Super Nuts Chapter 20: Growth (part 2)

"Sure, racing blindfolded will be good training," he replied with a smile, glad for the return of Maya's usual energy, even if he could tell she was forcing it a bit. A hero needed to be able to keep their emotions under control, and he was glad Maya's control was improving. He turned away from her and began jogging towards the beginning of the river across the meadow. The training room was quite large, roughly the size of two connected football fields stacked end-zone to end-zone. Friction easily dodged the few scattered trees in the meadow, detecting their positions by tossing his friction manipulation skill directly in front of him until he discovered a surface. It only took the man standing at the peak of human performance 15 seconds to run the 150 yards or so to the river's origin, which was pressed up against the wall of the training room. Seemingly the water sprung up from the ground, but a closer look would reveal small holes in the dirt leading to the complex plumbing system of the room.

"I hope you're thinking about your menu for the next week," Ethan spoke playfully while spinning back around to face the sound of incoming footsteps and the direction of their race. The Hero Association provided excellent meals for all the heroes and sidekicks in their cafeteria, but they also always had the option of cooking their own meals. Cooking was, in Ethan's mind, a vital skill for anyone to have, so he and Maya took turns cooking meals every now and then.

Maya took a deep breath, centering herself. The race was a welcome distraction from her conflicting emotions about Ethan. She needed to focus on the challenge ahead, not on her unrequited feelings for her mentor. As she jogged to the starting point of the race, Maya reached out to the shadows around her, feeling their cool, familiar presence. She gathered several tendrils of shadow around her hands and feet, ready to propel herself forward.

"You're going down, old man," she taunted playfully, bouncing lightly on her toes. Maya knew Ethan was a skilled and powerful hero, but she was younger, faster, and more agile. Plus, she had her shadow powers on her side. *I've got this,* Maya thought confidently, eyeing the river. *I'll show him just how much I've improved.*

"Go!" She yelled with a grin, shooting forward and launching herself onto the river's surface. The one place Ethan wouldn't be able to reliably use his powers to slow her down. Just before her foot met the water's surface, she shaped some of her gathered shadows into a small platform beneath her foot. The wind whipped through her hair as she flew down the river at full speed, stepping from one shadow platform to the next. "Eat my dust!" She called back to Ethan, laughter bubbling out of her. For a moment, all her doubts and insecurities fell away. Out here, racing across the water, she felt alive and powerful. Maya kept her eyes locked on the end of the river ahead, determined to reach it first. She didn't dare look back to see where Ethan was. She couldn't risk losing focus. As the river bank rapidly approached, Maya gathered her shadows around her, preparing to launch herself onto dry land. Just a few more seconds and she'd have this race in the bag. *Just a little further,* she urged herself, heart pounding with excitement. *I can do this!*

Ethan chased after her, surprised by her display of skill. Control had always been Maya's weakness, but if she was really doing what he thought she was, then her control had improved far more than he realized. She really had been working hard. Ethan wanted to praise her, but that could wait until after he won their race. He burst forward with all the speed he could produce before dropping the friction to near zero in a straight line to the end, allowing him to maintain that explosive speed effortlessly.

"Nice Maya, but I won't make it easy!" He called after her as he slid right behind her. Since he didn't have to put any effort into running, he was free to focus on trying to slip Maya up. It was extremely difficult without his sight, but Ethan was able to use the unique sound produced by Maya stepping on one of her shadow platforms to pinpoint her location. He'd never tried to control the surface of a shadow, but now was a good time to try it. Low friction would result in her slipping and tumbling into the water, which Ethan wanted to avoid. For one thing, he didn't want to injure her, and for another that was a little too mean to do unprovoked. So instead, he summoned all his focus and attempted to raise the friction of one of her shadow platforms at the moment she created it, aiming for high enough friction to throw her off her rhythm, but not enough to make her pull a muscle or take a tumble.

Maya's eyes widened as her shadow platform unexpectedly resisted her as she tried to step off of it, as if covered in glue. She stumbled slightly, but quickly adjusted by using her shadows to steady herself. "Hey! No fair!" She called back to him, a note of indignation in her voice. "You can't mess with my shadows!" Despite her protest, Maya couldn't help but be impressed by Ethan's skill. He had never tried to manipulate her shadows before. The fact that he was attempting it now, even while blindfolded, spoke to his incredible control and adaptability. *He really is amazing,* Maya thought, her heart swelling with admiration. *I'll never be able to keep up with him.* She pushed that defeatist thought aside, focusing instead on the finish line ahead. She wasn't going to give up so easily. If Ethan wanted to play dirty, she'd give him dirty.

