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In the Zimmers’ theatre room, sprawled on a bean-bag with Bruno on her right and Zoe on her left in the other two bean-bags, Kamala smiles as the opening credits for the movie they’d all finally agreed upon start rolling. (Some intense negotiations were required.) She’s currently watching the adorable little scene slightly behind her and to the left: Nakia and Miguel are sitting in the fancy recliners that Zoe’s family has in here. Miguel’s offering her bestie a handful of Hershey’s Kisses, and Naks smiles at him, and it’s gentle and relaxed and soft. Miguel grins goofily at her in reply, and Nakia reaches out to take the chocolate. Her fingers just linger on Miguel’s palm for a moment, but it’s like…it’s like a kiss for a Kiss and it’s like everything…
OTP Material, people! That’s OTP Material right there!
(Come on, when Naks is being what the less-nice Illuminaunties and some of the boys from the mosque around their age say is intense and intimidating or even insane, Miguel goes all, like, heart-eyes! It ain’t just not a bug for him, it’s a feature! Her bestie’s best feature in his book, even! How can you not ship it, people?)
Kamala turns her head to look back at the screen, and realises that Zoe’s not paying any attention to the start of the movie either. Zo’s on her phone, smiling at it in a way that Kamala knows - they all know - means she’s texting Kaia.
Okay, so, they all know that Zoe and Kaia aren’t together, but it’s totally a they-aren’t-together-yet situation! They’re super-flirty and well on their way to it, and cute and sweet in a way that’s just like Naks and Miguel but also totally not (totally them), and it’s a Rivals to Friends to Lovers situation, just make it Instagram and influencer-y!
That’s her OTP right there, people!
Hey, you can absolutely, totally, definitely have more than one OTP! Who says you can’t?
The imaginary Bruno in Kamala’s head crosses his arms and leans back a little against his desk, looking at her.
‘Kamala, what does OTP stand for?’
She makes a face.
Okay, okay, fine, fine, technically, you’re right, Bruno, you know, it’s in the name, in the definition of One True Pairing and all…but come on, nobody takes it that, like, literally and accurately and scientifically!
‘Hey, Earth to KK?’
She blinks at the sound of Bruno’s voice - the very real sounding sound of Bruno’s voice…
…oh, oopsies…
She turns her head to look at the very real Bruno who is very much not in her head (‘cos that would be weird and creepy and if he was, she should get that checked out ASAP…okay, this was way funnier in her head…). Kamala’s best friend is holding out the bowl of halal/kosher/vegan gummy bears to her. Bruno’s also looking at her, mostly wry and dry and amused and teasing and maybe a little exasperated, but a teeny bit concerned too, and that makes her smile, completely automatically.
Kamala also nods, grabs a handful of gummy bears, pops a few in her mouth, then uses an embiggened arm to grab the bag of that low-cal vegan popcorn, holding it out to Bruno.
That little bit of concern disappears from his face, and he smiles back at her, taking the popcorn bag from her and helping himself, before setting it down between their bean-bags.
-
Kamala unbuckles her seatbelt once Bruno has brought the Porsche to a proper stop outside her house, and leans over the centre console to give her best friend a side-hug.
‘Night, Bruno, see you tomorrow!’
‘See you tomorrow, KK.’
She grabs her backpack and gets out of the car, spotting Aamir and Tyesha walking up the sidewalk, towards the house. She waves at them, and they wave back, but her brother and sister-in-law don’t seem to be in too much hurry to follow her inside; they head to the backyard, probably to go stand on the back porch and look up at the sky or something and be, like, cute newlyweds.
Can you still be newlyweds when you’ve been married almost-almost two years?
Definition’s probably not that important; Aamir and Tyesha certainly still act like newlyweds! When she got home from Bruno’s last week, they were sitting on the couch, Tyesha resting her head on Aamir’s shoulder and Aamir with his arm loosely around her shoulders, talking quietly over cups of chai. Aamir was grinning like a besotted fool, and Tyesha smiling at him in that way that’s really bright but really soft, and Kamala had felt like she was definitely intruding.
Kamala heads in through the front door, and takes off her shoes and puts them on the rack…
…before stopping in her tracks.
There’s Bon Jovi playing, and Ammi and Abbu are dancing around the living room, heads really close together. Abbu is whispering something in Ammi’s ear, and she’s swatting playfully at him but grinning too…
…and they stop abruptly when they hear the door closing, and glance at the clock above the mantelpiece.
Kamala gets the feeling that her parents lost track of time…
…and maybe even, like, temporarily sorta forgot that their kids live with ‘em, and said kids were gonna be coming home imminently?
Okay, she’s not thinking any more about this, or she’s gonna have to ask Bruno to make her brain bleach!
