#horror tale: samantha

[crazyyapper]

YALL HORROR TALE 3 PRE-REGISTER IS OUT ON GOOGLE PLAY + WITCH REVEAL (her name is Wanda and shes ethan's sister)

+ some drawings by me

[crazyyapper]

Anytime I see Sam I reblog IMMEDIATELY

rainbow ish ig idk what aesthetic this is LOL

cw for eyestrain

WHO CARES ABOUT S Q U A R E S

[lostsomewhereinescapism]

to be honest, i didn't think i'd ever use these tags again.... hello, my dead, old hyperfixation ig.

[randomkawaiigirl09]

maid ethan

just waiting the release of horror tale 3, lol

[wondereads]

Sapphic Book Recs for Pride 2024

The Priory of the Orange Tree by Samantha Shannon

Adult, high fantasy, 4.28 star average (my rating: 5 stars)

Gideon the Ninth by Tamsyn Muir

Adult, sci-fantasy, 4.29 star average (my rating: 5 stars)

The Winter Duke by Claire Eliza Bartlett

Young Adult, high fantasy, 3.55 star average (my rating: 5 stars)

Ace of Spades by Faridah Abike-Iyimide

Young Adult, thriller, 4.27 star average (my rating: 5 stars)

Crier's War by Nina Varela

Young Adult, high fantasy, 4.11 star average (my rating: 4.5 stars)

Down Among the Sticks and Bones by Seanan McGuire

New Adult, low fantasy, 4.18 star average (my rating: 4.5 stars)

Seven Devils by L. R. Lam and Elizabeth May

Adult, space opera, 4.03 star average (my rating: 4.5 stars)

Malice by Heather Walter

Adult, fantasy romance, 3.97 star average (my rating: 4.5 stars)

Beguiled by Cyla Panin

Young Adult, high fantasy, 3.48 star average (my rating: 4 stars)

The Jasmine Throne by Tasha Suri

Adult, high fantasy, 4.21 star average (my rating: 3.5 stars)

Ash by Malinda Lo

Young Adult, fantasy romance, 3.57 star average (my rating: 3.5 stars)

We Ate the Dark by Mallory Pearson

New Adult, horror fantasy, 3.04 star average (my rating: 3 stars)

The Chosen and the Beautiful by Nghi Vo

Adult, historical fantasy, 3.66 star average

The Once and Future Witches by Alix E. Harrow

Adult, historical fantasy, 4.13 star average

Flip the Script by Lyla Lee

Young Adult, contemporary romance, 3.64 star average

The Bone Shard Daughter by Andrea Stewart

Adult, high fantasy, 4.07 star average

She Who Became the Sun by Shelley Parker-Chan

Adult, historical fantasy, 4 star average

This Poison Heart by Kalynn Bayron

Young Adult, contemporary fantasy, 4.17 star average

Tink and Wendy by Kelly Ann Jacobson

Young Adult, low fantasy, 3.4 star average

The Tiger's Daughter by K. Arsenault Rivera

Adult, high fantasy, 3.84 star average

Sorrowland by Rivers Solomon

Adult, horror sci-fi, 4.04 star average

Cinderella Is Dead by Kalynn Bayron

Young Adult, high fantasy, 3.65 star average

The Goddess of Nothing at All by Cat Rector

Adult, high fantasy, 4.23 star average

Last Night at the Telegraph Club by Malinda Lo

Young Adult, historical romance, 4.28 star average

Gearbreakers by Zoe Hana Mikuta

Young Adult, dystopian sci-fi, 3.92 star average

The City of Dusk by Tara Sim

Adult, high fantasy, 3.72 star average

Foolish Hearts by Emma Mills

Young Adult, contemporary fiction, 4.25 star average

The Last Tale of the Flower Bride by Roshani Chokshi

Adult, gothic fantasy, 3.83 star average

A Dowry of Blood by S. T. Gibson

Adult, gothic fantasy, 4.12 star average

Seven Faceless Saints by M. K. Lobb

Young Adult, high fantasy, 3.5 star average

Darker by Four by June CL Tan

Young Adult, contemporary fantasy, 4.11 star average

The Coldest Touch by Isabel Sterling

Young Adult, paranormal romance, 3.64 star average

Portrait of a Thief by Grace D. Lin

Adult, mystery thriller, 3.63 star average

Once & Future by Cory McCarthy and A. R. Capetta

Young Adult, sci-fantasy, 3.57 star average

The Traitor Baru Cormorant by Seth Dickinson

Adult, high fantasy, 4.1 star average

Wilder Girls by Rory Power

Young Adult, sci-fi horror, 3.48 star average

Afterworlds by Scott Westerfled

Young Adult, contemporary fiction/low fantasy, 3.69 star average

[kaen-ace-of-diamonds]

Christmas Horror Kids Tournament

Because this isn't the Hunger Games, the kids are in competition but not in direct opposition to each other. Basically: there's some big monster/villain threatening their holiday, which of these main characters is not just surviving but is coming out on top the fastest?

