#cazador absolutely BROKE him

[thranduel]

bg3 is getting popular and the fandom is getting bigger so i’m just gonna say this now lol

i’m already waiting for the astarion hate to begin just because he’s a popular character and the internet always gets mad when someone gets popular lol :/ “he’s so overrated!!!!”, “he’s not even that good”, “he’s horrible and mean”, blah blah blah. he’s a well-written and very complex fictional character with an incredibly talented voice actor that most of us have been excited to see in the full game for the past 3 years. people are allowed to like him. he’s popular for many reasons, not just “wow handsome vampire”. his character tropes are also very popular in fiction and people tend to get drawn to characters like him because they’re interesting, have deep backstories and we want to see redemption arcs. enemies to friends + enemies to lovers are also some of the most well-loved tropes. characters being loved and popular is NOT a bad thing and i don’t know why people get so bitter about it. and fyi this isn’t about people who simply don’t like him for their own reasons, i understand why he might not be everyone’s cup of tea and that’s totally valid, it’s more about people who only randomly started to hate him just because he’s popular

it kinda reminds me of when the internet turned on eddie munson from stranger things. i still can’t get over how everyone immediately switched up on him and hopped on the hate bandwagon just because he became popular. and then it became “trendy” to hate him. people who previously liked him when volume 1 came out totally changed and then started picking out every tiny little flaw just to hate on him. i used to see edits of him everywhere and then it turned into calling him cringe and making fun of anyone who liked him. even cosplayers got hated on and bullied for… having fun? like yeah you might find some things cringe but the way the entire internet bullied these people and enjoyed laughing at them was SO weird to me

again, it’s totally fine for people to dislike certain characters and have their own opinions. but ONLY hating on them just because they’re popular and then trying to guilt trip/make people feel like idiots for liking them is so weird

#baldur’s gate 3 #bg3 #astarion #this is a psa that even if the entire internet turns on astarion i will not 🫡 i got u buddy #and for the record no i’m not one of those fans of characters that acts like they’re perfect #trust me i see and acknowledge every flaw #there’s many things astarion has said and done that i hate #he’s not this perfect little baby we obviously know this #but i love how we slowly start to learn about him and see why he ended up the way he did #i love that there is still a chance to help him and redeem him #he never knew what it felt like to be genuinely loved and cared for #no one ever treated him like a person #he doesn’t even know how to say no because he’s been forced into things for 200 years #he’s been abused and assaulted and tortured and mutilated #cazador absolutely BROKE him #but all you had to do was show him love #that’s it #that’s all he wanted #whether it’s platonic or romantic #there is good in him deep down it was just covered by darkness #he was literally drowning in it #you’re the only one that’s able to pull him out of it #and i think in a way some people find comfort in the fact that someone so broken can still be loved #they can still get better #they can still become a better person and help others #like it’s not too late for that #anyways #popular characters usually tend to be popular for valid reasons #yeah you can appreciate their looks and when they do something attractive but it’s not always just about that

[lordofthemushrooms]

Knowledge that Astarion needs and deserves that moment completely alone after killing Cazador to scream vs. overwhelming need to hold him in my arms while he screams

#wanted to walk over and hold his hand so badly but he deserves the moment alone just like he does with his grave #I’m ….. #ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh #also I need to tell you guys something awful #I had to replay the last cutscene with Cazador twice because I fucked up the dialogue the first time by just flat out telling him no #and he broke up with me #it was terrible #like the worst thing I’ve ever seen in a video game terrible #reloaded so fast #and now we are fine and dandy and the graveyard scene was absolutely gorgeous #but now ‘I hope you die screaming’ lives in my head forever #bg3 #baldur's gate 3 #astarion

[littleprincepaladin]

#ramblingpaladin #god i hate how im so easy to fall for arrogant evil men #its from the “i strahd memoirs of a vampire” fyi. im going insane over him today #funnily enough im not into #e.g ascended astarion or cazador (or gortash. but gortash is different here:) #i think it has to do with how Raphael and Strahd are just genuinely good at whatever the hell theyre doing #vain. arrogant. flawed? oh absolutely they're total jerks #but their so beloved patheticness for me comes from the fact that their weakness lies hidden behind their strengths #which can be both literal strength or can be an intellectual thing. tbf both have both. manipulative bastards that also can whoop your ass #and oh lord im about to get the worst ass whooping of my LIFE #while ascended astarion is honestly just sopping wet pathetic to me straight away. hes not really fun. but i get the fantasy ig #its been said multiple times i believe but as.astarion really just has the Vibes. not the actual thing #sure hes now some cool never seen before vamp. but hes broke off his ass and turns into a stupid lil bat #cazador definitely has his strength oh that's for sure but ultimately his weaknesses are wayyy too obvious #raphael also has them obvious but he has the charisma to make you forget hes got them #cazador is just sopping wet too #so really i believe its a matter of having the character be genuinely strong + ratio between weakness and strength #preferably the weakness to be more hidden. part of the appeal #im not putting gortash in together with as.astarion and cazador because hes also a good one imo #but for some reason im just. not into him. even tho hes literally my type #is it the anime ass hair? #its the anime ass hair. #this got long...

[jewishgir]

can't stop thinking about how according to all known laws of D&D, vampires are decisively evil creatures, like even if a vampire isn't evil in life they inevitably turn evil in their undeath, and how Astarion not only became a vampire but also underwent 200 years of torture, forced into survival mode, robbed of his bodily autonomy, had his ability to empathize with others meticulously stripped away by Cazador through various methods of near-endless physical mental and sexual abuse and torture and he STILL came out of it with his sense of compassion, dampened but still existent. he is by no means a softie but he is absolutely not as cruel as he wishes he was, and even more still not what Cazador wanted him to be. when he rejects the idea that Cazador broke him because he is "still here," he wasn't lying!!!!! FUCK!!!!!!!!!!!

#he's such a fucking bitch but he's not evil. he's just not. #astarion ancunin #cazador szarr #bg3 #bg3 spoilers #shiv.txt

[thewritetofreespeech]

Astarion x Reader

words: 2.6K

rating: E

pairing: Ascended!Astarion x Tav (female)

tags: heterosexual sex, fingering, sex on a table, vampire nibbles, soft ascended!astarion (sort of), cazador servants

summary: why do formal tables have to be so long? luckily they are also sturdy. [x]

-------------------------------------------------------------

He’d been lost in the halls of the palace for hours. Though he had lived here all of his undead life, 200 years of being trapped in these walls, Astarion had never been allowed to roam free. There were still secrets to the palace left to unlock. Secrets that Cazador had kept from them, far worse and far more subtle than the grand temple he had built in the ‘basement’.

Now that it was all his, Astarion felt this incredible urge to leave no stone unturned. Partly to understand his new home. Mostly, just to spite Cazador still.

“Master Astarion.” He turned around fast to see Vilhelm standing there. Still getting used to his new role and that he could be here in the library as he wished. The human, for his part, seemed perfectly comfortable in his new role. Funny how a tenday ago he would have spit on his shoes should they pass in the hall. Now he was quick to lick them should Astarion ask. “Dinner has been served and the mistress is waiting. But if you would like! I can have it sent back to the kitchen and await your orders.”

“No, no.” He tutted at the man. Who seems an odd combination of relieved and terrified at being corrected. “A gentleman never keeps a lady waiting.”

He had no idea that dinner had even been prepared. Nor that that was something to be expected. Now that he had ascended, the hunger that tormented him for centuries had finally been sated. He wondered, as he walked the halls with Vilhelm just behind him, if he could ever be hungry again. Would ever be hungry again.

The doors to the dinning room open for him and Astarion stepped in to observe the marvelous setting. His beloved at one end of the table while candles, silver chaffers, and decorative fruits littered the mahogany all the way to the other end. “Are we expecting royalty?”

“The master…I mean…the old master preferred a formal setting when he supped.” Varderola explained. A fact that Astarion would never know because he had never been in this room to eat, only to be paraded in front of Cazador’s guest before being shunned off to dine on his dinner of rats. He truly never even knew that Cazador ate anything. “But if the master would prefer-“No.” Astarion cut in quickly with a wave of his hand. “No. This is fine.” If it was good enough for Cazador, certainly such effort was good enough for him.

He walked over to Tav and gave her a kiss on the cheek, before going to his seat at the other end of the table. Less impressed with the table setting now that he was at one end of it and her at the other. Astarion could barely see her through all the candles & greenery.

“How was the tour of the palace?” He looked up when Tav spoke. Syrin poured her wine while Vilhelm on his left did the same. “Find any bodies stuffed in a trunk somewhere?”

Astarion chuckled. “No. Not yet.” This all felt so straight.

A few months ago, he would never have dreamed to be sitting here. He would have been absolutely terrified to even consider it. Now, here he was. Free, all powerful, the people who once shunned & ridiculed him waiting on him hand and foot, richer than probably any noble in Baldur’s Gate, beloved by the most beautiful woman in the realms. Things he had dreamed of when he was shackled below, where just one of them seemed out of reach. Now he had it all.

“Is everything alright?” Tav’s voice broke him out of his thoughts again. Speaking of so far out of reach….

“Yes, it’s just…you’re so far away.” Though it still seemed strange, the comedy of all this being for just the two of them was starting to sink in.

“Oh. Well. That’s a quick fix.”

Practical, yet as impulsive as ever, Tav simply picked up her wine and her plate at walked over to his end of the table. The servants seemed mortified, but Astarion was grinning ear to ear. Of course, a simple solution.

A new chair was brought up for her and she sat down to continue their meal. As if she hadn’t just broken probably 14 etiquette rules with her stunt. “I’m glad you liked your tour. I was nervous you might have found it…overwhelming.” Her concern for his well-being, even as he was all powerful now, made his chest feel tight and his cock hard. “But I had a thought. What if we redecorated this place? Made it our own?”

Astarion sat back in his seat and sipped his wine. Leaving his rare meat untouched. “Hmm…I suppose. Cazador always did have the most abysmal taste.” He could say that out loud now. “I don’t think one thing has been updated since I was here. And that’s saying something.”

Tav scoffed. “I’m sure it will take time. And money.”

“Which is no object now.”

“And of course I would want your opinion on things.”

“Of course you would darling.” Astarion replied with his standard, jovial way. “We certainly can’t have your design expertise lead the way. The whole place would be swords, pelts, and big shiny rocks you’ve found.”

“Ha ha….” He tried to hide his grin in his wine glass. “Besides that, I wasn’t sure if there would be anything you’d want to keep. Something….sentimental?”

“You could literally pack up everything in this place and throw it into the sea for all I care.” Sentimental. What a disturbingly odd word for these walls. “Honestly, do whatever you would like. Fill the ballroom with peacocks. Paint the walls whatever color you wish. Tear the walls down if you would like. Just, one thing I do ask,” he sat his glass down and took Tav’s hand in his, “you leave the bedroom design to me.”

He kissed her hand and watched her face flush. Suddenly he was very hungry. But it wasn’t for food.

“Get out.” He heard the shuffle of feet around them, but Astarion wasn’t looking at anyone but Tav. Once he heard the doors close and latch, he surged forward. Ensnaring them in a brutal kiss. Hot and heavy. Intoxicating as much as the wine on their lips.

The hand still wrapped around Tav’s held tighter and pulled forward. Jutting her out of her seat as he fell back. Making her a new seat in his lap. Astarion grinned, all teeth, against her lips as he nipped at them. His hands all over the soft silk on her hips and back as she sighed breathless into his kiss. He’d have to remember that she needed to breathe more than him now.

“Where did you get this lovely dress?” He asked as he gave Tav a chance to do that, but still peppered kisses over her chin, neck, and delicious neck.

“I uh…Syrin found it for me….” Her responses were staggered. He had to assume that it was hard to think in the fog he was creating. “Said I should dress for dinner.”

“You needn’t do anything you don’t want to, my treasure.” Astarion told her. “If you wish to dress down, or simply be naked, then that is what you will do. Personally, I would prefer the former. Though I doubt either one of us would get anything done in a day if this perfect body was on display all the time.” The only thing they would ‘get done’ was each other. “However, I just wanted to make sure this wasn’t one of your favorites as, although it is lovely, it’s in my way.”

