#HWBASK!Tav

[atrueneutral]

The Viability of Cheesomancy (Raphael x Tav)

—-

“You don’t know what you’re asking.”

“I do. It’s time to put an end to this nonsense.”

“Raphael,” Tav said seriously. “You’re asking to die.”

“Stop stalling, Little Mouse.”

Were there other mice around, Tav would have looked like the greediest of rodents as she stood in the middle of a grassy clearing with three wheels of Waterdhavian cheese at her feet. The wheels were not her doing; Raphael thought to surprise her by stealing her away, and he’d summoned the stack with a snap of his fingers alongside the challenge that she use them.

Not eat them.

Use them (as the deadly weapons she claimed they were) against him - the winged and horned fiend who dared to question the legitimacy of Cheesomancy.

“One is all I need,” Tav said while picking up the first hefty wheel.

The fiend smirked, “We will see.”

Compared to her daggers, the unwrapped cheese was dense and slippery, and both hands were necessary if she was to feasibly wield the wheel.

Odds told her defeat was imminent, but months of good-natured debate culminated to this point of actually needing to prove her point - that she was right, and he was wrong.

Therefore Tav was going to do her damndest to kill her lover.

A dramatic battle cry was released into the morning air, and her feet charged Raphael’s position, the wheel raised over her shoulder, prepared to smash a horned head.

Snap!

The wheel exploded into cheesy bits and pieces with a blast of fire and heat.

Tav momentarily froze in place, her hands holding nothing before she calmly spun around to grab the second wheel.

“Now that we’re warmed up…” she confidently announced.

There was a huff of a reply behind her.

For this subsequent round, Tav strategically held the newest wheel close to her chest - the hope being that Raphael wouldn’t risk harming her should he again desire to use magic.

“Ready?” Tav asked.

“For you? Always.”

Her lips quirked a fraction at his sentiment and she charged at the fiend once more, raising the wheel only when she was within arm’s reach of him-

Two clawed hands were quick in arresting her wrists, stopping her in place.

“Cheeseomancy is nothing but a crackpot concept,” he declared while using his strength to pry her hands away from the sleek surface of the cheese - the weight of which fell onto her shoulder before falling into the grass with a soft thump.

Raphael gently lifted her from the ground, and her eyes met a pair that burned like fire. “There is no worth to be found aside from the author who prospers from fools who buy his book.”

“I didn’t buy it,” Tav retorted.

He rolled his eyes and brought her in for a quick kiss on her lips. “My little thief.”

After setting her down, he stepped around her.

“‘One is all I need,’” he said mockingly. Raising a boot, he destroyed the second wheel with jingling force and thusly nodded for the last wheel.

Tav scowled as she shamefully walked back to retrieve her last wheel - her final hope.

“This is it,” she said to herself and the cheese she held.

“If you would be so kind, dearest - I have appointments I must get to.”

Tav’s eyes flicked up to the devil, and she sprinted for him without warning, the cheese kept low and against her abdomen. Similar to her second attempt, she feigned raising the wheel…

Raphael bought into the feint, his hands moving to intercept!

With foresight and speed, she ducked out of the way, her hands jerking downwards to then mightily jab the cheese upwards into his stomach. Raphael groaned as breath was ejected from his lungs. Not done yet, Tav maneuvered under a wing and rammed the wheel against the back of his knee, causing his weight to buckle.

The fiend fell to his knees, providing Tav a golden window of opportunity…

She hastily stood behind her foe and Waterdhavian was lifted into the air!

“Another crown for you!” Tav crowed with delight as she aimed for his horns.

Raphael suddenly twisted, enough power behind his wing to knock her aside. Stumbling to catch herself, the wheel slipped from her grip, and it began to roll away.

Tav went for it-

Snap!

And her last weapon of Waterdhavian exploded with hellfire.

She frowned as fiery, cheesy remains rained down.

“A valiant effort,” Raphael said in approaching her side. “And with this defeat, I expect to hear no more about the folly of Cheesomancy.”

Tav settled against him with a sigh, her arms wrapping around his middle. “It wasn’t a total loss…”

She glanced up at him with a smirk as her hand playfully patted his stomach.

Raphael’s eyes narrowed. “It’s a fault of mine that I seek to indulge you.”

“And I love you for it.”

Her beloved fiend hummed in satisfaction.

