Tumgik
#i think she wanted to believe that if astarion could be better she could be better too
kirain · 1 day
Text
Tumblr media Tumblr media
Astarion frowned as he and Tav entered the modest boutique. It was small, but clean; organised. It had an almost rustic charm to it, featuring large windows adorned with delicate lace curtains, which were tied back just enough to let the sun shine through. That was appreciated, as Astarion had grown weary of the dark.
He said nothing as his cheery companion scanned the outfits on the walls, cupping her chin as she considered and rejected each one. Carefully curated as they were, she seemed to be looking for something specific. The soft beams accentuated racks of unique frocks, hand-knitted sweaters, and artisanal jewelry, but she passed them all by.
Why did she bring me to this rundown shack?
Astarion huffed. Has she noticed how old my clothes are? No, she's not that perceptive.
His eyes widened as her finger suddenly pointed at some lingerie behind the shopkeeper's counter. His heart sank.
Of course ... she wants to dress me in something risqué. Expose my body. Why am I not surprised? There's nothing more "sexy" than a vampire, after all. He bit the tip of his thumb, feigning indifference. So in the end, she's just like all the others. A horny, selfish little—!
"No, no! Not that!" she laughed. "The one beside it."
Astarion flinched, trying to hide his shock as the shopkeeper passed her a plain ashmeadow outfit. It wasn't particularly bright or stylish, but the pattern was subtle, casually elegant, and paired with lightweight trousers, likely designed to ease movement.
"What do you think?" she asked, unfolding the pieces for a better view. "Doesn't it look nice and comfy?"
Astarion hesitated. His eyes narrowed as he scrutinised every inch. Overall, the outfit was dull, at least compared to his usual garb, but pleasant in all the ways that mattered. It wouldn't grab attention, but it wasn't hideous. It wouldn't make a spectacle of his body, but it would complement his figure, his hair, his eyes. For one brief moment, he felt oddly respected, but he quickly recoiled in mistrust.
Is this a trick?
He quickly waved at the suggestion, bidding the shopkeeper to take the outfit away, but Tav clung to it, staying his hand.
"Wait, what's wrong with it? You don't like it?"
"I appreciate your confidence in me, darling, but I don't think even I could make that dreary ensemble look good. That's something you'd see a pig farmer wearing." He gave her a seductive grin. "Surely you'd like to see me in something more ... exotic."
Disgusting, but I need her protection. Just fuck me, already. Get it over with. Why the song and dance? Why the charade? Am I not being forward enough? Perhaps I should should try the 'lonely bachelor' angle. That tends to work on sensitive women like this.
Tav raised a brow, her confusion genuine, but Astarion didn't believe it. He couldn't.
"No, I just think this suits you," she said.
Astarion scoffed, thrown by her sincerity. There was no hint of sarcasm or trickery in her tone. No indication that she was fulfilling some mundane kink by picking such an outfit. But it didn't make sense. He hadn't been particularly kind to her, and he was only good for one thing: sex. Surely that's what she was after.
"Did you not hear what I said?" he snapped. "That's something a pig farmer—"
"What's wrong with being a pig farmer?" she argued. "They work hard, live free, and dress for comfort."
"And I'll have you know, that outfit is not for farming," the shopkeeper added, visibly offended. "I mean, I suppose you could. It's certainly durable, but it's more for ... sophisticated roving."
"There you go," Tav giggled, harmlessly. "Don't you want to be a 'sophisticated rover', Astarion?"
He pulled back defensively, pursing his lips to hide his fangs. They live free? Dress for comfort? As if I ever had such a choice. She has no idea! His fingers curled into a fist.
"Are you ... mocking me? Is that what this is?"
Am I just a toy to you?! A doll to be dressed up to your liking?!
The air around him felt charged, a palpable tension that made it difficult to breathe. A deep red flush spread across his neck, creeping up towards his pale face. The anger was sudden, but uncontrollable, and he didn't know why.
Calm down, you fool. This is nothing. You've been through worse. He screamed internally. So then, why does it hurt more than usual? Why is it worse when it's her?! I ... I don't want her to see me this way, but I know she does! Who wouldn't?!
"Mocking you?" Tav asked, breaking the silence.
She tilted her head, the simple act pulling Astarion from is raging stupor. Her eyes were innocent, unassuming. And of course they were—he hadn't yet told her the truth about Cazador. The details. The depravity.
Hold on. Is this ... real?
"What are you saying?" she peeped. "I brought you here because of how worn out your clothes are." She pointed at the seams of his waistcoat. "Thin with crooked replacement stitches. I always see you fiddling with them."
Astarion's throat tightened. So she did notice. He tried not to blush.
"I'm sorry if that came off the wrong way. I wasn't trying to insult your clothes, I just thought you might like something new."
"I ... see."
"If you don't like the black and white..." She smiled and gestured to the shopkeeper. "We can order something with colour. Do you take commissions? Can my friend here make alterations?"
Friend?
"He can. And we do indeed sew to order, but it might take a while. I'm down a seamstress this month."
Astarion paused, their voices fading. He looked down at the sleeved tunic and accompanying vest that Tav held close to her chest. It was thick, surprisingly well crafted, and more fashionable than he initially dared to admit. For a moment, he felt his unbeating heart flutter. New clothes. A whole outfit, just for him. He'd forgotten what that felt like. What shopping for anything other than a victim for Cazador felt like.
Against his better judgement, he reached out and rubbed the material between his fingers. Twill. Handcrafted. Warm. He felt a tingle as he realised Tav didn't choose that outfit at random. She'd put a lot of thought into it.
"I want this one."
"Sorry?" Tav said, glancing up at him.
"This outfit." He tugged at the sleeve, gently. "I want this one."
She smiled. "Are you sure? You didn't seem overly thrilled about it a second ago."
"Tch! Well, I changed my mind," he hissed. "What can I say?" His eyes softened. "It's grown on me. Just like your ... annoyingly infectious positivity."
"Alright, alright," she laughed, ignoring his jibe. "Can you ring this up, sir?"
Astarion's back stiffened as she reached for her coin purse. Money, right. That hadn't crossed his mind. As horrible as Cazador was, everything was provided. When allowed to sleep on a bed, it was there. When Cazador's guests wanted wine, it was there. Anything needed to rope in victims was given. He hadn't had to buy anything in nearly two hundred years.
"Wait, I—"
"It's no problem," Tav said, sensing his conflict. "I'm happy to do this."
"But..." He frowned, crossing his arms. "Well, don't expect anything back. If that's what you're after, you're going to be sorely disappointed."
"I don't expect anything back, Astarion." She handed the shopkeeper a roll of gold coins, then turned to him with another tender smile. "I'm just glad to help out a friend."
Astarion stood in silence, his brow twitching. A thought occurred to him—two words he hadn't felt the desire to say in two centuries. Two words he'd almost forgotten. He shifted from side to side, looking anywhere but at her, desperate for an escape from the vulnerability pressing down on him.
But I think she truly means it.
"I..."
His mouth opened, then closed again. He cleared his throat, trying to speak, but the silence lingered. He could tell she expected nothing, but for once he wanted to give a part of himself, by choice. Just a few words. The feeling inside him grew, a swell of gratitude he couldn't quite contain. Finally, he sighed and met her eyes with a smile.
"Thank you."
Tumblr media
86 notes · View notes
communistfries · 6 months
Text
Why did the writer in me reawaken after years just to write smut in my notes app and be unwell about a woman i named after a diagnostic manual
3 notes · View notes
astarionancuntnin · 7 months
Text
listen, obviously i love astarion for multiple reasons, but ironically when i first started the game i wasnt interested in him, at all. i was fully commited to finding karlach and dating her bc of what i had seen online about her. i had barely heard or seen anything about him other than him being "the flirty vampire" and i was like eh okay
i ended up keeping him in my party cause his remarks were hilarious and i really vibed with his energy. and then he started opening up and you get to see how the whole overconfidence and flirting was an act, he starts talking about cazador and what he went through and how determinate he is to take him down. he keeps mentioning how he cannot wait to get rid of his master and how satisfied hes going to be, and hes smiling just thinking about it
then we learn about the ritual and theres this sudden spark in him, hes convinced that its the answer to his problems, he gets tunnel vision on the ritual, and if you romance him he also thinks its the only way he can assure not only his own safety, but also yours.
Tumblr media
and when you finally win the fight, you have to save him from himself. hes desperate, completely blinded by the power he could potentially have. if he has this power, hes never going to be vulnerable, no one will abuse him ever again.
Tumblr media
he is willing to lose himself to make sure he never gets hurt like this. even with high approval, if you dont succeed a persuasion roll or refuse to help him, he either turns against you or leaves your party. in his eyes, at this moment, you are the one who turned against him.
if you suceed the persuasion roll, he agrees that he can be better than cazador, and before stabbing him repeatedly, mentions (again) how hes going to enjoy this
Tumblr media
only to break down right after. even though its something hes been wanting to do for centuries, all the suffering hes been through came crumbling down after it was done. cazador is dead, hes the one who killed him, he finally got his revenge, and yet he feels this emptiness.
its done, why do i not feel better?
Tumblr media
if you saved him, he talks to you later and admits how he wasn't himself, how thankful he is that you helped him out and most of all, you believed in him. you saved him by believing he could be more than what he saw in himself.
Tumblr media Tumblr media
if you talk to him after completing dame aylin's quest in act 3 (after killing cazador), he mentions how he expected her to rejoice after defeating yet another person who intended to enslave her, but shes just tired. hes comparing her reaction to his own experience after freeing himself from his abuser
Tumblr media Tumblr media
and after karlach's reaction to killing gortash, he brings up the fact that theres "no justice in this world". contrary to what he believed earlier in the game, its not only him thats been wronged for several years. even though in the end they all got to get rid of the people who ruined their lives, they are still hurting.
Tumblr media
hes realising that killing your abuser, although it seemed like the simple, satisying solution of finally having your revenge from years of trauma, might free you, but it will not fix you. they're dead, but you still have to live with what they've done to you.
he is my roman empire
561 notes · View notes
finn-writes-stuff · 6 months
Note
Hello! Can you write for Gale, Astarion and Halsin's reaction to tav wearing the wavemothers robe? Nsfw please😳
An Intricate Jewel
Tales tell of a most wondrous fish, scales resplendent, an intricate jewel that shone beneath the sea. When it died, the Wavemother gifted its hide as a robe to her most devoted follower - and demanded she drown the sailors that killed her gem-bright fish. - Item Description
Halsin, Gale & Astarion x Reader
Fandom: Baldur's Gate 3
Format: Headcanons
Gender Neutral Reader
Masterlist
I haven't actually gotten to this robe in my own playthrough yet, but I've seen plenty of it online lmao. This one isn't fully nsfw but it's spicy. -Finn
Halsin
"Oh. You look stunning, my heart."
He is openly admiring you any chance he gets. It is shameless because why would he be ashamed of looking at you? Of admiring all of nature's bounty before him.
He's handsy if you allow it, holding onto your hips where the slits of the dress show off your skin. Pressing kisses to the back of your neck just over the collar. Halsin always loves getting to see more of your skin, and this dress is certainly showing it off.
In general, he is a big believer in wearing whatever you want and enjoying it. He's hardly going to get jealous about others getting to admire you, so long as he's allowed to look as much as he pleases as well.
Even better, when you still have water clinging too you after being healed, dripping down your skin and making the dress cling even tighter.
You'll have him pressed up to your back to murmur in your ear about what he would like to do to you the moment you can both slip away.
And once you get the chance, he'll be between your thighs with the skirt pushed up around your hips. And you'll get to see just how long he can gold off before tearing the dress off of you completely.
Gale
"Oh! Yes, well, um, you look lovely! That sure does, well, show off your figure. Hmm. Yes."
This man is bright red and cannot look away from you. Yes, he can be blatant in his own flirting, but you make his brain shut down sometimes. And in this dress? Oh Gods
He is trying so incredibly hard to be a gentleman. He is NOT staring at your legs or the cut out in the back of the dress or how much it reveals of your chest or the way it clings to you as close as he wants to be. He is definitely not thinking about any of that. He missed his spell for unrelated reasons.
Show off in front of him, put yourself in his line of sight constantly. He will be going insane trying to stay polite and focused. And it's always a fun game to see if you can make him trail off in the middle of a monologue about magic.
Gale will spend an entire day suffering and watching you and trying not to say anything about it, but the moment the party breaks camp, he is dragging you into his tent to show you just how much he likes this dress on you.
You've left him so pent up after the whole day. He can't get enough of you, touching and grabbing and kissing you like you're the air he needs to survive.
The dress stays on until he's made sure you are both fully sated for the night. And he swears that if you wear it again he won't be so patient.
And if he's going to make a promise like that, he shouldn't be surprised when you wear it the next day.
Astarion
"Ohoho, please do say you're all dressed up for me, love."
He thinks this is delightful and would do the same thing if he could find something flattering enough.
Trying to tease him with it? No, that's his game. He's teasing you by letting his hands just barely touch you, appearing behind you to whisper in your ear about how delectable you look. Then slipping away before you can say anything back.
If he's noticing anyone else paying you too much attention, he'll make fun of them for it, but he's also likely to stick closer to your side, his arm around your waist. Showing the world that you're his.
He's the least worked up about the dress, but he likes it when you still stay by his side regardless of how much attention it gets you. He's just as much yours as you are his, and he'll be more than willing to reward you for being such a sweet thing all day.
He wants to see the way the fabric presses into your skin when you arch your back and let him sink his teeth into your neck.
812 notes · View notes
spacebarbarianweird · 8 months
Text
Baby Fangs
Synopsis: Baby Alethaine is severely sick, and Astarion is afraid his daughter is going to die.
Tags: hurt/comfort, dadstarion, dhampirs
Alethaine's age: 5 month
Thanks @queenofthespacesquids for beta-reading!
Read on AO3
Masterlist
Headcanons
Astarion has never been so afraid in his life.
Not when he was dying in the streets of Baldur’s Gate. Not when he thought Tiriel had gone. Not when Cazador had inflicted tortures on him.
It just can’t compare to the fear of losing a child.
“She needs to make it till morning,” the healer says. “If she is alive by sunrise, she will get better.”
“But can we do anything?” Tiriel looks as if she is going to fight. “There are healing spells, potions, anything!”
“And most of them aren’t fit for a five month old child. Astarion, Tiriel, I give you my word. I’ve done everything I can. There are probably some clerics and wizards who can heal your child immediately but none of them live in Daggerlake. I am sorry.”
The healer walks away, leaving a dreadful silence in the house.
Astarion sits on the bed, clasping his hands together. Of course, things couldn't be this good. Of course something had to go wrong! How could he have been foolish enough to believe that things could be good for him?
His little daughter, Alethaine, is such a miracle, such a gift. When he first held her in his arms, he dared to hope that everything would be all right from then on. And now they tell him she's dying? That she would be dead by morning?
Alethaine whimpers weakly. She is already too tired to cry.
Tiriel looks terrible. She is a warrior, a fighter, but for the first time in her life, she has no enemy to kill. The enemy is her daughter's fever, and she can't beat it the way she beats monsters.
