Work Text:
They're very different - in so many ways.
Caleb does his best to stay out of sight - tries to keep himself out of trouble and away from the watchful eyes of the empire. He's been sticking to back-roads and the wilderness for many many months.
Confrontations aren't his strongest suit.
Mollymauk is anything but quiet.
Not in his clothing, his voice, or his looks.
You'd think a purple tiefling would perhaps want to be less noticeable in a sea of humans, but no.
Molly is colourful and unrestrained in both his clothing and mannerisms.
He dresses like a court jester, shouts loudly across streets and taverns with no care who gives him odd looks.
In fact, Caleb is certain that Molly loves making a show of himself. Why else would anyone adorn themselves as he does? For what purpose can so many tattoos and jewellery hold beyond making a spectacle of himself?
Caleb sort of hates him and sort of admires him for it.
Caleb hates being looked at. Hates people taking notice.
Meanwhile Molly revels in it, and much to Caleb's chagrin: even appears to seek it out whenever he can.
Caleb cant help but hate that. He would much rather sink into the shadows and hide from anyone's eyes.
But when you're suddenly hanging out with a group of people so colourful they could put the rainbow to shame... Well, Caleb just has to try and be as dull and drab as possible in the background when he can.
Jester pesters him about his clothes a lot, but Caleb so far has managed to shut her up on more than one occasion.
Molly on the other hand...
Molly is someone that Caleb really does not understand.
Can't quite place how much trust the tiefling deserves yet.
He's unpredictable and hard to read.
He's harsh at times, but then unexpectedly kind.
Caleb has tried to scrub his mind of the incident in the mines, but his mind remembers everything in great detail.
Far too great detail.
The little stint in the sewers is also burned into his brain forever.
Molly kissed his forehead - helped him snap out of an episode.
Showed a strange kindness Caleb isn't really used to.
Then Molly pinned him to a wall.
Lectured him.
Made him feel like he was 5 years old and in trouble.
He hadn't pegged Mollymauk as being the one to talk about morals, but then again the ragtag group of colourful people Nott and him had stumbled into had made him think twice about a lot of things recently.
And for all his hatred and nervousness about being face to face and one on one with Molly; he'd be lying if he said it didn't make him think certain more positive things about the purple man.
"I think you'd look good in green," Molly says one night as they're sitting around a tavern table.
"What?" Caleb replies.
He heard him clearly, but he's not really been following the conversation too closely - focused instead on his book.
"Green," Molly repeats and flashes him a toothy grin. "Jester was saying you should get new clothes. I think green would suit you very much,"
"Thank you," Caleb replies flatly and tries not to scowl too much. They've been over this before. He doesn't want new clothes.
"But I like brown..."
"Oh I know," Molly laughs and leans back in his chair. "Just saying green would suit your complexion!"
"Oh it would! It would!" Jester joins in with a wide smile and a shrill laugh. "It would make your hair look more red!"
"Exactly!" Molly looks positively pleased with himself now and Caleb begins to ponder if he can just stand up and leave now and get away with it.
"Good think I have a some green friends then," Caleb gestures to Nott and Fjord - the little green goblin girl perking up and grinning with her row of very sharp teeth as Caleb tousles her already messy hair affectionately.
"We match," Nott nods happily as she tries to swipe Jester's drink from her (the blue tiefling obviously letting her take it, because why else would Jester order a fire-whisky when so far Caleb has really only seen her drink milk).
"Apparently so," Caleb smiles slightly as he watches Nott down the drink in one go - his little friend looking very pleased and content as she not so subtly slides the empty glass back to Jester.
Jester smiles and compliments Nott on being so sly.
"Well, it would be even better if you actually wore green," Molly laments.
"No thank you. This coat and cloak is good enough," Caleb lets out a sigh.
"You are plenty colourful enough for us all," he adds and hopes his voice doesn't come across as too annoyed.
"Nonsense," Molly laughs. "I'm colourful for me and me alone. I am not here to make anyone else but myself look and feel good."
"Fair enough," Caleb shrugs and goes back to his book, adding another sentence to the mental list of things he does not understand about Mollymauk.
"Why don't you come shopping with us tomorrow?" Jester suggest, voice a little too sweet for Caleb's liking. "Molly and I can help you pick out something good!"
