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thebest-medicine · 10 months

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Impractical Jokers

[read on ao3]

A/N: Had some Thoughts about Tasha’s Hideous Laughter / Hideous Laughter spell. Mainly. That Nott knows it [C2E28]. I would love to see Caleb experience it. (Caleb x Laughter OTP) And, also featuring a great joke Nott tells Caleb [C2E55]. (This is the first two chapters from ao3 put together.)

Summary: Nott is actually quite hilarious, thank you very much Caleb.

Words: 1285

…

“Hey Caleb?”

“Ja?”

“How many Zemnians does it take to light a lantern?”

Caleb turns from his book and raises an eyebrow at her. His lips turn down slightly in a frown.

“One! Because they’re efficient and humorless!”

“That’s not a very good punch li-” He starts to say, watching as Nott smirks and whispers something he can’t quite hear but recognizes as arcane; she waves the small feather she usually keeps on her for feather fall pointedly at Caleb.

And then he finds he can’t say anything at all as he folds to the ground, cackling with laughter. “W- IHI- NAHAHAHA-” Caleb laughs as he wraps his arms around his middle, and some sliver of his brain notes with hilarity that he’s slipped out of his chair and is now rolling on the floor.

“Oh, I guess it just took you a second to get the joke!” Nott laughs along and winks at him. Not that Caleb picks up on it, as he’s currently too busy cackling his head off. “I’ve never …seen you laugh like this.” She considers the giggling heap of wizard for a moment, looking down at him for a change. “Feels good to finally get a rise out of you!”

Every word she says, every sound he hears, every sensation he feels and conscious thought he has is currently the funniest Caleb has ever experienced (at least, that he can remember right now). He’s jumped past snickers and giggles straight into wild, unending cackles. Giddiness flitters through his chest as he shakes his head, trying to breathe through the laughter.

Nott scampers a bit closer, trying to get a good look at Caleb’s smile. “I didn’t know you thought I was this funny. I’m honored, truly.” She teases. And, well, she can’t help but reach out to Caleb, ruffling his hair a bit as he squirms, arms wrapped around his middle.

A long few seconds later, the buzzing, tingling, silly feeling of unbridled hilarity subsides, pulling back like the tides. Caleb coughs a little as he catches his breath, laying back against the floor. “That was-”

“Adorable?” Nott cuts in.

Caleb makes a sound of protest as the redness on his cheeks seems to grow a bit even though he’s stopped laughing. “You are not so funny.” He rolls his eyes and gives her a wary look, trying to fight the lingering smile off of his face.

“You’re right.” She chuckles. “I am Nott, SO FUNNY!”

Caleb rolls his eyes again and starts to push himself up by his elbows from where he had collapsed in laughter on the floor. “It won’t always work. You caught me off guard, but I can resist your tricks.” As he stands, he finally succeeds in making a face that isn’t a big stupid grin.

Well, Nott thinks, that won’t do.

“Either you’re going to have to start laughing more, or I’m going to have to get more feathers.”

Caleb freezes, eyes wide like a spooked animal. “What?” He manages, it’s almost a gasp. His face approaches the color of his hair.

Hmmm, he’s definitely blushing. Interesting. Nott starts to explain, her voice slow, as she studies his expression. “I need feathers…to cast Tasha’s hideous laughter.”

Caleb’s face seems to cool down a few degrees as he blinks. “Oh, ah-”

“But.” She continues, pulling another feather from somewhere inside her cloak. “I can also think of something else that I could use them for.”

Caleb’s eyes snap to hers. The seeds of a new smile, remnant of his earlier grin, are starting to sow despite his attempts to look stern. “Nott.”

She hums, giving him a smirk and wiggling the feather a little his way.

“Do not.” He takes a step back.

They stare at each other for a long moment before Caleb turns to bolt. As he turns away, Nott catches the growing smile on his face. A beat later, she pounces after him.

“Get back here!” Nott cries, a few steps behind Caleb.

“Nein!” Caleb nearly squeals as he dodges a hand going for his ankle.

Nott recognizes the finger movements ahead of her as the start of somatics. No, she scolds in her head, he won’t be getting away so easily. She’s already got the feather in hand as she shouts the incantation quickly.

Caleb’s next step forward crumbles as he folds in on himself laughing. “NEIHIHIHIN- HAHA AH I- NAHAHA!” So much for being able to resist it next time. The warm sparks of his magic fizzle away as he falls to the floor, wriggling about like a worm.

Nott plops down on her knees next to him, avoiding any flailing limbs. Caleb, it seems - to Nott’s delight, is quite malleable when he’s laughing his head off. When she reaches out to poke at his sides and stomach a few times, he wiggles slightly away. She scoots up near his head, smiling down at his wide grin, and uses another feather to start toying with his ears and neck.

It’s hard to tell if he’s reacting more than a few wiggles away from the pokes and swipes of the feather. The spell does a pretty good job of making the victim laugh as hard as they can, so he’s stayed pretty consistent in volume.

Nott gets one of Caleb’s wrists in her hand and pulls the arm away from his side. It goes quite easily. It’s strange seeing the normally stubborn wizard acting this way, a freshly made dough to be tossed and kneaded any which way without so much as a protest.

Nott can sense the spell ending as Caleb’s laughter peters off into a much lighter, sillier giggle. She moves into the space between his side and his arm, sets the feather next to her, and blocks Caleb from bringing his arm back down in one quick motion. And then, she pokes her fingers into his armpit.

Caleb squeals, his elbow coming down into Nott’s back. His other hand flies up and Nott braces for a shove, but Caleb just slams the free hand over his reddening face.

“Aww. Don’t do that!” Nott complains, reaching up to tickle under the front of his neck with one hand. His chin comes down with a snort, and the hand on his face moves to bat weakly at her arm. “Your smile is the whole point!”

Caleb whines between his laughter at the affection and teasing.

“And see, I don’t even have to use the feather. I can just get you any time. My hands are my greatest weapon!” Nott monologues triumphantly. “Though, maybe I could enlist some help.”

“Nein!” Caleb manages to squeak out as he laughs.

“Exactly. I’m sure rest of the Nein would love to help.” Nott says as she pokes a bit lower, just above where his leather holster lays. Caleb shouts, his body attempting to curl away from her. He’s shaking his head, giggling loudly. She pauses, leaving her fingers just touching the spot. “Well then.” She squeezes once more. “Looks like you’d better start laughing at my jokes.”

“Ja, ja. Haha- fine. Alright - hehe- you little menace.” Caleb giggles. Nott lets him up, for now, moving a bit out of his space. He pulls his arms into his chest, rubbing against the phantom feeling on his rib cage, then he reaches out and pulls the goblin in.

