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azaani-art · 2 months

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YOU BETTER READ IT, BECAUSE I'M STILL MELTING

Amongst the Flowers

Going to Waterdeep with your beloved wizard might have sounded amazing at first but life there isn't like you imagined. You doubt your decision - until Gale has a huge surprise for you and sweeps you off your feet once more.

MASTERLIST | AO3

A/N: You might be surprised. This isn't the silly, little vampire you expected. True! I wrote this for a Valentine's gift exchange for my lovely friend @azaani-art <3 This is also very much inspired by Howl's Moving Castle - hope you enjoy! Ah, also big thanks to my homie @megs-98 for answering some questions about the nerdy wizard man. Some descriptions of his tower are inspired by this post from @melonsap.

Pairing: Gale/Fem!Tav (You) Warnings: none Wordcount: 5,1k

Life had been quiet since you had decided to take the step and go with your wizard to Waterdeep after everything in Baldur’s Gate had been dealt with.

It had been heavenly. A whole new city to discover, the breeze of the nearby sea always around your nose, seagulls loudly announcing their presence in the skies - and of course a new life together with your loved one. It felt like freedom. And it felt like home.

Gale’s tower had quickly revealed itself as an absolute dream home as well. From the astronomy observatory at the very top over your quickly newly decorated rooms, Gale’s huge library and study to the exquisitely equipped kitchen on the ground floor and even the wine cellar and his rarely used alchemy lab in the basement. You had spent the first couple of days in your new home simply exploring and wandering around while Gale had gotten to work to set up rooms for you.

There was something to find in each little corner of the tower, that was more of a huge townhouse really (but who was really talking about the details). Loads of delicate trinkets, impressive art works and heaps over stacks and mountains of books and foliants. Each had a long story of how it had gotten into Gale’s possession and an even longer history (both of which Gale loved telling you about if you asked - although it could easily mean being roped into an hour-long monologue - or more). The house was full of those stories, mysteries and little treasures that were almost begging to be found, wanting their story to be told. You loved that and could barely get enough of it.

These first few weeks after arriving in Waterdeep surely felt like a vision come true. The two of you spent all your time together. Gale did everything in his power to help you settle in. He took lots of time showing you around his town, leading you to his favourite places, watching you as your eyes filled with wonder as you beheld its miracles and wondersome, delightful nooks and crannies. It was obvious the wizard felt more than joyous that you enjoyed his hometown as much as he did.

And there was something about finally being allowed the simplicity of a mundane life. Yes, your adventures had been grand, something you’d always look back on. And maybe the circumstances under which you and Gale had met had made for a much more intense blaze being ignited between you. But this - this was also nice. Having the chance to really get to know each other. Sharing a cup of tea on the balcony together that overlooked the harbour of Waterdeep while waves gently sloshed against the foundation of the house in a steady rhythm. Having a tumble in the sheets whenever you pleased - until either of you were rendered speechless and utterly overwhelmed by the love and desire for each other.

But at some point it was time to get back into mundane daily life even more. Gale took on a professorship for illusion at the esteemed Blackwell Academy. The one he’d once gone to as a young promising pupil himself.

He made more than enough for a comfy living for the both of you and he truly didn’t mind being the one providing for you as well.

But unfortunately that meant that he was away almost the whole day, each day. Not even on the weekends was he spared from work. Then he was at home but still spent hours in his study, doing research, grading papers, and preparing lectures. He’d promised it wouldn’t always be this busy but that he needed to get back into the middle of things, build a reputation for himself so he’d be accepted in academia. But this far there had been no end in sight for his almost obsessive work ethic. Leaving you to fend for yourself in a city that suddenly didn’t feel as homey and welcoming anymore without your wizard at your side anymore.

You tried several times to go out by yourself, trying to make connections of your own and let the roots that Gale had helped you lightly settle in grow firmer and deeper now. But it had been hard and after a few unsuccessful attempts you hadn’t dared to venture out alone again to try and make new friends. You only went out now to run errands, or with Gale - which only rarely occurred anymore.

