Sunlight
The warm afternoon sun shone through the window of his bedroom, the only source of light. That was all that they needed.
His shirt was off and he was doing pushups on the floor, trusting her to do the counting for him, which of course she wasn't doing as she was enjoying herself too much.
She was on top of him, balanced perfectly so that her weight was only being used to help him with his exercise. It was easy for her to lie atop him, as he was much taller than her.
She loved the feel of his muscles as they rippled beneath her, and wondered how surprised everyone else would be if they knew what kind of physique he had beneath the baggy shirts he always wore.
They really shouldn't have been doing this. They were both already with someone else, but their respective "steadies" were not around this weekend. His girlfriend was at some animal rights demonstration, and her boyfriend had been shanghaied to go fishing by his dad where he would doubtlessly be bored to death with tales of his dad's adventures when he was his age.
They had run into each other that Friday afternoon just as they were getting on the bus to head home. They both knew the other was going to be alone this weekend, and decided that it might be fun to just get together and go to a movie or something. Ethan was going to be studying and Warren was going to be working, so it was just the two of them.
The movie had turned out to be a real stinker, even though he seemed to enjoy it, and she had to admit that it was so bad it had been funny. They grabbed a pizza afterwards, but when they got to their neighborhood and came to his house, he asked her if she would like to come in.
"My folks are off on a mission," he said, "but they said it's okay to have friends over."
She hesitantly agreed, but she wasn't worried he might try anything funny. It just wasn't in his nature. She hesitated because in the time they had spent together with just each other she had been having this strange feeling come over her. She was becoming attracted to him, almost like some kind of magnetism or chemistry that was starting with them, because he seemed to be feeling the same way.
"We can find something on television…I think there's a better movie on this afternoon and we can have some popcorn and…"
"I'd like that," she smiled, and she could swear she saw his Adams apple visibly bob as he swallowed hard.
She went in, looking around at his home. Like those of other super heroes there were no signs that the family living there was different from anyone else in the world. It was modest and comfortable, and she found she liked it a lot.
She did notice the large stack of bodybuilder magazines and looked at him curiously.
"My hobby," he grinned, but still looked embarrassed, "gotta look the part when we graduate. I've got a weight set in my room, but my dad's really been on me about it since I powered up."
"That's cool," she said, "at least you guys can eat. Too many of us girls are on these silly diets to all look slim in the "suits". I think it's unhealthy to do that."
"Yeah," he said, "there's nothing wrong with your shape…I mean…you look great."
"Thanks," she grinned, "it's hard to gain weight with my particular diet."
"You could weigh five hundred pounds and still look beautiful."
She was caught off guard by that…did he just say she was beautiful?
He then realized what he had blurted out, but there was no way he was going to take it back. He decided to just keep going.
"Yeah, I think you're beautiful…I have since the first time I saw you. And it's not just your looks…the way you act, your smile…all of it. And…I'm jealous of him that he has you."
"But you've got…"
"Yeah, I do," he sighed, "and she's great. But still…"
"I…I know what you mean," she whispered as she put a hand on his shoulder. She was surprised at how hard it was beneath the loose shirt. Unwittingly she began feeling it, marveling at how big and strong it seemed.
"Wow," she whispered, "how long have you been working out?"
"Almost a year and a half," he said, "see?"
He then pulled up a baggy sleeve and revealed an arm that was just on the verge of bulging at the bicep, and he then lifted and flexed it for her. She marveled at the nearly baseball sized knot that formed there. How long had she known him and not ever realized this? Of course he never bragged about it, and he always wore such loose fitting clothes usually two sizes too big. The only ones who might know were the other boys from seeing him in the locker room after gym class, and that wasn't something boys talked to anyone else about.
He then pulled up his shirt, revealing a serious six-pack of abs rivaling what she had seen Warren sporting whenever they went swimming. Come to think of it, he even wore a shirt while swimming too. He had to be shy somehow, but why put such work into something and not show it off?
"I have to stay covered up as much as possible," he said, lowering his shirt and speaking as if he had read her mind, "see…I'm…I'm solar powered. My power comes from the sun and if I overdose…"
"What would happen?"
"Don't know," he shrugged with a grin, "it's never happened."
She smacked him on the shoulder for his being a smart mouth. It did lighten the growing feelings, but did not remove them.
"Would you…like to see my room?"
She hesitated only for a moment, and then answered "yes". Again she was not afraid of him, for she knew there was nothing to be afraid of.
Up in his room she saw the weights and other equipment he had to work with. The walls were covered with inspirational pictures of famous bodybuilders and super heroes, and piles of clothes were scattered about. In other words it was a typical boy's room.
"This is…different," she said.
"Different than what you expected, huh?"
"Well…for you, yes."
"I guess people can surprise you," he said, looking at her in a way she would have never expected from him, "like you always do me."
"What do you mean?"
"You don't laugh at me. You laugh with me."
"Of course I don't laugh at you. Neither do the others."
"She does…sometimes. I don't know if she means to, but it still hurts. I guess I'm still a goof…even with powers."
"You're not a goof," she said, drawing close to him, "and don't you let ANYONE ever say otherwise."
He smiled at that. That same silly grin he usually had on his face wasn't so silly anymore. In fact she liked it a lot.
"You've got a handsome smile too," she said, "I've…always liked it."
"Thanks," he said.
"Have you worked out today?" she suddenly was inspired to ask.
"Uh no, not yet. I was going to after you went home."
"How about you show me your routine? Maybe I can help you somehow."
She could swear she saw him actually stand taller, like his male ego had just awakened. She thought that maybe this could be fun.
Now she leaned forward and gently nibbled on his ear, producing a yelp as he lost concentration, his arms folded and he smacked into the floor. She rolled off and sat next to him as he felt his nose out of reflex to see if it was hurt.
"What did you do that for?" he said as he sat up.
"I was tired of counting," she giggled, "besides, it was good for a laugh."
"With…or at?"
"With, of course," she said. It was the last thing she said as she squealed when he suddenly grabbed her and started gently tickling her, making her giggle.
They then lay together on his bed, cuddling and talking until the warmth of the afternoon sun overcame them, and they both drifted off to sleep, totally at ease with each other.
She slowly woke up, refreshed from what she thought was a little cat nap and saw from the alarm clock next to his bed that it was eight thirty in the evening. She was surprised, because it was still so light, so how…
It was him…he was glowing so brightly with his shirt off that he lit up the entire room like the sun. She smiled as she looked at him sleeping so peacefully. She could actually feel the vitality coming off of him and was absorbing it herself. But she couldn't do so for long, because she had to be careful as well.
She got up and headed downstairs to the kitchen to see if there was anything she could quickly prepare for a dinner for two. She knew he ate like a garbage disposal, and hoped he would like something a little more organic.
As she rummaged through the refrigerator, she smiled as she remembered the tingling of his power as it played across her own skin. It could get addictive if she wasn't careful, but she had learned a long time ago to be cautious about the power of the sun.
Layla hadn't yet told Zach that she was solar powered too.
The End