Octavio rocked back and forth on his feet, moving the shopping cart he was left in charge of, in the process. He looked at the shelf he was parked next to, examining the various jars and containers of herbs and spices. He wouldn't even know where to begin with any of this stuff. He loved foods with a kick of spice but, in reality, Elliott was the self-proclaimed expert at flavor balancing in cooking. Octavio thought Makoa might rival him in that category, but he was still grateful for his partner's passion for home cooking. It was one of the many things he loved about him.
"It feels so good to be able to do this for ourselves again. No more imported, generic meal plan kits for us!" the trickster said, carefully placing some of the ingredients he'd collected into the cart.
Octavio smiled warmly at him.
"I can't believe you're this excited about doing the groceries. It's kind of adorable."
Elliott chuckled quietly at the remark, following it with a contented sigh.
"I'm just so glad to be home."
The runner nodded, sharing his boyfriend's satisfaction. It wasn't long after they'd returned from their Psamathe vacation that they received the news about returning to Solace, due to Kings Canyon being "safe enough" for them to compete in again. The announcement was made at a gathering of legends and fledglings, and Octavio swore he saw Elliott tear up a little at the news, which wasn't really a surprise to anyone. Anyone who was close to the trickster knew he never really settled on Talos. Octavio didn't really mind either way; wherever Elliott was, was home to him, especially after everything that had happened recently. But, he was a fan of being able to wear his beloved crop tops again, with the weather on Solace being infinitely warmer than Talos. They had all sorts of plans to celebrate their first night back on the planet and back in their own apartment, but after ordering some take-out both of them had fallen asleep on the couch and didn't wake up until very late the next day. It was nice, being able to do the mundane everyday things, like grocery shopping together again, which in turn, led to arguing over who was going to pay for the groceries.
"We don't need to split things anymore!" the runner said, as soon as they exited the store with their carrier bags in hand, beginning the short walk home. "I have all this money now! I can take care of all this stuff!"
"But I can also take care of my share," Elliott told him. "I know you're just trying to be nice, but I thought we agreed we were going to save that money for the future?"
Octavio sighed at that, and shrugged. When did the future start? Tomorrow was the future to him, but it seemed like it meant something else to Elliott, and it was some far off goal they'd never quite reach.
"We can put it towards our house or...kids' college funds or something," the trickster continued. "For now, I think I can take care of buying us some food."
"What about my college fund?" Octavio replied, a playful tone to his voice, that made his boyfriend laugh.
"I thought you didn't want to go to college?"
"Maybe I will now," he continued, adjusting the weight of the bags he was carrying. "Maybe I'll...become a director so everyone will have no choice but to watch my bad movies."
"You can do whatever you want. If that's your dream," Elliott said, shooting him a bright smile. "I'll support you. As long as I get to play the lead in all your movies of course."
Octavio snorted.
"Imagine. Me in college? Papá would shit his pants from shock, I'm sure."
The conversation fell quiet after that.
Octavio closed the kitchen cupboard shut, after taking a few moments to admire his handiwork. He really was getting creative with putting away the groceries, having decided to playfully place all the herb and spice jars upside down, knowing it would annoy his partner once he found them that way. He perched himself at the breakfast bar, observing the trickster while he stocked the fridge with the remaining food. He'd take any opportunity to see his boyfriend half bent over, and this was no exception.
"Ah, home sweet home," Elliott said with a satisfied sigh, kicking the refrigerator door shut behind him. "Back to the old grind, huh?"
He stepped towards the younger legend and wrapped him in a hug, which was lovingly reciprocated. He rocked them back and forth steadily, until Octavio tilted his face up to look at him.
"What old grind?"
"You know how much I've missed working at the bar," Elliott replied, feeling his partner slump into his arms. "I'm excited to get back to work."
"Elliott, no," the speedster whined, pulling away from him slightly. "I've gotten used to having you around more. I don't want you to go back to working all the time, and I barely get to see you."
"It'll just be a couple of shifts here and there," the trickster replied, brushing Octavio's fringe back so he could place a gentle kiss on his forehead, trying to reassure him. "I promise."
"You said that before."
"Yeah, well...this time I mean it. I just want us to get back to normal. To how our lives were before the move."
"Okay, but just...don't forget about me," Octavio said, his hazel eyes casting down to the floor in a way that broke the trickster's heart.
"I could never forget about you," he replied softly. "You're my whole world. But...We should probably also pay a visit to mom soon before she thinks I've forgotten about her."
He paused when his boyfriend looked up at him, his eyes tinged with sadness.
"S-sorry."
Octavio shook his head.
"You don't have to stop talking about your mom because of what happened. I like your mom. I want to see her."
"Hey, look at me," Elliott said quietly, cupping his partner's face in his hands, his words earnest. "You're part of this family too. We have our own little family, with me and you and Mica. But my mom, and everything else I have, is yours too. You hear me?"
Octavio shrugged and looked away.
"You don't have to say that just because of what's happened."
"I'm not just saying it," Elliott told him, turning his face back towards him. "I mean it. And if I have to spend every day trying to prove it to you then...I will."
He took the runner's hand in his own, lightly brushing his finger over the silver promise ring that always sat so proudly on his middle finger.
"I didn't give you this for nothing. I did it because I want to be with you, no matter what."
The runner nodded, in response.
"And do the forever thing."
"Exactly," Elliott replied, offering him a warm smile before pecking him twice on the lips.
"Mira, there's... actually something I want to talk to you about."
The trickster rubbed his lover's arms in a supportive fashion, before stepping back to lean against the breakfast bar, upon noticing the speedster's serious tone. He looked him over, obviously concerned but nodded, prompting the younger legend to speak. Octavio turned himself around in his stool, allowing him to rest his elbows on the counter, while he twiddled his thumbs, trying to find the right words. He already knew his boyfriend wasn't going to be happy with what he had to say, and he hadn't even opened his mouth yet.
"They asked me to do a live show in the arena," he explained, keeping his eyes fixed on his hands. "As like a "welcome back" celebration thing but...I guess it's probably also to try take the attention away from everything that went down with Skull Town."
Elliott nodded slowly. What happened to Skull Town was a sore subject around here, and the destruction had gotten people talking about the mysterious woman who seemed to appear out of nowhere, destroyed a portion of the arena and was now welcomed onto the roster, with seemingly no questions asked. If he'd learned anything from his time as a Legend, it was knowing the organisers didn't like when people talked too much. He had mostly tried to keep his mouth shut about the situation, despite his heart aching at the thought of never seeing Thunderdome again, recalling the memories of the times he'd visited it with his brothers as a kid. But what shocked him more, was seeing the iconic location fall to the depths, and his boyfriend standing in the middle of the chaos, while he was stuck in respawn unable to do anything about it. Thankfully, no one was hurt or lost and they were reunited soon after.
"What kind of live show?" he asked cautiously, though he was fairly certain he already knew the answer.
"A stunt show."
"Oh."
"I said I'd do it. Even though they didn't really give me much of a choice."
Octavio finally forced himself to look up at his partner, who was standing with his arms folded over his chest, and looking around the room as if he was trying to look anywhere, but at him.
"Say something."
The trickster merely shrugged, his gaze falling to his feet.
"I thought you said you were gonna...cool it with th-the crazy stuff."
"It's not like I could have said no, amor. You know what they're like."
"Well, it doesn't sound like you tried to say no, to me."
Octavio sighed, rubbing a frustrated hand along his face.
"Elliott…".
"It's fine," the trickster replied, holding his hands up, as he began to walk away, towards the living room. "It's a big deal. Congratulations."