Sometimes you all this made you wonder if you had been merely another trinket that Gale had brought home to have it in a row with all of his other treasures and finds: doomed to sit in a corner and slowly collect dust, until someone would ever so kindly ask about your story and how you’d gotten into this certain wizard’s tower.

At least you had Tara and your little imp friend for company in this giant house that now so often felt like a weird unsettling mix of being crammed and uncomfortable desertedness all at once.

But not even Tara was around today and you didn’t even feel like summoning your familiar to have someone to spend time with. Gale, of course, was out too. Work. It was always work these days.

You’d resorted to sitting out on the balcony, reading something, sipping on a cup of tea. That’s how you were spending most of your days at the moment. There was nothing else to do really.

The day was already nearing its end, the sun sending out its golden light, shimmering on the ocean waves as it closed in on the horizon. You were sitting on the bench right next to the bannister with your arms draped over it and your head laid down on them. The book was discarded to the site now, you were simply staring wistfully into the sunset.

You wanted to be happy so badly. But this wasn’t how you had pictured your happily ever after. And as your eyes wandered you started asking yourself what would happen if something like the Nautiloid would soar over the skies again and snatch you up. If being thrown into another daring adventure wouldn’t be better than this.

But before you could sink even deeper into your spiral of thoughts you heard the soft pitter-patter of Tara’s paws on the wooden floors that you had come quite accustomed to in the time living here. You didn’t turn around to the tressym though, just kept staring at the setting sun.

Tara immediately noticed the bad mood the new lady of the house was in. She had observed it way too often in recent times. You worried her vastly. Gale had tasked her with keeping an eye on you - and that she did. That was also why she had repeatedly brought up her worries about you to Gale. Until he finally had listened.

The tressym jumped up onto the ledge with easy elegance, paws effortlessly balancing on the small bannister right next to you. Her fluffy tail was swishing as she beheld your melancholic mood.

“Mrs Dekarios,” she uttered and touched one of her paws lightly to one of your horns to get your attention. She had called you Mrs Dekarios from the first step on you had taken into this house. It didn’t matter to her that there wasn’t a ring on either of your fingers yet. For her you were firmly rooted in her and Gale’s life now. Which was why this was so important now.

“Mrs Dekarios,” she said again, tail flicking around. Still no reaction.

This called for more desperate measures.

“MRS DEKARIOS,” she yelled and swatted your head with her paw, making you yelp and sit back up in shock and just a tinge of pain.

“Tara, do you have to be like this?”

The tressym’s tail kept swishing around now, she cocked her head. “Apparently I do or else I won’t be listened to. Now,” she said and immediately continued to interrupt you already opening your mouth to protest, “Mr Dekarios sends me and wants you to follow me, please. I do have some instructions for you too.”

And with that she jumped off the balustrade and sauntered back into the tower.

You were surprised by this and felt some reluctance. First you were being left on your own most of the time and now you were to follow instructions? You didn’t particularly like this development of things, but you were willing to give Gale and Tara the benefit of the doubt.

“No dallying, Mrs Dekarios,” Tara urged as she looked back at you and you saw her whiskers softly shiver. She seemed quite excited.

Well, maybe this was going to be a good thing. One never knew.

You followed Tara to your rooms. There - to your surprise - you found a simple but nice dress laid out for you on the bed. A linen-coloured off-shoulder blouse top and a wide, deep red skirt. The colour matched your hair perfectly. Immediately a small smile stole onto your lips.

The tressym though left you not much time to admire the thing as she jumped up onto your bed next to it, dragging a backpack with her onto your sheets.

“Please put this on and pack some things, only the minimum you really need, please,” she explained. Then she carefully stepped around the dress to sit at the edge of the bed. “Please hurry and come meet me in the portal room once you’re done,” she continued and was already jumping off the bed again.

“Don’t forget to bring your packed things,” she shouted as she snuck out of the room. You rolled your eyes at that comment - she needn’t have specified.

