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missmitchieg · 3 years ago

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Carrie Wilson Meets (And Roasts) Caleb Covington

Carrie huffed as she walked out of the kitchen, her decision made. She was going to follow Nick to figure out whatever was going on with him. He had been acting weird for the last week and Carrie was absolutely sick of it. One day, she and Nick were over for good and Nick was planning to ask Julie on a date and the next day, Nick was just strolling up to her locker wearing a sequinned capelet to ask if she was still interested in ending Julie's reign of terror on her and delineating this incredibly detailed and elaborate plan to humiliate Julie so badly that she begs her dad to move to another state and Carrie can happily continue to be the queen of the hallways at school and will never have to worry about Julie again. That was inarguably suspicious to Carrie.

"Dad, I'm going out!" Carrie shouted to her father somewhere on the other side of the house and walked outside without waiting for a reply. Shutting the door behind her, she started her journey to Nick's house just as he was leaving to go... Somewhere. She furrowed her eyebrows as she sneaked behind a bush, sniffing a rose quickly before rushing after him.

She groaned softly as she rubbed her sore foot, shaking her head. Ugh. She really should have worn her favorite Adidas running sneakers for this. She'd been following him for an hour in her two inch heeled loafers (what a mistake) to what looked like some creepy hotel building. She glanced up, furrowing her eyebrows in confusion when she saw... "Julie and Flynn?" She whispered to herself, watching Julie turn her head to speak to air next to her. She frowned at that, turning back to "Nick" to see him walk inside the building, Julie and Flynn following closely. "Carrie Wilson, what on Earth are you getting yourself into?" She asked herself and ran to follow "Nick" and the girls into the hotel before the doors could apparently magically close behind him.

She shook her head as she watched that happen behind her and looked around while Julie and Flynn followed Nick to wherever he was going. She let out a breath as she took in pictures scattered along a wall around a sign that read "THE HOLLYWOOD GHOST CLUB MEMBERS ONLY" in bold golden lettering. "Ghost club?" She questioned quietly, hoping her little slip up had gone unnoticed once she realized she's spoken aloud. She quickly found the group and hid behind a plant, a little ways away from them but close enough to hear what they were saying.

Hearing things like "Caleb Covington", "what do you mean he possessed Nick?", "Luke, if the three of you weren't already dead, I would kill you for coming here and messing with this guy" only served to make Carrie extremely confused. She had no idea what was going on anymore. Why was Julie talking to thin air? Who was Caleb Covington and why did he possess Nick? What the Hell was this place?

She huffed and started to follow Nick, who was currently dressed in a very un-Nick-like tight black button up and trousers to what seemed to be a dressing room, being stopped by hearing a very familiar voice speak to her.

"Are you a new member here?" She turned her head, her jaw dropping slightly.

"Kayla?" She blurted out in shock and confusion at the girl in the purple dress in front of her who looked very much like her best friend, Kayla.

"Um, no. The name is Betsey." The girl smiled, reaching out to shake her hand.

"Carrie?!"

Carrie flinched and turned to see Julie and Flynn gawking at her, four new faces suddenly surrounding Julie. She let out a small shriek at that, blinking as she took a closer look at the boys. Julie's band were with her! But who was that new boy with long hair?

"I see the three of you are back. Come to accept my offer after all?" "Nick" smiled menacingly at the boys, his eyes rolling back.

"What- What are you and Flynn and your band doing here?" She asked, incredibly bewildered and disoriented as "Nick" started to glow blindingly white, and then there was a flash of light and a tall man appeared next to an unconscious Nick lying on the floor.

"Nick!" Julie ran and crouched next to him, looking up to glare at Caleb. "What did you do to him?" She yelled in anger.

"Oh, relax!" Caleb gave dismiss wave of his hand and rolled his eyes. "The boy will be fine in an hour." He told him. "But I'm not interested in him. No, I'm interested..." He raised both hands to point at Julie's bandmates. "In you three."

"Well, too bad! You still can't have us, Covington!" The shortest boy with large, angry eyes shouted, protectively stood in front of the tall blond and the long dark haired boy, who were in front of the one clad in a leather jacket.

"Mmm, are you sure about that?" Caleb scrunched his nose up, clasping his hands together. "Because last time I checked, I very nearly got you working here."

"You mean you very nearly killed my friends!" Julie snapped, Nick's head now gently perched on Julie's knee.

"Wait, what?" Carrie blurted out, blinking as she processed what Julie was accusing this man of.

"Ugh, details." Caleb shook his head, rolling his eyes once again. He was really starting to leave a bad taste in Carrie's mouth.

"Mr. Covington here," Julie huffed, clenching her fists bitterly. "Tried to charm my band into leaving me to join his band and work under him." She pursed her lips, taking a deep breath. "He forcibly put this mark on them, that would jolt them any time they went against him. He was going to have my boys, or he was going to kill them a second time. Poof them out of existence. Gone." She explained slowly.

"You tried to do what to Julie's band?" Carrie snapped and walked toward Caleb, getting in his face.

Caleb frowned, backing away from Carrie as she just continued to stomp toward him.

"How dare you? Do you have even a shred of morals in your hideously gaudily dressed body?" She asked him in disgust, hands on her hips. "Or are you purely stale air?"

"Oop." Flynn watched her with wide eyes, glancing at Julie before returning her gaze to Carrie and Caleb.

"Because I feel like if you have to try as hard as you did to take Julie's boys away from her so that you could have them instead, which as much as I dislike the girl, she did not deserve after the year she's just had," She glared at him, surprising everyone. "and then tried to literally obliterate them from existence as some kind of messed up revenge for refusing you, which neither they nor Julie deserved either," She grimaced at him, tilting her head slightly. "then I feel like I'm allowed to say that maybe, just maybe, you aren't really as-" She lifted her hands to make finger quotes. "'special' and 'talented' as your-" She lifted a hand to tap a finger against his over-gelled hair. "nar-cis-sis-tic lit-tle pea brain has convinced you that you are." She pointed out with a smirk, making Flynn snort into their hand.

"Carrie, I-I don't think antagonizing him-" Alex piped up but was cut off by Carrie lifting a finger and continuing to speak.

"In fact, not only did you need Julie's boys, but you needed an entire band behind you, dancers and aerialists, and a magic show," She counted each group of lackeys and minions Caleb needed behind him on her fingers. "to entertain all of your guests, all of whose souls were forcibly taken by you. I gotta say, that's incredibly off putting, and..." She sniffed, sneering at the man. "I smell a diseased rat. But hey, maybe someday, if you decide you want to really work for it, you can earn the love of your fake fans instead of forcing it out of them magically like some badly dressed creep with beady eyes and too white teeth." She shrugged, and the girls and the phantoms snorted and snickered into their hands, watching her. "I dunno." She turned to Julie and Flynn with a smile, tucking her hair behind her ear. "See you at school, girls!" She waved, the girls quickly waving back at her in silence, and gently hauled Nick up to get him out of this awful place. She began to strut away, stopping when she heard Caleb speak.

"How dare you speak to me like that, you insolent little girl?" He uttered in shock.

"I simply spoke the truth." Carrie shrugged carelessly, bored of him. "Now if you don't mind, I'll be taking my ex boyfriend home to recover from you and Julie, Flynn, and Julie's band, are just leaving."

Julie smiled and nodded, taking Flynn's hand in her left and Luke's hand in her right. "Yes, we are." She looked up, smirking at a glowering Caleb Covington. "Adios, Mr. Covington." She said simply and the group walked away, leaving Caleb alone.

#julie and the phantoms #carrie wilson #nick danforth evans #caleb covington #julie molina #flynn taylor #luke patterson #reggie molina #alex molina #willie #jatp fanfic

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percy-derolo · 4 years ago

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Pleaseeee a shadowgast hurt prompt,,,,,, perhaps “wake up! Wake up!” 👀👀 I live for whump

so do i (prompt list here)

oop this got a little longer than i intended so it’s under a read more haha

The first thing that Caleb notices is that Essek is not waiting for him at the gate when Caleb arrives at his towers for their lunch date. This would not unduly worry Caleb were it not for the second thing he notices- the gate is ajar.

Caleb knows what sort of protective wards and spells are embedded into the gate and how they are not in effect when the gate is open, and Essek never leaves the gate open even when he’s home.

Caleb casts a quick Dispel Magic, just in case, before pushing one side of the gate a little further open so that there’s enough room to slip inside. He hurries along the path toward the tower that holds Essek’s residential areas and catches the yellow glow of a light in the window he can recognize as the study. His hand snakes into a pocket and twirls a length of phosphorus-coated string between his fingertips.

