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deadtired-highkeyenergetic · 1 month

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I Think They Like You

Summary: The rest of the camp have had enough of you and Astarion dancing around each other, never daring to confess so they decide to give the both of you a little nudge in their own ways.

Astarion watches from his corner by the campfire as you go around to each member of the group, handing them a gift with your signature bright smile. He scowls when Karlach heartily laughs at something you said, slapping your shoulder a little harder than intended which causes you to stumble forward, unprepared for the barbarian’s strength. He scowls even harder when Wyll’s hand lingers on yours a little too long for his liking and Halsin touches the small of your back, thanking you for your thoughtful gift.

“If you scowl any harder those lines will be permanently etched into your face,” Shadowheart appears next to him.

“Thankfully I am a vampire spawn who will remain forever young,” Astarion rolls his eyes in response, folding his arms across his chest. He doesn’t miss the flower in Shadowheart’s hand and a tinge of jealousy blooms in his chest. You’ve given a gift to everyone but him, and teasing words to try and worm an answer as to why lie on the tip of his tongue. Deep down, he wonders if you’ve purposely not given him a gift. Maybe you don’t deem him as worthy of one, he can think of plenty of reasons why you’d deem him as such, but a small piece of him clings tightly to the hope that you’re just waiting for the right time to give him his gift. After all, like what you told him once, ‘save the best for last’ right?

He continues to observe you as you unload a pack full of magical gear for Gale, going through each item with him. Shadowheart snorts when she notices how hard Astarion is gripping his own arms, excusing herself with a ‘just talk to them already’ and heads to her tent.

Once you’re done presenting your gift to Lae’zel, you glance around the camp, looking for the silver haired vampire whom you had yet to give a gift to and find him slouching against a tree, hiding away from the others. His ruby red gaze pierces through you as you make your way over, excited.

“Astarion!” You hop over, plopping down next to him.

“About time, darling. I was wondering when you’d finally give the best gift to your best party member,” his signature smirk plays across his face with confidence but his eyes say otherwise.

“Saving the best for last. Besides, I figured that you’d like to receive your gift once the others have settled down enough to not bother you about it,” you smile at him.

“Best for last huh,” he murmurs, a small genuine smile on his face. “Of course mine is the best gift,” he says with far more confidence.

“The best gift for the best companion,” you grin, turning around to reach into the pack and pull out a dagger, holding it out to him.

“I noticed that you lost one of your daggers in our previous fight, so since I was the one who started the fight I felt responsible for it and decided to get you a new dagger!” Your eyes shine. “Since we needed supplies, I went to the market, happened upon a blacksmith, saw this dagger and…uh…thought it looked beautiful. So I bought it,” you smile sheepishly. He looks over the dagger, noting how it was a far better dagger than his previous one and wonders how much you had to fork out to purchase it. A quick glance already told him it wasn’t a cheap purchase in the slightest, and the rubies inlaid in its hilt only skyrocketed the potential price of the dagger.

“I…”

He looks up at you, raising an eyebrow. “Yes dear?”

“The dagger reminded me of you,” you mumble, feeling the heat spread from your cheeks to the tips of your ears.

“Oh? How so, dearest?” He purrs. “Am I as beautiful as the dagger? As dangerous as it?”

“Its silver hilt reminded me of your hair and the rubies reminded me of your eyes,” you scratch the back of your neck, looking at the ground in embarrassment. “That’s it, really.”

Astarion blinks. The dagger had caught your eye because its colour combination reminded you of his hair and eyes? He leans in closer to you, wondering what you saw when you looked at him. Did you only keep him around for his good looks? You hadn’t bedded him yet, maybe this was his chance to prove his usefulness in that regard.

“Then I suppose I am as beautiful as this dagger,” a coy smile plays on his lips. “That is quite the compliment, dear.”

You laugh, “beautiful and deadly. I’m glad you like it.”

“Of course I do, darling. Now then, to repay you for your…gift –”

“Ah, sorry! I just remembered I have to help Gale prepare tonight’s dinner, see you later!” You quickly jump to your feet and scurry off, trying to hide your embarrassment. His lips had been so close to yours, ruby red eyes staring intensely into your soul and you feel your cheeks grow warm at the thought of it. Had he wanted to kiss you? You’ve never really thought about romance so this territory was extremely unfamiliar to you. Shaking your head, you throw yourself into dinner preparations, trying to rid yourself of these thoughts and miss the way Astarion’s face falls at the sight of you running away.

“Astarion,” Halsin greets him from behind.

“What are you doing here, druid?” He scowls, tucking the dagger away safely.

“I simply came to check up on a friend,” the druid replies calmly.

“Friend.” Astarion snorts. “We’re not friends, we’re simply travelling companions.”

“So you keep telling yourself. I have noticed that you’ve started to grow closer to everyone as of late, especially Y/N.” The druid sits himself where you had been sitting not too long ago.

“And how does that concern you?” Astarion spits back.

“Do you, perhaps, have feelings for them?”

“Of course not!” Astarion snaps a little too quickly.

Halsin simply smiles in return, “I think they like you. Talk to them about it, I imagine they will be just as surprised as you are to find out that you return their feelings.”

“Clearly they have good taste,” Astarion rolls his eyes, “falling for the most handsome person in camp.”

“I mean it, Astarion. Tell them how you feel, I believe new and wondrous experiences await the both of you,” Halsin places a hand on the vampire’s back and gently pushes him towards you. Astarion turns around, baring his fangs at the unfazed druid but walks over to you anyways, thoughts swirling in his mind.

Was Halsin right about you? He didn’t want to look like a fool should he confess. He liked the relationship the two of you currently had, with the stolen glances, the soft smiles, the gentle touches. He genuinely enjoyed all the times you would sneak into his tent for some peace and quiet, picking a book from his stash and reading by his side until your eyes could barely remain open. Then you’d excuse yourself, stumbling out of his tent whilst yawning all the way and he’d quickly leap to his feet to guide you to your tent before you could face plant into the dirt. He didn’t want to lose all of this, ever .

“Hey, Astarion.” Your shy smile washes some of his concerns away. You put down the knife and turn to face him, gaze searching curiously. “What can I do for you?”