Despite Tara’s urging you took a few moments longer to admire the dress. You noticed a small folded up piece of paper under it. When you opened it up you found a note scribbled in Gale’s messy cursive handwriting.

A small present for you. And a first small apology. I hope you’ll allow me the chance to give you another one.

The corner of your mouth curled up slightly in a somewhat hesitant smile. Obviously your wizard had finally noticed that the last couple of weeks had been less ideal for you - for what it was worth.

But when you read the note again and looked at your present once more you felt how your heartbeat started to quicken. You didn’t know what he meant with his last sentence: another apology? Another gift? Both? And why did you need to pack?

Oh, suddenly this felt like something was about to happen - something big, something good?

You decided to finally hurry just as Tara had instructed.

Packing was easy enough. There wasn’t much you considered essential, so you threw your few things into the backpack and then quickly undressed so you could put your new dress on.

A quick glance into the giant mirror you had leaning against one of the walls confirmed that you looked rather beautiful in it. You saw that smile on your face too as you spun in front of that mirror. Maybe all wasn’t lost yet.

You rushed to the portal room to meet Tara again who was already awaiting you. The way she held her head signalled to you that she wasn’t quite happy with how much time you had taken. But she made no comment nonetheless. Or she scrapped that idea as soon as she saw you running up the stairs with a grin on your lips. One like she hadn’t seen on you in quite a while now.

You stopped just in front of the tressym, barely coming to a stop in time. Suddenly with your bag slung over your shoulders and with some mystery from your beloved wizard awaiting you, you didn’t feel quite as sad anymore. Maybe this would be where things took a turn for the better.

“I’m here,” you exclaimed and looked down at Tara while you could suddenly barely keep still. Your hands were flexing at your sides. You wanted to get going. There was some adventure ahead you felt like. The kind you had been missing recently.

“Yes, you’re here. Contain yourself, Mrs Dekarios, please. I still have a few things to say before-”

“Am I supposed to use that portal?” you almost yelled at her.

A huge purple glowing portal was opened already, obviously waiting for you. It was crackling with enormous energy, the like you had only ever seen wielded by Gale. If it used that much of his power it must be powerful - and lead to somewhere far away.

You dropped your bag next to you and leaned towards it trying to make out something of the other side, but you could barely catch something.

Tara hissed at you and was already raising her paw, ready to swat you again. “Will you listen to me?” she snarled at you.

You leaned back, balancing on the balls of your feet now. Oh, this was exciting. You felt all giddy and impatient to get going. But you heeded the tressym’s words - for now.

“Be careful once you go through this portal, it might be a bit stormy. And Mr Dekarios would hate for you to just fall off a cliff,” Tara explained, a tad annoyed because she knew she already only had a fraction of your attention.

You promptly promised to be careful while hopping from one foot to the other, brimming with anticipation. There was barely an explanation for how you had felt so hopeless and down only like half an hour ago.

“Mr Dekarios is awaiting you on the other side and-” Tare continued but you couldn’t bear waiting anymore. Especially not since you now knew that you’d meet your lover on the other side - who quite obviously had something big planned.

“I’ll be careful,” you promised Tara again and took a confident step towards the portal. The next one would lead you through it. You continued on, hearing Tara scream behind you that you shouldn’t forget your packed things once more. But you barely heard her.

With the next step you crossed through and already began to see what lay on the other side as you crossed over: a wide open sky, lush green meadows, a mountain range.

You stepped through. Immediately your hair was whipped around you by forceful gusts of wind as were your skirts. You yelped and tried to not lose balance by the stormy gales blowing around you. The air was cold but immaculately fresh and filled your lungs immediately to the brim.

And when you finally got the wildly flying strands of red hair out of your face and took another step or two you could finally take in your surroundings: you were standing on top of a mountain it seemed, above you the brightest blue sky you had ever seen with some plush white clouds passing through. Birds were soaring through the skies above you and exclaiming loudly and happily their joy over the freedom they had in these immaculate skies.

