Archive of Our Own ^beta

Molly had always been cocky. The tiefling had a knack for seeming bigger than himself. He walked into rooms as if he took up twice as much space as he actually occupied. His colourful attire and exotic look made him stand out like beacon in any space, often earning him many stares from many different creatures.

Molly was constantly making noise. His loud and contagious laughter cutting though the clammer of a tavern to the soft jingle of his horn jewelry never let silence settle in any space. Pared with Jester they were unstoppable, often making eachother laugh so hard tears would fall from their eyes.

Yes, Molly was a cocky bastard; the main attraction of the show. Little to nothing could hold him back once that smirk found its way to his face.

And now, as the gnolls were yipping at each other, that mischievous smirk dance on his lips yet again. Caleb saw as the purple tiefling drew his swords, ready to fling himself head-first into battle.

“Molly! Mollymauk! don't-” Caleb hissed as he saw Molly turn his head to look at him, the shit eating grin only growing as he shook his head as if to say “let me have my fun.”

“Molly-”

But it was too late. Already rushing from his hiding spot, a streak of purple and other tangling colours danced its way to where the gnolls were bickering with each other. With a quick slash and a pained wine from a gnoll, Molly had started the attack.

Groaning, Caleb summoned his globules of light to guide his and Beauregard's path as the rest of the party charges as well. With a shout, Fjord summoned his falchion, the blade of his dripping with water and a unholy blue light pulsated from the weapon. The falchion sank deep into the flesh of the gnoll with a satisfying squelch. The beast tried to claw its way out of its misery as its life force bled out of it.

The other fought while Molly, who had successfully managed to take down his gnoll, moved deeper into the mine. He was greeted by four more snarling gnolls, one of them seemed to be rotting, bones poking through its matted and decomposing coat.

“Fuck, fuck fuck,” Molly hissed as he backed up, holding his blades at the ready.

The undead gnoll came at him first and as he went to take a swipe at it, another gnoll circled around him, attacking form his blind side.

Molly froze at the gnoll’s teen sank into his shoulder, the searing hot pain in his blood. With a sharp exhale, Molly drove his blade deeper into the undead creature, its soulless eyes glaring back at him.

“Molly!” Jester screamed and with a loud “pop” her large lollipop appeared in the air above him. The giant pink and purple striped lollipop came crashing down on the gnoll that had sunk its teeth into Molly’s shoulder. The force of the impact caused the gnoll’s jaws to clamp down harder on Molly’s shoulder and more pain flooded his senses.

With heaving breaths, Molly yanked his blade out of the undead gnoll and used it instead to keep another gnoll from snapping at his face, the blade holding the creatures jaws open as it bit down on the blade. Instantly it let go, whimpering as blood dripped heavily from its mouth.

Jeser had her sickle and was wildly using it to cut the back of the gnoll on Molly’s shoulder as the others approached. With more targets the gnolls spread out, no longer just focusing on Molly.

There was a sudden heat and a loud shriek as Caleb blasted one of the gnolls with his fire. Nott, who was hiding behind Caleb, fired a shot at the undead gnoll, but it didn't have any effect on the creature.

Molly sagged with relief as Jester brought down a hearty strike on the gnoll that was biting him. Its jaws finally let go as it turned its attention on its assailant. With a cry Jester, now aided by Beau, promptly started to beat the shit out of the creature.

This now left Molly to face the last gnoll, its lips curing to reveal bloodstained teeth. Even in his pain Molly smirked, ready to see the gnolls snarl cut short.

The party quickly finished off the gnolls, however, the undead one proved to be a little difficult. It was only with a mighty knock to the head, courtesy of Beau and her stalf, that the beast finally fell apart into a heap of skin, bones, and rotting innards.

“Molly!” Jester cried, “what on earth were you doing?!”

He gave her a shrug, trying to hide his wince as pain flared through his shoulder.

“Molly-” Fjord’s lecture was cut off as a loud growl came from deep down a tunnel branching off the main room.

“Shit! Oh shit, oh shit!” Nott hissed, once again hiding behind Caleb, her tiny crossbow at the ready.

