#tav!rose

[honeyedwordsandblades]

Was writing out tags on agothorn's post about Astarion/Tav and how Tav could've been another Sebastian if they had met Astarion before but I got pretty carried away and instead wrote not an essay but a whole goddamn novel??? And did u know Tumblr only lets you put 30 tags top on a post? (And it still wasn't enough, lmao whoops.)

So here are those tags, a bit reformatted to be a text post instead. Thank you in advance if you decide to go on this crazy ride of my dumb ramblings!

--

Honestly, I imagine when they get down there and see all the vampire spawn, all his previous targets/victims (and the other six's I'm sure), Rose immediately thinks back to the beginning of their journey together. Of the early days where she was so smitten and head over heels for Astarion, without really knowing him or his past.

And looking at all his past victims, all in front of her (especially with his interaction with Sebastian), she immediately realizes that if they had met another way, if they had met before the mindflayers kidnapped them all, she would have also been so easily manipulated and played. Lured just like the rest of his victims straight to Cazador. Like a lamb to slaughter. Like a fool lured straight off a cliff. And so happily too. So blissfully unaware and ignorant of her awaiting inevitable fate.

She knows, in that instant, if they had met before instead of when they did, she'd be down here with the rest of his victims. And, more than likely, afterward he would've just completely and entirely forgotten about her. Assumed her dead and had been done with it.

She wouldn't even be a ghost of a memory to haunt him for eternity, for the rest of his undead life. She'd been nothing to him.

(I'd like to believe that wouldn't be true though. He'd remember her just like he remembered Sebastian. Another poor innocent soul that, in their very short time together, she would have undoubtedly left quite the impression and mark upon him. He would always remember her. And, yes, she would absolutely haunt him for the rest of his undead life. Such a naive girl with such a big loving caring heart. How could he ever forget her? And her soft brown-hazel eyes and her lovely up-done brown hair. And the biggest smile he's ever seen. All just for him. Because of him. He'd never truly forget her. But I digress (too much). We're talking about Rose's point of view not Astarion's, lmao.)

She'd mean nothing to him as he found a way to usurp Cazador (if he was able to at all otherwise. But assuming if he did.) and would so easily and readily sacrifice her and all his and his "sibling's" victims in order to become the ~Vampire Ascendant~ .

Because she would mean nothing to him. Or, at least, (after seeing his panic and slight hesitation after talking to Sebastian) he would try to make himself believe that. Push away all the rising guilt suddenly trying to claw itself up from his dead heart and out his throat. Push it all down, hoping it would return from whence it came and just shut up and never return. That this is what he wants. What he's always wanted. (Right?)

And, after they speak with Sebastian, Rose would speak with Astarion personally. An argument as 'old as time' (i.e. as long as their relationship has been) started fresh and anew once more. About Astarion doing the ritual himself. And she would say in no uncertain bitter terms all that i've described above to him, to his face.

And maybe he's thought about it before. About how easy a target she would've been. How she would've been another poor lost soul. Gone. Disappeared into the night. Far from reach from family, from friends, from anyone and everyone. So easily snatched from her life. Not a trace of her to be found. Almost like she never existed. (But he would remember her. Gods, her smile. Her eyes. She would haunt him.)

But now, after seeing Sebastian, seeing all his victims in front of him... Discovering that they hadn't died and were very much (horribly) alive and undead, vampire spawn just like him and his 'siblings'. All of them connected to him, not just as his past victims, but through carved scars just like the one on his back. All for this grim infernal ritual where they would all be sacrificed (including himself if his plan to kill and usurp Cazador in the ritual didn't succeed).

But now presented with Rose's theoretical... To imagine her right alongside Sebastian and all his other victims, in just as terrible and poor a state as they are. And, instead of seeing her lovely brown-hazel eyes, being meet only with undead vampiric red burning straight into his soul... It instantly sends a chill down his spine. And it makes him sick to his stomach to even think, to even imagine such an image.

But Rose presses on, despite his reaction, despite the clear look of horror that passes on his face. And brings his imagination further. Spelling out as clear as she can exactly what her fate would end up being if she had been one of his victims. If he took up the ritual in Cazador's place- She would die. Right alongside all the other vampire spawn. They were meant for sacrifice after all. And that's the role they and, more importantly, she would serve.

