Chapter Text
His gaze slowly passed over the jeweler's nameplate. He had always wanted to go into the store, but it was usually closed when he stood in front of it. His very long working hours actually made any visit to the store impossible.
Astarion sighed softly and looked at the shop window again. Should he really go in there? The items were of high quality and so were the prices too.
Undecided, he grabbed one of his pointed ears.
Would it suit him?
Would an expensive piece of jewelry make him look better?
Maybe then he would be seen and not just chased around from one job to the next. It also helped the others in the same position. The fancier and more expensive everything they wore was, the more they were respected. They were treated better and more indulgently and not chased around like he was. Astarion himself felt like he was suffocating in his work. Well, the daily overtime hours illustrated that very well.
Today, however, the store seemed to be open. The lights were still on and he could see someone at the counter. Despite all this and the fact that he would probably not have a second chance, he was noticeably hesitant. It didn't seem to be his world.
His ears drooped slightly. It certainly wouldn't help him. He stared slightly at the sleeves of his suit and adjusted them. Cazador would probably continue to chase him around like a cheap typist.
Just as he decided that it would not improve his situation and he should leave it, slowly turning away from the store, he heard the little melodic glass bell of the front door. He looked up and saw the friendly face of a half-drow, who was now standing at the door and no longer at the counter.
"Hello, can I help you? Forgive me, you seem very undecided as to whether you want to come in at all." The young man in front of him explained.
Astarion looked at him a little startled, and glanced over him. The fine suit the drow was wearing looked great on him. His dark skin was full of freckles. The hair braided back on one side, emphasizing the view of one of the pointed ears. He was wearing elegant and certainly expensive silver jewelry. The cool metal seemed to nestle softly against the dark skin and stood in sharp contrast to it.
Astarion only realized how much he was staring at the drow when he saw his gentle but slightly amused smile. A blush of embarrassment spread across the tips of his ears and he unconsciously twirled the only ring he wore nervously.
Only briefly did the drow's gray-green eyes flit to the ring. A plain ring with a ruby and such a pale figure. For him, that was very clear and good to know.
"No need to be embarrassed. It would be a pleasure to be your advisor." He invited the rather shy vampire into the store.
Astarion hesitated, but then accepted the invitation and entered. He looked around in quiet amazement. There were even more impressive pieces of jewelry here than in the window. Rings, necklaces and tiaras. Simply an exquisite selection of everything. He looked around a little.
In the meantime, the drow returned to the counter. "I'm pleased to be able to help you, mister...?" He looked at Astarion questioningly.
"Ancunín." The vampire replied quietly.
The drow smiled again. "Delighted. My name is Staeve. Please forgive my directness, but I noticed you were looking for a piece of jewelry for your ears, right?" He then stated, stepping behind the counter and pulling out a velvet-lined wooden frame.
Astarion nodded slightly.
"Do you have any idea what you're looking for?"
The vampire gave him a slightly lost look at this question.
"I... no. I don't know exactly what would suit me either." Astarion gestured quietly.
The Drow continued to look at him attentively and kindly.
"That's absolutely no problem. I can put together a selection for you and then we can find out what will best accentuate your slender ears. "
Astarion nodded slightly again. He managed to suppress a blush on his cheeks. But the tips of his ears flamed again.
He was absolutely not used to being spoken to like this. As a vampire, he was rejected simply because of his diet. Life in the city didn't make it any better. Everyone was distant, dismissive and at work he was the maid for everything.
A little absorbed in his thoughts, he didn't notice that the drow was looking for an extensive selection of all price ranges.
"Mr. Ancunín."
The drow's calm voice startled Astarion slightly from his thoughts and looked at him apologetically.
Staeve was in no way disgruntled. Rather, he liked this insecure creature more and more.
"Please join me." He invited him to a table with two chairs. The frame with the jewelry was already there. There was also a large three-part mirror that would allow a normal being to take a close look at himself.
Astarion looked a little doubtfully at the drow. But Staeve only smiled slightly.
"Don't worry, Mr. Ancunín, we are very well equipped. The mirror is enchanted with a spell that allows you to see yourself in it." He explained, inviting him to join him at the table. He made no secret of knowing what kind of being Astarion was, but he also showed absolutely no disapproval.
