It came out like a question, like I wasn’t sure of my ability or I was asking for some sign that I’d done that right. Dr. Loving smiled and gave a tiny, encouraging nod as if my question was looking for an answer and not just a result of having never done this kind of thing before.

“Thank you, Rose,” Dr. Loving said, bringing the group’s attention back to her. But not before I could notice everyone’s expressions—a mix of surprise and awe and curiosity.

Thankfully, Dr. Loving launched into the sharing portion of group therapy. I wasn’t expected to say much beyond my name in the first session and I could definitely feel my eyes getting heavy at some points, the sweet lull of sleep wanting to take me away, but I was able to fend it off. It helped that the discussion going on was fairly engaging.

It wasn’t quite the support group for superheroes that someone might expect from a therapy session with a bunch of Atypicals—it was far more … normal. Sharon can’t seem to sit still—her hyperspeed manifesting in her emotional life, as Dr. Loving put it—Cat and Cam have bonded over the fact that Cat is the only one who can breach Cam’s force field, and Marco has a hard time being truly vulnerable with people because he can always mold himself into someone else. Ralphy remained a mystery.

But it’s interesting—everyone clearly sees themselves as capital-A Atypical. Like it’s just as big a part of their identity as their race, their gender, their job. It affects how they relate to one another, to people who aren’t Atypicals, people who know their secret and people who don’t. Their abilities directly reflect the way they think about themselves and their place in the world.

And there I was, sitting silently and just thinking about the fact that all of them were living with their abilities existing, in that moment. I barely knew who I was before all this happened—always trying to balance fitting into my family with how I wanted to spend my own life—and now I’m even more unsure.

community/TheUnusuals post by n/thatsahumanperson

My sister is still at That Place, so things have been pretty quiet in the house. Not that she’s loud but, before her ability started, her thoughts were definitely loud, even if she didn’t voice most of them. It’s not that I miss her thoughts—I hadn’t really been listening that much anyway—it’s just … well, it’s been easier to notice stuff with her gone. Like what’s going on with my dad.