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One of the perks of Caleb’s steel-trap mind is that he knows exactly how many times he’s performed these same actions. Rehearsals included, this is the 207th time he’s pulled a lighter from his pocket and flicked the sparkwheel as he sings.
He holds out the lighter, touching the flame to the wick of the candle in Molly’s purple hands.
This is the 22nd time that Molly has winked gently at him in the moment that they turn while swaying and face away from the audience. They’ve done it every performance so far, in every city they’ve visited.
This is the 22nd time that Caleb has fought to keep the blush from rising up his neck and cheeks, reminding himself that Molly is just a castmate. Roger and Mimi are just roles, nothing more.
Molly doesn’t make it easy during “La Vie Bohème B” either, the way they kiss Caleb each night. It’s supposed to be Roger and Mimi’s first kiss, and Molly does it tenderly and sweetly every single time.
This is the 207th time that Molly sings “They say I have the best ass below 14th street,” and the 51st time Caleb has vehemently agreed in his mind.
This is the 207th time that Caleb sings “I didn’t recognize you without the handcuffs.”
He can’t remember how many times he’s pictured Molly in handcuffs.
As Molly finishes the song for the 207th time and draws close to Caleb, their tail snakes around and flicks the tiny bag out of Caleb’s back pocket up into the air for them to catch one-handed. It’s a feat that always earns whoops from the audience.
This is the first time the Caleb can’t help himself.
This is the first time that Caleb strays from the script and surges forward, pressing his lips to Molly’s in a kiss.
It’s a moment passionné that surprises him as much as it surprises Molly and the audience.
The audience goes nuts. There are screams like Caleb has never heard at this show and he’s suddenly very aware of how hot his spotlight feels on his back.
As the lights go down, Caleb’s blood runs cold at what he’s just done. As soon as he’s offstage and he’s sure his mic is off, whispered apologies are spilling out of his mouth.
“Molly, I’m sorry, I’m sorry, I do not know what came over me, es tut mir Leid-” In his flustered state, he’s reverting to Zemnian without thinking about it.
Molly pulls him quickly but gently down the hall to the greenroom where they can talk without being heard from the stage. Caleb doesn’t look at their face, knowing it will probably be a mask of disappointment for ruining the show.
The apologies are still flowing when Molly closes the door to the greenroom and kisses Caleb again. It’s far different than the hesitant, gentle “first kiss” that they share every night. This kiss is deep, with Molly tangling one hand in Caleb’s hair to pull him closer and other pressed into the small of his back.
The apologies are definitely not still flowing after that.
“I… I don’t understand. You are not mad?” Caleb asks after they break apart.
Molly looks absolutely delighted and they take Caleb’s face in their hands, stroking their thumbs across Caleb’s cheeks. “I’m mad that you didn’t do that sooner!” Molly says with mock indignance, and the cold feeling of panic begins to ebb from Caleb’s chest, replaced with something warmer. He reaches up and takes one of Molly’s hands, clutching it to his chest.
“Sooner?” His voice is slightly breathless and he can’t tell if it’s from the emotion of the moment or his slightly-abated panic.
Molly laughs, but it’s not malicious or mocking. It’s pure, unadulterated delight and joy. “Gods, yes, Caleb, sooner! I think I’ve been in love sing I heard you sing for the first time.”
Caleb blushes. “Way back at the Zadash Community Theater? The time you caught me messing around with the piano and forced me to audition, because you said, and I quote, ‘I could sing the baby shark song and win a Grammy for it?’”
“You have the voice of an angel and letting it go to waste as a lighting tech was absolutely criminal,” Molly protests.
Caleb lets a small smile cross his lips and he gazes at Molly for a moment before jumping back suddenly. “Oh scheisse, how long until our next cue?”
Molly yelps and scrabbles behind them for the door handle. “Jester’s going to kill us if we miss it. Like actually. I saw her beat a sound techie with a lollipop from the snack table the other day,” they say as they and Caleb race down the hall.
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There is fallout, of course. Someone has their phone out during “Light My Candle” and captures the anachronistic kiss, and it’s trending on Twitter by the time the show is over. Beau and Nott, the show’s publicists, are waiting for them, matching expressions of disapproval on their faces.
“Either of you have an idea for a statement about that?” Beau says. Molly pulls out their phone and opens Twitter. They find the original post and retweet it, typing for a moment.
“Yup,” they say as they stick their phone back in their sweatpants pocket. They take Caleb by the arm and tug him away down the hall, planting a kiss on his cheek. Beau and Nott watch them go for a solid ten seconds before Beau scrambles for her phone. She opens Twitter and navigates to Molly’s profile.
The latest tweet reads:
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Mollymauk Tealeaf @mollyteafleek
1. phones out at shows is a no-no, friend. especially when we're gonna put a recording on youtube in a month
2. yeah we dating now
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The tweet is ended with four of the blowing-a-kiss emojis. Beau groans. "I don't know why we bother," she says to Nott.