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bhaal-battle-beer-bard · 26 days

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Astarion x Tav

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request: for @aristenfromwarsaw

Fangtastic days of our lives

➹summary: a comforting day/evening in the life of Astarion and his love Aristen after post-game settling down, takes an unexpected turn as Astarion while enjoying his new found life and love, sees something of interest…

➹pairing: Spawn Astarion x F!Tav (Aristen by @aristenfromwarsaw)

➹content/tags: fluff, comfort, romance, smuty flirting, fun, slice of life, little tiny bit of angst and guilt

➹word count: 5,036

➹cameos: @evander-jane Devana Lysander @alpydk Ragnar @goromimii @pinkberrytea (by order)

➹a/n: another belated birthday present for @aristenfromwarsaw Thank you very much for all the great photoshoots you always did for me, just like that. Such things really fill my heart with joy. I hope you like it. Thank you for trusting me with your Tav Aristen. I take writing other OCs really serious, because an OC is very personal thing and it is way harder to get them in character. I used the infos/backstory you gave me once about Aristen for the best I could.

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Fangtastic days of our lives

Teak, mahogany, oakwood, dried tobacco with the hidden essence of vanilla. From somewhere the sweetness of honey and roasted nutmeg.

These were impressions of antique wood, boiling kettles, clanging beer mugs and laughing voices that filled the Elfsong tavern.

It was like a honey-colored, subterranean, starless sea.

A sea of people, scents, voices and music.

A sea of life that would envelop the coming evening when the sun would have completely disappeared, making way for the aurora again after the starry night.

Astarion was acutely aware of his surroundings. Perception meant survival.

But not today…not anymore.

He could simply explore and enjoy his surroundings while he waited for his beloved:

Aristen the storm sorceress and former daughter of Bhaal. She was able to walk in the sun and as a vampire spawn he had to wait until the sun had made the rays that were fatal to him disappear.

That didn't matter to Astarion. He was used to the night.

But he never wanted to go back to that cold, lonely life.

The Sorceress, along with the other companions, had freed him from slavery once and for all. But it was she alone who had given him back the vision of his eyes, of his entire senses. Astarion could sit in the tavern and just be, taking in the surroundings of life.

No more looking for victims. No more fear. Never again.

The Elfsong Tavern was full of life and he was part of it.

So after hundreds of years, Astarion could finally taste life again. See it. Hearing it with his pointy ears and feeling and smelling it warmly with the scent of pumpkin, butterscotch and spicy beer.

A quite pretty bard with white freckly tattoos on her face and braided crimson hair beneath her Tiefling horns played the lyre on the Elfsong stage. Astarion noticed dagger-shaped earrings on her pointed ears. The Avernus fire of her origins blazed in her blue eyes as she sang:

“Empty kisses, shallow words,

Fiery passion only hurts

When the sorrow takes an oblivion hint

Will you cure and begone with the wind…”

Astarion continued to look around while the sadly whispering voice reached his elf ears.

“I hope someone sings a song like that for me too. Such expressions of love really manage to make me weak,” sighed a tall black-haired woman, whose face bore at least as many tales of adventure as freckles.

"Me too. But I really hope that the ballad has a happy ending,” replied a long-haired beauty at her table. The human woman's wavy, light hair framed a gentle face with captivating blue eyes.

“Oh you heard that? Oh no! ", the adventuress, ashamed, put her hands on her head with her side-braided hair and covered cringing with embarrassment one of the green eyes. "I should stop talking loudly to myself."

The other woman laughed a little and her wavy hair swayed on the shoulders of the long, light dress with floral embroidery: “It’s all good. I won’t tell anyone else.”

She winked briefly.

“But tell me…” she took her hands away from her face with the little different eyes, “…you’re not from Baldur’s Gate either, right? You also speak with a different accent than me.”

"Correct. I come from the East..."

“What did she say? Sêlune guide me?”

Astarion was distracted by an almost desperate voice that sounded at least as concentrated and angry as it was beer-soaked.

He saw a barbarian sitting at the next table, holding his beer mug almost too tightly.

The raised dark blonde hair did not distract from the piercings and black war paint, which Lae'zel would certainly have approved of.

“Okay, can I memorize this Sêlune prayer or not?” he muttered to himself and downed the beer in one gulp.

Astarion had seen him before and that evening he had stared at Shadowheart the whole time. Was the barbarian building up – or drinking up - the courage to speak to Shadowheart next time?

The vampire was distracted from the barbarian when a pale woman walked past his table accompanied by a brown-haired man. He noticed them because they both had scars on their faces. But no, that wasn't it at all. Something else drew his attention to them...they smelled somehow, almost reeked of...swamp? No magic.

That same hidden scent of feymagic that came from the black haired adventuress with the freckles.

The woman's pale face was friendly, almost cheerful. She enjoyed the music and the sad ballad. Did she know the feelings and sad love that the Tiefling woman sang about?

Astarion was all the more struck by the face of the dark-clothed man with the scarred hands who accompanied her: he was rigid and joyless and his eyes had an almost malicious shimmer. He didn't seem to suit her. He walked rigidly like an aristocrat or a trained soldier, or was he rigid because of the blade - that was clearly visible to the Rogue - that he wore under his clothes?

The man's gaze fell on the bard's dagger earrings. But not only the brown-haired human looked at the earrings, but also a white-skinned, tall elf who walked behind him. Astarion didn't know what was more noticeable: his large deadly sword, the long white hair, the black tattoos on his face, or...or the earrings in the shape of a dagger that hung from his ears.

He nodded almost imperceptibly to the bard and she returned his nod briefly.

Frowning, Astarion averted his gaze and looked around the taproom.

Many of the guests listened attentively to the ballad. Couples in love held each other tightly and some wiped a tear from their face.

“…in the dark of the night I see your tears

Rubies glisten full of pain

Rage and misery

Don’t get lost in brandy, bergamot and rosemary”

The ballad finished gently and the bard stood up.

"Thanks! And now for the bard duet!”

With a wave of her hand, she invited her partner onto the stage.

Wild white hair adorned the scarred drow face. It looked like survival for Astarion.

She could be young and old at the same time, that's how it was always with the elves. Young pretty faces and centuries behind them. Sorrow, suffering, joy. Everything was possible.

The narrow waist with the subsequent curved hips and thighs with short pants was adorned with a weapon belt with a sword and a flute.

The skilled hand whirled out a shiny silver flute and the duo began to play:

„Two bards do the trick, because bards do it better

Drow or Tiefling, it doesn’t matter

Shiny white hair, or wagging tail

Their persuasion will never fail“

They quickly changed the melancholic mood and the silver flute had a captivating sound, as if it were a homage to a goddess.

“One plays the flute, the other smashes lutes

Buy us a drink and we’ll tell you who is who“

A Tiefling whose rosé colored hair matched her white pink frilly clothing cheered enthusiastically to the tavern song.

Astarion heard her applaud with a giggling laugh. Cute little laughs with a sweet smile upon her light face.

It was that kind of sweet laugh that told the vampire how innocent, unspoiled, kind and naive the person was.

Yes, the delicate Tiefling woman was a sweet, innocent thing, Astarion could tell that with just a sideways glance of his red eyes. The sweet and naive kind of girl that immediately fell for him. Who he easily ensnared and seduced for Cazador. Or was she one of the people he would have avoided because they were so naive...innocent, undeserving of it? He would probably have avoided her if possible because such a sweet, lovely person didn't deserve to fall victim to the vampires.

