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#or when he pumps his fist at Karlach
flymmsy · 8 months
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The only Franc-take I just can’t agree with is that the “slithering, wet malice” letters were too dramatic and out of character.
Did we…did we not all get the same cutscene in act 2 where Gortash immediately pretends to salute, happily claps his hands together, and waves his little wrist at Ketheric like a Drama Queen?
Did we not all see the same thing? Man is FLAMBOYANT as hell.
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hijackalx · 5 months
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BG3 CHARACTERS REACTING TO BEING CALLED DADDY/MOMMY +18
characters included: karlach, astarion, halsin, gale, gortash
KARLACH
LOVES being called mama/mommy. probably suggests that you call her that before you can even bring it up
kind of plays into the caregiver role but only to an extent. it definitely feels like a character she shifts into. plays it VERY good though
usually something she reserves just for sex. if she calls herself mommy otherwise it’s probably in a nonsexual, playful manner (unless she’s teasing, which will be VERY obvious)
on the other hand…. if you call her mommy outside of sex….. she will be acting accordingly (your hole is getting obliterated promptly)
really, REALLY sweet when she goes into mommy mode 😭 like i don’t think could be a hard dom mommy if she tried. the two just don’t mix for her. consists of lots of praise and kisses and cooing
ASTARION
i’m sure he’s heard it before, but it’s different coming from you. he’s definitely taken aback at first. has to think about how he feels about it LMAO
makes him feel old af 😹😹 but he’s lowkey a sucker for an age gap dynamic so he has mixed feelings
eventually accepts how hot it is. once he sees you falling apart beneath him whimpering “daddy, daddy, daddy—“ his soul is SNATCHED !!!!!!!
loves to refer to himself as daddy to see your reaction— SO obsessed with the effect it has on you. he thinks it’s so sweet. will also use it to get you to do what he wants (using his powers for evil fr)
honestly wouldn’t have thought to introduce it to your relationship but he’s literally a natural. he already has the patronizing soft dom thing down so it flows pretty easily 😹💗
GORTASH
THE DADDY OF ALL TIME. DO NOT EVEN SPEAK TO HIM IF YOU AREN’T GOING TO BEGIN AND END EVERY SENTENCE WITH “DADDY”
refers to himself as daddy CONSTANTLY. will also do it outside of sex. literally a cringe discord daddy dom. but like. sexy. (will call you kitten)
HARD and MEAN daddy dom. can occasionally be sweet with it during aftercare though— “daddy’s so proud of you”
hearing you call him daddy makes him sooo weak. you can honestly get him to do anything for you if you whine “daddy” in a needy enough tone 😈 bonus points if you call him daddy in public. 100% wants everyone to know that you call him that
also super into the sugar daddy thing. loves to shower you in gifts and money. definitely a prominent dynamic in your relationship
GALE
legit stops him in his tracks. he’s like a deer in headlights. has no idea how to react LMAO
never considered himself daddy material before. he’s excited that you do though (he’s pumping his fist in the air and whispering “yesss” 😹😹) it’s a huge compliment for him
kind of awkward using it during sex at the beginning, he just doesn’t want to sound weird or anything. but if you encourage him he gets more confident with it and it’s so, so good
has such a good personality for it in terms of attentiveness/caring for you. plays daddy extremely well but he’d never admit it (still doesn’t believe he’s daddy material 😹)
gets SO flustered if you call him daddy in front of other people. even though he thinks it’s super hot he’d prefer for it to stay your little secret— it’s kind of sexier that way anyway
HALSIN
the most normal about being called daddy. doesn’t think it’s some huge deal or anything— he’s heard it before and it doesn’t phase him
integrates it into your sex life really smoothly (and into your everyday life if you want that). doesn’t care at all if people overhear and lowkey can embarrass you with how much he will readily refer to himself as that in public 😹😹 if you wanted him to wear a badge that said “[name]’s daddy” he would LMAO
always coming up with ways to get you to say it during sex, usually offering some kind of reward for it if you catch my drift 😼
the best at the caregiver role. does it so casually and it seems very normal for him. has such a good, soothing tone of voice for it too
the only downside is that it almost feels like he’s not as into it as you are. i mean he is but he’s so lax about it because he’s just like “kink is normal who cares !!” but like damn a little enthusiasm PLEASE
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weaveandwood · 1 month
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Midnight at the Elfsong
Pairing: Gale x Female Tav Words: 3.6K, NSFW Summary: After arriving at the Elfsong Tavern a few nights ago, Gale and Tav spend the night drinking with their friends and reconnect after facing the realities of their new sleeping situation. AN: Here is the Community Choice Smut One-Shot you all voted for to help me celebrate 300 followers! I hope you like it - I really am pleased with the options that won my poll! Winning Prompts: A whispered "please" slipping out of kiss-bitten lips & Held back noises because they don't want anyone else hearing them
comments and reblogs are very appreciated!
Warnings: NSFW (fingering, vaginal sex)
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Midnight was a magical time when one was drinking. It was late enough that everyone was in high spirits, yet not so late as to really regret anything the next day. Tav’s new favorite way of passing any evening she wasn’t utterly exhausted was with all of her friends sitting around a large table at the Elfsong Tavern while wine flowed from the bar. Taking a long swig from her cup, she felt a hand brush along the outside of her leather clad thigh before resting on it, halfway between her knee and her hip. She smiled into her cup, glancing at the handsome wizard seated next to her. Of all the times to find love, it never crossed her mind that an abduction by mindflayers would lead her to someone like Gale of Wat- no, Gale Dekarios, as she had learned a couple of days ago on the rooftop in Rivington. She rolled it around in her mind. Dekarios. She meant what she had told him as he pleaded with her to keep it secret - she liked Gale Dekarios better than Gale of Waterdeep.
“Have I ever told you how much I love the leather pants you favor?” his warm voice said softly in her ear, sending a tingle through her body that settled deep in her abdomen. She sat her drink down and turned to face him while the rest of the group was watching an arm wrestling match between Wyll and Halsin. She thought she saw Astarion taking bets in her periphery.
“Only every morning. And every night, before you take them off of me,” she smiled wickedly. She knew from the look in his eyes that he was in a certain kind of mood this evening. She didn’t blame him - she was as well. Staying at the Elfsong, while nice, was also…tricky. They were staying in a large communal room with no privacy at all. She never thought she would miss a tent, but after two nights spent alone…she missed her tent. She missed her bedroll. She missed Gale’s weight on top of her. 
She felt his fingertips slide higher up her thigh, the one thing on his mind now the only thing on hers. Cheers erupted as Halsin bested Wyll, his fists above his head pumping in celebration. A small line of would-be contenders for the arm wrestling champion began to form, each hoping for their chance to take on and beat the ridiculously muscled elf. Gale and Tav clapped and cheered as a defeated but laughing Wyll walked over with his head hung low, Karlach following closely behind.
“I must say, Wyll, you lasted much longer than I would have,” Gale said, pouring some of the nearest bottle of wine into Wyll’s cup before raising his own. “A toast to the Blade of Frontiers, for inspiring the competitions we are all about to witness,” he said, motioning with his eyes to the person currently straining red-faced against Halsin.
Tav leaned in while everyone was sipping their wine after the toast. “I certainly have no complaints about how long you last,” she whispered, smiling to herself when he choked a little on his wine before straightening back up in her chair and refilling her cup with the remains of a bottle. 
The night passed, wine flowing from bottle to cup to mouth, laughter filling the main room of the Elfsong. Gale’s fingers had traversed nearly every inch of Tav’s thigh and were currently snaking under her shirt, toying with her soft skin around the waistband of those leather pants he loved so much. Tracing featherlight circles on her spine. Making her body feel like a coil ready to snap. If she could, she would clear off the table and ride him into oblivion right then and there. 
She reached over, her fingertips brushing his thigh through his pants - a sturdy canvas that fit him well. She made sure to tease him in exactly the same way as he did earlier, slowly moving her hand closer and closer to his hips. She could not resist the temptation to brush across where she could feel the fabric starting to strain against him, his sharp intake of breath indicating her teasing was working. It pleased her to know that her touch had that effect. That it wasn’t just her who felt like she was on fire. He reached across her, his arm brushing against her breasts as he grabbed a bottle of wine before filling both their cups, the small hint of contact causing her to gasp softly.
He looked at her from the corners of his eyes while sipping from his wine, his fingers resuming their lazy journey across her lower body from their previous location on her back. They traced a slow, agonizing path around her, using the waistband of her suddenly too-tight leather pants as a guide. Goosebumps trailed across her soft, sensitive skin in the wake of his touch. She was intently focused on each sensation - the prickling of her skin, the heat of his fingers, the din of the Elfsong becoming muted as her heart pounded in her ears. Everything was amplified, everything was beginning to become too much.
Karlach leaned across the table and began a conversation with Gale, though from the way he applied slightly more pressure as he reached the fastenings of her pants, Tav never would have guessed his thoughts were doing anything other than figuring out ways to make her feel like she would be set ablaze. She took another drink - how many bottles had they gone through this evening? Not that it mattered - every day they ambled back into camp was worthy of celebration. Another battle survived, another day won. Her thoughts came back to the present when his fingers began their slow descent down the front seam of her pants over her lower stomach. She looked at him out of her corner of her eyes, but he was fully engaged in conversation. She felt his hand reach the meeting of her thighs, and her breath caught in her throat while her legs parted slightly for him in her chair. Thank the gods there wasn’t a chair next to her, she thought while feeling his fingers touching her through the thin leather. Surely her cheeks were going pink by now, but she would easily be able to blame that on the wine. 
She closed her eyes as she took another sip. Nothing existed outside of the feeling of his hand now resting between her thighs, his middle finger pressing against her in a smooth, slow motion. Her breathing slowed and she willed herself to maintain her composure, no matter how much she wanted to rip her pants off and make him kneel before her and use that practiced tongue he bragged about so often. Cheers sounded out again around them - Wyll was going back for a rematch and Karlach left to be his moral support and coach. They were alone again. She smiled to herself and leaned over. 
“Having fun tormenting me?” She teased, placing a gentle kiss on the side of his neck, her hand moving back to his lap where his pants now strained even further. She wasn’t sure how much more they could take. How much more she could take. 
“I always delight in making you feel good, my love,” he said in that smooth way of his, the devilish look in his eyes betraying the innocence and sincerity of his words. She felt him twitch beneath her hand. It would be so easy to tease him, to torment him the same way he was delighting in tormenting her…but it had been two days, and she needed him inside her. Desperately. 
“I’m going to the room. It looks like everyone is going to be occupied here for some time, and I’d like to get these pants off,” she whispered into his ear, feeling him still as she nipped at his earlobe lightly, hoping her message got across. Follow me, while we have it to ourselves. He made eye contact with her and nodded. He placed two fingers on top of her hand. Two minutes then. Plenty of time to make it look like they weren’t leaving together just to go defile their new campsite.
She kissed his cheek and stood up, saying goodnight to no one in particular as she made her way through the crowd and up the staircase to their room on the top floor of the Elfsong, the sound of lively music and cheering following her. She could feel his eyes on her back, burning through her as she walked. 
The door to their room creaked softly as she opened it, the vast space lit only by the dim moonlight coming from one side of the sleeping space. She padded over to her area of the room, the most communal of all the spaces with no semblance of privacy - just four beds against the walls. More beds were scattered in the other sections of the room with a sitting area in the center. Who would ever need a room this large? She sat on her bed, testing the angle. The door was difficult to see from where she was - at least if someone came in unexpectedly, they wouldn’t be immediately exposed.
