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#and beau and yasha have a floor and caleb and essek have a floor and the lavorres (marion jester and fjord now adopted) have a floor and th
the-kaedageist · 5 months
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congrats on hitting your follower milestone!! for a CR short fic prompt, how about shadowgast where essek is learning to coexist with caleb's cats? :)
I'm emerging from the abyss to answer this prompt 11 months later, but I hope you enjoy! I also believe someone else had Caleb having a cat named Gretchen before me and my brain borrowed it from someone; apologies, it just fit so well.
“Ah,” says Caleb when Essek arrives for their weekly meeting. “Since you were here last, I have acquired another housemate.”
This feels like a somewhat alarming statement. Thankfully, the suspense is not held for long - a moment later, a calico cat makes her way daintily into the room with them, stares up at Essek, and hisses.
“Gretchen,” Caleb scolds, along with a long string of Zemnian that Essek’s rudimentary skills can’t hope to follow. He’s just about mastered ‘please’, ‘thank you’, and some of the major foods; nowhere near native-speaker-speaking-to-his-cat level.
Essek tries not to be offended at being hissed at, even as he can feel his own ears flicking back behind his head in annoyance. “I have done nothing to you,” he says to the cat.
“She is scared,” says Caleb, reaching down to scritch the calico’s ears. She glares at Essek but submits happily to the pets. “She will get used to you.”
The cat eyes him like a particularly unpleasant thing that has been dropped on the floor. Well, Essek thinks, he has certainly had nemeses before. What is one more?
The situation does not improve from there. Every week, Essek Teleports to Caleb’s house, and every week, Gretchen acts as though Essek has offended her to the very depths of her being. (It probably doesn’t help that the third time this happened, Essek hissed back.)
By the end of the first month, Essek despairs that he will ever have a good relationship with Caleb’s animal companion.
At night, when he’s downstairs studying and Caleb is asleep, Essek sneaks back upstairs to find Gretchen curled up at Caleb’s side, purring happily. When Caleb is reading on the couch and Essek is attempting to cook in the kitchen, he peeks in to find Gretchen stubbornly attempting to seat herself in the middle of Caleb’s book, to Caleb’s laughter.
It seems that although they loathe one another, he and Gretchen share a love of the same man. Surely there is common ground they can find.
One night, Yasha and Beau come over for dinner. Gretchen is ambivalent about Beau (although no hissing is involved), but she waltzes right up to Yasha and starts headbutting her ankle.
“Oooh, hello, little beauty,” Yasha says, reaching down to scratch her cheek. Gretchen stares up at her adoringly. Essek also stares at her, aghast and betrayed.
“What is this?” he asks like a spurned lover.
“What is what?” Beau asked. She glanced over at Yasha. “Oh, the cat? She loves Yasha. For obvious reasons, of course.”
Essek rolls his eyes. “I thought she did not like strangers.”
Beau blinks. Her eyes narrow and her mouth stretches into a smirk. “Does the cat not like you, Essek?”
“No,” Essek denies quickly. “I don’t know what you are talking about.” He quickly makes an exit to the kitchen, making excuses about checking the soup, before he can be pestered further.
That is when he begins to wonder what he’s doing wrong.
First, he tries dressing more comfortably for his trips to Caleb’s. Perhaps, Gretchen is intimidated by the points on his mantle and the finery of his robes – is that a thing cats care about? The only cats Essek has ever encountered have been moorbounders, and usually they care more about the quality of their meal.
Unfortunately, even in loose pants and a soft shirt, Gretchen still glares and hides from him on his next visit. Caleb seems to appreciate the change though, pulling Essek into his arms and cuddling with him more than normal, and Essek makes a mental note that perhaps more comfortable clothing was in order regardless of the cat’s opinion.
Next, he attempts to determine if Yasha has bribed the cat for her love. He does research and discovers that cats are known to love meat and fish. The next week, when he Teleports into Caleb’s house, he pulls out a handkerchief with some pieces of fish stashed inside and lays it out on the floor. Gretchen does her usual routine of glaring at him while growling before she slowly approaches to sniff the food.
Caleb looks amused. “You brought a present?”
Essek shrugs, feeling heat on the back of his neck. “She is part of your family.”
Gretchen eats up every morsel of fish, to Essek’s relief. However, once her meal is complete, she goes back to hissing and glowering as though no offering had ever been made.
Essek is starting to feel a bit offended. This feels personal.
One night, he cuddles up with Caleb, dejected, as Caleb strokes his hands through Essek’s hair and coils a curl around his finger. “You are quieter than usual,” says Caleb. “Is something wrong?”
Essek glances up at him through his lashes. “Gretchen does not like me.”
Caleb says, “hmm” and continues to stroke Essek’s hair. “I have thought much about this, and I think she sees you as another cat.”
This is not something Essek has ever considered. “Another cat?” he echoes, surprised.
Caleb presses a kiss to his hairline. “You have cat-like mannerisms. You are prickly and picky and beautiful. Does it surprise you at all?”
Essek thinks for a moment; perhaps it does make some sort of strange sense. “So if I am another cat, how do I win her affection?” he asks at last.
“Well,” says Caleb, “ideally I would have put you both in adjoining rooms and let you sniff each other under the door.”
Essek gives him an unamused look. “Caleb Widogast, I am not actually a cat.”
Caleb tousles his hair with a small chuckle. “Ja, of course. Then I would say…be around her. In, ah, her orbit, so to speak. Give her space, but be present and let her get used to you.”
“I have been present,” says Essek petulantly. “She does not like me.”
Caleb shakes his head. “You either approach her head-on or you give her a wide berth – understandable, but I do not think it helps.” He lays his forehead against Essek’s curls. “You are stubborn. You will find a way.”
And slowly, Essek does.
He continues to bring Gretchen fish, but retreats beyond arm’s reach so that she can eat without feeling threatened. He is careful to seat himself within her watchful gaze when she is near, so that she will know his location. He stops trying to befriend and starts letting her be, and Caleb had been right – once he gives her the space to get to know him on her own terms, Gretchen finally, finally begins to thaw.
The first day she approaches him after her fish treat and lets him tentatively reach down to scratch her ears, Essek feels as though he’d been rewarded with a monumental gift. He meets Caleb’s gaze – and Caleb smiles sappily at him, as though all he’d ever wanted for his life was Essek and a cat, in this little house, with everyone getting along.
“You see?” Essek says to Gretchen. “I am not so bad.”
She turns around to show him her butthole and trots away with her tail held high. Essek laughs. “Perhaps we still have some ways to go.”
Caleb wraps an arm around his shoulders. “It takes time,” he says sagely, and Essek can do nothing more than laugh exasperatedly and press a kiss to his cheek.
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quizzicalfish19 · 1 year
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Headcanon that as soon as Caleb buys a house to settle down with in Rexxentrum, he begins working on creating a brand new teleportation circle that connects to nowhere else in the world, and painstakingly carves it into the floor of his living room.
Once that's finished, he starts every day for an entire year by picking up pastries from a nearby bakery and then casting the same three spells: scry, teleport, teleportation circle. The first two bring him safely to Fjord's boat, The Nein Heroez. He stays for an hour, enjoying the company of Jester, Fjord and Kingsley, then casts teleportation circle to return to his home and continues his day teaching at the Soltryce Academy.
When you cast teleportation circle in the same place every day for a year, it becomes permanent. After 365 days of pastries and friendship, there is a teleportation circle that connects Fjord and Jester (and Kingsley, for as long as he stays) directly to Caleb's home.
After that first year, he repeats the process with The Blooming Grove, with the strangest plants and seasonings he can find in the market instead of pastries. Caduceus is delighted to have company, and Caleb finds that tea at the temple is a wonderfully relaxing way to begin the day.
Both of those first two years, he has weekly dinners with either Beauregard and Yasha or the Brenatto family. The third year, he dedicates to connecting his home with Veth and Yeza's new seaside house in Nicodranas.
Beau and Yasha are tricky for a while, because Beau has a tendency to be constantly moving around. But eventually they settle down in Zadash, and Caleb happily christens their home with a circle as well.
By the fifth year after Caleb buys his home, it takes him only one 3rd level and three 5th level spells to assemble all his friends in one place. One 3rd level Sending to Jester reaches everyone else, as she is more than happy to expend almost all of her spell slots spreading the word. She and Fjord usually arrive without his help, aided by Orly who had surprisingly picked up the spell at some point in his travels. In the same boat are Veth and Yeza, with our without Luc in tow depending on whether Marion was busy. Veth is quite accomplished at magic by then and can cast the spell on her own. A little over an hour before they all arrive, Caleb uses his own spell slots to travel to Beau and Yasha, takes an hour to restore his spell slot, and brings them along to the Blooming Grove to collect Caduceus and the dinner he's cooked before finally returning to a living room that is invariably newly packed with life and cheer.
He starts a roaring fire in the fireplace, serves them his best wine while Caduceus sets the table, and sends a message to Essek to come downstairs before the soup gets cold.
It's not something they can do every day, but it's something they all do at least once a month for as long as they can manage it. Everyone stays the night in the bedrooms Caleb set aside for that express purpose, and in the morning Veth takes her family home and Caleb teleports Caduceus and Jester and Fjord back to their temple and ship respectively. Beau and Yasha stay a few days so Beau can check in with the Rexxentrum archives, before Caleb takes them home as well.
Professor Caleb Widogast has a teleportation circle in his living room and a heart full to bursting with the love of his friends.
