#dougxlest

LOOK AT IT

I CRY

It started at a sleepover.

Doug wasn’t sure when it really began, this downward spiral between them, but the sleepover with Kiel was what brought it to Doug’s attention.

All of the boys sat around Kiel’s room chatting when someone brought up Truth or Dare. It was either Kiel or Leon. Doug couldn’t remember who, but all the boys automatically jumped in on it. It was stupid things at first--lick his foot, tell your worst wet dream, etc.

But then it was Leon’s turn. Leon always turned it up a notch, so the boys vibrated in excitement as his gaze flickered over them. They settled on Lest.

“Lest,” he said calmly. “Truth or Dare?”

Lest’s eyes darted around the room. They met Doug’s and Lest quickly looked away again.

“Dare,” he blurted.

Leon grinned wolfishly.

“I dare you to kiss Dylas.”

Something in Doug’s stomach twisted. Kiss Dylas? A man? What was Leon thinking?

His lips parted to protest, but--to his surprise--all the other boys only laughed and encouraged them.

“Do it! Do it!”

Doug watched in amazement as Lest’s cheeks turned cherry red and he crawled onto his knees, shifting towards a blushing Dylas. They gave each other small smiles before Lest leaned forward. Their mouths met in a small peck. It was over in half a second, a mere brush of the lips, but Doug’s jaw dropped.

His heart hammered and something dark tugged at his chest.

Lest settled down next to him again. He glanced at Doug who wrenched his gaze away, not seeing the way Lest’s face fell.

He did notice that Lest barely looked at him the rest of the night, though.

A few days later, Lest came into the shop while Doug was working. They hadn’t talked since then besides the faint hello’s when passing each other. Doug found that his heart still hammered with he looked or even thought about Lest, his mind flickering back to him kissing Dylas.

The door jingled and Doug looked up from the logbook he was updating for Blossom. Lest’s golden hair shone in the sun, his eyes bright as they looked at each other.

A jolt ran through Doug and he looked away.

“Hi, Doug.”

“...Hi, Lest.”

Awkward silence threatened to overwhelm them. Doug heard Lest pad forward and a shadow fell over the book. Doug looked up. Lest chewed on his lip, his eyes on his feet.

“I, uh... wanted to talk. If you had a minute.”

Doug straightened and folded the corner of the page he was on, flipping the logbook closed.

“Sure. Is something wrong?”

“No. Well... at least, I hope not.”

Doug’s brow furrowed. Lest took a deep breath and finally met his eyes.

“We haven’t really talked since Kiel’s sleepover,” Lest said. “Since... um, since that dare. With Dylas.”

Doug’s throat tightened.

“Yeah I remember.”

Lest winced and looked away. There was a beat. Then--

“I just... I don’t want this to change anything between us,” he said quietly. “Even if... if you don’t approve of someone like me, I still want to be friends--”

“Someone like you?” Doug echoed.

Lest glanced up from beneath his lashes. The sunlight played on his pale skin, his eyes bright and worried.

“I like men, Doug,” Lest said. “In... um. In a romantic way. I figured you knew that after the dare, and that’s why you were avoiding me. But... Even if you don’t like it, I want to be friends.”

“I don’t--” Doug swallowed as Lest looked up at him again, hope sparking in his gaze. “It’s not--it’s not that. I was just surprised. That’s all. I don’t--I don’t dislike you, Lest. I’m just not used to it. The Sechs don’t really... like that kind of thing. I don’t have a problem with it, though, Lest. I haven’t been avoiding you.”

Or perhaps he had, but not for the reason Lest thought.

The farmer perked up, his eyes brightening.

“Really?” he said, and Doug nodded. Lest beamed them, a sight that stole the breath right from Doug’s chest. “Great! Well, I’m glad we talked. I was stressing out a lot over it.”

Lest laughed and Doug’s heart constricted.

“So,” he began slowly, “You and Dylas...?”

Lest blinked.

“Oh! No. I’m not... I’m not with anyone.” Lest smiled tightly. “Dylas and I are just friends.”

“Right. Okay.”

Lest’s smile softened.

“Okay. I’ll see you later, Doug.”

“Yeah, see ya.”