Maya bit her lip in concentration as she tried to come up with a plan while cautiously hopping from shadow platform to shadow platform, no longer trusting them. She couldn't just trip Ethan, not while he was sliding on a friction-less surface. He'd just keep on gliding smoothly even if he fell. *I need to create an obstacle,* she thought, eyeing Ethan's shadow. *Something he won't see coming.* An idea sparked in her mind. She couldn't make a wall due to the limited amount of shadow she had to work with, but maybe she could create a small ramp, just large enough to launch him into the air and break his momentum. With a grin, Maya reached out to Ethan's shadow, focusing intently. Manipulating a moving person's shadow was tricky, but she had to try. She visualized the shadow hardening and lifting, forming a small ramp right in Ethan's path. Just as Ethan was about to slide past her, Maya felt the shadow solidify under her power. She held her breath, hoping her plan would work.

Now it was Ethan's turn to feel surprised as he suddenly found himself soaring through the air after sliding off some kind of ramp at high speed.

"Whoa!" He called out while preparing to land back on his friction-less path.

Landing feet first was out of the question. Instead, he flattened out, intending to land belly first and slide his way to victory like a penguin.

An unfortunately placed rock ruined his plans. One that he couldn't see thanks to his blindfold.

"AYYYUUUGGHH!"

He suddenly cried in a high pitched, strained voice as his nuts landed on a hard surface. Blocking his vision to force himself to focus on his other senses also heightened his sense of pain. White hot agony coursed through his body from his throbbing balls, instantly wrecking his focus and restoring the ground to its regular level of friction, halting his movement. The hero could only lay on the dirt, cradling his aching balls and doing his best to hold back whimpers.

Maya couldn't help the triumphant laugh that burst out of her at the sight of Ethan's unexpected acrobatics. For a moment, she thought her plan had worked perfectly. She had won the race! But then, her eyes widened as she watched Ethan crash and burn. Or rather, crash and cradle. The high-pitched, strained cry that tore from Ethan's lips made Maya's blood run cold. She had heard that sound before, many times. It was the sound of a man suffering the unique agony of getting hit in the balls.

*Oh no! His balls!* Maya thought, her eyes widening. She hadn't meant to cause Ethan that kind of pain. She had just wanted to throw him off balance, not send him tumbling into testicular torment.

"Ethan! Are you okay?" She called out, her laughter quickly turning to concern. She had seen Ethan take plenty of hits to the groin before, usually from villains. It always left him doubled over and mewling like a little boy, no matter how much he tried to hide it. Maya raced to the riverbank, hopping off her shadow platforms and onto solid ground. She ran over to where Ethan was hunched over, clutching at his crotch.

"Oh my gosh, I'm so sorry!" Maya gasped as she knelt down beside him, hands hovering uncertainly over his broad shoulders. "I didn't mean to hurt you, honest! I just wanted to throw you off balance a little."

*Stupid, stupid!* She chided herself mentally. *I should have known this would happen. Men are so vulnerable there.* Maya bit her lip, trying to think of a way to make it up to him. She knew from experience that a nutshot was the kind of pain that didn't go away easily. She had accidentally (and not so accidentally) landed a few kicks and knees to Ethan's crotch during their training over the years. He always just laughed it off later, but Maya knew the pain lingered long after the hit.

*What do I do? What do I do?* Maya's mind raced for a solution to sooth Ethan's suffering. Her eyes fell to his crotch, where he was still protectively cradling his balls. *Maybe if I massage them…* The thought popped into Maya's head before she could stop it. She had read online that a gentle massage could help relieve the pain of getting hit in the testicles. Something about increasing blood flow and releasing endorphins. Maya glanced around the training room furtively. They were alone, and Ethan couldn't see with his blindfold on. If she was careful, maybe she could slip a hand into his tight spandex pants and soothe his suffering sack…