Everyone seemed to back away but Molly soon took up a position at the front, both blades extended to his side, ready to strike.

The loud sounds of footfalls steadily approached and adrenaline flowed in everyone’s veins.

Another two gnolls rushed out of the tunnel and then a huge, armored gnoll came stomping out, a massive weapon in his grasp. The looked around and spotted the pile of gnoll caracases first. A deep growl erupted from its chest. It swung its head around to glare at the group of adventurers and its eyes landed on Molly.

Sometimes it was rather unfortunate to be as bright and colourful as Molly was.

With a loud snarl, the armoured gnoll gestured for the other two, regular gnolls lowered themselves on their haunches, ready to spring.

“Fjord! Beau! Molly! Take the large one. Nott, and I can take the regular ones.” Caleb called out as the armoured gnoll stepped closer, brandishing his large weapon.

With a shout, Jester leapt at one of the small gnolls and the battle was on. Molly, Beau, and Fjord charged at the huge gnoll. Fjord’s falchion cut deep into the gnoll’s flesh and it hissed, swinging out in annoyance at the half orc. Fjord managed to dodge it, and used his falcion to once again carve at the gnoll’s leg. Molly yelled something in infernal and the huge gnoll stumbled, hissing in pain. It blindly stuck out with is glave, covered in spikes and other adornments. Molly, not prepared to the random attack, was hit square in the chest.

He couldn't help the cry of pain as he felt the slice into his chest. He dropped one of his swords as he hand whent to his chest, fingers already bamp with his own blood.

Out of the corner of his eye he saw Beau leap, and using her stalf, strike the creature accross its hideous face.

Still holding his chest, Molly gripped his sword tightly as he used it to carve into the creature’s leg.

The gnoll growled and looked down at him, eyes focusing on the purple tiefling. It swung out once more and sent Molly flying. He felt his body hit the wall and he vision blinked out of fucus.

“Eat shit, dirt face!” Jester cried as she sent her lollipop to slam down on the large gnoll-like creature’s head.

The two smaller gnolls had been taken care of and only the armoured one remained.

Jester had been reduced to using her lollipop and her sickle, now ot of spells from all the fighting that day. She cursed as the gnoll struck at Fjord, sending him sprawling backwards with a profusely bleeding head-wound.

Caleb and Nott were managing, Caleb using his spells to protect them both while Nott hid behind him and shooting her tiny crossbow. but Jester could see that they were growing weaker as Caleb's flames flickered out, the wizard now spent from travel and unexpected battle..

Molly had noticed all of this as he forced himself up. He coughed sharply, doubling over as blood dribbled from his lips. “That's not good,” the thought but pushed himself to straighten up and return to the battle.

Beau was kicking ass as usual, coming at the gnoll from all sides, nimbly jumping out of its heavy limbs. It swiped at her as if trying to brush off a fly. Once again that pesky smirk found its way to his lips and Molly clumsily charged and sank his sword into the spot between the sections of armour the gnoll wore. With a groan he twisted the blade and the armoured gnoll shrieked in pain, blindly swinging out to his Molly. Molly was already sinking of the floor and just so the edge of the gnoll’s claws grazed across his chest, catching in his already torn flesh.

It was a wonder that he was still conscious, really. As the others finished off the gnoll, Molly tried his best to stay awake. His chest was heavily bleeding and blood soaked into his wonderful coat. He would had sworn if he found himself able to speak. His chest ached as he fought to say somewhat upright, although he was now brought to his knees.

As the lifeless body of the gnoll hit the ground with a sickening thud, Molly felt himself falling as well. Before he hit the found someone grabbed his shoulder, trying to keep him upright. How only managed a whimper as the person’s fingers gripped his broken flesh.

“Jester?” he asked as the other tiefling came into view. She looked worried.

“Hang in there,okay?” she said sadly, stroking his hair. “I'm out of spells but we’ll get you all healed up in no time.”

She didn't sound convincing but Molly barely noticed as something was pressed firmly to his chest.

“Shhh,” Jester cooed as Molly tried to rid himself of the pressure. It burned his insides and Molly wanted it gone.

