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[personal profile] tadpoled

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Date: 2023-10-13 11:46 pm (UTC)
karsiteweave: (20)
From: [personal profile] karsiteweave
You don't need to say anything, you don't -- trust me I talk enough for the both of us most days.

[ He laughs, something hollow and weak, and draws his hand back. He gently takes Tav's hand, presses his face to it and tries to breathe. The tangle of emotion feels as hot and volatile as the Netherese Orb itself, liable to overload at any moment. ]

But I came so close to losing you, and the world would have been a much darker place indeed without your light.

Date: 2023-10-14 12:10 am (UTC)
karsiteweave: (28)
From: [personal profile] karsiteweave
I don't think you should come.

[ Gale swallows, uneasy. ]

But I don't want to leave you.

[ He promised to stay by his side, after all. His heart wants to do that. Yet what if they need him? What if everyone else dies, because he's here tending to Tav?

Neither choice is good. ]

Date: 2023-10-14 08:56 pm (UTC)
karsiteweave: (20)
From: [personal profile] karsiteweave
[ The problem is, Gale is a selfish creature at heart.

He wants happiness so aggressively, wants Tav to remember him, wants the feeling of being cared for above anyone else. Wants to be in Waterdeep, with Tara, enjoying peace.

He deserves that, doesn't he?

Doesn't he?

Maybe he doesn't. Maybe he needs to earn it. He's already failed once, after making a promise.

The selfish desire to run, to take Tav and run right now, wars with his self-esteem.

If the other man remembered, what would he have wanted? He'd have wanted to help, surely? So then, of course, Gale would have stayed by his side.

Yet what if they cannot win? What if the only option ends up the Netherese Orb in his chest? ]


Well of course they need me, a wizard of my renown. Without me to hold them together I have the unfortunate suspicion they would struggle.

Date: 2023-10-14 09:43 pm (UTC)
karsiteweave: (23)
From: [personal profile] karsiteweave
[ How can he promise that? Gale retrieves the cloth again, rinsing it with a frown and moving to gently clean the new trickles of blood away from the man's nose.

His heart plays a restless beat as he tries to envision all the outcomes. A world of endless possibilities, of roads not taken, of battles won and lost.

If they go and leave the prism here, they'll be out of its protection anyway. If they take the prism, they doom those they leave behind.

If the battle is lost, they all become mindflayers.

Gale lowers the cloth, hand lifting to touch Tav's face once more. ]


Do you still hear it? The voice?

[ Urging him into violence? ]

Date: 2023-10-14 11:30 pm (UTC)
karsiteweave: (18)
From: [personal profile] karsiteweave
[ There's relief in Tav remembering, even as unpleasant as the memories are, and Gale's expression morphs into warm amusement for a moment. ]

Try being the operative word. My knots held you steady, no matter how much you longed to make a necklace of my eyeballs.

[ His thumb continues to gently rub over Tav's skin in soothing strokes. ]

I don't hold it against you. I know it wasn't what you wanted.

[ He remembers, vividly, the rest of what had been said.

No matter what I say after these next few minutes, I love you, Gale.

He believes him. He'll hold onto that. ]

Date: 2023-10-15 10:49 am (UTC)
karsiteweave: (25)
From: [personal profile] karsiteweave
[ Already?

He feels as if he's barely had any rest at all.

No matter. Perhaps a potion or two can restore him. Gale grasps for the hand dropping from his face, presses a kiss to the back of it. ]


Wait for me.

[ Then Gale retreats, swipes up his pack and leaves the room.

After a moment of hesitation, he carefully locks the door from the outside as requested. In truth, he suspects if the whispers truly pushed Tav to do harm again one door wouldn't be enough to stop him.

One way or another, he thinks, this will be over soon.

The group descend under the city, and Gale quietly hopes that he will be able to return to unlock that door. That Tav will be there when he returns.

That he can take him to Waterdeep, finally find some peace.

That the Emperor is trustworthy after all. ]

Date: 2023-10-15 12:29 pm (UTC)
karsiteweave: (7)
From: [personal profile] karsiteweave
[ They won.

By the weave they won, and Gale had been cautiously optimistic of course but the odds --

The odds had not been in their favour, especially missing someone. Gale had stood there, gazing up at the stem, and known he could end it all. That if he ascended alone, allowed his companions to retreat, he could finish this.

He could save everyone,

Yet they won, and as they stand on the dock watching the brain sink into the Chionthar, Gale cannot help but feel his mind wander.

The Crown of Karsus. It's out there, somewhere. The potential answer to so many problems.

First, however, perhaps at least a little sit down -- if not a drink. A drink truly would be a blessing, he's so tired.

Yet as they walk through Baldur's Gate, Gale feels the unease begin to build. The wave of destruction the netherbrain left in its wake is not without casualties, and some buildings have been tipped fully over.

