#i appreciate astarion voice acting and animation but nothing more

[caducityclay]

No one asked but my fav companions from bg3 are gale, Lae'zel and jaheira

[thetavolution]

At Your Side

Note: I wrote a version of this before, but decided to retire one of the characters. So I rewrote it with Tessa and Bex.

“It’s quite thrilling, to fight off such grim creatures as this region throws at us. Especially being at your side.”

As far as Gale and Tessa were concerned, they were alone. They stared into each other’s eyes as the world faded away. They were oblivious to the entire party of misfits behind them, forced to witness this display of overt horniness.

“I once read a book that explained in some detail the effect a brush with dangers has on one’s desire for… other forms of stimulation. Have you ever read anything on that subject?”

Bex quickly looked around at her comrades. Everyone else had to be equally blown away by this, right? He was doing this now? In front of the whole party?

Karlach watched with an adoring look on her face, like she was watching a romance novel unfold. Bex wasn’t as shocked by this as she would like to be. Wyll gave a sly thumbs up to Gale to encourage him. Wyll had been doing everything in his power to play wingman for Gale. It only seemed fair when Gale had returned the favor for Wyll. They were determined to confide in each other about finding love.

Shadowheart was unmoved. Bex had to admire her dedication to apathy. Bex was surprised by how… unbothered Lae’zel was. It was then it hit her that love and war seemed to go hand-in-hand for the gith. No wonder she saw nothing odd about Gale’s declaration. This was the same woman who carried on about the source of her bruises, after all.

Bex looked to Astarion for some kind of support. Instead, he had a mischievous grin, enjoying the show. He was so adept at that act of flirting, he was relishing Gale’s awkwardness. It was like a wild animal studying a caged one.

 Bex turned to Tessa. She had to be mortified––

“Read?” Tessa gave a flirtatious smirk. “I could have written the thing.”

These absolute freaks. Tessa looked ready to jump his bones.

“I believe you. You never looked so beautiful as at the end of a stirring battle, your cheeks flushed, gaze bright, muscles glistening,” he continued. “Perhaps it’s just the thrill of our near-death experience talking. But standing at your side through such darkness and disrepair, it only makes me want you more.”

Gale paused to regroup himself. “Unfortunately this is neither the time nor place to indulge such feelings. So, we must be patient and push all such thoughts aside. For now.”

Though disappointed, Tessa nodded in agreement. Gale placed a hand on the small of her back to guide her to the Last Light Inn.

Bex threw up her hands in confused frustration. Was that normal? Even she wasn’t so sure anymore. Maybe she was the weird one. Yet she’d be lying if she said she hated it. It was cute in its own way. And there was something endearing about two weirdos finding each other.

“Pity,” Astarion commented with a fanged smile. “I thought we’d be getting a show. I can’t say I wouldn’t have enjoyed it, even if it involved Gale.”

Bex met Astarion’s eyes. He seemed to be drinking her in. This certainly shifted the mood for her. She couldn’t hold back a big goofy grin. She wasn’t stupid. She knew Astarion was using her for sex. It’s what most people did even before she met him. 

But she still couldn’t resist any scrap of attention he’d give her. Gods, she was pathetic. She lost every right to judge Gale or Tessa. At least Astarion would get to the point and outright ask her for sex. The directness was appreciated, even if it was wrapped in dishonest intentions. 

“Don’t you agree?” Astarion’s voice was dangerously low. 

Bex nodded. She’d let him win this round of flirting. She did note the irony of her judging Gale just to turn around and flirt over the idea of those two having sex on the battlefield.

Pleased by the confession, Astarion began to follow the rest of the group to Last Light.

“Don’t fall behind, my sweet,” Astarion noted. “You don’t want to be caught in the shadows.”

Bex followed, fully aware she was an absolute freak, too.