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Halsin was a pleasant person. He was jovial, full of life and energy that Naira loved to share. Like two peas in a pod, the two of them slotted together smoothly and completely. They spent hours at a time together, Naira listening to the stories of his circle and learning new, more advanced spells. Halsin was more than willing to help her deepening her understandings of the teachings of Silvanus. He was a few hundred years older than her and had much to teach as a first druid.
Astarion hated the bastard. He was big, loud, and kept getting in his way. Wherever he went, Halsin just had to be there, harassing Naira with stupid flowers he had found in the woods around them, and telling her about their properties and qualities. Or helping her with her readings or teaching her new spells. He was everywhere and it was absolutely infuriating.
And he hated him even more when on one night, Halsin got handsy. He placed his gross paws on her waist in order to show her a stance for a new spell. The piece of paper held in Astarion’s hand crumpled into shreds as he stared at the two on the other side of the camp. There was no need to do such things in public where he could see.
But somehow the thought of him touching her alone made him even angrier.
“Like this,” he heard Halsin say. “Dig your feet into the ground and look up,” he reached one hand to her chin and tilted it up. “That’s right, good,”
Astarion’s blood boiled.
As Astarion drilled holes into the druid with his eyes, he heard something else. A snort. His eyes shot to his left, where Shadowheart stood, lips pressed tightly together in order to supress a laugh.
“No, no, no, don’t mind me. Carry on. You looked like you were about to pop a blood vessel, if that’s even possible,”
“What are you talking about?” he tried to play off.
Shadowheart rolled her eyes. “At least Gale is less obvious with his pining. You? Entertainingly obvious. Its hilarious. Halsin has a very hands on approach. Can’t say I blame him. At least he’s getting places,”
“You feel it? It’s right there for you,” they heard Halsin speak. Astarion’s eyes flashed to the two. Naira’s hands were lifted to the heavens now, circling arond as if wrapping her hands with string. Halsin’s hands were still on her waist. Astarion’s jaw clenched.
Shadowheart snorted again. “Fine… I guess I could throw you a bone. The mutt is missing. Haven’t seen him in… three hours,” she turned on her heel and walked away.
“What?” he watched her walk away for a few seconds before he realized what he could do with this information. “Oh…”
What did he care? If Naira wanted to let some imbecile grope her in public, all the better. Astarion and her never said they were exclusive, and she wasn’t even that special. He’s had better, prettier people before. She wasn’t anything to write home about, most certainly nothing to fight over with a man that can turn into a bear.
Astarion tilted his head.
From where he stood, he saw her profile. She had tattoos on her face, very faint. She said they were ‘beast markings’, whatever in the world that was.
And that is where the problem arose. He really, really wanted to know what they meant. What they were, when did she get them, why did she get them, who did them. Astarion has had a man covered from head to toe with tattoos of different styles, colours, and most certainly origins. Astarion never asked about them. He’s been with a Tiefling who had the wildest horns he’s ever seen, yet he never asked them about them.
Yet her? He wanted to hear her talk. Open her mouth, make words come out, and actually take in what the sounds mean. It was frightening.
Which was just another reason why he should just… back down. Let her have the druid, if she wants him so bad. He cannot afford to get attached to the woman. Things will become complicated if he kept listening to her talk.
“Keep going. You’re nearly there, I can feel it,” Halsin muttered in her ear.
Astarion’s insides wretched, and as if he was a little wound up toy solider, he quickly made his way towards the two druids. He heard a hushed ‘finally’ from Shadowheart’s direction.
The two druids didn’t acknowledge him as he stood a few feet away from the two. He cleared his throat.
“Sorry to… interrupt whatever this is-“
“Can it wait, Astarion?” she didn’t remove her eyes from the dark sky. “I’m so close…” the last words were whispered. HE doesn’t think she realized how delicious words like that sounded. He felt his frustration strengthen as Halsin seemed to grip her harder. Astarion swallowed the anger he felt bubbling in his throat, before clearing it again.
Halsin spoke before Astarion could. “She needs to concentrate,”
Astarion pressed his lips tightly together and nodded stiffly. “Well then… I’m sure the dog will fend well enough for itself,”
Her concentration scattered, and whatever light had been looping around her fingers dissipated. “What?” she turned to him.
“No! You nearly had it,” one of Halsin’s hands fell away, and the other stayed at the small of Naira’s back as she turned to face Astarion.
“The mutt is missing. Haven’t seen him in a while now,” to be perfectly honest, Astarion had no idea the dog went missing. He was too preoccupied watching his friend be harassed. He was doing her a favour.
“Oh no…” Her hand rubbed one another nervously. “Scratch! Scratch, where are you!” she called out into the night, stepping away from Halsin’s hand.
Astarion finally felt relief.
