Yussa leads the way up the dark, spiralling stair at Tidepeak Tower's center, his shimmering robes trailing several steps behind him. Caleb follows, leaving the brightly-lit sitting room and the jovial voices of his friends behind, for now. Before he is compeletely out of range, he pulls out his copper wire and mutters a Message to Veth.
"I am going to talk with Yussa for a little while. Do not leave without me. You can reply to this message."
Her response is swift.
"Roger, Lebby. We did save the world and him, so I hope he gives you some cool shit. You deserve it!"
A smile flickers over Caleb's lips, but he doesn't Message further. He turns his face up toward Yussa's back again, noting the landings and doors he doesn't lead him through as they pass.
He has been itching all evening for a chance to speak alone with the older wizard for a number of reasons, the most important of which is to ask how he he is doing. His mood has been warm since they arrived, thanking them for their aid and welcoming them to make merry in his home this evening, but Caleb knows better than most of them what Yussa has been through. It must have been harrowing, and it has been only a little more than a week since he Banished him back to this plane. That isn't a lot of time, in the grand scheme of things, to even begin recovering from such an event.
Less important, but still important to him, is the matter of--well, a more personal nature. Months have now passed, but there has never been the chance to follow up on what occurred between them just before the peace talks. The Nein have been busy, and visits to Tidepeak have been brief, or focused on more pressing matters. He has missed the handful of sunny aftenoons and golden evenings spent copying spells and working through his own drafts in this tower. Understandably, the last one in particular stands out in his memory. He's thought of it often.
At last, they come to a landing where Yussa pauses. Caleb doesn't recognize the door he ushers him through, but follows all the same.
Yussa doesn't mind hosting the Nein - they have accomplished a great thing at no small cost. But he is just as content to leave them to their loud, raucous celebration in a large, open sitting room as Caleb joins him somewhere quieter.
He hears the message sent as they climb the stairs, though he does not hear the reply.
A door opens on a landing and Yussa slips out onto a long, covered balcony. There are comfortable places to sit and to lounge, a few lanterns lit, and a bottle of wine waiting for them. The sea breeze is warm and pleasant, and the sky beyond Nicodranas is filled with stars.
"I hope this is to your liking," he says, his quiet voice carrying much better now that he isn't competing with Jester, Beau, or Veth. Yussa gestures at the seating options before settling on a low couch.
Despite glimpsing multiple ever-shifting balconies on this tower from the outside, Caleb is not expecting to be led onto one of them, and the ocean breeze takes him by surprise. The view over the city below, and the starlit ocean beyond it, is breathtaking, and the balcony itself is beautiful. Caleb trails wide-eyed behind his host, taking in everything with a look just shy of wonder.
The alcove Yussa guides him to is elegant and comfortable in the way that has become characteristic of Tidepeak to Caleb, adhering to Yussa's personal aesthetic while still existing as a space to be lived in. He admires that; it is the same principal with which he had created his own tower.
"Ja, absolutely," he answers quickly, also much easier to hear now that his friends aren't drowning him out. "I did not expect--ah, any of this. Thank you."
Yussa sweeps into a place on the low couch. Caleb deliberates a moment before choosing to sit beside him, hoping that isn't too presumptuous. There is a little space between them, even facing each other.
Licking dry lips and resting his hands on his knees, Caleb nods toward the vista of a sleepy seaside city displayed below. "This is an incredible view."
Yussa looks out across the city to the Open Quay to the sea with a soft sigh.
"It is," he agrees with a fond certainty. "I never intended to become custodian of a city or even part of one, but I must admit I enjoy my little patch of anarchy."
Despite being surrounded by the rule of the Concord, Yussa is secure in the knowledge that they cannot touch him or the people who live in his district. He cooperates on certain things required for the sake of living in a society, common needs shared across all parts of the city, but that is the extent of his willingness to work with them.
"Will you pour?" He gestures to the wine and the glasses waiting for them.
While Caleb is well aware that Yussa owns this district (and is a very wealthy man, however much he may politely deflect), that is one subject that has never really come up before. They have always been too preoccupied by arcane mysteries, or tutelage as Caleb copied over spells, or--other things. Nodding, he reaches for the wine to pour, and tries not to wonder anxiously if he should have offered first.
"How did that come to be, if I may ask? Your, ah...custodianship?"
The wine is already decanted, indicating that Yussa had this space prepared in the hope that they would speak alone, which brings a hint of color to Caleb's face. Yussa has always seemed amused and intrigued by his progression with arcane learning, and was very pleased with him when they were intimate, but it still surprised and pleases him that the older wizard would wish to seek him out specifically.
Once he has filled each of their glasses an appropriate amount, Caleb sets the decanter back in its place and looks to Yussa.
