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There are times when Wise doesn't understand what goes on in Belle’s brain. This is certainly one of them.
It’s past midnight when he returns from the Outer Ring, and light is spilling out from the gap under the door of his sister’s room. “Belle? You’re still up? It’s me.” He raises a hand to knock, in case she has headphones on while late-night gaming, but the door flies open to an excited Belle greeting him with a weirdly massive grin and twinkle in her eye.
“Er,” says Wise, before he is instantly ushered onto her couch to recount, in minute detail, his day out with the Champion of the Sons of Calydon.
When he mentions the bike ride she makes a sound between a snort and a squeal. He knits his eyebrows together. “Why are you making pig sounds?”
Belle clears her throat, grabs a cushion for some unfathomable reason, and asks, “Were you guys going at speed?”
“Yes? Which respectable Outer Ring biker wouldn't?”
“Did you hold onto him the whole ride?”
“Y…es? I mean, I kind of had to, or I'd fly off.”
“So you rode with your arms around him for fun until sun down ? How did it feel? Did you like it?”
Wise blinks at her. “Uh. It's certainly different from riding with Caesar.” He eyes the cushion in her arms. “I think you're gonna tear that thing apart if you tug at it any harder.”
“Good different?”
“I don't know?” Wise says, baffled. Seeing the expectant shine in his sister's eyes, however, he feels obligated to try again, “It’s nice, I suppose. Lighter is faster and the ride is less bumpy, but we went on for longer so I'll probably still wake up sore tomorrow. He told me it would help if I relaxed more, but it's hard when I'm not used to it–” Wise pauses at the sight of Belle doubled over, cushion smashed to her face.
What the hell is his deranged sister thinking?
Wise narrows his eyes at her suspiciously. “Is this about Lighter? You keep saying the whole bad biker boy thing is cliched and so not your thing, but you’re secretly interested, aren’t you?”
That earns him a smack on the arm. (Is that a no or a tsundere yes…? But Belle is too energetic to do tsundere, so it must be a no?) She says, “I think we can clearly see which of us he's more comfortable with. He only bothered to chat with you during the Overlord's Feast, you know?”
“Instead of just watching from afar, you could've come and said hi too. He’s actually quite funny once you get to know him.”
Belle suppresses a giggle. “Is he, now? I didn’t want to interrupt the two of you.”
“So experiencing it vicariously through me is a better option?”
“Wise, I’m trying to be supportive.”
“Of?” says Wise, more mystified.
Belle makes a sound he can’t identify. “I just want to say, right now, that I support you dating any of the Sons of Calydon.”
Wise stares at her. “Where the heck is this going? I’m not hanging out with Lighter as an excuse for a chance with one of the girls, you know.”
“Oh, trust me, I know.”
Wise is suddenly overwhelmed by the feeling that the point of the conversation has been cartwheeling over his head the entire time. He tries again, “Look, Belle, if you’re interested in him and want me to play wingman, you can just say so.” He pauses. “But it’s a no, you’re not allowed to date him or any gang member of any sort.”
Belle throws her hands up. “Dumbass.”
“That’s not gonna change my mind.”
She all but shoves him out of her room.
-
Since that evening in the Outer Ring, Wise is almost certain he’s bumping into Lighter more often, especially in Lumina Square. He’d seen Lighter around before they formally met; Outer Ring citizens tend to stand out amongst the crowd, and Lighter is eye-catching even by Outer Ring standards.
The difference this time is the fact that Lighter recognizes him in return. As their eyes meet over the gaggle of high school girls clamoring for his attention, Wise nearly bursts out laughing at the clear “Help me” look on the biker’s face.
“There you are!” Wise calls out, waving his hand. “What’re you doing just standing there? We’re gonna be late if we don’t hurry!”
He hears Lighter excuse himself and push his way out towards him, doesn’t wait for the biker before turning on his heel to walk across the square. Lighter catches up to him quickly enough and they fast-walk across the pedestrian crossing beeping its last green lights until they’re swallowed by the crowds on the other side of the busy intersection.
“Thanks a bunch, Manager,” says Lighter, when they finally stop in front of Officer Mew Mew.
“That’s what you get for being in that getup and standing outside the cinema, of all places,” Wise teases.
Lighter pushes his sunglasses up his nose. “What getup? You mean this? Hardly fancy, especially by cityfolk standards.”
It’s because you’re handsome, and nice enough to not disappoint them, Wise thinks, but decides not to tease further. He spots a scrap of paper in Lighter’s other hand. “Are you here shopping for the girls again?”
Lighter rolls his eyes, but the exasperation is more fond than biting. “I don’t understand why I’m sent to do this when Piper drives through the city practically twice a week. I swear they’ve been pouncing on me more often lately. What the heck do I know about moisturizing shampoo and watermelon-flavored lip gloss. If you want watermelon, get watermelon and eat it?”
Wise laughs. “You’re talking to Belle’s errand boy here for half our lives. Trust me, don’t question it. As it so happens, I’m just done with my business for today and I have a few items to grab for her as well. I’m guessing you were looking for this?” Wise jabs a thumb at the drugstore right behind him.
The man huffs, but he’s clearly impressed. “Reliable as ever, Manager. You’ve somehow managed to read my mind.”
“Since you’re here, why don’t we grab something to eat together before you head back? I was thinking of doing that before driving home anyway.”
