The whole thing is so noble—-it really shows just how much that Idia has changed. To find his own purpose in the one he was assigned at birth. To want to make a good change. Cater lunges forward to hold onto him as close as he can, clutching tightly as he sobs.
“I never even thought that I…”
Later, he’ll have a lot more to say and to contribute. Right now though, he feels selfish too. All he cares about is being at Idia’s side.
“I’ll stay with you all the way. No matter where it takes us. My home is you—-and I’m not moving anymore.”
As much as it hurts to hear Cater sobbing and knowing what triggered this spiral, Idia's heart fills with warmth. They're going to stay together, one way or another. This bond that's grown so quickly has bloomed into something neither of them could've ever imagined. He cradles Cater against his chest, letting those tears soak into his shirt.
"You're my home, too. My save point. So even if I have to go back to the Isle of Woe for the rest of my life, I'll be okay with it as long as you're there. I'll make sure the official request goes in ASAP, and you'll travel with me when it's time."
“Okay,” Cater agrees. And then again, as his tears ease and he starts to calm, “okay.”
Slowly, his body begins to relax. He looks up, wet-faced and blotchy…but this time he starts to smile, panic mitigated. “Imagine Idia Shroud, bringing a scandal home with him.”
His voice is playful even as he sniffles. “Watch out, Isle of Woe. Cater Diamond’s coming for you.”
Idia can't help a soft snort of laughter. "The STYX researchers won't know what to make of you. You'll liven things up, that's for sure. And just think... we'll get to share a room there. No more sneaking around after curfew."
They'll have to exercise some serious willpower, otherwise they might simply stay in Idia's old room and never come out to do any work. But getting to sleep in each other's arms will do wonders for both of them, if the rare nights they get to do it at NRC are any indication.
Leaning in, Cater presses his forehead against Idia's. He laughs tiredly, but the exhaustion is just a natural progression of the emotional windstorm he'd been stuck in. His eyes are sparkling, joyous, the clouds opening up to show him the sunshine-laden path to the future.
The way forward had been blank, a chasm that Cater felt he had no choice but to plummet into...but hand-in-hand with Idia, they're building a bridge to walk forward over it. Brick by brick, they're closing the gap that separated the course of their lives.
"Not just sharing a room," he says. "We'll be living together. Are you ready to have me 24/7?"
“Ready for you? Cay, I wish it was the start of senior year now. We’ll have to get to the Isle of Woe early so we can make up for the time lost here being in different dorms. Otherwise we’ll never be able to focus on internships.”
Yeah, Idia’s pretty sure he knows what their first few days sharing a room will be like. Thankfully he has the influence to get them there a week or two early, all in the name of acclimating Cater to such a different environment. At least no one will bother them if they’re in Idia’s old room outside of working hours.
Idia smiles, savoring the contact of Cater’s forehead against his. “Never thought I’d be looking forward to going back there. Nothing would’ve made me feel that way before you joined my party.”
"A place is nothing without love," he whispers. "I've lived in so many different houses and cities...none of them mattered."
Unable to resist the pull, Cater presses his lips to Idia's, tangling their fingers and breathing him in. The influence he has is amazing--he's never been able to come out of a spiral like that so fast, before. "We'll make the Isle of Woe a home. Our home."
Every kiss with Cater is perfect, whether quick and chaste or lingering and heated. This one feels like a seal on their promise to face senior year together. But Idia has grown, concerned with more than just Ortho now. He cares about Cater, and he cares about himself for the first time in years. He can't be happy if Cater is unhappy.
"Just promise me one thing, okay?" He sounds serious, but not with the same gravity as before. He only wants to be sure. "If you're miserable there, you've gotta tell me. I'll do whatever I can to fix it, even if it means we have to go somewhere else. I'll try to go with you, or at least intern in the same city or whatever so we can live together. But I don't want you wasting away in some dark and gloomy place because of me."
