#so shadowheart pushed her off and she still ended up blocked until i found the one tiny spot it allowed me to resurrect her in

[galaxymagick]

gale origin playthrough🔮

lae'zel... i'm... sorry i truly am

[littlelostmabari]

4. Eating/Cooking Together

Pairing: Shadowheart x Halsin x Tav. Tav isn't described, and uses no pronouns.

Warnings: A teeny bit of angst, but they're all happy.

Word count: 1.3k

It's all just fluff. Fluff fluff fluff. Thanks to @kelandrin for the lovely BG3 Pride Prompts! (Link to that post here) (Dividers here)

The sun was grazing the horizon when the door to Chateau Buttercup was gently pushed open to reveal a form waddling through the barn with a stack of boxes too tall to carry with any ease. 

“Halsin?” a voice called out from behind the boxes. “I brought the – oof!” The boxes would have fallen comically into Buttercup's stall, had there not been a wall of elf blocking the path. A rough chuckle and relief of the top three boxes revealed a tall, broad-shouldered Halsin wearing nothing but trousers, sandals, and the remnants of Buttercup’s thorough grooming. He easily hefted the three boxes up and over into the empty stall next door, following up with the second three a moment later, leaving Tav’s arms blissfully empty and sore. 

“Thank you, my heart, for helping me with this little surprise.” He opened his arms for a hug. Tav leaned back and made a face, gesturing to the leftover cow hair. Halsin laughed heartily, brushed himself off with a casual aire, and then leaned forward to place a kiss at Tav’s temple. He took care not to shed more Buttercup onto Tav than was necessary for the contact. “I’ll take care of the rest of this,” gesturing to the boxes now well hidden behind the faded red wood of the stall. “Why don’t you go and make sure she doesn’t come out here while I work.” 

Tav nodded, bent forward for one more temple kiss, and then hurried out the front of the small barn. It was easy enough to find Shadowheart this time of day — sundown was often a time where her mother could reliably remember herself. Shadowheart had taken to sitting at the foot of her mother’s lounging chair, allowing the older woman to run her hands through her daughter's silvery hair. Sometimes Tav would stand in the doorway, just watching as Emmeline carefully braided colored ribbons; Shadowheart would wear them with pride until they fell out of their own accord or her mother insisted on trying a new hairstyle. Sometimes Emmeline would sit back in her chair and Shadowheart would read to her, other times Emmeline would tell her of happy times before the influence of Shar broke their family apart. Arnell would often leave during the latter evenings, the knowledge of those lost years too much to bear in front of their new family. 

Tonight was a reading night, Shadowheart had climbed up into the chair with her mother and the two were snuggled, carefully perched on the extra wide armchair. The book was “Nimoneon’s Fantastic Adventures”, which let the two of them choose their way through the story. Shadowheart was endlessly amused by how often her mother chose the same pathways, because they had read often enough that they both knew the story by heart — and Emmeline would always pick the ending where Nimoneon found his true love and rode off into the sunset. 

Tav took the long way around their modest cottage, stopping to place a kiss on both women’s cheeks, before seeking out Arnell in the kitchen. He was busily stirring a pot of something that smelled extraordinarily delicious; it reminded Tav of the tomato stew that Yenna had made one night in the Elfsong. Arnell looked up with a smile and pointed at the vegetables still on the counter waiting to be added. The carrots and squash still needed chopping, and after a brief question on how Arnell wanted it done, Tav set to work. Tav also kept a careful ear out into the main room, ensuring that Shadowheart’s beautiful voice was still carrying through the cottage — and not interrupting Halsin’s carefully laid out plans. 

Thirty minutes later, Arnell announced to the room that dinner was ready, and Tav left the kitchen to gather the rest of the family to the table. Halsin needed five more minutes, so Tav took the time to make sure that the table was perfectly set, Emmeline and Shadowheart’s wine glasses full, and both women happily chatting about which choice they would make after dinner when they settled back into their peace. Arnell and Tav happily served the table, as Halsin entered the cottage with fresh clothes and hair still wet from rinsing off the day’s work. 

The stew was delicious, but Shadowheart’s eyes became more and more glazed over as the meal progressed. Tav and Halsin both noticed; Tav’s hand was on her thigh and Halsin’s on her back as her eyes welled with tears. She was clearly confused as to what brought on the sudden increase of emotions, and Tav looked to Arnell who was gently smiling at his daughter. 

“This was the meal you always asked for on your nameday, my sweet,” he said gently. “I’m glad to see you remember it.”

“I do,” Shadowheart said, with a small sob. “But there’s something missing, something sweet and crunchy and —”

“The bread rolls that your nanna used to make,” Emmeline interjected with a smile. “She made them with the local flour and added a touch of honey to the dough. Unfortunately those we lost when she passed, but she would be so happy to know that her rolls were something you remembered!”

Shadowheart burst into tears, reaching an arm over Tav’s shoulder and pulling Tav close. Halsin pulled both hands from the meal and used them to rub soothing circles into her back. It took a couple minutes but Shadowheart pulled herself together and wiped the tears away with the back of her hands. Arnell reached across the table and tossed a handkerchief, which she caught readily and finished cleaning away the mess that had been brought about by such happy memories. Tav and Halsin shared a worried glance, but it was quickly remedied when Shadowheart burst up from the table and ran to her father with a new set of tears. 

“Thank you, thank you, thank you,” she cried into his shoulder. Emmeline couldn’t help herself either, blowing her nose noisily into her own cloth. A few more moments passed before — “Wait,” she said, her head poking up from the embrace. “You said that I asked for this on my nameday? Why did you make it today?” 

“Oh, my sweet,” Halsin said sadly under his breath, shaking his head. Both Halsin and Tav stood, Halsin leaving the room quickly and Tav helping Shadowheart stand and return to her chair. 

“My darling,” Tav stated gently, kneeling at her feet. “It is your nameday.” 

Shadowheart’s eyes glanced about to her mother and father, who nodded. A smile began to grow, turning into a toothy grin and another series of tears left her eyes. “Kythorn 3,” she laughed. “With my propensity towards the dramatic, I would have bet I was a winter baby!” The table laughed along with her, and distracted her long enough for Halsin to enter with his and Tav’s gift in tow. He placed it gently in the space where the side table had been (Tav lied very convincingly that the side table never fit with the decor, and Shadowheart allowed its removal). 

Tav took Shadowheart by the shoulders and turned her to face an exquisite carving of the five of them, their beautiful found family, holding each other around a small opening, which was currently empty. It seemed as if a candle might fit, but Shadowheart knew better. Tav held onto her tightly from behind as she gestured a gentle incantation, a small call to Selûne, and a wisp of moonlight flickered into being above the circle of their love. 

“Happy Nameday, Shadowheart,” Tav said, clutching her tighter. Halsin’s arms wrapped around them both, kissing the top of their heads. Arnell wrapped an arm around Emmeline, kissing her temple as well. Shadowheart closed her eyes and leaned into the warmth of her partners, once again eternally grateful to be home.