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tavs-tressym · 10 days

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Delicious Denial - Chapter Five

(AO3 Link) | Master List

Rating: Explicit, 18+

Pairing: Astarion x Fem!Tav (You)

Word Count: 4900 (approx)

Tags: Fluff, eventual smut, domestic fluff, camp life, slow burn romance, sexual tension (A LOT), masturbation (a bit), voyeurism (a bit).

WARNING: SELF-HARMING BEHAVIOUR (to feed Astarion), knives.

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A reimagining of the game's events if Tav had zero magical or fighting ability. But she's still pretty fucked up. 👍

(Lots of comforting camp life content)

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A/N: PLEASE PROCEED WITH CAUTION, CONTAINS POTENTIALLY TRIGGERING CONTENT, LOVELIES!!! XXX

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Chapter Five - Syrup

This morning’s spread isn’t as luxurious as yesterday’s, but you’re putting in all the effort you can. There’s an art to porridge, simple to make, difficult to maste- Okay, it’s porridge… But it does taste surprisingly good considering the lack of resources. Various chopped fruit and berries that you harvested from nearby bushes adorn the top of each bowl. Each one identical and artistic, aside from Karlach’s portion which is arranged in a smiley face. You think she’d like that. You lay the bowls out for the group to pick up in their own time. Then you clean the knife you used for the fruit and hover your wrist over a cup. The knife rests against your skin and… You hesitate. It’s okay, you take a deep breath and try again… You hesitate. “Guh!” You exclaim, jumping, jogging and huffing on the spot.

Okay Tav. You got this. It’s just a little cut. It’ll only hurt for a moment. Come on. Don’t be a coward. Let’s go in three… Two… One!

… You hesitate…

But you push through! Slicing your skin, dripping the scarlet contents of your wrist into the cup until it is full.

Ow, ow, ow, ow, ow…

You grab a cloth and wrap it around your wrist, pressing hard to stop the bleeding. Holding it away from your new shirt, you promptly replace it with a bandage and sigh. You continue to clean the station as the others emerge from their tents and take their bowls with thanks. Lae’zel doesn’t thank you, but you expected that. Each companion spots the cup of blood, but doesn't say anything. Karlach takes her bowl, thanks you whilst giggling at the design before rushing over to Shadowheart to, no doubt, gossip about the blood-filled cup. Gale is the only one who comments.

“Ah, I see you’ve discovered Astarion’s little secret?” In truth, you’re thankful that someone actually said something so you could explain yourself. You nod, smiling. “I’m just happy he wasn’t skipping meals because he was turned off by my cooking.” You chuckle.

“I hope you found out in a more… Appropriate way than we did.” He searches your neck for any injuries.

You gasp. “He didn’t…?”

“He certainly tried. I woke up to his teeth grazing my neck… But once I sent a mild shock of lightning through him, we seemed to understand each other.” You both laugh.

“Well, he just told me. From a safe distance.” Gale watches you giggle, still smiling.

You look at each other for a little longer than is comfortable before he catches himself. “Oh-er- Thank you for breakfast.” He holds up his bowl and walks over to the rest of the group.

Last but not least, Astarion leaves his tent, he revels in the feeling of sunlight on his pale skin as he stretches. He spots you: cleaning and unaware of his presence. You don’t clean gracefully, but brutally. You wrestle with a particularly stubborn spot on the makeshift counter, eyes wild with determination. His eyebrow raises, grinning at the sight before making his way over to you. His movement stutters when he spots the cup, pleasantly surprised to see it there. The closer he gets, the stronger he can smell it, smell you. Resting one hand on the counter and his weight on one hip, he makes a strong and successful effort to pull his eyes away from his gift and onto you. “For me?” At the sound of his voice, you untuck your lips and un-crinkle your nose, leaving the spot alone to see him for the first time today.

Last night ended a little abruptly. Once you noticed he was staring at your lips, you had turned away. You weren’t willing to give him that much. He didn’t say anything about it, but you could tell he was a little frustrated, mostly confused. You had been flirting all night, so why not? You still don’t know and you aren’t ready to look at that yet. But that didn’t stop you from staying up, worrying about how awkward it would be the next morning.

Your grin matches his before you decide to test the waters. “Oh no, that’s Wyll’s, he’s going through a phase.”

A light giggle escapes Astarion’s lips. “That is a shame, now we’re going to have to fight for it.” You smile, shaking your head.

Good… Back to normal…

“Well, hurry up then. Because you took your sweet time, it’s going cold.” He smirks and takes it in his hand, delighted that he can still feel warmth through the metal. He begins to walk away. “Oh no, no, no. You’re not going anywhere until I know how I taste.” He stops and spins around quickly, his grin somehow even wider. You adjust your position, bending over, elbows resting on the counter, one arm lying flat, the other propping up your head under your chin. You raise an eyebrow. “Go ahead.”

“Who’s the freak now?” He taunts.

“Uhuh, enough talking, more drinking.” You say playfully, gently pushing the bottom of the cup up, towards his face.

His eyes: animalistic, as the scent grows stronger. He chuckles a little before breathing it in, deeply. As he exhales, a groan threatens to escape, but he catches it in his throat when he sees your eager eyes in the corner of his vision. He wouldn’t dare to give you the satisfaction. He presses the rim against his lips and hesitates before taking a sip… Which turns into a gulp… Which turns into a chug... The cup is empty, yet still upside down, his mouth still wide open, his eyes rolling back behind closed lids, desperately trying to yield more from it. He admits defeat as no more drops will fall and stares, downcast, into the emptiness. The memory of your taste still dances on his tongue: rich, nutty, buttery syrup. He wipes his teeth clean with his tongue, savouring every smear of red he can find. “Very eager…” Your voice breaks his hypnosis, he clears his throat and regains some control over his body, ensuring the counter hides his bottom half. You giggle, his efforts of concealment flying under your radar. “I’d say that’s a very good sign... So, full review?” Your cheeks begin to ache from your constant smirking, but there’s no stopping it, his reaction was truly delicious.

He sighs, happily. “That… That was amazing…” You sit up to meet him on his level, arms supporting your upper body. Meeting your eyes with his, he licks his lips.

“Good, I take it you’d like to continue with our arrangement then?” He nods. “In that case, you can expect another cup for dinner.”

“Dinner…” He thinks to himself. “Dinner is so far away…” His gaze passes your face and finds the blood-soaked cloth on the table behind you. Saliva begins to rapidly fill his mouth. Then the bandaged cut on your arm grabs his attention: a spot of red, peaking through the white. If he had it his way, he’d drain you entirely, right here, right now. But that wouldn’t be wise, you’re offering this to him, he needs to play by your rules if he wants to keep his new, continuous food source. And he knows it. Plus, he’d miss your company. You feel the danger under his stare.