—-

[atrueneutral]

Gorgeous work by @littleskrib - thank you so very much for bringing this scene to life!

[atrueneutral]

Just read the last chapter of HWBASK (I somehow missed that chapter 😅) and... I've got to ask...

What does/did Raphael do when a current/potential client insults Tav?

What does/did Raphael do when a current/potential client tries to flirt or make a pass at Tav and/or tries to include some funny business involving her as part of their contract with the devil?

What does/did Raphael do when a current/potential client does both?

“Color me not surprised to see the Hero of Baldur’s Gate here,” said the brute of a man who had come to the Devil’s Den seeking a deal - as anyone always ever did.

Since arriving a minute ago, full of swagger, he was pegged by Tav to be ugly, arrogant, and unpleasant.

“Is it true, hero? You’ll fuck a devil to save a person’s soul? How many fiends have you spread your legs for?”

Ah, and what he had for brawn was there to compensate for his lack of brains.

But, to answer his question, she’d spread her legs for two fiends to be exact. One of which she fucked on a regular basis - irregardless of a soul hanging in the balance.

The very fiend (who looked quite handsome as a human) stood not too far away from where she sat pretending to read her new favorite romance novel. Being a lawful fellow (though still evil in many regards), Raphael cooly leaned against the writing desk with no outward reaction to the salacious attack against her reputation - outward being the key word. She snuck a glance from over her book and could tell he was visualizing a future where the man’s soul was nothing more than a tasty meal.

“Are you deaf, hero?” asked the man.

“Speak to me, not to her - you are here for a devil’s deal, are you not?”

The man snorted in her direction before turning his attention to Raphael.

“Alright, devil. Let’s talk.”

—

“Then we have an accord?” Raphael oozed warmth - his steps slow in taking him from the desk to the man. “You are to procure a Bag of Devouring and personally deliver it to me in this very room - in three weeks time. In return for completion of this task, I will see to the end of your rival and his gang. If you are unable to deliver the item I seek within the allotted time, then there is the unfortunate matter of a price to be paid.” 

“My soul, is that it?” asked the brute, smiling with yellowed teeth.

“Why, yes - your soul would be a fine price,” responded Raphael, smiling with devilish charm.

Anticipation burned in his eyes.

The brute was not so brainless to accept on the spot; he mulled it over for about half a minute, but it was clear he predicted a favorable outcome.

“Agreed - and I think I’ve heard of this schtick.” The brute regarded Tav. “You’re gonna travel with me, yeah, sweetheart? Help me out?”

Rather than read (for the fifth time) the paragraph in which the protagonist and antagonist expressed their hatred for one another before kissing, Tav pondered on ugly, arrogant, and unpleasant souls and what they tasted like to fiends.

Something flavorful, she supposed, for behind his mask of congeniality, Raphael was gnawing at the bit for a bite.

Snap!

An infernal pairing of contract and quill appeared in front of the brute’s face - conveniently obstructing his view of her.

“All that’s left to do is sign,” Raphael said evenly.

The brute snatched the quill from the air with his meaty hand, pointed tip and ink was put to parchment, and the words blazed after a quick scrawl of a signature. Little time was given to the man to read anything (as if his tiny brain could understand Infernal in the first place) for the signed contract quickly disappeared in a plume of smoke and embers.

“Best of luck to you,” Raphael purred, allowing a sneer to eek through.

“I’ve had worse odds before,” the brute replied with a cocky shrug. “But, speaking of luck, how about it, sweetheart? How about you give the devil a good fucking when I leave? A good fuck for good luck - all for my dear, sweet soul.”

“Infiltrating Zhentil Keep for a Bag of Devouring…” Tav whistled as she flipped to the next page. “I remember doing something eerily similar not too long ago. Whether or not you make it out as I did… well…”

She pulled a face that said: unlikely.

“Aren’t you coming with me?”

“I might be too busy fucking the devil - not for luck or for your soul, mind you.” For the first time, she met the brute’s stare - his arrogance was fraying into worry. “But because I enjoy it.”

“You’re obligated to do this with me!”

Tav laughed, “Says who or what? The rumors?”

“I put my soul on the line because of the guarantee!” The brute snarled, moving towards her in anger.

There was a flash and burst, and a large, pointed red wing fanned out to block the brute’s path. Tav was saddened that she could not witness the man’s reaction to seeing Raphael’s true form -  especially when her cambion looked so wonderfully antagonistic.

