Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

The late autumn leaves scattered across the road just outside the bus station. Molly looked around hoping to find somewhere to rest his feet and maybe get a beer. Most of the inns and taverns on this side of Zadash were not worth stepping into, too small and they’d notice his hustle. He needed somewhere prominent, somewhere loud, somewhere that they would be too pissed to notice his hands in their pockets.

From a pocket, he produced a cellphone held together by band stickers and luck and opened a search for local inns, sorting by popularity. The Lodge of the Eclipse looks promising but out of his price range. The Leaky Tap looks like the busiest midrange inn, he taps in for directions and heads toward it with a shrug.

The long walk gives them too much time for his mind to wander. He pictures the little jail cell in Troustenwald, the way they hadn't wanted to deal with him. Not with a "small-time con man" or a "weird-looking freak," and had put him on a bus for Zadash to be someone else's problem.

He was small-time, and that was easiest to not get into too much trouble. He used to pull larger-scale cons with the circus before it got shut down outside Troustenwald.

Weird-looking had stopped hurting a while ago. He was eccentric, and a tiefling. Between those two he was already at a disadvantage for anything above petty theft and small tricks.

The pub was alive as Molly made it in the door. Two people who had just lost their wallets (unbeknownst to them) bumped him as they left. He made his way to the bar and ordered with the cash from the smaller asshole's wallet. Once he had a pint and stew special he found a corner table and sat down to plan a route.

The path is simple up the aisle of tables on the left, drop a coin in the hat at the edge of the stage, head across to the bar, and then back along another row of tables to his seat. He picks through the crowd to get to the front of the stage and manages to nick two wallets from some bros bothering a lady, a cash clip from the businessman who was glowering into an expensive whisky, and a baggie of some kind of pills from a woman who was just unlucky this time. He drops all his change into the hat at the edge of the stage and winks at the woman playing guitar.

She tips her head to them the appropriate amount for someone who just dumped change into her hat. Making his way down the other aisle he doesn’t see any marks who look like they deserve to lose their wallet so he heads to the bar and orders another pint. His table is still waiting so he sits back down and watches the ebb and flow of the room for a while. When the first person goes to the barkeep about their wallet he downs his drink and heads to the water closet.

Safe in a cubicle with his back to the door he takes the money from the wallets. He takes the stack to the barkeep, “These were in a stall in the bathroom.” He sets them on the bar and the man next to him says, “One of those is mine?” She takes the wallets and frowns.

“Thanks friend, do you need anything else?” she asks with a tired expression, her long ears twitching in frustration.

“Have any rooms for the night?” Molly asks softly.

“Yeah, it’s thirty for the night, check out by noon.” She gets a key while Molly gets money out of his pocket. He passes the cash to her and she passes the key to him. “Thanks, if you need anything there is a phone in the room, 0 for the innkeeper in the back, 1 for the bar.”

Molly nods and gives her a dazzling smile, “Thanks, hope this all sorts out cleanly.” he heads upstairs, he knows sleeping where he stole is reckless but they’re just so tired.

Their inn room is passable, drab, and gray. Molly longs for the wild decoration of his old room. He puts the duffle bag that represents all his worldly possessions on the bed and sits down next to it. The long boots he wears are a chore to remove and he takes the time to slowly unlace them carefully. He dresses down and pulls the little chair in front of the door tipping it back under the handle. A small assurance.

He didn’t get any sleep clothing in the five minutes they gave him to gather his things so he pulls on his longest shirt and briefs and presumes it will have to do. Molly finally lets themself cry just a little. Once the floodgates are open they flow steadily for a few minutes. Eventually his head aches and he has to get the sad little plastic cup on the dresser and fill it several times from the bathroom tap while looking at his blotchy face in the mirror. He washes his face and brushes his teeth with the provided materials, reminding himself to take all the soaps when he leaves.

Finally, he gets into bed and cuddles back against the duffle bag, something pokes him in the waist and he doesn’t care. It takes a while of reflecting and feeling sorry for himself before sleep finally takes him.

Tonight he is lucky and he doesn’t dream.

Chapter Text

Waking the next morning was slow, and surprisingly early. According to the tiny clock on the bedside table, it was 9 am. Molly rolled out of bed and took care of what their body needed, shower, brush their teeth, and so on. Feeling like a robot he went through the steps, oil horns, put on fresh clothing, jewelry, and finally boots. He packed his things, took the tiny hotel soaps and lotions, and plunked them into a baggie.

He took the time to get out his things for reading fortunes, the easiest and least-illegal scam he could pull. He did believe in the cards a little, but recently they were an unreliable narrator.

After pumping himself up he hefted his bag and headed downstairs to find some breakfast and hopefully coffee.

The Inn room was bustling so early, many were eating breakfast and chatting loudly. Noting that it was mostly Humans Molly briefly regretted his ostentatious outfit. Heading for the continental section Molly paid to get food and go sit in the little dining area. Once he’d filled a plate with waffles and berries with a side of bacon he looked around and realized there were no empty tables. He immediately looked for a mark. There were slim pickings of single people at tables but a nerdy-looking man in a brown sweater and corduroy pants with copper hair stood out immediately.

He went over and gestured to the empty chair across from him, “It’s full up in here, mind if I join you?”

The man looked around and then nodded, “Ja, I suppose.”

Molly mostly ate sizing up the scrawny man out of the corner of his vision. He was handsome under the messy hair and baggy clothing. He looked like he was trying to look small and unassuming like he was putting on an act.

Fascinating.

“Do you work here in Zedash?” He asked with no preamble after a few minutes of silently eating.

“Sometimes, I pick up odd jobs and am doing some translation work and some tutoring here. I just arrived a few days ago.” He never made eye contact with Molly.

“Fascinating. I just got here last night. I am going to look for some work starting today. Know anywhere looking for an entertainer? I juggle, do some sword work, a little magic, fortune telling, the usual.”

“None of that sounds usual to me.” The man said, clearly perplexed. He met Molly’s eye line but focused somewhere near Molly’s nose.

“Well it is for some folk, there has to be some entertainment in town, perhaps there is a good burlesque troupe, I haven’t danced in a while but I reckon I could get back into it easily enough.” This was a gambit, see if the man was interested, give him an in. Mostly it resulted in him blushing and flustering enough to bury his attention in coffee and his eggs.

Molly let him stew for a moment, taking the flush as a good sign.

“How rude of me, I’m Mollymauk Tealeaf, Molly to my friends and since we are friends now you may call me such.” He extends his hand and asks, “What may I have the pleasure of calling you?”

“I am Caleb Widogast. It is nice to make your acquaintance.” He shakes the hand tentatively, displaying a loose grip.

“So, Caleb, Where around here needs translation jobs? I thought most of the empire spoke common?”

“Yes but I read and write a few additional languages so I took jobs from the Cobalt Archives for some of their older texts. They usually get me scanned files and I provide page-by-page transcripts.” He smiles, “The tutoring is what brought me to Zedash. There is a school here so tutoring jobs are easier to find.” He smiles genuinely as he talks about the school.

“I bet you’d be a good teacher. You have the right vibes.” Molly says leaning back and letting their feet brush his. Caleb’s feet pull back and his blush gets more pronounced.

Caleb shakes his head, his expression getting sad, “I did not finish school so I am not suited to teach. I am mostly self-taught.

Molly finds himself unbidden thinking, ‘I’d let you self teach me a few things’. He blinks the idea away and shakes his head, “well then it seems you’ve found a good compromise.” He wants to ask more but realizes he should shift the focus to let the mousey man have a moment. “I never did any schooling so I don’t understand much of that.” He shrugs. “I just know common, and some would say I don’t know it well. I know a little magic but it’s the kind you don’t study.”

He shakes his head, charms, and chains jingling, drawing Caleb’s eye like he had hoped. The flash was about attention. He already decided he’s not picking Caleb’s pocket but he does think he’s slipping him his number. He takes out a marker and writes it on a napkin sliding it across to Caleb, “I’d love to get a beer sometime, I bet you know a lot of fascinating things. I could show you a stimulating time.” He winks for good measure.

The blush that spreads across Caleb’s face is endearing in ways Molly didn’t expect. He watches as Caleb takes the napkin tentatively and folds it over slipping it into the pocket of his trousers. “Thank you, I don’t know many people in Zedash, perhaps we can meet some new friends together.”

“I’d love some new friends, I am always in the market for a good friend.” He grins what he hopes is handsomely, but he feels suddenly on his back foot by the scholarly man before him. Maybe he didn’t care for tieflings, or Molly was just too much for such a quiet individual but he got the impression that Caleb would never call him. He tried not to take it personally.

Caleb set his fork down on his plate and said, “Well I have an appointment to get to. Good luck on your job quest Mr. Tealeaf.”

‘Thank you and I hope your translation goes well.” Molly says with a smile and a little wave.

Chapter Text

The day is dreary and rain filled as Molly follows the directions from his phone toward a second place he may find work. Some places called Mary’s which according to their website, had fine burlesque and other entertainment. Molly stops at a coffee shop to get something to warm their hands and to use their restroom to change their costume, something with a plunging open shirt, his flamboyant coat, and more jewelry than before. The barista does a double take and winks at Molly as they leave.

The waiting area at Mary’s during the day makes it feel more like a nightclub than a brothel, which is promising.  Not that Molly is opposed to making that kind of living, it’s just not his preferred method. It has that space where the lights should never be all the way on feeling but is still clean.

A female of orcish descent comes out after a bit and looks Molly over, “You could work, come in the back and let’s talk.” Molly smiles and follows.

“I’m Molly, a pleasure to meet you.”

“I’m Betty and I’m going to take you to Mary, you seem nice so remember she likes them clean and not too raunchy. We’re bawdy and not crass in these parts.” Betty gives them a look over, “Not many of your type come through, could be a good addition to the lineup.”

Grinning Molly says, “That’s promising, thank you.”

The club is a blur as Molly prepares his best dazzling grin to meet Mary. He barely notes the red and gold scheme of colors and wonders if he clashes.

Mary, it turns out, is a human woman with bright white hair and cream pale skin. Her freckles look like silver when her face moves and he swears there is a halo of cool silver light around her head when she moves, but he figures it is a trick of the light.

She’s sitting at a short desk surrounded with menus and drink recipes muttering under her breath something about the price of vodka. She looks up to Betty and nods before acknowledging Molly and gesturing to the seat across her desk. “Sit down doll. Thanks Betts.”

Molly sits giving her his best smile.

“Ah good you can put on a face. That comes in handy. Tell me why I should give you a shot?” she says straight to the point as she turns over the menu and makes a note on a piece of paper.

“I’m good with my hips, can talk a fast line, and am not afraid to say no.” They speak smoothly. “I’m not hard to look at either.”

“Better answer than I usually get.” she mutters, “What acts can you do?”

“Sword juggling with strategic clothing cutting, fans though I don’t have fans at the moment, and a good old fashioned slow strip.”

“How short are you on costumes?” She asks directly.

“I have two and could scrape up a third.”

She appraises him quickly, “I have at least one other your size I could probably scrape up a fourth if you ever do a double set.” She scrunches her lips up while she thinks, making the freckles twitch across her nose, they glitter in the low light of the office. “Tell you what, probationary. I’ll give you a week you get all your tips and I’ll give you $75 for a two-act night. No swords until you’ve proven yourself. I can scrounge up fans for you.” She looks him up and down again, “You can do private dances if you keep them classy. Those are yours to keep as long as you tip out the emcee and Dj at the end of the night and we don’t have any problems. I can get you more acts and maybe raise your base pay.” She holds out her hand across the table. “See you at 8 for hair and makeup. Curtain’s at 9, you will be on early and then a few hours later probably.”

He shakes her hand elated. “Thank you for the opportunity, Mary.”

“Prove me right about you kid.” She says with a smile before returning to her papers. “You can find your way out I assume, I need to get the new menu put together before Betty has my hide about it. She’s the head of the front of the house and manages the bars and the little restaurant. Make sure she likes you if you want bartenders sending people your way for dances. Break a leg kid.”

Molly left the office feeling a little dazed. He’d expected to have to dance or suck someone’s dick to get a gig, and here he was with a fucking curtain call time after five minutes of smiling.

Betty was waiting in the main club area for them. “So?” She asks sidling up to him. “How did it go?”

“Probationary period, starting tonight.” He smiles at Betty.

“I thought she’d like you.” She slaps him on the shoulder and asks, “You have somewhere to get lunch?”

“I was going to go back to the inn I was at before.” They say, unsure about admitting they are effectively homeless.

“Come stow your bag in one of the lockers and I’ll get you lunch.” Betty smiles and leads them back to the dressing area.

If he’s honest with himself he didn’t expect the hot academic from breakfast to call him. He didn’t expect to ever see Caleb again. But he comes out of his fan performance sweaty and ready to change to three text messages.

Caleb: Dear Mollymauk, I hope this message finds you well. I wanted to inquire if you were still available to get coffee, perhaps tomorrow afternoon? Sincerely, Caleb

Caleb: Hello Mollymauk, I have been told by my friend Veth that text messages are meant to be more informal. I hope that I have not given you a bad impression. - Caleb

Caleb: Please give me a little time to get used to text messages, I generally do not have much occasion to send them.

Molly is giddy as he sends back a quick message: Happy to meet you for coffee tomorrow. Just let me know when and where. I am working late so not too early please! See you soon!

He puts his phone away and gets changed into their next costume easily. A tear-away number in gold and green. He finishes in time for the stage hand to bring him the parts of the costume from before that he’d left scattered at the edge of the stage, the quiet-looking halfling woman in all black smiles and says, “Good for a first show.” She passes them a basket filled with crumpled bills. Molly notices empty baskets at all the more permanent stations and quickly counts the money into his locker and puts the basket in his empty vanity.

Somehow things were working out better than he could have hoped.

Chapter Text

The rain had not let up the following morning when Molly crawled from under the scratchy hotel blankets and went to the bathroom mirror to take in the damage. He is happy to see no bruises or cuts from the intensive night before, but he does have a fine coating of glitter and flecks of chipping gold from their costume. The bits of eyeliner they hadn’t gotten off are smeared around their eyes in uneven rings. They swear under their breath and turn on a hot shower.

While it heats up they check their phone and have a confirmation text from Caleb, noon for coffee. It is 10 am so they relax, he has time.

The shower is blissfully hot. He stands in the stream for a long moment letting his head empty and the sensation overrides anything else he could be feeling. Here in the steam and damp, nothing matters but the splash and heat.

When his mind starts to go places that hurt, his old family at the circus, the short history of his uneventful life, and his string of bad luck, he gets the tiny hotel soap and starts to soap up his body, special attention paid to his feet, still rough from dancing in borrowed heels. The tiny shampoo bottle isn’t enough for his hair but he washes the roots anyway using the whole bottle of shampoo and then the whole bottle of conditioner. Mentally he adds horn oil to his too-long list of things to get and finishes washing up just as the heat starts to wane.

Nothing in his duffel bag is appropriate for a date (or maybe just coffee, who could tell with these things) with a sweet academic. Nothing he has ever owned is appropriate. He settles on the most subdued he can do, black leggings, a thigh-length transparent tunic in rich blue, and his loud over-the-top embroidered coat, open to show off his lean chest.

He only wears his silver horn jewelry leaving all the gold aside and spreading it across both horns, the caps are a little loose and he sighs, everything he owns needs repair or replacement. He’s just thankful he could leave some of his things locked in the locker at work so he did not have to turtle his whole worldly possessions along.

They add eyeliner and stare at themself in the mirror for a long moment. He recognizes the signs of wear but doesn’t flinch, he gets out the specially mixed foundation and covers the circles under his eyes carefully with a little sponge. Much more alive looking. He stops at a shop and picks up a backpack resolving to get one of those bags that holds more than it looks like it should as soon as he can afford it.

The little coffee shop that Caleb suggested is quaint and soft, the little trees out front have covered the ground in garish reds and oranges that crunch underfoot even in the light rain. Molly delights in the sound going out of his way to step on a few extra crunchy-looking specimens. Looking up he notices Caleb smiling and waiting outside the shop. He waves awkwardly as Molly approaches with much less crunching.

“Allo Mollymauk.” Caleb looks down a soft blush coloring his cheeks, though it may have been the cold.

“Hello, Caleb! Please it’s Molly to my friends.” he smiles broadly and winks at Caleb who turns toward the door, “Shall we?” He gestures and Molly nods.

Inside there is quiet ambient music playing and a few people sit at tables going about their afternoons. Caleb heads for the counter and Molly follows, unsure what to order in this kind of place.

Caleb orders something called an Issylran and the barista turns to Molly, he panics a little unsure what to order, and goes with his standard even if he wanted to order something off the indecipherable menu, “iced coffee with vanilla and sweet foam please.”

Caleb pays in cash and Molly orders some pastries and pays for those. The person behind them in line is a jerk and he yells at the barista for no reason. She’s a trooper and handles it well. Molly waits until the man pays and then lifts his wallet.

Caleb and Molly loiter near the bar until their drinks and pastries come up and then take them to a little corner table at the back of the cafe. Setting himself up with his back to the corner Caleb smiles again gesturing to the chair as Molly sets the pastries in the center of the table.

“How goes the job hunt?”

“I think I found a place to dance. I’m on a probationary period until I prove myself. They are very kind.”

Flushing Caleb nods, “That is good. What do you do during the day to fill your time?” Caleb takes a sip and smiles at the coffee. Molly realizes his genuine smile is enchanting.

“Well I’m getting coffee with handsome academics, and doing some clothing shopping for work. After that’s done, I'll probably take a nap until I need to leave for the club.” Molly smiles as Caleb flushes and sputters just a little. “How do you spend your evenings?”

Caleb takes another long sip before answering. “I read with my cat, sometimes Veth or Beau drag me out to bars, sometimes I work late on translation pieces or spellwork.” He swirls his coffee.

“I had you figured for a wizard.” Molly smiles and leans in, “You are not the showy kind I’m used to. What kind of magic do you do Mr. Widogast?” He grins wolfishly. Molly is unsure why, but they want to make Caleb flush again.

Right on queue Caleb flusters and sputters and says, “I dabble, mostly transmutation a little work with arcane mechanisms.” He looks away before he snaps and a small flame appears in his hand as he snuffs it as quickly as it appears.

“Well magic man you’ll have to show me your tricks some time.” Molly continues to lean forward sipping their iced coffee between openly ogling Caleb.

“I would be amenable to that,” Caleb says simply.

“It’s a date.” Molly supplies quickly before Caleb can protest he says, “You should come to Mary’s with your friends sometimes, I do a good few numbers on stage five nights a week.”

“I don’t know that I’ve ever been to Mary's, is it a burlesque club?” He leans a little closer and says the end quietly.

“Aye, and the numbers are pretty peppy. No pressure if it’s not your kind of thing.” They smile at Caleb and swirl their drink making the ice rattle.

“It’s not - not my thing, It just isn’t my thing, if you know what I mean.” Caleb looks over at the door as it opens and closes and then back to the tray of pastries venturing to the savory roll that Molly took a gamble on. “I am infinitely curious, do you often pick pockets?”Caleb says, surprising Molly.

He’s quiet for a moment before he says softly, “We do what we must to get by, and sometimes we are kismet for what happens to some asshole.”

Smiling Caleb passes Molly’s wallet back to them across the table. “I have some experience with such things.”

He can’t help it; he laughs long and loud from his belly. Caleb cracks a genuine smile again and it warms Molly’s heart. He’s coming to realize that this little academic is more than he appears.

“You’ll have to tell me where you learned that sometimes, maybe over drinks.” They wink and put the wallet away without checking to see if anything is missing.

Caleb smiles and says cheekily, “Trade secret.”

Molly grins, “Aren’t they all.”

Chapter Text

Today is their fourth coffee date, well meeting. Molly is still not sure if it’s a date. Something about Caleb put him on his back foot in a way no one has done before. The way that Caleb watches him so casually but at the same time so intensely, it is overwhelming. They’ve come to think of the coffee shop as their coffee shop. Molly even gave up subdued in favor of showing off to Caleb how handsome he is in his finest fashion. Today it’s loose navy pants with constellations of golden stars, a gold gauze shirt, and a black long vest he’d sewn internal pockets into himself. He was growing to love platform shoes, letting him tower more over his stuffy academic.

This would be the first time they’d met in the afternoon. Caleb made the suggestion based on the fact that Molly worked nights. His idea as well, Molly felt very flustered at being considered so thoroughly by Caleb. Now he was made up and had a half hour to walk from the hotel to the little coffee shop, their coffee shop.

He pulled out his cards and shuffled them as a way to do something with his hands. He paced and shuffled while his mind spun through what to say to ask Caleb on a more serious date. How to ask such a perceptive man such an obvious question?

At the end of his fifth cycle around a card slipped from the deck and landed in front of him on the ground.

The High Priestess.

Trust his intuition. That made sense. His intuition said to ask the handsome friend he’d made out for drinks, or simply back to his room. His intuition was horny apparently. Molly picked up the card and tucked it back into the deck before tucking everything away in their fancy new bag of holding. This enchantment could have saved him a lot of trouble if he’d had it before. So simple to tuck away everything he owns for now, until he has somewhere safe, somewhere safer than a footlocker in a traveling circus probably, even if it had substantially fewer friends to have his back.

Does he need a roommate? Is that how he gets housing?

The first of four alarms reminding him to go blares a peppy beep pattern and he turns it off and pulls on his jacket. He tucks away his toiletries and makeup and gives the room a once over in the time it took for his next alarm to go off. He swears and turns it off leaving the room more or less as he found it.

The walk is familiar already and he takes it slow. Zedash has surprisingly cold autumns and he has dreaded how wet they are. They tighten their garish purple and gold silk scarf, only barely helping keep the wind at bay. He takes the long way to the coffee shop and still gets there ten minutes early as his last alarm goes off playing its peppy tune. As he fumbles to turn it off he looks up to see Caleb waiting outside with a grin and an impressive red scarf wrapped around his neck. He waves and meets Molly halfway between them even though he has to walk past the cafe to get there. “Allo Mx. Tealeaf, it is nice to see you today.”

“Hello, Mr. Widogast. How many times do I have to tell you Molly is fine?”

“Ah, it takes time to teach a dog a new trick. I will do my best Molly.”

“Shall we?” Molly asked, gesturing toward the cafe.

“Of course. After you.”

Molly led the charge, it was his turn to pay in the simple rhythm they’d fallen into. He ordered his iced coffee and let Caleb order, surprising him by ordering his usual even in the late afternoon. Molly pays cash and before long they are at their table in the corner where Caleb can see the door and Molly can perform the trust exercise of putting his back to the door.

Last time they’d discussed morals in-depth for an hour or two, this time Molly wants to keep it light so he opens, “Do you like to dance Caleb?”

“I have not danced in a long time Molly?”

“I was thinking about how I have not danced for fun, or I guess outside of work, in a long time. I don’t know many set dances with steps or anything, but it might be nice to hit a club.”

“You know my friend Jester has been trying to get me to go clubbing with her for months. You and her would get along well. When she returns from visiting her mother abroad I’ll have to introduce you two.” He smiles wistfully and Molly’s stomach drops, he hopes she’s just a friend. What if Caleb’s straight?

“Have the two of you been friends long?” He asks, trying to play it cool.

“Oh, just a few years. I met her abroad and we happened to run into each other in Zedash just before she left to go back abroad for a time.” He smiles one of his rare real smiles, “She’s a dervish of a woman and everyone falls a little in love with her I think.”

“Oh,” Molly looks away at the pastry cabinet and takes a deep breath. “Just friends?” He tries not to sound hopeful and as near as he can tell he mostly succeeds.

Caleb flusters and looks away from Molly, “Ja, she is in a relationship with a sailor I have not met. I simply meant she is very likable”

Molly lets out a breath and asks softly, “Well then perhaps I can ask you if you are interested in getting a drink, as a date, sometime, with me, that is, a date with me.” Something about Caleb’s intense look made Molly fluster and stumble over his words. Words he’d carefully planned all afternoon in preparation for speaking with Caleb about just this thing.

Blinking owlishly Caleb smiles softly, “I would be happy to go on a date with you Molly.” He unwinds his scarf and lays it over the back of the chair with his coat. “I can ask a friend for a bar recommendation unless you have one picked out. I know we’re both new to town.”

Looking elated Molly nods, “I only know work and that feels like an inappropriate first date.”

Sputtering Caleb looks away, “Perhaps you are right.” He takes his phone out and sends a surprisingly fast text for the length.

Surprising both of them there is a text tone from the next table where a halfling in a trench coat and headscarf is sitting with her back to them. She fumbles the phone and drops it in her haste. Caleb picks it up and stares at the halfling woman, “Veth what are you doing here?”

Chapter Text

Having been cataloging every tiny detail Caleb would give him so far, Molly had heard of Veth at this point, though only a few times and he couldn’t remember the context exactly.

He feels like he’d remember him having mentioned a mother or perhaps adoptive sibling, but this felt like a scene from a sitcom and not his actual life. Someone sneaky enough to watch his date unnoticed but absent-minded enough not to silence her phone. Molly was already intrigued.

‘Ooh, hello Caleb. I was just getting some coffee and reading a book.”

“There is no book on your table and you sat down with coffee three minutes after we sat down. Why are you spying on me?”

“I wanted to know more about this colorful person who you kept mentioning before they asked you out so I could run checks on them to make sure they are safe.”

Caleb is quiet for a moment, some combination of confusion and pride, he settles on, “Veth we met in jail. How can you be a judge of safety?”

Molly is not surprised, though Caleb has not brought up how he knew how to pick pockets he has mentioned breaking and entering and suggested that he could sew up a knife wound. They stayed quiet letting Caleb handle it.

“I have a child, I know what safe looks like,” She peers around Caleb at Molly, “they are very colorful.” Her big brown eyes are full of judgment and Molly finds himself suddenly worried.

“Ja, and I am able to be my own judge of character Veth.” He runs his long fingers through his hair and sighs, “Mollymauk Tealeaf this is Veth my best and most protective friend. Veth this is Mollymauk who I was enjoying coffee with.” He turns back to Molly, “Pity how she was just leaving.”

“It’s nice to meet you Veth,” Molly sticks out his hand and puts on his most winning smile.

Veth gives him a look like he has two heads and shakes slowly, her small fingers digging into his hand and depositing a business card. He palms it expertly. “Pleasure is all mine. I guess I’m going to leave now.” She looks to Caleb with an apologetic look and picks up her to-go coffee, “Please call me tonight Lebby.” She says over her shoulder as she goes.

“She practically adopted me the moment she found out about me being an orphan,” Caleb says, watching her go and not looking back to Molly until the door closes. Molly tries to file away that Caleb is an orphan, looking up to see the sad look on Caleb’s face.

“Veth appears to care a lot about you. And also she needs a bit more to do during the day.”

“Her son just started school and her husband owns a pharmacy so she is likely left to her own devices. I’ll have to ask her to come body-double with me while I work.” Caleb smiles, “Her son Luc is my godson, a good and mischievous kid.”

Molly panics internally wondering if Caleb is too responsible, too typical to be interested in him. Like he can hear the gears turn in Molly’s head Caleb boldly puts a hand over Molly’s on the table and squeezes it. “I will message a different friend and ask about a good place for a drink.” He picks up his phone, lets go of Molly’s hand, and starts texting.

Looking at the card under the table Molly notices it is for a dentist but has a phone number written across the smiling people’s faces in thick black permanent marker. Likely Veth’s number. He pockets the card while Caleb is distracted and absently checks that his decoy wallet is still in place. It’s gone and Caleb slides it across the table.

This game has developed where they try to steal each other's wallets during their dates, usually whoever pays is at a disadvantage. Molly slides one of Caleb’s decoys across the table with a smile. They both chuckle as Caleb puts his phone away, “She suggests the inn we met at, the Leaky Tap.”

Laughing Molly says, “That was my original idea so good to know I was on the right track.”

Joining him with a chuckle Caleb says, “When would you be free to get a drink?”

“Folsen? I have the night off.” He smiles his most winning smile.

“It’s a date.”

Chapter Text

He waited until after work in the early morning hours to text the number Veth had palmed to him. He was flush with post-work cash and had been welcomed as a permanent performer with roses and the gift of a new pair of heels. On the high of stability and appreciation, he texted the number expecting no answer until morning had really dawned. At 4 am It was a surprise when one came a few minutes later.

Molly: It was nice to meet u today
Veth: What are your intentions with my boy?
Molly: to take him on a date and see where it goes
Veth: Meet me at the cafe in 20 minutes.

His first thought was to be a shit and ask which cafe, his second was not to upset this woman who was clearly very important to Caleb.

Molly: Maybe 30 just got off work.

Veth: Fine.

He trudges home with his roses and duffle. Home right now was an extended-stay hotel. They let themself into the little studio-apartment-sized room. He dumps his things on the bed, places the roses on the dresser, and pours himself into the shower. Usually, they take their time after work, but today they didn’t have that luxury. He got the makeup and most of the glitter off of his skin and doesn’t bother to wash his hair pulling it all up into a bun still shower-damp. He pulls on subdued greens and blues and wraps his hair up in a thick silk scarf before stumbling from the hotel and down the street toward the coffee shop.

The autumn weather was slowly making its way toward winter and the sun took longer to come up now than it did when Molly stepped off the bus into town. It is mostly twilight as he makes the trek several blocks to the just-opening coffee shop. He stands across the street for a moment until he spots the small form of Veth in her tan trenchcoat near the doors. He crosses the street and approaches slowly.

Thankful he’d wrapped up his damp hair Molly meets her at the front door and she opens it to let him in. “Hello Veth, good morning I suppose.” He lets her in line before him, the shop slowly filling with weary commuters.

“Morning,” Veth says not expanding to more small talk. Molly finds that comforting.

They stand in line for what feels like forever, Veth orders a black coffee, Molly orders a fancy hot chocolate, and danishes for them both. Veth leads them to a table near the back and sits herself with her back to the side wall giving Molly the option to sit without their back to the door. He smiles.

Veth slides Molly’s decoy wallet across the table grinning.

“I see you’ve spoken to Caleb about our coffee outings,” Molly says tucking it away.

Looking out the window Veth shakes her head and adds, “No I just watched you both do it twice and thought it looked fun.” she looks back to Molly and frowns, “I still don’t know if I trust you.”

“Good. If you care as much about Caleb as I think you do, I have not done nearly enough to earn your trust.” Molly sips his hot chocolate and smiles, “I would like to earn your trust, but I imagine that takes time. And I think Caleb is worth that time.”

She sizes him up and asks, “Why should I trust a con man?”

“One with morals, I don’t steel unless someone can afford to lose the money, never hit up small businesses. I have a job now so cons are on hold unless they are necessary. Besides, Caleb said you two met in jail, it sounds like you understand a good time.”

Veth frowns.

“We were both in jail for petty theft, we were too poor to afford food. I stole a chicken and Caleb stole a loaf of bread. He got us out and together we managed to get stable. He helped me find my family and get back together with my husband and son. Caleb is the only reason I made it in life, so I’m fiercely protective of him.”

She paused while Molly sipped his drink and considered. “He’s a remarkable man.” Molly finally settled on. “I’ve been there and I know how hunger makes you desperate and also not nearly as skilled.”

She nods, “Yeah there is only so much you can try to make do with gleaning and scavenging. She frowns.

To break the tension Molly asks, smiling, “What con did you and Caleb run?”

“We had a few but mostly they were harmless, a few coppers here or there. We really made it when Caleb started doing magic again. Then we quickly recovered.” She smiles and waves a hand through the air making a harmless shower of sparks. “He is very good at magic.”

Molly grins, “You are too Veth. So he’s always been so charming then.” He smiles and looks off to the side.

“Oh of course he has. Though he’s not usually enamored with anyone, let alone the colorful and over-the-top. You’re quite noticeable. How do you get away with anything?”

“Redirection and distraction,” he answers quickly as if this is not even noteworthy.

She nods and asks more bluntly, “Are you just trying to get one over on Caleb?”

“No, and I don’t have the patience for long cons.” He gestures at himself, “If it’s going to take time I do it above board. Like I got a job here and will get an apartment as Caleb did. I’m settling. It’s only a matter of time until I get caught again and this time Zedash is too big to bus me off to a bigger city to make their problem.”

Veth narrowed her eyes, “Is that how you ended up in Zedash?”

Nodding Molly says, “I wasn’t even pulling a con just reading fortunes for the coin, charged with disturbing the peace and given the option of jail or a bus ticket.”

“Part of the empire that doesn’t like different, I’ve been there and gotten the bad end of that.” Veth shrugs and Molly gives her a look of disbelief. Halflings were not exactly uncommon.

“Sure, but I still don’t know why I’m at a cafe at dawn with my potential boyfriend’s bestie.” Molly crosses their arms and watches Veth.

She sips her drink and says, “Look, Caleb hasn’t shown interest in anyone the whole time I’ve known him. I don’t want him to get hurt by some kaleidoscope of a person who thinks he’s just another hookup or just another fling.” Veth gives him a sharp look, “I want him to have someone who cares about him.”

Quiet for a moment Molly finally levels with her, “Look Veth, I understand that you love him and want what’s best for him but even if I’m a colorful mistake he deserves to get to make those just as much as he deserves someone who will last the long haul. I don’t know yet what my long-term intentions are. We’ve been out for coffee a handful of times and texted for a few weeks. It’s not serious yet. We are still working up to holding hands let alone long-term commitments.”

He pauses and she starts to speak but they interrupt her, “I’ll be honest. I wouldn’t try to hurt him but we’re all just people trying our best. It may happen and if I’m really at fault you can punch me then, but I will do my best to never need that.”

Letting her speak he sips his hot chocolate. “That’s a better answer than a lie. And for the record, I will not punch you, that’s an unfair size disadvantage. I’ll just shoot you if you break his heart. I know where to hide bodies.” She sips her coffee like she didn’t just suggest murder.

Nodding Molly adds, “So my goal is for you not to need those impressive skills.” He grins awkwardly.

“Exactly, I’m glad you understand.”

“Crystal clear.” He smiles at her and adds, “I’m glad he has you.”

“Me too.”

Chapter Text

After the whirlwind events of the coffee shop and meeting Veth, the date ends up being pushed back. Caleb gets another translation job, a quick turnaround, and a big payout. Molly doesn’t mind, but he's disappointed. The compromise is coffee in the morning when Molly is winding down for sleep (sleepy time tea for them) and Caleb is about to start work (4 shots with cream).

That’s how at 5:30 am Mollymauk is standing in front of their cafe, waiting for Caleb so they can head inside. It’s been a few weeks of both of them being too busy to go on their date, but nearly every morning they meet for coffee and a short walk back to Caleb’s new apartment or Molly’s hotel if he’s exhausted from work.

He’s gotten comfortable enough that today he didn’t shower after work, he just removed his makeup and changed into something clean and more comfortable. They see a sleepy Caleb coming up the block and grin. He waits for Caleb to get close before closing the distance and hugging him. They recently escalated to hugs. Two coffee meetings ago, Caleb asked and Molly said anytime. Now, with telegraphed intentions, Molly hugs Caleb whenever they can, wrapping him in long arms and colorful sleeves.

“Good morning Molly,” he smiles in a way that has yet to stop, making Molly’s stomach flip over pleasantly.

“Good evening Caleb,” this joke, like pick pocketing, has become common. Today Molly put something into Caleb’s pocket instead of taking something out, a folded-up note about how excited he is for their date the following week.

Caleb smiled and held the door open, and Molly felt his stomach swoop. He felt like he imagined a teenager with a crush felt, and leaning into the feeling felt so nice.

They ordered their usual, Caleb picking up the tab and buying a cheese danish for himself and a mini fruit tart for Molly. Their table was free so Caleb scooted back to the wall and Molly performed his morning trust fall of sitting back to the whole room.

This morning Veth was not peeking at them from around a column or bench across the street. She'd only spied on them once since she gave Molly a stern understanding of her potential responses to breaking Caleb's heart.

Taking a long pull of his bitter coffee, Caleb regarded Molly with a small smile. "How was work?" He untied his scarf and draped it across his lap.

"Mostly good had a few good tippers, and my numbers went well. Sasha tripped and hurt her ankle, so I may have to do a few more nightly performances while we cover for her. She'll be okay in no time." They nodded and added, "The door is still open. You are welcome to come and see a routine."

Blushing Caleb says softly, "I know, however; I would like to see you like that the traditional way first. When it isn't work for you and it's just for us." His ears are red and his face is slowly following. "If we get there, I mean."

Molly feels his cheeks prickle with color and looks down into his tea. "Well, when you say it like that, I hope you see my routine as soon as you are ready." He looks up at Caleb and smiles sweetly.

Caleb is quiet for a second, sipping his coffee and blushing before he breaks the silence with, "I am very excited about our date next week. I will not allow it to be pushed off again."

"Neither will I. I am very excited." Molly puts his hand face up on the table between them and looks away, his blush growing like Caleb's, though not as dramatic.

Laying his hand in the offered hand, Caleb smiles softly. "Did I tell you about the new translator that the Archives have hired?" Molly shakes his head and Caleb continues, "He has been showing up to work smelling heavily of the ocean, even though we are far from it. He often takes long, meandering tangents. A strange fellow who has made days I must work from the office much more interesting."

"Sounds like he could be fun if you get to know him."

