Work Text:
Crack!
He felt an ache in his back as he was slammed against the wall. It wasn’t the first time, and it sure as hell wouldn’t be the last time, he’d have that sensation. Fights were not his strong suit but he had been in enough of them to know when he could win and when he should run. This was one he could win.
Molly smiled, blood from where his lip had been cut was pooling in his mouth and made his fangs look even more devilish, like he had taken a bite out of his opponent. He glanced around the bar, seeing he was (probably) the only person who spoke infernal in the place he raised a hand at the half-orc he was fighting and screamed, “I think I would like an apple with my dinner.” The man scrambled back, obviously frightened by his words.
Molly stepped towards the man and threw a punch, nailing him square in the jaw (and probably breaking a few of his own knuckles in the process). The half-orc stumbled at the blow but quickly recovered and readied himself for another strike. Before he could retaliate Molly bellowed out, “Or perhaps a nice meat pie, one with a flakey, buttery crust!”
“Stay away from me devil,” the orc shouted as he baked out of the tavern followed by two of his friends.
“Stay away from my partner,” Molly shouted back, smiling to himself as Caleb pressed his body against him.
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Caleb had been sitting near the fire, his usual and favorite place to sit in a tavern, while Molly was giving tarot readings at a nearby table. Caleb was sipping a strong ale and reading (for pleasure not for learning), his eyes peaking over his book to watch his eccentric partner dazzle customers with tales of adventure and fortune. The rest of the Mighty Nein were off on some adventure out in town, probably making a small fortune slaying a monster in the sewers again, but Molly and Caleb had opted to take a relaxing day, something neither afforded themselves very often.
All had been well until a large half-orc man had stepped in front of Caleb’s view, his two goonies beside him making him seem even larger.
The man had leaned over Caleb, dwarfing the human and loudly announced to the bar that Caleb was the “sexiest little slut” he had ever seen. He wondered aloud how Caleb would look on his knees, swallowing around his length, probably crying from the size but unable to move away, enjoying himself too much to even compl—
He had been cut off by a swift punch to the gut. Molly had put himself in front of Caleb, who looked shocked and scared of the half-orc, and was now growling with his fists up in a defensive position.
“Get the fuck away from him.” Molly stood firm as the large man in front of him laughed.
“Look at this fucking flowery bitch,” the orc had chuckled to his friends, “I’ll take care of this little problem in no time, you two just wait by the door.” The smaller ruffians did as they were told, laughing and spitting at Molly as they walked away.
The half-orc took a swing, nailing Molly in the cheek and splitting open a cut right below his eye. Molly hissed at the sting and was sure he’d be sporting a nice, dark bruise in the morning, but he didn’t hesitate to return with a blow of his own. The tusks the man sported cut into his upper lip as Molly’s fist landed, right below his jaw. He could see a rage burning in the man’s eyes and knew he would have to stave that off if he wanted a chance at winning.
Dancing around the man, he ducked a second blow at his face and lead him away from Caleb. Without the next couple of hits landing the anger subsided and Molly took that as his opportunity to strike again. He misjudged how far the reach on his opponent was, and even though he landed another quick jab to the man’s sternum, he was hit square in the jaw, pointed teeth biting into his lip and splitting it down the side.
The fight lasted a few more blows before Molly broke out his “big guns,” his infernal.
The half-orc almost pissed himself as he ran away from Molly, dashing through the street. His face was bloody from a cut lip and a broken nose, but he had been dealt no damage a cleric couldn’t heal. The emotional wounds may take longer.
Caleb was at his side, shaking but standing firm. Molly was bloodied as well, knuckles split and mouth and cheek bleeding and swollen. He didn’t know when Jester would be back and they had given the party their healing potions “just in case,” not thinking they would need them in the relative safety of a tavern.
“Lets go up to our room,” Caleb whispered, unsure if he could trust his voice not to shake. Molly took his hand and lead him through the crowd to the room they and Nott were sharing. While Molly preferred it when they had a room to themselves, Caleb and Nott had a bond that no one could get between. They were best friends, and if Caleb needed to spend time with his best friend rather then having sex with his boyfriend, well, Molly could never say no to him. Besides, Nott being in the room didn’t mean they couldn’t cuddle, and that was honestly Molly’s favorite part.
Alone in their room, Caleb grabbed a clean cloth out of Molly’s bag along with a water skin and some of the simple sterilizing medicine Jester had left with each of them. Molly sat on the edge of their shared bed, looking at Caleb’s back as he rifled through the bags. He had tension in his shoulders, a tension Molly ached to massage away.
When Caleb turned back, Molly could see the tears in his eyes. He stood to close the distance between them, to touch Caleb and show him he was safe here, with him.
“Hey, hey, hey, Caleb. No don’t cry, it’s okay. I’m here, you’re here. You’re safe, I promise.” Molly was kneeling in front of his lover now, holding his face in his non-bloody hand.
“I was so scared, Molly.” It was nothing more then a whisper to the floor, but Molly caught the words as tears started to fall from Caleb’s eyes.
Molly pulled Caleb close, resting his head against Molly’s heart in a way he knew from experience comforted Caleb when he was overwhelmed or scared.
“Its okay now, Caleb. I’m here. I won’t ever let anyone hurt you. Gods, Caleb, I love you too much to let anything happen to you.” He was crying too now, whipping blood and tears from the side of his face as he held Caleb.
They were silent after that for a long while, both crying against the other, holding the other, letting themselves feel more then they had in too long a time.
After a while the tears subsided and both men sat, caught in the familiar sense of holding each other. While they usually spent time in each others arms for more positive reasons, this sort of thing wasn’t new to them either.
Caleb was the first to speak, to break the spell of the room. “We really should get you cleaned up. I would like to kiss you, but I’m not quite sure how I feel about blood in the bedroom.”
He moved back from Molly’s hold to look him in the eyes. They were both smiling now as they stood and walked to the bed, Caleb’s meager supplies in hand. He washed Molly’s wounds with a gentle hand, cleaning the mostly dried blood away and dabbing the cleaning ointment against the cuts.
“Jester will have to have a look at your hand. I don’t think I can fix that,” Caleb said, worry again creased across his brow at the off set bones.
“I’ll ask her to have a look when they get back.” Molly leaned in to kiss the spot on Caleb’s brow that creased when he was upset.
“Good. Now what do you want to do for the rest of the day? I’m sure we can’t go back down to the tavern proper, not after that show you put on.” The worry in Caleb’s face had subsided but there was still discomfort in his eyes.
“Well, I can think of a few things I’d like to do to you,” Molly said, wiggling his eyebrows and smiling with the half of his mouth that wouldn’t threaten to bleed from to large a stretch. Caleb smacked his shoulder and laughed.
“What,” Molly asked, feigning surprise, “the handsome prince is always supposed to get the blushing maiden after defending her honor! It’s written all over those trashy romance novels you love to read!”
“You know damn well I’m not a ‘blushing maiden’,” Caleb laughed, falling back against the bed. “But I do agree, there are some damn good ways we could spend the next few hours.”
Molly leaned back against the bed, next to his lover, arms going around to hold him in a warm embrace. “As lovely as any of those suggestions may be, I think I would rather just take a nap, Darling.”
“A nap sounds perfect,” Caleb whispered, leaning in to kiss Molly at the base of one of his horns. “Oh, and I love you too.”
Nott walked in, an hour or so later, to Molly and Caleb snoring softly, fully clothed, on top of the blankets, looking perfectly content.