#gale dekarios mention

[a-heart-of-kyber]

*slaps table*

Listen!

There is something super sweet and healing and hopeful about Gale, "I was groomed and still don't realize it and had 'sex' with the Goddess of Magic via mental/spiritual/astral projection regularly. Also, I'm kind of addicted to magic." Deciding to approach you first to flirt with "You being all sweaty after battle is so fucking hot."

Because it's Real. It's physical. Yeah, it's horny, but it's the realization that the mortal realm can be equal to the godly one, if not superior, despite it being different. Like, he's not Losing something by not being with a God and he can heal.

[steampoweredstrawberry]

I just love that in every way, Gale's backstory is a Greek myth, down to being a cautionary tale about hubris.

He's a prodigy whose talent drew the attention of a goddess, who took him as a lover until he dain question her and seek to claim a mere fraction of the power she possesses. So, he must be punished, cursed, a reminder to all that the gods are ultimately fickle things whose favor is easily lost.

[mirrorhouse]

Let me think... why are you really here?

[namespara]

Hello strangest target audience of fellow sad mage enjoyers

[emmavakarian-theirin]

was playing around with flycam and discovered that tav doesn't spawn during the first shot of his act 3 romance scene, and thought it was a nice visual given how he tells you in that same scene he use to create this for himself, so i thought i'd take wallpaper-styled shots for you guys to use as wallpapers/icons if you wanted

4K versions here :)

unmodded version as per requests:

[elspethdekarios]

i am so set in my belief that gale's dad left when he was a kid. like that man has all the hallmarks of being a kid of an absent father. always trying to prove his worth to people? check. thinks everyone is better off without him? check. i also feel like he would at least mention in passing if his dad had died instead of just not mentioning him whatsoever. the fact that he doesn't say anything about his father makes me think it's a sore spot that he doesn't like to talk about.

[sorceresssundries]

'Elminster? Why the fuck has Mystra sent you instead of helping us herself?'

[wizardsimper]

Honestly there was a real missed opportunity for a scene involving Gale reading the player some of his poetry

[messiahzzz]

i have been thinking a lot about mystra’s relationship with gale, how reducing her to “his ex” really is an understatement. she was and still is so much more than that. moreover, using the term “ex-girlfriend” in relation to her plainly feels wrong and diminishes the influence she has over him, as well as the role she played in his life since his childhood (and it also trivializes the abuse he suffered through her).

there are several instances where gale gets defensive when his companions mention or ask him abt mystra. he claims that their relationship was no less real even though most of their interactions were incorporeal.

we have already established that gale is an unreliable narrator in this particular case, still not having fully come to terms with the fact that he was groomed, manipulated and abused. he ping-pongs between bouts of realization (even in his romance), gaining clarity that he was merely used and eventually discarded and that mystra never truly cared for him, back to making light of his situation, idealizing her once again. realizing the extent of his trauma, that he is indeed a victim in this scenario, unlearning what he has been made to believe from a young age is a slow and painful journey. he is in the process of healing, but it takes time. time he deserves just like anyone else.

which makes me wonder what their relationship really looked like, once the lines between teacher, muse, and lover began to blur. i also feel like one of the reasons why part of the fandom still struggles to identify mystra as his abuser, is because she is a white woman who initially presents herself in a soft-spoken, benevolent manner… and well, the fact that gale himself is ambitious to a fault and a lil insane about the promise of power. he also briefly mentions "crossing mystra’s boundaries” when he confides in tav and tells them about his folly. (“i am, after all, the villain in this story.”) which led to a looooot of misinterpretations.

leaving the overall lore and mystra’s treatment of her other chosen aside — what we can discern from her interactions with gale in-game, is that mystra is civil as long as she remains in control and gale follows her demands, but as soon as there’s even a slight mention of challenging her power or defying her rule, she rather quickly changes her tone.

there is also one particular exchange between them that just won’t leave my head:

“you were many things to me, but never a threat. and never a savior."

even if we choose to blatantly ignore the fact that mystra is a deity, his goddess - there is no possible way that their relationship ever could have been equal by any mortal standards. the power imbalance that comes with her being his teacher and a symbol of his admiration, plus the sheer control she holds over him and his powers are simply too great. don’t even let me get started on how it is a common tactic of abusers to isolate their victims from any outside influences so they can exert full control over them. and how up to meeting tav and their merry band of misfits, every single soul he was close to was inevitably tied to mystra in one way or another. he briefly mentions his colleagues and then there’s elminster, also mystra’s chosen and former lover, and tara, who is a fine wizard in her own right. he spend so many years in service of her, dedicating his life to her, that now there is no one left he can truly call a friend. most of his little anecdotes and stories he tells are restricted to his childhood and university days, everything else was mystra.

evidently, ordering gale to detonate the orb is the most efficient course of action in her eyes. he is just as expendable as any other mortal, after all. maybe once significantly more useful given his status and the extent of his powers, but she doesn’t feel sorrow nor remorse for ordering him to end his life. his death is simply the most convenient means to an end.

another thing i would also like to briefly touch upon is the trigger/detonator itself. a dagger to the heart. it could have been literally anything else, a simple incantation. it is well within mystra’s power to stabilize the orb and also to remove it from his body entirely. but no, what she requires of gale is to stab himself. one might argue that it was simply a cinematic choice meant for a more dramatic effect, but it really leaves a bitter taste in your mouth. especially considering the fact that she is commonly known and referred to as a jealous goddess. it almost makes it seem like yet another form of punishment or mere pettiness. after his long period of isolation, gale is now surrounded by fellow humans. people he cares about, even perhaps people he might eventually consider good friends — which is enough of a reason for him to not want to die, to keep going and try to find another way, rather than to blindly follow mystra’s bidding. now there’s a group of people who support him and are genuinely invested in him staying alive. hmmm...