Propaganda for each contender (and spoilers for all movies mentioned) under the cut:

Pietari: fears neither God nor death nor army of feral elves. good at keeping calm under pressure and making plans on the fly. carries a gun around the whole movie but never actually uses it, so not sure how well he could shoot. his actor was 11 when the movie came out but I think he's supposed to be a few years younger?

Luke: horrific demon child, zero moral limits so long as he gets what he wants, -5000/10 would not recommend babysitting. extremely good planner, but vulnerable to overlooking small details that ruin him. about 12: very smart but fairly immature for his age. has to be reminded not to kill his competition this time.

Thomas: literally just wanted to stay home and play trains with his grandpa, but now he's got to defend them both from a killer Santa. models himself after action movie heroes and is so good at Home Alone-ing his house that his director tried to sue for plagiarism. about 10-11 years old?

Anna: would be better with her friends to help her, but is pretty damn capable of making it in the zombie apocalypse on her own. not sure exactly how old she's supposed to be, since I'm not clear on how the New Zealand school system works, but she's an older teenager.

Billy: definitely has his wits closer about him than his dad does, that's for fucking sure. does get tricked into creating gremlins, but you know what, who would have expected them to have fucked with his clock? successfully takes on and kills an army of gremlins, albeit with help. probably the oldest competitor here since he's out of high school (?)

Max: definitely willing to go to bat for the Christmas spirit, and to put his own life on the line to protect his family, but is pretty severely lacking in strength or savvy. is good at dodging an army of killer toys, but might not do so well without a bunch of relatives around to also be targets. like Pietari, his actor was 12 but I think he's supposed to be a bit younger.

Trudy: ngl, might be a little weak in solo competition, since she's maybe 7-8 years old and so relies a lot on Santa the one-man army. but she's clever, has exactly zero fear of hardened criminals with machine guns, and is very good at turning Home Alone traps exactly as deadly as they should be.

Winnie: the most Final Girl (TM) out of all the competitors imho. learns very quickly how to improvise and use whatever's handy as a weapon, and while she's also best with a partner to distract an opponent, can handle herself very competently in a physical fight. about 17?

Samantha and Clara: actually, fuck Billy, does Clara even count as a kid at all, being an ancient demon in the form of a child? has telekinetic powers and is good at Breaking Speeches, but is bound by being sealed in the school and unable to kill her enemies herself. Samantha is a pretty normal middle schooler (?), but also has the guts to go face a cult of killers with an axe when she could have run away and saved herself, so don't count her out.

Kevin: is Home Alone a horror movie? no. could I possibly exclude the king, the champion, the future Jigsaw apprentice? also no. smart and absolutely cold-blooded when he needs to be, he's excellent at fending enemies off from a distance, but it's game over for him if he's actually caught.

[gryficowa]

Boycott!

Isn't it interesting that celebrities don't use their reach and their fans will insist that we shouldn't expect them to talk about genocide?

I thought celebrity culture was long dead lol

Now that I have your attention:

[petalpetal]

For halloween here all the horror books I've read and loved

I want to say all of these greatly vary in degree of scariness because books range from middle school to adult audiences

first up is the one I am currently reading

Revelator by Daryl Gregory

Boys In the Valley by Philip Fracassi

Black River Orchard by Chuck Wendig

What Moves the Dead (book 1) What Feasts at Night (book 2) by T. Kingfisher

Woodworm by Layla Martínez

Home Before Dark by Riley Sager

Starve Acre by Andrew Michael Hurley

Slasher Girls & Monster Boys by multiple authors (its YA horror anthology)

No One Will Come Back For Us by Premee Mohamed

The Eyes Are the Best Part by Monika Kim

Gallant by V.E. Schwab

The Twisted Ones by The Twisted Ones

The Spirit Bares Its Teeth by Andrew Joseph White

Red Rabbit by Alex Grecian

The Deep by Nick Cutter

Wylding Hall by Elizabeth Hand

Vampires of El Norte by Isabel Cañas

The Troop by Nick Cutter (my number 1 favorite)

To Break a Covenant by Alison Ames

Slade House by David Mitchell

Perfect Blue by Yoshikazu Takeuchi

The Night Sister by Jennifer McMahon

Mr. Splitfoot by Samantha Hunt

Mexican Gothic by Silvia Moreno-Garcia

Lone Women by Victor LaValle

The Devil in Silver by Victor LaValle

Delicious Monsters by Liselle Sambury

The Daughter of Doctor Moreau by Silvia Moreno-Garcia

The Crimson Labyrinth by Yusuke Kishi

The Book of Accidents by Chuck Wendig

The Bone Snatcher by Charlotte Salter

We Have Always Lived in the Castle by Shirley Jackson

The Sundial by Shirley Jackson

The Road Through the Wall by Shirley Jackson

The Haunting of Hill House by Shirley Jackson

Hangsaman by Shirley Jackson

Dark Tales by Shirley Jackson

The Lottery and Other Stories by Shirley Jackson

Battle Royale by Koushun Takami

[crazyyapper]

Man I just had some really good brownies so I felt like sharing that info anyways doodles for valentines Day YIPEEEE happy valentines day guys

(Yes yandere Ethan is BACK)

I will hopefully make a proper drawing today of Ethan as Harry Warden from My Bloody Valentine and post it, but I'm too lazy to do it now

Chroma belongs to @scorpion-face

[crazyyapper]

This is so them

ok

colored

[lostsomewhereinescapism]

Quite an old sketch, but I didn't post it, so

[richincolor]

I thought it would be fun to highlight some books that came out earlier this summer! Have you read any of these yet? Did they make your TBR list?

