A/N: Thank you for the encouragement! PMs are welcome.

"What were you two doing out there last night?" Gale asked Tav as she dismantled her tent. He had magically collapsed his, deft mage hands folding it for him and packing it away snugly.

"Murdering people and having sex," she snarked. "Happy?"

"I was just curious. No need to be rude," he hissed before sulking away.

Tav giggled to herself when he was out of ear shot. She had been totally honest with him and he refused to believe her because of how preposterous it sounded. She opted for a shirt with a high collar for that day, and noticed Astarion had done the same as they converged around the burnt out campfire before departing for the day.

"The Druid's grove is a few days north of here. Let's head that way, shall we?" Gale proposed, clapping his hands. "Surely they've a cleric that will be able to help us part with these tadpoles."

The tiefling shrugged. Tav left her reservations unsaid and Astarion mimicked Gale's clap.

"Goody. Let's go see the druids," he spoke with false cheerfulness before turning and heading north.

Gale scowled at him and followed, displeased he had to go the same direction as the cruel elf. He had been nothing but pleasant to him. Karlach chuckled to herself. Gale was immune to the fact that he could be over intrusive, despite his good intentions.

Tav quickly fell in step beside Astarion.

"Goody," she mocked, clapping her hands. "I can't wait to see the druids."

"They're not going to have anything to offer besides a fistful of herbs, if they don't try to kill us on sight," Astarion said, rolling his eyes. "I'm sure it will be just grand."

"Why not suggest something different?" she asked.

"I'm not going to argue with that moron. He thinks he's Mystra's gift to all of us because he dipped his cock in her," he muttered. "Let him lead this bunch. We'll turn and run and let them sort it out."

They bantered back and forth, mocking Gale and the druids they were to meet in the coming days as they trudged through the forest. Astarion was uncomfortable, but not because of his company. His neck ached and his cock hurt. There was a bit of truth in the advice to avoid people who used teeth during fellatio. Tav appeared to be hurting too, occasionally massaging her neck and wincing.

The pack on her back dug painfully into her shoulders and against the wounds on her neck. She wanted to hurl it into the woods and be done with it, but her few possessions were inside. Ritual tools, the damned tent, and her clothing.

Gale called the party to a halt beside a narrow river as the sun began to fade, declaring that they would cross tomorrow at dawn. Astarion mocked him with quiet claps behind his back, scowling before turning and setting up his tent up river. Tav pitched hers, angrily, down river from his. She was not good with this sort of thing and struggled through the whole process. The spell to strengthen her would not help her here, despite her wishes. She couldn't brute force her way through this.

Astarion watched her for a moment, struggling between the laughter building in his chest, the desire to help her, and the memory of her fingers laced in his hair and her tongue in his neck. He shuddered and strolled over to her, trying to regain his trademark "shit eating grin."

"Need a hand, darling?" he cooed, standing beside her. He glimpsed a bruise creeping up from her collar.

She turned to him, her face red with frustration.

"Yes please. I'm going to lose my mind," she whined.

He made short work of it, anchoring and pulling fabric taut. Tav reclined on a boulder and watched him work, enjoying the concept of him doing things for her and seeing his shirt pull around his muscles. Karlach watched from the other end of the camp, wondering how on earth the half elf had tricked him into doing her chores.

"You're all set," he said, stepping over to her. "Unfortunately I don't think we're due for any rain."

"I don't think so either. It'll make it easier for you to make your way over once everyone has gone to bed," she spoke softly.

He throbbed. He didn't know if his body could take another night, but his mind would force it.

"I suppose it will. Shall I bring the wine?"

"Please do," she replied, getting to her feet and strolling away. "I'll see you then."

Tav slipped into a portion of the river Karlach had discovered. It was obscured from the view of the camp and deep enough to submerge oneself in. The evening dark obscured the discoloration on Tav's neck, clouding any act from the tiefling's eyes.

Karlach was striking. Her burning core warmed the water around her, and her eyes radiated a welcoming kindness. Tav would have found herself enraptured with her, but her mind was narrowed on Astarion. His lips, his teeth, the curve of his neck.

