#alyril'fryn x gale

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BG3 + Text Posts (Tav x Gale edition)

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Tav + Text Posts (including Gale)

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Trust Among Strangers

Fandom: Baldur's Gate 3 Pairing: f!Tav/Gale Rating: Teen Summary: Trust isn't something one easily comes by in the midst of strangers on a life or death mission. But it's especially difficult for a Drow assassin and a wizard with a bomb in his chest. Words: 3752 Additional Tags: Drow Tav, Zhentarim, Gnolls, Blood and Gore, Wizards, Assassin Tav, Pining, Former Zhentarim Tav, Budding Romance, Pre-relationship

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The last of the gnolls fell with a screech that threatened to burst his eardrums. Gale resisted the urge to cover his ears, hands shaking as he tried to keep a grip on his staff. These creatures… They were terrible beasts even before the Absolute fanaticism but now, being used as fodder for this cult, he didn’t even want to think about the consequences this could have on the rest of the Storm Coast.

As the horror settled around them, Alyril’fryn stood above the gnoll chief, breathing heavily from the exertion of the fight. She nudged the dead with a toe to confirm it was truly dead. It was intoxicating to watch her as she fought. She was terrifying on the battlefield, melting into the little shadow around them only to reappear at the most devastating moment. She was covered in blood, viscera, her grey-white hair the only part of her untouched by death.

Silence stretched between them. Aly wiped her blades on her leathers before sliding them into the sheaths at her hips, eyes scanning the landscape around them. The deathly stillness at odds with the intense violence from moments before. Astarion was picking through the rank bodies, trying to pilfer every last coin or item that could be bartered for coin. Shadowheart was standing in the shadow of the cliffs, casting a simple healing spell on herself, the claw marks on her arms knitting themselves back together with ease.

Aly circled the battlefield, checking the dead for any signs of life. Ever the assassin, that one was. She wouldn’t be satisfied until every gnoll was bleeding its lifeblood along the dusty roads, though Gale couldn’t be picky when if they’d had it their way, it would be him doing the same.

Gale turned as a man crested the small hill towards them, filthy and exhausted if the dark half moons beneath his blue eyes were any indication. One of the people who’d been hiding in the cave a few feet away while the fight raged on. The strange man paused mid step when his eyes landed on Alyril’fryn, gaze slanting slightly, hackles raised.

“Drow.”

Gale prepared a spell, muttering an incantation under his breath, a precaution in case the man turned hostile. Even if he was grateful for being rescued by a group of strangers, the man could quickly turn about-face and decide they were worth more dead. Many people were hostile towards drow, for good reason of course, and that spelled disaster for their party after such a risky fight.

Gale watched as Aly stepped closer, hand on her dagger and a curious tilt to her head. The man was dressed in dark leathers, a strange symbol etched on one pauldron. Something about it was familiar, the winged dragon in flight, a sea of fire behind it.

Aly’s golden eyes swept the man from head to toe, not a single flicker of emotion on her face. When she returned to meet his gaze, a scoff left her lips. “Zhent.”

The two stared at one another for a long moment, neither moving for weapons. Gale knew enough about the Zhentarim and all of it wasn’t kind. Mercenaries, cutthroats, murderers the lot of them. There were wizards in their ranks as well… ones that sought to gain power through any means necessary. Most of those means were illegal.

Out of the corner of his eye, Astarion slinked into the shadows, and for the first time since his true nature had been revealed, Gale was grateful to have a vampire as an ally. Shadowheart shifted slightly, her hand resting on the mace at her hip, a spell most likely on her lips as well. Pride swelled within him at how they worked together, protecting each other from any threat that might appear… Only a week or so traveling along the road to Baldur’s Gate and they were a team.

Perhaps a strange, bloodthirsty sort of team, but one nonetheless.

Another tense second or two passed before the Zhentarim agent barked a laugh, shaking his head as if he couldn’t believe his own sight as he gazed upon their leader. “Aren’t you a sight for sore eyes?”

A slow smile spread across Aly’s face, the first real smile Gale had seen on her face. It was… beautiful, like the stars finally breaking through on a cloudy night.

“You’ve gotten old, Rugan.” She reached out and affectionately tapped the man on the forehead where a few obvious wrinkles sat.

“And you’ve barely aged a day, lass. How is that fair?”

“A benefit of being one of those awful drow you dislike so much.” She said, raising an eyebrow as if waiting for him to argue the point. Gale didn’t know her as well as he wished, but the tone of her voice sounded both playful and threatening. He had no idea how she managed it.

