Work Text:
His beautiful morning is interrupted by the sound of the door to their meeting room slamming open. Flux barely looks up from his blueprints when someone tosses a newspaper onto the table.
SIDEFALL NEWS
August 21, 20XX
ISLAND TWO — The rumors were confirmed this morning at an Island-wide summit to discuss Luminara trade routes. Fluixon, Luminara’s Vice President, was seen hand-in-hand with Saparata, Island One & Two’s known mediator. Fluixon and Saparata have appeared at numerous meetings this past year, giving their input and voices on countless issues that have shaped the fate of both Islands alike.
Now what does this mean for our future Island decisions? The conflict of interest here is clear—
Flux stops reading. He looks away. He looks at it again.
“The fuck is this,” he says, very eloquently.
“That’s what we’d like to know,” Thomas says. Surrounding him are none other than all of his goons, each in their respective seats. It would feel like an intervention if they all didn’t look so…confused? Disgusted? Intrigued. Flux has no fucking idea. They’re all paying rapt attention as Thomas lays it out flat for him. “Care to explain?”
“I…” For once in his life, Flux is at a loss for words. It’s not even noon yet. “I…uh—“
Not his finest work. This is an embarrassment against Luminara.
The way he’s trained them all for any scenario kicks in as they prey on his weakness immediately.
“You’re dating Saparata?!” Gotoga accuses.
“And you didn’t tell us?!” Hvyrotation tacks on.
“I told you, I called it last week! Give me the money,” Snowbird says, and that’s when Flux’s brain reboots itself in time to snatch the newspaper and crumple it in his hands.
“Excuse me,” he hisses. “First of all, no, I’m not dating Saps, why would I do that?! Second, this image is clearly fake. It’s—“ Thomas snatches the newspaper right back right from his hands. This is betrayal. This is a mutiny. A coup. He’s being fucking overthrown. “—it’s propaganda! Island One propaganda!” He sputters. He can’t even believe himself. Fumbling like an amateur.
“Propaganda?”
“I mean, it does look edited,” Snowbird says as Thomas smooths the newspaper out once more and they all peer over to look at it closely.
“Because it obviously is!” Flux protests.
“Uh huh.” Nobody is listening. What the hell. “Was this photo before or after the meeting?”
“It’s before! See, he’s smiling! Flux is usually mad after.”
“Hey—“
“He’s always mad. Saps is just laughing. Who do you think got the photo?”
“‘Written by Sidefall’ probably that guy. Who the fuck is that?”
“Let me ask Seraphim. She’s the one who found the paper.”
“NewKids just messaged. Said he’s from Island One.”
“You guys gotta read the rest of this article. Holy shit, he’s accusing them of treason.”
“For dating?”
“This is so homo—“
“What are they even doing?”
“Why are you guys holding hands, Flux?” Hvyrotation asks innocently, being the only person to look him dead in the eyes as he asks it.
If this were a month ago, Flux would’ve lost his temper right then and there. Honestly, he would’ve lost it from the moment they threw that paper down. However, it’s been a month since they cancelled that assassination plan, a month since Saps promised to help him at the meetings and only continued to do so from then on. Island Two is fine, Luminara is fine, and today, unfortunately, Fluixon has decided he will not do anything that will get him tried for treason. He has to be sensible, civil, as Saps would put it, and so, he presses a hand to his forehead and looks toward the ceiling, a plea for patience.
“He fell,” Flux slowly explains. He remembers that day vividly, some leader from Island One was taking up too much of the conversation and not letting anyone talk. Saps gracefully tried stopping him several times but he wasn’t having it. Flux ended up cutting in and that allowed Saps to gain control of the conversation once more. When they left the meeting, Saps thanked him, smiling and eyes shining in the afterglow of the sunset.
Flux told him it was nothing. Saps laughed in return and just then, he tripped and Flux grabbed him by the hand.
“So…” Thomas says, glancing at the photo. “Not edited?”
“…no, it is,” Flux lies. Flux is smiling in the photo as they said, and the fondness in his eyes as he gazes at Saps who is mid-laughter at himself for falling is captured and so disgustingly sweet that he has to look away. It is edited. It is so edited. Nobody may believe him but he knows it. “You can ask Saps.”
