Like Real People Do, Chapter 6

Gale Dekarios x Named! Tav x Astarion Ancunín

Chapter Synopsis: Discussions of the past help Seraphina grow closer to Gale and Astarion.

Chapter One. Chapter Two. Chapter Three. Chapter Four. Chapter Four and a Half. Chapter Five.

Read on ao3.

Notes: Oooh-weee. I thought I had a focus for this chapter and then in editing, it kept getting longer so I had to split it into two chapters!

Word Count: 2.9k

Learn more about my Tav, Seraphina.

Chapter Six: Celebrations & Confessions

“Keep resisting! We’ve almost got them!” Zevlor shouted.

Sweat ran into Seraphina’s eyes, and she blinked through the burning sensation as she dodged another goblin arrow. As soon as she pushed herself to her feet, another projectile came her way – a barrel. She yelped as she jumped to the left. As the barrel fell apart on impact, a goblin emerged, scimitar held high.

Astarion suddenly appeared behind him, quickly slitting the goblin’s throat and spraying Seraphina with the blood. He winked at Seraphina, and she gave him a weak smile in thanks as he disappeared. She rushed behind cover and blessed Zevlor, Lae’zel, and Karlach. She panted, her fingers twitching, and she knew she was reaching the end of her magical supply.

She stood and channeled her divine connection with Tymora as she sent a witch bolt at the ogre that was throwing goblins over the gate. He roared as the lightning burnt him to a crisp and his body crumpled to the ground.

“Slaughter them all!” came a voice from among the crowd at the gate.

Seraphina turned and saw Minthara below on the field, desperately trying to keep the remaining goblins and bugbears alive, weak and stumbling all the way. Seraphina smirked as she launched a guiding bolt at the drow, knocking her down. She didn’t get back up. Panic instantly began to spread through the remaining attackers as they scrambled to try and continue the assault.

“Good work, sorcerer.”

Seraphina jumped and saw Astarion running past her. He smirked at her before turning and sending an arrow into the chest of a bugbear below.

“Seraphina!” Shadowheart shouted.

She turned and saw the cleric standing over Wyll, who had an arrow piercing his right shoulder.

“I need a potion!” The half-elf yelled. Seraphina scrambled over, leaped over a puddle of acid, and kneeled next to the two of them.

“Get the damned thing out and let me stand with you all to finish this!” Wyll hissed, gritting his teeth through the pain.

“Drink this before you get yourself killed,” Seraphina reprimanded. Shadowheart took hold of the arrow and pulled it out as Seraphina poured the healing potion into Wyll’s mouth.

“None of us are dying today,” Wyll smiled as he stood, awkwardly holding his right arm close to his body, and ran to Karlach’s side, launching an eldritch blast at a goblin with an explosive strapped to his back.

“Agh!”

Seraphina felt blood rush to her head, her ears ringing, as she instantly recognized who the screech of agony came from. Gale was a few feet away, his arm and shoulder covered in blood with a battle axe lying nearby.

“Go to him,” Shadowheart said, tapping Seraphina’s shoulder. Seraphina nodded and she kicked up dirt with the speed that she sprinted to Gale’s side.

“Fancy seeing you here,” Seraphina joked. She only had one spell left in her, but she couldn’t imagine a better use for it. “Te curo,” she chanted, setting her glowing hands against his wound. She cursed as she felt the familiar hum of wild magic, but continued with healing when she didn’t see anything bizarre happen.

“You look like an angel,” Gale grinned at her, his eyes unfocused and glazed over as she looked down at him, her head blocking out the sun. “Surrounded in this golden light. You’re a divine vision, even with pink hair.”

That one hasn’t happened in a while she thought.

“Does blood loss and battle make you more poetic? You can tell me how beautiful I am when there’s not a soul alive down there,” she said, handing him a healing potion and quickly wrapping a bandage around a different wound on his arm. She hated seeing any injury on Gale and would gladly use any number of spells or supplies to ensure he was okay. If only her magic was enough to extract the orb from his chest…

“You deserve to be reminded of your beauty at every moment of the day,” he replied. Seraphina blushed. Was he really choosing right now to finally be transparent with her? She saw Gale’s eyes widen, and he slid himself in front of her, casting a shield as a vial of acid hurtled towards them. Seraphina leapt to her feet and pulled out her bow.