"No thank you. Waste of money. My clothes are fine." Caleb frowns a little deeper and pulls his tattered and dirty scarf higher up his neck so it obscures the bottom parts of his face.
If he could he would sink far down in his seat and hide under the table - but Nott has already done so twice tonight and he doesn't feel like making such a scene of himself.
"They're not going to give in until you cave," Fjord whispers to him, and gives Caleb a slightly sympathetic smile.
"I'll get a new coat if Yasha does too," Caleb mutters bitterly and casts a glance at the large woman sitting very quietly at the end of the table with her ale – eyes hard and seemingly uncaring. Yasha loves her old cloak, Caleb knows this well. She won't budge – and no one dares try make her.
"Fine," Yasha replies to everyone’s surprise.
Caleb gapes.
No. No. No!
She wasn't suppose to agree!
He pulls at his hair and groans as Jester and Molly exchange high fives and cheers.
"But I... I thought you were very fond of your cloak?" He asks once he's managed to compose himself enough to look in her direction again.
"I am. But could use a warmer one since we're still working our way more north," Yasha replies and gives him a look of what he thinks might be pity.
"Shopping trip!!" Jester laughs excitedly and claps her hands excitedly together.
"Oh! Oh! We can buy you some new things too Nott!" She turns to Nott and smiles.
Nott - bless her - looks utterly bewildered and tries to once more sink underneath the table.
Caleb excuses himself as quickly as he can, hoping that by the time they all wake up tomorrow they'll have forgotten.
However; his luck is as bad as ever.
Because Molly and Jester are waiting for him when he comes down for breakfast and there's no escaping their blue and purple clutches.
Especially not when Yasha joins them and makes a vague threat that she will carry him if he tries to escape.
A threat he's pretty sure she'll accomplish with ease. For not to mention Jester's strong grasp on his hand to top it all off.
He might as well be in iron chains.
Caleb is miserable.
Even more so when he's pushed by Molly into a part of a store with a handful of clothing to try on.
"Come on!" Jester says and Caleb just knows she's grinning from ear to ear despite not being able to see her as Molly pulls the curtain between him and them.
Reluctantly he changes into the clothing they've chosen for him - taking a deliberately long time just to annoy Jester.
"Come on out and show us!" Jester eventually pleads and Caleb can hear Yasha make a grunt of agreement.
"Fine," he hissed and pushes the curtains to the side.
The little group of friends stare in silence at him and Caleb feels increasingly uneasy.
"Wow," Molly finally utter and Caleb feels a little wave of relief wash over him - not that he particularly wants to admit that.
"You. Look. Great!" Jester smiles and jumps up and down in glee. "Don't you agree Nott?"
Nott regards him with a very quizzical expression, her gaze going from Caleb to the others and back to Caleb.
"I like all Caleb's..." She replies with a slight frown.
"Well, I think you look fantastic," Molly steps up to him and winds and arm around his shoulder, making Caleb tense up.
"Look how good we both look now!" He turns them around and gestures to a mirror.
Caleb begrudgingly nods.
"Excellent!" Molly grins. "We're buying this outfit then."
Yasha flashes him a quick thumbs up, and he notices she appears to have gotten herself a new black coat that's currently hanging over her left shoulder.
Caleb does not get a chance to argue, although he does manage to get his old clothes with him before Jester can suggest they throw them away.
Nott holds his hand as they walk back to the inn, telling him in great detail about how great the new coat Molly and Jester got her is.
"It has so many pockets!" She grins and shows him how many buttons she's managed to stuff into just one of them in a short time.
Caleb musters a smile in return.
At least someone is happy.
He's greeted by Fjord and Beau at the inn, and they compliment him on his new look.
Fjord being slightly better at it than Beau.
"Nice coat," Beau remarks. "How long will it take for you to make it look like your old one?"
"Beau," Fjord whispers. "Wrong tone of voice for sarcasm,"
"Oh. Uh. Sorry. I mean. It's an improvement?" She tries to give him a friendly smile, but it comes out as more of a grimace.
Fjord is clearly close to either face palming or laughing, and Caleb doesn't feel like finding out which one it is.
