#Stan Gale

[mybeautifulchristianjourney]

by Stan Gale | Why is Jesus called the Word? It’s clear that John wants us to understand the Word as divine and eternal. He is God. Having established that, John goes on to say: “And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and...

[coffinflop]

[deer-with-a-stick]

Me, going through the romance options: Lae'zel is hot, I'll try it out. Ooh, Karlach has a great personality I love her. Shadowheart's got some issues but she's grown on me. Wyll is interesting because I feel like I don't see characters like him that often. Astarion's got plenty of angst, I like it. I'm curious as to how Halsin's bear form would work...ugh how do I choose.

Gale, eating my boots and infodumping about his cat: Do you have a good place where I can die so that I won't murder innocents I'd appreciate it

Me: I want that one

[nebulousbren]

BG3 Companions Part 1!

Had fun playing around with giving everyone distinct heights/body types. I plan on drawing the rest of the recruitable companions (Halsin, Minthara, Jaheira and Minsc) and maybe even a few fan fave npcs, but was excited to post these guys first.

[tomurakii]

I like bloodweave. Okay. But I DON'T like the version of them in fanfic where Astarion is a dick and Gale is like. Whining and pleading for him to be emotionally vulnerable (or just. Nice to him) prior to the relationship being established. Because that is just not accurate. Gale needs the player to express interest in him during his weave-teaching scene before he even considers hitting on them properly. Gale is entirely resigned to his fate and needs someone else to pull him away from it. Gale only starts being sweet and romantic and devoted after you accept his love confession and give him hope for the future. Gale says fuck all and then slinks away to cry privately if you break up with him.

Like he isn't chasing after people lmao. He isn't dropping to his knees and crying about anything much less this dickhead he met a week ago. He is overwhelmingly passive about literally everything personal to him up to and including his own death (provided there are no casualties/there is a good reason) until after the player expresses that they care about him. Astarion is not doing that in any of these fics.

Like Gale is friendly and a dork and doesn't wanna get murdered but he fully has a suicide plan. He thought the artefacts would help him survive but he didn't believe he'd ever truly live again. If Gale confessed and Astarion said/did like one (1) mean thing afterward Gale's romance is closed off forever. He's wandering into the forest to cry. He's killing himself immediately. His fragile ego and self worth can't take it. You have to understand that when we joke about him being pathetic it's not bc he's like. Sopping wet and chasing people down and begging for a scrap of attention. It's because he craves affection but would literally rather die than ask or even hope for it until someone else forces that hope back into his serotonin-deficient tadpole brain.

[tatortitty]

finally compiled screenshots of when ppl call gray pretty boy or think he's a girl

also I got these from desktop webtoons so if the quality looks wonky it's bc I was piecing together screenshots lol

ep 1 , Colton Choi and co.

also ep 1 , Alex Go

ep 3 , Eugene Gale

ep 7

ep 9

ep 16

ep 38

ep 48

ep 68

ep 71 , class 1-1

also ep 71

ep 84

ep 118

ep 147

ep 202 (THIS COUNTS OK . I SCREAMED WHEN THIS PANEL SHOWED UP)

ep 217 , the entire eunjang student body apparently

ep 234 , i bet it's the dude on the bottom right with the slushy

I skipped any dudes that vaguely mentioned how Gray looked bc they were flabbergasted and not questioning their sexuality lmao

[barfville]

pen pressure broke so i tried to nail down their shapes... much 2 think abt.........

[nabexis]

Fell down the rabbithole of The Season by Linnetagain recently, and the latest chapter has me by the throat. Had to doodle this scene.

Hestia, babygirl, they can't even kiss and you're calling them out harder than Karlach did Astarion 2 chapters ago.

Details below the cut (Karlach doing a spit take and Astarion having an exestential crisis mostly)

Also kitchen is from unsplash

[mybeautifulchristianjourney]

by Stan Gale | In Him we are precious, valued, chosen not because we are choice but because of His grace. We are enfolded into Christ’s church not to be admired as we might admire the beauty of the great cathedrals of Europe, but to serve. Peter identifies us as a holy priesthood, tasked with the responsibility and joy...

[sophsun1]

Queer As Folk – 2.08: Love for Sale

[vespaer77]

Look at this silver fox...

[jakes3resin]

Blondes Have More Fun

Anyways, this is probably the closest I'll ever get to writing Crack fic for this fandom, so enjoy Blond!Bucky and his ability to drive Buck and the entirety of the 100th wild with his smile and hair! Also personally I think Callum looks like a 24 year old when blond, so imagine handsome charming, nearly thirty Bucky Egan running around looking like a baby faced newbie then you'll be half a bowled over as the 100th.

It is a truth universally acknowledged at Thorpe Abbotts that Major John "Bucky" Egan can be talked into anything. Anything. So long as you were convincing and Buck wasn't around to drag him away from the dumber ideas, Bucky was down to play ball.

Curt had once talked him into using a British accent for a whole week, even in meetings with the CO. Bucky hadn't even blinked before adopting an uncannily perfect London accent. It was so convincing that some of the newer replacements had asked if the man was British.

Another time, he got into a howl off with Meatball after Hambone said he didn't know which one was worse. The pair were so loud that no one could actually tell who won. Most were too busy covering their ears. The few that weren't couldn't decide. It was officially settled as a draw, but Benny still refuses to accept that Bucky would ever beat his precious boy Meatball in anything.

