Molly was bored. He had wandered around the various 'towns' in Caldera, the multitude of taverns or spaces he could go to find people. But now he was bored of all that...he wanted something else. Something more entertaining...and what could be more entertaining than bothering his favorite wizard?
"Caleb~" Molly called, quietly, as he snuck around the stacks in the library. He figured if there was anywhere the wizard could be it was here or in his tower...which apparently could be anywhere.
There is a soft meow at the end of one of the shelving sections and Molly
will be able to find, should he wish, a familiar ginger cat sitting next to
a stranger's wooden door. The cat baps the door with a paw and meows again
more insistently this time. It's almost like Frumpkin is saying "Get the
lead out you...things to do come on."
"Oh, well hello there." Molly smiled at the cat, reaching over to give him a scritch behind the ears before looking at the door. It didn't seem to match the architecture of the rest of the place, and if Frumpkin was pawing at it clearly Caleb had to be behind it. Both in the physical sense and that he must have conjured it. The more he thought of it he remembered that it wasn't unlikely that Caleb was seeing through the cats eyes if he was waiting for Molly.
"Through here then? Alright." Rhythmic knocking before Molly opened the door and walked in, making sure Frumpkin could sneak in with him. "Caleb?"
Just from what he could see right now about took Molly's breath away as he turned in place after closing the door. He could tell that it all went higher but saw no stairs, still it was beautiful.
Caleb may have moved the center piece stained glass window just a bit so
the first thing Molly would have seen was his coat in full and
glorious color among the warm woods of the main eating area. The wizard's
voice echoes around the space though he is not there. "Welcome to the Nien
Sided Tower Mollymauk Tealeaf. If you walk forward there will be a plate to
stand on. Think of me and say up and it will bring you to my floor."
There is a deep warmth in Caleb's voice as he finally gets to show one of
his dearest friends the space he made for all the Nien. "I have been so
waiting to show this place to you and now I finally can. It has expanded a
bit since I first created it. But this is my gift first and foremost to the
Nien."
Seeing the stained glass Mollymauk froze for a moment and took the image in. Of course he knew his coat...her coat. Lestera. A memory of incense and wine and Molly can't help but be so delighted that the very tapestry that meant so much to him meant so much to the others as well. He had loved it because it had been Lestara's, meanwhile they had loved it because it was Molly's. They hadn't spent that much time together but to know he had made such an impression on them it really hit home how he had kept to his own belief's even in death.
Finally looking up at Caleb, the tiefling has to blink before smiling wide. There's a twirl of the very same tapestry as he spun in place to find the plate the wizard was talking about. Finding it he stepped over and did as instructed. Feeling his feet leave the ground as he started to float up. He laughs and for a moment it might seem like a familiar scene, only it was a more somber tone and it wasn't the circus man behind those glowing red eyes, but the moment fades because the laugh from Molly is different, it's full of joy as his foot lands on the platform where Caleb's room is.
"You made this? For all of them?" He grins as he leans over to look at the other levels. "You bloody brilliant man."
Caleb winches slightly as he watches Molly arrive and he remembers Lucian.
He shakes himself out of it and ducks his head at Molly's praise. He will
never consider himself brilliant no matter what his friends might say about
his skills.
He looks back up. "I began preparing this after you..." He swallows hard.
"I wanted a safe place for them so what happened with Lorenzo never
happened again."
Before Caleb can finish his words he pulled into a tight hug, a familiar kiss to the forehead, and Molly is pulling away to look around the tower with wonder akin to a child's. He'd never seen something like it before, let alone something magical. He could see the influence of the party, of Caleb. Watching as spectral cats disappeared into tunnels in the walls.
"You did all this to protect them, to protect the Nein? It's brilliant!" Not that he expected anything less, even in their short time Molly knew there had to be something special about the wizard.
Caleb chuckles softly. "And you haven't even seen your room yet," he says,
"all the Nien are on this floor. The Bells Hells are on the third floor and
I've made a new floor with rooms for Vox Machina if they want to visit."
"Those cats you saw can make you whatever food you wish or you are welcome
to use the kitchen on the first floor whenever you want. Yasha cooks all
the time and Jester likes to bake. The cats can also fetch you anything you
need as long as I am aware of it. And if your room isn't to your liking let
me know and I will make adjustments next time the tower is up."
"My own room?" Molly smirked and looked around at the various doors. "Well well Mr. Caleb. I knew you were special but I don't think even I figured just how gifted you were."