Somewhere far far ahead you saw another mountain range, forming a ragged delineation between the skies and the lands. The highest rocky mountain tops were adorned with generous coatings of snow.

Immediately below you luscious green meadows defined the way down the mountain. Flowers were blooming here and there and everywhere, speckling the hillside with dots of colours all around. The wind was rushing through the meadows too, pulling the grasses with it and creating ripples running through them, turning it into a lively ocean of green. Far down below you could make out a few houses, probably a small village, with a few lazy swirls coming out their chimneys, those unaffected by the stormy breezes.

You took it all in. But just one moment by far wasn’t enough to grasp onto the beauty in front of you. Your eyes wandered over the flowers, then up to the brilliant sky again, then over the mountains - all while strands of your hair whipped around your face and the dress was fluttering around you. With each look you made out new details: a small stream splitting the mass of green below you, a group of white fluffy dots in the distance that must be a flock of sheep grazing, a small cottage not that far from you with a field of vibrant sunflowers behind it.

A grin had split your face as soon as you had stepped through the portal and with it a rush had gone through you and was still rising within you as you beheld the scene. All of a sudden you couldn’t stop yourself from starting to laugh gleefully and began to twirl around. Your arms thrown out as far as possible you began turning around yourself at breakneck speed that tried to challenge the winds for its speed and force. Your heart was hammering.

When had been the last time you had felt so alive?

And when you were out of breath, lungs burning, and you had to stop, you finally saw him. Gale, standing some distance below, taking in the scenery as well. He wasn’t wearing his usual formal robes he wore to work or even at home. He wore black pants and a flowy white shirt, rolled up to his elbows, that was tugged into them. You could see his brown hair flying in the breeze - not as viciously as your own hair was being toyed with by the gusts but more majestically flowing.

You yelled his name, grinning so much your face was hurting from it.

Whatever it was that your wizard had planned here - you were excited and intrigued. You immediately needed more of this.

Gale turned around and immediately spotted you. A light smile had been playing around his lips but when he saw you his whole face lit up. His back straightened a little more and the grin you still felt almost locking your jaw was quickly mirrored on the wizard’s face.

“Tav,” he screamed back, the wind ripping your name from his mouth as soon as it left his tongue and almost carrying it away on a breeze.

He turned around on his heels and threw out his arms towards you. The smile covering his face was making him look young and carefree - as if he’d never been anywhere else, never experienced a single worry in his life, no heartbreak ever felt. Your heart beat faster for it.

Your feet started moving even quicker than your mind reacted. You began racing down the hillside towards your partner. All that had bothered you and weighed down your heart the last couple of weeks was already falling off your chest. Each running step you took towards him made another piece of worry fall off of it until your heart was beating as freely as it once had.

When you threw yourself into his wide open arms you had all but forgotten how you had felt merely an hour ago.

Gale caught you as you took a leap at him, crashing into him, and used all of the strength he had to twirl you around. Laughing as you had only moments ago. You joined him in that until you had no breath left in your lungs.

And when he set you down with his arms still gently wrapped around your hips you stood on your tiptoes to press a soft kiss to his lips. You stayed like this for a long as his hand cupped your cheek and his thumb brushed gently over your skin.

“Hello my beloved Tav,” Gale finally said to you as you broke the kiss. His brown eyes glinted at you as he leaned his forehead to yours. “I’m so glad you could make it,” he teased lightly and pressed another quick peck to your lips.

But despite his sweet actions, his words suddenly stung a little.

You withdrew from him. “Well, I am not the one who is always busy,” you muttered and crossed your arms as you took a step back from your lover.

Guilt and hurt flashed over Gale’s face. Suddenly all the worries were back and all the years with it. “I know,” he replied. You saw that he felt as uneasy about this as did you. “Give me a chance to make it up to you, my dear?”