“A fool shall run a fool’s errand,” Raphael announced. “Run along, little fool.”

The brute snarled again in anger, and his bootsteps stormed for the door.

“Wait!” Tav shouted. The steps halted and Raphael refocused his glare on her. “If I were feeling up to a journey, when and where would I meet you? No guarantees, of course…”

An audible sound of relief.

“The bridge from the Lower City to Wyrm’s rock - dawn.”

After a moment, the door opened and then shut with a slam.

There was another flash and burst of fire as Raphael returned to his mortal disguise.

“Don’t look so peeved with me,” Tav scoffed. “I’m peeved with you! You know I hate Zhentil Keep…”

“You are under no obligation to go. It’s the fault of your own moral code - helping any and every mortal who steps into this den...”

“He’s not the first asshole and he won’t be the last.” Sighing, Tav closed her book and stuffed it into the pack that laid at her chair’s feet. “But, in all honesty, I won’t be too upset if you win this one either. The odds aren’t looking favorable - given your stipulation of three weeks.”

Raphael smirked. “A fair stipulation.”

“Says the devil,” came her droll reply. She stood while throwing her pack around her shoulder. “I think I’ll walk home tonight and will probably hit the hay as soon as I get back - early rise and all.”

“Mm, I’d join you on your stroll, but there are other matters I must attend to.”

Tav headed for the door. “Don’t take too long - I’ve unfortunately grown accustomed to you being in my bed.”

When she reached for the handle-

“Does it bother you?”

Raphael did not need to clarify his question; the remnants of his play, particularly the gossip that overran the city and followed the local hero wherever she went, had evolved into other less-than-savory rumors. Seeing the futility in denying the slander, Tav leaned into taking each blow on the chin and hoped that rumors of her good-deeds would one day overtake the bad.

“Some days more than others,” she answered truthfully.

Raphael blinked at her, something on his mind, but he merely nodded for the exit.

“Hurry home, dearest.”

“I will, under the fair stipulation that you hurry with your business - it’s cold out and I’ll want to wrap around my personal furnace.” She twisted the handle and opened the door. Pausing, Tav threw a last look his way. “I’m happy, if that’s what you’re wondering.”

“And I’ll be happy when this man’s soul is mine,” said her beloved antagonist.

To counter, the protagonist held her head heroically high. “Not a chance in Hell, you rat-fucking-bastard.”

At that, Tav left the Devil’s Den with a smile on her face.

—-

[atrueneutral]

On a scale from 0-100, how Down Bad™️ is Raphael for Tav?

He did it to himself. HWBASK!Raphael Down Badness™️ under the cut.

Chapter 1: As entertained as I am by the mouse, she’s a tool, nothing more. She will get me what she wants she- she did what? How dare she! I will make her suffer, I will make her break…

Chapter 2: Poor thing - all alone, so defenseless as she sleeps. And without her stolen goods to keep her comfort, tsk tsk. I could kill her now… were that I one to debase myself in senseless murder... Bah, where would the fun in that be? What I have planned is far more interesting…

Chapter 3: She’s here! How I’ve waited for and dreamed of this day (for a year she’s cursed my thoughts)! Everything is going as planned and will go as planned! She will suffer, she will break!

Chapter 5: Oh… the mouse looks tantalizing in this bed she made. Shame we’re going to be late. Mm, she’s trying to get a reaction out of me and-- damn her. Rhys or his Collection will not taste her before I have! There! I have marked her! And she will not be anyone else's!

Damn it all! I am a fool for going against my plan, but I need to remind Rhys that my the mouse is not to be killed…

I want more of her…

Chapter 6: It's a weakness to admit I don't like seeing her injured, however it's only because the harm wasn’t inflicted by my hand. I’ll whisk her off to the boudoir where I can watch her bathe before teasing her with an element of the next act.

What is it with this soiled blanket? Ah, it was theirs. Now I am being inundated with thoughts of them…

Begone, spawn...

Chapter 7: Mm, I do like seeing her naked. And I like conversing with her - she amuses me, nothing more. I'll mark her again to assert myself and my role in her life - I have defined it by the terms: the mark is to stay for the entirety of our time together! Which is eternity! Her soul will be mine... Chapter 8: She continues to amuse me with these threats. She'll break my toes? Ha! I won't go to her, though I know she wishes to see me... I wish to see her... but this distance I'm putting between us is necessary. I fear what she could do to me... She forces my hand by throwing Others in my face! By removing MY mark! I will not be removed! Ah, of course she's put together my involvement with the vampire spawn. And she thinks to threaten me with this blade? Foolish woman. A mere bluff - she wouldn't. I can tell she is aware of it, too... this... this thing between us... this tension that the barest touch of her knife would cut...

