Estimated Reading Time: 24 Minutes

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Shy Blonde

Lucas's wide eyes sparkled with a mixture of surprise and gratitude, his expression softening as he nodded fervently. "Y-yes!" he replied, his voice trembling with eagerness.

Dark Pit's stomach twisted uneasily, an unfamiliar weight settling in his chest. He had only offered to walk Lucas home out of a fleeting sense of obligation, a momentary lapse into kindness that felt foreign to him. Now, as the blonde's answer hung in the air, ringing with sincerity, the dark angel felt the sharp pang of regret.

His gaze flickered away, focusing on the dirt path beneath their feet. The moonlight cast silvery streaks over the road, but it did little to lighten the heaviness creeping over him. Why hadn't Lucas just declined? It would have been easier. Simpler. But now, he was stuck—trapped in a decision he wasn't sure he wanted to follow through on.

Why couldn't he just walk away?

The walk back to Lucas's room was quiet and stiff. Lucas leaned heavily on Dark Pit for balance, his arm slung around the dark angel's shoulders.

"How're ya holdin' up?" Dark Pit asked gruffly.

Lucas didn't respond with words—just a grunt, quiet and unsteady. His head drooped slightly, and his messy blonde hair brushed against Dark Pit's shoulder.

When they reached the door, Dark Pit helped him fumble with the key before guiding him inside. Lucas collapsed onto the bed with a heavy sigh, pulling the blanket tightly around himself without a word. Dark Pit stood there awkwardly for a moment before muttering, "Guess you're good," and turning to leave.

"Wait!" Lucas called out, his voice soft but urgent as he reached out a shaky arm.

Dark Pit stopped mid-step, glancing back over his shoulder. His brow furrowed, and he turned fully to face Lucas, one eyebrow arched in question. "What is it?" he asked, his tone laced with impatience, though his feet remained rooted in place.

Lucas: "Can you stay with me a little longer?"

Dark Pit: "Ah, I—S-sure."

Dark Pit sat at the edge of the bed fumbling with his hands.

Lucas: "I um–"

Suddenly, Lucas clamped a hand over his mouth, his eyes wide with alarm, and bolted toward the bathroom. Moments later, the sound of retching echoed from behind the door.

Dark Pit sighed and got to his feet, reluctantly making his way over. Peering inside, he saw Lucas hunched over the toilet, his body trembling as he gasped for air between bouts of nausea. The blonde looked utterly miserable, his face pale and damp with sweat.

With a hesitant grimace, the dark angel crouched down beside him, resting a hand on his back. He patted gently, his touch awkward and unsure. "Uh, there, there," Dark Pit muttered, his voice stiff.

Once Dark Pit was sure Lucas was done, he helped the blonde to his feet, steadying him with a firm grip. Lucas swayed slightly but managed to shuffle back to the bed with Dark Pit's support.

As soon as they reached it, Lucas collapsed onto the mattress, immediately cocooning himself in his blanket. Dark Pit hovered for a moment before sitting down stiffly at the edge of the bed, his shoulders tense and his gaze fixed on the floor. The silence between them felt heavy, and the dark angel shifted uncomfortably, unsure of what to do next.

Suddenly, soft sobs broke the silence. Lucas buried his face in the blanket, his shoulders trembling as he cried.

Dark Pit let out a quiet sigh, exhaustion creeping over him like a heavy weight. Emotional outbursts weren't unfamiliar—Pit had them all the time—but dealing with his twin was different. Pit was predictable, someone Dark Pit knew inside and out.

But Lucas? Lucas was a stranger, fragile and full of emotions that Dark Pit didn't know how to navigate. He sat there awkwardly, his fingers twitching as he debated whether to say something or just let the blonde cry it out.

Dark Pit: "Uh…"

Lucas: "W-why doesn't *sobs* Ness like me?"

Dark Pit: "He does. He's just… I dunno, doin' his own thing."

Lucas: "What's up with Sonic?"

