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Very few things could bring Caleb out of a book-induced trance. The sound of muffled sobs, however, was one of them. He stood from his desk, meticulously marking where he left off reading and making sure all his experimentations and sigils were stable (a mistake he only needed to make once). He padded down the hall on silent feet to his - well, their bedroom, where the sounds of crying were undeniable.
He pushed the door open a hair, just enough to peek in. “ Schatz? ”
A sliver of light fell across Molly’s form, curled into a mountain of pillows and blankets. The tiefling’s head poked up, red eyes watery. “Hey, Mister Caleb,” Molly sniffled, voice choked up. He gave the Zemnian a watery smile, tears staining his cheeks.
Caleb’s gut wrenched at the sight of the man he loved so much in such clear pain. “Molly-”
Molly waved his hand, scrubbing at his face with the other. “It’s nothing, Caleb. I’m okay, I promise.” He gave a second smile, weaker than the first.
“May I come in?” At Molly’s hesitant nod, Caleb pushed open the door, just enough for him to slip through without spilling artificial light into the room. Frumpkin darted past, jumping up onto Molly’s lap, where he immediately curled into a ball and began purring. Molly made a noise that might have been a laugh or a sob. Caleb sat at the foot of the bed, searching for Molly’s eyes in the traces of moonlight.
The two sat for a moment. Caleb was the first to break the silence.
“You do not need to say that you are okay if you are not.”
One tear fell. Then another, and another, and he couldn’t stop them from falling. Molly sobbed with the entirety of his being, clutching a pillow like he was trying to fill that emptiness with something, anything. It was the type of crying that lived in his chest, that threatened to overwhelm him. Some piece of his consciousness registered Caleb coming and wrapping an arm around his shoulder, murmuring comforting words. Molly grabbed onto his shirt and sobbed into his chest, soaking the fabric almost immediately.
Molly’s sobs eventually turned into sniffles, which in turn began to fade as well. He released Caleb’s shirt, fingers aching, and sat up.
“I’m so sorry,” he said with a self-deprecating chuckle.
“Do not apologize, liebling. There is nothing for you to apologize for.” Caleb stretched, cracking his neck. “Do you want to talk about it?”
“I- I don’t know. I don’t even know what to say.” Molly wiped his eyes, swallowing hard. “I just, I just want my friends and to see the stars, and I can’t have either. And you know how I am, I just really need human contact or I just kind of wilt.”
Caleb looked out the window at the expanse of glittering city lights, taking a moment to think upon the weight of his words. “The world is… it is different now than it was, no?”
“Yeah,” Molly replied, eyes welling up again. “And it just keeps taking, and it’s not fair .”
Caleb wordlessly reached over to take Molly’s hand, his thumb stroking along the back of his hand in a comforting gesture.
“And even though things are starting to go back to normal, they won’t be the same, because the world is so different. And I can’t help but think that if I’m already having this much trouble after such a short time, I’m never gonna make it when I have to live for the rest of my life in this world that won’t let me be who I am.”
Caleb thought for a moment. “Mollymauk, people are messy and complicated.”
“You’re telling me,” Molly muttered. Caleb squeezed his hand with a crooked smile.
“They are full of contradictions, and sometimes they make no sense. But that means that we are also the most ready to handle change. So even the things that feel insurmountable today might be simple tomorrow. Things that are scary today might be comforting tomorrow.
“I am not saying that things will be easy. This will be difficult, as change is wont to be. I cannot give you a solution to this. But you have time to grow and find your ways to be you, and I will be here to support you as you need. Ich liebe dich, liebling. ”
“Gods, I-” Molly sniffled. “What do I even say to that? Gods, I love you.”
Caleb smiled. “You can think of plenty of things to say later. I will be here.” He stood, the motion stiff after not moving for so long. “For now, ah , let us brew some tea and find a field where you can see the stars.
Molly stood, fingers still laced with Caleb’s, and for the first time in what felt like months, smiled.