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"While I’m sure I’m terribly flattered—"
“That wasn’t an invitation to rut." Halsin cut Astarion off, watching his lips purse as he seemed to try to decide whether or not he should be offended. Or perhaps play-act at being offended.
It was one of those bitter autumn evenings, the cold biting to the bone when the wind picked up. Their camp had been built in the lee of a ruined wall, but that only helped so much. Astarion stood in the entrance of Tav’s tent. He hadn’t anticipated finding the druid there it seemed, Tav sleeping soundly at his side.
He’d invited the other man to stay.
"It's cold. Come and be warm." Halsin moved the arm that wasn't wrapped around Tav, highlighting the space beside him where Astarion could lay, if he wanted to.
Halsin watched his gaze flick from the spot at his side to Tav's face, her head pillowed on Halsin's chest. She’d been sleeping for the better part of an hour, exhausted from a hard hike up the mountain pass.
He and Astarion hadn't really spoken much since the understanding Tav had established between them. Halsin hadn’t been lying when he said he’d hoped one day that Astarion might want to join them when they were together. He was beautiful. He was also particularly prickly.
“What, in a pile? Like puppies?” Astarion said with a tone of faint disdain Halsin had never heard anyone use over the word “puppies” before.
Tav had been almost as protective of Astarion’s privacy as the man himself was, but it didn’t take great insight to see that he was a creature who craved comfort. Safety. He’d clearly had precious little of either in his past. Tav had curated space for that for him. He reminded Halsin of so many wild creatures he’d encountered in the woods, tormented by humanoids and turned vicious because of it.
The spawn was quick to lash out at what he didn’t want, a cat clawing at careless interference. The fact that he hadn’t yet left told him that he wasn’t completely put off by the idea. Halsin watched him hesitate. Trust was earned, he reminded himself.
“The furs are soft, the linen’s clean.” He said with a low rumble, “And she says I put off heat like a Devil. But you don’t have to if you don’t want to. It was an offer.”
Something about the way he’d phrased it seemed to move the spawn, but Halsin couldn’t quite pinpoint what. Astarion’s approach was one of graceful caution, crossing the tent to the pile of blankets that made up Tav’s bedroll. The chill wind outside picked up. Halsin suspected that the reason he’d come to Tav’s space at all was to find a remedy for it. It must have been difficult not to be able to self-regulate like a living creature.
“This is only because it’s colder than a Patriar’s tit out there.” Astarion said in cool self-justification as he knelt down, his red eyes flicking back to Tav almost as if he was using her as some kind of weather gauge for whether or not it was a good idea. She sighed softly in her sleep.
Halsin nodded his head as if he agreed, lifting his arm again to create wider space for Astarion to sit down. The spawn pulled the blankets over his legs fussily. It took a moment for the heat trapped beneath to reach him, but when it did Astarion reacted like a cat before a hearth, suddenly scooting closer. Halsin didn’t flinch when he felt exactly how cold the spawn’s skin was against his, even through his shirt.
“You don’t smell quite as bad as I expected.” Astarion said after a moment.
“You’re lucky to have caught me so soon after my yearly bath.” Halsin answered dryly, watching the spawn try to suppress an amused snort.
“You take them so often?”
“A concession to vanity on my part.”
He was careful to keep his arm curved away from Astarion’s side to avoid creating the impression he was trying to trap him there. His other arm was firmly wrapped around Tav’s waist, keeping her nestled against him. All of his needs were met, the Bear in him practically rumbled with satisfaction.
It didn’t take long for Astarion’s temperature to equalize. He relaxed by degrees, until finally his eyes closed in reverie.
Tav lifted her head slowly, peering across Halsin’s chest at Astarion with a soft smile before her gaze lifted to the druid’s. There was something like pride and affection in her glance before she settled silently back down again to sleep, gently patting Halsin’s chest.
The wind picked up and the leaves in the trees rattled, nature playing a lullaby into the dark.