Of course that was your first question. You were always far too helpful for his liking, always far too eager to come to the aid of others, even if it meant delaying your main mission of removing the tadpole. He hated how you always threw yourself with reckless abandon into danger to save others, resulting in him needing to do extra work just to ensure you came away from the fight alive. For some reason, it always fell to him to extract you from that fight you couldn’t win, it was always his feet that led him to you, always his daggers that embedded themselves into the gullet of your enemies, always his bloodstained hand that stretched out to you, pulling you to your feet. Always that giddy feeling from the smile you gave him and only him whenever your hand lingered on his .

“Hello, darling. I was wondering…if we could talk. In private,” he swallows, fingers playing with the cuffs of his sleeves.

“Oh, of course!” You turn to Gale, completely missing the knowing look in said wizard’s eyes. “Gale, can you –”

“I can finish the preparations by myself, don’t you worry. Go ahead,” he waves the two of you off far too quickly for Astarion’s liking.

“Thanks Gale!” You chirp and let Astarion take the lead, looping your arms through his.

He brings you to the outskirts of the camp where the trees block out potential eavesdroppers and shelter the both of you from any noses sticking into the business he had with you. For once, Astarion has no idea how to begin, nor any inkling of what to say. He has never prepared a script for this kind of situation before, and silently curses Halsin for doing this to him.

“If it’s something you’re not comfortable saying, you don’t have to force yourself to do it,” you break the silence, but make no inclination to move. Instead, your eyes are focused on him, watching him, checking up on him.

“I…” Astarion can’t believe himself. For the first time ever, he’s lost for words. His signature silver tongue, silenced by…you of all people.

“I have…” He tries again, to no avail.

“Ilikeyou.” The words rush out and immediately Astarion regrets it. Everything in his body screams at him to run, to leave this place far far behind, to banish all memories of you from his mind but he remains rooted to the spot, his undead heart thundering in his chest.

You stare at him, and he shifts from one leg to another, gaze fixed on the ground. Then you realise you’ve been staring at him for way too long and quickly clear your throat, causing his head to snap back up.

“I…” You feel your cheeks flame up again, but if Astarion has already laid it all bare, it’s only fair you do the same too. So you take a deep breath to steady yourself, look him in the eye and say the words.

“I like you too.”

His eyes widen and then he smiles, genuine happiness clear on his face. A wave of relief crashes into him and he takes a step forward, taking your hand to press a kiss to your knuckles.

“I’m glad you return these feelings of mine, darling. I wouldn’t have known what to do with myself if you had rejected me, not that the thought ever crossed my mind.” He cups your cheek with his cold hand, his long slender thumb brushes over your warm skin.

“I’m glad you return my feelings too,” you whisper breathlessly, placing a hand over his. “Thank you.”

“The pleasure is all mine,” he leans in close, lips mere inches away from yours. He looks to you for permission and you close the distance despite the uncertainty filling your chest, lips touching. He kisses you with practised ease while you fumble and he pulls away, amusement colouring his face.

It’s a good look on him , you think to yourself. You ought to create more opportunities for it in the future.

“Your first time kissing someone, love?” He chuckles.

“Well…what do you think?” You shoot back.

“It’s not bad, but you have a lot to learn if you ever want to be as good as me,” he smirks. “Don’t you worry darling, we will have a lot of chances to work on your kissing.”

With that he closes the gap once more, hungrily kissing you deeper. A new kind of warmth blooms from his chest, enveloping his cold body and spreads to his fingertips. He likes this feeling, Astarion decides. He likes feeling you in his embrace, he likes holding you like you’re the last thing in this world. He likes the feeling of your love for him washing over him.

He likes – no – loves you.

#baldur's gate 3 #bg3 #astarion bg3 #astarion x durge #astarion x reader #astarion x tav #astarion x you #baldurs gate astarion #astarion romance #tav #tav bg3 #tav x astarion #durgestarion

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autistichalsin · 3 months

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Where was the info on Halsin having a past with addiction? Usually I just skip reading the letters/books and stuff because the text is so small I can't read it without getting way too close to the screen. (Please let me know if there are any mods that fix this. I know the settings in the game let you change the size of dialogue text, but that doesn't apply to text on the map or letters/books, and I Suffer.)

So there's two parts to it, mainly, though there's a few circumstantial others as well.

One is the Tiefling party, where he declines to join you: he says he can't handle his liquor well and refuses to drink anymore unless it's a very special occasion. Worth noting is that there's a lot of things Halsin says he doesn't like about drinking that all tie into control: declaring love to the first person he meets, accidentally wildshaping, etc.

The other is this party banter with Wyll:

Halsin: The scent of hops and barley is most persistent here, even after all this time.

Wyll: Enough to make me thirsty, even. I've always preferred wine to whiskey and ale, but I certainly wouldn't turn away a full flagon right about now.

Halsin: After the shadow curse, I became overly fond of honey mead and melancholy evenings by myself. Now I rarely imbibe - only on the most special of occasions.

Wyll: I say we put an end to your dry spell. Once Ketheric falls, the first round's on me.

He became "overly fond" of honey mead and was drinking on his own; a lot of alcoholics won't drink around others, just on their own.

It's not 100% definitive concrete proof, but it does seem really likely when you tie in Halsin's control issues, the fact that rape victims are likelier to develop substance abuse issues, etc.

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

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celestialhole · 7 months

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Halsin angst? Anyone?

I need a fic where Tav is hopelessly in love with Halsin but he does not love them in return, not yet at least. As much as I like Halsin being a down-to-pound-town type of man, I need angst and a bittersweet ending with this man 😭

Imagine Tav being the first to fall and the one to fall harder. Imagine Tav being best friends with Halsin but forced to watch Halsin hop around with other people for nights of passion. Imagine Tav being forced to accept reality and that Halsin may never really love them the way they want him to. They'll dream and dream so much about the day Halsin might confess his love for them, but there is no sign that he'll ever look their way. One day, perhaps when they return from their travels or Halsin finds them alone in the woods; Tav is more irritated and overwhelmed than ever and one thing leads to another Tav just snaps at Halsin, and angrily confess their love to him, but they don't give him a single chance for him to reply and they storm off with tears in their eyes. They run off to their tent without glancing at everyone around them before isolating themselves in their tent.