“Putting words in my mouth now?” Rugan tsked, shaking his head as if in disbelief, but the smile on his lips said differently.

“It’s better than some of the things I’ve seen you put in your mouth.”

A undignified snort escaped the Zhent. “Never heard a complaint from you before.” He shifted his gaze to Gale and Shadowheart, clearly making a mental note of where they both stood. “So… How did you get mixed up with this sort, Ryn?”

The question was innocent enough, Gale supposed, but the way this Rugan looked at Alyril'fryn… it spoke volumes on their former relationship. And Ryn. A nickname if he ever heard one. The most likely explanation was he was a former partner, in either meaning of the word, but if Gale being honest with himself, didn’t want to know the sordid details of whatever affair the man was alluding to.

Aly surprised him when she shrugged, not dropping her gaze from Rugan when she responded. “It’s a long story.”

Gale could’ve imagined it, but he swore the Zhent read something in her gaze that none of them were privy to. Instead of pressing matters, the man turned his back on her to wave to the cavern mouth a few feet down the hill they stood atop. “We have the time and you have gnoll guts to clean out of your hair. Stay. I’ll introduce you to the boy.”

“Darkhold let you have command of something?”

The man laughed, a deep bellow that echoed in the rocks around them, throwing an arm across her shoulders and pulling her tightly against his side. The overly familiar gesture made something sick curl in Gale’s stomach, a feeling that he refused to name.

Aly went to shove Rugan, a playful grin on her face, when he threw his hands up in a mockery of a defensive stance. “Whoa there, lass. If you want to get handsy, all ya had to do was ask.”

She nudged him with her shoulder, her small stance doing nearly nothing to move the larger man, and he laughed again, quieter and with more affection that he had any right to. The two of them headed in the direction of the cave, talking in hushed tones, keeping their voices from being overheard.

Shadowheart stepped up beside him, greenish eyes on the retreating forms until they’d disappeared into the shadows. “I guess this means we’re making camp.”

Gale sighed when the cleric didn’t wait for a reply, following their leader and the Zhent without hesitation. Astarion reappeared a moment later, sending Gale a cruel smile before trailing behind Shadowheart. He knew the vampire spawn was going to get himself into trouble. His sticky fingers would no doubt get them all killed, if they were lucky. He could imagine the torture a mercenary group like the Zhentarim used. Best to keep on their good side until they broke camp in the morning.

