Chapter Text
“Cay-leb! Cay-leb! Are you ready? Are you packed?” Beau shouts as she emerges through the front door of their home. She was carrying a basket of blueberry muffins from the bakery, Meal Hearth. She looked around and saw Frumpkin laying down near Caleb’s hostlebag that was placed on the table. “Hey Frumpkin.” Beau placed the basket down on the table and scritched the tabby cat behind the ears. She turned her head to the stairs where she saw Caleb descending down. “You ready to go? Got everything you need? Paper, ink, books, chalk in case you wanna come home sooner?”
“Ja, I got everything. Are you packed?”
“Yeah, I got about everything I need for a few weeks worth of work. Just going to follow up some leads in Nicrodranas. Monk shit.” She smirked at Caleb.
“I see you went to Jester’s favorite bakery, blueberry muffins?” Caleb walked towards the table and grabbed his bag and bamfed Frumpkin from the table to his neck. “Are you sure you will be okay in Nicrodranas? I’m sure Yussa wouldn’t mind taking you back to Zadash.” He eyed the basket as Beau snatched it from the table.
“Yes. Like I said, I need to follow some leads about this Iron Shepherd's business.” Beau turned to face away from Caleb, “and the Gentleman thing for Jester.” she mumbled, “Alright let’s go!” Beau turned around and beamed an exaggerated smile.
“What do you mean the Gentleman thing for Jester, Beauregard?” Caleb raised his eyebrow as Beau ducked her head down. “Ah, so that is why you have been coming home so late with bruises, smelling like booze.”
“ What’s the difference between that and every other night when I started at the monastery?”
“You come home sober.” The corner of Caleb’s lips quirked up as their eyes met for a moment. Beau’s clenched her jaw. “Uh, let’s go then.” He turns around to his study, starts drawing the circle. Before finishing the last stroke, he turned around to look at Beau, then drew the last line.
***
The couple made their way to the Open Quay, grabbing hands before coming into sight of their friends who were waiting in front of the Balleater. Jester was first to see them, she jogged to the couple before jumping in both their arms for a hug.
“Hi guys!” Jester says in the middle of them. Behind her, Fjord follows waving his hands. Jester backs up to give them space.
“How are you feeling Caleb? Excited for this journey on the open seas?” Fjord smiled.
“Ja, very excited Fjord.” Caleb manages to smile back as he looks Fjord up and down. He was wearing a white flowy shirt with the top buttons open and brown pants with the ridiculous large pirate hat that he wore when they first met. “Nice to see the hat is making a return.” Caleb chuckled.
“Yeah Fjord, I think I liked it better with the captain suit.” Beau flicked the front of the Fjord’s hat. “Now it just looks stupid.” Fjord swats Beau’s hand as she tries to mess with the hat.
“Jester got me this hat, might as well put it to use on our journey.” Fjord baited.
“Fjord, I told you, I was just fucking with you. Beau’s right, it looks stupid.” Jester snickered as snatched the hat from Fjord’s hat and tossed it over the docks. “There problem solved.” She smiled up at Fjord as the two humans laughed at what they just witnessed.
The group said their goodbyes. Jester smashes her lips onto Fjord’s, then slaps his ass as he turns around and boards the ship. As Beau hugged Caleb, she whispered in his ear, “Don’t die.” the two shared a quick peck before Caleb made his way onto the ship. From the top deck, Caleb turned around to look at Beauregard.
***
“Is this the first time you guys have been away from one another?” Jester says as her and Beau make their way to the Lavish Chateau.
“Well, the year we got married was the first year I was at the monastery and he was at the academy, we couldn’t live together then. We were apart for a year. Then after that, there were times I was out on missions or he was doing things for the assembly.” Beau pauses to think, “I guess this is the first time we’ve been away from one another in about two years now.” Beau finds it easy to talk about her marriage now. At first, her and Caleb would butt heads about what to tell their acquaintances, having to agree on the same page was something that rarely happened, but throughout the years, they managed to line up their stories finally where they can lie with ease.
“Do you miss him every time he goes away?”
“Yes.” Although she may not love him romantically, Beau does love Caleb, and does miss Caleb when she’s home by herself, worrying herself that if she’s not home Caleb won’t take care of himself. “What about you? This happens a lot to you?” Beau looks at the tiefling next to her.
