Curate, connect, and discover
Ascended Astarion x Marin (Tav/OC, cis woman)
Overview: I was inspired by an old favorite song - The Take Over, The Break's Over by Fall Out Boy. I really wanted to make a story about a protective A!Astarion reuniting with his ex-lover who has a shit husband and it became a WAY longer story than I intended. Super smutty and quite heavy throughout. Astarion's PTSD and Marin's emotionally ab*sive husband are triggers later on!
Rating: Explicit (18+)
Words: 3.7k (chapter 1 of 17)
Setting: Baldur's Gate, post-plot of BG3
Content: Marin's POV, ex-lovers reunited, forbidden relationship, semi-public make-out, dirty talk, hook-up, fingering, quickie, standing/wall sex, romantic confession, soft Ascended Astarion is lonely
This is not the place for anti-A!A discourse. I love both versions of Astarion, and it's okay to have issues with the Ascendant route, but I will block you if you clown on these posts~
Next chapter
Don't pretend you ever forgot about me
Marin arrived at the bar in the early evening, the fourth place she'd checked for Astarion. The servant at his front door said he went out for drinks and wasn't expected back for several hours, but she couldn't afford to wait in his sitting room for him to come home. Instead, she went searching for Astarion at the fancy establishments near his home, despite the sprinkling rain. As she stepped past the entranceway of the tavern, she spotted him from behind.
There he was, perched on a small chair like a peacock, gesturing as he spoke. A nobleman sat across from him, drunkenly laughing at his story, a courtesan giggling between the two. She was leaning against the other man, but clearly enraptured by Astarion. Marin could hardly blame her - the other man was likely a well-paying client, but nowhere near as charming.
Time seemed to stand still. The drunken man must have noticed her standing across the room, staring at the group of them, and smiled in her direction. Trying to figure out what he was looking at, the woman ended up spotting her as well. She smiled and gave a little wave to Marin.
Astarion glanced over his shoulder, his characteristic smirk still plastered on his face. It quickly dropped when he saw Marin. He didn't look upset, to her relief. His eyes were wide, lips slightly parted. He furrowed his brow and squinted a little, as if he couldn't believe his eyes.
“... Marin?”
Her heart raced hearing her name from his mouth again.
“Astarion.”
He'd completely lost interest in the others at his table, rising slowly from his chair. He strode elegantly across the bar, despite his surprise.
“Bleeding hells. It's actually you,” Astarion said, his mouth breaking into a genuine smile. “What are you doing here?”
“I thought we could have a drink,” she responded, trying to keep her voice from shaking. “The two of us. Catch up.”
Astarion's brows knitted together in disbelief, but he played along regardless. “All right, then. Let's have a drink.”
He extended an arm, offering it to her like a gentleman. She took it, tighter than she intended. Without missing a beat, he led her across the floor, walking all the way to the back of the establishment. He presented her with a pair of comfortable armchairs, waiting for her to sit before sinking into one himself, signalling for a waiter.
“Wine for you, darling?”
Marin’s stomach jumped at the pet name.
“Liquor,” she replied, trying to sound composed. He perked an eyebrow with curiosity, but didn't challenge her. He turned to the waiter who had appeared.
“Brandy, for both of us. Thank you,” he requested, before turning back to Marin.
“Sooo, you know I must ask. What brings a married woman into a bar for a drink with her old lover?” he drawled. “I hadn’t the faintest clue you were in town.”
“I wanted to see you,” she replied, earnestly.
“After all these years?” he asked with surprise, watching her carefully. “Obviously, darling, I'm flattered. But I thought you were finished with me.”
“I don't hate you. I never did,” she countered. “It was just too hard to be… close to you, after everything that happened. And then I met Del.”
“Yes, Wyll told me you were leaving town to get married. I assumed that was the end of it. Of us.” His tone was still calm and measured, despite the subject.
The drinks arrived, and Marin immediately took hers from the table. She took a big drink, hoping to steel her nerves, and coughed a little. Damn, it's been a long time since I had something this strong, she thought. How embarrassing. She looked up to see Astarion smiling at her.
“You're cute, you know that?” Astarion mused, admiringly. “I have missed you, dear. Despite myself.”
“Did you really?” she asked, being cheeky despite her nerves. “I thought a lordship would have plenty of distractions. Especially one as handsome as you.”
Astarion tipped his head back with genuine laughter.
“Distractions, certainly. You wouldn't believe the parties,” he purred. “That doesn't mean I haven't missed our… little talks.”
He looked as beautiful as he always had. No, even better. Years of luxury and rest seemed to have helped his skin. The dark circles and fine lines had eased slightly since their adventuring days. She blushed at the realization, hoping she hadn't aged too noticeably in his eyes.
“So, darling, how long are you in town?” Astarion asked, snapping her out of her own thoughts.
