#MH!Tav x Astarion | Explore Tumblr Posts and Blogs

kylobith · 20 days

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Little Town Tails

Chapter 4: A Fish Out of Water

Summary: Halsin meets the potential new member of his team and tests his craft.

Ship/Pairing: Halsin x Fem!Tav

Trope: Modern AU, Meet-cute, Little countryside town, Cosy

Word count: 6,034

Read it on Ao3 here

Listen to the dedicated playlist on Spotify here

Pushing his sunglasses further up his nose, Astarion grunts for the hundredth time since he hopped into the car ten minutes ago. With his arms folded against his chest and a straw tucked between his lips as he sips from his cup, he blasts Hungry Like The Wolf through the speakers.

After receiving Karlach’s text message the previous afternoon, he has thought of various ways to care about this new mission that could earn his license back. But not a single reason came to his mind. Sure, he likes cats, but that is about it. Ironically, he does not care enough to spend his life around them, while he gladly welcomed his husband’s tressym when they moved in together a few years back.

But after all, as many of his friends and his husband can testify, Astarion is a man of contradictions.

The car stops in front of a typical old house, whose ground floor has been refitted to welcome a shop or, in this case, a veterinary practice. What a peculiar location for such a thing, he finds himself thinking. It differs greatly from other surgeries he has walked by in the city. Most blend in with neighbouring shops and few notice it unless they peek in or especially look for it. Emerald Grove, on the other hand, stands out by occupying the lower floor of a historic home on the forest’s edge. Most curious choice.

Gale presses the handbrake button and smiles at Astarion, giving him a soft caress on the cheek.

‘Time to go, Starry,’ he murmurs tenderly. ‘You have a good day, mh?’

‘Don’t call me that,’ Astarion replies curtly.

His husband sighs and drops his hand onto his lap. Astarion eyes him from behind his sunglasses and grimaces. No matter how often he has advised Gale against it, he finds it obnoxious how his partner insists on dressing like he is an old-timey esteemed professor at one of the best universities of the land when in reality, he is merely a history teacher at a senior school. On weekdays, Gale is much too reluctant to part from his tweed suits and his antique pocket watch he merely carries around because he believes it makes him look cool. The watch itself has long been unusable. But, as he always says, at least it gets the time right twice a day.

What a dork, Astarion scoffs internally. Yet he cannot help but ogle how the tweed embraces his husband’s curves.

‘Astarion? Are you listening to me?’

‘Huh?’

Astarion snaps back to reality and looks up into Gale’s eyes, elegantly surrounded by browline glasses. Years of being hunched over books even in poor lighting does that to a man.

‘Sorry,’ he mumbles, taking another sip from his cup, ‘I was thinking about something else.’

‘Mh,’ Gale responds, knowing quite well where his partner’s eyes have wandered. Not that he minds. ‘I was saying that too many places have refused you for your community service. Without your salary combined with mine, we can’t pay for the house, and you know quite well that it will take us even further away from the city, and that’ll make you miserable.’

His finger strokes the paler man’s jawline.

‘Can you promise me to make an effort this time? I’m worried about you, you know?’

‘Well don’t be,’ Astarion snaps. ‘I just couldn’t care less about these missions they want me to take. I don’t care about the community, I just want my godsdamn job back.’

‘And it will happen, but first, you need to make these hours and redeem yourself. It’s merely three months, Astarion, it will be alright. Plus, see the bright side of things, you’re going to work with Karlach!’

‘That’s the only reason why I came.’

‘No, not really, the other one is that I drove you here.’

Astarion glares at Gale, and the latter laughs as he presses a kiss to his partner’s cheek.

‘Come on now, mister, time to go. Call me when you need me to pick you up, or if Karlach is bringing you home, alright?’

‘Alright,’ Astarion grumbles.

‘Have a nice day, my love. And say hello to Karlach from me.’

‘Mh.’

The pair shares a fleeting kiss and Astarion drags himself out of the car. He waves his husband off, and before he can even make a step, he hears the door of the practice fly open, followed by a squeal.

‘Fangs!’

Karlach leaps out of the practice and enfolds him into a back-snapping embrace as she lifts him off the ground, squealing again. Astarion kicks his legs and grunts.

‘Ow, ow, ow, Karlach! Down!’

‘Whoops, sorry, soldier.’

She puts him back on the ground with an embarrassed chuckle as she looks at his friend.

‘Looking dapper for an interview to work at a vet’s office,’ she notes, eyeing his pristine white shirt and straight brown trousers whose hem stops about two inches above his waxed brogues. On his hip rests his brand-new brown satchel.

‘Well, this outfit certainly looks better than your blue sapphire scrubs, Karlach.’

‘Aw, damn! Halsin said they were teal!’

Astarion rolls his eyes and drinks from his cup again.

‘Anyway. Tell me of this… Halsin. What should I know about him?’

‘Oh, you’re going to love him! He’s great! Super nice, good with animals and all.’

‘I hope so, he’s a vet.’

His friend cackles and nudges him towards the door so they can enter together. As the two stand by the reception and Karlach shows him her desk and the waiting room, Halsin comes in, alerted by her enthusiastic talking. He beholds the tall and slender man with sunglasses on his nose and silky, curly white hair combed back, except for one lock grazing his eyebrow.

‘Good morning,’ he chimes, holding out his hand, ‘I am Halsin, the owner of Emerald Grove. You must be Astarion Ancúnin?’

‘Actually, it’s Astarion Dekarios-Ancúnin,’ the man corrects him while shaking his hand.

‘My apologies. Karlach told me much about you yesterday, but I believe I still have much to learn about you. Would you mind coming with me to my office so we can have a proper introduction?’

‘Sure.’

Halsin grins and shows him to his office, pulling up a chair for him and sitting at his desk himself. He turns around to face his guest, examining his every gesture. Although he is now indoors, Astarion seems to have a mind to keep his sunglasses on.

‘Would you like some tea, Mister Dekarios-Ancúnin?’

‘No, thank you. And uh, Astarion is fine.’

‘Very well.’

The veterinarian leans back against his chair, remembering what Karlach told him about her friend at the end of their shift.

‘So, let us go straight to the point, shall we?’ Halsin suggests, noting the reluctant demeanour of his interlocutor. ‘Karlach told me that you were in a bit of a pickle, as she phrased it. She said you need to do community service so you do not lose your job?’

‘Indeed.’

‘May I ask what this pickle is?’

Astarion sighs and sets his cup down on a small file cabinet next to him, before reaching into his satchel. He takes out a thin binder with all the documents relating to his current situation, forms that must be filled in should Halsin decide to take him in, and other decisions made by his firm’s board and the judge. He hands it over to his host, who skims through the carefully sorted file.

‘I work as a lawyer in the city for the Szarr Associates,’ Astarion begins to explain nonchalantly, having explained the whole story countless times already to the point where it has become almost mechanical. ‘And I messed up. I was on thin ice already because some of my colleagues suspected that I breached my clients’ confidentiality on multiple occasions and used that to win their cases. Plus, a few of my recent clients fired me from their cases. That was a new development in my career, truth be told.’