Lighter shrugs. “Sure. You pick, unless you don’t mind–”
“No fast food,” Wise says instantly, and laughs at the look Lighter shoots him. “We’ll get one of my favorites instead.”
They go for noodles after the shopping is done, and Wise is pleased when Lighter decides noodles are, in fact, tastier than fast food.
-
“You should invite him to General Chop’s next time,” Belle tells him as they shut down the HDD after the last commission for the night. “Didn’t you go with that PubSec Thiren officer a while back? Can’t have Lighter missing out and thinking you have better noodles with other guys.”
“Are you talking about Seth? I was only trying to convince him it’s better on our street. Also, what?”
But his sister is on her phone now, and scrolling through a chat.
“Belle, if you want to have noodles with Lighter–”
She waves him off, texting furiously as she replies, “Well, you should invite him anyway. Who knows, maybe he needs to run an errand in the city again this weekend.”
Wise stares at her. “How the hell would you know that?”
Belle only hums in reply, as though he’s background noise.
-
Wise stares at the figure who walks into Random Play on Saturday afternoon.
“Sup with that look, Manager? Not happy to see me again so soon?” says Lighter.
“No, of course not,” says Wise, polite mode on autopilot. “It’s just… Are you here to see Belle, by any chance?”
Lighter blinks at him. “No? Was I supposed to?”
“I don’t know,” says Wise, helplessly. He suddenly remembers Belle running out half an hour ago to stock up their pantry while he watches the shop, even though he’s sure they have enough rice, bottled water, and toilet paper stocked up to survive a whole typhoon month. He shakes his head. “Sorry, where are my manners? Are you here to pick out some tapes? Feel free to browse, or if there’s anything I can help you with, just give me a shout.”
Lighter removes his shades and pinches the bridge of his nose briefly before putting them on again. “Here’s the thing. Her Highness suddenly decided to set up a drive-in cinema next to Cheesetopia, but she and Lucy can’t stop fighting over what movies to screen. So guess who got the honor of doing the choosing.” Lighter shoots him a pointed look.
Wise blinks. “Oh. You meant me?”
Lighter rubs his chin. “It’s not a bad idea in itself. Besides the townsfolk, bikers making a pit stop at Blazewood would have something to keep themselves entertained if they need to stick around for extended repairs. Lucy thinks you’d also appreciate some business of the non-Hollow type.”
Wise smiles. “Sure, I guess I can pick out a few tapes to start you off with, and if it goes well we can work out a subscription deal. I suppose I should be glad I’m not called in to manage it personally this time, eh?”
Lighter gives him a wry smile. “Sorry we keep bothering you outside of Hollow business, Proxy. It’s what you get for being so reliable. Looks like you’re not hearing the end of us anytime soon.”
“I demand free meals at Cheesetopia and bike rides whenever I visit the Outer Ring.”
“I’ll happily oblige you on the rides, but uh, no promises about the free meals,” the biker tells him. “Don’t want Lucy chewing my head out for making business decisions.”
Belle arrives through the parking lot exit just as they are taking out a batch of tapes at the counter. “Oh, hi, Lighter! Fancy seeing you here today!”
“Hey there, Second Manager. Doing good?”
Wise watches their exchange suspiciously. From the biker’s tone and body language, he doesn't appear to have received any invitations for noodles from Belle.
“Lighter, Wise said you liked the noodles at Lumina Square. You should try the noodle shop just in front of ours before you head back! Maybe Wise can take you.”
“Are you secretly helping General Chop promote a new menu?” Wise asks, scrutinizing her awfully blinding grin through a frown. “And I just ate there yesterday with Ben, so I’m good.”
“Ben’s a good friend of ours,” Belle tells Lighter quickly. “He’s a bear.”
“Uh. Cool…?” says Lighter.
“Anyway, once you’re done with Lighter’s tapes why don’t you two go hang out together!” She gives Wise a look.
“I’m still watching the shop, though?”
The look hardens. “Yes, but business is slow today.”
“Since it’s slow going today, you can join us as well and maybe recommend something to Lighter this time,” Wise tries again, trying to be helpful despite his reservations about his sister being with a biker gang member (Lighter’s alright, really, but it’s the principle of the matter).
But it turns out to be the wrong thing to say, judging from Belle’s expression morphing into wtf. He glances at Lighter, who is stuffing all the tapes into a backpack and zipping it up with record speed. “How’s about I take the tapes and be on my way now, and you two can take your sweet time figuring out whatever. Bye, now.”
The Champion is out their door in less than a millisecond.
Belle’s mouth falls open. She slaps Wise on the arm. “You are such a dumbass!”
And just like that, Wise is shoved out the door in utter bewilderment. He spots Lighter opening the parking lot gate behind their shop to let his bike out, sighs, and goes over to apologize.
The biker is about to pull on his helmet but stops when he sees Wise. To Wise’s relief, the man is cracking a small, knowing smile and doesn’t seem to mind Wise approaching him.
“I’m really sorry about that, Lighter, it’s nothing to do with you at all,” Wise tells him. “Belle kicked me out so I thought I might as well apologize and send you off properly. But don’t expect me to explain, because heck if I know what that was about either.”
Lighter huffs. “All good, Proxy.” He rubs the back of his head in a show of embarrassment. “Sorry I, er, bailed on you there. It sounded awfully like the start of one of Caesar and Lucy’s fights, and I kinda acted on reflex.”
“Belle isn’t usually like this. She’s just been weird lately and really nosy where you’re concerned. To be honest, I thought she was interested in you, but apparently she’s more interested in keeping me out of the shop.”
