ausgebrannt | IC Inbox

[ The sun has set over the horizon, and that being said Essek has allowed the drapes to his room to be drawn so as to start letting in the evening light. He had insisted on a room that did not get the morning sun, afternoon sun usually was a bit more forgiving to him. And so he was stood in front of a mirror in his room getting ready, all the while his mind was floating through the texts that he had received from Caleb Widogast, and even more importantly 'what they could mean'.

He was a man who had very little in terms of emotional connection to anyone or anything. Normally his logic stepped in and handled things, it was how he had survived his stint with Adeen, it was how he got on in Court. Distancing his logic from his feelings so that they were two very separate entities, except now-- he felt as if his feelings were magnetized into something strange and new.

Was he aware that Caleb was in the room next to him? There was never a point in time where he wasn't. The only reason he had not pestered Caleb more often then not was because, it was pestering-- wasn't it? There was what lingered between them and a hesitance bourne of not wanting to mess things up between them and the friendship that they had gained.

And thus he stood from a distance like a cat who wanted to claim the person but did not quite have enough courage to do so quite yet, hoping that the wizard would get the hint and perhaps approach so he could do something shameful like rub himself against those legs, or beg for attention (that is theoretically if Essek was a 'cat' per se-- might be a bit awkward otherwise). He did not know what to do though, which was the thing. How did one let a wizard know that he was in to him?

'It's complicated'-- the words that came back to haunt him, and how he had played confused, but how he had anything but confused with what the words meant.

Carefully he worked a comb through his curls, arranging them and perhaps cursing a bit in Undercommon that he could not use prestidigitate to neaten them up, perhaps that is why they appeared far more unkept than normal-- it could have also been the humidity too. ]

[After this conversation with Essek, Elias starts looking out for Caleb’s presence in the library. It probably doesn’t take long. The next time he sees Caleb visit the library and settle in a spot he’ll wave at the guy, and sail over before Caleb gets too engrossed in his books.]

Hey. Winter solstice, are you going to be spending it with Essek? It’s a good time for some festivities, but it’s also a good time with just one’s loved ones.

[He could have asked what Caleb was going to read today, but to be honest if he did he would probably get distracted by said books.]

[ Grog was running low on ideas for what to get his friends for Winter's Crest this year... So, he decided to turn The Cask & Anvil tavern into his one-stop-shop for gifts.

Left outside Caleb and Essek's door with a ribbon haphazardly tied around each neck, and a note in nearly illegible handwriting reading HAPY WINTRS KREST FRUM GROG, are two bottles of liquor. Hopefully it'll be obvious which one is for which wizard. ]

[ Essek knew that there were traditions that were inherent during this time of the year, and of course he had also researched that thoughtful gifts were generally the norm. He'd wracked his mind for things that he could do for Caleb Widogast, his now Fiancé. The man did not need very much to be happy it would appear; a cat, a warm cup of something, a nice scarf and a book to read.

And friends.

Essek Thelyss had been curiously absent all day. He'd used the excuse that he had some last minute commissions to work on. But he hadn't, not really. He'd been in the kitchen downstairs working on something-- he'd heard Caleb enthuse about the apple tarts at the Stone Dragon however, he'd also lamented that they were not quite like the ones his mother made. And so Essek had rolled up his sleeve and endeavored to do something that was meaningful. Maybe he could try? And thus he spent a solid couple of hours with Pike to learn, except these tarts were for the most part unassisted.

Pike had been there to make sure he had not committed some fatal error.

And so Essek could feel his heart in his throat as he saw what lay on the table. They were not the prettiest tarts at all, they certainly were not the uniform tarts that came out of the Stone Dragon-- these had little points where the cinnamon sugar had caramelized and dripped out the side, the edges were not even and they looked a mess. He had almost chucked them because they did not look like he thought they should look, perfect and precise.

And yet he ascended the steps with them on a tray with a cup of Glühwein, he would offer apologies if needed-- he had backup gifts, something that Caleb probably would find useful. And so, as Essek stepped through the door, he felt himself close to tears-- with gravity, he shut the door behind him and then he cleared his throat.

He looked about as much as a mess as the tarts, his hair rumbled from the heat in the kitchen, his sleeves rolled up and specks of flour on his nose and cheeks; he'd not even the presence of mind to clean up before. ] I made you something, for the season.

[ And quickly. ] It's not the only thing and if they are terrible, I understand.

[ Caleb will find several presents sitting outside his door, wrapped in black wrapping paper with purple bows. The first is a collection of books on magic that Blake has found from other worlds, their blurbs promising all sorts of bizarre ideas like slime magic, star magic, and atomic enchantments. The second is a little box of snacks from the local bakery; pastries and chocolates and cookies all neatly arranged. ]

[ A small box arrives for Caleb in the morning, and inside are a set of dried flower bookmarks, and a simple note. ]

Happy Holidays, Caleb!

- Willow

[Within week of settling into his new home, Taryon recalls that he was asked to get along with their Wildemount neighbors - Essek and the ginger guy. Caleb. He was able to meet with the drow for tailoring requests, but he had yet to properly introduce himself to the Zemnian. This cannot stand.

Taryon knocks on Caleb's door one afternoon, a plate of fresh blondies in his hand, and adjusts his shirt collar and hair. Vex said that she hoped they'd get along, but what they had in common, Taryon couldn't tell.

Time to find out.]

[ Essek perhaps is only a little nervous, sitting there in the rather quiet recieving room of Valsharess, and he is holding a box in his hand. He knew it was customary for gifts to be exchanged and likewise he had thought about what he wanted to give Caleb as a wedding gift. There were a great many things that he could've chosen but that which was nestled in the box was something that he thought was meaninful even if it was a little bit ridiculous.

He was waiting for Caleb to pick him up, it was after all just as customary for his betrothed to drop by and escort him back to the castle, indulging him in those little rites of courtship that he'd deigned not to engage with Adeen (he'd at the time rather not give Adeen any sort of encouragement).

The clock on the wall ticked, just minutes away from Caleb walking through the Connecting door that led from Slayer's Bake. His lover was as constant and he'd grown to expect such things, though he was perennially always delighted with them. ]

Caleb! Did you see Molly?

: The Undoing of Wizards :

[action]

Winter's Crest gift

[ INBOX - ACTION ]

[ holiday delivery! ]

Gift Delivery (backdated 12/25)

Action

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[Text] (before all hell broke loose)