[badass-space-fish]

Started playing baldur’s gate

[thedomesticanthropologist]

Remember to not erase characters canon sexualities just to make them match your OC's sexualityyyy

Straight men, lesbians romancing Shadowheart, Shadowheart is still bi/pansexual

Straight women romancing Gale, Gale is still bi/pansexual

Gay men or straight women romancing Astarion. Astarion is still Pansexual

Same goes for the rest of them !!! And no they are not playersexual!! Mix and match any of the possible descriptors for you/your characters sexuality as you see fit and the characters are STILL bi/pan!

No this does not erase your identity!! Just don't erase theirs!!!

[sun-marie]

I thought I might make this quick piece based off @galebrainrott 's idea into it's own post bc I'm quite happy with it :3

[galebrainrott]

Whenever Gale writers are like

"-grabbing your wrists gently." "-gently holds your hand." "-gently guiding you by your shoulders."

OKAYYY HRMGHRRHRHGNRH

[gale-force-storm]

Anticipation

Rating: E Pairing: Gale x female!Tav Additional Tags: Regency AU, pwp, oral sex, PIV, gale being a tease Word Count: 7.3k

Read it on AO3

Tav has learned that her fiance, Gale, likes to take things slowly when sharing pleasure. He claims he's only being gentlemanly, but she knows he just enjoys teasing her. This makes it all the more exciting when his own restraint finally snaps.

Inspired by this post by the lovely @waterdeep-weavemoss

Tav tried to be as quiet as she could while descending the stairs heading to the study. It was late enough that no one else should be awake, not even the staff, but one couldn't be too careful. She thought back to the note Gale had slipped her earlier, which she'd hidden away amongst her things.

“My heart, I long for your touch. I will be in the study once everyone else is asleep. I hope you will join me.”

Her heart pounded. Gale put up an excellent front, acting the perfect gentleman when necessary, but she knew first-hand there was a passion simmering just below that composed surface. Even the first time they had kissed, he had shown such intensity. The way he had pulled her close, the small sounds he had made, the desire behind every movement of his lips and tongue against hers, it had stolen her breath away and left her aching for more. More which he had soon given.

She bit her lip, remembering the night when they managed to sneak away from a ball for a full hour, before they were even engaged. He had led her into a library, kissed her breathless, and brought her to completion with his fingers, muffling her sounds of pleasure with his mouth. Despite the rushed nature of the meeting, he had been so careful and methodical with her, like she was the only thing in the world he cared about in that moment. That feeling combined with the pleasure he'd given her was intoxicating, and it was that memory and the hope for more which drew her to the bottom of the stairs and down the corridor to the door of his study. She opened it slowly, relieved that the hinges didn't squeak, and peeked in. No lamps or candles were lit, but the curtains for the large window on the other side of the room were open, letting in ample moonlight.

“Hello?” she whispered. Upon getting no reply she entered entirely, carefully closing the door behind her. Was she too early? Or worse, too late? She looked around for a moment, trying not to fret, when she suddenly felt a hand on her shoulder. She jumped and yelped, but another warm hand quickly covered her mouth, muffling the sound.

“Shh, it's only me, my love,” assured a rich voice in her ear. Instantly she relaxed, turning around to face him.

“Don't startle me like that!” she whispered furiously, swatting at his shoulder. Gale only chuckled.

“My apologies,” he murmured. He looked at her for a long moment, the heat in his eyes holding her in place. “I'm glad you came to join me,” he finally said.

“As though I would turn down such an invitation from my betrothed,” she replied mischievously. “Especially when he's as enticing as you are.” She looked him up and down, pulse quickening at the sight. He was down to his trousers and shirt, the latter open and giving a tantalizing glimpse of his chest, bronze skin and dark hair peeking out teasingly.

“Me, enticing?” he asked, breaking her from her reverie. “Have you looked at yourself this evening?” He brought up one hand, running it through her hair. She was still dressed, but she had taken her hair down, and it fell past her shoulders in loose, dark ringlets. “You are stunning. Utterly irresistible.”

He curled his other index finger under her chin and pulled her into a kiss. Tav melted into it, into the feeling of his mouth against hers, the warmth as she pressed herself closer to his body. They were both breathing harder when they finally parted.

“So, Mr. Dekarios, what exactly did you intend, calling me down to meet you at such an hour? And unchaperoned, no less?” she asked teasingly.

While one of his hands was still buried in her hair, the other moved down to grip her hip, holding her close. Her own hands rested on his broad shoulders, one of them toying with his tied back hair which she longed to see let down.

He grinned in return. “I told you in my note, did I not? I long for you.”

