alwayskayaking | Duplicity Inbox

"It wasn't," Astarion says, lifting an eyebrow. He knows vampires are the stuff of fiction for some of his fellow LIERs, but it's his first time hearing this particular detail. "Much of the rest you've likely heard still applies, though I've found a magical solution to deal with sunlight."

"Oh, so sunlight is usually a problem for you. Interesting what some stories get right and what others get wrong." He's starting to relax a little now as he takes a sip of his drink. "But I suppose you didn't come out here to spend all night talking about what you are. You wanted some fun sex stories, didn't you?"

Astarion chuckles, his smile turning sly.

"I came here with an open mind, darling, but if you're offering..."

"Oh? Were you expecting more of a reaction to you being a vampire? I would think most people in this city would hardly give it a second thought. Or was there something else you were keeping an open mind about?"

He shrugs and sips his wine.

"I only mean that I didn't come here expecting anything, truthfully. You just struck me as interesting."

"Did I?" Tim grins with a bit of pride. "I admit, I decided to invite you out because you also seemed interesting. After going through what you have? And then answering a silly message such as mine? I said; that seems to me like a man who would have some interesting stories to share."

"I'm afraid that two centuries of torture and sexual slavery get a bit dull in the retelling," Astarion says, bone-dryly. "Though I'll grant there was a bit of adventure between that and - this."

He makes a gesture intended to take in all of Duplicity.

"I'll show you mine if you show me yours, so to speak."

"Well, I don't have two centuries of life to share and compared to yours? It's likely pretty dull."

"Ah, yes. 'Investigating the supernatural', you said? Sounds tedious," Astarion teases. "I don't believe you for a moment."

"You'd be surprised how dull that can actually be. I worked at an institute-- or, academics." What if this person's world didn't have universities and higher educations like colleges? "Mostly I went into a building every day and listened to stories of people facing super natural forces."

It really is quiet dull sounding like that. "How I got there? Well, that isn't a very pleasant story to be sharing."

He tilts his head.

"Your brother. I won't ask for the details, but - did you ever find what killed him?"

"Yes and no." He takes a large drink from his beer. "I haven't found it yet in my time, but my boss has told me that we do find it and I take it out in the end."

"Well, that's - something to look forward to, I suppose?" Astarion furrows his brow. "I did manage to return home briefly and...tie up some loose ends, so to speak. Unintentionally, I hasten to add. The same may happen for you."

"Maybe. I dunno. I want to kill that bastard, but I also don't want to risk not being able to come back to this place." He takes another sip of his drink. "I know a lot of people hate this city and there is a lot wrong with it, but for me? My life has gotten better since arriving here. Would you go back home if given the chance?"

"Gods, no, absolutely not. For a plethora of reasons, but most pointedly - well. Back home, a monster hunter could take a contract to end my life, and there would be nothing to discuss. I could have told him that I'd only ever fed from animals and it simply wouldn't matter. There, I am nothing but a pest to be eliminated, because of something someone else did to me."

He sips his wine.

"...Whereas here, when I first arrived, I was able to work quite profitably at a club where patrons paid me to bite them."

Tim takes another sip from his own glass. Delaying his response as, truthfully, he knows there's a part of him that would still be happy if every vampire and supernatural creatures would just drop dead.

"People do tend to get off on that sense of danger. I wish I could even say I'm surprised to hear that they paid for you to bite them."

Astarion chuckles.

"Truth be told, there's an element of that even back home. It was just a surprise to see it right out on the street. Regardless, that was just a first impression. I've been able to make a life for myself here that simply wasn't possible at home."

"Yeah? I always worry admitting that I have no interest in leaving to a submissive. I know things for me are typically much easier than anyone with a mark on their throat."

"I said what I said, darling." Two centuries of torture and sexual slavery. "This city would have to be infinitely worse than it is to even be equal to what came before."

"Well, then how about we drink to that?" He holds out his wine glass so Astarion can clink it if he wishes. "Screw our old lives and cheers to our new lease on life."

"'Life' is a bridge too far, perhaps, but - certainly a new lease on something," Astarion chuckles, and touches his glass to Tim's. "Cheers."

"New lease on new experiences?" He offers as a replacement before saying cheers and taking a sip of his own drink.

"To new experiences," Astarion agrees. "For one thing, is this the first evening out you've had with a vampire?"

"Not... exactly the first." The wince Tim gives before his answer probably gives away that it wasn't exactly a good evening out.

"I see," Astarion murmurs. "The first which won't be ending poorly, then?"

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I didn't get this notif! Understand if you'd prefer not to pick back up /o\

That's okay! It happens and I'll back tag into forever!

Re: That's okay! It happens and I'll back tag into forever!

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Do we want to RP them dancing or fade to black here? I'm good either way!

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