#shadowgast if you squint

[rainbowcaleb]

FICLET FRIDAY: My Flowerhaired Prince

Prompt: long hair Essek | Pairing: Shadowgast | Rating: T | Wordcount: 811 | CW: none

A trio of wind chimes ring in Caleb’s head. He puts his hand on the page of his book, and looks towards the front hall. The afternoon sun is low enough in the sky that the floor is confettied with colored splashes from the stained glass inset on the door. He watches and waits. There’s a shuffling against the door, but no secondary alarm goes off. Caleb lets out his breath and returns to his book. He’s borrowed it from Veth and it’s long past due to return to her. Apparently she’s trying to start a bookclub with Jester and this is their first pick. He smiles to himself; The Gale and the Raven is a rather raunchy pick, but he can see the appeal. The descriptions are lovingly, explicitly, detailed.

The door opens and Caleb turns his page. Only a rare few know where he lives, and even rarer who have a key. It has been seven years and his anxieties, while not gone, slumber like a cat in a sunbeam more often than they roar.

“Caleb, I’m back.” It’s Essek, because of course it is. He lives here, comfortably settled into life with Caleb, three cats, and friends who come and go whenever they are in town.

“How was the market?” Caleb calls out. “Do you need a hand?”

“No, no, it’s all in one basket. Ah, darling, you won’t believe how ripe the plums are right now. Mister Aplinn was kind enough to set aside a carton for me, which proved fortuitous as Jester’s pastry errand took a while first.”

Caleb finishes up his page and picks an envelope off the endtable to use as a bookmark. It’s the outside of the wedding invitation from Jester and Fjord, the contents of which he’s memorized.

“How is Jester? Did you send along my regrets? The problem with teaching isn’t the students, it is always the endless meetings—” Caleb stops talking. Essek has just entered the room. “Oh.”

Essek raises an eyebrow. “What is it?” He starts towards the kitchen to unload his basket. Caleb practically throws the book onto his seat and goes to follow him.

“Essek, you look…” Caleb feels completely tongue tied. Yes, he saw Essek just this morning, early sunlight through peachy curtains making his bare skin glow against the covers of their shared bed. But Essek has returned looking different.

“Yes, ah, well you see Jester is practicing.” There’s a hint of color starting to dust across his cheeks.

Caleb raises his hands and cups those warm cheeks and turns Essek to face him. “For the wedding?”

“Yes.” Essek holds his gaze. “Do you like it?”

“Dear, you look lovely.” Caleb can’t help but twist a finger around one of the curls that has fallen across Essek’s forehead. Jester has taken full advantage of the new shoulder length growth, braiding a crown of hair around his head and leaving the rest to gently fall in waves. Intermingled with the braids are fresh flowers; dainty pink, spring green, and blue petals frame Essek’s face like gilding surrounding a fine painting.

“Jester didn’t have a mirror, but I did try and glance in a shop window. It’s not really me, I would say, but—” Essek pauses, and Caleb can sense the words tumbling until smooth. “It is something new.”

It warms Caleb’s heart, and he can’t help but lean in and press a kiss to Essek’s smiling mouth. “If you wear this to the wedding, it is only fair that you braid my hair too. We should match.”

Standing this close together Caleb can practically see a sparkle in Essek’s eyes at the suggestion. “Yes, yes, a very good idea. But you can’t wiggle this time. It’ll ruin your hair.”

Caleb pouts. “When do I wiggle?”

Essek reaches up and threads his hand through Caleb’s hair, tugging a little as he goes. Caleb leans into his touch immediately, barely stifling a humming moan.

“See?” Essek kisses his neck, now handily bared as Caleb leans to his side. “You like it too much.”

“That simply means we need to practice, get it out of my system so to speak.” Caleb slides his arms down and around Essek, pulling him flush against him. “Good news, my evening plans are wide open. Shall we begin?”

“Caleb!” Essek does not pull away, but his tone is all playful admonishment. “But the food needs to be put away, the plums…”

Essek should have seen it coming. Caleb tugs him tighter, palming his backside in the process.

“Yes, the plum, which I have right now.”

That earns him a yank of his hair, but Caleb’s reaction is all reward, not punishment. Essek kisses the tip of his nose.

“Fine, you win. But you are making dinner afterwards.”

“Whatever you say, my flower haired love, now let me take you to bed.”

[ruvi-muffin]

I am in need of veth & essek fics? (!!) The shenanigans they'd get up to half a decade into their relationship

Consider for a moment, this Not Even a ficlet probably:

Caleb: what do you say, veth? One last hurrah?

Veth: Caleb. Dear. It won't be a Last hurrah if you keep coming up with reasons to have one?

Essek, floating past, munching a cracker: She has a point.

Veth: Oh! He Speaks!

Essek: Oh i'm involved, oh no. Please pay me no mind. You can return to the moment.