 The silk stood no chance against him as Astarion gripped the fine material and under tulle and ripped. Tav let out a gasp as he broke her dress skirt free. It didn’t sound like one of alarm or shock, but one of arousal. One that was quickly confirmed when she rolled her hips against him. “Astarion….”

He felt that hunger grow in him again and he pulled Tav down for another long kiss. That perfect body that had slayed goblins, monsters, undead, and near gods, writhing & quivering against him in desire. It was truly more than a man could dream of.

Holding onto their kiss, Astarion blindly fumbled behind them against the table. Then, with one sweep of his long arm, sent his dinner, her dinner, the cups, the silverware, and napkins all tumbling to the ground. All of it made a horrible racket of shattered glass and broken plates, but Astarion couldn’t hear anything over Tav’s panting and the soft moan she made when he lifted her up and sat her down where all of it once was.

He pulled back to look at her. His beautiful consort. Laid out on the table on display and the picture of want. The only meal he was interested in now. “You’re radiant my treasure.”

Tav gasped. A soft sound past her lips as his cool fingers ran from them down her bodice, fingers flicking over the gold, before slipping under the edges of her torn skirt. Her shoulders lifting off the table a little with another soft gasp when he touched her entrance.

The candlelight flickered across her face in a mesmerizing dance as he continued to toy with her. “Astarion….”

“Do you like that my love.” He leaned over them to give Tav a soft kiss. To be that much closer when he whispered. “Tell me what you want.”

“I want you.” Simple. Practical.

“I know you do my sweet. And you have me. As I have you. Aeterna Amantes.” He had meant what he said. They would be together forever. Gods willing, even after that. Surely there was some method to his new power that would make it so. But, for now, “I want you to tell me what you want. Right now.” Tav let out a sharp gasp when he ran his thumb over her clit and curled his fingers inside her the way she liked. “Let me feast on your words.”

“I want you to fuck me.” Astarion smirked. What a vulgar little kitten. Gods how he loved that something so beautiful could be so….dirty. “Fuck me Astarion. I want to cum on your cock. I want you to cum inside me. I want to feel you inside me when you cum. Fuck me right here on this table.”

“My sweet, sweet treasure.” He pulled his fingers free from her cunt. Her thighs quivered a bit at the loss as he undid his trousers. “How could I say no?”

He stripped out of the rest of his clothes quickly. Like a new alabaster statue for the dining room. Then he gripped Tav’s hips and yanked her to the end of the table. She made a surprised sound but bit her lip seductively right after and spread her legs wide. ‘That’s my good girl.’

Astarion lined up and thrust forward when she opened her legs for him. His treasure let out the most delicious moan when he filled her. Her back arching high off the table. Hands scrambling for purchase on the wood as she tried to anchor in the wave of pleasure. He himself felt a bit overcome, and just had to take a moment to hold still and run his thumb over the soft embroidery of her bodice with his hands still at her waist.

With his newfound abilities, his senses were also sharper than they had ever been. Even sharper than when his treasure first let him start feeding on him and he knew what feeding on thinking creatures was like. It was like the world had gone from being in a fog or dim torch light in a cave to bright, vibrant display all around him. All the colors. All the sounds. All the tastes and touch. He wanted to explore all of it. And, especially, explore all of that with Tav right now.

His hips pulled back and he thrust into her again. She called his name, and he did it again. Over and over until he was pistoling his cock into her. Much to her delight, apparently, as Tav moaned and squealed and panted beneath him.

Astarion grinned wickedly as he watched his beloved and the city’s hero fall apart under him. Beautifully taking his cock. Thrusting up to meet him in perfect unison like the perfect pair they were. That wonderful look of agonizing ecstasy on their face.

The vampire lifted one of Tav’s legs wrapped around his waist up to his shoulder. The change in position lets him thrust harder, deeper and they cry out louder for him. He kissed the inside of their ankle and gave them a brief glance before he sunk his teeth into it. “Ah…Astarion….” His beloved fell back against the table. Nearly liquid as he drained hers from her body. His thrusts slowing from a hard fuck to something more sensual.

He felt a little drunk. All parts of him consumed in this moment as he literally consumed Tav. Body and soul. Astarion’s fangs release from her flesh and his treasure let out a little whimper when he did. “That’s it my sweet. Let it go.” He reached down between them to rub her clit. A set of sharp inhales following as Tav seemed desperate to get air in her lungs to withstand this pleasure. “You wanted to cum on my cock, right? Feel me cum inside you? Well, as always, I provide. Cum for me, my treasure. Break open for me.”

His words and touch seem to do the trick as Tav’s walls were quickly seizing around his cock, while screaming out in pleasure from her orgasm. Music to his ears.

Astarion continued to thrust through her orgasm but quickly followed. Spilling his seed inside her, as requested, before he collapsed in his chair from exhaustion soon after. From this angle, he was greeted with a perfect view of her cunt. Red and swollen. Wet from her juices and his cum. He was tempted to lean forward and taste it. Dessert after his meal, if he could only get out of this chair.

The moment past though as Tav quickly sat up on her elbows and closed her legs. Spoil sport. “We ruined dinner.”

“So?” Actually, he had had his dinner. In case she forgot.

“But they worked so hard on it. I feel bad we wasted it.”

Astarion scoffed. Of course his beloved would feel sorry for the servants. She had a big heart for the less fortunate. Like him, or who he used to be. “Their job is to work. Not be appreciated.” He told her.

Getting a second wind, Astarion stood from his seat again and wrapped his arm around Tav as he stood between his legs. “Don’t worry about it. I’m sure some of it can be saved if you want a nibble later. I know I will.” He loved the sound of her giggle when he nipped at her ear. More music from his precious consort. “But, for now, let’s retire to our chambers and let them clean this up. We can discuss how to improve them. I’m thinking gossamer curtains, a four-post bed, and a mirror above it now that I can see my reflection with you in it.” Tav laughed as if it were a joke, but it wasn’t.

He would let her know about that later. Right now, he wanted to go back to the bedroom and sate this hunger that was still inside him.

His hunger for blood may have been sated with his ascension, but hunger for sex & Tav seemed stronger than ever now.

#;pen & paper (fanfiction) #baldur's gate #baldurs gate iii #baldurs gate 3 #baldurs gate #bg3 scenarios #baldurs gate astarion #bg3 imagine #baldurs gate tav #bg3 fanfiction #astarion #astarion x tav #astarion x reader #ascended astarion #ascended astarion x tav #ascended astarion x reader #bg3 smut #astarion smut #astarion ancunin #female reader #smut #scenarios #imagine #fanfiction

[chaoticbardlady99]

She’s my Religion- Part 3: Everyone Wants to Have Their Taste (Astarion x F! Reader)

Synopsis- You and Astarion don’t see eye to eye about him ascending. Cazador kidnaps you to lure Astarion to the palace. Astarion realizes that more powerful vampires may not be capable of love.

CW: Violence, non-descriptive mentions of gore, mentions of SA, threats of SA, mentions of suicidal ideation

I feel so gross cause I made myself sob while editing this.

*picture belongs to @clowndroids

It had quite literally only been two hours since Pale Petras had kidnapped you. You were having a drink with Karlach after your fight with Astarion.

Astarion finally broke you and you gave your opinion on the Rite of Profane Ascension- he was not thrilled with your opinion to say the least.

“Astarion! I don’t even want to marry a fucking Master Vampire!” You had screamed after he had gotten pissed at you for saying you didn’t think he should ascend, “not only that- I will lose you entirely. You will no longer be anything, but fucking Mephistopheles’ vessel to what he pleases with! I can’t be with you if… if you ascend- I can’t sit back and let you torture me for eternity or watch you fade away.”

“Well-I guess we’re done then.”

You had watched him walk off miserably- your heart shattered into a million pieces. Karlach consoled you at the bar.

You should have tried to be calmer, maybe it wouldn’t have resulted in a break up.

You had begun to not feel well so you went back to your shared room with Astarion.

Astarion was out hunting so that he could be at his best for the fight with Cazador tomorrow- that gives you plenty of time to move your stuff into another room.

You are sniffling as another uncomfortable wave of nausea and exhaustion overwhelms you and then you collapse. You hear footsteps walking towards you- hoping it might be someone friendly. You thought how incredibly inconvenient timing it would be if the Cult of the Absolute was coming to kidnap you.

Except it wasn’t an Absolute Cultist or a friendly face- it had been Pale fucking Petras.

You woke up in what you assume is the Kennels- Cazador leering down at you like he’d caught you doing something you weren’t supposed to do.

Oh and you had. You had given yourself to Astarion- let yourself be “ruined.”

Every lash of the flail against your bare skin feels even more numb and painful than the last- you are barely conscious by the time Cazador decides he’s done and you are “purified”.

“What a shame- I would have liked your skin to remain porcelain and perfect before we have to consummate our marriage,” Cazador feigns sadness, “but I do suppose you have time to heal- a few hours, give or take. Dalyria- please help my beautiful, crimson colored bride clean up a little bit, leave the majority of the blood- it smells delectable.”

Cazador begins to leave and then turns around to say one last thing, “And do get her into her wedding dress. I have a homecoming to prepare for my prodigal son and I’m sure he’d love to wish us eternal happiness, my Love.”

The smile he gave you made your entire body shake with fear. He kidnapped you to force Astarion’s hand. You hope that Astarion stays out all night like he occasionally does when he hunts pissed off.

You would much rather he be prepared to fight and feel confident than rush head first into a battle because you are in danger. Or worse- maybe he wouldn’t care at all. He did break up with you.

You know the consequences if Astarion doesn’t show up quickly- Cazador is going to marry you, violate you, and then turn you into his spawn. Cazador told you that, by the time he is done completing the ritual, you should be ready to be his obedient consort.

Astarion would die knowing you were damned to an eternity of suffering at Cazador’s hands- whether he got there in time or not was inconsequential to Cazador- either would make Astarion crumble (despite telling him that he had quite literally dumped you not even an hour or two earlier).

You asked him how stupid he is considering he revealed his whole plan to you before you had even been there 30 minutes (he knows about the tadpole)- he bashed your head into the wall two times. Hard.

“Better?” He had said, roughly grabbing your hair and making you look up at him.

You listen for his footsteps and hold back the painful, strained sobs that rattle your broken rib cage. Your head is throbbing and your body is aching- every piece of skin cut up in some way or another besides your face. That needed to be “protected” according to Cazador.

You don’t remember when Dalyria gently helped you up off the ground and provided you with awkward, but soothing words. You cried as she began getting you ready for your impending doom. She washed your hair with care and despite what Cazador said, she made sure the majority of your blood was cleaned up and the wounds were safe from infection.

“He’ll get here in time,” Dalyria whispers, “Astarion won’t let this happen to you- he adores you far too much.”

“Doubtful,” You sniff, “and anyway, I don’t want him to make any rash decisions.”

“Right now, Tav?” Dalyria looks at you with sorrow, putting makeup on your cheeks “rash decisions is what is going to save you.”

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Astarion is nervous while heading back to Elfsong Tavern- he had a bear for his meal and he is eager to see you. While he was out hunting, he realized that you had a lot of very valid points. In what world could he ask you to become his thrall when Astarion knows how Spawns suffer at the hands of their master’s. The other point that stuck with him was when you said you would lose him. Astarion can acknowledge those points- he is sure he can even reassure you. Cazador never let anyone touch you nor did he ever lay a finger on you- not all Vampire Lords are evil and abusive. Astarion will be wonderful to you.

Except, when he gets to your shared room to talk- you are gone and the only evidence of you being there is a blood stain on the floor and your supplies scattered every which way.

Astarion is frozen and he runs to Karlach and Shadowheart’s room- hoping you are maybe there and just had a minor cut that needed healing. Karlach informs him you had gone back to your shared room when you stopped feeling well.

Once all the pieces were put together- everyone was sprinting out the door towards the Crimson Palace. It had been two whole hours since anyone last saw you. Astarion can’t imagine that Cazador would actually hurt you- he’s too possessive of you.

Astarion feels sick to his stomach, enraged, and terrified all at the same time.

Astarion isn’t sure he believes in any of the Gods, but he is begging to any that will listen to him that you are okay- unharmed.