He locked Tav in. He locked him in, and as they round the corner Gale feels the last of his strength begin to ebb.

The Elfsong, half collapsed.

Maybe if he'd detonated the orb, it wouldn't have happened. Maybe the blast would have destroyed the brain entirely, blown it into so many pieces the tavern would have survived.

Maybe Gale is a selfish fool, and in trying to have everything his own way he's left himself with nothing.

Karlach's voice snaps him out of it, her strong arms hauling fallen masonry and beams.

Soldier! On your feet, I can hear voices.

Voices.

Shadowheart is already helping dig, Astarion carefully picking over the structure to listen for where people might be buried, and Gale scrambles forward to start digging. He's not the strongest among them, but adrenaline is a powerful thing and scrabbles through rubble until his fingers begin to bleed.

Here, Karlach says, and Gale is at his side in a moment. The hatch -- of course, of course, and he's fumbling to help unearth it. To move as much rubble as he can until she can pull it open. ]

Date: 2023-10-16 02:16 pm (UTC)
karsiteweave: (28)
From: [personal profile] karsiteweave
Shadowheart!

[ Wounded isn't his department, and Gale is more than happy to defer on this. He moves to reach for someone, but Karlach is doing so too and... on balance, she's stronger. He sits back watching people being helped up the ladder and out one by one.

His heart is still pounding, the beat of it so heavy it's starting to make Gale feel a little lightheaded in all honesty.

He may need to just. Sit. For a moment. This is far too many shocks in one day for a man much more at home in a library.

Tav emerges, drawn up by Karlach's strong grip, and Gale's gaze follows him. ]


You're okay.

[ He moves to reach for him, as if to just... be sure. To brace him, brace them both a moment. ]

Date: 2023-10-16 04:08 pm (UTC)
karsiteweave: (20)
From: [personal profile] karsiteweave
Of course, of course I came back.

[ His arms loop around Tav, squeeze him tight into his body. ]

I promise to return to you, and the gods themselves could not keep me from your side.

[ Well, they probably could, but he would fight them with everything he could. A tempest of magic, ready to die in the process if he must rather than be kept from the other man's side. ]

Date: 2023-10-18 12:12 pm (UTC)
karsiteweave: (25)
From: [personal profile] karsiteweave
[ Gale laughs, squeezing Tav a little tighter. ]

You could ask for plenty more. I am beyond lucky to have you.

[ He eases back, letting out a slow breath, then spots the spot of blood again. ]

Oh, but look at you.

[ The wizard rummages for a handkerchief, but he has nothing clean so he sighs and tries to rub it away with a thumb. ]

As pleasant as the rugged look is on you, I think we need to work on this. An eternity of nosebleeds seems a poor fate for anyone.

Date: 2023-10-19 03:06 pm (UTC)
karsiteweave: (24)
From: [personal profile] karsiteweave
[ Bleeding at every memory, and so much to remember too. Gale frowns in thought, glancing around at the others as they pull the rest of the survivors to safety. ]

Well I don't know about you, but I think a drink would be a good start. Something to eat, and perhaps a more comfortable environment than this.

[ It's a low bar, but he thinks they can achieve it. Gale pushes to his feet, reaching to steady Tav as they both wobble up. ]

Date: 2023-10-19 04:20 pm (UTC)
karsiteweave: (19)
From: [personal profile] karsiteweave
A comfortable bed sounds divine.

[ He wraps Tav back into his arms with a sigh, weight leaning into him a little. ]

I feel as if I could sleep for a week. A comfortable bed, a glass of wine, and a nice stew or I wouldn't say no to a good piece of cormyrian boar.

[ He sighs, drawing back and cupping Tav's face with one hand. ]

Let's see what the others want to do, shall we? Go from there.

Date: 2023-10-21 07:49 pm (UTC)
karsiteweave: (20)
From: [personal profile] karsiteweave
[ Given the unfortunate state of the Elfsong, and the wide range of damage as a whole being still repaired in Baldur's Gate, the alternative tavern options are limited.

Still, after pooling their money and limping their way through the city they find something blessedly intact and serving food. Gale enjoys cooking, but he's so tired. He's glad to not have to think about it. Every time he goes to do something his hands feel closer to developing a quake.

Still, a drink and some food does go some way to taking the edge off that. Tav, he thinks, isn't getting worse which is equally reassuring. His nosebleeds are... concerning, yes, but so long as he continues to remember and nothing... unpleasant happens then surely it's all good?

He hopes.

He's unpacking his bag into a room, half watching Tav out of the corner of his eyes as he does. ]


You can have your own room, if you prefer.

[ Since he... doesn't remember their relationship. Sharing might be awkward? ]

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