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Caleb closes the door to his bedroom and gets ready for sleep. His bed feels empty without Essek by his side — how he wishes the drow was here with him. But if their plan works, it will mean that Essek can once again live as himself. Ludinus’s downfall is a key part of that, for Caleb knows the elf will not rest before getting revenge if he is left alive. He’s gotten assurances from Astrid and Wulf that they have no interest in going after Essek. And in this, he does believe them. So all that is left for Essek to take care of in order to reclaim his life are Leylas Kryn and Ludinus Da’leth.
They’re working on a plan for Leylas, which is precisely why Essek is not with him right now. Caleb gets into bed, holding on to Essek’s scarf in one hand as he grabs the mirror Allura gifted them with the other.
The signal is not as clear as it usually is, but within moments, he sees the face of the love of his life.
“Oh good, you’re safe,” Essek says and Caleb can practically feel the relief.
“We have made it to the moon in one piece ; tomorrow the real work begins,” Caleb says. “But we get to enjoy the tower tonight…”
“Are you with Bells Hells already?” Essek asks.
“Ja. They were very taken with the tower so it was quite the hilarious first meeting.”
“I did warn you they were…. particular,” Essek says fondly from his spot on some sort of cot.
“I admit longer exposure to them is quite amusing. I do hope they survive — we could have some fun together. They are as chaotic as the Nein. Caduceus talked about how it’s probably what it’s like to meet us.”
“I could see that. I do think they’re more chaotic and perhaps…” Essek trails off.
“What is it, Schatz?”
“They’re a lot less codependent;they have interesting interactions with each other, it’s like different, uh,groups and wild disagreements. For all the Nein can disagree, you do at least try to listen to each other.”
“You didn’t see us at the beginning —Beau and myself,or even Fjord,” Caleb points out, remembering those days,.
“At the beginning — I worry their differences will bring out the worst in a pivotal moment.”
“I believe in them. Well, I believe in most of them. Orym has a good head on his shoulders as does Imogen. I gave them the intuit charges; I thought they might have a better use for them,” Caleb points out and sees his husband’s eyes raise.
“You sure that's wise, ‘Chev?” Essek asks. “It seemed like the right thing to do.”
“I trust your judgment…I am curious, how did the cow —”
“Minotaur,” Caleb says with apparent fondness. He loves his husband’s pettier side coming out when people are against their friends. And even though she can take care of herself, Essek is especially protective of Jester. Caleb finds it quite adorable.
“‘Whatever. I heard from Jester that he was giving her trouble but she never sent me another message.”
“Oh, no worries there,she brought him to her side through their shared love of art…”
“And because she’s Jester, no one can resist her for long,” Essek points out.
“Ja — that’s the biggest truth in our lives, isn’t it?”
“So, has no one figured it out yet?” Essek asks with a mischievous grin.
“They have not — I dropped a hint about quick weddings to see if Jester and Fjord wanted to take advantage but they did not take the bait. Beau did smirk at me when I said it but she did not reveal the game,” Caleb tells him with pride.
Currently the only ones that know that Caleb and Essek are married are Beauregard and Verin — and that’s because they were there. Well, Yasha probably knows because Beau cannot keep anything from her wife, but otherwise it has remained a secret. They decided to make a game of it, see how long it would take the rest of the Nein to figure it out. And well, they did not want to step on Fjord and Jester’s toes– their engagement was a wonderful moment, after all. One they deeply deserved. Both Caleb and Essek know that they would not mind, but at the same time, they should get to enjoy their spotlight.
Plus if (when) they find out, they’ll probably want to throw a big party. With Essek’s current status that’s quite impossible, and Caleb knows his husband. He wants to celebrate it as himself, not as Seth or any other alias. It’s why they went with the quick wedding. Part of it was because of the fear of the unknown. They don’t know what will happen in the next week, let alone the next month. They wanted there to be some record that they loved each other. Even if — especially if — one of them did not make it.
“Caleb, are you alright?” Essek says and Caleb realizes he’s probably been quiet for a few minutes.
“Just lost in thought… nothing for you to worry about, Schatz.”
“And yet you know that I will,” Essek points out and Caleb smiles at him again.
“As I worry for you.”
