"He has always been cheeky," he says dryly. "He's simply getting more accustomed to your regular presence." And so willing to let his personality shine through.
Yussa reaches to stroke Caleb's cheek, admiring the sweet look the other man is giving him. No one has looked at him quite like that in... oh. Certainly far longer than Caleb's been alive. He leans close to kiss him.
"I prefer to be able to enjoy you in my right mind," he agrees. Sex with Caleb is always good, and Yussa enjoys spending time with him whether or not his cock is involved. But that had been... a lot. Too much. Most of it felt like a fog and the need had been intense enough that enjoying it became difficult.
He hears a faint bell ring to announce the appearance of their breakfast, a spread of fruit and light, warm pastries. Yussa sighs and rolls onto his back to stretch, lithe and relatively relaxed in the morning sun. Feeling like this makes him want to figure out how that Shadowhand manages to float the way he does. It must be a cantrip. But he will have to puzzle over that another day. He doesn't know it now, and so if he wants to move anywhere, he will have to do it himself.
A fond look and a morning kiss is more than enough to make Caleb's heart skip a beat or two, pleased by the attention after a long day where Yussa was, as he says, not in his right mind.
"Your mind is beautiful," he says, soft and genuine. "While it can be fun to let go of for a bit, it should be your choice to do so." With sympathy, he adds, "It must have been...frustrating." At best, he would assume. Possibly terrifying at worst. But he isn't going to put words like that in Yussa's mouth.
The arrival of breakfast is nicely timed, as it prevents him from further embarrassing himself. Instead he watches Yussa stretch, simply admiring his body in the sun's warm light without intent. He'd like to kiss him, but refrains. His friend has had enough of that, surely. He'll let him decide what sort of physical affection he'd like to maintain.
Just as he'd done yesterday, Caleb rises from the bed, still bare, and retrieves the tray from the table so that Yussa doesn't have to get up. He sets it on top of the coverlet when he returns, sitting near the edge of the bed.
"As for the bath," he says, still with some lingering amusement at Wensforth's blatant refusal, "if you direct me to the tub, I can draw it."
"It's through there," he gestures toward another room through an archway across the room. "When you return, would you bring a cool cloth?"
Since he'll be up, it seems reasonable to ask. Yussa shifts closer to the tray and sits up so that he can peruse the offerings.
Yussa's bedroom is more or less neutral in terms of colors, and though there is elegant latticework and detail almost everywhere one looks, it's relatively simple at first glance. The bathroom, in some ways, is very similar and yet a sharp departure. The rich blue walls contrast the white tiles and two large lanterns sit in alcoves against the wall. The tub is large and in the center of the room. What makes the effect of the space particularly stunning is the mosaic chandelier above it all, casting patterns of light and shadow all over the walls. Some of the floorspace is taken up by large pillar candles.
"I will bring you anything you like, Master Errenis." With a wink and a playful curl of his lips, Caleb plucks a slice of sweet melon from the selection of fresh fruit and gets up again to wander curiously into Yussa's bathroom.
As expected, it is stunning. Certainly the most impressive washroom he's ever seen. Caleb simply stares for a moment, taking in the way the light from the beautifully crafted chandelier above speckles the walls and the cool white marble of the tub. Chewing slowly, he pads barefoot to the tub, weaving between the candles that surround it. He expected to have to fill it with a spell, but it looks as though he only has to turn a tap for water to begin to flow, and that feels like magic. In this tower, maybe it is.
He sits on the tub's wide lip and watches it fill for long enough to dip a cloth into the cool water. He wrings it out before returning to the bedroom for a pastry. Their dinner last night had been wonderful, but he's worked up an appetite again since. The one he picks is light and flaky, and he tastes honey and almonds when he bites into it. When he settles on the bed again it is beside Yussa this time. He offers the cloth, cool and damp.
"Your tub is a wonder," he says, conversational. "It will be only another minute or two before it is full."
Yussa accepts the cloth and shifts to tuck it between his thighs. Perhaps inelegant, but Caleb has seen him compromised more than once now and there is no point in being shy when the cool cloth against his cunt provides a bit of soothing relief. He smiles when Caleb mentions the tub.
"Thank you. It took some work between an enchanter and I, but it's been reliable since."
The tower is built out of Yussa's will, but things still had to work. Yussa brushes his hair back before reaching for another small pastry. There's fruit in it, that's all that matters to him. And as he sits back form the tray, he leans against Caleb's side. Despite feeling clear-headed, his body is still rather wrung out.
