There’s plenty that’s mysterious and bizarre about Tim’s powers, plenty of weird nuances that he has no way to explain yet. As many questions as they raise, none are nearly as aggravating as to why they include a weakness to electricity.

  What about turning into dinosaurs would make you weak to electricity? Why does it feel like he’s literally absorbing it? How does it work? Will a static shock send him on his ass? What about the pulses of electricity his brain is sending to the rest of his body for it to even function?

  These questions keep him from getting any sleep at all after he sneaks into bed, not at all helped by the fact that lying by Jane has him questioning his conclusion from last night.

  “Stupid lightning, stupid hormones, stupid nonsensical, random kryptonite.” He grumbles, the agitated murmurs escalating to a groan as his alarm goes off.

  He goes to switch it off before Jane’s arm shoots past him, slamming on the snooze button.

  “Don’t break my clock.” Tim pokes at her forehead until his hand is pushed away.

  “Five more minutes.” Jane grumbles.

  “Not if you want to shower. Tweakers’ll start prowling any minute now.”

  “Why do they have to take them in the mornings? It's not like they do anything all day.” Jane complains, pushing her face into Tim’s chest, his heart skipping a beat.

  “Stop complaining and get up.” He pushes her off of him and gets up himself.

  Without any distractions, his shower thoughts are free to focus on the problem of Doctor Tesla. Tim’s hunch is that the nodes on Tesla’s head probably fried his brain, but he doesn't know what exactly they are or do. That’ll be up to Lance, along with finding out who Tesla really is.

  Knowing his real name won’t do anything very tactical, Tesla’s potential list of targets is obvious, but maybe it’ll help Tim get through to him? Tesla’s obviously been through a lot based off that whole “slow and agonizing” part of his monologue, maybe if Tim can learn his story, he can convince him to stop before he kills anyone.

  He gets out of the shower long before Jane does, cleaning her hair alone is a far longer process than his entire morning routine. He decides to head back to his, or rather, their room to wait for her before he starts cooking their breakfast.

  Its an active struggle to not call and check in with Lance to see if he has anything yet, Tim knows he’ll call when he does, so instead he decides to keep himself busy by checking over Jane’s biology homework.

  Her teacher this year is notoriously bad so he’s not shocked that she needed someone to actually teach her, if he was anywhere decent she would’ve picked it up in a second like she did with Tim. He wishes he picked up things like she can, despite his raw hyper fixation in the things he enjoys coupled with some sort of raw talent, he struggles with things that don't hold his attention well. Like math, as important as it can be for modern phylogenetic modelling, those programs are already written into a computer, ready for data entry, so he couldn’t care less to be honest.

  “Math is stupid dumb.”

  “It's not that bad.” Jane says as she comes in, mountains of hair somehow all curled up to fit into a single towel. “Come on, Delele’s making breakfast.”

  “Hm.” He needs to be better about leaving his senses open, he didn’t even realize Delilah was home.

  The pair head out to the kitchen, Tim again noting how he should keep his senses open, as there’s quite a few less squatters in the living room than normal. Tim narrows his eyes as their things are gone too, then looks to the food Delilah places on the table for them.

  Pancakes, eggs, bacon, and hash browns with shredded cheese. The pancakes are topped with fruit too, fresh fruit. Everything smells of much higher quality ingredients than what’s ever been in their house as well.

  “Good morning! Dig in!” Delilah grins at them as she cooks up even more food. “Heard you’ve been eating a lot lately bubuh, so I'm making extra.” She winks.

  Tim pushes the tip of his tongue int his cheek then slides it over his teeth as heat builds in his chest. He opens his mouth to say something, to start a fight, but stops as he feels Jane’s still damp hand wrap around his.

  “Come on.” She pulls him along and ut of his building rage, sitting the both down and digging into the food. “Thanks Delele, it’s really good.”

  “Only the best for my sister.” She winks at one of them, but they both turn away and blush.

  “Don’t start.” Tim sighs.

  “Eh, don’t pretend like I tease your ungrateful ass nearly enough Timmy.” Delilah giggles.

  Clearly she wants a fight too, why else would she say something that would so obviously reignite Tim’s very briefly quelled rage. He’s eager to take the bait, but again, Jane throws it off. She gives off the tiniest, saddest sigh Tim’s ever heard in his life, one that would be inaudible if it wasn't for his powers.