I NEED SOMEONE TO MAKE A FIC LIKE THIS BECAUSE SADLY ENOUGH THERE ARE BARELY ANY HALSIN FICS LET ALONE HALSIN FICS WITH ANGST. I AM A VERY ANGSTY MAN LET ME HAVE MY ANGST AND BITTERSWEET ENDINGS 😭😭😭

#halsin bg3 #halsin #halsin x reader #halsin x tav #bg3 #bg3 tav #baldur's gate 3 #bg3 halsin #tav x halsin

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grandmother-goblin · 4 months

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Just say the word, Halsin. Zilvira is ready to hop on the family-starting train any time 😏😏😏

#bg3 #baldur's gate 3 #zilvira the drow #halsin #halsin silverbough

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astarion-can-spawn-me · 7 months

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Work Ethic

Park Ranger! Halsin x Park Ranger!Reader

Modern!Au because why the hell not?

Summary: may or may not have been heavily inspired by the park rangers I grew up around at my local culture center. That little old place holds such a special place in my heart. I am a junior park ranger after all 😎

Sweat beaded at your brow, but your hand was quick to delicately pat it away. The summers were unforgiving, even under the gray skies of the early morning. Though you could see off to the distance, just peeking over the green tree tops and old buildings of the past, just the faintest hues of orange and reds just ready to burst from beyond their little horizon. With the rays came the few farmers that lived within the small town, bidding their wives and children goodbye, the faint yelping of a dog from behind their glass windows are their happy panting as they hopped up along side their masters in their pick up. They would only have to drive a few miles further up a ways to hit their farms where they have been settled for the past 100 years or so.

It was an odd place to have a little culture center in such a small town, but a small town emblazoned with their own culture and tradition. Old murals adorned the sides of old buildings, depicting musicians and food. Though many of the locals didn’t visit the culture center, maybe occasionally for their child’s school field trip, it definitely didn’t see the action of it’s sister centers in the bigger cities nearby, but around certain holidays it would see it’s fair share of tourist, but now it was just another simple day.

This was far away from what you thought a park ranger would ever be doing. You always pictured a Steve Irwin type herding people through muddy river basins or through rough and rocky terrain along forest trails. You’ve come to appreciate the cultural and historical aspect of it all, it was probably for the best.

“Oh this stupid damned thing!” Huffed out a voice as you pushed past the glass doors. A thud came after it as a woman scrunched her face to the old thermostat. “You would think they would allow us to control our own AC instead of having to call the head office!”

“Now Ms.Jaheira, patience is a virtue!” You teased, your hat now being placed upon your head, fingers pinning the badge to your freshly ironed shirt.

Jaheira was a veteran in the field, hopping from one national park to the next. Her knowledge was admirable, but sometimes you would always catch the look of longing in those wise eyes, but the laid back nature suited her, at least now it did. It was less of a burden on her weathered shoulders, less pressure upon herself. If you did have to categorize her, she would have been the Steve Irwin type you always imagined as a child. She was the one to hobble through muddy basins and conquer rough woodland trails.

“Well good thing the all maker has bestowed such a prized gift onto you!” She chimed up, finally the ancient AC humming to life. Already the cool air began cutting through the stiff air like a knife. “It’s field trip day, remember”

She was already following you to the break room, her steps always precise, always made with confidence. Though she still gave you a stern look as your head tilted back with a little groan as you tossed your purse onto the table.

“Yes I know, which is why I have double checked with everyone today. Musicians are gonna be the first for their music demonstration. Then our local butcher has kindly volunteered for a cooking demonstration and you would be pleased that he is exonerated in one of our local dishes” your hand went to grab the phone out of your pants pocket, now scrolling through emails to double check your memory of the day’s itinerary. “Then dear old Elminster will calm things down with his history of the area and whatnot, then lunch time which has been donated. I also contacted wildlife and fisheries to have someone teach the kids the laws and safe handling of the wild life of the area, but they said they are sending over a ranger from one of the wildlife parks….oh! And then the old woman who runs the quilting club in the spare room will give a weaving lesson”

“Wow, I’m impressed” Jaheira said with a raise of her brows, a hand sassily placed upon her hip. “And you will be pleased to know I have set up the rooms for the different demonstrations, the band is here, Elminster is currently critiquing our displays, and the food preparations are all in order” she confirmed with you. Always orderly, you can always trust her to keep everything in line as well. A nice pair the two of your made. “It’s just our fellow park ranger we are waiting on…” she huffed out as she looked to the watch upon her wrist.

There was no time to worry about that, as the quiet humming of engines were already heard within the small break room. The wholesome sounds of buses, the chirping of kids and their teachers already urging them to quiet down. That was Jaheira’s cue to walk back to the front, opening the doors, that prideful smile upon her face as she greeted the children, their small bodies already pouring into the room, her voice already rising above all others to give off the usual spiel.

“Alright children! Are you ready to learn about your culture and history!’ She shouted excitedly to the children, already leading the group to the displays that lined the halls and little rooms, skillfully giving her explanations to the group of kids.

It left you to round up the musicians into their places, checking in on the cooking demonstrator, but of course…that left Elminster.

“Stop a bit and speak to an old man” he huffed out behind that wise, old beard of his as he clutched a shaky hand onto your outstretch arm.

“Maybe later Mr.Elminster, there’s a lot to do as you know” you said with a smile as you began urging him to the room that the band was setting up. “The kids are going to listen to the music, then head to the cooking demonstration and then head back to you, so it will give you much to ponder of how you are gonna educate them” you spoke up as you lead him to the room, helping him sit upon one of the upholstered chair.

“You are certainly right my dear, even though getting older is suppose to make one wise, it is still hard to find that right words, especially on an empty stomach” he said with a wink, but you already knew what he was eluding to.

“Don’t worry, I’ll have Jaheira bring you a plate when they are done with the cooking demonstration for lunch” which he gave you a kind pat on your bent down shoulder, all the response you needed to straighten up from your hunched down position. Though you were met by a towering figure the moment you turned around.

