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karniss-bg3 · 9 months

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Writing prompt! I'm a sucker for hurt/comfort. Can we please get something where tav takes care of a sick kar'niss? Maybe he's avoidant of the problem, or he's a big softie when he's being cared for (or both). Thank you!

A/N: I decided to go with an alternate timeline for this one to switch it up. This takes place before Kar’niss is snapped up by the Absolute and he’s still wandering the Underdark. He also sustains more dire injuries so a content warning for blood and pain will be applied here. I may write a part two if interest is high enough.

[AO3 Mirror]

***

The scent of fungi and moss permeated through the walls of the enclosed network of caves. Stagnant air hung heavy and applied pressure onto the wandering explorer the deeper they ventured downward. With a lit torch in hand and a survival pack strapped to their back they were determined to see their given mission through. While they were no stranger to tales of the Underdark; this was their first official excursion down into the unknown. The echoes of their careful footsteps were their only company and they had to steady their breathing to fight the looming dread that followed them the more they advanced. If they were caught by one of the many drow scouts they knew their fate wouldn’t be kind.

As they reached the end of a long, rocky corridor they noticed a faint light filtering in from the wide opening at the end of the winding pathway. Cerulean in tint and dim in intensity the light spread along the rim of the rounded cavity and diffused over the ground. Its luminescence was inviting in some ways, calm and alluring, which encouraged Tav to approach. They inched their way to the edge and cautiously peered inside to assess the next cavern ahead.

Their eyes widened when greeted with a room full of glittering crystals varying in shape and size. Some clustered together to fashion towering structures throughout the space while others grew down from the ceiling, forming jagged stalactites. All of them gave off a light that filtered throughout the cavern and granted Tav some much needed visual aid. They were stunned by the beauty of it all, dazzled in every sense of the word. As they were about to step into the grotto for a better look, a harrowing sound rang out and echoed into their ears. It was a pained growl, almost inhuman in pitch, followed by a crackling trill that made the finer hairs on their body stand on end. Tav jerked back into the mouth of the cave startled and concerned. Was the source of the sound some sort of vile beast? They unsheathed their short sword in preparation of such an encounter, their grasp tight around the hilt as they steeled their resolve.

They extinguished their torch now that light was more readily available, setting the item aside. Tav sucked in a deep breath and willed themselves to creep through the opening and into the room. They crouched and eased their way across the rough surface beneath their boots. Their ears pricked in response to steady thrums of pained croaking coming from somewhere deeper in the recess. This was followed by the sounds of something stamping and scraping against the ground. However, neither sound seemed to be getting closer to them or even moving at all, entirely stationary. They stopped at one of the larger crystals and used it to hide. Once they found the courage to do so Tav would lean over and peek around the wide base of the glittering tower to look in the direction the sounds came from. What their vision discovered was the last thing they ever expected.

Across the cavern they spotted a large figure huddled by a wall. It took a moment for Tav’s eyes to adjust in the darkness soon realizing that they’d found the source of the noise. Their eyes trained on the thin, pointed legs to start, eight in total. They dug into the ground and pulled at the surface in a vain attempt at movement but were ultimately stuck in place. Their vision followed the legs which were attached to an arachnid body complete with a bulbous abdomen. What was more peculiar was the humanoid torso that appeared crudely glued to the front of the body. It didn’t take long for Tav to discern that they were looking at a drider, one of the Underdark’s most notorious denizens.

As their gaze lifted they spotted the source of the beasts distress. One of the many jagged crystals on the ceiling must’ve come loose and fell on the unsuspecting creature, spearing it through the sensitive flesh that connected one half of their body to the other and piercing the ground beneath. A pool of darkened blood had formed underneath the drider but mercifully the crystalline spike acted as a make-shift plug to prevent him from bleeding out completely. Tav also noticed that the spike was pressed against the back of the humanoid torso which prevented him from turning to grab at the obstacle, effectively locking him in place. The drider appeared exhausted, likely struggling for sometime against the heavy object. His long white hair was frayed and slick with sweat, his skin a sickly pale hue which stood out against the dark chitin over his arms and neck. He opened his mouth and cried out, the sound monstrous and wild. Tav frowned at the sight of it all and found they felt a measure of pity for the trapped creature. They also noticed that despite it’s pained cries no one emerged from the darkness to offer assistance. Was he all alone?

Tav knew they had a choice to make. Driders were dangerous and often times unpredictable. If they aided him would he turn and attack? Or maybe this creature was solo and could offer help navigating the hostile cave system but even Tav knew that was a long shot. They scratched their neck in contemplation before their train of thought was interrupted by further trills of agony nearby. They couldn’t leave him like this, it simply wasn’t right. So against their better judgment they stood and wandered around their hiding place to make their approach.

