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Wyll sounds gentle as he guides the gaggle of kids to the right section of the library, a gentleness Astarion finds equally sweet and baffling, but as long as it isn't him the kids are bothering, he'll enjoy listening to the calm way Wyll talks with the children.
What the children are doing here of all places is anyone's guess, but it's not Astarion's job to question where other people's kids are or aren't. A library without any children's books isn't very high on his list of places he thought kids would even want to go to.
He very firmly ignores the rustle he hears just around the corner. He shelves a couple of more books and pushes the book trolley forward, determined to ignore whatever he finds.
When he reaches the end of the shelf, a kid stares up at him.
Astarion blinks but the kid stays there and Astarion, belatedly, realises they are, in fact, a normal human child.
The group of kids with Wyll are making noise and the kid in front of him sinks back, in an all too familiar skittish way Astarion hates to be reminded of. He did enough hiding from other children when he was that age.
“Are the other kids after you then?” Astarion asks the kid.
“No,” the kid lies.
“Uh huh,” Astarion hums as a reply.
“But don't tell them I'm here!”
“I literally don't care, as long as you're out by the time the library closes.”
Astarion shelves a couple of books and ignores the kid looking at him with bright eyes.
“It looks delicious…”
“Did you hear something, Saer?” the kid asks.
“No,” Astarion lies and gives a glare at the spirit — yokai — perched at the top of the bookshelf.
The kid looks on top of the bookshelf too but turns his eyes back at Astarion, fidgeting nervously, his voice unsure. "Are you looking for something, Saer?" he asks and looks around as if he could figure out what's missing.
"My cat," Astarion replies, annoyed at said spirit, who has decided to go be an insufferable gossip or whatever Shadowheart got up to when she disappeared instead of dealing with nuisances like this.
“I will eat it… yessss…”
“You will do no such thing,” Astarion tells the spirit. The yokai.
“I'm — I'm sorry, Saer?”
Astarion looks at the kid, who looks a bit frightened and a bit curious. Curiosity killed the cat indeed. “Shoo. There are people occupying tables over there, go bother them.”
The kid scampers off, and Astarion wishes yokai were as easy to deal with as tiny humans. He turns his glare back at the yokai. “I work here. You're not allowed to cause havoc.”
“Devour…”
“I will have Shadowheart eat you.”
The yokai hisses and scuttles away, disappearing into the shadows, and Astarion can only hope it leaves the whole building. He doesn't need any more trouble. There's already been enough incidents, enough oddities and accidents, and he likes this job.
Astarion never wanted to see spirits, to see terrifying monsters and lifelike things nobody else could see. And yokai were everywhere, coming in all shapes and sizes, from people to animals to dolls, tormenting him ever since he was little, making it impossible for him to stay in foster families since accidents happened all around him all too often for him to be innocent of them, and he got hurt and sick enough to be a nuisance.
Yokai weren't that interested in people who couldn't see them, but those who could, attracted them like a moth to a flame. Not all of them were malevolent of course, most were small and harmless, but they didn't understand how the human world worked and, on occasion, an exorcist had to be called to be rid of them. Exorcists were people who, like Astarion, could see spirits, whose job was to hunt and exorcise them, to find the problems yokai caused and solve them, no matter if the regular people involved were blissfully unaware of the yokai or not.
It had taken Astarion years to meet an exorcist and the meeting hadn't been a pleasant one. Cazador had been convinced Astarion held power he could harness and use for his own gain and if it wasn't for Shadowheart, a powerful beastly yokai, Astarion had met years before, he wouldn't have ever escaped the exorcist's clutches.
All Astarion wants is to have a normal life.
Having Shadowheart eat the yokai in the library is an empty threat anyway, at least for now. Astarion has no clue where Shadowheart wandered off to, or if she'd even deign to care about this particular yokai. You never knew with her. She liked to appear as a regular black cat but claimed she's not one, and yet her behaviour was so catlike you'd never think she had ever been anything else, least of all an immensely powerful yokai who has appointed herself his guardian.
"Your guardian has abandoned you?"
Astarion glances at Lady Jannath. He isn't entirely sure if it's the ghost of a deceased lady who died some two hundred years ago, or if it's a yokai who thinks it's Lady Jannath. It doesn't matter, not really. Not as long as it's content with observing humans instead of hurting them.
"Eh, she's here somewhere." Astarion doesn't even look around. He'll sense when Shadowheart comes near, and she has no reason to hide from him.
"You should take up on Minthara's offer. She'd be a much better bodyguard than your guardian. She wouldn't abandon you so."
"I'm not going to ask her for that." Astarion doesn't want Minthara poking into his business, Shadowheart is bad enough. He doesn't need a yokai not interested in keeping people from harm's way acting as his guardian, it would only cause harm to everyone involved, especially him.
He could, however, take on her offer of devouring Cazador, if he were certain Minthara could do it.
The ghost doesn't leave it alone. It keeps following him as he shelves the books, going round the back towards the circulation desk, and Astarion has no real need to be rid of it. As far as yokai went, it was harmless and sweet, and more likely than not useful at keeping more harmful yokai from the library.