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

Cazador holding you up by your hair, tears streaming down your face in a blood stained revealing white wedding dress is an image that will forever be burnt into Astarion’s brain. Cazador has mutilated your skin.

Astarion and your other companions had ran in right as Cazador was cutting into you again- yelling at Dalyria that she did this to you, if she had just listened and not cleaned up the blood like he had said- he wouldn’t have needed more for the dress.

When Cazador notices Astarion, he gives him a chilling grin.

“I told you that he would come for you, Pet,” Cazador cooed, a broken sob escapes your lips, “it was so cute, boy. ‘Just use me for your ritual, I’ll take his place, don’t hurt him-“

You whimper as Cazador licks the blood running from one of the cuts on your collar bones- nipping at the skin painfully. Astarion is going to rip the bastard apart, limb by limb.

“My favorite though,” Cazador maliciously states, “is when she told me how you left her and that you wouldn’t come for her. I’ve never been so thrilled to see someone so heartbroken over the life and love of a pathetic creature such as yourself. I’m not worried though,” Cazador places kisses along your neck and Astarion watches as another wave of sobs racks your body, “I’ll pleasure myself with her body until she starts screaming my name instead of yours.”

Astarion is seething as another pained scream leaves your mouth as Cazador gives you one last deep cut on your right side- dropping your weak, shaking body to the ground. The smell of your blood and fear is overwhelming.

Astarion barely remembers the battle- he remembers Wyll pulling him out of the ritual and then killing every creature that dared try to keep him from you.

Cazador is still looming over you- occasionally digging his staff into your side and Astarion gets angrier with every wheezing cry he hears. You are trying so hard to fight back- clawing, kicking, and punching. You are throwing cantrips as Cazador continues to throw you around.

Cazador goes to hit you again, but his swing is interrupted by Astarion stabbing his dagger straight through the Vampire Lord’s wrist- the staff landing with a clatter.

Astarion is all daggers and nails- his rage towards Cazador coming out in a frightening display of bloodlust. Cazador is barely visible under all the blood Astarion as drawn, but the man still teleports to his coffin.

Astarion charges towards the coffin- he’s not done yet. Astarion wants the man to suffer for everything he’s done to him, to the countless lives he forced Astarion to ruin, and you- your freedom and guaranteed safety. He’ll be killing Bridril Von next.

Astarion pushes the lid off of Cazador’s coffin.

“No, no. No healing sleep for you,” he pulls the Vampire Lord out of his coffin, “Wake up!”

Astarion flings the man with so much force he slides across the floor. Cazador gets onto his knees and looks at Astarion with pure loathing and disgust.

“Get your hands off me, worm.”

“Ha! I’m not the one in the dirt,” Astarion says with a sneer.

Astarion picks up the knife nearby and looks at Cazador, “one last thrust and I’ll be free of you. I’ll never have to fear you again.”

Astarion cocks his head to the side, “but, if I finish the ritual you started, I’ll never have to fear anyone, ever.”

“You think me a fool? That I would allow anyone to usurp me, speak the words and ascend in my place?”

Cazador cackles before continuing, “The runes I carved into your flesh bind you and all seven thousand souls to the ritual. Complete it, and all those bearing the scares will be sacrificed- you included.”

Astarion’s face contorts as Cazador smiles, “ you are simply a means to an end. I made you to be consumed.”

“I am so much more than what you made me,” Astarion retorts.

His whole body is shaking with anticipation- Astarion will finally end this man’s life. Astarion will have pow-

The pull of the Ascension is disrupted by Shadowheart screaming for Halsin to come and help- you’ve lost a lot of blood and she thinks you may be poisoned to some extent as well. You aren’t talking and you are motionless on the ground. You are looking at him though, tears rolling down your face.

Your affection for him warms his body as he enters your mind through the tadpole. You are barley conscious enough to notice the invasion of privacy.

Without the pull of the ascension, Astarion is unsure of his next move. He needs to know what to do, he doesn’t know and he needs your help.

Astarion’s body is then filled quickly with an intense suffocating grief. He is watching memories of the two of you together run through your mind as if you are having your own silent funeral for him. Astarion hasn’t seen himself in 200 years, but seeing him from your point of view- a loving, grieving point of view- takes all the wind out of his sails. Astarion is beautiful, but your affections towards him make him even more so. Together reading books, making love, joking, playing games- it’s all there in a nice warm little box that is slowly turning blue.

There is a finality in your head that eats him alive. There is acceptance and happiness for him- Gods all you have ever wanted was for him to be happy- but you are screaming and crying on the inside for your lost love. Aching and all alone- wishing Cazador would have just killed you and hoping there is a possibility they won’t be able to save you in time so you don’t have to watch him become Mephistopheles’ puppet- now or in the future.

Astarion feels tears stream down his face as your eyes begin to close. Your breathes are getting more shallow and he feels you give up- unable to continue with this life all alone. You’ve lost everyone now.

Goodbye, my Star. I should have told you I love you.

#baldurs gate 3 #astarion #astarion x reader #baldurs gate astarion #astarion x you #bg3 spoilers #astarion romance #astarion x tav #karlach #bg3 #astarion acunin #astarion x female reader #astarion x f! reader

[littlejuicebox]

Mindwinter Carol 5 / The Repeat

Pairing: Ascended Astarion x Female Elf Sorceress OC

Word Count: 2.1K

Story navigation: [1] [2] [3] [4] [5]

Summary/Setting: Based on the prologue/premise from my OneShot "A Midwinter Carol."

Astarion and the OC broke up after his ascension. She left Baldur's Gate for fifteen years, only to return just recently. Following the events of "A Midwinter Carol," Ascended Astarion has been convinced to pursue a new beginning. Will he be able to change who he has become, with the help of his ex-lover? Or will he ultimately fall victim to his pride and desire for power?

Preview:

Astarion was at the bar, absolutely seething as he downed drink after drink. By the time he caught a whiff of Eirianwen’s blood in the air, he must’ve been on intoxicant number four or five. 

He’d lost count. 

The Ascendant thinks he’s imagining the smell. It wouldn’t be the first time the memory of that particular bouquet haunted him. But then the coppery, sweet, all too familiar scent of both his dreams and nightmares becomes overwhelming. 

The immortal’s heart stops.

It’s a strange sensation, feeling your heart stop in fear. One the Vampire Lord had never known until now. 

Warnings: This will be 18+ / in game spoilers / OOC Ascended Astarion because it follows my epilogue / Eventual Smut / Angst, trauma, fluff / Gore

A/N: Ouch. Fun fact, Delilah is a reference to biblical Delilah and Samson.

-----

“Ani, help me do this. For us. Please.” 

Eirianwen is bleeding out, but she can barely feel it under the waves of adrenaline coursing through her veins. Astarion is clutching Rhapsody in his hand. He looks so lost and worried. He’s panting heavily. He’s drenched in splatters of crimson. 

She wants to reach out and comfort him.

But she can’t think. 

She’s lost a lot of blood. 

Everything is moving too quickly.

“Ani…” He says again, this time more urgently, begging her with his big, round, world-endingly beautiful scarlet eyes, “Please, my love..” 

She thinks this really may be the end for her. 

Her only thought is that she loves him. She loves him so much that it hurts more than the wound in her side. She wants to give him what he wants, even if it’s the last thing she ever does.

Suddenly, she’s using the tadpole to show Astarion the scars on his own back.

She loves him so much she’s ignoring the sickening sounds that arise as the beautiful hands of her lover, the very hands that have brought her impossible moments of pleasure and comfort, gouge giant symbols of a hellish contract into Cazador’s skin.

One moment of weakness from her.

The sickening screams of seven thousand souls.

And then everything goes black.

Astarion had been distracted by the scent of so much blood in the dungeons, the sickly-sweet, coppery, rotten smell overpowered his senses.

He’d nearly died after one misstep in battle, too distracted by the vile memories of this place to operate at his best. 

His weakness would’ve left Ani and his friends alone to face Cazador’s wrath. He’d almost been bested by the bastard that held him captive for two hundred years. 

And that bastard almost got to his Ani.

That bastard did get to his Ani before she blasted him away with ice.

Suddenly, he’s carving infernal into the bastard’s back; ripping into Cazador the way he himself had been torn into over and over again.

Cazador is getting off easy, in comparison – Astarion doesn’t need to make any revisions.

He completes the ritual. The feeling of so much power is overwhelming, at first, just like the coppery scent of this dungeon reminding him of everything he wanted to escape. 

Surely the new power will right all the wrongs, make him forget all the terrors of his past.

Seven thousand screams had been a truly horrifying sound, but it’s no matter, he did what he had to do. He did what he had to do to protect himself. To protect Ani.

After a moment completely engrossed in the feeling of so much raw power, he turns to face his lover, to celebrate.

And the first thing he sees as his new, all-powerful self is the sorceress collapsed on the ground before his eyes, Shadowheart at her side. 

How ironic, that the moment he gained power, he felt instantly powerless again.

Shadowheart was out of spells. They had one measly healing potion left between them, and that had been just enough to keep his little love toeing the line between life and death. 

The rest of the evening was a blur. He’d carried the elven woman back to the Elfsong; Shadowheart and Halsin did everything they could. 

His little love looked so fragile. 

He’d been so consumed by his push for power that he hadn’t even noticed the smell of Ani’s blood seeping out of her abdominal wound, drenching the layers of her robes in crimson. 

He hadn’t even noticed as she began to fade, pushing herself to give him what he asked for.

If she survived this, he would kill seven thousand more souls to keep her safe.

He would be consumed by nothing but her.

He would sacrifice his own soul if he had to.

He owed her that much… after everything. 

-----

Eirianwen doesn’t feel the blade insert itself cleanly between her ribs. But she feels it dragging between two rib bones as Edmund carves a searing arc through her flesh. And then the pain is gone almost as quickly as it appeared.

She tries to move, to cast a spell, but it’s too late. Paralytic oil surges through her bloodstream. Her hands are rigid; her thin fingers, well-made for both playing the piano and spellcasting, are stuck in a curled position. 

Useless.

Defenseless. 

Astarion was at the bar, absolutely seething as he downed drink after drink. By the time he caught a whiff of Eirianwen’s blood in the air, he must’ve been on intoxicant number four or five. 

He’d lost count. 

The Ascendant thinks he’s imagining the smell. It wouldn’t be the first time the memory of that particular bouquet haunted him. But then the coppery, sweet, all too familiar scent of both his dreams and nightmares becomes overwhelming. 

The immortal’s heart stops.

It’s a strange sensation, feeling your heart stop in fear. One the Vampire Lord had never known until now. 

In an instant, Astarion is sprinting toward the dance floor and throwing himself into the throng, searching for Eirianwen. All sense of decorum has left him as he shoves aside more than one dancing couple while looking for the sorceress.

By the time Ani sees the Vampire Lord, she is trapped against Edmund’s wide torso. The cold edge of the dagger presses flush against her neck; she feels a gush of warmth run down her side. Something like this is supposed to hurt, but the paralytics have already numbed around the incision. She vaguely recalls the last time she received a gaping wound to her side.

People are still dancing; no one besides Astarion has caught onto the threat. 

Just as the Ascendant is about to make the last dash toward Edmund and Ani, the sorceress hears someone behind them command “halt” in an airy, bored tone. 

Whispers of magic brush past Eirianwen and she watches Astarion pause on the tips of his toes, mid sprint, before his foot flattens to the ground. He is shaking with the effort to disobey the command; the look of absolute blinding wrath on his face was undeniable.

The damn alcohol had made him slow to react. Idiot.

A sudden gust of wind slams the crowd back, clearing a wide perimeter around Astarion and Ani. Several patrons in the crowd scream as they finally recognize the threat. 

Ani cannot see the woman, but she can hear the seductive purr that naturally rolls out of her voice as she speaks, her tone both cool and menacing, “Apologies for the interruption. But would everyone beside Lord Ancunin and his date depart the dance floor? No need for this to get… messier.” 

Delilah.

Eirianwen uses every last ounce of her strength in an attempt to blast this woman and her henchman with some kind of magic, but to her dismay she cannot move her limbs at all. She’s barely able to hold herself up; Edmund is bearing most of her weight. 

A strangled cry of frustration escapes her throat as chaos erupts and the crowd breaks away from the scene, running desperately from the building.