*No! No, I can't do that!* Maya shook her head, cheeks flushing. *He'd never forgive me for taking advantage of him like that.* But even as she dismissed the inappropriate idea, Maya couldn't help but imagine it. Slipping her small hand into Ethan's tight pants, feeling the heat of his body. Cupping his balls gently, rolling them in her palm, coaxing them to feel better…

"Ugh… just… give me a minute…" Ethan groaned, each word a painful challenge. Slowly, he moved to his back and forced his body to relax. *Deep breaths,* he commanded himself mentally, focusing on recovery. There were med kits spread all over the training room, along with advanced medical systems that could be deployed with voice commands, but Ethan was much too proud to request that kind of aid for just a bit of nutpain. *This is nothing compared to that kick from Shimmer,* he thought, although the memory of the sneak attack from the woman who could become invisible by bending light around herself only made his balls ache more.

Maya's heart clenched as she watched Ethan struggle to breathe through the pain. She knew that pain, knew the unique agony of getting hit in the balls. Even though she didn't have testicles of her own, she had seen enough heroes and villains alike reduced to mewling piles of misery after a good hit to the gonads.

*I can't just sit here and do nothing,* Maya thought, biting her lip. Her eyes kept darting to Ethan's crotch, where he was still cupping his bruised balls protectively. *A massage would really help him,* a traitorous little voice whispered in the back of her mind. *You're his sidekick. It's your job to help him when he's hurting.* Maya took a shaky breath, trying to silence the inappropriate thoughts. But they wouldn't go away. Images of Ethan's strong, muscular body kept flashing through her mind. She imagined her hands roaming over his broad chest, down his chiseled abs, to the waistband of his tight spandex pants. She pictured herself slipping a hand inside, feeling the heat of his skin, the wiry hair of his pelvis. In her mind's eye, she saw herself cupping his balls, rolling them gently in her palm, soothing away the pain…

"I…I can help," Maya said softly, her voice coming out breathier than she intended. "I read online that massaging can help with the pain. Of getting hit. There." She gestured vaguely to Ethan's crotch, cheeks flushing hotly. She couldn't believe she had said that out loud. "Just…just let me know if you need me to do anything," she added quickly, trying to backtrack. "I'm here for you. As your sidekick. Obviously." *Stupid! Stupid! Why did I say that?!* Maya mentally kicked herself. Now Ethan was going to think she was some kind of pervert. Which, considering the thoughts she was having about him, maybe she was.

That offer was enough to stun Ethan, offering him momentarily release from thinking about his aching balls. *Did I hear her right?* Surely she didn't just offer to massage his balls. "Uh… n-no thanks Maya, that won't be necessary," he stuttered with a hint of a blush on his face. If he was being honest with himself, a massage from a caring woman did sound wonderful. No doubt that would soothe his tender testes. But not his sidekick. That was far too inappropriate. How could he sleep at night knowing he took advantage of Maya's kind nature like that?

He forced himself to his knees with a groan. "I'm good now. It was just… unexpected. That's all," he continued, although he couldn't completely keep the pain out of his voice.

Maya couldn't help but feel disappointed at Ethan's rejection of her offer to help, even as relief washed over her. What had she been thinking, suggesting something so inappropriate? Ethan was her mentor, her dear friend. She couldn't go around offering to massage his most intimate areas, no matter how much her traitorous heart yearned to touch him.

"I'm sorry, I shouldn't have suggested that," Maya said softly, cheeks still burning with embarrassment. "I just…I hate seeing you in pain. Especially when it's my fault." She looked down at her hands, fiddling with the fabric of her new costume. The skintight material suddenly felt suffocating, a reminder of her misguided attempt at seduction.

*He probably thinks I'm a complete idiot,* Maya thought dejectedly. *Some sexy superheroine I turned out to be. I can't even win a race without hurting him.* Maya glanced up at Ethan, still hunched over and clearly in pain despite his words. Her heart clenched. She had done this to him, had caused him this agony. All because she couldn't control her powers properly. *I really am just a sidekick,* she thought, eyes stinging with unshed tears. *I'll never be good enough to be his equal. His partner.*

"Let's just head back to base," Maya suggested, voice thick with emotion. "We can get some ice for your…injury." She stood up, brushing off her costume and trying to gather the tattered remains of her dignity. She had made a fool of herself today, in more ways than one. All she could do now was try to move on and hope Ethan would forget her inappropriate suggestion. *Fat chance of that,* a snide little voice in the back of her mind whispered. *He'll never see you the same way again.*

This time her pain was so obvious that Ethan would have to truly be blind to miss it. "Hang on Maya, this wasn't your fault," he assured her soothingly. "You didn't put that rock there. The shadow ramp was a great idea, I know you weren't trying to hurt me." Ethan summoned all his willpower and slowly climbed to his feet, trying not to wince as the motion heightened the pain radiating out from between his legs. His hand moved to his blindfold, deciding that eye contact with his sidekick was more important than his training right now.

