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English
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Published:
2021-09-05
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306
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1/1
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to leave a legacy

Summary:

Caleb and Essek discuss children, of all things.

Notes:

(See the end of the work for notes.)

Work Text:

"Aren't you worried?" Caleb asks softly, his voice full of concern as he holds Essek's hand in his own. "About outliving them?"

It wasn't a topic either of them had brought up: instead, Beau and Yasha has approached them about it, offering to be surrogates should they desire a child of their own. A very sweet offering, but one that prompted a discussion.

Outliving your child was among the worst things most parents could think of.

And yet.

"It is a concern, yes," Essek confesses, giving Caleb's hand a gentle squeeze. "I will not pretend it is not. But...I am a drow. I will likely live for centuries more, unless my own foolishness catches up to me. And you won't be there, because you are human, and if we were to have a child, they would also be a human, or perhaps a half-elf," he presses the gentlest of kisses against Caleb's temple. "And I would outlive them as well, and it would be hard. I'm not pretending it wouldn't be."

He pauses for a moment, taking the time to brush a stray ginger lock back behind Caleb's ear before he resumes speaking. "But if I am lucky, I will live to see our child marry, and have children of their own. And their children will perhaps have children. And five or six centuries from now, we may have great-great-great grandchildren, and one might have your hair, or your eyes, or your nose," he kisses the nose in question. "And it would remind me of you, long after you are gone. I could think of no greater gift you could leave to me than that."

There are tears welling up in Caleb's eyes, but neither of them acknowledge it.

"Ja, okay," Caleb nods, and kissed his husband. "Let's have a baby. Let's leave a legacy."

Notes:

This is brought on by a lot of different fics I've read where Caleb and Essek don't have kids because "woe, Essek would outlive them." Essek's an elf, my dude. He's going to outlive a lot of things. And I wanted to offer a different perspective on the idea.

I may add more; I may not. I have some ideas floating in the old noggin.