Chapter Text
Caleb Widogast was nervous. Terribly, horribly, gut-wrenchingly nervous -- but he was also incredibly excited, as he flitted about his small apartment and tried to find some semblance of organization in the stacks of books and papers that were scattered everywhere. It wasn’t that he was a dirty person. In fact, Caleb took excellent care of his books and belongings. However, taking care of himself? Well, he was still working on that a bit. But he was much better at keeping himself clean than he had been a year ago, and even more so before his rehab.
He was better every day, and even when he had bad days, the trend was still headed upwards, and that was all he could ask for.
He made a sweep past Nott’s room, peeked inside at the piles of collected things, made a face, and gently shut the door to hide that mess. She was her own person and the state of her bedroom was not his concern. Besides, she would throw a fit if Mollymauk even stepped a single foot in her space.
Oh, that’s right, Mollymauk would be there soon.
Caleb sucked in a breath and bit at one of his thumbs nervously. Everything was as clean as it was going to get, it was past time for the tattoo shop to be closed, and he was just waiting on the telltale text message that meant Mollymauk was on his way. His chest was tight with excitement and his hands were shaking just a little with his nerves.
What if it suddenly felt awkward? He wouldn’t know what to do if they reverted to an uncomfortable sense of distance between them.
Caleb took a deep breath and reminded himself that he had been texting back and forth with Mollymauk all day. They had been flirting and hinting mildly at their plans for the evening. Caleb had agreed to make them dinner and the Spätzle was currently sitting on the stove on the lowest heat keeping warm. Molly has explicitly said how much he was looking forward to the evening. Caleb wasn’t going to let his anxieties ruin something he was looking forward to. No backing out, or making up excuses last minute. He wanted to do this.
He smiled as he recalled how excited Molly had been at the prospect of a well-cooked home meal and while Caleb may have poorly stumbled his way through life, he had at least learned how to cook some basic meals in order to take care of himself. Sometimes he had trouble eating, but he could make the food just fine. Especially when it came to the traditional German recipes he’d grown up on.
Caleb found himself aimlessly wearing a path into the living room carpet as he paced. Abruptly, his phone vibrated in his pocket. He fumbled for it quickly and ignored the sassy meow he received for all his pains from Frumpkin, settled on the couch a few feet away.
“I know I’m a mess, you don’t have to remind me.” He looked down at the phone and felt himself smiling before he had even made it to the end of the text message.
From: LoudTattooMan: You would not believe how mny fucking donut crumbs there are everywhere!!!? I stg she orders one box of donuts and now im sweeping crumbs up everywhere.
From: LoudTattooMan: Anyhow should be done within 15 and icn come over then???? C you soon!
He could only imagine Jester snacking on doughnuts as she wandered around the shop. Somehow, he very clearly understood that Mollymauk was teasing and not actually mad at Jester. He didn’t think that Mollymauk had it in himself to be mean to her. He quite agreed that she was rather adorable.
Caleb gave the apartment one last fleeting once over and honestly it was as good as it was going to get. He padded softly over into the kitchen area and stirred the pasta to make sure the bottom wasn’t burning. All this nervous energy was collected right under his skin and he was torn between feeling like he might explode and that he should hide somewhere. It was maddening.
Tentatively his fingers found the corners of his phone and he played with it before typing out a reply.
To: LoudTattooMan: Can’t wait to see you. I will wait for you out front so that you do not miss the building.
He locked his screen and took a deep breath before wandering toward the front door. He kept up a mantra of memorized text messages from Mollymauk to keep his brain distracted, humming under his breath as he wandered down the stairs from the second floor to the landing. The messages were ones of bright happiness about the tattoo parlor and all of Molly’s friends. Sprinkled in were mentions of how happy he was and how much he liked Caleb. These messages he’d committed to his pristine mind kept him company on the chilly landing.
It felt like ages before he heard the rumble of a motorcycle coming down the street and he perked up from his spot settled on the front steps of the house against the railing with his phone in hand. He’d been going over notes on a historical text that someone wanted him to look over. It would be his job to translate everything legible in it and make note of interesting passages pertaining to arcana. He was considering taking up the challenge, but he already had three large books he was working on. Honestly, someone else could tackle this one, but it seemed so intriguing and the potential for new things to learn was far too tempting to pass up. However, it would cut into his free time, and that was his Mollymauk time.
The rumbling of the bike brought his attention back to the street just in time to see that iridescent peacock blue and purple motorcycle pull up with its rider comfortably astride it. A familiar jolt of desire and affection ran through his veins as he watched the man in his seafoam green jeans slide off the seat and unclip the helmet from his head. Mollymauk shook his hair out and untangled some of the strands from his horns.
