#Gale pondering his orb in camp

[libartz]

THEY HAVE CUSTOM TENTS

Also:

-Wyll has an abacus and a bunch of bound sheets of paper

-Gale has a telescope, a giant hourglass and a crystal ball

-Lae'zel has mounted heads and a mind flayer training dummy

-Shadowheart has several plants and a desk

-Astarion has a mirror (that he cannot use), a plant and a secret blood stash hidden in the back of his tent that's right I can see those red bottles you can't hide them from me

-Shadowheart, Wyll and Gale have books. Gale has more books inside his tent

-Karlach has a teddy named Clive🥰

[galeorderbride]

Seriously, I am blessed <3 this blog was meant to be a tiny little corner that maybe 10 people followed lol. I'm so glad to be wrong because I got to connect with so many wonderful people here :)

I made a poll for a 100 follower milestone oneshot, and the winner was (of course lol) Gale fluff/smut. I've finally finished it, and I seriously hope everyone likes it because I made it for you!

So, can't stress this enough, 18+ MDNI

Oh, and it's not beta read. I will edit later lol if there are any mistakes

Fic (and warnings/description) under the cut and can be viewed on ao3 if you prefer.

Welcome Home

Gale Dekarios x F!Tav 18+ MDNI

Words: 5.2k

Rating: Explicit for graphic smut, piv sex, oral sex (m and f recieving), fingering, creampie, soft!dom Gale, use of pet names (sweet girl, love, etc), light choking with fingers. Fluffy and romantic :)

Summary: Gale and Tav spend their first night in Waterdeep postgame, and he wants to make her feel welcome :)

...

Funny how in the entire, months long adventure against all dangers known to the Sword Coast, the one memory that stuck to Tav the most was meeting Gale. Pulling him out of an unstable portal, the lure of his bright, scholarly voice calling her ‘friend’ in the first fifty words. Little did she know, he spoke to her a prophecy. From that moment on, Tav and Gale spent all their time together, getting lost in his conceptual monologues and trading books as a solace against the ever present violence. 

In between the lines of borrowed books and stolen glances, falling in love was inevitable. From an unexpected kinship, to touching friendship and eventual passionate romance had been the one blessing in such a strenuous journey. Locked in the expectation of each other, eager for the night to fall, for the candlelight to illuminate the azure of Gale’s tent as an open door. A routine after each near death experience, to share two bedrolls squished together and become expert in the ways of making love without bruising their skin on the hard ground below. They were a proper couple by the journey’s conclusion, soaked in love and devotion, ready for the permanency of their relationship to finally bloom with the defeat of the Elder Brain. 

Their affections made clear and official when Gale proposed the evening after the city had been saved. 

One would think with all that familiarity that Tav would have no problem arriving in Waterdeep with her new betrothed. Settling into each other never came easier back in those wretched patches they called camp. Effortless to just exist with confidence. But as soon as Gale and her crossed the threshold into his towers, she felt like a stranger to him. Unsure of what the proper action might be, to the point where she found herself afraid to remove her cloak. 

Everything felt foreign. As if she’d never been anywhere but on the road, either to Moonrise or Baldur’s Gate. The tower was new, of course, but even her clothes felt odd. Clad in a woollen skirt and forest green blouse instead of armour. Hair down and well groomed rather than pulled back for outdoor convenience. Skin clean and devoid of bruises and cuts. As ridiculous as it may sound, she forgot how to be anything else but a scrapping adventurer. And to be in a lavish tower full of every amenity she could dream of, alone in the start of domestic bliss with her beautiful partner. Something so commonplace, yet completely implausible to her. 

“Your palace awaits, dearest,” Gale said, presenting her the main room of the tower with that comical charisma impervious to awkwardness. 

Handsome didn’t begin to describe him. Hair tied back in a half up style and an ivory button down held tight against his body with brand new suspenders. Healthy and happy, soon to be free of the orb and all the consequences along with it. Tav had never seen him so elated. He simply glowed with the promise of their love. The promise of peace. 

Tav smiled, the stretch of her lips failing to reach her eyes as she pondered about the tower. Distracting herself with the warm toned decor of brown leather couches and exposed stone walls. Gale magically lit the fireplace at the centre of it all, warming them against the cooling weather of late Uktar, made colder by the tidal winds of Waterdeep. She wanted to say something charming, but couldn’t find the words. 

“I’m sorry, Gale, I’m—a bit nervous. Not certain why, this should all be so normal but…oh, I don’t know,” she said, scoffing at herself. 

Gale stepped close to her, wearing that affectionate, closed-mouth smile he always did when she needed reassurance. Strong, sculpted hands found their way to her arms, squeezing just hard enough to ensure her eyes stayed on his. Shivers down her spine juxtaposing with the growing warmth of the fire. 

“This isn’t exactly normal for us, hmm? Accustomed to living under the impression that we may die the next morning, worried about whether we’d turn into illithid or get done in by Bhaalists. Not much time for the soothing hum of what we once missed,” he said, caressing the sides of her arms lightly. “Fret not, I’m a little unsure, myself. We’ll adjust. How about a glass of wine?” 

Tav felt eased by his touch, and his offer for something to take the edge off. “You read my mind. Thank you.” 

Placing a small kiss on her forehead, he said, “Have a seat by the fire, my love. I’ll prepare the finest blend in my cellar.” 

Gale bustled about in the concealed kitchen as Tav settled herself on the sofa closest to the windows, enlivening the living room with maroon and yellow stained glass and piles of books on their sills. Everything there was to know about him existed within these walls, the tower containing his very life breath. Excitement beat through her heart as she contemplated all the things he had not thought to tell her, waiting to be found in every corner. Silly things like unfinished poems and a favourite paper weight, if he played different songs on the piano at different times of day. All in between that she was meant to spend her life learning with him. 

“Athkatlan clarry,” Gale said as he walked into the living room with two goblets and an intricate, tall bottle of mulled wine. “I’ve been thinking about this blend since we first cooked together. How you loved those darker spices, cloves and peppercorns, and your admiration for the blackberry sauce I made. How I hoped I’d be able to share this particular bottle with you. I’m glad that dream has come true.” 

Notes of thyme and cherry touched her lips before the wine blanched her tastebuds with the heavenly taste of vanilla. Warm, mirthy flavours that wrapped around her like a comforting blanket. The soft happiness of being thought of enough that he had a wine decision months before they could even pop the cork. That was simply Gale; he had a way of making her feel like the only person in the realms.  

“You had my tastes down so early,” she said. “I can’t possibly compete.” 

“Don’t think of it as a competition. You’ve never been to Waterdeep, have no family or friends here, and yet you still came here with me when I asked you. For that, the least I can do is think of a wine to match your tastes,” he said. 

Tav smiled, confident enough to rest her hand on top of his, “Where you go, I go. That was decided the same day you chose this wine for me.” 

Neither of them noticed how close they’d drawn, each sip of their wine leading them nearer and nearer. The sides of their thighs touching, Gale’s arm lingering behind her back, ready to snake his arm around her waist. Her hand still held his, comfortably resting on his lap. That beckoning look in his eye had Tav spellbound, the seductive leer ending in the corners of his lips, stretched to a subtle, desirous smile. An expression incapable of feigning innocence, pooling with a tender but heated want. 

Gale slowly lifted her hand to his mouth, peppering soft kisses against each knuckle grazing against his beard. Tav’s stomach tightened, tingling with sensations of desire. Heat from the fire sunk into already burning skin and the warm blush of the wine in her blood. She often wondered if he did magic when he touched her like this, rendering her still and speechless. Her pride would never let her ask him, lest she find out the actual answer and prove to the world that she really was just a fool for him. 

“Come here,” he said with his lips grazing her fingers, “Let me kiss you.” 