“We will!”
Snowbird’s communicator goes off. He takes it out and laughs. “What?” Flux asks, mildly irritated.
“Saps just said, ‘that’s hilarious’,” he says, chuckling. Flux’s eye twitches. He’s going to have an aneurysm. But first, he’s going to kill Saparata.
“Yeah? Well, tell him I’m on my way,” he replies hotly, and gathers his coat and storms out of their bunker, everyone’s laughter echoing behind him.
It’s not the first time they’ve been accused of being together. For the first couple of meetings Saps mediated, Flux was still prone to outbursts that Saps had to smooth over before things could get ugly. He still stands by the things that he said but he and Saps fought a lot back then, Saps arguing that he had to rephrase things and Flux arguing that he needed to be more critical.
There was one time, one particular meeting that ended ugly. Saps hadn’t been there–it was only Luminara and Aperion talking about trade so neither of the other nations were there either–but one of the officials had looked at Flux during the meeting and whispered to their other member.
Flux tried to ignore it. He did. They kept talking, however, and at a certain point even 3BelowZero cleared his throat for their chatter to die down. Once they’d all been dismissed, Flux gathered their papers and on the way out, overheard one last crucial piece of information:
“–yeah, Saps is a good mediator, but he’s too biased. Especially if Flux is around,” someone said.
“Excuse me?” Flux said, whirling around. 3BelowZero was already outside. It was only him and a few other Aperion officials who looked at him, alarmed. Somehow, in a room with only him and others, they all still seemed to be so afraid of him. “What’s that supposed to mean?”
The room was silent. Flux stared them down, daggers in his eyes, because how dare they–how dare they offend him, and most importantly, offend Saps and his actions. The gears in his mind were already shifting on how easily he could frame them all and wipe Aperion off the face of Island Two. They had some nerve, not listening to what Luminara had to say and now this–
“Well,” one of the newer officials was the first to pipe up. They shrunk once Flux turned his head to look at them. “I mean, everyone knows you’re dating.”
The rest of that meeting was a blur. Flux can’t remember what happened afterward. According to 3BelowZero and several eyewitness accounts, the verbal barrage Flux unleashed was so scathing he didn’t end up in Aperion meetings for weeks afterward. Good riddance.
What he does remember, however, is how Saps reacted when he told him. Eyes widening, mouth whispering, “no way” before doubling over in laughter while Flux yelled at him to take it seriously. He laughed for a good five minutes before wiping the tears from his eyes and looking at Flux like he’d offered him the opportunity of a lifetime.
“So what you’re saying is that we have to come to every meeting together,” Saps had said, still stifling a laugh. “Right? Right? We gotta–”
“I’m leaving.”
“Flux!”
That same reaction is essentially what he’s expecting by the time he gets to Tricolour, the streets bustling with people and decorations. Festivities are in full swing for the announcement of Queen Jophiel’s engagement. Fresh bouquets of flowers and streamers line the stalls and homes, and Flux has to duck and weave through the crowds of people to find Seraphim and her on the outskirts of the city, taking a walk through the forest.
“Fluixon,” Jophiel says pleasantly. Flux nods in greeting. Seraphim gives a small wave by her side and goes back to messaging on her communicator. “What brings you here?”
“I’m looking for Saps. Is he here?”
In the distance, Flux hears a crashing sound. Jophiel and Seraphim share a look and shift to the right. “You just missed him,” Jophiel says. A blur of white moves past her.
“...right.”
“He’s heading to Island One,” Seraphim adds helpfully. Flux glares at her. Traitor. She was the one who said he was here in the first place. “Westhelm needed him.”
“For what?”
“Wedding planning,” Jophiel answers, but not without flushing pink. Seraphim elbows her and she clears her throat, trying to remain poised. “Emperor Schpood, uh, insisted.”
Flux raises a brow. “For Saps,” he states. “Not you?”
“It’s bad luck to see the bride before the ceremony,” Seraphim supplies. Jophiel nods seriously.
“I think that only applies to the actual wedding day,” Flux says. Their engagement was fairly recent and regardless, they are both thousands of blocks away from each other, an entire ocean apart. They won’t be seeing each other much beforehand anyway. Still, if Saps is on his way there, then he’ll be there by the afternoon. Flux has to move if he’s to catch him. “Okay, thanks.” For nothing.