"How are you feeling?" he asks as he reaches for one of the cups of tea that had been sent up. "I know you said you are, but truly."
He makes himself sit up straight so he can meet Caleb's gaze.
Caleb can't help a small amused smile at the indiscreet way Yussa arranges the cloth between his legs, but there's a distinctly sympathetic quirk to it from someone who knows what it's like to be sore the morning after, even if not exactly the same way. When he was younger he'd paid that price for being too eager more than a few times.
Noting the tea when Yussa picks up his, Caleb follows his lead, though he mostly holds the warm cup between his hands as he thinks, caught slightly off-guard to be asked for a more truthful answer to the question he'd answered earlier. It's touching, actually, that Yussa wants to know, presumably because he wants to look after him.
"Tired, but...relieved." Caleb lets the other man catch his eye. "You scared me a bit yesterday," he admits, but this is still an understatement. "I am fond of you, Yussa Errenis. If I needed to go to another plane to bring you back, I would have, but I was not really prepared for it."
Though he speaks mildly, it's true. He would have, and he would have gathered others for an emergency rescue mission, if that was what was required. Thankfully it wasn't.
"Staying in bed with you all day was a lot better. A lot." His brows raise for emphasis. "And I am glad that I could be here to help you, ah...suffer a little less. Still, I know it must have been a trying experience, and I hope that I did not misuse your trust in any way."
"I'm sorry that I caused you any distress," he says with quiet sincerity. "And I am rather grateful this did not require travel across planes."
Yussa lifts his head so that he can kiss Caleb's shoulder.
"It was tedious to feel... like a passenger in my own body, in a way. Disconnected and yet utterly present." He couldn't stop the way he felt, couldn't do anything but ride it out like a ship in a storm. And it absolutely left him feeling wrecked by the time it finally blew itself out.
"I still feel tired despite most of a night's rest. I haven't slept like that in ages." That's not entirely accurate. He'd slept hard after returning to his body from Cognouza, enough that Wensforth had been worried at the latter end of it.
Yussa meets Caleb's gaze and reaches to stroke his cheek.
"You have abused nothing. I am grateful for your help and your companionship through this." A wry smile appears and Yussa tries to hide it behind another sip of tea. "I can think of no one else I would rather weather that with."
Caleb's eyes close briefly as he leans into Yussa's touch. He can understand his distress, and he's relieved to hear that he'd eased rather than contributed to it. A small smile breaks over his lips too.
"I am honored to have that distinction."
Though they are friends and lovers, Caleb would not presume to know the intricacies of Yussa's life. He presumes that Yussa must have had others like this over the course of centuries, perhaps some he liked more. But he doesn't think, based on all he has gleaned about the man and his own time spent here, that he has anyone else currently. How Caleb feels about that is a little complicated, but mostly he is both proud and mystified to have caught the eye of such a magnificent man.
After Yussa has lowered his cup again, Caleb leans down to kiss him, soft and chaste.
"If you are up for getting into the bath, you are welcome to it first," he offers. While he would gladly share it, he doesn't want to discount the possibility that Yussa might prefer having a little time to himself after the intensity of yesterday.
Yussa tips his head into the kiss and he's slow to part as it ends. But he cannot deny the desire to get into his bath and relax. He considers for a moment, taking a sip of his tea as he decides what he would like to do.
"Yes," he says with a small nod. He sets his tea aside. "But I'd like you to join me in twenty minutes."
Caleb can entertain himself that long and while Yussa is ready to embrace some time alone, he is not eager to be free of his lover just yet. He'll enjoy Caleb's presence while he's here, it won't be long before he's off to Rexxentrum or parts unknown again. The archmage slips from his bed and runs his fingers affectionately along Caleb's cheek before he heads toward the bath room.
Once there, he stops the water running and sinks into the water with a quiet sigh. The trick will be not falling asleep again in the tub. The hot water feels good around his tired body. He doesn't fully go into a trance, but he mediates quietly for most of the time he asked Caleb to wait.
Caleb can entertain himself. After Yussa departs, Caleb drinks his tea and finishes his breakfast and does a little snooping, wandering around the room and--after a curious casting of Detect Magic--just looking. No touching, though. That would be invasive. He spends a little time looking at the table where their trays of food have appeared, curious about the enchantment.