Clearly astonished, the vampire stepped closer and peered into the mirror. He knew that this was possible. But he also knew how expensive it was to buy a mirror with this spell. It was well beyond his means. He did not have the means to look at himself in his own home.
Cazador liked to show off his wealth by having mirrored surfaces covered with the Spell. So Astarion was no stranger to his reflection. He always saw himself while he worked.
He just hadn't expected to find such an expensive mirror here, even though this store was well known.
He sat down next to the patiently waiting drow and looked slightly in the mirror.
He really wasn't a handsome figure. His ears drooped a little at the thought.
The drow's lips thinned for a moment as he saw this reaction. Such a handsome man and so insecure.
"If you want to take a look at the selection." Staeve addressed him attentively, hoping to bring him out of his thoughts.
Astarion looked up.
Looked at the drow, who smiled again and looked encouragingly. Then he turned to the jewelry. It was finely arranged. Silver, gold, copper and even blackened metal. A little overwhelmed, he looked at the individual pieces. They were all beautiful. But he didn't think that black would harmonize with his skin.
As if the Drow had guessed his thoughts, he spoke to him again quietly. "May I make my proposal to you?" He asked quietly.
Astarion nodded, hoping for some real help.
"The black would make a very strong contrast with your skin tone. But I don't think it would suit you very well. Silver is very bright and unobtrusive. Probably only light reflections would draw attention to the jewelry. It would be a shame not to actually see the adornment of your ears."
As he spoke, the vampire's gaze flitted over the pieces in question. Surely the drow was right ... and experienced in this area.
His gaze flitted to the jewelry on the drow's ear. The silver shone like liquid light against the dark skin and was an absolute eye-catcher. However, such flashy jewelry was probably really not for him. He wouldn't feel comfortable with it.
"My recommendation would be gold or a slightly reddish tone.
But not too strong." The drow explained further.
Astarion nodded slightly. Sounded good. Gold would suit him. A warm color on his cold skin. He didn't know why, but he felt like the drow was really taking him seriously and advising him in a way that suited him, not how he could make the most profit on him.
As Astarion nodded, Staeve pulled up a second frame and took all the pieces to the side that he would not recommend. Five ornaments remained. Four in gold and one in a slightly reddish color.
Now no longer so overwhelmed, the vampire looked closely at these five. They were very different, from straight lines to absolutely intricate in animal and plant form.
"I would suggest that you just try on the ornaments and then you can see what you like best." The drow suggested and slowly reached for one of the pairs, looking at it with a look that Astarion had probably never felt on himself before. Encouraging. A gentle invitation to dare.
The vampire looked at him, a little uncertain and embarrassed. He searched for words, but didn't know what they were.
"Gladly?" It was more a question to himself than an answer for the drow.
"With pleasure." Smiled Staeve.
With that, he raised his hands, leaning slightly closer to place the jewelry cautiously on his right side. Then on the left. His warm fingers strokes lightly over the vampiric elf's ears, which were no longer quite so cool and now slightly reddened from embarrassment.
Then he pulled back and pointed at the mirror.
Astarion looked at him for a moment and then hesitantly turned his gaze to the mirror. The reddish metal shone slightly in the light. It nestled coolly against his ears. But the twists, tendrils and scrolls ... somehow it was too unsettling for him.
"Hmmm. Not quite." The drow next to him murmured thoughtfully. "Too intricate, isn't it? And the red in the metal isn't quite right either. "
Astonished, Astarion looked at him but nodded.
"Yes." He confirmed quietly. "It's... too restless for me."
How observant was this drow, that he had noticed that immediately.
Staeve smiled and took the ear jewelry from him again. He skipped everyone to the last in line. Calm, straight lines in gold. The tips of his ears would be framed by them and rewarded in their shape. Only a few equally straight branches would further emphasize the natural lines in his ears. Nestling against it.
Again he carefully put the jewelry on him and checked to see if it fit. Again the drow's warm and gentle hands touched his ears and made him blush. Astarion was sure that he would not react like this if not such a handsome and gentle man was sitting next to him.
The adornment sat perfectly on the long straight high elf ears.