Yussa accepts his glass before answering. He takes a sip, as if needing to confirm that this is the wine he asked for. It is, of course. Wensforth does not make careless mistakes when it comes to his master's taste. He settles back again and looks out toward the city and the sea.
"Some two hundred years ago, this side of the city was largely destroyed by a fire. The Marquis and city officials saw fit to sell it to me, for whatever an eccentric wizard might want. I don't think think they anticipated that I would have it rebuilt."
He shrugs and absently toys with a pendant he's chosen to wear. The smooth piece of rainbow obsidian is just a bit larger than his thumb.
"The Clovis Concord controls all trade and commerce along the coast, and their priority is to ensure profit for themselves and whoever sees fit to invest in enterprises and run them here. That rarely translates to care for the people they govern and anyone connected to the ruling council of the Concord - sometimes marquises themselves - have a monopoly. For all that they speak of open cooperation, the marquises spend most of their time trying to conspire against each other to gain ever more power."
Yussa brushes his thumb along the edge of the obsidian. He finally turns his full attention back to Caleb, the gold of his eyes warm and dark in the light from the lanterns.
"I did not care for that, nor do I care for the Uludan family. So, after purchasing it, I rebuilt the Open Quay and ensured that those who wished to would be able to set up shops and homes here. I keep their rents low and they do not need to bribe me to keep me happy. In turn, the merchants here have become very loyal."
Caleb follows suit, sipping at his own wine. Generally, it is not his favorite drink; his palette has expanded, but his tastes are still overwhelmingly Zemnian, and he would prefer beer almost always. Still, the fine wine he has had the opportunity to try in the company of fine wizards is growing on him.
He listens quietly but intently as Yussa explains the circumstances of purchasing an entire district of a city (a concept that he struggles to comprehend, despite being good with numbers), and his reasons for doing so. Admittedly, they are good reasons, and if the people of the Open Quay are happy and feel fairly treated, that is all that matters.
"Ah," he says, when it seems Yussa has finished sharing. "The Nein met both the current Marquis Uludan and his cousin in the Assembly when we were here for the peace talks. Neither had much attention to spare for us." Which is to say they'd been quickly written off as unimportant. Caleb doesn't mind being underestimated, as his slight smile proves. When he and Beauregard return to Rexxentrum tomorrow with his old teacher in chains, it will shake the foundations of the Empire. They'll have to pay attention then. "They must be frustrated--the Uludans--that a part of the city they once wrote off has become prosperous again without the Concord getting a cut of the profits."
He leans back into the couch, allowing himself to relax a little more as he looks out again over the city. The Open Quay certainly has a different feel than the rest of the city, far more diversity and far less regulation. It's refreshing.
Yussa doesn't hide the flicker of distaste that crosses his face at the mention of the Marquis and Lord Uludan.
"Nor would they." It doesn't surprise him. The rest of the Nein might be easy to write off, but to miss Caleb--well. He supposes that was the younger man's aim at the time, to go unnoticed. Underestimated. "I will be sad to miss the look on his face, or the Martinet's, when you arrive with Ikithon. You will have to describe it in detail on your next visit."
Which assumes Caleb will come back. They have far more to discover together, Yussa is certain of that.
"Yes, they are quite annoyed. They have offered to buy it back several times now, with the caveat that I keep Tidepeak, of course. But I am uninterested in doing them any favors." There's an edge to his voice, a viciousness that lies beneath the usually placid surface. "They have nothing to offer that I need or want, and being a thorn in the side of the Concord is far more entertaining."
It has not always been easy, but Yussa does not see his will wavering any time soon.
"I was looking for a place to retire," he admits, quieter and more distant. "A place where I could keep to myself and work without interference. That a space in Nicodranas could offer me that was an opportunity I could not pass up."
Caleb doesn't miss that assumption, and finds it deeply encouraging. They have already agreed to study the Folding Halls together, but Caleb would very much like more time like this with Yussa, beyond their research. His blue eyes spark with quiet amusement as he agrees, "My memory is very good. It will be as though you were there yourself."
That continuing to vex the Concord is far more important to Yussa than any price they could offer him only serves to increase his esteem in Caleb's eyes, and he finds himself feeling dangerously fond of a man he barely knows. As Yussa continues, voice lowering as he sinks a little into his reminiscing, Caleb's quiet smile remains, but his amusement turns to thoughtful contemplation and cautious curiosity.
"You implied, early in our acquaintance, that you once were in the position I am now, traveling with a group of adventurers as their wizard." He'd said other things as well. Some things that had frightened Caleb at the time, and others he now knows to be true. The advice was so specific that he clearly spoke from personal experience.
