The Disastrous Life of a Psychic Cape Chapter 2 - Quintessential Quadruplets

Grandma A

Grandma B

Grandma C

Grandma D

Damn this is awkward.

After rescuing Taylor from her bullies I offered to walk her home but I didn't imagine it would be so awkward. The entire time we were casting glances at each other when we thought the other wasn't looking. Of course being the psychic I am I always manage to look away at the perfect moment. Though that didn't change how awkward it was, and it didn't help that she hadn't said a word since she had come out of the dumpster. She just gave me a nod of the head, before we started walking. 

Despite not being able to read her mind, I could tell what she wanted to ask about. From the small impression I had of her I could guess she wasn't stupid, she knew I was a psychic, or at least knew I was a cape. Why she hadn't said anything? I had no clue—which admittedly was a first for me. That still begged the question of what I should do. I don't think my heart can handle any more of this awkwardness, I also didn't know where she lived so we were currently just walking through the city.

Should I tell her about my powers? She had already seen them in action. Maybe a partial truth and reveal that I can teleport things? That could work she didn't seem like the kind of person to be pushy. Regardless of what I told her we needed to talk about it so I could ask her not to tell anyone. Being a cape was a huge hassle, but an even bigger hassle than that, being a cape that people know about, once capes knew about him and his wide array of powers he wouldn't have a single moment of peace. 

Say goodbye to sitting on a park bench with a good book.

Say goodbye to quietly grocery shopping at two in the morning when no one's around.

All of that gone.

One whisper of a power and suddenly I'm being hunted down by recruiters from the Wards, black-bagged by the PRT, dragged into turf wars between gang capes. 

No peace. No privacy. No escape.

Sigh.

It could be worse, I suppose. At least she only saw one power. She didn't know about the others. If she had, I'd be a lot more concerned.

Like telepathy.

As far as I know, I'm the only human in the world with actual, consistent, high-level telepathy. Not just empathy. Not suggestion. Not a limited connection.

The only other known telepath is an Endbringer.

Which, for the record, really doesn't help public perception.

Even Grandpa agreed. He always said that was the one power I had to keep hidden no matter what. Which is probably why he built the telepathy blocker in the first place. If only the stingy old pervert would give it to me without slapping on some ridiculous condition about getting a girlfriend.

I was about to mentally rant about that again when a soft voice broke the silence.

"I... uh..."

I turned to her. Taylor was walking a half-step behind me now, her fingers nervously gripping one strap of her backpack. She was staring down at the sidewalk, her cheeks faintly red.

She tried again. "Back there, I... I was in the dumpster and then you were just... there. And everyone else was gone. I—what...?"

I raised a brow, giving her a moment to finish the sentence.

She didn't.

I could've lied. Played it off as a natural phenomenon or timing or claimed I was just passing by when the others ran away. But I paused instead. It had only been a day, but she was already on the short list of potential girlfriends. I didn't want to ruin that by feeding her a cheap excuse.

I couldn't read her mind. Which was a huge plus

She also, unintentionally, scared off every annoying person who might try to talk to me. That alone made her more appealing than ninety-nine percent of the student body.

I didn't know much else about her, but that was definitely a good start. 

Mmm. I better play it safe.

She'd seen something strange, she was a cape herself and she wasn't stupid, she could definitely put two and two together. But considering I'd just fished her out of a garbage can and walked her home without asking questions, I was fairly certain she'd keep quiet.

I glanced at her. "You want to talk somewhere more private?"

She hesitated. Just for a second. Then gave a slow nod.

Now came the tricky part... where?

A café would be better. Public, neutral, and less weird. But the subject wasn't exactly one I could talk about over muffins and iced coffee.

"My apartment's not far," I offered. "I'd suggest somewhere more public, but... this kind of thing is a little sensitive."

Her eyes widened slightly. "O-oh. I—That's fine," she stammered, before catching herself and repeating it with a little more certainty. "That's fine."

I nodded and started leading the way.

On the walk, I realised I probably should've cleaned up first. I had only moved in yesterday. Most of my stuff was still in boxes. No decorations. No curtains. No real food in the fridge either, unless instant noodles and a dozen or so banana jam filled croissants counted.

Oh well. I doubted she'd care.

We crossed three blocks and turned down a quieter street, where the building stood over a row of dull brick walk-ups. It was very modern compared to the others. I sighed when I saw it again.

The apartment block was tall and glassy, with clean balconies and metal accents. Definitely one of the nicer places in the city.

Way too nice.

Grandpa had insisted on buying it. Something weird about me "having my own bachelor pad." He was rich, being a Tinker, but I still thought giving me a luxury apartment in a city like this was overkill.

Inside was just as nice, if not nicer than the outside, behind bullet proof glass in a reception was the security guard. 

"Hey, Geoff," I called casually.

"Afternoon, Mr. Vale," he answered with a grin, then nodded at Taylor. "Guest already?"

"Something like that."

Taylor looked more nervous now. She kept glancing at the camera in the ceiling, then at the marble floor, then back at me. We stepped into the elevator and I pressed the button for my floor, leaned back, and watched her anxiety spike as we rose.

Good grief I'm not about to kidnap you... we could've gone somewhere else you know. I contained a sigh just as the elevator reached my floor.

Then the doors opened.

I stepped out first, already fishing my key from my pocket. We walked down the hallway toward the door... and I froze.

