Just a little something short to go with something I drew, which can be found n my DA page (the link is in my profile)

Anyway, I hope you guys enjoy this! I'm in a little bit of an art block with 'blackout', but rest assured, I'm getting there!

Disclaimer: Don't own, don't sure, kay thanks. :)

Richie hated the heat. Sure, it was better than the bitter winters in Dakota, but he still couldn't help his hatred of the hotter months.

It was currently late July, and while August was usually Dakota's hottest month, it was still a sweltering 97 degrees out.

It didn't help that the gas station was void of any type of air conditioning either.

It also didn't help that Virgil was out with Daisy rather than Richie.

The blonde tried to push back some blond hair plastered to his face. From the window a slightly cool breeze wafted in, teasing his damp skin. He looked away from his work momentarily to gaze outside the window.

He had come to the gas station early that morning in order to get out of the house. It was summer, and as much as he loved all the free time it gave him with his best friend (whether superheroing or otherwise) , it still meant that he had to spend extended hours of time in his own home. It wasn't that Richie didn't like his parents. They were his parents; hating them was difficult, if not next to impossible. It was just that, lately, they had become unbearable. When they weren't focused on fighting with one another, they were determined to pester Richie with questions about his mysterious teenage life.

He supposed it wouldn't be so annoying if he were a normal teenager. He wouldn't have to lie about where he was all the time, or why sometimes his parents would wake up in the night to find him missing.

The truth was that normal teenagers didn't have to save a whole city every other night.

Which brought him back to his current situation. The other night hot streak had aimed a sound blow to backpack and the little robot had sustained substantial damage. Richie had decided that an upgrade and repair was in order and he was all too happy to spend the summer day repairing his invention while his best friend peered over his shoulder.

His plan had followed through so far, sans the best friend part.

Which was really the best part anyway.

At around noon that day he got a call from Virgil on his shock vox. He was expecting the other boy to jokingly mention that he was on his way and to batten down the hatches or some nonsense like that. Instead his and Virgil's conversation had been short and hurried:

"Hey Richie man, do you mind if I come over a little later?" Had been Virgil's voice 4 hours before.

"Huh? Why?"

"Well I kinda got some plans. I forgot to tell yo--"

"Virgil, come ON. Sandra isn't going to wait forever!" A girls distant voice sounded from the other end of the shock vox. Richie frowned slightly.

"I'm coming! Hold on a sec." Virgil paused and there was silence for a second on both ends. "So yeah rich--"
"Say no more bro. I—uh—got some stuff I need to concentrate on here anyway. You um...I'll check you at patrols tonight, okay?" Richie tried not to sound as disappointed as he felt. It was surprisingly easy, though he thought he sounded just a tad too cheery.

"Yeah, alright. Ill meet you later. Thanks rich." Virgil's voice was slightly lower now, distracted.

"No problem"

It was all he could think of. If Virgil wanted to spend a day with Daisy then he should be able to. It wasn't like he had any obligation to come over to the gas station. Its not like he would be doing anything important. Richie shouldn't have really cared where his best friend was at the moment, he was busy anyway.

But the point was that he did care.

Richie sighed and pushed away the fire retardant casing he was working on and focused on the open window.

Jealousy wasn't really a good word. In fact, it was a terrible word. It made him think of jealous girlfriends from cheesy soap operas and awkward situations.

No, jealous wasn't what he was. Concerned? Nah, not right either. Possessive? God no. Resentful? Maybe. And a little bit protective.

Possibly.

Not really.

No, not at all.

Absolutely.

Truth be told, and he rarely told it to himself regarding this subject, he definitely, undeniably, beyond any shadow of a doubt was in love with his best friend. This much he knew. He didn't like to think about it though, he was positive that his feelings where obviously one sided. Virgil for one could not be a homosexual. No way Virgil was gay. He couldn't be. It was just an impossibility, solid and absolute, like one of Newtons three laws.

But that didn't change the way Richie felt for him. Not even a little.

Once again from outside a cool breeze greeted Richie's sweaty face. It was almost sunset, and with sunset came slightly cooler temperatures.

He looked down at his work station and his frown deepened. At the moment he had no desire to continue his work. He knew he should but...it could wait he supposed. His mind was too clogged with thoughts of elsewhere and he knew it wasn't a good idea to work while distracted.

Instead he decided to grab his flip flops from the floor a take a walk. Even though he knew that with as cluttered as his head was that it would do little to filter out his jumbled thoughts, it would calm him down somewhat. Just a short walk and then he would come back, finish his project, and meet Virgil for patrolling.

With some luck maybe he would forgot all about how distracted Virgil had gotten when Daisy spoke.

–

Richie's little walk had turned into an hour long trek around the park. Eventually he had settled on an abandoned park bench by the pond and spaced out. He knew that to a passerby he must have looked like he was just absentmindedly staring off into space, but that's because he was. It was something that, since his powers emerged, he couldn't usually do without his thoughts exploding and assaulting his quiet time. It couldn't be helped, and sometimes he really did miss being able to drift off into la-la land. So when the opportunity to drift off into day dreams came a-knocking, he didn't refuse it.

But this time his silent musings where interrupted by someone calling his name in the distance instead of his unruly thoughts. .

"Richie! Hey! Rich!"

The voice was familiar, wonderful, and made Richie feel comforted and depressed at the same time.

He didn't even look up when the voices possessor finally made it to him.

"Hey Virgil. How was your date with Daisy?" He didn't really want to know, but it just seemed the right thing to say at the time. It was not like he had been thinking about it for an hour. No. Not at all.

"Hey Rich. I—it wasn't a date." Virgil had amended whatever sentence he was about to form the minute Richie's words sunk in.