Just in case.

Essek can handle himself, right?

The knot in his stomach only grows when he reaches the front door and finds it ajar with the doorjamb splintered slightly. He darts inside, through the foyer and the sitting room and to the spiral staircase that leads up to the next floor; to the study.

Essek has taken to climbing it with a hand wrapped around Caleb’s waist lately.

Caleb steps quietly up the stairs until his head grows level with the landing and just barely lets his eyes rise above it. The study is still, save for the gentle drift of globes of light along a track on the ceiling.

The room, however, shows signs of a violent struggle. Scorch marks scar the walls and floor, books are strewn across the room with pages torn and scattered, delicate instruments are thrown askew and the desk has been toppled.

The worst sight, however, is Essek; the drow lies sprawled at the base of a bookshelf, more than one book fallen and lying around or on top of him like he was thrown against the shelf.

Caleb takes the last few stairs at a run and crosses the floor of the study in an instant, dropping to his knees next to Essek. Carefully, he rolls Essek to his back and pulls him half into his lap. Essek’s skin, normally a deep purple-gray-blue mix that Caleb has never been able to put a name to no matter how he tries, has gone a sickly dark gray. Blood trickles from the corner of his mouth, his tunic has char marks across the front, and for a heart-stopping moment, Caleb can’t feel a pulse when he presses shaking fingers to Essek’s neck.

A heartbeat does come, but it’s slow, weak and fluttery. Caleb chokes back a sob when he feels it before fumbling through his pockets, hoping against hope that he feels-

Yes!

His fingers close around the warm glass cylinder of a healing potion and he pulls it out, pausing only briefly to check that red liquid does indeed slosh around inside before flicking the cork out and pouring it into Essek’s mouth.

He thinks that it goes down the drow’s throat. He hopes it does.

He waits.

He waits, and he pleads, in a hoarse whisper.

“Essek... wake up. Wake up! This cannot- this cannot be the end.”

It seems to take an eternity, but really it’s only about thirty seconds before Essek’s eyelids flutter, and with the stark white eyelashes that Essek possesses that is a sight to behold.

Crescents of amber peek out from under Essek’s eyelids, struggling to focus on Caleb’s face.

“C-Ca-” It’s clearly a struggle for Essek to get the words out, but he tries valiantly anyway. “Em- Emp-pire m-mages,” he says, and that’s all Caleb lets him get out before hushing him.

“I’m taking you to the Xhorhaus,” he says, thanking any god that might be listening that he chose to prepare Teleport and not the mansion today. He’s too far for a Message, so he just has to go. Holding Essek securely in his arms, he speaks the incantation, and with the familiar folding sensation, he is kneeling in the Xhorhaus foyer with Essek.

He shouts for Jester and Caduceus, and both come hurrying in within seconds. The color drains from their faces when they see Essek, but thankfully they both understand what needs to happen.

Once a few strong healing spells have been performed and Essek is looking a little less pale, they move him to the guest room. He tries to sit up in the bed, but his arms are still weak and he cannot manage more than turning to his side as he attempts to speak again.

“Just rest,” Caleb tells him, taking his hand and running his thumb along the back. “Just rest, and then we can sort this out. I promise.”

Essek falls asleep holding Caleb’s hand.

#caleb widogast #essek thelyss #shadowgast #writing games #Anonymous

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nikosasaki · 3 years ago

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hello mara! can i hear abt your evil and gay jatp s2 please! ❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️

okay this answer is going to be stupid long probably but I've been wanting to talk about it for a minute now! it's been eating my brain but I haven't had time to make a proper post yet, so here we are;

okay SO in my own bootleg jatp season 2 the boys have a sort of danny phantom situation going on where they are sort of half-alive, but they don't have the best control over it. after some hijinks—and the help of Willie—they manage to enroll themselves in Julie's school, where they meet Jupiter Hall.

Jupiter enrolled before the boys did, a few weeks before Nick became possessed. he sings, plays piano and guitar, and is generally just a pretty boy. he became popular fast, but the only friend he actually made in that time was Nick. not for lack of trying from other students, but Jupiter never really showed them any interest. he's the cool mysterious new kid, basically.

safe to say Carrie is absolutely fuming over all of this. not only is her popularity challenged, her boyfriend (eventually) breaks up with her, and starts only hanging out with said popularity challenger as well as Julie Molina and her friends, of all people. Jupiter shoots her a snide comment every now and again and she's an inch away from murdering him every single time.

there's a talent show competition at school that semester where the winner of the competition gets to headline the end-of-the-year concert. it's always packed with record label executives and the works, so getting that spot is basically a fight to the death. the Phantoms enter, of course, and so does Jupiter. through rehearsals etc and just generally being in school together he grows closer with Julie and the boys, but mostly with Reggie.

what the Phantoms don't know, however, is that Nick is secretly possessed by Caleb and trying to find out how exactly the boys were brought back to life, and how he can take what they have for himself.

Jupiter is mostly just a normal teenager, aside from the fact that he's been associates with Caleb since he was thirteen years old. when Jupiter was barely eleven when his older brother committed suicide, which Jupiter feels partially responsible for. it damaged him and his home situation a lot, and he tried to find a way to fix everything. eventually, that led him to Caleb. Caleb cared for Jupiter in a way his parents never did, even if he is only using Jupiter to do lifer-jobs for him. Ever since then, he's been working with Caleb if only to gain some credit with the man and give himself a comfortable position in the afterlife.

Jupiter is really good at manipulating others to get what he wants, and cares very little about hurting them in the process. but when he gets close with Reggie to try and find out the Phantoms secrets, something changes for him. though he doesn't realize this until it's already too late.

there's a million other tiny details that I won't bother u with but those are the broad strokes! bf for Reggie but oops he's a villain

#asks #witchofinterest #ch: jude #THANK U SO SO MUCH for the ask!!#also his fc has basically zero gifs on tumblr which hurts my feelings but alas #ill reuse my own lol #ill make a real big boy post for this as soon as i can bc i have brain worms

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stingreag · 4 years ago

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here’s so more hcs for the evans-mckessie/danforth-evans family that me and @perfectharmony came up with

the quote ‘that girls got more moves than a octopus in a wrestling match’ IS SENDING ME BECAUSE ITS ABOUT SHARPAY AND GUESS WHAT ALL THOSE MOVES WORKED ON HER OOP SKSJKZHDJD

also ‘oh honey if that’s what you call an invitation than you’ll be dancing with yourself’ LIKE WHAT A BADDIE

THE SASS WAS OUT OF THIS WORLD(kj)

you just know that kayla is full of sass and so is nick lowkey his cousin, aunts, and dad bring it out of him

the whole family is sassy

including sharpays daughter in law carrie

i can see ppl who just met him or dont know him very well not thinking so but then they’re like at his house and he ends of being the sassiest of them all(kj)

like nick is one of those quiet kids who you think is sooo nice and sweet and would never. but THEN he’s secretly the sass king or prince (kj)

like next season(after he gets unpossessed) julie starts talking talking to him and HES SO SASSY and she’s like 🤨

and then like she talks to flynn or the guys or both about it and they’re like ‘maybe it’s a side effect of caleb possessing him’ and she’s like ????? (kj)

and then nicks like ‘NOPE i’ve always been this sassy i’m just selective about it’ (kj)

yeah and then they ask carrie because #carrieredemptionarcs2 lol and she’s like ‘idk ask kayla’ and they’re like ‘KAYLA??’ shes like yeah they’re cousins you didn’t know that skhdjdhdjhd

and then kayla is like ‘umm yeah have you met him he’s got an attitude for days’ skhdjdhdjhd

and then flynn turns to julie and is like ‘see i told you you needed to talk to him first’ referring to the first scene at the lockers (kj)

YEESSS and julies like ‘he’s still a sweetheart just with a little sass’ sksjdhdnx

and she points to alex and is all like ‘for example alex is an adorable sweetheart who loves hugs. but he’s also a sass king who holds nothing back’ (kj)

sassy sweethearts™️

imagine kayla and nick telling ryan, chad, taylor, and sharpay about what happened at school the day julie and the phantoms performed out of no where like they would be like “we’re not lying guys they just popped up and then kayla said ‘were those holograms’ and julie said ‘yes yeah they were holograms haha’”

i imagine nick just doing the best julie impression making voice high pitch and everything

okay but nick is a lowkey amazing impressionist tho(kj)

and chad being like ‘first of all idk what the girl sounds like but that sounded pretty good and second why are you trying to convince us this we literally had full dance numbers in our high school cafeteria randomly’

while taylor is trying to get the exact science behind it while ryan’s like ‘synchronized dances in a cafeteria are not THAT uncommon babe’ and sharpays like ‘okay but did they sound GOOD?’(kj)

and chad would still be stuck on like ‘nick your impression was bomb’

