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Being the only human, or “Earthling”, currently at this intergalactic gala really sucked. Benji Parker-Storm stood off to the side of the massive ballroom, filled with aliens of all colors and shapes. The vast majority were very humanoid, but he was half expecting a Guild Navigator from Dune to get rolled in in a fish tank. Largely with the way everyone was dressed very similar, or from Star Wars, a few Star Trek-ish. The men in formal military attire with their badges and shoulder cuffs, women in the most extravagant dresses he’d ever seen. Like the outrageous fashion he’s seen on runways.
He felt super out of place in just his navy blue tux, red bow-tie. Would stand out in most galas on Earth, when most guys go for plain black. Here, he stood out for the wrong reasons.
He was invited by his boyfriend of a few months, Jake. When they met, he rescued Benji from some wannabe Wrecking Crew gang who got the upper hand on him. Jake, or Kid Marvel, at first glance was just like every other teen hero. Granted, he’d never seen a plus-sized hero his age before, or a hero his age that handsome before. Turned the usual cocky and confident Firefly into a blushing mess.
That didn’t change when he turned out to be a FREAKING PRINCE OF SPACE. Like his dads were the freaking Emperors of the Kree-Skrull Alliance. Freaking Emperor Marvel and Scarlet Sorcerer (or Hulkling and Wiccan as he’s heard his dads say). None of them acted like it, all the times he’s hung out with that family they could just be a regular family with a nicer house.
The throneworld Anella is beautiful, this retro futuristic wonderland like the Fantastic Foundation’s campus, only times by a billion. Just like Earth with more funky blues, greens and purply-pink colors around, tall white sci-fi cities and a night sky that gives the Northern Lights a run for its money.
He stared up at it through the giant glass skylight circling the ball room’s ceiling. Just as extravagant and beautiful as the empty throne room he once saw on a tour with Jake. He barely leaves the fancy apartment wing while he’s staying. White substance that resembled marble made up the walls and floors, crystal chandeliers hung from the roof, the bright lights giving it a winter vibe.
Maybe it was winter here, he just knew the Gala was to celebrate the harvest or something. Jake just sent him an invite to the Gala as a plus one, but only if he was serious cause there’d be a lot of eyes on him. Benji was super serious, and would do anything for him, so of course he said yes.
The royals are supposed to arrive soon, Benji was sent out ahead, since he isn’t a royal, but he didn’t do much besides stand awkwardly off to the side, waiting. He wore a noticeable-enough Fantastic Foundation (or Fantastic Four) pin on his blazer, mainly to indicate that he’s friendly. Most people here have probably met his dad and his team. He hasn’t, so he’s staying put, drinking what tastes like salted water. Yuck.
Eyes were on him a lot, maybe standing around loitering made him look suspicious. He tried not looking at anyone in particular. A lot of Skrulls here, the more human looking Kree gave him less anxiety before he saw the badges on their uniforms. The rest looked like various Thrawn clones from Star Wars. A number of Shi’ra, and members of the space superhero team it funds. Also a lot of human looking people among them, but he didn’t wanna assume. He just didn’t know these people, or how to talk to them. Nor would he feel one hundred percent comfortable talking. He just wanted to be close to his boyfriend, who was taking his sweet time getting here.
He checked his phone, notifications over a photo of him and Jake on top of the Empire State Building. The pair flew up to the spire and took a cute selfie. It was a little scary, but together they could do anything. Benji took a look at his group-chats, mainly the Spider-Fam and the FF-Fam. Being part of two teams, where his two dads were eager to send photos of him in his tuxedo, meant his phone got blown up with messages. Nothing compared to Instagram, but it made him feel better to read them in his head.
PETER SENT A PHOTO TO 2 CHATS
PETER: Oh they grow up so fast
MJ: Awww, cutie!!
SUE: Handsome!!!
JOHNNY: I know where he gets it from hehe
JOHNNY SENT A GIF
SUE REPLIED TO JOHNNY: Yeah his mother
JOHNNY REPLIED TO SUE: Exactly, who’s the female clone of who…? MY handsome husband
BEN R: Nice
BAILEY: Nerd XD
MILES: You clean up nice lil nephew!
Benji took a photo of the venue he was at, he was at a decent position to get a look at the fancy giant chandeliers and all the people in front of him.
BENJI SENT A PHOTO TO 2 CHATS
FRANKLIN: YOOOOO
PETER: Fancy!! 🎵 But you already know 🎵 haha
SUE: Just as I remember it!
BEN R: Nice
FLASH: Daaamn…
KAINE: 👍
JO: I demand an invite for the House of Grimm!
