Laid Out Traps

Spare a place on the tag list, my lord 🤲

yes, for sure!! i’m sorry it’s taking me so long to update, i’ll post soon i promised <3

omg… could we get an astarion x reader where the reader is gale’s apprentice? she’s extremely studious and focused on her learning of magic (as gale teaches her to be) and because gale took her on as a young girl she’s never had her first kiss (much less her first time) bc she’s been so focused on her academics… mwahahahahah 😈

notes: reader’s gender isn’t mentioned, but Astarion does call you “little”! (Edit; part 2)

rating: M

words: 1.8k

pairing: astarion x reader

Taglist: bg3 Taglist: @ghosti02art @sadandanxiouswtf @yeethaw13 (let me know if you want to be added!)

“We hope to see you soon!” calls the cashier from behind the desk, waving amicably as you leave with your arms laden with scrolls and books. You manage a smile over your shoulder, no hand free to return the kind gesture.

“I’m sure you will!” you reply. This is true. Gale has probably spent a small fortune at Sorcerous Sundries, and - with the amount of time he’s been spending with Tav recently - supply runs have fallen to you. Not that you particularly mind. It’s nice to get into the city and get away from your mentor and the de facto leader of your group making heart eyes at each other from across the camp. It’s wonderful that he’s found someone (gods know that he deserves it after all that Mystra business) but he doesn’t have to be so bloody nauseating about it.

You wait for a cart to pass, readjust your hold on the pile, and head across the road. You’re so lost in your own thoughts that you don’t hear your name being called for a second and barrel on ahead - it’s only when you become aware of footsteps approaching that you turn.

Astarion isn’t jogging to catch you, exactly. He’s far too precious for that. But he has increased his speed to close the gap, that little smile on his face which you know can only spell trouble.

“Well, fancy running into you, my dear. Isn’t chance a fine thing?” he purrs. You raise an eyebrow.

“What, you fortuitously meeting me at the only store I ever seem to go to?”

He doesn't reply to that, instead putting a hand on his hip and cocking his head.

“It can be dangerous for a little thing like you to walk around a big city alone. Never know who might take advantage.”

He flashes his fangs with his smile, and you swear your cheeks don’t start to burn.

“I know the route back to camp perfectly well…”

“Oh, so you won’t mind if I join you then? Let me help with those books, they seem to be rather precariously perched.”

You take a moment to look him over. He’s got muscle, of course, you’ve seen him with his shirt off at camp, but you’re certain it’s all for show – you are definitely stronger than he is. Being Gale’s glorified pack mule means you have to be. But, suppressing a smile, you press half of your haul into the elf’s waiting arms and chuckle when he stumbles under the unexpected weight.

“You could suggest to your mentor that he gets into a little more light reading,” he mutters, and that makes you laugh properly. He seems pleased with himself for that. Well, more pleased with himself than he usually is, anyway - so you find yourself walking through the city streets with his company. 

And it’s… nice. You’ve never been sure what to make of Astarion. He’s a bit too cunning for your usual taste in companion, but there can be no doubt that he’s competent. He travels the city streets with a familiar ease, and when he goes to turn down an alleyway mid-conversation, you almost follow him without thinking.

Almost.

“The thing is I’m sure he eats them, but – what are you doing back there? Keep up, I won’t wait for you,” he says, waiting for you. You shuffle awkwardly, and he reads your face without you having to say a word.

“Come now, I’m not going to bite you. Not unless you want me to,” there’s that damned grin again. You harrumph, knowing full well that’s exactly why you hesitated, but not wanting to show weakness in front of him. Nothing that he can use against you. You scuttle along until you make up the distance, and fall back in step.

Soon it’s just the two of you. The city noise dies down and the sound of your boots echoes in tandem with his. He has you completely alone. He could do whatever he wanted with you. You know he wouldn’t, of course, but… you’d be lying if you said the idea didn’t thrill you, just a tiny bit.

Astarion lets out a laugh.