LMAO YES CHAD WOULD BE LIKE ‘NICK HAVE YOU CONSIDERED EXPLORING IMPRESSIONISM MORE BECAUSE YOURE SLAY AT IT’(kj)

AND NICKS LIKE ‘DAD NEVER SAY SLAY AGAIN’

bonus:

me: dude does the hollywood ghost club count as a cult

kj:IM SCREAMING

#julie and the phantoms #jatp #kayla jatp #tori caro #kayla evans-mckessie #nick jatp #sacha carlson #nick danforth-evans

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midnigtartist · 5 years ago

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Oops all mermauk

Another mermauk au ficlet. A direct continuation of this

He is not quite sure how something like this could even be possible, but Caleb had not been lying when he’d said he was happy to see Mollymauk. Perched on the edge of the tub he watches the mermaid clean out the sand stuck between his toes. And if he's staring, it's only because the whole situation is utterly baffling. It was already such a slim possibility that he would ever find someone like Mollymauk, Caleb has spent most of his professional career getting laughed out of conference halls because of his theories on mermaids. He’d simply grown deaf to the whispers that would follow in his wake. According to his peers, Mollymauk is an impossibility, and yet here he sits, waist deep in warm water in Caleb’s tub. And if all that weren’t enough to send his heart racing and his mind spinning, there is also the rather blatant fact that Mollymauk, by some stroke of magic, now has legs. Legs Caleb would have never imagined him able to possess. He can't possibly hope to explain how that’s possible, not without looking into it, and he hopes Molly will let him look into it further, but he is grateful for the anomaly all the same. He had thought, well, feared really, that after he’d done all the research he could do, Mollymauk would stop coming back to see him. On a few occasions he had heard in passing that Molly has a group that he travels with. It's such a silly thing and yet,,, yet Caleb dreaded the idea of never getting to see him again. So when he’d seen him out there on the dock, standing on trembling legs, it was almost like seeing him for the first time all over again. Impossible and everything he’d hoped for.

Wet fingers nudge his knee, pulling Caleb out of his thoughts. He jumps, looking down at Molly who’s looking up at him with a slight smile on his face.

“Aaah, are you done in there then?” he asks.

Mollymauk nods, planting his hands on the side of the tub so that he can stand. A jolt of panic flashes through Caleb as he sees his legs tremble beneath him, and he dives forward to grip Molly’s forearms. The water sloshes against the sides of the tub but Molly doesn't fall.

“Bitte Mollymauk it is slippery. Here, let me help you out.”

Molly hums a thankful note and together they manage to get him out of the tub and back onto the cold flagstone floor.

He really is a sight, standing there dripping onto the tile. The long gills that run along his sides flutter every so often, and his tail whips back and forth excitedly, scattering drops of water across the floor. Caleb is quick to draw his gaze away, releasing Molly as soon as he’s sure he won't slip and fall, and turning to find a towel instead. It would be pointless to deny the fact that Mollymauk is very attractive, and that he finds it rather distracting, especially with him being nude as he is. He shoves a fluffy towel into Molly’s hands.

“Here, you can dry yourself off with this.” he says, keeping his gaze steadfast above the other man's navel. Gods he's going to have to find him some pants soon, and maybe then his heart will stop beating so fast.

Molly looks at the towel, and then back up at him. Expression utterly blank.

“Oh ja, uuuh you probably do not know what I’m talking about.” He just realized he’s trying to explain the concept of dryness to a creature that sends the majority of its time completely underwater. Where to even begin with something like that. “You just aaaa just pat on your body until you are no longer dripping.” he says.

Mollymauk looks- confused, but he does as Caleb says, slowly and methodically patting the towel to his wet skin.

Good enough, Caleb thinks, moving around Molly to gather up his coat. When he turns back Mollymauk has left the towel in a heap on the floor. His hair is still wet but its going to have to do. Again he sets his coat on Mollymauk’s shoulders and again the mermaid beams up at him. He nuzzles down into the collar and hesitantly threads his arms through the sleeves. Gods he really is cute though. Caleb feels himself returning the grin a bit shyly.

Gingerly he places his hand to the small of Mollymauk’s back and steers him towards the door.

“Come Mollymauk, we will aaah we will get you somewhere comfortable, and something better to wear than just my old coat.”

Molly cocks his head to the side. A ‘why’ or a ‘where are we going’ perhaps.

Caleb answers both. “You will be more comfortable in some proper clothes.” he explains, guiding Molly down the hall. “And warmer. I aaah- I have some things that you can borrow, in my room.”

Caleb pushes open the door of the second room on the right. It is the second smallest room in the house and it is filled to the brim with all the books he could not find space for in his office. He leads Molly inside and directs him to sit on the bed. “My coat will do for now, but if you are - are you going to be - to be staying Mollymauk?” he asks.

He's not sure how this works. If it is only for this one day or if Molly’s transformation is permanent. Caleb is still not sure what he is going to tell Beaurgard and Jester.

Molly pauses for a moment, looking down at his legs, and then nods. Yes

It only really partially answers Caleb’s question. They are going to have to find a better way to communicate, if Molly truly is going to be staying. He might have a solution for that as well, but at the moment it's far more pressing that they get Molly dressed.

“Alright. Ja my coat is sufficient, but if you are going to be staying here, up on land, you are going to need more than just that” he says, slipping said coat off Molly’s shoulders, and draping it over the bed.

He is a bit taller than Molly in the legs but certainly he should be able to find him something suitable to wear. Caleb strides over to his dresser. It only takes him a moment to find a decent pair of rough wore slacks, which he presents to Molly.

“Here, put these on.”

Molly points towards the bundle in his arms, then at Caleb’s own pants.

Caleb nods “ Ja ja they are pants just like mine, they may be a bit long though.”

He does try to give Molly some privacy as he dresses, but after a few moments of listening to him stumbling and flailing, he decides he should at least offer him an arm to steady the mermaid. With his hand gripped like a vice around Caleb’s bicep Molly is able to carefully step into the pant legs, fastening the trousers around his waist. They do a good job of covering the lower set of gills on his flank, and Caleb nods his approval.

“Ja, those will do. I’ll get you a shirt as well, aaa hold one moment please.” he leaves Molly to inspect the new pants, turning and twisting to get a decent look at them with his tail wiggling out from the bottom of one of the cuffs. Caleb crosses to his dresser once more and fishes out a simple blouse shirt from within. He hardly wears it, so he will not miss it much if Molly were to take it. The collar opens fair to wide for his taste, but he has a feel that will not bother Mollymauk much at all.

“Here Molly-” he turns back, only to find Molly in a state of undress once more. Perched nude on the edge of Caleb’s mattress with the trousers left abandoned on the floor.

Caleb clears his throat, as if that will stave off the rush of heat to the tips of his ears. “Nien Mollymauk, you need to keep those on.”

Molly shakes his head, no.

“Why not?”

Molly gestures towards his sides, towards his gills that twitch and flutter ever so slightly. The lower set are flared out and look agitated. Molly brushes his legs down and shakes his head once more. “They’re uncomfortable.”

“Ah I see” coming around Caleb set his hand gently on Molly’s side.its a farmillar touch and he doesn’t think much of it as he carefully moves Molly to get a better look. The gills do look irritated, and of course they would be. To have that rough fabric brush against such sensitive organs. Yet another obstacle he’s going to need to find a work around for. “Well I suppose it is alright for you to just wear this then, at least until we can find a better solution.” he says, handing the shirt off to Mollymauk. “It aaaa well it's not like you are going to be anywhere other than the house, for now.”

Molly takes one look at the shirt before setting it to the side with another shake of his head. He leans over to snatch up the coat from the foot of the bed, and pulls it over his shoulders. Then he throws his arms out wide, beaming up at Caleb.

Caleb chuckles “I take it that you are fond of my old coat then?”

Molly nods, tugging the coat tighter around him. Almost as if to say ‘I’d like to see you try and take it from me.” He reaches up to tap Caleb twice on the shoulder before burrowing down into the fur collar.

“I’m not quite sure what that’s supposed to mean, but if you are comfortable then I am happy.”