There’s a brief second where she panics, assuming he is eager to get revenge. But, Caleb just hugs her close, still giggling as they lay together on the floor. It’s a place they have been in more times than she can count, but this time, the warm feeling that envelopes them isn’t just coming from body heat.

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princelabracebu · 3 months

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.　 . • ☆ . ° .• °:. *₊ ° . ☆

Me: how’s your past, Caleb.

Caleb: it’s kind a… traumatizing, Princess.

Me: Oh, I’m so sorry for asking those questions Caleb I didn’t mean it, I’m sorry. I didn’t know that you have a dark past.

Caleb: Sorry?, don’t say sorry Princess. I’ve be the one to says sorry for my attitude, i’m sorry I’ve made you uncomfortable.

Me (crying looking at him): don’t say sorry Caleb, to those people would not choose you I’m sorry. Don’t worry but I’m here choosing you, only you from the bottom of my heart ❤️

Caleb (Blushed in tears and hug you tenderly): thank you princess, you’re the person who cares about me and thank you for being sweet and humble person you’re gonna make me diabetes heheh.

Me (Hug him too tenderly): wow nice joke Caleb but thank you for being sweet too you gonna make me high blood haha

Caleb: Really?, hahaha you’re such a joker Princess you got me dying.

Me: Really? Caleb haha. anyway we have to go home Caleb, it’s almost night

Caleb: Oh, yeah you’re right. Let’s go home, together play it?

Me: Yes my love play it. (Smiles)

You and Caleb are holding hands together so sweet because you’re going home. ❤️

(The End)

.　 . • ☆ . ° .• °:. *₊ ° . ☆

#princelabra #My storyline #childhood #life #past #love #Caleb #2024 #love and deepspace

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theoriginalladya · 1 year

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8, 22, and 30 for my favorite boy Caleb please <3

Taken from this list here

Awww, thank you for asking about my Irish boy! <3 Let's see what he's willing to share...

8. What is the difference between me1 and me3 Shepard? Do they notice, or does someone have to point it out?

Oh gosh, start with the tough ones! LOL Well, I'd say the biggest difference between Caleb in ME1 and ME3 is that he's learned how to let his friends be 'friends', be closer than he'd usually allow (after losing people in the Reds, on Akuze, Virmire, etc.). The risk is still there, it will always be there, but the journey he makes through ME2 teaches him it's okay to accept that risk - it's a part of living - and to allow those he's closest with share that with him, and for him to share it back. (won't get into specifics, but it's ultimately what allows him to tell Kaidan how he feels in the end, but it isn't just with Kaidan - it's with ALL of them).

22. What was the post-lazarus reunion between shepard and joker like?

Jesus, you're going for the jugular, aren't you??? lol

For the most part, Caleb has no issues with Joker post-lazarus. Once he hears about what the Alliance does (breaking them up, sweeping what happened under the rug, etc.), he understands why Joker left. Doesn't mean he agrees, but he understands. Honestly, at that point, he needs all the people he can trust on his side once he realizes what Cerberus has done to him. I think it's also partly why he's willing to forgive Liara for her part, too.

30. A moment that almost made Shepard quit.

Oh gosh, let's see. Honestly, during diver training when he discovers not only does he have a fear of deep water, but just how strong a fear it is. He never knew about it before the training and he nearly dies when he panics. When Anderson comes to him and tells him he is getting a second chance at it, Caleb is already in the middle of packing his things up to leave - not just ICT but the Alliance altogether. After that, once he passes it, he pretty much dedicates himself to the Alliance for whatever the future holds for him.

Thanks so much for asking these! They definitely help me pull him into better perspective in my head! <3

#Mass Effect memes #Shepard asks #ladya's OCs #Caleb Shepard

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kaetor · 1 year

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4 20 9 30 and don't do the palette challenge it's MAY

i started the last challenge on may 24th i can do whatever i want. did you ask me 420 on purpose

4. Fav character/subject that’s a bitch to draw

currently it's joker persona 5, hair like his is Hell to get looking good IMO. previously it's been snake zero escape, who again has a very specific Look to his hair that's hard to replicate without looking stupid, before that... apollo justice. tho there's no way to make apollo's hair look good it just isn't, before that i could never get caleb widogast's face to look right, and every character on the mighty nein has an outfit that is so complex to draw over and over again and OH SUPERBOY. i never quite got the hang of superboy.

Anyways a lot of these are characters that look really good in their canon art but i have/had a very hard time translating their features into my style for whatever reason. like, i always feel like i can either draw joker looking somewhat different to how he does in canon or his head will look way too big for me. when i was into critical role i could not draw men looking the right amount of scrungly caleb needed to be

20. Something everyone else finds hard to draw but you enjoy

hands! i love drawing hands. theyre very shaped

9. What are your file name conventions

imagine having file name conventions! uhh i Usually just name stuff something short and sweet that'll let me remember it at a glance and is sometimes funny enough that i'll laugh when i go back to look at the files. most of the complexity of my filing of art goes into the folders system, so i don't have to worry about naming something 'commish' for the 4th time, since there's only ever like, 30 drawings in a folder tops. my file names ARE full of typos tho. me and 'thisvs.png' against the word

30. What piece of yours do you think is underrated

it changes and I dunno if this is a universal artist thing or a Me thing but i always find that the really big pieces that i go thru the effort of Painting & Compositioning get way less attention than my silly little doodles that take less time. anyways for something specific let's go with this santa

#artist ask game #cleb talky #ily

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danganronpasurvivoraskblog · 2 years

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V3 does a Caleb City skit for fun

Yo, whaddup man?

Oh, whaddup man?

I got my controller on me. And look, I think I finally found my character. I’ve been destroying people online bro, it ain’t even funny.

Oh finally! Who is it?

It’s Richter.

Oh...Uh...Ok?

Turn the game on bro, we can play.

Yeah, but uh...you know, if you main Richter that uh...automatically makes you a...piece of garbage, right?

What?

I’m just letting you know, people that main Richter are notorious for being walking living pieces of trash that parents often disown.

You got an issue with me or something!?

Me! No! I don’t make the rules! I’m just letting you know a well known fact about the character, and people that use him!

What “rules” what are you talking about!?

Watch, look, I was just looking at this earlier today. See, right there, that they’ll “be considered a garbage excuse for a human being.”

Man-WHAT!? What site is this!?

That’s the official website! That’s Nintendo!

NO! Why would they do that!? Why would they do that!?

Aight well...ngh...I’ve been using Ganon too! It can be either or, honestly. Ganon’s ok, right?

Oh yeah, Ganon he’s...yeah, he’s cool. He’s fine.

