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School was done for the day, thank goodness. The usual rush of students were trying to escape the building and head out into the beautiful spring sun. Chad had already made his way outside, standing at the bottom of the building steps and looking around for Diego. His letterman jacket was slung over his shoulders, skirting over a white tee and light jeans, and he was brushing a few strands of his dark hair off his face. A perfect sight for his classmates to fawn over, something he pretended to not notice. It was fine. As soon as he spotted Diego’s car he would be off, back home for “tutoring” with his parents. But in the meantime, there was the warm sun above, classmates milling around, and a chance to just take a step back and breathe.
‘It’s not like your sister to be late.’
Chad jumped out of his skin, spinning around to see, ‘Oh, Rex, I uh…didn’t see you there.’
Rex smiled, a small curl in the corner of his mouth, and he leaned on the stone wall of the stairs, just a few steps above Chad. A perfect angle to loom over him, ‘I hope I didn’t scare you.’
‘Oh no,’ Chad laughed, slipping into his usual bravado. Puffing out his chest and standing straighter, tilting his chin up to meet Rex’s amused gaze. ‘That isn’t possible. I have nerves of steel, I couldn’t be startled by such a trifling thing.’
‘Really?’ Rex’s smirk grew, as he stepped closer to Chad. Down a step, now only a head taller than him, from this angle the sunlight caught his strawberry blonde hair in a way that made it look like he was glowing. If he noticed how Chad clung tighter to the wall in response he didn’t show it, leaning in just enough so only Chad could hear him, ‘I guess I’ll have to try harder.’
Chad tried to chuckle, praying that Rex couldn’t hear how his heart was pounding, and only seemed to get faster as Rex leaned forward. Chad opened his mouth, trying to think of something witty to come back with, but his mind was blanking to the point all he could manage was, ‘Oh?’
‘Eloquent,’ Rex said, looking smug as Chad began to blush. ‘Anyway, I am actually here for a reason.’ He glanced up, spotting something past Chad’s shoulder, and pulled a piece of paper out of his pocket. ‘And there’s your sister.’
Chad frowned and turned around, seeing a familiar car pull up. ‘Wait,’ he frowned and turned back to Rex, ‘how do you know my sister picks me up?’
Rex raised an eyebrow, finally stepping down to be level with Chad. Here Chad realised how close to his own height Rex’s was, his keen dark stare meeting Chad’s wide green eyes. ‘I have my ways,’ Rex said, reaching over to tuck his paper into the pocket of Chad’s letterman jacket. ‘I’ll see you around.’
Chad definitely didn’t watch as Rex adjusted his messenger bag and melted into the crowd of students. He also definitely didn’t need to pull himself back onto the ground, trying to push down the butterflies in his stomach that threatened to literally lift him into the air. He didn’t need to think heavy thoughts as he walked to make sure he didn’t bounce across the concrete, and he didn’t need to almost climb into Diego’s car to make sure he didn’t float off the seat before he could grab his seatbelt.
His sister looked rather amused as he shifted in the seat. ‘Everything okay?’
Chad gave her a bright beam, ‘Of course! Why wouldn’t it be?’
Diego put her car into gear, pulling the car back into traffic, ‘It’s been a while since I’ve seen you so…floaty.’
‘I don’t know what you’re talking about,’ Chad said, refusing to look at Diego as she snorted.
‘So you didn’t go all light because the pretty boy smiled at you?’
‘You’re seeing things,’ Chad said, feeling a blush burn all the way down his neck.
Diego grinned as she watched the road. ‘Sure. Okay. So I definitely shouldn’t tell you to hide that note in your pocket before Mum checks your stuff while you’re training?’
Chad blinked, realisation dawning, and he pulled the paper out and unfolded it to read. An address and a time. Oh, this was definitely dangerous. Regardless of Rex Roofer’s ruthless reputation, the threatening aura that came from his keen intelligence and ability to manipulate even the teachers. Or the way that he managed to always make Chad fluster with the smallest of smirks, or that Chad couldn’t help but imagine how soft his hair might be. This note could be from the sweetest girl in school and the ice cold dread that just shot down his back would be as intense.
The address was in walking distance, and logistically he could get to that address quite easily by the stated time. If he could get away that is. But with hero training and homework there was no chance that his parents would let him out that late on a school night. Not without knowing exactly where he was going and why, and who with.