"These things happen. Tha-" the words died in his throat as the bright artificial sunlight replaced the darkness of the blindfold. There, standing right in front of him, was the sidekick he had loved like a kid sister. Dressed in a skintight outfit that made it all too clear that she was not a kid anymore. And apparently, his mind was very willing to think of her body in ways he never would actual family. His jaw dropped, completely at a loss for words, his mind blank. Even all thoughts about his throbbing nuts were gone, replaced by shock.

Maya's eyes widened as Ethan removed his blindfold, a mix of anticipation and dread swirling in her stomach. This was the moment she had been waiting for, the chance to see his reaction to her new look. But now, after her disastrous attempt at impressing him during the race, she wasn't sure she wanted to see his expression.

*He's going to think I'm ridiculous,* Maya thought, biting her lip. *A little girl playing dress-up in a costume way too mature for her.* She forced herself to meet Ethan's gaze, bracing herself for his reaction. Would he laugh at her? Scold her for wearing something so inappropriate? But Ethan didn't laugh. He didn't scold. He just stared, jaw slack, eyes wide. For a moment, Maya thought he was in shock from the pain of getting hit in the balls. But as the seconds ticked by and he continued to gape at her, she realized it was something else entirely.

*Is he…appreciating the view?* The thought sent a thrill through Maya, even as she mentally chastised herself for it. She shouldn't want Ethan to look at her that way. It was wrong. He was her mentor, her teacher. And yet…

*Say something,* she silently begged, heart pounding. *React. Do something.* But Ethan remained frozen, his usually quick wit and easy charm gone. He looked like a man who had seen a ghost. Or a beautiful woman. Maya's cheeks flushed hotly as the thought crossed her mind. *No. He doesn't see me like that. He can't.* "Ethan?" She finally broke the silence, her voice small and uncertain. "Are you okay? Did I hurt you worse than I thought?"

Her words finally prompted his brain to resume functionality. "No… that's not it," he replied with a small shake of his head. A small, gentle smile replaced the shocked expression he had previously been wearing. The perfume. The skintight costume. The way she looked so vulnerable, as if waiting for his approval. Ethan wasn't really the romantic type, but he wasn't clueless either. "You really have grown up." His eyes remained firmly on hers, refusing to look at her curves for both of their sakes.

Maya felt her heart skip a beat at Ethan's words, his gaze locked on hers. *He noticed. He really noticed.* The thought sent a thrill through her body, even as she tried to tamp down her excitement.

"I…I have," she agreed softly, suddenly feeling shy under Ethan's intense stare. She had dreamed of this moment for so long, had imagined Ethan finally seeing her as a woman. Now that it was happening, she felt unprepared. What was she supposed to do? What was she supposed to say? Maya took a step closer to Ethan, heart pounding. She could smell his scent, a mix of sweat and something uniquely him. It made her head spin, made her want to bury her nose in his neck and breathe him in.

*Get ahold of yourself,* she chided mentally, trying to focus. She couldn't let her attraction run wild. Ethan was still her mentor, her friend. Even if he had noticed she was a woman now, it didn't mean he wanted her that way. "Does this mean I finally get a say in our training schedules?" Maya joked weakly, trying to break the tension. She forced a grin, but it felt shaky on her lips. "Maybe a few more nights off to go clubbing with the other sidekicks?" She was babbling and she knew it. But she couldn't seem to stop herself. Nervous energy buzzed through her body, making her restless. She wanted to do something, to make Ethan see her as a desirable woman. But what?