He also knows when twenty minutes have passed exactly, and Yussa had been specific. He goes to the washroom door, and though it's open, knocks lightly against the frame to announce himself before he enters.
Yussa looks awfully relaxed lounging in that gorgeous tub. Good. After yesterday, going through all of that immediately after returning from an extended journey, he deserves it.
"Do you feel up to telling me a little more about your trip now?" Caleb wonders with a smile, approaching the tub but waiting for Yussa's invitation to get in.
Little things around the room light up when Caleb casts his spell: a few cosmetic jars by a mirror, a trunk near the foot of the bed, some of the lanterns, some of the parchment on a desk, though it seems to be blank, and what appears to be a jewelry box.
There are other things with no magical signature at all, including a small pile of books, one of which looks suspiciously like a smutty novel.
There's the sound of water moving after Caleb knocks and Yussa peers toward the threshold. He's feeling quite languid now, at ease and relaxed in ways he hasn't been since he got home.
"Yes, of course. Join me." There's more than enough room and Yussa doesn't take up much space at all. He shifts so that Caleb won't have to worry about avoiding his legs.
"I went several places. I started in Gwardan and passed through the ruins of Sepesca. From there I went to Issylra, I wanted to gather what I could from the Silted Vale. There are minerals there with extraordinary properties." And a very violent ecosystem.
Caleb sinks into the water slowly as Yussa describes his route. He went up the Coast, then, and then to Issylra. He'd been so tight-lipped about his intentions before he left that Caleb hadn't been sure.
Given that he has never been to any of these places, his interest is immediately piqued. But he finds he is just as curious about Yussa himself as whatever he might have seen or gathered. He considers for a long moment before speaking, and when he does it's with care, almost wariness.
"You...are from Gwardan originally, are you not?"
It feels a little ridiculous, being so hesitant to ask him about where he comes from when Yussa knows nearly all there is to know about Caleb's origins. Though they haven't exactly discussed it directly, after Ikithon's trial and all that was shared there, there was no way to keep those secrets any longer.
He'd followed Ikithon's trial closely, as well as the shuffling around in the Assembly. He's not surprised to find it still exists, though somewhat disappointed. Given the involvement of the Cobalt Soul, however, and the atrocities revealed, he supects there is far more oversight now. He's been in touch with Oremid Hass throughout the proceedings.
"I am," he answers easily. Once Caleb has settled, Yussa stretches out again, legs resting along Caleb's. "I don't return often, but it seemed a reasonable stop along the way."
Given that Yussa doesn't travel much in general, perhaps that isn't such a surprise. When he does, he likes to make it count.
The ease of Yussa's response serves to settle some of Caleb's nerves, as does feeling his legs stretch out again to touch his. Caleb adjusts until they fit comfortably together, and enjoys the simple closeness.
"Why did you decide to settle in Nicodranas instead?" he asks, aware that he is veering away from questions about Yussa's trip to questions about Yussa himself, but he seizes the opportunity while it's available. There is so, so much that he doesn't know about Yussa, and may never know. When one has been alive for centuries, there must be much to tell. Despite Yussa's secretive nature, Caleb doesn't think it is wrong for him to want to learn more about him, given their current relationship.
"Not everyone remains forever in the place they began," Yussa answers mildly, though he also sounds amused. "There is a wider world to see, and I grew fond of Nicodranas."
Yussa runs a hand up his arm and over his shoulder.
"There was less... expectation here. Fewer eyes watching beyond taking notice of an eccentric wizard establishing himself. I have always been private, and remaining in Gwardan would not necessarily have afforded me that privilege."
He is known there, after all, and it is far preferable for him to return to a place when he knows he can leave it again. In Nicodranas, he has different freedoms and fewer true neighbors.
"After I purchased the whole of the Open Quay, it seemed a foregone conclusion that I stay, just in case the Concord tried to take advantage of my visible absence."
There is a reason that Tidepeak is decidedly difficult to miss in the surrounding area of the Open Quay beyond Yussa's own aesthetic taste. So long as the tower stands, there is always reason to believe that Yussa is in it.