Tav raised a brow. “That's not terribly specific.”

Gale chuckled again. “I know it will only be a month and a fortnight before we are wed,” he relented, “but every time I'm with you I am nearly overcome with desire. I was hoping you might allow me to slake my thirst, and provide a small taste of things to come.”

“Oh? And how do you propose to do that?”

“By drinking from the finest font in all of creation,” he replied. His grip on her hip tightened and he pulled her fully flush against him, leaning to whisper in her ear. “I wish to taste you, my sweet Tavrielle. I've shown you what I can do with just my fingers, now allow me to demonstrate how skilled I am with my tongue.”

Tav gasped, her fingers tightening on his shoulders. Neither of them were completely inexperienced, she knew. Gale's reputation as a former favorite of Lady Mystra's had preceded him, and Tav herself had partaken in a couple subtler and shorter-lived trysts, but no one had ever used their mouth on her before. She felt herself flush at the thought.

“Is that something you would like, dearest?” he asked, his breath against her skin making her shiver.

“Yes,” she sighed in reply. Gale’s grin was wolfish when he pulled away.

“Have a seat then, my darling,” he said, gesturing to a plush-looking armchair in the nearest corner of the room. Tav went and sat down, and Gale knelt in front of her, looking up at her with an expression so full of desire and wonder that it nearly made her dizzy. He pulled one of her feet into his lap and gently pulled off her shoe, placing it to the side. He then ran his hands up her leg to her knee and untied the garter holding up her stocking, slowly pulling them down and off. He folded them and placed them next to her shoe before switching to her other leg and following the same procedure. That done, he gently massaged her ankle, then her calf. He leaned in and kissed her knee over her skirt and looked up at her for approval. Tav took a shuddering breath and nodded. He started to pull up her skirt and petticoat, but a thought suddenly struck her.

“Wait,” she said quietly. Gale stopped immediately, looking up at her again.

“What is it, my love?”

Tav leaned down slightly and reached behind his head, pulling lightly on his ponytail.

“Might I untie this? I would so dearly like to see it down.”

Gale's slight concern melted into a smile. “Of course. Though if you do, you'll need to hold my hair out of the way yourself for the next part.”

Tav swallowed. “I'd be happy to.” She removed the tie from his hair with a short tug, enjoying the way the waves fanned out behind him. “You're so lovely,” she breathed, running her fingers through the soft strands. Gale leaned into the touch, closing his eyes briefly in a way that reminded her of nothing so much as a cat.

“Not half so lovely as you,” he countered, opening his eyes again. “Speaking of, may I?” He pulled lightly at her skirt.

“Please,” she breathed.

Gale smirked and moved his focus back to her skirt and petticoat, which he started slowly pushing up her legs together. Once they were pooled in her lap, not quite revealing her, he paused and began kissing along one calf, her knee, and halfway up her thigh. Tav resisted the noises trying to rise in her throat, what might have been moans coming out as quiet whimpers and panted breaths. When he switched to the other leg, she began to grow impatient.

“Gale,” she whined. “Please.”

Gale pressed a gentling kiss to her knee. “Patience, lovely. We have plenty of time before anyone else is awake. Let me savour you.”

With that he went back to his leisurely exploration, gradually kissing - and occasionally nipping - higher and higher up her legs. She spread them wider, making room for his shoulders, but this allowed her skirts to fall down between them, keeping her covered despite Gale pushing them further up. Finally they were hitched all the way up to her hips, a small pool of fabric settled between her legs. Gale placed his hand on the fabric, shooting one last heated look up at her before moving it aside and revealing her to him.

Tav might have felt self-conscious about the way he stared if his expression hadn't been one of a starving man presented with the most sumptuous meal of his life. He reached up and caressed one side lightly with a thumb, then moved the digit further, dipping it into the moisture that had been pooling since the start of his teasing. Tav held her breath as he used that thumb to hold her open while he finally leaned in and firmly licked over her center. Tav whimpered at the sensation, and had to cover her own mouth with her hand to muffle herself when Gale moaned at the taste of her. He licked again, this time ending with a flick of his tongue against the little bundle of nerves that set her aflame before pulling away slightly.

“Jove himself could not conceive of nectar sweet as this,” he murmured, almost seemingly to himself. Then suddenly he was pulling her legs up, hooking her knees over his shoulders before diving in properly.

Tav tried to squirm under him, but his fingers dug greedily into the plushness of her thighs, holding her firmly in place. One of her hands remained in his hair, gripping and holding it back from his face. The other remained resolutely over her mouth, muffling the sounds of her pleasure as Gale devoured her. He hadn't been lying about being skilled with his tongue. Every movement sent a new wave of pleasure coursing through her. The way he alternated between thrusting it into her, licking deep while his nose rubbed against her deliciously, and flicking it against that sensitive bud while he sucked on it, made Tav want to scream. A feeling not helped by the way he kept moaning himself, as though she was the finest wine he'd ever tasted. The vibrations rumbled through her, amplifying her pleasure. She knew she wouldn't last long like this.

Sure enough, within a few minutes she felt the telltale pressure building. Her hand tightened in his hair and, despite her best efforts, her sounds grew louder.

“Gale,” she panted. “Gale I- I'm close. So close I- ah!”