He runs a hand through his hair and drinks. Halsin continues to peruse the document with a crease on his brow.

‘But one night I was caught drunk driving, speeding, and shouting obscenities to the police. My driving license has been taken away, and my firm has decided to temporarily suspend my license. I got away easy only because the judge knew me well and felt pity for me, or something of the kind. He said that if I could do three months of community service, I could ask for a hearing and I could potentially get my license back and work again.'

Halsin closes the binder and hands it back to Astarion. A pang of worry tugs at him. Even though the younger man is Karlach’s friend, so far he does not strike him as somebody who can be trusted. Thankfully, it is not another veterinarian he is seeking, but merely someone who can complete sewing projects for him so the animals under his care can receive the best care he can offer. Yet, he finds it quite important to trust everyone working at his practice. He has not saved up for years to have one element throw his life project away.

‘That does not look too good on you, I am afraid,’ he confesses to the younger man. ‘Have you already done some hours for your community service?’

‘Of course,’ Astarion replies, his voice dripping with quite misplaced sarcasm, ‘I have done my hours, that is why I came here!’

‘How good are you at sewing?’

His sudden, off-topic question seems to throw Astarion off guard. He stutters for a moment, wondering whether all of this is a joke, a bad prank organised by Karlach. No. She would not do this to him in such trying times, especially if Gale is already breathing down his neck instead of nibbling lovingly at it. Ugh.

‘Sewing is my favourite hobby,’ he answers, a bit more quietly and seriously this time. ‘Would you like me to show you some pieces?’

‘By all means!’

Astarion reaches into his pockets and stands up for a moment to give Halsin a single twirl.

‘I made this outfit, to begin with,’ he says, slowly gaining in confidence. ‘Just not the shoes, of course.’

He sits back and begins to scroll through his social media to find photos of clothes and accessories he has created over the years. Halsin rolls his office chair to come next to him and look at his screen. Astarion shows him a variety of projects, some that the veterinarian believes to be worthy of the greatest designer brands.

In one photo, Astarion poses in a burgundy blazer with the sleeves rolled up to his elbows. Three thin chains hang from one hem to the other, resting against his torso, clad in a black, skin-tight turtleneck. The second picture of the post displays the back of the blazer and its magnificent floral design, embroidered with silver and gold thread.

Another post shows him again, modelling a striped shirt, unbuttoned at the top and tucked into elegant corduroy trousers. On his head rests a broad felt hat, which he customised with a different ribbon and feathers for a vintage and extravagant look.

The next one shows Gale shyly exhibiting a purple jacquard waistcoat, accessorised with his pocket watch, of course. Astarion tells Halsin that, while he did not make the jacquard pattern himself on the fabric, he did embroider the hems with golden thread and used antique buttons because he knew that his husband would be crazy about them. And he had been right, it seems, since Gale nearly wept with joy at their sight when he first saw the result.

Halsin nods all along, impressed by his skill and his obvious sense of aesthetics. Astarion seems to have quite an eye for it and he does not hesitate to flaunt it even just in the way that he photographed each outfit to post them to his social media.

‘When Karlach said that you were good with a needle, I certainly did not expect this,’ Halsin confesses with a soft chuckle. ‘If anything, she has undersold you.’

‘Karlach does not know how to dose her praise,’ Astarion sniggers, slipping his mobile phone back into his pocket. ‘Either she exaggerates one’s greatness, or she does not do it enough.’

‘The first option is the most common, isn’t it?’

‘Quite right.’

They share a laugh and Astarion drinks the last of his beverage, his suction noises filling the room. He gives Halsin an apologetic look, but the latter shrugs it off, allowing him to catch every last drop before resuming the conversation.

‘Has Karlach told you what the idea of your work here would be?’

‘Not really. I figured you needed somebody to cuddle with the recovering pets, or to hold them down when they’re reluctant. But now that you mention sewing, I am praying that you’re not asking me to stitch them up during surgery.’

‘Hah, not at all. Let me show you.’

Halsin rolls back to his desk and unlocks his computer. He clicks on the tabs he left open for this interview of sorts and displays the broad pillows he wishes to acquire for his practice.

‘These pillows are quite affordable for me when they are in standard sizes,’ he begins, ‘but I need them much larger. We opened two days ago only, and we had a surprise with our first patient.’

‘A very big shepherd dog?’

‘An owlbear cub.’

If Astarion still had something to drink between his hands, he would have spat it all out in shock.

‘A what now?’

His host laughs warmly and shows him his notebook, where he has scribbled down the approximate measurements he would need the pillows to be.

‘Do you think that you could make, say, three of those to be safe? Perhaps two even larger ones if the need arises?’

‘Are you planning to heal all the animals of the forest? Perhaps an actual bear next?’

‘Hah, I would in a heartbeat,’ Halsin admits with a smile. I did think of a wide table for consultations and surgery, but nothing for the recovery. The owlbear was a harsh reminder that any situation can occur and I should be prepared for it.‘

‘I see. Well, that should be doable. I can see how the smaller ones are built and I can make the larger ones from there. That shouldn’t be too much of a challenge.’

Halsin nods in approval and proceeds to open the tab for surgery recovery suits for cats and dogs. Astarion only needs to catch a glimpse of what they are before shrugging.

‘Oh, easy. I have one of these at home from when my husband’s tressym needed to have a cyst removed. I can make some for tressyms, too. They’re built a bit differently because of the wings.’

‘Good thinking,’ Halsin reacts. Another thing he has not considered. ‘If you could make several of these, perhaps enough for a small stock, I would be beyond grateful. These will be given out for certain recoveries only, others will just require the cone.’

‘I can even make these pets look quite fashionable post-surgery.’

The veterinarian laughs, clapping his massive hands once.

‘That will not be needed, that might be a tad much. Practicality and comfort need to be prioritised over beauty here. However, I can compromise and let you choose different fabrics, so long as they are suitable for the animals’ recovery and within budget. I am not strict when it comes to prints, although they must remain presentable, of course.’

‘How about I go home and fetch the tressym’s shirt to study the pattern and I make you one by the end of the day? Then you can judge the quality yourself and base your decision on it.’

Halsin considers Astarion’s offer for a second, then nods in approval.

‘Very well. I will ask Karlach to drive you home so you can fetch your material and equipment and then you can work in the recovery room, there will be plenty of space for you to work. Would that be suitable for you?’

‘Perfect,’ Astarion smiles, internally cursing Halsin for not letting him work from home instead. He has no wish whatsoever to bring all his equipment from his house, but what choice does he have?

‘That settles it, then.’

The two of them stand up and Halsin tosses Astarion’s empty cup into the bin, before showing him back to the reception. Karlach instantly looks up, eager to know how it went. Before she can even ask, her boss hands her a set of keys.

‘Could you drive Astarion to his home so he can bring his equipment here? You can take my car, it is parked on the side of the house. I also would like you to use the company card and let him buy some suitable fabric for his tryout from the haberdashery.’