Soft lips found hers as Gale finally let that hovering arm wrap around her waist. Unburdening her nerves with every caress of his palm against her back, slowly but surely finding its way under her blouse. Fingertips grazed her spine, counting each inch from the base to the top. His other pressed against her cheek, holding her close. Tav melted under his kiss, a light tickle between her legs as he slipped the tip of his tongue inside her mouth. Not too much, just enough to ease them into a gentle make out. Gale never rushed. He enjoyed playing with her, feeling the warm wetness of her lips, the amused yelp when he nipped at the fragile tissue, all the ways to get her body to lean into his. And it always worked, proven by the hook of her leg over his thighs, the silken heat of her core driving him. 

Tav could’ve stayed like that for ages, able to forget the world around her with his passionate kissing. He always said he could do better, develop his technique after being out of practise for so long. But even the first time, tucked away in that starry illusion he conjured, it was the best she ever had. 

“You deserve to be worshipped every single day, my dearest love. But tonight, especially. For the first time, we are home. This is your home, if you’ll have it. I want everything to be perfect,” he said, mouth still hovering over hers. The taste of his breath on her tongue, laced with vanilla wine and spearmint. 

“Oh, Gale, you’ve done so much to make me feel welcome. Things are already perfect,” Tav said. 

“Then let’s make perfect last. Come with me upstairs, there’s more I’d like to show you,” he said. 

Hand-in-hand, they left the living room and walked up the spiralling steps to the second level of his tower. Tapestries of different scenes hanging on the wall, all with accents of florals, latticework and myths of great heroes of history. Candlelit sconces lighting their way up. Nothing short of a fairytale, as if she was wandering the castle of a magical prince. Well, in a way, she was. 

Somehow, she imagined the study he showed her on their first night together. The very centre from which he cultivated his life before meeting her. But he led her through a different door, one leading to a spacious, well kept bedroom. A king-sized four poster bed against the furthest wall, a closed terrace with beautiful double doors. Night projected from the moonlit glass, droplets of rain beginning to patter against the panes. Another fireplace sat adjacent to the bed, lit amongst intricate stone just like the one downstairs. In front, two armchairs and a circular rug, different shades of dark red sewn in an intricate style. 

“Oh my goodness, don’t tell me this is your bedroom? You wizards do like to live lavishly,” Tav said as he led her into the room. She stood in the middle, craning her neck to see every hanged painting and arcane trinket on each surface. Even after looking two or three times, there was something else to see. 

“To tell the truth, the luxury of the room isn’t for me. Not really. I’d be lying if I said I didn’t appreciate fine decor and comfort. But most nights, I just fell asleep in my study. I wanted this to be something to share, to be a shelter of beauty and warmth for the one I love. Now that you’re here, I finally have a reason to close the books at the end of the night,” he explained, joining her where she stood and holding her close. 

Tav smiled, running her hands up his chest and landing at his shoulders. The soft cotton of his button down like a cool breeze against her palms. Both his arms were snug around her waist, swaying her lightly in place. 

“I regret to inform you that neither room will be offering much sleep, Mr. Dekarios,” she said, craning her head up to meet his lips in a soft, chaste kiss. “Not if I’m in here.” 

“Oh, believe me, sleep was never an option,” He said, grinning between kisses that deepened with each smack of their lips together. “Tonight, let me welcome you to your new home. Show you the splendours of this tower and all the magic it can provide—in the mortal way, of course.” 

Teasing him was all she could think to do to temper the giddiness within her. His poetic charm folding her stomach upside down. “Don’t be too fantastic, or I’ll start asking for it every night.” 

“Hmm, a threat or a promise?” He asked, but there was no need for an answer. 

Words were nothing compared to the sultry kiss he gave her, deepened with the slide of his tongue along her bottom lip and a soft moan crackling from Gale’s throat. This was the start of their lives together, away from danger and unpredictability. Beginning with a simple kiss in the middle of the bedroom that would be theirs forever. 

“Now, darling, you have a choice,” he said to her, turning her body so her back pressed against his chest, his hands caressing her arms, shoulders and collarbone, just barely avoiding the peak of her covered breasts. His stubble tickled against her bare cheek, unable to resist planting little kisses along the side of his jaw as he moved her around. 

He continued, “Armchair or bed?” 

Tav’s entire body wanted to erupt in embarrassing giggles, but managed to keep her cool as she took a long, drawn out breath. “What exactly am I choosing these for?” 

“Choose,” he demanded. 

She bit her bottom lip, tempted by the tender warmth of the firelight, “Armchair.” 

He moved her body a couple steps to face the chair, whispering in her ear, “In that case, I’m going to get you naked now. And then, I’m going to make you cum on the armchair. All well and good, sweet girl?” 

Every part of her tingled at the sound of such a pet name. At this point, she’d have let him do just about anything he wanted. Her voice shook with anticipation, “Oh yes, all well and good.” 

Gale began with the small buttons on her blouse, keeping her back to him. As his fingers undid each one, he kissed the side of her neck, the sound of his lips sucking and licking at her skin fluttering in her ears. Tav reveled in the shots of warm air as her shirt opened more and more, all the way until Gale pulled the fabric from her shoulders. A simple, cream coloured bra kept her covered, until he snapped the clasp off with expert precision, freeing her breasts for him to squeeze and knead. Tav sighed deeply, letting her head fall into the crux of his shoulder while his fingertips teased around her hardening nipples. Tracing the little buds and continuing to kiss her neck at the same time, so fervent that a trail of saliva dripped from his mouth down her skin. It was positively debauched, and yet so filled with devotion and love. His hands never allowed a part of her to go untouched, not even trying to seem like he wasn’t falling apart for her in an instant. 

Letting go of her breasts, he let his hands trail to the belt of her wool skirt, chafing against her bare waist. He whispered sweet nothings in her ear now, simple affirmations like ‘beautiful’, ‘magnificent’, ‘my entire universe’. Tav could listen to him all night, just lying in his arms while he shuddered every adjective to describe her humanly possible. But not now, as he tucked his thumbs into the skirt and gently pulled the fabric off her rounded hips. He played with the lace of the matching underwear to her now discarded bra, letting his palms wander from the hem of the panties to her butt, squishing the soft flesh. 

“How can something be so soft? You defy the greatest alchemists with the way you’ve been sculpted,” he said, giving her a playful pinch on her left cheek. Tav couldn’t stop that giggle, jumping forward as she felt the ticklish sting. A little distraction so he could bend down and pull off the last bit of clothing she had, now fully naked in the middle of his bedroom. Their bedroom.  

“Shall I take a seat?” She asked, motioning towards the armchair. 

“Mmm, yes please. So obedient, I don’t even have to tell you where to go. Seems you left your stubbornness in Baldur’s Gate,” he said, watching closely as her hips swayed in her walk to the chair. Each second he was blessed to witness her, she became more beautiful. Magic not even he could conjure. Intertwined so strikingly with the glittering veins of her soul. 

Tav giggled, sitting on the chair with her knees tucked to her chest, as if hiding her body from the man who’d seen it countless times now. “Trust me, when I get more comfortable here, I’ll be back to my normal, argumentative self.” 

Gale smirked, stepping in front of the chair, towering over her sitting form. “Wouldn’t have it any other way, my love. But I’ll not tolerate closed legs in this bedroom, dearest. Open up.” 

With a quick motion of his finger, a magical, invisible force pried her legs open on the chair. Tav gasped as she felt the soles of her feet drag along the velvet fabric. The cool air kissed the surface of her core, already wet with desire before he’d even touched her. How could she not, when exposed to the ethereal beauty of Gale. The absolute picture of perfection to her, with his flowing chestnut hair lined with grey, his toned torso glistening under candlelight as he slipped off his shirt. He was impossible not to look at, as if he walked out of a classical painting. 

