#halsin still talks like an old man

[malacandrax]

Request- 'Modern au farmers market stall owner Halsin meeting dashing fashion model Astarion!'

I don't know who put him in a bad mood, maybe Cazador is a big name designer and Astarion is one of his models, but he's treated badly and wants to quit.

[ty to papa rye for the sound business model line, and general vibes!]

[xsignedmsriss]

Okay since it’s BG3’s anniversary, I felt compelled to finally talk about the Halsin romance scene after realizing something weeks ago.

Can we please talk about the difference in expression Halsin has in these screenshots! He doesn’t make all of these looks in the same scenes, these are different loads. I only noticed the difference after the millionth time going through a Halsin romance and I haven’t yet seen anyone else talking about this???

The shots on the left are from a different load (I think a different playthrough entirely if I recall) anyway—

On the left side, we have a Halsin who is very confident, intense gaze, taking a moment to admire the beauty before him and is certain he is about to show you the greatest night you’ve ever had. Both when he’s standing and on his knees, that confidence doesn’t wane. He wants this and isn’t afraid to show it. These are the looks I get most often.

Then we have Halsin on the right. My goodness. Here is a man who likely just had the most embarrassing moment of his life and at such an age. He's incredibly vulnerable here, and yet you still chose him. The first look at the tree, he can’t believe he still has you; you still want him. So much admiration, awe, and love in his eyes. And maybe some sadness? Sad he almost ruined things. Like he’d be so heartbroken if you suddenly changed your mind. He still looks like he’s waiting for that dreadful moment you push him away, but is just so grateful to have you for as long as he can. A man who doesn’t want to ruin this.

Then when he goes down, that vulnerability in his eyes is still there. The curve in his brows. The uncertainty when he asks for consent. By this point in the scene, you can’t turn him down anymore, you are locked in. So essentially, you’ve made it very clear to Halsin that you want him just as much as he wants you. But he’s still not that confident yet. It's like he goes down not just because he wants to, but because he also wants to ensure he pleases you, that he can be so good to you. But he's still unsure if it’s okay to proceed.

Depending on the dialogue choices you make are what generate the different looks, but I seem to always get the more “confident” look more than the other. I can’t remember the exact order of choices… maybe I can go back to an old clip and try to find it if anyone wants to experiment for themselves!

Anyway, maybe I’m reading too much into it, but that’s what I do. I love discovering the tiniest details, even if others have noticed it long before. But this just made me love Halsin even more. And hopefully it made all the Halsin lovers love him much more too!

[bloodlust-1]

˗ˏˋRelieve Meˎˊ˗ part 1

Halsin x fem Tav — Explicit 18+

Summary: Halsin is looking a bit tense, Tav offers to massage his muscles and relieve his tension in the best way she can. He wants to return the offer to help relieve her as well.

"I never felt my heart stir like this before you, I haven't loved in so long, and yet there it was...and I was in it.”

-> Part 2 <-

TW: none for part1

Note: needed some big-boy energy. This will be an explicit two-parter so ;p enjoy.

It was one hell of a day, everyone nearly dragged themselves into their tents for a well-deserved rest. Recently their travels have been getting harder and harder as they inch close to Buldars Gate. But no matter, the party seemed to try to keep their cool with Halsin’s and Shadowheart’s healing. Sometimes it was just too much though.

Tav sat by the fire with Karlach, who was rubbing her neck, “All that healing couldn’t get the crook out of this fucking neck. I’ve taken weaker hits that hurt less than this.”

“I agree, we’re all walking zombies at this point. Maybe we should take a break tomorrow. We all look like shit.” Tav laid her back on the floor and stretched her limbs out. Just as she sat back up her glance catches Halsin. He was walking by to pick up some food rations, an apple, and placed it in his mouth before walking away.

“Gods what I would do to that man…He makes me look small.” Karlach let out a small sigh of passion. She then looked at Tav who was lost in thought, “Hey, Soldier! Are you admiring our Druid, hm?” She nudged Tav’s shoulder with a smirk.

“He just looks…tense is all.” She rubbed her shoulder that Karlach nudged and hid her smile a little.

“Cmon you’re totally into him! Have you not laid in bed with him yet? I thought you guys were close..maybe even a little too close. Buuut— if it doesn’t work out for you let me know. I’d love to have a go with him.” Karlach giggled and nodded, “I’m serious, go talk to him.”

“And say what? What if he’s tired and doesn’t want visitors. He didn’t even say a word to us.” Tav was visible flushed. A nervous wreck even.

“Shit I don’t know! Make something up. You did say he looked tense. Touch some of those muscles in the name of help. You’re catching my drift?” She winked and pointed at his tent, “hurry before he falls asleep.”

“Karlach you’re a fucking genius. I’ll be back.”

“Or not.” Karlach chimed and sat up, “I’m heading to bed, don’t enjoy yourself too much, soldier.” Karlach reached out her hand for Tav’s and pulled her up to her feet. “Good luck.” Karlach ruffled up Tav’s hair before heading to her tent.

Tav palmed down her fly-aways before holding her head high. Karlach was right, they were close but they never took it to the next level. Why? She wasn't quite sure why, all she knew was that it was time to have courage. She wiped her sweaty palms on her shirt and made her way to his tent.

"Halsin, you there?" Tav pulled the draped curtains to the side. She saw him placing ointment on a couple scratches on his arms.

His eye darted up and he gave a surprised look, "Oh, Tav..I'm sorry, I would've cleaned up a bit. I wasn't expecting company. Please come in." His tent was littered with books, potions, and random old letters from the grove.

"Do not worry about that but—“ She welcomed herself in and kneeled down next to him. "Let me help you with this." She grabbed the small jar of ointment and started to smear any cuts she could find on his arms.

"You're too kind. I would not have bothered you with something small like this. I appreciate it all the same, thank you." He sat still and did not even budge to the pain at first,

Tav nodded her head. This was no trouble at all, after all, she really did care for his well-being. "If you don't mind, it'd be easier to get all these cuts without this shirt." She tugged on the hem of his shirt.

"Of course, little one." He grabbed the edge of his shirt and lifted his arms up. His muscles were immaculate as always, the sweet scent of eucalyptus wafted off him, and she could see all the untouched cuts. Some were deep, small, and even healed. Bruises of all kinds of healing stages were scattered on his skin.

"Halsin! You know these could get infected right? If you needed help it wouldn't be a problem!" Her face was angered. Her eyebrows furrowed, and the sight was nothing short of hurt.

"I'll manage." he patted her head and smiled softly at her. As if he wasn't in any kind of pain.

Tav shook her head, she was visibly angry, "You're so stubborn, allow me." She reached out her hand and placed it over his cheek, "I want to help you."

"You've helped me enough. I'll forever be in your debt if you keep going like this." Halsin stared with loving eyes. His gaze was soft and warm, and a gentle smile crept on his lips. His eyes sparkled with the joy of being in her presence, and he looked at her with admiration and affection.

"Then you'll just have to make it up to me one day." Tav pulled away her hand, "Now, let's see this back." She adjusted herself to face his back. Tav continued to aid his cuts, and from time to time he winced to the pain. "You know Halsin. Back at home, I dabbled in some medicinal skills."

"Oh really? This is news to my ears, tell me more, dear." Halsin perked up. He loved educating and learning new knowledge to add to his collection of skills. This definitely peaked his interest because Halsin never knew Tav had medicine skills since she was a fighter.

"Well— my people believed that healing was more than just potions. It's important to take care of your muscles and physique." She rubbed her hands together to create friction. She placed the warmth of her palms against his back. Tav began to lightly press pressure into his skin with long slow strokes. "This'll help reduce tension, improve circulation, and relieve any pain. I can definitely feel how tense your muscles are."

Halsin let out small little groans of relief as Tav's fingers glided up and down his spine. She started to apply a little more pressure and could feel his muscles start to loosen up. Halsin was truly all muscle, she's never touched a man with so much density, not for medical reasons and definitely not intimately. For as much as Tav was in awe, she genuinely tried her best to relax him. He deserved it after all. He did not need to leave his home in the name of aiding Tav. She was grateful for Halsin as much as he was grateful for her.

Her hands glided up and rubbed the muscles of his neck. Halsin could feel her breathing against his neck, it felt like hot little prickles that hit the skin. Halsin shivered in response. Tav noticed the goosebumps along his neck, "Does that feel good?" She whispered innocently in the back of his ear. The heat of her breath tickling his skin.

Halsin leaned his head outward to expose more skin, "Mmm, it puts a healing spell to shame." He complimented Tav. But under his relaxed facade, Halsin was melted with every touch from her warm hands. He was trying to find restraint in himself as an Arch-druid after all. He tried to close his eyes in an attempt to calm down his racing heart, but it only made it worse. He felt like he could feel and smell the presence of Tav. Lewd thoughts crumbled his mind and it made his skin crawl more. As a druid, all his senses were heightened, and the feeling for more clouded his judgment.

Tav noticed the small groans, his skin layered with goosebumps, and felt like his shoulders tensed up once again. She went back to work to massage him some more until she pulled away, and decided to sit in front of him instead. "Let me see your hand?" She said softly as she reached out for one of his hands and rubbed them lovingly.

His hand was way bigger than hers. She thought it was cute how mighty he was, yet how gentle his personality was. Tav thought Halsin was probably touched by the gods themselves with the way he looked. He was truly a masterpiece, a muse. As she rubbed his hands Halsin suddenly intertwined his fingers with hers, stopping Tav from massaging him. Tav's cheeks lit up crimson, and she darted her wide eyes at his gaze. He was holding her hand, one that engulfed her own but she felt so protected by it.

Halsin looked at the woman with an intense gaze, his hazel eyes softened. He was captivated by her beauty, taking in every detail of her face and scars. His heart was pounding in his chest as he thought of all the amazing moments they had shared together. He had such strong feelings of love for her, and he knew deep down that she was the one for him. He was filled with a sense of contentment and joy just being in her presence, and he looked forward to what the future held for them. "I never felt my heart stir like this before you, I haven't loved in so long, and yet there it was...and I was in it. I hope you feel the same, I fear the most these days." He grabbed both her hands and placed a tender kiss on them. "I want to repay your kindness, only if you'll allow me, of course."

Tav eagerly agreed to Halsin's offer, she too felt a connection and a strong mutual attraction. She was a woman who would never take Halsin's love for granted, "I feel the same, Halsin...I'd be happy too."

He smiled and placed a single kiss on her lips. It was tender and gentle, sadly it lasted only a moment before he pulled away, "Meet me at my tent tomorrow night and I will grant you a night of pleasure. One that you'll remember for all your long nights. I want to make you feel good too, my heart."

[aria-the-motherblog]

Oh my god, halsin is a werebear isn't he?

Minor spoilers

This is headcanon but think about it. Both narrative and mechanics seem to point to it

For starters my guy runs around the woods as a bear for fun. He just regularly lives his life as a bear. DND druids can only wild shape for a few hours at a time mechanically speaking and they don't really take on the personality of that animal

Halsin does though. On several occasions he is overcome with his "wild nature" even if you don't play along with the bear scene, he talks about how he's poly like a bear, he also has bear like anger issues, not being able to be discreet in the goblin camp for example.

Speaking of when you meet him at the goblin camp he's still in his wild shape. A mechanical part of bg3 druids is that when you loose your wild shape up you are left with full HP in humanoid form, but somehow the goblins never saw elf druid halsin? Only the "warbear"? You want me to believe that these tiny creatures dragged a basically nuclear 5th level big daddy Halsin into a worg cage. Bull.

Lythari are werewolves not werebears but I don't think it's a coincidence that they live in communities with moon and WOOD elves.

It's also not nothing that werebears have a easier time bonding with bears and he has not one but two bears back in the druid grove Ormn, who refers to halsin as "master" and is absolutely devastated by the missing Halsin and Tuffet that Halsin remarks as getting lazy and leaves instructions not to feed her to Netti. I don't think Bosk is one of his considering he is. Far. From. Home.

And let's talk about appearances, werebears are said to be exceptionally tall and muscular in humanoid form. (I understand and like halsin's theory that he doesn't need a reason to be so big, but if he was a werebear it would explain it). They also are usually extra hairy and have beards now our elf man doesn't have a beard but... Sense when do elves have chest hair? Imo probably the most damning piece of evidence regarding his appearance is his scar.

Halsin obtained the scar while in wild shape. As I've mentioned before druids that are brought to 0 HP in wild shape transform back with full HP. So why then would a mark from let's be real that hit was what 4 points of damage, retain in his elf form unless our favorite duck loving dweeb wasn't in wild shape at all but in his bear form as a werebear.

All of this can be explained, but most werecreatures have some level of plausible deniability that's how they work.

Lastly the biggest piece of mechanical evidence is his Cave Bear wild shape that is totally unique to him. Other druids do not get this. It's just because he's super aligned with bears but why is he super aligned with bears? Because he's a werebear

So why does it never come up? I don't think Halsin actually knows. He was a child when he started playing with Thaniel and probably not that old when he started to realize he needed to protect Thaniel. By the time he would have started transforming into a bear he might have just thought it was a druid thing.

[honest-moth-of-silver-grove]

Hcs for a Tav who grew up being starved/neglected. Maybe their parents were poor or they were an orphan on the street. They don’t hoarde too much food but they don’t eat in front of others. And rarely take enough. And they refuse to shower near the others or camp super close to them. They’re almost always on alert and are really bad at self care. They’re always dirty, hair a mess. They kind of smell. And they are also ashamed of the fact no one taught them how to take care of themselves???

For Astarion, Gale, Halsin, and Wyll? ^_^

Thank you!

A/N: Oh Nonnie, I feel this! I was a child of divorce and at one house we were very disciplined and had routines for self-care and homework and everything. But the other house was chaotic and full of resentment and neglect. It’s so odd how something 20+ years ago can still affect you today, but it absolutely can. 💚

For some resources on having to figure things out as an adult, may I recommend the “How Do I Dad?” YouTube Channel and the r/InternetParents subreddit? Those are the two I like the best atm. Also remember, Google is your friend. Whenever I want a real person to answer, I usually type in my question with a plus sign then Reddit (+reddit) which will pull up real user’s threads from Reddit about the subjects you’re Googling. It’s one of the last platforms I think is usable in that way. So that's why I do that. Then again, I’m old and might just miss the old ppl’s Internet. 