Astarion closed his eyes briefly and grimaced at the emerging memories that he immediately wanted to repress.

Thanks to his beloved Aristen, he no longer had to do this.

He was free.

Cazador dead.

All of Baldur's Gate saved, saved from the Empire of the Netherbrain and the Mind Flayers.

Yes, thanks to the blonde adventuress whose fate was forever intertwined with his and all her other companions, he had escaped his fate as a slave. Their courage and their determination, with the help of the other fighters, allowed him to defeat Cazador.

But not only that, the storm sorceress had also given him love and patience. And the confidence to be better than Cazador. He didn't need blood-soaked, soul-eating power to be safe, to be worth anything.

Astarion would never have to hurt innocent people against his will again.

All thanks to her.

And yet Aristen did not consider herself to be good, nor to be lovable.

She loathed herself for her actions as a born Bhaalspawn, which she only dimly remembered. No one could hate her more than she hates herself.

And perhaps it was even worse for her, imagining every day what atrocities she had committed in the name of the God of Murder instead of knowing for sure.

She didn't see herself as a lovable hero, a savior. Astarion wished so much that she could see herself through his eyes just once. Then she would finally forgive herself.

The problem was that the sarcastic vampire had never said that to her and perhaps never would. There would always be something gnawing inside him, at his battered heart, that would prevent him from casually revealing his innermost, deepest feelings. What if he did lose her to someone else one day? If it would not be an arrow or observer to steal her from him? How could he then pretend that his vain heart had not been destroyed for all eternity?

Darkness crossed Astarion's face at all the thoughts and he shook his head with his white curls to drive them away.

Once again he let his gaze wander over the audience, while his pointy elven ears only casually listened to the singing of the bards. It was only thanks to his beloved Aristen that he was able to recognize the diversity of the guests gathered. To be recognized again.

It had once been a faceless mass. At some point, after all the years of slavery under Cazador, the people in the taverns had become nothing more than a uniform mush to him. Victims, cattle like sheep, to his master. Criminals who hurt him and whom he hurt in return and they became victims of the vampire lord.

Dark, blank faces.

Without eyes, without soul. Just like Astarion himself had felt.

But after Aristen came into his life - with the craziest tentacle adventure of his life - everything had gradually changed.

First he recognized her blue eyes, then her face. The smile of her lips plagued by guilt and bloody ghosts of the past. The same smile as his own.

Then he saw all the faces, the people, their stories and lives again.

He saw the colors. The differences and the similarities. He heard the voices, the laughter, the music. He noticed the scents and smells again. Astarion saw joy and life again.

A scent that stood out from the rest of the tavern's smells suddenly tickled Astarion's nose.

Orchid drifted discreetly from the front door.

A slightly tickling shiver ran over the tips of his elf ears, while Astarion was already peering towards the door with large, round eyes.

Like the true epiphany she was, a blonde woman made her way through the elven song. Her appearance truly stood out from the rest of the tavern's audience:

Her delicately pinned hair and a ladylike, sweeping blue dress made her truly look like a lady of name and rank.

Astarion smiled as he looked at Aristen's appearance.

She always made an effort to look chic and beautiful, no matter what the circumstances. Like a true lady who belonged in a ballroom and not a tavern.

A ballroom, not a bhaalroom.

But Aristen loved all facets of life and also sat in the meadow under a tree in the forest with her fancy dress on.

If Astarion had his way, then very soon she would be pressed into the grass beneath him with the dress rumpled.

He chuckled dirtyly to himself as he couldn't help but think of that thought. And before he even thought about the first visit to his grave together, he shook his head and pushed it all away from his white curls.

"Darling..." Astarion stood up after Aristen made her way to him, having spotted him with a smile beaming with joy, "...you give me all sorts of ideas as always."

“What do you mean?” the high elf asked in surprise and blinked in confusion because she couldn’t follow him.

“Nevermind little love,” Astarion grinned mischievously and briefly kissed her delicate hand in greeting. He gently stroked Aristen's hand again as he slowly lowered it.

“The sun has already set enough for you to go out, Astarion,” his lover informed him. She would pick him up when it was safe for him outside.

"I've already run errands from a few merchants," Aristen spoke as the two left the tavern.

"Nice. Then we can now buy the rest together. Have you got everything so far?” asked Astarion.

The blonde nodded as they stepped outside.

Astarion sucked the air outside the elfsong into his lungs. Had breathing changed since he became a vampire? After all, he was undead.

Astarion didn't know. He couldn't remember, it had been too long.

In addition, the past no longer counted - smiling, he glanced furtively at Aristen who was carrying the basket with the purchases - only the present and the future counted.

“Yes, I did the grocery shopping that wasn’t of interest to you,” the blonde laughed and winked knowingly. “There was wonderful blossom honey, I couldn't resist,” enthused the sorceress, rolling her eyes heavenly at the thought of it and licking her lips in anticipation of the taste of the honey.

“Then I can taste it from your lips and tongue,” Astarion whispered seductively.

"What?"

“Oh, nothing…” the pale elf just grinned again.

His pointed ears were suddenly tickled by the brush of her lips as she leaned in very close to him.

“I heard you very well, my dear,” she whispered to him, her blue eyes sparkling meaningfully at him after she leaned back and gave him a knowing smile.

The vampire laughed. It was a serious laugh. It went from its sonorous, seductive, dirty murmur to a deep rumble before dying out in a high-pitched spike.

“I saw such a beautiful pair of earrings in the window at the Glitter Gala,” sighed Aristen languidly after she continued the story.

“So why didn’t you buy it, darling?”

Aristen shook her head: “Because it’s not necessary. I prefer to save our money for important things. After all, magical artifacts are expensive and the most important thing is that we find something that makes you immune to the sun.”

Yes, that was the ambition and current mission of Aristen and Astarion: to find a way for the vampire spawn to walk in the sun again.

Their friends also kept their ears and eyes open.

Gale read every book that might contain useful information.

Shadowheart, as well as Lae'zel on her travels through the astral planes, always sent them messages when they heard about mysterious artifacts.

And Halsin and Jaheira also reached out to all their acquaintances from near and far.

"If you hadn't used so much of our gold to rebuild the city and help its people, then you could afford any jewelry you wanted," Astarion nudged her with his shoulder and winked knowingly. The slightly accusatory tone was just an act.

“You know I wanted to try to somehow make amends for my actions when I was under Bhaal's control. This will never work, I know that. I can't bring back the people I killed. But I can at least try to help those left behind. It's too little. It’s no consolation…but at least it’s something.”

There was sadness in the blonde's voice. The look in her blue eyes was sincere before they slid slightly to the ground.

Astarion didn't like that, so he decided to cover up the whole thing: "I don't know what you're doing with this penance and compensation anyway."

He casually folded his arms behind his head and sounded as indifferent as he could.

“But…” he grinned playfully at the blonde Sorceress, “we could visit The Counting House again with Minsc. Then we have enough money to play benefactors and buy jewelry and beautiful clothes.”

Aristen raised an eyebrow with an amused grin: "You want to volunteer to do something with Minsc, really?"

“Now that you mention it…argh…better not. You may find him amusing, but he's always bursting in to chatter about his hamster at the most inopportune times. The guard almost caught me picking the lock of the Tabernacle when he suddenly stood loudly behind me, screaming my name and his hug almost broke every bone in my body.”