Caleb finds himself leaning closer to the other man, just as fraction, as he wets his lips with another sip of wine. "Is that the life you were looking to retire from?"
A faint smirk tugs at his mouth and Yussa looks sidelong at Caleb as the younger wizard leans closer; the effect is a distinctively sly expression.
"I am no one's wizard, Caleb Widogast." He hides brighter amusement behind his wine glass as he takes another drink. "But yes. That is the life I was seeking to retire from. There is only so long one can continue in that life. Eventually the cost is too much, one way or another."
Yussa shifts, folding one leg on the couch as he turns to face Caleb more. There are things he recognizes, and there are things about Caleb Widogast that could never be true about Yussa Errenis, and he admires that.
"And so I found myself here, with a quay and a tower."
Gods, he's hot. Caleb's pulse picks up a little at Yussa's sly glance and coy response. He gives a soft laugh, slightly bashful. "Ja, perhaps not exactly the same position, then." He very much considers himself the Nein's wizard. But he is certainly not so independent as Yussa.
But he does understand the need to leave that life behind, eventually. He can't imagine he will ever leave the Nein, but adventuring--he certainly can't do that forever. He has other priorities. And he can imagine the costs, especially for an elf living that life for some time. He can imagine the costs too well. He has seen his friends die.
Perhaps it is too obvious, the way he follows the movement of Yussa's leg with his eyes. Perhaps he doesn't mind if it is obvious.
"Well, it seems you have ended up in the right place." Speaking of which-- "I am glad that we could send you home," he says, softer, careful. Eyes intent on Yussa's face. "How are you, my friend? Truly?"
There is a pause between Caleb's question and any attempt at an answer. It's clear, even for just a few seconds, that the sudden shift in topic has caught Yussa particularly off guard. He sits back, not withdrawing so much as taking a moment to collect himself. He looks down at his wine for a moment.
How is one to really answer a question like that? Yussa is quite certain that Caleb is not asking after anything mundane.
"I am in one piece, thanks to you," he says eventually. "It... was an experience I will not soon forget."
Yussa lifts his gaze to meet Caleb's again, more somber than he had been a moment ago. He knows that it might have been a group effort to find him, but it was the quick thinking of one man - this man - that made his survival possible.
Caleb can tell, in that moment where Yussa is surprised by his question, how shaken he really is. He'd expected nothing less, after spending as long as he had connected to that entity. His own glimpses into that madness were disturbing enough. He nods, holding Yussa's gaze. His brow knits up, voice remaining quiet.
"I am sorry we did not get to you sooner. We delved through the ruins as quickly as we could, but..." He shakes his head. "It was days, still."
He doesn't especially think of himself as being the one who saved Yussa; he'd cast the spell, but it was a group effort to find him. But the way Yussa is looking at him now--perhaps he does see it that way.
"I was not sure if you could hear me, when I spoke to you there," he murmurs. He wants to reach for the other wizard's hand, but that would be too much, surely. "Banishment seemed like the thing to do. I am glad you are safe. But I am sorry, still."
"It was eons," he says quietly. "It was seconds. I am grateful that you found me at all. And Banishment was the most effective way to manage it. Not only did it send me where I needed to go, it was... forceful enough to break the hold of the Somnovem. Of the city."
He could not have helped in his own rescue at that point, and Caleb's solution was both elegant and swift. Yussa finishes his glass and sets it aside. He might want more, he hasn't decided yet. But he does not want a distraction in this conversation.
"I think it will be some time before I am fully recovered," he admits. "Being a part of that sort of madness was--" Yussa isn't sure he is capable of describing it. He just shakes his head.
"I owe you a debt. It was not only my life, but my mind that you saved."
Surely Caleb, as a wizard, realizes the depths of that distinction.
Caleb understands that distinction perfectly. He's lived it. Eleven years in Vergesson with his mind shattered. This is something Yussa may learn about him soon, when the details of Ikithon's crimes come to light. But he doesn't--he can't--say it now. He nods, and his eyes say enough. He understands.
"You owe me nothing," he insists, "after all you have done for me. I only hope to continue studying with you."
His own wine is all but forgotten, the stem of the glass held loosely between his fingers.
"And you are my friend," he says, tentatively enough that it is almost a question--an offer. "So your life and your remarkable mind matter to me, because they are yours. I...no longer wish to have debts between friends."
The sudden urge Yussa feels hits like a wave. He could resist it, but he isn't sure that he wants to. Caleb asserts his impressions and Yussa does not try to counter them: Caleb Widogast - the Nein - have most certainly earned his trust and friendship.
"Then we will not consider it a debt, but an opportunity. You have proven a remarkable student and colleague, one I should like to see more of. One I would be honored to work with."
