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Summary:
After being raised as a commoner, you find yourself as the last in a royal bloodline, forced into a marriage with someone you’ve never met. He’s more than he seems. AKA: An arranged marriage AU with everyone’s favorite vampire.
Chapter List:
I. The Wedding
II. The Honeymoon
III. The Zhentarim
IV. The Hunter
V. The Camp
VI. On its way!
Can I request headcanons for Dammon, Rolan, and Zevlor react to his gn crush accidentally confessing to him?
Dammon, Rolan and Zevlor If Their Gender Neutral Crush Accidentally Confesses To Him Headcanons
Note(s) : The reader isn't Tav or durge they're just sort of a random person, I don't think the race is ever specified (correct me if I'm wrong) and neither are any described features or their class.
I'm not too knowledgeable of Dammon, Zevlor and Rolan's character in BG3 and I'm so sorry if the characters are wrong.
This is a mix of random general relationship headcanons as well as the random confession.
Dammon
He's all about outwardly caring for those he loves and he understands that love can come in many ways, he had a strong love for you before you had even confessed aloud, a mix of platonic and romantic feelings that he would showcase by doing tasks for you.
Whether he gained his crush first or you did doesn't matter in his eyes. What matters to him is that he doesn't know if you liked him back for quite a while, not until you had confessed that is. Dammon's not the type of man to make wild guesses about romance, even if you're more affectionate he doesn't think anything of it because some people are just like that with their friends and he thinks that it'd be presumptuous to assume.
He decides to eventually try and court you by making you small items or helping you as much as he could with his blacksmith job, things like necklaces, bracelets, maybe even armour, whatever you prefer, really.
Dammon isn't a fan of the typical Tiefling courting rituals, they're the same as humans but with violent and sarcastic speech, along with playful teasing and pushing their object of affection around. Of course, he won't judge if you do that to him, he can take teasing, but he much prefers to show his love through affectionate actions and words.
When you confess to him he gets more excited than embarrassed or flirty, he adores you and to know that you feel the same way as he does gets him a little giddy. He won't even realise that this could be embarrassing to you or even uncomfortable, straight away asking if you'd like to go on a date or be a couple. He does apologise after he realises how forward he's being though.
Rolan
In a relationship Dammon is very much someone who shows his love through acts of service, he'll craft things for you, help you with your job(s) and even just random tasks you might not want to or be able to do by yourself.
Sometimes he'll make random pieces of jewellery, he says that it doesn't matter if you want to wear them all the time, just as long as you like them. He accepts any gifts even if they're not something he likes, he can find a way to make it practical.
Dammon loves to tease you about your shy confession, in public and private. Unless you directly tell him you don't like it he'll randomly bring it up during conversation, when you're being cocky or teasing him it's an easy and fairly cute memory he can use to make fun of you.
Cooking is something that's interesting for the both of you, I don't think that he'd be too good at cooking or baking, not so horrible that he'll burn down a house, but not really good enough that you'd be able to have a lot of his food. Don't get him wrong, he'd love to learn, but he does prefer to have you cook while he gets ingredients and helps with any part of it that doesn't require anything that requires experience or talent in cooking.
His cuddles are very shifty, I don't think he likes to stay still for long and so you'll constantly be switching positions and he'll tend to play with your hair or hands if you let him. He might roll you around so you're laying on top of him, he's on top of you, you're sideways and hugging him, or he's hugging you, it generally just depends on how fidgety he feels on that day.
His kisses are short, he likes to give a small peck to your lips every few moments. Whether you're busy with your work or he is with his blacksmith work, then boom, kiss out of nowhere on your cheek or neck, he loves to catch you off guard and laughs whenever you get surprised by them.
Rolan personally doesn't do the typical tiefling courting strategy, of course he's sarcastic, but he's not going to be spewing out any violent speech when it's supposed to be a romantic hint to his feelings toward you.
His reaction would mostly depend on how it happened, and I can mainly see it going a few ways. Either A, you accidentally blurt it out during a conversation directly to him, or B, he overhears you talking about your love for him in some way, maybe going over a confession you're planning with a friend or you're just ranting about how much you like him.
If you blurt it out during conversation he's certainly surprised, but he is wondering if it's some sort of joke even if you're not that type of person. He will absolutely ask if Lyla or Cal put you up to this. Whereas if he overhears you he's much more likely to believe it's genuine, and he won't strut over while the other person is still there, he'll wait until you're done with the conversation and then strut over.
Whatever the way it happens, he will a hundred percent tease you about it. Nothing too heavy and it's mainly a ploy to confirm that you do in fact like him, just so he can make sure the situation is correct and he's not just assuming. He'll just outwardly say things like 'So, you have feelings for me?', 'a birdie seems to have told me about your feelings.', etc.
When you confirm you do in fact have romantic feelings for him he's over the moon, of course he won't outwardly show it and attempts to act suave, he's failing miserably and stumbles over one or two words at first, with false cocky arrogance and deepening his voice to try and make you more embarrassed than he is. Although, if you look down at his feet you can see that his tail is swishing back and forth.
In a relationship he's a mix between awkward and suave, he loves to tease you but if you tease back he gets huffy and storms off, not because he's angry, but because he's just so embarrassed. Especially if you do it around his siblings, Cal and Lia will help you make fun of him but he won't forgive you, unless you give him a kiss or gift him a new book and then it's history.
Rolan will sometimes remind you of how you so forwardly and awkwardly confessed to him to try and make you embarrassed, whether or not if you actually bite back or not doesn't matter, but he loves to do it when you flirt with him first. Oh, you think you've caught him off guard? Well, here's his ultimate trap card! Unless you're not embarrassed by it, then he's stuck trying to remember some other event that could make you embarrassed.
Zevlor
He's not too great at cooking but he can absolutely try for you, he's better at baking because of the strict step by step instructions, but for cooking where it mainly relies on taste and altering recipes he can struggle a little. Rolan does that cute thing if you like to cook or bake where he wraps his arms around you from behind and gives you a lil' kiss.
His cuddles are very 'bear hug' like, when you're spooning him he always asks you to wrap your arms around his waist and push yourself against him fully, he adores the closeness and comfort of it. When he's spooning you he does the same, arms around your waist, his face buries in your neck, making sure to position his horns away from your face. He prefers cuddling in bed and laying down rather than sitting up or on the sofa, the sofas smaller so it makes it harder to get comfortable in his opinion.
Rolan's kisses are always short and sweet, gentle and usually he'll give two or three pecks in a row because he can't get enough of you. Sometimes he'll kiss you for longer or more passionately, usually if one of you is upset or had a long day and just needs one another to relax.
So, Zevlor's not exactly the most confident or well sought after in the romance department. His age shows on his face and many people seem to be turned off by it, of course there's the whole issue with his past that many tieflings dislike him over, which they make painfully clear.
Although of course, one man's trash is another's treasure, that's where you come in. You both express interest in one another, if you don't catch on due to differences in culture, a general misunderstanding or complete obliviousness, that's up to you. But Zevlor does try to court you.
Regardless of the fact that he's single and has been for a while, he still values romance to some part. Even though it's not to the point that he actively wishes for a relationship or is miserable outside of one.
Overall, Tiefling courting rituals are similar to human courting rituals, but with a lot more grim gallows humor they use to cope with being shunned in most societies that you might not be comfortable with. In Tiefling spaces a common dark joke is 'The fastest way to a man's heart is to either make it laugh it up, or cut it out of him.' If you are a Tiefling, or perhaps from a culture or a specific race that has similar courting rituals to a Tiefling, then he will most likely just stick with what he'd normally say. Nothing too intense, but definitely things that would make a stranger unaware of these traditions to raise a brow.
If you're a non Tiefling he might try to dial back what he would typically do to court one of his own race, in his years he understands that many races or cultures will show love through kind actions, but for Tieflings, courting is all about sarcasm and being a bit more 'violent' verbally. But, if a Tiefling didn't like you then they wouldn't pick on you.
Many Tieflings in the grove are already, painfully so, aware of your little crush on the old Tiefling man. Whether it's because you've talked to them about it or because you're just so obvious, gossip can spread like a wild hellfire, everybody will know even if only one person does.
He most likely had one or two flings in his time, but to hear someone so suddenly admit that they have feelings for him is rather new, and, let me just say, I think he would have some clue before you even said it out loud. Zevlor would never outright think 'they love me', but perhaps would be under the impression that you admire him in some way, especially with how many tieflings try to hint to him that you do love him.
I don't think he would even attempt to court you if he didn't think you'd be at least a little interested.
Obviously if you're reading this you most likely want Zevlor to reciprocate your feelings and accept your confession, which he does, his confession back isn't blunt per se but he definitely gets his feelings across without mincing any words.
In a relationship he's a little awkward at first, but definitely not shy. It's mostly because it's been a while since his last lover but he also wants to make it work with you, but after a few weeks he really does begin to settle in. He'll suggest activities to strengthen your bond, like cooking meals for each other and the other tieflings, training with weapons or fighting styles either one of you might not be perfect with or against, and sometimes just taking a stroll around to admire nature.
Zevlor will adore it if you bite back with equal sarcasm, he is never outright rude, especially if he knows you can't handle it, but he does love a good playful back and forth.
I don't think Zevlor would ever tease you about your awkward and sudden confession in public, maybe with a few close friends of yours or his, but it's mainly when you two are alone and it's usually just if you tease him first. It's a fun little inside joke between you two that you can always find humor in.
Zevlor's great at cooking that can give you energy and also taste good with minimal ingredients, it's nothing spectacular that you can eat thousands of plates full of, but they're always able to give a pep in your step. He, however, isn't too good at baking, and so if you like to bake then he appreciates some lessons when either of you have the time.
I think he'd be rather awkward and stiff if you ever cuddle for the first few times, after a while he does learn what you both like and how to position himself to be comfortable for each other, but he feels very cumbersome especially if you're laying down. Zevlor prefers to cuddle on the sofa just sitting next to each other one arm around another's waist style.
His kisses are passionate and like the movies, that's the best way I can describe them. He wants you to know how much he loves kissing you and so he takes your breath away every time, if either of you are busy or in a rush he will give a small peck to your cheek as to not make you dawdle.
Child of the sun, come back
You had colorful memories, once: vivid flower fields, triumph smiles, faces that gave you comfort. But now, images of curtains with the sun behind blurred your mind, leaving darkness where color had been, once.
1122words / one shot / angst
note: after years of not writing anything, baldurs gate has inspired me to write just a little bit. ascended astarion has some good angst around him and i love it
There were days spent in the hollow main room, where the curtains protected your being from becoming dust. A lonely chair in front of the window, where just a peek welcomed a ray of the sun to meet the cold room. You just admired it quietly, desiring it to meet your flesh once more; to take you back to who you once were.
