pilotoftheplane, your FedEx oneshot request! I might just count it as the weekly oneshot because I don't have the energy to write another one so... yeah

Dex's fingers tapped the table impatiently, matching his vibrating foot as he frowned at his latest project.

It was supposed to be a flash bomb that could store light to explode later on, but so far, none of the light was staying in the gadget to test. It was, essentially, a useless metal blob.

"It should be absorbing the light," he murmured in annoyance, scratching his head. "Why isn't it...?"

He was so deep in thought, he didn't hear him approach until he spoke.

"What's wrong?" Fitz's voice wasn't loud or abrupt, but Dex still jumped, shifting around to look at the brunette.

His cheeks darkened from the way Fitz was looking at him; a pinch in his brow, teal eyes wide with curiosity, hand resting on the back of the chair. He remembered that he needed to answer, but instead of explaining what he was trying to do, he said, "Why are you here?"

He knew his mistake as soon as the words left his mouth, a little snappier than he'd intended. Fitz removed his hand from the chair, his gaze shuttering itself. "I get it," the Vacker said slowly. "We aren't friends. That's fine."

"No!" Dex hurried to patch up his mistake, standing up and catching Fitz's arm as he turned away. He tried to avoid the flutter in his stomach as their skin made contact. "I didn't mean it like that. I meant to say, why aren't you on the mission? Don't you... usually go on these things?"

Fitz scowled, but Dex got the feeling it wasn't aimed at any him. In fact, Fitz's face seemed to soften as his eyes met Dex's. "Yeah," the telepath sighed in annoyance. "I usually go on these types of missions. But apparently, I'm 'not what they need for the team today,' so Sophie and Forkle are going as the designated telepaths or whatever."

"But you're Sophie's cognate," Dex pointed out, his mouth moving without him telling it too. Fitz's mouth tightened as he added, "Shouldn't you be the one to go with her?"

"Well, I'm not, okay? I'm stuck here. Being useless," Fitz snapped. Dex flinched, and the Vacker's forehead creased. "I didn't mean-" Fitz started.

"No," Dex cut him off before he could finish apologizing. "I was being insensitive. It's hard to... talk to people, you know? Since you're all off on your adventures while I... stay behind. Every time. Being useless."

The word echoed through Dex's past, all the times his mentors and classmates and nobility had used the word. (useless bad match with their useless triplets and the useless father and son who can't do anything important and never will-)

"You aren't being useless, I didn't mean that," Fitz said quickly. Dex gave him a Look, and he continued, "You do just as much as we do when we're out there, maybe more. After all, you give us the tools we need to fight the Neverseen. So really, you're there with us, definitely not useless."

"Thanks, Wonderboy," Dex smiled, even though he hardly believed him. "And you'll get to go next time, I'm sure."

Fitz nodded, although he didn't look too convinced either.

Dex tapped his finger on the back of the chair, suddenly remembering his flash bomb that he was supposed to be making instead of chatting with a Vacker.

"So what are you making?" Fitz asked as Dex slid back into his seat. Fitz's hands rested on the back of the chair, brushing Dex's back, and the technopath tried to remember how to concentrate. Or think.

Thinking would be good.

"A... uh..." Dex lost his train of thought as Fitz's fingers brushed against the back of his neck, ruffling his hair ever so slightly. "A flash bomb," he remembered, his voice wavering slightly. "It's supposed to store light to be released later, but it just isn't absorbing the light like it's supposed to."

Fitz moved next to him, staring at the unfinished gadget for a second before shaking his head. "I don't know. Maybe if you... capture the light in another thing and then transfer it over? Would that work?"

Dex frowned, his mind whirring through the possibilities. "No... unless..."

He reached for his notepad and the pencil he'd stashed behind his ear, scribbling out a few calculations. Fitz watched as he gnawed on the tip of the pencil while he thought, his foot tapping as endless ideas flowed through his mind.

He rejected them one by one, crossing out pages of his notepad before tapping his pencil against it triumphantly.

"Fitz, you're a genius!"

"I am? You mean my suggestion would work?" Fitz brightened, a smile growing

on his face.

"No, that would just be way harder. But your idea gave me an idea! I can use a flasher, to manipulate the light into the bomb to be stored! This way, I can also use different colors and intensities, depending on the situation." Dex's smile was huge as he turned back to the table and connected certain wires.

"I'll take it," Fitz grinned, a laugh coloring his tone as he watched Dex shape the delicate metal with his fingers. "Glad I could help... sort of."

Dex looked up, and their eyes connected. "I'm glad too," he said softly, and they both knew it wasn't about the breakthrough with the gadgets.

Fitz brought up his hand, brushing it gently against Dex's cheek. The technopath hardly breathed as Fitz moved the tiniest distance closer, until his breath was brushing Dex's cheek.

"I want to kiss you right now," Fitz told him, his eyes widening as if he hadn't meant to say the words out loud. But he had, and he did, and he didn't take them back.

So Dex stared at him in surprise, and slowly whispered,

"Then do it."

...

Dex wasn't a Golden Boy, by any means. He had never been super talented, above average, witty, brave, or anything that made him special.

He was good at alchemy, but anyone would be had they been raised in his house.

Since he wasn't special, he faded into the background. And as much as he tried to be seen, and be special, he couldn't manage it.

Until he manifested.

He was angry at first, because even though he had an ability, he wasn't special.

He still wasn't set apart from the crowd, and this wasn't enough to elevate him above his scandalous parents and rowdy siblings. Because even though he was a technopath, he was still just... Dex.

But then he wasn't, and he discovered he was good at what he could do.

He wasn't a telepath, or a mesmer, or a hydrokinetic or a shade or a flasher, but he was a technopath. And not only that, but one of the most powerful

technopaths.

For the first time in his life, Dex felt powerful. Wanted.

But then he realized that working with machines and gadgets and technology meant that he was left behind, because his ability was better suited at a workstation than a battlefield.

And he resented it, even though he knew that it was necessary and he wouldn't be much help otherwise. Even though he knew what he was doing was important, and even though he was forgotten, he was still contributing.

Still fighting.

Still powerful.

But he resented it all the same. Until one day when he wasn't the only one left behind, and he shared a kiss that was followed by many more, and for the first time in his life, Dex didn't care whether or not he was the best.

He didn't care that he was a technopath, or that he was forgotten, or that he was rejected and bullied and scorned.

He was Dex.

And that was enough.

I never know how to end these things-

Okay so that was that

I proofread it. At 1 am. If that counts.

Hope you liked it! Leave constructive criticism or whatever comments you have, I love hearing your thoughts! Next week's oneshot will be a Marella one, I just didn't have the time or energy this week to make a separate oneshot lol