ᴍᴏʟʟʏᴍᴀᴜᴋ (viciousmaukery) wrote in wtnvgame, @ 2021-10-04 11:44:00 |
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Entry tags: | !action/thread/log, -player: ashe, critical role: mollymauk tealeaf, ₴inactive player: d, ₴inactive: caleb widogast |
Honestly, Caleb would get attached to anything.
Molly had said in his comments that he was coming over to see him, to show Caleb his new tattoo, and that would be- something. Vastly different to his catch up with Beau. Caleb wasn't even sure if he was ready to see Molly, he hadn't really given himself the several hours he might need to prepare himself mentally and emotionally for this encounter.
His tiefling had been so keen to show him, Caleb couldn't tell him no. He could never tell Molly no.
Caleb had rolled his shirt sleeves up, had unbuttoned the top two buttons, and was as prepared as he could ever be, he supposed, staunchly ignoring the fluttering in his chest and the heat in his cheeks.
Or no. That was wrong. That made it sound like Caleb had done something wrong and he hadn't. As far as Molly was concerned, Caleb had never done anything wrong in his life. Not literally, of course. Everyone had things they'd done wrong, and Caleb carried a heavy sort of guilt with him which spoke to having done something in the past. Not that Molly cared. Well, he cared insomuch as it bothered Caleb, but he had never been the sort to judge someone for their past. Especially not when his own past had hurt the people he loved so much.
But he wasn't going to think about that right now.
The point was that Caleb had stopped being quite so awkward and started being very charming. And that was a problem. Because Molly had only just been able to acknowledge his own feelings for Caleb when Jester had pointed them out. He'd always been able to acknowledge Caleb was handsome and that he was fond of him, but this was different. This was feelings and that was something he was still coming to terms with. He'd only barely managed to deal with his feelings for Alec before he'd vanished, and now there was this and it felt so much bigger and more real and honestly terrifying.
But his feelings were splashed across his chest in a way he could hardly deny and Caleb kept saying things and he had the literal, actual god of love telling him to go for it, and also Beau and Jester telling him to go for it...and also the fact that he wanted to go for it because it was Caleb and Caleb had always made him feel a kind of way, even if he'd never been in a place to acknowledge it.
He'd actually fully done up his shirt for once in his life, for the sake of the reveal, so he wasn't entirely prepared to see Caleb with his sleeves rolled up and his shirt somewhat undone - displaying chest hair that Molly hadn't even realized would be quite so distracting. This was it. He was going to die a third death. Here lies Mollymauk. He died as he lived. In bisexual frustration.
Maybe he shouldn't have just waltzed in, but Caleb had made a point of telling him he was welcome. My home is your home. Because he didn't have enough fluttery feelings.
"Well hello there, Mister Caleb," he said, hoping his charm would cover up his nervousness. Of course, he was instantly distracted by the odd little fire...creature that had made its way over and was sort of rubbing against his leg. Rather like a cat. It looked nothing like a cat, but to Molly's mind it was definitely a cat. "And hello, darling," he said, bending down to pet the not-quite-a-cat. IT felt warm to the touch, but didn't hurt. "Is this your newest creation then?"
And in the time since Molly had died, Caleb had had crushes on a lot of their friends, on a lot of people, but it had been Molly that had stayed in his mind, it had been Molly he hadn't been able to stop thinking about. And seeing someone else walking around in Molly's skin had almost broken him. Almost.
He wasn't prepared for the way he felt as though every weight he had ever bore lifted from his shoulders when Molly strode into his home. His fiery friend had perhaps picked up on that too, because they were on Molly immediately, rubbing around him in a way that was too akin to a cat.
"Hello, Mollymauk," Caleb said, his voice rougher than he had anticipated it being as he stood to greet his friend. And fire boi was certainly breaking the ice. "Yes. This is my little accident. He was not supposed to be quite so...alive," he smiled. "But it seems that I have an affinity with hot things," he added, eyes lifting from the new not-quite-a-cat to meet Molly's. "So it's a good thing you're fire resistant, hm?"