“Don’t start getting greedy now. One cup per meal, remember?” He swallows before engaging with you again.

“Of course, not one drop more…” He grins, flirtatiously.

“And what do we say…?” You gesture with your hand, expectantly. You love this. He scoffs but when he realises you aren’t letting up, he sighs dramatically, blowing a curl of his hair into the air. “Ugh… Thank you…” He rolls his eyes, but you can tell his gratitude is genuine. You smile triumphantly and take a bite of your own breakfast before turning around, ready to multitask eating and cleaning. Astarion stands there for a minute, looking at anything but you in order to calm himself down. Once he succeeds, he turns around to find every companion staring at him with very, very wide grins. You just beat him at his own game, and everyone saw it.

“Not. A. Word.” He commands, causing scattered giggles to emerge from the group. He adjusts his shirt and storms off into his tent to get ready for the day.

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Once everyone is finished, it’s once again time for everyone to armour up. You notice Karlach struggling with her straps and walk over, offering a helping hand. “Aw… Thanks soldier…” She seems sad when she sees you.

“Don’t mention it… Are you alright?” You ask as you dodge the hot metal of her armour.

“Me? I’m more worried about you! Last night, I-”

“I know. And it’s okay. Really… Astarion told me about your heart… It must be hard, not to be able to touch people…” Her knitted brows relax and she chuckles softly.

“It’s awful… Maybe I’ll tell you the full, long story sometime soon, but the short version? I was betrayed by someone I cared about… Someone I trusted… I was given to Zariel and I became her personal attack dog. She took my heart and stuck this damned engine in it’s place. I spent a decade trying to escape… But, thanks to this mindflayer bullshit, here I am!”

Zariel, you recognise the name, the Archdevil of Avernus.

You finish the last knot and step back to look her in the eyes. There’s no tears, but a deep sorrow, still.“I’m so, so sorry Karlach, I can’t even imagine…” Her mouth becomes a smile, but her eyes don’t match up. She tuts.

“Hey, come on, I’m here now! I’m free! I might be burning hotter than a furnace but I’m free!” When she speaks the word ‘free’, her eyes finally catch up and her whole face lights up. You sigh, then smile at her.

“How I wish I could hug you…” You look at each other for a moment, unsure of what to do. Then you have an idea as you spot a stuffed toy bear on the floor. You hold it up.

“Ah, Clive, meet Tav. Tav, Clive.” You laugh and squeeze the bear tightly, rocking with him in your arms. Once the ‘energy has been transferred’, you hold him up for Karlach, posing him so his arms are outstretched. Once she realises what you’re suggesting, you swear you see tears filling her eyes but she shuts them quickly as she takes Clive from you. She holds him close, rocking. She sighs and mouths a ‘thank you’ to you. She finds it difficult to pull away from your indirect embrace, but does so anyway, still smiling at the gesture.

She turns her attention to the rest of the group. “Right gang, let’s go smash some skulls!” Her and the rest of your companions gather and head off together. You wave them off, smiling.

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Last night’s party left quite a list of chores for you today. Certainly not the worst mess you’ve ever had to clean, but it’s pushing it. You work through the camp, humming sweet sounding melodies to yourself as you do. The laundry basket quickly fills with wine soaked rags and clothing. You set it aside to gather the empty wine bottles in a neat formation, ready to be washed and reused for potions. Occasionally you stumble into lost trinkets and jewellery you don’t recognise before shrugging and adding them to the camp inventory. Once the camp begins to look somewhat presentable, you turn your attention to the food station, examining the current and limited ingredients.

Tonight’s meal: Butternut squash pie.

You fold the raw pastry, time and time again. Beautiful layers rest and expand with each waiting period. The squash is well seasoned, roasted over the fire. Onions left to caramelise for as long as possible whilst you assemble the well worked pastry in a greased tin. Once the filling is complete, you take the time to cover it with an intricate pattern, strategic holes poking through pastry petals. Braided crust containing the treasures within. A savoury, sweet concoction all wrapped up and adorned with some of your best work, ready to be baked.

Sinking the basket of laundry into your hip, you make your way to the lake. It’s there that you flick through clothing, separating them neatly and guiding them into the water. As you target smears of red on a ruffled, white shirt, you notice a tear. Along the hem, it sags, revealing a hole, surrounded by torn thread. After doing all you can to cleanse it, you hang the shirt to dry in the sun. It makes quick work of it and once you’ve finished the rest of your task, it is dry.

Sitting with your back against a tree, you drape the fabric over your lap, a small, sharp fish bone in hand. You reflect on your lie as you’re faced with the daunting task ahead of you.

Shit. Why did I say I could sew?!

Hesitantly, you pierce the soft material with a mess of knotted, red thread following the fish bone’s path. You weave and knot it further, leaving messy kinks and bulging mistakes. It doesn’t look great. But, you suppose, fashion is hardly the party’s biggest concern. You hold your pitiful attempt at the sunlight to inspect it. It really doesn’t look good. Alas, it will have to do.

Soon after you’ve folded and distributed the fresh laundry to each tent, the midday drop off arrives. This time, it’s Shadowheart, carrying a bulging backpack as though it weighs nothing. You give a welcoming smile that she doesn’t reciprocate. “Here, this is everything so far…” She plonks the pack on the floor, creating a small dust cloud and a loud thunk.

“Thank you, I’ll sort through it in a moment.” You continue, expecting the sound of distancing footsteps, but there are none. You look up again to find her still standing there. She seems awkward, anxious, her hands intertwining and parting. Puzzled, you ask “Is there anything else I can do for you?”

She glances at you. “I…” she begins “I just wanted you to know that I’m… Happy… For you.” The words sound pained, reluctant, a desperate grasp at grace.

“Oh?”

“I saw you earlier, with Karlach.” She pauses. “You’re… A good fit. I think.” You raise an eyebrow as her sour expression becomes clear to you.

She’s jealous.

“Shadowheart, I-” You’re interrupted by a defensive tone.

“Just remember, she has friends. Lots of friends. Understood?” Her inner conflict pushes spite in her threat, making it panicked but firm.

“Shadowheart-”

“I’ll spell it out for you. Hurt her and die by my hand.” She grabs the handle of the mace secured to her hip, just to emphasise the point.

“Shadowheart!” She finally shuts up and lets you speak. “We’re friends. That’s it. Don’t get me wrong, she’s wonderful, but that's just not the nature of our relationship.” There’s a long silence as red slowly creeps onto Shadowheart’s cheeks.

“Oh… I see…” Her embarrassment cannot hide the beginnings of a smile.

