#minthara baenre x gale dekarios

[moonselune]

:0 minthara x gale where minthara realizes shes in love with gale. “. I have fallen for the wizard. Shit.”

I am loving all of the spiderweave requests, i was not originally a fan but i find myself being slowly seduced by it

─── ･ ｡ﾟ☆: *.☽ .* :☆ﾟ. ───

Gale Dekarios x Minthara Baenre | Foolish

─── ･ ｡ﾟ☆: *.☽ .* :☆ﾟ. ───

The flickering candlelight cast a warm glow over the modest chamber in the inn, the air thick with the scent of warm bread and lingering spices. Gale was sprawled lazily on the bed, his fingers entwined in a well-worn tome, the pages barely catching the light as he turned them absently. He looked up at Minthara, a teasing smile tugging at his lips.

“Are you going to stand there all evening, or are you planning to join me?” he asked, his voice a smooth blend of mischief and charm.

Minthara leaned against the doorframe, arms crossed, watching him with a mixture of amusement and irritation. Her ivory hair framed her face like a cascade of shadows, and her sharp features were softened in the dim light, a captivating contrast to her usual fierce demeanor. She felt an unmistakable pull toward him, but there was something else there too—a tension that seemed to crackle in the air between them.

“I might just let you stew in your own arrogance,” she replied, raising an eyebrow. “After all, it’s what you deserve.”

Gale chuckled, his eyes sparkling with a light that made her heart skip a beat, though she hated that he could elicit such a reaction from her. Their arrangement had been simple—friends with benefits. A no-strings-attached alliance forged in the heat of battle and borne from mutual attraction, yet she found herself drawn to him in ways she never expected.

“Ah, but that would be terribly dull, wouldn’t it?” He closed the book, setting it aside as he leaned back against the headboard, his gaze fixed on her with an intensity that made her pulse quicken. “Besides, I think you secretly enjoy my company.”

Minthara rolled her eyes, but the smirk tugging at her lips betrayed her amusement. “Don’t flatter yourself, Wizard. I’m merely here for… the entertainment.”

As she stepped into the room, the atmosphere shifted. It wasn’t just the physical proximity; it was the weight of unspoken words and undisclosed feelings that pressed upon them both. She could feel her resolve beginning to waver, like the candle flickering in the breeze, and that frightened her - disturbed her, even.

Gale moved to sit up, his expression shifting to something more earnest.

“You know, Minthara, there’s something undeniably fascinating about you,” he said, his tone lighter but the seriousness behind his words evident. “Your cunning, your strength. I’ve met few who can rival your tenacity.”

She felt a warmth blossom in her chest at his praise, yet it was laced with a nagging voice in the back of her mind. This isn’t good. You shouldn’t be feeling this way.

“What are you trying to say, Dekarios?” she asked, crossing her arms defiantly. “That I should be grateful for your attention? I’ve had plenty of admirers. You’re hardly unique.”

“True,” he replied, a playful glint in his eyes. “But none have been quite as insufferable as I am, nor as hopelessly attractive and talented.”

She let out an exasperated laugh, but deep down, she was struggling with the feelings stirring inside her. This wasn’t how it was supposed to be. I don’t fall for stupid wizards, she reminded herself, yet here she was, caught up in the moment, and against her better judgment, she stepped closer.

“Maybe you should remember your place, Dekarios. We have an agreement, and it doesn’t include—”

He reached out, pulling her closer with a gentle yet firm grip on her wrist. The unexpected intimacy sent a jolt through her, igniting a fire she had tried to suppress.

“Tell me,” he whispered, his voice low and inviting, “are you truly content with just this?”

Their gazes locked, and in that moment, everything shifted. The playful banter faded, replaced by an electric tension that hung heavily in the air. She could see it in his eyes—the same longing mirrored back at her, and the realization hit her like a tidal wave.

No, no, no. The words echoed in her mind. She didn’t want to feel this way. She didn’t want to be vulnerable, especially not with someone like him. But as his thumb brushed across her wrist, something inside her broke.

“Gale…” she started, her voice barely a whisper, fear creeping into her heart. “This isn’t what I wanted.”

“Is it not?” he asked softly, searching her face. “What do you want, Minthara?”

She inhaled sharply, feeling exposed under his gaze. The intensity of the moment was overwhelming, and she wanted to pull away, to retreat back to the safety of their arrangement. But her heart had other ideas.

“I don’t know,” she confessed, her bravado faltering. “I’m not supposed to… I shouldn’t care about this.”

“Care about what?” Gale pressed, his voice steady but filled with warmth.

“Us. You. Whatever this is.” She gestured between them, frustration flaring up once more. “I’m not supposed to fall for someone like you! Especially not a wizard with a penchant for theatrics!”

Gale’s eyes widened slightly, surprise flickering across his face. “So you do have feelings for me?” He leaned closer, his voice dropping to a conspiratorial whisper. “I must admit, I’m intrigued.”

“Don’t make this worse,” she warned, pulling her wrist from his grasp and taking a step back, her heart racing. “This was supposed to be simple. We share pleasure and then go our separate ways.”

“And what if I want more?” he challenged, his voice low, yet fervent. “What if I want to know you beyond the bedclothes and the battles?”

She shook her head, anger and confusion battling within her. “You’re playing with fire, Gale. This isn’t a game; it’s my life.”

“Your life?” he echoed, a flicker of hurt crossing his features. “Don’t you want to be happy?”

“I am happy!” she snapped, but the words felt hollow even as she said them. “I have power, I have purpose. I don’t need some insipid relationship complicating things.”

“But you do need someone,” he replied softly, his expression earnest. “Someone who can stand beside you, who can understand you—who isn’t afraid of what you are.”

Minthara felt her defenses crumbling as he spoke, and she hated him for it. Because deep down, she knew he was right. She had spent so long guarding herself, erecting walls to keep others out, yet with Gale, those walls felt more like shackles than a fortress.

“I don’t fall for stupid wizards,” she murmured, half to herself, as if repeating it could make it true.

“Then you’re going to have to figure out how to change that,” Gale said, determination lighting his eyes. “Because I’m not going anywhere, and I refuse to let you push me away. Not when you’re obviously torn.”

She wanted to argue, to shut him out completely, but instead, she felt a warmth swell inside her. Maybe this was what she had been missing—someone who truly saw her. It terrified her more than anything else.

“Then what do I do?” she asked, her voice almost a whisper, vulnerability bleeding through the cracks of her facade.

“Be with me,” Gale said, his voice steady and resolute. “No pressure, no obligations. Just… see where this takes us.”

Minthara's heart raced at the prospect, the uncertainty churning inside her. What if it goes wrong? What if he breaks her heart? What if he blows himself up? But a part of her longed to take that leap, to see where this uncharted territory might lead.

“Fine,” she said, an edge of defiance returning to her tone. “But if I regret this, you will be the first to know.”

Gale’s smile was bright, infectious, and it sent a surge of warmth coursing through her. “I wouldn’t have it any other way,” he replied, his eyes dancing with excitement.

As the tension between them shifted, Minthara felt the weight of her decision settle around her—a mix of trepidation and something surprisingly close to hope. She may have entered this arrangement with skepticism, but now, standing on the precipice of the unknown, she felt the exhilarating pull of love intertwining with fear.

This wasn’t how it was supposed to be, she thought again, but as Gale reached out to take her hand, she couldn’t help but lean in closer, ready to explore the depths of what could be. And despite herself, she felt the walls she had built around her heart begin to crack and crumble, leaving room for something new—something wonderfully terrifying.

And maybe, just maybe, falling for a wizard wasn’t as foolish as she once thought.

─── ･ ｡ﾟ☆: *.☽ .* :☆ﾟ. ───

silly little drow lady and silly little human wizard boy, so silly. Hope you guys enjoyed it ! - Seluney xox

If you want to support me in other ways | Help keep this moonmaiden caffeinated x

[trashmancer]

A sketch I did a while back. Maybe Gale wouldn't mind Minthara stepping on him...

[triptanite]

Headcanons: night routines, cuddles, and sleeping positions with the companions

it's done! we did it! enjoy :3

Pairings: Reader X (Alphabetical) (Astarion - Gale - Halsin - Karlach - Laezel - Minthara - Shadowheart - Wyll) (Gortash - Raphael - Rolan)

Content warning/s: none

MASTERLIST

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Headcanons below

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The Companions (Alphabetical)

ASTARION

Something that may surprise you is Astarion's preference for personal space when he sleeps. Given how enthusiastically he pursues you early on (and his reasons for doing so), you thought that he would be clinging to your side as soon as your tent flap closed.

Instead however, you find that Astarion appreciates a very active goodnight cuddle before separating to sleep. You're both lying down on your sides, facing each other. Your bodies curl into one another, legs overlapping. Astarion traces over the silhouette of your body as you talk about your day, the softest touch of his fingertips bringing goosebumps to your skin. He hovers over the area where neck meets shoulder, lightly scarred from his previous feedings.

