So Close, Believing This One's Not Pretend
If it's not obvious, Roman/Tracy (Rocy) was and still is one of my favorite ships to write for. I'm into AUs and Multiverse, so this one-shot series came to be. Basically, I explore different scenarios with my ship and see how things would have turned out if I went the other direction.
So, I was in the mood to emotionally torture myself because I was bored. And this 3k one-shot came into existence. This is basically a Canon Divergent ending for the Neon Lights Ball (DD AU's Chapter 87) in which: -
~ Tracy never found out who Roman liked (Bree), she may have gotten some hints who he liked but doesn't confront him about his feelings for Bree.
~ Basically, Tracy confesses her crush on Roman much earlier on in DD AU
Also, since the Strikethrough font isn't available on certain sites (Fanfiction and Wattpad), [Square Brackets] are used to hide the innermost thoughts.
Songs that inspired/fit this one-shot: 'Foolish One' by Taylor Swift, 'Prove You Wrong' by He is We, Irresistible Mistakes OST 4 (from Voltage Inc Games), 'Not Sorry for Loving You' from Epic the Musical, 'Your Stupid Face' by Kaden MacKay, 'You Can't Control Who You Fall For' by Victor Lundberg
Disclaimer: I do not own Lab Rats: Elite Force, or any of the other crossover fandom. All rights belong to Disney. I only own my Original Characters. Enjoy.
Warning: Get ready for ANGST, TEARS and lots of tissues.
The Neon Lights Ball was nothing short of fantastic despite the 'Abby Incident'. The music is just perfect and sets the romantic mood. And Roman (despite his distant attitude) had been nothing short of wonderful.
This is it, I'm gonna do it. I'm gonna tell Roman. Tracy decided. It's a big risk to take, but she's tired of hiding it and taking the first step.
He looks...distracted for some reason. He kept looking away. [Was she a bad dancer? Who was she kidding! Of course, she is.] There's some kind of unreadable expression in his eyes, is it...forlornness or heartbreak?
Tonight's been...overwhelming for Roman. Seeing his former crush blissful around her boyfriend brought back painful memories he wished he'd forgotten. And spending more time with Tracy felt almost genuine that it's threading dangerously close to the romantic territory.
"Hey, would you like to go outside for some air?" Tracy suggested with a gentle tone.
Roman thought for a moment and nodded, the two made their way outside to the garden. Even the night sky is beautiful, and painfully making jabs at Roman's heartbreak.
"Lovely night." Roman commented, breaking the awkward silence as he looked up at the starry night.
Tracy hummed in response, glancing at him. This was it; this is the moment. I just hope he feels the same way back.
In hindsight, Roman shouldn't have even trusted a second to relax, because Tracy took him off guard.
"W-why are you looking at me like that–?" Roman stuttered, noticing Tracy's face was inching closer to his.
Tracy stood on her tiptoes and softly pressed her lips onto Roman's, conveying all her feelings with this kiss.
Roman felt Tracy's lips on his. For a brief second, he felt shocked [and the repulsed urge to pull away]. But he found himself kissing back after a few seconds.
Maybe if he just pretended this was Bree, it might make the heartbreak go away.
He was feeling a stir of emotions from that kiss: tender but electrifying, slow but intense, sweet but passionate. He's never kissed anyone before, and strangely wanted this sensation to last a bit longer. Is this why Brett and Riker like to date so much?
Wanting to close the distance between them, Roman snaked an arm around her waist to draw her in. The other hand cradling the back of her head.
Roman just kissed her back, Tracy wasn't expecting this reaction at all (or him pulling her close to him). Does this mean he likes her the same way? Not wanting to let him go, Tracy placed her hands on his shoulders for some support and kissed him like there's no tomorrow. This was everything she dreamed about since she first saw him.
After a few minutes, the two eventually broke the kiss to catch their breath. Their foreheads lean against one another, eyes still closed.
"Roman..." Tracy whispered in content, pressing her nose against his. She can't help but feel a small flicker of hope that maybe he might like her the way she likes him.
And just like that, the fog lifted, and Roman's eyes fluttered open. Now he remembered WHO he had just kissed.
Roman unwrapped his arms, pulling himself away from her in shock and disgust. His hand flew to cover his mouth, stumbling backwards from her.
"D-did you just k-k-ki-?" He couldn't even bring himself to say that word.
The realization had sunk in: Tracy Li (his SWORN ENEMY!) just took his first kiss.
"But you kissed me back." Tracy was so confused by his reaction. But from his facial expression, she sorely miscalculated and misread the signs.
"This was a mistake." Roman spat out, as coldly as he could. His Fight mode instincts have kicked in, because he didn't even know what to do with all these new feelings.
"It's just...I thought..." Oh no, what has she done?
"Is this some kind of joke to you?!" Roman demanded, feeling a bit betrayed and angry at her (and a small fraction at himself).
"It's not." Tracy tried to find her voice, but Roman's expression made it hard.
