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The aftermath of a fight always left Caleb not settled right, it was a cycle of kill, relax, kill again. It screwed with his mind sometimes, and as he tried to hide it from Fjord, it wasn't the most simple of task. Fjord may be able to read Caleb like a book but, it didn't stop him from pretending he didn't notice the strain battle left on Caleb. He looked rather rough after this battle after being pulled into the fray he was left gasping, Caduceus healed Caleb up as Fjord held him close.
“You are doing great Caleb.” Caduceus’ soothing voice washed over them he could tell that Fjord was thinking this is the last battle, no more just from the fact he's hiding his face in Caleb's neck and his grip on his man never loosening.
Fjord didn't want to lose Caleb again the last time hurt enough not again. Not ever… Fjord had been struggling to approach the topic but the topic had been on his mind for a while. The idea of Caleb and him settling down warmed his heart, Caleb had already taken his bite, which is another thing that was a fight to get done, on Caleb's part not Fjord's.
Fjord pressing a small kiss to the healed scar made Caleb chuckle. “I’m fine. Let me up..” Caleb pushed away softly. “Fjord please...” He pressed a small kiss to his lips, pulling away from Fjords touch.
Hours bleeded into days, as Fjord tried to figure out how to approach the topic of retirement how he could say it without sounding like he's being an asshole. Caleb was sat next to him living in the small amount of sun in the world was giving him, it warmed Fjord's heart to see a small smile etched into his face.
“I think we should retire Cay...” Fjord's words were almost carefully chosen but still sounded clunky around his lips. But the pause from Caleb sent ice into his heart before Caleb shook his head for a moment.
“Let me think about it, I will tell you at the next city, ja?” Caleb leans against him cuddling into his side and pulling out a book to thumb through to figure out their next steps the next movements to know how to do this, be happy.
Caleb was a simple man in many ways, he wasn't complicated with a lot of things, he enjoyed books, new spells and relaxing in bed, and the odd pint of ale. But right now he was figuring out something, did he want to settle down, could he settle down, the thought of it scared him being vulnerable to anyone showing up not being able to fight stuff, he hated to admit he liked the thrill of it. He enjoyed the rush, barring the almost dying every fight.
However Fjord was a different beast, he liked roots a home, a place to call back to he loved the fighting sure he enjoyed the thrill, but he didn't almost feed off of it like Caleb does, he's not so much of a thrill seeker as a curious cat…
These thoughts were swimming through Caleb's head at a million miles an hour as he was sitting in a bar drinking ale. Should they retire, Could he even retire, is that even possible for him, He guesses he could keep reading, learning spells taking choices, he gave up on turning back time to save his parents when he figured out it would tear apart the world as he knows it, and as bad as this world is… Then he wouldn't have Fjord or the rest of the mighty nein. Maybe he should Retire, it could be fun… But where would that be?
It took Caleb to breach this topic with Fjord, and he did so in some rumpled sheets and cuddling up to the half orc with a tiny smile up to him. “How about a cabin in Alfield, One with enough space for everyone to stay at the same time, but also small enough for just us... ” Caleb pressed a small kiss to his shoulder.
“That sounds perfect Caleb.” Fjord's fingers ran through Caleb's hair before his other hand pulled him up by his ribs for another kiss. “Or maybe something smaller where the others have to stay in an in so they don't hear us...” He deepening the kiss chuckling as Caleb moaned.
“That sounds like a good plan...” Caleb murmured pressing small kisses to Fjord jaw mentally distracted from it all.
The cabin to anyone else would have been the house of a serial killer, so it does almost fit the new residents, but after a few days of cleaning a new lick of paints, and stains the house was almost ready to be lived in.
It was a small house, nothing big. Four bedrooms and an open plan living area, but that was quickly filled up with a few tables and a lot of chairs, and more than enough book shelf space for Caleb, and his ever growing and terrifying collection of books.
They also got a cat called frumpkin of course, it now was a habit to call every new cat frumpkin, the current was a tabby, but a brown one, one that would cuddle up to Fjord more than he wanted it to but he couldn't deny how adorable the cat was when he cuddled over Fjord's feet at night to keep them warm.
The cabin was perfect, well, it still needed work, the ceiling would leak every now and again, they were getting to it, seeing Caleb up on the ceiling mending the ceiling with his magic took a few years off his life, but something that added years to his life was sketching, after years of watching Jester sketch he started to pick it up himself, he wasn't very good if anyone asked him but he did pretty good most of them were studies of Caleb. One was hung in Caleb's makeshift office, it was of Caleb and Nott curled up sleeping together it was one of the few better and safer moments of their travels. But they were happy here, in Alfield, where it was calm.
The mornings were often lazy and slow to get up sometimes, Caleb would always burrow into Fjord's chest trying to avoid the daylight, whatever the weather. But today was different, Fjord wrapped his arms around Caleb sighing happily. “How about I read to you Cay instead of getting up, let's be lazy...” Fjord pressed a kiss into Caleb's hair. “I think we deserve it.”
Caleb gave a small nod and a drowsy reply of, “Ja...” as Fjord picked up a book and reading it slowly. Fjord read for a long while before a hard knock interrupted their morning.
Getting up quickly and getting dressed at a moderate pace, left Caleb in Fjord's shirt and Fjord shirtless when they answered the door.
They saw a panicked and Panting Bryce on the other side. “There's been another Gnoll attack. Can you lend a hand?”
Fjord smirked looking at Caleb. “Would this technically pull us out of retirement?”
Caleb laughed. “I still prepare my spells every night out of habit. So did we ever really start? We will get dressed and ready and help you as soon as we can.” Caleb patted Bryce’s shoulder softly. “Please don’t forget to breathe Bryce.” Caleb ran off to grab his book holsters and spell components, but more so the task pulling on Fjord's armour, which takes a few minutes.
They never really did retire…