Oh no.

No. No, no, no, no.

They were here.

Not just one...

All of them.

"On second thought," I said, turning abruptly toward Taylor, "a café sounds really nice right about now, don't you think?"

She blinked. "Huh?"

"Yeah. Let's go." I took her hand, trying to appear casual, and made a fast pivot back toward the elevator.

"Not so fast, young man," a voice called behind me.

I didn't look back.

I just kept walking even faster, dragging Taylor with me into the elevator, but before the elevator doors could close, a hand caught them. The metal creaked. The doors slid open again with a defeated hiss.

Good grief.

Day one and my peaceful life was already in ruins, both in school and out of it. 

Standing in the doorway was none other than Grandma A.

Alice Vale. Or "Nana A" as she preferred, one of my grandpa's four wives. She looked exactly the same as always. Mid-forties by age, early thirties by appearance. Easily six and a half feet tall, with a figure that was somehow both lean and powerfully muscular. Her long brown hair was tied up in a loose braid, and she wore jeans and a tank top like she'd just come back from bench pressing a truck.

Oh right. She could actually do that. Her power? Super strength. On paper, it sounded simple. In practice? It was a lot more complicated than that. 

"You wouldn't be trying to avoid your grandmother, would you, Ade?" she asked sweetly.

I let out a hollow laugh, squeezing Taylor's hand like it was a lifeline. "Me? Never, Nana A."

Nana A smiled like a Cheshire Cat as her gaze went from me to Taylor who looked like she might have preferred staying in the dumpster over being here. "Aren't you going to introduce me to your lady friend Ade," she asked. 

I was not

'You better not be doing what I think you're about to do, Adrian Vale,'

I was.

Teleportation

In a blink, the elevator was empty.

Me and Taylor reappeared on top of a random office building near the school. The sun was lower now, painting the city in warm orange light. A rough warm wind whipped across the rooftop.

Taylor stumbled and immediately crouched down, holding her stomach.

Right. Teleportation-induced nausea.

"Sorry," I muttered.

She didn't answer right away. She looked a little green.

I waited, staring out across the city skyline.

Good grief. What a mess.

And somehow, I was supposed to spend three more years here.

Taylor still hadn't stood up. She crouched on the rooftop, one hand pressed against the concrete, the other bracing her stomach. Her hair whipped in the breeze, loose strands clinging to her face. She was breathing fast, shoulders rising and falling in wuick bursts.

Then she snapped her head toward me, panic written all over her face.

"What the hell is going on!?"

Her voice was louder than I'd ever heard it, suddenly sounding pretty normal. Her eyes locked on mine.

"You... you're a cape. Right? You're a cape, aren't you?"

I met her gaze. She didn't look away.

I sighed through my nose, and gave her a small nod. "Yeah. I'm a cape."

"But I don't want anyone to know," I said calmly while pointing a finger towards her. 

She stared like I'd just told her I was secretly a lizard person. "...Are you a villain?"

I shook my head. "No."

"Hero then?"

"Still no."

"So..." Her eyes narrowed slightly. "A rogue?"

"Nope."

I gave a faint shrug and walked over to the edge of the building, resting my arms on the concrete barrier that circled the roof.

"I prefer not to get involved with any of that. Hero, villain, rogue, it's all someone else's business. I just want to live the average high school life."

Taylor followed slowly, her expression twitching with disbelief. "Why?" she asked. "Why would you want that?"

"Why not?"

"Because high school sucks," she said, a bit louder than she meant to. "People are cruel. You're trapped in the same building with them for eight hours a day, five days a week. They don't leave you alone."

"Well maybe for you," I replied casually, not looking at her. "But I don't have the entire school leading a crusade against me."

Taylor winced at that, just a flicker. I didn't mean it as an insult. Just a fact.

"I don't get it," she muttered. "You have powers. You could do something good with them. Help people."

I glanced over. Her eyes weren't challenging, they were were just genuinely confused. Even now she wanted to help people, despite seeing how rotten they could be.

I gave a small shrug again. "It just doesn't interest me. I admire people who do what they think is right. Really, I do. But that's not for me."

I waved a hand lazily, as if to push the topic away. "Don't let that stop you, though. If you want to be a hero, then be one."

Taylor's face went blank. She looked away sharply.

"I—I'm not a cape," she stammered, too quickly.

I gave her a deadpan stare.

"I mean, I'm just a normal—"

Deadpan.

She turned slightly, trying to hide her face. "I don't know what you're talking about—"

"Bugs," I said simply.

She flinched like I'd struck her.

There it was.

"Don't worry. I make it a personal point not to cause trouble for anyone. I won't tell," I told her calmly. 

She slowly looked up at me. Her whole posture changed; much less defensive, less ready to bolt. Still wary, but no longer on the edge of panic. "...Thank you," she said softly.

I nodded.

Then I leaned back against the railing, and crossed my arms loosely. The breeze had picked up again. Not too cold, just enough to ruffle my shirt and tousle my hair. The sky above was streaked with pink and amber. Below, the city buzzed with the rush hour to get home, but it was so far down you barely heard it.

I closed my eyes for a moment.

It really was nice up here.

I'd have to come back again. Maybe bring a book next time.

Taylor stood awkwardly nearby. I could feel her uncertainty, but she didn't say anything. Not at first. Eventually, she stepped closer. Not right beside me, but closer. Close enough to look over the edge with me. We stood like that for a while, and for a moment I thought I was back to step one with how awkward it was getting. 