He laughed lightly at her words. It was good to know that the Maya he knew wasn't going anywhere any time soon. "If you have valid suggestions, you know I'm always open to discussion," he replied playfully with that same gentle smile on his lips, before he slowly reached out and took her small, soft hands in his own. What he had to do now wouldn't be easy, but it was necessary. His piercing blue eyes met her violet pair that clearly glimmered with hope and expectation.

"Listen Maya… I'm sorry that it took this much for me to realize how you were feeling." He squeezed her hands in his lightly. "Training you is the most important mission in my life. You're going to be so much stronger than me some day, I just know it." Ethan broke eye contact for a brief moment, choosing to instead stare at the gently flowing river beside them. A hero's thoughts must always flow smoothly like the river, following the path of least resistance that yielded the greatest results. A relationship like the one Maya seemed to desire would be like a log lodged in the water, resulting in rapid, difficult to control flow that rushed around the log. She wasn't ready for that. Hell, Ethan himself didn't feel ready for that either. His gaze returned to her anxious face.

"You have grown into an absolutely stunning woman Maya, please don't ever doubt your beauty." Ethan meant it too. He hadn't realized until that very moment, but he felt affection for her in ways beyond the care any true hero has for his sidekick. "But… I am your teacher, and you are my student." His words were gentle, yet firm. "You are my best friend and the person I trust the most in this world, but we can't be any more than that until you've become your own hero." Rejecting her was almost unbearably painful. Far more painful than landing nuts first on that rock. It was the kind of pain that he knew would stick with him for a long time. Hurting his precious sidekick.

Maya felt her heart shatter into a million pieces as Ethan rejected her, his words gentle but firm. She had known, deep down, that this would be his response. That he would put his role as her mentor above anything else, even his own feelings. But hearing him say it out loud, feeling his hands squeeze hers in a gesture of platonic comfort, made it all too real. Tears pricked at the corners of her eyes, but Maya refused to let them fall. She wouldn't cry, not in front of Ethan. She had to be strong, to accept his decision with grace. Even if it felt like her world was crumbling around her.

"I understand," she said softly, her voice trembling only slightly. She tried to pull her hands back, to put some distance between them, but Ethan held on. His grip was firm, but not painful. It felt like an anchor, grounding her in the midst of her emotional turmoil.

"I'm sorry," Maya whispered, dropping her gaze to their joined hands. She couldn't look Ethan in the eye, not now. Not when she knew she would see nothing but friendship and mentorship in those piercing blue depths. "I shouldn't have put you in this position. I know I'm your sidekick, your student. I shouldn't have tried to change that." *But I want to,* a traitorous voice whispered in the back of her mind. *I want to be so much more.* Maya took a shaky breath, trying to center herself. She had to prove she could be mature and control her emotions. Even if it felt like her heart was breaking. "You're right, I'm not ready," she said, forcing a small smile. It felt like glass on her lips, sharp and cutting. "I still have so much to learn from you. And I want to learn. I want to be the best hero I can be."

*I want to be a hero worthy of standing by your side,* she added silently. *As your partner. Your equal.* But she couldn't say that out loud. Not now. Maybe not ever. Ethan had made his stance clear. He was her teacher, she was his student. Nothing more. Maya finally pulled her hands free, taking a step back. She needed space, needed to clear her head. She felt like she couldn't breathe, like the world was closing in around her. "I…I think I need to go," she said, voice cracking. "I need to think. To process this." She turned away, unable to bear the sight of Ethan's handsome face any longer. She felt like a fool, a child playing at adulthood. She had thrown herself at him, practically begged him to see her as a woman, and he had turned her away.

*Stupid, stupid, stupid,* Maya chastised herself, hot tears finally spilling down her cheeks. She had ruined everything. She had made things awkward, had jeopardized her relationship with Ethan. All because she couldn't control her feelings. "I'll see you at HQ," she said over her shoulder, already heading for the exit. She needed to be alone, to lick her wounds in private. She needed to find a way to move on, to forget the dream of being with Ethan. Even if it felt impossible.

Ethan watched her go while wearing an unreadable expression. He couldn't show how much it had pained him to hurt her like that. The person doing the hurting didn't have the right to show pain. Yet, he didn't doubt his decision for even a moment. Perhaps one day, when Maya had surpassed him, they could be more than friends if that's what she still wanted. For now though, neither of them were ready. He knew she'd bounce back from his rejection. Maya was tough, both mentally and physically. After all, she was a hero.