𝑰'𝒍𝒍 𝒏𝒆𝒗𝒆𝒓 𝒇𝒐𝒓𝒈𝒆𝒕 𝒊𝒕 // Astarion x Fem!Reader

8

{A/N ~ I was thinking about what the setting of this chapter should be and I ended up watching labyrinth MY FAVOURITE MOVIE EVERRR and thought that it would be absolutely perfect to make the atmosphere of this chapter feel like the ballroom scene from the movie. I've attached the scene at the top for those of you that may have not watched the movie so watch it before reading this ;). And ASLO you guys gotta here me out, Astarion will be wearing the same outfit the goblin king is wearing in that clip because it's literally so perfect for him! ~ enjoyyy <3}

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The place was magnificent, paned windows covering every wall and a ceiling covered in paintings and patterns, a huge chandelier hung from it, lit to extent with candles. Walking in through the huge doors, the air smelt of pungent fruit and you track the smell to see a whole side of the ballroom dedicated to all sorts of liquors and juices. 

"Ahh so glad you all could make it!" A Teifling runs up to the group, Champaign glasses in hand.

As they hand over a glass to you, you sniff it and take a quick sip, before making a brutally honest reaction of how disgusting you found it, quickly handing it over to Shadowheart.

"Please, enjoy yourselves!"

The party sort of spilts off as everyone gets to the middle of the room.

Lae'zel heads over to the bar and slams her fist on the table, asking for a pint of beer, Wyll walks over also, places a hand on her shoulder and apologises to the bar tender for her aggressiveness and tells him to make that two beers.

"Will you not join them, Astarion?" You ask, you two haven't really talked a whole lot before you got here, mostly because you were being dragged around the whole group like a rag doll.

"I prefer to drink alone, besides I'll try to enjoy the night without anything in my system, unless things take a turn" he winks at you, full knowing he'll be trotting over there in the matter of ten minutes.

You turn to speak with Karlach but she's already gone off to socialise with the other Teiflings, shadowheart and Gale went to a little corner at the end of the room, where they glared over the magical artefacts displayed on pedestals.

It was just you and Astarion left together.

"You -you look lovely in that dress..." Astarion said softly, before clearing his throat and running a hand through his hair.

You take a double look at him before smiling down at the ground for a second.

"Thank you"

As soon as you finish your words, everyone begins to make their way to the middle of the ballroom, music begins to play in the background and everyone staggers to find a partner.

A slight panic kicks in, and you push your way out of the crowd and over to the isolated side of the room, sitting on a table as you huff out a sigh of relief.

You watch as karlach and Lae'zel run into the crowd with huge pints of bears in their hands, looking rather excited and ready to cause mischief.

You see Astarion push his way out, turning around a few times to scowl at a person or two. He pats himself down and looks around to see you sitting.

"I thought you would be rather excited to dance, after all that is what a ball is for" Astarion approaches you, sitting himself down on a cushioned chair right beside you.

You twiddle your thumbs in your lap and look up at him, then look back down at your lap with a huff.

"I don't dance, I don't know how. I never have," you begin, "I've never had the experience of going to one of these...balls...and besides, who dances under the sea?" You scoff, with an annoyed laughter.

Astarion watched as you near into a fit of rage before calming yourself down, something he noticed you do do a lot.

"I can teach you Y/N"

You lift your heavy head up to see Astarions eyes already laid upon you, his hand out in front with a soft smile on his lips.

You hesitate to take his hand but you do. He pulls you to the end of the crowd, swiftly placing a hand on your hip and pulling you in. Your eyes widen as you're practically pressed up against him, your heart begins to grow wings. He lifts one of your hands up to place on his shoulder, the rough feeling of glitter and gems under your palm, and the other to clasp your hand with his. His hand wasn't warm, but on the colder side.

He leans down to your level and utters, "just follow my lead" before beginning to step back and forth in a rhythmic manner.

Every now and then you look down to follow his footsteps, but he lifts your chin up with his fingers, not removing them straight away as you both gazed into each other's eyes. The two of you where insanely close together and where getting the occasional look of admiration from the other Teiflings.

"Is there a reason you're blushing, my sweet" Astarion insinuates, accompanied with a smirk. He feels as you tense up slightly in his arms at the realisation that your cheeks have grown a fiery red.

"Amused, are we" you sneer, looking away from him, the heat in your face only growing stronger.

"Now now, I'm only teasing dear" he snickers, and you smack him on the shoulder lightly as you giggle out of embarrassment.

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The party began to settle down a little, a few Teiflings still dancing and others talking about whatever they could come up with.

Astarion had told you he would seek you out after a few minutes with a drink, but he never showed up. You could see him in the distance, drinking away on his own, guess he got too rallied up in the different sorts of alcohol.

You decide to not approach the vampire, but instead take some time to yourself and walk round the hall.

You linger around before facing a little corner through a door, you peak your head around to see not a single person in there so you happily walk in a sit yourself on a beautiful red velvet couch with gold edges.

Bookshelves filled all the walls and you lean over to graze your finger along the spines of all of the hardback books, pulling some out to read and flick through.

You jump at the sound of loud footsteps and humming coming from the entrance, only for it to be Astarion looking rather swoon.

"Ah there you are, was about to think you pulled a little Cinderella trick on me" he said, setting himself on the couch with you.

"I just wanted to get away from everyone, you know"

Astarion nods, looking around the room before resting his arm on the back of the couch, you in front.

You could smell the pungent stench of alcoholic making its feature from his breath.

"Astarion, how much have you had to drink tonight" you ask softly, trying not to get him riled up.

"Well I mean, I haven't had a good drink in a while...can you blame me for getting carried away?" His words are slurred and he leans into you and you lean away, holding your breath slightly.

"It's getting late, we should gather the others and make our way back to camp"

"It's not THAT late" he begins to whine, acting as though he was an 8 year old being told it was bedtime.

You lift yourself off of the couch and pull Astarion up with you, taking his hand and leading him out of the little secluded room you found.

He followed you to wherever you wished.

"Awh, has he finally come clean?" Gale says as you approach him, looking at the way you held his hand.

"Hm? About what?"

He hissed at himself as though he had dodged a bullet, "never mind, I'm guessing it's time to leave, don't worry I'll find everyone" Gale smiles, he was the only other one who hadn't had a lot to drink tonight.

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1383 words