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actuallyevilgay · 11 months ago

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The Apathy (Part 2)

Astarion x Male Reader/Tav

DNI if you are a minor. Dead dove don’t eat. Please read my about before replying. Content: Astarion x Male tav, this is post epilogue.

Summary: Once Astarion learns from Withers Tav is somewhere in Neverwinter, he intends to find his lost love. We learn from Tav's perspective what he has been doing all this time. Reminders: Astarion is the vampire ascendant, Tav is not a heroic figure. Contains headcanons for several characters, contains headcanons for illithid brain alteration but not evolving. Tav uses daggers and magic. Astarion is an Arcane Trickster Rogue. I created several npcs. Some Neverwinter lore is mentioned. Content Warnings: Tav suffering from depression / ptsd, self-neglect. This part contains implied sexual attempted assault. A/N: The first part is here: link I had fun writing part 2. Angstttt..

The plan used to be, to make no plan... For Astarion- Strategy had not been on his mind for 200 years up until he gained a palace and a title. He used to be a magistrate, sure- however.. The laws changed. He was learning the ropes again. Manipulating a few political allies and gaining some influence was easy in his position. Baldur’s gate believed him to be a benevolent contributor to the repairs of the city. In the six months of his reign behind the curtains, the city’s damage from the mind flayer invasion was but a stain in the back of everyone’s memory. Unlike Cazador, Astarion did not depend on fear. He preferred enticing and seducing his targets, but not with his body. With promises, promises he could fulfil. If you play tyrant for too long, people will want you gone. If you pretend to be a saint, people become complacent. Happy, they want you around. They will keep your secrets, and reveal their secrets, to be wielded like daggers. Ready and willing for a stab in the back. But no one has dared to leverage his, Astarion was too useful. Despite Jaheira’s distaste for him, her and her harper's caution did not warrant a fight. Astarion was too interested in making sure the city was safe, not just for him but for all the people who became dependent on him. And thus, Jaheira kept her mouth shut, tolerating his very damned existence.

He had sired a fair few, hundreds spawn in that time, many of which were servants, others who became his eyes and ears. As the ascendant, his blessing was more subtle, safe for a few differences… Not all spawn would gain red eyes, and while the majority could tolerate the sun just fine, that gift would fade should they leave the near vicinity of the mansion. Others suffered light sensitivity in the eyes, requiring them to wear masks or glasses to hide their vampirism. The fangs, the paler skin was all there, they could easily hide their nature and live off air, water and bread, threading borders and wading through water. The sun remained a tiny problem for the most part, but not for Astarion himself.

The mansion acted as an anchor point of this connection, even if Astarion left for a while, his connection to this place and the ritual location connected him to all his spawn in the city. The longer he stayed, the larger a permanent safety net became. As a result his spawn eagerly bounced around the city without much worry.

There were rules of course, they were not to talk about their nature. They could not feed off strangers unless it was to kill off a problem permanently, someone who would not be missed. The bodies would have to be disposed of.

If anything, it felt peaceful. Astarion had his ambitions of course, as an immortal he had time enough to pan out his plans to make sure it would outlive any of his predecessors, as well as foes and friends alike.

The high from which he fell, the very jump that had pushed Tav away made him wary of the newly gained instincts. Desires, the need to covet power.. He would not let it control him again. It was a tool to be used warily. All his abilities were great, but he was not a god.

If he could rise to his position, someone could rise to a position to annihilate him if he made himself a big enough nuisance.

A portion of his instincts raged against the idea of staying sated, it wanted to be full. Being sated kept him going, he had no need to cause suffering. Yet. Suffering should have a purpose, yes? To indulge in those habits could make one thread dangerous waters. He had enough of the idea of walking through acid, still remembering his torture deeply.

All this thinking made him lonely.

Astarion looked to his throne in silence, listening to the sound of his servants moving things around and preparing their tools. He was not going alone to Neverwinter, and he could not leave his position without a caretaker in place.

Jaheira was not aware of it, but one of her harpers was his spawn. A recruit by the name of Alice. Alice was a rather small Tiefling girl, soft spoken and highly intelligent.

She made a bow as Astarion turned to her. ‘’I will be leaving for an undisclosed amount of time, I take it that you will continue your role as we discussed?’’

Alice nodded in response. ‘’I will report any noteworthy news.’’ Satisfied, Astarion dismissed her quickly, only for the next few servants to walk in. He revelled in the respect he received, trying not to show off how much he enjoyed their devotion and loyalty.

Two of the new faces were his personal bodyguards, the only two people he’d be bringing. Who’s to say Neverwinter didn’t have plenty of fresh people to make use of? He certainly preferred travelling light.. And in disguise. Both of the bodyguards were high elves, fraternal twin brothers. One rarely spoke, the other was tricky. His personality changed depending on who he was speaking to, as he used to be a theatre actor before taking this job. Vandelion and Tyselius. Vand and Ty for short.

They greeted with a salute and bow, the last person to talk to was standing behind them, waiting her turn. Astarion gestured for them to step aside so he could speak to his Chamberlain.

‘’Saralyn dear.’’ Astarion smiled at her, even though she avoided his gaze. Previously a human, Saralyn was one of his first spawn. ‘’You will manage business while I am away, is there anything you need before my departure?’’

‘’Nothing of note m’lord, my only request is for a bodyguard.’’

‘’Oh? Are you concerned about your safety? That is new.’’ Astarion’s brows lifted in surprise.

‘’It is simply the first time I am left in my position without your guidance and protection. I want to be sure to do my job well without risks.’’ Her speaking revealed no ill intent, only honesty.

‘’Very well, assign whomever you please from the dormitory as your personal guard.’’

‘’Thank you, my lord..’’

Enough formalities. His patience was wearing thin. Everything was done, preparations were made. They were leaving. Now.

Off to wherever Tav was, Neverwinter. What would he be doing in such a rich city? Living off trade? Did he pick up a job? Why would he push away Gale’s attempts to reach him?

If only that answer was so simple.

….

Neverwinter was vast, Volo called it the most civilised city in all of faerûn. Markets, shops, anything you could think of was sold here, if it was legal of course. There were enough things about this place that made you wonder if it was crime free. It certainly wasn’t.

Despite the cosmopolitan paradise, riches were still divided. Even if nobles were taxed heavily to share the wealth across the place, any rich civilisation invited division regardless.

You roamed the streets, catching sight of snowflakes as one landed on your nose.

Cold. It’s going to get cold.

Your clothes were worn, to the average pedestrian you looked like a beggar. To someone more prejudiced and worried for their life; you looked like a thief, or trouble.

The guard was aware of you, but never saw you act out any crimes. You would sit in public areas, watching folk pass by, wandering aimlessly until you were out of sight.

Like many times before, you took your pick. Using strange psychic abilities to displace items into your pockets. You would never aim for the better trinkets, just little things.. Like misplaced gold coins, or rusty coppers. Gold they can miss, a necklace? Maybe. If it looked like a family heirloom, you certainly avoided it. So far no one has reported their losses.

You only took what could easily be traded for food. During the nights, you would find a place to sleep on the docks, below a bridge, or an abandoned market stall.

Why are you here? One might wonder. There was no answer for it. You simply were here.

As you nodded off, the cold was getting to you. A voice called out to wake your anxious body jerk right up. ‘’You poor sod.’’ It was a wintershield watchman, one you’ve met before. Never talked to, though. But his face was plain enough to remember. Remember.

‘’It’s certainly not the time of the year for you to sleep outside. I can’t stand it.’’ The man complained, you looked at him dully, wondering when he would leave you be, so you could sleep.

‘’How about I treat you to a night at the inn? Hmm?’’ His tone changed, but you couldn’t place with intentions. Your neck hairs stood up with caution. ‘’What’s your bargain, guard? I doubt you’d offer something so freely.’’ The man smirked in response.

‘’I’ll tell you, but first.. How about a warm meal?’’

The tavern was pretty empty, small. One quick look would make one assume it was not a popular establishment. Another one and you questioned the type of customers this place had. It wasn’t loud, but it felt.. Suspicious.

Your stomach disagreed with you, and you hungrily gorged on the dinner the man purchased for you. If not for the food, you would’ve noticed his obsessive staring. His eyes lingered on your dirtied face, picturing something.

‘’What is your name?’’ He asked, causing you to look up from your plate. ��’..Why do you want to know?’’ Your eyes warily scanned the man. You did not trust him one bit, but you were so damn hungry. A part of you was ready to kill him if needed. You didn’t care if they threw you in jail.. At least you’d be somewhere inside. Hidden. ‘’Tav…My name is Tav..’’

Why you wanted to hide, you could not place. What were you hiding from? A headache?

No.. This food was too good. Just think about the food. Eat your heart out. Ignore this man.

Once finished, you watched the man pay for a room, he took you upstairs, guiding you inside. A warm bed was waiting for you, not the best.. But better than the stone floors of Neverwinter. Better than frostbite and cold feet.

Then.. The door lock made a loud sound behind you. The once too friendly guard grabbed you by the throat, slamming you onto the bed. Your vision quickly turns white, and before you know it, you’re covered in blood, drifting in the water by the docks, unsure what just happened.

Disoriented by the sudden displacement, you force yourself to swim back to the shore, fighting the nausea and coughing up from the cold. Shuddering.

There’s shouting, yelling in the distance. Fear. You wanted to run.. Did you kill the man? Did he drug you? The water already washed away any evidence. You search yourself for wounds but find none. Perhaps you did kill him, for one thing.. The dagger you hid below your shirt was missing. Your cloak was torn, making you believe there was a struggle and you got away.

You searched for the location of the fight in the distance. You could see the inn from where you stood. The roof was torn open, yet there were no signs of fire or explosion. Just a large hole, like a beast flew out. The guard certainly took notice, because you could see flashes of torches reaching the place.

Without much further thought, you jumped back in the water and swam to a different dock, to avoid leaving footsteps in the sand.

Once you reach the safety of the wooden planks, a fainting spell overtakes your body, but your stubborn reflexes refuse to let you pass out. Landing on your hands, you got right back up, jerking forward, eyes searching for the nearest hiding spot.

You notice the doors of a storage shed, likely used by the fishmongers. Once you got close enough, you halfway fell against the door, it opened just fine. Someone forgot to lock this place up it seems.

Exhausted, you drag yourself, crawling inside, hoping you aren’t bleeding and leaving no trail. It didn’t matter, even with the adrenaline, your body demanded sleep.

You face plant into the ground, unable to move. The fear kept you awake for a while, making you shake helplessly. Something awakened in your veins, a headache.. Then.. A quake. Some boxes fell, the sound of dead fish flopping over the floor was close .Afterwards, silence.

The silence was so deafening.

Morning came oh so rudely. A trail of light hits your wet face, you feel stiff. You hadn’t died of hypothermia, but you might soon.. Your instincts told you to get up and search for warmth.

The shed had many things, fish. Partially spoiled, some still fresh and preserved.

Firstly, you took boots that were laying around and happily discarded your old ones. For a moment, you looked at the scraps that previously covered your feet. The chunky old things had holes, and a strange familiarity. It made you sad as you stared. These boots must’ve been dear to you once, but you can’t fathom why it made your heart sink to toss them. Was it a family heirloom? No.. Maybe you’d just worn them for a very long time. It was nostalgia.

Some more searching and you found a few things they’d probably miss. A new bag you could slink around your waist, and a fresh shirt. It was old, smelled bad, and had a few patched holes, but it was good enough. A needle and thread later, and you repaired your cloak with some fabric you found.

Before leaving, you made sure to clean up the mess you made, hoping to hide your traces. A few fish they could miss as well, serving yourself some breakfast with a makeshift firebolt.

The docks were starting to become lively, not too crowded. You passed with ease back into the streets, returning to your usual habits. Wandering and taking things that could be missed. Your mind emptied itself of the events of last night. It happened, it passed.

A thin layer of snow had started to cover the city landscape, greeting you bitterly.

Something about the season felt strange. As if you’d never seen snow before. Everything felt new, yet so strangely familiar. Images occasionally played in your head, showing the streets of a different city. It was confusing and disorienting at times, but you did not like the visions.

Something about the different city made you feel on edge. There was a vision of an explosion, fires. Bodies scattered among the rubble. Whatever that place was, you weren’t there anymore. You were here instead.

This morning, the usual charitable figures would approach you, not say a thing, but toss a few coins your way. They barely looked at you, feigning empathy, but truly they just pitied the sight of you. Hoping the money would be enough to make you leave.

One look at your reflection in the frozen fountain water spoke loudly. You were a mess. Your hair had grown longer, tangled, uncared for. Despite the fresh clothes, your face was covered in bruises and patches of dirt. You did not recognise your own face, vaguely recalling what it used to look like. Your eyes were dull, doll-like. Tired.

‘’Look at him. It reminds me of when this City had a Beggar’s Nest.’’ Gossip of two loud Elven nobles nearby took your attention, but you didn’t turn to face them.

‘’Hush! Enough of that. I don’t want to think about that damn volcano or the undead invasion again.’’ Afterwards, the couple huddled away quickly.

Your mind blanked. You are a beggar. That’s the closest to a sense of self you’ve gotten this past week. You’ve been here for at least a few months. Someone approached you with a letter a little while ago, but it made no sense to you. The place was vaguely described, and you did not know what any of it meant. The letter must’ve been misplaced, so you tossed it without much thought.

‘’You look like you could use some help.’’ Another voice. This time, it came from someone much smaller than you. A halfling woman, she looked at you with a bright smile. ‘’Want a job?’’ She offered. ‘’I’ve just opened a tavern nearby. Work for me.’’ The cheerfulness of the woman made you wary. ‘’I..I.. Don’t like taverns.’’ You stuttered. ‘’C’mon now lad.’’ She offered her hand. ‘’Let's get you warm, okay?’’ Something in you made you reach forward. She had this motherly feeling about her. Your height difference was a little awkward as she pulled you away from the public space as if you were a lost child.

All the way into her charming little building, she held your hand firmly, not tightly, but firm. She was strong, you could sense. Perhaps the woman had been an adventurer some time ago. All though it was more likely that you were skin and bones, you did not have much strength to go on with and last night reminded you of that.

‘’I am Jilvy Fogwater, This is my tavern! Do you have a name, dear?’’ The halfling woman spoke once you sat down. The tavern was definitely made for people of various heights. The woman grabbed a seat and climbed on top to meet you face to face. ‘’..Tav. It’s just Tav.’’

‘’Tav, hmm?’’ Jilvy cocked her head to the side. ‘’You seem so unsure..’’ She pondered, looking worried.

‘’No worries Tav! Let me take care of you from now on.’’ Her smile was warm and friendly. Something inside your empty head responded. Was that a sense of relief? You couldn’t tell.

Your emotions had been confusing for so long. The only things that made sense were your base instincts. Hide. Run. Steal. Eat. ‘’Okay..’’ You wanted to thank her, but you hesitated.

She nodded at your response in acknowledgement, turning around and pouring you a hot cup of tea from which you drank greedily.

‘’Usually the folks prefer beer at these kinds of establishments. I intend to serve breakfast and lunches without alcohol.’’ The woman continued to prattle on about her business venture. Something about healthier diets and battling addiction or whatever.

Your mind emptied as you eyed the wall. There were some pictures framed. Paintings. One of her family, probably. Another of a halfling child with a similar hair colour to you.

Perhaps this woman pitied you, or felt a need to heal from an old wound. You didn’t know, and you didn’t want to ask. Her motherly energy was difficult to ignore. You did not find it unwelcome, just odd. Everything was odd.

At the very least you didn’t feel lonely.

#bg3 #bg3 tav #ascended astarion x reader #ascended astarion x male reader #ascended astarion x m! reader #astarion #astarion x tav #ascended astarion x tav #ascended astarion x male tav #ascended astarion x m! tav #male tav #baldurs gate 3

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atsadi-shenanigans · 8 months ago

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Feeding Alligators 44 - Dance With the Devil in the Pale Moonlight

Rated changed to E (just in case). Potential trigger warnings on the chapter in AO3. The sadness arc is here.

On AO3.

***

You find some stuff. You leave. Gale blows down the roof. You rejoin the others and wander out of the stink cloud of rot and set up camp. Gale makes food. You eat it mechanically.