“Well, I need to be home tomorrow to prepare the house. My husband will be home from his trip tomorrow night, and I need to get it fixed up for him.”
He furrowed his brow. “Why do you have to fix up the house for your husband?”
“Not all of us have servants to clean up and cook dinner,” she scoffed, teasing him. “I have to do that stuff myself. He expects it to be perfect when he’s around.”
Astarion stared at her suspiciously, looking like he wanted to press it further, but he dropped the subject. “Well, then. Dinner?”
She shook her head. “I thought maybe I could see your home,” she chirped. “I went there first. It looks great. I haven't been there since…” Marin trailed off, realizing what she was saying. Since I helped you kill Cazador.
“Yes, it's changed a lot,” Astarion responded, steering the conversation. “Obviously, with the city in such a state, it was hard to get repairs done. Things have quieted down, though.”
The two stared at each other for a moment.
“Well then, shall we take a little walk?” Astarion said, rising from his chair and extending a hand to her. “I believe the rain has slowed since I arrived, so it should be rather pleasant.”
Marin accepted his hand and stood as well, swaying a tiny bit. Hells, that drink went to my head more than I expected, she thought. Astarion was gracious, offering his elbow for her to grip and walk with him. He led her across the bar, collecting their cloaks at the door. His was a fine garment meant to protect his expensive suit from the elements. Her simple traveling cloak looked very plain by comparison.
Outside, the soft pattering of rain set a very different tone from the warm, crowded tavern. The streets were fairly empty, aside from a few carriages passing by. Most people were indoors after sunset on a rainy evening.
“I have a confession to make,” Marin admitted.
“I knew it,” came Astarion’s smug voice from beside her. “There's more to this, isn't there?”
“I didn't come here to ask you for money, if that's what you're implying,” she hissed. “I did come to see you.”
“Why would you want to see me, darling? Not only for a free brandy and idle chatter, I hope,” he sneered. “Perhaps to see the look of shock on my face in a crowded bar? To taunt me for my loneliness, despite my hedonistic life? To remind me of what I'm missing?”
Marin stopped and turned to look at him. “I didn't come here to taunt you. I'm not that kind of person.”
“I know that, dear,” he said, a bit exasperated. “I'm just trying to understand why a good girl with a loving husband would track down an old flame.”
“He's not that loving,” Marin snapped, starting to walk again. “Can you stop being a prick?”
Astarion snorted. “Not really, no,” he responded playfully. “What-”
She surprised him into silence, pulling him down a secluded alleyway with a jerk. She pulled him to face her and clumsily kissed him on the cheek, too close to his mouth for a friendly greeting.
“What in the- Marin, are you feeling alright?”
Instead of answering, she grabbed the lapels of his suit and kissed him again, this time on the mouth. He didn't protest.
“There. Is that clear enough for you?” she huffed. Astarion watched her face carefully, thinking before he spoke.
“You're not drunk,” he started, slowly. I forgot he can smell my blood. “You're not joking, either. You came all the way to Baldur's Gate, just to see me? To… be with me?”
“You used to say you were always up for ‘a sordid little affair’ after we broke up,” Marin sniped, mimicking his accent. “What’s the problem?”
“Well, naturally, I am,” he drawled. “But I didn't think you were the type to take me up on it.”
“Maybe I've changed!” she snapped. “It's been a long time since you knew me. Is that really so hard to believe?”
“Yes, it is, dear.”
“This was a mistake,” Marin huffed with frustration. She turned to leave, but he kept a gentle grip on her forearm.
“Please, don't go,” he said, his voice softening. “I was only trying to help. I don't want you to run off just yet.”
She stopped, still turned away from him. She didn’t really want to leave, but her face burned with embarrassment.
“I was trying to protect you. I didn’t want you to make a mistake and… regret me,” he admitted. “I’m sure you already do.”
Marin turned back to him, her brows knitted with uncertainty. How much do I share? Will he think I’m a fool?
“Del slept with somebody else,” she blurted out, staring at the pavement. “So I stopped fighting my urge to come back here. To see you. I thought about it for a long time.”
“I presume… it wasn’t a planned arrangement, then?” he asked gently.
“No. He fucked some other woman for no reason at all,” she hissed, fighting back tears. “He doesn’t even know that I found out. I’m sure he thinks he’s rather clever.”
Astarion took her hand in his. They both stood silently for a long time, with light rain hitting the pavement as the only sound.
“I don’t want you to make a mistake,” he said earnestly. “But I’ll have you, darling. If this is truly what you want.”
“Yes, it is,” Marin responded without hesitation.
Astarion’s eyes searched her face cautiously, looking for any hint of doubt or regret. He moved closer, his eyes locked on hers, gently backing her up against the bricks behind her. She stared up at him, holding her breath, exhilarated from how close he was. His eyes gleamed a deep garnet in the growing darkness, his gaze now fixed on her lips. The damp wall was cold against her back.