Seeking relative anonymity in a new place makes perfect sense for Yussa. The origins of the sheer wealth he would need to purchase an entire district in the city called the jewel of the Menagerie Coast, even if this purchase was centuries ago, is an interesting question itself, but Caleb leaves it be. Tidepeak Tower has stood in this city for so long now that none of the locals think twice about it, and Yussa's staunch and stubborn resistance to allowing the Concord any sway over his portion of the city seems to be beneficial to the people living here. The Open Quay certainly has a different feel to it than the rest of the city, more organic than organized, allowed to develop without the Concord's strict oversight.
"I am glad that you found a home that suits you so well." Caleb ventures a smile before he reaches for soap to begin washing himself, lathering up one arm and across his chest. "Sorry, I have strayed from the topic at hand. I am very curious to hear about your findings, especially in Issylra. I have only been beyond Wildemount on the occasion that you teleported us to the Arcanist Vysoren's tower in Emon."
And even then, he hadn't seen anything beyond the tower's reception room. He regrets now that there wasn't time for more.
"I began in Vasselheim, for practical reasons," he says as he recalls his exact route. "From there I traveled northwest into the Zenwick Mountains to the Silted Vale, which was the primary reason for that excursion. It's a valley with natural healing properties, something in the minerals of the soil, but it seeps into whatever grows there."
Yussa pushes his fingers through his damp hair, wondering absently if Caleb has heard of the area. He's well-read, but beyond Vasselheim, he doesn't know many this far east who are familiar with other parts of Issylra.
"I've also heard it has restorative elements for aging skin," he remarks. "I was curious about what else grew there and what might be gained from understanding their properties."
The archmage relaxes against the back of the tub, legs sliding along Caleb's as he does.
"However, apparently it's become a rather violent ecosystem. I couldn't linger quite as long as I would have liked." It would have been easier with someone to watch his back, but there was only so much he could reasonably manage through subterfuge and stealth alone.
That the place Yussa visited ended up being extremely dangerous is somehow not the slightest bit surprising. Caleb is glad, now, that there hadn't been an incident until he was safely home, at least.
"I read about it once, just a little. I can understand why you were interested." It does seem like a fascinating place, with much potential for research. He's curious now about what property it is that enriches the soil, and whether those minerals could be transmuted and still retain it.
"Surely you were not looking for these restorative solutions for yourself, though," he flirts, grinning as he nudges his leg against Yussa's beneath the water. "Because that would be unnecessary."
Yussa gives Caleb an amused, fond look. A smile just shows in the curve of his mouth.
"Flatterer," he says warmly. "I think it might have been a component I found there that reacted badly. One could argue that was certainly a kind of... vigor."
He'll have to go through his notes more carefully. They are meticulous and he is certain he wrote down exactly what he did - or what he was planning to do - before he did. There is the chance he did, and if that is the case... well. He knows that Caleb is rather clever in working backwards from a result. With him here, it shouldn't take too long to sort out what went wrong and at which stage.
Is there anything more rewarding than saying something that makes Yussa look at him that way? If there is, he can't imagine it now. He washes the soap from his chest as Yussa guesses at what might have caused his problem yesterday.
"It certainly was," Caleb agrees, glad that he can be amused by it now because Yussa is finally okay. "There would definitely be a market for that effect on a reduced scale. But extensive research to that end would likely require a partner." His lips quirk up. "Just to be safe."
There is value in learning more, at least. Some accidents can lead to incredible discoveries. Why did it occur, and how? What caused the effect to change from restorative to aphrodisiac? What other properties could these components possess?
"I am very curious about how the reaction occurred, at least." And unless Yussa becomes tired of his presence before then, he doesn't intend to leave until they find out.
Yussa gives Caleb a discerning look at the offer to be a partner in this extensive research. A smirk ticks the corner of his mouth.
"I can think of no better partner," he says mildly. There are many ways in which Caleb is an ideal work partner, including the fact that they generally have different approaches to problems. Working with someone that never challenges him is tiresome at best and dangerous at worst. Yussa is old enough to know the mistakes he is capable of should cooler heads not prevail.
He has many of the same questions Caleb does, though, in particular what caused the shift in the properties.
"We can revisit my notes, if you like. Find out what happened from there."
In theory, first, then perhaps in a more deliberate experiment that involves protecting themselves from fumes.
While it had nearly been a joke, Caleb is thrilled that Yussa seems to actually want to work with him on this. They've found that they compliment one another well in their joint studies related to the Happy Fun Ball (though Yussa still expresses his distaste in some way every time Caleb calls it that), and Caleb would be eager to expand that partnership further. This could be quite a diverting side project.