‘Ugh,’ Astarion groans with a roll of his eyes, ‘from the fabric shop, grandpa!’

‘Sorry?’

‘Nothing!’

Without wasting time, Karlach links arms with Astarion and guides him out to Halsin’s car, already chatting away happily. Left alone at the practice, Halsin sighs and stretches his back, before sitting behind the reception and browsing the latest wildlife photography posts on his favourite blogs and forums.

While his assistant and her friend are away, he answers a few phone calls and makes some appointments for new furry patients. Some of the owners, much to his delight, already tell him that they wish to transfer their pets’ files over to his practice out of practicality, but in some cases, because they only heard praise about his work. He already creates some of the files and sends the right requests to have the medical records passed over to him, then re-organises his agenda.

Four appointments occupy the first half of his morning, all going smoothly. One of his patients, a tiny puppy whose expression when panting always makes it look like it is smiling, came for his very first visit to the vet. Remembering Karlach’s advice, Halsin asks his owner if he can take a picture of the puppy so he can update Emerald Grove’s social media page and build a small community around it. He gives the dog two treats and waves it off as the satisfied owner leaves, eager to find his puppy’s photo online.

Halsin sits back on his chair and writes the post with the puppy’s picture, praising the little dog’s bravery during his first consultation, using its name with the owner’s consent. But as he is about to post it, the door opens and the little bell rings. Before he can look up, he hears a roaring but friendly voice.

‘Halsin, my good friend!’

‘Good morning, Minsc!’ he greets back, locking his phone and putting it away in one of the drawers. ‘How have you been?’

The forest ranger wipes his feet on the mat and steps forward with a beaming grin. Minsc is as tall as he is, making them stand out in town, and probably as broad as him as well. However, unlike the long and plaited locks on Halsin’s head, Minsc’s scalp is bare, only decorated with a purple tattoo that also covers his eye.

Minsc was one of the first people that Halsin met when he came to Heawick, back when he hesitated between settling down here or in Riverway, about thirty miles north. It was, partially, the ranger’s depiction of life in this town that tipped the scales in its favour. The eternal optimist, Minsc described it as a haven of peace, perfect for writers and those who have grown weary of the bustling city. He was quite right, from what Halsin has experienced so far. Everybody knows everybody, even between the neighbouring villages, and it seems that anyone is willing to go out of their way to give friends and acquaintances a helping hand.

Ever since he made his decision to make Heawick his home, Minsc regularly invites him over to his home for the occasional drink in his garden. There could not have been a more friendly face for one’s drastic life change.

‘Minsc has been good, my friend,’ the ranger replies in his thick accent, clapping him in the back. ‘He was wondering if you had some time to see Boo today?’

‘Anything wrong with your hamster, Minsc?’

‘Miniature giant space hamster,’ his friend corrects him with a finger pointing up. ‘The distinction is quite important. As vet, you should know.’

Halsin chuckles and notices Boo peeking out of Minsc’s breast pocket, rubbing its head with its tiny paws.

‘Boo is strong and well, only his claws are too long. Minsc told him to wear them down more often on wood, but Boo has mind of his own. A bit stubborn, at times.’

‘That is not a problem at all, follow me.’

He takes the wireless phone from reception and drops it in his pocket while guiding Minsc to the consultation room. Without being asked, Boo hops onto the table, continuing to take his bath. Halsin puts on his gloves and grabs the pet nail clipper. Minsc gently holds Boo in the palm of his hand.

‘Minsc holds Boo. He wouldn’t want him to think that you are foe, my friend! Oh, heard about Mr Bongle from Combury?’

Halsin smiles to himself and nods.

‘I have,’ he speaks quietly while starting to trim the hamster’s claws. As Minsc said, they have not been worn down in a while, considering how curved they are. ‘He confessed to setting up the bear trap in Combury, I heard?’

‘Yes! Minsc thought that Tav would gouge his eyes out on the spot! And honestly, he would not have intervened, no. Minsc doesn’t understand people’s cruelty with animals. Why do it? Animals are friends, unless they try to maul you.’

The concentrating veterinarian chuckles at these words. Tav has not struck him as a woman who would resort to violence, but he has witnessed firsthand how attached she is to her owlbear. Unless relocated, Beaky will never know a neglecting or abusive home, and he is sure of it.

‘Quite right. I do not understand it myself either.’

‘Do you know if Beaky is recovering well?’

‘No, I do not. He went home yesterday morning and I have not heard anything from Miss Ashguard since.’

‘Oh.’

Finishing up the hamster’s hind paws, Halsin moves on to the front pair.

‘She told me that you referred her to an animal protection lawyer. I am glad that you did.’

‘Ah, Minsc only does his job.’

‘Still. With Mr Bongle agreeing to cover the veterinary costs, it was easy for you or even her to drop the matter altogether. But I am happy to hear that you decided against it. Besides, if you or she needs Beaky’s medical report following the incident, I will be happy to make one. You can refer the lawyer to me if they get in touch with you.’

‘How nice of you, my friend! Perhaps it will be handy. Tav will tell,’ Minsc declares, before looking down at his hamster and smiling. ‘Boo will make sure that nobody hurts Beaky anymore!’

‘That is an honourable goal,’ Halsin laughs, cutting the last of the animal’s nails. ‘And here you go.’

‘Thank you, friend!’

Halsin quickly writes down the impromptu consultation in his log and removes his gloves, tossing them in his bin.

‘If Boo is unwilling to walk on wood to trim his nails, I recommend that you use cork wherever it is that he spends the night. If he has a food bowl, coat the path around it with cork so he will walk on it. You can also put some on his wheel, but I do recommend buying one that already has that. I can send you a link for it.’

‘Great advice, Minsc will look for that. Do you hear that, Boo? You need to walk on cork!’

He lifts his hamster and tucks it in his pocket again. After a brief conversation, Minsc pays for the consultation and leaves in even higher spirits than when he arrived. Soon after, Karlach and Astarion return, carrying his sewing machine and a bag of supplies, some that he already owns and others they acquired at the fabric shop.

Karlach takes Astarion to the recovery room and brings him a chair for him to work in a comfortable environment. She closes the door behind her as she returns to the lobby, finding Halsin standing there.

‘Hiya there, Doc! Astarion’s about to start making the shirt.’

‘Perfect.’

‘Anything happened while we were gone?’

‘All four patients were received, and Minsc came to have Boo’s nails trimmed.’

‘Aw, dang! I’m gutted that I missed him, I love this guy.’

She sits behind the desk at reception and checks the agenda for the other appointments of the day. Halsin has a look as well, then proceeds to show her the post he wants to post with the puppy he examined earlier in the morning. Karlach takes his work phone and tweaks the text, explaining as gently as she can — which means not subtly — that his manner of writing makes him sound antiquated.

