Top Gale Week

When playing it, I thought this scene would be the core of any Astarion x Gale fandom that might exist out there. I was wrong of course, but I still love the scene and this concept of love for the two of them.

Many thanks to @topgaleweek for making me ponder the scene again, even though it in the end means I have nothing to contribute - but maybe @bg3mayflowers accepts my humble offering of some flower symbolism. I am very bad at filling prompts.

Elenion had already been warned twice.

Once for sitting on the edge of the desk.

Once for "helpfully" correcting a lecture title he had not been invited to read.

And now, he'd stolen Gale's quill and tucked it behind his ear.

"Return it."

"Ask nicely," Elenion said with a wicked grin.

"Len."

Elenion crossed his legs. "I’m only trying to improve your evening."

"You are trying to get my attention."

"Is it working?" he asked, tilting his head.

"Elenion."

There it was—his full name, spoken with calm, scholarly precision that made his stomach dip.

He smiled, full of mock innocence. "Yes, Professor?"

Gale plucked the quill from his ear and set it aside.

"Off the desk."

"Am I obstructing scholarship?"

"Deliberately." Gale pushed his chair back with a quiet scrape across the floor. "Strip. Now."

The smile faltered for a moment.

"That seems severe."

"Fifteen strikes should suffice." Gale sat, still perfectly dressed, and held out a hand. "Over my lap."

Elenion held his gaze a moment longer, then slid from the desk and undressed with exaggerated care.

They glanced up halfway through. "No commentary?"

"None," Gale said. "Unless you'd rather make it twenty."

"That sounds like a challenge."

Gale smirked. "It's a warning."

They laughed quietly and finished undressing. Then they lowered themself across Gale's lap, adjusting until their shoulders rested comfortably.

They should not have liked the way that felt.

Gale's hand rested at their back, steady and warm.

"Your word, my love?"

Elenion exhaled softly. "More."

"Then count."

Gale’s palm smoothed once over their bare skin. Then he brought it down, sharp and sudden.

Elenion jolted, their breath catching. "…One."

The next few strikes followed in steady succession, heat blooming quickly under Gale's measured pace.

By four, the sting had settled into something warmer, making their fingers curl against the floor.

"Four." They huffed a quiet breath. "You’re being very precise about this."

The next strike came down sharp enough to make them gasp, landing firmly against their ass.

"You are not being invited to critique my methodology. Count."

"…Five," Elenion said, the corner of their mouth twitching.

Gale’s thumbs traced slow circles over their skin, taking the edge off the sting. A soft, unsteady sound escaped them, halfway between a sigh and a laugh. Gods, those hands of his were always a problem.

The next strike landed just as Gale said, absurdly calm, "I will remind you, Elenion, that you are being corrected for repeated disruption of an academic space."

Elenion let out a sharp, startled laugh into his arm.

"…Six."

Gale’s hand stilled.

The warmth was building now, sharper, deeper—and gods, he should've hated how good it felt. His hips jerked slightly before he could stop them.

Gale raised an eyebrow. "Do you find this corrective measure ineffective?"

"Not at all," Elenion said lightly. "I think your methodology is fascinating."

The next strike landed hard against his ass.

He gasped, a breathless laugh slipping out anyway. "Seven."

"Fascinating," Gale repeated.

"Very."

Another strike.

"Eight."

Gale’s voice lowered. "Pretty little brat."

Elenion turned his head to glance back at him, eyes bright with amusement.

"Only for you, darling."

The next strike snapped down. "Nine," Elenion breathed.

"You will address me as 'professor'."

A chuckle slipped out of him as he pressed his face into his arm. "Only for you, Professor."

Gale's hand came down again, sharper than before.

"Ten—" His breath caught, the number slipping slightly.

The warmth had grown into something heavier, making it hard to stay still. His hips shifted again, more deliberately this time. He pressed back before he could stop himself, and the contact sent a sharp flicker of heat through his cock.

He sucked in a breath. That was going to be a problem.

Gale’s hand stilled briefly at his back.

And then he felt the unmistakable, answering heat beneath him.

"Still with me?" Gale murmured.

"More," Elenion said, a little too quickly.