Astarion had said something once. He had stayed, observing silently, as if you were going to open the curtains and kiss the sun, leaving to another limbo. You knew it wasn't because he was scared, but everytime you came here, he appeared. Standing near the door where the darkness was, as if he were hiding from the rays of sunlight. He had yearned for them, once. Perhaps its familiarity had bored him.
But then, that company left, and the sun stayed.
“I don't know what's inside that head of yours, darling.”
He could know, but he chose not to.
Quietly watching as you hug your legs, your gaze peeking behind your knees. A ray almost looking magical, sacred. A plea to be touched.
Come back to me, child of the sun.
Child of the sun… you were, once. Someone had called you that, once. Who? You wondered—always did.
Sometimes you caught yourself forgetting memories; where once there were faces with prideful smiles, now rest the images of curtains, and that face, almost proudly, looking back at you with a high face.
Then, you hear it: a melody. Maybe inside your head, but it has been a long time since satisfying music passed through your ears. Closing your eyes, your head moves slightly with the rhythm. This palace had always been silent.
You stood up. Your legs moved by themselves—a curious thing, feeling as if something controlled you. Your hands dance delicately. This time, is enjoyable.
Someone taught you how to dance, once. A warm hand guided your clumsy steps to a magnificent piece. Warm compliments to keep you going. You had fun—you remembered that.
You danced, once. With who?
“You are dancing.”
You stopped, paying full attention to him. The room seemed darker.
“I was.”
Astarion just stared. Observing was one of his favorite pastimes all this eternity. Arms behind him, trying to interpret your curious actions. But then, he holds his hand for you to take.
“Dance with me.” This time it doesn't feel like a command—a request, perhaps. Either way, it required your obedience.
You accepted it, and in an instant, he had a grip on you—his left arm around your waist, his right hand taking your hand higher. A close proximity you expected. This Astarion loved touch—to be close. Weirdly, this grip was soft.
And then, he moved. You are confused by the dance—what was his intention? Slower? Faster? Your clumsiness appeared once more by almost falling, but the vampire’s hands kept you in place. The soft chuckle from Astarion fills your ears, and you feel something you hadn't felt lately—embarrassment.
When was the last time you felt anything, anyway?
“Why the rush, my dear? We just began.” He guided you. Back perfectly still, shoulders impeccably aligned, head high, with eyes staring back at you with a gentleness you didn't recognize. His true intentions were unknown to you. When those scarlet eyes held such tenderness just for you in this present, you didn't know if they were real, or if the meaning behind them was something completely different.
Either way, this mystery game tired you and holds no meaning anymore. Resting your head on his chest, the melody that once was, dissolved, leaving you in a cold silence. The curtains blocked the sun, and the rays of light weren’t as strong as before. Were they afraid, of the dark in the room?
“I was a child of the sun, once.” You muttered more to yourself than to him.
“You were, once.” A different grip—tighter, afraid to let go; or, maybe, caging you to not break the connection. But was it a connection when one line was severed? When the other side was unresponsive?
There was no answer when his response was final. A tone that you use with a child when they should not question further. You are happy without divulging. Ignorance is a bliss. Stay with me. Why do you even think of leaving?
“This is what you wanted—to stay with me.” He reassured, whispering over your ear as he pressed your bodies together.
“Of course I did.” An instant answer. To you, it is a justification for your predicament. To him, it is a decision you made for love. A meaning that both sides had something in common: to stay beside each other for eternity, even if the concept of love was morphed according to whom the person is.
Then, he stopped, and so did you. Opening your eyes, you looked at him, only to see unusual fragility in that crimson. The dance already forgotten; his hand moved to grip your jaw, leaving a gentle kiss. Your eyes flickered to the hidden windows—slightly opened, letting the curtains dance, too.
Strange tenderness. There’s nothing.
He broke the one-sided connection. Crimson eyes wandered your face. “Your meal is soon. I advise you to get ready, my love.” He doesn't leave. He needs an answer.
“Of course.” The response satisfied him, as he freed your jaw from his grip. He takes backwards steps with his arms on his back, observing again. You took the chance to study him, too—exactly the same as you can remember. Curled soft hair, as white as snow; stance looking proudly, But that face…
“I’ll wait for you.”
“Yes.”
Unfortunately, such embrace almost meant nothing. A chore, perhaps; or maybe, a burden only a puppet can keep on doing. The cruelty of it all left hollowness, and even the memories had left you.
The rays of light seemed to exist again once his presence was gone. There's warmth once the sun remembers you, calling what was before your name. To come back to them.
You had a name, back then. Your friends called your name, once. They didn’t erase it. They didn’t call you things you weren't.
The memories belong to the curtains. What you once were, belongs to them now.
You had a reflection. You had warmth. You had mortality. You had the sun. You had him. You had—
You opened the curtain.
The window had no reflection for you.
But it had such a loving embrace you didn’t have in many years.
You came back to me, child of the sun.
Yandere!Gale X Reader Please don't read this if you are uncomfortable with the yandere! tw: obsessive behaviour, mild somnophilia, non-consensual kiss
The camp greeted the night with peaceful silence. Another difficult journey was behind us. A fight with a small group of goblins left everyone exhausted. After a serving of hot stew, you immediately dozed off on your sleeping bag, not finding the strength to change your clothes. The fire crackled behind you, warming you pleasantly.
A mysterious silhouette separated from one of the tents and moved towards you. The firelight illuminated him, revealing Gale. The man sat down next to you and looked at you thoughtfully. He had a warm cloak folded in his hands, which he immediately covered you with. Gale froze, looking closely at your face. Never before had he been able to enjoy such closeness. A reluctance to leave settled in his heart. You slept in ignorance of how beautiful, how stunning his eyes saw you. Road dust stained your cheek. Gale reached up to gently wipe your face. Rough fingers touched your face. His heart stopped for a moment.
"Gorgeous," a barely audible whisper escaped his lips.
----
Gale felt especially brave. He leaned towards you, one hand on the ground and the other still on your cheek, and kissed you. His lips touched yours for the first time. The Netherese Orb in the wizard's chest began to pulse. He frowned. Gale wanted so badly to deepen the kiss. He wanted to see how far he could go before you woke up. But the curse in his chest made him stop. What is he doing? It's too dangerous. What will he say if you catch him doing something like this? Gale tensed. He realized that his actions were wrong. But how can he resist when you're so close? He runs his nose over your face and kisses the corner of your lips, showering light kisses all over your cheek, eyebrow and chin. After this, Gale hides her face in your neck. He enjoys your warmth and natural scent. He counts the pulse. Gale's eyes begin to close. He would like to stay with you in his arms. But he knows you won't be happy to see him so close. You are comrades. Maybe a little bit friends. But not lovers. And it makes Gale's insides hurt. He hopes that time will change that. He leaves one last kiss on your neck. You moan softly in your sleep. Gale's face flushes. He's happy to elicit this reaction from you. He would really like you to stay awake and give yourself to him willingly. But all he can do tonight is leave before someone catches him and things get complicated.
-Sweet dreams. See you in the morning - he says goodbye tenderly and gets up to go to his tent, followed by someone's gaze from the darkness.
From now on, Withers will keep the wizard's secret along with many other secrets of his own.
Where the hell is yandere Gale? (The man is an ideal husband. But he's so desperate that he'll blow up the sphere if you leave him.) Or yandere Wyll? (He sold his soul to devil. He has nothing to lose. He really tries to move slowly, but the world is such a dangerous place :с ) What about yandere tieflings? (Almost the whole world does not like them and despises them. These guys are ready to grab anyone who tells them one kind word. They are so hungry for love.) And we don't talk about yandere illithids either? (Try to escape the Emperor when he's in your head.)
Am I supposed to do everything myself? Incredible. I roll my eyes theatrically
I just hope there is at least one collection of illithids jokes in Faerûn. Tav is required to read every joke to the Emperor. Dude will never admit he chuckled once.
This work lay in drafts for a very long time. Now I have translated everything. Woohoo! (Reminder: English is not my native language. There are mistakes here)
Please don't read this if you are uncomfortable with the yandere! Pairing: Yandere! Ketheric Thorm x Reader, Yandere! Enver Gortash x Reader, Yandere! Orin the Red x Reader tw: platonic obsession, manipulation, restriction of freedom, mention of murders
I'm ready to throw an idea at you. Attention. You get into the bg3. BUT you aren't Tav and you aren't together with Tav. You find yourself among the Chosen Three. And they become platonic yandere!
Ketheric Thorm, Enver Gortash and Orin the Red will know that you know about their future. You know how to achieve certain events, as well as how to prevent it. Keeping you close is not only a necessary measure, but also an advantage. From now on, they must do everything to prevent Tav from finding out about you and taking you away.
You spend the least amount of time with Ketheric Thorm. As the leader of the army, he is always in the most dangerous places of the war. Besides, the Moonrise Towers are a dangerous place. There are a lot of killers there. You are usually in full view of Ketheric. Over time, you begin to get used to it. Ketheric listens, but often doesn't pay attention. You can tell him anything. At this time he goes about his business, sometimes nodding to you. But if you suddenly ask him a question, he will simply look at you menacingly, making you afraid. The old man is not angry. He just didn't remember anything you said and doesn't want to admit it. Your voice helps him not to worry. If you're still talking, it means you haven't been eaten. Therefore, he can continue his business. When you leave the Moonrise Towers, Ketheric looks with bitterness at the things you leave behind. It reminds him of the times when he was still a father. Perhaps he will put your drawing or note in one of his books.
Orin will become friend or foe depending on your decision. If you refuse to help them, She will find ways to make you talk. Her ideas about the world are very perverted, so friendship with Orin barely differs from enmity. She will take great pleasure in fooling around with you. She likes to scare you by telling you colorful ways of killing you. You will probably not be able to make friends because of her. It's hard to trust someone and tell your secrets when that someone could be Orin herself. She will need time to convince Gortash and Ketheric to allow you to visit the Bhaal’s Temple. They don't trust Orin. The more disgusted you are by the atmosphere of her temple, the more fun she will experience. In the depths of his bedroom, Orin will get a little soft. She will let you play with her hair. And she will talk about the teachings of Bhaal, but not with the intention of scaring, but with the desire to share something hidden for her. She will also want to teach you how to make a sacrifice to her god correctly. If you refuse, she will be upset, but will not insist. (Gortash made it clear to her that she should not break you.) Then she brings you back and avoids you for a week or two. It's new for her to feel this way. Not even her family received this honor. When she calms down and copes with unusual emotions, she will visit you again. And she will promise to kill you in the most beautiful way possible when necessary. It's not a threat. This is her expression of love.