“You like her.” You smirk.

“I- What?! I- Don’t be ridiculous!” Her flushed face panics, wide eyed at the accusation.

“You like, like her.”

“I-...” She waits for your cackles to end, unamused. “Alright! Yes, I do…” A deep, sorrowful sigh falls from her mouth.

“What’s wrong?”

“Nothing. It’s just… I’m… A cleric of Shar.” She caresses her hand, comforting a small, dark wound. “I have a mission from my cloister and I intend to follow it through, as I have with so many others, but… My devotion leaves little room for… ‘Recreational activities’. Let alone a relationship.” You try to show her your most understanding smile. She seems to soften her edges a little and looks… Sad.

“Well, considering Karlach can’t touch you, I doubt many ‘recreational activities’ would be on the table, anyway.”

“Oh, I think we could work around it…” She smirks, it seems that she’s thought about the logistics before. You chuckle.

“Surely you have more time now than ever, since being on the road. You could die tomorrow, why not see where it goes for now? What’s the harm?”

She pauses. “Well… I imagine we’ll all split ways once we’re cured, so the distraction shouldn’t linger for much longer than that… Alright, I’ll consider it. I suppose there’s no harm in having a little fun in the midst of all the chaos.” She looks around as you try to hide your smile, so as not to embarrass her. They truly would make an adorable couple.

“And what about you?” She not so subtly segways, moving the attention away from herself.

“What about me?” You almost scoff at the suggestion.

“I’d rather not pretend you haven’t attracted some… Attention. If that’s alright with you?” She says firmly, hand on hip. This time, you do scoff. But not because you don’t believe her, but at the thought of actually committing to any of the potential suitors before you.

“Mmm, yes. I’ve noticed Lae’zel flirting with me too.” A successful attempt to dismiss this topic? Maybe?

“Very funny, but we both know what I mean.” You smirk and shrug. She rolls her eyes. “Fine, I won’t press you.” The smirk turns into a smile, you nod, gratefully. “I should head back, we’ll be back at sundown. See you then.” She disappears down the path, you breathe a sigh before continuing your list of chores.

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It’s getting close to sundown, you cover the pie in the tin and leave it over the fire to bake so that when the group arrives, the smell will find them. Hovering your wrist over the cup feels less daunting this time. You’ve decided to reopen the wound from earlier, as painful as that may be, you don’t want any further scarring on your arm. And so you do just that. The cup is filled and placed on the counter as you hear familiar voices nearing the camp. You watch and wait for them to enter. Astarion arrives first with the rest following distantly behind. He must have rushed ahead. His armour is a deep leather, layered over a black, ruffled undershirt; paired with matching leather pants and extra padding on the knees. It’s lightweight and well fitted to his lean body. There’s blood splattered all over him, adding crimson streaks throughout his otherwise perfectly styled, silver hair. His confident posture suggests that the blood is, thankfully, not his.

Must have been an eventful day…

He looks around and finds you, he grins. You smile and nod your head in greeting. He takes this as an invitation to move closer, trying to ignore the tantalising smell emanating from the cup. “Hello, darling.” He moves behind the counter to get closer to you, resting his elbow on it. You turn to face him, hand on hip.

“Hello, Astarion. Busy day?” You gesture to the state of his apparel.

“Always.” He smirks. The voices grow louder, there are excitable squeals, thumping footsteps and… A bark?

Karlach bursts in with a white-furred, four legged friend following closely behind. She’s holding a bone over her head as the dog jumps at her, playfully. She trips and falls over, giggling as the dog chases the, now flying, bone across the camp and catches it in the air. “Good boy Scratch! Who’s a good boy? Who’s the bestest boy?!” She stands and the mouthwatering smell of dinner fills her nostrils. “Gods…” She turns to you. “Tav! We have a dog! Meet Scratch!” You turn to Astarion with a questioning look.

“Ugh, as you said: ‘Busy day’.” He responds.

“I can see that.” You laugh as the rest of the group enters at a more leisurely pace, the smell of dinner hits them too. Gale practically moans at the scent.

“Tav, you’re putting my humble stew to shame, time and time again.” He says, smiling warmly at you. “Thank you, but you haven’t actually tasted it yet so please try to reduce your expectations for me.” You laugh. You feel Astarion move a little closer whilst you aren’t looking.

“And that is something, I simply cannot wait for. Is it almost ready?” Gale moves towards the pot on the fire.

“Hmm, let me check.” You move past Astarion who watches you leave his side with a slight annoyance at the intrusion on your conversation. You open the pot, allowing the steam to escape before bending over and inspecting the crust with Gale looking over your… ‘Shoulder.’ Well… He’s looking at something…

Without looking, you reach your hand out behind you. “Could you pass me the-” A rag is placed in your hand before you can finish asking Gale for it. You look back to see Astarion, cup in one hand, towel in the other, standing over you. “Oh, thank you.” You say in slight surprise.

“No, thank you my dear.” He says, tapping his finger on the cup before walking past Gale to sit by the fire. You fold the rag and use it to lift the pot and place it on the counter. You shimmy the pie out and begin slicing it, revealing the glistening, rust coloured interior. You place a slice on each plate and hand them out, receiving the usual thank yous and none thank yous.

Scratch sniffs your legs and sits in your way, waiting patiently. “Uh… Hi, Scratch…” You look at him, awkwardly. His tongue just lolls out of his mouth as he tilts his head in response. “Um… What do you want? What does it want?” You turn to Wyll, hoping he can read this creature’s mind. He chuckles. “I think he’s hungry.”

“Oh…” You scan your brain for the little information you know about dogs. Meat, they eat meat.

“Never had a pet before, Tav?” He asks, amused at your awkwardness in front of a dog, of all things.

“Uh, no. Never seemed like my kind of thing.” You make your way to the food storage, now refilled with bits and bobs from their journey. You take a string of sausages, pull a few off and slowly put them in front of Scratch, yanking your arm away for fear of biting.

Wyll laughs at the sight. “It’s alright Tav, he seems well trained. Look, he’s not even touching it yet.” Scratch whines at the sausages on the floor, awaiting your command.

“Er-Go ahead, Scratch.” You say casually. He doesn’t seem to understand and stays still. You roll your eyes and make a gesture to him, urging him to eat. He pieces it together and pants excitedly before tucking in.