Luckily for me she spoke again.

"Can I ask you something?"

I turned my head slightly and gave a small nod.

She hesitated. "Why did you help me today? Why were you... nice to me?"

I didn't answer immediately. I let the question hang there for a moment, drifting like the wind around us. "I wasn't particularly nice to you," I said casually.

"Don't lie," she said, almost in a whisper.

I glanced at her.

"I know there isn't a welcome buddy system at Winslow," she continued. "And if there was, the principal wouldn't have assigned you to me."

Smart girl.

Damn. I might have to start linking intelligent and troublesome together.

I sighed. "You didn't do anything wrong."

That seemed to catch her off guard. Her face didn't move much, but her eyes changed. Something behind them shifted. She wasn't crying, but I could tell the words hit something inside her. She blinked slowly as I continued.

"I don't know why the others don't like you," I said. "And it doesn't really matter. Someone who just wants to be left alone and live their own life shouldn't have to deal with troublesome people."

Her lips pressed together. She was holding it in, doing a good job of it too, but I could see it all the same. With my enhanced vision, I could see the way her throat tightened, the way she bit the inside of her cheek. The way her eyes shined just a little too much in the light.

Then she spoke again. "They're going to target you now. You... won't be able to have the life you wanted. Because of..."

She almost said me.

I said nothing.

She swallowed. "Maybe... maybe you could talk to Emma? She—she seemed to like you..."

I smiled. Just a small one.

Even now, she was worried about me instead of herself.

Good grief.

Taylor Hebert, you're a handful.

I turned to her, reached out, and patted her gently on the head. She stiffened a little at first, but didn't pull away.

"Don't worry about me," I said, my voice soft. "If I can avoid my grandmas, I can avoid a bunch of high school bullies."

I lowered my hand and offered her a nod. "Come on. I'll take you home."

"Are you okay with me teleporting you home?" I asked, looking over at Taylor.

She blinked, still a little winded from the last time. "Is it gonna be like before...?"

I nodded. "It never gets any better."

Teleportation was handy. But it was rough. Jarring. Nauseating. Like being yanked sideways out of reality and dropped into a blender. I hated using it on myself, let alone dragging someone else along.

These powers really were such a pain.

Taylor hesitated, clearly remembering the rooftop jump earlier, but after a second she looked at me and gave a quiet nod.

"Alright," she said.

I reached out to grab her arm, but froze halfway.

Wait.

"...I've never seen your house before."

...

Was I always this stupid?

I coughed awkwardly, lowering my hand. "Right. I, uh... I can't teleport to places I haven't seen or been to before."

We stood there, both looking at each other. Then away. Then back again.

Awkward silence.

Again.

Good grief. I said I'd take her home and I wasn't about to just ditch her now. But walking around this part of the city after dark wasn't exactly the safest idea either.

I let out a soft sigh. "Can you keep another secret?"

Taylor furrowed her brow, obviously confused, but she nodded again.

I turned around, crouched slightly, and patted my back with both hands.

"If you don't mind a piggyback ride."

There was a pause. Then—

A sound.

A small one.

But unmistakable.

Taylor giggled.

It was quick and quiet, like she hadn't meant for it to slip out. Like she hadn't giggled in a long time. She must've thought I was joking. Which made sense. She didn't know about the rest of my abilities. Carrying her home like this probably sounded so ridiculous it could only be a joke.

"Come on," I urged, glancing over my shoulder.

The giggling stopped. She looked at me and realised I was being serious, and got visibly flustered.

"I'm not gonna drop you if that's what you're worried about."

Taylor stammered a bit, trying to come up with a reason not to do it. "It's not that, I just—It's just a little..."

"It's fine. No one's gonna see us," I reassured her. 

She went quiet again. After a moment of hesitation, she stepped forward. Carefully. Then, with a bit of awkward maneuvering, climbed onto my back.

She was lighter than I expected.

I waited a beat to make sure she had a good grip. Then—

Lift.

The rooftop dropped away in an instant.

We shot up into the sky like a bullet.

Taylor screamed.

Good thing I'd already shut off my hearing in anticipation.

We soared into the air, the city lights unfolding beneath us in all directions, a carpet of gold and neon against the sunset sky. It was quite beautiful if I was honest, flight might be one of my most well liked powers. 

It didn't take long for the screaming to stop.

"...You can fly?" she said breathlessly.

I glanced up at her. She wasn't even trying to hide her shock anymore.

"You're a flier and a teleporter. You— That means you're at least a Mover eight. Maybe nine."

I sighed, adjusting slightly in the air to slow our pace.

"It's why I don't want anyone knowing about me," I said. "If the Protectorate found out, or the PRT, or Empire 88, or any of the gangs in this city... I'd be dealing with recruitment attempts, blackmail, fake threats, fake friends, and a hundred other headaches I don't want."

Taylor went quiet, but I could feel her nod against my shoulder.

After a moment, she pulled back a little, looking around.

"...There's no wind," she said softly. "And I can hear you perfectly. Even though we're flying."

Smart.

Most people wouldn't notice that. Wouldn't question the physics-defying silence or the complete lack of chill in the air. But she had.

"Whereabouts is your house?" I asked, cutting in to keep her from going too deep into deduction mode.