“My apologies for being late, I kind of got lost out here…” the man was huge, strong stature. Scars on his face, tattoos peeking out from his collared shirt, trailing up upon his face. You were pretty certain even if you were standing further away from him, you could still pick up the scent of fresh dirt and leaves that permeated from him. Even the faintest scent of sweat, but not in a bad way, in an endearing way if that makes sense. Like the smell of a hard working father coming home to engulf his children in a hug.

“I’m sorry, you are….?” You trailed off as you bent your neck to look at him, eyes slightly squinting to the badge on his shirt.

“Park Ranger Halsin, wildlife and fisheries sent me out here for a demonstration, I use to work for them, but I ended up taking a position at the wildlife refuge at the coast” he explained, already following your steps as you began to lead him back to the entrance. He may have not known, but you were skillfully avoiding a tangent from the old Elminster. He may have been a wise man, but a wise man with many words that lead simply nowhere at times.

“Yes of course, let’s get you set up in our other demonstration room” you spoke out, now quickly following his lead to the glass doors. “And I don’t blame you, it may be a small city, but this place is tucked away, definitely not as grand as the other culture centers” you bashfully said as you followed him up to his truck, tailgate already being lifted down with those strong, calloused hands of his. You could even see the faintest traces of dirt on his hands.

“But still important none the less” he said with a soft smile as he reached into the back, already pulling forward boxes and strangely a pet carrier. You tried to slyly lean a bit to peak at what he could possibly have stored in there.

“Oh this is Philippe” he said, almost with a childlike excitement as he opened the pet carrier. Of all things you would have never expected a raccoon to lazy start reaching up for him. But he excepted the creature with open arms. “I uh…rescued him and he’s been with me ever since. Also a good way of showing off our native species.” those strong arms held the creature tenderly, like a father to his offspring.

“I can’t say I encounter raccoons that are companions.” You were astonished, fingers tenderly giving the animal’s head a little scratch. Though those hands of yours grabbed on of the boxes he pulled forward, Philippe already knowingly hopping upon the other one as Halsin grabbed it.

“They definitely shouldn’t be pets, I know that may sound hypocritical coming from me, but you know how raccoons like to wash their food before they eat it? Well I let him do it back home…and he got ahold of my cellphone too, so not a good mix. I also learned rice doesn’t really help with water logged phone either.” You knew the scornful look he gave the raccoon was all in playfulness, which made a little laugh bubble to your lips. You could already picture it in your head.

“Your dear Philippe sounds like a menace.” You giggled out as you pushed past the doors once more, he following after you through the gush of cold air that blew up to greet you from the comfort of the culture center. Your ears also perked up to the sounds of the lively music coming from one of the demonstration rooms, intertwined with laughter of the children.

“Well, he is still a wild animal at heart I suppose” he chimed, his heavy footsteps following you to the empty demonstration room, his box being set upon the table set up front, already laying out his items.

Different pressed leaves now displayed out, the branches of different native plants. All the works of what’s was very befitting of a park ranger who dealt with the more wild side of the job description. He even had animal traps out as well.

“Alright, I’ll give you a rundown. I’m gonna inform the kids of different plants in the area, which ones are safe and not safe, native and common animals, insects, birds. I will also go over safety, why I have the animal traps.” He explained as he motioned to all the stuff he had set out. “Even though they should always be supervised while out in forested areas, it is still better to be able to recognize traps that farmers could set up for coyotes and bobcats and know not to touch them.” He listed off as he squatted down to once again cradle the raccoon in his arms, the raccoon lazily accepting his fate in the comfortable embrace. Now that the fast paced introduction was over, you could finally admire the man before you.

Yes he was tall and strong, but attractive. His hair whisped about his shoulders. A braid or two peaking out and adorned with thin pieces of colorful thread and an occasional decorative bead. Even having such an intimidating stature, those eyes were kind and gentle. Almost as if you were starring into the eyes of a farmers most trusted companion, his loyal dog. Those scars upon his face couldn’t diminish that softness.

But his shirt….you could see those well earned muscles bulge beneath that gray uniform shirt. Who knew those frumpy uniforms could look so flattering. You didn’t let your fleeting eyes linger for too long as you connected your gaze with his again.

“Well I’ll leave you to finish setting up, but I’m sure the kids will enjoy dear old Philippe, I’ll send the group over after the cooking demonstration, I can try and push back Elminster after everyone has eaten, maybe it will help him be better with his words.” You couldn’t help but give a little huff of a small laugh at your own little joke, even if he did not understand quite yet himself, but he only nodded, that kind smile still upon those lips.

“Me and Philippe will be waiting happily” he said, motioning to the raccoon whose head simply lulled lazily about. Such a pampered and spoiled creature, you could tell he was lovingly cared and doted on.

Elminster was delighted by the news once you quietly reported back to him when the kids had all migrated to the cooking demonstration room. So your little hunch about him wanting to eat first was correct.

“So…I see our fellow park ranger is quite the sight…” Jaheira spoke out quietly to you from the back of the food demonstration room, arms crossed over her chest. “The scars may be a dead giveaway from at least having something to do with the great wild, but tattoos? That would have thrown me off…”

“Oh I know, I honestly didn’t have much time to ponder over that when he first got here…” which was true, wasn’t something you saw everyday, not even from the culture centers in the bigger cities. “But it gives that rough edge, should excite the kids more. They might be slightly disappointed when he actually begins to speak, he is quite soft spoken.”

“Interesting…” was all she managed to say before she stepped forward to chime into the demonstration. You and Jaheira switched off though, she fixed herself and wise Elminster a plate for their little lunch, tucking away back in the break room to enjoy their meal as you beckoned the kids to where Halsin waited.

Their excited eyes upon seeing the raccoon brought a dumb smile to your face as your looked to their excited faces as they all sat down, all sitting at their edge of their seat.

Honestly it was all quite interesting, watching Ranger Halsin expertly explain everything, to simple ways to tell the difference between leaves, to why a plant was named whatever it was named. Even to the animal traps, you couldn’t help but almost have the same wide eyed expression as he would set them off and warn them of their dangerous nature and explaining that it was important to always stay away from them an such.

And of course, can’t forget about Philippe who got all the loving he needed for at least a month. By the end of the day he would probably want his own space even from his master’s arms.