"I suppose I think he smokes cannabis on his lunch breaks, coming back smelling heavily of it," Caleb says quietly.

"Well, at least he knows how to unwind and relax."

"Fair, he is an adult and he may make these choices for himself." He nods softly. "I should introduce him to Beauregard."

You should introduce me to your friends, Molly thinks.

"How is the short turnaround project going?" Molly asks sipping his tea.

"I should be done by the end of the week. Translating court documents is simpler than other translations, as much of the language is direct and means exactly what it says. It is the court transcripts that take the most time and I started with those."

Without meaning to Molly lets out a wide jaw-splitting yawn putting his hand over his open mouth.

"Getting tired there Mollymauk?" Caleb asks softly as he squeezes their hand.

"Ah, you know how the last few days of the week are, exhausted by the end and ready for bed. It is not you. I am simply ready for more sleep."

"Of course, would you like me to walk you home?" He takes a sip of his coffee, watching Molly.

"That would be very kind of you. I could use the motivation to get out of this chair at all and not curl up here."

With a flash of regret across his face, Caleb gets up and drops Molly's hand in the process. He winds his scarf back up and picks up his paper cup of coffee.

Molly follows suit, scooping up his tea and following Caleb from the cafe.

As soon as they are on the street Caleb is brushing his fingers across the back of Molly's hand and he takes the hint, and the plunge, and laces their fingers together between them. Molly blushes, feeling foolish and happy. Caleb smiles and bumps their shoulders gently together.

"I Found someone in town who can make me the peacock fans I've been dreaming of for my dance." He smiles, changing the subject and trying to rein in his heart as it pounds in his chest.

"Ah, I know you were struggling with ethically sourced feathers," Caleb observes as their hands swing between them and they take the short path toward Molly's hotel.

"Yes, and I found a young artist who makes a variety of interesting things who can make them with ethical resources and limited issues. She is going to start them tomorrow, and I should have them in a week or two." He wiggles. "I'm very excited to have such good props. Now I just need to find a few people who do more quality costuming pieces."

"How is the apartment hunt going?" Caleb asks with a squeeze of Molly's hand. The hotel comes into view at the end of the block and they slow down their walking speed.

"Slow. It is hard when you sleep most of the day." He yawns again at the mention of sleep. "I have a viewing tomorrow at 7 am, so I will need to stay up after our coffee meeting. It's not too far from the Archive if you want to walk there instead of home."

"I would like that," Caleb says, smiling softly.

Molly looks up and is shocked to see standing near the door to his room is a tall, starkly pale woman with long dark hair braided back in many complicated braids. She is standing at his door with a bouquet of flowers and a suitcase. He grins. "It looks like my best friend has caught up with me. Do you have a moment to meet her?"

"Of course, I'm happy to meet your friends," Caleb says, hand tightening in Molly's.

They approach and the woman turns her mismatched eyes bright as she takes in Molly; she follows them down to their hands, across, and up to Caleb, who she gives an imposing look. "Hello, trouble."

Chapter Text

Squeezing Caleb's hand once, Molly lets go to rush forward and hug the tall woman. "Yasha!" He shouts and practically tackles her. She picks them up with one arm and sets them back down, not disturbing the bouquet she holds in the other hand.

"This must be Caleb." She says, looking past Molly to the sheepish human who is stuffing his hands in his pockets and blushing.

"Yes, it is! Caleb, this is Yasha, my best friend. She's been off traveling and texted me yesterday that she'd be in the area." he bounces back to Caleb and smiles. "She's great," he adds, smiling.

"Allo, I'm Caleb. It's nice to meet you, Ms. Yasha," Caleb says awkwardly, holding out one hand. Yasha takes it and shakes it once firmly.

"Nice to meet you, Caleb. It is good to know that trouble here hasn't been teaching you their bad manners." Yasha grins and pats Molly on the back with some force. He stumbles toward Caleb and they join hands reflexively to stay upright.

Flushing Caleb squeezes Molly's hand and rights himself slowly. Molly drops one of his hands but keeps the other as he addresses Yasha, "Well Caleb was just walking me home, will you give us a moment?" He asks, looking at Yasha with pleading in his eyes and holding out his room key.

She takes the key and moves to open the door, disappearing inside. Caleb visibly relaxes.

"Sorry, I was not expecting that. It put me on my back foot."

"She was supposed to arrive tomorrow. No doubt she was here to surprise me by being here early.

Caleb nods some of his hair falling into his eyes. He asks, "Is this the Angel you've referenced before?"

Molly nods and says, "My oldest friend. She is very dear to me." His smile is genuine and distant for a moment and it makes Caleb's chest tight and warm to see them happy.

"Well, I shall leave you to catch up, I have work to attend to." Caleb offers a hug and Molly can't help but take the opportunity to be close to him. The embrace lasts longer and as they pull away, Caleb thrusts a pair of decoy wallets into Molly's hands. He smiles and pockets them.

"Tomorrow same time?"

"Yes, and same place. I look forward to it."

Inside Molly finds Yasha sifting through her battered suitcase, the flowers already in a vase on the bureau, the nearly dead flowers wrapped in a paper towel and sitting alongside the vase.

"Angel! I didn't know you'd be in today." Molly greets, clinging to her side.

"I got an earlier train and wanted to surprise you. I didn't spook your friend too badly, did I? He looked like he was going to burst."

"No, though spooks easily but he’s more resilient than he looks." Molly pauses a beat. "He's growing important to me." He extracts himself and starts to change into sleep clothing, dragging them from the depths of his duffle bag.

"Oh, how important?" she asks, finding sleep clothing of her own and changing with no worry about Molly's presence.

"We've been meeting for coffee for weeks and that was the first time we've held hands. He needs slowness and I'm willing to be thoughtful for him." Molly feels his face warm and looks down at his hands, his swishing tail belying his feelings.

"You being patient? Wow, he must be something special."

"He's funny and smart, just mischievous enough to be fun while still being safe. He picks my pockets and lets me pick his. We've taken to hiding trinkets and fake wallets for each other. It's been fun and we haven't even been on a proper date."

Molly examines his pockets as he says this taking out the decoy wallets to find one of them Caleb’s instead of his own. Inside is a note folded to the shape of a bill. Molly grins and empties all the pockets into the bedside drawer leaving tarot cards and a handful of coins on the table.

"You're falling for him." Yasha says matter of fact.

It takes a moment for Molly to catch up and he sputters before settling on, "I hadn't realized."

Yasha pats their back. "Come snuggle with me, unless you'd rather have some space for your feelings." She sits on the edge of the bed. "I can make up a spot on the sofa."

"Can I take the sofa? I want to talk to him about you and I or it will feel a little like cheating, besides you'd never fit on the sofa." He can feel his flush again and turns half away.

She's surprised but nods, "of course. Are you sure you'll get a good rest?"

Nodding Molly strips the big fluffy blanket and takes a pillow over to the sofa. "I'm beat. I'm sure I'll be fine."

“Let me get my hair situated,” she stalks off to the bathroom with a brush and Molly reads he little note.

Mollymauk -

I hope you enjoyed coffee, I have been grateful for our little routine. I look forward to our proper date this weekend.

Sleep well,

Caleb

While Yasha is gone Molly lifts the letter to his nose and sniffs it carefully. It still faintly carries the smell of coffee and amber. He sighs and tucks the note into the bedside table with his trinkets and baubles.

He feels wistful as he settles down into the big comforter and curls up like a cat on the short sofa.

Yasha lumbers back into the room, hair braided aside and a smile on her face. "Tell me about him while you fall asleep?" Yasha asks as she curls up in the bed.

"I met him the first full day I was in town..." he starts, launching into the story but falling asleep somewhere around their second coffee meeting. In his sleepy state, he called it what he believed them to be dates.

Chapter Text

On their third outfit, Molly pauses in front of the mirror and makes a sad noise. “Yash, I look like a fool.” He flops dramatically back on the bed.

“How do you have so much clothing and hate all of it?” She asks to pick up a black transparent shirt that was in outfit number two. “This looked nice.”

“It’s too slutty Yash, I want to look respectable.”

“To go to a bar with the man you’re pining after?”

“Who is a sweet academic and I am a riot of color burlesque dancer. I want to fit in with his aesthetic a little.”

“Do you think he is taking you on a date so you can pretend to be someone else?” Yasha asks, tilting her head to the side.

Pausing Molly smiles softly, “That’s a good point,” he looks over the discarded clothing, scoops the mesh shirt back up, and leaves on the tight maroon leggings on. Draping the shirt over the top he grins in the mirror. Noting that the outfit left nothing to the imagination. He’s been staying as neutral as he can with Caleb but the other man had always complimented his colorful scarves and coat.

Speaking of the coat he gathers it up and buttons the sleeves off, setting them aside and looking himself over again, the cropped shirt with long sleeves always looked good on him.

“That looks like my Molly.” Yasha teases from the bed and asks, “Do you want help with your horn jewelry you’re getting close to time.”

“Please!” Molly selects pieces and hands them to Yasha whose practiced hands set them in place weaving through the holes in the keratin and draping chains aside. Molly snaps the caps in place on the tips and clasps a vibrant choker with a little eye pendant to his neck. The final touch is some simple teal boots that layer over the maroon leggings. “Too much?” He asks.

“You don’t know what too much means.”

“Fair enough.” He loads his pockets quickly with extra trinkets and baubles slipping his wallet into the inside breast pocket over their heart, knowing Caleb would have to get really close to get at it.

He kissed Yasha’s cheek, happy Caleb had not batted an eye at his description of how tactile they were. He shrugged and said, “I would not begrudge you the comfort of a good friend.”

The walk to the Leaky Tap is short and Molly realizes he doesn’t know whether they are meeting outside or in so he stands out front fiddling with his phone in the cold crisp air of the autumn night. He’s shocked when Caleb sides up to him and says, “Hallo,” softly.

Molly turns and hugs him close, saying softly, “Hello to you, too handsome.” It’s bolder than he usually is but he feels like they’ve been building to this for so long that he is half crazy with want for this wizard.

When he pulls back he registers that Caleb is wearing a black t-shirt and soft trousers with a patched jacket pulled over the top. He smiles softly and offers a hand, “Shall we?” Caleb asks, jerking his head toward the door.

“Yes, let's go find a table.”

Like a cyclical journey back to where it began Caleb leads him to the dining area and picks out the same table as before sitting them in the same place. Not letting his hand go. Molly smiles goofily over at him. “You look lovely.” The room swims with the smell of fried foods and cheap beer. It’s somehow comforting to the ragged edge of Molly’s nerves about this long-awaited date.

“You look handsome yourself.” Caleb blushes while he compliments them and Molly feels his blush rise to his cheeks too. He looks at the menu and asks Caleb, “Any ideas what is good?”

Reviewing the menu Caleb says, “Burgers are usually my go-to for new places, however; I’ve eaten here a few times and their chicken breast sandwich is also good.” He points to where on the menu those things are and Molly is thankful that while it’s clear Caleb has picked up on his difficulty reading and has always accommodated him, he has never brought it up directly.

Deciding easily on a burger Molly sets the menu down and asks, “Are you the type to have a beer preference?”

“Oh ja, anything dark. But I like everything the most anything. Do you have a beer preference?”

“Anything sweet.” Molly winks as he says, “Like you.”

“I don’t think I’ve been called sweet before.” He squeezes Molly’s hand where it’s still held above the table.

“Well, now you have. I’d also go for cute, handsome, kind, smart, and a few others but better to not overload you so early in the date.”

Flushed Caleb says, “Well I don’t know about that but I am with the most beautiful person in the tavern so I think I am winning the evening already.” He looks over Molly’s all-but-bare chest and his blush travels to his ears. Molly swears for a moment he can feel Caleb’s breath ghost across his face, mint sweet and staggered.

“I don’t know, you are not a sweet ginger with eyes like the midday sky,” Molly waxes poetic.

“Charmer.”

“Guilty as charged,” Molly shifts his weight, tempted by the closeness to be too bold.

At the word guilty Caleb slides a wallet across the table to Molly. He slides one back and they both chuckle, pocketing the wallets. Molly’s chest gets tight, it fills with an emotion he can’t place.

“Molly, one day someone is going to see us and think we are up to no good.” Leaning in conspiratorially Caleb smiles and adds, “What will we do then hmm?”

“I will be thankful that we are both so charming and will be able to explain that it’s game since the wallets are all empty.” He squeezes Caleb’s hand, “But if you want to stop we can.”

Caleb considers carefully for a moment, “I don’t think that I do. I think I enjoy the way it brings you close to me.”

Swallowing Molly thinks of the one time Caleb caught him by grabbing him around the wrist and grinning, something about the capture of his hand had stirred something in him. “Okay darling, we can play this game as long as we’re both having fun.” As he studies Caleb he realizes that the human is blushing.

Caleb leans in and says, "I am in favor of things where we both have fun." Face flushed, he looks down demurely.

"I can think of a few," Molly says, wiggling his eyebrows and leaning in even closer.

It's at that moment that their food arrives.

They lean apart as the apologetic waiter puts their plates down and refreshes their drinks. Caleb is bright red for the whole interaction and looks down into his food for a long minute after the waiter leaves.

"It has been a long time since anyone looked at me like you do," he finally says softly but loud enough for Molly to hear over the din of noise in the busy pub.

He blinks at Caleb disbelieving, “Perhaps you have not been around the right people then.” Their grin is charming and disarming. Caleb feels his face get warm and digs into his food for a distraction. He cuts his chicken sandwich in half and takes a bite smiling appreciatively as he chews.

Considering the burger and fries Molly starts with the fries trying to eat them as seductively as possible. The way Caleb chokes a little on his sandwich is satisfying. He eats a few more fries before asking, “How has work been treating you?”

Caleb finishes his bite and while holding the sandwich awkwardly as he says, “Work is going well, I have been doing more for the Cobalt Soul now that they’ve assigned me an archivist. She’s a bit rough around the edges but means well. I think she is passing some of her work to me so she can do other things, but they pay me and the work is good.” He shrugs.

“That’s good, having enough hours to get by is important.” Molly eats another fry as Caleb watches looking flushed in the low light of the bar.

It takes him a moment to get his words together and Molly waits content to watch him and eat slowly. “Why do you do the kind of work you do?” He finally asks, clearly having been spending time figuring out the question.

Molly nods, finishing the fry he’d already dipped in sauce before answering, “Because it’s what I know how to do. I don’t have a lot of marketable skills, being a flashy colorful mess is hard to market unless you’re creative with it. It pays well and once I have a good clientele set up I can probably drop down to fewer nights a week.”

“Clientele?” Caleb asks, a little flush coming over his face.

“It would be more accurate to call them regulars. Folk who come in not just for the club but for me.” He eats another fry, “They still don’t get to touch, but they get a lot more attention and flirting and they give a lot bigger tips.” They shrug.

“So you entertain guests and dance, that sounds exhausting,” Caleb says softly.

“Ah well as an extrovert it’s kind of nice to get all of the performance out of the way at work so I can not perform with the people who matter.” He winks at Caleb trying to make it clear they mean him.

Flushed Caleb finishes half of his sandwich and sets it down. “I suppose that makes sense. Just because I would not enjoy it does not mean you wouldn’t, I hope it is very fulfilling.” He smiles and picks up a fry pointing at Molly with it, “You are very handsome, I imagine that helps quite a bit.”

Molly nods, “It does, I mean a lot of people would pay to have me dance in their lap, right.” He waggled his eyebrows.

More flushed than before Caleb just nods and eats the fry.

“Tell me, what work are you doing with the Soul anyway? You mentioned translation and that sounds interesting.” Molly smiles hoping to corner him into talking about his passion. The human was handsome when his eyes lit up like that.

Just as anticipated Caleb became animated talking about old Zemnian and a collection of texts about classical alchemical theory from the prior century and the collection that the soul was both digitizing and translating to provide for free study access. He was working mostly on translation while Beau (the woman he mentioned working with) was working on digitization. He had been helping with little tasks there at first but now was sometimes digitizing whole folios.

His tutoring was going well, teaching about beginner and intermediate transmutation, often for students of the Hall of Erudition. He talked about his students with an enthusiasm that Molly has rarely seen from Caleb.

Molly understood most of that but was excited to hear about all of it. He smiled and tried to ask good follow-up questions and the way Caleb’s hands fluttered between them like the falling leaves outside felt like a good start to something.

Molly’s chest felt tight again, he wondered absently if he was coming down with something like affection for this scrawny academic wizard with a penchant for pickpocketing.

“... and that is why I think Anastasia will go far in their learning and development as a young wizard.” Caleb finished punctuating with a bite of his sandwich, finishing the first half.

“They sound like a good student,” Molly said eating his last fry. “I feel like with you as a tutor I’d be a good student, though I never had much experience learning.” He shrugs. Still having not filled Caleb in completely on his sordid past.

“I could tutor you if you need help with anything. I bet we could find something.” Caleb said, diplomatic to Molly’s trouble reading.

“I am sure you could, but I don’t think tutoring will help the letters stay put on the page, that’s a brain injury problem love.”

Caleb flushed for a new reason and shook his head, “I did not mean that there was anything to fix, you mentioned once you had a little magic but nothing too big, I thought you may wish to expand what you know.”

“Oh, I don’t think I have the patience for that, though it is mighty kind of you to offer. If that ever changes you’ll be the first handsome wizard I go to.” Molly winks and Caleb blushes as he pushes his food away and orders another beer.

Molly orders a cider and pushes the remains of his burger and fries away.  “Where did you learn magic?”

Caleb gets a little more somber but doesn’t answer right away, “I had a tutor in my youth but I am mostly self-taught.”

“Is that why you don’t teach more formally?”

“Something like that yes.”

Sensing he asked something wrong Molly changes the topic, “Do you have any plans for the upcoming holiday? I’m sure the soul and your mentees give you Harvest Close off.”

Caleb smiles and nods, “I was going to ask this handsome tiefling I know if they wanted to go to the fair with me.”

“Were you? What changed?” He asked grinning.

“I thought perhaps they may want to go dancing instead.” He grins in a goofy way and asks, “Do you want to go Dancing this weekend? There are always packed dancing halls for the festival, I thought my awkwardness may be less obvious with so many people.”

“I bet you are a surprisingly good dancer.” Molly declares, “I’d love to prove myself right. Pick me up at 6?” He asks smiling.

“Ja, and maybe we can invite friends out on Sunday? I have a few coworkers and you have that very tall friend of yours Yasha. We could get drinks on the day most people are too hungover to crowd bars.”

“That sounds perfect, get Yash out to meet new people.”

“Perfect it’s a date.” Caleb’s eyes sparkled in a way that made Molly’s stomach do a pleasant flip.

“Do you want to stay here or maybe take a little night-time walk, or just keep talking?” Molly asks hand snaking across the table to take Caleb’s again.

“A walk sounds like a nice way to work off some of this beer,” Caleb says standing. “Thank you for paying while I waxed poetic about archiving.”

“Thank you for letting me,” Molly said smiling.

“Allow me to tip,” Caleb says slipping some bills onto the table. Molly nods not noting he tipped on the bill because the server deserved the tip.

Molly leads him outside by the hand feeling the warm buzz of cider in his stomach. He pulls Caleb close as they walk in the crisp cold autumn night. “Some shops are putting up Wintercrest lights already.” He gestures to the shops that have lit-up displays going up in their windows.

Caleb leaned in to look at the display in the bookstore and Molly watched the way the lights played in his eyes. He felt the now-familiar tightness in his chest and he stepped closer. Caleb leaned into him letting their shoulders press together. When he turned to face Molly they were barely six inches apart. Molly took a deep centering breath and asked, “May I kiss you?”

There is a beat of silence where Caleb looks stunned and Molly thinks they really fucked up. The beat passes when Caleb nods shyly and leans closer, “ja,” he says softly tilting his head up toward Molly.

His lips are a bit chapped and the way they press together is a bit too eager but it is the most perfect Kiss Molly has had in a long time. It was worth waiting for. It’s been more than a month of courting this beautiful man and Molly is so grateful for this moment in the cold night air in front of a bookshop where their lips press together with ease and familiarity gained by mutual wanting for so long.

The kiss eventually ends and Caleb’s eyes are damp and wide as he pulls away, “Wow,” he whispers and Molly can feel himself blush. Caleb is red and has slipped his arms around Molly’s waist. Molly wraps his arms around Caleb in turn and they stay like that pressed together, foreheads touching for a long moment, just breathing each other’s air and settling.

“I’d like to do that again if you’re amenable,” Molly says softly.

“I’m game.”

Pulling them toward a bench nearby Molly sits with Caleb and just as he’s about to kiss him a snowflake falls and lands perfectly in one of Caleb’s red eyelashes. Molly looks up and Caleb’s gaze follows. As they smile a flurry of snow starts and Caleb chuckles, “Maybe I can walk you home and we can kiss some more out of the snow.” He smiles shyly.

“That sounds perfect.” Molly guides him up and links hands with him tucking both hands into the long sleeve of Molly’s coat. “I’ll lead the way.”

Chapter Text

Their hands clasped together the short walk to Caleb’s apartment was a blur, they barely talked faces red from the snow and the attention. The crisp air stung Molly’s nose as he speed-walked with Caleb, eager to get out of the cold.

Molly had walked Caleb home a few dozen of times and had still never seen the inside of his apartment. They stumbled over the threshold, barely keeping upright as they pawed at each other. Likely the wallets would all be ajumble as their coats fell to the floor just inside the door.

There was a meow of protest but the duo scarcely stopped their desperate press of lips and hips and exploring of hands. After a resolute moment, Caleb pulled away gasping as his hands closed around Molly’s waist. “Gods Mollymauk.” He breathed for a moment and Molly stilled trying to match his energy. Worry bloomed in the back of his mind that he was going too fast. “Boundaries are in order,” Caleb said gesturing to the sofa. Molly went happily and sat down close to him, he nodded softly.

“Of course, we should both want whatever happens to happen.” He takes Caleb’s hand, something that felt safe in the face of all the making out they’d just done.

“I am not ready to have sex with you Molly.” Caleb says quietly, “I need a little more time.”

He doesn’t look up and Molly takes his chin in hand and raises it back up smiling warmly. “No expectations darling. Just joy for whatever you do want.” He felt, again, a bit out of his depth. This was more than a casual hook up and he didn’t know exactly what to do, there was usually just a pause for him to ask if they wanted to fuck and insist on protection, and that was that.

Sighing Caleb says, “I think I’d like our pants to stay on, and maybe not to involve anything below the waist.” He looks away even as Molly holds his chin.

“I am amenable to that. I’d like to keep kissing you, maybe get my hands on your back. Maybe share your bed if the snow keeps picking up, or borrow your sofa if that’s uncomfortable.” He lets go of Caleb’s chin and tries to look open and warm.

A small smile breaks across Caleb’s face like the sun peeking through the blinds, “I would also like that, maybe with a little less intensity.” He shifts awkwardly and takes a deep breath.

Molly suggests, “I can let you set the pace if you’d like.”

Nodding Caleb takes their other hand and smiles softly. “If you want to stop at any time please tell me. I hope I am adequate to your needs.”

“I need you happy and comfortable. Whatever that means. I am already overjoyed with the attention I’ve gotten and if that was it I’d be ecstatic already,” he reassures. “Lead me handsome.”

His smile spreads and Molly mirrors it as Caleb pulls him close kissing him again. Caleb’s mouth has a singular taste of beer and fried foods, it’s got an undercurrent of sweetness and warmth and it makes Molly’s head spin as he gets to exploring it more slowly and with more presence of mind.

They kiss for a long time breathing less raggedly and more slowly, careful press of lips and touch of tongues. Molly lets Caleb explore the curiosity of his forked tongue with understanding and for once finds it hot and not patronizing as Caleb’s keen exploration includes all of his mouth, his sharp teeth, his lips, and the soft skin his seeking tongue can reach.

Pulled close together Caleb reaches between them and tugs at the ties of Molly’s shirt, pulling back to ask, “Is this okay?”

“More than okay, encouraged,” Molly whispers between them sounding dark and heady.

Caleb pulls away long enough to pull the ties of Molly’s shirt loose and asks, “Will you take it off? I don’t want to catch your horns.” His blush rises to his cheeks heavy and handsome.

Complying slowly Molly resists the urge to put on a performance telling himself to be real with Caleb, that he deserves them to be honest and authentic. Caleb’s breath catches as his hands hover between them, Molly loosens his arms around his waist and waits.

“May I touch your chest and back?” Caleb asks, seeking explicit consent.

Nodding Molly smiles, “You may, may I take off your shirt?” Caleb puts his hands on Molly’s chest and looks up at him suddenly with fear in his eyes. “Darling, what’s wrong? Is that too fast?”

Quiet for a long moment Caleb gets what Molly thinks of as his thinking face. He buffers staring a little into the middle distance and his jaw sets a particular way. He has been presented with a problem he doesn’t quite know how to solve. After a moment he responds, “I don’t know if you will be surprised by my body, and I worry about your response to its differences from yours.”

Realization sweeps over Molly, “Thank you for sharing something so vulnerable,” he starts leaning in and kissing Caleb’s face gently. “Nothing about how I feel about you has changed knowing more about your body. I’m interested in you, not just for that but for your mind, and spirit. If you want to say no to my request that’s okay, I will not be mad.”

Hands still still on Molly’s chest Caleb looks down face and neck as red as the tips of his scarlet ears. He is quiet when he responds, “Can I take it off, I want to control the removal. I know it’s silly…”

“Nothing silly there, I told you, we go at your pace.” He smiles softly even as Caleb’s warm hands move from his chest. They dance at the bottom hem of Caleb’s shirt for a moment, hands flexing and unflexing in anxiety. Molly puts a hand on his forearm and whispers, “No pressure darling.”

Nodding Caleb says, “I want this, I am just anxious to let myself have this vulnerability with new people. I want to have it with you.”

Molly nods and tells themself to be patient as they fold their hands in their lap. Caleb squirms uncomfortably for a moment before nodding, taking a breath, and pulling up the hem of his black t-shirt carefully pulling it off. He bears the expanse of his pale chest, a dusting of curly red hair, and a pair of long scars running just under his pectoral muscles. “You’re so handsome,” Molly finds himself saying reverently.

Caleb flushes further holding his hands out to Molly, “May I touch? You may touch me, just please be gentle.”

“Yes you may,” Molly reaffirms the consent as he lets his hands rest on Caleb’s hips, loose and gentle.

With a smile, Caleb lets his hands slowly slide up Molly’s stomach and pectorals and rest on his shoulders. Molly’s breath catches and he blushes at how simple it is to make him feel like he is too big for his skin. Caleb’s fingertips slowly caress as he runs his hands down Molly’s chest slowly in small swirls and loops. He smiles the whole time and Molly can’t look away from his face, too fixated on how good this uncomplicated thing feels.

They move their hands sliding their palms up Caleb’s sides slowly, amazed by the soft skin under the coarse body hair and the contrast that thrills Molly. He stops at Caleb’s trim waist and wraps his hands around him slightly.

Caleb’s breath catches and he lets his forehead rest on Molly’s shoulder as he slowly wraps his arms around Molly. “I want to feel your skin on mine, come kiss me.” He leans back and reaches for Molly.

Pulling him close by the waist Molly grins before kissing Caleb just as their chests press together. The kiss is softer and less insistent than the ones they had shared at the door, but it is equally as good. Molly finds himself squirming but stills himself before he can make a fool of himself.

The kiss breaks as Caleb says softly, “Would you like to move to the bed to kiss some more?” His face and ears are a bright red.

“Yes, and I know that doesn’t imply any change in boundaries,” Molly reassures and kisses him again fleetingly.

Caleb stands and scoops up their shirts as he also takes Molly’s hand. He leads the tiefling into his room. It’s a simple space, a queen seized bed, a bed table on one side and a dresser on the other, a lamp in one corner and a cat tree in the other. Frumpkin sits on the tree regarding Molly suspiciously. Caleb asks, “Do you remove your horn jewelry before bed.” He drops the shirts on a chair and leans down and starts to untie his shoes.

“I do, give me a moment.” He lays his shirt on the bed and starts removing cuffs and chains in the opposite order they’d gone on that morning.

Caleb watches curious and asks, “How do you handle the jingling near your ears?”

“I got used to it, now it feels weird when it’s so quiet.” He unhooks the chain running from one end of his horn to the other and smiles, “It’s also just pretty, and most of what’s pretty is uncomfortable.”

“I would rather be ugly and comfortable. Give me sweaters and cozy places any time.” Caleb tucks his boots under the side of the bed and goes to a dresser across the room and starts riffling around in a drawer.

Horns slowly become bare and Molly folds the shirt around the jwelry so he can set it on the chair and still sitting on the edge of the bed moves to unbuckling and untying his ridiculous boots.

Caleb comes over with two pairs of pajama bottoms, “Do you want to borrow some sleep pants?”

“That would be nice, thank you.” Molly takes the pair closest to him and says, “Would you like me to change in the bathroom and give you space to change?”

Smiling softly Caleb nods, “That sounds good. Bathroom is the door on the left” He kisses Molly’s cheek as they stand and move toward the door.

The small bathroom is more lived-in, orange towels hung up, and a small line of products on the counter with a toothbrush and hairbrush. He grins at the shower curtain that’s cartoony orange cats on a deep maroon background.

Molly changes quickly and looks at himself in the mirror for a moment before using the soap to wash the makeup off his face carefully.

He knocks on the bedroom door and waits until Caleb says, “Come on in.” Molly opens the door to find Caleb sitting on the corner of the bed wearing pawprint pajama pants. “Hello again.”

“I hope it’s okay I used some of your face soap.” They gesture to their damp face. “I didn’t want to smear makeup all over you.” He felt exposed pointing out his clean face, not covered by his usual paint that made him look so much more soft and smooth.

“You look beautiful.” Caleb says patting the bed, “Come here and let’s get back to where we were.” Caleb blushes as he speaks, his neck turns red this time, beautiful and ruddy.

Molly moves to him as Caleb crawls into the bed and tucks himself under the sheets. Molly follows and tucks themselves alongside Caleb and waits trying so hard to be patient. They realize for a moment that this is more patient than they’ve probably ever been.

Caleb doesn’t make them wait long, reaching for Molly and pulling him close. Molly dives into a lazy and gentle kiss, letting their lips meander against each other, lost in the warm press of sensitive skin.

Arms snaking around Caleb, Molly splays his hands across Caleb’s back, slowly rubbing circles.

Pulling back Caleb rests their foreheads together and says softly, “This is perfect.”

“It is.” Molly agrees.

Chapter Text

❤Caleb❤: My work friends asked me to invite you out for drinks with them this weekend.

Unsure how to process that request, Molly stared at the text for a long moment. Had they gotten to the meeting-each-other's-friends phase of the relationship? Molly was in uncharted territory at this point, he’d never dated for a whole two weeks. Hell he’d never really dated, usually relationships fell apart before they were defined, (Which they’d done, Caleb was his boyfriend, Molly was Caleb’s partner. They were dating.) Usually, it was just a series of hookups until one of them got bored.

Usually, he didn’t care this much. Then again usually they were not a  charming, thoughtful, and talented man who captivated him so thoroughly it made his head spin.

He’d finally gotten a lead on an apartment, so much easier with Yasha and her having an actual credit score, and able to go tour them during the day.

Looking at their phone he wondered how to answer. On one hand, he wanted to spend more time with Caleb, on the other hand, he was worried about doing that with Veth, and meeting Caleb’s other co-workers scared him. What if they didn’t like him?

Molly: I’d be happy to join you all

It was the beginning of the week, and he had plenty of time to stress about it, and several coffee meetings with Caleb to get more information out of him about these people he’d be meeting. They started to chew on a claw but stopped themself not wanting to ruin their manicure.

He refocuses on picking out new work clothing from the catalog that Mary had recommended. There were many options but most of them clashed with his lavender skin. He couldn’t focus now, having stopped so he got up to find something to eat pulling on his bright jacket and more modest shoes. He locked the hotel room door and headed into the relative shade of a late fall evening. The snow had stuck around only for a few days and he was grateful for that, cold and Molly didn’t get along.

-

When Molly exited Mary’s Caleb was waiting a block away on his path to the Coffee shop. Molly rushed to catch up with him and smiled. “You came to get me.”

“I hope it’s okay, I don’t want to jeopardize your ability to get clients,” Caleb says as he lets Molly scoop him up in a big hug. Caleb embraces him looking around for anyone watching.

“We closed the club an hour ago, if they’re still here they are creeps,” Molly says. “Besides, we could be friends, they don’t know.” He nuzzles close to Caleb and asks softly, “How did you sleep?”

“Pretty well, Beau got me these melatonin gummies and I take one at 9 pm and sleep much easier. They help a lot.” He blushes as they walk, “If I can pull away from work to take them.”

“Good, you deserve such good sleep.” He doesn’t mention the nightmares, he knows Caleb has mentioned them but he doesn’t want to pry, even though he is very curious.

“How was work?” Caleb asks not commenting on Molly’s statement.

Noting the evasion Molly nods, “Slow night, not a great number of tips, but got to do some of my simple routines, feeling much less tired than usual. I don’t work tomorrow if you want to get breakfast instead of coffee.” Molly smiles and gestures to a restaurant near their coffee shop.

“That would be nice, I often forget breakfast in favor of other things,” Caleb admits as he reaches out and takes Molly’s hand.

His turn to blush, Molly swings their hands, “Well breakfast then. Come on lovely.” He tugs them toward the little diner.

They head inside and find that there are very few patrons this early. They get a table and review the menus. Molly struggles through and picks the first thing that looks good setting the menu aside. He watches Caleb make his thinking face as he pursues the menu and Molly has a hard time not staring at him. They fiddle with the place settings and the waitress comes around.

“Hello, do we know what we want or can I get some drinks started for you?” She asks, taking a pad of paper from her apron pocket.

“Coffee please,” Caleb says, still looking at the menu.

“Me as well, sugar and cream.” Molly adds, “We need a few more minutes on the menus I think.” He smiles dazzlingly at her and she nods understandingly and winks at Molly.

“Sure sugar and cream, and coffee.” She leaves with a pep in her step and a smile.

Molly taps a foot against Caleb’s foot and asks, “What prompted you to come to meet me?”

Blushing Caleb admits, “I missed you.”

Molly puts a hand on the table between them and smiles when Caleb takes it immediately. “I missed you too, I kept considering leaving work early and waiting outside your apartment, but that felt creepy and I needed the hours if we are going to get approved for this apartment.”

“I hope you get it, it would be nice to see you out of the motel.”

“It would be nice to be out of the motel.”

The waitress brings them cups and cream and sugar along with a carafe of coffee. She fills their cups and leaves the carafe. Molly thanks her.

Molly again feels his heart swell as he watches Caleb doctor his coffee with cream. He blushes and looks down when Caleb catches him staring. He puts six sugars and a little cream in his coffee and stirs it carefully.

“You’re a menace with sugar,” Caleb says with a little chuckle.

“I can’t believe people take coffee plain, it’s good but it’s so acidic.”

“Some people just like it that way,” Caleb says shrugging, “I like it with a little cream but I’ll drink it black.”

Making a face like he smelled something bad Molly says, “To each their own, I will not judge it’s just not for me.” He takes a sip of his coffee and smiles happily.

“Did anything exciting happen tonight?” Caleb asks fidgeting with his hands.

Molly doesn’t know how to answer that, Caleb rarely asks about his work and Molly doesn’t mind letting it just be a thing he does. He talks more about the carnival and the circus and the cons he’s pulled than his current job.

“It was pretty uneventful.” Molly says stirring his coffee and looking down, “The usuals were there but not a lot of other foot traffic. I had so much iced tea I had to go to the bathroom like five times.”

“Is it easier when it’s busy and you can just keep going?” Caleb asks, taking a sip of his coffee.

Molly nods, “Yeah it’s much easier to just keep going until it’s time to stop. If you can keep distracted everything is easier.” He shrugs and taps the spoon on his cup before setting it aside and taking a sip.

Putting his menu down Caleb asks, “Do you not like talking about work?”

“No, it’s just that I worry that you will not like me talking about work,” Molly admits as they take a drink and smile as the waitress saves them.

“Are you ready over here?” She asks.

“I am if you are darling,” Molly says watching Caleb blush.

“Ja, can I have the Hearty Breakfast platter, scrambled eggs, extra bacon?” He smiles and hands over his menu.

“Waffles and strawberries please, can I get hashbrowns on the side?” Molly orders handing over their menu too.

“Of course sugars, back in a flash with all that,” she turns and walks toward the kitchen with her own dazzling smile.

Caleb sips his coffee and says, “If you don’t want to talk about work that is fine, but it does not bother me and if that changes I will let you know.” He takes Molly’s hand again and squeezes it.

Molly feels bad that he is surprised by this statement. Nodding slightly they ask, “Are you sure? I don’t want to push any boundaries.”

“I’m sure,” Caleb says definitely.

“Okay. The only private dances I did were to music I didn’t like or to clients who looked bored. Bored with all this,” he gestures to himself, “on display and right there where it can tease.” He huffs. “The stage was slow and there were not many clients present so it was hard to get attention when the pretty girls and twinks were out.” He looked down at himself and for not the first time regretted his muscle tone.

“Ah they may be pretty but they are nothing compared to how dazzling you are. Pretty and brilliant like a gem.” Caleb says softly. “I am sorry it was unprofitable.”

