Work Text:
Communication By Kisses
Everyone from Ultra Boy to Kid Quantum, both of whom had been in the room when it happened, had been surprised when Brainy kissed Lyle Norg. Most of them had written it off, mostly correctly, to Brainy having been severely worried about his best friend, and his not having slept for the forty-two hours previously while working feverishly on a way to bring Lyle back. Lyle, however, having studied Coluan society for his own, admittedly personal, reasons, knew better. Coluans had very particular customs regarding kissing, or, in fact, physical contact of any kind. Coluans society, all of which being of twelfth level intelligence, understood the idea behind the concept of the 'friendly' hug or kiss, but they did not practice it. For a Coluan, even one who had lived among myriad aliens species for several years, to not only hug someone, but also to kiss them - even if on the cheek - well, that meant quite a bit more than many Legionnaires realized. That Brainy had hugged him, one might attribute to Querl having come to think of Lyle as a friend, or even a brother. Lyle knew better. For Coluans, physical touch was completely restricted to immediate family. Parent-child, spousal, and sibling interaction. Grandparents, aunts, uncles, nieces and nephews were rarely included beyond what was strictly necessary for survival. The same went for friends, however close. Coluans also never kissed anyone they weren't in a romantic relationship with. Not ever. That Brainy had kissed him, Lyle knew could mean only one thing. Brainy had romantic feelings for him. Love, lust, or what have you, Brainy liked him, that way. But Querl had never said anything to him, which could mean one of three things: 1. Querl was physically attracted to him, but in no other way, and had decided that a sexual relationship without any accompanying feelings wasn't something he wanted to engage in. 2. Querl was mentally attracted to him, but in no other way, and had decided that a romantic relationship without any accompanying sexual aspects wasn't something he wanted to engage in. 3. Querl was both physically and mentally attracted to him, and had decided that he wasn't willing to risk their friendship by telling Lyle of his feelings, in case it turned out Lyle did not return them. The first option was possible, but not entirely probable. Querl was his best friend, and Lyle knew that Querl thought much the same of him. The idea that Brainy could lust after him without even friendly feelings being added to the mix was highly unlikely. The second option was more likely, but still didn't ring true. Brainy was, like all members of the Legion, a teenager. Coluan physiology was different from humans, but the difference was not as much when compared to other species. Brainy had gone through pubertal changes at around the same age as Lyle, and that meant much the same as it did for humans. Rumors about highly intelligent people focusing on their intellect to the exclusion of all else was laughable. Sex was ninety percent mental, after all. The third option was possible, probable, and very likely true. For once fear had won out over Querl's typical Coluan blunt disregard for tact. Lyle, however, was human. Humans had a long, if not graceful, history of running in where angels and mortals feared to tread. And Lyle had never been one for beating around the bush. Pressing the door buzzer to Brainy's quarters, Lyle waited impatiently for its occupant to answer it. When the doors slid open to reveal a half-awake, half-dressed Brainy, Lyle grinned. Querl looked cute in those purple plaid pajama pants - and nothing else. Brainy blinked at him in the low nighttime lighting of the HQs corridor. "Invisible Kid? Has something happened?" "Yes," Lyle said, and without any preamble or warning, leaned in to kiss Brainy - on the lips. Pulling back, he took in the sight of Querl's shocked face with smugness, and said, in Coluan, "I love you, too." Coluan facial expressions were different from humans, too. They typically differed only in their intensity, however; the barest upturning of the lips was considered a full-fledged grin by Coluan standards. The shy, yet not-at-all small smile that crossed Querl's face said it all. Humans and Coluans might have had their differences...but understanding each other wasn't impossible, especially for people of their advanced intellects.