Halsin takes no offense, however. He is much aware of how little experience he has got when it comes to social media. He used to have his own profile, but besides using it for the occasional farming game, he found little use to it. In truth, he struggled to even comprehend how it worked. There was never any profile picture set, since he did not know how to upload one. It was Karlach who taught him how for the practice’s official page, and even then, he still struggles with it all. Not that it occupies his thoughts much, of course.

Once Karlach has posted the photo online, Halsin leans towards her and whispers.

‘Karlach, this friend of yours, do you trust him when it comes to working? He told me what caused him to lose his license and I must say that this worries me.’

The tiefling smiles, although taken aback by the sudden question.

‘I would trust him with my life, and you know that I don’t give my trust to just anyone,’ she declares with a solemn tone that strangely does little to ease Halsin’s worries.

‘His work… problems, do you know if they are commonplace with him? Do you think I should call his manager at Szarr for a reference?’

‘No need, Doc!’ Karlach responds while waving a dismissive hand. ‘He’s just going through a rough time. Actually he’s one of the best lawyers in his firm! If there’s a dire case, they usually refer to him.’

He nods slowly. He is struggling to figure Astarion out. He is a man who obviously possesses a lot of talent, especially when it comes to sewing. If anything, Halsin cannot wrap his head around the fact that he is a lawyer and not a designer or tailor. Perhaps this sort of career would suit him better.

But what could have driven such a successful lawyer, if he is to trust Karlach’s word, to throw it all away so recklessly? Surely if he has so little consideration for his career, there must be something at hand. If he is experiencing a burn-out, there are other ways for him to cope, and surely Karlach, as his good friend, would have advised him to seek medical help. And if the matter is one of the heart, then that is quite a different problem. She could do her best to help him, but ultimately he has to be the one to cope with the issue. However, it seems that he is married, and the waistcoat that he designed for his husband is quite recent. Merely a month old.

What to do?

‘Well. I will not call his firm,’ Halsin sighs. ‘I will trust you on this.’

‘You will not regret it, Doc, I promise you.’

He smiles at her and pats her shoulder, which instantly illuminates her eyes.

‘After all, it is just for three months and it is merely sewing. Nothing so dire as pet surgery.’

‘Exactly! Plus, he loves sewing and working on his own. He hates it when people are in his space when he’s focused, so that’s a win-win situation if you ask me.’

‘We shall see. The pet shirt will decide.’

Halsin grins and paces towards his office. He sits behind his desk with a sigh and grabs the salad he has been keeping for his lunch break, but since he is already hungry, he prefers to indulge himself already. While chewing his seasoned lettuce, he opens his browser and pauses, thinking about something to search for. He eyes his tasklist but sees that he is up to date already.

Without thinking, he types in the words ‘Szarr Associates’ and reads about the law firm. When skimming an article in an opinionated online newspaper, he grimaces when he reads that the firm has a tendency to save the hinds of big corporation leaders when sued for environmental damage or violation of workers’ rights. Decidedly, that is not improving his image of Astarion.

Putting his fork down, he adds ‘Ancúnin’ to his research and finds a few articles from several sources. He clicks on the first one, a news site supposedly neutral. Under the title is a photograph, and he quickly recognises Astarion in his robes, raising his hand at prying journalists while accompanying a man with a sombre expression on his face.

‘Big win for Arledrian Group, sued by a worker’s union for an alleged case of salary withdrawal. Wilril Mistflow, 28, joined the union after his employers supposedly refused to pay out overtime hours after several months. When Mistflow demanded to receive his payment, he claims that the company repeatedly withheld his salary, causing him to fail to pay his rent on multiple occasions. “This whole debacle has almost cost me my home,” Mistflow declared to the press. “I can only hope that they will see reason and finally give me what they owe me. I worked extra so I didn’t have to worry at the end of the month, but it’s done just the opposite.” Ruthos Sine, the regional manager of the branch where Mistflow is employed, appeared at court under the counsel of Astarion Dekarios-Ancúnin, a top lawyer from Szarr Associates. The court ruled that Arledrian Group was not at fault and a contract termination has already been issued against Mistflow.’

Halsin shudders at the thought that Astarion has defended such people and managed to save them from trouble for what seems to him like sheer injustice. He sighs and plants his fork in his salad, trying to put things into perspective. Defending such scum is merely Astarion’s job. Justice cannot be carried out fairly unless all parties are represented, and that only means that Karlach’s friend is a link in this chain. Hopefully that is not telling of his character.

Putting his morals aside for the time being, Halsin finishes his food and spends the day doing his work. About two hours after Karlach and Astarion returned from the fabric shop, they hear the faint clicking sounds of the sewing machine inside the recovery room. Halsin’s worries are somewhat quelled; at least it seems that the deprived lawyer does take his task seriously.

When the last patient leaves and it is closing time, Astarion comes out with a bunch of folded fabrics under his arm. Karlach locks the door and turns the sign on it, while Halsin wraps up his call to a supplier to order more dog kibble for the practice. Upon seeing the pale man, still with his sunglasses on, he rushes the conversation and eventually hangs up.

‘Ah, Astarion, there you are! You did not even take a break, are you not hungry?’

‘Oh, no, I’m fine,’ he mumbles. ‘Big dinner at home tonight anyway.’

‘I see. Did everything go well?’

Astarion walks over to the counter and unfolds all three shirts that he has created. He made them in different sizes, all befitting several types of animals. The first one, cut from an elastic fabric with floral patterns is perfect for a kitten around sterilisation age. Its hems are decorated with pleated green fabric, giving the impression that it has sleeves. The second one, adorned with blue feathers on a white background, stands out with adjustable holes cut out in the back. The third, suitable for a dog, was sewn from a burgundy fabric with paw prints and adorned at the collar with a fake lace ruffle.

Halsin chuckles at the sight of the frills and picks them up to examine the handiwork.

‘We will not need all these fashion details,’ he says, ‘since they are supposed to remain medical garments. But I must admit that the diversity in patterns is something we can offer. I suppose it can help the owners with dealing with the surgery as well. It makes the whole thing seem less dramatic.’

Karlach gasps as she admires the garments over his shoulder. Maintaining a serious and professional demeanour, Astarion steps forward and picks up the second suit to show its structure.

‘This one is modelled after the tressym shirt that I brought as reference. Technically it was just a cat shirt that the vet adjusted for our Tara. Unfortunately, I didn’t have enough push buttons for this one, but I marked where I’d position them on the flaps. They can be adjusted according to the tressym’s wing size.’

‘Quite clever.’

Halsin takes a deep breath and looks the younger man in the eyes.

‘Listen, Astarion, I have done a superficial background check on you. I read that you are quite the prolific lawyer, but your recent… blunders do worry me. If I take you in for your community service, can I trust you?’

The man, put on the spot, is about to grace the veterinarian with one of his usual snarky remarks. But when he sees Karlach giving him a reproving look while Halsin is not looking, he stops the words from flowing out. He merely clears his throat, although visibly bugged by the question.

‘You can.’