“Huh. You know, the girls have been weird too. Caesar keeps asking me about you and Lucy keeps mentioning you. Even Piper gives me weird looks at the mention of you. The girls are up to something, but I can’t seem to get it out of Burnice.” He waves at the backpack. “I’m not convinced there isn’t more to this whole drive-in cinema idea either.”
Wise tilts his head thoughtfully. “I smell a conspiracy.”
Lighter rolls his eyes. “I smell bullshit.”
Wise chuckles. “Look, let’s forget about the girls. It is lunch time now, and my sister just kicked me out. If you’d rather not ride several hours on an empty stomach–”
“I got a better idea,” says Lighter, suddenly. “Your sister said we should hang out, so.” He reaches for the second helmet and pushes it into Wise’s hands. “Hop on.”
-
Wise doesn’t expect to end up all the way at the Sons of Calydon’s campsite that evening, but one food and ride detour led to another and now he’s elbow deep in the innards of their broken videotape player that fell victim to Caesar and Lucy’s last duel. He sighs, somewhat amazed, at the twentieth or so broken piece of electronics he’s picked out from the chassis.
He feels a familiar hand on his shoulder and straightens up, wincing at the pop in his spine. “How’s it going, Proxy?” Lighter asks as he flops down on a chair next to Wise and surveys the pieces Wise had laid out on the table.
Behind him, Caesar lets out a low whistle. “Holy smokes, Proxy. I can’t tell if this is good or bad.”
“Bad, I’m afraid,” Wise tells them ruefully. “Most parts need to be replaced and soldered onto a new circuit board. I can check my toolbox when I’m back in the shop, maybe source a few things from my neighbour, but I can’t guarantee it’ll work or if I’ll even find all the right parts. You might be better off getting a new player.”
Caesar groans. “I’ll stop by Blazewood tomorrow and ask Kasa to put in an order for us.”
“If you like, I can procure one for you guys and drop it off the next time I’m here with the car,” Wise offers. “We’ll be seeing each other regularly, at least for a bit, seeing as we’ll be doing business together again.”
“Huh?” says Caesar, confused. “We will?”
“The drive-in cinema, you blockhead!” Lucy’s voice suddenly interrupts them. She shoots Caesar a look oddly reminiscent of the one Wise received from his sister earlier that day, her eyes darting towards Wise and then at Lighter before landing on the Overlord again. “The whole point of our Champion getting all those tapes?” She grips Caesar by the elbow. “Now are you going to continue bothering Proxy or shall we leave them alone?”
Caesar’s eyes make the same circuit as Lucy’s and widen abruptly as though she’d been smacked on the forehead. “Oh, right! Yes!” she says, loudly, and then coughs, “Er, I should go help with dinner. You’ll be joining us, Wise? Normally we use the gas stove for convenience but Burnice thought it’d be nice to have an old school campfire meal to give you the full experience.”
Wise gives her a sheepish smile. “Oh, please don’t trouble yourselves on my behalf.”
“Nonsense, it’s not every day we get to impress a city boy with our way of life.”
“Impress is a strong word,” says Lighter, under his breath.
“You’ll do well to impress him with your tent tonight, then, seeing as he’ll be crashing with you,” Lucy tells him before dragging Caesar off.
Wise watches the two of them walk away, awash with the sensation of having something whoosh over his head again. He glances at Lighter who is raising an eyebrow at him. He nods.
“Definitely something weird going on.”
Lighter sighs. “Blazewood isn’t terribly far from here, I can drop you there after dinner so Kasa can put you up for the night. I’ll pick you up tomorrow morning and take you home.”
“Is your tent that bad?” Wise jokes. “It can't be worse than Belle's room.”
Lighter barks out a laugh. “I just have the feeling whatever they’re scheming, they’ve boobytrapped my tent somehow.”
Wise squints at him. “You think they would?”
“It’ll probably be harmless, but probably best you don’t get caught up in it.”
“Or,” says Wise, “We could pull one over on them and both stay the night at Blazewood. Tell them I challenged you to a drink-off and you can’t ride back to camp after that. Saves you the extra journey too.”
Lighter smirks. “You sure you want me to do that?”
Wise places both hands akimbo on his hips. “Why not? Bet they wouldn’t have planned for that in whatever they’re scheming.”
The biker only smiles, amusement glinting off his sunglasses. “You're the boss.”
-
Wise doesn’t know what to expect from Belle when he arrives home the next morning, but it’s certainly not whatever he’s getting.
“Caesar and the others told me you shared a room with Lighter at the guesthouse in Blazewood?” Belle all but demands the moment he steps into the shop through the parking lot exit. There's a strange look in her eye that Wise can't identify, isn't sure he wants to. “Unless you got a bigger room than I did back during the Tour de Inferno, it doesn't have a couch or living space.”
“I didn't make him sleep on the floor, if that's what you're asking,” Wise tells her.
His sister's eyes widen. “There’s no way you–”
“We shared the bed, princess,” Lighter suddenly speaks up from the threshold behind Wise. “I'm not such a brute as to leave our guest on the floor when the bed’s big enough for two. Besides, s’not like we had much sleep anyway.”
Belle's mouth hangs open.
“Shall I just leave this on the counter?” Lighter asks, nodding at the broken video player in his arms. “Dunno what you think you can salvage from this mess, but s'not my call.”
