This is a Durge x Halsin Extra Chapter...
It's meant to be NSFW but due to the website's rules I will be giving you a small preview. If you wish to read the full explicit chapter, please head to "Archive of Our Own, Moth to a Flame by Ringo101"
Thanks!
...
...
...
Tav rubbed his chin with narrowed eyes, deep in thought. The cool scent of damp stones, burning embers and old parchment filled his nostrils as he took another deep breath and released a heavy, exasperated sigh. He'd been standing still in the middle of the room, pondering while he stared at the vast sea of trinkets he'd collected from his recent adventures. Seeing them all removed from of his Traveller's chest, out in the open, was causing him momentary paralysis.
The once large study in the upper corner of Moonrise Towers was now noticeably less roomy than before. In fact, it was simply cramped. Halsin had been kind enough to lend him the space to use at his leisure. A decent strategy to keep the druid's own office and their sleeping quarters undisturbed.
During their quest Tav had procured an immense collection of armor, weapons, magical items and a staggering number of books. He didn't want to call himself a hoarder, but the title seemed to solidify as the longer time passed.
He'd spent nearly a month living in Reithwin Town, and only now had he finally decided to go through all of his belongings. He wanted to trade for resources or sell them for profit, any way to better support Daddy Halsin, and all of the orphaned children he'd taken into his care. It felt appropriate that the loot from their enemies, the ones who'd likely made them orphans to begin with, would be the ones to provide for them. Karma did exist in some form or another.
"Try not to overwork yourself, my heart. You can always rummage through it a little at a time."
Halsin's tone was gentle as he held up the impressive Spore-Keeper armor that was a mesmerizing combination of deep brown, dark green and purple, with gold embellishments. A perfect addition for any druid who specializes in the Circle of Spores. It was similar and just as splendid as his own Armor of Moonbasking, a gift from Tav after buying it off a voiceless penitent in the most unlikely place.
"It is all my own doing. I shouldn't have let it get this out of hand." Tav's hand rubbed down the length of his face slowly and then dropped to his side. "I won't put it off any longer."
He undid the clasps of his green Solemnity outfit and removed the outer vest, placing it on the back of a chair. Underneath was the tight fitting cranberry red shirt which he loosened the collar of. He may as well be comfortable if he were going to take on such a daunting task. He'd fought menacing enemies, from Vampires to Mindflayers. He should be able to handle something as simple as spring cleaning, shouldn't he?
Halsin couldn't help but chuckle and gave Tav a loving pat on the rear. "If you're not in bed by a certain hour I'll come find you."
"You don't need to stay up on my account."
"And yet I do."
Halsin came up behind him and circled his arms around his middle. He pressed close and kissed the side of his neck with the sort of tenderness that made Tav weak in the knees.
"I've grown used to sharing my bed with you. The empty space when you're not there is cold and vast."
"Heh... You're almost a better sweet talker than Astarion."
"I merely speak the truth."
Tav's eyes closed when he felt Halsin's lips plant more juicy kisses against the sensitive part of his neck, just beneath the spiked ridges of his jaw. He sighed happily and tilted his head to give him better access, noticing when the kisses started to turn into playful nibbles.
"Halsin... I'll never get anything done if you're here to distract me..." He exhaled. The last bit of his restraint was held on by a thread but kept him steadfast in his resolve.
Halsin laughed warmly and gave him one final kiss before releasing his hold and backing away a few steps with his palms out.
"I promise not to disturb you for the remainder of the evening."
"Thank you, for showing better self-restraint than I ever could."
"You'd be surprised how little I actually have."
Halsin smirked, noticing those fiery teal eyes looking down at the obvious bulge straining against his brown leather pants. With that he snickered and left the room, closing the door behind him with a quiet click.
Tav released the heavy breath he didn't know he was holding and looked back at the mess of items around the room. It certainly helped dampen his arousal when his present reality was so difficult to ignore. With another heavy sigh he started with the easiest thing to part with, which had to be the books. He'd read every single one of them, only noticing now the number of duplicates he'd accidentally picked up along the way. He placed all of them within his bag of holding, stacking them carefully and being mindful of the spines. Next were the scrolls. He kept the rare ones for himself and relinquished the spells that were novice or purely situational. Ones he knew he wouldn't miss.