“Talking to yourself again?”
Wyll's words startle him, and Astarion turns to him, to see the same yokai who had wanted to eat the kid hovering just behind him.
“Yes. A bad habit, that,” Astarion says and glares at the yokai. It has the good sense to stay put. The same can't be said about the small ones skittering by their feet in some sort of game of tag or Lady Jannath who is curiously watching what the small yokai were up to, all the while talking to Astarion.
Astarion spies a large spider climbing up the shelf on his right. No real spider is that big. He hopes.
Wyll laughs jovially and pats his shoulder, oblivious of the surrounding yokai. “Some kids were looking for their friend.”
“No, they were not,” Astarion says curtly. “I sent the kid to go bother Blurg and Omeluum so he'd stay out of trouble.”
“Ah,” Wyll looks saddened and upset. But soon enough, he brightens and starts to talk about something Astarion doesn't really pay attention to.
He glances at his watch. The glass is cracked and covered in scratches, but it's still usable. No use in getting a new one, one tumble and it'll look the same.
Gale should have called an hour ago.
He doesn't even bother to check his phone. It's in his locker, wet, the screen shattered, in all likeliness beyond saving. But Gale knew to call the front desk if he couldn't reach Astarion, he knew what had likely happened and wouldn't bat an eye even when he couldn't reach him. It wasn't once or twice he had called the front desk to inquire after him, to the delight of the ever-changing library and information sciences students. Only one of them had made the mistake of asking Astarion about Gale, the rest of them electing to steer clear of the subject after Astarion had told them, with no uncertain terms, that his relationship with the famous author had nothing to do with their studies and if they wouldn't shut up, he'd make their professional lives miserable. He had nothing to back up his claims, of course, but the students didn't know that and Wyll hadn't seemed willing to correct their assumptions.
“What is it? You seem worried about something,” Wyll asks.
“Gale was supposed to let me know when he gets to leave the convention, and I haven't heard from him yet.”
“Are you sure Rosa didn't just forget to tell you?” Wyll asks, ever the optimist.
“Forget the Gale Dekarios called? Doubtful.” Astarion gives Wyll an unimpressed look. He can't truly think that. They have worked together long enough, seen enough students losing their minds at the prospect of talking or even seeing the famed author Gale Dekarios. Famed author, who also happened to be the only tolerable exorcist Astarion had ever met.
“Okay, fair point. Still, I wouldn't worry. He must have run into some fans or reporters and got held back. It wouldn't be the first time.”
“Delicious…”
“Have you seen Shadowheart?” Astarion asks abruptly and glares at the yokai looming behind Wyll. Wyll glances behind him, right through the spirit.
“Can't say I have,” he says and sighs, giving Astarion a long-suffering look. “Might I remind you, Viconia has already threatened to put her on a leash if you can't keep her with you.”
“I would like to see her try,” Astarion mutters.
Shadowheart chooses that moment to saunter to them, black fur gleaming in the light, the small silver bell around her neck tingling delicately, looking all innocent, and stretches like she'd just woken from a good nap.
“Now you deign to appear?” Astarion asks, and Shadowheart wrinkles her nose at him.
“I swear, sometimes I think you believe that cat to be more intelligent than half of our patrons,” Wyll laughs, only a bit exasperated at him. His hand twitches as if he'd want to reach out to pet Shadowheart, but she has made it quite clear all petting will happen on her terms. Annoying, self-important yokai.
“Some days she is,” Astarion says, unimpressed by both the library's patrons and Shadowheart. She jumps on his shoulders, and nips his ear, making her offence clear as much as she can in front of an audience.
The yokai looming behind Wyll reaches out but Shadowheart stares at it and licks her lips, purring and making biscuits on Astarion's shoulder.
Astarion rolls his eyes at her.
"See, this is what I've been dealing with while you've been napping or whatever," Astarion mutters, but Shadowheart only purrs louder and Astarion gets the feeling she's laughing at him. At least the yokai behind Wyll decides this is too much effort or something and skitters away.
"Now that you've found your one true love, I'll leave you to it. It's time I head for my break anyway, try not to break anything while I'm gone."
Wyll jokes, but it makes Astarion wince. Chaos follows in his footsteps in the form of yokai who vary from well-meaning and harmless to actively wanting him dead, and he can never guess which is which.
Shadowheart nips his ear as soon as Wyll is out of earshot to gain his attention.
“What is it?”
“Tara is here,” Shadowheart says. She hops down and runs towards the storage rooms, glancing behind to make sure Astarion is following her.
Astarion doesn't like this. Anxiety churns inside him as he follows Shadowheart to the back of the library, somewhere they can talk in private without worrying Wyll or library patrons interrupting them.
Tara shouldn't be here. She should be with Gale, she should be taking care of him and make sure Gale doesn't land himself into any trouble of the spirit kind. That's what familiars — shiki — like Tara were for, and Gale in his enthusiastic desire to investigate all and everything needed that.
As soon as the door closes, Tara flies to him, in an uncharacteristic hurry, but Astarion hushes her to walk further in.