She pointed, still holding on tightly. "It's near the docks. Down that way, see the green rooftop, near the old loading crane?"

I followed her direction, adjusted course, and in less than twenty seconds we were descending into a narrow alley a short distance from her house, making sure no one saw us.

Taylor slid off my back. Her knees wobbled a little when she hit the ground, but she stayed upright.

We walked together in the direction of her house.

She looked around, then back at me. "Thanks. For everything. This is... the first day in a while that didn't totally suck."

I didn't know what to say to that.

Praise always made me uncomfortable. Especially when I could read minds. So many people said things they didn't mean. Compliments. Thanks. Smiles. All just noise when I knew what they were really thinking.

Taylor could be lying right now.

But... she didn't feel like she was.

Especially not after what I'd seen at school.

"You were pretty useful," I said, keeping my tone light. "You fended off the annoyances at school just by existing." I gave her a thumbs up.

She let out a soft laugh.

When we reached her street, I saw the outline of her house. The pain on the outside was peeling, the step leading up to the door was broken, but otherwise it looked like any other suburban two story house. Well now that Taylor was home my job was done, I now had to figure out how to avoid being punished by my grandma. 

I turned to say goodbye—

But a car pulled up to the curb.

The headlights cut across the street, washing over us.

Inside, I saw a man in his late forties or early fifties. Skinny, wearing a work shirt with the sleeves rolled up. Glasses on his face and a furrowed brow.

He looked straight at me.

'Who the hell is he? He better not have done anything to her—'

I winced. His thoughts were very loud and angry. Also surprisingly fast, in fact I don't think I've heard someone think so many curse words towards me before. 

Give me a break, I didn't even do anything.

The man stepped out of the car. The man's expression was completely calm despite the anger in his mind. 

Taylor smiled faintly. "Hey, Dad."

Of course... good grief

"Hey, kiddo," he replied calmly. But his thoughts were still locked on me like a loaded weapon.

Taylor stepped slightly closer to me and gestured. "This is Adrian. He's... a friend."

I nodded politely. "Nice to meet you, Mr Herbert."

Danny gave a half-nod. His thoughts shifted slightly. Less aggressive, but he still felt a bit wary of me. 

'I don't know what I'd do if it happened again...'

...Again?

I didn't press it. But the meaning behind that thought lingered in the back of my mind.

Danny exhaled and gave me a strained smile. "It's good to meet you, Adrian. You want to come in for a bit?"

Taylor's eyes widened. Her face turned pink. 

I could tell she was embarrassed—for me, not herself. She didn't want me dragged into an awkward sit-down with her dad after everything today.

We both opened our mouths to decline.

"Well, we—"

"I wouldn't want to—"

Danny held up a hand. "C'mon. I insist. I got a bunch of cakes from the union today. Thought we'd share 'em. There is plenty to go around."

"Thank you for having me," I said. 

And just like that, I walked straight to the door.

Taylor stood behind, blinking in shock.

"...You're serious?" she muttered.

I turned. "It's cake, Taylor."

She rolled her eyes and followed me inside.

Taylor's house was medium sized, old, and clearly lived in. The inside smelled faintly of lemon polish and laundry detergent, with the dry undertone of dust that even constant cleaning couldn't quite erase. The walls were a pale yellow, the kind that had probably once been warm and inviting, but now just looked tired under the lights. A few framed pictures hung in the hallway—most of them of Taylor as a child. Her with a birthday cake. Her holding a certificate. One was of her and a woman I assumed was her mother. She wasn't in any of the other photos.

"Why don't you take Adrian into the living room?" Danny called from the kitchen. "I'll get the cakes plated."

Taylor nodded. "Alright."

She led me in. Or tried to.

She moved a little awkwardly, gesturing toward the couch like she wasn't sure if she should make me sit or offer a tour. Her mouth opened a couple times like she meant to say something, but nothing came out. Eventually, she just settled for sitting down herself. I followed, dropping my bag quietly by the wall before taking the seat beside her.

The living room was neat but sparse. Worn furniture. A scratched coffee table. A small TV in the corner that had definitely seen better days. It all felt very... lived in. But otherwise felt pretty homey.

Taylor glanced at me. "Won't your grandma be worried you're not coming home?"

I waved her off. "It's fine. Nana A's probably too busy devising a suitable punishment for my daring escape."

Taylor blinked. "Punishment? Why?"

Because I was bringing a girl home for the first time. To her, that's more shocking than seeing an Endbringer working the soup kitchens. Not that I told Taylor that. 

"She's an idiot," I said with affection. They all are. As much as I love them, my grandmas take way too much interest in my social life.

Before Taylor could reply, Danny came in carrying a metal tray stacked with small cakes. My eyes widened. A light practically shone down from the ceiling. There were fruit tarts dusted with sugar, little sponges layered with cream, chocolate slices with coffee icing, and a thick vanilla cake with dark chocolate ganache, berries glistening on top and crushed honeycomb glittering around the sides.

He placed the tray gently on the table in front of us. "Help yourselves."

Is this man a god?

I reached for the vanilla sponge without hesitation. Each bite was soft, rich, perfectly balanced—fluffy cake, smooth chocolate, tart berry, sweet crunch. The deeper I went, the faster I ate. My expression must've been ridiculous because when I glanced up, Taylor was holding back a laugh.

Danny chuckled. "I take it you're enjoying that?"