Ganon it is then...

It just means you’re a...bad person...and a danger to society as it stands.

WHAAT!? That’s FACTS!?

Yep. That’s legit.

Are you kidding me!? Come on!

What about King Dedede!?

Leave this planet.

Yoshi!

I hate you.

Ness!?

Everyone hates you.

OKAY! Lucina!?

!!?

Heh! See!? I almost punched you right now!

Little Mac then!

...Was that a joke?

Joker!

Sure...If you want everyone to know you have zero skills.

Oh mah GOOOSH! Jigglypuff!

Get on the ground and fight, you coward.

Mega Man!

Get closer and fight, you coward.

King K Rool.

Stop Spamming.

Donkey Kong!

Stop Grabbing.

Wario!

You’re annoying.

MAN WHO DO YOU MAIN!? Everyone I pick, I can’t play! Who do you main!?

...Simon.

Si-...THAT’S THE SAME AS RICHTER! THEY’RE THE SAME CHARACTER-

No they’re not.

IT’S AN ECHO! WHAT ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT!?

WHAT ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT!?

*BIG SQUABBLING!*

#danganronpa survivor #danganronpa #danganronpa v3 #drv3 #kokichi ouma #kaede akamatsu #ask #into the ocean arc

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chockfullofsecrets · 3 years

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Critical Role: Embarrassing and Undignified

(Read on AO3)

Rating: Gen

Summary: Caleb doesn’t smile much. It’s something he rather likes about the man, that he prefers to save his pleasure for that which is truly worth it - but there’s nothing else he can call the expression that briefly narrows those blue eyes. “Reacting like that in front of a friendly tiefling?” he says - teasing, almost, and Essek feels his stomach flip. “I am not so sure.”

Essek's time in the hot tub goes a little awry.

Wordcount: 3.3k

A/N: Fill for this anon prompt! (i’m so sorry for taking 2+ months to write this... i love Essek so much and he needs more tk content)

---

Essek is no stranger to being - unusual. He often welcomes it, really. Achieving a status such as his for the better part of a century comes with its fair share of eccentricities, his floating among them, and at this point hovering just above the rest of the Dynasty has become something of a favored routine.

And yet, it seems, the Nein have him beaten at every turn.

He had meant to take his leave directly after dinner, unsure of his place among Yasha’s solemn questions of loneliness and Beauregard’s transparent attempts to pry information from him and Jester’s threat to invoke a Zone of Truth for idle gossip -

(and the slight jealousy, he admits, if only to himself, of seeing Caleb, ambitious and focused and loved, among them - )

But. Lonely and friendless he is, as has been quite thoroughly pointed out to him through the evening, and he’s intrigued enough by the rarity of this hot tub to clamber up awkwardly onto the enclosing stone wall and dangle his feet into the water while his hosts bustle around and shuck off various pieces of clothing.

Caleb sits next to him, rolling his own pant legs crisply to the knee and lowering his feet in. “What do you think?”

He looks over - thank the Light, Caleb’s still wearing his shirt. “It’s - nice,” he says. He drags his toe through a slow stream of bubbles rising from what he assumes must be the hottest parts of the depths. “Unfamiliar, but quite impressive that you’ve constructed it on your own.”

Caleb raises an eyebrow. “The hot tub, or -” He traces a small circle with his index finger, encompassing himself and his companions. “- all of this?”

Decades of court experience well up unbidden on his tongue. “The compliment extends to you either way,” he offers smoothly.

Caleb squints at him, but before he can say anything more the rest of the Nein are joining them with pleased exclamations and a thoroughly distracting amount of splashing. Essek watches, bemused, as Jester flops in belly-first before even unbuckling the last clasp of her outergarments - she wrestles them off, finally, crumpling the dripping green cloak into a ball and flinging it away, and he winces on behalf of the fine Kryn fabric.

She looks around, eyes lighting on him, and her hands fly to her round cheeks with an excited gasp. “Essek! Your legs!”

Startled, he looks down - they seem quite normal, with his boots off and his neatly pressed trousers folded at the knee, if a little more purple than anyone else’s present. “I would prefer to keep my clothes dry, yes.”

She leans in, eyes wide. “Are they re-al?”

Light be with him - she’s hardly said anything, but he struggles not to flush under the scrutiny. “Ah, yes? Why should they not be?”

Just then, something brushes lightly over the sole of his foot - he startles, and -

His seat is well made, certainly, but not enough to stand up to the Nein’s shenanigans; as he recoils, his center of gravity shifts right off the narrow ledge and he’s tumbling backwards before he can do more than blink.

Light, if this is how he dies -

He flails for a solution - it’s been years, at least, since he’s done something so pedestrian as fall, and there are spells for this, certainly, but what he’s prepared for today is more showy fare, in case the Nein asked for a demonstration, why can’t he think -

A hand closes roughly around his bicep, then another around the opposite shoulder, and then he’s dangling from Caleb’s grip with his back nearly parallel to the floor - he reaches out too, panicked, and crumples the front of Caleb’s shirt in a death grip.

“Good reflexes,” he says, breathless. Blood pounds in his ears. Caleb stares down at him, blue eyes wide and jaw tight -

“Ooh, now kiss!” Jester hoots.

The rest of the Nein burst into laughter behind them. Caleb goes bright red and hurriedly turns away, looking over his shoulder. “One of you jokers come here and help me, please,” he chides, strained, “I am not the muscle of this group.”

The tension in Caleb’s face becomes infinitely more explicable - finally capable of rational thought, Essek flicks his fingers and casts a weight-lightening cantrip just as another strong hand latches onto his knee and bodily tows him upright. Yasha nods at him, chest completely bare, and wades back to her corner as Veth pops up from nowhere with her long ears twitching maniacally. “I’m SO sorry,” she screeches, insistent far beyond the point of sincerity. “I brushed against your feet COMPLETELY ON ACCIDENT.”

“VERY ACCIDENTAL,” Jester agrees loudly. Next to her, Fjord winces.

Veth’s voice softens, then, as she pats him gingerly on the leg. “I didn’t think you would do that - are you okay?”

“It’s all right,” he says weakly. Her ears droop in what seems to be genuine relief - it is pointless to care, perhaps, but he feels better for having reassured her.

He sucks in a solid breath for what feels like the first time in minutes and turns to Caleb to thank him. There’s still a guarding hand resting warmly against his back - and worse still, he realizes belatedly that his own hand is still fisted in the buttons of Caleb’s shirt.

He snatches it hastily away, ears burning. “Ah, my apologies. I shall pay closer attention to gravity, for the rest of the night.”