There were countless tales of Bucky getting into trouble simply because someone had said within his earshot the six words needed to wreck Jack Kidd's night.

"You know what would be fun?"

The magic words. That or a dare would send Bucky careening into trouble with half the 100th behind him to watch the fireworks. Honestly, most of the time, Bucky was already getting up to his own antics, so convincing him to do something else wasn't exactly hard.

It was one such utterance of the phrase that sparked a wildfire within the 100th Bomber Group that threatened to tear them asunder and send one Major Gale "Buck" Cleven to an early grave. Or prison.

The night was like any other Friday night. Bucky had gone out with Curt and Bubbles. Buck had chosen to stay in for the night reading, and Harry had done much the same. Kidd, the minder of the entire 100th, had gone to the officer's club while the trio had gone to a local pub in the town just off base. So the usual minders of this trio of mad men were missing, and as the saying goes, while the cats are away, the mice will play.

It started as Bubbles's idea.

At least that's what they think it started as. A few too many drinks had left the evening a blur for Curt and Bubbles and a blank for Bucky. That last fact will be important later.

"You know what would be fun?" Bubbles said, or perhaps it was Curt. Or maybe it was Bucky. But it was probably Bubbles. The man was quite the troublemaker, he just hid it better behind soft smiles and manners.

"What?" Bucky leaned against the bar to grin at Bubbles. Well perhaps a more accurate word would be slumped, he'd spent half the night playing some weird darts game that required shots for every bull's eye Tommy made. It was safe to say that the man was on the downhill slide to wasted. Curt kept an ear on the pair as he flirted with a pretty blonde next to them at the bar.

"Being blonde." Bubbles sighed. "All the movies make it seem fun, don't they? And Major Cleven sure is pretty with his blond hair. I bet it'd look really pretty as well on your curls Bucky."

"Sorry, sweetheart, one moment," Curt turned his head to stare at Bubbles. "You think Buck's pretty?"

"And you don't?"

"I do!"

"We know you do, Bucky," Curt sighed and leaned further onto the bar to make eye contact with Bubbles. "I mean, sure, objectively, you could say he is, but I thought you were wrapped up with Croz and Jean?"

"I am, but I still got eyes don't I? 'Sides ain't there something fun about being blonde?" Bubbles leaned against his cupped hand on the bar. "Can't a mind wonder?"

"Yeah Curt," Bucky rose in defense of his friend slinging an arm around Bubble's neck. The move was so uncoordinated that the pair were nearly sent to the floor. "Why can't Bubbles wonder? I wanna go blond, too!"

Curt rolled his eyes at them, but an idea was taking root in his head. An amazing idea.

"Well," Curt grinned. "Why wonder when you can do?"

"You boys aren't thinking about bleaching your friend's hair on your own are you?" A voice cut through the trio's conversation. It seemed the blonde woman from before had been listening in and was rightly amused by the drunk airmen's conversation.

"Cause you'll fry his whole head off in the state you're in, and the world would mourn those curls." She lifted a hand to tug gently on one of Bucky's loose wavy curls. He smiled at her, loose and happy. Usually, only Buck plays with his hair, but Bucky doesn't mind when anyone else does. Buck does though, which Bucky still hasn't figured out.

"Well, how do you suppose we save his curls then," Curt paused searching for the woman's name, "Nora."

"Good job, I half thought you were too drunk to remember my name handsome." Curt smiled, and Nora kept talking

"There's a drugstore down the way. Stocks up on anything a girl, or flyboy in need, could ever need. I'll help you boys out." Nora laughed. "You'll look mighty pretty dyeing those curls blond Major. I wanna see 'em first."

With Nora leading the way, the trio tripped over themselves into chaos. Bucky laughed as Bubbles rambled on about how pretty he'll look as a blond. Curt butting in to say that he'll need to either shave his mustache or bleach it too.

On base, Buck felt a shiver run down his spine as he laid down to sleep. Writing it off as just a chill from the cold British air, the man fell asleep.

Bucky groaned as he woke up. Voices drifted around him. His head felt like it'd be screwed off and used as a bowling ball all night, and as desperately as he wanted to go back to sleep, he knew that now that the sun was up, he was up.

"Curt, if that's you snoring on my legs, I'm gonna kick you off." Bucky pulled his pillow further over his head, trying to block out said snores.

"Fuck off," Came the grumbled reply. An elbow dug into the back of his knee.

"Get off," John whined. Curt huffed shifting just enough to let Bucky free his legs. "Why didn't you go to your own bed?"

"Yours is comfier." Bubbles murmured next to the pair, and Bucky really was starting to wonder what the hell they all drank the night before.

"It's the same cot as everybody else." Bucky grumbled, finally sitting up. Bubbles and Curt immediately swooped onto the space he abandoned. "Rude. You just want me for my bed."

"But it's such a lovely bed, sweetheart," Curt buried his face in Bucky's pillow, not even glancing at the man he was stealing from. Bubbles seemed to have immediately fallen back to sleep.

"I'm getting breakfast," Bucky yawned, stretching his arms above his head. "Meet me there when you idiots wake up. I'll sneak you in."

"Sir, yes, sir." Curt's hand flopped into a mock salute that had Bucky rolling his eyes.

First things first, breakfast. Or at least coffee for his hangover.