I nodded, cheeks full. "Where'd you get these?"

He scratched the back of his neck. "Not sure, actually. One of the guys from the union brought 'em by. I can find out."

'Maybe if I don't tell him, he'll come back...'

Oi oi. What are you thinking, Mr. Hebert?

'Taylor having a friend again would be so good for her.'

I nearly dropped my fork.

Don't jump to conclusions. Don't make assumption about the man who just gave you free cake.

"Thanks again," I said, trying to stay casual.

Taylor, maybe sensing the tension, jumped in. "Adrian's new in town. Today was his first day at Winslow."

Danny made an "O" with his mouth. His thoughts shifted.

'Maybe that's why he's friends with her... by next week he'll be like everyone else.'

Geez, thanks.

Just because I don't want friends doesn't mean I'm going to throw people under the bus.

Danny leaned back in his chair and looked between us. "So. How was school today? For both of you."

Taylor answered first. "It was good." She actually smiled.

'I don't remember the last time she smiled like that...'

...This home was lonelier than I'd thought.

I gave my own answer. "Not too bad."

I didn't bring up the bullying. She hadn't, and I wasn't going to force it into the open if she didn't want it aired.

Danny nodded. Then asked something I didn't expect.

"Do you really want to be friends with my daughter?"

My fork paused halfway to my mouth.

I knew he was thinking it. But I didn't expect him to just... say it. Especially not with Taylor sitting right here.

Taylor flushed. "Dad—!"

"You may not know everything yet, Adrian. But when you do—"

"Dad!" Her voice was firmer this time. She looked pale, and her hands were starting to tremble.

"I don't want him knowing about that yet," she said.

Danny folded his arms. "Taylor, you go to Winslow. He's going to find out."

"Dad," she said again, and this time there was a sort of desperation behind it.

I sat there, frozen, watching the awkwardest argument of my life unfold. I glanced down at the tray. Maybe if I just... shifted my posture a bit, I could grab another cake without it being weird.

No. They'd notice.

Psychokinesis? No, too risky.

I'm going for it.

I reached forward casually, I hoped—

Danny locked eyes with me again.

"Look," he said, "I don't want my daughter having fair weather friends, so tell me what your intentions wre."

I froze, hand still on the edge of the tray.

What do I even say to that?

This was a social minefield. I wasn't equipped for this level of real human emotion.

I looked back to any advice that might've helped me and remembered Nana B telling me something a while back.

Ade, be careful when you lie to people. A lie that stretches past the current moment turns into a cancer that can develop and make things much worse. Always be honest, even when it's difficult.

Nana B. Her words always hit a little harder than the rest.

Alright.

Let's try that.

I cleared my throat. "I have no plans to be friends with her."

Silence.

Danny's eyebrows climbed. His expression hardened.

Taylor looked hurt. Not surprised. Just hurt.

I continued, before either could interrupt. "One of my main goals right now is to find a girlfriend. And Taylor is someone I'm currently interested in."

Silence again.

Even worse than before.

Their emotions were visible on their faces. Danny's eyebrows were still raised. Taylor's mouth hung slightly open, her cheeks going red as she covered her face with both hands.

I reached forward and took another cake.

They both watched me do it.

Danny's thoughts were spinning in disbelief.

'He's lying. He's messing with her. No way he means that.'

'What kind of joke is this? Is he trying to hurt her? Confuse her? What the hell is his problem?'

"You're... romantically interested in Taylor," Danny said flatly.

I nodded. "Yes."

Then took a slow bite.

Taylor made a noise like a kettle boiling and buried her face further in her hands.

Danny still didn't believe me. I could feel it in his thoughts. He didn't know if I was serious or just pranking her or even manipulating her. But he didn't have the evidence to push it further.

Eventually, he sighed. "Maybe we should table this discussion for another time."

Taylor quickly nodded. "Yes. Please."

Danny stood up, straightening his back like a man preparing to retreat from a warzone. "I've got some paperwork I should finish. Help yourselves to more cake."

He was lying, obviously. There wasn't a single molecule of conviction in his voice. Not that I needed to read his mind to know that. The man was practically radiating "escape protocol activated."

Come on, old man. At least pretend to be responsible. I could be a serial killer. A pervert. Someone who snuck into his daughter's life to play mind games and turn her into some sex slave. The bare minimum would be to give me the shovel talk or slam the door in my face. Not leave me alone with Taylor in his living room like I was a trusted family friend.

The door to the hallway closed with a soft click.

And then there were two.

Silence settled in again. Taylor was still blushing furiously, her arms folded across her stomach and her eyes on the coffee table like it held the secrets of the universe. She hadn't moved since her dad left.

I reached for a third cake.

It was a good cake.

Nana B...

You damn hippy, you sold me out. That whole "be honest even when it's hard" speech? Lies. LIES. I should've gone with the safe, non-threatening "I just want to be friends." Technically not a lie, if you ignored the fact I didn't want to have any friends. 

But now? Now I was the weirdo who confessed romantic interest while housing chocolate cake in front of her dad.

I chewed. Slowly. Internally spiraling.

Escape scenarios:

— Teleport away? It would be kinda rude. Plus I will end up having to go back home and walk into Nana A preparing her dumb "so you brought a girl home" lecture.

— Fake a phone call? Classic, but considering I already went through such lengths to escape I can't say it's my grandma, and I don't know anyone else which im sure Taylor could figure out.

