How Did We Get Into This Mess - KOTLC Oneshots

Look At You | Chapter Two | Call My Name

( Secret tidbit: the titles are lyrics from the song that inspired this. Whoever can name the song first gets a oneshot with a prompt of their choice! Think about how the characters could relate to the song . . . )

Dex had a weird relationship with school in general. All classes- great. The people in them? Not so great. Like Metaphysics. The concepts for debate were always good, and the lectures fascinating, but the people debating? Absolute human dumpster fires.

That isn't to say his classmates aren't good debaters-they were just snobs. Especially when it came to more controversial topics. Like what defines the integrity of a bad match. There were many smirks headed Dex's direction during the discussion.

Today though, today he would prove them wrong! It was already ironic he was the second-youngest regent in history, which gave him even more material to rub in their faces. The Foxfire Metaphysics Championship was structured much the same way as the splotching championship.

Starting inside their own levels, prodigies pair up as a prompt is distributed with great fanfare. Telekinesis slowly rolling out the scroll, flashing orbs, the whole shebang. The big difference between the Metaphysics and Splotching Championships was the duration. While the Splotching Championship normally only took up a day, the Metaphysics Championship took up the whole year.

Councillor Noland was coming to oversee the final matches. One for the Elite Levels, and one for the Basic Levels.

The Elite Match was between Wylie Sonden and Kylene Tarros. The Basic Match was between Dex and . . . you guessed it! The one and only Wonderboy, Metaphysics winner three years straight. Gah. There was the infuriating word again.

The real reason Dex was up for the match was an issue with the unicorns at Sterling Gables. Stina was called home for the month to help. Dex had been runner-up, which leads you to the reason he was aggressively jotting down points. Practice had to pay off sometime soon.

Holed up in the Archives, Dex was checking out Metaphysics scrolls, and a piece on the history of caches. Attaching his home crystal to the hanger, he watched as the strategically placed window sent a ray of light to his crystal, producing a pink aura.

Dex carefully slid his first scroll into the glow, imagining the stacking inside the cubby residing at his lab.

"Hi Dex," an crisply accented voice rang out.

The boy in question jumped, scattering his check-outs. Fitz offered a smooth hand, swiftly leaning down.

Dex scrambled up by himself.

"What are you getting," Fitz asked pleasantly, trying to make conversation. He rolled on the balls of his feet, boots stretching.

Dex searched desperately for an answer so he wouldn't seem like a fool.

"Um, Team Valiant stuff."

Fitz looked down at a partially open scroll, squinting at the words clearly reading Mind Over Matter - Extended Advanced Edition.

"Are you sure?"

Dex fidgeted, gathering up what he'd dropped.

"Yup, definitely." Fitz shrugged, kneeling down to help. He hands Dex the scroll, noting the title-it was Caches, A History. Not that Dex cared what the Vacker thought about his honesty. He didn't.

"So," Fitz draws out, scratching the back of his neck. Dex glanced back at the boy, periwinkle eyes falling on the telepath's lips. Damn that height difference. Quickly righting himself, the Dizznee toyed with his panic ring.

"Yeah," Dex responded, pushing his sandy hair away.

"Do you wanna come to Everglen? For Metaphysics practice?" Fitz didn't seem like he was sure of his words. "Wylie will be there too," he stated, finding an escape. An escape from what, was the real question.

"Ok?" Dex's answer sounded more like a question, possibly scared.

"Alright." Fitz's shoulders sagged from relief for a few short seconds. His posture straightened as his sexuality would not. "Biana is going to be out with Mom all day to shop for the materials for some designs." Dex knew this. He had helped the girl calculate proportions.

Nodding, the Technopath finished light leaping his nexus-bound scrolls.

Fitz held up his home crystal, chiseled to perfection, just like his jaw. A blush crept up Dex's neck and ears as he berated himself for thinking such stupid things.

"Oh, you meant now," Dex whispered. Fitz raised an eyebrow, dangling the crystal like mistletoe. Dex took the outstretched hand this time, surprised to find calluses on rough skin. A tingling feeling, the pins and needles sensation on steroids, spread up Dex's body.

Or maybe that was just the light leap.

The lack of glaring gates was disturbing, a defining part of Everglen's architecture gone. It shouldn't have been there in the first place since it prevented direct light leaping, but Vackers could get away with anything. Or at least they used to.

Upon the discovery of the trollish hive hidden on Everglen grounds, the gates were decreed to be removed. It was a direct order from the council. Dex couldn't help feeling sorry for the family, despite years harboring a grudge against them. The gate provided safety. Now they were out in the open.

It must have been a rude awakening.

Fitz led Dex around the gnomes, waving and greeting each by name. Zarnan, Dakath, Arwen, and Kidal were the first few, as well as the only ones Dex heard before tuning Fitz out.

Dex trailed along, hand still collapsed in Fitz's. It was . . . odd, how he didn't mind the touch.

Marble fountains spouted arcs of water in jeweled shades, scented with vanilla. The huge woven silver doors were wide open, displaying a rounded foyer making Dex feel trapped in a hatbox. Vacker portraits lined a hall branching forward, looking down on Dex imperiously.

Fitz didn't seem to notice.

As the pair entered the library, which was really a large study, Fitz reluctantly let go of Dex's hand. Wylie nodded at them, the silence slightly overwhelming.

Dex plopped down in a plush seat, regretting not stopping at Dawnheath before coming with Fitz. The technopath was normally good with his impulse control, though something about the Vacker boy just . . . threw him off.

"Do you wanna fire back and forth, or have our resident expert give us tips," Dex asked nonchalantly, drumming his fingers on the ornate armrest.

"He can't give us suggestions if he hasn't seen us debate," Fitz stated smoothly.

Wylie flushed with second-hand embarrassment.

"Yeah, um, right." Fitz's head tilted. He was probably wondering how Dex was debating against him in the first place. Dex's hands tightened with a white-knuckled grip.

Fitz's hand reached out, slender finger brushing the freckles of Dex's cheeks. His teal eyes searched Dex's face silently, roving around. Pulling away, Fitz turned over his palm, showing the Dizznee a fleck of glitter.

Oh.

Well, apparently Dex is terrible at reading people. Great.

It's an odd feeling, how he couldn't wait for this day to be over, yet simultaneously had been deeply invested in how it played out.

( I mean who doesn't love enemies to lovers? Or enemies to friends to lovers? Or childhood friends to enemies to friends to lovers? Childhood enemies to lovers? Yeah yeah, I'll stop now. It was starting to confuse me anyway. )