Anyway, on to the ask!

…

TW: Mentions of Past Neglect, Disordered Eating, Food Insecurity

...

🧼️ HCs for Neglected!(GN)Tav With Astarion, Halsin, & Wyll 🛁

Astarion: 

Okay, he’s kinda a dick about it at first. He doesn’t mean to be. Well, I mean, yes he meant to make those petty comments, but he wouldn’t have made them if he knew about Tav’s past circumstances. Once Tav lets it slip they’re bad at self-care because no one ever taught them, Astarion immediately feels a sense of kinship. 

He was a magistrate before Cazador captured and turned him, and he considered himself to be a man of some luxury, but after being taken that all changed. He lived in filth, he was fed filth, by the hells, Cazador saw him as filth. He knows what it feels like to be seen as worthless and to have to survive in meager conditions. He wants Tav to understand none of it is their fault. They had no control over their circumstances. He tells Tav to never apologize for the way they had to live in order to survive. 

The first thing he offers to help Tav with is bathing and dressing. When Cazador let him out to lure victims, Astarion perfected disguising his undead scent over the decades. Part of it was using oils and perfumes, and another part was choosing the right attire. He’ll find the right kind of soap and cleansing oils for Tav's skin and hair type, insisting they get only the best the markets of Baldur’s Gate have to offer. If Tav can’t afford it, who cares? He’ll just sneak around the merchant and steal it while Tav distracts them. Or Lazel, if Tav refuses to do something so morally questionable.

He doesn’t really pick up on Tav’s refusal to eat with the others, mainly because Astarion also doesn’t eat with the others. But if Tav requests, Astarion will gladly sit and gossip with Tav as they eat their meal, away from everyone else. 

Astarion might suggest the party visit an inn or a bar one night, and encourage Tav, in his way, to let their guard down and eat around the others. He wants Tav to practice consuming food in the presence of their other friends. Astarion believes it’ll do two things: 1) It’ll prove to Tav, that it’s safe to eat in their company and 2) It’ll reinforce what Astarion’s been saying to them, that there’s nothing wrong with the way they eat. Even if they scarf their food down or eat with their hands or burp extra loud- who cares? Karlach practically inhales three portions in a single bite. Gale won’t shut up while he eats, so he’s always talking with his mouth full. And Shadowheart takes the tiniest bites imaginable, meaning she takes fricken forever to finish a single plate. Everyone has their own style, and Tav’s is nothing to be ashamed of. 

If Tav and Astarion are especially close or if they’re dating, Astarion will even offer to help Tav wash up. Not because he wants to see them naked, or to have sex, but because he really wants to shower them in affection. He’ll gently massage their shoulders as he works the cleansing oils into them. He’ll help them balance, bending backward as he washes their hair, gently using the very tips of his sharp nails to scratch their scalps. It feels heavenly, and it’s a great intimate, non-sexual way for the two of them to grow closer. 

It may be true no one was there to take care of either Astarion or Tav in the years past. But now that they’re together, the two of them can take care of each other. 

Halsin: 

Halsin prefers to live amongst nature as opposed to city dwellings, so he’s more accustomed to roughing it than the others may be. That being said, he’s not unclean, or unkempt- he keeps himself very well groomed (as one must do when they tend to ask to bed anyone and everyone they come into contact with for more than five seconds). He assumes Tav is just more accustomed to frequent bathing at first. Not everyone is as fortunate as he is. But he begins to suspect something the more the days go on, and Tav’s appearance and demeanor don’t change. 

He’ll try casually inviting Tav to come bathe with him. He knows the perfect spot just beyond the Grove, that’s secluded but not too small, that would well accommodate both of their bodies. He suggests this regardless of whether he and Tav are dating or not. If Tav is hesitant, he apologizes for being forward and kindly explains he just wanted to present Tav with the opportunity to take some time for themselves. When Tav breaks down in front of him, explaining why they’re so upset about the idea of grooming and self-care, Halsin is immediately sympathetic.  He listens intently as Tav gets their fears off their chest. 

Once Halsin understands Tav’s situation, he’ll take them into his tent, and show Tav his collection of soaps and brushes and oils. Halsin explains how he prefers to use each one, before gifting them to Tav to keep for themselves. When Tav protests that it’s too much, Halsin puts a hand up to stop them. He can always buy new items. Besides, he’s learned how to make the most of what only Mother Nature has to offer. He can manage without fancy cleansers and bristles for a time. Tav deserves them more. 

Halsin might even offer Tav some clothes if he has any that wouldn’t be too difficult to tuck or take in, as he’s a very tall man. With Tav’s permission, he might even ask Shadowheart Lazel or even Astarion if they have something they could spare for the time being, if Tav is too embarrassed or shy to ask for themselves. 

He offers to keep watch and guard Tav as they bathe, promising not to look unless Tav asks them to. If the two are dating, Halsin will assist them, helping Tav scrub down, and removing all the dirt, grime, and dead skin before washing them in the water. If the two are only friends, Halsin keeps his promise of not looking at Tav until they are dressed again. He’ll help detangle and braid Tav’s hair, taking care not to pull too hard on any knots. The whole ordeal leaves Tav feeling rather pampered. 

As far as eating goes, Halsin will always offer to share any meal he catches while the party is camping together, which is how Halsin notices Tav’s different eating habits. Halsin swears that as long as he is well and able to hunt and gather food, Tav will never go hungry in his presence. Halsin assures Tav that it’s okay to eat full, rather than stockpile most of their meals for later. It’s much more important to eat for energy now, rather than wait to eat later. It keeps one’s energy levels stable and helps to reduce any unintentional food waste as things tend to spoil sooner rather than later. 

Halsin takes it upon himself to become a provider of sorts for Tav, the one Tav never had. He plans to lavish Tav with so much attention and care, that those wounds caused by years of abandonment and neglect have no choice but to close. 

Wyll: 

Wyll is a bit awkward about it in the beginning. Not because he intends to be rude, but because he’s unsure of how to approach the subject with Tav without sounding like a snide ass. If it were any other companion, he might have made an offhand comment days ago, but when it comes to their leader, Wyll holds much more admiration and respect. So, Wyll holds his tongue until things become a bit more apparent, and he believes he knows the most sensitive way to navigate them. 

When everyone sits down to eat, Wyll asks Tav if they’d like to join them. He does this every evening, hoping Tav will eventually say yes. If Tav still doesn’t bite, he’ll come to them, and ask if he could sit next to Tav as they eat. Wyll makes a casual conversation between bites, trying to bring Tav out of their shell. If there's still no change, Wyll opens up about being on his own, having been kicked out of his home as a young man. He reveals how for the first few years he was often hungry, tired, and cold- being forced to move around from place to place outside of Baldur’s Gate without the proper supplies to fend for himself or keep himself dry. This prompts Tav to open up a bit about their past- how they also had to survive on their own, and now, as an adult, they don’t know how to do anything other than ‘survive’. 

Wyll is, of course, empathetic. Tav may not have come from a noble background like Wyll did, but that’s no excuse for all Tav had to endure, especially as a child. Wyll tells them he’s sorry Tav had to live through all that, and makes it very clear that it was in no way, Tav’s fault. They were just a kid, they should have been protected. There’s nothing to feel ashamed about. They didn’t fail, other people failed them. 

Wyll had to learn how to do many things on his own, and he thinks it would be best for him to share all he’s learned. One night he sits with Tav at dinner, encouraging Tav to eat, as Wyll tells them how he learned where to stay, how to get work, when to leave, and where to train. 

Together, Wyll and Tav come up with a list of items Tav most likely needs for self-care. All the while Wyll does his best to ensure Tav doesn’t feel judged for lacking such things. Again, Wyll reminds them, it’s not their fault. And there’s never any time to start like the present. If they’re close enough to a market, Wyll will take them there, and help Tav purchase everything they need. However, if they’re somewhere without vendors, say the Underdark or the Shadowlands, Wyll will approach a party member for assistance. 

Out of all of the companions, Wyll asks Astarion if he has any extra cleansing soaps or oils because Wyll knows Astarion’s the most high-maintenance party member amongst them lol. Once Wyll secures those items, he gifts them to Tav, and lets them know he’d be happy to stand guard while they bathe. Wyll plants himself midway between the camp and the river, giving Tav ample space. Wyll would feel being too close to them, in this manner, at this point, even if he and Tav were in a relationship, would be inappropriate. 

Once Tav is bathed and dressed, Wyll escorts them back to the fire. As Tav’s hair dries, Wyll regales them with much more upbeat stories, tales of his times as the Blade of Frontiers. His battles and triumphs, his rescues and saves- all of that. He wants Tav to know he has their back. Wyll is capable of protecting Tav, and he intends to do it in a way where Tav never has to feel abandoned or forgotten again.

...

💚💚 Don't Forget to Like & Please Reblog!!! 💚💚

[morallygreychaoticneutral]

Astarion was not a "corrupt" magistrate.

Hello again. Just more opinion about my favorite battle buddy. Warning, trigger words in use. Game spoilers.

It's not quite set in stone that Astarion really was a magistrate, but we are going to go with the idea he was for this thought pocket. Also this is just game as it is now info use.

I don't believe he was corrupt magistrate. There were a few things in the game that called that out, but one in particular really set it in stone for me.

His response to the Ansur lair puzzle regarding justice.

Astarion: “Mercy?! Please. Justice should be a harsh lesson. All the better to deter the next vagabond.”

This makes me think he was a bit of a hard ass as a magistrate, but not corrupt. Had he been dealing dirty in the background I really feel like this answer would have been more dismissive or flippant. But he is pretty intent that this is his stance. Very, iv said this a thousand times, type feel.

I think, he was more of a by the book, law is law type. You murder and rape you swing from the gallows. You steal from a shop keeper, you do time. Period.

My theory is, he got beat up because he wasn't lenient with a member of the Gur that was on trial.

"Leniency?! You have been found guilty of negligence resulting in the death of a innocent! You are owed nothing!"

Could you hear it?

"But he talks about being hedonistic and indulgent all the time. "

Yes, but most patriar level citizens were spoiled entitled brats that did what they desired. Have you talked to some of them in the upper city? Yeeesh.

Was he arrogant? Most likely. Prejudice? Obviously (insert gnomes here). But being a haughty jerk does not make one evil.

Sex, nudity, orgies, parties, over indulging etc are not taboo in Faerun. If everybody is consenting to be being naked in a fountain, hopefully in a private villa garden, its not a crime. He talks about that like its a memory, but I like to think his wine drunk giggly ass was actually in that fountain.

If you want to have a little rabbit hole fun, break down the name. Faerun = Fae Run = Run by the Fae. And last I checked, fairies were always down for some naked in the water time. I mean, come on, you can go to pound town with a bear. (No offence, Halsin.) You think they are going to draw the line at how may wieners you can have in the same pot? I think not.

I think the criminal behavior came after he was turned. Cazador may have been targeting him, but not because they were involved. But maybe due to him looking like his old master Vellioth? And he took advantage of a situation. Who knows, lots of ideas there.

"But he's always getting onto Tav for doing the "right" thing."

Yup, Tav is being too trusting and getting too involved with other peoples problems. Why is this an issue for Astarion? Kindness was what got him entombed for a year. He cared about that sweet mans life and was severally punished for it. Its akin to being mauled by a dog and then watching people just reach out a pet every one they see. The anxiety of that attack is still there and it paints every encounter with its opinion. Danger.

"He's not smart enough."

Oh I bet he is. You can be whip smart at a subject and socially akward at the same time. I'm very good at my job. I know it inside and out and can give you any detail, rule, configuration at the drop of a hat in the most professional and proficient way possible. But ask me to be eloquent in a social situation? HA! You are better off asking a rock to fart. Unrelated.

"But he wants to ascend, and that's evil."

That is more about who is is after years of torment and abuse. Not before.

I think the rogue role was adopted to stay alive while hunting. And what a gods awful fate to be turned into the thing you hated the most. A criminal.

I'm sure Caz was real tickled by that. Expletive Adjective.

[bg-brainrot]

"When He’s all but Forgotten How to Love Again" - Astarion x GN!Reader - Series Masterlist

Pairing: Astarion x GN!Reader (Elf!Tav for plot reasons)

Genre: Reincarnation, Angst, Mystery, Slow burn

Rating: Explicit, 18+

Tags: Gender-Neutral Pronouns, POV Second Person, Canon-Typical Violence, cw: blood, cw: Astarion's entire backstory, cw: sex, Eventual Smut, Eventual Romance, Eventual Fluff, Grief, Mourning, Developing Relationship

Series WC: 113k words and ongoing, 21/?? chapters

Summary: An Elf-Tav reincarnation story where Reincarnated!Tav dreams about Astarion in their nightly reveries and eventually seeks him out once they reach maturity. Things definitely totally go well.

Author’s Notes: I'm bringing over some of my multi-chapter fics from AO3, so if you've already read this, ty!! I love you and appreciate you so much! I will continue to add chapters as I format them, but the full fic is available on AO3 here if you're feeling like a binge.

Heads up-- while there will be explicit moments, this is first and foremost focused on romantic tension and yearning, asking the question: 'Would you still love me if I was someone completely different?’ Explicit scenes will be few and far between and very much focused on their feelings. It’s essentially an established relationship slow burn?

This has unascended Astarion, “good” choices are made in the original timeline, Tav needs to be an elf for this to work, but otherwise no specifics on past Tav. Present day Tav is a magic-user.

Chapters:

Chapter 1: Knifes and Nightmares

At 12 years old, you first dream of the Pale Elf. The encounter scares you and sets you on your path forward.

Chapter 2: The Second Encounter with the Pale Elf

Nearly 19, you think you have a handle of your past lives. However, not all of your past lives are created equal.

Chapter 3: What it Means to Love

Now 29, you're still trying to piece together parts of your past. In particular, what exactly was your relationship with Astarion?

Chapter 4: In this Lifetime

Now 99-years-old, you've managed to ignore your worst impulses to run off to Baldur's Gate. One night's reverie finally breaks you.