"Yeah, it is a big deal!" Octavio called after him, hopping down from his seat, the sound of his voice making his boyfriend stop in his tracks. "Maybe doing these types of shows is my dream! But I guess you were lying when you said you'd support them, because that's all everyone in my life does! Lie!"
Elliott didn't say much for the rest of the day, busying himself with fixing his holo-gear. Octavio wondered how careless his partner could possibly be with his beloved game gear, that it always conveniently needed to be fixed whenever he didn't want to talk. He knew deep down it was just so he could have something to look at that wasn't him, but he didn't like to think about it too much; the thought made him sad. Though, he did make them dinner, which they ate in relative silence, until the trickster eventually spoke up and made an attempt at conversation, suggesting maybe they could catch a movie at the weekend since they hadn't done that in a while. Octavio shrugged, and poked at his stir-fry without answering, causing his partner to sigh and scrape the rest of the food off his plate in record time. It wasn't until later that night, when Octavio was sat on the couch playing video games, did Elliott approach him again, kissing him on the cheek before sitting down next to him. He rested his head on his shoulder, and looped his arm through the runner's and simply watched him play for a while, making the odd comment or question about the game. Octavio asked him if he wanted to play for a bit, and they laughed at how bad he was while he fumbled about with the controls. He thought everything had gone back to normal, until they went to bed that night.
"Elliott?"
"Hmm?"
Octavio rolled onto his side to face him, though he could barely see in the dark.
"You'll come to my show, right? I really want you to come."
He reached for the trickster's hand under the blankets, but it was promptly pulled away, as Elliott began to rub at his own cheek.
"What's wrong, amor? I don't understand why you won't support me. I want to be excited, but if you're mad at me-."
"I'm not mad," Elliott said, his voice quiet. "I just...I don't think I can trust you."
Octavio blinked a few times, trying to force his eyes to adjust to the darkness as much as possible.
"What...is that supposed to mean?"
"I know what it's like to have a crowd behind you. What you're like when you have a crowd behind you, hyping you up," the trickster began, fidgeting with the edge of the blanket. "You'll push yourself too far to please them and...you think you're invincible when you're not. You haven't done one of these shows in forever and I...don't trust you to be careful. I don't want anything to happen to you and I'm scared it will. So, sorry for not playing the supportive boyfriend role right now but I'm kinda stuck in the, boyfriend who's worried his boyfriend is gonna do something stupid and get himself hurt or...killed mindset."
"That's not fair," Octavio replied firmly. "I've barely done anything crazy since we started getting serious because you asked me to stop. Most of my social media posts are just life stuff now and I keep all my stunts in the games, and they're not even...stunts."
"Yeah, and now you're going to do a whole stunt show when you're out of practice!"
"I know what I'm doing!" the runner said. "Stop telling me I can't do things! I don't need you to baby me!"
"I'm not trying to baby you!" Elliott responded, sitting up. "I'm...trying not to lose the love of my life here!"
"I'm not going to do anything that dangerous!" Octavio argued back. "Do you think I want to get hurt?!"
"How many times have you said the same thing to Ajay before we met, and fucked up?! Face it, Tav. You're a sucker for a crowd, and that's what I'm scared of."
"That was...different."
"How?"
The speedster looked down at the mattress beneath him, despite barely even being able to see it.
"Because," he began with a heavy sigh. "Back then I didn't have anything to live for, so I didn't care what happened. Now, I do. So just...stop."
"Tav...".
"Stop," he repeated, his voice barely a whisper, allowing his face to be cupped by a shadowy, but warm hand. "You don't have to be scared, amor. Not anymore. I'm not scared."
A few days passed, and they didn't talk much about it again. Octavio would admit he was disappointed. He just wanted his boyfriend to come and support his show. That wasn't too much to ask, was it? It's not like he has anyone else. He hadn't heard anything from his family since he'd left Psamathe, but that didn't mean they weren't playing on his mind. He was sat on his and Elliott's bed, with his legs detached, looking at his laptop screen, with the intention of beginning a new round of stretches and exercises his doctor had sent him. His pain was mostly non-existent now, save for the occasional muscle strain after an intense game. For now, the goal was to keep himself untensed and strong, to try and avoid the aches coming back again. He sighed and switched to another tab, staring at the email he'd been working on all morning, absentmindedly tapping on the keyboard, but not with enough pressure to actually type anything.
Emelia,
I'm sorry for walking out like I did. I think it was cool of you to come and see me and tell me what you could. I was angry, but I'm not anymore. Not really. Not at you. But I don't think we should talk anymore, so we can keep our families safe. I just want to move on with my life and my partner, like you did.
I hope we can both have happier lives now.
Octavio.
He leaned back against the pillows, exhaling a stream of warm air through his nostrils, before closing his eyes and hitting the send button. His fingers curled around the ragged ear of the toy rabbit in his lap; a calming exercise from when he was child. It probably explained why the rabbit's ear was slightly tearing away from its head, but he didn't mind. He probably could have fixed it, but he never did. A quiet tapping on the bedroom door caught his attention, and he looked up just in time to see it open and his boyfriend's head peek inside, flinging the soft toy under the bed before the trickster entered.
"Hey."
"Hey," Octavio replied, patting the empty spot on the bed beside him, inviting his partner to join him. "How did it go?"
"It went fine," the trickster told him, with a small nod. "I kinda explained how I always found the face to face thing...hard. So, she said we could do appointments over the phone for a while."
"That's awesome! See? I told you, you'd kick therapy's ass!"
Elliott laughed quietly, a soft smile forming on his lips.
"Thanks for giving me a little privacy to make the call. I know you don't like being cooped up in here."
"That's okay," the runner shrugged. "I'm just trying to support you. This is a big deal, and I don't want to make it any harder than it needs to be."
Elliott took his hand and gave it a firm squeeze. He never quite understood what he did to deserve Octavio's unwavering devotion and support through all the difficulties he had to face. Octavio had stayed by his side through times, where he was certain his previous partners wouldn't have, and made him feel...normal. Part of him wonders if he ever would have got through them at all, without his partner's humor and strength, and although Octavio had his fair share of issues he also had worked through, Elliott felt like he hadn't supported him enough. After taking the last couple of days to think it over, he'd decided perhaps it was time to change that.
"Hey," he said, leaning back slightly so his boyfriend could get a good look at him. "What do you think of my t-shirt?"
Octavio's eyes trailed along his torso, with a smirk.
"That is my merch, amor. It'd be pretty shitty if I didn't like it."
"Do you think I should wear it to your show? Or would that be...too much?"
The speedster's eyes sparkled at the question, his heart picking up in rhythm.
"You want to come to my show?"
"Yeah, I do," Elliott told him, receiving an excited "whoop" in response. "I've...been a real ass to you, Tav. You've stuck by me through everything. Renovating the bar, all the...depression stuff, my mom getting sick…everything."
"Yeah, of course. We're supposed to have each other's backs."
"Exactly. So...yeah. I want to...I should be supporting your dreams. But also just I want to. Because I love you."
"This is the coolest thing ever!" Octavio exclaimed, crushing his partner in a tight hug. "I wanted you to come so bad! Oh, this is gonna be awesome! I'll blow you kisses from the air and-".
"Whoa, baby, slow down," the trickster chuckled, placing his hands on the younger legend's arms so he could push him away slightly, making him look at him. "I know you're excited but remember you have to be careful, alright? Listen to everything they tell you and...try and do everything as safe as you can."
"Sí, absolutamente!"
"Promise?"
"I promise!"
"Okay, good," Elliott hummed, pulling his partner into another hug. "You're gonna be amazing."
"Wow, she's so...tiny."