Sadly the kids were beckoned off for lunch, giving the last goodbye to Philippe, but their sadness was quickly forgotten by the food that was now being provided to fill those stomachs. That left you carrying a plate to the break room, where Halsin now sat, Philippe away eating his own meal at his feet. The Ranger gladly took the plate, you now sitting across from him.

“I forget how it is, you know, dealing with children, I miss their excitement and hunger for knowledge…” he spoke up, voice almost rumbling in the small break room.

“Must be a different pace from what you are use to” you chimed up, handing him a napkin, which he also accepted.

“Indeed, but I prefer this, adults can be cruel. Their egos get in the way of everything…” a soft frown pulled at his lips, but it was quickly washed away with a bite of food. “They always venture off, get lost, put themselves in danger, never eager to learn. Children on the other hand, they devour everything that is told to them.”

“Plus this place is also charming, believe it or not, I come from an even more rural place than this” he spoke, a sense of nostalgia dripping off his words “nothing but swamps and forest for miles…”

“Then it makes sense why you are in this profession” you said as you began eating.

“Well I started off in wildlife and fisheries, but it became too much. Hunting season is the worst to deal with. Neighbors get mad about who is hunting where. Poachers…god the poachers. But park ranger life is more befitting, I find it better to teach rather than deal with petty wildlife disputes.“ you knew about those disputes all too well, sometimes you would hear about those petty disputes in the local grocery store between old farmers or just the locals gossiping about someone they knew.

“Well it all is a bit different than what we deal with here. Our other ranger Jaheira has more experience with wildlife. I didn’t get much of a chance to, but I learned to find this outlet satisfying.” You admitted as you pushed your plate aside, hands now removing your hat. Halsin followed your move. It was like you could now finally see his face fully, but it was not a disappointment, not at all.

“We do forget that history is also very important, remember, you are the back bone in the preservation of history and that needs just the same amount of importance as wildlife, even if history may have not been so kind to it.” Halsin had such a way with words, voice speaking them so smoothly, he was seeming to hold a much greater wisdom than Elminster, who you could faintly hear drowning on and on about traditions and all stories. You can already picture those school children comforted by food just fighting the sleep that wanted to take over their senses.

“You are definitely right about that..” your head could only picture the old photos of the town you reside in, how those old photos showed a spread out community with so many fields in between. Now it was only pothole filled roads with shady patch jobs, small town lawyers offices, and an occasional fast food joint.

Humanity at its finest.

Something about the way he looked at you, it made you almost bashful. An intense stare, endearing, and comforting all at once. You could feel a wave of multiple sensations travel up your spine in a shiver. All you could do was fiddle with the napkin that sat in front of you, struggling to find the right words to piece together in your mind.

“Are you free? This weekend?” He finally spoke up “I mean tomorrow, I’m sorry if I come off as strong” he finally managed out, honeyed words now seeming to be nervous. “But, I would like to take you to the refuge I work at, I finally got my boat fixed up.” His fingers were now the ones fiddling. Though you can only smile as you nodded your head.

“Yes I would love to” and with that, a number exchange was made and a timid goodbye was bid as he loaded up the last of his things, tailgate making its way down that old town road.

“A date at a refuge huh?” Jaheira’s voice almost startled you from your trance of staring out the door, the culture center now quiet and still, now almsot seeming empty and lonely from the once lively state it was in.

“Oh hush….” You dumbly muttered out as you began to straighten everything up. There was no mistaking that soft hint of pink upon your cheeks.

The nervousness only set in until that morning when you could only stare at yourself in the standing mirror in your room, poking and prodding at the old clothes you decided on. There was no use in wearing something nice if you were going to spend time on a boat. You were cut short from your worrisome glances in the mirror as you heard an engine rumble again from outside your quaint little home, already rushing to the front door to close and lock it.

Halsin was gorgeous, those early morning rays of sun doing him justice as he stepped down from that old pickup truck that was covered in a layer of first, boat already hooked up to the hitch. Handsome in his own clothes, wrinkle, stain, and all. Hell you didn’t even mind the thin layer of mud that caked the heels of his boots. Though quick good mornings were said as he helped you into the passenger seat, soon leaving a trail of dust behind.

It was peaceful, the morning sun shining down through the windows and soft music playing through the radio, the wind from the rolled down windows whipping your hair about and his. The smell of dirt and forestry strong within the interior of the truck, but that was probably due to the fur leaves and crumbs of dirt that peskily made their stay on the floor, embedded into the mats of his truck. It was nice, even when the dirt scented air turned into the consolidating smell of muggy marsh as the refuge finally rolled into view you appreciated it.

Soon your hair was whipping with the winds that blew by once upon the boat, the hum of the motor steadily humming, the soft solaces of the waters rolling by refreshing on your face and exposed arms. You couldn’t help but reach out and run your fingers upon the wild rice that made their homestead on the steep banks that rolled by. The boat came to steady stop , Halsin leant back next to the motor, glancing down to the murky waters below.

“It’s been awhile since I’ve been here…” you spoke out softly as you also looked to the waters below, watching the adolescent fish ripple the surface in their young curiosity, but would quickly dive down deep into those waters if a shadow would move too quickly. “I use to come all the time when I was younger.” You finally looked up and over to Halsin, who was now looking to you with that soft smile.

“Same here, it’s what pushed me in this direction in life.” His own words were also soft, as if not to disturbed the surroundings around you. “Growing up I would wake at the crack of dawn to walk along the waters, to drag my little row boat out. The rangers would always call my parents to let them know where I was, they always took me in to respite myself in their little station, showing me the things they found. Their passion ignited a life changing revelation for me.”

“Agreed, but once again, it lead me down a completely different route, but now that I think about it, I may have been life telling me I was needed else where. A gentle nudge showing me that I’m probably not cut out with dealing with lost folks along riverbeds and trails.” You joked, Halsin’s laughter joining your own.

“Like I said, it’s definitely not fun.” He added with a grin, now moving from his spot next to the motor to be closer to you, hefty body shaking the boat gently, disturbing the waters that had finally calmed down from your arrival. His hand was rummaging in the beat up ice chest that now was situated next to him, handing you a chilled canteen of water “But, it was a better fit, being a wildlife officer made me forget about the simplicity of nature, the calmness of it.”

The calmness of nature, but you couldn’t decide if it was nature itself that was the calm one, or Halsin’s gentle touch to the land doing the calming for it.

