Chapter Text
The exhaustion he didn't realize was there releases its weak grip on Darius, making him heave a sigh of relief while the spell washes through him, healing and fixing him.
"Oh, that hit the spot," he purrs, planting a kiss on Rolim's head as thanks. He gives a little shimmy too, something giving a pop and a crack in his hips and lower back. He doesn't care about it, though, used to it as he is. Gently grasping one of Rolim's legs, he guides it across his thigh before resuming the gentle tickling across his back.
Chuckling softly, a noise and giddy feeling he cannot hold back, he kisses Astarion slowly while he fills his mouth with the wine. It is delicious, layered in multiple heady flavors, and most of all tasting of Astarion. "Perfect," he purrs against his lips, despite the spillage and mess running down his tattooed chin.
Astarion smiles, feeding him some more before pulling away again.
"Now, how about a bath, hmm?"
Rolim doesn't answer, already off to dreamland, comfortably cuddled into Darius's hold.
Darius wets his lips, licking up the remaining of the spilled wine that he can reach. "A bath sounds wonderful."
"Rolim won't wake up," Astarion says. "Not when he's that exhausted," he smiles, smoothing some hair away from his forehead. He puts the empty wine goblet down with the others and stands again, clearly the least exhausted out of the three of them.
"I know how Rolim likes his bath, but what temperature shall it be for you?" he asks the tiefling with a suave smile. "I'll try to combine it so it's good for both of you."
"As long as it's not cold, I can take up to near boiling. Mephistopheles blood and all that," he smirks, adding, "though diluted, I suppose."
Confirmed that he won't wake, Darius gathers Rolim up in his arms properly, laying him across his body. The vamp is cool, a little sticky and heavier than normal, the latter confirming he's deep asleep indeed. His brows furrow for a moment as something twinges in his heart.
"…He's beautiful like this," he murmurs, throwing a glance towards Astarion.
Astarion's gaze is as soft as butter as he nods. "He is," the other vampire confirms. "It took him a while to sleep without nightmares, and now he's still more of a restless sleeper when I'm not around. So I avoid taking trips that might keep me away for the day."
He walks through a door on the right side of their fireplace.
Lighting a few candles reveals it to be a small ensuite with proper plumbing, which Astarion now turns on to fill the tub. He picks a few of the scented oils and pours them into the steaming water, then comes back out while the tub fills.
"I'm glad you were able to join us tonight," he smiles, gathering up their clothes and beginning to tidy up a little.
"We both really like you, you know?"
There's a flush coloring Darius's cheeks, and he clears his throat before answering.
"I'm gathering that. Very quickly. And uh. The feeling is mutual. I think." He furrows his brows again, confusion written on his face.
"There's a fluttering in my chest and belly I haven't felt before," he adds quietly, staring down at the resting Rolim, though through him, his hand petting slowly up and down his side. "Like they're both full to bursting. It scares me a little, if I'm being completely honest." The confession wasn't meant to burst out of him, but there they have it.
"What if I'm shit at this?"
Astarion stops what he's doing for a second. The clothes can wait; this is more important now.
He walks over and sits beside Darius on the bed, gently rubbing down the tiefling's back while his free hand rests on Rolim's thigh.
"Darling," he begins, his crimson gaze dropping onto the sleeping form of Rolim. "Trust me when I say neither of us had any idea what we were doing going into this."
He lifts his hand to tuck another strand of hair behind Rolim's pointy ear, lingering for a moment.
Rolim stirs softly, but only to lean more into the touch, exhaling a soft sigh through his nose.
"At the beginning, we constantly triggered each other," Astarion continues to explain. "We worked hard to figure out how to love each other safely."
Now he looks up, his gaze finding Darius's black-and-blue. "So let me tell you, the wish to do it right is already the biggest step. Everything after that is just ironing out the details."
He smiles, leaning forward and pecking Darius's lips gently. "You respect boundaries more than anyone I've ever met. That means a lot, you know?"
Darius gives a gentle snort and smile. "How can I not. You're both beautiful, and everyone is deserving of that."
Then he frowns darkly for a moment, jutting forward his jaw in protest. "If I get my hands on whoever doesn't respect both your boundaries, I'll-…" With a sigh, the aggression bleeds out of him.