“He cannot have gone far. I’ll help you look,” Halsin volunteered.
“Oh, thank you,” She turns to him. “The poor boy has been through enough already. If anything happens to him…”
“I’m sure he’s alright,” Halsin reassured, putting a hand on her shoulder.
What is it with the touching?! Are all druids this disgustingly touchy? Is this a thing?!
She placed her hand atop Halsin’s on her shoulder. She pointed towards the leftward side of the camp, where it stretches out into the forest. “you take that side, Halsin. I saw some dens that way, maybe he’s in trouble. Astarion and I will take the other, behind the ruin. There used to be old bear traps there, but I disarmed them. I’d hate to think someone reset them…”
Astarion would be lying if he said that the he didn’t feel a ‘suck on that, bear-man’ swell in his chest, as the tall druid nodded once, and turned away, heading where she had instructed.
Naira walked quickly towards the opposite direction, shaking her head. “Gods how could I have noticed? My little Scratch…” She beelined her way into the woods behind the ruins.
“Well, you seemed to be especially… enthralled with Halsin tonight,” he followed her closely, heading into the woods.
“I was so close too… He tried to teach me Moonlight. It’s a powerful spell, but it requires concentration. A lot of it. I don’t think I have that much in me,”
“I’m sure he won’t mind showing you again,” there was a little more venom in that than regular.
Naira looked around the forest and called the dogs name. they headed a few hundred feet into the woods before she spoke again. “It’s just frustrating, not getting to finish,”
Astarion rolled his eyes. “I’m sure spells isn’t the only thing he’d fail to help you finish with,”
She paused. “Oh! You’re right! We never got around to that purple flower he had pressed. We were supposed to finish that together,”
Astarion is starting to lose hope.
“You know he wants to fuck you, right?” apparently straightforward was the only way to go.
“Oh yeah. Obviously. Have you seen him?” she smiled. “Scratch! Come here, where are you!”
Astarion sputtered. “You-”
“I don’t enjoy his advances, as flattering as it is. What I do enjoy is that fact that him sniffing around me like a dog is driving. You. Mad,” she spoke, emphasizing. She smiled cheekily.
Astarion stopped walking, and just stood there. “So, what? You’re just playing with him? Letting him jump hoops around you for… what?”
“No, I’m not playing with him. I’m playing with you, silly. Scratch!” she called again.
His mouth, open in shock, opened and closed. HE didn’t know she was such a tease. And he most certainly didn’t like being a part of her little teasing game. Yet… there was a certain relief to it. He was still at the centre of her little play. Still the one she thought of when with another. It made him… feel.
He was on her in a second, pressing her back against the tree. She yelped at the sudden impact. He slammed his lips against hers.
“I will drain every last drop of your insolence out of you,” he hissed at her.
She giggled, dimples showing, eyes squinting and nose scrunching. As well as heart warming. “Oh, will you now?” She teased.
He finally smiled, seeing the glimmer in her eyes and the beautiful smile on her lips. “You cruel, cruel woman…” his lips neared hers as he whispered.
There was a flutter of wings, as a raven sat next to them on the ground, before it turned to man. Halsin stood but a few feet away from the couple. Naira didn’t push Astarion off of her, and the man made no effort to move either.
Halsin eyed Naira first, ensuring she was not distressed. He spoke; “The dog is safe. He was digging in a fox hole,”
Naira sighed in relief. “Thank the gods, I don’t know what I would have done if the poor boy was hurt,”
“Hm. I’m glad he’s okay too,” Halsin spoke, sombrely. He stood there awkwardly for a few seconds before Astarion chuckled.
“Do I have to spell it out for you, bear man? Shoo,” he waved him off with one hand, the other on her waist where Halsin’s was less than fifteen minutes ago. “She needs to concentrate,” Astarion spat the words back at him.
Halsin frowned, eyes falling to Naira. She said nothing, but smiled bashfully, looking to the ground. His frown deepened, before turning back into a raven and flying off. Opposite direction of camp.
“Look at you, breaking hearts left and right,” he kissed her.
“You’re mean,” she said, pulling away from his mouth.
“What? Me? Absolutely,” he teased her neck with his tongue, and felt her shiver deliciously beneath him. “Want me to show you just how mean I can get?”
“What does that include?”
“There was a lot of talk about not finishing tonight…” he spoke, as he fell to his knees, and began unbuttoning her pants.
“Oh, please play nice,”
He scoffed. “I can do a lot of things,” He lowered her trousers, slipping one leg out of them. “That is not one of them,” he placed her knee over his shoulder. He paused, then kissed her thigh. “Tell me about your tattoo,”
She looked down at him, flushed. “Now?!”
He shrugged. “Now if you can, later if you must,” he went to work.