Chapter Text
Mollymauk never learned how to read, but 'Mollymauk' could do it.
Caleb found it comfortably draped in an armchair with a book in its hands more than once, on nights where it was just the two of them in the tower. It read fast, faster than Caleb even, and in any language.
It cried when it finished Feathered Leather, big shiny tears coming out of its red eyes, its mouth twisted in a frown.
"Are you alright?" Caleb tried to seem sympathetic, though it was curiosity that moved him.
Molly sniffled, "They could never be together, it's… It's terrible."
Caleb patted its back as genuinely as he could.
There was a delicate balance in place at the moment. 'Mollymauk' was something he did not know or understand—something immensely powerful that had decided to puppet Mollymauk's body around. It liked Caleb, perhaps a bit too much for his own comfort, but that meant it wanted to stay close as much as possible, and that it meant Caleb no harm.
The crying made wheels turn in his mind. Whatever the creature was, it obviously had feelings and empathy, and it was capable of displaying those like a person would. But it also told Caleb it would kill him should he talk about it with others. Therefore, the extent of its moral code and affection was unknown and a dangerous limit to push, Caleb thought. Best to remain on its good side.
He couldn't admit it to himself just yet, but the fact that it looked like Mollymauk and acted like Mollymauk made it easier. Most of the time he forgot—until he recognized the small discrepancies they had—and then he was back to hating it.
"You shouldn't read in front of others," said Caleb that night. "He never did."
'Mollymauk' hummed, distracted by trying to choose another book, "Our little secret, then."
"Ja, of course."
Caleb's mouth twisted into a scowl when he turned around.
Zadash was comfortable, almost peaceful for a city, despite the heat of the summer. Caleb had grown used to it by now.
After the Nein took down Ikithon, they partially disbanded. Veth, Jester and Fjord traveled to Nicodranas for the time being, while Caduceus stayed in the grove. Beauregard and Yasha found a little place in Rexxentrum, where Yasha grew a garden in the back. Caleb stayed with them at the start, as Beau and him worked hard to build their case against Ikithon and the Assembly.
Then came the news from Zadash, that a lavender tiefling had been found, lost and confused and terribly similar to their old friend. Babenon had been the first to see him in town, wearing dirty clothing and carrying a ruined coat of many colors. The news traveled to Jester, and soon the Nein reunited in Zadash, eager, curious, hopeful.
It had seemed like a miracle when they first saw him. His eyes had widened in his face opened up in a smile. It was him, it was Mollymauk.
Looking back Caleb realized that Caduceus hadn't come, sending his regards. Caduceus would have seen it immediately, he thought. Still, at the time, they were all too giddy with happiness and gratitude to care.
Yasha couldn't leave her home, but took Mollymauk in for a couple of months, until Molly expressed the need to do something and keep busy. Talk traveled fast between the Nein, and soon they learned that Babenon was in need of a set of capable hands to help him in slightly unsavory business.
Mollymauk relocated to Zadash at once. He had been tentative, unsure about being alone in the city, so Yasha, Beauregard and Caleb offered to stay between Zadash and Rexxentrum, spending around half the week in one city and then teleporting to the other. Caleb didn't mind, finding it almost peaceful to work on the Ikithon case away from Rexxentrum.
It had seemed to good to be true, and it was.
For months Caleb noticed small things. A stronger accent. A polite word where Molly would have been rude. The lack of blinking.
He often wondered if he should have kept it to himself, but it was useless to think about that now.
He knew, and it knew, and the days went on.
'Mollymauk' seemed to bear no ill will towards other creatures, at least not intentionally.
After a stroll through the city or a meet up on a tavern they would head towards the Archive of the Cobalt Soul where Beauregard had a room, and where Caleb cast his tower.
Caleb always fed a couple of stray cats that lived on the way, a small tabby and a big orange cat, both extremely friendly and used to people.
'Mollymauk' asked to try to feed them once, and Caleb handed it the food and watched curiously. Initially, he was afraid for the cats, but soon realized he needn't. 'Mollymauk' seemed genuinely excited to see the small creatures and interacted with them as if it was the first time it saw a cat.
