#second date

It wasn’t that long until the second date was on the cards for these two. You know what, they actually look really good together.

But I will say it again, I am so glad to see my bro happy☺️

The night air over the Barton farm was soft and quiet, crickets humming beneath a wide Iowa sky dusted with stars. Nathaniel Pietro Barton leaned against the old fence post, hands tucked in his jacket pockets, watching headlights approach down the gravel road.

Taina Parker hopped out before the car even fully stopped. She jogged over, a little bounce in her step. “Hi.” “Hi,” Nate answered, smiling in that slow, steady way that always made her feel like she’d just exhaled without realizing she’d been holding her breath. There was no frantic energy tonight. No chaos. Just warmth.

The Gentle Start

They walked side by side toward the pond, shoulders brushing. Taina glanced up at him. “You know you don’t have to keep planning these peaceful, aesthetic farm dates just because I’m chronically overstimulated by Boston, right?”

He chuckled. “I like peaceful. And you like peaceful when you actually let yourself.” She bumped his arm. “Rude. Accurate. But rude.” He nudged her back lightly, just enough to make her grin. Their dynamic wasn’t explosive — it was soft. Like two people who understood the weight of their powers and chose to be gentle with each other anyway.

Under the Stars

They settled on a blanket Nate had spread near the pond. Fireflies blinked in the tall grass. Taina lay back first, staring up at the sky. “You ever think about how big it all is?” she asked quietly. “Like, galaxies and timelines and multiversal weirdness and—” “And we’re just two people on a blanket,” Nate finished calmly. She turned her head toward him.

“Does that scare you?” He thought for a moment. “No,” he said. “It makes this feel more important.” She swallowed softly. “That is such a Jonathan Kent-coded answer, you know that?” He laughed under his breath. “Is that a compliment?” “The highest.”

The Playful Flirt

Taina rolled onto her side, propping her chin on her hand. “You’re staring.” “You’re glowing,” he replied simply. She blinked. “Excuse me?” “The fireflies,” he clarified gently. “They keep lighting up around you.” She narrowed her eyes playfully. “You are dangerously smooth for a farm boy.”

“I learned from observation,” he said. “You talk to me like that all the time.” “That’s different. I’m charming.” “You think I’m not?” She leaned closer, testing him. “Oh? Prove it.” He didn’t rush. Didn’t fluster. He just brushed his thumb lightly along her wrist, slow and deliberate. Her breath hitched. “Hi,” he murmured.

Her confidence cracked instantly. “Oh my God.” He smiled softly. “What happened to charming?” “Shut up,” she whispered, but she was smiling too.

The Heartfelt Moment

After a while, their hands found each other naturally. Taina’s voice softened. “Sometimes I worry I won’t be able to balance all of it. Hero stuff. School. Us.” “You don’t have to balance it alone,” Nate said. She looked at him. “I don’t want to hold you back.” “You don’t,” he answered immediately. “You push me forward.”

She blinked at that. “You make me braver,” he continued. “Not louder. Not bigger. Just braver.” That was very him — steady, heartfelt, honest. She shifted closer until her shoulder rested against his chest. “You’re my favorite place,” she admitted quietly. His arm wrapped around her without hesitation. “You’re my favorite person,” he replied.

The Almost-Kiss Energy

They sat like that for a while, wrapped up in each other and the quiet hum of the countryside. Taina tilted her head up. “You ever think about what we’ll be like in ten years?” He smiled softly. “Probably still arguing about whether your ideas need safety disclaimers.”

“They don’t.” “They absolutely do.” She laughed — that bright, fearless laugh — and then it softened as she met his eyes. The world felt very small in that moment. Very manageable. She leaned up first this time, slow and certain. He met her halfway. The kiss was tender — no rushing, no awkward bump this time. Just warmth and the kind of sweetness that feels like a promise instead of a spark.