I've got all these random snippets from the same fic (my major fic project of the year that remains as yet unfinished) but they're all non-linear for some reason when I usually never write non-linearly, but hey at least it makes them all feel distinct lmao
Sleep had been a stranger to Caleb for many years. It was not so much a struggle these days, but he still found himself wrestling to quiet his mind that first night in Rumblecusp. New places were like that for him, changes in routines always set him off. But it was better to be mildly frustrated, then to be berated by his own guilt, as it had been for so many years prior.
Which was why he was still awake at precisely a quarter past 3am, when a soft knock sounded at his door.
He tensed immediately. Knocks in the middle of the night rarely meant good things. For all he knew, it meant the dragon turtle had returned and was ravaging the beach and other settlers.
He pushed back the covers in a hurry, pausing only to throw a robe over his half-dressed form before heading to the door. Beauregard had seen it all already, but he figured he'd spare the sight if he could.
Then again, if something had gone awry on the island and Beauregard had come to get him, he figured she would have been somewhat more insistent than the gentle knocking he had heard. But he was already in motion, and he flung the door open before the thought had been fully processed.
And froze. Because it was not Beauregard on the other side and his fears of the island being attacked were dashed instantly at the sight of her. She wore a robe as well, white silk with lacy edges that hung down just below her knees. Her hair was loose and wavy, still holding the texture of the braids she’d worn during the day. She was worrying at her ever present button necklace and only dropped her hand because she jumped at the suddenness of him opening the door.
“Veth,” he said, feeling himself begin to deflate with relief. It was a slow process, understanding that there was no danger and it was only his friend at the door. While they may have only been actively adventuring for one year, between the constant danger of that time and that of his life prior, Caleb often found himself easy to rile up into anxiety and quite difficult to calm back down. “What are you doing here?”
“Sorry, sorry, I didn’t meant to startle you,” she said. Her clever fingers curled a strand of hair around her knuckles, worrying at it like she had her button necklace.
“No, no, I am sorry,” Caleb said, putting a hand to his face and rubbing his temple. “New places, you know? They get you on edge. Especially that first night.”
“I know,” Veth said. “That’s kind of why I…” She trailed off, then shook her head. “It was silly. I’m sorry. I should just let you go back too sleep.”
“No, friend, stop,” he said, reaching out to grab her hand as she turned to go. There was a furrow in her brow and a nervousness to her disposition that he had not seen for some time. It reminded him of the early days, when it was just him and her, when they took care of each other no matter the cost because they were all each other had. “Please. Something is troubling you. Why don’t you come in and tell me about it?”
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