Chapter Text
The day after testing Karmi’s suit out in Fred’s warehouse, we were chilling in my bedroom. Karmi and I didn’t see a reason to go downstairs just yet, so we were just staying in my room, me on my computer, she on her laptop. I was working on a camouflage cloth to turn the wearer completely invisible. By the look on her face, she was doing something which she thought to be embarrassing.
She soon noticed that I was looking at her.
“What are you looking at?” she asked, blushing a bit more.
“Just wondering what is making you so red,” I said curiously.
“Just…reading some stupid news article,” she fabricated, hoping that I would accept that as an answer.
“Nah, you’re obviously not reading ‘some stupid news article,’” I called her out on her lie, “the only thing that makes you that red is being face-to-face with Captain Cutie,” I said, keeping a short pause before continuing.
“So, you’re obviously thinking about him and/or me,” I concluded.
Her expression was a combination of embarrassment, shock, and was there a smile behind all of that? I wondered in my head. Then suddenly, she asked the burning question: “Why do you care?” But her voice didn’t have the usual “What do you want?” tone. Instead, she had a slightly...insecure tone to her voice.
I was taken aback by the tone I wasn’t expecting. Deciding that it wasn’t the time for snarky comments.
“Because you’re special to me, and I want to know when something is bothering you,” I said softly, sitting next to her on the bed and placing my hand on her shoulder.
“It’s just…” she started, looking down at the floor, “I feel conflicted. On one hand, I like you as Captain Cutie. You quite literally took me with you. I haven’t had that much fun in ages,” she said with a slight smile referring to our game at Fred’s place.
“On the other, I really don’t know how I feel about you as Hiro,” she continued, fidgeting with her fingers, “I feel bad for how I always treated you bad whenever I came across you.”
“I guess I was just jealous of you,” she confessed, “You had friends, and you took my place as the youngest student in SFIT. And on top of that, you were Tadashi’s brother.”
“And I also feel bad for the fact that I still think of you as two different people,” she said, guilt apparent in her voice.
“When you put the helmet on yesterday. I instantly forgot it was you behind the visor. I was living my time with Captain Cutie again,” she finished, breathing heavily.
I could sense that she was on the edge of tears when she looked me in the eyes.
“Karmi,” I said softly, rubbing her back with my hand.
“You hate me now, don’t you?” she asked, bursting into tears.
“No, I don’t, and you know that as well,” I comforted her.
“Really?” she asked in between her sobs, “With me crying to you like a baby?”
“It’s normal to feel uneasy when your entire world turns upside down,” I reassured her, “trust me, I know.”
She put her arms around my neck and pulled herself to my lap, wordlessly asking for a hug. So, I closed my arms around her, and she rested her head on my shoulder. “Thank you,” she whispered as she calmed herself down. “No problem, Sweetie. I’m always here for you,” I whispered back.
“Cutie?” she asked, now composing herself.
“Yes, Sweetie?” I asked, looking her in the eyes. Both of us started blushing.
“Could you tell me more about the reasons why you became a superhero?” she asked, blushing even harder.
“It’s a long story,” I started.
“I love long stories,” she replied.
“Well, strap in,” I joked, “it’s going to be a wild ride.”