I Want to See the Starlight

“I see. So did you get bitten by a mutated spider-butterfly? Can you fly and shoot webs?”

Now that he thought about it– he’d never actually heard about someone getting their powers via a bite. But he didn’t doubt it was possible.

“Adam Sandler? Yeah but it’s still a circle shape. Mine is a small circle shape. If everyone else was bald they’d either be a big circle, a small circle or a medium circle shape.–…… Uhh…… Thanks for the last one too. But that’s just what happens when you’re bald.”

“...You mean all that hypothetically, right? ...Are you asking if I’m literally Spider woman? I wouldn’t tell if I was, y’know. Secret identity and stuff. How can you be a hero without a secret identity?”

What was this guy? Some sort of weird comic enthusiast? ...Or maybe some pervert with a weird super hero fetish? ...Yuck.

He seemed oblivious to her impression of him. 

“Huh. Yeah, I guess spider girl would be more accurate. Except I don’t think spider girl would also have butterflies on her outfit.. Unless she wants to give off the impression that she’s a butterfly eating spider. Or a spider-butterfly combination.”

Oh. She gave him a compliment. Or what sounded like a compliment. 

“……. It’s like everyone else’s. I think.”

“That sounds more like the image I want to put off. Spider girl, but Spider girl with butterfly wings. ....Yeah. I like that idea.”

Jolyne gave a quick shake of her head.

“Adam Sandler-- the actor, I mean. His head is shaped like an egg. He says so himself. Your head shape is more average. So it’s-- ...nice?”

Now she felt really weird.

“...Your head is also a tiny bit shiny. Which is nice.”

yareyaredarling  

Wow. That was some crazy hair. Not only was it double-colored, it had some snazzy bun-braid combo going on. Interesting. She was probably a super hero.

“You’ve got a pretty cool outfit. It’s got some spider man thing going on there.”

“...Ah.”

Oh, no. ...What a strange looking guy. Sure, most of him looked pretty shockingly average. But that dull expression was enough to make her want to blow him off. ...After deciding she didn’t want to be mean, she gave a half grin.

“...Thanks. I guess spider man is alright. I’m a girl though. So I guess I don’t exactly want to look like spider man. I like-- ...”

His bored looking face? His skinny looking body?

“...The shape of your head.”

“sis nO–”

Don’t be mad. /Cool/ it down a little.

Okay now that’s just /cold/. Haha get it? Ice creams cold.

Probably both.

He didn’t know what to say.  He felt devastated, still convinced he had done something wrong despite her telling him otherwise.  He’ll just have to change her mind.  Sure he might have killed his last girlfriend, but that wasn’t without good reason, and that was a long time ago too. Anything happening now she couldn’t possible know about.

“I don’t think you’d be a shitty wife.”  Seeing what else was out there?  He couldn’t.  He wouldn’t.  He loved Jolyne too much to do that - to him that felt like the same thing as cheating.  He felt like he was about to start crying, as much as he didn’t want too.  He didn’t even know what else to say at this point - he was afraid of saying too much and pushing her even further away.  He just kind of stood there awkwardly, looking around at the floor, the walls - anything except Jolyne right now.

What a weird mix of emotions. Guilt, because he seemed genuinely upset by her statement. Curiosity, because she wondered what it would’ve been like to really be married to someone considered a violent murderer. Nervousness, because she could practically see him standing over her disassembled body. ...Over all, she sort of felt sick to her stomach. Even if she were to develop some sort of attraction for Annasui, she knew it’d likely end up with with some sort of altercation where one of them would definitely be dead.

“That’s really nice of you to say.”

Feeling the atmosphere grow uncomfortable enough to make her stomach lurch, she turned, beginning to walk away a little too quickly to be considered nonchalant.

He visibly flinched at the words.  The one thing he didn’t want to hear her say.  Was it because of the yogurt?  It had to be more than that but Annasui honestly didn’t think he had done anything wrong. He could change her mind, right?  Yeah.  He’d just change her mind.  Then this would all be okay. “…Did I…Do something wrong?”

“Huh? ...Oh, shit.” A small feeling of guilt welled up in her stomach. Hadn’t she made it clear before that she had a general disinterest in him romantically? She wasn’t all that sensible. But ‘ex-murderer’ was something that didn’t exactly rocket him to the top of her non-existent list of potential significant others. Jolyne was sure there were a few instances where she’d made that clear. ...Or rather, clear to everyone but Annasui.

“Okay neither of those things mean I’m delusional.  I was just being nice with the yogurt.  And as for that, I was planning on speaking to you very soon.  And look at us now.  Friends.  And I’m still going to marry you.”

“...Denial isn’t just a river in-- ...shit. How does that saying go?”

Jolyne narrowed her eyes slightly. Was it worth it? ...Probably.

“ I’m thinking.  Still not seeing it.  I’m not delusional, Jolyne.  I’m like the most down to earth guy I know. ”

“...”

Is it worth being mean to someone who probably can’t help it? After all, she was being mean to help him get better, right?