Caleb: The moment is broken I'm afraid. I hope you did not interject out of a sense of feeling left out.

Essek: oh, Not at all. Believe you me, this is not my worst idea of a polycule.

Caleb: (scandalized) (!!)

Veth: Haha! (I'm in on the joke!)

Caleb: (betrayal!!)

Essek: I said what i said.

Essek: In fact..

(he floats up, wtiting on a piece of paper, out of view)

I have some ideas for this Last Hurrah.

(Blows on the ink folding the paper and hands it to Veth covertly)

Veth: oh ho ho owo !! I like your thinking, hot boi.

Caleb, nervously: Hooo boy. I'm in Trouble. owo;

What was on the piece of paper? Who can say.

Probably a very nostalgic, mock dangerous, wholesome caper as a gift to Caleb ♡

[ariadne-mouse]

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.”

[shadowgast-recs-weekly]

Hidden Gems: A Shadowgast Rec List

This week, we have one of our recurring themes: fics with fewer than 150 kudos! Check under the cut for fourteen amazing fics that you might have missed the first time around:

Ocean Blues by Vailee (3836,General)

Warnings: None

On a remote island, Caleb meets a merman named Essek.

Reccer says: The description of merman Essek with his fins and tail is very adorable.

Breaking Inertia by futureshieldmaiden (31096,Teen)

Warnings: None

A time loop fic where Bren has to work with the Shadowhand Essek Thelyss to straighten out time.

Reccer says: There's a lovely slow burn between the two, and I like the plot develops - with a couple of twists along the way.

flurries by quinn_of_aebradore (1381,General)

Warnings: none

Caleb and Essek visit a night market

Reccer says: It's extremely sweet and soft, with a warm and cozy wintertime feel to it.

the start: wings to chase the sky by mllekurtz (TheKnittingJedi) (2662,Teen)

Warnings: None, but note that the other part of the duology has its own tags! (calamity fic)

Part of a duology of an Age of Arcanum AU where Caleb and Essek are prestigious wizards of Avalir. A getting-together ficlet.

Reccer says: Mlle is so good at writing the shadowgast getting together, and it's fun to see the wizards in this lavish arcane world.

in the blood by VexedVixen (11075,Mature)

Warnings: None

Vampire!Essek rescues an injured Caleb and brings him to his towers in Rosohna. Caleb is them offered a job by Essek - a job that includes donating some blood.

Reccer says: The worldbuilding is so cool! Always nice to see a good vampire AU.

A Thousand Words, Unspoken by soot_and_salt (3150,General)

Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings (technically, but it's not a dark story)

Caleb runs a YouTube channel where he films himself restoring paintings. The latest one to come in is a portrait of a beautiful drow man.

Reccer says: If you're familiar with the story of Pygmalion and Galatea, it's a little like that.

you're the only light i've ever known by glossolali (1463,Teen)

Warnings: None

After their bath, Essek combs and plays with Caleb's hair. Caleb enjoys himself.

Reccer says: It's very sweet and tender. And like the author says in the end note, it shows how Caleb has changed and healed over the course of campaign 2.

Break Me, Mend Me by Kaiannae (21835,Mature)

Warnings: Depiction of depression and self-sabotage, CNC if you squint, borderline force feeding if you squint.

Caleb's self-loathing is rearing its ugly head and he is spiraling out of control, pushing his friends and chosen family away, isolating himself from those who care about him and attempting to sabotage everything good in his life. Eventually, Essek decides to do something about it. He knows that nothing mundane like talking would be of any help, so he offers Caleb what the human thinks he wants: punishment, atonement, debasement, a way to quiet the vicious voices in his head.

Reccer says: BDSM as therapy, sort of, getting into Caleb's head for the character study, aftercare for the masses, doms and subs alike.

Silver Couches To Recline Upon And Ornaments Of Gold by soot_and_salt (3242,Teen)

Warnings: None

Essek, unable to leave the tower he resides in, finds a cat on his balcony. He soon discovers there is more to this cat than he could have ever imagined.

Reccer says: It is a fairy tale au and I am a big fan of fairy tales.

Let the River Carry You by Operafloozy (2983,General)

Warnings: none

Essek knits something for each of the Nein

Reccer says: It's very sweet and thoughtful, and I love the description of the patterns

in vaults and cherished amber by allinna (4406,Teen)

Warnings: none

At the Vurmas Outpost, Essek receives some well-deserved love from Caleb and the M9.

Reccer says: it's a sweet, comfy fic that makes you smile! what more would you want.

born from beauty by hanap (2375,Explicit)

Warnings: None

Caleb and Essek have a conversation about their respective experiences with gender and what it means to feel at home in one's body, after which Essek shows his love for Caleb's body by giving him a blowjob.

