Fic/ Asymmetrial Symmerty
Title: Asymmetrical Symmetry
Rating/Warnings: PG-13 for cursing and tad bit of violence
Characters/Pairings: Billy, Tommy, Teddy. Teddy/Billy, of course.
Summary: Billy will never understand Tommy. For Tommy, the feeling is mutual. Even so, he can't help but for over his twin. Again, entirely mutual on Tommy's part...
Notes: Fic for kaciart again based on this picture, because I am forever inspired by her. And because she is honestly one of the sweetest people I have had the pleasure of getting to know.
~~~
It wasn’t hard to find the first aid kit. For all the times Billy came home having to patch himself up after Kessler and his goons got a hold of him, he darn well should know how to find it at this point.
Trying to get Tommy to talk about what happened, however, was rather like extracting a rotting tooth from an angry hippo in captivity. Only the hippo would be much less in favor of biting words and just biting your limbs off.
And then there was the running.
He was plenty experienced with chasing petulant children down before (being the older brother to two obnoxious doppelgangers tended to do that to a guy). Getting a speedster to cooperate was another matter entirely. Billy literally had to chase him down until finally he sighed and chanted “IwanthimtositdownalreadyIwanthimtositdownalready-” until Tommy was effectively stuck at home on the couch and Billy was able to at long last apply some much needed antiseptic to the gash across Tommy’s cheek.
It didn’t stop the other boy from squirming around and smacking at his hand.
”Dammit, Kaplan just leave it alone!”
“Shut up and hold still, or it’ll sting more!”
“In case you’ve forgotten, genius, I’m a speedster,” Tommy growled, gritting his teeth as Billy gently wiped the cloth across the wound. “Hello, accelerated healing?”
“Hello, you can still get an infection?” Billy snapped back.
Tommy huffed and folded his arms, muttering under his breath. “Why do I even bother?”
That… was a good question, actually. Billy himself was starting to wonder why he bothered with this kid: an ex-convict who’s brazen behavior was the source of strife that broke the harmony of the the Young Avengers, a punk who had to go and make things even more complicated between Kate and Eli by asking her out even after Billy warned about what a monumentally stupid idea that was. Who cared if they were somehow long lost twin brothers in another life? Tommy sure as hell didn’t act like it most of the time. So why did he?
Tommy once again broke the silence. Because no matter how much they fought, he could never actually stay mad long enough to stop talking.
“Don’t you have a boyfriend who actually wants your PDAs?”
Billy glared sitting back on his heels. “Yeah, well someone’s got to look after you.”
He regretted the words almost as soon as they came out when he added a scathing,” And it looks like I’m the best you got.”
Tommy’s own eyes sharpened, his voice dripping acid. “Thanks for reminding me of that.”
He didn’t even try to stop him this time as Tommy stood up, but instead of running away, Tommy stormed over to the staircase pausing before he whipped back around. “Actually, you know something, Kaplan? Fuck you.”
Billy’s mouth fell open and he was on his feet in an instant. “What the hell, Tommy? I just finished helping you and this is the thanks I get! Never mind that you’re living in my home, sharing my room with me because I stupidly decided to invite you here!”
“Your parents let me into their home, because they feel sorry for kids who have it worse off than you!”
Billy shut his mouth, but gasped again when Tommy was suddenly in his face and shoving him back against the couch. Billy struggled and hissed as Tommy tightened his hands over his wrists.
“Just because I don’t need anyone watching my back doesn’t mean I can’t do better than some stuck up snotty brat who thinks his life is so fucking hard that he can’t just appreciate what he’s got. Some privileged kid who’s biggest issue is being bullied by homo-phobic pieces of shit even though he could easily cast a spell and just collectively kick their asses.”
“What and lose control of my powers and hurt them?” Billy winced, the bite of his remark lost over heavy breathing. “That’s not what being a hero is about.”
“Wrong,” Tommy squeezed harder earning a pained whipper in return. “Sometimes being hero means taking a fucking stand instead of letting people walk all over you. It’s about punishing people who deserve to be punished and showing the people in your life that give a damn about you they’re worth it.”
Billy panted up at him in confusion searching his face for answers. Tommy’s eyes said enough.
He was disgusted.
Billy flinched when Tommy moved him away and and climbed back up the stairs slamming the door to their room for good measure.
He didn’t know how long he’d sat starring miserably at the floor, but at some point Teddy came home from basketball practice and called his name. Billy muttered something that was supposed to be “Hey.”
