...strikes me as being a lot of time spent as a hagfish for a rather ambiguous reward," Astarion ventures.