So…a certain someone’s moleless-ness has inspired my creative juices
Self conscious Hank 5 x (gender neutral) reader on New Year’s Eve!
Your first New Year’s Eve with the Dateables was every bit as wonderful as you’d imagined. Many of them were eager to partake in the joyous celebration of a new year. Even the more prickly members of your home — Cam, Eddie, Rebel, just to name a few— were eventually beckoned by curiosity to discover the wonder of togetherness and hope. There wasn’t a single one left out!
Food kept flying out of the kitchen to satisfy the endless appetites. Little games of karaoke, charades, and good ol’ fashioned board games decorated the scene. A few beheld the glory of a night bedazzled by fireworks and stars welcoming another year, cuddled up with friends and loved ones.
Speaking of loved ones…you hadn’t even gotten the chance to see Hank 5 since earlier that morning! A worrying memory lurked. He’d looked a bit down when the daylight reigned. He tried to avoid giving you his face whenever you spoke. It was nothing like the sweet, adorable Hank 5 who couldn’t get enough of you.
You just finished a lovely chat with Barry and Diana about the hypotheticals of a life as a toucan. And now, the search was on. Hank 5, like the other Hanks, were the size of dolls, so they required a bit more focus. But a loud shout of “bussin!” allowed you a chance to locate him.
Following the trail of himbo slang was a bit more difficult with the increased loudness of the house’s inhabitants. You had to sharpen your focus more than ever. Nimbly and politely sifting through crowds of friendly (and not so friendly) faces, you finally laid eyes on Hanks 1, 2, 3, 4…
…But no Hank 5. You met up with the himbos, having a snow ball fight in the snowy outdoors. You looked a little more carefully. Maybe Hank 5 had built himself a fort out of view. But Hank 2 tugged on the hem of your pants.
“You’re looking for Hank 5, right (Y/N)?” Your blush provided a clear yes, although you followed up with a “Yes!” out of instinct.
“He’s back inside. You see, we were hanging out on the roof for a bit and then we started a snowball fight!” Hank 2 naturally dodged a chilly attack from Hank 3, who stared in awe at his failure before being pelted by Hank 1. “But he got hit in the face and it ruined his face makeup.”
“Oh, like his eyeshadow?”
“No, no. He had a bunch of really obvious cover up all over his face. I almost didn’t recognize him without his moles!”
“Why would he do that?” It was unthinkable that he’d want to hide a feature you found so endearing! And it worried you deeply, because you knew that Hank 5 was always a little more insecure than the others. Hank 2 shrugged.
“I don’t really know, but he seemed fine until the makeup started coming off. He said he’d be right back after reapplying. So, if I had to guess, he’s probably in the bathroom where Barry’s stash is.” Hank 2’s smile was a little troubled, but his gentle eyes knew they could trust you to help Hank 5.
You thanked Hank 2 and swiftly made your way back into the house. You jumped out of the way of a drunken pair of curtain rods sliding down the stairs, followed by the surprising addition of a flushed Abel and cheering Ben-hwa. There wasn’t any time you were willing to waste questioning this. Perhaps later. But there was something, someone, who needed you dearly. He just didn’t know how to ask.
“I wish Barry didn’t lock up the good stuff, but this will have to do.” For as shy as he could be, Hank 5 didn’t have much of a whisper. And for as big as you were compared to him, he didn’t even notice anything until the mirror’s reflection was more colorful. “(Y/N)! Uh, oh-I’m so sorry! I’ll be done soon and then you can do what you need to do.”
“What’s with the makeup?”
“What makeup?” You crossed your arms. “Oh…right. I’m not sure why I denied that…” Your finger gently turned him around. Half his face was caked in budget concealer a shade too light for his skin. It obscured the moles on his cheek and the corner of his lip. It rather plainly looked awful. “Is something wrong (Y/N)?”
You said nothing. Instead, you plucked a cotton ball from the jar next to the faucet and ran it under a gentle stream of warm water. Your other finger gestured for Hank 5 to come closer. When he didn’t, turning his beautiful face away again, you softly took his hand.
He sat by the edge of the counter as you dabbed his face. “D-did it look bad?” You didn’t want to answer that question. The answer wouldn’t help him feel better. So, you asked a different question?
“Why were you wearing that stuff? Don’t you know how lovely your beauty marks are?” He stiffened. Beauty marks. If they were so beautiful, why was he getting teased-no, he couldn’t get into it. Because then, his lips would start to twist. His nose would wrinkle. His eyes wavering and shaking until tears started to fall.
But when he felt his face, he realized too late he was doing just that.
“My little angel…please tell me what’s wrong. Tell me why you’d do this.” Hank 5 closed his eyes. The dappling of damp cotton on his cheeks was soothing. If only this feeling didn’t come with him having to tell his house homie the truth.
“I don’t understand…w-what’s so wrong. Barry says that makeup builds your confidence. But you, and him, don’t want me to use it. What is it? Is it just you two know that it’s pointless?”
“Pointless? Oh honey, what do you mean?”
“That I shouldn’t even bother with the makeup b-because it won’t really change what I-I…what I-“ His breathing tried to delay the sob that clutched his throw. “Hate…about myself?” Not even a second after the final pronunciation, he started to cry as much as his poor heart had to give.
You couldn’t stand seeing him like this! It was unbearable to imagine one of the most beautiful people you’ve ever met, inside and out, so unhappy with the way they looked.