Notice Astarion watching you.

Try to focus on the conversation but you can’t. Everyone is talking and their faces move and their limbs gesture. It’s like watching wooden puppets dancing around to an alien performance. Their words make no sense. Their expressions make no sense. You sit there and float on a cloud and do not taste your food.

The sun sinks into the treetops. Dread rises cold and leaden in you.

You can say no. Should say no. You can do it in front of all the others in case it turns out you’re wrong and he doesn’t take it well.

But.

You’ve dated before. Just the once. Ryan Meadows. Nice dude, one of Sasha’s friends. Never raised a voice or a hand against you. Said he wanted to take things slow. A real history buff and he was teaching you to cook more than boiled eggs.

Until he wanted to take it further. And you said no. Because the secular world said you could (no heavenly father or The Pastor to disapprove of you not satisfying a husband, no congregation to hold you responsible for failing your wifely duties). And Ryan had accepted that. He’d been gracious. He’d been kind. He’d smiled at you and hugged you (you hadn’t got to kissing, yet) and told you you never had to force yourself.

Then he ghosted you.

And you realized the secular world was just as much a piece of shit liar as your mother’s. You could, indeed, say no. And the world and the people in it would hold up a mirror so you could see exactly what you were worth if you didn’t open your legs.

Which was nothing.

No call, no text. He even ghosted Sasha (and she’d raged on your behalf for days, which…she meant well. But in all honestly it made you feel worse, taking up her time and attention like that).

You could and did build you some worth on your brains and your learned typing and filing skills. You got your apartment and a credit score. But you saw it in their eyes when you refused coworkers and strangers alike. How you got passed over, left out. How you’d started catching murmurs (never to your face, that would be rude). Ice queen and frigid, nun and sad and what’s her deal, is she gay—shh!

You can say no. And lose every single chance at friendship. If you refuse Astarion, he will drop you quicker than a sack of rotten potatoes, and the others will catch on. Broken goods. Legs padlocked shut. And once they realize you don’t want to fuck any of them, either? Once that option is closed and you make a bad call, ever?

You cannot survive on your own, here. You can’t.

Astarion glances to you again. You’re pretty sure those are what they call bedroom eyes—the half-lidded thing. Shadowheart catches him doing it and it looks like she stepped on a slug with her bare feet.

It’s fine. It’ll be fine. A bit of exercise, once and done, and this time tomorrow, you’ll have had sex, oh goodie.

But what if he wants to again.

Gale looks at you. Frowns, actually. “Are you alright?”

You sit against a tree in the clearing. Your plate is empty (you have no idea what he cooked). You hold a slice of bread in your hand. What remains of one, anyway; you done squeezed it into a hardened ball of dough.

You can’t breathe.

“It’s been a day,” you say and smile. You make sure to keep the edges of your mouth soft, keep your lips from being too rigid. “I think I’m gonna wash up. Thank you for dinner; it was delicious.”

“My pleasure,” Gale says, and he ain’t as good as you at making his smile look genuine.

Karlach ducks to whisper something to Lae’zel. Who gives you a cool once-over. The giant tiefling looks back at you, eyes sparkling. She looks so happy for you.

You force yourself to give her a thumbs up. You feel Astarion’s stare on the back of your neck as you turn and head down to the river.

It’s just sex. A bit of touching, he’ll probably use fingers at first, if he’s courteous. All you have to do is not scream or flinch. Don’t lie there like a doll. Maybe touch him back (oh god) and participate or something.

Maybe you can make it bad? A bad lay is still more valuable than an ice queen.

You take a sharp breath. Flap your hands to try to dissipate the tingles.

It’s just sex. You’ll be fine. It’ll probably feel nice and there’s no need whatsoever to get so worked up about it, stop being stupid.

Your head gets that memo, reads it over, and nods. Your body launches itself into a tantrum you cannot control.

You undress. Try not to feel so exposed as the wind brushes your breasts and between your legs. There will be hands there, soon.

It is literally just sex. It’s fine. You’re fine. This is nerves, is what it is. You said yes. It’s still happening on your terms, even if you didn’t initiate it. Astarion is, well…he’s not actually a good man, is he? He’s an outright bastard. But he’s funny? And there’s something about him you recognize, some connection you can’t name. He’s seen you at your worst, and he’s fine with it.

He jokes about it.

And he wants you. At least for this, at least for right now (lamed gazelle, the most vulnerable prey and what is a vampire if not a predator—)

But that just means you’re going into this eyes wide open. You know he’s not like, marriage material or anything, and he doesn’t see you as such either. You ain’t even sure he’s capable of that kind of attachment (he might be?? You just do not know). He wants sex, just sex, and you can handle that and it’ll secure him to the group and better secure you to the group. That’s what European marriages were: a political alliance forged through genital contact.

A snort breaks free. And it’s the first pebble in a whole ass landslide. You end up crouching in the river, butt-naked, laughing your ass off.

Honestly, you’re probably about to have a better first time than a lot of people—especially the ones with vaginas. Might as well enjoy what you can. You can even make it a funny story, later. “Oh, my first? Got railed by a vampire bareback out in the woods.”

It’s already hilarious.

You get to washing. Well, washing as best you can without soap. Or a razor; you don’t normally shave your legs (wasn’t a thing, growing up) and you never had the time or the spoons for the armpits. Plus, you weren’t looking to impress nobody.

You splash between your legs. If somebody is gonna be all up in there, it only seems polite.

And somebody is gonna be all up in there. Jesus lord, there’s going to be a cock inside you—

The flush is part fluster and part nerves. That’s what you tell yourself. It’s normal. This is normal. You’re lucky, really.

Really.

Absolutely.

Your hands still shake as you pull your trousers on for the walk back to your tent. You got the one clean pair; you’ll change into those.

The rest is on AO3 just in case, and also because it's long.

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#feeding alligators fic #these two shitheads #astarion fic #astarion x tav #tavstarion #bg3 fic #angst with a happy ending #eventually #slow burn #purity culture trauma #shame trauma #demisexual tav #plus size tav #modern girl in faerun

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eldritch-blasted-bagels · 9 months ago

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Excuse my brain rot and the fact that I was a theatre kid BUT-

What Shakespearean Monologue I Want to See Each BG3 Companion Perform

Wyll

“O Soft, What Light Through Yonder Window Breaks” from Romeo and Juliet

Of course. There is no other option.

This man is a hopeless romantic and, I adore him, would not get the point of the play but would have so much fun playing Romeo.

Everyone in the cast would also be hopelessly in love with him.

(Bonus) “Once More Upon the Breech!” from Henry V

Oh this man would KILL this monologue. The battle cry? The rousing of his men against an impossible task? It’s what he was made to do, it’s what the character was built for.

Equal and opposite to how he’d absolutely slay as Romeo, he would make an amazing Henry.

Karlach

“O, Then I See Queen Mab Hath Been With You” from Romeo and Juliet

I almost, almost gave this to Astarion because I think he could also do it justice, but he already had two monologues.

Just… love u Karlach you can say whatever nonsense and I will nod along. Also absolutely ragging on your friend and getting carried away in the bit feels very in character for her.

I feel like she doesn’t really do acting but she would come support her friend’s productions however she could.

Astarion

“To Be Or Not To Be” from Hamlet

Hear me out; I think it would either be so over dramatic or the best damn rendition you’ve ever heard.

Contemplation of mortality, pain, existence? Astarion is at his best when he’s having an existential crisis.

This man was also just built to play Hamlet. You could replace this with “‘Tis now the very witching hour of night,” “O, that this too too sullied flesh would melt” Or any of his soliloquies and what I said still goes.

(Bonus) “Dost Thou Not Suspect My Place?” from Much Ado About Nothing

This is one of the best comedic monologues Shakespeare has to offer and I won’t be told otherwise

Specifically based on the line of Dogberry describing himself as a tasty piece of flesh while also being Dogberry and flouncing about, being hysterical, because someone called him an ass.

(Bonus 2) (Sorry this man is very Shakespeare coded) He would be such a good Puck in A Midsummer Night’s Dream. Just a little shit.

Gale

“O, She Misused Me Past the Endurance of a Block!” From Much Ado About Nothing

Just as I think Astarion was built to play Hamlet, Gale was built to play Benedick.

He’s just enough of an ass but also fucking comedic enough to pull this off and make it hysterical. Like Benedick, he also just keeps talking.

(Bonus) Lear’s Storm Monologues

I think at his worst, Gale could do Lear some fuckin justice in his performance of that specific piece, and that slow descent into madness.

Lae’zel

“I Would Eat His Heart In The Marketplace” from Much Ado About Nothing

It’s a take I’m so here for and I think she’d get really into scolding Benedick for being a dishonorable coward.

Just think about the potential delivery of “Oh! If I were a man! I’d eat his heart in the marketplace!” gives me chills.

I don’t ship Lae’zel and Gale necessarily but I think if you put them in a production of Much Ado together it would be cemented as a bar-standard production.

Shadowheart

“O What a Noble Mind Been O’erthrown” from Hamlet

She kins Ophelia and you can’t tell me otherwise. Also specifically, in this, the context of being used as a pawn by everyone in her life feels appropriate.

(Bonus) Let her play Joan of Arc in Henry VI. I don’t know why she’s so Joan of Arc coded in my brain but let her do it.

Halesin

“All the World’s a Stage” from As You Like It

This one is the one I’m least confident about but the world-weary and worn nature that it can take on feels very Halesin and I think he would do a performance in such a way that it sends you spiraling into an existential crisis.

(Bonus) Minthara

“And Dash’d the Brains Out!” from Macbeth

Again, I just think Minthara would kill as Lady Macbeth.

But, I don’t think “Out damn spot” would be where she shined; I think these moments of absolute murder and ambition would.

Also inspired by the production (in DC I think?) where they had to cut Lady Macbeth literally smashing a baby doll on rocks during this monologue because the audience found it too disturbing.

#this took me way too long please enjoy #I love Shakespeare so much and have brain rot #bg3 #baldurs gate 3 #bg3 shitpost #baldur's gate 3 #bg3 memes #baldur's gate 3 memes #bg3 meme

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her-devils-advocate · 1 year ago

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New beginnings

♥. Genre: Fluff

♥. pairings: The Dark Urge (Nell) x Astarion

♥. content warnings: None

♥. notes: Set after the end of the game. Spawn Astarion and my redeemed dark urge have since settled down and have now decided to announce their next step in life to their friends.

♥. Ao3 link: https://archiveofourown.org/works/51921196

♥. Word count: 1,563

Their companion's laughter is loud and joyful as it drifts from the dining room and into the kitchen. Nell's heart had swelled with a love she had yet to experience as they arrived one by one to share the evening with her and her lover.

It had been a year since they had destroyed the elder brain and derailed the horrid plan she had put in motion, a year of freedom. From her urges and the tadpole.

Getting them all in one place had been easier said than done, even with the promise of a home-cooked meal and a "family" reunion, something Astarion had lightly scoffed at, earning him a gentle elbow to the ribs.

It had broken Nell’s heart to watch them all part ways, going on to make a new life for themselves, or returning to a life they had been snatched away from. But it was still a life away from the constant danger and discomfort that they had previously faced. They had said their tearful goodbyes and parted with a sending stone to remain in contact.

Yet now they all share a table once more. Nell can hear Karlach’s loud voice telling stories of the trails both she and Wyll had faced upon returning to Avernus, excitedly acting out the more exciting parts as she does. She can hear Gale and Shadowheart gossiping amongst themselves, no doubt trying to find an alternative motive to their small reunion. They would be correct in their suspicion, but Nell takes a small amount of pride in knowing they would never guess the correct reason.

Amidst all the chaos of chatter, she can hear Minsc’ booming laugh followed by the harsh scoff of a Githyanki. The druids are together at the end of the table, idly speaking together. If Nell strains her ears enough, she can pick up the faint murmur of Halsin casting Speak with Animals, no doubt to gossip with Scratch and the owlbear cub. She hopes the animals don’t begin to share too much information on their private life or the reason they are gathered once more.

Nell idly floats around the kitchen and now that the excitement of seeing everyone has died down, she is left full of nerves. She’s silently fretting while Astarion removes the cherry pie from the oven, smiling proudly at his work.

"For someone who won't even be eating this, I think I've done an amazing job, love." Astarion's smile manages to halt her movements, drawing her to him like a moth to a flame.

She gently places her hands on his chest, taking a moment to slowly smooth out his delicately embroidered shirt. Not that there had been any creases to begin with. Astarion catches her hands, holding them gently before giving them a small, comforting squeeze.

"It smells wonderful, thank you for doing this Astarion."

"Always, you know I would do anything for you." His words are soft as he gazes down at her, placing a small kiss on her forehead before his words take on a teasing tone. "That and I think we both remember what happened the last time I left you alone in the kitchen. Really, for someone who actually needs to eat, you can be quite a horror when it comes to cooking. And before you say anything; no, your amnesia is not an excuse anymore."

Memories of a smoke-filled house, a small oven fire and one extremely panicked and annoyed vampire fills her mind. She huffs before shooting him a playful glare.

"Well, it was a nice excuse while it lasted." She makes a point to ignore his raised eyebrow. It was a horrible experience for them both, her hardly knowing the world around her and Astarion as her reluctant translator in the early days of their forced adventure. But that was long in the past. She had since learnt her place in the world and Astarion was no longer reluctant to give her a nudge in the right direction.

Before she can get too swept up in her mind, Astarion's larger hand slowly takes one of hers and brings it up to his lips. His lips curl into a smirk as he kisses the shining jewel that sits proudly upon her ring finger.

Nell's heart flutters at the action, nerves and excitement violently dancing within her.

He had given her many different gifts since they had become official; stolen trinkets that a merchant wouldn’t miss, dresses that he had hand-crafted for her, claiming that her old robes were getting tacky. Yet no gift could compare to the ring he had used to propose.

It was the first time he refused to use his deft fingers to his advantage, refusing anything that could make the moment less honest.

She remembers how he gracefully dropped down onto one knee, his smile both blinding and hesitant as he showed her the ring. The glittering ruby was encased in gently engraved vines that wrapped themselves around the band of the ring.

It was beautiful and dangerous, just like them.

"How do you think they will react?"

"Hmm, well if I know Karlach, she's probably going to squeeze you so tightly that you won't be able to breathe. So good luck with that dear, do try not to die. Lae'zel will most likely scoff, or voice displeasure for some reason or another. The rest… well, why ruin the surprise with speculation?"

Nell lets out a small giggle, the sound floating around the kitchen and settling within Astarion's heart.

"You do know that if Karlach gets me in a bear hug, she's going to do the exact same to you?"

Before he can grumble out a reply, the ruckus of the dining room interrupts any retort he has ready.

"We should probably serve dessert before it goes cold."

"And before they grow concerned that we've ditched them for more private activities?"

He laughs as his remark earns him a gentle bap with the tea towel before Nell carries out a stack of clean plates. Astarion follows her, placing the pie in the centre of the table with as much flourish as possible.

Jaheira is the first to speak up, a gentle smirk on her face. Her chat with the owlbear had been interesting for them, no doubt sharing stories of their domesticated life with the older woman.

“Ah, so you had remembered the company awaiting you.”

“Perfection takes time, Jaheira! It’s not like the desert was going to bake itself.” Nell tries to sound stern, only for the permanent smile that has been on her face since the evening started to ruin that plan. Nell’s smile causes the older druid to smile in turn, pride flickering in her heart at how far the bard had come to now be smiling so openly. To see her no longer fearing her every move.

“You say that as if you were the one to lift a finger in the kitchen, darling. Here I am, playing personal chef while you take the credit” The dramatic sigh causes more than one eye-roll to occur around the table, much to Astarion’s displeasure.

“A vampire cooking treats, I do believe I can say I’ve now seen it all, my friend!”

“Yes well, I’m sure you will appreciate this pie more than you would appreciate me cooking and serving our dear ex-leader.” Astarion bares the wizard his fangs before Nell lightly drags him over to his chair beside Gale.

“Alright, enough bickering you lot. We have a small announcement to make first, while the pie cools.” Nell doesn’t miss the way the room quietens, or the raised eyebrow Shadowheart shoots her.

