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psychosistr · 3 years

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Green-Eyed Monsters- Chapter 7

Summary: Dominic and Steelbeak need to talk through their issues after their rather tense mission. Fortunately, Steelbeak knows just the right way to start the conversation and has a trick or two up his sleeve to help smooth things over with his partner.

Notes: Alright, final chapter- time for that emotional reconciliation! xD This has been a fun piece to write and I hope you’ve all enjoyed it as much as I have :3

-First Chapter-

*knock* *knock* *knock* *knock*

Red eyes glanced up from the printed pages of the book they’d been focused on for a good hour or so. If it weren’t for the fact that the knock he heard was so familiar to him now, Dominic may have simply chosen to ignore it until he’d finished his page (though, honestly, he was tempted to do so anyway). With a reluctant sigh, the loon placed a bookmark safely within the confines of his latest novel and got up from the chair in his personal study to go answer his front door.

After getting a barely-coherent Steelbeak settled in his own apartment the previous evening, the two hadn’t seen or spoken to each other regarding their mission. Or, more specifically, Dominic had holed himself up in his apartment in an attempt to sort out his own feelings and insecurities before facing his partner again. Now, however, it seemed the other man was ready to talk, so the least the loon could do was have the courtesy to open the door and let him in.

…At least, that was Dominic’s plan until he opened the door to an empty hallway. Looking around in confusion, red eyes spotted something that could match them in color on the floor outside of his door- a pathway made of vibrant red rose petals connecting his doorway to the opened one next door.

Despite himself, a small smile found its way onto the fowl’s dark beak. He followed the path that had been so meticulously laid out for him and soon found himself in the other man’s home. The dimmable lights had been turned down as low as possible without impeding the loon’s vision, creating a rather ambient setting as the trail led him to the dining room he’d become quite familiar with after many meals shared in it with his partner. At the moment, however, it was a bit less familiar with the table and chairs missing and the only notable feature in the room being the rose petals that lined the edges of the floor.

Just as he was about to call out the other man’s name to see what he had planned, music started playing from the stereo in the living room with the volume turned up just loud enough to be properly audible from the dining room. Right on cue with the upbeat and sultry tango music that filled the air, the apartment’s prime occupant made his presence known.

Stepping in time to the beat of the music, Steelbeak entered from the dining room and winked at the other fowl. “Fancy runnin’ int’ YOU here~” The taller man was dressed in one of his usual button-up red shirts, bowtie, and black slacks, but was missing his white jacket and, instead, had donned a pair of white silk gloves- one of which held a red rose that he presented to the loon with a flourish. “Whattaya say t’ makin’ some sweet music with me, gorgeous?”

The small smile on the loon’s dark beak grew as he took the offered flower with a quiet chuckle. “What exactly are you up to, Steelbeak?”

With his hand now empty, the metal-mouthed fowl held the appendage out in a clear invitation. “Askin’ the prettiest bird here t’ dance with me, that’s what.” The invitation was accompanied by that ridiculous little eyebrow-wiggle the taller man did when he was being jokingly flirtatious.

Darn it, he knew it was hard for Dominic to stay mad when he did that. “I suppose one dance couldn’t hurt.” Carefully tucking the (thankfully dethorned) rose into his hair, one black feathered hand found its way into the white gloved one presented to him while the other rested on a broad shoulder. The thin silken barrier of the gloves was an interesting feeling in his hand and his side when the other found its mark, but he appreciated the other man’s apparent consideration for his comfort.

One dance soon turned into two. Then three. Then into so many more that it was hard to tell where one ended and another began. It all became one dizzying but pleasant rush of movement as the duo danced their way from a tango into a waltz and a litany of other dances to accompany the ever changing music.