Firelight glowed against her skin, her muscles melting into the comfort of the chair as she watched her beloved smirk at her. Eager tingles danced across her palms, yearning to touch his bare torso, feel the prickle of his body hair, kiss the orb tattoo that would soon heal away forever. Addicted to caressing her body against his own, coated with hot sweat as she imagined him everywhere on her, inside her. The craving was too much, Tav bringing one hand to knead her breast and the other down to her clit, gently rubbing the sensitive tip between her index and middle finger.

That is, until Gale lowered to his knees in front of her and moved her hand away. He grasped her wrist, bringing her fingers up to her mouth and shoving them inside for her to eagerly suck. 

“No no, sweet girl,” he said, clicking his tongue, “Keep those fingers in your mouth. Let me make you cum.” 

“Oh, Gale,” she said through her fingers, still prodding at her tongue, “Please…” 

“Aww, please? Please what?” He asked, his voice dark with lust as he inched his face closer between her legs, enough to feel the chill of his breath blowing against her clit. Tav exhaled, craning her head back as she fought the pulsing desire to be filled, licked and sucked until she was ruined. 

“P-please make me cum, Gale,” she said, taking her fingers out of her mouth as she spoke. 

He raised a brow at her, distancing his head back as he said, “Put those fingers back, beautiful. And then I’ll do exactly what you want.” 

They never had much time during their journey to enjoy themselves for a while. To let Gale take his time in pleasing her, demanding things of her. Tav felt even more blessed than she already did to be here with him, where they could spend the night adoring each other, exploring every way to make love. This, though, seeing Gale confident and assertive, would definitely be a favourite. 

Placing her fingers back in her mouth, letting him watch as she poked and prodded at her tongue and throat. A muffled, heart stopping growl emanated from him as he neared her pussy again, letting a trail of saliva fall from his lips, sinking onto her clit. All she could do was whimper, her inner thighs shaking as he finally trailed his tongue all across her slit. Using the tips of his thumbs to spread her open as he gently wrapped his lips around her clit, sucking and kissing at the sensitive bud to keep her irresistible sounds in his ears. Mixing with his own moans, debauched with the slick of her essence drenching his beard. 

Gale loved pressing at the soft flesh of her pussy with his thumbs, giving in to the temptation and pushing one inside of her. Continuing to lap at her clit, feeling it swell against his tongue as she drew closer to climax. He couldn’t help but smile every time she bucked her hips into him, using her free hand to clutch the arm of the chair while she struggled to keep sucking her fingers. Gods, sometimes she’d get carried away, and he’d hear a little gag from her throat, driving him further into her cunt. 

“Gods above, that feels so good! I’m close…so close,” she exclaimed through her filled mouth, concentrating on the intense precipice she balanced on. Her hips grinding against him, nearly screaming at the sensation of his lips slurping at her clit. Only a few more seconds went by before an orgasm snapped through her insides, hooking her legs over his shoulders and crying out his name. “Gale! Gale! Ugh…” 

The paradise of tasting her was unmatched to any other experience. Floral, buttery notes along his tongue as he used the tip to lightly trace across her clit, shaking from overstimulation. Gale replaced her fingers with the thumb that thrusted in her pussy, sharing in the flavour of her orgasm. 

“Good girl,” he said, “You taste amazing, I could survive on your cunt alone. Always doing so well for me, but I need to see it again, alright?” 

Tav’s sigh was breathless, wheezing with pleasure as she came down from the intense climax. She didn’t even have time to answer before he hugged his arms around her hips, scooping her legs around his waist to lift her off the chair. Limp in his arms, she began to kiss across his neck, licking and sucking to the point of marks. More desire between her legs when he’d groan in her ear, or shudder at the sensation of her nails gently scratching down his back. 

Silk sheets met her backside as he lowered her down to the mattress. Plunged into even more comfort, certain she’d never experienced a softer bed. Her arms stretched above her head, letting Gale do whatever he wanted to her. Staring at her, he never allowed his eyes to part as he undid the buckle of his belt, removing his trousers. Tav bit her lip when his cock sprang free, thick and hard with the slick of precum dotting the tip. 

“Let me touch it,” she begged, remembering she’d get what she wanted if she was polite, “Please.” 

Gale laughed, that flirtatious scoff he did when he knew he was a step ahead. Circling her like prey, driven to madness by the beauty of Tav. He couldn’t believe she wanted to be with him, stay with him for the rest of their lives. A silent vow in his head that swore he’d do everything to show how thankful he was. She’d given him the greatest reward a person could ever ask for. 

“So pretty when you’re begging for my cock,” he said, climbing onto the bed behind her. Positioning himself so his waist aligned with her face. Gale shook with arousal when he witnessed her licking her lips, eyes glued to the head. He asked her, “Do you want to taste me, dearest?” 

Tav nodded, moving her neck forward to envelop her mouth along the head of his cock. Gently caressing the tip with her lips, rimming the tip of her tongue along the sensitive ridge. He shuddered, almost cumming down her throat right there, just enough strength to resist. This was her time, and once was never enough for Gale. He traced his fingertips down her body, stopping to pinch her nipples and graze her inner thighs before sliding two into her cunt. She yelped in surprise, lowering her mouth to capture his shaft deeper. 

“Suck me all you want, but focus on finishing for me again, sweet girl. I told you I wanted to see it again. Can you do that for me?” He said, voice sensual and darker than his usual tone. Overtaken by extreme lust and the biting need to fill every part of her with his seed. 

Tav nodded with him still in her mouth, her oral fixation kicking in as she felt herself working towards a second climax just because she felt him gently fucking her throat. Combining with the hot, delicate pleasure of him thrusting his fingers inside of her. Massaging her clit with his thumb in perfect circles, hitting every spot she loved. He used his free hand to hold her head on his lap, playing with her sweat-laden hair. 

“Oh gods above, Tav! You give me more than I could ever imagine,” he said, throwing his head back as he relished in the pleasure of her tongue lolling around his cock. “Come for me, my goddess. So perfect, all for me. All for me.” 

Gale’s cock popped out of her mouth as she gasped in ecstasy, a second orgasm blossoming in her core when his fingers hit just the right spot. Her already soaking cunt dripping onto his hand, body hot with sweat and spasming muscles. During her come down, she flicked her tongue along the tip of his cock, tasting the faint saltiness of his precum. Hooked on the sounds of his shaken breath as he laughed with terrifyingly seductive satisfaction. 

Warmth covered her back, so heated and shaken she created her own heatwave. Between heavy breaths, she said, “Flip me over, please? It’s too hot.” 

“What impeccable timing for you to say that. I’m going to fuck you now, love,” he said, quickly grabbing her waist and flipping her to her stomach in one, effortless swoop. Her head hung slightly off the foot of the bed, smiling to herself as she felt Gale move his body between her legs. His cock grinding against her core from behind. 

Kisses trailed down her spine, a calm moan leaving her lips in enjoyment. Giggling as he nipped at her shoulders and scrunched her hair in his fist, pulling just hard enough for a tickling sting. He used his hold on her hair to turn her head, pressing his lips to hers in a passionate, burning make out. Pushing his tongue against hers with unbridled, sultry moans. Never over the taste of him, the scent of him, the weight of him, everything forever. 

“Gale, please, I can’t take it anymore. More, more,” she begged, happily overwhelmed by the wet kisses he spread all over her face. 

“More what, my dear? Use your words,” he whispered, biting and sucking at her earlobe. Tav’s legs bent in desperation as he pressed his rock solid cock at her entrance, teasing the slit but never penetrating. Just pushing the tip, teasing and teasing until she reached the point of crudeness he wanted her to be. 

