#delsin rowe x fem!reader

[darling-i-read-it]

Neon Eyes

Delsin Rowe x fem!reader

Word Count: 2k

Warnings: heavy insinuations to smut (like basically leads up to smut and then afterwards but I’m always too lazy to write it. Use your imagination lol), delsin nervous you wont accept him 

Author’s Note: the annual playthrough of second son had begun <;3 

Summary: Delsin struggles to tell you about his new powers, even though he wants nothing more than to be held by you. 

Song: Polaroid by Imagine Dragons was weirdly on repeat. 

I don’t own these characters. They belong to author/director/creator

(not my gif)

Delsin looked at his phone. He flicked through his contacts, hovering over each one. The air was crisp in Seattle. It felt much more processed than it did back home, like it was muffled by all the smoke coming out of buildings. Granted, he couldn’t exactly complain about the smoke thing. It happened to be incredibly beneficial to him. 

He hovered over Betty’s name. He should call her back. He had been avoiding her calls, though not intentionally. She just kept calling him at inopportune times. He passed her name. Reggie was at the top of his recently called list. Delsin skipped him easily. As he kept going, he landed on a name that filled his stomach with warmth. 

You. 

He should call you. No, he shouldn’t call you. He wanted to call you. There was a difference. Delsin kicked his feet back and forth, looking down past his phone. He was sitting on a balcony, a couple floors above the ground. The world had turned into specks below him. He wanted to call you. 

He didn't want to get you in trouble. 

He wanted to hear your voice. 

“Goddamnit,” Delsin muttered and pushed your name. It highlighted and then started to ring. Immediately regretting it, Delsin hung up. He shouldn’t have done that. You had surely heard about what happened with the tribe, maybe even heard about his new condition. Maybe Reggie had called you already. Delsin made a face at the thought. He didn’t want his brother talking to you period, let alone about him. 

Delsin jumped. His phone was ringing. Your name hovered on his screen. 

“Oh fuck,” he grumbled. He held the phone with both hands so he wouldn’t drop it. He stared at it for a moment too long, listening to his ringtone. 

After a long moment, he answered the call. 

“Hello?”

“Hey D! Did you call me on purpose?” God, he was right. Your voice had already soothed him. Childhood friends, turned something else, staying something else. 

“Butt dialed, my bad!” He scratched the back of his neck. “Actually, I lied.” 

“You tend to do that.” He chuckled, looking down at his feet, dangling. 

“It’s nice to hear your voice,” he said and he meant it.

“Yours too.” Your voice had gone soft. “What are you doing? Are you around home?” He shook his head even though you couldn’t see it. 

“No. I’m in Seattle.” 

“With all that shit going on?” you asked. Even though your voice was practically disembodied, it felt like laying in soft grass in the summer or getting in bed after a long day. It made him weirdly emotional. 

“Yeah, I chose the worst time for a vacation.” 

“Is Reggie with you?”

“Why would I bring Reggie on a vacation?” 

“Is anyone with you?” “Reggie.” You laughed. It felt like a cloud. Your words started with a hum, a comforting noise. Delsin hadn’t noticed how badly this whole thing had affected him. He had been going without stopping for so long he hadn’t even thought about it. His home was effectively ruined if he didn’t finish this. His life had been turned upside down by these new powers and responsibilities. 

“Seriously though, what are you doing out there? Is this about that attack on the tribe?” 

“You could say that. So Reggie hasn’t called you?” 

“Nope. You Rowe boys are avoiding me like the plague these days.” He chuckled. 

“We’ve just been busy,” he explained. “You haven’t talked to Betty?” 

“Nope. Believe it or not, I’ve been stuck in Seattle too. I came down yesterday for a concert and got stuck with all this DUP stuff. Guess we both have bad taste in day adventures.” 

“I guess we do.” You didn’t know. You had no idea what he was. He was just Delsin to you, the same person he had always been. ”Well while you’re stuck here, you wouldn’t wanna meet up would you?” 

“Are you staying somewhere?” 

“This isn’t a booty call,” he promised, voice deadly serious.

“I know that Delsin.” Your laugh moved to a small giggle. “I just meant, where should I meet you and it came out more aggressive than I intended.” 

“Oh! Oh yeah. I didn’t mean it either.” 

“I want to see you. Where are you?” you said slowly, in case he didn’t get it. 

“I’ll come to you. I’m quick on my feet these days.” 

“Alright well I’m staying in Capitol Hill, by the market. I’lll text you the address.” 

-

You were waiting in the lobby for him. There was smoke trailing behind him as he came in through the automatic doors. He knew he had more pressing things to do. He had people to save and he had things to break.

But at the moment he couldn’t imagine being anywhere else. 

“Delsin!” you exclaimed, standing up. You stood up, putting down the book you were reading. He practically hopped over to you, always light on his feet. He threw his arms around you and engulfed you completely. “Oof. You alright?” 

“Better now.” 

“Delsin, you’re acting weird,” you noted. He pulled away, holding your arms in his hands. “Why do you have a chain around your wrist?” You watched him, eyes scanning his figure. Something was up, you just couldn’t put your finger on what. 

“I need to tell you something.” 