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waltwhitmansbeard · 4 months
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ugh now i can't stop thinking about it so
what cars would the mighty nein drive?
jester: she's just what a 60s vw bug would be like as a person. bubble gum pink with giant yellow flowers. an antenna topper of a cupcake and a "the traveler is my co-pilot" bumper sticker in the font from the beginning of legally blonde.
fjord: a wood-paneled station wagon. just an absolute boat of a vehicle that all of the kids (re: the rest of the nein) can pile into. insists you can't have the aux but everyone routinely ignore him. no seatbelts, we die like mollymauk.
caleb: you know those tiny german cars that seem like they were built for children to drive? one of those, maroon but you can't tell if that's the paint or the rust, at least one missing rim, can't sit in the back seat bc it is piled all the way up to the ceiling with books and papers caleb swears he's going to read someday. the glove compartment is a hazardous zone. floor littered with coffee cups.
beau: no car, this lesbian daddy drives a crotch-rocket, bright red and obnoxiously loud. she parks it wherever she wants and throws the tickets away. no helmet, no speed limit, we die like mollymauk.
yasha: no car, prefers to walk everywhere she can. if she has to go somewhere long distance, she'll crunch herself into a cab or cling onto beau for dear life. she'd prefer to get a ride from fjord, tho.
caduceus: there is one (1) car for the entire clay family, a secondhand sedan they traded for on craigslist, but it's too small to actually fit everyone in it, and there's always arguments about who needs it most, so mostly cad bikes everywhere (also a craiglist find, the chain is rusted but it works well enough)
veth: soccer mom van. she pretends to hate it, insists she "cooler" than the vehicle suggests, but actually she finds it incredibly handy. everyone hates sliding around in fjord's station wagon so when she's on the group trip, everyone fights to get in her car. also her stereo is better. the back is littered with bumper stickers that veth just finds. none of them pertain to her particularly. if she comes across a bumper sticker, it goes on the car.
kingsley: also a motorcycle, but somehow louder and gayer than beau's.
essek: absolutely REFUSES to get in caleb's car, says "that's not how i'm going to die," this is a miata twink for sure, sleek black and fast as hell. hates bumper stickers but jester snuck on one that says "my child is an honor roll student at the solstryce academy" but "honor roll student" is crossed out with "professor" written over it and "child" was replaced with "boytoy"
(vox machina version here)
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ariadne-mouse · 1 year
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For a prompt from @lakrisrot
a tell-tale mark of happiness
(848 words, rated G, Shadowgast)
The sound of talk and laughter greeted Caleb from behind the door ahead, heralding the merry-making Nein within. It was the third such of these monthly get-togethers, and Caleb was very pleased with himself for starting the tradition. He was also pleased tonight in particular because he had arrived here by way of other welcome company — a certain Essek Thelyss, who had lingered in the foyer of Caleb’s new cottage when it was time to say farewell.
“Until we meet again, Caleb Widogast.  What is it you say?  Don’t be a stranger.”  A quirk of his lips — which were subtly painted today, a new and intriguing look for his friend. “I cannot promise the same, for I may be resorting to some disguises in the near future.  But…  I will return, if you will have me.”
“You need only send word ahead,” Caleb had replied. “I will be here.”
And with a flash of nightshade-colored spellwork, Essek had vanished, wearing a smile like the seal on a secret letter.
(Essek had also kissed him on the cheek, which thrilled him perhaps a disproportionate amount for such a small thing.)
(Still, it was the first time Essek had chosen to do so.)
(It had been soft)
(and nice) 
(and over much too quickly.)
With a creak of hinges, Caleb stepped into light and warmth. "This little room is so stuffy with all of you carrying on," he complained, and was immediately swept into a crushing hug by Jester.
"Cay-leb!" His back popped as Jester squeezed him and then set him on his feet, then held him at arm's length to look him over. Something in his expression must have given his joy away, because her jaw dropped and her grin grew sharp with mischief. "You seem very happy, Caleb.  Did something nice happen to you?  Something very nice?"  She waggled her eyebrows.
"Something nice happened to him," agreed Yasha, her chin on Beau’s shoulder where they were sprawled on the couch.  Yasha’s smiles were small, but precious, like the yellow button-flowers tucked into the edges of the Zemnian countryside, and it gladdened Caleb to see one now. “Or someone.”
"Yeah, definitely.  It's written all over his face," Beau drawled. An unopened bottle of Lionet wine sat on the floor nearby her.  For all that Caleb did his best to replicate good wines in the tower, she insisted on bringing a bottle of her own choice vintage each time.  (“Can’t show up empty-handed to a party,” she had grunted once. “S’rude.”)
"Written?" Fjord quirked his head to the side.  When Jester flounced back onto the bed next to him and leaned her head on his chest, he automatically began fiddling with curls of her hair.  "Would we say written?  More like… stamped.  Branded.  Emblazoned?"
Caleb could not help but smile back at them, his cheeks feeling warm. Was it so obvious? He rubbed the back of his neck. “You are all very astute.  I have just seen our friend Essek.”
"Well I'm happy for you Caleb," Veth announced, hands on her hips. Then, more critically, her eyes narrowed: "Was he any good?" 
Caleb coughed. "Please, Veth, it was only tea.”
"Yeah, Caleb," Kingsley grinned, long booted legs propped up against the wall. "Was he any good?" 
Caduceus, his long lines draped over an armchair, craned his neck up and squinted. "Can you really tell from—? Never mind, I don't want to know."
"We did not— that is not— we had tea. And worked on a spell for a short time." Caleb waited a beat, then could not help but add, slyly, “...Which he was very good at, of course.”
"Wizard sex," Kingsley shook his head. "Veth, you were right."
"I will cast the tower now,” Caleb said, face afire, feeling desperately fond of his friends. He needed to redirect them or he might combust.  "You are all clearly in need of a drink. I need to hear what you have been up to!"
Like this monthly reunion, his meetings with Essek were a new tradition, and Caleb was still finding his footing.  They were still finding their footing.  It was good.  Terrifying, and complicated, but good.  His embarrassment at being so transparent aside, he was touched by his friends’ notice and interest in his happiness — a feeling to stow away in his pocket like pinstriped candies in winter.
“Come in, come in,” he ushered them into the stained glass atrium a minute later.
The cats brought them all their favorite foods, and they drank Beau’s wine, and more than once someone commented again (always with that air of wickedness) at how happy and pleased Caleb looked.  He endured their teasing with a little chagrin and a great deal of love.
It was only at the end of the evening when they had all wound their way to bed, that Caleb happened to glance in the mirror before washing his face.  There, stark against his freckled cheekbone, was a lip print in dark plum.
He had been wearing Essek’s kiss all evening.
Caleb covered his face with his hands.
“Ah, shiesse.”
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hello-eeveev · 1 year
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Beau had half a mind to march over to the Candles and kill Ludinus Da’leth herself, if only so she didn’t have to spend another day looking over the same documents, trying to find something they could use to get him out of power. She didn’t trust him—hadn’t from the start—but the more she walked in similar circles, the more she had to deal with the Assembly’s bullshit, the more she was convinced that whatever Ludinus was up to at any given moment, it couldn’t be good. But he had spent centuries navigating Dwendalian politics; of course he knew how to cover his tracks well.
She was halfway through plotting out the assassination when Caleb, who was sitting at the desk across from her, closed his book and looked up at her. “It’s five o’clock,” he said.
“Finally.” Beau sagged in her chair, taking in a deep breath. As she exhaled, she let thoughts of work fade from her mind. Once she felt suitably non-murderous, she slapped her hands onto her desk and stood. “Let’s get going then.”
She and Caleb fell into their routine as easily as they fought side-by-side. Caleb collected all the files and documents and organized them as he saw fit, while Beau stacked the books in the order that she knew would be most convenient for whoever reshelved them. Then they switched. Beau ran the papers back to her tiny office and locked them in her desk drawer, and Caleb passed off the books to the nearest archivist to be put away. When they met back up, Caleb walked Beau all the way to the teleportation circle on the other side of the Archive. Outside of going home to Yasha, this was Beau’s favorite part of the day, because regardless of what they ended up talking about, they made sure that, for at least these fifteen minutes, neither of them had to think about their country’s corrupt systems and the horrible people running them.
By the time they arrived at the teleportation circle, her half thought-out plans of murdering the Martinet had been shoved into the back of her mind by Caleb’s fond tales of the kids he tutored and the progress they were making.
She really hoped he would take the Soltryce job, if not for the good he would do there, at least for himself. He seemed so happy when he talked about teaching, almost as much as when he was nerding out about spells with Essek or Veth.
The caster in charge of the circle beckoned Beau into the center of the room, and she jogged into position as they began drawing the sigils for the Zadash Archive circle.
“Hey, so tomorrow night, Yasha’s trying out a new recipe that she got from Martina,” Beau said, turning to face Caleb who lingered at the edge of the casting space. “It’s a stir-fry sorta thing that she learned on a trip to the Menagerie Coast. I think it’ll be really good, especially if we use some of your green beans. You down?”
The invitation was more of a formality at this point. Caleb joined them for dinner almost every weekend. But Caleb shifted awkwardly, looking down at his feet.
“Ah, I would love to,” he said, “but I already have plans for tomorrow. Maybe another night.”
“Eating a boba and reading all night doesn’t count as dinner plans.”
Caleb huffed a laugh. “No, it is a, um…” He picked at some fuzz on his coat sleeve. “A date.”
“Wha—” Beau blinked. Shook her head and blinked again. “What? With who?”
Caleb caught her gaze, expression completely neutral except for a growing redness on his face. “A friend,” he said.
She furrowed her brow. “I’m gonna need a little more information than that, dude.”