"Then what is it? Is this some kind of sick Auradon kid prank?!" Roman was jumping into the worst possible conclusions. Was she just pretending to be nice to him just to force a kiss onto him?!
"It's not a joke! I'm falling for you, Roman." Tracy blurted out, before she covered her mouth and took a tiny step back.
"You w-what?!" Roman's voice cracked a little at her confession. Those words were so out of the blue and uncalled for, especially from the ene–Her.
"I really like you, more than as a friend. And I was hoping that the Neon Lights Ball could change the way you see me. So that you'd notice me as a potential dating partner and not a silly girl with a crush." Tracy plucks up the courage to confess her feelings for him.
"When you agreed to be my date for the dance, I was so happy because nobody's ever given me a chance as a date before. I thought maybe this could be the chance for you to consider me as someone you could see yourself dating." Tracy admitted, fumbling with the hem of her dress.
Not to mention, out of everyone else he could have asked to the dance, he decided to go with her...even if it was supposed to be in a platonic friends-only way.
'Or maybe he just saw you as nothing but a pity date.' A treacherous part of her mind whispered.
No...It had to mean at least something to Roman, right?
"But why?" Roman stuttered out.
Why would she fall for someone like him?
How could she like him?
"What do you mean why?" Tracy frowned at his reaction. Does Roman have any idea how popular he is around admirers?
"Why would you like me? I mean, you hardly know me." He can't help but ask.
"I like you, Roman. I just really like you, not just for your looks."
"You're hardworking, and a thoughtful sibling to your brothers. You're...surprisingly more than you appear, and discovering a new side to you every day never fails to impress me. Like how you act all tough and cool, but you're surprisingly sweet towards animals and little kids." Tracy started listing all the little things she's noticed (and loved) about him.
Roman could only stare at her in total (awe) shock and silence, quietly listening to her compliments. He felt...flattered of how highly she thinks of him. And honestly surprised that she pays so much attention to his actions.
"You don't have to give me your answer right away, and I won't hate you if you don't feel the same way back. Just...take your time and think about what I said. I'm just tired of holding back my feelings for you and seeing other pretty girls flirt with you all the time. I know I don't stand a chance against competition like that, because look at me." Tracy motioned to herself with a dejected tone, she quickly plastered a weak smile, "I just...I wanted you to like me for who I am. And even then, I blew it."
She looked up to meet his gaze and noticed his whole face was bright red (despite him trying his best not to let a flicker of emotion show). Was he blushing?
She never knew he could make a face like that. It was...cute. [and maybe Tracy feels...proud that she managed to make her stoic crush flustered]
"I need to leave." Roman slurred out, planning his escape before his stoic facade started to crack.
"Thank you for giving me a chance as your date, Roman. I know you probably won't feel the same way back, but I'm not sorry for liking you." Tracy declared.
She blinked away her tears and smiled wistfully at him, "And I'm glad you were my first kiss. Goodnight Roman."
H-her first kiss? Was with him?
"Night." Roman mumbled out, before he turned on his heels and ran away.
The moment he was out of her view, she sank into her knees and sobbed.
Why did I have to be so selfish? We were supposed to come to the dance as friends. And I ruined it, all because I wanted to be the brave one for once.
'Did you regret it though?' A voice asked in her head.
Tracy thought back to the temporary feeling of kissing her crush on the lips. How incredible it felt for him to hold her in his arms [even if the feelings were one-sided in the end].
It was...bittersweet but she has no regrets of what she's said or done.
Later, she joined the rest of her friends for a massive sleepover. While her friends shared and regaled their romantic dates with their significant others, Tracy just listened in and laughed along.
...Until all their attention was diverted back to her.
"So what happened to you and Roman?" Bree asked, wiggling her eyebrows playfully.
"You two dipped out near the end of the dance." Liv Rooney pointed out.
"I messed up..." The eldest Li sibling sighed, hugging her knees close to her chest.
"I may have confessed my feelings to Roman," Tracy murmured out, as quietly as possible.
"Hold up, you WHAT?" Skylar Storm gasped loudly, shocked by her friend taking the initiative to confess.
Tracy buried her face in her hands to hide her blushing face.
Tracy buried her face in her hands to hide her blushing face.
"Well, what did he say after you confessed?" Julie from Agrabah wanted to know more.
"Nothing, I just decided to be honest to him for once and let him know I'm interested in him. I just hope he won't feel too awkward about it." Tracy frantically explained.
"Congrats for making the first move, Trace." Sabrina looped an arm around Tracy, offering the older teen a side hug. "We are very proud of you."
"Yeah, and if he doesn't return the feelings, his loss." Sakura waved a hand dismissively. "We can always use Plan B."
"Sakura, we are not gonna bury Roman alive!" Skylar grumbled at the feline VK.
"What? Jones knows a guy!" Sakura defensively refuted, earning some laughs from the rest. She was prepared for ANYTHING if Adam had actually showed up with another date.
And to be frank, Tracy is genuinely fearful of what her brother might actually do to Roman when he finds out. Jones is generally chilled with her love life but is prone to be just as protective of her as she is towards him.