Chapter 5: Guidance from a Druid

After finally setting off to find Astarion, you receive a confounding memory from your past life. Ignoring what it might mean, you focus on your task and visiting Halsin, one of your past-self's friends.

Chapter 6: The Man of your Dreams

You make your way toward Astarion, trying your best to prepare for the encounter to come.

Chapter 7: Just One Night

You plead your case to the vampire.

Chapter 8: Who You Have Become

You try to learn more of who Astarion's become, while also trying to convince him of who you were.

Chapter 9: Ghosts of You

After he storms off, you try to track Astarion down only to find yourself on a trip down memory lane. Once you do catch his trail, you’re surprised to see where he’s gone.

Chapter 10: Overheard in the Underdark

You traverse a new landscape, looking for Astarion. What you find might be more than you bargain for, and what you hear might be too much to handle.

Chapter 11: An Interrogation

You spend the night in vampire prison and have a difficult conversation.

Chapter 12: The Source of his Pain

As you aim to leave and never look back, Astarion realizes that perhaps *he's* the one that made the mistake.

Chapter 13: And They Were Roommates

You and Astarion try to find a common ground between you. Things are awkward and tentative, and progress is anything but linear.

Chapter 14: A Blossoming Friendship

Now in your second week of living together, you and Astarion have to get past some of the hurdles your first week introduced, all while getting a bit closer along the way.

Chapter 15: More than Friends Pt. 1

Push finally comes to shove. As fun as living in the present is, Astarion forgets that present dangers are still very, very real. Afterward, emotions run high, and you find yourself in a familiar predicament.

Chapter 16: More than Friends Pt. 2

After talking through the previous night's tryst, emotions are confused, pasts are divulged, and everything comes to a head when your heart and soul want different things.

Chapter 17: What We are Now

When you’re left to your own devices, you find yourself knee-deep in mystery. Despite all of this, Astarion never leaves your mind. And perhaps you never leave his.

Chapter 18: Traveling with a Friend

You and Astarion travel together to Waterdeep. Emotions run high as you reconnect and reestablish your boundaries.

Chapter 19: The Wizard’s Tower

After traveling through Waterdeep, you and Astarion finally arrive at Gale's tower. Introductions are made, tours are had, and the relationship between yourself and Astarion continues to remain complicated.

Chapter 20: Sweets and Shopping

After receiving some advice from Gale, you and Astarion spend the day shopping and talking through your friendship.

Chapter 21: Dansarra’s Delights

Your wizard friend gives you a nigh impossible task, and you spend the day trying to find your opening to complete it.

Chapter 22 - TBA

...

[aldryrththerainbowheart]

Halsin with Beekeeper Ranger Tav

Considering how much depressing stuff I posted about Palestine recently I want to write something sweet (pun intended). I genuinely love this bear man with his silly little quirks and his tired smile and hazel eyes. If I make it to old age, I honestly wish to become a beekeeper.

You spent most of your life outside of any civilization. Keeping the bee population on the entirety of Sword Coast safe. You were harvesting honey when the Nautiloid snatched you. When you fell out of the pod, you were still clutching a sticky honeycomb.

You went from having no human interaction at all to having too much at once. Hard to say who was more disgruntled by it, whether you or your companions. When Astarion sneaked up on you with a dagger, an angry swarm flew right into his face. He hasn't talked to you for the rest of the day. Partly because he was pissed, mostly because he was so swollen. When Wyll shook your hand, yellow pollen flew all around.

You talked to the bees. Often. Sometimes one of them talks to you for half an hour before realizing you're not humming in agreement to them but to the tiny insect resting on your finger. Or when you asked a random beehive for directions. They looked at you as if you'd gone mad.

You make up for it with a flask of delicious mead you always have on your person and jars of delicious honey you sweeten their meals with.

You liked Halsin the moment you met him. You knew he was actually a human even in his wild shape. The eyes looking at you from the furry face are too human and wise for an animal.

You were often confused by others. Their words, customs, and behavior are unknown to you but not Halsin. Halsin was as familiar as forests and glades you lived in. Halsin felt like home. For whatever reason, when you told him this he got flustered.

Halsin understood your quiet and reclusive nature and was incredibly patient with you. In return, you tried your best to

The druid was enchanted by your kind and spontaneous nature. Especially the gentleness with which you cared for the smallest of creatures, and how they cared for you in turn, both forming symbiotic relationship as powerful as his connection to the enclave.

Halsin felt like you saw a part of him that no one does. The quiet observer that you were. You showed genuine interest in him as a person. Not as an Archdruid or potential lover, but as just Halsin.

With time spent together, you introduced him to the hive. Act he treated with appropriate respect.

He calls you his little honeycomb.

He saw your eyes light up when he told you that he whittles, and his heart fluttered when you asked him shyly if you could whittle something for him. He did so happily, making sure that every small detail of a wooden duck was perfect to the last feather. You gazed at it like it was the most wondrous thing and cradled it to your chest as you thanked him. In turn, he received a jar of your most delicious honey, harvested from dryad trees filled with potent healing magic.

With him, you tasted what true connection and companionship feels like, and you realized how much that aspect is missing from your life. So, you took your bow, half a dozen straw hives loaded on a cart, and returned with Halsin to the Emerald Enclave once your adventure was over.

The druid never had a shortage of honey as long as you were alive.

[mara-xx217]

Baldur's Gate 3 Companion Sleeping Positions/Habits

Every time I long reset in the game, I think about this and I've come up with some pretty good headcanons for them all, I think

Astarion

The man is dead, darling.

He is totally silent, still, doesn't even breathe while he's sleeping.

Is he even sleeping...?

Astarion sleeps stiff as a board, his arms flat at his side and his ankles touching one another.

He dead ass looks like a corpse on display.

It scared Karlach so bad during her first night at camp that she all but picked Astarion up and shook him violently, screaming his name in his face as she cried about him 'not breathing' and 'dead, dead, he's bloody dead'!!!

Astarion was not pleased the first night Karlach was in camp and was less impressed the massive tiefling had him a foot off the ground, laughing with relief that 'he's not dead after all, just playing at it'!

He was not playing but he won't say he enjoys the attention at least a little bit as well

Gale

The type to sleep with an eye mask.

Has a routine that he follows, to ensure that he gets all his rest.

Uses pleasant perfumes and oils on his pillows and blankets. (Much to Astarion and Lae'zel's chagrin)

Has a nice, soft robe he sleeps in, along with slippers.

Starts sleeping on his back but always flips onto his stomach and wakes up like that.

Shadowheart

Hands down the most 'normal' sleeper of the entire camp.

No overtly loud snoring, no sleepwalking, no sleep talking, nothing.

She does sleep with a dagger under her pillow and her hand curled around the grip, but has yet to 'accidentally' stab anyone that wakes her up as of yet.

Sleeps either on her side or her back.

Lae'zel

Sleeps in an extremely tight fetal position.

Likes she's reverting back to egg.

Her knees are to her chin, which looks uncomfortable, but she sleeps soundly so... Good for her?

Also sleeps with a dagger under her pillow, like Shadowheart. Only Lae'zel will actually just hold it out in the open, like a threat full of promises.

Karlach and Wyll would throw a blanket over her, thinking she's curled up from being chilled, only to have her throw it off rather violently, totally in her sleep, of course.

As silent as a mouse, but will hiss, snarl and growl occasionally, especially if sounds are present while she's asleep.

Wyll

Sleeps flat on his back like a weirdo.

Usually crosses his arms over his chest too.

Sleeping with horns after he's turned into a devil was an... interesting learning curve. (Read: totally fucking annoying)

Switching from sleeping onto his back to his stomach was extremely uncomfortable.

Ends up sleeping sitting upright for a while, as he simply cannot get comfortable to save his life.

Brings a box over to his bed role so he can lean against it while resting.

Karlach

She's everywhere.

No, she doesn't sleepwalk thank Gods but she moves so much that she damn near does.

Karlach acts out her dreams and talks in her sleep, but stops just shy of speaking complete sentences and walking about punching random trees (or people-).

Clive, her trusty bear, has been at her side for as long she could remember, and it remains true even now.

Belly, side, back, side, belly-

The blanket has caught on fire not because of her unnatural heat, but because she has yeeted it into the fire in her sleep.

Halsin

99.99% of the time, he is in his bear form, the rest he's in his 'natural', elven state.

SNORES

Growls and grumbles both as a bear and as an elf.

Otherwise, he's pretty 'normal'.

Snuggle bug supreme

Jaheira

Another 'normie' when it comes to sleeping.

She's an extremely light sleeper, mostly out of necessity.

Hears movement, cracks an eye open, assesses possible threats then goes back to sleep.

Usually sits up/leans against something when resting, which is the strangest thing that she does.

Is it actually comfortable? Who knows! Jaheria won't tell and just says to 'leave an old woman alone'.

Minsc

Good Gods, it's like this man and Halsin are trying to out snore one another at night.

And it's like he and Karlach are trying to have a conversation with one another while sleeping as well...

At least he's not a sleepwalker.

Minsc will grab any poor passerby and wrestle them into a bear hug while sleeping, so everyone has learned to stay clear of him after Astarion was the poor bastard to learn this first hand.

Yes, he was trying to snoop through Minsc's things so he pretty much had this coming.

Boo is always on his person as well, of course, and somehow manages to remain safe from any accidental crushings.

Minthara

Another that's as still as a statue while she sleeps.

Somehow, she looks just as serious asleep as she does when she's awake...

It's sort of cute

Another incredibly light sleeper, and yet another that sleeps with a dagger under her pillow.

What's the strangest about her is that she sleeps little at all, almost always awake when other's get up in the middle of the night to take a leak or fool around.

The last to fall asleep and the first one to wake up, even beating Lae'zel to the early worm.

@prettycutebunny, @infinitewhore, @kennbb, @cherrysodalite, @space-arsonist, @pink-soft-shadow, @sinlessdesire, @hoemine, @memoryofheather @horny-3

[aerynwrites]

Worries and Doubts

Halsin x Astarion

Summary: On a quiet afternoon in the forest, Astarion starts to have worries about the future. Halsin is quick to comfort him. A/N: first dive into actually writing this ship. Overall I’m really happy with it and hope you all enjoy this soft vulnerable moment between these two. Apologies if it seems OOC, still working with them! Word Count: 2k Warnings: Emotional hurt/comfort, talks of past abuse, slight spoilers for Astarion’s arc, non-sexual intimacy, kissing, fluff.

The afternoon is surprising cool today, the sun leaving dappled patterns on the forest floor through the trees as a gentle breeze rustle the pages of the book in Astarions hands. 

It’s a fictional tome, a��romance if one could believe it. But the words are but a blur before Astarion’s eyes from where he holds it above him in his lounged position. 

His head rests against sturdy legs outstretched in front of the larger elf beside him, Halsin’s eyes closed peacefully as he leans against the large oak the two men have taken shelter under. 

Halsin had asked him to come out here, missing the touch of natures embrace after spending so long within the city’s walls. Astarion had obliged in his usual flippant way. 

“Oh I might as well…reading here or reading in the forest. Makes no difference to me.” 

Yet…he is silently grateful for the peace this small glade provides. Finally, allowing him to think. All his emotions from the past few weeks swirling in his mind and making it near impossible to focus on the words before him despite still flipping the pages. 

Cazador is gone. Finally, dead and sent back to whatever hell awaits him. 

Astarion is free. Free from the man who tortured him - took his life from him. He should have no more worries. 

But…worries have been the main thing plaguing his thoughts since that fateful night in the mansion that was his prison. 

His eyes flick up to the druid above him, flashes of the way Halsin’s arms wrapped around him as Astarion cried out above Cazadors brutalized body flicking across his mind. Memories of a few nights later when Astarion finally found pleasure for himself with someone else instead of falling into his old manipulative ways. 

His eyes return to his books pages just as Halsin’s eyes start to flutter, always fearing his partner can read him better than he can understand himself sometimes. 

“I can almost hear the way your mind churns, Astarion,” Halsin says, voice gentle. “What troubles you?” 

Astarion can’t stop the way he falls into that all too familiar nonchalant manner. Despite having let his walls down ever so slowly with Halsin…the rubble is still there and hard to navigate at times. 

The vampire shrugs his shoulders, flipping a page of his book. “Why must something be troubling me?” He asks, answering a question with a question.

Halsin lets out a low hum, reaching up to tug the book down, clearing his view of the man in his lap. 

“I feel that I’ve come to know you’re heart just as much, if not better than my own,” the druid admits, lips turned downwards. “I only wish to lessen your burdens if I am able.” 

Astarions eyes tear away from deep pools of hazel, flitting off into the tree line before he lets out an exaggerated huff and moves to sit up. He tosses the book aside as he moves to straddle Halsin’s thighs, eyes avoiding his still as his hand comes up to gently take a honey colored braid between two fingers. 

“You’re braids are a mess,” Astarion deflects once more. “When was the last time you redid them?” 

Halsin smiles, an action Astarion notices holds a hint of fondness. “I haven’t touched them since the last time you braided them,” he reveals, eyes twinkling. 

Astarion lets out a quiet ‘tsk’ sound, fingers working to tug at the hair ties before working the first braid apart. “Well that just won’t do,” he says. “Can’t have you galavanting about looking like that.” 

A rumble of amused laughter leaves the other man, but he offers no protest as Astarion deftly undoes all the braids before combing through his hair and creating new ones. 

Silence is the only thing that fills the space between them, and soon Halsin’s eyes fall closed again as his hands come up to rest lightly on Astarions hips. He doesn’t do anything; doesn’t pull him closer or squeeze in a suggestive way. No, his hands just rest there, thumbs rubbing soothing patterns against the covered skin. 

Eventually, as Astraion is working on his third braid, he lets out a quiet sigh. Internally battling with himself as the words spill from his lips hesitantly. 

“I was thinking,” he says softly, words a mere whisper in the quote of the glade. “Thinking about everything that’s happened and what…What it means for the future. For…us.”

The last word is spoken so quietly, if Halsin were not an elf he wouldn’t have heard. Be he did, and Astarion stares fastidiously at the hair he works between his fingers, hating the weighted gaze that settles on his face. 