The day was spent laughing and sharing stories of nostalgia, of work, of life. You found the muscles in your cheeks hurting from the permanent smile upon your face as the two of you listened to each other intently with care. It was almost a shame when he rolled you back up to your house, that morning glow now replaced with the setting sun, everyone basked in a dark orange hue, but you didn’t mind, that color gave you a since of fulfillment as you took his calloused hand in yours as he helped you down back to solid land.

“Thank you for joining me, I really enjoyed your company” he softly spoke out, that intense stare now locked onto your own, but this time it was bashful, but that shiver of emotions traveled up your spine nonetheless.

The same could be said for him as that calloused hand still gingerly held onto yours.

“I did as well…” you felt dumb as that’s all you could say, that stare almost halting your thoughts, sending your mind into blankness, that hand of his sending a burning sensation through your fingers.

“If you don’t mind maybe we could….do this again?” He spoke out hopefully, those eyebrows furrowed together to match that hopefulness that dropped from his words.

“I would love to, maybe you can even visit here…?”

“Yes, I would love that….”

#halsin #halsin x reader #halsin x you #halsin x tav #modern #modern au #modern age #baldurs gate tav #baldur’s gate 3 #Baldur’s gate #druid halsin #Druid Halsin x reader

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oakfathers-embrace · 5 months

Text

"Astarion please don't-"

Astarion disappears into a flash of golden magic, generally associated with wildshape. Emerging from it as an adorable little bat.

Halsin sighs, hand over his face. "I asked you to please not interrupt me while working on the spell." He says, gently picking up the small, white bat into his hands, looking him over with care, worried that something may have gone wrong with the transformation.

Satisfied that Astarion is indeed, not injured, he sets the bat down on the table beside him.

"Well, it's good to see that the spell works at least- but I've not figured out how to reverse it yet, I'm sorry love." He says, closing the book he'd read from to preform it. "It was supposed to help young druids find the wildshape they're most connected with. While it's fun to know that you're a cute bat...you're also not a druid, I don't know how we're going to turn you back to normal..."

(Intended for @astariondisapproves but any Astarion can hop in and reply!)

#also remember that halsin can talk with animals bc druid so. no awkward squeaking dkvsjqvsja

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bhaalbaaby · 6 months

Note

So how do you think the companions would react to a Tav with a high sex drive?

thank you for the ask and sorry for the delay 🫡😭 I'm basing this off my current tav Penelope who does have one, especially in act 1 and 2

@spacebarbarianweird + @tragedybunny

gale would think it's amusing at first with little comments about wanting to let loose and be underneath someone. he doesn't offer a 'helping' hand however, wanting to focus on the task at hand with the tadpole and his orb. it isn't until he's confronted with his mortality that he starts consider what it would mean for one night of escape with tav. it's been a little while with him since he's put in the effort for sex, but aiming to please is something gale never put off and would try his best to match his partner's fervor.

wyll wouldn't give in to the temptations as much as he wants to, but he wouldn't be above teasing them endlessly with his words, a gentle hand on their waist, kissing their palms while he looks at them as if they were his sun, moon, and stars, until tav gets too flustered and has to go take care of themself. he does think about them in his own bedroll when he does have his own urges and the dirty fantasies they shared earlier, his hand becoming his best friend in the coming weeks.

lae'zel is up for the challenge, wanting to see how much she can endure and push herself for pleasure. she's a bit embarrassed at first that she doesn't last as long as first when tav asks for another round, wondering where this stamina comes from and also how they can use it on the battlefield.

shadowheart at first judges tav silently from her tent, watching tav hop from companion to companion. while she doesn't join in (shar forbids this), she does like being a listening ear for the gossip, wanting to know who is the best lay in the camp and why is it a tie between lae'zel and astarion. if she doesn't become a dark justiciar, she will want to join tav in their sexcapades, wanting to let go just for a moment and tav being the perfect escape.

karlach would be so jealous of tav at first that they are able to express and act on their inhibitions with whoever they wish. it does surprise her a little bit when tav confesses their attraction to her since she can't do anything without hurting them, but is pleasantly surprised to see tav put in an effort by whispering all the things they want to do to her, writing them down too and slipping them into her tent or in clive's lap for her to find later. when karlach can touch, they spend the first week fucking on every surface they can and anywhere karlach wants since they have ten years to catch up on. it becomes more passionate as she realizes she doesn't have much time left, with longer sessions focusing more on their intimacy.

astarion catches on to tav having a high sex drive pretty quickly and makes his seduction plan super easy. he doesn't expect tav to be so open with their desires and how their foreplay doesn't start before the actual act of sex, complimenting his clothes and armor, the way he fought during a squirmish, and his taste in wine chosen at the end of the day. during sex, he can match their enthusiasm with practiced showmanship. when he reveals his true feelings to tav, it is an adjustment, but they find new ways to be intimate by reading erotic stories and poetry, making out, and attempting tantric sex without penetration or getting naked until he is comfortable. ascended!astarion would use this to his advantage, promising many nights to years of pleasure for his consort. spawn!astarion would appreciate the intimacy they did before, and would want to explore more.

halsin has seen it all and is more than welcome to anything tav can throw at him. he can keep up with tav as well, finally letting his years of guilt fall away as he focuses on them. he lets tav lead most of the time. if tav needs him between their thighs 24/7, he would find a way to make it happen, the kisses while making them wait intoxicating and leaving tav's lips tingling. he may make a comment on their taste being the sweetest nectar he's ever tasted.

minthara would use this to her advantage, especially if she can dom tav, to see how she can use them between the sheets and on the battlefield like lae'zel. she would be into longer sessions of just edging and making tav beg for release, putting their mouth to work between her thighs as she dictates all the things she will do once they take control of the elder brain and bring honor to the world as tav worships her body with everything in them.

#hope that helps <3 #LMAO #nsft #long post #writing #headcanons #gale #wyll #lae'zel #karlach #shadowheart #astarion #halsin #minthara #sorry lae'zel's is short ;-; i still need to do her romance lol

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kylobith · 24 days

Text

Little Town Tails

Chapter 4: A Fish Out of Water

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

Ship/Pairing: Halsin x Fem!Tav

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

Word count: 6,034

Read it on Ao3 here

Listen to the dedicated playlist on Spotify here

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

‘Astarion? Are you listening to me?’