At that moment, with a roar, Karlach threw down an axe, the weapon lodging itself in the face of the final foe. They all stood in the silence for a moment, the only sound their panting and the slight rustling of trees in the breeze. Then – shouts. Screams of joy and victory.

Seraphina held her hands over her heart and turned her face to the sky, bathing in the glow of the sunlight

“My lady smiles on us today.”

x x x

Tonight, camp was much louder than usual, and Seraphina was grateful for it. Music and song filled the air, courtesy of drunken playing from Alfira and the endless requests from Lakrissa and Asharak, just as the refugees filled the space, dancing and drinking without a care in the world. Seraphina had been pulled into a dance circle with a few children when she heard Karlach’s boisterous laugh from across the fire.

“Please stay! Just one more!” Arabella said, pulling on Seraphina’s hand when she saw the sorcerer look away from the children and towards Karlach, who was sharing a bottle with Shadowheart. Being around the kids had truly lifted Seraphina’s soul. They reminded her of the nieces and nephews that she hadn’t seen in months, since before she took the job that ultimately dragged her into Avernus.

“I’ll come join you all again in a few,” Seraphina promised, turning and going over to the cleric and her fellow tiefling.

“Ah, gods. Would you look at this? We did this!” Karlach smiled as Seraphina sat. Shadowheart smiled as well, but she seemed tense.

“Please don’t tell me you’re also unhappy with the wine, Shadowheart. Astarion’s already given his sour review,” Seraphina said as she took a swig from the bottle Karlach handed to her.

“No. I don’t always have something negative to say. I’m actually quite…contemplative,” Shadowheart replied.

“Why’s that?” Karlach asked.

“I never could’ve imagined myself caring about these people or doing something like this,” the half-elf said, her eyes looking over the refugees that crowded their camp. “But here I am. Here we all are and it’s because of you.” She turned to look at Seraphina.

“Do you think that Shar wouldn’t approve?” Seraphina asked.

Karlach’s eyes widened as she looked to Shadowheart. The cleric’s face twisted, and her eyebrows scrunched.

“She certainly wouldn’t approve of me following the directions of a Tymoran. But there will be time for penance later,” Shadowheart mused.

“Let’s just enjoy this celebration! No need to get bogged down in anything,” Karlach interjected.

“Why’re you over here with us anyway? You know, there’s plenty of people dying to spend time with you. Gale’s certainly been sending a glance or three your way,” Shadowheart smirked as she sipped her wine.

“I was just going to ask about what I’ve heard about you and Astarion, but maybe I was reading too far into things,” Karlach added.

“Or Seraphina just has options,” Shadowheart laughed.

“Gale’s a little scholarly for my tastes but Astarion? I’d ride him to the hells and back if I could,” Karlach said dreamily.

“Oh, hush, both of you,” Seraphina said, swatting Shadowheart’s arm as she refilled her goblet and took a gulp.

“Well, who is going to your bed tonight?” Shadowheart elbowed Seraphina. The tiefling looked away for a second and, just as Shadowheart said, she saw Gale already looking at her, and he blushed furiously, smiling at her before quickly turning and continuing his conversation with Rolan. Her eyes swept across the camp to finally see Astarion, who looked positively miserable as Alfira and Lakrissa chattered at him, the bard drunkenly strumming on her lute.

“I would make Gale see stars if he didn’t squirm whenever we got too close,” Seraphina sighed. “One minute, I think he’s ready to tear my clothes off. The next, he’s acting like he took a vow of celibacy.”

“Maybe he likes courting you. Odd, but not a surprise from him,” Shadowheart commented.

“Wizards can be weird like that,” Karlach nodded.