Tav quickly stripped out of her clothing, not wanting to waste a second of their precious time alone. It lay in a heap on the floor - out of the way and carelessly discarded as she made herself comfortable and waited. Not long after she found herself settled on the bed, the door to their room creaked slowly open, the warm light of the hallway flooding the entry of the room briefly before it shut, the faintest silvered glow coming in through the windows across the room now the only light once more. The floor creaked softly as  Gale made his way to her. A delighted smile grew on his face once his eyes adjusted to the almost darkness and he saw her waiting for him, completely naked. 
“Gods, Tav,” he whispered, climbing on to the bed beside her. “I will never get used to the sight of you before me.” He kissed her deeply, roughly, their lips immediately parting and their tongues sliding against each other, while hands grasped at each other like they hadn’t touched in months. “I have been wanting to do that all night,” he smiled before kissing her again, his fingers trailing up her thighs as they had all night. With no leather to act as a buffer, Tav’s skin blazed in their path as if he was branding her with his touch. Her body could only be his, she wanted it to only be his. His fingers continued the path they traveled down in the tavern, quickly finding her center and parting it to find her already slick with want for him. He kissed her neck, moaning against her skin as he easily slid two fingers into her, needing to feel her around him. 
“Please,” she moaned softly, the sound slipping through her kiss-bitten lips. “I need you, Gale,” she whispered, pulling his shirt from his tight trousers so she could put her hands on his skin, warm from drink and arousal. Her hips rocked as his fingers slid in and out, curling against the sensitive spot inside of her. Gods, he knew just how to touch her to drive her wild. 
Abruptly, he pulled his hand out of her, bringing the two fingers to his mouth as he licked them clean. “It is a travesty I won’t be able to taste you fully tonight. I long to have your legs slung over my shoulders and my face buried between your thighs.” He gave her a wicked grin and he quickly pulled off his shirt, tossing it on the heap of discarded clothing before unfastening his trousers and pulling them off along with his underwear in a motion so smooth and quick, Tav was mildly convinced he used magic. 
Tav took a moment to appreciate him - his lean athletic build, his muscular thighs, his perfect forearms, the fine dusting of hair that covered his chest and led down his stomach to one of her favorite body parts. Pulling him out of that portal was the best thing that had ever happened to her. Since that night beneath the stars a tenday ago in the Shadow Cursed Lands, she had never known such pleasure though she had been with plenty of others in the time before the tadpole. That was how her life was divided now - before and after the tadpole, and looking at Gale, resplendent and naked before her, she wouldn’t change a thing.
“You are a work of art,” she smiled before grabbing his arm, pulling him on top of her. She could feel how hard he was as he brushed against her thigh, leaving a small drop of moisture on her. He was as turned on as she was. Good, she thought. “Now, Gale Dekarios,” she emphasized the Dekarios, “would you please fuck me until I see stars?” 
He laughed and kissed her deeply, using his thigh to push her legs further apart so he could settle between them more comfortably. His tip brushed against her, and grabbing the base, he parted her just as he did moments ago, sliding up and down from her entrance to her clit and teasing her as he loved to do, “My love, when you put it like that, how can I resist?” he said before pressing into her just enough for her to close her eyes and moan loudly. He looked down, watching himself enter her fully. Her warm tightness wrapped around him and she fit him like a glove. There would never be a better feeling than this, even the Weave itself could not compare to the magic between Tav’s hips. He pulled back out, leaving in just the tip, admiring the way his length glistened with her wetness. Knowing he affected her that way, that she wanted his body as much as he wanted hers…that more than that, she wanted his love, his soul, his mind - it drove him crazy. He couldn’t hold back. He drove into her, their bodies hitting as he fully seated himself inside her. He repeated. In, out, in, out. His gaze was drawn to her breasts as they bounced with each thrust, those lovely breasts he loved to knead and suck. His eyes moved to her face, her eyes closed and head thrown back in absolute pleasure. He sped up. He wanted so many things - wanted to take her roughly tonight, wanted to make up for wasted nights spent in solitude, wanted to hear her scream his name so all the Elfsong could hear. She panted and writhed underneath him, her nails digging into his thighs and marking him with little half moons. 
“Please…Gale…more…I nee-”
Warm light flooded the room again as the door opened, the sound of drunken companions stumbling in. 
“Shit,” she whispered while Gale summoned a sheet to quickly cover them entirely as he leaned down and laid on top of her. They both stifled giggles at the ridiculousness of the situation. 
“Do you want me to…?” Gale asked, starting to pull out of her. She grabbed his arm tightly. 
“Don’t you dare. Finish what you started, wizard,” she whispered before kissing him deeply, pulling away slowly to minimize any noise. “We will just have to be quiet,” she smiled against his mouth. Luckily no one would be using this area beside her tonight. The area of the room was also where Dame Aylin and Isolbel usually stayed, though they were not here tonight. Probably doing the same thing Tav and Gale were. Good for them, she thought to herself before her focus was pulled back to her current situation. Gale had pulled out of her and was turning her so she was on her side, facing the outside of the bed while he pressed against her back. He reached down, lifting one of her legs, balancing it on top of his before guiding himself slowly back into her. 
His body was so warm and it felt like he was everywhere. His chest was pressed to her shoulder blades, one arm was wrapped around her, just under her breasts, and the other grasped her thigh tightly to keep it in place as he moved in and out of her once again - slower, less frantic. His hips rolled against her, and he let out the softest moan into her ear. This was even hotter than being taken roughly. Their friends were half a room away and here she was, feeling the highest bliss imaginable. He adjusted his arm, grabbing one of her breasts. His fingers kneaded the soft flesh and pinched her hard nipple. Tav had to bite her lip to keep from moaning out loud - he knew how much she liked that. She could sense his playful smile against her skin as he kissed her shoulder. 
“I can’t resist,” he whispered, pinching her other nipple and kneading her other breast while keeping his steady pace, making her bite her lip again to keep silent. The hand that once held her thigh was now gripping her hips, pulling her back against him with each slow, steady roll of his own hips - he wanted to get even deeper inside her, as if that were possible. 
“Gods,” Tav whispered, finding it nearly impossible to keep quiet - she was overloaded with sensation. She felt his hand move from her breast down the center line of her stomach, further and further until he reached her clit, circling it lightly. She jerked roughly back against him and clasped a hand against her mouth, turning her head into the pillow. She wouldn’t be able to keep it in much longer. Her free hand clasped around the wrist on her hips, using it as leverage to grind back against him as those wonderful, magical fingers rubbed her in time to his thrusts. Her body flowed against him and she was molten, lava filling her veins. The sheet trapped their body heat, a thin layer of sweat now coating both their bodies. She felt herself starting to lose composure, her hips moving quicker as the fire in her veins settled low in her abdomen where the two of them were joined. Soft pants were the only noise filling the space surrounding them.
“Come for me, Tav,” he whispered, so soft she almost couldn’t make it out. He knew she was close, he could feel how tight she was getting around him. He pressed against her clit a little harder, his fingers bringing her closer and closer to the edge. She felt every inch of him slide in and out of her, a perfect fit. 
“Gale…I don’t..I don’t know if I can keep quiet,” she whispered, desperation in her words as she got closer and closer. 
“This is what you wanted,” he whispered, his hot breath warming her ear and the side of her neck before he kissed it in that spot she loved and continued rubbing her clit, fucking her slowly, deliberately, deeply…so deeply. Gale knew she was normally loud when she came, and he loved it. Hearing her cry out his name as her body shuddered around him, knowing he could bring her to such heights was a thrill for him. He was so close to his own release, and had been thinking about spilling inside her all night. The thought of feeling her pulse around him was enough to drive him right to the edge. “Come for me,” he whispered again. “Now.”
As if on command, he felt her tighten around him before crashing over the edge. A gasp sounded from her, and he quickly clasped a hand over her mouth to muffle it, to avoid alerting anyone to what they were doing. She turned her face back into the pillow and panted against his hand, breathing heavily as she came. Her entire body shook as she contained what would normally be exclamations to the gods about how good he fucked her. He buried his head against her shoulder, using her skin to muffle his own pants and stifled groans as he felt himself topple over that same edge, filling her just as he longed to do these past days. He held on to her tightly, pressing every inch of her body against him as he pulsed inside her. 
Their breathing slowed and he pulled out of her, laying on his back and throwing the sheet off of them to feel the cool air of the room against his skin. The room was silent except for the sound of drunken snoring from their companions, their plan a success. Tav turned to her other side, facing him, and he traced the curves of her body with a finger. He would never tire of it, every dip, rise, curve, and scar was part of the topography of her body he wanted to memorize. Her breathing slowed and her eyes fluttered - sleep was near for both of them. 
Pulling the sheet back up, he kissed her softly. He pulled her in next to him - the bed was hardly big enough for the both of them, but it was worth it to feel her next to him.
“I love you, Gale,” she whispered before sleep took her. 
“I love you, Tav,” he smiled and whispered back. He stayed awake for a few moments before sleep overcame him as well, the night’s events replaying through his dreams.
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Market Day
Thank you to @spacebarbarianweird for the Astarion x barbarian!Tav headcanons that inspired this fic!!
Summary: You drag some of your companions to the market to restock on supplies and run into a little spot of trouble
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Today was Market Day, as you had come to coin it, where you and your companions would visit a nearby market to purchase various supplies, whether it be food, drink, weapons, potions, or anything anyone happened to need. With a slight skip in your step, you make your way into the marketplace, dragging along a weary vampire, a less than interested cleric and a very very reluctant wizard who wanted nothing more than to be fast asleep in his bedroll or be buried deep in a musty book.
“I don’t understand how you can be so cheerful this early in the morning,” Gale yawns, rubbing his eyes.
“Why was I chosen over Lae’zel to come along?” Shadowheart groans, dragging her feet along. Astarion looked the most alive among the three but you could tell he wanted to be anywhere but here.
“It’s a bright and sunny morning! There’s no better time than now to get all our shopping done!” You cheer, pumping your fist in the air.
“Why didn’t you invite Karlach along if you wanted some life in the party?” Astarion rolls his eyes, folding his arms across his chest. The market is rather quiet today, much to his distaste, for it meant there were less pockets to…well…pick. To you however, the lack of a crowd meant that there was more time to peruse the wares available without the person queuing behind you breathing down your neck to hurry it up, so you were more than happy about it.
“But I can be the life of the party!” You huff, giving him a pout. He should never have taught you how to gives puppy dog eyes, Astarion thinks to himself, watching as you give him your best shot at said eyes. He sighs in response, knowing you will never let this matter rest until he agrees with you and numbly nods.
“Of course you can, darling. Now, don’t we have quite a bit of shopping to do?”
With that, you’re off, heading towards the butcher while the others go their own ways to various shops of interest. Gale, to no one’s surprise, heads straight for the merchant selling a bunch of magical items while Shadowheart meanders around until a particular store selling carvings of the various gods catches her eye and she makes a beeline towards it. Astarion, meanwhile, looks for his first pocket to pick and eyes a rather wealthy human strutting around that made for easy pickings.