As soon as Astarion stops, Tara blurts out her message, words fast and frantic, wings flapping as if she couldn't be out of there fast enough. "I can't find Gale!"
The previous anxiety turns into full-blown dread.
“You were supposed to be with him!” Astarion turns the blame immediately on Tara. She has no right to be here without Gale, she has no right to leave him like that.
“I was! He sent me to investigate nearby trouble and when I returned there was no sign of him.” Tara is flapping her wings in indignation, her tone offended. But most of all, she looks scared.
"He knows better than to leave without you!"
"That's what I told him, Mr Ancunín. I told him, ‘Mr Dekarios, you're well aware it is not wise for you to be alone,’ and do you know what he told me? He said he had his shikigami, so he could request help immediately. Paper dolls, Mr Ancunín! How could I have left him with nothing but paper dolls?" Her tone rises with each word and at the end she's almost wailing and if Astarion wasn't sure no one could hear her he'd shush her.
"Don't let Gale hear you call his paper dolls useless, he's quite proud of those," Astarion mutters, his words flippant while his mind is racing through all sorts of possibilities and worst-case scenarios.
"Mr Ancunín!"
"Sorry. I…" Astarion can't come up with anything to say, his thoughts are a jumbled mess. He needs to come up with some kind of plan or, or something! He has friends. It is still a rather novel concept, having friends, but they have told him they'll help. He has to trust that. But he needs a plan first.
Shadowheart and Tara are having a hushed conversation, Astarion is paying no attention to. It doesn't matter if they're fighting, it doesn't help in finding Gale, it doesn't —
“Mr Ancunín? Are you here?” A female voice calls to him, the front desk student, Rose or what her name was. Both Tara and Shadowheart fall silent immediately.
“Mr Ancunín? A phone call for you.”
“I'm coming!” Astarion calls back and rushes to the phone. It has to be Gale, it has to be.
"Gale?" He doesn't even properly answer the phone, just desperate to hear his lover's voice.
"Unfortunately, Mr Dekarios can't come to the phone right now."
He recognises that voice. It is as if a bucket of ice water is poured over his head, as if his heart would stop, as if a spirit was trying to possess him. He can't even come up with words, can't demand for Gale to be released, can't —
"What?" Astarion asks, his voice small and wavering. He doesn't even know how he sounds but it must be bad because Rose? Rosa? Whatever her name is gives him a startled look.
"If you wish to speak with him, you know where to come."
"You can't — no wait!"
The call disconnects.
"Was it bad news?" The words startle him, and he blinks, looking at the receiver in his hand like it could magic away the past few minutes.
"Yes…" Astarion says. "Yes, it was." He puts the receiver down and looks at the receptionist, momentarily at a loss for what to do.
The receptionist sounds kind and concerned when she speaks. "Do you need me to call someone, Mr Ancunín? A family member or a friend or —?"
"I need to find my cat."
Rose — Rosa looks at him, a deep frown on her brow, and she holds out her hand as if to touch him but thinks better of it. "I'll go get Mr Ravengard."
Astarion stares at the phone, uncomprehending.
Cazador.
Cazador has Gale.
It doesn't feel real.
"Astarion. Astarion!" Wyll calls out to him and there must be something in his expression because Wyll reaches to press his hand on Astarion's shoulder, a grounding presence he realises he needs as soon as it comes. He no longer feels like he's free-falling, like everything is unreal.
"Astarion, what do you need?"
Wyll's arms are around him, his presence and touch real. Wyll is real and from this world, and Astarion hadn't realised how much he needed that now.
"I… I need to go."
"I'll drive you, I can't let you leave in this state." Wyll lets go of him and looks at him, his hand still on Astarion's shoulder. He has a deep frown on his brow, searching for something in Astarion's face.
Astarion wants to say no. He wants to say he doesn't need help, that he can manage by himself, that he should mind his own business.
Having friends, having Gale, has taught him he can ask for help. That he should ask for help. Wyll is still speaking, still reassuring him. All Astarion can do is nod.
Shadowheart jumps on his shoulders before he can even ask to go look for her, her weight familiar, and as soon as Wyll is leaving to get his car she whispers well not comforting but reassuring words in his ear.
"We'll find him. The exorcist is tough, he has survived worse."
~
Tara, invisible to the regular human eye, jumps into the car before Astarion and curls up on the bench beside Shadowheart.
“Do you know the address?”
“Yes,” Astarion says. “Or I know where we need to go, I'll give you directions.”
"Okay," Wyll says. "Okay. Fasten your seatbelt."
A part of Astarion wants to snipe and sneer, to tell Wyll 'thank you, mother', but he's too tight-strung, too anxious. Too afraid.
Cazador has allies, he has all the power and money a powerful and well-connected exorcist can have. He has yokai doing his bidding no matter what he asks.
Gale has a curse feeding off his power.
His familiar, his shiki, is here with Astarion instead of protecting him.
And it's all Astarion's fault Cazador has Gale.