It is with Lord Gortash that you spend the most time. His castle is safe, and the Steel Watchers walk around the city everywhere. You are well dressed and always look great to match him. High society is asking questions about who you are to him. Are you a lover, relative, decoration or pet? Only you and Gortash know that you are a means to achieve his goals. And only Lord Gortash knows that you are someone he has grown more attached to than he should have. He gives you almost anything you want, but expects you to cooperate in return. In addition, Gortash believes that just looking beautiful next to him is not enough. Therefore, all your free time (which is not much) will be occupied with training. If you escape from the castle (which is absolutely impossible), the guards will bring you back. Gortash is perhaps the only one among the owners of three stones who understands that your usefulness is not constant. Everything can go along the route you know with minor changes in his favor. Or it may happen that what is happening will become completely new even for you. Sometimes he jokes that he will throw you out when you become useless. But you still remember how Lord Gortash got angry at the impudent Count for asking to take you as his wife and Gortash ordered the insolent man to be executed.
----
Somewhere in the universe, the Emperor turns the table in a rage and demands Tav to quickly find and save (kidnap) you. (I don't know how he found out about you ._.)
----
Tav sighs tiredly and silently agrees. They're too tired of all. They just hope that their new future ally will be a little less problematic than everyone else in the camp.
Druids are the most cunning in the camp. They often turn into animals. You can't resist cuddling their cute little faces. They get nose kisses and ear scratches. Sometimes you let them sleep next to you. Everyone else in the camp looks with envy at the arrogant predators who are constantly taking you away.
(Gale will not give up until he has turned over all the libraries of the world in search of a potion or spell that turns a person into an animal. Perhaps he will forget to find a way to get back in advance. But as long as you scratch his cat ears, he won't complain )
Dammon x reader
You work in a shop not far from his forge.
Dammon takes a break every day to look at you with a yearning look.
You don't even realize that someone is watching you while you go about your normal routine.
Dammon greedily remembers every little thing about you.
Every evening, before going to bed, a man scrolls through your image in his head.
Sometimes his brain rewards him. He dreams about you. How you tenderly hug him, seeing him off to work, and kiss him passionately when he returns.
He wakes up lost and excited. Half asleep, he searches for you with his hand, but then remembers.
Dammon is terribly embarrassed.
He cursed himself for never having decided to talk to you.
The next day, his day off. Dammon feels especially brave. He finally decides to visit your store to get to know you.
I swear he hit his finger with a hammer at least once because he was staring at you.
Everyone in the camp is ready to fight for the right to go to bed next to you. Hugging your warm body in sleep and listening to your breath. They have fights every damn night. You're so tired of all of them. You just fall asleep, cuddling comfortably with the Owlbear and Scratch while the idiots quarrel
I finally did it! Thanks to everyone who helped me. Commenters gave me wonderful ideas. :3
I remind. My English is terrible. Feel free to correct my mistakes if you wish.
Yandere!Astarion X Reader Please don't read this if you are uncomfortable with the yandere! tw: obsessive behaviour, yandere thoughts, non-consensual drinking blood, interference in other people's relationships
Astarion leans over your sleeping form and inhales. The sweet smell fills his lungs. He can hear the blood flowing through your veins. He hears your heart beating in your chest. This reminds him of how excited you get when he flirts shamelessly. Astarion runs his cold fingers down your neck. You start to wake up and he is forced to leave.
Shadowheart recoils from the evil vampire. She's a little ashamed that she hurt you. But it's not her fault! You yourself jumped out in front of her during the battle and were hit by a spell. It's just an accident. The girl wanted to heal you, but Astarion suddenly flew into a rage and did not allow her to get closer to you. Shadowheart looked at the man in bewilderment. There was no trace of his usual playfulness left on his face. She decided to retreat. In the end, he will handle such a simple task as applying ointment to your small burn.
Astarion loves it when you describe his appearance and shower him with compliments. However, the hardest part is getting you to start doing it. He's too proud to ask directly. The entire camp sees how needy he can be sometimes. But no one will ever admit it unless they want to die bloodless that night.
You and Gale are standing near the fire and looking at each other. This time the conflict has crossed all boundaries. You sigh in disappointment and ask him to leave the camp. He doesn't argue. This was an obvious result. Astarion will find you a little later to console you. You and Gale didn't get along from the start. Astarion hugs you, hiding a satisfied smile in your hair. Now everything is in the past. No one will remember the phrases spoken by Astarion that sowed mistrust. “He hides too much. It’s dangerous to trust him.” "They would kill you if you were even the least bit useless." “He has no right to demand that you solve his problems, especially in such a tone.” “Hi, Gail. I think they almost told the Followers of the Absolute about you today.”
Astarion successfully repelled an attack that you did not notice. Having dealt with the enemy, he looks at you. You look tired. You can barely stand on your feet and hold your weapon with a trembling hand. You no longer have the strength to pretend to be healthy. Astarion then says that you both need to go back to rest. You complain of itchy bite scars. "It won't heal." Astarion looks at the fresh scars from last night. You don't need to know that he is eating more often than you allow him to. The vampire says casually, “Your body must just be weak from illness.” Astarion takes you in his arms. You try to weakly resist, but you both understand that it’s faster. You fall asleep on his shoulder. Man inhales your scent. Astarion really wants to bite you again, but he restrains himself. Eventually he will have to give you a break or you will die.
Oh God. I love him
I'd like to write some headcanons yandere Astarion. But i need help. Does anyone have any idea? Please share this with me :3
Astarion X Reader
masterlist
funnily enough, there is no sex in this fic. Just a short drabble of communication.
The campfire crackled under the dim twilight, casting long shadows across scattered bedrolls and worn boots. The air was still thick with the scent of the last skirmish blood, sweat, and a hint of singed hair. Everyone was winding down. You sat cross legged near the fire, arms resting on your knees, deep in thought. Astarion lounged nearby, wine cup in hand, eyes glittering in the firelight. He watched you closely, as he often did, as though trying to read your every thought like a well worn book.
Then, with all the casual weight of commenting on the weather, you announced. “I think I’m going to have sex.”
Silence. Even Lae’zel paused mid sharpen, casting you a side glance. Astarion straightened slightly, eyebrows lifting in both amusement and interest.
“Are we now?” he drawled, setting down his cup. “Well, I’m flattered. Not surprised, of course but flattered.”
You blinked. “What?”
Astarion leaned forward, lips curling. “Darling, there’s no need for coyness. If you need someone to… satisfy your sudden urges, I’d be happy to oblige. Gods know I’ve been waiting for you to finally admit it.”
You stared at him for a beat, then snorted. “Oh. No. I wasn’t talking about you.”
The silence that followed was somehow louder than the last one. Astarion’s smile twitched, just a little. “I beg your pardon?”
You shrugged, nonchalant. “I was thinking… probably Gale.”
Astarion looked like you’d just slapped him with a wet sock.
“Gale?” he repeated, aghast. “You’re choosing the walking arcane lecture over me? That man has more monologues than passion, and his idea of foreplay is a history lesson.”
“He’s sweet,” you said simply, pulling your cloak tighter around your shoulders. “I don’t know. I just feel like I need to get it out of my system. Nothing deep. Just… need to do something irrational for once.”
“Gale,” Astarion muttered again, then let out a sound between a scoff and a laugh. “This is some sort of fever dream. Or perhaps a punishment from the gods.”
You smiled. “Astarion, not everything is about you.”
He grinned back, sharp and wounded. “It should be.”
You stood up, stretching. “Anyway. I haven’t decided yet. Maybe I’ll sleep on it.”
“Oh, by all means, take your time. I’ll just be here, knowing I was passed over for a man who talks more to his floating book than to actual people.”
You gave him a pat on the head like an annoyed cat and turned toward Gale’s tent.
Behind you, Astarion called out, “If he starts reciting poetry during the act, run.”
The fire had long since crackled into glowing embers, its warmth now a quiet hum in the cool night. The camp had settled into silence, the sounds of rustling blankets and steady breathing drifting in from the other tents. Astarion sat alone, still where you’d left him, wine cup now untouched.
He stared into the dark woods, eyes unfocused. He wasn’t thinking about monsters or traps. No. Something far more unsettling had taken root in his mind.
You. You and your ridiculous declaration. You and your infuriating unpredictability. You and… Gale. He scoffed aloud, quiet and bitter. Gale, with his grand words and glowing hands. Gale, who probably asked for consent like it was a spell component.
It doesn’t make sense, Astarion thought, fingers curling slightly at his side. You’re allowed to bed whoever you wish. You owe me nothing. I never claimed to He paused. Frowned.
“Gods,” he whispered into the dark, realization dawning like a slow, creeping horror. “I’m jealous.”
The word felt foreign on his tongue. He almost laughed him, jealous? It was laughable. He’d never needed anyone before. Never cared if someone wandered off after a flirtation, or if they found pleasure in another’s arms. That was the whole point, wasn’t it? Pleasure without consequence. Desire without attachment. But tonight, watching you casually toss aside what he thought was a mutual spark no, knew was had stirred something ugly and unfamiliar in him.
“I don’t get jealous,” he said aloud to the night, trying the words again, firmer this time. “I don’t do jealousy. It’s beneath me.”
But the fire in his chest said otherwise. It wasn’t just bruised ego. That he could handle. He wanted you to choose him. Not out of convenience. Not out of need. But because you wanted him, just him. He leaned back against a log, running a hand through his hair with a low groan. “This is an absolute disaster.”
For the first time in centuries, Astarion wasn’t sure how to play the game. Worse, he wasn’t sure he wanted to play at all. He wanted to be with you. But how the hells did he even begin?
Morning crept into the camp slowly, light spilling over bedrolls and dewy grass. Birds chirped far too cheerfully for anyone’s liking especially Astarion’s. He sat on a rock near the fire pit, legs crossed elegantly, skin glowing like always, and of course he looked amazing. Until you walked out of your tent.
“Well, well,” he drawled without looking up. “If it isn’t the temptress of the Weave herself, back from a night of sonnets and magical satisfaction.”
You stopped mid stretch. “What?”
Astarion turned to you, faux innocence painted across his face. “Oh, don’t play coy. I’m just dying to know how our dear Gale fares in the bedroom. Did he conjure you a glowing review? Perhaps summoned a satisfaction score from the Weave?”
You blinked, then burst out laughing. “Calm down, loverboy. Nothing happened.”
His smirk faltered.
“…Nothing?” he repeated, cautious.
You dropped onto a log across from him, grin wide. “Nope. We talked for like ten minutes, then he got distracted explaining the theory behind dreamscapes and how the mind processes intimacy while unconscious.”
Astarion looked like he aged a century. “Of course he did.”
“I almost fell asleep standing up,” you added. “I think at some point he forgot I was there.”
Astarion made a strangled sound in his throat and tossed a twig into the fire. “Well. I’m sure that was incredibly titillating.”