He offered you his hand, a slight, hesitant smile on his face again. And how could you resist? You loved him with your whole heart - you wanted to spend your whole life with him. So you took his hand and let yourself be led further down the mountain.

Somewhere in the middle in the ocean of grasses and flowers Gale had prepared a picnic for the two of you, apparently. A blanket and some pillows were laid out in between the grasses swaying and leaning with the wind gusts rushing through them. The breeze was much gentler down here though.

Gale had prepared all of your favourite things and more. He led you onto the blanket by your hand and then motioned you to sit down. And so you made to settle down in the sea of grasses as the wind whispered through them constantly.

You laid down comfily on the prepared pillows and watched as Gale sat down beside you. He offered you a drink and some fruit while you kept glancing around the beautiful scenery, just trying to imprint all this onto your brain.

For a long while the two of you sat in silence, simply throwing each other a few slight smiles as you knew that there was this thing standing between you and it needed to be dealt with.

“Tav, I know I haven’t been the best partner recently,” Gale began after a long time of sitting in silence with you.

You simply threw him a glance, not even daring to reply to that. It was quite obvious Gale had a whole speech planned, so you would just let him say his piece.

“I put way too much weight onto my work and forgot what actually mattered,” the wizard continued as he kept looking out at the landscape.”I wanted to provide the best possible life for you but I was blind. I took way too long to realise it and I assure you Tara has profusely scolded me for it,” he continued, throwing you a quick glance with a tired smile.

“I didn’t ask you what it was that you wanted and I know now how egotistical that was and I apologise profusely for that.” Your eyes were on Gale as you kept listening to his speech. The way he fiddled around with his hands told you how nervous he was.

“And I do have to apologise again, because I made another decision without asking you. But this time I am a lot more certain that it is in both of our best interest.”

Gale looked down and cleared his throat. You realised that all this took quite a lot out of him. And you also felt how much he was trying to right the wrongs, how he wanted to make it up to you.

“I was offered another position at Blackwell. They probably didn’t think I would take it because it is not paid as generously - but it does have a whole other charm to it,” he continued and carefully looked at you. If he thought that you were able to make something out of his mysterious ramblings, he was wrong. But you enjoyed just looking at him, as he lay there, pretty relaxed. Leaning back on one of his elbows, hands still slightly fidgeting with each other, one leg angled and the other splayed. His brown hair was still lightly hovering in the winds. His single earring glinted in the sunlight, as did his eyes whenever he looked at you. You were smitten with the realisation how beautiful he was once more. How it made your heart swell just to look at him.

“Gale, I cannot read your mind. You will have to tell me what it is you have done now before I can say if I can accept that apology or not,” you replied, knowing deep within yourself that you would forgive him no matter what. You felt an inevitable smile form on your lips. How could you be mad when you were in a place like this? And with your loved one at your side too?

Gale took in your smile and his eyes softened as he looked at you. The same went for him: how could someone be worried if he was here? Positively overwhelmed by the beauty surrounding him - and in front of him.

You could see some of the pressure ease off of him and a playful glint flashed through his eyes. He seemed much more certain now about what he meant to do.

“Tav, how would you like to live in this cottage over there?” Gale asked all of a sudden and pointed towards the small wooden house. You could see the tall yellow flowers you’d seen earlier.

“The one with the sunflowers?” you asked a bit helplessly - because there certainly was no over cottage around. “I think I’d like that - if this was always the view,” you continued and shrugged softly. You still weren’t entirely sure where this was all going.

“I planted those for you, you know?” the wizard said softly and looked at you with nothing but adoration on your face.

And as much as you loved him for that, you were getting irritated with how he kept talking and simply raised more and more questions.

“Gale, will you stop talking in riddles, please? And tell me what’s going on?” you begged him.

A bit of pressure took hold of the wizard again. But he straightened his spine nonetheless, cleared his throat and then took a final breath before it all burst out of him.