Gale increased his efforts at her words, his tongue moving more quickly, pressing more insistently. He moved his tongue in a toe-curling wave inside her, his nose rubbing perfectly against that sensitive point. She fluttered around him, right on the precipice. He moaned at the feeling, and that was enough for her to let go, choking back her own moans as she arched against his mouth, riding out her pleasure on his tongue. She shuddered as she came down, his continued movements too much for her oversensitive flesh, so she pulled him away by his hair. He rested his head on her thigh, looking up at her, face covered with her slick, grinning like a cat who'd just feasted on the richest cream. He stroked her thighs soothingly, pressing kisses into them as she recovered.

“You enjoyed yourself, I hope?” he asked with a cocky smile. She'd be annoyed by how smug he looked if that smugness wasn't so justified.

“You are far too good at that,” she panted.

“Nothing I do could ever be too good for you, my heart.”

“You're also far too charming for either of our own good,” she replied with a small laugh. “Come up here?”

Gale moved to give her room and she stood, her skirts falling back down. As she attempted to straighten herself out a bit and pull her stockings and shoes back on, Gale pulled a handkerchief out of his pocket and wiped the worst of the mess from his face. He settled in the chair in Tav's place and pulled her onto his lap, nuzzling into her neck. Tav turned his face with a hand, pulling him into a kiss and moaning at the taste of herself on his tongue.

“You're incredible,” she murmured once she pulled away.

“I was about to say the same to you,” he replied.

“I was wondering,” Tav said, running her other hand slowly up his thigh. “Might you permit me to return the favour?” She could feel the eager press of him against her thigh, and it sent a fresh wave of arousal through her, knowing how much he had enjoyed feasting on her.

His hand landed on hers, gently pausing its movement.

“You don't have to,” he replied. “I asked to taste you as much for my own gratification as yours. You do not owe me anything in return.”

“And if I want to do it?” she asked, pulling back to look him in the eye. “Have you considered that I may enjoy the idea of bringing you pleasure, just as you do with me? That I may find my own pleasure in doing so?”

“I...” Gale licked his lips. “I simply don't want you to feel obligated.”

“I don't,” Tav replied simply. “The only thing I feel is desire.” She shifted, letting her thigh press more firmly against his harness, and she relished the gasp it drew from him and the way his hands tightened on her.

“Tavrielle,” he rasped.

Tav leaned in, letting her lips brush his ear.

“You aren’t the only one with a thirst to be slaked,” she whispered.

Gale groaned deep in his throat, letting his head fall briefly to her shoulder. He pressed a kiss there, nipping lightly before meeting her eyes once more.

“If this is truly what you wish, then who am I to deny you?”

Tav grinned. “Precisely.”

She let herself slide off his lap, settling on her knees on the floor in front of him. Her hands went straight to the buttons for the fall of his trousers, and she enjoyed the shuddering breath he took when she pulled it down and parted his drawers, freeing him. She licked her lips at the sight. He was already fully erect, jutting up eagerly from his lap. He wasn’t egregiously large, but he was by no means small either, and she pressed her legs together at the thought that she would be taking him properly in the near future. She wrapped a hand around him, pumping softly a couple of times and enjoying the silken hardness of him. She looked up to his face and found him flushed and panting already, one hand tightly gripping the arm of the chair, the other curled into a fist and pressed to his mouth, muffling him. Smirking, she held eye contact as she leaned in and licked up from the base to the head, and Gale let out a whine as his eyes fluttered momentarily closed. Slowly, Tav pressed her lips to the tip and leaned forward, letting his cock slide into her mouth as far as she could, and making up the rest of the distance with her hand.

“Tavrielle,” Gale panted. “Tav...”

Tav hummed around him in acknowledgement, making him shudder beneath her. She reached a hand up towards his where it still gripped the arm of the chair. She took it gently, guiding it instead to tangle in her hair. Gale hesitated briefly, but acquiesced to her silent request, slipping his fingers into the strands and gripping, pulling slightly and making her moan. Still aware of the risk of getting caught, low as it might be, Tav quickly began moving, sliding her mouth over him. She tried out different movements of her tongue to see what got the best reactions out of him, quietly humming and moaning around him and loving the way it made him twitch beneath her, clearly trying to keep himself from bucking up into her mouth. She moved her hand in time with her mouth, the other gripping and kneading at his hip. With all of this, it didn’t take long for him to begin tensing beneath her, his sounds of pleasure growing harder to muffle.

“Tav,” he gasped, “I’m- ah! I’m close to... Please I- how do you want me to...?” He looked down at her, eyes wide and pupils blown, face flushed and brows drawn in pleasure. Tav enjoyed the sight for a moment before letting him slip from her mouth.

“I told you before, did I not? I wish for you to sate my thirst as well.” With that she took him in again, grinning around him at his answering whimper. A few more pumps and clever flicks of her tongue and he was finishing in her mouth with a high, muffled sound, gripping her hair and twitching beneath her as she eagerly swallowed his release. She gentled the movements of her mouth, though kept him held there as he recovered until he pulled her off and back up into his lap, kissing her breathlessly.

“You are a wonder,” he panted between kisses. “Incredible. Perfection itself. I am the luckiest man in the world to have you as my betrothed.”