“What did you want at the Stormshore Tabernacle outside of opening hours?” Aristen asked with a raised eyebrow.

“Oh, nothing!” Astarion quickly dismissed the topic. Too fast.

“What’s next on the list for today?”

“We really have to go to the Devil's Fee. It has finally opened since the devastating battle against the Netherbrain and the reprocessing. If there are special artifacts or information about them anywhere, it’s there!”

Astarion nodded eagerly and the two elves walked quickly through the streets of Baldur's Gate.

"Oh no! No no no!” Helsik shouted from afar as her eyes saw Aristen.

The Sorceress blinked in confusion at the violent reaction and she looked around to see if anyone else was behind her, as the shopkeeper thought she might be.

“Not you!”

"I? But…"

“Nothing but!” Helsik cut her off. “After last time, I already told you that it was too hot to be seen with you and that the store was off limits for now. After the fuss you caused with your little friend and the black-haired fuzzy head.”

Astarion grinned briefly. He knew exactly who the saleswoman was talking about. After all, they had learned of Bhaal's daughter's past and how she had been involved in the Grand Design.

“I have new business partners, so I don’t need loud attention, after all, hell operates quietly.”

“We don’t want to cause any problems, I swear!”

The vampire let his eyes wander over the lavish and devilishly mysterious display while Aristen soothed Helsik.

“We just want to buy an artifact or information. Nothing improper, nothing complicated, nothing dangerous. Just good old Mammon.”

“Child, you will never have as much gold as I want from you so that I can burn my fingers again because of you.”

"Are you sure? I'll pay any price...whether it's gold or otherwise. We're just looking for a way to break the vampire curse of being vulnerable to the sun. Please."

Helsik laughed briefly, compassionately, not maliciously: “Deary, at the Devil’s Fee we don’t break curses, it’s more about the other way. That should be clear to you from the name.”

“My Love…” Astarion slowly tore his eyes away from the display cases and stood next to Aristen again, “…let me talk to her. I think I can convince them better with less…emotional involvement based on old stories.”

“Are you sure?” Aristen asked, unconvinced.

“Of course, baby…” he was already pushed the Sorceress toward the exit, “…you go do the other errands in the meantime and leave this to me.”

Aristen left the devilish business and made her way to the large square of the lower city wall. She visited the arms dealers and her thoughts continued to dwell on the fact that if even devils couldn't find a way to free Astarion from his curse, who would?

She would never give up hope. Anyway, Helsik was probably right: if it was about help, then hell wouldn't be a good negotiating partner.

Maybe they should trust in nature, magic and clerics. The gods may not have heard Astarion then, but perhaps they could now request divine intervention?

The vampire could walk in the light of the Moon Maiden, perhaps Dame Aylin and Shadowheart could ask even more of Sêlune. Maybe she could expand her moonlight.

Perhaps…

“STOP IMMEDIATELY!”

Aristen was snapped out of her thoughts and the blacksmith who was stationed across from Sorcerous Sundries just handed her back Astarion's freshly sharpened dagger.

“COME BACK IMMEDIATELY!”

From the direction of the Devil's fee came rumbling, loud voices and, above all, lightning and sparks.

“Stop the criminal scum!” shouted a city guard. “Subject, let him stand still!”

“Where for?”

“That way!”

“Or rather there?”

“I thought I saw something in that direction…”

“Then I here, you there,” the steel armored guards rumbled.

The clatter of steel armor slowly faded from the blonde Sorceress's ears, but a perfume that differed from her own scent of orchid and rose reached her nose.

Aristen smelled cherries, musk, palmarosa, black pepper and…

“Does this belong to you, little mouse?”

…sulfur.

Raphael's slightly tanned complexion stood before her. His brown hair was done to perfection with meticulous work, as were his clothes. Large, sparkling brown eyes regarded her, both sublime and mischievous.

The devil in human disguise had the white-haired vampire in tow, holding him by the collar like a naughty schoolboy.

"Raphael..."

“So you still know my name. Ah…very good. Tell the wizard of yours that too. Hopefully he’s still looking for my crown?”

Aristen nodded: “We defeat the brain. The crown will then be at your disposal. That’s how it was settled.”

“Excuse me…” the vampire groused

The devil released Astarion, who grumbled and moved his shoulders.

“Stealing from a shop that has connections straight to hell, very very naughty.”

As was his style, Raphael moved his hands theatrically while his voice whispered mellifluously. The reprimand was more than just played as amusing.

“Anyway, you were there in vain. There is nothing to buy there that could solve the vampire's little “problem”. Otherwise they would all be walking around here freely in the sunlight. Or not?”

The devil made a sweeping gesture and looked around ostentatiously before laughing.

“I'll talk to Helsik and smooth things over, after all you don't sleep well in unmade beds like in clover. But tell your magician that it is my crown. When he finds it, he has agreed to hand it over to me immediately. Not to Mystra and he certainly shouldn’t get the foolish idea of using it himself.”

“He is not my magician,” Aristen clarified briefly, “Gale belongs to no one but himself. Mystra also has nothing to command him.”

“Does he see it that way too? Or does he like to be walked on a leash? He always just does what others tell him. After all, his own decisions are the stupidest I've ever seen...and I've literally seen it all."

“You mean as stupid as wanting to rule the crown of Karsus?”

“Haha…careful, little mouse,” laughed Raphael. “Just make sure I get the crown as quickly as possible.”

“When Gale finds it, you get the crown. That was the deal. We stick to that. But you'll have to be patient. It wasn't intended that the crown and the stones would be lost again, but it was hard to prevent it when the Netherbrain fell into the sea during the fight."

“I'm surprised you're so relaxed about this. You can't put me on a leash as easily as you can put the vampire spawn on a leash. Or was it rather the other way around and you Astarion put the former Bhaalspawn on a docile short leash?”

Mischief sparkled in the brown eyes of the human-shaped Cambion. There was a subtle, biting, malicious provocation in his words, which he spoke with a sonorous purr, as always.

Astarion's face contorted a little and the vampire barely suppressed a roll of his ruby-colored eyes. For a moment he seemed like a disgruntled cat.

"I think I liked you better when you just rhymed all the time," Astarion replied sassy.

Raphael laughed briefly, unimpressed: “Whatever. Less dawdling and making long fingers, but more diving for the crown,” reprimanded the devil with a raised eyebrow.

The devil wrinkled his nose slightly at the vampire spawn before turning back to Aristen and giving her his full attention.

“By the way, greetings from your fiery friend Karlach and her rapier-wielding colleague Wyll Ravengard.”

“Why are you ordering greetings from Karlach and Wyll? Have you met them?”

“Well, those two made themselves quite a name all around Avernus,” Raphael smiled in his smug way, “furthermore, I greatly welcome their actions against Zariel’s forces.”

He made one of his swinging hand movements with his manicured fingers: “I would like to invite you all to my House of Hope to linger, relax and chat. So you can catch up. You know, the Crown of Karsus is the key that grants you access. And until that happens…fare thee well, little mouse. I hope I will see you soon, knocking on the door of my house.”

As was his style, Raphael bowed expansively and his scent of leather, cedar, lily, rose, oud, vanilla and sandalwood disappeared into a swirl of sparks and sulphur.