"Ja, I would. That sounds like a day well spent."
Smiling half to himself, Caleb closes his eyes and takes a moment to duck beneath the water to wet his hair. When he resurfaces, pushing it back out of his face, he adds, "If we can reach a conclusion there soon enough, I have not forgotten my promise to share more about the spell I demonstraed for you last night."
Demonstrated seems a little inadequate. It would be more accurate to say that Yussa experienced the spell.
Caleb reaches for something to clean his hair, but his hand hesitates over the available bottles, uncertain which ones will actually serve the intended purpose.
Yussa smiles when he realizes what Caleb is looking for. His fingers drift over the bottles on offer and he passes one to Caleb.
"This should do, I think."
He has several different shampoos and he think that one will smell best on Caleb. And if they are going to be working in close proximity for a while, Yussa sees no reason why Caleb shouldn't smell the way he would like him to.
"Yes, absolutely. I want to know what that was." He'd certainly had a very thorough experience of the effect, but he'd like something that allows for more deliberate understanding on his part, even if Caleb decides to be tight-lipped about how to do it.
Glad to have the choice made for him, Caleb mutters a quiet thank you and opens the bottle to start working the shampoo into his hair. It smells good--a subtle combination of herbs with a hint of warm spice, not unlike some of the teas he knows Yussa prefers.
The two of them take their time in the bath, and Caleb hears a little more about Yussa's trip. He emerges feeling clean and more pampered than ever, and when they return to the bedroom Caleb has the unique, fascinating, and intimate experience of watching Yussa choose clothing and dress. He has only his clothing from yesterday available, but with some strategic use of prestidigitation it gets clean enough. Before long he is pulling back his damp hair and donning his book holsters, properly decent again for the first time since...about this time yesterday, honestly.
When he is ready, he takes a moment to clean up their breakfast, bringing the tray back to the low table it came from. All the while, he looks on curiously as Yussa chooses and puts on his jewelry, slightly enraptured by the process.
After the bath, Yussa applies a lightly scented cream to his face, neck, and hands. He considers his wardrobe while still draped in a dressing robe. Eventually he's dressed in something relatively simple. He hasn't bothered to bind his chest beneath it. He chooses his jewelry with the knowledge that they will be working, so for now he avoids any rings and puts only small rings in his ears.
That isn't quite the end of it. Yussa plucks up a small cosmetic pot and applies what appears to be gold dust as eyeliner.
"Ready?" he asks as he looks over at Caleb. Yussa can actually admire him properly this time - he'd barely noticed what Caleb was wearing when he arrived yesterday. He gestures for the young man to follow as he leaves through an ornate wooden door, which opens onto a spiral staircase.
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Yussa reaches to stroke Caleb's cheek, admiring the sweet look the other man is giving him. No one has looked at him quite like that in... oh. Certainly far longer than Caleb's been alive. He leans close to kiss him.
"I prefer to be able to enjoy you in my right mind," he agrees. Sex with Caleb is always good, and Yussa enjoys spending time with him whether or not his cock is involved. But that had been... a lot. Too much. Most of it felt like a fog and the need had been intense enough that enjoying it became difficult.
He hears a faint bell ring to announce the appearance of their breakfast, a spread of fruit and light, warm pastries. Yussa sighs and rolls onto his back to stretch, lithe and relatively relaxed in the morning sun. Feeling like this makes him want to figure out how that Shadowhand manages to float the way he does. It must be a cantrip. But he will have to puzzle over that another day. He doesn't know it now, and so if he wants to move anywhere, he will have to do it himself.
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"Your mind is beautiful," he says, soft and genuine. "While it can be fun to let go of for a bit, it should be your choice to do so." With sympathy, he adds, "It must have been...frustrating." At best, he would assume. Possibly terrifying at worst. But he isn't going to put words like that in Yussa's mouth.
The arrival of breakfast is nicely timed, as it prevents him from further embarrassing himself. Instead he watches Yussa stretch, simply admiring his body in the sun's warm light without intent. He'd like to kiss him, but refrains. His friend has had enough of that, surely. He'll let him decide what sort of physical affection he'd like to maintain.
Just as he'd done yesterday, Caleb rises from the bed, still bare, and retrieves the tray from the table so that Yussa doesn't have to get up. He sets it on top of the coverlet when he returns, sitting near the edge of the bed.
