#which actually is pretty fucking frightening even if he's also slender and small and young-looking and pretty

[edoro]

Ngl I'm starting to feel like a nonzero amount of the fandom reaction towards Cazador, the general trend of "oh he actually isn't scary or intimidating at all, he's a whiny sniveling little bitch baby and it's embarrassing Astarion was so scared of him because of how non-threatening and laughable he is" is hmmm

maybe a bit based in the racist de-masculinization of Asian men and the way that they are often seen as impotent, weak, and incapable of being threatening?

#and i mean i don't disagree that he's a loser #or that his sneering line delivery isn't extremely punchable #HOWEVER #he also is... deeply cruel in a very targeted and personal way #a sadist who dresses it up in the guise of Family #obsessive about his victims and playthings #and hungry for even more power which he WILL use to hurt people #which actually is pretty fucking frightening even if he's also slender and small and young-looking and pretty #i do think some of it is intentional - his obsession with Astarion #his grasping for power and inflated sense of self-importance #his persistent charade of a family and how he uses terror to force his victims to go along with it #these are all very real aspects of abuse that are also bigtime Loser Behavior #and the fact that the person who has the power to hurt and control you is an insecure megalomaniacal self-obsessed loser is part of #the humiliation of this type of abuse #but i also just saw a 'scarier redesign' of cazador that was just straight up A White Man so you know.

[puddlns]

Not For Long

» TAGGING: Alexander Petrov and Elizabeth Babineaux » LOCATION: Astronomy Tower » THREAD: Alexander & Elizabeth meet for the first time after their betrothal is revealed. » NOTES: None in particular.

       She probably shouldn’t be as nervous as she was. It didn’t even make any sense; all they had to do was meet, perhaps talk a little, and part ways until they were supposed to be talking again, and God knew when that would be. Perhaps they wouldn’t even talk again until they were getting married; something Elizabeth was okay with as it meant more time to hopefully undo the arrangement and buy herself still some more time. She partially didn’t want to meet him because then that would make everything all too real… this was the beginning of the end. Just the same, she calmed herself pacing slowly, humming, and ultimately looking over the railing of the Astronomy tower. 

Why this location of all places? She didn’t know, but perhaps it was to soften the blow this all entailed. Her parents were perhaps obsessed with dumb, useless, shallow things, but they still cared for her, deep, deep down. And Elizabeth couldn’t deny it; the view from up there was nothing short of beautiful, and it was teeny tiny glimpse of hope and calm that numbed down her glow; still noticeable of course but not as strong as it was when it came to feeling nervous. He should be here any minute now unless he wanted to upset everyone involved and make it worse for the two of them, which she was heavily hoping he didn’t. 

Alex stood outside the Astronomy tower doors staring at the door knob. He could go up there. Do as his parents wanted him to (as per usual) or, he could walk away. And just say to hell with them, their traditions, and their money. Fuck them. That was after all what he was best at doing. Fuck it if she is pretty. He would prefer her to be ugly. Something to shove in their face later. Maybe... if he did go it would only to be to shove all the negatives of her in their faces. Curse them and the fact their fetus's that would be born would be nothing more than ugly likenesses of their late grandparents. Plus, what would this girl want with him? He was trash. He was all the negatives put together and that was how he liked it. She would try to change him. make him into something he wasn't. He wouldn't' take it. 

She would want to leave after knowing a guy like him couldn't be changed. She wouldn't love him. So, what was the point? He was better than that. Alex scanned the window size to the right of him. But, what if...he could surprise her. Scare her. Then she really wouldn't want him. He could fit through the window after all. His animagus wasn't that big. Closing his eyes he relaxed his shoulders as he could feel his body deforming taking shape of now what replaced his slender, tall frame was a King Vulture. A slender masculine bird with a white body, blue eyes, and black feathers. His feathers tattooed by the vial he wore around his neck. Like a red pendant in the center of the birds chest. He hopped on the window sill and took flight. Soar above he found a blonde head waiting at the top of the Astronomy Tower. He circled her. And as he did so, he realized, she was beautiful. He hated it. One less thing to curse his parents over. With a single smirk to himself, he flew closer circling above her head. Wanting to her the fright. And in doing so, he flew to the cobblestone tower stoney ground before showing his true form to her. A smug Alexander gleamed at the girl as his back leaned against the tower edge with his arms folded across his chest. What a pretty squeal.

 Elizabeth wasn't feeling very comfortable there after a few minutes, nervousness growing more and more as she remembered she wasn't as well acquainted with the school as she would've wanted to be. The sounds from the background were a lot more noticeable now that everything else was in relative silence with the time it was. More and more she felt like she was better off leaving, since the guy in question hadn't showed up and by now, she felt like he wouldn't at all. She sighed. So much for wanting to do things right as her parents expected. After all, she was doing this more out of love for her sisters than actually being happy about a betrothal. Who could ever be? She also had to admit the sudden sound of a huge vulture circling the tower was making her uneasy so, it was pretty pointless to remain there waiting for nothing. She turned on her feet, very decided to leave... at least she was, until said vulture flew around her, too close to her liking. Elizabeth let out a frightened shriek, soon tripping over her feet as she tried to get away and landing on her knees, scraping one in the process. She sat down, bending the affected knee to inspect the damage, before she heard and saw something else in front of her. The vulture was long gone, replaced by the figure of a young man. Was he the one she had been waiting for? "Was... was that you?"

