steepwithdead | Folkmore

[It helps that Caduceus is mindful about things. When he presses issues, how hard or how pointedly he does so. As good as he seems to be at reading Fjord, it never seems to quite boil past the point the half-orc can manage.

So long as he doesn't focus too hard on how Caduceus knows him so well. That's a whole 'nother kettle of fish.]

I couldn't- [A faint hitch as he bats down the leap in his chest at the invitation, at the idea that the others want him around. Whatever he can do to keep calm, it doesn't extend to the way those ears prick straight and keen, or the brief, eager lash of the tail behind him.] I wouldn't want to be a bother...

[A bother, he says. Caduceus has to resist the urge to sigh.]

Just who do you think you'd be bothering?

[You know how this dork is, Caduceus.]

I mean... I'm not like you and Caleb, yeah? Meditative, or studious, or... [A faint, restless gesture of a hand before Fjord masked the uncertainty by pulling carrots, though taking a bit more time to bump off clinging dirt as if that would enable him to avoid this whole line of conversation he'd accidentally veered into.]

[It's why he can resist at all. He will continue to gently challenge Fjord, however.]

Have we complained of being bothered at any point before?

Well.. no.

[A light huff as he barely stops himself from rubbing the back of his neck with a dirty hand.]

But it's different. Visitin' versus livin' together.

You're not wrong.

[His answer doesn't change, though.]

You're always free to make that choice. Do whatever is best for you. All I ask is that your answer is for you, what you want to do. Don't make it about what you assume of us.

[If Caduceus looks to Fjord, he might see the look of incomprehension that flashed across his face. Like the idea of doing something for himself like that was utterly impossible to understand. Not long before he got it back under wraps with a fain, crooked smile.]

I'll... keep that in mind, yeah.

Good.

[Hopefully it sticks! Either way, Caduceus pats some dirt off of the last carrot and pushes himself to his feet.]

That's enough of these for now. Let's go inside. Thanks for the help!

[He's very curious about what Fjord's brought, and the veggies need cleaning before he stores them away.]

Don't worry about it.

[Fjord paused only long enough to wipe his hands clean of dirt, before he was following Caduceus in getting to his feet, only pausing to retrieve the bag he'd brought from the grass to follow the firbolg inside.]

[It's a quick walk to the kitchen from the garden; the Xhorhaus looks the same as ever, though over time it's become more decorated, green and floral to offset that dark maroon panelling throughout. A little more furniture to fill the space, make it look more lived in, even with most of the rooms still empty.

Once they reach the kitchen, Caduceus sets the veggies next to the sink, and sets the kettle to boil before turning towards Fjord.]

There we are. I'm all yours.

[A place of this size should be imposing, with the dark paneling. But as always, the Xhorhaus is strangely homey in some way. Maybe it was the decorations, the furniture chosen, the greenery that was undoubtedly Caduceus' doing.

Fjord padded after Caduceus to the kitchen, pausing near one of the counters to set the bag down to pull out the package inside, looking almost sheepish as he held it out to the firbolg.]

I ah... saw this while I was out. Thought you'd like it.

[He's definitely but the work in to make it look nice. If nothing else, he's had the free time for it.

Caduceus accepts the bag, curious and confused as he opens it. He's not really used to being the recipient of gifts, truth be told. It's normally the other way around.]

[It's likely not surprising at all that Fjord thought of Caduceus when he saw this. A clear glass teapot, decorated with a few little enameled flowers and a dragonfly near the handle, and a small blue tin. If Caduceus peeked inside it held several little round bundles that were undoubtedly tea of some sort.

Fjord couldn't help but be a bit nervous- where Caduceus wasn't used to receiving gifts, he was likewise unused to giving them, watching the firbolg for signs of his opinion.]

The tea's apparently... if you put one of the bundles in the pot and pour the hot water over it's supposed to be real pretty while it steeps.

Oh!

[The delight Caduceus feels is apparent and immediate, first lifting the pot to examine the decorations - very fitting, very personal, he's genuinely touched - then the little tea balls. He's familiar with the concept, tea guru that he is, but it's still been a long time since he's had any.]

That's wonderful, thank you. I'll brew some right now for us, how about that?

[He gives it a sniff to check the flavour. It smells really nice.]