“Mmm put your cock in me, Gale. I want to come again, please!” She cried out, voice high and tired. 

Allowing him to take control meant more than simply wanting to be submissive during love making. After months of constant fear of death, violence and all other forms of danger, the two of them could finally be vulnerable. Open themselves to one another in any way they liked, for as long as they wished. The very comfort Gale wanted to give her when they arrived at his tower, a beginning of a thousand nights of passion, tenderness and joy. And a thousand more after that. 

“I love you so much, my heart. My soul. You are just…everything to me,” he said, body melting into hers as he slipped his cock inside. Slow, tight stretching conquering every nerve in her body. Endless pleasure in the feeling of being completely taken over by him, his chest against her back as he began to thrust into her stimulated cunt. His hand clutching her ass feverishly. 

“I love you, Gale, please don’t stop! I’m…gonna…” 

Tav couldn’t finish a sentence, not when the wet stretch of his cock thrusting into her kept going and going. His pace was strong yet loving as he kissed every part of her he could reach. Hands holding her head for support. He wanted badly for her to finish again, one more time before he found his own release. There wasn’t much left of him, his cock twitching between her vibrating walls sucking him deeper and deeper. 

There wasn’t a part of her body that didn’t feel something. Clit rubbing against the soft sheets while he pounded into her, languishing within as she felt his rhythm changing the closer he got. Each time he moved, his moans grew into desperate, pleasured whimpers. A sound like paradise to her ears, bringing her nearer to that final climax. Paralyzed under him as she let herself drown in bliss, going silent as her body quaked in orgasm. Muscles tightening with that weaker but heavenly spasm, her mind couldn’t believe he had driven her to such a high. 

“Ohhh, yes, good girl! Finishing so good for me like that, three times. I’m going to make you mine, my love. Make love to your cunt until I cum deep inside you,” he said, growling in her ear like a feral beast. An irresistible side of him, made even better when knowing she was the only person who’d get to see it. 

Both of them moaned in tandem as Gale spilled inside of her, hanging his head in the crux of her neck and shoulder as he held her tighter than ever. Full body tingles coursed through Tav, drunk on the ecstasy of being the vessel for his pleasure. Feeling him soften inside her while he peppered kisses along her back. 

“Welcome home, my love,” he said, tone gentler as he came down from lust. He turned over, laying beside her as their hair hung off the foot of the mattress. 

“You’re quite the host, Mr. Dekarios. Do you do that with all your guests?” She asked with a sly grin. 

Gale wrapped his arms around her shoulders, snuggling their bodies together as he kissed the side of her head. “You’re not a guest, my love. This is your home, as much as it is mine. I’ll spend a thousand days and nights telling you that if I must.” 

Tav hooked her leg across his waist, ignoring the warmth and sweat of their skin so she could be close to him. Be taken to that paradise unique to her beloved wizard. 

“I’ll hold you to that.”

[writingjourney]

The Outlines of a Dream

Gale senses your concerns about the future with his very life on the line. He manages to comfort you – for once without as many words.

pairing: Gale x f!reader // tav!reader

content: 2k words, minor spoilers for late act 1/act 2, angst, fluff, mild hurt/comfort, kisses and cuddles, soft sleepy smut (p in v, v fingering, coming inside, unprotected, emotionsTM, they are so in love with each other sorry), rated E, 18+ only

Masterlist – Ao3 link

─── ⋆⁺‧₊☽◯☾₊‧⁺⋆ ───

Magic thrums against your fingertip as you let your thumb glide over his cheek, tracing the purple veins where the orb has taken root inside of him. The sensation is faint, perhaps the lingering remains of your own magic, but it weighs on your heart nonetheless. For a moment you observe your lover as sleep gently takes him. Long lashes touch as his eyelids flutter in a last effort to stay awake, caressing his cheeks with every yet unsteady breath.

It has not been long since you met Elminster just outside the Shadowlands and he bore tidings that you reject more with every further step you take. Gale seemed so determined at the time, he still does whenever you argue about it, but you know that this conviction is slowly dwindling the closer you get to its execution, the closer you two become with no chance of ever building a future. At the very least stabilising the orb has brought you both the physical comforts of each other’s touch and you are making use of it as often as you can amidst the perils that surround you.

The hour is late and you retreated to his tent a while ago, two bedrolls pushed together to create the illusion of a comfortable bed. After fighting off shadow monsters on your way back to camp, washing off the smell of death and a good night’s sleep were all you longed for. But despite your fatigue you can’t find any rest now, anxiously pondering what lies ahead. Feeling quite tender and protective of him, you lean in to press a soft kiss to his cheek. With a sigh he blinks his eyes back open and you run your thumb along his jaw to soothe him.

“What ever happened to the exhaustion you complained about all throughout dinner, hm?” he grumbles, then at your expression, his brow furrows. “What’s on your mind, love?”

You brush a stray lock of hair behind his ear. “Nothing in particular.”

“You’re a horrible liar as I have told you many times before. In fact I should be offended that you still try.”

It is not your intention to lie, not really. You simply do not wish to talk about the orb tonight, to argue yet again, not after a whole day of being surrounded by death and darkness and monsters, and you certainly do not wish to speak about the Goddess who caused his pain in the first place.

“Did something happen, out in the field today?” he asks, ever inquisitive. “You did look rough when you came back, I simply assumed that it was because of the ambush and after bathing you seemed better–”

“It’s not that,” you assure him. “I just want to be close to you, if that’s alright.”

He reaches out to caress your cheek, teasing the knots in your hair until they give and he can run his fingers through the damp strands. “I will make an educated guess and assume that you do not wish to speak about it. Which I will accept, of course, if begrudgingly.”

The corners of your mouth twist into a smile. “How generous of you, my love.”

“If it is distraction that you seek, however…” His hand grips your hair a little tighter, pushing your chin forward until your lips are about to meet. “I shall gladly provide you with that.”

“I thought you were tire–”

He closes the gap before you can finish, chapped lips brushing against even more chapped lips but you forget the signs of your involuntary travels as soon as he presses in harder. His warmth is melting away your worries for the moment, soft mouth and soft tongue contrasted by the roughness of his beard against your chin. He tastes like the herbs he used for dinner, like the glass of wine you shared before bed.

“If I ever tell you that I’m too tired for you then you know the tadpole has finally infiltrated my speaking apparatus,” he mumbles, trailing his lips along your jaw while his hand meanders down over your breasts and along your waist before settling firmly on your hips. “I will never get enough of you.”

You breathe a sigh when his lips attach to your neck and he pulls you flush against him. Nimble fingers massage your flesh while he sucks your skin into his mouth, pulling a little before releasing it and shifting further down. Your own hand is burrowed in his hair, tugging at the soft strands which causes him to release a moan against your throat.

“I need you,” you whisper.

“I know,” he says. “Don’t worry, my love, I have you.”

His fingers snake between your bodies while his other hand slides underneath you, keeping you close by pressing against your lower back. You feel him pulling at your underwear which is all you’re wearing anyway, and once it’s off his hand urgently cups your sex, feeling the heat against his palm. His lips whirr with a low hum when his fingers find your wet cunt, probing at your entrance with eagerness. When he pushes one inside of you you keen and he brings his face back to yours, his nose brushing against your cheek.

“Shhhhhh.” The sound is sharp, a hiss that feels cold against your lips. “We don’t want to wake the others, hm? I’ve grown quite tired of Lae’zel throwing rocks against my tent.”

You nod and he closes the gap for a kiss just as his finger slides in deeper, swallowing the moan that involuntarily leaves you. Adding a second finger, he sets a gentle, slow pace, preparing you carefully while never breaking away from your lips. He is quite dextrous. Observant since the first time you were intimate, he already knows exactly where to press, where to stroke, where to caress.

