Detz 36

Requested by: lovelunalovegood

"I wish I could hate you."

...

Dex stood at his worktable, hunched over the latest batch of Iggy dye. Biana had decided she wanted him sparkly, and of course, Sophie had agreed. When he'd argued he probably wouldn't be able to get the sparkles infused in the imp's fur, meaning they'd shed like crazy all over Sophie's room, she'd just shrugged and said, "Sparkles make everything better."

To which Biana had said, "Too true."

Even Linh had agreed.

They'd ganged up on him!

Well, if he was going to make Iggy sparkly, he was at least going to do it right. Somehow, there had to be a way to get the sparkles to stay. He just had to find it.

There was a knock on his door frame, but Dex was too focused on adding exactly nine drops of darsenene to look over his shoulder. "I'll be right down, Mom. Promise."

"Not Mom," a familiar voice said. "Just me."

Dex jumped, dumping half the bottle into the beaker, which promptly released a burst of opaque pink smoke with a small POP!

So much for that batch.

"What are you doing here?" Dex demanded through a dry throat as he glared at Fitz through watery eyes.

"You've been so busy lately," Fitz said, eyeing the now bubbling mixture curiously. "I thought you might like some help."

"I don't need any help," Dex coughed, waving away the smoke. "And I certainly don't need any help from you!"

Fitz frowned at him, his teal eyes sparkling with tension. "What's that supposed to mean?"

"It means you can't help me right now. You're just... you're too you!"

"Yes, you're right, Deck," Fitz said angrily. "Being me seems to be a problem, doesn't it? You think I haven't noticed you avoiding me at school? What in Exile's going on with you?"

Dex's cheeks went red at the nickname that had somehow gone from an honest accident to to a term of exasperated endearment. "Just leave me alone," he said over his shoulder, turning back to the now ruined dye. It probably wouldn't have worked anyway. Nine drops was far too many. Maybe six. Yes, six seemed like a good amount.

"I've left you alone all week!" Fitz said, clearly exasperated. "What happened? Everything was fine this weekend, and then come Monday, apparently you hate me!"

"I wish I could hate you," Dex muttered, sweeping the entire beaker into the trash. The brown mixture had hardened and congealed. No way he was going to be able to fix that. "That would make everything so much easier."

"What is that supposed to mean?" Fitz asked, his voice exasperated, but it no longer held that hint of anger, only curiosity.

Dex turned around, crossing his arms over his chest defensively. "It means that this weekend meant something to me, even if it didn't to you. You can't just take a guy on a moonlit walk and spill all your deepest, most private thoughts, and not expect him to develop feelings. It's physically impossible!"

"Emotionally impossible," Fitz corrected.

"This is exactly what I mean!" Dex shouted, almost knocking over his collection as he gesticulated wildly. "I'm trying to tell you that I like you, and you go and do something dumb like correct my word choice! You're infuriating!"

"Well instead of avoiding me, you could have just told me you liked me!"

"Or I could take a flying leap off the Four Seasons Tree. Guess which one sounds more appealing."

Fitz ran his hands through his hair and Dex's breath caught in his throat. Ancients help him…

"Why is this so bad? What's so terrible about liking me?"

Dex crossed his arms back over his chest, trying to keep his breathing under control, even though he felt like swooning. Fitz didn't like him, Dex reminded himself. Fitz was in love with Sophie. And Sophie was in love with Fitz. They were a dream couple. And he was just another lame Technopath.

He'd never stood a chance.

Finally, Dex sighed and turned back to his table, slowly starting to set up his experiment again. "Because I've already done this 'unreciprocated crush' thing once before, Fitz. I don't need to humiliate myself again."

For a moment, Fitz was silent. For a moment, Dex thought he wasn't going to respond. For a moment, Dex thought it was for the best.

Then Fitz said, "Who says it's unreciprocated?" and Dex's whole world violently tilted off its axis.