Octavio's gaze drifted towards the laughing couple on the other side of the coffee table, and back to his partner who was holding what looked like a bundle of blankets. It could have been easily mistaken as such, if he didn't already know there was a baby inside. Elliott had suggested they pay a visit to his friend John and his wife Lynne, who had just moved house and gave birth to their first child, while they were away. They brought the nicest bottle of wine the trickster could find as a housewarming gift and had stopped by a store to pick out something for the baby.
"This isn't as fun as buying stuff for a hamster," Octavio noted, while his boyfriend had cooed over the tiny outfits and blankets on offer. Maybe they were kind of cute, and the runner found himself wondering how anyone's feet could ever be so small that they could fit into the smallest pair of shoes he'd ever seen. They picked out a variety of things, realising that both of them were fairly clueless when it came to what a child could make good use of. Despite this, Elliott appeared to be an expert at holding babies, gently bouncing the bundle in his arms while the group chatted and laughed, telling a collection of stories that had happened during their time apart.
"How have you two been doing anyways?" the trickster eventually asked. "A kid...a move...couldn't have been easy."
"In comparison to what you've been up to?" John chuckled, slinging an arm over his wife's shoulders. "I'd say the whole thing has been a piece of cake."
"I always forget how...small they are," Elliott hummed, adjusting the weight in his arms.
"You should've seen her when she was first born," Lynne chimed in, with a soft smile. "I was always so afraid I'd accidentally hurt her, changing her diaper or bathing her."
"Nah, she's tough as nails, like her old man," her husband spoke proudly.
Octavio peered at the baby closer. It didn't look very tough.
"You want to hold her, Tav?" he asked, noticing the younger man looking. "Witt's hogging all the cuteness."
"Oh, erm," Octavio stammered, sitting back in his seat. "I don't really know anything about babies, compadre. I think I'll pass."
"Oh, come on," his boyfriend encouraged. "It's not that hard. You'll do great."
The runner allowed the bundle to be placed into his arms, which he fumbled with at first, until Elliott adjusted his position to something more suitable, before leaving him with the child.
"See? Just make sure you support the head. You got it."
Octavio looked down at the tiny face that was looking back at his, suddenly feeling a little awkward now that everyone's eyes were on him.
"Uhh...hi. I'm Octavio."
The baby gurgled back, somehow managing to blow a bubble in the process. Impressive.
"Um...are they supposed to do that? I think I broke it."
"You're doing fine," his boyfriend told him, scooting closer to his partner for a better look.
He tickled the baby's tummy lightly with his fingers, making her gurgle more while kicking her legs under the blanket.
"He's doing great. Ain't that right, sweetheart?"
"You're a natural," Lynne hummed, taking a sip of her coffee, watching over them. "I think she likes you."
Octavio laughed at the comment, feeling a little more comfortable now. He liked kids usually. He had a lot of younger fans, but none of them were this tiny.
"You are a natural," Elliott repeated softly. "I knew you would be."
"Careful, Tav," John piped up, with a laugh. "I think someone might be getting a little broody."
"I love this spot," Elliott said, as he plopped himself down on the bench with a contented sigh.
Octavio soon followed, listening to the trickling of the small stream across the path.
"I know. It's your favourite."
"The perfect place to have lunch, right?"
The trickster passed him one of the sandwiches they'd picked up after leaving John and Lynne's place, deciding to have a quick lunch together before Octavio's rehearsal later that day. Octavio tore the paper wrapping away from his sandwich and immediately tucked in, merrily swinging his legs back and forth while he ate.
"It's, uh...kinda weird actually," Elliott eventually spoke up, wiping the corner of his mouth with his thumb. "Last time I saw them, they were just beginning to tell people they had a baby on the way. Now their lives are completely different. It's weird but like...in a good way."
The speedster nodded, taking in his partner's words.
"You really liked that baby, huh?"
Elliott chuckled warmly, and took another bite for his food.
"She's adorable. I'm happy for them. Starting a family must be so exciting. Y'know...once I kinda thought those "happy endings" were overrated. But they seem to be doing really well."
"I don't know, cariño," Octavio said with a playful shrug. "I heard some people from Psamathe can give you some pretty good ones."
They continued eating in a comfortable silence, save for the gentle rustling of the trees around them, stirred by the light summery breeze in the air. Octavio took a large gulp from his water bottle, tapping his fingers on the side, while he sifted through his thoughts.
"Have you...thought about all that stuff?" he asked, fidgeting with the label on the bottle he held.
"What stuff?"
"Marriage...kids...all that...stuff."
Elliott swallowed harshly and coughed, almost choking on his mouthful of food. Octavio passed him the water, so he could take a drink, eyeing his partner with some concern.
"Sorry."
"N-no, don't be sorry!" the trickster stammered. "I just...guess my eyes were bigger than my stomach there."
He laughed, but there was some sense of awkwardness to it.
"Why, uh...are you bringing it up? Has someone...said something? Or...uh...I don't know."
"No?" the runner replied, shaking his head. "What does this have to do with anyone else? I'm just...we were talking about babies and...Never mind."
"Of course I've thought about it," Elliott said, turning to face his boyfriend a little more directly. "I mean...we've talked about wanting a family and everything. Unless...you've changed your mind."
"No," Octavio shrugged. "It's just...you always hear about people with the plans. Like "I wanna be married by forty," and you're always joking that you're not getting any younger."
"Gee, thanks babe."
"Everything I'm trying to say is coming out all wrong," Octavio sighed, crumpling his sandwich paper into a tight ball. "Forget it."
The trickster thought it over for a few moments, before opening his mouth to speak.
"I guess...when I was younger, I thought I'd be married with kids by thirty but…," he paused, shrugging. "I never thought I'd make it into the games and it's not like...I feel like I'm missing out on anything. What's meant to be, will be and all that crap."
He reached out and patted his lover's arm, leaving it to rest there, providing a comforting weight.
"I don't have a plan because I'm happy with you and that's all that matters to me. I don't want you to feel under pressure to start a family or anything. I'm happy for us to just...exist. And when we feel the time is right then...I'd love to spend the rest of my life with you. Married or not."
Octavio grinned up at his partner, unable to suppress the joy he felt at his words. It was funny for him to think about stability and how he had reached a point in his life where he would welcome a little bit of it. It was always hard for him to depend on people growing up, because of how often they would come into his life only to leave again. But he trusted Elliott with all his being, because he never felt like he had to doubt him or his intentions. He leaned forward to close the gap between them, but before their lips could meet, the runner's pocket chimed. He pulled his phone out with a grumble, and sighed.
"I have to go."
"Oh," the trickster replied, sounding somewhat deflated. "I thought your rehearsal wasn't until later."
"They're moving it forward," Octavio told him, standing up and placing a quick kiss on his partner's cheek. "Something about someone who thinks they're important not being able to make it later. Wait up for me?"
Octavio hadn't had this much fun in a long time. Getting to run around his Gauntlet during a game was one of the best rushes he could ask for; using the jump pads to his advantage and trying to shoot people while diving through the fire hoop in the middle was always a good experience. He'd missed it, while they were competing at World's Edge, and was suddenly very grateful his Gauntlet hadn't been destroyed along with Thunderdome and Skull Town. However, being able to utilize the area to show off what he could do was somehow even better. Especially, when someone had mentioned getting a dirt bike for the occasion for him to ride over the ramps and ring of fire. The crowd would love that. He was taking a water break, when one of the organisers approached him.
"We were thinking we should do something really impressive for the finale. Something that will really get the crowd on our side."
Octavio adjusted his goggles with a smug smirk.
"The crowd is always on my side, amigo."