Unsure if he preferred the stinking death of the gnolls over watching Rugan flirt with Alyril’fryn, Gale did the only thing he could in that moment… follow his companions into the caves.

~~~~

“What do you think?” Astarion drawled from beside Gale, the wine in his hand the only thing he’d consumed since they’d made camp. “Colleague? Former mark? Ex-lover? All of the above?”

Gale nearly failed to keep his irritated sigh contained. If Astarion only listened to the things their companions said, he would know the details already. As it was, he already tried to lift gold and other things from the mercenaries pouches. The boy, Olly, was too trusting for his own good. “These men are the Zhentarim. The same mercenary company she used to be employed with in Baldur’s Gate. I swear, none of you listen when people speak-”

“Definitely a lover.” Shadowheart interrupted, eyes on Aly and Rugan as they bent their heads together, discussing whatever it was criminals talked about. “She is too comfortable around him.”

Astarion sighed wistfully, twisting one of his curls around a finger. “He’s handsome, I suppose. In a rugged, unwashed way. She could do better.”

“Let me guess.” Shadowheart muttered with an eye roll. “You’re offering?”

“Do I detect some jealousy, darling? There’s plenty to go around. All you need to do is ask.”

“I’ll pass.”

Aly’s laughter drifted to where they sat on the opposite side of the camp fire, eating their pitiful rations while she dined with the Zhents, not worried in the slightest about how damning her familiarity with them was. She preferred the company of cutthroats and murderers to him. And that fact stung more than her viscerally aggressive reaction to him being a wizard had when they’d first met.

“Must we be so flippant about these things?” Gale shifted in his discomfort, trying to ignore it when Aly reached out to brush a hand against Rugan’s shoulder. “It is unbecoming to gossip about someone, especially when they are right there.”

Astarion grinned, as if he knew a secret that the rest of them didn’t. Taking a long sip of his wine, his eerie crimson eyes focused on Gale, silence stretched awkwardly between the three of them. After a minute or so, Shadowheart sighed dramatically, foot darting out to kick Astarion in the shin. The vampire easily dodged the attempt, his reflexes far superior to a mortal’s.

Shadowheart muttered something under her breath that Gale couldn’t hear and Astarion laughed. It only served to further irritate him.

He didn’t get a chance to snap at them. Alyril’fryn had moved from her spot by the fire, walking past the three of them to head into the cave without warning.

As she moved past Gale, he reached out towards her but stopped short when he realized what he was doing. “Where are you going?”

“Rugan has a business deal he wants to work out.” Alyril’fryn said flippantly as she continued towards the cave, not even deigning him with eye contact.

“You want to work with him.” Gale tried to follow, but she spun on her heels to face him and he hesitated. She might’ve been much shorter than him, but her personality made up for it in spades. “But he’s-”

“I trust him.” She crossed her arms over her chest, those golden eyes piercing him to the spot. “I can’t say the same for many of our companions.”

That was it, then? She didn’t trust him because of what he was. He didn’t know how to get her to trust him. Yes, he was a wizard, and yes, he had his secrets but they were for a very good reason. He didn’t want to hurt anyone, or put his burdens on these strangers, but this… this was different.

She was afraid of him even if she denied such a thing.

“Are you alright?”

Gale blinked, realizing that she was staring at him, confusion in her eyes as she peered up at him.

“Sorry. I didn’t hear you. I’m…. distracted.” Brushing a hand through his hair, he turned away to find Astarion and Shadowheart had disappeared, leaving them some peace. Or perhaps they were spying. He’d learned on many occasions over the last few weeks that the two of them, sometimes with Aly, would gladly watch the entire camp from a distance, listening in on conversations with their exceptional hearing. “I won’t keep you.”

Gale turned away, leaving her to do whatever it was she intended to do with mercenaries and murderers. It wasn’t his business, no matter how much he wished it was.

Alyril’fryn’s entire life was always one of terror, blood, death. Such was the burden of being an assassin, and a drow at that. She once mentioned she was never a particularly good drow according to the standards of their society, and she wasn’t broken up about that fact.

It was easier, living a life without a conscience. Maiming, murdering, thievery, smuggling… Some things were more palatable than others.

Or at least, he supposed they were if you lived such a dark life.

The sky overhead was a navy blanket dotted with hundreds of pinpricks of light, not a cloud in sight. With a sigh, Gale closed his eyes and pulled on the threads of the weave, feeling the familiar caress of magic against his skin. The smell of rosewater filled the air around him, a comfort in its own right, and he reveled in the feeling of it all. Magic was his passion, his true love, his life. Without it, he didn’t have a reason to go on.

He wondered if Mystra could forgive his trespasses, despite everything.