MILES SENT A GIF
BAILEY: Seen bigger XD
JOHNNY: Remember to play it cool! You got this kiddo!
PETER: Sorry! dropped my phone!
PETER: Go get that bag as the kids say! Love you!!
WADE: Wait! Can I get a cameo too?
Bailey laughed a little to himself, feeling more uplifted by every word he read. He could hear his dad’s words in his head giving him all the encouragement in the world, knowing how big this sort’ve thing is. They’re two of the greatest superheroes on Earth, (THE greatest in his humble opinion), and yet this eclipses that.
He was so busy reading that he didn’t notice someone stand right next to him, leaning against the wall.
“Aye yai yai, fancy parties, am I right, kid?” a gruff voice that sounded pitched up commented below him. Benji looked down to see a raccoon in a white suit. His eyes widened in shock behind his glasses, looking briefly at the glass in his hand. He wasn’t sure the drinking laws here. The raccoon looked up at him with a deadpan. “What? Is my fly open?” He looked down “Eh, same color, doesn’t matter”
“A talking raccoon…” Benji said in awe, but said raccoon wasn’t impressed.
“I’m just gonna let that microaggression slide, but jeezus kid, didn’t anybody at that fancy science school tell ya about the Guardians of the Galaxy? Rocket Raccoon?” he replied, before taking another sip of his cocktail. Benji shook his head.
“Maybe, surely I would've heard of you though…. I’m sorry” Benji apologized, exactly what he was trying to avoid. He’s seen people with horse-heads around, and he can’t bring himself to not bring that up. But in doing so, he feared avoiding them would seem… racist. Rocket continued to let it slide, but sighed in disappointment.
“So what brings the lovechild of Quasar and that fwik from SWORD in this fancy establishment?” he asked after giving a once over “Your suit reads Earth, not to mention the badge. The Fantastic… Ten, is it now? Send a diplomat?”
“Spider-Man and the Human Torch actually, and no, this is just for identification” Benji corrected rather proudly, pushing his glasses up his nose. Rather stereotypical nerdy of him “And my boyfriend invited me” Rocket nodded along, as if it were the obvious.
“Boyfriend eh? Guessing it’s not one of them Shi-Ar guards, or an Aigellian kid with all the tentacles, no judgment here” he replied snarkily, before taking a drink.
“It’s Prince Jacob” Benji corrected again, not really used to using his full name, but it’s what Rocket would recognise, and he immediately choked on his drink. A few nearby attendees looked in their direction with some sense of alarm, but in the aristocratic, judgy way.
“Wha- oh… so you’re the young concubinus I’ve heard so little about” Rocket said as soon as he recovered from his fit. Benji's eyes went wide and demanded to know what people had been saying.
“But… what have you heard?” he asked, curiosity probably getting the best of him, but he had to know. Rocket shrugged.
"Eh, heard? Me? Ehh...I mean what's it to you, do you really care what others think?" he replied while taking another drink.
"I’m freaking nervous for starters!” Benji said louder than he probably anticipated. Rocket raised his little hand defensively.
"All right, all right, don't yell in my ear, you little glingon. Mine can still hurt too." he says using his clawed pinky to rub his ear. "You know, you really should work on your manners if you're gonna start coming to these fancy pants things. Rich comin' from me. But it's better to hear it now, then later on."
"Oy vey, Mister, just spit it out already" Benji groaned, confused by what this raccoon is saying, or refusing to say. He has no patience for that sort’ve thing, just give it to him straight and he might not lose his mind. Especially when he’s already nervous as is.
"Okay already!! You're definitely a kid who gets what he wants on Hogdroinks Day…”
“Actually, I’m jewish” Benji corrected bluntly, once again not knowing what he heck he was talking about, but assumed it was a Christmas equivalent from wherever he came from. The raccoon went on unbothered, probably not understanding him.
“Whatever, all I know is, there's some people, not me, but SOME people. After all, heh, who am I to judge about looking like an oddity, right? That too many humans are joining the royal family. Tell them they're mutants all ya want. But these people, fluggin' do not care, kid. Not one bit, four eyes. I mean, it won't be me sprinkling the truth with sugar for you, Jacob is a prince in name only. Him being called that? Yeah, just a formality. Is it that flargin' kind of them? People talk about it like that's the greatest kindness in the world. And that's how they really act. Even when these wonderful salt-of-the-planet folk legalize elected monarchs after his big and green daddy is done, they are never, let me repeat it, ever gonna elect Prince Jacob. They'll go straight to his younger brother. And before you say it, I know, I know, he's adopted too. But the key difference, kid, is that he's at least a Kree-Skrull hybrid, not another one of them stinkin' mutants for Earth. Not that I have a problem with them. Hell, I have friends who are mutants. But that's how these fine people talk. Although, that kid better hope to marry someone of his own kind when he's older. But you didn’t hear it from me!"