A bunch of rich cowards. Maybe she shouldn’t have saved them all those years ago.

Astarion is glaring daggers at the half-elven woman. Fucking Delilah. He knew the bitch was dangerous, but in his arrogance he truly never imagined she would dare to turn on him.

Delilah sends another wave of magic from her hands with a second simple, bored command.

“Kneel.”

Eirianwen watches in horror as the previously invincible Ascendant crashes to his knees, forced to obey the command by pink tendrils of malignant magic coiling around his limbs. It was terrifying to see the most powerful elf she knew crumble mere feet from her, outdone by a simple spell he’d unfailingly evaded as a mere vampire spawn. 

Her heart thuds in her chest, quickening the spread of the paralytics.

The reality is that Astarion feels the second compulsion, but this command doesn’t truly take. In a split second decision, he willingly dropped to his knees and let Delilah believe she had the upper hand. Anything to keep the focus on him and off of Ani. The smell of her blood was burning his nostrils at this point. 

The Ascendant suddenly thinks this all feels too terribly familiar. Has he become the predator, kneeling in front of his prey? 

Astarion’s eyes flicker to Eirianwen. And there, in the look on his face, the sorceress realizes that kneeling had been a choice. Ascendent or not, were the male elf truly trapped and forced to kneel before anyone, he would be unable to conceal the terror caused by his lack of control. She is certain of this.

But instead, the Vampire Lord’s face only contains rage mixed with the subtle flickers of the gears turning within his mind. 

Delilah reaches her hand toward Astarion and tightly grips his chin, forcing him to tear his eyes away from Ani and acknowledge the half-elf. She flashes him a sickening, arrogant smile as she stares down at the kneeling Ascendant, obviously quite pleased with herself. 

The woman murmurs, her voice deceptively sweet, “Hmm… I do believe this is the first time you have ever been on your knees for me. You’re so pretty like this, little Star. Shame it will be the only time I ever get to see it.”

She offers a condescending tut and a dramatic pout before lifting the hem of her dress and withdrawing a petite dirk that had been sheathed at her side. She grins as she flashes the blade at Astarion; she’s loving this. 

The knife comes to his face, The Vampire Lord feels a faint sting as she traces a thin line upon his cheek with the point, stopping to let blood drip on the blade as she holds the Ascendant’s gaze. Astarion’s jaw tightens and his nostrils flare as he chooses to allow the woman to move forward with her show. His hand balls into a tight fist.

“Hmm…” She hums as she examines the blood, and then her hands find purchase in his hair and she yanks sharply at the curls behind his ears, causing Astarion to grit his teeth in pain, “And for good measure.”

She uses the blade to cut a strip of the Vampire Lord’s curls. 

A yowl rips through the venue, and Edmund releases the blade that had been pressed against Ani’s neck; it falls to the ground with a sharp clatter. 

Umber has lodged herself on the man’s back, sharp claws digging into the nape of his neck as she uses her teeth to rip at his ear. He is forced to release his hold on Ani as the cat continues to voraciously defend the sorceress.

Astarion takes the opportunity and launches himself forward, knocking into Delilah on his way to Eirianwen. He barely manages to catch her crumpling form just as the doors to the venue burst open.

Wyll, Jaheira, and a Flaming Fist rush toward the altercation. Someone shouts a stun spell at Edmund, causing him to freeze and fall mid-scuffle, but by the time anyone turns to focus their attention on Delilah, she is gone. 

“Astarion–” Ani manages to choke out before her tongue stills within her mouth. Another strangled sound comes from her vocal cords as she tries again. Tears fall from the corner of her eyes as the Ascendant shushes her, quickly swiping at her cheeks to catch the falling droplets.

And then he forces himself to tear his gaze away from the sorceress’s face and fall into commander mode, clinging to every shred of his control and stifling his fear. 

But gods, he’s terrified. He hasn’t felt like this since–

No time for that now. 

“We don’t have much time,” Astarion starts as the others gather around him, “Jaheira, the rings I won at the auction, I need them. Quickly!”

Jaheira simply turns and sprints back behind the stage without another word. The Flaming Fist focuses on Edmund, working to restrain his passed-out form.

Wyll is glaring at Astarion, “I’m sure this is your fault you–”

“We don’t have time to place blame, Wyll!” The Ascendant snaps, “Delilah’s paralytics aren’t like others you’ve seen. If we don’t move quickly–” 

He stops. Eirianwen’s heart is slowing, he can hear it. 

His scarlet eyes, filled with the weight of a thousand things he’s never said, pierce into her golden ones. Blood trickles in thin streams down Astarion’s cheek but he doesn’t acknowledge it. 

“I’ve got you, little love.” The Ascendant promises, gripping tightly onto the elven woman. 

If she survives this, he will do anything she wants of him.

He will find his own soul again if she wants him to.

He owes her that much… after everything.

Ani suddenly thinks this all feels too terribly familiar. Can someone cheat death twice? 

The anguish Eirianwen feels because she cannot say anything is incomparable; she searches for an ounce of comfort in the beautiful eyes that haunt her dreams and nightmares. She is going to die, and Astarion will never know she found his mother. And his brother.

Her last thought as she’s gazing into Astarion’s all too familiar scarlet orbs is that perhaps this isn’t the worst way to die. Let her last vision in this life be of the rubies she willingly gave up and yet longed for every day thereafter. 

She will find them again in the next life.

Everything goes black just as Jaheira appears from behind the stage and runs toward them with the velvet box in hand.

-----

Story navigation: [1] [2] [3] [4] [5]

#astarion fanfic #astarion x tav #baulders gate astarion #baulders gate 3 #astarion fic #bg3 fanfiction #bg3 fanfic idea #baulders gate tav #astarion x oc #astarion x f!tav #astarion x female oc #astarion x female tav #astarion x original female character #midwinter carol #ascended astarion arc #ascended astarion #ascendedstar #ascended astarion fic

[just-a-bic-lighter]

On Ascended Astarion:

In my opinion, one thing the story of Baldur's Gate 3 does extremely well is that it holds up a mirror to the player. In my very first playthrough, I romanced and ascended Astarion. I was so caught up in his story and saw a lot of myself in him and when it came time to fight Cazador, I, as a person, was blinded by my own desire of revenge, even if it was vicariously.

I wanted Cazador to suffer in place of the person who hurt me in the past. I wanted the power for Astarion that I felt I deserved for the things I have suffered. I was completely on board for taking revenge at the expense of others because well, they were basically dead in the cell anyway.

And when Astarion absolutely changed because of the Ascension? I was floored.

I rejected him turning me into a spawn because I read his mind and wanted him to respect me. When he broke up with me afterwards I was legitimately heartbroken.

I replayed four hours of content from my last save to make all the same choices and ascend him a second time and let him make me his spawn. Then I proceeded to excuse his behavior to myself. I rationalized everything he did. I was completely fine with the way he started speaking to me because I wanted him to have the best outcome and I was completely blind to how the ultimate revenge power fantasy was in fact NOT A GOOD THING.

After replaying subsequent times, making different choices, I realized just how easily manipulated I am as a person. I fell for Astarion TWICE and the Emperor. It really made me reevaluate my own personal biases and thought processes. It made me pay more attention to what the characters were saying, specifically Astarion.

And I think it made me realize why some people are Ascended Astarion fans. It's so easy to project yourself onto a character and when that leads that character down a dark path, it's even easier to make excuses and deny it. When in reality, it is just a mirror being held up. And it took me an entire second playthrough to face it.

Meanwhile, I'm now on like my 7th playthrough and still think about this.

#Astarion #ascended astarion #baldur's gate 3

[justporo]

A Night of Song and Laughter (Part 5)

In which Tav goes a long way to assure everyone around there's no one but Astarion for her and the vampire has a staring contest with a dude-bro (and responds to it with a solid "Don't touch me!").

That's it, that's the chapter summary - I'm starting to get confused with the parts because there are (lemme count) EIGHT already written and at least a few more to go... You can read more already on my AO3 page!

There's no specific song for this chapter, but I'll happily share my ever-growing playlist that helps me write: Astarion: The Pale Elf

Rating: Explicit

Pairing: Astarion/Fem!Tav (You)

(Legitimate reaction of Astarion meeting Tav's former fling...)

(Wonderful gif from here!)

Astarion kept grinning at you and obviously enjoying your uneasiness – oh, you were definitely going to murder him, when this night was over.

Daegin kept babbeling towards Eodin, you quickly looked through your fingers to see that the damned man was actually approaching. With a sudden jolt you stepped close to Astarion, put both your hands on either side of his face. The vampire only had a split second of looking askingly at you before you started absolutely smothering him with his kisses.

He didn’t lose a moment to kiss you back, he never did. In fact, he loved every single bit of intimacy the two of you shared, especially since he’d been free of Cazador’s callings and had started to learn to share intimacy outside sex and the bedroom with you. Accepting love and affection for what they could be at face level was something he tried hard to become good at. So truly every touch, every look, every soft smile was deeply precious to Astarion.

Just after a second or two he got your intention and put his arms around you to pull you closer. You let your hands wander to his chest, enjoying the way your body fitted with his and almost got lost in the moment.

You two obviously were a show to watch – it surely didn’t help that Astarion had a strong inclination for hedonism despite his past. Or even more so since he was now free to indulge in it on his own accord. You’d come to enjoy this way more than you were ready to admit. So, you happily sighed into his open mouth, when he dragged a finger from your cheek, down your neck and then softly placed his long, elegant fingers on your throat in an affectionate but still possessive manner. Your pulse quickened – even after being with him for a while, you hadn’t wrapped your head around how he could be so easily seductive, elegant and sexy without it being even remotely gross or cringy.

The longer the moment kept drawing out the more you could feel the heat inside you once more. The vampire had already stirred the fire without fully setting it ablaze once before tonight. You really hoped he wouldn’t let it just die down.

While the wood and the high elf were at it, the rest of the evening party watched on. Daegin blushed and buried his whole face in his jug of beer, obviously very uncomfortable. Lira’s eyes widened, her mouth opened to a giant ‘O’ before she slapped both her hands over it. And Miyena’s mouth opened slightly, her tongue darting out to wet her lips.

And then the one called Eodin stepped up to the table. He was human, tall and broad shouldered with short auburn hair. Not un-handsome, but quite forgettable. He too seemed uneasy at the very public display of affection, so he cleared his throat and softly knocked on the table to make himself known.

You kept the kiss with Astarion going, letting your hands wandering dangerously low his front, only just stopping at the very top of his leather pants. Then you broke the kiss and turned around, cheeks all flushed and out of breath.

“Oh, Eodin! I didn’t even see you there. Sorry, I was caught up in the moment”, you said, fanning yourself with your hand and batting your eyelashes at Astarion who had now also turned to look at the new arrival. Astarion looked down at you, biting his tongue hard to not burst out laughing – you cheeky little pup. You really had learned from the master himself, Gods, was he proud of you. He quickly let his wander his hand to your behind to give you proud and thankful little pat-pat, but just so no one else would notice.

Eodin slow blinked at you, keeping his face neutral. But you’d known him long enough to recognize the line of his mouth seemed tense and he was majorly displeased by what he had just witnessed. He didn’t miss a beat though: “So good to see you, I didn’t know you were back in the city.” He let the sentence end ambivalently – not really a question, but not really a statement either. “Ah you know, I really had my hands full” – another small pat from Astarion on your back “and I had certain affairs to sort out” – pat-pat – “but I swear I had come around to say hello and catch you up one of these days.”

The man crossed his arms over his chest, his discontent now showing more clearly. The rest of the party was dead silent, they could feel the tension in the air. Eodin just kept silent and stared you down, which already started to make your blood boil. Who in the hells was he to treat you like this?

“And who might this noble gentleman be, you were so caught up in?”, he said and turned to the vampire, cold venom in his voice. “The name’s Astarion – though I am not as noble a gentleman you might’ve mistaken me for, I fear”, the elf replied, his voice icy and his stance beside you turning threatening. “No wonder, the likes of these rich, pretty know-it-all-have-it-alls never survives long in this part of city. Would take a real bastard to walk around all cocky confident and not run into trouble and get themselves killed”, Eodin spat back. “Oh, I am no stranger to trouble, but it’s usually the other party that has to fear ending up dead in a dark alleyway”, Astarion replied snidely, narrowing his red eyes at the human, not even remotely trying to hide the open threat in his words.