"As for the bath," he says, still with some lingering amusement at Wensforth's blatant refusal, "if you direct me to the tub, I can draw it."
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Since he'll be up, it seems reasonable to ask. Yussa shifts closer to the tray and sits up so that he can peruse the offerings.
Yussa's bedroom is more or less neutral in terms of colors, and though there is elegant latticework and detail almost everywhere one looks, it's relatively simple at first glance. The bathroom, in some ways, is very similar and yet a sharp departure. The rich blue walls contrast the white tiles and two large lanterns sit in alcoves against the wall. The tub is large and in the center of the room. What makes the effect of the space particularly stunning is the mosaic chandelier above it all, casting patterns of light and shadow all over the walls. Some of the floorspace is taken up by large pillar candles.
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As expected, it is stunning. Certainly the most impressive washroom he's ever seen. Caleb simply stares for a moment, taking in the way the light from the beautifully crafted chandelier above speckles the walls and the cool white marble of the tub. Chewing slowly, he pads barefoot to the tub, weaving between the candles that surround it. He expected to have to fill it with a spell, but it looks as though he only has to turn a tap for water to begin to flow, and that feels like magic. In this tower, maybe it is.
He sits on the tub's wide lip and watches it fill for long enough to dip a cloth into the cool water. He wrings it out before returning to the bedroom for a pastry. Their dinner last night had been wonderful, but he's worked up an appetite again since. The one he picks is light and flaky, and he tastes honey and almonds when he bites into it. When he settles on the bed again it is beside Yussa this time. He offers the cloth, cool and damp.
"Your tub is a wonder," he says, conversational. "It will be only another minute or two before it is full."
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"Thank you. It took some work between an enchanter and I, but it's been reliable since."
The tower is built out of Yussa's will, but things still had to work. Yussa brushes his hair back before reaching for another small pastry. There's fruit in it, that's all that matters to him. And as he sits back form the tray, he leans against Caleb's side. Despite feeling clear-headed, his body is still rather wrung out.
"How are you feeling?" he asks as he reaches for one of the cups of tea that had been sent up. "I know you said you are, but truly."
He makes himself sit up straight so he can meet Caleb's gaze.
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Noting the tea when Yussa picks up his, Caleb follows his lead, though he mostly holds the warm cup between his hands as he thinks, caught slightly off-guard to be asked for a more truthful answer to the question he'd answered earlier. It's touching, actually, that Yussa wants to know, presumably because he wants to look after him.
"Tired, but...relieved." Caleb lets the other man catch his eye. "You scared me a bit yesterday," he admits, but this is still an understatement. "I am fond of you, Yussa Errenis. If I needed to go to another plane to bring you back, I would have, but I was not really prepared for it."
Though he speaks mildly, it's true. He would have, and he would have gathered others for an emergency rescue mission, if that was what was required. Thankfully it wasn't.
"Staying in bed with you all day was a lot better. A lot." His brows raise for emphasis. "And I am glad that I could be here to help you, ah...suffer a little less. Still, I know it must have been a trying experience, and I hope that I did not misuse your trust in any way."
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Yussa lifts his head so that he can kiss Caleb's shoulder.
"It was tedious to feel... like a passenger in my own body, in a way. Disconnected and yet utterly present." He couldn't stop the way he felt, couldn't do anything but ride it out like a ship in a storm. And it absolutely left him feeling wrecked by the time it finally blew itself out.
"I still feel tired despite most of a night's rest. I haven't slept like that in ages." That's not entirely accurate. He'd slept hard after returning to his body from Cognouza, enough that Wensforth had been worried at the latter end of it.
Yussa meets Caleb's gaze and reaches to stroke his cheek.
"You have abused nothing. I am grateful for your help and your companionship through this." A wry smile appears and Yussa tries to hide it behind another sip of tea. "I can think of no one else I would rather weather that with."
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"I am honored to have that distinction."
Though they are friends and lovers, Caleb would not presume to know the intricacies of Yussa's life. He presumes that Yussa must have had others like this over the course of centuries, perhaps some he liked more. But he doesn't think, based on all he has gleaned about the man and his own time spent here, that he has anyone else currently. How Caleb feels about that is a little complicated, but mostly he is both proud and mystified to have caught the eye of such a magnificent man.
After Yussa has lowered his cup again, Caleb leans down to kiss him, soft and chaste.