Astarion is a lot of things. But he is not a fool. He knows the way Halsin’s heart beats, the way he sees love as free flowing river, ever changing and swelling and drying up. 

In some ways Astarion feels the same, he’s never wanted the older elf to promise himself to him but…He’s also never thought too much about what would happen if he did leave. 

If at the end of all this, once the tadpoles are gone and the world is safe from the absolute, Halsin decides to leave…

It strikes a different kind of fear in Astarions heart. A fear that settles so deep in his chest it makes his heart ache and his throat close up. 

He meant it when he told Halsin he wanted something real. And real is what he’s gotten. 

Which makes everything so utterly terrifying and complicated.

That fear, that uncertainty, must show plainly on his face, because warm hands reach up to settle against his own, clasping his wrists in a gentle hold and stilling his work.

“What about those things is causing you so much grief, my heart?” Halsin asks, that familiar nickname tugging at something with Astarion. 

He looks up now, red eyes finally locking with hazel as he voices his worries. 

“I’ve never had the…luxury of thinking about the future,” he begins, fingers toying absently with Halsin’s hair. “But with Cazador gone I find my mind drifting there quite often since I…” He hesitates for a moment. “I meant what I said. When I told you I wanted something real. That I want you, and yet-“

“You find yourself turning to fears of what’s to come. Fear of the unknown,” Halsin supplies, hands squeezing his hips gently in his hands. 

“Yes, well, It’s hard not to when I actually have a future to worry about now that Cazador is-“ Astarion closes his eyes, frustration creeping up. “What if I can no longer bask in the sun when the tadpoles are gone? What if I'm once again made to spend the rest of my days in darkness or you-“ Astarion bites his tongue swallowing the rest of his words. 

He can’t voice them. He won’t. Because that would make them real. Tangible. He could very well speak his very fears into existence if they fall from his lips unguarded. 

A warm hand settled against his cheek, urging him to look at the man in front of him again. Halsin’s brow is furrowed, lips drawn tight as he silently encourages Astarion to continue. 

As per usual as of late, that look makes him do things he never thought he would. Astarion often jokes about how he hated Halsin’s ‘wounded puppy eyes’ but the insult always landed teasingly, usually followed by Astarion's compliance to whatever Halsin was asking of him. 

He grimaces, biting the inside of his cheek as his eyes fall away from his partners. 

Part of him hates it. He hates the way this druid has wormed his way into his dead heart. Hates the way he’s managed to slowly mend the cracks that fill his entire being. Part of him hates the way things are no longer…simple. 

But then…He doesn’t truly. He…He loves the parts of him he’s starting to find again. No longer having to rely on fear and manipulation to get what he wants but simply…having it because Halsin gives it freely. 

Finally, hesitantly, Astarion speaks. “What if you leave?” He asks, eyes still avoiding the druids. “Or what if you don’t? What if I’m stuck watching time take yet another thing away from me?” 

His throat constricts as the words fall into the silent afternoon air. The only response he receives right away being the gentle rustling of the leaves and grass around them and suddenly he feels foolish. 

He shakes his head, bitterness settling in his chest despite his best efforts to push the feelings away. 

“Forget I said anything,” he says harsher than he means to, leaning back and rushing to stand.

He just barely gets to his feet when a firm hand wraps around his wrist. Not tight enough to truly keep him in place, but beckoning. Asking him silently not to run as Halsin moves to join him on his feet. 

“Your fears are not something to run from, little star,” Halsin finally says, his voice soft. “I am happy to share your burdens, to help you in any way I can and in truth…” he trails off, reaching out to take Astarions other hand in his own. 

“I cannot pretend to know what the future holds for you. For us.” His words are honest and Astarion can’t help but appreciate the honesty and lack of false niceties. 

Yet again, Astarion feels a familiar calloused palm resting against his cheek, urging him towards his partner. 

“But I do know this; whatever is to come, I promise to stand by your side. Whether that be scouring the earth for a way for you to see the sun again or living in forests so thick the sun cannot reach us…I vow to stay by your side. If that is what you wish.” 

Slight irritation works its way into Astarion’s words as he looks up at the larger elf. “How are you always so…blissfully optimistic? It’s downright infuriating at times.” 

Halsin smiles down at the vampire, thumb brushing gently over his cheek. “Most people find my blind optimism refreshing.” 

Astarion rolls his eyes but still opens his mouth for a rebuttal. However, he’s cut off as Halsin leans down to press his lips to his own, the hand on his cheek sliding back to card through the hair at his nape. 

Despite the initial shock, Astarion melts into the kiss. It’s both firm and gentle at the same time, as if Halsin is trying to say ‘I understand your fears. But I’m here.’ 

Halsin is the first to pull away, but not before leaving one last kiss to Astarion’s cheek. 

“The future is full of unknowns. Neither of us know what tomorrow will bring, we can only deal with what comes as it does. Trust that I plan to be there for whatever happens.”

Trust. 

Such foreign concept to Astarion. He hasn’t been able to trust anyone in nearly two centuries. 

But now…Maybe he can start. 

His fears are still there, the lack of control he now seems to have over things still present in the back of his mind. But it’s quieter now, pushed away by Halsin’s soothing words for the time being. He knows they will come back, both new fears and the things that still haunt him but…

He won’t have to face them alone. 

Astarion sighs before leaning in to press a quick kiss to Halsin lips before tugging him back towards the tree. 

“Come on. I still have to finish your braids.” 

Halsin says nothing, simply smiling as he takes up his previous position sitting against the tree, eyes slipping closed once more as Astarion settles back onto his lap. 

He picks up his task effortlessly, the actions familiar as honey-colored locks slip through his fingers. 

Only when silence envelopes them in a comfortable blanket does Astarion speak up. 

“Thank you,” he says simply, eyes flitting briefly from his task to take in Halsin features.

His lips turn up in a grin, one eye peeking open before two arms come up to wrap Astarion in a comforting embrace, forcing another halt to his work. 

“Anything for you, my heart.” 

And for the first time, in a long time, Astarion lets himself be held and loved by someone who truly means it. 

[succubusdaydream]

The Smell of Weave and Honey

AN: I would like to make it clear that I do not know any DND lore and how certain creature’s work. I am simply going with my own interpretations. I have also not written smut in YEARS so it may be bad and you're not allowed to be mean to me. This oneshot is a long one and has characters that are more than likely ooc. Used they/them for Tav but they are described with a kitty <3

Masterlist

Word count: 3525

Warnings?: 18+ || Smut || P in V || Badly written smut and dirty talk || Be nice to me or I'll cry ||

---

                A lot has happened recently. One sunny day you were simply enjoying a meal in the brothel of Baldurs Gate, Sharess’ Caress, and the next you were crashing a nautiloid mindflayer ship. During that time, you had found people with the same problem as you. A half-elf cleric named Shadowheart, a wizard from Waterdeep named Gale, who had an orb of pure magic in his chest, and a silver haired vampire named Astarion. There was also a Tiefling from the hells, Karlach, who had a mechanical heart. Wyll, a human warlock who was soon turned into a devil by his patron, Mizora, for not killing Karlach. And finally Lae’zel, a Githyanki who was rough and had many issues getting along with Shadowheart.

                Since then, you all had saved Tieflings in a Druid’s Grove by eliminating a whole camp of goblins, journeyed trough the Underdark, and blown up an old church in a mountain pass. Through it all though, you hadn’t had a decent meal. A decent meal being sex. Back in the grove, you had taken a Tiefling, Rolan, to the woods and revealed your true form to feast. You had, of course, wiped his memory of it the next morning. But it still wasn’t enough. Not with the shadow cursed lands you found yourself in.

                You had been given warnings about it from the Druid’s old leader, Halsin, who had taken up a tent in your camp. Its land was shrouded in a curse that consumed life around it and took anyone who strayed too far from light. The paths scattered throughout was hard to navigate and you often found yourself ambushed by cursed animals who had succumbed to the shadows. It made each return to camp like the heavens as you were finally able to rest.

                Tonight though, it was different. You had found an Inn, sheltered in a globe of light, like that of the moon. In it, your group was interrogated by a women named Jaheira. A High Harper from Baldur’s Gate who led her other Harpers through the lands. When she deemed you safe, she pointed you to a cleric, Isobel. She had placed the protective barrier that kept the shadows away. She had blessed you to keep you protected from the ‘lesser effects of the shadows.’ And that when he came. A winged man named Marcus who attacked, claiming ‘The General’ wanted her alive. And the fight that ensued left you exhausted.

                You had returned to camp, bloodied, and battered. You waved off Shadowheart who offered to heal, stating you simply wanted to sleep. Really, your energy was completely drained. Even resting wouldn’t bring it back up. You needed to eat, and soon. You’re sure Astarion would offer, but with him also having a tadpole in his brain, you weren’t sure if wiping his memory would work. And he wasn’t the one you wanted anyway. The one you wanted to feed off was Gale. The wizard who consumed an orb of pure Weave. You had tried to, at the Grove party, but he couldn’t. Not with the risk of the orb detonating. But now, he had control over it. You could feed.

                Your group was accepting that he was a timebomb and that Astarion was a vampire, so surely, he would be accepting of your biology. You had given him artifacts to keep his hunger at bay, certainly he would help with your own hunger. And once everyone was asleep, you left your tent, stumbling towards Gale’s. His scent was heavy. Like fresh books and pure magic. It was delightful. It made your hunger worse as you slipped into his tent, reaching to brush his hair from his face.

                His eyes quickly shot open, a curse falling from his lips as he realized who was above him. “Mystra’s eyelid! Tav?! You scared the hells out of me. What are you doing?” He sat up, rubbing the sleep from his eyes. He quickly scanned over your body in confusion. “Are you alright? You look rather… sickly.” Your body was hot, and your face flushed. You could feel your wings and tail trying to burst through your disguise and your head pounded as your horns tried to pierce through your skin.

                You crawled to him, quickly getting into his space and inhaling his scent. “Please. Please it’s so hot. I’m starving. You smell amazing. The other wizard wasn’t enough. But you… you smell delicious.” His own face flushed as your low voice reached his ears.

                “Delicious? Tav, what are you on about? Starving?” His words were cut short as he felt something wrap around his leg. Looking past your body, he saw it. A light pink, heart-tipped tail. And when he turned back to you, he jumped. Your skin color had changed to the same pink and your eyes were different. They looked as if pink flames danced through them and from your back were large wings, spread widely as you crawled closer to him.

                “Please. I haven’t had a good meal in ages. You smell delicious.” Your nose pressed against his neck and your hand rubbed against his chest. A succubus. They’re a gods damned succubus. Your breath was hot against his ear as your teeth nibbled his ear lobe. “Tell me to stop and I will. I won’t take what you won’t give me.” Despite being nearly starved, you were still in the right state of mind to leave if he wanted you too.

                “You’re a succubus. That’s why you’ve seemed so tired. You haven’t… eaten in days.” You nodded quickly, inhaling deeper and running your hand down his chest and stomach. Your breath hitched though as you felt him. His hands moving to caress your sides, gripping your skin. “When you asked for help, back at the party. You needed a to feed that night, right?” He pulled you closer and your heart pounded in your chest, your tail wrapping around his leg tighter.

                “I’ve been wanting you since I pulled you from that stone. Your scent is everywhere. You smell of books and magic, I’ve wanted nothing more than to have you since then.” You quickly find yourself sitting on his lap, arms wrapped around his neck as your nails run softly down his neck, causing goosebumps to appear on his skin. “Please, don’t I deserve a good meal after all I’ve done for everyone? Can’t I be selfish for just one night?”

                His grip on your waist tightened as you moved your hips against him, a groan leaving his mouth as he bites his cheek. He went to speak but was cut off by you biting his neck, his fingers digging into your skin. “You deserve something too. Being secluded in your tower, not feeling the touch of another. I can smell in from you. Your desire. All that pent up lust you’ve been holding back. You can release it. You can let everything out on me.” You pulled back, grabbing his face with your hands and bringing it close to your own. Your lips just barely brushed against his as you ground your hips harder into him.

                You had barely gotten started, but you could already taste the lust seeping from him. He truly was pent up from being sequestered in his tower. Not trusting the orb to handle him so much as pleasuring himself. He was already hard and groaning with the simple movement of your hips. And you were eager to continue. He was just as delicious as he smelt.

                You went on for only a few minutes before he growled and you soon found yourself under him, your hands pinned above your head by his own. “You really are desperate. Can’t even ask politely for a good meal and instead have to sneak into my tent in the middle of the night.” His leg came up, moving your own to reach a hand down, softly moving his fingers down your chest and stomach. His fingers hooked under your shirt, moving it up to reveal your succubus marking. A marking all succubi and incubi had over their wombs or lower stomachs. They mostly resembled hearts, some with wings and some surrounded by flames.

                With your consumption of the lust in the air, your true form was finally revealed. Full wings splayed out beneath you, tail still wrapped around his leg and a set of horns protruding from your skull. Your light pink skin shined with sweat and your marking began to glow a hot pink as Gale’s hand trailed lower. “I wanted this to be perfect. To bond in the way that gods do, but I don’t think you’re giving me that option. And I don’t think that would satisfy you as much as this will.” He’s wanted me too? Since the beginning? I don’t want anyone else anymore, just him.

                With one hand trailing farther down, his other keeping your arms held down, and his leg keeping yours apart, you could do nothing but squirm with anticipation. Your chest heaved as you tried to free your arms, wanting nothing more than to pull him down and meet his lips. The little taste you had gotten wasn’t enough and your desire for more only grew the closer his hand got to your core.

                “Please. Please I’ll be good. I promise, I just need-“ Your words were cut off by your own moan as his hand finally reached your core, his fingers teasing your folds. You nails dug into your palm as you clenched your fists, you back arching off of Gale’s bedroll. Your tail tightened around his thigh as you moved your hips, wanting any friction you could get.

                Your begging continues until he finally inserted his fingers, you walls greedily accepting him as you let out another moan. His other hand finally left your wrists, quickly covering your mouth as he shushed you. “Now now, we don’t want the others hearing, do we?” His voice was low as he brought his head closer to your ears. His fingers curled inside you and your eyes rolled back. If his fingers felt this perfect inside of you, you could only imagine how other parts would feel.