The drider, although low on energy, was still very alert. As soon as he heard footsteps his head snapped upright and reddish-orange pearls locked onto the intruder. Adrenaline gave the beast a burst of energy and his legs frantically scrambled in place, kicking up dirt and rocks while digging deeper trenches into the earth. Such abrupt movement caused the spike to dig deeper into his flesh causing lines of red to run down the illuminated surface. He hissed and snarled at the approaching stranger, baring his fangs and lifting his two foremost legs in an aggressive stance. Tav stopped mid-stride, sheathing their sword and holding up both hands in an effort to deescalate the situation.

“Hey, shhh...I’m not going to hurt you. If you move much more you’ll break your body in two,” Tav hissed.

“Intruder, interloper, surface swine!” The drider snarled. His sharp fingers curled and the muscles in his arms visibly tensed. “Get out, GET OUT! You are not—welcome here!” He sounded out of breath, every word labored by ragged exhales of air.

Tav frowned. They expected to be met with aggression but this was something else altogether. “Do you wish to be left to die?”

“I will be freed, my brethren will come, they will release me. Stay away!”

“Then where are they?” Tav asked. “Your cries echo, surely they would’ve heard you by now.”

This question made the drider pause, his many eyes averting from the stranger. His legs clicked at the ground but he offered nothing in response. The silence caused Tav to squint, skeptical of his claims.

“How long have you been stuck like this?”

His upper lip curled as if the question offended him. His pedipalps raised and curled in response to his own pulsing anxiety. The silence was deafening and offered more information than the drider may have realized. Tav also spotted something in his eyes that drider weren’t known for—fear. For as puffed up and angry as he appeared to be the concern for his own well-being outshone the flash of fangs and claws. Tav took another cautious step forward, keeping their hands elevated to show they meant no harm.

“I have no interest in slaying you, drider. I’ve not come to the Underdark to spill blood or increase my body count. I’m a humble explorer in search of items specific to this region, nothing more.” They took in a deep breath while inching ever closer to the injured abomination. “Help will not come for you. I am your best chance of walking out of this cavern alive. If you promise not to attack me I will remove the crystalline spear holding you in place.”

His many eyes narrowed in response to their offer. His legs dug into the ground once more, pushing into the sturdy earth in a vain effort to lift himself up. He struggled and strained before hissing in frustration. His energy and will were drained dry and whether he liked to admit it or not he didn’t know how much longer he could survive like this. He collapsed in place and hung his head in shame. His lips quivered while his expression went on a visual journey; from anger to sorrow, anguish and contemplation, ending on stubborn acceptance.

“I do not require your aid, surface dweller. But if it is safe passage you want then it will be granted should you—do this,” he said.

“Very well. Hold still,” Tav said.

They clapped and rubbed their hands together while side stepping to get a better view of the obstacle. It had well and truly bore straight through his middle and dug into the ground below but all was not lost. Tav began to concentrate and conjured arcane energy that flowed down their arms and crackled at their fingertips. They threw their arms forward and pointed their palms in the direction of the crystal spear. The object was bathed in the same white light that flickered over their digits causing it to tremble and quake.

“Levitas!” Tav cried out, their voice reverberating.

The incantation sparked the magic into action. The heavy shard gradually begun to lift, dislodging itself from the dirt and peeling itself from the pinned creature. He whined and cried out in pain, finding the removal more agonizing than the initial puncture. Tav struggled to lift it even with the aid of magic, the object comically heavy, but they would not yield. Sweat began to bead over their forehead while their hands raised to guide the shard up until it was fully plucked free. Residual blood splattered onto the ground and oozed from the open wound staining the ground crimson and making the area slick. Once Tav knew he was free they’d fling their arms to the side effectively tossing the crystal across the cave where it landed with a heavy thud on the ground. Tav panted and dropped to one knee feeling drained by the ordeal.

The moment he was freed the drider staggered forward, freedom of movement returned to him. But his steps were uneven and wobbled. The pain radiating from his injury burned like no other and he couldn’t do anything about it. His back legs tried to curl and caress the spot yet couldn’t reach and the same was true of his arms, this area of his body being the most inaccessible to any of his limbs. The pained trilling returned in force while the drider pranced back and forth nearly tripping over himself thanks to the over-stimulation.

“D-Don’t move, your wound is very fra-fragile,” Tav hissed, out of breath.

