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Jazz nodded, pulling Gibby toward the dance floor. Nick and Seth watched as Jazz threw her hands around Gibby’s neck, pulling her close and rolling her hips expertly. Gibby bent forward, pressing her forehead against Jazz’s, moving back and forth with the beat.
“I can’t dance like that,” Nick told Seth. “I think the bones in my hips are fused together, so—keep that in mind.”
“Condoms,” Seth blurted.
Nick turned slowly to look at him. “Uh—yes? What about them?”
Seth fidgeted in his chair. “Do … do you want to use them?”
Oh.Oh. Crap. Not where Nick thought this was going to go. And since Seth looked like he was borderline panicking, it was up to Nick to remain calm and levelheaded. Which is why he said (like a goddamnboss), “You want some of the Nick Experience?”
Seth gaped at him.
Nick winced. “That sounded a lot better in my head.”
“Did it?” Seth asked. “Did it really?”
Nick took a deep breath, letting it out slow. “We don’t have to do anything you don’t want to.”
That didn’t seem to placate Seth in the slightest, especially since he began to pop his knuckles, something he only did when he was nervous. “What doyouwant?”
“I … don’t know? Which might be an answer in and of itself.” Nick stopped Seth from attempting to break his own hands. “Hey. Look at me.”
Seth did, eyes wide.
Nick grinned at him. “We don’t have to do anything we’re not ready for. And evenifone of us is ready, that doesn’t mean the other has to be. This isn’t a one-time thing. We’ve got the rest of our lives to figure it all out, so why worry about it now?”
“The rest of our lives,” Seth repeated.
Nick shrugged. “Sure. So long as we don’t wait until we’re both thirty. I want to do things before then. Like, together.”
“No, that’s not—you really think we’ll be together for the rest of our lives?”
Nick squinted at him. “Yes? Is that—isn’t that what you want?” Uh-oh. “Or maybe youdon’twant that, and we’re about to break up because you think you need to push me away to keep me safe, and I swear to god, Seth, ifthat’swhat this is, I’m going to complain so much, you’ll regret ever thinking something so dumb. Don’t you dare do—”
Seth laughed, a low sound that Nick felt down to his bones. Nick was in awe of him—the way the corners of his eyes crinkled, the way his teeth flashed, smile wide. “You’re an idiot. I’m not going to break up with you.” His smile faded slightly. “We’ve never—we’ve never really talked about what comes next.”
Nick frowned. “Yeah, we have. All the time. Remember? We’re going to go to school together, and then I’ll open up my private investigation agency–slash-bakery, and you’ll write true crime books or fiction or be a lawyer who makes sure people listen to voices they’ve dismissed for so long.”
“You remember that,” Seth whispered.
“Of course I do,” Nick said. “Just because things have changed for the both of us doesn’t mean we still can’t have that. And honestly, I don’t care what we do or where we go, as long as I’m with you.”
“You mean it?”
Nick nodded. “We’re in this together, Seth. And I’m not talking about the Extraordinaries thing. We’re in thislifetogether because we choose to be. You and me, we’re a team. We have been ever since I found you on the swings. I need you to be by my side to make sure I don’t do anything stupid that either gets me arrested or crushed by a Buick flung at me by a stupid villain.”
“Those are two very different things.”
“Figure I should cover all my bases,” Nick said. He squeezed Seth’s hand. “What I’m trying to say is that I go where you go. And until you tell me otherwise, that’s the way it’s gonna be.”
“I won’t,” Seth said, cheeks reddening. “Tell you otherwise, I mean. I like that we’re a team. I couldn’t imagine it being anyone else.”
“Damn right,” Nick said. He looked around as the beat to the song slowed dramatically, the people on the dance floor coming together and swaying slowly.
He was about to point out to Seth that Jazz and Gibby were looking like they were about to make out aggressively when Seth stood from his chair, seemingly determined. Seth held out his hand and asked, “May I have this dance?”
Completely and ridiculously charmed, Nick said, “Yeah. Yes. But remember, I learned from Cap, and he wasn’t messing around.”