“I wish I was with you,” Essek says in a soft voice. As if he doesn’t want anyone overhearing him being vulnerable. While Essek has changed a lot from the drow that Caleb first met, he still has some issues being vulnerable around people who are not Verin or the Nein. He would not want anyone coming into his room and catching him close to tears.
“Oh Liebling… You know I wish I was with you as well. I wish we could spend this night together. I admit I am jealous of Fjord and Jester, Beau and Yasha for that. Because there’s nothing I desire more than to hold you right now.”
“But we made a decision and we need to stick to it,” Essek says, “Still not sure if your hare-brained plan will work.”
“It’s not that hare-brained” Caleb laughs and his husband scoffs, he’d clearly learned the word from Beau who delighted in showing him different words in common.
“I said what I said.”
“Of course — and it will work.”
“Leylas is too smart to fall for it,” Essek points out.
“There is nothing to fall for, we’re not tricking her in any way. Vox Machina needs someone with intimate knowledge of the beacons to help save their orb person… from ze key. And you will hand her the beacon back. It should give you leniency.”
After all, it had worked for Caleb himself, so why shouldn’t it work for Essek? Especially considering he was risking his life to save all of Exandria.
“I’m not sure she’ll go for it.”
“You are helping protect all of Exandria — and as you pointed out, she’s too smart. There’s no way she doesn’t know that you live with me–or else her new shadowhand is like … really bad at their job.”
“Well, not everyone can be me,” Essek says with the trademark arrogance that made Caleb so attracted to him from the beginning.
“You’re one of a kind, Liebling.”
Even in the poor lighting, Caleb knows when his husband is blushing.
“How’s the heartbreaker? Still hopelessly pining?” Essek asks.
“He’s so pretty Essek.. I knew what you said and I always trust your judgment but he’s so pretty.””
“I know your tastes, Ussta’chev,” Essek smirks.
“That you do… I do think the pining has stopped,” Caleb says. “I might have talked to Orym.”
“Oh? I thought you said they should figure it out themselves.”
“He looked so sad and weighed down — I could not help it.”
“I know, it’s part of why I love you.”
Now it’s Caleb’s turn to blush and he knows that with his superior eyesight, Essek can definitely see it.
“The point is that I overheard them talking while I was doing my rounds of the tower and they definitely admitted to having feelings for each other. They’re very sweet.”
“I wish them nothing but good things and perhaps maybe in the future….” Essek trails off with another smirk.
“Ja, you know I would definitely be into that.”
“Well tell me, how was meeting the famous Chetney Pock O’Pea?”
“I might have made a fool of myself but it was delightful. He’s so brilliant in person, Essek. I felt giddy.”
Caleb gets giddy remembering meeting one of his childhood heroes and goes on about every detail switching between Common and Zemnian as he does when he gets too excited. After a full 8 minutes of just gushing about his hero, a yawn escapes him.
“Caleb, you need to go to bed.”
“I am technically in a bed.”
“Caleb Widogast.”
“I don’t want to say goodnight to you,” Caleb admits, and Essek’s expression softens.
“You need your full strength for everything that is to come tomorrow. I will always be here on the other side of the mirror for you. I promise to be careful on my side if you promise to be careful on yours.”
“I will be. I have to come home to you after all — and the cats.”
“Yes, and the cats,” Essek says with a roll of his eyes. “I will see you soon, Caleb.”
“You promise?” Caleb asks, even though he knows he shouldn’t. He knows this is a promise that neither of them can make.
And yet they do.
“I promise. I love you, Caleb Widogast”
“I love you too, Essek Thelyss. Say hi to Verin for me.”
Essek snorts. “I will. He's said he looks forward to teasing us when all this is over.”
“We need to introduce him to the rest of the Nein, then it will really be chaos,” Caleb points out.
“There’s nothing I’d like more. Sweet dreams, my darling.”
“Sweet dreams, Liebling.”
And with that, the call cuts out and Caleb goes to sleep with the mirror on the bedside table, covered in his husband’s scarf. Just a few more days, right? Just one more big fight.
Then they can be together again — all will be well.
Caleb decides to be an optimist and think that things might actually be okay. It probably will not be the Exandria they know; something will have to change either way. But as long as he’s got Essek — as long as he has the Nein.
He’ll be okay.