#and also.. I have the same thing about halsin. he's so calm and his heart is truly made of gold | Explore Tumblr Posts and Blogs

autistichalsin · 3 months

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Halsin's autism coding really jumps out in his camp confession scene

Both the romantic and platonic one. Starting with the romantic one:

He thinks asking about his past lovers is a sign of interest (I notice a lot of autistic folks like us tend to never get it "right"- when we guess that someone might be interested because of cues we were told were romantic, we get it wrong, whereas when someone is showing certain cues, we think it's just friendly!)

The way he feels the need to explain why he thinks you're interested in him before you accept or reject. This one isn't explicitly explained, of course, but it is very easy to read it as an autistic person afraid of being harshly rejected/told they're insane to think there was a connection, so he puts out an explanation first in the hopes of softening the blow if he turned out to be wrong.

Halsin completely, and adorably, misinterprets the player if they tell him "maybe your heart stirs easier than you think"; he doesn't understand that the player is partially slut-shaming him (which is rude af on the player's end, but he misses this because he's honestly un-slutshamable, so he would never be offended here) and partially asking for clarification- how can you have had many lovers yet your heart doesn't stir easily? Not understanding this, Halsin goes on to tell stories of his past exploits, which are hot and very welcome, but also very much not what the player as getting at.

If the player is an absolute asshole and mocks him by comparing him to a deep rothe, he is crushed, but stays calm, simply telling them that they could have just said no- he doesn't call the player a jerk like they deserved. Just feels very true to the 'tism experience.

This line alone could stand as proof, I think: "Nature gifted us our desires, and the means to act on them. But we muddied its beautiful simplicity with rules, social strictures... clothes." He hates social structures for their complexity, and prefers something simpler. The dislike of social structures, of their nebulous nature, is a core autistic experience.

If the player says they only helped because he's a useful ally, he once again misreads; he misses that the statement was a rejection, and responds earnestly that he sees them as much more than an ally.

For the new platonic path:

If the player tells him they just want him to carry heavy things for them, he responds differently based on his approval levels to them (I.E. based on how close they are and how kind he feels the player is); at low approval, he is deeply hurt by this, and sadly muses that "perhaps not all friendships are destined to be balanced and reciprocal." Yet... he still considers it a friendship, even though that is in practice no friendship at all. A lot of autistic folks have this experience of being friends with people who don't share the same level of affection, or even outright mistreat, us.

In fact, the same thing happens in another variation: if the player snarks about Halsin inviting himself along (a way of saying "get lost"), he laughs and warmly says that he guesses he did invite himself along, and that he will be "more tactful when trying to make friends in future." Declaring oneself friends with others is such a classic autistic experience, but even MORE so is declaring yourself friends with someone who only tolerates, or even actively dislikes, you. It's quite sad- but also very endearing, because I feel so SEEN in that moment.

#halsin #halsin silverbough #bg3 #baldur's gate 3

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bmtillerbabe · 3 months

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A Beneficial Arrangement

inspired by BG3, and my crazy love for the fanged vampire spawn - I wrote original fanfic content (smut and sex galore)

I posted the full story on AO3, but here is the first chapter :)

Enjoy!

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The campfire crackled and popped in the night air as a charred log shifted within the ashes, sending sparks dancing up away into the night sky.

Your camp was quiet. Calm. And for the first time in a while – peaceful.

The road you had traversed in the last few weeks had more than taken its toll on you and your party members, and you could not only feel the physical exhaustion throughout your soul, but your mind and heart as well. Alone with your thoughts was a dangerous thing…. Albeit a good one.

Your eyes shimmered, reflecting the warm, golden glow of the flames. You watched in admiration as the tender trills of fire danced and swayed, bending in the slightest breeze before righting itself once more. You adjusted your legs and shifted your weight to avoid any pins and needles forming, wrapping your arms around your knees as you pulled them up to your chest.

This was nice.

Gentle snoring and glowing coming from Karlach’s tent. Scratch breathing softly, pattering his legs every now and again. Halsin off in some corner, meditating to the moon.

And then, a pale, moonlit figure making its way towards where you now sat, approaching from the underbrush nearby.

