Hi mothmom! I’ve been super excited waiting for your ask box to open, after finding your stuff in like, October? Your writing is awesome! It helps I’m a sucker for BG3 content.
Admittedly I’m a bit nervous asking (I’ve gone over your rules list like 15 times), and hopefully no one has asked this yet!
I wanted to make a request for the BG3 male companions (especially Wyll) supporting tav as they come out as Trans? Specifically trans masc if you don’t mind. Thank you so much! Super excited to see what you come up with ❤️
A/N: Oh my gosh! It warms my heart to hear you’ve been waiting that long for something I’d write. Oh wow, I feel so honored! And what a great question! It fits within the rules just fine, don’t worry! Here’s how I think the main three male companions would respond. BTW, I used he/him pronouns for Tav here, hope that’s okay!
TW: Gender Mention, Gender Identity, Gender Dysphoria
Male BG3 Companions Reacting to a TransMasc! Tav
Astarion is completely on board with the idea, so long as he gets to go shopping with Tav/give them the occasional bit of fashion advice. After all, Astarion thinks himself the best-dressed guy in camp, so, of course, it makes sense for Tav to take style advice from him.
Astarion’s not very reactive. He was a high elf, born into the upper social classes of elf society in Baldur’s Gate. Certain high elves have been known to be blessed by Corellon, the androgynous leader of the elven pantheon, and the deity of Magic, Music, Arts, Crafts, Poetry, and Warfare. As the creator and preserver of the eleven race, he’s incredibly powerful. So powerful that in certain, very rare cases, special elves who receive a special blessing from them can change their gender following every long rest. These elves, known as "blessed of Corellon", can choose to be male, female, or 'neither' based on their moods or feelings. So the concept of changing one’s gender or appearance isn’t at all foreign to Astarion.
Astarion does his best to listen to Tav though, especially if this is a difficult subject for him. Astarion knows what it's like to not be in control of your own body, of your destiny- it’s awful, rotten, and certainly, not something he would want to intentionally inflict on another person, especially someone as important to him as Tav.
Astarion will listen intently, and take mental notes as to how Tav prefers to be treated. If he asks Asation to give him more credit in physical battles or to maybe lay off pet names like ‘Beautiful’, Astarion will respect Tav’s wishes. It may take Astarion some time to adjust, but he does make an immediate effort to.
Astarion will also not hesitate to cut a bitch who insults Tav or disrespects his pronouns or appearance. Astarion is basically the living, walking embodiment of that “respect people’s pronouns or I’ll make yours ‘was/were’”.
Gale may put his hand in his mouth a handful of times when he talks to Tav about it at first, but he really does mean well. Gale’s just very curious about any magic or spells Tav has used, if any, in trying to alter their appearance or gender. Have they tried any transmutation spells? Polymorph? Any alchemy at all? Gale is very much on board with helping Tav achieve their desired look or body via magical means if that’s what he wants.
Gale offers assistance via magical means of course, but he also offers a sympathetic ear should Tav ever want to talk about it. Gale has met plenty of alchemists who struggled with their own identity, so he knows it can weigh heavy on one’s mind. And when you already have a mind flayer parasite on the mind, well, that’s quite a lot for just one mind to handle!
Gale’s very excited to share shaving and grooming tips, especially when it comes to beard upkeep. That is if Tav is interested in trying out a beard. Gods know Gale’s been dying to talk to someone about it, someone who appreciates a handsome face when they see one. Tara won’t stop bugging him to shave it, and he could use another fellow on his side. Maybe together he and Tav could persuade Tara into liking it. (I mean, probably not, but it’s worth a shot.)
Gale isn’t one to initiate conflict, but should someone disrespect Tav or talk down to him, Gale would certainly have some words for that individual. Granted they may be murmured or said under his breath so as to not start yet another fight on their journey but in the end it’s the thought that counts, right? And if those words just happen to be some sort of mischievous spell as revenge, well, some things just can’t be helped, can they?
Wyll is extremely kind and understanding when Tav tells him. He’s always very encouraging and does his best to uplift Tav anyway, but now that Wyll knows this, he tries even harder to do so.
Wyll knows how much other people’s perceptions of yourself can mean. Wyll himself was so used to people seeing him in one light before Mizora cast him into another. Adjusting to the horns has not been easy, but just as Tav stood by him through all of that, Wyll vows to stand by Tav.
He’s very polite, so he doesn’t ask a lot of questions unless Tav explicitly tells him it's okay to. If it is, Wyll will ask Tav about how they’d like to be addressed, how they’d like to be perceived within the roles of the team, and if there’s anything Wyll can do to make this process any easier for them.
You know how in the latest patch, there was a fix that said “Duke Ravengaurd will now use the player's correct pronouns when addressing them”? And collectively we were all like, so Wyll sat him down and gave him a talk, huh? Yeah, that.
Wyll’s very old-fashioned, not in his beliefs in gender roles, oh gods no, but in his belief that everyone should be treated with respect. (Well, sans goblins and like, bad guys, I guess.) So if Tav says they want to be called something, you can bet Wyll is the first one to remind the others if they slip up.
Wyll thinks Tav is just an incredible person and an all-around amazing guy. He’s so happy to have met them. It’s kind of silly, but in some ways, Wyll still sees himself as this sort of knight-in-shining armor, a hero sworn to protect the people. But what’s amazed Wyll time and time again is how often Tav reminds Wyll and everyone else by extension, just how capable he is, as a leader and a friend. Tav isn’t helpless in need of rescue, he’s very capable in his way. Wyll finds it captivating, all the time Tav has come to his rescue.
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