He glanced down at the runes being drawn beneath her. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw him run his thumb over the ring on his index finger—his Ring of Telepathy, it looked like—and his voice entered her mind.
“Essek.”
Beau’s eyes widened, but then the bastard smiled and waved like nothing happened. “Have a nice evening, Beauregard.”
Faster than she could run over and punch that smug look off his face, the chalk on the floor flashed and suddenly she was back at the Zadash Archive.
She fumbled for her Sending Stone. “Fucking piece of shit—I’m gonna—” She yanked it out of her pocket and activated it. “Caleb!” she shouted. Some poor young monk tried to greet her while an older expositor threw a stern expression her way, but Beau paid them no mind. She was already running out the door.
“The fuck kinda timing was that? What do you mean you’re going on a date with—” Shit, she couldn’t use Essek’s name in the middle of Zadash. “—with him? When did this happen? How? Who else knows?”
“You are the first, unless someone else has figured it out already,” he replied. “Unfortunately Sending is limited to twenty-five words, so I cannot say more. Goodnight, Beauregard.”
“I know for a fact that’s not how these Sending Stones work, you asshole!” She did a quick count of Caleb’s message in her head. Twenty-six words.
She could practically hear his shit-eating grin in the silence that followed.
Forget Ludinus, she had another wizard to kill.
Before long, Beau was sprinting up to her house. She waved off Martina’s sickeningly sweet hello and threw open her front door.
“Yasha!” she yelled. “Babe, you’re not gonna believe what Caleb just told me. Can you message Jester today?”
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utilitycaster · 1 year
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Wizard Breakdown Tracker: Mighty Nein Reunited, Part 2
Gather ye wizards while ye may, though with the return to Campaign 3, we are finally headed to Yios, where there are wizards, once we finish with the Gloomed Jungles, where there are were-creatures, which are also very cool. The hierarchy is, as always: paladins; wizards; were-creatures; literally everyone else; dhampyrs, kalashtar, changelings, and "hey DM, can I play a tiefling bard with intelligence 7". But I digress.
Ludinus Da'leth: So at this point (ie, shortly post-this episode), Caleb, known bridge between the Cerberus Assembly and the Cobalt Soul, has taken a job at the Soltryce Academy, which means any efforts to make a new, slightly more palatable volstrucker program and quietly keep it from Archmage Becke are going to go straight out the window. The walls are closing in, and he doesn't even know that Jester can go to the Feywild. 7/10.
Astrid Becke: Caleb listened and took the job! That's one success in what's got to be a thankless new position in many ways. Also I still really want to know who the hell has become Archmage of Antiquity, or if the Assembly just writes that one off as "make a deal to bring back a powerful Age of Arcanum entity and raise it to godhood once, shame on you; make a deal to bring back an powerful Age of Arcanum entity and raise it to godhood twice, shame on us and also what the fuck are we going to do with two nickels in a society that uses gold, silver, and copper currency." 3/10; Astrid's doing better than she ever has in this tracker, and good for her.
Eadwulf Grieve: Caleb is still keeping him in mind, which is good, because he really is like...look, he's a wizard, so he's not dumb muscle, but compared to his two former lovers he's very clearly the 'And Peggy' of the bunch. On the other hand this means he's probably just organizing the Temple of the Raven Queen Yulisen Night Potlucks and inventing the Exandrian equivalent of Minnesota Hot Dish or something. 0/10.
Yussa Errenis: Is aware of the storm on the horizon. Is chilling in his tower. Is largely unbothered. Other people pointed out that while he has developed a reputation for fucking around and finding out, he has also technically never physically left his tower to do so, which is honestly impressive, but does explain why Beau did not have to bamf out a partially dissolved old wizard when she ended up in Uk'otoa's gullet. Anyway, glad he's keeping up with Caleb and making potions. 3/10, for being aware of the storm.
Allura Vysoren, whose name I keep misspelling: Yasha did give Kima back the sword, and Caleb doesn't seem to have her staff, and she helped make a new, cooler sword! 2/10 for League of Miracles reasons only.
Essek Thelyss: Still under a lot of political pressure, regardless of where he is...but he's also getting, as Figueroth Faeth would say, his kisses in, so better than I expected! 5/10.
Caleb Widogast: So here's the thing. It is, as the other post said, about the green beans. And it is, as my last iteration of this said, not time for deep Caleb meta in here. But I do have a lot of thoughts about the similarities between Caleb and Fjord, as I always do, and about how neither of them really had much of an understand of what happens in their life past That One Big Thing They Need To Do, having already woken up at some point and been like *Mitski voice* I used to think I'd be done by 20. I do feel that the Caleb Widogast of part 1 of this two-shot was truly a Caleb Widogast who could go either way re: the T-Dock usage, and the Caleb Widogast of part 2 of this two-shot is not; the event has not (in my understanding, at least) occurred but the decision has unconsciously been made. Also he's dating Essek and he gets to have Dragon Time, which sounds like Floor Time but better. He does get a 4/10 though, because he takes it upon himself to become the Mighty Nein's Social Event Coordinator. As someone who just had to cancel a carefully scheduled D&D session for tonight because I am sick but also the DM and if I have to talk for 2 hours while simultaneously using my brain I will cry, this is very stressful.
Veth Brenatto: Camp's going great! Only one kid died, and not permanently! 1/10.
Known Gem Wizard Hotsauce Lutefisk: Oh so the demigod leviathan CALAMITY SNAKE gets released from its prison beneath the sea, three seals in three temples broken in under 18 months, and yet, I, Halas Lutagran,
Bonus!
Warlock Breakdown Tracker
Fjord: For real? Who knows. I personally imagine that it does, as they say, briefly go to 11, because though Uk'otoa is dealt with and Zehir seems to have understandably gone "you are way too interested in love and the ocean for me to give a shit, I'm going back to bed", Fjord (not unlike Caleb) has to sit with the fact that he's done with that and he's happy OH GOD HE'S HAPPY WHAT THE FUCK DOES HE DO WITH THIS. Also he has to deal with the orphanage, which is going to be traumatic and unpleasant for sure, plus you know someone named "Grankton" is going to be holding a massive grudge against the world at large. But with time, it settles back down somewhere more reasonable, only to briefly spike and resolve again during Kingsley's little maneuver. So you know. Some numbers, probably.
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sapphicquill · 1 year
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Critickle Role: spin me right 'round, baby (chapter 1/2)
(ao3 link!)
Rating: Teen
Characters: Essek Thelyss, Mollymauk Tealeaf, Caleb Widogast, the Mighty Nein (Veth and Cad are there, just not by name!)
Wordcount: 2149
Nothing the Mighty Nein ever did made terribly much sense to Essek—at least not right away. The group had a habit of putting their own unexpected twist on just about everything they did, no matter how mundane. Considering Essek had only recently emerged from “the sheltered kid-from-a-strict-religious-family cave” (Veth’s words, not his) he didn’t really have much “real life experience” to lean on, so the group’s antics were a relatively moot point anyway. 
But Essek was about ninety-five percent sure that Spin the Bottle was supposed to involve kissing, and the glaring lack of any was a bit confusing. 
Essek relied on a lifetime of maintaining a completely neutral expression at all times to keep from staring bewildered at the screeching puddle of tiefling that was the current focus of the loose circle of friends. Mollymauk, sprawled out flat on his back underneath Jester, was writhing and wriggling as the young woman mercilessly drilled her claws into her victim’s sides. A lavender tail lashed wildly, the only part of Mollymauk in that moment that still had a full range of motion. 
From beside the pair, Caleb cleared his throat.
“That is time, Jester. Let my boyfriend breathe, please.”
Instantly, the blue tiefling sprung off of Mollymauk, though not without groaning theatrically and turning to the human, her own tail wavering behind her in a way that reminded Essek of Frumpkin before the cat pounced on someone. 
“Caaay-leb, come ooon , that wasn’t two minutes!” 
“Ja, it was exactly two minutes, just like it always is.”
“You’re just whiney because you can never make Molly safeword out, Jes,” Fjord pointed out from his spot across the floor. Jester let out a frustrated noise as she crawled back over to her unoccupied spot in the circle next to her own boyfriend. 
“I totally have before, I just want to do it again!” 
“Try harder next time, darling,” Mollymauk said, voice coming out a little wheezy as he sat back up and grinned over at their host for the evening. 
- - -
Essek was, admittedly, getting better at keeping up with the Mighty Nein. With all of them being so genuine and good all the time (and the somewhat inconvenient, very large crush he was harboring on Caleb and Mollymauk), it was hard to resist the siren call of their unspoken offers of friendship and connection. The longer Essek spent around the collective chaos of the Nein, the easier it was to just shrug and go with whatever happened, regardless of how preposterous Essek found it. 
When Caleb had offhandedly invited him to attend the monthly Jester-mandated party/sleepover (a tradition that long predated Essek’s own knowledge of the group), he had accepted without even thinking about it. His nerves over being in such close, extended proximity to Mollymauk and Caleb were easy enough to tamp down, he hadn’t even gotten close to having a proper panic attack over it. He hadn’t even flinched when Jester’s mutt of a dog nearly knocked him on his ass when he cleared the doorway of her and Fjord’s apartment. 
When Jester had lowered the music and excitedly announced it was time for Spin the Bottle, Essek had taken pause, eyes darting to where Caleb and Mollymauk began untangling themselves to get up from the small overstuffed sofa, laughing and whispering to one another between quick kisses. All the same, after a half-second of hesitation, he took a seat on the floor next to Yasha, who was providing rather aggressive scritches to Nugget while Beau not-so-subtly fed the dog little bits of pepperoni, and resolutely ignored the hammering of his heart.
