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The wizard was quickly becoming a problem.
Astarion wasn’t sure exactly when it started, but he knew it was getting worse. More and more often the elf found himself thinking about Gale or seeking out the man’s company when that was very decidedly not the plan. Gale was a weakened wizard desperate for the approval of his goddess and ex-lover. Gale was a hopeless romantic more interested in spending a night stargazing than having a quick fuck.
Gale was an unwelcome distraction. Nothing more.
With his ridiculously verbose nature and his need to please, it wasn’t surprising to find Gale’s hands in nearly every interaction. Gods, Astarion couldn’t escape the man. Everytime he tried to distance himself and focus, they were somehow walking next to each other or assigned to the same night watch. Worse was the way that within a few minutes Astarion would forget that he needed to be seducing their fearless leader, finding himself having far too much fun teasing the mage until he was a blushing mess or listening to the history behind whatever constellation Gale was pointing to.
Regardless of his wizardly distraction, Astarion remained focused enough to successfully seduce Tav during the celebration with the tieflings. The bard seemed more interested in a casual affair, which was fine with the elf, he knew in time he could fool the man into loving him or at the least feel loyal enough to kill a certain Vampire Lord in Baldur’s Gate.
All of that seemed to be going tits up when they explored Moonrise. Tav didn’t seem to give two shits about Astarion when Araj made her offer. Astarion opened his mouth to argue but of course Gale interrupted. Astarion found himself distracted once again, watching as the mage became increasingly irate when Tav urged Astarion to ‘take one for the team’ despite already firmly denying the drow’s request to be bitten.
Gale’s jaw was clenched, his knuckles white from holding tight to his staff like he were resisting the urge to swing it. He pointed at Tav in the same manner he had with Scratch when the pup found his way into the rations. It was a bit annoying, not being able to get a word in as Gale lectured their leader, but more frustrating was the rush of affection he felt. He needed to stay focused, Tav was the target. Astarion turned to the bard who merely nodded towards the drow to urge him on.
All that work at seduction and manipulation, only to be tossed aside for a fucking potion. Astarion scoffed, leaving the group behind to search upstairs rather than bury his dagger into a certain leader’s sternum.
He made his way back through Balthazar’s room to the balcony outside. The other door out there had been difficult to open and Astarion only had a handful of lockpicks left. Tav initially told him to leave it after three broken picks. And despite the itch in his hands to figure out the lock and see what was behind the door, Astarion listened, albeit with an annoyed huff.
Not this time. The rogue would get in there and hoard every valuable that he came across. He’d need every coin he could get to hire help for taking down Cazador. There was clearly no counting on Tav. He was on his second to last pick when he heard the sound of someone walking up behind him. Astarion turned, expecting to see Tav begging for forgiveness, but no, it was the mage. Pity, it would have been nice to make the little bard grovel.
“Ah, there’s another room out here? I hadn’t a chance to see this space.” Gale commented with an eager smile, as if he hadn’t just been practically red in the face with anger a few moments ago.
“Well you were far too busy doing your master’s bidding at the time.” Astarion sniped, ignoring the jealous twinge when remembering the reverence in Gale’s eyes as he stared at the conjured image of Mystra the night of the grove celebration.
“My goddess,” Gale corrected, spelling the door open with Knock before continuing, “and for someone who was busy out here looking for trinkets to pilfer, you’re quite assumptive on what went on in that secret chamber.”
The elf sucked his teeth with annoyance as he stood from his crouched position. “Darling, I’m sure very little happens with you in a secret chamber.”
“And what is that supposed to—oh dear.” Gale froze, looking into the room. On the other side of the door, Ketheric’s undead hound was fast asleep on the large chamber bed.
Astarion turned back to the wizard with a wink before carefully sneaking in as Gale shook his head vehemently in an effort to convince the elf of doing otherwise. A few more steps in and a shimmering bubble around the dog formed. Astarion’s hand was on his blade in an instant.
“It’s fine, Astarion. The dog can’t hear anything, I’ve enclosed the area around them in silence. Though do keep a light foot as any heavy vibration might still rouse the animal.”
“Can’t rely on your stealth, little mage?” Astarion snickered as he carefully picked a nearby chest, stashing the loot into his pack.
Gale leafed through the various pages on a nearby desk, appearing more focused on the pages in front of him, though his smug grin said otherwise. as he answered back. “A simple thank you wouldn’t go amiss, Astarion.”
“Oh I’m sure you’d love that, the helpless little spawn swooning with gratitude at your feet. You’ll need to offer more than that, thank you.”
“Ah, see. Now was that so hard?” Gale chuckled as he stuffed the papers into his bag.
The elf prepared to argue when he caught sight of another door. Well, hello.
“Astarion, we really should be making our way out of here.” Gale warned, following behind him as the rogue entered the smaller, seemingly abandoned, bedroom. “The spell will dissipate soon and I’d prefer not to set the hound off.”
Dismissing Gale with a wave of his hand, Astarion headed straight to a large chest at the end of the bed. “Yes, yes, we’ll be on our way as soon as I’m done.”
“Why don’t I just use Knock, it’ll be quicker.” Gale offered from the doorway, moving to cast the spell.
“Don’t you dare! I don’t need help from you, or anyone for that matter, I can do this entirely on my own.” Astarion hissed, bent down with his hands on the lid as he glared at Gale, feeling the lid part without even needing to be unlocked. “See! I don’t even need—what?”
Gale was horrified with his hands up as if he were about to open his mouth and let out a damsel-in-distress scream when humid breath hit Astarion’s face from inside the chest. The lid clamped down before the elf could react as the mimic attempted to swallow Astarion up.