Caleb was already scrambling to his feet and striding down the stairs before Molly had a chance to set his helmet aside and throw his arms out with a big grin. He stumbled and almost tripped into the tiefling’s arms and wrapped his own firmly around Molly’s middle.
He couldn’t help but inhale deeply as he felt two slender arms wind around him and all his previous anxieties about waiting and not being wanted left the moment he was back in Molly’s immediate presence.
“Oh I missed you.” The rumble of Mollymauk’s voice filled his ears and the vibrations hummed underneath where his face was smashed into Molly’a neck, and Caleb didn’t fight his wide smile.
“Ja. I missed you too. Work was unbearably slow.” They inhaled in unison and Caleb felt a hand smooth up and down his back over the sweater he was wearing. Slowly he pulled away and looked up at Molly. The smile he found on his face was almost blinding in its brightness and how far it stretched across his face.
Caleb had to blink and take a step back as he was consumed with the desire to kiss him.
It was with a pang of giddy happiness that he realized that he could do that. He was allowed to do that now. Molly seemed to have realized the same thing because he cupped Caleb’s cheek and leaned in to press their lips together in a slow kiss.
It was wonderful, there were butterflies and that hot feeling chasing through his veins that Caleb had only previously known as lust now felt comforting. It wasn't just want, it was adoration. It was need. If he didn't have Molly wholly and completely then he would break.
That was a bit dramatic, he thought, but it that was the feeling swelling inside him. It insisted that he be as close as possible, without being too weird, of course. Gods Caleb wanted this to be what he thought it was. What he never imagine it might be.
As the kiss ended and a small breath of space enveloped them, Caleb laughed softly and gestured towards the door.
"We should ah... It's getting cold out. Come on up." His voice was breathy and he barely felt the words leave his lips.
Molly laughed nervously and kissed the corner of his mouth briefly.
"Right, indoors. Got it. Sorry, I was distracted by how lovely you are." His words, while charming, were a bit rushed and Caleb felt the sincerity in their awkward delivery. It made him pulse with pride and affection as he gently took the tiefling’s hand and pulled him towards the door.
"Come on, you sap."
Their footsteps echoed on the staircase as Caleb led them up to his humble second floor apartment. He was nervous showing his personal space to Mollymauk and had done his best to make sure it was to standard. What standard that was, he was not quite sure but...it was a standard at least. It was why he’d spent so much time that afternoon stressing over the state of his affairs.
Mollymauk was completely unfazed by the space as his eyes scanned the worn carpet and sparse framed pictures on the walls. His eyes seemed to zero in on something and Caleb stiffened naturally as he turned to follow his gaze. Had he left something weird about?
It was Frumpkin that drew both their eyes as he stood on the arm of the chair and mewled loudly and defiantly.
"Oh my gods, is that him? Is that Frumpkin? Look at his cute little face, my heart is absolutely melting." Caleb blinked owlishly as Molly rushed across the room and kneeled directly in front of the cat. One hesitant lavender hand stroked over the soft fur almost reverently.
"Ah…Ja? That is Frumpkin. I take it you like him?"
"Caleb, he's gorgeous and so nice-- Ow. Oh, I take it back, he's terrible and feisty and I love him."
Caleb laughed from where he was shucking his coat in the doorway as Mollymauk introduced himself to his cat. Frumpkin had made himself at home chewing on and attacking the tiefling’s hand. He never bit hard when play fighting, but Caleb decided to call him off anyway.
"Frumpkin, Nein." With a sharp click of his tongue the cat stopped nipping at Molly's hand and settled down on the arm of the chair.
"Oh wow, he's trained?" The curious note in Mollymauk's voice was evident but Caleb shrugged as he headed into the kitchen to check on the food on the stove.
"He is both a cat and my familiar. It was easy to train him and understand him. Plus he is very intelligent."
A pleased and interested hum was heard from the other room as Caleb tended to the pasta and sauce.
Dinner was a mundane affair as Caleb dished up enough for both of them to enjoy and brought the plates over to the coffee table in the living room. They ate from the couch casually as Molly kicked off his shoes and took both his and Caleb's to the entryway. He shared stories about the day that he hadn't already relayed over text animatedly and Caleb listened quietly as he ate. He stammered through several 'thank you's' as Mollymauk complimented his cooking. He certainly wasn't used to company, much less the company of someone he was dating who seemed to admire him, even slightly.
Oh gods, they were dating.
Even the thought of it disrupted his ability to listen and made his chest feel warm and tight with anticipation.