Jester’s version of Spin the Bottle had, apparently, been a tradition for almost as long as they’d been having these gatherings. At least, that’s what Essek had gleaned from Beau’s exaggerated complaints about how unnecessary having the rules explained again was. Jester’s eyes had met Essek’s from across the circle, alight with mischief, before she continued: either say the safeword—“licorice,” for some reason—or last the full two minutes. Before Essek could ask what, in particular, might necessitate a safeword for a kissing game, Jester had leaned forward to grab the bottle in the middle of their circle.
Honestly, Essek should have been less surprised then he was when Jester’s hearty spin of the empty spirits bottle resulted in the young woman tackling Mollymauk and unleashing a rather brutal tickle attack. One of the first things Essek had accepted as “Nein-normal” was the group’s extremely comfortable relationship with tickling. Caleb had tried to fill in the gaps as much as he could—it had, of course, started with the tieflings (“Look, of all the stereotypes, this one’s probably the sweetest and most accurate,” Molly had said) and had spread from there. It was to be expected, if one spent even five minutes with some configuration of their friend group, that some sort of tickling would occur. 
Essek had seen Fjord tweak Jester’s sides as he passed her by; had seen Yasha loop her arms around Molly’s waist and hold him still while Veth unleashed revenge for whatever antics the tattooed tiefling had gotten up to; had seen the soft, sweet, surprisingly gentle tickling that Jester was fond of showering on Caleb. Essek had witnessed quite a lot. 
He’d never participated, though.
- - -
 “Careful, you know she’ll take that seriously,” Beau said, rubbing Nugget’s head roughly enough for Essek to realize she was probably wiping off excess pizza oil on the dog. 
“I’m hoping for it,” Molly shot back, already half-crawling closer to the middle of the circle. With practiced ease, he sent the bottle into rapid circles, watching intently as they began to slow. Essek glanced at Caleb out of habit—it was he who Essek had gravitated toward first, and then whenever he felt out of his depth around the rest of the Nein—and felt his heart stutter against his chest as crystal blue eyes met his own. A small, comforting smile graced Caleb’s lips, the one that always made Essek feel a bit like there were several tiny birds swooping around in his stomach, before the group around them gave a collective, nearly comedic gasp. Essek watched Caleb’s brow furrow slightly, his eyes dropping down to look at the center of the circle before darting back to Essek’s face. His expression was… strangely unreadable. 
Finally looking away from Caleb, Essek felt another swoop in his gut as he took in the scene before him: the others staring at him, Molly’s grin turning nearly feral, and the empty bottle’s neck pointing squarely at him. 
It felt a bit like time had paused, without the sharp ozone of recently-cast dunamis. 
“Ah, Mollymauk—”
Caleb’s voice was soft, his expression still impossible for Essek to parse, as he curled a hand over one of Molly’s shoulders. His boyfriend turned to face him instantly, and Essek felt quietly relieved that the two’s attention was off of him, if only temporarily. 
“Essek’s new to this, ja? So be—” Caleb paused, seemingly searching for the right word. 
“Gentle?” Yasha offered quietly from beside Essek, and if his mouth wasn’t suddenly so dry, he thought he might thank the woman. 
“Of course, darling,” Molly replied seemingly to the both of them, his voice much sweeter than Essek had anticipated. The tiefling turned, and Essek tried to calm the rapid beating of his heart as Molly crawled the rest of the way across their circle of friends. On his knees, Mollymauk was practically towering over Essek’s seated form. Essek expected that same devious grin from earlier to still be settled on his face, but was surprised again to see a much friendlier, kinder smile curling at his lips. 
It was the same smile Molly wore when he and Caleb got lost in discussing complex arcane theory, or when Essek admitted to not understanding some turn of phrase someone had thrown out. 
The flock of birds in his gut doubled. 
“Remember the rules, dear?”
When had Molly gotten so close? Essek licked his lips, eyes glued to the two sets of claws hovering mere inches from his torso. 
“Ah, say ‘licorice’ to tap out…”
“Or last the full two minutes that Caleb counts out,” Molly finished for him, leaning ever so much closer into Essek’s space. 
“Right. Yes. Two minutes.” 
The last time he’d been tickled he’d been a child, Verin pouncing on him after declaring he was being a stick in the mud and unleashing an attack that had left Essek in blubbering hysterics. 
“Ready?” The question seems mocking, but the look in Molly’s eyes is shockingly genuine and Essek didn’t know if he wanted to run or to kiss him. 
“As, um, as I’ll ever be, I suppose.”
The air in the room was still and silent, even Nugget stopping his tail whacking down on the carpet as everyone seemingly held their breath. 
Essek squeezed his eyes shut tightly, bracing for kneading fingers as Molly descended even further. Nervous energy danced like lightning down Essek’s back. 
Then there were two light claw tips, slowly skating down from the tops of Essek’s ribs on either side, and he felt his breath hitch without permission. The light, pinpoint sensations felt a little like pure electricity shooting into his nerves and he started gasping out giggles without even realizing it. It didn’t even tickle that badly—between the anticipation and the fact that it was Mollymauk doing it, Essek felt a bit like he was going insane from the lightest touches. 
He didn’t say anything, though, much less “licorice.” Molly was being so gentle. He could last through this for two minutes. 
Then, the claws reached his hips, and suddenly they were moving much faster and in circles and Essek couldn’t have ever hoped to stifle the surprised laughter that punched out of him. His eyes flew open at the shock of sensation, and the look on Molly’s face made his stomach do a backflip. The tiefling’s eyes glimmered with delight and the kind of affection Essek had only ever seen directed at a certain human wizard. Impossibly, the tickling felt ten times as intense. 
Molly kept valiantly on at Essek’s hips, alternating between skittering spirals and random patterns that Essek couldn’t make sense of. While the majority of his conscious thought consisted of white noise, a tiny section of his mind quietly pondered how different this would be if the rest of the Nein weren’t there—if it was just him and Molly and Caleb sprawled out on the ridiculously opulent bed he knew the two had in their apartment. Maybe there wouldn’t be a countdown at all, just Essek getting slowly driven to pleasant delirium by the two men who had captured his attention and his heart. 
How in the name of the Luxon had it not been two minutes yet?
A sudden third spot of ticklish sensation lit Essek’s nerves like a string of firecrackers. He didn’t even have to open his eyes (though he severely doubted he would even be capable of that at the moment) to know that a lavender tail’s spade tip was dragging ever-so-lightly back and forth cross Essek’s right inner thigh. That, combined with the attack still concentrated on his hips, nearly had him screaming. 
Just as it felt like he might pass out from lack of air, someone spoke up from elsewhere in the circle. 
“Scheiße, that was two minutes and, er, roughly forty-five seconds, sorry, sorry.”
Instantly, Molly let up, his tickling ending so abruptly that Essek almost felt dizzy. Phantom tingles of sensation raced across his skin and his laughter dropped into breathless giggles once more. If not for the near lifetime of practice in self-restraint, he would have let out an aggrieved whine and a soft plea for more. A delightful haze of dazed happiness had descended without Essek even noticing . 
“Wow, Essek, that was like, super impressive for your first time playing!”
Jester’s chirping voice popped the joyful bubble encasing Essek’s mind in an instant, and instinctual chilled terror shot down his spine at the reminder that the rest of the Nein had seen that entire ordeal play out in front of them. He sat bolt upright, vision hazy and unseeing. 
“Ah, ex—” Essek started, a shivering ghost of a laugh rudely interrupting. “Excuse me, I, hah, need to, uh—”
Without even finishing his sentence, Essek stood and hurried from the crowded living room. A chorus of voices sounded behind him, but he didn’t stop. The apartment’s tiny guest bathroom offered a safe place for him to sink to the ground and press his face into his hands, breath slowing even as his heart thrummed rapidly in his chest. 
Even with embarrassment and mild panic coursing through him, Essek’s mind could only conjure the image of Caleb and Mollymauk looming over him with warmth and mischief and affection in their eyes. 
Fuck.
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awesomefroggy · 2 years
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Mighty Nein's Favorite Board Games
Fjord- Scythe
It's the crunch, the strategy, the 2+ hour play time. This man is nose to the board, into it. Most of the Nein grumble about it, but Beau and Essek will play it with him and get far far too into it.
Beau- Red Dragon Inn
This appeals to the Beaurebar in her. On the surface, she's got the silly drinking gambling party game. Deeper, she knows how to meta and has a hero that she's very very good with. She excels at stacking everyone else's decks against them. Making it an actual drinking game is a favorite, and she supplies really awful shots when called for.
Caleb- Root
Not only are you the resistance to the Cat overlords, there's resources! Strategies! Conniving! And adorablely vicious forest creatures! Caleb gets very attached to his factions. He likes playing with the Riverfolk expansion as the otters.
Veth- King of Tokyo
Yahtzee but with Kaiju. Veth will rule over Tokyo with an iron fist. There is now a rule that dice rolls that land on the floor don't count. Yeza is always apprehensive when she and Luc want to play, but he tries to be a good sport about it.
Jester- Unstable Unicorns
Fast paced, full of cute unicorns and puns, and there's an NSFW expansion. Jester is here to slam down some cute unicorns, shut down your combos, and cackle maniacally over pumpkin spice Basics.
Yasha- Cascadia
Puzzling together habitats for wildlife. It's lowkey, and Yasha likes to try and make the most realistic ecosystems she can. She'll play it alone for hours, but sometimes she can drag Beau or Caduceus in to playing with her.
