Over The Rainbow

Nott the best comforter

       The group got back to the city late, so they decided to stay just one more night. In the messy, dimly lit bar, Caleb sat, just drinking shot after shot of hard whiskey. He was alone as he had hoped, no one there to stop him from getting absolutely wasted, no one to worry about him either. Then, the sound of a chair scrapping on floor sounded beside Caleb, and he turned to see Nott scurrying up the stool. They sat there in silence for a while before Nott sighed and said, "Look, I know that you liked him. You don't have to say anything about it yet, but you can't keep this inside you forever." Caleb stared down numbely into his glass. "I can sure as hell try." Nott was silent, tapping her fingers on the table and frowning. Then she reached over slowly and wrapped her arms around Caleb, feeling him tense up and then almost melt in her arms. "I know this is hard for you, I know that. But I also know that Molly wouldn't have wanted you to grieve like this." She murmured, her voice uncharacteristically gentle.

       Caleb felt sick. Nott knew what he had done, knew the absolute monster that he was, so she knew that he had no right to mourn Mollymauk. He had no right to even think for a second that he was deserving of this love that Nott was giving him. He sat there for a minute before pushing Nott back gently and rushing up to the wash room. Caleb puked everything that he had consumed that week up into the bowl before crawling back to his room, shivering and sweaty. He lay down on the bed, not bothering to take of his coat or book holsters, and curled up into a ball.

        Downstairs, Nott paced worriedly. She didn't know what to do to comfort her boy, she didn't know how to fix this, and she didn't know how to get Caleb to open up to her. Beau watched her pace, nursing a mug of ale and playing with her throwing stars. "Hey, Nott." She called.

  "Hmm?"

  "Come here for a sec."

     The little goblin girl walked over, flopping into the chair across from Beau and taking a swig from her flask. "You worried about Caleb?" Beau asked awkwardly. "Yes, very much so." She said. Beau sighed and scratches her head. "Do you uh... Do you want me to go check on him?" Nott looked Beau up and down suspiciously. "What do you want in return?" " Nothing, nothing. Just think that I might, you know, be able to talk to him a bit better than you, no offense. " Nott's nose scrunched up tight as she thought about the offer.  As much as she hated to admit it, Beau was probably right. She had been close to Molly, even if she wouldn't admit it, and maybe that was what Caleb needed right now. Not the little goblin thief. Nott sighed and and nodded, handing Beau the key to her and Caleb's room. The monk nodded and slowly made her way up the stairs, patting Caduceus's shoulder as she passed. When she got to the door, she found that it was cracked open slightly and the sound of quiet crying was coming from inside.  

       Beau sighed. "Caleb, I'm coming in." Beau said in her usual gruff voice, pushing through and taking in the scene before her. Caleb lay shaking in the dark, reaching out for something that wasn't there anymore. "Holy shit dude." Beau exclaimed as she rushed over. "Is it that bad?" Now that she was closer, Beau could see the vomit that clung to the edges of Caleb's beard and the sweat that soaked through his shirt. Beau set to work quickly, pulling off Caleb's coat and book holsters before going to get some water to wash his face. Soon, still shaking, Caleb lay out on the bed. Beau looked over him, biting her lip in worry before sighing and sitting on the edge of the bed. "C'mon, scooch." She said, shoving Caleb gently to the side before crawling into the bed next to him and carefully pulling him into a hug.

     "Sorry." Beau muttered after a few minutes. "I know I'm not the best at this. But just, I also know that it's not your fault Caleb. At all. If it's anyone's fault, it's Lorenzo's. And Caleb, I need you to understand this, there is nothing anyone other than him could have done to save Molly." Caleb drew in a shaky breath and just pulled Beau closer. They lay like that until they both fell asleep, unaware of the goblin sitting by the door.

   This chapter brought to you by sleep deprivation and Caduceus's playlist on spotify. Feeling a bit less shitty, gonna keep writing- Eddie 💜