“Of course I miss Fjord, he’s my boyfriend. Of course I wish he would take some more time off and hang out with me, or maybe invite me on his journeys where we fight dragon sea turtles or pirates and then he saves me and we kiss as the sun is setting,” Jester said zoning out for a moment, “But he doesn’t.” And Jester’s face falls for a moment before her smile picks up. “It’s okay though, because now that Fjord and Caleb are at sea, you are here with me!” Jester beams up at Beau. “We can finally have that sleepover! And we can stay up braiding each other’s hair. Reading Tusk Love. Sharing our deep darkest secrets.” Jester wiggled her eyebrows.
“Uh-yeah for sure Jes, whatever you say. Oh and,” Beau lifts the basket from her side to the front of her, “I got these for you from Zadash.” Beau could feel a slight warmth in her cheeks, “blueberries are your favorite right?” Immediately Jester grabs the basket from Beau’s hand.
“Awh, Beau! You remembered. Thank you!” Jester wraps her free arm around Beau for a hug.
“Least I can do, seeing that you’re letting me stay at your mom’s place.” Beau awkwardly pats Jester’s back.
***
Beau laid her backpack down on the floor of Jester’s room. The walls were filled with drawings that were from her childhood up until today, with the complexity and techniques improving over time. Beau immediately walks over to her favorite painting. Placed right next to the window was a medium sized canvas. The painting had Beau, Caleb, Fjord and Jester having a picnic on the beach, laughing candidly, with the Wildmother’s Lighthouse in the back. She was amazed at the details Jester had put in the entire thing, how she could still feel the breeze through her hair and hear the laughter fill her heart.
That was the day where Beau realized she was in love with Jester.
At first, Beau thought of it as a crush. She never really had friends growing up beside Caleb. So of course it was new to Beau when Jester would compliment her on her outfits or her top knot. Or when Veth or Molly pick on her, Jester is always the first one to stick up for her. Then they got into a bar fight, which hilariously became a tradition whenever they came across a new bar. Though, after each fight, no matter who won, (typically Beau, since they agreed to keep it strictly fisticuffs from the last inflict wounds incident), Jester would heal her and they would laugh. Then every now and then, when Beau is at the Colbalt Soul doing monk shit, or sitting at home reading in her study, Jester would message her saying how much she misses her and how she’s thinking about her. Beau knows Jester is straight, but every gay experiences a straight crush, she knows this. It doesn’t help that Jester chooses to lean against Beau when they’re in front of the fireplace roasting marshmallows. It doesn’t help that she’s intrigued with Jester’s plans of tricks and pranks she wants to pull. It doesn’t help when Beau can’t help but laugh at how many times a day Jester can make sexual innuendos out of nothing. It doesn’t help that when Jester found out that the Gentleman might be her father, Jester talked to Beau about it and cried until she fell asleep in Beau’s arms. The turning point though, was when Beau received a letter from her estranged parents one day when Fjord and Jester happened to be visiting that day.
~~~
“Beauregard, you received a letter from your parents.” Caleb walked the letter to Beau who was sipping on some ale with Fjord and Jester at their kitchen table.
“Great, can’t wait to read this month’s reason why they're disappointed in me.” Beau reluctantly grabbed the letter from Caleb’s hand.
“I can place them with the others if you would like.” Caleb looked at Beau’s face for any recognition of her mood.
“Wait Beau, do you not read your parents letters?” Fjord asked, placing his tankard down on the table.
“Nope.” Beau finished her ale. “I’ll put it away, thanks Caleb.” She stood up and patted Caleb’s shoulder as she walked past him. As she made her way upstairs to her study, she heard footsteps behind her.
“Beau, are you okay?” Jester’s voice was soft.
“Yeah.” The word came out rough from Beau’s throat. She got down to her knees in front of a shelf that had her favorite collectibles. A giant roc feather, a dragon scale, the bullet that was shot in her ass by Veth, the fan Cadueces gifted her, the Tarot card of the All Seeing Eye from Molly. She grabbed the lead box on the bottom shelf. In it were hundreds of unopened letters. This was a routine of Beau’s, so in tune that she was unaware that Jester sat beside her until she placed her hand over Beau’s.
“You’re a good liar Beau. It takes one to know one.” Beau chuckled at her own words being used against her. “I know you said that you’re not on good terms with your parents since they sent you off to the monastery.”
“They send me and Caleb good ass wine for holidays and anniversaries though.” Beau laughs. Jester shifts closer to Beau.
“Beau.”
“At first when they sent letters, I was hoping that they would see their error in sending me away, and wanted to apologize. Or say that they were happy to hear about my accomplishments in the monastery.” Beau’s eyes started to water. “Pretty stupid of me to think that.”
