[There's something about both Hugo and Molly, where they unravel at any slight bit of genuine sincerity. It's almost like they're starved for something real and grounding.
Just an observation. Nothing he's going to say out loud.]
Hugo has that effect on people. He shines so brightly sometimes that the light can be unbearable. But that doesn't make him less radiant.
I'm truly happy he met you. And I'm glad you met him.
I am not sure what you are running from, and I don't need to know. But it is okay to stop and rest, sometimes.
[ it says a lot about what Hugo means to him, that he gives up all pretences allowing something raw and real to come through. it helps that no one else can see this conversation, that its in a the shadows. ]
like i said two peas in a pod he and i
it is a difficult thing to rest when youve spent so long running not impossible just difficult
[ thank god. the last thing Molly needs is for it to get out that he has grown fond of Kaisou and it's collection of weirdos. ]
im sure it will and every day the thing in the dark gets closer
[ he doesn't know Lycaon super well but... maybe it's because a part of him as been desperate to talk to someone, desperate for assurance that he isn't going mad. that those eyes in the dark, the ever present feeling of being hunted, is all in his head and he has nothing to worry about. that the Eyes of Nine aren't coming to get him. ]
[The city can't also know just how soft he is for that stupid bat. It's mutually transactional.
To that...Lycaon pauses. Whether this is a literal beast in the dark or a battle with inner demons... He will treat this with the same gravitas it deserves. Molly's one message was an act of confiding in him.]
I do not fear the dark, nor what lurks in it. [His own way of showing support for him. If Lycaon had anything in spades, it was bravery.]
You are free to not answer this, but what do you see when you look into it?
[ the city doesn't know but Molly knows, Molly knows all too well.
he shouldn't have said anything. he let his walls come down, left himself defenceless. it wouldn't be hard to reach in and strike at those tender parts. idiot, he should know better, he does know better. ]
[Foreboding was a gentle way of putting it. Something watching you can certainly lead to paranoia. Prey that can sense their hunter rarely are calm. Lycaon lets this piece of information sink in before he replies.
[It's not the first time he's been told that. Maybe it's something deeply rooted in his wolf-genetics. A lack of hesitation when it comes to being faced with outside threats.]
[ it hits him again, sudden and sharp right in his chest. the picture of a woman with dark hair─ no, her hair turned white in the end didn't it? his friend, dearest friend. Yasha, he murmurs to no one but himself, why is it that they both remind him of her in different ways.
he's not supposed to be getting attached, not supposed to be letting people in and here he is arms outstretched.
[ it takes him longer to respond than he'd like. longer to regain his breath and calm the rapid beating of his heart. instincts scream to push away, to pack up and leave before anyone notices. he can be gone by morning easily, nothing more than an empty apartment heralding his leaving.
but he won't. he can't. part of Mollymauk Tealeaf's heart has settled here and it's starting to dig its roots. ]
has anyone ever told you that youre a fool? those selfless heroes are always the first the die you know
[The pause does make Lycaon wonder if Molly had left the conversation. A push too far can lead someone to run--he's known that with a certain other. He waits, though, his eye idly checking his phone as he cleans his kitchen (for the nth time).
Time heals, whether Molly knows it or not.
When the answer comes, his lips curl into a smirk.]
Many times.
But I must correct you. It is far from a selfless reason--much like Hugo, you also need to learn the hard lesson that you are wanted in this world.
[ he has to read the message a couple of times, let the words sink into his marrow. he had said they were peas in a pod and it's true, but there is something about all but having his words thrown back at him.
"you also need to learn the hard lesson that you are wanted in this world."
Molly laughs bitterly. ]
im a liar a thief a conman and a devil i could be lying through my teeth to you right now you barely know me so i implore you to not to waste your time
i wouldnt do the same for you
[ that's a lie. a big fat lie. Molly would, Molly has, and Molly would do so again in a hearbeat. ]
You helped out someone very important to me, and that is enough to ensure your safety. By proxy, you have become worth knowing and protecting.
I do not require any repayment, nor do I expect it.
[He truly doesn't. Not for himself, at least. He knows more than anyone that he is not the good boy the city seems to think he is. A stray taken in, raised as a thief, turned traitor and then covered his tracks to look as pristine as his white coat.]
With the exception that you attend birthday celebrations for him for years to come.