Dark Pit: "I dunno."

Lucas: "Do you think t-they're *sobs* dating?"

Dark Pit: *Snickers* "No."

Lucas: "Really?"

Dark Pit: "Why do you care? It's not like you like him or anything, right?"

Lucas: "No, not that way."

Dark Pit: "Are you sure?"

Lucas: "What?"

Dark Pit: "I mean—you two are always together…"

Lucas: "N-no, it's not like that."

Dark Pit: "Mkay."

Lucas: "I'm just *sniffs* scared that Ness finds me boring now."

Dark Pit: "I doubt that."

Lucas: "How can you be so sure?"

Dark Pit: "Uh—well I don't know the guy. I mean maybe, but also I dunno, you two are always together."

Lucas: "Not lately…"

Dark Pit: "Ah—I… don't have the answers. I think you should talk to him about it."

Lucas: "I just… I dunno. He makes me happy but also sad."

Dark Pit: "Sad how?"

Lucas: "He's honestly kind of a dick."

Dark Pit: "Yeah I got that."

Lucas: "He's pretentious and he thinks he's the smartest guy in smash. He's controlling and selfish!"

Dark Pit: "I see."

Lucas: "And he's fake! He pretends to like people, but all he cares about is himself."

Dark Pit: "Like how?"

Lucas: "He never wanted me hanging out with people. He never once considered my feelings. The way he acts with our other friends is so fake. You can tell. He only likes it if he has all the attention and if he's benefiting in some way. That's why he never acknowledges my ideas for anything!"

Dark Pit: (Him being a selfish asshole was my first thought. Looks like I was right.)

Lucas: "Now that I'm not worth his time, he's throwing me away because he's hanging out with Tina. All he cares about is Tina! Tina this. Tina that! When they three of us hung out, his attention was only towards her."

Dark Pit: "Do you think he has a crush on her?"

Lucas: "I do! He denies it. And I tried to tell myself that he's telling the truth, but looking at it now, it's so obvious! But I'm not close enough in his eyes for him to tell me the truth."

Dark Pit: "Do you think he told anyone at all?"

Lucas: "Probably Sonic, his new best friend."

Dark Pit: "I see…"

Lucas: "I just wish he would talk to me about these things. I feel like he's hiding a lot."

Dark Pit: "Hmm. Do you-

Knock!

Knock!

Both Dark Pit and Lucas flinched at the sudden knock, the sound sharp and unexpected in the otherwise quiet room. Dark Pit was the first to recover, standing up quickly, his instincts kicking in.

"Want me to get that?" he asked, motioning toward the door.

Lucas nodded weakly, still sniffling, and Dark Pit made his way toward the door, his boots making soft thuds against the floor with each step. When he swung the door open, he was met with an unexpected sight—Ness, standing there with a look of shock etched across his face.

Ness: "D-Dark Pit? W-what're you doing in Lucas's room?"

Dark Pit: "Hmph! Why do you care?"

Ness: "Um, because he's my friend?"

Dark Pit: "Friend huh? You sure don't act like it."

Ness: *Scoffs* "Excuse me? What the fuck do you know?"

Dark Pit: "Your friend just vented to me about you."

Ness: "What're you talking about?"

Dark Pit: "Why don't you ask him yourself."

Without a word, Dark Pit shoved past Ness, pushing him out of the way with little more than a swift movement. He didn't pause to see how Ness reacted—he simply left the room.

Ness stood frozen in the doorway, his mind racing to process what had just happened. The sudden coldness in Dark Pit's actions left him momentarily speechless.

After a few seconds, he snapped out of his daze, shaking his head in disbelief. He sighed and walked over to Lucas, still curled up in his blanket, his sobs muffled by the fabric. Ness's initial anger fizzled out, replaced by a sinking feeling in his stomach. The protective instincts he'd always carried kicked in, and he knelt beside Lucas, his expression softening with genuine concern.

