#☼*・ﾟ Verse — ↳ act III

[feuerwizard]

Gale's heart ached at the mention of Eve's past trauma, a pang of sorrow and protectiveness washing over him. He could not fathom how anyone could ever seek to harm someone as pure and loving as her. Instinctively, his hand rose to gently caress the scars marring her neck, silently vowing to himself that he would never allow anyone to hurt her again. Not while he still drew breath. "Oh, my dearest," he murmured softly, his voice thick with emotion. "I am so very sorry you had to endure such cruelty and betrayal. But I want you to know that I will never, ever let any harm come to you again. Not as long as I live." He pressed a tender kiss to her forehead, lingering for a moment as if to seal his promise.

As he pulled back to meet her gaze once more, Gale's expression was one of pure adoration and awe. "Eve, loving you is the easiest, most natural thing I have ever done. From the moment our paths first crossed, I felt an inexplicable pull towards you. As if my very soul recognized its other half." A soft, almost disbelieving chuckle escaped him then. "To be quite honest, I am the one who is constantly amazed that you chose me. That out of all the people in this vast world, you deemed me worthy of your heart." He shifted then, rolling onto his side to face her fully, his hand coming up to cup her cheek. "I know I am far from perfect. I have made many mistakes in my long life, driven by pride and ambition. But loving you… it has changed me in ways I never thought possible. You make me want to be a better man, Eve. The kind of man who is deserving of your love and trust."

His gentle touch made her smile, butterflies erupting in her stomach as she let those beautiful brown eyes of his engulf her. She could get lost in them, but it was his words that hit her ears and made the smile stretch across her face. "I've always in the back of mind believed that there was a reason for everything, but it was hard sometimes to put faith in that." Eve's face fell a little, but only because what she was referencing was painful. All of her trust and love had been put into Gale and she hoped that he didn't think less of her for her explanation. "When Varis tried to kill me..." she started, her fingertips gently tracing the scars on her neck," it was hard to imagine that I would ever feel love again, let alone trust someone like that again...but then I met you."

Not that she knew right off the bat that Gale was someone she'd be able to trust so intimately, but eventually it was quite obvious that he was the devotion type, and quite honestly? So was Eve. "In all seriousness, my darling, I've never trusted anyone more than I trust you." The more she got to know him, and the more she had been able to give him her loyalty and know she had his in return, had only endeared him to her more. Perhaps he still could betray her, but she just couldn't actually bring herself to believe that. "This is where we are supposed to be. I feel it in my bones. We were all brought together for a reason, and part of that reason for me, was to be able to love you. I truly believe that. I'm just surprised you picked me is all."

[aitheros]

verse tags & small descriptions of each.

☼ route i. — ❛ rise with humility，fall with dignity.

fairy tail main storyline based: sting acts as interim guild master. following tartarus, he passes the role onto another. in most cases: rogue cheney. 

☼ route ii. — ❛ golden child，tell me what it’s like to conquer.

fairy tail main storyline based: sting’s master position becomes permanent following alvarez. more information regarding this to be added.

☼ route iii. — ❛ these violent delights have violent ends.

fairy tail main storyline based: sting acts as interim guild master until jiemma returns. he is questioning his loyalty to the guild, as well as jiemma’s command.

☼ route iv. — ❛ aimless drifting in a far off place.

fairy tail canon based: sting currently resides in a pocket of space outside of time. his time in such a dominion has tainted him and affected his physical appearance. ( ie: often bore demon-like qualities. ) in most cases, this could include the version of sting that was killed by future rogue or a version of sting that never made it to the future following weisslogia’s death. 

☼ route v. — ❛ goddamn right，you should be scared of me.

fairy tail canon based: everything pre-sabertooth and pre-grand magic games is incorporated into this verse.

☼ route vi. — ❛ i read the rules before i break them.

a modern world based alternative universe: sting is a 26 year old mercenary who hails from UK.

☼ route vii. — ❛ my house was always made of glass.

this fairy tail based verse takes place before the year x777. sting is a child from the country of stella. he is under the care of his mother until he begins training with the white dragon, weisslogia, in dragon slayer magic.

