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Warm?
No, hot.
Too hot.
With his eyes scrunched shut and a soft whine escaping his dry lips, Astarion had finally come to terms that he was indeed sick. Having woken up utterly confused by how his body felt, the vampire was slow to figure out what was wrong with himself.
Did it have something to do with the food he'd eaten the night before? Yanis has cooked a lovely stew for the household and he had indulged in more than he probably should have.
No that wasn't it. He could eat food without having complications now.
His body was running a fever which made him sweat uncomfortably, his clothes feeling too heavy on his sensitive skin. A raw throbbing pain covered his throat, making it hard to speak and painful to breathe. Then there was the overwhelming amount of fatigue he felt.
Those were symptoms of someone who'd caught some kind of sickness and Astarion just so happened to be that someone.
‘ Figures...this is what happens after my first week of regaining part of my old life back…’ He pouted.
After centuries of being immortal Astarion had forgotten what it was like to fall ill, to be sick, just like he had forgotten so many other aspects of what life could bring.
The vampire was utterly exhausted and for once he might ditch the act of meditating to actually sleep.
Yeah, sleep sounded like bliss right about now.
Astarion slowly closed his eyes and let out a soft sigh as he tried but failed over and over again to fall asleep, Gods be damned that he had something work in his favor while he felt so unbelievably shitty. The vampire let out another sigh and sluggishly snuggled under his blankets before closing his eyes once more.
The feeling of a cold cloth being touched to his blazing forehead made Astarion open his tired eyes. He looked up and tried his best to focus on the figure trying to help him bring down his fever, his vision bleary. A deep indigo color was a blur to his ruby red orbs and only after blinking a few times did Astarion’s tired brain put the pieces together on who was trying to help comfort him.
Casmir.
The tiefling smiled sweetly at the sick man and cupped his cheek. “Good afternoon my shining star.” He said softly, taking extra care to be quiet in case the other’s head hurt. Astarion leaned into the man’s cool touch, finding relief in the difference in temperature as he made a quiet hum. Casmir sighed softly and moved his hand toward the vampire’s forehead to check his temperature. “Hmm, that fever is still pretty nasty.” The tiefling thought aloud.
He turned his attention to Astarion’s face which looked utterly drained.
His eyelids were droopy and he had bags under his deep red eyes. His snow-white eyebrows were furrowed in tired confusion and his lips were pressed together, almost pouting.
“Oh, sweetheart…” He frowned. “You must feel as miserable as you look.” He pressed a kiss to the vampire’s forehead and smiled sweetly. “Worry not! You have two of the best caretakers in all of Baldur’s Gate.” He chuckled. As if on cue Yanis entered the bedroom, a bowl of steaming soup in one hand and in the other a cup of soothing hot tea which had been sweetened with a spoonful of sweet honey.
The half-elf smiled brightly and went to the bedside, joining Casmir by their sick lover. “How is he doing? Has his fever gone down at all since this morning?” he asked, his tone filled with worry. Yanis had been on edge when the two men had woken up and discovered that Astarion had gotten sick earlier in the morning. The half-elf hated seeing the elf in such a subdued state. Astarion was his light in the darkness and right now that light was being snuffed out.
Casmir listened to both questions Yanis had asked and shook his head. “It's stayed the same as it was earlier. I have a feeling that it'll go down soon once he gets some food in him and rests some more.” He explained.
Yanis nodded, a sad pout painted on his lips. Casmir pressed a tender kiss to his forehead and gave the man a reassuring smile. “Don’t fret now. Our little star has us to take care of him.” He sweetly. This seemed to put Yanis at ease and the younger man went right back to trying to care for Astarion. The bowl and cup were placed on a bedside table and large gentle hands helped Astarion to sit up. The half-elf turned his gaze to the tiefling. “Cas? Do you think you could place some pillows behind him? I want to make sure that he is comfortable while upright.” Yanis asked, his expression soft.
Casmir nodded and got to work fluffing pillow after pillow and placing them behind Astarion. The vampire let out a soft sigh in content and looked at both men a tired smile dancing on his lips. “You two are perfect, you know that?” He said before a series of rough coughs left his mouth. Astarion gripped his blanket as he hacked harshly. Yanis bolted into the kitchen. He frantically filled a cup with some water and rushed back to the bedroom, panic on his face. Casmir had taken over sitting by Astarion’s side, a large indigo hand holding onto a small pale hand ever so gently. The tiefling rubbed the vampire’s back in soothing circles, hoping to provide some comfort.
