Reputations Matter Most | Fedex Fanfiction

Chapter 27

"What do you mean you're having dinner over at Rimeshire?" Alden asked, furrowing his eyebrows.
Fitz fixed his cape and clipped his family crest on as he looked at his mother, father and Biana who looked at him.
"Well, Juline and Kesler invited me over." Fitz stated, smiling at his father.
"It'd be rude to decline-"
"They are outcasts, Fitz." Alden stated.

Fitz felt his breath hitch and hoped no one noticed.
Della looked at Alden and Biana stared at Fitz, feeling worried for her brother.
"Dex is my friend." Fitz stated, fixing his cape.
He ran his fingers through his hair as he looked at his father.
"And Kesler seemed to have taken a liking to me ever since I helped him out with some experiments and-"
Fitz had a genuine smile on his face as he was about to speak of his experience with Kesler, but it soon faded.
"You what?" Alden raised his eyebrows.

Della sighed softly as she took Alden's hand into hers, gently squeezing his hand.
"Fitz, dear...don't mind your father." Della said, looking at Fitz.
Fitz looked at his mother and he smiled again.
"I'm allowed?" Fitz questioned.
"No-" Alden began.
Alden let out a small yelp as Della pinched his skin.
"Yes!" Della smiled at Fitz.
"You're allowed. Just hail me when you're coming back, and we can enjoy tea together and you can tell me about your experience with the Dizznee's." 
Biana felt herself smile as she watched how her mother seemed to shut down her father so quickly.
Fitz nodded.
"Thank you, and I look forward to that." Fitz said.
"I'll be back in a few hours."
And with that, Fitz walked off.

Alden escaped Della's grasp and he looked at his wife.
"Why would you do that?" Alden questioned, rubbing his hand where Della pinched him.
"My dear, you're too hard on Fitz." Della said, smiling sweetly.
"He deserves some fun with his friends."
"He has Keefe-" Alden began.
"He now has Dex. A sweet boy who may come from a less prestigious family, but he has a good impact on our boy. Just be thankful Fitz hasn't turned out to be like...Alvar." Della said, a little hesitant to mention their eldest son.

Biana went over to her mother and placed her hands on her shoulder.
"Yeah, Dex is good for Fitz." Biana said, looking at her father.
"I mean, he seems happier ever since they've began to hang out more!"
Alden glanced between Della and Biana.
"...Still... Fitz needs to keep up his image." Alden said, looking away and running his fingers through his hair.
Biana made a face and she let out a soft sigh.
"And what does that exactly mean?" Biana asked, looking at her father.
Alden looked at Biana.
"To be around other prodigies or people from noble families, get himself a girlfriend from a prestigious family and well...that sort of thing." Alden stated.
"The same goes for you, rather than a girlfriend, you'd get a boyfriend. A nice young gentleman."
Biana felt herself cringe.
"Eugh, yeah no." Biana said, walking off.
"Boys are gross. I would know, I grew up around 3 of them! Well, 4 if we're counting you!"

Alden furrowed his eyebrows as he watched Biana walk off, leave the room.
"We need to start teaching Biana these sort of things-" Alden began, looking at Della.
"Biana is a capable young lady." Della said.
"She will manage whether or not she has a boy."
"But-" Alden began.
Della kissed Alden's cheek.
"Our children will be fine as long as they do not succumb to evil. Okay? It doesn't matter if they're not dating, or they don't plan to date or if they hang out with 'outcasts'." Della said.
"Now, I need to prepare dinner."
Alden grumbled as Della got up and left.

*****

Dex was making sure the table was set up along with his father as his mother was trying to make sure the triplets would look...well somewhat decent and wearing 'proper' sort of clothing.
"We should have dinner with Fitz's family one day too." Kesler said as he set the plates out on the table.
Dex hummed before he clocked what his father actually suggested.
"Oh uh!" Dex exclaimed, stopping himself from setting out the utensils.
"That may not be a good idea."
Kesler raised his eyebrows.
"How come?" Kesler asked.
"It's just- well...Fitz isn't out to Lady Della or Lord Alden yet. He's afraid of what they'll think of him, if they may kick him out and that sort of thing..." Dex said, shrugging.
Kesler frowned.

