#storiedpath

[newtgottlieb]

newt after being kissed by hermann: like zoinkers man

I'm so sorry

[saturdaysky]

🌹🌹🌹🌹

Four roses? Have a whole snippet! I might remix this into something else one of these days, but for now this is what it is: as their Aeorian nerd vacation ends, shadowgast pick out a bottle of wine to share before Caleb leaves.

Caleb eyes the crate with a mix of suspicion and amusement. "An excellent vintage, for so distant an outpost."

At this point they have faced no small about of death, horror, and indignity together, so Essek dares a laugh. "I appropriated it from my wine cellar on a trip to Rosohna, some months back.."

Caleb goes curiously silent, as Essek lifts the top of the crate to expose a handful of bottles packaged in straw and cloth, their labels glinting in the dim light. When Essek looks back, he's adopted the air of someone running numbers and sums in his head.

"You would have to have teleported this crate here separately. And then teleported yourself in after it. To here, so close to Aeor," Caleb says with incredulity shading his tone.  

"Yes, such a thing would be rather ill-advised, would it not?"

Caleb slants him a look in response, though a smile he hasn't quite hidden curls at the corners of his mouth.

Essek adopts a nonchalant air as he bends over to search the crate, then continues. "Foolish, even. Well, in the event that it happened, such a fool would find that the wine had arrived in, ah, perfect safety, but the connoisseur would be treated to an unexpected three day journey to the outpost. And perhaps also roughly acquainted with the side of a glacier a few times, for his hubris."

Caleb huffs a laugh. "Well, it is a good thing we have no such fools here, ja?"

Essek finds the bottle he's looking for: diamond plum wine, the same wine he'd shared with the Nein, so long ago. A good omen, he thinks as something in him goes a little soft, from different times.

He snags the bottle, and turns back to Caleb, who's still smiling. 

Essek meets his eyes squarely and allows something honest to shade his expression. Caleb's smile fades, and he looks intently back. The silence is heavy with unspoken words.

Caleb is leaving tomorrow, returning to the life that will start for him in Rexxentrum. He will be a very, very good professor, despite what his nerves say.

Essek will remain at the outpost until that is no longer an option, and then he will go elsewhere. Tonight might be the last time he is with Caleb like this, just the two of them. It has been more harrowing and more wonderful than he could ever have imagined.

"Well, friend," Essek asks softly, holding out the wine, "care to enjoy the fruits of foolishness with me?"

A warm hand covers his own on the bottle.

"Very much," Caleb replies in the same tone, eyes never leaving Essek's face.

Dealer's choice if they are actually together yet or are merely being intensely shadowgast about the whole thing.

[fjordfocused]

i think ruidus borne means player character

In this game, very possible.

[science-bastard]

Trick or treat!

🍭🍫🍬

[viciousmollymaukery]

lol, luis said zerxus and asmodeus relationship is paternal, and i'm imagining zerxus coming home to evandrin, being all, 'look at our new giant son'

asjdklfjasdf right?? like sir im about to become your son in law if you're gonna do that. make another seat at the dinner table.

[skeletonsloverockcandy]

Trick or treat!

Oh! I love your costume! Here you go: 🍬🍭🍫

😊have a Happy Halloween!