Hugging Ascended Astarion and when he wraps his arms around your back to embrace you in return, he makes you both sway back and forth, in the same way he does that little swing with his arms when he says "Yes, my treasure?" 👀🥰

Ooooh I love the concept of altering your own appearance as an act of autonomy. As someone who has had some fun with hair dye (and has a couple tattoos), I relate hehe. And I can see that being empowering for someone like Astarion, who's had so little control over his own body. And how even those mistakes and missteps with those changes are empowering in their own way! For me personally, I think I see him acting somewhat the opposite? What I mean is, as a spawn, he can't even see his reflection. I don't know if it would hit the same, for me, if I dyed my hair or cut it and couldn't even see it. And I know, Tav/Durge/others could maybe assist or draw him or come up with workarounds. But with Astarion not encountering his own image just casually throughout his day-to-day, I'm not sure if dye and piercings would empower him as much. I'm inclined to think he might fixate more on embroidering his clothes to look super cool! Or finding badass capes and whatnot to add to his adventuring ensembles. Now AA on the other hand....I think getting to see his own reflection after so long is such a shock to his system, he spends an obscene amount of time just staring and admiring himself. For a good long while (a few centuries even), I think he's so tickled by being able to do that, and enamored with his own image as it is. But given enough time, assuming he doesn't just get stuck in that mindset forever, staring at himself so long, I think he'd start to see things he'd want to try out or change.

I almost think he'd be more inclined to try the cock piercings first hahaha.

This was fun to think about!! Thanks for stopping by! 💜💜

NSFW Alphabet: Naomi & Astarion Edition

Incredible art above by the amazing @arcandoria!

Thank you so much for the tags @pinkberrytea and @nyx-knox!! 💜

NSFW Alphabet

Tagging in turn: @blackjackkent, @pursuitseternal, @brain-rot-central, @bananasfosterparent, @zekeen,

@snowfolly , @kaeoticneutral , @shinyredgloss , @starryjuicebox , @wilteddreamsofbaldursgate and whoever else sees this and would like to do it!

Completing for my dearest Naomi and Astarion, mostly for her ending with spawn Astarion, with some sprinkling of her ending with ascended Astarion, too, if it's markedly different than the other answers.

A = Aftercare (What they’re like after sex)

Initially, it's nonexistent, but once their relationship becomes something real, Astarion puts a large effort into aftercare and really relishes in it. It's not something he has much experience in, but knows about in theory, and is eager to explore that with a partner he truly cares for. Naomi follows his lead on this. Often, they're simply quiet and holding each other, stroking the other's hair or back. Soft forehead kisses. They're very tender about it. The rest of the world might as well not exist (and Astarion will get very crabby if he feels cuddle time has been interrupted/cut short).

B = Body part (Their favorite body part of theirs and also their partner’s)

Both are somewhat similar about the other: hands/wrists, or throat/lips.

Astarion became enamored with Naomi's hands watching her play the fiddle, and seeing how expertly her wrist flexes when playing, or wielding a rapier. He adores having her hands in his hair, gently scraping his scalp. And loves sucking soft smooches to her inner wrist, or gently cradling it in his own hands while he has a quick snack.

Similarly, Naomi's gotten caught staring a few dozen times at his hands as he works a lock open. She goes instantly weak if he puts his hand on her cheek.

They're both obsessed with each other's little groans and noises during sex, and feeling the rumble in the other's throat/on the other's lips while they're pleasuring their partner is a massive turn on to them both.

C = Cum (Where does your muse prefer to cum/have someone cum?)

Inside for both. I think for Astarion, besides just feeling too good to want to pull away when he's on the edge, it feels satisfying in a primal sense. He enjoys marking his partner, he enjoys knowing Naomi smells like him after (to the point where others like Halsin will comment on it). For Naomi, she enjoys the sort of inverse of that; after their noncommittal start, it feels good to her to know that he's not pulling away anymore, including in their most intimate moments.

D = Dirty secret (Pretty self explanatory: a dirty secret of theirs)

Neither of these are well-kept secrets. Naomi often sassed Astarion in the beginning, and thought to herself/gave of the impression that she saw right through his seduction routine. She did see through it, but even so, she was gone for him basically at start. Even later in their relationship, even though Astarion caught on to that almost immediately, Naomi has a hard time admitting how much he hooked her in off the bat (in large part because she felt/feels she knew better than to fall for him so easily).

Naomi comments on the boner he pops immediately after feeding from her for the first time. Astarion gets much better at concealing it, but this happen essentially every time he feeds from her and often just when he's anticipating feeding from her. Naomi doesn't know/realize how often of an occurrence it is and later in their relationship, assumes it's because he's more comfortable. He's thankful it doesn't seem to happen when he feeds from others.

E = Experience (How experienced are they? Do they know what they’re doing?)