"Your old master et al, wasn't it?" he asks, giving Rolim a gentle squeeze with his arms. Then he unwinds one and offers his hand towards Astarion, wanting to touch him too.
"Or have there been others, too? We don't have to, you know, talk about this now. I can zip my trap." There's a lopsided smirk pulling on his mouth with the last comment, Darius making an attempt at lightening the mood that he soured on his own.
"It was different for both of us," Astarion shrugs, leaning into Darius's side, wrapping the offered arm around himself. "While I was sent hunting, Rolim was locked up in the tourmaline depths, kept away like some cursed prince. Cazador would only take select nobles down to him; otherwise, he was his little secret," he shakes his head, petting Rolim's hair again. "We were both slaves in our own way. Hard to say which experience was worse."
He lifts his head again and kisses Darius's cheek. "But he's dead now, and we're free," he smiles.
Darius smiles softly from that cheek-peck, softening his features and deepening the lines on his face.
"I'm glad he is. Dead, I mean. Though I kind of want to go dig up his bones and set them on fire in your names," he harrumphs, turning his head to give Astarion a proper, but gentle kiss. When he does something rips behind his head and gets stuck on his horn, giving him pause.
Astarion nods; he shares the sentiment of wishing Cazador eternal suffering.
"The only 'trouble' we have—if you can even call it that—is with people who are too nosy and ask a lot of questions about vampirism. Things like what we can do, how we're different, why we're not feral beasts intent on draining the world dry."
Astarion chuckles softly. "Rolim has the patience of a saint with those types, answers every question, eases every concern," he shakes his head, closing his eyes for a moment. "I'm mostly the one who handles the freaks. Those who come in, throats bared, wanting to get bitten just for the experience of it."
"I could attest to the curious freaks that vampire bites are fucking amazing, though very intimate. I understand why you're absolutely not wanting to share that with gods and everyone. You do chase them away, I assume?" Darius asks, squeezing Astarion close to himself in the process. Both the vamps' coolness feels amazing against his own warm skin, sticky though they are.
"Yes," Astarion chuckles. "I do chase them away."
"We do also get the occasional monster hunter, but those never last long," he flashes a fangy grin. "If Rolim doesn't send them packing with that underrated charm of his, they find themselves at the sharp end of one of my daggers."
Said charmer gives a soft yawn right then, snuggling more into Darius, his eye fluttering open as he wakes from his brief nap.
"Bath?" he mumbles.
Astarion laughs, smoothing down his hair. "Yes, dearest. Time for a bath."
Then, the pale elf reaches up, untangling the sheet that got stuck on Darius's horn. "We need sturdier bedding," he jokingly chuckles, kissing Darius's lips again.
Darius harrumphs. "Apologies for that, they are long. And ironic as it sounds, I forget." He raises a shoulder in a shrug, gently jostling the awakening Rolim.
"Ah, hello," he purrs down to him, kissing the crown of his head. "Bath, yes," he agrees, releasing Astarion so he can move first, then positions Rolim across his chest, prepared to princess-carry him into the bathroom.
Something quietly cracks when Darius sits up with his held treasure, making him grunt quietly, but it's quickly forgotten.
"I'm carrying you next time, 'Starion," he teases.
Astarion chuckles, walking ahead. "Whatever you wish for, my love," he smiles and turns the water off, testing the temperature and then stepping into it.
The tub is big enough to fit five people comfortably, the only piece of luxury the couple has, the money for it stolen from Cazador's private stash.
Rolim yawns again and leans up to brush a kiss to Darius's jaw, snuggling closer into the warm chest as the tiefling carries him to the ensuite. He kicks his legs slightly, testing how much feeling has returned to them. The answer being—not enough.
"You turned my legs into goo," he snickers, nuzzling into Darius's neck and peppering his throat with kisses.
Darius breathes a hitching laugh, fighting down the spike of anxiety from those kisses along his throat. He mostly succeeds; it manifests in his heart rate spiking for a few seconds and a knee buckling just slightly, but he manages to keep his balance when his tail lashes out, smacking into the doorframe. He knows Rolim means well. It's Rolim. Rolim is safe.
