yay to 300, you deserve it!! headcanon: caleb is obviously a huge lee but also would never admit it under normal circumstances… but then he’s very sleepy and there’s someone warm and safe next to him and, well…. ❤️
Thank you! And thank you for the adorable prompt!!
Research nights are the hardest, when Caleb stays at Soltryce till long after sundown, and ends up flopping more than climbing into bed. Essek makes him tea, sometimes one of Caduceus’ blends, if they have some to spare, and tucks the blankets up around him before climbing in himself. Conversation is saved more the considerably more lucid morning hours, and both silently agree that they’ll have a bit of a lie-in.
Tonight, Caleb’s buried in a pillow when Essek arrives with his teacup, already snoring lightly. Okay, not fully asleep yet. He carefully climbs in next to him and settles, placing the mug in easy reach if Caleb asks, and gently rubs a small circle on his back.
Caleb groans, squirms, and manages to lift himself enough to shuffle into the dark elf’s lap, wrapping his arms around Essek’s waist and smushing his face into his middle.
Essek smiles fondly. He’ll never get enough of sleepy, cuddly Caleb.
The fingers rubbing circles into Caleb’s back migrate to his side, smoothing out his shirt where it’s ridden up by his ribs.
Caleb huffs a small breath, stirring the fabric of Essek’s nightshirt where it wrinkles next to his cheek. “Mm. Tickles, liebling.”
Instantly, Essek’s hands are gone from his skin. “Sorry, I didn’t mean to—”
Essek’s brow furrows, leaning as much as he can without disturbing Caleb to try and get a glimpse of his face. “I… Are you sure?”
“Mhm,” Caleb says into his shirt, sighing happily. “S’nice. Like when you touch me all gentle like that. Feels good.”
“Even though it tickles?”
Caleb gives a little chuckle at that, and Essek can feel his lazy smile against his side. “’Specially when it tickles.”
Essek raises his eyebrows, his fingers drifting back to Caleb’s ribs and letting them trail down the ridged slope toward his sternum. Goosebumps shoot up and down Caleb’s arms, but delightfully, he doesn’t pull away—he squirms a bit, his muscles jumping, then settles back down with a sleepy giggle.
Essek grins, planting a kiss on the crown of copper hair. “I’ll have to remember that, chathtiu.”
I'm just wrapping these up!