The baby starts coughing.
Astarion doesn't need to be a vampire to feel his daughter's pain. Her muscles are too tense. Her breathing is ragged and her heartbeat is too weak. Alethaine is suffering at this very moment, and there is nothing her parents can do about it.
Can’t give her medicine. Can’t soothe her pain.
There is a grip of death around her tiny heart and neither Tiriel nor Astarion can unclench it.
Tiriel sits on the bed, cradling Alethaine in her arms. Astarion wraps his hands around them.
“So what do we do?” he asks.
“We wait,” she answers. Her voice sounds exhausted.
He nods.
Yesterday, Alethaine was perfectly healthy. She tried to sit up, but each time her head proved too heavy and she fell on her back. Then her black eyes clouded over and a fever rose. She refused to eat and only cried like a wounded animal.
“What if she doesn’t make it?” Astarion asks.
Tiriel doesn't answer and he sees tears flowing down her cheek. “We will keep living. Could you please bring a blanket?”
Astarion reluctantly lets them go and picks up a thick fur blanket from the floor. Then they sit together with their backs against the wall, covering their sick daughter with the blanket. Only a desperate cough echoes through the room.
Children die all the time. Mostly little kids like Alethaine. Daggerlake isn't a very big town, but Astarion knows that at least three babies have died this year. From disease. Small children like this are too vulnerable. It happens all the time.
There's a chance that tomorrow Astarion will have to dig a grave and put a tiny bundle in there that never had a chance to grow up.
It's so unfair that it makes Astarion want to howl.
"Astarion," Tiriel touches his curls. "Let's talk. The silence is killing me."
“What do you want to talk about, my sweet?”
“I don't know… Anything.” Tiriel places the girl in his hands and Astarion flinches sensing the heat of Alethaine’s body. Fever. A terrible killing fever. “Do you think she is a dhampir?”
“She is an elf like I was before I died.”
When Tiriel was pregnant, he read as much as possible about dhampirs. Deadly and fast, half-vampires don’t need blood and can live in the sun. But they have vampiric strength, can walk on ceilings, and regenerate much faster than mortals. No wonder vampires are often jealous of their children.
But at the same time, the life of a dhampir is full of hardships. Neither a vampire, nor a mortal, they are doomed to be alone. Once they feel bloodlust for the first time and fangs replace the canines, they are outcasts often disowned by their own mortal families.
But does it have to be like that? Astarion has been fighting the odds against his vampiric nature for the last twenty years. Why can’t his daughter?
But Astarion is afraid they will never learn the answer to either of their questions. Alethaine opens her mouth and makes a deep breath as if suffocating. Something doesn’t allow her to breathe and she makes hissing sounds. Her little eyes are watery - by this time she can only cry.
So can her parents.
“I wouldn’t want to, I think,” Tiriel says. “If she is dhampir it means she is alone. Even if other spawns have children too, what is the chance she will ever meet them?”
Astarion kisses Tiriel’s cheek. if Alethaine dies, they bury her and leave. Daggerlake is a welcoming town but it will be a place of sorrow for them.
Tiriel adjusts herself a bit.
“Fuck” she mutters. Astarion immediately smells the blood. Tiriel’s thumb is bleeding. “A fucking splinter.”
Alethaine cries at the top of her lungs.
Astarion stares at his daughter with shock. She screams with the strength they didn’t know she posseses. It’s desperate. Angry.
Demanding.
This moment she doesn’t sound like a child. She sounds like a little beast.
Before Astarion makes up any coherent thought, Tiriel puts her bleeding thumb to Alethaine’s lips, making the blood pour into her mouth.
“Tiriel, what are you doing?”
Tiriel doesn’t answer. The girl makes sucking movements as her mother squeezes drops of blood from her finger.
And then her dark eyes turn red.
They glow in the half-lit room like two tiny lights.
Tiriel puts her fingers away and Alethaine makes a disgruntled sound. Her elven ears twitch.
The eyes stop glowing so intensely and return to their natural black color.
And then Alethaine laughs.
She is kicking her legs and stretching her arms to her parents.
The girl is happy. Happy like a well-fed vampire.
“Astarion, look at her gums.”
Two baby fangs. Very small, almost kitten-like.
“It wasn’t a fever,” Astarion mutters. “It was a bloodlust.”
Of course… If she was older she would just try to get blood from somewhere.
But when you are five months old you can’t do a lot of things.
Poor girl, how she suffered those two days.
Is dhampir bloodlust the same as vampiric? Was she feeling her stomach being ripped apart, her throat hurting and bleeding? Maybe it was even worse for her? Maybe her mortal nature was fighting the bloodthirsty monster, causing Alethaine to cry in pain?
Helpless baby alone with her pain and fear while her parents didn't think of the most obvious explanation.
** Astarion sits at the doorstep with a plushie doll in his hands. The toy has white hair and elven ears, and now Astarion is stitching small fangs to its mouth.
The tears prickle his eyes.
He’s condemned his child for a life of hardships. For loneliness, for constant war against herself. If someday Alethaine shows up at his doorstep blaming him for all her tragedies, he will not even try to defend himself.
“No, kitten, I don’t care if you don’t like it! I can’t breastfeed you anymore and I am not giving you any blood! You eat normal food!” He hears Tiriel’s voice from inside the house.
Alethaine isn’t going to comply easily.
Then he hears footsteps from behind.
“What are you doing?” Tiriel asks.
“Adding fangs to her toy.”
Tiriel sits beside him.
“You have mash in your hair.” Astarion notices
“I know. You should see the other girl. How do you feel about giving her a bath?”
“I don't think you should ask. It’s my child. It seems like… even more mine now.”
“Hey, don't be upset. We knew it was possible.”
“I just… Her eyes, Tiriel, you saw them.They were like theirs… My siblings…Cazador… the same fucking glowing eyes as if she was a vampire, too!”
“It’s because of blood. She doesn’t have to drink it, she can eat normal food.”
“We should have found the cure before making a child.”
“But we didn’t find any.”
Tiriel takes a wet piece of rag and wipes her hair. “Astarion, I am going to talk to you seriously and, please, pay attention to every word I say.”
“I am all pointy ears, my love.”
“I was beaten and humiliated daily for who I was. My family didn't even give me a name because they despised me. But when I met elves for the first time they called me “garbage” - Biir. Half-something, half a person. Half elves aren't uncommon. There are surprisingly many in big cities. But I’ve been taught to despise my body, to hate my ears, to be embarrassed of my own existence. And our daughter is a dhampir. And I am sure there aren’t many like her. This world will have a thousand opportunities to shove her differences up to her nose. This world will teach Alethaine to hate herself. I can guarantee you she will try to pull her fangs out or maybe will ask someone to knock them out. She will cover herself not to let people see how pale she truly is. And we must not be a part of her problems.”
“Tiriel, I would never - “
“She is a girl, Astarion. Her image of herself will be formed mostly by you, not by me. The way you will perceive her will be the way she will see herself. And if she sees resentment, if she senses your sorrows that she isn’t a normal child, she will start hating herself. She will feel it. And it will stay with her till her long days are over.”
“Tiriel, what exactly in my behavior tells you that I am going to mistreat her? She is my child! She is…”
“I didn’t mean to ignore the fact she is a dhampir. You must cherish her differences. We must love her for being a dhampir. We must form this idea that it’s good she is a dhampir.”
Astarion chuckles. To be honest, he has never accepted his vampirism. It happened against his will and he would give anything to get rid of it. It is a curse. And now… his daughter is cursed as well.
“Astarion, this is important. Even the tiniest things will affect her. And we will have to deal with the consequences.”
The girl cries for her parents, and Tiriel, planting a kiss on Astarion’s forehead, returns inside.
Several hours later, when a washed and clean-clothed Alethaine is happily lying on her parents' bed and trying to make some coherent movements, Astarion finally finds enough moral strength to accept the reality.
He takes his daughter in his arms and walks up to the ceiling. The girl laughs and tries to bite him.
"Aren't you the cutest dhampir in Faerûn?" he mutters. "I can't wait to teach you how to use those fangs in battle. You will be deadly, my princess! But don't bite your mother, that's my prerogative."
--
Tag list
@tugoslovenka @marcynomercy @wintersire @vixstarria @not-so-lost-after-all @ashiro20 @theearthsfinalconfession @herstxrgirl @starlight-ipomoea @micropoe10 @astarion-imagine-archive @veillsar @elora-the-slutty-songstress @fayeriess @lumienyx @tallymonster @caitlincat-95 @tragedybunny @valeprati @lynnlovesthestars @marina-and-the-memes @waking-electric @ayselluna @connorsui @asterordinary @darkarchangel96
909 notes · View notes
starfall-dream · 16 days
Text
Yandere Baldur's Gate x Isekai Reader Concept
Tumblr media
I wanted to expand on my concept in hopes that people would be more interested in it. This won't get into every single character I want to write for, in fact this will pretty broad, so please feel free to ask me to expand on any ideas I didn't get into concept.
Also, for this concept, I'm including default (whitedragon, storm Sorcery) Durge, who is the Tav in my concept. I'll be using they/them pronouns for them and reader.
This mainly goes over act one, and if people are interested, I'll explore more of act 2 and 3, so please tell me what you think.
Again please send in any ideas or things you want me to expand on.
---
You didn't remember how you arrived here, nor do you know how the tadpole entered your head, but there was no use lamenting your situation now. All you did remember was going to sleep one night, your head banging in your head, but that wasn't unusual. When you awoke, you weren't on your bed, but instead on a beach, sand covering your body. 
It was lonely, being in this strange new world. From the moment you woke up on that beach, you knew you didn't belong, and you could feel every essence of your being rejecting the notion that you should be here. But despite that, you remained, mountains of responsibility placed upon you from the moment you realized where you were. Your companions, if you could even call them that, were cordial at best. You could tell that most of them didn't believe your story, thought you were crazy, spouting nonsense of other worlds. Some were nice, namely the wizard Gale and the more welcoming and kind Wyll, though you knew that their kindness was due to need rather than genuine feelings. 
The others were distrustful of you, but as their companion they had no other choice but to follow you. Astarion was the worst, at best his words were just petty teasing, while at worst he made you feel useless. You knew nothing, had very little survival skills, couldn't find your way around any weapons, in his words "hopeless." You tried your best to get along with him and your other companions, but it was often for not. 
The only companion you really found yourself close to was Tav, the more leader-like of the group. The best way to describe them is spacey, staring off into the world, often alone with their thoughts. It was difficult getting used to them at first, you've never seen someone like them before, but they were the only ones to accept you in the beginning. They taught you how to survive in this world, helping alongside Wyll in teaching you how to fight, at least with a sword. It made you feel at least a bit more prepared for your journey ahead, and you didn't have to listen to Astarion's judgmental words any more. 
While Tav was more of the leader, you were always more inclined to help people. You liked the Tieflings, especially the curious children, so it didn't take much to convince you into helping them. It felt...nice, having people's hope, helping people, though you didn't truly know what it entailed. Having to protect your companions, keep them away from the danger that seemed oh so attracted to them, it was a lot of work. Part of you wondered if helping the grove, saving these people, if it would prove your worth to your companions, and for some, it did. Shadowheart was appreciative of the work you put in, though she seemed unable to express it. 
In fact, you felt as though you were growing closer to your companions, at least partially. Gale would show off his magic, he loved it. After finding Karlach and learning more about Wyll, he seemed very obsessed with making sure you knew how to protect yourself. It was easy to befriend Halsin, he was so nice and understanding, as well as understanding as he could be. You even started to help the other companions with their personal issues as their trust in you started to get better. You caught Astarion mending some of your clothes one night, you think Lae'zel complimented you fighting style once, but you really couldn't tell, and Karlach was always encouraging. It felt nice, even if it was all very small acts of kindness. 
Though, throughout your journey, you found yourself worried over Tav. They were always more inclined towards violence, they were intimidating, quiet, but they were a friend to you, and so when they confided in you about their violent urges, something they strived to overcome, you vowed to help them. You could tell your words meant a lot to them, and as they promised to protect you on your journey, despite what path they take, the choice of words slightly worries you, but you trust them, and you were happy to have a friend. 
Meeting Halsin was a breath of fresh air, he seemed to genuinely notice the work you were putting in, offering to help you with your tadpole problem and travel with you on your journey. Your companions seemed to like the fact that a confident healer was finally amongst the party, and for once, after saving the grove and helping the Tieflings, you felt at peace. During their celebratory party, you spend most of your time alone, occasionally being checked up on by the animal companions you've found along the way. Zevlor offered you a drink, and in a tipsy daze, you confided in him about your worries and fears, you talked for hours and it was nice and Zevlor seems sympathetic, even claiming to miss you while they were traveling, and made you promise to find him in Baldur's Gate. 
You promised him, and as the Tieflings left, you found a small amount of dread sinking in. Your companions were still wary of you, and now you were traveling into a more dangerous land. You wondered if it would always be this way, but you knew you would have to keep brave, even if you knew you would never belong despite all your efforts. All you could hope for was hope for change, and keep a strong facade for your companions and yourself.
---
A/n: Again, I wasn't able to go into characters like Zevlor or Raphael as much as I wanted to, so please feel free to send in any ideas or headcanons you have about them or any other characters, I'd love to here them :)
187 notes · View notes
avocado-writing · 5 months
Note
Recently started play BG3, only on act 2 right now lol. I found your blog because this shit is my current hyper fixation and I love your writing. I was wondering if you could write how the BG3 cast would react to Tav haveing hanahaki disease.
Love you're writing!
Tumblr media
Astarion
Oh, when he notices, he feels an odd lurch in his chest.
You’re in love with someone? Who? It had better be him, he’s put effort into seducing you.
When he works out that he’s the object of your desire he’s over the moon! And then… ah. But it is a disease after all.
A lot of intense emotions flow through him. Of course he loves you, he’d be a fool not to. But can he admit that to you? Open his heart enough to let you in?
He sees you hacking up blood red roses and thinks, gods, if a few simple words are all this will take to solve it, why wouldn’t he?
He sits down next to you as you wipe your mouth, all awkward angles and longing gazes. Not his usual suave self at all. You go to ask him what’s wrong, and he blurts out that he loves you like he’s under duress.
You blink, amazed if slightly mortified by his tone, but then your lips curl into a smile. When you kiss him your mouth tastes of rosewater. Never does another petal pass your lips, and never does Astarion regret his confession.
Gale
When he sees you bringing up Sussur petals, he panics. It’s affecting your magic after all. Slowing your spells and causing lethargy in your casting.
He throws himself into research. Night and day he’s in his books looking for a cure. He rarely sleeps any more. Not until he comes up with a solution for you.
You’re getting worse and he’s being driven mad by it. If he could find out who you love he could help, but he simply has no idea…
Silly wizard has no idea the solution is right under his nose. Always has been. Because of course he loves you too, wants nothing more than to hold you and have you as his.
It takes the rest of the camp pointing it out to him before he realises, and doesn’t know how he could be so dense… but he knows he’s the luckiest man in the world if you love him.
He confesses in the middle of your coughing fit. The petals stop immediately. He would seal the look of adoration you give him into his heart forever.
