INBOX II

[illithidnapped]

VOICE | ACTION | TEXT

[previous inbox]

Comments

[doggish]

[There's no real rhyme or reason behind when the messages appear. Sometimes they're close together; sometimes there's the span of minutes between each one. For today it's Leto, not Astarion, who's stuck at home. Because of a cold or a twisted ankle or because his little gang of friends are all busy today— who can say?]

they're fighting again. over montressor's stick. fortunato won't stop gnawing on it.

ataashi is still annoyed with their existance. she continues to inform me as such each time they tussle too close to her spot by the fire.

they've made up in favor of trying to investigate the pants you wore yesterday. or play with it, i suspect— they keep trying to engage with it

you were not wrong: they beg for treats at least once an hour

ataashi speaks in an antivan accent

fortunato keeps attempting to imitate it

montressor is endlessly baffled by the sight of herself in a mirror. she keeps asking about it.

fortunato will not stop asking when you're coming home

wakes up to take meds and screams

[illithidnapped]

[Astarion. Astarion can say.]

my love i know you're sick. I know it's agony. I know you must, in all your endless energy, be feeling saddled by madness and impatience and I am nothing if not sympathetic.

I just also don't damned well care to know what those little creatures have to say.

because it's nothing.

they have nothing to say.

Look at them. They can barely process eating let alone breathing.

can't you find something else to tell me about? like

I don't know, what you're wearing? how much you long for me to return to ravish you as I should?

HEHEHE, 1/2

[doggish]

im wearing your shirt— or i was, anyway, before i soaked it in sweat. and i don't long for you to ravish me, i long for you to come home with medicine. and soup. and alcohol.

[Petulant little thing.]

[doggish]

[. . .]


fortunato calls me papa

montressor refers to you as "curly dad"

[illithidnapped]

One of those things will dehydrate you.

2/2

[illithidnapped]

[. . .]

oh for the love of

Does biting you count as putting you out of your misery?

[doggish]

you biting me will also dehydrate me

and if you intend to put me out of my misery, i might as well be drunk while you do

where have you wandered to?



(ataashi keeps trying to lecture them on how to act. she thinks they're pathetic, so your firstborn takes after you, at least)

[illithidnapped]

My firstborn? Did you have a litter when I wasn't looking? Fussy thing.

And I wasn't wandering, so you can put away those fangs of yours thank you very much. I've gone to consult the local healers about what to do when you've a sick, irritable, snarly wolf who can't exhale without coughing up a lung or two

1/2

[doggish]

your first adopted

your first that followed you home

your firstadopted pet, is that better? she still takes after you regardless of title— she even sounds like you a bit

[doggish]

[But oh . . . it's not the scolding that softens his ire, but the reminder that Astarion is out there for him. Leto pauses for a few seconds, then adds:]

what do they say?

[illithidnapped]

it's terminal, I'm afraid.

[:>]

[doggish]

oh, good

i will get to see you fight a god of death, that will be novel

did they say if i could speed the process up? if i am to cough up my lungs, i'd rather do it tonight and be done with it all by morning

[illithidnapped]

[Hah!

Touché]

Well they'd have to see you for that one, precious pup, and I'm afraid on assumption, they still insist on bed rest.

Lots and lots of bed rest.



....and maybe less dog watching.

[doggish]

[Thank god Astarion can't hear the groan he emits at that. Bed rest is so dull after the first few hours.]

i have little else to entertain me at the moment

the pups i can understand, but do you really not care to hear what ataashi thinks? she has more than two brain cells to rub together, and plenty of opinions to share, i assure you

i will cease, if you truly hate it. but she, at least, is interesting.

[Even Leto can admit the pups aren't all that fascinating, just funny. And charming. And so, so stupid that it's a delight to listen to them mutter to themselves.]

[illithidnapped]

Hate is such a strong word.

Much as I adore her I'm not certain I should give much consideration to the world views of a beloved thing that still finds herself utterly terrified of bins when they're not put away properly.

Are they really so entertaining to you?

[doggish]

[That does make him laugh, admittedly. Their poor cowardly wolf . . . so put upon by the pups alone, never mind Leto and Astarion accidentally changing her environment again.]

yes

for now

I am sure it will not last forever— they are repetitive after a point— but it's charming, especially when i have little else to do.

and there is a fascination with seeing what they're thinking. dull or no, it's something i have never heard before. it's charming to see how developed they are — fortunato is far smarter than her sister, and her speech reflects that.

ataashi is cleverest of all, cowardly thing though she may be— she knows whenever you're coming down the street, never mind enter the inn

guess who passed out on the floor in the writing pit!!!!!! C:

[illithidnapped]

Well she does rightfully love me most.

[That's not true at all.]

How are you feeling by the way? Not sneezing out flowers or arcane sparks or cats and

[err....]

more dogs

are you?

WAILS OH NO BOO

[doggish]

feverish

snotty

dazed, a bit, and somehow both tired and not all at once

if i sneezed out a puppy, it would be an improvement— though conversely, i haven't coughed up blood, so i suppose i will take what i can get in terms of victories.

[A beat, and then, mindful of his doting, fretful, immortal lover, adds:]

it will pass. with or without medicine, it will pass, i promise you. i have endured worse.

[illithidnapped]

I wouldn't know who you were if you hadn't, Blue Wraith.

[It's fine at least for now; Astarion saves the doting fretfulness for when he's there. Endlessly scolding his mate for so much as thinking of sitting up without assistance or reaching for a glass to drink from.

Though it's vexing as all getout trying to locate a healer still awake and competent at this hour. Much less one they can afford.]

But for the record please don't sneeze out any pups. Improvement or not they'd absolutely throw us out into the street if we filled that shuttered little room with endlessly wagging tails.

And since you won't let me eat any....

[doggish]

simply because they look like sausages does not mean they're remotely suitable for eating

and you would miss fortunato. deny it all you like, you would.

[. . .]

i can manage without a healer. i have before. come home. i would not see you spend all your night on this.

[illithidnapped]

Luckily for your lungs I don't damned well care what it is you want.

the pups I'll spare despite their shape for the joy they bring you. And because they're fine.

[Just!!! Fine!!!!!!]

I'll be home when I've a surefire cure for that wretched cough at the very least.

[doggish]

buy me whiskey. a healer told me once that would work as substitute in a pinch.

[Okay, one, that's to rub on babies' gums when they're teething, which you shouldn't do because it's alcohol and it doesn't actually numb anything so much as sends them to sleep because it's alcohol— but also, two, no Anders absolutely did fucking not, thank you very much.]

will you at least be home in time to lie with me before i sleep?

[illithidnapped]

I can't tell if you're being smart and banking on how little I remember about being alive, or if that's actually how it works.

[The logic is fairly sound.

No it isn't, Astarion. NO IT ISNT— ]

And yes darling I promise you I will. It's not as if I like leaving you after all.

If it wasn't for the sun and stars, I'd never be far from your side.

2/2

[illithidnapped]

[ . . . ]





well.

Except for when it's one of those days. The ones when you're. You know.



In one of Those Moods.

[doggish]

[He is CHANGING THE LOCKS— or, well, no, because that would require actually getting up, but still. He's thinking about it very strongly.]

bold words for a man who is out buying me tissues and has left all his pretty silk at home for me to use in the meantime