On instinct, Teddy stood over him and laid a hand on his shoulder.
“Billy? What’s wrong?”
“Nothing,” Billy whispered finally looking up to meet his boyfriend’s concerned befuddlement.
Teddy raised a brow unconvinced but turned to make for the kitchen. “Well if you’re sure-“
He didn’t get far before Billy threw himself over at him and buried his face in to his back. Teddy stopped and let his hand slide over Billy’s arm. “Hey… It’s alright.”
“No it’s not,” Billy sobbed, clinging to him tighter. “I’m worried about Tommy…”
He could almost hear the smile in Teddy’s voice when he replied, “He’s more resilient than you think he is.”
Billy mumbled something into the shoulder in front of him to protest, but Teddy laughed and ruffled his hair affectionately. “Use your words, B. Those are just sounds.”
Billy made another, more annoyed one into his shoulder again.
Teddy sighed. “Want a glass of water?”
Billy shook his head.
“Wanna go for a walk?”
Billy considered it for a moment. He straightened himself up and wiped his face across his sleeve. “Ok…”
-
Back up the stairs hidden around the corner, Tommy listened to the exchange quietly. He waited for Teddy to lead Billy outside for a walk before sliding down the wall to the floor. His hand reached up and brushed over the bandaid. The wound had already healed, for the most part. He couldn’t bring himself to take it off.
He had to admit it to himself, if not for anyone else. Kaplan was a spoiled, naive brat, but it didn’t stop him from seeming to care about other people who for all he knew couldn’t give a rat’s ass about him. Him and his goody-too-shoes boyfriend.
Tommy wasn’t the same. He didn’t let people push him around. When people hit him, he shoved right back.
That’s why he had gone to Billy’s school looking to fix something he knew neither Billy or Teddy had the heart to do themselves. He didn’t have to look very far…
“Nice hair, Kaplan! Did your boyfriend pick it out?”
Tommy froze and turned around, a slow, arrogant smirk that would make Quicksilver proud finding its way over his sneer. “Let me guess… Kessler, right?”
Like all cowardly pricks who got their rocks off picking on seemingly weaker kids, Kessler wasn’t alone. He had at least two other guys snickering behind him. Tommy wasn’t impressed. He’d fought bigger.
Kessler didn’t like it when he told him so.
And he did exactly what Tommy was dying for him to do since he first saw Billy come home with a black eye and a puffed lip, since he first got wind that Teddy had also gotten a piece of this creep but healed before anyone could see the damage.
He made the first move.
“What did you say to me, faggot?”
Tommy felt his face scrap the wall, Kessler’s hand went to grab for him again- But Tommy was already behind him.
One move was all he needed. All the incentive for him to speed-punch that terrified face off of Kessler. The other two kids just stood there in shock. When Kessler stumbled back to his feet giving Tommy the satisfaction of covering his broken nose, he stuttered.
“Y-You’re a mutant freak, too?”
“Sure am,” Tommy grinned stepping forward. The other three boys stepped back against the wall he just had his face smashed into moments before. ”Altman may have some sort of obligation to Kaplan not to beat you to a bloody pulp.”
He stopped smiling, then, something more dangerous replacing his mirth. ”I don’t.”
Kessler all but yelped when Tommy zipped up beside him, hand resting on the wall just next to his face. “So if I catch you pulling any of your cute shit with either of them again-“
The wall beneath his hand vibrated. Kessler’s face paled.
The concrete shattered under Tommy’s palm and Kessler and the two kids he was with fell backward onto the rubble coughing and starring up at Tommy as he stepped back and admired his handiwork. “I’ll do a little experiment to see how fast human molecules can move before they eventually explode. And I’ll be volunteering you as my test subjects.”
Tommy shook himself back to the present.
Billy was a better person than he was. It also meant that while Billy thought he needed to watch out for Tommy, the other boy knew it was the other way around. And it didn’t stop him from resenting Billy and everything he had going for him… In a way, maybe he wasn’t so different from that Kessler jerk-off.
Billy cared enough about one bully not to kill him. So it made sense he wouldn’t even consider attacking Tommy for lashing out at him earlier.
With a bitter laugh, Tommy ran his fingers through his hair and leaned his head back into the wall. “…Stop crying over me, Kaplan.”