Your heart dropped as you watched the two men stare at each other. The moment ran on for much longer than you felt comfortable with, but the vampire didn’t seem inclined to falter under the human’s death stares anytime soon.

A few more heartbeats passed. Astarion was impossibly still beside you, completely embodying the fatal predator he could be. Then Eodin gave up, threw his head back with a laugh that didn’t sound anything close to genuine. The rest of your friends joined in, seemingly relieved that the tension was resolved.

Eodin reached over the table to slap Astarion on the back in a dude-friendly kind of manner. The elf didn’t move an inch under the tall man’s strong pats, he scrunched up his nose in disgust for a split second and you could’ve sworn you heard a hiss but it passed faster than anyone besides you could have noticed.

You looked worryingly up at Astarion who elegantly had brushed off Eodin’s hand and stepped just out of the man’s reach. But his face was now a mask that wanted to show that he had simply been kidding, kidding. You still felt the tension in his body though, the set in his shoulders and the slight passive-aggressive smirk on his lips.

As the rest around the table broke into conversation again you grabbed on of Astarion’s hands again and dragged to have him lean over to you. He turned one of his pointy ears to you so you could whisper to him: “Are you alright? Do you want us to leave?” Your whisper was so low, no one besides him could hear it. He lifted his head again, looked warmly at you with a wink. Then he leaned to whisper his quiet answer into your ear, sending a shiver down your spine: “I’ll be fine, my love, but no promises about this arsehole.” Then he placed a soft kiss on the nape just below your ear.

Then Astarion turned to face the rest of the group. “How about another round?”, he proclaimed cheerfully and was met with joyous approval.

#astarion #astarion x tav #baldurs gate #baldurs gate 3 #baldur's gate 3 #baldur's gate iii #astarion x reader #astarion x mc #baldurs gate astarion #astarion x oc #astarion x you #fanfic #fanfiction #astarion ancunin #bg3 spoilers #if looks could kill am I right #he really said dont touch me with this one #a night of song and laughter #poro fics

[ashisurana]

As much as I don’t blame people who choose Astarion to finish ritual, I don’t understand why people choose it because “it’s what he wants”.

I mean… a whole story of Astarion is him being abused in every aspect of his life. When you’re asked about what he wants and what he is afraid of the correct answers are “Freedom” and “forever feeling like a slave to someone else” (both answers made him a little annoyed but they’re correct, he admits that).

And then you have ritual. You clearly can see that Astarion is losing himself. Your character can look into his eyes and actually see that he isn’t himself and only thinking about power he might to calm. Why he’s thinking that being powerful is the only way to being free is topic for different analysis but you already, before you let him finish ritual can see that something is changing.

If you let him ascend you can say bye to Astarion you know, he will not treating your character equally, he will always think about himself as a better. He humility you, treating like a “pretty thing in his collection”. He doesn’t love your character (if you romance him), there’s no love in this relationship anymore. He can even say “(…) I love you, because it is what you want to hear, yes?”(or something like that because I didn’t make a screenshot of this scene).

If you don’t let him ascend he will actually thank you for that later. You can say he didn’t change but I’d say that if you don’t let him finish ritual he actually changed too. He is not scared of the future (or at least not scared of shadows of his past). If you romance him, he’s still love you… to add more reasons why ascended Astarion don’t treat you equally, he can say (if you he didn’t finish ritual) “we are… equal”.

But why I don’t think he actually want to finish ritual? Well… staring with what Astarion wants from the very beginning. Freedom. He isn’t free after ascension. He’s metaphorically slave of power and shadow of Cazador. He basically became Cazador 2.0, he acts like his old master and treats your character in the very similar way Cazador does to him. There’s no freedom from his past. He is acting like the only thing he knows, Cazador. When we let him to finish ritual we just let circle of abuse to star again. I saw people saying that “duh, it’s still better than letting go so many vampires spawns into the world”. Well first, you don’t need to free them and second… ascended Astarion is a threat not only for Baldur’s Gate. He is saying often that his intention aren’t peaceful, he wants more and more… in manner of good choices it’s absolutely horrible in consequences.

Another reason is more for people who romance him but there’s plenty of moments in game when your character is in danger and Astarion is actually very worried about you. Saying something what Astarion would absolutely say “I almost got worried about you” which just means he was very worried. He is trying to protect your character in many aspects. Like for example in Act III when you meet this obsessed with blood drow she’s starting to convince your character to drink a strange potion. When you decline her request she will still trying to change your mind which made Astarion angry “you don’t understand that she/he said ‘no’?”. Not only he’s worried about your character but also he understands that someone doesn’t want to do something.

And what it has to ascended Astarion? Well… in scene when he’s changing your character into vampire you actually can say “no”. Astarion will not like that, he don’t respect your boundaries anymore. Yes, if you repeat that he won’t change you but it will also made him to broke up with you.

Well… anyway. It’s already way too long. I just wanted to say again that I don’t blame anyone who chose to finish ritual (after all who I’m to even blame anyone for that lol in one of my playthroughs I did it too so). I just wanted to share some thoughts and y’know

#baldur's gate 3 #bg3 #bg3 spoilers #baldur’s gate 3 spoilers #bg3 astarion #astarion #ascended astarion #bg3 thoughts #bg3 posting

[thranduel]

i need people to actually stop and think logically when it comes to fictional characters. more specifically, when it comes to astarion.

it’s frustrating when people only talk about him in a sexual way and reduce him to “the hot sexy flirty vampire” or “the bear guy” (he was used as an EXAMPLE in a livestream, it’s not even canon in his lore) and view him as someone who “loves flirting and sleeping with people” when he does NOT. he canonically has sexual trauma, was forced to use his body to seduce people, got punished whenever he didn’t listen and is STILL suffering from ptsd after years of abuse and torture (already kinda spoke about this here).

it’s also frustrating when people hate on him and reduce him to “horrible evil heartless cruel annoying bastard” and act like you’re a shitty person if you like his character and must automatically agree with everything he’s done when you absolutely don’t?? he’s a FICTIONAL CHARACTER IN A FANTASY GAME, you can enjoy the complexity of his character and appreciate his character development while also acknowledging his flaws and not approve of every single thing he has ever done.

but before i continue, everyone should watch this scene. many people haven’t seen it because you have to pick very specific dialogue choices when astarion’s siblings approach you at camp. it’s brutal and heartbreaking but this is where he talks about what cazador did to him when he punished him for not listening to his orders. and yes, it’s bad. like really bad. this is just the first part, but the rest of it is more intense and it’s in the video:

“once - in the first decade of my slavery - i found a darling boy who i couldn’t bare to bring back to him. so i ran, instead of hurting that sweet man. after cazador caught me, the bastard sealed me, starving, inside a dusty tomb, all on my own, for an entire year”.

i wish people could actually just try to understand him and his backstory before reducing him to something he’s not. he’s not this one-dimensional “chaotic evil villain”. he’s not this “flirty sexy vampire red flag bad boy” he is SO much more than that. he is so complex and well-written and it’s so weird how people ignore it.

instead of constantly focusing on how he acts at the beginning of the game and saying “astarion is so mean and cruel what a horrible guy who doesn’t care about anyone but himself”, why can’t we talk about how he was forced into doing so many horrible things that he never wanted to do and how his master punished him every time he didn’t follow orders to the point where it utterly broke and destroyed him? he lost his freedom and bodily autonomy. he was forced to sleep with people and then lure them to tragic fates. imagine how sick, disgusted, guilty and horrible he felt all at once. it made him numb, empty, angry and scared even when he was far away from cazador, because that type of pain and trauma never leaves you. he was surrounded by cruelty for so many years that he responded with cruelty in many situations. he hated when people tried to be the hero or make false promises to save someone because no one ever saved him. no one even tried. he had no one and nothing. he was used to constant disappointment and loneliness. he was treated like an object rather than a person. of course he’s going to be bitter because of that. how can you seriously expect someone who only knew a world of cruelty to see sunshine and rainbows and be the sweetest person you’ve ever met? he’s upset, he’s angry, he’s hurt, he’s bitter. does that make every action of his okay? is it an excuse? absolutely not. and no one said that it is. his own life was being destroyed and he also destroyed others at the same time. it’s horrible. but everything cazador did to him explains why he became like that.

but the moment you actually start to treat him like a person, you can immediately see things start to change. that is literally the only thing he ever wanted. that’s why the scene you get after the drow interaction at moonrise is one of my absolute favourites. i know there’s a different version of that scene (if you don’t talk to the drow) where he instead admits he had a plan to seduce you but then fell for you, but the reason i prefer the drow one is because it feels really meaningful and important for his character in regards to consent and treating him like a person. like it’s just such an important conversation to have with him. obviously the other version is still really sweet when you think about the romantic aspect of your relationship and it’s nice to hear that he’s fallen in love and tells you that you deserve something real, because he’s never had those sort of feelings for anyone. it’s really beautiful. but i love how the drow version of the scene could actually work for both platonic and romantic relationships with him if that makes sense? it’s important to him because you made the decision to actually treat him like a person, defend him and allow him to make his OWN decisions (something he never had with cazador). he appreciated it so much that he decided to come up to you in the middle of the night and thank you, and then he felt comfortable enough to be vulnerable and open up to you.

at the start of act 3, you already start to see how much he’s changed. if you give an orphan child some food, he approves. when you first met him, he wouldn’t have. he probably would’ve felt bitter; angry to see someone stop for someone else when no one ever did for him. but because you showed him basic respect and kindness, he started to realise that there is good in this world and people do care. it’s not just evil and coldness and cruelty. he only believed there was because of how long he suffered with cazador. there is literally a scene where he tells you that no one has ever cared about him or been kind to him and that no one else has a heart like you. he starts to find safety and comfort in you. this is why it’s so beautiful to see how much he grows and changes and it also shows that he genuinely loves and cares for you too because he’s trying. he’s really trying. you are able to convince him that he can be better than cazador and he believes you after everything you’ve done to help him. it’s going to take a very long time for him to heal after everything he’s suffered, but the fact he has already started to try and be a better person is such a massive thing. obviously it doesn’t erase what he’s done in the past and it doesn’t automatically “fix” him, but the fact that he’s trying and he wants to be better tells you more than enough about him. i am so proud of his character development and growth and i really hope people start to understand him and appreciate him more.

#astarion #baldur’s gate 3 #bg3 #meta #character analysis #i am once again going to cry #sorry some of this is a little repetitive because i’ve spoken about it before but i just can’t stress it enough #the amount of people that don’t even bother trying to understand him is aggrevating #not everyone has to like him but don’t make stupid comments when you don’t even put the effort in to get to know his character and backstory #bg3 spoilers #my posts

[bakandasama]

Just done the Evil Astarion route and, honestly ? That broke my heart so freakin' bad ? Because he's a bitch, yes, but even more so because Tav can tell him, that they done all of this -Killing Cazador, letting him do the ritual- because they loved him

Because they wanted him safe, they wanted him to see the sun, and be happy, and they thought he would be after ascending.

That he's the worst, because they did all of this for him, fought, and kill, and sacrifice, for him. That there's nothing here, nothing of the man they loved.

Honestly, Evil astarion may be fun to play, but i can't. Thank god i did the good run and saved it ! Even if i do the Dark Urge run, i won't be able to make him bad. We'll find a path to redemption, together.

(SIDE RANT BUT DAMN HALSIN, LET ME WEEP BETWEEN YOUR MANLY BREAST AND HOLD ME LIKE YOUR FRENCH GIRL, YOU ABSOLUTE UNIT MMMH-)

#baldur's gate 3 #Astarion #Halsin #bg3 #bg3 spoilers

[ace-bi-says-hi]

Predators and Prey

Summary:

When nightmares of your past tormentors keep you both awake, Astarion makes a very appealing offer. Revenge.

"You're not a smart man, are you? You should be begging for mercy. For a quick death. Did you hope to provoke us into gutting you?" He grabbed your father by the hair, tilting his head painfully, "Maybe you hoped I'd rip your throat out. Unfortunately for you, I have standards."

Genre: Hurt/Comfort, Horror??? I guess???

