Socially Awkward Borderline Creep Gale + (Slightly Toxic) Bloodweave [TWs!!]
Hi its me again- HEAR ME OUT!!! I just like darker Gale tbh
Also I write Gale as lowkey a creep in this so if that makes u uncomfy pls pls pls be advised!!
Gale is VERY un-socialized. He has not had conversations in over a year, and even then, it was just with Mystra at best. And well, when most of your convos are with a woman whom you are worshipping and devoting all your time and thought to? It's safe to say that you kind of fuck up your sense of "normal" when interacting with other people.
So when Gale first meets Astarion after the nautiloid, he literally does not know what to do. His first thoughts are, of course, "Wow, he's so pretty."
And you know how, usually, people who are healthily socialized and have healthy formations of relationships in their lives will see an attractive person and go, "Wow, I'd like to get to know them more! maybe i'll talk to them a bit and strike a conversation to get to know them"? Yeah, Gale does NAWT do that shit.
He spends a LOT of time just staring all dreamily at Astarion. He usually stammers and hides himself in his books, getting even worse whenever Astarion is near. Astarion, the poor fool, just assumes that Gale is just a nervous, shy virgin with a minor crush. Astarion has no idea that Gale is absolutely FREAKED up and OBSESSES over Astarion. Astarion bends over to pick something up? Gale stares shamelessly. Gale tugs Astarion by his wrist somewhere? Gale thinks about that shit for HOURS.
Once, Gale actually got to hold Astarion because of a blast of sorts, and he tackled Astarion to the ground in the heat of battle. He replays that moment in his mind a lot. There are times when Gale catches himself thinking something obscene about Astarion, and he feels so much guilt - but he can't stop.
He doesn't really get to know him like a normal person. He watches Astarion constantly. Practically stalking him. He just hangs around Astarion without saying a word. Astarion doesn't notice him, but he does grow uncomfortable at the sense of being watched. Gale always stalks after him unnoticed, so he was the first one to find out that Astarion was a vampire.
Now in normal AUs, the party likes to tell others things. However, in this AU, Gale decided, "fuck the rational thought; I'm giving in to my crazy ahh, definitely safe ideas." So he confronts Astarion in private.
He tells Astarion that nobody else will understand. He tells him that Wyll is a monster hunter, Lae'zel is a githyanki warrior, Shadowheart is a cleric of Shar, and Karlach is a former warrior of Zariel - they'd all be too brutal with him. They might hurt him to subdue the feral vampire, or even kill him. But Gale, Gale is just a harmless wizard who is curious at worst. Gale could be his salvation and keep him safe.
Now this is in the early days, and Gale is definitely a kicked-puppy sort of individual. So Astarion trusts Gale and ONLY Gale with the secret that he's a vampire spawn. And Gale, well, Gale actually believes in that shit. It doesn't matter if he's seen the kindness in the companions - his crazy, possessive brain can not imagine letting go of Astarion and letting anything bad happen to his beautiful existence. Aaand here starts pretty much their downfall ngl.
His sense of love and romance is twisted after Mystra, so he doesn't understand how to yk be in a healthy relationship. Unfortunately, he becomes infatuated with the companion with the most toxic coping mechanisms. Astarion embraces hyper-sexuality as a coping mechanism and does give off a very sexual persona.
Gale will be mortified and scold Astarion for doing so. He tells Astarion that Astarion shouldn't stoop to flirting with all these low-lifes, that Astarion should have higher standards. Astarion is very confused at this concerned(?) slut-shaming(?). Honestly, he'd rather Gale just call him a dirty whore and be done with it. But no - Gale just stands near Astarion and begins to tug him away whenever Astarion does anything like bat his eyes or place a hand on somebody's arm in conversation.
Eventually, they get into this sort of weird relationship. It's definitely NOT healthy (an obsessed, unsociable person meets a touch-starved, traumatized individual), but Astarion is so convinced that all Gale's efforts to be controlling are actually so sweet (after using Cazador's servitude as a reference... brochacho ain't gonna be saved ffs). He thinks it's sweet that Gale drapes himself over Astarion anytime they talk to anyone, and covers Astarion in layers of Gale's cloak to avoid anybody laying "unworthy eyes" on Gale's "beloved one and only."
Gale also just LOVES always being in Astarion's personal space. He's always slinging an arm around Astarion's shoulders, placing a hand on his hip, threading their fingers together - Gale is always looking for an excuse to be touching Astarion. At first, Astarion is tense - not loving too much physical touch after all his years as a spawn, but Gale reassures him. Reassures Astarion that it's only him, the wizard with no physical strength - how could he hurt Astarion (despite his spell-casting abilities)? He only loves Astarion and wants to be with him. And something about the earnest way Gale tells him this convinces Astarion.
Astarion also grows to feel bad about setting boundaries with Gale. He knows that, maybe, for a healthy relationship, he should. But he's Gale's everything. Gale says so himself, mutters it into his hair during cuddles, and holds Astarion with desperation. Astarion barely talked Gale out of blowing himself up with the orb from favor to Mystra, and he can't bear the thought of letting Gale become disheartened. To deny Gale anything at this point seems cruel to Astarion - and he figures it's okay, since they're both reclaiming their lives...
Man now I rlly wanna post this on AO3 hehehehe
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