Getting dressed as quickly as he could, Bucky didn't even waste time checking how he looked in a mirror. He went to smooth down his mustache only to curse when he found it missing. Thinking Curt must have shaved it off as a joke, Bucky groaned but moved on. He didn't even touch his hair after that, just walked right out of his barracks. The only thing that mattered to him was coffee and how he'd get his hands on a gallon of it. It wouldn't be the first time he ran around base with his hair going every which way. No one would bat an eye.

Had he known what kind of chaos he was about to wreck upon the poor, unsuspecting airmen of Thorpes Abbotts, Bucky would have at least styled it a bit. You know, just to ensure maximum chaos.

The bike ride to the mess wasn't awful. The fresh air helped at least. With his sunglasses on, his head felt less like it was going to split open and more human. What was weird was how everyone stopped in their tracks to watch him ride past.

"Is that-?"

"No way!"

"Someone get Kidd!"

"Holy shit!"

"Major Cleven is going to lose his mind!"

"Do you think he has a twin?"

"Hell if I know, I can't believe Major Cleven let him out of the barracks like that."

"Lord help us if there's another Egan running around."

Bucky ignored them. He was way too hungover to parse through what nonsense the boys were going on about, and he simply pedaled faster to get to the officer's mess. He just wanted his coffee.

"Major Egan, sir!"

Bucky glances up from securing his bike and meets the eye of one of the newer boys. Kid barely looks old enough to have enlisted.

"Uh," Bucky searches his memory for this kid's name. Bucky tried to know some of the newbies names, but it was harder than he'd ever admit. "Monroe, right?

"Yes, sir!" The kid squeaked, a bright tomato blush spreading across his cheeks. Bucky winced, the sound drilling right into his brain. "I wanted to say you look nice today, sir. Your, your hair is real nice!"

"Thanks, Monroe," Bucky smiled, thrown by how Monroe managed to grow even redder. He reaches out to clasp the kid on the shoulder. "You alright there? You look like you're gonna faint. Had any breakfast yet?"

"I-I'm fine, sir, thank you!" Monroe was stock still under Bucky's hand, but he wrote it off as nerves. Some of the boys got nervous around the older pilots, especially if they were officers. "I'll be going now! Have a good day, sir!"

In a flash, the blushing replacement ducked under Bucky's arm and ran as fast as he could down the lane. Bucky watched him go, head tilted not sure what the hell just happened to him. He heard a few shrieks behind him but wrote it off as typical background noise. There was always something going on.

"Weird kid." Bucky turned to walk into the officer's mess. He'd have to tell Buck about it when he saw him next. Maybe he'd understand what just happened.

Speaking of, Buck had better have saved him a seat for breakfast. Bucky was not going to battle the morning rush as well as his hangover just to find out he had nowhere to sit.

On the way inside, Bucky ran into Veal. As in, he literally ran into the man because he'd stopped dead in his tracks staring at him. Bucky hadn't even seen the other before he practically bowled him over.

"Veal, what the hell?" Bucky groaned.

"You," Veal stared at him wide-eyed. If Bucky were less hungover, he'd get quite a kick out of this. "You, you?"

"Shaved, I know," Bucky gestured to his face. He turned to keep walking into the officer's mess. "Yeah, Curt had some fun last night."

"Wait, no! Bucky-!" Veal went to grab him, but Bucky just swerved out of the way. Nothing was getting in his way in his quest for coffee. "Bucky! Stop! Don't go in there!"

"Yeah, yeah, Veal," Bucky waved a hand behind him. "I get you're shocked, but come on, man. It's not the first time any of you've seen me without it!"

Bucky rushed in, not paying anymore attention to Veal. He walked with one purpose. Coffee. He didn't care if the other officers stopped and stared at him slackjawed as he walked past. He was a man on a mission.

"Hey, coffee, please? Whole pot if you could," Bucky smiled at the attendant, who blushed scarlet before running off. Thrown but not deterred, Bucky just shrugged and turned to find Buck. Maybe he'd be able to steal Buck's coffee.

He found Buck seated near one of the windows with his back facing Bucky. Jack was at his table, but otherwise, it was empty. Bucky started over.

Jack saw him first and choked on his grapefruit juice.

"Oh shit," Jack choked out. Buck leaned over to check on him.

"Alright, Jack?" Bucky grabbed the seat next to Buck. Jack just stared at him, eyes wide. Bucky tilts his head confused. "Buck, what's with him?"

Buck turns and freezes. Bucky stares at him. Buck stares back.

"Buck?" Bucky reaches out to shake him.

"You," Buck starts but doesn't finish. His wide blues eyes stare at Bucky's face.

"Coffee, sir!"

The attendant from before arrives with Bucky's requested pot of coffee and a cup.

"Thanks!" Bucky smiles up at the other. The attendant trips backward. Buck turns and glares at the other man. He flees.

"Buck, what the hell?" Bucky nudges Buck. "Wake up on the wrong side of the bed?"

Buck turns to stare at Bucky again, a clench to his jaw that Bucky's knows means he's holding something back. Jack seems to have started breathing normally again.

"Your hair!" Jack says. Bucky reaches up to touch his hair. Sure, he didn't style it this morning, but was it so bad? Monroe said it looked good!

Speaking of, why was everyone focusing on his hair today?

