"So do we," Aaron said. "It's not like he's shy with his opinion."

Kevin finally found his voice. "They know how I feel, but words alone won't fix anything. A team that needs this much work requires a larger commitment than that."

"You won't stay," Jean said. It sounded less like a prediction and more like an order. "You should reconsider our offer before we rescind it for good, Kevin. Face the facts. Your pet is and always will be dead weight. It's time to—"

"What?" Andrew turned a wide-eyed look on Kevin. "You have a pet and you never told us? Where do you keep it, Kevin?"

Jean flicked him an annoyed look. "Don't interrupt me, Doe."

The sound Nicky made at Neil's side was sharp and offended, but Andrew smiled in the face of Jean's strange insult. "Oh, points for trying, but save your breath. Here's a tip for you, okay? You can't cut down someone who's already in the gutter. You just waste your time and mine."

"Enough." Dan snapped her fingers at them. "Break it up. This is a district event and we have twenty officials on hand. We're here to get to know each other, not to start fights. If you can't say something nice, don't say anything at all. That goes for both teams."

"Is that why your new child is being so quiet?" Riko gestured at Neil. "He doesn't have anything 'nice' to say?"

"Leave him alone," Matt said.

"He was very spirited the last time we met," Riko said. "Perhaps that was just a show for the crowd? Hello, I am speaking to you. Are you really going to ignore me?"

Nicky dug his fingers into Neil's thigh under the table, a silent and desperate reminder to keep his mouth shut. Neil left half-moon marks on the back of Nicky's hand with his fingernails and counted to ten. He only made it to four before Riko opened his mouth again.

"What a coward," Riko said with exaggerated disappointment. "Just like his mother."

Neil stopped counting.

"You know, I get it," Neil said. "Being raised as a superstar must be really, really difficult for you. Always a commodity, never a human being, not a single person in your family thinking you're worth a damn off the court—yeah, sounds rough. Kevin and I talk about your intricate and endless daddy issues all the time."

"Neil," Kevin said, low and frantic.

Neil ignored him. "I know it's not entirely your fault that you are mentally unbalanced and infected with these delusions of grandeur, and I know you're physically incapable of holding a decent conversation with anyone like every other normal human being can, but I don't think any of us should have to put up with this much of your bullshit. Pity only gets you so many concessions, and you used yours up about six insults ago. So please, please, just shut the fuck up and leave us alone."

Jaws dropped up and down the line; Raven symmetry shattered as they stared at Neil in stupefied disbelief. Riko's expression could have frozen hell, but Neil was too upset to be afraid. He'd have a nervous breakdown later. Right now he leaned forward and looked down the table at Dan, who sat with her face buried in her hands.