Caleb doesn’t smile much. It’s something he rather likes about the man, that he prefers to save his pleasure for that which is truly worth it - but there’s nothing else he can call the expression that briefly narrows those blue eyes. “Reacting like that in front of a friendly tiefling?” he says - teasing, almost, and Essek feels his stomach flip. “I am not so sure.”

A friendly -

Surprised, he glances over at Jester and finds her wearing a smug expression that might not be out of place on Da’leth himself, if significantly sweeter. “E-ssek,” she wheedles, wide-eyed with delight, drawing every syllable to its maximum extent. “Are your feet like, super ticklish?”

Essek blinks - ticklish? But he hasn’t - really, he can’t remember the last time he might have known. As a child, perhaps, when Verin used to tempt him into playing by tackling him straight off his feet and -

Oh. Oh, dear.

At least that particular piece of evidence is decades out of date - a poor excuse to discard it, but he’s willing to compromise in the face of Jester’s ever-sharpening grin and the traitorously pleased squirm in the pit of his own stomach. “What? No, of course not, I was merely surprised-”

“You can be surprised and ticklish,” Jester corrects, skipping forward with a splash. Essek shirks back into Caleb’s hand, millimeters from tumbling off the ledge again, and she giggles. “And I’m pret-ty sure that you’re both.”

The hot tub, for all of its excellent qualities, is unfortunately not large enough to keep her at bay for longer than that. She reaches out as he’s still deciding which direction would be the best to flee in and scoops his ankle up in a grip like steel. “Ah-” he sputters. “I - Jester, wait-”

She drags a fingernail up the arch of his foot.

It feels like one of the few times while developing a lightning-based spell that he’d electrocuted himself - but the feeling doesn’t stop, shooting up his leg and tickling at his lungs too to make them shiver, and it’s silly, and he just -

He panics, jerks back against Caleb’s hand again, and in a moment of brash stupidity the animal instinct of his brain decides that the only safe place to hide is Caleb himself. He buries his face in Caleb’s side and grabs him around the waist just in time to shriek as Jester repeats the same lazy route up and down the sole of his foot, pausing only to scratch tingling patterns into his heel. “Tickle, tickle! Aw, guys, he’s so ticklish, look at how much he’s laughing!”

The fabric of Caleb’s shirt isn’t much of a barrier to Jester’s teasing - or to his own ticklish laughter, embarrassingly high-pitched and loud in a way that makes his whole face heat with shame - but at least they can’t see him blush.

Caleb jumps a little as Essek latches onto him, but his hand stays put, stabilizing, and starts to rub gentle circles on his back as Essek dissolves into cackling at another spidering assault on his arch. “Jester, please be gentle,” he says, amused. “I am not sure that is a good idea.”

Essek’s not sure how he feels either. It’s terribly embarrassing, and undignified, and if this was happening in front of any other being in the Dynasty he would have to learn some sort of memory erasure spell, but - the Nein have never cared for his layers upon layers of decorum anyway, have they, always prying for indignation and confusion and warmth that he’s not certain he even possesses.

Caught between Jester and Caleb and a vat of hot water, with the rest of the Nein making relatively amused noises behind him, he doesn’t think he’s ever felt warmer.

Jester just laughs. “I’m barely doing anything!” she teases, shaking Essek’s leg lightly. “He’s just so sensitive - oh, Essek, is it ‘cause you never walk anywhere? Is that why your feet are so soft and tickly?”

He’s giddy, even with the sudden reprieve, giggling too hard to speak. “I - ha - I dohon’t - ehe-”

“Of course it is,” Beauregard says smugly from a distance that seems far too close, “waving all those secrets and magic over our heads and he’s hoisted on his own fuckin’ petard-”

“What’s that?” Caduceus asks. Essek vaguely remembers the term to describe some sort of bomb, but Jester chooses that moment to send her mischievous fingers exploring under his fucking toes and it tickles like absolute hell. He shrieks even louder than before, if such a thing were possible, and makes a solid attempt to burrow his way straight into Caleb’s ribcage as his entire leg jolts in involuntary protest. No amount of desperate attempts to flex or curl his foot make the sensation any more bearable - it’s like the sucking feeling of a Teleport spell, like everything inside him is unmoored and floating in a sea of mirth and the only way he can get any of it out is to scream.

His cheeks hurt and he realizes, suddenly, that he’s beaming.

Jester cackles. “Come get his other foot, Beau,” she urges, easing off to just pinch his big toe between two fingers and wiggle it. “He totally loves it, he’s not even kicking-”

“Uh-huh,” Beauregard says, and there’s another splash. “Maybe I will.”

Caleb’s still rubbing his back - he stops, briefly, and from his huddled position Essek feels that Beauregard has jostled his other side on her way past. “His feet might be worse than yours,” she murmurs. He can hear the grin in her voice. “Better hope Jes doesn’t remember and go after you next.”

“Don’t remind her,” Caleb says, strangled. It’s remarkably friendly for Beauregard, though, and Essek is once again caught up in the paradox of this little group - merciless but fiercely protective, reluctant but trusting. It’s hard to be regretful - or wistful, maybe, one of those feelings that twinges in his chest every time he thinks of the Nein nowadays - with Jester tickling her way up the back of his bare calf and cooing over the way it makes him wriggle. But his heart, a traitor to the last, manages. There are so many secrets between them still.

Beauregard seizes his other ankle, hauling it up from the water, and he realizes for one terrible moment that if they were to, say, force him out of hiding and keep tickling, he might be inclined to spill some of them. “Scoot over, Jes,” Beauregard says, and there’s a squeak that, for once in the evening, doesn’t come from him. She chuckles. “Good thing he’s not trying to tickle you back, huh?”

He expects Jester to sputter and redirect her, as he would, but she sounds entirely unconcerned at the prospect. “Oh, Beau, do you want to have a tickle fight? We totally could, after this-”

“No,” she says, not entirely drowning out the little panicked noise that Caleb makes. “Not the kind of wrestling I want to do when half of us aren’t wearing shirts, if you know what I mean-”

“Beau!” Jester shrieks, giggling. Fjord groans loudly from the other side of the hot tub, and Essek, still squirming, is very sure that he’s blushing enough for it to show on the back of his neck, under his high collar. “Who do you want to wrestle with? Is it Yasha-”

“Yeah, yeah, okay, moving on.” Beauregard interrupts hastily. There’s a popping noise that takes a second for Essek to place as her cracking her knuckles. “Hey, Essek - you think you’d trade another favor to get us to stop?”

Essek flails for something resembling a complete sentence as Jester’s fingers curl teasingly behind one of his knees. “Nngh - heh-”

“Yeah, that’s what I thought.” She squeezes the back of his other knee, barks out a laugh as he jumps. “Jes, stop messing around, let’s get his feet.”

