Chapter Text
Once past the gathered crowd, threading their way through the interior house was the ease of a lazy river rather than a dam. Most had moved outside to watch the promised show and only a few snuggling stragglers remained in the house in view of a window. The river raced as Essek tugged on Caleb’s hand, smiling as they went through the kitchen door and back into the living room. River became rapids as Caleb, a giddiness bubbling up into a bright smile, pulled ahead of Essek and led him upstairs. There were no spoken plans, only shared glances and the clasp of warm hands.
Essek stilled as they approached the doors of the upstairs hallway.
“I confess, I fear the revenge of our hostess if we miss the show. Which room has a balcony?”
“You’d like to go into a private room?” Caleb raised an eyebrow.
“Don’t tease me so. We both wanted to speak in private, no?” Essek had just a tint of a blush falling across his cheeks even as he met Caleb’s eyebrow with a sharp one of his own.
Caleb resisted the urge to pull both of Essek’s hands towards himself until Essek’s body followed, and instead opened the nearest door. “I am sure Yasha would not mind if we borrowed her view.”
They both strode past the bed with no acknowledgement other than perhaps a little extra blush across Caleb’s ears and a twitch to Essek’s own, and unlocked the double door window to the balcony. Caleb smiled at Essek and gestured at him to come closer. In between the planters of flowers and a few strewn cushions, there was only cozy standing room for Caleb and Essek on the overlook.
“Look at the tree from here.” Caleb pointed towards the imposing feature of their yard that seemed both smaller and more immense; the view full of the branches reaching up against the night sky while bearing their own sparks of light. The ornaments combined into star clusters, the people blurred into colors, the sky seemed to both dwarf and greet the crowd as they all looked upwards in anticipation.
“It is really quite stunning from here. This city… there is so much to be wary of, and memories i cannot simply put behind me but…”
“I know what you mean.” Caleb inched his hand across the balustrade, linking a pinky atop Essek’s. “Our home of origin will always be a place that grew us, but it does not have to be the place we stay planted. Or perhaps a better metaphor.” Caleb looked down at where their two hands gently touched each other. “One can plant their own garden to tend; create their own vision of home. A seed cared for even in an unlikely place can still become a tree.”
Essek gave him a long stare. “You are such a sap, Caleb Widogast.”
“I have never pretended otherwise.”
Essek turned away from Caleb’s face to look back towards the glowing tree. “I do see your point, heavy as you have made it. Although one element eludes me.” A sly smile crossed his face. “Am I the tree or are you?”
“Ah, either. Both. None.” Caleb leaned in. “Which would you like to be?”
“I do feel…cared for. When I am with all of you.” Essek inclined his head towards the dancing blue form of Jester in the front of the crowd below.
“You are.” Caleb squeezed his hand, other words so close to the tip of his tongue. “You are.”
The first explosion startled them both, so wrapped in thought and each other as they were. Essek was the first to laugh, hand on his chest and eyes bright. Momentary terror forgotten as his eyes were distracted by flashes of color and light. Caleb watched him a second longer, the sliver of Essek’s hair a mirror that captured each rainbow flash that streaked along the sky. Then Caleb turned out to enjoy the show.
Veth’s handiwork was obvious in the speed and size of eruption as the fireworks shot up to pierce the dark sky with light; tails flaming before they exploded into starbursts and suns. Jester’s hand was seen in the glittery shine of the colors, how the blues swirled into greens and pinks; the gold and silver accents twinkling off the firework bursts like crowns.
Caleb felt a prickle across the skin; a familiar feeling that was usually unwelcome, but not this time. He looked to his side where Essek was staring unwavering at him.
“What I wanted to speak to you about-“ He started.
“Essek, I’ve been wanting to-“ Caleb spoke at the same time.
Essek ducked his head with a laugh. “We are bad at this.”
“When talking does not involve spellwork and books, perhaps.”
“The stakes feel…higher.” Essek let out the softest of shaky breaths and Caleb reached out to take his hand.
“I agree. Although to me, it seems worth it.” Caleb turned Essek’s hand in his own until the palm faced up. With slow gentleness, he lifted the hand upwards, leaning in to meet the soft skin of Essek’s palm with a kiss.
Essek’s mouth opened in a silent gasp; a little oh escaping the circle of his lips.
“Tell me to stop, if this isn’t-“
“I won’t.” Essek rushed to say. “I won’t tell you to stop.”
Caleb could feel Essek’s heartbeat race under his mouth and he paused to read Essek’s face through his lashes. Stoicism fully melted away; Shadowhand left behind. Essek had one eye tooth worrying over his bottom lip, but his face unmistakably bloomed in smile.