Caduceus- Everdell
A sweet game of woodland creatures, resources, and collecting through the seasons. It's a pleasant game to him, and he sometimes he plays single player as a way to connect with the Wildmother. He has all of the expansions and the Kickstarter exclusives.
Molly- Mysterium
A ghost uses dreams in the form of surreal art to point mediums to solve their murder. It's the absolute cold reading bullshit Molly loves. If he's one of the mediums, it's just interpreting tarot cards. He loves helping everyone else interpret their cards and make up bullshit stories about how and why and where and who. If he's the ghost, he equally tries to help people and fuck with them.
Kingsley- Pirates
Stack up crews, steal other people's crews, blow up bases and collect pirate ships, loot, and glory. Kingsley is delightfully vicious at this game, and much like the man who taught me how to play it he wears his big pirate hat and coat whenever they play.
Essek- Sagrada
Sudoku, now with pretty dice and modifiers. The stained glass motifs remind him of Rosohna in the best way, and he finds it soothing to put it all together. Everyone is shocked the first time he swears in Common over someone taking a die that he needs.
Other related headcanons:
Beau, Fjord, Caleb, and Essek get together and play some of the crunchiest Warhammer you've ever seen. Jester paints Fjord's armies and Yasha paints Beau's, Caleb and Essek have dedicated weekly paint nights.
Essek hate drafts during Sushi Go.
There was an attempt to play The Mind once. It was never played again.
Caleb and Essek have fierce Scrabble games. Everyone made fun of them until Beau asked to witness one, and realized they play with four different languages at once and do not hold back about it.
Yasha has the Stardew Valley board game and plays it as often as she can.
Essek and Fjord play chess together. It freaks people out sometimes because they will sit in silence for a very long time until one of them swears violently.
Throw Throw Burrito is only allowed every once in a while, and they "burrito proof" the house first every time after they broke a vase at Beau and Yasha's.
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romeoandjulietyouwish · 10 months
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in these walls (beauyasha week day 2)
Prompt: home @beauyasha-week Read on ao3
At the end of a long, winding road is a house. 
The house is old, overgrown with vines and the plants that must have been confined to the gardens now overflow into the yard and over the brick path leading to the porch. Some of the windows are broken, some from storms, most of them probably from neighboring kids. The unbroken windows are clouded with a thick layer of dust or shuttered against the wind.
The wrought iron fence and gate are creaky and bent in places, the plants starting to swallow them into the earth. The boards of the front porch are warped and broken, the stain all but washed away. And even through the grim and plants covering the house, the faintest bit of blue siding can be seen. 
This is a house that is full of stories, as all houses are. It has been long since abandoned, but still stands against the wind and weather to deliver its stories to anyone brave enough to open the door. There aren’t many people like that anymore, people are much happier to wait and stay where it is safe than to venture into the unknown.
The second Beau sees it, she knows that this is the one. 
She can so clearly see Yasha tending to the garden on a spring morning. She can see Imdrin sitting in the bay window, doing his homework. She can see Cricket running about the whole place, her footsteps echoing through the whole house. She can see their family living here happily.
It’s big enough to host the Mighty Nein and their families and it’s close enough to the city that Beau won’t need Caleb to teleport her to work anymore. 
She and Yasha have had it in the back of their mind to start looking for a new house, big enough for the kids as they grow and to act as shelter for their friends when they need it. Yes, it will take lots of time to fix this one up, but it’s more than worth it to her. The second she tells Yasha about it, she is completely on board.
Later that week, Beau and Yasha sit the kids down in the living room. “So,” Beau begins with a smile, “your mom and I want to ask you something. How would you two feel about moving into a new house closer to the city? It’s going to be bigger and with an even bigger yard.”
Imdrin’s face slowly starts to break into a smile, “Would I be able to go to school in the city?”
Yasha nods, “You would and so would your sister. And it would mean your uncles Caleb and Essek get to visit more often.” Immediately Imdrin lights up, as the only other drow he knows, Imdrin has grown incredibly fond of Essek. And though he almost never says it, Beau and Caleb both know how good talking with Imdrin has been for Essek.
“What do you think, Cricket?” Beau asks, turning to their daughter. Unlike her brother, Cricket doesn’t seem convinced, in fact she seems incredibly concerned. Instead of answering the question, she gets off the couch and runs to her room, the door shutting behind her with a soft click.
“I’ve got it,” Yasha says, ghosting a hand over Imdrin’s hair as she follows Cricket upstairs to her bedroom. 
Cricket’s door is covered with drawings, one Imdrin drew of a cricket sits right in the middle. Yasha approaches quietly, rapping a single knuckle against the door. “Bug? Can I come in?”
“Yeah,” Cricket responds softly. 
Yasha slowly pushes open the door and scans the room. Cricket is nowhere in sight, but Yasha knows her daughter well enough to know her hiding places. Which is why she just sits against the wall beside the bed, knowing Cricket has tucked herself underneath it.
“You know, long before I met your mama, I was part of a tribe that traveled all over. We were hardly ever in the same spot for more than a month. So I know that moving can be scary-”
“Not scared.” 
Yasha smiles fondly, though Cricket can’t see her. “What are you then?”
Cricket is silent for a long moment and Yasha can hear her fingers tapping against the floor as she thinks, “I’m nervous.”
“Why?”
“Leaving this house means going to a new one and then a new one and then there aren’t any more houses and then we’ll have to live in the mud. And you’ll have to leave me behind.”
Yasha is stunned into silence. As long as they’ve had Cricket, they’ve never been able to find out much of anything about her past, which led her to being alone in the Mudtop Ward. They had assumed she didn’t remember. It is clear as day that she does now.
“Cricket, can you come out so I can see you?”
Cricket sighs softly, but Yasha shortly hears her moving along the floor until her head pops out from under the bed near Yasha’s knee. She smiles and helps Cricket out, sitting her daughter down in front of her.
“You don’t have to worry about that. We’re going to be in the new house for a long time, I promise. And we’re never ever leaving you or your brother behind, okay?”
Cricket sticks her pinky towards Yasha with a serious look. Yasha links hers around Cricket’s and squeezes.
As the summer progresses, Yasha and Beau spend their days at the new house, tearing out floorboards, putting up wallpaper, fixing leaky taps and creaky steps. Despite the hard work, it’s very fun to have time together without the kids. More than a few times as they’re working, Yasha can’t resist pulling Beau into a kiss despite the paint or plaster on their hands. 
And on their last day of work, the day before they show the kids the house the first time and move in, the two of them find themselves standing in the kitchen with content smiles. Beau leans into Yasha’s side, pulling her partner’s arm over her shoulders. 
“It looks amazing,” Yasha says breathlessly. “They’re going to love it.”
“They better,” Beau laughs and Yasha pinches her shoulder playfully. “Seriously though,” Beau turns around and loops her arms around Yasha’s neck, standing on her toes to press a kiss to her lips. “This is fucking awesome.”
Yasha chuckles against her lips, “It is. It’s our house now and you know…the kids are with their uncles tonight.” She kisses Beau, forcing her to tilt her head up. “And I don’t think this house has been properly christened yet.”
Beau smirks, meeting Yasha’s eyes full of lust, “I think we should get to that then, don’t you?”
“My thoughts exactly,” Yasha whispers as she trails her lips down Beau’s neck.
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ravendruid · 1 year
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i’d be nowhere without you. you’ve gotten me through so much. Vaxleth. Raven break my heart with this so I am not broken more by the new episode of CR tomorrow. C3 episode 51 hurt so much already.
Not gonna lie, I was half-asleep when I read your ask, and it took me a long time to realize it was a prompt, and not you telling me the line. xD I have done my best to break your heart. I know mine is broken for sure. Obligatory: this drabble has spoilers for Post-Campaign 1, and Episode 51 of Campaign 3. It's also purely speculative. “I’d be nowhere without you. You’ve gotten me through so much.”
Ludinus Da’leth, a pale Elven man with long white hair, still stands, although almost in ruins. His deep blue robes are tattered in places, his long fork-pointed staff rests on the ground at his feet, broken in half, his face is beaten and bruised, and gashes are carved into his shoulders and chest. Ludinus Da’leth, a millennia-old elf and the Archmage leader of the Cerberus Assembly, still stands, but not for long.
There is a mixture of elements in the air around him as he is circled by both those he hurt and their loved ones. Keyleth spearheads the initiative, lightning crackling all around her as her green eyes shine with ire. Caleb and Essek are next. The first one’s hands are alight in flames, while the second summons silvery purple light. Lastly, Beauregard and Yasha are standing side-to-side, the bright orange glow of Scaldsaber splattered with blood, matching Beau’s knuckles.
As Da’leth’s limp body falls to the ground unmoving, one by one, each of his fellers kneels in exhaustion, sobbing into their loved one’s arms, for justice has finally been achieved. All except for Keyleth, who spares no second crossing to her goal: the orb on top of the beacon.
— Keyleth sits crosslegged under the Sun Tree, its golden leaves dancing with the soft summer breeze and reflecting the golden light of the sun above, holding the small only gem in her hands. The bustle of Whitestone’s streets and people fade as she concentrates on the orb, peering into the darkness of her mind, feeling it warm up to her touch as if the sphere itself is trying to reassure her that what she seeks is still in there. Keyleth smiles as she hears the familiar sound of wings flapping in the wind above her. She knows it’s not him – it can’t be him, he’s in her hands – whatever it is, it has to be a sign that he’s still with her.
“This is the orb, then?” Vex’ahlia asks her an hour later as they sit in her Manor drawing room, to which Keyleth nods, apprehensive.
