The Fist Bump of Friendship

## 5/29/2020, Niccals Family Community Center

Atlanta sets a tray of chocolate cupcakes topped with candied oranges down on a small table by the community center offices. Since starting work at Sweet Nothings, she’s had less time to make cupcakes for fun to give away, but she still makes an effort to bring some to the community center at least once a week. She places a card with the allergen information about the cupcakes next to them and waves at Temperance through the office window. Her task complete, she heads toward the exit, humming a Flex Girls song.

“Dang it, this was just working…” Hana grumbles to herself as she comes up the stairs from her hideout/apartment/base below the community center. She comes around the large fern that somehow hid the keycoded door perfectly, holding her small computer and a communicator earpiece. After some of the last missions she’d been on, she wanted to be better prepared, and had worked with Temperance to put together some encrypted communicators. Unfortunately, she’d messed up something and got the earpiece receiving things on the wrong frequency, and couldn’t get it changed off from some weird AM radio station. She glances up at the exit and spies the brown, curly hair of Atlanta. Her eyes widen, remembering what she’d wanted to ask her, but also suddenly got a case of nerves about it. After hemming and hawing a bit, she grits her teeth and raises a hand to wave. “Hey, Atlanta, what’s up?” She asks, though the hand had tech in it so she is just waving a mass of wires and carbon fiber at the girl.

Atlanta stops and looks back. "Oh hey, Hana. Not much. Dropping off cupcakes. Whatcha got there?"

“Right, cupcakes, cool cool cool. Oh, uh, this is some tech I was working on with Temperance. Sledge is good when I wanna punch things better but not so much with tech stuff, so she’s been helping me out with that. Trying to make some communicators for the team that are double encrypted, like, it’s a newer algorithm that is supposed to be super secure or whatever. I got the receiver stuck though so it’s just playing this old dude complaining about teenagers then playing weird music. Was gonna ask her about it,” Hana looks up, realizing she’d been talking a lot. “Uh, right, cupcakes, right, so, like, I was wondering, what’s the difference between cupcakes and muffins?” She asks, the first thing to pop into her head to try and keep the conversation going.

“Oh cool. Temperance and Sledge are both super cool. I bet it’s nice having them around to help you with hero stuff.” Atlanta pauses and thinks for a moment. “Well, cupcakes are generally sweeter. And have a lighter texture. Muffins tend to be denser, and can be more savory. And you don’t frost muffins.” Atlanta taps her chin, still pondering the question.

Hana nods as Atlanta explains the differences between the pastries. “Right, yeah, cool, uh-huh.” She nods again. “Yeah, like, it’s wild how there’s so many baking stuff. And you like, know all of it, super cool.” She grins. “So you’re like, working with your mom and doing baking stuff now, right? That’s awesome, it fun to work with her or is it like, weird?”

“Oh, uh, a little of both? She was gone for four years, and it didn’t seem like that long to her. So trying to connect again is weird. But baking together is a thing we always did, ever since I was old enough to even try to help. So it’s like, the normal part of it? If that makes sense. And baking and decorating cupcakes is one of my big sources of stress relief. That and swimming. And uh, you know, hanging out with Boon now.” Atlanta blushes slightly and tucks a stray curl behind her ear. “So what are you up to today? Aside from trying to fix your tech. Have any plans later?”

“Oh, that’s cool. Must be nice to have done stuff like that with your mom. Being gone for four years is uh, a lot, yeah.” She nods. Her hands still awkwardly hold the small computer and jumble of wires and carbon fiber, and she looks at it, then around her to see if there’s a place to set it down. Hana takes the tactical option of setting it in a chair, then looking back to Atlanta and grinning. “Boon’s great! I’m uh, I’m glad that’s going well.” At her question of what she was up to, her eyes widen again and a light blush crosses her cheeks that she attempts to hide by looking to the side and scratching at her cheek. “Uh, well, um, I, was kinda, uh, since you’re here and stuff, like, uh, do you mind if I ask some more about like, uh, going on dates and stuff? Um, other things too, I guess, not just that, uh, I guess I should ask if you like, wanna hang out for a bit and chat? If you’re not busy and gotta get back to work or whatever.”

Atlanta’s face lights up at the suggestion of hanging out. “I’d love to! Grandy is picking up Jasper, so I have plenty of time. Want to head down to your apartment so we can talk, uh, openly?” She glances around. No one seems to be paying the girls much mind at the moment, but Atlanta hasn’t gotten this far with so few people knowing who she is without learning some caution.

She looks up at the excited tone, a small smile crossing her face. “Oh, cool, cool, sure, let’s head down there,” Hana says, nodding and turning to leave. She gets a few steps away before turning again and hurrying to grab her tech she’d sat in the chair. “Right, need this. Uh, okay, now let’s go.” She nods, then heads back for the fern and gets everything into one arm so she can reach up and type in her code. The door unlocks, Hana grabs the handle and holds it open. “Here you go, uh, we can like, hang wherever down there. I got a fridge so there’s like, drinks or snacks or whatever if you want something.”