Gale’s grip tightened slightly. "Not yet," he said. "You can wait."

His thumbs traced slow circles over the heat he’d left, lingering just long enough to make them exhale softly.

"You will learn patience."

Elenion rolled their eyes. "And if I don’t?"

Gale’s next breath wasn’t quite as steady, which did something unfortunate to their composure.

"If you continue to be disruptive,” he said, the softness in his voice betraying the words, “you’ll earn an extra five."

They opened their mouth to say something, but Gale’s unfairly soothing hands moved first.

The shift pulled a soft sigh out of them. "…And what do I get," they asked, quieter now, "if I learn my lesson?"

Gale paused.

"If you can behave until fifteen," he said calmly, "I'll reward you properly."

Elenion went very still.

Oh, that's unfair, they thought. I hate that it's working.

"…You’re making it very difficult to behave," they murmured.

"That is the point," Gale said, punctuating the words with another strike.

"Eleven—" The number caught as the next strike landed.

Their hips shifted in a small, helpless motion. Gale’s hand lingered at their back for a moment. "Stay with me," he murmured.

"I—" Elenion swallowed. "I am. Twelve."

“That’s better,” Gale said quietly.

A soft, breathless laugh slipped out of them—cut off almost immediately as the next strike turned it into an unsteady moan.

"…Thirteen."

They pressed back against Gale without meaning to, the movement sharper this time. Gale’s breath caught behind them.

"Elenion," he said, low and warning as his hand came down again.

"I know," they said quickly. "I know—fourteen—"

The next strike hit, and the number dissolved into a broken sound they didn’t even try to fix.

Gale’s grip tightened hard at their hip, holding them in place.

"…Fifteen."

"There," Gale said quietly. "Was that so difficult, my love?"

He let out a shaky breath. "I hate you."

"No you don't."

He heard the smile in Gale's voice.

"…No, I don't," he whispered back.

Gale’s hand eased slightly. He leaned forward, pressing a slow kiss to Elenion’s back.

"Easy, Len," he murmured against his skin. "You did well."

Elenion huffed a weak, breathless laugh. "You're enjoying this far too much."

Gale hummed softly. "Am I?"

His fingers slid around their cock without warning. They jolted, a sharp breath catching in their throat.

"Gale—fuck—"

"You don’t seem particularly inconvenienced by the outcome," he murmured.

"You’re not exactly unaffected either."

His grip tightened just enough to make them gasp. "Focus. You wanted my attention—now you have it."

They let out a broken sound. "I didn’t mean—like this—"

"No?" His hand moved, slow and deliberate. "You made a very convincing case."

They almost laughed again—but then his pace increased all of a sudden, and it broke into a moan instead.

"I can—" they started, voice unsteady. "I can still—"

Gale’s hand shifted, just enough to pull another sharp sound from them.

“…Gods,” they breathed.

Gale hummed softly. "No, I don’t think you can."

That only made it worse. Their hips pressed back into his hand, chasing the movement before they could stop themself.

"You’re—" they tried again. "You’re doing that on purpose."

“Obviously.”

Elenion couldn’t quite catch the next breath.

His body tightened all at once as he came, the last of his composure slipping away. He spilled hot into Gale's hand and across his lap.

Gale’s hand stayed steady through it, stroking slowly until the tension finally eased.

When it was over, he didn’t move right away. His breath came slower, uneven as it settled.

"…That was extremely unfair," he muttered.

Gale huffed a quiet laugh behind him, his hand sliding back to Elenion’s hip, gentler now.

"Come here," he said.

He didn’t give him much time to respond before shifting him upright, one arm sliding around his waist to steady him.

Elenion leaned into him without thinking as Gale pressed a featherlight kiss to the scar on their shoulder.

"You're impossible," they said, laughing weakly.

"Of course I would," Gale said hurriedly, pulling back to run his hand soothingly over the smooth expanse of Astarion's thigh. "I'd like nothing more. But I don't want to…" he trailed off, shaking his head. "Hurt you, or scare you. Perhaps there's a different time to experiment? One that isn't quite so…" he struggled to find the right word.