You quickly gather all the food items on the list and shove them all into your backpack, proud of the bargains you had made on your own. Astarion had been teaching you how to haggle, and although you were a slow learner, you were steadily getting better at it. Today proved as much. You couldn’t wait to tell him about the discount you had haggled from the fruit merchant and show him all his teachings hadn’t been for naught. As you made your way to Astarion who was at the other end of the market, something caught your eye — black leather bound book with words you couldn’t quite make out in gold lettering.
You go to take a closer look, curious. Did Astarion have this book? You don’t remember seeing such a cover before, would he appreciate the book? You weren’t even sure about the contents of the book, words always proved a challenge and you hated how you couldn’t just beat the words into submission so that you could read them.
“You can’t just beat up every problem you come across!” Astarion exlaimed when you angrily swore at the paragraph he had been trying to teach you to read.
“Everything would be so much easier if I could.” You huffed in response.
“Some things require a little more finesse, darling. Don’t you worry your beautiful self, leave such things to me.” He pressed a kiss to your forehead with a small smile.
The fond memory caused the corners of your lips to quirk up. Astarion had never once blamed you for struggling with learning how to read, he had been patient, as patient as he could be but had given up some time after. He had never pressed you to learn to read afterwards, instead he did all the reading for you which you very much preferred as you got to hear his melodious voice while understanding whatever was scrawled on the pages of the book you had looted from a corpse because you found the cover pretty.
“Didn’t know barbarians knew how to read, I thought they were all brawns and no brain.” A sneer comes from your right. The merchant selling the book you were looking at gives you a look of disgust and snatches it out of your grasp.
“Get your grubby hands off my wares,” he spits, “someone who lacks the intelligence needed to understand such fine craft shouldn’t be here in the first place.”
You scowl at him, a low rumbling erupting from your throat, “I may not be able to read but I sure as hells can understand what you’re saying.”
“The creature speaks!” The merchant feigns a gasp of surprise. You snarl, a hand moving towards your axe when a cold hand gently rests on your hand. Astarion meets your gaze, giving a small shake of his head and puts himself in between you and the merchant.
“It seems intelligence and basic common courtesy does not go hand in hand,” he says nonchalantly, but poison drips from every word. “To think a man so well-learned would only have the manners of a beast.”
The merchant glares at him but Astarion calmly looks them in the eye, a fake smile gracing his lips, “am I wrong?”
“This is none of your business, elf,” the merchant hisses.
“Oh, but the moment you insulted my lover, it became my business.” His unnerving smile remains plastered to his face, unsettling the merchant who was slowly losing confidence. “Now then, may I see this fine craft of yours?”
“Leave at once! You’re ruining my business!” The merchant snaps. “And I suggest getting yourself a better lover, maybe one not as daft as that barbarian.”
Astarion’s ruby eyes widen, a hand reaching for his dagger but you beat him to it. You grab the nearest and heaviest book you can find and slam it hard into the merchant’s face, “you can have your damned fine craft back! I don’t need it! I’d rather be illiterate than have to resort to insulting others to feel better about myself!”
Astarion chuckles, swiping a few books that caught his eye before grabbing the book you had been eyeing as well as your wrist and pulled you along, “come on, we better leave before the guards come to investigate the commotion.”
“You don’t have to tell me twice!” The two of you make a quick escape, disappearing into the nearby town before the authorities could catch either of you, giggling all the way.
Once Astarion is sure you’re far enough, he rounds the corner and stops to allow you to catch your breath. You pant, bending over with your hands on your knees but you’re grinning the widest grin you can muster.
“That! Was! Satisfying! You can beat up every problem you come across!” You laugh. Astarion doesn’t even bother to hide his smile, the merchant had deserved that blow to the face and better yet, had been robbed of some of his most prized wares.
“They had it coming,” he snorts, ruffling your hair. “We head back for the others once the heat has died down.”
“I’m sorry for ruining your shopping,” you rub the back of your neck sheepishly.
“It’s quite alright darling, I had finished pickpocketing all the rich people in the maket anyways.” Astarion waves a hand dismissively.
“Astarion!”
“I had quite the haul even, who knew there were so many gold necklaces just lying around unattended.”
“They were attended!”
“Well, clearly not attended enough.” He fishes one out and holds it out to you. “What do you think of this one?”
“It’s beautiful,” you breathe, tracing a finger along the precious chain.
“May I?” He holds out a hand to you and you gently place the necklace into his outstretched hand. He gestures for you to turn around and you comply, twiddling your fingers nervously. Would you looks good in it? It was definitely a very expensive necklace, something that should not lie on the necks of the likes of you and would sell for a large amount of gold but Astarion had chosen to slip it around your neck, a look of satisfaction clear on his face when he had you turn around so that he could admire his handiwork.
“Perfect. I knew it would look good on you, my taste is impeccable.” He crows. “I also have a dress for you, but that will have to wait until we’re back at camp, unless…”
“Back at camp back at camp!” You squawk, cheeks quickly heating up. Astarion leans in to press a quick peck to your lips, slipping his hand into yours.
“As you wish, my darling barbarian.”
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BG3 Companion Headcanons
🪩🥂🌹Going to a ball🌹🥂🪩
Wyll:
We all know Wyll is definitely the best dancer
And everyone would recognize him and want to chat and don't even get me started on the ladies absolutely swooning over him
But he'd be sure to show you off and focus in on you in such a way that you never doubted that he only has eyes for you
Give him a tune and he will make it happen: he can dance ballroom, waltz, tango, salsa, swing, and more!
It would also be super important to him to learn dances from your culture to show you how invested he is in you🥺
Will always have one last dance with you after you stumble home, just the two of you as he hums in the twilight of the kitchen
Lae'zel:
Would complain about having to dress in impractical clothes the whole time getting ready
Until she sees how stunning you are and, although she still says it is impractical, she would definitely tell you your elevated look is beyond satisfactory
Would probably hop into random conversations she finds interesting and scope out the whole event
Though she'd resist dancing in front of strangers, you'd catch her tapping her foot to the music
And on the walk back you could twirl her around (very briefly) and crack her tough exterior just enough to see her smile but she would deny any such thing if you ever tried to mention it again
Astarion:
Doesn't remember much about actually learning it anymore, but ballroom comes really easily to Astarion and it brings him a lot of joy to feel something his torment could not successfully erase
He also loves that dancing with you is an easy excuse not to talk to the high society crowds that often show up at events like this, and instead you can gossip together the whole night
"my dear we should get one of those for you!" And he'd wiggle his eyebrows and gesture to an over-the-top man in a bright green tailcoat, an 18" powdered wig covered with tiny Baldurian flags and ribbons atop his head. You'd slap his shoulder playfully and try to conceal your laughter
Even when you take a break from dancing, his hand is (respectfully) around your waist to protect and guide you through the crowd
Would 100% get drunk with you and sneak off into a non-party area of the venue to make out
Karlach:
A little too excited bc she lovesss parties of any variety
Does a frantic fashion show while you get ready, panicking about what go wear
She definitely does crazy moves in each outfit to test out it's danceability
Would turn into a dad the way she makes friends literally the whole time; it takes 10 minutes just to get inside because she can't stop chatting with the doorman
She asked Astarion to teach her to dance as soon as she found out you were going to this, that way she can successfully woo you on the dancefloor!
Gale:
He was very nervous to dance because he always skipped his school dances at the academy so he could explore forbidden places while the rest of the school was preoccupied
He definitely confides in Wyll on all this, and our lovely homeboy teaches him then and there how to lead💃
Gale can't stop the bi-panic when Wyll dips him almost down to the floor, with a cheeky wink
But now that you're here he's excited to listen in on the conversations of the many researchers and society members here!
He would get engrossed in conversation and you'd go dance with some friends that were there and it's like a romcom when he turns and sees you twirl across the floor🥲
He completely abandons his colleagues and appears out of nowhere, hand on your waist, waltzing you around
Wyll does a sly lil fist pump "yes, my man!" as he sees Gale spin you from across the floor
Shadowheart:
She lovesss getting ready and helping you get ready as well
Loves the tiny hors d'eouvres and smallglasses of wine and champagne they serve at events of this scale
It unlocks a core memory of her mother reading her fairytales as a girl, and she quickly wipes a small tear before it can fall
The quadrille is her favorite, she loves that it's social and friendly without having to hold a full conversation with a stranger
Would pepper your face with kisses on the way home thanking you for such a lovely time
Halsin:
He's not super used to the formal dance styles of the city, but he's ready to learn as he goes for you!
But he also flirts with the violinist and easily convinces him to play a little jig so he can show off
Also loves the food; I firmly feel Halsin would be a really adventurous eater and he'd be excited to try the variety of new spices and flavors they have at this event
Has 0 clue but the entire venue is ✨obsessed✨ with him
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thehistoriccemetery · 10 months
Note
I saw you were in need of requests, so I bring you one.
how would the ladies react to a usually pacifistic Tav sucker punching someone, seemingly out of nowhere? when pressed as to why they did it, Tav reveals they'd been hearing the person they punched make gross comments about their partner all evening
I only did Shadowheart, Lae’zel, and Karlach for this one. Hope you enjoy anon!
CW: Violence
Shadowheart
Shadowheart’s eyes widen in surprise when your fist meets the Sharran priest’s face. He falls backwards, nearly hitting his head against the alter. She covers her mouth to conceal a smile. The smile, however, is quickly replaced with a concerned look. She couldn’t hear your conversation, what could he have possibly said to set you off? You walk back towards her, accidentally smearing blood across as you try to itch your nose.
“Is that his blood or yours?” She asks.
You turn your hands over, just now noticing there is blood on them. “Oh?” You tilt your head. “Probably both?”
“What did he do? Did he hurt you?” She asks.
“No he didn’t hurt me, he… it’s not important,” you said. “Am I gonna get like… smited if I wash my hands of in Shar’s fountain? Smited? Smoted?”
Shadowheart laughs. “It’s actually smote. And if you’re going to get smote for anything, it’s shoving her priest’s head into her alter.”
She takes your face into her hands and presses your foreheads together as you both laugh. She kisses your forehead and you wrap your arms around her. The move surprises and her hands shoot into the air, but she doesn’t pull away.
“You made the right choice… sparing Aylin I mean. I know it was the hardest thing you’ve ever done, but it was the right thing to do.” You say.
“I know, darling,” she says, relaxing and returning your hug.
Lae’zel
When Lae’zel sees you move to punch the old scholar, she’s by your side before you even make contact. The scholar hunches over, groaning in pain. Lae’zel takes the opportunity to take her greatsword down on her back. The body falls limply to the ground. “Kainyak!” She spat. “What did the istik say?”
You smiled. “You didn’t even hear her and you still struck her down?”
“If it was enough to incite any violence from you, I’m sure a swift death was a blessing,” she responded.
“The crèche is that way,” you say, pointing in the direction of the Rosymorn Monastery. You hoped it would distract away from original question. Lae’zel shouldn’t have to hear the racist and repulsive way the woman had spoken of her people.
Luckily, it was enough.
“Then that is the way we will go” she commands, pointing her greatsword in the direction.
Karlach
Karlach almost misses it, but she turns her head at the last minute to see you sock a bard right in the nose.
“Hell yeah!” She shouts, pumping her fist in the air. She’s still about 50 feet away from you, so she definitely didn’t hear what the man said or know why you punched him. She starts approaching a bit more quickly, breaking into a light jog.
Before you know it she’s standing next to you and looking down at the now dazed bard on the ground. “That was awesome!” She says, slapping you lightly on the back. “So uh… what did he do? Must’ve been a hell of a song he was playing to get a rise out of you.”
