LOVE AND RAGE.

the city brings forth so many things. things to see, things to do. it also brings the dread, eyes, cazador looms over astarion's momentary happiness, his fleeting freedom. their little adventuring party were invited to a coronation, trap or not it astarion cares little. he wishes nothing more than to show off, the type of action that would certainly be a slap to the face to cazador. he's almost gleeful.

karlach towers over him, and astarions moves gracefully, ears flickers. he's in high alert his imagination does not compare the machinations of cazador's twisted mind. karlach does bring him some sense of comfort and safety. they are side by side, when they past the stores, dresses. the expensive kind.

they fall into a conversation.

and then. i can't wear things like that anyway.

astarion looks offended. eyes karlach, a once over. fingers on his chest. "nonesense." sure karlach's fashion sense isn't refined or delicate, she is all leather, weaved into functionality more than anything else but that does not mean that karlach isn't deserving of some finer things. if she wants them. "all there would need to be done is a good fitting." and astarion smirks then "and it appears you are incredibly lucky, my dear, a good fitting is within my wide set of abilities. you'd just have to ask." this is perhaps, a little bit self indulgent. karlach is not only funny and nice, she's breathtakingly beautiful. a dress she does not need, but astarion can't help his mind wonder. a slit, she looks best in black. makes the red pop.

and then astarion gets offended on her behalf. which, to be fair, it isn't hard to offend astarion, but it warms the place where her heart should be nonetheless. with dammon's adjustments, she supposes she wouldn't be in danger of burning the fabrics anymore. and the sparkle in astarion's eye as he talks about fitting her for a dress is magnetic. it draws karlach in, like a moth to -- well, a moth to flame.

she giggles; for a moment she is too flustered for words. then it passes. "what, are you serious?" from the look in his eyes, he is. and again, karlach thinks about how amazingly lucky she is. even if she's going to die at the end of all this, she'll die out of avernus, doing things she'd never thought possible. breathing fresh air. dancing at a ball. falling in love with the most wonderful man in the world, and being loved in return.

Bonus:

💪💪💪

                              𝐂𝐋𝐎𝐒𝐄𝐃  𝐒𝐓𝐀𝐑𝐓𝐄𝐑  𝐅𝐎𝐑  @avernach

money  was  no  worry  to  him  ,        not  for  now  .  swindling  and  weapons  dealing  had  gifted  a  bountiful  resource  ,  and  there  was  need  to  protection  .  growing  shadows  and  enemies  ,  threat  could  stab  the  back  at  any  time  .  that  is  why  the  brute  was  hired  .  a  second  set  of  eyes  ,  and  a  second  set  of  fists  .

"  -----  all  i  ask  is  that  you  watch  my  back  ,  and  if  that  is  too  much  work  ,  the  pay  will  balance  that  scale  .  i  see  your  potential  ,  there  is  pure  talent  in  there  ,  i  swear  to  you  i  will  only  care  for  it  ,  grow  it  ,  not  exploit  it  .  "

she has potential! chuckling, "no, really, what's the catch?"