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It wasn’t often that they could relax like this, Caleb thought as he sat at one of the many tables taking up the hall.
They’d just come back from taking out a group of hill giants which had been causing problems in one of the towns they’d been travelling through and when they’d returned, bruised, bloodied, and victorious, the town had erupted in festivities.
After some much needed rest, they had all been herded to the town hall where a celebration had been organized in their honour. Caleb actually found it quite nice; the hall was large and decorated in flowers and banners, children scurried between legs and drinks were passed around with seemingly no end.
It was cozy, not too loud, and he had his friends with him. Well, not with him per say, they were all scattered across the hall and through Frumpkin, he was able to keep an eye on them all. Beau was arm wrestling with a few of the local farmers, Caduceus was in deep conversation with an older woman and it seemed as though she was teaching him how to knit.
Molly was watching this with a grin, but Caleb could see that they were just as invested as Caduceus. Yasha was in the midst of a group of young children, listening intently to stories from their elders and Caleb saw the small smile that graced her face as she listened as well.
Fjord stood by the bar speaking with a young woman who seemed to be the town blacksmith. Every now and again they would laugh and Fjord would run a hand through his hair and she would look away with a light blush. Caleb huffed a laugh at that, and wished his friend the best of luck.
Until he saw Jester. She had seated herself right beside Fjord at the bar and was watching him with a small frown. His back was to her and Caleb wondered if he even knew she was there. Blinking out of Frumpkin, he watched from his own table as Jester cast Fjord one last glance before looking down at her hands and hopping off the seat.
A scowl pulled at the corners of his mouth. This certainly wouldn’t do. He kept an eye on her as she settled herself at a table not too far from the bar, and her eyes would flicker back to Fjord and her frown would grow and gods, Caleb couldn’t watch this.
His eyes swept over the room, searching for something that would make his friend smile. There were no pastries or shelves to deface, everyone had been too kind to prank. Caleb hummed softly to himself before finally his eyes lit up. At the same time though, his stomach dropped and he swallowed down a wave of anxiety.
But it was the only way.
Getting up from his table, he moved across the hall, all the while convincing himself that this was a good plan, it really was. And it would make Jester happy and wasn’t that the whole point here?
By the time Caleb reached the table, the deep pit in his stomach had settled into a soft nervousness, but he was determined. He came up behind her chair and watched as she let out a soft sigh.
“Jester?”
Almost immediately, the frown she had been wearing changed into a bright smile as she turned to look at him, but Caleb could see that it didn’t reach her eyes.
“Oh Caleb, I didn’t notice you creeping in the shadows.”
“I was not-” he sighed, “I was just wondering if you were alright?”
“Alright?” Jester waved a flippant hand, her lips curling into a light sneer, “Of course I’m alright, Caleb, why wouldn’t I be? We just like, saved a whole entire town and now we’re at this great party. Why wouldn’t I be okay?”
Caleb had to admit, she played it up pretty well, but he could hear the hesitance in her voice and saw the way her smile twitched and curled down every time she glanced back at Fjord. Looking at the half-orc himself, Caleb watched as he flirted, cheeks tinged just a bit greener with a blush.
No, Caleb wasn’t even going to try to get into that. This was something for the two of them to figure out; if Jester really wanted Fjord to take her advances seriously, she would have to speak to him herself. Caleb had noticed that Fjord, while a being competent leader and generally very intelligent, he seemed to have created a blind spot for Jester’s flirting.
But that was not something he could, or would for that matter, help them with. No, their business was their own. But the general sullenness of his most bombastic teammate? That simply could not be allowed to continue.
“Mmm, yes I see you are very cheerful here at this table all alone.”
At this, Jester rolled her eyes at him, her mouth curling in something akin to annoyance.
“Caleb-”
“Would you like to dance with me?”
That seemed to catch her off guard. Her eyes widened and her mouth dropped open a little in shock as she stared at him. Caleb could feel his cheeks growing warm and he scratched anxiously at the back of his neck.
“Properly this time. I know that...last time I wasn’t the most eloquent of partners and it didn’t exactly turn out as fun as you must have hoped it would be but perhaps we could-”
“Caleb are you drunk?” Jester’s eyes narrowed at him, her words sounding more like an accusation than a question.
“No!” he exclaimed, scandalized, before huffing gently, “No, I am not drunk, Jester. I just thought that maybe we might...try again.”
“Mmmm, but you said last time that-”
“Forget what I said last time.” Caleb shuffled his feet slightly, feeling himself grow hot under his collar. He’d thought this would be easy, “I am asking if you’d like to dance.”
Jester looked at him for a long time, her sparkling purple eyes studying every twitch in his face, every movement he made, searching for something. Finally she looked down at her shoes for a moment, laughed quietly and maybe a little sad, then looked up at him through her lashes.
“You are very sweet Caleb, but I don’t want you to be uncomfortable just to make me happy.”
A smile curled it’s way up his lips as he looked at his friend. His friend whose heart was so big and so obvious on her sleeve that it was a wonder it hadn’t been broken a thousand times over. He was glad though, that she was the way she was; despite his complaining and griping, he would never have her any other way.
So, dropping into a low bow, he held out a hand to her.
“Jester, I would be honoured if you would share this dance with me.”