Reccer says: I resonate with both Caleb and Essek's experiences of gender in this fic, so it was a lovely experience getting to read how much the two of them love each other's bodies that are so similar to mine.

if only I could see your face by lakrisrot (3399,Explicit)

Warnings: Can read having a sex-negative to sex-neutral POV character

Caleb spends some time with Essek after the Transmogrification fails. They end up more intimate that expected.

Reccer says: This fic offers a very intriguing look into Essek's mind as an asexual/demi person. I very much enjoyed that.

And two recs for

the hole in the stone by MinnesotaBruja (13243,Teen)

Warnings: Animal/Pet Death

Shortly after the end of campaign 2, Essek takes a position as a lighthouse keeper on a remote island north of Eiselcross. The fic is comprised of his letters to Caleb.

Reccer 1 says: Essek cares for chickens while living on the island and I find it extremely sweet. Reccer 2 says: Beautiful, heartbreaking, so very well written you will most definitely cry and it's worth every tear!

Aeor is for Lovers is an 18+ Shadowgast Discord server. The above fanfic recommendations were pulled from our community for this weekly event. All fics, unless otherwise specified, will primarily feature Shadowgast. And hey! Don’t forget to leave comments and kudos for the lovely authors!

Check out the previous Hidden Gem Recs Lists here [1] [2]

Have any questions about what this is? Check out the FAQ! Next week's theme is Time Travel/Time Loops!

[s-sputnik-k]

~Introduction~

leo ⋆ he/him ⋆ 18 ⋆ UK/GMT

MASTERLISTS (work in progress)

Fics

Star Wars:

Bad Things Happen Bingo Masterlist (Clones)

Moisture on Velvet (18+ Codywan oneshot)

Critical Role:

Shadowgast ficlet

Art

Star Wars:

Codywan Week 2024 | Day 1: Rebel Husbands | Day 5: Slut Attire vs Comfy Clothes

Clones | Echo's scars and prosthetics | Crosshair | Eldritch Rex | Fives goth boots meme | Paramedic Kix

My OCs | Clone Pilot Airtime

Requests/others' OCs | Captain Hazard | Squint | Swivel

Star Trek:

DS9 | Bashir sketch

Critical Role:

The Mighty Nein | Essek sketch | A scrappy Caleb | Essek painting

(My fandoms, tropes and tags below the cut)

FANDOMS

These aren’t all necessarily fandoms I have written for already, but ones I can see myself writing for: 

➼Star Wars (mainly prequels, TCW and TBB)  ➼Critical Role (mainly Mighty Nein)  ➼Star Trek (mainly TNG and AOS)  ➼The City of Brass/Daevabad (by S.A. Chakraborty)  ➼Hollow Knight  ➼Marvel (Moon Knight, Venom and Agents of Shield)

➼Prison Break ➼The Faithful and the Fallen (by John Gwynne)  ➼Sleep Token 

TROPES

My favourite tropes and tags: 

➼MLM  ➼Whump (hiding injuries, fever, passing out, etc.)  ➼Fluff  ➼Mild angst/angst with a happy ending  ➼Hurt/comfort ➼Modern AU (including college AU, boarding school AU, coffee shop AU etc.)  ➼Slow burn  ➼Friends to lovers  ➼VERY occasional smut

(As a note, you will also see Don Broco fics on my ao3 account, but that will mainly be talked about on my other blog, @don-blogco. I don’t have a blog for my Blind Channel fics so they may be mentioned on here, and it’s highly unlikely I’ll be writing for any of my old K-pop fandoms again in the future)

TAGS

Fics: #sputnik writes

Art: #sputnik draws

Song recs: #sputnik recs

Clone incorrect quotes: #79s barstaff AU

Clone oc fic: #schrodinger's chancellor

banner: @tsuicons ⋆ dividers: @strangergraphics-archive

[acebender]

hey old friend

Chapters: 1/1 Fandom: Critical Role (Web Series) Rating: General Audiences Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply Relationships: Beauregard Lionett/Yasha Characters: Mollymauk Tealeaf, Lucien (Critical Role), Lucien Tavelle, Kingsley Tealeaf, Beauregard Lionett, Yasha (Critical Role), Yasha Nydoorin, Jester Lavorre, Caleb Widogast, Fjord (Critical Role), Essek Thelyss Additional Tags: shadowgast (very light not worth tagging), fjorester (again very light), and widomauk if you squint, Canon Compliant, Post-Canon, Campaign 3 (Critical Role), One-Shot, POV Multiple, Kinda you'll see, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, no beta we die like Molly, spoilers up to c3e51 Summary:

Molly observed amused how tenderly Yasha was treating Beau, even when she was wearing an annoyed expression at the monk’s antics. The Yasha he had met six months ago wouldn’t be interacting this easily with someone like Beau, or any of them, really.

The woman he had met six months ago was but a shadow of his best friend.

--

A particular lavender tiefling's thoughts on her friends’ relationship

[chiakery]

Look what I've got! New chapter of Shadowgast Time Travel AU!

