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check this hand 'cause I'm marvelous

Summary:

Caleb likes to use Mind Blank to protect his mind from intrusion. Essek uses other methods of deterrence.

Notes:

I read literalfuckinggarbage's hilarious "Detect Thoughts" and my brain immediately went "okay but what if this other thing happened" and so I wrote that version.

(See the end of the work for more notes.)

Work Text:

“My congratulations to you on your new position, Professor The-- oh, it’s Widogast these days, pardon my forgetfulness.”

Essek pulls the soft smile of Shadowhand out of retirement as he acknowledges Ludinus Da’leth’s greeting. Years of work by the entire Mighty Nein, and they still haven’t managed to dislodge him from the center of his web of power.

On the other hand, they’ve won a series of other victories on the political front -- not the least of which is Essek’s own freedom to wear his own face, and take on a public role at the newly established arcane university in Nicodranas, without fear of being assassinated.

Essek comforts himself with the knowledge that Da’leth has to be seething over his inability to have Essek killed without risking major diplomatic repercussions, as he shakes the man’s hand.

Caleb has warned Essek many times about one of Da’leth’s favorite tricks, and sure enough, Essek spots Da’leth performing the somatics for detect thoughts.

Caleb prefers the security of mind blank, and with good reason. But Essek has his own methods for dealing with such intrusions.

Essek continues to smile blandly as he vividly and purposefully recalls the memory of the time a few years ago when he and his husband had broken in Da’leth’s office for the express purpose of fucking on the man’s desk.

Ludinus’ face freezes and faint patches of red appear on his cheeks as Essek continues to conjure vivid memories of all the things Essek and Caleb had done to each other that particular afternoon.

“Oh, not to worry, Martinet. Everyone’s memory plays tricks on them from time to time.”

Notes:

Title is from Lady Gaga's "Poker Face"