Okay, part of the dread may be from the note coming from Rex bloody Roofer.
‘Everything okay?’
Chad swallowed. Diego didn’t need to know about this. He wasn’t even considering going, so there was no reason to tell her. ‘He invited me to go meet him tonight.’ Dammit why did he say that?
Diego raised her eyebrows, ‘Ooh, anywhere good?’
‘Doesn’t matter,’ Chad said. He was going to just scrunch up the note, throw it in the bin, and not think about it again. That’s definitely what he was going to do.
Diego glanced over to see him still staring at the paper. ‘Mum won’t check your textbooks. Not if you hide it well enough.’
He wanted to say that it didn’t matter because he wasn’t going to go anyway. But instead he moved on autopilot, pulling out one of his textbooks and tucking the note away inside.
‘What time does he want to meet you?’
‘The note says seven,’ Chad said, and immediately cringed, ‘but it doesn’t matter. Mum won’t let me go. Not that…I even want to.’
‘Uh huh,’ Diego bit her lip, watching Chad out of the corner of her eye. The lightness had finally left so he was back to his normal density, and with the way he was now slumped into his seat he looked far too small. ‘Okay so, I’m calling sibling’s secret.’ Chad looked up at her, frowning in confusion, and Diego continued. ‘Once you are upstairs in your room, Mum and Dad will be expecting you to be doing homework. How long will that take you?’
‘A few hours.’ Chad thought, ‘I’d probably be done by ten?’
‘Great,’ Diego smiled. ‘So tell them you’ll be done by eleven.’
‘I mean, sure,’ Chad frowned, ‘but that still doesn’t mean I’m allowed to leave.’
Diego smiled, ‘You only need to ask permission if they know you’re going.’ Chad’s frown vanished, realisation finally kicking in. ‘And this is where sibling’s secrets comes in. We trade secrets and we keep schtum.’ Chad nodded, hope alight on his face as he sat up to listen properly. ‘Perfect. In that case, there is one thing Morgan never got around to teaching you.’
***
It was hard for Chad to keep his mind on training. Thankfully the weird glitch in his power had vanished for the moment, the last thing he needed was unruly density control in the middle of hero training, that would definitely put his parents on alert, and then everything else would be scuppered. But even then his focus wasn’t in it, and Chad had to make an excuse of worry over a particularly lengthy English assignment. Which led in perfectly to his father’s question over dinner of how long his homework would take. With dinner eaten and excuses made, Chad was set up to not have any interruptions for the rest of the night.
Only when Chad got to his room did he consider what he was actually about to do. After he had snuck out of course, which was a whole panic inducing thought in its own right. But…he was going to go meet Rex Roofer. And he didn’t know why. He didn’t know what Rex’s plan was, how long it would be, and suddenly Chad was in front of his wardrobe working out what he should be expecting. Rex was the type who wore work suit shirts to school and somehow got away with it without being picked on. He had class and taste, was Chad expected to match that expectation tonight?
He didn’t have enough time to debate it, not without making himself late, and it wasn’t like he could ask Diego for help without raising suspicion. His normal jacket was a no go, so that stayed on his computer chair. Instead he dug out a barely worn khaki jacket to go over one of his darker tees. Trying not to regret his fashion choices for the evening, Chad slipped on his trainers and listened at the door to his room. Three sets of footsteps downstairs. Chad took a breath to steady his nerves, and turned to the speaker on his desk to turn on the typical classical music that his mother insisted would help him focus when studying.
Morgan’s old escape route, according to Diego, was through the upstairs bathroom. When she explained how to do it Chad insisted that it was too easy, until Diego asked exactly how many times she had been caught doing it. So here he was, treading silently across the hallway to the bathroom. The door needed to be left open, so he only had a few seconds to shimmy out of the window. Thankfully Diego was very correct about the window opening with no sound and soon enough Chad was sliding the window shut, pushing the catch just right so that it wouldn’t lock on him. It felt too easy, far too easy, but as Chad climbed down and vaulted over a specific part of the garden fence that Diego reckoned was in the window’s blind spot, Chad began to hope that he might actually get away with this. Now all he had to worry about was working out what Rex had planned.
