holes fanfics

in Between pt7

“Please tell me it isn’t some homophobic reason.”

“W-what-?”

Magnet nodded, “Okay, good.”

“It’s not- Jeez, Mag.” Stanley put his head in his hands.

They sat the flower van. The groceries had been put in the large cargo area. The van was on, since it was hot and the air conditioning was very necessary, but it stayed parked.

Magnet’s lips went thin. His friend was conflicted, and he would consider himself quite the empath. This is a good thing. This is a good thing. They like each other.

“This is a good thing,” He said aloud, mostly to himself.

Stanley’s hands fell to his lap. His eyes were unfocused and lost.

“I’m his first friend. His closest friend. And everyday, I,” He caught on his words, “I fall more and more.”

“You’ve… liked him for a while?”

“Ever since camp.” He almost smiled.

That’s. A long time to like someone without doing something, Magnet thought.

“I can’t take that from him.”

The smaller boy searched his face for a moment, then his nose scrunched in defiance.

“Didn’t Twitch tell you that you’re not his only friend?”

He leaned forward, attempting to look bigger than he was. Stanley looked at him, confusion lingering on fear in his eyes.

“But it’s just-”

“Who cares if you’re kissing all over each other? You can still be best friends with the person you’re in love with?? Look at me and Brian!”

The use of Twitch’s real name caught Stanley off guard. “Twitch” is his business partner, his best friend, and a rambunctious car enthusiast. Brian is his partner in life, his lover.

“That’s different,” Stanley argued weakly.

“Is it?” Magnet stared into his eyes.

“Did you really just split me and Hector up today to find out if I’m gay?”

“Absolutely.”

Stanley thought for a moment. “You can’t tell him.”

Magnet raised an eyebrow. “Yeah, but you can.”

“Dude.”

“Dude.”

Stanley gave him an unimpressed look, then sighed.

“I don’t want anything to change.”

“You want to kiss him,” Magnet said bluntly.

“B-guh-!” Stanley turned bright red. “Dude!”

“Dude!” The other argued, matching his energy.

“That’s not-”

“You’re gonna sit there and tell me that’s not true?” Magnet interrogated, his r’s trilling due to the heightened energy.

“Why are you harassing me??” Stanley cried out, his face only getting redder.

“Why are you so scared of this?” Magnet slapped his thighs for emphasis. “Is there some internal homophobia going on down there?”

Stanley pinched the bridge of his nose. “Mag, what the heck does that even mean.”

“You’re out here stressing, thinking that liking a cute dude is bad. Now, imagine if it was from the outside. If you were somebody else, thinking that you liking Zero is a bad thing.”

There was a moment of silence as Stanley took that in.

“I don’t know how to tell him.”

“Now you’re just making excuses,” Magnet rolled his eyes, “Just kiss him, man. Un besito, right on the lips.”

Stanley’s blush deepened. “Kissing is so…” He covered his face with his hands like a shy schoolgirl, “Forward…”

“Ay, un tonto enamorado,” Magnet muttered, throwing his head back.

“...What’s that mean…?”

Magnet thought for a second. “A lovestruck idiot.”

“That’s pretty true, but I hate you,” Stanley pouted.

“The only way you get out of telling Hector you like him is if you never freaking drive us home. Let’s go, loverboy, I want a damn sandwich.”

“If you didn’t just pay for my groceries, I would leave you here.”

Magnet grinned cheekily. They pulled out of the parking lot.