WHO Caleb Widogast & Essek Thelyss WHERE Their room at Xhorhaus WHEN Oct 19th morning! WHAT Caleb wakes up as an Old STATUS Complete! WARNINGS Some non-explicit nudity but it’s not to bad??
After over two decades of marriage, waking up together was no insignificant affair. It just was. Most mornings involved sliding out of bed at different times or pillows being shoved over heads to avoid the magic alarm zooming around the room. Sometimes it involved a kid barging into the room, sometimes it involved Vallo antics doing the waking.
But sometimes, sometimes, Caleb was afforded his ability to be cozy and cuddling, it became more common to lean into it as winter approached. The Haus was quiet, as Caleb had expected it to be empty right now anyway, with Kiri living on her own and not currently having any fosters. The Mighty Nein and their families were in and out all the time, but thankfully none of them were annoy the wizards at seven am people.
So Caleb, unaware that his bedmate was not quite the bedmate he expected, spooned in closer to the purple drow at his side. His lips hit an exposed shoulder and Caleb kissed gently. “We have time before school, yes?” The Zemnian accent had faded slightly over the years, with no one else around him that had it and age dulling it to a more muted common tone. “I can send a magical substitute for fifteen minutes.”
As the human beside him stirred, Essek felt himself being likewise pulled to consciousness. He had confessed it aloud only a few times, but Essek knew that was more than enough for his partner's memory; sleeping had never been an appealing way to spend one's night, until he had succumbed to it over a trance and woken next to Caleb. It was a romantic thought, thoroughly sentimental, and Essek was more than all right with that fact, especially as it had led to more mornings like this very one.
Essek smiled to himself, his body going taut for a moment as he indulged in a quick morning stretch before going slack as he pressed into Caleb, back to chest, eyes still closed to the morning. "Good morning," he murmured on a sigh, mind already going over the different tasks he needed to accomplish before school. They all seemed incredibly unimportant when he was warm and cozy with his wizard.
That was also a romantic and sentimental thought. Essek was all right with that, too.
The dulled accent wasn't missed by Essek, his ears almost flicking in recognition of something different, but the lure of a slow morning was enough to dismiss it as nothing more than lingering sleep. Finding Caleb's hand, he tugged it up to press gentle kisses to his palm. "Frumpkin, you mean?" he ventured, mouth pressed to Caleb's wrist as it stretched into another smile. "Or have your students already bought his loyalty with pets and affection?"
Caleb, still unaware that anything was amiss with his eyes mostly closed and body pressed against the familiar curves of his husband, just quietly laughed at the idea. He moved in a bit closer. “I was thinking more like my wizard projection spell. I do not take advantage of it often enough, but it would afford me an extra two hours with planned lessons.”
Though he should have felt a pang of guilt, given he had created the spell for the intention of emergencies, when he could not be available for something important at school, but had no wish to cancel classes. It wasn’t meant to give him and Essek extra time in bed.
Even if it had admittedly been used for that in times past.
It didn’t stop him from pushing himself a little closer to Essek, and letting his next kiss linger down his husband’s back, blissfully unaware of their sudden even-more-so age difference.
There had once been an Essek Thelyss that would have scoffed at the idea of being distracted by things like love and contact, but that was before he had known Caleb Widogast. Now, even as his mind tried to wrap itself around a wizard projection spell and just what that would entail to create, it was at war with every other very loud and distracting thought that was inspired by Caleb's proximity and touch.
Deciding that he could at least attempt thought, but could still enjoy the moment, Essek trailed a couple soft kisses back to Caleb's palm, getting partway through, "I didn't realize you could project -- " when a distraction of a whole different sort caught his interest.
Essek opened his eyes for the first time since he'd actually woke, blinking a few times as they adjusted, as he tipped his head back just enough to see the bit of metal on Caleb's finger that his own fingers had brushed. He didn't need his darkvision to make out the ring, but it certainly helped in the dim light of morning as he took in the dark metal and the unique inlay. As someone with a veritable jewelry box adorning his ears, Essek could appreciate accessories. As someone who called himself something of an expert in Caleb, though, he knew that this was new. "This is beautiful," he murmured, his hand shifting to run his thumb across it. "Is it enchanted?"