"I hoped I would, and I would like to do that again, if you'd let me," he croaks, leaning down to place Rolim in the warm bath and his husband's arms, then following suit.
The effect is immediate, the warm water seeping into his bones, turning him into goo around his bones, and it draws a long groan out of him.
"Oh, that's the stuff."
Rolim sighs softly once he's put in the hot water, relaxing against Astarion for a moment. He watches Darius sink into the tub beside them. Smiling, he pulls away and moves toward the tiefling.
"Let me wash your hair," he says with a soft smile. He felt thoroughly pampered by the two of them earlier, and now he wants to give back.
Astarion watches with slight amusement, propping his arms on the edge of the tub as he does.
Rolim gently guides Darius to lean on him. In the water, their size and weight difference don't matter, and he enjoys feeling the tiefling's back against his chest, cupping a few handfuls of water over Darius's hair. He gets to work, aiming for the best head massage his dexterous fingers can manage.
Darius gives a chuckle towards Rolim. "Alright," he purrs, leaning his head back. Slowly, gently, more mindful of his horns than he was earlier. With their length and sharp points, he'd better not take out an eye. Bad enough that he tore into the bed and sheets earlier.
"Take the tie out too, should be a leather knot somewhere back there," he rumbles, the warm water across his scalp already making his brain sluggish. He wants to truly sink into the water.
… He does. Slowly, keeping his back against Rolim, he slides on down until he's neck deep in the warm water, the back of his head resting on Rolim's shoulder. His stupid long hair fans out in every direction of the tub. It reaching his butt is never not a challenge, but he's not cutting it.
Rolim simply smiles, leaning down to brush a kiss to Darius's temple as he gets to work. He takes the hairtie out, then lathers up some soap between his fingers and starts gently massaging it into Darius's scalp.
"How did the negotiation with Ludlow go anyway?" he asks Astarion, catching up on his husband's day.
"Oh, I swear, next time I'm sending you to deal with him," Astarion chuckles. "That dwarf is a grump on his best days, but even though he seems to like you better than me, he's always asking for me when he delivers a new batch of fabric."
"Maybe he likes to butt heads with you," Rolim snickers softly, working the soap down from Darius's scalp into the tips of his hair, taking great care not to get the long strands knotted up.
"Well, maybe. But next time, I'm definitely sending you to charm him for a better price," Astarion smirks.
"We can do that," Rolim chuckles, focusing back on Darius.
Oh, that's the spot. Purring like a great, big cat that got the cream, Darius is relaxing into Rolim, enjoying every movement of those fingers. They're just strong enough, just agile enough, just… perfect, really, for his great head, and nimble enough to get in between the scalp and the horns.
Perfection.
He can hear them talk, but it's background noise, their voices soft enough that if they keep going, he might actually fall asleep on them. It's perfect.
Darius… is in love. He loves them.
"Rolim, Astarion?" he rumbles quietly.
"What is it, love?" Astarion answers first while Rolim rinses Darius's hair gently, careful not to get any of the soap into the tiefling's eyes. He rakes his fingers through Darius's hair once more to make sure not a single strand is out of place.
"I think…" Darius starts, interrupting himself with a great yawn—showing off all his long and sharp tiefling canines.
While his brain reboots, he reaches out underwater for something to grab of both of them, wrapping his large hand gently around an ankle each.
"I think," he tries again, now that he has his anchors, "I think I'm falling in love with you both. I think I can get really used to this. How the hells am I supposed to leave with a ship for work and apprenticeship when this is what's waiting here?"
Rolim tenses slightly behind Darius, but not because the confession is unwelcome, quite the opposite, really.
It's excitement.
"Y-You really mean that?" he asks, turning a bit so he can look Darius in the eye.
"Oh my," Astarion smiles, letting go of the edge of the tub to move closer to Darius. "Well… I'll have to say, it's quite the same for us, isn't it, darling?"
Rolim nods rapidly, his crimson eye wide with disbelief, the good kind, though. His excitement about the prospect of having Darius stay with them instead of heading out at sea is palpable.
"It is. I never thought I'd find one person to love, let alone two," he forces himself to ask the next question, though. "But are you really sure you want to stay in the city?"