Pairing: Spawn!Astarion x GN!Tav (also not specified race)

Warnings: Swearing, blood, gore, graphic torture, talk of past child abuse, allusion to attempted incest. PLEASE DO NOT READ IF ANY OF THESE SUBJECTS HAVE THE POTENTIAL TO TRIGGER YOU. Also please let me know if I have missed anything, I am only human.

Word Count: 3315

There were some days where Astarion couldn't rest, where the memories of Cazador still tormented his dreams. Where peace wouldn't find him in meditation. On those days, he watched you slumber. Despite not having his affliction, you had altered your sleeping habits so you could spend the nights together since he could not stand the sun any longer. 

It seemed to be a restless night for you too as he watched you toss and turn. There was the odd whimper or sob here and there, sounds he knew too well. Those were the sounds of someone who had been on the receiving end of purposeful violence. His brows drew together in concern. He had his suspicions of course, you had your own scars but so old and faint no mortal eye could perceive them, like the one that stretched across your palm diagonally. It would've been discourteous of him to let your nightmares keep their grip on you.

He placed a hand on your shoulder and shook you softly, "Wake up, love. Whatever it is, it can't hurt you now."

You woke with a start, breathing laboured as you flinched away from the gentle hand. You visibly grimaced when you saw those damned puppy dog eyes of his. You knew you had some explaining to do. You sat up on your shared bed, staring down at your shaky hands resting in your lap. 

"I'm sorry, I must have disturbed your beauty sleep." You were trying to deflect.

But he wasn't having that, "Don't be ridiculous. I couldn't sleep anyway... I..." He paused considering his words carefully, "You know I won't pressure you into telling me what's troubling you. I can wait for you to tell me in your own time. After all, I have all the time in the world. Its just... I feel you've done so much to understand and help those around you but I... don't really know about your life before saving the world and all that. If this is something I can help you with darling, I'm all pointy ears for you."

You couldn't help but chuckle at that last bit. He always knew how to make you smile. You twiddled your thumbs as you considered telling him, you may as well at this point yeah? Get it out in the open and off your chest.

"For you, it was Cazador the man who gave you unlife. For me," you took a steadying breath, "it was my own father. He was a cruel man. Unhappy with the hand life dealt him, he took it out on his family. I... lost count of the injuries I received from him. Lost a few memories too. But those I do remember... they still hurt from time to time. He... he broke my ribs once. I remember feeling them bend, hearing them crack and the wind escaping me as pain stabbed through me. My mother just stood on the sidelines and did nothing." You shuddered fighting back tears, "For the longest time I was afraid of people touching me. I would react with violence. Hit, punch, kick, bite. You name it and I probably did it. And his attacks weren't just physical, no, he knew how to play mind games too. One day he'd call me a mistake, that I was never meant to be born. Then the next... he would tell me no one would ever love me but him. Would convince me that everyone hated me. That I was the lowest of the low. I had no one to turn to. Absolutely no one. But one day, my mum finally got her arse in gear and chased him out with the help of my grandfather. She had noticed his attention towards me had started turning incestuous. " You spat out the word. "You'd think that would've rid me of him but no, until I ventured away from the town I was born in, that bastard would stalk me. Keeping up the fucking mind games. That... disgusting man was- is the reason I was so ready to help you be rid of Cazador. And why I understood when you said you wanted to be seen outside the terms of sex. You could say I was living vicariously through you."

Astarion had been silent throughout your story. You finally looked up from your hands to gauge his reaction. And my what a reaction. His face was a vision of murderous intent you had only seen a few times before in your time together. You were half worried that he might chip his fangs with how tightly his jaw was clenched. It almost felt like his eyes were burning into you.

"I'm sorry I didn't tell you sooner, there just wasn't a good opportunity to with the end of the world-"

He held up a hand, "I don't want to hear apologies, not from you. Not unless you've stained my clothes or dropped another building on top of me. No." His voice became laced with a low growl, "What I want is a name and the town. What I want is to rip his guts out and choke him with them as you watch the life leave his eyes. Name it and I'll do it. It's the least I can do after you helped me." He paused, then laughed humorlessly as he seemed to realise something, "I'm glad we didn't meet sooner, love, really. If we had, you would've been my perfect victim thanks to that man."

He wasn't wrong there, all it would have taken was just the tracest amount of affection to have you wrapped around his finger. Unfortunately for you, that had happened just with someone else. But that could wait, you didn't want to bombard Astarion with your life's woes. You took a moment to consider his proposal. You had been patiently waiting for your father's death so you could dance on his grave. However, despite his lifestyle, death did not seem to be in a hurry to claim him and frankly you were tired of the paranoia his continued existence brought you. 

"I don't even want to say his name. I can take you to his house though, lure him outside... I want to empty his veins so that we no longer share the same blood."

Astarion squinted at you, "I hope that's not the reason you've been letting me drink from you this entire time." 

You hesitated, "To start with yes. I mean it was a good thing for both of us. You got your strength up and I got to feel less tainted. A win-win. And then I grew to truly care for you and your wellbeing so it became less about me and more about making sure you were happy."

Astarion looked skyward with a sigh of frustration, "You, my love, need to stop people pleasing. Don't force yourself to do something just because it'll make me happy."

"Tell that to the puppy dog eyes you give me whenever you ask. In all seriousness, I don't hate it. I'm not forcing myself. In fact I-" You cut yourself off as you began to flush.

Astarion raised a perfect brow and gave you that damned smirk of his, "Well maybe after we've dealt with your father, you'll let me indulge in you as a reward, Darling."

This man gave you emotional whiplash sometimes.

--‐---------------------------------------------------------------

It was a few nights' journey to get to your hometown, finding suitable places to sleep during the day when out in the wilderness hadn't helped either. But you made it. An odd feeling settled in your stomach when you stepped foot across the town boundaries, you hadn't been back in so long. It looked the same yet different in a way that was uncanny. Old haunts had disappeared to be replaced with unfamiliar store fronts. Though the necessities stayed the same like the messenger service. 

You passed through streets guided by hazy memories with Astarion close to your side for now, a comforting presence. As every step took you closer, your heart crept further into your throat. Never had you thought you'd see your father again. Let alone willingly. You had not long realised you'd finally forgotten how his voice sounded and now it was about to be rebranded into your memory. As your destination grew closer, you gave Astarion a nod signalling to him to get into position. 

You swallowed the lump in your throat, hand hovering, ready to knock. This was really about to happen. This was the first step of being free of him. You quickly shook out your limbs as if to shake away any doubts or hesitation that wished to settle. With renewed determination, your fist rattled off an old pattern of knocks you remembered your father having done when you were a child. You stepped back as you heard movement inside the abode. And you took another step back as the man who haunted your sleep opened the door. He looked older now, much older. He had only just started greying when you were young, now most of his hair had turned that colour. His face now had deep set wrinkles, time had not been kind to him. And even from where you stood, you could smell the smoke of tobacco that clung to him heavily even when you were a child.

"Well well well, what brings you here? I thought I remember you telling me you would have no more contact with me. Let me guess, you've fallen on hard times? Failed at something as simple as earning a basic income? Not lived up to your own illusions of grandeur? Which is it?" He sneered.

You had not missed how he belittled you, thought you incapable of anything. You steadied yourself, mentally preparing the lie you concocted to draw him out. 

"No, nothing of the sort. In fact, I've done quite well for myself. I've settled down. Started a family." You purposely let the statement hang in the air.

He crossed his arms, "So you've come to declare that you'll be a better parent than I ever was."

If you had actually started a family, maybe you would have done this. Rubbed your happiness in his face. But alas, you had fallen for a member of the undead. Children weren't really on the cards for you.

"No, not at all... We're staying at a local tavern as I've come to visit all the family. I thought it would be cruel to deprave my child of their grandfather. Mum returned home not long ago so now it's your turn to meet my firstborn."

You watched his face morph from confusion to his typical smug grin, "I knew you'd see sense some day. I made you after all. Well go on, lead the way." 

It went against your instincts to turn your back to him, but you knew Astarion would act quicker than your father ever could. In fact, he must have only just stepped out of his door when you heard his surprised yell. You turned back towards him. Astarion had him pinned to the ground, one hand covering your father's mouth, the other holding a familiar dagger to his throat. 

"Not one sound. It'd be a shame to kill you before we have our fun. Nod if you understand." The ageing man nodded frantically. "Good. Well goodnight for now."

With that Astarion struck him with the pommel of his dagger.

--‐---------------------------------------------------------------

Astarion insisted you save your energy with the night's main event, so he did most of the heavy lifting. That didn't mean he didn't complain as he hoisted the unconscious man up by his ankles in the cave you had found. He wasn't complaining about you but to you.

"If there's one thing I can assure you of right now Darling, it's that his blood smells foul. Nothing like your lovely bouquet." He scrunched up his nose. "He's rotten inside in more ways than one. I'd say he'd have one foot in the grave the year after next."

That did bring you some sense of relief oddly. You concentrated on sorting through the equipment you bought with you. It was time to wake him up. Astarion grabbed a bucket of water and tossed its contents onto the upside down hanging man. He woke with a gasp and looked around. His eyes landed on you, where you were still calmly organising your tools.

"What the fuck is going on?! Let me do-"

"Do you know how many times I've pictured this moment? Mum used to ask what I would do to you if I ever had the opportunity and I had so many ideas over the years. So so many. Burning you alive. Drowning you by filling your lungs with water. Slitting your throat. All too quick when I truly thought about it. But here's the thing... my siblings and I workshopped ideas for the slowest death we could give you."

If his blood wasn't pooling in his skull your father surely would've turned paler than Astarion. 

Said vampire watched with an amused grin, approval in his eyes, "My my. I didn't know you had such a sadistic side, love."

"My favourite was my brother's idea to butcher you like the animal you are. So first, I think I'll have you tenderised to make it a little easier for me."

Astarion approached your father, adjusting his gloves before delivering a swift strike to his stomach. The sound of the impact, your father's pained cry and Astarion's satisfied smirk let you know that the vampire wasn't going to hold back.

"Should I break his ribs? I think he should know how you felt."

You took a moment to consider it, "Sure. Just don't go overboard, don't want him dying before I even get to start."

Another blow, this time a kick, was made to his chest. The cracking echoed throughout the cave and your father gasped for air, winded. You shuddered as the memories of your own injury resurfaced and a twinge shot though you. Astarion stepped back, letting the pain sink in. His hair had gotten a little unruly so he pushed it back. He was enjoying this. Maybe this was his time to live vicariously through you, after all, Cazador's demise had been quick in comparison. And then he was going back in, landing hit after hit on the defenceless man. You'd let him have his fun. 

You turned your attention to the fire you had set up, you were deep enough into the cave that the moonlight didn't reach you. You crouched down, chucking more wood on it before checking on the dagger you had lodged in it to heat up. It wouldn't do if your father bled to death before you could finish. This was the main task you had given Astarion, cauterising the wounds you would inflict. The blade was a brilliant orange, it was ready.

Astarion stopped, satisfied, "There you go love. All softened up for you."

Your father spat blood at Astarion's boots, "Of course that child would fall for a vampire," he laughed dryly followed immediately by a groan of pain, "they're nothing but a parasitic leech anyway. What else could possibly love them?"

You grabbed the boning knife from your selection, ready to begin. You'd had enough. However, Astarion had never taken kindly to those who name called you, like when Cazador called you cattle and it sent him into a frenzy. Astarion growled and crouched low so he was eye level with your father. 

"You're not a smart man are you? You should be begging for mercy. For a quick death. Did you hope to provoke us into gutting you?" He grabbed your father by the hair, tilting his head painfully, "Maybe you hoped I'd rip your throat out. Unfortunately for you, I have standards. However, you don't need both eyes to witness your last moments do you? We just need you to have at least one." 

Astarion jammed a thumb into one of your father's eyes. Your father wailed in agony and you knew his eyeball popping, its jelly dripping out of the socket mixed with blood, would be seared into your memory. Astarion stood back up, casually wiping his hand on your father as he did so. 

"I'm ready when you are, love. I'm tired of this pig's prattle."