Gale wasn’t sure how long he stood there, curling pieces of the weave around his fingers, trying to shape it, trying to remember how to wield it like he used to. It could’ve been merely minutes. Perhaps hours. Though, the second option was doubtful.

He felt her presence before she spoke. She was a dark spot in the weave, a shadow that lurked in the corner of his mind. And it should scare him, the darkness she held within, but it didn’t. It was beautiful, dark wisps with sharp edges, and at the heart of it, golden like her eyes. To him, she would always be golden.

Even if she didn’t agree with him.

She didn’t speak, only stood beside him in the darkness, a strange quiet descending between them. He wished this peace could last, that the two of them could exist in this moment forever, where tadpoles and mind flayers and evil cults intent on the destruction of everything they knew couldn’t touch them.

But that wasn’t their reality, no matter how much Gale wished it was.

“I’m glad we came here.” He said into the silence, opening his eyes so that he could meet her gaze. Her face was blank of emotion, watching him as he attempted to not embarrass himself further. “I’m glad we saved your friend.”

Alyril’fryn raised an eyebrow at him. “Don’t you mean my lover?”

Gale sputtered, cheeks heating as he realized that she knew. She knew everything their companions had spoken on the subject. “I didn’t-”

“Oh please. That’s what everyone has been whispering about in camp.” She crossed her arms over her chest, watching him keenly. A nervousness permeated his being, a feeling of being tested when he wasn’t entirely sure what it was he was being tested for. There was darkness in those amber eyes, a deep rooted pain that she hid so well despite the horrors that went on around them. Gale wondered what could’ve caused her intense fear of anything magical.

How much trauma had she buried beneath thick skin and protected with sharp blades?

Clearing his throat, aware that he was staring, leaving nothing but an awkward silence stretching between them, Gale forged ahead without much thought. “What you’ve done, and who you’ve done, is none of my business.”

She continued to watch him in evening quiet, eyes taking in every little shift of his feet and curl of his fingers. Then, without warning, she snorted, the tiniest of smiles curling her pretty lips. A real smile. “You know, wizard, you’re funny when you aren’t trying to be.”

He was certain she was teasing him, but for the first time since they’d been thrown together, Alyril’fryn sounded truly sincere. “I don’t think I’ve ever been told that before.”

“Don’t expect to hear it again any time soon.”

Gale chuckled, nodding his acceptance of the fact. “That’s fair.”

She shifted her attention, picking at a frayed string on her trousers. There was something weighing on her mind, but knowing her, if he pressed her about it, she would refuse to open up. This moment between them was fragile enough as it was. With a quiet noise low in his throat, he raised a finger to point at a spot in the sky. A bright white light streaked across the velvet black, leaving behind a brilliant trail of stardust and magic.

“Do you see that? Magic and nature, working in tandem to create something beautiful. Something worth gazing upon. There is a brilliance in nature, that most people will agree with. But many don’t know that nature is its own sort of magic: creating, sustaining, flourishing.” Gale dropped his arm to his side, trying not to turn and glance in her direction. “Not all magic is destructive.”

She was silent in response. Perhaps she already knew these things, perhaps she did not care.

It wouldn’t be the first time someone did not care about his philosophical rants. But he couldn’t help that it stung regardless. Gale respected her strength, resilience, bravery in the face of all they’d faced. And yes, many attempts at conversation were quite possibly his own ego trying to impress her, but he only meant to be supportive, not dismissive.

Astarion was also correct in his assumption that Gale was jealous of this Zhentarim, Rugan.

But that was an issue to be mused on another night.

A soft breath escaped her lips, a noise that wasn’t quite a sigh, but close enough that Gale took it for what it was. She was hesitant, that was clear, but with a small shake of her head, she met his gaze with a respect he wasn’t expecting.

The trauma she held cut deep, Gale could tell that much by her apprehension even now.

“I don’t know much about the Weave.” She admitted, turning over something in her hands that he couldn’t see in the impenetrable dark. “But perhaps, you’ll prove my experiences aren’t common.”

He wasn’t completely sure how to take that, comment or insult, so all he said was, “I’ll do my very best.”

There was much more he wanted to say, but he refused to break the uneasy truce between them. After a moment of quiet contemplation, Alyril’fryn held out her hand, the object she’d been toying with presented to him as if a gift. It glinted silver in the moonlight and even from where he stood, the magic that pulsed from the object was malevolent, evil.

“Where-” He cut himself off as he took the iron flash, feeling a shiver of fear as he spied the grotesque face etched into the metal. Something terrible resided inside. “Where did you get this?”