The man in question was already on the corner of the street when Chad arrived. His normal crisp shirt had been replaced with a much softer deep blue turtleneck jumper, his normally slicked back hair was mussed up, like he had run his hand through his hair one too many times. He leaned against the hood of a sleek black car, one hand tapping against his leg as he looked out down the road. Eyes scanning keenly around the block. He didn’t turn around however until Chad stepped closer, dark eyes locking onto green and for a moment they both froze.
Rex was the one who recovered first, with a small smile that looked quite unlike his normal smug smirk. ‘You came.’
Chad nodded, ‘Yeah. Yes I…was curious.’
Rex’s smile grew and he slid off the car, slipping his hands into his pockets. ‘Apologies. For what it’s worth I was planning on explaining the plan properly, but then your ride was there and I know you don’t like to keep your sister waiting.’
That comment sobered up Chad enough to frown, ‘How do you know that? And how do you know my sister picks me up from school?’
Rex shrugs, ‘I notice things. Especially about people who have my interest. Now, I did mention a plan.’ He stepped closer, so he was on the sidewalk properly with his full attention turned to Chad. ‘I hope I haven’t misread this, but…I have a car. Clearly. And-’
Chad paled, ‘I need to be home by 11.’
‘What?’ Rex frowned. ‘What do you…why would we not be back by then? No I…I just meant, if you were interested, I have a car. And drinks. And some blankets.’
Chad’s frown changed into confusion, ‘Why?’
Rex wet his lips, and for a moment there was a light flush on his face. ‘For…a date. If you were interested.’
They were both silent. Rex looking at an invisible blemish on the hood of his car, Chad staring at him in turn. Watching him run his hand through his hair again, mussing it up even more, and Chad’s answer came far too easily. ‘Okay.’
Rex looked up in surprise, ‘Really?’
Chad nodded, ‘Sure. I’d love to.’
Rex never beamed. He wasn’t one for big smiles or obvious emotional displays. But when he smiled his whole face lit up, and Chad felt a little pang in his chest. ‘Okay,’ Rex said, ‘well, we’d better get going then.’ And he gestured to the car before heading around to the driver’s side.
Chad was already in the car before his brain caught up with questions, ‘Where are we going?’
Rex’s bright smile edged into his normal cocky look as he started the car, ‘It’s a surprise.’
***
The drive was easier than Chad had imagined. Despite his nerves at not knowing anything that Rex was planning, as soon as he turned on the radio a lot of the tension bled away. Rex was smiling, confident, tapping on the steering wheel in time to the music, and Chad couldn’t help but settle out of anxiety of the unknown and into the more comfortable butterflies. A date. An actual first date. Part of him knew that he shouldn’t be excited about a date with Rex of all people, but that little voice was shut up very quickly when he heard Rex start to hum along to the radio. He was already past the point of no return, and he couldn’t be happier about that.
They quickly moved out of town onto quiet roads, and Chad quickly realised they were heading out to the lookout, a cliff face that looked out over the town. He remembered what Rex had said about blankets and grinned, ‘This is the way to the lookout.’
‘Perhaps,’ Rex said.
Chad smiled and looked at Rex. At his date. Damn that made his heart flutter. ‘Your date plan is to watch the city lights? The stars?’
Rex smiled, ‘Not quite.’
When they pulled up on the top of the lookout Rex hopped out first, going to the trunk of the car. Chad followed, watching with a smirk as Rex began to grab a basket and armfuls of soft thick blankets. ‘Need some help? Chad asked.
‘Absolutely not,’ Rex mumbled, trying to stack them up just right so he could carry them all in two arms.
Chad smirked and reached down, pulling the blankets closer before scooping them up in one motion, ‘I’m more than happy to help.’
Rex watched him for a moment, before sighing and grabbing the basket, closing the trunk as they stepped away from the car. ‘I suppose it would be easier.’
They didn’t move too far, Rex picking a spot and grabbing the roughest blanket to lay out on the ground. The others went in one corner to be grabbed when the temperature dropped, and once Chad had sat down Rex joined him, opening the basket to pull out supplies. ‘Help yourself. I wasn’t sure what you were in the mood for.’
Chad pulled out a can with a thanks, examining the rest of the contents, ‘You didn’t mention the snacks.’
