Author's Note: Nergh... about half of this chapter completely snuck up on me. But it helped me come up with some real plot. This might end up being a better fanfic than I thought.
Chapter 8
The group broke up after a while. Sportacus had dashed off to save someone, and Stingy insisted that he had to get some an change or else his suit would be ruined. There were grass stains all over the back and the wet probably wasn't good for it either. Pixel wanted to use the rest of his free time for gaming and Ziggy thought that was a good enough idea that he went with him. That left just Stephanie and Trixie.
"Ahhh, it's great to have you back Stephanie. It's annoying to be the only girl in the social group." Trixie said.
"You guys didn't make any friends in school?" Stephanie asked.
"Well, we did, but it's not really the same y'know? Ziggy isn't in High School yet so we had to leave him behind, and Stingy is part of a different crowd because his family is all rich n'stuff. So my school friends are all completely different." Trixie explained.
"So it's nice when summer gets here and we all get back together. But it wasn't really quite the same when you weren't here."
Stephanie made a noise of agreement, but didn't say anything.
"Especially since it's kind of hard to get along with Stingy nowadays."
"Why is it hard to get along with Stingy?" Stephanie asked.
"I dunno. After you've..." Trixie stopped, realizing Stephanie was a little out of the loop. "Me and Stingy are sort of..." Trixie started again.
"Dating?" Stephanie finished.
"How did you know?" Trixie asked. Stephanie gave a noncommittal shrug, not willing to out Sportacus in case Trixie would get mad about it.
"I guess we're not exactly hiding it. Stingy was sort of gawking at me." Trixie said.
"Anyway, after you've gotten together with someone it's not always easy to talk to them. Everything gets put into a different light so it can be weird." Trixie said, getting back to the subject.
"It doesn't seem like it should be that way..." Stephanie said with a frown. Wondering what it would feel like if she thought she couldn't tell Sportacus everything.
"I wish we were more like you and Sportacus." Trixie sighed, seemingly hearing Stephanie's thoughts.
"What?" Stephanie asked.
"You love Sportacus, but I bet there isn't anything that you feel like you can't tell him." Trixie explained.
"That's because he's Sportacus. Everyone feels like that about him." Stephanie said.
"I don't tell Sportacus everything. There are things that I wouldn't want him to know about me." Trixie countered. Stephanie frowned at that.
"But how can he help if you don't tell him things?" Stephanie asked.
"I don't want Sportacus' help with some things. He doesn't need to know about every argument I have with my Mom. That's kind of personal, and really I'd rather tell someone who I know would be on my side. Like Stingy." Trixie reasoned.
"I'd rather someone take the side that they think it best for me, even if it's something I don't want to hear." Stephanie said. "I know Sportacus always wants what's best for everyone. It just makes sense to go to him with all sorts of problems."
"That's because you're closer to him than the rest of us." Trixie nudged.
"But Sportacus doesn't feel that way about me." Stephanie sighed.
"I'll bet he tells you more than he tells anyone else." Trixie said confidently.
"No one knows a lot about Sportacus... Maybe that's just being part of a superhero." Stephanie said wistfully.
"I never really thought about it." Trixie commented. Stephanie looked at her.
"Don't you ever think about things like what age Sportacus is or where he comes from?" Stephanie asked, not believing Trixie.
"732, and from the very far north." Sportacus' voice said from behind Stephanie. She jumped and looked up. Sportacus was standing above her, his hands on the back of the bench. Stephanie smiled sheepishly at him.
"Talking about me?" He asked the two of them.
"We're having a discussion about the men in our lives." Trixie explained.
"Don't make it sound like that." Stephanie complained, a little embarrassed. Trixie giggled and Sportacus just smiled.
"Sportacus, have you ever been in love?" Trixie asked.
Sportacus considered the question. He might as well cater to them, since they seemed so genuinely curious. It couldn't hurt.
"Well, love is such a complicated emotion, sometimes it's hard to be sure. But I think I was, once, a very long time ago." Sportacus answered. He crouched down and placed folded his arms on the back of the bench.
Stephanie seemed to really like the idea. She gave him a very serene smile. He couldn't tell where it had come from.
"What happened?" Trixie asked. Stephanie shoved Trixie softly.
"Don't ask that, it's rude." Stephanie admonished. Sportacus chuckled.
"What makes you think anything happened?" He asked.
"Well, you can't just be in love with someone and nothing happen..." Trixie complained.