                With your arms free, you pushed his hand away and pulled him down, colliding your lips and easily sliding your tongue in his mouth. His fingers moved quickly in and out of you, the only noises in the tent being your moans and the sound of your mouths moving together. Your arms tightened around his neck as your hips rolled dipper into his fingers. You could feel your wetness dripping onto the bedroll below you.

                As his fingers scissored inside your pussy, his thumb moves to your clit, circling the nerve and enticing a gasp from you. Your arms around his neck moved down his back, your now claw-like nails dragging down and tearing at his silk shirt. Realizing he still needs air, Gale pulled away from you, his breaths heavy and his eyes looking straight into yours. The eye contact only made you more wet, your walls clenching around his digits.

                You sounded pathetic, pleads leaving your lips as your hips mindlessly grinded into his hand, chasing the high that was quickly building in the pit of your stomach. His face was in your neck, trailing kisses and bites on your hot skin, faint hisses leaving his mouth every time your claws dug into him. “Please, please I’m so close. Gods you feel amazing~” What felt like hours was in reality seconds, as you reached your peak, your body arching into his and your eyes rolling back. You mouth hung open in silence as your slick coated his fingers, dripping out of you steadily.

                Gale eyes locked onto where you body met his hand, fixated at watching as pearls dripped from you. “Gods, you’re beautiful.” You whined as he removed his fingers, and you could barley catch a glimpse of him licking you off them. It made you clench around nothing and wrap your legs around his waist. You pulled him back down, meeting his lips once more and groaning at the taste of yourself mixed with his salvia.

                “I need you. Please, I’ve been so patient. Please, Gale.” Your words were muffled as you snapped your fingers, the little clothes you had on disappearing along with his. You could finally see just how hard he had gotten. What he missed in length, he made up for in girth. The head was a pale pink, and a few small veins decorated the shaft. Your legs around him tightened, pulling his hips closer to yours. He wasn’t even inside, and you were already feeling the pit form in your stomach.

                He brought his forehead to yours, and reached down to guide himself in. He had barley entered you and you were already clenching around him, your arms secured tightly around his shoulders and your eyes staring deeply into his. It only took moments before he was fully sheathed inside you, sucking in a deep breath as your hips met. He filled you perfectly, your walls forming beautifully to his shape.

                “Gods, you’re warm. Made just for me.” He stayed still for a moment, wrapping one arm around your hips and pulling them up. The new angle let him go deeper, a loud moan emanating from your throat and your claws once again dug into his skin, tearing at it easier with no clothes in the way. Your legs twitched and you tried to move, seeking anything you could take.

                “Haven’t- ahh- haven’t I begged enough? Please~ I need you so badly. You feel amazing. Made just for you~” Your voice was whiny yet low, trying to keep in mind your sleeping companions still within earshot.

                “Have you?” He slowly pulled out, but before you could whine again, he quickly snapped his hips back to yours. All reminders of your sleeping party left your mind, and a loud yelp left you, quickly turning into moans as his hips pistoned against yours. The sound of his skin meeting yours echoed with them, filling the quiet night air as he pulled your body closer. His other arms wrapped around your back, holding your body against his, yours forming perfectly against his.

                Your mouths met again, desperate to get another taste of him as your grip around him tightened. The air was hot and smelt of sex, the noises of everything growing louder with each thrust he gave. Almost no thoughts ran through your mind other than his scent, the way he felt and another specific one. Breed. I want him to breed me. He was the only thing you thought about as your mouths moved in sync and the pit in your stomach grew.

                The grip your legs had on his waist tightened and you moans turned to mind-blanked babbles, to cock-drunk to form coherent words as his speed picked up. The lust in the air got heavier, a tale-tell sign that he was also close. With his grunts getting louder and movements sloppier, you finally voiced your loudest thought. “Inside. Please, I can feel it. So close~”

                Closely after, his hips met yours once more and your vision flashed white. Your mouth hung open as you both reached your peaks, feeling thick ropes of cum nearly hit your womb. Your heartbeat pounded in your ears and pulsed through your body, your breaths heavy as Gale softly laid you back down, holding the back of your head softly as he too caught his breath. Your grip around him scarcely loosened and your vision remained blurred for a moment before refocusing on his face. He looked gorgeous, face flushed, and his hair stuck to his skin with sweat.

                His hands reach out to softly caress your face, brushing your hair away and cupping your cheek. And when his eyes met yours, a smile crossed his face. “There you are. You alright, Love?” His hoarse voice was soft and low as his thumb ghosted over your cheekbones. You could only nod in response. “I need to hear you say it.”

                Your hand moved to his, intertwining your fingers as you nodded again. “I’m perfect. Gods, I’m perfect. Just need to catch my breath.” With your hand over his, you nuzzled your cheek deeper into his palm, inhaling his scent again and sighing. “You were perfect.”

                He let out a laugh through his nose, slightly shaking his head. “You’re a succubus, I’m sure you’ve had better.” You quickly shook your head, the grip on his hand tightening as you brought your other hand up to caress his own cheek.

                “I’ve had many, but you’re different. I’ve never been so attracted to a scent before. You’re intoxicating and it feels like I can never get enough of you. I’ve tried my hardest to hold back my hunger till I could have you. I took another wizard at the Grove and could only think of how it wasn’t you.” You pulled his face close and touched your forehead to his. “Besides, you’ve been to bed with a goddess. I’d say that’s better than a succubus.” Before he could protest to your statement, you pressed your lips to his again. Though, this time your kiss held very little lust. It was now replaced with passion and love. It was soft and slow rather than heated and heavy.

                The rest of the night you lay in his arms and you would occasionally have another round, each one broken by soft conversations and declarations of love. He had expressed how much he had fallen for you within the past weeks of your adventure. How he hadn’t felt like this for someone in quite some time. And in return, you told him the same. How you had never wanted someone in such a passionate way. How others you had taken were only meals and how you almost never saw them again. But for him, you wanted to stay close. Perhaps even after all of this is over. You’d go anywhere as long as you were by his side. That was all you wanted now.

---

                Voices had woken you up along with the smell of something cooking. Looking around the tent, yours and Gale’s clothes were neatly folded near the front flap, appearing there after you snapped them off.

                Still groggy, you grabbed your underwear and the silk purple shirt Gale had worn to bed. After slipping them on, you stepped out of the tent and into the campgrounds. The stretch and yawn you made caught the attention of your fellow camp members. “Good morning.” Before you could comprehend what was happening, the shiny end of a rapier was glistening in front of your eyes.

                “Who sent you, devil? What have you done to Gale?” Wyll’s deep voice reached your ears. He sounded angry and when your eyes finally focused on him, you could see that he was. Behind him, Karlach and Lae’zel also held their weapons. Their eyes were focused on you, almost waiting for you to move. Wanting you too. “Are you one of Zariel’s lapdogs? One of Mizora’s?”

                You held your hands up and shook your head. “Wyll what are you talking… about?” Then you realized. Your true form was visible. You had forgotten to put your human look back on before you walked out of your tent. “Ok, why don’t we all just calm down, yea? It’s me. It’s Tav.” Your voice shook, nervous to how the others would react to your heritage. From the look on their faces, they didn’t believe you.

                That was, until you forced a connection with Wyll’s tadpole, groaning in pain as you showed him your first meeting. When he lowered his weapon, his expression of defense turned to that of disbelief. “Tav? You… you’re a devil?” The others lowered their own weapons, stepping forward to better look at your true form.

                You let out a nervous chuckle and spread your arms out. “Umm, I guess. I’m a succubus, so I suppose you’d say I’m a sex devil.” You cleared your throat, shivering as Karlach’s warm fingers reached for your tail. “A succubus with a sensitive tail, Karlach.” You turned your body away from her as she apologized. Everyone stood around for a few minutes before the chatter was broken by a voice behind you.

                “Tav? Have you seem my-“ Gale’s shirtless body emerged from the tent and his words were cut off as he looked up, his eyes meeting everyone else’s. When he gazed over your body, horns and all, his face dropped. “Oh hells.”

--

Masterlist

[commandershepardvasfuckit]

Idk if this is a popular opinion or not, but Larian adding the option to tell Halsin that what he went through while being held captive by the drow was traumatizing and he needs to think about it is both insulting and tactless.

He does speak about it all fairly light heartedly, and he literally tells you that it’s far in the past and indicates that clearly it’s something he’s thought about a lot and has comes to terms with.

It’s so wild that he tells you that he’s healed in his way on his terms, as a 350 year old man, and people are literally raging over what?

That he’s not a traumatized victim for you to fix? That everything about his character is about growth and change and he’s incorporated what was something horrible and traumatic into his life and is now at peace with it? That just like in nature, he’s gone through a cycle of renewal and he’s reached a level of healing few people will ever accomplish where he can even joke?

Like I’m not sorry, we’re probably looking at like 150 years of him meditating and working through this. Halsin, a guy with very high emotional intelligence and focus on healing the past before moving forward (his entire arch with the shadowcurse!) and people are going to infantilize him and tell him he doesn’t understand his own experiences?

No way

Halsin also makes sure to have people perceive him in a certain way. He’s brilliant and knows the power of being able keep up an appearance. Right after you first recruit him you can ask him a ton of questions and get a lot of info on him, except it’s all very surface level and very expected even if you knew nothing about his character. This is after he just talks about seeing you as strong and trusting you too, he’s keeping up the same “Halsin the archdruid” sort of one dimensional character. Everything he says is true, he does whittle and likes honey, but everything he tells you are very small pieces.

From talking to druids at the grove and seeing his research we know he’s an adept healer both magically and in practical medicine, and he’s brilliant with biology (academically incredibly gifted) and has a deep interest in them, likely fixating on both (especially as he tells you people call him obsessed when he gets into things). So why not bring up either?

Because the more he gets into his deeper interests the more questions people have. The more about himself he has to talk about and the harder his carefully constructed “wise old archdruid Halsin” appearance is to maintain.

He’s been archdruid for 100 years, a pretty small amount in an elven life. And at only 350 he’s still young to other elves, but a druid circle fleeing disaster doesn’t want their leader to be some young inexperienced guy. So what to do instead? Embrace that other races think 350 is old, lean into that false perception since it doesn’t hurt anyone and helps your circle feel safe. Maintain a laidback appearance that falls inline with what others expect on the surface and dabble in your interests on your own time (though never hiding your interests).

So yeah, I don’t think Halsin is some emotionally daft man who doesn’t understand trauma and needs the player to “save him” and make him heal.

He did that a long time ago on his own and chooses to make light of it because 1) he truly is past it, 2) it fits with everything else about him as his WHOLE CHARACTER is based around growing from experiences (death of his whole family, the shadowcurse, losing his archdruid and having to fill that role), 3) it lets him be in control of his own narrative.

Halsin is a deep and complex character that prefers that characters in the game have a very specific perception of him unless you really get to know him.

Anyone thinking that man doesn’t know he’s gone through trauma and hasn’t healed is still stuck with an act 1, one dimensional version of him and didn’t take the time to connect the dots.

[bhaalbaaby]

Buzzing (5616 words)

Pairing: Minsc/Tav Warnings: First Time Minsc has done anything in 100 years, breast kinks, corny dirty talk, squirting, size kink A/N: I just need Minsc so bad like so bad hfdskalfhkdsahfjdkas Taglist:@spacebarbarianweird @tragedybunny @astarionsbeloved @razrogue @celestialomlette @rentheannihilator @rinmoon7

Read at AO3!

Penelope peers over her silver cup at Minsc as he boisterously retells how he defeated Mindflayers to the festival goers. Boo rests on his shoulder, squeaking details that Minsc forgot as the people watch rapt. She is curious to know if it's due to the loudness of his voice, the passion, or his size that draws the little crowd. She's watching, too, anyway.

His hands are quick as he expresses his emotions and actions through them. His eyes crinkle with every smile and laugh, his brow lowering when he tells about the doppelgängers. His face softens when he leans to Boo, a shy smile on his lips when he admits to details he omitted or forgotten. When his story finishes, his crowd disperses, going to the stage room where a new girl starts a routine, to get another pint, or gossip more. Minsc heads to the bar, his mouth dry from all his speaking. Penelope can think of a few things to wet it as she follows her old friend to the bar.

She sits next to him as he's handed a pint. "You should have been a bard, Minsc," Penelope states, resting her hand on his muscled shoulder.

He laughs, shaking his head. "Minsc does not have the way of the words like yourself, Miss Penelope. Boo pulls the strings, and Minsc does the swing."

Her eyes dance as she listens, sitting in the empty chair beside him. "That was poetic. You have to believe in yourself, big man." She smiles brightly as he rolls his eyes, leaning down to his small friend.

"I think our friend has had one too many. She is complimenting Minsc too much," He says in not quite a whisper. Boo squeaks back rapidly, shifty dark eyes going between the two.

Penelope is stone sober. She is never one to imbibe, and festivals have too many people for her to let her guard down. She only came out to Sharess' because Mamzell invited her, tempting her to return to her old ways.

Minsc turns to face her, his face suddenly serious. "Miss Penelope, Minsc knows you used to work here."

Her eyes widen, wondering if he had a detect thoughts spell going. She smiles wider as she tosses her hair over her shoulders. "And? What about it? Not every adventurer started out as an adventurer. I was thrusted into it like Astarion," Penelope explains, suddenly missing her beau.

Minsc rolls his eyes at the mention of the vampire but still stays close, too close. "You make a fine adventurer," Minsc says, still serious, sincere.

"Thanks, but it is not for me. Plus, I don't work here anymore." Penelope says, scooting herself back. She tries not to notice how long his lashes are and how pretty his eyes are.

"Then why invite Minsc?"

She chokes on her spit. "I didn't just invite you," Penelope starts, her eyes darting to Shadowheart, who sits with Nym, and Wyll, who talks to Queen Rhol. "I invited Jaheira too, but she doesn't like festivals," She adds, shrinking. He finally turns away, looking at Boo for his thoughts. "Did you think I invited you to sleep with you, Minsc?" Penelope asks when he says nothing more. She isn't sure if she should be offended or not. She had thought about it in passing before, but if she wanted a big hunk of muscle to toss her around, Halsin was there. Minsc showed no interest, and Penelope didn't chase.