It’s really, really nice that her parents are still super in love after all these years, but some things, a girl doesn’t want to hear or see or know or think about her parents, okay?
‘How was Zoe’s, beta? How is everyone?’
Kamala answers her mom’s questions about everyone’s wellbeing, grabbing a glass of water from the kitchen as she does so, before heading upstairs to her room.
-
When she gets there, Kamala flops onto her bed.
Trying not to think about Ammi and Abbu and gross things made her brain start daydreaming instead…
…and that led to hoping and wishing and praying that one day, inshallah…
She shakes her head at herself.
Obviously, who doesn’t love love? Who doesn’t want to find love? Who doesn’t want to have something like what her parents have? Or what Aamir and Tyesha have, and Nakia and Miguel have, and what Zoe and Kaia are maybe-probably gonna have one day?
(It’s all, you know, fundamentally the same thing, even if they’ve all got their versions.)
(No one definition for OTP Material and all!)
Kamala’s eighteen and finally a grown-up, but she is aware that she’s still just a teenager.
(Even if she feels like she’s grown up so much over the last couple years.)
(Becoming Ms Marvel, learning what it takes to save the world, becoming a Marvel, learning what it takes to save the universe, learning hard lessons…)
(…Waleed, Kareem grabbing her and telling her they had to go, having to save only those they could, not everyone, the look on that Skrull kid’s face, having to make that terrible choice to leave the Aladneans, realizing that even Carol Danvers is just a person too, screws up - badly - and makes mistakes just like the rest of them, Monica…)
(…and then returning to being Jersey City’s friendly neighbourhood superhero and assembling the Young Avengers…)
(…all while finishing high school, getting the best grades she can, being the best family member and friend she can be, and doing normal teenager things, like figuring out what Kamala Khan’s story is gonna be.)
Kamala’s got time to find that love, that OTP, truly-deeply-forever, I-do-I-do-I-do kind of love.
Inshallah…
She shakes herself out of her own head and grabs her phone, texting Bruno almost on autopilot.
So, dude, you got any ideas for brain bleach? Cos if you do now’s the time to say something…
-
Bruno is trying to do better.
He has to, after his episode of jealousy last year.
His letter getting destroyed before Kamala could read it…admittedly, that hadn’t helped, but he’d gotten what he really needed out of that. It was never about Kamala feeling the same way, it was never about trying to change their relationship from best friends to more, it was about letting out his feelings, for his sake.
(He had to, or they were going to burst out of him, almost certainly at a highly-inopportune, likely-friendship-ruining time, given Murphy’s Law.)
Who Kamala loves that way - or doesn’t love that way - is her choice, and always has been.
He’s perfectly happy being just best friends with Kamala Khan for the rest of their lives. (Being loved by her as her best friend for the rest of their lives.) That’s not just anything.
(It might just be everything.)
However, sometimes, Bruno has to work very hard to not be jealous, and sometimes, he really thinks that something or someone really has it out for him.
(He is well-aware that he sounds like a melodramatic teenager.)
(Look, Bruno is a teenager; he’s pretty sure that entitles him to a certain quantity of melodrama, okay?)
Sometimes, being unrequitedly in love with your best friend just really, really sucks.
Like right now.
-
‘…I’m so happy for you guys, like so, so happy but…’ On the roof of the Circle-Q, Kamala sighs. She gestures at Nakia and Miguel, and Zoe, who’s kinda distracted, taking the perfect selfie with a view of Jersey City to send to Kaia. ‘…everyone’s happy and in love, except me!’
On Nakia’s left, Bruno makes a noise that seems to be him choking on his water. Seems.
Kamala immediately looks concerned, and thumps him on the back, leaning closer automatically as she tries to make sure he’s okay.
Internally, Nakia screams. Her best friends are idiots.
They’re her idiots, and she loves them so much, but they are IDIOTS.
Bruno stands up abruptly. So abruptly, it’s somewhat awkward. The sudden motion makes Kamala blink at him.
‘Gyro orders!’ Everyone stares at him. Kamala eyes Bruno’s water bottle suspiciously, as he continues, clearly trying to salvage the situation and clearly aware that it isn’t salvageable. ‘I mean, I’m starving, I’m gonna get a gyro, I can put in your orders if you want one too, uh…do you want your usual, KK?’
Kamala smiles, soft and sweet and slow and like a sunrise, as she nods, thanks Bruno, and declares to no one in particular that she’s definitely gonna get him that No. 1 BFF mug, it’ll go great with the Ms Marvel’s No. 1 Fan T-shirt she’s getting him for his birthday.
Nakia screams internally again. Repeatedly.