"Don't want me to ruin your special night with histrionics?"Astarion asked dryly, his ears flattening slightly to his head.

"I want this to be a night we both remember fondly," Gale replied firmly, refusing to take the bait to turn this into an argument.

"Oooh, I like when you go all stern like that," Astarion purred, tilting his hips to encourage Gale's hand back to its work. The scholar smiled despite himself, but he didn't move. Astarion sighed loudly. "Always such a buzzkill, darling. Look, if I'm asking you for this, it's because I've decided I'm ready. That I want this." He propped himself up on his elbows to meet Gale's eyes, his own red gaze gone uncharacteristically sincere.

"Always so careful with me, and…and you pay attention. To what I need, what I like. More than I do, maybe." He reached for Gale's hand and kissed it fleetingly before placing it back at the crease where his thigh met his groin. "That's why I want you. As close as I can have you…so, please?"

Gale would've done whatever this man asked, realistically, but the please broke him. He swallowed hard and nodded. "Alright, only…tell me what to do." He wanted to be sure that this went how Astarion wanted it to. A more familiar wicked smile spread across the other man's face.

"Oh, with pleasure, darling. Why don't you use that practiced tongue of yours?" Astarion spread himself wider, letting one knee sprawl to the side while his other leg dangled off the edge of the sofa. Gale tipped forward readily, running his tongue all the way down the seam of Astarion's cock before teasing at the clenched muscle below. "Fuck," Astarion moaned, lifting his hips into the touch. "Finally…"

Gale hauled Astarion's hips forward with both hands, burying his face fully between his legs now as his efforts grew more enthusiastic. He lost himself in the feel of Astarion's warmth, the suck and slide of willing flesh against his mouth, the little trembles and whines he was coaxing from the other man. There was little he prided himself more on in bed than wringing such noises out of him. 

"Gale," Astarion gasped, squirming against his mouth, one foot planted firmly on Gale's shoulder to give him leverage to press against him. "More, damn you—" At that, Gale leaned further forward, folded him nearly in half and speared him with his tongue, craning his neck to achieve full extension and press past that furl of muscle with an appreciative groan. Astarion went rigid against him, pressing hard with the sole of his foot. "Y-you know that's not—nngh…" 

After a few more strokes Gale pulled back and licked his lips. "Does it not feel good?" he asked, voice gone slightly plaintive. 

"Deliciously so," Astarion said hoarsely, struggling up to his elbows. "But I'm getting rather impatient." He tensed his abdominal muscles, making his cock jump demonstratively. Gale's breath caught in his throat. "Aren't you, darling? I've not even touched you yet…" He slid his foot down Gale's chest, his toes snagging on the hem of his sweater to better show the swell of throbbing arousal there, just barely brushing against him. 

Gale made a strangled sound. "I'm waiting," he managed, shifting to kick down the trousers and briefs wadded up around his knees. "Waiting for you." 

"Such a good boy," Astarion replied quietly, reaching out for his hand. Gale offered it, and a small bottle of lubricant was pressed between his heated fingers. He looked puzzled and Astarion smirked. "I may have hidden some in various strategic locations so as to avoid further delays," he said wryly. 

"I look forward to uncovering what other locations you deem strategic," Gale murmured in his best approximation of a sultry tone, slicking his fingers before pressing them against Astarion, who laughed breathlessly. 

"Oh, I bet you would," he mumbled, pressing the back of one hand over his eyes as the other man began to stretch him. "Mmmmh—oh!" Gale watched with rapt attention as Astarion twitched and moaned, his cock drooling a thin line of precum onto his heaving belly. 

"You are, without question," Gale murmured, slipping another finger into the clench of Astarion's hole, "the most beautiful thing I've ever had the privilege of laying eyes on. In any body." The throb between his legs was painful now, but there would be time enough to indulge that. For now, he closed his free hand around Astarion's erection instead, making his eyes fly open in surprise. He thrust up helplessly into Gale's hand, his internal muscles seizing as he did so. 

"Yes, yes," Astarion said breathlessly. "Flattery is appreciated, darling, but I'm more interested in being fucked at present." He clenched hard around Gale's fingers. 