Tommy shivered and hugged his knees to his chest, murmuring softly. “Save your tears for people who deserve it…”
Rating/Warnings: PG-13 for cursing and tad bit of violence
Characters/Pairings: Billy, Tommy, Teddy. Teddy/Billy, of course.
Summary: Billy will never understand Tommy. For Tommy, the feeling is mutual. Even so, he can't help but for over his twin. Again, entirely mutual on Tommy's part...
Notes: Fic for kaciart again based on this picture, because I am forever inspired by her. And because she is honestly one of the sweetest people I have had the pleasure of getting to know.
~~~
It wasn’t hard to find the first aid kit. For all the times Billy came home having to patch himself up after Kessler and his goons got a hold of him, he darn well should know how to find it at this point.
Trying to get Tommy to talk about what happened, however, was rather like extracting a rotting tooth from an angry hippo in captivity. Only the hippo would be much less in favor of biting words and just biting your limbs off.
And then there was the running.
He was plenty experienced with chasing petulant children down before (being the older brother to two obnoxious doppelgangers tended to do that to a guy). Getting a speedster to cooperate was another matter entirely. Billy literally had to chase him down until finally he sighed and chanted “IwanthimtositdownalreadyIwanthimtositdownalready-” until Tommy was effectively stuck at home on the couch and Billy was able to at long last apply some much needed antiseptic to the gash across Tommy’s cheek.
It didn’t stop the other boy from squirming around and smacking at his hand.
”Dammit, Kaplan just leave it alone!”
“Shut up and hold still, or it’ll sting more!”
“In case you’ve forgotten, genius, I’m a speedster,” Tommy growled, gritting his teeth as Billy gently wiped the cloth across the wound. “Hello, accelerated healing?”
“Hello, you can still get an infection?” Billy snapped back.
Tommy huffed and folded his arms, muttering under his breath. “Why do I even bother?”
That… was a good question, actually. Billy himself was starting to wonder why he bothered with this kid: an ex-convict who’s brazen behavior was the source of strife that broke the harmony of the the Young Avengers, a punk who had to go and make things even more complicated between Kate and Eli by asking her out even after Billy warned about what a monumentally stupid idea that was. Who cared if they were somehow long lost twin brothers in another life? Tommy sure as hell didn’t act like it most of the time. So why did he?
Tommy once again broke the silence. Because no matter how much they fought, he could never actually stay mad long enough to stop talking.
“Don’t you have a boyfriend who actually wants your PDAs?”
Billy glared sitting back on his heels. “Yeah, well someone’s got to look after you.”
He regretted the words almost as soon as they came out when he added a scathing,” And it looks like I’m the best you got.”
Tommy’s own eyes sharpened, his voice dripping acid. “Thanks for reminding me of that.”
He didn’t even try to stop him this time as Tommy stood up, but instead of running away, Tommy stormed over to the staircase pausing before he whipped back around. “Actually, you know something, Kaplan? Fuck you.”
Billy’s mouth fell open and he was on his feet in an instant. “What the hell, Tommy? I just finished helping you and this is the thanks I get! Never mind that you’re living in my home, sharing my room with me because I stupidly decided to invite you here!”
“Your parents let me into their home, because they feel sorry for kids who have it worse off than you!”
Billy shut his mouth, but gasped again when Tommy was suddenly in his face and shoving him back against the couch. Billy struggled and hissed as Tommy tightened his hands over his wrists.
“Just because I don’t need anyone watching my back doesn’t mean I can’t do better than some stuck up snotty brat who thinks his life is so fucking hard that he can’t just appreciate what he’s got. Some privileged kid who’s biggest issue is being bullied by homo-phobic pieces of shit even though he could easily cast a spell and just collectively kick their asses.”
“What and lose control of my powers and hurt them?” Billy winced, the bite of his remark lost over heavy breathing. “That’s not what being a hero is about.”
“Wrong,” Tommy squeezed harder earning a pained whipper in return. “Sometimes being hero means taking a fucking stand instead of letting people walk all over you. It’s about punishing people who deserve to be punished and showing the people in your life that give a damn about you they’re worth it.”
Billy panted up at him in confusion searching his face for answers. Tommy’s eyes said enough.
He was disgusted.
Billy flinched when Tommy moved him away and and climbed back up the stairs slamming the door to their room for good measure.
He didn’t know how long he’d sat starring miserably at the floor, but at some point Teddy came home from basketball practice and called his name. Billy muttered something that was supposed to be “Hey.”