No more Sussur. No more problems. Just joy.
Wyll
He’s seen this a dozen times in his youth. Time and time again people have perished from their courtly love in a flurry of flowers.
When he sees it happening with you? Oh, he knows immediately what is happening.
Doesn’t believe you’d be in love with him… but then he sees the loving looks you give him, the softness in your eyes. It clicks into place rather quickly.
And when he realises, you best bet he’s making a move to cure you.
An immediate embrace. A kiss where he tastes the petals on your lips. Your eyes are wide, but your throat is clear.
“I love you,” he states, no hesitations, just facts. There will be time for great romance later, but right now he just needs to make sure you’re safe.
When he’s certain your condition is cleared, no more coughing, he embraces you long and lovingly. Tells you what you mean to him. And when you plan your wedding… there will be no flowers.
Karlach
Panics when she finds you coughing petals. She might have been in Avernus for the past decade, but she knows hanahaki when she sees it.
Corners you one night and begs you to tell her who you’ve fallen for. She’ll help you confess!! After all, how could anyone not feel the same about you? Anything is better than this, this purgatory of petals where love is being kept secret.
Your smile is wobbly when you tell her there might be a time span on this person’s love. She thinks, oh, Gale? Because of the orb?
It takes a moment for things to fall into place. The way you look at her. Like she hung the stars.
“Oh, fuck. It’s me isn’t it?”
You go to leave, she grabs you and holds you back. Pulls you into a kiss. Only stops to tell you that she loves you. Goes right back to kissing.
It’s then she decides not to die. To find a way to live with you, even if it means returning to hell. How could she abandon you, when you love her so much?
Lae’zel
She is so utterly confused when you start hacking up petals. Is it a disease? Some sign of weakness? It is certainly nothing that a gith has ever experienced, nor would fall foul of. They are too strong.
Lae’zel mocks you at first, like she mocks everything, but it’s in order to hide how much seeing you suffer hurts her. She is a fool to have affections for someone so weak.
… isn’t she?
One night she corners Gale (quite intimidatingly) and gets him to inform her of your condition. He tells her all about hanahaki, and she says she must find out who you are in love with and get them to return your affections.
Gale blinks. “Lae’zel… it’s you.”
Oh.
It takes her a moment to digest this. She leaves Gale abruptly (“goodbye then?”), finds you, and drags you to privacy.
“I have been told to cure your disease you need a confession of love. This is my confession.”
The petals do not stop as you cough. With a small smile, a little smug, you tell her she has to be more specific. She huffs and you laugh.
She tells you she loves you in every language she knows. It works.
Shadowheart
The most perceptive of the bunch, Shadowheart knows you are in love with her from the moment you cough up Night Orchid petals.
It’s not subtle that you’re sweet on her. But she doesn’t say anything in return - she’s a sharran, after all, and doesn’t know how you fit with her future of being a dark justiciar.
And then… she finds selûne, and it changes. All of it. Especially her view of you. She can open her heart without fear now and she wants to welcome you in it.
She takes you aside one night. Sets up dinner. A bottle of the wine you shared on that first night by the cliff. Takes your hand and tells you she loves you, as easily as if she’s commenting on the weather.
You stop coughing. The petals cease. Your face lights up. She knows she wouldn’t change this for the world.
298 notes · View notes
pastrydragon · 9 months
Text
The BG3 Beef I wanna see shitpost
While I do love the idea of Tav/Astarion/Karlach/whoever getting more unique mean dialogue with Ulder Ravengard, especially when he has the audacity to take up space in your camp like that instead of someone cooler like Barcus or that one bullied hyena, I want very specific flavor text that you'd only get in the epilogue party if you pick a specific ending even more.
I think if you romance Wyll as Gale or Gale as Wyll and then you don't go to Avernus, I think it would be totally galaxy brain to have dialogue in the epilogue that reveals Ulder Ravengard and Morena Dekarios fucking DESPISE one another. Because they absolutely would.
We never get to meet Morena in game but you can tell from what Gale and Tara say about her and Gale's... Galeness that she is at least a part time passenger on the "Fuck you my child is fine" train. Her sweet little boy? Commit evil deeds? Never! There has obviously been a mistake. I mean she indulged that "Gale Of Waterdeep" nonsense and when Gale summoned a full on Tressym after being explicitly denied a kitten as a child, she just let him keep her. No repercussions.
And then her sweet boy brings home another sweet boy who is probably EXACTLY what she pictured Gale's partner should be like.(Because Wyll is the damn blueprint for "Guy you could bring home to mom") Wyll is ridiculously sweet to Gale, he's the perfect gentleman, he's very open to the idea of giving Morena the grandchildren she's been nagging Gale about in the very near future. Pinch her, she must be dreaming!
I cannot imagine her reacting to Wyll's backstory with any amount of empathy towards Ulder, obviously that man is a cruel psychopath to throw poor Wyll out like that after "a tiny misunderstanding" and Wyll is just too good of a son not to see it. Which is partially true, Wyll is definitely still in some kind of denial stage over what his father did but that's not the point of the post.
Then there's Ulder who probably thinks Gale is... Fine. He's not someone he ever would have pictured for Wyll. Gale is a babbling oddball, he has chronic foot-in-mouth disease and has only ever met the pointy end of a sword. But he can't say anything because Gale saved him, his son, and Bulder's gate, and a small army of tieflings, and apparently a bunch of mushroom people and blah blah more reasons he can never have the moral high ground blah. He's undeniably stuck with this fucking wizard, and his nightmare of a mother.
Morena firmly believes that since the Ravengard manor is technically Wyll's now, then it's also Gale's and thus is now hers as well. When I say she would walk through the doors like she owned the place I mean it very literally. Where did Ulder's old helmet display go? "They were rusty and it was ruining the wooden shelves, besides these enchanted swords go better with the new drapes we had to get, I don't know how you didn't notice how moth eaten they were getting." Everyday he wakes up and something about his own damn home has been changed to make it look more like a wizard tower. She doesn't even live here most of the time!
And it doesn't stop there, not at all. No this women has to make sure his son doesn't live there full time either. Every holiday and birthday she has to send Gale a letter about how much she misses him and you should visit so you can take a break from all that(Very important!) work and how she already has the venison just for Wyll.
And every time he's forced to interact with this harpy she looks at him with a sweet smile on her face, honey in her voice and the burning hatred of a thousand suns in her eyes then somehow managed to insult him five times in one sentence without ever explicitly insulting him. This women is a devil from Avernus sent to punish him for his sins and she's even won over the grandkids. Obviously that women is a manipulative psychopath for using her control over Gale to manipulate his son. Which, yeah Gale not being able to say no to his mom has contributed greatly to this and if Wyll knew what healthy boundaries looked like he probably wouldn't have put up with it but he doesn't so here we are.
Let these two be the Tom and Jerry style B plot to BG4 is what I'm saying.
355 notes · View notes
nixmori · 1 year
Text
Tumblr media
Astarion x Wren
The Lovers Tarot: upright
A fun pass time for me is always thinking which tarot card fits the characters at different parts of the story, and the primary themes that govern them.
Wren (my primary Tav) is the reversed lovers card for much of her early story/game. She longs for connection but is met with a cold, detached world, resulting in mental imbalance and the absence of self-love. She’s lonely and insecure, fearing rejection. Her closest relationship up until the events of the game was with her patron—the capricious (but not malicious) Archfey Kol. He offered her power and the pretense of connection, but never anything real.
For Astarion, while I think another card represents himself (I’m keeping that to myself because I have another art planned around it!) I feel his struggle aligns well with the devil card. He is, of course, more than figuratively shackled to Cazador, but also to the years of abuse, trauma, and his own demons born of that time. The shackles depicted in that card are loose—showing they can be broken should the person choose to be free of their demons.
The lovers and the devil cards are mirrors of one another. The lovers shows security and balance, but also the temptation of the fruit and the snake that could lead to back down the road to self destruction. Alternatively, they are a reminder of what it took to come back from that to a harmonious state.
In my interpretation of The Lovers here, I’ve retained the shackles from Astarion’s devil card. He’s chosen a new path—one where he can be true to himself. The scars will always be there, but the chains are broken. I’ve retained the forbidden fruit as Wren’s crown, with the leaves too represent the personal growth of both characters while the berries (fruit) represent the temptations that would have lead them down a very different path (which I will leave out due to spoilers!)
Fun fact, the Angel in the original card art is Raphael! Very different from everyone’s favorite demon in the game. This Raphael represents physical and emotional healing. I didn’t think an Angel would fit the aesthetics of what I wanted so I replaced him with the moon and Polaris. The first reason has to do with Astarion’s spawn ending so I won’t go into it. The second is taken from the moon card itself, where the moon reveals one’s true self. Paired with Polaris, it represents the moon’s light as a guide, as both embark on their long journey of healing. It won’t be an overnight venture—something that can be fixed by a single entity, so the moon as a guide works better in this context, I believe.
As a personal addition, Wren holds a few nerine lilies—a flower that has been associated with freedom since Ancient Greece. They also symbolize unity, and feelings straight from the heart, which felt appropriate for a relationship where both characters started as strangers to emotional intimacy. (I used to be a florist, I HAVE to have my flower symbolism)
Finally, the clouds at the bottom started life as flames, which in the og tarot card represent passion. As the art took form though, they took on the appearance of smoke/clouds. I could have made it more flame-like but I really liked how this looked, but I also think it fits the slow burn the story ended up taking. There’s a fire, somewhere—but it isn’t the most important thing here.
If you made it this far, thanks for reading my essay. I hope it was coherent!
671 notes · View notes
feyascorner · 8 months
Text
7 | The Fangs Between Us
Tumblr media
summary. “It’s too hard to see. We need to turn back.”
“Don’t tell me you’re afraid of a little bit of darkness.”
You scrunch your nose at this, and he merely grins. Before you can say anything, he’s back to pacing across the dirt without a care in the world—almost too fast for your liking. “Will you at least slow down?”
“Shall I hold your hand?”
“I’d rather cut it off.”
“A pity.”
warnings. angst, comfort, slow burn, tav reader is a bard, italics are flashbacks
pairing. Astarion x GN!Reader
parts. TFBU masterlist
a/n. 6.9k words !!! this chapter took forever but somehow i managed!! thank you so much for your kind words and patience !!! he's kind of a silly guy in the chapter so pls enjoy this peace offering as the calm before a storm
Tumblr media
“Are you sure this is the right course of action? Letting him ascend?” Shadowheart asks as you adjust one of the logs in the campfire, watching the other companions organize their tents from afar. You stop at this, turning to face her.
“It’s what he wants,” you mumble. “I won’t stop him if he’s sure this is the right thing to do.”
You’re still getting used to her hair, which’s now as white as a sheet, but you think it looks lovely against the fire. She seems calmer than she did when she was with Shar. At peace, almost. She casts you a sidelong glance. “Can we really trust his judgment of all people? He’s—I mean, well, him.”
“I know it sounds unreasonable," you say letting yourself sit down beside her on her bedroll. “But I want him to make his own decisions. He’s spent too many years having no choice of his own, and I’d be the worst person to take it away from him again.”
“I just,” her voice softens. “Astarion’s a complicated person, and I’m sure you know better than us. It’s because he couldn’t make his own choices for so long that it makes me think he’s lost his capability to make any choices anymore. Good ones, at least.”
“I trust him.”
“Gods knows how.”
You stifle a laugh, and she sips at her wine, eyes still glazing over the camp. There’s a kind of solemnness to them that makes your stomach churn. “You seem worried.”
“Not worried, per se,” she shrugs. “I just realize that I owe a debt to you for what you did for me against my lad—I mean, Shar. And I myself almost went down that dark path of becoming a Justiciar if it weren’t for you. At the time, I thought it was the best thing for me too, like Astarion believes ascension to be what will set him free.”
You nod patiently, urging her to continue.
“I only fear he might make the wrong choice if he doesn’t have the right guidance as I did.”
The words feel hesitant on her tongue. And although they make the voice in the back of your head, telling you to convince Astarion otherwise, louder, you ignore it, opting to smile at her softly instead. “Is this you caring about our companions?”
“Heavens, no,” she snorts, but there’s a joking tone behind her voice. “But like I said…I’m indebted to you all. Astarion also aided in my personal affairs with Shar, even if he didn’t have to, and even with his incessant complaining…I suppose this is my way of paying him back.”
Your chest warms. It’s soothing to know that even without you, your other companions have enough care for your lover to offer him bits of advice; in a way, it relieves a bit of weight off your shoulders. Even the companions who claim to detest his presence have grown fond of him over the months, and you’re sure it goes both ways. It helps because even if you’re gone, you know he’ll be okay.
“I never told you formally,” she sighs. “But thank you.”
“You don’t have to thank me or feel indebted. I just did what I could for you.”
“Don’t be so humble. What you’ve done for me—for all of us—is something we’ll cherish for the rest of our lives,” she takes her last swig from her wine. “But from one messed up person to another, please, be careful.”
Tumblr media
Your wrist feels sore.
Two days. It’s been two days since the incident at the Blushing Mermaid, and still, your body seems to burn whenever you see his closed door across yours from the hall, and all you can do is rub shamefully at the healing puncture wounds on your wrist. The bandages looping around the skin do a good enough job of hiding them, but you genuinely wish you could just ask Shadowheart to heal them for you because being able to see them does little to help with the constant thoughts of the vampire muddling the clarity of your mind. 
But you’d rather not let your companions know what happened between you and the vampire on the dirtied floors of the Blushing Mermaid. You’d likely die of shame for letting him drink from you, even after your mutual agreement to specifically avoid just that. What’s worse is that you expect the worst from Lae’zel, especially after her explicit advice to do the exact opposite of what you chose to do.
You tighten the bandages again.
“Did those yourself, did you?”Alfira snorts, and you almost have half a mind to glare at her if it weren’t for the crumpled sheets of paper surrounding the legs of her chair. The ink on the discarded pages now blends into mush as they lie in the puddles forming around her—an aftermath of the recent rainy weather. You don’t tell her, though. She seems frustrated enough as it is, and you fear she might snap a string of her lute if this prolongs any longer. “How’d you get hurt anyway?”
“It’s a bug bite.”
“A rather massive bug, apparently.”
The corners of your lips quirk downward, and she finally sets her lute aside, careful to avoid the puddles as she props it against the side of her stool to focus on her notepad instead. Though most of its pages have now been torn out, the remaining few have scribbles of song lyrics that even you can’t decipher with how messily the ink splatters across the page. She, however, seems perfectly fine reading its contents aside from her glaringly obvious distaste for the words themselves. You raise your brow. “Can you really read that?”
“Oh, hush. Don’t insult my penmanship.”
You snicker, eyes continuing to scan the sheets of paper that had been abandoned on Dalyria’s desk at the Blushing Mermaid. It’d taken quite some time to take apart the pages plastered on the wall and to organize the mountain of doctor’s notes lying across the lair, but you’d managed to fish out something useful eventually. The journal was one that seemed especially important, filled to the brim with Dalyria’s so-called ‘research.’ 
But if the past few days have told you anything, it’s that Dalyria is a terrible note-taker.