That makes him kick, but at this point his entire lower half is restrained - all he can do is take one last breath before fingertips are scribbling over both his soles and he’s cackling so forcefully that his laughter peaks into agonized wheezing with each fresh gulp of air. “Hhh - ha - ahahaaaa, hA -”

Caleb shifts a little, bending until one of the strands that always hang stubbornly loose from where he ties his hair back brushes the tip of Essek’s burning ear. Essek shivers. “You can tell them to stop, you know,” he murmurs.

Essek’s almost entirely sure that he’s crying into Caleb’s shirt, tears leaking from squeezed-shut eyes as Beauregard and Jester torment his feet, but Caleb seems - fond, oddly - as he starts to rub his back again. “They’re not trying to be cruel - I believe they’re just excited that you’ve. Ah. Lowered yourself to our level, perhaps.”

And what level is that, Essek wants to ask, suddenly conjuring a mental image of Caleb in the same throes of helpless laughter. But he’s barely capable of that, as he’s currently dying, so he just tightens his grip on Caleb and shakes his head. He can barely even register Jester and Beauregard’s teasing anymore - he doesn’t think he can speak right now without embarrassing himself even more if he tried.

“Fuck, alright,” Fjord says abruptly from somewhere miles away, “I think he’s actually crying now, the Dynasty is going to have our heads if we break him.”

“He wouldn’t let them, he’s our friend,” Jester trills, but she does stop tickling, ghosting a hand up over his heaving shoulders to pat him gently on the head. “His ears are really purple though, like magenta purple, I think he’s blushing.”

For some reason - perhaps because he can finally think - it strikes him, fighting through the warm and pleasantly tingling haze of being touched and gentled back into himself, that as much as the casual label of friend pleases him he cannot afford this kind of vulnerability.

“Or suffocating,” Beauregard says a moment later, dropping his foot unceremoniously back into the water. “Thelyss? You alive in there?”

And, a beat later, when he doesn’t reply - “Are you just, like, smelling Caleb now?”

“Gross,” Veth squawks. “Get him off, get him off!”

Caleb smells quite pleasant, actually, but that’s not the point - his self-awareness is slowly trickling back in as he remembers who and where he is, and what he’s done to the Nein, and now they’ve broken him and he would rather die than look any of them in the eye for the next year.

Caleb pats his back. “Come on, friend, chin up.”

And he’s right, Essek can’t afford to cling to this veneer of comfort any longer - but to his immediate and eternal shame, he whines and nuzzles further into Caleb’s ribs. Just a moment to gather his wits, maybe, and he’ll be able to Misty Step to the front door and don his mantle-

“No? Alright, then - I’ll go to work too, if I have to.”

The hand on his back lifts away and walks itself on two prodding fingers neatly up under Essek’s arm, gently wriggling into the hollow until he can’t bear to keep his arms up any longer. “Nnn, hnn! - eheh, thahat’s - enough, please-”

It’s. It’s not, is the problem - he tries to stir up anger, distaste, but there’s only fear. He would deal with this indignity again, suffer it gladly, even, just to have them speak to him kindly. It’s new, and terrifying, and he needs to think it over alone with a generous glass of wine in his tower.

He shrinks back in on himself, still snickering at the tickling under his arms, and Caleb takes the opportunity to grab him neatly by the shoulders and sit him back up - Essek catches a glimpse of his blue eyes shining with rare merriment and promptly swivels to look away from all of them. No one stops him as he rolls his pant legs down and shoves his feet into his boots, heedless of the damp. He can feel their curious gazes prickle on the back of his neck - shifting into an unconscious competence that’s carried him through many anxieties before, he’s already floating off the ground before he can remind himself otherwise. “I’m going to go now,” he says, rushed, still too terrified to turn his head. “Thank you, I -”

“Essek, wait!” Jester says, confused, and Beau scoffs, and he’s not going to think about how he can recognize their voices without even seeing them, he’s not -

Yasha’s voice, at last, breaks through the hubbub, and it’s only in deference to their conversation before dinner that he pauses to listen.

“Hey,” she says, quiet and certain enough to shake him. “You said that you’re lonely, right?”

The noise fades away. He inches down to the ground with it. “Recently, yes,” he replies, just above a whisper, fighting to keep his voice steady with the enormity of this, this feeling -

“I didn’t say so before,” she continues, perfectly calm, “but it’s a little scary, right? To not be so lonely, anymore.”

Essek says nothing - he knows, without the mantle, that they can all see the slight tremble of his shoulders.

“Go away, then,” she says confidently, and then, hastily, “oh, no, that’s not right -”

“Yasha,” Jester squeaks, horrified, and Essek, to his own surprise, laughs. More of a chuckle, really, but. That’s a relief, after all this.

He can place her roughly in the rightmost corner of the hot tub, turns just enough to catch her heterochromatic gaze in his periphery. Her mouth drops slightly open before she gathers herself. “I just, I meant -” She inhales nervously. “I used to leave all the time, to go do - things - and come back when I was ready. You can do that too, if you want, we won’t mind, as long as you come back. And the tickling - we’re all ticklish, you don’t have to feel bad about it - ah, maybe someone else should say something.”

Caduceus pats her shoulder. “Nah, that was pretty good.”

Essek agrees, despite his better judgment. He rolls his shoulders, forcing them loose. “No, no, that’s - helpful,” he assures, and then, taking a deep breath and praying that his cheeks have cooled, he turns to look at them all. “I am to show you my abode tomorrow, yes?”

Caleb looks extraordinarily stressed. “Ah, you don’t have to, if you would rather-”

Beau punches him in the shoulder harshly enough to make him wince. “Yes.”

“Yes, and breakfast pastries!” Jester cheers, clapping her hands together - he’ll have to talk to his staff tonight.

“Until tomorrow, then,” he says, and spares only a brief smile before casting Misty Step to take him to the door and then again to the street.

He’s not quite ready to lose all his dignity, yet.

#tickling #critical role #shadowgast #essek thelyss #jester lavorre #caleb widogast #chocfic #it's been a long monday and i needed to post this before i give in to the impulse to collapse hhh

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eostar-a · 4 years

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I’m sorry I’m not here to ship bash in any way ever but these other two jokers are like “oh yeah Jester? She’s chill” and Caleb is like “I would do anything for you even if it causes me immense suffering forever because I will love you unti l die, also anything I can make look like a dick I will because your happiness is so important to me” and that’s kind of what I’m looking for in my Jester ship I’m JUST saying

#critical role #widojest #love language: dicks #dont yell at me plz #anti fjorester #anti beaujester

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jigglebones · 2 years

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Top 5 Batman Villains? 😏

OOOHHHH Hi Caleb 🤭 lemme think...