‘Uh, Fangs?’ Karlach calls him in a soft tone, which earns her a glare from Astarion. ‘Perhaps you should let him know about your condition?’

Halsin frowns and looks back at the younger man, who sighs and finally removes his sunglasses. Under them, ruby-coloured irises seem to have been the object of this attempted dissimulation.

‘Oh,’the veterinarian says in a surprisingly calm tone. ‘I see.’

‘Yes, I’m a vampire,’ Astarion scoffs and clicks his tongue. ‘I suppose that it’s the moment you kick me out?’

The older man chuckles and shakes his head.

‘Not at all. If you can promise that the animals and owners here are safe around you, then I see no issue with your condition.’

Astarion appears genuinely surprised to hear that he is not about to be thrown out the door for his nature. His fingers fidget with the tressym shirt as he thinks over a way to thank him. But thanks are not often part of his vocabulary.

‘I promise,’ he declares, biting his tongue.

Halsin considers him for a second, before holding out his hand.

‘If you think I can trust you and if you think you could survive working here for as long as you need to have your license back, then do you think you could come back tomorrow?’

The vampire stares at the hand for a moment and finally allows a smile to grace his cheeks. He shakes his hand firmly.

‘Now that is done, I will discuss some details with you. Since you are a vampire, you are allowed to bring blood into the office as long as you don’t scare the patients and owners off. I can allow several breaks for your back’s sake and you can fetch blood from the butcher’s while on the clock, as long as you do not abuse the opportunity.’

‘Sounds good.’

Halsin nods and pats his back.

‘Welcome to the team, Astarion.’

Taglist: @emmanuellececchi @reignydeys @cakenpiewhyohmy

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wheretheharekissesthefox · 6 months

Text

Tav’s sex parade – Chapter 8: Just in time for dinner (Astarion x Halsin)

(Warning: biting, consensual blood drinking, frottage, kissing)

To avoid confusion: In one of my other fanfic Halsin and Tav had named the owlbear cup Naïlo, which means 'night breeze' in the Elven language.)

Notes:

According to DnD lore, elves don't sleep, but rest in a meditative, trance-like state called reverie. You can see Astarion do exactly that in camp during a long rest when a sleep-around-the-campfire cutscene plays.

Karlach’s and Wyll’s faith and Tav’s promise to them are based on one of my other fics.

Irritated, Astarion paced his room in Gale's basement.

Tav was on a four-week trip across Northern Faerûn, performing her new songs in taverns, inns, and brothels. Gale had met up with some wizard friends of his former mentor Elminster to ask them for advice regarding their plan to get Karlach and Wyll out of Avernus. Meanwhile, Shadowheart had attended a temple celebration with other Selûne devotees. So, Astarion was home alone and not pleased about it at all.

Moodily, the vampire spawn glared at the paintings that decorated the walls.

Originally, Gale had used this basement room to store magic artefacts and items to feed the Netherese Orb with, but since the Orb was gone, there was no need for such a supply anymore. Thus, Gale had cleared out the small room to give Astarion his own space. There wasn't much in it; a bed, a chest of drawers, a carpet, and a small shelf, filled with some trinkets and the vampire spawn's favourite books. Astarion was grateful to have his own room, especially one that had no windows. Since the tadpole was gone and his sun sensitivity back, he had to dwell in the shadows and night again.

Scratch whined and rubbed his head against Astarion's leg, lightly wagging his tail. The vampire spawn smiled, crouched down, and gave him some ear scratches. Naïlo hooted, scuttling closer to receive some attention as well.

"Mh, yes, my sweets. I love you very much," Astarion told them, smiling. "I know you're trying your best to cheer me up."

Scratch licked him across the face, letting out a happy little 'woof' while Naïlo chirped and headbutted the vampire spawn. The latter toppled over and landed in a heap on the carpet. Laughing, he distributed some more headpats before getting up. In a much better mood now, Astarion dashed upstairs, followed by the pets. It was a rainy autumn day, thus, the sun didn't shine directly into the living room. Tara was sitting in front of the double-door window that led onto the terrace and watched the weather.

"Ah, Mister Ancunin! How was your reverie?" she asked, slinking closer.

"It was alright," he answered and scratched the tressym's chin, making her purr. "But I just rest better when the others are here."

Tara hummed understandingly.

"It's terribly quiet without them, isn't it? I miss Gale's delicious home-cooked meals."

"Apologies that I can't cook," replied the vampire spawn. "But judging by the way you and the boys gulp down the cold fish, it can't be too bad."

Tara huffed and turned her head to the side, miffed.

"These two aren't gourmets and have rather empty heads."

At that, Scratch grumbled disgruntle, but Naïlo just looked confused. It made Astarion chuckle.

Suddenly, there was a knock at the front door. The four of them looked at each other. Then, Astarion opened the door hesitantly. Halsin, looking like a drowned rat, stood on the doorstep.

"Oak Father preserve you, Astarion. Can I come in, please?"

"What are you doing here, druid?"

"Uhm... looking for shelter?"

"I can see that, but what are you doing here? I thought you were on an adventure to 'enjoy nature's gifts'. We didn't expect you to be back so early."

Now, Halsin looked sheepish.

"I - well... The weather's not ideal for long strolls, and I thought instead of sitting it out in a tavern somewhere, I'd come home instead."

Astarion raised an eyebrow.

"'Come home'?"

The druid blushed, as if caught red-handed doing something stupid. The vampire spawn was a tad too pleased to see the wood elf fidgeting around uncomfortably.

"Come in then," Astarion said good-naturedly. "But don't flood the place."

Visibly relieved, Halsin nodded, entered Gale's tower house, and immediately started to take off his soaked garments. Astarion watched, enjoying the view of the tall, sturdy, muscular, hairy, sun-tanned body in front of him. Halsin slicked back his wet hair and straightened up, displaying his front in all its glory. Astarion licked his lips hungrily.

"Uhm, could you get me a towel?"

"Of course, darling."

Astarion dashed off, grabbing a fresh cloth in the bathroom and some dry clothes. He returned and handed it to the druid.

"Thanks."

Halsin rubbed himself dry and got dressed. Then, he sighed contently.

"Is there some food left? I'm rather hungry."

Astarion canted his hip to the side and mocked: "I'm a vampire, druid. I don't need 'food'. But, if you're desperate, I can serve you some that's reserved for the pets."

Halsin opened his mouth, only to close it again silently. He looked taken aback. Astarion had mercy on him.

"I'm merely joking. Gale's pantry's always fully stocked. Follow me."

The vampire spawn twirled around and strode into the kitchen. Halsin trailed him silently. Astarion opened the pantry to take a look.

"What do you fancy, druid? Leek soup, onion soup, rabbit ragout, fish stew, or –" He got up on his tiptoes to read the label. "– hundur sauce?"

"Rabbit ragout sounds nice. I haven't had any meat in a while."

"Really?" Astarion turned around, grinning suggestively. "No 'meat', hm?"

Halsin cleared his throat, but shook his head.

