Work Text:
“I hate to be a burden but I must leave the party for a night,” Gale said rubbing the back of his neck with his hand. “There is something I must do before I can continue with you all.”
Your brows furrowed but you couldn’t argue with him. Everyone in the party had their reasons for joining, and if you were all going to continue together a little flexibility was needed. Gale didn’t need to remind you how your quest impacted the party.
“And I have just one other ask…” Gale looked sheepish, “Do you have any more magical items?”
Now you frowned suspiciously at him, “But I just gave you a magical item an hour ago.”
“Yes, well…” the wizard couldn’t meet your gaze directly. “This is more of a travel snack, for later. In case that arcane hunger returns before I can get back to you.”
You tried hard not to roll your eyes at Gale. You didn’t want to accuse him of hoarding magical items. You had seen how he was affected by this arcane hunger he traded for his magical powers. It completely debilitated him. Perhaps you could see this as an investment in the future success of your party.
You absently patted at your utility belt and pouch to see if there was anything you could offer him, but the only magical item left was your gloves of power. You had picked those up early in your quest and were rather attached to them. But it was silly to be attached to a part of gloves when someone needed them to survive.
With a sigh, you handed over your gloves. “Just be sure that you meet up with us as soon as your…quest is complete.”
Gale looked gleeful as he tucked your gloves into his pouch. “I’ll be back as soon as I can. Now I’ll just make my final preparations and be back before you know it.”
You turned back to head back to camp, kicking rocks as you tried not to think about your lost gloves.
“Something troubling you?” Astarion’s voice started you as he appeared from behind a tree.
“It’s nothing,” you said rolling a rock under the toe of your shoe.
“Is this about Gale leaving?” Astarion sounded a little crestfallen. “He’ll be back before you have a chance to miss him.”
“It’s not that,” you swatted away the idea. “It silly really…”
“Please, tell me.” Astarian’s pleaded as he stepped closer to you.
You cast a look over your shoulder in Gale’s direction, then at Astarian, then back at your feet. “He said he needed a magical snack for the road…so I gave him my gloves of power.”
Astarian frowned, “But that was your first token from your quest. You didn’t have to give him those.”
“Well he said he needed them to ensure he could make it back to the party tomorrow,” you said crossing your arms over your chest. “And they’re just gloves, I’ll probably find another pair tomorrow.”
“Or Gale can fend for himself while he’s out on his personal quest,” Astarian said grabbing hold of your shoulders. “He’s done it before. Traveling with you he’s gotten lazy.”
“Well it’s not like I can ask for them back,” you huffed. “You know how he is with magical items. He’ll probably consume it ‘accidentally’ before I can get my hands on them.”
Astarian rubbed at his chin thoughtfully, “Then we’ll have to steal them back.”
You were shocked. “Steal them back? How would we even do that?”
“Leave that to me,” Astarian smirked.
–
You watched Gale rolling up his sleeping mat from your hiding position. You weren’t entirely sure that this would work, but it’s not like you have much more to lose. Well maybe Gale’s regard for you, but right this moment…your gloves were worth it.
“Gale,” Astarian’s voice rumbled low as he neared Gale. “Did you think you could leave without saying goodbye?”
“I had no intention of doing so, but you know how things are…” Gale said dusting himself off. “I have to take care of this.”
“And who will take of me while you’re gone?” Astarian’s voice managed to be small and meek, and you had to silently clap a hand over your mouth to keep yourself from making a sound. When Astarian said that he would distract Gale so you could steal your gloves back, you hadn’t really thought about what his plan might entail.
“I’ll be back before you know it,” Gale soothed as he rubbed the palms of his hands down the front of Astarian’s doublet. “And reunions are always sweeter for it.”
Did Gale just wink at Astarian? You shook yourself off, torn between your surprise and also knowing deep down inside that somehow this made sense. Though if it were true, Gale the kettle was calling the pot offly black for trying to get you to choose between him and Astarian.
“Perhaps the goodbye could also be sweet?” Astarian looked up at Gale from his downcast eyes.
Gale closed the distance between Astarian and himself. His lips pressed into the vampire elf’s. There was a hum of appreciation from Astarian and you say the window of opportunity open before you.
Creeping forward from your hiding position, you slunk up behind the lovers, keeping your footsteps soft. You had to dive out of the way when Gale pushed Astarian against a nearby tree. When you had imagined a three-way dance with Gale and Astarian, you had not imagined you’d have to do quite this amount of footwork.
“Promise me, you’ll come back to the party no matter what happens,” Astarian purred into the neck of Gale, and you froze like a mouse before a snake as Astarian’s eyes connected with you.
“Where’s the gloves?” you mouthed so Astarian, trying to focus on the task at hand.
One of Astarian’s swept down Gale’s back seductively before softly patting a satchel hung from Gale’s waist. Fuck.
“Of course, I’ll come back.” Gale sighed blissfully. “I couldn’t stay away if I wanted.”
“Take it off!” you mouthed to Astarian, miming a belt unbuckling.
“Then just a little taste before you leave,” Astarian said before flicking his tongue out to taste Gale’s throat. “Just to ensure you can’t get too far.”
Gale hissed out a yes, and Astarian sunk his teeth into the human’s neck. There were groans of appreciation from Gale’s mouth as Astarian’s hands made fast work of his belt, all under the guise of getting his hands under the robe of the other man.
You dove at the satchel as silently as you could, riffling through a couple of other magical items before you found your own gloves. Looked like Gale would have plenty of magical snacks for his time away, whatever guilt you felt in that moment melted away seeing the proof of Gale’s mischievous ways.
Gloves now in hand, you started your slow backpedal of escape into the cover of the woods. You stupidly flashed Astarian two thumbs up as you caught his gaze again. He winked at you.
Turning your back to the embraced presumed lovers, you took off a silent run. What happens between questing parties, stays between questing parties.