Ness: "Hey, how're you holding up?"

Lucas: *Sniffs*

Ness: "Um, so Dark Pit said you vented to him about me. I figured you already know about those videos that Snake posted. But I can explain."

Lucas: "I don't need *sniffs* your explanation."

Ness: "Lucas, please. Just hear me out for a second."

Lucas: "..."

Ness: "Robin was flirting with me. I know it sounds crazy, why would she flirt with someone like me? But honestly I don't know. I'm not her. All I know is she was coming onto me. She took off her top in public! Then someone bumped me and I crashed into her."

Lucas: "Yeah, suuure."

Ness: "I wouldn't! I'm not into her."

Lucas: "Right. You're into Tina. It's so obvious when I saw you chasing her out the bathroom."

Ness: "I pursued her because she was on the verge of using cocaine. She was already intoxicated, and I felt it was crucial to intervene to prevent her from making a decision that would only further the harm she had already done to herself."

Lucas: "She was doing coke?"

Ness: "Yes! I learned quite a bit about her at the party."

Lucas: "Speaking of parties, why didn't you tell me?"

Ness: "I—didn't think you'd be interested. Also you were really quiet last time we hung out with Tina. I thought she made you uncomfortable."

Lucas: "You didn't pay much attention to me."

Ness: "I apologize. I was nervous. I promise I won't do that again."

Lucas: "You sure?"

Ness: "Yes. I promise. See, this is why I like it when just the two of us are hanging out. There's no pressure with you. But when I'm in a group, I feel unsafe, y'know."

Lucas: "Y-you feel safe with me?"

Ness: "Who else would I feel safe with?"

Lucas: "Sonic…"

Ness: "Hahaha! No. Not even close."

Lucas: "But you two are always around each other now… I feel like you'd rather be with him than me."

Ness: "What? No. Sonic doesn't leave me alone. It's not by choice."

Lucas: "I mean you can tell him to leave."

Ness: "I do. He doesn't care."

Lucas: "No like seriously tell him."

Ness: "I do! He doesn't care!"

Lucas: "Really?"

Ness: "Yes. He's like obsessed with me or something."

Lucas: "Oh."

Ness: "Yeah I don't know. I mean I don't hate it per say. He can be fun to be around with. I just wish he respected my boundaries."

Lucas: "You don't mind him sleeping over every night?"

Ness: "Oh I mind. There's just nothing I can do about it."

Lucas: "Yes you can. You need to seriously have a word with him."

Ness: "Yeaaaah, you're right. I don't know, I guess it's anxiety stopping me."

Lucas: "Anxiety?"

Ness: "I know I come off as this confident smart guy, but you know how I am. You said it yourself, I suck when it comes to people."

Lucas: "Sorry about that."

Ness: "Hey, you were only speaking the truth."

Lucas: "I dunno what's been going on with me lately."

Ness: "Do you want to talk about it? All of it?"

Lucas: "W-what'd you mean?"

Ness: "About whatever's been bothering you."

Lucas: "I… I guess I feel a little sad that we haven't been hanging out as much. We also haven't been having sleepovers."

Ness: "I'm sorry. I've been so busy lately. Y'know with work and the band."

Lucas: "..."

Ness: "But if you want, I can definitely come over more. The only issue is, I just recently found a good routine in my daily life. I don't really want to mess that up. Um, how about you come over instead? I mean you've done that recently when we watched your favorite shows. I don't mind you doing that more."

Lucas: "You sure? It's not too obsessive?"

Ness: "Lucas, come on, it's me. Are you—not comfortable?"

Lucas: (No.) "I am! I just—I duno, I've been out of it lately. I'm sorry."

Ness: "It's ok. I just want to let you know that no one can ever replace you as my best friend. Without you, I'd be so lost and lonely."

Lucas: "You have Tina, Leaf, and Sonic…"

Ness: "It's not the same."

Lucas: "How so?"

Ness: "Because they're not you."