“Oh my gods! You’re pregnant?” Karlach’s exclamation is loud, loud enough to spook the owlbear and cause him to run into the couple’s bedroom, earning a small whine from Scratch. “Do I get to be an auntie?”

The silence is deafening as Nell freezes. Her silver eyes are wide open in shock, mirroring the majority of the expressions on her friends' faces. All besides Astarion, who looks like he’s trying to stop himself from laughing, tears pooling in his eyes as he holds back.

“A vampire and a bhaalspawn, I didn’t even know they could procreate with one another...” Wyll’s voice trails off, going deep into thought and causing Astarion to break.

The group ignores the rapidly increasing giggles, too caught up in their speculation. “Do you think it will be a boy or a girl?”

“Hmm, I would place my bet on a girl. But she would have Astarion’s luscious locks, no offence Nell.

“Good thought Gale! I think she will also take his nose yet have her mother’s eyes. Well, the silver ones. Not her previous spooky mood-changing eyes… No offence again, Nell!”

“Uh, no offence taken…?” Nell is still frozen as she watches the chaos unfold around her, too overwhelmed to keep up with the rapid ideas being tossed around.

“You idiots, she’s not pregnant…yet,” Astarion gives the group a wink between his laughter, causing a few groans and scoffs to bounce around the room as he moves to Nell’s side, lifting up her hand and bringing attention to the ring glittering in the candlelight. A few gasps can be heard from their friends, obviously surprised at the idea of either of them actually settling down in such a way. “I believe you skipped a stage.”

#♥. writing #♥. Nell #baldur's gate 3 #bg3 #astarion #astarion x dark urge #astarion x tav #baldurs gate astarion #baldur's gate oc

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scrapsovereign · 7 months ago

Text

The Long Way Down - Chapter 12

Link to work on AO3:

Summary:

Tav and Gale share a vision with the tadpole get to know each other better. Astarion almost takes Tav for a bite to eat until they're interrupted by a mysterious stranger. Trigger Warning for this chapter: Vague hint of child abuse/CSA

(NSFW for a paragraph or two, Astarion x Gale x Tav being stupid, 5.8k-ish words)

“You’re sure she’ll like this?”

“Gale. My friend. Trust me. Tav might be…a lot, but her tastes are fairly basic.”

If Tav hadn’t stirred from the racket Gale was making preparing breakfast and started eavesdropping at the mention of her name, she would groan and argue against his accusation. Wyll has a lot of nerve, calling her “a lot”. The Blade of the Frontiers has his own unique baggage, and her name is Miz-

“A counterpoint to your descriptor of basic- what shame is there in enjoyment of elevated staples? I bet you the choice of any magical item in your possession that I could conjure fare that rivals the finest tables you’ve ever dined from.”

“Let me think on that before I accept. But, to address your concerns, don’t underestimate yourself. If your culinary talents match your vocabulary, it’s smooth sailing from here. You see, when it comes to Tav, a lot of people get it wrong if they try to court her like a lady.”

Wait, what ?

Is Gale…trying to…seduce her? With food? At Wyll’s suggestion?

The traitor. How dare he give him accurate advice.

But why is he asking in the first place? She thought Gale and Astarion were interested in each other after what happened between them last night…

“She's a lot like a man. The way to her heart is through her stomach.”

Tav is about to complain to Wyll out loud with a “I heard that!” when her brain short circuits at the heavenly scent floating over her like a dream, something primal awakening in her.

Appearing suddenly in between them, she loudly sniffs a long, singular inhale of what Gale’s managed to concoct for breakfast.

Sweet rolls. Crispy bacon. Eggs.

Coffee, brewed using a canter with a press mechanism she’s so fond of- with a bit of fresh cream.

“Wyll, pinch me. I need to know I haven’t died and gone up to the great campground in the sky,” her mouth and eyes water at the sight before her. Have the Gods smiled upon them this day?

He obliges with a shrug, choosing a spot he knows she hates- the back of her upper arm.

“Ouch! Every time you do that, I regret teaching it to you. Gale, did you…did you really make all this?”

He gives her his most handsome, roguish smirk and opens his mouth to reply-

“That’s really sweet of you to do all this for Astarion, but I don’t think he’d appreciate it. He’s on that carnivore diet that’s all the rage with the Patriars in the B-Geezy. Where is he anyways?” She inquires, looking around the camp for the other elf like a lost puppy looking for its master.

“Tav, there’s so much wrong with what you just said, but let’s address the most important thing. Nobody calls Baldur’s Gate that, it’s either ‘THE Gate’ or ‘THE City’,” Wyll groans, pinching the bridge of his nose.

Tav scoffs at his criticism of her clever nickname and thinks she might see how much she can get him to repeat the motion over the next tenday, just to spite him.

“I disagree on the priority of corrections needed. It’ll be a balmy midsummer’s eve in Cania before I go out of my way to do anything ‘sweet’ for that villain and his libertine manipulations- especially after his unnecessarily lubricious display of dominance last night,” Gale spits out with a scowl.

His jaw twitches, looking as if he is ready to begin unleashing a new round of poisoned words. Tav’s pointed ears fall flat at the prospect of his ranting continuing on. She notices his expression soften in response.

“Ah, forgive me- I seem to have overburdened you with my troubles. Please, eat- Wyll tells me this is a favorite of yours and- Shadowheart ! Where do you think you’re going with that decanter of coffee? That’s for everyone to share!”

Shadowheart, terribly hungover but freshly cleaned up and dressed for the day, rolls her eyes at Gale’s admonishment.

“Must I? Any amount of coffee is a personal sized cup if you try hard enough and believe in yourself.”

“These are Luskan-roasted beans, you might want to start small and then have a- oh, okay,” Wyll’s attempt to gently explain the powerful caffeine content is met with an aggressive stare down from Shadowheart as she pours herself a rather large amount in her cup and sips from it.

Tav almost wonders aloud if there’s anything to the saying that people like their coffee like their lovers.

She keeps her mouth shut, realizing with a rosy flush she always liked hers with a bit of a bite.

==============================

Lae’zel returns first to camp, freshly cleaned and ready to venture forth. Astarion is fashionably late and in a bit of a foul mood, doing his best to disguise it with a confident smirk. Wyll announces he’s going to be tagging along to aid them, deeming his company necessary to give them the help they’re going to need.

Tav’s camp meeting goes rather smoothly, aside from the brief interruption from Wyll and Gale when she discusses party roles, accusing her of copying Acquisitions Incorporated’s style of party management. Astarion’s eyes light up with interest seeing Tav mad as hell over it- what an interesting sore spot to have! He giggles in delight when she turns it back around and asks them if they’re the Sword Coast Adventuring copyright police. After all, that wretched Omin Dran stole the system her family’s business came up with and capitalized on it for his own gain. Tav isn’t the only one who has that button to push, she sends Gale reeling and sputtering with disbelief at her admission of how she’d heard of Jim Darkmagic the Third of Acq. Inc. but never Gale Dekarios, Mystra’s Chosen, Archmage of Waterdeep.

It is Lae’zel that redirects them to the matter of the goblin camp, and if they should be of assistance to the refugees and the grove or (her preferred option) be on their way. They hold a vote- Tav, Gale, and Wyll choosing to deal with the goblin threat, Shadowheart and Lae’zel choosing to leave them to deal with the threat themselves.

Astarion is the last holdout, mulling over his options. While he’s relishing in everyone’s discomfort over taking so much time to make his decision, he’s also savoring the simple fact that he has any say at all. Aiding the Grove is a fool’s errand, but he’s not in any hurry to get the tadpole plucked from his skull at the crèche. The parasite has granted him freedom- something he had lost hope of tasting ever again.

He votes to aid the Grove and is rewarded with a bright smile from Tav that squeezes his dead heart. A strange sensation indeed- must be the fat content of the boar’s blood he sampled last night.

Tav takes Astarion and Gale with her to make a supply run, much to Gale’s dismay. The merchant in camp has run out of tents (and many other things, so he claims), and only has various bolts of colored canvas left. Gale pipes up with a “Well, actually, according to my calculations”, disagreeing with Astarion about the yardage needed. The two men bicker with each other while Tav drains the party’s pooled gold, ensuring their comfort for the many days ahead.

She purchases an additional sewing kit and a length of fine linen cloth, tucking it away in her pack before Astarion sees her do so.

Tav and Wyll locate a well-hidden spot near a large tributary that feeds the broad expanse of the Chionthar to establish base camp. Gale begins the process of setting up wards alongside Tav while she helps him locate the spot to place them. She spots a boar with two puncture marks, the hot afternoon already starting to bloat the corpse and decompose it. While Gale is suspicious they have a vampire lurking about the woods, Tav is more upset that a perfectly good pork shoulder went to waste.

“That right there is more useless than tits on a boar hog,” Tav sighs out, looking down at the exsanguinated boar. If not for the vampiric toxins that went to its muscles and nervous system it would have made a fine meal.

Gale doesn’t understand the reference.

Tav doesn’t explain.

He does, however, take the opportunity while he is alone with her to confide in her about this ex.

She has to stop him at several points to clarify a few things- she was his teacher then he was her chosen then his…lover? And he was chosen at 17, but then she died and was resurrected by the one and only Archmage Elminster while he was in his 20’s, and that’s the part where they became lovers?

Oh, and by the way, she’s the goddess of Magic.

Tav feels dizzy all of a sudden from the influx of information. She plops herself down in a very un-ladylike fashion on a tree root peeking through the forest floor at the edge of camp.

“So… what happened between you two?”

Gale takes a knee next to her, scooping up Tav’s dirt-stained, rough hands in his.

“I was a fool. I wasn’t satisfied with just sharing a bed with her. I should have been, but I desired more. The siren call of the forbidden mysteries of the weave bewitched me- it was maddening to be brought to the precipice and gaze out at the wonders beyond every time I was with her,” he has a sort of sad half-smile as he recounts his tale to her, tracing the veins on the back of her hands absent-mindedly with his thumbs.

“This is where my folly comes into play. Shall I spare you the history lesson and get straight to its sordid finale?”

“I’m willing to listen to whatever you’re willing to tell,” she searches his lovelorn brown eyes sparkling with tears and he grips her hands tighter in acknowledgement.

“Once upon a time, a very long time ago, a mighty lord who ruled over the land of Netheril-”

“Karsus- isn’t he the asshole who broke magic the first time and now magic users can’t cast anything past a certain threshold?” Tav blurts out in a single breath, unblinking.

“Why, actually, yes,” Gale stutters, feeling a flush creep up his neck. “I must admit, it’s a delightful surprise to discover you are already apprised of this knowledge,” he murmurs at her demurely, the timbre of his voice becoming a bit husky.

Tav shifts uncomfortably- does Gale know she’s a fraud? That she only knows about this event in history because “Dark Weave, Darker Desires: Nether’ill Fall In Love Again” is one of her most-read books in her personal collection of filth?

She feels a heat creep over her and settle between her legs as he presses her palms to the tattoo on his chest. She watches in fascination as it glows underneath her hands, activated by her touch.

“In my hubris, I sought to return a part of the weave to Mystra. I obtained a tome that held a fractured part of the weave, determined to return this lost part of herself to her- it might be best to show you what happened next. May I?”

A dull headache radiates from the back of her skull. She relaxes, closes her eyes, and lets Gale take control.

Seeing through Gale’s eyes, she feels his emotions of dread settle in her stomach while recalling the memory of a book that had been bound, now suddenly open. The book is a trap- containing no pages but a terrifying black orb, a vacuum in space that leaps towards his chest. A voice cries aloud at the excruciating pain as it claws its way to take hold in him, embedding itself in the complex fibers of his very existence.

Once it settles, she feels a hunger with her very soul, gnawing away at her, only temporarily satiated by feeding it items that contain pure elements of the weave…

She knows hunger, and it breaks her heart.

It holds on, but the vision changes- it is nighttime, an alleyway off city streets. A group of men whose faces are cast in shadow loom above, their hands offering coin at first but then touch and grope, push and pull, moving lower and lower still-

The vision shifts again, hands embrace her while she sleeps between Astarion and Gale, her heart so full, feeling so safe and comfortable…

Gale’s hands that trace up her muscled arm, the curiosity washing over her of how his lips would feel against hers…

It is evening now, and cool lips puff honeyed promises into his ears, confused by his arousal so soon after the exchange of their cutting words. The feeling of uncertainty hangs heavy over him while he considers if he wants this, but damn it all to hell if he doesn’t enjoy the attention after being so lonely for so long. He submits unwittingly to the seductions of the man above him, losing himself in the pleasure that builds steadily inside him…

The connection snaps shut so hard Tav thinks she might have smacked her head on the tree she sits against.

“The Karsus weave…it lives in you, but the hunger you feel-”

“It’s no matter compared to the hunger in the vision of the alleyway…those men…Tav, when you were a child, did you-”

“But, did you and Astarion…augh! Gods above us Gale! What kinda mess did we just get into with that tadpole show and tell?!” She groans in exasperation, covering her face with her hands.

“We should spare a moment to talk about what just happened and the visions shared by our dormant Illithid passengers. I have so many questions,” he braces the sides of her knees, looking up at her with curiosity, concern, and something else…

“We will, I promise you. I…need time to process all of that. I think you need to talk to Astarion, first.”

Gale’s brows furrow at the mention of the other man.

“I’ll have you know that my attempts at civilized conversation thus far have been hijacked by his lordship. If the outcome of negotiations between us turns aggressive, I would like to state for the record that it won’t be from an absence of attempts on my behalf.”

“I get that. Look. I got a suspicion that something big is at play here, and I think we’re going to have to overcome our differences with each other and be able to work together. You two got off on the wrong foot- sorry, pun not intended.”

Gale huffs a laugh at her joke. He stands, offering a hand to assist her to stand with him and get a move on resuming their tasks. There’s only a few more incantations left to go to finish their warding project, the sun is starting to sink in the sky, and dinner certainly won’t cook itself.

“You have my word that I shall put every effort towards reconciliation. However, if the other party refuses to cooperate I cannot guarantee results.”

“I’ll talk to him tonight. Promise me you’ll do your best to get along?” she sighs out, rubbing the side of her temples.

“It shall be done. Just- please be careful, will you Tav? You saw what happened to me during our connection, and I fear for your ability to walk away with your… ahem- dignity intact. I could accompany you-” Gale’s offer is cut short by the wave of her hands.

“No, I don’t want him to feel like we’re backing him into a corner. Something tells me he wouldn’t like that at all.”

“Only if you’re certain,” Gale tilts his head down with a nod, his pleading eyes trying to ascertain her confidence.

Tav nods and smiles, hoping he isn't able to tell that she’s really screaming inside.

==============================

“Astarion, a word?”

He knicks the edge of the canvas with his knife, tearing it asunder with his vampiric strength to reveal the beautiful visage of his target.

“Ah, our dear leader reappears! What can I do for you, darling?”

Tav makes a face like someone just knocked the air out of her.

She’s terrible at disguising her desire for him. If he could see himself through her eyes, what vision would she have before her that would entice her so?

Would his skin be glittering in the sunlight with his undead body’s pathetic attempt at perspiration, and would she be wondering how it would glide against hers? Maybe she likes a man with exposed forearms, he does have his sleeves rolled up while he tears the fabric much like how he’s ripped apart many a bodice in the past. Or maybe it is the sewing needle and waxed thread between his teeth, perhaps she’d rather have her nipple pinched between them instead?

“I…uhm…can I speak with you tonight before first watch? Alone? At the abandoned lookout tower we passed on the way here?” Tav glows a shade of red that couldn’t possibly be fully attributed to exposure from the unforgiving Highsummer sun.

“Say no more, my dear,” He pins the needle through a ruffle on his blouse to secure it, stashing his dagger at his side.

He is close to her now.

Too close.

“An evening rendezvous with my favorite traveling companion…how could I say no?” He drawls, tracing a finger along the outline of her jaw, admiring how easily she trembles with his touch.

“Great! I’m gonna- uh, go get cleaned up before dinner- see you then!”

Astarion removes the needle from his shirt as he watches Tav power walk away from him, resuming his stitching. As he weaves the needle through he cannot help but chuckle to himself at how she is already in his clutches, trapped in the metaphorical web he’s woven specially for her.