He'd have everything. And she would be dead.

Sacrificed for the power he would then have.

He's too stunned to speak, but he knows what she's doing. Her manipulations are too obvious. But perhaps that's the point. She's not trying to manipulate him, she's trying to persuade him. Or better put, she's pleading. Begging him to see the terrible horror of the atrocity he's planning to commit. (As if he doesn't already know. As if he didn't know it all along. Although, admittedly, not at this scale. It was only 6 before, not 7,000.)

All by placing herself in the role of one of his victims.

And he has to admit: It's working.

He'll try to reason with her (twist and manipulate it back). That she's not. And, besides, he's doing it for both of them. So they can both be safe. With such power he can-

She huffs exasperated, disappointed. And she's already shaking her head. Somehow disbelieving that he's coming up with the same excuses as he always has.

But he knows they both heard his voice as he spoke. Quivering, uncertain. Clearly reaching, relying on old scripted justifications. But he still clings tightly to old hopes, old plans.

And, here and now, just before the end, just before the finale, is when she finally pulls out the ultimatum she's been mulling about for ages.

He must not go through with the ritual. If he does... She will ensure he never takes it.

She stares straight into his eyes as she tells him. Eyes (and heart) hardened. Walls up. Back straightened. Looking at him defiantly.

The look of a Hero.

He's only seen her do it a few times before but never to him. And now that she is... Now that he's on the other side of it. Well, he won't lie. A cold feeling of fear runs down his spine. He knows when she's like this that she means every word she says and will absolutely commit to it.

Before he can even speak, she softens, breaks. Pain written plainly across her face.

Ever so softly, she pleads with him not to go through with it (the ritual). She admits she doesn't want to, but she will- end him (What a nice way to say "kill him where he stands". Almost like she can't even bring herself to say it.) And he fully believes her.

Her earlier pleading, her theoretical, may have (deeply) shaken him, but this- This ultimatum... certainly gave him pause.

Although not as much as her next words.

"Please don't make me kill you."

Hushed, soft. An almost whisper that, well- metaphorically speaking, kills him on the spot. Like a stake to his undead heart.

The image of him beginning the ritual and her swinging her sword, one good ol' swing through his neck, his head suddenly gone enters his mind.

She would do it. He knows it.

Would he risk it? Attempt the ritual and, if he succeeds, if she doesn't chop off his head, beg for forgiveness? (Command her to forgive him even? He quickly pushes the thought from his mind.)

But staring into her pained, pleading eyes, her words still echoing in his mind like relentless ghosts haunting him, he knew his choice had been made.

Only a bit reluctantly does he promise her then and there that he would not go through with taking Cazador's place in the ritual. They would stop him and nothing more. Promise.

He can see that Rose is hesitant to believe him but she does relax some. Perhaps naively hoping that he had in fact come to his senses and was actually going to follow through with his promise. (After all, he's made promises before and kept them. Right?)

And he does.

(Although when he finally has the staff in his hands and he hesitates for just a small second, she's very kind to not bring up that moment later on.)

(And yes. She noticed. But after he continues on to save and free all the vampire spawns, both his siblings and those in the cells, she quickly forgets about it. All forgiven.)

[gale-dekarios]

I didn't fall in love with a God, Gale. I didn't even fall in love with an Archmage.

I fell in love with a man from Waterdeep, shovelling the shit with the rest of us. I fell in love with a man who would sit by the pot for hours, making sure it wouldn't boil over. I fell in love with a man who I imagined I could kiss, not because he showcased his potential power, but because it looked lovely when he blushed.

Can Gods blush, Gale?

Can they?

OOF this one HURT!! It's non-canon to my playthrough, Gale is very much still just a guy and happy enough that way, but that one Everything Everywhere All At Once quote has been stuck in my head ever since I saw God!Gale for the first time. Gale's folly indeed.

(id: a comic panel. a yellow box reads "the god of ambition, leave your offering." a shadowed figure stands in front of a large statue of ascended god gale. they're looking up at him, tiny in comparison, and a speech bubble coming from them reads "in another life, i would have really liked just doing laundry and taxes with you." end id.)

[crocodiller]

...It didn't work. First - Previous - Next

[snarkspawn]

wizard in the streets, warlock in the sheets

[mooreaux]

Dark urge play thru is goin well w bby gurl Winter Rose 🌹

[ilikedetectives]

Before the Night Ends by skxkkaaa (x)

[blankdov]

Rose and batstarion, two versions!

