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This was a big occasion. Part of him was almost afraid that, just maybe, it really was a mistake, that the SFOTHs were right– that it could never end well when a semi-deity and a mortal mingled. After all, he did have the prime example of his parents to go off of. But he had to believe his parents' mistakes didn't define him, or the potential for forming a relationship with a mortal. There was so much to take into consideration. His idol status, his fans that could very well go rabid if they were to find out he was in a relationship, the fact that getting into any form of relationship with a mortal could only end in one way, whether it be many, many years or a very brief span of time.
“Dom!”
Dom blinked hard and looked across the table. Valk sat there, his eyebrows knitted together, and a frown painting his features. “You keep zoning out! What's the matter?”
“You already know what it is,” Dom sighed and picked his fork back up. His french toast had gotten cold, and he no longer had an appetite for it.
“Well, yeah,” Valk agreed, still frowning, “but seriously! It'll be fine! Just because mom and dad were… like that… doesn't mean it'll be the same for you!”
“What if Firebrand was right? What if it'll only end in sorrow? Why am I even considering doing this?”
“Hey, come on. You know grandpa was being harsh! He loves us, sure, but he can be a little overbearing, you know?” Valk seemed so passionate about hyping Dom up, and he wished it was easier to just take his word for it and stop worrying so much. “Besides,” Valk continued, interrupting his ceaseless overthinking, “you already made plans for the date. You wouldn't want to let him down, would you?”
“No, I… I wouldn't want to do that,” Dom sighed.
“Then it's settled!” Valk raised his voice and slammed his hands on the table for emphasis. Dom felt his eye twitch. “You're going on a date with Slingshot, and you're gonna have a good time!”
“Yes, yes. That I am. But for the love of SFOTH, please lower your voice.”
“Whoops! Got carried away again,” Valk chuckled sheepishly. “Well, shouldn't you be getting ready?”
“I suppose I should,” Dom sighed and stood from his seat.
“You're going to have a great time!” Valk called after him as he departed for his bedroom. “Just trust me on this!”
“I hope so…” Dom spoke under his breath.
Now in his bedroom, Dom slipped his clothes off and looked at himself in the mirror for a moment. There was nothing remarkable about his body, and he preferred to keep it hidden. Especially with his binder, which he wore maybe a little too often. Maybe one day he'd finally get the surgery so he wouldn't have to go through the hassle of binding any longer. On top of it all, he couldn't help but wonder where the date would end up– and, on the off chance that they slept together on their first date, what would Slingshot think of his body? Would he still feel attracted to him, seeing what he really was? When he realized he was letting his thoughts wander too much and getting stuck in an unpleasant place in his head, he chose to leave it be. He simply had to trust that Slingshot would accept him regardless of what he looked like underneath all of his clothes.
The trouble with being an idol trying to go on a date with any other inphernal was that he couldn't just go all out and wear his nicest outfit for the occasion– if he didn't want to be easily recognized and mobbed on the street, he needed to go as casual as he could. Of course, Dom had plenty of casual clothes– he didn't actually enjoy being dressed up that much, it was a bit of a sensory nightmare. However, it still felt bad that he couldn't dress nicely for the occasion. Slingshot already knew and understood the circumstances, so that should have made him feel better, but it truly did not. Dom begrudgingly chose his least remarkable outfit– a red sweater, a gray pair of jeans, and a pair of black combat boots. The exact type of thing that nobody would expect to see him in, given his iconic purple color scheme. To top it all off, he would have Valk help paint his horns, since they were one of his more defining features.
Dom left the room and went back out to the living room where Valk was waiting for him.
“Okay! Let's get those horns painted!”
“Indeed.”
Dom sat on the sofa and Valk got to work, painting his horns an unremarkable shade of red.
“There you go! No one will even bat an eye at you, now!” Valk declared loudly.
“Thank you for helping.” Dom glanced at the clock. “I should be heading out now.”
“Okay! Have fun! And tell me how it goes!”
“No promises.”
Dom left the house and shoved his hands in his pockets. It was already getting uncomfortable, having his wing hidden underneath his sweater, but he would endure it. The walk to the meet-up spot was uneventful– Valk was right, not a single soul batted an eye as he crossed their paths. Still, he couldn't help but feel anxious. There were those types of super fans, who would recognize him by his horn shape alone, undoubtedly. All he could do was pray he didn't run into any of them.