Looking for Smoke by K.A. Cobell Heartdrum

Since moving to the Blackfeet Reservation with her parents, Mara Racette has felt like an outsider, taunted by her tight-knit classmates for growing up far away. So, when a local girl includes Mara in a traditional Blackfeet giveaway to honor her missing sister, Mara thinks she’ll finally make some friends. Instead, a girl from the giveaway, Samantha White Tail, is found murdered. Because the members of the giveaway group were the last to see Samantha alive, each becomes a person of interest in the investigation: New-girl Mara, who hated Samantha for being particularly cruel. Grief-stricken Loren Arnoux, who was Samantha’s best friend until her sister’s disappearance drove a wedge between them. Class-clown Brody Clark, whose unreciprocated crush on Samantha is an open secret. And tough-guy Eli First Kill, who has his own complicated history with Samantha. Despite deep mistrust, the four must now take matters into their own hands and clear their names. Even though one of them may be the murderer. In her powerful debut novel, Looking for Smoke, author K. A. Cobell (Blackfeet) weaves loss, betrayal, and complex characters into a mystery that will illuminate, surprise, and engage readers until the final word.

The Blonde Dies First by Joelle Wellington Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers

A group of friends fight to choose their own fates in this trope-savvy, self-referential young adult thriller from the acclaimed author of Their Vicious Games, about a demonic force that acts according to horror movie rules in the spirit of the Scream movies. Devon is always being left behind by her genius twin sister, Drew. At this point, it’s a fact of life. But Devon has one last plan before Drew leaves for college a whole year early—The Best Summer Ever. After committing to the bit a little too much, the twins and their chaotic circle of friends learn why you don’t ever mess with a Ouija board if you want to actually survive the Best Summer Ever, and soon find themselves being hunted down by…a demon? But while there’s no mistaking the creeping, venomous figure is not from around here, their method doesn’t feel very demonic at all. In fact, it’s downright human—going after them in typical slasher movie kill order. And that means Devon, the blonde, is up first and her decade-long crush, Yaya, is the Final Girl who must kill or be killed to end the cycle. Devon has never liked playing by anyone else’s rules though, not even a demon’s, and the longer this goes on, the more she feels Drew and Yaya slipping away from her even as she tries to help them all survive. Can they use their horror movie knowledge to flip the script and become the hunters instead of the hunted? Or will their best summer ever be their last?

The Girl with No Reflection by Keshe Chow Delacorte Press

Princess Ying Yue believed in love … once upon a time. Yet when she’s chosen to wed the crown prince, Ying’s dreams of a fairy tale marriage quickly fall apart. Her husband-to-be is cold and indifferent, confining Ying to her room for reasons he won’t explain. Worse still are the rumors that swirl around the imperial palace: whispers of seven other royal brides who, after their own weddings, mysteriously disappeared. Left alone with only her own reflection for company, Ying begins to see things. Strange things. Movements in the corners of her mirror. Colorful lights upon its surface. And when, on the eve of her wedding, she unwittingly tears open a gateway, she is pulled into a mirror world. This realm is full of sentient reflections, including the enigmatic Mirror Prince. Unlike his real-world counterpart, the Mirror Prince is kind and compassionate, and before long Ying falls in love—the kind of love she always dreamed of. But there is darkness in this new world, too. It turns out the two worlds have a long and blood-soaked history, and Ying has a part to play in the future of them both. And the brides who came before Ying? By the time they discovered what their role was, it was already too late.

[homesickfornowhere]

Books that I’ve read recently and would recommend. 🖤 Part 2

A Dowry of Blood by S. T. Gibson. A reimagining of Dracula’s brides, written in letters to Dracula from his first wife, Constanta. I love anything vampire-related and can’t even describe how much I loved this book.

A God in the Shed by J. -F. Dubeau. A fantastic horror novel set in a messed up little town. A murder investigation, a serial killer, a god trapped in a shed (literally), the occult, ancient evils, blood and gore, and lots of twists and turns.

The Poppy War by R. F. Kuang. A historical/grimdark fantasy novel heavily inspired by the Second Sino-Japanese war. Very violent and graphic, but an amazing read.

My Best Friend’s Exorcism by Grady Hendrix. A fun 80s demon possession story set during the satanic panic. A teen girl drops acid, gets lost in the woods, and accidentally gets possessed by a demon — and it’s up to her friend to save her. Gorey and campy.

Maggie’s Grave by David Sodergren. A pregnant woman, falsely accused of being a witch and brutally murdered, takes revenge on a Scottish town centuries later. Fun, fast-paced folk horror meets splatterpunk with an endless amount of gore.

