#so... sorry

“Last box!” Mario called, the loud thud of said cardboard box hitting the floor causing Luigi to flinch. “We’re officially moved in.”

Moved in... Moved in to Toad town, in a world so far away yet just a single pipe from Brooklyn. So far from that apartment they’d grown up in, from their food thief uncles, and mama’s fresh pasta. So far..

Mario’s hand brushed Luigi’s, and the younger flinched, pulling his hand quickly away on reflex.

They’d always been together, Mario and Luigi, as more than just brothers, as long as they could remember. When they were kids it was fine, no one batted an eye. Why was Luigi in Mario’s bed? He’s scared of the dark, and they shared a room anyway. Why does Mario kiss Luigi on the forehead so much? He’s affectionate, let the boy be affectionate.

It wasn’t until Middle school, when their father clonked their heads together, when they’d almost had their first real kiss, when their mother sat them down and talked in her worried, loving voice. She’d explained it like they didn’t know what they were doing, like they were confused, like she’d done wrong by not splitting them sooner.

They got separate rooms after that.

Sense then it got harder. They remained ever the same, but quieter. Secretive. Careful. They didn’t want to disappoint their mother, or get whacked over the head again by their father. They were lucky they were Italian, and affection was the normal between their family. Though somehow it never felt like enough.

“Lu. Luigi. Look at me.” Mario’s hand laced in Luigi’s, there in the living room. Their living room. Their home. Luigi turned to his brother, face red and eyes wet. Here in this house so far away from everything they’d ever know, in a locked house all their own, Mario laid a gentle hand on Luigi’s cheek and pressed his lips over his brother’s.

It wasn’t their first kiss, they’d snuck in a few, and it wasn’t like it’d been forever sense they’d kissed, just earlier today in fact while packing up Luigi’s room they’d exchanged a peck, yet this one. This one. It made Luigi’s leg’s shake.

Luigi wrapped his finger’s around Mario’s overall straps and pressed closer, closer, closer, never close enough. Mario held onto Luigi’s cheeks, bending back into the desk from his bedroom now propped here in their living room, it was all he could do to stop himself from toppling over.

Here in their home Luigi thought this kiss could go on forever and he wouldn’t care. He could run out of breath and keep going. He could starve and still stand there, his lips pressed against his brother’s.

When Mario moved his hands to Luigi’s shoulders and pushed him back, the younger resisted, using Mario’s overalls to pull himself back, pressing back into his lips harder, closer, deeper.

“Lu-” Mario spoke into his brother’s lips, pushing him back again. The older gasped for breath, practically sitting on his old wooden desk.

Luigi found himself snapped out of his trance, immediately retreating three large steps back and he spilled apologizes, wringing his hands together in front of his chest. His cheeks flushed, his eyes stung with tears. He’d gone overboard, he’d always gone overboard. He’s the reason they’d gotten caught in the first place, and nearly gotten caught so many times after. And now here he was, putting Mario at risk again in their brand new home. Why’s he gotta be such a screw up-

Mario’s lips once again pressed to Luigi’s, soft and quick and enough to shut him up. “Deep breath, bro.” He said gently, placing his hand on his brother’s waist, “In and out, nice and slow.”

Luigi took a few steadying breaths before laying his forehead on his brothers shoulder, “I’m sorry..” He shook softly, gripping onto the front of Mario’s overalls.

“For what? Kissin’ the love of you life openly and passionately for the first time in your life? Taking my breath away? Pinnin’ me to my desk like a horn dog?”

“I-I did not PIN you!” Luigi shot up, face deep red as he pushed away from his brother.

Mario chuckled, pulling Luigi back, “You didn’t bend me over the desk kissing at me like you’d never see me again?”

“Shut up!! Shut Up!!!” Luigi slapped his hand over Mario’s face, pushing at him again, “I did not bend you over!!!”

Mario continued to laugh, kissing at Luigi’s hand before scooping him up and spinning them both and toppling onto the couch with Luigi on his lap. The younger buried himself into his brother’s shoulder, ears burning red.

There were boxes to unpack, cleaning and sorting and probably some paper work to be done, but it all could wait.