Taking your own plate, you walk back towards the fire and look around to find an empty spot. Each log is big enough for two and most are full. Wyll and Lae’zel are sharing grand battle stories with Lae’zel being not-so-subtle about her attraction to him, making him blush aggressively. Shadowheart and Karlach are deep in conversation, Karlach seems to be unable to take her eyes off of her as she speaks passionately about her love for night orchids. Astarion had tried to sit alone to enjoy his ‘dinner’ in peace, but that didn’t last long as Gale decided to shuffle over and talk his ear off about some theory he had about something or other. As much as you like Gale, even you’re starting to get bored. But, you can’t help but smile as you quietly decide to sit alone, on an empty log to enjoy your pie in the atmosphere of sweet conversations around you. Taking a deep breath, you feel grateful that you get to experience this. That you get to enjoy these peoples’ company. Friends aren't something you’re used to, any friend you had, you had to lose. But not now.

You feel… Safe... Mostly…

Basking in the moment, you look around and notice Astarion stand up and excuse himself, cup still in hand, he enters his tent. Presumably to get away from Gale’s ramblings. Everyone finishes their meal and you gather the plates. You need to wash Astarion’s cup. You set the plates aside and head towards his tent in search of the missing vessel. You begin to call out to him but then you hear something. You swear it was a grunt. Thinking nothing of it, you go to speak again. But stop. This time, you’re sure it was a groan. The whisper of a “Fuck…” followed by quick breaths.

Is he? No way…

There’s a gap in the fabric, candlelight inviting your gaze. You shouldn’t. You know that. But in your mind, you can see what you can’t see, and you have to know if you’re right. Just a passing glance, one moment to confirm your suspicions and that will be all… You lean in…

His back is facing you, one hand encouraging the flow of liquid from the tilted cup. Head tipping back, just far enough for your eyes to gather that his brows are knitted. His right arm seems to be wrapped around something in his lap, his hand peeking out from the left of his waist. You begin to pull away, your vision gaining one more vital piece of information as you do: The rocking of his hips.

You take a deep breath, grinning. You choose a nonchalant approach when you call his name: “Astarion?”

A rapid fumbling can be heard from inside. “Er- Just a minute!” You’re desperately trying to hold back laughter as he pokes his head out, your blood dripping from the corner of his mouth. “Yes?” You follow the stream as it drips from his chin.

“Cup?” You hold your hand out.

“Ah, y-yes, of course. Wait here.” He dips back into his tent and retrieves it.

“Thank you.” You take it and begin to turn away… But you can’t help yourself, this is too good of an opportunity to make him sweat. “Do you need help with anything?”

“Hm? What? N-no. Why?”

“Oh, you just sounded like you were struggling with something.” You look directly into his eyes with a mischievous grin. He coughs and clears his throat, his pale cheeks becoming tinged with the slightest blush. “But, if you’re sure…” You shrug nonchalantly and begin to walk away, stifling further giggles. You turn your attention to him once more, gesturing to your own chin. “Oh, and you have a little something. Right here.” He immediately wipes it away with his hand and squints at you, clearly irritated by your teasing. That doesn’t stop you from snorting with laughter as you make your way to the rest of the dishes.

You start washing the dishes and by the time you're finished, Astarion emerges from his tent, no longer wearing armour and adjusting his shirt. You make eye contact as you remove your apron, let down your hair, shake it out with your hand and sigh at the relief. He definitely isn’t over it, it’s clear in the way confidently saunters over to you, in a desperate attempt to maintain his pride.

Nice try…

“So, how was it?” You ask with the widest of grins.

He scoffs and folds his arms. “Look, I don’t know what you think you heard, but-”

“I don’t know what you mean, I’m just asking how your dinner was.” You wink.

“Of course you are.” He rolls his eyes, then smirks at you. You take two cups from behind you and fill them with wine. “I’m sorry for teasing. Peace offering?” You hold a cup out for him. He grazes your hand as he takes it from you, without hesitation.

“I accept. But, surely you can do better than this, darling.” He flashes his eyes at you, grinning, anticipating your next move.

“Hmm, how about this? Oh, my lord! I beg your forgiveness!” You twirl dramatically, feigning devotion. “Tell me, your majesty, is there anything a lowly subject such as myself can do to earn your mercy?” You take his hand and kneel before him.

He laughs at the display. “I could get used to this.” He takes a sip of his wine. “Fine, I forgive you. Get up.”

“Oh thank you, sweet, merciful lord!” You plant several tiny kisses on his cold knuckles. He doesn’t stop you, enjoying your warmth on his skin.

He chuckles and helps you up. You use your free hand to brace yourself on his chest, regaining your balance. Looking up at him, he smiles, warmly, at you. You smile back. As you remove your hand and pull away to sip your wine, you realise it’s wet. You look at your crimson coated palm, then his bloody shirt. “Um… Ew.” You wipe it on his sleeve. “Do I even want to know where all this came from?”

He raises an eyebrow at your squeamish display, grinning. “I’ll tell you if you come and sit with me.” He gestures towards the lake and as you turn to see it, he moves closer to your ear and whispers: “It’s quite the story.” His breath tickles and sends a shiver down your spine.

You clear your throat and find the wine bottle with your free hand. “Well, in that case…” You wink and begin to head to the lake. Astarion follows closely behind, shooting a smug smirk towards Gale, who was watching the entire interaction from the corner of his eye.

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Previous Chapter

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tavs-tressym · 12 days

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i see your kinky astarion and vanilla gale and i raise you vanilla astarion and kinky gale. these mfers be like

astarion: god please can i just have normal sex for once in my life, or even no sex, no sex is good too

gale: i just got so turned on watching you murder demons that i can't think straight, let's fuck in seven dimensions

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tavs-tressym · 12 days

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Majesty.

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tavs-tressym · 13 days

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The Affliction Pt1

Side Effects

Pairing: Astarion/Tav (afab)

Summary:Ever since you and Astarion consumed true soul tadpoles, you've felt an enhanced connection with each other. Astarion uses this connection to his advantage and you find yourself willing to comply

Tags: inappropriate use of tadpole powers, vaginal fingering, PIV sex (kinda), humiliation, degradation

Word count: 1,326

After taking a true soul tadpole, you could feel your powers grow. Astarion, who expressed his interest in the tadpoles and the power they could unlock, consumed one as well. It was odd, not only did you feel your abilities grow, but you sensed your connection with Astarion's tadpole enhance as well. It was probably a side effect of the aberration's psychic influence.

The first time you noticed it was in battle. You felt his bloodlust, it nearly doubled you over until he sucked a worg's blood and you felt revived. The experience was startling, you stared at him in shock, wondering if he knew what you had felt. His eyes met yours, considering the look on your face, and he wiped the blood from his chin to lick his fingers clean.

Your distracted state cost you. Claws slashing you deeply. You attacked, landing a killing blow, and fell to your knees in exhaustion. It was time to make camp.