You rest your hand comfortably at his side, taking advantage of his stillness to really study his features. The smile lines in his pale skin, the length of his pointed ears, the sliver of collarbone under his shirt. He's constantly on the move during the day, so you drink in the details while you can. He debriefs to you as well, moving his hand to interlace his fingers with yours. His body is cool, and you notice his tendency to press up closer to you on to sap your body heat.

Once it's time for sleep, you untangle from each other and sleep pretty normally. He's not much of a sleep-snuggler. Though, with your nightly conversations you're not left necessarily wanting for more (not that you mind either way). You sleep in your regular position, and he on his back in the typical elven meditative pose. It's comfortable, safe, familiar.

GALE

Your nightly routine with Gale revolves around a lot of tending to the day's wounds and mishaps, paired with a constant flurry of comfortable conversation. A tear in your trousers gets patched up while staffs are cleaned and reinforced. Adjustments for tomorrow's spells are made, trails are planned. Gale sifts through your alchemy pouches, answering your questions about herb origins with gusto. You move as a unit, like two gears in the same machine. As you move about, there are other conversations occuring, subtle ones, silent ones. Gale presses his forehead to yours to stop you from scowling as you mend; you hand him bits of twine and leather as he passes by, knowing that he's looking for them.

Even as you lie together, there is movement. You're tucked under Gale's chin as he lays on his back. If you're quite still, you can feel his pulse in his neck. Gale busies his ever-moving hands by drawing on your back. Alchameic symbols, runes he's seen, trails you've walked. He illustrates his thoughts and your adventures, your body his canvas.

When you start to fall asleep, you'll wriggle your body down so that your temple rests atop his chest. He traces the curve of your neck to your shoulder. Gale switches to words, messily writing incantations over your skin like a tattoo. If you pay attention, you catch him writing 'I love you' over and over, but you elect not to say anything as he does. Before you tuck your arm around his side, you trace love hearts over his stomach. Your head over his heart, you feel it beat a little faster, then slow as you both fall asleep.

HALSIN

Halsin enjoys being present. He drinks in the sight of you slowly, revels in the ability to simply take his time. After living such a long life lived already and the turmoil of the Shadow-Cursed Lands, he has an even greater appreciation for the smaller things in life. You've not lived quite as long as he, but you've already seen and done more than seemingly entire villages of people. Time and circumstance has worn you both down to a point. Resilience bounces you back, but a healthy regular dose of affection helps too.

At night, you both sit close to the fire. Halsin whittles, chipping away slivers of wood to carve out tiny pieces of art. He looks up, stretching his neck, and watches you as you map the stars above. You scrawl over maps and spare parchment, trying to write and doodle down your memories lest you forget them. When you look over to Halsin, your eyes meet, and you chuckle a little being caught off guard.

Taking you by the hand, Halsin leads you to your shared tent. You undress him, taking your time to smooth his hair back, to run your nails over his biceps. He returns the favour, cupping your curves with his large palms, spreading warmth all throughout your body. He lays on his side in the bedroll, one arm bent and tucked under his head. You use this as a pillow, enjoying his scent so close; wood and musk. Halsins free arm drapes over your midsection to pull you in closer. You push your knee through his legs and you slot together like puzzle pieces. You begin to talk about your latest mapping, your need for more parchment, and plans for tomorrow. Halsin kisses you on the forehead, entire being relaxed. You'll sleep squished together like this, encompassed by heat and comfort.

KARLACH

Cuddle supreme. You bet that once that engine is pacified enough to touch that Mama K is all over you like green on grass.

Prior to this, Karlach was sure (if not overly cautious) about maintaining a healthy distance between you. She was excessively worried about setting you ablaze during the night, and often opted to sleep just outside of her tent while you claimed her bedroll inside. Her claims of worry were partially genuine, but she also enjoyed how you left her tent. The smell you lingered on her sheets, and you often left little things behind like a water canteen or a book you'd been reading.

Once her engine was quelled though, the things she imagined could finally come to fruition. You often cuddle facing each other, changing positions like the moon over the sky. Most comfortably, Karlach settles her head under your chin, face pressed up against your neck and chest. Her arms wrap all the way around your middle, her legs crossing over yours. You curl both arms around her head, trying to leave enough room for her to breathe, and use your free hand to run through her hair. When you start gently scratching over her scalp, you get a snoring Karlach in an instant.

You find that you need to leave the tent flap partially open to vent out some of the warmth; even the most frigid nights are no match for Karlach's body heat. With how impossibly close you're smooshed together, there's little room for the cold to find you anyway.

LAEZEL

Given her dedication towards training and being the youngest in the group, it shouldn't be a surprise that Laezel is quite inexperienced when it comes to affection. Before she met you, and even during, quiet intimacy is somewhat foreign. When you first explained what cuddling was, Laezel thought it was some kind of defensive grapple.

When you both settle for the evening, you find yourselves prepping in comfortable silence for the days ahead. Laezel counts rations and sharpens blades. You condition leather and secure packs. Sometimes, she admires you silently as you focus on your tasks. She smiles to herself at your willingness to help, your competence, she feels security in your choosing her as a partner. Once it's time to settle into your bedrolls, you spend a few precious moments facing each other. She grips your hands in hers and studies your face. She stares with such intensity that it's like she's trying to commit every freckle and line to memory forever. There is some truth to this. When she closes her eyes in peaceful moments, she meditates on the things in her life that bring her joy; her accomplishments, her goals, and you, her partner.

Laezel most often sleeps on her back, leaving her more ready to react to ambushes in the night. She refuses to let go of one of your hands though, with you acting as a kind of anchor for her. Laezel's mind is constantly buzzing with what's to come next, reflecting on what's already happened. It's rare, and precious to her, to indulge in quiet moments of care.

MINTHARA

For practical reasons, Minthana rarely falls asleep with her limbs restricted - it's much harder to stab an intruder if one of your arms is cuddled under your lover. A light sleeper, Minthana doesn't mind sleeping on her side with you. She enjoys being the big spoon, and is certain to let you know that it's not solely because of the protective factor as she deems you just as capable as she (though internally, there's certainly a reflexive protective factor at play here).

Before you sleep, Minthana will curl around you, pressing the entire front of her body to your back. She commits your scent to memory, and recalls the days events aloud. You hold one of her hands in both of yours, mostly paying attention. She enjoys the way you massage her hands, rubbing your thumbs against her wrist, testing the sharpness of her nails against your skin.

When it's time to sleep, Minthana untangles from you, laying on her back or side. She likes to know that you're there though, so she crosses one of her legs over yours in some way. Her ankle rests over yours, or your thigh against her hip, or even just your heels touching each other. Enough closeness to feel your presence, enough space to breathe freely.

SHADOWHEART

You and Shadowheart vary your nighttime routines. Most times, you'll be engaging in mutual and self care, reflecting on the day, prayer, and washing. You offer to brush through Shadowheart's hair, carefully working through knots and bumps and smoothing it into something comfortable to sleep in. The feeling sends tingles down her spine, and she shivers like a cat purring, feeling sleepier and sleepier. She, in return, examines your hands. She cleans over them with a warm washcloth, applying healing balms and ointments to your cuts and bruises, filing your nails to shape.

You both spend time setting and resetting your shared bed space. Being adventurers, and with Shadowheart's past, you're used to moving around often. Your bedroll, your belongings, everything is set up ready to pack at a moment's notice. Though, if you take the time you notice small personal touches that make it feel like yours. A dense hairbrush adorned in silver, Shadowheart's. A thick, hand-woven blanket made in fibre native to your home, yours.

When you begin to collapse from exhaustion, more often than not Shadowheart will settle in behind you. You don't mind being the little spoon, indulging in Shadowheart's body heat and mindlessly playing with her fingers in yours. Shadowheart enjoys pressing her face to the back of your neck, sharing your body heat. She feels somewhat protective of you in the night. Quietly, she worries every now and again that something in the dark will take you away forever. You sense that fear sometimes, the way she drifts off in thought before squeezing you a little tighter. It's a feeling you're not unfamiliar with. She falls asleep to the sound of your voice as you tell her of your adventures past. She dreams of your adventures together in the future; this is something you have in common.

WYLL

Wyll enjoys holding you close basically any chance he gets, and bedtime is no exception. You both keep a reasonable distance while doing simultaneous night routines: Wyll polishes and stores your days' weapons, you pack and prep bags for the next day. As you flit past each other, there are subtle passing touches. A lingering glance at your exposed shoulder, the tips of your fingers grazing against his night clothes. Some are less so, you rake your fingers over his hair and horns, pressing your faces together. Or he'll stand behind you as you wipe down your face, body pressed impossibily close to yours. He teases you about the blush that crawls up your neck.