The pages are filled with shapes. Some are curved, and others just bend and contort into odd figures that you’re sure aren’t supposed to look like letters. Each page studies a different shape on a random part of the page, leaving them scattered and difficult to decipher.
You’re starting to think this is just some odd attempt at art rather than the studies she claims to be performing.
“And? Why are you here if you’re not here to look at those lyrics I gave you?”
“I’m trying to figure out what this journal says,” you sigh, flipping another page you don’t understand. “And if you couldn’t tell, I’m rather busy trying to find the people responsible for murders around the city, so excuse me if I haven’t had the time to glance at your song.”
“I’m plenty busy myself, you know! I just got hired to sing at this fancy party for some celebration. They even said I could dress all nice for it,” she smiles proudly, and you offer her a crooked one of your own. “It’s my first serious gig—so I’m a bit nervous with how large it is…”
“How’d you land something like that before you’ve even played at children’s birthday parties?”
“Well, I’m not doing it alone, obviously,” she reasons, scratching something on her pages again. “I’m going with one of my friends. She’s a wonderful violinist, and she managed to squeeze me into the event, which I’m so grateful for…I suppose I’m just a bit worried.”
You look up from Dalyria’s notebook. “Worried? What for?”
“That my fingers will lock up, and I’ll humiliate myself,” she admits sheepishly, tucking a portion of her hair behind her sharp ear. “Lihala used to call me silly for worrying about things that haven’t happened–but I can’t help it. It’s the before-show jitters. Pesky things. It’s a bit embarrassing, really.”
Humming in acknowledgment, you look to the murky skies overhead, where dark clouds threaten to pour down for at least another few days. A shame, you think. You’ve never seen the Summers of Baldur’s Gate feel so dreary.
It’s fitting, almost, considering the state that the city is in.
The painful sound of quill scratching against paper is all you can hear now as Alfira sighs irritably again, ripping out another sheet of paper.
“It’s not embarrassing,” you finally say.
She blinks up from her notepad. “What is?”
“Being nervous. I’ve done more performances than I can count, and my hands would still get clammy in front of a big crowd,” you laugh to yourself. “But when you see how they watch you as if you’re performing sorcery with your lute, it’s like you were never anxious in the first place. The audience is what makes it bearable.”
“Gods, I hope you’re right,” she smiles fondly as you continue to reminisce in your own memories. “It’s a rather shame we never got to perform together. Not after the last time we played at the Grove–and I don’t even count that occasion with how unstable my voice was…”
“I can watch if you’d like,” you offer. “Your performance, I mean.”
Her eyes gleam with excitement, and she reaches to clasp both your hands, beaming brightly. “Will you? I’m sure if you’re there, it’ll ease my nerves, too!-”
As you shift in your seat to follow your hands, Dalyria’s notebook slips off your lap. The simple splash beneath you tells you all you need to know as your eyes shoot down to where the notebook now lies face down into a puddle, and you don’t even have to lift it to know that its pages are soaked.
But you don’t have to pick it up yourself because Alfira’s carefully holding it in an instant, her face pale as she fans her hand in a fruitless attempt to prevent the damage already done. “Dammit, I’ve done it again! I’m truly sorry…I didn’t mean for that to happen! But I’m sure if we just put it in the sunlight for a few days, it’ll–”
You gently take it from her hands, shaking your head. Perhaps it’s because you were just deep into memories you hold dear to your heart, but there isn’t an ounce of panic in your voice. “It’s fine. I wasn’t getting anywhere with this thing anyway.”
“Still…”
The pages stick together in chunks as you flip the journal towards the pages that are at least half dry. You fear they might tear off at the slightest touch, so all you can do is stare at a page you deem to be soaking up the ink from the pages behind it. Alfira groans into her hands, and before you can spare her a glance to remind her it’s alright, you spot something in the middle of the page.
“Holy shit,” you whisper so quietly she doesn’t catch it.
“I’ll grab us a wind scroll. Or maybe that’s too strong? Surely there’s some spell that can dry off books.”
“You have no idea what you’ve just done for me, Alfira,” you blurt, already halfway to stuffing the journal into your pack. She blinks up at you with weary eyes, but you quickly clamber off the stool with no time to offer an explanation. “Let me know when the performance is. I’ll be here next week as usual.”
“Don’t you want me to dry off the pages?”
“No,” you shake your head, your heart pounding. “I need to show this to the others.”
She stares at you as if you’ve grown a second head. Still, as you rush toward the stairs leading to the city streets, she calls after you.
“Don’t forget to look at the lyrics!”
Tumblr media
“Runes? As in the ones carved into Astarion’s back?”
“I thought they were random blots of ink, but,” you raise the notebook in your hands, and the soaked pages now show the contents of the following sheets, blending to form a larger image. The placement of the shapes were not random at all, and you internally apologize for calling Dalyria a few less-than-kind words in your mind. “They’re not. They’re parts of the runes that Cazador tried to use for the ritual. There are six sets of runes in here, and each one’s slightly altered.”
“But what purpose does that serve?” Shadowheart cocks a brow, eyeing the page questionably with crossed arms. “Cazador’s dead. There’s no ascension to be done.”
“Unfortunately, just because that haunting man is gone doesn’t mean the threat of an ascension is either.” Intrigued but clearly disturbed, Gale takes the notebook and squints at what it holds. “Cazador himself never needed to be the one to execute the ascension.”
The room goes silent, leaving an uncomfortable tension in the air that keeps you from moving. You’re not sure how many seconds pass before you hear the figure who’s been awfully quiet the past half an hour mutter something under his breath from the comfy armchair beside the fireplace.
Astarion clicks his tongue, seemingly unfazed. “Ah, I see.”
The fists at your side clench tighter. The bandages feel impossibly tight all of a sudden.
“It’s for the ascension, clearly. There’s no other plausible explanation,” his eyes remain glued to the flickering flames, swirling a chalice of wine in his hand. He doesn’t sip from it, knowing that it tastes of nothing but vinegar on his undead tongue, so why he’s poured himself a glass, you don’t understand. You also can’t be bothered to ask. “Perhaps they plan to enact it. Take a piece of all that power for themselves.”
“But they can’t do the ascension,” Shadowheart frowns, turning to you. “You said there’s only six runes in there. They don’t have the last one to enact the ascension because Astarion’s with us. Cazador’s the only one who could have done it because he’s the only one who knows what each of the runes looks like. Without Astarion’s, they can’t—”
“They wanted him,” you whisper the confession, and you swear your voice nearly cracks. “They wanted Astarion. That’s why they wanted to speak with me.”
All three of your companions whip their heads to you, and you stare down at the ground. Shame burns through you, and you can practically feel the disappointment radiating off them as it dawns on you that you lied to them. You lied to your closest companions for the sake of saving yourself the embarrassment that no matter what you do, no matter what you tell yourself, your subconscious forces you to care for the bloody vampire sitting beside the fireplace. Despite the many eyes on you, you can only feel one crimson pair that bore into you like the sun beating down on a hot summer’s day.
Even now, he’s your biggest concern, and you hate yourself for it.
“Then it’s not Astarion they need,” Gale says breathlessly. “They need the marks on his back.”
“And you didn’t tell us this, why?” Shadowheart hisses. “You said they just tried to kill you!”
You blurt. “They did! They said they’d stop killing citizens if I just tossed Astarion over to them, but when I said no, they completely flipped and–”
“You declined that deal?” Lae’zel snarls, and you unwillingly flinch at the venom in her tone. “You swore, istik. You swore you wouldn't be foolish if it came down to you or him.”
The words feel like a knife to your throat.
“Well, obviously, it worked out,” you grumble, ignoring how Lae’zel’s eyes are narrowed dangerously. No doubt, she has questions of her own that she’ll demand answers to later. “If I handed him over, they would’ve had the last key to conducting the ascension.”
“You still lied to us,” Shadowheart steps toward you, but Gale quickly clears his throat.
“I know how deceived we all feel, but must we fight? What matters is the spawns can’t conduct the ascension as of now, correct?” he attempts to calm her down, but her scowl only grows deeper. “As disappointed as we all are, we must admit that keeping Astarion here is the right decision.”
“You’re too hasty, wizard,” Lae’zel snaps. “A vampire’s ascension would mean ridding of all the other spawn wreaking havoc in the city. We mustn’t throw away a chance being offered without considering it.”
Shadowheart is immediately on her feet, her eyebrows furrowing. “Don’t be an idiot–a few thousand spawn is better than a nearly impenetrable being capable of creating even more spawn. That’s asking for just as bad as we are now–maybe even worse.”
They break into a simultaneous debate, one in which two room occupants do not take part. Because even as you try to focus on what the others are saying, all you can feel is the unsettling stare of the spawn in the corner of the room, his hand still swirling the wine. You wonder if his wrist ever gets tired. You refuse to give him the satisfaction of returning his stare, but you watch him from the corner of your eye as his attention shifts to your wrist.
“Are we even sure this is what they’re planning? Do a few drawings prove that they want to go through with this ritual, again, after what it nearly did to them?” Shadowheart’s attention darts to you. “This ritual would kill them. Why in the hells would all of them agree to do it if it only means one would come out alive?”
You open your mouth to respond, but nothing comes out in return. The hurt embedded into her expression is so glaringly apparent that it makes your chest squeeze uncomfortably, and all you can do is look away in shame. “...I don’t know.”
Her face hardens. “Do you? Or are you just lying to us again?”
Cheeks flaring, you shake your head. “I’m not lying, I swear it.”
Her eyes flicker with something you don’t recognize before they flit to your bandaged arm and then back to your eyes. She doesn’t miss how you try to move your arm behind you. A miscalculation on your part since your attempt at hiding it makes your secret that much more obvious. “Then what are those for? You’ve had them on since you returned from the Blushing Mermaid, and you refuse to let me heal you myself. Just what did you get injured from?”
The room is so silent you can hear your own heartbeat.
“I–” you stop, wavering. “There was a—”
Shadowheart clenches her jaw. “Don’t lie. Please.”
But still, no words are willing to leave your throat. 
Your companions await words from you that do not exist. Like a deer in headlights, you stand numbly, unsure what to do. Fortunately, and also unfortunately, before long, Lae’zel has had enough of waiting, and she begins to march toward you in a way that makes you step away.
“Give me your arm,” she demands. “If you cannot say, then show us.”
You can feel all the blood draining from your face as she draws closer. But even Gale cannot hinder her this time because everyone in the room knows what she’s capable of with that blade attached to her hip, and she’s not against wasting a few potions of healing if she has to barrel her way through. You brace yourself for the inevitable, teeth gritting together.
Just as she reaches for your arm, someone else snatches it away.
“I drank from them,” Astarion says as you bump slightly into his chest, eyes wide at his pale fingers wrapped around your wrist. He yanks the edge of the bandage down with his free hand and lifts it for the others to see. The two puncture wounds, where the skin that surrounds it is darker than the rest, make you feel naked under the eyes of others. It’s too vulnerable. Too mortifying.
Your heart hammers pathetically, and whether it’s from the expressions of your companions or the hand wrapped around the sensitive skin of your wrist, you’re not sure. You hope it’s not the latter.
Gale’s jaw drops. “We agreed that this was the one thing you wouldn’t do.” 
“If I hadn’t, I would’ve perished,” the vampire retorts in response, releasing his hold on your arm as it falls back to your side. The place where his hand had been tinges under your skin. “And there weren’t exactly a few boars lying around the damn city for me to feed on.”
You notice he fails to mention there had been more than enough bodies to satiate him, but you keep your mouth shut.
The hurt on Shadowheart’s face is no longer one that throbs your sympathy. Instead, she seems to burn with something you haven’t seen in ages.
Anger.
Her palm flickers with radiant light, and Astarion immediately flinches, hissing as he moves to hide his body behind yours. In your haste, you can’t think of anything to do besides stepping toward her, holding out your hands. Astarion releases a strained laugh from behind you. “Now, Shadowheart, let’s not do anything hilarious, shall we?”
“I’ll kill you,” she growls maliciously, the glow of her palm growing brighter. “Like I should have done the second you came back to ruin everything we’ve done without you.”
You cautiously approach her, focus never leaving her eyes despite the danger festering in her hands. “You shouldn’t, Shadowheart.”
She throws daggers in your direction with just her expression, and you can’t deny how helpless you feel. “Killing him would end all of this. If we buried him somewhere, they’d never find the runes. They’d never be able to follow through with the ascension, and we won’t have to deal with his pompous ass anymore.”
You hate that she’s right. You hate that even though she’s right, you can’t agree with her methods.
“I know he’s—not exactly a friend—but he was once. And I know you considered him one as well,” you insist, inching closer. The hesitance in her motions as you come too close to the radiant light is undeniable. “I don’t want you to bear the guilt of his death.”
Because as much as you’re wrapped up in a world of your own–a world where you fight to hate the man behind you–you know that your companions feel the same way. The sentiments gathered from months of sharing the same camp, months of saving one another from multiple deaths, and months of aiding one another overcome their own pasts don’t just disappear. You know what they shared. Being the most similar amongst your companions, forced under the influence of a power they did not want to be subjected to, you know they considered themselves friends, even if they never voiced it out loud.
You know that deep down, Shadowheart’s hatred for Astarion stems from her own feeling of betrayal when he tried to kill you. When he attempted to harm the only other person who guided her to a path outside of Shar.
“Trust me, I won’t feel guilty,” she finally forces out. “You’re a fool to trust him again.”
“I don’t trust him,” you reassure her, your hands finally reaching hers as they dim and eventually vanish all traces of magic. “But if he’s to die for nearly killing me, I want it to be under my hands. Don’t sully your own for my sake when you’ve just escaped all the bloodshed.”
Shadowheart’s brows soften, but her face turns cold. Thoughts seem to run through her mind like an endless train before she decides that thinking through each one is worth more than Astarion himself is worth. She inhales deeply and nods, allowing you to finally release her hands. She shoots the others one last glance before turning to retreat upstairs.
You’re left in a pitiful silence—one that nobody in the room dares to break.
Tumblr media
An entire day is spent with you wallowing in your shame, refusing to get out of bed.
You hope this is just a terrible nightmare, but you know better. If this were a nightmare, you’d already be dead.
You only climb out of your covers when you have to change the bandages on your wrist. It’s a painful process now since you don’t even want to look at the puncture wounds anymore, but it’s better than risking it to get infected. A knock on your door makes you stand from your bed, kicking the bandage rolls under your bed. “It’s open.”
You expect Gale or even Lae’zel, but you’re met with piercing red eyes. You contemplate begging him to leave you alone because looking at him right now only conjures up the guilt that’s been eating away at you for hours now. Instead, you build that wall between the two of you again, your face hardening. “What do you want?”
He’s never come to you willingly before. Not unless you were positively drenched in blood, and he had no choice but to follow his instincts for what he hopes to be a meal other than stale boar blood. Much less approached you in your own room.
Astarion lifts the empty glass bottle in his hand. “A charming welcome, as usual, I see.”
“You just had a full supply yesterday,” you say, brows furrowing. “I checked it myself.”