After peeling away your blood soaked clothes, Shadowheart took to healing your slash wounds. Despite the comfortability you had to adopt with your companions, you felt a pair of eyes on you making you self conscious. You pushed away the thought, relaxing into Shadowheart's healing magic. It was warm and had a calming effect, much like a bath.

In your relaxation your mind drifted to Astarion. His piercing eyes and alabaster skin, somehow more beautiful when covered in blood. You felt warmth beginning to grow deep inside you. A ghosting of a touch swept your body and your eyes snapped open, landing on Astarion's. He was watching you from across the camp, stalking almost. You looked at Shadowheart, seemingly oblivious to what had occurred.

“Is everything alright? You look troubled. Well, more so than usual” she asked, her spell fading.

You looked at the wounds which had healed under her care. “I'm fine now, thank you. I just need to rest” you said, excusing yourself. You made your way to your tent, hot shame coursing through you. Did he know?

The next day you were determined to keep an iron will. You were just going to the Zhentarim hideout as you were instructed to do. Nothing crazy.

That's where you felt the phantom touch again. It started light, small, ignorable. A stroke on your outer thigh. You thought it was a stiff breeze. But it persisted, getting braver.

You nearly jumped out of your skin when you felt it pinch your nipple. “Keep it together. These people can turn on us any moment” Astarion whispered in your ear, his breath licking at the delicate skin. You stood in terror. He knew, he saw your preening body and he knew. He could probably smell your desire, Gods, you were ashamed. But how was this happening, and why? Then it struck you, turning your head slowly to meet his mischievous gaze that confirmed everything. He was toying with you.

[Tell me no and I'll stop,] he communed through the tadpole. You wanted to kill him. And yet, you said nothing. [Tell me you want this] his telepathic touch drifted further up your thigh, closer to the apex of your legs.

You focused on the tadpole- on him. [I want this] you admitted, turning back to the reasonably confused trader. The psychic fingers palmed you lightly, rubbing circles with invisible fingers.

You pressed your thighs together and initiated the trade, distracted by Astarion's touch. The fingers slipped through your lips, causing you to bite your fist in restraint.

“Look, do you want the bow or not?” The trader asked, irritated by your behaviour.

Astarion began pumping one finger into you, slowly. “Yes!” You cried out, handing him a bag of gold you were not keen on trading. Had you not been so distracted, you would have bargained.

After receiving a very suspicious look from the trader and just about half of the cavern (including your companions) you took the bow and walked off, dignity in tatters.

You left the hideout, flustered and humiliated. No one dared utter a word.

At camp, your companions kept their distance from you. Shadowheart had an inkling of what was going on but had no interest in finding out for herself. Everyone else just thought you were bizarre. You were happy to eat alone for once. After everything that had transpired you couldn't explain yourself. Thats when you felt him. Again.

Hands squeezing and massaging your breasts, cupping them and rolling the nipples between nonexistent fingers. You looked for Astarion and he was nowhere to be seen. Ah, his tent.

How thoughtful, he gets to play with you in the privacy of his tent while you're in clear sight of all your companions.

The shame stirred that all too familiar feeling within you. What if you do get caught, will they finally know how pathetic you are?

[I heard that] Astarion's voice pressed into your mind and you tensed. [Who knew you were such a glutton for punishment] he teased, and you felt a new sensation at your clit. A vibration.

The feeling had you biting your lip to suppress a moan. It was like nothing you'd felt before.

[Tell me, when you come undone in front of our merry band, do you think they'll finally realize what a craven whore you are? You could have crawled away to the privacy of your tent, but you want them to watch] you could hear that sly grin even in your mind.

But he was right, you wanted them to see. [Yes, I'll disgust them] you replied, avoiding Lae'zel's examining stare. You shifted in your seat, hoping the pressure of the ground would press on you further. It did very little to aid you.

[How needy. Practically rutting yourself on any surface to get off. I wonder what they'll think when you're moaning my name, screaming for more] he said, pushing some invisible force inside you. Oh Gods, that must be his cock. It slowly pressed inside, pushing against your walls, giving shallow thrusts until finally- finally, he bottomed out. The vibrations on your clit and his cock stuffing you had you in a lust-filled daze. You couldn't focus on anything except for Astarion.

He thrusted the cock within you at a brutal pace, you could barely sit up taking this pounding. Panic filled you. Was there any visible sign? Oddly there was nothing audible save for your quickened breath and shifting thighs. You looked down to see if your cunt was truly gaping, some invisible force present. Nothing. Though some moisture was beginning to build at the center of your core, seeping through your pants from your arousal.

It was all becoming too much too soon. You stood up to go to your tent and your legs failed you, causing you to kneel on all fours. The new angle drove Astarion deeper into you and you let out a whimper.

“Tav, are you alright?” Shadowheart came over to you, noticing the sweat covering your body.

[Oh that's it. Let them know what a filthy slut you are. Let them know you let me ruin you] Astarion's voice rung in your head and you leaned onto your elbows, arching your back.

“It's these cramps. I think my monthly is beginning” you improvised with a surprising conviction.

Shadowheart nodded and rubbed your lower back to help. You refused to look her in the eye, what you were doing was deplorable.

[Very cheeky, pup. Now, come for me] He commanded and so you did. You bit your arm, hard to stifle yourself and let your orgasm rock itself through your body.

“Poor thing. Get some rest, Tav” Shadowheart said watching you get up and stumble into your tent.

[Poor thing indeed. Find me once everyone else has gone to sleep. I might have a cure for your affliction] he said, ghosting lips over your neck and jaw.

You agreed, skin burning in anticipation for the night to come.

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tavs-tressym · 13 days

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tavs-tressym · 14 days

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Can someone tell me to stop making new tavs and actually finish my durge's act 3 pls?

#baldur's gate 3 #bg3 #bg3 durge #dark urge #durge #bhaalspawn tav #bhaal #bg3 bhaalspawn #baldur's gate #baldurs gate 3 #baldurs gate #bg3 tav #tav #act 3 #bg3 act 3 #autism #actually autistic

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tavs-tressym · 14 days

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My Durge is always rocking a high pony tail in-game but then I started wondering what might happen when she lets her hair down. This is the nonsense that I came up with. To banish Withers, head over to my Patreon to feast your eyes on sausage and melons for free. ✌

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tavs-tressym · 14 days

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Tagged by: @astarionancuntnin (merci <3 xxx)

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Current 5 Favourite Songs (in no particular order):

1 - Super Freak - Rick James

A timeless bop.

2 - bb nike - Sophie Hunter

Shmexy.

3 - Want It All - Ashnikko

A song to perform necromancy to.

4 - James - Laufey

Ya like jazz?

5 - still feel. - half alive

Boogie woogie.

