#anyway empire sibs famous forever. i know i wrote multiple posts like this for the brjeaus so it seems fair i write one for them

[sparring-spirals]

uhoh empire sib meta time.

Courtesy of that last rb by @iinfernal thinking very hard (very affectionately) about love in the form of, we are going to work to keep each other on track. Especially with Caleb and Beau. Because like. its not just about newfound acceptance, people who will give you the benefit of the doubt and help you improve, people who see your worst and love you anyway, people who will forgive you.

Like its about that! But its also about- i trust you to drag me back if i stray. i trust you to call me out, to push back. i am putting my back to you- you will protect it, and you will also pull me back if i wander.

The first big backstory reveal between Beau and Caleb was an exchange, not a kindness. it was, tell me why you are afraid of fire, and ill get you into the library. Caleb laid out some of the corners of his guilty conscience, to Nott, with all of her faith in him, (he is my boy), to Beau, with her skepticism and brusque curiosity, and it was not meant as a soft gesture. It was not a call for forgiveness, or absolution- it was an item for barter, a warning, an admission of guilt.

and Beau- still unsure, still rough around the edges and rude and defensive and angry, shell-shocked and out of her depth did not provide forgiveness, or kindness. She said something along the lines of- good god, you know thats fucked up, right? i didnt ask for this, what the fuck.

She said something like: you know what you need to do now, then, right? prevent this guy from hurting more people. This is what you've gotta do now, I think- this is what we'll do-

And Caleb gets into the library, and casts haste on Beau in a bar fight, and there is something to be said about love shaped like a willingness to disagree, to push back, to say things wrong but try to say it anyway.

Caleb, and Beau, arguing. Beau is suspicious and Caleb is ready to run, and "the problem with friends is you have to care about them". Running into old injuries and boundaries, working to learn them, to fight to communicate. Apologies that are awkward but sincere. Kindness that is misshappen but intentional.

Caleb and Beau, butting heads, poking fun, trusting the other person to be suspicious of them, when it really counts.

"Can we keep each other straight?"

Some fifty episodes apart: have faith in us, just a little bit? dont run.

follow your own advice. don't go.

Caleb, vision and hearing gone and flung out ahead, placing a hand on Beau's shoulder. Lead me well, lead me straight, bring me back if I stray. Caleb and Beau, going in circles about what to do as the world ends, ambition and magic and time and guilt, and entities at war. Worried about evil, about going wrong, needing the clear vision of someone who loves you and will not eternally forgive you.

"I'm worried I am exactly what he said I was."

"Not yet."

God just. Love as keeping each other on track. Beau and Caleb, as the only ones to get the eyes, afflicted by searching too hard for knowledge. what a horror, to have you and your tether tossed into an unknown spiral. what a comfort- if it was any of them, at least it was both. The Mighty Nein, making contingency plans, Yasha sticking close to caleb and cooing over his animal forms and ready, ready, for the worst. What a nightmare. Thank god. "Im glad it was us."

"You drove me insane."

"I hated you. You sucked."

What love. What immense care. Years on in, and it all still comes back to:

"You got my back?"

"What's the play, Beauregard?"

#this post was supposed to be 2 paras max but this is one of those subjects that has SO MANY EXAMPLES it could go on forever #critical role #caleb widogast #beauregard #empire siblings #theres a whole cut section about how other members of the m9 did this for each other too but for specificity i kept it to just these two #also i swear the line about them being glad about the eyeballing is like. an in character line but i cant find it. I PROMISE THO #anyway empire sibs famous forever. i know i wrote multiple posts like this for the brjeaus so it seems fair i write one for them #character meta #my meta #narrative meta #its about the hand on the shoulder to lead each other its about love as trusting them to lead you right trusting them to tell you when #youre wrong. its about love as intentionally learning each others languages even when its hard. its about love as fucking up and trying #anyway. its about. two little shits like us doing good? its so. ITS SO. #this is so long bc its actually like three themes in one. sorry. #grrr ok episode tagging time #c2e122 #c2e18 #i think #c3e51 #SORRY I PUT IN A READMORE I DIDNT REALIZE HOW LONG IT GOT #let the record show! this theme is applicable to many rels within the m9 and more broadly among all of them but #this particular post is about beau and caleb #that said oOoOOOo the og post about the whole m9.... love it