Chapter Text
While the bedroll wasn't exactly a bed of the softest feathers, sleeping under the stars was better than sleeping with the rats.
Astarion glances up at the stars as he lays on his bedroll. How long had it been since he was able to just relax and admire the stars, glistening in the night sky without the feeling of dread weighing on him? It was a new feeling... a feeling he hoped would last for a life time, but the feeling of uncertainty would still be present for the time being.
He shifts on his bedroll to look over his traveling companions. Seeing Laezel clutching onto a sleeping knife as she snoozed. Kaarlach sleeping on her side with her teddy bear snug in her arms. Gale falling asleep with a book resting on his chest. Both Wyll and Halsin had drifted off and was sleeping with the darling little owl bear cub nestled close.
One by one he saw them drift off to slumber. Then his eyes then finally rested upon Rosetta sleeping on her bedroll with Scratch close by. Her arm resting over her eyes and a hand over her stomach.
His line of vision lazily drifted over her sleeping freckled face and the feint scar marked across it, to her red auburn hair with some strands of curls loose from her braid, and landing his eyes on the bite mark between her neck and shoulder from the previous feeding.
...What an odd dwarf...
He thought.
Even when Poppy already knew who he was, through unconventional means, she never seem to fear him. Then again, how could she when she could somehow easily knee him off of her when he got overeager with his first feeding?
For a dwarf that was only tall enough to reach his midsection, she could pack a punch. To make things even more odd, she even offered to let him drain her blood when the hunger arised. Though she held the threat of not hesitating to shove a garlic bulb into his mouth if he ever went overboard with the established boundaries between them. Astarion himself didn't even know if the myth of garlic being a natural deterrent for vampires even worked, but he wasn't going to risk it to avoid having such horrendous odor of garlic linger with him.
I didn't even have to seduce her to let me feed.
Is this her just being... nice?
How absurd... no one does anything out of the "goodness of their heart"...
Hmph. It'll be a cold day in the seven hells if I ever fall for a stubborn short stack.
Astarion lets out a grunt as he turns to lay in his back. He then closes his eyes and lets himself get lost into the trance and lets his thoughts slowly drift away from his mind.
Rosseta was asleep when Scratch trotted over to her and leaned down next to her to lick her face. Prompting her to wake up to the smell and slimy feeling of dog breath on her cheek.
Letting out a cough and sat up on her bedroll to get Scratch to stop and wipe off the dog drool from her face and side chops.her voice drowsy from her sleep being interrupted.
"Ack! What was that for Scratch? Last I checked you were already fed before going to bed."
Scratch whined and laid his head down as if to apologize. Poppy petted his head to show that he was forgiven.
She looks about to see that it was still the middle of night and everyone seemed to be sleeping peacefully with the fire still crackling. Though when her eyes landed on Astarion, she saw him fidgeting and turning in his sleep. Along with murmuring a few words she could barely make out.
Her curiosity and concern took over the want to go back to sleep as she got up from her bedroll and walked quietly over to where he laid.
"..no....please no..."
He whimpered as he was lost in his dreams.
The moment she heard those words and the sound of fear in his voice, her heart sank. Rosetta kneeled down next to him and ,with her knowledge, limited to when she would wake up her child from a nightmare and soothe them back to sleep, she kneeled down next to him and she spoke to him softly as she rubbed his arm gently.
Hoping her attempts would work. This was the same vampire elf that would make sarcastic remarks on her height and would make it known when he disapproved of her being helpful towards those she couldn't bring herself to ignore.
Scoffing at her actions as if it were useless and a waste of time. But he was also, in a very peculiar way for an undead elf, a living being. A living being that was now scared and being plagued by nightmares. All she could do now was hope for the best and wake him up.
If he were to have a living heart again it would be beating frantically out of his chest as he relived the same damned dream.
"You thought you could run away from me, boy?"
Instead of standing around like a lost dog waiting for his master to show himself, he took a breath and pushed himself to run through the dark forest.
"Don't you DARE run from me, Astarion!!"
He hears his name echo within the dark forest as he runs away from Cazador like the frightened dog he was. His mind frantically trying to find refuge despite knowing he couldn't escape his punishment his own dreams.
Everything blurred around him as he ran and was caught off guard as a dead root protuding out of the ground snagged his foot. Falling to the dirt ground with a thud. His arms and clothes covered in the wet soil with leaves scattered about.
He tries to scramble back up but his entire body to freezes when he looks up to see Cazador right in front of him. Astarion pants and tries to hold back his sobs as he looks down at the ground to let the horrid dream carry on. His throat tightening like a chain around his neck and hot tears daring to spill over.
Though the dream itself seemed to change when he heared a muffled voice calling his name. His ears perk up and opens his eyes wide when he hears the familiar voice. Not one of Cazador, but someone else entirely...
Astarion?... Astarion wake up...
Rosetta?
With that, he was able to finally wake up, jolting up from his bedroll in a cold sweat and trying to catch his breath. He woke up to find Rosetta kneeling next to him and looking a bit startled from his sudden awakening, and yet those brown eyes looked at him filled with concern for his well being.
"It's ok, Astarion... it's ok..."
She spoke softly and rubbed the side of his arm. Usually he would scoff at such kind words and play it off with the usual sarcasm.
Not for tonight though. Not tonight... For tonight, he'll let himself be vulnerable as tears fell from his eyes and his breathing hitched. Without a second thought he hugged her close, letting himself cry quietly into her shoulder.
As Poppy held him back in a warm, comforting embrace he broke down into heaving sobs. Astarion cried long into the night and tightned her hold on her out of fear of being left alone. Poppy stayed with him thoughout the night and repeated the same words over and over and letting a few tears escape her.
Eventually, he drifted off to sleep, though he kept her in his arms with his head resting on her shoulder as they both laid on the bedroll. Poppy let out a huff of breath feeling relieved to see him sleeping peacefully now. As she tried to get up and go back to her spot, Astarion muttered in his sleep and held her closer.
Despite being too close for comfort, Poppy couldn't bring herself to leave him alone now seeing how he didn't her to leave. Taking into account how the nightmares might come back.
"Just for tonight..."
She thought as she fell asleep. The only sounds being heard now were the quiet nightlife, Astarion's shallow breathing, and Rosetta's gentle heart beat lulling him to sleep.