Teeth pierced through his drow leather armor, stinging the rogue with shallow stabs around his midsection. Astarion’s daggers were sheathed and out of reach. His hand crossbows clipped to his waistband, currently being crushed by the mimic’s jaws. Astarion’s screams echoed inside the mimic’s wet, cavernous mouth, the beastie’s tongue pressing against his face as it wrapped around his neck.
The vampire bit down harshly, one hand clawing at the tongue, the other pressing up on the roof of its mouth in an effort to open its jaw wide enough to slip away. The slimy tongue tasted horrendous, its blood not dissimilar to the bile swimming in Gale’s veins when Astarion bit him on their first night in camp. He sputtered and thrashed, kicking his legs wildly before stamping down for leverage to pull himself out. It was useless.
Gale called for Astarion as if the elf were electing to be there.
No sound came from his lips when he yelled out an annoyed remark, in fact there was no sound whatsoever all of a sudden. The entire area encompassed in silence, likely the mage’s doing.
The mimic suddenly flinched as an ice knife stabbed into it. Astarion took the opportunity to escape from the monster’s jaws as it opened wide from a second ice knife striking it. Astarion pulled his daggers out right as the mimic slumped from a third round of the spell. He turned to Gale, a muted growl in his throat as he soundlessly yelled at the mage.
Gale held a finger to his lips to urge the elf to quiet, it was utterly ridiculous. Even more infuriating was how endearing he found it. Astarion lost what little patience he held, shoving Gale backwards into the wall with his dagger to the wizard’s neck, his grunt echoing in the room as they exited the bubble of silence.
“Pardon me!” Gale huffed indignantly, pulling at Astarion’s wrist, his pupils blown wide as the vampire held him against the wall with his fangs bared.
“What in the hells do you think you’re doing distracting me like that?” The rogue growled, pressing the blade down a bit harder without breaking the skin before pulling back to sheath his blade. Astarion’s ear twitched at the sound of Gale’s hitched breath, his heartbeat thrumming at a deliciously fast pace. And gods, did he always have to blush so adorably like that? It was infuriating.
“Distracting you?” Gale practically squawked, straightening his robes and lifting his chin up in defiance. “I’ve been helping you, thank you very much.”
“Helping me? I can handle myself just fine, thank you very much.”
“But I just—I only wanted to—No…no, you’re right. I’m sorry, Astarion.” Gale finished, moving from indigent to forlorn faster than the elf could keep up.
Astarion quirked a brow, arms folded across his chest. What game was the mage playing at?
“If you wanted my help, you would have asked for it. Unlocking the door, silencing the hound, even butting in with the merchant earlier… I hadn’t realized I was taking your autonomy when rendering aid.” Gale looked down at the ground with a short bitter laugh under his breath. “It’s a bit ironic of me to get into such a heated argument with Tav about trying to make your decisions for you earlier when I’m doing it as well.”
Astarion hadn’t moved, still trying to figure out the point of this charade. Except he couldn’t find any hint of deception. Gale murmured another apology as he headed towards the door.
“Gale, wait–” Astarion was gripping Gale’s hand in an effort to stop him, something twisting in his undead heart as the wizard turned back to him with hopeful eyes, calloused fingers giving his cold digits a soft squeeze.
“You’re not like him. You said something against that vile drow when no one else would and… I’m grateful. Thank you. Truly.” Astarion finished softly, chancing a look from their connected hands to see the wizard’s reaction.
Gale couldn’t look more taken aback. “Think nothing of it. And my apologies for distracting you, though I’m not sure how I’ve done so or the best way to correct it.”
“Darling,” Astarion began, tugging Gale’s hand to bring him a bit closer so that he could speak low and smooth in his ear as he said, “I don’t think you can.”
The answering flush and quickened heart rate came just as expected, having the elf grinning slyly from ear to ear. It was fun playing with Gale like this, he never pushed for more, always bashful and polite. Perhaps he was waiting for Astarion to let his guard down or maybe he was simply letting the elf lead. Either way, there was something new, wonderful and terrifying about it.
“Oh, I—”
They simultaneously paused at the sound of movement on the other side of the door. Their hands dropped, Astarion’s moving to his dagger and Gale’s moving to his component pouch. Shifting to either side of the door to wait for it to open, the two made eye contact. Gale tapped his temple for Astarion to connect their tadpoles. His voice echoed in the elf’s mind as they listened to light steps on the other side.
Perhaps we could continue this conversation later tonight?
How forward of you, Gale. I’m positively shocked.
Nothing uncouth! I only meant—
Barking on the other side of the door interrupted Gale’s train of thought. It wasn’t a guard, but the damned hound. They forgot about the dog. Godsdammit.
Gale whipped the door open and cast sleep to calm the beast before they alerted any of the guards, breathing a sigh of relief.
“Forget you couldn’t focus on more than one of those little quiet bubbles, darling?” Astarion giggled, elbowing Gale’s side once they’d made it to the balcony.
They made their way back to the entrance of Moonrise walking side by side, falling back into their typical banter. The back of their hands repeatedly brushed against each other. With it came the strangest urge to interlace their fingers. Astarion snuck a few glances at Gale, feeling the tips of his ears warming when at one point Gale was already looking back.
The rest of the gang was on the ground floor waiting for Tav to finish bartering with the bugbear.
Wyll lit up when he saw the two of them, clapping Gale’s shoulder as he said, “Ah, there you both are. I was about to send out a search party. And what were you two up to, eh?”
“Just a bit distracted.” Gale replied nonchalantly, earning a bark of laughter from the elf that had him grinning from ear to ear leading to a quizzical look from the warlock.
“You two are ridiculous.” Wyll teased fondly.
Was it that obvious? Whatever it was that this was? Astarion wasn’t sure, but he found that he didn’t mind it.
Being distracted by Gale wasn’t all that bad.