After a few more hours of dilemmas, he stood up from his crouched position and bent back with his hands on his hips, hearing a satisfying crack when his spine released some tension. It was already getting late, and he'd barely scratched the surface of his task.
In the silence he could hear the rain outside begin to pick up, the soft shower of droplets pelting the window of the dimly lit room. A few candles and a brazier were his only source of light due to the cloudy weather they'd been receiving. The evenings had been darker and starless, when usually the moon would have shone brilliantly through the windows this late into the night.
He clicked his tongue and looked over to the other pile he'd been avoiding. No doubt the most challenging items to part with would be the armor. As a sorcerer he had no need for a heavy chest plate or chainmail, nor medium armor for that matter. If anything, he would at least keep the robes for himself. He reached out and admired Ketheric's old armor, Reapers Embrace. The craftsmanship and attention to detail were out of this world. The back of the plate mimicked a spinal cord with skulls and other intricacies, and the hand-stitched gold detailing of skeletons on the deep teal fabric was just as meticulous as the smithing work. How could anyone put a price on such a rare piece?
He placed the armor down and shifted his focus to the jewelry instead, going through the various rings and amulets to determine what was special about them. Some gave the wearer buffs while others provided the use of a spell or two. They were always useful and easily interchangeable. They also didn't take up very much storage space—
"Stop trying to justify yourself." He muttered.
That's when he noticed something twinkle in a peculiar way. Perhaps it had been a trick of the light when the candle flame flickered. He picked up the amulet, testing the weight of it in his hands and examined the details. Eldritch sigils coursed through the metalwork, making the tips of his fingers tingle. There was magic in it, but he couldn't remember ever using it, or what characteristics it had.
No time like the present to find answers to one's questions.
He undid the clasp and reached behind his neck to put it on. As it rested against his collar, he could feel the power within it vibrate. His curiosity won the battle over forethought, finding the words to speak, he cast the unfamiliar spell within the space that was available. For Tav there was something mysterious and exhilarating when casting foreign magic. Thanks to his bloodline and natural intuition he was, without a doubt, a talented sorcerer. But that didn't change the fact he wasn't capable of learning new spells like his scholarly counterparts.
A sudden splatter of slippery darkness coated the floor in a wide area, causing him to jolt in surprise when he felt the firm and squishy terrain under his feet.
He hummed, placing a thumb and finger on his chin in thought. Evard's Black Tentacles, hm? Not bad. Considering it was a spell that could only be cast by wizards, and warlocks of the Great Old One. He wasn't really one for concentration spells though. He preferred to focus on other things, like blasting the enemy away with powerful force and destruction.
Another item down, only dozens more to go.
"I'll find you a nice home." He tapped the amulet with a clawed finger and closed his eyes, relinquishing his concentration to break the spell.
Yet, after a few passing seconds his brow furrowed, and he blinked in confusion. The tentacles continued to squirm.
"Well... that's bizarre."
The effects of a conjuration spell like this should have ended immediately. Was the item defective? Did he make a miscalculation? When he had doubts about magic the best course of action was to simply leave and let it be. With luck, it would be gone by the morning. He took off the amulet and moved carefully, trying to take a cautioned step towards the door, but it didn't seem to agree with his plans.
(Explicit content removed)
Tav smiled and his brain managed to send signals to the rest of his body, reaching his hand out to caress Halsin's cheek. He'd been so caught up in everything that he'd lost his sense of time for the last few minutes, only now aware that Evard's spell was finally gone, and it was Halsin cradling him in his arms. The two of them were twisted limbs, lying on the cold floor. It was a blessing in disguise, given how feverish their bodies were.
"Better than alright..." He said, gazing at his face and taking in every tiny detail, from the scar on his brow to the lines and creases. Some would call them imperfections, but he saw them as years lived and stories to tell.
Halsin did the same, looking into Tav's eyes as he stroked the side of his face with gentle fingers. "What are you thinking about?"
"Thinking about how different we are. And yet, I've never felt so rightfully bonded to another soul, except for you. It's like it was always meant to be you." Tav laced his fingers with Halsin's, and kissed the back of his hand. "I will cherish you for the rest of my life."
"Tav..." Halsin leaned in and pressed their foreheads together and whispered.
"I will cherish you forever."