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Nick left them to it, going to the diamond still sitting in the glass case. “Where did you get this? It’s not real, is it? Ooh, it’s soshiny.” He pressed his face against the glass, causing it to fog up. “I want it.”
“Miss Conduct,” Dad said, coming to stand next to Nick. “Mateo uses it as part of his drag show. Something about a diamond being a girl’s best friend.”
Nick sighed. “I think he has a crush on you.”
Dad nodded solemnly. “Makes sense. I’m very attractive.”
Gagging, Nick said, “Gross!”
“Thanks, kid.”
“You can’t date Miss Conduct,” Nick said, starting to panic. “I get to be the only queer in this family. How dare you try and usurp my throne.”
“Or,” Dad said, “I can love who I want to, and if that happens to be Mateo, then—”
“As if you could ever handle a drag queen. She’d chew you up and spit you out.” He glared at Dad. “And don’t tell me if that’s something you’d enjoy. I’m scarred enough as it is.”
Annoyed, Nick glanced at the others. Miles was doing jumping jacks while exclaiming that his chiropractor wasn’t going to believe this, Trey was—forsomereason—still stroking the glittery letters on his chest, and Bob had an arm wrapped around Seth’s shoulders, holding him close.
Momentarily forgetting his father’s crimes against humanity, Nick was struck—not for the first time, but perhaps seeing it clearer than he ever had before—by how lucky he was. Ever since the parental figures had been told the truth about their kids, there hadn’t been a moment when Nick hadn’t felt loved, validated. Even if that meant spending a Friday night in a vacant building that Bob had secured for them to use through his job connections as a super.
His irritation over his father’s ridiculousness faded as quickly as it’d arrived. Because here Dad was with the rest of the dumb Dad Squad, working to help Nick become the best hero he could be. He didn’t have to be here. None of them did. But they were, and Nick was absurdly touched by their faith in him. If his mom had been here, too, it would’ve made everything even better.
And Dad was trying. He really was. Ever since he’d resigned from the force and gone to therapy, he’d seemed… lighter, somehow. Perfect time for him to grant his son’s deepest desire. And really, he’d tried to shoot Seth—with a foam dart, but the point remained the same—so Dad owed Nick.
“What do you say, Pops? Think I’m good enough to go out on my own?”
Everyone else fell silent as Dad’s brow furrowed before smoothing out. He laid his hands on Nick’s shoulders, hesitating a moment. “I know you think you’re ready. And I’ve seen how hard you’ve been working in these last weeks.”
“But,” Nick said, knowing it was coming.
“But,” Dad said, “we have to be careful, kid. You’ve seen what’s happened since Seth revealed himself. Are you ready to take the chance that the same thing happens to you?”
“It’s gotten a little better,” Bob said. “Not as many death threats now that we’ve changed to an unlisted phone number. And our house hasn’t been vandalized in a few weeks, so I count that as a win. The security cameras help.”
“It’s not just about that, either,” Trey said, nodding at Dad as he walked over to them. Dad took a step back, dropping his arms. “I won’t speak for your dad, Nick, but you know as well as we do it’s not only vandals we’re facing.”
“Burke,” Nick spat, feeling that old familiar anger washing through him.
“Burke,” Trey agreed. “Ever since he announced his mayoral run and that he could cure Extraordinaries…” He shook his head. “No, not cure, because that implies there’s something wrong with you and Seth and others like you.”
“I know,” Nick said. “But that doesn’t mean I can hide forever.”
“I get that, kid,” Dad said. “I swear I do. But are you ready for the moment it all becomes real? When there are actual bullets instead of foam darts? Forget the bridge. Forget the prom. This is different. Can you stand there and tell me this is something you’rereallyready for?”
Nick was about to open his mouth and sayyesemphatically, but he stopped himself. His telekinesis was finicky, and he was still trying to get the hang of it. He’d taken on villains Smoke and Ice when they’d attacked Centennial High at prom, but how could he be sure he could do the same thing again?
Nick sighed, shoulders drooping. “I don’t know.” He scuffed his boot against the ground.
Dad slung an arm around his shoulders. “Don’t kick yourself too much over this, okay? We’ll figure it out. I’ll make you a deal. Let’s get through the summer, and we can talk again before you go back to school.”
“Fine,” Nick grumbled. “But I’m holding you to that. End of summer, we’ll talk again.” He looked down at the floor. “We could, I don’t know, still do these exercises, if you want. I like… doing stuff like this with you.”
“Me, too, kid,” Dad whispered in his hair. “And in case I haven’t said it today, I’m proud of you.”
“Thanks, Dad,” Nick whispered back.
“I love us,” Miles announced when Nick and Dad pulled away from each other. “We’re the best. Screw Simon Burke. Whatever he’s got planned, he won’t make it far, not with our daughters, Pyro Storm, Guardian, and the Dad Squad.”
