#gale is camp cook

[quizzievivicalavellan]

Something More

In which a secret is revealed, and Gale and Aster get to know each other better. This scene occurs before the Weave scene in this fic.

AO3 link: https://archiveofourown.org/works/53341882/chapters/138776932

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“Here. Place your hand over my heart. Let me show you.”

Gale knelt down in front of the gnome druid so she could reach his heart, his hand outstretched toward her. Aster gently placed her hand over the circular mark on his chest. He clasped his hands over hers and she felt her tadpole squirming, connecting with Gale’s as he let her into his mind, into his memories, into the dark. She saw a book fly open and a swirling mass of blackest weave pounced toward her. Its unending black void pulled at her, deeper and deeper into the darkness, and left her feeling an emptiness, a hunger, like nothing she had ever felt. It gnawed at her insides with teeth like daggers, twisting, lurching, craving. Sweat beaded on her forehead and her heart thundered louder than a war drum. Instinctively, she pulled her hand away and tried to close her mind to the insatiable hunger.

“How are you still alive?” she asked, a mixture of horror and pity in her voice.

“Thankfully the moment I absorbed the fragment wasn’t enough to kill me outright. It was only the beginning.” Gale got back up on his feet, “As long as I absorb traces of the Weave from powerful enough sources, it remains quiet. Were it to fully destabilize however… I will erupt. Even the small fragment I carry would be enough to level a city the size of Waterdeep.”

Aster inhaled sharply, trying to process the news and its implications. What if they don’t find more magical artifacts in time? What if she had held on to the artifacts she had found already, not satisfied with the lack of answers? It made her sick to think she could have doomed him, and everyone else, by accident. “You should have told me sooner.”  

“I know. All of this… it must feel like a betrayal. Say the word, and we’ll part ways.” He looked away, as if afraid to hear her answer. He was genuinely worried that she would tell him to leave, just like that. Aster’s hurt that he hadn’t confided in her earlier melted away.

“Of course not. We’re in this together.” Aster patted him softly on the arm, a bit of an awkward gesture given her short stature.

“That is – a great relief. Oh, a great relief indeed!”

“Besides, everyone here has something dangerous inside of them now,” Aster replied with a smirk, twirling her finger beside her temple in reference to the unwelcome passenger in her brain. “It would be hypocritical of me to turn you away, no?”

“True enough. Who knows which clock ticking down to my doom will run out first? Hmm, explode or turn into a mind flayer…? Now that is a question I never thought would move beyond the realm of the hypothetical,” he said, his features forming a humorously exaggerated expression of deep thought.

“Let’s hope neither is still on the table,” Aster chuckled. Gale always had a way of making her laugh, despite the bleakness of their circumstances. Her face fell as her mind returned to Gale’s own dire circumstances. Gods, he must be suffering so much, and yet he was always ready with a joke and smile. At least she had managed to procure a decent number of artifacts so far, and now she was committed to redoubling her efforts to find more.

“In all seriousness, though, please tell me right away whenever you are in need of an artifact. When we were connected, I felt how painful the orb’s hunger can be.”

Gale smiled and placed his hand on Aster’s shoulder. “I can’t thank you enough for your generosity, for being willing to aid me without questioning, and now for your continued kindness, knowing what I’ve done.”

“Oh, it was a reckless and ill-advised thing to do, certainly,” Aster replied, shaking her head with teasing judgement, “but I think I understand why you did. I can understand the desire to be… more than yourself, to know and experience the world in wholly new ways.”

“Yes! To know the totality of the Weave, everything that magic has to offer. To think what I could have been able to learn, the magic I might have wielded, it would have been wonderous…” He looks off sadly to the horizon, swept away in thoughts of what might have been. “Alas, Mystra did not find me fit to understand the whole of her domain, and, given my folly, I can’t say I blame her,” he sighed. He turned his gaze back to Aster, one eyebrow raised questioningly “But what did you mean by ‘more than yourself?’”