As you lay together, Wyll finds that sleeping on his back with some tactically stacked pillows works best for his horns. You rest your head at his collarbones, holding his hand. It calms you to feel his chest rise and fall as he breathes, and you never pass up an opportunity to ask him about his seemingly endless adventurous stories. Wyll watches you doodle on his palm, his other hand holds you at your waist, occasionally slipping his hand under your nightshirt to caress your skin.

Lying on your side, you fold your leg over his. You relish in how he squirms slightly depending on where your thigh ends up. Revenge. Most nights, you both fall asleep just like this in each other's embrace. Surrounded by a nest of pillows and a light blanket, you fall into warmth. Comfort in the night that takes you away from the horrors of the day.

Bonus!

NPCs (Alphabetical)

GORTASH

Routine is something both you and Gortash appreciate but rarely achieve with your busy schedules. If Gortash gets a moment at home, you're out in combat. If you come back at a reasonable hour, he's in meeting after meeting. The one thing you try in earnest to maintain though is a nightly routine when your times do align.

You both debrief and undress, spewing out the stress of the day with little regard for whether it makes sense or how many tangents you go off on. Gortash stands at your back as you sit in front of your vanity. He loosens your hair while you clean your wounds, chuckling about the injuries you'd inflicted in reply. You take Gortash's hand in yours and sit him down on the mattress. You run your fingers over his temples and he melts like snow. His muscles are tight as you massage over his neck, his shoulders, leaving light scratch marks over his skin.

In bed, you both lie on your sides, facing the window. The night sky casts the dimmest light into your room, the air outside is quiet and still. There is respite here. You curl around Gortash's back, spooning him as he clutches your hands tight in his. This is your routine, your normalcy. Here, neither of you are bloodstained, neither are performing. Comfort is a strange and rare indulgence in your plights to take over the world; but whether here in your chambers, in a bedroll camping in the forest, or in a jail cell, it's the one thing you can find in each other.

RAPHAEL

Raphael is fond of studying you, examining every inch, every curve of your being with all the patience in the Hells. He's currently asked you to pose for a portrait, draped loosely along a red velvet chaise while the light of the outside world shines just right over your body. It's difficult to catch your face, your eyes especially, in paint. Raphael finds your eye contact far too inviting to concentrate for another quiet hour, so he ceases.

Placing his brushes down, you sit up and crack your neck. You stretch the stiffness from your limbs and extend your hands out to encourage Raphael to join you. He kicks off his dress shoes, climbing atop you with his knee inbetween your legs. His spine curves as he lowers down, lips brushing over your ear as he embraces you.

With some effort, you wrap your arms around him, smothered by warmth and the faint scent of sulphur. You do get used to it after a while. An open window allows a gentle breeze in the room, slowly drying the paint. The light diffuses through sheer curtains, and it makes you sleepy. Time is confusing and unruly here, but you crave a lazy afternoon (at least, that's how it feels) nap. Stroking the back of Raphael's hair, you relax back and close your eyes. Despite his reservations, Raphael soon joins you. His face stays buried against your neck, every breath embued with your smell. You're surrounded by each other, neither of you especially keen to move away.

ROLAN

Finding a place to sleep in Ramazith's Tower wasn't the difficult part, choosing where to sleep was. For the first few weeks, you and Rolan explored a great depth, you'd never climbed so many stairs and walked so many invisible platforms in your life.

One night, you'd decided rather adventurously to sleep up high on a balcony. You'd made a nest of sorts with Rolan, harvesting pillows and blankets and a mattress. The weather was clear and mild as the sky slowly turned to black. Rolan had set up approximately four hundred fail safes to ensure neither of you would fall in your sleep.

You both huddle down into the swathes of fabric. You remark to Rolan how different this was to the camps you'd slept in when you met him, or the Emerald Grove where he and his siblings had stayed. You face each other, legs interlocking, and Rolan places both hands on either side of your face. He remarks that it's to keep you warm but the air has barely a chill. You shift slightly to point out constellations in the sky, and Rolan's hands move downward and settle at your sides. He plays with the hem of your nightshirt, eyes affixed to wherever you point and gesture. The spell of night overtakes you both, and you fall asleep with your foreheads pressed lightly together.

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waa we did it gamers my first multi character piece!! Originally this was supposed to be a short and sweet dotpoint-style headcanons post but apparently I can't help myself. Because of how many characters there were to write and because I'm me it took a little longer than expected but I'm really happy

I've been committing myself to doing even just a little tiny bit of writing/creative stuff every day (with some gaps obvs I'm only human) and I gotta say it really does help

so if you're reading this, go write something. Or draw, or edit, or whatever but just do a little bit of something today. its good for the soul

take care! :3

[sorcerous-caress]

could u possibly do how companions would treat tav's kid? like in a situation where a tav had a child/younger sibling or smth. fluffy fluff all around

You know how sometimes fate aligns so that your past deeds follow you into the future? This request gave me a flashback to my old writing blog.

Companions reacting to Tav's younger sibling/child

[ bg3, fluff, several characters ]

[ Astarion, Gale, Wyll, Halsin, Karlach, Laezel, Shadowheart, Minthara ]

Astarion

What on earth is that little gremlin following you around? Just make sure that no one feeds it after midnight.

To say he's not a fan is a huge underestimation, he signed up for a camp full of hot available single adults and not a daycare. How are you expecting him to be his usual self when a pg13 warning keeps chasing you around.

Whatever, he will just ignore the goblin-like thing. He can do that, how hard can it be?

Well...actually now that some time has passed, he has to admit that the little menace is really funny at times. Especially that one time he stole Gale's books to build a book throne in the mud, Astarion swears he could still hear Gale's heart shattering into a million pieces, what a fond memory.

What? Pfff, no, he isn't getting attached. He just...well was doing some trick with a coin to make it disappear, and the kid happened to be nearby, Astarion definitely wasn't trying to impress them.

Now the thing about picking locks is that it's better to teach them young. Think of all the small places, nooks, and crannies they could fit into, bringing them some loot and actually be useful.

And since he's already bothering to do it, might as well teach them how to wield a bow. Properly wield a bow, not like how Wyll does it no, it requires elegance only an elf is capable of and Astarion is the most expert here to train them.

Did you see that? They're actually getting better. He genuinely is impressed, so much that he doesn't register the smile of pride adorning his face, the excitement in his voice as he boasts about the kid's accomplishment and how they're clearly superior than the other crotch goblins.

Gale

Ah, children, truly the future of mankind. Humanity's hope and the ones who will carry the torch after us.

He is almost giddy at the idea of having an impressionable youth to teach, to steer and to spoil rotten like he was spoiled.

Will show off magic tricks nonchalantly, he definitely has a hidden agenda in trying to make the kid a wizard. After all who is better than him, an arch wizard, to teach a new curious soul about all the wonders of the weave? No magic is too advanced, everything is possible with imagination.

If anything, kids have the best imagination, better than adults do. Which is the argument he uses when you ask him why your little one can shoot invisible fireballs now.

He would love to read to them, he has all kinds of stories about heros, past legends and fables that will guarantee them a safe and sound mind. A healthy mindest to nurture then into a good kind hearted adult.

Even when his books end up the subject of the kid's abuse kind of a lot- Gale is nothing but forgiving. Cut the kid some slack, if anything, Gale is happy they are safe and sound.

Would make special meals for the kid during dinner time a lot, bunny shaped carrot cuts or soup with a sparkly finish. He can even teach them some basic recipes, cooking is a very important life skill afterall.

Wyll

He is very experienced with kids. Feels a bit concerned for the fact they're at camp all alone and volunteers to stay behind and watch them. And no, unlike the previous two, he doesn't try to indoctrinate them into elf supremacy culture nor tactically manipulate them into being a wizard.

He just lets them be a kid, plays ball with them. Shows them how to play fetch with Scratch. Overall a very cool and laid back older brother.

He definitely takes great inspiration from his own dad and how he raised him, offers the same advice and wisdom his own father shared with him.

Shows the kid that life is so much more than it seems, nothing is truly evil and nothing is truly good. Both can be found in each other. He treats the kid with respect and doesn't pull the older than you card unless necessary.

He wants them to establish their own being, their own character and carve their own path in life.

Definitely does whatever he can to keep Mizora away from the child. That devil cannot be trusted, and even while he knows the kid is smart, he doesn't want to leave it up to fate whether Mizora tricks them into a pact or not.

Halsin

The kid adores him and all of his animal forms. Halsin indulges them a lot and changes into whatever wildshape they deem the coolest that day to play with them.

When he looks at them, he sees a seed for the future. It requires care and nurturing to grow properly, and he is willing to make this world a better place for them.