  Of course she doesn’t want to hear a fight right now, not after last night, and Tim gets a twang of nausea from not considering that before he almost leapt into an argument that’d inevitably lead to the status quo being maintained. So, he drops it, and narrows his eyes as his sister shows a faint hint of disappointment.

  As they near the end of the meal, he can’t tell if she’s trying to poke his nerves, or trying to be genuinely kind.

  “After school, let's go shopping! You can invite Alex and Rowan too!” Delilah claps.

  “Shopping?” Tim asks, his mouth full with pancakes and syrup.

  “Yep, I’m sure you’re both stressed out after last night, so why not blow off some steam?”

  Shopping to relieve stress? The last time they did that was when Delilah would steal cars and sell them to a chop shop in Santee. Tim doesn’t want anything to do with it, whatever money they spend will obviously be from her work with the cartels. On the other hand, Jane’s clearly ecstatic about it, and she deserves to have some fun. .

  “Where?” Tim asks, his tone begrudging, something he sees Jane pick up on.

  “The mall, duh. We’re going to splurge little brother.” She ruffles his hair and kisses his cheek.

  “Sure.” Tim answers, Jane frowning and fidgeting afterwards.

  Looks like she’s in her own head about this, so, Tim scoops some whipped cream up onto his fork, pulls it, and lets it flick out at her, spraying her face.

  “Dickhead!” She laughs and grabs her spoon, launching her own volley.

  “Oh hell no, not when it's almost time for you to go, I am not cleaning up a food fight!” Delilah steps away and back to the stove.

  They don’t listen.

  “Ugh, I'm going to get so much shit today.” Jane says as they approach school, wiping whipped cream from her hair and flicking it to the ground.

  “Why?” Tim raises an eyebrow.

  “Are you dense? White stuff in my hair?”

  Tim snorts and Jane punches him.

  “Dick.”

  “You shouldn’t have tried to spray me with syrup.” He shrugs.

  “By the way,” Jane says, “you got plans for next weekend?” She asks, knowing the answer.

  Tim rolls his eyes, “What’s on the agenda?”

  “That new science fair, looks like Arch will be there. Since it's free I can go to make sure you get some one on one time and spout all your nerd shit to someone important.”

  Tim feels his heart flutter just a little, even with all she’s been through, all that she’s struggling with right now, she’s still trying to make sure he lands his dream job. He doubts he’s going to work for Arch now that they have a super powered dinosaur hunting him, but getting into contact with a big wig could still come in handy.

  “They already have a schedule they released, so I came up with a good route so we can see all the dinosaur and animal stuff there, and still end up at the perfect spots for you to get a conversation going.”

  “Aw, you didn’t have to do all of that.” Tim smiles, and Jane blushes, which makes him blush and look away. “Ahem, anyways, I was already going to go with another friend, and don't want to drag you around.”

  “I like animal stuff eno- another friend?”

  “Yeah, his name is Lance, met him on the field trip.”

  “Lance? Ok, good.” She lets out a breath.

  “Huh?”

  “Nothing, anyways, don’t worry about me. Animals are cool enough and I planned for being bored. I already invited Ro and Alex.”

  Tim swoons, Jane can be just as impulsive as he is, but damn can she also make an actual plan.

  “Nice, now I’m even more excited.”

  School isn’t nearly as much of a struggle as it was yesterday. Tim feels no small amount of pride at how fast he’s advanced the control of his senses, and plays with opening them up more and more often as he goes to his classes.

  He doesn’t know why he’s surprised, but no small amount of the chatter ends up being about him and his many exploits over the last few days. He really shouldn’t be, he personally helped a good handful of kids on his patrols, and they’d obviously go to his densely populated school. Besides the natural consequences of his patrols, there’s a lot of gossip surrounding his fight at the church, and not a whole lot about Tesla. Again, Tim shouldn’t be surprised, plenty of these kids probably have family that go to that church if they don't themselves.

  A rumor that seems to be spreading that nearly sends him laughing in the middle of class is that Prehistoric Kid is, in actuality, an ancient dragon that awoke when the explosion at Arch happened. How else could you possibly explain all the melted blacktop at the ruined church?