The Island by Adrian McKinty. A tense, fast-paced thriller set in in an island off of the coast of Australia. This book genuinely stressed me out and made me want to bite my nails, but I couldn’t put it down. A bit of Wolf Creek vibes.

Delicious Monsters by Liselle Sambury. A ghost story and psychological horror with dual timelines. Family drama, a haunted house, toxic parents, etc.

Never Lie by Freida McFadden. A psychological thriller with a great twist. When their realtor doesn’t show up, newlyweds take shelter from a blizzard in a manor that belongs to a missing psychiatrist.

Six Crimson Cranes by Elizabeth Lim. This book and the world within it makes my heart flutter. A dreamy, whimsical fairy tale blended with East Asian folklore.

The Overnight Guest by Heather Gudenkauf. An atmospheric mystery/thriller. A writer travels to an isolated farmhouse where two unsolved murders and the disappearance of a girl took place decades earlier, and plans to finish her book while snowed in. Things go down hill after she finds a young child outside and decides to bring him in from the cold.

Clytemnestra by Costanza Casati. A retelling of Greek mythology, and such a beautiful and heartbreaking book.

A Day of Fallen Night by Samantha Shannon. A a high fantasy novel and standalone prequel to The Priory of the Orange Tree. Amazing world building, amazing writing, amazing characters, and dragons.

Ring by Koji Suzuki. I’ve always loved the films, both Ringu and The Ring, but I’ve never read the book until now and I highly recommend it if you haven’t either.

[puppygirlmaki]

About Myself

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Has no clue how to work this site give me a break

------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Hello,

My name is Mackenzie/Samantha (she/her),

Edit: I finally found a name I like and still go by Mackenzie, but Samantha is a more personal name to me so if we just met go with Mackenzie or Kenzie please.

I am Trans [MTF] and 24 years old.

This is my attempt at a bio post cause honestly I suck at starting conversations and connecting with people but like talking to them. I am often skittish in new situations that I know nothing about, I do try to learn everything I can though and sometimes I am very forgetful all the time. :3

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Things that interest me and I like talking about are:

Games (In general, developing games, game theory and cool mechanics)

Pets (grew up with cats and a dog, love them to death)

Horror (Grappling with what makes us human or how i can define myself within that subset if i even fit is always a nice mental workout)

Cooking! (I enjoy trying new recipes and new foods, as it also helps relieve stress and give me the short feeling of joy for creating something)

Coding (spent 6 fuckin years of my life with this bs may as well use it)

Computers in general (I built my own, her name is Samantha, I am not quite sold on linux yet but windows 11 fucking sucks ass and shouldn't exist)

Music (I enjoy singing [to myself that is], Maidcore, Whatever tf the cod zombies easter egg music has going on and just cool and moving pieces that invoke a specific feeling in me.)

Cyberpunk esc things (Mechs, futuristic guns, AI* [not the current slop that exists now], cybernetics and body modifications [MGSV is a huge influence here ironically]

Plushies (there are so many send help or more)

Any specific Hyperfixation i have at the moment {usually something grabs my interest and I will be sucked into it for a week or so}

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Bot accounts, Chasers DNI

Minors, DNI as well, This is a NSFW ish account and I try to go by the ideology of if i cant share a drink with you, I shouldn't be interacting with you in a non-professional manner.

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Games that i play/played include:

Minecraft, Cyberpunk 2077, MGSV, Warframe, Destiny 2, Phasmophobia, ROR2, PD3/PD2, Terraria, Division 2, BTD6, Borderlands 2 and 3, XCOM 2, Titanfall 2, Black ops 1, Black ops 3, Black ops: Cold war zombies, Barotrauma, Barony, Elden ring, Dark souls 3, Crypt of the necrodancer, every main series Pokemon game starting from gen 3, Darkest dungeon, Death Stranding, Deep rock Galactic, Deus ex (HR & MD ) Tales of Berseria, Doom eternal and 2016, Skyrim, Fallout 4, The forest, FTL, Guilty Gear: strive.

(this list is like half of the games i can remember, not ordered in how much i liked them or remember them, but mostly the ones i've played more than 50 hours in)

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Feel free to dm me to talk, or ask me something you'd like to know about me!

It may take a bit to respond but I do lurk in my free free time.

[twinnedpeaks]

ok it’s time for elvira’s yearly reading wrap up! best and worst of 2023:

worst:

the cabin at the end of the world, paul tremblay - disappointing. could have been so good but, alas, was not.

the silent patient, alex michaelides - quite possibly my least favourite of the year. people were telling me how shocking it was and how it had a huge plottwist. this plottwist was predictable from PAGE ONE. please.

the grimoire of grave fates - i remember nothing except being bored.

hide, keirsten white - i hate when horror is bad <3

filth, irvine welsh - okok my second attempt at reading irvine welsh. i liked parts of this book but not enough to even slightly enjoy it as a whole.

finnegans wake, james joyce - i wasn’t sure whether this should go in best or worst honestly. such a huge phenomenon, purely because it’s “unreadable”. i still don’t know how to feel.

best:

12 bytes, jeanette winterson - miss winterson can do no wrong in my eyes. brilliant reflections on technology, written beautifully.