“Oh, and Flux?” Flux stops and turns. Jophiel smiles warmly at him, and it may be the sun behind her head but it almost looks like a halo surrounding her. Ethereal. Truly a queen for the ages. If there’s one thing he has to say about her, there has never been a leader more beloved by their nation. She’s the one who vouched for Saps before him, after all. “Congratulations by the way. I’m very happy for you.”
“What?”
“On the news,” she says, still smiling. “I didn’t realize you and Saps decided to announce it. Good for you two.”
“We are NOT dating.” Seraphim snorts. Flux is going to kill her in front of Jophiel and change the trajectory of this entire nation. He keeps himself composed, however, because there are appearances to keep up for her sake and his. “That’s not true. It’s a clickbait article.”
“Yeah, we know.” Jophiel chuckles. Flux can’t help but feel foolish now, but he stands up straighter. “Still, you might want to know that everyone’s seen it.”
“No kidding. It’s public news.”
“No, Flux,” Seraphim interrupts. “Everyone’s reading it.”
“So? People have thought we were together before.”
“Have you seen the chats?” Jophiel asks. Flux shakes his head. “Ah, well, there’s your answer. We’re just letting you know so you’re prepared when you get to Westhelm.”
“It’s Westhelm,” Flux points out. Whatever. He’s wasting time, and Saps is getting farther by the minute. “I’m not scared of your future husband. But thanks for the heads up.”
Flux is so fucking scared of this guy.
“WELCOME EVERYONE!” Emperor Schpood yells into a booming mic, scuffed with static and his two bodyguards next to him wincing. He pays them no mind and carries on, oblivious to the earrape he’s inflicting onto everyone and their mother. Generational trauma on their auditory senses. “TODAY WE HAVE TWO NEW PRISONERS WHO WILL FIGHT TO THE DEATH!”
“Why is he so loud,” Flux says to no one in particular.
He’s crammed in what he assumes is the announcer’s booth, above the ring of the colosseum. It took him two hours to reach Westhelm, the late afternoon sun beating down on his back. He was hot, sticky with sweat, and woefully uncomfortable by the time he got to Westhelm’s doors and demanded an audience with Schpood. His men took one look at Flux and escorted him here. No Saps in sight, for now.
“—WHO IS ACCUSED FOR CONSPIRACY OF THE MURDER OF SEVERAL WESTHELM BUILDERS!” Schpood pumps a fist into the air. “READY? FIGHT!”
“This is…barbaric,” Flux mutters under his breath. The two victims in the ring fight, swords clashing and axes swinging. It lasts a good thirty seconds until one of them gets a good swing in and stabs the other in the back. The person crumples to the ground as other Westhelm civilians flood the arena, cheering and swarming the winner.
“—IS HEREBY CLEARED OF ALL CHARGES! CONGRATULATIONS ON YOUR VICTORY! CLEAR THE ARENA,” Schpood finishes announcing, cheers ringing out. Satisfied, he finally turns to face Flux. “HELLO FLUXION—oh shit, wait get this off me,” Schpood flails, untangling himself from the wires. His guards do the work and once it’s all off his armor, he gives a manic grin to Flux. “My apologies, Fluxion. How are you? Jophiel told me you would be arriving.”
“Did she now,” Flux says. He’s only had a migraine once in his life before and now he feels like he’s getting another one. There is so much going on—the screaming in the distance, the cheers, Schpood’s loud scratchy voice, and the bodyguards who look half tired and half ready to kill Flux if so much as breathes wrong.
“Yes! My wife—ahem—future, wife—likes to keep in touch. As do I! Here, as part of my generosity, allow me to give you a tour of Westhelm.” He slings an arm over Flux’s shoulder and steers him out of the booth and out of the colosseum, onto Westhelm’s streets together. “Is it your first time here?”
“No, I’ve been here before.” Flux carefully extricates himself out of his hold. Schpood is alarmingly fast. “That’s also not necessary, though I do appreciate it. I’m actually looking for Saps—Saparata? He was here for wedding planning?”
“Aha!” Schpood’s entire face lights up. For a deranged bloodthirsty wannabe-tyrannical ruler, he looks like a child on Christmas day. “Yes, I know him! Your boyfriend!”