Rocket took a long drink of his never-ending wine glass to lube his throat up after his drunken ramble.
That was a lot, and Benji thought for a moment about what he wanted to say. He figured there was more to the staring from the guests than just being a human. He wanted to prove to this strange talking raccoon that he has what it takes to prove them wrong. He’s absolutely smitten by Jake, too far gone to say otherwise. He’s not interested or phased by the formalities, or his title, power has nothing to with it. He loves that boy for so much more than that.
Wait… Loves?…
Before he could think further about his feelings, the electronic synth-sounding trumpet went off to announce the arrival of the royal family. He was near the doorway so he could get a good look, the guards paid him no mind, clearly knowing who he was. Entering from the large door off the side to Benji’s left, came some guards, followed by an older man and woman.
The King Mother, Antayla, dressed like a purple-robed Bene Gesserit, as if she were the queen herself. The… recently enough resurrected Captain Mar-Vell, red Kree formal-wear that resembled what Earth royals wear. The Emperor has seemed to have introduced a lot of Earth fashion to his society.
Speaking of, the incredibly tall and wide Emperor Marvel entered to a thunderous applause and cheer. He bashfully smiled and waved. He was wearing a sleeveless purple version of his father’s outfit, with his green shoulder-plates acting as the shoulder-cuffs. He waited and held his big hand to his much shorter husband, the Scarlet Sorcerer, dressed in a beautiful crimson sleeveless robe. Truly the space version Arthur and Merlin. It’s hard to see the two extremely chill and extremely nerdy dads that played video games with him when he stays over sometimes. Here they were just divine beings.
As the applause started to eventually die down, it erupted again when princes were next. Zach was first, a very small and cute blue-Skrull boy that garnered adoration from his very presence. Benji knows him as one of his boyfriend’s best friends and his (affectionately) annoying little brother. But here, dressed in a purple military jacket with a flowing sparkly red cape, long blonde hair slicked back, that was a prince.
Benji’s reaction was nothing compared to when he saw his boyfriend again. Pre-gala he was in sweats and a shirt, here it was a green military jacket. Perfectly tailored around his wide round frame, his hair gelled up to an equally perfect coif, bashfully smiling at the crowd before immediately glancing around the room to find his boyfriend. Once his eyes laid on him, Jake’s face immediately lit up further and eagerly waved to him.
Benji up until that point wasn’t having a great time, out of his depth, being looked at funny for what feels like forever. He’s a celebrity on Earth, he’s used to some of it. But it all went away when he locked eyes with Jake and he knew it was worth it.
But a few other members rolled out, like Genis-Vell and Phyla-Vell with their… admittedly very human looking partners. Maybe Rocket had a point about too many… interracial relationships, causing some unrest in patriotism. His smile partially faded a little from worry, as he waited for the Emperor’s speech to end. It went by fast enough, Teddy knows how to entertain a room.
By the end, it was time for the big family to mingle. They descended the small stage they entered on, and try to be engaging on a personal level. Jake immediately made a B-line towards Benji, picking up speed as he got closer.
“If you got that red witch’s stamina, you’ll stick with your prince no matter what. I’m just letting you know what you’re also getting into along with him, package deal you know?” Rocket told Benji just before Jake hugged Benji tightly as a greeting.
“Ben!” Jake said excitedly in his ear over the loud chatter. No doubt about this sight in front of them.
“I missed you” Benji sighed with a hum, hugging him tightly back with his free arm. He didn’t really have any idea what to do with the glass he doesn’t like.
“It’s been like an hour” Jake laughed after letting him go at arms length, brushing out the creases he made on his tux “You still look great”
“Pfft, says the literal prince” Benji replied, aiming to be more sarcastic, but perhaps some of the worry Rocket had unintentionally instilled into him with their little chat. Jake definitely noticed it, giving his own look of worry.
“Everything okay?” he asked him with concern, affectionately holding his arm. Benji did his best to put on his confident mask.
“Yeah, fine! I’m totally fine, ain’t my first gala rodeo….” he replied as confidently as he could, but he could totally see people still looking over his boyfriend’s shoulder. He gulped again and confessed “... But I will admit, not one like this” Jake smiled sympathetically, and move his arm more around Benji’s back.