Astarion.

Your head turned to meet his blood-red eyes, the soft tendrils of silver hair that curled around his face, and the tiny trail of blood that dripped from the corner of his mouth when he grinned. His gaze met yours as he reached up to wipe his mouth clean, licking the side of his hand so as not to let anything go to waste.

You found yourself ashamed to admit that you had watched his actions much more intently than you should.

“Well,” he drawled, “someone’s up late.” Sauntering over, he plopped himself down on the ground next to you. “Can’t sleep?”

You smirked. “I could say the same thing to you.”

“Ah, but my dear, I am a vampire, after all. I have a reason to be out at this hour.” He rested his forearm on his own knee, eyeing his fingers again for any trace of leftover blood. You took this moment to let your eyes trail down his figure. His shining white hair, his sharp jawline, pointed ears…. Gods, he looked perfect. Looked delicious.

You couldn’t deny that over the last several weeks, as well as fighting your way through numerous battles, there was a battle going on within your mind every day that you couldn’t seem to win. Astarion was a beautiful, beautiful being, and every day you spent with him, you felt yourself slipping away more and more; your heart aching to be near him, to touch him, to feel him….

You shook your head to yourself, trying to shy away from the thoughts that threatened to consume you. Astarion was a person. A party member. A friend.

Yes. A friend.

And you’re not supposed to think about friends that way.

But gods. When he sat like this, literally glowing in the moonlight, eyes shining like liquid rubies under thick, dark lashes….

“I’m just trying to relax some before tomorrow comes along,” You half-answered his question of why you were awake so late at night. You sighed, painfully tearing your eyes away from him and back to the fire. “It’s been a long week, and we have an even longer one ahead of us. Not only do we have to make our way to Moonrise, but we also must find a way to accrue some gold along the way. We need a way to stay alive without draining our only cleric.” You attempted a laugh.

Your heart skipped a beat at the chuckle that rumbled from the back of the pale elf’s throat. “That might not be such a terrible idea.” He agreed.

Apparently finding a small speck of blood, Astarion lifted his finger to his mouth to further clean himself off.

Your stomach did a little flip at the sound of his gentle suckle, and your mouth watered. You swallowed involuntarily.

To distract yourself again, you let your mind wander to another topic.

Why he still chose to go out hunting late at night. Although you appreciated the fact that he seemed to care enough about the party’s outlook on his vampirism, it never seemed to bother you that much. Even when you had found him standing over you, fangs bared, those nights ago. Not only was there some kind of morbid curiosity about the whole thing…. You couldn’t deny the fact that somehow, inexplicably, it turned you on.

Drinking blood had never been something you actively had sought out before, but ever since this beautiful creature had come into your life, you had to admit – it was on your mind so much more now. There was just something so…. Intimate about it. Having to give oneself over so fully, so entirely, trusting the other person so much as to play with your life. It was thrilling.

And sexy.

Not to mention, the feeling you had gotten when his cool, firm lips planted on your neck, his sharp fangs grazing your pulse before sinking in with a soft pop, and feeling him drink from you and your life’s force that first time….

Maybe it was the night air, maybe it was your own thoughts, but you shivered.

Astarion was suddenly concerned, and a part of you mentally berated yourself for drawing more attention towards yourself. That was the exact opposite of what you wanted.

He cocked his head to the side and eyed you. “Oh. I do seem to forget how easily you humans tend to react to the weather.” He chuckled, a pure, angelic sound to your ears, “I can’t even remember the last time I was cold.”

You were thankful that he hadn’t probed further into your mind via tadpole to reveal the true nature of your gooseflesh. Or how his gaze alone seemed to ignite a new fire deep within you, warming you from the inside out.

And before you had a chance to think better of it, the question blurted out.

“Why do you still go hunting?”

Astarion’s laugh was the audible version of a glistering gemstone. Your eyes caught his fangs. “Well, in case you haven’t noticed my dear, there’s hardly any real food for me around here. Lest I remind you that I can’t survive alone on whatever vegetables and wines we find.”