[ a part of him wonders what it would take for Lycaon not to hold that opinion, a part of him fears that there is something in his half-remembered past life that could sway it. he could fight it more, try his best to beat the man away but he's already in too deep, isn't he?
he's already tangled up in strings he hasn't the strength to cut. ]
thankfully the focus returning to Hugo's birthday plans is enough to hold his attention, pushing all other thoughts off to the side. ]
sounds good though i have one request after dinner i take you and hugo to a dark corner of the underground where people dont ask names youre coming because youre hot and hugo thinks youre terribly attractive we can spend the rest of the evening messing around until thoughts and birthdays become a thing of the past
Though that does make him pause. For many reasons. It's a mixture of flattery, amusement, intrigue, and exhaustion.]
Molly. I had hoped you would've at least waited a day before running to Hugo to sell me out. I will forgive it, this time, but I will not save you from Miss Lia's wrath should she find out you spoiled the surprise.
[He knows you wouldn't throw this proposition to him unless you already got the OK from Hugo, buddy!]
I am quite flattered, and surprised that Hugo said that to you. [His tails is WAGGING. Thankfully this is text.]
[ of course he immediately sold Lycaon out, he had too! ]
had a strike while the iron was hot my dear sitheach i will happily accept her wrath should it come out but i had to give him some warning along with needling him about never telling me about it before
i did offer him an escape in return to accepting the 'party' being thrown for him so it all works out!
[ yes, very lucky that this is text and Mollymauk can't see the enthusiastic tail wagging. ]
it wasnt hard to get out of him its pretty obvious to me what you two have going on
[ don't call him out!! the conversation isn't allow to focus back on him just yet!! ]
youre welcome by the way
[ Molly shifts, stretches out on the couch like a cat basking in the sun. ]
what dont you two have going on?? its more than just attraction that much is obvious he more or less confirmed you two used to work together in Mockingbird not to mention youve stated more than once how important he is to you
love might be too strong of a word with what little i know but there is a lot of care there that it makes me a little jealous
I am not thanking you for undermining my plan. I'm simply adapting chaos to order.
[Fingers tap on his arm as he decides how he wants to continue. Molly has likely spoken to Hugo at some length about this if he got Hugo to say he was 'terribly attractive'.]
It is more or less correct. I was his partner in Mockingbird when we were younger. I'm sure you guessed already that my past is not as clean as my present.
[Though to be honest, he's not exactly spotless there, either. He's not actively thieving, but he's not above using underground methods to get things he DOES need.]
I will neither confirm or deny, given you have such a track record for leaking my private texts. But I will say that no one wants Hugo on this planet more than I.
im sorry for throwing a spanner into the works but i am only trying to look out for someone dear to me
[ they talk about a lot of things, have always talked about a lot of things. the fact that Lycaon has been the subject of conversation lately is neither here nor there. ]
everyone has skeletons in their closets lycaon i dont judge people for their pasts and what they have done in order to survive what matters is what you do in the here and now what matters is leaving places a little bit better than you found them that goes for people too
[ Molly can't judge, won't judge. he was truthful about being a conman, he's done his fair share of unsavoury things in order to survive and live in a world not made for him. ]
firstly it wasn't even the text itself secondly you never said i had to keep it a secret
[ his tail flicks about somewhat irritably. ]
im glad for that actually considering how difficult it is for me to learn that hard lesson you want to teach itd be impossible for me to teach it to hugo on my own
[ he's leaving himself vulnerable again. pulling apart his armor and leaving his soft spots exposed. ]
im not so stupid as to claim i may want him more than you there is attraction there definitely but i do care about him more than ive ever cared about anyone really
so im overjoyed hes got you lycaon and that you have him
[The barrage of texts makes his eyes flitter. Oh Molly, you truly are a dog person if you let your guard down this much.]
You truly are kinder than you let on, Molly. Am I to take that the 'lying through your teeth' part is also true now?
You will learn that lesson. You will see that things people do are, at their core, ways of saying "I want you to live to the next day" and "Thank you for being alive".
[But...since Molly has been so vulnerable in this chat. He supposes he can let a little slip for him. He does owe him for quite a few things. He has already used this metaphor, but it's very apt.]
I am quite fond of the moon, stereotypical as it may be. But there is a large difference between the moon and the lunar surface. Hugo is the moon.
[Cryptic, poetic, but Molly will be able to put the pieces together.]
[ when it comes to the people he cares about, Mollymauk Tealeaf bares his throat to oncoming teeth. it doesn't help that Hugo's clear affection for the man has colored his impression of Lycaon, making it all the more easier for him to lower his guard.
if Hugo trusts and cares for him, why shouldn't Molly?
had the two not made up things would have been different. he would be more closed off, on guard, but whatever animosity there was between the pair was not born of bad blood. something he finds himself glad for with each passing day. ]
dont go screaming it off the rooftops yeah? i was hoping youd take that at face value but it read like you saw through it so no this is painful honest truths
[ he'll learn that lesson eventually. accepting the lesson will be another thing entirely. ]
thats incredibly cheesy i hope you know but its sweet so sweet i can feel my teeth gaining cavities as we speak
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Just an observation. Nothing he's going to say out loud.]