“Clearly, now I don’t,” he shrugs, and when you shoot him an intense glare, he frowns. “You can’t possibly blame me. I haven’t exerted myself as I did at that dirty tavern since the last time I had that damn parasite swimming around my head. So, unless you decide to offer yourself to me, again…”
You think he’s genuinely lost his mind. “Right now? Seriously? After what just happened yesterday, you want to ask me for blood?”
“Just a suggestion, darling. Otherwise, we always have the other option, as boring as it is.”
Perhaps you should just toss him to Lae’zel and call it a day.
Groaning in exasperation, you march past him, slapping a cloak into his chest. “There’s 15 minutes to sunset.”
He laughs, but it only makes your face turn sour.
The forest isn’t far off from the main square of Rivington. And by the time you reach it, the sun has long gone down, and you watch as Astarion takes off the hood of his cloak, breathing deeply in the moon's bask. And as he glances back at you, you don’t bother trying to walk side by side, remaining on guard and surveying his every move from three steps behind. He comments on it even though you think he doesn’t care for what you do. “I don’t bite, you know.”
“You’re not funny.” He snorts at your deadpan and continues into the deeper parts of the forest.
The entire time, your eyes remained glued to the backs of his heels, palms growing increasingly clammy as you become surrounded by nothing but the soft ambiance of the woods. His steps are as silent as they’ve always been, and it feels like following a ghost into the darkest parts of the forest. It’s becoming hard to see more than a few feet in front of you, and if your training with Lae’zel has taught you anything, you know that you don’t want to be at a disadvantage—especially when the other party is a bloody vampire.
You halt in your tracks. He does, too, turning to shoot you a questioning look. “What is it?”
“It’s too hard to see. We need to turn back.”
“Don’t tell me you’re afraid of a little bit of darkness.”
You scrunch your nose at this, and he merely grins. Before you can say anything, he’s back to pacing across the dirt without a care in the world—almost too fast for your liking. “Will you at least slow down?”
“Shall I hold your hand?”
“I’d rather cut it off.”
“A pity.”
You curse his long legs as the forest becomes darker and darker, even as each time you think it can’t possibly get worse than this. You swear his steps become quicker, and a part of you wonders if this is where he attempts to run away and whether you should cast a sleep spell before he succeeds. But the most rational part of you reminds yourself that he’s had plenty of chances to escape. Hells, he could do it even now, considering how much more easily his eyes adjust to the darkness than you.
“Astarion, I swear to the Gods above, if you don’t stop walking so quickly…”
This time, you don’t get an answer.
Suspicions rising, you break into a jog and then into a gradual sprint. Every time you think you finally caught up to him, a branch whips into your face, and you barely manage to swat it away before it manages to cut your skin. You call his name a few times to no avail, and you genuinely begin to ponder if you should’ve brought your scroll for daylight.
Finally, you stumble through a tall berry bush into what you assume to be another branch.
And rather than more darkness, you’re met with a clearing. It’s only a few long strides in width and a couple more in length, but here, it doesn’t seem like nighttime at all. The moon peers down at you in all its glory, and you think this might’ve been Selune’s pocket of the forest if she were here. You blink wide when a speck of light—a firefly—flies barely past your face. And suddenly, you’re surrounded by light rising from the green grass beneath you in fragile wings. 
The tightness in your chest dissipates, if only for a moment.
Only once you’ve taken in the vast difference of your surroundings just a few moments prior do you see Astarion pulling off the clasp of his cloak. He tosses it to you, and it lands on your face before you yank it away with a scowl. “You could have just handed it to me–”
“Stay here,” he says. “I’ll return when I’ve finished hunting.”
You gawk at him. “I’m not going to let you just leave.”
“I’ve proven myself plenty,” he scoffs. “If I remember correctly, you would’ve likely perished were I not there at that tavern a few days ago. And I must remind you that I do have quite the memory. If I planned on betraying you, I would’ve done it then—at a more fashionable time.”
You don’t have much of a rebuttal to that.
While you could bring up the dozens of other times he’s made questionable decisions pertaining to his loyalty, the soothing bath under the moon’s gaze seems to calm you down. So, instead of fighting the internal urge to continue your petty quips, you drop the cloak beneath you. He cocks a brow, surely expecting more of a protest, but you just swallow your pride, plopping down on the grass with a huff. “If you don’t return in 30 minutes, I’m coming to find you.”
“40 minutes,” he tries. “30 minutes isn’t nearly enough time for anything fun.”
You scowl. “20 minutes.”
Astarion smiles wickedly just enough for his fangs to peek beneath his top lip. “Very well. I’ll expect you no later than that.”
And like a predator fading into his natural environment, he vanishes into the darkness.
Time passes slowly when all you can do is pick at pieces of grass. As beautiful as the clearing is, it’s a bit too soothing—enough to make you doze off as you lean against the trunk of a tree. Though you attempt to keep your eyes open, reminding yourself you have a responsibility to uphold, you haven’t had this sense of relaxation in ages. Especially now, in your home with an atmosphere thicker than the butter you use on your bread. It’s almost like a spell as you feel your heavy eyelids droop helplessly.
You pray you don’t dream tonight. Not when you know all you’ll think of is the betrayal you inflicted on your companions.
A rustle of leaves snaps you back awake.
And when you look up, you see two blood-red eyes staring down at you from the branches of the tree opposite of yours.
They look exactly like the spawn in the alleyway, practically a month ago now. The same ones that haunt your nightmares and the same ones that morph into your ex-lover in the ones you despise the most. And while you can’t see their face, you don’t need much more than that to break into action.
Immediately, you’re snatching the cloak and sprinting back into the forest's darkness. You don’t care about the branches flinging themselves at you anymore because you can barely breathe even without worrying about them. Twigs and thin branches flail across your cheeks as you practically barrel through the woods, your legs feeling like they could give up if you were ever to stop running. With only the cloak in one hand and a dagger in the other, you don’t even attempt to fight whoever this person is upfront–you learned your lesson well the last time you tried. So, instead, your boots crunch against whatever plants are being crushed beneath you as you frantically run from the creature chasing you.
The worst part is you can still hear leaves rustling behind you.
Your lungs hurt. Your head hurts. Everything hurts, and yet you cannot stop. You hope the forest itself swallows you whole at this point, especially as you hear the movements getting closer and closer.
Tripping over a particularly large root, you fall through a bush, bracing for impact as you curse everyone you can think of for your luck. But rather than your shoulder crashing into a pile of dirt and twigs, you plant face-first into what feels like…cloth?
“Eager little thing, aren’t you? If you wanted to touch me, you could have just asked,” Astarion teases and you instantly tear yourself away, pushing your palms against his chest with wide eyes. And as much as you hate to admit it, a flood of relief hits you. And as much as it shouldn’t, meeting his gaze makes you able to breathe again.
Gods, what is wrong with you?
“There’s something chasing me,” you say hurriedly, pointing in the direction behind you. “I think it’s another spawn, I saw his eyes–”
His face stills when you practically jump at the bushes moving in ways the wind cannot will it to. Your arm flies to push him in front of you in case something were to leap out, and while you’re sure he’d complain dramatically about this gesture on any other occasion, he’s too busy worrying about what lies behind the bush. His hand shoots to what you assume to be that blasted comb he takes everywhere while you grip your knife, and you hear both your breaths hitch when something lunges out of the shrub.
It’s a small, puny squirrel.
Astarion doesn’t even try to stifle the laugh that escapes him as he throws his head back.
“I swear there was something following me!” you hiss, slapping his arm while the squirrel scurries away back to wherever it came from. He doesn’t stop, having little care about how your face flushes with embarrassment, and instead seems to revel in it. The bastard is enjoying this.
You wish you could throw the damn squirrel at his head.
“Oh, yes, I do believe there was,” he’s barely fazed while you continue glaring daggers at him. “I’m impressed you survived an encounter with such a terrifying foe, my dear.”
“It was definitely following me...” your voice trails off, and the bloodlust that had overwhelmed your lungs is fading away, leaving nothing but the sound of Astarion and his annoyingly loud laughter. 
He stops when there’s a shrill scream from across the forest. One that wails in what is unmistakenly of excruciating pain.
The two of you slowly turn to one another, and a knowing gleam flashes behind his eyes.
“Darling, the smart decision here would be to leave–”
But you’re already rushing toward whoever this victim is, forcing him to groan loudly and trail after you, snatching up your cloak from the ground in the process. You feel him close behind as you practically fly through the forest, with little care of how exhausted you were just moments before as the screams of pain seem to fuel your determination to lend aid. 
Astarion, although displeased, only grumbles as he continues to follow your lead. “Is it necessary to be heroic now of all times? In a dark forest where there’s sure to be animals twice our size?”
You ignore him.
A leaf slaps into your face as you finally reach what’s now been reduced to soft sobs. And you’re not sure what you were expecting, but it certainly wasn’t someone you knew.
“Berry?” you blink at the small girl, who you’re sure can barely even see you with how teary her eyes are. She watches you wearily before she gasps in recognition, and it’s then that you realize that her arm is bleeding.
“Tav!”
“You’re hurt,” you’re kneeling beside her in an instant, assessing her wounds as you reach to dig around your pockets in hopes of any medical supplies you might’ve left in there. “Did something attack you?”
“Yes,” she winces as you lift her arm to inspect it closer. “I’m not sure what it was, but it came out of nowhere, and they—-they tried to bite me.”
A lump forms in your throat. As twisted as it is, you're relieved you weren't actually imagining what you saw earlier. “Did you see if they had fangs? Did they look like a regular person?”
“I think so,” she replies in a hushed voice, wiping her tears. “I was so scared. I didn’t know what to do when it–”
A hand grabs her by the back of her cloak, yanking her in the air with her legs dangling helplessly as Astarion holds her just high enough to render attempts to kick at him useless. “I’d normally entertain tasteless tricks like this, but I’m in a less than forgiving mood, I’m afraid. You’ve cut into the time I have to fill my own stomach.”
You gasp, jumping to your feet. “Astarion, what the actual hells are you doing?”
“Trust me, you’ll thank me later, darling,” he sneers at the girl, hissing at him aimlessly. “Show them, you little imp.”
Having no idea what’s going on, you decide the best thing to do is de-escalate whatever misunderstanding he’s had about the poor girl tied to his hand. “You’ll hurt her. Just let her go and explain what’s going on.”
“Show them,” he pronounces each word harshly, glaring at Berry. 
And finally, she tries to bite at his hand. This prompts her to unhinge her jaw just enough for you to see the glint of sharp teeth. Ones that do not certainly belong to an innocent orphan.
Were you always this unlucky, or was the past month just a living hell for you?
“See what I mean? You can offer your thanks to me later, darling,” Astarion smiles proudly, and if you knew him any less than you did, you’d think he’s psychotic for smiling like that in this situation. But then, again, maybe he is. “How you seem to attract so many of us is beyond me, but I believe we should refrain from keeping this one alive.”
Your jaw drops. As much as you feel appalled that the innocent girl you’ve been soothing over the death of her adoptive father for the past few weeks turned out to be one of the very creatures that nearly took your life (on multiple occasions), you can’t fathom the idea of just ridding of her. She’s still a kid—at least, to the naked eye. “Are you insane? No, we’re not killing her!”
“Gods, please don’t tell me you’ll try and make this brat see sense. She’s practically feral! Look at her!” he grits through his teeth, waving his free hand to the girl in question, who’s too busy trying to snap her teeth at him. “This thing doesn’t deserve your sympathy right now.”
Berry manages to catch the tip of his finger in her teeth, and Astarion lets out a string of curses as he drops her to the dirt. It doesn’t even take another second for her to lunge toward you, fangs bared and claws ready to sink into your flesh. You barely manage to swerve out of the way, her sharp nail grazing past your cheek.
“Berry, just listen to me! I don’t want to hurt you!” you practically yell, but she only stumbles on the ground a moment before rushing at you again. You reach for your dagger, fearing you may have to use it on a child until she’s snatched into the air again.
This time, Astarion hangs her by the cloak onto a tree branch, where she screams and grasps at the air, practically throwing a tantrum.
You gawk in utter disbelief; too many things are happening simultaneously.
And Astarion doesn’t help as he slips out the damn comb again, grinning from ear to ear. You notice that this time, he seems to have taken the time to sharpen the tips of the teeth, which nearly look akin to a row of needles. 
He holds the comb in Berry’s direction. “Well? Shall I do the honors?”
As you watch him threaten a child who also happens to be a vampire, you ponder that maybe you should have just handed him over to Dalyria when you had the chance.
Tags:@ayselluna@littleenglishfangirl@bg3obsessedsideblog@iwillpissyourpants@cyberpr1m3@ukeia-uchiha@snowlotr@road-riot@spacekidnova@madislayyy@lordfishflakes@nicalysm@djarinsway@tinystarfishgalaxy@brainz00@hopeful-n-sad@ohdeerieme@madisban@chrismarium@chonkercatto@fanfic-share@bitterrenegade@sleepyred1703@miskouly@ravenswritingroom@iamlowkeycrying@deezus-roy@spiritraves@mariposakitten @dinobae-replyacc@whisperingwillowxox@bdudette@misscrissfemmefatale @atropapurpurea @cosywinterevenings @phoenixgurl030 @generalstephkenobi @shadowsmusical @himesuedi @girlygmer-blog @vulgarfuckinvirgo77 @deezus-roy @hyperfixationwhore @teardropcup @marina-and-the-memes @kiwi-mansanas @woosaaghh @cminr @everybodystaycalm @divineknightmare @bangtanbecks @carolinelec @bitterbeanren @aelieknox Please let me know if I didn't add you to the list or if you'd like to be added! I needed to redo the entire taglist because it wasn't functioning, so please let me know if I missed you :)
395 notes · View notes
grandmother-goblin · 7 months
Text
Enough Time for Us - Part 1
Tumblr media
AO3 - Masterlist
Summary: After surviving a daring rescue of several tieflings from Moonrise Towers, you realize just how short your time might be. Between the Absolute, the tadpoles, and the Shadow Curse, you don't want to waste a moment. Although Wyll had expressed his desires for an old-fashioned courtship, you're worried you won't be able to do everything you wanted with him before time runs out.
Relationships: Wyll x Female!Reader
Rating: Explicit (18+)
Word Count: 4.3k
Chapter Tags: Kissing, thigh-riding, dry-humping, a bit of navigating a new relationship.
“You should have seen them, Alfira!” Lakrissa said far too loudly. She clumsily set her empty goblet of wine down on the table you shared with her, Alfira, and Wyll. “You’re going to have to write a song about this. Maybe two. I don’t think all of their heroics could fit into just one.”
The light from the glowing hearth in the middle of Last Light Inn gave Lakrissa a mischievous glint to her eyes that told you everything you needed to know: she was trying to embarrass you.
Oh, you would get her back for this. You weren’t sure how, but you would.
Sure, you rescued Lakrissa (along with several other tieflings and some Ironhand gnomes) from the bowels of Moonrise Towers — but she didn’t need to sing your praises to everyone who would listen.
At first you thought she was just being sweet, if not overly appreciative. But now? Now you knew she was just messing with you.