You rested your chin in your hand, watching him with a glint in your eye. “What’s with the attitude? I said nothing happened. A girl’s allowed to have urges, you know.”
His eyes flicked to yours, fast and sharp. “…Urges?”
You shrugged, teasing. “Yeah. Just figured it was time to get it over with. Stress relief. You know health reasons.”
Astarion narrowed his eyes. “You were going to treat it like a medical appointment?”
“Exactly. Routine check up. The doctor was just… overbooked.”
The vampire groaned and threw his head back. “You’re going to kill me.”
“Mm, maybe I will, we will just have to wait and see unril you stop being jealous.”
“I wasn’t jealous,” he said quickly. Too quickly.
You raised an eyebrow.
“I was… annoyed. That’s different.”
“Mhm. You sure you weren’t picturing Gale putting on a robe and lighting candles while reading me his dissertation on foreplay?”
“I hate how accurate that sounds.”
You chuckled again, leaning back on your hands, eyes on him now with something softer. “You’re cute when you’re bitter.”
Astarion’s gaze flicked toward you again, but this time there was something quieter in it. Something careful. “And you’re a devious minx when you laugh like that.”
“Oh?” you smirked. “Scared I’ll seduce you with my wit?”
He looked away, but a smile tugged at the corner of his mouth.
“No,” he murmured. “Scared I already am.”
––––You sat cross legged on a blanket just outside the camp, your sketchbook resting against your knees. Gale was beside you, hunched over his own page with careful strokes, charcoal smudged on the side of his hand. It was quiet. You could hear the rustle of paper, the soft exhale of Gale’s breath as he concentrated. Every so often, he would glance at your work, but he never commented unless you did first.
“Is that the Underdark cave?” you asked after a while, tilting your head toward his page.
He smiled, barely lifting his gaze. “It is. Not as foreboding on paper, is it?”
You hummed. “I would say it is still very foreboding.”
“I like it too,” he said, voice quiet.
You looked at him then how the light caught in his curls, how the frown of focus softened his features. There was something incredibly human about Gale in moments like this. Something grounding. Then he set the charcoal aside with a gentle sigh and glanced your way.
“I’ve been meaning to bring something up,” he said carefully. “Last night… when you mentioned what you wanted from me.”
You tensed slightly, setting your pencil down. “Right.”
“I was flattered,” Gale said with a small smile. “Truly. You’re… lovely, and clever, and far more patient than this strange journey has any right to demand. But I want you to know it’s not about you.”
You blinked. “What isn’t?”
“I don’t exactly know my stance on physical intimacy without affection. Not for myself, at least.” His gaze dropped to his hands, fingers lightly dusted with black. “It would feel hollow. Transactional. And I’ve already been part of one dangerous entanglement with shallow roots.”
You were quiet for a moment, then nodded. “I understand. You deserve real love.”
Gale looked up at you again, softer now. “We all do.”
You bit your lip, nodding again. “I respect that. I hope it didn’t seem like I was pressuring you.”
“Dont worry your pretty little head about it. I know. You’re too considerate for that.” He paused. “Which makes it even more baffling how you endure him.”
You blinked. “Who?”
Gale looked toward the center of camp, where Astarion was perched on a fallen log, basking in the sun and pretending not to eavesdrop. “That creature,” Gale said, voice dry. “A walking vanity project, Honestly, it’s like camping with a predatory peacock.”
You snorted.
“Oh, don’t get me wrong,” Gale continued, warming to the roast. “I’m sure he’s quite talented in the dark. centuries of seduction will hone one’s… muscle memory but I imagine it’s about as emotionally fulfilling as being serenaded by a harpsichord made of teeth.”
“Gale.”
“No, really. He pouted for twenty minutes this morning because his hair got flattened during trance. He looked like a drowned cat who couldn’t manipulate the mage hand spell to fix it.”
Astarion glanced over then, voice saccharine: “You’re talking about me again. I must be ravishing to live rent free in the brain of a man who hasn’t even kissed anyone this decade.”
Gale raised a brow. “I’d sooner kiss a gelatinous cube. At least it wouldn’t try to kill me afterward.”
You covered your mouth, barely muffling your laugh. Astarion scoffed but didn’t move. what? he was listening. he couldnt help it.
Gale’s voice softened slightly then, a lilt of sincerity slipping beneath the sarcasm. “But jokes aside… be careful.”
You blinked. “With Astarion?”
He nodded. “He’s clever. Charming. entirely capable of making himself whatever you want him to be until he’s not.”
Your gaze dropped back to your sketchbook, heart thudding.Then, as if to break the weight of it, he chuckled faintly. “Besides, if we’re talking about primal urges, I believe our resident vampire spawn has more than enough… enthusiasm to spare.”
You laughed, leaning your head back. “You think Astarion’s dying to jump my bones?”
“Oh, I know he is. He practically disintegrated when you told him nothing happened between us.”
“He did look like he’d swallowed a lemon.”
“He looked like he’d been given the feast of the century. Honestly before you said anything, I haven’t seen a man so heartbroken since… well, me.” You nudged him with your shoulder, smiling. “But,” Gale continued, quieter now, “just remember there might be someone else who wants that closeness with affection. Someone who might be afraid you’ll offer it to someone else first.”
You turned your head slowly, eyes meeting his. He didn’t say Astarion’s name again. He didn’t need to.for the first time in a while, your heart beat a little faster not from fear, but from the weight of someone else’s longing you hadn’t quite dared to name.
The sun had risen high enough to dry the grass and heat the stones, but the camp was still unusually quiet. Most of the others had wandered off some hunting, some meditating. You were by the water, splashing your fingers across the surface, letting your boots dangle in the current. Astarion’s shadow fell over you before his voice did.
“You know,” he began, casually enough, “I’ve been thinking.”
You looked up. He was standing just off to the side, arms crossed, expression unreadable but his eyes were trained only on you.
“is that new or did you want to share with the class,” you said
He huffed a laugh but didn’t banter back. He just stepped closer, his voice quiet. “Why didn’t you ask me?”
You blinked, confused for a moment. “What?”
He met your eyes now. “When you decided you needed… something. That night. Why didn’t you come to me?”
You turned your gaze back to the water, thoughtful. “Because I couldn’t.”
He tilted his head, studying you. “Couldn’t? Why?”
You were quiet for a long moment. Then, with a breath, you said, “Because I just wanted meaningless sex. Nothing more.” Astarion flinched not outwardly, but in the smallest corner of his expression, in the way his mouth parted like he’d just been stung. “And that’s not something I could ever have with you.”
You turned to face him now, fully. “Out of everyone in this camp… you’re my best friend. Like, yes, I care about the others. Gale’s a good man. I trust him, I do. But the bond I have with him it’s not like what I have with you.”
Astarion stood there, silent.
“With you,” you continued, voice softer now, “I can’t turn it off. I can’t just pretend it’s only physical. You’re not a passing urge. You’re the person I go to when I can’t sleep. You’re the one I want near me when things go wrong. You’re the one I trust when I don’t trust myself.” He blinked slowly, like the words didn’t quite register at first.
“And if we crossed that line,” you added gently, “I don’t think I could ever call it meaningless. Not with you. Not even if I tried.”
The air felt still around you, like the world was holding its breath. When Astarion finally spoke, his voice was rough around the edges. “I think you just ruined every one of my excuses for why I’m not already in love with you.”
You gave him a smile, wide eyed surprise. He sat down next to you without asking, his shoulder brushing yours. “I’m not saying I am,” he added quickly. “But if I were… that would’ve made it a lot worse.”
You laughed softly, leaning your head on his arm. “Sorry.”
“No, you’re not.”
“…No, I’m not.”
Astarion Ancunín X Reader
Synopsis- how do you both really understand each other. Why can’t you love like real people do
“I know very little about this man, but as a devoted lover of Hozier, this song made me think of him….. Oh, did you see me complaining the other day about all Astarion fics being the same? Shut up and read the story. I know you all will still read it, you desperate whores.”
ू(ʚ̴̶̷́ .̠ ʚ̴̶̷̥̀ ू) The night was cool, the stars burning quietly above as the two of you sat a little away from the camp. The others were asleep, but you knew Astarion wouldn’t be resting at least not yet. He never truly let himself rest, even when his body was still.
The firelight flickered across his face, highlighting the sharp angles of his jaw, the way his red eyes seemed almost golden in the dim glow. But there was something dark lingering in them tonight, something unspoken that had been clawing at him for days.
“I had a thought, dear,” he murmured, his voice soft but carrying an edge of something wary, almost sharp. “However scary.”
You turned to him, sensing the shift in his mood. “Tell me.”
His fingers twitched where they rested on his knee, as if he were debating whether to reach for you or not. He didn’t. Instead, he exhaled, gaze fixed on the fire.
“About that night,” he continued, his voice quieter now. “The bugs and the dirt. Why were you digging?” His eyes flicked to yours, searching, unsure. “What did you bury before those hands pulled me from the earth?”
You swallowed, understanding what he meant what he was truly asking.
You had found him, once. Broken, lost, a ghost of a man forced into survival. You both after the ship were so lost. You had reached for him without hesitation, pulled him from the dark, and given him something he still didn’t fully understand. But what had you sacrificed to do so?
You sighed, your fingers curling in the fabric of your sleeve. “Maybe… maybe I buried the part of me that thought I could walk this world alone.”
His lips pressed into a thin line. “That’s a poetic way of saying you were already broken.”
You frowned at that. “I never said I was broken.”
“No?” His head tilted slightly, his gaze never leaving yours. “Then why? Why care for me, of all people?” He let out a hollow laugh, shaking his head. “I’m not some tragic hero in a story. I am selfish. I am cruel when it suits me. And I was. am. a man made into a monster. You should have left me in that grave.”
His voice cracked on the last word. He hadn’t meant for it to, but it did.
You reached for him then, slowly, giving him time to pull away if he wanted to. He didn’t. Your fingers found his, cool and trembling, and you held them tight.
“I care for you,” you said, voice steady, “because I see you.”
His breath hitched.
“You are not just what he made you,” you continued. “Not to me.”
Astarion turned his face away, as if your words were something sharp he couldn’t bear to touch. His throat bobbed, his fingers tightening around yours.
“You make me feel real,” he whispered, as if confessing a sin. “And I hate it.”
You exhaled a quiet laugh, squeezing his hand. “That’s alright.”
He turned back to you then, something vulnerable and raw in his eyes. “You’re alright with loving a man who doesn’t know how to love himself?”
You smiled, shifting closer until your foreheads nearly touched. “I think that’s why I love you, Astarion. Because I want to show you how.”
His breath shuddered against your skin. For the first time in centuries, he let himself believe.