“He hasn’t forgotten his flair for great performances. I don't know whether I should admire it or whether he's starting to get on my nerves with it," Astarion sighed briefly before straightening his shoulders and straightening his doublet with a quick tug.

"Anyways..." the vampire turned to another topic, "...I think it would be a good idea if we get out of the immediate area while the city guards are wandering around here."

The elf touched Aristen's elbow to encourage her to leave.

“What did you want to take from the store anyway, in the first place?” Aristen wanted to know from Astarion, curious and skeptical.

“Well…” he started to press and scratched the back of his white curls, “…I saw something…”

"And what was so terribly interesting that you would risk to be arrested by the Flaming Fist?"

“Well...it reminded me of you...and...I thought you should have it. But Helsik is really a cutthroat bitch with exorbitant prices.”

Aristen smiled good-naturedly: “Oh Astarion…”

“However…here…”

The vampire held out a white silk scarf to the storm sorceress.

Aristen's eyes widened. You could see from the shimmer and the way the fabric fell that it wasn't just silk that was woven there. It was definitely the weave itself and more that was at work there. Depending on how it fell and how you moved it, a golden blue shimmered.

“The scarf reminded me of the one you told me about. You know, the scarf with your name on it that you were found wearing as a baby in the Bhaal Temple. It’s one of the few memories you have left.”

The vampire took out a borealis blue thread from his pocket and began to embroider “Aristen” into the scarf.

“I wanted you to have something that you could never lose, that could never be destroyed, that had your name on it. Because if something ever happened again that made you forget...that made you forget yourself, at least you would always have your name with you. Then you know that you are Aristen. Not the daughter of the murder god. Not the chosen one of Bhaal. No Bhaalspawn. Just you. You are Aristen.”

The vampire began to embroider an “&” sign into the scarf.

“And well…” Astarion began to shuffle uncomfortably again and focused entirely on his work so that he didn’t have to look his lover in the eyes, “…if you ever forget something again, then you’ll know that we belong together. I don't want you to ever forget me. And so you also always carry my name with you.”

The vampire finished his work and the white scarf now embroidered with new memories read: "Aristen & Astarion"

“There is nothing in the world that would ever make me forget you, Astarion,” the high elf spoke softly.

She closed the distance between the two of them and kissed Astarion. The elf slowly closed his eyes as their lips met. His cool, hers warm. He felt her breathing life into him as they kissed.

"Thank you so much," the blonde said after they pulled away from each other, "you can't imagine how much this means to me. I love you, Astarion."

Aristen held the silky, white and blue scarf in her hands, stroked the pale elf's blue embroidery and smiled. "I think this used to be the color of your eyes too."

She smiled softly, as soft as the silky fabric of the scarf felt on her soft hands. Hands too soft for the crimes they had probably committed earlier in the name of Bhaal. In a previous life.

Aristen raised her eyes, which were also blue, and caught Astarion by surprise. Speechless.

That rarely happened.

Very rarely did the vampire find himself without words.

“Ah, I…” he took a breath to say something, but he lacked a suitable response, so he could only hold his breath, taken aback.

The gentle look in his lover's eyes and her words had triggered something in Astarion that he still couldn't handle: affection, sincere love.

Towards him and in his own heart.

The white-haired vampire exhaled and smiled just as gently at his beloved Aristen.

He reached out his cool hand to her and placed it against her rosy cheek. The blonde nestled herself a little in the vampire's hand and her gaze lingered lovingly in Astarion's now ruby-colored eyes.

“You never stop surprising me,” his whispering voice sounded sincere and just as genuine was the smile he continued to give her.

It was a smile that acknowledged how happy he was, partly surprised, partly just realizing that he wasn't really surprised anymore. And perhaps that was what surprised Astarion the most.

It was a day like any other.

A day like any other.

One day in the rest of their life.

Their life together.

And it was beautiful.

And he would never want it any other way.

📜🪶📜🪶💙🎻🫧🌹🌸🌹🫧🎻💙🪶📜🪶📜

➹a/n: i just gave my own Tav Saulus a little cameo guest appearance 😉 in the style of AU I also inserted aristenfromwarsaws other OC Devana, like a little, what are all the other tavs doing when not being the main character

the great Tavs of my lovely mutuals also did a tiny cameo:

Nala Hartwick of @evander-jane

Thomas Rosewood and Nana of @alpydk

Lovely Vierith of @goromimii jamming with my Saulus, best bardic duo

Mavka of @pinkberrytea

I hope I did the slice of life good justice and you all could taste, feel, smell, hear the life through all the description of scents, etc.

#is anyone else hungry after the description of the tavern? 🥵#can someone please tell me how to tap with long nails on y keyboard?! please!#i decided to let my nails grow a few month ago and it seems i have not written very much since than #i always tap the UP/hold button when tapping the str/up putton for the quoting marks that make me hold my fingers otherwise now and it hurt #and when I say long I do not mean very long only a little bit longer than manly short #and when a lovely writer can finally tell me and give me advices and layouts to bring my ff on tumblr in form that would be very nice #fun fact:it is crazy to play the game in your nat language and than have to google what da fuck is the store called in english?no clue #bg3 #baldur's gate 3 #baldur's gate #bhaal battle beer bard #astarion #me #mine #bg3 tav #astarion ancunin #astarion x tav #astarion x aristen #Tav: Aristen #Aristen: aristenfromwarsaw #aristenfromwarsaw #judasiskariot #my writing #writing #fanfiction #ff #fanfic #my fanfiction #bg3 fanfiction #astarion x f!tav

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bhaal-battle-beer-bard · 2 months

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Astarion Headcanon

Because of their night at Astarion's grave, Tav always gets horny at cemeteries.

Because of Tiefling Tav, Astarion always gets horny at petting zoos.

#bg3 headcanons #bg3 shitpost #smut #bg3 smut #astarion ancunin #astarion #tav #bg3 tav #tiefling #dnd #tiefling tav #baldur's gate 3 #baldur's gate #bhaal battle beer bard #baldur's gate iii #me #bhaal-battle-beer-bard #mine

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bhaal-battle-beer-bard · 1 month

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Gale aesthetic

Here the bardic aesthetic version of the Gale poem "Wash my pain away" did for @alpydk 's Book of Gale

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bhaal-battle-beer-bard · 3 months

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Astarion: *yelling* GODS! Why did you wash my suede doublet and my merino wool clothes with the other laundry?! What were you thinking?! 😡🤬 Tav: *yelling back* Well I don't know Astarion, since when do sheeps shrink when they get wet, huh?! I have never seen cow or sheep saying 'Oh no rain! When I get wet my skin and wool is ruined forever and I have to die' 🤷‍♀️ Astarion: Yes...but you DO EXACTLY KNOW that this is something different!!! Tav: Why is this different?!

*30 minutes later*

Wyll + Halsin: 🤔 Ehm Astarion...what are you doing with the sheeps in our bathtub? 🤔 Tav: There is a logical explanation for this... Astarion: Don't look at me like that - I have something to prove to my partner! Don't judge me for being in a relationship! Wyll: Well if it works for them to argue like that 🤷‍♂️ Halsin: Yes, as long as they don't break up ☺️

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bhaal-battle-beer-bard · 3 months

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Volo don't!