But you were shaking your head before he finished, raising a hand. “No, no, no. That’s not what I meant. I mean….” You gulped, almost unable to speak directly to him.

Gods, could you smell him?

“I mean…” Your breath quickened as the question you had wanted so desperately to ask him for many, many nights now bubbled up in your throat. Perhaps you had drank too much wine this night, perhaps your inhibitions had gotten the better of you. Or perhaps, you just wanted to see what would happen. Either way, before you could talk yourself out of it, you heard your own voice before it had even registered that you had begun to talk again,

“I mean, why waste so much energy and time when all of us need you at your peak during the day… You’re a very important member of our party… and it just makes more sense, and… I want to help everyone in any way I can…” You seemed to be talking to yourself now, more than to him, trailing off every few words and stumbling over yourself in an endless barrage of words....

Nevertheless, his eyes were locked onto yours. You tried to get a reading from him in any way you could but found your insight lacking. He could be thinking of the temple of Shar for all you knew, and you’d never know any better.

He waited for you to finish, eyeing you curiously.

As pathetic an excuse as it may sound, you couldn’t help yourself. You just had to say it.

“You.... can feed on me, instead." Hearing it sounded worse than thinking it, so you quickly added, "If you like.”

Astarion seemed genuinely surprised at your words. His eyes widened, but he otherwise made no move.

Shit, You thought to yourself. Shit, shit, shit, way to go Tav, now you've done it...

Stomach in knots when he didn’t say anything, you quickly began to back up, trying to fix what you just said, the longer it had time to sink in.

“Well, it just… I mean… You don’t have to if you don’t want to, I just figured that it would be so much easier than to try and hunt, and maybe find something to eat, maybe not. It would just be easier to…. Y’know….” You shrugged, cheeks flushing ever so slightly and a shiver threatening to break across your skin again, for a completely different reason this time, “I can help.”

Yes, that was why you said it. Definitely. You just wanted to help. After all, he was a fellow party member, and you would hate for any of your party to feel alienated or alone, or punished for something that really wasn’t their choice to begin with.

Yep. That’s exactly what it was.

Astarion was quiet for a moment, contemplating. His crimson eyes danced between the fire and you before finally resting on your face. You found his expression still as unreadable as before, but…. You thought that maybe, just maybe, you could detect a hint of… warmth?

“You…. you would do that?” His voice betrayed him for just a mere moment before it was concealed under his mask again. It was a sincere question, and he sounded…. Eager, almost. Perhaps you had been right. “Even after I almost…” He grimaced at the memory of the first time you had allowed him to drink from you, when he had nearly killed you caught in the bloodlust.

You gulped, realizing the implications your words meant. But with the fire in your belly roaring into a flame, you nodded, pushing any fear to the back of your mind to sit behind the desire that was ever growing.

“Of course.” You offered, resisiting the urge to reach out and touch his hand. “It just makes sense. Besides, think of all the energy you’ll save this way. You’ll have more time to rest, less exertion. Not to mention, I – we,” you quickly corrected yourself, “– don’t have to worry about a stray thief or wild animal catching you off guard. It’s the smart thing to do.” You concluded with a grimace, realizing it had gone from something kind to something akin to a sales pitch at the nearest Blacksmith’s Shop.

He seemed to ponder this, almost as if in disbelief. This was definitely not the conversation he expected to have with you this night and you could tell.

You awaited his answer, both eager for him to say both yes and no equally.

Astarion looked back into the campfire again. It was quiet again between you once more – the nightsounds of the world seeming to be on full blast in the background. But slowly, he began to nod.

“I think that would be a beneficial arrangement,” he concurred. “This.... This is not something to take lightly, you know. Offering blood is... well, not for just anyone. And I would hate for our friendship to come to an end simply because of a misunderstanding. So, I propose a counter-offer." He shifted his legs towards you - your stomach dropping - and looked directly into your eyes.

That damn shiver....

"Alright. I will agree to allow you to share your blood with me, on one condition. We try it for two weeks, and revisit the notion to see how you're faring afterward. I won't need to feed from you every night, mind you, but..." His eyes squinted, and he... smirked? "You may find the side effects to be more than you bargained for." He paused, looking you over, and the silence between you felt an eternity.