==============================

Hearing the sound of someone hauling themselves up the steep rock face of their agreed meeting spot, Astarion arranges himself in an attractive pose, lounging on the ground to look wistfully up at the stars.

It must have worked - he can hear pulse flutter as she drinks in the sight of his ethereal beauty, illuminated by the silver glow of the moon.

“Hey, thanks for waiting for me- whatcha lookin at? Anything good?” She awkwardly looks up at the sky- he supposes she’s searching her memory if the last few days of Highsummer would feature any astronomical events of note.

“Why yes, it’s quite the sight. The stars, I mean. I could take or leave your chin.”

Tav self-consciously touches her face at his negging, brushing it off with a shake of her head. “You can really see how much brighter they are out here. It’s hard to notice with the evening light pollution in the B-Geezy,”

Astarion winces from the psychic damage dealt to him from her horrid nickname of the city he’s called home for most of his un-dead life. Where in the nine hells did she hear that? Worse yet is when he considers it may be a Tavirel Lorak original.

“So, you’re probably wondering why I wanted to meet you out here,” Tav begins, suddenly breathless under Astarion’s intense gaze. Hells, she’s so nervous being alone with him. It’s cute, actually, it reminds him of how one would speak with their first crush. “I wanted to talk about something…”

He stands up, slinking over to her. Has she finally had enough of the torture she puts herself through and has decided to succumb to his charms? If it turns out she is still resisting him after tonight she won’t be able to hold out much longer - he’ll make sure of it.

“It feels awkward to bring up, but I wanted to make sure all was well between you and Gale?”

Her question makes his eyebrow twitch.

She’s brought him out here, a balmy late summer’s eve in the moonlight, a perfect storybook romantic escape not to confess to him but…to criticize him? This isn’t going according to plan. At all.

“It looked like you were both sharing an…intimate moment last night and Gale’s been feeling a way about it. He mentioned that-”

“This is the reason you’ve lured me away from camp? To scold me like a child?” Astarion challenges her with his reply, feeling the creep of that same poisonous emotion from the other night begin to bubble up again.

“If we’re going to be traveling together it’s important that we are all able to work together. I need you two to settle up whatever ugliness is between you,” he sees her scowl as she asserts herself.

“Hah! The wizard is too much of a coward to face me so he runs to mother, expecting her to do so in his stead. Are you always so easily manipulated? I suppose I shouldn’t be surprised at your naivety, all things considered.”

“What do you mean by that?”

It’s not her words that give Astarion pause- it’s the horrid look twisting her beautiful face into something that makes him want to jump out of his own skin. Her expression is hauntingly identical to the face of indignant surprise Cazador used to make when Astarion’s carefully crafted mask of obedience would slip.

Panic causes his ears to fill with a high pitched ring and his vision unfocuses for a moment. He can’t believe that he’s spoken back in such a rude, impulsive manner to her. The muscles of his lean body involuntarily tense and freeze, bracing himself for a violent, sharp correction.

The spell is broken seconds later when he realizes it never arrives.

In place of the harsh punishment his master would have dealt him, a different sort of pain grips him. His barely beating heart threatens to split in two at the sight of her pointy ears sagging while his words sink in.

“You know, you’re right about me being a little green around the ears. Being honest, this is my first real ‘big’ adventure leading a team. I’ve mostly done work as a guide, and I’ll be damned if I haven’t woken up every day since we got these worms put in our eyeballs wondering if I’m really cut out for any of this,” the corner of her mouth quirks up to gaslight them both into thinking his remarks didn’t sting as much as they did.

He needs to recover this.

But wait- maybe he can use it to his advantage. Is this temporary setback a gift in disguise that will bring her back around to him with more intensity?

He’s willing to take a chance and find out.

“Come now, darling. You must have some skill with how to get on with people, otherwise you would have gone out of business long ago. What do you have in mind for how we resolve our conflict, hmm? Holding hands and talking about our feelings?” The corners of her mouth tug downward- that was the wrong direction he wanted to go.

“Alright then. If that’s no use, I don’t suppose you have what those two-copper romance novels call a ‘get along sweater’ in your pack?” He tempts. The joke meant as a riff on those trashy books she reads disarms her, successfully earning him a hesitant huff of her laughter.

“Better yet- what if you have a trick card in your sleeve, a secret move passed down by generations of rangers before you?”

He lowers his normally musical voice and stalks a circle around her. It’s his experience that most rangers can’t resist being hunted, and she’s no exception.

“The game is up, my dear. I’ve uncovered your sinister plans. You were going to use the old ‘There’s only one bedroll’ trick, weren’t you? You would take away a bedroll from one of us, forcing us to lie in each other’s arms and ‘kiss and make up’.”

He brushes against the surface of her thoughts like he did the other night, hoping to see something wonderfully depraved.

Two bodies are pressed together, but it’s not Gale he sees in his arms.

Tav lies beneath him on top of an unfolded bedroll, beads of sweat dripping down her naked skin, their limbs entangled with one another. She’s taking him in so well, pushing her hips up to meet his as he buries himself in her completely. She sucks on his fingers coated in her slick to muffle her loud cries of pleasure that threaten to wake the entire camp…

He smiles to himself.

His gamble paid off, she’s right back on track.

“I’m not sure being closer is what you both need right now,” her strained, dry voice crackles out.

“I was just thinking the same thing! You know, I can feel a connection between us, great minds and all that withstanding. Say, might I disclose something…personal to you? I’ve had a certain special someone in my thoughts, and I can assure you it’s not the wizard.”

“Oh…uhm, who’s the lucky person?” Tav gulps a breath of air down nervously, her knees all of a sudden feeling rather wobbly.

This is all very good. If her knees are weakened by the barest mention of his interest, he can’t wait to see how sticky and sweet she is for him after he slathers his honeyed words all over her.

“You might know her. Elven, young, cascading waves of ebony that shimmer an assortment of precious gems in the sunlight. Eyes the color of bashful spring violets, not commonly seen amongst her kind. Which- speaking of unusual. She’s completely devoid of the typical aloof elven airs, it’s rather refreshing if you ask me. A plucky heroine with a wicked, naughty sense of humor,” He places a hand around her waist and draws her closer to him, bringing his hand under her chin.

Unbeknownst to Tav, the canned lines that have her captivated were rehearsed earlier while sewing and assembling tents with Lae’zel (who complained about how terrible they were the whole afternoon that they worked). They spill from his lips and flow freely, as if they were read aloud from the crisp pages of a fledgling poet’s first book.

“She’s so vulnerable, and yet she keeps getting back up to face her challenges head on. Her actions may be seen as foolish, but I see it as bravery.”

All Tav can do as he speaks is look up to his hungry eyes, stunned as he devours her with his gaze.

“I’m not easily impressed, but I am quite taken with how she has fearlessly confronted the absurd dangers we’ve faced so far. She’s much stronger than I gave her credit for.”

He imagines his proximity to her and his best lines are driving her mad- he can hear her heart running away from her at a million miles an hour, feel the burn of her nerve endings set on fire.

“My favorite part? A torrent of desire rages inside her. Her passions have been suppressed far longer than one should and are more than rattling at the bars of their enclosure. She’s going to be a terrible, insatiable amount of fun when she is set free - it’ll be an incredible sight to behold,” he feels the skin in contact with him prickle and shiver with excitement at his continued speculations.

“The glimpses that I have been allowed have piqued my interests, and my appetite. What a delight it’ll be to unshackle the restraints of shame that hold her back…I’m salivating at the very thought.”

Tav freezes. Did…he just say that? Does he really want her as badly as she wants him?

She can’t tell if he’s being genuine. Despite the fact that he may be lying through his pointy teeth, it was clear to her now that Astarion was talking about her. Even if he doesn’t mean a damn thing he says, a spasm low in her abdomen rocks her core at the thought that he might.

A spark of hope ignites as well. She thought her chances had been lost the other evening.

“…You think about me? Like…that? After last night I thought that it was just me that felt this way…“ she breathes out. She realizes a moment too late what has slipped past her lips, mortified at her confession. She tries to look away but is held firm in the vampire’s grasp.

For Astarion, little wins such as this in his games of seduction never get old. The admission of Tav’s desire for him has made his heart leap in fiendish delight. He tilts her chin upwards and inspects her curious eyes, searching for more of the unspoken truth.

A rakish grin forms, his elongated, achingly sharp teeth on display when he finds what he is looking for.

There it is.

He has her now, exactly where he wants her.

The hand that was on her waist has slid down to palm her ample, shapely rear through the thin fabric of her leggings. There’s much more than a handful for him to fondle, and he does so with a firm, appreciative squeeze.

“Is that so, my sweet? Don’t sell yourself short. You have your charms, more so than you think. In fact, I’ve found them rather… delicious.”

His plan to press kisses to her throat and find the perfect spot to drink from her are interrupted when she gasps at the sudden feeling of his hands on her, her hips reflexively jerking against his own. He groans, distracted by the decadent feel of how they so perfectly slot against the other.

He licks his lips, unable to hold back his hunger any longer.

Fully intending to take advantage of her continued surprise from his lecherous grasp, he readies himself to drink from her. His mouth waters with anticipation, teeth ready to pierce her supple, willing flesh. He inhales, his whole body thrumming with the need to satiate his voracious appetite…

He can’t do it.

Growling in frustration, he notices the animalistic noise causes Tav to whimper and melt in his embrace, helpless and moldable in his arms. If there was ever a moment to claim her as his, now is the time. He frantically, desperately searches deep within himself for the strength to disobey his master’s commands and feast upon her blood.

Finding the willpower from a dark and forgotten corner of himself, he is inches away from sinking his sharp canines in her neck, salivating in victory when a voice sounds out from behind him.

“My, my. A lovely evening, wouldn’t you say? Perfect for a secret tryst between two new lovers, a midnight snack, or clandestine deals to be made.”

Astarion is fully ready to slice the intruder to ribbons as he turns to face the voice of the man who had appeared suddenly, quickly changing his mind when the pungent odor of sulfur hits his nostrils.

“Seems as if you’re both eager to whisk yourselves away to retire in each other’s company for the evening. What would suit the occasion? A lullaby perhaps? The mouse smiled brightly: it outfoxed the cat! Then down came the claw, and that, love, was that. They do know how to write them in Cormyr, don’t they?”

Astarion’s arms have a mind of their own, holding Tav possessively to him with the appearance of their intruder. He doesn’t trust this newcomer who smells like rotten eggs and radiates a sinister energy. Before he has a chance to cut him to shreds with his words, Tav’s listless voice sounds out from his chest.

“Did you hear the one about the Wizard in Cormyr?”

“I have not,” the richly dressed man narrows his eyes with his reply, caught off his guard by whatever Tav’s up to.

“He never made it ‘ere, and I guess we’ll never know!” She barks out a laugh at her own terrible joke.

“Clever girl. I see why you like her. How rude of me not to introduce myself. Well met, I am Raphael, at your service,” He gives a slight bow to the couple before him.

“So we’re making introductions, are we? Well met, I’m a princess from House Nightstar and this is my fiancee, a tarrasque named Johnathan. Your interruption is unwelcome, and so is your company. I bid you good evening and farewell- it would be wise for you to be on your way,” Astarion’s words that drip with sarcasm earn him the prize of Raphael laughing at his insolence. He reaches down to his belt to draw his dagger when he sees the other man put his hands up in the air in defeat.

“Now now, there’s no need for all of that. I only require a quick word with both of you. Come,” he snaps a finger, whisking them away to a lavish banquet hall where they stand to face each other in front of a roaring fire.

“Please, feel free to partake. It might be your last supper, after all,” he gestures broadly toward the table.

The fog of lust in Tav’s brain finally clears. She shakes her head to decline, she’s read enough fae smut in her life to know to never accept a meal from magical strangers. Tav lets go of Astarion to face the man with strange powers, her hands assertively placed on her hips, her chest puffed slightly out to make herself seem taller.

“I appreciate the offer of hospitality, but would you be so kind as to take us back to where we were?”

Astarion can hear her pulse quicken, smell the fear beginning to seep through her pores with her polite refusal.

“Without hearing my offer first? Fine- I’ll be quick about it and get to the point. You and your misfit group of fellow adventurers have been infected with illithid parasites, no? I wanted to offer an alternate solution. I could have it gone if you are amenable to my terms. Just like…that.” He snaps his fingers, smirking at them as the lights of the building flare and the house rumbles.

“I hope you weren’t expecting any final decisions tonight. I’m not going to make any deals with anyone without talking to the rest of the party first. We make big decisions like these together, those are the rules, even if I did make them up,” she shrugs out.

“Take all the time you need. Try to cure yourselves, shop around if you must, it matters not to me. Just keep me in mind when all is lost and you’ve nowhere else to turn. I’ll be there when your luck runs out.”

He snaps his fingers again.

Tav and Astarion are alone again, underneath the stars.

“Now, where were we?”

Astarion wastes no time drawing closer to her again, hands coming up to stroke gently down the side of her face. Tav watches as the mask falls and he suddenly freezes, takes a ragged exhale, and curses under his breath. He looks like he is in pain with his eyes screwed shut and his jaw clenched.

“Are you alright?” she gently inquires, reaching out to him in concern. He captures her hands in his, pressing a hungry kiss to the pads of her fingers.

“Why don’t you go back to camp? I need a moment to myself to get some air, clear my head. I’ll see you later, I’m sure. Sleep tight, darling.”

Buzzkill Notes from The Author:

Trigger warning for Chapter 13: If you guessed the next chapter is Astarion's Cazador nightmare, you guess correctly. I've had this 85% written for weeks. I have a version of it that's messed up, and then a version that is just straight up Dead Dove Territory.

Any feedback on what you would/would not want to see is appreciated!

I'll be tagging any future Dead Dove chapters with a "DD" in front of the chapter name. Give you the D so you don't have to read about it if you don't want to? Eh? EH???

Tav doesn't know what's going on between Gale and Astarion so she's doing the gas-lighty manager thing where she assumes both parties are at fault and tells Gale to work it out with Astarion. Gale agrees to it because he wants Tav, and Tav can't assert herself with Astarion because she's a chronic people pleaser.

The other fanfic I've seen use "Useless as tits on a boar hog" is Feeding Alligators, it's funny as hell, and you should go read it if you haven't already.

Link:https://archiveofourown.org/works/51118204/

Astarion is having another flashback when he claps back at Tav! It won't be the last time he has one, I plan to use them as a plot device in the next few chapters.

While we know Raphael is a devil, Tav initially assumes that there's some Fae BS happening. Astarion did the smart thing by not telling them their real names, and they both did the smart thing by not eating the food on the table. Resource below is for 5E and says food and drink is okay when invited, but IRL it's hella not.

Source: https://www.gmbinder.com/share/-M1wy4a3RZ6sP1twCZDt

"Green around the ears" is a malaphor used by President Obama during the 2008 debates with John McCain. It's not my favorite presidential malaphor, and I hope I'll get a chance to put it in an upcoming chapter.

Source: https://malaphors.com/2012/08/08/green-behind-the-ears/

"As it turns out" is one of my favorite ways to set expectations with people instead of saying "Unfortunately". There's something about setting a negative tone that can sour an interaction in a customer service setting. Source is not where I learned it, but I'm always happy to refer to the unhinged world of LinkedIn blogging.

Source: https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/another-common-question-why-however-unfortunately-list-mary-shores

#astarion #bg3 astarion #bg3 fanfiction #astarion fanfic #astarion fanfiction #astarion x gale x tav #bg3 gale #tav is an idiot #gale is an idiot #gale dekarios

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seeminglyseph · 8 months ago

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I beat Nere fucking twice but the first time I realized I forgot to barter a deal for the dueger the team up with me, and I lost out on a bunch of stuff, and then at the last fucking second I fell in the fucking lava and it was *just* Cin, and he would not be revived and would not get out fast enough to not die and so I could not revive them and I just got trapped like. No main character.