"What about it?" Bucky's genuinely curious now. Buck's still staring at him, eyes bright, and now Jack seems to be wishing for death.

"Its-!"

"Pretty."

Bucky turns to Buck. It's his turn to stare wide-eyed at the other. A blush rises up to his cheeks. Buck's not one to mince his words, and a compliment from him feels akin to a hundred.

The entire mess hall goes quiet as Buck stares at him. Bucky smiles at him. Buck goes rigid, and Jack chokes on his juice next to them. Again.

"Bucky!" Curt slammed his hand against the window, happy as a clam and utterly sober. Bucky hates that Irish constitution of his. "Let us in!"

Bucky stands up to hoist open the window. Jack's still too busy choking on his juice to stop him, and Buck seems to have frozen solid. Bubbles and Curt fall through seconds later. The pair immediately start talking over each other happily, and Bucky is starting to wonder if he was the only one who woke up with a hangover.

"God, you should hear the scuttlebutt going round!" Curt cackles as he launches himself into the seat across from Bucky. Bubbles nods next to him, already munching on a piece of toast Bucky thinks used to be Jack's.

"Anything fun?" Bucky dumps creamer into his coffee. He moans as he takes a sip of it. God, coffee really was the best hangover cure. Bucky doesn't notice how quiet the mess hall got until Bubbles finally answers his question a minute later. Odd.

"Just how pretty your hair looks now Major," Bubbles smiled at him. Bucky reached for his hair again.

"Is it really so different?" He asks. Buck makes a noise next to him like a dying chicken, and Curt cackles.

"Blond really is your color, Bucky! You look like one of those pin up posters running around like that!" Curt reaches across the table to tug on one of his curls, drawing it down into his eyesite. Buck bangs his knee against the table with a swear. Bucky would fuss over him, but he's reevaluating his whole morning with this new information.

"Oh!" Bucky gasps. Now he feels silly. "That's why Monroe complimented me outside?"

"Pardon?" Buck's voice comes out strangled. Bucky swings his gaze back to him. Buck's blue eyes are nearly electric, and Bucky gulps.

"Monroe? Cute kid? Brunette replacement with a billion freckles that disappear when he blushes?" Bucky rambles. Curt cackles again as Jack buries his face into his hands. Bubbles grabs a slice of Buck's toast this time.

"And he stopped you?" Buck's jaw was doing the thing Bucky knows only happens when he's pissed. But why would he be mad? Bucky tilts his head to stare at Buck, curls flopping down into his eyes now that Curt's untucked them from behind his ears.

Buck clenches his fist.

"Yeah, he and Veal both stopped me before I walked in." Bucky reaches over to grab Buck's hand. "You okay?"

"I'm fine John," Buck reaches up to tuck his loose curls back behind his ear. His hand lingers, and Bucky fights the urge to press his cheek into Buck's hand. "You look real pretty."

"Yeah?" Bucky sits up straighter, leaning into Buck's space. "How pretty?"

"Like a daydream." Buck whispers, voice low. His blue eyes won't stop staring, and Bucky can tell his blush is spreading by the volume of Curt's laugh.

Oh, Bucky could just kiss the other.

"Yeah, Nora did a nice job on your hair!" Bubbles pipes up having polished off Buck's toast. "We should write her a thank you card!"

"Nora?" Buck twitches.

"The girl who dyed Bucky's hair, of course!" Curt chimed in reaching for Bucky's coffee. Bucky batted his hands away, holding desperately onto his cup. "Pretty girl too! Kept running her hands through Bucky's hair saying how nice it was."

"I think nows a good time to stop that." Jack shoved his last slice of toast in Curt's mouth.

Buck's hand was still hovering over Bucky's cheek.

"Oh, now I remember!" Bucky leaned towards Curt and Bubbles with a bright smile. "She kissed me on the cheek before we left, right?"

Buck pushed his chair away from the table with a screech. Jack turned back to his grapefruit juice with a sigh.

Buck stormed out of the building, and it was through the combined efforts of Curt and Bubbles that Bucky didn't run after him. They could hear yelling through the still open window.

"Oh shit!"

"Everybody run! Major Cleven's pissed!"

"Who flirted with Bucky this time?!"

"Buck calm down, whoever it was they probably didn't mean anything by it!"

"Outta my way Crank."

"Buck, c'mon if you go to jail, who'll stay by Bucky's side?"

"Only gotta go to prison if I get caught."

"That's right-wait, Buck, no!"

Bucky sipped at his coffee. Jack sighed and turned to Bucky.

"Would you please go stop him? I'm not explaining to Harding why one of the 100th murdered a civilian, a fellow Major, and a replacement."

"Buck wouldn't do that," Bucky rolled his eyes.

Jack stared at him, judgement clear in his eyes. Bucky shifted under his gaze.

"Fine," Bucky groaned and pushed away from the table. He refilled his cup of coffee. "He wouldn't, but I'll go stop him."

Curt and Bubbles chirped their goodbyes as they waved down an attendant. Bucky mourned his pot of coffee as he glanced back and saw Curt gleefully pouring it into a cup.

Stepping put in the sunshine, Bucky reached for his sunglasses. Finding Buck would be easy. He simply turned in the direction of the yelling and started walking.

He ignored the boys all watching him and whispering. Now that he was walking, he could see his reflection in the windows of the buildings he passed. His normally brown locks were now a bright blond. He felt a bit foolish for not seeing it earlier, but hangovers tended to narrow one's field of vision to only what's necessary.