As Bruno heads down to Gyro King, and Kamala gets briefly distracted by her phone, Nakia exchanges a glance with Zoe and Miguel. Zoe shakes her head, like she can’t believe it. (She’s admitted that she used to think that Kamala and Bruno were already a thing.) Miguel smiles at her, wry and very exasperated, and gives her hand a comforting, commiserating squeeze.
Her besties are smart…
…so how can they be so stupid?
Nakia supposes Kamala tends to be rather oblivious, and Bruno’s social skills admittedly aren’t the best, but…
She facepalms internally. Repeatedly.
-
Well, it turns out that Bruno is getting a No. 1 BFF mug and a Ms Marvel T-shirt as sort-of gag-gifts for his next birthday from Kamala, and he’ll almost-certainly get a video game he’s been eyeing off and an amazing hand-drawn card too.
(Subtlety and finesse aren’t Kamala’s strongest suits.)
(Yeah, look, he adores KK, but that’s an understatement.)
A No. 1 BFF mug. Welcome to my life.
Bruno allows himself one, single moment of internal and completely unfair, unreasonable, selfish, petty, stupid, melodramatic moping.
Then, he takes a deep breath as he walks down the street to Gyro King.
His phone buzzes in his pocket as the food truck comes into view, and Bruno pulls it out as he gets in line.
Kamala has Venmo-ed him money for both their usual gyro orders, with a note: my treat!!! Thx!!! 😊 😊 😊
Bruno can’t help but smile.
-
‘…you must not let him unleash it, little star.’
On her heavily modified phone, Yan says that, expression exceedingly grave.
Kamala nods in acknowledgement, her own expression just as grave.
A rogue Aladnean has stolen an Aladnean super-weapon, and he’s been tracked to Earth. To the Greater NYC area, to be precise.
Carol is busy. Kate’s at the Bartons’ for a combined vacation/training camp and some family quality time. Spider-Man’s tracking down some rogue Stark Tech somewhere in Canada.
And so, it’s down to her. Down to Ms Marvel.
She quickly bids farewell to Yan, who bids her good fortune and safety, and Kamala grabs her earpiece from where it’s been sitting on her desk, tiny light already flashing.
‘You got that, dude?’
She’s still trying to find a decent codename for her guy in the chair. Bruno hasn’t liked any of her suggestions so far, so it’s dude for now, since it’s nice and anonymous, even if it’s seriously unoriginal and uncool. Bruno’s voice is loud and clear in her ear, and she can hear him typing quickly.
‘Yup, I’ve got some strange readings down by the Harbour…’
-
Kamala manages to get the Aladnean - and it is so weird seeing an evil Aladnean! - out of the most densely-populated areas of the city, but…
…she’s three blocks further into suburbia than her house when he catches her, just, with some kind of sonic weapon, shattering her Noor platform and sending her flying. Kamala manages to catch herself with a pair of Noor platforms before she hits the brick wall he flung her towards, but it knocks the wind out of her, and she can only watch as the Aladnean bad guy presses several buttons on the small-ish colourful sphere he’s been defending, the weapon that Yan said she had to retrieve, said she had to prevent him from unleashing…
…and then, as Kamala struggles to her feet and leaps at the Aladnean, a fist embiggened, a giant plume of colourful smoke is emitted by the sphere.
The smoke spreads too quickly, and she doesn’t have time to even try and cover her nose and mouth with her dupatta.
Kamala inhales a big breath of the colourful smoke, as it spreads through the Jersey City streets.
‘Ms Marvel!’
Bruno’s voice is just a little too loud in her ear, his concern clear, even as she can sorta hear him typing frantically, doing what he can to help. She coughs, dropping low to the ground and putting up a Noor bubble.
‘I’m okay for now, but he unleashed it!’
‘Shit-‘
…and that’s the last thing Kamala hears before things go really colourful and really weird.
-
The next thing Kamala knows, she’s standing in the middle of a Jersey City street, three blocks from her house, and her Ms Marvel suit has…gone really weird.
She’s still got her mask, but her suit’s been…replaced?
She’s now wearing a sharara suit, in red and blue with plenty of embroidery, and it’s heavy and a little itchy and extremely impractical. Her whip-dupatta is gone, replaced with the fancy kind she’d only wear to parties.
…and worst of all, the colourful cloud of smoke covers as far as she can see, the streets have gone weirdly, eerily, unsettlingly empty, the evil Aladnean is completely gone, the debris she knew was there from their fight is all gone, and there’s silence on her earpiece.