Tav laughed breathlessly against his lips, flustered and blushing at the praise.

“I’m glad you enjoyed it,” she said once he finally pulled away.

“Enjoyed in an understatement,” he replied earnestly, now nuzzling into her neck. They stayed like that for a few long minutes, enjoying the warmth and closeness, until eventually Gale sighed.

“I long to be able to hold you like this as we drift to sleep,” he said quietly. “I know the day will come soon, but it does not feel soon enough.”

Tav ran her fingers through his hair soothingly, scratching lightly over his scalp.

“But soon nonetheless,” she soothed. “And the wait will only make it feel all the sweeter, when the time does come.”

Gale sighed beneath her again. “I suppose you’re right. But until then, I’m afraid we should retire back to our rooms before anyone else wakes.” He held her more tightly for a moment before pulling back to allow her up. Tav sighed in return, knowing he was correct, but loath to leave the comfort of his embrace. Nevertheless she rose from his lap, checking her skirt to make sure it hadn’t been stained with any signs of their meeting. Gale, meanwhile, refastened his fall and stood. They stared at each other longingly for a moment before moving in for a lingering kiss.

“Mayhaps next time we can find a way to actually meet in a room with a bed,” she proposed mischievously. Gale chuckled darkly.

“A dangerous proposition, but a very tempting one. I long to spend an entire evening and night in bed with you.”

“Then I suppose we must find a way to make such a thing happen. Though for now, I fear we really should return to our rooms.” She leaned up and pressed one last gentle kiss to his lips. “Goodnight, Gale,” she whispered.

“Goodnight, my beloved,” he replied, gazing after her longingly as she quietly exited the room.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The next time they found themselves alone together, they had planned it out more thoroughly, to hopefully have several hours alone together and the ability to meet in an actual bedroom. The others were all gone to a ball and not expected home until quite late. Gale pretended that some urgent business matter had come up which he regrettably needed to attend to, away at his office, and Tav had claimed to have a terrible headache which required her to pass up the ball in favor of some rest. She had insisted, however, that the others all still go. She would be sleeping, after all, and she didn't want anyone missing out on an evening of fun to watch her do so. Gale had even given Tara the night off, insisting that as everyone would be gone until late anyway, they had little need of her that evening.

Gale went out to supposedly ready a horse while everyone else left, and once they were gone he went straight back inside and up to the room Tav was staying in. He found her in front of the mirror, pulling the pins from her hair. She watched him in the mirror as he locked the door and walked up behind her.

“I had rather hoped to help you with this,” he said, reaching up to pull another pin out and setting it on the vanity table in front of her.

“My apologies. If I had known, I would have waited for you.”

They worked together quietly, the anticipation palpable, and soon Tav’s hair was down. Gale slid a hand into it and leaned down, nuzzling into her neck and making her shiver pleasantly. He moved out of the way as she stood, turning around to face him. A single step and they met in a heated kiss. Tav was eager, pressing into Gale and nipping at his bottom lip, but Gale was unhurried, keeping their pace slow and leisurely. He said nothing as Tav reached up to untie his cravat, but he chuckled as she started undoing the buttons of his coat.

“Eager, are we?”

“Are you not?” she asked, one eyebrow raised. Gale grinned in return.

“Oh, I am. But that does not mean we must rush, does it?” He pushed gently yet firmly, urging her to sit back down. Once she did, he knelt in front of her and began as he had at their previous meeting, carefully removing her shoes and stockings and setting them aside. Tav was hopeful that he would follow this up by attending to her with his mouth, but instead he stood, helping her back to standing as well.

“Turn around for me, please?”

Tav did so, and felt him undoing the buttons on the back of her dress. Once that was done, he helped her to step out of it and carefully placed it aside. Next were her stays, which he attended to with equal care. He pressed soft, almost chaste kisses to her shoulders as he carefully loosened the ties, until eventually this too was able to be removed. Before he could continue, however, Tav spun in his arms and pulled him in for a kiss. The anticipation was unbearable — she needed him to touch her. Needed to touch him. To see and feel and taste.

“Please,” she sighed, pulling away slightly. “I want you so badly. Please, let me-”

Her hands moved towards his trousers, but he caught them in his own, pulling them up to place kisses to her knuckles. Gentle as the action was, his hold on her was firm, and his lips slid into a smirk that only fueled the flames inside her. A smirk which completely betrayed the false innocence in his voice when he spoke.

“Patience, my love. I only wish to treat you with the proper care and attention. Too much haste would be untoward, do you not agree? If we are to anticipate our vows, I must insist on doing so in the most gentlemanly manner possible, with only the utmost conscientiousness. So, gentleman that I am...” He leaned in, still holding her hands between them, his lips brushing her ear. “I’m going to take my time with you.”

Tav couldn’t help but whimper at that, and she could feel Gale’s answering grin against her, followed by a kiss to her cheekbone.

“You may undress me,” he continued, voice heated yet steady, like coals waiting to be stoked into flame. “However, I ask that you go slowly. Gratifying as your excitement is, we have several hours to ourselves, yet. We can afford to savour this.”

Tav nodded and took a deep breath, attempting to steady herself. Gale pulled back, his warm eyes dark with desire and sparkling with mischief.