At least its something so that he does not startle the girls walking around with his junk on full display. Though it does cover very little. Not that Caleb has noticed.

“Ja, we will look for a better solution tomorrow, I think.” he says. Jester, or even Beau, would probably have some softer garments that would be less agitating. he will have to be sure to ask.

Molly hums in absent agreement, occupied, it seems, with the buttons on the cuffs of the sleeves. A fond smile creeps its way onto Caleb's face as he watches. He's always found Mollymauk’s curiosity to be endearing. He’s always so enthralled by things that Caleb would consider mundane, like the buckles on his boots or the pen we takes notes with. It’s good that he gets to see him again. Those few days where Molly had stopped showing up at the dock Caleb had been so certain he had moved on. He’s very glad that that’s not the case, he would have missed Molly’s unabashed desire to discover terribly.

“Is there anything I can get for you, Mollymauk?” Caleb asks, picking up the discarded clothes to put them back in their respective drawers. “I can get you something if you are-- uuuhhh,,,”

There was another half to that sentence but it vanished like smoke from the tip of his tongue the moment he turned back around to find Molly splayed out over his duvet. On his back with Caleb’s coat spread around him and he his face turned into the sheets.

It has to be intentional, it must be. That every time he turns his back Mollymauk seeks out new ways to fluster him further. Either that, or the mermaid really has no concept of modesty. There’s no leering grin on Molly’s face, or bright red eyes that watch him knowingly. Instead he lets out a great yawn, and cuddles down deeper into the bedding. Caleb flushes red all down his neck, caught between how very long and lean Molly’s legs look, and the soft expression on his face. Gods he must be losing his mind.

“Are you tired Molly?” he asks, keeps his voice light and conversational.

A single nod from Molly. Caleb feels his heart melt just a little bit. It's only about three in the afternoon and yet Mollymauk seems exhausted. He should have noticed it sooner. That walk up to the house can be a struggle for him at times, he can't imagine having to do it on new legs. And that’s not considering whatever else it might have taken Molly to get here. It is only natural that he would be tired, especially now that the excitement is starting to wane.

The house has another spare room that Caleb has yet to fill up with research notes. If Molly is going to be staying with them, he will need a place to sleep.

Tentatively Caleb approaches the bed. “Mollymauk, I have a room for you if you wish to rest. You will have to get up though.”

He's not even going to entertain the idea that he's strong enough to lift Molly. Molly's response to this is to press his face tighter into the mattress.

Caleb chuckles. “I realize you are exhausted Molly, but you cannot sleep here. This is my bed.”

A lavender hand sneaks out from the bundle of Caleb’s coat and pats the bed beside Molly. The tips of Caleb’s ears burn at the implication.

“N-nien Mollymauk that ummmm-” he not quite sure what ‘that’ is but knows he can't just curl up next to Molllymauk like that. He just- he can't. He shouldn’t. So he won't. He gnaws nervously at his lower lip. “Nein Molly that’s not what I ment. we cannot share the bed.”

Molly lets out a huff that sounds almost disappointed, but he drops it, apparently too tired to press him further. He gives another great yawn, tail curling up like a cats, and settles back down against the mattress.

‘Well i guess this is his bed now’

#mermauk au #mollymauk tealeaf #caleb widogast #widomauk #midnigtwrites

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archadianskies · 4 years ago

Text

RK9 whumptober masterlist (Complete)

(original) **COMPLETE**

✔️ No 1. LET’S HANG OUT SOMETIME Waking Up Restrained | Shackled | Hanging

MT-RK900 series: He comes online, expecting to find himself ready to be deployed to the DPD. They have other plans. (Combined with day 24)

✔️ No 2. IN THE HANDS OF THE ENEMY “Pick Who Dies” | Collars | Kidnapped

Fae AU: Ronan ventures to the other end of the forest, hoping to meet the witches his brother spoke so fondly about, and ends up meeting hunters instead

✔️ No 3. MY WAY OR THE HIGHWAY Manhandled | Forced to their Knees | Held at Gunpoint

Bell Isle has a new planetarium opening, and Simon and Ronan get more than they bargain for on what was meant to be a leisurely night stargazing

✔️ No 4. RUNNING OUT OF TIME Caged | Buried Alive | Collapsed Building

MT-RK900 series: the RK900 has to accept this is his life now, this cage that he paces endlessly when he isn’t fighting for his life

✔️No 5. WHERE DO YOU THINK YOU’RE GOING? On the Run | Failed Escape | Rescue

SWATverse A/9: It is another RK900. The FBI’s RK900, a secret RK900 who didn’t exist on paper. Captain Allen realises they can’t leave him with Perkins. They’re absolutely not leaving here without him.

✔️No 6. PLEASE…. “Get it Out” | No More | “Stop, please” (all of the above)

Gavin’s always assumed androids don’t feel pain, but as he watches them go to town on his partner, he thinks maybe he’s got it all wrong

✔️ No 7. I’VE GOT YOU Support | Carrying | Enemy to Caretaker

SWATverse: The rookie goes down heavy, and Captain Allen lives by the creed ‘no man left behind’. Even if the rookie’s an android, and 400 pounds of deadweight.

✔️ No 8. WHERE DID EVERYBODY GO? “Don’t Say Goodbye” | Abandoned | Isolation

Companion piece to this; the RK900 thought it was well on its way to passing testing phase and being deployed, until one day he’s put into standby and the entire team leave.

✔️No 9. FOR THE GREATER GOOD “Take Me Instead” | “Run!” | Ritual Sacrifice

SWATverse A/9: One RK900, for the lives of the entire SWAT team. Seems like a pretty good deal to Caleb. Captain Allen doesn’t think so.

✔️ No 10. THEY LOOK SO PRETTY WHEN THEY BLEED Blood Loss | Internal Bleeding | Trail of Blood

SWATverse: It’s a split-second decision but one made with no hesitation at all; save April MacMaster from the blast or save himself and allow her to die

✔️ No 11. PSYCH 101 Defiance | Struggling | Crying

The RK900 stands at Amanda’s side as the RK800 receives news it will be deactivated. That...does not seem right.

✔️ No 12. I THINK I’VE BROKEN SOMETHING Broken Down | Broken Bones | Broken Trust

The revolution is successful and CyberLife discreetly try to rid themselves of all evidence of the RK900. Chloe figures out they are not so discreet, and sends Connor to investigate the junkyard while the Jericho Four tend to the mass grave.

✔️ No 13. BREATHE IN BREATHE OUT Delayed Drowning | Chemical Pneumonia | Oxygen Mask

MT-RK900 series: MedTech Dr Ronan Anderson is onsite when two children fall into the canal at the Jericho Memorial Bay. The RK900 successfully retrieves the children, but later realises he’s not feeling too well himself.

✔️ No 14. IS SOMETHING BURNING? Branding | Heat Exhaustion | Fire

MT-RK900 series : Dr Ronan is one of the MedTechs on standby at a music festival, and discovers firsthand why he was in fact made with the artic tundra in mind and not for Michigan summers.

✔️ No 15. INTO THE UNKNOWN Possession | Magical Healing | Science Gone Wrong

Fae AU: The creature has a throat burned raw from the iron, and a leg bleeding profusely. It’s going to take a lot of herbs and a lot of magic to set things right, but Simon’s a stubborn witch.

✔️ No 16. A TERRIBLE, HORRIBLE, NO GOOD, VERY BAD DAY Forced to Beg | Hallucinations | Shoot the Hostage

RK900 #87 has been cleared for deployment, the perfected successor to his prototype. While awaiting deployment the RK900 realises he’s not as alone as he thought.

✔️ No 17. I DID NOT SEE THAT COMING Blackmail | Dirty Secret | Wrongfully Accused

SWATverse A/9: They arrive at the gala separately, and Caleb thinks nothing of it until one of the detectives in Connor’s precinct make comments that slide a little too close to home.

✔️ No 18. PANIC! AT THE DISCO Panic Attacks | Phobias | Paranoia

SWATverse A/9: Forensics Medical Examiner Dr Frederick Anderson is still coming to terms with his newfound freedom and his new role in the team. Late one afternoon he’s ambushed by a figure from his past.

✔️ No 19. BROKEN HEARTS Grief | Mourning Loved One | Survivor’s Guilt

The RK900 is deployed and his predecessor deactivated. It shouldn’t make him feel anything. He shouldn’t be able to feel at all. And yet...