Of course, we know Astarion is very experienced, and the reason why :( Naomi had a few hook-ups/casual sex relationships, but only one 'serious' relationship prior to him that ended badly and hit her pretty hard. She's bi and had previously had sex with both women and men, but mostly women. Prior to Astarion, she knew she was bi, but assumed she had a preference for women. Like Astarion, though to a much less severe degree, she feels less sure about how to be in a more committed relationship than a purely sexual one.

F = Favorite position (This goes without saying)

I'm a part of the 'Astarion loves missionary' mindset. I see him as having a preference for being on top, having his partner perfectly pinned beneath him, so he can soak in every bit of their blissed out expression, and also feel in control of the moment. Conveniently, Naomi loves any position that has her pinned by him.

G = Goofy (Are they more serious in the moment? Are they humorous? etc.)

Banter/goofiness comes into play the longer they're together. I see it as something somewhat foreign to Astarion who performed so much intimacy, but he comes to enjoy making Naomi giggle and then stealing her breath away by nibbling her ear in playful reproach. And Naomi likes to see if she can can likewise get him to break even when he's in the mood for a passionate evening. As a way to reinforce they're having fun, first and foremost.

When Astarion has her green light and he's in the moment, though, he doesn't want to be pulled out of it, and the silliness is usually reserved more for foreplay/before things are too heavy and heated.

H = Hair (How well groomed are they? Does the carpet match the drapes? etc.)

Little to no body hair for either of them, both being elven. Astarion is very particular about his hair. Naomi prefers to keep hers up in a bun or braided away most of the time, but he loves pulling it free when they're intimate, and she lets him.

I = Intimacy (How are they during the moment? The romantic aspect)

Absolutely in their own little happy universe. Passionate and lost in each other.

J = Jack off (Masturbation headcanon)

As many tend to headcanon, Astarion gets a massive boner every time he feeds from Naomi and masturbates almost every time he does. Part of why he's careful not to wake her when he feeds is because he doesn't want her to know this happens literally every time. He sneaks away after he's fed to take care of himself, but he's a bit embarrassed by how easily and predictably it happens. But, it's also step one to his reclaiming his own sexuality. I don't see him as one who masturbated much prior to this, and that he actually wants to/it feels good is a huge change for him.

K = Kink (One or more of their kinks)

Astarion likes playing the role of a service dom, and though it's more his kink than hers, Naomi enjoys playing her part and letting him pamper her, too. Astarion is also partial to tying her up, which she's down for. On Naomi's end, she loves praise and has it bad for Astarion's voice. He's more than happy to take full advantage of that.

L = Location (Favorite places to do the do)

I imagine spawn Astarion as anywhere and everywhere. Ascended is a little more picky, and likes to be especially over the top (like, uh, on top of a grand piano). Naomi is pretty much down for the ride (heh) in either case.

M = Motivation (What turns them on, gets them going?)

It honestly doesn't take much at all. They're down bad for each other and sometimes it's just one steamy look that gets them revved. Both love seeing the others' skills in action and tend to get very turned on after fights or other moments that show off their abilities (like talking an enemy into offing themselves, picking an especially hard lock, Naomi playing the fiddle, etc.)

N = No (something they wouldn’t do, turn offs)

Astarion won't do collars/leashes/degradation, and is generally not inclined to be very subby (maybe once every few years or so). He doesn't mind being spanked, or being nibbled back, but generally doesn't care for a lot of pain with his pleasure. Neither are keen on involving other partners in their intimacy. Ascended Astarion and consort Naomi do occasionally invite others to their bed, but it's rare, and none live tell of it.

O = Oral (preference in giving or receiving, skill, etc.)

Naomi loves receiving. Astarion loves giving. He's a little less comfortable receiving, but does enjoy it occasionally. Naomi's prior sexual experiences were mostly with women, but Astarion is very turned on by the the idea of teaching her how he likes to be pleasured (as he's discovering that for himself, too). She's a fast learner.

P = Pace (are they fast and rough? slow and sensual? etc.)

It's a mix that usually starts slow and sensual and builds into fast and rough.

Q = Quickie (Their opinions on quickies, how often, etc.)

I don't see either of them as big fans of quickies. Astarion will rile her up relentlessly, but would rather wait to actually act on his intentions for the opportune moment where they can sneak away and get lost in each other properly. He likes to build anticipation. Even hot and bothered, Naomi wants the romance and the extended foreplay of being made to wait sometimes.

R = Risk (Are they game to experiment? Do they take risks? etc.)

Both are very much down to experiment. I see every iteration of them as gothic freaks doing things like banging in cemeteries or on the ceiling after spawn Astarion figures out that yes, he can actually spider climb. Ascended Astarion and Naomi are similar, but far more lavish about it. Every iteration of them also enjoys the riskiness of semi-public sex, and dabbling in a little hunter/prey type CNC scenes.