‘Hey, dude, you okay?’ Silence. Kamala gives her earpiece a tap, then pulls it out to make sure it didn’t get damaged. It’s all fine as far as she can tell. ‘Hello?’ Still silence. She’s already pulling out her phone from its special pocket as she speaks, dialling Bruno’s number. Silence, again. Her phone rings out, the sound echoing a little and only making that super-weird, super-eerie, super-unsettling, this-is-the-start-of-a-horror-movie-ain’t-it? vibe worse. ‘Bruno!’ Kamala taps her earpiece again. ‘Bruno!’
She dials his number again, as she starts running towards her house.
-
Bruno doesn’t pick up.
Neither does Nakia, or Ammi, or Abbu, or Aamir or Tyesha or Zoe or Miguel.
By the time Kamala gets to her house - running in super-fancy sharara is a pain - she’s seriously creeped out and disturbed by the completely empty streets and that remaining colourful haze blanketing Jersey City. She’s also seriously worried and kinda panicking, drawing on everything she’s got and everything she’s learned to keep that panic under control.
That fear-panic-worry-oh-God-WTH-is-happening-this-is-a-horror-movie-isn’t-it? only gets worse when she sees her house.
Her family’s home stands out amongst all the other houses on the street. All the other houses she ran past.
It looks like a Kingo movie threw up all over it, decked out way more than it was for Tyesha and Aamir’s mehndi.
Oh God, oh God, oh God…
…this is so not a good sign!
Kamala runs into her house…
…and screams.
-
Alhamdulillah, her family is alive, they’re not gone, but…
…it’s…it’s like she’s not even there. They’re ignoring her completely, like…
…well, like…like she’s not in this scene. Like she’s not in this choreography.
Ammi and Abbu are both dressed in fine shalwar kameez. Her dad’s got this sappy, ridiculous grin on his face as he channels his inner Kingo and SRK, singing about love, dedicating himself to his beloved, serenading her beauty. Meanwhile, her mom’s got that teasing look on her face that makes Kamala exchange ugh, gross, some things we kids don’t wanna see, Ammi, Abbu! looks with Aamir and Bruno. Ammi’s playing coy and running away from Abbu - completely ineffectually, totally playfully, of course, smiling at him and letting him get close, before dancing away again, out of his reach.
Aamir and Tyesha are dancing up and down the stairs, meanwhile, dressed much like they were at their wedding, and as Kamala watches, frozen in horror, her brother dramatically dips her sister-in-law, before leaning down, as if he’s about to kiss her, but he pauses just before he does, they stay there for a long, long moment, then resume their dancing.
‘Ammi! Abbu! Aamir! Tyesha!’ Kamala waves a lit-up, embiggened hand, trying to get their attention. ‘Are you okay? Blink twice if you aren’t!’
They just sing and dance around her like she isn’t there, like she’s just something in their way…
…like she’s a set piece.
Oh God, oh God, oh God!!!!!!
With one last horrified, terrified, worried glance towards her family, Kamala runs out the door again.
She’s gotta get help, she’s gotta do something about this…
…she’s gotta fix this Bollywood-ification!
…Oh God, oh God, oh God!!!!!!
-
Kamala hasn’t gone far when she runs into another seriously disturbing, seriously creepy, extremely worrying oh-no-oh-God-oh-no scene.
Nakia (in a shalwar kameez in coral with a navy hijab) and Zoe (in a midriff-baring sari) are having a melodramatic song-dance-battle-argument in the street, with Miguel (in a navy shalwar kameez with a complimentary sadri, his hair uncommonly stylish) trying to mediate…
…and then, Josh comes out of nowhere, wearing a black leather jacket and aviators, and for seemingly no good reason at all, he pours the drink he’s holding over Zoe, and that red Solo cup contains an amount of water that even Kamala can tell is completely, totally impossible, ‘cos Zoe winds up sopping wet, sari soaked through and fabric plastered to her skin.
Nakia and Miguel then team up with Zoe to ‘defeat’ Josh, and they send him packing, and his friends too. (They’d appeared about halfway through, also dressed in leather jackets and aviators, just somehow less cool than Josh’s.) Zoe’s phone then rings really loudly, she gasps and appears to have a bit of a panic about how she looks, while Nakia playfully steals her phone (how is it still working after Zo got soaked???) and answers.
Kamala sticks her head over Zoe and Nakia’s shoulders - all her attempts to get her friends’ attention and make them snap out of it failed, they keep ignoring her and dancing around her like she’s the fire hydrant on the corner! - and is ignored once again, as Kaia appears on Zoe’s phone screen…
…also dressed in a midriff-baring sari. The colours complement Zoe’s perfectly.
Kaia lives in Hawaii.
(Yeah, that kinda might be why she and Zoe ain’t a thing yet…)
Oh no, oh no, oh no…
…oh God, oh God, oh God…
The Aladnean super-weapon’s spread that far already. Has Bollywood-ified - Bollywood trope-ified - at least the entire US of A, including the non-contiguous bit!