“Gale,” you whimper against his mouth, rolling your hips into his hand for more friction. 

When you feel the heel of it press against your sweet spot a hot spark runs through your whole body. Instinctively you wrap your leg around him, hiking it up behind him to pull him even closer. His mouth opens and he pushes his tongue against yours as he crooks his fingers. For a moment you focus on the kiss, the way he tastes you like you’re the sweetest fruit, devouring you with a hunger that puts any bear or wolf to shame. When you return the favour, resting your hand on his neck, you can feel the deep rumble in his throat vibrating against your palm.

His hips buck, then, and the sounds leaving him gain a desperate quality. You know he’s too far gone when instead of words only groans and sighs leave his lips. Understanding even without language, you fiddle with his clothes, trying to find the lacings of his pants to pull them open. He is hard when you finally palm him, stroking to the rhythm of his fingers moving inside of you. The moment you feel him leaking onto your hand, he loses his rhythm, and you decide that you’re not in the mood for any teasing tonight.

You grab his wrist and pull his hand from you, the loss of him making you clench desperately around nothing. Then you hitch your leg up higher behind his back to open yourself for him while aligning your hips with his. In this angle, his hard cock slides between your legs and when you finally feel him pressing against your cunt you lose all focus. Gale assists you by lining himself up and pushing in slowly, achingly. More needy sounds fall from both of your lips, need and desire coursing through you with every little shift.

Once he is fully sheathed inside of you, he pauses, urgently pressing his mouth to yours again while grabbing at your ass to pull you ever, impossibly closer. You bodies are melting into each other, just like your mouths, the closeness of this new position only heightening every vivid emotion that pools into your belly. You pour all of them into the kiss, everything you feel for him, and when he starts to move your moan sounds more like a sob.

He can’t reach quite as deep from this angle but you don’t want to loosen your embrace and you’re both too exhausted and achy to move too much anyway. It doesn’t lessen how perfect he feels, how your whole body is filled to the brim with love for him even though you struggle to find the right words for it when it matters. You hope that he can feel it, somehow, that he knows every precious moment with him is the happiest you have ever been.

Slowly and in a steady rhythm he rocks against you and you try to meet his every movement. Pleasure trickles into your lower belly, gathering hotly in your core. Gale gasps every time he manages to sink in deeper, his hands grasping at you desperately to hold you tight.

“Feels so good,” you whisper, encouraging him. “Don’t stop, d-don’t ever stop.”

His reply is a strangled moan, his hips stuttering into yours more urgently than before. You clench around him, dangling on the precipice of your peak. It’s a little messy, clumsy, the way you move against each other so desperate not to let any air come between you. But you need him like that, fully, wholly, everything of him that you can possibly have. You don’t know how long you’ll be able to feel it, every moment so invaluable and fleeting.

You come with a sob that rips through your whole chest, the sparks now running through you in hot shivers. As you tighten around him, rolling your hips to ride out the sensation, Gale whimpers in your ear. He spills inside of you not two ragged breaths later, trembling in your arms as he fills you. When he deflates, his muscles going limp as he sinks further into the bedroll, you curl up half on top of him. You’re not ready to let go, not now. 

For a long time you just hold onto him and he wraps you up tightly in his arms, breathing kisses to your hair as you both catch your breath. You know you should relax, loosen your muscles to let go of the tension, but you can’t bring yourself to ease your grip on him.

“I won’t let you go,” you whisper.

“I think this is a conversation best had in the morning, not in the middle of the–”

“I won’t,” you stress, clinging to him like he’s your anchor in a stormy sea. You don’t care if your nails dig into his shoulder or if you squeeze the very air from his lungs, you need to hold him as close as possible or the storm will drag you away. 

“I won’t go anywhere, love,” he assures you. “At least not anytime soon.”

“You’re a horrible liar,” you echo him. “I should be offended by your weak attempt.”

He gives a soft chuckle, then places another kiss on your forehead that tickles as his beard scrapes along the tender skin. “I would never lie to you, my love. Though perhaps we can both bend the truth a little bit when it comes to this matter, if it means you get some rest tonight.”

You sit up to look at him, running your thumb over the purple lines once more while holding his gaze. You can see the vulnerability in his eyes, the fear he told you you ease when you’re with him, but you also see the burning affection he holds for you. You tell yourself that it’s stronger, that it’s bigger than the fear, that the roots of your love reach deeper than those of the orb.

It calms you, eventually, and you give a barely perceptible nod. The kiss you press to his lips is soft, an offering of peace, and when you settle back against him, you place your hand on the circle on his chest. It still thrums, you note, the magic trapped inside of him. This time, you let it lull you in, trusting in yourself, trusting in him, and sleep finally comes easier.

Thank you for reading! Hope you enjoyed – kudos, comments, rbs etc are as always much appreciated ♡

Masterlist – my Ao3 – Join my tag list

[unbiddenrhythm]

Dirty Drawings

Summary:

"Have...you ever read anything on that subject?" "I'm not as voracious a reader as you," Tav grinned. "But I have seen some very informative drawings." Gale's eyes danced at the prospect. "You have? Hmmm." He could not contain the giddy note of curiosity in his voice. "Then might I suggest we pool our knowledge?

Characters: Gale (Baldur's Gate), Tav (Baldur's Gate)

Additional Tags: Unresolved Sexual Tension, Mutual Pining, Characters Drawing Smut, Implied Sexual Content, Flirting, Teasing

"Have...you ever read anything on that subject?" 

Tav did not expect Gale's emboldened efforts at seduction—nor in so public a manner. Perhaps she should have; after all, a man with little time left would also have little desire to squander it. Her eyes honed on the orb in Gale's chest, pulsing with a radiant purple glow. Despite Elminster sating its hunger, the insignia blazed with anew, roaring and brilliant, yet ever doomed to eventual extinguishing.  

Thus, when he asked Tav—oblivious to the others—if she'd ever read a book about the scintillating thrills aroused in battle, she answered truthfully.  

"I'm not as voracious a reader as you," she grinned. "But I have seen some very informative drawings."  

His eyes danced at the prospect.  

"You have? Hmmm." He could not contain the giddy note of curiosity in his voice. "Then might I suggest we pool our knowledge? No sense in letting valuable first-hand experience go to waste, after all." 

Her stomach fluttered at the thought.  

"Indeed, perhaps we should—" 

"—but not now, please." Shadowheart interrupted, her patience thinned, turning from their display. 

The conversation jolted Tav's mind, now crackling alive with ideas. 

~~~

She settled on the simplest course of action: illustration. A skill at which Tav happened to excel. On a short rest, she pulled out her notebook. 

The first drawing came to her as naturally as breathing. The autobiographical figure languished on her back, limbs outstretched in ecstasy as another's outline nestled betwixt her legs. 

And to make her point perfectly clear, she added a beard on the lower figure's partially-concealed face. Staring at the picture, a pleasant heat pooled deep between her thighs. 

The fires within her stoked, she fed the flames with a second illustration featuring herself astride naked Gale, straddling his hips, her hands pinning his wrists to the parchment bed beneath him. 

She found herself quite fond of picture three: similar to the previous in composition, but instead drawing her hips to his, she sketched herself kneeling across Gale's worshiping mouth as his hands clutched her waist. Tav enjoyed tracing his taut figure, taking special care to shade in the finer details of his desire, sticky and wet. 

What other delicious poses could she portray, Tav pondered with a nibble on her pen. She experimented with a few new positions—on all fours and against walls—before she realized she'd been terribly neglectful at portraying her own serviceable skills. She set to work rectifying that immediately. 

As she etched her eighth vignette—a sultry spread depicting Tav's talented tongue and a prone, helpless Gale—a tentative voice broke her erotic reverie. 

"Uh, Tav?" 

With panicked gasp, she slammed the notebook against her thudding chest, pen flying across their makeshift camp.  

Wyll stared at her.  

"I asked, are you ready to leave yet?" 

"Right. Right, of course." Tav shoved her notebook into her bag and forced herself to ignore her shaking legs, and stand. "Yes. Let's be off." 

She had plenty of drawings, anyway.  