Astarion was quiet for a long time. The fire crackled between you, but his fingers remained tangled with yours, his grip just tight enough to keep him tethered to the moment. You could feel it the weight of everything he wasn’t saying, the ghosts of centuries clinging to him like a second skin.
He had told you pieces of his past, but never all of it. And you had never asked. You watched the way his jaw tensed, how his shoulders curled inward as if bracing for something inevitable.
“I will not ask you where you came from,” you murmured.
His head turned slightly, red eyes flickering toward yours in quiet surprise.
“I will not ask you,” you repeated, voice gentle but firm. “Neither should you.”
He exhaled a breath he hadn’t realized he was holding. Something in him loosened, something old and afraid.
“You don’t want to know?” His voice was almost cautious, as if the question itself was foreign to him.
You shook your head. “I want to know you. Not the things you were forced to do. Not the chains that bound you. Just you.”
Astarion swallowed hard. He had spent so long believing he was only what had been done to him, that there was nothing else nothing worth salvaging. But here you were, sitting beside him, holding his hand as if he were someone worth touching.
As if he were someone worth loving.
Slowly, his free hand lifted, brushing over your knuckles. A hesitant, unfamiliar gesture. His eyes studied the way your fingers curled into his, as if trying to understand why you weren’t pulling away.
“I don’t know who that is,” he admitted, voice barely above a whisper. “I don’t know who I am without, without him.”
You squeezed his hand, grounding him. “Then let’s not look back. Let’s just be here. Now.”
Astarion let out a soft, shaky laugh, closing his eyes for a moment. When he opened them again, there was something lighter in them something fragile but real.
“Here. Now.” He tested the words, as if rolling them over in his mind. Slowly, carefully, he let his head rest against your shoulder.
For the first time, Astarion let himself exist without expectation, without past or future. Just here. Just now. with you.
The fire had burned low, glowing embers casting long shadows across the ground. Astarion still leaned against your shoulder, unmoving, his fingers still curled around yours. He felt real like this warm, tangible, not just some fleeting ghost of a man lost to time.
And yet, something lingered in his eyes when he finally looked at you. Something raw.
“I knew that look, dear,” he murmured, voice hushed in the stillness of the night. His red eyes searched yours, sharp and knowing. “Eyes always seeking.”
You parted your lips to respond, but his fingers cold, careful lifted to trace along your jaw, silencing you.
“There was someone once, wasn’t there?” His voice was softer now, almost gentle. “Someone you buried long ago.”
Your breath hitched.
He tilted his head, his eyes flickering over your face, studying every shift in your expression. “So I will not ask you why you were creeping,” he murmured. “In some sad way, I already know.”
Your throat tightened. Because he was right.
Maybe you had found him in the dirt, broken and lost, because some part of you had been buried there too. Maybe you had seen your own ruin in the ghost of a man clawing his way out of the earth.
But none of that mattered now.
Not when Astarion was here. Not when his hand slid from your jaw to your cheek, his touch trembling but sure. Not when his breath mingled with yours, and his eyes softened in a way you had never seen before.
“Honey,” he whispered, his forehead resting against yours. “Just put your sweet lips on my lips.”
His lips barely brushed yours hesitant, uncertain. A question more than a kiss.
And you answered.
You pressed forward, slow and deliberate, your fingers tangling in his curls as you pulled him closer. Astarion inhaled sharply against your mouth, his other hand gripping your waist as if anchoring himself to the moment. He kissed you like he wasn’t sure he was allowed to, like he was still waiting for the moment you would realize he wasn’t worth this kind of tenderness.
But you didn’t pull away. Instead, you kissed him like you had all the time in the world. Like he was someone worth keeping.
quiet and still, save for the soft crackle of dying embers and the distant rustle of leaves in the wind. The world felt small in this moment just you, Astarion, and the fragile space between you.
His fingers lingered against your cheek, cool as marble, trembling ever so slightly, as if he still wasn’t certain you were real. As if he wasn’t certain he was real.
You watched the way his expression shifted, the war within him written across every furrow of his brow, every flicker of doubt in his crimson eyes. There was a time when he might have masked it all behind a teasing smirk or a well-placed quip, a time when he would have used charm as a shield. But here, now, he let himself be bare before you. No pretenses. No games. Just the truth of him, laid out in the fragile press of his lips to yours.
And gods, how fragile he was beneath it all. How much he had been taught to believe he was unworthy of this, of you.
His forehead stayed pressed against yours, his breath shallow. He didn’t speak for a long time, only let his fingers trace idle patterns over the back of your hand. Then, so softly it was almost lost to the night, he whispered, “I’ve never had this before.”
You swallowed, your grip on him tightening. “Had what?”
His gaze flickered up to meet yours, something raw gleaming beneath the firelight. “something that meant something.”
You felt your heart twist at that, at the quiet pain woven into his words. The idea that a touch so simple, so human, could feel foreign to him. That intimacy had always been a transaction, never a gift.
Astarion let out a breath, shaking his head. “I spent centuries pretending I had control. That I was the one taking, the one winning. But I wasn’t, was I? I was just…” He trailed off, his fingers curling into his palms. “I was nothing. I felt like nothing.”
You cupped his face then, guiding his gaze back to yours, refusing to let him slip into the past. “You are not nothing, Astarion.”
His throat bobbed as he swallowed. “And yet, I still don’t know how to be something.”
“Then we’ll figure it out together,” you murmured.
His lips parted, as if to argue, but whatever words he meant to say withered before they could form. Instead, he just… looked at you. Like he was seeing something new, something terrifyingly unfamiliar. A possibility he had never let himself hope for.
He exhaled a small, shaking laugh, leaning into your touch. “Gods, listen to me. You kiss me once and suddenly I’m a blubbering mess.”
You smiled, brushing your thumb along his cheekbone. “I don’t mind.”
He huffed, but there was no real annoyance behind it. Only something softer. Something aching.
Astarion shifted, his body relaxing against yours, his head once again resting on your shoulder. This time, though, it was different. He wasn’t just leaning on you. He was allowing himself to be held.
The fire dwindled further, shadows stretching long and deep. But you stayed like that, with your fingers tangled in his, with the slow, steady rise and fall of his breath against your skin.
For the first time in centuries, Astarion let himself be vulnerable without fear.
For the first time in centuries, he let himself stay.
:0
Listen, I am all for Larian’s beautiful cutscenes and character moments —
— but why the fuck weren’t we allowed to comfort Astarion after he murders Cazador?
(Consider this a little fix-it fic for that specific moment in game.)
His cries were heartbreaking to hear.
They echoed throughout the dungeon, bouncing off the walls and reverberating in your ears, making your chest tighten further and further.
His body shakes as his cries die down, shifting back to rest on his knees as his eyes blankly stare down at Cazador's corpse. Stray tears drip down his cheeks and mix with the blood that coats his face, yet he makes no move to wipe any of it away.
Astarion's neck and body stand rigid as his ears begin to ring, drowning out the sounds of the confused spawn that surround him. Their voices sound muddled in his head, buzzed little whispers that he can't decipher.
He's dissociated completely, separated from reality in a way that makes your heart crack. His eyes were blank, devoid of that usual mischievous spark that never failed to make you smile. Now he was a hollowed out man, one troubled by a past that he had just ripped himself from -- by means of murder.
Slowly, you approach him, your hands planted firmly against your sides so that you would not be tempted to accidentally overwhelm him. Your eyes rake over the entirety of his figure -- his blank eyes, his devoid expression, his hunched body. You couldn't put into words the heartbreak you felt simply by gazing at him.
"Astarion."
His head just barely tilts in your direction, as if he hadn't heard you properly. Unlike the voices of the spawn that surround him, your voice sounds as clear as day to him. It pierces through the ringing that buzzes in his ears, reaching him with a softness that feels so foreign yet so familiar at the same time.
You kneel down beside him, glancing quickly at Cazador's corpse before your gaze flickers to glance at his profile.
Silently, you reach your arms out, wrapping them around Astarion's neck and lightly pulling him against your chest. He doesn't fight against your touch. Oddly enough, he finds himself leaning into it even though every atom of his body wants to fight and thrash against you.
"I'm here," you murmur to him, tightening your hold on him. "I'm right here with you."
Astarion's hands grip onto your arms that encircle him, his eyes falling shut as he soaks up the warmth of your embrace like a dried sponge.
And in your arms, his world goes quiet. But not in a way that scares him. No, this touch ... your touch ... it comforts him.
It reminds him that his actions were worth it in the end, for he was able to turn and find you still at his side.
Just a random, domestic scenario that I thought of about Astarion and it made me soft enough to put into writing.
Picture this …
Astarion, especially after everything that he’s been through with Cazador, definitely has to re-teach himself what it means to love without primarily focusing on physical intimacy. Everything that he’s ever known about loving someone, or rather, everything that he thought that he knew about loving someone is restricted solely to sex.
Of course, his understanding of love drastically changes when you waltz into his life. You with your words of affirmation, you with your soft hands, you with the hugs and kisses that don’t necessarily lead to something more. It strikes him as odd … why is it that you saw past his body and looked at him? Really, truly looked at him.
In the beginning, it scares him. It invokes a feeling in him that he wasn’t able to define, and in truth, it scared him. It scared him that every time your arms wrapped around him or every time your lips touched his, he felt warm. For a second, for one singular split second, Astarion felt alive.
And because of that, he pushed you away. It scared him even more when you actually let him.
“We don’t have to do anything you aren’t comfortable with,” you’d told him one night. You were sitting up beside him, his head resting beside your thigh while his eyes stared up at the flickering night sky. “I have no problem waiting for you.”
And wait for him you did. Never once did you pressure him into anything, never once did you make him feel as if your touch was anything but comforting — you didn’t want him to revert back to the mindset that he had become so accustomed to. When he reached for you, you did the same. And if he didn’t, you never grew angry with him.
For that, he was thankful.
All of your waiting comes to a head one night at the camp’s fire. As usual, you sit at Astarion’s side, both of you sitting in a comfortable silence. His fingers itch to hold yours, but he wills himself to stay completely still — even though he wants to hold and touch you, something in him roots him to his place, preventing it.
“Astarion?” He turns at the sound of your voice, blinking away the glazed look that had pained his eyes in favor of looking at you instead. Your eyebrows pinch together, creasing the space between your eyes. “Are you alright love?”
“Fine,” he answers, voice dead and cold. You hum, nodding your head, not prying any further. Even though he certainly doesn’t want to speak about what plagues his mind, a small part of him also wished that you would pry — likely because he knew that eventually, he would crack.
But you don’t. Because you understand the possibility that he would shut himself away further, retreating back to a place where you might not be able to reach him. “Alright, but if something is bothering you, you know that I am here for you.”