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Tagging: @faerievampling @a-spawn-on-my-lawn @staywild-wolfchild @spite-made-me

(No pressure lovelies, you do you xxx)

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✨ top five fav songs at the moment!! ✨

I was tagged by @bigtiddythanos ❤️❤️❤️

1. End of the Beginning ~ DJO

2. Vampire ~ Olivia Rodrigo

3. I Wanna Tell You a Secret ~ Junie & The Hutfriends

4. Out For Love ~ Hazbin Hotel

5. Texas Hold 'Em ~ Beyoncé

No pressure tags: @rafeism @connorsui @thought--bubble @succnfuccubus @vhagar-balerion-meraxes

#tagged

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tavs-tressym · 16 days

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Delicious Denial - Chapter Four

(AO3 Link) | Master List

Rating: Explicit, 18+

Pairing: Astarion x Fem!Tav (You)

Word Count: 3750 (approx)

Tags: Fluff, eventual smut, domestic fluff, camp life, slow burn romance, sexual tension (A LOT).

WARNING: Contains graphic & gory description of injury.

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A reimagining of the game's events if Tav had zero magical or fighting ability. But she's still pretty fucked up. 👍

(Lots of comforting camp life content)

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A/N: OMNOMNOMNOMNOMNOM

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Chapter Four - Delicious

As the celebration grows louder, you panic and pull down the flap of your tent, hiding away. You hear them all spilling into the camp, most voices already slurring their words as they pass you, none the wiser as to who is inside. You stay there, huddled up for some time, trying to stay quiet, hoping that no companion will blow your cover.

“Hey, have you seen Tav?”

Shit.

There’s a space of silence, you can only assume that whoever Karlach is talking to points at your tent, as she lifts up the flap moments later. “Hey soldier! You’re missing o-” She is interrupted by you grabbing her arm and dragging her in the tent with you, a desperate attempt to protect your anonymity. She tumbles to the side, the flap shutting behind her.

“Shh!” You emphasise with your finger to your lips. There’s a strange smell… You feel a tingle on your hands… The tingle turns into sizzling pain… Burning… “Ah! Hot! What the fuck?!” You cry, flailing your hands but they only burn hotter.

“Shit! Shit! Shit! I’m sorry!” You have no idea what she just did to you, but it hurts. A lot.

“Well, hello, what’s going on in here?” Before Astarion can make any further comment on the noises coming from your tent, he is forced out of the way by both you and Karlach, falling flat on his ass.

“Move!” You both yell simultaneously, darting to the lake. You waste no time, you shed no clothing, you jump in, with a frantic splash. Karlach watches, anxiously nibbling her nails, hoping that you’re okay. The water, thankfully, provides relief once you are fully submerged.

There is a muffled commotion coming from the surface, you want to stay here, where the sound and the eyes can’t reach you. Any hope of sitting through this party undetected has just been destroyed. But you’re running out of air, the urge to breathe takes over and you force your head over the threshold of the lake.

Opening your eyes, you see Karlach waiting on the shore with a small gathering of tieflings and the rest of the party. Shadowheart swaying, clearly intoxicated and struggling to stand. “I brought Shadowheart!” She points at her triumphantly, beckoning you to leave the lake.

“Yyyyyep… That’s me.” She waves, lazily.

A drunk healer, what could go wrong?

You sigh and swim towards them. As you grow closer, the tieflings squint to get a better look at you, some faces darken in recognition, others blissfully unaware and in a similar shape to Shadowheart. As your body emerges from the water, Astarion finally catches up with the crowd, rubbing his behind.

“Gods, what happened?!” asks Gale upon seeing the reddened flesh, peeling from your hands.

“She… She touched me. She didn’t know.” Karlach responds, tears in her eyes.

“Okay, as much as I enjoy talking about it, I would really appreciate somebody fixing it now!” The words force themselves through gritted teeth as the pain creeps back in. Gale nods.

“Shadowheart.”

“Gaaaaale…?” Shadowheart flops her head to look at him.

“Cure. Wounds. Tav. Now.” He speaks as simply as possible for her to understand.

“Huh? Oh, yeah…” She mumbles and slurs through the incantation, unsteadily hovering her hands over yours. It’s not enough.

“It’s not working!” You cry, eyes watering. A strong, large hand comes into view, replacing Shadowheart’s. A deep grumble of words and a glow encases your palms. They quickly revert back to their original, uninjured state. You breathe as the pain fades once again.

In front of- or… above you? A tall, rugged wood elf stands, proudly. “Halsin! Thank you!” Karlach exclaims in relief.

“Y-yes, thank you, Halsin.” You pant, looking up at him as he smiles down at you.

“No need, tonight is a night of celebration, we can’t have any accidents ruin the fun. Besides, what’s an archdruid for if he can’t perform a simple healing spell?” He chuckles heartily.

So he’s one of the druids… The archdruid… Where in the hells was he when the fighting started?!

You inspect him, squinting, then you notice the many faces of the tieflings staring at you in your peripheral vision. Many are struggling between hatred and confusion. Gale takes your hands in his and inspects them, trailing his finger along them as he does. They’re warm compared to yours, though you suppose that’s because you just jumped in a freezing cold lake.

“Are you alright?” He asks with genuine fright and concern in his eyes. You nod then return your gaze to the tieflings. He does the same, recognising the tension. “She won’t harm you.” He announces, still holding your hands. “She may have been on the other side, but it wasn’t by choice. She is our friend. Please, treat her as such.” You doubt his words will have much effect, you know people. People are stubborn.

The tieflings exchange glances then, to your surprise, begin to nod in agreement. Their acceptance of you is… painful. It’s wrong. Their numbers dwindled by your hand, that familiar pang of guilt surges through you once again. The crowd begins to dissipate, returning to the party. Gale looks at you, realises his hands are still holding yours, he lets them go abruptly. “Um-I’m glad you’re feeling better.” Karlach now has tears streaming down her face and is sobbing. You can make out what she’s saying, barely.

“S-soldier… I’m… I’m sooo sorry!! I just… The engine… It… I can’t… I’m sorry!” She’s trying to force out an explanation but her words are stopped by choked sobs. She breaks down in tears in her hands, steam rising from her cheeks. This strong, formidable woman is crumbling in front of you.

“I’m alright now, it’s okay.” She nods, sniffling. Before you can ask about what just happened, the water on your body and clothes catches the cold air and holds it to your skin. You shiver, wrapping your arms around yourself, teeth chattering. Gale steps forward and begins to hold his arms out, preparing to share his body heat with you, but he is interrupted.