“I made enough to tip out the other staff and have some leftover, but not as much as I’d like.”

“Well, I hope the next shift is more lucrative.”

“Me too,” Molly smiles and looks down, “do you want to go watch the sunrise at the park?” He blushes to suggest something so overwhelmingly romantic.

“I’d really like that. I haven’t seen the sunrise in ages.” Caleb smiles and squeezes Molly’s hand, sipping coffee with the other.

Nodding Molly asks, “Have you ever been to the ocean?”

Shaking his head Caleb says softly, “The sea is a long way off. Though one of my co-workers was a sailor before moving on to work at the archives.”

“Maybe he can tell us where the best place on the coast to visit is, will he be there this weekend?”

“Ach, no he is busy. It will just be Veth and Beauregard. Do you want to ask Yasha to come?” Caleb asks, smiling.

Nodding Molly is excited to get Yasha out, “Yes I will ask her, she could use some time out and about. She got a job in a warehouse moving boxes so she barely sees real people on any given day.”

Caleb fills his coffee from the carafe, “I am excited for you to meet Beau, it is nice to bring the different parts of my life together. It feels nice to be able to do that now.” He doesn’t elaborate and Molly is too confused to ask further.

“I want to meet your friends. I am sure we’ll get along amazingly, we all like you.” Molly says letting his showmanship overwhelm his anxiety. He grins broadly.

“Oh, I didn’t realize you were worried about Mollymauk,” Caleb says as he sees right through Molly in a way that sometimes unsettles him, being so thoroughly seen. One day he’d have to tell Caleb his story, today was too uncomplicated, let them be romantic and raw but not that raw.

He looks down into his coffee, “I’m a lot, I know that. But I will do my best to charm them. I can be likable enough.”

Caleb shakes his head, “You don’t have to change a thing for them to like you, you are amazing. Just don’t try to pick their pockets and you should be fine.”

Molly nods still unsure. They know that they are loud and unabashed, but something is different about him with Caleb, it makes him want to wrap around this man and keep him safe from whatever past had broken his beautiful spirit. It made him want to have Caleb’s support system accept him.

“I’ll do my best but no promises,” Molly says laughing.

There is a pause as Caleb laughs and asks softly, “All your pockets are empty.”

Molly checks and chuckles softly, “Did you find the cat statuette?”

Caleb sets it on the edge of the table with a big grin, “Where did you find it?”

“In a little junk shop on Aspen Street.” Molly grins happy to have changed the topic.

Caleb smiles and pockets the trinket, “I have enjoyed finding little things for you to take.”

“It’s silly but I really like it too.” Molly leans across the table and kisses Caleb’s cheek.

Blushing Caleb says, “We are a strange pair.”

“That’s okay, strange can be a nice change of pace.”

Breakfast passed uneventfully, drinking too much coffee and eating eggs made to perfection. They chatted about the documents that Caleb was translating and the apartment Molly thought he had a chance of getting. They planned for the weekend, which bar they’d go to, and how there was karaoke if they were interested.

They walked hand in hand to the little park between the restaurant and Molly’s motel and found a bench facing the glowing horizon. It was quiet in the crisp morning as they sat close and Caleb wrapped an arm around Molly’s back. Molly pulled gloves and a scarf on, always very affected by the cold. Caleb sipped the hot cocoa they’d gotten to go and leaned his head against Molly’s shoulder.

“It’s beautiful.”

“Just like you,” Molly said softly, “Lit up and bright. Radiant and golden. Just like you backlit by the evening sky.” Molly thought of Caleb in the golden hour and sighed happily.

“You flatterer.” Caleb chided with a big smile. “If anything you are the beautiful one.”

“You think too ill of yourself, you are so handsome I can barely stand it, looking at you is a treat,” Molly continues, “I am proud to call you my boyfriend.”

Sputtering Caleb looks down a moment and says so quietly Molly barely hears, “It is nice to feel handsome again.”

“Good, I want you to feel handsome, and valuable.” Molly turns and kisses the side of Caleb’s head.

“I think I’m falling in love with you Mollymauk. I hope that is okay.”

“Good, because I’ll be catching you, I’ve already gotten there.” He smiles softly and snuggles in close. “You don’t have to feel this way but, I love you, Caleb. It scares me a bit, I’ve never felt this way before.”

“I have and it is beautiful and terrifying all at once,” Caleb reassures, squeezing Molly. “I think I’ll be there soon, I just have to get over my fear. Promise myself you are not leaving.”

“You’d have to ask me to go at this point.”

“I will not do that, I can’t imagine you not here by my side watching the sunrise. It’s perfect.”

Molly watches the sun for another moment until it is too much, then he turns his big red eyes to Caleb. His boyfriend is already watching him, he feels his ears heat and looks down. When he looks back up Caleb is suddenly kissing him. He melts in the cool air pressing close to Caleb and making a pleased noise. They make out in the morning air for a long moment before breaking apart to Caleb’s wake-up alarm. They both look at each other for a moment before laughing as Caleb scrambles to get out his phone.

-

Once again Saturday night finds Molly up early and struggling to figure out what to wear. The main difference is this time Caleb is sitting on the bed behind him watching him fret. “I liked the first one.” He says as Molly holds up another outfit.

“You don’t think it’s too slutty?” Molly asks to gather the clothing up again.

“I think it’s very you.” Caleb asserts, “And sometimes you look a little slutty, which I think is just fine.”

“So it is slutty,” Molly pouts, “I want them to like me.”

Caleb comes up behind them and wraps his arms around their middle, “They will like you Mollymauk, you are the most likable person I know.”

“I’m also so much that I can be too much easily.” Molly shakes out the clothing and holds it up again, “This will work, do you want me to change in the bathroom?”

“I can turn my back if that’s okay,” Caleb says, ears already red.

Nodding Molly adds, “Whatever makes you comfortable.”

Caleb turns to look at his phone and do something. For good measure, Molly turns his back and changes into the corduroy high-waisted pants, belt, net shirt, and crop top. “I’m decent,” he says as he wraps his tail around himself and pulls his jacket on. When Caleb turns he is looking for a hat, scarf, and gloves. “I’ll be happy when winter is over.”

“Me too, though the snow is pretty it sure is a menace,” Caleb says as Molly sits down next to him to put on socks and boots.

“I hope it stays cold enough to be solid, slush is much worse.”

“That is true, it’s terrible to deal with so much wetness in the cold.” Caleb runs a hand down Molly’s arm and scoops his own coat back up. For as skinny as he is Caleb seems to be heartier in the snow than Molly. “Are you ready for Mololymauk?”

Turning in the mirror once more he shakes his head and pauses to rub kohl around his eyes. “I think I'm as ready as I can get,” Molly says, taking Caleb’s hand.

“I promise it will be okay, I’ll be there too,” Caleb assures him as he squeezes their hand.

Molly nods and gets the key to the room out, “Okay, let’s go.”

Caleb goes first and Molly locks the door behind them. They join hands and head for the small bar where they are meeting Caleb’s work friends, Veth, and Yasha. Molly fills the air with a story about some fool getting thrown out the night before for grabbing Mary of all people and how she got him with her handbag before the bouncer took him out of the building.

Caleb laughs along at the right parts and Molly sniffles only a little in the cold. Tutting Caleb adjusts their scarf several times trying to cover his ears. Chuckling Molly adjusts Caleb’s scarf and they end up standing in the street adjusting scarves until the absurdity kicks in and they both laugh uproariously.

By the time they reach the bar, their faces are red from the cold and laughing, they are holding hands and look very much from the outside like two people madly in love.

They shed layers and gloves as they reach the table and then comes introductions. Yasha arrives just as they start, “This is Beauregard, you’ve met Veth, and here is Yasha.” He smiles and says, “And this is Mollymauk.”

“Please, Molly to my friends, and we’re going to be very good friends I think.”

“Where did you find this one at the bottom of a crackerjack box?” Beauregard asks Caleb with a smirk.

“No, we met at a hotel,” Caleb says matter of fact.

They all sit and there is an awkward silence before Veth breaks in, “What do you do for work Molly?”

He had rather hoped this wouldn’t come up, he never knows how to answer, “I am a performer.” They say matter of fact.

“What kind of performances?” Beau asks, giving him an incredulous look.

“I dance,” Molly says rather pointedly trying to leave it at that. Beau chokes, coughing on her beer.

“Like, erotically?” She asks quickly while Caleb’s face goes red, “I didn’t have you pegged for the type Caleb.” She turns to tease him but Molly grabs her attention again.

“No more like burlesque, but the difference is negligible.” He smiles, “You’re welcome to come to see the show, there are plenty of,” he pauses and gives her an appraising look, “ladies in the line-up.”

Sputtering at the inevitable horror of being seen Beau settles down. Veth glares at Caleb, “How come you never told me? You know I would not be judgmental.”

“Because I was worried you would think poorly of Molly when you were so stern about me dating anyone.”

“Dating?” Veth says standing on the bench. Caleb drops his face into his hands.

“I work in a warehouse. I move boxes.” Yasha says abruptly. What do you all do?”

Thanking the gods for Yasha Molly puts an arm around Caleb tugging him a little closer.

The waitress comes by with a fresh pitcher and more glasses. Caleb pours for them all and Beauregard answers first, “I work for the Cobalt Soul in the transcriptions and records department with Caleb.”

“I work in my husband’s apothecary,” Veth beams proudly.

Caleb wrings his hands around his drink, “I work with Beau and tutor a little on the side at the Halls of Erudition.”

“That’s very nice, I bet you are a good teacher,” Yasha smiles and pats Caleb’s hand. “If you put up with this imp.” She reaches over and musses Molly’s hair.

“Hey!” he shakes his head and frowns at her trying to get his hair back in some semblance of order.

Beau goes and orders them another pitcher and while she’s gone Molly teases Yasha, “She’s really interesting.” He wiggles his eyebrows.

Yasha rolls her eyes and says, “Very fit.” Her ears go pink and she adjusts her hair to cover them.

Veth watches with a knowing smile and asks Caleb, “How’s the project about the history of the empire going?”

“Aside from being full of propaganda, pretty well.”

“Hey, you know keeping the propaganda is important too. For history and shit.” Beau adds as she comes back.

Nodding Caleb agrees, “I know I just wish I could call it propaganda and not flowery words that sound less insidious.”

Molly watches him carefully, “What do they have you call it?”

“Empire recruitment posters, Historical fliers, and such like that.” He shrugs, “It hardly matters at this point, they have their standing military for their brewing war.”

Intrigued by never having heard Caleb so political, Molly listens unsure whether he should add his own perspective. He wrings his hands under the table and scans the nearby tables for the kind of people who would pick a fight with Caleb. He doesn’t see anyone but keeps his head on a swivel. He makes a note to ask him about it when they are alone.

“It’s a job.” Beau shrugs.

Nodding Caleb agrees.

“Do you want to dance?” Molly asks Caleb who turns a little red and nods quietly.

“Ja, I’d like that.”

The dance floor is calm, with just a few people dancing to the music the DJ is playing. Caleb and Molly stick to the edge rocking together quietly. Molly says softly, just for them, “I think I like them.”

“I think they like you, in their way.”

Chapter Text

The afternoon was cold and Molly regretted not wearing a thicker coat, they regretted not having a thicker coat. He was rushing through the street to get to the new apartment before he got too cold. He considered stopping at a clothing store to look for a coat but decided instead to duck into the coffee shop and get something hot.

He’s in line when he feels someone tap his shoulder a little harder than is polite, he spins expecting a rude stranger but finds Beauregard, or Beau as her friends call her.

“Oh, hello Beau. Getting something warm in the cold?” He smiles and checks the line ahead of him before turning fully to her.

“I wasn’t planning on it but then here you were and I wanted a word with you. Do you mind?” She tries to smile at him but it comes out more of a sneer than anything.

He smiles brighter, “Of course. Do you want some hot cocoa?”

“I guess, it is colder than a witch’s tit out there.”

“It sure is, I couldn’t feel my fingers for a bit there.”

She nods, “Did you get your apartment?”

“Yes we moved in last week, now we just need to get furniture. It’s weird to set down such long-term roots.” He smiles, “I like it.”

She gives him an appraising look as he gets to the front of the line and turns to order something that is mostly sugar and partially chocolate. He orders a plain cocoa for Beau and moves to the side to wait for the drink.

“How is Yasha?” She asks trying to be nonchalant.

Molly grins and nods, “She’s good. She’s at work right now, I’ll tell her you asked how she is.” His eyes sparkle with mischief.

“It’s no big deal, she just was… interesting,” Beau says trying to cover up her clear interest.

Nodding Molly grabs their drinks and steers them to a table different than the one he shares with Caleb.

“That’s not what I wanted to talk to you about.” She shakes her head like she’s clearing it. “What are you doing with Caleb?” She stares at him pointedly.

Molly tilts their head, “It’s called Dating. It’s different than pining because you actually talk about your feelings and hold hands.

She glares at him, “I meant what are your intentions, I care about Caleb like a brother and want to make sure that you are not going to use him up and spit him out.”

Shaking their head they look Beau right in the eyes, “I would like to be his partner and keep him safe. I have no intention of hurting him, though I can’t know if I’ll do that on accident.” He takes a breath and looks away, “This is new for me too Beau.”

Softening she punches his arm, “Fair enough, but if you hurt him it will be really bad for you pretty boy.”

“Aww, you think I’m pretty.” Molly flutters his eyelashes at her. Beau mimes vomiting and punches them again. “Okay enough with the abuse I don’t need a bruise when I’m trying to dance.”

She gives him an appraising look, “Can’t you find a different job?”

“No, it plays to my skills.” Molly shrugs.

“Fair enough, well I should get going I’m just on a break from work. Keep what I said in mind.”

Molly nods rubbing his arm. “I will, oh rude one.”

“Okay, asshole don’t get too fond.” She winks, and taking her cocoa, is gone in a flash.

-

Winter is setting in over Zedash and that means it’s always snowy now, there is always a dusting of white and grey across the city. Molly’s proclivity to walk everywhere is getting stretched thin just like all his boots. Boots he got for look, not function.

Caleb got him an early Wintercrest present, an expensive and serviceable pair of black boots that are designed to withstand the cold and salt of sidewalks while keeping his toes warm.

It’s the single nicest thing anyone’s ever gotten him.

Molly is right and truly fucked.

He has no idea how to get Caleb anything he will appreciate as much as this gift, this passing of knowledge about climate, and care for Molly, and warmth both literal and figurative, that Molly can’t even approach with some kind of gift.

Usually, he gets Yasha potted plants or flowers and the people at the circus didn’t really do gifts, he’d pitch into the food fund extra in the winter but never buy gifts.

They were about the little things, baubles, and trinkets, not grand gifts. Maybe grand gestures but Caleb was different, they couldn’t fuck their way out of this one.

Molly’s stomach dropped. He still felt weird when he thought about how little physical intimacy they’d shared and how smitten Molly already felt. He was in uncharted territory and outside where he felt like Yasha wanted to hear about things. He’d been struggling to process how to handle the whole thing.

He was busy thinking about that when he ran into a slender tall figure on the road and nearly knocked them into the gutter. They caught each other, Molly helping to steady the stack of boxes in the man’s hands. He apologizes and is about to pick the man’s pocket when he remembers he doesn’t need to do that anymore. He keeps his hands to himself and rights him carefully.

“You okay, sorry I was lost in thought.”

The large smile of the Firbolg is calming and he says softly, “Oh, no sweat, we didn’t drop any of the tea.” He gestures to the boxes, “If you would get the door for me I think we were going into the same place.”

The coffee shop that they meet at every morning, it wasn’t where Molly is going but it’s where he ends up so he holds open the door and follows the firbolg inside.

“Are you the tea vendor?” Molly asks a little confused.

“I’m the tea vendor.” The man confirms holding out a hand under the stack of boxes, “Caduceus Clay, nice to meet you.”

“Mollymauk Tealeaf, Molly to my friends, and I imagine we’ll be the best of friends.” He smiles, “Do you supply the tea they use in the seasonal chai? It’s my boyfriend’s favorite.”

Nodding Caducesus puts the tea on the counter and orders a hot cocoa for him and a mint hot cocoa for Molly. He doesn’t ask but gets the order perfectly right. Molly is amused and lets Caduceus lead him over to a table, intrigued. “We don’t sell that one outside wholesale so you’d have to get it here. What’s your favorite? Is it the Mirthful Leaf?”

Molly asks, “Are you always that good at guessing?”

“Skill of the trade, you learn a lot about a person by their tea and a lot about a tea by its person.”

The barista brings them their cocoa and a check for Caducesus which he pockets smiling at her. He asks after her mother and cat before returning back to a bemused Molly.

“Are you a tea oracle then?”

“I suppose you could say I am, though most of my work is just as the hands of the Wild Mother.” He touches a pendant shaped like a crook on his lapel.

“Careful, that’s illegal here isn’t it,” Molly says voice hushed.

“Only if someone cares to turn you in, and few people turn in healers when we are always in such short supply.” He smiles placidly and sips his cocoa.

“I know a bit about that, though my line of work is less protected than healing.” He gestures to a series of moons embroidered down the arm of his coat.

“What do you do Molly?” Caduceus looms over them asking.

“I dance wearing very little clothing.”

“Ah, I bet you are quite good at that,” Caduceus says with very little positive or negative inflection. Molly knows he’s not interested but also isn’t judging him, the discerning skill needed in his business to be safe.

“I am thank you,” He pauses and wonders why this strange man has bought him cocoa. Life’s short he figures and asks, “Why get me cocoa?” He tilts his head and takes another sip, “Thank you by the way.”

“No problem. I was curious what had you so in your head you missed someone my size.” He gestures to his talk lanky form and Molly feels his face redden.

“My boyfriend got me a really good Wintercrest gift,” he holds up one foot and shows off the boot, “And I can’t figure out what to get him that is as thoughtful or as nice. I’m pretty sure that he’s the smartest man in the world, and I don’t mean that just in a, ‘my boyfriend’s so good’ kind of way but in that he is genuinely intelligent in a way I can only mostly understand. Anything I get him will be pointless or silly.” He finally pauses to breathe blush and sip his cocoa looking down.

Caduceus chuckles. “Do you think he places so much stock in such gifts that he will love you any less if you don't get it perfect?” He tilts his head and Molly looks up to make eye contact.

“I don’t know if he loves me, just yet,” Molly says a little more vulnerable than he meant to be with a stranger.

“Ah, he loves you. He was very thoughtful about how you don’t know how to dress for the cold and got you the thing that he thought would do the most good. Get a thick cap with horn holes, that will help a lot if you keep the base of your horns warm.”

“He hasn’t told me yet.”

“Well, that sounds like a him problem, not a you problem.”

Molly swallows, “We’re working on it.”

Caduceus nods and squeezes Molly’s shoulder, “What do you want for him, what thing do you think would be good for him?”

“Aside from finding a more stable partner, and a way to stand up to his coworker who makes him do all her work, I wish he could teach more and do other work less.” He sighs, “I can’t do anything about that.”

“Can you get him something related to teaching so he knows you’re in his court in that regard?”

“He’d look so good with a nice attache case,” Molly mutters and grins. “You’re pretty alright Mr. Caduceus.”

The firbolg nods and says, “Sometimes it’s just about finding the right thing to encourage.” He passes over a card to Molly, “If you ever need someone to talk to we have someone who can discuss loss of many kinds.”

Molly barely looks at the card for a graveyard and tea cultivator as he pockets it. “Thanks,” he mutters quietly.

“Nothing to be ashamed of to have lost so much. If anything be proud you are so strong.”

Molly nods, “I know, I just… I’ve lost things that are not very  normal and I don’t like to think about it.”

“No shame in that either Mx. Tealeaf.”

“You don’t know what I’ve lost.”

Caducsuses nods, “Sounds like it was a lot.”

“All of my life before two years ago. All the friends I made since then save one.” He spreads his hands out and then presses them to the cocoa cup.

Nodding Caducesus says, “A lot to lose.”

“Close to everything,” Molly says looking into the cocoa.

“Must be why he’s so important.”

“Not the only reason why.”

Caduceus nods, “That’s good. Have you told him you love him?”

“Yes, he hasn’t said it back but said he was trying to let go of the fear keeping him away.” He smiles fondly, “He’s so brave.”

Nodding Cadusesus takes another long sip and asks, “Something is still wrong?”

Molly looks down and nods, “I don’t know what to do with someone so special.”

“I imagine you tell them that they are special and ask them,” Caduceus says softly.

Blinking at him Molly chuckles, “You make it sound so easy friend.”

“Oh no, it’s the hardest thing in the world. The easy part is loving the hard part is loving. All of it is work but it’s worth it.”

“You’re either the most mad or the most brilliant person I’ve ever met.”

“It could be both,” Caduceus says taking another long drink of cocoa.

Molly laughs loudly and claps his shoulder, “You’re brilliant.”

“Thank you.”

Chapter Text

The documentary played in the background as they were wrapped up in each other on the couch. Caleb pressed Molly back to the couch ran his hands across the soft plane of his stomach and sighed. “Gods you are handsome,” he whispered diving back into a deep kiss that left them both breathless and desperate.

Molly was straining against the tight trousers he’d worn on their date night. He flushed as Caleb climbed into his lap straddling him. Molly closed his eyes and pushed Caleb back carefully, “Love can I check in? Are you doing okay with this?”

Caleb’s eyes are glassy and wide as he pushes Molly back against the couch and nods, “Please, I am ready for more. Gods Molly I need you.”

Licking his lips Molly asks softly, “What does that mean?”

His blush travels from the tips of his ears downward and Molly feels like he could follow the red in real time. He smiles and waits.“I want to sit in your lap for a bit, maybe um, press together, and kiss you. Then I want to take you to bed and we’ll figure that out when we get there.” He kisses Molly’s face, “if that’s amenable to you.”

“Gods that sounds perfect,” Molly assures and grabs Caleb’s waist. “And you’ll tell me if it changes right?”

“Right, because you want to know and it will be okay if it changes.” Caleb closes his eyes as he speaks, “Now kiss me, Molly.”

“Someone is needy,” Molly teases but kisses him readily with more passion and greedy insistence than before. Molly’s heart races as he considers what more might mean. He is so in his head he is shocked when Caleb grinds his crotch down into Molly’s trapped erection. Molly groans loudly into the kiss and Caleb pulls back panting, “fuck.”

“Fuck is right,” Caleb agrees. So he does it again, sliding against him and Molly grabs his hips roughly with another deep groan.

Molly wiggles, “That’s so good, no one’s ever,” he pauses, “touched me like this.”

Grinding down into him again Caleb leans in and whispers in his ear, “It’s often considered the domain of teenagers desperate and needy but trying to not go further. But I always liked it.”

Rocking up into him now Molly pulls him close with his scrabbling hands. “It is brilliant.”

“Come to bed with me and we can see what else feels good,” Caleb says looking a bit like a fried lobster.

“I’d love to Caleb.”

“Good because I need you so badly.”

They stumble to the bedroom like lovesick teenagers, grabbing at each other and having to stop and kiss halfway. When they make it into the room Caleb pulls at Molly’s shirt and lets him pull it off over his head. He pulls his own shirt away over his head dropping it somewhere on the ground behind him. He pushes Molly toward the bed.

“You’re not usually like this, it’s sort of hot,” Molly says taking his hip in hand and drawing him into bed over Molly.

“It is hard sometimes for me to be bold, but you make me feel safe.”

“What an honor to make you feel free to explore.”

Caleb runs his hands over Molly’s sides and then spreads his fingers over the long expanse of their stomach, noting changes to the texture where the skin is inked.

Molly whines softly and Caleb hooks his thumbs in the waist of Molly’s trousers and tugs gently, “Please?”

Blinking Molly nods, “Anything you want love.”

Caleb unbuttons Molly’s pants in the front and over his tail, then pulls at the waistband in the back. Obediently Molly lifts his hips and lets Caleb pull them down off of his hips and over his legs. Molly feels exposed for a moment and briefly regrets never wearing underclothing when not working. Regrets not knowing this date would be the one where Caleb wanted to see him nude. Not that he’d have done anything differently just that he wanted to plan to be perfect for Caleb.

He looks up and Caleb is looking over his revealed skin and sex with a hungry look. They meet eyes and Caleb grins asking softly, “Is it okay if I take my pants off too?”

Nodding like a fool Molly agrees, “Of course love. I want to see you too, as much as you’re comfortable with.” He watches as Caleb kneels on the bed unzipping his pants and pulling them down over his hips and then his knees before he kicks them off the bed. He’s still wearing white briefs and Molly is transfixed by the soft down of his inner thighs and the slight wetness already gathered between Caleb’s legs darkening the fabric covering him.

Molly licks his lips.

“Is this okay? I am not sure about more.” He looks down at his briefs and Caleb’s hands curl into loose fists at his sides. Molly looks up at his face and the way he worries his lip in his teeth.

“This is perfect, we do what we’re both comfortable with. If that’s nothing it’s okay, if it’s staying covered that’s okay too. Just tell me what you want love, or what you don’t want and we can figure it out.” Molly tentatively and slowly gathers Caleb up in his arms to squeeze him tightly.

Caleb buries his face against Molly’s shoulder and lets them squish him for a long moment, “I don’t know what I want. Can you… just take charge?”

Molly shakes his head, “I can’t just take charge, we have to talk about it love, that’s how we make sure it’s safe and consensual for both of us.” Channeling everything he learned from work about consent he pulls Caleb into his lap so they are at eye level and starts simply, “We could start with what you don’t want if it’s easier.”

Flushed Caleb still nods, “I don’t want to be looked at while we talk about this.” He curls close and hides his face alongside Molly’s neck.

“Thank you for setting that boundary. May I rub your back while we talk?”

Caleb nods.

“I need to hear you say yes or no love, I don’t want to misinterpret you.”

“Yes, you may rub my back and touch me.”

“Thank you,” Molly says rubbing his hands over Caleb’s back gently. “What else do you not want.”

“Don’t call me pretty.” the request is small but there.

“Are beautiful, handsome, stunning, and gorgeous acceptable?”

There is a pause and Molly can feel Caleb worry his lip with his teeth against his shoulder. “I suppose if you believe them to be true.”

“I do, you handsome man. I love getting to tell you how handsome you are.”

Caleb curls up further sitting on the bed between Molly’s legs. “I don’t want to be restrained, or held down, or pinned.”

“Anything like that takes a lot of conversation about safety lovely, I promise to not hinder your movement.”

The long silence that follows makes it feel like he may be done but instead after a minute of silence Caleb adds quietly, “I don’t want it to hurt, at least not a lot.”

Shaking with a pent up something Molly agrees with a hum, “I will never hurt you on purpose, if anything I’m doing hurts I want you to tell me so I can change it. Do you understand? That’s an important boundary for me.”

Caleb shakes a little but agrees, “Okay, I will tell you.” He pauses and brings his knees to his chest still bundled in Molly’s lap, “Did I do something wrong?”

“No love just worried that you think that intimacy has to hurt when it really can be so much better than that.”

“I am sorry.”

“Shh, you have nothing to be sorry for. Please, tell me, what else should I not do? I want to touch you and feel you but I want it to be good for you too.”

“Don’t focus on my arms please, I don’t want to think about them.” Caleb looks away and Molly feels his eyes drift to Caleb’s scarred arms, scars he’s never asked about. He nods and looks back to the back of Caleb’s neck, frowning.

“I will do my best.”

“I need you to touch me so badly Molly,” he whispers finally looking up. Molly takes his shoulders in hand and slowly lays Caleb out on the bed.

“Let me take care of you. Remember you can tell me to stop or ask me to change what I’m doing. I’m going to check in as we go.

Blush traveling down his neck Caleb nods, “Thank you.”

Molly puts a hand experimentally on Caleb’s shoulder and slowly rubs the skin with the pad of his thumb. Caleb hums and watches thoughtfully as Molly starts trailing his hands over Caleb’s chest, “May I kiss your skin?”

A little broken sound rings from Caleb before a soft and tentative, “Yes you may Mollymauk.”

Their hands travel down to Caleb’s collarbones, fingers brushing along the raised surface as he leans down and kisses at the skin of Caleb’s throat, he starts dropping long, loose, sloppy kisses on his neck, then his collar. His hands go ahead warming the skin with his infernal heat and then his mouth comes along, hot as a brand to write love on his skin with the tip of their tongue. Finally, their mouth moves on leaving the hot skin to the cool air, the faint breeze of their movements fanning the cooling wet spots.

Caleb squirms unable to handle it and Molly pulls back. “Are you too trapped, is this okay, we could move around if it’s bad.” He goes to the bad immediately.

“No, it’s not that, it’s good. Please don’t stop Molly.”

Grinning Molly leans in and kisses Caleb soundly, pressing close for a brief moment and savoring the coffee and chocolate flavors of Caleb’s mouth.

As soon as he’s there Molly pulls back smiling and slips his mouth back to Caleb’s chest, “Is there anywhere I cannot lavish my attentions?”

“I want all of your attention,” Caleb says looking scandalized.

“Good,” Molly licks a circle around his left nipple as his hands trace the scar lines across Caleb’s chest. He recognizes the scar tissue around Caleb’s chest as old and wonders if he can feel it well. He doesn’t ask, just lavishes attention across his skin. Lapping at nipples and dragging his fingernails across what he can reach. Caleb makes a series of pleased noises that sound like rain hitting a tin roof, pitchy, quick, and resonant.

His hands clutch Molly’s shoulders and occasionally claw a little hard, but Molly doesn’t mind.

“That’s nice.” Caleb manages as he shivers under Molly’s attentions.

Molly shifts lower kissing across the soft give of Caleb’s ribs, then stomach, and finally comes up against the band of Caleb’s simple white briefs. He looks up at Caleb lying down under him panting and shaking.

“May I kiss here too?” Molly asks resting a hand over Caleb’s lower stomach where the waistband rests.

“You don’t have to do that, I’m more than ready for you, you’ve already done so much more than I expected.”

Tilting his head Molly asks, “Did you think I was just getting you ready for some other use? I was just trying to make you feel good. That’s what I care about.”

Caleb blinks owlishly up at him and asks softly, “I feel like I’m not meeting your expectations, why would you want more?”

“No expectations, only hopes.” Molly says quietly, “I hope you’ll let me kiss you all over and tell you how much you mean to me, I hope you’d want to do something that makes us both feel good. Nothing more.”

Blush deepening Caleb asks, “Do you really want to kiss me there?”

Grinning Molly nods, “I’d very much like that, if you don’t like it we can stop.”

Caleb wets his lips with the tip of his tongue while studying Molly’s face. It was like he was looking for the catch or the lie and Molly tried to stay impassive even as he ached to get his hands on Caleb’s most sensitive parts, give them a gentle care he felt like the man had never had.

“Ja okay, but it’s been some time, so go slow please.” He lifts his hips and Molly has to scramble to pull the briefs away before Caleb drops his hips again.

He’s handsome here too, a thick layer of red curly hair that travels down his midline and grows into a thicket of hair over his sex. His legs are bent inward but closing his eyes like he does not want to see Caleb spreads his knees and makes room for Molly.

Hands rest on his hips and then Molly keeps up the things they had been doing, kissing across the slender swoop of his hip and leaving wet open mouth kisses and swipes of tongue on the skin laid before him.

He arced in such a way that he reached Caleb's pubic bone, just above his sex, and kissed the hair there gently. He looked up to see a gape-mouthed Caleb watching him and he kissed a little lower. “Still good up there?”

“Yeah,” Caleb says breathlessly.

Grinning Molly slips lower and spreads Caleb’s thighs with his knees. “You can hold onto my horns, you can push me away if you can’t say no. Are you ready?”

Seeking fingers curled around one of his horns at the base Molly smiles. Caleb nods and then fills in, “Yes,” as he remembered the request to hear it out loud.

Molly nods minutely and runs his fingers down the seam of Caleb’s leg and hip following it with tentative strokes while his other hand brushes over Caleb’s lips gently. He slides fingers between his labia and smiles when Caleb’s breath catches and he makes a little surprised moan. Molly wiggles situating himself and scoots close to Caleb’s clitoris asking, “May I put my fingers in you while I taste, if I’m slow and gentle?”

“Please, “ Caleb squeaks hand covering his mouth.

“No need to hide your sound from me lover, I want to hear that you are enjoying yourself. It’s okay if that’s too much, but you don’t need to hide.”

Caleb nods but keeps his hand over his mouth as he watches Molly lean close and lick a stripe up from his entrance to his clit. Caleb’s whole body shakes as he makes a pitchy whine. Molly watches him as he lets his hand slip from his mouth and whispers shakily, “Oh gods.”

Molly leans in and closes their lips around his clit and sucks gently. Caleb squirms wildly, his hips bucking toward Molly’s mouth. Looking up Molly sees a wide eyed Caleb staring down at him with an astonished look plastered on his face. Taking this as a good sign he nods his head as he keeps lavishing attention on the sensitive shaft between his lips.

“Oh gods Molly!” Caleb proclaims as he pulls their lips against him via his hand around their horn. Molly grins and keeps moving his lips over Caleb sucking and licking. He makes eye contact and lets one finger catch on the rim of Caleb’s cunt and caress a circle around his entrance. “Please!” useful input comes and Molly nods slipping his middle finger slowly into Caleb’s waiting cunt. He is warm and tight and the heady scent makes Molly feel high. He nuzzles in and nips at Caleb’s labia gently as he noses their sensitive skin. Letting his finger sink all the way in as Caleb shakes.

Pulling back Molly looks at Caleb and stills, “Are we still doing okay?”

“Very good, please Molly, don’t stop!” Caleb reassures.

Molly complies wrapping his lips around as much of Caleb’s sensitive skin as he can fit in his mouth. He tries to keep the dull hot tip of his tongue moving. It moves over his clit, his labia, the edges of his entrance, just inside his cunt, circles, and circles of hot sweet skin.

He feels drunk on the movement, he starts to press his finger in and out of Caleb, wiggling it gently as he goes, overwhelming Caleb with sensation as much as he is overwhelmed by Caleb.

Caleb rocks into him gently hand clutching his horm. Molly grins and sucks Caleb’s clit into his mouth. “So handsome.” He mutters against his sensitive skin as he nuzzles close.

“Stop!”

Molly pulls his mouth back and falls still, finger still inside Caleb but motionless.

“Talk to me love, what do you need?” Molly asks, licking his lips, Caleb’s narrow hand still wrapped around his horn.

“I want more, but not this, I want you.” He rocks and lets go of Molly’s horn. “I didn’t mean to startle you, I just need, I want,” he takes a deep breath and his eyes close as he gets a hold of himself.

“Can I come up there and talk to you, or do you want me to stay here?”

Caleb opens his arms and says softly, “Come lie with me.”

Molly slips up his body letting his hands slide from him, resting close. Letting their arms and legs wind together naturally he sighs with joy as they stay close together. “Is this better?”

Nodding Caleb tucks his face against Molly’s neck and takes a deep breath. Molly cradles him trying not to get caught up in their nakedness, waiting for Caleb.

“That was good.” Caleb starts, quiet and still hidden away. “I want to have sex with you Molly, but I am scared that it will be too much.”

“We don’t have to do this any particular way. Whatever feels good.” Molly says softly kissing his temple.

“I want, um,” Caleb squirms and takes a deep breath, “Molly I want you to fuck me. I want to feel you.” He finally pulls back to look at Molly. “I trust if I need to stop you’ll listen.”

“Of course love, anything you need, that includes stopping.”

“And that’s okay, that I might need to stop?” Caleb asks looking embarrassed.

“Yes, it is. I understand and sometimes I need to stop too.” He cups Caleb’s cheek in hand and smiles at him fondly, “It's only fun for me if it’s fun for you.” He kisses Caleb slowly leaning in and pulling them flush.

Caleb pulls back and asks softly, “What if it’s okay if it's not as fun for me?” He doesn't make eye contact with Molly as he asks.

“I want it to be, so we figure out how to make sure it’s good for you too. We keep communication clear and know that it’s okay if we need to stop and reassess. If you don’t like it at all we can do something else. I can take care of myself if that’s what works best.” He pauses and watches Caleb carefully.

“I’ve never done it like that before,” he whispers and holds Molly’s wrists.

“I’m sorry, we can take it as slow as you want.”

“Not too slow, it’ll be too much time to think. What you were doing felt really good, but I want it to feel good for you too.”

“It’s okay if we take turns making the other feel good.” He smiles and kisses Caleb’s temple again.

After a long moment of thinking Caleb asks, “How can we do that? We don’t have to come together?”

“We don’t have to do anything, Cay. We can decide what we want to do here between us. It’s anything we want.” Molly rubs down Caleb’s flank and grabs the blanket covering them both. “I could keep touching you if you want, I’d be so happy to touch and kiss and love on you.”

Biting his lip Caleb asks, “What about you?”

“That’s not important, we can worry about that later or we can ignore it for now in favor of bringing you some sweet feelings and a soft touch. I want that more than I want anything for myself.

Caleb is quiet as he squirms next to Molly. Feeling anxious about his nudity, his neediness, and his growing sense of arousal. “I want you to keep touching me, but I don’t want to let you down or not show you the same care.”

“Let’s not think of it as a give and take.” He pauses, “Maybe I’m asking the wrong questions. What do you want love?”