Oh God, oh God, oh God…
-
The people of Jersey City have started to reappear, which Kamala supposes is a good sign, but….
…everyone is singing and dancing, literally everyone, and it’s extra even by Bollywood trope standards; it’s like a ridiculous fanfic.
(And so not in a good way, people!)
And then, her phone rings.
Kamala answers the video-call immediately, and Kamran’s face appears on the screen.
He looks completely normal.
She breathes a sigh of relief.
‘Kamran, dude-‘
He interrupts her before she can say anything else.
‘Sorry, Kamala, but…do you know what’s going on?’
And then, Kamran turns his phone camera, and pans through Red Dagger HQ.
There are Red Daggers singing and dancing.
Through it all, like they’re the stars of the movie, Kareem is being chased by a young woman. He’s in his Red Dagger suit, but with his red scarf jauntily tied around his neck instead of over his face. She’s in a pretty, dark blue shalwar kameez, also with a red scarf around her neck, though hers has a burn mark in the corner for some reason? Kareem’s dramatically and nimbly dodging around his fellow Daggers and random obstacles (including with a gratuitous backflip) while also charmingly smirking and teasing the young woman, who is obviously charmed but pretending not to be (she crosses her arms and rolls her eyes and looks at him all the time), and as Kamala watches, things get even crazier.
Kareem’s sleeve brushes against a candle…and it catches fire. Instead of doing anything, like, sensible, Kareem just looks at the woman in blue who is now standing just a couple feet away from him, and quotes Urdu poetry of some sort at her in song. The woman grabs a bucket of water from somewhere and tosses it at him, arching a sardonic brow.
‘You are no Kingo.’
Kareem puts his no-longer-on-fire hand over his heart, like she has wounded him. She crosses her arms and snorts and looks at him (and looks!), and their dramatic routine resumes as they exit stage left - the young woman is still sniping at Kareem, and he’s still waxing lyrically and poetically (seriously, Kamala swears a rose could just appear in his hand to offer to her!).
Kamran turns the camera back on himself, the look on his face very much see what I mean? You see what I mean, right?
Kamala nods, just as there’s a very loud thump and something that might be an explosion (a small one!) from his end, and Kamran turns his head, just as the young woman in blue’s voice says you are trouble, Kimo!
‘…okay, so, I know this is all, like, super-scary and freak-out-worthy-‘ She’s freaking out, or freaking out even more, ‘cos the Aladnean super-weapon has spread all over the world!!!! ‘-but shouldn’t you go rescue Kareem?’
Kamran just shrugs.
He seems completely unbothered by the predicament that Kareem - who is basically Kamran’s best friend nowadays - seems to be in.
‘This is kinda normal, actually.’
‘I know I said there’s no normal, dude, and that I probably don’t have room to talk, but…’
She gestures. Kamran seems to get it anyway, and grins. It’s really, like, earnest and boyish.
(Kareem and the Red Daggers - and, TBH, being away from Najma’s influence - have been really good for Kamran.)
‘That’s his fiancée.’
For one millisecond, Kamala completely forgets about the not-so-little, literally-worldwide Bollywood trope-ification problem.
‘Kimo has a fiancée?!?!’
Kamran nods and shrugs sheepishly and a little wryly.
‘It’s kinda new?’
Kamala makes a face.
‘Dude likes secrets way too much.’
Oh God, she’s only hearing about this now ‘cos Kareem likes his secrets, right? Not ‘cos this is the effect of the Aladnean super-weapon, causing Kareem to have a secret fiancée appear out of thin air or become convinced he’s engaged to some poor random woman?
Some of it probably shows on her face, because Kamran makes a nebulous hand-gesture in the stage-left direction.
‘They’re…kinda weird, but I swear Kimo loves Doc, a lot, and it’s mutual.’
Kamran says that with earnest affection and joy for his friends, and a little bit of inshallah-I’ll-be-that-lucky, and as he says that, Kareem and the woman - Doc, Kamala supposes (seriously, Kimo likes secrets and nicknames way too much!) - return to centre stage. Kareem now has a rose in his teeth and is somehow managing to also sing about how the most beautiful flowers (roses, of course) have thorns. (The wonders of playback singers???) Meanwhile, Doc is reaching out a hand to him and it seems…softer. There’s something tender about it.
Kamala blinks, then remembers that she can send Kareem ALL THE TEXTS about keeping secrets and where her wedding invitation is later, she’s got way bigger fish to fry, and addresses Kamran.
‘Okay, so it seems like anyone who has the mutation is immune?’ Kamran nods. ‘Hang on, I’m almost at the Circle-Q-‘
Kamran smiles at that, nodding.
‘Bruno will know how to fix this.’