“Your blood’s started pumping faster. Tell me, little mage, is something making your heart pound?”

Oh, right. Vampire. The bastard is uncannily attuned to these things.

“No!” you say, quickly, but there’s not much fire behind it, no real sincerity. His lip quirks. 

“I’ve seen the way you look at me, you know. It’s alright to feel desire. Gale doesn’t seem to take very good care of you, after all…”

That makes you stick your tongue out and gag. You totally ignore the first part of that sentence and spit:

“Eurgh, Gale? Absolutely not! He’s like my brother. We’ve known each other since… well, for as long as I can remember, honestly,” you say. And it’s true. You love him, of course, but not like that. Maybe you’re a bit jealous of Tav but only because they’re taking up so much of his time. You’re desperate to have another magic lesson. It feels like it’s been ages since he’s taught you anything, and you’ve been somewhat demoted to his personal assistant rather than his student. You can’t be too upset, though. He does have that tadpole in his head, so things are probably a lot more pressing to him than teaching you how to properly refine your Fireball spell. 

Astarion sees how introspective you’ve become. You have a habit of chewing on your lip when you’re lost in thought, and he’s become quite partial to it. It’s… sweet. Secretly he’s become quite partial to you. You’re endearing, bullheadedly stubborn, but sincere and enthusiastic. A bright spark in a dark world and he is drawn to you, whether he wants to be or not. 

He’s harbouring something for you, and doesn’t quite want to admit what that might be. So he teases. 

“You really do take up all of your time with studying, don’t you?”

You shrug as much as you can beneath your armful of books. 

“Wouldn’t you, if you had the best tutor around? Wouldn’t you want to learn every single thing you possibly could?”

“All that time squirrelled away over a spell book. I wonder if you’ve ever even been kissed.”

You stop dead. Ah, he thinks. Got you. 

“I don’t see how that’s any of your business,” you snap, but you know your voice wobbles a little. A bit of a sore spot if you’re honest. Seeing Gale and Tav has made you realise that, actually, maybe there is something you long for. Something more. 

“Ahh, so you haven’t. There’s no shame in that, little mage.”

Your cheeks are burning. You can’t look him in the eye. Thank the gods the two of you are alone, you wouldn’t want anyone to see you so flabbergasted. 

“I’m… you’re…” you struggle to find words to adequately express how you feel. Furious. Embarrassed? A whole tide of things all at once, rooting you to the ground. 

He walks closer. If he was living, you’d be able to feel the heat coming off of him. He puts his pile of books on the top of a part-built wall, then takes yours to do the same. You don’t resist. 

“Would you like to be kissed?”

You manage to drag your eyes up from the ground to meet his gaze, searching it for any hint of insincerity. He is teasing you, a bit, but… his eyes are surprisingly soft. 

He means it. 

And before you can think it over, you nod. 

His lips are soft. Far softer than you expected for a vampire. His kiss gently presses your mouth open, allowing for a lithe and curious swipe of his tongue. You eagerly accept it, voice catching in your throat a little in a half-rendered moan. 

He tastes like mint. It’s fresh. It’s sweet. 

You want more. 

Carefully you put a hand on either one of his biceps, a gentle test of the muscle there. It might be only for show, but it’s firm enough for you to enjoy how it feels in your grip. You sense him smile against your mouth and deepen the kiss, running his fingers up the length of your arm until he can cup your face; grip the back of your head.

When he walks you back to press up against the alleyway wall, you trust him; and when he hooks your collar down with a single long finger, exposing your neck, that half-moan comes back with full force. 

“That’s it,” he sighs, feather-light, “let me hear you, you sweet thing.”

His mouth leaves yours in order to kiss a long line down your jugular. His teeth ghost the skin there, but he never threatens to bite. 

Not unless you want me to. 

You find yourself trusting him absolutely. His tongue flicks against your pulse and you thrust your hips forward inadvertently. It’s an impulse. An instinct. But it has an impact, and you hear Astarion catch his breath just a bit. 