“What did you wish to speak to me about?” Caleb asked from his place near Essek’s hand.
“This, us .”
“Then we think the same.” Caleb hesitated a moment, his certainty flickering like the end of a long spell. It was a holiday, the fireworks were racing hearts, twinkle lights and bubbly drinks casting romance over the whole night. He dropped Essek’s hand.
“Caleb, what are you thinking?” Essek’s voice was gentle, an oar not a spear.
“I am nervous.” Caleb admitted, leaning against the balustrade to take in Essek as a whole. “A simple question seems to be so tangled up in immensity it may not deserve.”
“With you, everything is immense.” Essek countered. “I have said it before and I will repeat as often as you need. Meeting you, meeting the Nein; you have shaken me to my very foundation. The ripples in my life, in others, it is foolish to try and track them all.”
“Good ripples?” Caleb smiled.
“Yes, very good.” Esssk was the one to take Caleb’s hand this time, holding it lightly between his own. Captured but tenderly so.
When Caleb first connected with the beacon there was a moment of everything and nothing, of feeling his consciousness stretch out so far into the surrounding stars that it wrapped back around into simply being one of the same million pinpricks of light in the beacon’s internal sky. Observing and being observed. Comet tails of endless possible paths. Then, he had been overwhelmed, but here the moment crystallized. He had no other path, no other words held suspended in his mind but the action he so sorely wanted to take.
“Essek, may I kiss you?”
A spark of light brighter than any firework that evening lit up in Essek’s eyes. “Caleb Widogast, I thought you would never ask.”
It wasn’t clear who was the first to move, the first lips to part, the first breath to share. Hands and arms opened to pull the other closer, to wrap, to hold. Essek gasped and Caleb chased the sound with his mouth, replicating the nips along his neck that caused the noise. Caleb stifled a moan into Essek’s collar, and deft fingers ran through his hair and up his back until he made the noise again. The press of the balustrade against his hip grew too sharp and Caleb guided Essek back, back, back until he was pressed against the wall. Essek lifted one elegantly dressed leg around Caleb’s, tugging him closer until hip pressed flush to thigh, friction a flint to start a fire between them. A well had been unlocked; a thirst for knowledge, for documenting each sound Essek could make, or the way Caleb’s eyes fluttered shut, or how Essek’s ears twitched under Caleb’s lips.
“Ah, Caleb,” Essek murmured against his neck. “I have realized a terrible thing.”
“What, Schatz?” Caleb paused where his hands were exploring under Essek’s jacket.
“We are in public and the firework show has ended some, uh, time ago. If anyone were to look up–”
“Oh, ja, that is…” Caleb breathed once more against Essek’s neck and pulled back. “Inside, perhaps? If you want to, that is, if you would like to continue.”
“Please. But perhaps a breather first? I, ah,” Essek pressed the back of his hand to his cheek. “This cold night has grown so warm.”
Now with a little distance between them letting in the night air, Caleb felt the heat more starkly. It did not cool him enough, his thoughts still raced. Certain midnights he had wondered, had hoped, had swiftly tamped it down. But now a slice of a dream was matching reality; Essek here with him, Essek wanting him.
“Ja, back inside, very smart.” His mouth was on autopilot as he sped to reopen the balcony door and let them both inside. Once he followed Essek back in, he swung the door firmly shut and moved to close the curtains too.
“Privacy, finally.” Essek grinned.
Caleb wanted to kiss those smiling lips and was struck with thought that he simply could . He secured the curtain and stepped forward until he could wrap his hands around Essek’s waist again. Essek beat him to his own thoughts, leaning forward again to rekiss his kiss-bitten lips, to retrace pinkened skin. Caleb tugged Essek closer, enjoying the way Essek pressed against him with a moan into his mouth.
“Caleb–” Essek began but his half-thought was forgotten as Caleb tugged at his hair to give deeper access for kisses trailing down his neck. Essek stood on his tip toes to lean into Caleb, the usual float abandoned somewhere between kiss two and ten.
“There was one more thing I wanted to ask you, but I believe words may now be unnecessary.” Caleb kissed his way back to Esske’s ear, his voice a heated whisper. “Would you still like to hear it?”
Essek leaned back, arms still encircled around Caleb’s shoulders like he didn’t quite want to let go.
Caleb let the moment hang in the air, the pause between them allowing Caleb to commit every facet of Essek’s face to memory.
“I like you, Ess-”
The door swung open and bounced off the wall with a bang, the sound an echo of a firework in the reality the wizards had forgotten.