Or she was just repeating herself because she was drunk. It really could have been either, considering that most certainly was not her first glass of wine.
Without taking her eyes off of Alfira, Lakrissa gestured to you grandly, like she was showing off a prized work of art. “That one there took down the Warden herself,” she said with faux reverence. “Knocked her right on her ass.”
You shook your head as heat rose to your face. 
Even though Lakrissa was just having fun, you wished she would knock it off. Or at the very least, turn her attention to someone who was equally responsible for her rescue. Like Karlach, who was chatting away with Jaheira over a mug of ale alongside Lae’zel and Astarion. Or Gale, who also played a crucial role in the escape plan, was sitting at the bar with Rolan, Cal, and Lia — presumably thrilled to have a fellow wizard to converse with.
Perhaps she could gush about Wyll’s part in the Moonrise jailbreak. Out of everyone, he was the most accustomed to receiving all sorts of praise as the Blade of Frontiers.
But for better or for worse, Lakrissa’s attention was locked on to you. There wasn’t much you could do about it, so you decided it was easiest just to indulge her. At least a little bit. 
Wyll’s slid closer to you on the bench you shared and wrapped his arm around your waist. “I’m sad that I missed that one,” he said, gently tucking you against his side. “After the way the Warden spoke to you, I wanted to get a few hits in myself.”
You hummed appreciatively, breathing in the scent of his cologne. It was something like amber and allspice, and so uniquely him that the smell alone filled you with warmth. “I still can’t believe you called her a bitch.”
Lakrissa choked down a mouthful of wine. “The Blade of Frontiers called the Warden a bitch?”
“Not to her face,” Wyll quickly corrected, holding his palm up as if to block the accusation. “Not that I wouldn’t have.”
“She still heard you,” you added.
Wyll took a drink from his mug of ale and innocently averted his gaze. “I fail to see how that’s my problem.”
A giggle bubbled in your chest, but you swallowed it down with a smile. You snuggled closer to Wyll, letting your hand rest just above his knee as you leaned your head against his shoulder.
It had been over a week since you two had officially become a couple, yet could still hardly believe it. 
Wyll Ravengard, the Blade of Frontiers, the son of a Grand Duke — all yours.
You had first kissed him at a party the tiefling refugees had thrown a few weeks ago. You would never forget the electricity that sparked between you the moment his lips brushed against yours. How your heart hammered in your chest or how his hands felt on your hips. 
How you never wanted that moment to end. 
But Wyll was a gentleman. 
He kept things chaste despite how you had wanted to throw yourself at him like a heroine on the cover of a romantic novel.
Then there was the night he had asked you to dance with him. Everything had been so proper between you two in the time between your kiss and that night that his invitation honestly caught you off guard. You weren’t even quite sure what he was wanting out of the dance — just some friendly fun or something more?
But his intentions were made clear soon enough. 
You could see the lust burning in his eye as you circled around each other. It was so intense, you could have melted under his gaze if he weren’t holding you steady. 
When he pulled you in for a kiss, that heat turned from simmering embers to an inferno. A fire that burnt through Wyll’s restraint, turning his kisses from sweet to passionate and his touch from a gentle caress to a firm embrace.
Heat built in your core when his thigh had pushed between your legs. The subtle, almost imperceptible, roll of his hips and his hands tangling in your hair was enough to drive you mad.
He wanted you. You knew, at that very moment, he wanted more than just a dance and a goodnight kiss.
Yet, he still pulled away, smothering the flame.
All he had to do was say the word, and you would have been in his bed that night. He knew that just as well as you did. But he wanted to take things slower.
He wanted to court you properly. Like heroes in those old love stories with ballroom dances and flowers and poetry. 
In ordinary circumstances, you would have let him take all the time in the world. 
Good men like Wyll were extraordinarily hard to come by. Hells, you had been dreaming of a man like Wyll for years. A man who wanted you for you — not someone who just wanted a roll in the hay. 
But your circumstances were far from ordinary.
Beneath the table, well out of view from the two tiefling women across from you, you let your hand coast further up Wyll’s thigh. Just a little bit too high to be considered decent, but not so much that you risked touching him anywhere truly inappropriate for a public setting.
If Wyll had any objections, he didn’t voice them. 
In fact, you swore you saw a smirk tug on his lips.
Wyll’s hand slipped beneath the bottom hem of your shirt, the movement smooth as silk. His thumb drew slow, tantalizing circles on your hip as he continued to chat with Lakrissa and Alfira.
Gods, it almost felt unfair. He could turn you into a pile of mush with just a sweet word and simple touch. If you didn’t know better, you might have thought he was teasing you. Tempting you with all the little touches, but never going further.
You wanted him so badly, but you didn’t want to pressure him. He wanted the fairytale romance — he wanted to wait for the perfect moment and for everything to be just right.
But you couldn’t help but worry: what if that moment never came?
What if tomorrow was the day one of you fell to the Shadow Curse? Or to the Absolute? What if the Artefact’s protection wore out or if Vlaakith’s warriors found you?
What if you and Wyll never had that chance with the each other?
Maybe it was selfish, but you wanted to be more intimate with him. Gods, you dreamed of it. There were nights when you and Wyll would share a bedroll, sleeping in one another’s arms and fully clothed, and you ached for something more.
You just weren’t sure how to broach the topic with him. Not since he expressed his own desires regarding your relationship. A fairytale romance, like those told by the bards.
You wished he had been a little more specific about what his desires entailed, if you were being completely honest. 
“Have we already finished another bottle?” Alfira’s voice pulled you from your thoughts as she picked up the empty bottle of wine from your side of the table. “Should we get another, or call it night?”
Without waiting for an answer, Lakrissa stood up and placed both hands on the table as she peered over Wyll’s horns. “Hey Mirkon,” she called toward the bar in the back of the room. “I’ll give you five silver to bring us another bottle of red.”
The small tiefling boy popped his head up over the lip of the countertop. “Just gave out the last bottle of red — gotta go to the cellar to get more. We got whiskey though!”
Lakrissa’s eyes lit up at the mention of whiskey. “Bring the bottle of whiskey then.”
“The whole bottle?” Mirkon squeaked.
“Lakrissa,” Alfira warned. “Remember what happened last time you mixed whiskey and wine.”
“I remember I had fun,” she replied and gestured for Mirkon to bring the bottle over. “Don’t need to remember much else.”
You shook your head, but you couldn’t help but smile. Lakrissa might be in for a nasty hangover the next morning, but if anyone deserved a couple of drinks, she did. Especially after everything they went through getting out of Moonrise. 
“I’m going to bring another crate up before the whole place decides to switch to hard liquor,” you said, giving Wyll’s leg an affectionate squeeze before you got to your feet.
The crates were too large for the kids to carry safely, but you could manage. Besides, it made for a good opportunity to get a breath of fresh air. The longer you sat cuddled up next to Wyll, the greater the temptation to get even closer to him was. Considering “closer” probably meant fighting the temptation to crawl into his lap and straddle him, it was probably for the best to detangle yourself before that happened. 
If you didn’t control yourself, you knew you’d be regretting it later when it came time to sleep. You’d be faced with the impossible decision of sleeping in Wyll’s arms or getting some alone time in your tent to deal with your self-inflicted sexual frustration.
Yep, a bit of space was just what you needed.
Before you could get a step away from the table, Wyll said, “I’ll come with you.”
Well, so much for that idea.
Wyll swung his legs around the side of the bench and stood beside you, slipping his arm around you once again. “Two pairs of hands are better than one, and besides — ” he leaned down, his breath warm against your ear, and whispered “ — it looks like Alfira wants a little one-on-one time with Lakrissa.”
“What was that, Mr. Blade of Frontiers?” Lakrissa asked cheekily, cupping her hand to her ear for emphasis. “You best share with the group.”
Wyll laughed and replied, “The only thing I’m sharing is another drink once we get back. I’ll look for another bottle of Esmalter Red while I’m down there.”
Lakrissa tapped her chin in mock consideration as she sat back in her seat. “I’ll accept that as a compromise, I suppose.”
“We’ll be back in a minute,” you said and started toward the front door.
As the chatter and the music faded behind you, Wyll’s hand moved from your waist to your hand, intertwining your fingers with his. When you glanced up at him, he was already smiling down at you with so much love in his gaze that made your heart pick up speed.
Gods, you loved him so much. Even if the romantic aspect of your relationship was relatively new, you knew you wanted to be at Wyll’s side for as long as he would have you. And you hadn’t felt that way about anyone else before.
There was something so special, so incredible, about him that you could hardly put it into words. In so many ways, Wyll was everything you had ever wanted — you wanted to experience the world with him but you didn’t know if that same world would give you time.
Wyll brought your hand to his lips and kissed the back of your knuckles. “This hand,” he said with a teasing grin, “was getting a bit adventurous under the table there.”
Pushing aside your thoughts, you blinked up at him innocently. “I have no idea what you’re talking about.”
“No?” He pressed another kiss to your hand as you reached the top of the stairs at the side of the building. Without letting go of your hand, he had smoothly positioned you to the side with the railing. “Must have just been my imagination. It has been a little overactive in that regard, as of late.”
“Oh? What sorts of things have you been imagining, Wyll?” you replied knowing full well that he would be far too much of a gentleman to answer if his thoughts aligned with your own.
“You’ll find out,” he said as he helped you down the last step (although you didn’t need the help, the gesture was appreciated). “Just give it time.”
Time.
The one thing that seemed to be running out.
In the space beneath the building, the sounds of water lapping gently against docks echoed off the stone walls. Just a few hours ago, this was the location of a joyous reunion for many — people seeing loved ones they had thought lost over something completely out of their control. If not for the feeling of Wyll’s hand in yours, the whole place felt cold and yawningly empty.
Looking out over the river, you could see that thin border of light that separated you, and the people you cared about, from the Shadow Curse. It was like a singular pillar that held up an entire roof. Without it, everything would come crashing down — no matter how many other support beams were in place.
It all felt so fragile. All it would take is one thing going wrong and… you’d all be lost to the darkness.
Gods, any moment really could be the last, couldn’t it? 
Your hand tightened around Wyll’s, as if you could squeeze out a little more hypothetical time with him. That’s all you wanted. Just some time for the two of you to be together without the looming fear of death.
Was that so much to ask?
“Are you feeling alright?” Wyll asked as he opened the door leading down into the cellar and gestured for you to go ahead of him. “You’ve got a bit of a far off look to you.”
There really wasn’t any point in lying to him or in pretending things were fine. Wyll was much  better at reading you than most people, which was both a blessing and a curse. He always seemed to know just what you needed, but it also meant you could hardly keep anything from him. While he would never pressure you to talk if you didn’t want to, you didn’t like to leave him in the dark.
You took a few steps down the stairs, staring at the way your hand slid along the railing rather than look at the man above you. You could see his shadow against the wall beside you, the subtle tilt of his head and the curl of his horns. An ominous silhouette to most, but a source of comfort to you. 
“I’ve just been thinking a bit about what you said a few nights ago,” you answered, your heart beating in your throat as you slowly continued your descent. “About our relationship, and how you want things to go.”
Behind you, you heard the door gently close against the frame followed by the click of a lock. The stairs creaked under his boots as he took the wooden stairs two steps at a time until he was at your side once more. “This sounds serious.”
You laughed, hoping to ease some of the tension. “It’s nothing serious,” you reassured him. “But it’s still something I wanted to bring up with you.”
“Of course.” There was a hint of nervousness to his voice, but he tried to mask it behind his charming, prince-like smile that could make most people swoon. “I’m always happy to talk.”
When you reached the bottom of the stairs, you shuffled around to face him. The glow from a dim fireplace, one that hadn’t been tended to for a while now, glinted off of Wyll’s scarlet red eye as he gazed at you with a mixture of affection and concern.
Though the cellar was warm, you wrapped your arms around yourself as if there was a chill in the air, trying to muster up some courage. 
Gods, did you even have to bring this up? You didn’t, right? But he was looking at you expectantly and the longer you waited, the worse your anxiety got and —
“I don’t want to wait,” you blurted out before you could talk yourself out of it.
Wyll’s brow drew together. “Wait for what?”
You shifted your weight from one foot to the other, looking past him rather than directly into his eye. “To be close to you,” you said, feeling heat rising to your cheeks. “To be intimate. We don’t know what’s going to happen tomorrow and I — I want to share that experience with you.”
There. It was out in the open and there was no taking it back. The worst that could happen was that he would turn you down again, right?
For a moment, there was nothing but stale cellar air and the sounds of the crackling fireplace between you two. You could hear footsteps from the taproom overhead counting out the beats of silence.
You swallowed. Gods, why did you have to say anything at all? He was giving you everything you wanted, yet you still wanted more?
Then a soft smile tugged at the corner of Wyll’s lip and a sense of relief coursed through you. The back of his fingers brushed against your cheek in a featherlight touch before he tucked his thumb beneath your chin. He tilted your face up, making it impossible for you to look anywhere but at his gorgeous, mismatched, eyes.
“I want to share that experience with you too,” he said, resting one hand on your hip as he took a single step closer. “Though, I’m of the mind that we will have plenty of time, and plenty of chances, to have that experience.”
Disappointment landed light a heavy weight in your gut, and you averted your gaze. 
Well, it was worth a try.
It wasn’t like you could force Wyll to change his stance on such a thing. And it would have been wrong of you to do anything more than simply express your desires.
Still, it didn’t make the disappointment any easier.
“I hope you’re right,” you conceded with a hopeful long convincing smile, not wanting to put any pressure on him.
Wyll sighed and touched his forehead to yours. His horns were cool and hard against your skin and you closed your eyes, just breathing in his scent. 
“I still believe in the old tales of love,” he said as his hand moved to your lower back. “And I want to give you the fairytale because that’s what you deserve. But that doesn’t mean we can’t make it our own.”
You blinked and pulled back just far enough to look Wyll in the eyes. “What do you mean by that?”
A rakish grin spread across his face, sending butterflies to your stomach in a flurry. “I’m saying that if you want to be more intimate” — his hand slipped beneath your shirt, his palm warm against the small of your back — “then we can be more intimate.”
Your heart leapt in your chest as a mixture of surprise and giddiness surged through you. Out of all the things you expected him to say, it wasn’t that. 
At least, you didn’t expect him to agree so readily.
Swallowing your excitement, you laced your fingers with his. You didn’t want to pressure him, and you didn’t think you were, but you still wanted to check…. 
“You’re sure?” you asked and pressed your lips to the back of his hand. “I know you have reasons for wanting to wait, and I don’t want you to change your mind just because — ”
A little huff of laughter passed Wyll’s lips. “I’m sure,” he confirmed. “This is our relationship — we make these sorts of decisions together. I’d much rather you talk to me about things like this rather than just quietly go along with what I said.”
He brought his palm to your cheek, carefully cupping your face as if you were something precious. “Besides,” he added, “I’ll admit that part of me was hoping you’d ask me to change my mind.”
Before you could even think of how to respond, Wyll’s lips brushed over yours in a sweet, silky caress. Light and teasing, if not a little playful at first. Taking his sweet time tasting you. The hand on your cheek slipped behind your head, tangling in your hair as he slowly deepened the kiss.
