Chapter Text
Caldarus could see, in a manner of speaking, when he was in his statue form; he knew what the farmer looked like. It was hazy, as he used his mind’s eye to extend his sensors out to get a general idea of what his surroundings looked like; he knew she had white and purple hair, he knew the leaves were changing colors in the autumn months, he knew what all of her farm animals looked like when they wandered over towards his statue. He’d even seen a few village folk, as well; the kindly farmer from next door with the graying hair, the sweet botanist with the long blonde. But Caldarus never realized how much he couldn’t really see until he could.
When he first opened his eyes from his bedspread in his temple, he was struck. She was beautiful. He knew of beauty; he’d seen it in the way flowers bloom in spring, the way birds spread their plumage in hopes for a mate, the way water tilted off its axis and fish jumped up the falls. But she was beauty incarnate, he thought. Her eyes had fluttered shut, her breathing soft, and he simply stared, his vision clear for the first time in a very long time. He could count the freckles splattered across her face, see the suntan kissing her skin, see the way her small fingers curled under her chin as a makeshift pillow. He wished he knew what her eyes looked like, but before he could think on it further, exhaustion pulled him back down into the darkness.
/
When he awoke again, she was gone. But his vision was still cleared, sharp and focused. He made to get up out of his bed, slowly, and lit a candle in the dark. Warm light spread across his temple as he walked quietly around it, refamiliarizing himself with the old tomes and scrolls, the rugs that covered almost every inch of the interior, all of his old potions and magical instruments. As he re-acquainted himself to his home, her visage would not stop popping up in his mind. The image of her wavy hair falling into her face as she slept and her eyelashes as they fluttered against her cheeks. He spent some time milling about, willing her out of his mind, but it was of no use. He idly wondered if she would visit again soon, if he’d be able to burn her image into his mind forever, every small striking detail about her form. Caldarus felt his heart beat violently at the thought as he blew out the candle and moved towards his bed, cursing under his breath. He’d clearly pushed himself too hard today, and perhaps shouldn’t have gotten out of bed at all.
/
It was the morning after he had been made human that he got his first real, proper look at her. She’d visited his temple bright and early, to talk to him in the mornings like they used to, she’d said; he’d stared at her until she was red in the face, drinking in her every feature, until he snapped out of it and welcomed her in.
“Perhaps you’d like a tour of the grounds?” Caldarus asked, shaking his head lightly, trying not to make the situation worse. She smiled lightly and nodded, sidling up next to him. He took in a breath and his eyes found his way back to hers, and he felt helpless as they roved every inch of her face, dropping to her lips, his vision so defined he could see the swell of her cupid’s bow, see how they were parted just slightly-
He turned away quickly, making sure not to hit her with his tail, before moving stiffly towards the entrance of the temple. This - this was a problem.
There was much comfort in the outdoors; Caldarus spent a lot of time closely staring at the flora, tenderly touching petals and leaves, drinking in the colors and wonders nature had to offer. The farmer looked on, smiling tenderly.
“Is your human sight different than how it was before, Cal?” They asked, breaking the silence between them just slightly. Caldarus turned to them and hummed, listening to the sounds of the insects around them, to the babbling brook tucked away in the treeline.
“Yes, I suppose it is. I guess the best way to explain it would be… in my stone form, it seemed as though I was watching everything through a fog, though I didn’t realize it until I awoke in this form. Everything is clearer, sharper… has much more detail.” He responded, before flicking his eyes down faintly to where a katydid had landed on the cloth of his robe. He picked it up and held it by his face, staring at it before it spread its wings and flew off.
The farmer hummed. “That makes sense,” they started, “I’m sure it’s hard to get used to it. Like getting a new pair of glasses.” They said, and Caldarus simply blinked at them.
“I am unfamiliar with that summation, as I’ve never had a need for vision correction,” he began, eyes locking onto hers and begging himself to not get lost in them, “Dragons traditionally have very keen eyesight - I’m not even sure that this human eyesight is what I’d usually be used to. But, I do not remember what it was like, so I’m unable to make a comparison.” He explained, and the farmer nodded, brow furrowed as he spoke. It was cute, Caldarus thought. They were so expressive; every new piece of information Caldarus gave garnered a new expression. He watched as their brows pulled taught, their lips formed a pout, or the way they smiled so brightly when they were happy - white teeth showing in an ecstatic grin as they caught up to Caldarus. His heart stuttered and he clutched his chest faintly, wondering if he was overdoing it again.
“Are you alright, Cal?” The farmer asked, taking a step closer to him in concern. He swallowed, forcing his breath to come out steady and even.
“I believe so, yes. I just need to get used to this form; so many… vibrations, heartbeats… things I hadn’t considered. The cold, the heat…” He trailed off, frowning, looking down at the ground. Curses.
“Oh, I hadn’t even thought of that,” The farmer started, guilt pouring into her words, “Would you like to go to bed? We’ve been out a while. Maybe it’d do you some good to rest again… maybe read some, see if it unlocks anything.” She suggested softly, coming close to the dragon. He sighed in defeat and nodded.
“Yes… perhaps it’s best in moderation, right now. I’m still… not very strong.” He said, looking up and turning to follow the farmer as she walked alongside him back to his temple.
“I know. I’m… sorry that you had to use so much of your power to save me, Cal. I should have figured out that it was a trap.” The farmer replied, and he stopped. She confusedly looked back at him, grimacing at his expression.
“There was no way you could have known, and you were there for my sake. If anything, I should be apologizing to you. I’m sorry, my precious farmer.” Caldarus said, voice gravelly. He was deathly serious. He watched interestedly as a brilliant red hue overtook her face; watched as her eyes widened and brightened, as her lips parted in shock. She grabbed a piece of her hair lightly, pink lips splitting into a smile, white teeth biting her bottom lip. He watched as she abruptly turned from him, purple and white hair catching the sun and spreading the particles of light just so. He was enraptured by her beauty, staring after her as she made to move ahead.
“I- you don’t need to apologize, Cal. I would have done it even if I knew the risks. I would do it all over again.” She rushed out, and her voice brought him back to reality, snapping out of his daze. He blinked his eyes owlishly; he was certain she’d just cast a spell on him.
“And I, the same.” He replied, stepping up next to her. She grinned at him. They walked side by side, in companionable silence back to his temple, before she wished him well and teleported back to her farm.
Caldarus settled in bed with some old scrolls, but as he stared at the brittle yellowed paper, the only thing he could see was the way her teeth bit her lip, the way her eyes sparkled as she looked at him. The way her blush blossomed out from her cheeks and spread to every inch of her face, contrasting with the whites of her hair, the way her hands fidgeted with -
Caldarus shook his head violently. His eyesight was a blessing, that was certain.