Chapter Text
Fitz hadn’t meant to stare. Not like that. But Dex’s laugh across the hallway as he stood at Tam’s locker, talking and joking had this ridiculous magnetism- calm, warm, distractingly nice in a way that made Fitz’s brain short circuit. He’d spent half of his class before this trying to pretend Dex didn’t exist and push him out of his mind, but somehow only made him think about the strawberry blonde more.
He’d tried everything in that class — doodling, rereading the same paragraph five times, even pretending to take notes — but every few minutes his mind drifted back to Dex. The way he laughed. The way he pushed his hair back. The way he always looked like he was thinking three things at once. It was infuriating. And addictive. And terrifying.
A sharp elbow suddenly dug into his ribs, and he turned to see it was Biana. “You’re blushing again.”
He blinked. “I- what?”
She smirked. “Dex. You’ve got the eyes. That dreamy sparkle thing. It’s disgusting.”
HIs face burned hot and he felt his stomach twist, panic coursing through his body. “Shut up!” He hissed, but her voice had practically echoed through the halls, loud and proud.
He looked around, seeing if anyone noticed their conversation.
And then he saw him.
His heart hammered so loudly he swore people could hear it. The hallway felt too open, too bright, too full of witnesses. He wished he could melt into the floor.
Dex was close. Too close. Standing down the hall, just walking away from Tam’s locker, he stood, paused mid-step, eyes wide and jaw slightly open. He’d heard.
Oh fuck.
Fitz tried to breathe, but everything inside him went static, his throat feeling as if it was closing up. Biana, sensing the social detonation, loudly announced. “That’s my cue to leave.”
She walked away with mock dignity while he shouted after her. “Fuck you, Biana!” He screamed, not caring about the looks from prodigies walking by.
He immediately regretted yelling — not because of the stares, but because Dex was still there. Still watching. Still processing. Fitz’s stomach dropped. He couldn’t read Dex’s expression. Shock? Confusion? Disgust? Hope? No, that last one was wishful thinking. Probably.
Fitz anxiously watched Dex walk towards him till he stood only a few steps away, bottom lip drawn between his teeth.
“So, uh, what were you saying about me?” Dex asked. His eyes kept moving from the other boy to the floor and back. His arms were crossed across his chest and his fingers kept tapping against his biceps nervously.
That nervous tapping made something twist in Fitz’s chest. Dex wasn’t angry. He wasn’t smirking. He wasn’t even teasing. He looked… scared. And that scared Fitz more than anything.
Fitz forced himself to look up from Dex’s arms. Now was not the fucking time to simp.
Fitz briefly met his eyes before his gaze flitted away, staying silent as he observed the crowds of other prodigies walk by for a distraction.
He wished the hallway would empty. Or explode. Or swallow him whole. Anything but this slow, suffocating moment where Dex was waiting for an answer Fitz didn’t know how to give.
He nervously ran a hand through his hair, desperately thinking of a solution. “Listen, can we just forget this happened-?”
“No.” Dex said firmly, shaking his head.
Fitz sighed, looking down at the floor “Fine. Can we go talk somewhere else then? Where there’s less people?”
Dex blew out a breath, nervously wringing out his hands. “Okay.” He said softly, gesturing with a hand. “Follow me.” The two boys weaved their way through the crowds of people as Dex led Fitz into a small janitor's closet.
The walk felt endless. Every step made Fitz more aware of how close Dex was, how quiet he’d gone, how tense his shoulders looked. Fitz kept replaying Biana’s words in his head, each repetition making him want to crawl out of his skin.
Dex sat down on a box on the floor, lacing his hands together tightly as they sat in the darkness, not bothering to turn the lights on. “There. No one ever comes in here. What do you want?”
Fitz sat down nervously across from him on an upside down bucket and crossed his arms tightly, finding comfort in the pressure it made against his chest. “I- um-”
The silence stretched. Too long. Too heavy. Fitz could hear his own heartbeat echoing in the tiny room. Dex’s breathing was uneven, like he was bracing for something. Fitz swallowed hard.
Dex sighed, cutting him off before he had a chance to even try and speak. “I just want to know if you like me or not, because if so…” He looked up at Fitz anxiously, chewing his lip.
He’s nervous, It occurred to Fitz. Why would he be nervous if he didn’t… Wait… did he?
Fitz’s heart raced of the possibility of Dex, his long time crush, liking him. His eyes suddenly landed on Dex’s mouth, the strawberry blonde’s bottom lip caught between his teeth. The urge to kiss him tempted Fitz, and eventually he gave in, years of built up desire and pining making his body move on its own as he leaned forward, pressing his lips against Dex’s.
Dex tensed up, making fear run through Fitz’s body before the boy’s hands went to Fitz’s chest, hesitantly grabbing at his shirt as he started to kiss back . His brain felt as if it short-circuited as Dex kissed him slow and gentle, as if testing the waters.
Fitz felt like he was floating. Or drowning. Or both. Dex’s hands were warm, trembling slightly, and that tiny tremble made Fitz’s knees weak.
Fitz’s mind went fuzzy, barely registering how the two of them ended up standing. The kiss turned hotter, more needy as Dex’s lips parted, Fitz’s tongue slipping into his mouth obediently. Dex’s mouth was intoxicating, and the soft moan that came from him as Fitz’s tongue brushed his made him crave more. With a feeling of frenzy, he pushed Dex backwards, his back hitting the shelves, one hand caging him in as Fitz braced it against the shelf with the other cupping his neck. Dex’s hands were settled on the other’s hips, fingers messing with the part of Fitz’s shirt that had untucked.
There was a sudden crash, and both of them jumped, separating as they looked at the cleaning supplies that had fallen when Dex hit the shelves.
The two looked at each other, wide eyed and panting heavily. A pink flush sat at the top of Dex’s cheeks, and pupils blew wide as he looked up at me.
“F-Fitz-” He stuttered, snapping Fitz out of the trance he’d been in.
“Fuck, fuck, fuck, fuck-” He muttered to himself, pushing away from Dex, fear making his blood run cold.
What did I just do? I’m so fucked, so dead. Oh my god-
Fitz was halfway out the door when he paused, hand trembling against the frame. His chest ached, throat tight with everything he hadn’t said right. He turned back enough to meet Dex’s eyes in the dim light.
“T-to answer your question,” he said, voice breaking. “I do like you.”
Then he slipped out, closing the door gently behind him.
The hallway outside felt too bright, too loud. Fitz kept his head down as he speed-walked toward Agriculture, fingers curled into fists, trying not to cry, hyperventilate, and just simply crumble . He wasn’t sure which would come first.