Caleb has a different kind of quest to embark on, one that begins with the man in a basket. But there must be more beyond that. Yussa slides closer, enough that he doesn't have to reach far to lightly cup Caleb's chin.
"There is so much we have to explore together, Caleb Widogast."
"An opportunity. Ja, that sounds good," Caleb agrees, his voice going a little faint toward the end as Yussa's words really sink in. It is high praise, especially from Yussa, who seems to give it so rarely. He has called Caleb competent in the past, reasonably skilled, clever, and even challenged him to complete difficult spells. But to say that he would be honored to work together makes Caleb feel, at last, like they are on more equal footing.
He recalls Yussa being far more free with his praise while he was eating him out. Yes, he'd made it quite clear how much he enjoyed his mouth, and then his cock, when it came to that. Months later, Caleb can still recall with perfect clarity how pleased he sounded, how stunning he looked spread out on the lounge in his study, the hot slickness of his cunt, the intensity of his golden eyes turned dark with desire.
Just as before, Yussa first reaches for his face, gripping his chin lightly to hold his attention. As though Caleb could possibly look anywhere else. Just as before, he loses his breath, chest suddenly tight and heat flooding his skin.
Oh, so this is going to be a thing. He won't pretend for a moment he hasn't hoped that would be the case.
"I am eager as ever to collaborate with you, Master Errenis," he agrees softly, demure, but with a hint of a smile.
"Tell me now " he murmurs as he leans closer. "Are you interested in all our exploration, Caleb?"
He needs to hear it. He needs to be certain they are completely on the same page. This is not a relationship he is willing to risk with carelessness or uncertainty. Moving forward in this requires clarity. Whatever might want is secondary to Caleb's desires. Yussa can push it aside if Caleb is uninterested, but he does not think he's misreading the younger man's interest.
A faint smile quirks his mouth as he repeats something Caleb once said to him.
"Be clear with what you want. I do not wish to guess."
Caleb recognizes the words at once, of course. Despite how hard his heart is pounding, his smile grows a fraction wider, mirroring Yussa's. He leans toward the older man, bowing his head to press into his touch.
"Yes. Very much. I--I would like to be intimate with you again. Now, and in the future, should I continue to impress."
He feels his face heating further, but he hopes that is clear enough. He is very, very interested. Memories of their previous encounter have kept him warm at night on several occasions.
"Do you think you will be missed?" Yussa holds Caleb's gaze, intent and interested. Realizing he should clarify less that sounds more like a threat than an invitation, he adds: "Should you return to your friends before too long?"
While it is not truly possible for the Nein to come looking for Caleb in Yussa's tower, he would really prefer they not try, or press Wensforth for admittance anywhere else. Yussa doubts the goblin would yield to any such demands, but he would still prefer his assistant not have to endure them all the same. His fingers curl, stroking lightly along Caleb's cheek. The mutual agreement is exciting, but he can wait if he must for the sake of ensuring they are not interrupted.
Yussa can feel the warmth in Caleb's cheek and he is close enough to hear the quiet catch in the younger man's breath. Gods but it is satisfying to feel so desired. Clearly age and experience have not robbed him of that delight, which is rather gratifying to discover.
"I told Veth I would be gone for a bit, so there is time. They tend to leave me be when I am doing wizard things." His smile turns more than a little smug, blue eyes twinkling with amusement. "To them it is all studying and copying and arcane jargon. Very boring."
His throat bobs as he swallows, sensitive to the brush of fingers along his cheek, skin prickling. His beard is much thicker than the last time they'd done this, fuller but softer than the short stubble Yussa had experienced before.
He wasn't really expecting this to happen tonight, but he did hope, maybe. At the very least, he wanted to talk about it--but doing is better than talking. Sitting close together, his hand covers Yussa's knee, warm and rough against several layers of fine fabric. He takes in the other man's fine features with a warm but intense interest, unconcealed.
"So if you want to keep me a little longer...I can easily make excuses."
Caleb has changed in many ways since they were last intimate. He is healthier, more confident; in just as many ways, he is the same man. Still that hint of playfulness that Yussa finds so charming.
"Be careful what you offer, Caleb Widogast. You know I am willing to take you at your word, and take advantage."
Perhaps he should not say these things, but they are true: Yussa thinks he would quite enjoy keeping Caleb for a night, or more. But the younger man has pressing business in a basket downstairs, and so Yussa knows that he cannot keep Caleb as long as he would like. But at least he can make clear that the invitation is open, and he can be relatively certain that Caleb, at least, will give him more than a few seconds warning before showing up again.
They have time now, and anything past that need not be his concern until it is. Yussa tips his head to brush a light kiss to Caleb's lips, teasing, or testing the waters. He initiated the last time, as well, but perhaps that is what will be necessary to assure Caleb that he is desired.