Caleb couldn’t help the laugh that escaped his lips as Jester squealed in delight, grabbing his hand and tugging him close. Putting his other hand delicately on her waist, he stepped back, spinning her into the center of the room.
They waltzed together, and this time Caleb’s feet remembered the steps of the dance he’d learned in his youth. Now fully sober and entirely capable, he took the lead, stepping this way and that, basking in Jester’s laughter as he dipped her.
He spun her quickly, twirling her away before pulling her back, wrapping his arms around her, continuing to sway across the floor. They moved faster, and Jester shrieked in delight as Caleb lifted her off her feet, twirling across the room as she laughed into his shoulder.
After setting her back down, they moved slower, swaying gently, allowing Jester to catch her breath. This didn’t prove easy to do as she fought back laughter, her eyes twinkling.
“Oh Caleb,” she gasped before falling into a fit of giggles, “Oh my gods, where did you learn to dance like this?”
“Oh you know,” Caleb’s lip twitched up in a grin and he winked, “around.”
Jester scoffed playfully and Caleb started to pick up the pace again, ignoring the looks he felt from the others around the hall. Tonight wasn’t about his past, or about his insecurities. It was about his friends.
“Well, I think you are a wonderful dancer, Caleb.”
Caleb hummed thoughtfully, twirling Jester off her feet for a moment before placing her back down, continuing the dance. Her dress billowed and spun as she landed gracefully, following his every step without falter.
“No. I think you will always be a better dancer than me, Jester.”
Her steps faltered and as Caleb looked up, he saw the surprise on her face, followed by a hesitation. Slowing his own steps, he leaned forward, letting his forehead knock gently against hers.
“I see you tonight, Jester. And I am sorry for when I have not seen you before. My past and present, they can become clouded, and I lose sight of what is around me. Who is around me. But you are my very dear friend, and you are very important to me, ja?”
Slowly, the surprise on her face gave way to a smile which would have rivaled the sun itself and Caleb couldn’t help but smile back.
“Thank you, Caleb.” It was strange to hear such sincerity in Jester’s voice, but not at all unwelcome.
And so, with a gentle nod, Caleb spun them around, drifting across the floor as the song came to its end, finishing just as he twirled Jester into the air, bringing her down into a sweeping dip. Vaguely, he could hear clapping from around them, but in all honesty, he was still too much of a coward to look up and see the crowd they’d attracted.
So he kept his eyes on Jester, her indigo eyes twinkling as she laughed. Then he pulled her up and she swayed slightly on her feet before snapping up with a little hop, and the two of them bowed to each other, as they’d been taught respectively. Caleb, fighting back the blush which had risen to his cheeks, pressed his lips to Jester’s hand, grinning cheekily when she gasped.
“Caleb, look at you being all charming!”
“Well, I have learned from the best, haven’t I?”
Jester tittered softly, her hand curling around his own as she pulled him forward. Caleb found himself blinking dumbly as she pressed a kiss of her own to his cheek.
“You are very sweet, Caleb. Thank you for the dance.”
“You are- eh- very welcome, of course.” he was floundering now, face hot and words lost in his throat. Jester only giggled at that and began to drag him back to their table, away from the center of the room.
As they reached it, Caleb noticed that their friends were already seated together and one look at the dopey grins that Beau and Molly seemed to share, he knew they’d been watching.
“That was some very fine dancing, Mister Caleb, Miss Jester,” Caduceus hummed, a small smile on his face, “Very pretty.”
“Thank you Caduceus,” Jester curtsied a little and oh, that was cute.
The two sat down and as Beau slid a pair of drinks their way, Caleb noticed that Fjord was seated among them and he was staring. He look astonished, his mouth hanging open just slightly as his eyes flickered between the two of them. Then he noticed Caleb’s eyes on him and his mouth snapped shut, followed by a light cough.
“You two sure did make a pretty picture out there,” he remarked, and Caleb could tell by the tension with which he held himself now, he was desperately trying to retain some semblance of dignity.
Jester didn’t speak and out of the corner of his eye, he saw that she too was tense, not looking up from her drink. He scowled at the way her smile curved down slightly.
“Well,” he began, “Jester is a wonderful dancer. I have never met anyone with more grace.”
Why was it that every time Caleb said something pleasant, his friends looked at him like he’d grown a second head. He could be charming!
“I could see that,” Fjord said with a nod, “Never seen a dance quite like that, looked like you two belonged at a ball or something.”
Caleb opened his mouth to wave away the compliment when he felt Jester lean against him, an arm around his shoulder. But when he looked over at her, her eyes were strictly on Fjord and a wide, familiar, mischievous smile graced her lips.
“We could teach you to dance, Fjord! Caleb can sweep you around the room and I- well, I can show you how not to fall on your entire face or step on Caleb’s delicate toes.”
“ Was!? I do not-” Caleb huffed and pushed Jester’s face away as she laughed.
“You know what Jes?” Fjord’s voice snapped them both to attention and Caleb watched as golden eyes flickered between Jester and himself, a wide grin making its way up his face, “I think I’d like that very much.”
Caleb’s mouth snapped shut and he blinked in surprise. Beside him Jester screeched with delight, and began to shake his shoulders incessantly. There was a smug, almost roguish glint in Fjord’s eyes as he watched the two of them and Caleb could only groan, rolling his eyes up to the heavens.
“Mein gott, what have I done.”