You cut open your father's shirt, "My earliest memory is of your cruelty. I've been told that's it's a miracle that I didn't turn out like you as  you treated me like how your father treated you. And that's because I've lived to spite you. I have tried so hard to fix the damage you left in your wake. I've built a life away from you where I am loved and cared for. I am heralded as a hero yet you haunt me still." 

You walked behind him and cut the obstructing material away. You slowly sunk your knife into his shoulder blade, only stopping when you met bone. And with little sawing motions you began to separate flesh from bone. Blood welled up out the incision and painted his back. Part of you wanted to gag as you cut away, you had always been a little squeamish. With a quick flick, you pulled your knife free, along with a small chuck of skin and muscle. Astarion was there immediately with the heated blade, staunching the blood flow. The smell of burning meat assaulted your nose. Sweat beaded in your hair line as a wave of nausea hit you. This was going to be a long night but you swore to yourself you wouldn't stop. 

--‐---------------------------------------------------------------

As you continued there were times where you had to rush away to empty your stomach. In those moments, Astarion would stroke your back while whispering words of encouragement and comfort. He even offered to take over if you needed a break but you declined. You would see this through. 

You had managed to cut away as much as you could without hitting anywhere vital and your father now resembled the inverse of a pig prepped for butchering. His stomach and head was left intact (save his tongue) while everywhere else had been peeled away messily. Little muscle clung to his bone now. Your stash of Lesser Restoration scrolls came in quite useful as your father lost consciousness many times throughout the night. But his time was coming to an end. You had split so much of his blood and dawn was fast approaching. And so you sat in front of him, staring into his remaining eye. 

"I have always cursed that your blood runs through my veins. I have always cursed that I inherited any of your appearance. But today I will remedy both. We no longer look remotely alike. And now... I just need to make this blood my own."

Your father just regarded you lifeless, as you lent forward and finally slit his throat.

Astarion placed a gentle gloveless hand on your shoulder, "Let's go home, treasure, you need to rest."

You got to your feet but your knees were weak, you collapsed into his arms, "I'm so tired. So... empty. This is how you felt, isn't it? I... yeah let's go."

He ran his fingers through your hair and placed a soft kiss to your forehead, "The past is dead now, and from that, you can strive to fill your future with life. The emptiness shall pass." He draped one of your arms aroundnhis shoulders and helped you to stumble your way out of the cave's depths. The last of the moon's light felt like a blessing after the hours spent by firelight. "And love, trust me when I say his blood was never yours, if it was I would have never given you a little nibble." 

You huffed out a laugh and finally, a small smile graced your lips.

#astarion #astarion ancunin #baldurs gate 3 #fanfic #bg3 spoilers #kinda #astarion fanfic #astarion fic

[icybluepenguin]

Nothing a Good Bonfire Can't Fix

Summary: Astarion has a nightmare and you calm him down

Astarion/GN reader, established relationship, sometime after Act 3, hurt/comfort, not a serious fic, probably a stupid idea

Rated T for language

Note: I have had an absolutely awful day so here's some dumb silly Astarion ficlet. It starts off dramatic but quickly takes a turn to the ridiculous. I know elves don't sleep but this is more fun *shrug*

--

“No, no… !” Astarion moans in his sleep, head twisting from side to side.  “I'm sorry, please don't-” 

You put your hand on his cheek, “Astarion.”  You don't want to jar him too suddenly- you'd ended up on your back with a knife at your throat one too many times to make that mistake again– so you increase your volume slowly.  “Astarion.” 

His eyes fly open with a broken gasp. He clutches your wrist in both his hands hard enough to bruise, staring at you like he can't believe you're there.  “I broke his rules,” he nearly sobs, eyes glued to the marks of his fangs in your neck, evidence of his guilt.

You run your fingers through his hair, gentle and soothing.  “It was a dream, love.”

“No, no, I heard him.  I felt his compulsion.  I have to-” 

Your heart aches for him, so scared and hopeless.  “That was a terrible dream.  You're safe.  I won't let anything happen to you.”  Your wrist hurts, his grip hasn't lightened at all.  “Come here.” You rearrange as best you can so his head is in your lap, letting him hold one hand while the other continues stroking his hair. 

He keeps trying to look around the room, as if Cazador could emerge at any second.  You carefully tilt his chin so he's looking at you.  

“Do you remember what happened to Cazador?”  Sometimes he doesn't, if the nightmares were particularly bad. 

He inhales, body and breath shaking.  “I stabbed him.”  He’s trying to calm himself but his voice is hollow, like he doesn't truly believe he did it. 

“Mm-hm.  Many times.  And then what happened?” 

His eyes clear a little, losing some of the haunted fear as you go through what has become a ritual call-and-response when he has nightmares.  “You said you'd ‘never wished to see a motherfucker burn’ more than him.  So Karlach went back the next day and dragged out his body.”  

You smile down at him in encouragement.  “That's right.  And then…?”

“You sat him out in the sun, but nothing happened because he was dead, not a vampire any longer.”

You remember how Cazador's corpse, slashed with the dozens of stab wounds Astarion had put in him, had slumped on the ground in a most satisfying way.  You may have kicked him a few times.  And stomped on him.  When no one was looking. 

“Wyll and Lae'zel built a bonfire.  And we burned the corpse.”

“You left out my favorite part,” you say, tweaking the tip of his ear. 

A small smile breaks on Astarion's face. “You put the clown make-up on him.  And then Karlach threw him on the fire and his stupid clown face went up in flames.”

“So, can that ash-clown hurt you any more?” 

“No,” he laughs, tension finally easing from his body as he pictured how utterly fucking stupid Cazador had looked in the fire.  How utterly dead he was with no way to be revived or resurrected to torture him again.  “You made sure of that.”  He pulls your hand up to his mouth to kiss your palm.

“I'd like to do it to him again,” you mutter, thinking that being stabbed to death and then burned was too good for that bastard. 

“What was that?” 

You stroke his ear, smiling.  “I will burn everything and everyone who even thinks about bothering you to the ground and then I'll feed their ashes to a giant squid.”

He closes his eyes.  “I do love your flair for the dramatic.”

“Wait, I'm not done. Then I'll charter a pirate ship and catch the giant squid, dragging it up on land and-”

You are still explaining how you'd serve your special revenge calamari up and down the Sword Coast when he falls back asleep, unafraid.

-

Master Post

#Astarion #astarion x reader #bg3 astarion #baldurs gate astarion #My writing #I try to be nicer to myself about my art than this #But it really was a bad day and I just can't pretend to be positive

[scarlet-streak-rambles]

Honestly, Gale and Astarion's Romance routes feel very Hozier-coded?

For Gale specifically, I'd put Sedated, Cherry Wine, Almost (Sweet Music), Wasteland, Baby!, Francesca, and Who We Are. There's that implicit understanding that Mystra broke him on some fundamental level that he feels like he'll never recover from and, even with that pain, he's still chasing her forgiveness and acceptance because that's where he found worth as a person. However, on top of the literal bomb in his chest, he finds himself with an illithid tadpole in his brain, completely abandoned by his goddess under a SECOND, much faster death sentence. Then he meets the player character who gives him a reason to try to live and love again (even in this horrible, fucked up situation) and find worth in himself beyond Mystra and her gifts. Initially, he feels like he has to treat the player like he would his past lover, specifically when it comes to their physical relationship, but the player can help him past that easily. The echo of that relationship is going to haunt him, probably for the rest of his life, but it isn't the only thing in his life, and he's choosing to love the player even in this hellish apocalypse he's found himself in.

Just a little rush, babe, to feel dizzy To derail the mind of me Just a little hush, babe; my veins are busy But my heart's in atrophy

Her fight and fury is fiery Oh but she loves Like sleep to the freezing Sweet and right and merciful I'm all but washed In the tide of her breathing And it's worth it, it's divine I have this some of the time

You and I burned out our steam Chasing someone else's dream How can somethin' be so much heavier But so much less than what it seems? Darling, we sacrificed We gave our time to somethin' undefined This phantom life sharpens like an image But it sharpens like a knife

I'll tell them put me back in it Darling, I would do it again, ah, ah If I could hold you for a minute Darling, I'd go through it again, ah, ah I would still be surprised I could find you, darling In any life If I could hold you for a minute Darling, I would do it again, ah, ah

The same kind of music haunts her bedroom I'm almost me again, she's almost you

And I love too That love soon might end And be known in it's aching But shown in the shaking Lately of my wasteland, baby Be still, my indelible friend You are unbreaking Though quaking Though crazy That's wasteland, baby

Astarion gets Take Me To Church, Jackie and Wilson, Someone New, Work Song, Nobody, Talk, First Time, All Things End, and First Light. He spends two hundred years feeling like an inhuman monster, twisted into a tool for Cazador only worth his body and honeyed words. Unlike Gale, Astarion sees the tadpole as a gift, saving him from the life of a slave that he never wants to return to. When he meets the player, he recognizes weakness and repeats that same pattern of securing safety with what Cazador taught him. In the end, the right path for the player to take with him is to teach him that he can be accepted and loved as the mess he sees himself as with worth beyond what Cazador broke him down to, and it's an incredible experience for him. They are the first person he truly cared for besides himself and he'd do anything to stay with them.

Every Sunday's getting more bleak A fresh poison each week "We were born sick", you heard them say it My church offers no absolutes She tells me, "Worship in the bedroom"

Onе bright mornin' goes so easy Darkness always finds you either way It creeps into the corners as the moment fades A voice your body jumps to callin' out your name But after this, I'm never gonna be the same And I am never going back again

Don't take this the wrong way You knew who I was with every step that I ran to you Only blue or black days Electing strange perfections in any stranger I choose

I won't deny I've got in my mind now (Hey, yeah) All the things I would do So I try to talk refined for fear that you find out (Hey, yeah) How I'm imaginin' you

A two-tonne weight around my chest feels like It just dropped a twenty-storey height If there was anyone to ever get through this life With their heart still intact, they didn't do it right

Remember once I told you about How before I heard it from your mouth My name would always hit my ears as such an awful sound? And the soul, if that's what you'd call it Uneasy ally of the body, it felt nameless as a river Undiscovered underground

She blows outta nowhere, roman candle of the wild Laughing away through my feeble disguise No other version of me I would rather be tonight. And, Lord, she found me just in time

Boys, when my baby found me I was three days on a drunken sin I woke with her walls around me Nothin' in her room but an empty crib And I was burnin' up a fever I didn't care much how long I lived But I swear I thought I dreamed her She never asked me once about the wrong I did When my time comes around Lay me gently in the cold dark earth No grave can hold my body down I'll crawl home to her

I'd be appalled if I saw you ever try to be a saint I wouldn't fall for someone I thought couldn't misbehave But I want you to know that I've had no love like your love

#merc rambles #merc talks #hozier #baldur's gate 3 #baldur's gate #bg3 #bg3 astarion #astarion ancunin #bg3 gale #gale of waterdeep #gale dekarios #shallow character analysis tbh #but this has been rattling around my brain and I needed to let it out to finally be freed

[chaoticbardlady99]

She’s My Religion- Part 4: Makes You Believe in Something Above (Astarion x F! Reader)

Synopsis- Shadowheart, Isobel, Halsin, and Dame Aylin work to heal you. No one is certain you’ll willingly come back from the land of the Dead. Astarion begs for you to come back to him and he wants to spend forever with you.

CW: mentions of gore, violent themes, mentions of SA, mentions of attempted SA, mentions of grief

*not my pic* reach out if it is yours so I can give you credit!

This is barely edited- my mental health has been ❤️🙈✨horrific ✨🙈❤️

The last thing you remember was hearing Astarion screaming and crying- it broke your heart to hear his painful transformation.

Giving up has been the easiest feeling in the whole world- you didn’t know if you were dreaming or in the Heavens, but being embraced by your mother and father as you let the warm glow of their love sink into your non-existent bones, you didn’t know if you cared.

Your father was still your father and your mother was your mother again. They were both still madly in love with one another, but they miss you terribly.

You asked if you were temporarily here. Your mother smiled and said, “only for now, my Heart.”

You broke down in front of both of them- told them your fears and how scared you are to return to Astarion. You don’t want to be forced into vampirism and you certainly don’t want to be a consort.

Your parents told you that fate is a fickle thing and it’s better to embrace it than run from it- they won’t allow you to give up.