Yanis handed Casmir the cup and the half-elf watched silently as it was raised to Astarion’s dry lips after he was done coughing. Slowly, Astarion sipped the cool liquid and he relished in the cold sensation hitting his sore throat. He pressed his lips together and nodded slightly to express that he was done with the water. Casmir nodded and placed the cup on the bedside table before slowly pecking the sick vampire’s cheek.
The tiefling moved to the other side of the bed and sat with Astarion, an arm wrapping around him lovingly as they sat. Yanis pulled a chair up to the bedside and took a seat next to his lover. The half-elf slowly picked up the bowl of soup from the side table. He lifted a spoonful of soup to Astarion’s lips and smiled. “You don’t have to lift a finger. I can feed you.” He said sweetly. “Just focus your energy on eating.”
Astarion almost snorted at that. Leave it to Yanis to say the simplest of things and make him feel warm and fuzzy inside. With Casmir by his side, holding him close like this, the warm fuzzy feelings were amplified. He felt comfortable. He felt at ease. He felt safe. These were things that he had gone without for so long that it still seemed so foreign to him.
There were times when Astarion felt that he could not treasure these feelings for the fear that he would have them ripped away from him again.
‘Cazador is gone.’ He reminded himself.
Astarion was truly safe and free. He was allowed to feel and he was free to love and be loved.
The vampire took a deep breath and smiled once more. “Thank you both for putting up with me while I am like this.” He said, his voice hoarse and raspy. “I hate being a burden for you to clean up after. You both have done more than enough when it’s come to my messes and I hate making more of them.” Dramatics had been set aside and Astarion was only being fully sincere and vulnerable.
Both Casmir and Yanis gave him a soft smile. “Love…” Yanis whispered, his breath sounding like it had been stolen, and he held his lover’s hand gently. Casmir let out a soft sigh and cupped the vampire’s cheek. “Taking care of you is not a chore and you are not at all bother.” He expressed. Yanis kissed his knuckles and nodded. “My star, we love you so, so much, and taking care of you is something we want to do.” He expressed. “Please don’t ever call yourself a burden, you are never one.”
Astarion felt his heart swell in his chest and his breath hitched, warm tears threatened to spill down his pale soft cheeks. The dam broke and Casmir and Yanis watched with sad eyes as Astarion began to cry. Hot tears dribbled down his cheeks, his cheeks going red. “You two are perfect, you know that?” Astarion said, wiping his eyes gently. “Are we now?” Yanis said with a playful grin on his lips. His gaze turned to Casmir who was also grinning like a lovestruck dope.
“I had no idea we were so perfect to our star, moonshine.” Casmir purred and pressed a kiss to Astarion’s cheek.
Yanis set the soup back down on the side table while Casmir helped scoot Astarion over on the bed, making sure that there were still enough pillows behind him for maximum comfort. The half-elf soon climbed on top of the mattress and held Astarion alongside his other lover. “Oh to be held by the two of you like this.” Astarion hummed. “I feel so small compared to you both.” He laughed lightly.
Yanis and Casmir pressed a kiss to the Vampire’s temples tenderly. The tiefling tucked some of Astarion’s white curls behind his pointy ears while Yanis nuzzled against the crook of the vampire’s neck and sighed happily. Together the three men sat in comfortable silence.
“I am the luckiest man in the world and I promise to never forget that. You have my word.” Astarion said breaking the silence, a faint blush dusting his cheeks. He closed his eyes and slowly let sleep take him. Casmir and Yanis smiled down at Astarion. “He didn’t get to eat before passing out…” Yanis commented, a small pout on his lips. Casmir sighed. “He needed the sleep though, poor thing looked exhausted.” The tiefling said. “I’m just glad he will be able to get some more rest. We can feed him later.”
Yanis nodded and looked at Astarion’s face. His brows were not furrowed, he was not uncomfortable, he was peaceful. Yanis pressed a tender kiss to his forehead and Casmir did the same after him. “Shall we join our sleeping star-shine in slumber?” Yanis asked. Casmir nodded. “I think that sounds like a good idea. After all, we can’t take care of him if we are too tired ourselves.”
With one swift movement, Casmir’s muscular arm pulled another soft blanket over the three of them. The two men snuggled up with Astarion, holding him close as they too drifted off to sleep, content and happy.
Happy with their little star.