09 October 2020

Prompt: Mentor

Character/Pairing: Dingo King (OC)

Rating: T / PG-13 / Teen

Notes: "You need an advisor – a satyr but wiser!" I had this idea of Dingo being like "Ok mate LET THE MASTER TEACH YOU", but then it kinda turned into this?

"I'm a fucking idiot."

Dingo snorts, shifting slightly to better balance his phone between his shoulder and his ear. He keeps tapping his pencil against his notebook, chewing his lip a little as he puzzles out his math homework.

"Well, yeah," he agrees, nodding a little even if Luka can't see him. "I've known that for years. But why this time, though?"

"I'm going ice skating tomorrow," Luka says, and that gives Dingo enough pause to miss a beat with his pencil. His eyebrows furrow.

"Er…ok?" he asks. "You're a great skater, though."

"With Marinette."

Dingo actually drops his pencil.

"Wait, what?!" he asks, suddenly not very interested in his homework at all. It's ok: it's Friday. He has the entire weekend to finish, right? "But…what…way to bury the lead, asshole!"

"And Adrien," Luka continues, and suddenly it all makes sense. Dingo pushes out a breath somewhere between a sigh and a groan and all frustration, and he leans back against the wall. His notebook falls from his knee, forgotten on his bed.

"You…are a fucking idiot," he agrees, and the strangled little whine Luka makes would have made him laugh if he didn't feel so bad for his dumbass friend. "So not a date, then."

"…no, I'm pretty sure it's a date," Luka groans. Dingo's eyes narrow. "Adrien asked out another girl, and he asked Marinette to go with them to…I don't even know what Adrien's thinking."

"He's not," Dingo scoffs, "or he's just as fucking stupid as you are."

"He thought having another friend along would make it easier, I guess? And then Marinette asked me because…" Luka trails off, and Dingo sighs again.

"You all need a seminar," he scoffs. "Dating for Dumbasses 101."

"Like you'd do any better," Luka snaps. Dingo grins.

"I would, actually," he preens. "Long game, remember? I'm wearing her down."

"You are no more qualified to advise my love life than I am to advise yours," Luka deadpans. Dingo's only a little insulted.

…if either of them were actually interested in dating, or interested in dating beyond…y'know…the girls that were interested in dating people who weren't them, they'd probably do fine. Great, even. They were both very attractive guys with a lot to offer the dating scene! They could easily find a lady friend – or a guy friend – to occupy their weekend nights if they wanted!

But Luka had always been too invested in his music to really notice the girls (and guys) flocking around him, and when he finally did notice one she was too invested in sunshine and model smiles to notice him back.

And Dingo…people just don't like Dingo. So it shouldn't really have surprised him when he fell for someone who also didn't like him.

But if Dingo had learned anything over his seventeen years of life, it was that he was kind of like erosion. Given enough time, he could wear almost anyone down. He wasn't giving up on Bri just yet.

"…them," Luka's voice comes from his phone again, snapping him out of his thoughts and back to the conversation. "I know I should have said no, but…I couldn't just leave her to be their third wheel. That's going to be so hard for her. I couldn't…"

"I know," Dingo sighs, flopping back on his bed. "You're too damn noble, Couffaine."

"…it'll still be time with Marinette," Luka says, and he sounds like he's trying to convince himself of it as much as he's trying to convince Dingo.

"It's not a date, though," Dingo points out. He doesn't do it to be mean. He doesn't even really think Luka needs the reminder. It's just…said to be said.

"I don't think I'd want it to be," Luka sighs. "I don't want our first date to be…I want her there for me, if we ever get there. I know Adrien's important to her, but if we ever date…is it selfish if I don't want her distracted by Adrien the entire time we're together?"

"That's not selfish," Dingo says. "That's more than reasonable. You don't want to be her backup. You just want to be hers."

Luka groans again, and Dingo tries to laugh.

"Tomorrow's gonna suck, innit?" he asks. He imagines Luka would be flipping him off if he was actually there.

"…no," Luka says, sounding a bit firmer that time. "No. Because it's going to be a great day with Marinette."

"And her boyfriend," Dingo scoffs.

"And her good friend who is there with his girlfriend," Luka insists. Dingo wonders if they're ever going to be able to say good friend without wanting to punch someone after all this.

"Mate?" he asks, and Luka pushes out another heavy breath before he answers him. Dingo smiles wryly at his ceiling. "You are a fucking idiot."

"…I'm a fucking idiot," Luka agrees, and all Dingo can do is smile. Well. At least they're on the same page.