A small puff of air escaped Aster’s nostrils, something between a laugh and a sigh. “Back when I was a child living in Baldur’s Gate, I was the only gnome at the orphanage. The-”

“Wait, the orphanage?” Gale interjected, “I’m sorry, I didn’t know… what happened to your parents, if you don’t mind my asking?” Aster looked away, not able to keep looking into his sad brown eyes. It was sweet how much he cared, but Aster didn’t want him to feel sorry for her. 

“It’s alright,” Aster said with a dismissive wave of her hand, though there was a clear sadness in her eyes. “I never knew them, so it’s not like I can miss them, really.”

She had hoped she might assuage some of his pity, but the concerned furrow of his brow only deepened.  “That’s almost even worse. You never had someone to read you a bedtime story, or to make you a home-cooked meal. Tell you what, if by some chance we make it out of this mess and you ever find yourself in Waterdeep, come over to my mother’s house and she’ll make you a meal you won’t soon forget.”

“That sounds lovely.” Aster replied, amused and slightly embarrassed at the unintended romantic implications of being invited to meet Gale’s mother.

“She’s the one who taught me how to cook, though I would caution you not to judge the quality of her cooking by whatever I manage to whip up from our rather limited variety of ingredients. There is only so much even the most talented of chefs can do with only apples, potatoes, and salami.”

“I’ll keep an eye out for ingredients on our travels. Perhaps I can scrounge up a carrot or two,” Aster said with a playful smirk, earning her a delightfully withering look from Gale. “But anyway, as I was saying…”

“My apologies for the interruption,” Gale said, raising his hands apologetically. “You know my mouth has a tendency to run away from me at times. Please, continue.”

“The other children at the orphanage, they looked down on me, in both meanings of the phrase. Even compared to them I was tiny and weak, and they saw me as someone to push around or as some cute little pet for their entertainment,” Aster said with a scowl, recalling the times other children had pushed her down and stolen her day’s meal, or subjected her to their cruel pranks, or had wanted to see the silly little gnome dance and sing as they laughed at her.

“When the druids took me in after I ran away from the city, they opened up a new world to me. I started to study their magic, particularly how to wild shape. It was invigorating and empowering to shed my gnomish form and become something new. A raven, able to soar across the sky, or a large and powerful bear, or a wolf, running free through the night forest, the world ablaze with smells. As a druid, I finally had power and purpose. That’s what I meant by the allure of becoming more than you are.”

Gale nodded, considering her response for a moment before speaking. “While it is certainly impressive to watch you transform into a bear and eviscerate some gnolls, you’re impressive as you are, too, you know. You brought us all together, defeated goblins, hags, harpies, you name it, and rescued… how many people now? You uncovered Kagha’s plot and convinced her to stop the ritual and see the error in her ways. You know what they say, great things come in small packages.” As he spoke the last sentence, he took her hand and gave it a gentle squeeze before letting go.

Aster looked away toward the ground with a flush in her cheeks and a small smile on her lips, her hands clasped shyly behind her back. He was so sweet, and she wished desperately that his kind words came from feelings as strong as her own, but she was sure he was simply trying to cheer up a friend. The few people she had ever held similar feelings for had never returned them, and she had little reason to think things would change now. “Thank you. But you are, um… all of you, are so strong, after everything you’ve been through, and so capable and brave. I couldn’t have done any of it without you.”

“Oh, I think you could have,” Gale contradicts, raising an index finger to emphasize his point, “but I am glad to have been of some help, nonetheless. Had to give you some reason to keep me around besides my sharp wit and magical proficiency.”

“I’m happy you’re here, for all sorts of reasons. While I would have preferred we had not been abducted by mind flayers, I am glad to have had the chance to meet you.” Aster needed him to know that she enjoyed his company, though perhaps not just how much she enjoyed it.