"...Well, when he does come out and if it does come to him being kicked out, he's more than welcome to stay over here." Kesler shrugged.
"I like that Vacker boy anyways."
Dex smiled as he looked how his father finished setting up the table.
"I'm glad to hear that." Dex said, sighing softly as he set down the rest of the utensils.
Dex's head perked up as he heard a knock on the door.
"Ah, go welcome your boyfriend." Kesler said, looking at Dex.
Dex felt a blush grow on his cheeks as he quickly left the dining room to go towards the front door.

Once Dex had made it to the front door, he unlocked it and opened it to see Fitz fiddling with his crest.
"Hey." Dex smiled.
Fitz looked at Dex and a smile grew on his face.
"Hi." Fitz said, looking nervous.
Dex stepped out of the way and Fitz entered the house. Dex shut the door and locked it.
"I hope your parents were fine with this." Dex said as Fitz undid his cape.
Dex took Fitz's cape and placed it aside somewhere for him to get later on when he'd leave.
"Well, my dad didn't seem too pleased but my mother was fine with it." Fitz said.
"Ah..." Dex nodded.
"Well, come on. Me and my dad just set up the table and my mother and siblings will be down soon."

Dex began to walk off and Fitz followed behind as he fiddled with his shirt, straightening it out.
They made it to the dining room and Kesler smiled at Fitz.
"Fitz, my boy!" Kesler exclaimed, his arms opened out as he approached Fitz.
Fitz couldn't help but smile as Kesler walked up to him and embraced him into a hug. Fitz placed his hands on Kesler's back, giving him a quick pat on the back before he pulled away. Kesler rested his hands on Fitz's shoulders.
"Good evening Kesler. Thank you for inviting me to dinner." Fitz said, trying to keep as polite as possible.
"Oh of course! You're Dex's boyfriend! We're happy to have you around!" Kesler exclaimed.
Fitz blinked and he looked at Dex.

"Oh! Y-you know about that." Fitz said, feeling strange.
Kesler noticed how Fitz's expression changed and he sort of backed away.
Dex bit his lower lip.
"Fitz, they already knew I was gay and plus my dad sort of asked me about it and I wasn't going to lie to him." Dex said.
Fitz looked at Dex and smiled.
"No, no, I'm fine with it!" Fitz exclaimed.
"I just...sorry, I feel bad now that my parents don't even know."
Fitz averted his gaze.

Kesler looked at Dex and Dex seemed unsure what to say.
"Fitz, you're simply not ready to be out to your parents." Kesler said, looking at Fitz with a comforting smile.
Fitz looked at Kesler and he felt...he felt a lot of warm feelings inside when he seen how kind Kesler was being.
"And we know how prestigious your family is, and that they may not be accepting." Kesler continued on.
"Just, don't hide yourself in front of us. We're accepting of everything deemed 'weird'."
Fitz smiled.
"Thank you, Kesler." Fitz said, nodding.

"Oh! Our guest is already here!"
Fitz looked over to see Juline, who seemed exhausted with the triplets running in behind her.
Kesler made his way over to Juline and wrapped his arm around her waist, kissing her cheek.
"FITZYY!!"
The triplets all yelled as they ran up towards Fitz.
Fitz yelped as the triplets all ran around him. Bex tugged at his sleeve, Rex tugged at his other sleeve while Lex tried to jump onto his back.
Dex couldn't help but laugh as Fitz seemed to be panicked and unsure how to deal with this amount of energy.
"Haha! Alright guys! Stop it!" Dex exclaimed, going over and first picking up Lex, to make sure he wouldn't jump up onto Fitz's back.
Lex grumbled as Dex plopped him into his chair at the table.
"No fair! I wanted Fitz to let me sit on his shoulders!" Lex exclaimed.
"Then you should have asked." Dex stated, taking Rex and Bex by their hands and dragging them away from Fitz.
Fitz blinked as he watched Dex deal with his siblings. He was impressed.

"We are so glad you were able to come here, Fitz."
Fitz looked over at Juline who smiled at him. Fitz smiled back.
"I'm glad you invited me over, Juline." Fitz said.
Juline sighed softly as she glanced at the triplets and how Dex made sure they were now behaving.
"I'm sorry for that ambush-" Juline began.
"Wasn't an ambush!" Lex exclaimed.
"Yep! It would've ended with Fitz being way more messy and disheveled looking if it were an ambush!" Rex exclaimed.
"We would've tackled him to the ground!" Bex also exclaimed.
"Guys, stop it." Dex scowled.
Fitz really couldn't stop himself from smiling and laughing.

