#dex dibella

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I was lucky enough to get this wonderful commission from @mooreaux of Nate and Dex and I am just. So over the moon about it!!!

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Only firm rings in my head are Dex and Nate's though I'll definitely be thinking about the others' for a bit

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Sharp and Soft (ch 2)

T/M | Nate/Male Detective (Dex DiBella)

After falling through a hole, twice, Dex needs some time to recover. And Nate needs to see he's alright. (rewrite of the recovery and pool table scenes)

Dex was bored. The appeal of rest had lost its lustre sometime late last week, and while he wouldn’t go so far as to say the team was avoiding him, they were certainly scarce - for a reason. A good reason. Maybe. He’d long since discovered most of the little nooks and crannies in the warehouse, having been determined to get back his full range of motion as soon as Elidor begrudgingly cleared him.

The library was interesting for two days. The training room another two. But by now? Now he was hanging out in the rec room, stretched out on the couch with a book he’d given up on on his chest. He wasn’t tired, but sleeping was possibly the only way to get through the day without actively losing his mind.

He doesn’t hear someone entering the room with him, but something does change - something heavy to the air if he had to guess. Given the presence isn’t grumbling and hasn’t immediately launched into a rundown of the day… “Hey Nate.” A soft chuckle, and a shadow finally passes over him - he cracks open one eye to see Nate leaning over him, curiously eyeing the book on his chest.

Stretching out, he - gently, not wanting to worry Nate - tosses the book on the coffee table, “It’s not good. Or at least, not interesting.”

“Mm…” is all he gets in response, and when he flops back, he finds Nate’s eyes on him in a way that makes him grin.

“You’re all done for the night?”

“Hm? Oh, yes. The others are still at the facility to report - Adam…suggested I come to check on you. Something about not liking how you were eyeing the training weapons rack?” read the rest on ao3

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Sharp and Soft (ch 1)

M | Nate/Male Detective (Dex DiBella)

After falling through a hole, twice, Dex needs some time to recover. And Nate needs to see he's alright. (rewrite of the recovery and pool table scenes)

It was almost…easier, in the immediate aftermath. Air heavy with dust and stained red and heady with spilled blood. He’d gotten used to breathing in, steady and calm against the sharp heat of it. Seeing Dex crumpled on the floor had done something horrible to his insides - had cracked something vital between his ribs - but he knew what to do with that. Knew to get him up, get him out, get him to help.

Here though…here, he’s lost. He stares hard at the door, listening close - listening to the painful scrapes of Dex’s breathing as he no doubt forces himself up to sit in response to the knock, and in that moment he wishes he hadn’t - wishes he’d walked away and continued his silent vigil, leaving the man to rest. But…

“Nate, come on…” He hadn’t spoken. Isn’t quite sure how Dex knows. But he’s opening the door without another moment’s hesitation, unable to resist any longer.

He’d seen Dex since they’d gotten back of course - had even helped settle him into the bed when cleared by Elidor - but in the rush to get him settled, in the mess of reporting and being careful of ripped edges, frayed nerves, it hadn’t really sunk in.

Facing him now, in the warm glow of the bedside lamp, he looks small in a way Nate hadn’t thought possible - pale skin broken up by bandages and smears of black-purple brusing. He doesn’t realize he’s just standing there again, staring, until Dex shifts again, pushing himself up even higher, a small smile tugging at his lips.

“That bad, huh?” read the rest on ao3

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3, 4, 5, 24, 25, 30,34 for your detectives! all or one or none.

thank you!! this was a lot of fun 💛chose Dom and Dex to keep this from getting too long lol

3. weapon of choice? any particular reason they chose their weapon?

outside of what they get as a detective/agent... hm I don't think either are particularly interested in weapons, but Dex would be handy enough with a baseball bat if we're in a world where he's not a werewolf with claws - easier to make an impact. Dom would prefer hand-to-hand if at all possible - easier to control.

4. how crafty/resourceful are they?

Dex is very resourceful without really noticing that he is - hasn't found anything he can't fix with a roll of duct tape, much to Adam's horror. Dom doesn't trust his skills that much and would much rather someone who knows how to get something done does it. He is very good about knowing how and who to go to to get things fixed though! He's got a friend, a reference, or a bribe waiting.

5. how do they typically dress? does their wardrobe lean more towards practicality or aesthetics?

Dex has four leather jackets, three pairs of jeans and a pair of boots and that is It. He had five jackets. One currently lives in Nate's closet. Practicality and laziness all the way.

Dom did love to get dressed up - loved looking his best and taking care in his appearance. It was never loud, but definitely Noticeable. We're at a point in the books though where he's a little more practical right now, and more understated, with hoodies and jeans and trauma about standing out but we'll get back to fashionable eventually.

24. do they have any creative hobbies? (art, writing, music, etc)

Dex I think would like music if he ever thought to pick it up, but for what he actively does...does gardening count?

Dom writes - little things, here and there. He hasn't thought about it seriously since he was a teenager, but the interest is still there!

25. how good/bad is their hearing? what about their eyesight?

Dex is good with both - probably some lingering hearing damage from being a teenager at concerts, but nothing he really notices. Dom doesn't "need" glasses, and gets very confused as to why he has so many headaches without them.

30. do they smell like anything notable?

Dex smells like leather and bad coffee, courtesy of the jackets and burning every coffee he's ever touched, and still drinking too much of it.