“Where have you been hiding all this?” he asks, gravel filling his voice as you thread your fingers into his hair. 

“Maybe you never gave me a reason to show it to you.”

He seems to like that answer, so when he slips his leg between yours, presses his thigh up to your sex… gods, you start to rock against him without a second thought. 

It’s good. It feels good. Good in a way only your own hands have ever made you feel, late at night, beneath your bedroll with fucking Astarion, Astarion, Astarion running through your head. 

“Look at you. All desperate for me. What do you want me to do, little mage? Where do you want me to touch?”

You take his hand and guide it down your body, yes gods yes to the apex of your legs, and —

Greetings! Hope I’m not catching you at a bad moment, but need those books at camp ASAP. Do let me know when you’ll be back!

Gale’s Sending is like a cold bucket of ice through your body, and you freeze under Astarion’s ministrations. The moment is utterly shattered. A hand on his chest moves him away and he acquiesces, confused but not pushing back. 

“Hello Gale,” you sigh out loud, letting the elf know the reason for the interruption. “Will be back as soon as possible. Not too far from the camp now. Sorry for the delay. Got a little… held up.”

And then you’re just standing there. In an alley. With Astarion. And you feel very silly all of a sudden, very small. Once again your eyes drop to the floor and you start grabbing the books, quickly, anything to distract you from how humiliated you feel. You’re not sure if it’s because you let yourself give into him so easily or if it’s because you didn’t want him to stop — and you’re a bit terrified at how far you’d have let him go. 

“I’ll see you at camp,” you manage to stutter out, before practically running away. 

Astarion watches you go. Your departure stings. 

Work Distractions…

GIF Time again! Another Caitvi one HEHEHE …

sorry if it’s a little janky, procreate was making this an evil experience :<

If you use anywhere, please credit ^^

I do feel judgement from Shadowheart having to cast lesser restoration after every long rest, even if she doesn’t say it.

Fiery Familiarity - Prologue

hey y’all! i haven’t written anything in a couple years, so please be kind if my writing isn’t the best. this is going to be a multiple part series about secret firebender reader and their adventures with the gaang (and eventually zuko), so let me know if you’re interested in the premise. words: ~ 1.1k

part 1 | part 2 | part 3 | part 4

When you were younger, things seemed so much easier. Before all the weight of the world came crashing down. Growing up a noble in the fire nation had its perks, especially when your father was one of Fire Lord Ozai’s commanders. You spent a lot of time visiting the palace. While your father sat in what you thought were boring meetings, you got to run around and explore. Fire Lady Ursa was always so kind to you, it was hard not to enjoy your time there.

“Now, remember to be gentle, Zuko,” you heard a voice saying to the young prince. You peeked out from behind a pillar, watching as Lady Ursa knelt with Prince Zuko. They were crouched in front of a pond, though you couldn’t quite see what they were doing.

You crept a little closer, trying to lean forward enough to catch a glimpse. This, however, only ended in you stumbling over yourself. You whined quietly, causing Ursa and Zuko to turn at the sound. You scrambled to your feet, bowing to them with an apology. No matter how kind she was, Lady Ursa was still a ruler of the fire nation.

“No need to apologize, my dear.” Ursa hummed, giving you a smile. She looked down at Zuko, giving an almost teasing grin. “Zuko, is there something you’d like to ask your friend?”

Zuko’s head whipped up to glare at his mother, a flushed pout on his face. He grumbled something before turning to you, eyes not quite meeting yours. “Would you like to feed the turtle ducks with us?”

Your eyes lit up, “okay!” You ran to sit beside Zuko, smiling when he handed you half of his loaf of bread. You sat side by side, chatting and laughing happily as you watched the turtle ducks paddle their little feet to get the bread. You were both so caught up that you failed to notice the way Lady Ursa’s smile faded as she watched as the commanders came out of the meeting.

“Come now children, I believe the meeting is over. It would be best if your friend gets back to their father. Run along now my dear, I’m sure you can feed the turtle ducks together again some other day.” Ursa placed a hand on your back, gently nudging you in the direction of your waiting father.

