Better late than never right?

I hope y'all like it.

…

Thursday Morning

Naldo stood in his room, trying to make sure his hat was on just the right way, when he threw it down in frustration. Naldo didn't usually care about how he looked, or anything for that matter, but today he just felt on edge and flustered.

Of course, you'd be flustered too if you had kissed your best friend and then ran off and hadn't heard anything from him since.

Who wouldn't be?

He belly-flopped onto his bed and sighed.

He couldn't avoid this forever. He had to talk to Barry. He had to see if Barry felt what he felt and stop running in circles.

Although Naldo liked running in circles. It made him dizzy, which made him hungry, so he could eat more.

But that's beside the point!

Naldo stood up and, fixing his hat one more time, let for Barry's.

Only to turn around and grab his backpack.

He couldn't forget that again!

…

As Naldo approached the RV, he stopped to take a deep breath.

Barry had kissed him back, hadn't he?

He didn't really have any reason to be nervous, did he?

Of course he did! What if a jello monster came out and attacked him, and he never got to tell Barry how he feels?

Or what if the girls jumped and someone erased him from existence?! He could never convince everyone he was a real person again!

"Whatcha doing Naldo?" He screamed and whipped around to find the two girls watching him, Cyd munching on a (hopefully real) apple.

"I'm waiting for Barry," Naldo said, his smile in place as usual.

"Does he know you're here?"

"…Noooo… You two know what happened."

"We know everything Naldo."

"Everything."

"Even how much cheese makes up the moon?!"

"Okay, not everything everything."

"Aw man. I'll never learn that answer."

"Anyways, Naldo, about you and Barry…."

"Oh right. I'm waiting for Barry." The girls sighed before Cyd moved to knock on the RV door.

"BARRY NALDO'S HERE GET YOUR BRAINY BUTT OUT HERE BEFORE I COME IN THERE AND KICK IT!"

"Cyd?"

"What? It's the Cyd approach to helping."

"I know but you could've at least waited for a reply. That's rude."

"Fine next time I'll wait."

"Thank you." The door to the RV opened, and Barry stepped out, wearing the jacket that Naldo had bought him only days before. He ignored Cyd and Shelby and walked up to Naldo, grabbing him by the wrist to pull him into the RV.

"Girls, will you please excuse us, I need to converse with Renaldo alone for a moment. Thank you." The girls' watched opened mouth as Naldo was yanked into the RV, and the door closed behind them.

"Woah, when did Barry learn so much emotion?"

"When Naldo rewired him."

Naldo stood there awkwardly in the RV, his smile plastered on his face as he twisted his backpack in his hands. Barry stood in front of him, watching him with his arms across his chest.

Naldo had never seen his genius so upset.

"Barry-"

"Renaldo…. Naldo. Obviously there is something going on and I am not sure how to proceed." Naldo watched him, silent for once as he waited for Barry to continue. Barry sighed but nodded. "Okay, Renaldo. Naldo. What do you…. How…. Ughhhhh." Barry groaned and flopped down by the alien. "I want…. I don't…."

"Barry? Can I say something?"

"Of course Renaldo. What is it?"

Naldo moved to go sit next to him before he took a deep breath.

"What's my favorite thing on the planet?"

"Jello. Food in general. Your shirts. Your hats. I can keep going."

"Right. What are your favorite things on the planet?"

"Science. This RV. The jacket you gave me."

"And when you think of those things, how do you feel?"

"…Happy I guess. You know I'm not good at emotions."

"I know. You know how when you find a really good experiment and you've perfected it to the point that you wanna reveal it to the world?"

"Yeah."

"That's… how I feel about you."

Barry sat there for a moment, staring at Naldo in shock. Naldo smiled that Naldo smile of his before Barry nodded.

"That's how I feel about you too." Naldo grinned again before he stood up. "We're gonna be late."

"SCHOOL!" Barry grabbed Naldo's hand and pulled him out of the RV, hurrying him along so they wouldn't be late, the girls running after them yelling to know what happened.

…

Thursday Afternoon – Lunch

Barry was sitting at their lunch table when Naldo joined him, sitting close to him so their legs were touching. They grinned at each other before they started to eat, Barry giving Naldo his jello as usual.

"Hey Barry?"

"Yes Naldo?'

"If we like both like each other…" Naldo said, eating a huge bite of jello before continuing, "Then shouldn't we do something about it?"

"Like what?"

"I wouldn't mind kissing again," Naldo said simply, taking another huge bite of jello. Barry just stared at him before he looked around them. He saw many students holding hands, or touching in some way, but he did notice that there were no guy-guy couples among them.

He frowned and went back to eating.

"You don't want to?"

"It's not that…. Let's talk more when we get home. Okay?"

"Home?"

"To the RV." Naldo smiled and nodded.

"Home."

…

After School

Barry and Naldo walked home together, and when Naldo decided to reach for Barry's hand, he was happy to see the genius didn't pull away from him. Instead, he squeezed Naldo's hand and the two of them continued their walk.

"Barry?"

"Yes Renaldo?"

"Are we….dating?"

Barry was silent as they made their way into the RV and were sitting next to each other. Only then did he spoke.

"If you would like to be… then yes, we're dating."

"Wow, my boyfriend the scientist. Can you make me into a gnome?"

"No Renaldo."

"Aw man."

"Why would you want to be a gnome?"

"Because they're tiny and have beards."

"Of course." Naldo smiled and reached over to kiss Barry, who sat there in shock before kissing him back.

"Okay, this can work. But about school-"

"Don't worry," Naldo said, smiling at him again before he laid his head on Barry's shoulder, "I know there's no other couples like us at school. I don't care about that." Barry rested his head on Naldo's and they just sat there.

Together.

…

Thanks for reading!

-JM133