"Of course. That's why you're our star."
They gestured for him to follow them down onto the sand and motioned towards the highest point of the area, where the champion banners would usually be displayed.
"We were thinking of a free fall from up there. No jumpkit. Just you and...whatever tricks you can pull before you hit the ground."
The speedster craned his neck, inspecting the area.
"If I jumped from there, I'd go "splat" as soon as I hit the ground, compadre," he pointed out. "That's just basic mathematics. I thought you were meant to be the smart people around here."
"We did think of that," they said, showing him towards one of the ramps. "You'd land here. We've altered the flooring for you to have a soft landing, but it won't appear that way to the people watching. It'll be very impressive. Once you land on your feet, of course."
"You could at least give me a real challenge," he scoffed, before making his way towards the incredibly tall ladder they'd set up.
He took a couple of moments to stretch his legs and survey his surroundings, trying to decide what tricks might be best to attempt on the way down, judging by the distance of the fall. He hopped from one foot to the other, muttering words of encouragement in Spanish, to psych himself up as he peered over the edge. Finally, he took a deep breath...and jumped.
His head felt weird, like it was filled with a dark fog that he had to stumble through, but he couldn't walk. Instead, he was...drifting? All of a sudden his vision was flooded with light, and he had to gasp for air as if he'd been held under water for too long. He looked around, feeling the warm grass under his legs and the sun on his skin. Octavio recognised this place. It was the back garden from his childhood home before they'd moved to the city. It was the last time he remembers his family being somewhat happy. He looked down, finding his vision slightly blurred. Where those...his legs? Why were they so small? He turned his head to see a much younger looking version of his father sitting close to him on the grass, a thick book in his hand. A cool breeze kissed his face, as a large amber butterfly drifted into his line of sight. Before he could stop himself, he was pointing at it, a voice that he barely recognised anymore escaping his lips.
"Papá! Mira la mariposa!"
His father glanced up from what he was reading to look.
"Inglés?"
He could feel himself furrow his eyebrows in thought.
"Umm...Butterfly!"
He giggled when his hair was ruffled, by a large hand.
"Such a clever boy. You have a bright future ahead of you, mijo."
His vision went dark again and he felt like he was falling, until he felt a sharp bite of cold hit his stomach. He adjusted his t-shirt with one had to cover his skin before lying back down on the hardwood floor. His legs swayed back and forth involuntarily, while he scribbled on a page in front of him; the mixture of colours making little sense. He jumped up suddenly, scooping the piece of paper up before wandering over to the desk where his mother sat, tapping on her computer keyboard.
"Mamá, I'm finished!" he said, proudly holding up the drawing.
She wrinkled her nose when she looked down at him.
"What is it?"
"It's you!"
Her eyes turned back to screen with a short hum of acknowledgement.
"I want more paper!"
His hands reached up to grab at the stack on her desk, sending a collection of files tumbling to the floor. His mother's head whipped around, giving him an icy glare that made him physically shiver.
"Octavio!"
"I...lo siento, Mamá."
"Get out. I'm too busy to deal with you."
"Sorr-."
"Out!"
Her scream rang in his ears, and he felt a wetness begin to pool in the corners of his eyes, as he ran out into the darkness of the hall.
It was still so dark. His back pushed back against something firm and cold, while someone hammered their fist on the other side. It almost drowned out by the sound of loud rock music. He loved this song.
"Octavio! Open this door right now! Your tutors are here and you're already over an hour late!"
"I don't care!"
The music seemed to get louder.
"This is your last warning! Unlock the door now or I'm calling your father!"
"So, call him!" he yelled back. "You think he's gonna care?! He's on the other side of the planet you dumb fuck! This is my house and I can do whatever I want!"
"Open. The. Door."
"Fuck off!"
He stood up and kicked the wood so hard, it left a mark. He could hear the dragging of something heavy outside, as it squeaked along the floorboards before it was forced up against the door.
"What are you doing?!"
"You want to stay in there, Tavi? Fine! You're grounded!"
"You can't ground me! I own this shit hole!"
He didn't get an answer after that, so he yelled out, aggressively kicking one of the posts on his bed multiple times, leaving a series of scuff marks behind. He eventually tired himself out, and flopped onto the bed, burying his face into the darkness of his toy rabbit. He could feel a wetness beginning to form in his eyes, but he inhaled deeply, forcing it back. He wouldn't dare let it spill over because of them.
The darkness stayed with him, and the wet feeling had moved from his eyes to settle somewhere below his waistband. He didn't know where he was and he couldn't open his eyes; feeling completely out of it. He could hear a muffled voice talking to him but he couldn't quite register who it was.
"Oi, Silva what's with ya? Look at the state ya got yourself in!"
He let out a groan as he was rolled onto his side.
"Why'd ya always do this, eh? Why'd ya bother come visit me at all, if you're gonna do this? What did ya take this time? Ya hear me?"
Even though he's barely conscious, he's pretty sure he pissed his pants at some point.
His shirt was being tugged roughly over his head now, and it smelled.
"Some day I won't clean up after ya no more. Pull yourself together or ya won't get no more sympathy from me. Got it?"
"What do you mean we can't be on the same squad, amiga? Come on, it'll be like old times!"
He knew where he was this time. He remembers the buzz of stepping into the drop ship for the first time, as a Legend; having climbed his way to the big leagues in record time.
"Squads are random," Ajay shot back, glowering at him. "Go home, Silva. Ya don't belong here. This ain't some kiddies play park. Ya gonna get yourself killed."
He doesn't remember seeing her point at the time, and he folded his arms trying to think of some witty comeback, until he was tapped in the shoulder.
"Maybe you should start considering yourself lucky, 'cause you're on my squad this round."
He turned to see Mirage grinning confidently at him and he shrugged. It didn't really matter who he was paired with. All of his squadmates in the lower leagues had only held him back, and when he did happen to go down he'd always managed to have scored a self-revive kit and was back in the game like nothing ever happened. He didn't need teammates. Until he did. They'd dropped at Runoff and he'd picked up a Wingman and an Alternator, but in his hurry to prove Ajay wrong, he'd forgotten the ammo, used the few bullets he had on someone, and found himself kneeling behind a crate with two new enemies quickly approaching.
"Uhh...help please?" he called into his communicator, through gritted teeth.
He'd be damned if he was going to be first blood in his first real match, even if that meant asking for assistance. Before he could even think about popping a stim to get out of there, Mirage came barreling out of the building behind him, making quick work of his pursuers with a Havoc.
"Don't worry, buddy. I love when the spotlight's on me!"
He began to stand up, deciding he should at least offer his rescuer a "thank you," but he was promptly pushed back onto his knees, after being shot in the back by the other squad's last remaining member. Mirage managed to trick them with a decoy, and finished them off too before returning to him. He wasn't sure if it was the meds or the adrenaline in his veins talking, as Mirage jammed a syringe into his chest, but...he was kinda hot. Really hot even. Hotter than he looked on TV.
"I gotcha," the trickster said quietly, as he pulled him onto his feet and tossed him a medkit with a wink. "Don't worry new guy, we all fumble through our first, real game. I think."
He was drifting again, but it felt more peaceful this time, feeling a familiar warmth on his neck when light flooded his eyes. He was in his and Elliott's kitchen now, sitting on the counter with the trickster's face buried in the crook of his neck. He couldn't stop himself from laughing quietly; Elliott always seemed to find the spots to nuzzle that would tickle him the most.
"I like when you stay over," his partner eventually said, when he pulled away only slightly. "You know you can stay over as often as you like. Whenever you want."
"I like staying over too. It's fun."
"Cool."