“Can you do that for me, my dearest?”

“Yes,” Tav breathed.

“Very good.” Gale kissed her knuckles again, then let her hands go.

Tav began with his coat. Having already undone the buttons, she simply slid it off and placed it on a nearby chair. His waistcoat was next. Her progress was slow, both because of his order, and because the urgency of her arousal was making her fingers clumsy. Soon enough that too was gone, laid aside with the coat. She walked over to the bed, looking back at him.

“Sit for me, please?”

“Of course.”

He sat on the edge of the bed, and Tav knelt in front of him to take off his boots. As she did, she felt one of his hands slide through her hair, lightly scratching her scalp.

“You’re doing wonderfully,” he murmured softly. Tav swallowed and, unable to find her voice, kissed his knee in response.

Boots, then stockings and garters were set aside. Tav stood and reached for his shirt questioningly. He nodded. The linen was pulled out from where it was tucked in, and dropped aside. Tav took a long moment to admire him. Fit, yet pleasantly soft. Olive-skinned, with a delightful sweep of hair over his chest that she ached to run her fingers through. Pulling her focus back to the task at hand, she reached for his trousers, only for Gale to catch her hands once more.

“Ah- not quite yet, my love. May I?” He held both her hands in one of his, using the other to tug lightly at her slip.

“Please,” she said, unabashed in her eagerness.

Gale grinned, that wolfish smile that never failed to send a rush of moisture between her legs. He lifted the bottom hem, letting Tav pull it up and off the rest of the way, leaving her completely bare. Immediately his hands were on her, caressing from her hip, over her waist, up to her ribs and back down again as he stared at her with a heady mix of wonder and hunger.

“You are stunning,” he said quietly. “A greater masterpiece than any painter or sculptor could ever hope to create.”

Tav placed a hand over one of his and slowly drew it up to cup her breast. Gale licked his lips and squeezed lightly, enjoying the softness and weight of it. His other hand slid around her back and pulled her closer, letting him bury his face in her chest. Tav let out a quiet, pleased noise, her hand going to Gale’s hair and pulling it loose before burying her fingers in it, holding him close. Gale turned his head and began working his way across one curve with sucking, nipping kisses, eventually finding a nipple and wrapping his lips around it. Tav started to moan, but quickly brought a hand over her mouth, suddenly remembering that there was still staff in the house, and they still needed to try to avoid being overheard. Gale clearly was not concerned with making this easy for her, sucking one nipple while using his fingers to pinch at the other, leaving Tav to catch her whimpers with her hand. She leaned her hips forward, aching for contact, and found her thigh brushing against Gale’s hardness. He groaned into her chest and shifted forward, rubbing more firmly against her thigh and letting her feel plainly just how excited he truly was.

With a final nip to her breast he pulled his mouth away and pushed her back slightly, giving himself room to stand. He was flushed down to his chest and his breathing came heavily as he looked into her eyes. Tav placed her hands on his chest and slowly ran them down his body, one settling on his waist while the other continued down to cup him through his trousers, squeezing lightly and making him groan.

“May I?” she asked, voice no more than a breathy whisper. Gale looked at her for a long moment before finally saying the words she was aching to hear.

“You may.”

Buttons and ties were undone, fabric discarded, and finally he was bare before her. She had seen his member before of course, but seeing his body in its entirety took her breath away. She was sure her expression must mirror the one he’d had only minutes ago when her slip was removed.

Tav leaned in and Gale caught her by the waist, turning them around and laying her down on the bed, climbing up himself to lay over her.

“My beautiful Tavrielle,” he sighed, gently stroking her cheek. “I’ve been dreaming of your taste since the other night. Would you allow me to indulge once again?”

“Please,” she replied emphatically.

He kissed his way down her body while she tried not to squirm, and they moaned in unison when his mouth finally reached its destination. It was somehow even better than she remembered, the tension from his teasing slowness heightening the intensity of every sensation. She quickly cupped a hand back over her mouth to muffle the cries which came unbidden from her throat as he lapped at her eagerly.

“I cannot wait for the day when you need not muffle yourself, and I can fully enjoy the beautiful sounds you make for me,” Gale murmured against her before diving back in. His words drove her higher, closer to the precipice, and she knew she wasn’t going to last long like this. She fluttered against his mouth and he moaned, the vibrations rushing through her. He ran two fingers teasingly through her folds before sliding them into her easily. His lips latched around her sensitive pearl while his fingers curled inside her, rubbing against just the right spot, and all too soon she was shuddering apart, hips twitching up to chase the glorious pleasure of his mouth.

He finally relented once she started shuddering with the residual waves, and moved back up to lay over her once more. He kissed her deeply, the taste of her arousal lingering on his lips and tongue. He moved, and his cock slid through her slick, oversensitive folds, causing them both to moan. They broke apart, and it was clear from the expression on his face that the will to continue teasing her had fully faded.

“I need you,” he rasped. “My darling Tav, I need you. May I?”

In lieu of a verbal answer, Tav reached down and took hold of him, causing him to gasp. She positioned him at her entrance, and he leaned in for another kiss at the same time he pressed his hips forward, finally sheathing himself inside her. Their mouths parted again as they moaned, the sensation overwhelming.

“Oh Tav...”