Yussa has the right idea. It's as though that first testing kiss unlocks something in Caleb--the permission he needed to make a move himself. With an almost relieved sigh through his nose, his hand runs from Yussa's knee up his thigh as he shifts closer, seeking another kiss on the heels of the first. There is an edge of nervousness still, but he doesn't hesitate to seek more, pressing his lips to Yussa's more firmly.
He would really like, honestly, for Yussa to take advantage of that offer tonight. Spending a night at Tidepeak, engaging in physical intimacy at leisure, seems almost impossibly indulgent. Unfortunately, they both know that is not possible. There is much Caleb must see to tomorrow. His destiny, some might say.
But in the future, maybe. They've planned to see one another on a somewhat regular basis. Perhaps there is more to hope for.
Caleb had left his coat and scarf downstairs, and his heavier layers have been stored away for a week, which leaves him in shirtsleeves, rolled up to his elbow, beneath his book harness, component pouch strapped to his leg over his trousers. His hair remains in a loose but neat ponytail, long and flipped carelessly over his shoulder.
Yussa breaths a soft sigh of his own as Caleb's hand slides up his thigh and he leans in for a harder kiss. There, the door is open. He reaches up to press his hand to Caleb's cheek to offer both comfort and encouragement. He wants to be certain that there is no question here, no possibility for Caleb to mistake his interest.
While Caleb has divested himself of layers, Yussa has not: he is dressed to entertain.
"This may take some effort on your part," he quips, barely pulling away even to say that much. He is still draped in layers of gold and blue, and while Caleb has only undressed him once, Yussa is quite certain he recalls just how layered he can be.
"Do you need my assistance, Caleb Widogast?" There's a smile in his voice and Yussa eases back just a bit more, enough that he can see Caleb's face clearly. There are probably better places to do this, but Yussa does not want to leave this space and risk being dragged into any other socializing or crisis. For now, they can be here and have a bubble of time just for themselves.
For Caleb, this is a promising start, and it is easy to see the difference just a few months have made in him from their first encounter to this one. While he still waits for permission and approval, and admittedly still finds himself a bit overwhelmed, he is much more surefooted. He leans in another inch to chase Yussa's mouth when he pulls away, relenting when the older man directs his attention to what he is wearing this evening.
With a quick, assessing glance, Caleb looks over the archmage's beautiful and no doubt complex ensemble with the bright-eyed focus he would a puzzle, or an arcane theorem he is attempting to prove on paper, curiosity mingled with excitement. After a moment, he cracks a smile, and meets the other wizard's gaze again with a bashfulness that is almost coy.
"Ah, nein, I could figure it out myself, given a little time," he says, soft but confident. "However, I would enjoy your assistance very much, my friend. If you could direct me, I will do all the work."
He should be forgiven, he thinks, for taking a bit of a shortcut, given their limited time tonight. Even more importantly, the idea of Yussa calmly providing instruction through each step of undressing him is too attractive to ignore.
![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
noch einmeal
"I am going to talk with Yussa for a little while. Do not leave without me. You can reply to this message."
Her response is swift.
"Roger, Lebby. We did save the world and him, so I hope he gives you some cool shit. You deserve it!"
A smile flickers over Caleb's lips, but he doesn't Message further. He turns his face up toward Yussa's back again, noting the landings and doors he doesn't lead him through as they pass.
He has been itching all evening for a chance to speak alone with the older wizard for a number of reasons, the most important of which is to ask how he he is doing. His mood has been warm since they arrived, thanking them for their aid and welcoming them to make merry in his home this evening, but Caleb knows better than most of them what Yussa has been through. It must have been harrowing, and it has been only a little more than a week since he Banished him back to this plane. That isn't a lot of time, in the grand scheme of things, to even begin recovering from such an event.
Less important, but still important to him, is the matter of--well, a more personal nature. Months have now passed, but there has never been the chance to follow up on what occurred between them just before the peace talks. The Nein have been busy, and visits to Tidepeak have been brief, or focused on more pressing matters. He has missed the handful of sunny aftenoons and golden evenings spent copying spells and working through his own drafts in this tower. Understandably, the last one in particular stands out in his memory. He's thought of it often.
At last, they come to a landing where Yussa pauses. Caleb doesn't recognize the door he ushers him through, but follows all the same.
no subject
He hears the message sent as they climb the stairs, though he does not hear the reply.
A door opens on a landing and Yussa slips out onto a long, covered balcony. There are comfortable places to sit and to lounge, a few lanterns lit, and a bottle of wine waiting for them. The sea breeze is warm and pleasant, and the sky beyond Nicodranas is filled with stars.