Dancing with Steelbeak, Dominic found, was a different experience than he expected- though not an unpleasant one, by any means: Given his likely all-female list of previous dance partners, the smaller bird would have expected Steelbeak to instinctively take the lead and have his partner follow along. Instead, there was a sense of give-and-take to his movements- if Dominic let him lead, then he would lead, but if the loon moved to take charge, then the rooster would instantly follow without question. The position of their hands rarely changed- aside from when necessary for a spin or dip, of course- but it still felt obvious when they changed who was leading and who was following. It was a dance in which both parties felt equally in control and respected as the leader- a balance that wouldn’t work for all dance-partners, but was absolutely perfect for the two of them.

Several dances later, the pair found themselves swaying together calmly to the soothing melody of a piano piece. Dominic had relaxed considerably since the start of their dancing and was now far more comfortable with his partner’s hand on his waist while the thumb of the other caressed the back of his own hand in a subtle display of affection. “I wish you’d asked me to dance ages ago,” The loon admitted with a soft smile. “You’re quite good.”

The corner of the metal-mouthed fowl’s namesake quirked up in a half-smile at the compliment. “You ain’t half bad yourself, stripes.” As they swayed and slow-stepped together, Steelbeak’s smile fell slightly, turning into something a bit more serious. “Y’know, I’m pretty much a master at every dance out there.” Though he tried to make his words come off as a boast, the undertone of melancholy in his voice made it abundantly clear that was not his intention. “But, there’s still a few I don’t know…couple I’m still learnin’ the steps for..and…it’s weird for me- not knowin’ what I’m supposed t’ do..”

The metaphor was not lost on the darker bird, the other’s words causing him to give an understanding smile while squeezing the gloved hand he was holding. “Well then, you’re lucky that I’m a fairly skilled dancer as well. I’m sure I could help you learn the more complicated steps and take the lead when necessary.”

Dark grey eyes gazed down into the red ones gratefully as the soft squeeze was reciprocated. “That’d be great.” With a quiet sigh and a shake of his head, Steelbeak decided to drop the metaphors and just speak frankly with his partner. “Truth is, I’m just not used t’ this whole ‘boyfriend’ thing..”

“I know.” That made sense, Dominic figured. After all, it’s not like Steelbeak had ever dated another m-

“I’ve never been someone’s boyfriend before, y’know?” Huh…well…that wasn’t what the loon was expecting to hear, but he didn’t interrupt the rooster’s explanation. “I mean, sure, I bet there’s loads of chicks out there- and I mean LOADS of ‘em- that thought I was, but I never saw myself like that. It was dinner, drinks, a dance or two, back t’ my place, then a callback a few months later if I bothered t’ get their number t’ do it all again…not really what you’d consider a ‘boyfriend’ sorta situation..” A white-gloved thumb gently brushed over the black feathers of the hand within his grasp as he avoided eye contact with the shorter man. “This is probably the first time I’ve ever been serious ‘bout someone I dated…first time I’ve stuck around..so…I don’t know how all this ‘boyfriend’ stuff works- honestly, I just figure half of it out watchin’ you an’ followin’ your lead. If I make a mistake or do somethin’ wrong, I’m probably not gonna realize it ‘til ya TELL ME, and I know you’re embarrassed bein’ seen with me, but-”

“Stop.” Though his tone was firm, it was mostly so Dominic could make sure he had a moment to recover from the proverbial record-scratch he heard in his head accompanying his partner’s last words. Once that moment had passed, the dark hand that had previously rested on the taller man’s shoulder reached up to his face and tilted that deadly beak downward to make sure he had the rooster’s full attention. “You think I’m embarrassed to be seen with you? Why on earth would you think that?”

That thought was absolutely ludicrous. Sure, Steelbeak wasn’t perfect (who was?)- he had a destructive temper that could rival Dominic’s when things went wrong and he was pushed too far, his manipulative ways with women were aggravating (though, admittedly, he’d been getting marginally better since the loon’s discussion with him about how he treated Ammonia Pine), he was rude and bossy (with others, mostly- he now knew better than to try that with his partner), and had a sense of vanity and pride that could rival Narcissus himself- but not ONCE since the two had started dating did the thought of being embarrassed to be seen with his partner ever cross his mind. If, somehow, he’d given off that impression, then he needed to know exactly how he’d managed to do so and make sure he never repeated that behavior again.

