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After a long day of trekking through the Underdark, culminating in breaking through the defences of the mysterious arcane tower they’d happened across, most of the adventuring party was more than happy to set up camp and put up their feet for the night. Gale, however, was wide awake and itching to explore - who knew what this wizard’s tower contained, what magical discoveries lay waiting to be uncovered? Now the tower was up and running again, he was looking forward to an evening spent delving into whatever magical secrets the tower’s former owner had left behind; there were a few books in particular he had spotted that he couldn’t wait to crack open.
When he told the group of his intentions, he was waved away with some light-hearted ribbing about not partying too late from Karlach and Tav. As he left he was surprised to see Astarion get up from his tent to follow him.
“Planning on joining me? I wouldn’t have thought a mage’s tower would hold much of interest to you, Astarion.”
The elf smiled at him, “Someone has to make sure you don’t eat all of the loot you find, darling.”
“Very funny. But, as I’ve told you before, I don’t actually eat any of the weave-infused objects, I just -”
Astarion waved a hand dismissively at him “Yes, yes, I know. You really can’t take a joke, wizard.”
With a bemused sigh, Gale led them back into the tower.
Having remembered a few promising looking bookshelves there, Gale began exploring the tower’s living quarters. The shelves indeed contained a veritable goldmine of fascinating tomes, spanning subjects on everything from Githyanki culture to enchantment primers to a diverse array of fiction. In fact, Gale spent quite some time leafing through a rather excellent selection of Cormyran poetry. After selecting some choice tomes to add to his pack (and lamenting the fact he couldn’t take the entire library with him), he turned to investigate the rest of the room. Unfortunately, most of what he found was disappointingly mundane, or purely sentimental possessions of the tower’s mage. He was close to calling it a night and retreating to his tent to peruse the new books some more when something caught his eye.
He was searching the contents of a low cabinet when he found it. It was not something he would have expected to find in a wizard's tower, but it caught his attention like nothing else he’d found so far. Perhaps, in other circumstances, he wouldn't have been so immediately entranced by it, but the last few days and weeks - hells, the last few years - had been trying to say the least. He was looking straight at indulgence, a guilty pleasure… gratification. It was soft brown leather, supple and comfortable looking, with a tarnished silver buckle. Simple, worn, well loved. A collar, similar looking to the one Tav had found somewhere near the hook horror nest, but a little older and smaller, and without a tag. It called to him.
It had been years since he’d indulged in this particular vice, satisfied this particular hunger. Decades, perhaps. And certainly never with Mystra… He hadn’t even thought of doing anything of this sort, the desire safely locked away, but seeing this collar, now, brought all of the long dormant feelings flooding back.
He'd just worked up the nerve to touch it, to hide it away in his belongings and think about it later, when he heard soft footfalls behind him. Shit - he'd forgotten he wasn't alone.
"What have you found that's got you so interested? You've been staring stock still for a good five minutes." Astarion had come up behind him as if out of thin air and placed his hands on Gale's shoulders, leaning over them for a good look. He was so close Gale could feel the exhale of his breath as he let out a surprised “Oh?”
There was nothing else in the broken cabinet, nothing in sight that could possibly have held his attention for so long. Gale closed his eyes and tried to calm his rapidly increasing pulse, feeling his cheeks heat. He was glad that he’d sacrificed an artefact to the orb this morning, otherwise he'd have been close to losing control with how hard his heart was beating.
With a whispered “Well, aren’t you just full of surprises,” the vampire moved away from him, around to the side of the cabinet. When Gale worked up the nerve to finally look at him he found Astarion leaning lazily against it, arms crossed and with a crooked smile on his face. He hadn’t said anything else but raised an eyebrow expectantly at Gale.
Gale stammered at him. “I… I must have been lost in thought. So much on the mind as of late, as you well know!” He laughed awkwardly as his joke fell flat into the silence of the room.
Astarion’s smile only became wider, sharper.
“You can’t blame this on the tadpoles, wizard. They’ve never gotten your heart racing like this before. And they’ve certainly never made your cheeks so deliciously flushed.”
“I, uh, I’m afraid I have no idea what you’re talking about -”
“Oh, I think you do, Gale of Waterdeep. I think that collar has got you all worked up. And we both know why, don’t we?” Astarion’s smile was all teeth, sharp as a predator's. His eyes were dark and thoroughly assessing him, suddenly seeming far too knowledgeable - as if Astarion could see right into him, no tadpoles required. Gale squirmed internally, trying desperately not to show how embarrassed he was (and it was just embarrassment making his insides twist, nothing else surely).
“You should try it on.”
“Wh-what? You can’t be serious!”
Astarion wasn’t smiling now. His face was calm and serious, almost gentle despite the intensity in his eyes, and his voice was steady and firm. “Put it on.”