"DeMarcooo!" Bucky called out when he saw the other walking Meatball. "You seen Buck anywhere?"

"Just missed him," Benny yelled back. He pointed to the left of the barracks. "Went that way!"

"Thanks!" Bucky called back with a smile. A few of the boys around him erupted in whispers.

"Nice hair!" Benny yelled with a grin. Bucky rolled his eyes and kept walking. Buck couldn't have gone too far, right?

He found Buck only a few minutes later outside of one of the barracks the replacements were quartered. He was leaning against a wall talking to someone.

"Buck!" Bucky jogged over. As he got closer, he realized that the person Buck was talking to was the kid from earlier. "Monroe! Good to see you again so soon!"

"Major!" Monroe squeaked, eyes bouncing from Buck to Bucky. "Major Cleven was just reminding me about a few chores that I forgot about! I'll get going! Sirs!"

The kid ran off before Bucky could stop him. Buck watched with a satisfied gleam in his eyes, and Bucky huffed out a laugh.

"You know, you don't have to act all jealous to get my attention," Bucky pulled Buck to him by wrapping an arm around his waist. "I'll still only ever look at you."

"Just making sure everyone else knows that." Buck replied, voice low and serious.

Bucky reached up his free hand to drag him down into a kiss. Buck melted into his touch. Bucky laughed into he kiss as he tried to keep his coffee from spilling all over the two of them. He pecks the corner of Buck's mouth and pulls away.

"So you like the hair?" Bucky scrunches his nose into a shit eating grin.

Buck wiped that grin off his face with another kiss. Not that Bucky was complaining, of course.

Later that night, after making sure Buck didn't actually murder anyone, Bucky found himself in front of a vaguely familiar drug store.

"Well Major, I take it your boy liked the blond?" Nora grinned, pink lips spread into a devilish smile. She leaned one hip against the drug store counter. "Surprised you made it back here. You boys weren't exactly stone cold sober when you left."

"I always remember my bets, darling. I'll forget a lot but never those." Bucky laughed and set his hat down on the counter next to her. A single blond curl fell down into his eyes. "Now, what's this about makeup?"

"Oh, Major, you'll look lovely in something peachy."

[felonius-glitch]

It fucks me up that one day, we'll all somewhat outgrow our favorites.

Not in a 'I Don't Like Them Anymore' way, but in a 'I Thought 16 Was An Adult Until I Turned 17' sort of way.

Your fave that you liked when you were 10 that was 15? Yeah, you're older than them now.

And if you like middle aged characters, one day, you'll be older than them too.

One day I will be old and gray, but they will have stayed the same...and that fucks me up

[tay-tay-everlark13]

My friend once said "Katniss is a pick me" . Like, I know she said that just to make me angry or something, she didn't even read a books and watched only once the whole series (I forced her), so I know why she said that, but I have to defend her from these accusations (although she could do it as good or better by herself).

So, she is NOT a pick me. Okay? She is not. A pick me is someone who wants to have a full attention 24/7 (which Katniss is COMPLETELY opposite), and would do anything to got this (Katniss did anything to not having any attention). And, the most important, she is going to do everything to end up with her crush (Katniss did everything to save Peeta and keep him alive, and yeah, she wanted to be with him, but she didn't do it for attention, GOD. She even didn't want to be with ANYONE in some moments, because she didn't have time for lovers). I HATE when people calls her a pick me. Maybe it's just my friend, but still.

And if someone is pick me in the hunger games, it's Gale.

[tomurakii]

My last post about bloodweave was pretty negative (though necessarily so imo) so I wanted to talk about the little things about the bloodweave dynamic that I DO like and want to see more of in fic (under the cut).

- the orb means Astarion can't start their relationship transactionally. Gale can't give Astarion blood, and also can't have sex with him (and presumably would refuse casual sex anyway). How would the relationship develop without Astarion being able to rely on the give-and-take, forced instead to just trust Gale will watch his back? Astarion isn't a plans guy, I imagine having to come up with something on the spot (considering none of the other companions are reeaaaally an option either) would lead to a lot more emotional vulnerability as he tries to take a route he has much less experience with. Not to mention that the flirty and standoffish front isn't exactly going to endear him to Gale, who approves of the capable, loyal, and righteous. How long can Astarion pretend to be invested in Gale's wellbeing before it becomes true?

- they both have bad ascension endings, but different natural outcomes. Gale is considered the more morally upstanding one, but in their solo states (without the player's influence) Gale will go through with ascension and Astarion won't. Would they goad each other on? Gale disapproves of Astarion's ascension, using arguments that could apply to himself about the personal sacrifice and loss of the soul. Would Astarion flip them around, become defensive? Their dynamic could mean the power hungry character ending up discouraging the pursuit of godhood, or the two of them hurtling over the edge together. Or, maybe, Astarion encouraging Gale to ascend and having to trust him to return.

- they're the party members with the most life experience, and they're also both pretty well-educated (even if Astarion's law qualifications may well have expired by the events of the game). He spent his time under Cazador sewing (like Gale in his Baldur's Gate epilogue) and learning languages (of which Gale knows four). They have enduring common interests beyond their circumstances. Gale can help Astarion rediscover the latent nerd potential he lost when he died, and lord knows he would love to pick his brain for a first hand account of the mid-to-late 12th century.