Chapter word count: 4,993

Full fic word count (as of now): 39,362

Chapter note: Wait a minute... Is this...? *squints* Holy shit, if this wizards flirting?!? *surprised Pikachu face*

[dawl-and-dapple]

rating: general word count: 1037

Essek and Jester being sweet, based on the prompt 'overgrown' supplied by @mllekurtz

***

Jester must have noticed his discomfort earlier, Essek thinks in retrospect. That would explain why she had brought up the topic rather abruptly over their campfire as Caduceus prepared their meal (sweet potatoes, roasted).

Jester then very helpfully pointed out that Essek’s fringe was curtaining his left eye and, gosh, that must be hard when you’re trying to aim your spells, huh? In truth, it wasn’t only his overgrown fringe which had been irritating him in the past few weeks, but she was right.

First, Beau offered to help. She and Fjord kept each other’s cuts neat and tidy on the road all the time, apparently. But the brusqueness of her offer and the, for lack of a better word, sloppiness of their respective hairstyles turned Essek off from the idea somewhat. Secondly, Caleb offered to help. He had pulled out a small shaving razor from a pocket in his coat which lit up with the firelight’s reflection. The offer was more appealing than Beau’s, but still Essek turned Caleb down.

Essek had said he would rather wait until they returned from their quest, until they were in a city again, until he could find a professional. He was lying.

It was during his watch that Jester had sprung her ambush. She must have waited for the others to fall asleep before crawling over to sit beside Essek at the edge of the dome, grinning and clutching a small cotton bag on her lap.

“So, you usually pay someone to cut your hair?” she says as she digs through the bag and pulls out a wooden comb and a small pair of scissors. “My mama always cut mine for me. I would look forward to it, you know. I like how it makes your scalp all tingly.”

Essek grudgingly doffs his outer coat and wraps his cloak around his shoulders, snug against his neck, knowing that it would be no use to fight this fate any further. “Um, yes. There is only one man in Rosohna I trust with my hair.”

“Oh, that’s cool.” She conjures a pool of lukewarm water into a bowl as she speaks. “No wonder your hair was always so fabulous, Essek.”

“I doubt I will ever pay him to cut my hair again.”

She pauses to look at him. “That’s okay though, right? I mean, I can learn how to do your hair perfectly too, eventually, if I stick with it.”

He has to smile at her, just to see her smile back at him. “Yes. You’re right.”

Jester casts a second spell to slowly lift the warm water over his head and hair in controlled globs. It is a frivolous use of magic, but he is not one to judge.

Once she begins shaving the hair on the sides of his head, Essek lets his eyes close and recalls his fleeting encounter with Jester’s mother at the party in Nicodranas. He and Jester have similar hair textures. Her mother’s is much the same, though much longer, thick, and wavy. But he doubts either woman need to trim their hair as often as he. Jester’s confidence as she drags the small razor across his skull begins to concern him.

“Have you cut someone else’s hair before, Jester?”

“Nope!” she replies.

Essek makes a metal note to prepare disguise self the following morning.

When Jester begins to fiddle with the damp hair on the top of his head Essek feels the warm tickle of sleepiness behind his eyes. He isn’t sure, but he might slip into a trance if she is as gentle as this for too much longer.

The quiet snip snip of Jester’s scissors is the only sound in the dome louder than the snores of his friends behind them and he hopes Jester is keeping an eye on the wilderness outside the dome, because he is not.

After fifteen more minutes the pleasant fog of trance drapes itself over his mind and body.

Essek is dimly aware of an itchiness around his neck and in the hollows of his ears where the clippings must be accumulating but he remains statue-still for Jester. He wants to make this fair on her, since she is doing him a favour. He thinks about what obscene shapes she might be shaving into the sides of his head.

After another ten or so minutes Jester speaks up.

“You did great today.”

���Pardon?” He blinks the drowsiness away.

“You were super cool in that fight, is all,” she says. Snip snip snip. “Even though you couldn’t see through your hair.” He giggles and shuffles on her knees until she is kneeling on his opposite side, then goes back to work. “Tip your head this way? Thanks. Oh! You could have kept your hair out of your face with a hairband or something, that would have been super cute, Essek.”

“I would rather you just cut it, thank you.”

When she finishes, Essek shakes the clippings from his cloak onto the ground and brushes his hands through his hair. It feels comparably lightweight, shorter than before, suspiciously neat. And now, it’s in no danger of falling into his eyes.

Jester sits patiently in front of him with her hands on her knees and smiles. “Wanna see it?”

He expects a mirror. Instead, Jester waves her hands in a familiar pattern and casts disguise and transforms into Essek. Across from Essek sits Essek, his hair trimmed neatly into a style impressively close to what it probably looked like five months ago, a crimson weasel asleep around his neck, grinning ear-to-ear.