new animal, ella baxter - just SUCH a good time!! great novel on grief and sexuality.

the gilded wolves, roshani chokshi - i’m very picky about my fantasy books, but i fell in love with this trilogy so fast. the characters are incredible and diverse, and finding a canonically autistic character meant a lot to me.

tripping arcadia, kit mayquist - creepy, gorgeous, has not left my mind. i can’t even explain it, it is just an Experience. Go read it.

how to sell a haunted house, grady hendrix - FUN HORROR!! HAUNTED HOUSE!! EVIL PUPPET!!

when we lost our heads, heather o’neill - lesbian marie antoinette historical fiction? yes.

no longer human, osamu dazai - gorgeous tale of existence and misery. loved loved this one.

i who have never known men, jacqueline harpman - heartbreaking and real. one of those books i think everyone should read.

patricia wants to cuddle, samantha allen - lesbians and furry little monsters. weird as fuck and so funny.

penance, eliza clark - reflections on true crime and the rivalries between teenage girls. gruesome and fascinating.

not forever but for now, chuck palahniuk - MY MAN RETURNED!!!! and i am so goddamn grateful. nauseating but stunning. masterpiece as always.

house of hunger, alexis henderson - gothic vampire novel with a touch of haunted house story and eerie lesbians.

sign here, claudia lux - one of the funniest books i’ve read in a LONG time. selling your soul to the devil is basically the same as working for capitalist organizations.

the child thief, gerald brom - HORRIFYING version of peter pan. brom always makes me utterly nauseous and i am ovsessed with him in every way.

the girls, emma cline - 60’s cult vibes, true crime, just a solid piece of literature.

angels before man, rafael nicolas - basically gay bible. 10/10.

silver under nightfall, rin chupeco - poly queer vampires. gritty gore. amazing world building. cannot WAIT for the sequel.

none shall sleep, ellie marney - me? enjoying crime fiction from someone other than karin slaughter or tana french? it IS, apparently, possible.

house of leaves, mark z danielewski - IT IS ABOUT! THE! SYMBOLISM! I WANT TO YELL.

[wheretheharekissesthefox]

The hand that feeds is the hand that's loved

Chapter 3: Nice to tea you (again)

Astarion's an aspiring lawyer, who's running from his past and suffers from a long list of food allergies. Gale's a former culinary prodigy, who's going through a nasty divorce and suffers from cooking fatigue. They meet in the snack aisle.

Trigger Waring (18+): Alternate Universe: Modern Setting, No Magic, No Vampire, No Wizard, Lawyer Astarion, Cook Gale, Astarion Has Food Allergies, Gale Is Depressed, Astarion Everything Is A Transaction Ancunin, Unnecessary Cooking And Food Details, This Is Basically A Culinary Show, Author Constantly Thinks About Food, Food As A Love Language, POV Gale, Angst, Emotional Rollercoaster, Feelings, Overthinking, PTSD, Slow Burn (but not too slow)

Read on AO3

Gale couldn't stop thinking about his conversation with Astarion. For the entire week, he mulled over the subjects they'd discussed, and he basically was in a state of shock, paralysed and unable to do anything else but lay in bed, staring at the ceiling and spiralling. Thankfully, the notification of the group chat 'Taters' pulled him out of his excessive overthinking.

Karlach Cliffgate: Hey, Dekarios, how about a stupid walk for your stupid mental health? Wyll, the boys & I are ready and on our way to the Heroes' Garden. Join us? Pretty please! <3

Gale Dekarios: Okay. I'll meet you by the Lhestyn statue as always in around 15 mins.

Karlach Cliffgate: That's the spirit! See you there!

Gale Dekarios: <3

It was a wonderful, warm spring late afternoon, and the air smelled of crocuses, witch hazels, lilies of the valley, and damp, cold soil. Blackbirds were singing in the trees, and sparrows were fighting over some bread crumbs. The sky was already painted in the tell-tale pastel colours of dusk: baby blue with a tinge of light yellow, and pink at the horizon. Springtime always came with a very specific vibe, an almost bodily sensation one could feel, like a shift in the air. Gale took a deep breath, willing himself into relaxation. There was no use in panicking about the court case and how his relationship with Mystra had come about. He trusted Astarion.

"Hey, soldier!"

Waving their hands wildly over their heads, Wyll and Karlach arrived with their respective dogs, Scratch and Owlbear. Karlach had named her Rottweiler after the monster in the horror movie Beak, while the White Swiss Shepherd had gotten his name from Wyll's childhood dog plushie.

Barking and waging their tails, the dogs danced around Gale, happily bumping their snouts into his hands and crotch. Laughing, the brunet kneeled down to pet them and kiss the top of their heads.

"Hello, boys, did you miss me, or just my cooking?"

"Probably both," grinned Karlach and literally swept Gale off his feet and into a crushing hug.

"Have mercy on me," wheezed the cook, wincing as his scars twinged and rubbed against the many metal buckles of Karlach's leather jacket.

"Right. Sorry, mate." The hulk of a woman put him back down. "I'm so happy to see you. It's been weeks!"