"Haha! It's alright, seriously...I haven't had that many people so excited to see me in a while." Fitz said, a grin on his face.
Dex hummed, making his way over to Fitz and wrapping his arm around his shoulder.
"So...your fangirls don't count?" Dex grinned.
"I mind it when they come up to me and bother me." Fitz stated.
"That's the only difference."
Dex smiled and placed a peck on Fitz's cheek.
"Right, soon you'll be irritated with my siblings whenever you visit." Dex said.
"Mmh...we'll see." Fitz smiled.
Kesler and Juline glanced at each other, both smiling. They hadn't seen Dex this happy in a while. It was heart-warming.
"Alright boys, take a seat." Juline said.
"I'll start getting dinner on the table."
Juline walked off, kissing Kesler's cheek before she left. Dex and Fitz made their way to some seats, where they could sit next to one another while Kesler went ahead and sat by the head of the table.

"So, Fitz will you stay after dinner?" Kesler asked, smiling at Fitz.
Fitz ensured he was sat up straight and he smiled at Kesler.
"My mother would like to spend some time together, so I'm afraid not. Perhaps next time I'll be able to." Fitz said.
"Awh, what a shame. Dexter and I were planning on mixing some of my alchemy skills with one of his gadgets. It's going to be incredibly messy." Kesler said.
"Yep, lots of explosions, having to work out what to change in my gadget in order to make it work-" Dex was about to ramble.

"Ooh! Can we join?" Lex smiled at his father and brother.
"Your mother won't allow it." Kesler said.
"You three need to wait a little longer before you can make explosions too."
"I will not be having everyone in this household causing explosions, thank you very much." Juline said, walking in with a tray of what looked to be lasagne.
The triplets made a whining noise while Kesler and Dex laughed.
Juline looked at Fitz and sighed softly.
"You wouldn't believe how difficult it is to ensure they don't cause as much trouble as Dex and Kesler do." Juline said.
Fitz couldn't help but smile.
"Haha, well keep up the hard work. I'm sure if practically everyone in the house began to cause explosions, you'd all end up losing a limb at some point." Fitz said.
Juline smiled at Fitz as she set down the tray.

The triplets were ready to get their own share of the lasagne-like food on the table before Juline whacked their heads.
"Hey, I still need to bring out the rest. And we should let Fitz pick his share first."
"But-!"
"You three have no patience." Dex stated, looking at his siblings.
"Oh says the guy who will smash his gadget into pieces if it doesn't work!" Lex exclaimed.
Dex scowled. "Hey! That's because I'd adjusted it and tried to make it work as many times that it frustrated me and-"
"No excuse!" Bex exclaimed.
Dex grumbled.
"You guys are worse than I am though-!" Dex exclaimed.
"Are not!" The triplets exclaimed in sync.
"Oh, are too!" Kesler exclaimed, looking at the triplets.

"Wha- Daaaddd!!"
"Haha! Dad's on my side! I'm the favourite~!"
"WHAT?!"
"There is NO way!"
"DAD, IS DEX THE FAVOURITE?!"
"Oh, well yeah-!"
"Kesler! Watch your tongue!"

Fitz felt strange.
He had never been in such a lively environment before. He couldn't help but smile and laugh as this interaction went on.
His dinners with his family were always...quiet. They'd talk, but in a normal conversational way. And if he or Biana ever began to bicker, their father would shut it down and scold them.
But this? Kesler was amusing his children, the triplets were getting riled up and Dex was grinning and laughing while making comments towards his younger siblings. 
Their dinners were completely different to his own. And Fitz...

Fitz loved this atmosphere.

*****

"I am sorry for all that arguing and...how loud we were." Juline said as Fitz was putting on his cape.
Kesler was getting the triplets to help clean up after the dinner they had in the kitchen while Dex and Juline were just saying their final goodbye to Fitz.
"Haha, no it was no worries!" Fitz exclaimed, smiling at Juline.
Dex furrowed his eyebrows at Fitz's family crest and walked up to him. Fitz looked at Dex as Dex began to fix how Fitz's family crest was placed. His cheeks turned red but he looked at Juline as she began to speak.
"Yes, well...I'm sure your family dinners are a lot more peaceful." Juline smiled softly.
Fitz sighed softly.
"They are, yes...but I honestly did not mind. I liked how lively it was. It was a pleasant change." Fitz said.
Juline nodded.