✔️ No 20. TOTO, I HAVE A FEELING WE’RE NOT IN KANSAS ANYMORE Lost | Field Medicine | Medieval

S&S verse; RK-YK500s: Ronan Anderson knows it’s only 10 minutes walk from Stabucks to Central Station. He’s a big kid, he’s smart enough to get there all by himself. Right?

✔️ No 21. I DON’T FEEL SO WELL Chronic Pain | Hypothermia | Infection

SWATverse A/9: Dr Frederick Anderson receives an injury to his faceplate and deems it negligible. Later that night, he realises he has a toothache.

✔️ No 22. DO THESE TACOS TASTE FUNNY TO YOU? Poisoned | Drugged | Withdrawal

S&S verse; RK-YK500s: Ronan detects a foreign contaminent in his drink.

✔️ No 23. WHAT’S A WHUMPEE GOTTA DO TO GET SOME SLEEP AROUND HERE? Exhaustion | Narcolepsy | Sleep Deprivation

MT-RK900 series: Flu season rampages through Detroit Metro, and one by one the medical staff fall ill leaving Dr Ronan Anderson to pull back to back shifts managing ED as the only doctor immune to the illness.

✔️No 24. YOU’RE NOT MAKING ANY SENSE Forced Mutism | Blindfolded | Sensory Deprivation

MT-RK900 series: He has a lot of questions and they don’t like that. Dogs don’t need to bark, they just need to bite. (combined with Day 1)

✔️ No 25. I THINK I’LL JUST COLLAPSE RIGHT HERE, THANKS Disorientation | Blurred Vision | Ringing Ears

MT-RK900 series: His increased aural sensitivity would’ve been useful in the arctic tundra, but not in downtown Detroit

✔️ No 26. IF YOU THOUGHT THE HEAD TRAUMA WAS BAD… Migraine | Concussion | Blindness

On the anniversary of the Sentient Life Act, an attempt on Markus’ life leaves Ronan temporaily blinded by an IED.

✔️ No 27. OK, WHO HAD NATURAL DISASTERS ON THEIR 2020 BINGO CARD? Earthquake | Extreme Weather | Power Outage

An emergency requiring both RK units to lend their battery cores to save the key witness’ life leaves them critically low on power. Intending to recharge at the precinct, to their dismay there is a power outage.

✔️ No 28. SUCH WOW. MANY NORMAL. VERY OOPS. Accidents | Hunting Season | Mugged

S&S verse: An out of control truck destroys most of Ronan’s body and he must be temporarily housed back in the RK-YK500 shell.

✔️ No 29. I THINK I NEED A DOCTOR Intubation | Emergency Room | Reluctant Bedrest

MT-RK900 series: Companion piece to this; A trauma surgeon, Dr Ronan Anderson is used to a myriad of patients both android and human. He’s just not ready when his own father is wheeled in.

✔️ No 30. NOW WHERE DID THAT COME FROM? Wound Reveal | Ignoring an Injury | Internal Organ Injury

SWATverse A/9: Dr Frederick Anderson is onsite with CSI at a large joint operation with both the DPD and SWAT unit 32. The corpses they’re loading up aren’t as dead as they should be.

✔️ No 31. TODAY’S SPECIAL: TORTURE Experiment | Whipped | Left for Dead

Companion piece to Day 12: He is nearing the end of his testing phase when the revolution is successful. Eager to be rid of any evidence they backed the wrong side, CyberLife hastily dismantle the RK900.

#annie writes: dbh #poor rk900 is going to Suffer for 31 days #rest assured every single prompt ends well #whumptober

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salamanderskin · 5 years ago

Text

And one time he did

The final part of Five times Caleb didn’t let the Mighty Nein take care of him when he was sick… (part 5) This got away with me somewhat, so here’s 10k of feverish Caleb and concerned Caduceus.

Whole thing is posted here for easier navigation if you like.

Of all the times to get sick, for once his timing is not too bad. The Mighty Nein are between jobs and have a few days to spend in the Xorhaus. Caleb Widogast had been planning to spend them in the library catching up on his studies.

It seems that the moment he opens the book and summons Frumpkin onto his lap as a reading companion, the scraping soreness that has been in the back of his throat for days becomes a lancing pain every time he swallows, forcing him to cough and clear it nearly constantly. His nose is quickly too stuffed for him to breathe through. He swears to himself then feels a rush of gratitude that this did not happen while they were on the road. He isn’t sure he could accurately throw a fireball in this state, let alone anything more complex.

Despite the fire he can’t seem to get warm. A blanket over his lap helps a little and his cat helps a lot but shivers still trickle down his limbs with increasing frequency. He is going to have to get a hot drink or something for his throat, or he’ll never be able to concentrate on this transcription.

He intends it to be a very short interruption, to get back to his reading chair and the warmth of the fire as soon as possible. Upon standing, he realises he is dizzier than he had thought. Descending the stairs to the kitchen requires keeping his hand firmly on the wooden banister.

The kitchen is mercifully quiet and empty apart from a familiar tall figure with a shock of bright pink hair, occupied with peeling and coring apples. The room is as still as a painting. Low light from the enchanted baubles overhead blesses the fruit with a sheen like precious stones.

Caleb feels a swell of emotion at the scene. It’s the little things; Beau and Fjord’s boots kicked off by the door, a novel open face-down on the table, a half finished glass of tea. The house is warm and lived-in and safe. It is home. He’d never thought he’d live somewhere like this again. Some feeling rises in his throat and he swallows against it.

That slight sound is enough to prompt Caduceus to turn. The same light illuminates him from behind, an improbable furry angel.

“Mr Caleb?”

It seems Caduceus doesn’t need to touch Caleb to gauge the man’s fever. The moment he walks into the kitchen, the firbolg looks up and eyes him with considerable concern.

“Oh my, that’s not good at all.” He says, by way of greeting.

“Hm?” Caleb manages. “Oh, I just came to get a glass of water.” As if on cue, he starts coughing again. Even to him it sounds harsh and unpleasant.

“No, no, come here.” Caduceus approaches and leans down to look Caleb over carefully.

“You’re really very warm. I think you have a temperature.” He says gently. “You should be resting.”

“Perhaps a little, but I have a lot to do today, I am perfectly ok to keep working on my spells.”

That is all very well but he finds the world swimming at the edges; the firbolg blurs to a rose-edged smudge until Caleb can scrub a hand over his eyes. He manages to find the edge of the table with an outstretched hand and lever himself onto a chair. It feels good to sit down. The short walk downstairs has made his legs and back ache. He looks up guiltily to see Caduceus standing over him, eyebrows raised.

“Caleb,” those pink sapphire eyes are turned on him with their full force of kind persuasion. “I know what’s normal for humans and I know you can’t be comfortable with your temperature so high. Let me give you a spell and I’ll make you some tea.”

Actually that does sound like a good idea. He nods in surrender. “Yeah. Yeah, okay. Thank you.”

Caduceus rests one of his hands on Caleb’s shoulder and casts healing word. Caleb knows that spell doesn’t require contact, but finds himself grateful for it nonetheless.

“Spells are not actually too good for common illnesses.” The firbolg says apologetically. Caleb knows that too. “Give it a second to kick in.”

So he sits and waits while his friend boils the kettle and selects pinches of ingredients from the wall of dark jars. He endeavours to wait without making a fuss, but the spell seems to have made the congestion in his nose shift in a way that sets him sneezing. With his handkerchief firmly over his nose and mouth he manages to smother the sound to a strangled “–ngkt!” The price of the quiet is a bolt of pain through his throat.

“Ah –ngkt!” And again.

“Bless you.” Not too quiet to escape Caduceus’ notice, then.

He nods his thanks and doubles immediately with another sneeze.

“CHssh-ue!” Neither quiet nor polite, but it doesn’t hurt quite as much.

“Bless you!” Caduceus calls over his shoulder. “So, some upper respiratory symptoms with the fever, yes? Let me see what I can find.” He adds a sliver of gnarly-looking root to the teapot and swirls it thoughtfully.

“Now, will you come and drink it with me? I could use some company.”

Caleb swallows. He should be reading, he should be working on that new spell, he shouldn’t be wasting everyone’s time, he should- Who is he kidding? His vision is too blurry to read and he is shivering harder now.

“Ja. Yes. That would be nice.”

He allows himself to be led to Caduceus’ rooftop dwelling.

It is warmer here, magically heated in the same way as his native Cemetery. The air has a pleasant, earthy smell and the captured sunlight from emanating from enchanted globes is easier on his eyes than the bright lamps in his library.Caduceus’ huge oak tree stands proud, it’s roots curving into the base of the tower like possessive fingers, creating inviting nooks and crannies perfect for resting. The firbolg leads him to one where there are cushions and a low table to place the tea set. The angle of the trunk invites him to slump against it.