— Set the carpet on fire with low-level plasma? Would cause a distraction. Also arson.

— Spontaneous combustion? Probably cause problems if I just sit on the sofa while on fire. But would definitely end the awkwardness.

— Death by cake overdose? Hmm. Possible, I'll definitely put that up to the top of the list.

While I was considering my options, Taylor finally spoke.

"...Why did you say that?" she asked in a quiet voice. 

I sighed, setting the cake down on the plate. "I thought it was better to be honest than to lie." I paused, rubbing the side of my face. "I probably should've lied, considering how that went."

Taylor frowned. Her eyebrows drew together like she didn't quite believe me. "You... don't like me. Not like that. You can't."

"I don't really have a reason to lie, do I?"

She opened her mouth, closed it again. Her expression shifted, her eyes narrowing slightly. Suspicion crept in. Not distrustful, but like she was trying to figure out why.

I could see the spiral beginning. Overthinking. Doubt. She was falling into it.

"Maybe," I said quickly, "we should just take your dad's advice and... table it for now."

Taylor stared for a second, then nodded. The tension in her shoulders eased a little, and she took a long breath, one of relief more than anything.

"Do you want to watch something?" She said, likely in an attempt to change the subject. 

I glanced at the clock on the wall. A little after seven m. Still early enough. And to be honest, the longer I stayed here, the less I had to deal with my house and the ambush of grandmas waiting for me.

"Sure," I said, leaning back on the couch.

Taylor stood and moved to the entertainment unit. She knelt down beside it, opening a drawer full of DVDs and old cases. "Do you have a preference?"

I stood up and moved to her side, crouching beside her. "I don't really watch much. So I don't think so."

Her eyebrows rose. "Okay... how about The Lord of the Rings? Or The Matrix? The Dark Knight? Star Wars?"

I blinked. "I don't know what those are."

She stopped mid-rummage. "...You haven't seen Star Wars?"

"That's the one with the Enterprise, right?"

She gave me a look. "That's Star Trek."

"Then no."

"You've seen Star Trek, though?"

"No."

Taylor just looked at me. "We're watching Star Wars," she said decisively, pulling out a case and moving to the TV.

"Okay."

We sat down again, this time a little closer. Not touching. Just... adjacent. She popped the disc in and dimmed the lights a little.

As the opening crawl began, I tilted my head.

"Wait... they're in space? Why is there sound in space?"

Taylor sighed. "It's a movie."

"Plasma doesn't behave like that."

"It's a movie," she repeated, dragging her hands down her face.

"...That laser wouldn't bend like that either."

"Adrian."

"...Okay."

As the film played, I settled in and let myself enjoy it — with questions, of course. I had a lot of them. Why did the Death Star have such a huge flaw? How did hyperspace avoid collisions with random debris? And what kind of idiot puts a child Jedi in charge of soldiers?

Taylor answered some of them with patience. Others she ignored. A few times she laughed and at one point she chucked a pillow at me. Around the second film, during a quiet moment, I turned to her.

"Can I ask about your power it's something to do with bugs right?"

Taylor blinked and looked toward the hallway before nodding. "...Yeah. I can control bugs. Pretty much any kind. I can feel them. Hear them. Sometimes see through their eyes. It's... overwhelming, though. Too much input. So I usually just stick to touch and basic commands."

I nodded. That was... actually really powerful. Especially with practice.

"Back at the dumpster... you teleported away, was it because of—"

I nodded.

"Yeah I did that because I... don't really like bugs. I've gotten better about not reacting. But if one lands on me, there's like a 70 percent chance I panic-teleport."

Taylor's eyes widened. "Oh. I'm sorry."

"It's fine." I shrugged. "Actually, it helps knowing you can control them. I don't like how unpredictable they are. Knowing someone has a leash on them? Makes me feel better."

Taylor gave a small smile.

We watched another movie. And then another. At some point, Taylor seemed to forget about the awkward confession entirely. She sat more comfortably, her legs tucked under her. The earlier nervousness had mostly faded. Eventually, the hour crept up on us. The movies ran out. And even I knew it was getting too late to stick around.

I stood and grabbed my bag. "I should probably head home."

Taylor nodded, but there was a flicker of disappointment in her face. She looked like she wanted to say something. Her hands fidgeted with the hem of her sleeve. Then, quietly. "Um... would it be okay if we talked tomorrow at school?"

I raised an eyebrow. "Why wouldn't it be?"

She looked down. "It's just... they'll probably try to bully you. Tomorrow."

I shrugged. "It's fine." I reached out and patted her head. She didn't flinch this time. If anything, she tilted into it just a little. "See you tomorrow."

She walked me to the door. I gave her a small wave.

"Tell your dad I said goodnight," I added.

Taylor gave me a faint smile and nodded. "I will."

The door closed behind me.

The street outside was dark and quiet. I walked a little down the pavement, checked around for any eyes, and then. 

Teleportation

I reappeared on my apartment floor, just outside my door. The hallway to my apartment was quiet, but the inside of my head was anything but. I was still a few steps from the door and I could already hear them.

'He's back.'

'About damn time.'

'I wonder if she was pretty?'

'He didn't even message us.'

'I hope he had fun, oh I hope they kissed!'

Nana C was the only one whose thoughts weren't tinged with either mischief or frustration. Her thoughts were warm and bubbly, though far too idealistic for my current emotional stability.

