Embracing our awkwardness

SPOILER ALERT this scene happens in chapter 11 of Kree Annihilators. Fair warning if you haven’t read it.

“Yeah. Of course.” He didn’t leave. “Soooo…unrelated, about what Squirrel Girl said in the park…”

Victor’s eyebrows rose. A car blared down below. “What thing she said in the park?”

“Uh, the friends thing.”

Victor frowned.

“Where she called the two of us friends? Remember?”

Victor glanced up, eyes narrowing. “Yeah, I remember that. What…about it are you referring to?”

Dante opened his mouth, shut it, then just scooted backwards. “Never mind. It was stupid. I…it’s nothing. Last night clearly wasn’t–” he shook his head, crawling to his feet.

“Wait,” Victor said, and Dante paused. “I don’t know what you’re trying to say about Squirrel Girl randomly accusing us of being best friends, Dante. We’re not. I hardly know you,” Dante scoffed and stood, but Victor caught his wrist and dragged him back to a seat. “But you are one of approximately three people who actually trusts me. So I don’t care what Squirrel Girl says about best friends or whatever else. You’re too…much for that.”

Dante quit trying to pull his wrist away and sat back on his heels. He blinked. “I’m too much? What’s that mean?”

Victor fluttered his arm about. “Important? Uh…amazing? Messed up what I thought about everything? And I like it when I’m near you?”

Dante’s lips tugged up in a brief smile. “Serious?”

Victor nodded, warily, arms sinking to his sides. “Was I not supposed to say that?” 

“Oh yes, you were,” he grinned wider, but it faded to a frown. “I mean…you can say all that, about trust and being amazing, but you can’t totally trust me, Victor. My powers are a ticking time bomb, I’m not in control of this. I didn’t ask for…” he held up his palm, which stayed dark.

“Dante, I don’t control my powers,” Victor leaned against the ledge. “How am I supposed to control every shadow? Or control the void where I teleport through? I can’t do that.”

“You don’t have flaming hands either,” Dante grumbled, hand dropping to his knee.

“I know,” Victor shrugged, glancing to the pale horizon, the sun slowly sinking towards it. “And flaming hands look more dangerous than some shadows. But with my powers, I had to treat the shadows and void like I was welcome among them. Not like I was in charge and I could control them,” he lifted Dante’s wrist. “It’s like this. Our fingers fit together, but neither of us is in control. Pretend like my hand is your powers, and your hand is you. Your actions and feelings. You could yank me where you want, but if you do I’ll probably resist, and yank back. We have to cooperate,” he slowly tugged Dante’s hand in a circle, between their bodies.

“Wow. Who knew you were so wise?”

Victor blushed. “I told you, I had to figure out how to use my powers,” he tried extracting his hand, but Dante didn’t let go. Victor blushed deeper.

***

For extra awkwardness points…here’s parts of the original scene, before I revised some of the dialogue and actions…

“I don’t know what you’re trying to say about Squirrel Girl randomly accusing us of being best friends, Dante. We’re not. I hardly know you,” Dante scoffed and stood, but Victor caught his wrist and half-yanked him back to a seat. “But you are the most supportive person I’ve met. And one of approximately three who actually trusts me. So I don’t care what Squirrel Girl says about best friends or whatever else. You’re too…much for that.”

Dante quit trying to yank his wrist away and sat back on his heels. “I’m too much? What’s that mean?”

Victor fluttered his arm about. “Important? Special? Amazing? I like it when I’m near you?”

Dante’s lips tugged up in a brief smile. “Really?”

…

“Oh yes, you were,” he grinned wider, but it faded to a frown. “My powers are a ticking time bomb, Victor. Someday I’m going to blow something up and it won’t turn out well. It’s easy for you to say all that, about trust and being amazing, but I don’t trust my powers. I’m not in control of them and I didn’t ask for…” he held up his palm, which stayed dark.

…

“But with my powers, I had to treat them like I could walk among them. Not like I was in charge and I could control them.” He lifted Dante’s wrist and slid his hand into Dante’s. “It’s like this. Our fingers fit together, but neither of us is in control. Pretend like my hand is your powers, and your hand is you. The rest of you. You could yank me where you want, but if you do I’ll probably resist. And yank back. You have to cooperate.” He slowly tugged Dante’s hand in a circle, between their bodies.

“Wow. Who knew you were so wise?”

***

So, I hope you enjoy this wholesome, baby gay scene. If you get only one take away from this: sometimes not saying something is better than outright saying it.