**spoilers for episode 117**
The bitter air swirled around Caleb tossing the few strands of hair that refused to stay pulled back into the messy ponytail behind his head. He was sat on a stone they'd managed to uncover, huddled into his coat near the fire as he watched his friends play in the snow with reckless abandon. It was a fairly mild day as far as weather went in Eiselcross. They were about to set up camp for the night but before they had retired into the tower for the evening, Jester had convinced the group to use the last of the daylight to make snow people.
Yasha was watching Beau make a snowman with a fond smile on her face. Fjord was helping Jester make a snow tiefling, and failing. Caduceus was making snow targets so Veth could teach Dagen how to shoot her crossbow. He had terrible aim.
"Not joining your friends?" A familiar accent asked, suddenly behind him.
Caleb tensed as he glanced over his shoulder to see the familiar tiefling.
"Lucien," Caleb said, more as a reminder that the familiar face was not Molly.
"I have been checking in, however, your little blue friend is no longer...accessible," Lucien sat next to Caleb on the large stone. The size of it forced them close, their sides almost touching.
"So you chose to scry on me?" Caleb frowned, looking away and back to his friends.
"I wonder, if you were trying to hide from me, why not make all of you inaccessible?" Lucien asked, his gaze on Caleb.
The wizard could feel the tiefling's eyes on him, but he remained focused on Veth.
"Our intention was not to hide. Fjord is simply...protective of Jester," Caleb turned to face Lucien now, "We all are."
"Jester," Lucien repeated the name as if committing it to memory.
"I suppose you not remembering leaves us nameless to you," Caleb frowned, turning away from Lucien again.
"I'm aware of your names. Just hazy as to whom they belong," Lucien shook his head.
"Do you know mine?" Caleb glanced over, not turning completely to face Lucien. He wasn't sure he could handle seeing Molly's face say no to that question.
"Of course. I've made it a point to know all about you Mr. Caleb," Lucien winked.
Caleb's head snapped towards Lucien completely, "What did you call me?"
"Mr. Caleb?" Lucien frowned and then raised a brow with a smirk playing at the edge of his lips.
"Just Caleb is fine," The wizard bit out harshly. His heart hammered in his chest at hearing that voice say his name like that. It had been so long.
"Something wrong with pleasantries?" Lucien rested an elbow on his knee and leaned his chin on his hand.
"There's no need for them," Caleb answered flatly, his eyes set on Fjord now.
"Does this make us friends then?" Lucien's tone was just on this side of flirty.
Caleb's shoulders dropped slightly; he knew what game Lucien was playing. It was one he'd played many times. He was going to call the tiefling out on it when he realized that... wait, he HAD played this game too. What was to stop him from doing so now?
"Is that what you want?" Caleb asked, looking at Lucien carefully.
Lucien seemed surprised by Caleb's response.
"I want a lot of things Mr- Er just Caleb," Lucien corrected himself.
"As do I, Lucien. Why are you here?" Caleb asked, his eyes not leaving the man next to him. God, he looked so much like Molly it hurt. He wanted to reach out and stroke the tattooed feathers on his face to prove he was real, but as real as the tiefling next to him was, he wasn't Molly.
"Here as in...?" Lucien tilted his head in question, looking for clarification in Caleb's blue eyes.
"As in with me, right now," Caleb clarified for him.
Lucien smiled and it was a smile that didn't belong to Molly. It was conniving and manipulative but not in the same sweet, charming way Caleb had known. It was things like this that set him apart from the man Caleb once knew.
"Back at A five, I noticed something in you. Something I couldn't quite place, and it bugged me because very few things go unseen by me. But then I watched you and I see your pain and the way you don't join your friends. And you intrigue me. I want to get to know you better," Lucien leaned towards Caleb slightly.
Caleb could feel the breath on his ear as Lucien spoke again.
"I want to get to know you, the way he knew you, Mr. Caleb."
Caleb stiffened and swallowed. His hands clenched unwillingly. Lucien was much better at this game than he was.
Luckily for Caleb, he knew how to keep himself together in moments of torture and this felt like torture.
Caleb turned so he was now facing Lucien, their faces only inches apart.
It's not Molly, he reminded himself. God what he wouldn't give for this to be Molly.
"Then you're all caught up, because he knew nothing," Caleb spoke confidently before standing. "Gute Nacht."
Lucien was left to stare after Caleb as he met up with his friends without so much as a glance over his shoulder. It left the tiefling in awe and wanting. He'd get Caleb. Something inside him wanted the wizard. He told himself it was for the power, the potential, but there was a small chance that it was a left-over fragment that had once felt for the wizard. He shoved that thought down as he stood to make his way back to camp. He'd just have to keep trying.
*AN*
This is my first time writing for critical role so please be gentle.