"Yeah," Astarion chimes in. "We wouldn't want you to miss out on your dream job just because of us. So rest assured, we won't be going anywhere, even if you do decide to board a ship and put your magic to good use."
Darius has to close his eyes briefly, hiding away the slew of emotions in them. For a moment, anyway. He takes a deep breath, then opens them again and looks from one to the other.
"Honestly, not sure about anything, except the two of you. Right now I can't imagine leaving you two, ever again, but I might change my mind in a tenday. Two. Not because I love you less, but because of this city. And my restlessness, that you so gently pointed out a month into us knowing each other, Astarion." His tone is serious, but his face is joking. Relaxed. Himself, honestly. No mask. He takes another deep breath, petting both their legs under the water.
"Nothing is certain, is it? Except how I feel with you two. Who you two allow me to be. And I… I enjoy that. I enjoy you. Both of you."
"I'm really glad to hear that," Rolim says, kissing Darius's forehead softly. "We wouldn't want you to be anyone else. We…" he briefly trails off, gathering the guts to say it. "We love you just the way you are."
"That we do," Astarion confirms. "And we're very glad that you feel safe enough around us to be yourself. We know from experience that that means a lot to a person."
He moves to pull Darius into him so Rolim can wash up, taking the chance to place a soft kiss on the tiefling's lips.
"You're important to both of us, Darius," he smiles. "And even if I didn't love you before, I would do so now that I've seen you treat my husband with the utmost care."
"Yeah," Rolim smiles softly, if a bit shyly, as he wets his hair to wash it. "I was kind of anxious about taking the leap, but it more than paid off."
If there had been a way for Darius to curl up on Astarion's lap like a kitten, he would have. As it is, he's dwarfing the vamp, so he settles with leaning back against his chest, his head draped over his shoulder. He can feel the tips of his horns scrape against something over the edge of the tub when he turns his head towards him, vying for another kiss, getting yet another one.
He can't get enough of them.
"I can't imagine treating any of you any less than what you both deserve. And you both deserve everything that is nice and comfortable. The whole of Faerûn, if I could." Reaching for one of Astarion's hands, he places it on his own chest, right in the middle of the autopsy scar, splitting his torso in half.
"I'm glad to hear that," Astarion smiles and kisses their partner again, his thumb drawing absent-minded circles over the jagged edges of Darius's scar.
That small touch on his scar makes Darius's body feel warm and loose in a very different manner than what the water and post-sex do.
"We'll definitely return the sentiment," Rolim promises as he soaps up his hair, then washes it out and leans back against the edge of the tub.
"Astarion, you're next," he smiles. "Let me pamper you."
"Why don't you take a little break from washing other people's hair and come here to kiss us both instead, hmm?" Astarion counters, a wicked little smirk on his lips.
Rolim laughs and shakes his head. "You're a menace, husband-mine."
"But I'm your menace," Astarion winks. "And right now it's two against one. Kisses are a far better way of pampering us, right, Darius?"
"Mh," he purrs, "kisses and pampering are at equal, honestly. But now kisses have been pushed aside for long enough, sweetness. Come over here." Darius echoes, reaching out for Rolim through the water. Then, with a quirk of his mouth, he flicks his hand just so, splashing water at Rolim.
"Eep!" comes a startled yelp from the other man. "I knew you were a menace too!"
He laughs and splashes back once before moving into Darius's arms, still laughing and chuckling. But damn, he could get used to this. The three of them, together. Always.
"Hm," he hums, his lips finding Darius's, sealing them with a sweet kiss.
Darius snickers softly into the kiss. Never having had a proper childhood, according to the books he found, he's feeling it a little extra. He even flicks his tongue quickly across Rolim's lips when he pulls away from it.
He kisses Astarion once more, then slides off from his lap, but keeps their legs intertwined. His tail gently coils itself around the vamp's waist, the spaded tip rising up to his chest in its lazy wag—almost brushing across his nipple.
"Does this, us," he waves a hand back and forth between all three of them, "have a name? A label? I don't really care for that, but for some reason I want to know if it does."
Humming over his own question, he adds, with his head tilted to the side, "Would bring me comfort, I suppose?"