There was something in his tone that had Gale reaching for the collar before he could think. His hand started to shake when his mind finally caught up to his actions, hovering in the air just above the collar, his mind whirling with possibilities and consequences. It took barely a moment before he finally gave in and picked it up. The collar was just as soft as it had looked, just as he’d imagined it would be, and he swallowed down a hitched breath. He snuck a glance up at Astarion while he ran his fingers over the smooth leather. His mind was still racing, wondering if this was a good idea or if it would backfire spectacularly; wondering if he could let himself have this, and whether it would be safe to roll over and show his belly as he craved.
Astarion was still calm and assessing, making no move to force him but instead waiting to see what Gale would decide to do. There was no judgement on his face, and now that Gale thought of it, there hadn’t been any before either - surprise, certainly, and maybe even delight, but no hint of malice. If he were going to be cruel about this… situation, he would have already leapt at the chance to tear Gale to shreds with his mocking tongue. It was this observation that gave Gale the courage to put the collar to his neck with shaking hands, and slowly buckle it up.
As soon as the collar was firmly in place, Gale experienced the paradoxical sensations of his pulse quickening as his mind started to become calmer. He focused on what he could feel - the touch of the collar snug around his neck, how it pressed against his Adam’s apple, tightening ever so slightly with his breaths, and the sparking of warmth that began to build low in his belly. He took a moment to close his eyes, feel, and breathe, before turning back to Astarion.
There was an unreadable look in Astarion’s eyes and something like a smile playing around his lips. He moved slowly from his slouch against the cabinet to walk a circle around Gale. He stopped in front of Gale, standing face to face, with his head cocked to one side.
“It looks good on you, my dear. Suits you.” He lifted a hand, one finger tracing gently along the collar.
Gale’s mouth felt dry, tongue suddenly lax. He didn’t know what he would say if he could speak - “ Thank you” ? “ Haha, very funny, now you try it on” ? “Please let me be good for you” ? He couldn’t have gotten the words out if he tried.
Astarion pulled his arm back, bringing his fingers to his lips. He was looking at Gale, appraising him, and Gale found himself desperately hoping that Astarion liked what he saw - that he didn’t find Gale wanting.
“Hmmm. It’s a shame your robe has such a high collar - you’d look much better without it darling. You should take it off.”
The request left Gale breathless with shock. His ever-analytical mind was still sluggishly trying to assess the situation he’d found himself in, but coming up with no coherent answers on the optimal course of action. He stood stock still for a moment, breathless and shaking.
Astarion’s hand was suddenly on his jaw, turning his face so that he was looking straight into Gale’s eyes.
“You can stop whenever you like, you know. Walk away at any time. And you will tell me if anything goes too far.”
Both his words and his face were deadly serious, and it warmed something in Gale to see that he so clearly cared for his well being. All his hesitations faded away, and he gave Astarion a shaky “Yes,” in response.
Astarion smiled, small and pleased, and his hand gave Gale’s jaw and a gentle squeeze, carding his fingers lightly through his beard before he moved away to watch Gale’s next move.
With a new sense of urgency, Gale began to undo his robe. He removed it and balled it up in a manner at odds with his habitual neatness. He stood, holding the bundle of fabric a little awkwardly. He was much colder now in just his undershirt and leggings - the shirt was almost threadbare in places due to the wear and tear of travel and hung open nearly to his navel, baring quite a lot of his chest hair. But the shiver that went down his spine had nothing to do with the temperature and everything to do with the fierce, predatory gaze of the vampire before him.
“Yes, that’s a much better look for you, pup.”
Astarion had started to move again, slowly walking around him as though he was intent on admiring Gale from every angle. Gale felt his cheeks heat once more and knew his blush had likely travelled all the way down to his chest with how flushed he was feeling. He was more exposed in front of Astarion than he had ever been previously, both physically and emotionally bare before him. He hadn’t felt quite so vulnerable in a long time, and that knowledge excited him.
“Now, be a good boy for me and sit .”
A shudder ran through Gale as the command was issued from somewhere behind him. The low and steady heat that had been building in his stomach since he had first tightened the collar around his neck erupted into a flame and he felt his cock twitch and harden in his pants. Slowly he lowered himself to the floor, dropping his robe and coming to settle sitting on his knees with his legs folded beneath him. His mind had gone fully quiet then; no more a tide of constant new thoughts and ideas, but instead a calm serenity, where he could focus only on what he was feeling - the cold floor where his knees pressed against the stone, his breath coming fast, the growing hum of the orb in his chest, the collar firm and secure around his neck, his cock growing harder along with his steadily increasing desire.
“Good puppy.”
The words send a jolt of pleasure through Gale, the praise settling some deep anxious part of himself.