“He was… he’s not a fan of tieflings,” you sigh. It’s not a complete lie, more of a fib. He’s not a fan of a tiefling, one you are particularly fond of.
“A lot of people aren’t, unfortunately,” she says, reaching a hand out to help the man up. Your heart aches at the act of kindness for such a cruel man.
“I’ll not be taking assistance from you, hellspawn!” He spits, standing up himself and spitting at Karlach. Blood and teeth spattered against her chest.
You glare at him, ready to knock him out for good this time. A swift kick sends him tumbling back to the ground and a stomp to his right hand cause him to shriek. You won’t kill him, but his broken fingers ensure he’ll never play another about your Karlach again.
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tadpolejourney · 4 months
Text
Most Welcome
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Genres: BG3 Act 2, Gale x F!Tav, love triangle (Gale, Tav, Astarion) mostly angst and fluff, a small dose of sexy stuff (not smut though)
Warnings: NSFW 18+ for adult language and mild adult content, alcohol abuse
A/N: This is a companion piece to my Tav Liriel’s journal series, narrated in the third person. It takes place the night after Day 33, their first day in the Shadowlands and after Karlach got her engine upgrade. I’m using a headcanon that vampire spawn can feel the effects of alcohol when canonically they cannot. It’s heavy on dialogue and some of that is written as drunken speech. 5,388 words because like Gale I have a propensity towards verbosity...
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“Let the Karlach cuddle party extravaganza commence!” Liriel announced to the whole camp as she hugged Karlach for what was probably the tenth time that day.
“Hells yes!” Karlach shouted, pumping her fist into the air a few times. “I want to hug everyone. And-- oh! SCRATCH! Come here, boy!”
The white, fluffy dog came bounding up to her, wagging his tail enthusiastically. He maintained a safe distance from the fiery tiefling, as he had been taught. His curiosity piqued, he tilted his head to one side.
“New rules, Scratch! I can pet you now! Look!” She grinned and reached out her hand to let him sniff it. Wasting no more time, she gave Scratch so many enthusiastic pets she ruffled every inch of the fur on his head.
“Aw, you’re so soft,” she commented. “Where’s the cub?” She looked around for the owlbear cub who normally ran alongside or after Scratch wherever he went.
She heard a soft chirping from behind her, and turned to see the cub looking at her with its huge yellow eyes, as if begging for head scritches.
She spent the next half hour petting, playing, and snuggling with Scratch and the owlbear cub.
“I have SO MUCH to do!” Karlach called out as she jogged over to rejoin the group. They were seated around the cook pot having dinner and the first glasses of wine for the evening.
“I hope a hearty dinner is on that list, because that’s what I prepared just for you,” Gale told her as he fixed a plate of one of the best meals they’d had since starting their journey. He’d prepared roasted turkey and grilled pork sausage, roasted pumpkin, and a buttered baked potato, all seasoned to perfection for the special occasion.
Gale handed her the plate and she immediately set it down on the ground to wrap the wizard in a great bear hug, lifting him off the ground. “Thank you. For the food, and for being my friend.”
“You’re very welcome! Please, put me down now, and then, eat. I insist.”
“There’s a berry tart for dessert that I made just for you, courtesy of the Last Light kitchen,” Wyll said to Karlach as she sat down and began gobbling the items on her plate.
“Wow!” she exclaimed through a mouthful of food. She swallowed thickly and said, “I think I forgot what that even tastes like. Don’t let me forget to hug you next for at least five minutes.”
Wyll laughed, then raised an eyebrow at her. “How about we make it… five hugs instead of five minutes of one hug?”
“Deal.”
Gale watched Karlach wolf down her dinner with genuine affection. He felt someone’s eyes on him as he did so, and looked around at the rest of his companions.
He met Liriel's gaze from across the campfire and she gave him the warmest smile. He smiled back in return, but a thought intruded on that lovely moment that made his heart ache. His mother would have loved Liriel. He would have been so proud to be with her, to take her home. So many places he would have liked to take her, so many people in his life he wanted her to meet.
He thought back to their conversation last night. How she had completely defied his expectations and held his hand. He had planned to tell her that he was in love with her, but things did not go as planned.
He asked her for a private audience in his tent this evening, and he was both eager and uneasy. After all, how dare he start anything when he knows what he must do? How could he knowingly break her heart in that manner? Or was it already too late? Would he be doomed to break her heart no matter what?
“WYLL!” Karlach’s voice boomed, jolting Gale out of his thoughts. “Time for hug number one. That berry tart was fucking incredible.”
Karlach gave Wyll her now signature elevating bear hug. Gale realized he didn’t want to make any of his newfound friends sad, or put any of them in danger because of the orb either. Then he felt an elbow gently jab his side.
“I would pay you a copper for your thoughts, but I don’t think I want to know given the look on your face,” Liriel remarked.
Gale sighed wistfully. “Was I that obvious?”
“To me? Yes. I think everyone else is too worried about who Karlach will try to hug next to pay attention to you. Are you ready to head to your tent for that private chat? Or do you need more time to brood?”
“Oh no, brooding will do me no good. A moment alone with you will do me a lot of good.”
She took him by the hand, rapidly entwining her fingers in his, and led him to the privacy of his tent.
Holding hands was still such a new sensation for the both of them that their hearts fluttered. Gale often felt he needed a reality check in moments with her, to ensure he had not actually died and this was not his final dream. Liriel often felt she dreamed Gale into life.
“About last night—” he started.
“I don’t want you to die, Gale,” she said earnestly.
“I know. Thank you for saying so.”
“There really is nothing I could do to change your mind, is there? No matter what I say or do, you want to die for Mystra.”
“That is an inaccurate portrait of the situation, Liriel. This is not about Mystra, or even myself for that matter. This is about saving everyone from the Absolute. Mystra has given us a way. It gives my inevitable and imminent death from the orb some meaning in the process. As of late I would never do such a thing for her alone, or any promise of her forgiveness.”
“Can you at least reconsider the idea that there may in fact be more than one solution to the problem of the Absolute? That perhaps there is a way that doesn’t involve sacrificing you, someone who doesn’t deserve to be sacrificed? That maybe we can do this, together, and all of us can live to tell the tale?”
“I can certainly reconsider once we know firsthand what we’re up against, but we must expect the worst. Believe me, there are things far worse than my death. The Absolute taking over the world is one of them.”
“Personally, I can’t think of a single thing worse than you dying, and I refuse to expect the worst. I will not accept you blowing yourself up as a necessary event, and you shouldn’t either. It’s bullshit. The gods are full of shit and only ever meddle when it benefits them directly. They make us do their dirty work. I don’t believe a damn word any of them say, ever. The evil gods break the rules all the time while the allegedly good gods do nothing to stop them and the neutral gods idle pointlessly.”
He narrowed his eyes at her. “You really are quite cynical about the gods, aren’t you? They are infinitely more complex than mere mortal moral notions of good, neutral, and evil.”
“If I am too cynical about them, you are too damn accommodating. If you actually die and I manage to survive your explosion, I will live out the remainder of my days in utter fucking anguish and despondency over losing you. You better take me with you.”
“Liriel, I truly wish to let the matter rest for now. I know you are upset, but we’re very nearly teetering off the edge of sense and civility, and I am in no condition to endure such a turn in our conversation.” His tone was equally exasperated and concerned.
She growled in frustration. In one swift motion, she grabbed his face and kissed him hard, heatedly, and passionately. Gale instantly and effortlessly returned her heat and her passion, locking her in an embrace. Her tongue entered his mouth and danced with his as she raked her fingers through his hair.
They were a tangle of feverish movement, moaning through each kiss as they ran their hands up and down and all over one another’s bodies, clawing and pawing desperately. As she pressed her body against his, he hissed and bucked his hips into her.
She let herself get swept up in the breathlessness of the moment, actively restraining herself from forming words, confessing her love for him. The ache and pull of that restraint was enough to bring an overwhelming torrent of emotion to the surface. She felt her eyes begin to burn and sting with tears as they continued to kiss and caress and grind their hips into one another.
Abruptly, she jerked herself away from the kiss and his embrace.
“Damnit!” she exclaimed, shutting her eyes tightly as though she could squeeze back the tears welling in her eyes.
“Damnitdamnitdamnit!” She turned and dashed away before he had time to process anything.
Outside Gale’s tent the cuddle party was winding down as the rest of the group were gathered together around the fire. Despite the dreary backdrop of the shadow-cursed lands, the mood was still joyful and jocular. Then they witnessed Liriel pass by them in a blur as she raced through camp and out of sight, audibly choking back sobs as she ran. Before anyone else had time to react, Astarion turned, deftly vaulted over the owlbear cub laying on the ground behind him, and sprinted after Liriel at top speed.
He caught up to her a few hundred yards out of earshot of camp. He grabbed her by one shoulder and she immediately tried to shrug him off without turning around. “Liriel!” he barked breathlessly, “It’s just me. Stop! Now, damn you!”
She slowed to a standstill, her breathing ragged. She turned to face him, and her countenance pained him in a way he was unsure he had ever felt before. Her eyes were swollen and bloodshot and there were distinct tracks of tears running down her face. She looked... scared. He had never seen her frightened, not once. He could scarcely believe she was afraid of anything, even seeing her quite clearly afraid this very moment. Just what had that asshole wizard said to her? he wondered.
“Weren’t you the one earlier today that was adamant about anyone not going out alone in this shit?” he ranted as he gestured broadly at the unnatural darkness surrounding them. “And yet, here you are, like an imp out of the hells, mindlessly attempting to tear through this place by yourself as though you have a death wish. What the fuck happened?”
Instead of responding, she buried her face in her hands and cried.
“Look,” he said brusquely, “I’m not going to leave you alone out here for very long, but I can tell we are both going to need a lot alcohol for this conversation. Will you promise me that you will stay here until I get back unless you see or hear anything at all, and that if you do see or hear anything that isn’t me you’ll head straight back to camp? Nod if you can do that.”
She nodded without removing her hands from over her face.
Astarion stealthily and hastily made his way back to camp, purloining some whiskey for her and wine for himself from someone’s unattended pack. He mutely observed the rumblings of camp, counting heads to ensure the rest of their group was still there and that no one had attempted to follow.
As he finished counting, he heard Karlach bay reassuringly to the group, “Astarion will bring her back for sure. They’re real close, you know?” He smirked to himself as he slunk away.
When he returned to Liriel, she sat on the ground crying softly, her knees drawn up to her chest, her face resting on them. It was a side of her he’d never seen. She seemed so small, so vulnerable and childlike, and so different from the person he had known all this time. The sight of her like this made him feel… strange. Not good.
He prodded one of her knees with the whiskey bottle. “He’s not worth it, you know.”
She looked up at him and smiled feebly, taking the bottle from his hand. He sat down beside her and uncorked the bottle of wine. They sat together without speaking, both solemnly taking in large gulps of alcohol as though they were preparing for an amputation.
“I’m normally not this stupid when I like someone, you know,” she remarked after a while, cutting the sheer silence.
“I dearly hope so,” he replied. “I thought you were at least kind of smart before tonight. Now I’m not so sure.”
As she turned to face him in a display of feigned outrage, he grinned back at her slyly.
She took another drink, and her expression resumed its previous solemnity as she continued. “I want to be with him, but now he’s going to die, and it’s all such tragic bullshit. I tried to talk him out of using the orb, again. Foolish of me, really.” She took another huge swig of whiskey.
