Fourth Wall

Six: Scratch

A/N: Just a heads up, this is where you'll start to see the story deviate pretty heavily away from canon events, things like the background stories of characters might be different, the main quest, etc. 

***

The next morning Astarion was his usual snide and bratty self, leaving no trace of the vulnerability Chloe had seen the night before.

After they got camp packed up, they continued on their journey to the goblin camp. Chloe wondered idly as they walked how certain aspects of the game would translate now that she was living inside of it. How could she access her spells? How did perception checks happen? Usually it was a virtual dice-roll.

Would that still happen?

They encountered more goblins and were forced to fight their way through. They had managed to avoid getting too many injuries. Astarion and Wyll were the worst off, and were already healing. 

Chloe felt like the odd-one-out. The others were battle-hardened warriors, used to the carnage and blood. She felt awkward and unnatural.

"You fight well enough, for someone who's never seen battle." Astarion offered, sidling up to her. She looked over at him, her mouth quirking up in a tiny smile.

"Thank you, but I know you're lying."

"Yes, you have a habit of that. You seem a bit more tense than you did last night." He added, and her cheeks went red.

"Ah, yes. I guess I'm still getting used to...well, all of this. I enjoy some aspects of it, though." She said, before becoming aware of what he would likely think she was insinuating a second too late.

"Am I to believe you enjoy being fed upon by a desperate vampire spawn like me?" He gasped with dramatic feigned shock.

Chloe blushed a deep shade of red and looked away, not able to answer. She heard him chuckle.

"The Chloe we knew from before, she didn't get flustered the way you do. And yet last night, you took off your top in front of me without a second thought. Aren't you afraid of me, even a little?"

Chloe shook her head, glancing at him. He had that look in his eye again. Like a predator.

"I'm not afraid of you." She assured. "Maybe I should be, but that's sort of what I like about you. Always had a thing for the bad boy with the tortured past, I suppose."

"Tortured past?" He interrupted.

Shit, she thought. He hadn't told her that in her play through yet. Another thing the internet had spoiled for her? It's difficult to keep track...

"It's just a guess," she lied. "Can you tell me I'm wrong?" She challenged, hoping at least one of them would be honest. He didn't reply.

Chloe smiled at her own little victory.

"Well, I'm glad I can offer you some amusement, love." He said, though it appeared she'd ruffled his feathers somehow.

She rolled her eyes. "Amusement, maybe sometimes. But you're not my plaything, Astarion. I care for you just as I do everyone else here. Even that prickly bitch Lae'zel." She added with a wry smile and Astarion couldn't help but laugh, a full-bellied laugh. He was beautiful to see. His laughter beautiful to hear.

"You really are something, aren't you, Chloe?" He asked, and she grinned.

"But thank you," he said, his laughter dissolving slowly. "I've never been...seen quite so fully by a stranger. It doesn't go unnoticed." He grasped her gently by the chin and gave her a swift and gentle kiss on the cheek.