The drow waved back towards the camp. “I, uh, convinced Rugan to part with it. It’s the cargo they were transporting to Waukeen’s Rest. He’ll get shit from his boss for ‘losing’ the shipment, but he owed us for saving his ass.”

“Convinced?” Gale raised an eyebrow, trying not to smile despite the sinister object he held. “Am I to believe that you had to do little more than smile at him?”

She rolled her eyes, hands on her hips, her tiny stature doing little to limit the intimidating figure she cut. “That’s unfair.”

Alyril’fryn was adorable as she scrunched her nose at him, annoyed by the insinuation, but not angry. It was a start.

“It was unfair of me. I apologize.” He turned his gaze back to the flask, hating how the evil face smirked up at him. “Why are you giving this to me?”

“It’s magical, isn’t it?” She asked, looking unsure of herself for the first time since they’d met. She always exuded confidence, it was a strange sight to have her questioning her actions. “You’re the only one I trust with something like this. I don’t… I don’t want to know what plans they had for it.”

Gale tried not to feel elated over her confession. She trusted him? Truly? How wrong he’d been. “Yes, that is an excellent point. This is potent and dangerous magic, I can easily discern that.”

Aly stepped closer, curiosity getting the better of her. “How do you know that? Is there a feeling in the Weave?”

Holding the flask up, he turned it to her. With her darkvision, he knew she’d easily see the creepy glowing crimson face. “The first clue was the evil visage etched here.”

A smile, warm and genuine, crossed her lips and Gale felt lighter than he had in years. Perhaps spending time beside him, such an eccentric man in most circles, one who confused her at every turn with his poetic words and quick grins, she didn’t feel so alone. For Gale, Alyril’fryn was a bright presence in the darkness of his life, a beacon of hope that made him wonder if they could beat the Absolute, beat the tadpoles. Maybe there was a life after this.

“You have a beautiful smile, if I may say. One that lights up a room.” His eyes crinkled at the corners as he watched her grin widen at his words. “I wouldn’t complain if I saw it more.”

A laugh escaped her, breathless and awed. “Not many people trust the drow. Or an assassin. Thank you.”

“I admit, I don’t have much experience with your people, with the drow, or the Underdark in general, but if more are like you in action and word, then they can’t all be as bad as people say.” He brushed his hand gently against her shoulder, smiling when she didn’t move away. “And any who believe that all people who come from the same faith are copies of each other, then they are fools.”

“Maybe we’re the real fools. Believing that we’ll win this.” She muttered, smile fading slightly.

Gale had so much regret in his short life but being here, in the presence of this woman with her beautiful golden eyes, he would repeat it all if it meant he’d get to meet her again.

“Then call me a fool, for I mean every word.”

[commander-krios]

I finally reloaded Aly's playthrough to see Gale's new post-battle scene and I'm losing my mind 💜

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I got the chance to commission the fabulous @mooreaux for some Aly and Gale, and I'm stunned at how beautiful and perfect the finished piece is! They look so happy, so in love, and Gale's hair is *chef's kiss* <333333333333

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I replayed the BG3 Epilogue because I can't get enough pictures of these two being happy.

[commander-krios]

Pressing tiny kisses against your lover's shoulder while they're bent over a desk, trying to focus even though your touch is distracting them.—For whoever speaks up

Here it is! Something sweet written for post-game Aly/Gale. I posted it on AO3 as well if anyone prefers to read it there.

Tell Me About the Stars

A glow was coming from the study where Gale liked to sit reading, for hours sometimes after his lessons with Arabella and Yenna were finished. Usually he’d get lost in some experiment, some new piece of history that would leave him riveted to the book, turning page after page until he absorbed every word he could until his eyes crossed. Tonight seemed like another one of those nights.

A light knock on the door didn’t even disturb him, bent as he was over the desk, texts and scrolls scattered in an ‘organized mess’ as he liked to call it. Alyril’fryn entered quietly, propping the door open slightly to keep it from slamming behind her. Then she carried a bowl to where he stood, not even noticing her presence until she set the food beside his work.

“Ah, there you are!” He exclaimed, dark eyes dancing in the light of the candles. With a smile, Gale glanced down at the food, steaming in the wooden bowl. The spot between his eyebrows furrowed adorably. “What’s this?”

“Jaheira dropped some stew off earlier.” Alyril wrapped her arms around him, settling her hands against his chest. She pressed her lips against his shoulder, lingering against the warm fabric of his robes, enjoying the solid feeling of his body against hers. He tsked low in his throat, a sound that she knew all too well. “It’s delicious and you need to eat something. Don’t make me call her back-”

A gentle chuckle followed the unspoken threat.