She's being a coward...

Allow me to be the knife.

We will both give in to this need.

Afterwards, I will continue on this path to destroy her...

For she's destroying me.

My little mouse...

Chapter 9: She's spending too much time dancing with the Ravengard boy... It's fine - I will have (all of) her attention soon. In the meantime, I will help myself to her body (a gift I crave more and more these days), and my touch will remind her that though she's in the Ravengard boy's arms, I am there. Hm... she will forsake her ribbon and show my claim on her if I resist my urges? Very well. This concession of mine will be but a sample of the more formal and physical declaration that she. is. mine.

I suffer to be in the same room as her - she's intoxicating. I wish to touch her... but there is business to be done... I can't help myself - my control wavers whenever she is near. I must taste her.

What has she done?

Chapter 10: I'm not in love with her. She'll suffer. She'll break...

Chapter 11: She's in love with me? She's in love with me. She's mine!

Chapter 12: She hates me but she loves me. I will ensure that we will be together! For eternity! But to Hells with this accursed hope in my chest that she will choose to be with me...

Should she make the wrong choice, I will make the correct one for her. I will not be without what I now know I can have.

Chapter 13: Stubborn and foolish woman! Damn you, Tav! For making me... no, I cannot, will not admit to it... Let this prove it to you.

I...

Chapter 14: I detest her. She's gone, leaving me with this insufferable ache... I can't do anything but think of her. She's gone and marred my existence with her existence.

What could have been...

Yes, I detest her.

I will give her a gift... aside from my mark on her neck...

Daggers in shades of green - a color that will remind her of the soul she'd lost and the soul I'd returned, and a color that will forever remind me of our dance.

I wish to consume her as she's consumed me.

I wish-

Tav?

She's made her choice...

And...

She's mine.

[atrueneutral]

15 Lines Tag

RULES: share 15 or fewer lines of dialogue from an OC, ideally lines that capture their character/personality/vibe. Bonus points for just using dialogue without other details about the scene, but you’re free to include those as well.

Thanks, @pricemarshfield for the tag! <3 I bet everyone is unsurprised that we're doing this with Tav from HWBASK. It was interesting perusing the story because her actions tend to speak louder than her words lol.

Tagging: @theemptyislost, @sassyandsodone, @sky-kiss and anyone else! Ignore this if you've done this already or don't want to!

Lines behind the cut!

“It was unintentional, I assure you.”

“I, admittedly, got a little overzealous and made a bit of a game out of it.”

“Today didn’t go how I imagined it would.”

“Make it ten, and I’ll get you to like me more in the back room.”

“Say ‘please’.”

“Ass.”

“Are you also leashed by a master, ordered to keep me out of where I wish to go, or shall we talk business?”

“Tell Raphael if he ever tries to dance with me, I’ll break his toes.”

“I’m being secretive, and I know how frustrating that is, but I can’t tell you what’s going on and, frankly, I don’t want to. You’ll hate me, and I don’t want you to hate me…”

“I didn’t intend on you being here, and I’m sorry that you are, but I’m glad to see you, Kass. I’ve missed you.”

“No. You’re going to stay here and stay out of my way. You shouldn’t even be here…”

“This is unhealthy, whatever this is, and, honestly, it’s unwise of me to have come - you’re a devil.”

 “But command me to eat, Archdevil Supreme, and I shall engorge myself, if only so that I might have the honor of retching all over your House of Hope.”

“It’ll be free. Right, Mol? For my troubles.”

“I fucking will. It will be easy - after all, you’re only a cambion.”

“Before I go do what must be done, there’s another debt that must be paid."

Okay. This is technically 16, but I stared at this for ten minutes hemming and hawing so pretend it's 15.