As he got closer, he saw Slingshot already waiting for him. At first he had been looking down at his phone with a neutral expression, but once he noticed him he was grinning ear to ear and waving at him. Slingshot pulled him into a small hug when he got there, and his face already felt incredibly hot.
“It's so good to see you!” Slingshot greeted cheerfully.
“Likewise.” Dom smiled softly.
“Well, shall we head out for our date?”
“I believe so.”
There would end up being one rather significant problem, as it would turn out. “Huh. Ranged Royale's closed,” Slingshot observed. It was, in fact, closed. Which was strange, considering it was a Saturday, and they were always open at this time on Saturdays.
“Perhaps they had a family emergency.”
“Maybe!” Slingshot nodded. “Well, that sure is a bummer. What to do now…” Slingshot shot him a glance. “Would you be opposed to coming to my place? I can make us a nice dinner and we can watch some movies or something!”
To Dom, as introverted as he was, that sounded like the perfect kind of date. “I am not opposed to that at all.”
“Great! Let's go then!” Slingshot grinned and took his hand. Dom's face was burning up. “You'll have to excuse my roommates. They won't get in our way, but they are there.”
“It's no trouble,” Dom reassured him.
Truly, he didn't mind. As long as he was in Slingshot's company, he was more than satisfied. Slingshot's roommates– Vine Staff and Shuriken– already knew about the two of them (With Dom’s express permission when asked by Slingshot) so he could see no way the date could go wrong. A night in with Slingshot– it was almost like a dream come true.
When they got to the apartment, there wasn't actually anybody inside– at least, not in the entryway, or the living room.
“Huh. Maybe they went out,” Slingshot shrugged and took his coat off. “All the more space for us, right?”
Dom smiled warmly. “Of course.”
“Well, go ahead and make yourself at home!” Slingshot walked to the kitchen, which could be seen from the living room. “You can turn on the TV if you want! Or play some music! Whatever makes you comfortable.”
“Thank you.” Dom did feel a little nervous, with it being his first time being alone with Slingshot like this, but it was nice. They had a cozy little apartment.
“Do you like steak?” Slingshot held a package of steaks up for him to see. “I bought these because they were on sale. I didn't think I'd have a specific use for them, though.”
“I do.”
Slingshot grinned. “Perfect!”
Dom pulled his phone out and shot a text to Valk.
Dom: Ranged Royale was closed, so Slingshot brought me back to his place. He's making dinner for us.
Valk: oh! on a saturday? weird
Valk: well have fun ;)
Dom: I will, but please stop it with the winky faces.
Valk: awh come on dude
Dom shook his head and shut his phone back off. Slingshot was humming as he cooked their dinner. It was nice to listen to. He had such a gentle voice– very soothing.
“Dinner is about done!” Slingshot called out from the kitchen. “You can go ahead and sit at the table now, if you want.”
Dom stood from his spot and walked to the dining room, where there was a simple round dining table. He took a seat and watched Slingshot in the kitchen. He soon brought their food out, placing his plate in front of him first. It was the aforementioned steak with mashed potatoes and asparagus. It looked delicious.
“Anything you want to drink? We have uh, orange juice, some kind of wine that only Vine drinks, various types of soda…”
“Water is fine, thank you.”
“Comin’ right up!”
Slingshot set a glass of water in front of him and finally took a seat next to him. Dom took a bite of his food– it tasted as good as it looked.
“This is delicious, Slingshot.”
Slingshot grinned. “I'm glad! It's no Ranged Royale, but I did my best!”
“Honestly, I think I might prefer this to anything Ranged Royale has to offer.”
“You flatter me,” he giggled lightly. “So, how was your day?”
“It was a busy one. Lots of paperwork. Valk takes care of the calls and I do the paperwork– that's our deal.”
“Can't blame you for choosing the paperwork– although I'm sure that's still a drag.”
Dom smiled. “It is, but such is the reality of being an idol and tournament host.”
“Pardon my manners, but you seem a bit tense, Dom,” Slingshot commented.