He gawked at her, not really listening to the stuff about Gale but rather genuinely fascinated with the way she gulped from the bottle without so much as a twinge. He thought that shit burned like fire and tasted even worse.
After another minute or so of silence Astarion asked, “What in the hells could he have said to someone as tough as you to make you actually cry, though?”
“Oh, it wasn’t because of what he said,” she replied. “He told me he had no choice, again, and our discussion went nowhere. That sucked, but he was gentle in the way he spoke to me about it. I tend to reserve my tears and shed them privately if I can, and none of that would have made me cry outright. It’s more the fact that in the heat of the moment I kissed him, hoping I would hate it or feel nothing, and I didn’t. It just confirmed what I already knew, and I couldn’t deal. So I ran.”
He grimaced, feeling suddenly uncomfortable in a way he couldn’t quite place. He shifted his legs as though it might assuage the discomfort he felt. It did not. “What do you mean, ‘what you already knew’?”
“That I’m in love with him.”
“Oh,” he replied, authentically startled. “Oh,” he repeated, but gravely.
“I’m fucked, aren’t I?”
“Well… yes, darling. Since you asked, yes, you’re fucked. But isn’t everything and everyone?”
She chuckled dryly, taking another huge swig of whiskey. She swayed lightly now, nearly brushing against him.
He realized he wished she would. They had never touched. Astarion felt his focus on the here and now drifting as the wine combined with the shock of the evening’s events. Her sudden, heartfelt confession. To him, but not about him. She kissed… Gale, of all people. He sensed his mood souring along with a feeling of dread pooling in the pit of his stomach. Asshole wizard, he thought again.
“Let’s talk about something else, shall we, darling?” Astarion asked, forcing a chipper tone through his voice though he felt pretty fucking far from chipper. “Something… happier, perhaps? What about… animals? You like animals, I like drinking the blood of animals…”
She laughed, a little too loud, and a little too joyously. She was definitely drunk. “Thanks for running out here after me, into this dangerous, dark ass wilderness. For keeping me company while I was a blubbering mess. And for bringing me whiskey to make it allll better.”
“Don’t mention it. Really, I mean that. I do not want my reputation ruined. I can't have people coming after me for heroic favors and expecting me to be nice to them.”
He eyed her as she took another large swig from the whiskey bottle. It was two-thirds gone already.
“I’m curious about somethin’, and I hope you’ll humor me since we’re alone and everything sucks,” she said. “I don’t know anything about vampires or vampire spawn, y’know. Do you poop?”
“Do I what?” he asked, obviously appalled and almost daring her to repeat the question, hoping she wouldn’t.
“I said… Do. You. Poop.”
“Do fuck off, darling.”
She let another hearty laugh. “Everyone poops, right?”
“I now hate this conversation so much I almost wish you would talk to me about Gale again. Almost.”
“So you’d... rather talk about poop than Gale?”
“Both topics are entirely too repulsive for me, I’m afraid. And I do think you’re positively drunk, my dear.”
“Yesh. I think so too. Gale’s not gross. He’s nice and verrrry loveleeeeee. I’ll punch you if you say that again.”
He frowned, knowing she wouldn’t notice it. Then he watched her take yet another substantial gulp of whiskey, and his eyes widened. “Are you really going to polish off that whole bottle?”
“Why not? I ain’t no quitter.”
“Ugh, a double negative, really? Your grammar is atrocious when you drink.”
“Doeshn’t matter if I make enough sense to seem deep. If you don’t like it, go to shleep,” she slurred, jostling his wine bottle as she pointed towards the general direction of camp.
“You are scarcely making sense, too. I won’t leave you alone out here, as much as I’d like to right now.”
“Maybe we should sing a.. a shong or somethin.”
“No, we should not. I think we should head back to camp before you lose consciousness entirely.”
“Wait... I gots busineshs…” She tilted the bottle up, her head following, as she dumped the remaining contents of the whiskey bottle into her mouth.
She threw the bottle aimlessly into the darkness, giggled after hearing it shatter, and slumped into Astarion, her head resting on his shoulder.
He sighed, pretending to be annoyed. “Hells. Can we go now?”
“I gueshs… we should go... back. ‘Fore some dark shadowy typa shit... eatsh ush or shomethin.”
Liriel stood, wobbling and tipping. Thoroughly reluctant to ask for Astarion’s help to walk back to camp through the dark, she staggered forward a few steps.
When she tripped over nothing at all and fell on her behind, she slurred, “I think I need an adult.”
“Honestly,” he huffed, attempting to seem put out by her drunkenness and miffed at having to abandon his bottle of wine. He set the bottle down with a dramatic flair to conceal the absolute glee he felt as he swept her up in his arms and carried her back to camp, bridal style.
Gale rushed to the edge of camp when he heard their footsteps, but stopped short at what he saw. He chastised himself again for not reacting fast enough and keeping her close. Feelings of intense jealousy surged within him at the sight of Liriel in Astarion’s arms as the vampire spawn confidently strolled into camp. Gale began assuming the worst. Karlach’s earlier remark was unnecessary, as Gale needed no reminder whatsoever that the two of them were so effortlessly close in a way that he envied and longed for with her. Then, as if meaning to pour veritable salt into his emotional wounds, the group began gushing about how fast Astarion ran after her, how he gracefully leapt over the owlbear cub like a dancer and sprinted off at an impressive speed into the danger of the dark to bring her back. Did they intend to mock him also with the gossip that followed about what the pair might be doing out there alone, and what they did when they left camp together yesterday?
He also knew, through a significant volume of observational evidence gathered over the weeks they’d traveled together, that Astarion was definitely in love with her too. Even if the undead elf refused to acknowledge or recognize it, and even if he wouldn’t use those exact words himself to describe how he felt about her. He also knew that Astarion was not the only competitor at camp vying for her heart. He had several romantic rivals.
Then the rush of thoughts halted as it dawned on him that she was utterly wasted, oblivious and babbling nonsensically as she lolled in Astarion’s grip. Though he was very evidently struggling with their inebriated leader, he acted confident, almost proud, in his movements as he carried her. The way Astarion glared at him, Gale knew that he knew. She told him at least something about what transpired in his tent.
Gale’s thoughts pivoted now as he regained perspective on the situation. She could have anyone she wanted, and yet she chose him. She kissed him. Then, in a tempest of strong emotions, she fled from his side, unable to face him while in tears over him. The intensity of the memory and the earlier glimpse of the depth of her feelings for him inspired a dizzying combination of elation, gratitude, shame, and regret.
She came back uninjured, and now she was drunk. Really, really drunk. Did Astarion really chase after her with a bottle in hand intending to carouse with her? Gale thought to himself.
Everyone breathed a collective sigh of relief upon Liriel’s return to camp. Karlach took her from Astarion’s arms into her own, and didn’t appear to struggle at all despite the half elf’s boozy wriggling.
Astarion made a great show to the rest of the group of seeming very inconvenienced by the whole affair as he huffed and took a bottle of wine out of Wyll’s hand. Wyll sighed defeatedly and trekked over to the camp chest to procure another for himself.
Sensing Karlach’s intentions as she turned away from the group, Liriel proceeded to beg in a drunken slur, “Mama K, don’ make me go bed. Jusht becaushe I’m too drunk to walk doeshn’t mean I can’t hang out. Wanna hang out…”
“Alright, alright,” Karlach conceded sweetly, turning back around. “But if you throw up or try to keep drinking, I’m putting you to bed.”
Liriel squealed in delight, slinging a free arm around the tiefling’s neck in an attempted hug.
Karlach set Liriel down between herself and Shadowheart around the fire. It didn’t take long for the cheerful mood to return to the group. Liriel’s usual effervescent charm did not elude her even in a drunken state. She was very silly, very relaxed, and absolutely smashed. At first the group was stunned, having never seen her drunk before, but that shock rapidly gave way to amusement.
“So, Liriel,” Shadowheart began with a telltale smirk, “What did you and Astarion do out there all alone in the darkness for so long? You seem much less upset than when you fled camp earlier.”
“Talkded, bout shtuff, personals,” Liriel drawled. “I was... sad. Then, I drank aaaaaaaalll the whiskey.” She gestured wildly as she dragged out the word ‘all’, nearly knocking Shadowheart’s goblet out of her hand in the process. “And now? I'm happeeeeee. Prolly not really though. Imma feel reallll bad tomorrow mornin.”
“She really did drink an entire bottle of whiskey,” Astarion happily chimed in, “It was honestly impressive how much she drank without dying or, worse, vomiting.”
“I haf a dyshfundshunal relashhionshhip with alkeyhol. I can haf none of it, or alllll of it. N it’sh realll bad when I have sadneshs.”
“Sadness can be a really great thing, you know,” Shadowheart commented with a dreamy look on her face. “It’s a sign of loss, which is glorious. It’s freeing. You should try embracing it.”
“Babygirl,” Liriel replied as she clapped a hand on Shadowheart’s shoulder and tried to look serious, “I luf you but dat’sh some bullllllllllllshhhhhhhhhhit.”
Lae’zel, Astarion, and Gale audibly stifled their laughter.
Keen to prevent any impending late night chaos, Karlach interjected, “Let’s talk about something else now, yeah? I’m sorry you were sad, Liriel. We can talk about it tomorrow, when you’re sober. If you want.”
“Mmk,” Liriel hummed. “Shorry bout the blasfuhmee, Shart. Hope I don’ offend you wif my dilsbelief.”
“Oh, don’t worry. I am thoroughly entertained by your stupidity,” Shadowheart replied bluntly as she pushed Liriel’s hand off her shoulder.
“Cool. Gimme dat,” Liriel darted for Gale’s wine bottle on the ground in front of him, splaying over Karlach’s lap to reach for it.
She got the rim of the bottle to her lips just as Karlach lifted her up with total ease and said, “Okay, that’s it. You’re done. Bedtime.”
Gale stood up to meet Liriel at her eye level. “May I have my bottle of wine back?” he asked her politely.
“Uh,” she stammered, “Ya.” She nearly dropped the bottle in an attempt to hand it to him, but he managed to get a grip on it.
“Thank you.” He smiled at her.
“Don’ you shmile at me like that Mishter Blizzard, or imma kishs you again. Thish time in front of errrrybody.” She attempted to wink at him, but it was so slow and awkward it made everyone laugh, including Gale.
“On that note, I think I will go to bed as well. Good night, everyone,” Gale announced, completely unable to suppress the huge grin on his face.
Liriel whined as Karlach whisked her away from Gale to her tent. She passed out on her bedroll for a few hours.
In the middle of the night, she found herself wide awake but still drunk. She opened the flap of her tent and peered out at the campsite, searching for signs of life. By her estimation everyone was fast asleep and dawn was still hours away.
She crawled over to Gale’s tent and pried it open. Slowly and silently, she crept up on the wizard, who was in deep sleep. She briefly watched him, appreciating his handsome features and the peaceful look on his face in the low light of the dimming campfire. Then her impulses took over, and she bent down to get incredibly close to his sleeping form.
As she grabbed one of his shoulders, she hissed, “BOO” in his ear.
Gale bolted upright, exclaiming, “Gods, what is—”
Then he noticed who it was that barged into his tent in the middle of the night, along with the amused expression on her face. Still in disbelief, he asked, “Liriel? What are you doing?”
