Okay, But, There Are Very Specific Rituals That Caleb Has Adopted Over Time. There Is The Alarmspell

Okay, but, there are very specific rituals that Caleb has adopted over time. There is the Alarm spell he never quite abandons, and he counts out materials and coin on instinct. There are times when Essek is not sure if it is compulsion or habit, and he never finds it in him to bring it up or question it when Caleb seems more at ease. 

It is hardly harming anyone if Caleb still sets an alarm across doors, windows, the closet door used to anchor the Tower when he casts it in his cottage for them. For their friends who happily fill his kitchen while he goes about his habits, or poke through his books and trinkets while he pieces things together to keep them all safe.

Those are all expected. Anyone familiar with Caleb knows to expect them. 

The ones that no one really expected was the ease with which Caleb plucked a ring from Kingsley, or a gem that he kept close. There were moments when Caleb would be frowning at a book and his components spread out before him, and Kingsley would simply wander over with a smirk and “what did you need?”

The easy encounters had given Essek pause as he considered the way Jester’s offers of components from her own jewelry, or Veth’s from her own pouch, were enough to shock Caleb from his work with a stammered thanks. But Kingsley just had to be nearby for Caleb to seek out pockets, pouches, and freely offered decorations. 

“It’s a habit,” Kingsley said with a smirk as he offered a pearl to Essek once Caleb had effectively dismantled a gaudy ring to get to a spare piece of amber he needed. “I never questioned it. Don’t really mind those hands going through my pockets.”

Essek frowned, but accepted the pearl without a second thought. “And you are… comfortable? with this arrangement? Carrying components?”

“You’re fine taking them, aren’t you, hot boy?”

Essek looked over the pearl he had taken without thought. To Caleb’s smirk as he listened to the conversation without breaking the focus on his work. He realized, belatedly, that he had been guilty of the same when he ha been dragged into adventure with the tiefling. A plucked thread, a glass bauble, silver, gold, pearls, copper. 

He only realized he was blushing when the tiefling patted his warm cheek with a grin. “Happy to help. You can make it up to me later. You both can. I have so many ideas on how you both can repay my generosity.”

“Do not,” Caleb muttered, “test my concentration, ja?”

Just curious because this song has become a great comfort for me (and I’m sure many others)

Lord of the rings

I present to you: this blessed group.

what ive learned from making joke headcanons is that within an hour theyre usually no longer a joke

fuck w me