Cazador wouldn't even care about Gale if it wasn't for Astarion, if he didn't want to get his hands on Astarion no matter what underhanded methods he used, if he didn't desire the power Astarion holds. Astarion has no desire to give it to him, not now, not ever.
Wyll speaks and it's like a spell broken. “Astarion, you know you can tell me anything, right? We've been friends for ages, I would like to help you all I can but if you won't tell me what's the matter…”
“I know,” Astarion says but does not elaborate. Cazador is far too dangerous, far too powerful to get Wyll mixed up in this. “Can I use your phone, I need to make a phone call.”
Astarion could never forgive himself if he got Wyll involved in this. It's safer for him to not know. It would be even safer if Astarion wouldn't need help, if he could just pretend everything is fine and nothing is dangerous ever in his life and Wyll would get to live his life blessedly far away from exorcists and yokai and magic.
Wyll hands his phone over without taking his eyes off the road.
“Lae'zel? It's me, I need your help.”
“What did you do?” Lae'zel asks as if all the trouble he gets into is his fault.
“He has Gale.”
“What?!”
“Can you meet me there?”
“I'm on my way.”
Before Astarion can say goodbye, Lae'zel has already hung up.
The rest of the drive is silent.
Wyll stops the car where Astarion tells him to, but before Astarion can leave the car Wyll grabs his arm gently to hold him back.
"Astarion, I mean it. Whatever it is, I will help you."
“Go home, Wyll. I'll get home by myself.”
“This sounds dangerous, let me call the police at least.”
“No. I can handle it, just — just trust me.”
Wyll doesn't look like he trusts Astarion in this, not in the least, but he lets go of Astarion's arm.
“If there's anything I can do…” Wyll tries again when Astarion gets out of the car.
“Go home. I can't have you involved in this.”
“Astarion…”
“Go,” Astarion says and straightens, leaving Wyll to sit alone in his car. They are far enough Wyll won't see where he's going, from this point he'll have to walk through the woods to reach Cazador's mansion, but it's safer for Wyll this way.
As if Wyll would even believe if Astarion were to tell him.
He tells Shovel to make sure Wyll gets home, earning a litany of curses as a reward. The small yokai hops in the car anyway before Wyll closes the window.
The ground is wet from the earlier rain, soaking through Astarion's shoes, and not for the first time that day Astarion wishes he'd worn different shoes. It isn't a long walk, but long enough for Astarion's thoughts to spiral to worst-case scenarios. He doesn't stop until he feels a yokai approaching and meets the eyes of a giant beast.
Halsin is a gentle yokai, in the shape of a bear, and if Astarion didn't know better he might have been frightened. Now, he is glad to have the backup. Thaniel is never a long way after Halsin and Astarion can sense him despite not seeing a glimpse of the elusive yokai.
Between one step and the next, he no longer has a black cat walking beside him but the true form of Shadowheart, a gigantic white wolf looming over him.
Astarion feels better, having Shadowheart here, her rough fur familiar under his touch. It's not that he doesn't like Shadowheart's cat form, she's quite endearing like that, but this is who she truly is, a powerful yokai who can crush most obstacles if she so desires. Even Cazador is wary of her, in his way, thinking she only adds to Astarion's power as a bound shiki, not as an independent yokai who has decided she'll stick around as long as she so desires.
Or so she says, but Astarion knows better by now; she's as fond of him as he's fond of her.
Behind the trees, Cazador's mansion looms before him.
Astarion knows, on a rational level, that it's just a regular building. But the spiritual aura the whole area has makes his skin crawl, makes him feel like he's being suffocated. He wonders if Shadowheart feels the same.
"That know-all will be here soon," Shadowheart says.
Lae'zel.
Astarion should feel bad for getting her involved, but Lae'zel got herself involved already. Cazador knows of her, knows some of what she could do. Astarion can only hope Cazador doesn't know what she couldn't do, that he doesn't know what were the limits of her circles and charms she has so diligently studied.
It takes only moments for Lae'zel to emerge from the woods, accompanied by a black panther, who guides her to Astarion.
It feels good to have this many friends stand beside him, to be willing to help and support him.
He knocks on the door.
It is not Cazador who opens the door - of course it is not. Cazador wouldn't stoop down to the level of a servant.
Astarion hasn't seen this person before.
"Mr Ancunín?" he says. "Master Szarr is expecting you." The servant gestures for him to step inside, but there's no way Astarion is setting foot in that mansion ever again.
"Such an insignificant worm has no right to command me," Shadowheart scoffs and presses her snout closer to the servant — a yokai, Astarion now realises — who very valiantly shrinks back only a little. Shadowheart smirks and looks like she'd very much like to have a snack.
"If Cazador wants to talk with me, he has to come here to do it." Astarion hopes he sounds more confident than he feels. At this moment, it doesn't matter that he has Lae'zel by his side, it doesn't matter he has Shadowheart and Jaheira, Halsin and Thaniel. It doesn't matter there are several more yokai he can sense behind him.
He only needs to get Gale back.
Lae'zel asks him something, but he can't concentrate enough to listen, and it earns him an irritated tsk.