It wasn’t the first time Hank 5 had a complex about his looks, he cried. He worried over his figure. The color, the style of his hair. His dimples, his thick eyebrows. The way he spoke, the way he laughed. Just…everything you didn’t think he could possibly be self conscious of. He was.
And he told you all of this without stopping, because he just couldn’t stop. He opened up his wounds and didn’t know how to close them.
You didn’t shush him, nor speak. What he needed was someone to hold him, even in this “undesirable state”, as he called it. You wanted to chuckle a bit. The random sprinkling of formal speech compared to his usual casualness was so cute.
And yet…undesirable state. It made you so miserable to hear that. And Hank 5 could tell how hurt you were by his mourning.
“I’m so sorry,” he sobbed, shaking in your gentle embrace. You stroked his soft brown hair as he tried and failed to pull himself together. “I really am! Please…please don’t be sad too. Y-you can go back downstairs-“
“I don’t want to go downstairs without you.”
“I’m a mess! Why would you want me around?”
“If you’re a mess, then you’re the most loving, thoughtful, and gorgeous mess I’ve ever seen.” His crying had come to a diminuendo. You could tell he wanted to hear more, though was too ashamed to ask. Too unhappy, too…undeserving.
So you told him everything you loved about him. You kissed every part of him, from head to toe. He giggled when your lips tried to press against his tiny ears. You told him things you felt once, things he found similar to his own struggles.
You broke down the lies he’d told himself, and admonished whatever insults he’d heard and internalized. A cruel, recent nickname as of late was discovered to be the instigating culprit.
“I-it’s kind of dumb to be sad about,” Hank 5 tearfully replied. “I don’t know why I got so hurt over being called ‘guacamole.’ Cause I’m, you know, always wearing green and…covered in…moles, so…guacamole.”
“It doesn’t matter if it seems ridiculous. It made you feel bad about yourself. Sticking up for yourself is important.” It took a little longer to convince him of this, but you didn’t care. You wouldn’t trade this time for anything.
When Hank 5 stopped crying, he looked at his reflection again. He wanted to see what you said was there. You were right behind him, his hand holding your thumb. Admittedly, you weren’t completely sure if everything you said was “right”. You just spoke from the heart. There was a fear lingering in your mind that you may have unintentionally offended him, or made him feel worse over the whole makeup ordeal.
“I hope I didn’t make you uncomfortable,” you started to speak. “You’re just so amazing, and I…” Running out of words was inopportune. Still, Hank 5 smiled at you, and he knew how hard you were trying for him. Just one little person, and you were here for him. He saw the devotion of your heart and knew no wrong could ever come from it.
“(Y/N), I think you helped me come up with a resolution.” He blushed, tucking a wavy lock behind his ear. “I want to become the person you say I am. I’m going to be someone who I love, and who deserves your love. I’m gonna start now, too!”
“Well, just know you already have it. Always.”
“Oh (Y/N), I love you.” His eyes welled up from joyous tears as he tried to wrap your entire hand in his hug. “I love you so much!” He moved in to kiss you, but you rubbed his cheek.
“Why don’t we wait until the ball drop? It’ll be more magical.”
“Y-you’re so right! Of course! We’ll wait till then! So, um, should we go back down now?” You would have said yes, except you saw him giving worried glances to his reflection.
“Do you want to freshen up a little bit?”
“C-can I? That wouldn’t be hypocritical with everything we talked about, right?” You chuckled, kissing the top of his sweet smelling head.
“No, that’s totally fine! There’s nothing wrong with a little upkeep, so long as it makes you happy and isn’t you trying to change things to please others.” It only took a few minutes. You helped him pick out a new perfume to revitalize his waning aroma. You smoothed the wrinkles out of his suit and combed his chestnut locks.
He asked if you could give him a trim tomorrow, to which you nodded. You certainly wouldn’t complain about more one on one time with him and that beautiful head of hair!
You two strolled down, with him perched on your shoulder. You two joined up with the Hanks, and you watched as he proved himself a force to be reckoned with on the battlefield of white. Eventually, you shrunk down in size to join them! Unfortunately, you weren’t quite good at attacking, but you were very useful making snowballs for your green clad boo.
Hank 5 defended you and his fort with pride, even romantically rescuing you from a wicked attack by Hank 4. You bopped his reddening nose. The other four Hanks would have blamed the blush on the cold, biting night. Hank 5 blamed nothing, and bopped you back.
You and him eventually won the fight. The Hanks waved you two off, each going their separate ways for a brief amount of time until the ball drop. You and Hank 5 mingled and engaged in other games (you were both adorably terrible at karaoke) until you heard Harper shout that the countdown was beginning.
10, 9, 8. You watched Hank 5 fold his hands and giggle.
7, 6, 5. He watched you as your gaze was drawn to the happiness this holiday brought.
4, 3, 2. Finally, your eyes caught each other. You started to lean in first, but he leaned in fastest.
1. For the final moments you remained small, you relished in this passionate kiss. He held you as tight as you held him. Your lovey-dovey Hank 5 was hopeless when it came to you. When your kiss ended, you kissed again, and again, even when the passions of the room winded down.
When it came to the love you two shared, what was there to say? Time stood still, your hearts became one, and the world inside and out became a little sweeter. Anything and everything that was magical and glorious came to life all around while you and Hank 5 held nothing back from the first minutes of a new year.
