[read on ao3]
“You know, you really should smile more.” King says, leaning in, drinking in the subtle smile on Caleb’s face. “Laugh more really.” A smile, that is suddenly drawn into a tighter line as a blush creeps up Caleb’s cheeks. Kingsley narrows his eyes a little as Caleb twitches a bit, awkwardly. “What?” He tilts his head, regarding him.
There’s an ember of a giddy feeling that has been building up in Kingsley’s stomach throughout this evening’s interaction (and really, any time he and Caleb have gotten close). When Caleb looks at him, that ember begins to flicker to life, his metaphorical kindling igniting - buzzing, flipping, aching to push the wizard into a little more lightness. But, Caleb can’t maintain eye contact when he tries to open his mouth to explain. “N-Nothing. I was just remembering- thinking of, um…”
Kingsley feels something slightly uncomfortable squirm in his chest. “Something… Molly used to do?”
“Not just him.” Caleb admits lightheartedly, and Kingsley can see him fighting off a smile again. “But yes, everyone really. They really had a knack for…” He cuts himself off, biting back the growing smile.
Okay. Yes, Kingsley thinks, he will chase after whatever thread will get Caleb closer to smiling.
The tiefling leans in closer, reaches out a hand toward Caleb, who shrinks back just a hair, twitching when Kingsley enters his personal bubble. King lays a hand on his wrist, thumb gently padding over the skin. “Tell me?” He smiles and tries to catch Caleb’s eyes again.
He sees Caleb’s eyes widening for a moment before the wizard is reining it in on instinct. Caleb looks all the way away from him. His eyes shut for a second and he lets out a genuine huff of a laugh. “You already know how to ruffle feathers, in a different way than Molly did, but…” Caleb bumps shoulders with King. “I don’t know if it’s a smart move on my part to give you more ways to do so.”
Caleb’s shying away with a chuckle before Kingsley can lean into the touch. King leans forward, craning his neck around and placing a hand on Caleb’s knee. “Hey.” He hopes his expression looks sweet and kind and innocent. Caleb’s leg jumps slightly at the contact. Kingsley studies the blush rising on his cheeks, and finds himself smirking.
Caleb turns his head toward him a bit. “Perhaps,” He looks the tiefling up and down. “I could show you.”
Kingsley raises an eyebrow just as Caleb reaches forward and, mirroring him, places a hand on King’s knee. He watches the wizard curiously, when suddenly there’s a squeeze. Then another, more deliberate.
Kingsley grins, squirming slightly as the bubbling feeling inside of him boils over, filling him with a silly giddiness. “Oh.” He twitches his leg at another pinch. “I’m so glad you showed me.” He lets out a reverent sigh. “Caleb, you are so dead.”
“Maybe, once you stop laughing long enough to get your hands on me.”
Then Caleb is on him, and Kingsley is so unprepared for it that he rocks back under the minimal weight of the wizard. Fingers scribble against his body and find all the worst and most sensitive places with ease. Kingsley would love to see Caleb in this position, all blushes and squirming and laughter, but this is a pretty fucking wonderful way to spend the afternoon regardless.