Her whole face turned bright red at the memory of kissing her crush. (Ok, to be honest they wereborderline making out, but her friends DON'T need to know that.)
Even if everything is now out in the open, maybe things won't be too bad after all?
Meanwhile...
Roman fled back to his room right after [that kiss] the dance was over. He was still in shock and processing this new information (and emotions). And now the truth has finally sunk in: Tracy Li (the Daughter of the Sworn Enemy) is romantically interested in him.
Suddenly everything has clicked into place, and all made so much sense now.
Why she'd always look away when he notices her [shy] glances. He'd caught her looking at him for more times that he could count, but always thought she was glaring at him.
How her eyes would light up when they're in the same place. How her compliments towards him were so...sincere and kind.
Why she invited him and his brothers to meet her family [so that they'd be accepting about the guy she likes].
How excited she was when he asked her to be his partner for the dance. ['You asked her out as a Pity Date', he bitterly reminded himself. But she doesn't need to know that]
Why couldn't she have just hated him instead? Why couldn't she have just pretended to be interested in him [like Bree did]? It would have made it so much easier if they were just friends.
Does he want to be friends with her though? Up til the...Reveal, Roman had somewhat considered Tracy as a mutual acquaintance (via Riker) but now? He's not even sure anymore.
Villains aren't taught to love, he's shut himself out of that emotion since his mother died and watched his father lose himself to grief. And more so after his first heartbreak when he found out his ex-crush was just toying with his feelings.
Roman was used to putting a wall barricading himself from people (save for his friends and family). Why was she just tearing those walls down and seeing through him?
[Would she still feel the same way about him if she truly knew what his true colors were?]
He recalled something she said to him last night when he asked her to be his date (as friends!) for the ball.
"There are a lot of guys out there, but there's only one you."
That should've been a dead giveaway she was interested in him. There were a lot of handsome guys in Auradon, Roman was certain that one of them would have been a better match for her.
The heart shaped chocolates on Valentines' Day should've been another giveaway that she likes him.
The crestfallen look that she tried to hide when he rejected kissing her under the mistletoe was another sign. [Part of him only ever thought she was grossed out to kiss him at the time.]
'You could take advantage of her feelings for you.' A treacherous (that eerily resembled his father's voice) part of his mind whispered.
He quickly pushed those intrusive thoughts away. She has been nothing but kind to him since they first met. Even if he didn't like her back, he couldn't bring himself to manipulate her feelings for his own selfish gain.
He couldn't decide which was worse: his Sworn Enemy confessing her crush on him, or the fact that he actually LIKED kissing her. [He decided on the latter. Father would have been so ashamed of him.]
Strangely, he also felt butterflies in his stomach earlier when she confessed her feelings for him.
She did look beautiful in that dress. Her brown eyes were surprisingly really pretty under the glow of the Neon Lights. Her carefree and infectious smiles. Her soft and fluffy hands that somehow fits his own perfectly. How soft and sweet her lips felt on his. [She was a surprisingly good kisser]
—HOLD UP!
Roman turned around to face his own reflection in the mirror and realized that he was blushing. He hasn't been this flustered since his crush on Bree.
Shoot. Oh HELL no.
Does he...like her back? No. No. No. No. ABSOLUTELY NOT!
Roman had 2 goals: Avenge his father and Reign evil on Auradon. Now stupid feelings [and Tracy's cute face] have gotten in the way.
This is sure gonna cause him severe insomnia tonight.
I wrote this a few weeks ago and cried myself to sleep. So now it's your turn. DD AU Roman and Tracy hit differently till this day and is one of the more angsty ship variants I've written, and I wrote DD AU's Rocy arc when I was 19!
Chapter Notes:-
(1.) DD AU Roman is raised by his father Rodissius to be a villain; and also shut himself out of love after his mother died. Tracy Li is the opposite of that: she's from a loving family that encourages her to be kind. Thanks to the Isle's upbringing, Roman has given up on finding romance after his one-sided crush on Bree; and that he really hates Tracy because they're Sworn Enemies...Boy, was he so wrong!
(2.) Yeah, there's a good reason why DD AU Tracy holds back most of her feelings and respects the boundaries too much to make a move. Or else we'd have THIS route. On one hand, we get a Kiss and Confession scene (believe me: the DD AU Rocy confession kiss scene exists). On the other hand, extra levels of Angst and Roman's (much earlier/horrified) realization of feelings.
(3.) So basically, in this alternate scenario, Tracy decides to be braver for a change by making her feelings for Roman loud and clear. She's making it clear that she would like to become 'more than friends' with Roman but gives him time to figure it out. The rest of the storyline goes about the same as DD AU (if I ever finish that last few chapters lol) with Roman on a jealous rampage when he sees Tracy talking to her ex-crush Kavan.
That's all for now. See you in the next chapter when I have the time to write. Feel free to let me know your thoughts for this very Angsty one-shot. Thanks for reading and have a nice day.