"I hope this is to your liking," he says, his quiet voice carrying much better now that he isn't competing with Jester, Beau, or Veth. Yussa gestures at the seating options before settling on a low couch.
no subject
The alcove Yussa guides him to is elegant and comfortable in the way that has become characteristic of Tidepeak to Caleb, adhering to Yussa's personal aesthetic while still existing as a space to be lived in. He admires that; it is the same principal with which he had created his own tower.
"Ja, absolutely," he answers quickly, also much easier to hear now that his friends aren't drowning him out. "I did not expect--ah, any of this. Thank you."
Yussa sweeps into a place on the low couch. Caleb deliberates a moment before choosing to sit beside him, hoping that isn't too presumptuous. There is a little space between them, even facing each other.
Licking dry lips and resting his hands on his knees, Caleb nods toward the vista of a sleepy seaside city displayed below. "This is an incredible view."
no subject
"It is," he agrees with a fond certainty. "I never intended to become custodian of a city or even part of one, but I must admit I enjoy my little patch of anarchy."
Despite being surrounded by the rule of the Concord, Yussa is secure in the knowledge that they cannot touch him or the people who live in his district. He cooperates on certain things required for the sake of living in a society, common needs shared across all parts of the city, but that is the extent of his willingness to work with them.
"Will you pour?" He gestures to the wine and the glasses waiting for them.
no subject
"How did that come to be, if I may ask? Your, ah...custodianship?"
The wine is already decanted, indicating that Yussa had this space prepared in the hope that they would speak alone, which brings a hint of color to Caleb's face. Yussa has always seemed amused and intrigued by his progression with arcane learning, and was very pleased with him when they were intimate, but it still surprised and pleases him that the older wizard would wish to seek him out specifically.
Once he has filled each of their glasses an appropriate amount, Caleb sets the decanter back in its place and looks to Yussa.
no subject
"Some two hundred years ago, this side of the city was largely destroyed by a fire. The Marquis and city officials saw fit to sell it to me, for whatever an eccentric wizard might want. I don't think think they anticipated that I would have it rebuilt."
He shrugs and absently toys with a pendant he's chosen to wear. The smooth piece of rainbow obsidian is just a bit larger than his thumb.
"The Clovis Concord controls all trade and commerce along the coast, and their priority is to ensure profit for themselves and whoever sees fit to invest in enterprises and run them here. That rarely translates to care for the people they govern and anyone connected to the ruling council of the Concord - sometimes marquises themselves - have a monopoly. For all that they speak of open cooperation, the marquises spend most of their time trying to conspire against each other to gain ever more power."
Yussa brushes his thumb along the edge of the obsidian. He finally turns his full attention back to Caleb, the gold of his eyes warm and dark in the light from the lanterns.
"I did not care for that, nor do I care for the Uludan family. So, after purchasing it, I rebuilt the Open Quay and ensured that those who wished to would be able to set up shops and homes here. I keep their rents low and they do not need to bribe me to keep me happy. In turn, the merchants here have become very loyal."
no subject
He listens quietly but intently as Yussa explains the circumstances of purchasing an entire district of a city (a concept that he struggles to comprehend, despite being good with numbers), and his reasons for doing so. Admittedly, they are good reasons, and if the people of the Open Quay are happy and feel fairly treated, that is all that matters.
"Ah," he says, when it seems Yussa has finished sharing. "The Nein met both the current Marquis Uludan and his cousin in the Assembly when we were here for the peace talks. Neither had much attention to spare for us." Which is to say they'd been quickly written off as unimportant. Caleb doesn't mind being underestimated, as his slight smile proves. When he and Beauregard return to Rexxentrum tomorrow with his old teacher in chains, it will shake the foundations of the Empire. They'll have to pay attention then. "They must be frustrated--the Uludans--that a part of the city they once wrote off has become prosperous again without the Concord getting a cut of the profits."
He leans back into the couch, allowing himself to relax a little more as he looks out again over the city. The Open Quay certainly has a different feel than the rest of the city, far more diversity and far less regulation. It's refreshing.
no subject
"Nor would they." It doesn't surprise him. The rest of the Nein might be easy to write off, but to miss Caleb--well. He supposes that was the younger man's aim at the time, to go unnoticed. Underestimated. "I will be sad to miss the look on his face, or the Martinet's, when you arrive with Ikithon. You will have to describe it in detail on your next visit."
Which assumes Caleb will come back. They have far more to discover together, Yussa is certain of that.
"Yes, they are quite annoyed. They have offered to buy it back several times now, with the caveat that I keep Tidepeak, of course. But I am uninterested in doing them any favors." There's an edge to his voice, a viciousness that lies beneath the usually placid surface. "They have nothing to offer that I need or want, and being a thorn in the side of the Concord is far more entertaining."