“Sounds like fun!” Atlanta grins at Hana and heads down the stairs.

Hana follows her in and shuts the door behind them, a beep telling them it locked behind them. The stairs wind a bit and go down quite a ways until they let out into a large, open room. One whole section of wall is several wide screen monitors currently looking like the Matrix screens with code and numbers and things on it, along with a nice rolly chair in front of the keys. A big table is in the center, acting like a war room-style planning table, currently holding some random bits of gear and some blueprints and other things one might find on a superhero planning table. To the right is a garage where her motorcycle is, to the left is a few openings with some rooms, one being her bedroom, another a small kitchenette, then a lounge where her drums are set up along with a decent sized couch and tv, the last a bathroom. Hana rubs the back of her neck as they come down. “Uh, here we are. We can just hang out in my room or the lounge or wherever, all good.”

“Lounge is good!” Atlanta makes her way over and flops down on the couch. “Comfy. I like it. So what did you want to ask me about dating, Hana?”

Hana follows over, flumphing down on the other end. She sits sideways, leaning against the arm to look at Atlanta. “Uh, yeah, so like, uh, what did you and Boon do for your first date? Does it have to be like, fancy or whatever? Uh, I like, haven’t really been on a lot of them. Enough crushes to know I’m gay and like, I had a girlfriend for a bit freshman year and stuff but like, I’ve been training here for a while and I didn’t have a lot of time to do that kinda stuff, and my mom never really helped with that kinda stuff, uh, sorry, I asked a question and didn’t give you a chance to say anything.”

“That’s okay. I ramble a lot. You should have seen me after Tay came back. I asked her like, fifty questions before we even said hello.” Atlanta grins at the memory. “And it’s okay that you haven’t been on many. Boon was the first person to ever ask me out. And our first date was only like, her second or something. Dates definitely don’t have to be fancy. Boon took me ice skating for our first.” Atlanta flushes a little at that memory. “People have this idea about what a date is supposed to be, but you should do something with her that you’ll both like!” Atlanta stops and lightly slaps her own forehead. “I’m so stupid. I forgot to ask you the most important question! Tell me about this girl.” Atlanta pulls up her feet onto the couch and sits cross-legged, resting her elbows on her knees and her chin in her hands, excited to hear about her.

Hana nods as she talks, taking it in and to heart. She visibly calmed at hearing they didn’t have to be fancy, thinking some then grinning as Atlanta recounted her own dates. “Sounds fun, you two are adorable,” she says, chuckling, then blushes slightly at her request to hear about the girl. “Uh, yeah, sure, so, like, her name is Hayeli. We met her Sunday on our last mission, uh, the one I texted you about with the whole thing with Sam?” Her brows furrow. “I kinda didn’t do the best job on that one, Bolt and Cypher and Whiz got hurt. Uh, sorry, Hayeli, right. Uh, so she’s like, really pretty and fun and cool and good at stuff. Like, I was trying to play it cool and sneaked up to our meeting and she was like, doing this thing with a coin and her fingers, like flipping it around all fluid and stuff. She’s a merc, got hired by, uh, I guess someone Big Team used to fight before he retired, Smokescreen? We had to get Smoke out of AEGIS jail so he could help Sam. But yeah, like, Hayeli had this awesome gear and kicked ass and when we got back told me she thought I did a good job leading the crew and stuff, and just felt nice to hear it from her. I was so tired and beat up I was just like ‘eh whatever just ask’ and asked her out and she said she wanted to go out or something and gave me her number and like, yeah, so we’ve texted and stuff and I was gonna take her out later this week.”

"Hey, missions are hard. Sometimes they don't go as planned, but you got everyone out safe, including Mr. Ribaldi. You saved Samantha. I know I'm being a hypocrite here, but give yourself some credit. I'm sure it went better than you think it did." Atlanta smiles. encouragingly, then looks thoughtful. “She sounds awesome. But she was hired by Samantha’s dad? That’s...a little suspicious. I mean, I guess if the motive was to save Samantha, maybe it’s not as sketchy? I mean, I’m not saying you shouldn’t date her! Just like, be careful?”

Hana rests her head on the couch, looking off as Atlanta gives her pep talk. She nods, hearing her, knowing that she did get everyone out alive at least. “Yeah, yeah. Thanks, I appreciate it. It’s kinda why I’m working on those comms and other stuff, wanna like, try to be better with helping the team in more ways than just breaking stuff.” She smiles and looks back to her, nodding a bunch. “Yeah! She is awesome! Yeah, like, working with a villain is kinda off, but like, yeah, it was to save Sam, we wouldn’t have done it otherwise.” She shrugs and looks to Atlanta hopefully. “I’ll be careful. Thanks for like, caring and stuff.” She glances down, face flushing again. “Uh, when we texted, did you like, mean what you said about us? Being friends?”

