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Chad had been "sneaking out" to "go on patrol." Of course, his parents knew he was leaving the house at night, and the first few times he did do a patrol first. To keep the parents off his scent when he "snuck out" to go meet up with his boyfriend. His boyfriend, billionaire and local villain, Rex Roofer.
Yes. Rex was, well, kind of... evil. And had done, well, rather atrocious things in the past, yes, but! But, but, but! Rex was kind to him. Rex saw through his himbo, idiot persona he put on for everyone. Not even his parents saw through that one. Rex let him wander around his lab, even! He got to tinker with the things in it, even if he only did when Rex wasn't paying attention. Rex let him ramble- no, Rex said it was called infodumping- about whatever it was the Chad was ob- whatever his current hyperfixation was.
Rex was the one who recommended Chad get tested for ADHD. Rex was fucking right.
Of course, when Rex later told him that Morgan had insisted their parents get Chad tested for it throughout all of their childhoods, he fell to pieces.
So, sure. Rex Roofer was technically a villain. Sure, Rex Roofer was his rival.
But there was only so much a hero could take on his own, and Rex had saved him countless times.
So, when he "snuck out" for "patrol," he was really just going to see his charismatic, technically probably evil, incredibly hot, irritatingly smug, wonderful, ridiculously smart boyfriend.
"Chad!"
Chad couldn't help but sigh happily. Rex was always so happy to see him like this. The man's whole face lit up at the sight of him. He didn't know why he made Rex that happy, but he understood the feeling. His whole being relaxed when it was just the two of them. In public, he might have kept his composer, but it was just the two of them. So, he ran towards Rex and scooped him up into a hug, laughing gleefully and peppering his boyfriend's face in kisses.
"Chad!" Rex laughed, and Chad was seriously starting to think he could get high off that sound alone. "Chad, pu-put me down! Din-Dinner's gonna get cold!"
"Hmm..." Chad hummed, as if thinking about it. Rex gave him a Look, but he could still see the smile hidden behind it. "Hmmmmmm, alright, I suppose."
Gently, he put him down. Immediately, Rex pulled him into a kiss. He sighed into it, looping his arms around Rex's neck, feeling Rex pull him closer, arms around his waist.
When Rex finally pulled away, he nodded to the table.
"Had the ch-chefs make your favorite. With my favorite wine, because be-beer still takes like shit."
Chad couldn't help but laugh. He loved beer, and usually when someone put down things he loved, it hurt. But not with Rex. Because he knew Rex never said anything like that to hurt him. Rex's tone was never insulting, only ever playful.
"You like Bohemian beer." Chad grinned. Rex gave him a little push and rolled his eyes. "You do! And don't think I can't see that smile, baby."
"Oh, h-hush up." Rex pulled out a chair for him. "Sit."
"Telling me what to do already, babe?" Chad grinned as he sat.
Rex bent down and held up a finger, "First, you know you- you know you love it when I tell you what to do." He held up a second finger. "And se-second, dinner before dessert, my da-darling perv."
Dinner, as usual, was incredible. While almost everyone thought his favorite food was pizza or buffalo wings, it was actually a medium rare filet mignon, topped with garlic butter andsautéed peppers, onions, and mushrooms, accompanied by garlic roasted baby red potatoes and broccoli sautéed in lemonbutter. That, paired with specifically with Rex's favorite Chardonnay, was Chad's favorite meal.
Rex had it made for them once a month, twice in August for his birthday, and twice in December for their anniversary.
"You're fucking amazing, you know that?" Chad asked, once dinner was over.
They had moved to the sofa, each with a glass of wine.
Rex smirked at him.
"I try to be." He said, lifting his chin smugly.
Chad rolled his eyes playfully. Then he leaned in. This, truthfully, was his favorite part of the night. They would kiss for a bit, and then one of three things would happen.
1.) Rex would tell him what to do, and he'd get a break from thinking for the next few hours.
2.) Rex would let Chad take charge, and Chad loved seeing Rex so pliant.
Or 3.) They would cuddle and Rex would play with his hair while telling him all about his latest invention, or maybe Chad would tell him about his latest theory about the Conundrum Cooperation's talking cat. He was positive that they were just a cat and not a shapeshifter, but had many theories as to what allowed the cat to talk.
Tonight, however, Rex cut the kiss short. In the split second before Rex was holding his face, Chad was suddenly terrified that this was about to end. But then, oh, then, Rex was holding his face the way held particularly fragile inventions.
Rex was the only person who held Chad like he was fragile. Chad could never get enough of it.
