tried_fire | IC Inbox

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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