“Oh, um, yeah?” Lacking sleeves today, Atlanta rubs her wrist nervously. “I mean. Yes. I think of you as a friend. You don’t have to reciprocate, but uh, I think you’re great. I know we haven’t hung out a ton, but I like it when we do. And you were there for Melody after Ellen and Tay got back, when I hadn’t been, and there’s no way to make me like you faster than being good to my friends.”

Hana leans up and waves her hands back and forth. “No, no, I didn’t mean like, that I didn’t or anything! I do! I wanna be friends with you! I, like, I was just making sure cause I’m bad at this and wasn’t sure if you were just saying that to be nice or something,” she says, rubbing the back of her neck bashfully. “Yeah, she was really hurting then, so I just like, offered to let her hang out and stuff. It must have been a lot, saying goodbye then just having them come back like that so randomly.” She glances back to Atlanta, some concern showing on her face. “Are you alright? Sounds like you were pretty close to them too. I knew Ellen some from being in Flex Girls for a bit with her but not like, as much as you all did.”

"It was weird, but honestly I think it helped me understand what my mom is going through. Like, I'm the same but they've changed. And Tay came to see me almost right away. We talked. And then we made special cupcakes for her. And I saw Ellen the other day, too, and we're good. But thanks for asking." Atlanta leans sideways against the back of the couch. "Believe it or not, I'm also kinda new at having friends. Before Big Team, I was too busy to stop and make meaningful friendships. And people didn't make an effort to know me outside of the context where we met. And then Ellen called me, as Atlanta, her friend to me as Verve, when she wanted to make sure I was okay after a bank robbery I was caught in as Atlanta. And I've just been accumulating them ever since. A secret about Big Team is that we're a bunch of awkward teens who really want to be liked and have friends but a lot of us don't know how. Although I've learned my lesson about trying to be friends with people who don't know I'm Verve." Atlanta chuckles awkwardly.

“Oh, yeah, yeah, that makes sense. It must be weird for them, too. Uh, I’m glad you’re cool with them and stuff,” Hana says, nodding. As Atlanta goes on, she sits up and leans in to listen, sitting criss-cross on the couch. She nods at the talk of being new to friends and not being able to do stuff cause of life reasons, Hana could relate to that. “Oh jeez, that must have been super awkward to like, have someone talk about you to you” she says, chuckling after. Hana glances down, thinking about what to say, then back up. “Uh, yeah, I like, I’m not used to having lots of friends or whatever either. I kinda just had people I knew, like, I knew Whiz before Big Team stuff, we did some, uh, tech stuff, together, but I didn’t think anyone was my friend, really. Heh, it’s funny, I keep finding ways that Sledge and I are alike, have you seen her interact with Old Jackal? Like, I’m never sure what to say, or I just blurt stuff out and run with it til it gets me in trouble. Uh, so, like, thanks for trusting me with the whole secret identity thing. I’m dumb and say the wrong thing sometimes but I’m really gonna try my best.”

“That hasn’t been *nearly* the most awkward time someone has talked about me to me because of my secret identity. Boon asked me while I was in costume as Verve how to ask Atlanta out. The fact that I was able to continue the conversation at all is a miracle.” Atlanta grins. “And hey, I get not always saying the right thing. But like, so long as the person you’re talking to knows that you’re trying your best, things will work out. I mean, I almost ruined my friendships with both Ernest and Tay, but we’ve recovered.” Atlanta pauses and stares down at her hands for a moment. “Honestly, I’m not great at lying. The fact that I have a secret identity at all by now is astonishing. And while I did kind of *have* to tell you and Bolt who I am, I’ve been trying to trust people more. And even if you make mistakes, you’re human. I can’t say I won’t get upset if you reveal my identity to the wrong people, but I mean, Boon is also *awful* at keeping secrets, and I still love her. Plus, I mean, I want to tell the whole team. Because I trust you all, and the team is super important to me. And I think I’m finally ready. But it’s...hard.”

Hana falls back in laughter on learning she had to give advice on how to ask herself out. “Seriously?! That’s hilarious,” she says, leaning up and trying to hold her chuckles. She nods, listening to her. “Yeah, that like, that all makes sense. I’m sure it’s tough when like, you’ve got all that in your life to care about and keep safe. I got nothing so I just kinda don’t care, but, yeah, I get you. It’s tough. Uh, if you want to tell the team and like, need help or support with it, I can like, try to help, if you need it or something. I got no idea how I’d help, but like, if someone gives you crap about it I can put them in a headlock or something. Heh,” she says, smirking. “Friends do that, right? Put people that give their friends crap in a headlock?”