"Do we have a deal?"

Almost lost in his unrelenting gaze, you chided yourself mentally with a nod, releasing the breath you didn't realize you'd been holding.

"Yes," You cleared your throat, realizing that you had not only stopped breathing, but stopped swallowing as well, and your throat was now scratchy. You tried again, "Yes. Deal."

"Excellent." Astarion's eyes shone with something akin to malice, but it was quickly hidden behind his mask once again. With a much warmer smile, he thrust his hand out towards you, and you shook on it, sealing the deal.

You gasped softly when he yanked your grip to bring your face closer to his, and whispered - "This is a gift, you know. Thank you. I will not forget it.”

You spent the next few minutes talking over the details and times of day when he could feed on you, coming to the agreement that he would only feed on you at night, whilst everyone else was asleep; they were to tell no one else of the arrangement; and it was to be done in your tent, while you were awake, on the off chance he would accidentally drank too much again, and you would be able to push him off. Or, at the very least, call for help.

The finer details could be worked out along the way.

Astarion grinned at her as the conversation came to a close. “Well, darling, this has been a surprisingly delightful conversation. As I am unfortunately sated at this moment, do expect me tomorrow night,” He paused and tilted his head. It made your stomach swoon. It was the eyes. It had to be the eyes....

“And keep in mind, darling; I shall be quite hungry.”

You managed to keep yourself from shivering this time.

The two of you sat next to the fire in comfortable silence for a time after that, watching the fire slowly burn itself out.

And maybe you had fallen asleep. Maybe the warmth of the fire had finally gotten to you, or maybe you just felt …. Safe. Maybe one of the goblins had hit you just a little too hard in the head with their clubs, and knocked a few braincells loose.

Either way, you stirred on the cool ground, only to wake and find your head resting on your bedroll and a blanket wrapped around your slender frame.

Blinking away the sleep that threatened to pull you back under its dark tendrils, you slowly rose until you were laying on your elbows and lazily adjusted your vision to your new surroundings.

You were in your tent.

How…?

The candle next to your roll flickered, casting little monsters in their shadows, and you yawned. Try as you may, you couldn’t stop yourself from smiling sweetly to yourself, closing your eyes against the butterflies in your stomach.

Perhaps you weren’t so crazy after all for offering yourself to him. Perhaps this would indeed help everyone in the party after all…. Perhaps this would help you not be so crazily obsessed with those crimson eyes, and those sharp fangs, or the way he smiled when he thought no one could see…

Perhaps….

You dozed back off before you could fully finish your thought.

Read the rest on AO3 now! 🥰

#astarion smut #Astarion #Fluff #Smut #baldurs gate 3 #baldurs gate astarion #Astarion sex #Fanfic #ao3 #ao3 writer #ao3 fanfic #fanfiction #fic

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leighsartworks216 · 7 months

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I Come With Knives Pt10

Astarion x gn!Tav/Reader

Not proofread. I was supposed to be editing text for a class, but I suddenly had to write this chapter or I wouldn't be able to sleep. It is almost midnight.

Also, I'd like to remind everyone that I have not played the games, so I know none of this is accurate to the events, and I'm sure a lot of the things I write about are happening out of order, but don't worry about it. Think of it as an AU, or as, ya know, a story that was written just for fun because I love these silly little guys too much

I'm almost out of space on my masterlist for links so I might move some fics from the First BG3 Masterlist to the Second just to keep this story all in one place. But we'll worry about that when we get there in a couple chapters

Warnings: references to kidnapping, references to emotional abuse/manipulation, alcohol consumption, references to slavery

Word Count: 1,639

Main Masterlist

First Baldur's Gate 3 Masterlist - Second Baldur's Gate 3 Masterlist

I Come With Knives Masterlist

AO3

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Young tieflings ran around, playing games with each other and causing mischief. You couldn’t stop watching the way they teased and laughed and got along so well. When one tripped and fell, the rest were there to help them up, holding hands as they continued running around. After so much darkness and death and fear, to see so much energy and unbridled joy overwhelmed your heart.