Tav: At least, let's listen to what Gortash has to say. Volo: It is pronounced [Goːrtɑːʒ] 🤌🏻 🫴🏻 Gortash: 🤨 No it's not 😐

#bg3 #baldur's gate 3 #baldur's gate #bhaal battle beer bard #me #bg3 tav #bhaal-battle-beer-bard #baldur's gate iii #mine #lord gortash #lord enver gortash #enver gortash #volo #Volothamp “Volo” Geddarm #volothamp geddarm #bg3 incorrect quotes #incorrect quotes #bg3 shitpost #judasiskariot

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bhaal-battle-beer-bard · 3 months

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Gortash: By the big dick of Bane! Ehm..I meant The Edict of Bane!

Durge: 😲 🫢 Well watch your mouth there handsome young man 🤭 Or I will have to clean it...and you do not know with what😏

...

Durge: *whispering* It is my big dragon penis.

Gortash: 😃😍

Ketheric: *standing in the background* 😑 *only wants to die - NOW - ASAP - Myrkul please* 😑

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bhaal-battle-beer-bard · 3 months

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Individual...refuses...to comment...on dragons.

Volo - questioning Lord Enver Gortash

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judasiskariot · 15 days

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Tavs of judasiskariot/bhaalbattlebeerbard

Saulus

screenshots all by @aristenfromwarsaw

My second tav (durge run), main tav, love her so much

Quick Facts:

Race: Tiefling

Class: Bard (College of swords, Multi in Rogue and Fighter)

Fighting Style: Two Hand Crossbows

Instrument: Lyre, Lute (but also practiced in flute, pun intended)

Gender: Female

Pronouns: She/Her

Sexuality: Pansexual

Scent/Perfume: Lily, jasmine, blackberry (lilac, pomegranate, cocoa, gooseberries, grapes)

Hair: Ravenblack with red highlights, rune horns

Eyes: demonic blue with flames

Tattoo: white dots upon her face

Skin: dusk purple

Romance: Astarion

Pros & Cons, characterisation:

Summary: Bhaal battle beer bard: The name says it all

Bard is not only her class but foremost her vocation, her calling

She loves to write poems and songs, makes music all the time

Maybe you will get as her companion some songs about you, you would rather not like to have because she loves tavern roasting songs and also dirty limericks

Loves to drink, party and rhyming songs (preferably with bff Thisobald Thorm)

Very funny and silly, always up for a good time

Soft, sweet and devoted when it comes to love

Addicted to puns, sarcasm, burns, ambiguous comments

Gossip Queen

Dirty mind, dirty kind

Likes to flirt

Sexually very open and liberal, tries everything and anything

Doesn't need much convincing, always open for fun 😉

Has absolutely no problem with polygamous relationships, but when she loves you and you agree on exclusive relationship with her, than you are her whole world, the one&only

Very loyal

Loves animals: Proud owlbear mother!

Pro: You get a cute owlbear cub; Con: You have to share your bedside with the owlbear cub

Loves the love; likes to play Armor (looking at you Karlach&Dammon)

All of the Dark Urge problems

Therefore, can get really bloody and nasty

Insecure about her Tiefling body (foremost her tail, horns and ridges)

Holding her tail like security blanket when she is nervous

Has a feud with Volo (he is her nemesis; he knows what he did)

Excellent sharpshooter (two hand crossbows double action; fight is over before it even started)

Because of the dark urge her enthusiasm sometimes looks a bit crazy, chaotic and intimidating

Rather not making her angry while the urge is still strong, she will slice you up in one second because it is fun

Loves to be a loyal bhaal babe, Sceleritas Fel is her buddy

But also redeemed (would have stayed with bhaal if daddy would have let her the free will)

After that her true kind nature comes up: Loving, caring, very sweet, loyal, devoted, patient, cuddly, can be a softie when it comes to her loved ones

Wanted to be the baddest, most evil bhaal babe of them all; ended up rescuing most people and help everyone

Is banned from most gnome weddings and some cities in Faerûn (not everyone likes her very dirty limericks and she can’t control her urge)

Oh and she has the condition to confuse gnomes with children very hard (That is maybe the problem; but she like gnomes, very much! Supporter of all the gnome rights!)

Confuses a few things (Don’t ask what she thinks what Hobgoblins and Bugbears are called)

Does everything Astarion wants to (sometimes he thinks she is a bit naïve and easily to manipulate, but she just loves him and so she lets him get away with everything)

Easily to convince, says yes to almost everything (chaotic good times)

When she likes you, she hypes everything you do and supports you endlessly

Saulus will help you archive everything you want to and will never want to change you

Accepts you as you are; will not make decisions for you

Because she is a Dark Urge, she will not question your moral compass; she doesn't allow herself to judge what is wrong and right and what things a good for you

Relies on people to be honest about what they want and think and accepts this as the truth

Goblin supporter and friend

Invite her to a drink or party and she is your lifetime friend - that is just the law

I don’t have amazing huge lore accurate backgroundstories for my tavs like so many of you. I only have an outlook for the future what they want to do after the final battle. My tavs don’t look much back in the past, they look straight ahead for what to come.

Saulus is a sassy little Dark Urge Tiefling Bhaal Battle Beer Bard, dreaming of a retirement with Astarion at Moonrise Towers with best friend Thisobald Thorm.

The Tiefling bard is banned from most gnome weddings and some cities in Faerûn 😂 There is some fun rivalry between her and Volo 😄

Her dream is to marry Astarion, start a family and settle down with him at Moonrise Towers to reopen the Waning Moon Distillery. (The party, "Opa" Ketheric, bhaal cult and the undead horde are babysitters)

To cuddle with Astarion and the owl bur cub under a warm blanket is everything she needs in life.

She uses two hand crossbows, wanted to be an evil bhaal babe, but ended up doing all the right things 😄 The Urge is still strong in her, so better not making here angry 😈

She is absolutely in love with Astarion and the owl bear cub (her son) and Thisobald is her best friend.

She is insecure about her Tiefling look, holding her tail when she is nervous. Saulus plays dirty funny limericks with the lute and mostly lyre but with two missing strings at the moment💀(maybe she doesn't take criticism very well😅)

She likes gnomes but is banned from most gnome festivities because she confuses them with kids and is singing too many dirty limericks (at children's birthday parties thinking it is a wedding; but also inappropriate for weddings though... 😅)

Saulus: "Let me tell you my bardic epos:

After all fires in Baldur's Gate are extinguished only one remains: Cazador's palace. I burn it down, so Astarion is getting his head clear and get over his Ascension Master God Complex. And because the handymen failed to build a palace door in owlbear size for our son the owlbear cub. In consequence of I won the drinking competition against my bff Thisobald Thorm I inherited (more or less official and legal) the propery deed of The Waning Moon.

Ketheric is still alive and our grandpa Ketheric now.

I marry Astarion, start a family and settle down with him at Moonrise Towers to reopen the Waning Moon Distillery.

And when Opa Ketheric is holding the little half Elf Tiefling Vampire baby for the first time, you can see how the light and will to live is coming back into his eyes.

I am the bard at the bar, barkeeper and my own best customer.

The party, "Opa" Ketheric, the bhaal cult and the undead ghoul horde of vampirelord Astarion are the babysitters. (Everyone wants to look after the baby but the party is failing miserable and Dammon is giving them babysitter lessons because Karlach is also pregnant and is lending Dadstarion Clive til her baby is coming. Opa Ketheric is always babysitter of the month, but surprisingly closed followed by the ghoul and bhaal assassins. Father bhaal is not really welcome but Sceleritas of course!)