Hugo has that effect on people. He shines so brightly sometimes that the light can be unbearable. But that doesn't make him less radiant.
I'm truly happy he met you. And I'm glad you met him.
I am not sure what you are running from, and I don't need to know. But it is okay to stop and rest, sometimes.
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like i said two peas in a pod he and i
it is a difficult thing to rest when youve spent so long running
not impossible just difficult
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It will get easier. As someone who lost the ability to run for quite some time, you learn to appreciate standing still.
It lets you see the finer details. The veins in the leaves. The ripples on the water. The scent of pine on the air.
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im sure it will and every day the thing in the dark gets closer
[ he doesn't know Lycaon super well but... maybe it's because a part of him as been desperate to talk to someone, desperate for assurance that he isn't going mad. that those eyes in the dark, the ever present feeling of being hunted, is all in his head and he has nothing to worry about. that the Eyes of Nine aren't coming to get him. ]
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To that...Lycaon pauses. Whether this is a literal beast in the dark or a battle with inner demons... He will treat this with the same gravitas it deserves. Molly's one message was an act of confiding in him.]
I do not fear the dark, nor what lurks in it. [His own way of showing support for him. If Lycaon had anything in spades, it was bravery.]
You are free to not answer this, but what do you see when you look into it?
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he shouldn't have said anything. he let his walls come down, left himself defenceless. it wouldn't be hard to reach in and strike at those tender parts. idiot, he should know better, he does know better. ]
eyes
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As to the point as possible.]
If it thinks to take you, it is very mistaken.
[Confidence.]
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[ he can see what the wolfman is doing and he appreciates it, really, but it isn't that simple. nothing ever is. ]
if only it was contagious
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[It's not the first time he's been told that. Maybe it's something deeply rooted in his wolf-genetics. A lack of hesitation when it comes to being faced with outside threats.]
I will not let it.
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he's not supposed to be getting attached, not supposed to be letting people in and here he is arms outstretched.
fucking hell. ]
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but he won't. he can't. part of Mollymauk Tealeaf's heart has settled here and it's starting to dig its roots. ]
has anyone ever told you that youre a fool?
those selfless heroes are always the first the die you know
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Time heals, whether Molly knows it or not.
When the answer comes, his lips curl into a smirk.]
Many times.
But I must correct you. It is far from a selfless reason--much like Hugo, you also need to learn the hard lesson that you are wanted in this world.
I have no intention of dying.
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"you also need to learn the hard lesson that you are wanted in this world."
Molly laughs bitterly. ]
im a liar a thief a conman and a devil
i could be lying through my teeth to you right now
you barely know me so i implore you to not to waste your time
i wouldnt do the same for you
[ that's a lie. a big fat lie. Molly would, Molly has, and Molly would do so again in a hearbeat. ]
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If that were true, it is of no issue.
You helped out someone very important to me, and that is enough to ensure your safety. By proxy, you have become worth knowing and protecting.
I do not require any repayment, nor do I expect it.
[He truly doesn't. Not for himself, at least. He knows more than anyone that he is not the good boy the city seems to think he is. A stray taken in, raised as a thief, turned traitor and then covered his tracks to look as pristine as his white coat.]
With the exception that you attend birthday celebrations for him for years to come.
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[ a part of him wonders what it would take for Lycaon not to hold that opinion, a part of him fears that there is something in his half-remembered past life that could sway it. he could fight it more, try his best to beat the man away but he's already in too deep, isn't he?
he's already tangled up in strings he hasn't the strength to cut. ]
fine fine you win
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My apologies. You came into this battle completely unarmed. [Oh now he's smug about it.]
Miss Lia would like to arrange a planning session for this 'party'. We have decided to have it in the park, likely in the evening. With catered food.
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[ Molly can picture it far too clearly.
thankfully the focus returning to Hugo's birthday plans is enough to hold his attention, pushing all other thoughts off to the side. ]
sounds good though i have one request
after dinner i take you and hugo to a dark corner of the underground where people dont ask names
youre coming because youre hot and hugo thinks youre terribly attractive
we can spend the rest of the evening messing around until thoughts and birthdays become a thing of the past
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[You underestimate him far too much, Molly.