"Astarion, focus. Our mission is to get Gale and be out of here with the least possible effort, spacing out isn't helping."
Astarion is spared answering Lae'zel by the servant reappearing with Cazador in tow.
"Astarion! What a pleasant surprise." Cazador spreads his arms as if to embrace Astarion and Astarion steps back, his hold tightening on Shadowheart's fur. She reveals her teeth in a distorted, malicious mockery of a smile. "Why won't you and your… friends come in?" Cazador continues ignoring the yokai. "There are matters I wish to discuss with you."
"Where is Gale?" Astarion asks.
"Now, now. No need to be so hasty. You can't honestly believe me to be so inhospitable I would leave my esteemed guests to stand on my step."
It is a game Astarion tells himself. It is a game of social expectations, and Cazador wishes him to follow the rules of politeness to lure him into the heavily warded mansion.
"Stop playing games, Cazador! Where is Gale?"
"So impatient and rude."
"Stop toying with me, exorcist. First I will eat that servant of yours, then I will tear down the wards of this place and hunt you down no matter where you run," Shadowheart growls and steps forward, her paw swiping down fast to step on the servant, squeezing him firmly to the steps.
The servant begs for help, but Cazador only looks put out, his nose wrinkling in distaste.
"You're free to try, Jenevelle, but I wouldn't count on your success."
"Is that so?" Shadowheart smirks and Astarion is pretty sure he's supposed to feel bad for the yokai Shadowheart devours, but it was willingly (or not, but Astarion is definitely not thinking about that) serving Cazador.
"This would be so much easier if you'd just agree to work with me, Astarion. Resorting to threats is so vulgar, although that's what I should have expected from a beast like that," Cazador scoffs and looks at Shadowheart down his nose.
"Don't let him get to you," Lae'zel says and takes his hand. Astarion is grateful for her. She is a human, someone whose disappearance would get Cazador into trouble. Lae'zel isn't stupid enough to not tell anyone where she went.
"Tell me where Gale is," Astarion demands again, and this time Cazador rolls his eyes.
"Fine. Take this." He holds out a paper towards Astarion but it's Lae'zel who steps forward to reach for it. "Ah!" Cazador tuts and pulls the paper back before Lae'zel can take it. "Only if you promise to hear me out when I contact you again."
"Fine!" Lae'zel says and yanks the paper from Cazador's hand. "We have nothing further to discuss."
Shadowheart stays by the door as the rest of them move further away. Astarion doesn't see when the door closes, but he senses Shadowheart just behind him when he opens the paper.
It doesn't make any sense. It looks like a charm or a ward, but Astarion doesn't know how it's supposed to tell him where Gale is.
"Jaheira? Can you make any sense of this?"
"Am I not good enough for you to ask me?"
Astarion ignores Shadowheart's fake offence and shows the paper to the panther yokai.
"Yes, follow me," Jaheira says and trots deeper into the woods.
"What did she say?" Lae'zel asks. She can't always hear when the yokai speak, her spirit circles can do only so much.
"She knows what the paper meant. Follow me." Astarion hopes the paper truly takes them to Gale, and it's not a ploy to get him into a trap.
They end up at a shack. It looks like some sort of old storage building with shuttered windows and only one door. A locked door.
"Use the paper," Shadowheart says.
"How in the hells am I supposed to use that?" Astarion asks, irritated at the yokai who looks at him like he's an idiot.
"Ugh, fine!" Astarion inspects the paper in his hand. He doesn't recognise the symbols, but that shouldn't be too surprising. He doesn't care that much about the work exorcists do, and that extends to the more complicated charms and wards, not to mention anything more sophisticated like creating shikigami paper dolls.
It shouldn't be that hard, right? Astarion places the paper against the door and concentrates on willing the door open.
Power ripples out of the charm, like shock waves pushing everything back, and Astarion has to close his eyes and turn his head aside to not hurt his eyes.
The door clicks open.
Astarion glances at Shadowheart, who reaches past him to push the door open so they can see what's inside.
It's Gale.
It's finally Gale.
He's on his hands and knees, trapped in the middle of a glowing sigil. The red light of the magic makes him look sick and if Astarion wouldn't see him shiver he might have thought something much worse might have happened.
But it's Gale and he's alive.
Astarion steps forward and kneels in front of him, slowly, deliberately. He calls Gale's name, once, twice, thrice.
After what feels like forever but has to be only a few moments, Gale lifts his head and looks at him. And shakes his head, closing his eyes again, his brow pinched as if he's in pain.
"No, he's not here. You're not him, you can't trick me."
Astarion calls to him again, not willing to break the spell until Gale sees it's truly him on the other side of the sigil. As much as Gale is now imprisoned, Astarion has no illusions of how dangerous he can be, how easily he could harm Astarion without meaning to.
"It is me. I've come to take you home."
Gale doesn't acknowledge him.
"Don't be an idiot, just break the spell already."
Astarion hesitates, hand hovering above the sigil and Shadowheart sighs, exasperated.