- Astarion recently regained hope for his future when the tadpole freed him, Gale recently lost all of it. While act 1 is a continuous series of positive discoveries for Astarion (tadpole frees him from cazador -> ceremorphosis is held off by the dream visitor -> tadpole can be controlled), Gale's life gets worse with time as his treatment stops working. It's a dynamic that could give Gale hope, force Astarion to practise empathy, or put them completely at odds.

- Astarion's all-encompassing desire to reclaim his life could be inspiring to Gale. Moreover, I imagine seeing just how passive Gale is about his death would infuriate him. To have so little regard for his real, mortal, free life? It's a great source of angst, and also a great starting point for Gale to start wanting to live again. Because after learning about Astarion's past he would agree, he'd recognise how much value a mortal life was supposed to have. He'd think himself ungrateful or impolite for entertaining the idea of throwing it away when Astarion would give anything to have what he had. This would lead to guilt, and potentially self-loathing, unless someone was there to help pick up the pieces.

- If Astarion meets Oblodra before Gale's act 2 romance scene, (or for a fanfic plot, just before Gale is confident enough to confess) they most likely won't have sex until the graveyard scene in late act 3 (or the post-ascension equivalent). It means that rather than the fuckfest we so often see from bloodweave fics, the relationship is almost entirely a slow-burning, emotionally intimate affair. I'd really love to see that play out, the progression from semi-horny yearning on both parts as the orb keeps them apart, to two love confessions that are followed by the both of them experiencing non-sexual intimacy for the first time in years. I doubt Mystra was one to hug her chosen, after all, or hold their hands.

I just love a bg3 ship that forces the characters to take different actions than they do in canon. It makes me feel like I'm developing a broader understanding of the characters, you know?

[theshotsheardacrossworlds]

Desire

Gale discovers his wild lady having an intimate moment which then turns into them having A Moment. NSFW.

This fic is very personal to me as someone who is plus size irl and has been working through my own body image issues the past couple of years. It's okay to love yourself even when society doesn't. <3

As depressing as our current surroundings are, it is nice to finally be able to have a bloody bath. I feel cleaner than I have in weeks! Gale thought as he walked back to his tent (every three nights we switch) after having a long-needed bath at the Last Light Inn.

What he expected to see was his lover relaxing or perhaps having one of Bex’s cookies. Those smell amazing.

What he actually saw was Lily sitting on her bedroll topless, a large breast in each hand.

Is it my nameday and no one told me?

Her eyes were closed, tail slowly going back and forth behind her.

Fucking hells, I’m standing here with the flaps open!!!! CLOSE THEM NOW, YOU FOOL! As he hastily closed the flaps, he heard her gasp and shift on the bedroll. Shit. Shit. Shit. Shit. Shit. “I’m so sorry, darling—”

“Oh gods!”

“Please forgive me, I didn’t know you were…erm, indisposed.” Occupied also works, Dekarios. She was occupied with fondling her breasts, and you ruined it!

Lily stared at him, completely and utterly horrified. Her long, muscular yet incredibly soft arms were covering her breasts. She looks like she wants to run and never see me again. Fix this, man! Fix this! “I…I…I’m so sorry…I…” She stammered, her demonic purple eyes darting from him to the tent flaps. “I…I should…go…”

Turning off his glamour, he moved to sit next to her slowly. “Darling, I will ask next time if you’re decent when I return, and I’m so very sorry that I’ve made you upset.” Making eye contact with her, an arm gently wrapped around her waist with his other hand rubbing the ridges on her upper arm. “What can I do to make it right? Ask for anything, and you shall have it.”

After a minute or two, she said softly, “I shouldn’t have been doing that.”

What? What does she mean by that? She surely can’t mean…no. She can’t. “My love, forgive me, but what exactly shouldn’t you have been doing?”

She squeezed her eyes shut. “Touching my tits.”

I must have heard that wrong. That…can’t be what she just said.

“Lily sweetness, please bear with me, but you think you shouldn’t be touching your luscious breasts?”

Nodding meekly, her eyes were still closed.

Whoever told her that…has made her believe that…will be fireball’d. Not sure that’s an actual verb, but I’m so fucking pissed that it will be damnit. “Why?!” He blurted out, causing her to open her eyes and glance at him.

His beloved looked defeated. “Gale, look at me.”

For fuck’s sake. “I am looking, Lily.” he said, desperately trying to maintain his composure. “I see the woman I love who is beautiful inside and out. More beautiful than any other.”

She shook her head, eyes closed again as tears leaked out. My love, please. Please, don’t cry. Please. I can’t bear it. “I shouldn’t like to touch my thighs either.”

For the second time in as many minutes, Gale was struck dumb.

This must be the strangest dream or alchemy-related hallucination I’ve ever had. She cannot have said that she shouldn’t like to touch the thighs that I wish would crush my skull every night…right?!

“I beg your pardon, but I still don’t understand why you shouldn’t. I…I am so very confused.” He chuckled, hoping to add at least some levity. A little humor never hurts, as Mother says.

“Whispers. Comments. ‘Friendly’ advice. Proof that I’m not wanted or desired as I am, and I shouldn’t like…I shouldn’t!” Choking back a sob, she shook her head. “I shouldn’t like how I look.”