“Follow me, we’ll get some air” he said, and Benji eagerly let himself be led anywhere Jake wanted him to go.
“Nice chatting with you, you’re highness!” Rocket called out to him, a little offended as he grumbled into his alcohol “No manners, these days. Quill was right."
“Ignore him, my dads say he’s a bit rowdy” Jake said to him after noticing Benji feel a little bad about it. Leaving Rocket and the crowd in the extravagant ballroom, Jake led Benji down a hallway, while not as brightly lit, was still just as extravagant as the rest of the place. Holo-portraits were projected onto the walls of famous battles and figures, almost like a museum. Jake noticed Benji still clutching the glass and grabbed it quickly “Why are you drinking wine?”
Benji looked at it in shock and dread.
“That’s wine?! I thought it was water!” he yelped, grabbing his hair and melodramatically whining “Oh my god, my dads are gonna murder me! I’m too young and pretty to die!” Jake laughed at his worry, and rolled his eyes.
“Relaaax, one mouthful isn’t gonna hurt, what they don’t know won’t hurt them” he said before placing the glass on a table in the hall “I can’t change liquids like my dad, someone will have to find it. Come on” Benji nodded nervously, and followed Jake through the rest of the hall.
There at the end was a glass door, leading out to a lavish, colorful and very alien garden. It overlooked both the city to one side, tall white buildings as if it were a live-action Jetsons cityscape, and an open blue ocean on the other. Flying cars soaring across the light-based highways. A bright blue moon up above. Benji could practically hear the chill synthwave music and glowing grid reaching across the horizon. The plants were all sorts of funky colours and shapes, a lot resembling more tropical plants given it was near an ocean. The illuminating lamps remind him of Central Park back home. Even had a few bird baths around. It was a beautiful sight, but not as beautiful as the boy he was with.
“This is one of my favorite places” his prince said as an announcement, gripping his hand “I often get overwhelmed with all that too, I sneak off to here. I can feel like, the breeze and see the lights…” Benji could feel more relaxed by the second.
“Still amazes me you can see the stars” he commented, looking up at the city skyline and the glowing night sky up above. A billion stars against distant coloured nebulas. Nothing like NYC, where it was just a black sheet over the sky. “I take it it's because there’s no smog, and I’ve heard this planet has a shorter atmosphere?” Jake hummed in agreement.
“Right, my father says it helps connect us to the universe. However some still say it’s all a fancy projection my other dad conjured up” he explained, before shrugging it off “Doesn’t matter, it’s really pretty”
“Yeah…” Benji agreed. He had no problem with magic, but he really hoped what he was seeing was real. He looked over to Jake, caught his gaze, before looking away in embarrassment.
“Dude, we’re boyfriends, we can like, look at each other” Jake told him, although he acting awfully hypocritical since he was being massively shy and even under the night Benji could see him blushing. Jake held out his hand “We can also dance too”
“But there’s no music” Benji told him, but Jake shrugged.
“Just imagine it, focus on us, no one’s watching” he said. Benji could use a moment of no one watching him right now.
He took Jake’s hand, unsure what to do with the other. Jake took more of a lead, and rested his hand on Benji’s slim waist. Benji tensed up for a moment, and grasped his boyfriend’s firm shoulder. He tried his best to relax into it, as the pair started to rock themselves back and forth in a circular motion. Benji was no dancer, let alone a waltzer. He let Jake lead, who might’ve had some experience.
“There we go…” Jake murmured nervously, looking down in between them, before looking slightly up to his boyfriend’s face. He smiled and blushed, before adding “And I can also say.., that… you know… you… look… really pretty too”
Benji’s cheeks went bright red. They’ve been dating for a little bit, clearly they’re into each other, but hearing compliments like that really felt like an electric shock. Benji is a teen clothing model, he’s been part of marketing cool sweaters for boys, he should be used to it. But in his fluster he brushed it off.
“Me? Pfft, nah, you’re the literal prince… who’s like, really pretty too” he replied, and he meant it. For his age, Jake was the handsomest boy he’d ever seen. No matter how far away he lives, no matter how much he weighed or no matter how crazy it is he is a prince, he was head over heels. Jake seemingly sees the same in Benji, or at least shares his reaction in blushing and looking away.
“Is that why you’re nervous?” Jake asked him. He was definitely aware of Benji’s whole body language. He got his unsubtly from his hot-headed father.
“Cause you’re pretty?…” Benji asked him, half jokingly. Jake shook his head.