Rather than pay too much attention to how disconcerting Jester’s blinding smile looks plastered across his own face, Essek stares at his hair. She hasn’t shaved obscenities into the sides of his head; she has shaved a pair of small, crooked stars behind his ears though.

“Jester, this is perfect. Thank you,” he says, running his fingers over the uneven, but comfortably short hair at the back of his head. “I will return the favour soon.”

Her eyes widen. “You’ll cut my hair?”

“That is, ah, that is not what I meant—”

“I bet you’ll do great! Making it up as you go is the best fun anyway.”

[the-art-of-cats-with-dice]

I spoke too soon. We have CANON. CONFIRMATION. OF. BLUMENTRIO. AND. POTENTIAL. SHADOWGAST. Ah!

[fortunesfaevor]

Introductions(Lucigast)

Lucien kept his eyes on Beauregard and Caleb at the entrance of the room.

"Sorry we're late," Beau said with a bored tone. Her attitude in full swing.

"I'll say you're quite quick in some ways. I'm impressed," Lucien held his head high.

"How long have you been here setting up the party by yourself?" Beau asked, but this time her question was directed at Cree who was actively working to get the portal ready.

Cree glanced over her shoulder and grumbled something Lucien ignored, "Not terribly long, maybe about a better part of an hour."

"Oh yeah, we actually did make pretty good time," Beau nodded proudly, glancing at Caleb next to her.

"But we had to set up some precautions, since you tend to follow and nip at our heels, and well, you taught us a few tricks along the way."

"Isn't this the part where you kick back and tell us all your clever plans?" Caleb spoke up then, his own head held high.

Lucien smiled, "Sure, step in a bit."

His smile widened as the wizard did as he said.

"I've not been a poor host. I lent you my personal reading. And taking what I was owed, I borrowed a few things with intent to return them, though some of these pretties intrigue me," He ran his hands together and a small glowing yellow orb apparated from them. He grinned at the tension in the party before letting the orb disappear.

"We defended ourselves when assailed and even then, I invited you to come see what we've been working on. Letting bygones be what the are and still, you treat us with such animosity. Shame. Manners are important and the last thing to go when an age runs dry. I do still very much want to show you what I've been working on, but I feel like you've shown me how hard it can be to trust. So, I need you to earn it."

Cree grumbled again, "Why don't we just kill them, Lucien? Stop the games."

Lucien put his hand up, not looking away from Caleb, "Shh. Because try as I might, a part of me still likes them."

Suddenly Beau's voice sounded in his head, "You should listen to the woman." His brain tingled, causing him to twitch involuntarily.

He turned his smile to Beau and let out a breath, cracking his fingers. He would not let them get to him.

"Well, tell us more, circus man," Caleb piped in, a sincerity to his tone that Lucien couldn't be sure was genuine.

He felt a tug at the back of his neck causing him to twitch once again. He frowned in confusion. Something about that phrase...

He shook his head and smiled, "First, I think introductions are in order," his eyes landed on the drow at the back of the group.

"You must be Essek," Lucien's grin curled into almost a sneer.

Essek's eyes darted to Caleb as if for help.

"He is of no concern to you," Caleb's tone was harsh, defensive.

"If he's with all of you, then he's very much my concern," Lucien's glare was set on the drow.

"All you need to know is that he's one of us. Something you'll never be," Caleb's tone was still sharp.

Lucien's eyes pulled from the drow and landed on Caleb. The sneer turned into a genuine smile once again, "Oh, but aren't I? Isn't it my face that adorns the walls of your tower? Isn't it I that you chase mercilessly?"

Caleb tensed but kept his voice even, "It's not you we are chasing."

Jealousy boiled in Lucien. "How many times do I have to tell you he's gone," he snapped. His eyes landed back on Essek then, "And how do you feel about chasing a ghost? Surely you know it won't end well for you. You'll either end up dead or watching your precious wizard join me."

"Join you where?" Beau could see Caleb was about to lose his cool. The way his hands clenched; he was holding back a fire spell.

Lucien turned to Beau, "Long ago, there was a group of people who had an idea to get away from oppressive minds and pursue their dreams. And when destruction came, not of their making, they were ready, or so they thought, as they shunted their people across the planes to safety, in the astral plane where they knew they could make their dreams a reality. Unfortunately, what they didn't account for was this terrible psychic storm that awaited them, that racked every mind and spirit and shattered them until they became one with their own city. Death would have been a sweet mercy, but instead, thousands of people and the Somnovem that guided them, were broken. And over time, slowly reformed, powerful. The instinct of their dreams driving them in a place where they could will their dreams to be, were their will not so fragmented. They needed help. But it was hard to push through the hunger. For now, the city was alive and things that live need to eat. I was lucky to be a mind free, one to speak to it and there's so much that they could do, but they just lack the guidance. It's a waste of potential. But I think I can show them. And maybe if you decide to be more friend than foe, when all is done, I could make your dreams come true as well."

