Thanks, OP - after I had Savil say that Van was suffering from magical pain, Krebain then had to do some magical damage. Yep, I've always been hung up on that canon comment about power theft and rape - it's not just that Van considers power theft to mean rape, but that his framework is that rape means loss of self, which obv has a lot of resonance later on. (I also want to know where he'd picked up that impression and unfortunately my headcanon is 'by being an Empath while serving in the Karsite border war').

ahhahaaha after reading the Van/Leareth fic further down I needed more Van hair-pulling! I'm super glad this is still working for you. FWIW I think Krebain is going to get crueller next time, as he has what he wants now so I think the honeymoon period for this couple is over.