"I can manage both," Gale murmured. "But whatever you say, beautiful." He pulled his hand free, caressing the lower expanse of Astarion's pale skin with slick fingers before he lifted the other man's hips to arrange them more comfortably in the center of the chaise. Astarion wriggled lower, lifting his legs to offer a more expansive view. 

He just stared for a moment, feeling the unreality of the moment as he took in the sight of Astarion's flushed face, his cock leaking for him, his legs open for him. Suddenly, Astarion released his hold on one of his ankles to wrap his hand around Gale, guiding him against the slickness of his opening and making him gasp. "Yes…right…there. That's right where I want you." He smeared Gale against himself, making them both shiver. With shaking hands, he drenched them both in lubricant. 

"Cold," Astarion hissed. 

"Don't worry, I'll warm you up," Gale promised, dragging his cock up the cleft of Astarion's ass and back down. "I only want to make sure you're ready for me."

"I am," he moaned. "Gods, sometime today—" he choked on the last word as Gale pressed inside, just an inch, rocking back as quickly as he'd thrust and repeating the motion. The noise Astarion made was inhuman. His nails dug into Gale's thighs, in an attempt to drag him deeper. Gale obeyed the silent command, slowly but steadily pressing himself deeper. 

Astarion looked overcome; his eyes were screwed shut and his breath was coming in short, sharp pants. His ears and cheeks were flushed, and his nails were leaving deep, reddened indents in the skin of Gale's thighs. "Hey," Gale murmured, slowing to lean unsteadily forward to caress his cheek. "Star." 

The red eyes that flew open to greet him were wild and bright and wet. "…I'm fine," he managed through gritted teeth. Gale's brow furrowed. 

"You are," he agreed softly. "Breathe with me." Astarion scowled but did as he bade, both of them taking a long, slow inhale followed by a shuddering exhale, during which Gale managed to bottom out inside Astarion and draw a moan from them both. 

"There you are," Astarion gasped, groping his way up Gale's torso with something approaching desperation, pulling him closer. "Perfect. Keep going." 

The praise made his face hot. Gale complied, cradling the back of Astarion's head as he moved and letting his own face fall forward to rest against the side of his lover's neck. As his eyes closed he became aware of just how much he'd been focused on the other man—how vigilant he'd been to every change in microexpression, every minute shift of muscle. He tried to let go of that; he could tell him if he wanted him to stop, he reminded himself firmly. He focused instead on the perfect squeeze of Astarion around him, the constriction of his ankles locked around his lower back. He felt…held. 

The room was quiet except for the soft hitch of Elenion's breath.

They lay back against the sheets like this was nothing new, nothing unfamiliar. Like Gale's fingers hadn't already left them open, aching, and slick from his touch.

He hovered over them, careful, waiting—and Elenion refused to look uncertain.

"Go on, love," they said, lifting their chin. "You're not going to break me, you know."

Then, before Gale could move, they added, more quickly, "But—slowly. And don’t… just don’t rush it."

Gale nodded. "Of course," he said, settling carefully between their legs. He brushed a lock of hair from their face. "Anything you need, just tell me."

Elenion swallowed.

They had done this before. There was nothing they should've been nervous about.

And yet.

They reached for him before the thought could settle, fingers curling at the back of Gale's neck to draw him closer. Their other hand caught his waist.

"No—wait," they said.

Gale stilled immediately.

Elenion exhaled slowly, then adjusted him just a little, guiding the angle. "Like this," they said softly. "Just stay there a moment."

Gale didn’t argue. He stayed exactly where they put him, steady and patient beneath their hands.

Then they shifted.

"Alright," they said. "Now."

Gale moved immediately. He pressed in slow and careful, easing deeper inch by inch. The heat and stretch pulled a sharp breath from Elenion's chest as their body tightened around his cock. Their head tipped back, eyes slipping shut as the sensation settled.

Their hands braced on his waist, feeling the slow press as they held him where they wanted him. "That's—" They swallowed. "Yeah—stay like that. That's good."

Their voice softened. "You’re doing well. So much better—"

They cut themself off, breath catching again. "Just… stay like that. I've got you."

Gale didn't rush. He held himself there, watching.