“Maybe in the next room, on the workbench,” Wise tells him, pushing open the door behind the counter.
“Aaah, here's where the real business happens, I see,” says Lighter, smirking at the HDD setup.
“See this couch here?” Wise points. “I crash here all the time. I'm not just a delicate city boy who needs a proper bed to sleep in all the time, you know.”
“I’m not the one who's awake the whole night through,” the biker tells him, an eyebrow raised.
“Says the one who keeps waking up periodically,” Wise says drily. In cold sweat, as though from nightmares, he thinks, but doesn't say it out loud when he spots Belle hovering at the door tapping away furiously on her phone. “Something you need, Belle?”
Belle nearly drops her phone. “Oh! I– uh, was just wondering if, uh– Lighter will be hanging out with you the rest of today!”
“Much as I'd love to, I got business back in the Outer Ring,” Lighter tells her. “Just here to drop off these two precious pieces of cargo.”
“Wow, I'm as precious as a broken video player, I see,” says Wise.
“Hey, she's vintage and a real beauty in her better days. Kept me entertained for a good long while, you know. How else am I going to watch videos now, eh, buddy?” Lighter half-grins, half-smirks at him.
Wise rolls his eyes. “If I wasn't flattered before, I certainly am not now.”
Belle makes a sudden sound and dashes out of the room, mumbling something about needing to find a tape for a customer.
“...Your sister doing alright?” The biker asks. “She sounded an awful lot like a pig there.”
Wise sighs. “This is becoming the new norm, apparently.”
-
Wise decides to stop worrying about whatever schemes Belle, Caesar, and Lucy are cooking up (Lighter isn’t convinced Burnice is involved, as she would’ve let slip by now). Whatever it is, he’s found solidarity in Lighter and they’d begin sharing notes.
For one, there is a fair number of mentions of food and restaurants. Wise wonders if they’re trying to set up a surprise party of sorts, but he and Belle have never made much fanfare of each other’s birthdays, and Lighter claims he’d forgotten when his is (Wise doesn’t believe that for even a second, but, knowing what little he does of the biker’s mercenary past, doesn’t push).
For another, there is a growing tendency for either Belle or Caesar to suggest meeting up only to bail on the boys. The second time this happens, he and Lighter start a tally. On the fourth, they're well settled into the routine with snacks, nitro-fuel, and a metaphorical blanket for bros-only movie nights.
-
“You're not joking about the whole being queasy over blood thing, huh,” says Wise, at the end of a home invasion movie they'd just finished in his room. Phantom photosensitivity aside, he could feel the biker squirming and pushing his shades up every time blood splattered on-screen. It's almost cute, for someone of his reputation.
“You think I wear these purely to look cool?” Lighter asks, with the slightest hint of a pout that somehow isn't out of place, not anymore, with Wise’s impression of the boxing champion.
“Yes,” says Wise instantly, and snorts down a laugh at the shove said boxing champion gives him that also jostles popcorn onto his rug. “In all seriousness,” Wise continues, still trying not to laugh. “It's sometimes difficult to tell when you're joking and when you're not.”
“Likewise. Remember the time you told me you missed me?” Lighter says, casually.
Wise groans. “I told you it was Belle who sent that text!”
“Aw, so you didn't miss me after all.”
“The next time we do this I'll be sure to pick something with lots of blood and gore.”
“If that's what it takes to spend time with you, Proxy, I'll take it.”
Wise gapes at him.
Lighter continues, blithely, “Though if you want me passed out in your room that badly, there are better ways to accomplish that.”
“You're impossible,” Wise tells him, and pelts the biker with a fistful of salt-roasted corn kernels.
He doesn't bother to explain to Belle when, ten minutes later, she finds the two of them bent over picking up stray popcorn all over his floor.
-
A while later, Wise thinks he's figured out what Belle and the girls of the Sons of Calydon are doing. It's not a coincidence that Lighter always shows up at the exact spots in Lumina Square he has to run errands in, to the point they've started expecting run-ins with the other when Belle or Caesar send them out for suspiciously specific shopping.
In hindsight, he doesn't understand why they think it's necessary to set him up with the biker when he's perfectly comfortable calling the man out for a movie or meal when he wants to, just like he's done with a few of their other agents.
He brings it up with Lighter the next time they're taking out lunch at Cheesetopia.
To his surprise, Lighter doesn't seem surprised.
“You're not surprised,” Wise notes.
Lighter shrugs and bites into a corn dog as they automatically meander towards the cliffside overlooking the Hollow. “Does it matter? I'll take doing groceries over fighting duels any time. And if I get to see you too, that's a bonus.”
“You really are a cup half full sort of person, aren't you,” Wise says.
“Besides, I heard you get pretty handsy with some of your agents. Something about stroking a wolf Thiren’s tail? If I didn't know you better I'd have thought you're quite the player.”
Wise can feel the heat in his ears as he groans. “I can't believe Belle still isn't over that. She'd have absolutely taken the chance to touch a fluffy tail too if it were her.” He pauses, and groans again. “I can't believe she told you about that.”
It takes Wise another full minute of Lighter's pointed silence to properly catch on, and he nearly chokes on a piece of tomato in his pita pocket. “Hang on, so you knew the girls were trying to set us up this whole time?”
Lighter smirks. “For a smart guy, Manager, you sure are slow on the uptake.”
“Since when did you realise?”
Lighter hums. “Long enough.”
“And you didn't think to tell me?”