[gelarshiesprofruitboarder]

i made macking cheese yum

[svarta-nackros]

A tender moment between Halsin and Rose. 🐻🌹

[sofancydancy]

From a Schitt's Creek quote, feat. my Tav, Aura!

[chimeowrical]

Fiancé and I are ALSO doing a playthru…. As a cute little bard/warlock named Rose 🌹

[honeyedwordsandblades]

Oh, who would have guessed? Needing to make a separate post all of my own because thirty tags is never enough for all that I have to say, for all that I have to, that I must type out? Me? Nooooo... lmao.

Anyway, here's my tags (and more of course there's always more) that were originally gonna be on silverformymonsters' gifset post of Astarion post-BG3 events sadly reaching his hand into sunlight, about a little imagined moment between him and my tav, Rose, now reformatted into a text post for all of yours' heartbreak and enjoyment.

--

I know this is a scene after everything. But I like to imagine it's a scene with not just him but also Rose. Not immediately after BG3 events. Not immediately after losing his ability to be in the sun. A bit of time after all that. Some personal quest of their's they're undertaking. Maybe to help him be in the sun again? Maybe something else, like for the 7000 vampire spawn in the Underdark? Maybe to find out more about his past, when he was alive? Of who he was, who family was etc.

Regardless, it's them underground in a cave. Rose is busy with something else. She's talking to Astarion while doing whatever she's doing. And mid-talking she finishes and turns around to see this. To see Astarion back turned to her, facing the sunlight peaking through from above. She stops talking immediately and just watches.

Watches as he reaches his hand out into the sunlight. Watches as he holds his hand out for as long as he can before it clearly hurts too much. Watches as his hand nearly fully turns to a gray ashy stone color, all too ready to crumble and drift away from a slight breeze. Watches as it shakes until he can't anymore, until he suddenly pulls his hand back. His hand immediately changes back to its normal color and appearance once as he does so but the moment is heartbrokenly seared into Rose's mind.

He half turns back to her. Eyes still on his hand. Mind surely still sadly reminiscing about when he very well could be in the sun. After a moment he looks up at her. Eyes staring back in… question, she takes it. As if to wonder why (and when) she stopped talking.

Although, he quickly realizes why. He frustratedly sighs and looks away for a moment (back to the sunlight) before turning back to her. Tells her about how 200 years in shadow he became all but used to the fact he would never see the sun again. Never feel its warmth on his skin. And then he had (a month? a few months? how long is bg3 supposed to take place? lmao) of it. It makes it all the more terrible to go back.

He knows they're looking for a way for him to be in the sun again. He knows that she'll search until her last breath and even then some. And, of course, he greatly appreciates it. She always has given him nothing but marvelous gift after gift. She is a marvelous gift. One that he will always cherish and be grateful for.

…But that doesn't mean he doesn't miss it. Miss the warm embrace of the sun. Miss being out during the day in the sun. ('You can forget just how much colour there is in the world.' She remembers well that odd out of the blue moment while they were in the city. It killed her then as does hearing him speak now about it breaks her heart completely.)

This is the price of his freedom though. Of their happy little life that they have now. He supposes it was well worth it. Even if he does miss the sun terribly. He tries to move the conversation back to why they're here in the first place but Rose refuses to let go of it.

She's immediately got her hands on his face, mouth on his (surprising him - what else is new lmao), fiercely kissing him with all the passion and heartbreak in the world, in the universe. And then wraps her arms tightly around him in a tight hug full of all her heartbreak and love for him.

She knows she's already done so before, but she pledges once again to him that they will find a way for him to see, to be in the sun again. She promises. She swears it.

Every time she's like this- With this fierce determination. This passionate loyalty (especially with him). It always somehow manages to surprise him. Even after all this time.

After a chuckle, he jokes about how she better (keep her word), he does terribly miss their little trysts, seeing her cheeks flush under the sunlight as he-

Okay! Okay. Oooh-kay. That's- That's enough. She immediately lets go of him and she's now changed the subject back to their job at hand.