☼ route viii. — ❛ god save me，but don’t drown me out.

this is a ‘horror / paranormal’ based modern au, inspired by the haunting of hill house. sterling, alias ‘sting’ is struggled with addiction when he was younger, usually opioids and alcohol. he got into sports ( specifically swimming ) to help him manage his vices following rehabilitation. currently he’s a graduate student, age 25, studying psychology with a minor in english. he’s currently working on a thesis regarding mass hysteria, as well as how the campus ghost folklore and mysterious deaths have affected residents. he loves to interview people about their personal ghost experiences.

☼ route vix. — ❛ tbd.

shop au.

[feuerwizard]

Gale  stares  at  Aksel  for  a  long  moment,  touched  by  the  sincerity  and  determination  in  the  blacksmith's  words.  In  this  short  time,  he  has  grown  undeniably  fond  of  his  companion,  and  hearing  such  a  heartfelt  vow  warms  something  deep  within  the  wizard's  chest.  "Thank  you,  Aksel.  Truly,"  he  murmurs,  voice  softer  than  before.  "I  am  not  accustomed  to  having  someone  in  my  corner,  as  it  were.  But  your  faith,  misplaced  or  not,  means  a  great  deal  to  me."  A  small,  self-deprecating  smile  curves  Gale's  lips.  "Though  I  fear  you  may  come  to  regret  such  a  promise.  I  have  an  unfortunate  knack  for  finding  trouble."  His  tone  is  light,  teasing,  but  there  is  an  undercurrent  of  genuine  worry.  After  all,  the  orb  nestled  against  his  sternum  is  a  ticking  time  bomb,  and  Gale  would  never  forgive  himself  if  Aksel  was  caught  in  the  blast.

But  the  wizard  pushes  those  grim  thoughts  aside,  focusing  instead  on  the  flicker  of  hope  kindling  between  them.  He  reaches  out  to  clasp  Aksel's  shoulder,  giving  a  gentle  squeeze.  "But  perhaps  you  are  right.  We  will  persevere,  tadpoles  and  all.  And  when  this  is  over,  I  look  forward  to  seeing  what  the  future  holds  for  us  both."  Gale's  gaze  drifts  back  to  the  crackling  campfire,  watching  the  embers  dance  and  swirl  like  tiny  fireflies.  In  the  peaceful  quiet  of  the  night,  it  is  almost  possible  to  forget  the  danger  looming  over  them,  the  dark  powers  seeking  to  corrupt  their  very  minds.  For  now,  the  wizard  allows  himself  this  small  moment  of  respite,  drawing  strength  from  Aksel's  unwavering  presence  at  his  side.

"Do  you  know,  I  think  I  rather  like  this  version  of  the  future  we've  concocted,"  Gale  muses,  voice  soft  and contemplative.  "A  life  of  adventure  interspersed  with  quiet  moments  like  this.  Simple  pleasures  and  the  occasional  spot  of  trouble,  as  it  were."  His  lips  quirk  into  a  playful  grin.  "I  daresay  we  make  quite  the  team,  you  and  I.  The  Sword  Coast  will  not  know  what  hit  it."

Was there a happy medium between a life like this and one that meant settling down into something more comfortable? Truthfully he wasn't sure there was but if he could make it happen for himself he would. " I am sure there is a way to find the best of both worlds somehow. " If he were to settle with somebody they'd have to want the same. The thought of living back in the city didn't feel like much of an option for him, not after all he'd been through, but somewhere nearby, somewhere quiet but out in the open. That sounded perfect.

" Oh I will, I was not going to ask for permission either. I get very restless you will be wishing you had never put the idea in my head. " He grins at that and then his gaze drops from the wizard's expression to his chest and he swallows the lump in his throat. It's an alien feeling for him, to care about somebody this much in such a short space of time but he does. Aksel has always had it in him, he's soft hearted but he's been betrayed by the world around him over and over again and as he looks at Gale now he's not sure it's all that different for him. " I will not let anything bad happen to you, not if I can help it. " He follows his words with a light shrug, but believes every word he says. " - and I realise that I may sound stupid or naive but I mean what I say. We will beat this and we will all be alive to tell the tale. "

[feuerwizard]

Gale's breathing was ragged as he fought with himself. Every sensible part of him screamed to push Astarion away, to reaffirm the boundaries of their relationship and cling to the safety of what he knew. He was not ready yet, not after Mystra, not ready to open his heart in such a vulnerable manner. But another part of him, a braver Gale, ached for more.