“It became fun to see how long it'll take you to figure it out, and the girls to realise I'm on to them.”
Wise scrunches up his napkin and tosses it into a nearby bin with some vehemence, hoping the biker doesn't notice how mortified he is. He'd wondered if Lighter was just a natural flirt. Now it all makes sense.
“Hey, don't misunderstand one thing,” Lighter suddenly says, as though he's read Wise’s mind. “I won't be wasting my time with this crap if I don't genuinely like hanging out with you.”
Wise buries his face in his palms. “Somehow that doesn't make me any less embarrassed.”
“What the girls are scheming and what I choose to do with my time isn't necessarily mutually exclusive.”
“You're enjoying this, aren't you,” Wise accuses.
Lighter has the audacity to waggle one eyebrow. “I'm just saying, if you're up for a joyride, I'll be your ride anytime.” He takes another casual bite of corn dog, still eyeing Wise.
Wise nearly sobs. “Please, stop.”
-
Wise doesn't remember the last time he made sandcastles, and certainly doesn't expect the former boxing champion to be the person he'd be playing in a sandpit with like they are children. He takes a photo of the Eous sculpture Lighter made and sends it to Belle in excitement.
The reply is quick: “Wait Lighter made this?!! Wait wait wait you guys playing in the sand together?? Bro there is no platonic explanation for this.”
Wise groans inwardly, doesn't explain when Lighter raises a questioning eyebrow at him. As the biker reaches forward to sweep sand off his face, casual as always, Wise is glad for the sunset behind him hiding his embarrassment.
-
The next time Wise hangs out with Lighter in Blazewood and they play on the swing hanging from the giant cactus, he wisely does not tell his sister.
-
“Gotta say, I'm a little surprised you have connections with PubSec and HSO, considering what you do,” Lighter says with a huff, still eyeing the general direction Seth and Harumasa disappeared off to.
“I've worked with PubSec as Phaethon before, believe it or not,” Wise tells him, thinking about Zhu Yuan and Qingyi. “Some of them have their priorities in the right place, and are good people. And I'm friends with Seth. He's a good person too, really, if a bit reckless. Even if Harumasa wasn't there, I'd be sure to clear up the misunderstanding right away.”
Lighter gives him a long look as if appraising him anew. “Maybe I should be glad to be in your good graces, eh, Manager?”
Wise grins. “You better be. I'm awesome.”
Lighter snorts back a laugh. “Seriously though, if a Pub Sec officer is on my tail again, I'll run straight to your shop.”
Wise chuckles. “I’ll admit it was actually a bit funny to see all of you together in one scene, it's like something straight out of a comedy.”
“Well, I'm glad I've entertained you as such. And I managed to wrangle out a pretty profitable deal for Boss, so the day's not wasted.”
“Care to entertain me more? If you're done with your work here I'd like to take you somewhere.”
Lighter raises an eyebrow at him. “Oho? Are you asking me out on a date, Manager? What'd your sister bribe you with?”
Wise ignores the questions and brandishes two pieces of paper in the biker's face. “I just so happen to win coupon deals for a pretty good restaurant here. Do you want to come with me or not?”
“Yes, sir, Boss, sir,” Lighter says instantly.
-
Wise isn't entirely surprised to hear the full story of Lighter's past that threw him into the underground boxing arena. He is surprised by the biker sharing it with him and not the rest of the Sons of Calydon, however.
“You’ve met the girls, I'm sure you understand,” Lighter says, more sombre than usual.
“I just assumed Big Daddy would know when he recruited you.”
“He probably heard the rumours and might've put two and two together, but we never talked about it. To be honest, I'm not sure I'll be very good at talking about it with him, either.”
Wise hesitates. “Thank you for trusting me, then. For what it's worth,” he pauses, feeling a weird shyness wash over him, “I want you to live.”
Something flickers in the biker's expression and Wise finds himself fixating on the spikes of the man's jacket.
“You know just what to say to make me feel better, Wise.”
Wise.
Wise blinks up at him, but Lighter is already prattling on about having dinner together next time and moving on to lighter conversation.
“Let's go for hotpot,” Wise says, suddenly.
“Right now?” says Lighter.
“I'm free now, and you've mentioned hotpot several times. I know you want to try it.”
“Ah.” The biker rubs the back of his head as though embarrassed. “Manager–”
“You know my name,” Wise interrupts him. “Use it.”
“Wise,” says Lighter, with an odd quietness to it that Wise has never heard from the biker before. He doesn't say anything more, and Wise feels an urge to fill the awkward silence.
“Well? Yes to hotpot?”
For once, the biker's smile is void of wry and tease. “I'd love that, Wise.”
And Wise feels a warmth blossom inside him.
-
Wise stares at the bunch of purple lilacs in his hands.
“From the gentleman before,” Orchidea says, a hint of a knowing smile on her lips. “May your relationship blossom forever~”
Wise grips the flowers tighter, jostled by the florist's assumption. “R-Relationship?”
Orchidea’s expression flickers. “Oh? I just mean your friendship.”
Wise stares at the flowers. Then glances back at Orchidea. “Does he buy flowers here often?”
The florist tilts her head. “I wouldn't say often, but enough to recognise him.” She chuckles. “To be honest, it's hard to forget a man as striking as him. Especially one who buys flowers for a… friend, in such an honest manner.” Her eyes flick towards the lilacs.
Wise ignores the knowing smile she is still flashing him. “If he ever comes around to buy flowers for remembrance again, could you add an additional bouquet of white lilies from me? I'll pay for them upfront now.”