"I'll step on him if he dares to raise his hand on you. Now stop pussyfooting around and break it already."
Astarion draws a charm over the rim of the sigil with his finger, and the sigil sputters out, slowly, clinging as long as possible before the light dies out, leaving them in the dim light of the sun barely peeking through the shuttered windows.
Astarion calls out to Gale again, keeping his voice as calm and quiet as possible.
Gale lifts his head and looks at him. Astarion can't parse his expression.
"Gale." Astarion reaches to touch his face. "It's alright. I'm here, we can leave now."
"Astarion… your eyes… They are so green." Gale looks at him like he's something divine, with uncomfortable reverence, and Astarion has to avert his eyes.
"Yes, I have green eyes, you silly man. Come now, I'll take you home."
"No, they are… were shining. Like emeralds."
"Okay. Shining emeralds, got it." Astarion reaches forward, to help Gale, when Lae'zel yanks him back.
"Don't step inside the sigil. Who knows what that bastard has come up with."
Astarion looks at the broken sigil, at the charm he used to break it. It looks small and insignificant compared to the large intricate sigil that had kept Gale imprisoned. For how long - Astarion doesn't even want to think about that.
"Thank you, Lae'zel." Astarion turns to Gale who has managed to sit on his haunches, hands on his knees, and he's trembling, drained from all energy, but Astarion can't blame him. He has endured what torture Cazador trapped him in, and if Astarion knows anything about Gale, he knows Gale fought back.
"You heard the lady, you need to manage to get out of the sigil on your own," Astarion says and stands up. "I'm here, I'll catch you as soon as you get out of there."
Gale climbs on his feet slowly. He sways but takes a step, then a second one. The third step has him out of the sigil and Astarion grasps him, pulls him into his arms and holds tight, as tight as he can.
Gale holds him, not as tight, but his fingers dig into Astarion's back as if wanting to make sure Astarion doesn't disappear from his grasp.
"I couldn't reach you. And he said you were in danger," Gale murmurs against his shoulder.
"I'm not in any danger, I'm here and I'm safe. My phone just got wet, but I'm alright. You're alright." His voice wavers at the last words. He hears Shadowheart and Lae'zel talk but doesn't pay it any attention. The only thing that matters right now is that Gale is healthy and whole in his arms, and they get to leave.
It is entirely too soon that Shadowheart pokes his back with her snout, and he loosens his hold on Gale to look behind him.
They need to go.
"Will you make it home on your own, Lae'zel?" Astarion asks and Lae'zel rolls her eyes at him.
"I made it here just fine, didn't I? Get Gale home and stop worrying about me. And let that friend of yours know you're fine." Lae'zel hands her phone to him, and Astarion sends a quick text to Wyll to let him know everything is fine.
Lae'zel trades her phone with Gale's phone and glasses and leaves with a nod of goodbye, followed by Jaheira and Halsin to make sure she makes it home safely.
Astarion wraps Gale's arm around his shoulder and an arm around his waist and walks him slowly outside, where Shadowheart is waiting for them.
They climb on the back of the gigantic wolf, and even when Shadowheart complains they are heavy and holding too tightly onto her fur, Astarion can hear the worry and care in her voice.
Astarion is not sure if he'll ever get used to riding on the back of a yokai, watching as the ground flies past them in a blur as they race through the air, wind whipping their hair. He's holding Gale tightly between his arms as he holds onto Shadowheart's fur as hard as he dares so they won't both fall if Gale's grip loosens.
Shadowheart lands barely out of sight near Gale's house, and they slide down from her back. Astarion tries his best to break Gale's fall, but the only reason they won't fall over is because Shadowheart grabs Gale's clothes in her jaws to keep him from falling over.
"Come on, Gale. We're almost at your house. It's just around the corner." Astarion slings Gale's arm over his shoulder and drags him towards the back door.
"Astarion…"
"Shh, it's fine, let's get you inside and out of those dirty clothes. You're freezing." Astarion doesn't want to think about how cold Gale feels, how damp his clothes are. Or how long he spent in that sigil, living through whatever torments Cazador inflicted on him.
Astarion helps Gale up the stairs, ignoring the quiet quarrel Shadowheart and Tara are having behind them. He guides them to the bathroom and turns the tap on to fill the tub with hot water. Gale allows Astarion to strip him and guide him into the tub, without saying a word.
Gale isn't that dirty, but Astarion washes him anyway, massages shampoo into his hair and rinses it. He doesn't know what to say. It is usually Gale who fills the silence, but now he's just sitting still, arms around his legs, head on his knees, and Astarion is at a loss at what to do. He just sits at the edge of the tub and pets Gale's hair, hoping it'll bring him comfort.
The bathwater is starting to cool, but Gale hasn't lifted his head. His skin is no longer cold but pleasantly warm, but he's still as silent as he was when they came in and that isn't comforting. Gale is supposed to talk and be lively and charming, not silent and apathetic.
The doorbell rings.
Astarion freezes. Just for a moment he thinks it's Cazador coming back to torment them, but the rational part of him scoffs at the idea. He should go check the door, but he doesn't want to leave Gale alone, not when he's like this.