Lucas: "!"

Ness: "Lucas, I don't think you understand how much you mean to me. I'm sorry in advance if I'm paying more attention to the others, but at the end of the day, if I had to choose who to pick to be with forever, it'd be you."

Lucas: "Not Tina?"

Ness: "No."

Lucas: "That surprises me because you seem to really like her."

Ness mentally bit his tongue. Shit! He's starting to realize my feelings for Tina. He doesn't know we're dating, does he? No, there's now way. Although should I tell him? N-no, that would be a bad idea. Lucas is already in such an emotional state right now. He's finally calming down and I don't want us to get into an argument. I'll tell him when the time is right.

Ness: "Well, yeah, I like her, but she could never replace you."

Lucas opened his mouth, the question hanging on the tip of his tongue—Do you like her more than a friend? But the words wouldn't come. A knot tightened in his chest, and his heart pounded as the fear gripped him. He was terrified. Terrified of what the answer might be.

Right now, he could see it in Ness's eyes—the sincerity, the honesty. It felt like the perfect time to ask, the one moment where he might hear the truth without any deception. But if Ness really did have feelings for Tina...

The thought felt like a weight pressing down on him, suffocating the air in his lungs. It would destroy him, and he couldn't bring himself to face that reality. So, with a quick, sharp breath, he buried the question deep inside, pushing it away. He nodded instead, trying to ignore the ache growing in his chest.

Ness hesitated for a moment, his hand hovering before he gently patted Lucas's back, offering a small gesture of reassurance. "See, everything's good now," he said, his voice a bit softer.

He leaned back slightly, running a hand through his hair in exasperation. "Snake's just trying to mess with my image because I'm trending or something," he muttered, his brow furrowing in irritation. "It's really pissing me off. I don't get why he has to make everything so difficult."

Lucas: "Are you gonna confront him?"

Ness: "If I ever see him. But he's never in his room , and I can't seem to find him, but somehow he's able to find me."

Lucas: "That is his specialty. He's a sneaky snake."

Ness: "I hate him."

Lucas: "I'm starting to dislike him too."

Ness: "So... we're ok now?"

Lucas: "Wait, I have one more question."

Ness: "O-ok."

Lucas: "What were you and Mythra arguing about?"

Ness: "Oh. *Snickers* I wanted Mythra to check on Tina since they're both girls and I wouldn't be seen as a creep, but instead she went on about the Ness allegations. Essentially saying I was planning on doing things to her once she checked the bathroom or something."

Lucas: "What is happening?"

Ness: "Snake and Isabelle happened, Lucas."

Lucas: "This is getting out of hand."

Ness: "You don't think I realize that? Just, don't fall for their tricks online. I already have enough people who hate me."

Lucas: "I'm sorry I fell for the trick."

Ness: "It's ok. Snake is really good at twisting the truth for money. It's annoying."

Lucas: "It's crazy to hear that you're profitable."

Ness: "Hahaha! I know right. Anyway, we're good?"

Lucas: "I'll consider it~"

Ness: "H-hey!"

"Hmph!" Lucas huffed, turning his head and crossing his arms in a way that practically screamed sass. His eyes narrowed, clearly unimpressed.

Ness, however, couldn't help but grin, a mischievous glint flashing in his eyes. "Looks like I'll have to convince you the hard way~" he teased, his tone playful but with an underlying confidence.

"What?" Lucas blinked in confusion, but before he could process what was happening, Ness leapt forward with lightning speed, tackling him down.

The two immediately began wrestling on the bed, tumbling across the sheets with a mix of grunts and laughter. Ness was quick, his movements fluid, and as always, he emerged victorious. With a swift motion, he pinned Lucas down, his legs securing the blonde beneath him.

Lucas, caught off guard and feeling sluggish, struggled for only a moment before surrendering. "Fine, we're good now," he grumbled, his face flushed with both embarrassment and a lingering excitement.