"Well, you must be starving then," the vampire spawn taunted. "Seems like 'nature's bounty' wasn't that bountiful."

With a dramatic pirouette, Astarion turned around and placed a storage jar on the kitchen counter. He grabbed a pot and dumped the jar's content into it. Then, he placed a lid on the pot and took a step back, leaning against the counter casually.

"Usually, Gale would light the fire with a flick of his wrist, but since he's not here, you must do it the good old-fashioned way."

"Me?" Halsin asked.

"Of course, you, druid! I was a magistrate, I never had to light a fire myself, and now, as a vampire, I'm never cold."

Astarion sighed deeply and rolled his eyes in annoyance. Furrowing his brows, Halsin crouched in front of the iron oven and opened the small flap. He grabbed some firelighter and wood from the basket nearby, and started to kindle a fire. Astarion stood by and watched him work. Shortly after, a crackling fire started to heat up the stove and the food in the pan.

"Now, we just have to wait a while," the vampire spawn stated the obvious.

Halsin hummed, got up, and washed his hands in the stone sink.

For a while, the elves stood at the stove, silently.

"Did you find anything regarding Karlach's engine?"

Gloomily, the druid shook his head.

"I was in Mirabar because I thought that maybe the dwarves would know something about metal forging."

"Mirabar's a mining city, druid. Why would you find anything about blacksmithing up there?"

"I don't know, I just –" Halsin sighed. "I don't know where else to search for answers. I'm desperate."

Astarion saw how sad the druid looked and felt compassion. He put a hand on Halsin's arm and said: "I understand, we're all devastated about Karlach's and Wyll's faith, but we'll find an answer. There must be one out there."

The wood elf gave him a small smile, replying: "Thank you, Astarion. I hope you're right. Sometimes, people's misery is just too much to bear. I hate to see others so helpless, and I hate it when I can't do anything about it. I already failed enough people."

"You're doing your best," the vampire spawn retorted.

"Thank you."

Smiling softly, Halsin placed one of his hands gently on top of Astarion's. No one of their group touched the vampire spawn without asking for consent first and the later was forever grateful for it. Now though, Astarion got up on his tiptoes and placed a small kiss on Halsin's lips.

"Everything will turn out alright," he muttered.

"I hope you're right," whispered Halsin.

The vampire spawn stepped back and lifted the lid of the pot to take a look.

"Dinner's ready, druid. Sit down, will you?"

With a chuckle, Halsin did as he was told while Astarion scraped the pot's content into a bowl. Then, he placed it in front of the wood elf and handed him a spoon.

"Here you go. Bon appétit."

"Thanks."

Halsin dug into the rabbit ragout and hummed happily.

"Good?" asked Astarion and sat down opposite him.

"Mmh, it's fantastic! Gale's an excellent cook," the addressed sighed, closing his eyes to savour the taste better.

Astarion chuckled amused, then, he heard someone clear their throat.

"Mister Ancunin, I'm terribly sorry to disturb your conversation, but I and the boys are hungry."

"Oh, of course! Apologies, Tara."

Astarion jumped onto his feet and prepared the pets' dinner. He placed their bowls on the floor and gave each of the creatures a headpat before sitting back down. Halsin waved his spoon around.

"You're good with them."

Astarion shrugged.

"You're not the only one who likes animals, druid."

"Mhm."

They fell silent again, and the vampire spawn watched Halsin, Tara, Scratch, and Naïlo eat. He only felt the slightest twinge of envy. Over the centuries, he's gotten used to not eating solid food.

When everyone had finished their meal, Astarion washed the dishes before striding into the living room. Halsin lit a fire there too, and then stretched out in front of the fireplace, together with the animals. Astarion joined them even though he started to feel hungry. He should go on a quick stroll to take a nibble from a stranger.

"Everything alright? You seem uncomfortable," Halsin noted.

"Well, other than you, I didn't have dinner yet," Astarion replied, slightly pissed.

Smirking, the druid looked at him.

"I didn't know you get hangry, little vampire."

The addressed bristled and bared his fangs, but the other man only snickered and didn't feel threatened at all. The audacity!

"I guess I should show my gratitude for your hospitality," Halsin told him then, and Astarion's thoughts came to a screeching halt. He stared at the druid in disbelief.

"Are you... inviting me to take a bite?"

The druid hummed, retorting: "This weather’s not fit for man nor beast. Nobody should be forced to leave the house today."

Astarion swallowed and licked his lips. So far, he hadn't bitten anyone of their group other than Tav and Gale. Thus, the invitation was tempting.

"Are you sure?" he probed and when Halsin nodded, he crawled closer to him. Slowly, he leaned over the druid and locked eyes with him. "If I do this, there's no going back."

"I know," Halsin said quietly but confidently. "It's alright, little vampire. Feed from me."

Astarion felt a shiver run down his spine, and he was positively famished now, and – to his own surprise – slightly turned on. The vampire spawn nosed along the druid's neck and licked it, before sinking his teeth into the tender flesh. Halsin gasped, caught off guard by the feeling of icicles in his veins, and he was gripped by sudden panic. He knew that Astarion wouldn't kill him, but the subconscious part of his brain still screamed at him to fight back and run. The vampire spawn obviously felt Halsin's sudden mood change. He gently lay his palm against the other elf's cheek and caressed the skin there. It was soothing and Halsin relaxed again. Astarion took the first gulp – and moaned right into the druid's ear who flinched at the sudden noise. The vampire spawn let go of him and licked the wound clean. When he straightened up, his eyelids were fluttering in ecstasy, his cheeks flushed from his meal. He licked his lips and purred: "That was amazing, darling. You taste as rich as a real bear. Full-bodied."

Astarion's eyelids fluttered again, he seemed drunk. Halsin frowned. He'd never seen this reaction before when Astarion had fed on Tav, and it worried him.

"Everything all right?" he asked, sitting up and touching the other man's arm. "You seem a bit out of it. Almost drunk."

"I am," giggled the vampire spawn. "I don't know why, but your blood's intoxicating – literally."

Halsin frowned again. He didn't know how to react or what to do. Astarion crowded in on him, panting, his eyes unfocused.

"Can I have more?" he pleaded.

The druid shuddered, goosebumps spreading over his body.

"Yes."

The vampire spawn bit him again, moaned when more of Halsin's rich blood gushed over his tongue, and involuntarily dry-humped him. Halsin was surprised that Astarion was hard, he himself was too, but that was nothing new. Moaning, the druid rolled his hips upwards to intensify the friction. The vampire spawn whined, but didn't stop drinking from him.

"Astarion, can I? Please?" Halsin asked, wrecked.

The addressed simply moaned and pressed his pelvic into him. The druid took it for a yes. He gently placed a hand on Astarion's buttocks and started to thrust up against him. Halsin groaned and panted while he let the vampire spawn drink his blood. Finally, the latter let go of his neck and whined needily instead. With half-closed eyes, Halsin looked up at him, seeing those blood-covered lips and teeth, and another desire hit him.

"Kiss me," he groaned. "Please, Astarion, kiss me."