Shows them how important nature is, how we should take care of the world just like it takes care of us. How we should respect the plants and the animals, how every meal is a gift and should be treasured.

He has a very fatherly vibe to him. It comes naturally, and he doesn't even have to try. Whenever the kid feels overwhelmed or scared, it's Halsin they run up and hide behind.

Also, when they get in trouble too because they know Halsin will take their side.

And he knows the kid is using him sometimes, but he lets it slide. Takes the kid on walks a lot, helps them make friends with the nearby cat that sometimes frequents the camp.

There is a potted plant they're both growing, a small shared project between the two of them. Halsin adores the look of happiness the kid has whenever the plant sprouts a new leaf and grows taller.

They don't have to know that it was Halsin's powers keeping it alive throughout the frequent changing of their camp and consistent travelling.

Karlach

Little soldier is what she calls them.

Picks them up a lot after her engine gets fixed, let's them ride on her shoulder and hang on to her horns sometimes. Even indulges them and pretends she is a robot that they're controlling.

Sorry Astarion, she can't stop hugging you. She's a simple robot, and the overlord kid on her shoulders demanded it.

While Wyll is the cool yet dependable older sibling, Karlach is the even cooler one who's very chaotic and would help the kid in their pranks and cause trouble a lot.

Ah, what the hell kid, sure you can pick up her great flaming axe and swing it around. Actually she will use a nearby table as a shield and you should definitely try throwing it at her.

It's not that she means to be a bad influence, it's just that she is extremely indulgent. That it circles back to being a bad influence without meaning to.

They want to only eat sweets for dinner and all day? Hell yeah little soldier she wants the same. They want to do it for the rest of eternity and never eat vegetables again? Sign her the fuck up because she is ride or die.

Oh yeah, your kid/sibling can swear now, thanks to her, you're welcome.

Jaheira

Is the one feeding them the vegetables, after telling Karlach off and putting her in the timeout corner.

It's not enough that she has a gaggle of children back home, but you had to bring another one with you to the camp? Oh cub, you and your own little cub are going to be the death of her.

If Halsin thinks he can hide them behind his bear form he better think twice, Jaheira isn't below putting the both of them in line if she has to.

She demands respect, and the kid definitely ends up giving it to her, begrudgingly or not. They understand she is the true form of authority in this camp and that they better do what she says and finish their chores.

They definitely see her as a grandma. She is secretly touched if they call her that but acts unaffected. She just doesn't want to let the kid down. She has to be strict because medicine never tastes sweet.

They remind her of her own kids backhome sometimes, she does get homesick a lot more with them around.

Shadowheart

No, she isn't emo. No, she isn't goth either. What is this kid talking about? They better know that worship of lady Shar is very sacred and not a passing phase she will grow out of.

You know how kids are overly curious and always ask these intrusive questions? Shadowheart is a magnet for that.

They just go up to her ,unannounced, and tell her about the recent camp news. She sips on her wine and gives the kid a glass of grape juice while they gossip.

Yes, she is a half elf. No, she is still as capable as an elf.

Wait, what did Astarion say about her? Really? Well, kid, thanks for being a snitch now. If you'd excuse her, she has urgent business to take care of.

She sees them and wonder if this is how her childhood was supposed to be like, if this is what she was missing out on all her life. Sometimes she can't help the burning envy at the back of her throat as she watches them be showered with love and care for simply existing.

But she doesn't let the bitterness get to her, not with how the kid looks at her in awe and admiration. She vows to be at least a decent example and not disappoint them.

Laezel

If left unattended, she will start a boot camp. Come one kid, get down, and give her 40 push-ups now.

What? She is just looking out for them. How else are they supposed to join the battlefield if they have no upper body strength?

Yes, the battlefield, why do you ask? Of course, she wants them in the front lines eventually. War is the perfect environment to raise a child, to make them strong and fast. You were very smart for bringing them here with you, she has to admit.

Bah, she scoofs at Karlach and Astarion's ways. It is a danger hazard at best. The kid needs to start with training equipment and not actual weapons. Her companions' lack of braincells does surprise her sometimes.

Well...she also does mention the fact that for them to graduate, they have to actually murder someone from the camp. You know, like how she murdered half her classmates when she was still in training.

She actually...does a good job at training them safely, she evaluates their weakness and strengths and gives them advice based on it on how to improve. She looks out for their well-being and shows them the most efficient way to end a fight.

But she's only joking? Right? Right???

Uh....did anyone see Gale??

Minthara

To put it in the nicest way possible, they are terrfied of her.

She thinks it's good because any sane person should be afraid of her. Frankly, she'd be concerned for a possibility of brain damage if they weren't.

They avoid her, and she barely pats an eye over it.

Although she was always the first to act whenever they were in danger, completely beheading the enemy with her sword before they could touch a hair on the kid. Still she doesn't care for the fact the child is drenched in blood and just saw someone get murdered.

She thinks they should get over it. The sooner, the better. Life is full of murder and blood, you'd be only dooming them if you don't let them see things for how they really are.

Drow culture for raising their children is very brutal, most of them die young and even the ones who do make it alive, don't live as long as the surface elves do.

Each drow carries deep scars from childhood, both on body and mind. Minthara wasn't the exception.

She tolerates your young out of respect for you. She tolerates what she deems as disobedience and disrespect from them.

You're not sure if they'll ever stop fearing her, but you also know that you can trust her to be there for them. To not hesitate a second in saving their flesh no matter what the cost is.

[velwynn]

thinking about how minthara is a cat person. thinking about how her and tara could be gal pals. thinking about how minthara and tara would talk shit about gale (lovingly).

[sheriffkit]

Poetry should be allowed to [redacted] them both

[mostlikelymj]

The Seduction of Dekarios

finished my painting of a lovely fic made by @positivejamwriting !!

close ups under the cut!

[redmedic]

Kinktober 2024 - Day 8 [Dominatrix]

Minthara is my absolute fave out of the cast of companions and it's criminal I haven't drawn her in her full glory outside of commissions. I also LOVE the dynamic between her and Gale, so I'm debuting my cis Gale just for Minthara to crush his balls. Nearly didn't get this one out on time, but I hope you guys enjoy it!

If you’d like to see these in full, check out my Patreon which you can find through the link in my bio. All my NSFW posts are exclusive to my Patreon page.

Patreon | Instagram | Redbubble

[a03heralding]

Bg3 characters as unhinged shit I’ve done in the last 3 years:

Shadowheart- wore the strap when going to visit my ex and ended up doing the nasty when I went to “just get my clothes back”

Karlach- adopted a dog because I found out he was being left in the cold

Jahiera- baked edibles, ate one and then all of them because I forgot they were edibles, stared at the wall in silence for seven hours

Gale- womansplained why Men I Trust is one of my fave bands on a first date . There wasn’t a second date

Astarion- blocked someone I was arguing with on instagram and unblocked them just to like the message and blocked them again

Halsin- was an alcoholic

Lae’zel- Got into a bar fight and got one of my piercings ripped out

Wyll- went to live with an unhinged goth girl for four weeks during Covid

Minthara- almost got my head tattooed

Minsc- Took my dog with me to pick my blackout drunk gf from the club at 3AM

[an-excellent-choice]

Thoughts on Gale x Minthara? I read a wholesome fic on ao3 and now I crave

Sorry anon for taking so long! got a bit busy.

You know what this ship never crossed my mind but I love it!

For me, Gale has always been attracted to powerful and strong partners. So, him falling in love with Minthara would not be surprising.

Gale seems like the type to not mind not being in charge most of the time and Minthara loves being in charge. Gale is respectful in general and I know Minthara already respects Gale (this is especially more obvious in Gale!origin) so no problem in power dynamics.

The thing that made this ship for great is the fact that Gale and Minthara teases one another in the epilogue so teasing banter will be a sure thing in their relationship.

I can just imagine Gale being his usual kind self and being a puppy dog to Minthara. And Minthara at first seeing him as good soldier encouraging him and pushing him to be more confident until a shitty day for Gale(about Mystra asking him to blow himself up)

she suddenly realizes

'Mystra is a heinous bitch. This man is strong, powerful and reliable. He deserves the best partner. Someone as strong and powerful as him. Someone who can push him to be stronger some one like me.'

And she just goes

oh.

Other notes I have thought about this ship

Minthara probably will bulldoze Gale's confession the first time but she will realize later that this is important to Gale. So, she will listen to his speeches but only when she is feeling romantic

Gale will definitely learn drow language for Minthara ( both a dialect and the sign language)

The first time Gale effortlessly fights off an assassination attempt on him(because he is Minthara's partner), Minthara would be proud and incredibly horny for being proven right on how powerful Gale is

A rare thing about Minthara as a drow woman, is her demand of loyalty in partners since apparently drow women especially high ranking ones have harems of men and rarely marry. They choose a patriarch but I dont think marriage is common. So, her being possessive and demanding of fidelity is a great compatibility with Gale.