~~~ 

She settled on surreptitious transmission. After all, they had little time to discuss matters openly. And perhaps she'd also gotten carried away with a few—or most—of the sketches. So she would hide them upon his person, rather than more direct delivery.  

...This would be more fun, she decided, to see how many she could sneak upon him without notice. 

The first was almost too easy, folded into neat quarters and clandestinely curled into his pocket as she slipped by him. She managed to get one more into this same pocket before she decided to move onto other folds of his robes. She applied a light touch—they were, after all, still in an early phase of their courtship, which so far included very limited physical contact due to the nature of Gale's "condition."  

She needed excuses for the others, which painfully meant allowing herself to be bludgeoned just enough to require a potion after battle. When her dutiful knight in magic armor arrived, Tav pressed her breasts against his arm with enough force he naturally overlooked her furtive fingers smuggling several pieces of parchment into his waistband.  

As Gale helped her to stand, his hand lingered on the small of her back while his nose gently nuzzled the crown of her head, breathing deep as if to take in her whole aura. Taking her chance, Tav twisted to place a feather-light kiss on his cheek before whispering in his ear. 

"Knowledge is sweetest when shared. Can you find the hidden fruit?" 

Then she slunk away, not relinquishing her smoldering gaze and relishing the confusion aroused in his. 

~~~ 

At their next short rest, she pulled out her notebook once more to appear busy while stealing covert glances his way, watching him fruitlessly search his bag. Clearly, he believed her hint meant something about his many volumes of books. The poor, desperate man. 

And she was not as cruel as his Goddess. From across the clearing where they indulged their brief repose, Tav decided to lend a helping mage hand. The magical wisp darted across Gale's shoulders and miming the act of slipping into his pocket before vanishing.  

Having caught a glimpse of the spell, Gale followed its path, placing his own hand into his pocket and pulling out two slips of parchment.  

Gale unfolded the first piece of paper, and Tav took greedy pleasure in the way his chest blare to brilliant purple as his jaw dropped while he ogled the picture. With fumbling hands he opened the second paper and seemed as awestruck gazing upon its depiction as the first.  

When his eyes returned to Tav's, they burned with rising lust. 

Perfect timing. She stood to her feet and clapped her hands once. 

"Time to move on again, everyone."  

She wanted to laugh at the scowl on his face, but she tempered herself to settle for a smug grin in his direction. 

He shook his head and as soon as he was in earshot of her, muttered, "Such a tease. Fruit this sweet needs time to be indulged." 

"And time you have. After all, you still need to find the rest of them." 

"The rest?" 

"And if you need more than that," Tav pointed at her notebook with a wicked grin, "perhaps you can share some of your ideas."

[elspethdekarios]

Stolen Glances

It's been a little while since I've posted a fic! This is just a little fluff piece about Gale's early longing. Post-Elminster calming the orb, pre-act 2. I've been wanting to write something that takes place in the Mountain Pass camp, since it's probably my favorite place in the whole game.

Gale x Female OC fluff, early game longing

cw: Gale pondering sacrificing himself

The vista of the mountain pass was the most stunning place Gale had seen yet throughout these adventures. Whimsical and awe-inspiring as the glowing landscape of the Underdark was, the glorious valley sprawling around the Rosymorn Monastery ruins had an overwhelming sense of romance and serenity. Even after receiving Elminster's message from Mystra, Gale felt at peace for the first time in over a year. Perhaps it was the orb being quelled, or perhaps it was the view. Realistically, it was a mixture of both, but he couldn’t deny that Elspeth’s company was certainly a factor as well.

With the orb sated for the time being, he felt a little less anxious about flirting with her. She still made him nervous, of course, but it was an exciting nervousness now, like a schoolboy with a crush rather than the liable-to-literally-explode-if-I-let-myself-feel-something-for-her nervousness he was used to. The past couple of days, he let his gaze linger on her a little longer, let his imagination roam a little further than he had dared previously. 

She seemed to glow from within. Perhaps it was the excitement of being able to actually admire her beauty, or perhaps it was the setting they found themselves in. Something about the holiness of this place brought Elspeth’s already-bright light to the surface. The cleric in her stirred at the divinity of the temple ruins, he presumed. She worshipped Corellon, but with the brightness and renewal that seemed to radiate from her, it wouldn't be far-fetched to presume her a cleric of Lathander. Part of him missed being so devoted to a deity. That touch of divinity, metaphorical and physical in his case, became an anchor, a beacon to hold on to when life was turbulent. It was grounding and ethereal at the same time. To earn Mystra’s forgiveness… perhaps his soul could land somewhere among such a feeling if he obeyed her command. It was a thought that gave him a modicum of peace amidst a terrifying prospect.

He often saw Elspeth sitting out by the stream downhill from their tents. Sometimes she was kneeling in prayer, deep in a meditative state aided by their surroundings. Other times, she simply sat by the stream and stared out into the vast landscape, a hand dipped in the water, letting its gentle current flow past her fingertips. Gale couldn't help but admire the way she made time for solitude and reflection. She was quite the extrovert, and after somehow falling into the role of leader, he couldn't imagine the pressure she must feel to always act the part. 

Gale had taken to his own evening reflections in this camp, often sitting on a stone bench nearby reading or watching the birds. He tried not to disturb her, but she had invited him to sit with her once before. They ate apples and he thought about how much he wanted to kiss her. To feel her skin under his palms. To feel her breath against his ear as she whispered his name. But he would be happy just to sit with her, especially here in this beautiful place. 

He'd come bearing food, he decided. He wasn't cooking tonight thanks to their rations of fresh fruit, stale bread, and cheese. He grabbed a small basket and some linens to wrap the food in–who knew what that basket had seen before it was in his possession–and packed enough for the both of them before following the stream downhill. 

Elspeth was facing the late afternoon sun over the enormous valley, the light golden on her skin. She looked over her shoulder as he approached. 

"Hi," she said, her face softening when she saw him. "Do you need something?"

"Not at all. Just thought I'd bring you some dinner before all the best bits get taken."

"Thank you, Gale. That’s very kind," She smiled up at him and patted the ground next to her. "Join me?"

"Of course." He sat down beside her and began untying the linens holding the food.

"You know," she said. "You may be the most thoughtful man I've ever met."

A soft laugh left his lips as an involuntary blush rose in his cheeks. He was suddenly self-conscious about if he was smiling too wide, too eagerly. 

"I mean it," she said as she tore off a piece of bread. "Despite the horrors of our situation, you think of my wellbeing."

"Of course I do," he said, the green of her eyes striking from the setting sun. "You're...." He cleared his throat and turned to the landscape in front of them. "I care about you. You--well, you mean a great deal to me."

There was a moment of silence before she replied.

"You mean a great deal to me, too."

They didn't speak while eating their meager dinner, instead letting the chirping birds and wind in the trees envelop them as if they were meant to be there, a part of the overgrown landscape rooted to the ground. 

"Gale?" El broke the silence as she bit into a strawberry, the juice pooling between her lips, leaving them pink and glistening in the orange sunlight. 

"Hm?" He was trying to look her in the eyes, but her lips and the half eaten strawberry she still held near them were making it terribly difficult. 

"Please don't use the orb."

That did it. Forget the lips. Her eyes, staring straight ahead instead of looking at him, were glassy and sad. Her brow furrowed.  

"I--," he stuttered, unsure of the right thing to say. In truth, he didn't want to do it. But he feared disobeying his goddess once again, and he hoped that sacrificing himself would give his sorry life meaning at the very least. But the look on Elspeth's face gave him pause and another reason to reconsider. She looked pained by the thought. She looked like she cared, truly cared. "I can't make any promises."