As much as he doesn't wish to let go of the moment himself either, he still does. He knows she means it. She always has. And always will. And one day... He can't wait to see the sun again, to feel its warmth again, yes. But he can't wait to to see it, be under its rays once again with her. One day they- she will figure this out and he'll get see her beam just as bright as the sun above them. And he cannot wait to see it.

[gale-dekarios]

good company.

[steelsuit]

Lil pic of my Tav for twitt icon

[blairx-bitch]

I made a comic based on this silly post i saw from @/ the-mschristine 😌:

ALSO HIT UP MY AMA BOX ILL DRAW BG3 STUFF (or anything honestly) FOR FREE⁉️ FOR FREE‼️🙏😻😻 RAHH 💥💣

Here's a full page of the comic too (I have no idea what I'm doing :3)

(edit: I JUST REALIZED TUMBLR MICROWAVE QUALITY DOESNT SHOW HIS SMILE LINES D:)

[jellymellydraws]

Tell Me You Love Me, Again and Again

Pairing: Astarion x Rose (m/f)

Rating: E

Words: 500

Tags: PIV, Words of Affection, slight body worship. Two damaged people so madly in love it intoxicates them.

After another long day in the gate, Rose and Astarion stole away to be alone for the night. Even before they bid their companions farewell, their touch seldom broke. They were inseparable, whether it were their pinkies looped together, or a hand on their backs. Somehow, someway, they needed to feel the other against them.

While they laid together, they explored the topography of each other's bodies. His fingers gently walked along the ridged scars along Rose's front. Once, she would curl away from that touch. Tonight, she sighed contentedly when the vampire pressed soft kisses upon them. The tension in his shoulders melted away as she relaxed. His crimson eyes locked with hers as he traversed towards her breasts, cupping one in his hand. He wrapped his lips around her erect nipple, flicking his tongue over it until she whimpered. She brought her hand to his cheek, gently guiding his face towards hers. But he refused to cooperate, instead returning to his unfinished trail of kisses along her scarred flesh.

Astarion wanted it all.

It wasn't long before their clothes were discarded in favor of melding together.

Rose was a beauty beneath him. He cupped her cheek as she stared at him with total and utter adoration. A look reserved only for him. As he slowly eased in and out of her, each breath she drew invigorated him like it were the blood from her throat.

Another source of her life, freely given to him. She’d let him take it all, if she could.

He leaned in for a kiss, filling her with his whole length. Their tongues danced as he waited for her to stretch around him.

"I love you," she gasped between their lips.

"Say that again," he whispered, slowly pulling out of her.

"I love you." She twisted her fingers into his hair.

He moaned with her confession. He wandered to her neck, kissing with each thrust. Her voice hitched. She was sensitive there, he knew.

He couldn't help himself.

"Again.”

"Ah— I love you."

"Again!"

"I love you!"

Intoxicating.

Gods, he wanted to taste her. But no, he couldn't. Not if he wanted her to continue serenading him. He inhaled her scent from the crook of her neck, groaning as he fucked her with more vigor. Her needy fingers drew him closer, nearly begging for him to drink from her.

He was close. Gods below, he was so close.

"Don't stop," he begged, "I want you to keep saying it."

Tilting her head towards him, Rose gripped his hair and moaned her love into his ear. Whimpering, when he fucked her relentlessly. But still, she tried to tell him. Over and over

She loves him.

She loves him.

She loves him.

"I love you," he moaned, "Gods above, I love you," he sealed their lips together.

He focused on an even pace, balancing his pleasure with hers. Their moans filled each other as the heat built between them. He couldn't hold himself back.

Not with her.

Astarion pulled from her lips, just enough to look into her glistening amber eyes.

When he leaned his forehead against hers, all words fell away, leaving only her delicious mewling between them. She squeezed around his cock, the waves of her own undoing pushing him over the edge. It took everything in him not to lean his head back, just so he could watch her eyes roll back as he filled her with his seed.

Sweaty, panting, but neither wanting to move. She wiped the sweat from his brow, just as he brought a hand to her cheek. She hummed and leaned into his palm, welcoming the cool touch. He gently slid out of her, only to pepper her face with light kisses. Between soft giggles, she continued to tell him.

”I love you.”

He knew.

He knew from the way she stroked his hair. How her fingers gently massaged his ear as he came down from his own high. How her lips pressed against his head when he collapsed onto her in bliss.

She loved him.

He loved her.

And he loved all of this.