Elliott gave him a shy smile, meeting his eyes before looking away again.
"I, um...I don't know if now is erm...a weird time to bring this up but...Have you m-maybe thought about...I don't know. Where this is...going?"
"I don't understand what you mean?"
The trickster scratched the back of his head awkwardly.
"It's just that...well, we've been seeing each other for a while now and...I know I don't wanna see anyone else and...you've also said that so...Yeah. Maybe it would be kinda cool to make things more...official? If that's okay with you."
He looked up at the other man, considering his words.
"You're...asking me to be...like...your boyfriend?"
"We don't have to put a label on it!" Elliott exclaimed, seemingly embarrassed. "I mean...I would totally be into that but, if y'know...you're not then that's okay. I'd just...think it'd be pretty sweet if I could start telling people, "hey I really like this guy and we're kinda together and…," yeah."
"You seriously want people to know you're seeing me?"
The trickster gave him a smile filled with so much warmth, he was sure that was the exact moment he felt his heart melt.
"Why wouldn't I? Look at you. You're...incredible."
"I think that sounds awesome," he replied, his own smile spreading to his face. "I...yeah. I think...I'd really like that! So...we're...boyfriends now?"
Elliott took both of his hands, intertwining their fingers, while they both giggled like school children.
"I guess we are."
He didn't want to leave again, but he couldn't resist the feeling to drift again, not knowing where he was going. He wasn't sure where he was this time, having arrived on a porch of a house he'd never seen before, but he didn't feel uneasy. The chirping of the birds in the distance and the rustling of the trees in the light evening breeze, created a sense of tranquil calm. He approached the edge of the deck, where he could hear some quiet humming, which seemed to be coming from a figure sitting with their back to him.
"Hello?"
"Hey. You're home."
He squinted, confused.
"Elliott? Is that you?"
He received a warm laugh in response.
"Of course, it is. Who else would it be? Come here. We missed you."
He took some tentative steps forward, pausing when he spotted the bundle of blankets his partner was gently rocking back and forth, as he continued to hum softly.
"Look, honey. Your Papá's home."
He timidly perched himself on the arm of the chair, though as soon as the trickster rested his hand lovingly on his thigh, and leaned against him, all that apprehension seemed to fade away; leaving him feeling like he belonged here.
"I love you, Tav."
"I love you too."
Elliott looked up at him, his brown eyes filled with the deepest sincerity.
"You're gonna be okay."
"Huh?"
"You're gonna be okay."
"I love you, Tav."
Octavio groaned slightly, his vision being flooded a light that was nowhere near as cosy and warm as the one before.
"Tav? Can you hear me?"
His lashes fluttered open, his eyes desperately trying to adjust to whatever was happening around him. He turned his head, despite the stiffness in his neck, to see his boyfriend sitting on the edge of his bed, looking at him with an expression that lay somewhere between concern and relief.
"Ell…".
"I'll get you some water."
The runner parted his lips slightly when a straw was offered to him, allowing him to take a sip of water which helped to quell the dryness in his throat.
"What's going on?"
"You're in the med-bay," Elliott explained, receiving a displeased groan in response.
"What did they give me?" Octavio asked, placing a hand against his forehead. "I was having...some pretty loco dreams."
The trickster laughed quietly, patting his thigh through the sheets.
"I don't know, babe. I only got here a little while ago. I went to the bar after you left, and I didn't hear what happened until later, or I would've been here sooner."
"What did happen?"
"They said you fell from a height and got knocked out."
Octavio thought back to the final stunt and how he'd been told it would go off without a hitch.
"They told me, they altered the landing spot so I could have a soft landing," he recounted, noticing the frown that appeared on his lover's face. "I guess...they didn't."
He shuffled himself around on the mattress, trying to inspect his limbs.
"Did I break anything?"
"Besides my heart?" Elliott replied, with a small chuckle, but it didn't sound very amused. "No."
"Great! Then I can get out of here, and back to rehearsals!" Octavio piped up, sitting up a little too quickly, making himself feel dizzy.
The trickster bit down on his lip, before assisting his partner with settling himself back against the pillows.
"I...Tell them you're not doing that stunt anymore."
"What?!" Octavio gasped, attempting to sit up again, only to be gently pushed back. "But...but why?! I have to! My fans-."
"What about me?!" Elliott snapped back. "What about yourself? They don't care about you, Tav. Why else would they lie about the floor? All they care about is how many tickets they're gonna sell or...the news stories they'd get if something bad were to happen…".
"It was probably an oversight!" Octavio responded. "I probably just landed on the wrong spot! Come on, they wouldn't risk losing me. I'm...I'm one of the best! They wouldn't."
"I don't want to risk losing you!" the trickster said, squeezing his boyfriend's hand tightly. "I'm not asking you to quit the show altogether just...just that one stunt. Please, babe. Do it for me. For us."
Octavio thought it over, squeezing the trickster's hand in return. Maybe Elliott was right, and he had promised him he'd be careful. He wasn't exactly sure what those dreams were about, but he couldn't escape the feeling that they were trying to tell him something.
"Okay," he nodded. "I'll tell them I won't do it."
Octavio was told to take a few days to rest after the incident. Normally, he'd complain about such a thing, but having Elliott dote on him the whole time made it more bearable. The organisers were unhappy, to say the least, when he returned to rehearsals and told them he was pulling out of the final stunt. They tried to reel him back in, offering him more money or bigger opportunities down the line, adding careful strokes to his ego but he managed to turn it all down; Ajay had warned him they'd probably pull something like this and to be prepared. They gave up eventually, saying he could use the dirtbikes to do something flashy with instead, and rehearsals went pretty smoothly for the rest of the week. All of this had led him up to the current moment: standing in the wings of the Gauntlet with a crowd chanting his name, while Elliott fussed with the zipper of his biker jacket that had gotten stuck.
"It's fine, amor. Come on! I was expected out there five minutes ago!"
"You can't go out there looking like a mess!" the trickster replied, giving the zip a final harsh tug. "There. It might be a little hard to get it off later but...we'll cross that bridge when we come to it."
"I sure hope not," Octavio said coyly, lowering his voice while he trailed his fingers along his partner's arm. "We're gonna have to celebrate later."
Elliott smirked at him, and slid a hand onto his hip before replying.
"Well, there is that party after this and I also heard something about a fireworks display at the front of the compound, later tonight."
"That's not what I meant and you know it," the runner laughed, receiving a playful squeeze to his backside in return. "But I guess I'll have to explain it to you more, later. I should get out there though."
Elliott wrapped him a tight hug, peppering his cheek with kisses.
"You're gonna be amazing. Good luck."
"Thanks, but I don't need it," the speedster quipped, shooting him a toothy grin before slipping his helmet on and heading outside.
Elliott returned the smile, until his boyfriend was gone, and he returned to the rest of the Legends in attendance, combing a nervous hand through his hair.
"Fuck...I don't know if I can watch this thing."
"Here," Anita said, reaching inside her jacket to pull out a small flask. "Makes these things a little more bearable."
He graciously took it and quickly unscrewed the cap, taking a long gulp until it was snatched back, making him dribble down his chin.
"Save some for me, Witt."
The trickster folded his arms over his chest and tapped his foot impatiently on the floor, beginning to wish he'd brought his own. Lord knows, he was going to need it.
