tried_fire | IC Inbox

[ he's already plotting ways to get back at the bastard at the Goodwill when Caleb starts to laugh and Molly just stops. confusion gives way to a look of awe, as if the sound of his friend's laughter is the most valuable and precious thing in this entire world. it is, to Mollymauk, and he casts asides all his intentions to get back at the Goodwill clerk.

gods, he loves this sound. he loves it so damn much.

Molly cocks his head to the side, blinking rapidly before squinting at the line Caleb points out. yeah... he can't make heads or tails of any of it, the horrible handwriting in combination with his limited reading ability just makes it all look like nonsensical scribbles. ]

Oh, [ but he trusts Caleb and the wizard's reaction to the scroll tells him that; yes, indeed, the words are written terribly upon it are indeed 'Prismatic Lay'. no wonder the man turned as red as a tomato. ] Oh. [ he laughs less than a second later, shifting his way from one foot to the other as his tail twitches behind him. doesn't he look like a god damn fool now? ]

Look, Caleb, I won't lie to you and say I haven't thought about it. [ he has, both in this life and the last. ] You're incredibly sexy despite your every insistence otherwise, but it wasn't my intention I promise you.

[ Molly looks off to the side, curling a little in on himself. ]

I, uh... I'm not really good at reading. It looked wizardy so I thought it'd be be something you would like.

[The first confession cannot possibly be a surprise, of course: Molly has been flirting with him since their first meeting, and he knows just how free Molly is with his affections. Enviably so, even. But now it's out in the open, and he deserves an honest response. Caleb has already decided he's interested, it's just...too soon yet.]

You're not so bad yourself, Circus Man. [His smile is soft, his eyebrows a little worried but there's a playful sparkle in his eyes despite it.] ...I'm not as guarded as you remember, but I still...don't find it easy to let people close. [He purses his lips.] And on the other hand, I don't let go easily once I have. So...I'm afraid I'm going to continue to ask for your patience. [It's very much not a 'no'.]

I know it's a cliché to say "it's the thought that counts", but truly, I'm happy you thought of me. Even if it's not as useful as you hoped. [He hesitates before approaching the next idea he has. Is it too much? Would Molly be insulted, or hurt, by an offer of help, see it as an implication that he's not enough as he is? ...But the image of success is warm enough to push him onward, and he takes a step closer to Molly as well.] ...If you'd like, I could try to help you fill in the gaps your education left.

[ did Caleb just... reciprocate his flirt? did he just flirt back? for a good moment Molly feels like the air has been knocked from his lungs, feels himself growing warmer than he already is. not that he has been worried about rejection, truthfully if Caleb rejected him outright he would have been okay, part of Molly has been prepared for that since the very beginning.

(it would have hurt, but he would have survived. gone on like he always has.)

his finger twitch at his side as he fights back the desire to take hold of Caleb's head and kiss away the worry from his expression. ]

I'm a patient man when I want to be. [ he wiggles his eyebrows a little, his stance relaxing. ] And before you worry about something stupid like scaring me off for holding on too tight or something like that, you won't.

[ if anything the only person who could scare Molly off is Molly himself, nothing Caleb could say or do could cause him to turn tail and run.

he breathes out red eyes flicking to Caleb as the man goes on, relief flooding his chest in the knowing that his gift wasn't a complete and utter failure. regardless of the misunderstanding and the fact Mollymauk didn't think to try and read, the gift is still brought him some level of happiness. ]

...Actually, I was hoping I could ask your help with a couple of things. [ reading hadn't been apart of the plan originally but he won't turn down Caleb's help. ] I've, uh, fallen into some... magic? I guess? And magic that isn't connected to my blood isn't my forte. [ to help prove his point Molly holds a hand out in front of himself brow furrowing as he tries to focus on... something. a flame? a light? he doesn't know, he just tries to dig into that well of arcane power he found himself with and pull out whatever the hell he can.

which happened to be a small burst of orange and purple fireworks the size of a golfball. ]

[He just needs time. Time to get used to having things he never thought he'd have, time to settle in and trust that it's all real. Time to get to know the Molly in front of him instead of just constantly falling back on both their memories of the people they were in another life.

He's already making plans in his head - he has some ideas for ways to keep Molly's interest in books even at a simple reading level - when Molly pulls out a burst of fireworks. His eyes light up immediately.]

So you also have fire magic! And I take it this is a recent development.

[He'll hold out his own hand, palm-up, and create a small orb of fire in his palm. With a little focus, he makes it roll back and forth over his fingers before dispersing it.]