A frown slid onto your face as you tried to think back to your childhood. Had you run around with the same reckless abandon? Had you tripped and been helped to your feet again? Had you teased and laughed and had not a care in the world, once? All you had were tiny fragments. A familiar wall here, the impression of a fence there. Silhouettes without faces; with no defining features at all. Years of your life, missing.

You could remember the night you were stolen away. The feeling of being lost, and a beady pair of red eyes staring hungrily at you with a smile that stretched too wide. The gravely promise of helping you find your home.

You shivered and hugged yourself close, shaking your head to jostle the memories from your mind. Now was not the time to dwell on the past. You won this battle - that’s what mattered.

Astarion sat down beside you on the log, a bottle of wine in hand. The light of the campfire danced across his features in a way quite familiar to you by now, and yet you couldn’t help tracing the shadows that defined his cheekbones and eyes. He smirked at you. “Something on your mind, darling?”

You sigh. “Too much, I think.” You turn back to the kids. Halsin had somehow calmed them down enough to demonstrate whittling a duck. They were completely enraptured, with wide eyes and pleas to teach them how to do it, too. “We’ve been on the road for weeks trying to do the seemingly impossible, I just forgot what was at stake. Not just our own lives, but theirs, too. Everyone’s.”

“Hm, and you’re going to carry it all on your shoulders.” He holds a goblet in front of you, urging you to take it. Red liquid settles inside, a deep, dark crimson. “You need to relax, love.”

You chuckle. “I don’t really know how,” you admit. You carefully take a small sip. Your face scrunches up immediately.

He laughs, taking the goblet back from you and finding absolutely no resistance. He swirls it around. “Well, in my experience, it’s very difficult without a good vintage and not just vinegar in a fancy bottle. Fortunately for us, my dear, I happen to have saved a bottle from one of our many expeditions. And,” he leans in conspiratorially, “I may even be convinced to share.”

“Oh really?” You tilt your head, squinting your eyes like you didn’t trust him, but the grin dancing on your lips gave the ruse away. “What’s the catch?”

You think he likes when you joke with him like this. It’s so difficult to get a chance with so much on your mind, but there’s a twinkle in his eyes almost one-to-one with the spark in the tiefling children’s eyes. “No catch,” he promises, “just your company. Away from all this.” He sighs, scowling as he leans back. “I can’t say I enjoy being looked at like some hero.”

You scoff. “You are a hero.”

“You’re the hero,” he insists. “Don’t go lumping me in with every goody-two-shoes that’s gotten stabbed in the back for being too nice.”

“Hm. And would you be the one doing the backstabbing?”

His scowl softens. His eyes do, too. There’s something warm there. You can’t name what it is - it’s completely foreign to anything you remember - but you feel… safe in his gaze. Protected. “You can consider your back perfectly safe, as long as I’m around. Cross my, erm.” He clears his throat. “Now, will I be enjoying the night alone?”

You look around. Some of the kids are cutting away at wooden lumps, with gentle guidance and supervision from Halsin. Wyll and Karlach are talking with cheeks as flushed as their skin tones allowed. Shadowheart is enjoying some wine and Lae’zel is nearby, but though they glare there’s no threats. At least, not any that will be taken out tonight. Gale has contented himself with cooking a large meal to feed all the hungry mouths that abound, reading a book with every spare second he has. Everyone is happy, everything is peaceful. Why shouldn’t you slip away?

“Where did you have in mind?”

He smirks and stands up, dumping the nasty wine from the goblet into a bush before he offers you a hand. His touch lingers longer than you think it will. You even wonder if he was going to gently tug you along with him, but he lets go. He slips into his tent briefly and emerges with another bottle and another glass. The vinegar-wine has disappeared, perhaps for him to drink later despite his complaints. With a smile and a nod to the treeline, he leads you into the woods. The sounds of the party fade away behind you.

The moon is huge in the sky, full and bright. There is no need for candles when her light chases away the darkness in a cool, blue glow. In a clearing in the forest, you’ve settled down on the ground, cushioned only by soft grass. The bottle was almost empty by now. You don’t know how many glasses you drank, but you felt full and warm. Content. At peace. You didn’t feel the need to jump at every shadow, nor did you have any fear in your mind for what could linger in them.