“Gale, please move, I need-”

He heeded her request immediately, pulling back before pressing back in, grunting in pleased surprise when she suddenly snapped her hips up to meet his thrust, quickly burying him to the hilt. Their movements sped quickly, all trace of patience gone as they finally lost themselves in each other. They did their best to stifle their sounds of pleasure, and soon found that the best way to do so was simply to keep their mouths otherwise occupied, kissing over each other’s mouths and faces and necks and shoulders. Their pace was quick, Gale’s movements firm, though not rough. Tav luxuriated in the sensations, his warmth above her, the way his soft hair curtained their faces, the firm grip of his hands holding her steady for him, and of course, the waves of pleasure that flooded her with every thrust of his hips as he filled her perfectly again and again. By the time she felt him start to tense and his movements grow less steady, she was nearing the peak again herself. Gale groaned lowly as he took a moment to grind into her deeply.

“My love, will you let go for me again? I want so dearly to feel you.”

“Yes,” Tav gasped. “Close. So close. A bit more...” She started sliding a hand between them, down towards where they were connected, but Gale took hold of it, pressing it to the pillow by her head with their fingers wound together while his other hand took up the path instead. His skilled fingers worked her quickly, rubbing in small circles that had her racing towards the edge.

“That’s it,” he moaned as she tightened around him. “That’s it, my love. You feel incredible. Let go for me.”

His voice, rough with exertion and passion, pulled her over. His lips captured hers just in time to muffle her cry, and his as well as he tumbled after her, hips jerking as pleasure overtook them both.

All too soon, Gale rolled off of her, lying beside her while they both caught their breath. Their fingers remained laced together between them, a warm point of connection. Gale squeezed her hand, and Tav returned the gesture, turning to smile at him. She found him smiling back at her dreamily.

“Well worth a bit of subterfuge, I think,” she said.

“I couldn’t agree more.” He turned onto his side, leaning in to kiss her once again. It was warm and languid, though it grew gradually more heated as they went. Tav’s eyes were sparkling when they finally broke for air.

“How much longer do you think we have before the others return?” she asked, moving closer to press her body against his. Gale grinned.

“Oh, enough for one more round, at least.”

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Despite her previous exhaustion from the day’s festivities, Tav was practically buzzing with energy as she and Gale retired to his room. The wedding had been lovely, of course, as had the revelry after, but she was more than ready to be alone with her new husband. This would not be the first intimacy they'd shared — indeed, they had been quite insatiable over the past month or so — but it would be the first time they would be able to enjoy such intimacy without having to sneak away somewhere and keep quiet, lest someone find them out. The secrecy and clandestine meetings had their own thrill, of course, but she had longed to be able to devote herself fully to enjoying him, without having to keep an ear and eye out for unexpected company. Gale had kissed her fiercely the moment the carriage door had been closed behind them, hands roaming over her body as he held her close, and ever since she had been mentally preparing herself for whatever sweet torture he had in store for her.

True to the first time they had shared such pleasures, Gale had always been almost painfully slow and deliberate in his treatment of her, dragging their encounters out as long as possible despite the risk of potentially getting caught. He tried to play innocent, hiding behind the excuse of manners and gentlemanly behavior, but she was certain that he simply enjoyed teasing her. Thus, this being their wedding night, she expected even more teasing than usual. “I want this to be special,” he would say as he slowly drove her to madness, not touching her where she wanted until she begged him for it.

What she did not expect was for him to spin them around as soon as the bedroom door was closed and pin her to it with his body, kissing the air from her lungs as he ground his hips against hers. She gasped into his mouth, clutching at his jacket, caught off-guard by his sudden onslaught. She was finally able to catch her breath once his mouth left hers, moving instead to kiss and bite down her neck to her chest where it heaved at her neckline.

“This is unexpected,” she panted.

“Is it?” Gale asked, sounding genuinely confused, though he continued to mouth his way over her breasts. “It is hardly unusual, I think, for a man to desire his new bride on their wedding night.” His hands snaked around behind her, his fingers starting to work at the buttons on the back of her bodice.

Tav laughed breathlessly. “No, not that. You’re just usually much more, mmm... methodical than this. Not that I’m complaining, of course.”

Gale pulled back to look at her, then, and the fire in his deep brown eyes made her knees weak.

“I have the rest of our lives to take my time with you,” he panted. “But I have been waiting all day for this, and I need you now.” He’d gotten the first two buttons undone, but was fumbling a bit with the third, and he growled in frustration.

“How fond are you of this dress?” he asked, sounding impatient.

“Rather,” Tav said warily. “It was purchased specifically for our wedding. Why?”

“Then I’ll have it repaired for you,” he replied before firmly gripping the partially opened back and pulling hard at both sides. Tav gasped at the sound of buttons hitting the floor. A gasp which turned into a moan as Gale claimed her mouth again, simultaneously yanking down the front of her gown, the sleeves sliding down her arms. He pushed it down far enough to slide a hand down the back and pull roughly at the ties of her stays, untying and pulling them loose before sliding that down as well. That done, he yanked down the front of her slip and found his prize, his lips latching victoriously onto one of her nipples.