He turned to Cree to see she was almost done. He gave her a nod. Cree returned the nod before lifting a lever upwards slightly.

The thin sliver of the portal in the middle of the room widened a bit like a tear in space, allowing water to pour through in a torrent.

"This door can go many places," Lucien spoke up as Cree switched out the rod with another.

"Assuming you want us to go on a field trip?" Beau asked as the water rushed towards her.

"Well, I'm certainly going on one. It's a shame to work so hard, and, I don't know, not to have anyone who really understands it, who's right there to see it. But I've seen potential in at least a couple of you," His eyes bounced between Beau and Caleb, "You're already walking the right path."

Caleb frowned, "And you plan to go and stay there or bring something back and make this world better than how you found it?"

Lucien fought against the tingle at the back of his neck that surfaced once again, "Yes," he answered simply.

This time the pink cow man spoke, "And you want us to be an audience?"

"Well, I'd love an audience, but I'd like you all to earn your ticket. Come join the show."

"Maybe you should take your bodyguard," Beau gestured towards Yasha who stood with a concerned scowl on her face.

The tingling at the back of his neck prickled again, but Lucien shoved it down, "The other side perhaps," he gave a bow tossing a wink at Caleb.

When he stood, he pulled the lever up with him causing the portal to now be filled with a starscape of purples and silvers. In the distance was a city with hundreds of towers, arches and bridges.

"Well, I think it's time you paid the ticket taker," Lucien grinned before grabbing his satchel and leaping through the portal. He and Cree were now floating through the large expanse. He swiveled around and blew at kiss towards Caleb before giving a wave to the rest and rocketing off towards the city. He knew they'd catch up. But he needed just a little bit of a head start.

*AN* Alternate conversation of episode 136. A continuation of my Lucigast one shots.

Find the rest Here

Consider buying me a coffee, I would really appreciate it!

[stardusted-bookworm]

Protection

University AU where everything is the same except magic doesn't exist but modern tech does.

"Beau! Beau! Beau!"

Beauregard Lionett stopped walking in the halls of Astrae University to see an excited blue tiefling barreling toward her. She had barely enough time to brace herself before one Jester Lavorre tackle hugged her. As it was, her notebook got thrown out of her hand.

"Hey, Jester," Beau wheezed. "How are you doing?"

"Well, I'm great, of course. Classes suck. But who cares about all that? Come look! Come look!"

Even though they were roommates and had been best friends for years, Beau somehow kept forgetting how fast Jester moved and was all but pulled off her feet as the tiefling dragged her along.

Eventually, the two come to the university's main library, the biggest of three. Why a school needed this many libraries, Beau didn't know but at least it wasn't like... 30.

"Jester, what are we doing here?"

The other girl ignored her and pulled her through the library's doors.

The ceiling of this room stretched upward for days, eventually disappearing into shadow, and on practically every surface was a massive bookshelf filled to the brim. Every so often, there was a sign hanging above the bookshelves marking genres and author's initials.

The smell of paper and ink filled the air and the sound of quills scratching on paper could be heard like a small symphony. It was a comforting sound for Beau. After all, she did a lot of her own furious note-taking in this library. This place was kind of like a second home to her. She almost laughed at the thought.

Jester dragged her in between the bookshelves, moving towards the back of the library. There wasn't a whole lot back there, though. Maybe like a couple tables or cushions and not nearly enough books to help with classes, especially not for an art major. So why was Jester so excited?

The tiefling came to an abrupt stop at the end of a bookshelf aisle and poked her head out. She let out a barely restrained squeal and said, "Look! Look! Look!"

Beau sighed, moving to where Jester indicated. What she saw shocked her to her very core.

Because that was Caleb, Caleb, sitting next to the handsome drow from their physics class and letting him touch his hand. Caleb who hated any form of physical contact, no matter how small, was letting this drow touch his hand.

The drow was leaning into Caleb's personal space to point at what appeared to be an extremely complex problem. From the bits and pieces Beau could catch, he was obviously helping Caleb with a particular concept.

That in itself was astounding! Caleb, prodigy in all things science, needed help on physics? Either Caleb was pretending not to know what the drow was talking about or this was some complex stuff that wasn't even covered in class!

"Holy. Fucking. Shit!"

Caleb and Essex (she was pretty sure that was his name) jumped away from each other as if caught doing something scandalous.

Beau could hear Jester hissing at her to "get back here" but Beau just ignored her.

The biggest shit-eating grin spread over her face. "What is all this?"

Caleb cleared his throat, face and ears turning the same shade as his hair. "Beauregard, Essek and I were just studying."

Essek! Right, that was his name. "Oh I know. I could see how handsy you were getting with each other." Beau waggled her eyebrows.

Essek had a look of confusion on his face, but Caleb was in straight panic mode. He all but made a cut it out gesture with his hand.