“I already made you that promise,” Cater replies. “No more masks, no more secrets.”
Still, he can tell how much this means to Idia, so he nods before kissing him again. “I’m not going to be miserable. It’s impossible for me to be miserable if I’m with you. But yes, in that impossible scenario I will tell you.”
Idia breathes a sigh of relief. “Okay… sorry, I wanted to be sure. The idea of being complicit in your misery makes me sick. I’m not saccing a party member for my own benefit, especially not you.”
He will, however, face things he’d never imagined he could stand against for Cater’s sake. Like pleasing their case to his parents. Hopefully he can convince them of the merit of his plans for STYX, but it might also come down to revealing their relationship and what it’s done for both of them. Distant as they are, his mother and father haven’t been blind to the effect of Ortho’s death on Idia. They’re still harping on him for what he caused while they were away. If they can see how good Cater is for him, it might give him the leverage he needs.
He doesn’t want to think about the chain of disasters that will follow if he fails.
“Do you want to stay here tonight? We can just sleep, you’re definitely exhausted.”
At the apology, Cater shakes his head. "No, I get it. Any time you need to be reassured, I'll be sure to make it clear."
There are definitely people who would get annoyed at having to reaffirm themselves, but having felt a lot of similar insecurities, Cater completely understands where Idia's coming from. He'd rather take a second to restate his happiness than cause Idia to question himself further. And in all honesty, Cater just enjoys being able to express how happy he is with his boyfriend.
"Yeah," he agrees at the question of whether he'll stay overnight or not. "I should change out of my uniform--but I want to be here with you tonight."
After brushing his lips against Cater's forehead, Idia extracts himself from his boyfriend's arms and the comfort of the bed. "I already showered, but if you want to hop in there really quick I can stay in the room with you. If not, at least go splash some cold water on your face. I'll get out your sleep stuff."
He'd never wanted to do domestic stuff before, but taking care of Cater with these small gestures feels good and makes them both happy. Gods, he's changed so much, hasn't he? They both have. The Idia and Cater from the start of the year wouldn't recognize themselves if they saw who they'd become. But it's a good thing. They weren't exactly healthy people before, and even if they have a long way to go, they've made progress.
"Too tired to shower, I'll just wash my face." With extreme reluctance to get up, Cater slides out of bed. His hand stays squeezed in Idia's for as long as it can before he finally pulls away. Even then, he stops at the doorway to the bathroom to lean against it and look back, gazing with exhausted affection at his perfect weirdo.
"Thank you," he says, and because reaffirming the sentiment is never a bad thing, adds a sweetly spoken: "I love you, Idia Shroud."
Idia’s halfway up from the bed to get Cater’s pajamas when his boyfriend pauses at the bathroom door. The assertion of love brings a renewed glow of happiness to Idia’s eyes. “I love you too, Cater Diamond. Always.”
He kisses his fingertips and extends them toward Cater for a moment, echoing the air kiss during their recording. Then he finally gets up and goes to his wardrobe to pull out Cater’s sleeping clothes from one of the drawers. He’s going to take care of his boyfriend tonight, because even if things are calmer for the moment, Idia knows he’s still needed.
Like the completely infatuated doofus he is, Cater catches the kiss in his hand and presses it against his heart before he finally disappears into the bathroom to freshen up. The cold water on his skin is rejuvenating, and he presses his wet hands against the back of his neck as well, letting the coolness sink in.
His body is tired but his heart feels full, the weariness having been washed down the drain. Now, he can safely return to his boyfriend's arms, already pulling off his uniform so he can replace it with his pajamas. There's something extra comfortable about the pair that lives in Idia's dorm.
By the time Cater comes out of the bathroom, Idia has his pajamas laid out on the bed and has changed into his own. The Housewarden stretches out under the covers, watching Cater with a smile. Once his boyfriend is changed, Idia will flip back the blanket and hold out his arms.
