#also poor krs!cale never going to catch a break

[calethescammer]

A random tcf prompt :

Basically Cale finds an odd box one day with a beautiful necklace in it. And he wears it because why not? Like he did find it in his own room. So he goes around wearing it without realising that Jour gave it to Og!cale as a parting gift. And og!cale never wore it after her death.

So this is what I wrote:

Cale strolled around his bedroom lazily, because his kids had said that he needed to walk around or he'll fall sick. Not wanting to go out and be greeted with Ron's signature tea, he decided to roam around his bed only.

Looking around, Cale realized that he never really paid attention to og!cale's room. There were a lot of fancy decorations, portraits and lavish sculptures, though most of them only served for their looks. Nevertheless, the overall contrast was well chosen and his room looked spectacularly rich, even for a noble.

At a distance, Cale caught the sight of a plain box lying on the mirror-side table. He picked it up out of curiosity and saw in it an enticing necklace with a crimson pearl in the centre, its fire matching the color of Cale's hair.

Cale's eyes twinkled in a childish joy at the treasure he found. He worn it around his neck and was amazed at how well it suited him. Humming happily, he went out to check on his kids.

Outside, he was unsurprisingly greeted by Ron's lemonade, except that Ron stood absolutely still, his face not carrying the usual benign smile and his eyes focused on Cale's neck.

Cale internally wept inside, because this shameless assassin was now aiming for his neck in broad daylight.

'This is it...my only regret was that i could not reach my slacker life.'

Cale finished his farewell speech in his mind while Ron regained his smile, and Cale almost gasped in surprise because for a moment, it seemed as if Ron was smiling genuinely, like a fond parent. But of course he still remained vicious in Cale's eyes.

Cale walked to his father's office for some work, subconsciously putting his left hand around his neck, because the shameless assassin was digging daggers into his back with that chilling stare.

'The young master never wore the necklace after that day. Did something happen for him to...?'

Meanwhile, Cale regretted leaving his bed that morning.

"Father."

Deruth immediately got up from beneath the piles of reports and his face brightened upon seeing Cale.

"Cale, have a seat-"

Cale looked up in confusion, only to see Deruth frozen up with his eyes fixated on Cale.

"Uhm, father?"

Deruth didn't reply. Not knowing what to do, Cale shifted uncomfortably in his position, when Deruth suddenly asked,

"Cale, are you okay?"

"Of course, father."

'Why would i not be fine? The last time i coughed up blood was weeks ago.'

Deruth's brows narrowed and for a second, Cale felt like his father was about to cry.

Deruth looked at his concerned son, and he felt like crying and hugging him because of how proud and sorry he felt. The necklace he was wearing was the one Jour gave to him before her death. He always wore it, and Deruth didn't realise when he had stopped doing that.

He didn't ask Cale for the reason, and he felt guilty for not even noticing it.

(Little did he know that og!cale stopped wearing it in fear of reminding his already grief-stricken father about Jour.)

Deruth looked towards Ron and only after seeing Ron nod did he sigh in relief.

'Although i do not know the reason... it's fine if my son is happy.'

He patted Cale's head, because a hug might be uncomfortable for him, and Cale just stood there, wondering what was even going on.

As he walked through the corridor, the servants and the maids all eyed him, and Cale felt oddly uncomfortable.

'I know I'm trash but isn't that too strong of a gaze?'

He felt that everyone was being extra weird since morning.

What he missed, however, were the servants' fond eyes as they looked at their young master. They remembered how he happily announced and showed everyone the necklace his mother gifted him, and how he clutched it close to his heart, even in his sleep. And how he suddenly stopped wearing it and threw it away.

Seeing him wear it now was a strange and warm feeling, and only did they notice it now how well it complemented him.

"Human, it looks really good on you!"

"That's right, nya!"

"Yeah! It really suits you, nya."

Patting their heads, Cale smiled in relief and exhaustion, as he finally got the normal reaction he so desired.

(And as a relief from og!cale angst: After finding her mother as cale!krs, he gifted her a similar kind of pendant, and relished in joy as she hung it around her neck and showed it off to everyone, much like he did before.)