Boo starts squeaking for Minsc, and he turns to her exasperated. "Boo thought so because of the location. I thought it was a lie because you do not seem interested in Minsc."

Penelope quickly glances at Hoots. Whatever sobriety she tries to keep goes out the window. She chuckles, biting her bottom lip and turning to face Minsc more, leaning into him so her breasts caress his bulky bicep. "I am interested in you, Minsc, but I didn't think you were interested in me," Penelope says, easily slipping back into her sultry tone, ignoring the warning squeaking from Boo.

Minsc, however, does not. His brown eyes flick to her chest and then quickly to the miniature giant space hamster. She sits back in her seat, her mind racing. Is she really going to do this? No doubt, Shadowheart and Astarion would both laugh at her, but they would both be curious about what the formerly known Stone Lord has. "Minsc is interested in you, but..." He trails off, his brow lowering. "It has been a while since Minsc has done anything like this."

Penelope gently touches his forearm. "Then, we'll go slow."

Boo squeaks once more, and Minsc clears his throat, "How much?"

Penelope chokes on her laughter, stroking his hairy arm as she shakes her head. "I don't work here anymore... I'm sure we can still get a room here." Penelope says before leaning closer to Minsc. "But no hamsters allowed, I'm sure you understand." Her teeth gently drag his earlobe and hoop earring, and he shudders.

Minsc’s arm wraps around her waist, pulling her closer, and he bends down slightly to Boo. "This is human business now, Boo. Minsc will report later." Boo salutes before scurrying off. Internally, Penelope sighs. She would have had to turn Minsc down if he insisted Boo stayed.

She slips from his grip, smiling warmly at him. "I have to find us a free room, love." She says playfully as she goes to the front.

Mamzell leans forward; her eyebrow raised in anticipation as Penelope approaches. "You're going to hate me," Penelope starts as she looks towards the keys.

"For free, my sweet?" Amira tsks but hands Penelope a room key.

"Only this once. Poor man hasn't fucked in a while," Penelope says quickly as she takes the key. "Thank you, Ma," She says warmly before turning to Minsc. She gingerly takes his hand, kissing the back of it. "Come on, let's go," Penelope says with a smile as she leads him to their room.

Penelope forgets how big Minsc is until he towers over her. Size usually doesn't matter until someone of his stature comes along to alight all her nerves with a curious flame. Her tail twitches at the thought, excitement traveling down the bone, making it almost vibrate as she unlocks the door. It's a standard love room, with nothing extraordinary besides the rose petals leading to the mahogany canopy bed and white marble bath. Minsc looks around in awe, letting her lead him to the bed.

"Is this to your liking?" She asks, noticing the bulge in his pants.

"Yes," He says hoarsely. She wonders if he's used to sleeping wherever Boo and he could find or crash with Jaheira now that they're both in Baldur's Gate. If this goes well... She shuts the thought down. Sleeping with Minsc once would be an experience, good or bad. Penelope should try it before planning to ride the Stone Lord again. She sits next to him, her tail resting around his waist.

"Minsc was curious about this," he says, reaching down to the tip. His rough fingers are surprisingly nimble and gentle with the fleshy appendage. Penelope laughs surprisedly, ignoring the jolts of pleasure that shoot to her brain as he strokes her tail. "I read that tails are very sensitive for the Tieflings. Is that true?"

She rolls her eyes, "Where did you read that?"

He looks at her long and hard, his fingers still stroking her pretty tail. "Minsc cannot remember these things..." He trails off, watching as she tries to hide the bliss.

She leans against him, resting her hand on his cheek. "Can I kiss you, Minsc?" She asks, her eyes half-lidded and voice full of lust.

Minsc's brow furrows, and he palms her shoulder, his hand engulfing her upper arm. "Miss Penelope..." His brown eyes are intense as he stares at her, suddenly holding her at arm's length. "Is that too forward?" He asks.

"Only if you say so," She replies, debating straddling him. "We don't have to do anything you do not want to, Minsc," She adds, though her tail gives away her thoughts, the subtle thumping against the bed going on behind him.

Minsc sighs, "That's the problem for Minsc. I want to do it all."

She laughs, kissing his cheek. "Then do you want to lead?" She asks, her fingers itching to take his clothes off. His hand trails down her arm to her hand, guiding it to his bulge. "Here?" She asks, her thumb brushing over his tip.

"Yes... Please..." She smiles knowingly, kissing the corner of his mouth as her hand massages his clothed erection. She wonders how long she has before he rips their clothes off, or would he be controlled? Her mind dances with her musing as she lifts his shirt slightly to reveal his hairy torso. She welcomes the sight, letting her fingers run over it, his muscles flexing as her other hand returns to its massage. She loves how hairy humans can be and resists the urge to lean down and sniff. Boo and Jaheira are good about keeping Minsc's upkeep, and today everything seems clean. She'd get her hormone sniff later, she decides as he palms her ass. Riding him would be intense, she thinks as she makes a trail of kisses from his jaw to his earlobe. His free hand returns to his breeches, pulling them down just slightly. Penelope doesn't skip a beat, wanting to see his rod spring out. She lets out a small satisfied coo, her eyes flicking from his cock to his flushed face.

Penelope wraps her hands around his thick cock, the deep groan from within his chest music to her ears. He's proportional, thank the Gods. She starts pumping him, his mouth slightly open as Minsc huffs. "Let me know if you want to stop, okay?" She states before sucking on his earlobe.

Minsc shudders, nodding, "Be gentle if you can."

She flicks her tongue on the dangling skin, amused at his statement. "Of course, my love. If it's too much, let me know..." Penelope whispers, kissing the side of his head. He nods again, his hips rocking with her hand. "My only requirement is that you don't come from a handjob," Penelope jokes, mostly to herself.

He doesn't reply, his hand slipping from her ass to the nape of her neck, guiding her to kiss him messily. She's talking too much, moaning against his mouth. He breaks the kiss, holding her face just centimeters away as he whimpers from her hand. Maybe this is all he needs, she thinks disappointedly before he tugs down her top, his grip still firm on her neck. She gasps, letting go of him to assist with her sudden undress carefully.

"Careful, Minsc! Don't wanna ruin this top," Penelope warns with a breathless laugh. Minsc doesn't listen, staring openly at her chest, his cock twitching at the sight of her breasts softly knocking into each other.

"May I?" He asks as Penelope tosses her shirt to the floor.

"Of course, love," She runs her hands over them, making them bounce more. He takes her breasts in his larger hands, massaging the masses. She bites her lip, watching as he ignores whatever more she says. Her breasts are perfect in his hands as they don't overwhelm his hands like others. He brings one closer to his face, quickly wrapping his lips around her budding nipple. She curses, resting her hand on his purple tattoo, sweat starting to bead. His tongue flicks and swirls around before he pulls back.

"This is not a dream, right Penelope?" He asks, brushing his thumb along the wet bud.

She shakes her head. "You dreamt about me?" She asks back as he guides her to lie down. His mouth returns to her breasts, suckling her nipples. She whimpers, trailing her finger up and down where his tattoo ends and his shaved head begins. She tests the waters, cooing, "Good boy..."

He stops, making a face. "Minsc is not a boy. He is a man."

Penelope's face flushes, and she nods, "You are a man, a big..." She starts to pull his shirt up, needing him more naked suddenly, "Strong... man..." He allows her to undress him, her hands quickly finding his chest. She resists the urge again, instead allowing her hands to roam over the thick pallet of hair. "You know, humans are hairier than Tieflings." She says softly, her eyes flicking up to him.

"Oh?" Minsc replies.

She nods, giving in, her face carefully going between his muscled chest and taking a small sniff. Handmade soap of lavender and balsam, and some sweat. No hard work yet. She trails kisses up to his neck, softly sinking her teeth into his heated skin.

His grip is fast and hard as he yanks her off. "Did Astarion get you, Penelope?" He asks as she shakes her head, the hair pulling turning her on even more.

"You are just so delicious." She replies, her fingers dragging down his chest and playing with his nipples. He doesn't seem to be as phased as she is as he grabs her wrist, guiding it back down to his cock. Wordlessly, she starts to stroke him again. He kisses her in response, their tongue intertwining as he moans against her mouth. She pulls away, ready to tell him to do something more, when there's a slight panic in his expression and tone.

"I'm sorry, Minsc cannot wait for much longer." She blinks at how quickly he moves, practically ripping her panties off and shoving his pants down more.

"Condom!" Penelope shouts, pointing to the bowl. Minsc quickly grabs one, rolling it over his thick shaft. She tries to hide her impatience as he finishes protecting himself, crawling over to her.

"Minsc dreamt about you once, but this is much better." He says quickly before hoisting her leg over his shoulder and slowly easing himself in. She curses again as she slides up the bed with his thrust. He watches in fascination as she rests her hands on his shoulder. She wishes he would have prepped her more as her hands slide down his hairy and toned chest and torso to between her thighs, whispering a lubing spell as he rocks his hips. It eases some of the friction as he picks up his pace, grunting. She squeezes around him, panting.

His moan is louder, more melodic, as he grabs her wrists, pushing them towards the bed. "That was naughty, Penelope." A wave of ecstasy rushes her skin as he restrains her, his hips slamming her into the squeaky bed.

"Gods, Minsc! Slow down!" She manages to say, her breathing getting too laborious as he leans into her, kissing her quiet. His kisses are sloppy, his tongue going everywhere. He pulls back, still holding her wrists.

"Minsc cannot slow down, or I will come." He states, letting her go to hold her hips that try to run away from his cock.

"If you don't slow down, I'll come!" She retorts, sitting up, capturing her breasts between her arms. He watches as they bounce, his mouth watering at the sight. "We can come together," Penelope adds, wrapping her leg around his waist.

"Minsc must be dreaming," He replies as he comes back down, his hand massaging her breasts and the other holding her wrist again.

Minsc. Fucking Minsc, Penelope thinks as he starts to fuck her harder, her moans increasing, as does the pressure between her thighs. She'll make a mess at the angle he's pressing her in. She flares her nostrils, her free hand trying to push him back. "I'm gonna..."

He kisses her silent again, his cock unrelenting with each stroke. Her body shivers as she can feel it coming, taking over her senses. "Minsc!" She cries against his mouth, rocking her hips with him. He pulls out at the last moment, Penelope gripping his shoulder hard as she explodes, the gush of warm, clear liquid spilling out on the bed.

Embarrassment grips her as Minsc watches, still entranced. His fingers are quick, rubbing at her swollen clit as her hips jolt back to life, her legs trembling. She cries out, closing her eyes tighter as he makes her ride through it.

"Is she a woman or fountain?" Minsc jokes before stuffing her with two of his thick fingers, making her sobs increase in volume. "Ah, a songbird." He says as she arches her back, her hands finding his wrist. She was going to pass out before he fucked her again, she thinks gleefully as he brings her closer to the edge again. How long did he say it's been again? She can't form the words to ask but doesn't know if she wants to be reminded. His fingers aren't enough to bring another eruption, but Minsc is still hard and ready. He removes his fingers, bringing them to his nose and sniffing them. His turn for smells. He quickly brings his hand down to his cock, rubbing himself off.

She's still a bit out of breath to tease him, feeling his hands on her legs, rolling her to her stomach. Her excitement cannot be undersold, the thought of him from behind raising the goosebumps on her scalp. Her tail caresses his chin as he slowly reenters, Penelope crying out as she grips the covers. He's even bigger in this angle, she thinks as he leans down, his whole weight on her back.

He wraps his arm around her neck, his skin cool and damp. She doesn't mind the muscles or the temperature, her eyes rolling back. She realizes as her toes curl that she can't run away in this position.

"Minsc, oh fuck me." She whines, panting as he picks up his pace, fucking her into her wet spot. She leans down, biting his forearm for relief. He gasps, grabbing her hair instantly as he pounds her. Mistake. She thinks immediately, heat starting to boil between her thighs. He isn't trying to be rough with her, and yet... More reckless. "Oh, please, please, please!" She whines. He unwraps her head, his hand gripping the cover beside her, grip still tight on her pink strands.

"Penelope is too good for Minsc," He pants, leaning back to watch as his cock disappears inside her weeping hole. He spanks her ass hard, watching as she seizes up, and her whimpers gain volume as he starts to thrust harder again. Her tail wraps around his offending wrist as he finally lets go of her hair.

"Like that," She cries, gripping the sheets for dear life. He grunts in response, leaning down to kiss her shoulder. His tip presses against her cervix with each stroke, the crack of the bedframe hitting the wall. He grunts in her ear as he sits up, his hips rolling against her ass. Her mind feels like mush, bliss icing her brain.

He pulls out suddenly, lying on his back. Penelope huffs, turning to face him, his cheeks slightly flushed. "Do you need a break?" She asks, welcoming the reprieve.

Minsc shakes his head, his hand finding the nape of her neck, his thick fingers knitting in her hair as he guides her down to kiss her hard. His other hand slips between her thighs, rubbing her swollen clit. She pulls away, gasping as she shudders. "No break..." She says, biting her lip as he keeps her head still, pecking her lips and chin.

"Minsc needs you on my cock again," He says after a moment, his fingers slipping inside her weeping hole. She whimpers, her legs trembling as he thrusts inside.

"How do you want me?" She asks softly, trying to keep her panting low. She spreads her legs, letting him pick up his pace, his dark eyes flicking down between her soft thighs.

"Such pretty petals..." He whispers before letting Penelope go, quickly readjusting as he sticks his head between her thighs. Penelope watches rapt as he sinks into the bed, his gaze locked on her pussy, as he gently removes his fingers, dragging the wet digits along her folds. He makes a trail of kisses down her tatted lower stomach until he reaches the tuft of hair just above her entrance. Penelope's impatience simmers as she glances down at him and around the room. She isn't sure if Minsc could eat her out well, if years of being frozen took that skill away from him or if he even had it. If he's too rough or bad, she could stop him.