What really floored him was the expression he caught on Mollymauk's face while he himself ranted on and on about the text he was trying to translate and transcribe for its historical context. He was incredibly passionate about this stupidly old book and Molly was staring at him, frankly, like the sun was shining out of his ass. In complete and utter awe and well, clearly that was misplaced? After all he’d been throwing his hands about quite haphazardly and gotten off the couch twice to try and find similar books upon his shelves to demonstrate. It was all rather embarrassing how completely wrapped up in talking about the subject he’d become.
"I-Is there something on my face?"
"Just gorgeousness..." was the dreamy reply and heat flooded his face as he stammered for a reply. Mollymauk belatedly realized his own words and sat up straight from where he'd leaned his chin into his palm to stare at Caleb.
"I uh...I mean well, sorry I was just really caught up in you talking about something you love so much. It made your whole face light up." He cleared his throat and tried to shrug it off. Caleb felt his cheeks flush dark and he looked down at his empty plate.
"I've never had someone say that before..."
"Say what before?" Molly leaned back into the couch cushions and twirled his fork around a finger absently.
"Call me gorgeous." His shyness overtook his words and he found himself mumbling at the end. Instinctually, he ducked his chin towards the collar of his sweater he’d put on after work.
A hand found its way under his chin and gently tapped underneath it with one claw.
“Hey now, no reason to hide. What I say is the truth, you know.” Molly’s red eyes stared at him sincerely from under his dark lashes.
“That’s hard to believe knowing how much bullshit leaves your mouth.” Caleb gave him a look and gently turned his chin away from the fingers under it. He heard Mollymauk scoff and suddenly, plates and dinner forgotten, the lavender tiefling was very much in his space. Molly had been sitting lounged against the arm of the couch but now he leaned towards him, one arm draped over the back of the couch casually.
“Caleb darling. I talk a lot of nonsense, it's true, but not about this, not about something as important as how I feel about you.” His words were edged with seriousness unlike the light teasing sprinkled in before the change of subject.
“Oh…” was all that Caleb could manage as he looked around the space, anywhere but at the eyes pinning him to the suede couch. He wanted him so badly, he was so desperately infatuated with this tiefling and everything he said. He’d never thought that love was something he deserved, but it had waltzed right into his life like it belonged. It had tattooed itself across his heart faster than he’d even realized.
Hell, maybe this wasn’t love, maybe it was just infatuation. He didn’t really know much about it, his youth was fuzzy and his time spent recovering was even less clear. Affection, romance, love; they were all unsure and uncertain to him.
What Caleb did know, was that the hand resting just under his jaw was warm and comforting. The arm slung over the back of the couch did not make him feel on edge or trapped in any way and… The man staring at him made him feel safe and warm.
Not to mention that his entire body was screaming at him to be as close as possible to this man, to listen to him and hang off his every word.
What a foolish and terrifying urge it was.
“Caleb, are you still with me?” Mollymauk gently rubbed his thumb over the edge of the scruff on his jawline, concern evident in his voice and the scrunch of his brows.
“Ja, ja. Sorry, I was just thinking.”
“About what?” Caleb floundered at the question.
“I just…I was thinking about how silly it is that I’ve been alone for so long and how this is probably going to sound crazy, because I’ve never felt safe a day in my goddamn life but -” He paused and finally his blue eyes met those deep red ones and Caleb swallowed the thick lump in his throat.
“I feel safe with you.”
That seemed to catch Molly off guard, and his dumbstruck expression was oddly satisfying.
“Well, that’s quite a compliment. I’m so glad to hear that I, uh… wow, I don’t know what to say.” Mollymauk leaned back slightly and his cheeks were dusted with a darker purple.
“Have I rendered you speechless?” Caleb watched as his words made the tiefling really blush.
“No, I mean kind of…I have words. I just don’t know that they’re any good.” He was stammering a bit and Caleb cooed softly, if not a bit mockingly, at him.
“Cute.”
That seemed to do the trick as Molly rolled his eyes and ducked his head down to gently hide it in the knit fabric covering Caleb’s shoulder. A laugh, light and filled with joy, was pressed into his sweater and he reached up and gently slid his fingers into the hair down the back of Mollymauk’s neck. It was wonderfully soft and his skin was warm there.
“You know, this started as me teasing you, what happened?” Two red eyes squinted up at him and Caleb smirked.
“I guess you’re good at dishing it out but not taking it.”
Too late, Caleb realized the opportunity he’d given Mollymauk.