Turning he looked back at Caleb. "Lead the way, I want to see what you made up for me. What does the Amazing Caleb Widowgast imagine a room for me would look like?"
Caleb smiles again, still a bit pink from the praise and leads Molly to a
simple looking wooden door. He adjusts the doors as the adjusts the rooms
so whatever type of door Molly might want. He pushes it open to reveal a
room full of purple and gold. There is a darkly stained dressing table with
an oval mirror and places for Molly to safely place his jewelry. The bed is
large with purple sheets and a matching coverlet and drapes for concealment
. A door to the left would lead to a bathroom with a lovely marble tub and
a gentle waterfall. There is a large space to the right with a training
dummy and a rack for Molly's swords and any other weapons he might wish.
Behind the bed is a pair of hidden doors, one of which leads to the closet
which is large enough to contain dummy's for Molly's coat and other things
he'd like to hang on them. Caleb points at the second hidden door on the
other side of the bed. "That door leads to my bedroom," he says softly.
"This is your space Mollymauk...so please tell me if there is something
here that you wish you had and I will make sure the room is to your liking
next time."
The room is simple but it is also perfect for Mollymauk and his love of all things opulent. Lavish and over the top but in a more understated way if only because there wasn't more. If Molly was honest the only thing he might add were more hanging tapestries and the like. Things that would remind him of his caravan back with Fletching and Moondrop.
Molly is almost at a loss for words as he moves in the space taking it all in before spinning on his heel and knotting his hands in Caleb's front to pull him into a deep kiss, tail curling around one of the wizard's thighs. "Thank you, this is perfect. Only a few touches that I can make on my own assuming they'll stay. Things I want to buy and bring back. Nothing you need to use magic for."
Caleb lets himself be pulled into a kiss and smiles as he rests his head
against Molly's. "Just make sure to show me the objects so I remember to
place them back in your room each day for you," he says softly "I am glad
you like your room Molly. It has been waiting for you a long time." He
smiles. "I have been waiting for you a long time."
"Oh and you think I won't be trapping you in here from time to time after you say something like that, Mr. Caleb?" Molly easily draped his arms over the wizard's shoulders as he properly hugged the man tightly. "I am so happy to be back. I'm sorry...I'm sorry I wasn't there with you through everything."
"I'm glad, I just still wish I could have seen you become the man you have become. But I guess I just have to make up for lost time." Molly gave a coy wink as he ran claws through Caleb's beard. The sound of his classes scratching through the coarse hair made Molly chuckle quietly. So different than the scruffy five o'clock shadow before Yasha shaved it did him. Really it was sweet but Molly could have done such a better job of it.
"You know... you wear the beard and the gray so well. Practically dashing if I didn't know the mind in there."
Caleb laughs. "And my mind makes me less dashing," he teases lightly. "I would be insulted if I didn't agree with you Mollymauk."
"And before you get upset I mean that in the fact I am slowing down and feeling my age more and more. I am not the youngish man I was when you knew me. Adventures are for younger souls like Jester and Fjord not for me and Veth something she reminds me of quite often."
Molly realized for a moment how much further their age gap had gotten since Molly died, thinking on it for a moment before chuckling more to himself than anything. "Dashing is for the young, let them have the loud adventures. You deserve to have the warmth and quiet I think. Well... maybe not so quiet."
Claws still ran through hair as if Caleb was a big cat for Molly to pet, his own personal tiger to his circus act.
"Sooo.... was there anything else you wanted to show me about the tower or...?" He trained off, a plethora of ways he could word the layer half and all seemed wrong in the moment. He was enjoying the affectionate moment, honestly eating up how own the redhead reacted to the affection. The sweet words. The emotions that Molly saw not constantly tinted by sorrow. He didn't want the moment to end but he was also incredibly curious about the marvel of magic that Caleb had created.
Caleb considers then nods. "There is one room I would like to show you. There is so much of our travels you did not get to see so much of my own story and yours you did not know."
He smiles "Telling you all of it would take days...but here in the tower I can show you in moments through the Room of Possibilities."
It is an honor only Essek who helped him design the room has had and speaks to how deeply Caleb loves Molly and wishes to be fully open with him.
"Room of Possibilities? Well, lead the way Mr. Caleb." Molly smiled and pulled away gently but not before pressing a quick peck to the bridge of Caleb's nose.
