Oooooo how about #13 for a platonic Team Cleric? I believe in you, beat that writer's block! đŞâď¸
&Â marginaliana said: Writing prompt! Caduceus & Jester, 13 kissing someoneâs forehead
You both gave me the same exact prompt, haha, so tagging you both here! This was so great and I had a LOT of fun writing in Jesterâs voice. â¨
Clerical Work (912 words, gen)
Caduceus wasnât sleeping.
No one quite realized how much Jester noticed, but sheâd been keeping track for awhile. The last three nights theyâd spent in the dome, Caduceus had volunteered to take a watch â less unusual on its own â and also spent significant time just lying on his back, staring up at the ceiling with empty-looking eyes. Sheâd also stumbled across him in the tower kitchen in the wee hours of the morning on a different night, when sheâd snuck down to try to get some cookies from one of the cats in a fit of her own restlessness.
As they all bedded down for another evening in the dome (Caleb having used his seventh level spell slot again), Jester waited until Caduceus volunteered to take a watch and chirped out, âIâll take watch too!â She didnât look at Fjord, knowing he would be a bit taken aback that she wouldnât be joining his watch that night, but some things were more important than romance. Fjord would understand. Caduceus was his friend, too.
They were to take third watch, so Jester curled up for bed and made sure to get some excellent sleep first, just to make sure she got all of her spell slots back. Theyâd had quite a battle that day, and her magic was pretty low. She slept pleasantly until Beau shook her awake for watch. She was completely unsurprised to discover that Caduceus was already awake, seated cross-legged by the edge of the dome away from the sleeping forms of their friends. Jester yawned and rubbed her eyes, stretching a bit before she made her way over to join him.
They sat in silence for a bit as Jester listened attentively to make sure Beau went back to sleep and that none of the others were awake and listening. Caduceus held so much inside himself, it was unlikely that he would feel comfortable talking about whatever was bothering him if the others were listening. Jester had never met such a private person before â Caduceus was so open and friendly, but he also shared less about himself than even Caleb! Jester knew what it was like to share only the soft edges of oneself with the world, keeping the cracked pieces deep inside, but Caduceus seemed to hide both his soft edges and his cracked pieces, almost as though he was afraid that if he had a genuine emotion or opinion, the rest of them would leave.
Oh, Jester realized. Leave him like his family. Oh, that was bad. She would have to be careful with this line of questioning!
âCaduceus,â she began, her voice low so as not to wake the others. He glanced over at her, puzzled. âWhy havenât you been sleeping? Sleep is important for getting all your spells back!â
Caduceus blinked at her slowly. âOh,â he said after a moment. âYou noticed that?â He seemed surprised. He was so silly â he wasnât the only one who noticed things about people.
âOf course I noticed that,â Jester told him, giving him a soft smile. She leveled her most earnest look at him. âYouâve been so upset by that city and what the Tomb Takers are trying to do, and that forest upset you a lot.â
Caduceus glanced to the side, not making eye contact. âYeah,â he said, agreeing vaguely in a way that didnât give Jester any information at all.
âYou shouldnât take this all on yourself!â Jester said. She scooted closer, moving to sit cross-legged right in front of him in a shorter mirror of his own pose. âYouâve helped all of us so much. Why donât you think youâre worth letting us help you?â She reached over and took one of his furred hands in her own, not looking away from his face.
Caduceus finally met her gaze, and he looked like someone had torn his heart out. Jester wanted to cry in sympathy when she saw how much pain heâd been carrying, how much heâd been hiding from all of them. âI donât think Iâm not worth being helped,â he said slowly. âIt crawls beneath my skin. It knows me, it calls to me. I dream about it. The Wildmother doesnât know what it is or what it wants from me.â He closed his eyes for the long moment between a breath. âIf I talk about it, I have to think about it.â
Jesterâs heart ached for him. âI understand,â she said. She leaned over and rose to her knees in order to press a kiss between his brow, gentle but firm.
Caduceus blinked in dazed surprise, unused to physical affection from his teammates, and she gave him a soft, sympathetic smile in response.
âWe are here for you, Caduceus,â she said, trying very hard to make sure her voice sounded serious. âPlease talk to us. At least to me?â
He still looked lost and sad, but he reached over and captured her other hand in his own as well. âThank you, Jester.â
She beamed at him. âYouâre welcome. Next time you canât sleep, come find me; we can get midnight snacks together! Oooh, Caduceus, you know how to BAKEâŚthat will be so greatââ She let her mindless chatter move the conversation onward, sensing Caduceus had already hit his limit for the evening.
It was okay. She would wear him down. Slowly but surely, she would help him learn to open up to them. Maybe then he would even get some sleep.