He yearned for the touch that Astarion so skillfully denied him.

As he stared into the vampire's bright crimson eyes, the human’s defenses crumbled like sandcastles before the tide. The hand that had been clutching Astarion's shirt tightly now moved up to cup his face, fingers gently caressing his accented cheekbone. An admission of defeat and acceptance.

"Yes." The wizard managed to whisper between gasps. "Though truthfully, we should not be doing this here." With all their companions so close by, “But who am I to stop you now?”

The elf must have been emboldened by Gale's surrender, Astarion wasted no time in unfastening the last bit of fabric covering the wizard. Trousers and pants discarded in a hurry, and the vampire's cool hands exploring every inch of heated skin that presented itself, leaving goosebumps in their wake.

Astarion allowed his body to guide him before his conscience could catch up, burying himself in the moment. It was a fluid dance of mouth and tongue across the wizard’s skin, faithful to curiosity and risk.

The sounds Gale made were a requiem, a flurry of hushed breaths inking into the closed air around them. Fingers slipped past the open flap of the wizard’s untied robe to stroke his chest, riddled with the light asperity of body hair and weathered by the years.

"Well," Astarion's eyes wrinkled pleasantly when he chuckled, skin creasing around his mouth in every way that suggested wine did, in fact, taste better with the years. "I wouldn’t say I’m bored now."

Desire thickened between them, and with it, Astarion’s hand found purchase around the latch keeping the wizard’s trousers together. Fingers toyed with it, lingering almost as if waiting for something. As a patron of decadence, Astarion knew when a body was inviting, but as a victim of assault, he also knew sometimes the mind was not.

"To be bored in a moment like this? Now that, my dear, would be impossible... May I?" Spoken with a sideways cant of his head and the same hypotonic sort of look that gave vampires credit for their dangerously seductive predation.

[feuerwizard]

The  wizard  takes  no  notice  of  the  firm  hold  on  his  hand,  understanding  that  Paerin  is  simply  attempting to  process  the  overwhelming  surge  of  emotions.  He  listens  attentively  as  his  lover  offers  a  gentle  apology,  then  lifts  the  paladin's  hand  to  his  lips  and  presses  a  reassuring  kiss  to  the  warm,  calloused  skin  of  his  palm.  The  warmth  of  their  touch  lingers  even  for  Gale,  a  tiny  but  powerful  comfort  in  the  midst  of  turbulent  feelings.

“Yes,  well,  I  do  suppose  these  tadpoles  and  the  larger  implications  are  quite  important,  but  that  does  not  mean  your  struggles  are  unimportant.”  He  clarifies  then  pauses,  considering  his  next  words  carefully.  “But  know  this,  Paerin,  when  the  time  is  right  we  will  handle  it,  if  you  would  like  to.  Your  burdens  are  mine  to  share  now,  if  you'll  allow  it.”

Though  Gale’s  heart  clenches  a  bit  at  the  thought  of  Paerin  seeking  revenge,  he  also  knows  it  is  not  his  decision  to  make.  He  can  only  offer  his  unwavering  support,�� just  as  Paerin  has  done  for  him  countless  times  before.

For  now,  Gale  lets  the  uncertainty  go,  allowing  himself  to  simply  exist  in  this  moment  with  Paerin,  to  be  what  he  needs.  There  would  be  time  enough  later  to  unravel  the  rest.  He  tugs  the  half-elf  close,  wrapping  his  arms  around  him  and  holding  him  tight,  as  if  to  imprint  some  feeling  of  closeness,  security,  and  love  onto  his  soul.

"  Maybe,  "  he  utters,  voice  thick.  The  idea  that  it  was  all  planned  and  intentional  is  hard  to  reconcile;  he  spent  a  long  time  traveling  with  this  person,  and  as  with  many  who  one  travels  with  for  a  long  time,  he  considered  them  near  as  close  as  a  kind  of  family.  That  kind  of  betrayal  is  beyond  what  he  can  reason,  and  so  the  truth  of  it  all  is  still  rattling  unsettled  in  the  back  of  his  mind.  Perhaps  that’s  why  it’s  so  easy  to  latch  on  to  that  possibility  — that  he  came  to  reason  in  the  end,  or  had  a  change  of  heart,  or  ——

He  realizes  he’s  gripping  Gale’s  hand  a  little  too  tight,  and  he  immediately  relaxes  it  with  a  muttered  apology,  but  he’s  grateful  for  the  closeness.  He’s  just  —— rattled,  because  betrayal?  For  all  his  flaws,  once  he  decides  to  trust,  he  trusts  utterly  and  without  question  — and  maybe  that  makes  the  betrayal  all  that  more  pointed. 