For a third time this evening, Gale was stunned. “I…I-I think you absolutely should like how you look, my sweet, because you are,” now it is not the time for humor. Romance her, man! “Lovelier than the most perfect sunset in Waterdeep. Which I hope, gods willing, we can see after our little adventure is over.” If it is her wish, then I will marry her the second we are free from the tadpoles. He pressed a kiss to her freckled, flushed cheek. “Oh my love, it isn’t shameful to desire oneself.”

“Gale, you called yourself a fat, middle-aged—”

Alright, she has me there. BUT!!! “Did I also not say that I’m a handsome devil?” he teased. “I lack confidence in some areas of my appearance, but I do take considerable pride in others. For example,” he let go of her waist and lifted his paunch with both his hands. “Lacking in confidence about this at the moment, but…” his hands then drifted to his face. “As perfectly groomed as I’ll be on the road, and still looking marvelous. A very handsome devil.” That’s it, Dekarios. Give her romance and charm and everything she deserves.

To his relief, she chuckled softly, a faint smile remaining on her face. “One might even say the most handsome devil.” The smile, much to Gale’s disappointment, quickly went away as she frowned. “I…” She took a deep breath. “I like this.” Good gods woman, you can’t just go touching those delicious tits like that. “But I also like this.” Don’t moan. Don’t moan. Don’t moan. Don’t moan. BUT SHE’S CARESSING HER THIGHS! “And…umm…this.”

Oh.

Oh goodness me.

She just keeps naming parts of her body I adore!

Her clawed fingers hovered over her belly. “But I shouldn’t—”

In a decidedly ungentlemanly move, he said, “Sod it” then kissed her passionately. He felt his increasingly hard manhood twitching in his pants when he heard her squeak. My goddess of passion---she who rules my heart with a flaming sword. My sweet, pretty flower squeaks like an adorable mouse when I surprise her with kisses and touches. I must marry her. I must.

Lily’s hands went up to his face as she pulled away. “Gale!” She was breathless and blushing, making me only love her more.

His lips danced over hers. “Let us both promise that we will take pleasure in not just each other but in ourselves.”

She looked unconvinced. “I suppose I’m wondering that means…practically.”

Kissing her for the briefest of moments, his eyes found hers. “It means that you may touch yourself however you wish in front of me without any fear or shame.” He swallowed nervously and grinned. “And that goes for me while I’m in your presence. I mean, not all the time. Obviously! I just mean, say if you were in our bedroom and I happened to come in to see you doing something like touching those pillowy, perfect breasts in your beautiful hands, I would be quite…pleased.”

She blinked. Once. Twice. A third time. “O-okay. Yeah, I…I think I understand what you’re saying.” The blush grew darker. “You won’t judge me. In fact, I think I say you even like it.” She bit her lip, clearly weighing her next words carefully. “Am I correct?”

“You couldn’t be more correct if you tried, sweetness. To see you take pleasure in the body that arouses me like nothing else would be most welcome.” His hands traveled down her bare back and sides and very much took a lot of pleasure in how perfect she felt. “Tell me, darling---what do you do when you touch yourself? I wish to study, so I may please you too…” He pressed several kisses on her plump lips as his fingers brushed over ridges and stretchmarks. “Or perhaps, if you’re feeling too embarrassed to speak the words, then show me.”

When Gale said “show me” he assumed Lily would touch herself and he would watch like a gentleman and scholar.

What she actually did was use their tadpoles to send him a fantasy.

Gale did not recognize the room they were in but assumed it was her bedroom at home in Baldur’s Gate. It is as she described to me---large windows, pale blue walls, and a dog bed for Horace in the corner. It’s her. It’s so her. He was straddling her, his chest against hers, and he had a perfect breast in his mouth while the other perfect breast was overflowing through his fingers. She reached behind him to take a chocolate truffle and fed it to him.

Goodness gracious!

It’s not over yet…

Oh. Sorry, darling. Please go on.

The fantasy continued with him also reaching for a truffle that he fed to her, and then they shared a kiss as she rolled her hips and moaned his name.

Then it was gone, and Gale was left panting and flushed. “Dearest, that was so beautiful. Why would you ever, ever think that’s embarrassing or shameful?” He cupped one of her cheeks in his hand and leaned his head against hers. “On its own it’s wonderful and so very sweet, but I love it because it’s so very you, my love. My wild lady,” He pressed several kisses to her lips. “My goddess of passion, object of my deepest affection, my…mine…”

Her eyes met his.

“I’m yours.”

Her tone, Gale noted immediately, was sweet but teasing.

“I’m all yours.”

What is she…

Her lips touched his, and she grinned.

“And just what are you going to do about it, magic man?”

Something snapped inside the wizard.

With a low growl, his lips collided into hers and his hands landed on her shoulders, pushing her down. Well, “pushing” is one word. She’s built like a brick outhouse, so it’s more of a “gentle nudge.” “Mine…my Lily…my pretty flower—”

Lily began to giggle as she laid down on the bedroll. “I’m not a bloody flower! I’m not delicate or pretty—OH!”

Gale had magicked off their clothes into two neat piles, leaving them both bare. Within moments, he was on top of her and kissing her neck and collarbones. “You are my pretty flower. Mine.” His hands were seemingly all over her, not able to keep himself from touching every ridge, every freckle, and every inch of softness. Mine. Mine. Mine. Mine. Mine. “Lily darling, I need you.”