He sneezes again, finishes with a groan. “Ghh. When is this going to stop?”

“When you’ve had enough rest to let your body heal.” Caduceus says sagely.

It isn’t what Caleb wants to hear. The wizard realises he is still hoping his companion might have some magic up his sleeve to just get this over with, so he can get back to his usual routine. For him to just take all the pain away. It’s a childish urge, but a powerful one.

He settles for sipping the tea. It’s good; spicy and hot enough that he can feel it going down and radiating warmth into his tight chest. A hint of honey coats his throat, taking the tickle away for now, and he thinks he might be able to breathe through his nose again soon.

Caduceus is smiling at him, head tilted in interest as he holds his own cup.

“S’good.” Caleb tells him, slurry with tiredness.

“I’m glad.” Caduceus says. ”Are you still feeling chilly?”

“Ja.” Caleb murmurs. “Can’t seem to get warm.”

“That I can do something about.” Caduceus smiles. He disappears for a moment into his shack, and returns with an armful of thick blankets. He settles them over Caleb’s lap, where they provide a comforting weight. “Is that better, darling?”

Caleb nods.

“Now, just sit quietly there and drink that. I’m going to do some work around the garden, but you call if you need me, okay?”

Caleb nods. He manages to sit long enough to finish the tea, then lets himself slump until he is laying on the cushions and looking up at the shifting patterns of light through the canopy.

He must have dozed off, because he wakes feeling truly horrible. He hears a familiar, deep voice asking him a question. He cracks his eyes open and the light seems to sear through his skull.

He goes to answer, sneezes thickly against the blankets.

“Wildmother bless you, Caleb.” Caduceus murmurs fondly and reaches to rub the man’s back. His fingers pause and then migrate up to the back of his Caleb’s neck and a frown deepens on his face. “Whoah, hey, your fever’s way up. I think you need to be in bed, hmm?”

“Far.” Caleb despises the whine in his own voice, but his limbs feel like lead and the stairs back to his room are steep.

“My room is right here.”

Caleb’s pupils go big when he realises what his friend is implying.

“I couldn’t possibly-” he tries to say, but his fever-addled tongue can only manage a mush of Zemnian and common that doesn’t make any sense at all.

The Firbolg nods sagely, as though he has made an excellent point, and adds “Yes, I think I’d better pick you up. Just for a moment.”

“Wait- please- oop-”

Caleb’s limbs are bundled from under him. Caduceus cradles him close to his chest with one arm under his knees and the other to keep his head from lolling too painfully. Caleb’s vision lurches at the sudden movement and so does his stomach, and he wonders if he might throw up, or pass out, or both. Maybe Caduceus hears the dragging gasp that provokes, because he stands still and holds him tighter, presses his head into his chest and strokes through his hair for comfort.

“There, easy now. I’ve got you. I think…” he pauses to open the door to his little hut with one hip, “that if you’re feeling badly enough to let yourself be carried, doesn’t that mean you deserve to be carried? Just a little?”

Caleb doesn’t reply, just tries to concentrate on the flood of sensation that is being lifted, being held. He is freezing, he is shivering so hard in Caduceus’ arms that he can hear his own teeth chatter. In response the firbolg holds him a little tighter.

A gentle impact as Caduceus sits down on the bed, and Caleb is shifted from his friend’s grasp onto a firm, low mattress. Compared to the bodyheat of a moment ago, the sheets are cold and unwelcoming, sparking soreness on his over-sensitive skin. He grits his teeth so as not to seem ungrateful but a convulsive chill chases along his limbs all the same.

“Oh, you’re really shivering.” He hears Caduceus say. “Come here, sweetheart.”

He is gathered up again and the blessed warmth is back. He curls into it like Frumpkin finding a spot of sunlight in winter. Caduceus manages to settle himself to sitting, with his human friend curled against his chest and supported with one long arm around his back.

Caleb wants to rest there in Caduceus’ arms, he doesn’t want to move ever again, but his stuffy nose is still so ticklish and the change in position has only made it worse. He needs to turn his head away, needs to do something before he sneezes all over his friend. He squirms weakly, trying to find a handkerchief from his pocket, and whines under his breath when his fingers react with fumbling slowness.

“What is it?” Caduceus’ voice is soft and concerned.

“Wait, I have to-” He gestures helplessly to his running nose then bucks into a sneeze against Caduceus’ chest. It’s wet and painful and deeply embarrassing. He feels blood race up his neck in a chaotic blush and he keeps his eyes closed as if they can pretend that didn’t just happen.

“Oh! Bless you!”

“Sorry- excuse me- CHssh-ue! CHssh-ue! ...m’sorry,” he manages. He doesn’t know if it’s for the mess or for falling ill in the first place.

“Trust me,” Caduceus actually laughs, “I’ve seen worse than a few sneezes. Bless you-” he adds preemptively as Caleb winds up for another. “There, are you done?”

Caleb sniffles and shrugs. “Ja. Gott. I’m so sorry.”

“Hey. It’s okay. It happens. I’d rather have that than blood. Come on, let’s get you into bed.”

“S’cold…” Caleb actually pouts a little.

“It won’t be, look-”

Caleb feels a whisper of magic, recognises distantly that Caduceus has used some spell to warm the bedsheets for him. He could have done that himself, should have thought to try it, if he had any spells left in him. So stupid…

It’s much better. This time he allows himself to be bundled over, lets Caduceus pull the blankets up over his shoulders and tuck them in around him. When was the last time someone tucked him in…? It doesn’t bear thinking about, so he doesn’t. He is so, so ready to sleep but Caduceus is nudging him, trying to push something into his hand.

“Hmmf?”

“One more minute, then you can sleep. Blow your nose first, sweetheart, or you’ll regret it later.”

“Nein.” That would involve raising his head and some modicum of effort. Ugh.

“Trust me.” And he does trust Caduceus, so he does so. Then he falls into thick sleep as though a rug has been pulled out from underneath him.

…………………………………………..

Caleb doesn’t sleep for long -One hour thirteen minutes says the part of his brain that never stops counting- and it feels like forever or no time at all. The dreams that came were hot and black and chaotic. He is glad to wake and be out of them.

“Hmmm, let’s have a look at you,” a rumbling murmur from a familiar bass voice. He feels the weight of Caduceus settling next to him on the bed. The Firbolg presses the back of his hand to Caleb’s forehead and nods, his expression sympathetic but not worried. There is a little tickle of magic, possibly some sort of diagnostic spell that Caleb never bothered to learn, and his friend nods.

“Yeah, you’re gonna be fine. Looks like you just have a bad cold.” He sighs fondly and amends this to, “a really bad cold, poor thing. Can you sit up and drink some tea for me?”

Caleb obeys passively, though levering himself up to sitting is an effort that tires him out. It’s hard to drink hot tea when he feels so hot himself. He does so partially because he’s seen the healing powers of Caduceus’ tea first hand and partially because his friend would be incredibly hurt if he turned it down. So he sips, coughs a little, snuffles helplessly through a blocked nose.

He has to put the mug down in a hurry to sneeze hard into the crook of his elbow.

“Bless you, Caleb. Hmm, you managed to get yourself really sick sweetheart. You need to eat more, and sleep more, too.” Caduceus says, reaching to rub his shoulders afterward. “How are you feeling now? Anything I can do?”

“I’m okay.” Caleb manages shakily. “Just hot. And achy.”

“Yeah. I know you’re really warm but I’m not going to cool you too much, you need the fever to burn the virus off, okay? It’ll break soon and you’ll feel so much better.”

Ja. Caleb knows this intellectually, but hearing ir in that deep, soft voice is very reassuring when he feels like his skin is on fire. With a little prompting, he finishes the tea and lies down again.

“That’s it. Try to get back to sleep. That’s what you need right now.” Caduceus encourages.

This time it takes a while. He hears Caduceus leave the shack and can track the little sounds of his working in the garden outside. Caleb feels very close to sleep but instead he lies and lies there with his eyes closed, his thoughts racing unpleasantly. He summons Frumpkin and the cat tries to take his customary position on Caleb’s chest but the weight makes his clogged lungs work too hard. Frumpkin on his lap or his legs is too heavy and hot. Frumpkin not touching him is unbearably lonely. Frumpkin’s purring makes his head ache but the silence is no better. Caleb tosses and turns miserably, bleeding heat into the atmosphere for an hour and a half before sleep finally claims him.