[atrueneutral]

All this talk of alternative endings for HWBASK makes me wonder what Raphael's reaction would have been if Tav's answer to 'do you love me?' was somewhere more in the middle. Like, she is still bitter and/or angry for all the same reasons mentioned in previous asks and posts, but her response to Raphael's question is more resigned/wary and along the lines of "You have left me with nothing. You brought yourself misery just so you could watch me suffer, even when it didn't bring you the pleasure you craved. You even managed to break my heart twice. I can't trust that you won't break my heart a third time. I can't trust that you wouldn't do it on purpose, even of if it hurt you to do so. I can't afford to let myself love you."

TL;DR: What if Tav's answer to Raphael's 'do you love me?' question was more a "I'm trying hard not to love you, because you have already left me with nothing and I'm afraid of you somehow finding a way to leave me with even less if I give you the chance."

I think Tav’s mental state of going into the third act was “I’m trying hard to not love you” and needing to find the strength to bury that love (as Raphael had tried to do for himself).

If she admitted to the latter, that would be opportunity enough for Raphael to begin leveraging offers with her and, again, if she ended up denying them all (out of fear of her heart being broken or what have you), then the more she’s risking the Archdevil Supreme taking what he wants.

[atrueneutral]

I just finished reading "He Will Be All She Knows" a few days ago and it was honestly one of the best fics I've read. Not just for BG3, but ever. I absolutely adore how you write him and I loved the two pieces companion pieces you wrote following his POV. You have my thanks, fellow Raphael fan! 🫡

Thank you so much! Raphael and the warm reception to HWBASK has absolutely lit a fire in me!

I’ve started the first chapter of what I hope is another fun ride for readers! Looking to have it posted early next week - if I have my way lol. 🤞

More Raphael x Tav tension…

[atrueneutral]

A Neutral Update

Hellooooo! I hope everyone is having a wonderful day! Thought I’d give everyone a writing update that they didn’t ask for.

I gave myself (er, I tried to give myself) a bit of a break from writing after posting Chapter 3 of ‘Blood in the Wine’, and most of that time I was unsure of what to do with myself, haha! Go figure.

I’ve got the ‘Now What’ prompt I’m working on, and I might put out another prompt poll, but I’m really jazzed about getting back into BITW now that I’m out of the weeds and Tav is in— Oh, she’s fine.

I don’t care if only a handful of people within the fandom are invested in that story - I’m invested lmao. Plot has me grinning like a little fiend whenever I think of it so it’s going to get done. Then maybe translate it into something original. Ah, my pipe dreams...

I do feel pressure to finish it before Dragon Age: The Veilguard comes out as who knows how much that game is going to suck me into it along with everyone else. I don’t see myself ever writing for Dragon Age, but never say never I suppose.

Fandoms are fickle, but I’m currently still very much in the devil’s claws.

Last thing, I was clicking through HWBASK. I really should re-read it and do a focused editing pass specifically with the earlier chapters. I think I improved my writing the further along we got… idk.

[atrueneutral]

Just reread HWBASK and, my gosh, the amount of self sabotaging Raphael does is deliciously and delightfully infuriating in all of the best ways!

I was honestly half-expecting Tav to eventually answer his 'Do you love me?' questions with something like, 'I did. Once. You were quick to remind me not to.' and him having to grapple with the realization that he had Tav's love, but he destroyed it for himself. I was half-expecting that, by the end of his own play, he would end up having made himself as miserable as he'd intended to leave Tav and he would be left to realize that he'd directed his own tragedy, that there was no happy ending for him in this either because he robbed himself of it.

I must admit, I very glad I was wrong, as the ending you went with was better than anything I could have thought of, but if you ever were to write something like what I thought of then I'd probably need to take the day off because of all the feels.

TL;DR- I love your work! Thank you for blessing us with it!

OHO, Anon, I fucking love that. Woof, what a gut punch of an ending that would have been.

Honestly? Raphael deserves that ending over a happy one, but, after everything, I wanted Tav to get what she believes would lead to happiness and fulfillment (and it-just-so-happens that a rat-fucking-bastard happened to be apart of that).

He certainly got off lucky. lol

Ass.

(Thank you!!)

[atrueneutral]

I really enjoyed HWBASK, but I'm dying of curiosity: in it you mentioned the Heroes of Balder's Gate, but only a few of the companions were at the faux ball/ceremony to be honored with "Tav". What happened to the others?

I'm glad you enjoyed HWBASK, and thank you for the ask!! 😄

I'll tuck the reply under the cut for the sake of possible spoilers.

Lae’zel’s priority remained to be her people and fighting the good fight. But, besides that, she wouldn’t step foot at a ball even if she had time.