Atlanta chuckles. “Well, Boon has said she’d beat up anyone giving me a hard time about my secret identity, and Melody once offered to throw the Y Girls into a trash can for me. So yeah, that’s something friends do. And if that’s how you want to show people you care, I appreciate the offer. I uh, probably won’t take you up on it, though. If people on the team want to be angry with me for keeping this a secret, that’s okay. They’re allowed to be mad about it. It’s a big secret that I’ve kept for a long time, maybe longer than I should have. Plus, I know some of them as Atlanta as well. So like, I’d understand if some of them feel betrayed. But like, I also can handle it.”

Hana nods a bunch. “Cool, cool, got it, awesome. Uh, heh, like, it’s not the only way, but like, if someone’s being a jerk and Boon doesn’t already got it covered, I got you. Uh, not that you can’t handle your own stuff either, just, like, uh, I’ll help. Yeah.” She nods again, hoping her point had been clear enough. “That does make sense, yeah, like, them not knowing and maybe being pissed about it. But like, you had a reason, they should get that. Plus you’re trusting them now. Just hope they can like, get that” she says, then looks over to her and offers a fist for a fist bump. “I got your back, whatever happens, so yeah. Friends.”

Atlanta happily returns the fist bump. “Friends.” She pauses, just to let herself be happy in the moment. “So, did you have any other dating questions?”

Hana grins as the fist bump is returned, feeling pretty happy about it. Her eyes get wide once more. “Oh! Yeah! So like, uh, would tacos and an arcade be a good date? Like it doesn’t have to be fancy but is that too not fancy? I think she’d like it but like, don’t wanna screw up and offer that and have it be a bad idea.”

“I think that sounds like a great idea! Who wouldn’t like tacos and an arcade? I mean, people are allowed not to like things, but I think it’s an excellent date idea! I mean, uh…” Atlanta thinks for a moment about her less than ideal double date at FunZone back on Valentine’s Day, though that wasn’t the fault of the location, “Arcades and stuff are fun! And like, it gives you stuff to do so you don’t have to feel so much pressure on the conversation. Like, you can have nice silences instead of awkward ones. Also, if she doesn’t like the idea, don’t worry about it! You both can figure out something that you \*do\* want to do together. If she decides she doesn’t want to date you just because she doesn’t like your first date idea, she’s not worth it.”

Hana nods as Atlanta goes on. That all made sense, yes. Good, good. “Okay, cool, yeah. I thought it sounded fun, and like, you know, tacos, arcade, eat some good food, play some games, then if she wants to do something else, we roll with it and stuff. Yeah. Cool,” she says, nodding, then smiles. “Okay. Thanks, Atlanta. I really appreciate it, even just the like, making sure my ideas aren’t immediately terrible, or anything. Cool. I’m thinking Saturday night, so I’ll ask her later this week. Awesome,” she says, the continuous drops of ‘cool’ and ‘awesome’ probably indicating she’s excited but nervous.

“You’ve got this, Hana. Dates can be scary and stuff, but if you just be yourself and try not to overthink it, you’re going to have a good time. Which is hard, not overthinking. For me anyway. But dates are fun!”

“Heh, thanks. Yeah. I’m like, nervous about messing up, but also really excited. I’ll try not to overthink. I’m probably going to blab a bunch cause I do when I’m nervous. But, like, yeah. I appreciate the advice, and like, it was nice to have someone down here to hang out. Melody hung out before but I haven’t had a lot of people here. Does it feel weird cause it’s like, a hideout and a base and also where I live?”

“I don’t think it’s weird. I mean, I hung out with Ellen at Sweet Nothings a few days ago, and part of that was in my base there. And like, people hang out at my house with me all the time, so I don’t think that part is weird, either. It might not be a typical kind of place, but this is Halcyon. Our view of normal is very skewed.” Atlanta grins. “So uh, would you like to keep hanging out? Like I said, Grandy picks up Jasper now, so I’ve got time. To hang out with a friend. If you want.”

“Heh, yeah, that’s true,” Hana says, chuckling. Her eyes widen, and she nods a few times. “Oh, yeah, sure! Let’s hang out! You wanna see the cool armor thing that Sledge found and Temperance and I have been working on? It’s like, kinda dangerous, but super powerful!” she says, giving a happy grin.

“Sure!” Atlanta hops up from the couch. “Lead the way!”

“Awesome,” Hana says, standing up with a grin. She leads them out of the lounge to the central area, then heads for the garage. “Been keeping it here with my bike and stuff, since we got tools in there and all. It’s like, a bunch of salvaged tech we’ve been putting together, and it’s got a big hammer!” she says excitedly, leading Atlanta into the garage to show it off. The two hung out for a while after, and had a great time, as official friends.