“You know, he has bedded a goddess. Maybe tonight’s your chance to see if his talk matches his talent,” the half-elf said.

Seraphina looked over at Gale again. He laughed at something Rolan said, and she felt her face go hot. That stupid wizard had her wrapped around his finger.

“You know, he called me an angel today. Mid-battle,” Seraphina said.

“Well, go for it, sister!” Karlach patted Seraphina on the shoulder and the sorcerer choked on the wine that she hadn’t swallowed from the force of the contact.

Seraphina nodded at Karlach and Shadowheart and she darted straight for Gale. He immediately met her eyes. Rolan noticed Gale’s sudden distraction and looked for the source, smiling at Seraphina.

“Well, if it isn’t the hero,” Rolan said. Everything he said felt like it was being said with condescension and she couldn’t tell if he was saying this positively or not.

“Hello Seraphina,” Gale sighed happily. She could tell he had drunk quite a bit of wine.

“How is the night going for you two?” Seraphina asked merrily, her heart already racing as she grinned at Gale.

“Just discussing the art of illusory magic. I take you aren’t well-practiced in it since you prefer…more brutish magic,” Rolan commented.

Seraphina arched an eyebrow. “What purpose does it serve?” she asked.

“Whatever your mind can think of. Illusory magic is all about your imagination,” Gale added. “That’s the beauty of it. To make real, no matter how briefly, the deepest and wildest images that’ve only existed in our imaginations.”

Seraphina nodded eagerly. She looked at the ground between all their feet. She narrowed her eyes, breathed in, and held her breath. The sounds of the party faded, and she could only hear and feel the quiet, familiar hum of the Weave. She pulled at the strands of the Weave and commanded them to her will and – a puppy materialized.

The small brown puppy barked.

“I don’t dabble in illusions too often, but I think I can start appreciating them,” Seraphina smiled at the dog.

“Oh, Rolan, you’re getting better at that!” came Lia’s voice from behind them.

Rolan attempted to hide a scowl.

“Yes, I forget sometimes how easily magic comes to you sorcerers. It must be nice that your ancestor secured that for your bloodline,” he sneered.

Seraphina bristled. Had Rolan learned of her family name or was this typical sorcerer disdain from a wizard?

“Yes, it is quite nice. The power one gets from magic flowing through their very veins cannot be understated,” she replied.

“Rolan, I’d love to continue this discussion, but I will need to step away with our new illusionist,” Gale interjected. Rolan nodded at them, and the puppy vanished as Seraphina turned her focus to Gale as the tiefling wizard joined his siblings.

“I was hoping you’d come over,” Gale smiled.

“I had to. How could I resist spending tonight with you?” she hooked her arm around his and she felt a surge of pride as she watched him blush. She slowly started walking away from the crowd and towards his tent.

“Yes, well, it’s quite a beautiful night. I used to spend many nights like these with Tara,” Gale sighed wistfully. “Oh, I know she’d be quite proud of what we did today.”

“Your tressym? Tell me more about her.”

Gale moved to sit at the entrance of his tent and Seraphina joined him. The party was a few feet away now and they were the only ones on this side of camp.

“No, not my tressym. She’s a tressym and she’s been quite the companion. She helped me find treatment for the orb and went out to find magical items for me. She saved my life,” Gale replied, his voice soft.

“I would love to meet her. I must share my appreciation for her efforts to keep you alive,” Seraphina said, nudging his knee with her own.

“You remind me of her somewhat. There’s a steeliness to you. You show such bravery and perseverance in the face of such dire odds. I suppose that’s only natural after what you all that you survived and accomplished in Avernus.”

“Believe it or not, this doesn’t feel too different,” Seraphina laughed. “Danger lurking around every corner. Deception and playing with espionage. Infighting and trying to play nice over whatever dinner we threw together. And oh gods, we smelt horrible.”

They both chuckled.

“You’re quite right that there’s not much difference there. You, my friend, haven’t been near a fresh spring in a tenday or more. Not that I don’t appreciate your musk. I actually rather like it,” Gale said. Seraphina’s eyebrows lifted and she blushed as he quickly averted his eyes towards the party.

