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“You know you don’t have to do this,” Fjord said, uneasily looking around.
Molly took in a deep breath, steadying himself. “I know, but I really want to.” He shrugged at Fjord’s unsure look. “I really do! I’m just nervous in a way I can’t even understand. He’s my brother, one that I do care about dearly, but-” His explanation fell short as he ran out of words again. He shook his head, closing his eyes to block everything out.
It had been a couple months since he moved from Zadash to the coast. Luckily, Fjord had moved back out nearly a year prior and was able to help him out in getting a job at a local club. Everything was working out quite well. He had missed a lot of people out in Zadash, primarily his old coworkers at the theater, but with it shutting down and the gang splitting up, he didn’t have enough reason to stay.
However, Fjord had warned him that his crew had the third and final Tealeaf among them. Mollymauk found himself genuinely curious about him, asking Fjord how he had been doing. It was a relief to know that Kingsley had found himself quite well off with his crew and travelling on the seas. Fjord mentioned how genuinely kind and fun he was. Yet, it made his heart ache.
Molly’s relationship with Kingsley was delicate, and had been for years. When so much of their lives was filled with distrust and hate towards themselves and everyone around them, they hoped to find some sort of reliability in one another, including Lucien. In moments of growth, they all had a way of holding each other back in hopes that their brothers wouldn’t abandon them.
When they were younger, they lived in the illusion that the Tealeaf brothers could always depend on each other no matter what. That they could do unforgivable things to one another and everyone would stay close anyways. Molly knew it was unfair to blame it all on Lucien, but he was so much more careful with his emotions. And even more careful with his cruelty. Everything horrible felt so purposeful in a way that it wasn’t from Kingsley. Mollymauk supposed it was the difference between accidental versus purposeful harm, but in the end it was harm nonetheless.
Kingsley and Mollymauk often butted heads, and nine times out of ten it was because Lucien had found a way to get out of any blame for something. Kingsley knew that Lucien was a terrible person, even when Mollymauk was blind to it. Even when Kingsley and Molly fought, there was a deep seated love and protection that Kingsley constantly tried to show. When Molly ran away, taking a bus out of Shadycreek, the betrayal wasn’t meant to be personal, but it inevitably was to both Lucien and Kingsley.
Molly was blamed for breaking up the trio, but he decided he didn’t care. He wanted to start new and be someone completely different. He wanted to be someone he loved being rather than someone he felt forced to be. Kingsley shot out on his own in an attempt for happiness as well, reaching out to Molly as much as he could. Despite all this effort, Mollymauk couldn’t find himself to respond. The few times they did meet up, they didn’t see eye to eye and everything seemed too heated.
Today, he found himself at a table of a small cafe that Fjord had recommended.
Fjord was a blessing. After Molly asked about Kingsley for the third time, he was the one to ask, without judgement, if he wanted to see him. Molly didn’t immediately take him up on the offer, taking his time to ponder it for a while. When Molly finally said yes, Fjord was great about making sure Molly would be comfortable, saying he was familiar with estranged family members. They decided that Fjord would stay with him because Molly trusted him to be a mediator. He was fantastic with words and was close with both of them, knowing full well neither of them had bad intentions toward one another.
Yet, despite his excitement, the knot in his stomach wouldn’t unwind. He was sweating through his clothes and he felt nauseous. He kept reminding himself that he wasn’t doing this for Kingsley’s approval, and that it didn’t have to go perfectly. This is just the first step. You have become a more compassionate person, and you’re excited to meet the person he’s grown into, just as you’re excited to introduce the person you have grown into.
He was hoping that seeing Kingsley enter might settle his nerves, but it didn’t do that at all. The small bell rang above the door as he walked in. Kingsley obviously attempted to straighten his clothes before heading over. He had cut his hair atrociously and short, in Molly’s opinion, but he would treat this kindly , far kinder than he ever had with his brothers. He would not go ripping into appearances. At least it wasn’t like Lucien’s bald head , his mind supplied unhelpfully.
“Hey, Captain,” he grinned, touching the back of Fjord’s chair briefly.
“Hey, yourself.” Fjord nodded.
“Hello, Molly.” His smile didn’t seem condescending in the way that Lucien’s so often did. He pulled out a chair to sit at the table. “Have either of you ordered yet?”
Molly couldn’t help but grin. Of course , that was the first thing he actually said. It felt so normal, and he responded, “no, we wanted to wait for you.”
“Appreciated,” he said, scanning a small paper menu. “I don’t even know why I’m looking at this, I’m here often enough.” He set it down. “Have you been here yet?”
Molly took a moment to even process that he was talking to him and not Fjord, and said, “nope”
Kingsley huffed, looking at Fjord now. “You haven’t shown him this place yet?” He clicked his tongue after Fjord shook his head. “For shame.” He kept up his act for only a moment before laughing at himself. “Well, they make a mean lobster taco.”
It wasn’t long before they dove into organizing their order. It wasn’t like this amazing experience and it didn’t completely relieve him of his nerves about everything. Yet, it felt calm and without the usual heat despite the stiffness from both of them.
It wasn’t perfect, but it was a sweet start to something new, finally giving a chance to one another to be the best version of themselves.