Swallowing Caleb says softly, “I want to feel good, and I want to help you feel good too, I feel so needy.” He rubs Molly’s bare chest and ignores that Molly’s erection is heavy against his stomach. “I want to make you feel good too.”

Molly wets their lips with the tips of their tongue. “What do you want love?”

Grabbing Molly’s hips Caleb pulls him close, the tip of his cock leaving a wet smear against Caleb’s hip, “I want to make love with you Mollymauk.”

A little blown away Molly rolls and moves them so Caleb is on top of him, “Can you take the lead? I don’t want to trap you, maybe if you are on top of me it will feel safer?”

Blinking Caleb nods and asks, “Is that okay?”

“I’d love to feel you over me, Caleb. If that is something you want I’d be delighted to have you.” Molly’s hands rest on Caleb’s hips gently, not caging him in as much as bolstering him up.

Caleb takes a deep breath and Molly watches the wheels of his great mind spin. He shifts around kneeling over Molly as he slowly straddles their lap and leans forward over them to put their faces on a level. “And if I need to stop it’s okay.” He says softly, their bodies a hair’s breadth apart.

“Of course lovely. Just tell me as you did before, I will stop and still, so we can navigate.”

Tentatively, Caleb’s tongue traces his lower lip, then his upper slowly. “Okay, I want to try to make this work.” He kisses Molly’s face and adds, “Thank you for being so patient with me.”

Slowly Molly cups Caleb’s jaw and pulls them together, the kiss simple and sluggish. As they pull back Molly says softly, “You deserve all the time you need love. I can wait.”

Nodding Caleb finally brings their bodies together, resting his still-sopping cunt over Molly’s erection. “Put your hands here,” Caleb whispers as he moves Molly’s hands to his hips and Molly lets out a pitchy gasp at the touch of Caleb’s skin on his sensitive cock.

“Okay, anything you want,” Molly whispers and rocks gently causing them to grind together slightly. “That feels really good.”

Gasping for air Caleb tilts his hips and moves to be knelt over Molly’s hips as he grinds up into them. He lifts himself up and whispers, “I want you inside me.” Spreading his legs he hovers over Molly and reaches for their cock. He clumsily grabs the slick member and maneuvers it into his waiting hole while faintly rocking against Molly.

Laying still Molly whimpers, “so warm,” the inviting heat feels like it sucks him in as Caleb settles over him. His lover’s bony hips press into his and he lets out a little groan at the overwhelming feeling of welcome and the way his nerves light up with excitement at Caleb’s touch.

“Oh god,” Caleb moans slowly grinding his cunt against Molly, letting his dick slip deep and press home. They shake together, Molly’s hands on his hips and Caleb’s hands shaking as they try to stay close, grasping at Molly’s shoulders where he lies below him. Together.

“That’s good, fuck Caleb you feel so good.” Molly rambles and squeezes his hips.

“You fit perfectly,” Caleb says, face bright red and warm. Molly feels his heart full and looks up at him in adoration. “Can I move?”

“I’d love that.”

It’s tentative at first, the way Caleb moves. It’s like the first steps of a dance that are just a hip shift and weight change, a gearing up to other methods of movement. His right hip sinks closer somehow even as they are flush together and then he lifts himself off of Molly slowly, the cool air swirling around the wet parts of them as Caleb bounces a slow and measured pace on Molly’s erection.

And then they are coming together and apart over and over. Molly feels like his soul leaves his body as Caleb moves, his hands don’t leave his hips and his mouth can’t close as he supports some of Caleb’s weight. “Fuck!” He shouts and Caleb nods vigorously.

There is a moment of bliss while their bodies slip together and apart in a smooth rhythm, hands clutching and toes curled in tension. “I can’t, I need,” Caleb whines and slows down.

Molly cradles the bowl of his hips in hand and asks softly, “What do you need love?”

“More?” He licks his lips, “more intense.”

“Kiss me?” Molly suggests gesturing to himself.

“Yeah,” He answers and folds forward, shaking at the change in the angle of Molly’s cock pressing deeper into him drawing a long groan from his throat. He kisses them without restraint and Molly lets his hands wander up and down Caleb’s flanks.

“Can I move?” Molly asks as they come up for air.

Nodding vigorously Caleb begs, “Please I need you.”

Molly understands the assignment and takes Caleb’s hips back in hand. He licks his lips and lifts Caleb up off of him just a bit so he has room and then thrusts up into him, using the space to pull back and press forward again fucking into him shallowly. “Like this?” He manages to grit out.

“Yes!” Caleb shouts holding onto Molly’s hands and shaking, “Fuck yes!” Moving together they chase pleasure at that pace for a time, the world around them falls away, Caleb’s bed and room are gone, and the distant sounds of a cat and people on the street, are gone. Just the two of them, moving together and the wet sound of flesh and hot breath.

“It’s so good,” Caleb continues hips bucking up to meet Molly’s thrusts. He shakes as his groaning pants pick up.

“I am close,” Molly whines and says, “Where, do you want me outside?”

“In me, fill me please!” Caleb begs slamming his hips down into Molly.

Caleb shouts as orgasm sneaks up on him, he shakes above Molly grabbing at his hips and jerkily moving against him. They both swear as Molly whines and speeds up his thrusts into Caleb’s fluttering cunt. He finishes quickly filling Caleb with release and dragging the ginger down into a filthy kiss.

They pant into each other's mouths and rock together for a few long moments until Caleb presses them still. “Fuck.”

“Yeah.” Molly takes a moment to get his thoughts oriented the right way around, “That was amazing. How do you feel?”

There isn’t a hesitation before Caleb says, “Amazing.” He lies down on top of Molly, boneless and shivering. Molly pulls a blanket over them and sighs contentedly. The long moment of contemplation that follows is calm and simple. Caleb presses his face into Molly’s neck and Molly traces nonsense patterns on Caleb’s back. “How do you feel?”

“Happy, and amazing, but mostly thankful.” Molly smiles as the patterns he traces turn into loopy hearts.

“Why thankful?” Caleb asks eyes closing as he lies against Molly.

“Thankful you trust me. It’s such a gift.”

Chapter Text

Their set finished Molly went to the dressing room and removed the flashy performance outfit and replaced it with barely anything at all. A red lingerie set and tiny purse, he tucks and straightens with a smile. He refreshes his makeup in red and takes a few centering breaths, turning in the trifold mirror and adjusting the back of the set.

The club portion is bumping, people everywhere and Molly isn’t sure where to start so he gets a drink, a Shirley Temple, and moves to the far end of the club near the door to start his tour. He barely makes it there when he hears his name and turns to a blue tiefling woman calling for him. He smiles and heads over to her table where she sits alone. He scoots into the booth next to her and asks softly, “how is someone so sweet alone? Maybe you need company?”

She grins almost predatory, “I am very good company.” She scoots in so they can fit in the booth better and asks, “How much to keep some good company?”

He nods, “It depends if you want to stay here or go somewhere more private.”

“Oh, here is fine. I like the music.” She pats his hand, “I just want to talk.”

He discloses the price and she nods, pulling out an hour's worth of bills and handing them over. He notes the time and she bumps their shoulders. “So how long have you worked at Mary’s?”

“A few months, she was very helpful when I came to town with nearly nothing. Mary is a good sort.” He smiles giving his default answer.

“Can I meet her, you think?” She wiggles in the booth drinking some blended drink with a little sigh.

Molly takes a sip of his drink and shrugs, “Sometimes she’ll come out for the right request, she does lyra performances on Saturdays.

“I wonder if she’d come out for someone who has worked with the Ruby of the Sea.” She looks up at Molly with a smile. He blinks, the Ruby is very famous, so famous he knows of her work in Nicodranas having never been there before.

Molly shrugs, leaning back, “Maybe but you’d waste all the time you paid for, surely you want a little more conversation first.”

“Oh! Yes, can you ask at the end for me?” She asks whole body, leaning forward as she asks.

Molly nods, “at least ask, worst case she says no.” He smiles and asks, “What did you do for the Ruby?”

“I do portraits and flyers and announce the acts.” Her smile is infectious. “Oh, I’m Jester, I didn’t introduce myself! I’m sorry!”

“I’m Mollymauk, or Molly to my friends and I think we may become good friends Jester.” He smiles and holds out a hand.

She starts to go in for a hug and stops herself, “Hug?” she asks, holding out her arms. Usually he wouldn’t touch in this sort of meeting, but he makes an exception and leans in.

“Yes, a hug sounds nice.” He hugs her and she squeezes him with surprising strength. He finds she keeps her hands above his waist and doesn’t attempt to cop a feel. He smiles, the right decision. “What brings you to Zedash?”

“Oh, my father lives here and I wanted to see if he’d come visit my mother soon.” She smiles broadly. “He’s really important so it’s hard for him to travel.”

Offhandedly Molly wonders if he’s danced for him, he’s danced for a number of blue tieflings.

“Did you come in because you miss the bustle of a club?” Molly asks.

“Yes, and because it’s a good way to make friends who understand my life.” She nods to Molly. “We’re going to be good friends.”

He laughs and agrees, “I think so too. Tell me, what are you doing tomorrow afternoon?”

“Shopping at the big mall, you could come with me, I need someone to play fashion show with.” She smiles and wiggles in her seat.

“Only if you’ll let me play fashion show back.”

Jester’s laugh is infectious and they discuss their plans and clothing they like until after the hour is done.

“Oh. we went over. I’m sorry.” Jester frowns and tips very well, “I will let you get back to it, will you see if Mary will come out?”

“I’ll see, this was lovely. Thank you for your conversation. I’ll see you soon!” They hug again and Molly heads off to find Mary.

The back offices are busy and Molly scoots through to Mary’s office. “Mary, I have a request for you,” he sing-songs to her as he sneaks in the open door.

“Get in line, everyone needs me tonight.” She frowns at the pile of papers on her desk but smiles at Molly when she looks up.

“Her name is Jester and she’s the emcee at the Lavish Chateau.” He adds, “Booth 14 with her third mocktail and she tips well.”

Mary stops looking at her papers. She looks up and grins. “The emcee for The Lavish Chateau is on vacation in Zedash and she decided to visit here, get a table with you and wants to meet me?”

“No, she wants to buy you a drink.” He smiles.

With a whoop Mary stands and straightens her headpiece. She steps from behind the desk and does a turn letting Molly reach out and straighten straps and lines on her modest corseted blouse and short ruffled skirt. Still in six inch heels and fishnets she was a vision, because of her fine age and not despite it. She wears it like armor and stands tall as Molly leads her out to where Jester is cheering as Candy floated across stage with his fans.

“Jester! I brought you Mary.” Molly says excitedly, stepping to the edge of the table with another of the fruity drinks Jester preferred, “I brought you another round on me and Mary’s drink is on the way, it’ll go on your tab sugar. I’m off to do a lap, wave me down if you need me.” He offers his hand and she kisses the back giggling. She turns to Mary and Molly pulls away excited to see what happens with that.

Chapter Text

The mall is crowded but Jester’s exuberance more than makes up for it. Molly loves how easy it is to have fun alongside the other tiefling. Her arms are laden with bags yet she seems buoyed by them not weighed down. Molly has a few but is less in need of random bits and bobs. She mostly has presents, appearing to know many people in need of gifts. Molly lost track of them as soon as she excitedly told them about them, names and nicknames and aliases and clearly euphemisms for a lover.

The only one that sticks is Beauregard, it’s a name he’s heard somewhere before. It rattles around in his head like a loose screw.

Darling’s Closet, the high end negligee shop is somewhere Molly has always wanted to go but has been at the upper end if not out of reach of his budget. It’s is a nice change of pace from the rest of the mall. Staff takes their bags and gets them drinks and sits them in plush chairs in a private alcove. Jester bounces in her chair and sips her bubbly drink, they’d offered her lemon soda and molly champagne or the same and he’d copied Jester.

They felt out of place as the staff shows them sets in satin lined boxes. Most of them knows Jester by name. Molly picks up the last name Lavorre and he’s again struck by recognition he can’t place. Maybe he’s danced for this elusive father she’s here visiting?

One of the attendants calls Molly Mx. Tealeaf following Jester’s address of them as such, and it’s nearly comical but Molly lets it happen and goes along with the laughable display of ass kissing that all the staff is doing.

The owner comes out to meet them, she sweeps in, a presence that even Molly recognizes as charismatic. She’s taller than both of them. “Jester love I wish they’d told me you were here sooner!” The woman is bombastic and scoops Jester up into a hug. Jester giggles and hugs her. The woman is in a snappy maroon business dress suit with stockings and kitten heels. Her long coffee brown hair is piled on top of her head in perfectly manicured waves and their makeup is perfect. She looks polished and perfect from her hair to her manicure. Molly appreciates the outfit. When Darling’s full attention shifts to them they feel inadequate and cherished all at once.

“Who is this?”

“Mollymauk Tealeaf at your service.” They put out a hand and Darling shakes it.”

“Jester, your taste is amazing, this one has a good heart.” Darling declares squinting, “A bit of trouble follows them though. Nothing friends and some work can’t clear up with some elbow grease.” Her grin is sharp for a moment and she finally lets go of Molly’s hand. “I like them. 10% off.”

An attendant nods and makes a note next to Molly’s measurements.

Jester smiles, “Darling can see into people a little bit,  she has the sight.”

“I have a bit of that myself, though it takes  cards.” He taps the deck in his coat’s inner breast pocket.

“I know, a rare gift.” She smiles, “A fool in the world of the soldier.” Darling offers her hand palm up and Molly sets his own palm face up in hers, knowing where this is going somehow, he hadn’t expected this in a fancy lingerie shop.

She inspects the lines and shakes her head, “The secret you keep about your past will become more present soon, and you will have to deal with it, be careful.” She says it quietly while Jester has wandered off to look at a deep green set held by an attendant who is trying to sell it to her.

Molly nods in agreement and thanks her, “I appreciate the warning.”

“Sorry to bombard you, it’s just so clearly written around you, usually I leave well enough alone, but things are about to change for you and I do love Jester so much. I don’t want her to get hurt. And I can tell she’s made you one of her people already.”

“Well I’m happy to have her as a friend, she’s a lovely person. And thank you for being on the receiving end of your gifts feels important too, fate brought us together here.”

“Jester love, I like this one, pick out a pair of stockings for that white set you picked out, they need something good for those garters.” Darling says over Molly’s shoulder.

He ends up picking out two sets, several new work stockings, and a nightie that’s for Caleb. It’s made of soft lace and the fabric should meet his texture needs, something that can keep Molly covered when he wants to be close but wants to be intimate. They are navigating the bumps together and Molly is surprised at how rewarding he finds it to peel back the layers of Caleb and work with and around others. He loves every part of the man, even the obstacles.

He puts Caleb out of his head as Jester asks about a rose gold and her complexion. They debate for a few minutes and she decides to get it. In the end she has twelve sets sent to her hotel and takes one set with her for later she says. No one questions her.

As they leave the store suddenly the exuberant train of Jester’s wake has stopped at a little corner coffee shop and it’s jarring to suddenly have an  iced oat milk latte he didn’t order and be sitting at a corner table covered in packages as Jester asks about his boyfriend.

“Okay so you’re obviously dating someone. Who is the lucky someone? Dish, I must know who is so lucky.”

Molly blushes a beautiful violet and Jester squeals and kicks her feet as she drinks some kind of bright pink milky drink with strawberries embedded in the top. He takes a fortifying sip and says, “He’s a translator for the Archive, an academic; but he knows how to have fun.”

She wiggles excitedly putting the drink down and asks, “Which one was he at the club?”

Molly shakes his head, “He doesn’t come to the club.”

She tilts her head and smiles, “lots of trust.”

“Lots of understanding.”

“Lucien?” an accented voice asks from the side, they both turn to find a tabaxi woman with sleek black fur staring at Molly like she’s seeing a ghost.

“I think you have the wrong person, this is Mollymauk.” Jester explains helpfully.

Wincing Molly is worried about the past as he watches the way the new woman’s smile curls into confusion, “I would know the nonagon anywhere.” She looks him over, “where have you been, you’ve grown out your hair…”

Molly flinches back from her touch reflexively. She looks upset about that and steps closer to the pair.

Interposing Jester puts herself between the woman and Molly. The tabaxi takes out a card and hands it to Jester, “When he comes to his senses, I have answers.” She hands the business card to Jester and leaves.

“Cree Deeproots” Jester reads as she hands the card over to Molly She keeps her back to him, eyeing the room suspiciously. “Says she’s a tattoo artist, you okay Molly?”

“I don’t know what that was about…” He sighs and looks around the coffee shop, “I think I need to be done shopping for today.”

“That’s okay. I can call us a car so we’re sure no one creepy comes by again.”

“That’s not…”

“I’m already doing it.” She says, phone in hand. The phone charms jingle as she clicks away on the screen. Molly drops it, clearly she is loaded, and he lets her spoil him. Half the bags of things he had were here insisting he needed something he showed interest in including a $400 set of white lingerie that she said was a gift for a dance sometime for her boy, he’d love it she insisted. Molly agreed as long as it was at the club where he’d feel safe. She agreed in a heartbeat.

She smiled, “They’ll be here before our coffee is done, you’re first to drop off, just put in your address,” she hands over the phone. No thought about how she’s a stranger mostly, if a generous one, he puts his address in, “Save it to my contact too,” he reminds her. She puts out her hand for his phone, “let me give you my Zedash address and my Nicodranas one too.” He hands over the device and she updates her contact without a word. He smiles understanding the move and feeling comforted as they sip their drinks.

“You tell the best stories Molly.” Jester says like it’s the best compliment. Molly doesn’t have the heart to tell her half of them are rehearsed bullshit about a childhood and youth that he doesn’t remember.

Suddenly she’s giving him a big smile and softly saying, “when you tell me the real ones I bet they are just as good,” and winks.

She just constantly takes him off guard.

“Okay the car is outside. It’s one of Dad’s so the driver is good at never repeating anything so don’t worry about that.” She smiles.

The towncar is nondescript and has a man in a suit and earpiece standing by the door. He takes Jesters packages but not Molly’s and puts hers in the trunk. They pull away slowly and drive as smoothly and calmly as anything that Molly has ever experienced.

“Who is your dad?” They ask before they can think better.

“Oh, The Gentleman.” She says as she digs candy out of her purse and offers some gummy bears to Molly. He declines as he reels at the realization.

“And you work for the Ruby of the Sea. That’s some wild political connections.” He shakes his head.

“Yeah because she’s my mom.” Jester smiles as she shoves a gummy bear into her mouth.

Molly can’t close their mouth. He peels it off his lap and rolls it up to tuck it away and spends a moment regaining himself as Jester downs some candy happily. “That candy shop had such a good selection of gummies, I am going to have gummy sharks to last me weeks.” She smiles and holds up the box triumphantly. “They are Fjord’s favorite.”

“He’s the one you have a crush on.”

“It’s not a crush,” she says leaning back and putting the palms of her hands over her eyes.

“Okay, the object of your affections, who you’d like to smooch.” Molly teases.

“Mollymauk Tealeaf you are a meanie.” She accuses and pushes him gently.

They wiggle in the back and giggle for a moment before she whispers, “I do have a crush don’t I.”

“You’ve got it bad girlie,” they confirm.

“Darn.”

Chapter Text

It isn’t long before he gets the chance to deploy the new nightie with its matching lace briefs. Caleb suggests he stay over at his. So he packs a bag on his night off and comes over for dinner and a movie. It mirrors that date where they were first intimate but with less pent up need and feral abandon. Caleb suggests pjs and Molly nods going to the bathroom to change.

He returns in the modest nightie. It has sheer sleeves and decolletage, but it goes to the wrist and just past the knee, modest and sweet in an off white, innocent. Molly smiles and does a slow turn for Caleb who licks his lips and nods, “ you look lovely as always Mx. Tealeaf.”

“Thank you, my friend and I went shopping and I thought of you when I found this. You simply must feel the fabric.” He plucks up Caleb’s hands and puts them on his waist.

They find themself pushed up against the wall while Caleb kisses them and runs hands over the soft fabric and lace of the garment, skimming the skin beneath through the sheer fabrics in places. He pulls back blushing and says softly, “all for me?”

“All for you.”

“Isn’t this kind of thing expensive? I can’t imagine this kind of garment goes over well at work…” He looks away, scarlet taking his face.

“I wanted something that was just for you, not for work. Something special, and I thought you’d like how this one feels, I thought it might be good if you wanted to just be close, it could feel nice even if we are just in PJs and I can still feel like I’m doing something just for you.”

He is quiet for a moment pressed against Molly with his face buried in their hair. “You put a lot of thought into it and I grabbed the first pair of pajama pants I found.” He gestures to the worn flannel pants with cats faces of various colors.

“Sometimes I put too much thought into things, that doesn’t mean I expect you to.” Molly kisses his head.

Caleb nods and asks, “Can I go back to the part where I was kissing you?”

“Please.”

And Caleb is kissing him. They tumble away from the living room where they were meant to watch a movie still, plans for ice cream and cuddling forgotten. Caleb walks Molly backwards into the bed and as his knees hit the edge of the bed he folds over in surprise and sits down.

When he looks up from the bounce of the bed Caleb is on his knees next to the bed and his hands are sliding up Molly’s long legs slowly. He makes eye contact with them and smiles shyly, “I’m going to push up your skirt, ok,” He asks.

“Okay.”

His hands keep going sliding up his thighs and up to his hips sliding the skirt up until he wraps his hands around their hips and tilts his arms up pushing the skirt back to pool around Molly’s hips. Their erection is clear through the front of the briefs wet spot already marring the soft line of the lace.  Molly’s face is warm with flush and his hands clench in the bedspread as Caleb takes a deep appreciative breath and sighs, “you are so beautiful Molly.”

“You make me feel beautiful, like a lamp is more beautiful for the flame.” Molly brushes back Caleb’s hair where a piece has worked itself free as their kiss frenzied slam down the hall proceeded.

“May I use my mouth and hands on you Mollymauk?” Caleb asks not losing any of the momentum from their mad scramble, his eyes still looking a little feral in the low light of the room.

“Please, yes, please.” Molly begs and moves to help and Caleb bats their hands away.

“Let me, I know what I want.” Caleb's lust dark eyes look up at him from between his knees and he nods slowly putting his hand back down in the messed bed clothing at his hip.

“Anything you want, lovely.”

“Not anything, just this.” Caleb leans closer and runs his hands down Molly’s still lace clad hips feeling the soft lace. He hums and runs his thumbs down the soft crease of hip and thigh folding his thumb away under the soft skin and pressing in tracing up the line of his trapped erection.

Molly moans softly as Caleb’s fingers explore their skin through the lace, barely there touches made even more scarce by the on and off texture of the lace. They squirm and are shocked when Caleb leans in and runs the cruel wet edge of his tongue up the edge of their cock through the fabric.

“Fuck,” he groans. Caleb closes his lips around the head pressed to Molly’s hip and hums through the damp spot clinging to his skin.

His hands follow his lips and Molly is about to ask him to help him from the damp fabric before it chafes when Caleb asks in a husky voice, “can you lift your hips from this position liebe?”

“Yes,” Molly answers too quickly.

“Can I take your briefs off?”

Nodding Molly agrees, “Yes, please Caleb.” He’s not used to begging, but Caleb has him feeling needy in a new way.  He is unused to this level of confidence in their intimacy from Caleb and it is stirring something soft and desperate in the bowl of his hips. Something about the dynamic feels off kilter and he is waiting for it to settle.

At Caleb’s nudging they lift their hips and Caleb slips the fabric away freeing his cock to flop to his stomach standing attention between his legs, ridges wet and hard in contrast to the slick head.

He squirms under Caleb’s intense gaze.

Hands slowly slip from Molly’s hips inward, stopping as they meet at the base of his erection. They moan a soft note of want and Caleb looks up at them with fire in his eyes. “You may move, and pull and push, and touch my hair, no need to be gentle, I will not break.” He takes one of Molly’s hands off the bed and presses their long fingers into Caleb’s hair. “You are in control now, let me just start things off.”

And he leans forward and slips the weeping desperate head of Molly’s cock into the hot circle of Caleb’s mouth. Molly leans forward and Caleb’s head brushes his stomach briefly before he straightens out with a groan, “Fuck Caleb, your mouth.” The words catch up with him and he pulls Caleb’s lips away, “How will you tell me to stop if it’s too much?” He asks seriously as he lets Caleb’s hair go so the man can sit back on his heels.

“I’ll hit your thigh three times, or more if I’m panicking I’ll just keep hitting like this.” He demonstrates little whacks, no hurt or malice, just attention getting.

“Thank you, I don’t want to hurt you.”

“Be a little mindful of my voice please.” Caleb softly asks a blush high on his cheeks, his ears, and his chest.

“I’ll be so mindful darling.”

Caleb leans back in and licking his lips takes Molly back into his mouth with fervor, swallowing down half of his cock in one long go. He waits for Molly’s hand to return unmoving.

Getting the picture Molly takes his hair in one hand gripping the base of his ponytail, hoping that hurts less. He guides Caleb in a slow deep pace, rolling his hips in time to slow even thrusts. When Caleb moans softly he knows he’s doing something right, he feels in control and pampered by the service, by the trust. He reaches down and takes Caleb’s hands placing one on the inside of each of his thighs. Without prompting Caleb moves a hand in to roll his testicles and rub the soft skin around the base of his cock gently as he slowly and evenly works over Molly’s cock.

Every down press Molly pushes further slowly working Caleb’s throat to take a little more Molly, Caleb sputters and he pulls back waiting for a tap out but none comes. He starts to fuck into Caleb’s mouth a little more quickly, and he speaks to him, unable to respond.

“It’s such a sign of trust for a wizard to give up his voice.” He thrusts in smooth and slow, gentle. “I hope I am worthy of such a thing.”

Caleb looks up at him and his eyes say so much but Molly has never been good at reading that kind of subtly. He pets Caleb’s hair out of his face and holds him with his mouth full of Molly and asks even as he can’t respond, “Do you want it hard or soft?”

He slips almost all the way out and presses his cock past Caleb’s lips hard and fast, still not with enough haste to hurt him, but enough to make him yelp and then let out a large shuttering moan that is all Molly needs to know.

“You enjoy my cock slamming into your mouth?”

Caleb moans again, almost as if confirming with his needy noise. His hand on Molly’s thigh squeezes and the other grabs at the base of his cock lining it up with his lips reverently.

So Molly slams his cock into Caleb’s waiting mouth over and over using him as he pants above him having stood somewhere along the way. “Squeeze my leg if you want me to finish like this love.”

Letting go of his leg Caleb lets Molly pull back. Caleb takes a moment to Clear his throat before with a deeper raspier voice he says softly, “I was hoping you’d help me with, um.” He gestures to his crotch, still clothed in pajama bottoms and then gestures to the bed, “maybe then we could um…”

“Do you want me to blow you and then have sex? I want to make sure we’re on the same page.”

Caleb nods and says, “I’m sorry I’m bad at talking about it sometimes.”

“It’s hard to talk about some times.” Molly reaffirms and takes his hand. “Can we transition to the part where I make your mind melt with orgasms? That’s my favorite part.

Blushing a crimson from tip to toe Caleb Pulls Molly into a filthy kiss and they tumble into the bed, mattress squeaking below them.

Molly climbs over Caleb and kisses him soundly. Caleb’s bare chest is tempting but Molly is good and lays down pressing the lace to Caleb’s skin instead. “I want to know if this will be okay. Does it feel okay?”

Caleb swallows, “I love it,” he runs his hands over Molly slowly.

“Good, I’m going to kiss down your body and then blow you until you shake apart. Do you want my fingers too?”

Caleb shakes his head, “No just your mouth.”

Nodding Molly asks softly, “Is it bad today?”

Biting his lip Caleb nods, “I want you but I also… it’s hard.”

“That’s okay. Do you want to do this a different way? We don’t have to do it this way.” Molly rubs his sides gently, pressing down his weight on him to provide some pressure like he’s asked for when overwhelmed before.

“I don’t know how else… I’m aroused but I don’t know how to get off, which is not too much.”

“Can I suggest ways maybe?” Molly asks softly.

Caleb nods and clutches Molly burying his face against their neck to hide.

“I could give you a hand job,” he pauses and Caleb shakes his head so he continues, “You could give yourself a hand job and I could be here or watch.”

“No watching,”

“Okay, noted. You could ride my thigh and I can hold you and move you to help.”

Thinking for a long moment Caleb finally says, “Maybe.”

Molly nods, “We could have sex, front or back hole sex. If you have a strap you could fuck me,” they continue.

Going still in Molly’s arms Caleb asks softly, “You’d let me fuck you?”

“I’d love it if you fucked me.” Molly corrects gently, “I love getting railed and making love and all the spots in between.” Molly hums, “May take a little work, it’s been a while.”

“I don’t think tonight is the night for that. I’d want a new um, toy.” Caleb presses his eyes to Molly’s neck.

“Okay, we also don’t have to deal with it, we could calm down and go watch some movies.” Molly finishes, “stopping is always an option.”

Caleb squirms slightly and asks softly, ‘will you let me have your thigh?”

“Yeah, do you want to be on top?”

“No I just want to work myself up enough that I feel okay with you fucking me or um getting yourself off over me, whichever feels right?”

“Anything you want, my precious. Pants on or off?”

Caleb thinks for a moment and whispers, “off as he wiggles out of them leaving them wrapped around one leg in his haste.

Molly asks, “ready?” shifting his weight off his right leg to press his thigh and knee to Caleb’s hot, wet core. Caleb nods and breathes an affirmative, Molly gets in position before telling Caleb, “There we go, take what you need lovely, I’ll help.”

Caleb closes his eyes and clings to Molly, “please, talk to me, no filth.” He begs as he grinds up into their thigh, his wet folds opening like a flower for a waiting bee, easily sliding against them, wet and ready. Caleb made a little surprised noise as on their first downstroke their clit drug through the wet smear he’d left in his wake.

“That’s my good boy taking what he needs, your cock feels so good rutting against my leg. You can’t even wait, need it now my little prince.” Molly whispers into Caleb’s ear. Caleb moans and his fingers rub across the lace gently, the only thing keeping them gentle is reverence for the garment.

Caleb grinds in short strokes mostly rubbing his dick on Molly’s muscular thigh, he whines softly and asks, “help, faster.”

“Needy little thing, of course.” Molly croons and grabs Caleb’s hips lifting his own away to make room. The position is awkward but Molly uses the leverage he can manage to help Caleb focused on his pleasure and the way his face looks enraptured.

They rock together for a moment, Caleb’s breath panting and filled with little noises and Molly’s comes heavy from movement and effort.

“Too awkward, flip us to the side?” Caleb asks as he gets into the movement but still seems to want more.

Molly moves them whispering, “Good boy, telling me what you need to be comfortable and to get what you need.”

Caleb makes a pitchy noise and Molly rearranges their bodies so that his cunt is aligned again with his growing wetter and wetter thigh.

Caleb moves in earnest and whines a long high note as he grabs Molly and pulls them close, kissing them with a fierceness that surprises Molly. The kiss is quickly deep and frantic. Molly presses his thigh up into Caleb who rolls his hips quickly and with force that presses back on Molly with surprising strength.

When Caleb pulls back to take gasping breaths Molly leans in to whisper, “Desperate sweet boy, look how well you chase your pleasure, I’m so proud of you. Good job my sweet love.”

Thighs clamping around Molly’s leg Caleb shakes and groans as he folds forward grasping at Molly like a drowning man grabs for a floating branch. He kisses at their jaw and gasps for air between small noises. He stills after a moment and his clutch releases to a soft hold. Rocking through the soft aftershocks Caleb wraps himself up in Molly and grasps his still mostly hard cock in one hand.

“We don’t have to do anything about that if you need to take focus away now.” Molly says softly.

“I like this part of my lover. I want to put focus on it.” Caleb looks up at Molly with a soft smile.

“What do you want to do about it then? I imagine I’ll enjoy what you come up with, especially if it’s anything off our earlier ideas list.”

Caleb blushes, struggling to say anything out loud. He takes a deep breath, “over me?” He asks clearly embarrassed to not suggest something more.

“That sounds hot, do you want to be on your back for that?” Molly asks softly, rubbing down Caleb’s side. “Do you want me to take the nightie off for that?”

“Yes, and yes.” Caleb rolls slowly onto his back making room for Molly between his knees and Molly rolls from his side along. He pulls the nightie off over his head and lets it fall from the bed.

“Let me try something? I can stop if you don’t like it? Is that okay?” Molly asks.

“I trust you.” Caleb says putting a hand on Molly’s hip briefly before letting his hands fall to the bed. They were thankful that they’d earned that trust.

Molly arranged them moving Caleb a little and putting a pillow under his hips, Caleb watched with a worried look on his brow. He clearly leaned on his trust as Molly moved his legs and pressed himself between his thighs and laid his cock on Caleb’s pelvis close and tight, about where Caleb’s would be. Realization dawned for Caleb and Molly nodded. “Can we try and see if we can trick that pretty brain of yours?”

“An experiment,” Caleb says, voice thick with emotion.

“An experiment,” Molly agrees.

Molly spits in his palm and starts to slowly stroke his cock keeping their hips pressed together, keeping his pelvis pinned to Caleb’s. His cock was heavy in his hand; this was for some reason the hottest thing he’d done in a long time. The way that Caleb’s eyes sparkled with some kind of unknowable feeling was making him feel like he was giving him something more special than a quick wank and a load over his stomach and chest. Something that felt like it was more for Molly than for the other partner no matter who was under him.

This felt different.

Caleb’s eyes were on every slow stroke, the way the head slid between the circle of his fingers and squished slightly on the in and out, the sweet drag of it.

“What does it feel like?” Caleb asks softly.

“It’s hard to describe, It’s hot and it feels like my nerves are alight with something so good it is nearly bad. It is tight and that’s so good it makes something in me want to squirm.” They squirm against Caleb trying to be gentle, “Fuck it feels like the first real pleaseure I found in the world.”

Caleb whimpers, “you’re working me up, gods it looks so good from here,” he reaches out.

“Do you want to touch?” Molly asks, slipping his hand to the base against the place their skin is pressed together.

Caleb bites his lip.

“Is that okay?” he asks, reaching for Molly.

He smiles, “please,” Molly lets go of his cock and it smacks into his stomach and he makes a soft noise. He holds his noises at bay, trying to let the illusion work for Caleb as much as it can.

“It’s weird.” Caleb says softly as he wraps his hand around Molly’s dick. “I can feel it brush on myself.” He blushes more somehow, a deep red across the planes of his face. His breath catches for a second and he breathes as he strokes Molly’s cock, eyes fixated on it, ignoring how it’d be attached upside down, and the obvious part where it was purple.

Molly shivers with the feeling, concentrating on the way Caleb looks in bliss as he strokes them.

“Is it better squeezed tighter?” He asks softly.

“Can I show you?” Caleb nods and Molly wraps a hand around Caleb’s squeezing until it was the pressure he favored and guiding him to the speed he liked, “gods,” Molly whispers into the charged air between them.

“It’s so…” Caleb lapsed for words as Molly intentionally rocked his cock back and forth, rubbing the ridges along Caleb’s sex.

“Is it still okay?” Molly checked, worried that the unvoiced feeling was overwhelm, or bad somehow.

“Yes, it’s good, different, weird, hot, not quite enough.” He frowned.

“Am I working you up when you don’t want me to?” Molly asks softly, stopping their hands on his cock, stopping the associated ripple of movement hitting Caleb’s sex.

“I like it, but,” he swallows and starts moving his hand pushing Molly’s away remembering just how Molly liked it but speeding up and adjusting the angle, clearly for his own benefit. “I need to be greedy.”

Molly groaned and squirmed, Caleb greedy was hot, he never took, or pushed which was hot in its way too, both were good. He stilled his hips and let Caleb chase his pleasure, grinding against Molly’s cock like a grind-plate as he strokes and starts to roll his hips in time. The feeling is new and a bit awkward, but it was sloppy and felt good. Molly is about the process and this was beauty. Caleb’s face a mask of pleasure, eyes closed, mouth open, head back against the bed. He moans and looks down between them to where the head of Molly’s cock becomes visible and invisible in the circle of his fist. The wet red of the head could almost pass for something more befitting Caleb’s hue at this angle.

Watching Caleb whispers, “I’m so close,” and Molly swallows heavily.

“Speed up a bit and tighten your fist, I’ll be done soon,” he gasps out.

Caleb manages perfectly to act out the request and Molly hurtles towards climax, he opens his mouth to warn Caleb and is cut off by the other moaning, “Molly, gods!” as he orgasms and clutches Molly’s cock in one hand and hip in the other, as he keeps pumping at the same fast pace. Molly comes at the sight of him shaking under him, ropes of cum splashing across Caleb’s stomach and chest as Caleb, glassy eyed and half lidded, watches with a half smile half slack jawed appreciation.

Molly has to put his arms out to keep from collapsing on Caleb with the oomph of what he’s done. He groans as they come down together for a quiet moment. Molly separates their bodies blushing as he notices that Caleb dripped a sizable wet spot under them, feeling proud of his impromptu frotting idea.

“That was okay? I didn’t want to push…” Molly looks at his hands as he sits naked and a little more than vulnerable. He feels bad for presenting another sex act after Caleb asked for something so one sided.

“I wouldn’t have thought of that arrangement.” Caleb says, still laying on his back, staring up toward the ceiling.