“The position I accepted is a full research position. It’s meant to find and explore local differences in spells throughout Faerun. We’d be in different places most of the time with shorter intermissions of staying in the tower in Waterdeep. But mostly it would mean staying in a place like this for a few months at a time, conducting research and then going to another place, rinse and repeat. We’d be together a lot more, I could always take you with me. I could use your help also - if you wanted to help me that is and-” he blabbered on until you held up your hand to stop the waterfall of words pouring from his mouth.

“I thought you already accepted the position. What is with the ‘woulds’ and ‘coulds’?” you interrupted him.

Worry flashed through Gale’s eyes. “I’ve made one decision already without asking you and just went with it, not once questioning if it was what you wanted. I’m not doing it again. If this is not what you want, I will find somethi-” he rambled up until you stood back up again curtly.

His eyes widened in shock. But before he could begin talking again you interrupted him again: “You are right, Gale, you’ve done those things and I wasn’t happy with how my life had become in Waterdeep. But I love you. I think I always will, no matter what. You apologised - I accept it. And yes, you rambly idiot, I will come with you, obviously! You’re not getting rid of me that easily!”

You almost talked yourself into a fit. The future Gale had painted for you sounded thrilling and enticing: travelling the world, always a new adventure around the corner and places like this one to explore. And most importantly: your wizard by your side.

You couldn’t imagine something better.

Gale in the meantime had slowly gotten up as well, anxiously listening to you speak, face slowly lighting up as he made sense of your words.

You still didn’t let him get a word in though. This was his punishment.

“The only thing I want to know now is who can be at that cottage faster,” you concluded and motioned towards the small house with your head. Gale blinked at you in confusion and opened his mouth. But you immediately raced off, starting to laugh and only once turning around to see Gale was stumbling to get after you.

You raced down through the flowers, your skirts flying around you as you jumped over a small stream and were quickly at the small house. Gale needed some time to catch up with you, complaining about his knees when he finally reached you. But you left him barely any time to keep up his complaints as you wandered through the small field of sunflowers, letting your hands reach out towards the big flower heads, fingers running over the soft flower petals. You felt joy fill your heart just at the sight of them.

Gale used the moments to fill you in on some more details about how things were supposed to be. He showed you around the cosy little cottage, all the while not taking his eyes off you for a single moment. Seeing how excited you were, how you nodded profusely at every new thing he explained made his chest swell with excitement and love. He knew now he’d made the right decision when he saw the vigour he’d missed seeing on your face come back to you with a passion.

Once he’d shown you your new temporary home, he led you back to the small spot he had prepared. He kept on explaining that you would have a few weeks to just settle in before his work would really start. Just time for the two of you. Gale could barely save himself from toppling over when you climbed onto him to smother him with kisses when you heard that.

Tara came by at some point, dragging your forgotten backpack with her and scolding you for being so forgetful. The tressym quickly calmed down again though when she saw how happy you both seemed. You fed each other with the drinks and snacks Gale had prepared until you felt almost sick. You made Gale twirl you around in the meadow again and you cartwheeled through the grasses while your wizard watched on in awe and stupor, mentioning how his knees could never.

You talked, you laughed, you kissed.

In short, you spent the rest of your day there, right between the grasses with your lover. Nothing but the sky above you and freedom in front of you.

You stayed there even when the sun had finally set and a bunch of lightning bugs and the moon were the sole source of light you had. And you snuggled up with Gale watching the lights around you reflect and giving everything new colours, painting a whole new exciting future for the two of you.

And you realised life didn’t feel so bad, right there, amongst the flowers.

Taglist (DM if you want to be added please): @spacebarbarianweird @sunfire-ancunin @tragedybunny @dependsonthedream @tallymonster @magazzne @micropoe10 @aoirohi @my-bunny-prince @lumienyx @fayeriess @darlingxdragon @hereliesblackdragon @ayselluna @ajokeformur-ray @i-cant-get-into-my-other-account @rikuyrk06 @marina-and-the-memes @somewhatclear

#azaani meows #bg3 gale #gale x tav #gale dekarios #gale of waterdeep #bg3

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