Rex looked at Chad with a quirked eyebrow, ‘Why would I not bring snacks?’
‘I don’t know, I still don’t know what we’re here to see. Or do.’
Rex smiled and looked out, gazing over the town. The sun was setting in the distance, casting the sky into oranges and rich purples, and then a darker blue above their heads. Below them pinpricks of light were beginning to shine from windows, streetlights, and from the cars still zooming around the town. ‘We could do anything,’ Rex said. ‘The world is at our feet. Whatever we want to do is possible.’
Chad watched Rex for a moment, pondering his words, then looked out to the sunset. ‘That’s a nice thought.’
‘It’s the truth,’ Rex said. ‘Anyone that tells you differently is lying to you.’
Chad huffed at that, taking a sip of his soda. ‘Alright. The world is at our feet, what do you want to do with it right now?’
Rex turned to him then, with his cocky smile back. ‘Enjoy a beautiful evening with a beautiful man.’
Chad nearly choked on his drink, startling Rex as he began to cough. Rex grabbed for a pack of tissues in the basket, holding one out for Chad to mop himself up with once he had recovered. Which Chad did with a furious blush, ‘You can’t just go around saying things like that!’
‘I think you’ll find I can,’ Rex chuckled. ‘However I will make sure you’re not mid sip next time I compliment you, is that fair enough?’ Chad grumbled, trying to scrub his face clean before the stickiness could start to set in, which only made Rex laugh more, ‘I thought Mr star of the hockey team would be used to compliments?’
Chad scowled, ‘Not from you!’
‘Well clearly I have to change that,’ Rex said, smirking again as Chad blushed again. ‘Wow it is very easy to fluster you.’
‘No it’s not.’
‘Yes it is.’
‘It really isn’t.’
‘Clearly it is,’ Rex said, finally grabbing his own drink. ‘Seeing as you have been some sort of red since we met up. It’s a good thing I find it charming.’
Chad continued to blush and fluster, with Rex teasing him for good measure, until the sun finally set and the night sky began to fill with stars. The cold set in, making the boys begin to pile on the blankets, each layer added was made to be an excuse to sit a little closer. Until they were in a veritable nest, legs pressed together and arms looped. At one point one of them traced his fingers over the other’s hands, only for their fingers to lace together.
The conversation moved to topics that weren’t designed to make Chad blush every five seconds. Like the current rankings for school hockey. Rex’s debate team strategy for their next competition. The latest English reading requirement, which neither of them liked. Rex found the book too simplistic, and Chad (surprisingly) had an all encompassing hatred for the author as a whole. Rating terrible pick up lines.
Rex was halfway through admonishing Chad for a movie he had never watched, (‘It’s a classic! Who has been neglecting your cultural education?’) when his watch suddenly beeped. He turned off the alarm, suddenly grinning as he shuffled closer, ‘Show time.’ He took Chad’s hand again, pointing up to the sky, and Chad looked up.
At some point during their many conversations the stars had come out in full force, sparkling in the deep blue sky as galaxies began to spin above their heads. Chad watched in wonder, tracing the constellations with practised ease, when a streak of white appeared across the sky. And another. And another.
Chad gasped, leaning into Rex’s form as the stars began to rain across the sky, leaving streaks of white fire. Rex chuckled, watching the stars for a moment, before turning to check on Chad. He could see the meteor shower reflected in his eyes that were wide with wonder, mouth ajar and slowly curling into a grin. ‘Incredible,’ Chad whispered.
Rex squeezed Chad’s hand, smiling at the man next to him, ‘I know.’
Without looking away Chad shifted closer, slipping his arm around Rex’s waist, and Rex had to fight every urge not to flinch in surprise. Which turned into shock when Chad tilted his head to rest against Rex’s shoulder, still watching the lights above their heads. Rex brought his free arm up to wrap around Chad’s shoulders, hugging him closer, all too conscious of how Chad relaxed to his touch.
‘Did you know I like space?’ Chad asked quietly, like he didn’t want to break the moment between them.
Rex wanted to say yes, but he squeezed his eyes shut and shook his head, ‘No. No I didn’t. I just…heard about the meteor shower and…well, beautiful show with a beautiful person. Sounds like a perfect night to me.’