It wasn't until the words left his mouth that it occurred to him that it was on a particularly traditional finger, Essek's brow furrowing at the realization. Not that it had to mean something, of course. But.
Caleb stiffened-- his shoulders, at any rate. He didn’t pull his hand away abruptly, but it was the moment he knew something was off, his ring being inquired about. There had been a few jokes in the first few weeks after their marriage where that sort of thing had been funny, but it had been so long now it didn’t feel like a teasing inquiry, more an honest question.
“In a way,” Caleb replied warily, and he started to sit up so he could get a better look at exactly what he was dealing with. This wasn’t the first time Vallo had done this sort of thing, he had blank pieces in his memories from other trips young, old, sideways. There had been a lot of them over the years, and there was always that question of who was the one out of place.
It was more difficult when your partner didn’t age properly and sometimes the only indicator was a subtle hair change or new piercings.
The ring itself was enchanted, but not in any way that was significant to anyone other than themselves, causing a very dim shimmer to move and rotate around the inlay whenever the rings were in proximity of each other. His wasn’t moving. Caleb glanced down at Essek’s own left hand, and when he saw nothing on the ring finger, he reached up to rub his face in annoyance. “What year is it?”
For the briefest of moments, Essek mourned the warm, comforting morning that could have been and then began the process of turning over to see what they were working with. He knew that this had been happening to plenty of others in the previous days, so perhaps it had only been a matter of time. But still, there was a comfort in seeing the book he had been reading the previous night sitting on the bedside table, alongside his arcane focus and the jewelry he had shed. That just meant that Caleb...
Essek rolled onto his back, propped up on pillows and one of his elbows as he looked up at his partner. He was still as handsome as ever, the flutter in his chest that happened whenever Essek's eyes fell on Caleb so familiar that he hardly noticed it anymore, but it was all too obvious that the 34-year-old that he'd fallen asleep next to the night before was not the man he had woken up next to just moments ago.
"Ah," Essek said, more a quick exhale of breath than anything else. The corner of his mouth lifted as he surveyed Caleb before him. "It is 2021 and this," he gestured toward Caleb, "is a bit of a trend."
Caleb huffed out an incredulous laugh. 2021. A good year for a lot of things, and at least it was clear that Essek and Caleb had been cohabitating, instead of the awkward ground of not having been in a relationship yet. This only hit minorly awkward in comparison to that conversation.
“If I remember correctly, you kept details from me during that early trend. So. It should be only fair that I do the same to you, ja?” He didn’t really mean it, for as much as his troll-like grin crept up as he looked Essek over. So much of it was the same, but now that he got a good look, there was the small, subtle differences that Caleb could note with his eyes as he visually feasted. “I would not want to ruin things for the future, of course.”
Essek met Caleb's grin with a smirk of his own, laying back in the bed with an arm bent to act as a rest for his head. It was a pose, there was no denying, but he could see the now older wizard looking at him and, well -- Essek had a tendency to preen. More than that, though, it was a vantage point to let him do the same. He had always known that he and Caleb would age differently; it was one of those things that crossed his mind, made his heart hurt, and then was immediately cast aside before he spiraled down a path he was not at all prepared to go down.
Right then, though, there was no denying it. Essek drank Caleb in before him, his smirk morphing into a fond smile as he took in the changes, like the creases in his skin that spoke of smiles, and what had stayed the same, like those intelligent blue eyes that the drow could get lost in if he let himself. For as much as he appreciated Caleb's mind, he had always known that his partner was physically attractive; he had known that even before they had embarked into relationship territory, if he were honest. Age had not changed that fact in the least.
