What if's with Caleb

What if he is a Knight?

You frowned, frustration bubbling up. Before he could react, you grabbed his head and pulled him down, forcing him to rest on your lap.

"Wha—?"

You didn't let him sit up. Instead, you pulled out your handkerchief, covering his eyes with it.

"Stop pretending, Caleb. Just for once... let it out."

At first, he laughed, shaking his head. But then, slowly, that laughter faded. His body tensed. And then—

Silence.

Then a shuddered breath. Then another.

And finally, the soft, barely-there sound of quiet sobs.

You felt your chest tighten as you gently ran your fingers through his hair. You wished more than anything that you could take away his pain, erase the ache in his heart. But you couldn't.

All you could do was stay by his side, loving him in the only way you knew how.

After that, Caleb seemed... lighter. Like a weight had been lifted off his shoulders, even if just a little. As the two of you walked back to your room, the usual tension that clung to him had eased. It felt almost like old times, just you and him, side by side, lost in conversation about childhood memories.

"You remember when we used to sneak into the kitchens at night?" you said with a grin.

Caleb chuckled. "Yeah, and we always got caught because someone—" he nudged you lightly, "—was too slow at running away."

"Hey! I wasn't slow, you were just unnaturally fast," you shot back.

"Or maybe you were too busy stuffing your pockets with pastries to actually run."

You rolled your eyes, but you laughed anyway. It had been so long since you'd seen Caleb like this, relaxed, unguarded. It made you happy.

Then, as if thinking out loud, you sighed, "Seeing Zayne's wedding today... it made me realize something."

Caleb glanced at you. "Oh?"

"Maybe it's time I start thinking about opening my heart to someone too," you admitted. "Finding a husband and all that."

For a brief moment, the air shifted. A silence settled between you two, so subtle you didn't even notice it.

Then, Caleb let out a laugh, an easy, casual sound, though something about it felt... off.

"Well," he said, flashing you a smirk, "whoever ends up with you is gonna need all the luck in the world. You're kind of a handful, you know that?"

You gasped, smacking his arm. "Excuse me? I'm a handful? Says the guy who picks fights with everyone and has a death wish in battle!"

"At least I have charm," he teased. "You? You just scare people off."

"Oh, you—!"

The playful bickering continued, back and forth, until you both reached your door.

Caleb leaned against the doorframe, arms crossed. "Well, Princess," he said with a lazy grin, "sweet dreams."

"Yeah, yeah. Good night, Caleb." You smiled at him one last time before stepping inside, shutting the door behind you.

You didn't see the way his smile faded the moment you were gone.

Didn't see how he stood there for a long moment, staring at the door in silence.

Didn't see how his violet eyes darkened, how something unreadable flickered beneath them.

And you definitely didn't hear the quiet sigh he let out before finally walking away.