Chapter 9: 8. Dustin

I shift uncomfortably, unfolding my legs. Stupid jeans, feeling all weird. I sigh, missing my skirts already. “You okay, Seb?” Dustin asks from across the booth from me.

I smile at him softly, appreciating the concern. “Yeah, I’m fine. Just thinking that I should have worn different clothes. These ones fit weirdly.” I try not to focus on it too much, looking at the menu in front of me. “You were telling me about the other day?”

Dustin nods, “yeah, that fight with Soft Paw. We’re doing better as a whole, but it still really feels like she’s running circles around us. It’s kinda frustrating.” He says with a sigh.

I perk up, dipping the menu down so I can see him. “You mean… fur-strating?”

“I… was that a cat pun?” he asks me, giving me a weird look. I shrug, nodding in response. “Gods, not you too. She tells enough of those.” He slumps against the table with a smile on his face. “And that’s another thing! She pulls quips practically all through the fight! How does she not get winded?”

I smirk at that, poking him in the forehead. “Maybe she’s just more serious about training than you.” He blanches at that, but sedes the point. “Seriously, though, she’s just one villain. What’s got you all worked up over her?”

He sits up straighter, looking at me seriously. “That’s the thing! She’s just one villain. She’s not even Everyman or Present Perfect and she’s making a fool of us.” I smile at that despite myself, lifting my menu to hide it. “Anyways, sorry. I didn’t mean to complain at you the whole time. It’s our day off, we should enjoy it. I can tell you about work any other time.”

“It’s fine,” I shoot him a smile, “I just like spending time with you.”

He returns my smile silently. After a few seconds, he speaks up again. “What are you thinking?”

“I’m not sure. I’ve never been here before… I’m not sure what’s good.” I drum my fingers on the table in thought, still looking over the menu carefully. “What are you getting?”

“A burger of course.” He responds cheekily.

I shoot him a look, frowning and turning the sheet over to look at the other side. “They have burgers? This is an Italian place.”

Shrugging, he points to a spot on the menu. “Yeah, but they make good burgers.”

“Well, that’s a little heathenous for my tastes… I think I’ll go with the ravioli’s.” I reply simply.

I’ve decided just in time because the waitress appears shortly after to take our orders. “We’ll get that right out to you gentlemen.” She says as she’s turning away. I sigh at that, a weird twisting feeling in my gut at that.

I can’t already be getting used to going out shopping with Sarah, we’ve only done it twice and both were in the last week. Of course, going out with Sarah means that I was heading out completely femmed up. Somehow, that felt natural, but there’s just something about looking like this and having to interact with people that aren’t Dustin that puts a sour taste in my mouth.

“So, what have you been getting up to in your off time lately?” Dustin asks, quirking an eyebrow at me.

“Eh, not much.” Which is a lie. I can’t very well say ‘Villainy’. “Working on projects, doing research.” Not as big of a lie, but still not the whole truth. “Sometimes watching TV. The norm.”

“Yeah, that sounds like your normal. Have you seen anything good lately?” he asks. I look up in thought, taking a sip of water.

Well… there is that romance anime Sarah got me into watching… The one about the main character that falls for their…best friend… I look over at Dustin. My face goes slightly red at that, shaking the thought away. No, I definitely can’t say that. “Uh… No. Not really.”

He pauses, obviously deciding whether or not to call me out, but he tactfully decides to spare me the embarrassment. “I’ve been meaning to ask for a while, but it keeps slipping my mind. How did your parents react to hearing about your power?” I pause at that, my brain going into overdrive before I realise he’s talking about my inherited power.

“Oh, that.” I sigh, “Dad got all excited for me. He was especially happy when I told him I became an emergency hero, of course. He’s been harping on me about becoming a full time hero now, though.”

Dustin nods, presumably imagining my dad doing that. “And your mom?” He asks.

I shrug, frowning slightly. “Dunno. She’s been busy with some project. Whenever she stops by home every other week or so, it’s usually while I’m at Warden HQ. We’ve run into each other a couple times at Warden HQ, but she hasn’t done much more than give me a pat on the back and a few words of encouragement before dashing off on whatever she’s busy with.”

“Huh,” He says, leaning back in thought. “Well, at least she’s not harping on you.”

I smile at that. “Yeah.”