He says that with simple faith and certainty. Kamala smiles and nods in agreement with that faith, and she and Kamran quickly say goodbye, with her promising to update him ASAP.
-
Inshallah, Bruno managed to do his genius thing and hasn’t gone all Bollywood-tropes-come-to-life like everyone else; he was prepared (kinda), after all…
Kamala mutters to herself as she pushes open the doors of the Circle-Q, which, for some reason, is completely dark, the power seemingly out, or, at least, the lights all off.
‘Come on, Bruno, you a super-genius or what?’
-
The Circle-Q is full of roses. Like really, really, really full of roses.
Oh no, oh no, oh no…
…oh God, oh God, oh God…
Fear-panic-worry-horror tightening in her chest, Kamala looks around the dark store.
‘Bruno? Bruno! Are you okay? Do you need help? Bruno!’
And then, everything just gets worse.
The lights come on, music starts to play…
…and Kamala’s best friend slides in and is suddenly kneeling in front of her, his arms spread wide, a rose in his right hand, singing to her.
Bruno is wearing olive-green shalwar, a cream kameez and a lighter green sadri.
Oh no, oh no, oh no…
…oh God, oh God, oh God…
…her best friend got Bollywood trope-ified too.
And then, the rest of Kamala’s brain, like, comes online or catches up or whatever, and she realises exactly what Bruno’s serenading (it’s mostly English, with smatterings of Urdu) actually means. What he’s actually saying. Or, well, singing.
Epic Love Confession. It’s an Epic Love Confession.
And suddenly, Kamala’s frozen for a moment, and can only stare as Bruno gets up, stands in front of her, holds the rose out to her with a smile, this smile that’s a little hesitant and shy and immensely adoring, but somehow not completely unfamiliar and…
Kamala blinks, and suddenly, her best friend’s normal again, in olive-green jeans, a cream T-shirt and his teal-orange-cream flannel, fear-panic-worry-horror on his face too.
‘Kamala, I am so sorry-‘
Bruno barely has time to say that before there’s a flash of colour and he’s all Bollywood again, and pulling out the signature dance moves of the Line of Kingo to accompany his Epic Love Confession.
Another flash, and it’s Bruno in front of her again, flannel somehow not even slightly askew.
‘-this is, um, terrible timing, I know-‘
A flash of colour, and her best friend is tucking a rose behind her ear, carefully, tenderly.
She blinks, and Bruno is back, that fear-panic-worry-horror still on his face, but something desperate and something…not quite heartfelt, that doesn’t work with that fear-panic-worry-horror, but…all his heart there too.
‘-I mean this, Kamala, I mean it, I-‘
A flash of colour, and now he’s channelling SRK, and Kamala finally finds her voice.
‘Bruno…this is a lot to process…I…I…’
Her voice fails her. Kamala realises she doesn’t have anything to say, can’t say anything, which…well, she knows her brain-mouth filter is kinda dodgy and sometimes, she, like, babbles, but…this doesn’t happen.
Maybe she isn’t immune, like she and Kamran thought, ‘cos her Bollywood-ified best friend offers her another rose, looking so very hopeful and adoringly at her and…
…it’s really kinda like how Abbu looks at Ammi or how Aamir looks at Tyesha and…
…despite everything that’s going on, despite the fact that the world has been Bollywood trope-ified and that Bruno has been Bollywood trope-ified, Kamala wants to take it, put her hand over Bruno’s and step close.
Maybe she’s not immune, maybe she was Patient Zero, and maybe this is causing Problems…
…’cos this is looking an awful lot like a series of recurring dreams she’s been having for the last few months…or maybe more like a year.
She spends so much time with Bruno, and has watched too many Bollywood movies, and maybe read too many romance fics…it’s totally expected for them to combine, right?
…yeah…that explanation’s not feeling super-convincing right now. Like, at all.
Kamala swallows.
This…this isn’t something she can think about right now.
She’s Ms Marvel, and her friends have been Bollywood trope-ified, her family has been Bollywood trope-ified, and Bruno’s been Bollywood trope-ified, the entire world has been Bollywood trope-ified and she’s gotta save them.
Save the world first, and then she can deal with this…Bollywood-ified Epic Love Confession and all its consequences and implications and everything later.
She’s a superhero.
Kamala takes a deep breath, and does her best to ignore everything else.
‘Okay, so, Bruno, I know that this is a real bad time to, like, interrupt, but we got a Problem, and I need your help! I need you to…to snap out of this!’ Yeah, so maybe she’s still learning, still growing, as a superhero - or maybe it’s just because superheroes are people too - but Kamala can’t quite stop some of that everything coming out of her mouth. ‘I need you!’