She will definite marry Gale immediately especially since she lost her right to her House's name. She would probably say along the lines of bringing the Dekarios clan to a Golden Age!

Gale will be like that famous patriarch in drow lore. He will be the only one to truly calm Minthara in her moods. He would bring her favorite things, buy her gifts and read her poetry until Minthara is calm from being pampered in Gale's tower.

[crystalsandbubbletea]

Help I have fallen down the Minthara x Karlach and the Astarion x Gale rabbit holes-

[moonselune]

I saw your gale x minthara fics!

Can we have minthara just fucking with gale. Like pretending not to know his name, saying information incorrect so gale can be like “sgjakansvaka what? Huh? T-that is highly dangerous because of—“ and goes off on info. Minthara basically being a tsundere and loving gale being flustered.

─── ･ ｡ﾟ☆: *.☽ .* :☆ﾟ. ───

Gale Dekarios x Minthara Baenre | Flustering

─── ･ ｡ﾟ☆: *.☽ .* :☆ﾟ. ───

Minthara watched Gale across the fire, a smirk tugging at the corner of her lips. The wizard sat, utterly absorbed in organizing his satchel, meticulously double-checking each vial and scroll for the day ahead. His brow furrowed as he muttered something about astral reagents, completely unaware of the way Minthara’s gaze followed his every movement.

“So, wizard,” she began, deliberately vague, “what do you intend to do with that… artifact of yours? The one called the… Orb of Ohnson, was it?” She raised an eyebrow, feigning a serious expression, her eyes dancing with suppressed amusement.

Gale’s head whipped up, eyes wide. “The… Orb of—? You mean the Orb of Karsus, don’t you?” he spluttered, pushing his hair out of his face in a flustered motion. “It’s the very heart of Netherese magic! How could one possibly confuse it with an Ohnson?!”

She leaned forward, her smirk widening. “Ah, yes, Karsus, of course,” she said slowly, sounding entirely unconvinced. “Though I was certain I’d heard it called something else… in fact, I believe I heard that it’s dangerous because it unleashes a little bit of magic—”

“—A little bit of magic? - How about an unprecedented wave of raw magical energy.” Gale interrupted, eyes wide with mild panic, as though she might misunderstand the artifact’s magnitude. “The Orb could destabilize entire ley lines! If one isn’t careful, one could disrupt magical fields across the Sword Coast! It’s… it’s simply astounding,”

Gale began to stammer as he became suddenly aware of Drow's attention, his face pinkening under her gaze. Minthara’s expression remained cool, though she could hardly suppress her amusement as he launched into yet another tirade. He straightened, clasping his hands in a lecture-ready pose, too wrapped up to notice her lips twitching.

“And tell me, wizard,” she continued, “does this mean you’d truly allow me to, hmm, borrow this artifact if I wished to wield it?”

Gale’s jaw dropped slightly, a wave of horror and fascination battling on his face. “W-well, no, not exactly—I mean, Minthara, do you have any idea what could happen if that power fell into the wrong hands? And may I remind you that it is currently in me.”

Minthara raised an eyebrow, feigning innocence. “Oh, I’d hardly call my hands ‘wrong,’ Gale. Though I may not be quite so… scholarly, I do have the strength to wield it. And after all, didn’t you once say I had… considerable finesse?”

The way he stammered was almost too satisfying, and she reveled in watching the color deepen in his cheeks. “I—that was—I merely meant that—well, you do show… some finesse, though it would be highly dangerous to consider—"

“Relax, wizard,” she said, finally letting her smirk reach her eyes. “Your precious Orb is safe. Besides, I’d hate to see you fall to pieces over me, thinking of such… reckless ideas.”

Gale opened his mouth, a comeback clearly ready, but his shoulders sagged as he caught her teasing smile. “You… you’re impossible,” he said, sighing, though he looked oddly pleased as he watched her watching him.

Minthara shrugged, returning her gaze to the flames, feigning disinterest. But there was a glint of warmth in her eyes, one she couldn’t quite hide.

─── ･ ｡ﾟ☆: *.☽ .* :☆ﾟ. ───

Quick Spiderweave snippet for y'all, hope you guys enjoyed it ! Wonderful gif as always by the talented @coolseabird - Seluney xox

If you want to support me in other ways | Help keep this moonmaiden caffeinated x

[sm0lprism]

Bite-Sized (12) - A BG3 G/t Fanfic

This contains g/t (giant/tiny content) so if that isn't your thing, then I suggest you stop reading. Thank you!

Read on Ao3

Chapter 1 | Previous chapter| Series master list| Next chapter

Summary: Astarion finds Ria unconscious after her encounter with Minthara. The others are still unaware of Ria's whereabouts and it quickly backfires once Astarion returns to camp.

Pairing: Astarion x f!borrower!oc (Tav/oc) (slow-burn)

Warnings: Blood drinking, gore, vampire stuff, swearing/course language.

Word count: 4.3k

Taglist: @alexcutecolly @rose7420 @empressxmachina @taters169 @feral-sins @smolgloves @smolkuriboh27 (if you want to be removed or added to the taglist, feel free to let me know!)

A rasping, gurgling sound was the only noise that came out of Minthara’s throat as more blood oozed out of the wound. The sweet, metallic scent of blood flooded Astarion’s senses and his stomach lurched. He was so hungry, and the drow was weakened and vulnerable…if he was quick, he could sate his hunger and put an end to her before any of the goblin guards decided to venture into the room. 

“Y-You wretch,” Minthara managed to choke out, blood bubbling from her chapped lips as she sent him a scathing look. “Gua-”

Before she could finish her sentence, Astarion lunged towards the drow’s neck and sank his fangs deep into her flesh. He wrenched the dagger free from Minthara’s chest, more blood now gushing out of the raw wound in the process as he drank deeply. Minthara’s knees buckled as Astarion continued to drain her life force, her body growing weaker by the second. A ripple of pleasure shuddered throughout his body as he tasted the drow’s blood on his tongue, it was as rich as wine and it filled his mouth with warmth. He could feel Minthara’s body stiffen as he continued to drink, her pulse becoming weaker with each passing moment as life slipped away from her. 

With one final gulp, Minthara’s body went completely limp in his grasp, and her lifeless body slumped to the floor. Astarion licked the delicious crimson off his lips, his stomach somewhat full, at least momentarily until he needed to feed again. His gaze quickly flicked across the floor and saw Ria’s tiny, broken body lying on the solid stone floor. Immediately he rushed towards her small frame, dropping to one knee, he leaned over her and his heart welled. 

She was so small, so delicate. He was afraid that if he reached down to touch her, she would shatter into a million pieces. Her body was so battered and broken, one arm in a very awkward and unnatural angle, and her head was bleeding onto the floor. Hastily he rummaged through his small daypack and pulled out a Potion of Healing. Since she was so small, she would only need a tiny drop of the potion to heal. Very carefully he tilted the open bottle over her bruised body and parted her mouth open using the tip of his index finger, being very mindful not to accidentally damage her any further. A small drop splashed onto her mouth, some of it going down her throat, but a lot of it went on her face. 

Gods, please be alright!

His chest tightened as he waited anxiously for the potion to take effect. He couldn’t explain why, but a feeling of protectiveness surged throughout his entire body. Never had he felt the need to protect anyone like this, let alone someone so incredibly small. He tried to push the feeling away, but it was terribly persistent, and refused to leave his brain. Perhaps it was the tadpole again, making him feel stupid things about the borrower.  

The potion finally began to kick in as the purple bruises on Ria’s skin began to vanish, the bloodied wound on her head healing completely, and her arm shifted back into place until it looked normal again. Moving his ears, he picked up the very faint and small sound of Ria’s heartbeat. 

He exhaled deeply, a feeling of relief washing over him, as he continued to listen to the small thump, thump, thump of the borrower’s heartbeat. She was alive. 

Thank the gods…

Despite her present pulse and healed wounds, Ria’s little body refused to stir. Very gently he stroked the tip of his finger down her slender arm, but the borrower didn’t move a muscle. His gaze darted around the room, keeping a lookout for any Scrying Eyes or goblins that might notice him standing there. He needed to get out of there quick, before anyone noticed him beside Minthara’s corpse. 

Cautiously, he moved Ria’s body into his hands and almost immediately he wanted to bring her closer to his chest. She was so warm, something that he hadn’t felt since he had been turned. The warmth from her tiny body quickly spread throughout his hand, and he cupped her gently against his chest before moving her into his pocket near his breast. There was a part of him that wanted to hold her in his hand for longer, but he knew now was not the time nor the place for anything like that. 

“Astarion!”

The pale elf stiffened as he watched Gale, Karlach, and Wyll enter the room. All three of them stared at him dumbfoundingly, their jaws slack open as their eyes trailed over to Minthara’s bloodied corpse on the stone floor. 