It has not always been easy, but Yussa does not see his will wavering any time soon.
"I was looking for a place to retire," he admits, quieter and more distant. "A place where I could keep to myself and work without interference. That a space in Nicodranas could offer me that was an opportunity I could not pass up."
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That continuing to vex the Concord is far more important to Yussa than any price they could offer him only serves to increase his esteem in Caleb's eyes, and he finds himself feeling dangerously fond of a man he barely knows. As Yussa continues, voice lowering as he sinks a little into his reminiscing, Caleb's quiet smile remains, but his amusement turns to thoughtful contemplation and cautious curiosity.
"You implied, early in our acquaintance, that you once were in the position I am now, traveling with a group of adventurers as their wizard." He'd said other things as well. Some things that had frightened Caleb at the time, and others he now knows to be true. The advice was so specific that he clearly spoke from personal experience.
Caleb finds himself leaning closer to the other man, just as fraction, as he wets his lips with another sip of wine. "Is that the life you were looking to retire from?"
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"I am no one's wizard, Caleb Widogast." He hides brighter amusement behind his wine glass as he takes another drink. "But yes. That is the life I was seeking to retire from. There is only so long one can continue in that life. Eventually the cost is too much, one way or another."
Yussa shifts, folding one leg on the couch as he turns to face Caleb more. There are things he recognizes, and there are things about Caleb Widogast that could never be true about Yussa Errenis, and he admires that.
"And so I found myself here, with a quay and a tower."
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But he does understand the need to leave that life behind, eventually. He can't imagine he will ever leave the Nein, but adventuring--he certainly can't do that forever. He has other priorities. And he can imagine the costs, especially for an elf living that life for some time. He can imagine the costs too well. He has seen his friends die.
Perhaps it is too obvious, the way he follows the movement of Yussa's leg with his eyes. Perhaps he doesn't mind if it is obvious.
"Well, it seems you have ended up in the right place." Speaking of which-- "I am glad that we could send you home," he says, softer, careful. Eyes intent on Yussa's face. "How are you, my friend? Truly?"
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How is one to really answer a question like that? Yussa is quite certain that Caleb is not asking after anything mundane.
"I am in one piece, thanks to you," he says eventually. "It... was an experience I will not soon forget."
Yussa lifts his gaze to meet Caleb's again, more somber than he had been a moment ago. He knows that it might have been a group effort to find him, but it was the quick thinking of one man - this man - that made his survival possible.
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"I am sorry we did not get to you sooner. We delved through the ruins as quickly as we could, but..." He shakes his head. "It was days, still."
He doesn't especially think of himself as being the one who saved Yussa; he'd cast the spell, but it was a group effort to find him. But the way Yussa is looking at him now--perhaps he does see it that way.
"I was not sure if you could hear me, when I spoke to you there," he murmurs. He wants to reach for the other wizard's hand, but that would be too much, surely. "Banishment seemed like the thing to do. I am glad you are safe. But I am sorry, still."
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He could not have helped in his own rescue at that point, and Caleb's solution was both elegant and swift. Yussa finishes his glass and sets it aside. He might want more, he hasn't decided yet. But he does not want a distraction in this conversation.
"I think it will be some time before I am fully recovered," he admits. "Being a part of that sort of madness was--" Yussa isn't sure he is capable of describing it. He just shakes his head.
"I owe you a debt. It was not only my life, but my mind that you saved."
Surely Caleb, as a wizard, realizes the depths of that distinction.
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"You owe me nothing," he insists, "after all you have done for me. I only hope to continue studying with you."
His own wine is all but forgotten, the stem of the glass held loosely between his fingers.
"And you are my friend," he says, tentatively enough that it is almost a question--an offer. "So your life and your remarkable mind matter to me, because they are yours. I...no longer wish to have debts between friends."
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"Then we will not consider it a debt, but an opportunity. You have proven a remarkable student and colleague, one I should like to see more of. One I would be honored to work with."
Caleb has a different kind of quest to embark on, one that begins with the man in a basket. But there must be more beyond that. Yussa slides closer, enough that he doesn't have to reach far to lightly cup Caleb's chin.
"There is so much we have to explore together, Caleb Widogast."
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He recalls Yussa being far more free with his praise while he was eating him out. Yes, he'd made it quite clear how much he enjoyed his mouth, and then his cock, when it came to that. Months later, Caleb can still recall with perfect clarity how pleased he sounded, how stunning he looked spread out on the lounge in his study, the hot slickness of his cunt, the intensity of his golden eyes turned dark with desire.
Just as before, Yussa first reaches for his face, gripping his chin lightly to hold his attention. As though Caleb could possibly look anywhere else. Just as before, he loses his breath, chest suddenly tight and heat flooding his skin.