  “Youuuuu should definitely convince Jane to join anime club.” Cristine pulls him out oof his ego polishing session.

  “Just drop it.” Tim sighs. “She’s never—”

  “I know but I only bite my friends!” Cristine shouts, earning looks from most of the class.

  “If you ever try biting me I’ll throw you into the sun.” Tim threatens.

  “Pfft, that’d be too hetero.”

  Tim shuts his eyes and takes a deep breath, “What?”

  “Guys like that kind of stuff! I wouldn’t want you thinking I was into you! Or Jane! I’d never hit on her boyfriend.”

  “We’re just...” Tim hesitates, and Cristine’s eyes go wide.

  “Oh my god! You finally realize—”

  Tim puts a hand over her mouth, “Cristine. Stop. Yelling.”

  He hears her tongue about to poke out to lick his palm and quickly moves it away before it makes contact.

  “But I can’t help it! I’m so happy for you!”

  “There’s nothing to be happy about! We’re just friends, status quo maintained.” Tim grumbles.

  “Uh huh, suuuuure.” She smacks his arm.

  “Don’t touch me.”

  She responds by shoving her hand in his face, which he quickly smacks away.

  “Ow!” She shakes her hand. “And people call me delusional.”

  “You are.”

  “Must be why we get along so well.” Cristine grins.

  “I’m going to cave my own skull in.”

  “Ooo suicide pact.” She holds out a pinky.

  “Cristine...”

  She wiggles her pinky.

  Tim stares at her while raising his hand.

  “I need to use the bathroom.”

  “What the heck!”

  Tim considers banging his head against a wall just to hammer whatever that ‘conversation’ was from his brain as he heads to his Cristine break. She’s never going to drop what she thought she saw, adding another thing to deal with to his plate.

  He tunes his hearing to his classroom and the teacher’s lecture as he approaches a water fountain. He brings his face down to sip from the stream and as soon as his tongue touches the water he reflexively shuts his senses as he gags.

  The tap water from the school fountains have never tasted good but now it's revolting. It's like there’s more metals in it than what’s on the periodic table, how is this even allowed?

  “Getting spoiled by the crisp taste of bottled water lately Tim?” Darik says, sauntering up to him.

  So much for mastering his senses, he’ll have to work on that reflex.

  His eyes meet Darik’s, and he opens his mouth to make a joke about the black eye he left Dariik with, but Tim stops himself. Darik, might, deserve a chance.

  Darik narrows his eyes at him, “Got something to say?”

  Tim shrugs, “Probably, but neither of us can get into another fight.”

  “No one’s watching.” Darik challenges.

  “I don’t really see the point.”

  “Yeah? Think I'm pointless?”

  “It's like I'm talking at you instead of to you.” Tim flexes a hand.

  Darik obviously is in the mood to instigate something, and Tim could, maybe should, just walk away. But instead—

  “Why?” Tim asks.

  “Why what?”

  “Why do you do what you do? Bully people, use drugs, sell them to other kids? ”

  Darik snorts, “Funny, given where I get them.”

  Tim inhales and exhales, “We come from the same place, is all I’m saying. So why—”

  “You don’t know shit.” Darik cut him off, his cheeks flushing.

  “I know plenty.”

  “Fuck you.” Darik walks towards him.

  Tim snorts, and dodges a left hook. He smirks as he dodges one attack after the other, Darik getting more and more angry. Tim ducks under one more punch, rises up, and flicks Darik in the forehead.

  “I’m going to fucking kill you.” Darik growls through clenched teeth.

  “Love the new tone you’re trying out DareBear.” Tim mocks, abandoning any notion of de-escalation at this point.

  Darik throws a hail mary at Tim’s chest, but he grabs Darik’s arm and twists it behind his back. He shoves him forward, then kicks him into a patch of grass.

  He pulls out a chunk of plants and dirt and throw it at Tim’s face before he gets up and charges. Nothing for the next few minutes hits Tim, he either dodges or deflects, until Dari is sweating and panting.

  “What... the fuck?” Darik says, trying to catch his breath.

  Oops, Tim might’ve just showed off a little too much.

  “I’ve been going to a martial arts instructor.” He shrugs..

  Darik seems to buy it, thank god Tim’s an ok liar, and then walks past him, shrugging.

