Chapter Text
It is a truth universally acknowledged, that a single person in possession of great strength of mind or body, must be in want of adventure. However little known the feelings or views of such a person may be on their first entering town, this truth is so well fixed in the minds of their neighbors, that they are considered the rightful property of some one or other of the town’s adventuring parties.
“Caleb!” Beau shouted. “Have you heard we have a new neighbor?”
Without looking up from his book, Caleb told her he had not.
“Well, we do. Jester saw her riding up and messaged me so I could get a look.”
“Oh, she , Beauregard? I suppose you want to tell me all about h—“
Without invitation, Beau collapsed onto the sofa next to Caleb, and the resulting impact nearly caused his book to fly from his hands. “Oh, no, I know what you’re thinking. I’m not about to make the same mistake I made with Keg. I know she could be up and gone again in an instant, but … okay, she’s really hot! She’s so buff, and she has such gorgeous white hair, and I didn’t see any sign of anyone else moving in with her…“
Caleb finally gave up the transmutation tome. “Well, Beauregard. She sounds lovely. I wish you the best of luck.”
“Dude. Thanks, but…”
“But?”
“You know I’m horrible with people. Especially strangers. Fjord still won’t let me talk to the Brenattos alone, even though we’ve literally known them for like, six months. Something about my smile ‘looking pained and fake’ or something.” She threw up air quotes, rolling her eyes. “If I try to introduce myself to her…”
“You’re afraid she’ll be put off by your perpetual pissed-off expression and resolve to never seek your company again, ja ?”
“…Yes. So, like, if you wanted to pop over there today, or tomorrow, when all her boxes are moved inside—”
“Beauregard, you know how time-consuming my transmutation studies are these days. I don’t have time to pay a house call to every single newcomer to our street.”
She merely smiled. “Thanks, Caleb. You’re the best.”
“I haven’t agreed to this scheme, Beauregard,” he replied, though when he opened his tome once more, he was smiling as well.
The next morning, Caleb summoned Frumpkin (in the form of a large, friendly retriever, at Beau’s request) and took him on a walk. When the two returned to their own street, they found their new neighbor in her front yard, already gardening. She was of muscular build, as Beau had told him, yet she held her uprooted flowers with obvious delicacy and tenderness. Caleb hailed her from the street, and she seemed to wake from a reverie.
“Good morning!” she replied. “I’m terribly sorry for not noticing you sooner.”
“No worries, neighbor. Is your unpacking going quite well?”
“I should be doing the unpacking inside, probably, but I wanted to have the front yard looking colorful and welcoming before too much time passed.” She removed her gardening gloves and extended a hand towards Caleb, who had, in the meantime, been dragged ever closer to the woman by the canine Frumpkin. “In any case, I’m Yasha Nydoorin. It’s a pleasure to meet you”
He shook her hand. “I’m Caleb Widogast. My friend and I live right next door.”
Yasha smiled warmly. “Well, I think you and your friend will make delightful neighbors. Hopefully, I can host a little welcome party for you to attend soon.”
“That would be delightful. If there’s anything we can do to help, we are at your disposal.”
“Thank you, Mr. Widogast.” She kneeled down to meet Frumpkin’s eyes and scratch him behind the ears. “And thank you, too, puppy. What’s this one’s name?”
“Frumpkin. He’s my familiar.”
Yasha let out a delighted gasp. “A familiar! Any form of your choosing, and you chose the cutest one today, didn’t you, little man?” She continued cooing at the dog, who seemed to enjoy the attention very much, for nearly a full minute.
When Yasha finally seemed ready to return to her gardening, Caleb said, “A dog person, eh? I’ll keep that in mind.”
“Yes, very much.”
“Well, I’ll leave you to it. Frumpkin obeys my commands to the letter, but I wouldn’t want to give him a chance to dig up your flower beds.”
Yasha let out a hearty chuckle, then waved. “Goodbye, Mr. Widogast. Give your housemate my regards, please.”
Caleb told her that he would, then walked the short distance to his own front door. The moment he stepped inside, Beau was already in his face, demanding answers to everything from the flowers she was planting (snowdrops) to her eye color (heterochromatic, green and purple). Though the two women had yet to meet, both Caleb and Beau privately believed that a romance was inevitably on the horizon.