Astarion x M!Reader

Twenty-One

Night came slower than you hoped for. Hours passed, your fingers drew along the brim of the window, rough wood nestled against the tip of your finger.

A sigh rolled off your lips as the sun finally vanished behind the horizon and shadows grew longer. Bright light turned red and violett.

Pale stars awoke.

"How pretty.", you muttered to yourself and took a step back to sink into the shadows.

As you appeared again the wind caressed your face. Strands of your (H/C) hair wrapped around your ears and made them tingle.

There it was again, one of those very rare moments that allowed you to feel the joys of life for a brief moment. Softness, the moist dirt that stuck to your feet. Even the warmth of the sinking sun.

But it was gone as fast as it had come. Disappointment tied your throat.

You wondered if the others felt just the way you did. Perhaps they cursed your name for taking such things away from them for all eternity.

Then again, they all had been saved, one way or another. And not a single word of complaint had crossed their lips in all these eons.

Suddenly the sound of steps tugged at the tips of your ears. You let out a deep breath while the last weak rays of the sun kissed your (S/C) face.

It burned a little, almost like a dish made of chilli that numbed the tongue and made eyes water. It wasn't pleasant but it wouldn't kill you either.

It would fade and soon enough there would be nothing left to feel no more. Just how you were used to.

A breath flinched.

Your eyes fell shut.

"You're early.", you said and felt how the shadows to your feet tried to reach out to him.

"You're...", Astarion frowned. "You're able to withstand the sun?"

His feet were at the very edge of the save darkness. One step and he'd burn to ashes, just how most vampires did.

"At sunset, when it's at its weakest and the rays are barely more than a breath of its power, yes.", your eyes opened again to catch a glimpse of the violett of the young night that clawed its way up to the sky. "Well... maybe even broad daylight. But it would cost me a lot of my strength."

"But you can wander amongst others.", he insisted.

You glanced at him.

"Do you desire to wander amongst others?", you asked. "Or do you desire to wander... anywhere else but close to Cazador?"

A flinch chased through his body. Shoulder stiffened and his breath hitched.

Your eyes wandered over his body.

Even though it had only been a few hours he already looked better. Vampires, even lesser spawns, regained power quickly once they had a source to draw from. Animal blood wasn't as potent as the blood of mortals but it was a good start.

His skin was tighter now, still pale but not ashy. His cheeks had turned more plump and the circles under his eyes were less deep. Only a few more nights and they'd be gone.

And his hair. It was still so impressive, so pure and nice to look at. Perhaps it was the best thing about him. Besides that look on his face.

"Are you thirsty?", you asked and ignored the fact that he looked at the sun as if it were the only thing that could save him from this place.

But he was wrong. Or rather, awfully right in all the wrong ways. The sun could save him. But it would only bring death.

For some that seemed to be the same, death and freedom. You weren't sure what it was for you, what you wanted it to be. Though you did know that you wished to do nothing more but to help poor souls like Astarion.

Greed lit up in the red of his eyes as you mentioned another round of food. He swallowed hard and it seemed his throat already dried up.

His feet twitched, crossed the border of the save shadows only about a hands-width. But it was enough for the rest of the sun to burn skin.

Your stance shifted, a wind chased through your hair and before he could take just one more step your shadow fell over him. The safety of the dark hugged his body.

Surprised by your speed he raised his hands. His steps were awkwardly placed so he stumbled and leaned forward in an attempt to catch his balance again.

Soft hair caressed your revealed chest as he bumped against you, hands clawing into your silver gown for support.

Your nose twitched. He still smelled of rosemary and mint with a faint hint of sweet flowers.

All of a sudden you wondered if he was someone to like flowers. Roses, probably since they were cliche but also everyone's taste, subtile but still of a certain elegance.

You had to force yourself to not grab him by the shoulders and pull him closer. He probably wouldn't have wanted to be touched.

Eyes wide open in shock he stared at you, his fingers still entangled in the fabric of your clothing. He was afraid, or rather feared what would happen next.

You just looked down on him, a faint smile curling your lips.

"I won't punish you for being clumsy.", you said to soothe his fears.

A sharp breath was sucked into his nose. That wide yet elegantly shaped nose. Elves really were fine creatures. If beauty had a favourite it must have been this race.

His weight on your chest shifted but the fingers did not leave you. It seemed as if he needed something to hold onto to not loose his grip on this world.

Standing on his tip toes he pushed himself up as high as he could, which was only about to your eye level and not beyond.

You tilted your head back to create some space between you while he just stared.

Up close you noticed that he had two beauty marks. One directly under his right eye, almost hidden away where his lower and upper eyelid connected.

And one a little deeper on the highest point of his cheek.

Pretty little thing, you thought to yourself.

"Platinum.", your name was but a breath he called into the growing night. "Why are... your eyes (E/C)?"