Rae: Because I haven't written Static Shock in effing forever. Just a quick little one-shot that I can't make up my mind whether I like or not. I have a huge case of writer's block atm so I was hoping this would help in getting my head back into New Recruit.

Static Shock no belong to me; if it did, Frieda wouldn't've existed and this would be happening every damned episode. ;P Un-beta'd!

There was always a slight tingle from Virgil's power that teased Richie every time he touched the dark boy's skin. It never hurt. In fact, it felt nice. Very nice. So nice that Richie took any chance he could to place his fingertips to Virgil's skin, just to feel it again. If Virgil himself noticed he never said anything, nor did he object. Which of course only encouraged Richie to keep it up.

While Richie's power was awesome in its own right there was just something about Virgil's that fascinated the technopath no end. Why other people never seemed to feel the energy practically radiating off his best friend bothered him, but not in a bad way. Curiosity was more like it. Why could he feel it and no one else? Did they feel it? If so, why had no one mentioned it? He'd been tempted to ask Virgil about it, but knowing him it would have just been another thing he'd start worrying about and constantly try to keep it under control when really, it hadn't given the game away so far so why would it now? He had asked Frieda and Daisy as well if they ever got a shock from Virgil or felt something odd when they touched him, but both girls had given him weird looks and answered 'no' in that 'I think he's finally lost it' kind of voice.

That pretty much dissuaded any active experimentation on his part, but served to fuel Richie's curiosity. He was the kind of guy that, when presented with a problem, would find the solution no matter what. There was nothing his brain couldn't comprehend. Or at least, that's how it seemed to him.

Of course, the power of the mind only went so far with Virgil Hawkins. Perhaps far enough to know the mocha teen's daily routines, his eating habits, favorite foods, movies, songs. That kind of thing. But as fast as Richie's mind was it was made for keeping up with technology, not Virgil's spontaneity. That was something he wasn't sure even Flash could contend with. He grinned to himself at that thought; finally, he'd found something that could best the Fastest Man Alive. Boy, was he going to be pissed.

Still, it didn't explain how only he could feel the electrical shield that seemed to constantly surround his best friend. After so long of trying everything he could think of to subtly work it out without resorting to asking, either others or the teen himself, he was about ready to give up. And that just left the asking, the very course of action he'd been trying to avoid.

And that was what he was about to do now. He'd been systematically poking Virgil for the past couple of minutes while sat on the sofa with him and a movie on the TV, frowning and looking confused. Virgil had been surprisingly tolerant of the relentless jabs of the finger, until finally came the, "Rich, why are you poking me? I'm not the remote, that's over there." He pointed to the device in question teetering precariously on the edge of the sofa arm, grinning when Richie gave him an annoyed look.

"I'm just trying to work something out."

"How long it takes to kill me by poking?"

"No." Richie punched the darker boy on the shoulder good-naturedly as Virgil cackled. "Just... your powers."

"There's nothing wrong, is there?" Virgil looked suddenly apprehensive through fading mirth, and Richie waved his hands quickly in a 'no way' gesture.

"No no no, that's not what I mean. I..." He poked Virgil again, and there was that tingle. "I get this weird vibe every time I touch you, almost like I'm getting the softest static shock on the planet. Feels different. But..." His eyes moved up to meet curious brown ones. "It's like I'm the only one. No one else seems to have noticed it."

"Maybe you're more sensitive to it because of your technopathic abilities," suggested Virgil, avoiding another prodding finger. "I mean, technology and electricity do kinda go hand in hand."

"It's possible. I've considered it."

"How long have you been thinkin' about it? Geez, Rich." The dark teen paused, and then looked a little peeved. "And how come you didn't tell me about this before now?"

"Because I was afraid you'd start worrying about how people might be able to feel this... aura and realize you're Static, and then you'd spend too much energy trying to keep it roped in. You can't tell me you wouldn't."

"Maybe not, but still. Rich, if it's been botherin' you then you shoulda told me. That's what best friends do." Virgil crossed his arms over his chest and leant back, meeting Richie's gaze coolly.

"I know. I'm sorry." There was a pause as they continued to stare each other down, and then the briefest quirk of a grin that flitted across Virgil's lips broke the moment and Richie couldn't help the snort that escaped him. That set his best friend off, and they both fell about the sofa laughing.

"And you know what?" gasped Virgil after a few minutes through subsiding snickers, "I still don't know what was so funny."

"Me neither," Richie giggled. They lapsed back into silence again, a comfortable one, sitting pretty much shoulder to shoulder and their attentions caught once more by the movie playing. About half an hour had gone before Richie gave into the temptation to prod Virgil again, and the teen promptly biffed him with a sofa pillow to accompany an amiable, "oi! Quit already, man!"