"  I  don’t  know  what  I  want,  "  he  admits  at  last,  dour.  "  Part  o’  me  wants  t’chase  him  down,  find  him,  find  out  what  the  hells  he  was  —— is  —— tryin’  to  do.  "  There’s  a  conflicted  and  hard  glimmer  in  his  eye  that  suggests  that  it  wouldn’t  be  a  peaceful  or  diplomatic  conversation.  "  An’  the  other  part  o’  me  just  —— "  

He  takes  in  a  deep  breath,  lets  it  go,  and  blue  eyes  flicker  wearily  over  to  the  wizard.  "  I  know,  "  he  says,  and  he  means  it.  "  An’  for  now,  nothin’  changes.  Unless  he  shows  up  or  forces  my  hand,  I’ll  just  —— deal  with  it  later.  "  He  grimaces.  "  World  endin’  threats,  first.  "

[feuerwizard]

Gale's heart swelled with warmth at Eve's words—he always was the sentimental type—a sense of awe and wonder filled him as he gazed up at the stars above. The thought that they had both looked upon the same constellations, even before their paths had crossed, was extraordinary. As if the universe itself had conspired to bring them together, two lost souls finding solace in each other's embrace. "It is rather remarkable, isn't it?" he murmured softly, turning his face to meet her gaze. "To think that all this time, the stars were silently guiding us towards one another. A celestial map leading us home." He reached out to tenderly brush a stray lock of ginger hair from her face, his fingertips grazing her cheek with a featherlight touch.

"I confess, in all my years of study and arcane pursuits, I never truly understood the concept of fate or destiny. But now, lying here with you beneath this glittering expanse… I cannot help but feel that this is exactly where I am meant to be." Gale's arm tightened around Eve's waist, drawing her closer to his side as they lay together on the soft blanket. He breathed in the sweet scent of her, letting it wash over him like a soothing balm. For so long, he had been driven by an all-consuming quest for approval and knowledge, never allowing himself to slow down or truly appreciate the beauty of the world around him outside of his understanding. But now, in this quite perfect moment with her nestled in his arms, he felt a sense of peace and contentment that he had never known before.

That admission made Eve beam, her eyes alight with pure and unadulterated affection for the man before her. "What I'm hearing is that you find me to be a distraction, and I'm afraid I'll take advantage of that more than once in the future. You've quite ruined me for anyone else and I'll gladly take the attention every once in a while." With a gentle nuzzle, Eve snuggled up with him on the blanket, always happy to stargaze. It was better now that she had Gale to do it with, and she did want to show off just a little bit with the research she'd been doing. "I have a few favorites, but..."

Eve smiled a little and she tucked hair behind Gale's ear, pressing a kiss to his cheek before she looked up at the sky. "Up there, the Centaur and the Warrior. They were my second favorite constellation for a long time, but I recently read in one of the books I got from Sorcerous Sundries, that you can see them clearer in Waterdeep," she started, a fond smile on her face. "I'm sure when you headed out in your part of Northern Faerun, or you looked out from your tower window, you were trying to see Mystra's constellation, but it means that at some point before we met, we both looked up at the same constellations. And now? Well now," she turned her face to press another kiss to his skin, this time his jaw, "we get to look at all of the stars together. It's crazy, isn't it? We both lived in Northern Faerun for so long and it took tadpoles to bring us together..."

[feuerwizard]

Gale's heart swelled at her tender words, a smile lighting his bearded face. "A flower shop sounds utterly charming. Though I confess, I shall have difficulty concentrating on my magical studies with you so tantalizingly close at hand," he teased gently. The wizard's mind wandered to the thought of his future, a distant and uncertain concept that he had never truly considered in a long while. Perhaps, if fate allowed it, he could use his own knowledge and abilities to become a professor, passing on the wisdom and wonders of magic to a new generation! The idea both excited and terrified him, offering a second chance at life that he never imagined possible.