There’s a flash, and Bruno - her Bruno - is back, and he gestures frantically at the counter, talking very quickly, like he doesn’t know how much time he has, but knows it isn’t long.
‘Scanner under the counter, calibrate it on yourself first, KK, I’m so sorry-‘
A flash of colour again, and then he’s down on one knee in front of her, smiling hopeful and adoring up at her. Bruno reaches into his pocket and pulls out a white box, opens it to reveal a shiny ring, somehow, and…
…asks a question. A very specific question. Four little words that can’t ever really be little.
Kamala’s jaw drops. She can’t do anything but stare.
And then…
…she doesn’t throw her head back and say how is this my life or demand a refund, she doesn’t just burst into hysterical laughter, she doesn’t even plead with her BFF to snap out of it because she needs him…
Kamala doesn’t do any of those totally reasonable, totally expected things.
Nope, instead, she finds herself bursting into tears, and not really knowing why, except that it just seems wrong.
This is like her dreams, the ones that linger a little when she wakes up and make her smile even though she only remembers flashes and impressions. It’s like those wild daydreams she sometimes catches herself having but, to be honest, doesn’t admit to having even to herself. It’s like those hopes-wishes-prayers, like inshallah before she falls asleep…but it’s not. It’s an alien super-weapon, and it’s wrong.
-
Bruno is instantly on his feet, comforting her in song and dance, and he pulls a packet of tissues from his pocket as well - which is less weird; this is the brand they stock in the Circle-Q - and it’s still wrong, but…it’s a little better. A little more right.
-
When Yan arrives at the charming little store that sells almost everything that one could need for everyday life that the little star directs him to - it is the store run by her dearest friend in the universe, the one who spends so much time in a chair that he is known by that title, so he is not too surprised that that is where he has been directed - he and his Royal Chorus find Kamala attempting to make an antidote for the super-weapon, with the assistance of her best friend Bruno, her Guy-in-the-Chair.
Yan is most impressed.
The young man is able to occasionally break through the effects of the super-weapon. He must have inhaled less than others, yes, but he must also have both strong will and strong motivation.
Yan is no fool.
He has seen the looks on the youngest of the Marvels’ face, has seen those smiles and grins and heard that tone in her voice when she talks about her Guy-in-the-Chair, who is also her dearest friend in the universe and the very best of dear friends that one could hope for, as well as the heir-apparent to Dr Bruce Banner.
He has exchanged glances and knowing looks with Carol.
Of course, the little star has excellent taste, Yan thinks to himself. Of course, Kamala chose well.
Her Guy-in-the-Char is worthy.
-
It doesn’t take long for Yan and the other Aladneans to whip up the antidote and distribute it, building on the work she and Bruno were able to do, and Kamala breathes a massive breath of relief as that weird, unsettling, disturbing, eerie colour fades from the world, and Bruno’s standing next to her on the Circle-Q roof again, dressed in his jeans and T-shirt and flannel and all him again.
So much relief goes through her, she barely realises that she glomps Bruno in her relief, burying her face in the shoulder of his flannel.
He hugs her back just as tightly, tucking his head over her shoulder, and it feels right.
‘Kamala, I am so sorry-‘
‘Hug now, talk later!’
That gets a half-snort out of him, next to her ear, and that’s so right too.
And somehow, that’s what sets it off.
Bruno raises his head.
‘Kamala…are you crying?’
-
It was so wrong…but it was also like her dreams and daydreams, and Kamala realized something during it.
Well, more like it hit her like a couple tonnes of bricks, basically breaking through the last of her obliviousness and denial (so not just a river in Egypt, people!).
She’s in love with her best friend. She’s in love with Bruno.
And while he said he meant it, during…
…he was Bollywood trope-ified/brainwashed/mind-controlled/basically poisoned at the time.
Bruno makes a face and pulls a Ring Pop out of his pocket. He stares at it, and she sees the realization and horror and mortification that goes across his face, and that sinking feeling and that pain inside (in her heart) just gets worse.
Kamala swallows, and grabs her Ms Marvel mask.
‘I gotta go, help with clean up, and…’
For one millisecond, or, like, a fraction of a millisecond, Bruno looks at her and Kamala almost hears him say her name, in a voice that sounds like please don’t go, but it disappears in a second, her best friend shoving the Ring Pop back in his pocket, after a beat of trying - and failing - to think of anywhere else to put it.
‘Yeah, uh, of course, I should go do that too…’
-
Kamala, as Ms Marvel, is moving some random debris that used to be someone’s car out of the way (it appears to have been subjected to a Bollywood stunt), when Yan comes up to her.
The Prince of Aladna studies her face for a second, before there is a clear flash of guilt across his face. He motions for his Royal Chorus (AKA the Royal Guard) to come take over, and goes to sit on a nearby bench, gesturing at its other end.