Lest swept out of the store then, a hop in his step as though a weight had been taken from his shoulders.

Behind him, Doug slumped in his chair.

He couldn’t get him out of his mind.

Every moment, Doug couldn’t help but wonder where Lest was and what he was doing. When they spent time together, Doug’s gaze lingered, taking in every inch of pale skin, the easy way Lest smiled, the soft curve of his plump mouth. He shouldn’t feel this way. Should he? Then again, Lest felt this way about men. He’d said so himself. 

Saying Doug was wrong for feeling this way would say the same of Lest, and Doug refused to think like that. There was nothing wrong with Lest.

Convincing himself that there was nothing wrong with him, either, was harder.

Time passed and they kept up their friendship. They grew closer, as friends do--they spoke more about Doug’s past and Lest’s lack of one, of their insecurities, their hopes. They didn’t talk about romance. They didn’t talk about men or women or dating. Part of Doug was grateful, but the other half was paranoid that Lest was too worried to bring it up. Despite his newfound feelings, Doug wanted Lest to be able to come to him with anything--crushes, dates, the works.

They were friends, after all.

“Stop it--Doug, you traitor--”

Lest’s laughter peeled across the room, his head falling back as Doug’s fingers tickled his sides. The farmer squirmed, grasping for anything on the desk to throw at Doug.

The sun was fading and the store had been closed for about thirty minutes now, but the two boys had hardly noticed, caught up in conversation.

Now they laughed as Doug pulled back, allowing Lest to catch his breath.

Lest’s cheeks were pink, his hair mussed and his shirt tugged off-center to reveal a glimpse of his milky collarbone.

Doug took in all of these things, as well as the way Lest’s tongue darted across his lips before he spoke.

“That’s not fair,” he teased.

“All’s fair in love and war,” Doug shot back.

Lest flushed and looked away, but his grin grew. Doug watched him for a moment.

“Do you...”

Lest glanced up at him. Doug pushed on.

“Have you been interested in anyone lately?” he asked innocently. “I mean... any dates or anything like that?”

Lest bit his lip.

“Oh... no. I’m not really... well. People might be okay with it here, but that doesn’t make dating much easier.”

He laughed, but it was strained. Doug watched him, gathering his courage. Before he could back out, he said--

“Would you go on a date with me?”

Lest’s head snapped to him, purple eyes wide. Doug’s heart hammered. For a long moment they stood watching each other, Doug’s breath caught in his throat.

“You...” Lest finally began. “...Really? I thought...?”

Doug forced a shrug.

“So did I.”

Lest watched him for a moment before smiling. Doug’s heart soared.

Day 1: First time/First Kiss or Worst Date

Not explicit! PG-13 at most

This is based on a head cannon that I have that Selphia doesn’t approve of sex before marriage

Everyone was getting worried.

They saw the way Doug was acting--the way his eyes were constantly gazed, and he jumped when anyone spoke to him because he’d been too caught up in his own thoughts.

Lest was supposed to only be gone for one week.

It had been three.

A week before Lest left for his journey, Doug and Lest had announced their engagement, and even bought a small house. 

Doug had promised to wait to furnish it until Lest came back so they could do it together. True to his word, he hadn’t touched it since, and all that sat inside it was a small mattress and some blankets on which he slept.

>Part 1<

Another nightmare.

The castle was on fire. Venti was dead. 

Before him, Doug fought with a Giant, and was losing. His forehead was cut and bleeding, his body all cut up. Behind him, he could see Amber’s body, mangled and unmoving.

“No...” Lest whispered, trying to move to help, to do something. His body refused to move; he was glued in place, forced to watch.

“No!” he cried, “NO!”

He woke up gasping, and the movement caused a sharp, burning pain to spread through his chest. Before him was the night sky, sprinkled with stars peeking between the clouds. He heard and felt a fire crackling a few feet away.

Lest heard shuffling, and Doug’s face appeared, his brows furrowed.

“Lest?” Doug whispered, reaching up and tugging at Lest’s shirt, “What’s wrong? Does it hurt?”

Lest’s face flushed as Doug pulled his shirt down, and Lest lifted a hand to stop him. Just the motion hurt, and he felt his fingers brush over a cotton pad on his collarbone before the energy left him. His arm fell beside him uselessly, aching at the effort.