“I think I can take it from here.” Astarion says firmly, reaching into your tent to grab your blanket. Gale lowers his arms, nods in surprise and steps back. The blanket is draped over your shoulders, you hold it tightly to your body with your hands as Astarion guides you towards the campfire and away from the others, you look back and catch another glimpse of Halsin talking to a small group of tieflings. Astarion sits beside you as you warm up your hands.

“Th-th-thank y-y-you…” Your shivering makes it hard to speak. He grabs a bottle of wine and two cups, fills them both and offers you one. You hesitate. You don’t care how nice he’s being, you still don’t trust him. His smile fades and he speaks sincerely.

“I promise, it’s just keep you warm.” You still don’t take it, flicking your gaze between him and the cup. Getting a little frustrated, he goes to speak again, then sighs instead. He takes a sip of your cup, before holding it out for you again.

Satisfied, you finally take it and drink slowly, trying not to spill any with your quivering hands. It tastes like vinegar. “Ugh, th-this is a-awful…”

He responds through laughter.“My dear, I couldn’t agree more. I was trying to get my hands on the good stuff, but those tiefling kids drive a hard bargain.” You chuckle and take another sip. “I bet the goblins had good wine.” He says as your body gradually stops shivering; the fire’s warmth spreads to your bones.

“I wouldn’t know, I was too busy rotting in a cell. The party they were having did look fun though.”

Interest peaked, he leans in. “Really? Well, don’t go sparing any details on my account, go on, tell me more.”

You smile at his eagerness. “A lot of drinking, fighting and in some dark corners you might’ve even caught a glimpse of some sinful debauchery.” You feign horror at the things you’re saying, triggering an airy, high-pitched laughter from him.

“Oh darling, you always know just what to say!” He places his hand on his heart and flutters his eyelashes at you.

You shake your head playfully. “You’re a bit of a freak, aren’t you?”

“Ah, well, if I’m a freak, what does that make you, my dear?”

You scoff. “Maybe you just bring out the worst in me.” You sip wine nonchalantly.

“Hmm, then the worst is already there, my darling.”

A cold drop of water from your hair falls onto your neck, causing you to shiver violently for a moment. “Ugh! Hold on.” You let the blanket fall from your shoulders whilst you flip your hair forward, twisting it, wringing it out and allowing the drops to drench the floor. You flip it back and look back at Astarion who’s half-lidded eyes haven’t left your exposed neck. “Yes…?” You say, expectantly. He shakes himself out of it and clears his throat, facing the fire again, sipping his wine nonchalantly. “Like I said, freak.” You tease, he chuckles into his cup. You both gaze into the fire, side by side. Your eyes wander and spot Karlach being genuinely comforted by Gale and Wyll. Shadowheart and Lae’zel are… trying…

“So… Karlach, huh?”

“Hmm? Oh, yes she has an unstable engine for a heart or something to that effect. She can’t touch people.” He speaks casually and in between sips.

“That sounds awful.” He flicks his eyes to you, intrigued by your earnesty, then nods in agreement. “Anything else about our merry band of companions that I should know about?”

“Ha, I wouldn’t even know where to start!”

You raise an eyebrow and look at him expectantly. “Go on, tell me more...” He grins as you quote his own words back to him.

“Well… Alright. I suppose you may as well know now.” He adjusts himself and moves close, gesturing to each party member as he explains their situations. “Gale’s ex-lover is the goddess Mystra, he has a bomb in his chest and he, annoyingly, eats valuable magical items to stop it from killing us all. Wyll is the son of Grand Duke Ravengard and he’s locked in a bad contract to serve a devil called Mizora, we don’t like her. With me so far?”

“Er-I think so…?” You try to prepare your mind for more overwhelming information.

“We don’t know much about Shadowheart, but that’s only because Shadowheart doesn’t know much about Shadowheart. Amnesia. All we know is that she serves Shar and carries a Gith relic around with her... Oh and Lae’zel wants to find a creche.” He looks over at you to gauge your reaction.

“Uh… Okay… Right…” You nod slowly, staring into space. He chuckles and waves his hand in front of your face.

“Still with me, darling?” You snap out of your trance and nod.

You think for a moment, then realise something.

“What about you?”

“What?” He asks, already a little defensive.

“You told me about everyone but yourself. What about you?”

He stutters a little but regains his playful composure once again, debating the value of honesty. Then his eyes light up with an idea. “How about we make this… interesting?”

“I’m listening…”

His grin grows wider, excited by your cooperation. He leans in, even closer, faces inches apart. “You show me yours, I’ll show you mine.” He says softly, you can feel his warm breath on your lips.

You match his smug expression. “Promise?” His eyes widen for a moment, you get the first sense that he’s struggling to keep up with you, and it fills you with such a thrill. He pulls away, places his practised mask on once again and nods. “Hmm… I’ll think about it.” He seems to enjoy you toying with him, for now. He leans back to get a better look at you.

Your face changes from playful to sincere as you skim memories in your head. You take a deep breath and look at the ground. “The past is kind of hard to talk about.” You giggle nervously. Astarion recognises your change in demeanour and adjusts himself into a more appropriate listening pose. “Then let’s make it easier. You lied to us about something yesterday, can you tell me the truth?” He spoke confidently yet softly. A strange mix, but you appreciate him asking instead of commanding.

I suppose it’s only fair. A piece of me, for a piece of him…

You breathe in, readying yourself for his judgement. “Something happened at the goblin camp. I did something.” When you meet his eyes again, he’s distant, guarded, but listening intently. His eyes tell you how surprised he is that you’re playing along, and honestly, you’re surprised too. “Minthara had a prisoner, to prove myself to her, I had to… ‘persuade’ him to give her the location of the grove… I did just that.” You pause, searching his face, debating whether or not to continue. Remarkably, he doesn’t seem put off by the information. His brows are furrowed but in concentration rather than disgust. “At first I couldn’t believe what she had asked me to do, but still, something came over me. It made me hurt him, and I really hurt him... It felt like I was hurting-… Someone else… Anyway, to put it simply, it worked. I handed the grove to her on a silver platter. It didn’t matter to me, I was safe. But then I saw them, all of these people… As much as I appreciate Gale protecting me back there, it was based on a lie. They have good reason to hate me, they should hate me.” He takes in every word you say.

“Gods, I’m sorry, you must think I’m a monster-”

“No, no. I don’t. I understand.” He looks down for a moment as he processes the information.

“H-how?”

How in the hells could he understand? I sentenced dozens of people to their deaths!

He doesn’t answer. He swiftly moves on and when he looks at you, he sees only you.

“Thank you. For telling me that.” He smiles at you, then back to silent gazing into the fire.

You ask the question that burns in your mind: “Are you going to tell the others?”

“No, I don’t think so. There’s no point, really.” He shrugs, still smiling.