“Are you sure that he’s in there?” Percival asks, adjusting the golden-rimmed glasses on his face, to which Keyleth shrugs.
“I felt something, but I can’t be sure. Pike,” Keyleth hands the gnome the orb, who takes it carefully in her hands.
Pike sits cross-legged on the floor with her eyes closed, a long platinum braid falling down her shoulder, and she focuses on the gem at hand. A golden light emanates from her palms, enveloping the dark orb to such an extent that Keyleth has to look away, lest she is blinded by such pure light. Ten minutes pass and Pike opens her eyes with a smile as bright as the light of Serenrae.
“He’s in here. I saw him.” She gets up on her little legs and carefully sets the orb on the coffee table. Vex’ahlia promptly stands, as well, wrapping the gnome into a hug.
“We need a powerful dispel spell,” Pike looks over at Keyleth, who is already on her feet, radiating green light from the tips of her fingers.
Anxiety pumps the blood in her veins as Keyleth approaches the table. She can feel everyone’s eyes on her and hears the hammering of her heart in her ears. It has been thirty years since they last saw Vax, and in thirty years, so much has changed.
The green light travels through the darkness of the orb, spreading slowly around it like an aura, and Keyleth closes her eyes, sending each speck of nature energy into the spell. When Vax was turned, there were loud screams and a flash of bright light. But as the spell fades, there is nothing but silence.
The orb floats above the table, and Keyleth steps back, biting her lip in anticipation. From within, a pair of black raven-like wings sprout, folding into a cocoon that opens slowly to reveal the lithe half-elven figure of Vax’ildan, the Champion of the Raven Queen. He looks around, taking in the sight of those that were once his friends and family, and a smile spreads across the masked face.
Vax barely has time to catch himself as Vex jumps into his arms, loud sobs echoing through the room as one, then two other pairs of arms and bodies hold him. He recognizes these arms. They are older, sure, but they still feel like home.
Vax recognizes the small figure hugging him around his waist: Pike Trickfoot, Cleric and Champion of the Everlight. Oh, how beautiful and radiant she looks, with her platinum hair beautifully plaited, and bright blue eyes, always so warm and inviting. He knows he missed much of the young gnome’s life, her wedding with Scanlan, the birth of her two children, Juniper and Wilhand’ildan – Vax’s heart sings with the honor – and her divorce as well. But Pike looks good. She seems happy and healthy, busy with the bakery and her not-so-much children anymore.
Vax recognizes the white-haired human that leans on him with the familiar scent of gunpowder and wood. Percival, whose features are so wrinkly now, and a white beard that matches his hair. The once spry gunslinger of Vox Machina holds himself upright with the help of a cane – for sure containing secrets, but a cane nonetheless. Father of five wonderful, beautiful children, whose births he also missed. Whitestone lives as the de Rolo family thrives.
The last pair of arms surrounding him belongs to his twin, his dear sister, Vex’ahlia, who can’t hold a chuckle. “I’m older than you now,” she says. While that might be technically true, she doesn’t look a decade older than in her thirties. Vax is happy to see his sister still dressed in white dragon leather armor, Fenthras hanging at her back, her hair still pulled into a braid, and a black feather still tucked behind her year. Yes, she is older than him now, but she is still the same.
Vax’ildan’s eyes sweep across the room in search of the last pair of arms, the ones that are not surrounding him, the ones he needs the most. Keyleth stands tall and proud with a smile on her face and a twinkle in her eyes. She’s beautiful and radiant as the sun, the moon, and the stars at the same time. His heart clenches as his gaze finds the freshly carved scars on her exposed skin, and he remembers it all. Springing himself free from his family’s embrace, Vax crosses the room, picks Keyleth up into a tight hug, and spins her around. His lips find hers in a long, desperate kiss as his hands travel all over her body in search of wounds and scars that he can heal. 
“I’m okay,” Keyleth chuckles softly, her bright green eyes locked into his, and a soft pale hand removes the mask from his face. “I’m alive.”
“I was so scared I failed to protect you,” He whispers.
“You have never failed to protect me, Vax.” If Keyleth noticed the way he preened at how confidently she spoke his name, she didn’t show. “I’d be nowhere without you. You’ve gotten me through so much, and for that, I owe you my life.”
“Keyleth, you owe me nothing.” Vax kissed her passionately, ignoring the sighs and sobs of the three people behind them. “I owe you. Name your price.”
“I just want your love.” She leaned her forehead against his with a smile on her face.
“You’ve had my love and my heart for over thirty years. Nothing has changed it, and nothing will.”
Forever, and ever, and always.
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willhaart · 1 year
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Caleb’s wooden rocking chair gently croaked as it swung back and forth on his porch. The oak was aged as his own bones and its intricately carved designs of leaves and bell flowers were dulling like his memories. With his memories. The warmth of the setting sun touched his cheek like a blanket. He'd always enjoyed watching its twilight its rapid changing colors. If only he could get those colors to translate well on his painted canvas. Caleb shut his novel on his lap and closed his eyes, letting his breath drift in rhythm and harkened for the wind. His feet were tucked comfortably under his lavishly knitted quilt blanket. A gift from Yasha, one of her many hobbies. Vast hobbies. Caleb let out a dry huff and coughed as the night air approached over the purple and orange skies. 
“Essek!” He called back into his house. His waning hearing was still sharp enough to pick out the fumbling pots and kettle in his house behind him.
“Essek!” he called once more. Patiently, Essek called back. 
“Yes, my love?” Caleb didn’t need to turn to see, he could smell Essek’s fragrant lavender aroma as the drow drifted by his side. Caleb turned to gaze into the drow's violet eyes and tired cheekbones stained with flour. Caleb smirked at Essek’s pink apron, another project from Yasha.
“Can you bring a candle or two? It’s getting chilly out here.” 
“Yes, my love.” Caleb watched Essek float back into the house and disappear for a moment. And just in a moment, Essek emerged back out with two lit candles in their wooden lantern holders. Essek placed one down at Caleb’s side near his rocking chair, and the other he placed Caleb's book over his lap. 
“I’ll have supper ready in a bit.” Caleb clutched Essek’s wrist before he could disappear back into the house. 
“Caleb, please. Our sourdough is going to burn. And the stew-”
“What time are you leaving tomorrow?” Caleb asked.
“I was thinking some time mid evening. Why, Caleb? Please the sourdough...”
“Could you not stay a few more nights? I need help with the garden this week and my knees are starting to ache. Could you not stay another two or three days?” Essek’s dark slippers gently grazed the porch floor, and he knelt down to meet Caleb’s hazel eyes.
“You know I have very important business with the Kry-”
“Maybe if you stay you can help me write my paper!” Caleb interrupted. “I think Beau asked us last week about a dinner date. I promised them we’d host it here.”
“Caleb.” Essek tried to muster up a stern voice. Caleb looked back with a smile wide like a wanting kitten. His crow’s feet furled like whiskers behind those sad hazel eyes. The trick always seemed to work for Frumpkin.
“Caleb…” Essek began to cave in, Caleb could practically tell. Essek gave in with a chuckle. He moved in close and with a soft hand, caressed Caleb’s chin, his nails still stained with a bit of flour.
“Well… your beard is starting to look like your untended bushes. You need a trim.” They shared a chuckle. Caleb eyes caught a thin strand of dark grey smog seeping through the windows and his nose picked up a scent.
“I smell burning.”
“My bread!” Essek shot back into the house, leaving Caleb with only his ghostly wind gently tossing Caleb’s faded red hair. 
“Dinner with the lesbians is tomorrow night! And Veth’s grandkids are visiting the day after.” Caleb called back into his house, as he gazed upon the stars. Through more chaotic clangs of pots and pans, he heard Essek yell back.
“I’ll pick something nice for us to wear!”
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aithilin · 1 year
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The Quiet Moments - Failure
At AO3 Here
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The Evening Nip never really closed. No matter who came and went or what day it was. Mollymauk knew that calm and quiet lull that other taverns would have was a deception in the Gentleman’s establishment; business was always happening somewhere in the warren of backrooms that all led into the simple, singular large room that served as the central hub to the Gentleman’s web. The bar above with its guard and piss-poor ale had served enough sense of normalcy in the building to fully mask the rancid smell of stale liquor and beer that had seeped into the already damp underground haven with its connections and routes that crossed beneath the huge city. Smuggling tunnels and broken patches of ancient foundations that seemed to thrive among the vibrant roots that Zadash grew from.  
Mollymauk had almost missed that stench of floor half-rotted with spilled ale and blood when he realized he was nostalgic for the days of endless familiar travel with an equally raucous family. He had missed the easy chaos of still learning who the Nein were, who he was and where he fit now that he wasn’t among the few protectors for a very peaceful travelling carnival. He had wanted to let the others get their sleep first before he made his way to the room their host had granted. He had wanted to watch the comings and goings with a careful, wary lookout from the shaded corner he had found there first time in the bar when a catwalk with a sickly sweet purr that rang something loose in the back of his mind called him Lucien. 
He wanted to know if he needed to be on the lookout for a past he was getting increasingly and unwillingly familiar with as the ghost demanded his due. His body, his blood. 
He didn’t want the others to see his unease when he finally tipped the barman with a few loose gold and a smile he couldn’t quite muster the brightness for, and tried to avoid the creaking wood of the old floorboards beneath his feet. He surpressed the wince at the creak of the door as he slowly pushed it open to take stock of the familiar cuddle pile that greeted him in the dim light of the temporary room. They had gathered closer around Beau and Nott in the dark; the instinct to shield their most vulnerable at the time they need it most having driven the sleeping arrangements to the sprawl of half-tangled limbs and softly muttered and abandoned conversation that had started to taper off as sleep took them in turns. 
