Chapter Text
“And just where do you think you’re going?”
Caleb feels a hand close around his ankle and he lets out an uncharacteristically giggly shout. Mirth nearly erupting from his chest, he heaves forward, clawing hopelessly at the ground. “No, no- you asshole, ah- MOLLY!”
The tiefling’s voice is low, laced with danger. “Hell of a thing to say right now.” He tows the wizard back in by the ankle with a laugh.
Caleb, fighting off anticipatory giggles, kicks with the unclaimed leg and tries to wiggle and flip himself onto his back. “Noooo!” He whines as Molly’s finger starts dancing over the ball of his foot. A few more join in, they curl with a teasing lightness that Caleb knows is only the beginning.
Molly wraps both of the wizard’s ankles up with one arm and gets to work. His wiggling fingers jump more deliberately between all the worst spots (there are many) on Caleb’s feet, who starts squeaking out laughter between broken protests almost immediately.
“You are a peculiar one, Widogast.” Molly narrates as he draws squeals from Caleb by scribbling nails beneath his toes. “You’ve been buried in books, frowning and grumping about all day. For days! And here I am, trying to cheer you up.”
“I’m smiling now, you dick!” Caleb squeals.
Mollymauk tugs the rest of Caleb closer. “And you think I’m just going to get you to smile once and then let you go?”
Caleb eyes him and catches a dangerous smirk, and then a little bit of an exasperated fondness in Molly’s eyes as he tries in vain to wriggle free. A whine builds in Caleb’s throat and he tosses his head back, a bit defeated. “Why?”
“You deserve a little lightness, dear, don’t argue. All you need to do is laugh.”