“Something in my mind thought about how sometimes I wish my body were different and I think about how it would be other ways, and what would it be like to dream of a body like mine… I don’t know it made sense at the time.” Molly plucks at the bed spread and slides their legs toward the edge, “let me get something to clean you up, where should I look?”

“Bedside table has baby wipes.” Caleb smiles at him as he pushes up onto his elbows, “I liked it, thank you.”

Molly gets up and retrieves the wipes, he removes one and holds it between his hands for a moment.

“What are you doing?”

“Not putting an ice cold wipe on your chest.” Molly says matter of factly. Caleb melts a little.

He stretches up a little but stops as the release on his chest starts to drip, Molly catches it with the cold wipe and they both chuckle. “Well kiss me, I paid the cold wipe price for it.”

Leaning in, Molly kisses him happily. Before taking care of his mess with one baby wipe and asking, “Do you want me to wipe you up too or do you want to?”

“I’ll have to pee anyway in a moment. I'll do it then.”

Molly nods and asks, “Want to cuddle for a moment first?”

Caleb nods and asks softly, “Will you hold me?”

“Anytime darling.”

Chapter Text

It had been snowing sideways and he wouldn’t be out of the house at all, if it were not for the blasted lack of anything passing for food, and the lack of toilet paper. He has a knapsack and as much thick clothing as he can muster. His tail is tucked uncomfortably against his skin, He is wearing the stupid horn covers that Jester crocheted for him, he had to admit they helped as much as they felt weird on his horns.

They are bundled so much it felt wrong and bulky. Unused to this much cold they were not just miserable they were subconsciously looking for someone else to make it their problem too.

The orc is minding his own business walking down the sidewalk a little slowly taking small steps like is advised on ice and Molly didn’t want to hurt the man but his quick gay walk was interrupted by the man’s cautious pace. He tries clearing his throat but it was lost in the wind so he went around.

He makes the mistake of trusting the snow and put one foot right off the side of the curb and nearly fell. Somehow the man catches him and manages to right him before he falls.

Fumbling for words Molly looks up into his yellow eyes and if his face were uncovered his blush would have been visible. The man set him to rights and says, “Sorry about that, didn’t see you trying to pass or I’d have made some room.”

“No the fault is mine, I should have had some patience, I just hate the cold and didn’t want to be in it any longer than necessary,” Molly explains.

“Well, of course you’re one of the warmer blooded races, where are you even going in this kind of weather?” the man asks incredulously.

“We need food, We didn’t get the chance to prepare for the weather, we work nights in our household.”

“That’d do it. I’m headed there too, we ran out because we lost power for a bit and much of it spoiled,” he gestures and they start walking down the sidewalk again, this time a little slower but it’s fine given the company. “I’m Fjord by the way.” Molly wonders if he knows Jester but figures Zedash is too big for that to be possible.

“Mollymauk Tealeaf, Molly to my friends.” Molly puts out a hand and they shake through several layers of gloves.

“I hope they have some food, and are open,” Fjord says hopefully.

“I called ahead, they said they are open. The owner apparently lives around the corner and doesn’t want the food to spoil so he’d rather people who need it have a chance.” Molly shrugs, stepping around some ice.

“That’s kind of them, I will take what I can get if it doesn’t mean making pancakes for the third meal in a row again.” He shrugs. “It gets old.”

“Yeah, we ran through all the canned goods being creative with ramen noodles.”

They nodded in sage silence, and for a few blocks were quiet, occasionally waiting as they penguin walked across the ice. “This will be so much fun with full backpacks,” Molly quipped. They stayed together figuring privately that it was safer with two than alone.

The Corner grocer came in sight and the two of them picked up the pace slightly. “I hope they have oranges.” Fjord said hopefully. “My roommate wants tea and flour but I want fruit and meat.”

“I want Chocolate and chips but my roommate reminded me to get rice and meat.” Molly explains as they cross the threshold and follow the signs saying the doors are manual and they open them carefully.

Inside it is quiet and there are few shoppers. They end up pushing carts around together.

“They have the little oranges, are they good for you?” Molly asks as they unwind a scarf into the basket of the cart.

“I’ll live, I like the big ones better, but I’ll take the small ones, just get more of them I guess.” Fjord says taking two big bags of them. He gets some lemons and limes and stocks up on a whole bag of potatoes. Molly thinks he’s going to look like a pack mule going home.

Trying to work smart and not heavy Molly gets green onions, leeks, carrots, onions, and the last of the shallots planning for soups and broths to keep them warm. Just more pho and ramen just planned this time.

They weave through the isles together and chat. “How long have you been in town?” Fjord asks, “You don’t have a Zedash accent, not that I do either…”

“About six months now, and no, I'm from up north, though I lived most of my life down south.” Giving about all the detail he ever does.

“I’m from Port Zoon.” Fjord volunteers, “But I’ve been all over at this point.”

“I traveled with a carnival for a long time,” Molly admits, realizing based on the port and the cut that Fjord is a sailor, unlikely to judge him, “we did a loop of the south empire and the Menagerie coast. I’ve been to a lot of places.”

Fjord, as expected, nods, “I did a loop of the south trading line, hit the major Clovis cities in a big shipping loop, did it for years. Pay was good, a week off between trips, it wasn’t so bad.”

They are in landlocked Zedash where there is notably not a carnival in the middle of the winter.

Molly gets bottles of sauces and fills a reusable shopping bag with dried noodles to make sure they all fit, brick after brick of noodles. “These are good with eggs, sauce, and vegetables.” He smiles thinking of it as he scoops fish sauce up and adds it to his little cart hanging the dried noodles off the side.

The owner waves at them from the check stands. They wave back.

“Do you trust yourself to get eggs home?” Fjord asks.

“We have eggs, the woman next door has chickens and half are in the garage of our townhouse right now.”

“Right, because it’s not fit for them to be outside.”

Molly nods, “It’s not fit for them to be in the garage either, we’re doing our best.”

“Unintended chicken caretakers.”

“Eggactly.”

Fjord groaned.

A few aisles later they were nearing the end of their trip having passed casual food based banter back and forth the whole while.

“This was fun,” Fjord says unexpectedly, “We still have the walk back, but I’m surprised to find that I don’t feel near as anxious with someone to walk with.”

“Yeah it’s nice, I imagine your roommates will be happy you had company too.”

“Yeah my roommate and the friend who got stuck with us will be thrilled. Cad and Jester are going stir crazy in their own ways.” He smiled fondly and shook his head, “Jester’s turned the living room into her own personal fort at this point.”

“I think I know Jester.” Molly reaches for the peanut butter and takes the large plastic tub. “Blue tiefling, yay tall.” He holds up one hand.”

“Yeah she’s hard to miss, real ball of energy.” He smiles. “It’s not really safe to move her out. I mean this place is only three blocks away and it was a hell of a task to get here, her dad’s place is across town.”

“I can only imagine he’s worried about her though.”

Fjord nods, “he calls every day.” Molly nods and puts the last item he needs into the cart, coffee.

“I’m done, do you want to walk out together at least as far as our paths are the same, it might be nice to have a second pair of hands if one of us does fall.” Molly says.

“Yeah I just need cereal and I’ve got everything.” Fjord says consulting his list.

They finish up and pay. The owner and cashier is a kind man who chats with the two of them about their meeting on the street and how they have a friend in common. He gives them a discount on the produce since he’s worried it will all spoil at this rate anyway. They pack it all up carefully and carefully make their bags even so they are equally weighted and the grocer gives them hand warmers before they go. Thankfully Molly tucks his into his gloves as he is putting them on.

This time they see one other person on the street, someone with ski poles who is headed to the grocery store they are exiting. They wave and the person waves back.

“I didn’t think I’d see another soul.” Fjord says.

Nodding Molly replies, “Me neither, it’s colder than a witch’s tit and I am not built for the weather. If my roommate had not already slipped on the ice and taken a spill, I’d have never come out.”

“Oh no, are they okay?”

“She’ll be fine, a big bruise on her hip and a sore ego. We took her to the emergency room for an x-ray and nothing is broken so it’s just waiting out the deep bruises and sore muscles.

Molly takes the first tentative step onto the ice and Fjord follows. Their conversation dies down as they navigate the treacherous street laden with food. They step in time, confident as they can be in their movement across the ice.

The wind picks back up and blows snow across them and the ice. It helps some, but also hinders their ability to see where the ice is thick and thin leading to some close calls.

Over all they eventually make it the three blocks to Fjord’s place. He stops. “This is me.” He points to the stairs. “Can I get your number from Jester?”

“Yeah I’ll ask her to pass it on when I get home.” Molly assures. “We should get some friendly coffee when there is not an inch of ice on everything.”

“Agreed.”

They shook on it and noodle-laden Molly inched his way the extra block home greeted by a bruised Yasha who had the kettle on waiting and cocoa not far behind.

Chapter Text

The Chicken was burning, he’d spent too long trying to get the pasta strained and now the chicken was burning. He rushed to take it off the heat and flip it in the pan. It was salvageable but he was upset. He stirred the sauce and made sure it wasn’t too thick or sticky and cursed himself for going fancy with fettuccine chicken alfredo. All foods he knew Caleb liked, all things he’d never cooked before.

The blizzard had kept them apart for a few days and now that things were safe enough for the one local to the region was going to travel. Caleb was coming (with some provisions) and having dinner (some ingredients traded with the neighbors) and to stay the night.

They’d planned it meticulously. Caleb would be here at 7pm, he’d be staying until 6am when he left for work, (Molly was closer to the school anyway), and Molly was cooking dinner. Molly had fresh flannel sheets on his bed, the pillows were fluffed and the right ones were on Caleb’s preferred side. He’d cleaned the little en suite to his room and secured as much privacy from Yasha as the space would allow. Still, at Caleb’s insistence, She’d be joining them for dinner.

And she was hovering now that he is nearly done. “Can you set the table?” Molly asks her mostly to get her out of the kitchen.

“Oh, sure.” She gathers bowls and cups and heads to the dining table in the living room.

He salvages the meat and plates all the parts separately so everyone can assemble their own food. For some reason after the time apart he is a nervous wreck of emotions as the time of Caleb’s arrival draws near. His heart adrift in a tumultuous sea and his stomach a swirl of some unnamed dark emotion he cannot place. Something like fear and hunger wrapped together with bailing wire.

Running to their bedroom Molly touches up his makeup and straightens their clothing and fusses with the collar for far longer than is strictly necessary. The lipstick is bleeding on one side and they have just finished fixing it when the doorbell rings.

Yasha answers it and Molly is standing in the middle of the living room still wearing the frilly pink apron when Caleb enters the apartment. They lock eyes and Caleb kicks off his shoes onto the little mat by the door, greeting Yasha, “Allo Yasha.” She nods and closes the door turning to the kitchen.

“I’ll finish setting the table.” She says, excusing herself.

Molly closes the distance and they are kissing before he can fully process what is happening.

It’s like a long lost blanket, warm and welcome and just like you remember. Soft and full of safety and nostalgia. Encompassing and cheerful all at once. It’s a kiss that says so much, I missed you, And, I love you, and stay here in my arms.

They pull apart and Caleb sighs. “I needed that,” He says factually.

“Gods, I missed you like the moon misses the sun.” Molly says, staying close to him.

Caleb chuckles, “Let me get my coat off and I will kiss you some more.” He kisses Molly’s cheek.

Letting go Molly looks sheepish and plays with the hem of his apron as Caleb peels off his gloves tucking them and a stocking cap into the pockets of his coat before hanging it and his scarf on the peg by the door alongside Molly’s jacket. Turning back he pads back over and stops just short, “Allo, How is my sweet?”

“Much better now.” Molly opens his arms for him and Caleb steps into the space of his arms smiling and kissing the soft plane of his cheek. They slowly come together again, kissing slower and softer, like they are getting reacquainted.

They part and Caleb nods.

“Ready for dinner?” Molly asks with a smile, taking Caleb’s hand.

“I can’t wait to see what you cooked up.”

“Fettuccine chicken alfredo with Broccoli on the side.” Molly says shaking one hand toward the dining area tucked half around a corner. Yasha has laid the food out on the table and gotten out serving utensils. None of the utensils or serving dishes matches but that’s part of the charm.

Caleb stands behind his chair and smiles, Yasha moves to hers and sits and Molly gestures to Caleb’s, “please.” He blushes and folds down into the chair.

Molly sits last and gestures to the bowls, “Guests first.”

It’s quiet while they fill their bowls with pasta and sauce over chicken cut into chunks. There is a little plate at each setting for the broccoli, even though usually they’d throw it into the bowl, they wanted Caleb’s need to keep it separate to not stand out at the table.

“This looks and smells so good,” Caleb offers as he ladles the sauce over the top.

Molly grins, “I hope you like it, it’s a little out of my cooking comfort zone, but I wanted to make something I knew you’d like.”

Caleb blushes but takes a bite, a smile widening as he chews. He nods and hums an agreement. Yasha takes a bite and gives Molly a little smile and Molly finally digs in securely knowing he did well.

They eat quietly for a few minutes before Molly asks, “how did you occupy yourself during the snow days?”

“I got on top of all my grading and planned lessons for the next month or so. Got a lot of work done, then I Mostly read.” He smiles fondly, “I got through a lot of the books I had not managed to read yet.

“I saw your social media posts with little reviews. They were interesting.” Yasha says, taking a sip of wine.

“Ja, it is nice to have the list of books I've read that that website provides.” Caleb nods and takes another bite of the pasta.

“I should start an account, it will be from the beginning of me getting okay at reading, We can watch the journey.” Molly says smiling.

“I have an account, we can be friends, I will cheer you on.” Yasha says, offering a quiet little smile.

“Ja, we can all show you how proud we are.” Caleb says, taking Molly’s hand under the table.

Molly looks over to the little rack of middle school age books Caleb had gotten him and blushes, “Now I have an incentive.”

Caleb smiles more broadly and it’s like the brightening edge of a mountain lake at dawn, it glints across his face with morning radiance and makes Molly want to step out of his comfort zone and into Caleb’s world of books and knowing things to see that glowing pleased face.

“How is the reading going?” Yasha asks from the other side of the table, breaking the enchantment Caleb’s smile holds over Molly.

“It’s hard, I can only really read and write what I need to get by to text and I can sound out simple stuff but I mostly get my phone to read texts to me and then tell it what to type back so I’ve gleaned some stuff but some of it learned wrong…” He frowns.

“They are doing well with word sounds though, we started with letters and vowel consonant groups and they picked it up really fast.” Caleb says excitedly.

Molly doesn’t say it feels like memory and not like learning and that it scares him but he is trying for Caleb to not be scared. To be open to learning and getting past the little voice in his mind that yells danger every time it feels like remembering and not like learning.

“It’s nice to have some understanding… feel a little less stupid.” Molly shrugs, taking a bite of pasta.

“You are not stupid, you just have not learned yet.” Caleb says, something he has said many times in this process. He kisses Molly’s temple and squeezes their knee, “I believe you are smarter than you give yourself credit for love.”

They wilt just a little but let Caleb bolster their spirits and smile at him weakly. Yasha reaches across the table and pokes him in the cheek, “Hey imp, none of that you are as clever as a fox and as witty as a weasel.” She parrots his own words back to him, something he says when bragging about himself during shows.

His two people know how to cheer him up as Caleb kisses the corner of his mouth and whispers, “come now no sulking.”

“Okay, okay.” He chuckles and takes a big bite so he doesn’t have to talk. His companions laugh but resume eating with him in kinship.

Chapter Text

Caleb told him that it was a good day, that all of his touch was welcome and that he missed it dearly. Spread out over them with their hands on his hip and ribs Molly wished they could believe him. But they couldn’t. There was a little flinch every time he moved closer to somewhere sensitive and he shook slightly when pressing his hands to Molly’s bare skin.

“Stop.” Molly said plainly and Caleb looked relieved, moving aside and flopping into the bed next to Molly, a little away and not touching.

Pretending it was okay, Caleb asked, “Is something wrong, did I do something wrong?”

Biting his lip Molly considers, stomach still a mess of indecision and anxiety, “I felt like you were not enjoying it or something was wrong but you were not saying anything.”

“Oh,” Caleb says softly, he spreads his fingers and looks at them intently, “Ja, it changed.”

“Okay. How did it change?” Molly asks.

Shaking his head, Molly whispers, “I don’t want to be touched there.” He takes a deep breath, “at all.”

Nodding along Molly rolls with the new information, “okay. Then I will not touch you there.” He reaches out a hand toward Caleb’s hand, “Where, if anywhere, do you want to be touched?”

Caleb blinks the way he does when he is computing what someone’s said, when he’s surprised by the information presented, when it doesn’t follow the script he’s expected it to follow. Molly gives him a moment to reorganize. He takes Molly’s hand and nods once decisively, “I want your hands on my hips, and my ribs and chest, not below there, but most anywhere else.” He tilts his head and asks, “can you be the focus?”

“Is that what you want or do you want to not be the focus and it's a compromise? That’s okay, I just want to understand.” Molly asks, rubbing his thumb along the back of Caleb’s hand slowly in loops.

“I like the noises you make, and the way you move, I like giving you pleasure and being close with you.” Caleb says with a definitive motion of his free hand. “I like when you give me pleasure too, but sometimes it’s too much…” he trails off and looks away.

“That’s okay.” Molly says softly, “Tell me what you want me to do.” He grins and wiggles slowly causing his body to sway against Caleb’s just barely.

Caleb smiles and pulls Molly close, “Do you want my hands Kätzchen? I could touch you sweetly.” His face flames with the suggestive nature of his words.

Purring at him Molly headbutts him and whispers, “anything you want that’s gentle I’ll take.”

Pausing and going still for a moment Caleb spreads his free hand across Molly’s hip and slips it around to grab at his ass. “I did manage to pick up something new, and I um, brought it along if you want to um, want me to.”

“Are you offering to top me you naughty boy?” Caleb asks breathy against Molly’s cheek.

“Ja, I got the appropriate apparatus to do so.” he takes his handful of Molly’s ass and squeezes a little roughly. “It’s been a while but I’ve got some experience.”

Molly’s purr picks up and he wiggles excitedly. “Gods I’d love to feel you in me darling.”

“It’s not really me…” Caleb says gaze turning south again.

Frowning Molly lifts his chin, “It’s as much you as anything else, an extension of you.” He kisses Caleb’s temple and asks, “do you enjoy it? I don’t want you to do all that work for something you don’t enjoy.”

“If you’re anything like Wulf I’ll enjoy your reactions and it feels good to um press against my body.” He slips further across Molly’s ass grabbing a more meaty section to squeeze. “Maybe not as much as you will, but it’s fun. I may work myself up and need to… blow off steam at the end.”

“No expectations.” Molly says, “even if you run out of steam topping, I can always take over the mechanical parts.”

Nodding Caleb blushes and hides his face against Molly for a moment.

“Will you close your eyes while I change?” Caleb asks.

Smiling broader Molly nods, “I can do that. Do you want to get me ready or should I do that?”

Caleb pouts, “I can do it. Do you have a condom, it makes cleanup so much easier.”

“Of course, they are with the lube.”

They spend a few minutes getting situated, Molly propped up on pillows, Caleb strapped and ready, settled between their legs with lube and a condom. “Do you do this for um fun?” Caleb asks, pouring lube on his fingers liberally.

“Yes, it feels really good. I have some toys made for this, I can show you how I play some time if you want.”

Caleb blushes as his fingers circle the tight pucker of Molly’s asshole. “I’d like that. For now, may I um,” He chokes out the rest of the words, face red and blotchy, “finger your ass?”

“Yes you may,” Molly answers, wiggling before going still and tilting his hips so he is presented, tail laying back and wrapped around one of Caleb’s legs.

He is quiet for a second, “relax and take a deep breath for me sweet,” he coaches needlessly but Molly follows directions and Caleb slips his middle finger past the first band of muscle waiting for another deep breath from Molly to slide past the second ring.

After he has settled from a groan and passed the urge to buck into Caleb’s hand he asks, “Do you ever play like this?”

“I don’t uh, play much, but this kind of play makes me feel less bad, I can imagine someone treating me like a man more easily,” he confesses. He pumps his finger shallowly in Molly who wiggles and lets out a little huff of breath.

“I’d take you like that if you wanted, if it were easier.” Molly says, “or we could play here, I’m open to anything that brings you joy and doesn’t cross any lines.” He gasps as Caleb presses deeper.

“I’ll keep that in mind, for now, focus on this, here, on us.” Caleb presses up as he pulls back, causing Molly to make a soft noise of pleasure.

“You can go faster,” He whispers, “fuck Caleb I need more of you.”

Face burning Caleb increases the speed and depth of his finger, slipping carefully in and out of Molly’s ass. “Are you ready for more already, Kätzchen?”

“Please, fuck Caleb you’re good in me.”

Caleb pulls almost all the way out and slides a second finger into Molly’s waiting hole. “Breathe,” he reminds them.

Taking deep breaths Molly shakes with the amazing stretch of it, he wimpers, “yes, fuck Caleb.”

Molly watched Caleb glow with the feedback, he presses back into his palm impaling himself on his fingers and looks down at the cock hanging off of Caleb’s strap heavy and ready, a perfectly average cock and he considers that he needed to get Caleb something bigger, indulge his size queen needs. He lets Caleb pump in and out of him and suddenly his nerves lite up as Caleb finds his prostate. He yelps and Caleb grins, “there we are,” he whispers and with an uncanny precision, each thrust grazing that perfect spot.

“Not too much, want to come on your cock.” Molly all but whines pressing back into Caleb’s fingers, “give me one more, to be sure please baby.”

“Not a baby,” Caleb grumbles as he pulls back and adds lube to his fingers.

“I’m sorry darling, I didn’t know, no baby, got it.”

“Not a doll either.”

Molly nods, “I see that darling, you’re a good boy for sharing with me.”

“You’re a needy one,” he whispers as he presses three fingers against his flexing hole until, with the gentle push, it gives way and they slide into his ass. Molly whines at the stretch and for the first time really feels it.

“Need you,” Molly whispered.

“Gotta get you nice and lose, ready to take my…” Caleb takes a steadying breath and tries again, “ready for my cock.”

Molly’s heart swells with a strange kind of pride and he shows it by begging, “please Caleb faster so I can get to the good part, I want you.”

“We can’t rush, I want to be safe for you, love.”

Molly pouts as he groans in pleasure at the stretch and the way Caleb relentlessly presses into him. “So good.” He rolls his hips to get more and it works so he does it again. Caleb’s free hand presses into his hip bone to still him and Caleb pouts petulantly.

“Come now, take what I’m giving you.” Caleb says, voice wavering.

“Yes sir.” Molly says reverently hoping it stirs something in Caleb, instills some confidence,

Swallowing heavily Caleb straightens and presses his fingers all the way in and crooks them running the rough pads of his fingers across Molly’s prostate. “Behave love.”

Molly moans low and rumbly, rolling his hips reflexively and grabbing Caleb's free hand with his. He clutches to them and his hard ignored cock twitches where it lies in a pool of spend on his stomach.

“Please fuck me,” he begs voice full of roughness, hips twitching, “I’m ready. I promise. I want you.”

Caleb licks his lips and nods slowly, slipping his fingers from Caleb’s ass. He spreads more lube around his greedy hole and nods. It takes him a moment to get the condom onto his cock but he manages it and gets it lubed up carefully.

The whole time that Caleb is setting up Molly is watching hungrily. He strokes his cock a few times trying to take the edge off of the growing need he feels. He mostly makes himself more excited, especially as he sees the specifics of how Caleb’s analytical mind handles his setup.

Climbing between Molly’s legs Caleb lines up and before he starts he asks, “May I penetrate you with… my cock?” His voice shakes but he manages to get the whole phrase out and Molly boilsters with pride.

“Yes, please.” He answers enthusiastically.

“Gut, ja,” Caleb whispers and slowly presses the head of the cock into Molly. It’s different from a flesh cock in that it’s more rigid but that has its benefits too. He shudders and wiggles slightly as it slides in smoothly with the lube and careful preparation, it still stretches a bit, especially once it’s deeper than Caleb could reach. As it grazes past his prostate he whines softly and rolls his hips causing more friction. Caleb pulls back and presses forward again dragging across the spot a second time, making Molly jump and moan. “There we are,” he mutters as he does and before Molly can get his head on straight again the base of the Cock is pressed to his ass and he can feel the base of the strap.

Breathing Molly says, “wow, fuck, wow.”

“Is it okay?” Caleb asks, grabbing Molly’s hips.

“I have tomorrow off, I don’t need to walk, if you want to wreck me…” Molly wiggles his eyebrows.

Caleb considers him laid on his back and shakes his head, “Get on your side.”

Moving carefully and pulling away from Caleb’s cock half way he moves to lay on his side with his legs stacked and stretched out. Before he can ask why this way Caleb has his top hip in both hands and is pressing back all the way into him. Molly moans as Caleb holding his hip starts to move, setting a moderate pace into him and back out with force that makes his body move. He grabs at the sheets and holds on for his life unsure where the confidence and bossiness came from, but sure it looks good on Caleb.

As much as Molly can manage he watches the look playing across Caleb’s eyes, deep wells of need and the set of his jaw a hard line where there is usually a soft handful.

His reverie of staring at Caleb is interrupted by Caleb picking up speed and force and Molly loses it, he moans and asks, “May I touch myself, I’m so close?”

“Please,” Caleb half grunts half says. His hands grasp harder and he slams into Molly as they wrap a hand around their cock and pump with quickness and force that matches Caleb’s new fervor. It’s only a dozen strokes before he is painting his stomach. Caleb shifts slamming past his prostate grazing it heavily with each thrust. Molly shouts as he comes and feels like he loses his sense of self. Everything is a confusing mess of sensation for a moment, when he regains some grounding in his body Caleb is slipping from him and petting his flank gently.

“There we are love,” Caleb is cooing, hand running over his skin.

“Wow,” Molly whispers.

“I didn’t hurt you did I?” Caleb asks gently.

“No, that was perfect. Kiss me please.” Molly begs.

Moving to where he can reach Caleb snakes a hand around and cradles Molly's head to kiss them soundly, pressing into the kiss and pinning Caleb for a moment to the bed. He pulls back with a nip to Molly’s lip, his face red as he moves apart and blinks like he realizes what he’s done. “Sorry,” he mumbles.

“No, you are perfect.”

Caleb looks down at the cock and says softly, “Don’t watch while I get this off then I will clean you up okay.”

“Okay.” Molly closes his eyes and lets his arms fall to the sides flopping to his back.

A few minutes of calm quiet and darkness later the bed moves and Caleb whispers, “May I clean you up?”

Wiggling slightly, “Please, may I open my eyes?” Molly asks.

“Yes, thank you for humoring me,” Caleb responds softly.

“Of course love,” he says.

The warm cloth is a welcome change from the cooling sticky spend and Caleb even gets the lube off of his ass, cleaning Molly up and saying, “do you need a shower too?”

“In a bit. Do you need anything?”

Caleb lays down, “Snuggles while I think.”

Molly pulls him close and onto their damp chest. “Did you get a little worked up lover?”

Pressing his forehead to Molly’s neck he nods, “yeah, I want something with your help, if you’re okay with that.”

“I’m more than happy to help you love, do you have an idea how you want help?” Molly asks.

“Will you,” he buries his face more thoroughly and asks, “use your mouth on me? Just your mouth, a um, blow job.”

Molly considers and nods, “Just your,” he pauses and says slowly unsure of the wording, “just your cock?”

Nodding against Molly’s shoulder Caleb asks again, “is that okay?”

“Yes, that sounds really hot,” Molly pets down his back and squeezes him gently, “you will have to move though.”

Chucking Caleb says, “I know, give me another squeeze for luck.”

Molly squeezes him and lets go. “Do you want to ride my face so you can control what I can reach? Would that make you feel more comfortable? We have a headboard so you could hold onto that while you did if that’d help.”

Considering for a moment, Caleb asks softly, “What if I hurt you?”

“Then we will have a very awkward trip to urgent care.” He pats Caleb’s knee, “it will be okay.”

Nodding Caleb says, “Can we try? You can smack my thighs if you need me to move.”

Grinning Molly moves to near the headboard, Caleb climbs over him and pauses, “May I ride your mouth?” He looks right at Molly this time, still flushed hot but more direct.

“Yes, please. Like you stole me.” Caleb chuckles and leans forward so Molly can reach just his clit. Molly excitedly takes the swollen bud into his mouth and gives it a gentle suck. He swirls his tongue around the peaked end as above him clutching the headboard Caleb gasps and moans.

Molly focuses on as many sensations as he can, carefully nipping, licking, lapping, and swirling. He tries to imagine what would feel good on his cock and apply the same sensations. Sucking between most of them as it gets the most reaction from Caleb, the suction must be good on his sensitive clit.

The taste of his dripping cunt is warm and welcoming as it sops down onto Molly’s chin it makes him feel wild. Molly squirms the soft tang of it filling his senses with Caleb. It seems he can’t stop making noise above Molly, moaning as his hands grip the headboard and his thighs shake. He grinds down gently and swears, “Fuck Molly, please.” His head flops forward and he looks down meeting eyes where Molly’s peek out past his pubic hair. Caleb groans and Molly moans around his clit.

Molly wants to ask what he needs but his mouth is so full so he just sucks gently and snakes his hands up to grab his hips gently. He guides him to roll his hips lapping at the moving target and letting it gently fuck into the suction of his mouth, closing his lips around the region more than his clit directly.

Caleb shakes and Molly feels more than sees his orgasm, there is a contracting and shaking that he feels first hand and he laps at Caleb until he’s pushed away and Caleb slides to the side still coming undone, overstimulated and groaning. He clutches one of Molly’s horns like a lifeline. Holding the headboard with the other hand abd half knelt, half collapsed he shakes, head leaned into the pit of his elbow. Molly thinks he is beautiful, like a statue someone should immortalize: Man in Ecstasy, marble.

Breathing like he ran a sprint and won Caleb looks up at Molly with love written plain on his face. “My god.”

Molly slowly sits leaning against the headboard and stretching their neck, “Good?”

Caleb launches himself at Molly and kisses him with such force that Molly’s head bounces slightly off the headboard. The taste of Caleb and Molly’s wet chin pass between them causing a smear on Caleb’s face and his lips to taste the warm tang of his own clit. His nose curls slightly but he dives into the kiss like a bee dives into the deep trumpet of a flower, with gusto and no fear for the outcome.

When they draw apart Caleb’s eyes look downturned, his face mixed up and soft. “Thank you. That was exactly what I needed.”

“Sometimes you have to face fuck your boyfriend, I get it.” Molly says reaching for Caleb, “Snuggle?”

Caleb balks at the crassness and the realization that he did that exactly. “Yeah, let me hold you.”

“You did fuck me stupid twice, so that’s only fair.” Molly says, teasing him.

Caleb reaches out and gathers Molly close, “Was that okay?” He eyes Molly like he may bolt.

They nod, “yes it was perfect. I like it when you take what you need, I like it when you are needy with me.” Molly lets Caleb pull them to lay down on the middle of the bed tugging Molly to curl against him. He wiggles close with a soft sigh.

Noticing Molly’s half hard cock pressed to Caleb’s thigh he noses at Molly's hair, “Do you need more love?”

“No that can fade, I’m satisfied,” Molly says smiling up at him.

“If you’re sure.” Caleb says petting Molly’s hair and holding him close.

“I’m sure, you fucked me throughly, I feel so good darling, Thank you for that. I know parts were hard for you.” He kisses Caleb’s chest gently.

“It’s easy to do for you, even if parts are uncomfortable, on the whole it’s very good.” Caleb pets Molly’s hair and lets his eyes close. “Can you reach the blankets?”

Molly pokes his belly, “You should pee before we sleep, love.”

“I know but I don’t want to get up.” Caleb pouts, burying his face in Molly’s hair.

“I’m not above tickling you.”

“Fine, just let me hold you a bit longer.” Caleb squeezes him gently and pets his hair so sweetly.

Molly wiggles, “How can I argue?”

Chapter Text

It’s mostly thawed when Molly heads out next, this time just go stretch their legs and get some fresh air. It’s hard to feel so cooped up. They head to the little row of shops mostly wanting somewhere to occupy some of their brain so they can think a bit without having to really think.

The little row of shops springs out of the snow lined street like a row of painted blocks, colorful and topped with more colorful trim. They greet him with smiling wide windows and heavy jingly doors. He starts with a little antique store, stall after stall of strange and unusual things.

Molly wanders the isles for a long time before settling on a little porcelain cat figurine for Caleb and a vintage lighter for himself. He is often lighting cigarettes at work and it is nice to have something classy to do it. He barely speaks to the clerk whose wrinkled nose tells him what he thinks of Molly. He barely notices, so used to the judgment he brushes it away delighted with the purchases as he tucks the tissue wrapped bundles away into his bag.

He steps into the crowded coffee shop and orders a treat. While he waits someone grabs him by the arm and he spins to find the tabaxi woman from the mall, Cree.

Pulling his arm free Molly sneers at her, “What?” he barks upset to see Cree again, she represents everything he’s running from.

Her eyes widen and her mouth falls open for a moment before she can school her expression, “Lucien, I didn’t expect to see you here,” she starts, Molly’s eyes narrowing as she continues, “We have much to discuss. I thought you were dead.”

Struggling to swallow around the lump in their throat Molly looks away, “Look, you’ve got me confused with someone else. I’m not Lucien, I’ve never met the guy and I don’t know who you are. Please just leave me alone.” Molly steps away and attempts to ignore her.

“You can’t fool me, he had no twin.” Cree gets closer and invades Molly’s personal space. They step back again.

“Look lady, I’m not that guy I’m Molly, we’ve been over this,” Molly says as he lets anger creep into his voice. He wonders if she is really from his body’s past, if she has answers about who was around before them, they don’t really want to know.

“You led us. I’d recognize you anywhere,” she says as she gets closer, gets a little louder. People are noticing. Molly decides to leave without their coffee but they call his name so he steps forward to get the mocha and she growls, “Your name is Lucien. You are the Nonagon”

“My name is Molly and I’m just some guy,” he explains, skirting away from her trying to not give any more information than she has already.”

“Don’t lie to yourself. You know deep down that you are destined for greatness, that you are supposed to lead us, that you have the marks from the great ones,” she’s following him outside as he calls for a ride-share on his phone. He feels sideswiped by all of this new information. He tries to catalog all of it but his mind swims about how he does have unexplained marks, ones that don’t take ink. Ones all over his body shaped like eyes.

She continues, “They are marks of greatness. They were gifted to you to show your power. You will remember if I have to drag the memories from you.” Again she gets close enough he can feel the static of her fur along his back.

Anger flares in him, this is unfair. He whirls on her and asks, “Why won’t accept that’s not me. I have a life that I’m happy with. I don’t know who you are or what you want but I don’t want any part in whatever weird shit you’re into.”

“It’s your destiny. You chose this,” She half shouts at him as she steps towards him, practically yelling in his face.

Molly’s voice raises to match, people are staring as they make a scene in front of the coffee shop, “I didn’t choose any of this.”

Her erratic tone changes concerning Molly greatly. “Lucien what is wrong with you, why don’t you remember the greatness you built?” She asks more even toned, pleading.

“Because I’m not Lucien, you’ve got the wrong person,” Molly repeats hands up as he steps away from her again.

Cree’s voice drops, “After the ritual failed I watched them put you in the ground and part of me died with you. It is alive seeing you here, you can’t deny me that renewed hope. Come with me, we can finish what you started.” Crawling from the earth comes back to Molly and he feels his bottom lip tremble, he puts his hands down and tries to formulate a response.

Cree stares at him, her eyes looking deep into his for a long moment.

There is a honk and Molly startles, nearly dropping his coffee.

He realizes it’s his ride and he turns, jogging to the car and getting in without another word or a look back until he’s bucked in.

She doesn’t follow and Molly directs the ride-share to the bank where he’ll get another one elsewhere.

Just to be safe.

Chapter Text

Coffee with Fjord was the day after Cree assaulted him in the coffee shop. He was shaken and came dressed in a whole different coat than usual with a new hat and horn covers but the same royal purple hair and lavender skin as always.

Fjord waves from a table near the back of the cafe. Molly gets his coffee and a danish and joins him at the little bistro table. “Hello again! Good to see you mostly thawed out.”

Fjord is much different looking with several less layers and a lot more skin showing. Definitely a half orc, some human ancestry in there; he has a coy smile and his green skin is healthy and not nearly as cold chapped.

“You too, a mite bit more handsome when not dying of ice poisoning,” Molly observes shaking his hand. Fjord blushes and shakes his head.

“Jester warned me you were trouble,” Fjord says.

“I’m all hot air and charm,” Molly claims, letting go of Fjord’s hand.

Fjord asks, “How have you been now that the world has thawed?” He raps on the wood of the table twice and meets Molly’s all red gaze easily.

“Good,” Molly grins wickedly, “how is Jester, still staying at yours I hear.”

Fjord turns a muddy color across his cheeks and looks down into his latte. “Yeah she is, her apartment had a tree fall on it in the snow and it’s still getting repaired,” Fjord says.

Molly knew enough to know Jester was mostly happy about this and the blush was telling him all he needed to know about how Fjord felt.

“Is she helping out with the household while she’s there?” Molly asks instead of have you made a move yet.