“He’s not my—“ Schpood’s face suddenly darkens. “I mean—“ Flux quickly backtracks. “—it’s uh, a recent development. Complicated,” he adds, hastily. “The media runs with stories, you know.”
“Ah yes, we know. That news source isn’t the most reliable.” Schpood nods solemnly in understanding. It is the most bizarre thing, the range of emotions this guy goes through in three seconds. He leans in closely, so close to Flux’s ear that his bodyguards won’t hear. “Listen, let me tell you something Fluxion—Flux? Can I call you that? Do you have a preferred name? Pronouns? Gender?”
“Flux is fine.” His name is also Fluixon, but he is not going to tell Schpood that. He has chosen his battles.
“Very well, Flux. Let me just say you have chosen a man of impeccable character—“
“What.”
“—however his whereabouts are unknown at the moment. Who told you he was here?”
“Your wife,” Flux answers without skipping a beat. Schpood chokes on air. Flux enjoys every second of it. “Future wife.”
“If I knew a political marriage was going to be this much, I wouldn’t have agreed,” Schpood bemoans. Flux nearly collapses right there because sayings like this could ruin his reputation and career in seconds yet Schpood just says it like it’s second nature. Unbelievable. “Congratulations on dating but don’t get married, Fluxion. Especially politically. Saps has been a great help. Wingman, my guy.”
“Sure. Is he here or not?”
“He was, but there was a dispute at Elysium that he’s gone to handle.” Flux groans. “Don’t you worry, he told me to pass along a message should you come, and you have! He’ll be home by the evening.”
“It’s almost four.”
“Then he’ll be home soon! Now go, apparently there’s a new assassination plot that I have to handle,” Schpood says, shooing him off. “Give Saps my love!”
“Absolutely not.” Flux turns on his heel but then pauses. “Wait, could you tell me more about the news source before I go?”
Sidefall News, according to Schpood and several Westhelm citizens, is a one-man show of a newspaper company featuring the man in question. Sources say he gets his leaks from informants in all nations scattered along the islands, others say he makes it all up.
Flux finds him on one of the paths of Island One, walking around unguarded and messaging someone.
“Are you the one who wrote this article?” He asks calmly.
“Huh?” Sidefall looks up from his communicator. He makes eye contact with Flux.
Ten seconds later, Sidefall is screaming as Flux runs after him.
“Where’d you get that photo?” Flux yells. “Can you—just stop running! I’m not going to hurt you!”
“Hey hey, listen, man, they were paying me off—“
“Who?” When Sidefall doesn’t stop, Flux grabs the back of his hoodie and pulls him toward him. “I want names.”
Sidefall looks at him in pure terror and says one.
By the time he returns to Island Two, the sun is beginning to hang low on the horizon. He docks his boat on the shore of Saps’ Island, the lights illuminating the way up the stairs. Instead of ascending, however, Flux looks out to the sea and clears his throat.
“Ish.”
“The other half of the happy couple! Quite rare of you to call me, Flux,” Ish remarks, materializing in front of him. He’s not holding a camera, but Flux stares him down anyway. “To what do I owe the pleasure?”
“Did you take the photo of Saps and I holding hands?” It is a miracle how Flux manages to get through his question without blushing like a schoolgirl. If his face warms, it’s from the heat and the fact he was getting dragged around the whole day. Nothing more. Nothing less.
“Oh!” Ish genuinely seems surprised. Flux doesn’t know what to quite make of that. He files the information away for later. “Sorry, cameras were rolling. It was a really cute picture though!”
“Yeah, well now the whole world knows.” Throughout the whole day, his communicator has been blowing up with messages from the Conspiracy and god knows who else. His wild goose chase to find Saps has been what’s keeping him from checking it, but also now that he’s at the root of it all, he makes sure to silence the device to make sure his annoyance is fully conveyed to Ish, who better be recording this so everyone can see how utterly done he is with this. “You know we’re not dating, Ish. Why’d you send in that photo?”
“It made for a good story.” Unbelievable. “For the record, I didn’t tell them you two were dating. I only sent it. What they chose to do was up for interpretation, so my apologies there.”
“Great.”