Elenion's fingers flexed slightly.

"Move," they murmured.

Gale obeyed. His next thrust drew another breath from Elenion’s chest, their body clenching again before they could stop it.

"Fuck—" they breathed, cutting themself off almost immediately.

"Too much?" Gale asked.

"No." Elenion shook their head quickly. "Keep going. That's perfect, sweetheart."

Gale’s hands shifted at their hips, steadier now, firmer. The pressure was enough to make Elenion's breath hitch—but he didn’t break the pace they'd set.

The next movement was deeper, more deliberate.

Gale’s mouth curved slightly. "Perfect, hm?"

Elenion exhaled shakily. "Don't—don't change anything. I mean it."

Their cock jerked between them, precome already gathering despite their effort to stay steady.

Gale moved again, just as they'd asked. This time, it drew a broken sound from Elenion that they couldn't smooth out.

"That’s—" Their breath caught, fingers digging into Gale's hips. "That’s it. Just like that. You’re—gods, you’re doing so well."

Gale let out a soft moan in response. He moved more confidently now, each slow thrust dragging the sensation out.

Elenion's composure fractured further.

"Don’t stop," they said again, softer now. "Please don't stop. You—you feel so good like this."

Gale paused, his breath catching. "Say that again," he murmured.

Elenion looked at him, wide-eyed, cheeks burning from the intensity. They lifted a shaking hand to his face. "You feel… so good, sweetheart. Don't stop."

Gale smiled, and that alone undid something in Elenion. He slowed—just enough to make it worse, each thrust pressing deeper.

He shifted, just slightly.

The change in angle pulled a broken, startled cry from Elenion, snapping whatever composure they had left clean in half.

"Gods, Gale—"

He stilled for a breath, watching their face.

"That—tell me that’s right," he said, voice low and unsteady. “Please, my love."

Elenion's breath caught. Their grip slipped, then tightened, fingers digging into his hips as they pulled it back into that exact angle.

"It is," they said, already losing the shape of the words. "That’s—yeah—right there—don’t… don’t change that."

Gale moved again, slower this time, holding that same spot.

"You're—gods, you’re so good at this," Elenion said, their words dissolving into a moan.

Gale let out a soft, helpless sound, his grip tightening hard enough to hold them in place as he moved. And gods, Elenion felt it—the familiar way his hands could undo them all at once.

The change in him made everything sharper, until Elenion couldn’t keep up anymore.

Their cock twitched, leaking steadily now, each movement pulling another reaction from them.

"Fuck—yes—like that—just like that—"

Their voice broke entirely on the last word.

Gale didn’t slow. He kept that same deliberate pace, pressing into them in a way that made it impossible to think past the sensation.

"Say it again," he murmured, not stopping.

Elenion let out something between a laugh and a gasp. "I can’t—"

He moved again.

Elenion arched into him without thinking.

"You—gods—you’re so good—" the words spilled out, unsteady and uncontrolled. "Don’t stop—not now, don't you dare."

He didn’t.

He let out a low, strained groan, thrusting deeper like he couldn't stop even if he tried.

"Gale," Elenion breathed, their voice dazed. "That's it—yeah—my—"

Their breath caught.

"—good boy."

Gale let out a quiet, breathless laugh. It dissolved into a broken moan, his head dipping down to Elenion's shoulder.

Elenion smiled, almost in disbelief that they'd said that with him inside them. They tried to laugh back, but it caught somewhere in their chest, lost in the rush of breath instead.

They tangled their fingers in Gale's hair, holding him closer.

Gale's rhythm faltered for a moment before snapping back, more urgently now. Elenion's hips jerked helplessly into the next thrust.

"Gale—"

Whatever they were going to say broke into a moan, then a soft cry as the tension finally snapped, pleasure hitting all at once. Their body tensed around him as they came, every last bit of control falling away.

Gale followed a second later, pressing in close as he finished, his breath uneven against their skin as he stilled.

For a moment, neither of them moved.

Then Gale lifted his head slightly, studying their face.

"There you are," he murmured.

Elenion flushed, but didn’t look away.

"Here I am," they said, still a little breathless.

Then, more softly, "I love you."