“Oh, I can take it. Believe me, Mr. Caleb, I can definitely take it.” His smirk was wide and sensual and the context of his statement impossibly clear. It lit a fire under Caleb’s skin that was very different from the electric sparks felt when he used any kind of magic. This was pure desire.
“Do you want to?” The words were gone from his mouth before he could stop them and he was sure that his shocked expression looked even worse than Molly’s did.
“I…I mean yes? I’m always okay with- Uh, what exactly are you asking here, Caleb?” Mollymauk sat up straight and his hand found Caleb’s and gently held it.
“I’m… not sure.” Caleb cleared his throat and ignored the burning in his face that refused to go away. “I was remembering what we talked about earlier this morning and if you are still interested?” He let the question linger in the air between them, staying perfectly vague in case he was reading everything wrong. He doubted that was, but it was nice to have a safety net just in case.
The tieflings tail perked up animatedly behind him and his expression shifted from shocked confusion to interest in a matter of seconds.
“Oh, I’m definitely interested. In fact I am completely enraptured by you and very eager. Especially because someone had to rush off to work this morning.” With each word Molly shifted closer on the couch and Caleb wasn’t prepared for the lapful of tiefling he suddenly held. Molly settled comfortably over his thighs, straddling him and trapping him between his arms on the couch.
The air between them was warm and inviting and safe, their feelings, while new and still unsure, felt cherished. Caleb worried that he would crush this good feeling with his cold, harsh hands, but the lips that pressed into his tentatively erased his worried thoughts.
How could something that felt so right and nice lead to something terrible? It was time that he stopped worrying about what might happen and instead enjoy the bright and wonderful person in his arms at this very moment.
It was in sync that their lips found each other. Molly threaded his fingers through Caleb’s soft ginger hair and pulled him close. His lips were warm and wonderful and his touch was firm but caring and Caleb melted as his bones heated up. His own hands found their way up over Molly’s skin, tracing over his thighs and up to his hips. With an emboldened breath of air into the tiefling’s mouth, he slid his hands underneath that soft cotton shirt to explore his chest.
Time trickled by as Caleb explored the other man’s chest and eventually they slipped from the couch at Mollymauk’s urging. It was nerve-wracking and he was a jittery mess, but laying down in bed next to this brilliant light of a man was easier than he’d thought it would be. Finding pleasure between themselves and gasping into each others mouths with each gentle caress and touch was wonderful in ways Caleb hadn’t know he’d ever be allowed to experience.
Mollymauk’s shirt came off first and Caleb found himself exploring those wonderful layers of tattoos that twisted and ran across the entirety of the man’s back. They were gorgeous, and before he could stop himself he was tracing them with his lips reverently. Molly was eagerly stretched out on the bed beneath him and Caleb traced his way from his hip bone up past his nipples and along his collarbone to his neck where the peacock feathers wrapped around to his cheek. It was easy to layer kisses on his face and at Molly’s urging he lavished more kisses on his lips.
“I’m glad you like them…” Molly whispered against his mouth softly. Caleb pulled away with a smile as he shucked his bulky sweater and tossed it to the side.
“Like what? Your tattoos? Of course I like them, they’re gorgeous.” He hesitated with his shirt and left it on for the moment as he smoothed his hand gently over one of Molly’s exposed thighs. The tiefling hadn’t hesitated at all in stripping down to his briefs.
“Well, to some people they’re off-putting, you know tattoos aren’t everyone's cup of tea.” A purple eyebrow arched upwards with interest and Caleb felt himself blush.
“Oh, well...I find them rather, uh...sexy.” His smile was small but he felt more confident in it when Molly smiled back at him.
“I’m so glad to hear that.” Molly’s laughter that followed was contagious, and it spilled between them freely as Caleb stripped out of his shirt and pants and lavished a great deal of attention on all of Mollymauk. Every inch of pale purple skin was covered with kisses and Caleb asked quietly into the shell of Molly’s ear if he could leave marks on him. He was delighted by the breathy “Yes.” and made his own temporary additions to the artwork along Molly’s ribs, side and neck.
He loved the thought of being a part of this, of being a part of Molly’s body and his life. It was a big step for him, a big change in the direction of his thinking. Like the ink laden on his arm he found that the lavender tiefling currently moaning under his hands and mouth was making a permanent place in his life.
For the first time in this new beginning he’d given his life, Caleb truly enjoyed himself, and when the evening stretched into late night and they relaxed under the heavy comforter of his bed he found himself drifting off to sleep sated and happy. It was an unbridled happiness with no strings attached. Lips pressed gently to his forehead in the dark and Caleb heard whispered words of goodnight.
He’d never so badly in his life wanted to say the words ‘I love you’ to someone.