“I suppose I have been a bit stressed out,” he sighed and rubbed his shoulder. “But it's nothing you need to worry about.”
“I could help you relax, if you'd like?” Slingshot offered. Dom's face felt hot. “I'm not half bad at giving massages, if I do say so myself.”
“Honestly? That sounds very nice right now.”
“Alright!”
They finished their food and Dom helped Slingshot wash the dishes before they went back to the living room. Dom sat on the sofa while Slingshot stood behind him.
“So, is it the worst in your shoulders?”
“Yes.”
Dom was a little afraid Slingshot would notice his binder, but he tried not to dwell on it. After all, it was going to have to come out one way or another, in time. When he felt Slingshot's hands on his shoulders, he shivered a little and prayed he didn't notice. The small touch alone made his face heat up and made him feel a little strange… in a pleasant way. With deft fingers, he massaged his shoulders, working out all the painful knots in them. Dom knew that realistically, his pain wouldn't fully go away unless he took a break from wearing his binder, but he couldn't. The thought of being found out paralyzed him with fear. He was fortunate enough to have a relatively deep voice (Considering he wasn't doing HRT), and masculine facial features. That part of him, however, wasn't easy to just explain away.
It wasn't necessarily that he thought he wouldn't be accepted for what he was, but that he would be treated differently, which, arguably, was far worse. There was no reason for him to be so apprehensive about how Slingshot might react to it– no reason apart from his own foolish anxieties. Slingshot himself never gave him any reason to believe he wouldn't accept him. Again, it was just a foolish fear, one that was terribly difficult to dispel.
“Dom?”
Dom was so startled that he flinched– how utterly mortifying. He must have been zoning out.
“Yes?”
“Are you okay? You got very quiet all of a sudden.” The genuine concern in Slingshot’s voice made his heart melt. Simultaneously, he almost felt like he didn't deserve that concern. It wasn't the time for self-pity. Dom considered his options: be honest and just come out and tell Slingshot the truth, or come up with some sort of excuse. It wouldn't be difficult to make up an excuse, but the thought of being dishonest when he had shown him such kindness felt wrong.
“...There's something I think I would like to tell you, actually,” Dom said carefully, hoping it didn't come across in a manner that was too serious.
“Oh?” He heard Slingshot pad around the couch until he was in sight, and he took a seat next to Dom. “What's up?”
At least he seemed to be taking it well. That was a good start. “It is… a little embarrassing, I'm afraid.”
Slingshot rested a hand on his thigh, no doubt in a way that was meant to be reassuring, but Dom's face was burning up. “I'm sure it's nothing you need to be embarrassed about! I promise I won't judge you, whatever it is.”
“Right,” Dom murmured and steeled his nerves. “I. Slingshot, I'm… I wasn't spawned as… this,” Dom said, his voice coming out smaller than he wished for it to. Such an immature and unclear way to tell him he was trans– he was mortified by his own inability to just spit it out.
“You weren't spawned as…” Slingshot paused, and Dom chanced a glance at him. He looked like he was deep in thought. Then, his eyes lit up. “Oh! You… You’re saying you're trans, Dom?” The way he said it so casually, so easily, without any weird tone of voice, without any strange look on his face– Dom's fears began to melt away.
“Yes, that… that is what I meant to say.”
Slingshot smiled at him so warmly, he almost felt he might cry. Dom bit his lip, trying to calm himself down. “Oh! Well, I'm sure it wasn't easy to tell me this,” Slingshot started, his voice almost indicating he was… proud of him? “But I appreciate you telling me. If you were worried for any reason, I promise this changes nothing. I still feel the same way about you.”
Dom was shocked when he felt tears welling up in his eyes. When they began to fall, he was tempted to run and hide. “I…”
“Hey, it's okay,” Slingshot cooed and lifted his hands to his face. He wiped his tears away. Dom never felt this way in his life. Slingshot was doing something to him that he never believed he could even experience. It was… nice. Comforting.
“I'm sorry, I just… you're right. It wasn't easy. But… I'm relieved.”