“Oh, you do like this, don’t you? Do you want to be good for me, pup?” Astarion’s voice had a smug note to it as he finally walked back into Gale’s eyeline, stopping in front of him. One of Astarion’s hands came down to stroke gently through his hair. Gale was beyond words now, only able to let out a whine in response to Astarion’s question as he pressed up into the rogue’s dextrous hands, eyes falling closed in pleasure. Before he had a chance to truly enjoy the petting, Astarion’s hand was gone, and so was the rest of him. When Gale opened his eyes he saw Astarion was now lounging in a comfortable-looking red chair by a low table in the corner.
“Well then, puppy, let’s see just how good you can be for me. Come here.” Astarion made a little ‘come hither’ motion with his hands, looking as pleased as the tressym that caught the pigeon. It was the kind of smug look that would ordinarily have driven Gale up the wall, but here and now it made his mouth water and his dick throb. When Gale did not immediately respond, Astarion added “If you be good, you’ll get a treat,”.
Needing no further incentive, Gale brought his hands to the floor and began to crawl across the distance between them. He kept his pace slow but methodical and his eyes locked on Astarion’s. It became easier to ignore the creaks and twinges of his knees when he noticed Astarion’s eyes growing darker and darker, pupils almost completely eclipsing the red irises. When at last he reached Astarion, Gale stopped to kneel between his open legs. Giving in to instinct, he rested his chin on Astarion’s knee and had the distinct pleasure of watching Astarion’s mouth fall open in a moment of lustful abandon before he managed to bring his face, and himself, back under control.
“So well behaved for me. I’ll bet that you’d even eat out of that bowl over there if I asked you to, wouldn’t you, darling?” Astarion drawled out, referencing the pet bowl in the room they’d found earlier that day. He brought both of his hands to Gale's head now, one gently ran his fingers through Gale's hair, as the other came down to scratch at the patch of skin behind Gale’s ear. It was getting easier and easier for Gale to give in to his base instincts, and he arched into the touch, his eyes fluttering shut in pleasure.
“Perhaps I should let you sleep at the end of my bedroll. You’d like that wouldn’t you, pup? Sleeping at my feet.”
Gale had the sudden image of himself lying in Astarion’s tent, naked but for the collar around his neck with an attached leash that ended in Astarion’s hand, an Astarion who towered above him, powerful and resplendent in his blood-soaked armour. He couldn’t stop the pathetic whimper that came out of him, the imagined scenario feeding the flame within him and making his prick twitch and dribble with pre-cum, straining against his now-dampened pants.
“Mmm, yes, I thought you’d like that. You’d be such a good pet for me, wouldn’t you, my sweet? I could let you loose on our enemies like a wild dog and you’d come back to me, tail wagging and soaked in blood.” Astarion’s voice had begun to take on a coarser, more ragged quality the more he spoke, a sharp contrast to his normally polished and precise manner of speaking.
“Perhaps I’ll feed you table scraps as you sit at my feet like a good little puppy. Of course, you prefer a diet of magical items, don't you? You’d lick the rings from my fingers if I let you.” Astarion’s hands began to get a little rougher, nails digging into the skin and fingers tugging at Gale’s hair. The wizard let out a broken moan at the sensation, eyes blinking open to gaze up at Astarion.
“Well, I promised you a treat, didn’t I? And as you’ve been so very good for me, I think you deserve something special.” Astarion withdrew his hands to open the front of his pants, letting his cock spring free of its confinement. It was already hard and jutting out proudly, longer and thinner than Gale’s own and as pale as the rest of the vampire. Gale felt his pulse quicken at the sight. He wanted to dive forward and devour it, but he hadn’t yet been given permission. Holding back a whine, he looked up at Astarion through his lashes.
“What a patient pup you are. Come on then, show me what that clever tongue of yours can do, pup.”
Gale felt another rush of arousal at the teasing and moved himself so he was nestled in close between Astarion’s splayed thighs. Then he began, making tentative kitten licks while his eyes were still locked on Astarion’s, until the tip of Astarion’s cock was shiny with his spit. As Astarion’s eyes grew wider, he leaned forward to take the tip into his mouth and began suckling, his tongue sneaking out to swipe around it before pressing into the slit. Astarion’s dick was cold, even colder than he had expected, but it began to warm quickly from his ministrations. He tasted of iron and salt and musk. Gale had the privilege of watching Astarion’s eyes flutter closed in pleasure, and began to devote his attention to the task before him, opening his mouth wider and pressing forward.
Astarion began to murmur praises, interspersed with teases - “Good boy, just like that… if I’d known this was all it took to keep you quiet… I’d have done this sooner, kept that incessant mouth of yours occupied…” - but his composure seemed to be slipping, his words slurring. He wound his hands back into Gale's hair, and it wasn’t long before he began tugging Gale forward, thrusting a little into Gale’s mouth. Gale moaned with pleasure at the sensation of being used, causing Astarion to moan back in return, thrusting even quicker than before.