“Hellooo! So this is where you were! We checked the laboratory first but– ooh!” Jester stopped mid-skip into the room with a comical skid of her shoes.
Essek quickly detached himself from Caleb, rushing to comb his hair back into a less rumpled state. Caleb tried to straighten the woeful wrinkles in his clothes but there was no hiding the reddened blush of his face with a simple press of his hand. Jester, eyes twinkling with more than just holiday mirth, smiled broadly as she stepped backwards into the doorway, arms out like a snow angel.
“Miss Lavorre, can you-” A voice started.
Essek froze with his hand in his hair and spun to face the doorway.
It was then that Caleb processed what she had said. “Wait, ‘we’ ?”
“Oh, yes, gosh, I have the biggest special-est surprise for you! I’ve been sending him messages ever since you told me about him, and I finally convinced –oh! And I also convinced his boss man person to give him a leave for a weekend so that-”
“Jester,” Essek cut her off, his voice a little shaky. “Is that-?”
A figure poked his head in around Jester in the doorway, long white hair swept back in a half-pony and a smile that broadened as he looked into the room. “Essek!”
“Verin, I, how–?” Essek blinked even as Verin stepped past Jester and walked into the room with arms open.
“I know you are not usually one for hugs, but surely for a holiday surprise…” Verin paused as he stood in front of Essek and waited for his consenting nod, before pulling him into an embrace. He was taller and broader than his brother, easily hugging his whole body with wrapped arms as Essek patted his back. Verin stepped back with a quizzical look. “Have you gotten shorter, brother?”
“No, I’m not, ah–”
He noticed Caleb standing beside them and stuck out his hand with a friendly smile. “Hello, I’m Verin.”
“Hullo, I’m Caleb, nice to–”
“This is Caleb, Essie’s boyfriend .” Jester interrupted with a toothy grin.
“Oh, this is him.” Verin looked Caleb up and down, appraising him.
Caleb was mentally spluttering but it was Essek that spoke first.
“He is my –I mean– we only just now…” He looked at Jester helplessly.
“Oh goodie, you two are together for realsies now? I was super optimistic for tonight but I’m glad I guessed right!”
“Do you like my brother, Caleb?” Verin asked, a little steel to his voice. “What combat have you trained in? What spells do you know?”
Essek stepped slightly between them. “Verin, it is fine, I do not need protecting.”
“We all help protect our squishy wizards, don’t you worry Verin, the Nein are on the job.” Jester linked her arm with Verin’s. “C’mon, c’mon, we’re having a family meeting downstairs but you two were still missing so I went looking. Let’s go back down before someone drinks the last bottle I’ve been hiding!”
“Family meeting?” Essek frowned.
“You’re family too, of course you are!” Jester read his mind so clearly. “It’s just drinks and snacks and toasting each other, I thought it’d be nice to end the night together!”
“It sounds wonderful, Jester.” Caleb smiled.
She patted Verin’s arm as they turned to leave the room. “And you promised me a dance. Oooh, it’ll make Fjord so jealous.”
As the foursome walked down the stairs, the sounds of laughter, clinking glasses, and slightly slurred singing turned up in volume. Jester picked up the pace with excitement, pulling Verin along with her into the living room. Essek paused on the last stair and reached for Caleb’s shoulder.
Caleb turned, looking up at Essek. He put his own hand over Essek’s on his shoulder, delighted to be so free with his touches now.
Essek’s gaze was full of glitter, like the trails of tinsel fallen on the floor, leave-behinds of a wonderful night. He paused, not for loss of words, but to take in Caleb’s warm smile and to offer one of his own.
“I like you Caleb Widogast.” He squeezed Caleb’s shoulder, steady under his hand.
“And I like you Essek T-”
Essek pressed a single finger to Caleb’s lips. “Just Essek please. I am…trying something new.”
“A new leaf?” Caleb kissed Essek's fingers with each syllable.
Essek moved his hand back to cup Caleb’s cheek. “A new branch.”
Jester‘s voice rang out from the kitchen “You guys, a new dawn is going to happen before we toast if you don't get in here right now!”
Essek stepped down to walk with Caleb towards the boisterous warmth and noise of their friends. He leaned in, breath like a kiss to Caleb’s ear. “I am happy to see a new tomorrow with you.”
Caleb turned swiftly to capture the end of Essek’s sentence with a kiss, an eruption of cheers and exclamations from their friends as they entered into view.
“Happy Joyous Dawn, my friend.” Caleb began the toasting in a whisper just for Essek to hear. “I am happy to see many more tomorrows with you.”