Richie cackled and made to grab the one behind him to start a cushion war, but then halted as his mind suddenly threw him an interesting thought. Instead of prodding his friend again he reached over and hovered his hands next to Virgil's shoulders. The teen superhero himself looked a little confused, and then slightly annoyed.

"Richie, would you give it a rest already? You're driving me insane."

"No," said Richie. "V, it's like... it's like your power is reacting to me. I can feel it pulsing, waves of it." As soon as Richie said that there was an immediate stiffening of the mocha teen's body. Virgil's face fell into a much more neutral expression, and his hands dropped to his lap. That made the technopath a little concerned. "Virg? You alright?"

"Yeah, yeah." A disbelieving look made Virgil flinch. "Alright. No, I'm not." He held up a faintly glowing hand and traced his fingers up one of Richie's arms, making the blond shiver slightly as the electricity danced across his skin. "It's not my powers reacting to you. Not directly, anyway. It's me. And because I react so do my powers."

"You?" Richie gave Virgil a slightly baffled look and then put two fingers to either temple with a huff. "Dude, you're the only thing that ever makes my brain hurt. What are you talking about, 'you react'?"

Virgil looked thoroughly unsettled at that point, and he withdrew his hand as though he'd been stung. "Nothing. It doesn't matter."

"Oh yes it does." Richie grabbed his friend's head and gently forced it back round to face him. "Tell me, now. It's what best friends do."

Virgil sighed at the use of his earlier phrase and looked down at his lap, twiddling his thumbs together. He said nothing for about a minute, and Richie was just going to give voice to something when Virgil started talking softly. "You know how you have things you want to be kept secret no matter what? Accidents, things you've said or done, something someone's told you... feelings too." Richie nodded, not trusting himself to speak. "My power betrays that last option far too often for me to be comfortable. I'm surprised you've never pointed it out before." Virgil looked up and managed a weak smile. "It goes beserk when I'm angry or afraid, it reaches out to people and things for me when I can't do it myself, it automatically tries to protect those I care about when I can't consciously do it... it's tied to my emotions, Rich. I can't help it."

"So... what, you're afraid of me or something?"

"No! No way, man. The opposite, actually. It's because I let myself care too much. It's constantly tryin' to make sure you're okay, it- I want you near me. All the time. That's why it's making itself known to you because it's followin' my emotions." Virgil got an odd look in his eyes, and he leaned forward until their noses were almost touching. The weak smile he had worn earlier shifted to something more substantial, more knowing. "It feels good, doesn't it?"

"I- ...Yeah." Richie was becoming more than a little flustered now. His partner was acting weird, really weird, and he wasn't sure why. And yet he wasn't complaining. He wanted to hear where this was going, a little light of hope gaining brightness slowly in his chest. "V, I still dont-"

"This feel good?" The tingle was back again as Virgil's left hand came to rest on the blond's stomach, but stronger this time. More intense. And did it ever feel good. A sharp intake of breath, blue eyes that slid closed and a nod were the only affirmative Virgil got, but it was more than enough for the mocha teen. The other hand came up to feather across Richie's neck and upper back and that got a slight groan of appreciation. Virgil, now completely lost to the thing he'd been fighting the most, closed the gap between them substantially and whispered, "awesome," against Richie's lips, the warm air from his breath ghosting across them before that last little space was sealed as Virgil pressed his own lips to the technopath's.

The thoughts that it was wrong to be kissing your best friend were all but banished from Richie's mind as he returned it fiercely. He didn't know why, he didn't care. All that mattered were those lips, right where they were, and the electricity rapidly building around both of them. It prickled and seared at the blond, but it just made the kiss a thousand times more electrifying, especially when Virgil's tongue somehow found its way to Richie's and was now trying to coax it into playing a game of tag. Richie smiled into the kiss as he accepted, feeling the tension he hadn't noticed his best friend carrying for so long washing away as if it had never been.

When they broke apart they were both breathing heavily, Virgil's eyes still closed as if he couldn't quite believe what he'd done. The blond put a comforting hand on the teen superhero's arm. "Feel better?" he asked.

"Much." The mocha teen finally opened his eyes, seeking the blue ones of his partner. "Rich, I'm sorry man. That was... I needed to get that off my chest. We can walk away from here right now, pretend it never happened. Nothing will change between us."

"But it did happen, and it has," said Richie quietly. "Just tell me this, V. That wasn't a one-off thing, was it?"

"Not if I could have my way." Virgil cocked his head to one side. "What are you gettin' at, bro?"

"Excellent. Then you won't mind me doing this." Richie abruptly pushed Virgil backwards onto the sofa and settled himself comfortably on top of the darker boy, kissing him again as he did.

Virgil regarded the blond atop him for a minute, and then he smiled lop-sidedly. "Know what? You're right, bro. It has changed between us, and I'm liking it."

"Same here." Richie returned the smile whole-heartedly.

"Love you."

"Love you too."

Rae: So? Has my Static Shock writing gone down the plug or what? x