Alex smirked with a huff as he elevator eyed the girl from bottom to top. She was pristine; just like the good little pureblood girl she appeared to be. “Obviously.” He rolled his eyes softly. She was apparently as pretty as she was dumb. “I assume you've never seen an animagi before. Intrigued?” Alex pushed off from the wall as he walked up to her taking her pretty little blonde curl in between his fingers letting the curl swirl with the twist of his finger. “I see my parents sadly did not disappoint.” He sighed stuffing his hands in his pockets with one fluid motion. “I didn't expect you to be so attractive.” He stated bluntly.

Elizabeth couldn’t believe this was her luck; bound to be married to someone with no tact, no cares, and apparently no manners either. Along with the blush appearing on her cheeks as it was implied she was dumb, a soft silvery glow framed her figure as she looked away from him momentarily. “I have seen one before, but not in the same circumstances.” She got up slowly, minding the scraped, somewhat bleeding knee and looking up at him when he twirled one of her blonde curls around his finger, and out of instinct, she pulled away. She had partially thought her veela heritage would soften him to her to a degree but that hadn’t been the case. Maybe yours did not disappoint, but mine sure did. She lamented in silence. “Maman is a full veela.” She explained simply, staring down at her feet.

Alex’s eyebrows flickered upward in curiosity. Ah. veela. There was something he could use against them. As she lowered her head to the ground Alex observed her mannerism. She was so small. She bunched together. Like a bug trying to take up as little space as possible. “Mmh. I see. How sweet.” His voice seemingly monotoned, dripping with a vague hint of a sneer. “And, how do you feel about that gorgeous?” He liked the way she pulled away from. Basked in the effect he had on her. “Here my mother is a snake. Sadly, no cool silver glows come with her abilities.” He peered down at her knee noticing the slight him of iron in the air. As he removed his wand from his robes and a single flick of his wand her knee cleaned up and sealed. “Can't have you looking nothing but perfect.” He yawned softly placing his wand back in his robes and leaning back against the wall gazing over her features once more with a curious gleam.

Elizabeth: If this was just about her she would’ve dropped the nerves the minute he continued to talk to her as though it was nothing but a burden, she would’ve let her temperament seep through instead of staring at her feet... but sadly, it wasn’t. Her sisters mattered the world to her even if to their parents they were nothing short of inconvenient, and if helping them meant having to give into a marriage devoid of love or respect then... so be it. “How do I feel about what? Maman? It is what it is, I suppose, and I am what I am, whether I like it or not.” She argued in a soft tone of voice, one of her hands settling on the rail at the edge of the tower, looking at the view, seeking some consolation in it before she effectively exploded. “You are allowed to think what you want of your parents.” At least now he acknowledged she’d gotten hurt, but didn’t apologize; something that irked her but decided not to mention. “I do not think I have to ask if you dread this deal. It is obvious by now that you do, Monsieur.”

Alex glossed over her features. It was with surprise to him that with such beauty she would be more confident. A strong head held high not gazing down at her feet. As her silver hue lightened he could barely feel the tingle she gave him but it could have been more if he let it. He had over the years learnt to switch off his humanity in a way. Maybe it was his own fault though how he loved to blame his parents. Granted, most of his “problems” were theirs to blame. After spending so long away from a social hand to hold he had learnt that the only one he could depend on was himself. He didn't need anyone else. At least, that was what he thought. “No. I never said that. If anything, your mannerisms say you'd prefer a different mate than I. You don't know me gorgeous. I could be riveting with excitement at the thought of marriage.”

Elizabeth only remained in her otherwise timid position for a few more seconds before looking up at him. So far she detested him with all of her might and something told him he didn’t want anything else from her. As though he could rid himself of her if he bothered her enough. Too bad for him, Elizabeth was far more dutiful than that. Duty for her sisters more than that she probably owed her parents. She inhaled, readying herself for everything that was about to seep through, fearing his reaction as much as she desired to see it. “I would prefer not having to marry at all. The lack of a decent mate is just an inconvenience on top of the first. My name is Elizabeth, not gorgeous. And I quite frankly do not care how you do or do not feel about this. If there is no way for you to undo this, do not count on me to break it off. It is final.” She swallowed after ending her last sentence, gave him another look, and walked past him, decided to leave the tower before she said anything to make things worse.

Alex watched quietly as a smug appeared on his features. Looks like there was some fight in her after all. As she approached the tower door Alex pushed off the wall, “And just like that. Poof. You don't like me. So easy when you know nothing about someone. Nice to meet you Elizabeth.” And with that he transfigured back into his comfortable state, jumping up on the pikes of the castle barrier looking back once more at her as a sad, sullen face took over his animal like appearance. With a sobbing caw he took flight towards the lake. No one would could love him so, why even try.

#C: Elizabeth B #W: Alexander