"How'd you trick the elf into fixing your tent?" Karlach teased. "I'd love for him to take over with the cooking."

"I'll see what I can do," Tav winked before dipping her hair in the water. "Warlock tricks. You know."

Karlach barked out a laugh.

"Bloody fool. Glad you found use for him."

Tav smiled to herself.

Far upstream, Astarion hurled himself into the river waters. He scrubbed himself with a scented soap, hoping it would be pleasing to Tav. A blend of sandalwood and cinnamon. The soap stung his raw neck, memories of the previous night clouding his sight. The pain was familiar and he felt himself throb. He felt himself with gentle fingers. His touch was surprisingly soothing and desire wrapped his fingers around himself and gently moved.

He heard his name in his head, in her voice. The memory of her taste flooded his mouth and her smell bombarded his nose. He climaxed silently, his seed dissipating in the water around him.

Tav reclined in her tent, a blanket spread across the grass and her back leaned against a chest. She flipped through a book she'd found several days before. A collection of diagrams of summoning circles, painstakingly detailed. She had no plans of summoning anything but found the images charming. She shut her book as she heard someone approach the entry to her tent.

"I hope it's red," she said in a sing songy voice.

Astarion appeared, holding a jug of her hoped for red wine and shaking it. Tav patted the blanket beside her and he joined her in leaning against the chest. He uncorked the bottle, took a swig, and passed it to her.

"No goblets?" she teased before drinking.

"I suppose not," he sighed. "I didn't want to wake the camp up clanking goblets and wine over here. The wizard would show up and ask for a cup."

"Fair enough," Tav replied. "What did you get into this evening?"

"Collected firewood, listened to Gale blather on, helped Karlach skin a deer, took a dip in the river…" he trailed off, color rising to his cheeks.

"What?" Tav asked, noticing.

"Oh, what does one do in a river when they're alone?" he threw his hands up.

"Wash?" she asked, blinking at him.

He lifted his hand again and made a gesture mimicking his act.

"I thought you'd be too sore for anything like that today," Tav laughed.

"So did I, but time makes fools of us all darling," he sighed. He swiped the jug back, unsure why he felt the need to tell her any of that. "What did you do with your time?"

"Washed in the river, ate, read a book, kept my hands above my waist," she sniggered. "Glad you were thinking about me though."

"I never said I was."

She turned and locked eyes with him.

"What were you thinking about?"

This wasn't a question of jealousy, but one with an obvious answer. She leaned closer to him and brought her lips to his ear, planting a soft kiss against the pointed tip.

"You, your voice," he spoke breathily as she began nibbling. "The way you taste. Your taste…"

Her lips freed the words from behind his. He continued.

"The way your blood mixed with mine…"

"The way you felt inside me," she whispered into his ear, adding her own delights to his thoughts. "The way you whine and moan at the slightest touch."

She rested her hand on his tender neck, producing the moan she wanted.

"The way you're ready for me," she continued, lowering her hand and running it gently over his length. "The way I'd move mountains for you. The way I'd kill for you."

He shuddered, the words pure honey, and turned to look at her. Her expression was soft but a wealth of passion was just beneath the surface.

"I have a question, love," he spoke softly.

"Hm?"

"Say I just wanted to lay beside you tonight. Talk like this until we fell asleep."

She considered the question. She was ready for more, despite the pain, but knew he must have his limits. She would be disappointed, but only in the slightest sense. His company was delightful.

"Then we'd do that," she answered, running her fingers through his hair. "I won't force you to do anything, as much as I enjoy you. I hope you know that."

"Oh, I do," he mumbled, leaning for her neck and placing his lips against it.

Between kisses, he elaborated.

"I mostly wanted to know… how you were feeling…"

She shut her eyes, the tender kisses heavenly on her sore skin.

"I'm feeling like your tongue should be inside me."

He nipped her before slipping her pants off over her thighs and down her ankles. He hurled them behind him, stripped himself, got on his knees and planted his face where it seemed to belong. Her smell was as intoxicating as it was the night before, and she was just as slick. He thrust his tongue deep inside her, unwilling to wait and tease. He was rewarded with a moan and resumed his work exploring her.