Beau softened. She knew how much it took for Caleb to let people in, to trust them enough to actually let them touch him. She was proud of him for doing it in such a short amount of time, too! Did that mean she was going to let him off easy? Hells no!

She sat down across from them, chin on her hands. "So, Hot Boi, who are you? Where you from? What are your intentions with Caleb?"

Caleb threw his head in his hands and groaned loudly.

Essek just regarded her with a cool look, almost looking down his nose at her. Which was strange because even while sitting, she was definitely taller.

"My name," he began, "is Essek Thelyss. I am from Rosohna. And as for my intentions with Caleb, I do not believe that is any of your business."

Beau's eyebrows shot up. Even Caleb looked shocked.

Another shit-eating grin curled her mouth. "Well, then! You heard the man, Caleb. Make sure you use protection. Have fun, kiddies!"

And with that, Beau left the two science nerds to their own devices, making her way back to Jester.

"Oh my gods, Beau!" Jessie exclaimed. "They're totally fucking!"

Just then, a ding came from her phone. It was a Message from Caleb.

Beauregard, could you and Jester not come back to the dorms for a while?

Come back? Beau looked up to see Essek dragging Caleb out of the library by his wrist. The ginger looked extremely flustered while the drow looked very determined.

Beau grinned and typed out her response. "Yeah, they're definitely fucking. Come on, Jessie, let's go get ice cream."

"Woo-hoo!" Jester cheered.

Beau looped an arm around Jester's shoulders and moved towards the exit. It would take a while for the tiefling to pick out flavors, leaving Caleb plenty of time to study with Essek.

She looked at her message one more time and smiled: Have fun ;)

[rainbowcaleb]

FICLET FRIDAY - Little and Lost

Prompt: Glow | Rating: G | CW: none | Word count: 533 | Pairing: Shadowgast

Essek’s knees were dirty.

That is the first thing Caleb noticed. On a normal day such a detail would be worth no mind; they have a garden at this cottage after all, and Essek is rather fond of giving it tender care. However, Essek is usually fastidious about changing from his garden clothes before winding up the stairs and through the hall into the library by the bedroom. No dirt should be tracked from door to bed, as Essek had phrased himself, and usually the worst of the green thumb is left in the laundry basket downstairs for this exact purpose.

But today Essek’s knees are stained, and hovering a good five inches higher than they should.

“Caleb, you must come!” Essek’s eyes and voice are sunbright, rushing into the library to float before Caleb. “You must see!”

“Schatz, what–” He glances around for an adequate bookmark, and finding nothing proper, just picks up the cat on his lap with one arm, the book with the other, then sets the cat onto the open book on his still-warm chair. A fluffy tail is a fine bookmark in a pinch.

Essek grabs his hand. “There is something very strange, but intriguing. I’m not sure, but maybe you know? I hope it hasn’t moved while I’ve been here, I came quickly but without observation there is no telling how fast it moves.”

Caleb feels his hand being tugged down the hall and stairs. “I am right behind you schatz.” He laughs to himself, almost jogging through his own house to follow the bounce of Essek’s sudden jubilant mood.

Once outside, Essek drops his hand and sinks to kneel in the dirt near one of the bushes along the edge of the path. He looks to Caleb over his shoulder and Caleb falls in love all over again.

“Look.” He whispers, hands slow even without the aid of dunamancy, gently parting the branches to peer deeper inside. “What is that?”

Caleb sighs looking at his soft lounging trousers, and gets to his knees anyways. That’s what prestidigitation magic is for. “What should I be looking for?”

Even as the words leave his lips he sees it: there is a gentle glow, like a moonray trapped in the green clutches of the inner bush, shining only as far as the thick leaves allow. He squints to focus, and can just spot the small form sitting on the branch.

“It looks like a glow worm, but surely not?” Essek asks.

Caleb lets out a soft exhale. “It certainly looks like one, but here? Surely not.” He repeats.

“Perhaps he is very lost.” Essek says, voice still and soft. “Perhaps he cannot find his home.”

Caleb can’t help but look away from the marvel and towards another. “Essek.” There are layers to the single word. He does not know, but can guess at Essek’s thoughts.

Essek seems to sense the shift in tone. “Do not worry Caleb, I won’t adopt this one.”

“You said that for the last three cats.” Caleb knocks fondly against Essek’s shoulder, imitating a cat himself.

“We don’t have a terrarium.” Essek replies with a frown.

“As if that has ever stopped you.” Caleb smiles.

[gin-draws]

Everyone can use a study buddy.

