screenshot from an ellipsus work in progress reading:
Awbonee takes her dress off and is naked, her skin gold and orange and volatile. The burns on her face are nothing more than a soft cloud of blush, shape changing, the fire erasing them, like it is taking them back this time. Astarion feels he should say something about the dress about the heat about walking around camp almost naked looking for trouble, but all he can do is hold on to her hips and try to keep a sliver of control, his tongue tied.
Awbonee leans without stopping and stares into his eyes, and the black humours in her shattered eye float away, and she looks down at him with a gaze like sunrise.
"I love you. And you love me, don't you?"
"I adore you" he assures her, almost not choking on the words at all. And it used to be such an easy lie too, too easy, a second language, and unlike the other day during the party, this time Awbonee smiles and takes it, and takes him, and moans, but it leaves a bitter taste in Astarion's taste again and a lump in his throat that does not go away when he grabs her by the neck and kisses her, eyes closed, and he doesn't know if he's trying to assuage her or himself.
Her tongue tastes of smoke and ashes.
wrong
oh gods
ok this is happening ?ยฟ?!?
(not technically writing writing because i wrote it in spanish a while back so mainly translating/heavily editing/rewriting but IT'S A STEP)
(mandatory "no betas we die like non-native speakers" disclaimer)
#bitterfic #baldursgate3 #awstarion