However, it didn't take long for him to get into the swing of things. He'd joined the other Legends in the private viewing area they were given, and if one thing was for sure: Octane knew how to work a crowd. He'd barely even begun the show, and they were eating out of his hand. He hyped the crowd at all the right moments, performed his routine with an expert-like precision and posed for applause on cue, relishing in every gasp and cheer. But what made the experience that much sweeter, was when Octavio's eyes casted over the crowd to spot Elliott joining in with the cheering. He'd really put in a lot of effort to show his support, having dressed up in full Octane merchandise, and it meant the world to the runner. The trickster blew him a kiss when he caught him looking, and in that moment Octavio's heart swelled with a feeling he's not sure he's ever really felt before; the feeling that someone was actually proud of him. He waved towards him, before hopping on his bike and taking off at full speed, barrelling around the track, much to the delight of his spectators. He took the ramp, and jumped with the bike through the flaming hoop in the middle, like a thread through a needle, only to abandon it mid air. He soared while the crowd cheered and landed on his feet on the other side, and after finishing his final stunt, he jumped into his signature pose, which sent his fans into a frenzy; screaming excitedly and chanting his name. He turned in a slow circle, taking it all in. He felt on top of the world...until one of the organisers stepped forward with a microphone in hand.
"Wasn't that just marvelous?" they called out to the crowd, receiving a wave of cheers in response. "But the fun isn't over yet!"
Octavio suddenly felt very lucky he was wearing a helmet, otherwise he wouldn't have been able to disguise the look of pure confusion on his face. What were they talking about? The show was over. This is how the last few rehearsals had ended. His stomach dropped when they began speaking again; their voice floating out over the attendees like a lure to a school of fish.
"Here, at the Apex Games, you know we go above and beyond to ensure our viewers are receiving the highest quality of entertainment! Today is no exception! Octane has one final stunt lined up for you all, and this one is incredibly exciting."
There was some mummering among the crowd, while Octavio's eyes drifted towards the Legend's viewing area, to see Elliott and Ajay in, what looked to be, a frantic conversation. The medic pointed to something behind him, and his heart began to pound in his chest when he spotted a group of maintenance people setting the ladder up to the highest platform again. Oh, hell no. They couldn't force him to fall to his almost death again. Could they? His brain worked quickly, and he found himself standing at the side of the stage, holding his hands up to the crowd.
"Amigos! There's some mistake here! Show's over. We were supposed to be doing a Q&A or something, right?!"
But the crowd either didn't hear him or chose to ignore him, until they spotted him shaking his head at them. It only took one person to begin chanting, for everyone else to join in and their words were ringing in the runner's ears and throughout the arena.
"Do the stunt! Do the stunt!"
He looked back towards his partner who was looking pretty panicked at this point, and in that moment, Octavio knew what he needed to do. It only took him a couple of seconds to dash towards the individual who'd started this mess, and was yanking the microphone out of their hands.
"Get off me, you maniac!"
The speedster cackled cheekily at them, and practically skipped to the other side of the stage, before addressing the crowd.
"Mi amigos! I'll be honest. Maybe this show was supposed to end with a different stunt, but during rehearsals my dumbass ended up in hospital!"
There was some whispering and quiet chuckles from the audience, which encouraged him to keep going.
"So, yeah. It sucks but I had to change the show a little. Some things are more important, right?"
Elliott felt his heart flutter when the speedster looked in his direction.
"But you know me, compadres. I would never leave my fans hanging. Which is why, I've organised a very special signing with some of your favourite Legends to end the show with!"
"What the hell is he talking about?" Ajay asked. "He didn't mention no autographs to me. We'll be mobbed down there."
The trickster merely shrugged in response. He was willing to do pretty much anything at this point, if it meant his boyfriend would stay safe.
"And I know you might be thinking, "but Octane some of us already got your autographs after the games"," Octavio continued, pacing around before gesturing towards his group of friends in the distance. "But that's why today is so special! Because I have everyone's favourite Legend, and pretty much my bestest friend, Bangalore in the building! She can never make it to the after game signings, but she can't wait to sign everything you own; today only!"
"He has to be fucking kidding me," Anita muttered, folding her arms.
"I...don't think he is," Elliott responded, with a nervous chuckle, watching the runner hype up the crowd until they were chanting the name of their favourite Legend. "But hey...sounds like you got some fans out there."
The soldier made a disgusted noise, but he noticed the slight smirk on her lips, before she reached for her flask again and took another swig.
"Whatever. Let's get this shitshow over with."
Octavio beamed at his friends, as they made their way towards the crowd, who was now desperately trying to catch the attention of their favourite competitor. Elliott was immediately swarmed, causing Anita to shake her head at the speedster, who was already in the midst of his own little meet and greet.
"Hey, just drop me a DM and I'll hook you up with some sweet merch, okay?"
The soldier looked towards the young fan, who was almost in tears for merely being in Octane's presence, and she rolled her eyes before tapping him on the shoulder.
"What the hell were you thinking?!" she scolded, gesturing towards the mob behind her. "Elliott's in there...somewhere."
"Oh, he'll be fine," Octavio said, flashing her a toothy grin. "He can take a pounding. Trust me, I'd know."
Anita shook her head again, which only caused the younger legend to break into a fit of giggles, until he heard someone yell a very prominent, "Marry me Mirage!" nearby.
"Who the fuck said that?!" he scowled, craning his neck to try and peer over the sea of heads around them.
"Want me to pop you on my shoulders so you can see?" Anita quipped, sounding somewhat victorious.
Octavio folded his arms, as he looked up at her, not liking the expression on her face one bit.
"Fine. Maybe this was a bad idea. Mierda, let's get him out of there."
It wasn't as easy as he'd hoped to push through the swarm of people surrounding Elliott, each as eager as each other to catch a glimpse at the Legend. He eventually managed to get close enough to grab the trickster's arm, having stepped on a couple of people's toes in the process.
"Alright, show's over compadres. We're out of here."
He slipped his fingers through Elliott's with the intention of dragging him back through the crowd, the way he'd come in, much to the displeasure of his fans.
"Hey, what the hell?! We've been waiting all this time!"
"Everyone, it was really great seeing you all today, but you know how it is," Elliott spoke up, hoping to de-escalate the situation. "We're really busy and really need to get going. Thanks for coming out."
They'd only managed to shuffle away a few inches when Octavio felt a tug on his hand, realising his partner had been stopped by someone again. He turned to see a man he'd never before, exchanging words with him.
"Come on. Vamos, we gotta go."
"Hey, shut the fuck up asshole! We didn't stand out in the sun all day for nothing."
Oh, Hell no.
"You wanna repeat that, amigo?"
A hush fell over the crowd, when he shoved his way back towards the source of the yell.
"Tav, just drop it, okay?" the trickster muttered. "Let's go."
"Yeah, that's right. Back off, short ass. I don't give a damn if you're a Legend or not. I'll kick you to the dirt before you even know where you are."
Was this dude for real?
The crowd erupted into a chorus of gasps and cheers when Octavio rushed towards him, shoving his now opponent in the chest, making him stumble back a few feet.
"You wanna go, compadre? Huh? You sure about that? Don't you know I'm loco?!"
It wasn't long until security was called, and the crowd was forced to disperse and leave the arena while Legends were escorted out. Anita had a few words for him when they boarded the dropship about trying to pick a fight in a mob, but he didn't care. She told him to wipe the smug look off his face too. Whatever. That guy was an asshole, and he wasn't about to stand by and let some jackass shove his boyfriend around, no matter how much Elliott had claimed afterwards that he "had it under control." Maybe he did but, Octavio didn't feel like taking that risk today; and he wasn't a "short ass".
"Does it hurt?" Octavio asked, eyeing the fingerprint sized bruises that were beginning to show up on the fleshy underside of his lover's arm.
"Nah," the trickster replied, giving them a light rub with his hand. "I've had worse."