“I wanted to see you, alone. And I didn’t want to wait until morning. And earlier I was too upset. And then I was too drunk. Now I’m still drunk—I’m like, 56% drunk. But no longer tooooo drunk, y’know? And I’m not upset.”
He chuckled, shifting and motioning so that she would sit beside him. “Well, your sudden intrusion is always welcome, however jarring it was in the moment.”
“Hey, at least we know for sure he is sleeping.” She lightly grazed her finger over the skin on his chest where the orb resided and let it linger there. It began to glow a bright purple. She’d seen this before. She knew what it meant. He was turned on right now.
And the look on his face confirmed it. “Perhaps now is not the best time to rehash what happened earlier tonight, though. I have a feeling those hurt feelings we harbor could easily resurface.”
“You have hurt feelings too? You seemed so stoic. It frustrated me.”
“Of course this hurts me. I don’t want to break your heart in this way, and my own heart aches for you like never before. Knowing you feel the sorrow you do, it pains me. Greatly.”
“So what do we do now?”
“Now…” he paused to think on it a moment. “Now I think we should sleep, really. We need our rest and our strength, more than ever. There will be time to talk this through.”
She looked downcast, biting her lip.
He opened his mouth to speak, then thought better of it. He waited for her instead.
“I just want to say one thing,” she said softly. “We’ve already defied incredible odds by managing to get this far. It’s not blind dumb luck that we’re still here either. It’s us. WE survived because of who WE are. We’re not only surviving, we’ve surpassed every challenge that this fucked up world has thrown at us. We keep winning. If there’s anything I believe in, it’s us. It’s you.”
He pulled her close in a movement so uncharacteristically strong and quick that it caught her slightly intoxicated senses off-guard. When she regained her bearings she held him tightly, bunching the clothes on his back between each of her fists.
“Thank you,” he whispered in her ear. “Thank you for believing in me and giving me hope. I will not abandon that hope, or you, lightly. Please know that.”
She didn’t say anything. They clung to one another so firmly yet neither dared let go. After a while, Gale could detect her trembling slightly in his embrace, then he noticed she had dampened his clothing at the shoulder where her eyes rested. He pulled back a little to look at her face as she simultaneously worked to hide her face from his view, withdrawing and nearly turning away from him. He brought her back in a close embrace, preferring to keep her pressed against him since she seemed intent on refusing him a view of her face.
“Are you that determined to conceal your tears from me?” he gently asked her.
“Yes,” she sniffled. “I won’t run away again... just... please don’t look at me right now.”
He let her continue to cry on his shoulder, stroking her hair and her upper back, hoping he could bring her comfort in some small way.
“I’m sorry, Gale,” she said after a while, her voice calm but heavy with congestion. “I’m grateful to you for comforting me, but I also think it’s fucked up for me to ask this of you when you’re the one that’s been ordered to die.”
He chuckled softly. “I assure you, I am voluntarily comforting you and you needn’t apologize. If anyone should apologize, it’s me. I am sorry, to you, for failing to recognize the depth of your feelings for me sooner. For forcing you to pay for my past mistakes. I do wish things could be different, now more than ever.”
“I forgive you, Gale. You deserve to be forgiven. For all of it. And you deserve to live too.”
Now Gale was the one feeling tears well up in his eyes. With a sigh, he pulled Liriel back and held her at arm’s length by her shoulders so he could look her in the eyes.
“Thank you,” he told her sincerely. “For everything, not just your compassionate words in this moment. For being you. For pulling me out of that portal. For not turning me away when you found out just how badly I blundered. For trusting me with your life, and your heart. And, if I may be so frank, for the best damn kiss of my life.”
Her lips trembled slightly, but she managed a smile. “You’re very welcome. Most welcome, one might say.”
He raised an eyebrow at her and easily returned her smile at the memory of the moment they shared in the Weave.
A timid look crossed her face. Gale loved this very cute, very bashful side of her previously unseen by him.
“What is it?” he asked her. “Is there something you wish to ask of me?”
“Yeah,” she replied, “Can I sleep here? That’s probably an absurd idea, since it’s such a small space, and I really do mean cuddling and then sleep-sleep, no sexy stuff, but if you don’t want—”
He cut off her deluge of words with a soft, short, but sweet kiss, of a completely different sort from what they shared before. It was a gesture that was clearly loving and reassuring.
“You are most welcome to stay here with me tonight,” he told her after pulling away from the kiss.
He placed one arm around her and gently guided her to lie down on his bedroll beside him. She curled up against him, laid her head on his chest, and draped an arm across his waist.
“Good night, Gale,” she whispered.
“Good night, Liriel.”
Blissful sleep followed.
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galebrainrot2024 · 8 months
Text
Gale x Tav Enemies to Lovers Part VI
This part is a bit shorter than the others, critical plot ahead though, be warned. Gale POV once again.
Surprise, shorties.
Gale followed silently behind Tav, Shadowheart and Karlach as they began their trek to the Goblin Camp. The group was uncharacteristically quiet, the strain between Tav and Gale palpable and coupled with the anxiety that comes along with any battle. Even those with hearts of steel forged in the fires of courage and might experience the nervousness that creeps through the body and seeps through your bones and into the very marrow of your being. Even heroes understand that life is precious and nothing is guaranteed. 
When Tav explained their mission to them earlier, she spoke directly to Karlach and Shadowheart and tangentially to Gale. Today they were launching their final assault on the camp, leaving no stone turned or rather, no goblin alive. 
“The leaders are dead, there are only a few more on the outskirts of their camp.” Tav pulled out a crudely drawn map and pointed to a spot on it, “This is where we’re headed. There’s normally a scout stationed here,” she dragged her finger along the map, all four of their heads huddled over it. Tav looked up at the sky, the darkness of an impending storm looming above them. “We should move, while the weather’s still on our side.” 
“And what if there are more than we anticipate?” Gale asked, the question was innocuous enough - he wasn’t trying to challenge her, he liked to be prepared. He should have anticipated that she would not see it that way.  
Tav ignored his question and Shadowheart, also a pragmatic, echoed him. “Tav - Gale has a point. Regardless of whatever qualms you have with him, he’s right as much as I hate to admit it.” Shadowheart gave Gale a sly smirk, she was teasing him. “We need to have a plan if things go awry. It would be foolish not to.” 
Tav shot a dirty look at Gale and he shrugged smugly. She rose her eyebrows and pursed her lips, “We’ll be fine. They’re just goblins.” 
Fine with me, he thought, his arms crossed across his chest as he absorbed the task at hand. He heard Shadowheart’s annoyed, but compliant huff and Karlach chuckled, pumping her fists in the air. “Poor fuckers, have no idea what’s about to hit them.” 
** 
As they began their sneaky, eastern decent upon the camp, Gale’s knees creaked and he groaned. “This is no fun at all,” Gale grumbled. He hated sneaking, he hated being crouched like this. It felt ridiculous. There was an entire cliff face between them and the Goblins. Who was going to see them? 
Karlach snickered, whispering, “You alright there, Grandpa? I think they heard that crack all the way in Elturel.”
“Ha-ha,” Gale said mockingly, releasing a puff of air from his nose, “Very funny.” Tav shot Gale a withering look and he rolled his eyes, and then stuck his tongue out at her childishly as she turned around, something that sent Karlach into stitches. 
“I like sassy Gale,” Karlach whispered and Tav once again gave them a look of death, eyes like daggers into the spirit. “Alright, alright message received solider.” She held her hands up defensively and smiled at Tav, hoping to defuse the situation. 
They crept along the cliff-face, launching their assault from the side. Tav would go first, killing the scout, and the rest would follow. Simple, easy she said. Taking down the leaders had apparently been a cake walk which eased Gale’s anxiety a bit. Tav quietly and efficiently killed the scout, gesturing for the rest to move. 
They lined the crumbling wall, prepared to attack. Karlach jumped, succumbing to her rage and threw a spear wildly at one of the Goblins - nothing quite like the element of surprise - and so it began. Gale heard the blood rush through his ears as his heart thumped loudly in his chest. After so many days back at camp, he had forgotten how thrilling being in the thick of battle was. Everything becomes crisp, every sense heightened as he looked in the face of death. 
“Gale, NOW,” Tav yelled, signaling for him to launch his attacks. In one fell swoop, Gale pulled at the Weave, focusing his adrenaline into what he knew best - magic. Tav launched multiple patches of grease that Gale followed, hitting with fireballs that lit the Goblins up and sent their charred bodies writhing into the dirt. 
A low rumbling in the skies portended the weather ahead, the clouds darkening as a maelstrom brewed above them. The rain was hardly a mist at first before it deluged them with water, pouring down as if the Gods themselves sent down a tsunami. Gale’s hair clung to his face and he noticed an ogre headed straight for Tav - she hadn’t said anything about ogres - her back was turned and by the time he locked eyes with her it was too late. 
You know the feeling when you’re dreaming how everything feels ridiculously, painfully slow, that even when you try to shout your voice catches in your throat, when you try to run it feels as if you’re pushing through molasses - the world ground to a halt for Gale and he felt suspended in time, as if it happened in slow motion.
There she was, on top of the crumbling wall, the ogre barreling towards her with a spiked club in hand. “TAV!” Gale tried to yell, but the sound of the torrential rain and thunder drowned out his voice.
He watched as the club made contact. A THWAP reverberated across the camp and her body spun as if she were a rag doll. She fell from the wall, the sound of cracking bone and cartilage assaulting his ears. “NO!” Gale cried out, his movements inhumanly quick as he throttled the Goblins before him, killing them in one volatile flick of the Weave and rushed over to her, falling to his knees. “Tav, TAV,” he brushed the soaking hair from her face looking battered and bruised, her lips blue. His hair plastered to his face from the rain, heavy drops rolling into his mouth as he shielded her. 
Time stopped. His heart felt ripped from his chest as he struggled to find a pulse. “SHADOWHEART, SHE’S NOT BREATHING. COME, QUICK, PLEASE,” He shouted to her from across the encampment as he held Tav in his lap, the evident swelling of broken bones and internal bleeding consumed Tav. He was shaking violently, holding her against him. Karlach was in a frenzy to hold the rest of the Goblins back and took down the ogre as Shadowheart sprinted to them. 
Shadowheart dropped to her knees, closing her eyes and hovered her hands over Tav, casting cure wounds but it wasn’t working. “I don’t know what’s wrong,” she was frantic, trying other spells yet Tav’s wounds remained, her body deadly still. “I can’t… I can’t find a pulse, Gale. I don’t.. this is beyond my abilities…” Shadowheart’s voice was barely a murmur, drowned out by rain and thunder. 
“You must,” he hissed, still holding Tav in his arms as the rain poured in his eyes and soaked his robes, Tav’s blood mixing into the fabric. “You’re a cleric, aren’t you? What isn’t working? Why isn’t it working?” 
“I don’t know!” She snapped, throwing a potion of healing to Karlach that she chugged as she single-handedly finished the goblins who remained. 
“You can’t be…” Gale gasped, his entire body quaking with a harsh sob. “No..no.. there must be a way...” His words caught in his throat, his entire body feeling as if it might disintegrate as he wept and held her against him. 
Karlach came bounding over and placed a hand on Gale’s shoulder. “We have to go. Now. I have an idea,” She scooped Tav in her arms as if she were light as a child, her fires doused by the rain, and Gale and Shadowheart followed dashing back to camp with as much haste as their feet could manage.  
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bluerose5 · 7 months
Note
Valentine’s request!!