“Are you sure you don't have any healing potions?” Jester asked worriedly as Molly’s red eyes slid shut for a moment before the throbbing pain brought him back to consciousness.

“Im all out.” Fjord said, Beau nodding as well.

“Shit shit shit shit shit,” Caleb groaned, pressing down harder on a torn portion of cloth when the bleeding won't stop. Jester had traded places with Caleb and how it was the Zeminan who had the job of trying to keep the blood inside Mollymauk.“He's such a- a” Fjord placed a hand on Caleb’s shoulder, giving it a reassuring squeeze as Caleb searched for the word. “Großtun,” he muttered as he pushed harder on the fabric as the blood continued to bubble up from the wounds.

“We’ll talk about it later. Right now we need to get him out of here.”

The others nodded and Molly was slowly brought to his feet. He was able to walk a bit by himself, as the others were carrying bits of gnoll to prove of their victory, and he didn't want to make them loose precious coin when he could manage by himself, but all the same Caleb stayed by his side. The Zemnian often helping Molly to keep the cloth pressed to his chest. They really should have just tied it around the tiefling, but there was a rush to exit the caves as fast as possible. As long as Molly wasn't bleeding out right then and there, things could be dealt with once they got out.

They had found some humans and an elf that were alive, although they seemed rather bloodied and scared shitless, after inspecting a few small rooms on their way out. One look at Molly made them back away and they walked much quicker to avoid looking a the mess of a tiefling.

They were almost there when Molly found his legs giving out. He sank rather gracelessly to the ground and lay there, unable to move from the pain. Caleb and Jester, who were just in front of him, turned at the thud of his body hitting the ground. Jester looked back and dropped her collection of gnoll ears to help her friend.

“Oh Molly.” she sighed has he tried to get up, but couldn't. In a swift, blindingly painful moment, Jester was carrying him the rest of the way to the cart.

There was a great shuffle as Molly was laid down on the bottom of the cart. Caleb was the designated cloth holder, constantly putting pressure on Molly’s chest wounds to keep the bastard from bleeding out. Molly only caught flashes between blinks that seemed much too long. As eyelids drooped and he felt a callused hand gently tap his cheek.

“Hey, you stake awake, ja?”

Molly felt so heavy but he managed to open his eyes to look the ginger haired man. Caleb his brain supplied and for a second Molly thought he was forgetting. Why hadn't he just thought Caleb when he saw the wizard?

“Molly- Molly, breath. just keep breathing.” he heard Jester’s panicked voice say as he felt his chest heave with each rappid, painful breath. He was forgetting his friends…. His family.
“Fjord! Move this fucking cart!” he heard Caleb yell before the pain and lack of air brought him to unconsciousness.

It was dark when they arrived back to the small town. Many who had expected to see loved ones didn't and those how found comfort in having their siblings, spouse, or friends were very grateful. Quick words were exchanged and soon the party was dragging a now barely conscious Molly into a room at the local inn.

“Beau and Fjord, go and try to find a healing potion, anything at all.” Jester ordered, as she and Caleb laid Molly on one of the beds. Nott stayed back but watched everything though sharp eyes, but soon she didn't feel like listening to Molly’s rasping breath. She snuck out the window in search of grumpy people.

The two nodded and left quickly to try and find anything to help Molly.

Jester was instructed to rest, and to try and regain her energy for a spell, although with Molly’s pained breathing, Caleb figured the cleric wouldn't sleep at all.

the worried innkeeper bough food and water for the small group and Caleb tried to coax some water into Molly, only for find it thrown back up again with a mixture of blood.

“Shhh,” he whispered, carding his finger though Molly’s hair as he heaved up more water and blood. “Oh, Molly.”

The wizard took off Molly’s bloodstained clothing before wrapping the wounds with the bandages from Jester’s medical kit.

“Caleb,” Molly croaked, his throat sore from vomiting and a splatter of blood on his chin. “Caleb please stop.” He hissed in pain as Caleb tied the knot tightly, red sluggishly blooming through the white bandages.