Raven swallowed slowly, her eyes never leaving his face. “Damian.” She somehow managed to keep her face completely blank, although her lips twitched. “You look…”

Hot, a voice in the back of her head hummed, as if pleased with the sight. Raven shoved that thought deep into the recesses of her mind and forced herself to calm down. She leaned back onto her heels, and crossed her arms over her chest. 

“...different.” She finished slowly.

“Tch.” His lips twitched and he stepped past her and moved deeper into the kitchen, pushing his hair out of his eyes again. “Same.” He looked at her, eyes flicking to the top of her head. “Interesting choice.”

“It wasn’t a choice.” She fingered her shaggy pixie hair, anger rising into her throat. “There was an accident with Gar and gum, and I’d rather not relive the story again.” She was still hot about it, and it was weeks ago that it had happened. “At least I have an excuse. What about you? Channeling Fabio?”  

Damian’s glare was so pointed that Raven was almost certain it speared her heart. Finally he huffed out an annoyed breath and moved to the kettle, setting it on the stove. “I was undercover in Markovia. Longer hair is in fashion, so I did it to fit in.” There was a breath’s pause, and he looked back at her. “What are you doing at Wayne Manor? I thought you were on the other side of the country?”

“Dick called on me to help with some things in Gotham. A potential cult.” Raven shifted, unable to tear her eyes away from the lock of hair that curled against the sharp angle of his cheekbone. The more she looked at him the more her heart sped up, and it was embarrassing. When had Damian grown up? And how had he gotten so damn hot? “He thought I might be able to help identify them.” 

“Mm.” He leaned against the counter and regarded her slowly, as if he couldn’t tear his own eyes away from her. “I finished in Markovia, so I’m back for the foreseeable future. I suppose we’ll be working together.”

Oh no. What a shame. Working with Damian.

Something clicked in her mind.

Training with Damian. 

Her body reacted without warning, and it took every ounce of her control not to audibly moan at the thought of him pinning her to the mats, his body blanketing her own. Damnit. This was embarrassing!

Raven nodded once, and hoped her face didn’t look as hot as it felt. “Ah. I see.” 

She looked up at him and suddenly imagined herself pulling the hair tie from his ponytail, letting his long locks slide against his skin. She wondered what it would be like to run her fingers through his hair as he crowded her space easily. She thought about his hands spanning her waist and shoving her tight against the kitchen counter. She thought about his full lips pressing against her own, drawing out kiss after kiss, until it felt like she couldn’t breathe. Her fingers would tighten in his locks, wrapping her hand tight in the silk of his hair and-

“Are you even listening to me?”

Raven panicked, her heart now slamming against her ribs. She needed to find an excuse… any excuse. “Ah? Sorry. It’s still early, I’m-”

“I said-” He cut her off and rolled his eyes, crossing his arms over his chest. “-we should look over the notes together. See if we can find clues as to what we’re looking for.”

“Mm. Right.” Raven swallowed again, taking a slow breath as she stepped back. She needed to get the hell out of here, or she was going to make a fool of herself. And if they were going to be working together, that was the last thing she needed. “I’m going to start my morning workout then, and afterwards we can-”

“I’ll join you.”

Raven panicked and she whipped back around to stare at him. “W-what?”

“I’ll join you,” he repeated, taking the kettle off the heat. His face was completely blank, betraying none of his own thoughts. “I could use the change in exercise, and you can bring me up to speed with the case at the same time.”

“I don’t… I’d… I’m…” She stumbled over her words for a long moment, trying to think of a good excuse about why she couldn’t train with him, but nothing was coming to mind. Finally, she nodded in defeat and forced a thin smile. “Of course. Give me twenty and we can meet in the training room.”

He nodded in agreement and poured the water into a mug. “In twenty, then.” 

Raven, without waiting for another sentence in their conversation, bolted from the kitchen, feeling his stare follow her every step. It wasn’t until she was outside the door to her guest room that her breath started to still. She shoved open the door to her room and stumbled in, locking the door behind her. A moment passed, and then two, and Raven stumbled to her bed, her knees almost too weak to hold herself up.