Dammon/Karlach!! Just some soft cuddling and healing pleaseeee ☺️☺️☺️☺️
(Or, if you wanna hurt, Dammon/my Durge post BG3 lots of hurt/comfort 😭😭😭😭)
Late, but it's here! Ahhhhh look no hurt (not today at least). Plus Karlach/Dammon is just 🥺
...
After her companions returned to their camp, Dammon was surprised when Karlach found her way back to him with a bounce to her step.
"Ugh, are you still working?" she groaned, but her growing grin betrayed her. Her tail swayed back and forth, her excitement contagious. "Come on, you. Take a break already!"
"Karlach," he chuckled, taking a moment to wipe the sweat from his forehead. "I—"
"Please!" she begged. "For me?"
As if he could deny her anything.
"Oh, alright," he said, laughing when she pumped her fist into the air with a cheer. "For you."
She bounced up and down on her heels. Her smile alone was so radiant that Dammon was certain it could break through the shadows that threatened them, if given a chance.
"Thank you, thank you, thank you!"
"It's no problem, tru— Karlach!" he laughed.
Without warning, she had scooped him up into a bone-crushing hug. He grunted for a second, but there was nowhere he'd rather be than in her arms.
When she tossed him over her shoulder, he melted against her while she strolled onwards, talking about anything and everything that caught her attention.
Eventually, she set him onto his feet when they arrived at the docks.
They sat down, side-by-side, as their feet dangled over still, dark waters.
Karlach made it a point to shift closer to him with a lighthearted hum, so Dammon took the not-so-subtle hint, shifting closer to her until they snuggled up against each other.
Karlach pressed a kiss to his temple.
Their tails intertwined.
And when their lips found one another in a brief kiss, everything felt right in the world.
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Text
Andromeda looked to Astarion with a question in her eyes. The vampire levelled her with a look that said “ Absolutely not. ” 
Andromeda narrowed her eyes and sent a thought along the tadpole connection: They might have a way back to the surface?
Or , Astarion’s voice filled her mind, they might kill us and turn us into mushroom zombies. Who’s to say? But I, for one, would rather not take the risk!
Andromeda gestured to the world around them and widened her eyes: Since when have you passed up the opportunity to get your hands a little bloody?! It's not like we’re defenceless if they decide to turn us into mushroom undead! She pointed behind them to where the others were huddled in a darkened alcove, Karlach’s bright amber eyes locked on Andromeda.
Astarion looked between Andromeda and the others, then towards the looming figures ahead, then back to Andromeda. He tossed his head back and let out a quiet groan, pumping his fists at his hips as he threw the oddest looking temper tantrum Andromeda had ever seen. She grinned, knowing she had won this round, and slid out from behind the boulder.
She carefully stepped through the torch stalks, feet light as she danced along the same path the duegar had shambled. She could barely hear Astarion’s feet hitting the gravel behind her, but she could hear his quiet grumbling over the turn the day had taken. As Andromeda made her way across the empty space, she saw the figures guarding the space beyond turn to her and cock their enormous, trumpet shaped head to the side. Their long arms extended toward her, movements still graceful as if they were floating along the ocean. 
I am Sovereign. You are a stranger to us, Flesh-walker , Andromeda heard in her mind, Why have you come? It was the same regal voice, deep and commanding, that had permeated her mind the previous night. Her feet staggered to a halt and she clutched at her head as a wave of psionic force swept over it - the threat of violence was clear. She focused on her tadpole, on pushing the memories of the past several weeks out in the direction of whatever force was permeating her mind. 
We mean you no harm . She pushed the thought towards the presence, and hoped it would be enough to satisfy whatever it was looking for. 
It paused, considering all she had shown it, and then she felt the presence in her mind recede, pulling back like a wave. She loosen a breath that she hadn’t realized she had been holding as the looming figures ahead parted to allow her to pass. 
You may descend to me. We will speak . 
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eeldritchblast · 7 months
Text
(Belated) WIP Wednesday
Tagged by @razrogue ❤️ - here's a snippet of my Marin x Wyll x Karlach Avernus fic I'm very slowly working on!
Wyll was the type of person that you could easily tell when he was having a nightmare. Even Marin, who was notoriously bad at reading people, could see how pained his face was. Marin wondered what exactly bothered his sleeping self so much that he would look as hurt as he did, but didn’t have to wonder very long; she knew Wyll well enough by now to know it was Mizora. It was always Mizora. The cambion hunted them for sport for months now, sending her many minions after them, and on at least two occasions, bothered to show up herself. They had been lucky thus far, but Wyll couldn’t escape her in his dreams. Not when she still had a hold on him and his whereabouts, as long as he had his sending stone eye. According to Wyll, removing it was impossible, at least for the time being. The same magic that kept it lubricated also kept it firmly in place, and Mizora in contact with him anytime she pleased. “I hate seeing him like that, but I don’t want to wake him,” Karlach quietly voiced Marin’s own thoughts too. The tall tiefling woman looked even taller when she stretched out, her bones cracking in relief from laying on the hard ground. She was supposed to be sleeping as well, as it was Marin’s turn on watch. “He needs the sleep.” “So do you,” Marin said. “Nah,” Karlach waved it off, and admittedly, she was probably handling Avernus the best of the three of them—physically, at least. With her infernal engine heart pumping well and good, she barely got tired at all. Marin on the other hand, as a water genasi, felt like the dry, hot air was constantly sucking away her life. It made being intimate with Karlach a little more difficult, because she just didn’t have the energy to keep up. But Karlach was as patient as she was capable of being. Wyll stirred, and for a moment Marin cursed them for talking too loud, but he still did not wake. Marin watched Karlach slowly shuffle herself closer to him, and wipe at his forehead. Even in his sleep, somehow the touch was soothing to Wyll, as his jaw and fists unclenched. “He loves you, you know,” Marin whispered. “I know,” Karlach nodded with a soft smile, then looked up to meet Marin’s face. “He loves you, too.” The feeling was mutual. Marin thought back to the night she and Wyll danced together; the tension that hung in the air when their lips were so close to meeting. She wanted to kiss him so badly…
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ficbrish · 10 months
Text
WIP Wednesday
[29Nov2023]
This is from a one shot that's part of my Kinktober collection
"The Cave"
“Ugh, jus’ leave it, Vis,” Karlach groaned.
The cave dripped with echoes and stalactites; its wet air swallowing Karlach’s booming voice within layers of soft stone. Her frustration burned hot enough to cast dancing shadows across the others’ faces.
She spoke directly to Vistri’s wriggling butt. There was something shiny she’d spotted behind a spiderweb that Vistri just had to have. Karlach almost regretted mentioning it.
“Hang on,” Vistri said with reaching effort.
Astarion sighed, “You know just how she has to get her hands on everything. We’ll get out of here faster if we don’t argue.”
Gale shot an eyebrow over at Astarion, “You’d know that, wouldn’t you?”
Karlach threw her head back and howled. Her laughter shook the cave.
“Do you want to get us all killed?” Gale shushed her urgently.
“Spiders are fucked mate. We’re the only ones left.”
“We don’t know that for sure though, and I’d rather not be taken by surprise.”
“Astarion, darling?” Vistri called, still a floating butt to the three of them, “Do me a favor and hold my bum? If I could reach just a little further…”
Gale wiggled his brows again, “Go on, Astarion. The bum awaits!”
“Grab her bum!” Karlach chanted, “Grab her bum!”
He rolled his eyes at them before walking over to take hold of her hips.
“Aaaaay!” Karlach and Gale cheered.
Astarion pouted, standing behind her. There was no way to steady her that wasn’t suggestive.
“Now, really!”
The other two were losing it.
“Ah HAH!” Vistri cried out triumphantly.
She shot up so fast, and so completely covered in spiderweb, that webbing splattered all over Astarion.
He spat, “Augh! That went inside my mouth!”
“Worth it!” Vistri said, showing everyone her prize: Forearm wraps that were embroidered all over with silver thread. They were made of a hard, dark leather and laced up along the sides.
“Oh, those are quite lovely,” Gale commented, stepping closer.
“No!” Vistri pulled them back, “I won’t let you eat these!”
“I wasn’t!—I wasn’t going to eat them. And I don’t eat magical items, I absorb them.”
“These aren’t magical anyway, they’re just pretty.”
Gale sighed, “I wasn’t…”
Astarion grinned, “Not as pretty as you, my dear.”
Vistri flipped one of her braids, “Aw, stop!”
Karlach frowned, “Eugh, they’re being all mushy again! Gale, tell them to stop. It’s too much cuteness, I can’t take it.”
“Why do I have to tell them to stop?”
“Cuz you’re like a dad.”
“I’m not—“
“You are!” Vistri laughed, “You’re just like someone’s dad.”
“Not the Daddy vibes you hoped to give off, eh?” Astarion teased.
Needless to say, Gale pouted the whole way back to camp.
When they got there, Karlach announced, “Gale is everyone’s dad!”
“Oggy! Oggy! Oggy!” Wyll chanted.
Karlach pumped her fist in the air, and Gale had to duck as she shouted back, “Oi! Oi! Oi!”
Astarion noticed the way Vistri made a beeline for Shadowheart. He watched them chat as he “tidied up” his tent area.
“You’ll never guess what I found inside of a spider web,” she said as the others fussed over Gale.
Shadowheart raised a brow, “Lolth’s chosen?”
“No, and how dare you,” she brought the armor out from her pack, “I found these beautiful things.”
She didn’t look too impressed.
“They’re… Nice.”
Vistri narrowed her eyes, “Well, thank goodness they’re not for you.”
Astarion watched her leave to show off her new find to Lae’zel, and then Wyll and even Halsin. She started to walk towards Withers but seemed to think better of it halfway and doubled-back to him.
“It’s because of the undead thing, isn’t it?” Astarion smirked as Vistri approached him.
“What?”
“Nothing.”
“Right. Do you sew?”
“What?”
Vistri held up one of the arm bands, “The thread is loose here. Look!”
Astarion smirked, “Are you asking me to fix it?”
She rolled her eyes, “No.”
“It seems to me that your new treasure is soiled and I’m the only one you trust to mend it.”
“That isn’t un-true.”
“So you’re asking me to fix it?”
“No, silly!” Vistri looked into his eyes, “You’re going to offer.”
Insolence was the word that came to mind. Her blinking grin said, I have a need you’re lucky enough to fulfill, but her eyes were not so sure. There was something weak in them, like slipping fingers. They were on a precipice that hung on his answer, Was she worth it?
“Would you like me to fix it?”
Vistri smiled warmly. It reached her eyes, “Oh, darling! How kind of you! Of course.”
She shoved the object into his hands. He didn’t let her go just yet.
“Say thank you,” he demanded softly.
Vistri held her breath, her eyes grazed over his lips.
“Thank you.”
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chaos-is-neutral · 1 year
Text
Flower Braids
Halsin had just finished with the council meeting for the month. This one had been a little bit longer than he would have liked. Tensions were high, to say the least. One of the other groves was riding on their asses about the next festival being held at their location, but honestly, Halsin couldn't care less. Right now Lyria was on his top priority since they would be due with the twins when the festival came. The last thing he wanted was a bunch of people coming and going that he had to watch while his partner could be in labor.
As he was walking back to his home he heard three familiar giggles out near the river. With a smile, he changed course to his three children. Oliver was working on what appeared to be a flower crown while Thaniel was braiding Aralia’s hair. The little five-year-old was talking away to her older brothers. Her horns had started to grow which caused her auburn hair to fall every which way. Karlach had said that when hers were growing her mother braided her hair. So, the boys had learned to braid to try and help her. 