Kamala sits down on the bench too, and Yan looks at her, his voice gentle when he speaks.
‘That weapon…it cannot make you do something against your heart and soul, little star. It may make you do things that you would otherwise not, like properly and honourably offering your hand in marriage to a bright, brilliant star, despite you being so young it is inadvisable…’ Kamala swallows. She hasn’t been able to get that memory out of her head, it’s already replayed, like, three times, and it’s probably gonna keep replaying. ‘…but it cannot go against your heart and soul.’
-
Yan’s words - his reassurances, his promises - stick in her head too.
-
‘So, uh…’ Bruno can’t quite look at her when he says that (sometimes, he can’t quite do eye contact - so what?) and rubs the back of his neck. Kamala can’t help but follow that motion; she hasn’t really been able to not look when Bruno does that little nervous/awkward/uncomfy tell of his for ages now, ‘cos…yeah, her best friend really ain’t a skinny nerd anymore. (She’s not proud of the obliviousness, okay?) Bruno seems to realise that he’s rubbing the back of his neck, and lowers his hand. ‘…we really need to talk.’
Kamala swallows, feeling this knot of nervousness and hesitation and fear (what if this is the thing that comes between us?) inside her, even with Yan’s words echoing in her mind.
Still, she nods.
‘Yeah.’
‘Communication is important.’
Well, at least Bruno’s feeling this weird awkwardness too, since he’s spouting facts.
‘Yeah…’
There’s awkward silence for a long beat, and that silence is awkward enough and weird enough (‘cos it’s awkward, and she and Bruno can talk about anything and do talk about anything, except apparently this one very big thing) that it makes that knot in Kamala’s stomach get that little bit worse.
(What if this comes between us?)
(That’d…it’d…)
(Bruno is her best friend…and everyone knows that the trope combo of Unrequited Love and Best Friends…well, that ain’t a good one.)
But Kamala is a superhero. She’s Ms Marvel. She’s a Marvel.
She’s supposed to be brave, and she’s gotta carpe diem, seize the day, ‘cos you never know what’s gonna happen tomorrow, what you might be called upon to do (what that might cost).
And it’s Bruno. They can tell each other anything. Lotta things have come between them, they’ve had all these fights and disagreements over the years, screwed up and hurt each other without meaning to (they never, never ever, never ever ever mean to!), but every time, they’ve worked it out, worked through it, and come out stronger for it.
Kamala takes a deep breath, and makes a Noor rose, holds it out in her fingers towards Bruno, feeling shy and a little hesitant.
‘You made a pretty good leading man, I mean, you’re not on SRK’s level, but pretty close…’
Bruno looks at her and her rose for a beat, then reaches out and sorta takes the Noor construct, his hand resting on hers over the Noor.
And then, they stare at each other for a moment, and it’s like magic, ‘cos it feels like it breaks all the laws of physics, that moment stretching on and on, and the world suddenly feeling really small, like it’s just the two of them…
‘Kamala…I’m sorry-‘ Her heart sinks. A pang goes through it. An ache. Bruno, however, shakes his head, too vigorously and too quickly. ‘No, no, no, I meant it!’ He swallows. ‘I…I really, really meant it…Kamala, I love you.’
And suddenly, she feels like she can fly.
(Even though she can’t.)
(Bruno ran some simulations and tests. She can’t fly, and doesn’t have the potential to do it either, and you can’t just imagine yourself into developing the ability to fly, Kamala, not even with your imagination; that’s not how your powers work, or how superpowers work in general.)
It’s like she’s flying and the words just come out of her, straight from deep inside her heart (or maybe in her bones or in her soul), easy and right.
‘I love you too.’
She grins, and Bruno grins back at her; it’s a wondrous, marvelling, dreams-come-true-and-I-can-hardly-believe-it grin, and she can totally relate!
Mashallah.
-
‘…wait a minute...Bruno, that letter you stuck in my locker that I never got to read…that wasn’t more info on my mutation, was it?’
‘Uh…no, no it wasn’t.’
‘…yeah, I was totally an idiot.’ A pause. ‘Dude, this is where you’re supposed to disagree.’
‘Hey, we agreed that we were both idiots, KK. Objectively speaking.’
A dramatic sigh.
‘I guess Idiots in Love is a cute trope…’ Another pause. ‘Seriously, did not know that you had so much, like, romantic flair! You’ve been holding out on me, Bruno! Yeah, I knew you had moves, didn’t realize you also had moves!’ A groan. ‘Hey, ‘twas a good surprise, both of ‘em!’
‘…thanks.’ A pause. ‘I think.’
‘Hey, that was totally a compliment!’