“Almost done.” Caleb muttered as he started to warp Molly’s shoulder. The tiefling groaned as Caleb’s fingers brushed against the angry wound.

“Beau and Fjord will be back soon with a potion. You'll feel better then.”

Somehow, in the mess of all this, the pesky grin of Molly’s resurfaced, although he looked ill and the grin turned into a grimace as Caleb helped him lay back on the bed once the banaging was finished

“You should be our cleric, Mr. Caleb.”

“Absolutely not.” Caleb sighed. “I do not like… hurt people are not people i deal with very well. I do not do well with people at all, really.” he said, taking a seat on the mattress by Molly’s head.

“You’re doing just fine with me,” Molly said, trying to make himself sound more like himself than he felt. He felt blood on his tongue as he coughed again, the gashes on his chest burned and he couldn't breathe through the blinding pain as he chest heaved.

“Stop talking, you’re making them worse.” Caleb said sternly as more blood stained the bandages as the coughing disrupted what clotting had started.

As much a Molly wanted to talk he found himself growing more and more heavy. He fought to keep his eyes open as he felt his head spin and his thoughts blur together.

With his uninjured arm, Molly shot a hand out to grasp Caleb's arm, his wide, red eyes full of panic as he stared at the wizard, the edges of his vision unfocused.

“I dont-” there was blood in his thought and he couldn't talk as some of it bubbled up onto his mouth. His grasp tightened on Caleb as he choked slightly, swallowing down saliva and blood. “-I - I don't want to go yet- Caleb don’t- don’t let me-” he felt warmth on his cheeks and he distantly thought he was bleeding from his eyes now, it was if he has cast his own curse on himself as his vision blacked out.

A sharp pain, a slap his mind supplied, made him open his eyes. He hadn't remembered closing them, he gasped and tried to lift his arm to fend off his assailant, but pain from his shoulder burned through his muscles causing him to unwillingly drop his half raised arm back to the mattress.

“Mollymauk, hey, Stay with me. Stay with me.”

Red eyes blinked slowly before focusing on Caleb. The wizard gently brushed the tears that ran down Molly’s cheeks with his thumb. He watched as some of his own dropped onto the tieflings face.

“Dont- darling, don't cry,” Molly rasped, as he fought to keep his eyes from rolling back into his head.

“Stop.” Caleb hissed. He stopped touching Molly’s face to angrily scrub his eyes. “God, you think you can just do whatever you want and come out undamaged. It's not a joke Molly, and one day you won't be laughing.”

A dreadful, suffocating silence passed between the two. Only Molly’s gurgling breathing kept the air from being still. There was no tinkle of the jewelry Molly wore, nor was there the mythodical flipping of pages that so often accompanied Caleb’s presence.

“Caleb-” Molly breathed, barely audible as a bit of blood trickled from his mouth

“No. Gods Molly, just shut up.” he said softly, stern but no longer heated by anger. Caleb reached out to wipe away the blood by the corner of Molly’s mouth. “Focus on staying awake. Fjord and Beau should be back soon… just, eh, just stay here with me, ja?”

Molly nodded, shutting his eyes tightly as it shifted his shoulder painfully. His lips were now tinted blue compared to the vibrant purple they had been hours ago.

The tiefling shivered as Caleb once again started to card his fingers through his hair.

“Cold?”

Molly nodded softly, trying not to dislodge Caleb's fingers as they now traced the ridges on the base of his horns.

The fingers stopped their their exploring of Molly’s horns and immediately Molly mourn their loss. He felt cold, shards of ice now spreading from his fingers and toes into his body. Having run hot as a tiefling, Molly was unaccustomed to the feeling of cold blood in his veins. Without Caleb’s warm fingers on his face or in his hair, Molly was no longer distracted from the pain and the extreme lightheadedness he was experiencing.

It was almost as if he was high or drunk, but it didn't have that warm buzz that came with alcohol or the content feeling from drugs, this was cold and miserable and pain.

More weight was added to his chest and he hissed.

“Sorry,” came Caleb’s hushed apology as he tucked more blankets around the tiefling. “Gods, you're freezing.”