‘It is,’ Chad said. He finally looked away to meet Rex’s gaze. His eyes so alive Rex’s heart felt ready to burst, the most natural smile Rex had ever seen on his face. He had already known that Chad was handsome, but at that moment it felt like he was seeing Chad for the first time. ‘Absolutely perfect,’ Chad whispered. ‘Thank you.’
Rex swallowed. Finally letting go of the hand laced with his to brush a thumb over Chad’s cheek. Any words that Rex had been planning to say had frozen in his throat, but Chad’s eyes softened with realisation anyway. He sat up then, shifting closer so that their noses were barely touching, with a tender smile that stole the last of Rex’s breath.
The kiss was soft. Gentle. Hesitant, but only for a second. Fireworks lit up in both of the boys, making them press in for another. Chad’s hand came up to wrap around Rex’s neck, with Rex caressing his cheek in turn. Another kiss, this one a featherlight graze before they pressed in for more. The blankets shifted around them as they moved, Rex began to crane his neck up as Chad knelt higher. A blanket dropped from Rex’s shoulder and he shivered, pulling back to grab the sheet, ‘One second.’
‘Oh no,’ Chad whispered, making Rex snap up in concern. Chad was looking at him with wide eyes as Rex blinked, taking in Chad’s form. He was sitting higher than Rex now. But he wasn’t kneeling.
‘Are you floating?’
‘No?’ And as a response Chad thumped back onto the ground, disturbing the blankets again. ‘Don’t worry about it.’
Rex’s stare raked over Chad’s body, before looking up at him in confusion, ‘Do you have superpowers?’ Chad swallowed, suddenly nervous, and Rex stared in shock. ‘You have superpowers.’
‘It’s not that big a deal,’ Chad shrugged.
‘Not a big deal? Chad you were levitating!’
Chad winced at that, ‘No, no I wasn’t.’
‘Yes you were I just saw you.’
‘No, levitation is different.’
Now it was Rex’s turn for his eyes to go wide with surprise, ‘You know other superpowers. Does that mean you know other superheroes? How did you get them?’
Chad winced, ‘That’s actually not a very interesting story. They just…developed one day.’
‘What, just like that? One minute you’re a small child and the next you can float?’
‘Actually the floating came later.’
‘You can do other things?!’
Chad sighed, ‘Yes? But, I’m really not supposed to tell anyone about this. No one’s supposed to know, please, you can’t tell anyone.’
Rex paused, taking in the growing panic bunching in Chad’s shoulders. The worry in his eyes that was verging on fear. Which simply wouldn’t do as far as Rex was concerned. ‘Alright,’ Rex said, ‘I wouldn’t tell anyone anyway, but I definitely won’t. But, I am fascinated by this. What else can you do? Why did you just start floating randomly then? I’ve never seen you do it before.’
‘Oh you didn’t notice earlier?’ Chad asked, then immediately slapped his hand over his mouth. But the damage was already done.
‘Earlier when?’ Rex asked. Chad shook his head, but Rex took his hand to pull it away from his face, ‘Earlier when? What did I miss?’
Chad was bright red, refusing to meet Rex in the eyes, but he whispered, ‘When you gave me the note?’
When the pieces fell together in Rex’s head he had to hold back the laughter. He didn’t want to laugh, Chad was just too precious right now for him to cope. He leaned in closer, taking Chad’s face in both hands, and gently tilting his chin so that he had to meet Rex’s eyes, ‘That is incredible. I’m flattered that I can cause that kind of reaction.’ Chad’s eyes were wide and shining, and Rex huffed in amusement, ‘I won’t tell anyone. I promise.’ Chad started to relax then, and Rex leaned in closer, grabbing one of the discarded blankets as he went, ‘Now, I get that all my questions may have ruined the mood, but I was very much enjoying kissing you.’
Chad chuckled at that, pulling closer to Rex, ‘Me too. But uh…you might want to hold onto me this time? Just until I get more used to it.’
When Rex leaned in to kiss Chad this time he felt the shift as Chad began to float up again, and he quickly grabbed Chad’s shoulders and pulled him down with a laugh, ‘Oh no, you’re not allowed to, this is the best compliment I’ve ever had.’
Chad flushed again, trying to shush the laughing Rex. Which didn’t work until Chad leaned in to claim his lips again.