Needless to say we still have a vacation home at Baldur's Gate and coming back there with a little family of four children (five! Owl bear child not to forget!)

When we are walking through the city, we do it in single file and every child (also the owlbear cub of course!) is holding the tail of the sibling in front, so no one is getting lost in the big city. One child do not have a tail, because it is more elfish than the rest, but he is wearing a costume tail to be part of it and he insists that Papa Astarion is also wearing a fake one, so that they are all similar.

Astarion and I always must pay reparations, because the owlbear cub grew to like rose pedals at the wedding and now it destroys the gardens at Baldur's Gate.

I perform dirty limericks and funny songs about our friends and adventures at the Elfsong Tavern. And especially by the order of Lord Gortash many songs about Dragons(born).

Yeah almost everyone is alive (come on it is fiction, it is fun, it is fan made, give me the all fluff and happy ending)

Astarion and the party are the bouncers so everyone must watch the whole concert. Yes Astarion supports everything his wife does! The stupider, the better. And because as the only one he is wearing earplugs.”

#for my #pinned post #judasiskariot #saulus #saulus the bard #Tav: Saulus #bhaal battle beer bard #bg3 #baldur's gate 3 #me #mine #my tav #tiefling #durge #dark urge #my dark urge

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bhaal-battle-beer-bard · 1 month

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🌌Gale Poetry🌌 - 🔮Wizard of Waterdeep aesthetic

The manuscript Version of my Gale poem "Flaming Stardust - Diamond flood of cosmic light".

Now that this project is done, does anyone else want a place in my poetry book? Any requests? Prompts?

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bhaal-battle-beer-bard · 18 days

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Kissing every one of your ridges – With horns and tail and everything

➹pairing: Astarion x F!Tiefling DarkUrge Tav (Bard Saulus by myself @judasiskariot)

"Let me kiss every single one of your ridges"

➹summary: Tav only reacts totally supportive and respectfully after Astarion’s "But this...this is nice" confession at Act II. But it also hurts her inside to hear that he just tricked her out of bad habit and not meant it true, when she already did. That lurks in her head and she start to delusional thinking, that he also does not want to touch her, because he secretly dislikes her Tiefling body and she begins to hate it…

➹content/tags/warning: angst, self harm, self hatred, body image problems, fluff, romance, lime/spice, body positivity

➹word count: 3,737

➹pictures: all of course by the talented @aristenfromwarsaw ; highly recommend her blog

➹a/n: I am not going to say it is the fault of @aristenfromwarsaw again, but it is her fault 😆🤣😜🤗

Her wonderful romantic screenshot of Astarion&Saulus inspired the ideas in my head to this story

Title credit also goes to her, because it was her reaction when telling her my story idea and yeah 😭❤️😭❤️😭 *ugly sobbing*

“I don’t know how else to be with someone. No matter how much I’d like to.” " You are worth a great deal to me, no matter what you're going through. I care about you. Deeply" "This…this is nice!”

The conversation was not many days ago. Astarion revealed his true feelings towards the Bard, or maybe some lies about his behavior, but to reveal true feelings at the end. Feelings he seemed to get caught by surprised. He catched them like a cold, at least he sounded while his confession.

But Saulus understood his message. His words did not really matter to convince her, alone the true sound of his voice was enough for her to understand. He never had spoken to her like that before.

Astarion wanted them to be something real and Saulus wanted to give him time, space and respect for his body. Taking the steps back, they made to fast in the first place. She liked Astarion, not his figure or their nightly trysts.

„Is it really okay with you that we kiss?”, asked the Tiefling concerned after parting her lips from Astarion’s.

“I said that I want to take things slow and abstain from Sex, not that we are strangers to each other from now on”, clarified the elf.

He pulled her down on the sleeping roll in his tent.

“I am not made of porcelain, even when I am looking so beautiful like that”, he purred and kissed her again.

Their bodies lay cautiously together and the bard let herself in for a kiss again.

Her arms held Astarion tight while her lips explored his ever more firmly.

The vampire became a little heavier on her, she felt his body weighing on hers.

In a pleasant way.

She heard his breathing and her own sighs between kisses.

His hand lay at the skin of her side, dancing up to her rib cage like a wisp of the wind. Her skin tingled when feeling his own.

The hint of a touch of his fingers at the base of her breasts under the light sleeping fabric.

She wanted to feel Astarion, so much to feel his touch. His hands on her breasts. His firm grip.

Her skin burned under his fingers, burned like the fires of Avernus that could only be extinguished if their bodies were united. How much she longed to feel him inside her. But...no, they didn't want that. That was exactly what they didn't want anymore. And it was good that way. But his lips and his hands on her breasts made her body think further. Her body that knew his and longed for it.

Saulus groaned and her hands automatically pulled Astarion closer to her. He paused briefly and then it hit her that they might be going too far.

She had no control over her lust, was going to overstep…no it seemed she already did. They agreed that Sex did not matter, and yet she enjoyed his closeness too much. In the wrong way.

Frightened, she pushed him away.

"Stop!"

"What is it?", asked Astarion irritated.

"We should cease that.”

"What exactly? We're just kissing."

"Yes. Let's call it a night.”

Astarion and the bard separated. They sat down on their knees facing each other. The Tiefling gently took his hands in hers and smiled slightly at him before Astarion leaned back a little and looked at her expectantly. She slowly pushed his hands back and placed them on his knees.

“It's getting too stifling and hot for me in this tent...I....should go.” Saulus downright jumped on her feet “I need to go."

Who even initiated the kiss? Him or her? It was Saulus herself, right? He didn’t really want to kiss her actually, screamed her inner panicking voice in her head.

She messed up.

She told him she would wait patiently whenever he was ready to have a physical relationship with her again, and she messed up.

Like the little obedient Sceleritas Fel said she would. Not in a funny bloody way the butler seemed to enjoy so much, but the in the way to destroy everything that has a meaning to her, when touched by her hands.

Saulus went to the waterside.

Dark, cold water.

Dark and cold like the frowning glance upon her unknown soul.

She slipped out of her clothes and went into the water.

She shivered only a little bit.

The ice cold sparks of the drops felt good on her heated skin.

The blank surface mirrored her reflection perfectly back with the shimmer of the moon casted by the silvery maiden of the night.

Saulus looked at her silhouette.

Her body.

Her face.

Sharp teeth, devilish tail, ridges under skin, pikes upon her shoulders, demonic horns and long claws of a monster, that torn apart the sweet Tiefling bard Alfira. Dripping from her blood.

Nobody mourned her. Nobody blamed her for her death.

Only Gale was a bit scared afterwards.

Yes, she was a monstrous demon. Straight from the hells.

Tears walled up the blue eyes with the burning sparks of Avernus in it and Saulus punched frustrated and full of hate into the water. Punching her reflection, so that she did not have to watch her devilish countenance of a monster no longer.

No wonder Astarion did not like her from the start, only slept with her that she was on his side, saw him of use that her killer rages were to his favor, not against him. No wonder he was scared of her.

No wonder he did not want to touch her no longer.

Saulus would not want to touch her either, if she were in his place.

Why would he?

He might be a ravenous vampire, but still a high elf with full of grace. Head high, perfect posture, fine lips and nose and chaw line.

And she - slowly her silhouette manifested on the water surface again and Saulus looked upon her deep dusk purple appearance…she was just a demon from the hells.