"Counterpoint," Essek said, eyebrow arched. "Perhaps you should tell me so I can ensure that the future remains intact." He gestured toward Caleb's left hand. "If I may be so bold as to assume, but it looks like our knowledge of future marriage didn't get in the way of that." He was teasing, mostly. He was curious and he had no doubt that Caleb knew it, but he also wouldn't push for information. Not too hard, at least.
“Oh, that’s cruel.” Caleb muttered the words, but it didn’t stop him from taking in the presentation that Essek was offering. And then immediately feeling bad for openly ogling his not-yet husband, no matter if the drow was being shameless or not. Two could play at that game, but Caleb didn’t play in the same way, exactly.
He had never been one to show off his body when his mind was right there, so he flicked a wrist and lit up the room in a dim, purple-hued glow. “It was for practical purposes.” Caleb wasn’t lying, as they’d needed to get married for fostering and guardianship reasons, and for the practical, practical mindset of taxes.
But that obviously hadn’t been all of it, and it had still been important to both of them, even as they eloped unannounced to anyone outside a handful of their closest. “But you will not get details from me, demon. No matter how attractive you look stretched out there.”
Essek grinned, all sharp canines and sass and, well, looking very much like a demon, indeed. He knew that he should probably not be teasing Caleb, especially since this wasn't technically his Caleb. But, if he couldn't tease any version of his partner, who could he tease, really?
Still, he sat up into a marginally more modest sitting position, leaning his back against the pillows and headboard of their bed. Once settled, he waved his own hands through the air, sending up muted orange dancing lights to join Caleb's purple glow. A sentimental show, so very sentimental, but he couldn't help himself as he gazed at the other wizard.
"I will not play dirty, then. You look, ah." He smiled, an almost coy, sheepish expression on his face as he admitted, "You look very good." Essek listed his head to the side. "You are happy, yes? Or is that too many details to ask?"
Caleb’s face flushed and he wasn’t even able to hide it. You would have thought after all this time, Essek’s words would not have gotten to him quite so effectively as they did. And yet, that blush still crept up his bare shoulders to his pale cheeks and settled in. There had been a period of time where he was convinced Essek would tire of him and move on, that there was almost certainly a time limit to how attractive Caleb could be when his husband did not age at nearly the same rate.
It had settled, and there had been conversations and reassurances, soothed worries and anxieties. He no longer worried about that, but it was still a little baffling that Essek still found him attractive, somehow, as the age change was so abrupt.
“Ja, I think it is easy enough to say that. I had not expected to ever be settled in my life as I am now.” Though he still had a brief moment of panic as he remembered this Caleb had duties and things to attend to. “Ah-- is school in session? The bookstore?”
In truth, that confirmation was all that Essek truly needed regarding the future. When this had happened last time and Essek had been the one to visit from the future, he hadn't remembered much of anything that had transpired while he'd been displaced in time. Everything he had found out had been through what others had told him, what he had read when looking back through the network, and the bits and pieces his older self had left in a letter for him. He had known that they were married and he was happy, though the ever curious Essek had still wondered about more.
Now, though, all that really seemed to matter to him was know that Caleb himself was happy. Essek had recognized in the past year and some months since their relationship had begun in earnest just how important Caleb's happiness was. He loved the man and knowing that he had found some sort of contentment in the years to come, so much so that he might actually settle as he'd mentioned, meant a great deal to Essek. It also meant a great deal that he had chosen to do so with Essek at his side.
"School is in session," he confirmed, his nose scrunching up as he thought about the second thing Caleb had asked about. In the surprise that came with waking up to an older partner, Essek had nearly forgotten. "As for the bookstore, the Enchanted Nook is opening today."
And there went every thought, passing or not, about crawling over Essek’s lounging body and being late to the day - the excuse that he was old and clearly forgetful could so easily be used against people that didn’t know him well.
