Dinner is quiet tonight. Will shoves the food inside like this is his last meal and barely says anything except yes and no, when Josie asks about his day in school. Maybe the break up with Layla still bothers him although he seemed fine directly after it and that was eight months ago. Maybe it hurts now that she goes out with another boy.

After she cleared the table with Will, Josie looked at our boy and made him sit down again. She smiles at me and says:

'Darling, I think Will has something important to tell you.' And before she leaves she gives Will a knowing and understanding look. It bothers me that she knows something about our son that I don't know, especially something that makes squirm uncomfortably like he does now. The last time he looked like this was when he told us that he was only hero support but that one has worked out fine, hasn't it?

'Dad, you remember Warren, right?' Of course I remember Warren. After the school battle Warren has become a regular guest in our house, although I must admit that I have some doubts in Will's choice of friends and couldn't really warm up to the boy. He looks too much like his father. And you can never be too careful with the children of super-villains. Most of them choose the dark side in the end.

'Sure, why, had he tried to recruit you?' I ask a bit alarmed.

'What? No!' Will snorts. He seems to find the idea ridiculous but I know it's better to be safe than sorry.

'No, dad, Warren isn't like that. I know you don't like him but he's really a good guy.'

'Will, it's not that I don't like him, I just want you to be careful.' I lean forward to show him that I mean what I'm saying and that it is important:

'I know everyone deserves a chance but in my time at school I've seen friendships like yours and Warrens and they all ended badly.'

'You don't now Warren!' Will sounds angry, which irritates me. I just want what is best for him. I put my hands up:

'Okay, sure.' I should trust my son's judgment. It never pays to leap to conclusions.

'So, what is it that you wanted to tell me?' Will bleaches in a second.

'New girlfriend?' I ask understandingly: 'You know we found it regrettable that you broke up with Layla, but you know, not everyone stays together with their high school sweetheart and-'

'Dad,' he interrupted me: 'I'm gay.'

Not what I expected. Not what I expected at all. This has to be one of Will's jokes.

'Is this a joke?' And if it is then it isn't funny.

'No it isn't.' Will says firmly and looks me in the eye. He's really serious about this: 'That is why it didn't work out with Layla. Warren – '

I feel my anger flare up. Baron Battle's son, of course.

'Will, you fell for this?' I yell: 'Seduction is the oldest trick in the book. What do they teach you at that school nowadays that you couldn't see through his trick? What else? What else did he do to you?'

'Dad, it isn't like that. Warren didn't seduce me.' Will continues to defend that worthless scum but I don't need to listen. Of course he would defend him. He's obviously mind-washed. Tomorrow I will go to the head teacher and tell her that it is irresponsible of her to let Warren go to the school. He's the son of baron Battle, what else does one need to know?

'Josie!' I yell: 'Josie, come here!' I can't believe that she knows about this and didn't say anything. She appears in the door:

'Did Will tell you what Baron Battle's son did to him?' I ask enraged. Will stands up:

'Warren didn't do anything to me!'

Josie steps into the room and says calmly:

'Yes, Will told me that he's gay and he's going out with Warren. There is nothing wrong with it.'

With being gay?' No, although Will only thinks that he's gay because Warren coerced him into thinking that. A detail in his plan to corrupt my son.

'He's baron Battle's son.' I yell at her, too, because she doesn't seem to understand.

'You can't judge a book by its cover.' She frowns slightly: 'And Warren is a rather charming, young man. Did you know his mother died when he was only seven? He lives with the Zhang's, who own the 'green lampoon'. Their daughter Grace also attended the Sky High and works now under the name 'Pinball' if I remember correctly.'

'That doesn't change who he is.'

'Dad,' Will interrupts: 'It's not only about Warren. I mean,' he blushes: ' It's about Warren, but I've noticed other boys, too. Only boys. Girls don't interest me at all. I just…I didn't realize before Warren.'

'What other boys?' I ask suspiciously. If he names another super-villain….

'Raven, Batman, Wraith, Slick, Gambit.' All of them are good men I have already worked with. In fact I had a mission with Raven last week and he's a polite and capable man, quick on his wings and from a very respectable family. If Will is serious about this gay thing, and I suspect that he is serious, then Raven is a far better match than Baron Battle's son.

'But does it have to be Baron Battle's son?'

'So you're okay with me being gay?' Will asks half-anxiously, half-hopeful. I sigh. I guess this it one of the hundred things that can happen to you when you're a parent and it's not the worst by far.

'Yes, I'm okay with it. This is the 21st century isn't it?' But then I had to ask: 'You're not turning into a woman, are you?'

To my utter relief, Will seems to be appalled at the very idea.

'NO.'

'Good, but still: Warren Peace? Is there no one else? You know I could invite Raven again –'

'No, dad,' Will blushes again: 'I love Warren.'

'Oh.'

Josie keeps the silence from becoming awkward as she says:

'Maybe you could bring Warren over tomorrow? So that he and your dad have some time to get to know each other better.'

'Sure.' Will practically flees the table but he looks happier than he did all evening.

When Warren comes over the next evening, Josie takes Will with her to set the table, so that I can talk to him. If he's nervous then he doesn't show it, but he keeps looking at the door.

I lean forward to show him that I'm serious:

'If this is all just a plan to bring Will to the dark side or if you plan to take revenge for your father or if you hurt him in any other way, then you will regret the day you were born.'

Warren, too, leans forward and says in the same tone that I just used:

'I'm not a villain, if I wanted to revenge my father I would take it out on you and never Will and I won't hurt him because I love him.'

I must admit that I'm a bit impressed. Not many men have the guts to look me in the eye like that.

Josie put her head through the doorway:

'Dinner is ready.'

When I see how Will takes Warren aside to ask him about our little chat and how he laces his finger's with Warren's I resign myself to the fact that my son was in love with my arch-nemesis's son.

But I will still invite Raven next week. One can always hope.