Well that depends on if I'm going "here's legitimate reasons why" or "what a funny little person,, hehe haha what a funny little guy"

I think I'll mix it, like the first list that comes to mind, general enjoyment...

1. Scarecrow

Bro I have got a wild fascination with Mr. Crane. Everything about him rounds into one of the coolest mfers I have ever seen, idk WHAT kind of villain that is but that must be my favorite genre cause he's everything I want in a villain. What a cool looking, interesting, SCARY mf. His general attitude being completely detached interest makes it even scarier yknow?? Like if you've seen/heard of Asa Emory from The Collector, he's got that vibe going almost and it's so freaky LMAO

2. Joker

Don't laugh at me, no joke intended. I like him cause he can be such a pure concept than you can really do whatever you want with. I've seen so many different versions of them and they're so cool for their own reasons. Also. Hello. Avid Lego Joker and John Doe enjoyer. I also just like his vibe LMAO

3. Poison Ivy

Dangerous woman. Need I say more. But ofc going past my instant love for scary women and actually giving her credit 🤨🤨, SHE IS SO POWERFUL. I mean holy SHIT girlboss SHXHWHSJJAZJNWAA

I feel like half the jobs other villains fuck up in Gotham, she could accomplish. Or at least get closer to it. She is not a force to be taken lightly, at all. Imagine trying to stop her when she has all the life she needs. Yeah fucking right.

4. Riddler

He has so much potential to be so much cooler than a lot of movies make him out to be. A lot of media takes him as a somewhat light threat. (And btw I do not mean when they make him camp as hell, I love that shit. Why not do both, cowards, horrible danger and fur coats). I feel like his whole deal is a great fit for a villain against the Batman since he's supposed to be such a great detective. Like oh rlly? Lol okay solve this

I've written so much and honestly said what comes to mind asap so, the list goes on but I'll end it here

This is hilarious cause I rlly just post random art and reblog a lot of stuff, usually horror related, so it's like.... surprise, followers!!!!! Nananana batman.

#batman I guess SURPRISE #mike gets a question whaaaat!!! wack

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ask-riley-hunter-and-the-divines · 3 years

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Caleb: Did Mélinda planned something for today ?

Matilda: Not today Mélinda went to church, she needed to pray for her parents and siblings.

Caleb: Wait a minutes. She had siblings? Like biologically speaking?

Matilda: Yeah, dead. All of them. Little sister hanged down by the Joker and her twins brothers gone in the same airplane crash as her parents.

Caleb: ... Oh my gosh... I'm going to the church.

#Caleb Peterson #Matilda Zografos #Mélinda Astier-Innocenti

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nochiquinn · 3 years

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campaign 2 episode 125: take my wife, please (no really take the wife)

I have no idea what's going on, I keep getting distracted by whatever's happening with sam

matt getting victimized by facebook memories

oh thank god, I'll take spiderman over [gestures at sam's previous outfit]

they used the forehead thing from that one episode of dr who

well we've had rage looting and rage eating, why not rage talking

mala: yussa: thoughts and prayers

extra-dimensional zipper pouch

I missed the double 20s but n i c e

we get it you watched The Joker

"a lot of people did things to me"

"let me put you on a brief hold"

it's gonna suck when they get in a fight later tonight and roll exclusively 2s

"lucien! think fast!"

the back of the Video 2*C

man-dala

yussa:

I love them having to pretend they don't know exactly who and where allura is and that they're not incredibly stoked about everything happening right now

wait this is how Kima as a guest party member can still happen

"carpet? :D?"

visiting this tower vs visiting trent's tower

travis sat ALL the way up

"we've known a few"

mala: idiots/friends is an entire social category for Allura

did we forget that fjord got branded? are we addressing that?

kima will now be in full plate for the next three days

taliesin's little "I FUCKING knew it"

"and FJORD got one?"

"kima can come too" yes yes yes yes

kima jumps from the next floor in full armor: "HEARD YOU WAS TALKING SHIT"

allura just having the most powerful of flashbacks

YES YES YES YES

all of them desperately fishing for c1 anything

NO LET HER GO

ALLURA LET ME HAVE THIS

does percy still have Manners? can they have Manners?

slayers take!!

they're basically gods

"take all of these items and also my wife"

wait does allura know artagan

allura knows artagan

the SASS

taliesin's face

beau (marisha?): that's kinda hot

staff??? allura????

you know what if I can't get guest party member kima this is the next best thing

this is actually extremely cute

veth: caleb would never admit it liam: excuse u, caleb would admit it FIRST

"it's the other way around" allura shut the fuck up, you made several consecutive strength saves to keep you AND kima from drowning while she was in full armor, I was there, I watched it happen

"he's the strongest among us with everything except his body"

"I can almost assure you it was not the same"

mala: so many nbs in the cobalt soul me: educated people reject gender

justice? justice for beau??

"I met a lot of shitty people, but they also met me"

I don't know why this is making me tear up but it is

(idk if it's on purpose or not but it feels like a loose #metoo analogy) (or if not specifically that then any accusation of abuse or mistreatment)

travis drinking a can of soda with his entire enormous hand wrapped around it to hide the logo

wait was dairon also...?

"the cheese wheel was very evocative"

fuckin beastmaster

now she has cold AND fire resistance, she's unstoppable

FINALLY they're addressing the dagger

SAMUEL

tbf it's narratively appropriate but SAMUEL

my letterman jacket AU: validated

joke's on you I'm into this shit

oh well then

somebody call the cad fam I’m worried now

you fuck up NOW, youtube??

oh no wait it’s just my internet

I’m on my phone now and I hate everything about caleb’s dream

matt how do you make those noises with your FACE

oh sure my internet comes back JUST as the episode ends. make me miss yasha’s whole dream, it’s fine.

“this episode had EVERYTHING”

#critical role #spoilers #crititag #liveblog #reaction post

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thebest-medicine · 9 months

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ideas for some critical role fics I wanna write / see exist:

- beau finding out caleb is ticklish and him trying to stop her from telling the rest of the group

- either continuation of impractical jokers where nott used hideous laughter in front of some more of the group or caleb gets hit with it during a fight and they are all like oh ho ho we need to make you do that again (but safely!)