And like. I guess Withers will only revive people for your main character not your party members??? Bitch. Absolute asshole behaviour. Or I came at it all wrong. No idea. Either way I had finally cleared the stupid thing despite accidentally aggroing the whole room a couple times by detonating the wall too soon and suddenly everyone is like “hey! Stop blowing up the wall and being an enemy! Time to attack!” I which is a pain in the ass like fucking back up I said I was detonating the thing. Your fucking fault. Gods almighty.

Is very fun playing a Lolth Drow and interacting with other Lolth Drow and they’re still your enemies and the dialogue that best covers it is like “try to take it as a compliment.”

I think I absolutely adore that kind of fictional shithead. “Honestly, you’d be insulted if I didn’t try.” Is some of my favourite sort of “I come from a backstabbing society of sociopaths and assholes” it’s part of the appeal of playing Lolth Drow. Just being like “yeah, I am Drow, I have absolutely no allegiance to the other Drow, I expect absolutely no allegiance from them. We are are all doing the crab in the bucket thing to such a high degree that the closest thing to seeming like we’re on the same side is that if something else falls in the bucket we all team up to tear it apart. That’s why everyone thinks we’re on a team, if they get trapped in the bucket with us we will fuck them up together but it’s because we’re so desperately out for ourselves that outside competition has even less right to survive than inside competition.”

This is not a commentary on real life I just think they’re delightful as characters. They can be evil angst and murder factories. The way Astarion got abruptly kidnapped out of his absurd murder den is how I’m imagining Cin. It’s like “one second I was part of this stupid ‘Menzoberranzan’s Next Top Model Assassin’ and now I have to figure out how to make friends and influence people while trying not to feel like the sky is going to eat me. And I have literal brain worms. What the fuck. Absolutely bullshit.”

And like. No I’m not aiming for the “evil” playthrough. Just the like… asshole playthrough. I don’t know how much the game is programmed to have a difference but the point is like. Doing morally ambiguous things to effect a positive result. Team up with the Ogres… and lead them into an unbalanced fight so I still get that circlet, and also eventually destroy the goblin camp and help the Tieflings. Lie cheat and steal so I have enough power to eventually blast my way through things, make allies with questionable people and let some people get killed if in the game it seems reasonable for my character to be apathetic. (Sorry those two brothers who are hassling Auntie Ethel, you were doomed by the narrative anyway, one day I might rescue your sister, depending on my level)

I like the way BG3 is approaching morally grey options because a lot of games are just like “these are the bad options and these are the good options” from what I’ve played in my limited experience, so far playing this it’s been a lot of fun to just be like “this is the shithead option” where the shithead option still lets me gain approval and advance things and be like. An overall good force in the world while being kinda a shit. They’ve realized that a lot of folks who play DnD really wanna backtalk people. I know for a fact I was bad for it at the table and I’m eternally grateful I managed to get laughs instead of pissing people off.

#seph plays BG3

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3xm-draconic · 11 months ago

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Tricks and Treats (Werebat Cyris and Astarion Story)

Summary: The gang takes time to Celebrate Liar’s Night…

The autmumnbral season had come, summer was over and winter would be on their heels…they needed to kill that brain quickly.

But hunting down Orin was a pain in the ass, she was a slippery shapeshifting little bitch and dealing with Gortash was no better…

Gortash and Cyris…had history.

Raucous…hot…noisy…fucking history…

“Gorty has a tendency to hit the more…debaucherous brothels, check for any that offer the “menzoberranzan love trick”, Gorty made me do that all the time with him…” Cyris grumbled, “how…how does the “menzoberranzan love trick” go exactly?” Gale curiously turned to him, Wyll and Roger wondered the same thing.

“You really want to know?” Cyris coyly grinned, “you don’t have to go into detail but I have always wondered how it whent” Gale flusteredly answered, Cyris grinned “they use spider silk rope and cloth to bind and blind you, you are then suspended from the ceiling in which a mild form of the spell “shocking grasp” is used to…stimulate” Cyris purred.

Gale went bright red, Wyll’s jaw hung open and Roger grinned.

“Damn…looks like Gorty’s gone out of town…fuck”, “He’ll return, Orin needs him here to help control the brain, well get him then” Wyll assured Cyris, “in the meantime it looks like Baldur’s Gate is setting up it’s first ever Liar’s Night celebration!” Gale beamed “oh I love this night, dressing up, the pretty masks, all the sweets!” he gleefully hummed.

“Liar’s Night?” Wyll pondered, “it’s a night to celebrate the gods: The Mask and Leira. You were masks to hide who you truly are and have a fun little night of spooky frights and sweet treats” Gale grinned “it’s celebrated all throughout waterdeep and neverwinter”.

“One tradition is that you carve pumpkins and place a candle inside another is to line your pockets with candy and trade it with others for trinkets or other sweets” Gale remarked, Cyris smiled “my village celebrated this night similarly… and differently”, “oh? How so?” Gale pondered as the 4 of them wandered the decorated streets.

“We made offerings to the gods: Urogalan, Brandobrais, Charamalaine and of course the great guardian bat Entumbru. We would dress up in masks to scare away evil spirits, light a bonfire and eat lots of candy” he happily recalled the memories of those harvest festival nights under the great big moon.

“Looks like it’s gonna be a big masquerade parade of sorts…” Roger said as he looked at the fliers, “well we got time, we should celebrate, dress up and enjoy the festivities!” Gale hummed with glee.

“Sounds good” Wyll nodded, “Iam in” Roger chimed in, “let's pick up the others and get some costumes then” Cyris smiled.

Cyris really should have checked the moon phases…

While everyone else enjoyed their masks and costumes…he was stuck in bat mode.

“Darling I have an idea~” Astarion hummed “tonight everyone will think you are an illusion, a really convincing costume if we…convince them darling~?” he cood.

This was…THE STUPIDEST idea Astarion has ever come up with.

The two lovers and their gaggle of misfit friends walked down the streets in their lavish costumes…

Karlack & Wyll dressed in all coppery browns and bright oranges, wearing glowing masks that looked like fire elementals.

Lae’zel was dressed in all silver with a red dragon mask and Halsin was dressed in all greens in a bear mask.

Gale and Shadow heart were dressed in blacks and blues and whites, each had moon masks that compliment each other.

Roger and Allegra just wore squid and wolf masks.

Jaheira was dressed as a Hawk with a similar mask.

Astarion was distressed in rich reds and purples, his mask that of a bat.

Cyris’s costume was going to be lavender, black and pink with a bat mask too but since it was a full moon…he couldn't wear it…

But the gang still whent out…with werebat Cyris…on a leash.

“Don’t panic people, he’s an illusioned druid in wildshape, perfectly harmless, perfectly safe!” Gale called out to worried onlookers and guardsmen, “who wants treats!” Karlach grinned as she handed out candy to children.

Children seemed to absolutely love Cyris, lots of kids wanted to pet him, Cyris didn’t mind this, he thought it was kinda funny and cute.

He was reminded of home and how his village treated him, how they were never afraid of him…

The parade was fun, the treats were sweet and delectable and the games were entertaining…

Everyone participated in Tick-Treating, where you line your pockets with treats and little trinkets and let others pickpocket you…or you could just trade them.

For some unknown reason Gale kept getting rocks…not gemstones…just..plane old rocks…

After the night of fun the gang returned back to Monty’s Chalice to get some sleep.

But when they did…

Sebastian was waiting for them.

“Hey glad you have your costumes on…oh, sorry about the moons Cyris, the other werebats aren't having the best of time either…but we are trying to fix that” he smiled “here” he handed them all little envelopes.

“Oh? What are these?” Gale asked him curiously, “invitations to our Liar’s Night Masquerade party, you are more than welcome to join us” Sebastian happily grinned and left to go to the party.

“Well?...anyone still up to party with vampires?” Karlach grinned, “I have heard from Cyris and astarion that their little community is rather cozy, I’d quite like to visit them” Gale hummed, “then let’s visit” Wyll smiled.

Bloodcrystal Vail was decorated with candles and carved cave-gourds (pumpkins could not grow here sadly). The tavern: Little Hope-Light, was bustling with activity…

The bard got some more instruments to play, the cook wasn't working by himself now and the bar had enchanted colored-lighting thanks to the new wizard in the town.

“Please tell me there are food and drink options-”, “excluding blood? There are don’t worry” Tilla, one of the Gur children turned vampire now hired to be a waitress, told Wyll to ease his nerves.

The gang ate and danced and had a fun time mingling with the spawn, it was…heartwarming to see them living so…so happily down here.

For them to have changed their lives around…

To finally have the freedom and courage to celebrate.

Back at Monty’s the gang found their rooms to be…well getting to be a bit cramped.

They needed a more permanent base-of-operations if they were to continue hunting for the brain, plus having their own home ment they’d save money on rent.

But buying a home ain’t cheap either…and real estate in Baulder’s Gate is a nightmare.

“Shit…what are we going to do?” Allegra grumbled as she nibbled on bacon, Astarion’s face lit up with an idea “Cazador’s old mansion”, everyone was silent.

“What?” he said, “starry…do YOU even WANT to live there anymore? After all the things that happened to you there?” Cyris placed a hand on his shoulder, Astarion smiled “I want to make it mine…to destroy his palace by claiming it as my own, besides…” he pulled out a slip of paper from his pocket “I already took the deed from his vault”.

“...well…the house is pretty spacious” Gale nodded, “plenty of secret passageways around Baldur’s Gate for easy access to places” Shadowheart added, “and a BIG ASS wine cellar” Roger nodded.

Cyris looked to Astarion “only if you are really ok with this”, “I am darling” Astarion hugged him “a house can’t hurt me sunshine.”

#baldur's gate 3 #fanfic #dnd #dnd character #astarion x oc #werebat #baldurs gate astarion #masquerade #masquerade ball

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omgkalyppso · 4 years ago

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The camp was cold, and the hour was late, and still Étoile was distracted by thought, their meditation offering no true rest as the moon travelled across the sky.

They were always gullible, and they knew this came from a secluded upbringing. Their mothers having instilled in them the value of taking people at their word, and treating them with dignity and respect, and this made it hard to manifest skepticism ... self-preservation ... duplicity.

Even so, they felt justified in assuming Astarion was being truthful of his past. His rage palpable at centuries of indignity. It was beyond imaging, and brought into question his every behaviour. How much of who he was, was learned? Was true to how he had grown or had always been? Or to how he wanted to be? Surely asking any of these questions would be inappropriate, contrary to Étoile’s intention, to take Astarion at his word. Whether this behaviour were his current mask or his truth, he’d done nothing to be treated without courtesy.

Étoile thought of his hands, cradling them just so as those fangs had sunk into them, and rolled their head back to either side of their shoulders. They wondered about their own autonomy, and if it were the same. Whether their brain worm was eating away at their thoughts, feeding ridiculous theories on vampiric desire to some unknown brain creature a plane away. Whether they were being influenced, drawn and distorted, to be thinking about him so.

“Astarion?”

“Yes?”

He turned at the sound of his name, teeth flashing in the firelight. His brow was slanted in the innocence that he seemed to sometimes let slip, intentionally or not, between the layers of pomp and decorum.

“I’m sorry,” Étoile said quickly. “I do not mean to interrupt your rest.”

Astarion brought a fist to the base of his chin, and then the back of two knuckles to the front of his lips, amused. He moved his hand aside to speak, swiping the front of his thumb across his chin as he looked away for a moment, indulging in fantasies of peace and freedom. “If only you were the worst of my problems.”

With a raise and lowering of their eyebrows, Étoile signaled their agreement, letting their gaze be drawn back to the fire so that they were not hounded by Astarion’s cheekbones, or smirk, or brutal, cutting garnet eyes.

“Well?” Astarion prompted, swiping two fingers across his forehead as if to dismiss a flyaway curl, perhaps a single strand that Étoile could not see, and they realized they were looking at him again, already abandoning the safety of distraction.

If Étoile was as bold, or confident, or provocative as their mind seemed to think they were, they might suggest, ‘If I’ve lost my tongue, perhaps you might help me find it?’ But they were not. Not nearly by far.

“I find myself thinking of our problems,” Étoile conceded.

There were many things about Étoile which were extremely elven — their patience, the way they took forever to reach their point in a conversation, their keen measure of attention — but their insistence upon treating their little band as a group, a team, was not one of them.

‘Our problems,’ Astarion was tempted to snort, the prospect that what they were going through was anything but personal, isolating and devastating, should have been a joke. Yet Étoile easily sold him on it, the idea that they were earnest, that they would fight a horde, a hunter, or a vampire lord for him out of a sense of camaraderie in shared-disaster. Was this sense misplaced? Astarion couldn’t guess, whether willingly or no, he could imagine himself easily cutting these ties Étoile sought to bind. All allies had limits in their usefulness, even friends, even family, even lovers.

He imagined Étoile’s need of connection came from their human mother, or perhaps a deep inherent loneliness that those with bleeding hearts often found themselves afflicted with. Few in Faerun felt sympathy the way Étoile seemed to, annoying at times, stopping to save or offer benefit to every poor soul they passed. Astarion might have assumed that these acts of charity could have been influenced by a desire for divine forgiveness or intervention in regards to the looming fate of doom brought on by the mindflayer worms, but knew better now, after time and conversation revealed Étoile for who they were.

Wrapping his hands around his knees, Astarion leaned back to empty air. “Any conclusions worth mentioning? I rather doubt I’m the best to offer comfort, if you’re simply finding yourself distraught with thoughts of oblivion.”

“You don’t need to offer words,” Étoile assured him, and this time Astarion did laugh, too tickled by his companion’s instinct to soothe him for being unable to assuage them, and with his lips still pulled back in a smile of disbelief, Étoile clarified their meaning. “May I sit with you?”

“Come then,” Astarion called, the humor still in his voice, as if it were a thing to be dismissed, and not a danger to the both of them, to be sharing a space with a relative stranger. He exaggerated, laying his hands over his heart, “Bring your head to my bosom that we might will away your fears.”

He watched Étoile rise to their feet, their mollified expression sending some sense of unjust contentment to the pit of his stomach. They were a hulking wall of muscle and honor, a gentle soul of fear and hope, and they were moving to sit behind him so they too could lean back against him, not knowing would touch him; lest the worms were more exacting than Astarion dared to worry.

“Thank you,” Étoile said, their voice a rumble in their chest that flitted through Astarion’s dead heart.

“Mm,” Astarion hummed. “If you feel so indebted as to thank me, what would you do if I sought recompense?”

Étoile tilted their head, long hair tickling Astarion’s bare neck. “A bite?”

Astarion found himself smiling, so readily Étoile had taken to being a prospective source of strength and vigor.

“You really must be less diplomatic if you wish to suffer more frequently of blood loss,” he teased, and Étoile scoffed, an embarrassed and easy laugh that rattled the both of them with the force of it. “We faced a veritable army of enemies today,” Astarion went on, relaxed. “No, I’ve had my fill of blood for the evening … but as for my curiosity? That yet hungers.”

“Oh?” The genuine surprise Étoile had managed in a single syllable was almost insulting, and Astarion wondered whether he’d been too aloof the last time they spoke of personal histories. There had been times in Étoile’s stories of life before the worm where he hadn’t known how to react, and simply hadn’t, or had mocked from the safety of distance and indifference, but he had found himself endeared and fascinated, even before their adventures, Étoile was interesting … alluring. What they lacked in charm, they seemed to substitute with their earnest heart, and the drive to secure the strength they needed to achieve their goals. This must have tempted others, before.

“What would you ask of me?” Étoile prompted, a blush upon their cheeks, worried about how the length of their tales had gotten away from them the last time they and Astarion had spoken.

“Tell me,” Astarion suggested, haltingly, “my dear, of the last lover you left behind?”

A sigh escaped Étoile, a noise of sorrow and regret. Astarion licked his lips, wondering whether, to this, Étoile might object, the prospect of having found a favor beyond their desire to balance every perceived responsibility just as satisfying as receiving an answer.

Goading them, he rolled his shoulders against the expanse of their back. “Surely there must have been someone? More than one? A string of broken hearts behind you?”

“A woman,” Étoile answered quickly, and Astarion blinked in surprise, staring, empty, into the distant forest, ears perked to attention. “A human woman.” They swallowed, nervous and mournful, but when they spoke again their tone was bitter, “It was less disappointing than my first tryst, but still she… Her interest didn’t extend beyond closed doors.”