El turned her head away from him, but he could see her wiping away a tear with the back of her hand. "She could have helped you," she said, locking eyes with him, her gaze fierce and passionate. "She could have alleviated your pain, all this time. But she didn't, Gale. She chose to let you suffer." 

Her tears were falling freely now, heavy, landing on the grass like morning dewdrops. Gale didn't know what to do, how to comfort her when the only thing that could comfort her was to forsake his goddess. But as he watched the light shimmer in Elspeth's eyes, the stain of pink still on her lips, the way she currently had one hand clutching a handful of grass as if she were ready to rip the earth itself apart--he realized that he would. He would forsake his goddess for her. He would do anything for her. 

"I know devotion," she continued. "Trust me, I do. But she has no right to ask such a thing of you. Gods are forbidden from meddling in mortal affairs. Is taking petty revenge on an ex lover not a mortal affair? Is taking a mortal lover in the first place not meddling?"

Very few people in Gale’s life had left him speechless. Elspeth could now be added to that short list. 

"I don't know what to say, El. It could be the only way to destroy the Absolute for good. I don’t want to do it. But I can't say for certain that I won't." Almost involuntarily, he placed his hand over hers. "No matter what happens, I want you to know how very dear you are to me. You... awoke something in me. Something that's been dormant for quite some time."

"Don't do that," she said, dropping her head. "Please."

He moved his hand away, hurt and embarrassed. His chest felt tight, his face suddenly hot. 

"No, that's not what I meant," El said, grabbing his hand before he could place it back at his side. She held it with both of her own, one gritty with dirt from clawing into the grass. "Don't tell me how much I mean to you if you intend on leaving me."

With the same quickness it dropped into his stomach, his heart soared at the touch of her cool palms pressed against his hand. He was, again, speechless. It had been so long since someone held his hand. Now that he thought about it, Mystra never held hands with him. Was she really an ex lover worth killing himself over? It wasn't just about him, though, he reminded himself. It was about the Absolute. And his sacrifice could save the lives of countless others. 

But what about him? Allowing himself to be selfish for a moment, he imagined a world in which he had a future. Back home, no orb, enjoying tea with his mother and Tara. A partner waiting for him to return home for the day, greeting him with a kiss when he stepped through the front door of their tower. Someone to cook dinner with, to read in front of the fire with, to hold at night as they whispered their deepest desires and fears and to be held in return when he told them his own. He wanted that more than anything. More than Mystra’s forgiveness. 

And, gods willing, he wanted that partner to be Elspeth. 

"Please don't leave me," she whispered, bringing his hand up to her face, the soft skin of her lips brushing against his knuckles. It wasn't so much a kiss as it was a prayer. "I… I think I..." 

She trailed off. Gale reached out his free hand, caressing her shoulder and down her arm, wondering if he was dreaming, when the sound of reckless footsteps began to invade their sweet sanctuary. The footsteps were followed by playful barking and chirping, and in an instant, Scratch and the owlbear cub were bounding down the hill towards them, their game of chase unbothered by the humans sitting on the ground. The owlbear cub ran straight in between Gale and Elspeth, knocking them apart from each other, leaving a few stray feathers in his wake, Scratch right behind him. 

"Awww, look at them! They're friends!" Karlach's voice shouted from behind them as she moved closer to play with the two animals. Soon she was on the ground, being smothered with licks and beak nudges and laughing so loudly it echoed in the valley around them. When she got up, Scratch and the owlbear beckoned her to join their game of chase, and the three of them ran off towards camp. 

Gale and El looked at each other again, the sun almost gone now, the intimacy of the moment gone with it. 

"We should probably get ready for bed," she said, rising to her feet and dusting the grass off of her pants. 

"Yes, I suppose we should" Gale replied, pushing himself up, sore knees protesting as he did. He picked up the basket and linens and walked with El up the hill in the dim twilight. The backs of their hands brushed together as they walked, and he desperately wanted to grab hers, to pull her in towards him, to grip her waist and kiss her and never let go. 

They neared the camp, still obscured by a crumbling wall, and Elspeth stopped. 

"Thank you for having dinner with me," she said, smiling shyly. 

"Thank you for allowing me your company." A smile tugged at the corners of his mouth at the sight of El being shy–a character trait most unusual for her. It was adorable, the way she ducked her head slightly and looked at him through her eyelashes, holding one arm with the other as she swayed slightly on her feet. 

Sunset had come and gone, the mountain now shaded in hues of blue and gray. The chatter of their companions sounded distant even though they weren’t far. Gale didn’t want to be the one to walk away, to end the conversation. He’d stand here all night if she wanted him to. Then, in one swift moment, Elspeth stepped toward him on her tippy toes and kissed him on the cheek. 

Every atom in his body came alive at the touch of her lips. Time was somehow going too fast and had come to a complete halt. She moved to take a step back, and Gale couldn’t resist any longer: he grabbed both sides of her face and pressed his lips to hers with an intensity he hadn’t felt in ages. She kissed him back, her arms wrapping around his shoulders to hold him close. 

As quickly as it happened, it was over.

They stared at each other, hair slightly unkempt and faces flustered. Gale could hear their names in conversations happening behind the stone wall. 

Elspeth backed away with slow steps, not taking her eyes off of him.

“I meant everything,” she said. “Including that.”

Gale could only stare as she disappeared behind the wall, the faint sweetness of strawberry on his lips.

[your-fave-is-bi]

Spent the evening drawing some guys.

Uhh idk how to make readmores happen on mobile so you just get these thoughts like this:

1. Astarion chopping veggies bc my friend n I talked abt who does what during cooking at camp and we unanimously agreed he’d find chopping veggies soothing

2. Who else up pondering their orb? Been thinking abt Gale since i got Mystra’s Special Request for Gale yesterday

3. Trying so so so fuckinf hard to teach myself how Astarion’s face works. I am DETERMINED. To learn how to draw him. Sometimes you do that by drawing him oh so sleeby

4. Dahriel has probably often thought abt gently resting his head on Astarion’s curls bc they look so soft n floofy n nice…

[mythrae]

You asked for some prompts or oneshot requests! Maybe one of the companions confessing their feelings for Tav/Durge/reader (whatever you want)? Or their reactions as they are too late to stop Kagha from sealing off the Grove?

hehehe I’m gonna do both but do the first one first because I have the perfect idea

this was originally going to be short but here I am nearly 2k words later (probably because I was listening to this a lot while writing)

written for my oc Taversia, set at the end of Act One

“I can’t believe Mystra actually expects Gale to just sacrifice himself like that.” Shadowheart said, “Seems like a waste of a fine mind.”

“Agreed, he’s definitely smarter than all of us.” Taversia replied aloud, yet her mind continued to drone on and on.

And kinder, and funnier, and more handsome, and ever more so charming…

She could feel how heavy the air was around camp that evening. Elminster had just left after delivering his distressing message — if Taversia and her party are to defeat the Absolute, Gale must obey Mystra’s commands to use the orb she had placed in his chest. By doing so, he would be releasing a large amount of Netherese magic, in turn, leading to the wizard losing his life.

But, he would also be gaining the forgiveness of his goddess.

“Bah - perhaps he’d find forgiveness in a fiery death.” Lae’zel pondered, “But I can’t help but wonder why he’d want it at all.”

Taversia’s gaze lingered over his way as he stood stoically in front of his tent. “I’m not sure… I hope he’s all right, either way.” 

“You should go check on him, Tav.” Shadowheart said, playfulling elbowing her companion’s side, “You’re the closest to him out of everyone in camp, after all.”

The fighter let out a huff. “What do you mean by that?” She replied, raising an eyebrow at the cleric.