- caleb being in frumpkin and something along the lines of he can see the group and one of the tieflings starts wiggling their fingers and teasing soooo close to him that he gets a weird new perspective of himself about to before he slips back to himself as he starts being tickled

also thing I keep thinking about:

- harley quinn animated series (spoilers for season 4) bat fam sparring / tickle fic

#tickling #personal #tickle fic ideas #wish I could project my abstract ideas into a nicely written fic / art piece with ease #sighhhhhs

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niks-dnd-menagerie · 5 years

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What your favorite critrole ship says about you:

Beau x Yasha- you want a girlfriend who can hypothetically kick your ass

Beau x Keg- you want a girlfriend who can actually kick your ass

Beau x Jester- your ideal romantic dynamic is 'jock x prep'

Beau x Reani- this wasn't a ship you expected, but it's the ship you deserve.

Caleb x Fjord- you think blood pacts count as foreplay

Caleb x Mollymauk- you think 'opposites attract' is the single best dynamic a ship can have

Caleb x Essik -you shipped WidowMauk and now you want more.

Caleb x Caduceus- you just want good things for caleb, And honestly, who wouldn't?

Caleb x Jester- you just want good things for Caleb. Also you are heterosexual.

Jester x Fjord- you believe in the inherent eroticism of friends to lovers.

Jester x Yasha- you love angst and are lesbian.

Jester x Caduceus -you love fluff and have a trans headcanons for one or both of these two.

Jester x The Traveler- you think 'friends with benefits' can only be improved upon with the addition of magic.

Fjord x Mollymauk- "Oh my God they were roommates" is all you need to ship something

Fjord x Caduceus- you are the Wildmother

Fjord x Avantika- you see nothing wrong with The Joker and Harley Quinn's relationship

Caduceus x Pumat Sol- you believe Talisen made caduceus a firbolg for this sole purpose

Yasha x Zuala-you are valid, and a lesbian

Nott x yeza-you are valid

Inspired by Eldena Doubleca5t on YouTube, go support him!

#Criticalrole #critical role #beauregard lionett #caleb widogast #jester lavorre #yasha nydoorin #mollymauk tealeaf #fjord #caduceus clay #nott the brave #veth brenatto #Essik Theylass #pumat sol #keg Criticalrole #reani critical role #yeza brenatto #zuala nydoorin

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eponymous-rose · 5 years

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Fic: Prank War (Jester, M9 | 2000 words)

(Written for @lumateranlibrarian‘s prompt!)

Prank War

Someone's been pranking the Nein, with surprising effectiveness. Someone who isn't Jester.

It's not that she's jealous or anything. It just seems like this is the kind of thing they could be working on together, and anyway, why wouldn't this someone come to her for advice?

One thing's for sure: whoever they are, they've crossed the wrong detective.

“You’re a fantastic detective,” Nott says, which is both super unhelpful and super true. “You’ll figure it out,” she adds, which is still unhelpful, but definitely more of a ‘maybe’ on the truth scale.

Jester scratches her chin, staring at the perfectly placed bird’s nest teetering alarmingly on the top of Caduceus’ head. “And you’re sure you didn’t put it up there yourself?”

He blinks. “Well, no, I didn’t. I feel like I’d remember something like that. I just fell asleep leaning against a tree, and when I woke up, here it was.” He glances up, half-crosseyed, at the nest and its three perfectly pink eggs. “Sorry, guys.”

“How about let’s put the bird’s nest back in the tree where it belongs,” Fjord says, and Jester turns to squint at him suspiciously. He stares back, and the exasperation in his eyes seems pretty innocent, really. Another dead end.

“It’s evidence,” Nott points out.

“Definitely evidence.” But the image floats to Jester’s mind, unbidden, of a momma bird frantic with worry... “But no. Put it back, I guess.”

Beau marches over, snatches the nest from Caduceus’ head, and leaps up to hook one arm over the lowest branch of the big tree overhead. “I’m honestly not convinced this isn’t some sort of longer scam you’re running,” she calls, nonchalantly balancing on the end of a narrow-looking branch and bending to place the nest in a safer locale.

“The Traveler works in mysterious ways,” Caleb murmurs behind her.

Jester heaves a sigh, moving up to offer Beau a hand down from the last branch. “I wish, you guys! This is good stuff! I just don’t understand why someone keeps doing all this cool stuff without telling me! The dick-shaped scuffs on the cave wall. The little tunnel dug around our campsite that filled up with water overnight and turned into a moat. The thing with Nott’s flask--”

“We don’t talk about the thing with Nott’s flask,” Nott says, primly.

“I’m saying, the Traveler loves this!”

Beau shrugs. “So why not ask the Traveler?”

Jester flings her arms up, then flops back into the grass with a groan. “He just laughs when I ask him!” Even now, she feels the warmth of someone else’s amusement running up and down her spine. It’s really irritating, and she kind of hates that it bothers her so much.

Nott has been tapping one finger against her lips, thoughtfully. “Hey. Hey, what if we did, like, a proper interrogation? Just sat down and went through each candidate, one by one?”

Jester props herself up on her elbows. “Could we do that?”

“We are on a bit of a timetable--” Caleb says.

Beau snorts. “Gotta be honest, that sounds fuckin’ hilarious. I’m in.”

“Our pay is time-sensitive--”

Fjord folds his arms. “Only if Nott gets interrogated as well. I don’t trust her in this as far as I can throw her.”

“The farmer was rather insistent that--”

Nott actually sticks out her tongue. “You can’t throw me at all.”

“Listen, if we--”

Fjord straightens, grinning. “That was the idea, yes. That’s how little I trust you.”

“Maybe we should--”

“I accept the premise of this self-burn but not its result.” Nott turns to Jester. “I’ll submit to your draconian questioning, if only to clear my good name!”

“I don’t think--”

Jester claps her hands. “Perfect! Let’s settle down here and set up an interrogation room. Caleb, can you make some really bright light I can shine in people’s eyes?”

Caleb winds down, fumbling over the last of his protests. “Okay,” he says. “So this is happening.”

---

Caleb sits with surprising good grace, given his earlier protests, and blinks politely at her while she tries to figure out the best way forward. “Do you--” she starts, then scowls. “Aw man, the sun came out. Can you make the light brighter?”

“Ah, sort of?” He waggles his fingers a moment, and the light behind Jester flickers. “Better?”

She glares at him; belatedly, he puts on an exaggerated squint, as though staring into a blinding light. “It’ll do,” she says, and decides to try to put him off-balance. “Why did you draw dicks around the campsite?”

“I didn’t,” he says.

She pauses, but a great interrogator never gets sidetracked by such small things as inconvenient facts. “Well, what about the moat around the campfire?”

“Not me, either.”

“Oh.” She tries another glare, but he only squints back. “Okay, Widogast. You win this round. But we might have more questions for you. Don’t leave town.”

He says, “I wouldn’t dream of it,” and Jester decides not to comment on the unnerving sincerity in his words.