“Gods, Astarion, you couldn’t wait to kill someone before we got here?” Karlach exclaimed, striding over towards where the dead drow lay. 

A small exhale parted from his lips as he realised that none of them had walked in when he had healed Ria. They were all still completely unaware of the small borrower now tucked safely in his breast pocket, and that relaxed his nerves slightly. 

“What can I say? I just couldn’t help myself,” Astarion answered, licking the remnants of drow blood off his lips. 

“Clearly not,” Karlach remarked.

“Fortunately, we need to kill all three of the goblin leaders if we want to help the tieflings in the grove,” Wyll said. “We managed to free the archdruid, Halsin, but we told him to wait in the worg pens until we had cleared out the camp.” He leaned down, inspecting the drow’s corpse. “Minthara was one of them. That means we just have Dror Ragzlin and Priestess Gut to finish off.” 

“Well, I’ve just made that easier for all of us,” Astarion said somewhat smugly. “Now all we need to do is kill two more leaders and some goblins. Sounds like a great lot of fun if you ask me.”

“You weren’t seen by anyone, were you?” Gale asked, glancing around the room somewhat anxiously. “There are Scrying Eyes about, not to mention goblins everywhere. I hope you were careful.”

Astarion rolled his eyes and heaved a loud sigh. “Please, Gale, sneaking around unseen is one of my many talents. Killing the drow quietly was like taking candy from a gnome.” 

“Fair point, Astarion.” Gale paused as his hazel eyes suddenly grew very wide. “By Mystra, we forgot to press Minthara for questions!” 

Karlach’s face immediately fell upon hearing the wizard’s words. “Oh no, we fucking did! Shit, I promised Ria that we would do it and everything! She’s going to be so disappointed…” 

“Astarion, please tell me that you pressed the drow for answers?” Wyll asked the pale elf, his gaze hardening. “This was very important for her.”

Astarion bit his lip as he racked his brain to think of what to say. He hadn’t managed to overhear Ria’s conversation with the drow, as he arrived just before she had fired a bolt of electricity out of her fingers. That was another thing as well, the fact that the borrower could do magic was truly something unusual and very unexpected. He would have to question Ria about that later.

“I do have some Speak with the Dead scrolls in my daypack,” Gale quickly said, rummaging around in his pack for the scroll. 

“N-no, it’s quite alright,” Astarion swiftly interjected, realising that if they used the Speak with the Dead spell, they would discover that Ria had been there all along with Minthara. “I got all the information that Ria needed. I’ll tell her when we’re back at camp.” 

All three of them exchanged glances between each other, staring quizzically at Astarion. 

“You really did that?” Wyll questioned. 

“That was awfully nice of you Fangs,” Karlach said, her golden eyes widening. 

“I am capable of doing the right thing from time to time,” Astarion replied. “Let’s get going, shall we? We have a lot of goblins left to kill and I’m still feeling rather peckish.”

Gale eyed up the pale elf with searing scepticism, his brown gaze almost boring into the vampire’s skull as he tried to decipher his words. Unfortunately for the wizard, Astarion was an expert when it came to lying.   

“I was pretty certain you hated Ria,” Gale said, his eyes narrowing. “It seems very odd to me that you would go out of your way to help her like that.”

“Well, what can I say? Even a little borrower can have its charms,” Astarion said smoothly, a grin plastering itself across his angular features. “I thought it was the least that I could do, after everything that I’ve put her through.” 

“How thoughtful of you,” Gale responded, scepticism still evident on his face, but it had lessened to a degree.  

“I think we should really discuss this back at camp,” Wyll said firmly, his eyes scanning the room somewhat frantically. “Goblins could walk in any second now and we have a lot of work to do.”

“You’re right Wyll,” Gale answered, heaving a small sigh. “Let’s get going then.” 

As the four of them left the room, Astarion’s hand hovered protectively over the small passenger that was resting soundly in his pocket. Perhaps he was growing soft, or the tadpole was affecting his judgement, but he couldn’t deny that his undead heart was filled with worry for the tiny borrower. He could only hope that she would wake up soon, otherwise he would have a lot of explaining to do when they got back to camp. 

***

“Tsk’va! Shadowheart, you will return what rightfully belongs to me!” Lae’zel growled fiercely, her hands balled into fists as she glared at the half-elf. 

“You are utterly deluded to believe that it belongs to you of all people,” Shadowheart snapped back, tossing her ebony braid over her shoulder dismissively. “I won’t warn you again.”

Astarion and the others had returned to camp after successfully freeing the archdruid Halsin and eliminating the goblin leaders. Halsin had left to go inform Zevlor of the news and to deal with the druid, Kagha, and prevent her and the rest of the druids from completing the ritual in the Emerald Grove. Now Astarion, Gale, Karlach, and Wyll stared at the event that was transpiring before their very eyes. Lae’zel and Shadowheart were at each other’s throats, most likely squabbling over the artefact that Shadowheart had been carrying with her since the Nautiloid crash. 

While everyone else was at a loss for words, Astarion couldn’t help himself but to smile at the drama that was unfolding. 

“Oh, this does look quite a show,” Astarion smirked. “It seems we came back at just the right time.”

“What in the Nine Hells are you two doing?” Wyll exclaimed, pushing himself in between the githyanki and the cleric. “Get a hold of yourselves!”  

“Shadowheart carries an heirloom of my people. I demand she return it to me at once and explain why in the name of the mother gith that she even has it!” Lae’zel hissed, her lips curling back to reveal pointed teeth. 

“I’ve said this already, it has nothing to do with her,” Shadowheart persisted. 

“Lies!” Lae’zel retorted. “This has everything to do with me. Now hand it to me if you ever want to see the light of day again.” 

“Stop this, please!” Karlach pleaded, rushing in towards them but being mindful to keep her distance. “Shadowheart, this isn’t worth any bloodshed. Can’t you and Lae’zel meet somewhere in the middle?” 

Shadowheart’s dark eyes flicked to the tiefling, and her gaze immediately softened. There was a change in her expression, as if she was suddenly feeling conflicted now that Karlach was asking her to stop. She opened her mouth to speak, but no words mustered from her lips. Heaving a defeated sigh, she turned to look directly at Lae’zel. 

“Let’s leave this, shall we? There’s no point in fighting over something like this when we have the pressing issue of these tadpoles in our brains,” Shadowheart said calmly.  

A growl resonated in the back of Lae’zel’s throat, her gaze so sharp it could cut through diamonds as she glared at the cleric standing before her. 

“Chk! You think something like this can be settled with just words? No, honour demands I take something from you.”

“Why don’t we wait until tomorrow to sort this debacle out? We’ll be hosting a party tonight and both of your tempers will be cool enough by tomorrow,” Wyll commented. “There is no need for fighting amongst ourselves. We can’t afford to given our condition.”

“I doubt the gith’s wits will be any sharper by then,” Shadowheart retorted. 

“I do not wish to spill blood here,” Lae’zel interjected, staring intensely at the cleric with distaste. “Come daylight, we will find a place to end this.”

“No, you will absolutely not be ending anything!” Karlach shouted, her skin illuminating vibrant flickers of orange fire as her engine flared. “Listen to Wyll. There is no need for any of this. Please.”

“I do apologise for interrupting,” Gale suddenly said, who had been completely quiet up until now. “But may I ask where our borrower guest is? I don’t see her anywhere.”

Astarion felt his stomach drop like a stone. 

The entire camp went deathly quiet as everyone processed Gale’s words, and soon everyone was staring at both Lae’zel and Shadowheart for answers. 

“We…we haven’t seen her since you left this morning,” Shadowheart said breathlessly, panic seeping into her voice. “I assumed she had just returned to her tent.”

For the first time since Astarion had met Lae’zel, the gith looked anxious. It was unusual to see her so stressed about something given her stone cold and ruthless demeanour towards most things. But right at that moment, the harsh façade she usually displayed was fracturing at the edges as worry quickly spread across her features.

“Ria!” Lae’zel cried out, immediately rushing to the borrower’s small tent. “Are you there? Answer me!”

When Lae’zel was met with nothing, she tentatively opened the flap of the tent with a clawed finger. 

“She isn’t there,” Lae’zel breathed heavily, stepping away from the reduced tent rather numbly. 

“Both of you were meant to be keeping watch at camp while we were gone,” Wyll said sternly. “What in the Nine Hells were you doing? Didn’t you stop and think where Ria was amidst all this?”

“Truthfully, we didn’t,” Shadowheart answered grimly. “We were…distracted.”

“Oh gods, I hope she’s okay,” Karlach said, scanning around the camp frantically. “She’s so small, anything could’ve happened to her! What if an animal got her?”

