#thread: izzy 004

[tonibeltran]

Antonio keeps his opinions on the term boyfriend to himself, lest he sound as pathetic as he usually does to his best friend. Truthfully, there’s probably little else he wants as badly right now as to be Roman’s boyfriend, despite how juvenile the term might seem. It’d be like — proof, or something, that this is real, that it’s happening, that they’ve crossed the threshold successfully from friends to lovers. 

Besides, it’s clear there are more pressing matters at hand right now than whether or not Roman is his boyfriend or not, all things considered. Izzy tells him about her visits to a fertility doctor — meds, hormones, the whole nine yards, and he can’t help but feel the same immeasurable fondness in his chest for her that he usually does, except maybe tenfold, at the idea of her finally, finally getting what she’s always wanted: a child. “Izzy,” he grins widely, brings her in for an embrace. “Fuck, I’m so, so happy for you,” he presses a soft kiss to her hair before pulling back, feeling like his grin might just break his face. 

Antonio can’t help the laugh that escapes, full and unrestrained. “Jesus, yeah, whatever you need,” he says of her asking for his help. “You think you’re going through this on your own? Not a chance,” he says, squeezing her shoulder. “I’m in. No question, alright?” After a pause, however, he tilts his head, curiosity lighting his expression. “How exactly does one go about shopping for a sperm donor? Is it like online dating? Or am I about to see you flipping through a catalogue of profiles at my kitchen table?” Another pause. “Do we — send out applications or something? Racists assholes need not apply, and all that,” he’s grinning, a spark of playful mischief in his eyes, but then he softens, leaning closer.

“Seriously, though, I mean it,” he adds, his tone gentler. “Whatever you need, whenever you need it. I’m here for every step.” He gives her hand a warm squeeze. “I want this for you as much as you do, Iz.”

He was looking at her the way he'd always looked at her; it reminded her of the way the parents of her students looked at their childrens' artwork - a mix of pride and love that would seem unreasonable to any onlookers, but made perfect sense to them. Izzy never felt worthy of that look, but she did her best to live up to it. And she was sure she looked at him the same way.

"Just friends, huh? I've heard that one before," she smirked. "Maybe we're too old for terms like boyfriend to apply, anyway. As long as you both know your boundaries and expectations for things like monogamy and whatnot. You don't want any miscommunications on that front just because you chickened out on having the conversation."

He pulled back and she almost got concealer on his nose. She laughed softly at his expression. She should have known better than to phrase it like that, and to spring it on him like this, but it was too adorable when his eyes popped out of his head.

She shook her head, still smiling. The hope of it all was negating the terror of it lately. She wondered how long that would last. "No, no... not, um... not yet. But I have been seeing a fertility doctor. I'm on all the meds and hormones and vitamins and whatnot. I didn't want to say anything until the chances looked better, but, um... everything looks good," she said, unable to stop beaming despite the fear that still choked her heart. "They're saying I can start looking for a donor anytime. And you don't have to if you don't want to, but I wondered if maybe... you might help me choose."

[lcstpaths]

izzie stevens   ,   canon ( teen : headcanon based )

[lcstpaths]

izzie stevens tag drop.

[lcstpaths]

AS A GOOD FRIEND, Izzie knew she shouldn't get all buddy buddy with Lexie. And, to a point, she could understand why Meredith wanted nothing to do with her sister. It wasn't Lexie's fault that she didn't know the history between their father and Meredith's mother, but there was pain there, and that was something she didn't think the younger girl really understood. And who was going to tell her that? Certainly not Meredith, and while it wasn't her place, maybe something she'd say could help... Somehow. "Part of me thinks there's a method to who gets assigned where," she starts carefully. "While you might be compassionate, being placed with someone who encourages it... There's always the risk that it'll make it worse, so that it becomes a problem. Cristina will help even it, so you don't find yourself in any trouble." Like she tended to do, though none of her trouble was career-ending... Yet. "Don't hold it against her too much, yeah? Cristina doesn't let people get close, but... She does care."

@lcstpaths, izzie.

it was lexie's default setting, ever since she entered the intern program at seattle grace: the deer in headlights look. her eyes opened up like a deer in headlights every time cristina acknowledged her in rounds (as three, of course), every time someone called her dr. grey, every time she saw meredith walk down the hallway...well, anything that involved breathing the same oxygen as the sister she never knew she had that looked like she was about to stab lexie at any given moment, pretty much made her want to shit her pants. BUT NO, this was her internship, as much as it was meredith's residency, and she had to adapt. and part of adapting was sipping her apple juice with other doctors during lunchtime, regardless of whether they were meredith's friends or not. and izzie seemed to be a happy, not-so-intimidating place to start.