Slowly, Astarion looked into the mirror again. He was honestly amazed. It looked good. Very good indeed. Carefully, he touched the jewelry. It was smooth and cool. The calm lines of the shiny metal were easy to see, but not too conspicuous.
He looked at his ears in the mirror for a long time and then stroked a small red stone set into one side. It fit well.
The drow smiled. "The jewelry looks great on you. And it wouldn't just grace your ears."
Staeve paused for an unneeded breath, adding a slight ambiguity to his sentence, before continuing.
"These juwelry are specially made for vampires. Like the stone in your ring, the ruby carries the Sunwalker spell." He then explained.
Staeve watched the vampire very closely. He was already incredibly handsome. A true beauty even without the adornment of his ears. He was certainly not aware of it.
Astarion lightly stroked the ruby and gold on one of his ears again.
Then they lowered slightly. Unconsciously, they immediately showed his growing unease again.
Everything with Spell was incredibly expensive and it would be the same now. He would not be able to afford this wonderful jewelry.
The drow looked at him attentively. He could see it right in his eyes. His thoughts. His worries. His wish.
"Both together would be 680." He explained offhandedly. That was an incredibly good price for two pieces of jewelry with Spell.
Astarion looked at him in disbelief and then back into the mirror. That was possible for him. He had saved a little and it would be worth it to him.
The drow smiled at him gently and knowingly.
"Would you like to take it with you?" He asked, amused.
"Please." Astarion murmured softly with a hint of embarrassment and a gentle smile on his lips. A feeling of happiness welled up inside him. He was pleased with the adornment that he could apparently really afford.
Staeve nodded and carefully took the jewelry from Astarion's ears. His fingers lightly stroked the high elf's wonderfully pointed ears.
"I'll pack it up for you, Mr. Ancunín."
With that, he stood up and walked back to the counter with all the jewelry.
He picked out an elegant black box with red padding and placed both pieces of ear jewelry inside. Then he closed the box.
Astarion had just sat there for a while, a little overwhelmed. He had watched the drow and felt his touch still on his ears. He still couldn't believe that he could actually pay for this jewelry.
When the vampire finally got up to go to the drow, a Tiefling emerged from the back of the store.
Astarion stopped. Observed. Didn't want to groan.
The man who emerged didn't notice him at first.
"Mr. Brimstone. Please forgive me for keeping you waiting. Here are the documents you requested." The Tiefling explained and handed the drow a file folder.
Staeve looked up and made a quick note next to the till.
"Excellent. Thank you. Our esteemed customer has just purchased this jewelry. The price is noted here." He explained, tapping his note. He seemed friendly, but much cooler than when he had spoken to Astarion. With that, he stepped forward behind the counter.
"It was a pleasure, Mr. Ancunín. Perhaps we'll meet again sometime." He explained with a smile and a much warmer voice. "Have the courage. The ear ornaments look great on you." He nodded to him and left the store.
Astarion stood there speechless. His mind had taken quite a while to catch up when he heard the name.
Brimstone.
The name of the store.
Brimstone Jewelry. Market-leading jewelry chain in the city. A family business. Which made it clear that this. ...
Astarion thought he wanted to die.
There were three Brimstone siblings. Almost nothing was heard from the youngest. He lived a very withdrawn life and never did anything in public. It was not his job to look after the stores.
This Brimstone had to be one of the two chairmen of the company. Nita and ....
So Vesta Brimstone had just advised him personally...
He didn't quite know how to process that.
That was one of the most famous names in the city... And an unexpectedly friendly and... handsome man.
Astarion's ears turned red again as he realized how much he had liked this man.
The actual salesman had to speak to Astarion several times before he even responded and came to the counter to pay and accepted the box. He didn't see the actual price tag, which was behind the till and showed a price of 6800. The last zero had been crossed out. There was a small exclamation mark next to it.
Still a little dazed, Astarion left the store and looked up at the sign again.
Brimstone.
Vesta Brimstone.
He wouldn't even believe himself if he hadn't just experienced it.
He held the small box a little tighter. Astarion felt real joy about the jewelry. About the encounter. Before he realized that he would probably not meet this man a second time.