“That’s what … scares me,” Astarion whispers, his voice barely audible over the crackle of the camp’s fire. You turn your head to him, gaze catching his profile, silently waiting for him to continue. “Why do you stay … knowing that what you give isn’t reciprocated?”
His question catches you off guard. Was that what was bothering him? His inability to reciprocate the love that you so easily gave to him? Your heart sinks, eyes softening as you angle yourself to look at Astarion fully. The intensity of your gaze makes him feel as if you’re looking through him — through the flirtatious facade that he had put up constantly and seeing Astarion. Seeing ‘Little Star.’
Your silence worries him; makes him feel as if what he had asked you was wrong. Your lips are pressed into a firm, thin line with your eyes focused so intently on his own. Astarion feels as if you’re analyzing him … judging him. But you’re not, and he knows that you’re not.
“Because I don’t do the things that I do expecting it to be reciprocated,” you answer easily, allowing your lips to turn upward into a soft smile. A smile that begins to melt away the iceberg of worry nestled somewhere in Astarion’s chest. You inhale deeply, holding your hand up with your palm facing Astarion. “Here, if you’re okay with it, I want you to lay your palm against mine.”
Astarion’s eyes narrow, confused. His gaze flickers between your upheld palm and your eyes, which hold no ounce of malice or ill intent. Hesitantly, and very slowly, he lifts his palm. And slowly, very slowly, he brings it towards your own, laying it flat against yours.
Shockingly, the touch doesn’t burn. It doesn’t leave behind a searing scar that he would look at with distaste. Instead, it fills him with a comfortable warmth, one that reinforces the genuine love that you feel for him. The love that extends far beyond physical intimacy, far beyond sex — far beyond anything that Astarion had ever experienced.
“Something as small as this,” you say, not moving your palm from against Astarion’s, “is enough reciprocation for everything.”
He remains silent, watching you. You smile, and as if running on autopilot, he returns it.
Astarion, once he's comfortable with you, is definitely the type of man to sleepily reach for you when he realizes that you've rolled out of his arms at night.
Like the moment, and I mean the moment, that he doesn't feel you wrapped up in his arms, he's up. Sure, he's groggy as all hell and he can't properly see anything around him -- but all he knows is that he's not holding you when he most definitely should be.
He'll push himself up onto his elbows, squinting to see that you've turned yourself away from him and rolled out of his arms. Your back is turned to him, but he knows that it wasn't intentional.
With a fanged yawn, Astarion reaches for you again. His arms loop around your waist and turn you around, tucking your head beneath his chin. Instinctively, your legs tangle with his own, your arms adjusting to wrap around his midsection.
He grins to himself, content again.
Just thinking about Astarion as a personification of the trope "unamused until my S/O walks into the room."
Just imagine it.
Karlach had practically insisted that the group rest at a nearby tavern following a successful battle against a particularly nasty band of goblins. Nobody dared protest with her, not when you smiled and nodded happily along with her idea.
That led you and the rest of your companions to a small, rundown tavern on the outskirts of the town you had visited.
To be fair, Astarion had never been a fan of spending time in crowded places -- that much had been evident from the very start. You had always noticed that on the nights where you and the others gathered around the camp's fire Astarion would retire for the night.
You never pushed him, and for that he was grateful. And after all, he would have you to himself soon enough. You always sought him out after spending time with the others, ready to sleep curled up against his side and whisper to him underneath the moon's glow.
But this time was different, now he was surrounded by lowly creatures that he couldn't be paid to interact with. They danced happily and drank with one another, their happiness only adding to Astarion's very visible frustration.
He stands off to the side, his arms crossed firmly over his chest while his hardened scarlet eyes roam over the tavern's patrons. Shadowheart, Gale, and Lae'zel seem to be enjoying themselves, drinking happily and engaging in pleasent conversation. Karlach is most definitely enjoying herself, indulging in the tavern's ale and laughing heartily.
Astarion's ears perk at the sweet sound of your laughter, his eyes flickering to you. You were talking with the tavern's bartender, lips curled upward at something she had said to you.
The sight is almost instant; Astarion's eyes soften, the crease in between his brows vanishes, and the scowl on his lips is replaced by a gentle smile. He leans a bit more comfortably against the tavern's wall, attention focused on you.
He may despise going on, but to see you smiling and happy? Maybe going out wasn't so bad after all.
Can you write one where Astarion realizes that Tav is acting strangely because it's actually Orin and the actual Tav is kidnapped by her?? Thank you so much and I love your work!!
A/N - Oh my god I absolutely adore the trope of kidnapped lover being rescued (the parasites in me crave the angst). I hope you like this, I had a lot of fun writing it! So thank you @fanficlov-3-r <3
Preview - "And he knew that the others knew that little fact as well, considering that Shadowheart had already whispered to the others something along the lines of, '(Y/N) isn't amongst us.'"
Warning(s) - mature themes, foul language, canon BG3 violence
Word Count - 3.9k
Astarion prided himself on his ability to have memorized everything about you, from how your nose scrunched when you saw something you disliked to how your eyes sparkled when you noticed him staring at you from across the fire. It was those little things that simply made you … well … you.
Which was why he found it very offputting when he noticed your excessive alcohol intake while attending a Tiefling party. Yes, you liked to indulge in a glass of wine or two while you chatted happily with Astarion or any of your other companions – but never had he seen you cradle an entire bottle of wine to yourself and drink it in its entirety.
But that behavior was only one of multiple that he had noticed throughout the night; you were dancing with any Tiefling who offered their hand, you seemed to stray away from him and the others throughout the night, and the smile you wore did not reach your eyes in the slightest. It seemed fake, similar to the smiles that Astarion had once flashed at you to get your clothes off.
“Is it just me or does (Y/N) seem a little … off?” Shadowheart comments, her eyebrow raising as she watches you indulge another Tiefling in a drunken dance. You stumble over both your feet and his own, a detail that both she and Astarion narrow their eyes at.
For an oh-so-grateful leader, you were being careless tonight.
Astarion’s eyes follow those of Shadowheart’s, landing on you just as you are finishing a dance with your fifth Tiefling of the night. He bows to you shakily, and in return, you curtsy – another move that Astarion had never thought he would see you perform.
“I must say that I agree with Shadowheart. Excuse me for a moment,” Astarion abandons his half-empty wine glass, sliding it across the bar. The bartender raises a brow at Astarion, but says nothing.
You chuckle heartily as a Tiefling female approaches you, in her hands a sparkling glass of champagne. You take it from her the moment it’s offered, just about to bring it to your lips before a pale hand clasps over your shoulder.
“Ah-ah darling, I think that’s enough with the drinking for one night,” Astarion says with a fanged smile, angling himself so that he’s able to pluck the champagne glass from your hands quickly. You turn to him, eyebrows pinched together in an expression that mixes frustration and shock – as if you had been caught doing something that you shouldn’t.
“Come off Astarion, I can indulge if I so choose,” you retort quickly, fingers extending towards your glass. Astarion lifts his arm, the glass just barely out of your reach. “You are indulging tonight, are you not?”
He chuckles, his chest rumbling against your shoulder as his scarlet eyes rake over your figure. Something was wrong, it wasn’t just your general composure – it was everything down to the very way that you stood on your own two feet.
“While that is true, I am watching what I indulge in,” Astarion says, already glancing at Shadowheart, who nods knowingly. She mumbles something inaudibly then to Gale, and soon a secret message is relayed over all of your companions.
The Tiefling female had long since left your side, only adding to your annoyance that Astarion had come to your side. You turn sharply to face him, eyes narrowing at him.
“And just explain to me why you thought it necessary to disrupt my fun?” you snap, glaring daggers into the vampire who stands in front of you. Astarion merely sighs, pinching the bridge of his nose between his index finger and thumb. His eyes flicker over you again, and it is in that moment that he realizes something … you were most certainly not you.
And he knew that the others knew that little fact as well, considering that Shadowheart had already whispered to the others something along the lines of, “(Y/N) isn’t amongst us.”
“Because I know you (Y/N), and right now,” Astarion pauses only to yank you closer, lowering his lips to your ear. “You are not who you say that you are.”
You freeze in his arms, eyes flickering to look at him. The crease in your eyebrows vanishes, your expression of frustration replaced now by one of shock. “What are you on about?”
“Oh come on now, don’t play dumb with me,” Astarion growls, his grip over your wrist tightening, “I know (Y/N), and she would never indulge in such things of her own accord.”
You swallow the growing lump in your throat, not protesting as a very angered Astarion drags you out of the Tiefling party. He is quickly flanked by Shadowheart and the others, none of whom offer you looks of sympathy – if anything, they look just as angered as the vampire in front of you.
The moment that your feet touch camp, your wrists and ankles are promptly tied by Karlach, who offers you no answers even as you demand to know what in the hells is going on. Astarion stands quietly at her side, his arms folded over his chest whilst his mind promptly races.
Where were you? Who was sitting in your place? Where the hells were you?
With a singular wave of his hand over your body, Gale reveals Orin to the others, then steps back and glares down his nose at her. In response, her lips only turn upward in a grin, one that sends a shiver down the spines of those that surround her.
“Where is–”
“Oh please, save me the dramatics,” Orin says with a roll of her eyes, adjusting herself so that she sits comfortably. Her attention moves to Astarion, her smile widening at the sight of the expression that he wears.
“You have five minutes to answer our questions before–”
Orin’s head tilts in Lae’zel’s direction, her eyes crinkling as her smile widens impossibly further. Her lips part, a delighted chuckle falling from her lips. “Before what? You kill me? If I die, (Y/N)’s location dies with me.”
In a flash of white and silver, the blade of a dagger is pressed against the skin of Orin’s neck, pressed down just hard enough to draw a thin line of blood. Astarion kneels in front of Orin, narrowed eyes glaring daggers into her as his lips pull back in an angered growl.
“You will reveal (Y/N)’s location lest you want to end up a paled mess on the ground.” He was shocked by how much your disappearance had affected him – especially considering that he was supposed to be keeping his affection for you a secret from the others.
There was a reason behind his secrecy, however, a reason that you had agreed with when he had first proposed the idea to you. It was for your safety, for your protection. But it seemed like even with that … he still couldn’t keep the one thing that kept him sane safe.
Orin chuckles, leaning forward so that her nose just barely grazes his own. He can feel her breath as it fans over his face – it disgusts him.
“Is that so?” Her head tilts, another delighted chuckle bubbling up her throat and spilling over her lips. Astarion pushes the blade further against her, ignoring the yells of warning delivered by the other members of the party.
His eyes narrow, his eyebrows pinch together, and his expression hardens. Orin only chuckles again, sighing dreamily in a way that reminds Astarion of a hopelessly lovesick girl. Gods, what he would give to plunge the blade of his dagger into her neck.
