Henry is like that older sibling you have away at college that every once in a while when you come home they’re eating your snacks on the living room couch. Of course, none of them have older siblings but Henry is really giving them the experience.
“Hey guys!” he calls, unsubtly hiding Bose’s leftover nacho ball by sliding it under the couch. “You look…stressed?” he tries. When none of the teens' faces change at all he changes tactics. “How was the mission?” He winces as their faces fall further. “Ok, bad got it.” An uneasy silence falls across the room.
“Do you want me to order us pizza?” Mika shakes her head. “Thanks, Henry, but I don’t think any of us are particularly hungry right now.” Henry frowns in worry and gets up to come near them. “What happened?” Chapa glares at him but Bose grabs her hand before she can say anything and she huffs as she storms away, likely to see if there’s a training dummy she can electrocute, Bose’s own hands are stinging lightly from her static electricity.
“The mission went fine!” Mika announces suddenly and much too cheerfully, “We got the villain and we fought him and he hasn’t even been active in a few years so he was out of practice and we got him and nothing else happened at all!” Miles and Bose look at each other over Mika’s head and wince. Henry blinks, “Yeah, no of course…”
Mika’s smile literally looks painful and she stares at Henry testily, silently pushing him to counter her claims. When he doesn’t she huffs and announces, “I am going to go find Chapa not because anything went wrong, but because I want to spend time with my dear friend, and if you hear screaming I’m sure it’s just the neighbor kids in the street so don’t come looking for me.” Bose and Miles both give a reflexive thumbs up out of fear and nervously Henry does the same.
“So…” Henry starts after she’s gone but doesn’t get the chance to say anything else. “Nope.” Miles teleports away leaving Bose to glare at the spot his teammate abandoned him in. “Uh,” Henry tries again and Bose goes for a low blow. “Well, since I really wanted my nacho ball after our mission, I’m going to go to the nice one and not the close one to get another one. Bye.” Henry gapes at his back.
Henry pauses for a moment before taking out his phone to text the group chat he has with Charlotte and Jasper.
Henry: The kids are being weird
Charlotte: Like possessed weird or normal weird?
Henry honestly should’ve expected that.
Henry: Just normal weird.
Jasper video calls Henry then, and Henry adds Charlotte, after he’s finished explaining his whole ordeal with the kids Charlotte grimaces. “Did you do something to make them mad?” She frowns when Henry shakes his head. “I swear!” He pleads. “Well, they seem pretty uncomfortable with you dude…” Jasper trails off and Henry groans, “I know!” “You’re staying at the Man’s Nest for a few days right?” Charlotte double-checks and moves on when Henry nods, “Give them space today but try again tomorrow. Ask Schwoz and Ray if they know anything in the meantime.” Henry grins, “Thanks Char’”. They keep talking for a bit, giving updates on their retrospective cities before the call comes to a natural end.
Henry heads out to find Ray first, finding him outside doing…something…with a hydrangea bush. “Uh?” He stars and Ray yelps as he drops his hedge clippers. “Ah! I was practicing my topiary,” he complains. “Alright…” Henry says in confusion. “Have you noticed the kids being weird?” Ray laughs, “They’re teenagers. They’re always weird.” But Henry shakes his head, “No, weirder than normal. They’re acting like they’re upset with me.” Ray frowns then, “I don’t know kid I’m sorry.” Henry smiles anyway, “Nah it was a long shot, don’t sweat it.”