“Is it that late already?” He asked, gaze on the window where the sun had long descended below the horizon. Now the sky was an inky black, white pinpricks sparkling in the dark. “I apologize for missing dinner. Again.”

“No apologies necessary.” Alyril stood on her tiptoes to press a kiss at the base of his neck, lingering briefly at the warmth of his skin. “What are you working on tonight?”

“Do you remember the myconids we met in the Underdark during our daring adventures? Well… their ethical and moral standing against violence are so interesting, considering their lives in the Underdark. To be around so many violent species and to abhor it so vehemently, I would love to return one day to speak to them in length.” 

As he rambled, Aly’s mouth trailed along the curve of his neck, hot kisses against his skin as if he was oblivious to her. She would love him to the end of her days and there was something so sweet about his passion for learning, for understanding the weave and the world around him. It was infectious most days, but tonight, Aly basked in the sound of his voice, her mind on other matters entirely.

It was long before Gale paused to glance over his shoulder, raising a curious eyebrow at her. “What are you doing?”

Alyril pressed her face into his shoulder, trying to hide the smile that curled her lips. “Oh, me? Nothing.”

Her hands ran along his chest, the elaborate embroidered robes smooth against her fingers, and she sighed softly, when he covered her hands with his own, squeezing her affectionately.

“What did I do to deserve you?” Turning in her embrace, Gale cupped her face in his hands, thumb brushing gently against her cheek, his smile still making her heart flutter wildly in her chest after all of this time. “I’ll make it up to you. Tell me what you want. I’d steal the stars from the sky for you.”

Alyril stared up at him, mesmerized by the flecks of dark gold in his brown eyes and the way the light of the candles highlighted some of the lighter tones in his hair. She reached a hand up to run her fingers through the strands, like silk across her skin. “I only need you.”

With a sigh, Gale leaned closer, pressing a soft kiss against her forehead. “And I’m forever grateful for it. I know I’ve been scarce a lot this week.” His hands lingered on her face, his touch gentle, and Alyril felt safe and at peace. 

“Your work is important.”

“You are what’s important.” His hands trailed across her cheeks, brushing against the curve of her neck before settling firmly on her shoulders. “So now that I’ve pulled my head out of my back-end, what shall we do?”

Alyril fought a grin, but failed when she noticed the intensely tender way he watched her. With Gale, she never felt afraid or unsafe. Never felt anything except peace. There weren’t many times in her two hundred years of life that she could say that.

“You said something about the stars?”

He chuckled quietly, mouth against her hair. “You’d truly want me to tear them from the sky? I’m not sure if I’m capable of such a feat.”

“I want you to tell me about them.” She met his gaze, studying how his eyes creased at the sides, how he watched her with nothing but adoration and devotion. “I spent a lot of my childhood in the Underdark. I didn’t know they existed for a long time.”

He brushed a strand of silver hair over her ear, touch lingering against her neck. “Is this your way of getting me to lecture you to sleep?”

“I won’t deny that I enjoy the sound of your voice. Almost as much as you do, in fact.” She teased, earning an affectionate smile in return. 

“You’re amusing. And adorable.” Gale glanced at the bowl steaming beside his never ending work and she knew he was contemplating how to rid himself of the food. Without actually eating it. Shaking his head, he turned those eyes on her, pinning her beneath his stare. “And my favorite distraction.”

His arms encircled her waist, pulling her flush against his body, warming every part of her that touched him. He bent closer to brush a kiss against her lips, a taste of what more awaited her if she wanted it. Perhaps another night, when he wasn’t as exhausted. For tonight, she wanted him close and that was enough.

Taking his hand, she led him to the sofa that faced the large veranda windows, the view of the sea stretching to the horizon. Alyril curled against him once they settled in, resting her head on his chest, eyes focused on him instead, more beautiful than any landscape. There was grey in his beard now, grown a little thicker now, giving him more of that distinguished appearance he craved. His hair was longer as well, usually pulled out of his face during the daily lessons he gave to the girls, but now it hung loosely around his shoulders. She preferred him in this state: relaxed, content, fulfilled.

Gale tilted his head and smiled at her, his fingers stroking against her hair. With a happy sigh, she leaned into him, relaxing against the soft planes of his body, warm and more loved than she’d ever been.

“Let me tell you about the stars.”

[commander-krios]

Baldur's Gate 3 Fanfic Masterpost

A masterpost of all fic and links for my main Tavs and Durge as well as other BG3 fics I've written.

Juniper, Tiefling Bard/Wild Magic Sorcerer

Juniper's Main Tag Juniper x Rolan Tag Juniper x Rolan Playlist Where Love Runs Wild AO3 Series

Juniper x Lae'zel Tag

Juni/Rolan Fanfiction

Long Rest: G, 2k, Gifts/Flirting/Developing Relationships/Act 2 Spoilers

Nights Like This: T, 3k, Abuse/Healing/First Kiss/Act 3 Spoilers

