Astarion

[residentflorist]

code

Antirrhinum
Resembles the face of a dragon that opens and closes its mouth when laterally squeezed
Deception, graciousness, fascination

Comments

weekend zero, saturday

[residentflorist]

[after people have started pulling their things out of the swamp, aerith is out roaming around to see how everyone else is faring. she's changed back into her usual outfit, hair pulled back into its braid and hands clasped behind her back as she walks on.

she spots astarion a little ways off, and while she isn't sure what to make of him yet that doesn't seem like a reason not to check in. so...she approaches.]

How goes finding an exit? [hello. this isn't even really sarcastic, she's genuinely curious how he's doing after yesterday.]

[haematocritical]

[ we love not looking like cultists. he's also sporting a new look, one that he seems much more comfortable in than the cult robes. ]

Well, if it was successful we wouldn't be having this little chat.

[residentflorist]

[his ruffle...]

You never know. Maybe you came back to bring someone with you because you found the way out.

[haematocritical]

[ ruffly ruffly. ]

They'd find a way back even if I went oh so very far that I couldn't find a way back through the fog.

[residentflorist]

[she takes a moment to read between those lines.]

So does that mean you do have people here you'd at least consider thinking about bringing back with you?

[she figures if he was alone he'd phrase it more as "every man for himself" rather than "they'll figure it out and i'll see them later."]

w1 monday

[residentflorist]

[we are FASHION. which is to say, aerith is at the clothing shop on the new island and she's very happily browsing through things. she's looking at a mannequin with deep consideration, so much that she keeps her eyes on it as she turns to walk toward another.

instead, she bumps into astarion and startles, hands coming up to steady the two of them.]

Astarion! Hey, sorry. They're kind of weird without their heads, right? [chatty as usual, but maybe that's just for the distractions of yesterday's horrors.] Have you looked around much yet?

[haematocritical]

[ walk walk fashion baby don't touch him. except he's having a moment of don't touch me but actually this isn't so bad? so he's just ??????? what is this. ]

...

The mannequins, you mean? [ hmm. ] Imagine if they started moving.

[residentflorist]

[it's fine, she does not continue touching him beyond that, though she is kind of brushing off of his sleeves like she got them dirty on accident. after that though she does look back at the mannequins.]

Yeah, them. [squinting as she imagines this.] I don't know if I'd even be surprised if they did. But maybe it's a good thing they don't have ears? Just in case they got any ideas.

[haematocritical]

[ she may brush his sleeves all she wants he does not pull away. what is this life. ]

They also don't have eyes, so they wouldn't be able to see us even if they could get ideas.

w1, sunday

[haematocritical]

[ wow!


that happened! ]

So, in answer to 'do or die', she definitely Did.

[residentflorist]

She sure did. [which is both impressive and also exhausting.] There aren't many scenarios I can think of that're worse than sending a girl with one arm to fight a monster, but...guess we should be glad it worked out with minimal damage?

[if you don't count the things they screamed as they fought.]

[haematocritical]

I'm pretty sure they went through the emotional wringer as much as the physical one.

[ astarion has ears, he heard shit. ]

But they weren't especially kind with their choices last week, either.

[residentflorist]

Looks like they weren't the only ones either. [a lot of people took psyche damage from listening to what the girls were saying. aerith herself has thoughts on what was said, but she's keeping those to herself, it seems. it's worrying that they all have to witness these extremely raw moments without having a choice.]

That's also true. Rondo said it was likely always going to be the most painful option, but...sometimes it feels like it's bordering on cruel than anything. [everyone sucks.] I've been wondering if there's a way to change that at least. To somehow guarantee who might be up there.

w2 monday

[residentflorist]

[she's here, staring up at this abandoned minka house with some trepidation, but she glances over at astarion when she notices his arrival.]

Well...guess it's not the creepiest place we could go, right? [but there isn't much time for him to answer her before he gets to see a memory! whoa!! all the way to 1:24:34.]

[haematocritical]

[ he's about to say something about what he thinks of this place compared to last week, when the memory happens and-- well.


hm. there's a lot happening there. ]

Do you know, I fully believe you could? Rip them off, I mean.

[residentflorist]

[she tilts her head as if she's also weighing that possibility.]

It was pretty tempting. But we had bigger problems to deal with than going back to take care of him.

[haematocritical]

[ it would’ve been so satisfying. ]

Yes a… plate, was it? [ he’s thinking of dinner plate and there’s a slight ?? to his expression. ] Falling on a city would normally be considered bad.

w5, saturday

[haematocritical]

[ i won't be replying until later so we can do nebulous post trial and add in details as we learn them i guess?


anyway hello. he's dead now. ]

[residentflorist]

[good night becks. and happy saturday, astarion! once the trial is over, it looks like aerith's skin is back to normal and her eyes are no longer glowing. yay! instead, she's peering at astarion a little...perhaps we have not left the bar. or we are heading back to the apartments.

either way.]

How're you feeling after all of that? Catching Robin and everything.

[haematocritical]

[ go on. he needs to find an apartment anyway. and see how haunted it is. ]

Your eyes aren't glowing anymore, my dear. [ explain. ]

... [ he shrugs. ] It's not quite as simple as you killed me so now I'm vindicated, is it?

[residentflorist]

[your haunted house...anyway she smiles a little.]

Looks like the effects from the spring wore off, finally. This happened to Cloud last week, too, but not sure about everybody else who's used it. Sorry about that.

[but there's a tinge of sympathy with his words.]

Equivalent exchange doesn't always make up for the situation happening in the first place, I think. You can feel a way about her being caught, but you're still here. You're still left remembering how you got here in the first place. And that sort of thing can take some time to untangle.

w7 monday

[residentflorist]

[where is astarion this fine morning? does it matter? perhaps not, because aerith enters the area and she spots him, and for a moment she's looming in the doorway before she frowns deeply.]

Oh. You're still here.

[haematocritical]

[ jesus christ hello. ]

Delightful to see you too, my dear.

[residentflorist]

Is it? [the emotional vibe is just. mad. irritated. why is this man here.



under that there is also a thread of confusion though because why is she mad. this feels weird, she just knows that she is for some reason so astarion must have done something. she takes a moment to calm down and think.]

...how are you? [SOUND LESS DISGRUNTLED ABOUT ASKING.]

[haematocritical]

[ WELL OK AERITH I GUESS. ]

Well, I was doing quite well.