Steelbeak seemed genuinely surprised by the sharp shooter’s questions and genuinely concerned tone, blinking down at him before recovering and explaining himself further. “Well..it’s just…ya never act like we’re dating in public, y’know?” When all he received was a questioning look prompting him for more, dark grey eyes looked around as if searching for the right words or examples to use. “How t’ put this……when it’s just the two of us, you’re okay with flirtin’, or holdin’ hands, or leanin’ on me, or-or even just sayin’ that we’re together.” The corner of his mouth tipped downwards ever so slightly. “But, if there’s anyone else around, then you avoid that sorta thing like it’s gonna get ya shot. Every dame I’ve been with was practically chompin’ at the bit t’ tell everyone I was her boyfriend after just one date, but you always make it sound like I’m your work-partner and that’s it. I’ve seen ya flirt with guys left an’ right and not have any trouble showin’ you were into ‘em; meanwhile, I’m stuck here wonderin’ if you’re not supposed t’ do that when you’re actually datin’ a guy? Is it somethin’ you’re just supposed t’ keep secret?” He shook his head before meeting the other’s gaze once more. “I’m not askin’ you t’ go throwin’ yourself at me when we’re out- think I’d be more freaked out by that than excited- but I don’t know what I’m supposed t’ do an’ it’s drivin’ me crazy.”

“That’s not…you didn’t- I never..” For a moment, Dominic was lost for words.

From the time he’d gotten his first boyfriend in high school, the loon had never been in a relationship that was anything even remotely close to public. Most of the guys the loon dated had been adamant about keeping the whole thing secret to avoid damaging either of their reputations; after many years of the same secretive charade, he’d simply gotten used to it being the status quo. Even with his fiancé, who was so very clearly proud of his relationship with his partner, Dominic had asked that they not tell anyone so that they could keep each other safe if anything happened- a request that the other man didn’t fully understand, but accepted anyway and made sure to make up for the lack of public affection the first chance he got as soon as they were alone. The idea of having a partner- of having a boyfriend- who actually wanted to be public about his relationship with the aquatic avian was new territory that was as exhilarating to explore as it was bone-chillingly terrifying.

Taking the darker fowl’s silence as hesitance, Steelbeak took a breath and sighed. “Look, if you don’t wanna tell no one, then that’s fine by me. I’ll follow your lead on this one. But- ” The hand that had been holding the loon’s so carefully until now finally let go, causing a pang of panic to jolt through the shorter man’s chest as he worried he’d upset his partner with his lack of a proper response. Before he could apologize, however, Steelbeak brought the gloved appendage to his beak and used the tip to carefully bite down on one of the fingers so he could easily pull the fabric away and free his hand. “-whatever ya want me t’ be in public, whether it’s your boyfriend or just your partner-” The glove fell carelessly to the floor as he spoke, giving him a chance to now use his beak to tug down the cuff of his sleeve just enough to fully expose his wrist. “-I’m yours. Whatever ya want that t’ mean, I’ll be fine with it, long as you still want me t’ be yours.”

Until that moment, Dominic had assumed the gloves were for his own benefit- a way to help him feel more comfortable with his partner’s hands on him while they danced. In reality, however, it seemed their purpose was to hide the still glistening dye on the lighter bird’s feathers.

On the inner side of Steelbeak’s left wrist, once blank off-white feathers had been skillfully painted and dyed with black and white ink to form a tilted image of a domino with two dots on one side and six on the other. Then, as if the iconic symbol from his hat wasn’t enough of a clue as to whom the painted feathers were referencing, the image was coupled with beautiful calligraphy on both the top and bottom in a mirrored style with the side closest to Steelbeak’s hand saying “Dominic” and the other saying “Domino”, both words accompanied by an elegantly curved underline to help them stand out as well as form a border around the domino.