"He doesn't seem like an accident at all," Molly said, giving the little fire-thing scritches. "In fact, he's brilliant. Rather like you in that regard." He gave Caleb a grin that was maybe just a little too much fang. "And what other hot things have you been around then? Besides this one. And me of course." Just an edge of teasing. Nothing too much yet. Granted, there was no way things could really stay innocent given why Molly had come over.
"But you've shown me yours," he said, slipping off his coat and then moving his hands to the laces of his shirt. "I suppose it's only fair that I return the favor." He winked at Caleb as he stripped off his top, in equal parts to flustered the wizard and to keep himself from overthinking what he was doing.
The peacock had always draped down, tail feathers covering his cheek and throat, and the head resting against his collarbone. Now it rested against the head of a phoenix that came up from his chest, covering the rather gruesome scar from Lorenzo's glaive. Jester had done a wonderful job of hiding the unsightly thing. But that wasn't the issue. The issue was that the tattoo, with its warm colors and obvious symbolism, was practically a love letter to the man in front of him.
"What do you think?" Molly asked, a little breathless.
"Everything I do or touch seems to end in fire somehow," he replied. "So like I said, it's a good thing you're fire resistant, isn't it?"
Caleb had no idea what he was doing or where this was coming from. It had been easy when they were messaging to compliment Molly, but now that they were face to face it was much more of a struggle to maintain- whatever it had been when he was safe behind his screen. He rubbed his hand over his face, the heat radiating from his cheeks and wondering if perhaps he was just, as usual, making a fool of himself.
He took a few steps back, turning in a circle as though that might help him somehow, tugging down the sleeves of his shirt over his still-bandaged forearms and doing up the cuffs even as Molly started to take off his coat. Caleb loved that coat so much. That coat was woven through the tower in ways even he hadn't expected.
And Caleb had seen Molly shirtless - he'd seen Molly naked before - and it was seared into his memory. Of course everything was, but Molly was always that little bit more. So he looked. He supposed he was being invited to look, though mostly at Molly's new tattoo and not everywhere, which is where Caleb's eyes tracked. Take it all in. Every inch of him. But it did finally settle on the ink. A phoenix, which made sense, though it was ironic considering their conversation moments ago. It was beautiful. Jester really had improved a lot. The scar it was covering was only really visible if you knew what you were looking for.
"It is quite lovely," Caleb said, that same roughness in his voice. "Very apt. Though I wouldn't risk losing you again in case the next time I was not so lucky," he added softly, stepping closer and leaning in so that he could get a better look. Caleb was a smart guy. He was ridiculously intelligent, but there were some things that his brain just wouldn't allow him to see, and though there was something niggling in his mind, he was just taken by the fact that they had just been speaking about all manner of fiery things, and here was a phoenix and its flames. Something, something was pressing at him, but he ignored it for now.
"Perhaps I have rubbed off on you," Caleb said instead, resisting the desire to touch, his arms once more wrapped forcefully around himself. "You look beautiful, Molly. I'm sure you will get a great deal of attention when you show it off."
"Now I don't know about that," he said, taking Caleb's hand in his and giving a pointed look at the point of contact. "You seem to be touching me just fine. And while we've established I'm hot, I've yet to burst into flames. So I think you're safe."
It was a pity to see Caleb button his shirt up, but it was probably a good thing. Molly didn't want to push him too far, and it was a reminder that Caleb wasn't always comfortable. He needed to be careful. He needed to take things at least a little bit slowly, and not push Caleb outside of his comfort zone. Because he cared about him a lot. A stronger word flitted around the edges of his mind but he wasn't sure he was ready to use it just yet. Not when he wasn't entirely sure about Caleb's feelings.
But then Caleb was complimenting his tattoo and talking about how lucky he was to have him back and just not getting it. How could Caleb be so smart, smarter than anyone else Molly had ever met in his life, and at the same time an absolute idiot? He'd marked himself permanently with his feelings and Caleb just wasn't seeing it. It was baffling and frustrating and Molly found himself grabbing Caleb's hand to pull the wizard close and press the hand in his grasp against the tattoo.