"I'm sorry for the circumstances, but I'm glad you're here tonight. We both sleep better like this."
Slipping into the soft clothes, Cater's eager to slide in and tuck himself into Idia's arms. "I'm not sorry," he tells him. "Even though I nearly had a full panic attack...we figured out something important."
And thinking about that, he can't help but give a small laugh. "You know what, I think this is the first time I've ever really looked forward to the future...and it's all because of you."
Idia snuggles close, holding Cater to his chest and stroking his hair. "And you're the reason I'm fighting for a future I want, rather than letting my fate decide for me. Hope was never something I understood before you."
Well, maybe the other Troublesome Children had opened the door, but Cater was the one who shined a light into the gloom beyond. That's something Idia knows he can never fully repay, but he'll spend the rest of his life trying.
There's no way he can't steal a kiss when Idia says something like that. Cater can feel his heart like it's radiating outward from his skin right now, his love this deep warmth that he couldn't have ever understood before. With those kisses, he lets himself drift off to sleep, snuggled as close as he can be to the love of his life.
The busy days that follow were once terrifying, but now have a sort of excitement to them that undoubtedly both of them would've never anticipated. On Idia's side in particular, there's plenty of work to be done to prepare STYX for Cater's arrival--what it means, how it's going to work, what his internship will actually entail...
And then there's the schoolwork. The closer they get to summer, the closer they get to final projects and exams. It's fortunate that the two of them share a year and classes--it means that when the two of them aren't caught up in dorm-specific responsibilities, they're able to work together as study buddies. Very special study buddies. Therein lies a specific problem that Cater voices as he flops over on top of his textbook.
"I don't want to study anymore," he whines. "I want your hands all over my body...Flambae, put me in horny jail..."
Idia looks up from his own notes with a smirk. “I dunno. If I put you in horny jail, that means you’re not getting any action. You really want that story path?”
Honestly, he hopes Cater doesn’t go to horny jail because he’s feeling a little frisky himself. Most of the material on this unit he knows really well, bordering on eidetic memory levels. He can manage an extended break, but Cater still struggles with some of the concepts. The fact that his boyfriend is bored proves that. If Idia can make studying more interesting and rewarding, Cater might get all of this down in one or two nights.
"Bah, of course I don't!" He kicks his feet in obvious protest, totally slumped over. "But this is my worst subject, so I really need to focus."
He rolls his head to the side to look at Idia with a pout. With his focus already so shot, he can't imagine that caving in to his temptations is going to do anything other than make him less productive. "Share some of your genius with me for, like, a week? I'll give it back."
"Even if I could, you'd probably get my malware with it. Not a burden I want you to carry." Idia sets his tablet aside and leans closer to Cater, still grinning. "I have another idea, though. It might work for scratching your itch and improving your focus at the same time. But you still have to put in some effort. If you can't...."
He sits back casually, shrugging. His expression betrays none of his eagerness, his curiosity. Cater has taught him something about teasing in bed, surely his boyfriend deserves to experience the realization of what kind of monster he's created?
At Idia’s teasing words, Cater is more than eager to purposefully take the bait. “Um, excuse me?” Shifting, he stretches out to nudge him with a socked foot, eyebrows raising. “You can’t just say something like that and then diss me! What, do you think I’m lazy or something?”
He nudges him again, playing up his indigence to make this even more fun. “Well? Go on, what’s your great idea that I may or may not be able to handle?”
Idia’s grin widens, shark-like. His eyes gleam. Uh oh, that’s the look of a gremlin that’s up to no good. “I could tell you, or I could show you. You wanna take on the challenge? Then go full unequip first.”
Step one is getting Cater hot and bothered with the possibilities while remaining clothed and casual himself. Idia’s a little nervous to be taking charge like this, but he doesn’t let it show. He wants Cater to be surprised and proud of him.