...Less surprising, I'm sure, since it was also an affinity I had in my last life. But here, the rules of these things are less...rigid. We can learn some things from one another, mostly about control and focus, but everyone's abilities manifest differently. A great deal depends on the wielder's intent and will - there's no copying a scroll into a spellbook in this life, I'm afraid.

[ good gods, the way his eyes light up is just... infectious. the creeping tension that had been building in his shoulders eases at the look, relieved that the little display didn't trigger any sort of negative reaction. ]

Very recent.

[ the relief spreads through the rest of his limbs while he watches the man create a small orb of fire in his palm, a for more impressive feat than Molly's attempt to make colored sparks. he had intended his own display to a little more impressive, but well... ]

Love, I've never cast a spell a day in my life. I know how to use my own blood to curse a man blind, or coat my swords in ice so sharp it can rip through flesh, but this? [ he tries to create a small orb of fire in his own palm but only manages little more than a tiny flame. ] This is all new to me, I don't know how to get it to do what I want.

[ a little frustrated he clamps his hand shut, snuff out the flame and running his hand through his hair. ]

You're good at stuff like this. So some private lessons should work wonders, don't you think?

[He hears that tone you're using, Molly, and he'll raise his eyebrows at it. But...

...but he doesn't actually want it to stop. He doesn't want to make Molly feel like he has to try to be less himself, ridiculous flirtation and all. And most importantly, Molly's proved that he won't actually cross boundaries even if he's given the opportunity. So...acknowledge it, let it go by, and don't do anything to discourage it.]

I'm not really sure it's helpful to think of it as "spells", to be honest. I can only say with certainty that I know one "spell" exactly as we knew them back then. [He makes a practiced gesture in the air, and the four familiar little globules of Dancing Lights pop into existence. Three of them move to illuminate points in the room, and one floats toward the floor, just out of Daisy's reach, encouraging her to leap for it.]

I can do many of the same things now that I could do then, but I have to focus, to visualize the exact effect that I want. I'd be more than happy to teach you based on my own experiences and what I can do, however. [He smiles wryly.] Most people get the ability to conjure flames before fireworks, but I really can't be surprised that you've taken the showman's route.

[ the flirting, in part, helps with... everything. helps distract him from the niggling fears that come for him the dark of night, the worries that stir the urge to run. but if Caleb wanted him to stop, he would. the last thing he wants is to make his friend uncomfortable, or feel as though he has to respond to Molly's ridiculous antics.

Molly watches Caleb gesture in the air, watches the familiar lights pop into existence and float about to where the wizard directs them. maybe that is part of his problem? that he thinking about his new found abilities like they are some sort of wizard spell. ]

It's not like I chose the fireworks, love. [ he sticks his forked tongue out briefly. ] But I'd be happy to take whatever knowledge you are willing to give to me. If I try to figure it out on my own I'm certain I'll do something stupid and burn down my apartment and that would be just terrible. I'd hate for all Lycaon and Hugo's efforts to go to waste all because I couldn't control my new sparkle fingers.

Oh, no, people generally don't. [He beams playfully back at Molly.] Nonetheless, as often as not there's some sort of rhyme or reason to be found in which abilities show up when. It's too much anthropomorphizing to claim that the ley lines have a sense of humor, but it would be easy to get that impression.

[He winces a little at the mental image conjured up by Molly's words.] Yes, until we've confirmed the limits of what you can do and you have consistent control, fire magic lessons will be an outdoor activity, for the sake of everyone's living spaces. I wouldn't usually do more than what I've showed you tonight indoors, and I've been doing this half my life.

[But actually...] ...Do those two have some responsibility in your current living arrangement?

Has anyone ever told you that you're really hot when you start using big words like that? [ he thinks he gets the gist of what Caleb's saying, but he finds himself thrown for a loop the second "anthropomorphizing" hit his ears. ] Yeah, I would also think the ley lines or Fate or what have you has a sense of humor.

[ he only realizes too late the mistake, expression quick to turn apologetic as he talks. poor wording, very poor wording, terrible wording in fact now that he knows what he knows about his friend. good job idiot. ]

It's less of a responsibility and more... [ Molly waves a hand about in the air searching for the right word. ] Hugo has a key and by extension so does Lycaon, and I'm pretty sure Hug was looking at beds during that breakfast. I was think about livening up the place now that I decided to stay, but I'm pretty sure they're going to beat me too it.

Big words like...? [He tilts his head, and then his eyes widen with realization.] Ah, I suppose I got too warmed up to my subject. It means to think of something as if it's a human, or has human traits, when it does not. Like saying that a storm is angry, or referring to a computer as having wants. Magic as a force in the world does not act with any sort of intent as far as we've been able to see.

[It seems that, having made his decision about how to respond, he is now adapted to just ignoring Molly's flirting unless he actually feels like answering it. At least for the time being.