“You’re not stupid Beau, you’re the smartest person I know. Smarter than Caleb.” Jester grabbed both of Beau’s hands. She was searching for Beau’s eyes, but they remained on the box in front of her.
“You know, the last letter I opened was when they told me they were pregnant with my brother. I didn’t know what his name was until they sent us a bottle of wine for our anniversary, signed ‘Thoreau, Clara, and Thoreau Jr.’ My dad’s so egoistic. But I mean he got what he finally wanted - a son.” Beau finally looked up at Jester, tears streaming down her cheeks, “I hate him. I hate him Jes. I hate how he still has this strong of a hold over me. It- it makes me feel weak. Like I’m a little kid, trying to make him proud.” Beau suddenly found herself in the crook of Jester’s neck, crying hot tears as she wrapped her arms around Jester’s neck and felt the pull of Jester’s arms around her waist.
“Oh Beau. He’s a shitty person, but he’s still your father so it makes sense why you still feel this way. But you should know that you’re an amazing person, a badass monk, a wonderful wife, a great friend. You have a husband that adores you and friends that love the shit out of you. Remember what you told me. Fuck ‘em... Well maybe not your brother, he didn’t do anything.” Beau breathes out a laugh.
“Thanks Jester.” Beau pulls away, wiping her nose. “Sorry for getting snot on your pretty dress.” Beau takes her sash and starts dabbing at marks she left on Jester’s dress.
“It’s okay Beau. Don’t worry about it.” Jester places her hand on Beau’s shoulder. “You said you don’t have to go to work tomorrow, you and Caleb should come to Nicrodranas and we should have a picnic at the beach!”
“I would have to ask Caleb” Beau finally looked up to meet Jester’s gaze, “but yeah, let’s do that.” Beau smiled, Jester matched her smile.
“We’re going to have so much fun! We can leave early in the morning!” Jester pulled Beau back in a hug. As they parted, an orange figure was suddenly beside them. Frumpkin moved to Beau’s lap and purred.
The next day, Beau and Jester walked around the city, whilst Fjord and Caleb were sent off to do some errands for Yussa, they were gonna meet up later for their picnic. Beau’s been in Nicrodranas dozens of times, but today was different. Today, Jester showed Beau paintings on buildings that she secretly did. Jester told her that there’s always a hidden dick somewhere visibly. They made it a game to see who could find the dick first. Jester brought Beau to her favorite magic store, Sea Floor’s Bounty. Before they meet up with the guys, Jester grabs Beau’s hand and starts walking them somewhere off the pier.
“Jes, what are we doing? We got to meet the guys soon.” Beau knows she doesn’t have the strength to stop Jester, so she helplessly follows Jester. The area they were in was familiar to Beau, she started looking around, finally realizing they were near the lighthouse. “Jes, you know we aren’t really invited here unless Cadueces or Fjord are with us.” From not paying attention, she ran into Jester.
“Do you trust me?” Jester turns around and she grabs Beau by her wrist, their faces inches apart. Beau stares into the tiefling’s purple eyes.
“Yes.” She swallowed. She felt a tingling feeling where Jester’s hands were, then felt her body shift suddenly. Suddenly, it was a little bit darker, but there was still light. Jester smiled up at Beau, holding her wrists still.
“Welcome to the boobs of the Wildmother.” Jester opened up her arms.They’re in a spherical room, with a circular window that makes up most of the wall beside them. Jester makes her way to the window and plops down. Beau follows suit looking out the window. She saw the Balleater at docks, with Orly on deck tattooing some random guy, there was Yussa’s tower that looked about the size of a small house. As she found the Lavish Chateau, she smiled to herself then turned to look at Jester, who was already watching her.
“This is amazing Jes.” Beau held her gaze with Jester’s. “Thank you for showing me this.”
“ Of course Beau.” Jester turned her head away to lean it on Beau’s shoulder.
“Love you Jes.”
“I love you too.”
They sat there, looking out the window, watching ships sail, seagulls fly by, patrons walking down below. It was silent, yet it felt comfortable to Beau, she felt her heart warming and her stomach turning, but in a good way. They stayed that way, until they had to meet with the guys.
~~~
“Beau.”
Beau turns her head to the direction where the voice called out. “Uh, yeah sorry. I was totally listening.” She looked at Jester’s face and she couldn’t recognize the emotion.
“I know.” Jester’s expression doesn’t change, but she moves closer to Beau.
“What do you mean Jes?” Beau’s eyes darted side to side for a second before returning back onto Jester.
“I know.”