To say Dominic was shocked would be an understatement, but to simply say he was touched by the gesture would be an even BIGGER one. The image was in a much harder to hide place than the rooster’s back- anyone could catch a glimpse of the loon’s name if Steelbeak’s usual long-sleeves happened to slip high enough and would be on full display anytime he wore anything even a fraction shorter. He was making it clear that he was not ashamed of his relationship with his partner- with his boyfriend- and didn’t care who happened to see the ink or question its meaning. As if that wasn’t proof enough, there was also the length of time the markings would last: Once a bird’s feathers were painted, the ink would last for at least a year barring any significant damage to the area that resulted in losing all of the feathers at once (something Steelbeak would likely go to great lengths to avoid due to his own vanity). This was a clear sign of commitment from the nearly gamophobic man; proof that he was committed to making this relationship work and planned to stick with Dominic for at least a year.

With wide eyes and slightly trembling fingers, the loon reached out and gently traced the lines of the image. It felt dry, but the sheen to it suggested that it had only just recently reached that point. Steelbeak must have gotten it done that afternoon in order for it to set properly and give him time to get everything ready. The thought brought a soft smile to the darker bird’s face- this man really, truly cared about him more than any of his previous “dates” (calling them girlfriends would be far too generous) and wanted to make sure Dominic knew it.

Looking up into the other’s dark grey eyes, Dominic’s smile grew a little more. “While this is a lovely gesture, I’m not getting your beak painted on me. Sorry.” The statement earned a laugh from the taller man, as the sharpshooter predicted, and he seized the opportunity to hook a finger under the rooster’s tie, giving him the leverage he needed to bring the metal-mouthed fowl’s namesake close enough for a kiss.

“!!!” Steelbeak made a startled sound in the back of his throat clearly not expecting the sudden contact. Still, despite the clear surprise visible in his wide-eyed stare, he made no move to pull away or put an end to the intimate connection. By the time his tie was released and the shorter bird had pulled away just enough to give him a smirk that left him red in the face, his short-circuited brain had recovered enough to form a response. “So, uh….that’s on the table now..?”

“As long as it’s not while I’m angry at you or I’ve made it clear that I need some space, then yes, that is very much ‘on the table’.” Dominic couldn’t help but laugh at the flustered expression on his boyfriend’s face. That look was a precious sight and it was for his eyes only. “What? Did you really go into this expecting that we’d never kiss?”

A softer version of the lighter fowl’s usually grating laughter was accompanied by a shake of his head, the corners of his mouth lifting into that more genuine smile that the loon adored. “T’ be honest with ya, Deedee, I had NO friggin’ idea what t’ expect goin’ int’ this….but-” An ungloved hand reached towards the darker one nearby, waiting for an almost imperceptible nod of acknowledgement before carefully entwining their contrasting-colored digits together. “-I knew I wanted it, whatever that meant.”

Dominic’s own smile softened a bit at the warm feeling of his boyfriend’s fingers entwined with his and the subtle thump of a pulse that wasn’t his own felt through their touching palms. Whatever this would turn into one day, he knew one thing for sure-

“I want it, too. Whatever it means.”

<--Previous Chapter

End Notes: And so we come to the end and my favorite part of any emotionally turbulent story- the communication and resolution. I always enjoy seeing characters in a loving and committed relationship, but (to me, at least) part of what makes a relationship strong is being able to fight about something and work through it so that all parties involved feel heard and understood, so I try working that into my stories whenever possible. I hope you guys enjoyed this installment of the series and I can’t wait until I have the time/energy to add to it again x3

#darkwing duck #dwd #steelbeak #Dominic Domino #steeldomino #darkwing duck oc #dwd oc #not my oc #green-eyed monsters

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