Then her kiss sent a thrill through him, his arms encircling her to draw her near. "My dear, nothing would bring me greater pleasure than to stargaze together. Your company is the greatest joy I could ask for." Hand in hand he followed her, making their way to the blanket spread out beneath the glittering night sky. As they settled together, Gale gazed up at the glittering expanse of stars spread out like a sparkling blanket above them. Each one twinkled and danced in the night sky, a dazzling display of celestial beauty. He could not help but feel small and insignificant beneath the vastness of the universe that stretched out before him. "It is quite breathtaking. Now which constellations are your favorites?"

One of these days she wanted to take him to the High Forest, actually, but that was an adventure that was going to have to wait for now. Right now, they had this moment, and then they would have an Elder Brain to fight, and then from there, the world was their oyster. As long as Gale was with her, she didn't really mind where they ended up. "Oh, he'll adore you. Perhaps not as much as I do, but I feel there are few who could surpass me in that respect, if any."

His words caused her to pause for a moment, speechless for once. Out of all the things that there were in Waterdeep, she was not at all expecting for him to be the most excited for her, but in that respect they were aligned. Her arms circled around his shoulders as she tugged his body closer. "I'm looking forward to that too. I'm not exactly going to be the most graceful city girl you've ever seen, but I'm looking forward to lazy mornings, and potentially opening up a flower shop so I can garden when you're undoubtedly busy." She smiled at the thought, her fingers snaking behind his head and into his hair before she pulled him into a loving kiss. "I want to see all your favorite sights, and read all your favorite books, and see your balcony in person. Eventually, I'd like to take you to the forest to meet my family and my pegasi, but I just want you. So come, my love...there's a blanket for us to curl up on for a little bit. Would you like for me to show you some of my favorite stars?"

[feuerwizard]

Gale listened intently as Eve recounted the story of how she had rescued and raised the pegasus foal Thor. A tender smile spread across his bearded cheeks at the thought of her compassionate spirit and the bond she must share with such a magnificent creature. "You will have to introduce me to Thor one day," he remarked warmly. "I confess I've never had the pleasure of befriending a pegasus before. Though if he is anything like his rescuer, I am certain we shall get along splendidly."

The wizard paused, considering her question about what he looked forward to upon their return to Waterdeep. So many possibilities flickered through his mind—simple comforts like a warm bath, a real bed, his books, his mother and Tara. But one thought stood out above all. "You," he answered softly, meeting her warm gaze. "My greatest anticipation is building a life with you, Eve. All the little moments we have never had the luxury of sharing before. Mornings lazing in a real bed as the sun spills across the sheets. Evening strolls through the city streets with Tara trotting at our heels. Curled up by the fire at night, reading together." He gave her hand a gentle squeeze, voice thickening with emotion. "This journey has been harrowing, but I would weather it a thousand times over if it meant coming home to you."

His look in her direction said everything she needed it to: she was loved. “I'd say you were just trying to make me feel better, but I know better than to think you'd bend the truth of the matter simply for my benefit,” Eve smiled, running fingers through his hair as she squeezed his other hand with her own. She wanted so desperately to be able to put him at ease and perhaps for just a moment he truly was. If she had done that, then that was worth more than his praise about her abilities. “I adore you too, which is why I wanted to show you this--to let you know that you may always unburden yourself with me. We're in this together, from here on out. I'd follow you to the ends of the earth.”

Which might be sooner than either of them anticipated, but for now? For now she simply want to show Gale that she was there for him. No matter how either of them felt, or what they were going through, she had his back, and she knew that he had hers. “Did I ever tell you about the time I tamed a Pegasus? His mother was caught by poachers and after fighting them off, I had a foal on my hands. It isn't quite nearly as exciting as summoning a Tressym, but I got a companion out of it. Thor's a hoot--I'm going to have to have the two of you meet, and then a part of me wants to see if Tara would approve of him. What are you looking forward to when you return to Waterdeep?”