S = Stamina (How many rounds can they go for? How long do they last?)

They can and do go on for quite a while. Astarion often intentionally shortens his refractory period by having a quick little blood snack that goes straight where he needs it to 🤭Once he's comfortable with sex again, he savors every bit of his lover, and wants to stay stuck in those feelings for as long as he can.

Naomi is down, but often tires before him, and playfully insists he must carry her if he's going to insist on making her legs limp 😆 Occasionally he obliges (bridal style when he's feeling sweet, or over the shoulder if he's feeling a little sassy/playful).

T = Toys (Do they own toys? Do they use them? On a partner or themselves?)

Some! Astarion occasionally likes to be pegged (as a power bottom), so they have a strap. Naomi enjoys some sensation play, which leads to use of some mundane items in the bedroom (example - a hairbrush that feels nice and tingly when he lightly drags it down her back, or that he uses for light spanking).

U = Unfair (How much they like to tease)

Astarion is on another level with this hehe. He's adores openly teasing. Naomi is more the quiet and subtle type. Think: Oops, did my shirt just happen to hang over my shoulder and expose my neck while I stretch?? She'll slightly gaslight him and pretend she's doing nothing of the sort (it's part of their games and he loves it).

V = Volume (how loud they are, what sounds they make, etc.)

Naomi is the type to make a lot of pleased or pleading whimpers/softer moans, but tends to pitch louder when she comes. Astarion makes a lot of low grunts and guttural rumbles, or flat out growls. He loves whispering all sorts of filthy and sweet nothings into her ear.

W = Wild card (a random headcanon for the character)

With ascended Astarion, Naomi is his vampire bride and not just his spawn. They use their telepathic/mental link constantly for all sorts of sexy shenanigans, but particularly to enhance sensation during the act itself. Sex is good and all, but it's even better if you're feeling your own feelings and your partner's sensations all at once 👀

Spawn Astarion is a bit of a horny teenager who can't stop won't stop leaving hickeys all over his lover. Naomi relishes in it.

X = X-ray (let’s see what’s going on under those clothes)

Naomi is absolutely peppered in powdery freckles pretty much everywhere except where her bra and underwear would cover. And she's got blue tiddies! Astarion, of course, is perfection.

Y = Yearning (how high is their sex drive?)

Although I think he waxes and wanes a bit, I see Astarion as having a very high sex drive on average. Naomi's was slightly lower before him, but she sort of sponges up his eager energy and mirrors it back.

Z = Zzz (how quickly they fall asleep afterwards)

Naomi finds Astarion's lack of heartbeat incredibly soothing, and often falls asleep before him with her head on his chest. Conversely, Astarion will typically drift off after her, listening to her rest and her pretty little heartbeat he comes to cherish so much.

In their ascended/consort ending, the roles flip a bit. Naomi finds his new heartbeat suddenly comforting, and Astarion likes falling into rest with her scent surrounding him, knowing he's influenced it by giving her his ascended blood. In either case, Astarion goes into trance after her and wakes before her. He likes watching over his partner while they rest.

Shared this rambling with some server friends the other day, but I was rewatching some Ascended Astarion dialogue (swimming in the brainrot, as one does), and was struck by one of the dialogue options in the conversation after he turns Tav. I hadn't really given it much focus/attention previously.

You can say something like "You've seemed distant since the ritual" and when he responds, he owns it, saying something like "huh, maybe you're right," before going on to wax about how everything seems so much slower because his new instincts are kicking in, and he's still riding the tide of that change.

I thought it was sweet and sort of telling that while he doesn't apologize for it, he acknowledges his SO's feelings/assessment of it as a fair one, and offers them insight into his own current feelings of acclimating to this monumental change he's going through.

And I think this gets glossed over because yes, he's a bit arrogant here, he's still Astarion after all, but he doesn't rebuke his partner for pointing this out. There's a level of care and responsibility he shows his partner by accepting their assessment, offering his own feelings on the matter, and clarifying that any distancing between them isn't intentional or out of lack of love. It's in his own Astarion sort of way, but I see it as an attempt to reassure his partner all the same.

And, as a friend pointed out to me, his insistence that his powers will come with time could be out of want to reassure his SO they made the right decision, and that Astarion will be their protector here on out instead of the other way around (see also: "You need not fear anything.")

It might not be the most popular interpretation, but interactions like this make me feel like if his consort was like "hey you seem upset" or distant or angry or anything like that in the future, he would listen earnestly and attempt to assuage those concerns/admit to his role in them.

It's the implications that his SO is being deprived or left wanting for something (like freedom for example) that provoke the angry reactions from him, as he feels very strongly that he's providing everything for them and sees himself in that provider role, I think he takes that as more of an insult than an observation.