On instinct, Teddy stood over him and laid a hand on his shoulder.
“Billy? What’s wrong?”
“Nothing,” Billy whispered finally looking up to meet his boyfriend’s concerned befuddlement.
Teddy raised a brow unconvinced but turned to make for the kitchen. “Well if you’re sure-“
He didn’t get far before Billy threw himself over at him and buried his face in to his back. Teddy stopped and let his hand slide over Billy’s arm. “Hey… It’s alright.”
“No it’s not,” Billy sobbed, clinging to him tighter. “I’m worried about Tommy…”
He could almost hear the smile in Teddy’s voice when he replied, “He’s more resilient than you think he is.”
Billy mumbled something into the shoulder in front of him to protest, but Teddy laughed and ruffled his hair affectionately. “Use your words, B. Those are just sounds.”
Billy made another, more annoyed one into his shoulder again.
Teddy sighed. “Want a glass of water?”
Billy shook his head.
“Wanna go for a walk?”
Billy considered it for a moment. He straightened himself up and wiped his face across his sleeve. “Ok…”
-
Back up the stairs hidden around the corner, Tommy listened to the exchange quietly. He waited for Teddy to lead Billy outside for a walk before sliding down the wall to the floor. His hand reached up and brushed over the bandaid. The wound had already healed, for the most part. He couldn’t bring himself to take it off.
He had to admit it to himself, if not for anyone else. Kaplan was a spoiled, naive brat, but it didn’t stop him from seeming to care about other people who for all he knew couldn’t give a rat’s ass about him. Him and his goody-too-shoes boyfriend.
Tommy wasn’t the same. He didn’t let people push him around. When people hit him, he shoved right back.
That’s why he had gone to Billy’s school looking to fix something he knew neither Billy or Teddy had the heart to do themselves. He didn’t have to look very far…
“Nice hair, Kaplan! Did your boyfriend pick it out?”
Tommy froze and turned around, a slow, arrogant smirk that would make Quicksilver proud finding its way over his sneer. “Let me guess… Kessler, right?”
Like all cowardly pricks who got their rocks off picking on seemingly weaker kids, Kessler wasn’t alone. He had at least two other guys snickering behind him. Tommy wasn’t impressed. He’d fought bigger.
Kessler didn’t like it when he told him so.
And he did exactly what Tommy was dying for him to do since he first saw Billy come home with a black eye and a puffed lip, since he first got wind that Teddy had also gotten a piece of this creep but healed before anyone could see the damage.
He made the first move.
“What did you say to me, faggot?”
Tommy felt his face scrap the wall, Kessler’s hand went to grab for him again- But Tommy was already behind him.
One move was all he needed. All the incentive for him to speed-punch that terrified face off of Kessler. The other two kids just stood there in shock. When Kessler stumbled back to his feet giving Tommy the satisfaction of covering his broken nose, he stuttered.
“Y-You’re a mutant freak, too?”
“Sure am,” Tommy grinned stepping forward. The other three boys stepped back against the wall he just had his face smashed into moments before. ”Altman may have some sort of obligation to Kaplan not to beat you to a bloody pulp.”
He stopped smiling, then, something more dangerous replacing his mirth. ”I don’t.”
Kessler all but yelped when Tommy zipped up beside him, hand resting on the wall just next to his face. “So if I catch you pulling any of your cute shit with either of them again-“
The wall beneath his hand vibrated. Kessler’s face paled.
The concrete shattered under Tommy’s palm and Kessler and the two kids he was with fell backward onto the rubble coughing and starring up at Tommy as he stepped back and admired his handiwork. “I’ll do a little experiment to see how fast human molecules can move before they eventually explode. And I’ll be volunteering you as my test subjects.”
Tommy shook himself back to the present.
Billy was a better person than he was. It also meant that while Billy thought he needed to watch out for Tommy, the other boy knew it was the other way around. And it didn’t stop him from resenting Billy and everything he had going for him… In a way, maybe he wasn’t so different from that Kessler jerk-off.
Billy cared enough about one bully not to kill him. So it made sense he wouldn’t even consider attacking Tommy for lashing out at him earlier.
With a bitter laugh, Tommy ran his fingers through his hair and leaned his head back into the wall. “…Stop crying over me, Kaplan.”
Tommy shivered and hugged his knees to his chest, murmuring softly. “Save your tears for people who deserve it…”