He either didn’t hear Tav or chose to ignore their helpful advice. Instead, he shoved the side of his body against the bumpy surface of the cave wall. He rubbed his form up and down against the uneven nodules in search of relief as his legs stomped below him in irritation. He clapped one of his palms against the wall and used his claws to scrape against the surface trying to let out all of that pent up energy. All the while the open wound was still leaking precious life essence which the drider left a trail of any direction he went. Tav winced at the display and quickly removed their survival pack. They plopped it on the ground and rooted around the many pockets in search of first aid supplies. They gathered what was needed and wandered over to the distressed creature.

“Stop that, it’s going to get infected. Let me help—“

“Leave me! Our bar..bargain is finished!” he snarled. The drider used his back leg to shove Tav in the chest, forcefully pushing them away. They staggered backward but managed to catch themselves before they could fall over.

Tav blinked then scowled. They marched up to the tenacious beast and made eye-contact, or as best as they could from their shorter position. “I’ve worked with bratty children, arrogant aristocrats and narcissistic politicians. If you think your barking is worse than theirs then you’re sorely mistaken. Now hold still, damn it!”

The sharp statement was enough to give him pause, both from surprise and confusion. Most adventurers who wandered in from the upper world were terrified of driders. Abominations, they called them, twisted freaks unworthy of consideration or care. Not only did this beast find Tav’s insistence unusual but their courage to chide him in such a way was unheard of. His face twisted and his chest rose and fell in a series of quick breaths. The throbbing ache that pulsed in the center of his body was nearly unbearable and he began to realize that he had little choice in the matter. Either he acquiesced or he perished. He growled under his breath and lowered himself to the ground while his limbs twitched and quivered from the pain.

“Good, that’s better,” Tav said. “My healing magic isn’t strong but I can at least close the wound so you don’t bleed to death. The rest of the recovery will be up to you. Try to remain still, this may sting a little.”

They knelt down at his side and examined the wound. The hole was perfectly round and smooth with minimal tearing to the flesh inside. The drider was lucky the shard didn’t strike a bit more to the back or the front of him as he’d likely have died within minutes. They hovered their palms above the puncture and took to concentrating once more. Warmth radiated from their skin and filtered down onto the injury. It spread over the surface and latched onto the torn flesh and chitin to start the process of weaving the section anew. The drider winced and grit his teeth, heaving hissed breaths through his clenched fangs. He slammed his claws into the wall to scratch at the surface which dislodged flecks of stone under the pressure. Severed tissue began to stitch itself together within the fleshy chasm. Bloody tendrils stretched and connected together to weave themselves back into place while shattered chitin regrew over the puncture, sealing it closed. The area was still pink and tender in places, not fully healed but enough to prevent further blood loss. Tav exhaled and used the back of their hand to sweep away beads of sweat which had collected on their forehead.

“Mmh, that takes care of the worst of it.” Tav leaned back and looked up at the drider. “Do you...have a name?”

The drider, exhausted and sore, didn’t respond immediately. He took a moment for himself to appreciate the first sliver of relief he’d known in far too many hours. His legs shook and threatened to give out under him yet his will was steadfast, refusing to show further weakness in front of an outsider. His head turned just enough to glance back at them with a skeptical expression.

“...Kar’niss,” he replied, his voice barely above a whisper.

Tav dusted off their hands and rose to their feet. “Well met, Kar’niss. My name is Tav and as you’ve already deduced I am from the surface.” They grabbed a glass bottle which contained a tan colored gel. They popped the cork and applied the salve to their fingertips and reached out toward the tender section connecting both parts of his body.

Kar’niss jerked away from their reach and bared his fangs once more. “What is that? Don’t touch me!”

Tav sighed and flicked their gaze to their skittish companion. “Come now, haven’t we already been through this? If harming you was my goal I’ve had plenty of chances to do so.” They held up the opaque bottle so he could look. “It’s a soothing salve. It will aid in recovery and prevent infection.”

Kar’niss eyed the bottle and turned his body with a series of clicking steps to better face them. He leaned in and with a quick snap of his arm he snatched the bottle right out of their hands. Tav jerked in surprise but made no effort to take it back. Instead, they watched what he would do next. Kar’niss closed one eye and used the other to peer into the container. He then lifted the lip to his nose for a cursory sniff only to rear his head back as the potent aroma assaulted his nostrils.

“It smells foul…”

“Yes, well...medicine isn’t meant to smell good, it’s meant to heal. But I can assure you that is all it does. May I apply it now?”

He wrinkled his nose and thought about the offer. He tossed the bottle back to Tav and turned enough so they could do as they wished. “Yes.”