You couldn’t help the soft moan in your throat as he pulled you flush against him. He coaxed your lips apart with his tongue, sending a thrill of warmth through you with each delicate stroke. Looping your arms around his neck, you held yourself steady as you melted into his touch.
Gods, when he kissed you like this, how could you not want more? How could you be expected to keep your desires in check when his lips were as sinful as they were saccharine?
Wyll guided you backward until your back pressed against the cool stone wall of the stairwell, not once breaking his lips away from yours. He cupped your face, tilting your head back as he kissed you as if he could breathe you in. 
A muscular thigh nudged between your legs, putting delicious pressure where you had long desired it. Heat rose to your face as you rolled your hips, slowly and subtly rocking against him.
Moving his hands to your hips, he pressed himself against you as he guided your movements on his leg to match his. The rhythm alone was enough to make your core clench with need. His parted lips dragged down the side of your neck as he let you grind against him. You let out a small, pleasured, gasp when he gently sucked and nipped at your skin.
Gods, he had barely begun to touch you and you were already trembling. Your body craved him like no other, and you had contented yourself with fantasies for so long. For him to actually be touching you like this? To be pulling closer instead of pulling back? 
It was indescribable.
You brought your lips to his neck, stifling a moan as you kissed the prominent ridges on his throat. His fingers dug into your hips a groan rumbled in his chest. “Those are sensitive,” he said and nibbled at your earlobe. 
You sighed as you closed your eyes. “Sensitive how?” you asked distractedly. 
Wyll raised his hips, pressing himself against you and fully pinning you to the wall. The hard outline of him prodded your lower stomach. “That kind of sensitive.”
Your cheeks burned as his mouth hungrily returned to yours. No one had ever kissed you the way Wyll did. It was reckless and restrained, passionate and patient. And you wanted nothing more than for that patience and restraint to run out.
At least, just for a little bit.
Tension coiled inside of you as you grinded against him, winding tighter and tighter as he rocked into you. You were so close. Gods, you hadn’t even taken your clothes off and you were going to come.
“Wyll,” you whined against his lips, not knowing quite what you wanted. Did you want him to stop you? Or did you want —
“Come for me,” Wyll rasped, his voice unlike you had ever heard it before. His grasping fingers slid over the curve of your breast as he took your mouth in another consuming kiss. 
Your nails dug into his shirt as your movements grew rougher and more erratic. Your breath came in panting gasps as pressure built deep in your core.
Every muscle in your body tightened. Your mouth fell open as you found your release. Your hips moved of their own accord but Wyll’s hands kept you steady as pleasure wracked your body.
“That’s it,” he soothed as you rode out your climax, his voice husky in a way that made your skin prickle. 
He removed his leg from between your thighs just as you began to catch your breath. With his hands still on your hips, he kissed the corner of your mouth and then your cheek, his breathing almost as heavy as your own.
“Tomorrow night,” Wyll said softly as pulled away. His eyes locked onto yours, his good eye dark with barely restrained lust. His hands traced your curves and you could practically see the gears turning in his head. 
He took a deep breath and closed his eyes.“Give me until tomorrow night, my love,” he said resolutely. “I promise it’ll be worth the wait.”
With that tiny bit of distance between you, you could see a prominent, hard ridge in his trousers. You must have been staring, because Wyll chuckled and cleared his throat, quickly adjusting himself to hide his erection. Well, as much as he could. 
You swallowed and licked your lips. “Do you — ”
He smiled at you broadly as he brushed a strand of hair behind your ear. “Don’t worry about me,” he said. “By the time we pack up these crates, I’ll be all settled down.”
Oh, right. The wine. Lakrissa and Alfira were waiting for them.
But still….
You hooked two fingers around his belt loop and stepped closer. “But what if I want to?”
Wyll cupped your face in his hands and pressed his mouth to yours, chaste and sweet. “Then you’ll have to wait until tomorrow night.”
---
Author's Note: This was meant to be like a 2k word oneshot and it turned into a whole thing. I'm still relatively new to writing in second person POV, so I'm sorry for any mistakes!
202 notes · View notes
jojikawa · 1 year
Text
Astarion with a fem! petite! elf reader
disclaimer: fem she/her reader, descriptions of sex, blood, manipulation. (it's tame but better to tag it anyways)
Tumblr media
art by tirtyturtle
Imagine Astarion getting cozy with the most unlikely party member. A short innocent elf girl who is unsure of herself and has a terrifying journey ahead of her.
It begins with teasing. Astarion finds it so hard that a darling who shies away when spoken to and blushes at the slightest acknowledgment is the one that everyone goes to answers for. You feel his tadpole worming its way into your mind, just so that he can have a peek at whatever you may be thinking about. He shoehorns his way into your life, acting as if you belong to him. When you talk he steps in front and speaks on your behalf instead.
He fantasizes about feeding from your neck, more often than he should for a man that doesn’t even know if you like him at all. How easily his fangs could piece your flesh in your sleep, how you squirm and whimper but unable to wake as he drains just enough of your blood to stave off his hunger, how adorably dazed you are from his antics and confused given you didn’t know of him being a vampire yet.
Imagine Astarion developing an urge to protect you because of your reserved nature bc he believes that only he is worthy of such a task. Can’t have anyone else stealing his little juice box away. Not in 200 years has he been able to taste something so exquisite? He wants so badly to become a true vampire so that he can make you a vampire too. You notice small bite marks on your body and your actions become more and more sluggish. Out of guilt, he comes out about being a vampire.
“There’s something about me that I might’ve forgotten to mention.”
He expects you to be angry, livid almost for him feeding without consent but he couldn’t help it.
Instead, you gave him permission.
Now, he needed to pursue you.
Imagine Astarion using you like his stress toy, wallowing in self-pity about his imprisonment with Cazador before he’s pushing cock into you. It takes everything out of him to not bite you in the midst of his strokes. It begins with him being gentle, reassuring, and almost witty with his words that make you blush. Once he’s close to climaxing, you feel fangs dig into your neck. You would expect him to feed on you, draining not just your innocence but your blood too…
He did not. He marked you. Making you his for as long as you walk beside him—and beyond. He would be the only vampire that could indulge in your blood.
778 notes · View notes
grims-sunshine · 11 months
Note
hello! How are you? I see your requests are open? If it's alright, can i request some angst, but with a happy ending because I'm too damn soft🥲 Fem Tav being absolutely devastated when Astarion confessed but also that he was originally manipulating and using her? I never see anyone writing Tav being upset over that, like she's in love with him, but is rightfully angry and upset with him and just sobs while avoiding him for a while? 🥲
Hi hi anon! I'm good, thanks for asking <3 I hope you're alright too!
I love this idea so much aaaaah! I had to start writing pretty much immediately ahaha
Thanks so much for the request, I hope you enjoy it <3
Tumblr media
🤍 Feel Better 🤍
Tumblr media
Pairing: Astarion x Tav
Word count: 1.7k
Tags: angst with a happy ending, some mild anxiety, arguing, Tav says a few not so nice things maybe
Tumblr media
"I care about you."
It's true when you say these words to Astarion. At least you think it's true. At least it was true just five minutes ago.
You're pretty sure it's still true.
You pull Astarion into a hug, and aren't sure if you do it because you want to hug him, or because it feels like the right thing to do.
He hesitates for a moment, but puts his arms around you as well. You're overcome with a wave of happiness that he hugged you back, then sadness that he just admitted to having manipulated you, then anger that you were dumb enough to fall for it.
When he holds your hand, you see a glint of sincerity in his eyes. But you're not sure you can trust your own judgment anymore. Part of you wonders if he actually means it this time.
You know it wouldn't make sense for him to lie again, right after confessing his last lie and admitting that he felt bad for it.
But it didn't make sense for him to lie the first time either.
You've been defending Gale when the others were mad about his secret, and he wasn't sleeping with you. You tried to stand up for Wyll when Mizora showed up, and he hadn't shown even a hint of interest in you. You sided with Karlach and helped her deal with the paladins when you didn't even know her yet.
In short, you've been doing your damnedest to protect the people around you, not because you wanted anything in return, but because you're all in an unfortunate situation, just trying to stay alive, and you believe it'll be better for all of you to help each other. You would've done the same for Astarion, without him ever doing so much as touch you.
Your thoughts cause unease to rise within you, getting worse with every second. Once he lets go of you, you excuse yourself, rushing off to a quiet place, out of view from the others.
You sink to the ground, leaning your head back against the wall as your vision goes blurry. Before you even notice it, tears stream down your face and you suppress a sob.
You feel betrayed. Astarion played with your feelings just to gain a benefit from you, with seemingly no care how it would make you feel. You should've gotten angry at him, told him off for manipulating you, screamed at him for hurting your feelings.
Instead, you gave him a hug and said you care about him.
Underneath the anger and hurt, your feelings for him are still there, maybe stronger than ever. If you could just move past this, maybe the two of you can be happy together after all.
It makes you feel like a child, thinking that you're in some kind of fairy tale romance. But you're not the protagonist of a storybook, and you're starting to have serious doubts that Astarion is the prince who will sweep you off your feet and bring you eternal happiness.
And yet, that small part of you makes you decide to stay with him for now and hope everything will work out for the better. You're not sure if you're naive, stupid, or if Astarion really is worth trying, but you trust your gut feeling, even when your brain is telling you to break things off immediately.
Still, you can't help feeling hurt over everything that happened, so over the next couple of days you pull away from Astarion. It's not your intention, but whenever you're close to him, you start to feel dizzy, sick even. You feel your chest tighten and a knot form in your stomach that gets worse the longer you're around him.
You used to not get enough of being close to you, now it feels like your whole body recoils against his presence.
Astarion doesn't seem to notice that anything has changed -- Or if he does, he doesn't show it. If anything, he's become even more affectionate with you.
He's been seeking out your touch more often, giving you occasional hugs and stealing kisses from you. They make your heart beat faster, but you can't tell anymore if it's because you love him or because it sends your brain into overdrive each time, wondering if he's doing it because he wants to be close to you or because he wants to keep you hooked so you won't turn away from him now.
You hate that you have to question him. You hate that you feel like you can no longer trust him when you blindly would've put your life in his hands just a few days ago.
To make things worse, life has decided to hurl even more struggles at you while you're dealing with your feelings.
The Shadow-Cursed Lands have been getting especially cold at night. You try to stay as close to the fireplace as possible, but it feels like the darkness sucks away any warmth provided by the fire, so you're left shivering and wishing you could lie in a warm bed with several blankets instead.
"Wanna cuddle a little for warmth?" Astarion's voice catches you off guard and you almost flinch when you notice him standing beside you, watching you shiver and grasping your arms.
"Not that I have much body heat to give off, but, you know… I could be there for you in spirit." He continues, giving you a smile that looks almost a little shy.
You're hesitant at first, but something about the way he looks at you plugs at your heartstrings. You can't resist him, not when he looks like he's sending silent prayers to the gods that you'll agree.
"Yeah, sure. At the very least you'll block off a bit of the cold, right?" You say, earning a chuckle from him.
"I'll do my very best to shield you from the cold, darling."
He settles down facing you, wrapping one arm around you to pull you closer to his chest.
You try your best to relax, but your body still tenses around him, even when you try to just swallow down your feelings.
You lie in silence for a while, until Astarion sighs.
"Is everything alright, dear? You've been acting a little off lately. I wasn't sure if I should mention it at all, but to be honest, I am a little worried." His tone is serious, void of the usual playfulness in his voice.
Damn it. He noticed.
"It's nothing, really," you say, hoping that he'll drop it. Instead, he just looks at you, sceptical.
"Are you sure? You can talk to me, you know." He frowns brushing a loose strand of hair behind your ear. "It's just," he hesitates, like he's unsure of what to say, "I feel like you've started avoiding me ever since I opened up about my feelings. So, I've been thinking, maybe I misread the signs and you actually never wanted to move past… Whatever the hells it was we had before," he rambles. Then, a little quieter, he adds, "You know, I've never done this whole relationship thing, and I really don't want to make a fool of myself by pursuing someone who doesn't like me that way." He lets out a nervous chuckle.
Oh hells no.
"Make a fool out of you?" The words break out of you, louder and angrier than intended. "What about me, who made a fool out of herself the whole time thinking you actually liked me?" You should stay composed, calm yourself before you say something you regret, but at that moment, all the complicated feelings you've been having swirl together and explode within you. "You didn't stop once to think about that, did you? But when it's about you having to deal with something unpleasant, suddenly it's a problem. Don't you think that's a little selfish of you?"
By the way Astarion looks at you, you'd think he'd just been slapped. Then he averts his eyes and you feel his hands tightening, gripping the back of your shirt.
"Right," he sighs. "I deserve to be called selfish, I suppose."
Astarion takes a deep breath, his jaw clenching as he thinks about what to say next, before he relaxes it again. "I know what I did to you was wrong. I manipulated you and you didn't deserve that. At all." His voice quivers a little as he continues to speak. "And I know it's no excuse, but this is what I've done for two centuries. Manipulate people to avoid getting hurt. I have no damn idea how to navigate a relationship with someone who isn't trying to make me suffer at every turn, or someone who I know will meet a terrible end because of me."
He looks at you again with a pained expression. "I really do care about you, despite what I've done, you know? I didn't intend to care about you, but you crushed all my intentions just by being your wonderful, amazing self. And if you're willing to give me another chance, I promise to make this right. I promise I won't ever try to deceive you again. I want to be someone worthy of your love and I'll do what I can to be that kind of person."
This time you're absolutely certain that he's sincere. There's not a sliver of doubt in your mind about that.
You don't even realize that you haven't said anything in a while until you notice Astarion grow increasingly nervous, looking at you like he expects you to cuss him out and tell him to leave any second.
You grab his hand and press a kiss to his palm. "I am willing to give you a chance," you say, seeing the instant wave of relief rush over his face. "I know you're new to all of this, and I know you've been through a lot. I should've talked about this sooner instead of just avoiding you. And I shouldn't have yelled earlier either. So I'm sorry as well."
Astarion presses his forehead against yours, pulling you into a close hug. "So things are good between us now, right?"
You nod, leaning in to kiss his cheek before nuzzling into his chest. "Yeah, everything's alright."
Tumblr media
Title inspired by this
371 notes · View notes
plethora-of-imagines · 11 months
Text
The Consort's New Clothes
AN: In response to my own prompt in the BG3Kinktober23 collection.
Once again I have decided the Ascended Astarion can be soft- as a treat.
And since I have corrupted @how-masterful this is now both dedicated to her, and her birthday fic for the year (I couldn't come up with any other ideas, but I hope you still enjoy it!)
Prompt:
Assended Astarion cannot help but mark his pretty little Tav as all his. He needs to mark her with his bites, dress her up all pretty -or even better in his clothes-, and put a nice collar around her neck. Everything to make sure everyone knows she is his.
Word Count: 1616
Warnings: smut/lemon, clothing kink, sharing a bath, vampire bites, spawn!Tav, collars, soft yandere
Description:
Getting ready together with Astarion was a common occurrence these days. He wanted the two of you to always be presentable when you left your shared chambers. Of course trying to find a suitable wardrobe for the Ascendant Vampire's Consort has been proving difficult. At this rate you'll just have to wear his clothes with a raw bite mark to show you're his.