"Hmph~ That's what I thought," Ness said with a smug smile, releasing Lucas and standing up.

Lucas sat up, his heart still racing. A strange flutter stirred in his chest, but he quickly shook his head, trying to dismiss the thought. Stop, he told himself. He's not into me like that. It's just a wrestling match. Nothing more. But the feeling lingered, like an unspoken truth hanging in the air between them.

Ness: "So, wanna *huffs* sleepover tonight?"

Lucas: "At your place?"

Ness: "Do you want to be around the annoying hedgehog?"

Lucas: "He's in your room right now?"

Ness: "Probably."

Lucas: "Even when you're not there?"

Ness: "Why're you surprised?"

Lucas: "Why aren't you?!"

Ness: "Because he does that now. He doesn't care if I'm there or not. He thinks it's his fucking room."

Lucas: "Maybe because his room is gross."

Ness: "Or trust me. It is. It's so messy."

Lucas: "It makes a little more sense now, but it's still weird. Doesn't he have a lot of friends? Why not crash at people he's closer with?"

Ness: "Because he doesn't respect me and thinks I'm his nanny."

Lucas: "At this point, you kinda are."

Ness: "Hgghh. I know…"

Lucas: "Ness, you're weak."

Ness: "Funny coming from the guy that just lost to me."

Lucas: "You know what I mean…"

Ness: "Hahaha~!"

Lucas: "Oh uh, did you wanna sleep on the same bed like always or use a sleeping bag? I have one in my closet."

Ness glanced nervously at the closet door, his eyes widening slightly. A shiver ran down his spine. He wasn't comfortable seeing the door open even if it was only for a split second. He knew what secrets lie inside that door and he didn't want to be reminded.

"C-can I just sleep with you in the bed?" Ness stammered, his voice hesitant. "I, uh—we'll put a pillow between us." He rubbed the back of his neck, looking away awkwardly, his face flushed with a mix of embarrassment and unease.

Lucas was taken aback when Ness suggested sharing the bed. He had always assumed that after learning about his cuddling problem, Ness would be uncomfortable with the idea of holding him. Not even uncomfortable, more like disgusted. The fact that Ness was now asking to share the same bed left Lucas momentarily confused. Had he read too much into the situation?

As the thoughts swirled in his mind, he recalled what Ness had said earlier about his anxiety. That helped it click into place. It wasn't that Ness didn't want to share a bed—it was more that, for his own reasons, he probably thought Lucas would be the one grossed out.

It was crazy how much a simple misunderstanding could warp someone's view of the situation. Lucas couldn't help but feel a little silly.

Lucas: "Yes! Of course you can!"

Ness: "Uh…"

Lucas: (Oh, did I sound too excited? I definitely did…)

Ness: "Y-yeah ok! Cool. As long as you're not uncomfortable. Y-you're not uncomfortable right?"

Ness's question only served to further confirm Lucas's theory—that his friend was worried Lucas would start thinking of him differently, that maybe he'd see Ness in an awkward or unwanted light. The realization brought a rush of serotonin flooding through Lucas's body, a sense of relief sweeping over him like a wave. The tension he hadn't realized he'd been holding melted away.

With a soft smile, Lucas finally responded, his voice steady and reassuring. "Yes, Ness, it's fine." The weight that had been pressing on his chest for so long seemed to lift, replaced by a warmth that made him feel a little more at ease with the situation.

The two climbed into bed, the sheets cool against their skin as they settled in. Ness, ever cautious, made sure to place a pillow between them.

They settled into a relaxed silence for a moment, the weight of the day finally starting to fade. Lucas broke it first, mentioning a recent game he'd been playing. That simple spark ignited a conversation that flowed easily, both of them slipping into a familiar rhythm as they discussed video games, shared stories, and joked about random things.

The hours slipped by unnoticed, their voices softening as sleep slowly crept in. Before long, their words faded into comfortable silence, the quiet sound of their breathing the only indication that they'd drifted off into slumber.