“Fine, but I hope you know I’m not yielding because of your … intimidation,” Orin murmurs, pouting childishly as Astarion pulls her to her feet, still glaring at her. He says nothing as he drags her past the others, not checking over his shoulder to see that the others have followed him.
< … >
Another chilled shiver runs up the length of your spine, using your vertebrae as a ladder. You turn uncomfortably onto your side, trying once again to tug your ankles from their shackles. All you’re met with is the sound of rattling metal.
It had been a few hours … or perhaps even a few days since you last saw the others. You didn’t know – perhaps time worked differently when you were captured.
The last you remembered, you were walking silently along a forest pathway with Astarion a few feet behind you. You were engrossed in the beauty of the willow trees that hung silently over you, their branches serving you the beautiful luxury of shade that covered you from the sun’s blaring rays.
Just as you turned a corner in the forest, a cold hand that wasn’t Astarion’s clasped over your own, tugging you away into a forest patch. One good knock to the side of the head … and that was the last that you were able to clearly remember.
When you awoke, your ankles were shackled to a wall and your wrists were bound with rope, rubbing uncomfortably against your skin and leaving behind angry red marks.
Your body had been littered with marks; cuts, bruises, and gashes. At first, they hadn’t hurt you at all – but you blamed that entirely on your adrenaline. Now every cut burned, every bruise ached, and every gash felt as though it would never stop bleeding.
Surely every vampiric creature within a 50-mile radius could smell your blood … especially considering how much of it lay in a disgusting puddle surrounding your body.
A shaky breath escapes you, one that you surely hoped would be your last. Your teary eyes flicker around the cell that you’d been thrown into; the cell that lacked even so much as a window. You were completely disconnected from the outside world, and for a singular moment, you thought that maybe you had died.
And maybe you were okay with that now … with dying.
Even though for so long you had tried your hardest to protect everyone – practically throwing your life down on the line for the lives of your companions – being captured was making you realize something.
Maybe they didn’t care about you nearly as much as you cared about them.
If they cared, they would be searching for you. If they cared, you wouldn’t be bleeding out in some dank old cell with no way to know what time of day it was. If they cared … they would prove it, wouldn’t they?
A choked sob claws its way up your throat, legs curling inward. You wrap your arms around them, hugging them against your chest as your body curls inward into a fetal position.
They didn’t care. Not Gale, not Karlach, not Lae’zel, not Shadowheart.
Not even Astarion.
Astarion …
After everything that you had done for him. You had spared him that morning while walking with Shadowheart. You had let him stay in your camp even though he spat venomous insults each time you interacted politely with him. Hells, you had even let the damn man feed on you.
In exchange for your blood, he was letting you rot alone in a cell.
So much for helping others, you think quietly to yourself, tears slipping down your cheeks as your lashes flutter shut. A gentle numbness spreads over you as if someone had draped a blanket over you. It felt nice. It felt safe.
Your shoulders relax, your lips part.
One gentle breath falls from your lips before all goes silent.
< … >
“Come on now, I’ve led you right to where she is! The least you can do is entertain a conversation,” Orin complains loudly, huffing childishly as Astarion continues shoving her forward.
There was no lie to her words, she had led Astarion and the others to where she had thrown you – a dimly lit dungeon hallway that was only filled with the sounds of low groans and dripping water, but even those had become scarce the longer that they walked.
“The only thing I’ll entertain is your demise,” Astarion bites out, though he desperately wishes that he had kept his mouth shut. Orin doesn’t fail to catch the tremble in his voice – the vulnerability that seeps from his words.
Her lips curl, another delighted chuckle rumbling somewhere deep inside of her chest. Her eyes flicker to catch a glimpse of Astarion’s profile, her chuckle deepening as she notices the emotional turmoil sketched into his features.
“I wonder what you will do to me when you realize that she’s–”
“Hush,” Astarion hisses, reaching down and yanking the bonds around Orin’s wrist. The rub of the rope against her skin is enough to silence her. “Not another word out of you, wench.”
Orin stifles the small whimper of pain that had threatened to fall from her lips, instead turning to the cell that they were nearing; your cell.
At the sight of the metal bars and uneven stones, she giggles. Astarion passes her off to Shadowheart, ignoring the cleric’s protests as he approaches the cell.
“Oh shit.”
The world seems to go completely silent at the sight that lies before Astarion’s eyes, a sight that he immediately wishes that he could forget.
You lay on your side with your back facing the cell’s door, blood – your blood – surrounding you in a crimson puddle. The bits of skin that Astarion can see are littered with cuts and bruises, your legs covered in gashes that continue to drip with fresh blood.
In any other situation, Astarion would have marveled at both the sight and smell of your blood … perhaps even allowed himself to indulge in it.
But now?
Gods, he had never been more disgusted by any one sight or smell.
“Astarion? What’s – oh my Gods,” Karlach raises a hand to her mouth, palm covering her lips as she gazes upon the same sight as Astarion. The others join her, and each of them falls silent. “You take … her … and get out of here.”
Shadowheart nods, shooting Orin a sharpened glare before tugging the shapeshifter back down the way that they had come, ignoring her yells of protests and the way that she struggles against the ropes that bind her wrists together.
With one tug at the already worn-down metal, Karlach disconnects the bars of the cell. She steps inside, carefully approaching you before copying her previous actions and removing the shackles from around your ankles.
“(Y/N)?” she murmurs down to you, lightly shaking your shoulder while simultaneously trying to be sure that she does not burn you – the last she wants is to add to your injuries.
She’s pushed aside by Astarion, who kneels beside you and feels his breath hitch at the sight of your paled face. Your cheeks have lost their usual rosy color, replaced instead by a white that looked as though it could rival the color of his hair.
“Shit,” is the only thing that he’s able to say properly before he scoops you into his arms. He shakes on his feet for a moment, the sudden weight in his arms debilitating his balance. He says nothing as he strides past the others, making a beeline for the exit.
< … >
The first thing that you feel is a dull ache, then followed by a wave of pain that has you shooting upright and promptly vomiting onto whatever surface happens to be beside you. The moment you’ve finished emptying your stomach, a piece of cloth is offered to you by a pale hand – a familiar one this time.
Hesitantly, you take it, dabbing the cloth against your mouth before looking up to who had handed it to you.
“Astarion?”
“That would be my name, yes darling,” Astarion responds, though his tone doesn’t hold his usual flirtatious lilt that you had grown so used to. No, he sounds exhausted … it made you wonder just how long he had sat at your bedside.
Your eyes roam over him, taking note of the tiny, barely-there bags that rest beneath his eyes. For a man who cared so deeply about appearance, he surely looked as though he had let himself go … likely because of you.
As much as you wish to take him into your arms and comfort you, a fleeting thought passes through your mind — he had taken his sweet time in finding you.
If the roles had been reversed, and it had been Astarion who was taken from you, you already knew that you would have searched Heaven and Earth trying to find him. No stone would have been left unturned, no witness left unspoken to … you would have stopped at nothing.
But it felt as though Astarion hadn’t cared enough, if he had, you wouldn’t have been as badly wounded as you were. You wouldn’t have laid in that cell for as long as you have, not that you knew the length of time in which you had been missing anyway.
Astarion’s head lifts at the sound of you rustling, body scooting back from him until your spine rests against the headboard of your bed. You lift your knees to your chest, hugging around them.
“Darling?”
You remain silent, but you allow your eyes to raise to meet his awaiting gaze. He waits patiently, though you can’t help but feel as though he’s analyzing you.
“How long have I been gone?” you ask. Astarion pauses, scarlet eyes flickering away from you. He swallows, you can see the emotional turmoil that swims in his eyes. Answer me, you usher in your mind.
“Orin wouldn’t tell us,” Astarion answers honestly, voice wavering as he recounts his angered questioning of the shapeshifter. She had only giggled in his presence and “answered” his question with another question of her own.
You remain silent, nodding to yourself as you glance down at the bandages that adorn your arms and legs. It makes you wonder if Astarion had patched you himself … or perhaps he had made one of your other companions do it.
You lift your head, noticing now that Astarion’s attention was focused elsewhere. His expression looks identical to your own — caught in his own mind. Guilt.
Did he feel guilty?
“Does anything—“ he pauses to clear his throat, “—anything hurt you?”
”Just my arms and legs,” you answer. Astarion nods, inhaling deeply and shifting in his chair. For some twisted reason, you want him to stand up and leave. Maybe it was to further prove your point, or maybe you just wanted to be alone.
You’d never really know the true answer.
He hums, nodding to himself before he shifts again. For a fleeting moment, he debates on whether or not he should stand and exit — it was clear that you wanted your space anyway.
Astarion knew you … and he knew that right now, you certainly didn’t want him around. Never were you short with him, but your tone insinuated that you wanted nothing to do with him.
Not that he could honestly blame you.
And so, he stands from his chair. You don’t lift your head to look at him again … telling.
“Why did you take so long to come for me?”
He freezes, feeling as though someone had doused him in freezing water. His back stands rigid; you could see the way that his spine visibly tenses the moment that his mind processes what it was that you had asked him.
You snap your jaw shut the moment that the words fall from your lips, regret filling your senses. Sheepishly, you look down, staring at your lap and screwing your eyes shut.
You freeze at the feeling of arms wrapping over your shoulders, tugging you against a chest that you had spent many nights resting against. His skin felt cold against yours, a welcome contrast to the heat that was currently making you very uncomfortable.
Astarion’s cheek rests against the side of your head, his hands squeezing at your waist while also being mindful of the injuries that you had sustained. He sighs shakily into your hair, feeling himself relax as he feels you reciprocate his embrace.
“The moment that I realized that I was not interacting with you, I went out to find you,” Astarion confesses, holding you tighter as he recounts the fear in the moment when he realized that you were not you.
You remain silent, simply soaking up the comfort that Astarion’s arms provides you with. Your head rests comfortably in the junction that connects his neck and his shoulder, nose buried into his neck.
“You have … absolutely no idea how frightened I was,” he whispers, his voice so low that it even the rustle of the blankets overpowered his words. His arms shake where they rest around your waist, his fingernails just barely digging into the exposed skin of your waist. “The prospect of losing you–”
“Astarion.”
He pauses, feeling you shift in his arms. Without any word of protest, he releases you, settling onto his knees on the bed in front of you. You adjust yourself, then reach out to take his hands into your own.
Astarion flinches. You pause, waiting for him to say something to you. He doesn’t, and so you take it as an okay to continue. Your fingers squeeze his own, the action directing his eyes to your own.
You stay silent for a second or two, simply taking in the way that Astarion’s eyes soften at you. His usually sharp scarlet eyes are glazed over now with a new emotion – guilt. Guilt over not being there for you, guilt over not saving you sooner …
… guilt that you had gotten hurt.