"I shouldn't have called that random meet and greet," Octavio continued, with a sigh. "But I didn't know what else to do for a distraction."
"It's okay," his boyfriend told him, resting a comforting hand on his shoulder. "I'd rather have to go through that, than see you get hurt again. But I think you might owe Anita a drink...or seven."
The runner swivelled in his stool at the breakfast bar, when he laughed and grinned at his partner, who offered him a soft look of adoration in return. The pair had decided to skip the afterparty for the most part, having only made a brief appearance to shake hands with a couple of sponsors. Elliott had whispered in his ear that he wanted to celebrate the show's success with just the two of them. How could Octavio say no to that? He wasn't expecting his partner to go all out for the occasion, but he was more than happy to contentedly sip on his iced soda while the trickster worked on preparing them a nice dinner.
"I'm really happy you came today," he said, idly twirling his glass between his hands.
"I am too. I'm sorry I was such a dick about it before," Elliott replied, coming to drape his arms around the younger legend's neck, before dipping his head to kiss behind his ear, as he whispered: "You were incredible."
"Really?"
"Yeah. The whole thing was amazing."
Octavio rested his hands firmly on his partner's hips, in thought.
"Maybe it's...kinda stupid but...every time I looked at you, you looked so...proud of me. I don't think I've ever really had anyone look at me like that before. It made my heart all…," he paused, gently thumping his palm against his chest to signify what he meant, making the trickster chuckle.
"Are you sure that wasn't just the adrenaline, babe?"
The speedster shrugged bashfully.
"Actually now that you mention it…"
"Damn," Elliott replied, feigning offense. "Way to make me feel like a crappy boyfriend."
"Oh, whatever," Octavio teased. "You know you're perfect."
"Oh, really?"
"Perfect for me."
The trickster laughed quietly, placing a soft kiss on his lips.
"Cheesy."
"You love it."
"I do," Elliott said, offering him another quick kiss before stepping away. "But I should really get a move on with dinner."
Elliott was perfect. That was something that would always remain true in Octavio's mind. Elliott was always kind to him, even in times where maybe he didn't deserve it. He was always willing to share everything he had, without Octavio ever having to ask; his home, his family and friends, his favourite places, his good times, his bad times...everything. Octavio never thought he'd fall in love. It wasn't something he ever really thought about before, but now he doesn't know how he ever lived without it. He would've laughed once, if someone told him he'd someday be skipping a party to dreamily watch someone peel potatoes, but right now, he couldn't imagine being anywhere else. He just loved looking at Elliott, but loved how Elliott looked at him, even more. From the way his eyes were full of concern, when he rushed to hug him after the show, asking if he was okay before he'd even noticed his own scrapes and bruises he'd received from the crowd, to the way they'd found each other's eyes from across the room at the party, wordlessly communicating their distaste at their respective potential sponsors. His heart had been pounding in his chest every time he saw him, all evening; as if trying to tell him something he already knew, and perhaps had known for a while. They had talked about the wonderful future they might have together, but why couldn't they have that now? Why couldn't the future be now? The beating in his chest only intensified, when he thought about it, and only continued when his eyes drifted towards his boyfriend again, who was now standing with his back to him, preparing something on the counter. Octavio didn't want to live in the future or the past or anywhere else but here.
"I'll be right back," he said, hopping out of his seat, receiving a peppy "okie dokie," in response.
Octavio wanted to live in the moment, and more than anything, he wanted to do that with Elliott.
Elliott decided to turn on some music, now that he was alone, while he continued getting his ingredients together. He snorted when he opened the cabinet, finding the herbs and spices upside down, taking a moment to readjust them.
"Dammit, Tav. You troublemaker."
He wanted this dinner and evening to be absolutely perfect, to celebrate Octavio's big night but also as a way of apologizing for how he'd acted before. He was glad he'd convinced the runner to not go ahead with the finale stunt, but also learned to maybe have a little more faith in him and what he was capable of. Whether he liked it or not, Octavio was the professional when it came to this stuff, so maybe putting some more faith in his judgement wasn't the worst idea in the world. He didn't want to suffocate him, if continuing these types of shows was a dream he wanted to pursue. But, of course, he'd always be by his side to try and coax him away from the super crazy stuff. Octavio had always supported him and his ventures, and he just wanted to return that. They were a team, after all. Elliott wasn't sure how much time had passed, since Octavio had left. He was too busy humming along to the radio, while he carefully measured different quantities of herbs and spices, wanting this meal to be the best one he'd ever made. Which is maybe why, he jumped so hard when his name was suddenly called from behind him.
"Elliott?"
He turned slowly, placing a hand over his mouth at the sight before him; his boyfriend dropped onto his knee, having changed into a dark grey button down shirt, that maybe could have used a good iron, but still made him look more handsome, despite the obvious nervous look painted across his features. Something clicked inside Elliott's brain then, but it didn't quite fit together right, leaving him somewhere between disbelief and uncertainty that this was actually happening right now.
"What...Babe...What are you doing?" he asked breathlessly, his tone making Octavio's eyes fall awkwardly onto the tiles beneath him.
"I...uh...was kind of...gonna ask if you wanted to...get...married...sometime?"
The trickster's hands flew to his cheeks, feeling the heat of his own skin as he looked down at his partner. His stomach pooled with an excited nervousness, which made him feel like he was going to throw up. He'd never imagined this would happen to him, which is why his feet were carrying him to their bedroom before he could think to stop himself.
"Oh, this is...n-not...oh m-my gosh..."
"Elliott?!" the runner called after him, slowly getting back to his feet.
He felt like an utter fool right now, as he scrubbed a hand through his dark hair. What the hell was he thinking? He was an idiot to think would Elliott ever really want to marry someone like him. Especially when the proposal was made in a kitchen. Elliott deserved better than all of this, and Octavio knew it. He wrapped his arms around himself, mortified. He'd really blown it this time. Part of him wanted to turn on his heel and run out the door and never come back, if it meant he never had to face this embarrassing situation he'd gotten himself into. He'd almost lost all hope, until Elliott came barreling out of their bedroom, almost tripping over his own feet on the way, as his fingers fumbled with the box he was holding, and it took Octavio a few seconds to register what it was; a ring box.
"Tav…," Elliott began, still as breathless as earlier. "Would...will...you marry me?"
The runner blinked at his lover a couple of times, unable to believe what was happening.
"How...What...Why do you have a ring too?!"
Elliott took a tentative step towards him.
"Because...I love you?" he told him, a shy smile spreading to his face. "And...I guess I'll be honest. I've had this...for a while."
Octavio's hazel eyes sparkled, meeting his partner's, which were sharing a similar look.
"You have?"
"Yeah," the trickster whispered, coming closer. "I...when I found out Mom was sick...I didn't want her to miss out, y'know? I didn't wanna miss out. I always thought she'd be there to help me pick out the perfect ring, when the time came. It just...it was just something I always wanted to do with her. So, when we visited at Christmas, and she told me what was wrong...I was afraid I'd miss my chance, because someday...she might not be able to do that stuff. I felt so bad for ditching you when we went to the city but...that's what we were doing and...I, ah...I hope this will make up for it."
Octavio swallowed harshly, feeling a lump beginning to form in his throat.
"It does."
The pair looked down at the box, Elliott was fidgeting with, before meeting eyes again and laughing at each other's foolishness.
"Now what?" the speedster asked, noticing how lovely his boyfriend looked right now, with that sheepish expression on his face. "Do you...want to wait or…?"
"No," Elliott replied, shaking his head. "I...think I've waited long enough. I feel like all I ever do is wait. Unless...you want to wait. Then….we can. It's okay."