He stomps over to a table in the corner and sinks down in a chair.
Surprised and pleased when Molly slides him a drink as he sits down next to him.
"Since you endured shopping with us," he winks and Caleb can see Molly's tail flick back and forth behind his back.
"Didn't have much of a choice," he mumbles into his drink, watching as Beau lifts Nott up to admire the little goblin's new clothes.
Nott appears to be laughing and enjoying herself, so Caleb lets himself relax a little.
"You can change back to your old clothes tomorrow," Molly smiles. "But tonight everyone is dressed nicely, so let's all enjoy that sight shall we?"
"Why should I enjoy what others wear?" Caleb grits his teeth. "You said so yourself, you only dress for yourself."
"Ah yes, I did say that," Molly leans in a little closer and Caleb really hopes tieflings don't have superior hearing as well as superior vision, because he doesn't feel like letting Molly know his heart is beating twice as fast as it should do.
"However, sometimes it's nice to dress up for others pleasure too," Molly adds and flashes him a smile.
Caleb tries to lean a little more away from Molly, his face feels far too warm and if Molly doesn't give him some air and space soon then Caleb is certain he'll melt.
“Clothes don't make the man,” Caleb mumbles bitterly into his drink and tries to ignore Molly's arm around his shoulder or how Molly's tail has now settled itself around his waist.
“Of course not. But they can make a man look better,” Molly laughs and gently nudges Caleb's tankard with his own.
“Polish a piece of shit, it's still going to be a piece of shit,”
“Now, now. Don't talk about yourself like that. You're perhaps just a diamond in the rough!” Molly tightens his grip around his shoulders in what Caleb interprets as an awkward one armed hug.
“What's this, first a lecture and now a pep-talk?” Caleb scowls slightly, once more trying to lean away from Mollymauk's embrace.
“Well....” Molly drags out the word and smiles. “You're a hard man to read,”
“The same can be said about you,” Caleb shoots back.
“I'm a tiefling, an entertainer and dressed in a rainbow, what more could you want to know?” Molly teases.
“I'm a human, a beggar and dressed in rags, what more do you think there is?” Caleb retorts bitterly and tugs at the sleeve of his new coat, missing the feel of the old and worn material of his old coat.
The new one is too stiff. Too heavy. Too alien.
“Oh we all have our secrets I'm sure,” Molly hums happily as he bobs his head slightly in a nod – making some of his jewellery jingle. “We could trade one or two,”
“Pass,” Caleb frowns and tries to focus on Nott and Beau doing shots of fire-whisky by the tavern bar as Fjord seems to be keeping some sort of tally on who's leading.
Jester has captured Yasha and is braiding the giant woman's hair – Yasha appears to be enjoying it too, which takes Caleb by some surprise.
He thought Yasha was as awkward as him around people, but she appears to be better at handling this new group much better than he can.
“Don't say that,” Molly takes a long sip of his drink. “Don't you want to hear about my time in the circus?”
“No,”
“No? Okay, how about I read your fortune?”
“No,”
“Fine,” Molly sighs. “How about you talk about yourself then?”
“Definitely not,” Caleb grits his teeth.
“Am I such bad company?” Molly asks, and Caleb is certain he can hear a twinge of hurt in his voice.
“Am I good company?” Caleb retorts.
“Well, I've had worse,” Molly shrugs, and Caleb takes that as his cue to leave.
He rises quickly and unravels himself free from Molly's arm and tail, pushing the chair back with a little too much anger.
“Hey!” Molly shouts after him as he makes his way across the room and towards the stairs, momentarily there's a few extra eyes on him, but Caleb ignores them all.
Caleb manages to get halfway up the stairs before Molly catches up to him.
“Come on back down. Everyone's still drinking and having fun,” he pleads with a smile as he tugs at the green coat.
“I am very happy in my own company,” Caleb continues up the stairs, ignoring the tugs and pulls Molly gives his clothes as he makes his way to the second floor.
“But come on. We're a team! At least join everyone for one drink!”
“No,” Caleb stomps his feet against the wooden floors and into the room he's supposed to share with Nott.
Molly follows.