The smell of food drew them closer, but once they laid eyes on 'Molly' they reacted aggressively, hissing and swiping their paws. It left the food down at the ground for them, but the cats ran away as soon as they felt they could safely.
"How lively," chuckled 'Mollymauk', unbothered, "They sure move fast."
Caleb filed the encounter in his mind, noticing that other animals reacted poorly to it too, especially horses and birds. Dogs didn't seem to mind as much, most of the time.
He wondered if Mollymauk had been good with animals, but couldn't remember.
When they were together—Yasha, Beauregard, 'Mollymauk' and him—Caleb watched the group carefully, trying to determine if anyone else shared his hunch. Yasha especially.
'Mollymauk' had taken his advice since their first honest talk. It blinked regularly enough that nothing stood out immediately about it. The other details were so minor—it was slightly more polite than Molly was, it was a little bit more tentative and shy—that Caleb couldn't imagine it would be found out unless someone pointed it out.
Yasha seemed completely comfortable with it, often touching and hugging 'Mollymauk' liberally. Caleb tried not to flinch, tried to forget the vision of black ichor seeping from rended lavender flesh. Beauregard was less touchy, but showed no signs of suspicion.
They were none the wiser, and happy to have their friend back.
For a while Caleb wondered if he would be the only one to know, if the disguise was perfect after all.
It turned out it wasn't, but recognition came from unexpected places.
They were taking their nightly walk back to the Archive, talking idly about how things fared with Babenon, when an old woman stopped in front of them and screamed.
Her voice was shrill and terrified, and her eyes wide in terror. She was small and looked fragile, clad in simple but clean clothes. She trembled, her entire body shaking as she yelled.
"Don't come closer! Stay back! Stay back—STAY BACK! YOU ARE NOT SUPPOSED TO BE HERE, GO AWAY, GO AWAY!"
Her desperation was palpable, contagious. Caleb tried to talk to her, to calm her down, but it was futile. Windows began to light up in the neighborhood and people stopped in their tracks, curious.
'Mollymauk' simply obeyed, turning around and going back the way they came. It was the right thing to do, making the old woman seem crazy for yelling at a random stranger as he ignored her. Soon, someone came to pull her back inside, whispering at her to calm down and stop making a scene.
Caleb turned around and followed 'Mollymauk'. They stopped at a park, and 'Molly' wordlessly sat down on a wooden swing held by sturdy rope. Caleb stood close, watching its frown.
After a moment of silence, he spoke up.
"Mollymauk is really dead, isn't he."
It looked up at him. "Yes."
"Did you…"
"When I came across him, his soul had almost left his body. Only the slightest traces of it remained." It smiled sadly at Caleb. "I had been roaming the woods as I always did. I felt nothing, but I saw him, heard him. Then I—I woke up like this. Inside him."
Caleb looked at it carefully. 'Mollymauk's hair had grown a bit too long, and its silken white shirt was casually tucked on one side and loose on the other. It looked too real, rumpled and downtrodden, biting its lips.
"I don't know how she could tell," it whispered.
"Do you… care for me?" Caleb asked.
The question took it by surprise. 'Mollymauk' raised its eyebrows, wide red eyes staring at him for a moment.
"I don't know what that means exactly," it said, "But I think I do."
Caleb kneeled in front of it, searching its face for any dishonesty. Finding none, he allowed his face to crumple. He looked down and heaved, sobbing loudly.
"Don't leave again," cried Caleb wetly in between gasps. "Don't you dare—please."
'Mollymauk' said nothing, but hugged him awkwardly from above, patting his shoulder like Caleb had done to it days ago.
That night, once he was back in his room, Caleb felt burning hot guilt spread through his body. He knew no one could substitute Mollymauk, but he missed him so damn much, enough to accept the creature for a moment of weakness. He felt terrible for going along with it, but reminded himself that he had no other choice, not until he figured out what it was, and how to kill it.