It had been a long time since Gale had done this, since he’d had his mouth so full, especially in the physical realm. He had forgotten how good it felt to be so thoroughly used, to let go of everything and act on instinct - his only focus was the cock filling his mouth, the taste of it, the smell of the man before him (blood, sweat, bergamot). Astarion was being surprisingly gentle with him, keeping his thrusts shallow and his fingers gentle where they grip him, and suddenly it wasn’t enough for Gale. He surged forward, swallowing down as much of Astarion’s shaft as he could before hollowing his cheeks and sucking him down. He needed to make Astarion come, to hear it, feel it, taste it.
Astarion made a heavenly noise above him, like the sound of an aasimar plummeting into the hells, and Gale could only moan in response. Astarion was now muttering praise under his breath - “So good for me, such a good boy, yes, darling, just like that,” - and his thrusts were getting wilder. Gale could feel tears blurring his eyes and tracing their way down his cheeks, his neglected cock now weeping and pressed tight against his leggings, painful in the best possible way.
Astarion gave a needy cry and tugged at Gale's hair in a warning, but Gale pressed forward, determined to taste all that Astarion could give him. Astarion let out a gasp that might have been a sob and Gale could feel him pulsing against his tongue, his mouth full of the tangy, bitter taste of his come. Gale continued to suck, determined to wring every last ounce of pleasure out of the man before him and relishing in the shudders he could feel going through him.
It wasn’t long before Astarion was pulling back from him, withdrawing his hands and tucking himself back into his pants. He looked down at Gale, seemingly serene and with not a single hair out of place, before bringing a thumb up to swipe across Gale’s lips.
“Did you enjoy your treat, pet? You did very well for me.”
Gale still felt beyond speech, and could only look up at Astarion and whimper. The praise from Astarion and the pleasure at a job well done were only adding to the arousal he felt, and he was suddenly aware of just how achingly hard he was.
He suddenly felt a firm pressure against his crotch and saw Astarion’s eyes light up in delight. Glancing down he saw the toe of Astarion’s boot pressed against the bulge in his leggings. The sight caused Gale to thrum with desire.
“I’m glad you enjoyed yourself so much, darling. And seeing that you’ve been so very good for me…” Astarion ran his foot teasingly up Gale’s length. “Why don’t you take what you need?”
Gale let out a broken sob and nearly collapsed onto Astarion’s lap as he began rutting against his boot. There was something so instinctively primal about the act, but the humiliation he felt seemed to feed the flame of his arousal, heightening it to a fever pitch. Astarion’s hands were back in his hair, and he could just make out some of the soothing words the elf was murmuring: “That’s it, let go for me, darling”. Gale found it far too easy to give in to that animalistic part of himself and chase release.
It was over embarrassingly quickly. When Gale came back to himself, he found he was collapsed against Astarion with his face pressed into his thigh, the rogue’s hands still gently carding through his hair. There was a large, uncomfortably wet patch on the crotch of his leggings.
Gale cleared his throat before pulling away from Astarion before muttering a quick prestidigitation to clean them up. He reached up to undo the collar, his eyes firmly on the ground, not daring to make eye contact. He had no idea what had come over him, and even less idea of what would come next. While he didn’t regret their activities, he and Astarion were not exactly close. Would Astarion now hold his proclivities against him, or use them for leverage? He hadn’t felt so awkward and out of his depth since he’d been a teenager. He risked a glance back up at Astarion to find the elf smiling bemusedly down at him.
“I, uh, that is - thank you. For that.” Gale found himself blurting out, causing Astarion's smile to blossom into a smug smirk. Handsome bastard.
“You’re most welcome, darling. I knew you needed a release, but I'd never have guessed just how you’d go about it.”
Gale flushed and clambered up to find his robe and redress himself. He stood awkwardly for a moment, still avoiding direct eye contact with Astarion, who was still watching him from where he was lounging in the chair. Nervously, he fiddled with the collar in his hands, before deciding it was best to make as much of a dignified exit as he could.
“I suppose I’ll see you back at camp,” he said, turning to leave.
“I enjoyed myself immensely, darling. You should keep the collar.”
“I - What?” Gale turned to see Astarion was still sitting but was now wearing a more honest smile, something warm and gentle in his eyes - intimate.
“You should keep it. And any time you need to use it, come and find me. I truly did enjoy this, you know.” There was something almost mournful in Astarion's voice when he spoke, closer to wistful, perhaps. Gale found himself smiling in return.
He gave Astarion a nod and turned to return to camp. As he left, he tucked the collar into his pocket, running his thumb over the smooth leather. Perhaps he’d take Astarion up on his offer again, one day. Perhaps.