Oliver's POV
It never really occurred to me just how afraid I was of girls. It always seemed normal- that phase where you don't know what to say to them because you know that every other word will get stuck in your throat, while the words that do get out are the ones you wish didn't. I used to think it would get better when I got taller, you know, cause then it wouldn't feel so embarrassing having them look down at me while, well... looking down at me. I mean, I had no trouble appreciating a good joke, even at my expense. If I did, there's no way my best friend in the entire world would be Jack-Kaz, the superhero enthusiast who's only definitive superhuman ability is to consistently, without failure or hesitation, get the people he cares about into trouble, and then slowly, out of their minds.
Take right now for example. We stood, bound to each other... not from this bizarre friendship I never took the time to ponder, but from a large replica of a flying saucer that conveniently landed around both of our chests, limiting the movement beyond either of our shoulders. Now, this flying saucer wasn't in any way shape or form flying when it fell towards our heads. It just so happened, that Kaz "accidentally" shot it down from the ceiling of our favorite comic book store using a toy gun that he bumped into with a cardboard cutout of my favorite superhero, Skylar Storm, that he had, without warning, raped me with. It was in this instant, my back pressed uncomfortably into his, that it first dawned on me that maybe I shouldn't fear Jordan who's self-proclaimed purpose in life was to behead all of the rainbow-blooded unicorns. And maybe, I shouldn't fear the admiration I held for Skylar Storm, despite if my desires were less to be with her, and more to be like her.
Maybe, just maybe, the only person I should fear, (other than Wallace and Clyde who currently have no knowledge of the condition of their once prized collectible spaceship,) was Kaz- the very person who almost killed me on more than one occasion.
"Hey, at least we're not that guy with the hand stuck in the gumball machine." Kaz laughed, trying to make me feel better. And it did slightly. Enough to make me go; Ok, I may have been overreacting earlier. There was only one near death experience. The others only resulted in urgent trips to the emergency room...
Very much like this one...
Nevermind, wasn't overreacting.
"This is all your fault Kaz. This is so typical. You always do these crazy things and expect me to just follow you." I don't know why I thought I'd get some half-hearted apology that would make me feel better about the fact I no longer felt respected by even him. Instead, he told me to stop talking and took the lead- uttering something about following him along with some nonsense about the Blue Tornado walking into a supply closet. At this point, I had enough of him mocking me. With a voice heavily laced in sarcasm, though he still didn't catch on, I began to speak.
"Blue Tornado?" I questioned. "You mean, the superhero that can spin at the speed of light?" It almost sickened me the way I felt his body tense in obvious excitement, "He's so awesome." I continued with a smile, before, "and... MAKE BELIEVE!" I almost felt a little guilty the way Kaz's shoulders dropped in disappointment, but without missing a beat, he assured me that this guy had the same crooked nose, scar on his cheek, and wispy beard that my grandmother had also recently sprouted. Not wasting another word, I heard Kaz turn the doorknob before we both entered the room. How I had scoffed but a year ago at Jordan's idea that Kaz and I would someday come out of the closet together. I didn't think she meant it in the literal sense, but now nothing seemed so distant from reality.
We were inside a superhero hospital, watching as the Crusher, the strongest man that was ever created... uh, born...'s body stopped responding. The doctor on staff cleared him for an electric shock, but his condition didn't shift in the slightest. Kaz, who was still rambling about the comic book world took the defibrillators from a nurse and sent a charge through his foot. Immediately, the Crusher shot up from the gurney and applause was headed our way. Maybe that's what encouraged me to vouch for Kaz when addressed, and made me willing to compromise that really, we were more of a "package deal". Maybe it was the fact that I couldn't let my best friend rot in a Normo cage like a dog, but then I realized that the solution Kaz had come up with for Gus was a muzzle and a leash, so maybe it was karma. I just couldn't work here alone, I mean, in normal situations, I was the smart, reliable one, sure. But under stress, Kaz was there to save the day- and give me some hope as well. But my hope faded fast when Horace Diaz, "the World's Sexiest Chief of Staff and Vice Chancellor of Medical Administration", informed me that he loves bridges. Oh, and also, that I would be held responsible for any mistake Kaz may make. And while everyone makes mistakes and I feel sympathy and compassion for that, most of the issues I've had with Kaz come from the actions he performs on purpose. Like pushing yet another button on the bracelet gadget that had just, moments before, transformed into a chainsaw around his arm. And this button, made the almost death count, climb to two.