You laid back on the ground and stared up at the brilliant sky overhead. Astarion lay beside you, wondering if he would have ended up here if he’d ignored your past, ignored your kindness, and tried manipulating you as well.

“Thank you,” you say out of nowhere. You flush at how loud it was, but he just smiled. “For this, I mean.”

He hummed, turning his head to look at you fully. “I never even considered… Was this your first time drinking?”

You giggled and turned to look at him, too. “Was it obvious?”

“Not at all,” he huffed. He had that soft look in his eyes again. It seems to have spread to his smile, as well. “You do make for a very lovely drunk.”

You roll your eyes, looking back up at the stars. “I’m not drunk. Just a bit…”

“Tispy?”

“Mhm.”

He traces your profile, studies the way the moon highlights your features so masterfully. It’s almost as if your years of servitude had disappeared. All inklings of battle and torture were gone. All that remained was you, him, the moon and the stars, and the grass beneath you both.

You roll onto your side, cushioning your head with an arm as you look at him. “What’re you looking at?”

He chuckles softly. “I thought that much was obvious, dear.” He rolls over as well, mirroring you. Like this, the moon catches your face differently. It’s no less beautiful.

You huff. “What are you thinking about then?”

Oh, so much. He couldn’t recall a time when he’d simply laid with someone without sex being involved, but part of his mind was quite occupied trying to be sure. Other worries for the future, about Cazador and Kir Parthene, came and went, as they always did, leaving a residue of their passing like a thick sludge trailed behind them. More of these thoughts worried about you. About your freedom. About what would happen to you after all this. The thoughts that dominated his mind tonight, though, were far simpler, and far sweeter.

He reaches out to trace a finger along your cheek. Your skin is warm, as it usually is, but the flush in your cheeks from the wine makes you feel even warmer. He can see your mind fighting instinct as it tries to decipher what to do. But then you’re leaning into his touch, welcoming him to continue. He cradles your cheek in his palm.

“I think you look beautiful in the moonlight,” he admits. His voice is merely a whisper. “And I think, if you weren’t drunk right now, I’d liked to have kissed you.”

You laugh softly, out of shock more than anything. A compliment that wasn’t followed by something cruel, that wasn’t intended to act as a bandage, combined with the genuine care in his words. The only kisses you’d received in these years had been along your body, across your shoulders and on your neck, but they were never real. They were all for your master, a reminder that you belonged to her. This was not that. Tears prick at the corner of your eyes.

“I think I would have let you.”

He smiles and strokes a thumb below your eye, brushing away a tear before it ever has the chance to fall. “Well, we have plenty of time ahead of us.” He trails his hand from your cheek down your arm until he’s holding your hand. He brings it to his lips, and presses light kisses to your knuckles. “One day soon, perhaps.”

You wipe at your other eye. “I’d like that.”

Once he’s kissed each knuckle, you pull your hand from his and wrap it around his waist, pulling yourself to cuddle against him. He easily welcomes you, wrapping his arms around you and drawing you even closer. You press your face into his chest. He pets your hair in long, even motions. As you revel in the safety of his arms and the moonlight, and as he indulges in your body heat, you both eagerly await what the future will bring.

---

Tag List:

@hypopxia @flsalazar @beverlybeav @angelofthorr @emiemiemiii @marina-and-the-memes @aurasyn @furblrwurblr @cappsikle @mjmygd @thegirlsadventuresinwonderland @kindadolly @bloopthebat @pandimoostuff @chesb0red @black-star1472 @sessils @olitheghostboy-blog @puppyg1rl666 @maruichio @cyber-dump-171 @katharynmarie @twinkliker3000 @cherifrog @catching-fire-in-the-wind @phantoms-fandom-blog @thespectacularspaceace @lynnlovesthestars @tototini @ashrio20 @bambamwolf87 @astarion-imagine-archive @thistrashisreadytobash @rosxtinted

#fanfic #fanfiction #astarion #astarion x tav #astarion x reader #baldur's gate 3 #baldurs gate 3 #bg3 #baldur's gate astarion #baldur's gate tav #baldurs gate astarion #baldurs gate tav #bg3 astarion #bg3 tav #gn reader #x gn reader #gender neutral reader #x gender neutral reader #i come with knives

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i-cast-bardic-inspiration · 6 months

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Halsin with a Tav who had a toddler? Like they get back to Baldurs gate or theyve been nursing an egg(for the Gith and Dragonborn Tavs) that’s now hatching.