You were so angry- they let you be. You lit fires in the Heavenly grass and you screamed until you couldn’t scream anymore. Both of your parents held you as you sobbed- telling you that you’ll be okay.

After, you decided you weren’t going to squander your last little bit of freedom and time with your parents for Gods knows how long. You will not continue being angry over something you have no control over. You will figure it out- you will be okay.

You laughed, cried, hugged, and talked together for what was probably seconds in the mortal world, but hours in this beautiful space.

Your soul feels broken and healed all at the same time when your consciousness hits you like a wagon and you are still in the Szarr palace. Except you aren’t lying on the ground anymore (you think); the air smells of Astarion and the aroma is intoxicating. At least he still smells the same, but you thought you would be far more blood thirsty for waking up as a Spawn and that Astarion would be a lot less hysterical.

Your body hurts- being only halfway between death and life is a painful balance. All of your muscles are taught, but also loose and heavy at the same time. Your skin is numb, but also still stings with every single mark Cazador had cut into you.

Astarion is holding you up against him while Shadowheart is working to heal you and Gale finishes reading the Revivify Scroll. Astarion’s silent tears are falling into your hair and trailing down your face.

“Don’t leave me here alone,” he whispers pleadingly for only your ears to hear, “I didn’t do it- I didn’t Ascend. You were right- you were right the whole time. I dislike you for it, but it’s true.”

You hear him take a shaky, choked breath- your body still not quite awake enough to show any sign of real change in your condition.

You are in complete shock. He didn’t Ascend? It is all he had been talking about for the last three weeks! It’s what he had wanted so why didn’t he do it.

“I’m so so sorry, my Love, ” he continues to beg quietly, “I want you to come back. I need you to come back to me. I don’t want to be in this world without you.”

He pauses for a second and gently kisses your cheek- exhaling unevenly.

“And then have you beat the shit out of me when I decide to come join you because ‘that absolutely is not what I wanted you to do!’”

His soft impression of you, the broken laugh, and the words themselves make your heart feel like it’s going to shatter. You are fighting to make your breaths more noticeable or move your arm- something to tell Astarion I’m here! I didn’t leave you! You aren’t connected enough to your body right now to use the tadpole so that’s not even an option.

Your body is still so weak- Shadowheart is struggling to find out which poison it is and then you hear the voice of Isobel and the sound of Karlach’s clunky armor in the air as Isobel begins to talk to Shadowheart and Halsin about what they have done so far- what has worked? What hasn’t? How long have you been down? Do you have a reason to refuse to come back?

Everyone responds with a resounding no, but you hear Astarion interject.

“Yes,” Astarion’s voice cracks, “she does have a reason to refuse to come back.

“She didn’t want me to Ascend,” he says solemnly, “and we fought about it and I told her it was over. I was coming back to talk to her about it- try to make her see the reasons I needed to Ascend. To try to explain to her that I was doing it for her too.

“I never would have thought Cazador would hurt her like this. He was always so protective,” he manages to choke out after a long pause, “she’s lost her whole family and now she thinks her life is at risk because of me and my obsession with power. Why would she want to come back?”

“Fangs…”

“No,” he screams, the sound echoing through your body, “don’t try to tell me how much she loves me, how she wouldn’t just leave me! I broke her heart. Tav’s family is dead, gone, no more. It’s not even guaranteed some of us will still be alive at the end of this thing and if I thought my best bet of being free was dying because I thought my EX-boyfriend became a power hungry Demi-God Vampire Hybrid- I WOULD CHOOSE STAYING DEAD TOO!”

At least he gets it, but it’s not his fault though. You had made a conscious decision and you knew it was likely you wouldn’t come back. You had been so certain that you had done the right thing this time- you let him go to be what he wanted to be and to find a consort that better suited what he wanted out of life. You were going to be Tadpole free and happily reunited with the people you care for.

You are hoping that he doesn’t resent you- what if you forced him to make a decision? Did he go into your mind? Was he aware that you had chosen to give up and Gods you hope that isn’t the reason he chose not to Ascend because you could not live with yourself if your selfish decision made him deny himself what he wants.

As you try to connect to your tadpole again, you hear Isobel ask for your arm and then feel her stab you with a needle before the world goes dark.

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Astarion clings to you in your shared bed as you sleep peacefully in his arms. Isobel had told everyone she had figured out it was Topor- how? Astarion had no damn clue, but you began to look better immediately after she gave you the injection and you’ve been sleeping since.

Astarion had been worried about you sleeping for so long- Isobel, Shadowheart, Halsin and Gale had to come together to convince him that you are entirely okay, but your body had just been through significant trauma- emotionally, mentally, and physically.

Dalyria told him that Cazador had attempted to force himself on you, but you fought him so hard and for so long (even going as far as escaping for a brief moment) that Cazador gave up- resigning to waiting until you were a compliant spawn. So he gave you the Topor to kick start your agonizingly slow and painful death. Isobel said you maybe only had about an hour and a half left when she had arrived- praising Karlach for getting to her so quickly.

Astarion had actually hugged the tiefling (and for a very long time too) after Dame Aylin took you away to help Isobel clean up and stitch your deeper wounds before attempting to heal them. Karlach had been thrilled, but she also told Astarion that she is really proud of him for not ascending and for releasing the spawn into the Underdark. Oh and no hard feelings for the outburst.

Actually- that had been everyone’s words to him today. No one wanted him to Ascend and maybe he would have been miffed prior to today, but Astarion has finally discovered what all those writers have been saying- love and companionship are the most powerful forces across the planes. Astarion could never have killed Cazador or saved you if he hadn’t met any of his companions.

Everyone wanted to know what changed and he would just shrug- said it didn’t feel right. The actual reason is far more private.

Astarion didn’t change his mind because you had ultimately given up- he knew Ascending meant he could bring you back as his Spawn. The hungry, lustful power offered by Mephistopheles had been entirely too tempting and he is grateful he had disrespected your mental privacy in that moment.

Astarion has been told by Cazador for two hundred years how genuinely unlikeable and weak he is. The lure of the ritual had tried to push him to show Cazador ‘just how weak he truly is’- it was practically begging him to complete it.

Astarion could not be more grateful that Shadowheart announced your possible impending death. He wouldn’t have taken the time to cross your boundaries and explore your mind- just resorting to turning you into something you didn’t want to be because that bloodthirsty Ascension would allow him to have power and you wouldn’t be able to leave him. You would have been unhappy at first, but he would keep you safe- that had been the Magic’s justification.

The love you feel towards him is even more all consuming than any evil power would ever be. Your thoughts- even in your grief- were full of warmth, love, and happiness for him despite how gut wrenching it was to hear your mental distress at the idea of him Ascending.

Astarion realized that he would not be able to feel that with you again if he ascended. He would never truly know what it feels like to be loved ever again- he’d be too busy wanting more power and possessing your entire being like Cazador had wanted to do.

If Cazador could do this much damage to you- what would he be capable of? Astarion would have you physically, but eventually, you would turn into a ghost of yourself- abused and empty. Just like Sebastian and the other unfortunate individuals who had been unlucky enough to cross his path.

Or you’ll be like him and eventually find a way to kill him so you can be free. Either way he ends up losing you.

Astarion thought that he would feel relief and happiness when he finally killed Cazador, but he actually felt heartbroken when the man dropped to the floor. It pisses him off even now, but Halsin had said something to him afterwards that had somehow been beneficial.

“It’s okay to grieve your chains after you have spent so long learning to love them- to survive them.”

So he sits here and grieves the last shitty 200 years while holding your sleeping form because you make him feel steady and you keep him on the ground. The hint of your perfume and the clean linens is soothing. You are softly snoring and the sound fills his heart with glee.

You are here and you are alive. He doesn’t have to grieve you or himself and that’s all that matters to him at the end of the day.

There is a quiet knock on the door as Isobel, Dame Aylin, and Shadowheart walk in. They tell him they are going to do a group healing prayer over you that should help you feel better and stronger much faster than if they continue to heal you individually.

It was clear it was a ceremony that was “need to know” and Astarion was promptly kicked out of the room. Realistically the whole thing took about 10 minutes, but Astarion felt like he had to wait for hours for them to be done.

When they are finally done- he races back into the room and makes sure not a single hair is out of place. Astarion worries that he’ll be a nervous wreck if you are out of his sight for a while and he hopes you understand.

Astarion tidies up your stuff in the corner of your shared room (the couples were finally told they need to get their own lodgings) when he hears you gasp for air before you frantically look around the room as quickly as your exhausted body can from where you are- your limbs and neck figuratively glued to the bed.

You haven’t seen Astarion just yet, but he wants to assume he might be the one you are looking for and he’s right. Your eyes land on him and your lip is trembling as you look at him- tears drenching your cheeks instantaneously.

Astarion drops your armor, hastily gets into the bed, and holds you while leaving gentle kisses on your hairline. You hold onto him like you are afraid you may never see him again. Your hands are weakly twisted into his shirt and he can just barely hear you begging him not to leave you between heavy sobs.

“I’m not going anywhere,” he whispers, “unfortunately for you- I’m never allowing you to leave my sight again, Darling.”

Your laughter comes out as a painful wheeze and Astarion runs circles into your back as you ride out the pain. You snuggle into Astarion’s chest and a sigh of relief escapes your lips. Astarion thinks you may go back to sleep, but then you tense up ever so slightly and he almost misses what you say to him next.

“You didn’t give up on what you wanted for me- did you?” Your voice is small and troubled, “I don’t want to be the thing that kept you from having what you wanted.”

“Yes and no, but not in a bad way,” Astarion says, not wanting you to worry any longer, “I realized that Ascending meant losing myself and you- even if I did bring you back to life as a Spawn, you would have been miserable and unhappy.

“I also realized that my love for you and your love for me is far more valuable to me than all the power in the world. If he could do all of those horrible things to you- what would I be capable of? It just clicked. I realized to Ascend would be to destroy what we have and I wouldn’t be keeping you or me safe- I’d be keeping us captive by selling my soul to Mephistopheles.”

You are so quiet that Astarion thinks you fell asleep, but then he feels your tears begin to stain the fabric of his sleeve.

“I wa- I-,” you are struggling through your tears, “I was so sure I was losing you forever or I was going to be stuck with him forever. I never thought this would be the end result.”

“I, for one, am much happier with this result.”

“Me too,” you smile brightly at him, your voice sounding less retired and rough.

Astarion just takes in your face looking at him, tracing your features with his hands. You are only in your undergarments and lots of medical wrappings due to the amount wounds Cazador had inflicted upon your body.

They must have just cleaned and changed all the wrappings though because the scars that were more superficial are no longer wrapped- just bright red ish purple scars.

The deeper ones on your sides are the ones that had worried Isobel. She had to heal, stitch, heal, and then stitch again before the wound itself finally stayed close. Halsin had been able to cast something to prevent you from waking up during the process and Shadowheart had poured something into your mouth so you wouldn’t feel the pain.

Dame Aylin had shook her head and looked at him.

“After a century or five, it stops weighing on your soul so much- the torture and the pain,” she slowly looks at you, her eyes sad and empathetic, “but that first time? You will never forget that.”

Astarion is probably the only one who knows your Step-dad is a horrible pig, but Astarion had already taken care of that. He also can’t deny that Cazador’s torture is a thousand times worse than anything Bridil could do.

You begin to trace Astarion’s features with your fingers and it jolts him out of his thoughts. Astarion leans in and begins to kiss your lips slowly- taking his time to breathe you in.

There is a question on Astarion’s tongue, but he isn’t sure if he should ask just yet. He wants you to know that he is asking out of readiness and not from a “I thought I almost lost you forever”. Not that he doesn’t want to- he just wants to make sure it’s perfect and not rushed. Astarion has been thinking about this question for a long while now- you are his partner, his best friend, his family.

Astarion has waited for what feels like a lifetime to find someone like you and he wants to spend a whole eternity more with you. He just hopes you’ll say “I do” because Tav Acunín has a very lovely ring to it.

#baldurs gate 3 #astarion #astarion x reader #baldurs gate astarion #astarion x you #bg3 spoilers #astarion romance #astarion x tav #karlach #bg3 #astarion x female reader #astarion ancunin #astarion x f! reader #bg3 astarion