I sighed.

Bracing myself, I unlocked the door.

The moment it opened, a thick arm shot out and grabbed the collar of my shirt.

"Good grie—"

I was yanked inside like a sack of potatoes. I was spun midair and slammed gently into one of the kitchen chairs. Before I could so much as blink, cords of dark ribbon had coiled around my chest, arms, and legs like living snakes, tying me down tight. 

"Evening, Ade," Nana A said, crouched in front of me, a beer in one hand and a smirk on her face.

"Looks like the runaway came home," Nana B added dryly from where she stood, arms crossed, ribbon coiled back around her wrist.

The four of them were there, my four Grandmas. Good grief all four of them were here. 

Nana A—Alice Vale. Six-foot-five of pure muscle, long brown hair cascading down her back like a lion's mane, wearing gym shorts and a sleeveless hoodie that looked about ready to burst at the seams from her shoulders alone. She was grinning wide, full of that big sister energy despite being well into her forties. Her power? Super strength, obviously. Her hobbies? Weightlifting, wrestling matches, grilling slabs of meat the size of car tires, drinking beer by the gallon, and screaming at her sports teams on TV.

Nana B—Blake Vale. The calm to Alice's storm. Dressed in all black yoga pants and a soft sweater, her long wavy black hair tied neatly into a bun with reading glasses perched atop her head. Elegant, graceful, stoic m. She was the quiet one, the moral compass and philosophical hammer, she loved to read, and out of all my Grandmas I had the most in common with hert. Super speed was her power, she could move faster than the naked eye, though I wasn't entirely sure how fast she could go, i don't know if she did either. 

Nana C—Chelsea Vale. The sweetheart who had long golden pigtails and a pink floral apron still dusted in sugar from baking. She had probably made cookies while I was gone and had likely also cried because I didn't come home on time. Her power was flight, but she was the only person I'd ever met whose real power was "being too good for this world." She loved me like a son and grandson, with the innocent adoration of a puppy and the nurturing power of a thousand grandmas distilled into one. Naïve, but endlessly kind.

And then there was Nana D—Dianna Vale. Slender, sharp-eyed, white-blue hair cascading down her back. She wore a black turtleneck and a wine-colored skirt that screamed aristocracy. Her power was heat vision, but her real danger was her intelligence. Every move she made had a reason. She was the eldest, the unofficial matriarch. The Ice queen.

Nana D was the eldest and I don't just mean of the wives. 

No. All my grandmas were sisters, but not just that, they were Quadruplets. All of them were born at the same time with Nana D only being minutes older than the youngest who was Nana A. Somehow my Grandpa managed to make four women fall in love with him and happily share him. How he did that I'll never know. 

"Alright," I said flatly. "So we're doing this."

"Oh, we're definitely doing this," Nana A said, propping one leg on the table and leaning in.

"Let's talk," Nana D added smoothly.

"About the girl," Nana B said, taking a seat beside me and folding her legs like a cat.

Nana C sat on the armrest, looking at me with stars in her eyes. "Did you two hold hands?"

I groaned.

"I am not having this conversation."

"You brought a girl home," Nana D said, setting her wine glass down with a faint click. "And then ran away with her the moment we showed up."

"Very suspicious," Nana B added.

'Maybe I should've given him a condom' I heard Nana A think. 

"Wait, what?" I blinked.

"Focus," Nana D snapped.

They all leaned in. Despite knowing how much they loved me they were still pretty intimidating. 

"Her name," Nana D said, her red eyes piercing me.

I kept my mouth shut. Tight-lipped. I'd be damned if I let them descend on Taylor like a flock of gossipy harpies. Not knowing her name was the only thing that kept them separate from my love life. 

"Oh, now you want to be quiet," Nana A muttered, taking a swig of beer.

"Why are you even here?" I asked, desperate to change the topic.

I caught a stray thought.

'Didn't Richard tell him?'

"Tell me what?" I asked sharply.

"We're here to keep an eye on you," Nana D said, crossing one leg over the other. "To make sure you don't get into trouble."

I deadpanned.

"You being here is the trouble."

Nana C's lower lip trembled. "You're not happy to see us?"

Guilt stabbed me right in the chest.

"No, no, I am happy to see you, Nana C," I said quickly. "Really."

Her eyes lit up instantly, and she beamed like I'd told her Christmas was coming early.

"Enough stalling," Nana D interrupted, red eyes gleaming. "What's her name?"

I looked at her and said nothing.

Nana A grinned. "Found his little women list."

She pulled out the cursed notebook the one I'd wrttien Taylor's damn name in.

Pyrokinesis

It ignited in her hand.

Flames curled around the cover as it turned to ash.

"DAMMIT, ADE!" she shouted, tossing a pillow at me.

I didn't even flinch.

"If you aren't forthcoming with her name," Nana D said with a smirk. "Then I'll have to punish you..."

"You can't punish me for this," I said to Nana D. "That wouldn't be fair." I know Nana D and she'd never be unfair like that. 

"No," she admitted, swirling her wine thoughtfully. "But I can punish you for staying out so late."

She pointed to the clock.

Damn.

I looked away.

"I'm not saying it," I muttered. "You can't make me."

"No?" she asked, lips curling into a smirk.

The four of them exchanged looks.

"Very well," they said in unison.

I froze.

Reading their thoughts, my eyes widened in horror.