  The dismissal of it makes Tim’s eye twitch and he nearly wheels around to escalate, to shove Darik into the water fountain and get a real fight kick started, but an echo that’s been in the back of his mind stops him.

  “Good job.” His mother had said when he indulged in violence for violence's sake.

  Tim glares at the back of Dai’s head as he slurps from the fountain, and heads back to class.

  ***

  “Jesus fuck! Can’t you ever just get a real job.” A sixteen year old Delilah screamed at Beth as a young Timmy watched on. “And you were using drugs with him after what he did?”

  “Watch your mouth Delilah.” Beth shouts back, “Your little brother is right there.”

  “Good!” Delilah takes a few steps forward, “I want him to hear everything, you know she uses drugs right bubuh?”

  “No she doesn’t!” Timmy yells back at her. “I asked! She wouldn’t lie to me!”

  “I’m not listening to this.” Ben, the middle child, shook his head. He was sat at a rotted kitchen table, watching the woman go through their daily motions. He shoves a short stack of books into his backpack haphazardly and fast walked to the front door, slamming it behind him.

  “Yes she fucking does!” Delilah shouted back, making Timmy flinch. He didn’t mean to make Delilah so mad, he just wanted to defend his mother. .

  “Stop trying to turn him against me.” Beth spatted at her daughter.

  “Why not, maybe it’ll save him if he figures out what you are sooner.” Delilah got closer to Beth, squared up to her.

  “What am I then?” Beth challenged.

  The next thing Tim knew, his mother and sister were in fist fight, scratching, pulling each other's hair. Delilah kneed Beth in her stomach, and Beth responded by grabbing Delilah’s hair and forcing her head down into her knee. Delilah’s fingernails ran red with blood after they scratched at her mother's arm, and Beth’s knuckles turned red from a brutal punch to her daughter’s side.

  The narrative has been illicitly obtained; should you discover it on Amazon, report the violation.

  Tim couldn’t let this continue, they were hurting each other, hurting each other bad. Delilah might be a liar but he loved her, and he didn’t want his mom to get hurt, not ever. They had fought before, but it had never been this bad, but it was ok, Timmy was bigger now. Big enough to be like the heroes in the comic books his brother had been giving him. He’d stop this, get them to love each other again.

  Timmy dove into the middle of both of them, fists and legs striking against his head, side, little legs. He tried to push them apart, but they wouldn't stop, they kept going and going, no matter how hard Tim tried or cried.

  “What the fuck!” Ben snatched Tim from the middle and pulled him away. He must’ve heard the crying from the porch and came back in without anyone noticing.

  “No!” Tim kicked his feet. “I can stop them bubuh!”

  “Shit.” Ben cursed and tossed Timmy onto the couch. He dashed towards Delilah, locked his arms under hers and pulled her back. She let loose one final kick, her foot landing square in Beth’s stomach.

  “D, fucking stop.” Ben pleaded as she tried to rip herself from his arms. “Look at Timmy, did you even fucking notice?” Ben forced her face towards the couch.

  Timmy had red marks all over, bruises starting to form, and some scratch marks on his arms. His face was completely saturated in snot and tears, along with a faint trickle of blood coming from his eyebrow.

  “Oh… baby...” Beth said as Delilah realized what had happened.

  Before the older siblings could act, Beth strode forward to Timmy and knelt to him, dabbing at his brow with a paper towel.

  “Look at what you did.” Beth says to Delilah without turning to her. “If you didn’t start that fight this wouldn’t have happened.”

  Later that night, a sore Timmy made his way from the couch he and his brother’s shared to his sister’s room. She sat in a fetal position, holding a large plush of a T.rex Timmy had won at a carnival, and had given to her.

  “Are you ok Delilah.” Timmy hopped onto her bed.

  She shook her head, and bursted into tears. “I’m so sorry Timmy!” She tossed the toy aside and wrapped herself around him, rocking him back and forth, kissing his cheek.

  “I was just so mad, I’m so sorry.”

  “It's ok.” Timmy hugged her tight and clutched her sleeve in his small hands.

  “Someday I'm going to take you away from here ok? I’m going to take you, and bubuh, and we’re all going to go far, far away together. We’ll never have to be hungry again, never have to hit again, never see drugs ever again, ok? I promise.”