“Oh, yeah she’s great. She doesn’t really cook but my roommate is great at that so I don’t really worry about it. She’s great at cleaning up with me and we have a lot of fun working together,” Fjord says.

“Together?” Molly asks tilting his head

Fjord nods with a goofy smile, “Yeah she likes to split chores actively rather than switching off, it’s nice it goes real fast together,” he explains.

“So you two spend a lot of time together?” Molly asks.

“Yeah when I’m not at work I am usually hanging out with her, it’s been nice to have someone around,” He says. Fjord’s smile grows as he takes a sip of his coffee.

“Have you thought about asking her out? She’s a beautiful woman and she clearly likes you…” He asks, one to just come out with it finally.

Fjord nearly spits out the sip he’s taking of his latte. He sputters and his blush deepens significantly. He stumbles to correct his off balance disposition and clears his throat like he’d coughed and says with an unconvincing bravado, “I’d hate to impose when she’s been such a good friend for the last month,” he says.

Molly shakes his head, “I bet you’ll find her more ready to take that next step than you think,” he states.

Fjord shakes his head and looks away. “How are you and Caleb doing?” He asks as he changes the subject abruptly and Molly honors the shift seeing it for what it is.

“We’ve been good though I’m worried about a few complex things. I think it will probably be okay,” He says as he looks down into his drink.

“It sounds like a lot is happening at once. You need to talk about it?” Fjord asks as his voice goes gentle in a way that surprises Molly.

He swallows and looks around suspiciously. He isn’t sure he can trust Fjord, there are a lot of big truths wrapped up in what he needs to tell Caleb, in what he needs to figure out what to do about.

“Probably.” Molly concedes and leans back in his chair, “It’s just a lot of stuff and a it’s a lot of stuff I’ve never really… shared a lot with other folks,” Molly says.

Nodding Fjord nurses his coffee and offers, “I think we all have some things like that.” Molly says as he wanders what this land-locked sailor has to hide and leans in slowly.

“I have one of those personal secrets and it’s coming calling.” He says, looking around, “It’s outside my control and I don’t think it’s dangerous but I don’t know.”

“And you’re worried about Caleb?” Fjord asks.

“It’s not that he can’t handle himself, it’s that I can’t be the reason he’s hurt.” Molly explains stirring their drink with the straw.

“Have you talked to him about it?” Fjord asks sagely.

Sighing Molly rests a hand over his eyes dramatically. “I haven’t. It’s just so hard because he’s going to ask why and I don’t know if I’m ready to peel back that many layers of myself, you know,” he says frowning.

Fjord is quiet for a moment looking into the middle distance before he says softly, “The longer you don’t talk to him the longer he’s in potential danger and doesn’t know,” he says.

It hits Molly like a baby grand falling from a high rise. He folds forward putting his head on the table. He says softly, “Oh.”

“Does Jester need to worry, I know she works with you…” Fjord asks, clearly worried.

“No work is the safest place in town.” He forces a smile, “Besides she’s met the blast from my supposed past and comes out unscathed. I think she is a powerful force on her own,” he says softly.

“She is something else,” Fjord says wistfully.

Molly just gives him a knowing look until Fjord blushes and looks away.

“Now I just have to figure out how to talk to Caleb about it without feeling scraped clean like a jack o lantern.” Molly whines, plunking his head back onto the table.

Awkwardly Ford pats his shoulder and asks him, “Do you think it would help to work it out with me? I promise not to tell anyone your secrets Molly, I have no skin in the game,” he says.

Taking a deep breath Molly sits up slowly, composing themself. “I think I can trust you Fjord, mostly because I can call Jester right now and I know that would devastate you so I have some collateral.” He looks Fjord over and says, “That will not be necessary.”

Fjord nods agreement saying, “I can keep a secret, I have a few of my own I hold onto.”

It takes Molly a long moment of internal struggle to finally come to a decision. “Okay look, I’ll give you the short version.” They lean forward across the small bistro table and start slowly, “A few years ago there was an accident and I don’t remember before that. They found me in the woods with not a lick of sense or clothing.” Fjord nods and Molly continues, “I’ve got two years of memory and I like the person I've become pretty darn well,” He finishes and leans back a bit and sighs waiting for a reaction from Fjord.

“Okay, so you’ve got a limited view of the world and a little bit of naivety about some things, no big deal.” Fjord says in a low voice, “Caleb doesn’t know?”

Shaking their head Molly says, “Most people don’t. I don’t like the way people treat me when they know, all pathetic like I don’t know anything. I remember plenty of music and movies and how things work.”

“Makes sense, some things must be rattling around in there. Have you tried to jog your memory at all?” Fjord asks.

Molly shakes his head, “Why bother, I like the person I’ve become and what if I don’t like the person I was?” He says.

Nodding along Fjord asks, “So what’s the problem, you want to tell him that you don’t know what happened or why you were hurt?”

Looking down at his coffee Molly sighs, face falling, “No, I met someone from my past recently, and they make it clear that the old person who walked around in this skin wasn’t great.”

Fjord looks shocked, “Do they mean any harm?” He asks, looking a little nervous.

“I’m not sure to be honest.” Molly puts his head in his hands and sighs. “I’ve run across her twice so I know she’s in town and I don’t know if anyone else from the old times are too,” he replies.

With a pinched expression Fjord asks, “How do you know what kind of person they were based on that?” he asks.

“Because she talks about him like she’d die for him and be happy about it. Because she makes it sound like he’s some sort of cult leader the way she fawns. It’s creepy,” He explains as he shakes his head and rubs his bicep like he’s trying to push the memory away.

“Like he’s some kind of cult leader.” Fjord echoes, “Well that’s upsetting but nothing we can’t figure out. Talk to Caleb, I bet he has ideas he’s smart,” Fjord urges.

Crestfallen slightly Molly continues, “I suppose you’re right.” Sipping his coffee he looks Fjord over once before he adds, “You should talk to Jessie too, she deserves your honesty especially how she dotes on you.”

This time Fjord doesn’t start as much as flush and turn inward curling a bit around his drink, “I know, it’s just hard to admit,” Fjord says.

“Well you just did it once, that breaks the seal, do it again.” Molly says, clapping him on the shoulder.

Swallowing heavily, Fjord nods, saying, “Maybe I’ll take her for pastries…”

Chapter Text

They are at Caleb’s house when it happens.

“No, Remember on our third coffee date,” they’d given up on calling them anything else, “you said that you got that scar when you were 10 falling out of a tree, not when you were 15 falling out of a wagon.”

Molly swallows and nods, “Who can remember such things,” he says smiling weakly.

Giving him an appraising look Caleb nods looking a little skeptical.

Molly looks away, stealing himself.

“Do you often have problems with your memory, Mollymauk?” Caleb asks seriously, his voice gentle as he takes Molly’s hand. They are sitting on Caleb’s couch. They just finished a board game (Caleb won), and Caleb has figured Molly out. “Because there are some,” he pauses and considers for a second before he continues, “inconsistencies in the stories you tell about your past.”

Molly keeps his eyes trained away, unable to put his eyes on Caleb directly, they slip away and study the texture of the blanket covering their laps. “It’s complicated.” He starts, this usual deflection from the fact that he just… didn’t know.

“You don’t have to explain if you don’t want to.” Caleb says, but he couldn’t keep the defeat from his voice.

Molly was quiet for a drifting moment before he took both of Caleb’s hands and turned to face him, even if his eyes still kept to the edges of Caleb, his hands, his shoulder the tips of his hair where they rested on his neck. “I don’t know why I’m so cagey about it really.” He plays with Caleb’s fingers, lacing them together and apart with his own, rolling them with his in endless movement. “The thing is there was some kind of accident, I don’t really know what.” He pauses hating the next part, “It was a few years ago and I don’t remember anything before that, just waking up in the woods mostly naked and covered in dirt. I stumbled into a traveling carnival and they took me in, got me medical attention, got me papers to prove I was a person.”

There is a silence in the room for a brief second where Molly expects Caleb to be revolted. Something about this always feels raw and vulnerable.

“Thank you for sharing with me.” Caleb says softly. He leans in and kisses Molly’s temple and asks softly, “has anything from before come back?”

Shaking their head Molly says softly, “Someone recognized me the other day but that’s the closest I’ve come.” They shrug, “I’m not sure I want to know much about who I was back then. I like me, what if I don’t like them?”

“That’s a good question. You are right it is complex. I support whatever decision you make about how you handle your past, schatz.”

Molly looks up to see Caleb’s kind eyes watching him and leans in carefully, Caleb’s arms envelop him and he is grateful for the warm embrace.

“I don’t like people knowing, I feel like they judge me for being two.” He presses in close.

“I mean you are at least twenty five right?” Caleb says with a chuckle.

“Probably but I mean in terms of memory. It probably is part of why I have such a hard time with reading and writing. It impacts me so much, and I hate it.”

Caleb is quiet for a moment thinking of his own secrets. “We all have our secrets that impact us every day, we learn to carry our burdens, I am thankful you let me carry this one with you.”

Wondering not for the first time what secret wakes Caleb up in the middle of the night crying and screaming Molly clings to Caleb like a lifeline and sighs softly. “Thank you.”

“I love you.” Caleb whispers into his hair with a little breathy huff.

Molly is stunned for a moment before he manages to untangle his tongue from his heart. “I love you too,” he croaks out.

“I am sorry it took so long, I kept waiting for the perfect time, and I got too in my own head about it.” Caleb says, face still mostly pressed into Molly’s hair.

Looking up from where he reclines against Caleb, Molly asks, “you mean it?”

“Of course, I consider my words very carefully.” Caleb says, face a lovely dusty pink.

Molly leans up and kisses him gently, laying across him carefully he asks, “say it again?”

“Ich liebe dich,” Caleb says, grinning softly, face reddening. “As my people would say.”

Molly is ecstatic, he kisses Caleb gently and then with a little more passion, “Thank you, this is the best gift I’ve gotten in a long time.”

“Your love has been such a beautiful boon, I can’t help but fall for you Mollymauk. You are sunlight in a dark room.”

Molly kisses him again, and they curl close on the couch, Caleb sitting up to snuggle in and make a basket of their laps for Frumpkin.

After a long moment of perfect cuddling Molly grows more and more guilty as the time goes on he pulls away and averts his eyes. “There really is a bit more.”

Caleb goes still and keeps him wrapped up in his arms. “You can tell me anything.” Caleb says earnestly.

“The person I ran into from whatever past this body had treated me like some kind of creepy cult leader.” He keeps his head down, bowed to Caleb. “She kept calling me Lucien and giving me some title the Nonogon and saying I was destined for greatness. She tried to get me to go with her.” He pauses before championing on, “I don’t know if she’s dangerous and I don’t know if she poses you a threat.”

Caleb draws Molly’s face back and locks eyes with them. “I will keep you safe. She cannot take you on my watch.” He holds up his off hand and snaps wreathing it in flame that he shakes out just as easily. “I will stop her.”

Shaking still Molly nods, saying, “I can throw a punch I’m not completely defenseless, I used to do sword shows in the carnival I can swing a sword pretty well.”

“I know love, and we can face whatever happens.” Caleb squeezes Molly’s arm and his face spreads in a smile that reaches his eyes a moment after it takes over his face. “I believe in you.”

“That’s one of us.” Molly says sourly.

“Well I’ll just do it for both of us.” Caleb says, mirroring something Molly once said to him.

Molly snuggles in and hides his face again. After a long moment of quiet he asks, “what if I remember and I’m a whole different person. What if I’m a person you can’t love anymore?”

“I don’t think that’s going to happen, Molly.” Caleb says wrapping up around him, a shell around him to keep him safe, to hold all the pieces together.

“What if she unlocks something and I want to be a cult leader?” he frets, holding his hands together and wringing them like laundry wet on the shore.

Caleb pauses and untangles Molly’s fingers weaving his own in, “I don’t think she can, you don’t want that do you?”

Quiet and pensive Molly sighs, “well no, but what if…”

Caleb interrupts them, “If we get stuck on what if we cannot see what is. Consider that you are a strong person who loves who they are now, nothing about the past you don’t know has to affect the present you do know if you don’t want it to right?”

“I hope so,” Molly stated.

Squeezing him close Caleb smiles and says, “I believe in you still.”

“Thank you,” Molly says.

Chapter Text

Their phone rings and Molly pushes it closer to the edge of the bed not bothering to see who it is. He sighs.

Cree had found him again two more times now he is worried about his friends, and more importantly he is worried about Caleb.

He peeks at the phone and it’s Jester. He ignores the call. The phone vibrates sadly and shakes the bedspread. Putting a pillow over it helps. Turning over and facing away he pulls his knees up to his chest dispondant.

Playing the meeting with Cree over in his head he shakes, the way she’d said, Do you want us to ask your wizard about where you came from? The way she asked about Yasha and mentioned the blue girl he’d been with whose father they didn’t want to cross but would to get him back.

He curls up further and rocks himself trying to calm down. His phone vibrates once, a text.

He grabs it looking at the notification but not opening it. It’s from Jester.

Worried about you please call me ba…

It’s all he can see without opening it, without marking it read. He dismisses the notification along with all the rest. People checking in. He has to get ready for work soon and hopes none of them are desperate enough to corner him there.

Getting out of bed twenty minutes later he heads to the bathroom and pours himself into the shower trying to use the hottest water to burn away the fear.

It doesn’t work.

He scrubs his skin wishing he could wash away the marks and make himself different so she couldn’t find him. Molly settles for exfoliating and cleaning up. Once out he lotions himself and dries off. Washing his face and applying all the serums and lotions necessary to keep his skin soft and clear.

Molly’s hair is brushed and blow dried before it is pulled back for the ride to work. Carefully he gets dressed and packs his bag with a change of clothing for after work, his new shoes, and everything he needs.

Ready to go they pull on a simple black hoodie and draw up the hood snapping it around their horns. Calling up a ride they wait inside until it’s there and step out when it’s a minute away.

Cree is sitting on their porch.

They try to walk past her but she blocks the stairs. “My ride is here.” they say simply.

“No, we are here to pick you up.” She says gesturing to a car with a goliath behind the wheel.

Molly gestures to the stairs and Cree goes first, as soon as they hit the bottom he jogs for the ride share and hops in, Cree tries to follow and Molly says, “She’s dangerous please go.” The driver gets the message and goes.

“Getting stalked?” the driver asks.

“Something like that.” Molly responds.

Nodding the driver asks, “Want me to take a few turns I don’t need to just in case they are following?”

“Probably wise, can we watch for them?”

“Sure.”

They don’t see the car or Cree the whole way to work. Molly has to rush and get themselves moved back in the lineup. Managing a simpler costume than they planned they hit the pole to the wrong song but manage to go with it, improvising an act to it as well as possible.

They still make good tips and it goes smoothly, until they see the Goliath enter the room at the end of the act. They get off stage when the song ends and head for the back immediately.

Mary comes to them backstage as Molly paces and asks, “You’re acting really weird. What’s wrong, sugar?”

Borrowing the words of the drive Molly says, “I have a stalker and she brought muscle and I don’t know what to do. We can kick them out but they will still be able to find me, and the cops will just make this worse.”

Mary nods, “want me to get the bouncers to rough them up?”

“No, that doesn’t solve anything and puts the bouncers at risk of retaliation,” Molly says as he breathes out a long breath and takes another deep breath.

Mary leads him to a chair and sits him down. “This happens occasionally, we can contact the correct people at the police to make sure it’s handled carefully.”

“They’re from my past, my not so savory past Mary. The police can’t get involved. I may have to disappear for a while,” They look down at their hands, “I may need to skip town,” They say not realizing that tears have started to gather at the edges of their eyes threatening to spill over like full cups waiting for just one more drop.

Mary nods and reaches into her pocket, she pulls out several hundred dollars and shoves them into Molly’s hands, “This should be more than your next paycheck right?” she asks. He nods. “Good, I’ll send Gloria out to distract them while you go, you message me when you’re somewhere safe.” She kisses his forehead.

“Thanks Mary.” He stands and heads to his locker starting to change with no care for Mary’s presence. She gives him one last nod before leaving the room to set things in motion. Molly packs up quickly and leaves out the back leaving as little in the locker as he can manage.

He doesn’t end up skipping town, he does end up on the other side of it in a motel that only Yasha knows the location of. He feels bad ghosting everyone but it feels too raw and he is too scared.

He doesn't answer anyone’s texts for days, scared of bringing them danger. He waits for Cree to show up but nothing happens. He keeps ordering room service, trying to keep his interactions with the outside minimal and eventually he’s worked through the whole menu.

It’s been a week and he finally feels safe to answer Caleb’s text.

❤️Caleb ❤️: Hey how was work

❤️Caleb ❤️: How are you doing?

❤️Caleb ❤️: I miss you

❤️Caleb ❤️: I’m starting to worry.

❤️Caleb ❤️: Did I do something wrong?

❤️Caleb ❤️: Please let me know you’re safe.

❤️Caleb ❤️: I am really worried about your safety. Please respond to me so I know you are alright. I love you.

❤️Caleb ❤️: No one else has heard from you and I’m worried you have been hurt or taken, please respond.

❤️Caleb ❤️: Please be okay.

Me: I’m okay. I just had to get away from the ones looking for me. I’m sorry I didn’t want to put you in danger

❤️Caleb ❤️: Cree showed up at my work looking for you yesterday. School security escorted her off campus but she was rather insistent that I would know where you were.

Me: I’m sorry.

❤️Caleb ❤️: Are you safe?

Me: I think so.

❤️Caleb ❤️: I miss you but I want you to be safe. Please be careful. Do you want me to contact the authorities? That feels like a dangerous choice.

Me: No, I'm trying to figure out something else.

❤️Caleb ❤️: Contact Jester.

That was something he hadn’t thought of. Jester had some connections, some that may be able to help in ways that were definitely not going to involve the police.

Me: That’s a good idea.

❤️Caleb ❤️: I have to get to class. Text me anytime. I miss you. I love you.

Me: I miss you too. I love you.

They spent some time processing that, reading and rereading it, looking for signs that Caleb was mad. They texted Yasha to let her know that they’d finally texted Caleb but hadn’t told him where they were. She asked if they trusted him and they said yes, but it felt safer not to say.

After a lunch of room service again they texted Jester.

Jester💙: Hey answer the phone

Jester💙: Worried about you please call me back you goofus

Jester💙: You’re making Caleb worried.

Jester💙: I want to hear from you.

Jester💙: I’m going to Come into Mary’s and make a scene if you don’t call me.

Jester💙: Mary said you didn’t work there anymore, what the hell!

Me: Hey, sorry I had to skip town, Cree was getting problematic.

Jester💙: OMG Are you somewhere safe?

Me: Yeah

Jester💙: Do you need me to get you guards?

Molly considered that, again something he had not thought of, guards would be convenient in some ways but harmful in others.

Me: No, I think I mostly need Cree and her friend to leave me alone. I just don’t know how to do that without involving the authorities.

Jester💙: Ew don’t call them, we can figure something out. Let me call daddy.

Me: Okay but be careful, it’s a delicate situation.

Jester💙: Of course! Hang tight I’ll call you when I know more.

Jester💙: Answer this time you jerk.

Me: I will.

Molly regretted that they didn’t have a lot to do in the hotel room, just sit in the bed and scroll through the tv channels really. And there was not a lot they wanted to watch. They eventually gave up and put on a trashy reality show designed to draw you in. It didn’t work. They were holding their phone in one hand waiting for the call, hoping it came with a solution.

It takes three hours, on six episodes of a show about a family who all appeared to hate each other. Molly answers on the second ring, “Hello Jester.”

“Hello Mol-ly,” she draws his name out into extra syllables which in his opinion was a good sign, “I talked to daddy and he says he knows Cree.”

Somehow that didn’t make him feel any better. He gets up so he can pace around the little hotel room. He says, “Okay,” not sure what else to say.

“He thinks she’s a bit shady which means a lot coming from him.” Jester pauses and Molly breathes a sigh of relief that they are not close or working together. “They used to work together but Cree left to work with some group called the Tombtakers a few months ago. Something about them being back,” Jester says barely pausing.

“So they used to work together,” He says, feeling defeated somehow.

“Yeah she did the membership marks for a while, she does tattoos.” Jester pauses, “I do them now, I’m super good,” She says. He can hear the smile in her voice. “He says her goliath friend is Zoran and he’s a wicked brute, never worked for Dad but he’s heard of him.”

Molly nods then remembers she can’t see him, “So he’s bad news.”

“Yeah, but Dad offered to put you up in one of his safe houses where we can get a security person on you. If they find you they will disappear.” She assures with a giggle.

“Well that would solve some problems for me, doesn’t that make a few for your dad?” Molly asks.

Jester giggles again, “Don’t worry about that. If anything it’d be good to lure him to you so that the problem disappears. Dad agreed that would be okay.”

Molly gets quiet for a moment considering if that would be a good solution, “What if the security can’t take them down?”

“They will be able to, they are really really good,” she assures Molly.

“Okay, but we should have a backup plan. Can you make sure there are scimitars in the safehouse?” He asks.

“Sure I think that is doable. Do you want to lure her in with Caleb? He is good in a fight, I’ve seen him take down muggers with very little trouble and they had a gun,” Jester supplies. Molly makes note to ask for that story sometime.

“I don’t want to risk him, Jessie, do you think you’d be willing to play bait? I know you can hold your own in a fight too,” he pleads.

“Yeah, I could probably bring Fjord too, he is really good in a fight, he has such cool magic. It’s really neat I bet you’ll love it,” she says, sounding dreamy.

“Okay so move me and then have you two come and go a few times where you’re trackable to Cree,” he asks.

“Sounds like a plan. I’ll text you a time to be ready as soon as somewhere is available,” she promises, “We’ll send a car for you.”

“Can you try and have something in there to pass the time, I’m so fucking bored,” he begs.

“One video game console, coming up!” she says excitedly.

Molly doesn’t argue.

Chapter Text

Moving to the safe house goes without a hitch. They didn’t hide that Molly is doing it since catching Cree and Zoran up in the net is part of the point.

Now the problem is boredom. Molly played through the games that Jester made sure were there, but a lot of them required reading that was just outside his skill level. He watched a lot of TV but that got boring after a while.

The food situation isn’t much better. He ordered groceries, he ordered meals, and the security out front will accept them and bring them back. The security is a revolving cast who sat in the entryway on stools and chatted among themselves. Molly can hear them when it  is really quiet in the house but usually the little townhouse is  too quiet.

Every Folsen night Jester and Fjord come over for board games and hanging out. Sometimes they watch movies. Jester has been bringing him books closer to his reading level which he both appreciated and was embarrassed about. The ones about a young boy born of Kord who was supposed to save the world were good if a little outlandish. He slowly plugged through them, texting Caleb about them. Caleb got and read the series too.

They missed Caleb something fierce. Video calls whenever Caleb has time, calls every night until Caleb falls asleep. Molly spends a lot of time trying to not be annoying and overbearing. Time is something Molly has in a much greater abundance than Caleb right now. He texts constantly after Caleb insists that he can leave his phone silent in his bag during class and it would be okay. So Molly texts Caleb about the TV he watches and the food he eats and every facet of his isolation.

Caleb sends him photos of his meals, tells him about his students, and sends him endless selfies. His selfie skills are improving greatly. He is getting his whole face in the frame now and the angle is improving greatly. He gets endless pictures of Frumpkin and little videos of the cat playing with string, or lounging in sunbeams. It is like a creamy balm on the raw skin of this whole situation.

The fourth Folsen gamenight Fjord and Jester arrive and Jester kisses his cheeks. He stands in the doorway in full view like they always did on Folsen. Then they all make their way inside to play the boardgame Jester has picked out this week. On these days there are more security people, they enter through the secluded back and through the door that goes to the townhouse next door and spread out through the house. One upstairs, one near the backdoor. They still play the board game, no reason to not pass the time while they wait to be attacked.

Molly expects them to attack after Jester and Fjord leave and so does the head of Security. Sorah is a hulking woman who has only appeared to talk shop with Molly a handful of times. She is intimidating even sitting across the table drinking tea and advising to be prepared after the game nights.

And that’s how it goes down. Jester and Fjord packing up and Fjord escorting Jester out into his jeep and away, while Molly watches from the door. They close it and lock the bolt walking back to the small kitchen to clean up.

The sound of breaking glass echos in the space and Molly sets down the bowl they were washing hastily, rinsing their hands. One of the security members shows up to cover them and they almost resent being treated like precious cargo. They move together toward the stairs where another person in a suit shows up and says, “They came in down here.” They try to move Molly upstairs but they circle toward the front of the house. They need to see this through. Cree and Zoran wouldn’t really hurt them.

He was right, but they would hurt the security team. Cree was casting a spell that spawned a swarm of bloody eyes around her in a rather impressive radius, they spun and sliced the security team who swarmed her, another two tried to deal with Zoran whose fists were covered in crackling electricity.

Cree’s eyes were wide as she saw Molly and she cast something that pulls him closer to her. He slides across the carpet but draws the snub nosed gun they’d given him and points it at Cree. Her face falls.

“Surrender.” Molly requested sternly.

“Don’t forsake your power!” She pulls him again but he resists digging his heels into the carpet.

Molly points the little gun but remembers it’s not loaded, he just wants to scare her. He doesn’t want to hurt anyone.

The security team reaches her and wraps their strong arms around her, grabbing and pulling her hands behind her back. She loses concentration on her magic and the red eyes that are hitting them fade from the air.

Feeling the pull Molly regains his feet and gets a real look at Zoran facing away and struggling with a security person. He has a red eye mark at the base of his skull and it flares red as he shocks the man he’s grappling.

One of the security people gets out a taser and manages to lock it onto the goliath knocking him down and getting him to let go as he falls to the ground. They unhook the leads and tie his hands.

They gag them both so Molly takes the moment to address them. “You’ll leave me alone now.” Cree is crying but Molly finds it hard to feel too bad. The Gentleman had promised to get them far away where they couldn’t bother him again. Transporting them away but not harming them.

It takes three of the large men to carry Zoran out the back door but Cree walks of her own volition head hung.

Molly is calling Caleb before they are out the back door.

He picks up and starts to say hello when Molly cuts him off, “They attacked, no one was hurt and we got them.”

“What?” Caleb asks.

Molly laughs and replies, “Cree and Zoran are captured.”

“Oh! Can you come home?” Caleb asks.

“Yeah I can come home,” Molly says loudly.

“Can you come now?” Caleb asks, full of questions.

“I have to talk to security but I think so,” Molly responds.

“If you can come straight to my apartment please do. I miss you so much my love,” Caleb requests.

“Let me see what the next steps are, I just needed to tell you,” Molly says.

“Text Jester.” Caleb reminds him.

“I will. I love you,” Molly says.

“I love you too, go take care of things and text me,” Caleb says.

“Okay goodbye,” Molly says, hanging up.

He texts Jester and Fjord for good measure. Then he texts Yasha and finally he goes to find whichever security lead is on duty.

Sorah comes around a corner from the back, she’s dressed in jeans, the most dressed down he’s ever seen her. She beckons him over to the table and sits him down as she flits about the kitchen making him tea. He sits answering Yasha and Jester about what happened.

She comes back with two cups of tea and sets them down on the table scooting one over to Molly. Waiting for him to take a sip Sorah starts, “We have them and will take them somewhere they cannot bother you.” She takes a sip, “No real harm will come to them.” Molly wants to ask what that means but is too intimidated by the large woman.

“Can I leave?” He asks hopefully.

She nods, “We can escort you somewhere and leave you with my card. Once you’ve packed we will take you wherever you think is safest.”

He nods and stands, “I’m going to get my things together, no offense Sorah I’m just ready to get back to my life.”

“I understand. I’ll be right here, I will escort you myself Mollymauk,” She sips her tea again, her intense eyes following him as he heads upstairs.

Molly doesn’t fold anything just shoving it all into his big duffel bag. Everything goes in shoes, clothing, books. It takes them less than five minutes to clear the room and bathroom of months worth of his possessions.

Sprinting downstairs Molly gives the living room a once over and picks up his book. “I’m ready,” he says walking into the kitchen. Sorah stands from the table and leads him out the back door into the alley and out onto the street where her huge car waits. She watches around them as he stows his bag and climbs into the front seat.

He gives her Caleb’s address and texts his boyfriend.

Me: Coming home.

❤️Caleb ❤️: I’m waiting here for you.

Chapter Text

Molly fumbled with the door and had his keys half out when Caleb opened it. They are kissing before he knows what is happening. Everything fell away, the last month of hiding, the fight, the isolation, the fear, the boredom, everything was lost to the press of Caleb’s lips.

Stepping backwards into the apartment Caleb draws him inside, lips still locked with his. They manage to close the door and discard Molly’s duffel with barely an interruption to their kiss.

The thing that finally pulls them apart is the instance of Frumpkin that Molly gives him attention. Trying to trip them and yelling at Molly in insistence. Molly breaks away from Caleb and sighs holding him close for a moment. “I have missed you so much,” he says again, having said it over and over for weeks.

“I missed you too, and apparently so did Frumpkin,” Caleb says.

Molly scoops the cat up cradling him on his back like a baby. Frumpkin makes air biscuits and starts purring. He rocks Frumpkin while he continues to talk to Caleb, “I am sorry about the whole affair.”

Shaking his head Caleb draws Molly toward the small sofa, “It’s not your fault,” he assures again.

“Everyone keeps saying that but it sure feels like it is my fault,” he confesses, dropping his head as he gazes down at Frumpkin. As he sits the cat twists so his feet are under him. Frumpkin headbuts Molly’s hands until they are petting him.

Sitting at his side Caleb leans in pressing their sides together, “I know, but it’s not your fault. Even if it feels like it is.” He snakes an arm around Molly.

Frumpkin moves to rest across both of their laps and Caleb pulls Molly closer, leaning in to kiss them again. Molly melts, kissing Caleb hungrily. Caleb moves closer, disrupting the cat who leaves with a despondent meow.

Molly is surprised as Caleb climbs into his lap and straddles his hips. “I really missed you,” he repeats, leaning down to kiss him.

Accepting the kiss easily Molly holds his waist and wiggles in excitement. Caleb breaks away and asks, “May I take off your shirt? May I take off my shirt?”

“Please!” Molly says helping Caleb pull the t-shirt off over his horns, the practiced stretch of arms and collars. Caleb pulls his shirt off and tosses both of their shirts to the side eager to press their chests together and kiss again. Molly groans with how needy Caleb is all the sudden. He presses into Caleb equally needy. Pulling away from his lips he whispers, “I missed your skin on mine.” Frumpkin is displaced and sulks away toward the kitchen.

“I need you to touch me, remind me you’re here in my arms,” Caleb whispers and kisses him again. Molly’s hands roam following the explicit directions, touch and be touched. Something he can do, something he has craved for the time he’s been away. His fingers run across Caleb’s skin raising gooseflesh in their wake.

He arches into Caleb pressing their whole bodies together and leaning back into the pillows of the couch, he pulls Caleb along as he goes, leaning back at an angle. Caleb moans gently into his lips and rolls his hips against Molly. They break apart and lean back to study each other. Molly’s hands skate across Caleb’s chest gently.

“What do you want darling?” Molly asks, taking Caleb’s shoulders in hand and squeezing gently.

Caleb chews on his bottom lip for a moment looking at Caleb and then nods once, “I want you to come to bed with me Mollymauk,” he says decisively and tilts his head face ablaze. “I want you to fuck me.”

“I can accommodate that if you are comfortable,” Molly says, grabbing Caleb around the waist. He stands slowly awkwardly transferring Caleb wrapped around his hips. “There we go.”

“You really enjoy carrying me places,” Caleb observes, smiling and tucking his face against Molly’s neck.

“I do, is that okay?” they ask, heading for Caleb’s bed.

Face still pressed to Molly’s neck Caleb says softly, “I like it.”

Molly chuckles and lowers Caleb to the bed. “Can I take off your pants darling?” He asks, hands hovering over the fastens to their pants.

“Yes you may,” Caleb says laying back.

With little flourish Molly carefully unbuttons Caleb’s slacks and then pulls the zipper free. He checks Caleb’s pockets and puts his wallet on the bedside table before pulling the slacks down off over his narrow hips. Molly licks his lips as he looks down over the soft cotton briefs separating him from Caleb and rests a hand on his stomach.

“Now you?” Caleb asks, arm thrown half over his eyes. He peeks out to watch Molly unbutton and unzip his pants and unbutton the tail snap before shimmying out of the tight trousers.

Molly isn’t wearing anything underneath. Caleb’s blush intensifies as Molly’s cock springs free, already mostly hard. He grabs their waist and draws them in. Molly says plainly, “You don’t need to do anything about that.” He lays Caleb back down and looms over him like a shadow across his pale skin. “May I touch and kiss you all over, I want to know you’re real.”

Nodding Caleb’s hands twitch, “Yes, May I touch and kiss you too?”

“Yes, but let me take care of you darling. I want to make sure you feel really good.” Molly says, already running his hands down Caleb’s flanks. He squeezes Caleb’s hips and leans in to kiss his neck gently.

“But what,” he pauses to let a little gasping, “ah,” out of his throat like a puff, “about you,” he continues a little breathless.

Molly smiles and nips at him briefly before answering, “I am ready, I want to make sure you are ready too.” He kisses his neck, “what kind of love do you want to make?” They ghost their hand over the side of Caleb’s ass and squeeze gently before sliding their thumb into the seam where his thigh meets his body sliding forward until it meets the edge of his briefs.

Shivering like a chill took the room Caleb clings to him, unable to answer his hands slide down and take Molly’s, slipping them around to Caleb’s ass, guiding them to squeeze. Nodding Molly leans close, pressing his chest to Caleb’s one hand finding the bed to hold his weight. “Have you done this before?”

Lips brushing Molly’s cheek Caleb says softly, “play yes…” His face flares and he drops a delicate kiss where his lips alight.

“I can treat you right, nice and slow,” Molly promises, running a hand down Caleb’s side with purpose. He grabs Caleb’s hip and asks, “can I kiss you silly?”

“Not too slow, I like it when you are decisive.” Caleb says pulling Molly’s weight down on top of him, “Now kiss me Mx. Tealeaf.”

So they do. Warm and messy kisses full of need and passion tasting like the salt of Caleb’s skin, the sweet taste of coffee, and the earthy taste of passion.

The press of lips and slip of tongues is accented by the way their hands slide across sides and hips, up over ribs and across shoulders. Molly’s lips travel over Caleb’s cheek and across to his ear nibbling and sucking gently on the lobe.

Caleb lets out another little, “ah,” and Molly grins against his skin. He kisses down his neck carefully, pulling back briefly, “is this okay?”

“Yes, anywhere,” Caleb assures writhing briefly as Caleb closes his teeth around his skin and bites with little force behind it. He pulls away to repeat it a little further down. Leaving wet patches on Caleb’s skin Molly grins and pulls back to blow cold air over the damp skin and cause Caleb to shiver.

Molly groans as he moves down to Caleb’s collarbones and nibbles across them like they are a delicacy. “You are perfect,” he whispers and continues to kiss down Caleb’s chest.

“I don’t know about that,” Caleb disagrees.

“Perfect to me,” Molly insists and latches onto his nipple playfully. Caleb yelps and grabs at Molly who pulls back immediately, “bad?”

“Just surprising,” Caleb says, patting him on the head awkwardly, “you don’t have to stop…”

Grinning Molly gets back to work without more prompting, attacking Caleb’s nipple with his open mouth, licking in circles, nipping carefully, following the line from the bottom to the sweeping arc scar beneath with his tongue. He watches Caleb and whispers, “I want to worship you.”

Moaning Caleb grabs Molly's shoulders and clutches them tight. “Yes, it feels good, Molly please keep going.”

“I love your body.” Molly whispers to the altar of Caleb’s skin stopping to kiss the divot between his pectorals over his sternum. He follows it down to the fuzzy trail of his stomach. “It carries such a beautiful soul. It’s so magnificent.” He rubs his face on the hair across Caleb’s belly with a subtle purr. “I want to touch all of you, put the fingerprints of my devotion on every part of you.” He runs his fingers from Caleb’s ribs down his sides to his hips pressing into the flesh so it furrows around his fingers leaving lines showing where his fingers touched, though no injury. “I missed you so much.” He kisses Caleb’s hip.

Caleb takes a deep breath and lets it out shakily. He makes a little pleased noise and covers his eyes with one hand, “You so easily say poetry to me and I don’t know that I can ever say it back. I’m not skilled like that,” he says.

“Your words tell stories too, they just come out sounding different and that’s okay,” Molly insists.

Blush still overtaking his face and chest Caleb pushes himself up on his elbows and asks softly, “will you get on with opening me up, I’m desperate for you.” His face darkens as he wiggles and slips two pillows under his hips changing the angle skillfully.

“So you know the mechanics of things.” Molly says, chuckling.

“I mean I watch porn like most people ja, I got ready for you when you called,” Caleb says matter of factly. Something about the admission not setting off his shy sensibilities.

Grinning Molly tugs at the waistband of Caleb’s briefs, “May I?”

Caleb nods, stealing himself, he looks uncomfortable.

“You look a little anxious darling, is something wrong?” Molly asks, pausing with his hands on Caleb’s waist.

“I don’t want to look,” his embarrassment flares again and he looks away from Molly for a moment. “Today isn’t perfect like I want it to be.”