He put a hand behind her head and kissed her, his chilled fingers at the nape of her neck making her shiver. Marin leaned deeper into the kiss, poking his lips ever so slightly with her tongue. He responded with his own tongue in her mouth, and before long, they were kissing messily like a pair of horny fools. She rubbed up against him with her hips, feeling the outline of his cock press against her. He inhaled at the sensation, grinding himself against her, his hands on her waist to hold her close. He moved one hand down to her ass, grabbing at her and eliciting a muffled moan.
“Gods, I’ve missed you,” he panted. “I’d forgotten how much until I saw you.”
“And you still know how to drive me wild,” she whispered.
She reached down between them, feeling the firm outline of his cock. His pants were perfectly form-fitting and made of a silky material. They can’t be very comfortable, but Gods damn it, they look so good on him. She felt him pulse at her touch, looking up to find his eyes had gone glazed over, almost feral.
“Just don’t bite me, okay? I can’t go home with a mark like that.”
“As much as I’d love to, I was thinking of something else,” he responded. He snaked a hand down the front of her body, grasping between her legs. Marin gasped, tipping her pelvis forward into his hand instinctively. He wouldn’t have any access through her long dress, at least not without a serious adjustment. Why did I wear this thing?
Astarion seemed to wrest control of himself with great effort, straightening up and pulling away from her with a deep breath. She whined at the loss.
“I don’t want any interruptions, darling,” he whispered. “It’d be a little unseemly to go any farther right here. People know me in this part of town.”
He once again offered her his arm, and she clung to him as they walked. The rain had started picking up again, and they both pulled up the hoods of their cloaks to keep dry.
“Do you know what I’d like to do with you, Marin?” Astarion mused quietly. “I would love to push you up against that wall and take you, here and now. Rain and reputation be damned.”
“I can’t imagine,” she responded, teasing him. “You’ll have to paint the picture a little more clearly for me.” He chuckled, realizing her game.
“Well, it would start with a kiss, just like that one. Our bodies pressed close together, and our hands on each other. Perhaps I’d touch you where it was sure to drive you wild. And perhaps you’d let me know how much you wanted it, and beg me to take you right then.”
She hummed as if she were pondering the scenario, her face scarlet.
“And after such an intriguing request from such a beautiful woman, well…” he paused. “I’d have no choice but to oblige. I’d hike up your dress and pick you up, both of your legs to one side.”
“Would you, now?” She was playing coy, despite how badly she wanted to hear the rest of his story. “And why is that?”
“So that I could pull your underclothes down over your ankles like the naughty little thing you are. Then I’d wrap your bare legs around me and pull your hips close, letting you feel just how badly I’ve missed you. How long I’ve missed you.”
She giggled at his double entendre.
“You’d be so close to my cock, and so ready to take it. I couldn’t resist you after that, naturally,” he whispered as they walked up the path. “I’d have to have you,”
Marin sucked in a breath, realizing she’d been captivated by his description for several blocks. They were nearly to the looming entrance of his palace. He stopped short of the front step to whisper in her ear.
“Of course, it’s all hypothetical, darling. I’m a gentleman, after all.” She snorted at the assertion as he stepped up and knocked, announcing himself.
The servant who had greeted Marin earlier opened the door. “Good evening, my lord. Ah, I see you found each other!” she said, recognizing his companion. “What good fortune.”
They stepped over the entranceway into the lavish home. “Thank you, Evi. You may retire for the evening,” Astarion said with a smile, his tone even.
“Thank you, my lord,” she responded cheerfully, hanging their damp cloaks on hooks. She glanced once more at Marin before heading down a nearby hallway.
“I only have two of them here unless I’m hosting,” he explained. “Their quarters are below the main floor. They won’t bother us.” He must have seen the unease on her face. He snaked an arm behind her waist and led her to the staircase.
“Or hear us, no matter how loud we are,” he added quietly. Her face burned fiercely at the very thought. “Now, let’s get upstairs and out of these wet clothes. There will be time to explore later.”
Astarion led her up the stairs with a haste she hadn’t seen from him that evening. He seemed to drop his gentlemanly demeanor more with every passing second, his excitement becoming more apparent. She followed him without a word. Several floors up, they reached a room at the end of a long hallway.
He swung the door open a little too hard, drawing her in behind him. He shut the heavy wooden door and pushed her up against it. Holy hells. She’d forgotten how fast he could move when he felt like it. Despite her pounding heart, she held her breath, noticing his eyes locked on hers again. They were ruby red in the candlelight, and hungry, like the bloodthirsty predator he was.
“Oh, Astarion,” she blurted out, stunned by the intensity of his gaze.
“This is still what you want, my dear?” he whispered, breathless and deadly serious.
“Yes. Gods, yes,” Marin replied immediately.