Mollymauk offered a small wave to Jester’s sleepy grin before he realized what had changed from their usual arrangements while away from the privacy of individual rooms.
Nott had curled around Jester rather than Caleb for the first time since Felderwin. Nestled amid the colourful skirts and a green travel cloak, the goblin had accepted the comfort offered by her friends amid the bickering and banter that would have lulled her off to sleep. Beau was close by, spooned by Yasha in a way that Mollymauk knew he would need to tease her over later as he wondered idly when the last time he was the source of her blushing. And she knew it too, as he caught Yasha’s mismatched eyes with a smile as she nodded toward a corner of the room just out of range of the comforts of the gathered.  
The soft glow of a barely covered light gave Caleb’s alert state away before Mollymauk had even registered the open book in the man’s hands. He lifted a hand in thanks to Yasha and carefully picked his way around the room and over the sprawl of Fjord. 
“You,” he let himself fall to the floor next to the man; “should be sleeping.” 
“Ja,” Caleb agreed absently as he scribbled on a scrap page. His violet scarf had been draped over one of his lights, moving with the gentle dip and bob of the magic Mollymauk knew should be stationary unless Caleb willed otherwise. 
He had been distracted since the failed spell that had left clay and components scattered across Essek’s laboratory. He had been shaken and confused, assessing and reassessing the page where the spell had been written out when he thought that no one was looking, even after promising to allow Essek access to make a copy of his own once they had properly proven its worth. 
Mollymauk had wanted to snap him back to them. Just so he wouldn’t have to navigate what was ahead of them alone with the lingering ghosts that had left him on edge with the realization of what they needed to hunt down. 
There had been too much talk of forests and hags and the dark mountains that threw a shadow across Beau and Nott both. There was a memory biting at the back of his mind that he knew was not his. That could never be his. But be remembered hags. He remembered warnings and weaknesses and the promise that they would hollow their victims out to shells of what they were meant to be. Puppets and ghosts and broken promises. 
He reached up to smooth Caleb’s hair away from his eyes, and let his thumb stroke along the man’s temple for a few moments as he tried to find what was wrong. “Love, darling, pet…”
All at once Caleb was against his chest. Mollymauk looped his arms around narrow shoulders to hold him close, and realized after a moment that he had let himself curl around the man as he sank closer in an exhausted, silent, and palatable sorrow. The little light remained, playfully bobbing beneath the neat and still fresh scarf from Xhorhas as it illuminated the page filled with notes on the shortcomings of the new spell meant to be so powerful it could alter the reality of a person. Shortcomings that didn’t exist. That couldn’t exist from what Mollymauk understood. Not now that the last pieces of the puzzle had slotted into place. 
He pressed a kiss to the crown of Caleb’s head and let his tail snake around them. 
“It’s not your fault, you know.” 
There was a moment of quiet in the room, the air still save for the soft muttered half-conversation between Jester and Nott at the centre of their pile of friends. The lazy rumble of Fjord’s snore, Beau’s restless sleep-mutterings, Yasha’s shifting to cuddle closer to the new family in a way Mollymauk remembered fondly when it was just the two of them. There was a moment when he thought Caleb had let exhaustion take him, until the man shifted in his arms without pulling away and returned to his work on the spell. 
“If I could make it stronger… I should have made it stronger.” 
He should have been stronger, is what Mollymauk knew was left unspoken. That familiar tug of guilt and fear and the sense of failure that Caleb had worn close like his favoured long coats pulled relentlessly at Mollymauk’s own dread. He didn’t have half the strength of this man curled against him, and here Caleb thought he was too weak to do more than the little playful light still bobbing gently in the still, damp air of the borrowed room. 
Mollymauk gently pulled the page of notes from Caleb’s hands and pressed a kiss to his temple, to his cheek. “Shut up, magic man.”
The gentle amber light faded as its minute ran its course and Caleb did not call the dancing light back. Instead, there was a soft snort of amusement and Mollymauk smiled as he felt the tension bleed from narrow shoulders against his chest. “Shutting up, circus man.”
“Good, because we are in a bar, and I am not above dragging you out there for drinks until we both pass out.” Another quick kiss, and he let his hand settle clasped at Caleb’s hip to pull him close as he leaned back against the old wall. “And look, I know a few things about hags— don’t ask me how, or when I learned it, or any of those things, but I do know a few things about them. There’s no breaking their curses on a first go.”
“That is why I was trying to rework the spell,” Caleb muttered. “For a second go at it.”
“You did good, okay? Hells, you did amazing.You impressed a purple elf, that’s got to be worth something. But seriously, we deal with this curse, and it’ll probably save a lot of people who would have done worse that Beau’s dad or Nott’s goblins. It’s bigger than just that, you know? Nothing good comes from hags.”
“They make deals. I could—“
“I’m stopping you right there. No. Never. You are not getting near that thing so she can dig out your soul and make you into some puppet.”
“That is oddly specific.”
“Yeah, well, it’s what they do. We deal with this as a family, right?”
For a moment, Mollymauk almost thought that there wasn’t going to be an answer in the darkened room. The comings and goings of the bar beyond barely heard over the creak of the floor, the beds four of them had curled around each other on, and the soft rhythm of breathing. He chanced a glance around the room and saw Caduceus against the nearest wall a short distance from them, eyes closed, relaxed, but Mollymauk had the feeling that the firbolg was not yet sleeping. A part of him hoped that Caduceus was awake and listening. That it would mean that he would have someone to watch Caleb when it came time to confront the creature that had cursed Nott, that had cast a shadow over Beau’s life. 
“Right.” Caleb agreed softly, one hand on his before he shuffled them around enough to get comfortable properly for the long road to Kamordah ahead of them.  
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whumpwizard · 1 year
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Whumptober2022 Day 6: Proof of Life
The Nein rushed into Ludinus’ estate at full speed, praying to every god they followed that Essek was still alive.   They heard through the grape vine, thanks to Beau, that Ludinus had recently taken in a ‘stray’ from the Dynasty. It didn’t take much digging to find out that it was Essek, stolen away from his post in Eiselcross and held in the Martinet’s home.  Caleb had immediately booked of time in his teaching, under the pretence of some rather important business abroad, and had requests Beau as his personal guard. Obviously, Yasha would have to come as well in such a case, and it was hardly an issue to call Fjord and Jester and the Balleater back to the shores of the Menagerie Coast.
Caduceus had been slightly harder to reach, as always, but a few well-informed crows was really all it took in the end. As for Veth, she had jumped as soon as Caleb reached out.  The only one they couldn't reach was Kingsley, something that no one was quite sure how they felt about.  It felt wrong not to ask, but Caleb would have been lying if he said he hadn’t been relieved at the rebuff from the tiefling. And, just like that, the Nein were back in business.  All except one, that is.  And that one was who they were after.       
“Alright, everyone split up and check every room for him. We have no idea where the Martinet might be keeping him so we have to keep our eyes peeled.” Fjord said, directing them all to split up. Jester and Caleb rushed down the north hall together, Caleb looking for arcane traps while Jester searched for mechanical ones. Both of their hearts were racing more than they would have admitted to anyone.
“He’ll…he’ll be alright, right Cayleb?” Jester asked, the worry clear in voice and her wide eyes. Caleb just nodded.
“Ja, of course, Jester. He…he will be fine. You are a cleric after all. You…you can make him fine if he is not.” Caleb said. It wasn’t a question, and Jester knew it. She nodded back.  Both of them knew what Essek meant to the other. Everyone knew what Essek meant to Caleb, of course, but even Fjord had only questions about him and Jester. It was years ago now, and they were so very in love, and Fjord knew he had no place to ask about Jester’s past loves. But many of them suspected that they, too, had been involved at some point.  
Interrupting the shared glance, Caleb and Jester heard a scream from down the hall. Blood curdling and deep, they knew whose it was. Both of them took off at a sprint.
“Essek hold on!” Jester shouted, running as fast as she could towards the sound.
“We are here!  Please, Essek, we are coming!” Caleb followed, running faster than he ever had in his life. Their cries were met only by screams filling the hall.
When they found the room that the shouts were coming from, they couldn’t help but freeze in the doorway. Essek was alone in the room, chained to the wall, and very badly beaten. His eyes were puffy with bruises, and tears tracked through the dirt caked on his face. His breathing was ragged and hitched, and every other ne was punctuated with a scream. He was calling out to someone, anyone.
“Essek we’re here…” Caleb said, rushing towards him. Jester at his side, they both knelt beside him and began to inspect his wounds. Caleb could see the bruises around his wrists from the shackles, sprained at worse and strained at best.  More worrisome though, was the gash in his chest, slowly dripping blood onto the floor.
“He…he is done with me…” Essek choked out. The effort of it brought him to coughing, as blood trickled out of his mouth.
“Well we aren’t Essek, so don’t you go quitting on us yet. It’s very rude, you know.” Jester said, trying to cover the worry with a smile and a laugh, just as she always did. Essek tried to laugh in response, but it only brought on more coughs.  More wheezes. More blood.  More and more and more, until every breath was coated with it. Until Essek was choking on it. Until his breaths slowed…and stopped.
“No…” Caleb whispered. “No no no no no….no!” He grabbed Essek’s shoulders and began to shake the drow.  “Wake up! Wake up!” he ordered. But it was no use. Essek’s eyes were rolled back, blank and hollow.
