requested by @The Empress of Multishipping on the wiki
0.7k words
tw: uh i dont think so? there's angst and stuff idk
Dex saw it all.
He saw how Keefe looked at Sophie, like she was the one person he loved most in the world, like she was perfection in every shape and form. He saw how she laughed at him, her golden flecked eyes dancing with joy. He saw how they talked, blushes and compliments exchanged as they looked at each other with an emotion eerily similar to love.
He saw how their hugs lasted too long to be friendly and how they touched, small gestures that felt meaningful at the same time. He saw how they flirted and laughed and grew closer and closer, gravitating to one another. He saw the secret looks they snuck when they thought no one was watching.
It was the same old story every time, the same picture that Dex was always left out of.
And it was expected of course, Dex knew this was inevitable. He was the odd one out, only there for some unknown reason. The sidekick tagging along while the heroes saved the day. The Technopath who stayed behind working on odd projects while everyone else did much more important things. He was the forgotten one, the spare, and this? It would always be like this, there was no point of hoping otherwise.
But still, there was a part of Dex that wished desperately those same ice blue eyes would turn to him, bright and laughing and filled with affection. That Keefe would grasp his hands like that, tightly like he'd never let go. That the blonde would smile at Dex like that, lips spread into an uncontrollable grin.
But that would never happen, not in this world where no one noticed him, in a world where boys liked girls and girls liked boys and no one complained.
▪▪▪
"Sophie and I have a date later, sorry." Keefe looked sorry enough, but at the same time, there was an aloofness to his gaze that indicated he'd rather not be here, talking to Dex.
It took an unbearably long moment for the words to process. The world was frozen, Dex was frozen. He couldn't blink, couldn't breathe, as Keefe's words sunk in.
And then it returned to normal pace, Keefe's fingers tapping on the table, his eyes flicking from place to place before finally settling on Dex's own.
"Y-you're dating?" Dex managed, hopelessness and surprise twisting through the words, each one a struggle to say.
Of course, of course this had happened. It was inevitable, bound to happen sooner or later. Dex really was a fool for not smothering the tiny ember of hope he'd had.
Keefe didn't seem to notice how choked out Dex's words were. "Uh, yeah. Have been for more than a month, I thought we told everyone who needed to know?"
The words were seemingly innocent but Dex could only stare as they morphed into something darker inside him. Forgotten, once again, a sinister voice inside him whispered, sending chills running down Dex's spine. "Oh. You didn't tell me, I guess," he said blankly.
"Must have forgotten," Keefe said with a shrug.
Forgotten. Again. Dex tried to not show how much the words hurt, stabbing into his soul like daggers.
Trying again to speak, he managed, "That's... it's great! I'm so happy for you!"
He was, he was glad his best friend and Keefe were dating. They were perfect for each other in every way and they made each other happy, what more could he ask for? He would be supportive, no matter what.
And being forgotten was normal anyway, he was making too much of a deal out of it again. This was expected, it was routine. He was used to it.
But that didn't really stop the sharp pain shooting through his heart as he smiled up at Keefe.
Everything's fine, he reminded himself. Completely fine.
Keefe gave a small smile at him. "Thanks." Glancing at the ticking clock above, he added, "I have to go now. But it was nice talking to you."
Dex chose not to mention they'd hardly talked at all. "Yeah," he said his finger absentmindedly tracing over the smooth metal of one of his gadgets. Keefe walked out the door, not another look back.
This is fine, it's normal, it always happens. Just put on a smile because everything's fine, no matter how much it hurts.
(It would only be later at night when the tears fell. When he silently screamed at the world and wished he weren't so broken and useless and forgettable. When everything splintered apart, broken pieces of glass too fractured to fix. Just like him)
right so i must have been in a weird mood when i wrote this like a month ago, i'm sorry you have to see it but here--