Molly pauses and nods, “It doesn’t have to be perfect. Do you have a jock strap or something like that? Maybe that would feel better?”

Caleb tilts his head, “I have one for wearing a packer, I don’t know that a packer will help though,” he says

“But would it help to cover up but let me get to your ass?” Molly asks, rubbing a circle on Caleb’s hip.

There is a moment while Caleb considers and Molly just rubs his hip letting him process the idea. Molly thinks about how much he loves him and how proud he is of his problem solving to remove barriers in their intimacy. He hopes secretly that Caleb is proud too but is too nervous to ask.

“Let me up a minute,” Caleb says, sliding off the pillows under his hips. Molly scrambles off of him and to the side where they lounge naked watching him cross the room in his tighty whities. He digs around in the top drawer of his dresser and comes out with a black and red affair and sets about swapping his briefs for a jock strap.

Molly watches as he pulls the black elastic straps into place framing his ass and smiles. Caleb crosses the room with a little spring in his step and crawls back into bed. He moves to get propped up on his pillows proudly. “Better,” he says, stroking Molly’s cheek.

Molly leans in to kiss him and rolls back on top of him with a sigh. “My sweet boy telling me what he needs.”

“My smart lover,” Caleb says.

Preening, Molly sets about leaning over to retrieve the lube from the bedside. “Can I get my fingers into you, handsome? I want to feel you around me.”

Wiggling his hips Caleb nods and spreads out his legs around Molly’s hips. “Yes, fuck that sounds good.” His face red, he kisses Molly one more time.

Pulling away Molly grins and kisses his sternum on the way down. He sits back on his heels between Caleb’s legs and presses one back spreading him open further and humming at the sight. “Look at that ass, all mine.” He murmurs.

Caleb shivers and Molly grins with pride popping the lid off the lube; he drips it liberally across Caleb’s hole and then coats his fingers. “Are you ready for me, love?”

“Yes, please,” Caleb says looking down at him with a soft expression.

Getting straight to it Molly circles his hole with the pad of his middle finger, warming him up and getting him a little loose. “Breathe and relax Caleb. I’ll take good care of you.”

Caleb takes a deep breath and lets it out, as he’s taking another Molly presses his finger in slowly breaching the tight ring of his ass. “It’s strange to have someone else do this,” he whispers with a soft noise that Molly interprets as good.

“All good?” Molly asks, waiting for the next deep breath to keep pressing. Caleb makes another little noise on the exhale and nods.

“Very good, just different. Angle’s better.” He wiggles slightly and sighs softly. “Faster please?”

“I’ll try.” Molly says, “keep breathing for me.” Caleb takes another breath and Molly presses their finger slowly further in. Pausing every so often until in short order it’s all the way in. Wiggling it slightly he watches as Caleb moans and squirms.

“Good, yeah.” Caleb says and so Molly pulls back and begins to slowly pump their finger in and out of Caleb twisting it a little, changing the angle slightly and generally playing around a bit with him. Caleb makes a series of wiggles and gasps that fill Molly with joy.

“Ready for more?” Molly asks after a few minutes of gentle thrusting, his middle finger ready for a companion.

“Yeah, I’m ready,” Caleb says, spreading his legs a little more and Molly smiles, pulling his finger back to slowly tease two at his hole, knowing that the stretch can feel so good he works slowly in time with Caleb’s breath pressing into him in stages. It doesn’t take much work to seat the two fingers deep in Caleb who is clearly enjoying himself and squirms a little at the intrusion. “It feels good,” he supplies.

Molly moves, thrusting the fingers and Caleb groans moving with him pressing to thrust with him and meet his movements. “Careful, don’t want you to go too hard too quickly,” Molly warns.

“I’ve been waiting for this for weeks. I want you so badly,” Caleb whines, moving to meet Molly’s fingers, “I want to be ready so I can feel you fill me up.”

“I want to give you three, just to be sure. Can you be patient?” Molly asks, petting his hip and grabbing him to slow his movement.

Caleb whimpered, “I’ll take whatever you want to give me,” he spreads himself open, using his hands to pull his cheeks apart, his blush stains his chest like wine across a tablecloth and he looks down watching where Molly’s fingers disappear into his body. “Please just give me you.”

“You already have me,” Molly whispers and pushes his fingers into Caleb, twisting them slowly causing Caleb to groan. “I can give you some good times while you wait for my cock, just be patient with me so I can be sure it will not be painful, I don’t want you to remember me as hurting you ever,” Molly nuzzles his hip and kisses the point of it.

Wiggling Caleb nods whispering, “you’re so good to me.”

“You deserve it, you deserve the world and every pleasure it can bring,” Molly declares as he thrusts his fingers in and out of Caleb slowly twisting them and drawing them in and out with a slight scissoring. “You deserve to feel every good feeling and get every good thing. I will give you the stars,” he declares and kisses his hip again. “Are you ready for more?”

“Yes, I want to be an open book for you, please Molly, please!” Caleb begs pulling one thigh back against his body and spreading himself wide open, presenting his ass fully.

Molly licks his lips and bites Caleb’s thigh gently where it swells the most, Caleb sighs and makes a little noise again.

Pulling his fingers mostly out Molly pours lube freely on the messy slickness of his hand and grins as he lines up three fingers at Caleb’s entrance, “Breathe lovely,” he reminds Caleb and as he does presses into him, the stretch more apparent than it has been before. Molly can feel him unfold around his fingers, a tight unfurling of muscle that is delicate and beautiful. “There we go,” Caleb moans as Molly presses his knuckles past the tight ring of his asshole and into him wholly. Once inside he wiggles his fingers and presses toward his pubic bone gently. “Good boy, taking it so well,” he whispers and Caleb groans clutching to his own knee and whining softly.

“Fich Molly, it’s so much,” he whispers.

“Is it too much?” Molly asks immediately.

There is a beat while Caleb considers flexing around him. “No, it is good, I feel so full, I almost want more but I want you more,” he says, starting and stopping as he goes eyes pressed closed.

Molly wiggles his fingers and presses in just a bit more fully bottoming out his fingers in Caleb. There is another shorter groan and Molly grins. He starts to slowly pump his fingers in and out of him focusing on scissoring and wiggling his fingers as he goes trying to stimulate as many nerve endings as he can. He wants to kiss but he doesn’t want to overwhelm. He puts that thought aside for another time.

“Do you feel ready, love?” Molly asks, pumping their fingers in and out, pressing deep and wriggling. “I feel like you can take me, I’ll go so much deeper and fill you properly, would you like that?”

With a little, “ah,” Caleb nods reaching for him, “please, I want to feel you. It’s so good but I need more.” He flushes closing his eyes and the tip of his tongue sneaks out to wet his lips. Molly nods and slowly pulls his fingers free of Caleb’s ass. He grabs the baby wipes and cleans his hand after spreading lube on his ignored cock.

“I’m going to fill you up so good,” he mumbles as he cleans his hands up and leans in between Caleb’s legs. “Are you ready darling?” He sets the lube near his hip.

“I think so, is it different than with toys?” Caleb asks softly, closing his eyes in embarrassment.

“It’s easier than toys, more give. I’ll go slow and we’ll be gentle okay?” Molly puts the tip of his cock to Caleb’s hole which twitches in anticipation.

“Ja, please,” he whispers, looking down, eyes wide.

“Breathe darling, you’re so good for me.” Molly exaggerates his own breath and presses into Caleb once he’s relaxed. Even with his fingering Caleb is tight, he struggles to relax around Molly and whimpers lightly as Molly pauses just the head of his cock inside. “Relax love, press like you’re bearing down and breathe, ready.” Molly breathes with him and he pushes deeper.

Caleb groans as Molly pushes incrementally in. “Oh gods,” Caleb whispers, clutching to Molly’s shoulders.

“Is it okay darling?” Molly asks, stilling the press of his hips forward.

Caleb groans softly, “It’s good, don’t stop. Please, more.”

“As you wish,” Molly says with a grin, he happily moves forward pressing into Caleb’s ass slowly, “Gods you feel good, I want to sink into you forever,” Molly whispers to him pulling himself more fully over him as he slips the last few inches into him. They are flush, ass to pelvis. Molly presses himself into Caleb even further against him whining, “Gods you are good.” He whispers.

“So much,” Caleb whispers. Molly stays still and holds him close, boxing in his chest with his arms.

“Are you doing okay?” He asks, checking in again.

“I want you to move,” Caleb says, “please fuck me,” he makes eye contact with Molly and chews his bottom lip as he looks to him briefly. Before looking down to where they are joined with a little whimper. “Please Molly.”

“As you wish,” Molly repeats and slowly he pulls back reveling in the tight press of Caleb’s ass around his cock. He groans as he moves, setting a slow driving pace where he pulls nearly all the way out and slips all the way back in.

“Gods,” Caleb says as he squirms and groans below him, “Molly, fuck.” Caleb grabs his hips, “faster please.”

Molly feels like if he talks he’ll spill over so he simply speeds up, still pulling almost all the way out and pushing all the way in, feeling so good to get the whole length of himself pressed in and out of Caleb’s tight heat. He moans and messily kisses Caleb’s neck rocking against him in long measured strokes.

“You’re like clockwork, please really fuck me!” Caleb begs pulling his legs open further for Molly.

Still overwhelmed with how connected to Caleb he feels Molly whimpers and picks up the pace and intensity pressing hard into Caleb’s ass on the downstroke letting his hips press into him as he moves. He rams into Caleb roughly on the next stroke pulling him in by the hips and yanking him across the pillows slightly. He grunts and lets out a little groan as he goes. Caleb moans lewdly and holds his knees open for Molly.

“Mine,” Molly growls instinctively, “Fuck I love you,” he keeps slamming into Caleb whose mouth falls open as he clutches his knees and moans.

“Ja, gods,” he squirms at the movement and something reminds Molly that this is Caleb’s first time but he’s already going and he is so close. Caleb is into it; he reminds himself as he struggles with his feelings about it all. “Wreck me!” Caleb begs and Molly’s mind shuts off a little, causing him to slam into him more roughly.

Something about the roughness takes Molly right to the edge quickly, “I’m going to… fuck I’m close.” Molly grunts out, doubling over Caleb.

“Fill me!” Caleb begs, face and neck red as he spreads himself for Caleb begging for him.

“Can I touch you?” Molly asks, “touch your cock.”

Caleb is quiet for a moment as Molly slams into him and Molly starts to worry but Caleb surprises him and whimpers, “Please touch my cock, just my cock.”

Molly nods and slips one hand under the jock careful to keep their seeking fingers light and avoidant barely brushing lips before touching the sweet bud of Caleb’s clit. He zeros in and rubs the soft peak in loose circles while he keeps up the pace of moving into them, slowly trying to push off his own release but struggling not to feel like he was going to explode any moment.

He rubs fiercely and whines as he moves and Caleb groans, “Ja like that,” he squirms his hips rolling into Molly’s hand oscillating between the cock in his ass and the fingers against his clit. Molly strokes him with two fingers moving roughly and fast, “I can’t,” he chokes out feeling himself close.

“I am close,” Caleb breathes out and whines softly, putting his hand into the jock with Caleb guiding his hand to rub circles again, more rough and fast. Molly speeds back up slamming into Caleb closing his eyes, “I’m…” he never finishes as he strokes a few final times pushing deep to fill Caleb with his release. He keeps moving his fingers playing Caleb like a fiddle. Caleb gasps and tenses a few strokes later his muscles tightening around Molly who gasps and squirms himself. They shake together as Caleb crests into orgasm clutching Molly and gasping into the juncture of his neck like a man saved from drowning. Molly keeps rubbing at his cock until Caleb pushes his hand away with a sigh.

“I’m going to pull out.” Molly whispers softly.

“Ja, okay.” Caleb keeps his legs drawn up while Molly pulls back and watches for a moment as his cum leaks out of Caleb’s abused hole. He grabs a baby wipe and cleans him up a bit before climbing up to lay with him.

“Fuck.” Molly says.

“Ja, that was really good.” Caleb says.

“Was it okay? I didn’t go too hard?” Molly asks, nuzzling Caleb’s hair. As he draws Caleb up on top of him.

“I’m going to be sore,” He wiggles as he settles on top of Molly. “But I kind of like that,” He buries his face against Molly’s shoulder, his face hidden.

“A memory of my cock in you hmm?” Molly asks goosing him gently.

Chuckling Caleb nods against him and says, “I like it, I like remembering you.”

“I like remembering you too.” Molly says, pulling him close.

Caleb sighs, “I wish I could mark you.” He kisses their shoulder and nips the skin very gently.

Sighing Molly squeezes him and drapes the blankets over the top of them. “I’m sorry dear. It’s the downside to selling access to my body, it has to be a specific way.”

“I never thought of it as access to your body… does that ever bother you?” Caleb asks.

“It’s no different than doing physical labor, they sell the labor of their body, my labor is just a little different and it is the labor of my body just with less clothing and less construction equipment. Different perils but the same selling of our body if you think about it.” He shrugs.

“I guess so, I think it’s just as much work as anything else in this weird capitalist system,” Caleb says with a little shrug.

Molly nods and says, “Work is work, I like my job even if it comes with its own unique challenges, all work does really.”

“Too true,” Caleb says nodding as he yawns, “I need to pee, but I don’t want to get up.”

“Do you need me to carry you?” Molly asks, chuckling.

“No, I think I can make it, I'm just being whiney,” Caleb says.

 Molly smiles and cradles Caleb to his chest arms around his waist. “I know you said you’d be sore, but it was good? I didn’t cross any boundaries?” Molly asks, face brushing the top of Caleb’s head.

Kissing his chest gently Caleb nods, “That was perfect, I like being treated like that, I like the way you touched me and got me ready, the way you um,” his cheek presses into Molly’s chest, “It felt good.” He squirms and adds, “Thank you for knowing when to touch my front, and for asking.”

Rocking him gently Molly sighs into his hair, “I liked feeling you, it felt close like I was connecting with you in a new way. You were so tight and hot for me, so receptive and ready. You felt good and were so relaxed. My good boy.” He kisses Caleb’s hair gently, “I love you Caleb.”

Caleb squirms and leans up to kiss Molly, “I love you too Molly.” He whispers before sealing their lips together. Molly cradles them close with a little sound of joy and squeezes Caleb.

“Ja, I have to get up and use the bathroom now.” Caleb says slipping from Molly and then the bed. “Before you squeeze me too much.”

Molly chuckles and asks, “do you need a shower?”

“Yeah,” he stretches and asks, blush spreading rapidly, “Do you want to join me? You can come in once you hear the water turn on,” he says.

“I’d like that a lot,” Molly says, watching Caleb turn and head to the bathroom.

“See you soon,” Caleb says as the door closes and Molly lays back smiling. He feels happier than he has in a long time. Finally free of the cult, well fucked, and most importantly well loved.

He rubs his stomach just happy to feel his own skin and smiles at the ceiling sighing. “Don’t fuck this up,” he tells himself.

Chapter Text

It’s a few nights before they spend the evening together again, their schedules not aligning for a slumber party. But it’s Folsen and they are curled in Molly’s bed watching a documentary about the Empire on Caleb’s little laptop when he gets the urge to share.

Caleb reaches up and turns the documentary off with a shaking hand.

“You okay lovely?” Molly asks leaning out to see Caleb’s face. He looks frightened, or anxious, or perhaps a mix of both rolled up in one.

“I have a secret that I have not told you that may alter how you look at me, and I think it’s time you knew. It’s rather big and dramatic.”

“I’m here to listen, love,” Molly assures curling closer.

Caleb is quiet for a long moment before he starts, “I know I have mentioned my time at the academy….”

For the whole bloody and fiery tale, Molly lets him speak, nodding and making noncommittal noises when he makes eye contact, which only happens a few times. At the end of the tale, Caleb goes quiet for a moment and then says, “And that’s the whole thing. How I was chosen, how I excelled, how I killed my parents, my time in the sanitorium, my escape, my time on the streets, my time as a pickpocket, my new identity, how they are likely still looking for me… all of it.”

“How you were a child who was indoctrinated and did as you were commanded and then dealt with the fallout as well as you could?” Molly states, feeling nothing but anger for Caleb’s past masters.

“They are still actions I took,” Caleb says softly.

“Trying to remove your attachments so they have you completely isolated is on them not on you,” Molly says, trying to pull Caleb closer. Caleb resists for an instant but he goes readily, happy for the comfort.

He sighs, “Either way, these are my sins.”

Molly hums and nuzzles into Caleb’s hair, “Thank you for sharing.”

Quiet and a bit shocked Caleb gets small in Molly’s arms. “This is not what I expected.”

“What did you expect?”Molly asks.

“I always expect to be rejected,” Caleb says softly.

“Well, I love you and understand that these things are complex.” Caleb curls up in Molly’s arms and sniffs a few times. Molly wraps his arms around Caleb tighter. “If you need to cry I will hold you.”

“I am fine,” he says, sounding filled with tears.

“Offer stands.”

Like a trickling sink whose handle breaks Caleb cries just a little then all at once. Leaving a wet stain on the shoulder of Molly’s sleep shirt, one he’s happy to bear for the price of keeping Caleb curled close while the emotions work their way out and through his body.

Sometime later, Caleb comes up for air, face puffy and red, voice ragged, nose snotty, and eyes wet. He is beautiful. Molly kisses his forehead gently and asks softly, “A little better?”

Caleb nods and frowns at him. “I have a headache and I feel like I'm hungover,” he mumbles curling back close.

“You’re dehydrated and exhausted, let’s get you some water and we can pick something less emotionally devastating to watch.” At some point, Molly had closed the laptop, closed the reminder of what they’d been watching, of the young soldier in regalia that had caused Caleb to pause the film in the first place.

Molly extracts himself and tucks a stuffed cat into Caleb’s hands moving to get water, tissues, and a new shirt. They bumble around Caleb’s apartment, casual and sweet, domestic and calm and it makes him feel like he lives there. He wants to live there. He files that thought away for later.

He comes back with three water bottles filled from the tap, a box of tissues, and just without a shirt. It was simpler.

Caleb drinks a bottle in two long chugs that are impressive. He takes the tissues and blows his nose, cleaning up the wreckage of deep crying carefully and throwing it away. Leaving the box on the bedside table he mumbles, “Thank you.”

“Anytime. I want to be here when it’s hard and when it’s happy and easy.” Molly takes his hand and smiles. “We can do this together.”

Caleb smiles weakly, “I’m learning.”

“Good, do you want to watch something more or go to bed?”

Thinking for a moment Caleb shakes his head, “Whatever you want, as long as you hold me.”

Molly wraps Caleb back up in his arms, laptop forgotten on the bed. He rearranges them back into a cuddle and sets the screen back up, backing out of the documentary and picking another, the history of Xhorhas. He nuzzles Caleb and says, “Let’s watch a palette cleanser and get some snuggling in. I’ll hold you.”

Caleb nods and curls closer to Molly resting his head on their shoulder and pulling their legs together to the side of the laptop.

Pressing play Molly draws his arms around his lover and scarcely can pay attention to the dialogue explaining a very brief overview of the history of Rosohna and then mostly focuses on outlying areas with more readily accessible history.

Eventually, the documentary ends and Molly closes the laptop, setting it beside the bed on a chair, and pulls Caleb down into the blankets. He cuddles close and asks quietly, “Did that help?”

“Ja, a little,” Caleb says, eyes down.

“Good. Let’s get some sleep and we can talk about it more tomorrow if it’s still heavy on your heart,” Molly assures.

Caleb agrees curling close to Molly and folding against his chest like paper folds together in the signature of a book. Close and molded against one another, sleep greets Molly readily and they drift off to dreamless slumber.

Morning comes like a bolt of lightning, Molly is startled awake by the sun through his blinds. He stretches and notices his bed partner is gone. He assumes he’s in the bathroom or making breakfast. Molly gets up slowly pulling on pajama pants and padding into the shared space. The bathroom door is open and he isn’t there and there is not a peep from the living room. Molly looks around and Caleb’s things are gone. On the bedside table, there is a note.

Molly,

I am sorry to go like this but I cannot bear to see you look at me with knowledge of what you did in your eyes. I should have kept my secret so you would not know the damaged nature of my heart. But you had a right to know what kind of monster shared your bed. I left to save you the pain of asking me to go. I am sorry for any pain I caused and will leave you be.

I am sorry.

Love,

Caleb

Molly runs his fingers over the word love a few times, his mouth open. He wants to grow wings to find Caleb, he wants to wrap him in his heart so he knows how it beats for him.

They get out their cell phone and call Caleb. It goes straight to voicemail.

Calling again they get the same result.

They pull on clothing mechanically. Then their coat, keys, and phone. They get their wallet as a second thought and shove the note into their pocket.

The walk across town is a blur of places and people merge into one long dissociation. When they get to Caleb’s front door they don’t know how they got there but they knock anyway.

There is no movement inside for a long moment then a plaintive meow. Another meow comes with the second knock and Molly frowns thinking Caleb isn’t here either. He tries the door and it’s locked. He wishes he had a key but he doesn’t so he leaves Frumpkin in the empty apartment and walks away.

He ends up at their coffee shop, ordering his usual and sitting at their table. He sits in Caleb’s seat wishing to feel close to him but all he feels is numb. He sips the coffee and watches the door like somehow Caleb will materialize there and tell him this is all a dream.

Finishing his coffee, no Caleb comes through the door. His phone rings. He doesn’t even look, he just answers mechanically.

“Hello,” he says, sadness coloring his voice.

“Where’d you go, you didn’t even lock or close the door,” Yasha says worried.

Molly pauses and sighs, “Caleb left,” is all he can manage looking down at his hands, “He was gone when I woke up.”

There is another pause before Yasha repeats herself, “Where are you? Are you safe?”

“I’m at the coffee shop, I’m safe, moonflower. I’ll come home soon,” he whispers into the cradled phone. He feels hollow and like his voice echoes around in his chest.

“Do you want me to come meet you?” Yasha asks. He can hear her keys jingle.

Shaking his head he feels the echo of his chest as he answers, “No, I can make it home.”

“Okay, I’ll be right here when you get back.” She promises. “Do you want breakfast?”

“I’m not hungry…” he half whispers as he stands and makes his way out, disposing of his empty cup on the way out.

“What if I make pancakes, are you hungry then?” Yasha asks the small smile in her voice apparent.

He sighs, “If you want me to eat I will eat.”

“Thank you, I’ll be in the kitchen then. See you soon,” she says.

“See you soon,” he parrots and hangs up.

On the way home he tries to call Caleb again. It goes to voicemail so he leaves one this time.

“I love you. I don’t care how damaged you think you are, I think you’re made of the stuff of stars and magic. I don’t want you to go, I want to wrap my arms around you and keep you all in one piece. I promise I don’t think of you any differently. I just understand you better, not love you any less. Please don’t shut me out when you just let me in,” he stops to breathe, “I need you like I need air, and as cliche as it sounds I love you like the moon and stars, a constant in my dark skies. I love you like the sun and sky, a constant in my daytime. Don’t go from me, please. I need…”

There is a beep of the message cutting him off.

They sigh and hang up before the phone can ask them to listen to their desperate message. Tucking the phone away and rounding the corner to their apartment complex Molly feels numb. The cage of their chest echoes empty clunks where their heart should be as they climb the stairs, it sings a metal clang as they open the door and it reverberates a painful vibration as they remove their coat.

Hugging themself to stop the feeling they retreat to the kitchen. Sitting on the stool of the little breakfast bar and smiling weakly at Yasha. She watches them like a hawk. Molly sinks down resting their head on the counter, “Hey.”

“Do you want a hug, trouble?”

“No,” He answers, still hugging himself as he deflates onto the counter watching her pour batter into the pan. “How are your pancakes coming?”

“So far I have made what looks like edible food so we’re off to a good start,” Yasha says smiling.

Nodding Molly doesn’t acknowledge his gathering tears or the way he sits up slowly to rock in place. He looks up trying to stem the coming flood.

Yasha comes around the counter slowly setting a stack of pancakes in front of Molly with the syrup and butter slathered atop. He can only think of all the pancakes he and Caleb ate as he slowly cuts a triangle of the food, for Yasha, eats it mechanically.

He doesn't taste the sweetness, he doesn’t even register the texture. Feeling like a ghost he blinks repeatedly, feeling the ocean in his head make more and more intense waves trying to break through the wet red of his eyes.

Stubborn even in this he looks down at the pancakes and focuses on making and eating little triangles. “This is good,” he lies to Yasha.

“Good, I wasn’t sure,” she says, finishing her stack and joining him at the bar. “Though everything is good covered in syrup and butter.”

“I suppose so,” he answers, feeling that hollow feeling again. He wishes that the water in his head would drain into the hollow in his chest, fill where his heart has escaped and make it feel full even if it’s just the salt water and not a beating heart. It would be something to slosh instead of a persistent echo.

So caught up in this thought he misses what Yasha says, “Sorry what was that?” He asks.

“Do you need to talk about it?” She asks, putting a large hand, spread like a wing across his back.

“No, I need to process it, I think. It includes a lot of Caleb’s things I'm not really at liberty to share…” he says sighing. “I will come for hugs later I think.”

“I will be here. Do you want me to cancel Beau coming over later?” She asks, her hand still spread across his back, grounding him to her, a tether to his empty chest.

“No, you and her should enjoy each other’s company, don’t let me bring you down.” He forces a smile and headbutts Yasha’s shoulder.

“As long as you are sure, love,” she says, her hand finally leaving his back, the warm impression fading more slowly.

“I will be okay, I just need some time to think,” he spreads his hands out on the bar, framing his plate where his pancakes are half gone, “I don’t think I can finish this.”

She dips her head and nods, “It’s okay I made too much batter and then made too many pancakes.”

Molly pushes his stool out slowly saying, “I’m going to go to my room and snuggle up with my sketchbook.”

Yasha nods and says, “Call for me or text if you need anything, I’m here for you Molls.”

Nodding again Molly holds his empty chest and ducks his ocean head as he goes to his room, closing the door and breathing out seaside air into the bittersweet staleness of his room.

He wants to crawl into bed, but it smells like him. So he does, diving into the Caleb smell and wrapping it around him, his head on Caleb’s pillow, his body in Caleb’s spot.

His wet red eyes fail to keep the salty ocean at bay and he anoints the pillow with the saline wetness of his inner sea. Each drop mixes with the Caleb scent and drives it away just a little. Molly cries with the lost control of the abandoned, his shoulders shake and cause the echoes of his chest to play a percussive beat, offsetting the shake with a clang like none he’s played so far.

Without Caleb’s knack for knowing the time he doesn’t know how long he cries. When the tears eventually stop and the ocean in his head calms down to sunset stillness he can feel the hollowness in his whole body and it feels like a weight of aching pain filling him. He knows it’s just crying dehydration but it feels like the world is pressing down on him. He drags himself to the kitchen for water and ignores the worried face Yasha gives him from the living room.

The water sloshes around in the hollow of their chest and they head back to bed, calling into work that they can’t make it. Mary finds someone to cover them. Curled up around their phone they text Caleb.

Molly: I still love you

Molly: Please don’t leave me like this

Molly: I need you

He waits for a response that doesn’t come.

Chapter Text

Every day when work ends Molly puts on his street clothing and packs his bag heading out. He stops at the little coffee shop where he used to go on dates with Caleb and orders tea. He sits at their table in Caleb’s chair and watches the door for about an hour, until his tea is gone or cold. Then he goes home.

Some days he texts Caleb, a long string of unanswered messages usually all marked as read.

Molly: I miss you. Thought of you when I got rose tea today, I know you hate the floral ones.

Molly: Walked through the park today, sat on our bench for a bit, wished you were there.

Molly: I love you.

Today is no different, sitting at his table, chest a vacuum, tired from work. Hair still wet and pulled up messily. He looks terrible with the makeup all gone and his fake smile faded away. It’s his resting hour, his hour to just be.

Today is different in one other way. He sees Caleb, laden with a few books, come into the coffee shop and order coffee. His body clangs a wistful note. Caleb moves to the order window and waits. Molly is stunned and doesn’t want to crowd him so he just sadly watches, unsure what to do.

Caleb - head down - starts to go to the table that Molly is at, but he looks up, startled to see them already there. He smiles for a brief moment before his face falls and one of the books slides from his arms with a clatter to the ground. It resonates in Molly. Caleb stands stunned as Molly rounds the table and picks it up, tucking it back into his grasp.

“Come here often?” Molly asks softly, voice strained.

Caleb blinks owlishly and shakes his head, “I used to come every day, but I haven't in some time,” he says.

“Sit with me?” Molly asks, hope filling up his voice with honey.

Nodding slowly Caleb moves towards where Molly had been sitting, “May I have my spot?” he asks, embarrassment coloring his face.

“Of course.” Molly responds as he moves his things. Putting his back to the door easily with Caleb there to watch out for him. Trust is still present in his demeanor.

Caleb sets his coffee down, his stack of books, his mess of papers. Looking flustered he shuffles papers, scarcely able to meet Molly’s eyes. His eyes are on him as Molly tries to think of what to even say. It’s been a month, the flowers are blooming, spring has more than sprung, it's spring is unwinding toward summer every day.

“What are you studying?” He finally asks, safe small talk.

Caleb holds up a book whose title Molly can’t decipher with his rudimentary grasp of common. Realizing that Caleb reads it, “Transmutation and the properties of crystalline structures.” Gesturing to the stack of books, “books on minerals and crystals for cross referencing.”

Molly nods as if he could ever understand, maybe that was the real problem. “Sounds interesting.”

“Are you still working at Mary’s?” Caleb asks, flipping through papers and putting them in some mystical order.

“Yeah, I’ve been there a while now.” Maybe that was the real problem he reflects, wondering if Caleb knows he’d quit right now if he’d come back. He considers saying it but can’t find the bravery for those words.

Nodding Caleb looks up and for the first time meets Molly’s eyes. “How have you been?”

Anger floods Molly in an instant. He should know. Molly has texted him every day for the 39 days since he woke up alone. He even remembers the number of days; Molly never remembers the number. He takes a deep breath that rattles around in his chest, and lets the cutting get the better of him, “You’ve read my texts, it’s been a bit rough.”

Looking down at his hands Caleb nods, “I am sorry I haven’t responded.” He is fidgeting. Molly wants to hold his hand and slap him at the same time. He’d never hit Caleb, but the urge is still there tingling under the skin of his hands.

Unsure how to respond, Molly stares at him for a moment before sipping his cold tea. “I still don’t understand, but I suppose you don’t owe me any explanation,” they pause looking down into their tea. “You don’t owe me anything,” he says, voice a tight drum.

“I thought I was clear. I’m sorry if I wasn’t clear with what I said about… us,” Caleb says quietly. The coffee shop falls away, making the room feel infinite.

Molly reaches into their breast pocket and pulls out the folded note. They unfold it and slide it across the table. “I left to save you the pain of asking me to go,” they recite, “I thought I was the fortune teller.”

Recoiling from the letter Caleb slides it back with one finger and sighs softly, “I didn’t want to hurt you.”

“You did,” Molly says plainly. Folding the letter Molly tucks it back into the pocket that holds Caleb's fake wallet, a glass bauble he stole on a coffee date early on, and the break up letter. He thinks of it as his sadness pocket, where he goes these days when the sadness gets too big and needs to bubble up out of him.

Wiping his eyes Caleb sets his hands on the table. “I thought hurting you for a few weeks was better than hurting you for longer,” he explains.

“A few weeks?” Molly asks.

Caleb nods and answers, “I didn’t think you’d mourn me this long.”

“I love you,” Molly says, sliding a hand half way across the table just like he’d done on their first official date.

Leaning in minutely Caleb’s hands twitch but stay clasped together. “Still?” he asks, tilting his head, eyes sad and full of hope.

“Still,” Molly confirms, looking directly at him, trying to hold his gaze without being oppressive.

Tentative Caleb unwinds his hands and reaches out laying his in Molly’s reaching hand. “I’m sorry,” Caleb says softly, “I got scared.”

“When you get scared you have to tell me, then we can figure it out together. You don’t have to run from me,” Molly says, eyes misty. “Can we try again, please darling.”

“I don’t know how you could trust me after this,” Caleb admits.

Molly nods, “Like anything, that may take a little work.”

With a little smile Caleb says, “you know I’m not scared of some hard work.”

“Can we meet again tomorrow for coffee?” Molly asks, looking hopeful, “start like we did before.”

Caleb smiles, a real smile, “I’d like that. And I’ll endeavor to answer your texts in a timely manner. Do you need to get to sleep?”

“I’m on my second cup of tea, it’s not far off. Do you want to walk me home?” Molly asks, hopeful.

Caleb scoops up his papers and tucks them into one of the books. “Yeah, I think I’d like that.”

Molly juggles their bags and coat getting their things situated and takes away their empty cup. Caleb follows them outside and as if by muscle memory takes Molly’s hand.

“Is that okay?” He asks meekly.

“Yeah, that’s okay,” Molly answers smiling broadly. “So I’ve been working on a fan act that uses three fans so I can make a cover and a peacock tail. It's a little tricky but I think I’m getting it down.” They launch into a topic that used to be common for these walks, a bit about work.

“Does that make the throws hard?” Caleb asks clearly following along with the topic.

“Yes but it looks really great as a fan flies while both my hands are still full. Makes for some really cool looking tricks. I just need a bit more work to get it down and I’ll debut it on a Folsen when it’s busy,” Molly says excitedly.

“Still working Whelsen to Da'leysen?” Caleb asks.

“Yeah so just tomorrow then I have a few days off,” Molly confirms, “I have a week off coming up so I can spend some time in a workshop for new routines, well off nights, I’ll still have rehearsals and some extra workshops with Mary.”

“May I ask you a serious question?” Caleb asks quietly as they near Molly’s apartment.

“Anything,” Molly says, a bit desperate not to ruin the good thing they’ve started between them.

“Any word from Cree or her people?” He asks quietly as if a little worried he’ll be overheard.

Molly shakes their head, “not a peep. I have not needed the security since then, and I have their number if anything comes up.”

“Good, I worried about that,” he squeezes Molly’s hand as they stop at the end of the driveway like they always did before.

Molly turns to look at him and swallows heavily wondering if a kiss is too much. He decides to be bold, “May I kiss your cheek?” he asks stiffly.

Caleb smiles meekly and turns a lovely dusky rose. “Yes you may Mx. Tealeaf, whenever you’d like.”

Stepping close Molly gets into his personal space and kisses his cheek slowly but chastely, a soft press of lips that feels electric. He pulls back as breathless as if they had kissed deep and long, his hollow feeling a little filled in, but still sloshing more than he’d like.

“Thank you, may I return the gesture?” Caleb asks, looking at his feet.

“You may, whenever and wherever you’d like Caleb. You may always kiss me.” Molly says, squeezing his hand again.

Crowding back in, Caleb rolls his lips across Molly’s cheek, gentle and slow. Molly’s chest resonates with a dull feeling and he nearly grabs it but stops short.

Not stepping away Caleb looks up at Molly with misty eyes, “I can’t believe that I can have this. Are you sure we can repair this after what I did?”

Molly really thinks he owes Caleb at least that much and after running his brain over some worst case scenarios of heartbreak strung out over months he says softly, “I think so, and if not at least we can find closure in knowing that.”

Caleb bites his lip and nods curtly asking, “may I really kiss you?”

Reeling a little Molly nods. “Gentle, I’m out of practice,” he jokes.

Closing the gap slowly like he’s worried he will spook Molly away, Caleb leans up and puts their lips together with a calculated gentleness that feels careful and safe. They kiss like strangers kissing for the first time. Not like lovers who have known each other. It makes the clang in Molly’s chest rattle around loudly. He ignores it in favor of basking in Caleb’s attention.

When they pull back apart Molly fights off a yawn and blushes. “I should get to sleep,” they admit, “I will see you tomorrow for coffee right?”

“I know the place,” Caleb says softly, still close, holding their hand. He squeezes it once and lets go stepping back. “Sleep well Mx. Tealeaf.”

“Hope studying goes well,” Molly responds and turns and walks away. Not looking back is hard, but he manages to make it to the door in one piece. When he closes the door Caleb is still watching him and finally turns to go. He turns to Yasha standing in the living room with her hands on her hips.

“Hello Angel,” Molly says, taking off his bag, boots, and jacket at the door. She keeps staring at him.

“So now you’re just back to kissing him at the end of coffee? What happened?” She asks, looking irritated.

Molly wilts under her anger and he explains, “He showed up at the coffee shop and we talked. He thought he was doing the right thing, he realizes he was wrong. We agreed to try again.” Molly shrugs and wrings his hands together under her critical view, “we’re going to start with coffee and see what happens.”

“Just like that? More than a month of the most miserable I’ve ever seen you and he just gets another chance?” She asks as her mouth set in a harsh line.

“I never really stopped loving him Yash, you know that,” Molly explains, exhausted.

She looks him over, “I’ll support you in whatever you do Molly, but be careful, I don’t want to spend another month helping you pick up the pieces if he flakes again.”

“I know angel, I know,” He shoulders his bag and continues, “can we talk after I’ve slept? I’m exhausted.”

“Yeah, get some sleep, we’ll talk later,” she promises.

Chapter Text

The heat had plunged them into tank tops and shorts weather. Molly is living for it. He loves getting to show off his skin. He worked hard to be a work of art and showing off the looping snakes and blooming flowers is all the more fun. Crop top and tiny shorts is his uniform of summer choice and he loves even more how it makes Caleb blush every time he sees him across the coffee house lounging at the table with his iced latte.