[feuerwizard]

The wizard's heart swelled at Eve's gesture of creating a tranquil sanctuary amidst the chaos of their journey. He felt a rush of emotions as he opened his eyes to behold the enchanting scene she had crafted for them. The beauty of the illusion took his breath away for a moment, filling him with awe and gratitude for the woman who stood beside him. And the air seemed to shimmer with magic, and the sights that greeted him were beyond his imagination. He could not help how brown eyes widened in amazement as he admired the beauty of the enchanted clearing. The vibrant colors, the gentle rustling of leaves, and the ethereal lights dancing around them filled him with a sense of peace. His gaze fell upon the graceful unicorn grazing in the distance, its white coat shining under the dappled sunlight filtering through the canopy above. The scene was like something out of a fairy tale, a perfect sanctuary away from the troubles of their journey.

As he turned to look at Eve, his expression sparkled with a mixture of wonder and love. "Eve, this is wonderful," he murmured, his voice tinged with astonishment. “Do not sell yourself short on the intricacies of illusion, my dear. This is far more advanced than even some wizards I know.” He reached out to take her hand, squeezing it gently as he whispered, "Thank you for sharing this with me. I adore you more than words can express." In that moment, surrounded by beauty and bathed in the glow of their love, Gale felt truly peaceful.

These were the moments she thrived on, getting to give him the affection he deserved but still didn't seem quite used to. The pad of her thumb ran along the back of his hand as she held it, the smile settling in as a grin as she slowly and gently led him out of camp. "I promise your faith in me will be rewarded, but I must warn you...the man I love is much more skilled at the art of illusion than I will ever be, but I've been working on a spell that will last us just long enough. With everything we've been going through, we deserve it for the several moments it will allow."

She was certain that she would by no means master illusion spells, but for about 20 minutes, she would be able to turn an already calm part of the woods outside of camp into a fond High Forest memory of her own. So, when she brought him to the clearing, she smiled and scooped up a flower to tuck behind his ear, before pressing a reverent kiss to each of his eyelids and waving her free hand about to do the spell. "There's a spot in the forest that I remember when I am having a hard time. I love you...more than anything...so...I want to share that with you even though we can't get there right now." The clearing became a little more dense looking with trees, but there was an opening up in the canopy with birds, and what appeared to be a unicorn grazing a little ways off. There were vibrant flowers they couldn't find out here, and a fairy table of colorful mushrooms, with a very magical feeling veil of lights. "Open your eyes, my love...unburden yourself with me for a while."

[feuerwizard]

Gale's heart swelled with love and gratitude for Eve, feeling truly blessed to have her by his side through thick and thin. Her words echoed in his mind, reinforcing his resolve to face whatever challenges lie ahead with her unwavering support. He could face Mystra, knowing that he would come home to her. As she initiated a sweet cascade of peppered kisses along his face, he reciprocated each touch with a tenderness that spoke volumes of his affection for her.

Gale gazed into her eyes, reflecting true adoration back at her as he intertwined their fingers together. "I trust you with all that I am, my love," he murmured softly, a gentle smile gracing his lips. With a deep breath, he closed his eyes as instructed, willing himself to let go of any lingering doubts or fears. “And I assure you I am a man of my word… I will not peak.”

She trusted him more than he knew, but sometimes she wonders if he actually understands the depth of how much she loves him. He was an acquired taste, certainly, but she'd starve without him, and she loves his passion...his eagerness. To see him passionate about something--even if it was something like Godhood--made her love him more. No, she didn't think it was for them, but he didn't seem to want it fully for himself. Even if she had agreed to it, he had made it clear that she was in his future. He was someone she couldn't imagine losing, and perhaps that was what had tempered her own thirst for power here. What they had together was too precious to ruin, and she found herself smiling as he pressed a kiss to her cheek, warmth settling in. He loved her, and that made her feel like the luckiest woman in the universe, if she was honest.

“Then perhaps, my darling, we should agree that we both deserve each other,” she offered, pulling back to gaze at those deep brown eyes of his before she rolled up on the balls of her feet to claim a tender kiss from his lips. It was very important that she kiss her wizard first, and she smiled as one hand, slid down to take his in hers, Eve interlacing their fingers. Then she pressed a reverent kiss to his jaw, reveling in the stubble, and then pressed a kiss just below his ear. “Now...close your eyes,” she whispered, nipping at his ear gently and then pulling back to watch him do it, “And no peeking. Do you trust me?”

