Chapter Text
The baking warmth of light on his cheeks was the first thing that came to Durge’s awareness after a tiresome long rest. He lied there, on his back, delirious from sleep, unwilling to woke up, and cursed the forever fine weather with a strange sensation that this was something he’d done before. Before the memory loss. Before the Nautiloid. Before everything went out of control, only to be saved at the last minute. The foamless sea, clear sky, and the sun hovering above, they bored him out easily in old times. They bored him still, the ghost of his past haunting behind the chaos that had been his mind, most of which he had come to remember. He remembered Baldur’s Gate like this. Radiant sunlight washed over busy streets. Innocent people blissfully went about their daily life, completely ignorant of the danger lurking beneath. Waterdeep was of a different kind though. In spring heavy rain fell from noon to midnight, leaving the city engulfed in thick fog for the rest of the day. Mrs Dekarios once said that Gale would locked himself inside his room for weeks, deeply immersed in art of all forms, and magic, to the point she couldn’t help but worried whether he was feeding himself alright. And Durge had smiled at the notion, that Gale had always been the nerdy wizard they’d known for their little journey together, so often lost in his own private universe. If you got to know him well enough, he might just be willing to share it with you.
Gale of Waterdeep, lost in the endless worlds out there, never to come back home again.
It was a glorious fight with the Netherbrain and they had almost managed to take it down. Almost. Should they give their life on the battlefield, all the bards in Sword Coast would promptly compose stacks of epic songs about the champions’ heroic death and sing until their lungs give out. Volo for one was quite satisfied with his dragony dream-come-true, although later Elminster warned him on writing anything about the orb. Mystra was clearly not to share her love life with mortals alike.
Nobody had seen how it happened. The explosion was exceptionally brief and the crash landing after it was spectacular. It was said that the wizard would be taken back to the weave by his goddess, his companions transferred to safety, the monster brain defeated along with thousands of its minions and all was well ended not as bad as it could have. Gale of Waterdeep, savior of Baldur’s Gate, memorized by love ones and friends. A heart-wrenching bed-time story for the kids. Lessons to be learnt about love, justice, wisdom and bravery.
It was not enough.
Durge groaned and opened his eyes.
*
“Thank god you’re awake. We thought you’re dead!”
“What the…Astarion?” Durge stared at the elf sitting next to him. He didn’t remember seeing the vampire spawn for the last six months, not once, not even close.
“I do possess a rather striking feature to behold, thank you. Maybe too much for one to wake up to. I suppose it is understandable in your case, since you and Gale snuggle around every night nowadays. Don’t say that you didn’t. We all have ears you know.”
Durge blinked, and then blinked again. “You…you’re walking in sunlight again.”
“Of course I am.” The spawn rolled his eyes. “What with the worm in my head? And all? Don’t tell me you've lost your memory! Now is really not a good time.”
“The tadpole. It’s still a thing?” Durge said unbelievably. “I thought the brain was demolished.”
“In your dream darling.” Astarion’s expression went from exasperation to pity, “No need to fuss. It happens to the best of us. The terror of growing out tentacles is slowly driving everybody insane.”
“You’re not wearing the cape either.” Durge observed, in an attempt to distract himself from the current situation, about which he most definitely had no clue whatsoever.
“Oh, so we’re just making things up now.” Astarion quirked an eyebrow.
“But you’re a rogue right? The cloak is supposed to make you invisible after lethal attack so that you gain advantage to do stealth more. Try it. Comes in real handy.”
Astarion fell silent for a moment.
“Gale, would you please come and have a look at your boyfriend?” He turned back to Durge and said, “I honestly don’t know what you’re talking about. Dude, I’m a monk now.”