The doorbell rings again.
Astarion tells Tara to look after Gale, to make sure he doesn't fall asleep in the bath and walks downstairs to open the door.
It's Mrs. Dekarios.
"Astarion! I wasn't expecting to find you here!"
Astarion is trying to figure out what to say, so he reverts to what he usually does in situations he can't explain. He smiles pleasantly and greets her, before asking why she's here.
"I tried to call Gale, but the call didn't go through, so I came for a visit instead."
It hadn't even occurred to Astarion to call Mrs Dekarios to let her know where Gale was and now that she's here, he can't shake the feeling of dread. He remembers now that they had plans for the evening, for the upcoming holidays. Gale had said it was important. Missing important things makes people upset, something drilled into him time and time again.
"You were supposed to come for a visit, to help me prepare for the midwinter celebration."
When Gale hadn't called, when Cazador had, all he had thought about was to get Gale home. Even now, he isn't sure if he should let Mrs Dekarios in, if he should trouble Gale with this, if…
"Something happened." Mrs Dekarios is no longer smiling.
"I'll have Gale call you later," Astarion tries, but by now he should know the power that is Morena Dekarios cannot be stopped when she decides something.
"Absolutely not. You will show me where he is and let me see how he is with my own eyes."
"Yes, ma'am."
Astarion has to tell himself Gale and his mother have a good relationship, that nothing bad is going to happen even if he lets Mrs Dekarios in. It should be fine. Right?
"Astarion." Mrs Dekarios places her hand gently on his arm. "I do not blame you for anything. I know how my son is, how easily he gets himself into trouble."
Astarion doesn't know what to say to that. Gale is excellent at blaming himself for everything, but to have someone else believe weird things not being Astarion's fault doesn't feel like it could be real. He just leads Mrs Dekarios to the bathroom without another word.
Mrs Dekarios opens the door to the bathroom and steps in. She kneels beside the tub and reaches to pet Gale's hair.
"Gale. You had me worried when you didn't call like you promised," Mrs Dekarios says gently. More gently than Astarion can remember any of his foster parents ever talking to him.
Gale looks up.
"Mother?"
"Yes?"
"Why… why are you here?"
"I got worried. I assume something happened?"
Something of the spirit kind is left unsaid. Astarion doesn't dare to respond, to say Gale is fine when he so clearly is not.
"Everything is fine. I'm only tired, I promise." Gale looks up from his mother to Astarion who is hovering behind her. "I promise. Thank you for taking care of me."
"I'll believe you for now," Mrs Dekarios says and gets up with one final stroke of Gale's hair.
"I'm sorry for messing your plans up, mother. I know how important midwinter celebration is for you,"
"It wouldn't be much of a celebration without my favourite child." Mrs Dekarios smiles at Gale, her eyes wrinkling at the corners. She looks like a woman who smiles a lot.
"I'm your only child." Gale sounds exasperated but fond. And he smiles.
Letting Mrs Dekarios in was the correct decision after all.
"Exactly. My favourite." Mrs Dekarios leans down to give a kiss on top of Gale's head. "Why won't I leave you boys to it and go get the food I was going to make for you. I'll be back in an hour or so."
Astarion isn't sure what to say or if he's supposed to say anything at all, so he just agrees with her.
Shadowheart meows and rubs herself against Mrs Dekarios' legs, the traitor, and Mrs Dekarios leans down to pet her and she purrs happily. Such favouritism. Shadowheart knows she'll get treats from Mrs Dekarios if she begs enough.
"Hello, Miss Kitty Cat. I trust you'll take care of my boys?"
My boys? Astarion hasn't ever been included in anything like that, and it makes tears rise in his eyes, but he blinks them away as fast as they appear. He doesn't have time to cry, he has to take care of Gale. He sounds only a little choked when he bids Mrs Dekarios farewell, and Shadowheart is polite enough not to mock him for it.
Gale has closed his eyes again, leaning his forehead on his knees. Astarion sits back on the edge of the tub and Gale leans against him, wetting his trousers with his hair, but Astarion doesn't care.
"It's alright. I'm here." Astarion strokes Gale's hair, and Gale turns towards Astarion, burying his face in his thigh. The wetness seeping through his trousers now isn't the bathwater.
"I'm getting your clothes wet." Gale's voice is choked and wet with tears, but Astarion doesn't comment on that. He continues to stroke Gale's hair gently, aiming for levity as he speaks.
"I'll just have to steal your clothes, there's nothing to it. I'll choose your best pair of trousers, and you'll never see them again."
It makes Gale chuckle, a single tear-choked laugh, but it's still a win.
Astarion is going to steal Gale's second most comfortable pair of pj's.
Gale doesn't resist as Astarion pulls the plug and lets the tub drain as he rinses Gale's hair from the conditioner he'd let be there for a few minutes. Astarion gets the fluffiest towel he can find and wraps Gale in it, kneeling on the floor next to the tub so he can be at eye level with him.