Without instruction, he grasped his aching cock in his hand and began working himself. He heard her moan with approval and continued, slipping his tongue out only to softly ask:

"When do you want me to cum?"

Her eyes fluttered open and she shoved his face back into her cunt. He resumed pleasuring her, sucking her clit between his lips and running his tongue over it. She arched her back and raked her nails over his back, her juices on his chin.

He looked up at her, eagerly awaiting an answer to his question. He wouldn't last long if he slipped inside her now.

"Now. I want to see you," she spoke. "Stay where you are, though."

He remained on his knees but straightened his back, hoping to provide what she wanted to see. He couldn't imagine the vision enticing but she watched with great interest, her eyes flitting from his to his cock.

He stroked himself, the attention thrilling. Her eyes on him forced his hand to tighten and his arm to work faster. He didn't have to imagine or think of anything.

Tav's cheeks flushed as she watched him, very much enjoying the show. His hand squeezed around the tip before moving back down his thick shaft.

"Would you like me to talk?" she purred.

Astarion nodded vigorously. He needed no help in the task but her voice would be bliss.

"I like watching you work yourself. You know exactly what you like and you look good doing it," she commented. "Your mouth is open just enough for me to see your pretty pink tongue, and my cum is still all over your face. Can you taste it?"

His tongue swirled around his lips. He could. She was all over him. He moaned. She told him he could cum but again, he didn't want to.

"You must like the way you hurt to continue," she mused. "I know that has to hurt."

He nodded again. It did hurt, but it hurt good. The pain was invigorating, not unpleasant. He squeezed harder, testing his limits.

"I like that you're teasing yourself," she said softly. "You don't want to cum yet. You like this."

He nodded. All he could do was nod. Any words would come out strangled. Nonsense. He just wanted to listen and jerk himself into oblivion.

"Should I push you over the edge? Make you cum all over your hands?"

Nodding. He pumped harder, knowing she would speak the words to send him spiraling.

She paused for a moment, debating on the words to use. Other than arousal, all she felt was love right now. He trusted her and stared at her with such heart melting love she couldn't help it.

"Astarion," she spoke softly, leaning forward and rising to bring her lips to his ears. His arm worked violently beneath her. "I love you."

His eyes shot open as the orgasm tore through his body. He moaned into Tav's ear, louder than he wanted to but it was out of his control. His hand continued to pump, the feeling lingering for longer than it ever had. He had erupted all over his hand. He slumped forward, nearly knocking his head with Tav's, breathless.

What on earth is wrong with me, he asked himself. A woman tells you she loves you while you jerk yourself off and you cum so hard you nearly pass out? He felt no shame, only slight amusement at this new development.

He rolled onto his back, wiped his hand on grass that wasn't covered by a blanket and caught his breath. He closed his eyes.

"I'm glad that didn't scare you off," she smiled, turning to look at him.

"You think that, of all things, would scare me off?" he laughed. "You drew blood from me last night and bit my cock."

"Sometimes emotions are scarier than teeth," she shrugged.

"It's only scarier if you didn't mean it," he said, opening one eye and trying to see her face. "If you didn't, don't tell me now. I'll cry."

"I meant it," she answered quickly. "I wouldn't have said it if I didn't. It just felt right."

Astarion smiled and opened his eyes, basking in the feeling of love. It had been so long, and had often been insincere.

"Say it again, love," he begged.

She climbed on top of him, pressing her cunt over his hardening member, into his stomach, and gently slid herself up and down it.

"Say what again?" she asked, pretending to be confused.

"Say you love me," he whined. She felt so good against him.

"Do you love me?" she asked, pulling her top over her head and tossing it aside.

"I do," he moaned. "So much. Not just because of all this."

"You haven't said it yet," she teased.

"I love you."

Those words, sincere, had been foreign to her for so long. They were used against her to try and trick her. She rarely had good intentions, but the insincerity of the false words stung deep inside. She had wondered why men bothered lying about loving her when it would be just as easy to say nothing.

"One more time," she requested, lifting off of him and teasing herself with his cock.