  How the mighty have fallen, Tim thinks as he pulls himself out of the memory as they pull up to the mall, waving to Alex and Rowan waiting for them outside.

  Seeing them helps his sour mood, not to mention the growing, shining smile of Jane. Not that that doesn’t muddle his thoughts but at least it's a dopamine hit that helps take the edge off the seething guilt he feels for this trip.

  Rowan sprints for the car and swings Tim’s door open, leaping and hugging him. Alex on the other hand calmly makes his way to Delilah's door and opens it for her, and then Jane’s.

  “Thanks Alex, you’re so sweet.” Delilah rubs his head.

  “Hurry up, it's hot!” Rowan complains as pulls Tim out of the car.

  “Are you dense? Why didn’t you just wait inside?” Tim laughs.

  “Sssshhh.”

  “Thank you for treating us.” Alex gives Delilah a polite nod as they walk to the entrance.

  “Yeah, thanks,” Rowan holds up his hand to signal them all

  “Deleeeleeeleeewhooop.” All four of them shout in unison and laugh.

  They head to the food court first, Delilah letting them each pick whatever they want from the surrounding restaurants.

  “You’re going to make yourself sick.” Alex frowns as he sits, looking at Rowan's large bowl of frozen yogurt he’s plunging into.

  “Pfft You worry too... ow ow ow.” Rowan holds his head as brain freeze settles in.

  “Huh, didn’t think there’d be anything to freeze.” Jane raises an eyebrow.

  “Shut up.” He rubs his temples, still eating the yogurt.

  “S-stop.” Tim rolls his eyes and snatches the spoon from him.

  “Hey!” Rowan, still holding his head, tries to reach over the table to grab his spoon back, Tim fending him off by placing a hand on his forehead.

  “Wait till your peanut brain thaws first, dingus.”

  Rowan grabs Tim’s fork from his Chinese food and starts digging into the yogurt with it instead.

  “I’m going to murder you.” Tim narrows his eyes.

  “He’ll choke on his food first.” Jane shrugs.

  Rowan flips her off as he winces, groaning as the brain freeze gets too bad for him to bear.

  Alex sighs and gets up.

  “Where are you going?” Jane asks.

  “To grab new utensils.”

  Tim decides to get up and follow over to the Chinese place Tim had gotten his food from, grabbing a pack of utensils and handing one to Tim.

  “Thanks.” Tim tosses it up and catches it.

  Alex nods, “How are you and Jane adjusting?”

  Tim shrugs, “It's only been a day Alex, and it's not like we haven’t lived together before.”

  “I know, still...” He trails off. “I miss when we all lived together.”

  “Why? Just cause you got to hang out with me and Jane more?”

  “That and my sisters.”

  “Hear from them lately?”

  Alex shakes his head, “No, but they were so little, I’m not even sure Abby would remember me.”

  “You say that like you weren’t little.”

  “Eight isn’t little enough to not remember them.”

  “Fair.” Tim nods as they sit back down at their table.

  Before Alex was the youngest at Rowan’s siblings, he was the oldest of four. His youngest sister was around two when they had all been distributed through the foster system after...

  Tim feels something off and looks up to the glass ceiling of the mall. A small group of crows hop across it, one seeming to look down right at Alex.

  Tap tap tap.

  After they finish up eating, Delilah stands at the head of their table.

  “Alright Jane, clothes shopping first.” She grins at her, causing Tim and Rowan to groan.

  Jane rolls her eyes. “Whatever, go do something else while me and Delilah shop then, she can just text Ro.”

  “I was going to tell them too anyways.” Delilah makes a shooing motion towards them. “We’re going to get some actual lady stuff.”

  “You can model them for Tim when you guys get home.” Rowan smirks at Jane who stares daggers back at him.

  Tim hears his own blood rushing to his cheeks and manages to turn away from Rowan, only to catch a glance from Alex. He smiles, but doesn’t comment on the blush.

  Damn it, he is not catching feelings for Jane, attractive is just attractive Sure most people assure they’re already a couple, but that’s just because of how affectionate they are with each other. What they don’t realize is that’s just how Tim is with all of his close friends, Rowan and Alex especially. Sure they’re not always on his mind like she is, pick up on all their small habits, he doesn’t swoon every time they accomplish anything, cuddle...