Though that does make him pause. For many reasons. It's a mixture of flattery, amusement, intrigue, and exhaustion.]
Molly. I had hoped you would've at least waited a day before running to Hugo to sell me out. I will forgive it, this time, but I will not save you from Miss Lia's wrath should she find out you spoiled the surprise.
[He knows you wouldn't throw this proposition to him unless you already got the OK from Hugo, buddy!]
I am quite flattered, and surprised that Hugo said that to you. [His tails is WAGGING. Thankfully this is text.]
I accept.
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[ of course he immediately sold Lycaon out, he had too! ]
had a strike while the iron was hot my dear sitheach
i will happily accept her wrath should it come out but i had to give him some warning
along with needling him about never telling me about it before
i did offer him an escape in return to accepting the 'party' being thrown for him so it all works out!
[ yes, very lucky that this is text and Mollymauk can't see the enthusiastic tail wagging. ]
it wasnt hard to get out of him its pretty obvious to me what you two have going on
wonderful
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[Gee, I wonder why he didn't tell you, Molly. You're so good with telling people information about yourself.]
I suppose this makes my original plan of 'having Miss Lia pull him there and I would simply chase him if he bolted' a bit less unpredictable.
[Nothing ventured, nothing gained in the end.]
I must ask: What do you think we have 'going on'?
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[ don't call him out!! the conversation isn't allow to focus back on him just yet!! ]
youre welcome by the way
[ Molly shifts, stretches out on the couch like a cat basking in the sun. ]
what dont you two have going on??
its more than just attraction that much is obvious
he more or less confirmed you two used to work together in Mockingbird
not to mention youve stated more than once how important he is to you
love might be too strong of a word with what little i know
but there is a lot of care there that it makes me a little jealous
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[Fingers tap on his arm as he decides how he wants to continue. Molly has likely spoken to Hugo at some length about this if he got Hugo to say he was 'terribly attractive'.]
It is more or less correct. I was his partner in Mockingbird when we were younger. I'm sure you guessed already that my past is not as clean as my present.
[Though to be honest, he's not exactly spotless there, either. He's not actively thieving, but he's not above using underground methods to get things he DOES need.]
I will neither confirm or deny, given you have such a track record for leaking my private texts. But I will say that no one wants Hugo on this planet more than I.
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but i am only trying to look out for someone dear to me
[ they talk about a lot of things, have always talked about a lot of things. the fact that Lycaon has been the subject of conversation lately is neither here nor there. ]
everyone has skeletons in their closets lycaon
i dont judge people for their pasts and what they have done in order to survive
what matters is what you do in the here and now
what matters is leaving places a little bit better than you found them
that goes for people too
[ Molly can't judge, won't judge. he was truthful about being a conman, he's done his fair share of unsavoury things in order to survive and live in a world not made for him. ]
firstly it wasn't even the text itself
secondly you never said i had to keep it a secret
[ his tail flicks about somewhat irritably. ]
im glad for that actually
considering how difficult it is for me to learn that hard lesson you want to teach
itd be impossible for me to teach it to hugo on my own
[ he's leaving himself vulnerable again. pulling apart his armor and leaving his soft spots exposed. ]
im not so stupid as to claim i may want him more than you
there is attraction there definitely
but i do care about him
more than ive ever cared about anyone really
so im overjoyed hes got you lycaon
and that you have him
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You truly are kinder than you let on, Molly. Am I to take that the 'lying through your teeth' part is also true now?
You will learn that lesson. You will see that things people do are, at their core, ways of saying "I want you to live to the next day" and "Thank you for being alive".
[But...since Molly has been so vulnerable in this chat. He supposes he can let a little slip for him. He does owe him for quite a few things. He has already used this metaphor, but it's very apt.]
I am quite fond of the moon, stereotypical as it may be. But there is a large difference between the moon and the lunar surface. Hugo is the moon.
[Cryptic, poetic, but Molly will be able to put the pieces together.]
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if Hugo trusts and cares for him, why shouldn't Molly?
had the two not made up things would have been different. he would be more closed off, on guard, but whatever animosity there was between the pair was not born of bad blood. something he finds himself glad for with each passing day. ]
dont go screaming it off the rooftops yeah?
i was hoping youd take that at face value but it read like you saw through it
so no this is painful honest truths
[ he'll learn that lesson eventually. accepting the lesson will be another thing entirely. ]
thats incredibly cheesy i hope you know
but its sweet so sweet i can feel my teeth gaining cavities as we speak
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semi-audio I'm so sorry Molly
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