Chapter Text
One whole year in the burning furnace of the first layer of hell. That’s how long after their struggle against the Netherbrain it took Tav and Karlach to get their hands on the blueprint to fix her heart, to carve a path of blood, fire and anything else that pours from a devil after you kill it. All to reach the components, materials and a mechanic capable of helping them. Then, finally after so long, so much fighting, so much death and struggle, Tav was at last able to cast the spell to open the portal back to the material plane. They stumble through, coming out onto the same beach that the nautiloid had crashed onto a year prior, Zariel’s horde hot on their heels. Tattered armor clings to them, singed clothes smoldering with what both hope to be last time they smell the sulfurous pools and brimstone.
Tav spins on her heels, shuttering the portal behind them before so much as an imp can scamper through. Chittering cries and an angry roar of a distant archdevil the only things to follow them. Their feet squish in the warm, loose sand as they stumble for a few moments, disbelief that they were finally out, finally done the only things swirling in their minds. With the last wink of the portal’s pinkish light, Tav fell back, plopping down into the sand as Karlach did something similar but on her knees. There were a few moments of heavy silence, the only sounds the gentle splashing of the waves hitting the shores and irritated cries of startled sea birds.
It didn’t last long, soon enough Karlach shattered the peace like glass. “RAAAAAAAAGHHH!! WE FUCKING DID IT! EVERY DEVIL IN THE HELLS, EVERY SCHEME THAT BITCH TRIED COULDN’T STOP US, AND NOW WE’RE FUCKING BACK !” Her screams echoed off the rocks and out over the water, ringing in Tav’s ears as she bragged to the whole plane of their feat. She let it echo and drift, hanging in the air, sinking in. She turned to look at Tav, a look in her eyes the other woman had seen precious few times, the quiver in her voice making clear just how much she was teetering on the brink of tears.
“We’re fucking back .”
Tav reached over and rested her hand on her’s. “And we’re here to stay, love. Nothing will ever take you away from me, or me from you ever again.”
Karlach sniffled, barely keeping it together. “Do you promise? I’m so tired. Tired of running, of burning, of sleeping with one eye open.” She took Tav’s hand in her’s and brought it up to her face, relishing in the contact as fingers dragged across her cheek. “Of only chance moments, stolen when we can and never for long.”
Tav smiled, gentle as her fingers traced the well healed scars on her face. “I promise, love.”
Karlach reached over to her love, Tav leaning into the contact. She always loved how rough and warm her hands were, like sandpaper that had been left in the sun, but with her always gentle, and loved just as much when she used them roughly. Right now though, she used it to pull them in, locking lips. A constant battle for survival in the hells leaves little time for such moments, the first kiss they’d shared in nearly a month.
They separate after some time, resting their foreheads together, their horns lightly knocking each other, making them smile. Karlach wiped away her own tears. “Can we go home now?”
Tav smiled a little wider, pecking her partner’s lips one more time. “Home for me is wherever you are, dear. But yes, let’s go find a place to sleep, then I’ll take us to Baldur’s Gate. I’m afraid getting us out of Avernus took the last of my juice.”
Karlach huffed a shaky laugh. “I’m not sure which of us is more tired. Last time we were here, we didn’t sleep a wink. I hope you won’t hold it against me if we actually get some sleep this time.”
“Only if you promise to hold me against you all night long.”
“Soldier, you’ll be lucky if I stop holding on to you long enough for either of us to make camp.”
“Then let’s go. Where we once camped isn’t far, nor is where we met by that creek. Plenty of places to rest a night before finding our place in Baldur’s Gate.”