[ariadne-mouse]

For the combination of two prompts:

"headache relief" and "a truly abysmal cup of tea"

Shadowgast, rated G, hurt/comfort, 833 words

-

Essek's visits to Caleb's cottage in Rexxentrum were brief, and precious; despite their shared expertise in dunamancy, there never seemed to be enough time. And so when Essek arrived one windy spring morning, but could not concentrate on their shared research, and shied away with a wince from the meager light filtering through the shuttered windows, Caleb felt even more urgency to remedy whatever ailed him. Not just so that Essek would be well, but because these narrow hours were all they had to express the full spectrum of anything and everything they might have to say to each other.

There was Sending, yes, and Essek was talented in layering many things into few words.  But Caleb found he yearned to make and share space, and to see the gallery of Essek’s expressions play across his sharp-toothed mouth, his elegant brows, his clever eyes.

This pained, stubborn expression was a new one on his dear friend, and Caleb cataloged it feverishly in his memory even as he sought its antidote.

"It's nothing," Essek demurred, when Caleb pressed. "A slight headache." 

"Do you need to rest? You are very welcome to--" 

"I did not come here to sleep," Essek cut him off, then shook his head at the suggestive implication, waving it away as if it was a bothersome fly, then winced at both sudden motions. "I am here so we can revise the second runic config-" he broke off with a hiss and rubbed his temple. 

"Essek," Caleb half-chided, half-pleaded. "What can I do? I have healing potions. Or do you need Jester?" 

"Oh, no — please, no."

In fairness, he was probably right.  Despite her capacity for healing, Jester might very well simultaneously increase the headache in some other way, bright and loud and well-intentioned. 

Essek reached for a quill and a spare parchment from their research and jotted down a list, and a set of notes, his eyes squinting, his shoulders a scrunched line of weary tension. He offered this to Caleb, ink still wet, letters running rudely together. "If you can procure these herbs and prepare them as written, that would be a great help. This... issue... has a particular root cause, and a particular solution." 

Caleb burned two teleportations and ten minutes in the city, and another ten minutes in his small kitchen fussing with hot water and dead plants. While he'd been gone, Essek had curled up in an armchair with his feet tucked childishly under himself and his forehead resting on the upholstered arm, eyes closed, breathing slowly and deliberately, flinching when the metal pot clanged on the stove. 

The resulting brew was enough to fill one of his homely porcelain teacups, and dark enough to look like it might leave a stain. The smell was cloying, bitter. Essek looked at it with a combination of relief and revulsion. After cooling the steam off it with a curtly-gestured prestidigitation, he lifted it to his lips — markedly hesitated — then downed the whole thing in a few rapid gulps. 

"Water, please." He thrust the cup back at Caleb, his face an open snarl of disgust. 

The water, quickly procured, vanished with the same hurry and lack of decorum as the tea. Essek slouched back into the overstuffed armchair like he’d just fought a battle. His expression twitched a few more times, nose wrinkling and lips smacking, aftershocks of the taste of the tea. 

"And now?" Caleb pitched his voice low.  Essek sighed, eyes closing once more. "I wait for it to kick in. Always slower than I would like." 

Caleb said nothing, only waited there, his continued presence itself the question. 

One of Essek's eyes cracked open, a sliver of violet picking up the dim light. After regarding Caleb blearily, he extended his arm off the edge of the armchair, palm-up and limp, like it was not attached to him. "Press your thumbs to the heel of my hand, if you like." 

A simple task for a clever man. Caleb sat leaned forward in his chair with his elbows on his knees, Essek's hand in his, making gentle pressure points and soothing circles, over and over. Over the next quarter hour, the tension in Essek's shoulders and neck eased, and his breathing slowed, and the wrinkle between his brows ebbed away like a ripple of cloud erased by the wind. At some point Caleb moved his ministrations to Essek's other hand, as gentle as the first.  It was quiet in the cottage.

"Stop," Essek finally said. "That's enough." 

Caleb stopped. "Better?" 

"Yes. A bit." Essek sat up, very disheveled still.  He did not untuck his feet.  He was a cozy lump on the armchair, like a cat woken from a nap.

"Gut,” Caleb smiled.  There was a faint imprint of the upholstery on Essek’s cheekbone.  “Now, how would you like a cup of tea that doesn't smell like an alchemical mistake?  I have many offerings, courtesy of our friend Caduceus." 

"Yes," Essek replied, with a ghost of humor returning. "Please."

[villainandhero]

The Mighty Nein x the Sims

(or: I felt like a photoshoot with my Mighty Nein Sims)

I love them

[seagreenstardust]

It makes even more sense now for Beau and Yasha to eventually end up sailing with Fjord and Jester for a while because Kingsley is there. Also I feel like they would have some kind of system for easy quick access to the Blooming Grove whenever they wanted to visit with Cad. And obviously Caleb and Veth are inseparable and Luc needs instruction that Caleb and probably Essek are willing to help with. And the beauty of sending is that the people you care about are just a call away and some of them can bamf to you or with you wherever you want to go.

Basically I am living in my Mighty Nein found family feels this morning and they're none of them ever alone or too far to reach for the rest of their lives.