She smiles, a little, toying with the pencil in her hand.
"Before he ran into scouts from my group, it was his and one other. They both had plenty of food, but either no weapons, no fighters, or both. They were being run by another group that showed up once a month to demand tribute, and if they couldn't pay, the Saviors killed one of theirs and demanded more the next time."
Because humans are trash.
"So when he found Alexandria, which has... lots of guns, and lots of fighters, but no food. Well, apparently that works out for everyone in the end. The further we go from the society the world had as a whole, the more we need each other, whether we like it or not. We need people like him."
"...Yes," he says, after several long moments spent considering the question. "I think I might. But I...very much appreciate that the thought crossed your mind."
The thought of her doing it is slightly mortifying, but the idea that she wants to is...
...nice. It's nice. He can let himself acknowledge that.
"Because I really, really want to yell at him. And - I wanted to offer, before. After port. But if he ever tries to fuck you over, I don't care what he is. I'll back you up."
This, though, is news to her. She saw Astarion talking to Godric on the network when Eric first arrived, but she'd been very quickly distracted from it.
So, since he brought it up: "What happened with you and Godric?"
"Nothing, really. I just - can't say I like the way he talks about Eric.
Calling him his child, taking responsibility for him like he's an
extension of himself. It's...well, it's familiar in ways I don't care for."
"Generously, I could say that our language has no accurate words to
describe the relationship between a vampire and the mortals he's turned.
Less generously, I will say that Godric is suggesting that because he
wants to use the transcendent uniqueness of his experiences as a shield
to hide behind."
Because the common answers, in this environment anyway, haven't applied. Other than Godric's intervention saving Eric from immediate and violent retaliation, things are playing out remarkably smoothly from what she's seen.
"I don't know. Shame, perhaps? The simple fact that turned someone on the
brink of death because he was lonely, and - well, just look what became
of it."
"He and I haven't spoken of it much," she admits. "I got pissed because he didn't tell me Jesus was one of the people Eric attacked. I'm still pissed."
Even if she understands a bit better, she thinks, she's still mad.
"I'm going to talk to Eric a bit, though, while I can still fight back if I need to."
![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
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But also: "He's... not like any other survivor I know. I figured if I could stall him out long enough to get over it, he'd remember that."
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"I don't recall ever speaking to him. In passing, but no more. What is it about him that makes him different?"
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Humans are trash, largely. Rosita kind of already knew this but the virus really brought it out in bold, neon print.
"For another, he's still actively trying to get us all to like each other when most of us would rather just stick to our groups and fuck the rest."
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Astarion considers this.
"That's...admirable, I suppose? Even if it seems more than a little futile as well."
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She smiles, a little, toying with the pencil in her hand.
"Before he ran into scouts from my group, it was his and one other. They both had plenty of food, but either no weapons, no fighters, or both. They were being run by another group that showed up once a month to demand tribute, and if they couldn't pay, the Saviors killed one of theirs and demanded more the next time."
Because humans are trash.
"So when he found Alexandria, which has... lots of guns, and lots of fighters, but no food. Well, apparently that works out for everyone in the end. The further we go from the society the world had as a whole, the more we need each other, whether we like it or not. We need people like him."
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"....How true. I can only hope for the sake of your world's people that our doubts are unfounded."
Though somehow he sees it as unlikely.
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And there is absolutely nothing she can do about it now, anyway. She's here. Her people aren't.
"Would you hate it, if I yelled at John for you?"
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"...Yes," he says, after several long moments spent considering the question. "I think I might. But I...very much appreciate that the thought crossed your mind."
The thought of her doing it is slightly mortifying, but the idea that she wants to is...
...nice. It's nice. He can let himself acknowledge that.
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She does want to follow his wishes. But also -
"Because I really, really want to yell at him. And - I wanted to offer, before. After port. But if he ever tries to fuck you over, I don't care what he is. I'll back you up."
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"Thank you. Given some of Godric's behaviour recently, I - well, suffice to say I feel the same."
He'd already known about the circumstances of Eric's turning and he hadn't loved the sound of it. Recent events have not left him any more confident.
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So, since he brought it up: "What happened with you and Godric?"
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"Nothing, really. I just - can't say I like the way he talks about Eric. Calling him his child, taking responsibility for him like he's an extension of himself. It's...well, it's familiar in ways I don't care for."
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"When I first tried to talk to him about it, he said there weren't human words for it. Is it not just... vampiric terms?"
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Astarion sighs.
"Generously, I could say that our language has no accurate words to describe the relationship between a vampire and the mortals he's turned. Less generously, I will say that Godric is suggesting that because he wants to use the transcendent uniqueness of his experiences as a shield to hide behind."
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Because the common answers, in this environment anyway, haven't applied. Other than Godric's intervention saving Eric from immediate and violent retaliation, things are playing out remarkably smoothly from what she's seen.
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"I don't know. Shame, perhaps? The simple fact that turned someone on the brink of death because he was lonely, and - well, just look what became of it."
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Even if she understands a bit better, she thinks, she's still mad.
"I'm going to talk to Eric a bit, though, while I can still fight back if I need to."
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Astarion nods, thoughtful.
"I should probably introduce myself at some point, if he can behave himself for five minutes."
Who knows, maybe he'll be grateful to have another vampire around who isn't the man who made him.