"I love you," he gasped, the last word a moan as she slid over him. "I don't care about the patron. I don't care about the worms. You…"

His words failed him for a moment. Her cunt around him scrambled his brains.

"You.." he continued. "You don't make me feel bad. You just accept me. You're violent and rough but you do it with love and it's so…"

His words failed him again, and Tav placed her lips over his.

"I'm so glad to hear you say that," she whispered after pulling away from a kiss. "I don't care about Cazador or the worms or anything. I just like you. Love you. You're so pretty and you turn my mind inside out."

She rode him, her hands clasped around his face and eyes focused on his.

"I love you," he repeated.

She rocked her hips and clenched herself around him before bringing tender lips to his neck. He was horribly bruised and she tested the waters carefully. She licked and kissed, his moans less enthused than she hoped. She nipped and he tensed beneath her. She sank her teeth into him, slamming herself down on him and feeling nothing but him inside her.

He moaned beautifully. It hurt wonderfully.

"I love you, Astarion," she moaned into his ear before dragging her nails down his side. He whined and thrust into her harder.

Tav rolled onto her back and invited him to mount her, eager to let him take control of the motion. He rushed to her, forcing himself back inside and draping her legs over his shoulders.

"I love you, Tav," he groaned, watching his cock slowly pull out of her. It was covered in her juices. He drew himself in and out of her slowly, enchanted by the way her lips clung to him.

Tav thrust herself against him, impatient, forcing him deep inside her. He placed a trail of kisses along her plump thigh, relishing her soft skin before resuming his rhythm.

He watched her writhe beneath him, her eyes closed and teeth sunk into her lip. One of her lithe hands had slithered down her stomach and hovered above her sex, her fingers massaging her clit.

The sight was too much. His knees trembled and Tav opened her eyes. She saw him focused on her hand, his mouth agape. Throwing away inhibitions and concerns for neighborly conduct, she tilted her head back and moaned while she touched herself. Astarion whined and clutched her thighs, his fingers rough on her skin.

She gave him a show. She placed her other hand on her breast and pinched at her nipple, letting herself be as loud as she wanted. She wondered what had held her back before. The opinions of her fellow travelers didn't matter much, and the reward for vocalization was astounding. Astarion pumped her fiercely, his eyes locked on her face, rapt.

She moaned his name, lingering on the final letter, her tongue pressed to the roof of her mouth.

The pleading breaths and gasps from his lips brought her to the edge. She let her voice raise, throaty and harsh as she spoke.

"Bleed me."

Astarion leaned forward, pressing her legs into him and his cock deeper into her. His fangs broke through her flesh and her voice sang his name into his ear. He drank from her in a stupor, feeling control slipping as her blood dribbled down his chin.

"I love you Astarion," she whispered, scratching over the barely healed wounds on his back. He loved it. He swallowed a mouthful of her blood, gasping.

"Do it again," he begged softly, kissing her bloodied neck.

Gently, she trailed her fingers up his back. He groaned. He wanted more.

"Harder," he pleaded into her skin.

"What was that?" she teased, her voice jumping as he plunged inside her.

"Harder," he groaned.

"Tell me what you want," she whispered into his ear.

"Tear me apart. Shred my back. Leave nothing," he moaned loudly. "Lick me after you cum. Please."

She sunk her fingers into the flesh between his hips and dragged them upward, his flesh tearing beneath her nails.

"Yes, yes, leave nothing of that horrid scar," he cried. "Just you. Only you. I'm yours. I love you."

He bit into her neck again.

"Oh gods, I love you, Astarion."

Her orgasm gripped him and he let her clench him as she bucked her hips against him. He tried to hold back but he felt himself cumming, his warmth burning hot inside her. He kissed her again, melting against her lips.

Gale had taken a midnight walk to stretch his legs and happened upon a series of noises that baffled him. He stopped outside Tav's tent, first thinking she was being attacked.

The groans weren't hers though. He heard her speak, unintelligible. Then he heard the other elf's voice. Begging her to mutilate him. Their moans were that of pleasure, their silhouettes clear against the side of the tent.

Gale wished he'd never left his tent.