“You’re scaring me,” you whispered. He looked around the lobby. There were stragglers around, too many people to give you any kind of demonstration. 

“I was back home when a conduit broke into The Lodge.” Your eyebrows furrowed. “Augustine caught this guy, Hank, and he had these weird smoke powers. He tried to hurt Betty and Reggie. I grabbed him and something happened. I like, grabbed his hand and saw his whole life. And then…then I like..” He was fidgeting out of anxiety. He looked around again. He was practically oozing with stress. 

“Delsin.” 

“He gave me some of his powers.” You stared at each other, eyes locked, mere inches apart. 

“What do you mean?” Your voice had hushed. He didn’t answer right away, which made you antsy. “Delsin.” 

“C’here.” He grabbed your wrist and pulled you out the front doors. You followed him wordlessly as he took you around the back of the building where there were nothing but cars. You watched him attentively as he let go of your hand, raised his, and shot something out of the sky. 

You yelped in surprise. 

“Delsin?! What was that?!” 

“I’m...I'm a conduit,” he said, voice quiet. It still felt weird on his lips, like the words weren't exactly true.

You stared at each other, eyes wide and searching. You went very quiet for a moment. He swore he could hear his heart beating in his ears. For some reason this was scarier than feeling the powers at all. 

You had heard all the propaganda about bio terrorists. You had seen what they could do to your home and your family. You also were very aware of the man standing in front of you. This was your best friend, the man you’ve loved for years. You knew that the DUP was killing people like him. 

And Delsin looked scared. 

You took a slow step forward. 

“Woah.” 

“Right?” he hissed. “I can float and stuff. And turn into smoke or something, I don’t know how it works biologically. I just know I can do a lot of things my body couldn’t do before.” You closed the distance and grabbed his hands, putting his palms to the air. You traced the creases, shaking your head. 

“Shit Del,” you muttered. “What did Reggie say?” 

“He still thinks we’re here to find a cure. "I'm here to get Augustine’s powers and help the tribe.”

“You think it’ll work?” 

“It’s all I got right now.”

“So why did you call me?” 

Delsin's whole body had relaxed with your reaction. You didn’t see him any differently. There was no fear in your eyes. He wanted to complain about everyone else's reactions, fill you in on everything that had happened. 

“I just wanted to see you.” Your face softened. 

“Oh.” 

“Maybe I could crash at your hotel room too.” You scoffed, hitting him. “I met this other girl too though, she lives in a billboard. I could always crash with her…” 

“Alright alright. You’ve guilted me into it.” 

-

It was a one bed hotel room. Delsin didn’t mind that one bit. You offered it to him easily and after some light banter, you agreed you should just share it. 

The sun had gone down over the Seattle skyline. Delsin sat at the edge of the bed as you got dressed for bed. He had no extra clothes. He would make some joke about sleeping naked and you would likely let him strip down to his boxers. You had seen him naked before.

“Are you gonna sleep in that beanie?” 

“When have you ever seen me sleep in the beanie?” You shrugged, coming out of the bathroom door.

“Could be a new thing you’re trying.” You sat down beside him. He turned to you, both of his feet still planted on the ground. You put your legs underneath you and faced him with your entire body, taking the beanie off his head. You ran your hand through his hat hair that was smashed down. “Can I see the neon again?” He laughed. 

“I’m like your circus clown.” 

“My court jester.” 

He put up his finger, lightly tracing the air with a pink neon. He spelled out your name in the empty space. You smiled like a child, watching eagerly. You turned your head back to him, eyes narrowing gently. 

He put his hand on your thigh. The silence was familiar and comfortable. 

“Do you think your eyes go neon when you…you know,” you quipped, your smile turning sly. He rolled his eyes with his whole head, squeezing your thigh. 

“You wanna find out?” 

-

Delsin rested his head on your chest. It was the most relaxed he had been in days. Weeks. You had your arm wrapped around his shoulder, your hand playing in his hair. You were tracing circles into his scalp, pulling lightly at his roots, brushing out his knots. 

He hadn’t been this safe since he first got his powers. 

“I did think you were gonna blast a smoke hole through me,” you said, voice quiet. The air conditioning was the only actual sound in the room. The lights were off, submerging you in darkness. 

“I had it completely under control.” You tilted your head down to look at him, laughing a bit. 

“That pillow is only feathers now,” you accused. 

“The pillow isn’t you.” You shook your head a bit. He nestled into your chest, putting his arm tighter around you. 

There was a long beat of silence. Just breathing. A room empty of any expectations. 

“Thank you for not freaking out when you saw me,” he breathed. 

“Thank you for not changing who you are.” You pressed a kiss against his head and it stayed there, lingering. “You’re in the line of fire now D.” 

“I know.” 

“I don’t want you to get hurt. You or Reg.” 

“I know.” 

“Can you promise me you won’t get hurt in the name of sheer goodness?” He nodded sleepily. 

“I’ve never broken my word to you babe.” You liked it when he called you babe. It came off his lips so effortlessly. “Thanks for letting me crash here.” You scoffed. 

“You’re always welcome to whatever bed I sleep in. You knew that.”

“I did.” 

He fell asleep soon after, his breathing evening. The police were searching for him and he was with you, pretending there were no other problems in the world. He deserved that much.