"Do I look like someone who wants to wait?!" Octavio exclaimed, making them both laugh again.
The trickster nodded, unable to fight the urge to grin.
"Okay, well...you started this thing. You go first."
The runner nodded, and got onto one knee for the second time that evening. He took a deep breath, trying to formulate all the things he wanted to say to his partner. Elliott watched him with soft, misty eyes, tilting his head back as he fanned his face with one hand, while Octavio took the other in his own.
"I'm already gonna cry."
"Elliott Witt," he began, his own eyes beginning to prick with emotion. "You are...the most incredible...awesome person I've ever met. You've always been kind to me, good to me and loved me when...when I thought no one ever would. You make me feel...like I'm the most important person in the world and I...just want to spend every day trying to make you as happy as you make me feel...every damn day. I love you, Elliott. You've helped me be a better person. I know I haven't always been the best boyfriend but...I promise I'll try my best to be the most kickass husband the Outlands has ever seen!"
"You will be," Elliott blubbered. "I know you will."
"So…," Octavio continued, smiling brightly as he reached into his shorts pocket to produce the engagement ring he'd purchased all those months ago. "Elliott, mi amor...will you marry me?"
"Yes! God, yes," the trickster nodded vigorously, and he didn't think it was possible for him to cry any harder, but he was overcome with a wave of emotions as Octavio slid the cluster of diamonds onto his trembling finger; he cried even harder when it ended up being a perfect fit.
"It's be-beau-beautiful, Tav," he said, allowing himself to be pulled into a tight and comforting hug, by his now fiancé.
"I love you so much, Elliott," the runner said, which Elliott took as his cue to try and pull himself together.
He wiped at his cheeks, and took a few deep breaths before getting down on one knee in front of the younger legend.
"I guess it's my turn now, huh?" he chuckled quietly, reaching up to retrieve his phone from the counter.
He clicked into his notes app, until he found what he was looking for, and placed the device on the floor so it was within glancing distance, if he needed it.
"I...uh...maybe had some...words prepared for this."
Octavio offered his hand out to him, which he graciously took, taking the opportunity to clear his throat, before speaking.
"Tav, I never thought I'd ever meet someone who makes me feel the way you do. You make me feel like I can do anything I set my mind to, and you're always there to support me no matter if things are good or bad. You're the most passionate person I've ever known, and you make me laugh harder than anyone else. You...make me feel loved, Tav. You met me when...when I wasn't at my best. And you still loved me. And that means more to me than I could ever begin to tell you."
He could feel the runner's fingers grow clammy in his hand, very obviously trying to hold back tears of his own. Elliott offered him a comforting smile, before glancing down at his phone and back to him.
"I...wish I had time to learn this off by heart but...Octavio, eres el amor de mi vida. Quiero pasar el resto de mi vida contigo. Te casas conmigo?"
The hair on the back of Octavio's neck stood, at his words and he bit down on his lip, before emitting a small laugh.
"It sounds so hot when you talk like that. You've been practicing."
"Maybe a little," the trickster laughed with him, squeezing his hand lightly, his brown eyes filled with hope. "So...will you? Marry me?"
"Hell yeah, I will!"
Elliott had barely picked himself up off the ground, before Octavio was jumping into arms and squeezing him tightly, laughing excitedly.
"I love you, Tav."
"I love you, Elliott."
The trickster brought his hand to rest against his firancé's cheek, brushing his thumb lightly over his freckled skin. He felt like his heart might burst with adoration for this man in his arms. He really hadn't expected this to happen today, or to happen in their kitchen of all places, but he wouldn't trade the moment they'd just shared for the world.
"I need to tell everyone about this right away!" the speedster said, excitedly pulling out his phone until a gentle hand was placed on his arm.
"Hey, let's just...keep this to ourselves," Elliott requested softly. "At least for tonight."
Octavio nodded in agreement, meeting his partner's eyes, as they shared a look that held a thousand words. Elliott wrapped his arms around him, pulling him into a kiss that was almost as deep as their love for each other. They didn't need to say much else, and were happy to just remain in each other's embrace, listening to the sound of their relieved breaths; both somewhat overwhelmed by the day they'd had.
"I literally cannot stop crying," Elliott eventually laughed through a series of sniffles. "I'm a mess but I'm happy, I swear. I'm so happy."
"I'm happy too, amor," Octavio hummed, leaning into the hug. "I'm always happy when I'm with you."
Octavio couldn't contain the tired laugh that escaped him, when they lay in bed together later that evening. Elliott looked towards him, running his index finger along the runner's collarbone, following the trail down to his bare chest.
"Something funny?"
Octavio shrugged bashfully, turning his head to meet his fiancé's eyes.
"Nothing. I'm just...happy."
"Yeah?"
"Yeah," he nodded. "I mean...if engagement sex is that much better than just boyfriends sex, then marriage sex is gonna be off the charts!"
Elliott shook his head, with a hearty laugh that made the runner's stomach flutter.
"I think it looks good on me," the trickster mused, holding his hand above their faces, to inspect the new, glistening addition to his finger. "I love it."
"It looks really good," Octavio agreed, absentmindedly toying with his own ring. "It suits you. We look awesome."
"We do," the trickster hummed, snuggling closer, before chuckling quietly. "We're just a pair of idiots, really."
"For real."
"I know it doesn't really...change anything between us but...Now that we're engaged…," he paused to smile. "It feels so weird being finally able to say that but...it really feels like that future we planned together can actually...happen."
"I hope so."
Elliott sighed contentedly, his tone shifting to something more airy.
"Just you, me, a couple of dogs and all the babies we're gonna have."
Octavio rolled his eyes, nudging his lover playfully.
"One baby."
"No," Elliott replied coyly, shaking his head. "We're gonna have so many babies!"
The speedster giggled uncontrollably when his partner snaked his arms around him, pulling him closer before burying his face into his neck, tickling him. Octavio was more than happy to be cuddled and kissed by his partner, until the moment was interrupted by the sound of a distant popping and crackling, causing Elliott's hold on him to turn from playful, to something more protective.
"What the hell is that?!"
Octavio emitted a small, excited gasp when the realisation hit him.
"The fireworks!"
"Tav! Oh my God, wait!" the trickster called after him, somewhat flustered as he watched his lover kick the blankets off and dash into the living room. He quickly slipped on one of his robes, grabbing one extra and followed him, finding him jittering excitedly on the balcony.
"Put some clothes on," Elliott murmured, draping the spare robe over the younger legend's shoulders. "I can't have you getting in trouble for public indecency on our engagement night."
He assisted Octavio in covering up, before pulling him into a one armed hug from behind, listening to every sound of joy the speedster made while the sky lit up with a rainbow of colours above their heads.
"Wow. They look amazing."
"Fireworks never get old!" Octavio said, pointing towards a particularly colourful one. "Check that one out!"
"Come 'ere," Elliott said, gently spinning his future husband around to face him.
Octavio draped his arms around his neck, shooting him the most beautiful smile, before the distance between them was closed, and their lips met in a kiss that was soft, yet full of all the passion and love they could never quite put into words. The trickster ran his fingers down the speedster's spine, when they parted, holding him close again.
"I wanna stay like this forever," Octavio eventually said, resting his head against his partner's chest, with a satisfied sigh. "I wouldn't even care if I never got to run again. I just wanna stay like this forever."
"Maybe we can," Elliott hummed, placing a kiss into the younger legend's hair. "We can at least give it our best shot, right?"
A soft smile formed on his lips, when he took Octavio's ringed hand in his own, squeezing it tightly, as they looked out over a much more colourful, and brighter Solace City.
Maybe happy endings weren't so overrated, after all.