Shadowheart (going by her true-born name) was found and an invitation was given, but she wasn’t interested in making the effort to go to a ball when she didn’t see the point in it; the event was always framed in a way that belied its true purpose of recognizing the Heroes of Baldur’s Gate.

Halsin’s work outside of the city was more important than stepping foot back within a place that made him feel uncomfortable, and a ball wasn’t something he wanted to partake in.

With Jaheira, it was another case of Bigger Fish to Fry, and her family would have demanded they go, too (lest she use the ball as an excuse to try and abandon them).

Minsc… couldn’t be found, but Raphael didn’t try very hard to dig into his whereabouts; he knew Tav wasn’t very close to Minsc.

Karlach was there in spirit for she’s still dead-dead (RIP).

Minthara didn’t yet exist as a possible companion if I had Halsin at camp, so she’s forgotten about whenever I think of HWBASK.

When it boiled down to it, it was easier to persuade Wyll and Gale to show. Wyll pretty much had to be there, and Gale was lured under the guise that he had other business matters to attend to in Baldur’s Gate, so he might as well also attend this ball…

They were the ones whose attendance mattered most in delivering a gut punch, outside of You-Know-Who (not Voldemort). Raphael was well-aware of Wyll’s history, and he knew of Gale’s ambition and his want of the Crown of Karsus - also that it had been a source of contention.

[atrueneutral]

Fic authors self rec! When you get this, reply with your favorite five fics that you've written, then pass on to at least five other writers. Spread the self-love ❤️

Thanks for the tag, @theemptyislost! ❤️

Self-love, eh? lol I feel a smidge awkward doing this, but I'm going to bite the bullet and do it anyways. 🤸‍♀️

[He Will Be All She Knows] [Baldur's Gate 3: Raphael x Tav] Tav dun goofed in going to the House of Hope alone (with some cheese as a kind parting gift). Raphael didn't like that. In response, he spends a year planning his revenge, but, oops! Developments arise between a mouse and a rat-fucking-bastard.

My first foray into writing fanfic since 2002, and no, you can't read my shitty InuYasha fanfics that I wrote when I was twelve. (Well, technically, you can... they're still online... but moving on...)

[Blood in the Wine] [Balder's Gate 3 AU: Raphael x Tav / Astarion x Tav] A monk who has nothing to hide gains entry to an abbey run by a man she suspects isn't a man at all. There are secrets to uncover at what many call the House of Hope...

Stretching my legs with this one. Research is involved as well as carefully arranging my pieces on the board to ensure this plot delivers Glorious Payoffs. Like HWBASK, I know *exactly* where this is going. Just 👏 gotta 👏 keep👏 writing 👏 the 👏 damn 👏 thing. I will finish this story!

The rest under the cut.

[May - June - July] [Fallout TV Show: The Ghoul x Lucy MacLean] Lucy's been having thoughts about a certain Ghoul, and she decides to take matters into her own hand upon finding a lovely pin-up calendar.

The moment I saw these characters... I said, 'I'm going to ship them, aren't I?' And... I did. I do. So this is my sole contribution to the fandom and the ship. Some playful smut.

[Truths] [Baldur's Gate 3: Raphael x Tav] Raphael made dinner, but Tav isn't hungry. Raphael makes Tav eat anyways, and she doesn't like the food.

A Raphael POV chapter from HWBASK. He's a cambion with complicated (icky) feelings he wants to deny, but I won't let him.

[O, Apple of His Eye] [Baldur's Gate 3: Raphael x Tav] Raphael and Tav can't escape each other - no matter the timeline or universe.

My collection of prompts and drabbles and other ideas involving these two. I view these as fun exercises for writing, and the prompts have been great fun to navigate. Thank you everyone who has contributed.

I'll hit up some inboxes, but no pressure.

[atrueneutral]

I never realized you had a Tumblr! He Will Be All She Knows has got to be my absolute favorite Raphael fic. So happy I stumbled upon your account! Thank you for the wonderful brain rot fuel you provide ❤️‍🔥🐀

Hi, Swampy!! Thanks for being here!

Yeah, I made this side-blog for writing purposes after 'HWBASK' wrapped up. Now I live here and throw food out to the mice still craving Raphael x Tav content lol.

And it's my pleasure to do so!