His tongue is quick, surprising Penelope and bringing her back into the moment as Minsc begins lapping at her folds. She gasps, a shudder running down her spine. He laps a few more times before he pulls his head back, his fingers spreading her lips apart to find the treasure. Minsc seizes forward, suckling her pearl, moaning at her taste. Penelope whines, taken aback by how directly he acts, her legs wrapping around his head.

She arches her back, resting on the pillows. "Gods above!" She moans, her hands rubbing his damp head as he continues to give her clit all his attention. She glances down at him as his tongue flicks against her, her hips raising, tail thumping on the bed. As he suckles again, Minsc's fingers slither at her entrance, slowly thrusting into her hole. She bites her lip as she spreads her legs, giving him more access to his feast. He grunts in response, his fingers pumping as he lets his tongue explore her swelling button.

Penelope whimpers as she massages her chest, "Where'd you learn to eat pussy, my love?" She manages to ask, the curiosity getting the best of her.

Minsc sits back, still allowing his fingers to fuck her, his thumb rubbing gentle circles around her bundle of nerves, his gaze going to her furrowed brow that holds all her tension. "Minsc is more than just his brawn, Miss Penelope. Some skills I need to brush up on."

She imagines that he got around all those years ago, the stories he could tell. She smirks as she sits up, kissing him gently, her taste still on his tongue. "You flatter Minsc again," He says as he leans back down, his tongue tracing her budding button.

She mewls, letting herself get lost in his touch. "Minsc..." Penelope bites her lip as he kisses and sucks her clit, enjoying her whimpers.

He glimpses at her before he sits back again, raising his thick eyebrow. "What did you say earlier? Don't come from just my hand?" Minsc chuckles before he climbs back up, kissing Penelope hard. She closes her eyes, her hands resting on the sides of his clammy head.

"Then you should fuck me," Penelope says as he pulls away, her thighs squeezing around his wrist.

He laughs as he pulls his fingers out, examining his soaked fingers. "Minsc likes it when you get like this," He says before sitting her up.

"Get like what?" She asks, her mind clouded by how he's charmed her body.

"You are a little bossy... Bratty," Minsc says, raising his eyebrow as he lies back against the pillows. "I already knew that, but it is nice to be reminded," He adds as Penelope looks him over. His cock rests on his stomach, the condom slick with her juices. For a moment, she wishes she could see his leaky cock.

"How do you want me?" Penelope asks again, leaning forward, her breasts bouncing against each other. Minsc's brows lower as his hands find her hips. "Do you want me to ride you?" Penelope asks, feeling his hand massage her ass.

"I want you... On top of me... Yes." Minsc says, his free hand coming to her breast and guiding her nipple to his eager mouth.

"You want me to fuck you?" Penelope smiles, his warm mouth sending goosebumps down her skin. His hand comes down hard on her ass, a surprise spank. She cries out as he pulls away.

"Minsc's patience is running thin," He says as she smiles sweetly, hoping he'll spank her again.

She kisses his forehead as she kicks her leg over his thick waist. "Running thin?" She teases as he spanks her harder. She moans, closing her eyes tight. "Fine, fine! I get it!" Penelope laughs softly, his dark eyes burning into her.

Her hips slowly sink down, his cock feeling amazing as it slides in. She bites her lip as his fingers dig into her hips. Though she's on top, she can tell Minsc would be controlling the pace, not that she minded. She's here for the ride. Minsc groans with her, closing his eyes as he sinks into the pillows, his thighs steeling beneath her. She closes her eyes tight as Minsc rocks his hips.

"Penelope, you look so beautiful on my cock," Minsc hums as she tosses her head back, his hands leaving her hips, dragging up to her waist and breasts.

Penelope grimaces, hoping he won't talk more, the way he stares at her hard, his jaw clenching. She holds on to the headboard for a moment, her heavy breasts dangling in front of his face, teasing him for another bite. He takes the bait, his tongue swirling around her nipple as their hips grind, the friction and the way his hungry mouth takes her body, driving her closer to the edge. His dark lashes brush against his cheekbones, his fingers returning to her hips as he starts to guide the pace, needing her to move more.

She follows the subtle instruction, his mouth full as he swaps breasts. She moans, her grip on the headboard starting to slip as she huffs, lifting her hips slightly and bringing them back down, his moans growing in volume. He pulls his mouth away, his eyes hot as they meet hers. Penelope thinks the switch from earlier is almost jarring, as he is more in control, or at least seems that way.

"I want you to fuck me harder," Penelope says breathlessly, leaning back as she rocks her hips with him.

"Harder?" Minsc repeats, his hips coming up to meet hers, her body jiggling with the sudden force.

Her hands fall from the noisy headboard to splay on his chest as she nods quickly, "Yes!"

His hands grip her hips harder, picking up his pace. His body is hard under her thighs, and Penelope tries to balance out his thrusts, adjusting to her feet.

She can take it, she can... Can she? He watches as her chest reacts to his moves, hypnotized.

"Y-you're not even trying," Penelope says instead, peering down at the Stone Lord. Minsc's lips part, and his fingers press into her soft skin. There will be bruises later, she's sure, as he brings her down against him harder. Penelope's head dips down as she tries to keep her moans down, trying not to give him the satisfaction. Maybe because she found his kink, and that's why he's so much... Better?

"Miss Penelope can moan for Minsc. She did earlier," Minsc says once he slows down, he takes a break for himself.

Heat flushes her skin and her cheeks. "I-I don't know if I can," She lies coyly, catching her breath.

Minsc eyes her carefully, leaning up and kissing her passionately, his teeth dragging along her bottom lip as he pulls away. "Maybe we need another position?" Minsc asks, his hands gently pulling on her tail. Penelope catches herself before a yelp escapes her lips.

"Another position?" She asks as he pulls out again. She wonders if he's trying to jam all the positions he can think of in their session to make up for his hundred-year deficit.

"Minsc is still curious about your tail... Can you turn around?"

Penelope's tail instinctively wraps around her body as she laughs nervously. "My tail?" She tilts her head to the side, her pink hair falling over her chest.

Minsc nods, "Minsc promises not to harm Penelope's tail. I promise." He is sincere, and his genuine curiosity softens the seriousness and lust in his eyes from earlier.

Penelope clears her throat as she starts to turn around. "Promise not to put it in any orifices, and we'll be fine," Penelope says, his arms wrapping around her waist, massaging her breasts again. He's so warm against her back. His lips find the nape of her neck, his hand sliding from her ample bosom to between her thighs.

"Minsc promises." He says after a moment, leaning back down. She sighs, leaning forward as her mind races, her hand finding his cock beneath her and helping guide it back inside. She moans quietly, his thick shaft stretching her once more.

She grips his thighs as she bounces her ass against him. She realizes his hands do not go to her hips nor to her tail after a minute of riding him. She checks over her shoulder, watching as he stares at her ass rapt. "These tattoos are perfect in this angle, Penelope," Minsc says before giving her another playful spank. He is heavy-handed, she thinks, as she whimpers.

"What about my tail?" She asks as she looks forward, her tail dancing above him.

"Minsc is amazed at your control, but Minsc did lie," He says through groans, his movement sudden as his hands snake under her thighs, lifting them.

Penelope gasps, her mind trying to comprehend the new position as his hands grip her thighs, her control of the pace vanishing as Minsc starts to pound into her. Penelope's mouth drops open, her eyes dazed as he stuffs her repeatedly. Her body feels electric as she screams. She closes her eyes, focusing on him. He's close by the erratic thrusts, the rough Minsc from earlier returning as he fucks her without a care.

He slows only momentarily before slipping his hands higher, resting on the back of her neck. This position... His heels plant against the bed to gain more momentum. She tries to look away, pressure building in her lower belly almost too quickly. Tears sting her eyes as he moans corny praises.

"Minsc knew you could sing for him. You are amazing, Miss Penelope." She wishes she could shut him up as she trembles. He uses her hole with such eagerness and reckless abandon. "Look at you... Taking Minsc's cock so well," He groans, his balls slapping against her, their skin meeting with harsh strokes.

"Minsc is going to come!" He says quickly after, his teeth gritting together. Penelope cannot find the words as she gushes around his thick cock, dripping down his shaft. Minsc's moan is deep, coming from his chest as he erupts under her. He holds her firm against him, his tip twitching as he fills the contraceptive with his hot cum.

Penelope pants, clenching around him to squeeze every drop, his panting turning back into moans. "You want every drop of Minsc?" He asks as he lets go of her neck, his hands returning to the back of her knees. Gods above.

"Minsc..." She moans as he lazily rocks his hips against hers, his cock still feeling firm. She wonders if the petrification spell, though worn off now, affects his cock until he finally lets her go, letting her collapse on his legs. 

Minsc sighs as she rolls off him, his limp cock slipping from inside of her. Their eyes meet as she rests on his chest, her mind dazed and sleepy. She laughs softly, trying to gather whatever scatterbrained thoughts she could find.

"Was I better than your dreams?" Penelope asks, her fingers trailing on his chest.

"Better. Minsc thought you knew that." He says, raising his eyebrow.

"I did. I do..." Her eyes flick from his cock to his face. "Can we do this again?" She asks, feeling greedy.

Minsc pauses; she can hear him thinking hard. "In between the butt-kicking and adventures that Boo and I go on? Sure. Maybe once or twice when Minsc needs to wind down," He says. Penelope warms up to that idea. She has others who can fill the Minsc-sized hole in her heart and her holes.

"Good, because this was fun, and you have a hundred years to catch up on," She teases before kissing him softly. He lets her lead, though stubborn. His hand massages her ass as he hums.

“Sex hasn’t changed that much,” Minsc says before pecking her again. “But Minsc is afraid if he doesn’t get out of bed now, he will stay here forever.”

Penelope giggles as he snakes his arms from her body. “Well, next time you need to unwind, I’m sure I’ll be ready,” Penelope states, watching as he puts his clothes back on.

Minsc leans down once he’s redressed, kissing her hard against the pillows. “Boo has plans for Minsc tonight, but once they are done, I will find you. Your moans are locked inside Minsc’s head, and I need to hear them again soon.” He says, letting his eyes roam her thick body.

She takes one more caress of his crotch, feeling him stiffen. “Come find me when you’re ready,” Penelope whispers as he moans softly, resisting climbing back into the bed. “Oh, trust Minsc, my bosom-heavy friend. I will be back.”

Penelope makes a face at the nickname once he leaves. She has enough time to clean up and share the tale of her taking on the Stone Lord to Shadowheart. She also has time to find what to wear and where they should meet again… Maybe she’ll be able to find a gag or two in the meantime. The thoughts excite her as she lets her mind go with all the possibilities.

[unreadpoppy]

I'm sorry but the post drow scene changes with Halsin still pissed me off, even beyond the fact that I'm not the biggest fan when stuff is out, but even narrative wise it doesn't make sense (to me).

Halsin is 350 years old. Three hundred and fifty. And he was in captivity for THREE years. Like, that's so little in comparison to how long he has been alive (and I'm not saying this to diminished what happened to him or that it's "less" bad bc it was "Only" three years but, to put it like Thranduil once did 'a hundred years is a mere blink in the life of an elf' let alone 3).

It happened when Halsin was still a young adult, so after he was 100 (which is when elfs reach adulthood), so give or take, this man has had CENTURIES to recover. You cannot convince me that this 350 year old, WHO'S A DRUID, didn't have time to heal and recover.

And also, in a game where we already have so many other stories involving character understanding that they were abused and starting to heal from it, it was a breath of fresh air to have someone who was ALREADY healed. Someone who could acknowledge what had happened to him and show that time can heal, that you're not going to suffer forever.

And like, I feel that some people focus so much on this, in my opinion, throw away scene, as a defining character moment, instead of analyzing stuff involving the shadow cursed lands, the place that ACTUALLY is at the heart of Halsin's storyline.

idk, Halsin is a wise, down to earth guy, who is literally the oldest member of the party. It doesn't make sense to me, that a guy who literally is so ok to talk about how his WHOLE FAMILY HAS DIED, would need some fresh out of the womb kid to tell him that he's traumatized

[librivore42]

Warm in the earth

A secret withers gift for @flipcitrus! As before, the Ao3 link is below but if you don't waaaant to leave tumblr, it's under the read more.

Warm in the earth (1370 words) by Librivore42

Chapters: 1/1

Fandom: Baldur's Gate (Video Games)

Rating: General Audiences

Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply

Relationships: Gale/Halsin (Baldur's Gate)

Characters: Gale (Baldur's Gate), Halsin (Baldur's Gate), assorted adopted children

Additional Tags: Fluff, SO MUCH FLUFF, check yourself for cavities after

Summary:

After everything, Gale and Halsin deserved to grow older together. They deserved that loud and loving house of adopted children, and a garden under a spring sky. Sometimes the gods do give people what they deserve.

