#naiha

He thought about how things have changed since he first was given this stone, how they all have changed his mind flickered to the thought of Naiha and how she's been acting recently. She may not want to face it and might pretend that everything is alright but he can tell that something is bothering her.

It makes him worry and it also makes him think that this must have been how they felt when he was refusing to speak about the things that bothered him.

He frowned. It wasn't a good feeling. He felt guilty for putting them through such a thing.

Callion sighed and tossed the gemstone back onto the bed. He usually left a few things here: The gem, his lute, the book he got at the festival. He left them just in case- he shook his head. He didn't want to think like that again but it was just so easy. He'd done it for so long.

Cal forced a chuckle. "Old habits," he muttered sarcastically, pulling open the door and stepping out into the hallway.

He had to pause as Jaskier and Rex were roughing around in the hallway. Callion felt the familiar pang of anxiety go through him at the sight—"Be careful!" he wanted to say—but instead he put a small smile on his face and took a deep breath in.. and out. He'd always worried about the kids too much.

They can handle themselves, he told himself, trying to ease his nervous mind.

After a moment, Cal continued down the hall and headed downstairs where he noticed James and Finn were talking in the living room Evara was there too, reading of course, along with Umbra and a few others.

A sudden thought entered the wood elf's mind: I wonder how Avixa is doing.

He watched them talk and read for a moment. It was one of those rare peaceful moments.

As he stood there, another thought came to him; Finn had talked to him about the things bothering him and how he felt, and yet Cal hadn't. The guilt returned and this time it was almost unbearable, making him tear up a bit and the oh so familiar knot in his throat return with it.

He took another shaky breath and opted to head outside - it felt too crowded in the house sometimes anyways.

He headed out to the back of the house where he saw more people, Naiha and Hesmiphi practicing their Druidic talents and playing around in different forms.

Callion never understood how natural magic worked—he had some innate magic himself but it was different than how Naiha could draw the power of nature itself to her and use it as both a weapon and a means of protection.

He'd be lying if he said he wasn't a bit jealous of her talents.

He tried not to be but it was... special, at least to him it was.

...was Naiha special to him?

Callion tilted his head at the thought, but decided to push it back in his mind. She's got enough to deal with right now, he thought. He didn't want to add more to it.

This time he leaned against the side of the house, out of sight of the two Druids and looked out into the forests and surroundings in an attempt to steady himself.

The forest made him think more about the people he'd met Persephone, wherever she may be, and his father who he thought was long dead maybe only a month or two ago..

He was immediately brought to the memory of when he first encountered his father after all those years how mean he was to him. It wasn't his father's fault for leaving, and yet Callion hadn't even listened to his reasoning.

Cruel, he thought, how cruel I was..

He tried to cling to that: was. He was. He isn't the same person anymore and wouldn't do that... would he?

The thoughts wouldn't leave him alone and, the knot in his throat only grew. He forced another deep breath. Think about something else, anything else.

The only thing that he could think of was to study more but he realized he'd have to head back inside to get the book. He huffed in annoyance and looked up to the Sky when another thought came to him.

He could run up surfaces, he knew that, and so he took a few steps back and dashed up the side of the house and onto the roof.

He couldn' t help the smile that crossed his face when he looked down to see that Naiha and Hesmiphi had noticed him now on the top of the house—their home. Naiha waved to him and he waved back ignoring the knot in his throat and his blurring vision from the tears he'd been holding back.

Bane: Not everyone likes Xaver, though.

Naiha: Who doesn't like him?

Bane: No one, I just--

Shop Owner: what?