"If you are up for getting into the bath, you are welcome to it first," he offers. While he would gladly share it, he doesn't want to discount the possibility that Yussa might prefer having a little time to himself after the intensity of yesterday.
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"Yes," he says with a small nod. He sets his tea aside. "But I'd like you to join me in twenty minutes."
Caleb can entertain himself that long and while Yussa is ready to embrace some time alone, he is not eager to be free of his lover just yet. He'll enjoy Caleb's presence while he's here, it won't be long before he's off to Rexxentrum or parts unknown again. The archmage slips from his bed and runs his fingers affectionately along Caleb's cheek before he heads toward the bath room.
Once there, he stops the water running and sinks into the water with a quiet sigh. The trick will be not falling asleep again in the tub. The hot water feels good around his tired body. He doesn't fully go into a trance, but he mediates quietly for most of the time he asked Caleb to wait.
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He also knows when twenty minutes have passed exactly, and Yussa had been specific. He goes to the washroom door, and though it's open, knocks lightly against the frame to announce himself before he enters.
Yussa looks awfully relaxed lounging in that gorgeous tub. Good. After yesterday, going through all of that immediately after returning from an extended journey, he deserves it.
"Do you feel up to telling me a little more about your trip now?" Caleb wonders with a smile, approaching the tub but waiting for Yussa's invitation to get in.
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There are other things with no magical signature at all, including a small pile of books, one of which looks suspiciously like a smutty novel.
There's the sound of water moving after Caleb knocks and Yussa peers toward the threshold. He's feeling quite languid now, at ease and relaxed in ways he hasn't been since he got home.
"Yes, of course. Join me." There's more than enough room and Yussa doesn't take up much space at all. He shifts so that Caleb won't have to worry about avoiding his legs.
"I went several places. I started in Gwardan and passed through the ruins of Sepesca. From there I went to Issylra, I wanted to gather what I could from the Silted Vale. There are minerals there with extraordinary properties." And a very violent ecosystem.
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Given that he has never been to any of these places, his interest is immediately piqued. But he finds he is just as curious about Yussa himself as whatever he might have seen or gathered. He considers for a long moment before speaking, and when he does it's with care, almost wariness.
"You...are from Gwardan originally, are you not?"
It feels a little ridiculous, being so hesitant to ask him about where he comes from when Yussa knows nearly all there is to know about Caleb's origins. Though they haven't exactly discussed it directly, after Ikithon's trial and all that was shared there, there was no way to keep those secrets any longer.
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"I am," he answers easily. Once Caleb has settled, Yussa stretches out again, legs resting along Caleb's. "I don't return often, but it seemed a reasonable stop along the way."
Given that Yussa doesn't travel much in general, perhaps that isn't such a surprise. When he does, he likes to make it count.
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"Why did you decide to settle in Nicodranas instead?" he asks, aware that he is veering away from questions about Yussa's trip to questions about Yussa himself, but he seizes the opportunity while it's available. There is so, so much that he doesn't know about Yussa, and may never know. When one has been alive for centuries, there must be much to tell. Despite Yussa's secretive nature, Caleb doesn't think it is wrong for him to want to learn more about him, given their current relationship.
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Yussa runs a hand up his arm and over his shoulder.
"There was less... expectation here. Fewer eyes watching beyond taking notice of an eccentric wizard establishing himself. I have always been private, and remaining in Gwardan would not necessarily have afforded me that privilege."
He is known there, after all, and it is far preferable for him to return to a place when he knows he can leave it again. In Nicodranas, he has different freedoms and fewer true neighbors.
"After I purchased the whole of the Open Quay, it seemed a foregone conclusion that I stay, just in case the Concord tried to take advantage of my visible absence."
There is a reason that Tidepeak is decidedly difficult to miss in the surrounding area of the Open Quay beyond Yussa's own aesthetic taste. So long as the tower stands, there is always reason to believe that Yussa is in it.
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"I am glad that you found a home that suits you so well." Caleb ventures a smile before he reaches for soap to begin washing himself, lathering up one arm and across his chest. "Sorry, I have strayed from the topic at hand. I am very curious to hear about your findings, especially in Issylra. I have only been beyond Wildemount on the occasion that you teleported us to the Arcanist Vysoren's tower in Emon."
And even then, he hadn't seen anything beyond the tower's reception room. He regrets now that there wasn't time for more.
