Frumpy Umpy Umpkin

Soft Spot

Fjord and Molly walked down the inn's hall toward Caleb and Nott's room. The little goblin herself was walking their way when an almost worried look appeared on her face.

"Um, where are you guys headed?" she asked.

"We were gonna see if Caleb wanted to go to the butcher with us. We were gonna see what kind of jerky they had," Fjord explained. Nott stepped in front of the two of them.

"Um Caleb really doesn't wanna be bothered," she tried to assure them.

"Is he in there slaving away? He needs to take a break," Molly said, easily walking around her. Nott pulled his tail to stop him.

"He's not, but he's having his private time with Frumpkin," she admits before slapping a hand over her mouth and muttering, "I've already said too much!"

Molly and Fjord shared twin grins of pure mischief and glee before sprinting over to the two's shared room. "Oh dear..." Nott muttered as she rushed down the stairs, not wanting to wait around and see what they would invoke. And she didn't want Caleb blaming her for their intrusion.

They opened the door ever so quietly, slipping in and hiding behind the wall by the entryway. Molly stood a little hunched with Fjord close behind him, his head stacked atop his as they peaked around the corner. His back was to them, all his attention focused on his cat. Frumpkin's purring could even be heard from there.

Fjord's jaw dropped and Molly's hand flew to his mouth to prevent a snicker from escaping. Caleb was knelt beside the bed, scratching Frumpkin's chin and singing to his cat. What made it even better was what exactly he was singing to him. He cooed at him in a soft Zemnian accent, the words clearly made up yet rehearsed in such a way that made it obvious he did this often.

You're my honey bunch sugarplum, Frumpy Umpy Umpkin. You're my sweetie pie."  He pressed their noses together with a wide smile overtaking his face, though they couldn't see that."You're my cuppy cake gumdrop, snookum shnookums you're- the apple of my eye,"  he finished singing, rubbing just above his tail as he stretched. His entire face instantly turned red when the sound of hysterical laughter hit his ears. He whipped around from his spot on the ground, standing up in one quick and fluid motion. Both men were doubled over, Molly's arms wrapped around his stomach and Fjord leaned against the wall with one hand for support.

"Get out!" he demanded pointing at the door. His lips were pressed together in a thin, angry line, cheeks growing redder by the second.

"Lohohove the song!" Molly teased, wiping a tear of laughter from his eye

"Frumpy umpy umpkin? Oho Caleb, you really are a hoot," Fjord said between rumbling laughs from deep in his chest.

"I am not! I said get out!" he yelled, hurling a pillow at Mollymauk's face with full force. He yelped as he stumbled a few steps back into Fjord.

"Are you kidding? That was adorable. In fact I need to see the- what did you call him again? Your "snookum shnookums?" he taunted even more.

"Shut the hell up. You weren't supposed to see that," he seethed, turning around. Fjord walked up and placed a kind hand on his shoulder, which Caleb immediately brushed off.

"Well I'm glad we did, that was hilarious," Fjord teased with a toothy grin. "But you gotta understand we're laughing with you, not at ya," he explained in a gentler tone than the mocking laughing fit he'd just been a part of. With his cheeks still rosy, Caleb fixed them both with a harsh glare, his nostrils still flared a bit.

"Does it look like I'm laughing?" he asked in a cold tone to mask just how flustered he truly is.

"It looks like you need to laugh. C'mon Caleb, you gotta admit that song is funny as fuck," Molly taunted, taking a step forward. Caleb took a step back.