  But its not like he didn’t beam with pride for them, and sure they didn’t exactly cuddle but they wrestle and hug a lot. Share beds, pillows, blankets etcetera and didn’t mind being so close. Rowan’s older brother had even decided to start saying they were gay for a few years before he moved out. Tim and Jane thought it’d be funny to play into it a little, think of some funny fake flirtations to throw back and forth, but Rowan was pretty adamant to not commit to the bit, and they respected his wishes After all, his brother always made Ro uneasy, plus his Christian upbringing, and Christian school, made him nervous about any rumors getting out about him.

  So, obviously, given that Jane is his best friend, it makes sense that he’s even more intimate with her than he is them. Obviously, he’d pay more attention to her than them, why wouldn’t he? Obviously, he is not falling for her.

  Obviously.

  He reaches the conclusion at the same time they reach the Gamestop, each heading to the aging Wii display, a copy of Super Smash Bros Brawl already started up and ready to play.

  They set the timer for five minutes and pick their characters, Alex suggesting they go all out immediately and selecting Final Destination. Tim’s enhanced perception does little to save him from the bloodbath, Alex slaughtering Rowan and him even after they decide to tea up against him.

  “Boo ban Metaknight!” Rowan shouts as he sees the enormous score gap between himself and his little brother.

  Alex shrugs, “Practice more, Pikachu and Ice Climbers can handle Meta Knight really well.”

  “Whatever,” Rowan grumbles. “I’m going to the bathroom.”

  “More like leaving me to my doom.” Tim shouts after him.

  “GAME!” Rowan yells back as he runs off.

  Tim turns, ready to ask Alex if he’ll spare him and just fun Co-Op though Subspace Emissary, only to find him smiling up at him.

  “Don’t—”

  “I didn’t say anything Tim.”

  “Ok but—”

  “So, how are you and Jane adjusting again?”

  “We’re not!”

  “Not adjusting? That’s concerning.”

  “Shut up. You know what I mean.” Tim turns back to the screen.

  “If you need to talk about it, now’s the time.”

  “I already have everything figured out Alex.”

  “It can help to get your thoughts out there.”

  “They better fast track you on a psychology course with how much you sound like a therapist.” Tim turns to him.

  “I’ll take it as a compliment.” Alex sets his Wiimote back into its holder.

  “Can’t believe you put it in without a Wii co—”

  “Deflecting.”

  “I'm not falling for Jane, ok? It's just hormones scrambling my brain.”

  “Why do you think you’re falling for her.”

  “I’m not.”

  “You know what I mean.” Alex chuckles.

  “Ok but you were implying—”

  “Back on topic.” Alex, unfortunately, repairs the railing of the train track Tim is trying to destroy.

  “She’s just... been on my mind more lately.”

  “How long is lately?” Alex asks.

  “I don’t know, awhile I guess.”

  “You’ve been getting more and more flustered by her for probably close to two years.”

  Tim blinks at Alex, he realized he’s been thinking Jane is cute more and more, but has it really been going on for that long without him noticing? He needs to be more introspective apparently.

  “Uh...”

  “Especially that lingerie comment.” Alex teases.

  “Man, you’re a shit therapist.”

  “I’m not your therapist, I’m your friend.” He nudges his shoulder.

  “Going to tell me what I should think then?”

  “Sounds like you’re doubting whatever conclusions you've been coming to.” Alex chuckles. “Do you want me to tell you what I think?”

  “N-no?”

  “I think you wouldn’t be dwelling on it like this if—”

  “I said no!”

  “Getting fresh perspectives can—”

  “The girls are finally done!” Rowan calls as he ruins up. “They just texted me.”

  “Let's go meet them.” Tim shoots Alex a glare and he meets him with a smug smile.

  They meet back up near the food curt, Jane and Delilah both holding two large bags. Rowan runs up to them and tries to take Jane’s bag, peering in, only for Jane to clock him in the head with her other bag.

  “Don’t be fucking weird.” Jane grimaced at him.

  “So it is sexy stuff! I knew it!”

  “It's just bras and underwear moron.”

  “Then why did I see—”

  She lifts a leg up and Spartan kicks him square in the stomach, sending Rowan to the ground, winded.