“No idea it would go viral either! But, I mean, other than the Trihelm marriage and Infernus, there’s nothing else on the news.”
Pause. “What’s going on with Infernus?”
“The Lingulini mafia and Queen Cynnikka are at it again,” Ish says casually, waving a hand. “Anyway, I wouldn’t worry too much. It should die down in a week. Your article, that is.”
“Lovely.” Flux resists the urge to groan, even though he’s done it every hour since learning of that damned newspiece today. “Okay, at least I know it was from you then. See you later.”
“Ah, one more thing, Flux.” Flux pauses and turns. The lights leading up to Saps’ home practically beckon him to come up, but instead he has to listen to whatever Ish has left for him. “There’s something I’d like to ask—strictly off the record, so don’t worry about the news.”
“What is it.”
Ish takes a moment to answer, mulling over his words carefully. “You’re heading to Saps’, right?”
“Yeah.”
“Not going home to Luminara? Or with the rest of your crew? It’s just Saps’ for the night?”
“Yeah?”
“And Saps has a room for you.”
“Yes?”
“Not a guest room. Your own room.”
“…where is this going?”
“Just wondering.” The sly look on Ish’s face tells him that it is not nothing, and somehow, Flux can’t help but feel like he’s missed the mark. He hates this. Everyone else is on this cosmic inside joke that he’s not. “Did you ever finish reading the article itself, Flux?”
“No.”
“I think you should start then. Then you’ll get your answer. Here, I saved you a copy.”
Ish materializes a perfect crisp newspaper clipping and hands it to Flux. Flux stares at him, but he glances back at the familiar title and photo and starts to read. It’s pure slop is what it is—more engagement bait, accusations of treason—and his eyes glaze over it all until he gets to the bottom of the article. Reads over a familiar name, an actual quoted statement from them.
And then Flux finally gets a clue.
“SAPS.”
“Oh my god—“ Saps squawks, falling out of his chair.
Saps, in all of his beautiful glory, is sprawled out on the wooden floor, one foot still on the chair as his white cloak and toga lay surrounding him, like some sort of angelic halo. The sunset glow basks him in hues of orange and his eyes widen as Flux glowers down at him.
Saps, of course, smiles sheepishly, pink dusting his cheeks. “Hey Flux—“
“You told everyone we were dating?”
“I did not say that! What are you talking about—“
Flux shoves the article in Saps’ face. Which, considering he’s on the ground, ends up just suffocating him. Saps coughs and Flux peels it off him to show and point.
“Read it.”
Saps does. Flux helps him stand up because sitting on the ground the whole time is admittedly pathetic. If anything, it gives him the opportunity to fully gaze at Saps after a whole day of running around on both islands. Saps’ eyebrows furrow at first, and as he reads, his eyes widen and he briefly glances up at Flux in shock before returning. Once he reaches the section in question, he sputters and holds it up.
“Hey, I said we were roommates!” He points right at the line.
“[Flux] over here can be a bit…unpredictable,” Saparata stated. “But I know he only wants the best for us.”
When asked about the nature of their relationship, Saparata mentioned that the pair were currently living together.
“That’s not wrong! You literally live here—“
“Then explain the second part!”
The next paragraph is more of Saps talking about Flux but ten times more flowery as it’s filled with Saps waxing poetry about him. Flux is a natural born thinker, are some of the lines along with, I can’ t think of anyone more qualified—it’s amazing to watch him debate—no greater partner—
Is it doing wonders to Flux’s ego? Yes, absolutely. He is going to be riding that high for at least a week.
Briefly, Flux wonders when his life transformed from war and politics to a B-list romantic comedy. He was planning assassinations a month ago for god’s sake. Plotting and scheming the perfect way to topple every single incompetent leader of all the Island nations. Nowadays, he willingly participates in this tomfoolery.
Saps goes bright red. “I—I thought Sidefall was just asking me normal questions! I didn’t know he was going to use it!”
“And this is why everyone thinks we’re dating,” Flux mutters while Saps continues to flounder like a sad flopping fish. Okay, now he’s really laying it on thick. “Because of what you said about me.”
“I don’t even get what’s wrong,” Saps protests. “Those are normal things to say about your friend!”
Friend.