He didn’t move while Doug peeled the patch back and observed the wound. The cool night air made it sting, and Lest took in a sharp breath.

Doug quickly replaced it before disappearing for a moment. A second later he reappeared with a small vial in his hands.

“Here,” he said, uncapping it and slipping a hand behind Lest’s head, “Drink it. I tried to ground it up the best I could. It seems to be working, but this’ll help with pain. Granny Blossom showed me how to do it.”

Supported by Doug’s hand, Lest lifted his head as Doug brought the vial to his lips and tilted it. The lukewarm liquid ran down his throat, along with a few leafy particles. They caught in his throat and caused him to cough, spilling some on his shirt and Doug’s hand.

Lest’s face burned but Doug didn’t seem to mind. He waited until Lest had drained the vial before settling Lest down and disappearing again.

A moment later he was at Lest’s side, brushing his blonde bangs from his face. Warm fingers settled against Lest’s forehead and his eyelids fluttered.

Then, to his surprise, a slow smile grew on Doug’s lips.

“Fever’s gone,” Doug said, revealing a bit of his sharp canine as he spoke.

His eyes were dark, his red hair aglow in the firelight behind him. Lest pushed down the spike of arousal that went through him at the sight, and he forced himself to look away.

He practically felt Doug frown.

“What’s wrong?” Doug asked, “Why’d you wake up? The pain?”

Lest swallowed and nodded slightly.

“Yeah,” he whispered, and found that his voice was hoarse from misuse. This brought a question to his lips. “How long have I been...?”

Doug shrugged, settling down next to him.

“Two days, I think.”

Lest’s eyes widened and he tried to push himself up. He didn’t make it far before he fell back with a groan, and Doug’s hand on his shoulder.

“What’re you--” Doug began.

“We have to go,” Lest urged, “We have to save Venti.”

Doug frowned.

“Look,” he said seriously, “She’s not going anywhere. And you’re not any use to her when you’re hurt. So just rest, alright? You should see what you look like. It ain’t pretty.”

Lest glared at him. He couldn’t think of anything to say so he just muttered,

“Shut up. I’m beautiful.”

Doug blinked in surprise before chuckling.

“You keep telling yourself that,” he teased. He brushed Lest’s hair from his forehead almost absentmindedly, and didn’t think anything of it before he caught Lest staring at him.

Doug’s face turned almost as red as his hair, the color flushing beautiful on his tan skin.

“...Get some sleep,” Doug muttered, “I’ll wake you up in a bit to eat.”

Lest nodded and Doug moved away.

After a moment Lest turned his head to look up at the sky, his heart fluttering and his mind numb with wonder.

Two days. Doug had been taking care of him for two days? Had he had to take any more venom out? Lest’s fingers itched to touch the gauze on his chest, but he simply didn’t have the energy, so instead he let his mind wander.

It wandered to the feeling, faint as he could remember it, of Doug’s lips and tongue on his collarbone.

Lest quickly diverted to another path.

It wandered to Doug brushing his bangs out of his face.

How many times had Doug done that while Lest was asleep? Was it just to check his temperature, or something else?

Lest closed his eyes.

Another thing that was on his mind made him smile; this was the most he and Doug had talked since before this whole Venti business started. Maybe, just maybe, they had finally settled this awkwardness between them, and they’d be able to move on.

In the morning, Lest woke feeling more rested than he had been the past week. Since the first nightmare before Doug woke him, Lest hadn’t had any more, which he considered a success.

Doug thankfully didn’t coddle him, but he still occasionally asked if Lest was in any pain, or offered to reapply his bandage.

Each time Lest denied it with a soft smile, and Doug would hesitate before returning it.

It was small, but it was a step in the right direction. They were finally discussing things other than the mission, and warmth spread in Lest’s chest. This was only partially hindered by the confusion in his mind as his body’s reaction to Doug.

Lest wasn’t an idiot; he knew what lust was. But why he suddenly felt it for Doug and how he was supposed to handle it, Lest was at a loss.

Still, it seemed like things were finally looking up for him and Doug.