  “Spent your share of the spree by the way.” She sticks her tongue out at Ro as Alex sighs and helps his brother up.

  They head back to the Gamestop, and after much convincing from his friends, Tim decides to indulge and get himself a new, red DS. He begrudgingly says thank you to his sister, and they continue with their trip.

  The sun starts to set as the group exits their local Comics and Collectables, and Alex gets a text from Robyn for him and Ro to go and wait in front of the food court to be picked up.

  “See you guys this weekend!” Rowan says as he hugs Tim and Jane.

  “Next weekend.” Alex corrects as he deals out his hugs.

  “Do you ever pay attention?” Jane teases.

  “As much attention as Tim pays to you.”

  “Hey, you ever get that stump out?” Jane asks, Rowan responding with a simple middle finger.

  They go their separate ways and head home, Jane giving Delilah a hug and a whispered thank you before she heads to the room with Tim. He starts to pull clothes out of his drawers and rearrange them to make room for Jane’s while she tries out some new perfume she bought

  She lays out the clothes Delilah recovered from Dan’s apartment and the pair start folding them together, setting them in their new homes.

  “Ok so...” Jane blushes, “I did kind of get some lingerie.”

  Tim looks to the shopping bags, “They have a Victoria’s Secret logo Jane, I kind of figured.”

  “Yeah... Well, it's really comfy and...”

  What is this? Why is she stammering like that? What’s going on? Why does she smell different while this is going on? It's the perfume right? Not something like pheromones? Right? Besides, it's not even confirmed if humans actually produce them or not. Again Tim cheeks flush and he feels himself getting more and more flustered as his mind starts to race.

  “And... so you can’t look in my drawers! Ok?”

  That’s what this is about?

  “I wasn’t planning on it.” He runs a hand down his face.

  Jane rolls her eyes and shoves him out of her way, dragging her bags with her “Move.”

  “What? Why are you mad?”

  “I’m not.”

  But she sounds mad, in tone and heartbeat. What does she want from him right now?

  “You’re so weird sometimes.”

  “You’re so weird sometimes.” She mocks him.

  “I’ll...”

  “You'll what?” She turns to him and raises an eyebrow.

  “I don’t know, suplex you?”

  “What?”

  “I don’t know!”

  “Ok, now you’re being weird.” She turns back to her drawer and puts more clothes away.

  “Dude... shut up.” Tim huffs.

  “Make me.”

  Tim almost comments on the potential implications of that but drops it for his own sake and lays down, pulling out his vocab homework and scribbling away. Jane eventually lies next to him, putting her head on his shoulder and watching him write.

  “Maybe I can try being a writer?” She ponders at him.

  “Writer? You’ve never been interested in that before.”

  “I know, but I just want to find something. There’s... a lot I can’t have until I do.”

  Tim gets it, at least in part. There's an enormous sense of satisfaction that comes with doing what you love, what you're passionate about.

  “I could see you being an MMA fighter, you’re a badass.” Tim chuckles.

  “That’d be cool.” She agrees. “But...”

  “But what?”

  “Nothing.”

  “Ok? Well maybe you’ll find something at the fair? You never know when you’ll find what you want to do in life.”

  Jane cheeks flush and she snorts, giggling.

  “What?” Tim raises an eyebrow at her.

  “Nothing, don’t worry about it.”

  “I hate when you do that.” Tim rolls his eyes.

  “Eh, get over it.” She giggles.

  He wants to press, but there’s not much point. She’s as stubborn as he is, and as annoying as it can be, it's something he adores about her as well. Another realized emotion to add to the growing pile of things to throw him off.

  “Anyways...” Tim motions for her to continue.

  “Anyways, yeah, maybe. I doubt it though. I’m not that smart.”

  “You don’t give yourself enough credit.”

  “Bleh.”

  “Bleh?”

  This quickly devolves into them just blehing back and forth for far too long until they move onto the rest of their homework. Jane helps Tim with his dumb stupid math, while he helps her with her much cooler zoology vocab. After they both make sure the other has their respective lessons drilled into their head, Tim feels his wristband vibrate, so he heads to the bathroom.

  “Whutchu got?” Tim asks Lance.

  “I believe I’ve discovered who Doctor Tesla really is.”

  “Well, let's hear it.”