“Warm me up, them.” Molly rasped, trying to take the distressed look off the wizards face if it was the last thing he did, and at this point it might be.

“Mollymauk.” Caleb deadpanned, rolling his eyes before looking for more blankets.

“Cay-lebbb,” Molly whined, imitating Jester’s accent. It caused him to cough more, this time it caused him to gag.

“Shit!” Caleb cures as he ran over, dropping the blankets as he helped roll Molly over so he wouldn't choke on his own vomit.

Molly coughed and then with a heave, a blood dripped from his lips onto the floor, his eyes screwed shut in pain. God there was so much blood.

With a final heave Molly managed to find his breath, each intake of air was accompanied by a whine or a groan.

“Lying down like this isnt helping.” Caleb mumbled, more to himself than to Molly. With a little difficulty, a few colourful curses in zemnian, and a couple apologizes to Molly, Caleb was able to position them so that Molly’s head lay in Caleb’s lap, more upright than before.

“This way the blood will not drip into your mouth, I think.” Caleb said, fingers gently curving in Molly’s hair. One of his arms was wrapped around the tiefling’s chest to keep him secure. His chest was bleeding less and Caleb wasn't sure if he should be relieved or if he should be worried. It could mean that it’s clotted or that Molly is running out of blood. Caleb knew that Molly had most a lot of blood. A lot of blood.

“H-hey.”

Caleb jolted back from his thoughts to find himself looking right into Molly’s red eyes.

“Haven't you learned that talking makes it worse?” he asked, not sure if he should be frustrated or just let it happen. Molly was a stubborn man.

“Yeah, but I might not-” a small cough-- “say it later.” Molly wheezed.

“Hey now.” Caleb said sternly, “none of that.”

“I never said goodby to Yasha,” Molly whispered, eyes now wide and unfocused. “I never-”

“Molly.”

“She wont know-”

“Molly!”

Tears were once again streaming down his face as the tiefling sobbed, scared he would never see his best friend ever again. Yasha was his rock, the solid ground beneath his feet. she wouldn’t know how much he loved her.

“Molly, snap the fuck out of it!” Caleb growled, grabbing the tiefling face in his hands. “Molly. You are not going to die, do you hear me?”

Molly looked at him, expression now shocked as he tried to nod, but his head was still firmly held in Caleb’s grasp.

“Good, i’m glad that i was able to get through to your…” the trailed off, thinking for a second. “Scheiße, what is that saying? The one about thick skulls?”

Molly laughed, although it was sharp and unnatural for him. “I thought you remembered everything, perfect memory and all.”

“Near perfect.” Caleb corrected “ and I remember what it’s supposed to mean, but the order of the words… they escape me.”

“Get it through your thick skull?” Molly supplied the proper saying.

“Yes! That one!”

Molly watched as Caleb repeated it silently, lips forming the words and committing it to memory.

He was too consumed by watching Caleb to notice the door opening, Caleb however, immediately looked up, relief washed over him as Jester came in, still looking tired, but marginally better than before.

“Heya, Molly!” she said cheerfully, although she looked worried at his blue lips and pale face.

“Hey darlin’ “Molly slurred, turning to look at the other tiefling.

“You look terrible.” she said, looking at Caleb before rubbing her hands together.

“Ready for some amazing healing? I am very good at it.” she asked Molly, pulling off the layers of blankets and unwrapping the bandages around Molly’s chest.

“Oh I know, love.” Molly said through gritted teeth as the banadages pulled at his torn skin.

“Sorry, sorry. Almost done.”

Her hands glowed with faint energy as she pressed her hands to his chest.

The pain leached itself from Molly’s chest and Caleb watched as the slash across Molly’s chest and abdomen magically stitched itself together, scabbing over and then growing smaller.

Jester was unable to heal the bight on his shoulder, but she managed to stop the internal bleeding and close the wounds on his chest. Now, the claw marks were just puffy red scars, still sore but not bleeding. The larger wound was less healed, the scar cutting over smaller scars that ran all over his skin. What was four more?

