I imagine the reveal between Sage and Truthless/Vanilla could go two major ways:
* A angry but flustered Sage, âYouâve been messing with me and pretending to mad this whole time how could you!â
* A angry and betrayed Sage, âYouâve pretending this whole time⌠how. could. youâŚâ cause finding out the person who you thought was screwing up your relationship turns out to be the same person as your partner can really mess with you and makes you question everything about the relationship. And youâve almost killed your partner too
I was talking about this with @tigereye7429
So I'mma write it out here!!
Sage had planted his palms on Truthless Recluse's back and shoved him out of the way and felt the telltale rough, unevenness of scar tissue.
Scar tissue he'd memorized and traced a thousand times over on his boyfriend's back.
Truthless Recluse took a few steady breaths now that they were safe, "Nice save back there." He wasn't looking at him.
Sage had to be sure. He crossed the space and wrapped his arms around Truthless Recluse. His sworn enemy. The man who had ruined his life, his reputation, and his relationship!
There was no mistaking that scar.
Pure Vanilla had told him about it the first time Sage had hugged him. A childhood accident involving a friend.
Had that been a lie, too?
To his surprise, Truthless Reclused leaned against him and hugged him back. He seemed to sigh with relief.
Sage leaned down and whispered, "Your shift starts in five hours. You should go home and rest."
Truthless Recluse stiffened and that was all the confirmation he needed.
Truthless Recluse was Pure Vanilla.
Pure Vanilla was Truthless Recluse.
Truthless Recluse pulled back and Sage's hands fell to his hips â where he always held Pure Vanilla when they were playfully bantering with each other.
Truthless Recluse looked up at him, "Sage," his mouth opened and closed uselessly, "Sage, I am so â,"
"Ah, but, we shouldn't be talking, should we? We're supposed to be on a break, right?" Sage tried to keep his voice and face neutral.
Truthless Recluse looked up at him in shock, but his closed his mouth and nodded, "r-right..."
Sage wanted to leave. Wanted to wash his hands of all this unnecessary drama his own boyfriend had put him through. He didn't have to put up with this kind of manipulation, he could literally have any other person on his arm as his partner.
They wouldn't be Pure Vanilla. Not his silly-vanilly.
Truthless Recluse's eyes grew watery and his cheeks burned as he tried hard not to cry.
Sage clicked his tongue and pulled Truthless Recluse back into his arms. Truthless Recluse's nails dug into his arms and his shoulders began to shake with silent sobs.
"Shh, baby, no tears." Sage whispered, "I didn't mean to upset you."
"I've done plenty worse." Truthless Recluse sniffled.
Finally, he was telling the truth about something.
Sage frowned, "Your shift does start soon. You need your rest."
It all made sense now, why Pure Vanilla looked perpetually exhausted. Ten, twelve, sometimes fourteen hour shifts at the hospital, followed by him following Sage for who knows how many hours a night! When was Pure Vanilla allowed to just be Pure Vanilla?
But Truthless Recluse just clung to him tighter and buried his face in his shoulder.
Sage allowed himself this moment. He'd seen, spoken to, and been hunting down his boyfriend to make him pay for what he'd done to him. But...he also hadn't held his boyfriend in weeks.
There were whispers about getting off the street and they disappeared into Sage's civilian apartment. Their suits were discarded, the shower ran, and Sage silently offer Pure Vanilla a pair of shorts and an old tshirt to sleep in.
Pure Vanilla had never spent the night at Sage's place. Sage had never stayed the night at Pure Vanilla's apartment, either.
But they both climbed into bed and immediately became a tangle of limbs the fit together like it was the most natural thing in the world.
Neither had said a word since they'd arrived, and they didn't want to break whatever peace they had tentatively reached.
Sage woke before Pure Vanilla...Truthless Recluse...
Looking at him asleep beside him, he felt like a fool for not noticing it earlier. He reached out and began to twirl a length of hair around his finger. The movement slowly roused Pure Vanilla, who blinked tiredly at him.
"Who am I with right now?" Sage whispered.
Pure Vanilla's eyes were still red and puffy from all the crying.
They'd have to address the elephant in the room, but that could happen later. Right now, Sage just wanted Pure Vanilla.