"Well...if you ever want a chaotic dinner, you are welcome whenever. I make a lot of food for the six of us so we'll always have enough for one more person." Juline said.
Fitz felt so many warm and positive emotions.
"A-ah, thank you, Juline." Fitz smiled.
Juline smiled and nodded. "Of course, Fitz. Now I should make sure my husband and my other children are not making a mess of the kitchen themselves. Have a lovely night."
Fitz nodded and Juline walked off, leaving him and Dex alone.

Dex gently straightened out Fitz's cape and smiled as he backed away slightly.
"Your crest didn't look 'perfect'." Dex said.
Fitz rolled his eyes.
"Ha-ha. Thank you." Fitz smiled.
Dex laughed softly and he grinned at Fitz.
"You're very welcome~!"

Fitz bit his lower lip as he took a step forward, his hands on Dex's waist.
Dex gulped and he looked at Fitz as he felt his cheeks turn red.
"Uh...s-so, you have a good time?" Dex asked.
Fitz smiled and nodded. "Yeah, your family is...really nice to be around."
"You say that now." Dex softly sighed.
Fitz leaned in and Dex felt his breath hitch.
Fitz gently kissed Dex's cheek, a little closer to his lips though. It wasn't as if his lips touched Dex's lips, but it was close.
Dex blinked as he looked at Fitz who backed away.

"I'm not gonna cross your boundaries but...it's difficult not kissing you directly on the lips." Fitz said, grinning as he rubbed his neck.
"Really, tell your parents that I want to thank them for a lovely evening again and that I'd like to invite them for dinner one day too."
Fitz grabbed his home crystal.
"Uh- hold on Vacker!" Dex exclaimed, grabbing Fitz's hand to ensure he wouldn't light-leap away so quickly.
Fitz blinked and he looked at Dex.
Dex bit his lower lip and smiled at Fitz.

"Just this once, I'm gonna kiss you on the lips." Dex said, his voice sort of quieter.
"I...I'm curious to see if I'll feel anything."
Fitz raised his eyebrows.
"Are your emotions not enough-?" Fitz began.
"I'll explain what I mean another time, now, do you wanna kiss or not?" Dex asked, raising his eyebrows.
Fitz smiled as he leaned in.
"Haha, okay...I wanna kiss." Fitz said.
Dex smiled as he reached up.
"That's what I thought Vacker."

Dex gently shut his eyes and placed his lips against Fitz's. Fitz kissed Dex back as he shut his eyes too. Dex's hands slipped into Fitz's as they shared this timid and soft kiss. It only lasted for a few moments before Dex pulled away.
Dex opened his eyes and looked into Fitz's teal eyes.
"Mmh..." Dex hummed, squeezing Fitz's hands.
Fitz furrowed his eyebrows, smiling.
"So how do you feel?" Fitz asked.
Dex smiled and quickly pecked Fitz's lips before he backed away.
"Sparks." Dex stated, a grin on his face.
Fitz's cheeks were red as Dex caught him by surprise from that quick and very gentle peck.
"S-sparks...o-okay, mmh..." Fitz said, sort of wiping thumb against his lips as he could still feel that sensation of Dex's chapped lips against his.
Dex couldn't help but giggle.

"Haha! Okay, go! I don't want your parents to think we've kidnapped you or something." Dex said, fiddling with his hands.
Fitz fiddled with his home crystal and smiled at Dex.
"Uh, right... I'll hail you before I go to bed, okay?" Fitz questioned as he held his crystal up.
Dex nodded.
"I'll explain what I meant when you hail me then." Dex smiled.
Fitz nodded and the next moment, he had light-leapt away back home.

Dex bit his lower lip and let out a groan as he leaned against the wall now. He fiddled with his hands as he could not stop himself from smiling. 
He kissed Fitz Vacker.
And there were sparks. There was...so many genuine and real emotions that just erupted inside of him. His stomach was fluttery, his heart was about to explode and his brain was fuzzy as all he could think about was how soft and gentle Fitz's lips were. How perfect that first kiss was. How sweet and gentle it was. How Fitz was just so accepting.

Dex was so in love with Fitz.


---------------------------------------------------------

Word count: 2874