"Fuck sake, Caleb," he said, "what's a fellow have to do to get a point across?" The time for bullshit was past. "Why do you think I got this?" He wasn't going to touch on the whole showing it off part, because it wasn't as if he wouldn't. His job involved a bit of exhibitionism, after all.
So when he was pulled closer again, this time with Molly half naked and his palm now splayed against warm, bare skin, it was even more of a lot. And having Molly forcibly asking him to think, asking him to work out why he got the tattoo- Caleb knew it was to cover up the scar, but now he was faced with the bit of his brain that wasn't weighed down by his self-sabotage, encouraged into fuller life by Molly's proximity and tone and words. Molly got it because it was fire. And Caleb was fire. He could hear those words in his head, perfectly rational, and still audible above the rest of his brain screaming that that wasn't true, that this wasn't true, that Molly was only his in Caleb's imagination.
Pulling in a heavy, shaking breath, Caleb began to trace the outline of the phoenix slowly, giving himself time to calm down as well as giving himself time to think rationally. Okay, maybe just think, the rationality was lost. Still, his other hand lifted, cupping Molly's cheek, gazing at him in the hopes that Molly could see the panic and the doubt and all of Caleb's demons so that maybe he'd understand Caleb wasn't an absolute idiot.
"I have something to show you, Mollymauk," he whispered, his eyes dropping to Molly's lips for a split second. "And if it makes sense to you-" he stopped tracing the tattoo aimlessly just for a moment, just to unbutton another button on the front of his shirt. "-you should find a place for me to get my first tattoo. But be thorough. Make sure you consider everywhere." Caleb swallowed around the lump in his throat that made his voice crack at the end, taking Molly's hand in his and leading him towards the door of his tower, always cast, the doorway always in the corner of his living room. They hadn't made it this far the first time Molly had come over, and maybe that was for the best. And Caleb didn't want to rush him through it, but he wanted Molly to see one thing first. One thing that he hoped said the same thing that Molly's tattoo did.
"I made this-" Caleb said a few minutes later, his hand still holding Molly's whilst the other gestured up to the stained glass window in the colours of Molly's coat. The colours carried on subtly around the library too, on the spines of the books and the carpet on the floor and across the walls. "-I was never going to forget you. I thought about you every day after you had gone. I made the others hang out under this...declaration." He smiled, then looked at the man beside him. "I can get it tattooed on my chest if you would ask it of me, though."
He fought to keep his composure as Caleb traced over the tattoo, the touch sending a shiver down his spine. He didn't, however, fight the urge to lean into Caleb's hand cupping his cheek. Because that contact was reassuring, in spite of everything he could see in Caleb's face. It gave him hope that he hadn't entirely fucked everything up by wanting too much.
"You can show me whatever you like, Caleb," Molly said, admittedly distracted by Caleb's eye on his lips and another button coming undone. He wouldn't complain if the something that Caleb wanted to show him was more skin, but he had a feeling that wasn't what the man meant. However, he couldn't help but give in to the desire to flirt. Because that was how he was, and if Caleb had a problem with that this would never work anyway. "I promise I'll be very thorough," he said, voice low. His first thought, if he was honest, was Caleb's arms. Cover up whatever pain was there with something beautiful. But that was more serious, so he brought up a hand to stroke over the skin revealed by the open buttons. "Not here though," he said with a wink. "Wouldn't want to mess with this glorious chest hair."
He let himself be led along, stopping at the sight of something entirely unexpected but incredibly beautiful. He stared for a long moment before turning to look at Caleb and feeling his heart beat a kickdrum rhythm in his chest. Well...that was certainly something. He had worried they'd forgotten him. Or that they hadn't needed him. Hadn't wanted him. But this was...
"I don't think that's necessary, darling," he said. "I think this tells me plenty." He considered saying more or waiting for Caleb to say more, but he'd never been a patient person and they'd already said plenty. Something about a picture being worth a thousand words rang in his head. So instead he just stepped into Caleb's space and dragged him into a kiss.