Tav cried out, leaning into the sensation, and groaning at the feeling of Gale’s erection rubbing against her hip. He didn’t pull his mouth away as he guided them both backwards towards the bed, spinning them again at the last second to push her onto it. She attempted to raise herself with her arms, but found the busk of her stays stopped her, sitting low as it was now from when Gale had pulled them down. Gale quickly undid the fall of his breeches and freed himself, his eagerness showing in the drops of moisture beading at the head of his cock. He shoved her skirts up over her hips and reached down with one hand, pressing his fingers to her entrance. He groaned at the wetness he found there, so plentiful that it was smeared over her thighs as well.

“I love how eager you are for me,” he breathed, bringing the fingers to his mouth to suck them clean before positioning himself and rubbing his tip through her slick folds.

“Please Gale,” she begged, canting her hips up towards him. Gale growled again, grabbing her hips hard.

“As the lady wishes,” he rumbled.

He entered her with a single firm roll of his hips, both of them moaning as he slid in all the way to the hilt. They paused for a moment, breathing heavily, reveling in the connection, before Gale began to pull out before thrusting back in roughly. He set a punishing pace, leaving Tav to writhe beneath him, nearly pinned as she was, clutching desperately at the bedding and crying out her pleasure. He’d never been this rough with her before, this wild, and she was loving every moment of it. The way he fucked into her with abandon, grasping hard enough at her hips that she wondered if it might leave bruises, it was overwhelming in the best way.

Gale let himself fall forward onto his arms, caging her beneath him. His mouth returned to her neck and breasts, and one of her hands moved to pull his hair out of its tie and tangle in it. She tugged, and his answering moan tingled deliciously against her skin.

“Gale,” she whined, clutching at his back, fingers digging into the fabric.

“Tav,” he groaned in response, nipping at her shoulder. “My lovely Tav.” He leaned up, bringing his mouth next to her ear. “My beautiful, breathtaking Mrs. Dekarios.”

Tav gasped at that, the words sending a new wave of heat rushing through her, straight down to her core. She felt Gale grin against her.

“Do you like it when I call you that, Mrs. Dekarios?”

Beyond words at this point, Tav could only nod, whimpering her assent.

“I’m glad,” Gale panted in her ear. “Because I very much enjoy saying it.”

He kept moving, his pace not wavering, cries falling from Tav’s lips at the relentless onslaught of pleasure.

“That’s it,” Gale groaned. “Let me hear you. You sing so beautifully for me. A melody for my ears alone. I’ve been waiting for this all day. You’ve never looked so radiant as you did, smiling at me at the altar. The first time I called you Mrs. Dekarios I feared I might embarrass myself, so intense was the feeling it brought.” He interrupted his rhythm briefly to give a particularly hard grind, as if for emphasis, pulling another long moan from Tav’s throat. “It took all of my will to wait until we were here, rather than simply taking you in the carriage.”

Tav gasped, the mental image making her clench around him. Gale grunted at the feeling. His speed remained steady, but he grew more forceful, the sounds of slick skin hitting slick skin filling the room. Short, sharp cries left Tav’s lips with every thrust, and Gale’s verbal stream of poetic filth and praise gave way to wordless moans, their voices rising in a symphony of shared pleasure. It didn’t take much longer for Tav to feel herself nearing the edge, her whole body pulled taught like a thread ready to snap.

“Gale,” she gasped. “Gale, so close. Please I- I need-”

She broke off with a moan as Gale immediately brought one hand down to rub her in exactly the way she needed. No more than a minute later she was sobbing his name, a powerful climax overtaking her. Gale followed quickly, grinding deep as his seed filled her, a choked moan tumbling from his lips.

They stayed there for a long moment, catching their breath and letting the stars fade from their eyes. Finally, Gale propped himself up to look at her, bringing one hand up to gently stroke Tav’s cheek. She smiled at him, soft and sated.

“My love...” he murmured, his quiet, enamored tone such a contrast to his roughness only minutes before. “My beautiful wife.”

“My darling husband,” she replied, smiling more broadly at the way he lit up at the words.

“That wasn't too rough, I hope,” he said earnestly. “I've been struggling all day to keep my hands off of you. Once we were finally alone I'm afraid I couldn't help myself.”

“Not at all,” Tav assured him. “In fact,” she continued, lips curving into a mischievous smirk, “as long as you have them repaired after, I wouldn’t object to you tearing open my dresses like that more often.”

Gale laughed. “I’ll keep that in mind,” he said, leaning in for another quick kiss. “Speaking of, how about I help you out of these clothes properly?”

“Mmm, yes please.”

Soon they were both undressed, holding each other close in the bed, enjoying the knowledge that this would only be the first of many nights spent this way.

“My dearest Tav,” Gale sighed as he stroked her back, his brown eyes warm and adoring as they stared into hers. “I am the luckiest man in the world to be here with you. I love you more than words could ever possibly say.”

Tav kissed him, slow and heated. “How fortunate then, that you have more at your disposal than words to express it.” She rested her forehead against his, their noses brushing, her breath ghosting over his lips as she spoke. “Don't just tell me, my love. Show me.”

[marksandrec]

Marks and Rec: Misc #2614

Happy Halloween! Remember to drink your drug-blood responsibly. (Dialogue from What We Do in the Shadows, mostly.)