Work Text:
In all the plans they made—both tangible and imagined—leaving along was never in the cards. Gortash has had Teddy by his side almost constantly since they met, and now everything feels desolate. He had finally found a place, a truly happy place in this miserable and Godsforsaken life. He had Teddy and they were happy. Happiness was a concept that was foreign to him for so long.
Orin taunts him endlessly. She claims that Teddy is dead, and that she’s the new chosen but Gortash can’t believe that. She’s not strong enough to kill Teddy. She must be lying. She’s done something to him sure, but he’s not dead. One day, Teddy is going to walk back into his life and they will pick up where they left off, as if nothing happened.
But they do have work to do. The plan. The Absolute. As much as he wants to vanish into the Shadowlands, he can’t. He is Bane’s chosen.
Ketheric nods politely as they finish for the day. Gortash is planning to leave now, but he’s not sure how to make himself. Teddy won’t be waiting for him in Baldur’s Gate. It seems impossible. They were supposed to rule together. They were supposed to be the last people alive until Teddy finally killed him.
How could Teddy leave him? Teddy wouldn’t do that. Not willingly. No matter what, Teddy always comes home to him-- usually covered in blood and viscera-- but he always come home.
“Will you be able to manage this without your attack dog?” Thorm asks.
“I’m truly in no mood for this sort of thing,” Gortash replies, “And if you mention Teddy again I’ll kill you.”
“I seriously doubt it. I’m here to offer my condolences. I know what it’s like to lose someone you truly love.”
“I’m in no mood to hear another monologue about your dead wife Ketheric.”
Ketheric’s eyes narrow, “Careful tyrant.”
Gortash waves a hand dismissively. He can barely stand Ketheric on a good day. The only way he ever managed to get through meetings with the general was Teddy—Teddy’s hand on his knee, Teddy’s thigh pressed against his, Teddy’s never ending threats to gut Ketheric and every single person in Moonrise if he didn’t hurry up and get to the point. There was never a time he loved Teddy more than when he was threatening to kill someone.
“I’m surprised,” Ketheric says, throwing himself down upon his throne, “That Orin was able to kill your Theodore. I thought him to be smarter than her. Or at least stronger.”
Orin really had all but admitted to killing Teddy, though she refused to elaborate, instead spending her time turning into a doppelgänger of Teddy and reenacting various deaths while Gortash drank through the tower’s entire supply of alcohol. When he’d finally emerged from his stupor, Teddy was still gone, Orin only laughed at the knife he’d thrown at her, and it was time to go back to Baldur’s Gate—alone.
“He is—he was,” Gortash frowns. He can’t understand it. Teddy has never trusted Orin. He wouldn’t follow her blindly. Had she ambushed him? Had she set upon him with a dozen other people? How had she been able to get the upper hand?
He has a sickening idea that she used their relationship against Teddy. That their love for each other somehow got Teddy into trouble. She always made her frelings on the two of them quite known and Teddy always worried she’d go too far one day.
But Orin won’t tell and Gortash is too tired and far too busy to chase her down and torture the information out of her. She’d probably like it. He can’t understand how Orin and Teddy are both, fundamentally, the same. Perhaps it’s because Teddy comes—came—directly from Bhaal where are Orin’s lineage is…muddled. But he can’t stand Orin—he’s going to have to put up with her, certainly, but he’s not going to like it. But he loves Teddy. Loves him as easily as breathing.
And besides, if he sees her turn into Teddy one more time he is truly going to lose his mind and be as mad as Ketheric.
“I suppose you could always try to bring him back,” Ketheric says casually, as if necromancy is the logical and sane choice after a death.
“You would say that. I don’t even have a body.”
Would he consider necromancy? Thorm is a madman, that’s true, but is Gortash mad enough to try it? To have Teddy back? He’d nurse Teddy back from the brink of death personally if it meant just a little more time together. As pathetic as that is.
“I’m sure there wouldn’t be much of one after the Bhaalspawn had her way. They’re quite violent with their killings, if I recall.”
Gortash resists the urge to be sick at the idea. What was Teddy thinking about in those moments? Was it quick and painless? Or did she draw it out? Even now, is Teddy languishing between life and death somewhere? What can he do?
No he must be dead. Orin doesn’t leave behind loose ends. He just has to accept that.
In no world can he claim that Teddy was a good and noble person, taken too soon. That the Sword Coast was robbed of a great hero. Neither of them are good people.
But dammit he loves Teddy. And it’s not fair. It’s not fair that after everything, after all their promises to each other, that Orin could kill Teddy. That’s now how this was supposed to go. Why does everything go wrong?
“Keep your chin up. Do your work in the city. We’ll talk soon.”
*****
“I can’t shake the feeling that General Thorm knows me somehow,” Theodore says, arms crossed over his chest. He eyes the general from the back of the room. He peels an ax out of his chest and tosses it at the goblin’s feet, “That I know him.”
“Why would you know some mad old elf?” Astarion asks.
“Just a feeling,” Theodore shrugs, “Maybe I’m wrong.”
“Let’s get this over with,” Astarion replies, “I don’t want to linger here any longer than we have to.”
“I agree. We’ve got to figure out what’s keeping Thorm immortal.”