Astarion’s expression twisted in scorn, having expected something more akin to the joy of youth or a gentle heartbreak. “More's the pity.”

“It was her first time with…”

As Étoile considered their phrasing, Astarion opted to offer a suggestion to ease their tension on the subject. “An elf?”

Étoile chuckled. “That too.”

Astarion pressed his tongue to the back of his teeth, smiling about their circumstance. He hearkened them back to the present. “And I say again: Would that you were the worst of my problems.”

When Astarion felt Étoile begin to turn, it was faster than instinct to spin around onto his heel, facing them before they were anywhere close to looking over their shoulder.

Long, tortuous seconds provided the opportunity to pull away, but Astarion found himself still, except the way he heaved with each breath, except for how his heart beat like a man alive … as if it remembered infatuation beyond servitude, desire beyond subjugation.

Étoile smiled at him, and Astarion felt that he could sink into the earth in shame. ‘Bury me now, for I have seen all that creation has to offer, and the Hells are a mercy when compared to the loss of this moment. You will hate me come morning, and so will I.’

“I could be…” Étoile began to suggest, and Astarion huffed in amusement.

“Be a problem?” Astarion chuckled, resting one hand on his thigh to keep balance, and reaching out with his right to rest against Étoile’s collarbone. “Try as you might…” he mocked.

Their first kiss was slower than expected, Étoile twitching throughout the whole of it, as they considered jolting away, afraid they’d overstepped, afraid they’d misinterpret—

“Try harder,” Astarion whispered, allowing his plea to be covered in the grandeur of desire.

Astarion’s eyes were dark with the threat of promise, and whether by supernatural thrall or the splendor of seduction, Étoile only knew they were obliged to try again, and again, and again.

#my writing #baldur's gate 3 #baldur's gate 3 spoilers #oc tag: étoile #astarion #long post #please don't spoil things for me. i'm not done the content yet but after the tiefling party i wanted a first kiss

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bledmagic · 4 years ago

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**the following is no way indicative of direct rp interactions & is solely referring to the personal canon to idrylla. if your muse wants to refer to the closeness of one of the companions listed here by all means, unless you are holding another rper muse in mind as that connection is different & not based upon these by the interactions idrylla & that muse has had. however if you would like to base interactions on these descriptions with your muse def lemme kno & we can plot on this further !

idrylla is not the only focus of the story, they are one of many that line the cast of our main tale & the interactions between idrylla & these characters drive the story forward or back. as the game still rests within the area of early access & there are hints from datamining of future companions this list is not complete nor is it going to contain anything proper beyond act 1 in terms of connections. with the previous statement said, here is each of our companions & the relationships held with idrylla as per the canon to their character & me. **i will note if i have romanced a npc like this, as the game is in early access n just like in who’s line is it anyway the choices n points dont matter there is no canon romance for idrylla at this moment in time.

LAE’ZEL: idrylla has very few memories of the nautilus. their capture, their containment, & the escape itself is somewhat of a blurry mess. what they do remember is lae’zel. they remember her face, her struggling, her escaping that pod. they saw the moment the mind flayer infected lae’zel & the fear held within the githyanki’s features. all of this is unspoken between the two, but for idrylla it’s spurned a lot of emotions that have boiled down to pushing idrylla to get close to lae’zel & be quite defensive of her with strangers( shadowheart can make a few insults as a treat, lae’zel in return can make some serious threats in return as a treat ). it is with the first weeks of travel idrylla can be found hanging out along side lae’zel like a safety net, finding the familiarity of their escape as a bridge to base a friendship upon. despite that link that idrylla has tied between them they find lae’zel absolutely delightful in every way possible & considers lae’zel probably the closest friend idrylla has had in years, the honesty lae’zel shows in the most blunt way a refreshing change from the passive aggressiveness of the wizards guild peers. beyond all this, lae’zel is also the first githyanki has ever known & has prodded the poor warrior with a multitude of questions to absorb the info like a weird elf sponge, even going out of their way to learn on their own & ask lae’zel about later on. idrylla holds lae’zel’s opinon in high regard & often will ask her or look to her for her advice & even if not followed takes it in consideration. anyways they are best friends. ( lae’zel: we are not ‘friends’ / idrylla: you’re right. we are best friends, pal. / lae’zel: tch. ) **lae’zel has been romanced

SHADOWHEART: while idrylla did try to save shadowheart from her pod, idrylla also has particularly failed at every turn to get shadowheart to even attempt to trust them. traditionally anyway. since the common ground of the parasite & needing to team up & trust each other has failed to get shadowheart to loosen up, idrylla has taken the approach to just be a utter nuisance to shadowheart. often chiding the other with jokes or teases, stirring up trouble between shadowheart & lae’zel, forcing shadowheart to go talk to people at parties( notable example is when idryl forced shadowheart to dance with them at the big fun tiefling celebration party in which shadowheart was so emabrassed she probs would have died on the spot if she wasnt actually having fun the whole time ), etc etc. shadowheart stresses idrylla out, so tightly wounded & clearly bothered by something that is clearly at times more dire than the worm in their brain. it activates idrylla’s older sibling mode near instantly as often the fussing of the other reminds idrylla very warmly of their younger siblings, one being very similar to the uptight cleric. when shadowheart does breakdown some of those walls & reveals her religious beliefs idrylla presents themselves as very accepting. while agnostic themselves, they do make a point to show they hold no ill will to shadowheart & support them, but more importantly wants shadowheart to learn to rely on them from then on to be more honest about anything. it’s after this shadowheart tends to be less antagonistic toward idrylla. but only a little less.

WYLL: idrylla noted early on that the “”””stone”””” that rests in his socket has a heartshaped looking pupil & annoyingly( to everyone except wyll himself ) calls him hearteye. as a baldurian they are very well versed in knowing the various tales & stories of the blade of frontiers. wyll is idrylla’s favorite drinking companion & the two get along like a pair of bros in a budding bromance that will make the fans go crazy. wyll holds a hard sense of justice that idrylla tends to think of a buzzkill at times, but does value the pull of morality his chiding holds considering her own moral standing at current is fuzzy at best. she does truly worry about how skiddish he tends to be about his guarded secrets & once learning upon the truth they promise to aid them in his quest to save his ‘totally not devil girlfriend’ & when wyll protests about such a title idryl simply responses ‘oh no i totally get it, hearteye.’ with a laugh & wink. idrylla also has wyll teach them the use of the blade, taking those teachings & applying them to their learnings of the staff as a weapon vs a channel for magic. often one can see them sparing in camp on down time. wyll is also the only one of the companions who gave idrylla a proper condolence when idrylla’s less than tragic backstory is revealed to the the companions, to which idrylla who was properly touched thanked him with a hand to their heart & a ‘aww, thanks man. you’re a real one.’

ASTARION: idrylla is far softer on astarion than they should be & they will deny it. usually such a judgement of letting astarion getting away with ( in most cases, literally ) murder is preceded by a loud groan or sigh. it’s not that idrylla wants to dull astarion’s sparkle, but more of a general worry. the more idrylla learns of him, the more & more they just feel bad( astarion: i rather be spared of pity, thanks / idryl: it’s not pity. i don’t pity you its just. well hearing that shit that happened to you ? makes me sick, man. horrible things to go through. makes me want to hit something. ). but the primary worry is what will happened to their newfound friend once the parasite is extracted, will astarion burn up in the sun ? prevented from hanging out with them at bars ? will they not be able to find something for him to eat on the journey they set on ? idrylla has no real way to comfort astarion in the face of his past & it makes them uncomfortable. all that can be offered is a arm about his shoulder & a ear to listen. beyond all this, however, the two get along disturbingly well. idrylla’s current fuzzy moral standing & general pull to do really stupid things setting a stage for the two of them to act in their own chaotic fashion. the two make comments with each other that would make people wonder if they share a braincell. idrylla often pulls lae’zel into their shenanigans much to her dismay. the fact that astarion is a vampire spawn has absolutely zero negative effect or reaction from idrylla. **astarion has been romanced

GALE: i hate these two. considering gale being a wizard busybody i have to do the most divergent shit with this mf. love this catdad, anyways here go. gale & idrylla absolutely know of each other prior to the events of the game & have a loving rivalry friendship thing going on. they have met a few times due to the wizarding guild( take in mind, this wizard guild is something im developing for idrylla & is not canonical to the game ) of which gale would visit, but is not apart of, due to his associations. the two never had a proper moment of conversation prior but are as i said, very aware of each other at least in terms of their talents in magic. so whilst there is a pre-established link between them they are without a doubt strangers. their rivalry comes out at any time magic is spoken about or knowledge thereof. a interesting change in demeanor for idrylla who, for all intents & purposes before & during the events, tended to not have a proper ambitious or know-it-all bone in their body. the two will often agree about magic or purposely disagree. they speak of other wizards & generally are capable of working together to figure out spells or something magical in puzzles. when gale says that idrylla knows nothing about the weave, it took everything in idrylla to not set him on fire. when faced with the truth about gale’s utterly stupid need to consume magic & the reason behind it, idrylla simply just starts smacking him on the arm & calling him an idiot( considering idrylla’s recent expulsion from the wizarding guild spurred on by peers that are power hungry & would do whatever they could to get ahead, the ordeal of gale sits very heavy on idrylla. while they does apologize later & explains the why. ). over time the two have gotten less antagonistic to each other & more or less bicker for the fun of it, showing that the two have found themselves more or less comfortable with each other & in their aventures found respect in each other’s talents. so far anyway. idrylla has threatened to steal gale’s cat( in jest to make gale wig out. )

#( meta / lore. )#( we do not reblog my bullshit. )#IT IS HERE I HAVE DONE THE THING

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actuallyevilgay · 9 months ago

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The Apathy (Part 5)

Astarion x Male Reader/Tav

DNI if you are a minor. Dead dove don’t eat. Please read my about before replying. Content: Ascended Astarion x Male tav, this is post epilogue.

Summary: Astarion is scheming a plot to get the guards off Tav's back. Tav is dealing with weird feelings at the tavern. Reminders: Astarion is the vampire ascendant, Tav is not a heroic figure. Contains headcanons for several characters, contains headcanons for illithid brain alteration but not evolving. Tav uses daggers and magic. Astarion is an Arcane Trickster Rogue. I created several npcs. Some Neverwinter lore is mentioned but might not be lore friendly. Content Warnings: Tav suffering from depression / ptsd, self-neglect. A/N: Heyy I post to ao3 now too! it is under username actualevil. It's been a while but I found some energy to work on it c: There's a lot- hope you enjoy!

.......

‘’Please.. I’ve told you everything already- I confessed! Why are you doing this?’’

‘’Confessed? You committed worse than a crime. You put your hands on him.’’

The once so proud and corrupted guardsman was reduced to a shaking mess, tied to a chair. The bruises on his body left him marked and mostly discoloured, you’d think he was a blueberry, if it weren’t for the fact that he had been turned into a spawn. Undead. Pale.

‘’Tell me, pig. What makes you think you’re- Oh, so charming? What gave you the impression you had the authority to do whatever you wanted to whomever you wanted?’’ Astarion hovered above him, boot resting on his victim’s knee.

‘’I…’’ Almost in a shameful tone, the guardsman is compelled to speak his truth. ‘’I thought myself irresistible, for my age.. My hair and beard alone being my proudest features-’’

Before he could continue on about how infatuated he was with his own face and body, Astarion laughed to himself, as if he had been told the most ridiculous joke in history.

‘’Your hair?’’ It took a moment for him to come down from his laughter. ‘’Well, if I had to pick something.. Hmm.’’ His thoughts trailed off, kicking the kneecap of the man, causing him to fall on his back in the hair. ‘’What a waste.’’ Astarion mumbled to himself. ‘’Time should be spent pondering about more important things, but if you’re that attached to it, I suppose… Vand could shave it all off.’’

While he rambled, he spinned Tav’s curved blade in his hand. ‘’Eyebrows included.’’ He eyed the guardsman, not able to see his expression from this position.

Astarion walked back so he could lift up the chair, bringing his face close to the guardsman. He drinked in the fear on the man’s face, and his smirk grew. ‘’How- How would one ever grow tired of expressions like these?’’ He let out a joyful sigh as he dropped him to the floor again.

‘’Perhaps my old, old, buried.. Dead and gone- Master, understood one thing at least.’’ As it rolled out of his mouth, a wash of disgust flew over him. ‘’But no, I am not that plain. There are other uses for you.’’ He turned around to watch Vandelion lift the man up in his chair again, holding a shaving knife. ‘’I could beat you up some more as satisfying as that is, but I’d rather see you put to death by the person you wronged.’’ He pointed the curved dagger towards the man’s neck. ‘’Luckily for you, I can just compel you to take the stage yourself, seeing as you’re a pretty good actor already.. But what if..’’

He paused, pacing around while unsheathing Orin’s other weapon from his side, a short sword. ‘’Poor, poor, old guardsman- Corrupted, greedy. Shameful. He tried to commit one of the worst crimes imaginable on an innocent, then frame the victim as an attempted murderer.. How unfortunate for him, that the victim’s friends came to his hospital bed and killed him- Oh! But it doesn’t end there..’’ He twists the blade in his hand. ‘’The man woke up from his grave, undead. He wants revenge..’’ Astarion crosses the dagger and blade together, pausing a moment.

‘’And when he tries to exact his revenge, out in the open, in public.. His guilt compels him to save his soul- to confess to all his sins in public view..’’ He lifts the blades up, pointing them to the ceiling. ‘’Theatrical, but who will give the finishing blow..? Your victim? The public? Or yourself..’’ He turns his head to Tyselius entering the room, who had been too captured by his master’s performance to speak up.

Astarion sheathes the short sword before putting the dagger away as well. ‘’Hmm.’’ He paces around, wanting to finish his monologue dramatically.

‘’Such a hard choice, I’d rather leave it up to the future audience.’’ He waves his hand, gesturing to Vandelion that he was finished speaking and could now shave the man’s head.

Tyselius makes a bow, before revealing his find. ‘’I’ve searched over the area, the inn’s keeper described Tav’s appearance as a dishevelled young beggar.. The trail went cold, but then I found boots with the same scent as the dagger tossed away in some fishmonger shed.’’ He revealed the scraps that remained of Tav’s old boots. Astarion was nearly overcome with emotion at the sight, reaching out before backtracking his hand. They were dirty and covered in mold at this point. ‘’That can’t be good..’’ He muttered.

‘’I’ve followed the trail further, but it grows cold every time in the same area. A fountain in the middle of one of the city’s business squares. It’s a very busy area.’’ Ty put the boots down, the smell was getting to him. ‘’..Should I toss them?’’

‘’No.. I need..’’ Astarion paused. ‘’Just put them in the corner for now, just in case.’’

Ty winched as he grabbed the boots again, slowly walking over to a corner while Astarion collected his thoughts. He looked back to the dagger. ‘’Soon, I’ll be reunited with my other, just like these two blades..’’ The spark in his eyes returned, glowing with obsession. ‘’Forgive me, my love..’’

The guardsman listened in still, even in his miserable position he dared to plot ahead, taking in account all the information provided here. He wouldn’t be able to withstand the commands of his new master, but perhaps the situation could still be set in his favour.. He just had to be smart. For now, he would sob and cry as Vandellion shaved him, sniffling pathetically.

‘’My living yet undead lungs are in need of fresh air.’’ Astarion spoke again after a long silence. ‘’To plot ahead, get all the right pieces in place.. I need to locate Tav.’’ His scheming mind snickered at the play he had begun to orchestrate.

With a deep inhale, the elf focussed his collective memory, recalling the distinct scent of Tav’s blood. If Tyselius could not find the rest of the trail with just the smell of moldy boots, then it was up to Astarion himself.

He didn’t plan on meeting Tav directly however. That reunion had to wait, he didn’t know what state Tav was in.. And so, the vampire ascendant disguised himself again, this time taking the guise of a young handsome tiefling with curly black locks as he climbed the stairs to the main floor. He could hear the corrupt guardsman whine while closing the cellar door behind him.

Operating in Neverwinter had some pros and cons, while he couldn’t bestow his protection over the city the same way he could in baldur’s gate, his spawn did not have to worry.