Later in the evening, Fjord and Beau returned, a bit beaten and with less coin than before.

“Ran into some… unsavory characters,” Fjord said, his deep voice waking Molly as the others talked.

“Fjord, where have you been?” he asked, sleep clinging to his words as he pushed himself up into a sitting position, hissing as his shoulder throbbed in protest.

“Getting potions for you, fuck face.” Beau shot back, although it had less of an edge than usual. “We took on like thirteen thugs for these bad boys.” and with that she held up a grant total of 5 potions.

“Oooh!” Nott signed, admiring the fancy bottles.

“Cost an arm and a leg,” Fjord grumbled, but passed one to Molly, “here, you look like shit.”

Molly shook his head as his stomach rolled. The vomiting hasn't stopped because apparently stitching organs back together made him extremely nauseated. Putting anything in his stomach right now would not end well.

“Molly. We just spent hours getting these for you.” Beau growled, marching over and uncorking a bottle. “You're going to fucking drink it.”

“Beauregard…” Caleb started but stopped when Molly took on that look.

Bucket. Where was the bucket?

Jester was faster, easily pushing Beau out of the way before Molly had a chance to vomit all over her.

“Oh god. that's gross, dude” Beau cringed as Molly had one hand on the bucket and the other bracing himself against Jester, blood and the small amount of food they had convinced Molly to eat coming back up.

“You’re telling me,“ he rasped, blood trickling down his chin before he wiped it with the sleeve.

“Right now Jester’s healing is working just find, he can't keep anything down right now.” Caleb explained, leaning Molly back on the bed.

“But it’s a healing potion” Beau complained, “it, y’know, heals people.”

“If he can't keep it down, it can't heal him.” Fjord said, giving her shoulder a squeeze and somewhat forcefully guiding her out of the room.
Nott had curled up on the bed, staring at the healing potion Fjord had left for when it was needed. Jester was now starting to braid the goblin's hair.

Molly had slumped into the mattress, feeling gross and not at all like himself, shivering every once and awhile.

“Still cold?” Caleb asked, walking over to the bed.

“Somewhat, although I would feel much better if you would come and warm me up,” Molly winked, but he felt too tired to really do anything too flirtatious.

Caleb didn't say anything,but he nimbly crawled in beside Molly and the wall and pressed himself against Molly. The tieflings tail curled around the human’s waist and a happy rumble, much like frumpkins, vibrated from his chest.

With a snap Caleb summoned frumkin to curl in between them, comparing their purring.

“Are you feeling better?” Caleb asked, looking into Molly’s red eyes.

“Much better, thank you.” Molly replied sleepily.

“No, thank me!” Jester called from across the room. “I healed you, Caleb was just being sappy.”

“I am not… sappy.” Caleb countered, furrowing his brows.

“Yes you areeee” Jester sang, now lacing flowers in Nott’s complex braid. “You were petting Molly’s head, and touching his horns aaand you gave him your stinky jacket.”

That was true, since Molly’s coat was covered in blood, Caleb had given the tiefling his coat.

“It's not stinky.”

“It's not.” Molly added before Jester could argue with the wizard, “it smells like you… old books, woodsmoke, and Frumpkin.

“Ohhhh, now Molly’s all sappy.” Jester cooed, batting her lashes in their direction. “He must really love you, Caleb.”

“I wouldn't say that…” Caleb blushed, but as Molly blinked up at him, Caleb knew Jester was right.

“Oh, he totally is in love with you. Totally.” Jester purred, hopping off the bed and going to join Beau and Fjord, a knowing sparkle in her eyes.

“Goodnight! Don't do anything to exerting, i don't want to have to heal Molly up again.” she giggled before dancing out the door.

“Yeah, dont bone too loudly or anything, no one wants to hear that.” Beau shouted from the other room.

“Oh fuck off Beauregard.” Caleb yelled back, before nuzzling closer to Molly, thankful to feel the heat returning to his skin.

“Shush! Some of us are trying to sleep!” Nott hissed as Molly and Caleb snuggled closer asn the distant laughter from Jester and Beau faded as the door closed.