Stepping away he took another glance around the comfy room that Caleb had made for him before making to follow Caleb when he did move to lead the way.
Caleb leads Molly up to the ninth floor and into a room that looks like the
night sky. It is empty of everything but the sky and the stars. Caleb
moves to the center of the room and holds up his hands to wave them with a
muttered spell to make the stars shift into the center of the room and form
into a series of familiar figures. Slowly the stars tell the story of the
things that Molly didn't see. The pirates, Darktow, the Dynasty, Caleb
holding up the beacon, Caduceus and Lucian. He doesn't shy away from
showing everything there. Yasha and the clover, Caleb and Beau getting the
eyes, and the final fight. Caleb shows Essek too, and doesn't shy away from
how Molly's kindness helped him open his heart again. And he shows Trent,
Wulf and Astrid. Shows both his past and his future with them.
But he ends with his last gift. His attempt to bring Molly back with
Caduceus' help. The new person who became Kingsley was the best parts of
Molly and his own soul. He would have added more recent events too, but he
was tired and let the stars float back into the sky. "There is more, but
I can just tell you about that...or Ashton and Orym can if you are
interested since they were around for some of it."
Molly, smiling and laughing through some of it and then at other points his face takes on a more serious look. His eyes narrow at Lucien, at his flirty comments with Caleb. It's not even jealousy that lights a fire in his gut when he sees his face, it's a protectiveness. He knew that Lucien was bad, he had memories that he knew weren't his and this was the man they belonged to.
Still, he couldn't help but feel happy for his friends, and even happier knowing that even in their short time together he had made an impact. He had done what his whole goal in life was: he had left the world a better place than he found it. Even in some small way.
The last part is what finally pulls tears from his eyes. The Nein gathered around, Caleb and the pink haired furbolg trying to revive him...and seeing Kingsly, the same young tiefling with his face he had seen when he had first arrived, coming into being. It was bitter sweet. He hated that it couldn't be him coming back, hated that they had tried to bring him back and instead got someone else, but at the same time it meant that someone new got to see the world. And that was enough for Molly.
As the visions faded away and left the two in the space Mollymauk takes a bit to breath before he lets out a small laugh.
"You all were so busy." He wipes his eyes on his tapestry for a moment before turning his warm smile on Caleb. I might have to ask all of you about it, just to get all sides of the story."
Caleb moves closer to offer his lover support if he needs it. "Just don't
listen when they call me more of a hero then they are," he says with a
shake of his head. "They like to embellish things a bit more than they
should."
"We are still busy back home. Between current events and Jester and Fjord's
upcoming wedding, Veth's camp and my work at the Academy....life never
seems to stop for the Nien."
He places a gentle hand on Molly's shoulder. "I still wish you could be
with us."
"Well so long as you agree that you are a hero. Because if you aren't all heroes after all that then the world doesn't know what it's missing out on." Molly chuckled, stepping further into Caleb's space.
"It's good to see everything you all have done. Good to know a group of weirdo assholes have been doing good things, things that bring joy to more than just themselves."
The hand on his shoulder is warm and taking it in his own Molly brushes his lips against Caleb's knuckles with a sigh. "I wish I could be there too, but I guess in a way I am as sappy as it may sound. You all took my words and made them your own. I would count that as the perfect way to honor my memory."
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timeasmymeasure
Action--
Date: 2025-07-08 09:40 am (UTC)"Caleb~" Molly called, quietly, as he snuck around the stacks in the library. He figured if there was anywhere the wizard could be it was here or in his tower...which apparently could be anywhere.
He really wanted to see that tower.
Re: Action--
Date: 2025-07-13 02:18 am (UTC)There is a soft meow at the end of one of the shelving sections and Molly will be able to find, should he wish, a familiar ginger cat sitting next to a stranger's wooden door. The cat baps the door with a paw and meows again more insistently this time. It's almost like Frumpkin is saying "Get the lead out you...things to do come on."
no subject
Date: 2025-07-21 07:48 pm (UTC)"Through here then? Alright." Rhythmic knocking before Molly opened the door and walked in, making sure Frumpkin could sneak in with him. "Caleb?"