‘Huh?’

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

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

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

His finger strokes the paler man’s jawline.

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

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

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

‘That’s the only reason why I came.’

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

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

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

‘Alright,’ Astarion grumbles.

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

‘Mh.’

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

‘Fangs!’

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

‘Ow, ow, ow, Karlach! Down!’

‘Whoops, sorry, soldier.’

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

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

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

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

Astarion rolls his eyes and drinks from his cup again.

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

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

‘I hope so, he’s a vet.’

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

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

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

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

‘Sure.’

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

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

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

‘Very well.’

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

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

‘Indeed.’

‘May I ask what this pickle is?’

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

‘How good are you at sewing?’

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

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

‘By all means!’

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

‘Quite right.’

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

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

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

‘Hah, not at all. Let me show you.’

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

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

‘A very big shepherd dog?’

‘An owlbear cub.’

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

‘A what now?’

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

The veterinarian laughs, clapping his massive hands once.

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

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

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

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

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

‘That settles it, then.’

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

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

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

‘Sorry?’

‘Nothing!’

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

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

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

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

‘Halsin, my good friend!’

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

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

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

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

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

‘Anything wrong with your hamster, Minsc?’

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

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

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

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

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

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

Halsin smiles to himself and nods.

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

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

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

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

‘Do you know if Beaky is recovering well?’

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

‘Oh.’

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

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

‘Ah, Minsc only does his job.’

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

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

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

‘Thank you, friend!’

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

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

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

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

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

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

‘Perfect.’

‘Anything happened while we were gone?’

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

What to do?

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

‘I see. Did everything go well?’

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

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

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

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

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

‘Quite clever.’

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

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

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

‘You can.’

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

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

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

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

The older man chuckles and shakes his head.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

‘Sounds good.’

Halsin nods and pats his back.

‘Welcome to the team, Astarion.’

Taglist: @emmanuellececchi @reignydeys @cakenpiewhyohmy

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pikapeppa · 6 months

Text

Halsin/Tav: Dancing

A short little Act 1 snapshot between Halsin and my Tav, a half-drow bard named Brynn. 🥰 ~2020 words, SFW!

*************

Brynn was dancing, and it made for quite a beautiful sight.

The night was young still; the warm pinkish-orange glow of sunset still limned the edge of the horizon to the west. High above, the stars were just starting to shiver into sight, their silver shimmer echoed by the gentle winking of fireflies that graced the edges of the camp, lending the party an appropriately festive air.

Brynn and Karlach had been dancing without pause for a good quarter-candlemark now: a feat of stamina that was no doubt powered by the wine and spirits Brynn had been drinking with her companions and with Zevlor’s people both. Brynn and Karlach weren’t the only two dancing, not by far; Lakrissa, Cal and Lia had been whirling around with Brynn not too long ago, not to mention Mol’s little gang, and Bex and Danis had been waltzing earlier on as well — Danis with an endearing two-left-feetedness that Halsin could empathize with, to be perfectly frank. But Brynn and Karlach had been at it for a long time now with barely any pauses to eat or gulp some wine, and Halsin couldn’t help but admire their energy.

Karlach in particular was a surprise; for a woman of such stature and strength, she was surprisingly nimble on her toes. But ‘nimble’ didn’t even begin to describe the grace of Brynn’s whip-fast feet as she bounced and spun and quickstepped with her fiery tiefling friend, all while keeping safely out of range of Karlach’s superheated touch.

Perhaps Halsin oughtn’t be surprised by Brynn’s grace. She was a bard, after all, and an incredibly compelling one at that; music was in her blood, and it only made sense that she would be skilled in this kind of performance. Even so, the way she twirled and hopped and spun was uncannily nymphlike: her bare feet sprang across the grass almost as though the Oakfather himself had bade her fly across his verdant blades. As much as Halsin was savouring the freedom of being out among nature's bounty once more, in this moment, he was enjoying the sight of Brynn’s impish energy just as much.

It wasn’t until Alfira’s jaunty tune came to a trilling close that Brynn and Karlach finally took a break, amid cheering and applause from Zevlor’s group. A grinning Brynn dipped into a deep and ostentatious bow, then clanked a half-empty bottle of wine against Karlach’s stein before drinking deeply straight from the bottle, and Halsin smiled to himself. He didn’t begrudge her or the others their drinks tonight, but with the amount that Brynn had been drinking, he would certainly not envy her in the morning.

She lowered the bottle and offered it to Lakrissa with a flourish and a smile. Then, to his surprise, she began walking toward him.

He nodded his head in greeting. “You seem to be enjoying yourself.”

“I am. And what’s not to enjoy? Plenty of food, two dozen happy folk with a bottle of wine each, and it could not have been a more gorgeous night.” She tilted her head back and took a deep breath, and Halsin did the same. She was entirely correct on that point; it was a beautiful night, the kind where the day’s warmth left the scent of the nearby forest to linger pleasantly in the air: a smell so fresh and lush with life that the very air felt green as it entered his lungs.

She let out a happy sigh and smiled at him. “Seriously, I don’t think I’ve ever enjoyed fresh air more than I have since we left that goblin camp. Gods, and you were stuck there for how long? A week?”

“Nearly that.”

She clicked her tongue. “You must really be enjoying the smell of, well, not a small army of unwashed bodies with a predilection for using unbleached bones for armour.”

He nodded ruefully. “It is a boon indeed to be free of the scents of that camp. Among other things.”

“What other things?” She gave him a knowing look. “You’re thinking of the congealed blood puddles, right? I almost wonder if goblins see such things as a form of art.”

He made a little face. “It is no hardship to be away from the festering gore, it’s true. But that’s not all I was thinking of.”

“What were you thinking of, then?”

He hesitated before replying, because he knew the truth would sound odd. He was thinking not of the goblin camp, in fact, but of his responsibilities at the Grove. Perhaps he ought to feel guilty about leaving the Sacred Grove behind so quickly after his return, but in truth, the only guilt he felt was the fact that he had remained at the Grove for so long while the lands around Moonrise Towers suffered from the curse of Ketheric Thorm.