[atrueneutral]

At the end of HWBASK, would Raphael be willing to accept deals like the one from Act I of his play, where someone wants access to Tav's body, either directly or through Haarlep, or is that sort of thing off limits in his mind?

I’m going off the assumption that most of you here have read ‘HWBASK’ and maybe the follow up POV’s, but I’ll put this answer under the cut anyways for this specific thing.

Raphael strategically set up Act I. He commanded that Haarlep (in Tav’s form) be in the bath when Rhys came to visit the House of Hope, knowing that Rhys would bite the bait and inquire to know more about who this person or thing was.

Up until then, Raphael was the only one (aside from Haarlep of course) who took advantage and used Tav’s form. Should any other visitor have inquired after her, he’d have shut them down immediately. Her body was HIS. This possessiveness he felt bled into the first act, and was compounded by the poor baby beginning to feel stirred by Tav. Suddenly his own plan of letting her be sexually assaulted by monsters bothered him. 🤡

He never stood a chance.

Anyways, after ‘HWBASK’, Raphael doesn’t allow Haarlep to use her form unless Tav were to suggest that she’s open for surprises while she’s out and about.

He knows and abides by consent when it comes to her.

Only ever for her.

(However, he does still think of Tav’s body as being HIS…)

[atrueneutral]

Let me know what you all would like to see next. :)

[atrueneutral]

It felt like, by the second act of his play (if not even sooner), Raphael is only still going along with this scheme of his because of pride and denial. Pride as a devil and pride regarding his devil side which he perceives as superior. Denial of his human feelings and desires and denial over how much his human side affects and influences him. It's like he feels calling off his play would be succumbing to the weakness of mortals and/or would prove that he is weak; he's deluded himself into thinking that he has to see it through, that everything will be right again—feel right again—once the curtain falls, that he only needs to see the final act through to the end and then he will be able to move past all of... this. But he couldn't be more wrong.

A thought I had multiple times while reading HWBASK was, 'Raphael, for someone so selfish, self-centered, and so bloody determined to get what you want, you are remarkably bad at just letting yourself have what you want.'

Imagine if the 'I did love you. You were quick to grind such feelings to dust beneath your heel.' ending happened and Raphael just grew more and more desperate to get Tav to return to her body, his pride be damned, but he is somewhat caught off guard by Tav clearly taking no satisfaction in seeing him like this as he would have expected. If anything it makes her more bitter. If this whole farce was misery for all involved including him, then why didn't he—the only person driving this mess forward—just snap his fingers and be done with it? He's supposed to be the Archedevil Supreme, isn't he?! Who would he have had to answer to, to explain himself to, over why he pulled out of his own game?! This was all supposed to be a passion project for him and his own gratification, wasn't it?! So why, when it became apparent that it was no longer serving its purpose and was in fact proving to be turning into a detriment or distraction from his real ambitions, did he not just STOP?! In the end, whatever he could say to that wouldn't matter, because he made his choice; he succeeded in seeing his game through to the end and anyone looking at the conclusion would regard the devil as the unquestioned victor.

So congratulations, Raphael, was it all worth it?

👏👏👏 Anon, you nailed it!

Pride and denial is what's moving him forward!

The latter section is S-tier, and it makes me briefly want to talk about some of the Bad Endings!

Overall, I do think that the Archdevil Supreme side of Raphael would have won out if Tav made it evident that her love for him was lost for good.

(In the Official Ending Raphael knew she loved him through her embrace, her tears, her inability to kill him, and...)

Oh, but, we're not here to talk about the oFfiCiaL EnDinG...

Assuming it played out similarly and Tav didn't kill him when she had the chance, if Raphael knew before he returned her soul that her love was gone, the Archdevil Supreme would have kept her soul, forced it to Return, and he'd have owned her fully as originally intended. Cambion Raphael would internally reflect on this with a frown, but he won Tav so the Archdevil says "Turn that frown upside down."

Had he returned her soul to her and then she let it be known she could/would never love him again, if Raphael became desperate enough to offer her anything and everything to get her to say yes and Tav denied every offer...

Well, we have the beginnings of a Hope 2.0 situation on our hands. He's got the Crown of Karsus, and he will keep his mouse.

Other Bad Endings include:

The One Where Tav Kills Him

The One Where Tav Kills Him and Still Stupidly Tries to Rescue Hope Alone

The One Where I Never Finished the Story (lol)