"Hmm," Astarion tilts his head, pondering the question for a bit. "Well, Rolim and I are married, but that's just because Rolim really wanted to."
"You could've said no," said pushy husband mutters with a rising blush.
"Oh, darling," Astarion laughs softly. "It's alright. I understand wanting to get rid of a last name that only ever poses questions with painful answers."
He briefly kisses his pouting husband before turning back to Darius.
"How about a 'throuple' then?" Astarion suggests. "Does that sound okay to you, Darius? I mean, we can have another wedding ceremony including you, too, if that is something you want? Though perhaps it's a bit early to propose such a thing." He chuckles, capturing Darius's tail and gently stroking along the spade down the length he can reach.
Rolim—cuddlebug that he is—tucks himself into Darius's side while they talk.
Darius snorts a soft laugh, wrapping his long arm around Rolim—his hand absolutely not subtly grasping around one of his buttcheeks. The lithe male fits perfectly under his arm.
"Perhaps not a marriage, I don't need gods or witnesses or papers telling me I love someone. I'll know it in my heart," he says, leaning forward to plant a kiss right on Astarion's mouth, then one on Rolim.
"That's enough for me. Is it for you two?" he asks, giving each of them a gentle squeeze with tail and hand, respectively.
"More than enough," Rolim declares, smiling brightly.
"Whatever is enough for you, shall also be alright with us," Astarion adds with a sly smirk and a nod.
"Honestly," Rolim chuckles. "I didn't even think we'd get as far as to put a label on it quite so soon." Again, his cheeks flare with color, all because he now has blood to spare.
"I wasn't sure you were actually looking for something… something lasting."
"Longer than just a one-night stand or two, he means," Astarion adds softly.
Darius hums over it for a moment.
"I wasn't," he answers honestly. "But I suppose my heart and mind changed their minds. Caveat: I have no idea what I'm doing, still don't, and I may need guidance. I will probably stumble. Fall. Say something stupid."
A minute shiver passes through him, goosebumps rushing across his skin, and he squeezes his lovers closer to himself briefly. "I don't think any… hm." He hums and haws for a moment, unsure how to string together the words of what he needs to say.
"In my nightmares from before… this," gesturing a hand in the air, meaning the time after the brain, "I don't think anyone I slept with survived. So, er…" Feeling disgusted with himself, he snorts sharply. "Sorry, not exactly bedroom talk, that," he mutters, hiding his face in Rolim's hair.
"Hey," Rolim smiles, petting Darius wherever he can reach. "Please don't censor yourself with us. What are partners for if not to share in one's worries? I know you'd instantly hold me if one of my night terrors returned and I woke up screaming, so it's only fair we return the favor."
"He's right," Astarion nods. "We're here for you, for whatever you want to talk about, yeah?"
He scoots closer, effectively squishing the big tiefling between the two lithe vampires, but as a result, Darius gets pets all over. A palm running down his back, another hand gently smoothing down his wet hair, kisses here and there.
Comfort. Freely given, without any expectations.
Darius closes his eyes to their ministrations, leaning into them. Holding them. A small, soft, and little secret smile plays on his full lips, and before they're done talking, he is purring again. Comfortable. Feeling safe.
"…Is this why my stomach feels funny?" he asks quietly, feeling the proverbial butterflies take flight and flutter in his insides. "A good kind of funny."
Taking a deep breath to center himself, he then speaks. "I love you two."
Rolim can't help but show the goofiest grin as he hides his face in Darius's hair.
"Well, I love you too," he says it right back, underscoring it with a kiss to the crown of Darius's head. It takes him a bit of shifting and stretching, but he manages.
"As do I," Astarion chuckles at his husband's antics, "Though, shall we get out of the water before we all turn into prunes? Continue those cuddles on what's left of our bed?" he smirks, clearly teasing.
"We can just flip the mattress and get new, sturdier bedding tomorrow," Rolim suggests with a soft laugh.
"Did I tear into it that badly?" Darius asks, a small blush of shame spreading across his cheeks. "I'll pay for the replacements. Just tell me what to get and the measurements, and I'll go out when the sun comes up."
Then, cheeky as he is, he wraps both vamps up in his arms and rises from the tub, carrying both of them. His tail whips and thrashes in the water as he finds his balance, but he barely gives a grunt from the effort. The "Hold on" gets rumbled a little late, with a laugh that he bluntly forgot.