“I…I can fix it, wait.” Jester said, scrambling in her bag and searching for something. After a few moments, she pulled out a necklace.  It was lovely, and opulent, and Caleb remembered the day that Essek had given it to her. He and Jester had visited together, to tell him that it was their last time. Their last time sleeping together, and the end of Jester’s involvement in the relationship. And this had been his goodbye gift. A necklace, studded with heart shaped diamonds, worth far much more than the spell needed. Jester ripped off the centre diamond, and held it to Essek’s chest. “Work.” she commanded. “Work, dammit.”
“Please…”  Caleb pleaded. “Please…please please please. Come back to us.” As he begged, he fiddled with the cuffs at Essek’s wrists, undoing them and rubbing the elf’s wrists. Jester took the other wrist in her hand as she chanted. Prayed. Called upon Artie and the Wildmother and the Storm Lord and every god they all knew. This had to work.
A moment passed. Nothing. Just silence and the bated breath of the two mages, alone in the room with Essek…Essek’s body.
Another breath. Silence.
Another…thump…thump…thump.
“I’ve got it!” Jester shouted. “I’ve got a pulse!” Essek’s eyes blew wide open, as he sucked in breath, raspy and shaking.
Caleb melted, and threw himself into Essek’s arms.
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demigoddessqueens · 2 years
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Kind of wanted to do a request that’s from personal experiences sooo , here we go! (Mighty nein related 😫)
Maybe originally you have been on like a sort of ‘back packing’ trip , just a mission with a purpose. Where you lived you had these friends, your true heart and soul. After embarking on your journey , one of the friends in particular decides to start sending you letters. Just as a way to keep in touch. Well as time passes on and you’ve met actually better people , you start to see more. You start to realize how there was so much rotten toxicity, favorite-ism , and miscommunication in your so called friendships.
It takes you time and it’s hard. Crying some nights on if you should just cut off this sore of a relationship(s). Seeing as how you were the therapist friend , or the one who would get that bagged shoved on. How this bundle of people fully consumed you and your self worth. It all just became more clear as time passed , letter became more slow and you start cracking.
You made up so many excuses , you were scared to leave. You were gonna come back home one day and never wanted to run into any on them. One certain night you fully broke , and furiously poured your heart and soul out into one final letter. Quietly but fumingly you sped out to mail it off. Coming back , that desperate realization hits you as you enter your in room. Slowlyyy, you crumble to the floor. The whole thing being a sequence.
How would the party/your inn mate react and try to comfort you. And maybe how would the party realize your growth after this and how your moving on from those who you once called your friends. Sorry if I got really into detail or if this requests makes you uncomfortable. I totally understand. <3
Sure thing!! Sometimes it can be hard to break
Fjord and Jester are sympathetic to your grievances as they know what it’s like to leave the old behind and take that next step in life that’s unfamiliar.
Caleb, Mollymauk, Veth, and Essek know that feeling all to well of a painful past and memories you want to forget, especially from those you trusted, but they let you know you’re not alone
Beau and Yasha are great listeners, both in offering much needed blunt advice and braiding your hair as you pour your heart out to them.
Cadeuces patiently lets you express your feelings and when you’re done, especially after chugging your tea, he lets you know that he’s glad to have found his family because he sees you as the newest member.
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untraceable-ace · 1 year
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Almost 2 hours late to the live react shitpost party bc I was dying my hair while watching it when it started but anyways
Under the cut bc it both contains spoilers for the m9 reunion p2 and also because it’s really fucking long lmao
They’re kicking these guys asses holy shit
wtf is going on with Kingsley btw like pardon?????
See my question is if Ukotoa is in the process of being released while they’re fighting or if he’s still locked away rn bc like
If he’s not in the process of being released waIT
NVM HE’S OUT
IN THE TEMPLE???
Oh god creepy snakes moving in tandem i love snakes but not like this
Run boy run byeeee
NO
NOONONONO
YEAH NO SHIT THATS NOT RIGHT???
fshshshsh the giant just knocked over in the center of the set is so funny to me
fr hes just
there
Oh wait worm???
Not Ukoatoa??
Caleb my god you are a noodly wizard why would you try to intimidate a betrayer god
LMAO A 17???
“That’s me” jester my beloved
Cmon cmon NO
eight whyyy
Uh ohhhh
HAHAHAHA WARLOCK PACT
Which one which one
Is he just flexing w that ring of telepathy or did that have a purpose
Oh Jester <3
KINGSLEY???
“You just got this body” LMAO
First an accidental pact with an ancient evil sea deity then a pledge to essentially mother nature and now a betrayer god woooooh
Creepy
Wait this guy hates Melora does that mean Fjord can’t connect with her anymore?
LMAO the face
Oh not another cursed sword
i think its a cursed sword
maybe
Them putting up his stat card has me concerned uh oh
LMAO “thanks I hate it”
Ooooh a rapier fancy
its official I love Kingsley
AUGH GOOD BANTER
THE SNAKES
“Martial our forces” HMMM??
Darktow who is in darktow hold up
OHHH RIGHT plank king
Cant go back there
Fantasy DMs jfeoghehgaio;ewhaoge
syphilis gang
DAMN that was one efficient sending
You can just hear the agony in his voice ijodfsihjogiho
If anyone’s a glorified librarian its caleb idk what you mean beau
Charcuterie board
Mamas house has more tiddies followed by “That’s a good point” is fueling me
Winds in the east
mist comin in
something is brewin
about to begin
“I know all languages” jfc how many do you know now????
Im still wondering about that monkey yall what was that about
my original thought was that it was Artagan but it was so antagonistic idk
“We were probably a huge pain in your ass like a year ago” yeah sounds about accurate to what I know
I like her too jester she’s fun
risk esseks life cmon cmon cmon I NEED TO HEAR HIS VOICE AAUUUAUUGH
HES LEAVING PLS BE CONTACTING
damn wrong elf
fshshshsh hermit elf
WOW thats a lot of potions
break to wash out hair dye hold up
before i leave
haha charcuterie board
ok now brb
Okay hair’s done back to reacting
“Okay so you don’t blow yourself up” mood
Wtf is that rod??? Bc we all know he probably wouldve made it amber if he could
Fuckin dope move though omg
EIGHTY ONE????
GOD DAMN
OOOH OH I KNOW WHERE THIS GOES
GET HIS EYESSSSSSS
dainty sip of sherry in the midle of abttle from a flask i love it
holy noises followed by the camera panning to a glowing silouette of a dick on the floor
THREE DRAGONS?????
i mean ik two are illusions but DAMN
Dude I’m not sure Kingsley’s had one bad move this entire two-shot like wtf
soooo AC is 21? I think?
wait do different parts have different ACs?
HAHAHA YES EYEBALL WEAKNESS
Stab the eye, stab the eye, stab the eye, stab the e-
Gently give a slice to an eyeball muah
so eyeball AC is 27> (or equal to 27)
There has been an assault, far as i can tell sam is being a shit again
New tatoo?? Chainbreaker
Fancy
Ohoho oh nvm rip yasha’s dope ass thunderclap
won wound
Ooooh the big bad demigod can be frightened damn
DUNAMANCYYYYY
aw damn rip spell
new form who dis
Half of this live react is just me repeating one liners i found particularly funny oops
Oh nvm?? Dunamancy spell lives????
Nvm
Well ok its alive just half damage
Boy Veth I would love to see you try
“I can dodge gravity” can you????
HOLY FUCKING SHIT CHARACTER GROWTH INDEED
THAT WAS SO FUCKING COOL
Rip Beau taken out of the game bc piss
OKAY RIP BEAU FR???
FUCKING LEGENDARY HDYWTDT
GET FLUFFERNUTTERED BITCH
RIP FJORD SENT OFF INTO SPACE MY GOD
OH
OHOHOHOHOH
CMON CMON CMON SEAL HIM AWAY DO IT DO IT
OooUuUhfhdbdjfe I love the lighting change for going under water
Cmon pls pls pls work seal that bitch away
WHAT
OHOHO
FUCK YEAH MATE
Uh oh my boys gonna get the bends good call w the far step tbh
Actually bad call that’s too fast a pressure difference
Ayo Travis w the accurate bends rep
Ugh I love Caleb’s level 17 art sm
Well damn Melora!!!! Queen shit tbh
I hope “keep that just for me” means he swallowed it again
LMFAO MATTS FACE
Dicks and Other Things
The Molly Look™️
Promptly steal I love him
DAMN Kingsley’s on some king shit
Literally
ORPHAN TAKER IM SOBBING
WAUUAUAUGHFHFB CMON CMON
HIS BOICE I GOT TO HEAR HIS VOICE SJRJQIFUJEHE
THEY GOT THEIR SHIT TOGETHER SO QUICK????? SIX MONTHS??????????
CRYING SOBBING LOSING MY MIND
That was so fucking good oh my god
stimmed so hard at the end that my limbs started to actually cramp lmao
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trinketh · 1 year
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it's been a very long time since someone's done this for her . but not long enough for her to forget the very someone that had done this last : her own zuala , now lost . and though a piece of her heart will always miss her late wife , she has a family now that she never thought she'd have again ( including the little one growing inside of her , too little to be much of a bump even though both yasha and beau's hands fall there more often than truly necessary ) .
so she's comforted , warmed by @luxoned sitting behind her on the chair while she sits on the floor and allows him to braid her hair with familiar movements and tugs that she still knows as much as she knows how to breathe . she'd never thought that she'd know someone that could do these braids for her again , and even further had never thought that she and essek would form a friendship like this , spent in days together while beau and caleb are at work bettering the empire .
" you do this often ? " she asks , a quarter joke , a quarter serious , and half just looking for something to say . the silence was nice , but this is one of the times that a conversation may be just as good .
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