In a surprising turn of events… Here we are! I had no idea when I'd get back to this story, but the chapter was already partially written, and since I'm not putting pressure on myself to write the world's longest chapters anymore, I was able to finish this one for you guys :D
Khary of course is my favorite Big Hero 6 OC, and Luca and Nova are my beloveds. Not to give too much away from potential Moving Too Fast spin-off one-shots, but I definitely have a specific storyline in mind for adult Luca and Nova.
One final thing before we get into the chapter, I'm very excited to have begun getting into the second arc of Angel of Vengeance (formerly Stardust Angel), go check it out if you haven't!
Luca asked Uncle Khary to pick him up early for rehearsal, desperate to talk to someone about the feelings building up inside.
Khary was a little worried about his nephew. Luca seemed distressed. He was ready to play protective uncle, and Dion was excited to do the same for the first time. Like a practice round before being thrust full force into the frantic mess of their family.
"What's wrong, bud?" They had a bit of time before rehearsal so they were hanging out in his apartment and Dion's apartment.
"I need help real bad, Uncle Khary. I don't know what I'm doing at all."
"What you're doing with rehearsal? Because you're doing great for your first time."
"No," Luca said miserably, letting out a sigh, "No."
"Then what is it, Luca? You can tell us anything," Khary said as Dion gave the teen a thumbs up.
"I… Have a situation."
"What situation?" Khary's forehead creased in concern.
"Have you met my friend Nova?" Luca asked quietly, looking at his painted nails. He wouldn't be able to have painted nails for the actual performance, but no one cared during the rehearsals.
"Uh, not sure. I don't think so. You have a lot of friends, though."
"Yeah. I do. I think Nova is more than that, though."
"Oh?" Khary's eyebrows raised.
"I think they have a crush on me."
"Why do you think that?"
"Because they kissed me on the cheek "
"That's pretty damning evidence," Khary agreed, "So how do you feel about that?"
"That's the problem actually," Luca admitted, "I have no clue."
"Ah." Khary frowned a little, leaning back.
"Well, it can be hard to tell sometimes, Luca. For me, I have to develop a platonic relationship with someone before I can develop a romantic relationship with them. Maybe that's how it is for you."
"No," Luca said instantly, "Because I've had crushes before. Instant, the moment I met them crushes."
Luca looked like he was going to say something else, but that he was a little nervous about it.
"It's okay, Luca. You can tell us anything," Dion said, trying to be encouraging.
"I've had crushes on girls and guys before." Luca had never said it out loud before. He'd never told anyone, not mom and dad not even Reese. It wasn't something he was ashamed of and yet, it was so hard to admit. Because admitting it opened him up to a world of relationships that he wasn't ready for.
"That's okay," Khary said, "that's normal. It's just as normal to have crushes on lots of people as it is to have crushes on no one. There's no wrong way to feel your feelings."
"Reese and Scout say that a lot of people have feelings for me. I've never noticed it before. Even this girl I really liked back in Berkeley, I had no idea that she liked me back. But now it's getting harder to ignore. Now there's Charlotte and Addison. Now there's Nova."
"It's okay if you don't know how you feel about Nova."
"I think about them all the time, though. I think I love them, Uncle Khary. And I don't know how to do that. I'm not allowed to date until high school, and I don't know if they'd wait for me. I don't know how to tell them any of these feelings that I've barely figured out. I don't want anyone else getting mad at me for my nebulous feelings." Luca had actually learned the word nebulous while trying to describe these feelings to himself.
"Who got mad at you for your feelings?" Khary frowned at that, not liking the idea of someone harassing his nephew.
"Charlotte did. She asked me out and accused me of liking Nova after I told her I wasn't allowed to date yet."
Dion spoke now, "Crushes aren't crimes. She can't accuse you of doing anything wrong because you didn't. No one who truly cares about you is going to get mad at you for feeling how you feel."
"Then I need to talk to Nova. I need to ask them to wait for me…" Luca looked the most assured he had this whole time.
"Of course. But first, we've got to go to rehearsal," Khary said.
"Hm, yeah… They're coming to see me in the play. Maybe I can talk to them after that."
"Good plan," Khary said, adding, "I'm proud of you, kiddo."
"Don't tell dad, okay? I've got to go about this at my own pace."
"I'd never steal your spotlight," Khary promised, wrapping an arm around his nephew, both of them feeling safe and self-assured.