a sigh of relief exits her rosy lips with a smile, settling down her tray next to the blonde's as she takes a seat next to her, ❝ you do? i-i don't mean that in a, condescending way or anything, it's just ― you seem very popular. everyone i've heard talk about you speaks wonders of your patient care and how willing you are to do whatever it takes to make someone else feel good and understood, even when you get in trouble for it. kinda makes me wish i'd been assigned to you instead of cristina, who makes me feel like i'm a weepy loser for caring about patients beyond their medical issue half the time, but i guess we all have different things to teach and learn, right? ❞

[tonibeltran]

Antonio’s lips twitch at Izzy’s mention of her soap. “Possible,” he admits. “But he made it clear Liam was his friend,” he rolls his eyes, allowing Izzy to work her magic. He’s not worried about Izzy being anything but gentle. Doesn’t think she has it in her to be. So he leans into her touch, searches her expression as she continues to talk to him, a fond smile on his lips. Wonders if there’s any other way to react to Izzy, actually. Fondly, that is. Can’t imagine anyone would look at her with contempt, or despair. 

Alec. D&D friend. Tall kid. He’s seen him hanging around Clem, at O'Shea's, and vice versa, at The Pour House. Hasn’t had the pleasure, though. Izzy’s better friends with both of them than he is, after all. “He looks like he could take someone out, no problem,” he teases. He resists the urge to touch the fresh layer of makeup as she applies it, feeling the coolness of the primer as Izzy finishes her gentle work on his cheek. Then her words catch up to him — cute boyfriend — and his lips part in a quiet huff, shaking his head lightly. “Not my boyfriend,” he mutters, his voice soft but certain. They haven’t talked about it, haven’t labeled whatever they’re doing. Not that he’d — hate it. He’s just not sure Roman wouldn’t. 

But he doesn’t explain, doesn’t elaborate, because Izzy knows him well enough to understand without him having to spell it out. “Besides—” Antonio’s about to deflect with another joke, but then he stops short, the last part of her sentence finally sinking in.

My kid.

He blinks, confusion settling into his expression as he pulls back just slightly to look at her. “Wait — what?” His voice is full of bewilderment. “Your kid? What—” He falters, eyes wide. “Are you — Izulu.” He leans in closer to her, tone serious. “Are you—” he gestures toward her stomach, feeling slightly off-kilter. He would know, right? He would know. Would he know? 

"I don't know, sometimes people say they're single but they're not, and you don't find out until you get a black eye. Happens all the time on Y&R," Izzy said, finally choosing a concealer shade and setting it aside. She put some primer on her finger and held it up to Toni's cheek. "This'll make sure it stays put all day. You don't want the concealer melting off in the sun, then your secret's blown and everybody knows you're wearing makeup. ...I'll be gentle, but tell me if I'm hurting you."

"The Pour House? Kind of explains everything. That place is sketchy as fuck, I'm always worried about Alec working there," she said, gently smoothing the primer on. She admired her work, and then leaned back a bit to let it dry. "I'm sorry he chose you to take out his problems. You'll have to stop getting into fights now that you've got a cute boyfriend to worry about you. Also, you'll be a bad influence on my kid."

[tonibeltran]

Antonio’s had to wear makeup before. For talk shows, interviews — they used to like to slab that stuff on his face, claiming it was for the “lighting” and the “camera angles” and some other such nonsense he’d never really paid much mind to. Never has he needed makeup to conceal a black-eye, though. Fading as it is, Andy had warned him against showing up to a meeting full of Universal producers with one. Not cute, he’d called it, and a distraction overall. Figures he owes it to Andy, after all the ignored calls in the past months, to at least give him this one.

Humming, Toni watches as Izzy carousels through concealers with a small, amused smile. “I’m a slut, not a homewrecker,” he points out. Was a slut, for that matter. Though the difference eludes him nowadays. “I did not sleep with the man’s boyfriend. I’m not sure what the problem was,” he admits. “Seems like he had some shit to work through. Guess I’m just collateral damage.” He shrugs his shoulders, almost carelessly so. “He owns The Pour House, did you know? Clem told me the other day,” he snorts. “You’d think he’d at least punch people at his own bar.”

who: @tonibeltran where: izzy's place what: concealing & revealing

"I had to go out and buy concealers for this, by the way. Not sure if you've noticed, but we're not quite the same shade," Izzy smirked, pushing back Toni's curls so she could assess the damage properly. She still didn't fully understand exactly what had happened, but her best friend had a black eye, and covering it up was the priority right now. Even if what she wanted to do was give a matching one to the guy who'd caused this. "So he was mad that you slept with his boyfriend, or what?" she asked, tilting her head, holding each concealer up to his normal skin tone. "This is why I tried to warn you against being so slutty, Toni. Not trying to shame you, I was just trying to prevent this kind of thing," she said, only half joking.