She reached and undid the tie on his hair, running her clawed fingers through it lovingly. “Have me then. I’m all yours.” She let out a breathless chuckle. “For as long as you’ll have me.”

“Forever.”

Forever.

I will have you forever.

At my side.

In my bed.

On my cock.

Lining himself at her entrance, he gasped when the fat head of his cock slipped inside. “My gods, is all this for me?”

Lily cupped his face as she released the shortest and sweetest little pants as she always does. “Always. You’re the only one who drives me wild, love—ah! Oh Gale please more…”

He began to thrust and admired the way her tits and belly are quaking. Fucking hells. Gods save me. I must marry her as soon as this is all over. “Your magic man will give you everything you want and more, my dear. Everything you could ever desire it will be yours.” He ran his lips and beard (which she loves, by the way) over the ridges on her chest and breasts, making her writhe more. And growl. Fucking hells. She’s going to be the death of me. “Tell me what you want, darling. Tell me.”

Rolling her hips below him, she panted, “You. Just you. Only you.” Ah, that’s her tail circling my waist. “Fill me. Don’t stop. Don’t ever stop.”

Despite feeling incredibly turned on, he wanted to maintain a slower pace at least for the moment. I want this to last. I need this to last. “As you wish, my wild lady. My pretty flower. My sun, moon, and stars. My heart and soul. My everything.” He panted, unable to resist his need for her, thrusting faster.

My love. My darling Lily. Am I yours?

Yes! Of course! All mine. I love you so much.

I love you…my dearest lady…Come for me, my love…

She did so with a gasp and cupped the back of his head with a hand.

Tell me…I’m yours…

“You’re mine, love…” Lily whispered, her breathing evening out slowly.

Gale felt his hips stutter and came inside her never not inside her or else she will not be a happy barbarian. Attempting to keep most of his weight on his forehands, he failed miserably when his lover’s embrace pulled him to her completely. “Lily—”

“No, I want to feel you. Please Gale.” She said softly, her tail never leaving his waist. “I like me, but I love how you look, love. I love it.” He could hear the smile in her voice. “You’re so sexy, but more than that, you feel amazing and so cuddly. I never want to let you go.”

He exhaled slowly and absolutely, definitely felt tears in his eyes. “I’ve never been told that. So, um…” He lifted his head and smiled ruefully. “Thank you. It is more appreciated than you will ever know, my love.” Gale rolled off her and muttered spells to clean them both. Now on his back, he motioned for her to curl up against him. Which she did. Because apparently it’s one of her favorite things to do.

One of Lily’s hands rested on his hairy, soft belly. The tips of her claws teasing the thick hair. “I like this, you know.”

Wait a second. I must have misheard her. Yes! That must be it!

“Darling?”

Her tail began to thrash, and she could feel the heat rising in her cheeks. “You said you’re not confident about this,” she gently caressed him. “But I wanted you to know that I like it.”

Oh gods, I do not want to cry again tonight.

“Why?!” He blurted out and silently cursed himself for not being more eloquent. She happens to love my loquaciousness!

To his surprise, she laughed. “I don’t fucking know! I just think it’s cute and sexy like you.” I’m cute and sexy?! “My cute and sexy wizard.” Her tail then wrapped itself around a leg. “Bet no one’s ever called you that, huh?”

With a groan, he shook his head. “No, and frankly, there are very few wizards who would be proud of being called someone’s ‘cute and sexy wizard.’ However,” he chuckled and pressed a kiss to her red hair. “You happen to be in a relationship with one who takes not only great pride in being called that but also in being that for you.” Anything for you. Everything for you. How could I give you less than that when you’ve given me so much already?

She lifted her head to catch his gaze, raising an eyebrow. “Be you then. You’re all I want.” Resting her head against his shoulder once more, she smiled. “When we get to the city, I want us to have a night where we can be alone together. Maybe…my house? I’ll make sure Nadia isn’t home, of course but then again, she’s usually out until two or three in the morning anyways.” She’s so cute when she rambles. “Anyways, yeah so we could have a date night at home, and I could cook for us, if that’s something you’d be interested in. We also have a roof deck! It’s so pretty at sunset and when the stars come out. It’d be so romantic.” Lily felt herself blushing. “I can finally show off for you.”

Am I the luckiest man in all the realms? Why yes, I think I am!

“I would love that, sweetness. Truly, I would. But please don’t feel as if you must show off for me. You are perfect as you are—”

She snorted and rubbed his belly. Goodness me, she really does like it. “Gale love, I’m naked.”

He laughed heartily. “Exactly! Perfect. Stunning. Beautiful.”

“Wearing approximately no clothes.”

“In fact, one might even argue that you look your best bare in my equally naked embrace.” Gale teased, tracing the ridges on her upper arm.

“Gale, you are so naughty!” she giggled into his chest. “I love you.”

Suddenly feeling more tired by the second, he kissed her head, murmuring, “I love you, sweetness. I think I may…close my eyes…”

Go to sleep, love. I’m right behind you honestly.

I shall dream of you, my love. Always of you.

Naked or…?

Any way my subconscious dictates. I certainly wouldn’t object to you being naked in my dreams. What dreams they would be, darling!

Gale, oh my gods GO TO SLEEP.

Yes. Of course, my love. Sweet dreams.

You too, my cute and sexy magic man.