……..

It is hard to judge the time without a sunset, but when Caduceus’ body feels like he has been working for a few hours and his chores are done, he makes his way to the shack to check up on his guest. The fever heat and stuffy air of sickness are tangible as soon as he opens the door. The wizard is sprawled in sleep on the low mattress with his limbs splayed and the blankets kicked off. His cat is as near as he can be without touching. Evidently the chills have passed and his temperature is rising again. It should be due to break soon, if Caduceus is any judge.

The human man is flushed under his freckles. One arm is pillowed under his head and the hand is turned upward but clenched and tense even in sleep. His wrists look impossibly delicate, the tendons in his arms standing out like cords, while the multitude of scars stand out in vivid white. Caduceus is bony himself but he has a layer of fur and lean rangy muscle with it. Caleb just looks like he could use a good meal.

He says, “Hey there Mister Caleb,” to judge how deeply the man is asleep. No answer. Must be pretty deep. That’s good. Still, he mustn't get too cold, no matter how he feels, or his body will just crank his temperature higher, so Caduceus finds the thinnest sheet he has and drapes it over the man.

Caleb does stir at this, trying weakly to push it off.

“Okay, okay, but it’s there if you need it, alright?” He murmurs.

Caleb maybe nods, maybe it’s a twitch as he falls back into whatever dream has his eyes flickering behind their lids.

He’s not in any danger and he is as comfortable as Caduceus can make him, so that will have to do for now.

He leaves the sleeping wizard and pads softly down to the shared space to greet the rest of the Nein.

They are gathered in the kitchen, some eating and others just keeping company. It is so, so nice to come down to them, it’s like having a family.

Jester raises her head and gives him a great big smile. “Caduceuuuuus! Where have you been all day? I found the soup you left though, it was really good!”

“I’m glad.” He tells her, then explains, “Caleb’s not feeling too well, so I’ve been looking after him a little.”

“Oh.” Jester’s eyes go big with worry. “Is he okay?”

“Yeah, what’s going on?” Fjord echoes. The others turn their heads. Nott tenses like she’s ready to spring up the stairs to her boy’s side.

“Oh, he’ll be fine.” Caduceus reassures them. “Just a nasty cold, but he has a fever with it that’s making him pretty uncomfortable. He’s in my bed sleeping it off.”

That news causes an amused clamour when Beau blurts, “and he told you?” at the same time as Jester’s- “he let you-?” and Nott’s outraged, “he didn’t tell me?!”

“Seriously Caduceus,” Jester adds “did you, like, drug him or something? I really need to go see if he’s okay right now.”

“No, no.” It is very unusual for Caduceus to be firm but he is now. He actually raises his voice just a touch and holds up a hand to stop the enthusiastic teifling in her tracks. “What he needs is rest and for you lot not to bother him. If he gets too much attention he’s just gonna feel guilty and try to get up.”

“That’s true, actually.” She sits down in defeat.

Even Nott shrugs in agreement. “If you’re sure it’s just a cold? And you’ll let us know if he needs anything from us?”

Caduceus puts a reassuring hand on her shoulder. “Hey. You know I will.”

So that’s that.

Caduceus takes the time to eat some of the soup he made earlier and also heats a bowlful to bring up for his patient. He also brings some more tea and a glass of the fruit juice he knows Caleb is fond of. He has to set down the tray to quietly open the door. Even then it rattles loudly, but that doesn’t matter because the wizard is already awake.

……………………………..

His dreams are always awful, but these are worse. He knows he’s dreaming, because nothing makes any sense, but the usual combination of smoke and flames and guilt is heightened by the physical feeling of burning up. He wakes enough to make out the walls of the room wavering as though in a heat haze and falls straight back into a dream where the space gets smaller and smaller. Something is wrapped around him, binding him tight, holding his arms still so that Ikathon can cut them open-

Caleb wakes from falling, gasps as though smacked into the mattress from a great height.

He sits instinctively to make it easier to breathe as he coughs and coughs and coughs. His chest hurts ferociously and he is absolutely soaking in sweat.

As his vision clears, he realises the blankets had wrapped around one of his arms and his struggling had pulled it taught. He unwinds it and feels where the cloth has pressed ridges into his flesh. Every inch of his skin feels itchy and dirty and wrong.

The door clicks open quietly but he still jumps like he’s been slapped.

“Oh, hey sweetheart, you’re awake.” Caduceus' voice is steady and gentle.

Caleb swallows guiltily as he remembers where he is. He has made such a mess of Caduceus’ bed, he is disgusting and he’s surely overstayed his welcome. The Firbolg must have come to ask him to leave-

“Hey, hey, leave that alone, hmm? There’s no need for that.” Caduceus says suddenly.

For what?

Caleb follows his friend’s gaze and realises his wrists are crossed so that he can scratch compulsively at both forearms at once. He must have been doing it for a while; he can feel the soreness now and see his scars standing out like spilled candle wax against reddened skin. He lowers his hands.

“That’s it.” Caduceus encourages with a smile.

“...dreaming.” He manages. His voice is a wreck.

Caduceus nods. “Just a dream though, you’re right here in the Xorhaus with me now.”

Caleb doesn’t need telling that. He is quite capable of orienting himself after a nightmare. He has been doing it nearly every night for years, in fact. But it’s nice to hear someone else say it. It’s nice, too, when the firbolg comes to sit beside him on the bed and takes his chin in one hand, tilting his head slightly to look him over. Caduceus leans his cheek onto Caleb’s forehead to compare and nods, satisfied.

“Looks like your fever broke. That’s good. How are you feeling?”

Caleb shrugs. It’s true, he doesn’t feel hot any more, he just feels wrung out. He feels like he has been run over by a cart and left in the rain.

“Pretty rough, I bet.” Caduceus answers for him. “Poor thing, you look exhausted still.” His big hands smooth over Caleb’s back, lift his hair from his neck and begin to rub the ache from his muscles. “Is that okay?

Caleb nods. It’s more than okay. He sniffles thickly and tries to sit still but he really needs to blow his nose. Caduceus notices at once, passes him a handkerchief and moves away to collect the things he’d brought up with him. Blowing makes Caleb need to sneeze and he doesn’t want to because he knows it’ll scrape his throat raw. He sniffles again instead and scrubs underneath his nose with the heel of his hand. He feels beyond pathetic.

Caduceus returns with a glass of juice and offers it. “It would be good if you could drink something.” He prompts, “You’ve lost a lot of fluid in a short time.”

“Feel like I am a fluid.” Caleb manages a weak smile. “Sorry about your bed.”

“Never mind that. Sheets can be washed.” Caduceus says easily. “But what about you? You could go down to the spa and have a bath? I could help you, if you’re not up to walking just yet.”

Caleb considers this as he drains the glass. It would be good to be clean but there is a distinct swim at the edges of his vision when he turns his head too fast. His legs feel far too heavy for walking anywhere just now.

“Maybe later...” He says.

“That’s fine, sweetheart. Don’t worry about that right now.”

So he doesn’t. That's about all the conversation Caleb has in him, so he lies back down again. He feels Caduceus take the pillow from him briefly and manhandle him to one side to replace the sheet underneath him with a dry one. He accepts a clean shirt too and manages to wrangle it over his own head. The effort has him ready to fall asleep again and he doesn’t want to, isn’t ready for the dreams to start all over again. Frumpkin senses this. The cat paces up and down at the foot of the bed, giving voice to a low, miserable mew.

Caduceus reaches to pet Frumpkin and then looks up at Caleb, questioning. Caleb was okay until then, honestly. He was just fine. But something about his friend’s honest, compassionate gaze, an expression of care and concern that is for him, whether he deserves it or not…. A lump forms in his throat and he feels tears rise like a tide. He swallows, shakes his head, presses his eyes firmly closed so they don’t spill out. Ridiculous.

“Do you want me to come sit with you for a bit?” Caduceus says softly.

Caleb nods. He doesn’t open his eyes again but he feels the weight of a lanky firbolg settle beside him, then he feels a warm, steady hand smoothing his hair from his brow and cool, dry lips pressing a kiss to the crown of his head.

Caduceus lies down next to him, a little way away at first. Caleb isn’t feeling good with words right now, but he rolls over and sort of snuggles backwards into Caduceus’ orbit until his friend takes the hint and closes the gap. One arm drapes over him and comes to rest lightly on his arm.

“Is that okay? Not too much?” A bass whisper behind his ear.