Dom at one point had a large collection of cologne to change with the seasons - now though, no, he tries to keep the scents to a minimum.

34. how would your character describe themselves? it doesn't have to line up with how they really are.

Dex wouldn't.

Dom would say he's quiet, calm, methodical, and not boring, thank you. (He's not entirely wrong at least).

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Snippet Saturday! Tagged by the wonderful @ejunkiet. More meandering through the middle of the book 1 rewrite for amaryllis. And more Nate and Dex. Still working on Nate’s voice, so it’s a little wonky, but hey! We’re getting there!

“Where’s your pack?” The question is out of his mouth before he can…think it over. Well, no, that’s not true. He’d been thinking about it for a long while, in the quiet moments the delayed nature of this investigation had allowed. Not that he’d voiced the musings to anyone - it was tactless at best, and he’s pretty sure even Mason would have a thing or two to say.

Then, given what Mason had asked Dominic last week, maybe he was the one person Nate wouldn’t have had to worry about…

Regardless, he knew it was a bad idea. And yet…it was painfully obvious Dex was not a loner. Not by choice. He built his den over a packed bar. If they even looked at Santi funny, they could feel the sub-vocal rumble from the corner he now seemed to occupy in the detective’s office. Let alone any of the other little pieces and clues Nate had picked up in even the short while they’d been stationed here - tabs picked up, neighbors helped, connections everywhere one could think.

It was…strange. And blatant. And Dex responded best to blunt instrumentation so…tactless it was.

Though, from the way Dex has stilled, staring off behind the bar, maybe Nate should have worked on that plan just a little longer.

and tagging anyone who wants to share! (and, no pressure! @amlovelies @vryptidart and @queerdetectiveblue)

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WIP Whenever!! I’m still not here, but! I was tagged by the wonderful @ejunkiet (thank you!), and I don’t know where this came from, but it’s the first thing I’ve written in. A while. So we’re going with it.

This would be mid-to-late Amaryllis, for the few people who understand that context (aka, no one’s human because I say so). Also, longer than normal because I have no realistic timeline for Amaryllis, and by the time we get to this point this will probably change quite a bit but! I’m liking it so far!

The apartment is silent, in the early morning. Night? …It was past midnight, regardless - the bar downstairs was long closed, and the ever present smell of smoke and sweat was at its lowest. Never gone, but a quiet neighbor in the twilight hours. Dex hadn’t been able to go back to sleep, instead deciding to enjoy the quiet hours with coffee and a mild delusion of napping later that morning.

The arms that bracket him in at the kitchen counter are no surprise. Nor is the heavy weight of the other man leaning against his back a moment later.

The soft huff of…disappointment? No, too strong…confusion? Maybe. Either way, the sound is unexpected enough for Dex to hum softly, rolling his shoulders back and twisting in Nate’s grasp once there’s room, leaning back against the counter so he can watch the man over the rim of his coffee mug.

He doesn’t ask - Nate’s face is scrunched up faintly, eyes focused somewhere shy of Dex’s chin. He was working up to something, with or without Dex’s input at this point.

“Why did you let me catch you?” Ah, there it was. And, to Nate’s credit, Dex had been tempted to step aside, briefly, when he’d caught the faintest whiff of his shampoo. But…

“Who says I let you catch me?” He asks, more into his mug than anything. Nate’s eyes finally meet his, and the look in them is rather too verbose this early in the morning. Dex shrugs, wrapping one arm loosely around his stomach to bench his other elbow.

It was a game, they played…or, had played, Dex supposed. Nate was fantastic at stealth when he wanted to be - seemed to take delight in trying to catch Dex off guard - to delight in the fact that he was allowed to try. Ever since Dex had let him upstairs into his apartment, into his…territory (though he shuddered to think of it like that, as sad as it was, it was certainly true), Nate seemed to enjoy nothing more than figuring out exactly what he could do.

Dex wasn’t sure of the appeal - he’d let the man up, what else was there?

But, he’d had fun, sidestepping silent grabs and tossing pillows at otherwise silent footsteps. It wasn’t often he dealt with other supernaturals anymore in his space - for good reason - let alone ones powerful and trained. Once he’d tamped down the natural instincts to push, and claw, and run, it was interesting to see what new tricks Nate could come up with. It had gotten to the point where he didn’t even have to…to try to ignore the instinct anymore. There was no growl in his chest, no fangs cutting his tongue.

This is the first time he hadn’t side-stepped. Hadn’t reached back to swat wandering hands away.

Had just…let the man catch him.

Nate’s still puzzling this out - sharp brown eyes refusing to look away now that they’ve caught his. But that’s fine. Dex has been this patient - he can wait a little longer.

“A new game then?” A question - with a lilt of uncertainty. The first Dex has seen from him. He can be ridiculous, sure. Stubborn in his pursuits, regardless of where they lead. Even soft-spoken and hesitant in the way one is with a wounded animal, but never unsure.

“Are we playing a game?” Confusion darkens those eyes he adores, and he gives the man a moment, returning to his coffee.

The answer he gets is barely more than a whisper, “No, I don’t believe we are.”

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I was extremely lucky to get a commission from @waspgrave, so here’s my nate-mancing detective dex dibella!! I’m still absolutely blown away by how he came out.

If you get a chance you should absolutely commission them! Very nice, and amazing work!!