After a few moments, our food arrives and we both dig in. The ravioli’s are delicious, just about everything you could wish for from a ravioli. Which is to say, hot, fresh, and full of cheesy goodness.

I lean back from my newly cleaned plate, taking a sip of water. “You weren’t kidding. This place does have good food.”

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He shoots a smirk my way, pointing the very last of his burger at me. “I knew you’d like it!”

I smile, fluttering my eyelashes at him playfully. “You know me so well,” I say playfully. He looks at me weirdly, his face scrunching up a bit as he stares at me. I sit up straight, looking at him in concern. “What’s up?” I ask, worry sinking into my voice.

He shakes his head. “No, it’s uh… it’s nothing. Just a weird thought.” He waves his hand dismissively and I take another sip of water.

After a couple seconds of awkward silence, I try to clear the awkward air. “So… where to next?”

“Well…” He says slowly, taking a bite out of his burger and washing it down with water between thoughts, “there is a new movie out I’ve been thinking about seeing.” He smiles at me sweetly, that dorky smile of his. “My treat.”

I raise my eyebrow slightly. “Didn’t you also say that about the food?”

He shrugs, looking defensive. “Maybe they’re both my treat.”

“I have my own money too, you don’t have to pay for everything,” I say with a chuckle. “I can pay for the movie.” I offer.

He shakes his head, sitting up straighter and putting on an air of valiance. “I’m just being gentlemanly, like a proper hero.”

“Oh,” I say, challengingly, “am I not a real hero?”

His facade breaks and he looks nervous, “Oh, no, I mean- I didn’t mean- I meant-”

I reach across the table, punching his arm. “I’m joking you big lug!” I laugh gently at him, his face growing slightly red in the cheeks. “Look, if you want to pay for things, who am I to stop you?” I lean back, taking another sip of water. “I mean, dinner and a movie? I’m being absolutely spoiled.”

He goes quiet, not saying anything for a moment. He looks me in the eyes, briefly. His mouth opens as if to say something, but he thinks better of it. After a few moments, he seems to settle on something to say. “You know, Tempo was joking about us going on a date, earlier.”

I sputter slightly, coughing on my water. I feel my face growing red at that, shooting daggers into my water. “W-was she, now.” I make a mental note to maybe give her a slightly stronger kick in the shins than normal next time we’re sparring. I chuckle nervously at that, looking up at Dustin. “Maybe she thinks you’re into guys.”

He looks into his water, humming in agreement. My eyes go wide at that, brain rushing through several possibilities. After a few moments, I decide to push forward. “You’re… you’re not, are you?” I ask quietly. His head snaps up, meeting my eyes.

After a few moments of intense eye contact, he looks away. “W-what? No, of course not.” He says. “Just girls.”

My heart does a few weird flips that I can’t hope to translate, flipping between some form of strange relief and stabbing rejection. “Oh, um…” I don’t know what to say, “...good.” Dumb, dumb, dumb. Why did you say that. “Err, not good, good. You know, there’s nothing wrong with it, I just, uh…” I trail off, not knowing how to end that.

We sit in uncomfortable silence for a while, the atmosphere awkward.

“Soooooo,” I say slowly, “You wanted to take me to see a movie?” I say hopefully. I want the chance to turn the night around. I don’t want Tempo’s comment to ruin our day off. He looks at me in surprise, managing to shake off some of his funk.

He smiles at me gently, “Yeah… That new action movie came out? The fourth in the series about that hero without powers?”

My eyes light up in recognition, if I had my ears out I know they’d be perking up. “Oh, really? I’ve been looking forward to that one!”

Just like that, the mood is restored, the strange feeling that had been hanging in the air earlier having cleared up. Dustin pays the bill for the food like he said, dragging me along in his car to the movie theater.

We arrive at the ticket window and I look up at him significantly. “I can pay for my ticket.”

He smiles gently, stepping forward. “I told you I’d get it, didn’t I?”

I roll my eyes light heartedly. “How could I forget?” I chuckle. “My hero,” I say hero over exaggeratedly. We both laugh.

Dustin pays for our tickets, handing one of them to me. We walk in and stand at the line for concessions. I glance over at him, nudging him in the shoulder gently. “Next time we go out? I’m treating you, you got that?”

He smiles at me, raising his hand and ruffling my hair affectionately. “Sure thing.” He turns back to looking at the concessions while I try to pull myself together. My face feels impossibly warm for some reason.

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