None of that was appropriate talk for a party, however, and he was loath to sour the mood by mentioning it. “Nothing that needs to be discussed right now,” he finally said. “You really should enjoy yourself tonight. Be merry, enjoy the company of your friends. We’ll have time to discuss all of this on the morrow.”

She tilted her head and gave him an appraising look.

He raised his eyebrows. “Is something the matter?”

“You should enjoy yourself too, Halsin,” she said seriously. “You fought those goblins right along with the rest of us.”

She meant well, or course, but her words only made him feel wistful. For her and her companions, this victory was a relatively simple one: a group of harmful cultists eliminated, and a step closer on the path to finding themselves a cure. But they didn’t know the depths of what they would soon be stepping into: the perversion of nature they would witness, and the sucking despair that would be upon them once they set foot in the shadowlands. How could he explain to her that he hadn’t earned the right to happiness, not while the curse still lingered and Thaniel was still trapped?

Again, those thoughts were not for Brynn’s ears to hear — not yet, at least, and not now. “I am enjoying myself,” he assured her. “Being in the cradle of the Oakfather’s bounty is joy enough for me.”

She arched a brow: a humorous but evocative gesture. “I hate to tell you this, but your idea of enjoying yourself looks an awful lot like brooding. There’s a lot of that going around tonight, actually,” she said, and she wrinkled her nose as she looked around the camp. “Lae’zel and Shadowheart are a resounding ‘no’ on the dancing, Gale’s face looks like a baby’s smacked bottom, and where in the realms has Wyll gotten off to?” She clicked her tongue, then turned back to Halsin. “Thank the gods for Alfira and the others, otherwise this would seem more like a wake than a party.”

She wasn’t wrong about that; Halsin did indeed seem to be in good company when it came to the brooding — or perhaps bad company, really. He squeezed Brynn’s shoulder in sympathy. “Don’t concern yourself about me. You deserve a night of uncomplicated rest before we set out on the journey west, and I encourage you to enjoy it. This may be the last truly restful night that we have for some time.”

“Right,” she said. But she was still eyeing him appraisingly.

He smiled at how shrewd she looked. “If you continue to study me this way, I may start to wonder if there’s something wrong with my face.”

Her narrow-eyed expression lit into a smile. “Gods, banish the thought. Nothing could be farther from the truth.” She batted her eyelashes at him. “I was just thinking that you should dance with me.”

He couldn't help himself; he actually laughed. “Now that is a thought you ought to banish right away.”

Her eyebrows rose. “What do you mean? Why?”

He gestured vaguely toward the west. “We survived a rather hairy battle at that goblin camp. And now you wish to risk being maimed by dancing with me?”

She laughed: a lively and lilting sound. “Is this your way of telling me you’re a bad dancer?”

“Yes, unfortunately. You would be at less risk of harm in young Karlach’s flaming arms than in mine.”

She gave him a quick coquettish once-over. “Don’t go talking about being in your arms, now. You’ll give a girl ideas.”

He chuckled. He had quickly learned that Brynn’s flirtatiousness was as much a part of her nature as music and song, and he really didn’t mind. It had been a very long time since anyone had seen him in a capacity other than an elder and a teacher, and Brynn’s interest in him was refreshing — refreshing but a little melancholy-inducing, too, to be frank. It made him remember simpler times: times of balance and bounty, times when he felt deserving of the kinds of pleasures that her flirtation implied. Not that Brynn was serious in her flirting, necessarily; that was something Halsin wasn’t quite sure of yet, since she was equally charming with everyone, from what he had seen.

In any case, whether she was serious or not, she was a beautiful woman, and one who would easily have tempted his appetites in his younger days. But now… Now, he simply couldn’t accept such pleasures, not now. His heart and soul weren’t in the right place for it, not while they were bound along with Thaniel in that accursed place.

Her voice pulled him from his thoughts. “Come on, Halsin, just join me for one dance. I know you want to.”

“Do you?” he said, in genuine amusement. “How is that something you know?”

“Come on, now, I saw you watching us,” she said sweetly. “In my opinion, there are only two reasons that a person watches others dancing so attentively: either you want to bed the dancers, or you want to join them.”

He chuckled. “That’s a unique perspective. Is that what your bard training has taught you?”

“Precisely,” she said cheerfully. “Now, I respect that you’re not interested in the former tonight, and I’ll beg that you forgive me for continuing to hit on you like a bugbear attempting to knock down a door. But the latter is up for grabs. All you have to do is say yes.”

Say yes. Ah, but she made it sound so simple: to simply say yes, and to forget his troubles in a night of happiness and pleasure. But he couldn’t lay his troubles aside so easily, no matter how much he might wish to. He’d been carrying these responsibilities for so long now that it felt wrong to even imagine setting them aside.

“I truly regret that I must decline,” he said gently. “I assure you that my refusal is no slur on you, but out of concern for your safety. You are incredibly fleet of foot, and it would be criminal of me to take that away from you with the not-inconsiderable size of my own feet.”

She sighed dramatically. “All right, I give up for now. I’ll drown my woes in another bottle of wine. But mark my words, Halsin, I’ll have you saying yes to a dance eventually, I swear it. I’ll swear it on your Oakfather, even!”

“A very serious oath,” he replied, with a playful gravity. “Time will tell whether you fulfill it.”

“Time will tell indeed,” she said. She tipped him a roguish wink, then ran back to the others. “Come on, Karlach, let’s get back to it!”

“Fuck yes!” Karlach cried. And then the two of them were at it again, leaping and spinning and quick-stepping with a wild flair that was impossible not to watch.

He smiled. Her bare feet really were flying across the grass: the finest and loveliest proof that nature had made her for precisely this. A thing of beauty, indeed, he thought contentedly. And for a pleasant time, it wasn’t the star-dappled sky or the forest’s dark-leaved depths that drew Halsin’s attention, but Brynn’s lithe and graceful body moving in time with the world around her.

#halsin #bg3 halsin #halsin/tav #halsin x tav #tav/halsin #tav x halsin #halsin romance #bg3 #baldur's gate 3 #baldur's gate 3 spoilers #bg3 spoilers #pikapeppa writes #i'll post on AO3 eventually but RESEARCH MUST BE DONE FIRST 😂

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