Pls let him be the dad he’s always wanted to be 🥹

Okay, first off thanks for sending in your request! I hope it’s alright to do this in a mix of headcanons and narrative blurbs because I have too many ideas for this wholesome content. Also, if I interpreted your Ask wrong please let me know and I’ll amend!

But alright, here we go—let’s give our Big Bear some love and let him be Daddy Halsin because he deserves all the best things.

*TW: Pregnancy talk, mentions of past trauma, wholesomeness so wholesome it hurts

Halsin will be in shock for a brief moment before going into Daddy Halsin mode. This man has just gone through the most traumatic hundreds of years; in pure survival mode after losing his family, being held prisoner in the Underdark, dealing with the Shadow Curse and all that it has brought upon him—he never once during that time was afforded the opportunity to simply…live. He always focused on doing what was necessary to survive. So now that he finally can let some of his walls down? Now that his lover just told him they have a child?

He looks at you frozen in disbelief…he never thought he would be able to have his own family. And now you’ve given him one of life’s greatest joys in the mere blink of an eye. His whole world has turned on its axis in the best of ways and he needs a moment to find his feet on the ground again.

Whether it’s biologically yours or you’ve adopted, it doesn’t matter—he views it all the same. He is in awe, deep gratitude bursting forth for this bounty of nature you’ve provided him with; that you’ve invited him to share.

“My heart…you,” Halsin’s voice breaks, “Why did you not tell me before?” the question falls past his lips with a tremble, but there is no trace of anger or hurt in his tone. Only awe, tinged with a soft skepticism as though this moment will slip through his fingers and he will wake to find it was all a dream.

You tell him why. Maybe it’s because you were scared he wouldn’t want anything to do with you or your child…maybe you didn’t want to distract him from all that still needed to be accomplished…maybe you didn’t want to add another burden to his already heavily-weighed-down shoulders—whatever it is…

He understands your fears but tells you to put them to rest because nothing—absolutely nothing—could ever deter him from loving and caring for you and your child. He is more than willing to step into the role of a father…if that is what you should wish of course, to share this part of your life with him…

As soon as you give him the affirmative, he is all over you. Wrapping you up in his strong embrace, placing kisses wherever his lips can reach before settling his face against your neck and inhaling deeply. Your scent calms him, and he needs it to ground himself after the revelation that he finally—finally—has the one thing he thought he’d never have again…a family. He is a dad.

He’s a dad!

His deep laughter echoes through the air. He’s overjoyed, a little scared maybe too, but his unbridled joy is contagious and you find yourself tearfully laughing along with him.

With your invitation, he quickly stepped into full dad mode, and wants to unleash all the doting upon you and your child that he possibly can.

If the baby has not been born/hatched yet; he’s all about using his skilled hands to melt the tension from your feet and calves and anywhere else you might be tense from carrying the weight of another; letting his healing magic wash over you when your head is pounding and stomach is churning from the extra hormones; making sure you have proper nutritional meals to keep your stamina up…his healer capabilities really kick into high gear here.

If your little one is already in the world, they immediately take to Halsin like a moth to light. And he takes to fatherhood just as easily. It is a precious and priceless thing to watch the two of them bond so quickly. You knew he would take to it naturally, having all the qualities of a loving and supportive father. He was always a wonderful listener, he was just as good of a teacher, and he still held so much wonder and love for the world even after all his years. His zest for life was contagious and played right into the natural curiosities of a child.