Somehow, him saying that causes heat to rise in his face and Flux’s hand crushes the newspaper. “So you’ll say that about any friend?!”
“It’s going to blow over in like a week! It’s fine. People will forget about it, you know how it is!”
He stares at Flux, confused. Right. Because they are friends, and this whole day has been Flux running around trying to convince everyone that they are. He’s the one who’s annoyed about this stupid article saying they’re dating. So why is he somehow even more annoyed at the fact Saps is insistent on this? That this whole time, Saps didn’t secretly admit anything to the press about his feelings, and that maybe it’s Flux who has it all wrong, expecting some other explanation that isn’t there.
What is he even looking for? Why does it bother him so much? Saps keeps staring at him, probably searching for an answer of his own and Flux can’t answer, because—because—
His heart pounds in his chest. There’s screeching in the background, like the fighting in the colosseum, as his train of thought finally arrives at its last destination of the day.
Ah.
Great.
“You’re right,” Flux says, voice sounding distant to his ears. “We can forget it.”
“Wha—what’s wrong?”
“Nothing, it’s fine.”
“No, it’s not! Ugh, come on, Flux—“ Saps grabs his wrist, forcing Flux to turn around and face him. “Are you mad?”
“No.”
“Oh, yes, you are,” Saps scoffs. He takes a deep breath. “Listen. Listen! I said all that ‘cause yes, we’re friends—but that is how I feel about you! I like you! That’s why I said all that stuff! I didn’t know they would blow it up like that!”
“You what.”
“I—“
Saps cuts himself with a strangled sound as Flux stares at him, jaw agape.
I like you. Three words. Three words he slipped out. And now Flux feels absolutely stupid, staring at him in the most raw, unfiltered, look of shock.
“Uh,” Saps says. He laughs nervously. “I didn’t say anything.”
“Saps—“
“You’re right! We can forget it—“
“Saps!” Flux is shaking, whether it be with anxiety, excitement, or frustration. All three at this point. “I…feel the same.”
“No fucking shot,” Saps says almost immediately. Flux recoils a little bit. “Say it again.”
“I feel the same.” The dumb smile that spreads on Saps’ face is infectious. It almost makes up for how embarrassed Flux is to admit that, face growing redder by the second. “There. Happy?”
“There’s no fucking way—“
“I spent the entire day looking for you, Saps! I went across both islands chasing you down!”
“Aww, that’s cute,” Saps says, giddy and bouncing on the balls of his feet. Flux almost swings at him. Still, joy is a good look on him. He looks about ten seconds away from chanting yippee! over and over again. “Well, you found me.”
“You’re not hard to find.”
Something crashes loudly in the background. Flux glances back.
“What was that?”
Saps shrugs. “Probably Ish. That’s the fourth wall he’s broken today.”
“Of course.” If he’s probably still around, Flux is going to kill him. But for now, with Saps in front of him, there’s only one thing for him to do. “So, you like me, huh?”
“Yeah, and so do you,” Saps fires back. “Anyway, we can sue that news outlet now.”
“I already dealt with him.”
“You what?” Saps sputters. His eyes flick to Flux’s and to his lips. “That’s great—wait a minute—Flux, what did you do? What the fuck do you mean you dealt with—“
Flux kisses him.
The next day the photo of them is all over the Islands, blown up on the front page of several newspapers (the trustworthy ones, this time around). It’s a nice photo, all things considered, of him and Saps wrapped around each other without a care in the world at the top of the stairs of his vacation home.
BREAKING NEWS—the title reads—THE LUMINARA VICE PRESIDENT AND SAPARATA ARE DATING!!!
“How come they call Saps by his full name and not me?” Flux says when the Conspiracy toss the newspaper article on the table again. He folds up the photo, ignoring the rest of the article and his treasured goons exchanging money in front of him.
“Because you scared them off, Flux,” Saps chirps helpfully from where he’s sitting next to him, messaging on his communicator. “We have a meeting with Aperion in an hour, by the way.”
“Fine. This time, let me do the talking.”
“Hell no. You’re just going to threaten them again.”
“I’ve changed. And this time, we’re actually dating now.”
Saps laughs. Flux smiles, triumphant. “Yeah, okay,” Saps admits. “I’ll give you that.”