One needed to remember the darkness to truly appreciate the sun, after all.

~~~~~~

Every day waking up in his arms was a day closer to wiping out that year of loneliness, to the point that Gale could barely remember such a thing existed. But he kept it in his memory, a small, cold thing, to remind him of how grateful he was for the warmth that surrounded it.

He spent a moment appreciating that sun, the way it played on Halsin’s face, catching the edges of his hair and lighting it with gentle fire, the browns blazing into a brilliant sort of gold right where the lightest, singular strands drifted from the whole. Overtaken by light, the core of new stars.

The head shifted to find him, a sunflower turning, and Halsin’s lips curled into a smile even before he was fully awake, as if finding him with his head on his chest was a pleasant, unexpected surprise every day.

How he did it, Gale would never know. Despite all his years and years of life, how could he still treat every day as if it was new and special, even if everything in it was the same?

“Still asleep?” Gale teased gently. “You can have more time if you really need the rest.”

“Don’t treat me like I’m decrepit, Gale.”

“I am simply giving you the respect you’re owed due to your advanced years.”

Halsin’s quiet laughter rumbled through his body and into Gale’s, warm and pleasant, and Gale wondered if this is what the earth felt, much more slowly, when roots gently shifted it aside.

There was nothing but them in the world, and the warm spring, the heady scent of flowers drifting through the window, and peace.

For an entire minute.

Gale hid his face in Halsin’s chest and laughed as the entire world outside their door exploded into noise. Sleepy complaints, arguments over towels, accusations of personal effects touched or shifted in the dead of night.

“Ah, the house stirs once more.”

“They’re so much more energetic after the long winter,” Halsin chuckled. “I’d hoped finally being able to run around outside all day would have made them more tired.”

“It certainly doesn’t make the old bear tired.” A pat on the chest and Gale sat up to grab his clothes. Once the noise started there was no time to waste, or riot and recrimination, tragedy and tears might follow. “If anything the spring makes you more prone to fits of sudden enthusiasm.”

A blessing really. Gale’s old man knees could barely keep up with ‘outside time’. He’d say he was becoming the decrepit one but his knees had been giving him trouble since before the tadpole. An old, creaky soul in a younger man’s body.

They dressed with the speed and efficiency long drilled into them from the many, many children they had in their care, shared a quick kiss, twined their fingers, and strode out the door.

Gale was in charge of breakfast. Halsin was in charge of soothing, sometimes pulling one child or another into the kitchen for a private talk while the others ran around setting the table with as few mishaps as possible.

“Now, why did you take her toy without asking?” Halsin sat on the floor to be somewhat more level with the sobbing half-elf boy, his voice low and kind.

“She would have said no. She always says no.”

“Aren’t friends allowed to say no to each other?”

The child sniffled as he tried to grapple with this wisdom, wiping tears and snot all over his face as Halsin leaned over to the sink to grab a cloth and wet it. “But friends share. She’s not my friend anymore.”

“Do you share everything with your friends?”

The “Yes!” burst out of the little lad as a wail, and Gale winced as he tried to focus on the stove. Halsin just nodded understandingly.

“But if you had to say no to your friend, for any reason, would you like it if she got angry at you?”

“… no.”

“Why not?”

This logic was difficult business, and his eyebrows pinched together, not wanting to think when he was still angry and upset. Halsin sighed and tousled his hair gently, knowing he had to give it time to settle.

“Go join the others, breakfast is almost ready.”

“There’s pancakes,” Gale put in. “And fresh berries.”

That cheered him up. The boy beamed a gap-toothed smile as Halsin wiped his face and hands clean and shooed him away.

Another quick kiss, stolen in moments of peace, and breakfast was brought out to cries of surprise and delight. Pancakes, cream, honey, berries. A feast fit for any king.

Nearly everyone fell to immediately, though Gale always kept an eye out for one of the older ones. They were nearly thirteen and a more recent adoption, barely with them half a year, most of which was spent quietly alone in corners with a book or following one of the adults around to offer assistance. And he’d noticed that they still seemed unsure about whether they were allowed to eat as freely as everyone else, hanging back while the others demolished every meal.

There wasn’t going to be very much left in a minute.

He filled a plate very high, slathered it in honey and their favourite sort of berry, added a dollop of cream, and then gave a loud dramatic sigh. “Heavens, I’ve taken far too much. Curse my hubris and greed.”

He saw the young tiefling hide a smile out of the corner of his eye.

“Assistant!”

They straightened up, yellow eyes wide. “Yes sir!”

“Do you think you can take this off my hands?”

They froze, eyes flickering from his serious face to the plate a few times, catching the smile in his eyes.

“Y- yes sir. I think I can do it.”

“Excellent,” he said solemnly. “You always do a fine job. I leave this in your care.”

“What’s hubris?” said a sticky-fingered young half-orc with a mighty thirst for knowledge and a propensity to never wash her hands after eating with them. She was already up to Gale’s waist even at her young age, and if she grew at the same rate she threatened to tower over even Halsin.

“Hubris, my eager young protege-” the quiet tiefling hastily stifled a laugh in a large mouthful of pancake- “is arrogance, over-confidence and presumption.”

She nodded. “Like when I thought I could catch the big fish in the lake by myself. And got pulled in.”

“Exactly so,” he said gravely, pretending not to see Halsin smiling fondly at him. He wasn’t very good with children for the most part. But awkward and precocious children? That was where he, as a former awkward and precocious child, shone. “Now if you could both supervise cleanup, I have a rather enlightening demonstration for all of you today.”

He continued not to see Halsin’s fond smile turning into raised eyebrows of concern as the children, as one, perked up, locking their eyes on him. He waggled his fingers.

“Fire magic. I know some of you are coming into your magic so I will show you the safest way to conjure a fireball in an enclosed space.”

The safest way to conjure a fireball in an enclosed space was not to do it but that had never stopped him as a child and he knew it would never stop a curious young sorcerer.

“Gale-”

“Er… yes. Perhaps we should convene to the garden and demonstrate in the open air before we graduate to enclosed spaces.”

Think of the flowers said Halsin’s eyebrows, but the children had cleared the table like magic and were crowding around Gale eagerly.

“And I hardly need remind some of you that it would be preferable to conduct any such experiments with supervision while you’re still young. Once you have my age and experience there’s no danger of the spell going wrong,” Gale lied blatantly.

Halsin stifled a sigh, already forseeing the need to replant one of the flower beds. But the children were happy, and so was Gale. And so, truth be told, was he. The things one did for the ones they loved.

[randomfanner]

Halsin + Thaniel and Oliver Headcanons

There will be non-relationship head canons and relationship head canons, all fluffy or Angst content because this is getting really long. I was going to do smut, and I will do smut eventually, but this post is not the post.

TW: Loss of a child, loss in general, lot a of sadness in that. Also in general there is going to be expected backstory trigger warnings. Like the fact he was kept chained to a bed for 3 year. Also on a lighter note, drug use is talked about, it's pot.

Halsin will adopt everything and everyone if you let him. He considers Oliver and Thaniel his kids, he considers Arabella and Yvenna his kids. He considers most of the tiefling kids his kids to an extent. Nieces and nephews perhaps. He loves Scratch and the Cub and Tara(Gale has complained that Tara sometimes goes to Halsin's lap rather than his). If you leave this man alone in the forest and he finds and injuries baby animal or an animal, he will bring it home and nurse it back to health and it will come to visit or just live with you.

We get very little from Thaniel in terms of screen time, and also Oliver after he comes to camp so I am putting head canons.

Thaniel is a good kid. He is pretty quiet, calm and respectful of adults and people in general. He is good with animals, good with plants. Most of the time at the very least. He is... rather reserved. Halsin and Thaniel became friends not because Thaniel let himself be seen, it was a 5 in human year old Halsin chasing this fey child through the woods. He is shy, and doesn't really talk much to people.

Now, he does actually does seem to like talking to you. Halsin has spoken highly of you, Halsin cares about you deeply and you did very much saved Thaniel's life. You killed the man that tormented him for several decades. He does feel he can talk to you.

Now, with that in mind, Thaniel is a fey child. A well behaved and well meaning fey child but he is a fey child none the less. He does have a mischievous. I promise you he has tried to steal your name, and you fell for it Halsin has to talk Thaniel into giving your name back.

Thaniel and Oliver share an end goal with you and Halsin and that is to parent trap your ass. They like you, the fey don't like losing what they like.

Oliver is a little shit. He can be a very sweet little shit and he does like you and Halsin a lot, but he also can torment you in many ways. Mostly because this child has been alone in the wilderness and doesn't have any socialization. Halsin realizes this and is very good at being patient with the traumatized child.

He pulls pranks all of the time when he was around camp, and he does like to trick travelers when they begin coming through. However he does like you and he does like Halsin. So he can be rather nice, he may even let you have his true name... if you promise you will be his mama and papa.

He wants a family. Please let him have a family.

Loss of a Child, Loss, Acceptance of Loss, A traumatized Child

So, man has considered Thaniel his kid for awhile now, he would never say it because once he called himself Thaniel's 'big brother' and Thaniel reminded him, rather quickly, that Thaniel was in fact older then him This was when they were younger Halsin could not guess Thaniel's reaction if he called him son. So when Thaniel was lost Halsin was crushed beyond measure. He did grieve for years and was still admitting grieving until you came along and helped him find his son again. And make sure he would have a friend after Halsin was gone with the earth again. Halsin knows how to accept death, but he also knows it doesn't stop the grieving and that is OK. He may set time aside to be alone and just... grieve if he feels the need to. He grieves but he also remembers. He tries to make good time matter and last for as long as he can. He does... restrain himself during bad times. But when he has those small moments and any chance he gets, he is rather passionate. Even with the smallest things like a kiss or being able to hold hands.

About Thaniel because this kid has some serious trauma. So does Oliver but we get more screen time and information about Oliver so:

Thaniel is a very respectful and mature kid mostly because he is an immortal 8 year old. He is very traumatized. He gets friends and then his friends get older then him and then they die. And he forever young and in the forest. It can take awhile of course, elves live for hundreds of years but... lives for hundreds of years is different then living forever. And he hates being reminded of it so that is why he refuses to let himself call Halsin dad or acknowledge that. He can acknowledge Halsin is older but not that he is going to lose another father and another friend.

Halsin has tried to help him with this as much as he can. He reminds Thaniel that he will still be there for him in the earth, in the dirt and in the spirit. And Thaniel believes it, but it still hurts.

On a bit of a lighter note, reincarnation is I am sure canon in DND, like, there is a spell for that so I assume it is a process they will happen eventually. Druid just speed it up. so Halsin has probably been Thaniel's dad multiple times... (and with you a few times perhaps, if nature has willed you to come together through lifetimes)

So Oliver is like, the best thing that has ever happened to this child. Having a younger brother who will always be a friend is the best thing for this sad forest child. He has a friend who will not get older than him and die.

Small note with Oliver

So, Haslin likes to whittle and just. One day Oliver asks for figure of Mommy and Daddy and his Dog and Halsin does make them for him, of course, and Oliver just sort of puts it on display and man, Halsin has never felt sorry for killing a shadow once in his life and now here he is, mourning with his son because ya.

I have my own traumatized immortal natural spirit child so I really like Thaniel and Oliver. Can you tell?

We done with the angst mostly, be warned pot still remains and so does general Halsin Trauma.

So anyway, I am not crying, and Halsin is a walking snack machine I swear. We are using all DND spells and he has create food and water at all times and uses it a lot. Ever short rest you all get food, water, and he even has bowls and cups prepared at all times that he whittles himself so you have something to enjoy your snack in. He does also offer food and water to all of the refugees when you get to Baldur's Gate.

His snacks consist of berries, nuts and different seeds, when it is a longer rest he can summon meat and vegetables. You know he helps with this sort of stuff all of the time. He likes to cook and I believe he is probably a pretty good cook.

He knows how to cook with a wide range of ingredient. He can cook a dish anywhere you place him. He knows forests, plains, coasts, caves, and even the under dark. He is also very aware of general signs of what is edible and what is not that, so he can always find safe food.

Food is very much a love language for him as well. He cooks for you all the time and also makes you different kinds of sweets. He can bake, he can cook, and he can probably grill and cook on a camp fire. He is amazing at it. Unless you put him in an actual kitchen. Than the poor man because confused and clueless (Poor bear man doesn't understand how a stove works).

Halsin will take care of you no matter what happens. If you get injured he is nursing the wound and cooing that it will be OK because he is here and he has you. He kissing the wound and cure wounds it and will make and will make sure you are all better. He knows you can do with out it, and if you would prefer he can save or wait on the extra bits and simply take care of the wound, however he is taking care of the wound do not mistake him.

He is so doting when you get sick or are pregnant or on your period or if you get poisoned. Man will get you the bed of the finest furs and feed you the best soup to make you feel better. After of course, you down his awful tasting medicine that does cure you pretty quickly because he is a man who knows a thing or two about medicine. He is a healer. He knows how to make you feel better.

Man likes doing hair. It is an elf thing and we can see he believes it on his character look at his hair, he has so many little braids in his hair and he wants to do yours. Please let him do yours. He will explains why he really wants to do it so, you understands how much this means to him. He also wants you to do his, of course. But he just likes, adding flowers to your hair and little bits of nature. No matter what gender or how long your hair is.

Man is also always giving you small gifts. Something he whittled himself, flowers and snacks, pretty rocks, basically anything and everything. He is a bird trying to woo his mate by bringing them shiny things. And it probably works, let's be honest.

Halsin is REALLY good at whittling. It is a little bit more than just a side hobby and he makes toys for kids with his whittling. He will make bears, people, animals, plants, monster, a kid asks for a toy of it, he will carve it. Thaniel and Oliver do have a whole set of bear figurines that keep them safe at night and scare away any beasts that mean them harm.

However he does also use his whittling skills. He can make tools, bowls, utensils, and things for another day. Halsin does not normally need gold however when he is Baldur's gate he is very good at making it on the fly because he can simply whittle something and people will buy it.

Man learns about charity art shows and finds one that does it for nature and makes a number of things to be sold there and by gods is there a bidding war for it. He normally wouldn't be interested but you know, man wants to help nature.

As stated above he does whittle for you all the time, and he also really like to incorporate imagery that reminds him of you and the things you have done and the relationship you have. Sometimes he will care you elegantly into a cup, other times he will show your family through symbols, other times it is just nature. It is really cute.

Cuddler and PDA all the way man, he loves to hold your hand, give you kisses on the cheek, have a hand on your waist, anything to be close to you. He will stop if you ask of course but do expect big bear eyes from him before he does so. He does not mean to do it but he cannot help it. (In a Astarion x Halsin setting, gets hit with those eyes and just breaks and holds his hand).

He will turn into a bear and let you do all the extremely dangerous things to do to a real bear but we all want to do. Touch the soft and fluffy ears, squish the toe beans, don't deny it, we all do. It is quite sweet and has a wonderful time.

Halsin tends to go into a deeper trance than most elves. Sometimes he needs to be shaken out of his trance rather than spoken out of it. He blames it on the bear.

Also Halsin most certainly smokes pot. He probably experiments with natures creations like mushrooms and other things you can smoke. He knows all about the effects, what it will do and often uses it to meditate... or sometimes have a good time.

He would happily invite you to join him if you would be interesting. I think a high Halsin would be extremely entertaining to watch even if you do not smoke pot with him. All formalities drops and he gets so cuddly. He is already cuddly but he is falling asleep on you cuddly.

OK, so, this is a lot, there will probably be a part two or at the very least a NSFW head canon, probably.