Today is his day off and he is going to ask Caleb to walk in the park. He’s been working up the courage all morning. It’s scarcely six when Caleb rounds into the shop and turns red. Molly waves excitedly and stretches his long legs under the table. Caleb orders and Molly turns his attention to the order pick up area, waiting for Caleb.

It’s not too busy this morning, coffee isn’t as popular when it’s this hot by six. Barely having to stop to get his drink Caleb comes right over to their table. Molly stands slowly and draws him into a tight embrace. He breathes in the soft smell of Caleb’s shampoo and noses his damp hair. His chest feels full finally after weeks of slowly filling it is finally back to full of Caleb Caleb Caleb.

“Good morning Molly,” Caleb starts, slipping from his arms to sit at the table.

Sitting Molly smiles too, “Good morning love, I hope you slept well.” Caleb scoots his chair in and reaches for Molly’s hand. Happily Molly rests his hand in Caleb’s. Today he wore the rings that Caleb loves to play with when he gets nervous and he absently fiddles with them immediately.

“It was acceptable,” Caleb says, looking a bit sad.

“Bad dreams?” Molly asks, running their thumb over the back of Caleb’s hand soothingly.

Nodding Caleb looks down into his iced coffee, “they are always worse this time of year,” he explains.

Molly squeezes his hand and bites his tongue, unsure if he should offer to come share his bed. It’s only been a week since they restarted this thing and it’s been tentative and shaky at every turn. “I’m sorry darling.”

He hasn’t said I love you again since that first day in the cafe. It feels too raw still. Similarly Caleb has been reserved with his direct affections. they have been distant compared to how amorous they had grown, just getting coffee every day, seeing each other in the morning and texting about their days. Pushing Molly’s limited vocabulary, he’s getting lots of look-up practice.

“I will manage, I have before and will make it through again. Don’t trouble yourself on my account,” Caleb says smiling weakly and squeezing Molly’s fingers as he spins the loose rings on their fingers. “How was work?”

“It was good, nothing out of the ordinary, which is sort of a blessing when you think about it,” he takes a long sip of his coffee and adds, “I have the next three days off. James needed extra hours so he picked up my Grissen.”

Caleb smiles and asks softly, “Does that mean you may have time for a date in the next few days?”

“Whenever you want, darling. I don’t have any plans that have set times, I can make time for you.” He smiles and cradles his chin in his palm as he leans forward on his elbow.

Leaning forward Caleb asks breathily, still asking despite having permission, “May I kiss you?”

“Yes,” Molly answers, leaning closer across the bistro table until they are nose to nose. Caleb turns his head and closes the gap. The press of their lips is getting more familiar, closer to the intensity and resonance it had before. It sends fish swimming in the sea of Molly’s chest and they feel full of joy even as simple as the kiss is between them. It’s clean and clear like a lemonade when it’s hot, bright and sharp but in a way that’s perfect.

Caleb scoots his chair in again pressing his stomach to the table as he moves so he can better reach Molly’s hand. “Do you have any idea what kind of date you’d like?” he asks quietly.

“Maybe dinner? We could go to The Leaky Tap, get some bad pub food, and walk through the park after dark maybe…” He looks hopeful, swallowing heavily as he watches Caleb stare at their joined hands.

Looking up Caleb smiles, “I’d like that, it’s sort of poetic.” He brushes his thumb over Molly’s palm following the heart line unintentionally. Caleb adds “we could watch the stars.”

Grinning Molly nods, “Tomorrow night? Is that too soon?”

“I can make that work,” Caleb says smile widening.

“It’s a date,” Molly confirms bouncing in his seat, he asks, “Do you want to take the scenic route back to your apartment today, maybe through the park? I have the time and I know you don’t have an early class…”

Considering for a moment Caleb nods, “Yeah, I have time. I would love to meander a bit with you.”

Standing slowly Molly draws Caleb along. They take their iced drinks out the door and down the street in companionable silence, walking close with their hands clasped together.

Molly breaks the silence as they turn into the park pointing at the little man made lake in the center. “Look at the ducks!” They pull Caleb along to see the birds. Caleb laughs and lets himself be pulled like a kite to the edge of the lake. They pull Caleb down onto a bench and sit close to him. “Let’s watch the birds for a moment.”

Nodding Caleb asks, “May I put my head on your shoulder?”

“Yes, may I put an arm around you?” Molly asks back.

“Yes,” He responds as Caleb lays his head on Molly’s shoulder and sighs softly, “I missed this,” he whispers softly, squeezing Molly’s hand.

“I missed this too,” Molly affirms letting go of Caleb’s hand to wrap an arm around him securely. “I missed holding you, ” Molly continues.

Letting out a little sigh Caleb scoots closer nuzzling into Molly carefully. Molly’s chest sloshes, feeling fuller by the second. “Do you think the ducks ever watch us?” Caleb asks seriously.

“I don’t think they have time to worry about such silly things as our worries, not when they have the whole sky to explore,” Molly answers looking up wistfully.

“I could turn you into a bird so you could fly,” Caleb says matter of fact. “I can’t do it to both of us at once, but I’ve done it, it’s really freeing. I could become a bird large enough to carry you.”

“Maybe sometime, but right now it sounds like a bit much,” Molly says, squeezing Caleb, “A nice day in the sky, maybe over the lake?” He blushes at his lack of trust in the magic.

“Maybe we can visit Nicodranas with Jester and fly over the sea,” Caleb suggests with a chuckle without missing a beat.

“That sounds splendid,” Molly says with a little wiggle, “maybe in the fall, when it’s not oppressively hot there.”

“Maybe over fall break from classes…” Caleb suggests, voice colored with hope.

“We’ll see. That gives us time to save,” he notes considering his bank account and how sparse it is still after his month in hiding.

Nodding Caleb asks, “Does work pick up in the Summer?”

“Yes, but a lot of the clients are younger so it’s a little more rowdy,” Molly responds with a frown as he tucks his tail under the slats of the bench getting it far from Caleb as he works to keep it from wrapping around his love protectively.

“I can see that being a little more boisterous. Do they at least tip well?” Caleb asks fidgeting.

Molly wonders, not for the first time, if Caleb is really okay with his dancing, “They at least tip, it varies pretty wildly. But as a whole they are more likely to tip on top of paying for their services.”

There is quiet for a moment while Caleb nuzzles into his neck and Molly tries not to make a needy noise in public. “Would you be upset if I came to see you dance?” Caleb finally asks.

“I think that would be okay. I would pretend I didn’t know you so if that would not upset you then come at your leisure,” Molly squeezes him, “The offer for a private dance stands darling.”

Caleb shivers and Molly smiles peeking down at Caleb’s deep blush.

“I can come see it when you are being compensated. I don’t want to make you work for free. Your labor has value,” Caleb explains.

Molly shakes his head, “It would be a joy to perform for you.”

“Maybe, but not just yet,” Caleb says softly.

“That is probably wise, not just yet,” Molly agrees feeling a little sad, some part wanting to just fall back into where they were, skip repair and go right back to truly and deeply in love.

Caleb scoots closer, if there were even any space between them. Swallowing heavily Molly wonders if the signals are clear here, the intimacy was never a clear progression with them, being a bit of a start and stop and a forward and back to keep everyone safe. He wants to push Caleb to the bench and kiss him deeply until they both can’t breathe. Swallowing again he closes his eyes and basks instead in the gentle way Caleb rests against him, equally as intimate as tongues and teeth.

“I find myself struggling with wanting so much and feeling conflicted about where we stand with those matters,” Caleb says, turning to press his eyes into Molly’s neck, lips whispering against his throat. “We should have a conversation about lines and boundaries soon. Or we may run afoul of breaking through them before we are ready and regret it.”

Cradling his waist Molly wraps his other arm around Caleb holding him close and struggling with the swirl of his breath against his neck, “that’s quite a thing to whisper into my neck love,” he starts with a breath. “Don’t move, I need you close to me like I need air.” He squeezes Caleb. “I don’t know where those lines are, and it scares me. I don’t know where they should be.”

With a nod that briefly brushes his lips across Molly’s pulse Caleb says, “maybe we need to find some relationship tools then. I don’t want to rush, even though I want nothing more than to rush.” Molly nearly asks him to move as his tail moves erratically and he feels his arousal respond to the touch of Caleb’s lips, but the need for closeness after so long with none wins, his touch starvation stronger than his overwhelming need.

“I want to believe we can figure it out, stay where we are, cuddle, kiss, and hold hands. Eventually pet and touch. Then intimate, whatever that means at the time,” Molly says, only bold while Caleb is tucked away. His tail lashes a bit behind them, safely behind the bench out of the way of bothering Caleb.

“When do we know that it’s time for more? What is the metric?” Caleb asks, voice peaked.

“We have to guess and talk about it more. Maybe we need more questions than yes or no for consent for new things. Not just ‘may I,’ but 'are we ready for?’ and the acceptance of a potential no,” Molly suggests.

Caleb is quiet for a moment, “Should I have asked to cuddle this close?” he shakes gently, twitching like he’d move if Molly wasn’t holding him close.

“I think so, but it’s okay. We are still working out the details and the fine points. Is it okay that I put my arms around you? Do you feel trapped?” Molly asks.

Nodding Caleb says softly, “This may be too tempting for more, may I please pull away a bit?”

“Of course,” Molly’s arms loosen and slip away to their sides.

Caleb pulls back a bit resting his head back on Molly’s shoulder and adjusting both of their hair a bit, “Sorry,” he whispers softly. “I’m always the one who is overwhelmed.”

“No you are not, I was getting overwhelmed but didn’t say anything because I liked having you close even if it was too much,” they admit head looking away from Caleb altogether.

“We need to get better at communication,” Caleb observes. “Is this amount of cuddling okay, do you feel comfortable?”

Molly thinks before answering, trying to follow the advice Yasha has given him to think before he talks. It’s hard for him. “This is nice, it’s not too much,” he says finally.

“That’s good. Well maybe this is the cuddle that is best for now then. We can work up to more intimate cuddling as time goes on, somewhere to start,” he wiggles with the happiness of understanding.

“You are so smart,” Molly says with a smile.

“No, just good at breaking things down,” Caleb says softly, stretching toward Molly and huffing out a little breath.

Closing his eyes Molly squeezes Caleb around the waist carefully. “Do you think it’s wise if we walk some more, maybe untangle for a bit? I don’t want to let go but I think if I keep holding you…” Molly trails off voice getting small at the implied admission.

“Yeah, let’s walk, we can stop down by the stream and sit for a little longer,” Caleb says gently, “give us some time to cool down.”

Molly nods and untangles from Caleb drawing him up as they stand. “There sure are more ducks here than I remember.”

“I think it’s the season, more in the spring and summer. You’ve only been here since the fall so, less ducks,” Caleb observes.

“That’s a good point,” Molly watches the lake for a moment as they take hands and start walking towards the far end of the park. “I sometimes miss being migratory myself. With the circus we moved around from town to town and didn’t put down deep roots anywhere, but it meant that there were less consequences too, things mattered less.” He looks down and away.

“But it must have been hard to have many connections with people outside your group,” Caleb observes.

Nodding Molly squeezes his hand, “It’s why I had so few partners and so many one night stands.” He doesn’t look at Caleb as he says it, a bit embarrassed.

“I sometimes wished over the years that I could do that, have one night stands. Feel a little less lonely even for a night,” Caleb says, swinging their hands slowly.

“It’s sometimes even more lonely. They are there and then gone right away,” Molly sighs and moves closer to Caleb on the sidewalk, “I’d rather have you than all of them.”

Quiet for a moment Caleb leans their shoulders together and asks softly, “are there any you wished had bloomed into more than one night?” he fidgets as he asks, looking away from Molly toward the lake.

“There were at the time, but none that stuck with me for long enough that I remember them well now,” Molly answers honestly. “None I mourned for more than a day or two…”

Swallowing heavily Caleb nods looking still out at the lake, “I don’t know what I did that’s so different,” he says.

“It’s not what you did, it’s who you are. You are kind, passionate, brilliant, beautiful, and clever. There is a singular humor and wit to your personality that fits so neatly with mine, and you put up with my antics far better than most,” Molly explains, “You won me over from the first time you stole my wallet.”

Caleb squeezes Molly’s hand and slows on the path a little, “Really, I didn’t even know…” he blushes.

“I was interested in you from when I wrote my number on a napkin and slid it to you, I was invested from when you stole from me and I didn’t catch you,” Molly corrects themself.

They approach another bench and Caleb leads them to it, pulling Molly’s head against his shoulder this time. “I thought at first you were humoring me for my obviously drooling over you,” Caleb holds his hand on their knees and keeps Molly close as they snuggle. “When you answered my text I was surprised.”

They again fall into companionable silence as they rest together facing the lake. The ducks float about doing duck things and the two of them twine together, but not too close together, doing the business of lovers who are on the outs, trying not to get their hopes up too much.

Finally Molly breaks the silence, “Did you apply for the adjunct faculty position like you talked about yesterday?” they ask softly, turning their face to nuzzle into his shoulder.

“I applied, but I don’t know if I meet the qualifications for it. The Halls of Erudition are very exacting and I don’t know if my tutoring, research, and translation are enough. I don’t know if I can pass a background check, all things considered.”

“Well I believe in you,” Molly says, squeezing his hand and resisting the urge to snuggle in more.

“Thank you mien Molly,” Caleb says wiggling closer. “Where do we stand on kissing? May I ask for some kisses for luck or is that too much?”

Molly leans away to look at Caleb properly, “I always want to kiss you. Perhaps we just try to keep our spice levels low and see how we feel?”

“Do we trust we can?” Caleb asks softly looking at Molly's lips.

“No we don’t, but we have to try because I can’t be without you,” Molly says softly leaning close. “Please may I kiss you?”

“Yes,” as soon as Caleb consents Molly presses their lips together. It’s a slow building kiss mostly chaste and soft filled with tentative joy and careful love.

The kiss stopped too soon but it was safe, not too much but perhaps too little. Molly sighed and rested his head back on Caleb’s shoulder. “We will figure it out.” Molly promises.

Chapter Text

They’d had too much to drink to be here. Molly knew it but he didn’t care. Their first real date since the separation and he was just happy to have Caleb back in his home, spread across his lap and kissing him with the full force of his attention.

The white-hot line of his cock pressed hard into Caleb as they rut together and moan into each other's mouths.

Molly pulls back and tries to get his head on straight feeling dizzy from need and honey mead. “We should stop,” he whispers.

“No, I need you,” Caleb says pulling at Molly’s shirt like getting it off will fix some deep problem Caleb needs solved.

Resolve splintering, Molly whines in their throat and asks, “We talked about this, didn’t we?”

Hands stopping, Caleb nods and slows, “but it feels so right…” he starts eyes looking into Molly’s, pleading.

“It does, but will we still feel good about it tomorrow?” Molly asks.

“We have done this before, again will not hurt,” Caleb insists, fingers still slowly working at buttons. Molly doesn’t stop him.

He shakes his head, “Done what exactly? What do you want Caleb?” He asks Caleb to name it.

There is a silence as Caleb’s hands go still and he looks down for a few seconds of thought before his stubborn gaze meets Molly’s and he says, “I want something we never did before.” His tongue slides out and wets his lips and draws Molly’s attention. “I want you to fuck me, lay me down in your bed Molly and fuck me,” Caleb says.

The boldness is such a turn on that Molly feels himself twitch pressed between them, his cheeks flush though he’s not sure it’s even visible in the dark of the living room - they hadn’t bothered with lights - and he doesn’t stop to comment on the boldness. “Gods Caleb,” he says looking only at his lips as his head swims with images of Caleb spread out before him writhing and begging. “Are you sure about that? We’re too drunk for that.”

Grinding his hips into Molly, he groans softly and says, “Clearly we’re not. Clearly we can talk about it and you are ready to take me and I’m so ready for you Molly. Take me to bed please,” he pouts adorably and Molly feels his decisiveness shake as Caleb rolls against him again. Molly holds his hips in hand and stills him.

“In the park you said…” Molly starts.

“Fuck the park, I am a fool and I was scared. I know what I want Molly,” Caleb insists.

Molly shakes his head and asks softly, “What if you hate me in the morning?”

“I could never hate you. I love you too much to let hate in.” He smiles and leans in kissing Molly, steamy and needy. A devouring kiss that pressed them back into the couch. “Now take us to bed, Mx. Tealeaf, I want to feel us come together.”

Shaking their head, Molly scoops up Caleb, standing and striding across the room slowly, “as you wish,” he whispers, holding Caleb to his chest.

With a small, “yes,” whispered out Caleb clings to Molly until he is dropped on the bed and Molly starts to pull at his clothing.

Just seeing him laid out is enough to make Molly feel secure in their need for him. He unbuttons his trousers and fumbles the zip twice before getting them open and dragging them and his briefs off in one fell swoop, thankful they’d shed their shoes at the door. Caleb pushes himself onto his elbows as he rucks up his under shirt and pulls it over his head.

In the moonlight spilling in through the window, Caleb’s pale skin shines. His body is a mess of beautiful silver scars and coarse curly red hair. It’s so beautiful in its contrast. Molly drinks it in while he quickly sheds his own clothing. Caleb watches with hunger dancing on his face as he scoots back onto the bed centering himself, laying out like he’s making a meal of himself for some great beast.

Scooping a condom out of the drawer Molly deposits himself on the bed and crawls over him, “hello handsome,” he whispers to him, “I missed seeing you like this.”

Shuddering Caleb reaches for him and touches his face. “You are so beautiful,” he whispers softly, “I hardly believe you are mine to touch.” Between them Molly’s cock is heavy and slides a damp line across Caleb’s hip.

Molly lowers down pressing their bodies together and kisses Caleb like he doesn’t know what else to do, and in that moment he doesn’t. He isn’t sure he’s worthy of the touches Caleb offers him. “Are you sure about this, it’s a good day?”

“Never been a better day,” Caleb swears, tugging at Molly’s hips as he spreads his legs around them.

Molly kisses him again, letting the intensity of the kiss build as he presses it deeper and delves his tongue into his mouth feeling the soft line of Caleb’s teeth.

Sitting back Molly picks up the condom and opens the package. “That’s not necessary,” Caleb says from the bed below.

With enough wherewithal to know that something about this is a little off, Molly says, “I want it, makes cleaning up simple.” He slips it on in a practiced motion and Caleb nods below him.

Snaking his legs around Molly’s hips Caleb draws them forward as best he can. They look down over the expanse of Caleb laid before them arms out on the bed and Molly asks softly, “Are you ready Caleb?”

“Please Molly, make love with me,” Caleb begs, reaching for his shoulders.

Pressing forward Molly enters Caleb slowly, his entrance already wet for him from their time on the sofa. They both moan and Molly has to work to stay slow. He wants to snap together hard, to take and claim and feel. But Caleb said make love not fuck.

With all the gentleness Molly can muster he pushes in until they are flush and panting. Caleb clutches tight with his legs around his hips and his arms wrapping around his shoulders. “How are you doing love?” he asks Caleb.

Tucking his head alongside Molly’s neck Caleb moans softly before answering, “So good, please be gentle.” A different request than before, but one he’s willing to accommodate. He slowly pulls back part way and pushes back in making sure to grind his pelvis against Caleb’s cock when he bottoms out, trying to make it good for him.

Moaning over and over Caleb moves his hips to meet Molly in a slow rock. They come together and apart like synchronized dancers swaying and parting. The whole orchestra of sounds between them playing to accompany those careful movements. Molly controls the tempo and the rhythm and is careful to curate the movements to please the audience.

It’s not the first time Molly has made love with someone but it is the first time it’s had love accompanying it. Usually it’s just a lust that is deep enough to feel like affection and this time it’s affection with the lust of honey mead and dancing rolling over the top like the fresh carpet of spring moss over a sunlit grove. They are the revelers in some forgotten fey lord’s court and together their bodies dance in unison.

It’s perfect.

Feeling like he can take it further Molly reaches between them and begins to slowly roll Caleb’s cock between his fingers. His back arches and he groans slowly, “Yes, please Molly,” he begs. Molly picks up the pace slightly, out of greed more than mercy.

He paws at Caleb picking up intensity as best he’s able as Caleb whines and shatters apart under him. He goes still and clutches him tightly as a string of pitchy noises release from him and his passage flutters in muscle contractions that feel divine. Molly works him through it feeling like starlight is pouring down his spine and pooling in the bowl of his hips, filling him up and pouring across Caleb.

Caleb bucks his hips and impales himself on Molly abruptly and it startles the orgasm right out of Molly. He shouts and presses into him. Shaking he groans as he comes moving and clutching the bed on either side of Caleb as he grinds into them in needy presses as his hips stutter. “Caleb,” he whines as clear blue eyes look up at him in admiration.

Molly has to work not to collapse on him. He pulls out and throws himself to the side. Breathing heavily he pats his chest and Caleb takes the hint curling up against him. “Gods,” Caleb whispers to his skin.

“Gods is right,” Molly confirms. He reaches down to pull the condom off, tossing it in the trash. He reaches for a baby wipe from the nightstand and cleans himself up. “Still good?” he asks, squeezing Caleb, “Need more?”

“Yeah, still good,” Caleb confirms, pulling himself closer to Molly and dragging his hands over his chest gently. “Satisfied. I don’t want you to think we can do that all the time…” he says as he curls up and squirms his leg over Molly’s.

Molly kisses the top of his head, “I don’t need that to feel close to you. I need things that feel good to both of us,” he explains softly rubbing his back even as his head spins a little from the exertion and the alcohol.

“Thank you, I love you,” Caleb says with a yawn against Molly’s chest.

“I love you too,” Molly answers, feeling like the hollow part of his chest was more full than it had been before.

 Waking up with Caleb draped across him feels right and Molly snuggles in for a moment before remembering the night before. Meeting at the little tavern. Food and drinks, more drinks then dancing, more drinks then darts, more drinks then kissing in their booth, more drinks and stumbling back to his apartment. Making out and grinding together, making love and sleeping…

He shook his head, he didn’t usually bed anyone when he’d been drinking, consent was tricky when inhibitions were lowered and he didn’t want anyone to regret anything.

What if Caleb regretted this?

He felt his breath catch and he squeezed Caleb a little closer as he waited for him to wake up. The human seemed to hold his alcohol well when they’d drank before so he wasn’t too worried about that, but he knew they’d both need water and probably pain killers soon. He could feel a distant headache threaten his head that moving would likely awaken.

Slowly against him Caleb stirred. He moved, snuggled closer, stilled and opened his eyes. Looking up at Molly he seemed to do some mental math before he finally said softly, “Good morning Mollymauk.”

“Good Morning Mr. Widogast,” Molly said just as formally as far as he was concerned.

Caleb looked at him for a long minute and appeared to be at a loss for words. He leaned slowly up and kissed Molly softly, a gentle good morning. “I owe you many apologies,” Caleb said softly and started to move off of Molly.

Holding him fast Molly shook his head, “I should be offering you the same,” Molly says.

They lay in silence for a moment before Caleb says, “I did the convincing so it falls to me.” He looks away from Molly looking sad.

“We can hold the blame together for going faster than we discussed, but I don’t think we run afoul of other issues. We have established boundaries before and those were not broken, right?” Molly suggests.

Caleb doesn’t look convinced but he drops it in favor of letting Molly hold him tight. “Lazing sounds good, but a shower sounds better.” Caleb stretches against him and Molly shudders.

“I can keep myself busy while you shower,” Molly says, “Unless you want company? It feels far less than last night…”

Nodding Caleb presses his body to Molly’s, “Will you wash my hair again?” he asks, his voice small.

“Any time you want,” Molly promises.

Chapter Text

It’s a few days after their roll into bed that they see each other in person. Molly meets Caleb for coffee, as is still their custom when they can. The end of some big projects have called a lot of Caleb’s focus and he has been too busy for such frivolous things as Molly.

It’s not that Molly doesn’t understand, it’s that it hurts when he realizes it's the implication that his supervisor made when he met Molly and suggested that they were a beautiful distraction. Caleb had barely contained his rage.

The letter had come back about the teaching job and Caleb had been devastated when he didn’t get it. Molly held him for a long while as he shook apart and then as he wept. As the fire in the hearth shifted and spiked and ebbed unnaturally as he cried. Molly noted the way it moved with his breath and felt the power in Caleb’s blood for the first time.

It was over that coffee that Molly first suspected that he didn’t deserve this wizard.

Caleb was explaining the details of some theory he had about something he was testing as well as he could with no lab and no research funds. It was complex high level magic and Molly didn’t understand a single thing Caleb was saying. He understood the passion and focus in Caleb’s voice, and that his person sounded excited by the possibilities, but he couldn’t have told you one lick of what the abjurative properties of copper had to do with the arc-lengths of something or other.

Molly nods weakly and asks, “Did you learn anything new with the copper samples I brought over?” He’d tried to be helpful. Understanding that copper was part of it he’d tracked down raw and refined copper and bought samples for Caleb.

“They are useful for testing some spellwork, I have not quite gotten to that phase yet,” Caleb says with a smile.

“You are brilliant,” Molly insists.

Caleb, as he always does when Molly insists this, blushes beautifully. Molly sips his coffee as Caleb slides a book across the table to him. It’s a new copy of Tusk Love.

“I think you’re ready to give this a try,” Caleb says with a smile.

Grinning Molly takes the book, the graphic cover of the half orc with his shirt open makes him giggle, “Sharing your passion for romance novels finally. I am touched, Caleb.” This man is too kind for him.

“This one is a favorite of both mine and Jester’s,” Caleb says, “It’s got a lot of good scenes in it, and though some of the writing is a little sub par, the story makes up for it.”

Molly wonders if Jester likes it because the half orc reminds her of Fjord. He puts the book in his bag. “Maybe we can read parts together,” They wink. “What are you reading now?”

“Enchanted Trysts, the story of Kerwyn the wizard who falls for Trust the Tiefling Minstrel who plays in his village and follows him on adventures in an effort to gain his affections,” He says as he smiles over the lip of his tea cup.

Grinning Molly hooks a foot around Caleb’s ankle under the table and lets out a little sigh. This man is too sweet for him. “Oh, sounds like a good story. Do they end up together?” Molly asks, leaning closer across the little bistro table.

“I don’t know yet.” Caleb says softly leaning in as well.

They hold each other's gaze for a long moment neither moving. Just when Molly is going to move a blur of blue moves past and with a scrape, Jester pulls a chair up to their table, plunking a plate with a donut down.

“OMG I didn’t think I’d see you guys here! Good morning!” She says. Jester takes a bite of her donut and finally pauses speaking.

Caleb gets his mouth situated first and says, “Guten Morgen Jester,” He takes in her business casual outfit and asks, “off to see your father?” This man is too good for him.

Finally getting himself sorted Molly adds, “Good morning Jester,” and takes a sip of his coffee.

“Yeah, I am going to see papa and we’re going to talk about boring stuff then go see a show!” She says as she bounces in her seat.

“That’s exciting,” Molly says, “Do you know what show?”

“Something about a hag and a young girl, I don’t know, sounds totally cool,” she says excitedly.

“Have you finished the book I recommended yet?” Caleb asks, smiling.

“I just got my copy, I didn’t know it’d be so scandalous Caleb!” She swats at his arm with her tail as she takes a big sip of her sugary concoction.

Molly watches them banter feeling like the water is draining from his chest and he can’t control the flow. He coughs into his elbow and Caleb looks up with concern written on his face. “It’s nothing love, just a little hair.”

Caleb smiles and goes back to talking with Jester like she didn’t interrupt their tender moment.

They feel just a little hollow and watch Caleb talk for a moment not really processing the words. They feel the loneliness of not fitting in as an ache in their chest along with the echo of solitude. Molly absently rubs their chest and looks down into their drink.

“Molly?” Caleb asks again and breaks Molly from his stupor.

“Sorry, I zoned out for a moment there, what was it?” Molly asks looking up.

“I asked what you wanted to do for lunch,” Caleb says smiling at him. Jester is eating her donut and checking her phone.  

Nodding Molly looks down at his coffee suddenly not that hungry, “Maybe something light? I am not that hungry.”

Looking a touch worried Caleb reaches across the small table to take Molly’s hand. Flinching Molly lets him wrap their fingers together and smiles weakly. “Whatever you want Molly.”

What Molly wants turns out to be salads and leaving Jester to her business with her father. They sit in the park on what Molly thinks of as their bench. It’s a nice morning, if a little warm. They eat in silence for a moment, Molly overthinking the silence and worrying that Caleb has realized that Molly doesn’t deserve this.

“You’re awfully quiet today, is everything okay?” Caleb asks, putting his fork down and wiping his lips on the little napkin he’d rested against his thigh.

Molly chews for a moment before answering, “I’m fine, just thinking is all.” He takes another bite right away to cover for his thoughts.

“Care to share with me what is on your mind?” Caleb asks softly scooting a little closer with a concerned air.

Finishing his bite slowly Molly nods, coming up with a convincing lie, “Just thinking about how I don’t know anything about myself really.” He falls back on an old fear, not on the newer fear that Caleb will leave.

Caleb abandons his salad, setting it aside to wrap an arm around Molly. “You are a fully realized and phenomenal creature made of beauty and light. There is nothing lacking in my Mollymauk.” He nuzzles close to Molly and somehow it makes Molly feel worse and not better.

“Thank you darling, I just feel hollow sometimes… don’t worry about it,” Molly insists looking down into their salad.

Caleb kisses their cheek face concerned, “I want you to feel as full of light as you deserve schatz.”

Do I deserve it? Molly wonders.

Chapter Text

Once again Molly finds themself ignoring their phone notifications as they prepare for work. They’d gone back to Mary’s mostly seamlessly after everything had gone down. Mary welcomed them back and scooted them right back into the rotation. It was a different locker and vanity but the same cast of loving and supportive coworkers.

The shower was hot, the lotion cool, the preparation the same as it always was. Get things together, call the ride share, wait inside until it arrives. Pray no one is waiting on the porch.

Work from start to finish is a haze. It’s like he’s on a chipper but vacant auto pilot. Even in this robot mode he makes good tips and at the end of the night swings by to tip out his coworkers and pay for his drink tab.

Jester bounces up and he is surprised he didn’t notice her in the club. She is still there after closing which is weird but he just blinks himself back into his body and forces a smile. “Hello Blueberry.”

“Molly! You’ll never guess who the new emcee is!” she half shouts across the bar area as she catapults herself into their waiting arms.

Laughing they say, “Is it Dean from the coffee shop? He always struck me as the right kind of Charismatic.”

“Nooooo,” Jester says, smacking at Molly.

“Oh, is it Caleb?” He asks, “That is very out of character for him but I’m sure he’ll get the hang of it. He's very clever.”

“It’s me you silly!” She bursts out of his arms and throws her arms into the air.

“You’re going to do so well,” Molly says smiling and throwing their arms back around Jester.

Jester wiggles in his arms and says, “We should get a drink tomorrow to celebrate! Bring Caleb, I’ll convince Fjord to go.”

“I’ll see if he’s up to it. Maybe at the Leaky Tap, it’s our favorite place,” he smiles.

“Yeah at 9, it’s a date!” She doesn’t wait for a response before trotting off.

Yasha was gone when he got home and there was a note taped to his bedroom door. He struggled with it a bit but he got through it when he went carefully.

Called away for work, back in a week. If you need me, call me, remember that you have friends for support. I love you - Yasha

They frowned and took the note down, balling it up. Flopping into the bed was fine. They plugged in their phone and looked at the 74 notifications. They answered none of them before crawling under the covers and letting sleep take hold of them, and unlike many nights, they dream.

A long spiral staircase stretches up and down into darkness in both directions. Molly holds an ornate silver lantern with a glowing white magelight inside. He’s facing upward on the stairs. There are no windows. It’s just plain stone all around him, worked and cut in a mostly rough fashion.

“Where am I,” he thinks uselessly. He struggles with what to do for a moment before turning and climbing upward, figuring if he’s going that way there must be a reason. The stairs are short so the climb is easy, Molly sees that the stone becomes more finely worked the higher he climbs, getting smoother and smoother the further he goes.

Eventually it slowly gives way to smooth stone work as if cut from the very earth itself. Suddenly it’s marble, a seam between the two abrupt and surprising. The marble is white and veined with shades of various grays. Molly stops to look at it for a moment. The stairs are still the same gray stone as before as is the center column of stone that appears to support the stone stairs.

Molly is confused, this place is strange and he doesn’t remember why he’s here. He keeps climbing.

And climbing.

And climbing.

It goes on and on, until it feels like it’s been hours and his legs feel heavy. No windows or doors, no landings or archways. He stops.

“Where am I,” he thinks uselessly. He struggles with what to do for a moment before sitting down on the stairs. He sets the lantern next to him and studies his clothing. He is wearing tall boots, leggings and a loose shirt. His favorite coat and a sash of red fabric.

He checks all his pockets until he comes up with a lucky rock. Fortunately all rocks he picks up are lucky. Kissing the rock Molly tosses the stone down the stairs with some force hoping to hear if it falls for any amount of time.

Unfortunately due to the curve it doesn’t go for long before it stops. Molly swears.

Riffling in his pockets turns up the usual things and nothing that helps. His cellphone isn’t there. He finds a granola bar and eats it mostly for something to do.

So he picks up the lantern and keeps climbing up.

After a few more minutes (he thinks it’s minutes) he starts to sing random song snippets, things he dances to, things he has heard Caleb sing in Zemnian he’s probably butchering, things he remembers from the radio. It doesn’t feel real.

It’s some unknowable amount of time later when it happens.

The stairs shake.

Molly drops the lantern. It goes crashing on the steps and shatters. Glass and twisted silver metal go scattering down the stairs and they hear them ricochet for a moment.

Then the stairs shake again.

Sitting down on the stairs Molly braces themselves. They curse the lack of a handrail in these stairs as they crowd the inner wall and hold on as best they can.

Somewhere above them there is a great crash. Small rocks skitter down the stairs past them.

Everything goes eerily quiet. Molly realizes there has been the background sound of wind and he hasn’t realized it really. It’s still there, it just feels less important than the lack of crashing.

Just as everything feels like it’s settled the wind picks up. A great crack of thunder breaks open the sky. It shakes what Molly is beginning to suspect is a very tall tower. A tower too tall to exist.

They are starting to wish they’d climbed down.

There is another clap of thunder exceptionally close and Molly winces, still clutching the wall. The flash of light nearly at the same time is visible from above somewhere. Molly worries what that means.

Turning he starts to quickly climb down. Going fast but keeping it as controlled as he can at speed. He puts one hand on the outside wall and the other on the inside. He skips carefully over the rubble and remains of his lanturn happy for his excellent dark vision.

The next thunder is muffled by distance down the tower but the crack of stone is too close for comfort. Molly feels the stone groan, the center post swaying under his hand barely. His stomach flips.

“Where am I,” he thinks uselessly. He struggles with what to do for a moment before, with a deep breath he continues heading down. Surely there will be a ground floor eventually.

It goes on for so long, intermittent claps of thunder, sometimes cracks of stone, swaying and once or twice, rubble cascading down. Mostly pebbles, but disconcerting all the same.

Molly’s lost track of time when it happens, the world goes too bright, the burst of lightning and thump of thunder are all around him and he feels it just below him as the stone gives out and he’s thrown aside.

The tower falls away and there is just open air and falling rock. A cloud rushes past and all around him is just black and cold and falling rubble. He can see the tower but can’t reach it, it just keeps going.

He wakes, even if it’s with a start, sweating under his blankets in his warm up sweats and shirt.

Molly stumbles from bed and the world shifts around him once. He gets the light turned on and it stabilizes slowly. Wishing that Yasha was home he strips with unsteady hands and throws himself into the shower. With the water as hot as it will go, he sits on the floor and lets it wash away whatever is clinging to him that has made everything suddenly feel so wrong.

💖Caleb💖: You missed coffee, are you okay?

💖Caleb💖: Do you want to get lunch? I have today off.

💖Caleb💖: Didn’t see you at coffee again, I miss you.

💖Caleb💖: Hey Molly, are you doing the thing where you isolate again, lovely? Text me back please. I’m worried.

Read at 3:22 am

Molly hadn’t meant to read Caleb’s messages. It’d only been two days. He could go two days without Caleb. Never following up with Jester and Fjord felt bad. They’d done so much for him but he just didn’t feel up to it.

He gave his next shift to the new guy at work who was looking for hours and slept all day.

Dreams were weird and didn’t make sense. Hanging by his legs from a tree over a pool of water while no one was around, just stuck there. Towers that were destroyed around him and throwing him into the sky.

A routine developed: sleep, wake up from a dream or a nightmare, take a shower until the water ran cold, eat something that only required the microwave or order food, watch TV until he was bored, and go to sleep.

Giving his next shift to another performer, Molly laid on the couch, watching a drama about a vampire who loved a faerie, while waiting for his noodle order to arrive.

There was a knock on the door. He tugged down his long shirt and bounced up making sure he was half decent in the mirror by the door. His eyes had big bags and his hair was a rat’s nest, he was covered in all the important places though so he opened the door with a forced smile.

His face fell.

It wasn’t his noodles.

Caleb stood on the porch looking worried, frantic, and determined.