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Astarion and you spent a nice winter evening together walking through the city. You kept staring at the snowflakes in admiration as they kept drifting down and slowly and surely covered the world beneath them. And with that you discovered that you could actually enjoy the cold season for the first time in your life. Astarion kept quipping about how the weather wouldn’t allow anymore for you to walk about precariously clothed as you had done when the city had been hit by a heatwave.
The vampire just very obviously was made for summer. But at least at one point he admitted how pretty the tiny specks of snow looked in your reddish-brown hair. And when you argued that in turn the winter season encouraged many more cuddles and just staying in your cosy, enormous bed together Astarion’s eyebrows lifted and a grin spread over his face: “Maybe I should hope then that we’ll be snowed in with no one but each other for company and the desperate need to hide under the covers to stay warm and escape the dreadful cold, my love?” He was looking at you with this dangerous sparkle in his eyes and a grin that was full of sinful promise. You could feel your heart take a leap and felt the heat of a blush spread across your cheeks. Your face was probably now twice as red from the combination of biting cold and once again getting flustered by your vampire.
With some effort you tried to play it down and sighed at his need to dramatise everything: “You know, Astarion my beloved, you can have that without the actual danger of freezing to death.” But about that the vampire just laughed and promised you that he wouldn’t let it come to this.
You had your joyful evening, enjoying a nice dinner then venturing further through the wintery town. Meanwhile the city had been covered in a thick, plush blanket of snow. Astarion still made a fuss about it while you couldn’t get enough of the views.
On your way home finally, you insisted on taking the way through one of the parks. Astarion rolled his eyes but agreed. The cold might not be an actual threat to your vampire but it was still unpleasant to him. In turn, he made you swear to make good on the cuddling once you would have returned to your joint home. A promise you were more than happy to give and fulfil later on.
By now it was deep in the night, the moon casting everything in pale silver light. In fact, the perfect illumination to make the snow everywhere sparkle and glint.
And the rest of the streets were illuminated by lots of mage lights all around the city that were primarily meant to keep everything lit well during the darker times of the year. But they also made for pretty and atmospheric decorations.
In the park you had just entered someone had surely focused more on the decorative part. Small glinting silvery lights glowed along the pathways and on the brushes and trees all around.
Besides the two of you the park was completely empty - of course, it was late at night or maybe pretty early morning. Astarion’s hand was relaxingly resting on the small of your back and he kept throwing you adoring glances as he watched you take in the scenery.
You walked slowly along the pathways and up some lazily bending staircases, taking in how the lights twinkled and the snow reflected them a thousand times over with smaller sparkles.
The snow crunched pleasantly under your boots and you realised there was almost no other sound to be heard other than your muffled footsteps and your breaths that manifested in the crispy winter air.
And then you came up on the central spot in the park. A gasp left your mouth when you saw it and you were sure even Astarion let out a smaller one behind you.
A giant weeping willow rose up before you. The leaves had long fallen from the many drooping branches. But the majestic, big tree was now frozen over and covered in the freshly fallen snow, each hanging tendril frosted white and glittering from the ice crystals on it. Around and all over it were many more of the small silvery mage lights. And behind the tree you saw the small pond that was now completely frozen over. The ice was peeking through some of the powdery snow and reflected some of the many lights up in the enormous tree. The rest of the mood was set by the moon bathing everything in gentle, pale light.
It truly looked magical. You threw Astarion beside you a glance and saw how he too seemed awestruck. His red eyes were wide and you saw the lights sparkle and reflect in them. The pale moonlight on his face intensified his sharp, beautiful features: the aristocratic nose, the high cheekbones, the soft white curls that were illuminated by the moon and made him look ethereal.
You didn’t know what was more bewitching now: the fairytale scene around you or the beautiful pale elf that for some reason had decided to spend the rest of his life with you. And at some point you noticed you had gotten carried away with staring at Astarion’s face because you saw that he was watching you out of the corner of his eyes and was smirking broadly.
“So, the snow and the lights aren't as beautiful in comparison anymore, eh?”, he teased. You huffed.
“Well, the lights and the snow are really putting in work to give you a nice backdrop to look even more beautiful , darling”, you answered just as sassily and softly elbowed him. The vampire softly laughed and shook his head so his curls flew around his head and a few snowflakes fell from his hair. A smile grew on your face seeing how effortlessly happy he seemed.
Then you looked back at the scenery in front of you and then grabbed Astarion’s hand and walked with him until you were standing under the long snow-coated and lit up branches of the weeping willow.
“You’re not going to propose now, are you, my dear?”, Astarion asked you with a mockingly lifted eyebrow as you turned towards him, grabbing hold of his other hand too.
“Would you want me to propose?”, you asked back, mirroring his facial expression. Your heart involuntarily made a few somersaults despite not having any plans of getting engaged this night.
Astarion cocked his head, he sounded genuine when he next spoke: “Maybe. Some time. Although I have to say - I would love to be the one proposing, pick out a ring for you, plan something that takes your breath away.” He pursed his lips and his gaze drifted away from yours as he undoubtedly was thinking about what dramatic surprise he could come up with. You silently smiled to yourself as your chest filled with warmth.
“Well, good thing then I wasn’t planning on putting a ring on your finger tonight then. You might get your chance, yet”, you replied with a grin. Astarion’s gaze went back to yours, he smiled lovingly at you.
“How about just a sappy little kiss then, my love?”, the vampire asked and already slowly leaned towards you while you were still holding hands.
You met him halfway with parted lips and then let yourself be wrapped in his arms when he let go of your hands to put his arms around you. And there you stood for long moments enjoying your own little fairytale happy ending: kissing your unlikely prince surrounded by twinkling lights in your very own winter wonderland scene.