Better Judgment: [ch1] [ch2] [ch3]; M, 10k, Post-Lorroakan/Fluff/Sexual Tension/Act 3 Spoilers

Juniper's Kitty Catastrophe: T, 8k, Pranks/Post-Canon/Friendship/Love/Cats

With Devotion And A Little Luck: T, 5k, Marriage Proposal/Fluff/Post-Canon

The Things We Do For Love: T, 2.5k, Polyamory/Post-Canon/Multiple Tavs

Alyril'fryn, Drow Assassin/Former Zhent Agent

Alyril'fryn's Main Tag Alyril'fryn x Gale Tag Alyril'fryn x Gale Playlist You Put the Stars to Shame AO3 Series Alyril'fryn x Rugan Tag Alyril'fryn x Rugan Playlist Someone To Lie In the Dark With AO3 Series

Alyril'fryn/Gale Fanfiction

Tell Me About the Stars: G, 1k, Post-Canon/Domestic Bliss/Fluff/Love

Trust Among Strangers: T, 3k, Pining/Pre-relationship/Budding Romance

Alyril'fryn/Rugan Fanfiction

Coming Soon

Luz, Human Cleric of Lathander

Luz's Main Tag Luz x Astarion Tag Luz x Astarion Playlist Your Love Is A Golden & Holy Thing AO3 Series Luz x Cal Tag Luz x Cal Playlist

Luz/Astarion Fanfiction

We Shine In The Dark: T, 3k, Post-Cazador/Love Confessions/Spawn Astarion

Luz/Cal Fanfiction

Coming Soon

Tamisra, High Elf Celestial Warlock (Redeemed Dark Urge)

Tamisra's Main Tag Tamisra x Wyll Tag Tamisra x Wyll Playlist Tamisra x Wyll AO3 Series

Tamisra/Wyll Fanfiction

Coming Soon

Other Fics

Sweet Like Sugar: Bex/Danis, G, 2k, Celebrations/Post-Canon/Romance

A Divine Dream: Dammon/Rolan, T, 5k, Ballroom Dancing/Post-Canon/Romance

Everything: Dammon/Rolan, T, 3k, Romance/Fluff/Post-Canon

[commander-krios]

I… had a thought about Aly’s backstory today. She was always a Seldarine Drow, lived in Baldur's Gate for much of her life. She left Menzoberranzan at a young age with her father, fleeing her mother's cruelty. She took up thievery as a child to make ends meet, especially after her father became disabled.

I made a slight change.

Instead of primarily working as a thief, then as a freelance assassin, she worked for the Zhentarim for a few years once she arrived in Baldur's Gate as a child spy. Officially joining the network as a thief and assassin after her father became disabled.

She met Rugan during her later time there, was his lover before getting a better offer from Nine Fingers and joined the Guild instead. And she was doing a Guild mission when she was nabbed by the nautiloid.

The point of this post. I decided to run Alyril'fryn again in the game, this time with her updated backstory and a more 'rough' personality. She's a Drow, some of her upbringing was under her mother's wing, and the reaction to Drow on the surface helped to shape who she is.

She doesn't go out of her way to be cruel, but she isn't kind to people either. Especially those with magic (she has a phobia of magic thanks to her mother).

Her initial introduction to Gale is going to be more antagonistic and will definitely need to grow with time. But I think it will be a good character arc for her (and for him) as they start to fall in love.

Oh, and Rugan is her Dream Guardian now lmao

[commander-krios]

Meeting the husband. You know, normal stuff.

[commander-krios]

What drew your Tavs to their love interests? Was there an instant connection between them, or was it more of a gradual build-up? What's their favorite things about their respective LIs?

Bonus question: Is there anything about their romances that went differently in your canon than it did in-game? How did things unfold for those who do not have in-game romances?

Alyril'fryn

It was... difficult with Gale at first and majority of that was because of his magic. He was kind to her, understanding, willing to engage in conversation about her life and the history of the drow. She didn't exactly understand why he was wanted to know so much at first. She was suspicious of him. He was a human, an intelligent and clearly well off human, and most times, anyone who was nice to her, in the end, would betray or hurt her. It took her a while to even trust him to watch her back in a fight, let alone trust him with more personal information about herself.

BUT he was patient, and despite her aversion to how much he flaunted his magic, he was kind. He tried to ease her into understanding how magic works, and to show her it didn't have to hurt, even after everything she'd been through. And somehow, she found that she admired him, liked him even. And by the time they made it to Baldur's Gate, Aly couldn't imagine being without him.

Favorite things about Gale: His intelligence, his patience, his kindness, his understanding. His silly little jokes. His eyes.

Their romance wasn't an immediate thing. It took longer, especially since Aly was so distrusting of everyone, but especially those with magic. But I think it works for them because they both had a lot of trauma to overcome and they did it together.

Juniper

With Juniper, it is actually pretty funny because originally, she was drawn to both Shadowheart and Karlach. She liked them, in vastly different ways (and for different reasons), but she did like them. A lot. She even kissed them both, enjoying some burnt skin for a brief time after Karlach's. But she ended up blindsided by Rolan.