You exhale your anxiety. “Thank you… So… I can stay…?”

He chuckles and runs his hand through his hair. “Gods, my dear, if we abandoned every person who’s engaged in a little bloodshed, none of us would be here.” You let out a muffled giggle and hold the smile that graces your face in the process, nodding gratefully. You still don’t trust him, not entirely, but for a brief moment, you did. And it felt good.

Looking around, you notice that the tieflings are now, essentially, comatose, and so are your friends. “Looks like the party’s over.” You giggle at the sight, then look back at Astarion who never broke his gaze on you.

“It doesn’t have to be…” He places his hand on yours. And just like it was when you first met, it’s cold. You flinch at the sensation, he begins to pull away but you grab his hands and hold them near the fire.

“I think you need the heat more than me, you’re freezing!” He chuckles softly. His hands refuse to heat up properly, only the surface of his skin growing warm and even then, not for long. “Are… Are you okay? You aren’t warming up.” He doesn’t respond, he just takes your hand in his and stands. He waits for you to follow. “Where are we going?”

“Not far. I want to show you something, in private.”

Warily, you slowly stand and follow him into the forest until you find yourself in a small clearing. He lets you go and takes a deep breath. “You showed me yours, now I’ll show you mine.”

Your eyes widen and you blush, aggressively. “Please tell me you didn’t drag me out here, just to show me your dick…” He bursts out laughing which makes you feel at ease… If not the slightest bit of disappointment…

“Darling, what do you take me for?!”

You giggle and shrug. “So…?” He smirks at your impatience. From behind a nearby tree, Astarion drags out a dead boar and lays it in the middle of the clearing. “Um… Ew?”

“Do you insist on commenting on everything? Or are you going to give me chance to explain myself?” You raise your hands in surrender, allowing him to continue. He sighs. “Thank you. So… This is what I was doing last night.” He gestures to the boar, you furrow your brows in confusion. “Come, take a closer look, I promise there’s a point to all of this.”

“Back up, then.” You gesture to him to move back with one hand as you use the other to pour a sips-worth of wine into your mouth. He does as you say, moving backwards, waiting for you to inspect it.

You walk towards it, keeping an eye on Astarion’s whereabouts. “I gotta’ say, you’re looking mighty freakish right about now…” You crouch down, smirking at him and try to spot anything odd about the boar. You find nothing and in fact, that is exactly the problem. You can’t seem to figure out how this creature died. Then you see it, two small holes in it’s neck. There is no blood left in this corpse, it has been drained dry. You stand straight immediately in realisation, spilling a little wine from your cup. You back away, slowly, holding your free hand in front of you to maintain distance. You lock your stare onto him, monitoring for any sudden movements. You point at the boar. “That was you?” You ask him bluntly.

“Yes…” He looks… afraid. Of you? How can that be? You’re not the danger here, he is.

“And you’re a…”

“Vampire, yes-well, a vampire spawn to be exact.”

Taking another step back, but maintaining your glare, you dare to ask about your fate. “Am I going to die here?” Tears begin to fill your eyes, voice wavering.

“N-no! I don’t want to hurt you, I swear!” He pleads. “Look… Truthfully, you’re the last one to know! If I was truly a threat, do you think any of our companions would still be alive?” You begin to speak, but pause. Your stare softens.

Well, that explains why everyone was acting so strange at meal times…

You sigh and relax a little. “Alright…”

He does the same. “Thank you.” As the fear subsides, a new feeling emerges, anger. Not at him though, only at yourself for being so stupid, for not seeing it sooner, for… trusting him.

You grab your skull with your hands and let out the energy that’s been building inside of you.

“UGH! Fuck! Seriously, Tav?! What the FUCK?!” You throw your cup at the nearest tree, followed by weak punches, kicks and screaming profanities until you tire yourself out, which doesn’t take long. You turn and slide down against the tree, panting. Astarion holds his hands up and slowly starts to move closer, checking to make sure it’s okay. You nod and even pat on a space beside you, encouraging him to sit. He raises his eyebrows in pleasant surprise, then clears his throat, makes his way towards you and sits. You don’t look at each other, simultaneously enjoying and hating the silence.

“Can I just say… I’m a little surprised you hadn’t worked it out by now. I mean, my eyes are bright red and I have a dashing pair of fangs… so I’m told.” He taunts.

“What kind of vampire walks in sunlight, genius? I don’t have a habit of staring at peoples teeth and I thought your eyes were fucking elf thing, I don’t know…”

He chuckles. “Fair points, mostly… It’s the tadpole, you know. It allows me to do things that I couldn’t before. Well, not everything, of course.” His eyes flick to the boar.

You look at him and then rub your eyes with one hand, bringing it to a pinch on the bridge of your nose. “Gods… So, blood? That’s it? That’s all you can have?”

“Well, you’ve seen me drink wine, but other than that…” He pauses, letting you fill in the gaps.

You sigh, defeatedly. “Well, how am I going to find blood for you, every damned day?!” You whine.

“What do you mean?” He raises an eyebrow in your direction.

“Look, I can’t fight, the only thing I can do is look after this camp. That includes cooking. I’m not having you sit with us, empty handed, again.”

“You... You want to help me feed?”

“Yes! I can’t keep putting up with that grumpy-ass face at dinner time, it’ll drive me mad.” You tease, he scoffs, feigning offence.

You bite your nails as you ponder the options, searching for anything but the obvious. Alas, you cannot think of anything as sustainable or reliable. “So… What does it feel like? Being bitten?” You approach the topic cautiously, but that doesn’t prevent Astarion from getting his hopes up, even getting a little giddy with excitement at your interest.

“Why…?” He elongates the word to it’s uncomfortable limit in your ear.

“Just shut up and answer the damned question, Astarion!”

He giggles and thankfully, chooses not to embarrass you further. “Honestly? It hurts a fair bit, but only for a few seconds. Then… Well, I wouldn’t want to spoil the rest…” He smirks at you, mischievously.

You clear your throat. “How many cups do you need a day?”

A little disappointed by the slight topic change, Astarion thinks. “Cups? I… Hmm… Two or three maybe? I’m not sure, I can’t say I’ve ever measured it.”

“Alright, we’ll start with two, then go from there.”

“I… Thank you… I appreciate that.”

“Yeah, yeah. You’d just better hope I taste good.”

He smirks and leans in close, his cold hand on your jaw and his eyes pleading with you to trust him. You allow him to turn your head to the side, he leans into your neck, feeling the heat that emanates from it on his lips. He fills his lungs with your essence and ever so slightly groans. He turns you again so you face him, inches apart, hand still gripping your jaw.

“Darling, you’re going to be delicious…”

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