Astalor, and then KAEL happens, a beautiful, bright ball of sunshine, and he drags Rommath into a life full of adventures, and he's such a force of nature that Rom can't help but be swept off his feet by him. Kael softens him, and once Kael is gone, Rommath hardens again without the sun to melt him.

I love writing and thinking about young Rommath, as I envision him as a project Kael picked up: brilliantly intelligent and impeccably-mannered, but severely hampered by his own expectations (and in my fics those of his father) and his impatience with those who don't interest him, i.e. everyone but

I like to imagine that a young Kael could cajole him into being at least a little in the festive spirit :') Particularly the first time they drink champagne and Rom gets a bit blushy and flustered because he loves Kael but NO ONE CAN KNOW but oh no he can't stop gazing at him

I think about it every day, and what we could have had. 😭 I'll never forgive Blizzard for what they did to Kael in TBC and then again in Shadowlands. And I just want more Rom and Kael interaction, the opportunity for angst while Kael slid into madness would have been delicious :<

Hellooooo! It's lovely to see you! <333 Omg, you're making me blush! I'm halfway through the next chapter of Impossible, and it will hopefully be worth the wait >:3

Crying over Rommath casually pouring wine down his robe

(I have been told I've converted people who never thought they'd like the trope though >:3)

In my longfic poor Astalor quietly stews for hundreds of years over why Rommath doesn't want him while Kael doesn't want Rommath, and I feel so sorry for him. It's A/B/O though, with Rommath as a secret omega, so your mileage may vary GREATLY lol.

man in BotHB, with his basement and creepily named cat (iconic though). I do wonder if he had a falling out with Rommath at some point -- did you ever see the now removed TBC blood knight quest where Astalor says Rommath's been ignoring their cries for supplies? It doesn't sound like Rommath!

Rubbing my filthy hands in glee over that one way triangle, poor Astalor! No wonder he goes Weird later, I too would hang out in dubious basements if Rommath rejected me. I *live* for the belf drama. I'm so glad for your Astalor backstory fic, because he's come a LONG way from the softspoken young

out to Kael because Rom's too obsessed. Belo'vir/Rom is in the kinktober closet. I don't think Lor/Rom is as popular anymore because Thalyssra is lovely, but I shipped it before she existed and I still love the dynamic of Rommath finding another leader to believe in :')

Every ship I have for Rommath assumes that he was in love with Kael (requited or not) and is haunted by it. Every ship is either pre- or post-Kael, unless it IS Kael. I'm a huge sucker for young and happy Kael/Rom that leads into disaster. 😭 And messy Kael/Rom/Astalor where Astalor usually loses

The whole point of Kael/Rom is the sheer and utter torment and grief that comes with it. If you're not sobbing into your pillow you're not doing it right 😭 Even with happy fics you know the EVENT is coming and Rom will never be the same

> motivated by guilt for his former loyal support of Kael’thas, and the dangerous magic he sanctioned in his early years as grand magister, so he sort of over-corrected and became paranoid in his need to stop further harm, but that’s mostly headcanon)

(Former Rommath when asked about Kael’thas) :

unrelated but the comment about kael'thas always wearing red and gold is so funny to me because it implies he just immediately jumped on the tragedy of the fall as an excuse to make everybody wear his fave colors. iconic of him tbh

Illidan’s first interaction with Kael’thas is watching him be so earnest to help that he fucked up Maiev’s entire scheme to get him killed and he’s like. Awesome. I’m going to trick that guy into giving me his army

Thank you for the meal! 🙏 I've had monk Rommath on the 'never going to write pile' for years, because my energy's better directed anywhere but 'Catholic guilt monk Rommath flagellating himself for lusting after Kael'thas', so I'm glad there's a T-rated version where Rom is happy :')