At first, she felt a strange pull to him and she thought it was perhaps because she liked to annoy him. Whenever she flirted, he blushed. Whenever she played her lute, he scowled. Whenever she talked to Cal and Lia, he scolded her for putting ideas into their heads. By the time they meet again at Last Light, she realizes that perhaps it extended beyond that. So the things she had with Shadowheart and Karlach fizzled out because both of them saw the writing on the wall. Juniper was smitten.

Their relationship was built up a lot longer due to the distance between them thanks, mostly, to Rolan's stubbornness, but also because they traveled to Baldur's Gate separately. Her feelings began around the time of the tiefling party but she didn't realize it until Last Light. Rolan, realized it after, somewhere between Moonrise and the city. Of course, Lia and Cal tease him about it constantly after.

The turning point was Lorroakan and the revelation of the tadpole.

Favorite things about Rolan: his tenacity, his love for his siblings, his confidence, his intelligence, how his eyes seek her out when she enters a room, his exasperated fondness for her antics, and how protective he is of those he loves

[commander-krios]

What are some of the main ways your Tavs/Durges show love towards the people around them? Are they very physically affectionate? Generous with their words of affirmation? Or do they show their love in less obvious ways?

Sorry it took so long to answer this!

Alyril'fryn

For Aly, it's harder for her to show affection at first. She doesn't have much experience with true affection like love (romantic or platonic) due to her upbringing. She's more of an Acts of Service type, affection is shown less with words and more with action. Protecting the person from harm, putting yourself between them and danger, make sure they're taken care of first.

Romantically, she was less likely to put herself out there, but with Gale (and slightly with Rugan earlier in her life), she shows her affection in much the same way as before, with Acts of Service, but opens up more over the course of their relationships. Touch is big with her once she trusts you. A hand on your shoulder, brushing her fingers through your hair, etc.

Juniper

Juniper loves to love. She is more likely to show affection than Aly is, in all matters: familial, platonic, romantic. How she shows this depends on the dynamic and person, but some examples:

Family: With her family, primarily her father, they show love by doing things for each other. Acts of Service. Cooking is huge for Juniper, she loves to make things for those she cares about. Usually sweet treats, but she is capable of making a real meal as well. Words of affirmation is big too, telling someone they are doing great, helping them through an issue. It was how she was raised and she shows it still as an adult.

Friends: With her closest friends, primarily Karlach and Gale, she uses touch a lot: hugs, pats on the back, leaning on one another. She loves to express affection through small friendly touches. And words of affirmation are huge here too. Talking out issues, giving an uplifting speech, telling her friends how much they mean to her. She does it all.

Romance: With Rolan, she's a strange combination of many things. She's definitely generous with her affection in this situation, to the point that it definitely flusters him. She praises him, shows her appreciation in words and acts, doing things for him that he notices after the fact (like making his favorite tea, or taking out a book he'd been interested in and leaving it on his desk for him to find). Quality time is important to her as well, making sure they have time together, just the two of them, even if it's sitting in a quiet room reading. And touch is more intimate between them, usually reserved for private, but in public, she will kiss him or brush her hand against his arms or hands, bump into him 'accidentally'.

[commander-krios]

A moment of magic

[commander-krios]

Gale's always standing next to her. He's so proud of his girl <3

[commander-krios]

Beloveds <3

[commander-krios]

Hello! Forgive me if you’ve already written this in a fic - I went to check and the Archive is down! (Sob.) But when did Alyril’fryn and Gale have their first kiss? Who initiated? Did they get together straight after that or was it more complicated?

Hey! I have not written this yet! Aly and Gale's relationship is sort of complicated because she is 1- a drow with a history of violence and crime and 2- she's afraid of magic (personal trauma). It takes a lot for Aly to trust people in general and as a wizard, it's a lot harder for her to find common ground with Gale. She only truly starts trusting him after the run in with the Zhents in the Goblin Camp, revealing that she was once a Zhent herself, and Gale doesn't judge her for it.

Their first kiss isn't until well into Act 2, perhaps towards the very end. Gale, being who he is, doesn't initiate the kiss. He doesn't want to pressure her and she appreciates that, because she has a lot of hang ups about romance in general. In her line of work (assassin), it tends to be a hindrance and a weakness more than anything else.

Aly initiates their first kiss, after the fight with Ketheric Thorm. They're covered in disgusting gunk from the fight, bleeding, beaten down, but victorious and she couldn't help herself, much to both Shadowheart and Lae'zel's disgust lmao

They were already dancing around more than friendship by that point and while Aly was still apprehensive about romance, she was more willing to be soft with Gale.