"I wa-want to be with you." Rex said. "Not sto-stolen kisses in the night, not vaguely flirt-flirtatious banter that you pretend not to understand. I want you. Not the idiot you pre-present to the world, not the himbo you showed me at fi-first."
Chad just stared at this man. This beautiful man who's supposed to be his rival, not his friend, certainly not his lover.
"I want the la-late night talks. I want the you who wan-wanders around my lab, tinkering with things when you think I'm not looking, im-improving them even. I want the you who talks nonstop about the mo-movies you watched as a kid, the you who knows way too- way too much about Scooby-Doo, the you who blasts Taylor Swift at 3 am, the you who sings to the break up ones while think-thinking about your shitty parents, the you who looks up to Morgan so, so much, the you who wants to be an engin-engineer instead of a hero-"
"Rex, please-" Chad's voice broke a little and he could feel the tears brimming.
"I want the Chad who wants- who wants to save everyone, because everyone is worth saving. I want the Chad who knew- knew what Alex was planning, but chose to believe in them anyways because of that belief that any-anyone can be saved. I want the Chad who loosens up around Diego, the one who calls Dodgers 'Fris-Frisbee Boy' to his face. The Chad who learns and remem-remembers the name of everyone he coul-couldn't save so that you can put flowers on their grave stone. Send mo-money to their families. The Chad who gave me the rarest opportunity."
"Rex..."
Rex wipes at his tears with his thumb, "You presen-presented me the himbo, and I fell in love. Then you gave me the priv-privilege of meeting the real you, and I got to fall- to fall in love with you twice."
"Rex, please, I'm-"
"Incre-Incredible. Wonderful. Beau-Beautiful. Handsome. Sexy. Kind. Brill-Brilliant. That's how- That's how that sentence should end."
Chad looks away, too flustered to speak.
"I love you, Chad. I love you." Rex said, slowly moving. Chad's eyes widened. "And I know that you've- you've been wanting to follow in your siblings' footsteps for a long time, desper-desperate to get away from your parents."
"Rex, what are-" Chad asks, nearly speechless.
"I have the mon-money for you to do what-whatever you want with your life." Rex said, on one knee. "I want to pro-protect you. I want to keep you sa-safe and happy. I want you even when you're not- when you're not happy. When you're angry, or sad. When you're hit with a parti-particularly bad depressive episode. When you're having a pa-panic or anxiety attack. I want to give you the sup-support you need, the support you give ever-everyone else. I love you, Chad. Please, give me another ra-rare privilege. Give me the privilege of you, and I'll give you the privilege of me."
At first, he didn't know what to say to that speech. To Rex promising himself to him like this, to Rex asking for Chad, forever. It was everything he wanted. He truly thought this would end one day, horribly, given his luck. But here Rex was, offering Chad a way out, offering Chad him, offering Chad everything.
Chad stared for a moment, speechless, mouth ajar. Rex looked almost scared he'd say no, which meant that Rex was definitely afraid he'd say no. Chad did not understand that, though.
Really, what else was there to say, but,
"Yes! Holy fuck, yes!" Chad shouted, tackling Rex to the floor in a hug, peppering his face with kisses again. Rex was laughing, relief ringing clear in his voice.
"Stop, stop. Let me- let me put the ring on you."
Chad pouted, but sat up and held out his finger excitedly. The ring was fairly simple, a thin gold band with a ruby in the shape of a heart.
"... your birthstone." Chad whispered.
"We-Well, you said you didn't care for dia-diamonds, so." Rex gave a nonchalant shrug.
Chad raised an eyebrow, smiling.
"Buuut, you know that I have the birthstones memorized and that red is my favorite color."
"Oh, i-is it?" Rex looked away, starting to turn Chad's favorite color.
"You're being sentimental~" Chad grinned, nuzzling him.
"... maybe." He admitted, wrapping his arms around Chad. There was quiet for a while, as they just held each other. Then Rex spoke again, his nerves finally showing. "How- How are- How are you going to tell your parents?"
"With Diego and Frisbee Boy there for backup. She might even get Morgy and their partner in crime to help with as well."
Rex chuckled.
"Alex do-does actually owe me a favor."
"Oh, good! Then I can make it a double whammy and tell them that I'm leaving the F.A. and that we're engaged. Might I assume that means I'm moving in with you?"
"Trip-Triple whammy for them, then." Rex grinned at him. He placed a kiss on hisforehead. Chad sighed and let his eyes flutter shut. "Can I assume you're sleep-sleeping over?"
"Abso-fuckin-lutley."