"No... he wouldn't."

"He did," Nana B said, smiling.

"That's not fair!" I protested.

"You brought this on yourself," Nana D replied, sipping her wine with cruel elegance.

All four of them pulled out matching silver rings from their pockets and slipped them on.

Silence.

Nothing.

Their thoughts vanished.

No.

NO.

"YOU GOT TELEPATHY BLOCKERS?! THATS NOT FAIR!!!"

My damn grandpa I'm going to teleport to him and turn his porn collection into ash. 

"Your Grandpa thought seeing all four of us with the rings might encourage you to get a girlfriend," Nana D explained. "We considered letting you have one, but I suppose not now."

That's cold...

"Anyway, we don't need you to tell us anything now," Nana B added. "We'll just figure it out."

I turned to Nana C, eyes wide, pulling out my best puppy-dog expression.

But she was already turning away, shielded by Nana B's arm.

"Bad Ade," Nana B said, shaking her head. "Trying to manipulate your poor Nana."

All four shook their heads in mock disappointment.

I slumped in my chair, betrayed on every front, my will evaporating faster than my dignity. This had officially become the worst first day of school in the history of mankind.

Nana D stood, setting her wine glass down on the marble counter with a soft clink. She turned to face me fully, arms folded across her chest, "Well then," she said, voice rich and sharp, "let's discuss your actual punishment."

I blinked. "Wait. This wasn't the punishment?"

She tilted her head. "This? No. This was just us... taking away your reward." Her lips curled into a slow smile. "The punishment, Mr Vitalis, will be a lot worse."

My blood ran cold.

"No..." I muttered.

Nana D laughed.

It was the kind of laugh that could curdle milk and make grown men question their life decisions. So in short absolutely evil.

I slumped deeper into the chair. My head hit the backrest.

"I might actually start crying," I muttered.

"Oh no, Ade," Nana C gasped, eyes going soft and watery. She floated down in front of me, hands clutched over her chest. "You don't want to come to the hospital with me?"

"It's not that, Nana C..." I sighed and rubbed the side of my face. "I just don't like using my powers in public."

She tilted her head. "But it'll be fine!" she said with bright, radiant cheer, clasping her hands together like a Disney heroine. "We'll be helping people! You love that!"

Yeah. I did.

Years ago, after one of the Endbringer attacks, I'd panicked watching all the suffering on the news. I hadn't even thought it through. I'd put on a cheap mask, used my transformation ability to change my identity, and called myself Vitalis.

A stupid name. Sounded like a shampoo brand.

I showed up in the rubble and started 'healing' people. I couldn't actually heal, of course—not in the traditional sense. I didn't regenerate cells or anything. All I could do was reverse time on their body, it didn't just work with people it was anything and mostly I was able to heal any injury. 

Sometimes.

But not always.

I couldn't fix long-term damage. Couldn't fight genetic conditions. Couldn't treat chronic illnesses. Couldn't help cancer patients ir any kind of sickness like that. I'd once tried to help a child with an illness and I accidentally reversed time on his body by seven years. 

He was five

I gave it up after that.

And now, they wanted me to bring that back?

I know I had better control of my powers now than I did, but it was still a little weird. I glanced at Nana D, who was already sitting again, wine back in her hand, looking smug.

She said it was punishment.

Maybe it was. But I wasn't stupid. Nana D didn't do anything without a reason. And even if I didn't understand it now, she probably thought this would be good for me. Or she hoped it would be. I couldn't exactly call her wrong. But that didn't mean I was thrilled about it either.

Still... Nana C was watching me with that hopeful, innocent look she always wore when she really, really wanted something.

And it would be nice to spend more time with her. She was a paediatrician. And she'd clearly transferred to a hospital in this city, probably just wanted to spend more time with me.

I sighed again.

"Fine," I muttered. "I'll do it."

Before any of them could react, I gave a little flex of thought and let the psychokinesis slip through my veins. The cords wrapped around my body undid themselves coiling back onto the table like obedient snakes.

"I've had a long day," I said, standing up and brushing myself off. "I'm going to go do my homework, then sleep."

The effect was instant.

All four of them moved toward me. Nana C was first, wrapping her arms around my chest and hugging me with a squeal. Nana B gave me a softer, more careful squeeze around the shoulder. Nana A ruffled my hair with a grin before pulling me into her chest like a wrestler. And Nana D simply stepped forward and kissed my cheek, brushing invisible lint off my shirt.

"We're all happy to be here, Ade," Nana C said, eyes shining.

"Even if you run off like a wild animal," Nana A added.

"Even if your manners are atrocious," Nana D said with a raised brow.

"Even if you clearly need supervision," Nana B murmured.

I paused, looking at all of them.

"I'm happy you're here too," I said.

And I meant it.

Even if they were the most overbearing and embarrassing people on Earth.

I turned and walked down the hallway, toward my bedroom. Behind me, I could hear the four of them moving into the living room, probably debating whether to rearrange my kitchen cabinets, argue about interior design, or plan the next ten years of my life without consulting me.

I shut my door and leaned against it for a second.

Then I let out a breath and walked to my desk.

Just one normal day... please let me have just one normal day. 

(AN: So a little more development on Adrian and Taylor and the introduction of his Grandparent's. Well not his grandpa but his grandmas. They're all pretty quirky and couldn't be more different from each other. Anyway hope you enjoyed.)