Just from what he could see right now about took Molly's breath away as he turned in place after closing the door. He could tell that it all went higher but saw no stairs, still it was beautiful.
no subject
Date: 2025-07-27 02:18 am (UTC)Caleb may have moved the center piece stained glass window just a bit so the first thing Molly would have seen was his coat in full and glorious color among the warm woods of the main eating area. The wizard's voice echoes around the space though he is not there. "Welcome to the Nien Sided Tower Mollymauk Tealeaf. If you walk forward there will be a plate to stand on. Think of me and say up and it will bring you to my floor."
There is a deep warmth in Caleb's voice as he finally gets to show one of his dearest friends the space he made for all the Nien. "I have been so waiting to show this place to you and now I finally can. It has expanded a bit since I first created it. But this is my gift first and foremost to the Nien."
no subject
Date: 2025-07-27 07:01 am (UTC)Finally looking up at Caleb, the tiefling has to blink before smiling wide. There's a twirl of the very same tapestry as he spun in place to find the plate the wizard was talking about. Finding it he stepped over and did as instructed. Feeling his feet leave the ground as he started to float up. He laughs and for a moment it might seem like a familiar scene, only it was a more somber tone and it wasn't the circus man behind those glowing red eyes, but the moment fades because the laugh from Molly is different, it's full of joy as his foot lands on the platform where Caleb's room is.
"You made this? For all of them?" He grins as he leans over to look at the other levels. "You bloody brilliant man."
no subject
Date: 2025-08-10 04:48 pm (UTC)Caleb winches slightly as he watches Molly arrive and he remembers Lucian. He shakes himself out of it and ducks his head at Molly's praise. He will never consider himself brilliant no matter what his friends might say about his skills.
He looks back up. "I began preparing this after you..." He swallows hard. "I wanted a safe place for them so what happened with Lorenzo never happened again."
no subject
Date: 2025-08-21 12:42 am (UTC)"You did all this to protect them, to protect the Nein? It's brilliant!" Not that he expected anything less, even in their short time Molly knew there had to be something special about the wizard.
no subject
Date: 2025-08-25 12:00 am (UTC)Caleb chuckles softly. "And you haven't even seen your room yet," he says, "all the Nien are on this floor. The Bells Hells are on the third floor and I've made a new floor with rooms for Vox Machina if they want to visit."
"Those cats you saw can make you whatever food you wish or you are welcome to use the kitchen on the first floor whenever you want. Yasha cooks all the time and Jester likes to bake. The cats can also fetch you anything you need as long as I am aware of it. And if your room isn't to your liking let me know and I will make adjustments next time the tower is up."
no subject
Date: 2025-09-24 12:49 am (UTC)Turning he looked back at Caleb. "Lead the way, I want to see what you made up for me. What does the Amazing Caleb Widowgast imagine a room for me would look like?"
no subject
Date: 2025-09-27 07:13 pm (UTC)Caleb smiles again, still a bit pink from the praise and leads Molly to a simple looking wooden door. He adjusts the doors as the adjusts the rooms so whatever type of door Molly might want. He pushes it open to reveal a room full of purple and gold. There is a darkly stained dressing table with an oval mirror and places for Molly to safely place his jewelry. The bed is large with purple sheets and a matching coverlet and drapes for concealment . A door to the left would lead to a bathroom with a lovely marble tub and a gentle waterfall. There is a large space to the right with a training dummy and a rack for Molly's swords and any other weapons he might wish.
Behind the bed is a pair of hidden doors, one of which leads to the closet which is large enough to contain dummy's for Molly's coat and other things he'd like to hang on them. Caleb points at the second hidden door on the other side of the bed. "That door leads to my bedroom," he says softly. "This is your space Mollymauk...so please tell me if there is something here that you wish you had and I will make sure the room is to your liking next time."
no subject
Date: 2025-11-16 04:36 am (UTC)Molly is almost at a loss for words as he moves in the space taking it all in before spinning on his heel and knotting his hands in Caleb's front to pull him into a deep kiss, tail curling around one of the wizard's thighs. "Thank you, this is perfect. Only a few touches that I can make on my own assuming they'll stay. Things I want to buy and bring back. Nothing you need to use magic for."
no subject
Date: 2025-11-16 11:58 pm (UTC)Caleb lets himself be pulled into a kiss and smiles as he rests his head against Molly's. "Just make sure to show me the objects so I remember to place them back in your room each day for you," he says softly "I am glad you like your room Molly. It has been waiting for you a long time." He smiles. "I have been waiting for you a long time."
no subject
Date: 2025-11-17 06:35 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2025-11-20 06:46 pm (UTC)He sighs. "And believe me we needed them."
no subject
Date: 2025-11-21 09:24 am (UTC)"You know... you wear the beard and the gray so well. Practically dashing if I didn't know the mind in there."
no subject
Date: 2025-11-21 11:43 am (UTC)"And before you get upset I mean that in the fact I am slowing down and feeling my age more and more. I am not the youngish man I was when you knew me. Adventures are for younger souls like Jester and Fjord not for me and Veth something she reminds me of quite often."
no subject
Date: 2025-11-22 11:04 am (UTC)Claws still ran through hair as if Caleb was a big cat for Molly to pet, his own personal tiger to his circus act.