“And I am glad to have met you as well,” Gale said with a smile, looking down into Aster’s emerald green eyes. The two stood looking at each other for a moment in awkward silence before both turning away, a flush of embarrassment returning to Aster’s cheeks.

“So, ahem,” Gale started, clearing his throat. Aster noticed his cheeks looked a bit pink as well, though perhaps it was just a trick of the light from the setting sun. “I suppose it is time for some dinner. Ready for some delicious apple-potato-salami stew?” he said, nudging Aster playfully with his elbow.

“Oh, I can’t wait,” Aster replied with sarcastic enthusiasm. They walked over at sat down beside the fire pit. Gale hung the cooking pot over the fire and started adding ingredients for the evening’s meal. Aster took advantage of his distraction to observe the handsome wizard in the glow of the fire. The orange light made his dark eyes glow with warmth, and it danced across the grey streaks in his hair as he carefully stirred the stew, occasionally tasting it and throwing in more spices.

“Enjoying the view?” purred Astarion, appearing behind Aster with a smirk. Aster startled at his surprise entrance, then turned to glare at him with a look that she hoped screamed “Shut up!”

Luckily, Gale seemed not to have noticed, “Ah, Astarion, dinner is just about finished. Well, our dinner, anyway. Sorry to say I did not add any blood to this evening’s meal.”

“Oh, don’t worry, I could just snack on you,” Astarion replied and licked his lips, clearly amused by the annoyed look on Gale’s face.

The others started approaching the fire as well, drawn over by the wafting smell of the stew. Aster was sorry her moment alone with Gale was over, but she was also happy for the company of her traveling companions, her new friends, despite their short time together. Her friends made this whole horrible experience not just bearable, but on occasion actually fun. Especially one friend in particular. And maybe, one day, she and Gale might just be something more.

[sirgavvainet]

The camp cook 👨‍🍳

[mirrorhouse]

[ssalballoon]

vampire ears big and cold. human sweet potato hand hot 🍠

for reference: tweet cat video

tweet basically says that having a cat is useful for situations like this and a quote rt says that they're the ones being taken advantage of, not the cat

[galedekarios]

😾

[vyncentevelyn]

[dustybones]

lil gift for @spicyraeman feat his oc Virranan

happy birthday!!! 🎂🐣

[emerald-grove]

Just had a realization-

Gale cooking for the camp.

Gale desperate to prove he can help, he’s useful, he’s worth keeping around and protecting.

But also!

Gale who, after a year with the orb and loneliness, both haunting him in his tower with little reprieve, knows the feeling of hunger better than most. A hunger that isn’t satiated by food, but a hunger nonetheless.

Gale who, despite a year of isolation, doesn’t want his new companions to suffer the same hunger he does.

So he cooks.

He can keep their bellies full, even as they sate the hole in his heart and satisfy his bone deep hunger for companionship.

A meal shared with friends fills more than your belly, after all.

[saotharlann]

baldurs gates gordan ramsey i miss u

[fouroclockwren]

I just think gale would enjoy dungeon meshi ok

[arquennial]

choosing between Lucanis and Emmrich in DATV: would you like to compete with the skeleton in his closet, or an actual skeleton?

[new-austin]

Extremely important discussions happening here

[netheresegale]

Thinking about Act 1 Karlach, free from the hells but burning hot as that damned place, being unable to eat properly. Everything she tries burns and normal cutlery melts in her hands.

Her partner peeling oranges/slicing apples to feed her, maybe even commissioning Dammon some infernal cutlery so she can eat properly and not burn her food.

[argetcross]

My Tadpole Party dynamics, featuring Keres, my Sorcerer Tav! This is what I have headcanoned for the party dynamics and relationships, including some major Act 1 -> Act 3 shifts. I love them all so much... ;u;

[dorindameddler]

omg wyll confirmed camp hunter

[slavicafire]

the very visual definition of 'unimpressed'