"Can you get out of the tub?" Astarion asks, and for a moment he's afraid Gale won't even look at him. But then Gale nods and Astarion helps him out of the tub, guides him to his room and makes him dress in what he knows are his most comfortable pj's. Astarion changes out of his wet trousers, and Gale doesn't say anything as Astarion puts on his pj's and drapes his trousers over the back of a chair to dry.
Astarion makes Gale sit at the corner of a sofa, buried under all the blankets he can find and puts on a movie about a flying snowman. Before the intro is over, Gale has already pulled him under the blankets and Astarion resists only for a show and pulls Gale in his arms, tucking Gale's head under his chin.
Mrs Dekarios returns, bringing more food than is reasonable for three people and sets the table without any help, waving Astarion back to the couch with Gale where they watch in silence as Mrs Dekarios fusses with the dishes until she's happy.
Like always, the food is divine but it's not what has Astarion’s attention. It's Gale who seems more like himself after each bite and when Gale gets a proper, genuine smile on his lips Astarion can finally relax.
They eat and end up on the couch to watch a cheesy winter movie about a woman who ends up adopting a child and moving to the countryside. And finds the meaning of life and love in the process, of course. Gale has his head on Astarion's lap, and it's not the most comfortable position, but Astarion wouldn't trade it for the world. Tara is lying on top of Gale, purring like there's no tomorrow and every once in a while Astarion is convinced Gale has fallen asleep but then his fingers curl to hold tighter on Astarion's clothes.
The movie ends and Mrs Dekarios bids them goodnight, but Gale snuggles closer, holding him tight through the next movie which is about someone forgetting one of their kids at home. Astarion strokes Gale's hair, not dissimilar to the way he pets Shadowheart and when he glances down, Gale's eyes are closed and his breaths are even and calm. When Astarion moves, he opens his eyes to look up but dozes off again.
"I should go home," Astarion says when the movie ends, but Gale holds him tighter and looks up at him with the widest, saddest brown eyes Astarion has ever seen.
"Please, stay. I couldn't — I couldn't bear it if something were to happen to you."
"Nothing is going to happen to me, darling. You're just being overdramatic," Astarion says, but at the same time, he knows he can't say no to those eyes. Gale looks so vulnerable, so beautiful and compelling. Gale has him completely under his spell, and Astarion doesn't mind it at all.
"Astarion. When Cazador called me and told me you were in danger. All I could think about was if I wouldn't be able to see you ever again. If I was too late to save you. And when I was in that sigil…"
"You don't have to talk about it," Astarion tries to stop him. The memories must still be too fresh, too clear to go through them.
"All I could think about was that I had failed you."
Something strangles Astarion's throat and when he speaks his voice is hoarse and not at all smooth and calm like he wants it to be. "The only way you could do that is if you'd get yourself killed over something as stupid as this. What were you thinking, not having Tara with you?"
"I'm sorry, my love. I only wish you'd be safe."
"Darling, I wish the same for you, you know? If you keep throwing yourself into danger, how can that stay true?"
Gale laughs. "What a pair we make."
"It's not me who keeps running into danger," Astarion reminds Gale with a playful roll of his eyes.
"No, danger keeps running into you, and it doesn't make it any better." Gale smiles softly at him, like he's something precious.
"I'm sorry." Astarion knows he attracts trouble. He knows wherever he goes, yokai follow him and cause trouble and chaos and it's unfair for anyone involved with him.
"No that's not —" Gale places his hand on Astarion's cheek and turns his head so they're facing each other again. "I would face Cazador a thousand times over for you. I would come and find you if you ever got lost in the realm of the spirits, I would exorcise the strongest yokai to keep you safe."
Astarion can feel his cheeks burn as he stares at Gale, eyes wide. He loves this man. It's all he can think about, but the words won't come.
"Please, stay the night. Sleep next to me so I know you're here and that you're safe." Gale asks again, that soft smile still on his lips, softening his features, making him look years younger.
"You mean sleep in the pathetically small space you and Tara and Shadowheart leave for me?" Astarion scoffs, in an effort for more levity.
"Yes, exactly that." Gale smiles, his eyes soft and Astarion can't help but smile back. He leans down to kiss Gale and whispers to him to take him to bed and earns a bright blush as his reward. Gale looks so cute, blushing and stuttering and Astarion grins, enjoying how much he can fluster Gale.
"You know that's not what I meant! I'd happily mean it any other day but —!"
"Hush, I'm only teasing, my sweet." Astarion presses a finger on Gale's lips and smiles.
"You're awful."
"I know."
Astarion gets up and helps Gale to his feet and lets himself be guided to the bedroom. He steals one of Gale's incredibly comfortable nightshirts and brushes his teeth and crawls into the large bed next to Gale. He buries himself under the blankets and gathers Gale in his arms.
Gale feels so real, his breath tickling Astarion's skin, his arm around his waist, legs entwined. The whole day seems unreal, here in the safety of Gale's bedroom, the solid weight of Shadowheart behind his back. It doesn't take long for Gale's breathing to even out, for him to relax in Astarion's arms, and Astarion feels safe.
Astarion could stay like this forever.