While the rest of the group frantically searched for Ria, Astarion remained silent as his stomach twisted into knots. If he pulled Ria out of his pocket now, he would be in for a hell of a beating from just about everyone, especially Lae’zel. In fact, he’d be lucky if he even survived. For now, the best course of action was to keep to himself and wait for the right moment to remove Ria from his pocket when she was awake and not in the presence of the rest of the group.

He swallowed thickly, freezing in place like a statue when he felt the dagger dislodge itself from his gums and slip towards his throat. 

Shit! Not now!

The sharp blade stabbed his throat which instantly triggered his gag reflex. Instinctively he began to cough harshly, the blade jostling free from his throat and onto the soft expanse of his tongue. Without thinking, he spat the dagger out into the palm of his hand, releasing a small sigh now that the stabbing pain in his mouth and throat was gone. 

Astarion quickly realised what a grave mistake that was.

He had caught the eyes of everyone in camp from coughing, and now all his companions were staring at him intently with shock as all of them gazed at the tiny dagger in the centre of his palm. 

“Is that…” Shadowheart murmured softly, her eyes widening with horror as she stared at Astarion’s palm. 

“That is Ria’s dagger,” Wyll said grimly, his eyes dark. 

“No…not Ria,” Gale whispered softly, his face contorted in disbelief and horror. “Astarion, how could you do that?”

“Hold on, it’s not what it looks like,” Astarion said breathlessly as everyone started to crowd around him. “You must believe me. I didn’t hurt her, I swear it-!”

“Astarion, why the fuck would you do that?!” Karlach exclaimed loudly, tears beginning to swell in her eyes. “She was just a little borrower! She didn’t do anything wrong!”

“Karlach, please, calm down,” Astarion said. “I can honestly say that I did not hurt her. I know this looks bad, but, please, believe me.”

Ignoring the vampire spawn’s words, Karlach rushed towards him and crouched down so that she was eye-level with Astarion’s stomach. The tears that spilled from her eyes were almost evaporated into steam in an instant, creating a small cloud of mist around the tiefling’s head. 

“Hold on soldier, we’re going to get you out of there!” Karlach shouted at Astarion’s stomach in between sobs. “Just hold on tight! You’ll be okay!”

“I swear I did not eat her!” Astarion protested. “If you just let me, I’ll tell you everything!”

“That will not be necessary,” Lae’zel’s cold voice cut through the still air like a knife through butter. “It is painstakingly obvious what you have done. I will fillet you, Astarion, and rip out your spinal cord and wear it as a necklace once I have freed Ria from your wretched insides.”

Lae’zel unsheathed her longsword and pointed it directly at Astarion. She was poised like a venomous snake, ready to strike him down at any moment.

“Move, Karlach,” Lae’zel hissed through gritted teeth, her eyes blazing with pure fury. 

“Hold on, you might hurt her!” Karlach turned to face Lae’zel, her eyes puffy from crying. “We have to do this carefully if we want to get her out alive.”

“I could extract her with magic,” Gale chimed in, his hands glowing with the essence of the Weave as he began to prepare a spell. “Sit tight, Astarion, this won’t hurt a bit – but don’t think we’re going to let you off so easily. We will unleash Lae’zel and all her fury onto you once Ria is safe.”

“Chk, fine.” Lae’zel angrily sheathed her sword, not taking her seething gaze off Astarion. “I will destroy you for this, spawn.”

“Please, just listen to me!” Astarion yelled at the top of his lungs. If his undead heart could beat, it would be threatening to tear itself out of his chest right at that very moment. “For the last time, I did not eat her! If you would just allow me to explain, I can tell you what happened.”

“I think you’ve said enough, Astarion,” Shadowheart remarked. “We all know how badly you wanted to eat her since she first arrived in the camp.”

As his companions inched closer towards him, something stirred in Astarion’s breast pocket. He glanced down and saw Ria’s tiny head pop out of the lip of his pocket, her blue eyes blinking as she slowly came to her senses. Relief immediately flooded through him upon seeing Ria’s tired face staring at everyone around her. The healing potion had worked and now she was finally conscious again, and just at the right time. 

“W-What…” Ria murmured, her voice thick with sleep as she drank in her surroundings. “What is going on? What happened?”

A hushed silence fell over the entire camp as everyone processed what was happening. A few seconds passed as nobody said anything, everyone was too stunned to even muster a word. 

“She’s alive,” Wyll finally said. “Astarion was telling the truth after all.”

“Thank Mystra!” Gale cried, lowering his hands as the magic of the Weave left his fingertips, relief spreading across his face. “Perhaps we jumped to conclusions a little too quickly.”

“Thank the gods!” Karlach exclaimed, wiping the evaporating tears from her eyes. “She’s fine…fuck, I was almost ready to tear your head off Astarion.”

Astarion grimaced as the image of Karlach ripping his head off and Lae’zel tearing his spine out flashed through his brain vividly. He was glad that Ria chose to wake up when she did, otherwise he would’ve met a very gruesome fate. 

Lae’zel’s expression relaxed, the burning scowl from her features mostly vanished but the gith was still staring at the pale elf intently. “Chk. Tell us, Astarion, why do you have Ria in your pocket?”

“Wait, you brought Ria to the Goblin Camp?” Karlach spluttered. 

I suppose this was unavoidable…

He pressed his lips together thinly before inhaling a steady breath. “Yes, fine, I took her with me. But she wanted to come. All of you didn’t want her to come along, and this was important to her, so I was a gentleman and obliged her.” He flashed a small grin, but no one reciprocated it. 

“Gods above, Astarion, we were going to find out the information for her!” Gale snapped, pushing towards the spawn. “It was incredibly dangerous and stupid for you to bring her along with you, didn’t you think about that? She could’ve been seriously hurt, or even worse!”

“I realise that,” Astarion hissed, his fangs flashing for a small moment as he glared at the wizard. “But this is what she wanted. And she’s perfectly fine.”

“Why don’t we ask Ria that?” Wyll said coldly. 

Ria, who was still safely tucked in Astarion’s pocket, was still blinking away confusion over what was happening. Everyone fell silent as they all waited for the borrower to respond. 

“Um…” Ria rasped. “I…I did go with Astarion. It was my choice.” 

“But how did your dagger end up in Astarion’s mouth?” Shadowheart questioned, quirking a brow. “That is a very peculiar place for your dagger to be, and I hardly think Astarion was holding it in there to keep it warm for you.”

Astarion stiffened as his breath caught in his throat. Just how much of the truth was Ria going to say? Would she tell them everything that happened or will she lie? He hated to think what Lae’zel would do to him if she found out that he had put Ria in his jaws unwillingly. He chewed the bottom of his lip nervously as he waited with bated breath for the borrower to answer. 

“I-I…” Ria stammered, her cheeks flushing a faint shade of pink. “I’d rather not talk about it, please. I’m tired. Can’t we discuss this later? It’s been…one hell of a day.”

“I agree, we should discuss this later,” Wyll said, his gaze softening upon seeing how exhausted Ria was. “It’s been a long day for all of us. Besides, the tiefling’s and the archdruid will be here soon.”

“W-What?” Ria coughed, her eyes widening with shock. “What do you mean?”

“After we defeated the goblin leaders, Zevlor, the leader of the tieflings in the grove, offered to celebrate by throwing a party for us,” Gale explained. “They will most likely be here any minute now.” 

Ria’s jaw slacked open as she digested Gale’s words and her eyes grew very wide. “They’ll be here…any minute?!” Her breath hitched and Astarion could feel her squirm against his chest. “Put me on the ground. Now.”

Astarion pinched Ria’s waist in between his index finger and thumb and placed her softly on the ground below. Before anyone could say anything to the borrower, she immediately sprinted away from everyone as fast as she could. 

“Ria,” Astarion said softly, his chest tightened as he watched her scamper away. 

Lae’zel looked conflicted, as if she was silently debating whether to chase after her or not, but the gith did not move from her spot. 

“I think it’s best that we leave her for now,” Wyll said. 

“Poor little thing,” Karlach murmured, her gaze forlorn. 

“It may have been an oversight that we didn’t consult Ria first about having the party,” Gale commented, his brows furrowed. “Being surrounding by seven giants is one thing, but dozens of them? Now that is quite a difference.” 

Wyll nodded in agreement. “It was a bit selfish of us not to think of her. But there isn’t a lot we can do about it now; we should start to get ready."

While the rest of the group began to prepare for the evening ahead, Astarion’s thoughts were distracted. A part of him wanted to go follow Ria, and he surprised himself that he even felt the need to go after her at all. He had put her through a lot today to say the least, and he wasn’t sure what information she had managed to pry from the drow. Hopefully she had found out what she wanted to know, although perhaps it hadn’t been the answers she had been looking for. 