“My pleasure,” says Orchidea. “Do you know the symbolism of purple lilacs, by any chance?”
“Ah, I'm not really into things like the language of flowers,” says Wise, quickly.
Orchidea hums. “If you're sure.”
That evening, as Wise locks up the car and walks towards the store's back entrance with lilacs in hand, he pulls up his phone and does a quick search.
He nearly drops both phone and flowers.
-
Three days later, Wise is sad to find the first sign of wilting on the lilacs. He snaps a photo of them sitting on the window sill by his bed, and sends it to Lighter with a text that read, “I enjoyed them while they lasted. Thank you.”
-
“Wise!” Belle shouts from downstairs.
A flurry of hurried footsteps has his sister bursting into his room. “These just arrived for you!”
She thrusts a bouquet of fresh lilacs into his arms and needles him to reveal who the anonymous sender is.
“None of your business,” Wise tells her, hoping the happiness that bubbles up in him isn't too obvious.
-
Something's changed in the way the biker greets him, Wise thinks. He still meets Lighter every few days, but it's less from Belle and Caesar's poorly disguised errands and more direct invitations from Lighter himself.
Right that moment, he's standing in front of Cheesetopia waiting for Lighter to refuel his bike so they can do a bike trip over the weekend.
“I'm really glad you agreed to this,” Lighter tells him, in the weird way he does now that hits Wise like a defibrillator to the chest. “I wasn't sure if it'll be your thing, what with being cityfolk and all.”
“I should mention I’m not the most well-versed with survival skills,” Wise tells him, hoping it’s the perfect excuse for his newfound nervousness around the biker. “I don't know if I'll be much help at all when it comes down to it.”
“Don't you worry about that, Wise,” Lighter says with a chuckle as he screws on the gas tank cover. “We're not doing the full camp out this time. I'd made sure to map out a route with a town stop for the night. It'll be safer that way, too.”
“For me, you mean?” Wise jokes.
“And me. Your sister would kill me if I let anything happen to you.”
Wise laughs. “I don't doubt that.”
-
The Outer Ring is more beautiful than Wise had imagined. He thought he'd gotten the general idea of the landscape from the Tour de Inferno and his frequent trips into Blazewood, but they're nothing compared to the sheer vastness of the land Lighter drives them through.
They stop for a quick lunch in a little pocket of shade along a steep cliffside. Before them, the midday sun reflects off sand particles and transforms the terrain into golden monoliths and spires rising from a glittering sea. The rainbow shimmer in the outlines of companion Hollows that pockmark the land somehow adds an alien beauty to everything.
“It's breathtaking,” Wise says, almost whispering.
“I know,” Lighter says beside him. “Though the Hollows may be a blight upon the land, I can't deny how pretty it all looks.”
They absorb the scenery over sandwiches eaten in companionable silence.
-
After an early dinner in town, Lighter suggests a short ride out to enjoy the night sky before bed. They stop at a secluded cluster of cacti with items placed before them like a memorial. Wise recognises the wrapping paper from Dew Gardening Shop on a bouquet of wilted white orchids.
“They're not really buried here, of course,” Lighter tells him quietly, “But we had a commission in the Outer Ring once, and Dane decided we'd have a campfire and picnic in this spot after it was over.” He waves at the flowers. “Just something in the Outer Ring to remind myself.”
Wise remains silent.
Lighter chuckles. “I didn't bring you here to dampen the mood. That all happened a long time ago. I just wanted to show you a nice spot for stargazing. I told you I often escape to quiet places to chill out when the others get too noisy. This here's one of them.” He sits down on a flat rockbed, leaving space for Wise next to him.
Wise obliges. They gaze up at the swathe of distant stars in the galaxy twinkling brightly against the velvet night sky and disappearing behind the Hollow.
“You're awfully quiet,” Lighter says.
“You did say you come here when the others are too noisy,” Wise says. “I don't want to lose my privilege of being here.”
“The Outer Ring belongs to everyone, and no one,” says Lighter. “Wherever I am, Wise, you're always welcome to be.”
Wise is suddenly aware Lighter doesn’t have his shades on and he's looking straight into the biker’s eyes, but it's dark and he can't see the red glint that sometimes flashes in the other man's irises.
“Why’re you staring at me like that?” the biker asks, quieter than usual himself.
“You’re not wearing your sunglasses.”
“Not the first time you see me without them.”
“No,” Wise agrees.
“How is it different this time?”
“It’s not. Just… noticing.”
A beat.
“...Wise, you're staring hard enough to make me blush.”
The tension erupts and Wise whacks him on the arm to hide the bubble of something welling up inside him. He stands up and brushes sand off his trousers. “Come on, let's head back to town. I'm getting a bit cold now.”
-
When Lighter drops him off in front of Random Play in the evening, Wise feels a weird reluctance to see the biker go.
“Stay the night,” he blurts out, just as the door flies open.
Belle squeaks and flies back indoors.
And Wise groans, thoroughly mortified. “Seriously? Timing?”
Lighter throws back his head and laughs. He doesn’t stop laughing even when Wise begs him to. “Still think it’s a good idea for me to crash?” he asks as he removes his sunglasses to brush away tears of laughter.
Wise exhales. “I’m not one to take back an honest offer.” He crosses his arms over his chest and fixates on the front wheel of Lighter’s motorbike. “I just thought you’d like a bit more rest before returning to the Outer Ring, seeing as you’ve been riding all day. It’s up to you.”