"She's right." Stephanie agreed. "That doesn't seem very Sportacus-like."
"It's been such a long time, I've completely forgotten." Sportacus said with a laugh, answering Trixie's question. Trixie gave an annoyed sigh at that, but Stephanie wasn't fooled. She just rolled her eyes and shook her head at him.
"You're really bad at lying." She told Sportacus fondly. Feeling terribly daring and affectionate she leaned forward and kissed him one of his high cheekbones.
Sportacus touched his fingers to his cheek.
"What was that for?" He asked. Stephanie didn't have a ready reply.
"You two are clueless." Trixie said. Her voice dripping with smarmy exasperation. "Besides which you're too lovey-dovey for me. I'm outta here." Trixie got up and gave Stephanie a wave before departing.
"Lovey-dovey?" Sportacus inquired to Stephanie. Stephanie shrugged, she didn't think she could explain it.
Sportacus hopped over the bench and sat next to Stephanie. He brushed some stray hairs behind her ear His hand brushed along her cheek as he pulled it away. For a moment Stephanie had the idea that he was going to kiss her. He was looking at her so fondly.
"Are you really 732?" Stephanie asked, breaking the silence. Sportacus' smile widened a bit.
"To tell you the truth, I've never kept track of my age. Where I'm from we don't celebrate birthdays like that." Sportacus answered.
"What do you do instead?" Stephanie asked.
"Every year we hold a festival where we all get together and celebrate the lives of all the people we love all at once, even the ones who are no longer with us. Sportacus said. "It lasts for a week in the spring."
"Well, how many of those have you been to?" That would give a rough estimate, Stephanie reasoned.
"Not nearly as many as the years I've been alive." Sportacus laughed. "I haven't been home in a very long time." Stephanie could recognize and evasion when she heard one.
"732 it is." She said with teasing exasperation.
Sportacus slid close and wrapped an arm around her shoulders and Stephanie leaned into him with a smile.
"Does my age really matter?" Sportacus asked. Stephanie thought about it. Sportacus never seemed to get any older, and part of him was so childish that you'd think he wasn't very old at all no matter what he looked like.
Stephanie looked up at him and noticed that their faces were awfully close.
"I... I guess not." Stephanie said breathlessly. Her eyes involuntarily focused on Sportacus' lips. She suddenly really, really wanted to know what they felt like.
Stephanie stretched up just a little in anticipation and Sportacus' head began to tilt just a little to the right. Sportacus lifted his hand to her chin and leaned down. They were just a breath apart and...
"Stephanie!" Mayor Meanswell called enthusiastically from across the street. Sportacus' slid back to the other side of the bench so fast he created a breeze.
"Uncle Milford" Stephanie said once she found her voice again. "What, what's... going on?" She asked hopelessly.
"Bessie's invited us over to dinner at her house. She said she'd put on candles and romantic music and-"
"Uncle..." Stephanie interrupted hesitantly.
"Oh, uh, yes Stephanie?" He asked.
"Don't you think she might've just meant to invite you?" Stephanie suggested.
"Well..." He looked down in thought, seeming a bit confused. "Now that you mention it..." Stephanie chuckled.
"Have a nice dinner Uncle." She said.
"Oh... Right." Mayor Meanswell said sheepishly. "Well, nevermind then Stephanie." He waved and left down the street.
Stephanie sighed in relief and looked over at Sportacus. Sportacus was sitting at the other end of the bench with his elbow propped on the arm and his chin propped on his hand. He was looking off into the distance with a nonchalance that didn't look particularly believable. Especially given the fact that a bright red had tinged his cheekbones.
Stephanie laughed, but as able to turn it into a coughing fit when Sportacus looked at her.
"Sorry." She giggled. Sportacus stood up suddenly.
"I... have to go." Sportacus excused. Stephanie sighed, but got up to see him off.
"I'll see you later Sportacus." Stephanie said. Sportacus gave her an awkward smile. He leaned down and kissed her forehead. Stephanie just shook her head with a knowing smile, causing Sportacus to blush again.
Sportacus departed in his usual manner. Flipping and jumping off into the distance. Stephanie flopped down onto the bench. Her legs didn't feel like they'd support a walk home just yet.
Author's Note: Needless to say... Sportacus did not stop thinking about it. The bit where he was all like 'does my age really matter?' sort of... came across more creeper than intended. Oops. I didn't mean to. But it'll make more sense later I guess.