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Yussa pushes his fingers through his damp hair, wondering absently if Caleb has heard of the area. He's well-read, but beyond Vasselheim, he doesn't know many this far east who are familiar with other parts of Issylra.
"I've also heard it has restorative elements for aging skin," he remarks. "I was curious about what else grew there and what might be gained from understanding their properties."
The archmage relaxes against the back of the tub, legs sliding along Caleb's as he does.
"However, apparently it's become a rather violent ecosystem. I couldn't linger quite as long as I would have liked." It would have been easier with someone to watch his back, but there was only so much he could reasonably manage through subterfuge and stealth alone.
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"I read about it once, just a little. I can understand why you were interested." It does seem like a fascinating place, with much potential for research. He's curious now about what property it is that enriches the soil, and whether those minerals could be transmuted and still retain it.
"Surely you were not looking for these restorative solutions for yourself, though," he flirts, grinning as he nudges his leg against Yussa's beneath the water. "Because that would be unnecessary."
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"Flatterer," he says warmly. "I think it might have been a component I found there that reacted badly. One could argue that was certainly a kind of... vigor."
He'll have to go through his notes more carefully. They are meticulous and he is certain he wrote down exactly what he did - or what he was planning to do - before he did. There is the chance he did, and if that is the case... well. He knows that Caleb is rather clever in working backwards from a result. With him here, it shouldn't take too long to sort out what went wrong and at which stage.
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"It certainly was," Caleb agrees, glad that he can be amused by it now because Yussa is finally okay. "There would definitely be a market for that effect on a reduced scale. But extensive research to that end would likely require a partner." His lips quirk up. "Just to be safe."
There is value in learning more, at least. Some accidents can lead to incredible discoveries. Why did it occur, and how? What caused the effect to change from restorative to aphrodisiac? What other properties could these components possess?
"I am very curious about how the reaction occurred, at least." And unless Yussa becomes tired of his presence before then, he doesn't intend to leave until they find out.
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"I can think of no better partner," he says mildly. There are many ways in which Caleb is an ideal work partner, including the fact that they generally have different approaches to problems. Working with someone that never challenges him is tiresome at best and dangerous at worst. Yussa is old enough to know the mistakes he is capable of should cooler heads not prevail.
He has many of the same questions Caleb does, though, in particular what caused the shift in the properties.
"We can revisit my notes, if you like. Find out what happened from there."
In theory, first, then perhaps in a more deliberate experiment that involves protecting themselves from fumes.
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"Ja, I would. That sounds like a day well spent."
Smiling half to himself, Caleb closes his eyes and takes a moment to duck beneath the water to wet his hair. When he resurfaces, pushing it back out of his face, he adds, "If we can reach a conclusion there soon enough, I have not forgotten my promise to share more about the spell I demonstraed for you last night."
Demonstrated seems a little inadequate. It would be more accurate to say that Yussa experienced the spell.
Caleb reaches for something to clean his hair, but his hand hesitates over the available bottles, uncertain which ones will actually serve the intended purpose.
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"This should do, I think."
He has several different shampoos and he think that one will smell best on Caleb. And if they are going to be working in close proximity for a while, Yussa sees no reason why Caleb shouldn't smell the way he would like him to.
"Yes, absolutely. I want to know what that was." He'd certainly had a very thorough experience of the effect, but he'd like something that allows for more deliberate understanding on his part, even if Caleb decides to be tight-lipped about how to do it.
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The two of them take their time in the bath, and Caleb hears a little more about Yussa's trip. He emerges feeling clean and more pampered than ever, and when they return to the bedroom Caleb has the unique, fascinating, and intimate experience of watching Yussa choose clothing and dress. He has only his clothing from yesterday available, but with some strategic use of prestidigitation it gets clean enough. Before long he is pulling back his damp hair and donning his book holsters, properly decent again for the first time since...about this time yesterday, honestly.
When he is ready, he takes a moment to clean up their breakfast, bringing the tray back to the low table it came from. All the while, he looks on curiously as Yussa chooses and puts on his jewelry, slightly enraptured by the process.
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That isn't quite the end of it. Yussa plucks up a small cosmetic pot and applies what appears to be gold dust as eyeliner.
"Ready?" he asks as he looks over at Caleb. Yussa can actually admire him properly this time - he'd barely noticed what Caleb was wearing when he arrived yesterday. He gestures for the young man to follow as he leaves through an ornate wooden door, which opens onto a spiral staircase.
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