Lighter coughs down the last chuckle and takes a deep breath. “Wise,” he says, perfectly seriously, “You know I just can’t refuse you.”
Wise stares at him. “I really can't tell if you're joking or being serious.”
“That's my charm,” says Lighter, with aplomb.
-
To her credit, Belle manages to refrain from making any winkwinknudgenudge comments all evening. They get noodles for dinner, all three of them, and play a few rounds at God Finger together. After a few episodes of a sci-fi comedy on Wise’s couch, Belle makes a show of yawning and excuses herself to bed.
“By the way, Lighter, I told Caesar and the rest you’re staying over tonight, so they know to expect you only tomorrow,” she tells him. “Sleep tight, boys! Try not to stay up too late.”
A few seconds of silence between Wise and Lighter.
Wise gets to his feet with a stretch and yawn. “I’ll fish out a t-shirt and shorts for you. I have a few oversized items that should do it.”
-
“Not bad at all,” says Lighter, a quick shower and change of clothes later, “Pretty comfy, too, ‘cept for the arms. Thanks, Manager.”
“You’re both fitter than I expected and less bulky at the same time,” says Wise critically, as he stares at the biker's upper arms where the sleeves are snug.
“You check me out that much, Manager?” Lighter says, too quickly.
Wise raises an eyebrow, not taking the bait this time. “You're supposed to flex a bicep at me with that line. Minus five points.”
The biker laughs. “I can do one better.” In one swift motion, Lighter scoops him up, sweeping his feet off the ground in a bridal carry.
Wise yelps and freezes, automatically tucking his elbows in as Lighter's face closes in on his.
“Huh, you're actually heavier than I thought you'd be,” the biker notes, shifting Wise in his hold as though hefting about a child.
“Could you gentlemen keep it– oooh!” A high-pitched squeal of apology ensues, then a slamming of a door.
Wise brings both hands to his face. “Belle, seriously,” he groans into his palms, face hot as the sun as he peers through a crack between his fingers.
“Bed or sofa?” Lighter asks teasingly, ignoring Belle’s sudden entrance and exit and clearly enjoying Wise’s mortification.
“Put me down, god's sake,” Wise sobs.
“Tell me where,” says Lighter, laughter in his voice, “Bed or sofa?” He shakes Wise in his hold until Wise sputters, “Sofa! Sofa!!”
Lighter nods. “Bed, then,” he decides, as he carries Wise a few steps over and unceremoniously dumps him on his duvet. To Wise's surprise, the biker climbs on over him, limbs caging him like a scene from a romance b-movie.
“Are we sharing tonight?” Lighter asks, sunglasses dangling off the edge of his nose. This close, Wise spots the red tint on the biker's green irises he doesn’t realise he'd started searching for every time their eyes meet. He lifts his hands to tug the shades off entirely.
“There's a red spot in your eyes,” he states, mouth gone dry. They're too close, way too close. There's no platonic explanation for how close they currently are.
Lighter tilts his head. “There’s a spot in yours too,” he says, and Wise feels a flutter of breath on his face as the biker closes in.
Their lips meet, slowly at first, and then Wise reaches up with his other hand not holding Lighter’s sunglasses to clutch at the biker's nape and hold him down for a deeper kiss. They kiss again and again, one chasing the other every time they pause.
When Wise feels Lighter’s tongue pushing into his mouth, a knee shifting between his thighs, his brain short circuits. He plants both palms on the biker's chest and shoves. “Stop, stop, we can't–”
Lighter grunts, resists for a few seconds. Wise has never seen a more dissatisfied look on the man's face before.
“Not with my sister right next door,” Wise adds quickly. If Lighter doesn't stop soon he's not sure he can either.
Lighter lets out a long huff and finally gets off of him, letting Wise push himself up. They sit side-by-side on the edge of the bed.
“I guess sharing the bed's no longer an option, huh,” says Lighter, a hand to the back of his head.
“Not tonight,” Wise says, still trying to process. He can still feel the biker’s mouth against his, the nudge that came dangerously close to his crotch.
Lighter inhales. “Guess I skipped too many steps forward.”
“How long have you…” Wise starts, and doesn't know how to call this.
“Long enough,” Lighter replies. Then he sighs and rubs the back of his head again, a picture of school boy shyness. Without the sunglasses, red scarf, and spiked leather jacket, Lighter is miles away from the image of a jaded ex-mercenary leader and undefeated champion of an Outer Ring biker gang. “Look, to be honest, Wise, I don’t know when either. It sorta just crept up on me. Maybe it was since the Tour de Inferno, maybe it was when you were fixing up Cheesetopia. Maybe the girls knew before I did. Heck, I’m sure they realized it before I did. I didn’t even realize how much I missed you until Settlement Days and you were back in the Outer Ring regularly again.”
“Did you put the girls up to all that scheming?” Wise asks, eyes wide and accusing. “You were in on the whole thing from the start?”
“No! Wise, no, cross my heart, hope to die,” the biker tells him quickly. “You can ask any of them if you don't believe me. I didn't tell them to set us up. I just let them do it when I realized.”
“Then… why didn't you say anything to me earlier?”