"Time flies," Gale replied, gingerly massaging his scars through the material of his coat. "I missed you too."

He side stepped the dogs to wrap his arms around Wyll.

"Well met. How are you? Tell us everything about that lawyer."

And so, Gale did. They sauntered across the park while he poured his heart out, and his friends listened non-judgmentally. Gale was so thankful to have them in his life.

"I'm glad you met this Ancunín guy," Karlach said, "but I looked him up online and couldn't find anything about him, except his name on the law firm website. No social media accounts, no information, no photos, no nothing. It's a bit suspicious, don't you think?"

"Karlach Samantha Cliffgate! Are you stalking my lawyer?" laughed Gale.

"Oy, old habits die hard. It was always part of my job to look people up and find information about them."

"Personally, I think it's very professional that Astarion doesn't use social media. I wouldn't trust a guy, who posts clubbing pictures while drunk, or thirst traps on the internet."

Karlach guffawed.

"Where he's right, he's right," chuckled Wyll.

"Anyway. – What I'm hearing is that the sexy lawyer can fuck Mystra up?" Karlach grinned, eyes glinting with glee.

"Well, he tries his best, yes," Gale smiled benignly.

"Ooh, someone has a crush!" hooted the bouncer, nudging her boyfriend without any subtlety.

"Yes, Gale. Tell us again about his 'sharp eyes', 'delicate features', and 'feline grace'," teased Wyll.

"Don't forget the 'silver curls'," added Karlach, grinning from ear to ear.

"Stop it. He's my lawyer."

"And he's very hot," Karlach nodded. "We know. So, how about you invite him for dinner? You're a praised chef, he has food allergies, et voilà. A match made in heaven."

"It's not that easy," Gale tried to reason, but it sounded weak to his own ears. "It would be very unprofessional of me to invite him for dinner, and maybe he's not into that anyway. I can't just show up on Monday and say – Oh, hello, Mister Ancunín!"

"Of course you can," snickered Karlach, bumping into Gale as he suddenly came to a stop.

"Hello, Mister Dekarios."

"Oh, shit..." The bouncer's eyes widened. "Is that...? Oh, shit!"

"It's always a pleasure to render people speechless with my appearance," smirked Astarion, and Gale felt like he was going to die of embarrassment.

"Mister Ancunín, these are my friends, Karlach Cliffgate and Wyll Ravengard."

"Ravengard? As in the son of Ulder Ravengard?" Astarion asked as he shook their hands.

"Yes, that's me," chuckled Wyll, bashfully. "Nice to make your acquaintance, Mister Ancunín. I heard a lot of good things about you."

"This is based on mutuality. Weren't you one of the driving forces behind the protests against modern slavery and organ trafficking at the Steel Watch Foundry?"

"I was, indeed."

"And Cliffgate... That name rings a bell too... Ah! Weren't you Enver Gortash's personal bodyguard, who'd been shot and attacked by a lynch mob during the protests?"

Karlach made a face, grumbling: "Unfortunately. I didn't know anything about all the illegal shit though. Gortash used me as a human shield and threw me under the bus!"

"I remember," said Astarion, looking thoughtful. "You ended up in the hospital with a bullet in your heart and third-degree burns all over your arms and upper body. You almost didn't make it."

Karlach hmm'd quietly.

"We met there, you know. In the hospital. We shared a room," Wyll chimed in.

"Ah, because of the –" Astarion tapping the skin underneath his right eye.

"The injury, yes," chuckled Wyll. "Nothing's more heroic than winning a battle against a black marketer and losing an eye in the process."

"Well, the prosthesis gives you a charming, roguish look," quipped the lawyer. "Nothing to sneeze at, darling."

Wyll laughed at that, boisterous and carefree, and Gale finally relaxed a tad.

"You know an awful lot about us," Karlach remarked, casually, and Gale kicked her in the shin. She didn't even flinch. How unfair.

"That comes with the territory. Plus, one of my former colleagues down in Baldur’s Gate handled that entire court case. Leon Onufrio. That's why I'm so familiar with it," Astarion explained.

"I see... So, what brings you to Waterdeep? Were you in need of a change of scenery like Wyll and I?"

“I was, yes,” revealed Astarion. “I was born and raised in Baldur’s Gate, but it always felt like I was stuck in a cage.”

“Are you happy here?” Karlach probed. “Wyll and I certainly are.”

“I am,” answered Astarion, smiling softly. “For the first time, I feel… free.”

The others nodded in understanding, and Gale wondered about the lawyer’s past. It sounded like an unhappy tale. Before an uncomfortable silence could befall them, Karlach continued talking.

"Any-doodle-poodle, we were juuust about to leave," she drawled, "aaand Gale plans to go to Ethel's Teahouse. Right?"

"Uhm..."

"Right. So, why don't you join him, Mister Ancunín? Wyll and I reeeally have to go. Have to feed the dogs and whatnot." Gale closed his eyes, cringing. He was so dead. "Okay, byyye. It was nice to meet you, Mister Ancunín. – Smell you later, Gale. Taters!"

Gale watched, mortified, how Karlach hastily dragged Wyll away, giggling hysterically. He sighed deeply.