It wasn’t long before the druid, Halsin, and Zevlor with his group of tieflings arrived. They brought plenty of wine and food, much to Astarion’s delight. While he would much prefer to be drinking blood, he could make do with some wine for the time being. Not like he could taste much anyway given his vampiric nature. He swiftly opened a bottle of wine with ease and pressed it to his lips. It had to be better than the goblin beer he had the misfortune of tasting earlier that day. His expression quickly soured as the foul taste of vinegar spread across his tastebuds and he lowered the bottle in disappointment. Oh, what he would do for goblet full of blood. 

Still clutching the wine bottle in his hand, his gaze scanned across the camp as cheers of celebration filled the night air. He hadn’t seen Ria since she had run off and worry began to flicker deep inside his chest as he thought about her. Shaking his head lightly, he attempted to dismiss the thought festering in his brain, but it refused to leave. 

There was no use in pushing it away anymore, he had to find her. Clicking his tongue in annoyance, he honed in on her scent amidst the tieflings and began his search. 

[rebelandoo]

"Must you always refer to me as "the wizard"? My name is Gale" "[...]I might deign to remember it."

[sorcerous-caress]

Putting makeup on them

[ Bg3, fluff, several characters ] [inspired by this ]

Minthara

You straddled her waist as you held the makeup brush. Minthara's laying figure below you remained stoic even as she closed her eyes delicately when you started applying the eyeshadow.

A peaceful silence fell between the two of you. Time fading with each gentle stroke against her skin. Her stressful life and age showed in the subtle wrinkles around her eyes and mouth, you paid no mind to conceal them.

Instead, you focused on her eyes and thin lips. Picking the right colours to complement her violet skintone and grey hair.

When you finished, she made no move to remove you from on top of her, nor did she offer the mirror you handed her more than a mere glance before focusing back on you.

"You did well." Her freshly painted lips said, gloss still shining on them.

Gale

Deep brown eyes looked up at you from where his head laid on your lap, puppylike and lovestruck as he smiled.

"I can't say I had personal experience in this field, but you'd be pleased to find me a most pleasant student." His smile slowly grew into a huge grin as you applied a cream to his face with your fingers, rubbing it into his skin with care.

"Is that what your professors told you? A pleasure to have in class?" You replied, picking up the brush and applying the perfect blue to compliment his eyes, "close your eyes for me."

"Well, no." He closed them, "in the most generous of cases, I was and as they described, a menace."

You chuckled as you tried to keep your hand study with all of his squirming, "I'm starting to agree with them." Maybe he found the sensation ticklish.

Dammon

You cupped his jaw in your hand, tilting his chin up as you leaned in closer. His throat moved as he swallowed, hands fidgeting with the hem of his appron.

"We're almost done, I'm just adding the final touches." You said as you readjusted the brush between your fingers.

He attempted to nod before hesitating and deciding against it to not mess up your work.

The most lovely of blushes adorned his sharp cheekbones as you finished applying it, leaning back and admiring your work.

Dammon seemed more at ease now, as he saw the pride in your eyes at your effort, something he was very familiar with.

Picking up your hand that did all the work, He held it gently in his own as he gave it a small kiss.

The Emperor

You weren't sure where to begin, or even if makeup is safe for mindflayer skin. Tentacles floated and twisted in the air around your form, as if ready to envelope you. Their tips would occasionally brush and trail along your figure, although The Emperor made no effort to acknowledge them.

"I'm waiting." His voice echoed in your mind.

You decide to go with a kid safe makeup kit. If it's safe enough for kids to eat, then it's safe enough for mindflayers... you hoped.

In a strange way, he did make the edible glittery highlights work for him. You thought as you admired your work.

Only when you went to grab the small mirror from your pouch, did you notice that the tentacles have successfully entangled themselves around you while you were too focused to notice.

The Emperor kept pretending that nothing unusual was happening.

You handed him the mirror, and he picked the small thing with his hand as he took a look.

"Now that I've indulged you more than enough, I need you to focus on your mission." Was the last mental message you got before you were unceremoniously kicked out of the Asteral plane.

Gortash

Servants scuttered around the ceremonial hall, carrying food trays and putting the last touches on the decorations.

Gortash sat on his throne in the middle of the commotion, fully dresses in his best of robes, with each silver line and accessory shined just enough to almost resemble a mirror.

You stood in front of him, between his knees, parted to give you the space to get closer. Brush in one hand and your makeup pallet on the other.

If you recall correctly, you did finish helping him with the makeup an hour ago. But apparently, some incident happened that caused him to require your assistance again, and immediately, as the servant who came to fetsh you claimed.

Gortash looked up at you with half lidded eyes, a grin on his lips as you took in his perfect face of makeup.

There wasn't much for you to do, really, the makeup was the same as when you finished an hour ago. So you just stood there while pretending to do something as you brushed away at his skin with an empty brush, occasionally adding the most subtle of powders.

Eventually, it had to end when a servant informed both of you that the guests should be arriving soon.

"Be a dear for me and stay close during the coronation. Who knows when I might just need your expertise again."

Mayrina

"It's been so long, I haven't done this since..." her words trailed off as her lips quivered, "Connor's funeral."

You gently wiped the tear stained black makeup from around her eyes. She held on to your shoulders as you cleaned her face.

Her eyelashes fluttered when you applied mascara to them, her fingers holding onto you as if to anchor herself.

"You shouldn't have...I might just cry and ruin it." She looked away from you with shame brewing in her throat.

"Then I'll just wipe it, and we will start over again," you reassured her, "as many times as you need."

Tears threatened to spill from her glossy eyes as she gave a small smile, carefully wiping away the tears she took a deep breath as she faced you again.

"No, no, I won't. I can be strong, like you." She gave your shoulders a squeeze.

Cazador

Candlelight illuminated the room to make up for the tightly closed curtains. You wondered how anyone is able to tell night from day in this palace.

Your fingers were shaking, you took a deep breath to steady them.

Blood red eyes followed your every movement.

Clearing your throat, you presented the pallet of colours to him. "Which one would you prefer?...Sir."

His lips curled in a mock smile, fangs just peaking through for a split second.

"Black."

He always chose black, yet you always asked.

You worked quickly and efficiently. Your purpose was to give some life to his undead skin and conceal anything that might cause suspicion.

Maybe he was waiting for you to slip, you thought as you applied the subtle black liner. Maybe he's waiting for the day you forget to ask beforehand.

You almost shudder at the thought of what he might do that day.

Karlach

She is trying to kill you, you thought, she definitely is doing it on purpose.

"I said I'm sorry, come on," her arms wrapped around you, attempting to soften you up with a hug, "please?"

You weren't buying it at all.

Each single time you'd finish applying her lipstick, she'd lean forward and drown you in kisses. All over your face, your neck and hell even your ears.

The first time was endearing, and the second time was a bit much, but 5 times in a row? You'd be a fool if you fell for that obvious trap again.

"Can you blame you? How could I possibly resist." She whined as she buried her face in your neck, "You're just so focused when you do it, and I get this urge..."

She continues, "you know, sometimes I just can't believe it, the fact I can touch you and kiss you and hug you, I haven't even felt a single touch in so long and suddenly I'm free from that damn engine to do everything I've longed for and more."

...

God dammit karlach.

With a sigh, you tell her fine, you'll do it again.

Maybe you really are a fool, but who wouldn't be after seeing that genuine smile of happiness on her face. You'd be the biggest fool in all of faerun if it meant keeping her happy.

Shadowheart

"What, like a doll? Are you sure you won't ask to dress me up next?" She gives a teasing smile as she sits next to you on the couch, looking over your side of makeup equipments and scattered brushes.

"You say that like you don't like the idea." You tease back as you get closer to her, one leg resting on her lap.

"Hmm, maybe I do. What are you going to do about it?" She lets you brush her hair behind her ears, using clips to keep it in place as you get a clear view of her full face.

"I'll let you pick mine if i get to pick yours."

That catches her interest, "You'll just hand me the power of putting you in anything I want... you do know how to persuade someone."

As you start applying her makeup, you feel her relax with your touches. Her skin is very soft against your fingers.

You take your time, making sure to pick something that suits her personal style. As enticing as the thought of going on with a full hot pink on her, you know there will be consequences later. She doesn't forgive nor forget.

After painting her lips, you hand her a mirror. She observes her reflection with a surprised expression.

"I knew you were good at this, I just didn't expect...wow" her eyes are mostly focused on the reflection of her lips.

With a smug experience, you ask if it her highness the princess has any complaints.

"Yeah....just one thought." She puts the mirror down as she leans closer, holding your thigh on her lap so you don't move away.

Pressing her lips onto yours, she kisses you with passion, making you chase after her as she pulls away.

"This colour looks much better on you."

[velwynn]

Done for the Minthara Fuckers Discord valentines day event (prompt list)!! Did a loose interpretation of the prompt 'embrace'! had a lot of fun with this piece. 😊