“Once again, we’ve reached a point where it would be wiser for me to stop babbling,” Gale uttered as he took a sip from his goblet. Seraphina reached out and set her hand on top of his other one that was laying on the rug. She leaned in closer to him and he turned back to look at her, his gaze going from her eyes and falling to her lips.

“I like hearing you talk. Go on. What else do you like about me?” Seraphina smirked.

Gale sighed, his brown eyes trailing up to return to her own orange ones.

“Were I to recite that list, I fear we’d still be here at dusk tomorrow,” he whispered.

“Being with you ‘til dusk sounds like an incredible way to spend my night,” she replied.

Seraphina once again felt the surge of confidence that had become familiar to her in moments like this with Gale. Moments when they were alone, and she thought that this awkward dance could finally end, and they could be honest with each other. Moments like this when their connection made her heart feel alive and real again. Unless she had it all wrong and he didn’t feel the same way.

“Seraphina…” Gale murmured.

He was so close.

She closed her eyes, and she leaned in. Each half-second felt like it lasted hours as she waited to feel his lips against hers. But then, she felt a pressure on her shoulder. She opened her eyes and Gale had halted her with his hand.

She wanted to be sucked into Avernus. Anything other than being here, right now, after trying to kiss him and being rejected.

“I’m sorry!” she exclaimed, quickly scooting away. “Oh gods, I’m so sorry.”

“Please, don’t apologize,” Gale said quickly. “You only did what I’ve spent the last few tendays wishing I could.”

She set down her goblet and covered her face with her hands.

“Seraphina, no,” Gale put down his own wine and grabbed her hands. She gulped as she looked up at him.

“I don’t want you to feel any guilt or sadness on my account. Please believe me when I say that…that you have enchanted me. Just being close to you is nearly enough to drive me to madness. I wish that circumstances could be different, but…my condition is volatile. I can’t risk the lives of thousands of people, no matter how much I want you,” Gale babbled, squeezing her hands. “Even holding your hands like this is a risk, but I’m taking what I can get.”

Seraphina looked at the lines that the orb had left on his face. She was angry at the pure unfairness of it all, like a child, but who was there for her to be angry at? Gale had admitted that going after the magic that resulted in the orb was his own folly, but she couldn’t harden her heart to him.

“I understand,” she whispered.

What a sick twist of fate. Was this the bidding of Lady Luck? That, after having her heart shattered, while in the midst of yet another dangerous journey, she should meet someone as fantastic as Gale only for it to be impossible for them to be together? What kind of luck was that?

“This is a night of celebration. Please, go indulge – dance, sing, drink. My heart will be lighter to see you enjoying yourself,” Gale smiled, but it did not reach his eyes. “Even if it’s in the company of someone else.”

Seraphina raised an eyebrow. He sighed as he pulled his hands away to his lap.

“I know that Astarion makes you happy and I’m quite sure he would make for much better company tonight.”

He knew. So Karlach wasn’t the only who had noticed a change in her dynamic with Astarion. Shit. Maybe they all knew. Maybe they heard the two of them that night in the woods.

“I care about you, Gale. More than I’ve cared about anyone in a long time. I really hope you know that,” Seraphina said as she grabbed her goblet.

“The feeling is mutual,” Gale replied as he stood. He reached down and held his hand out to her. She took it and as he pulled her to her feet, over her shoulder, she saw Astarion looking at them. His eyes were narrowed, and she swore she saw him smirk before he turned to look at Alfira and Lakrissa, who were still standing with him.

“Have a good night,” Gale said. He squeezed her hand once more before he walked away, back towards Rolan, Lia, and Cal. Seraphina sighed watching him walk away. She didn’t want to give up hope on what she felt with Gale. Halsin had said that, with their lack of symptoms, they likely weren’t going to transform soon. The mysterious dream visitor was allegedly preventing them from turning into mind flayers. There was time for them to figure something out.

There had to be.

Like Real People Do, Chapter 6

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