Cater purses his lips as he watches Idia get that look on his face. That's absolutely the look of a troublemaker, alright. "Hmmmm," he hums as he pretends to think it over. Like, obviously he's up for the challenge, and he definitely wants to know what in the world that beautiful imp is up to. It's just that when Idia gets that particular tone to his voice, it absolutely triggers Cater's intense desire to be a brat.
"All right," he concedes, standing. "I'm in your capable hands. Please look after me, senpai~"
Naturally, Cater takes his time stripping, undoing and removing each article of clothing with as much sensuality as he can muster. If Idia's up to something mischievous that's going to surprise him, it's the least he can do to get Idia frothing at the mouth with anticipation. You know, like he is, himself.
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“I never even thought that I…”
Later, he’ll have a lot more to say and to contribute. Right now though, he feels selfish too. All he cares about is being at Idia’s side.
“I’ll stay with you all the way. No matter where it takes us. My home is you—-and I’m not moving anymore.”
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"You're my home, too. My save point. So even if I have to go back to the Isle of Woe for the rest of my life, I'll be okay with it as long as you're there. I'll make sure the official request goes in ASAP, and you'll travel with me when it's time."
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Slowly, his body begins to relax. He looks up, wet-faced and blotchy…but this time he starts to smile, panic mitigated. “Imagine Idia Shroud, bringing a scandal home with him.”
His voice is playful even as he sniffles. “Watch out, Isle of Woe. Cater Diamond’s coming for you.”
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They'll have to exercise some serious willpower, otherwise they might simply stay in Idia's old room and never come out to do any work. But getting to sleep in each other's arms will do wonders for both of them, if the rare nights they get to do it at NRC are any indication.
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The way forward had been blank, a chasm that Cater felt he had no choice but to plummet into...but hand-in-hand with Idia, they're building a bridge to walk forward over it. Brick by brick, they're closing the gap that separated the course of their lives.
"Not just sharing a room," he says. "We'll be living together. Are you ready to have me 24/7?"
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Yeah, Idia’s pretty sure he knows what their first few days sharing a room will be like. Thankfully he has the influence to get them there a week or two early, all in the name of acclimating Cater to such a different environment. At least no one will bother them if they’re in Idia’s old room outside of working hours.
Idia smiles, savoring the contact of Cater’s forehead against his. “Never thought I’d be looking forward to going back there. Nothing would’ve made me feel that way before you joined my party.”
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Unable to resist the pull, Cater presses his lips to Idia's, tangling their fingers and breathing him in. The influence he has is amazing--he's never been able to come out of a spiral like that so fast, before. "We'll make the Isle of Woe a home. Our home."
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"Just promise me one thing, okay?" He sounds serious, but not with the same gravity as before. He only wants to be sure. "If you're miserable there, you've gotta tell me. I'll do whatever I can to fix it, even if it means we have to go somewhere else. I'll try to go with you, or at least intern in the same city or whatever so we can live together. But I don't want you wasting away in some dark and gloomy place because of me."
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Still, he can tell how much this means to Idia, so he nods before kissing him again. “I’m not going to be miserable. It’s impossible for me to be miserable if I’m with you. But yes, in that impossible scenario I will tell you.”
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He will, however, face things he’d never imagined he could stand against for Cater’s sake. Like pleasing their case to his parents. Hopefully he can convince them of the merit of his plans for STYX, but it might also come down to revealing their relationship and what it’s done for both of them. Distant as they are, his mother and father haven’t been blind to the effect of Ortho’s death on Idia. They’re still harping on him for what he caused while they were away. If they can see how good Cater is for him, it might give him the leverage he needs.
He doesn’t want to think about the chain of disasters that will follow if he fails.
“Do you want to stay here tonight? We can just sleep, you’re definitely exhausted.”
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There are definitely people who would get annoyed at having to reaffirm themselves, but having felt a lot of similar insecurities, Cater completely understands where Idia's coming from. He'd rather take a second to restate his happiness than cause Idia to question himself further. And in all honesty, Cater just enjoys being able to express how happy he is with his boyfriend.