“Fine. Guess I'll just keep you company then,” Molly kicks the door closed behind them and twirls around with a grand flourish before taking a seat on Caleb's bed. “I want to know what it is you do on your own anyway,”
“I read,” Caleb grumbles and flops down on the floor on the opposite side of the room, crossing his legs and pulling out one of his books.
Molly attempts to ask questions, but Caleb ignores each an every one of them.
He silently flips the pages, reading every word and blocking out his surroundings.
“You really do zone out, don't you?” Molly's voice whispers in his ear and Caleb yelps and sits up straight so fast he hits his head against the wall with a dull 'thud'.
“Too close,” he hisses at Molly and grasps his shirt over his heart with one hand as he rubs the back of his head with the other.
“Oh, that was a good expression you made,” Molly grins a wicked smirk for a brief moment before his hand carefully smooths down Caleb's messy hair. “Sorry about the bruise,” he mumbles softly and Caleb freezes a little.
“Two sides of a coin,” Caleb mutters.
“Pardon?”
“You are,” Caleb huffs.
“Ah, well. I would rather compare myself to a deck of cards, but sure?” Molly makes a slight grimace, but nods none the less in agreement.
Caleb huffs and tries to scoot a little away from Molly.
Molly follows with a smile.
“Do you enjoy tormenting others?” Caleb asks and glares slightly.
“Only when it's amusing,” Molly hums happily and gives Caleb a smile that's not exactly friendly.
“I know I said we're all ass-holes, but you seem to really be going for the top spot,” Caleb tries to focus on his book again, but Molly simply leans closer and plants a hand in the middle of the page.
“Oh no, it's simply just so easy sometimes,” Molly grins and leans even closer to Caleb; he can feel Molly's breath on his face and he's really not sure what he's supposed to do with himself.
“Do you mind?” he asks and tries to gesture for Molly to move away.
“No,” Molly smirks and moves even closer.
Caleb swallows nervously, mind racing for any spell that might get him away from this situation – coupled with a small part of his mind telling him that this... this might not be so bad either.
“Fine. Do as you wish,” Caleb grumbles bitterly and tugs the book away from Molly's hand.
Molly appears to mull over his options before he firmly plants his head in Caleb's lap.
Caleb freezes and stares down at Molly with a very surprised and concerned look.
“Are my horns hurting you?” Molly asks and winks up at him.
“Ne-n-no...” Caleb stammers and buries his face in his book to try and cover up the rising blush that's starting to spread.
Molly hums a soft tune, tapping his foot against the floor in a slow and steady rhythm as he eventually begins to sing softly.
Caleb pretends to continue reading, but the song is rather enticing and it's very difficult to ignore Mollymauk's presence.
With a sigh he shuts the book and places it next to himself on the floor, closing his eyes and leans heavily against the wall.
Molly continues singing very softly, and for a brief moment Caleb imagines that he could perhaps get used to this.
“It's a nice song,” a finally admits as the song trails off and Molly stops tapping his foot against the floor.
“My mother used to sing it to me,” Molly replies with a wink, and Caleb refrains from mentioning that they both know that's a lie.
“That's... nice,” he nods instead, peering down at Molly and catching a faint and very brief smile that appears to be very genuine.
Caleb commits it to memory.
Molly has never smiled like that.
Surely it must mean something.
“Family is nice, isn't it?” Molly winks and Caleb coughs nervously.
“Yes,” he agrees with a slight nod.
“Our little group too,” Molly adds.
“They're... okay,” Caleb tries to choose his words carefully.
“Okay?” Molly cocks one eyebrow.
“Well, I don't... know everyone so well. Except maybe Nott,” Caleb clears his throat.
“Fair enough,” Molly moves his head slightly and Caleb shifts a little uncomfortably as he feels Molly's horns dig into his legs.
“Wouldn't hurt you to trust others a little more,”
“Better to... be careful,” Caleb relies flatly.
“Live a little. We're all in the same cart, aren't we?” Molly grins and lifts his hand to gently run one finger across Caleb's jaw.
“I... prefer to be careful,” Caleb tries to argue, but it's very hard not to lean a little into Molly's touch – a fact he knows he'll end up hating himself for.
“Live a little,” Molly repeats with a smile Caleb is certain has a little too much fondness to it than what he thinks he deserves.