The addressed complied, all spit and tongue, and Halsin could taste his own blood. The vampire spawn came with a long moan and collapsed onto him. The druid rolled his hips up a few more times before following his partner over the edge, coming in his trousers like an over-eager teenage boy. Panting, they lay on the floor, entangled.

"All right?" Astarion whispered, caringly.

Halsin nodded, blissed-out.

"I guess we came back at the wrong time," remarked Gale who suddenly stood in the doorframe with Shadowheart who grinned like a Cheshire cat.

Still drunk on Halsin's blood, Astarion lifted his head to look at them.

"But no, darlings," he grinned with bloodied teeth. "You're arrived just in time for dinner."

#baldur's gate 3 #bg3 #fanfic #astarion x halsin #astarion #astarion ancunin #halsin #scratch #tara #tara the tressym #naïlo #owlbear cup #mind the trigger warning

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astarion-approves · 8 months

Text

The ever oblivious Tav

Tav x Astarion

SFW, biting, blood drinking, Tav has 0 intelligence, slight spoilers, gender neutral reader, humor, touch of jealousy, just a short silly drabble. 900+ words.

Astarion gives into his desires and decides to drink from Tav while they're sleeping.

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Tav slept so peacefully, their breaths soft and relaxed, and they even smiled in their sleep as they enjoyed whatever dreams were brought to them…

But tonight they weren’t safe from a pair of ruby eyes that watched them. The hunger that Astarion felt whenever he looked at Tav was building. Their neck looking more and more like a meal with each passing day.

Surely it wouldn’t hurt anyone if he allowed himself to indulge just once, would it?

Astarion could wait no longer, the vampire crawling towards Tav’s bed, his mouth open and fangs ready to attach to their delicate flesh. He let out a soft moan as Tav’s blood rushed into his mouth, his eyes fluttering shut at the taste of pure delicious blood. Not that of an animal, or some sewer rat thrown into his lap— no.

This was everything to Astarion. A simple human that he traveled with, one that he had quickly befriended and began to care for. He felt a pinch of guilt as he continued to suck, but he knew he could force himself to stop when he needed to…

“Mh.”

Suddenly, Tav’s arm was wrapped around Astarion’s back, slowly sliding up his shoulders until it came to rest in his hair. Tav gently pushed down, urging the vampire to continue feeding from them.. But the vampire released his bite, raising his head to look onto Tav’s face where their eyes were now slightly open with a smitten little smile across their tips.

“So handsome,” Tav mumbled, their other hand coming up to wipe away their blood from Astarion’s bottom lip.

And then they were pulling Astation down, smashing their lips together in a deep and forceful kiss.

At first Astarion didn’t know how to react, had Tav known he was a vampire all this time? Did they not mind that Astation approached them like a midnight snack without permission?

But then…. Astarion gave into the kiss. Choosing to cradle Tav’s upper body in his arms as he kissed back, his tongue slipping past his lips and entangling with Tav’s. The human moaned in return, no doubt tasting nothing but iron as they licked their own blood from Astarion’s mouth.

It was over almost as soon as it began. Tav pulled themselves away, giving Astarion one last smile before lying back down and going back to sleep.

For a moment Astarion thought it would lead to something… a little more fun. Perhaps another night…

In the morning, Astarion kept sneaking a peek at where Tav still slept. The human sleeping in a little longer than usual, which made sense knowing what had transpired between them. He probably took a little more blood than he should have… but having Tav hold him while he drank his blood only made him drink a little harder. He swallowed as he remembered the taste, his tongue licking over his fangs as he fought the urge to go to them once more.

“They’re sleeping in a little later than usual, wouldn’t you say?” Shadowheart approached Astarion, apparently also noticing how Tav continued to dream on with cute little snores in between.

“Hm, yes. But… I wouldn’t want to wake them! Let the little human get their beauty sleep. They deserve it.”

Shadowheart snorted. “Not like they need it.”

Astarion narrowed his eyes at her, a quick burning of jealousy building in his stomach but then quickly passing. Tav may have kissed him last night… but that didn’t mean they were together.

Soon after, Tav awoke, the human rubbing at their eyes and yawning as they eased their way out of bed. They were greeted by Gale with a cup of coffee and a pat on the back. The two joked how Tav was normally the first person up and that Gale could hardly boil water without the aid of magic.

The entire time Astarion was fidgeting, pretending to read his book while his fingers tapped on his thigh and he continued to watch as Tav rolled up their bedding between sips of apparently terrible coffee.

“I had the strangest dream last night,” Tav began, catching the attention of everyone at camp, most likely expecting a dream of their Guardian.

Astarion knew better.

But perhaps this was some kind of cover, that Tav knew the others would be worried by them sleeping in—

“I dreamt that Astarion was a vampire.”

So much for that.

“Really?” Shadowheart stole a glance at Astarion, raising a single brow at him. “I could see it. As pale as he is, and those fangs he has..”

Gale hummed and looked Astarion up and down. “I’m not sure I would feel safe with a vampire in our camp. Especially if he hid it from us.”

“It felt so real,” Tav replied.

“Wait,” Shadowheart began and turned to Astarion. “You’re not actually a vampire… are you?”

Astarion laughed, and tossed his book into his tent, rubbing at the back of his neck as he moved closer to the three. “Well... this is.. awkward—“ He stopped once he reached them, the vampire eying the two clear indicators on his bite on Tav’s pretty little neck. The other’s noticed it as well. “Should I also tell them about our little kiss?”

Shadowheart gasped. Gale took a step back in shock.

And Tav dropped their jaw in horror.

“Wait!” They dropped their coffee, heat flooding their cheeks and their hands flew up to touch their own lips. “How did you know about that?!”

Astarion just laughed as the others rolled their eyes at the ever oblivious Tav.

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wheretheharekissesthefox · 6 months

Text

Tav's sex parade – Chapter 4: Where the sun kisses the sea (Gale x Tav)

(Trigger warning (18+): graphic description of sex, smut, gentle slow sex, coitus a tergo, fluff, the feels)

To avoid confusion: In one of my other fanfics Halsin and Tav had named the owlbear cup Naïlo, which means 'night breeze' in the Elven language.

Karlach’s and Wyll’s faith and Tav’s promise to them are based on one of my other fics.

Tav sat in the middle of Gale’s living room, cross-legged, strumming her lute, surrounded by papers and ink. She faced the open double-door window which led onto the small terrace, towards the sea. The evening sun shone right through the window, bathing the room in golden light. Tara, Scratch and Naïlo were resting on the carpet and pillows, listening to Tav's warm voice. She sang uncharacteristically high-pitched and softly.

"Down, down by the river,

where the ancient trees shiver,

are sleepy bears and night orchids in caves.

Ruby-red diamonds and purple waves

swirl farther down into water, deep,

where the winged beasts sleep."

Smiling, Gale lingered in the doorframe, not wanting to disturb his beloved's streak of creativity. He'd read and dabbled enough in poetry to understand the symbolism of her lyrics.