Keeping a low profile and sticking to the shadows was a skill Astarion was all too familiar with. His bodyguards and assassins were essentially trained with those skills in mind.

Vandelion and Tyselius could operate just fine without their sunwalking regent during the day.. Something tells him they’re positively enjoying the work he left them behind with.

For now, he strolled in his disguise, tracing back the trail Tyselius spoke of. From the fishery to the town square with the fountain.

There were several town squares with fountains in neverwinter, but he went directly to the most populated one. From there, he took a minute to observe his disguise in the reflection of the ice water.

It wasn’t that long ago that running water once burned through his body like acid, and now a wading river was merely pleasantry on hot summer days. It being winter, it could look strange to the average pedestrian to dip your fingers in ice cold water absentmindedly.

Sniff. Astarion takes a deep breath. Ah! There it is- The trail Ty spoke of. It was faint, a couple of weeks old. But the distinct flavour of Tav’s sweat filled Astarion’s head with memories, it was overwhelming. The emotions nearly punched him out of his disguise spell. No! Hold.. Think..

Adrenaline, and.. Other hormones coated the smell. Fear.

Tav’s sweat had been coated in fear when he walked here.. Or ran? Astarion paced around a bit and sat down on the fountain’s bench, observing the snowflakes that fell from the sky.

He closed his eyes to observe the trail in his inner vision, seeing the faint silhouette of Tav change colour in the back of his mind.

The colour changed a few more times, only to come back to a dull, blueish grey, a stillness you would only be able to observe during the hours of dusk in the evening.

Once the blueish grey became so still that it was nearly invisible, would another silhouette appear.. That of someone the size of a gnome.. Or halfling. Dwarf? No, there was a distinct earthy but flowery smell, it had to be a halfling.

The silhouette touches Tav’s dull grey colour, and his silhouette stills even more, shrinking.

Any emotion or hormonal response that lingered in the trail of his sweat faded the second the halfling touched his hand..

Astarion tried to focus on the smell of this person, only to see it walking off with their tiny arm stretched outwards, pulling whatever invisible glimmer of Tav’s silhouette remained towards a different direction.

When his eyes opened again, he had returned to the busy festive view of Neverwinter. People flocked around, loud sounds.. Children screaming and playing. Parents yelling, and merchants trying to keep up with growing lines of impatient customers.

Amongst the chaos, of course- even a Professional as Ty would potentially lose track of the subject he had to trace.. But Astarion was from a different Caliber, a Vampire lord, nay! The vampire ascendant. His senses were superior, above any spawn and meagre vampire lord.

Now.. Back to the hunt.

…….

Everything was going well, the bedrest certainly did you good. Jilvy’s clientele, however.. Had grown a lot over the weekend. And so, rush hour became a consistent thing.

With the expanding horizons of your patron’s business, came more chattier customers. Your short-witted and quiet responses for some reason gained you some popularity.

While the storm calmed, Jilvy had run out of wares due to some shortage of ingredients, thus leaving you to man the business on your own for a couple of hours while she went out to get fresh supplies.

Rush hour came and went, with a lack of cookies and snacks to sell, most folks lost quick interest beyond the occasional tea-crazy regulars. The quiet made you realise how much tension had built in your lower back so you took the moment to stretch.

‘’He’s so handsome.’’ The muttering came from a group of ladies settled in a corner right across the bar. With their eyes digging in your back you could swear you pulled a muscle and winched. ‘’Oof.’’ That little awkward display earned you a few giggles, making you feel nervous.

You weren’t sure how to respond to all the flirting that took place, shrugging it off and trying to stay professional.. It made you wonder if Jilvy’s intentions for hiring you were less and less motherly, and more business oriented. She definitely was thriving off how useful you made yourself.. But she mothered you too, pushing you back to take more than enough breaks when your body wore you down.

‘’It’s getting late.’’ You mumbled to yourself, checking back on the dishes that had piled up. Another couple of rubs and they were dry and ready to be used again.

The bell of the tavern door rang everytime someone left and entered the building, making you perk up instinctively.

‘’Certainly not late enough for another cup of tea?’’ A handsome, human man around your physical age had approached the bar. ‘’I swear, this has got to be the cutest tavern I’ve ever seen. I’m parched for a hot drink.’’

His blue eyes made you stall, unsure whether he was flirting or just looking for conversation.

A weird, flowery feeling came over your gut. ‘’Oh, right, what’s your poison? I mean- It’s not alcoholic- Or poisonous.. Uhm..’’ You stuttered over your words, earning more giggles from the ladies in the corner.

‘’Surprise me.’’ He didn’t take too long while looking at the menu.

‘’Uh..’’ It gave you pause.

‘’I’m-’’ You wanted to tell him this wasn’t your brightest skill. ‘’I mean, Are you-’’ You paused again. ‘’Sir, you could be allergic to mint.. I’m sorry-’’ All the while his big beautiful eyes looked at you. Why were you being weird?!

‘’Oh! How considerate..’’ Your flustered attitude seemed to have an effect on him, his sudden confidence withdrawing. He looked over the menu, blushing. ‘’Winterberry special.. Now that sounds immaculate.’’

It didn’t take you long to fulfil the order and pour his drink, popping in the corresponding bag of leaves and herbs in the hot water.

He paid for his drink and sat at the bar, quietly flicking a spoon with honey through his drink while your eyes drifted with the motion.

You shook your head, unable to discern the meaning behind your emotions. Anxiety? Yes, certainly.. But beyond that empty overwhelming and loud noise that thrummed in the back of your head, was a warmth.

This man was attractive, very attractive, and it was having an effect on you. The feeling seemed to be somewhat mutual. He avoided your gaze notably.

You clutch the fabric on your chest as you turn around to sort your freshly cleaned cutlery.

Whatever this feeling is, it’s kind of nice.

The warmth unfortunately dissipated soon after, like a weight came back to shove it down your guts. And then, nothing. A quiet.

Only for the quiet to be distilled in a throb as you turned your head back to glance at the human while he took a sip. He nearly choked when your eyes met.

Your own identity had been a mystery for some time, but this was somewhat familiar. Attraction. You liked men, and you liked men liking you back. A piece of who you were had been returned to you, giving back an influx of emotions you didn’t know you were capable of.

It made you fidget with your apron, quietly counting the minutes it took for him to finish his drink and eventually leave.

The sensation dropped again, a certain gloominess overcame you when he said his friendly goodbyes and left, the door’s bell echoed through your skill.

There was a unanimous disappointed ‘’D’aww.’’ From the group of ladies who had watched and observed the entire spectacle, all the while quietly finishing their drinks.

Given the hour and decrease of customers, it was probably a good idea to start wrapping up for the day. Jilvy seemed to be taking her sweet time.. You weren’t too worried about her, she probably got caught up in a conversation and was networking on the streets.

The last of the regular customers left, loudly giving their goodbyes and complimenting you on your work ethic. Now the tavern was empty, only with the memory of the doorbell ringing in the back of your head.

There was a long silence before you could feel something shift around the place, only to sit itself in front of you.

A flash of bright orange hair dye reminded you of the first time you met the holiday regular Gale. He wasn’t around today, but this person.. This was Dharma.

‘’Oh, I didn’t hear you, I was preparing to close.. I’m unfortunately still out of snacks, but there’s enough hot water left for a single cup of tea.’’ Your words came out almost robotic, rehearsed. Fast, stumbling.

Dharma didn’t respond, she placed her elbows on the bar and rested her head on the palms of her hands.

‘’Okay..’’ You looked dazed, a little confused. Usually people wouldn’t shut up after your first sentence. The quiet stare continued, leaving you to look at the door and ponder how Jilvy could take so long.

‘’I’ve been observing you.’’ Dharma confidently spoke, her tone was formal, almost like an authority figure.. Unlike the crazy, nervous tone she had around Gale when she followed him into the tavern that first evening. ‘’You seem to be a strapping young man, and.. If I’m correct, a bachelor?’’ She leaned in a little further as she said this.

‘’Do you have a girlfriend?’’ Her eyes sparked with something strange, but it didn’t take a hold of you, she blinked in confusion.

You could feel a strange energy thrum in the back of your head again, giving you a flashback towards that hellish moment with the guardsman..

Yes.. You stabbed him.. Felt his blood pour over you, a sick sense of satisfaction alongside it. But there was also terror, the need to run away from the violence. With that well of power sparked an explosion, shooting you out of the inn and into the water.

The flashback ended, and you could see Dharma’s eyes stare right through you intensely. ‘’What?’’ Your response was a near whisper.

‘’Do you have a girlfriend?’’ Dharma repeated, staring you down almost predatory.

You wanted to say no, but her advances were putting you on edge.

Without much further thought behind it, remembering the strange breeze you’ve been feeling during the night.. The sound of rats running around in the wardrobe near your bed, and the storage cupboard in the hallway.. No rat is human-sized. And there was no door bell to alert you of Dharma’s entry into the building just now.. Perhaps that would explain how Jilvy ran out of food so fast?

‘’I- I have a boyfriend.’’ In the back of your head, your mind recalled the brief encounter you had with the beautiful man earlier. Hoping that if she did indeed sneak around here, she might have observed your awkwardness earlier.

But.. That didn’t seem to change her mind. ‘’It’s Gale, isn’t it? He’s here.. To sneak around and.. Cheat on me.’’

‘’What?’’ You worded in disbelief. No, she didn’t come here to stalk you.. Of course not. This weirdo was convinced the wizard was here for you! But why? You never even talked to him. And- Cheat? Oh gods.. This woman is nuts.

‘’My charm spell didn’t work on you, but that doesn’t matter. I’ll remove you, and he’ll return to Waterdeep. Sit tight, it won’t take long!’’ While she spoke the words in a cheerful tone, and moved her hands to cast a spell, the thrumming energy that was building up earlier burst out of you, causing you to dash forward with psionic energy and swing right out of the door.

‘’I’m going to find my boyfriend- Bye!’’ Is all you could utter, hoping it would keep her from chasing you down in public..

Certainly the guard would not take kindly to an attempted public murder attempt, only for you to quickly remember that you have done the same yourself not too long ago.

Shit.

Without a weapon to defend yourself, all you could rely on were these strange bursts of power, bursts that gave you horrible headaches and made you lose sight of where you were walking..

You took your chances and avoided the guards, running down a street, stumbling only to see Dharma chase after you. She was much slower, and thus you kept running.

A few turns later brought you to an empty alleyway, familiar enough for you to know where you were. Just a couple of turns and you could hide in a busy town square.. However, seeing as it was getting late, hiding in the crowd might not be ideal. There weren’t enough people walking around at this hour to get lost between.

Turning your head around and round while catching a breath, you got spooked by the slightest hint of orange in your near vicinity, only to realise it was just a carpet hanging on someone’s window. Perhaps you had shaken her off for now.

Then, as you regained your balance, your eyes with those of a tiefling. Earlier you’d hoped to run into the handsome man again, but the tiefling looked like.. An adventurer. Perhaps he’d be more understanding of your situation.

The tiefling however, had frozen in place at the sight of you, causing you to freeze as well.

This sensation wasn’t pleasant, but you had to fight through it, Dharma could enter the alley any moment.

You could call out for help, but no words would leave your mouth, so you awkwardly strutted over to him, whispering loudly. ‘’Please- For a moment- Could you pretend to be my boyfriend?’’ You grit your teeth at how awkward the request must sound, looking over your shoulder, wary of the colour orange.

The Tiefling had a strangely calm aura around him, his shocked and startled expression faded and gave you a familiar, warm smile. He was about to speak when you could smell the arcane energy of whatever spell the woman was holding.

‘’THERE YOU ARE! You fiance-stealing-piece of shit-’’ Dharma’s voice rattled on about whatever insane delusions she had come up with the past week. You took your chance and hid behind the Tiefling, who tensed up as you brushed against him.

‘’What seems to be the problem, miss?’’ The tiefling’s voice was stern, mature. He kept up an act. ‘’Why are you chasing my darling around town?’’ Darling. That word made you feel weird.

‘’Wait.. Does he have a boyfriend? Oh.’’ Dharma lowered her hands, her magic waning.

‘’So you weren’t..’’ Dharma paused, trying to process this new information.

‘’This all seems to be a big misunderstanding.’’ Dharma smiled with a teethy expression, stumbling. ‘’I thought he was.. No. Sorry.’’ She grew quiet.

Then she pulled her head upwards, almost in a sense of clarity. ‘’You don’t look like you’re dating, though. I’ve never seen you at the tavern before.. This is.. a ruse!’’ The mage put her hands back together, ready to load up whatever insane spell she was ready to cast earlier.

‘’I assure you, you don’t want to do that.’’ The Tiefling confidently placed his hand around yours, interlocking your fingers. You squeezed his hand, trembling.

‘’Murdering a young couple out on the streets.. Wouldn’t that be a crime?’’ His voice.. It was teasing, challenging. And his eyes, malice. He wanted her to try.

To give him a reason to kill her out in the open. But.. He kept his composure. There was intelligence behind the quiet aggression.

For a stranger you’ve only just met, he seemed pretty heroic to you. It did concern you a little though.. What if.. The second Dharma was dealt with, the tiefling would turn on you? It’d be back to running off.. No more tavern.. No more Jilvy.. No more bed.. Just ice cold neverwinter and guards you could not trust. Hide.. Please let me hide.. You thought.

Then, he gave you a reassuring squeeze, the tension disappeared. ‘’Have you nothing to say for yourself, mage?’’ The tiefling spoke up again. Dharma began to mumble incomprehensibly. Her spell dissipated again. She started pulling at her orange dyed hair, then turned around.. And just walked off.

You let out a loud wheeze of air, realising you held your breath earlier. On reflex, you pull your hand away and stumble, leaning on the wall of the alley. ‘’Fuck.’’

The tiefling turns to you, with a worried look. ‘’Are you alright, T- … Terribly sorry.. Take your time.’’ his stutter caught you off guard, almost as if he was about to speak your name.

You took a few deep breaths, ‘’Thank you,’’ holding on to the wall behind you, ‘’I’m grateful-’’ And then you turn around and just.. Unwind whatever bile had risen in your stomach and release it to the cold snow. ‘’.. There goes my lunch.’’ You mutter as you wipe your mouth.

….

It’s Tav! As the scene had unfolded in front of him, he almost did not recognize his dearest treasure. He looked out of breath, scared. The scent of his adrenaline had led Astarion straight to him.

He wasn’t as dishevelled as Astarion thought he would be.. Tidied up.. But, thinner. His hair was a little longer than he’d remembered. And his eyes had lost some of their once so rich colour.

He was excited.. And frightened, when he stumbled over towards him asking for help. That was all it took for Astarion to keep on his mask and pretend to be this strong willed and helpful Tiefling adventurer..

When the insane wizard walked off, he quietly cursed the fires in his mind that craved to kill her on the spot.. No, he couldn’t just kill at random without understanding the situation.

Everything was going well.. And then Tav threw up his lunch from the shock. He wanted to hold him, pat his back, tell him everything was going to be alright.. But right now, he wasn’t Astarion. He was some random tiefling adventurer, so he had to act the part.

He needed to know where Tav had been hiding all this time.

‘’Nasty.. I would’ve done the same if I was in your position.’’ He turned his disguised face to look at the footsteps Dharma left behind in the snow. ‘’I mean the vomiting, walking up to strangers and asking them to pretend to be their boyfriend though..? An unusual call for help. What was she after?’’ Astarion eyed Tav as he leaned on the wall, trying to balance himself.

‘’I don’t know.. She’s nuts.’’ He paused, recollecting his thoughts. ‘’She’s some student that chased after her teacher into the tavern I work at.’’

‘’And.. I take it she was stalking this teacher?’’ Astarion quickly read into the situation with the new context.

‘’Yes, she was practically begging him to marry him.. I think after my boss sent her away, she must’ve snuck into my room somehow and hid there for .. Weeks? Gods.. She was plotting to kill me.’’

From the strange rant Dharma had earlier, she likely convinced herself she was going to marry this teacher.. He probably was a regular customer.. Tav is wearing an apron. He works at the front of the bar in a tavern, then. It all comes together..