Astarion learning Tav/Durge's mother tongue purely to talk dirty to them he cannot hold a conversation he cannot ask where the library is but can tell you, in rich, lurid detail, how you [redacted] when he makes you [redacted] and how he's going to redact you all night long.

He does not learn how to say 'thank you' he only learns 'please' so he can tell his lover to say it.

Post-game Astarion turning date night into adrenaline junkie thrill seeking because nothing feels as good as his lover's breathless laughter and the taste of their pulse just hammering their ribs as the rush courses through their veins and over Astarion's lips. 🥰😍

Dining and dashing. Impromptu theft and fleeing frantic through the city, hand in hand. It's all a means to an end. The only thing Astarion cares about stealing is his darling's breath. 🥰

Thinking about A!A having gardens/greenhouses curated to have flora/fauna from the different regions he and his consort visited during their travels. It's a way to commemorate the time they spent seeing the lands together and to preserve a piece of that for his lover. 🥲🥰

I'm currently abroad and it's inspiring a very specific flavor of brainrot about ascended Astarion and the travel-the-lands-together ending which I haven't seen nearly enough headcanons/writing about 👀.

It takes no convincing to get Astarion to say "We'll travel the lands together, tasting everything Faerun has to offer." There are practical applications for his future designs on power and influence, of course. He's gathering intelligence and contacts as he goes. But more than anything, it makes him realize, he's hungry. He's barely seen anything outside the Gate. And without the weight of imminent doom on his shoulders, he feels weightlessly, drunkenly happy drinking in his lover's joy, and drinking from any neck he chooses.

I'm thinking of Tav doing that thing where the fish eat the dead skin from your feet, and it's ticklish at first, but then they get real soft after. And Astarion just basking in their startled laughter like it's sunlight.

I'm thinking of the moan of relief that presses unbidden from Tav's ribs as they fall back into silk sheets and the softest mattress they've ever known. And the sigh of love and release that seeps from Astarion, barely audible, in that same moment. He's here, he won, and he can relish freely in that victory. That he can lavish such luxuries on his lover feels like victory.

I'm thinking of a Tav he hasn't turned yet. How he'd see that they'd have only the finest meals, the richest wines, the sweetest desserts. Every delight of the tongue would be theirs at the snap of his fingers. They'd have it all, so they'd never have to wonder what it tastes like when they do eventually join him in immortality.

Or, a Tav he's turned already. Indulging, together, joyously, in any vein they see fit to plunder. Exorcising the demons of his own deprivation by ensuring Tav never knows any shadow of that word. Feeding. Dining. Together. Blood running down his lover's lips as his eyes flutter shut while he laps the last few drops from their mouth.

Thinking about how skin-to-skin contact generates 'love' hormone and how Tav/Durge and Astarion become more and more attached over time via feeding sessions 👀

There are SO many different ways to interpret Ascended Astarion and his relationship with Tav/Durge which is why I find myself so fascinated by that path. One angle I haven't seen talked about too much that I think is so compelling is a resist Durge who happily becomes his consort.

With the caveat that I haven't finished the Durge story in game (but have been spoiled for most of it), I think about a Durge who defeated their father, who is allegedly 'cured' of their urges from doing so, but probably still carries with them the trauma and terror of being controlled like that again. There's an argument that that would make a resist Durge less likely to let A!A turn them, but on the other side of it, what if it's a huge comfort to them?

They're handing control to someone they love and deeply trust as opposed to having the reins be held by some unknown force, or worse, by themselves, who they don't entirely trust, either.

Whether they should trust Astarion could have a hundred different answers depending on someone's HCs for the relationship, but lets roll with the angle that the love between them is genuine.

And Astarion knows that forgoing this control and handing it to him is a relief for Durge; they never have to worry about potentially succumbing to some rogue urge again, if they could theoretically be compelled or otherwise stopped from carrying it out. And I know the general consensus is an embraced Durge could eat A!A for breakfast, so I'm seeing this specifically for a resist Durge angle.

So Astarion hams it up in large part for Durge, because that display of dominance, even when it's somewhat theatrical, is part of that comfort. Reminds Durge they're in good hands, someone's looking out for them, they're not alone, in the sort of ways they need to be reminded of all of that. They never have to be afraid again; he did promise that, after all.

HC that Astarion can do a real deep scary vampire animal creature growl and does so on instinct at times in combat/when threatened. Initially, it scares the living daylights out of Tav.

Eventually, unconsciously, Astarion only uses it when Tav is threatened/when he's trying to protect them and it becomes a panty-dropper. Tav is left with goosebumps, tingly anticipation, just swooning for their feral creature man as soon as their enemies are handled.

Astarion figures it out one day and teases Tav to the hells and back. But he smiles fondly and says, "You little freak."