And with that, he dropped all pretense, kissing her like they’d resumed exactly where they left off. He pressed his hips against her body, his tight pants giving away how completely hard he was already. His little story on the way home hadn’t been only for her entertainment, apparently.
“You’re so hard,” she whined, grinding her hips against him.
“Of course I am,” he huffed. “You’re here, in my bedroom, after all this time.”
He reached his hand down and grabbed between her legs once more, the thick fabric of her dress in the way.
“Now, that won’t do,” he growled. He took her by the hips and moved her to the four-poster bed, gently pushing her down on her back. He hurriedly undid the buttons on his suit coat, and then his undershirt, before throwing both across the room. Marin watched his every move, her eyes wide. He always looks so good with his chest bare, Gods damn him. Same as he always did. He unfastened his terribly tight pants, adjusting his cock without exposing himself.
“Bleeding hells, that’s better,” he groaned. “It was getting painful.”
Marin let out a tiny giggle at his honesty. He hiked up her dress and kneeled in front of her, pulling at her wet underclothes. He got them down over her ankles and returned his attention to her, his cold, nimble hands snaking up her thighs. She shivered beneath his touch.
“You are… so beautiful,” he managed, trying to control himself as his fingers reached her hips. He met her gaze, an unspoken question on his mind. He was still careful about consent after all this time, no matter how mad he was with lust.
“Yes, Astarion,” she panted desperately. “Yes, please, touch me.”
He moved his hand quickly to comply. First one finger was inside, then another, searching for the spot that made her wild. He found it with a few strokes, making her hips tilt forward in surprise.
“Oh, Gods,” Marin whined, letting her head fall back on the soft bedding. She felt every ounce of tension melt in an instant, and then slowly return. His fingers beckoned inside of her, making her absent-mindedly wiggle closer to the edge of the bed, seeking more. His other hand was flat on top of her pelvis, applying gentle pressure to increase the stimulation inside, with his thumb rubbing at her clit. The combination of his movements was completely overwhelming, emptying her mind of anything else. Every bit of her attention was focused where his deft hands met her body, inside and out. She felt a hot wave of pleasure move slowly up her entire core. More and more waves followed, and she felt the pitch of her moans rising unintentionally. Oh, hells, here we go.
Marin finally perked her head off the bed to look down at him, his forehead dripping with sweat, eyes transfixed on his work. Astarion heard her move and glanced up to see her, doe-eyed and gasping.
“Oh, Astarion,” she whimpered. “I’m so close, I’m going to- ohhh-”
“Come for me,” he purred, enjoying the show. “Come, darling.”
Her thighs quivered, hips thrusting upwards as she reached her peak, crying out loudly as she tumbled down over the edge. As soon as she relaxed her hips, she felt his hands pull away from her. Marin propped herself up on her elbows to look down at him. He had pulled his cock out and was using his hand, still slick from touching her, to cover himself with some oil he’d grabbed.
Before she could say a word, he yanked her to the edge of the bed by her dress, wrapping an arm firmly behind her waist and pulling her up. She did her best to hold on as he stood up, her arms and legs wrapped around his bare torso, despite how weak and useless her muscles felt. He backed her up against the door, his cock touching the back of her thigh, her dress draped over where their bodies met.
“Ready?” he panted. She nodded eagerly, and he reached up under the fabric and guided his cock to her entrance, pushing inside of her. He groaned from the relief as he worked her smoothly down his own length, propping her on his hips. He put one arm out straight against the door to steady himself, the other wrapped around her waist to keep her close to him. He thrusted into her, making contact with her most sensitive spots and making her cry out.
“Oh, hells, Marin,” he whined at her. “You are perfect.”
“Oh, Astarion,” she moaned. “Oh, fuck me!”
“I will,” he grunted, trying to get even deeper. She could hear her back bumping clumsily against the heavy wooden door as he thrusted into her. She felt a hot ball of pleasure building in her chest, bouncing along with her tits and intensifying quickly.
“Oh, fuck! Fuck, fuck!” she cried out, ignoring the racket they must be making by this point. She could hear rhythmic moans rising from his throat as he slammed into her.
“Oh, I’m close, darling,” he panted, his voice higher-pitched and desperate now. “Please come for me, Marin, please- I ca- can’t stop-”
She felt the ball of pleasure explode behind her sternum like a firework, her mouth open wide, voice cracking as she cried out. He let himself loose as he felt her coming around his cock, falling apart, banging her back against the door, hard.
“Oh, Marin, I- love you s-” Astarion whimpered as he came. Her eyes went huge at his admission. She felt him go weak under her weight, and he slid slowly to the ground, careful not to let her fall. He landed on his knees and slumped all the way down, Marin still planted firmly on his hips with her back resting against the door. His head fell forward onto her shoulder, exhausted, his chest heaving.