A monster with a little doomed butler that was whispering urges into her ear and soul, that made her hand twitch in desire to kill the sweet moon cleric.

She would also not touch this foul, wretched body full of pikes of a devil.

Not when there were sweet elven maiden with light skin, pink shiny nibbles and long silver hair to touch and kiss.

The other night, Saulus already wished Astarion a good night and made her camp round to bid her “Sleep wells” to everyone.

“And ducks…I like ducks”, said Halsin.

Saulus chuckled.

Astarion’s ruby eyes had left the words from his book a long time ago. At least once the bard started talking to the druid in such a familiar way.

Only his face directed towards the book, to make the appearance of reading. His elven ears were literally all ears for the conversation of the Tiefling and the beary archdruid. Big dumb mountain of muscles, flinched through Astarion’s head.

He glanced side-eyes like a grumpy cat…ready to jump and claw.

“That is incredible cute“, she said her thoughts out loud. “And I pull myself together not to say: Unbearable cute as honey.“

„Oh, I bear you to say that”, Halsin winked and the bard nudged his shoulder while both laughed.

“It is nice to hear some laughter in this shadow curse troubled lands. But I would be happier when the curse is lifted for good. Once and for all”, sighed the druid.

“We are working on it. I hope too that it takes not much longer, Halsin.”

“Thank you. Thank you for everything. Rest now and restore your strength for the tasks of tomorrow.”

“You too, Halsin.”

“Look, I had a plan. A nice, simple plan - seduce you, sleep with you, manipulate your feelings so you'd never turn on me. All you had to do was fall for it. And all I had to do was not fall for you...which is where my nice, simple plan fell apart” "So the nights we spent together didn't mean anything?"

The words of Astarion echoed through her head.

Now when her body wanted to lay down to rest, her head could not stop to speak to her.

When talking to Astarion after her approached at her, all she could think about was to make clear to him, that he mattered to her. Mattered to her in every way. As a person, as a friend…and yes, more as friend. But it would never inflict how she would think about him, help him, protect him.

She wanted him to know that he is valued for just being, not for his body or something he could be use of. She made clear that he is free whatever he wanted to do so. Of course, when this included being with her, would make her most happy, but she would have understood if he wanted more distance, time to think and think for himself and his true needs and desires.

At least Saulus did not the hell know who she really was. The urgings in her head were sometimes…strange.

Bloody…

Having the talk with Astarion seemed to connect them, brought them closer. But lying awake at night, it just made her…sad by now.

All his sweet words and intimacy were just an act for him. He was an actor, playing the only role he knew. Slept with her ‘cause he thought he needed to. The only way to thank her for her blood because he didn’t think he has something else to give. Tricking her into liking him, while only than she would have protected him, as she would only protect lovers and not also friends.

As if they could not be friends without him giving his body and take care of hers.

All this while she wanted to get closer to him, because she started to like him. Fell like a dumb baby bird out of its nest.

She liked him not for his looks, but his snappy words. Giggling like a dumb fool at his mean sarcastic comments. Liking the theatric pronouncing of his words, worth of a bard.

Yes, she wanted to be near to him, only him and the true one, not the façade he put up. But…she only knew the façade, so it seemed. How could she claim to like the “real” Astarion, when he showed him to her only once.

He lied to her, tricked her, fooled her.

Or could she believe that all of this was just a glance and he catched the feelings right away and did his actings still out of behavior?

She remembered her reflection in the water. Horns and tail like a devil.

Why would he pick someone like this over others?

“It was easy - instinctive. Habits from two hundred years of charming people kicked in.” "So the nights we spent together didn't mean anything?" "Be true to yourself, my Lady.”

The blood-stained words of the mysterious butler and her own mixed themselves up in her head. Swirling, screaming. Red…dripping red with a murderous frequency of volume.

Saulus grabbed the sharpest dagger at the camp. Determined.

Her feet led her the way besides the Last Light Inn down to the waterside.

Quick, unseen, quiet.

She went again to the waters.

Pulled her blouse over her head and exposed her dusk violet skin to the moonlight, reflecting on the water.

But Saulus no longer looked at her reflection. She only was near the water, so the blood may drip in there and being washed away with no evidence.

No evidence…like killing the bard, my foul lady, again the voice of Sceleritas Fel echoed through her mind full of holes.

Saulus fell for Astarion. She fell so hard, that it almost hurt, she realized by now. Maybe not the tadpoles or the dark urge or the shadows of this lands were her curse, no – maybe it was rather Astarion.

She knew she liked him, really, deeply. But only by now she realized what that really meant. It was maybe a bit scary. Or at least this dark shadow in her swirly head, told her so. Told her not to be worth of loving, or making her kill a whole city for him, if she must. Dangerous thoughts, Saulus knew that they did not belong to her. That were not her thoughts…where did they come from?

She felt light, joyful, sincere, happy, loving the love. That was her. But this things in her mind – in her heart – what kind of curse of those four possessed her, to whisper such things in the Tieflings unconscious?

She bit her sharp teeth together to shake off the voice inside her.

The Tiefling needed to focus on her task.

The bard reached with the knife to her back.

The blood should drop into the water and been washed away, away into the hells she must came from.

Saulus no longer wanted to see the horrific ridges upon her skin. She hated the damn pikes of demonic wings over her shoulder blades. Taken away the wonderful white, smooth elegant skin of a elven maiden, that Astarion could really like, desire…love at the end even.

With sadness, rage and desperate determination Saulus tried to manage to reach her back properly. Began to reach the ridges of the wings upon her shoulders with the sharp shiny blade. Breathing in frustration.

“What in the sweet hells do you think you are doing there?!”, snapped Astarions angry voice suddenly from behind and sounded reproachful and chiding.

He caught her by surprise and Saulus flinched.

At that very moment she felt him snatch the knife from her hands.

„I…I…“, she stuttered, covering her naked breasts in shame, did not know how to explain to him what she was doing.

Astarion looked concerned with his ruby eyes upon the skin of her back, made a step forward and his cold hands breath a hint of touch upon her skin.

Caring and careful.

“You got deep cuts”, he whispered softly, tenderly, concerned. More to himself than to her.

“Let’s go to Shadowheart!”, he said with loud, firm and convinced voice. “Our religious troubled cleric shall heal these cuts.”

“No!”, snapped Saulus quickly and almost panicked back “Not Shadowheart. It is not her duty to heal this.”

“I think a healing potion will not help immediately against the bleedings of the wounds”, explained Astarion to make her clear the cleric was the obvious logic choice. “Or do you prefer your druid to help you”, he muttered darkly with a nitpicky undertone.

“What did you say?”

“Nothing!”, Astarion shocked his head and expelled his own thoughts, seeing they were toxic dumb and made up in his head, “I said nothing.”

“How did you get injured?”, asked the pale elf with an empathetic undertone, that she had rarely heard from him before. Astarion was surprised by himself.

But he cared. Cared for her. He glanced at the knife in his hands, he took from her. “Considering that, you hurt yourself. Why? What did you want to accomplish with that?”

His ruby eyes sparkled at the Tiefling woman with a raised eyebrow. The look of his sharp eyes made Saulus nervous.

“I…”, began Saulus again stuttering.

“I wanted to cut off this ugly ridges and attachment of wings away from my damn shoulders”, she shouted angrily in desperation. Her face a manifest of loathing, hatred, disgust against her own body.

Astarion's face darkened visibly at her words.