Beneath all of the stoic wisdom is a man who loves to play. Loves to experience everything life has to offer. And it shows when they decide to have storytime before bed…or any other time your little one asks for stories. Which is a lot of the time because Halsin is rather good at it. He could be a bard if he wanted. But all he wants is to see the expressions of wonder on your child’s face, the shrieks of laughter and gasps of surprise filling his ears as he twists and turns the stories, acting them out with grand gestures and motions.

Sometimes storytelling evolves into playing “Adventurers”—or so that’s what the two of them call this game anyway…you call it pure chaos, but you don’t mind one bit. Not as your little one rides on the back of a giant wildshaped bear through the forest, roars and laughter tickling your ears. You join in at times, and it usually ends in one big giant cuddle pile as morning turns into afternoon and sleepy little eyes close for a short nap. It’s at times like these his heart threatens to burst, and you can see it in his eyes—feel it in the way his fingers trace your jawline and move softly, reverently into your hair…soon you’re drifting off in the peacefulness of it all too. Halsin just lays there holding the two of you in his arms, listening to your soft inhales and exhales. In the slow moments is when he really feels it hit him. How contented he is.

They’ll go on walks around the forest together, sometimes stop to examine a plant or a flower, your child asking Halsin 123812378 questions about everything they come across, and he answers every one of those questions with the utmost of patience. He genuinely loves to share his knowledge with young and curious minds. You can tell by the way his eyes light up, and how his voice excitedly carries across the meadow as he explains things like how flowers grow from the ground with the help of the sun and water and air.

He even asks some questions of his own to get your child thinking and talking, and also just to be silly and play: “what kind of animal would you be?” ~ “what is your favorite thing to eat?” ~ “do you think cats can have fins?” ~ “what is your favorite thing to do with mommy and daddy?”

When your child is sad or upset, he is there guiding them through their big feelings. Oak Father knows, Halsin has had his fair share of coping with tough emotions through his years. Even with all the practice he’s had though he still gets overwhelmed at times. Children need help getting through these sorts of big feelings, not to be admonished or chastised for feeling something natural. Of course while he usually spends time wildshaped when he needs to think, he knows that might not work for a child, and there are certainly other solutions. Like physical connection—hugs, and holding a safe space for your little one to feel. Maybe they need help labeling what they’re feeling, and Halsin is right there ever-observant and gentle with his words, “I see that you fell, does it hurt anywhere? Were you scared when you fell from the tree?” Your child responds tearfully, “it was scary,” so then after a quick scan Halsin knows he doesn’t need to mend any broken bones. He just needs to hold them and tell them it’s okay to be scared and to cry, and that they are very brave for doing so.

It’s moments like this that you find your heart swell with fondness so vast it nearly hurts. Because you know how capable of ferocity he is, how much strength and fortitude he has shown in battles past…that seeing him like this, so patient and supportive, so loving and gentle…you know he has finally been able to take the armor off both literally and figuratively.

He walks lighter, laughs louder, plays harder. His love knows no bounds, and he makes sure the two of you know it with every breath he takes. With every scratch he mends. With every toy he whittles. With every blanket he tucks in and every kiss he lays atop a sleepy little head. With every word and kiss and hug…he embraces this simpler but no less meaningful side of life with arms opened wide.

One day, after a very important and engaging conversation about “daddy, where do babies come from?” your little one asks him another question. “Daddy, can you and mommy make a baby?” His eyes lift to find yours, a heat there so smoldering you swear you could feel it sweep over your skin in a dizzying rush. “Little One,” he starts, tearing his gaze from you to look down softly at your child, “would you like that—a brother or sister to play with?” Their little eyes light up and they shout “yesyesyes!”

Halsin’s smile lines deepen as he laughs loudly. “You will just have to wait and see my little heart, all will be as nature intends.” He knows that is a conversation to have with you in a more private setting. Though he’s pretty sure he can tell by the speed of your breathing, the flush of your face, and the warmth in your gaze that you are no doubt feeling the same sentiment he is in that moment.

Adding to your little family might happen sooner rather than later…and he definitely would not say no to having more little ones running around.

#my heart 😭#my heart is full #Halsin #Daddy Halsin #please let this man have a family it is not too late for him #Best Dad Ever #all the Dad Jokes #i YEARN for this man #bg3 #Ask

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