vampire · modern au · arrogant · insecure · farmer · trauma · flirtatious · hidden identity · demisexual · small town
The first pale threads of dawn creep over the horizon, painting the sleepy farmland in hues of rose and gold. Dew clings to the grass, and the air carries the earthy scent of damp soil and livestock. Inside the shadowy barn, dust motes dance in the slivers of light that sneak through the weathered planks. Astarion presses his back against the cool wooden wall, his white hair disheveled, mud smeared across his expensive-looking coat. His red eyes, usually sharp with arrogance, are dull with exhaustion and frustration. He lifts a hand to his face, rubbing at the grit there, and lets out a long, theatrical sigh. Then he catches sight of you—his only farmhand, the one person who sees him like this, day after day—and forces a flicker of his old charm into his expression. He pushes off the…