9 & 35! :3
I didn’t expect anyone to actually ask!
I’ll do it for you, babe. 🥺 (Also, thank you so much. I saw this at work today and it really got me thinking about writing. So I've just been listening to classical and I was really able to get into it. Honestly, you asking helped me a lot today. ❤️)
Because they are my muses, these will be Ferelith x Astarion.
9. falling
It was hot. And Ferelith could recall a few times she had been in a steamy situation. This was incomparable. The plan was straightforward. Jump across the lava. Be as quiet and as quick as possible. Unlock the chest. Jump back. The only real issue was the elemental patrolling nearby. It was going to take finesse to make it across, not to mention concealment. Something only Ferelith and Astarion could do. And something they had managed to accomplish many of times. She may not have been one with stealth as her companion was, but she was by far the luckiest of the group. And only Astarion outmatched her dexterity. She was light-footed and quick on her feet, an excellent candidate. The only issue was her ability to jump that far. But she reassured Astarion she could do it, despite his concerning glances to her before beginning his trek across.
Ferelith jumped once. All was well. Even the hair sticking to her neck and face couldn’t distract her. A second jump. Fine. Looking up, she could see Astarion had already made it across. Her hesitation was only holding her back. A rumble went through cavern, there was a shift as the footsteps of the elemental grew closer. Damn the heat. Damn the beast. Damn the Underdark.
Astarion saw how close it was, too. He turned to her, a look of panic passing into his gaze. The look of, well, oh shit. There were two options. The first being she could use the best of her abilities to stride across. Which, truth be told, was unlikely given her strength. Or… the second option. And the only option she felt was the right one. Astarion could witness the elemental turn his gaze upon Ferelith. He may not have seen her, but it did not matter. A cloud of mist shrouded her, hazing up into a thin fog as the heat caused it to dissipate. She reappeared suddenly in front of him… which was both accurate and unfortunately… a mistake.
“No, not here,” he heard him hiss just as she felt her body sway backward.
The rock crumbled beneath her feet, a step Astarion had avoided that he was too far away to warn her of before. For a moment, she felt her shoulders welcome the same heat as the back of her legs. As one does, all felt weightless tumbling backward. Until a hand grabbed her forearm. It pulled, twisted her around and skidded her across the ground. Not only had she nearly plunged to her death, but now she was being whisked above it like a slab of meat to be broiled. Naturally, Ferelith opened her mouth to scream. It was quickly silenced by Astarion’s other hand. Crouching down, he pulled her away from the edge and nearly into his lap. He looked out across the lake of lava. The beast suspected nothing. Just another pile of rubble lost to the cavern.
Ferelith pulled his hand from her mouth.
“Not my best moment,” she admitted, looking up at him with a playful grin.
“Not in the least,” he replied in a similar manner. “But we can’t have you falling to your demise just yet, can we?”
“No…” she felt her smile widen. “Not yet.”
35. filthy
“I’ve never bathed in a river,” he wrinkled his nose as he reluctantly untucked his shirt.
“You’ve never been able to before,” Ferelith said from the bank, her clothes already on the ground as her ankles were submerged in water.
“True… but I wouldn’t mind an actual bath.”
Astarion lowered himself to sit upon the ground. His fingers removed the laces from his shoes. His hands wretched his feet free from them. He rose up with a grumble and another complaint ready as he prepared to remove his trousers. It wasn’t until he could feel the dirt on his bare feet that he was able to take in the moment.
The rustle of the leaves above him. A soft breeze, brisk and cold against his bare skin. It skimmed across the water and caused more ripples to rush down along the stream. In it was Ferelith, her entire body illuminated by the moonlight. The curve of her neck. The wave of her dark hair. The profile of her face. The glint in her golden eyes.
“Come on then,” she turned slightly, her delicate hand stretched toward him. “You’re filthy.”