Lighter shrugs, but his shoulders are tense in a betrayal of nervousness. “You're important to the Sons of Calydon. I didn't want to make things awkward and ruin the gang’s relationship with the legendary Phaethon, not especially when I'd be running most missions in the Outer Ring as one of your agents.” He inhales, runs a hand through his hair, and chuckles. “But you had to keep texting me to hang out all the damn time, as though you actually like spending time with lil’ ol’ me.” There is something endearing in the self-deprecating way in which he mimics Piper’s drawl.
Wise swallows. “I do like spending time with you. You never thought to ask if I’d be interested, even as a one-off or a casual thing? My impression is that Outer Ring folk aren’t too bothered with things like that.”
Lighter looks at him with eyebrows knit together. “Would you be interested?”
“No,” Wise says instantly.
Lighter's expression falls before he can catch himself.
“Because I'm not interested in a one-off,” Wise says. “If we're going to do this, I want something that isn't casual.”
The sight of Lighter's surprised face sparks a surge of boldness in Wise. He leans forward to kiss the man again, a hand cupping the biker’s face to keep him close, and Lighter responds in full.
“We should close the room door,” Wise mumbles when they part.
“That's too dangerous,” Lighter tells him, inhaling sharply. “The things I'd do to you while you try not to be too loud–”
“Oh my god,” Wise pushes his face away, embarrassed beyond belief as he feels Lighter's arm around his waist tightening. “Stop, stop, stop– ack!” In his scramble to get out of the biker’s hold he slips off his bed and lands on the floor.
Lighter stares at him for a second, and descends into laughter. He doesn’t stop until Wise is on his feet again, grabbing a pillow and whacking it over the older man’s head. But Lighter simply grabs the pillow, quick as lightning, and tugs it out of Wise’s hold. “Does this mean I have to take the sofa downstairs, then?” he asks. He hugs the pillow to his chest and pushes his nose into it. “I’m taking this with me.”
“You can take the sofa here. I have a spare blanket,” Wise says, ignoring the way Lighter is inhaling his pillow and looking at him that’s making him feel all sorts inside. “As long as you behave.”
“Mmrgh. If I knew you’re okay with this, I should’ve made my move while we were still in the Outer Ring.”
“We’ll talk about this tomorrow,” Wise tells him. “I still need to be up early and you have a long ride back.”
“However you want this, I’ll be fine with it,” Lighter tells him simply. “I’m the lucky bastard here to actually have a shot with someone like you.”
Wise stares, feeling his cheeks get hot again. He reaches forward to sweep the biker’s bangs away so he can look into both green eyes. “Ugh. It’s so unfair to say stuff like that when you’re this handsome. Do you even realize what it does?”
“If it’s working on you, that’s all I care about,” the biker says. “All the times you thought I was just joking, messing around with you? I meant every word of it, my Proxy. Wise.”
“Bed time,” Wise insists, as Lighter attempts to tug him down again to resume kissing.
As they settle into their covers and Wise snaps his bedside light off, he hears Lighter let out a low chuckle from the sofa. “Care to share?” he asks.
The sofa creaks as Lighter shifts. “Whaddaya know. Girls were right all along. Your sister too.”
Wise groans and pulls his cover over his head.
-
“I’ll come by again in a few days time,” Lighter says as Wise and Belle prepare to open shop the next morning. “As soon as there’s a gap in the schedule and there are no challenges, but I won’t know until I talk to Boss.”
“Just tell her it’s to see your boyfriend and she’ll definitely let you,” Belle tells him.
“Nu-uh, Boss can keep guessing a while longer,” Lighter replies. “She’s gonna want me to tell her everything, like it’s one of her romance stories. I’d rather not have that conversation.”
“You’ve been with Wise the whole weekend, she’ll be imagining things anyway. The others are already texting me for the scoop.”
“Don’t go making it easier for them to suss it out.”
“Lighter! Are you telling me to lie to my dear friends and clients, and deny that their champion just hooked up with my brother?”
“I’m still here, you know,” says Wise flatly. “And we’re not anything yet.”
“Yet,” says Lighter, because of course he’d jump on that bit. “Who told me last night they don’t want something casual?”
“Okay, stop right there, I don’t need to hear more of what happened last night,” Belle says quickly. “As much as I support it.”
“Nothing happened!” Wise protests.
“Regrettably,” Lighter adds as Wise shoves him through the parking lot exit door.
“You’re both gonna be the death of me,” Wise says as Lighter checks the straps of the bags from their trip and hops onto his bike.
“I mean everything I say, Wise,” the biker tells him. “I like you. A lot. Whatever you want this to be, I’ll be happy with it. Just say the word.”
Wise shuffles on his feet. “You do realise you don’t know me. And I don’t mean you know Phaethon, the Proxy, but not Wise, the person. I mean you don’t know Phaethon either.” He stares at the wheels of Lighter’s bike and is startled when a gloved hand ruffles his hair.
“We all have our secrets, Wise, and reasons for the things we do. You just happen to know some of mine. If the time comes when you’re ready to share, I’ll be here. And if it doesn’t come, that’s ok too.”
Wise feels another surge of boldness inside him. He presses a kiss on Lighter’s lips and pulls away quickly, keenly aware that they’re in semi-public space. “I want this too, Lighter. Just know that if you accept this, you have to accept me alongside Phaethon. It’s all or nothing.”
The smile Lighter gives him is bright as the sun. “Easiest choice in my life.” And he tugs Wise in for another kiss.
-
When the bouquet of purple lilacs arrives mid-morning, Wise doesn’t pretend to Belle that it’s not from Lighter, and displays them on the counter of the shop next to Luckyboo.