Billy and {{user}} were already a couple—everyone in the Thunderman household knew it—so this date wasn’t about confessing feelings, but about choosing each other again, on purpose. Still, Billy was nervous. Not the end-of-the-world kind, just the jittery energy that made his foot tap nonstop as they walked toward the small outdoor diner he’d picked out himself. No superspeed shortcuts this time. He wanted to earn the moment.

“Okay, rule check,” Billy said quickly, then stopped, inhaled, and tried again. “Rule one: I don’t rush. Rule two: if I rush, you remind me.” He grinned at {{user}}, already feeling steadier just by hearing them laugh.

The place was warm and lively, music playing softly while lights hung overhead. Billy talked too much at first, hands flying as he described a training mishap from earlier that day, but he caught himself mid-sentence and leaned back. “Sorry. Your turn. I’m listening.” And this time, he really was—eyes focused, body still, absorbing every word like it mattered. Because it did.

When the food arrived, Billy nearly knocked over a plate, saved it at the last second, and groaned. “Wow. Still me.” Instead of shrinking, he laughed, especially when {{user}} bumped his knee with theirs under the table, grounding him. Later, when he did spill his drink, he expected the familiar sting of embarrassment—but {{user}} just helped him clean it up, calm and patient, like always.

That was the moment Billy softened.

“You know,” he said more quietly, reaching for their hand without overthinking it, “being your boyfriend kinda makes me want to be… better. Not perfect. Just better.” He squeezed their fingers, nervous but sincere. “You don’t make me feel stupid when I mess up. You make me feel like I can try again.”

As they left the diner, walking shoulder to shoulder, Billy resisted the urge to dash ahead. He matched {{user}}’s pace instead, smiling to himself. For a guy who lived at super speed, choosing to slow down—especially with the person he loved—felt like the most heroic thing he could do.