Oh, so this is going to be a thing. He won't pretend for a moment he hasn't hoped that would be the case.
"I am eager as ever to collaborate with you, Master Errenis," he agrees softly, demure, but with a hint of a smile.
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He needs to hear it. He needs to be certain they are completely on the same page. This is not a relationship he is willing to risk with carelessness or uncertainty. Moving forward in this requires clarity. Whatever might want is secondary to Caleb's desires. Yussa can push it aside if Caleb is uninterested, but he does not think he's misreading the younger man's interest.
A faint smile quirks his mouth as he repeats something Caleb once said to him.
"Be clear with what you want. I do not wish to guess."
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"Yes. Very much. I--I would like to be intimate with you again. Now, and in the future, should I continue to impress."
He feels his face heating further, but he hopes that is clear enough. He is very, very interested. Memories of their previous encounter have kept him warm at night on several occasions.
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While it is not truly possible for the Nein to come looking for Caleb in Yussa's tower, he would really prefer they not try, or press Wensforth for admittance anywhere else. Yussa doubts the goblin would yield to any such demands, but he would still prefer his assistant not have to endure them all the same. His fingers curl, stroking lightly along Caleb's cheek. The mutual agreement is exciting, but he can wait if he must for the sake of ensuring they are not interrupted.
Yussa can feel the warmth in Caleb's cheek and he is close enough to hear the quiet catch in the younger man's breath. Gods but it is satisfying to feel so desired. Clearly age and experience have not robbed him of that delight, which is rather gratifying to discover.
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His throat bobs as he swallows, sensitive to the brush of fingers along his cheek, skin prickling. His beard is much thicker than the last time they'd done this, fuller but softer than the short stubble Yussa had experienced before.
He wasn't really expecting this to happen tonight, but he did hope, maybe. At the very least, he wanted to talk about it--but doing is better than talking. Sitting close together, his hand covers Yussa's knee, warm and rough against several layers of fine fabric. He takes in the other man's fine features with a warm but intense interest, unconcealed.
"So if you want to keep me a little longer...I can easily make excuses."
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"Be careful what you offer, Caleb Widogast. You know I am willing to take you at your word, and take advantage."
Perhaps he should not say these things, but they are true: Yussa thinks he would quite enjoy keeping Caleb for a night, or more. But the younger man has pressing business in a basket downstairs, and so Yussa knows that he cannot keep Caleb as long as he would like. But at least he can make clear that the invitation is open, and he can be relatively certain that Caleb, at least, will give him more than a few seconds warning before showing up again.
They have time now, and anything past that need not be his concern until it is. Yussa tips his head to brush a light kiss to Caleb's lips, teasing, or testing the waters. He initiated the last time, as well, but perhaps that is what will be necessary to assure Caleb that he is desired.
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He would really like, honestly, for Yussa to take advantage of that offer tonight. Spending a night at Tidepeak, engaging in physical intimacy at leisure, seems almost impossibly indulgent. Unfortunately, they both know that is not possible. There is much Caleb must see to tomorrow. His destiny, some might say.
But in the future, maybe. They've planned to see one another on a somewhat regular basis. Perhaps there is more to hope for.
Caleb had left his coat and scarf downstairs, and his heavier layers have been stored away for a week, which leaves him in shirtsleeves, rolled up to his elbow, beneath his book harness, component pouch strapped to his leg over his trousers. His hair remains in a loose but neat ponytail, long and flipped carelessly over his shoulder.
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While Caleb has divested himself of layers, Yussa has not: he is dressed to entertain.
"This may take some effort on your part," he quips, barely pulling away even to say that much. He is still draped in layers of gold and blue, and while Caleb has only undressed him once, Yussa is quite certain he recalls just how layered he can be.
"Do you need my assistance, Caleb Widogast?" There's a smile in his voice and Yussa eases back just a bit more, enough that he can see Caleb's face clearly. There are probably better places to do this, but Yussa does not want to leave this space and risk being dragged into any other socializing or crisis. For now, they can be here and have a bubble of time just for themselves.
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With a quick, assessing glance, Caleb looks over the archmage's beautiful and no doubt complex ensemble with the bright-eyed focus he would a puzzle, or an arcane theorem he is attempting to prove on paper, curiosity mingled with excitement. After a moment, he cracks a smile, and meets the other wizard's gaze again with a bashfulness that is almost coy.
"Ah, nein, I could figure it out myself, given a little time," he says, soft but confident. "However, I would enjoy your assistance very much, my friend. If you could direct me, I will do all the work."
He should be forgiven, he thinks, for taking a bit of a shortcut, given their limited time tonight. Even more importantly, the idea of Yussa calmly providing instruction through each step of undressing him is too attractive to ignore.
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