"Yeah," he agrees at the question of whether he'll stay overnight or not. "I should change out of my uniform--but I want to be here with you tonight."
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He'd never wanted to do domestic stuff before, but taking care of Cater with these small gestures feels good and makes them both happy. Gods, he's changed so much, hasn't he? They both have. The Idia and Cater from the start of the year wouldn't recognize themselves if they saw who they'd become. But it's a good thing. They weren't exactly healthy people before, and even if they have a long way to go, they've made progress.
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"Thank you," he says, and because reaffirming the sentiment is never a bad thing, adds a sweetly spoken: "I love you, Idia Shroud."
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He kisses his fingertips and extends them toward Cater for a moment, echoing the air kiss during their recording. Then he finally gets up and goes to his wardrobe to pull out Cater’s sleeping clothes from one of the drawers. He’s going to take care of his boyfriend tonight, because even if things are calmer for the moment, Idia knows he’s still needed.
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His body is tired but his heart feels full, the weariness having been washed down the drain. Now, he can safely return to his boyfriend's arms, already pulling off his uniform so he can replace it with his pajamas. There's something extra comfortable about the pair that lives in Idia's dorm.
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"I'm sorry for the circumstances, but I'm glad you're here tonight. We both sleep better like this."
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And thinking about that, he can't help but give a small laugh. "You know what, I think this is the first time I've ever really looked forward to the future...and it's all because of you."
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Well, maybe the other Troublesome Children had opened the door, but Cater was the one who shined a light into the gloom beyond. That's something Idia knows he can never fully repay, but he'll spend the rest of his life trying.
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The busy days that follow were once terrifying, but now have a sort of excitement to them that undoubtedly both of them would've never anticipated. On Idia's side in particular, there's plenty of work to be done to prepare STYX for Cater's arrival--what it means, how it's going to work, what his internship will actually entail...
And then there's the schoolwork. The closer they get to summer, the closer they get to final projects and exams. It's fortunate that the two of them share a year and classes--it means that when the two of them aren't caught up in dorm-specific responsibilities, they're able to work together as study buddies. Very special study buddies. Therein lies a specific problem that Cater voices as he flops over on top of his textbook.
"I don't want to study anymore," he whines. "I want your hands all over my body...Flambae, put me in horny jail..."
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Honestly, he hopes Cater doesn’t go to horny jail because he’s feeling a little frisky himself. Most of the material on this unit he knows really well, bordering on eidetic memory levels. He can manage an extended break, but Cater still struggles with some of the concepts. The fact that his boyfriend is bored proves that. If Idia can make studying more interesting and rewarding, Cater might get all of this down in one or two nights.
But Idia’s still going to tease him a bit first.
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He rolls his head to the side to look at Idia with a pout. With his focus already so shot, he can't imagine that caving in to his temptations is going to do anything other than make him less productive. "Share some of your genius with me for, like, a week? I'll give it back."
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He sits back casually, shrugging. His expression betrays none of his eagerness, his curiosity. Cater has taught him something about teasing in bed, surely his boyfriend deserves to experience the realization of what kind of monster he's created?
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He nudges him again, playing up his indigence to make this even more fun. “Well? Go on, what’s your great idea that I may or may not be able to handle?”
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Step one is getting Cater hot and bothered with the possibilities while remaining clothed and casual himself. Idia’s a little nervous to be taking charge like this, but he doesn’t let it show. He wants Cater to be surprised and proud of him.
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"All right," he concedes, standing. "I'm in your capable hands. Please look after me, senpai~"
Naturally, Cater takes his time stripping, undoing and removing each article of clothing with as much sensuality as he can muster. If Idia's up to something mischievous that's going to surprise him, it's the least he can do to get Idia frothing at the mouth with anticipation. You know, like he is, himself.
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