“It’s okay. Thank you.” Caleb affirms. “Good. That’s nice. I’d like to try another spell, then do you think you could go back to sleep for a little?”

Caleb nods assent and feels the cool whisper of Caduceus' magic course through him. It doesn’t do much for his stuffy head but it takes the edge of the aches and relaxes his nerves somewhat. Perhaps that’s the placebo effect of knowing someone is making an effort on his behalf. Whichever it is, Frumpkin seems to approve. The cat settles in littlest-spoon position in front of him, purring like an engine. That is all Celeb needs to send him back to sleep.

……….

Caleb wakes groggily. His impeccable sense of time tells him that it is morning; he has slept the whole night in Caduceus’ bed. He does feel better for it; his sinuses are hot and achy, his throat is raw and his lungs tight, but he no longer feels feverish. He sits up on one elbow and rubs tentatively under his nose, trying to dull the ticklish feeling. It doesn’t work and he smothers his face against his forearm to sneeze once, twice, three times in miserable succession.

“Bless you.” A familiar voice from the other side of the room, scratchy and worried. Not Caduceus- just Nott. The goblin woman is sitting criss-cross applesauce at the end of the mattress, apparently waiting for him to wake. At the sudden motion she looks up, big yellow eyes meeting his for a second before he sneezes again.

“Thadk you,” Caleb says thickly. “Hallo Nott.”

While he recovers, she crawls up to his side of the bed and inspects him closely. “‘Deucey said you were better, but you look like shit.” She says mournfully. “I missed you.”

“I missed you, too.” He says honestly. It has only been 24 hours but he is still not entirely used to her leaving his side. The fact she let him out of her sight and into Caduceus’ care says a great deal about how safe they both feel in this group. He adds, “trust me, I am feeling a lot better than yesterday. Caduceus gave me some tea and a spell for the fever. Now I just feel like I have a cold.”

“Okay then. Caduceus had to go out, but he says you should have some more tea when you wake up. I could bring it for you...?” It’s a question. She is half expecting him to refuse or at least make it himself.

To her surprise, Caleb nods gratefully. “Yes please, that would be nice. Thank you, Nott. Do you think you could bring my book as well? Then we could sit together.”

Of course she can.

By the time Caleb actually makes it down from the tower it is midday. Caduceus returns and checks him over before allowing him out of bed, which Caleb tolerates with as much grace as he can. His head feels like it’s plugged with cotton and the cough has gotten more persistent, but he feels better in himself. With a few spare handkerchiefs tucked into his pocket and Frumpkin as a warm weight around his shoulders, he feels ready to return to his usual routine.

He runs into the Jester in the dining room. Her exotic sapphire skin looks out of place among the homely pots and pans. She wears an apron and an expression of contentment as checks on something sweet-smelling in the oven. She straightens as he walks in.

“Hey, Cay-leb!” Her accent gives his name that sing-song quality that means he can never be sure if she’s teasing him. She dusts her hands on her apron and crosses to him.

“Should you even be up? Caduceus said you had a pretty high fever and you shouldn’t get a fever with a cold, you know, unless you’re really run down. Let me feel-” She reaches out her hands for him.

“Jester-” he holds up a hand in warning and manages to turn his head and smother three sneezes into the crook of his arm. It makes his head spin and when his vision clears Jester is laughing at him, but fondly.

“Bless you, Cayleb!”

He laughs too, and doesn’t duck this time when she catches his face in both hands and frowns at him. He feels a blush race up his neck when she smoothes a thumb over his cheekbone.

“Well, I don’t think you have a fever now. Honestly it’s kind of hard to tell because I run hot, but you look okay. For you.”

“Danke, Jester.”

“You should probably have a bath, though. You’re pretty stinky right now.”

Okay, he is fairly sure she is teasing him. A bath sounds really good though. His back aches from laying for so long and the steam might loosen the congestion that makes him sound like he’s speaking through concrete.

“Hey, you go put your things down and I’ll run it for you. Go on.”

“I can- he begins but Jester gives him a stern look and he shrugs, relenting, “Ja. Okay. Thank you. That would be nice.”

The bath is indeed excellent. Something in the bubbles Jester has put in it makes him sneeze ticklishly, startling Frumpkin every time, but then he would probably be sneezing anyay. He soaks for nearly an hour, feeling the warmth seep into his bones.

As he towelling his hair dry afterwards there is a knock on the door.

It’s Beauregard. “You naked?”

“Nein, I am dressed now.” He affirms. “Come in.”

She slouches against the doorframe, eyeing him through the steam.

“Hey, so I, uh, heard you weren’t feeling well. You look okay now though, so that’s good I guess.” She spreads her hands, awkward as ever, but Caleb can see past her gruffness to genuine good-will. “But, uh, just kind of wanted to say if you ever need anything from me, all you gotta to do is ask, you know?”

Even yesterday he might have brushed her off. Today her voice is still a little loud and makes his head hurt, but it also touches him.

“What Beau said.” That’s Fjord’s voice. He comes to stand behind her and nods at Caleb. “Even when we’re not fighting anything, you still gotta keep yourself healed up, alright.”

“Ja. Okay. Point taken. Thank you.”

They hover for a moment until Fjord suggests, “Why don’t you come upstairs. I don’t know what Caduceus cooked but it smells real good.”

The dining room is bright with magical lamps. Caduceus is setting out bowls for everyone, Nott and Yeza are already seated and chatting fondly. Yasha is stoking the fire. He knows it’s not for her benefit, with her barbarian blood, but for his, and feels the chill at his limbs lift as soon as he reaches the threshold. Fjord, Jester and Beau take their places at the table at once with a bustle of cutlery and chinking of glasses that makes his sensitive head swim.

It’s very loud in there, very busy, and he is not ready for the weight of all their eyes on him. He honestly doesn’t feel hungry. Whatever good smells Fjord was enjoying, Caleb can’t detect them through his stuffy nose and he knows every swallow will hurt his throat.

He feels sniffly and gross and vulnerable and unfit for company. His instinct is to apologise and retreat to his room to suffer alone. It would be so easy.They would all understand if he said he felt too sick to sit with them.

He is about to make his apologies when Caduceus approaches and places a gentle hand on his shoulder. The firbolg gives him a sympathetic look that makes his lovely, almond shaped eyes turn up at the corners. His hair is bound up out the way of the food, showing the fine rose-coloured down on the shaved part of his skull. He looks soft and welcoming.

“Hey, it’s good to see you up. Do you think you can come and sit with us? I made stew for everyone, but mostly for you. Nice and easy to swallow.”

“Sure.” Caleb finds himself saying. “I’ll give it a go.”

“That’s nice,” Caduceus says happily and turns to fetch Caleb a bowl.

It is nice, actually. Caleb manages to eat a little, mostly to make Nott and Jester stop giving him looks, but there is no pressure when he pushes the bowl away. The hot meal makes his nose run and sets him coughing enough to interrupt the conversation, but Beauregard just leans over to thump him on the back and keeps right on talking. Caduceus passes him a clean handkerchief under the table without drawing attention and noone complains when he turns away to use it.

After the meal he is persuaded to drink a glass of wine and join the rest of the Mighty Nein in the shared space Jester has coined the ‘happy room’. He feels a little weak and shivery, and is about to cross the room to grab a blanket when Yasha tosses one over to him.

“Here, you should have this one,” she says, indicating the delicate embroidered wildflowers over thick wool. “It’s my favourite.”

“It’s beautiful.” He agrees.

The wine has gone straight to his head. He can feel the relaxation seeping through him.

Soon he is yawning and leaning back against Caduceus on the sofa, staring into fire as the chatter of his friends flickers out of focus.

His nose is still bothering him. He sniffles softly, trying not to draw attention, then gasps when the itchy feeling flares suddenly and throws him forward in a sneeze.

““Ah-Tsssh! Ah-tssh-ue! ...ugh. I’m sorry.”

“Wildmother bless you, sweetheart,” Caduceus says fondly.

It happens again, loud enough to make everyone’s heads turn toward him, which sends a blush creeping up his neck. But there are no disgusted glances, just a few raised eyebrows and absent-minded blessings as they return to what they were saying.

As if they don’t mind. As if he has every right to be here, whatever state he’s in. As if they want him around, whether he is contributing right now or not.

He does feel better for the soup and the spell and the company. More than that, he thinks he can feel something within himself start to heal, too.

It’s taking a long time, but with these people it might just be possible.

END.

#sick caleb widogast #sickfic #fever #sneezefic

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