Even as they stood there looking at the window Caleb wondered if he'd made a mistake, if he'd misinterpreted everything after all, and the few seconds where Molly stood silently looking at it felt as though they dragged on for minutes, even to Caleb's keen mind. How could he have forgotten Molly? He would never have let any of them forget Molly.
A shiver ran through him in the moment before their lips met, and a part of Caleb still wondered if this was too fast, if they were rushing into it. But of course they weren't. Their maybe had been cut so painfully short, and they deserved to see where it was going to go. They deserved to know what they could be together. It was relief, and it was a rush, and Caleb felt alive. He pressed himself closer to Molly, winding his arms gently around his waist, settling them in the small of his back near the base of his tail.
Caleb parted his lips to kiss Molly deeper, to taste him, to get as much as he possibly could. Not that there was any rush, but now they had started, Caleb felt as though he needed to know everything, he was hungry for Molly and he hadn't realised just how much until now. He moved even closer until they were chest-to-chest, one hand sliding slowly up Molly's back whilst the other stayed where it was, trying not to inch down further even if he was sure the touch would be welcomed.
He'd only felt like this one other time. As much as he didn't really like thinking about Alec and what he'd lost there, he could acknowledge that the things that had drawn him to Alec - the seriousness, the intelligence, the reserved nature and the wry humor - were all the things that had always fascinated him about Caleb. He didn't want to think that he had been using Alec as a stand-in, but on some level he probably had been. He'd loved him, that had been true, but the initial draw had definitely been because of the reminders.
He also knew this wasn't too fast. He had a second chance here. A chance that could be gone any moment. And he didn't want to regret - or have Caleb regret - not going after something he wanted just because of arbitrary notions of timing. Time had never meant much to him. He'd lived an entire life in two years. Why shouldn't he have this now? Especially not when Caleb wanted it too. They'd been an almost-something, once. A maybe. A not-quite. And now they had a chance to see that through.
He walked Caleb back until the other man's back hit the wall, one hand tangling in Caleb's hair while the other rested on his waist to avoid giving in to the temptation to undo the rest of the wizard's shirt. "I take it I didn't misunderstand this," he teased, barely pulling away from the kiss to speak before diving back in. Caleb's self-control was all too obvious to him so, as he resumed kissing him, he grabbed Caleb's hand and moved it to his ass. It was a good ass. Caleb should get to appreciate it.
And maybe, maybe they would just have this one time. Maybe this would be it. Caleb's demons weren't going to let him believe this was forever, but they might allow him this one time. He was going to enjoy it.
He moaned when he hit the wall, gasping at the fingers in his hair. Caleb didn't have the chance to reply, but there was no way to misinterpret how wide his pupils had blown, the flush in his cheeks, and the way he moved to follow Molly for the brief second he pulled away, humming pleased when their lips met once more, and as his hand was guided to Molly's backside. It had been a long time since he had done anything close to this, and he was very willing to indulge, groping, taking a whole handful and squeezing, since he was allowed.
"I- made you a bedroom-" Caleb murmured, pressing the words to Molly's mouth, though he glanced over Molly's shoulder to look at the sofa in the study, which was closer and would probably serve the same purpose. "s'fine. Don't worry," he shook his head and claimed Molly's lips again.
Molly wasn't sure how long he had. One day he'd go back to being dead. One day he might become some other person and that would be the end of him. But for now, he had Caleb. And that was enough. That was more than enough.
Caleb was even more gorgeous when he wasn't in control of himself. When he was wide-eyed and flushed and lost in what was happening. It would have been easy to get caught up in what was happening, to just drag Caleb over to the sofa and have his way with him. But Molly didn't want something quick and easy. Not with Caleb. He wanted so many things with Caleb.
The fact that Caleb had made him a room - made space for him in this place and in his life - gave him pause and made him pull away panting to press his forehead to Caleb's. He wanted to take his time with this. To make it something special. Not a loss of control that Caleb could write off later. "Show me?" he asked. He wanted to see the room. He wanted to take Caleb to bed and do this properly.