[feuerwizard]

The soft flutter of Gale's eyelids is mirrored by the gentle touch of her lips on his forehead. The wizard leans down, just enough to allow for the tender kiss, and he feels the depth of her love and devotion in every delicate movement. A wave of emotions washes over him—gratitude, adoration, and a twinge of unworthiness. But he is helpless to resist accepting her love, even if he feels he may not be entirely deserving of it, humbled by it. He revels in the sensation, like a warm embrace on a chilly day. “I know, and I assure you, your trust in me will not go unfounded.” No, not this time. A life beyond the boundaries of Mystra... once an unimaginable concept, now it ignites a spark of excitement within him.

Gale feels the weight of her words crushing down upon him, a tangible force that both comforts and overwhelms. In moments of doubt, when he feels himself begin to fall into darkness, Eve is always there to catch him. She sees the goodness in him, even when he cannot see it himself. And in this chaotic world, with thoughts consumed by frenzied tadpoles swimming in their heads, Gale has somehow managed to find love. A love he did not even know he was missing for so long until now. A spark of magic, more thrilling than any arcane power. Oh, before there was hurt and now there is her. “Come now, don’t be ridiculous. There is no such as too good for you, my dear.” His lips brush against her cheek, feeling the softness of her skin against his own. “Yes, of course. Show me.”

Eve nods as she leans up to press a kiss to his forehead. A burden still seems heavy on his heart, she can see it in his eyes. It's a weight she would carry if he asked, but she knows better than most just how important it is sometimes to do things on your own. This was just one of those things, and while she would rather help him to carry this, she understands. She's convinced that before Elminster stabilized the orb, Gale was in chronic pain, and there's nothing stopping Mystra from returning Gale to that state. She knows she has to do anything she can to make sure that Mystra doesn't do that to him, but perhaps Gale is right: perhaps only he can do it. After all, she hadn't wanted to talk to her. “As long as there are no more moves to try to blow yourself up, I don't see why I can't put all my trust in you to manage it--just remember that you're not a pawn in her lanceboard set, Gale.”

She means that more than he knows, but she also doesn't want him to keep stewing in this moment of perpetual dread. There will be time to stress over what Mystra will say, but right now, her arms are circling his shoulders, and her lips find the tip of his nose to bestow a gentle kiss upon it. “Do you know why I trust you? Why I believe in you and what your heart tells you? You ignored your own pain, your own needs, and everything else to help people that needed help. We have parasites burrowed in our brains, and you still managed to care more about Arabella, and the Tieflings, than about yourself. I wasn't even sure you liked me yet, and you got all huffy about Nettie. You were there for Shadowheart and Aylin. You were kind to Yenna when I let her stay in camp...you are a genuinely good person. Too good for me, but I'm grateful that I have you anyway. I love you. You are the most important person to me, and I will always have your back,” she promised, nuzzling his nose with her own. “May I...may I show you something?”

[feuerwizard]

Gale  nods  slowly  as  he  listens,  dark  brow  furrowing  in  concern.  Paerin's  words  paint  a  truly  troubling  picture,  one  that  raises  more  questions  than  answers.  He  can  sense  the  deep  hurt  and  frustration  simmering  beneath  his  partner’s  somewhat  stoic  exterior.  This  is  no  mere  adventure  tale,  but  a  wound  that  still  festers  years  later.

The  wizard  gives  Paerin's  hand  a  gentle,  reassuring  squeeze,  grounding  them  both  in  the  present  moment.  "I  am  deeply  sorry  you  went  through  that,"  he  offers  softly.  “It  is  unfair  and  horrible  what  that  botch  of  a  wizard  put  you  through.  But  I  am  thankful  you  survived,  that  you're  here  with  me  now.”

Then  he  pauses,  considering  Paerin's  confusion  over  the  wizard's  motives.  "Perhaps,  in  the  end,  his  conscience  caught  up  with  him.  Or  he  realized  the  folly  of  his  actions?”  Likely  not,  but  a  pleasant  thought  nonetheless.  “Regardless,  I  am  grateful  for  whatever  shred  of  humanity  stopped  him  from  following  through."

I  don’t  —— we  don’t  —— have  time  for  this.

Gale  shakes  his  head,  face  serious.  "You  are  quite  right,  we  don’t  have  time  for  this,  however,  we  will  make  time  just  as  you  have  for  all  of  us."  He  meets  Paerin's  bright,  blue  eyes,  resolve  shining  through.  "Know  that  I'm  here  for  you,  whatever  you  need.  We  can  face  it  together.”