Warm water and the sweet scent of your lover enveloped you. Wet hair clinging to his bare chest as you shifted closer, shoving your nose against his neck. Inhaling the woodsy sunkissed citrus scent that he applied so generously that it had sunk into his very skin. The little energy you could manage to muster all used up, you once again went limp in his arms. Soaking in the heat the water provided as his hands shifted to better press you possessively into his chest. Tracing little circles around the scars from his constant feeding, and subsequent transforming bite. The same spot that he always bit you, right along the crook of your neck. Somewhere that if needed could be hidden with a high collared shirt. Fortunately you had found little need to hide the sign of your connection to Astarion recently. 
The rumbling purr of vibrations that you felt against your temple roused you from your almost trance.
“What do you think of this one, little love?”
Humming pleasantly at the endearment you didn’t want to open your eyes. Wanting to remain forever in this blissful cocoon of comfort. But if he wanted to hear your opinion then you would take on the burden of opening your eyes. 
The spawn standing before you in the bathroom was rightfully averting her eyes from your naked forms. Glancing down her body you took in the long flowing dress, a gaudy shade of red that almost looked more burnt orange. The slit was in an awkward position on the skirt that was more on the front of the skirt than the side, raising far too high as well.
Lazily you replied back your answer to Astarion, who waited patiently for your answer.
“If this is the first one that has shown enough promise to want my opinion I don’t believe that this designer is going to live long. I’m almost insulted.”
His gleeful laugh had you rushing to look up at him. To catch the pure smile on his face, adoringly gazing at the light in his eyes.
“Oh, trust me- there have been far worse! Now go change again,” he shooed the spawn out with his dexterous hand. Calling out after them, “and tell that fool to show us something worthwhile this time!”
“I’m sure that he saved better for later, Astartion. Or at least that he will have one decent outfit.”
“Tav, you are just too sweet,” he cooed. 
Tilting your chin up for a soft kiss. Lips hovering millimeters away from your own. Leaving you in anticipation until you let out a little whine. Only then did he reward you with the gentle press of his lips to your own. The creak of the door interrupted to your displeasure when it caused him to pull away. Cursing his paranoia that had led to the soft creaking of every door to your shared private chambers- so that any possible attack could be heard the moment it was attempted.
Huffing you looked back at the spawn again to see a much more appealing outfit. Ignoring the spawn’s lack of pants you looked over the stylish doublet. The shine of the clasps appealing to the part of you that enjoyed anything that glimmered. Frowning when you recognized it as obsidian.
“It’s better,” you admitted. “But I worry about the longevity of the clasps when made of obsidian.”
“Couldn’t even make a full outfit either,” Astarion growled.
The spawn trembled at his clear displeasure, terror filling their eyes as they feared being punished for the designer's faults. At your pout he took a deep breath, loosening the hands that had started to dig into your skin.
“I certainly paid them more than enough for these abominations. I expect better, I expect perfection.”
The sound of his teeth grinding together sent a chill through you.
“Next one,” you told the frozen spawn.
She gratefully obeyed your order. Almost tripping over her own feet to flee the room.
Holding Astarions face in your hands, gently rubbing his jaw. Loosening it from its tight, clenching position. Slowly his body relaxed- though his anger towards the doomed designer remained.
“How am I supposed to find a pretty outfit that shows off that everyone should be envious that you are mine from a mere glance alone, when all of these so-called designers are completely tasteless idiots! None of these outfits come close to helping to accent your beauty. I’ve looked at thirty four of his useless mockeries of clothing fit for an Ascendant Vampire’s consort, love. Thirty four!”
Starting to work himself back into his fury again with each word. Soothing him you pressed playful kisses to his jaw line, lightly nipping every time he started to clench. Once the anger receided again you guided his head to your neck. Lips pressing against the one spot that would remind him that you had a clear sign of ownership forever on your body.
“I might as well dress you in my own clothes and be done with it.”
Teasing nibbles against your neck solidified his improving mood. 
Both of you turned together to look at the newest offering the spawn was dressed in.
“I actually like that one,” you quietly muttered.
“For tonight? That’s hardly good enough for tonight, when I plan to introduce you to all the new spawn I’ve created to serve us.”
“Mhm,” you hummed in agreement with him. It wasn’t good enough for introductions where it needed to be clear that you were his most treasured spawn and consort. So you justified your words with a simple, “it's cute.”
“Well if my treasured spawn likes it...”
His words tickled your skin. Fanning a desire in you for anything he would offer to you. Shivering and trembling as his fangs moved to rest against your skin, against his bite marks. The anticipation had you on the edge.
“Please.”
“Tell the designer that this creation is acceptable. He can take the rest of them back with him. “
You could feel the scrape of his teeth against your tingling skin with each carefully said word. Feeling the spawn’s presence still there, waiting to be dismissed with almost as much anticipation as you held for him to sink his teeth into you.
“And tell him that the next batch he shows us better be suitable,” the threat dripped off of every perfectly pronounced letter. “Well? I do believe that you have a message to deliver.”
The second you heard the door click closed you caved.
“Astarion, please,” you begged.
He bit down.
Rising out of the water, soft bubbles sticking to your skin. Back arching as pleasure flooded into you. There was a high pitched ringing in your ears. Wait no- that was your continuous whines as the pleasure removed all thoughts from your head.
It was bliss.
His teeth left your skin, and any sense of strength you had left with them. Astarion had to hold you up. Otherwise you were likely to melt until your body was submerged under the water.
“Feel good, my treasure,” he teased.
“Feel so-,” you slurred words halted as your breath hitched. Astarion had filled you in one smooth thrust, “so good.”
He took his time. Slowly fucking you just how he liked to when you both had just started to stir from trance in bed. Sensual, tender, lovemaking. Guiding your slowly diminishing mind into the most delicious of submissive spaces. All conscious thought fled when he filled you with his seed. You didn’t need to think, he would take care of you while your mind was on sabbatical from reality.
Lifting you out of the water was easy for him even when you weren’t intertwined. But still connected by his softening cock in your body, it was simple to carry you out of the water. Feeling something soft being rubbed against your skin. The only thing you could truly focus on while being dried off was him. Your love, your everything.
In graceful motions- only graceful from practice- he dressed himself while keeping his cock warm in your cunt. If anyone were to stumble in on you they would assume that he had been dressed the whole time. Hair still dripping he roughly toweled it as dry as he could manage to get it. Damp but for the moment no longer dripping.
His soft undershirt- the one that he had been wearing earlier that still smelled strongly of him- was pulled over your head. With gentle hands he pulled you off of his cock, helping you stand on shaky legs. Too blissful to command your legs to hold your weight. Leaning against him as he put his cock away.
You felt content.
Something was secured around your neck. Firmly tightened, but not too tight so as to cause discomfort. The cool chill of a duplication spell washed over you, looking over to your doppelganger. Looking debauched, yet carefully cared for. Hair starting to curl as it dried, soft white shirt reaching just far enough to be decent. The smallest amount of Astarion's seed dripping out onto your thigh where it could just be glimpsed. A dark collar surrounding your neck, and making the bite mark stand out even stronger against your skin. Happiness warmed the still blood within your veins. The embroidery on the collar matched Astarion’s outfit. He had to have done it himself, it was beautifully done. 
He dispelled the duplicate as he spoke, leading you towards the door to head towards your introduction to all the new spawn he had recently created.
“There we are, a very nicely fucked and dressed consort. You look beautiful, darling.”
You were and looked like you were his.
358 notes · View notes
spacebarbarianweird · 11 months
Text
Astarion Making a Wedding Dress for Tav Headcanon
Masterlist
Headcanons
Astarion, of course, sewed Tav's wedding dress himself.
He believed he was the only person in the world capable of creating the perfect gown.
Astarion carefully selected the finest and most expensive fabric, dedicating days to crafting the dress.
The fabric, produced by long-living creatures, could endure centuries of usage.
At times, he became so engrossed in the process that he ignored Tav, fully immersed in his work.
Tav would gently touch his hair to return him to reality.
Astarion would look up at her from below, momentarily astonished, as if he had forgotten who the dress was for.
On the wedding day, Tav felt beautiful. And Astarion looked like a member of Baldurian nobility, with a spade at his hip.
Astarion ripped the dress off on the wedding night as if forgetting the many months he had spent creating it.
"It's not like you will ever need it again, won't you?"
Their passion-filled night and the next day didn't require any clothing.
Astarion stumbled over the ripped fabric when he finally got out of bed.
An idea swiftly came to his mind. 
Why waste the expensive fabric?
In a few days, when it got much colder, Astarion presented Tav with a white nightgown.
"Is it my wedding dress?" she asked.
"Darling, I enjoyed taking it off from you that night, and now I want to do that again and again."
Tav wore this gown every time she went to bed, and if Astarion cut or ripped it, he repaired it within a day.
Whoever made this fabric was right about its durability; it looked new decades from the wedding.
Astarion and Tav slept cuddling each other, with him naked and her wearing the gown, pressing the fabric against his skin.
When Tav died, Astarion couldn't bring himself to live in the same place without her and decided to wander the Western Heartlands.
He wanted something to remind him of Tav, but nothing came to his grieving mind.
Then he saw the nightgown made from the wedding dress.
Astarion carefully re-sewed it into an eccentric shirt he used to wear as a spawn and which Tav used to see him daily in the camp.
The shirt feels much better on his skin than the old one.
When he closes his eyes, he imagines Tav hugging him in his sleep, just like she did when she was alive.
He repairs it carefully so it looks as good as new.
No one can understand why it is precious to him, just a white shirt that any tailor could make.
But he wears it, remembering the months he spent choosing the suitable fabric and making the dress, Tav's gentle touches, and how she looked on the wedding day.
He remembers how easily he ripped the dress off that night.
And he remembers how gorgeous Tav looked in bed, wearing the nightgown for the rest of her life.
Of course, it's impossible, but Astarion thinks he can still catch Tav's scent on the shirt
@tallymonster @tragedybunny @micropoe10
830 notes · View notes
waterdeep-weavemoss · 2 months
Text
Friendly Rivalry
Oopsie... Astarion and Gale go for drinks, it goes about as well as you'd hope... for @silent-words
Astarion sprawled in a booth at the Elfsong and grinned at the wizard opposite him. Gale narrowed his eyes in good-natured suspicion. ‘What?’
‘Oh, nothing darling. I’m just thinking how unlikely this all is. Gods below, could you imagine if Tav knew about this? She’d have a heart attack, poor thing.’
‘We’re allowed to be friends, Astarion.’
‘Oh, where’s the fun in that.’ Astarion’s mouth quirked. ‘We must get drinks. I’ve never seen you drunk. What’ll it be?’
‘I can get my own,’ said Gale. ‘I’ve never had trouble with that sort of thing.’
Astarion tutted. ‘Hello, darling,’ he said, bringing his attention to the young tiefling bartender. ‘A bloody mary for me, would you please? And… hmm…’ he frowned, trying to sus Gale out. ‘A Cormyr 75.’
‘I prefer wine,’ muttered Gale, ‘but very well.’
‘Live a little.’
Gale frowned. When the barkeep handed over their drinks, he took a sip and then, apparently emboldened, said, ‘I live a lot. Tav comes to my bedroll each night, after all.’
Astarion’s expression changed subtly, no longer the open and big-eyed calm of happiness. Now he looked like a cat seeing an opportunity. ‘Most nights,’ he purred, taking a sip of his drink and licking his lips. ‘But it’s unbecoming to speak of the poor darling when she’s not here.’
‘I’m sure she’ll forgive a slip in decorum given the circumstances,’ said Gale tersely. ‘You’re lucky she’s so sweet or you’d starve. Just because she lets you bite her doesn’t mean she wants you.’
‘Hmm, yes she is very sweet,’ said Astarion, his eyes glittering. He sipped his drink, watching Gale’s barely contained rage. ‘But we’re all friends, of course. It’s not like she’s ever come when I’ve bitten her or anything…’
‘Enough,’ said Gale, holding his glass so tightly he looked like he might crush it. ‘You’re lucky I have the decency to cast silence. She screams for me like you wouldn’t believe.’
‘You’re right,’ drawled the vampire, ‘I don’t believe it.’ He leaned across the table, a lazy fanged smile on his lips. ‘Perhaps I would, if she hadn’t been whimpering so deliciously in my arms last night. Not that it means anything of course. She loves you so much it’s sickening.’
‘Jealous?’ said Gale in a low voice. He sipped his drink, watching.
‘Of course I am. Frankly, she deserves better.’
Gale privately agreed, though he would never tell Astarion that. He finished his drink, ordered two more and downed them. Astarion followed suit, slightly bemused but happy to keep pace with him, until Gale’s eyes widened at something over his shoulder.
‘What?’ he whispered.
‘We need to stop talking about Tav.’
‘Why? It’s surely all in fun, it’s not like she-’
‘Shut up, Astarion.’
Astarion’s nostrils flared in anger, but he peeked subtly behind him and seemed, somehow to go even paler. ‘Oh, no.’
‘Exactly.’
‘We can agree on this,’ Astarion breathed, hissing through his teeth in his urgency, ‘we have to protect her from him.’
‘We need to go.’
‘Agreed.’ They stood up to leave, gathering their things quickly, and were a few steps towards the door, when-
‘Such haste?’ Raphael regarded them with wide, expectant eyes. ‘It’s not like you two not to linger. You look as though you’ve seen something truly terrible.’
‘Not at all,’ said Astarion, spinning on his heel with a bright smile on his face. ‘We’re just a little tipsy, that’s all. Eager to go home to our friends and all that. Sleep off the headache.’
‘Come on,’ said Gale, grabbing Astarion by the wrist. ‘We need to go.’
‘Tav’s been looking for you,’ said the devil smoothly. ‘I daresay she gets bored, all alone. And being unable to leave camp currently, well…’ he flashed a smile.
How the hells did he know about that? Gale thought, his mind racing. She’d been incapacitated in the last fight, and he had insisted she stay in camp for her own safety. She hadn’t listened until Astarion gave her a withering look and said something about her needing enough blood to not die when he fed, thank you very much.
‘She can handle herself,’ said Astarion coolly. ‘She’s hardly some wallflower. Especially not in the face of the likes of you.’
‘I wonder,’ said Raphael, finishing his whiskey, ‘has she been reading my letters?’ As Astarion and Gale both tensed he laughed, waving a hand and disappearing in a haze of red.
‘What the fuck is he talking about?’ growled Astarion.
‘I don’t know,’ said Gale, shaking in anger, ‘but we have to get back. Now.’
Tags:
@boufsy @owlseeyoulaterpal @lanafofana @amorgansgal
@auroraesmeraldarose @aryancunin @miradelletarot @marlowethebard
@netherese0rb @crimson-and-lavender @reeseykins @medra-gonbites
@roguishcat @weaverofnetheril @galedekarioswifey @hyperfixationstation128 @lastlight-inn
@astarryvamp @tealfling
85 notes · View notes