“What would you propose that entailed then?” Caleb decides to bite.
“Your wildest dreams perhaps?”
“That...” Caleb swallows. “That's perhaps a little too far out there for us...”
“Your day dreams then,” Molly laughs.
“Uh well...” Caleb grimaces lightly and looks away. “I can't remember any right now...”
“Come on, you have a perfect memory, surely you're just pulling my tail now,” Molly smirks and Caleb knows he's just digging himself a deep hole right now.
“I'd rather not discuss such things...” he mutters. “You'd just... laugh.”
“Promise I won't,” Molly hums and slowly sits up.
Caleb weighs his options for a while, trying to ignore how close Molly is, and how his tail to swish back and forth across the wooden floors in slow and rhythmic movements.
The noise fills Caleb's head and he's not sure if it' his heartbeat or the tail against the floor that's ringing in his ears.
He closes his eyes and takes a deep breath.
When he opens them Mollymauk is still sitting there, cross-legged and with a smile aimed in his direction.
“I'm not very brave,” Caleb mumbles and Molly leans a little closer to catch his words.
“So you keep saying,” Molly smiles.
“Yeah,” Caleb sighs.
It's not or never he thinks as he clenches and unclenches his fist for a brief moment. Mollymauk doesn't appear to notice.
He does notice when Caleb grabs him by his coat and pulls him closer.
Molly also notices Caleb pressing his lips against his.
His red eyes go wide and before he can think to kiss Caleb back, he's let him go and pushed him away.
“There. I lived a little,” Caleb whispers breathlessly and buries his face in his scarf.
“Shit, yeah you did,” Molly whispers, a hint of awe to his voice.
Caleb burries his face deeper into the old scarf, breathes in the familiar scent and tries to calm his breathing.
He's far too focused on dispelling the nervous feelings fluttering inside his chest to notice or hear Molly move ever so slightly closer to him again.
Molly's hands are warm as they gently brush against his neck, and his breath even more so when he presses a kiss to Caleb's neck.
Caleb freezes, then slowly his muscle loose their tension.
Molly trails his hands through his hair, loosening up knots and tangles in the process, and Caleb leans into the touch.
“Just like a cat,” Molly whispers, breath hot in Caleb's ears and Caleb is certain his skin is more red than fire.
“I like it,” Molly adds and places another soft kiss to Caleb's temple.
Slowly Caleb dares look up.
His face is still red, but as his eyes meet with Mollymauk's own, he feels a little better.
Molly's purple skin is a shade or two darker in certain parts, and there's a sheepish grin across his face as he leans in to kiss Caleb once more.
Slower this time.
And neither push the other away.
Caleb hesitantly grips onto Mollymauk's coat, scared he'll somehow dirty the beautiful coat – despite the fact he was made to wash his hands earlier by Jester.
Molly's own grip on him tightens, and Caleb grows a little bolder – a little braver – as Mollymauk deepens their kiss.
“Now that,” Molly whispers breathlessly as they pull apart. “Was plenty brave...”
“Good,” Caleb smiles and then immediately pulls his scarf over his face again.
“Oh no you don't!” Molly laughs and tugs the scarf away. “If I can't hide in a scarf then you don't ge to to either!”
Caleb frowns and unwinds the scarf from his neck, before slowly winding it back around them both.
“Better?” he asks and smiles.
Molly frowns an then sighs dramatically, shifting his body around to wind an arm and a tail around Caleb's waist as he leans his head on Caleb's shoulder.
“You win this round Wizard...” he mumbles into the fabric of Caleb's scarf.
“You'll get me back,” Caleb laughs and leans into the warm embrace of Molly's arm.
“Yeah,” Molly grins. “I will. You'll love it. Maybe hate it a little too. We'll see...”
“Yes...” Caleb hums as he reaches for his book again. “We will...”
He flips the book open, but this time he doesn't really read the words, nor does he try to block out or ignore Mollymauk's presence.
This time he listens.
Listens to Molly's breathing and the soft little hum of a song he seems to whisper just under his breath.
Caleb doesn't like risks.
Hates being noticed.
But well calculated risks he can do.
And perhaps, just sometimes, if it's the right people; he'll let himself be noticed a little more too.