Page 65 of Lovesick Titan

“Impressionable ears, Luce,” Mal said through what sounded like gritted teeth.

“Oh, Michael doesn’t mind, do you, hun?” Lucy squeezed her way onto the bench next to Danny and leaned over him to get closer to Michael, which was the most immediate physical contact Danny had ever had withGaia.

How surreal this whole experience was hit Danny with the same impact as Lucy’s vanilla scented perfume.

“You don’t care if they’re boyfriends, do you?”

Michael shrugged, not even remotely scandalized. “Mom says as long as people don’t hurt each other, anybody can be boyfriends or girlfriends or...whatever they wanna be. You used to hurt each other, but you’ve stopped now, right?” He seemed particularly concerned about this point, which given his history with an abusive father made Danny’s stomach twist.

“Right,” Mal answered, that sad smile marring his face again. “We don’t hurt each other anymore.” He said it like a promise, but with a sorrow in his voice that betrayed how he doubted they could avoid hurting each other indefinitely.

Did anyone ever manage that? What Dunkirk had put Carla and Michael through was despicable. What Danny and Mal had put each other through was different but its own kind of despicable. All Mal saw was how easily they could be that way again, but Danny clung to the hope that what they’d been through didn’t define who they were to each other. It didn’t have to be a sign of the future, but if it ever was, Danny would be the first to walk away.

“Then you can be boyfriends,” Michael said. “I like that better than you being enemies.”

“Nemeses,” Danny and Mal said in unison, which made them tumble into choked laughter when they caught each other’s eyes.

Lucy snorted again. “Well you’re bothdorks, so that’s a bonus. But I think I agree with the kid.” She leaned forward to smile at Danny while patting Michael’s leg.

“How did you know to come here?” Mal asked with a note of suspicion.

“Carla texted me.”

“She’s in labor,” Danny sputtered.

Lucy shrugged like that was no big feat for a woman like Carla. “She worried you two would be too mortified by the whole affair to think of calling Oz or her mother.”

Danny glanced at Mal, who had a definite look of,Oh,shit, now that Lucy had said that.

“I took the liberty,” Lucy assured them. “Oz went to bring Carla’s mother here the long way. She doesn’t do teleporting.”

Oswald Percy, Danny realized with a start—Hermes. He’d assumed the former Titan had cut all ties with Mal and his crew, but it seemed that even though the man had left his life of crime to walk the straight and narrow, that didn’t mean there wasn’t honor among thieves—and friendship. Given the man had pursued a medical career before, Danny had a feeling he knew who Mal’s nurse was now.

“Nana’s gonna take you home tonight, buddy,” Lucy reached over to pat Michael’s leg again.

“Can’t I stay with Mom and Mai?” he pouted. “Or with Oz? Who’ll look after ‘em if I go home with Nana?”

“If everything goes well, which it will,” Mal spoke up, “your mother will be able to come home tonight as well. Or at least by morning. If she has to stay the night, we’ll stay with her, okay? Oz too.”

Danny assumed Mal meant he and Lucy would stay with Oz, but in the moment, it seemed to mean the two ofthem, and Danny’s heart fluttered at higher than normal speeds to be a part of that ‘we’.

Michael nodded, fully trusting of theseTitanson either side of him, who proved they were decent, normal human beings with every moment Danny spent with them. Why did so many people think being good meant more than looking out for one’s own? It was simple when people let it be simple. Being good. Being happy. Being whole. What tripped people up was thinking they had to be all three all the time.

The door to the hospital room opened, and the doctor came out with a sheen of perspiration over her forehead and a kind smile. Her eyes darted between Mal and Danny as the four of them stood from the bench.

“Father?”

“Oh…uhh…” Danny looked to Mal for help.

“Not in the picture, doc,” Mal rolled his eyes. “Carla’s mother and boyfriend are on their way.”

“Other than that,” Lucy said, “you’re looking at all the family she’s got.”

The doctor nodded, never once losing her smile. “Well, she asked for everyone, so I’ll allow it, but try to keep it brief for now. Momma and baby are doing fine, but they need their rest.” She gestured behind her into the room.

Michael didn’t wait for more of an invitation. He darted out from between Danny and Mal and dove past the doctor into the room. Mal led the way for the rest of them at a more cautious pace and nodded to the doctor as they passed her.

Again, Danny thought he didn’t belong here, sharing in this life-altering event between a woman he’d only just met and his once-enemies.Nemeses. But as they moved into the room, Lucy gripped his elbow to slow him. The gesture didn’t carry any threat or sharp nails, just a squeeze and look in her eyes of support.

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