Tav stopped singing, but kept humming the melody that reminded him of a lullaby.

"Fire, fire, desire, hmm... Blade... shade? Hells, bells. Metal heart... part, apart..."

The bard stopped mumbling and frowned at her ink-smeared notes.

"Metal heart, forged in fire, found the blade of her desire?" Gale suggested after a moment of silence.

Tav turned around with a smile.

"Not bad. Maybe I'll use it. Thanks for the input."

She quickly scribbled it down. Gale finally walked closer and remarked: "It's wonderful to see you compose again. I missed watching you weave your own kind of magic."

"Mh, poetic as always, love," Tav smirked. "I thought while you and Astarion work through every single book in Waterdeep, Shadowheart helps your mother with her clients, and Halsin does his part to search for answers, I can make myself useful otherwise. You all keep your noses to the grindstone to find a way to get Karlach and Wyll out of Avernus, meanwhile, I go and make some money. We could use it, to be honest."

"You don't have to do this, if you don't want to," Gale told her.

"That's sweet, but I want to pull my weight. As you know, I taught myself to read and write, and I'm still very slow at reading. 'So slow that the bookworms eat away the paper in front of my eyes', as you've put it so politely."

Ashamed, Gale lowered his gaze.

"I'm sorry, that had been tactless of me. I shouldn't have said it."

"Well," she replied, with a shrug. "It's true at least. Thus, I'll do what I can do best: sing and perform. I miss it, honestly; the crude tavern goers, the passed-out drunkards, the strongly-perfumed working girls, the ill-tempered tavern keepers... I had quite the life before I've met you and got all boring and tame."

At that, Gale barked a laugh.

"You and tame? That fits as well together as oil and water! Don't worry, you definitely didn't lose your spark."

"Good," Tav grinned. She got up to kiss and hug him. Then, she looked at him mischievously. "I might need a reminder of my wild side."

Gale glanced towards the animals and cleared his throat. Tara snickered and herded the dog and the owlbear out of the living room.

"Thank you, Tara. You're a gem."

"I'd prefer if you'd show your gratitude with a big plate of Beholder jerky instead of polite words, Mister Dekarios," the tressym teased.

Gale bit his lip to keep himself from laughing.

"Of course, Tara. I'll remind 'Mister Dekarios' tomorrow morning," Tav filled in for him, amused.

The tressym let out a satisfied purr before pushing the door close, and Tav chuckled.

"Tara's rather handy. I know why you love her so much."

"Hm," smirked the addressed.

He leaned down to kiss the bard again and she wrapped her arms around him.

"I have an idea," Tav all but purred.

"I'm scared," Gale smiled.

She snorted a laugh and kissed him again. Then, she got up on her tiptoes to whisper in his ear.

"I want you to take me on the terrace. I want to do it while the sun goes down and witnesses our act of passion."

The wizard turned crimson, spluttering: "You want to do it out there?! Where everyone can see us?"

"Yes," grinned Tav. "I want to overlook the water while you take me from behind."

"Gods..." Gale wanted to hide somewhere. "That's rather... feral."

The bard grinned devilishly while playing with his hair.

"As I said; I need a reminder that I'm not boring and tame."

"I see why you get along so well with our druid," the wizard muttered. "Holy..."

Tav put on her best show, fluttering her lashes at him with a pout.

"You don't want to? I'm devastated."

"You don't look devastated," Gale retorted amused. "You look like the cat that got the canary."

"Do I get the canary?" Tav smirked and Gale sighed.

"I'm not sure. Doing it from behind... I can't see your face that way and it feels impersonal."

"Are you truly worried about this? We know each other for a year now, and I trust you – in and out of the bedroom. You said it yourself; there are infinite ways to be intimate. So, why not this way too?"

"Alright, let's try this. Anything for my insufferable bard, I guess."

He kissed her again before they moved onto the terrace. Tav leaned her back against the wooden railing, pulled Gale into another kiss, and wrapped her arms around his neck.

"You stole my lavender soap again," he remarked, no heat behind it.

"I just borrowed it – as always," she replied cheekily.

"Mhm. 'Borrowed'."

"Stop complaining and take your pants off. If we wait any longer, the sun will be gone."

Gale sighed, but took a step back to doff his trousers and underwear. Tav did the same, kicking everything into the living room carelessly.

"Come here."

She pulled him into another kiss. This time, it was much sloppier and less tender. The bard turned around, gripped the railing of the terrace, and spread her legs wider.

"Gods... look at you," Gale muttered, flustered. "Do you have no shame?"

"No. Not when I want something. And what I want now, is you in me. So hurry up. Please."

Gale had mercy on her (and himself, let's be honest here), crowded in on her, kissed her neck, and entered her slowly. Tav arched her back into it, panting. The wizard placed his hands on hers and buried his face in the side of her neck, breathing right into her ear. The bard shuddered, it was perfect. Gale's thrusts were slow but deep and precise. He knew how to make it good for her. Tav moaned and tilted her head more to the side to give him more space to kiss her and pant into her ear, while they watched the glary, red sun vanish behind the sea.

"Where's your infamous verbosity now?" Gale asked lowly. "Tell me what you see, in all your flowery words."

Tav moaned and tried her damn best to articulate the scenery.

"I- ah! I see how the sun kisses the sea. The sun... ngh... sinks into the sea, gently like a mh... lover. I see how... ah... flaming red... makes love... to blue to create... purple. Aah... Gale... please."

The addressed hummed and used his elegant, deftly fingers to massage her clitoris. Moaning, Tav dropped her head between her arms and arched her back more, pushing her buttocks into her partner's lap who's breath hitched.

"F- fuck! Please!" the bard sobbed, desperate for release. Panting, Gale leaned his head against her shoulder, flicked his wrist over her pubic mound, and climaxed with a guttural moan. He didn't stop moving his fingers though and shortly after, Tav followed him over the edge noisily. They stayed where they were, panting into the young night. The sky had turn light-blue and the first stars were visible.

Tav sighed and twisted her torso around to kiss Gale gently. He slowly pulled out so that she was able to face him fully.

"You were never this loud before," Tav remarked.

"I'm not the noisy type," Gale answered.

"But you were today. Why? Was it the semi-public setting that turned you on?"

"No! It just felt... I don't know... more intense? I've never - hm. I've never took anyone from behind before."

"And you liked it that much?"

"I don't know. Maybe," Gale muttered, slightly uncomfortable.

"Well..." Tav sighed and pulled him into a hug. "I liked it too. It was really nice. Something else for once. We can do it again if you wish."

"I'd like that," Gale admitted and blushed.

"Great," Tav smiled and kissed him again.

The cool evening breeze from the sea caressed them while they stood on the terrace and kept kissing each other tenderly.

#baldur's gate 3 #bg3 #fanfic #gale x tav #gale #gale dekarios #gale of waterdeep #tav #tara #tara the tressym #scratch #owlbear cup #naïlo #smut #mind the trigger warning

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