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Caleb woke up startled.
Looking around in confusion he wondered where he was and how he came to be here when the last thing he remembered was definitely not a room in some tavern being the place he went to sleep but everything seemed too fuzzy in his head right now.
He took deep breathes, in and out holding for three seconds until he felt more calm.
He still felt none the wiser about any of the questions but he would most likely not anyway when staying here and panicking too so he decided to get up and see if he could find out what was going on.
Surprisingly enough the rest of the room was empty and looking outside of it he couldn't see much more an indication towards anu answer.
It took him serval minutes and a few more empty rooms before he took the stairs down, finding the tavern in which he stood now oddly familiar but there was still too much fuzz in his head for him to understand.
The tavern was empty except for the bartender, still cleaning a few more glass cups and wiping down the bar and . . . in the very back, the furthest away booth someone else too.
Caleb had to strain his eyes as much as he could to make out the shape but it was very dark around and the only few lights were near the bar.
Despite the pit in his stomach and his head telling him not to he took the last few steps down and slowly made his way over to the booth with its single occupant.
The way itself felt like he was slow crawling while still setting one foot before the other and it was only when he stood infront of the booth that he felt the figure was watching him. It was however hard to see a lot more than those shiny white - Teeth? No, fangs - on a broad grin from under that big hood that was pulled over their face.
"Has the dear Wizard finally decided to join me here? What a honour. Now please sit, sit!" There was a lot of energy in this voice. Familiarity too and despite what Caleb felt like doing else he just quietly did as he was told, sitting down just opposite of this . . . stranger? No. Something else. But his head was still swimming, there was just no sense to trying to figure this out but he couldn't stop.
For a moment neither of them said anything.
Caleb looked at the Figure infront of him, leaning foward and their head resting on their hands. He couldn't tell if it was just the way his eyes got more used to the darkness around them but he actually was able to bit by bit make out more details about the one across from him.
The first thing he noticed was the locks of dark hair falling from below the hood into their face. The next thing was a slight movement behind them, a tail, swaying behind their back. It distracted Caleb for just a moment too long before he was able to get a hold of himself as he heard the other slightly chuckle. He looked down, not even wanting the chance of meeting the others eyes after this. For some reason this felt silly. Silly like a children game he used to play before he even went to school. And utterly embarrassing.
"You see my dear Wizard. People do tend to get distracted by me but usually for quite different reasons. Not that I complain as that was just utterly adorable." The other waved their hand in a little motion that actually did make Caleb look up again. He wanted to say something, anything really, in return to those words but all that came out when his lips parted was a shaky breath.
He still didn't understand.
It was like all of this meant something but it was just short of his gasp. By a hair too far to reach for. So all he could do is stare.
"You have been out for quite a while now." The voice sounded more serious now. There was emotion Caleb could not place as of yet but it wasn't sadness. Not really. "I have tried for a while now to reach you. Find and talk to you. But somehow. . ."
There was a pause. It probably wasn't as big as Caleb had imagined or felt it and yet the moment the voice stopped it felt like time streched. He wanted to ask what it was but there was still no voice to be found and only more confusion. Why did this person want to find him? Why did they try to talk to him? Why was he feeling . . . Relieved? But most of all he could not recall anymore when or where he last felt this way.
"Anyway. It was hard to get a hold of you." The tail behind them swished in a bigger motion. "This place. . . I know it's an odd choice but I had hopes. It seems though you would rather not."
For the first time they lifted their head high enough that Caleb could see below the hood. And for a short moment he felt something go into motion, a part of this seemingly ever lasting fog lift. This. . . This is Alfield. A Tavern in Alfield. And there were two eyes looking at him with a red so deep but vibrant that he felt a shiver run through him. He still could not place this fully but he felt. . .better. Even if everything was frayed at the edges still.
The smile returned to their face as they watched some recognition return and place itself within Caleb.
Caleb himself did not know how they knew but he had a feeling. He just kept staring at those eyes that looked at him, right through him maybe even, but so focused on something. He wished he knew what he was suppossed to give but all he had for this moment was that what he did now. Sitting here, his hands in his lap and his eyes looking right back at the ones transfixed on him.
And it seemed to be enough.
For just a moment that and everything seemed enough as he felt his heartbeat suddenly go heavy in his chest. The feeling rising up in him was strong, bothersome and heavy like stones as his left hand lifted to his own chest, clutching at the fabric.
He knew those eyes.
Those awfully bloody red eyes that shone brighter than rubies and sparked more mischief than fire itself. He knew this person. This tiefling looking so grey in the darkness and . . . So bright in the light.
And he could barely see through the tears in his eyes but it was enough for him to realize that as his mouth moved the words that came out made the other infront of him give him a look, a look so full of emotions that if Caleb had to name all of them he might take a few more hours but right now this second felt like too much already for days.
His voice was barely above a whisper but there was nothing here that would stop anything from carrying over miles if it so wished "Mo. . .lly. .mauk."
No there was no question about it anymore of who this was and a lot more about how, why now and also about where.
But all of those suddenly seemed so very irrelevant as his right hand lifted up hesitantly towards the one on the other side of this table just to be met with two hands that clasped his and a smile that seemed more honest and fragile for a second than his entire collection of Xhorhausian cat figurines was. A smile so beautiful on the face of . . Mollymauk. The brightest circusman he ever knew and the best man also to bullshit through his and your own life if only you would let him.
"The very same. It's nice to finally hear you too. It's been a while."
It's been entirely too long. Five months ago just yesterday and yet it feels like years.
And Caleb smiles as he adds his second hand and squeezes those around his. "A long time my friend."