"I'm sorry about that. She means well."

"I'm sure she does," replied Astarion, warmly. His sharp features were softened by an expression and a smile that were difficult to categorised. Gale took a deep breath and gathered his courage.

"Would you like to accompany me to Ethel's? They serve a vast variety of wonderful teas."

"Yes, why not? A hot beverage does wonders for cold hands," Astarion answered, and Gale's treacherous heart skipped a beat.

In comfortable silence, they briskly walked towards the café, which was located at the back end of the park. The small, round bungalow with a raised veranda stood between the city wall and two huge wheeping willow trees. It was decorated with dozens of terracotta pots, which were cradled by colourful macramé plant hangers. The smell of tea, baked goods, soil, and plants filled the cosy, wooden café and made everyone feel immediately at home.

"Mmh, what a cosy little spot," remarked Astarion as they entered. "I've never been here before."

"I usually come by to get a tea while on a walk," Gale explained. "That's fairly often, almost every day, because Karlach persuaded me to go on stupid mental walks."

"Stupid mental walks?" repeated Astarion amused, cocking his head questioningly.

"Yes," chuckled Gale. "'Go on a stupid walk for your stupid mental health', as she likes to put it. After everything that happened at Foundry, she went to therapy, and there, she heard about the daily walks for the first time. She got Owlbear to help her leave the house and manage the panic attacks. Then, Wyll followed her lead, and the rest is history. Now, they bully me into doing the same."

"Does it work? The walks I mean?" Astarion asked, seemingly interested.

"In a way," Gale admitted. "I still overthink everything and I'm still anxious about certain things, but the walks are... nice. It makes me appreciate the beauty around us again. I kind of lost that spark, together with my passion for cooking."

"Really? You don't like cooking anymore?" Astarion sounded shocked, and Gale sighed deeply.

"It's not like that. It's more like… You know what? Let's talk about this after ordering our drinks."

"Good idea," nodded the lawyer. "Are there any herbal teas on the menu? I cannot stomach real tea leaves."

"Really?"

"Mhm. No black, green, or white tea. Everything that comes from a tea plant's a no-go. Causes horrible stomach cramps."

"Is it the caffeine?"

"Probably. I can't do coffee either, not even decaf."

"Hah! That makes two of us!" exclaimed Gale. "Since the accident, my heart's a bit more delicate. Plus, I'm still on medication, which don't mix well with caffeine nor alcohol, so... that's that."

Astarion nodded in understanding.

"Their lavender tea's nice. It has a lovely floral note, and you can also order it as a Myratma Fog," Gale suggested, and Astarion smiled at him.

"Sounds interesting, but I can’t do dairy. So, I’ll just take pure lavender tea."

They ordered two cups, no milk, with sugar on the side. While their drinks were prepared, Gale and Astarion sat down at a free table.

"Mmh, the croissants look delicious," sighed the cook. "I'm going to order one. What about you, Mister Ancunín?"

"Apologies, but I must decline. I can't eat gluten nor dairy products – and a croissant contains both."

"Oh... celiac disease?"

"Unfortunately."

"I see... And lactose intolerance, I assume?”

“Not only that, but also milk protein allergy.”

“Fascinating.”

Astarion snorted and retorted: "Really?"

"Well, yes. It's, you know, practically part of my job," Gale said. "A good chef should be skilled enough to figure out allergen-free dishes for their customers."

"Is that so?" Astarion seemed amused. "And what would you, oh-so talented prodigy, serve me?"

"A potato dish, clearly," the brunet answered immediately, proud of himself for his quick thinking. "They're naturally gluten-free, they're versatile, and taste delicious."

Astarion smiled placidly.

"Well done, Mister Dekarios, but, unfortunately, it wouldn't work for me." Gale's face fell, he didn't understand. "I can't eat nightshades, they trigger migraines."

Ah. ... Oh. Gale quietly listed the nightshades in his head: potatoes, tomatoes, eggplants, bell peppers, chilies. Oh, boy.

"Well, that's unfortunate," he muttered. "So, it's not just the potato dishes, but also basically everything from the Southern coast cuisine. – Eastern cuisine then. Loads of rice, curries, fish, and seafood."

"Yes, but don't forget to keep away all the soy and sesame products, as well as lemon grass, cardamom, coriander, fish, and seafood."

"Oh..." Gale deflated in the chair, wracking his brain. "Northern kitchen then. Hearty stews and grilled meat?"

"The cuisine that literally reeks of onions and garlic? I don't think so, darling."

"Their steakhouses are legendary," remarked Gale, frantically.

"Yes, the steaks that are, oh oops, beef, and slathered in melted garlic butter. Nice try," snorted Astarion, leaning back in his chair with folded arms. There was a challenge in the way he stared at him, and Gale's biggest folly was to never say no to a challenge.

They were interrupted by Alfira, one of the staff members, who brought them their beverages, and Gale ordered a filled croissant while Astarion politely declined everything but his tea. Gale stirred some sugar into his drink and took a bite of his snack, which was layered with three different cheeses: Waterdhavian (mild hard cheese), Calmarr (soft, crumbly, flavoured with chives), Damarite Red (hearty, sharp goat cheese). The different flavours and textures of the cheeses blended well with the buttery flakiness of the croissant.