"Oh, and when the sun goes down, perhaps we can go on that actual date?" he teases, "since we skipped that step today."
Rolim laughs that musical laugh again as he wraps his arms around whatever of Darius's he can grasp onto.
"Never you mind. It's a shared investment into our combined future," he smiles.
"It would help a lot, though, if you went to buy it," Astarion chuckles, getting comfortable in his position. He loves getting spoiled for a change; usually, he does the spoiling for Rolim, at least when it comes to being carried around pre- or post-lovemaking.
"That date sounds amazing though," Rolim smiles, nuzzling into Darius's neck again and dropping a kiss on the spot he bit before, not a single scar to be found anymore. "Maybe until then, I have my part of the gift for you ready, too."
Holding on tight to his double treasure, Darius gives a nod. "Fine, a joint investment, but I'm paying half of it. And as soon as the sun is up, I'm out."
Using his tail for balance, he climbs out of the tub, accidentally swiping a soap off the edge—it clatters to the floor… somewhere. He pauses by the towels until his treasures have picked up a handful for all of them to dry off, before he shoulders his way back into the bedroom.
"If I'm awake, that is," he chuckles. At least until he spots the state of the bed. "…Horncaps too, perhaps," he mutters, gently placing both the Vamps down on the floor, letting them find their feet.
"Oh, trust me, it has looked worse at times," Astarion snickers. "Because someone here tended to bite and tear the covers instead of waking me when he had a nightmare."
"Not anymore, though," Rolim mutters as he dries off, rubbing his hair with the towel to hide his blush.
"And I'm very glad for it," his husband chuckles and pinches his rear with a mischievous smirk.
"Hey!" Rolim complains, but he's laughing too.
Once the three are all dried off, they begin fixing the bedding as best they can so they can sleep, changing the sheets, too.
With his ass-long hair bundled deep in the folds of his towel while he's trying to dry it, Darius is slightly distracted by his naked, comfortable, and teasing friends. Lovers… No, boyfriends? He hums and smiles to himself, a small blush on his face, and ends up doing a poor job of drying. His skin dries mostly by itself, too, with how warm he is.
When the bed is made, he climbs into it first, claiming the middle of it. He lies in the back and opens his arms, spreading them to either side. "Come, let me keep you both warm," he purrs, a light smile on his face.
"And… Nightmares might be a thing. I will let you know if it happens," gets added with a somber voice.
Astarion snickers as he climbs into bed. "Look at us, all three of us prone to nightmares. But let's see if sleeping in company helps you as much as it helps us."
Rolim snuggles into Darius's other side, drawing a deep breath and releasing a contented sigh.
"Please don't worry if I stop breathing," the half-elf says. "Vampires don't actually need the oxygen, so it sometimes happens if I sleep very deeply."
"Doesn't happen to me," Astarion chuckles. "Yet another advantage of trancing."
"Yes, yes, Mr. I'm-a-fancy-high-elf," Rolim chuckles. "You should try sleeping sometime. It's awesome."
"And risk you guys pretending I snore?" the pale elf clutches imaginary pearls. "Never!"
Darius tugs the blanket over all three of them, leaving himself with the least, but he's already really warm, so that's perfect.
"Perhaps co-sleeping is indeed the thing I've needed all the time," he chuckles, then yawns until his jaw cracks.
"Do wake me if I snore too loudly, too," he purrs, wrapping his arms around either vampire, until they're as close to him as they can get, aside from inside his skin. Then he kisses Astarion, and then Rolim—but not before he mutters softly to him: "Next time you're sitting on my face and teaching me how to please you."
Rolim's eye widens slightly, and his cheeks almost glow in the dark, but he nods eagerly. "I'd like that," he whispers, snuggling into Darius with a goofy grin.
He's happy, well and truly happy. And how could he not? All the people he loves are in one bed, and he gets to snuggle them both? Best night ever.
Astarion yawns, reaching over to pet Rolim's arm as he snuggles against Darius's shoulder.
"Good night, my loves," he whispers softly and closes his eyes.
Written by a human in Ellipsus.