Work Text:
Temperatures in Baldur’s Gate had been dropping. There was ice forming now on the edges of the windows of the townhouse you shared with Astarion. And icy gusts of wind made you shiver now everytime you left the house.
Winter had come to the city and was firmly holding Baldur's Gate in its icy fingers. Some smaller side streams of the Chionthar close to town had already frozen over, inviting people to go ice skating. A winter market had opened its stalls somewhere centrally in the lower city. Windows were decorated with candles, ornaments and wreaths made of holly. And the townsfolk had started to wrap themselves in thick coats, wooly scarves and more comfy layers meant to keep them warm. For some the only thing still peeking out from all the layers of cloth, wool and fur were reddened cheeks and noses, coloured by the freezing temperatures.
But there was one thing still missing: snow.
And for the first time in your life were you actually excited for that to happen. Because now you were lucky enough to be in a position to enjoy the nice things that came with the colder weather. And you were so ready to make the best of it - together with your vampire soulmate.
When you had lived on the streets of the city you had always dreaded the coming winter because each year it had been cruel and painstaking to find enough food and shelter. But things were so different now. You had a permanent roof over your head now. And much more important: you had someone, just as permanent .
Someone to cuddle up with when the winter storms would be howling outside. Someone to decorate your home with. Someone to exchange gifts and trade kisses with during cold winter nights. Actually it all sounded pretty enticing.
Being with Astarion had made everything better. You never had been this excited about your future. And just as Astarion was ready to replace hurtful memories with new and pleasant ones, so were you.
So, tonight, you were going out. As you had done lots of times since you'd settled down. Astarion always found a reason to drag you out of the house and spoil you. You were planning to have a nice dinner, maybe stroll across the winter market and watch some of the brave fools thinking they’d be good at ice skating - at least as long as people were still out and about.
But the night was still young. The sun had barely set.
And this had been one of the first things that had made you change your opinion about winter: it allowed for so much more time and opportunities to go out with your vampire. Even if said vampire would have enjoyed that much more during summer time. You made the best out of it.
So when you stepped out of your front door, drawing your scarf and cloak closer around you, you immediately noticed one thing: Thick white flakes were drifting down from the dark night sky, illuminated by the street's mage light lanterns. The snowflakes fell slowly but steadily - as if they were trying to tell you that they wouldn’t be rushed, but would make their way surely. Light gusts of wind dragged around the small white tufts - sometimes taking them for an extra twirl before they landed on the ground.
Your eyes widened and you gasped as you beheld what was very much a fairytale snow flurry. “Snow”, you whispered silently and could barely believe how excited you’d become all of a sudden.
Then Astarion stepped out behind you. And you didn’t need to see the scowl to know it was there: “Ugh, snow.”
Immediately you turned around and gave him a look. You saw how he was fastening his cloak and threw a scarf around his head - he didn’t exactly have need for it but that surely didn’t stop him from another opportunity to make a fashion statement.
“What?”, he replied in annoyance. His lips were pressed together looking at the icy precipitation in displeasure.
“Don’t you think it’s beautiful?”
“My love, you are beautiful, life is beautiful - oh and I am certainly beautiful”, he started dramatically and for the last part sweeped a hand through his hair. “But this? Frozen water falling from the sky? I don’t see why that’s supposed to be beautiful of all things”, he finished with a scrunched up nose. And very pointedly a big snowflake landed on the tip of his nose right at this moment.
The vampire’s nose scrunched up even more when he felt the cold touch his skin and made a disgusted noise while you could barely contain a laugh.
“There, I can save you”, you said and stood on your tiptoes to kiss the tip of his nose and take care of this daunting snowflake.
“Cute”, Astarion replied when you stepped back again with a big genuine smile on his face. And then he quickly pulled you back in for a real kiss.
After the sweet kiss he pulled the cloak closer around you while you lovingly kept looking at him. He’d made that one for you specifically - picked your favourite colours, lined with sheep wool on the inside to keep you extra warm, marked with custom stitching. You had been in absolute awe when he had first showed it to you - he really was more talented than he would make anyone believe.
“Now, my love, at least take care you don’t turn into an icicle - I have standards when it comes to the temperature of my lovers”, the vampire lectured while he made sure you were appropriately wrapped, then pressed a quick little kiss to your forehead.
“Smoking hot?”, you asked with a sly grin. Astarion smirked back at you.
“At least above freezing would be acceptable”, Astarion replied and winked at you.
You stuck your tongue at him while Astarion laughed at you. Then you grabbed his hand and went out into the snow-filled cold winter night.