[Fjord is fairly certain that of everyone he knows, Caduceus knows how the tea balls work. But he's still quietly pleased at the clear delight that the firbolg is examining his gift with. And if that tail of his is wagging a bit behind him as his own expression and smile soften to something a bit warmer and less nervous...]

That sounds great to me. [Fjord wasn't sure what kinds of tea there were- he'd asked the clerk to help pick the ones that would be the most interesting to watch, and would trust Caduceus to choose whichever one seemed to please him most.]

[The kettle's already boiling, so he gives the new pot a rinse and drops one of the tea balls in, filling it up with water and placing it on the table between them. He sits down adjacent to Fjord and watches as it slowly unfurls into a bloom.]

...Ah, that's nice.

[Not an ounce of sarcasm in this guy. He really is so content to watch a little flower blossom in a teapot. It's the little things.]

[This wasn't really something Fjord was about normally. Settling to quietly watch the tea blossom was the meditative sort of thing that if he was on his own would have him about crawling out of his own skin wanting to find something to do, for reasons he wasn't really comfortable looking closely at. He wasn't the best company for himself.

Caduceus on the other hand...

It was strangely soothing, nice even, to be sat with him in the moment, a soft, pleased little hum slipping from him at the unfurl of petals and leaves as the tea was doing it's thing.]

...y'know, it is.

Mmm. [Caduceus really can just sit and watch, enjoying the bloom and the company. He knows it's not for everyone, though, so after a respectful amount of time, as the tea is on the edge of being sufficiently steeped to pour, he turns his gaze back to Fjord.]

It's very kind of you to think of me while you're out and about.

[For once, Fjord is content with a quiet moment. Definitely because of the firbolg's company, there's no way he'd be nearly so meditative about watching that unfurl of petals and leaves in the pot on his own.

Whatever the case, he can't help the sheepish cast to his grin as he glances sideways towards Caduceus.] Why wouldn't I?

[...And why did he feel like it just went entirely went without saying that he would think of Caduceus?]

[Caduceus blinks back at him, somewhat confused to have it thrown back at him. Ah... that wasn't the most courteous thing he could have said, was it? It sounds like he'd assumed Fjord wouldn't. And maybe he did, a little. Their relationship is still growing, and the truth is, he must still be mostly a stranger to Fjord. He knows all of those secrets, many of which even Fjord himself still doesn't know. He's been... cagey, maybe. Not wanting to be too personal, while desperately longing to reach out.

Maybe he's been contributing to this distance between them, himself.]

Oh, you know. Nothing very interesting going on here! I'm sure you're used to a much more exciting life.

[Y'know. Adventuring. Living on the ocean. Whatever else he's been getting up to.]

Honestly... before the whole thing that got me in with Jester and the rest? [The sabotage the shipwreck, the whole mess with his patron that had led him to adventure.]

Life was pretty quiet. I mean there were bumps here and there but on a merchant ship things are fairly routine and unremarkable if you're doin' things right, and I was... well I dunno if I was satisfied with it to be honest, but I'd come to some sorta contentment with the idea of that bein' how the rest of my years might've gone.

You have always seemed more at ease on the open water.

[Even considering... well. Everything he's been through, and Uk'otoa's eyes on him. it's part of why the Wildmother was so well-suited for him. Safety on the sea... it's just what he'd needed.]

You're not wrong.

[Fjord chuckled softly, with a small shrug, though he seemed quite relaxed in the moment. Caduceus and his chill vibes working their magic? Maybe.]

Even when I was a kid, before I'd so much as set foot on a boat I knew that's where I wanted to be.

[While some of that was the idea of escape that the ocean offered, but that wasn't the whole of it. It never had been.]

What drew you to it?

[He's curious. Both because this is an aspect of Fjord that he hasn't gotten a lot of detail on, but also because he's sure there is some comfort for Fjord to be able to share his history directly, rather than the vague "this guy knows more about me than I remember sharing".]

[It's easier too, that this is something more tame. But Caduceus isn't wrong that Fjord feels infinitely better about being asked about these things rather than someone else just knowing about him.]

The horizon. [The half-orc smiled lightly, glancing towards Caduceus.] When I was little and stood on the beach you could just... look out on the water and it looked like it went on forever. Like you could go sailin' your whole life and still not see the whole ocean. And then when I was divin' for salvage... you really got to see how much was under the surface, and it was... surprisingly soothing down there.

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