He utters a short exhale of a laugh, humorless but more weary than bitter. " Advanced, " he echoes, ruefully. " S’pose it was. I forget sometimes just how far we’d gone in those days. " He remembers those days too well — the days where power coursed freely, where the power of divinity he could pull from the heavens wasn’t a trickle but a flood. His hand remembers it, too, all too well: muscle memory, wading into fights he could have ended swiftly years ago but are now bloody and closer than he would like. 

" All I can tell is we was intended as —— some bloody sacrifice to some god he was tryin’ to appeal to. " And oh, those words are flat, factual, but there’s a deep anger simmering. It’s a cold, dull anger, and somehow that makes it run even deeper than it may if he were raging hot. 

" Only thing I can’t figure is, " and he tchs his tongue, raising a hand to tap the scar on his forehead, " I came out’ve it half-addled an’ with my skull split open an’ bleedin’ everywhere. He could’ve had me dead right there, easy as nothin’, but he left me at this temple o’ priests and vanished. That’s the part I don’t fuckin’ understand. He saved me in the end after all that, an’ why go through all that t’back out in the end? " 

He looks —— worn, tired, exhausted. He’s not a storyteller by nature, and though he doesn’t shy from emotion it’s not something he wears on his sleeve, either. He just lifts a hand, scrubbing it over his face. " This shit had t’come back at the worst fuckin’ time. I don’t —— we don’t —— have time for this. "

@arcanecast

[feuerwizard]

The wizard’s mind swirled with a maelstrom of conflicting emotions as Astarion pressed him further onto the bed, his body tensing under the vampire's weight. The kiss had a leap into the unknown, a moment of defiance against the constraints of duty and propriety. But now, with the elf’s knee between his thighs, Gale felt a surge of intrigue mingled with the remnants of long-held desire that still flickered within him.

A heartbeat thundered in his ears as Astarion's lips traced a path from his mouth to his neck, teasing with the hint of fangs but not breaking the skin. The human’s breath hitched as he struggled to reconcile the conflicting urges within him—to push Astarion away or pull him closer, to surrender or resist.

Run away from vulnerability, from his feelings.

Or run towards them.

The vampire's predatory gaze bore into Gale's, a silent challenge laced with promises of pleasure. The wizard's hands moved of their own accord, fingers curling into the fabric of Astarion's shirt as if seeking an anchor in this whirlwind of sensation. His pulse raced as he hummed softly, “I do not believe you were bored, however, we can agree to disagree given our current position.”

The taste of copper lingered on his lips where Astarion had kissed him, mingling with the heady scent of danger that surrounded them. They should not be doing this here of all places, but Gale is quite helpless to resist it.

Astarion’s lips were lined with the residue of copper. A metallic tang, no doubt from tonight’s dinner. Pale fingers weakened around the embroidery of Gale’s wears, shifting to smooth over the side of the wizard’s neck and cradle its nape, where muscles were taut with little knots of tension.

"Was I?" His words rang like retrospect rather than doubt. Spoken against tender, kiss-bruised lips with a rising smile. Enigmatic.

It didn’t take long for the vampire to swing into movement, using the momentum of it to switch places with Gale, whom he’d pushed under him on top of his own bed with a knee wedged between the wizard’s thighs and fingers now clasped around that lovely throat. Waxing skin where they dug with every intent to possess.

To surrender Gale's body to his whims.

“...or maybe I was bored.”

Astarion pretended that the shattering vial of some elixir his elbow had knocked from the nightstand with the movement had nothing to do with their little exchange. Book all but abandoned, buried somewhere among the sheets.

Ghastly mouth wintered over the promise of a second kiss, tearing away from Gale’s lips to skim along his sandy stubble before closing in around the crook of his neck. First to test the skin with a light graze of his fangs, then sucking into it to flirt with the rush of quickening pulse – of life he didn’t have – without puncturing. Stamp the inkspill of blooming purple to the spot while at it.

"You smell delicious with these little... shivers of excitement all over your body, you know?" Astarion couldn't keep his mouth from watering when he spoke. Couldn't hope hide the excess saliva dripping from his fangs or the roguish hunger of a brand new light dwelling within his eyes.

Predatory sharp. Crimson deep.

Martyr yourself to me.

Blood sacrifice was in high demand.