But not when it came to the bookstore. He swore in Zemnian, a rarity these days for him, but with no less heat behind it as he had to scramble out of bed. “Today? Fuck.” He owned, what? Three outfits in this year? Something like that, but also had been a fair bit skinnier than the Caleb now, who had put on a little bulk both from Beau’s insistence and just age. So it was probably a comical thing to see him rush around the room locating clothes.
“Do I really only own four shirts? What did I wear yesterday? The brown one, or the other brown one? Oh. Ugh. I can’t tell Gilmore, he’ll go with something flashy.” Caleb looked back at Essek over his shoulder, bare-ass naked and still rifling through clothes. “Was I really planning on just wearing my usual clothes for the opening? Essek.”
Essek didn't bother trying to hide the incredibly fond smile that lit up his face as he spent a few moments watching Caleb panic around their bedroom. It felt delightfully domestic, even with one of them being displaced in time. He made a mental note to remember this and to bring it up when everything was back to a semblance of normal, as normal as things could get in Vallo. Maybe he could talk his Caleb into a more thorough shopping trip if he insisted that his older self apparently had a more varied wardrobe than he currently had. Maybe.
Deciding to take pity, Essek slid from their bed, reaching for his soft, silken robe to immediately slip over his shoulders. He secured it loosely around his waist as he floated -- floated, only because the wooden floors were cold in the morning as they crept closer to winter and Essek was a delicate flower -- over to Caleb, arm extending so his palm could rest on a bearded cheek.
"Deep breaths, Widogast," Essek murmured, that fond expression still on his face. "Your partner is nothing if not prepared." One of his eyebrows lifted in a graceful curve. "I certainly hope that doesn't change in the future."
“Ah-” Caleb cut off before he could really get going, and stood up straight so that he was leaning into Essek’s soft touch. He steadied himself, and seeing Essek float across the floor for the exact reason they’d ended up learning how to enchant the floors to be warm in the future, made him smile. It had been a while since that magic had been flexed to him.
“I appreciate my partner being prepared.” He’d almost slipped, almost said husband, as was familiar, but caught himself on the edge. At least Caleb didn’t think it’d send Essek running, not now, but it was bound to be a topic. “So uh- ja. Do your worst. I will need to look very presentable and I trust you.”
Essek wondered if the Essek of the future, the one who was bound by vows and rings to the Caleb standing before him, still found himself pausing, still felt that warmth bloom in his chest whenever he heard something like I trust you from this man. He knew that there was a time that there hadn't been that trust and yet, in two very different worlds, it had grown once more, through the new challenges of Vallo and the dangers of Aeor and everything that came with it. He had no intention of taking that trust for granted and he had to think that would never change.
Though the affection was still on his face, Essek deflected with a soft tease, "Your trust is well placed. I am very fashionable." Still, he couldn't help but brush his thumb gently over Caleb's cheekbone, then give a gentle scratch to his bearded jawline.
"I have a few pieces that I stowed away the last time you let me dress you, in case of an emergency," he admitted, nodding toward the closet. "And, if worse comes to worst, there's always Seeming."
Caleb hummed in appreciation, it was all too tempting to get lost in Essek’s touch. But he had a busy day ahead of him, one that had become and remained an important part of Caleb’s years in Vallo. Without that… well, his eyes roamed over Essek’s silky robe. “You are.” And it looked very good on him, as well.
“No Seeming, I don’t want to take any risks at eight hours.” Not that he was too worried about any issues, but then there was a part of Caleb that very much enjoyed the attention Essek put on him when it came to fashion. He was not one for it himself, outside of a few favorite sweaters or vests, but he was surrounded by those that took pride in it, and he appreciated them.
“Consider this an emergency, I put myself in your capable hands.” Caleb turned back to the pile that he had in the one drawer against the wall. “Just please, no yellow.”
Essek watched Caleb for a moment more -- shamelessly, would have been the correct descriptor, were he to be honest with himself. He felt like there were plenty of arguments to be had on why yes yellow, but he was being trusted. Essek could work within these parameters.
"No yellow," he repeated, wandering eyes turning to the closet. "Whatever you like, young man."