Slingshot smiled again. There was something in the air. Something new. Dom suddenly had an irresistible urge to kiss Slingshot. Slingshot was cupping his face with his hands now. Was he getting closer? He was. Oh, gods, it was happening, wasn't it? Dom let his eyelids flutter shut, and he felt Slingshot's lips on his own. He grasped his shirt with trembling hands and returned the kiss. It was soft and sweet. His first kiss. They pulled away and looked at each other once more. Strangely, Dom found himself bursting into a fit of giggles.
“Oh?” Slingshot grinned. “Something tickle your funny bone?”
“Oh, gods, I'm sorry, I– I think it's nervous laughter,” Dom stuttered, utterly mortified, once more, by his behavior.
“It's okay! It's cute, honestly,” Slingshot giggled. Dom breathed a sigh of relief.
“I… can we do that again?” Dom asked nervously. Slingshot's eyes widened, but then he smiled.
“Of course we can~” he purred sweetly.
And he leaned back in, and he kissed Dom. His lips were soft and sweet, and he couldn't get enough. They pulled back again and smiled at each other.
“I'm happy we could do this,” Dom breathed.
“I am too. I know it's not easy for you to go undercover just for the sake of going on a date with an average inphernal,” Slingshot said lightly.
“It's worth it. I would like to do it again, if you would also like that.”
“I would love that.”
Later on, Dom was texting Valk while Slingshot was getting a shower.
Dom: I told him, Valk
Valk: that you're trans?
Dom: Yes.
Valk: omg!
Valk: how'd he react?
Dom: Very kindly. He has no issue with it.
Valk: i knew i was right to have a good feeling about him!
Valk: i'm so proud of you <3
Dom: Thank you.
Valk: soooo how did the rest of the date go?
Dom: It went very nicely. He made us dinner and massaged my shoulders after he noticed how tense I was.
Valk: well maaaaaybe if you gave yourself a break from binding your shoulders wouldn't hurt so much
Dom: You already know I can't do that.
Valk: *sigh*
Valk: you'll get there one day
Dom: Perhaps I will.
Valk: anyway! are you staying the night with him??
Dom: That appears to be the case.
Valk: have fun!!!
Dom: Of course.
Dom: And thank you for your support, Valk.
Valk: that's what big brothers are for!!
Dom: You're quite small, actually.
Valk: oh so THIS is the repayment i get for being the best brother in the world
Dom: My bad.
“Hey,” Slingshot greeted as he left the bathroom, now dressed in a pair of pajamas, “do you wanna stay over tonight? I can find a pair of pajamas for you to borrow if so!”
Dom's face felt hot. He really wished he wasn't so easily flustered by such simple things. “I would like that a lot.”
Slingshot grinned. “Okay! Just gimme a sec, I'll go grab something for you.”
Dom fidgeted with his shirt while he waited for Slingshot. He understood that this meant he would have to take his binder off, and he didn't exactly come prepared. Oh well. At least he managed to tell Slingshot, so it wouldn't come as a surprise to him. Slingshot returned soon after with a pair of pajamas in hand.
“These pajama pants ended up being way too long for me, so they should fit you just fine! And this is the biggest shirt I could find,” he explained and passed him the clothes. “I hope that's alright.”
“It's more than alright. Thank you, Slingshot.”
Slingshot grinned again. “Of course! You can change in my room if you want, I'll wait out here!” He pointed at a room at the end of the hallway. “The one on the left is mine.”
Dom left for his bedroom and locked the door behind him– not that he didn't trust Slingshot, it simply made him feel less anxious. Slingshot had a body length mirror in his room, which he went out of his way to avoid looking at while he changed. With great hesitation, Dom took his binder off and folded it, setting it aside on the dresser in his room. He slipped the shirt and pajama pants on (They were both surprisingly comfortable, and the shirt didn't do a half bad job at hiding things).
Once he finished, he opened the door and called down the hallway, “I'm finished changing.”
Slingshot stood from the couch and walked to the bedroom. “You look cute in those,” Slingshot said lightly. Dom’s face was burning up.
“Th- Thank you,” he stuttered awkwardly.
Slingshot yawned and stretched his arms over his head. “Are you ready to hit the hay?”
Dom nodded. They got into bed together, and at first, he was a little nervous– but that didn't take long to change when Slingshot pulled him into his arms. Dom sighed contentedly and nuzzled his head against his chest. It didn't take long for him to fall asleep, comfortable in Slingshot's embrace.