“Well,” she shared a glance at the githyanki woman with them, “we’ve all seen the way he looks at you. I’m surprised the wizard has yet to make his move.”

“You must be too thick-skulled to not see it.” Lae’zel added, crossing her arms over her chest. “Chk. Seems you’ve taken so many blows to the head that common sense has been knocked out of you.”

“You really think he…?” Taversia couldn’t hide the flush creeping over her cheeks.

“Seems like his feelings towards you are mutual, then?” Shadowheart gave her a knowing grin.

“... is it that obvious?”

“Most definitely.”

“Oh, Nine Hells below…”

Taversia looked down to the ground, hoping it would help tame the fever that was ripping through her body. She definitely had feelings for him, but she thought she had done her best at keeping her infatuation discrete. As the tactician of the group, she felt it was inappropriate to have any amorous interactions with her party members. Their ultimate goal was to get rid of the tadpoles writing in their brains, and they should not be distracted by silly things such as romance.

She had the same mindset when it came to the other members of the Flaming Fists, when she had served for all those years. Many of her comrades had offered their hand to her, and she had always refused each time.

In fact, she has never had a romantic partner. She had just never found someone she thought she could get along with.

But then came Gale. He was so different from any other man she had met. Eloquent, educated, and effortlessly ebullient. He completely bewitched her the first day off the Nautiloid, after she had pulled him out of the portal. Not only was he good-looking, but he quickly proved to be a worthy ally in their party. At first, she was worried they would butt heads along their journey, for it was uncommon for a stone-cold fighter and a powerful wizard to be fighting side by side.

But as they say, opposites do attract.

“Maybe you can talk some sense into him to prevent him from killing himself for his Mystra’s sake.” The githyanki woman hissed, “Although considering the amount of sense left in your head, I don’t see you being very successful.”

“We’ll see about that.” Shadowheart chuckled. “Maybe their combined sense can make up for the tadpoles scrambling their brains.”

Taversia rolled her eyes as she silently walked away from her companions, her closest friends in the party. She was thankful for their camaraderie, but she was not used to their deliberate teasing.

As she approached Gale’s tent, she could see that despite Mystra’s charge, he seemed rather… normal. If he was feeling any sort of distress from her commands, he definitely didn’t want to show it. He was reading one of his many books, without a single care in the world.

But as she got closer to him, she met his gaze. She could see hints of darkness in his eyes. He wasn’t taking the news well.

“Ah, Taversia. Always a delight to speak to you. What can I do for you?” He smiled as he closed his book.

“Don’t worry about me, Gale, please.” She answered, holding a hand up to her chest, “How are you holding up?”

“Well, an audience with Elminster is never less than memorable.” He replied, shrugging his shoulders haphazardly. “I’d have hoped to introduce you to him in less dire circumstances, but those are hard to come by these days.”

“Very true. But I will say, I’d always imagined Elminster to be more… imposing.” 

“Ah, the doddering act is merely an illusion, one he’s most adept at maintaining.” Gale explained, “Elminster is the most formidable wizard in the realms, perhaps in all of existence. For Mystra to have sent him…”

He paused, his eyes trailing towards the cover of the book he was holding.

“The severity of her bidding could not be clearer. Or weigh more heavily on me.”

Gale’s mask was quickly beginning to slip.

Taversia nodded towards the open flap behind him. “Would you like to speak inside your tent?” Taversia suggested, “Just for a bit more privacy?”

The wizard nodded, “Sounds like a fine idea to me.”

She followed close behind him, making sure to close the tent flap as she sat across from him. Gale settled in, leaning back on a few plush pillows stacked to the side. Taversia had to move a few tomes to give herself some space to sit, gently stacking them on top of each other by her side.

“You know, time seems so infinite when you are young…” He began, “a month is an age, a year is a lifetime… it is a strange feeling, to realize how little of it one might have left.”

Taversia cocked her head as she raised a single brow. “You’re seriously considering doing what Elminster said?”

“Of course – he offered the clearest solution to our problems.” Gale replied, “All I have to do is find the right place and time, close my eyes, and let go…” 

He rested his hand over his orb as it radiated with Netherese energy. The purple glow traveled from his chest, up the side of his neck, ending under his left eye. It only shined for a moment before it disappeared once more.

Even now, Taversia couldn’t help but think how beautiful he was.

“Then the slate will be clean, wrongs will be righted, the Absolute will be gone…”

He paused, the weight of his words hanging on the tip of his tongue.

“... and I along with it.”

She was silent. She didn’t know how to respond.

Although he was older than her, he had so much of his life left to live. So many worldly things for him to enjoy. So many more adventures that he could take part in. If she was in his boots, there would be no way she would have taken Mystra’s charge. There had always been another way to solve her problems before, so there surely was another solution now.

And selfishly, she wanted to share those experiences with him.

“No.” Taversia blurted, “There’s surely another way. There has to be.”

“If there was, I’m sure the goddess of magic and the greatest wizard who ever lived would have identified it, but alas… only one solution is offered.” Gale threw his hands up in the air, as if there was nothing he could do.

“You’re not fucking blowing yourself up, Gale.” She felt her voice getting louder at the wizard as her eyes began to wet themselves with tears, “I won’t let you.”

“Let’s save such certainty for the moment such a decis–”

She couldn’t bear to hear any more of it.

Before Gale could finish his thought, Taversia grabbed his arms and pulled him close, her arms wrapping themselves around his body. Her hold on him was tight as she buried her face in the crook of his neck. She caught a whiff that smelled of old books, like the ones that her guardians used to read to her when she was a young girl. It was a comforting feeling, feeling her skin on his own, as her tears finally spilled and trailed down the wizard’s collar.

“Please, Gale…” She whispers, “I want you to live.”

At first, he hesitated. His body felt stiff, as if he was in disbelief. As if he couldn’t trust her. As if the words she had just confessed to him were a lie. 

But then, she feels his body melt in her embrace. His body relaxed as she felt the sensation of his strong arms enveloping her, pulling her even closer to his chest. One of his hands rested at the nape of her neck, as his head leaned to rest against her own. He sighed deeply, a low hmmm rumbling through her body like a shiver on a cold winter’s night.

“And here I thought my feelings wouldn’t be reciprocated.” He whispered.

Taversia slowly pulled her face from his neck, realizing how close their lips were as they held each other. “You… really?”

“You mean to tell me you haven’t caught on yet?” He chuckled softly, his hand sliding to cradle her face. “You, my dear, are more naive than I thought.”

“Naive? No, I just… well…” She trailed off, looking away as she felt her cheeks turning red.

Gale’s grip on her jaw tightened, turning her head to face him directly. Their noses were nearly brushing.

“Let me show you.”

As he pressed his lips to hers for the first time, Taversia nearly felt as if he had struck her with a lightning bolt. Warm, electric, full of energy. It took her by surprise as his lips moved against hers, the passion causing his orb to glow feverently.

But he was also gentle, oh so gentle, as if she was a fragile ornament that would shatter if not handled carefully. When she kissed him back, it felt as if he was almost cradling her lips in his own. It made her feel cherished, reverent, even.

Gods above, no one has ever kissed her like this before. Every other person she had kissed was so rough, so hungry, hoping to get one thing out of whatever situation she had found herself in.

Gale’s kiss was sweet, tender, dare she thought, loving.

As he regrettably pulled away from their kiss, she could see that his eyes were no longer haunted with darkness. She could see a spark glimmering once more, as if she had brought him back to life once more.

“I hope you know how I feel for you, Taversia.” He smiled, pressing his forehead against hers. “How you might just give me a reason to live.”