---

“You may be wondering why I’ve brought you here today.” Jester leans in, her shadow eclipsing Caleb’s little bobbing light in what she hopes is a properly ominous manner.

Beau yawns. “Not really, no. You... you kind of spelled it all out.”

“I always knew you were clever,” Jester says, pacing slowly, stroking an imagined beard. “But are you--” She whips around. “--too clever?!”

Beau shrugs. “Honestly, I’d rather be an accessory after the fact than the main perpetrator.”

Jester deflates. “Oh.”

Another shrug, this one vaguely apologetic. “Almost as much fun, but a shorter prison sentence. You know how it goes.”

“Oh.”

“Sorry. But if you find who did all this without you, I’ll beat ‘em up for you. With you, if you like.”

Jester considers this generous offer. “I mean, I think it’s probably going to be one of our friends, Beau.”

Beau cracks her knuckles, grinning, and Jester can’t help but smile back.

---

Caduceus sits down a little too eagerly, Jester thinks, grinning broadly, which isn’t the proper attitude for an interrogation at all. “Oh, this is interesting. Okay, I think I’m ready. What are you going to ask me?”

Jester raises a scolding finger. “I’ll be the one asking questions here!”

“Yes, I--” Caduceus scratches his beard. “Isn’t that what I said?”

“Another question! You just don’t learn.” Jester leans in. Caduceus leans back a little, politely giving her more space. “Did you or did you not conspire to scheme to plot a seditious conniving of treacherous, um. Treachery?”

He gives that one some thought. “That doesn’t sound like something I’d do.” He shifts. “This is awkward, but I’ve never done an interrogation like this before. Is that the right thing for me to say?”

“You’d probably protest your own innocence, then break down at the most dramatic possible moment. Probably.”

“Oh.” He gets a bit of a worried look on his face. “That sounds like a lot. I guess I could try?”

She glares a moment longer, then sighs. “I guess you wouldn’t put a bird’s nest on your own head.”

He brightens. “Oh, is that what this is about? No, that wasn’t me.”

Reaching for a properly interrogatory closing, Jester blurts, “But maybe sleep a little lighter and notice next time?”

“That seems fair.” He schools his features to a semblance of seriousness. “Can I go now, uh, copper?”

Jester claps her hands together. “Oh, you have been listening! You’re good at this, Caduceus!”

He beams. “Thanks.”

---

This one, Jester thinks, is going to be a tough nut to crack. Start cool. Cool and chill. No problem. “It’s no secret that you’re basically positioned to learn how to be a criminal mastermind, being half of the greatest detective agency of all time.”

Nott sneers. “The same could be said of you.”

“Where were you on the night of the...” Jester pauses, doing the math in her head. “The night of the other night?”

Nott makes a show of thinking it over, then springs to her feet. “But the same could be asked of you!”

Jester gasps, putting a hand to her chest. “You’re accusing me? Your own partner?”

From somewhere behind them, she hears Fjord muttering, “This is... such a good use of our time.”

“Though it breaks my heart to do it, I must! I must stand for justice!” Nott’s pose is straight out of a melodrama. Jester applauds briefly, then goes back to glowering in order to better represent her agony of the soul. “If I can’t trust you, and you can’t trust me, who can trust who?”

Jester blinks. “Wait, is it whom?”

“Whom?” Nott thinks about it for a second. “Youm.”

“Well, you know whom you can trust. Youm can trust? It’s me, Nott! I’m your partner!”

“Can I? Can I really? Or can we even trust... ourselves?”

“Okay,” Fjord says, marching between them and waving his hands. “Okay. Nott wouldn’t do this without roping you in, Jester, and we all know it. I’m up next.”

Wiping a single artful tear from her cheek, Jester sighs and steels herself for the next interrogation.

---

“No,” Fjord says. “For the third time, it wasn’t me doing the moat, or the dicks, or the nest, or the thing with Nott’s flask--”

A shrill voice, somewhere beyond the circle of interrogation. “We don’t talk about the thing with the flask!”

“Regardless, it wasn’t me. And you can cast Zone of Truth on me if you want proof.”

Jester blinks. “Oh. Right. That. Wow, that probably would’ve saved some time, huh?”

Fjord groans, rubbing at his face. “Can we just chalk this up to a mysterious and unexplained phenomenon and move on with our lives? Unless I wake up with my bootlaces all cut tomorrow morning, I’m not going to go around accusing our family of--” He pauses, like he wasn’t quite expecting that word to come out, then shrugs and keeps talking. “--of doing weird things for no particular reason. That’s pretty much all we do!”

Jester sighs defeat, watching as Caleb’s interro-globe vanishes from thin air. “Okay, okay. I just... I guess I just couldn’t figure out why someone would do cool stuff and not invite me.” And, more than anything, she kind of hates the way her voice goes weird and small at the end.

His exasperation softens, and he glances over her shoulder to where the others are watching. “Look, Jester, whatever this joker’s doing, they’re obviously building up to something big and ridiculous and fun, and that’s got your name all over it. I’d see it as an homage. A tribute. Would the Traveler set you up to be hurt by something like that if it didn’t have a good payoff?”

Jester inhales slowly, because professional interrogators emphatically do not sniffle. “No. He wouldn’t.”

“Well, there you go. We’ll see how it goes. Okay?”

With a heavy sigh, Jester lets the interrogator persona drop from her shoulders like an ill-fitting cloak. “Okay. Let’s get back to work.”

---

That night, though, Jester lies awake, watching the stars wheel overhead and thinking about what it feels like to be missing out on something big, to have to just know some big party’s out there somewhere and let it go on without knowing when or even if you’d get invited. She figures maybe that’s what Caduceus keeps talking about, faith and everything else. Maybe that’s the Traveler’s brand of faith: having to trust that someday you’ll get let in on the joke.

She thinks faith kind of sucks, sometimes.

With a sigh, she rolls onto her side, watching Frumpkin make his nightly rounds, hunting down mice and pouncing on leaves and doing the cat-stuff he does when Caleb’s asleep—which he is now, apparently, judging from the faint snoring over on his end of the campsite.

But... wait. She squints, taking in the scene, and feels a giant grin threatening to break across her face.

Across from her, Frumpkin is hunkered down over Fjord’s boots, industriously biting through the laces.

“No way,” she breathes, softly, and two eyes glowing with reflected firelight, and maybe a little fey light of their own, flash up to meet hers. Jester winks. One of the faint lights flickers out in response.

This time, the warmth of the Traveler’s laughter is a deep comfort that follows her into delighted dreams.

#critical role #critical role spoilers #jester lavorre #critfic #eponymous fic 2019

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