When he walked into the clearing, all three of them looked up. Aralia gave him a big missing front teeth smile. “Daddy!” she giggled. She tried to get up to hug him but Thaniel tugged her back. “Not yet, Ara. Have to finish,” he grumbled. 
Halsin walked over and squatted by them. “Is Thaniel braiding your hair for you again?” he asked. The little girl attempted a nod much to Thaniel’s dislike. “When we were playing my hair got in my face and I accidentally fell. I hurt my knees,” she said and put her hands infront of her face, blocking her brown and red eyes as an attempt to renact what her hair was doing. It was as if that was just an everyday occurrence to her.
Which it was. 
Aralia had Karlach’s spunk. Being part tiefling also made her pretty durable too. It still didn’t stop him from entering dad mode and checking her knees.
“I okay daddy!” she giggled and moved her legs away. Halsin gave her a smile, “I know Lia, but you know Ani will be worried if they see your knees.” Lyria was already entering what Halsin liked to call mother bear mode. If anything happened to Thaniel, Oliver, or Aralia they freaked out until something was done to satisfy them. Poor Oliver was the last child to witness it when another child accidentally hit him during fighting practice. Karlach had to be the one to try and calm Lyria down. But it didn’t work, so she sent them to Halsin who had to be the one to calm them down by distracting them with questions about how he should go about the festival. 
“Ani won’t worry daddy. I good. See!” She bent her knees to prove her little point. It was cute that she didn’t understand. 
He chuckled and pushed his hair back out of his face. Halsin had been letting it grow out because Aralia asked him to. “You’re right,” he laughed. 
Halsin glanced back at Thaniel whose hair was falling out of his ponytail. He too wanted to grow his hair out with his little sister. Oliver was the only one who said no because he wanted short hair like Ani. 
“Want me to help you Thaniel?” Halsin asked and moved behind the boy. He sat down, crossed his legs, and grabbed some of his hair. Thaniel didn’t protest so he kept on.
He was getting in the groove when he heard Aralia shout, “MOMMY!” 
He glanced up to see his wife. It looked like she had just finished a training session with the teens. The tiefling was wearing a band around her chest and her leather tights, showing off her muscles. It made her look hot. Halsin had to tame those thoughts for tonight. 
“You all are doing a hair braiding party without Mama K!” she acted shocked. Aralia shook her head no, despite Thaniel trying to keep her from doing it. “Join us, mommy! Daddy needs his braided,” she said pointing back to Halsin. He looked up at Karlach with a smile, “I think Lia is right. My hair is getting in the way.” 
Karlach did a little fist pump. It was cute when she got this excited. “Fuck yeah-”
“Karlach!” Halsin warned. 
“Sorry,” she whispered and walked over to him. 
He felt her get behind him. Without her engine, she did not run as hot as before. She still was the warmest out of the three of them and Lyria was always curled up next to her during the cold mornings. Karlach was gentle as she worked on his hair. Oliver ran over and placed some flowers beside them. “Here use these for your hair. I don’t need them for my crowns,” he said then running back to sit by Aralia. The two of them worked on the crowns while the others worked on hair. 
“There is my family,” Lyria said with a big grin. Oliver perked up and ran over to them. He was always closer to them than Halsin and Karlach. He wondered if it was because Lyria played with him before he reunited with Thaniel. They were the first real person to give him attention after years of solitude. They gave his head a pat before turning their attention back to everyone else. “Seems they have left us short-haired people out,” they laughed. Lyria said that but their hair was getting longer. The braid that the three of them each have had since their wedding ceremony looked like it needed to be touched up. Oliver laughed but shook his head no, “Maybe you Ani, but Ara and I have been working on flower crowns.” He held one up for Lyria. The bard smiled and put it on their head.
Halsin and Karlach were both watching with a smile. Lyria was practically glowing. One hand rested on their small bump as Oliver led them over to their little braiding line. “Mama K still needs her hair braided,” Karlach said with a smirk. “That you do. Let me help get you get all dolled up,” they said with a wink. 
Before Lyria could sit, Halsin felt Karlach get up. She ran off but quickly appeared with a cushion for them. Halsin stopped to also help them. “Guys, I can sit down,” they laughed but accepted the help from them. It was getting a little harder for them to move around and Karlach and he were worry worts. Once Lyria was comfortable, they got back into their spots and got to work. 
It was a wonderful way to end the afternoon. Lyria got them all singing while they braided. After that the three children ran around in the water, splashing away while the three of them watched and cuddled. By the end, Aralia was asleep against Halsin’s chest. Most of the flowers were missing from her hair now. Thaniel (who had no flowers in his hair now) and Oliver roughhoused with Karlach. Lyria was resting their head on his arms, trying not to fall asleep. Halsin smiled as he noticed the two little crowns resting on their belly. 
Halsin loved his family so much and thanked the gods every day for Lyria and Karlach. Tonight he would definitely show them all his love and appreciation. For now, though, he will cuddle his family and watch them have fun. 
Thank you for reading! I posted this on AO3 too if you wanna read
Also here are some headcanons:
Aralia is half-tiefling half-elf. She does have Karlach's, Halsin's, and Lyria's dna in her. Halsin found a potion that Lyria had to drink the first three months of their pregnancy that made the baby all theirs. She has very pale pink skin, horns, auburn hair, and two colored eyes. One red one brown.
Halsin, Karlach, and Lyria adopted Thaniel when they went to the shadowcurse lands to create their grove. Oliver never stayed out after playing until Aralia was born. After that, the two never combined again, unless they needed to. Later when they are older they learn to fight using that skill. They do “grow older”, but that is just because they want to grow with Aralia and their future siblings
Ani is Lyria's parent name. Being called mother made them dysphoric so Karlach came up with Ani.
Karlach can't carry kids because of the experiments done on her during her time in Avernus, so Lyria carries.
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limpfisted · 1 year
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When you were the Blade, Dammon wants to begin with, but he holds fast to what Karlach divulged about Wyll, voice softer. More tired. The mantle of Duke fits him like a poorly made suit. As in, it's too constricting a role. Dammon turns his head, smiles at Karlach waving at them before she scoops up more kids on her shoulders to spin around, and he steps closer to his partner's best friend. Soulmate. However their close bond goes. "As the Blade, you're obligate to slay fiends and heartless monsters. I think, if I ever hurt her, I would fall into that category rather easily." It's softly spoken permission for retaliation. He blinks, gaze cast to his hands. "I'm glad she has you in her life."
“I may tease her. And I will always tease you both…” He smiles. He does not look at Dammon. His eyes both focus on the children, on Karlach. A part of him always wonders what Mizora thinks, when she sees Karlach so happy.
“But I have never, not for one moment, wanted her to be mine.”
He nods his head. “She is not mine to give or take. I want Karlach to always be what she is, everything she is, wild, brilliant, impossible, free as she made herself, free as she was meant to be. She should burn, she should touch, she should sing, and dance, she should be with whoever she likes, whenever she likes, whether it makes her sad, or joyful, or angry.”
He sighs, a cheap, hot breath of laughter. “I fear more for you from her, if you hurt her.”
“I owe you a great deal, for letting me see her smile like this. More than that. For all you’ve done for her engine and her heart.”
“You will always have a place at my table. As long as I draw breath-you shall want for nothing.” He pumps a fist to his chest, over his heart, the badges on his uniform from new accolades, new years of service, “My Father always said—‘repay your debts, not just with ample interest, but with an investment in further kindness betwixt both parties.’ One good turn deserves another, and all that….”
“So, all that being said….”
He finally turns to him, with a much more serious, resigned expression.
“How much of a dowry should I prepare for the wedding?”
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bhaalbabebardlock · 8 months
Text
Daises on My Nightstand
Chapter 3 (part 1)- The Tiefling Party
Masterpost
AO3 Link
Summary: Ilara wants to be lost in the celebrations of their victory. Suggestive, sfw. Next chapter is nsfw!
"You'll join me for a drink, won't you?" There was joy, everywhere. Tieflings yelling, wine glasses clinking, everyone celebrating their victory. Ilara felt something almost close to... Peace. She tried not to think about the bard, about the thoughts she had been having. Everyone just seemed so happy. She turned back to Shadowheart, a smile tugging at the corner of her lips.
"I'd love to, let's go sit by the campfire." She pulled on her companions hand, leading her to sit by the fire where several others were already deep in their wine. Karlach especially.
"WE DID IT, SOLDIER!" She whooped, pumping her fist in the air. Ilara couldn't help the laughter that bubbled out of her, the warmth that spread through her as she drank her wine. If only every night could be like this.
"You know, I never pictured myself the hero." His voice slipped like velvet over her as he sat down, his fingers gently grazing her knee.
"And? What do you think of being a hero, Astarion?" She said with a smile. He frowned, quiet for a moment.
"I hate it. And what do I get for all my hard work? A pat on the head and vinegar for wine." She burst into laughter, the giddiness making her finally dissolve into giggles- much to her companions amusement. It was nice to see her so light, for once.
It was late when she finally stood, telling the others she was going to go to bed. She smiled at all of them, wishing that this moment didn't have to end, that tomorrow they wouldn't have to resume their long trek to the city, entering The Shadowlands. She hadn't quite made it to her tent before she felt cool fingers wrap around her wrist, tugging her back.
"My little treat, with her cheeks all flushed. You will join me in my bedroll tonight, won't you?" She turned to see Astarion, and as always, it took everything in her not to just... Gape. She swallowed, a coy smile crossing her face. It had been three weeks since they had all met that morning after the nautoloid crash. Two weeks since the first time he had fed from her- at first a begrudging agreement to sate his starved body, and now a nightly ritual that they both enjoyed. Maybe a little too much, if Shadowheart's grumbles every morning as she healed Ilara were anything to go by.
"Is that what you think?" She replied softly, not pulling her hand away.
"What I think," he purred as his eyes traveled down her body, "is that you would not possibly tell me no." They both knew the truth to his words, but she wanted to hang onto this moment just a little longer.
"Well what I think is that you can do a little better than that, can't you?"
He narrowed his eyes, his smile only growing wider. "What if I said that all these accolades form the tieflings are nothing compared to the sound of my name cried from your lips?" Goosebumps broke out on her skin, and she swallowed. When she replied, her voice was lower.
"Is that really all you've got, Astarion?"
"Say... Please," she purred. He pulled his face back to stare at her, and for the first time since she had met him, he seemed to be caught off guard.
His eyes burned as he took a step closer to her, his hand snaking around her waist to pull her in. "Every part of your perfect body whispers temptation." He leaned down to brush his lips against her ear, making a shiver go through her.
"Laying next to you at night, feeling the way your body shakes as I drink from your delicate neck, it's torture. It's as if the gods made you to ruin me." She could almost laugh at the thought, if she wasn't so frozen by the sound of his voice, the way his hands felt around her waist. Her, ruining him. She did not think that's what was going to happen.
"Say... What?"
"Please," she smiled. He stared at her for a moment, his eyes still burning with heat.
"Please," he finally said, his voice a whisper. Another shiver went through her as she closed the already small gap between them, pressing her lips to his ear.
"Good boy," she said softly. She would do anything to hear again and again the laughter that fell from his mouth as he dipped to kiss her.
"Cheeky little pup. You'll pay for that."
***
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