"Its okay if you went on a date Virg. I wont tell Sharon or anything." Richie still hadn't looked up. He tried to feign an aloof tone of voice as best he could.

"I...no Richie, really, it wasn't a date. She actually...um...was helping me with something." Richie didn't speak and after a moment Virgil bent down to his level. "Hello earth to Richie!" he said playfully. He flashed a smile at Richie, and even though he was determined to be angry with his best friend, a good portion of his bad feelings melted away at the site of Virgil's smile. He finally looked up.

"This is Richie speaking, what seems to be the problem, over?" Richie gave Virgil a half smile as he tried to play off his walkie-talkie act. Virgil's smile widened.

"Well, I was wondering if my best would take a walk with me, over"

"Invitation accepted. Ten-four." Virgil laughed.

"Why don't we ever actually talk like that on the shock voxes?"Richie got up and brushed off his shorts.

"Dunno. Probably because it would take too long. Its actually kind of annoying" Richie stretched. It hadn't occurred to him how long he had been sitting. The sun had just about disappeared over the black horizon and the sky above was turning a dark blue color. The faintest whispers of stars glittered where the sky was darkest.

Richie looked over at his best friend who, despite the smile, looked slightly nervous. The feelings that had disappeared at Virgil's arrival came back somewhat, only this time their prime feeling was worry. If Virgil was nervous about something, and Daisy was in the mix somehow, it could not mean any good for Richie. No good at all.

But he didn't have much time to concentrate on Virgil's on that sad fact for long, for the other boy began to walk. With a fleeting glace to the summer sunset Richie followed.

For a few minutes they said nothing. They just walked aimlessly, simply enjoying the others company. Eventually they came to the recreation building at the far end of the park.

Finally the silence got the best of Richie and he spoke.

"So, what was Daisy helping you with? Cant have been homework, you've got a super genius as a best friend." Virgil looked away for a second.

"No, it wasn't anything like that. I actually...um...got a piercing today." Even with his darker complexion Richie could see the faintest traces of red cross his face. He didn't think too much on it though, curiosity had won the fight for his attention span.

"What? Really, Lemme see!" He grabbed Virgil's shoulders and spun him around. Virgil was still focusing on a bush somewhere to his right.

Richie examined the new silver earring in his friends ear and noticed that his earlobe was slightly red from irritation. Richie reached out to finger the metal gently. Virgil's head snapped around and Richie's fingers lost contact.

"I-uh...yeah. I..um..liked yours when you got it and...I wanted one. Daisy's cousin did it for me. It...actually kinda hurt." He said thoughtfully, loosing some of the nervous edge to his voice.

"It's awesome Virg, really." Richie nodded and smiled. "But...you know you did it on the wrong side right?"

Virgil's eyes widened in panic. "What?"

"I mean, its nothing to worry about, no one really pays attention to sides anymore. Its just that, the left side is the uh.." Richie tried to find a way to skate over the word that popped into his head. When no words came he just decided to be out with it. "Its the gay side man."

"Your earring is on the left side."

"Well..um...I know. Its like that on purpose. " It was now Richie's turn to look away and blush. Of course with his paler skin tone it was painfully obvious and he could feel his face grow even redder at this fact.

He didn't see the look on Virgil's face, but his silence was all it took. Richie, feeling panic rise in his chest, turned heel and tried to continue their walk.

But he stopped cold when He heard Virgil's voice from behind him.

"I got mine on the left side on purpose too."

His words were barely above a whisper, but Richie heard it as if the other boy had screamed them. He whipped around and faced his opposite.

"What?"

"I...yeah. It got mine on the left on purpose." Virgil rubbed his right arm with his opposite hand. He tried a apologetic smile after the words left his mouth.

Richie stared at him incredulously. He couldn't help it. The words that Virgil had just said refused to sink it. They couldn't be. It was like...like violating Newtons three laws.

He stepped a little closer to the dreadlocked boy. He could feel his brow furrowing in confusion.

"...What?" It was all he could manage to say.

Virgil looked at him and bit his lower lip. "I wanted the left one so...so uh...." Virgil looked and Richie and sighed. "So no one would get confused."

There was silence.

"So no one would get...confused?" Richie felt his mind struggling to keep up.

"Yes Rich. I'm--"

Richie didn't exactly remember when he had decided to do it, it just happened, like a reflex. He aimed his head upward and pressed his lips against Virgil's. It took a moment for the darker teen to register what had happened.

But when he had, he returned the gesture with so much enthusiasm that Richie had to grab onto his shoulders for support. Newtons third law in action.

When they finally broke apart Richie had realized that they had traveled to the side of the recreation centers gray stone walls. On the other side of his best friend the sun had disappeared behind the dark horizon. With its departure there came cooler temperatures and a slight breeze. Relief from the heat.

Richie looked up at the boy in front of him. Virgil looked slightly dazed. It was a look one would adopt when they are having a particularity good day dream. Richie smiled and let his hands meet the other boys warm face. He reached out to touch Virgil's new earring with his right hand.

"Somehow V, I don't think your gonna have to worry about anyone being confused anytime soon.". Virgil's smile was warm and welcoming.

But his lips were even better, and when they met the paler ones once more, they didn't separate until every star was visible in the night sky.

Well as many of you have told me, apprently the gay side is the RIGHT side, not the left. Thats my bad, I suppose I didnt get my popular culture correct. YOU WIPPERSNAPERS AND YOUR FORMS OF IDENTIFIYING HOMOSEXUALALITY THOUGH BODILY MODIFICATIONS!! haha.

anyway, that's my bad, and I hope you can just ignore it and enjoy the story! :)