„What? Are you dumb? Why would you do that?” All the softness was erased from his tone and words. His face full of anger and misunderstanding.

“Look at me! I am ugly! I am a monster!”, she pointed at her body. “With this stupid tail and horns. Kagha called me a devil, everyone does…and they are right to do that. That is all I am: A demon doomed by the gods. Straight out of the hells where I should rot with my wretched body. This body nobody wants to touch and love.”

Astarion grabbed her hand pulled her roughly towards him “Don’t you ever say that again!”, he hissed, flashing angrily with his eyes.

“But…”

“Nothing but, my silly dumb devil girl”, he purred. Astarion closed his eyes and took a deep breath.

“Come…”, he took her by the hand to the water, „…let’s wash this blood off your body.“

Her feet could already feel the sparks of the water.

The elf kneeled down in front of her, he pulled her leather trousers down her legs. The same way followed gently her undergarment.

With almost bated breath, Saulus looked at Astarion's white curls and watched him undress her.

Astarion gave her a quick wave and she stepped out of her pants without saying a word.

After that, his skillful hands undressed him himself.

Saulus watched as the white fabric of his shirt revealed the skin of his muscular chest, which shimmered palely in the moonlight. With slightly flushed cheeks, she looked away to stop staring at him.

It was ridiculous considering that they had slept together several times. But the situation had changed and the Tiefling wanted to be respectful. To give him space and maintain boundaries.

After they were both completely naked, Astarion took her hand again and waded into the water with her.

A shiver ran through her body briefly, which was noticeable on her skin and chest. But only briefly. Because even though the water and Astarion's hand were cold, his presence was still warm.

He carefully turned her around by her shoulder so that her back was to him.

After that, Astarion began to carefully clean the cuts. With a fine white handkerchief soaked in water that he had previously taken out of his trouser pocket, he gently stroked her skin to wash the blood off it.

He didn't say a word.

He was simply gentle and caring.

His hands skillful and loving.

He was just there.

The touch of a tingling sensation felt on both of their skin as they stood in the dark water of the night. Like the touch of angels' kisses: It began to drizzle gently.

The smell of rain slowly rose to their noses.

After nothing was visible on her body except for the cuts, she had made with the dagger in a stupid attempt to cut off her wing attachment ridges, Astarion carefully turned her over. The gentle spray slowly turned into drops of rain.

He probably didn't have to try so hard. The rain would have washed everything away.

It always did, right?

Could the rain wash you clean?

Astarion looked deep into her eyes. Could still see the struggles. The uncertainty.

He put a hand on her cheek, gently stroking it before he leaned over and kissed Saulus tenderly.

His other hand gradually came to rest on her hip and pulled her closer to him.

Despite the rain and her wet hair and the raindrops dripping from her horns, her body was warm.

Warm in the dark, foggy night that was slowly turning into the day. Yes, the night was always darkest before the fog gave way to the red of the morning. They would break the shadow curse as the druid had so urgently requested and longed for and then the sun would rise here again. But first Astarion had to break the shadow over his beloved.

His cold vampire hand stroked behind her head, roughly tangled in her wet hair and pulled it tighter against his kiss. At first they had only gently put their lips together, but now their lips had begun to suck each other deeply, to caress each other. Astarion's tongue skillfully stroked her lower lip while his other hand pulled her closer to him. Her lower body pressed against his, gently and lovingly, not arousingly. The vampire felt Saulus' breasts gently pressing against his own chest, which was getting wetter and wetter because of the night rain.

Astarion felt the rain. But above all he felt her.

His beloved.

His trouble-ridden lover.

She was so comforting warm and Astarion hoped inwardly that his own cold, undead vampire body did not feel too cold for his loved one.

Yes, he wanted to have her, he really wanted to try to have a relationship. Before he lost the chance with her. Lost her to someone else, or to herself. To her darkness.

She gave him something to worry about and care for. He was not indifferent to her like he was to everything else that did not concern him. And her love for others showed him that he was not indifferent to them either. Shadowheart, Gale, Wyll, Lae'zel, Minthara, Karlach and all the others. (Halsin maybe a little)

Slowly their lips separated and Astarion's hand came back to her cheek. His forehead rested on hers.

He felt their wet hair touching. Felt the tickling raindrops dancing on their skin.

"I never want to hear you talk badly about yourself again. Never think that again. You are wonderful."

"Really?" the Tiefling asked carefully and her eyes opened and tried to look into his eyes as best she could.

"Of course. You are beautiful. And I'm not just saying that," Astarion assured her in all seriousness. "I know," he sighed, "you find it hard to believe me after I deceived you at the beginning, right? But believe me, I'm serious. And that has nothing to do with the fact that I really think you're beautiful. And despite the inexplicable, mysterious darkness in you, I think you're a kind, wonderful person."

He smiled at her briefly before his face slipped into the mischievous elf face that everyone knew him to be.

"So despite the bloody start, the evening was actually quite nice and interesting."

"Astarion..." said Saulus and gave him a tormented smile, "...can you at least be serious for once and stop making jokes? If that doesn't work, it's better not to say anything at all."

"Sush..." the elf hissed playfully and led the bard out of the water.

"Come...", he said soft and true again, so true he wanted to be from now on forever to her, "I want you to sleep in my arms. Resting with me. With horns and tail and everything."

Astarion smiled at her “And then let me kiss every single one of your ridges.”

Original Picture Posts by @aristenfromwarsaw

➹a/n: This turned out way angstier than I wanted it to be 😰

I never had enormous tragic backgroundstory with huge lore in it like so many others. Only funny quirks maybe. At home we came up with the fun idea, that Astarion started to test whether tiefling tails are erogenous, when he got bored during negotiations with Gortash. Since then it has been a running gag that he secretly does things with her tail in public. I asked if he then tries to find out what he can do with her horns when she is sleeping until she wakes up, until it becomes a game and someone dips her tail in jam.

And then she holds her in jam covered tail tight to her with tears in her eyes.

"NO! Astarion would never ever do such things. If anything, stupid children or Akabi would do it and he would comfort her afterwards."

This is how the idea came up, that when Saulus is nervous she generally holds her tail tight like children hold a security blanket.

"What could she be nervous about?"

"Maybe her wedding day..."

And from this came the fact that she is insecure about her whole tiefling body. Maybe to help others with similar thoughts.

Especially when being with someone so natural beautiful as Astarion with his elven looks.

She wondered why Bhaal would create someone looking like that, when he had the choice of all this beautiful creatures out there in Faerûn. Given the option, he still choose this appearance for his Chosen, his daughter, his own blood. His own spawn.

It could only be to scare people, to show them horror and fear, before sweet death.

So she always tried to hide herself.

But Astarion helped her accept, to love her body and to understand that there is so much beauty out there. In every form and so many different forms out there in Faerûn. Finally she was able to see herself through the eyes of others, how they saw her, how she really looked.

Bhaal may had shaped her, but it is her, that defines herself. Worth of love.

She is big, brave and beautiful!

And I hope this helps everyone with body image problems out there ❤️❤️

I was so inspired and emotionally touched by seeing my beloved blorbos as surprise screenshot, that, for a change, I just started writing my idea straight away.

I have so many BG3 fanfic ideas, why don't I write them? Because I suck at writing fanfiction in english and I really should finish my Resident Evil longfic. And I end up procrastinating not to do either 😅🙈

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