Reputations Aren't Worth It | Fedex Fanfiction

Chapter 16

"Here is your cup of coffee."
Fitz sat down across from Dex at a table, sliding over the cup of coffee he got for the male. Dex tapped his fingers against the cup and smiled.
"Thanks." Dex said, looking at Fitz who was already taking a sip of some tea he had ordered.

Dex actually stared at Fitz in a bit more detail now. His hair was slightly longer than it used to be, his facial features weren't that different than they used to be. So, Fitz was still as handsome as ever.

"So do you not like coffee?" Dex asked, as he lifted his cup of coffee to sip it.
"Mmh, I don't mind coffee. But Elowyn doesn't like to have coffee in the house. She prefers tea, so... I don't really have much coffee. Plus when I do have coffee and I get home, she instantly starts to scold me for drinking coffee and having coffee breath." Fitz said, managing a smile.
Dex bit his inner cheek.

"... Why did you marry Elowyn? "Dex asked, tilting his head.
"I-I don't want to be rude. Especially since we haven't spoken for like... about 8 years now? But... Fitz, you don't seem happy."
Fitz sighed softly as he took another sip of the cup of tea.
"Why do you think?" Fitz asked.
"I had that silly Gala, Elowyn was the third name on my list, and my father and Lord Vincent have always shown clear intentions of setting us up together. Plus I was the first name on Elowyn's list, so that just made it perfect."

Fitz leaned against the table and tapped his fingers against the wood.
"... I've learned to tolerate my wife. "Fitz mumbled.
"Which is... ridiculous, right? I mean, people get married if they're meant to be. If they truly love each other. Keefe and Tam proved that when they got married."
Dex tapped his fingers against his cup of coffee again.

"You're in a loveless marriage and... you're fine with it?" Dex questioned.
"I mean... Biana is still single even though your father has been trying to set her up with every single guy in the Lost Cities. You're telling me you still can't face your father and tell him you want to be happy and not... 'perfect' all the time?"
Fitz gulped as he ran his fingers through his hair.

"How come you and Keefe are always telling me the same things?" Fitz sighed out, leaning back in his seat.
"The day of my wedding, before getting married, Keefe told me something similar."
Dex stared at Fitz, tilting his head in intrigue. Fitz bit his lower lip.
"Keefe... he told me, 'are you sure this is what you want? You can back out now, if you wait until after you're married, it'll be harder to get listed as a bad match. Tell your dad you aren't going to be happy being married to a girl like her'." Fitz said, now fiddling with his hands.
Fitz stared at his hands and he began to fiddle with his wedding ring.

"And you know what I did?" Fitz looked at Dex.
"You didn't want to ruin your reputation or your name from being a runaway groom and got married." Dex said, staring at Fitz's wedding ring.
Fitz gave Dex a sad smile.
"Correct." Fitz said.
"And Keefe never really brought the whole thing up again. He knew that if I got married, then that would be it. There'd be no way of convincing me that I should do things for myself and not for my family."
Dex sighed out softly.

"... Fitz, how long did it take for you to get over me?" Dex asked, staring at his cup of coffee rather than Fitz.
Fitz stayed silent. Dex felt his nerves rise. He didn't know if that was the right thing to ask. If he even should ask such a question.
"I never got over you." Fitz confessed.
Dex looked at Fitz as soon as he said that. They locked eyes and Dex felt speechless. His mouth felt dry and he gulped. These intense emotions, how his body was reacting, felt exactly the same when Fitz had told him he loved Dex for the first time.

"Wh-" Dex began.
Fitz's imparter began to go off and Fitz smiled at Dex.
"One second." Fitz said, grabbing his imparter.
Dex just watched Fitz as Fitz connected to whoever was hailing him.

"Fitzroy, where are you?!"
Dex scoffed quietly as he heard that screechy voice of Fitz's wife.
"Mmh, I was just buying some medicine for you. I'll be back home soon, I promise. I'll make you some soup too." Fitz said, keeping calm and collected as he spoke to his wife.
Dex watched Fitz's facial expressions. He had a slight smile on his face, but his eyes looked so tired. Dex tapped his fingers against the table, waiting for Fitz to be done with his conversation with Elowyn.

"I- get home now. I feel like shit and I need my husband's company." Elowyn grumbled.
"Mmhm...I'll see you in a few minutes, okay?" Fitz said.
"Sit tight. I'll be home soon."
"If you're not home within 10 minutes Fitz, I swear that I'll--" Elowyn cut herself off as she began to have a coughing fit.
Fitz disconnected with his wife and placed his imparter into his pocket.

Dex stared at Fitz and Fitz gave Dex a smile.
"I... need to go." Fitz said, grabbing his bag with bottles of elixirs and medicine.
"But...Dex, I really am sorry for how I ended things between us. I really was an idiot and an asshole. I hope you forgive me."
"B-but you can't just leave. I mean, you just told me that... that-" Dex stopped himself.
"...that you still..."
Dex felt a lump in his throat and he furrowed his eyebrows at Fitz.
Fitz had a crystal in his hand now, clearly ready to light-leap home.

Fitz fiddled with the crystal.
"I'll see you around, Sir Dex." Fitz said, his voice quiet.
"... See you, Lord Fitz." Dex mumbled, looking away.
Fitz then light-leapt away and Dex stated at the cup of tea in front of him.
Fitz had only drunken half of his cup.

Dex's breath was shaky and he ran his fingers through his hair
How could... how could Fitz practically confess to him and leave him? How could Fitz do that?
Dex didn't know how he felt. He felt... extremely conflicted.

Fitz was a married guy.
But he wasn't happy in his marriage and his wife was clearly a piece of work.

And what was Dex supposed to do now? What would he do from here about these confusing feelings?

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Word count: 1125