“Darling, if I had the chance to save you sooner, know that I would have taken it without a second of hesitation,” Astarion admits, shifting an inch closer to you. You feel the tears building along your waterline, your teeth catching your bottom lip as you attempt to suppress the sobs that begin to bubble up somewhere in your chest.
One of his hands releases yours, hesitantly laying against your face. He thumbs away the tears in your eyes, sighing as you crumple and reach for him again. Astarion doesn’t waste a single second, wrapping you in his arms and resting his chin against the top of your head.
“I thought that,” you hiccup, “you and the others had forgotten about me.”
His arms tighten around you at that declaration, chest promptly collapsing it on itself as he realizes just how scared you had been. He doesn’t want to imagine what you must have been thinking in that cell, likely thinking about if you would ever be saved.
If he would ever come for you.
“Never,” he whispers into your hair, fingers stroking comforting circles into the small of your back. “I would never forget you, ever.”
“You are the first thing in my entire life that makes me feel … feel something. Something other than burning hatred. You make this wretched world worth living in.”
You squeeze at him, hands bunching up his shirt from behind. He doesn’t bring attention to it, letting you cling to him with as much force as you need.
“And I’m not going to let you go. Not now, not ever,” he promises you. You close your eyes, sighing shakily through your nose. He can feel your nod against his chest, his cheek leaning further into your hair.
And that night, when the glistening moon hung over your tent and signaled to your companions that it was time to rest, Astarion remained at your side – fulfilling his promise.
He wasn’t going to let you feel that scared again. Not now, not ever.
Sypnosis - When a particularly pushy Araj begins to make Astarion revert to a past self that he had been trying so desperately to grow from, it leaves you to step in. It leaves Astarion with a small realization -- you did care for him, really truly cared for him.
Warning(s) - mature themes, foul language, mentions of abuse (physical and sexual), Araj being an ass, slightly OOC Astarion
Word Count - 1.8k
A/N - Trying my hand at BG3 fanfiction. I have yet to actually play the game, so I'm going purely based off of the playthroughs of others and random clips that I've found sprinkled around YouTube. I do plan to write more for this little vampiric shit, so y'all can leave requests for him as well!
“Must we be here darling? I’m not rather fond of dungeons with … medieval torture devices.”
You bite back the breathy chuckle in your throat as you continue forward, eyes expertly searching your surroundings to ensure that no creature in the dark would ambush you or Astarion.
“For a creature that usually prefers the dark, you’re quite the complainer,” you bite back, tilting your head to cast a glance at the vampire over your shoulder. He clicks his tongue against the roof of his mouth, shooting you a warning glare – one that you laugh off.
“And for a creature as clumsy as yourself, you’re doing quite well in avoiding any potential traps.” Astarion’s eyebrow raises as you now shoot him a glare. His shoulders rise and fall in a nonchalant shrug as he moves to walk in sync with you, scarlet eyes scanning his surroundings before they allow themselves to return to you.
“I am not clumsy. It was one time,” you roll your eyes, continuing forward and clenching your jaw as Astarion dares to chuckle at your side. “Rich coming from the one who threw a tantrum even after I revived him.”
“Darling, need I remind you that you dropped an entire building on my head?” Astarion whips his head to the side to face you, his eyes narrowed now in a pointed glare that only brings a wide smile to your face. In any other situation, he too would have smiled simply at the sight of your own, but your revealed teeth only make his chest twist in faux anger.
“And need I remind you that it was an accident?”
“In what world is dropping a building on someone an accident?” Astarion murmurs under his breath, stopping when you do. Your eyes flicker to a figure standing just a few feet in front of you – a drow.
She turns as your footsteps and Astarion’s become more audible, curiosity painting itself onto your face as you both approach. Her eyebrows raise, and you’re not sure if her expression is one of intrigue.
“Hello,” you say politely, bowing your head in greeting as the drow eyes you curiously, irises raking over the entirety of your figure before they curiously flicker to peer at Astarion.
“Araj Obladra, a pleasure,” the drow returns just as politely as you, her head dipping in the same bow that you had offered her. “How nice it is to stand in the presence of a True Soul … and her paled companion.”
Astarion’s eyes roll at the nickname, you catch it just out of the corner of your eye. But you choose to ignore it for the sake of not wanting to stir up any unnecessary drama – you had come to Araj for a reason, after all.
“I’ve traveled to inquire about your services if you’re willing to provide them,” you explain, already noticing a glint in Araj’s eye. You’re not quite sure what expression it’s meant to convey, but from the way that she shifts from one foot to another, your gut tells you that it may not be the most positive.
Another thing you notice … how her gaze continuously flickers to Astarion.
“But of course,” Araj replies without hesitation, angling her body so that it faces Astarion rather than you. Your eyes narrow, brows momentarily pinching together. Just what was she playing at?
“You seem … interested in my pale friend here,” you think aloud, immediately wishing that you could swallow your words the moment that you register both Astarion and Araj’s reactions.
“It is not every day that one encounters a vampire spawn,” Araj notes, the term bringing a disgusting taste to Astarion’s tongue. His nose scrunches in that same disgust, and for a moment, a flicker of anger dares to flare up within the depths of your chest. “After all, in exchange for blood, I craft potions.”
A hum rumbles in your throat, though you say nothing. Araj continues, choosing to ignore the expression you wear – the anger that you so clearly display.
“All I truly need is a single drop, and then whatever potion you require … well, I can brew it,” she explains, finally moving from where she stands to circle you and Astarion. It reminds you of a predatory lion, one with slit-like pupils that eyes its prey before promptly pouncing on it.
“And with the rest of it?” you prompt with a raise of your eyebrow. “My blood, I mean.”
“I shall keep it for myself … other potions need to be crafted, as you well know.”
She steps forward, extending her hand and holding her palm out to you. For a moment, you simply think, pondering whether or not you should even trust the drow – especially considering how her eyes still dared to flicker to Astarion. Why was she so interested in him?
You can sense Astarion’s worry from over your shoulder, the feeling rippling off of him like rolling ocean waves. But even with it, you lay your palm over Araj’s.
“There, finished,” Araj says, already stepping back from you the moment that your skin comes into contact with her own. Her eyes, once again, meet Astarion’s.
“And now wh—“
Araj’s attention turns completely now to Astarion, who momentarily falters underneath her gaze. His worry for you morphs silently into disgust directed at the drow.
“There’s still much to discuss,” Araj comments, a smirk just barely pulling at the corners of her mouth. “Such as your paled companion.”
Astarion glances at you, and in return, he’s met with an expression of suppressed anger and jealousy — that would be a conversation for later, he dictates.
“He’s a vampire, is he not? Or vampire spawn?” Araj’s eyes wander over Astarion, drifting down his entire body and ignoring the way that his eyes narrow in a glare at her. She turns then back to you, once again choosing to ignore the fury that glints in the depths of your eyes.
“He belongs to you, am I correct?”
If you weren’t angry before, you were now. Your eyes flicker to Astarion, his expression a mixture of hurt and shock – it was one that you had never seen him wear before, and with the way it made your heart positively crack, you never wanted to see it again.
“The last I checked, he was his own person,” you turn to Araj angrily, “he does not belong to anyone.”
Araj bites back the chuckle that threatens to crawl up her throat, lifting a hand in front of her mouth as she laughs breathily into the skin of her palm. Your teeth grind against each other, jaw setting into place as the drow regains herself.
“Oh, you were serious?” Her eyebrow lifts, the sight of it taking everything in you to not lunge at her and promptly wedge the blade of your dagger into the skin of her neck. “It’s adorable really … if he truly believes you, that is.”
Astarion swears he could hear one of your teeth chip with how roughly you set your jaw into place. His eyes wander down to your hands, taking note of how they clench into white-knuckled fists. Your fingers itch towards the blade in its holster, but you fight the urge to remove it.
“Does your spawn have a name?” Araj shifts her attention back to Astarion, eyeing him once again. He opens his mouth to speak, but with a speed that feels almost inhuman, you answer for him.
“His name is Astarion, and if you dare to call him my spawn again, I will surely–”
“Now, now darling!” Astarion’s hand closes around your mouth, palm pressing to your lips as he flashes you a too-sweet smile – hoping to whatever God was above him that you wouldn’t turn your anger onto him and plunge a dagger between his eyebrows. “Let’s be civil, yes?”
You bite back the angered insult that bubbles up in your chest, swallowing your words and settling back on your feet. Astarion nods, slowly removing his hand from your mouth before he turns to Araj.
“It’s been quite the dream of mine, being bit by a vampire … spawn or the like,” Araj explains, her tone taking on an almost dream-like lull. You can already feel the bile rising in your throat.
And it seems that Astarion shares your sentiment, what with the way that his eyebrows raised and his lips curled in that adorable little scowl.
“I’ll have to decline,” Astarion is quick to answer, shaking his head and taking a tentative step away from Araj, almost as if he’s trying to hide his body behind your own. You allow it, going so far as to then sidestep him and stand protectively in front of him – an action that he smiles gently at.
“I’ll compensate–”
“He said no, thank you very much,” you butt in, glaring down your nose at the overbearing drow. She falters on her feet for a moment, but just as quickly, she recollects herself. “We’ll be going now.”
You turn on your heel, reaching swiftly for Astarion’s hand before promptly leaving – not once sparing a glance to the disappointed drow over your shoulder.
< … >
“Darling?” Astarion hesitantly lifts the flap of your tent, ducking beneath it and entering. You hum from where you sit at your desk, tilting your head slightly to show your acknowledgment. “Are you alright? Your lively presence was missed. You left me to deal with … them … on my own.”
You sigh, pinching the bridge of your nose as you turn in your seat to look at Astarion. At the sight of your face, he falters, his expression softening.
“You’re still upset over that vile drow, aren’t you?”
“Of course I am Astarion!” you rise from your place, throwing your hands up. He flinches, not having expected a violent outburst from you.
“She … she thought that I had ownership of you! All because of what, the fact that you’re a spawn and not a vampire? The nerve of some creatures disgusts me! I mean honestly–!”
“Darling.”
You pause, head lifting so that your gaze finally meets Astarion’s awaiting gaze. His eyes are soft as they gaze at you, lips turned upward in a smile of equal softness. He approaches you, offering his hands to you – which you take without hesitation.
“I want you to know that I … appreciate what you did for me today,” Astarion admits quietly, speaking low enough that you could barely hear him. “It has been many years since I was able to choose my own.”
You soften, squeezing at his hands. “Astarion, you deserve to have your own voice. Nobody should be able to control what you do besides … well … you.”
He draws you closer to his chest, arms locking around your waist as his face buries itself into your hair. You chuckle lightly, returning his embrace and laying your face against his shoulder.
For 200 years, Astarion had never known the sound of his own voice.
But now?
Now he knew the sound of it, and he knew that it mattered.