#shadowlachstarion

[shadowstarion]

i know i love on shadowstar a lot but add karlach in and that’s my IDEAL throuple.

neither of them are the sharing type but shadowheart will get what she wants and if it’s both of them, so be it. she gets her charming dark prince and her rambunctious knight in flaming armor, neither of them could possibly deny their princess of the other.

and i do think astarion and karlach have some potential as well… astarion being used for his body and desensitized to physical touch while karlach craves it desperately, both of them having experience with exploitation in different forms… karlach would be pretty much immune to any of astarion’s “gain your trust, sleep with you, discard when convenient” tricks because she’s just so genuine and kindhearted. she’d give her blood to him no-strings if she could, she’d politely decline his advances in fear of hurting him, etc. she might be more brawn than brains, but any time astarion makes some offhanded comment about just ignoring things or putting up with stuff that’s uncomfortable, she’d stop him and give him those sweet puppy dog eyes, tell him “sorry that happened, fangs, you didn’t deserve that” then offer to go out breaking shit to get the bad thoughts off his mind

they would understand each other in a way that shadowheart can’t entirely grasp, and maybe their need for companionship with one another is just as strong as shadowheart’s love for them both

#shadowheart #astarion #karlach #shadowstar #shadowstarion #karheart #shadowlach #shadowlachstarion #writing #headcanon #karstarion

[shadowstarion]

thinking about shadowheart astarion + karlach and their specific relationships with sexuality and intimacy… gets spicy below the cut

i think shadowheart and astarion would be very big on nonsexual intimacy. obviously astarion wants to be loved for more than just his body and treated as more than just a sex object, and shadowheart’s been trained to deny herself pleasure or gratification to the point where it’s scary. with her memories wiped, she has essentially no experience so it’s not something she’d immediately prioritize. she wouldn’t expect anything from him and astarion adores the fact they can kiss, lie together, touch each other, twist their fingers in hair and whisper sweet things with the knowledge that it won’t eventually become something that makes him feel used or exploited

and of course we KNOW shadowheart isn’t 100% pure and virginal, we know she’s essentially the repressed catholic girl who reads smut and has wild fantasies, but when it does happen? she’s gentle and trusting and willingly gives astarion control. he calls the shots when he wants to, gets to bask in the feeling of not being used, but having shadowheart give him anything he wants, give herself to him entirely. not necessarily letting him use her, but she wants to please him, focuses on how much she can give him, wants to be so good for him. it’s about so much more than just getting off when it’s shadowheart, being so diligent while giving him her mouth or hands, holding him tight and whining out her admiration while she’s under him, saying his name over and over like a prayer

i could go on about how they fuck for hours but alas, we need to talk about karlach. oh god the poor thing, just as repressed as shadowheart and immensely eager/touch starved in a way that astarion can’t comprehend is even physically possible. her engine making intimacy dangerously impractical would drive shadowheart crazy; we know shads was down horrific the moment she saw her for starters. it’s another comfort to astarion, knowing that karlach’s kindness toward him has no ulterior motives, that being open and vulnerable with her won’t lead them to bed because she cares more about his wellbeing and safety than she does her own wants. watching karlach politely refuse any of shadowheart’s attempts to escalate their relationship would make astarion genuinely swoon, because gods does that woman care so deeply and love with all her heart, maybe he can grow to trust her too…?

once her engine is repaired enough for physical touch to be safe, karlach is an entirely different story. while shadowheart gives herself up in a way that’s inexperienced and submissive, karlach’s whole “care for __’s wellbeing” complex translates to her being the service top of the century. anything shadowheart wants she’ll get x10, anything astarion doesn’t want is completely out of the question. she’d never push boundaries, asks for consent and won’t keep going if it isn’t enthusiastic, is constantly checking in to make sure she’s not going to hard or too fast, while simultaneously being sooo brutally needy. astarion could have her on her knees begging and pleading for permission to touch him, to make him feel good, to show how much she loves him, and she wouldn’t move a muscle until he gave her an explicit yes, dear, you may

now with shadowheart it may be a little different in the sense that she, to put it plainly, doesn’t have immense sexual trauma but moreso apprehension and curiosity about sexuality. she wants it all, hard and fast, unhinged and unrestrained and karlach is more than able to provide that. karlach wouldn’t let her beat around the bush, would wring every last fantasy and fetish and desire out of her in verbal conversation and remind her it’s nothing to be ashamed of. she wants bent over the the table and fucked until she cries? wants karlach’s hands around her throat and her tail prying her legs apart? wants to be hit and degraded and hauled off to gods-know-where over a barbarian’s shoulder? all she has to do is ask for it and mama k will provide.

on that note, something can be said for karlach and astarion’s dynamic together with shadowheart. they’d absolutely team up every now and again, because sometimes astarion wants intimacy but can’t handle being touched, or because shadowheart is being indecisive and cagey about what she wants, or because there was a close call and karlach needs them both to know how cherished they are.

astarion watching from his comfy seat with a book open in his lap while karlach completely takes shadowheart apart, having her look at him and tell him how good it feels, occasionally letting astarion give instructions so that he can feel the closeness without having to confront physical touch

karlach having trouble getting shadowheart to be open about some kink or fetish because she doesn’t understand it well herself and Shadowheart is too embarrassed to explain, so astarion is the phone-a-friend who knows Everything and can translate shadowheart’s awkward explanation of wax play or whatever and mercilessly teases her with the most explicit unashamed dirty talk

shadowheart getting downed in a fight while trying to heal astarion and karlach raging, absolutely obliterating their enemies because she’s had enough taken from her. how dare anyone threaten what’s hers? for a split second she thought shadowheart was gone and astarion would follow without her healing and her engine is running hotter than ever with pure fury. of course, they make it out alive and are able to recover quickly back at camp, but the fear of losing them sticks with karlach. she wants them close to her as soon as they’re back in good shape, holding and touching and squeezing and kissing every inch of them she can. keeping shadowheart pressed in between them with astarion at her back, karlach’s hands around his waist, just a panting mess of i love you and i was so scared and please don’t ever leave me and need you need you both so bad

my brain is full. i need them to fuck so bad

#shadowheart #astarion #shadowstar #bg3 #shadowstarion #writing #headcanon #karlach #nsft #shadowlachstarion #shadowstarlach