"I think I'd serve you Halruaan rice," Gale revealed. "I'd make my own yellow curry blend without coriander and cardamom. I'd soak the raisins in fig brandy for an additional flavour complexity before adding them to the white rice with the chopped dates. For the creaminess, I'd use a splash of coconut milk, and I'd garnish it with fresh rosemary."

For a moment, Astarion just stared at him, motionlessly and silently. Gale felt cornered, overthinking the choices of the ingredients. Did he make a mistake? Did he miss something?

"You're full of surprises, Mister Dekarios," the lawyer finally settled on. "You truly love cooking, don't you? The way you talk about it, the way your eyes light up, it's impossible to miss how passionate you are. I don't trust others with my meals. I had enough scaring experiences for a lifetime. So, there's not a single person whose food I'd eat, no matter how often they tell me that it's ‘safe’. But..." Astarion smiled at him softly. "I'd love to eat your version of Halruaan rice. You're the only one, I'd trust with my food, Mister Dekarios."

Gale felt like his heart was about to explode, and an immense feeling of pride, happiness, and admiration warmed his chest. Riding this high, he boldly asked: "If that's the case, may I invite you for dinner? It would be an honour and tremendous pleasure to cook for you."

Astarion seemed to ponder about the offer for a moment, then, he smiled again.

"That sounds wonderful, darling. I'd be free on next Friday."

"Perfect! That leaves me enough time to create a feast for you," beamed Gale, excited. "Could you send me a list of all your food allergies and food sensitivities, so that I'm aware of them and can avoid them?"

"Of course. I'll send it to you tonight or tomorrow," nodded Astarion.

"Great, thank you."

They got up from their chairs and left Ethel's Teahouse. It was already dark outside.

"Well then, I'm looking forward to our dinner meeting," spoke Astarion.

"Me too. I can hardly wait to demonstrate my culinary skills and invite you into my home."

Now, a little smirk appeared on Astarion's face and he stepped closer.

"It almost seems as if you're asking me on a date, Mister Dekarios."

Gale couldn't help, but get a little lost in those piercing, grey eyes.

"What if I am?" he replied, breathlessly, and the lawyer's smirk widened.

"Then..." Astarion moved closer, their noses almost touching, "I'd say that it's an honour and that I'm accepting the offer. After all –" His breath ghosted across Gale's face, and the latter felt the blood roaring in his ears, "– it would be rude to decline, especially since you'll create a special menu just for me."

"You're worth the effort," whispered Gale, gazing at the other man. He could smell Astarion's citrusy cologne, and the lavender tea on his breath. He wanted to taste it on his tongue too.

"I'm honoured," murmured the addressed. "You're so sweet."

Gale's breath hitched when Astarion leaned in, but before their lips connected, the lawyer kissed his cheek.

"I'll see you on Monday, Mister Dekarios," he whispered in his ear. Then, he turned around and walked away, leaving a rather confused Gale behind. The latter touched his cheek where Astarion had kissed him. Had he done something wrong? Did he have bad breath? Did Astarion try to keep it professional? No matter how hard Gale pondered on it, he didn't know the answer.

Gale Dekarios: If you, theoretically, schedule a date with someone and they lean in to kiss you, but then go for your cheek at the last minute, what's that supposed to mean?

Karlach Cliffgate: OMG!!! YOU GOT A FUCKING DATE WITH THE SEXY LAWYER!!! I TOLD YOU, HE'S TOTALLY INTO YOU!!!

Wyll Ravengard: I don't see the problem, sounds like a very sweet interaction. Maybe, he tried to remain professional?

Gale Dekarios: My thought exactly. Do you think he's just being polite? Maybe, I read too much into it and he isn't interested in me.

Karlach Cliffgate: Mate, he accepted your invitation and kissed you on the cheek. Baby steps to the grand finale!

Wyll Ravengard: I'm with Karlach on this one. It seems like he wants to take things slowly. Maybe, he's old-fashioned, who knows? He doesn't use social media either.

Karlach Cliffgate: So like one of those pagan hippies, who want to live ‘in harmony with nature’? Those Silvanus cult folks?

Gale Dekarios: You're not automatically in a cult just because you don't have social media accounts. I only have one because Mystra said it's good PR. Also, Halsin's one of those 'pagan hippies', and he's very lovely.

Karlach Cliffgate: Ugh, please don't talk about Bitchra! I like the lawyer much more! :D

Gale Dekarios: Thanks for your input, Karlach -_-

Wyll Ravengard: I think Astarion's just conflicted regarding the nature of your relationship. After all, he's your lawyer and he wants to be professional. You cannot risk another scandal, Gale, and he knows it. So, he's being a gentleman about it all. :)

Gale Dekarios: I think so too. Thanks for your help, folks. Love you, goodnight <3

Wyll Ravengard: No problem :) Love you too, goodnight <3

Karlach Cliffgate: Night, Gale <3

Karlach Cliffgate: Dirty dreams ;)