Tav smiled. “Thank you, will only be a tick. After that I’ll bandage the area and then you’re free to do as you will.”

They did as promised by smearing the gel along the upper and lower portions of the connective tissue, applying a healthy dose under the assumption he’d not get a second treatment. Once satisfied Tav took a roll of bandages and began to wrap it around the affected area while ensuring it was secure without being suffocating. They secured the gauze in place and took a step back to admire their handy work.

“There, all done. My bandage supply is a bit exhausted now but I can return to the surface for more before I proceed.”

Kar’niss skittered forward to put some distance between himself and his savior. He craned his head as far as he could to examine the patch job with some interest. His bulbous backside betrayed his relief by issuing and wiggle and wag, grateful for the relief while simultaneously feeling ashamed for accepting help from an outsider. The others never needed to know about this, he told himself. While still very tender he was at least spared from death.

“Why...did you help me? I could’ve ripped your throat out the moment you freed me,” Kar’niss murmured.

Tav was nearby packing their belongings. “You could’ve. But in my experience no matter what you are, drider or devil, human or orc, noble or beggar, when faced with the cold stare of death everyone becomes a bit more agreeable to terms they’d otherwise avoid. You did not wish to die, I did not wish to kill you and thus an accord was made. It doesn’t work all of the time, of course. But it works just enough to be worth the risk.”

He tipped his chin up and pressed his lips into a thin line. “I see how your knees wobble even now.” He lifted a clawed hand to motion in their direction. “You would’ve expended less energy driving a sword through my heart than helping an abomination. I don’t understand.”

Tav hoisted their survival pack over their shoulder and smiled. “True, killing you wouldn’t have been a drain on my energy or resources, but it wouldn’t have felt good either. If I struck you down I’d be left with a dead drider and no one to talk to. Not exactly the best exchange in my opinion, but everyone is different.” They shrugged.

Kar’niss’ pedipalps clicked against his hardened under carriage. The look of confusion on his face couldn’t be surpassed and he wasn’t sure what to say in response.

“Well I best be off. I’m sure you are eager to return to your brethren and I need to return to town for more bandages. One can’t be too prepared when venturing into a hostile place such as the Underdark,” Tav said.

He blinked and without thinking he took a few steps toward Tav. “You’re leaving? Already?”

“Yes. Although in truth I thought you would’ve run off the moment I’d finished my work.” Tav’s mouth curled into a slow, cheeky grin. “Why do you ask? Did you desire more of my company?”

The drider jerked his head back and retreated the few steps he’d gained. “No. I’ve wasted too much time on a filthy surface dweller.” He growled while puffing out his chest. “I upheld my end of the bargain, there is nothing more to be said.”

They chuckled. “Suit yourself. Good luck to you, Kar’niss.” Tav adjusted the pack over their shoulder and turned toward the cave opening in which they entered. They paused and glanced over their shoulder with a smirk. “Do try to be mindful of your surroundings in the future. You’re too pretty to be impaled.” With that they walked through the exit and faded away into the shadows beyond.

Kar’niss stood there dumbfounded by their final statement. Pretty? Were they mocking him?! At first he bared his teeth and balled his fists in anger. How dare they be snide after all of that. Or...were they? He danced in place to and fro as if his legs didn’t know which way to take him. He felt torn in two directions, one toward the cave mouth and the other back to his scouting post. His legs took a few steps toward the opening as if driven by a will of their own. He should follow Tav, if only to yell at them for their cross comment. Yes, he was certain that was a reasonable enough excuse. His train of thought was interrupted by the gurgle of his stomach and the ache the emptiness within brought. He realized it had been too long since he’d last feasted and he needed blood, and soon. He let out an annoyed tch and shook his head. They were gone and their exchange was over, nothing more was to be said or done. With some hesitation Kar’niss backed up and turned away from where Tav went, retreating into the depths of the Underdark in search of a much needed meal. All the while their exchange replayed in his mind, everything that was said. Were the stories of surface dwellers untrue? No, he couldn’t question Lolth’s teachings, he couldn’t fail Her again. He had to put Tav out of his mind and move on. This was a fluke, a spot of happenstance, and he’d never speak of it to anyone. It was for the best.

Wasn’t it?

#baldur's gate 3 #kar'niss #bg3 #drider #karniss #baldurs gate 3 #kar'niss x tav #hurt/comfort #bg3 fanfic #kar'niss fanfiction #bg3 kar'niss #cw: blood #long post #my writing #gender neutral tav #sorry this took so frightfully long

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