“Cause I’m a prince. Does it make you nervous?” he answered as they continued to dance under the stars. Completely ignoring everything around them, imagining the music in their heads. Benji only heard “So This is Love" from Cinderella, fitting cause this was a prince and he was having a slight Cinderella moment. At least one larger than his already above middle economic standards. He nodded slightly, confirming his boyfriend’s suspicions “I just want you to be comfortable, I didn’t exactly mean to drag you into… like, all this” Jake continued “I just thought you were… super cute and a great friend. Sometimes I like, just forget what I am now, when I know deep down I’m just… I don’t know, a boy in love with another?”
Benji’s heart skipped a beat. The L word. He didn’t wanna dwell on it for long, probably just a slip of the tongue.
“I know what people say. The probably drunk talking raccoon told me, there’s a distinct lack of Kree and Skrulls in the royal family of your Kree-Skrull alliance” Benji replied, thinking back on his recent conversation with the strange creature. He was right, and he could see it in people’s eyes. Jake nodded a little, understanding.
“My dads have noticed, it’s almost unavoidable. It’s up to my brother to avoid it if he hopes to be elected in the hopefully far future” he said wearily, before choosing to only pass over that thought “But for me, I am just a mutant from Earth. I have no claim, I don’t want it. I want to be with my family, have friends, have purpose and all that… and have an amazing boyfriend” their dancing started to slow as their faces seemingly got closer over time. Benji was almost getting up on his tippy toes “If he’s willing to handle the extra weight that comes with, you know, dating a prince of a few star systems…” Benji smiled up at him, confident.
“Giving up ain’t in my blood… literally” he said, referring to all the stories he’s heard of both his dads, they never gave up for anything. His father never gave up his marriage for his identity, and Benji won’t give up the chance to be with the boy of his dreams just cause some people side eye them. Not when Jake is looking so handsome in a suit. Benji moved his hand from Jake’s shoulder to hold his tummy instead for a pun “And besides I prefer guys with extra weight…”
Jake giggled a little, his smile not helping the case for why Benji should give him up.
“I’m glad, cause neither’s really going away” he replied in a murmur, before their foreheads and noses started touching.
“Good” Benji whispered, and just almost involuntarily, the two boys started kissing tenderly. Nothing open, just their lips pressed against the other. Jakes lips were soft, plush, and clearly chapped. Benji was so glad his dad convinced him to bring mints. They held the kiss for what seems like forever. The nebulas above them looked like fireworks. When they separated, neither could believe it.
“Wow…” Jake sighed happily “So that’s a kiss…”
“I-I… I’ve done research on how to properly kiss someone, just… never put in practice” Benji explained, hoping to explain why he wasn’t the most skilled. Research is one thing, but can only go so far. Jake grinned at him.
“You’re such a nerd, it’s what I like about you. I only practiced on my arm, that was so much better” he replied teasingly as the pair resumed to slowly dance, if walking in a circle attached at the stomach counts as dancing.
“Can… can we do it again?” Benji asked, and Jake happily obliged. Only confirming it was worth anything thrown at them. His lips make Benji melt in his arms. And he was supposed to be the one with the flamethrower wrist-launchers.
He was so caught up in the kiss of the millennium, that he didn’t notice the door opening for the hall inside. Jake heard it, and turned out of the kiss to see his father, Billy, standing at the door. Looking regal as ever, his formal cloak was probably magically enhanced to not lose its wide flowy shape. He smiled at the happy pair.
“Boys, sorry to interrupt, but plenty of people are asking to see you, Jake” Billy said apologetically, pulling an awkward smile. Jake sighed, clearly hating being interrupted.
“Lemme guess, either the magazine reporters you invited or the generals wondering how my training is going?” he replied, trying not to sound annoyed “Can you gimme, like, 5 more minutes?”
“Trust me, I know how you feel. But I have more than plenty of experience allocating royal time, and private time with your father…” Billy sighed, smiling slyly to himself, almost gazing up to the sky, before returning back to his mission at hand “…Time that you’ll be cutting into for both of us, so get back in the ring, kiss your boyfriend later. Quickly now” he snapped his gloved fingers and turned towards the door. Grand flowing cloak behind him, and like a bull, Jake followed, along with Benji.
Jake held Benji’s hand tightly in his own. He didn’t need his actual magic to make his boyfriend feel warm.
“Brace yourself, Ben. They’re gonna ask about us…” Jake whispered, a little hint of doubt in his voice that Benji was determined to stamp out. Benji smiled up at him.
“Please, I’ve faced a college science exam with little prep, and several surprise interviews every week…” Benji replied, trying to bring out his more confident face he puts on for said interviews “The Amazing Firefly and Kid Marvel, we can do this!”