His other hand returned to join the first on Molly’s backside, now groping both sides of it and pulling Molly in closer, like any kind of distance between them was too much.
He had made a room for Molly the first time he had put the tower up here. He hadn’t thought there would be a chance that Molly would see it, and if he saw it there would be no reason for him to use it, but now- well, Caleb had thrown out the offer and now he was nervous about how far his feelings were going to be exposed. But Molly’s room- they should go there. Now. Yes.
With some obvious reluctance he slid his hands around from Molly’s ass, his touch dancing along Molly’s arms instead before he slid their fingers together.
“Come with me,” he said quietly, a soft smile on his face even though his eyes and the flush on his cheeks gave away his arousal. He floated Molly up to the floor that held Caduceus and Yasha’s room, where the guest room had now been adorned with a peacock feather.
The first room was coloured deep, peacock green with gold details on the walls, the big stained glass window showing the Fletching and Moondrop Carnival, a large, ornate sofa beneath it, all sorts of curious trinkets on tables and surfaces around the room. Caleb gave Molly a few moments to look around, though he was already halfway to the middle room. This room was draped in heavy purple fabrics, a table in the centre of the room with a stack of tarot cards and two chairs, should Molly wish to read the fortunes of anyone passing through.
The bedroom was almost embarrassingly ornate, though. Like Caleb had thought about this far too much, like he had thought of what it would be like to show Molly, to be in here with Molly. The bed was big, made of dark wood with a beautifully carved headboard and purple bedding. The walls were a darker shade of purple, more gold detailing running through it, showing the constellations and the symbol of the Moonweaver dotted about throughout it. The lighting was low and made the gold glint as the flames in the lamps danced. Of course there was a bath, too. Large enough for maybe two people, brassy in colour. Everything was a thousand times more beautiful than the room Caleb had made for himself. Everything said he had given this some consideration.
He let himself be led along until they reached their destination, smiling to himself at the peacock feather on the door. The room itself was amazing, and he couldn't help the soft, awed sound he made at the sight of it. It was ornate and beautiful and more perfect than anything he'd ever seen. All gorgeous deep colors and beautiful things and his heart clenched a little at the thought that Caleb had made this for him. That this, even more than the tower window, showed him exactly how Caleb felt about him.
"It's wonderful," he said, pushing down the too big, overwhelming emotions. He wanted to stay here all the time. He wanted to keep Caleb here all the time. "I especially like the bed." There was a suggestion there, but it had been obvious from the first moment they'd kissed where this was going. "In fact, I think we should try it out."
"I was hoping you'd like the bed," Caleb laughed, breathless with all of the emotions that were welling up inside him. He tugged on Molly's hand, pulling him towards the bed. "You should check and see if it's hard enough for you," the smile spread over his lips, and he stepped closer. "Some people don't like it too hard, but I-" Caleb dropped down onto the mattress, looking up at Molly through his lashes with a coy expression he hadn't worn for years. "-I like it firm. So-" Tugging on the waist of Molly's pants, Caleb pulled him forward to stand between his legs. "-I hope we have similar tastes in that aspect, liebling."
Leaning forward, Caleb pressed his lips to Molly's belly, rubbing his beard against his skin as he kissed from one hip to the other.
The innuendo was a gorgeous surprise. Honestly, so much about Caleb right now was a gorgeous surprise. "I never have a problem with hard," he said with a sharp smile. "Or firm." He let himself be pulled closer, running his fingers through Caleb's hair before pulling slightly. "Or rough. So I think we'll manage just fine, darling. I just hope the bed is sturdy. I'd hate to break such a lovely thing." Whether he was talking about the bed or Caleb was debatable, but he planned on putting both to good use.
He sighed, eyes slipping closed and a contented sound escaping at the contact. The idea that he could have missed out on this was a real tragedy. He let himself appreciate it for a moment before pushing Caleb further back onto the bed and settling himself on the wizard's lap. "Why don't we test it out," he said lowly, before pulling Caleb into another kiss.