"Sooo.... was there anything else you wanted to show me about the tower or...?" He trained off, a plethora of ways he could word the layer half and all seemed wrong in the moment. He was enjoying the affectionate moment, honestly eating up how own the redhead reacted to the affection. The sweet words. The emotions that Molly saw not constantly tinted by sorrow. He didn't want the moment to end but he was also incredibly curious about the marvel of magic that Caleb had created.
no subject
Date: 2025-11-22 04:36 pm (UTC)He smiles "Telling you all of it would take days...but here in the tower I can show you in moments through the Room of Possibilities."
It is an honor only Essek who helped him design the room has had and speaks to how deeply Caleb loves Molly and wishes to be fully open with him.
no subject
Date: 2025-12-05 09:09 am (UTC)Stepping away he took another glance around the comfy room that Caleb had made for him before making to follow Caleb when he did move to lead the way.
no subject
Date: 2025-12-08 12:51 am (UTC)Caleb leads Molly up to the ninth floor and into a room that looks like the night sky. It is empty of everything but the sky and the stars. Caleb moves to the center of the room and holds up his hands to wave them with a muttered spell to make the stars shift into the center of the room and form into a series of familiar figures. Slowly the stars tell the story of the things that Molly didn't see. The pirates, Darktow, the Dynasty, Caleb holding up the beacon, Caduceus and Lucian. He doesn't shy away from showing everything there. Yasha and the clover, Caleb and Beau getting the eyes, and the final fight. Caleb shows Essek too, and doesn't shy away from how Molly's kindness helped him open his heart again. And he shows Trent, Wulf and Astrid. Shows both his past and his future with them.
But he ends with his last gift. His attempt to bring Molly back with Caduceus' help. The new person who became Kingsley was the best parts of Molly and his own soul. He would have added more recent events too, but he was tired and let the stars float back into the sky. "There is more, but I can just tell you about that...or Ashton and Orym can if you are interested since they were around for some of it."
no subject
Date: 2025-12-22 10:05 pm (UTC)Still, he couldn't help but feel happy for his friends, and even happier knowing that even in their short time together he had made an impact. He had done what his whole goal in life was: he had left the world a better place than he found it. Even in some small way.
The last part is what finally pulls tears from his eyes. The Nein gathered around, Caleb and the pink haired furbolg trying to revive him...and seeing Kingsly, the same young tiefling with his face he had seen when he had first arrived, coming into being. It was bitter sweet. He hated that it couldn't be him coming back, hated that they had tried to bring him back and instead got someone else, but at the same time it meant that someone new got to see the world. And that was enough for Molly.
As the visions faded away and left the two in the space Mollymauk takes a bit to breath before he lets out a small laugh.
"You all were so busy." He wipes his eyes on his tapestry for a moment before turning his warm smile on Caleb. I might have to ask all of you about it, just to get all sides of the story."
no subject
Date: 2025-12-24 11:07 pm (UTC)Caleb moves closer to offer his lover support if he needs it. "Just don't listen when they call me more of a hero then they are," he says with a shake of his head. "They like to embellish things a bit more than they should."
"We are still busy back home. Between current events and Jester and Fjord's upcoming wedding, Veth's camp and my work at the Academy....life never seems to stop for the Nien."
He places a gentle hand on Molly's shoulder. "I still wish you could be with us."
no subject
Date: 2026-01-19 04:30 am (UTC)"It's good to see everything you all have done. Good to know a group of weirdo assholes have been doing good things, things that bring joy to more than just themselves."
The hand on his shoulder is warm and taking it in his own Molly brushes his lips against Caleb's knuckles with a sigh. "I wish I could be there too, but I guess in a way I am as sappy as it may sound. You all took my words and made them your own. I would count that as the perfect way to honor my memory."