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

10

You wake up to find yourself lying on a bedroll, your head throbbing. You tried to sit up, but strong hands held you down, and found yourself staring into Astarion's eyes, the very source of your current discomfort.

He was smiling, the sharp edges of his teeth clearly visible. "Awake at last, my dear?" he purred. "How do you feel?"

Your vision was clouded and you clutched your head, trying to make sense of your surroundings.

You weren't lying beside the others around the fire, but under Astarions tent, your own little fire lit up beside you.

He quickly walks over to you with a bowl of suspicious looking meat. The smell made your stomach growl loudly.

"Hungry?" Astarion asked, noticing your reaction. "I managed to hunt down some rabbits while you were out. Here, take some." He handed you the hunk of meat and offered a knife to cut it with.

You looked at the meat curiously. It was the first time you had ever tasted rabbit, but the hungry look in your eyes made Astarion feel uncomfortable.

"Do not waste it," he warned. "This hunt wasn't easy" he sighed.

Despite his warning, you ate quickly, devouring the meat in a matter of seconds. As you licked your fingers, your mind started to clear, and you began to remember what had happened the night before.

As you sat there, you realised that your clothes were different. Instead of the usual dress you wore, you were now encased in soft silk, a robe that felt like a warm embrace. It was as if you were wearing a second skin, and the sensation was both unsettling and exhilarating. When you looked back up, you saw Astarion sitting across from you, a small smile playing at the corners of his lips.

"What?" You asked, feeling self-conscious.

"You look beautiful," Astarion murmured, his voice low and husky. "I couldn't bear to see you wearing that blood soaked dress any longer, and besides the others would've gone ballistic."

You felt a rush of heat flood to your face. The unexpected compliment made you feel simultaneously flattered and awkward. Not knowing what to say, you reached for another slice of meat, hoping that it would help regain your composure. But before you could take a bite, Astarion spoke again, his voice dripping with mockery. "Hungry? I'm sure you are."

You looked up, feeling your face grow hot once more. You saw the teasing glint in his eyes and immediately understood what he was suggesting—that you were nothing more than a mindless beast from the sea, driven by primal instincts.

"How dare you speak to me that way," you hissed, your voice barely more than a whisper. "I am not some animal to be mocked, and I will not sit here and be treated like a joke."

Astarion looked at you, surprised. He had not expected you to react with such anger, and for a moment he thought you might actually walk away from him. But as he watched, your shoulders sagged and the fire in your eyes faded, replaced by a look of vulnerability that he had never seen before.

And for the first time, he felt a strange sensation in his chest, a warmth that spread through his body and made him feel like he might actually care for this woman after all, even though he didn't quite understand how or why.

"Gods, I'm so sorry, I-I don't know what came over me..." you whispered, visibly embarrassed and ashamed and you sit back down with wide eyes, covering part of your face with your hands as they shook against your skin.

You figured it was because of the loss of blood you had that took a toll on you, and you calmed yourself down with a few breaths.

The silence was broken by a faint cracking noise as the wood in the fire began to roar , sending tongues of orangey-red flames climbing up into the moonlit sky. For a moment, it was the only sound, until Astarion spoke, his voice soft.

"I didn't mean to offend you," he said quietly. "I was simply trying to make light of a difficult situation. You see, I...I..."

He hesitated, his mind searching for the right words. He had never had to explain himself before, not to anyone, not even his own kind. But there was something about you that made him want to confess everything, to share the secrets he had kept for so long with someone who looked at him without real fear or hatred.

Taking a deep breath, he continued. "I am not used to being around sirens, let alone ones like you. The hunger I feel for your blood is unlike anything I have ever tasted before. It is overwhelming, all-consuming...and yet, with you, it is different."

His voice trailed off, and he looked away, his fingers fidgeting with the hem of his robes. You noticed the gesture and reached out to take his hand.

"It's okay," you said softly, your voice breaking the tension between the two of you. "We all have secrets, and I promise not to judge you for yours."

Astarion looked at you, surprised by your immediate compassion. He had never been shown such kindness before, and it made all the memories of the things he had done to survive feel like they were weighing him down.

"Thank you," he whispered, his voice barely above a whisper. "But you don't know what I've done. I'm not a good person...not anymore."

You shook your head.

"That doesn't matter," your voice steady. "All that matters is the person you are now. And I think that person is worth getting to know."

Astarions eyes filled with wonder. For the first time in his long, long life, he felt as if he belonged somewhere, as if he had found a place where he could finally be himself.

As your words sunk in, Astarion could feel a weight lifting from his shoulders. He had spent so many years hiding his true self, burying his secrets deep within his soul. But now, for the first time, he felt as if he could finally be honest with someone, to truly let them in.

But as he started to speak, he realized that he had revealed too much, too quickly. The thought of you knowing his secrets, of you looking at him with disgust or fear, was almost too much to bear.

He stammered, his voice catching in his throat. "I'm—I'm sorry. I didn't mean to burden you with my problems"

You looked at him, sensing his sudden shift in mood. The fear in his eyes broke your heart, and to think you might of caused it.

You place a hand on his arm. "You don't have to talk about anything you're not comfortable with. But know that you can trust me with anything."

Astarions eyes ran across your face, his eyes searching for any hint of ulterior motive. But all he saw was sincerity, the same sincerity that he had grown to admire in you.

"Thank you," he said, his voice just above a whisper. "That means more to me than I can say."

——————————

1207 words

Omg me putting out a chapter a day after the last is a miracle I'm so proud of myself aaahhh