‘’She was plotting to kill me..’’ Tav repeated, sinking to the snowy stone floor. His facial expression contorted with one of fear and withdrawal.

‘’Hold on,’’ Astarion reached out with his hand. ‘’I’ll stick around as long as you need. Talk to me.’’ Tav quietly took his hand and allowed him to pull him up.

‘’Okay.’’

Tav guided him down the street, holding his hand tightly for a moment as they walked a bit, he tensed up and released Astarion’s hand. ‘’Sorry-’’

‘’It’s alright. You work at a tavern?’’

‘’Yes.’’

‘’You smell awfully fruity though, are you sure?’’

‘’Oh, it’s.. It’s not the kind that serves alcohol. I pour tea.’’

‘’Wouldn’t that make it a teahouse..?’’

‘’No-no. More like a tiny restaurant, but operated like a tavern I guess.. There’s a bar.’’

‘’That sounds like a teahouse.’’

‘’Well my boss says it's a tavern, so.. I think it’s a tavern..?’’

The awkward silence cut in, making Astarion withdraw from his usual cool and get lost in Tav’s eyes. He definitely changed, but he hadn’t aged. The clothes he was wearing were concealing the loss of weight, his hair was messy but it wasn’t dirty. His hands were covered in bandages from small cuts, the kind you get from peeling potatoes.

He had been here working all this time.. Forgetting about Baldur’s gate, forgetting about him.

Perhaps he shouldn’t have worried so much.. No. Tav was in danger just now!

He didn’t seem happy at all. Astarion could smell the hormones in his sweat, and combine that reading with his expression. Behind all the masking and fearful spikes of adrenaline was a stilling emptiness, something familiar.

The chill of illithid magic that he had used during their adventure resonated off of him, quietly. Subtly. Psionic magicks.

Netherse magic, a remainder.. There’s no tadpole left in his head. There couldn’t be. He’d have transformed long ago. Whatever brain-altering the tadpoles he’d absorbed have done, it left a mark.

‘’Oh SHIT- SHIT! I left the door unlocked- Jilvy could come back any moment-’’ Tav erupted, turning around and about to wander off. ‘’Sorry- I’m sorry, and thanks so much again! I’ll figure this out-’’ He sputtered, running off and not giving Astarion a chance to ask where he worked.

But that wasn’t a problem, he got Tav’s fresh scent now. It was only a matter of time..

And he had so many things to plot ahead.

#ascended astarion x male reader #ascended astarion x reader #ascended astarion x male tav #astarion #astarion x tav #bg3 #bg3 tav #ascended astarion x m! reader #ascended astarion x m! tav #ascended astarion x tav

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actuallyevilgay · 11 months ago

Text

The Apathy (Part 3)

Astarion x Male Reader/Tav

DNI if you are a minor. Dead dove don’t eat. Please read my about before replying. Content: Astarion x Male tav, this is post epilogue.

Summary: Your escape from the guard did not go unnoticed, trouble is brewing and Astarion is searching for you while a familiar face visits Jilvy's cute little tavern. Reminders: Astarion is the vampire ascendant, Tav is not a heroic figure. Contains headcanons for several characters, contains headcanons for illithid brain alteration but not evolving. Tav uses daggers and magic. Astarion is an Arcane Trickster Rogue. I created several npcs. Some Neverwinter lore is mentioned but might not be lore friendly. Content Warnings: Tav suffering from depression / ptsd, self-neglect. A/N: Link to previous part. Trouble be brewing.. I have a lot of ideas for this mini series. Hope you don't mind my story pacing too much, I do read my stuff back before posting but I don't have time to go back and fix every typo. Remember to leave a follow so you don't miss out on it!

...... Even when everyone was aware of the location, it was unclear if his old friends all intended to look for Tav. Astarion bet on it that Gale and Karlach would certainly try, but both had busy schedules. Karlach simply was busy trying not to die, so she had to remain in avernus until Dammon could do something about her engine permanently. As for Gale, he had students to attend to, a full schedule. Only the holiday season could free him from that disaster. Which may be soon, so the vampire lord had plenty of time.

The only other person he could imagine going right into the chase was Jaheira, if not to gain advantage over him. Some nosy harper that old woman is.

Astarion had made note that he could potentially run into any of them, and personally.. He’d rather avoid that entirely. If anything, he’d hoped to just see Tav. Talk to him before anyone else could. Perhaps that way he could convince him to come back, take his place at Astarion’s side. Like how it used to be.. Together.

Vandelion and Tyselius both disguised themselves as adventurers, and with a simple masterful glamour spell, Astarion fit right in. He had picked the appearance of a blonde half elf, attractive, but plain enough to not draw too much attention to himself.

Certainly not even his old friends would notice… Could he still call them friends?

There was this distance put between them in the last six months. Everyone had moved on from the adventure to live their lives. The trip to Neverwinter took almost 20 days, even with the more convenient methods of travel, horseback, carriage, or by boat.. It all went by in a blur. There was this consistent anxiety that in the time it took to get here, Tav could’ve left.

If he hadn’t, certainly Neverwinter would not have swallowed him whole. And so, to focus his stress Astarion made sure to remember every tiny detail of his lost lover’s face.

His voice, the colour of his eyes. The way he looked over his shoulder…

It made him smirk, even on this disguised face.. There was this familiarity to Astarion’s smile. Not that anyone who knew him was here to notice except for his bodyguards.

As astarion’s gaze got lost in the snowy streets of neverwinter, he remembered Tav’s eerily piercings eyes in the midst of one of their past battles. He recalled the scent of adrenaline in his lover’s blood, when the Grymforge Golem crawled out of the forge.

Astarion’s eyes glanced up to the mountains in the distance, spotting the resting volcano. Without trying, the smell of the magma mephits exploding near his face came flowing back with a sense of nostalgia and absence.

Absence.

When Tav darted forwards to plunge himself into that lever, everyone was flailing around from the quake. Sweat dripped from his forehead, he struggled to breathe.

‘’The hammer! Keep luring it towards the hammer!’’

Visions of the fight interrupted his daydreaming. This was when he first realised he felt for Tav, craving for something more than what he pretended they had. Something real.

Everyone nearly died that day, the night cometh.. Tav could not sleep at all.

Astarion envisions it so clearly. The man had wandered towards his tent, only to pace back and hesitate. Nothing happened between the two that night.. There was only this exchange of eye contact that could have lasted for hours.

There was an absence in his eyes, Astarion realises. How could he have missed that? He pondered how many times that look completely overtook his lover’s eyes.

No.. He recalled it. After absorbing Nere’s tadpole, long before that fight, Tav would fool around less. He was distant for a while, the power gave him an edge in battle.. But everytime he took another one of those worms, he took more risks, damage… It drained him just as much as it empowered him.

‘’Someone has to take more hits,’’ Tav always excused his actions, claiming it was for the best. For a time Astarion assumed he was covetting the power greedily- Up until they met the emperor he had assumed Tav would rather keep it for himself for selfish reasons.

The way that thing.. The mind flayer- Spoke, deeply unsettled him. It was utterly disgusting when the thing suggested Tav take the damn astral worm.

Astral or not, nothing good could have come from it, and thus- in a fury of sudden rage, Tav stomped the thing to the ground. ‘’No more! I’m done with this bullshit!’’ His screams nearly send the Emperor in a rage.. The beast contained himself. He needed their party to succeed.. It accepted his losses…

All the while Astarion happily encouraged Tav to make use of the tadpoles as he had.. The parasite granted him his freedom after all...

Neither of them ever set out to be heroes.. All Astarion wanted was freedom. He went along for the ride, and came out of it with more power than he could have ever dreamed of.

Tav on the other hand… Before anyone could even celebrate his deeds, he disappeared.

Baldur’s mouth gazette would only mention the mystery hero for a few weeks, and then forget about it completely. It was almost as if he never existed, his accomplishments didn’t matter enough to these peasants..

The anger Astarion had felt during that time was unreasonable. He so deeply regretted it.

For all the time that he has been thinking about this man with rage and heartbreak, no one else seemed to even worry about him. If his old friends dared to show up here now, it would be an insult. What was even a worse insult is them not coming at all. They could pretend all they want, they moved on with their lives. The notion that Jaheira went looking and came back with nothing felt like a big lie to Astarion. They only cared when he didn’t show up to that stupid reunion.. Yes.. Ironically he dismissed the thought that he too was guilty of this. No, not once did Tav leave his thoughts. Not once.

‘’Sir?’’ Vand’s voice interrupted his thoughts.

‘’Ah.’’ Astarion sighed. ‘’ Yes. Let's explore around a bit, shall we? Perhaps there is some clue.. There has to be..’’ He wiped some of the snow off his cheek, regaining focus.

Ty’s chirpy persona chimed in. ‘’Would you look at that? There’s a crowd gathering.’’ Convenient timing.

The three turned their heads to the square. There was a noticeboard, and a bunch of wintershield watchmen gathered as something was being nailed to it.

‘’Adventurers, Mercenaries and fellow citizens!’’ The one who seemed to be in charge took the attention of the crowd, attracting an audience.

‘’About Tenday ago, one of our faithful guardsmen was a victim in a murder attempt, any aid towards finding the criminal will be rewarded forthwith. They must be put to justice.’’ The guard steps aside to show the drawing she posted on the board. A dagger with a curled edge was drawn clear as day. Astarion recognised it as one of Orin’s weapons- Wielded faithfully by his Tav, as a trophy.

The wicked thing meant very little to him, it was just a tool.. But to see it depicted here, in a place that has no personal history with Bhaal’s cult was most unusual.

Effectively, this confirmed that Tav was indeed here, and the first clue to finding him was the man who had been nearly stabbed to death with this weapon. ‘’My dear friends, it seems we’ve found ourselves a job.’’ Astarion put a hand on his hip, acting like a confident adventurer eager to aid in solving this problem for whatever pittance of coin the guard offered. He did not need it, but he certainly needed to know what would cause Tav to leave his weapon behind.. Why stab a guardsman out of all people?

First things first, he would have to question the victim, dead or alive.

…

You’ve been working here for at least a week… Maybe two. Slowly adapting to the circumstances. Jilvy’s motherly attitude made you less anxious, quietly doing chores in the background. You liked it here, right? It was warm.. You could hide. You didn’t have to go outside anymore.

Jilvy offered you a place to sleep and eat, as well as live and work- It had been pleasant, if not for the lack of sensation..

Sensation, no- Emotions. You lacked proper responses at times. You knew you were experiencing emotions, even if they felt odd and confusing. Most of the time you could find some comfort in the absence of it. The emptiness, the apathy.

Your facial features did not move very much, unless you spoke- people might’ve assumed that you were an automaton, or a doll of sorts.

Jilvy welcomed customers in her establishment with much glee. It was a pretty niche place, never too busy. All the folk that visited it were particularly characteristic.

From a dragonborn that paraded around in rainbow colours singing throaty songs, to a group of Gnomes reciting some sort of play.. There were all sorts of faces here. None of them seemed dangerous. Jilvy had organised a book club or something in the past, and a lot of her clients were previous club members.

You felt out of place here, they were all so.. Normal. As you peel potatoes, the knife feels too familiar in your hand. You spin it around a bit absent mindedly before returning to the task.

The bell that rings when the door opens loudly repeats twice as two figures come inside in rapid succession. ‘’Dharma, I told you to stop following me!’’ The voice was a man’s, stern, polished. Something about it made your hairs stand on edge, but you kept your back turned to the door as you worked on the food behind the counter. You crafted little chips shaped portions to bake in with salt later. It was a treat Jilvy taught you to make.

‘’But sir- I’ve told you we’d make a decent couple! Ask your mother, she’d agree!’’

‘’That is inappropriate. Not only inappropriate! You’ve stalked your own teacher on his holiday spouting this nonsense. Dharma, I am going to have a stern talking to your parents and I am dropping you from my class effective immediately. Leave. Now.’’

‘’But-’’

Before the debacle could continue further, Jilvy interrupted the conversation. ‘’Oh dear, get yourself out before I get the guard involved, m’kay? I’m running a business.’’

You assumed the student by the name of Dharma left, as the sound of the door being thrown open and closed with much force came soon after.

‘’Thank you.. I’ve been dealing with this headache for weeks.’’ The man replied.

‘’Sounds like a wild time, would you like a seat, handsome?’’ Jilvy would sometimes flirt with the customers, but it was never too serious. Just some mild banter.

They held a conversation in a corner further away from the counter. The man would complain about the student trying to make moves on him during private tutoring sessions. The girl grew obsessed. He did not expect her to follow him all the way to Neverwinter.

‘’What brings you all the way to Neverwinter for a holiday? Waterdeep is such a dreamy location, if I lived there, I probably wouldn’t want to leave.’’ You could guess Jilvy was lying, she was simply showing interest in her customers to make them want to frequent more. Or perhaps spend more money. Something like that.

‘’Oh, nothing special.. Just.. Oh who am I kidding? I’m on a quest.’’ The man’s voice chirped, there was a sense of pride in his voice. The pride quickly faltered as he continued..

‘’A dear friend of mine disappeared after the attack on Baldur’s Gate. I haven’t seen him in months. I should’ve gone after him.. I’m worried.’’

Baldur’s gate..?

Those two words buzzed in your brain.. It’s the name of a city. There was an attack.. The violent visions.. Did this man know you? No, it could just be a coincidence. You were no one. You did not want to be found.

The noise of the background conversation turned into white noise, slightly blurring out your vision as you stumbled. You tried to keep a hold of yourself by grabbing the counter. The fainting spell faded quickly.

Before you knew it, the man had approached the counter, as Jilvy got around to pour him a drink. You could feel his eyes slowly drift from Jilvy into your back. And then.. Nothing.

If he knew you, he’d probably recognise you.

But then again.. You’ve neglected yourself so much, you couldn’t even recognise your own reflection as something familiar. Your clothes were a bit too large for you, fastened with plenty of belts. A coat on top, to make sure people wouldn’t be distracted by how thin you were. Your hair used to be much messier before you started working, it was still a bit longer than you think it should’ve been. Tidied up and cut by Jilvy as much as you allowed her to.

‘’Oh, Tav, could you pass me those herbs? I can’t reach that far.’’ Jilvy’s request made your body move on its own, quietly passing a bottle to her with a turn.

Your eyes met the man’s.

He looked.. Confused. Processing something. He kept staring, even as Jilvy continued to banter towards him about the tea flavour she invented.

‘’Tav, make sure you don’t burn the chips again? The gnomes are looking hungry.’’ Jilvy nudged your side. Once more you moved without thinking too much about it.

The halfling kept talking for a time as you did your chores, up until she handed the man his tea, then she slowly made her way back to you and tugged at your leg, implying she wanted to whisper something in your ear.

‘’I saw the staring. Isn’t he handsome?’’ Jilvy winked. ‘’Oh, Uhm..’’ Your response was lacking. You fought for something new to say. ‘’I guess. He has a nice beard.’’ Did he? Probably. You weren’t sure. A part of you wanted to cower and hide. A headache was coming.. And then, nausea. ‘’I..’’ Jilvy recognised the look you gave her. ‘’Go, shoo.’’

She smiled eagerly into the man’s direction as you darted for the door, running around the corner to find the bathroom, dreading what would come.

As you waited and waited, the nausea left. Your guts slowly calmed, but not without an awful lot of pain shooting through it. How fortunate. Your throat wouldn’t have to deal with this today. These headaches were unbearable.

You rest your head in your hands as you slowly gather the courage to stand back up, dizzy from the tossing and turning your brain was doing.

You walked back to the door, and waited briefly in front of it, watching the man talk some more with Jilvy.

‘’Is your employee alright?’’

‘’Oh, He’s been through a lot. Homeless boy. I’m taking care of him.’’

‘’Ah.. You said his name was Tav..?’’

‘’He thinks that’s his name, is my guess.’’

‘’I see..’’

There was a long silence as the man poured his tea quickly into his mouth in a sudden hurry.

‘’I’ll be back with a book to read tomorrow, you do breakfasts, yes?’’

Jilvy grinned at the fact she had won over a new customer, even if it was just a tourist.

‘’I’ll be seeing you soon, Gale.’’

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