'Hugo has a key and by extension so does Lycaon' is such a telling sentence.] Those two are really an interesting pair of people, aren't they? ...I don't mean that in a bad way by any means, I simply...can't quite fathom them just yet.

[ there he goes ago again. Molly can't help but smile fondly, giving some weight to his previous words. he really does find it attractive when Caleb starts talking like this, animated and excited over a subject he's clearly interested in. even though majority of it flies directly over Molly's head. ]

Look at you, already teaching me new things.

[ absently he reaches up to poke at once of the Dancing Lights, tail gently swaying from side to side. ]

That's one way to put it, yeah. [ that fond expression finds him again, claw tapping at the globule of light. ] They're busybodies they are but it's kinda nice. Letting people in again and letting them care, that is.

Ah, I've been told I do too much explaining. Some people think it's condescending.

[He really doesn't mean to be. He's just honestly interested in trying to share his view of the world.

Watching Molly poke at the light makes him smile, and with a subtle gesture he makes it move around a little, bobbing back and forth in response to the poking like an inquisitive firefly.]

Then I'm glad you've had people to care about you. [It sounds like that's something he's not really used to having, and that hurts to think about. For Molly, or for anyone.]

Some people are idiots who wouldn't know a good thing if it hit them in the ass. I like listening to you explain things, I like watching you too. The more interested in the subject you are the brighter you get talking about it.

[ he likes this version of Caleb who can do that, who isn't looking over his shoulder every five seconds and jumping at every shadow. he could happily listen to the man go on and on about whatever the hell he wanted to, be it a smutty book he came across or the intricate relationship between the different magical elements.

Molly tail twitches, eyes widening a little to track the bobbing light. logically he knows it's Caleb's doing, but Molly reaches to bap at the light in a manner not unlike Daisy. ]

What about you? Aside from me, obviously, you've got people who care about you, don't you? [ his eyes move for the light back to Caleb, worry furrowing his brow just a little. ]

...Thank you, Mollymauk. That truly means a great deal to me. [The soft look in his eyes is wholly sincere; he likes being appreciated for his mind much more than for his face.

Also Molly is just incredibly cute, playing with the light that way.]

I do have people. Not quite as close as you seem to be with them, but...the members of POKEGO found me at the lowest point in my life, and cared for me despite that. They are people I know I can turn to if I ever need support.

[The god of Pokemon took a liking to him when he was a traumatized teenager.]

It means a great deal to me that you know you're liked for more than that pretty face of yours. [ that it was never just his looks that had Molly curious, that even now it's not his looks that has him all but wrapped around the other man's fingers (he doesn't think too hard on that, doesn't entirely want to admit to himself that the feeling beating in his chest might be more than simple attraction).

the light loses his attention, however, turning bodily to face Caleb as his brow furrows. he's glad that his friend has people to fall back on, overjoyed even, yet the way Caleb talks about them finding him at the lowest point of his life. is it too much to hope that Caleb's life this time was better than the last? that he didn't have to go through horrors Mollymauk refuses to give much thought too because doing so would shatter his heart─ it is too much to ask that he didn't have to go through that shit again?

he tries not to focus on it, tries to let the fact Caleb actually has people wrap around him, but the cold dread still creeps in. ]

Good. [ his tone changes, mask crack underneath an invisible weight. ] Having a group of idiots to catch you when you fall is... it's good. 'm glad to hear it.

Edited 2025-08-20 05:41 (UTC)

[He'll bask in the glow of that compliment just a little longer. They're coming to an understanding of one another, which is really what he hopes for more than anything. That's how closeness starts. (He was never the type to pursue something temporarily, and likely never will be. He knows that when he's ready to open up, it will be to offer his whole heart.)

But he can see that brow furrowing, concerned and concerning. He just doesn't know what it truly means.] They've been very good to me. If they hadn't found me back then, I'd have spent those years working for the Black Order instead.

[Or, more likely, he would have done whatever was necessary to escape the Order's grasp, even at the cost of his life.]

[ he heard his fair share of things about the Black Order. a lot of it wasn't good, admittedly, stories of people being snatched up in the middle of the night or being taken away and never seen again. they had become something of a boogie man for circles that Molly found himself over the years.

they're still something of a boogie man even these days, old reputation still clinging to the edges of their slowly reforming image.

it doesn't help that creeping dread, nor the desire to pull Caleb into his arms for a hug he isn't sure he can give. ]

I'd give them what for if they weren't good to you. [ the feeling in his chest is equal parts protective as it is foolishly jealous. ] No one is allowed to treat my Magic Man like dirt and get away with it.

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