You heard Ursa’s voice whispering before Zuko spoke, “b-bye Y/n. I hope to see you again soon.” His head dipped in a polite nod, a shy smile on his face.

You let out a giggle at his awkward disposition, giving a wide wave as you ran toward your father. You couldn’t hide your smile as you walked toward the palace entrance. You threw one last look over your shoulder, watching as a flushed Zuko said something to his mother before he disappeared from view.

The next time you were at the palace, it wasn’t as pleasant as the last few times. You’d been busy feeding turtle ducks, practicing firebending, and running through the yards with Zuko. This time, the meeting was going to run into the late hours of the night, so Lady Ursa offered to let you stay in one of the spare rooms of the palace. Your father gratefully accepted, urging you to behave yourself and not cause trouble any trouble. You promised you would, taking your time to run and explore the palace. You had never truly realized how huge it was.

You took extra care to avoid Azula and her “friends.” Truth be told, you’d never been much of a fan, you saw the way she treated others and how little she seemed to value the life of other beings. Plus, you loved the turtle ducks too much to respect her after you saw the way she threw things at them.

You ran through room after room, giggling to yourself as you looked at all the stuffy old people in the portrait room. You made faces, mocking them as you rushed to the next room. You hadn’t realized where you were until you stumbled into a small alcove. You could hear voices coming from just beyond the wall.

“There’s an Earth village here, they have abundant coal mines. If we were to take over their village, we could use those mines to power our ships, Fire Lord Ozai.”

Another man chimed in, “they have earthbenders at the ready, but they are no match for the might of your armies. If you would allow me, Fire Lord, I would be honored to lead our warriors to victory for you.”

You heard murmured agreement before the Fire Lord’s booming voice reached you. “Very well, Commander Takei. You will lead our troops to overpower their forces and take control of their village. I will leave it in your capable hands.”

You could hear the grin in his voice when the commander spoke, “Should they resist, we will cut them down like the scum they are. Any who survive will be put to work in those very mines.”

You had heard enough. How could your father just sit back and agree to this? All those people… They were going to be killed, cut down and enslaved just for their resources? Why couldn’t they just ask to share them, or at least make a deal? Your father had always refused to tell you what he did during those meetings. You had heard stories of the war and what the fire nation had done to the other nations. You never liked them, you thought they were just dramatics meant to entertain the children and reinforce how powerful the nation was.

You could feel yourself beginning to panic, fear clawing its way up your throat as you stumbled through the halls. You had to find your room, you had to get out of here. You couldn’t stay with people who would do things like this. You loved your father, but you couldn’t stand by and watch this happen.

As soon as you reached your room, you began packing your bag. You shoved as much as you could into it, realizing you’d need food if you were going to make it anywhere. You waited until dark before you crept into the kitchen, packing a small bag of food. Just enough that they wouldn’t notice, but it would at least last you a few days. You tucked it into your belt, peeking out the door. You began to sneak out but caught sight of someone.

It was Zuko, you could only assume he was out for a midnight snack. You could tell he saw you, even with his eyes bleary from sleep. They widened slightly, and you ducked down another hall. Just before you left, you heard a voice call out.

“Y/n?”

You couldn’t help the tears that fell as you rushed out into the night.

mic is accepting things

Hey everyone, I know it's going to be a busy day for a lot of people, but Google enrolled everyone over 18 into their AI program automatically.

If you have a google account, first go to gemini.google.com/extensions and turn everything off.

Then you need to go to myactivity.google.com/product/gemini and turn off all Gemini activity tracking. You do have to do them in that order to make sure it works.

Honestly, I'm not sure how long this will last, but this should keep Gemini off your projects for a bit.

I saw this over on bluesky and figured it would be good to spread on here. It only takes a few minutes to do.

Heavy are the hips...

Some Genshin Impact girls I drew!~

| More artworks |

Check out my ongoing comic Crow Time. It has crows, and also neat pantheons of epic beasties.