fic (a long one this time :D)
I started writing this AU this (technically) yesterday morning. It was just sort of a vague idea about there not actually being a Hero Academy, and Edward and Ivan meeting in this school that actually was more of a place where parents stuck their NEXT children for them to either a) learn enough control over their powers to pass for normal again or b) effectively abandon them. With Edward and Ivan falling into the latter category. I actually want it to become something huge, I'm just not quite certain where to take it. I was initially actually thinking about the "Ivan totally becomes a high-dollar escort" AU when I started this, but I'm probably not going to do that... not with this one XD
Rated PG-16 for sloppy makeouts. Edward/Ivan.
[Tiger & Bunny isn't mine.]
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There is a place in Sternbild's Bronze Stage where parents can take their NEXT children and tell themselves that it's for the best and that everything will work out the way it should. A place where they can pretend that these different and strange little creatures don't exist anymore and although it's pragmatically called a "school" it's more like a halfway house for kids whose parents simply don't quite know how to deal with the changes or look past their own biases enough to see that very little is actually different or more difficult.
It's here that Ivan Karelin meets Edward Keddy. They're both thirteen although Edward has been there a little longer and is a little bit sharper for it. Sneaking smokes out back and eying Ivan critically when he asks, "So what can you do?" Ivan's response being to blush and fidget until Edward rolls his eyes and says, "C'mon. It's not a big deal here. You don't have to hide anymore. It's gotta be something cool, right? The only way kids wind up here is if they got something their parents don't know how to handle. Either that or they're crazy anti-freak. So which is it?"
In response Ivan changes and Edward finds himself looking into his own face, all narrow points and angles and a brittle sort of anger. A disconcerting moment that makes him drop his cigarette and then Ivan is back. All red faced and looking away and mumbling about how he can't control it, Edward unable to stop himself from coiling an arm around Ivan's shoulder while he laughs.
"So you'll learn. Because that is way too cool to let stagnate."
The whole point of the school is to help children develop enough control so they can pass for normal again. Some parents keep a close watch, asking for progress reports and the like, until things are stable enough to start over.
Neither the Karelins nor the Keddys ever keep in touch or come back, which is something that Edward has no problems with whatsoever. Or at least that's what he tells himself. He knows that he wants more than to just clamp down and ignore his abilities. He wants finesse and skill and he wants that for Ivan too.
Edward was already a bit of a troublemaker even before Ivan showed up. He's been hurt enough times in his short life that he acts like nothing matters at all (no matter how deep it may actually cut him) and his powers let him go damn near anywhere he pleases. He decides he likes Ivan because not only are they the same age and essentially abandoned, but because Ivan's powers are made for screwing with people, just like his are. Edward can go anywhere and Ivan can be anyone and together they make for something special.
At fifteen they start sneaking out after curfew, just to roam the streets and practice and see just how far their abilities can stretch. Ivan getting better at not having to carefully stare at and study people before he shifts into them and Edward slides through the ground with all the sleekness of a swimmer. Both of them fearless to a certain degree (although Edward is far more fearless than Ivan will ever be) because they're NEXTs and that gives them a certain edge over most of the regular thugs who lurk in the alleyways. Ivan has memorized a body that is about seven feet tall and mostly muscle that he wears in some of the rougher areas and if that isn't enough deterrent and things get dicey Edward has figured out how to pull someone else along with him while he makes his escapes through the earth. The pair of them becoming just a little bit braver every time they manage something risky.
"People out there call us freaks, but that's 'cause they're scared," Edward says one evening, cigarette in one hand and a magazine spread across his lap. Idly flipping through various interviews with Hero TV's finest. "Even the Heroes and shit they're scared of, but that makes for good entertainment so Hero types don't get bothered. Not like the rest of us stuck faking normal."
Ivan makes an absent little noise of agreement, his chin resting on Edward's shoulder so they can both read at the same time even if the smoke curling from Edward's cigarette makes him want to sneeze and cough. Eventually murmuring, "You think we could ever be like that?"
"Heroes? Nah. Not people like us, not with powers like ours."
"Your powers are good," Ivan insists, one hand reaching out to touch Edward's wrist. Partly to stop him from turning the page, partly to get his full attention, and Edward's head turns just enough for them to be eye to eye. "They're better than mine are. I'm sure they'd be useful...."
"My powers would be more useful in a break and enter than for actually helping someone," Edward cuts him off, his attention turning back to the magazine and he flips to the next page with a sharp sort of snap. "Guys like us don't become Heroes."
They don't talk about it again, although Edward still likes to lie around and read all the magazine stories about the Heroes. Actually watching the shows is frowned upon (everyone constantly reminded, "It takes a special sort of NEXT to become a Hero, you are likely not that sort") but Edward still manages to grab the magazines. Ivan usually curled up close and reading with him while they quietly debate the merits of their personal favourites.
Ivan doesn't quite know what to call what they have. They're best friends, sitting shoulder to shoulder in the dark, discussing everything and nothing, and one night (not too long after that talk about the implausibility of becoming Heroes) Edward whispers something about girls being confusing and Ivan's powers and "We could figure it all out together, don't you think?" That one simple statement making Ivan's chest go tight and his palms feel sweaty but it's a good idea (Edward always has all the best ideas) because they're comfortable with each other and if either of them does something stupid or embarrassing the other will never breathe a word of it ever.
So they flip through the glossy pages of a book that Ivan bought while shifted into the form of someone old enough to not be questioned about buying adult magazines. Edward points at one of the pictures, the woman all pale and coy and fine-boned, and after a few minutes (because Ivan's still not quite as good at working off a picture as he is when the person is right in front of him) Ivan is wearing the body of a naked woman and Edward is all red-cheeked and breathless in a way that Ivan has never seen him before.
It's strange and awkward. Ivan doesn't turn into women often, things always feeling off-balance whenever he does, and their teeth clack together the first few times they try to kiss. Ivan unable to stop these funny little whimpering noises from escaping his throat and Edward's breathing is this uneven sort of rasp every time their lips move apart.
At some point Ivan loses his concentration enough that his powers slip. Positive that the next time the kiss breaks Edward is going to pull away all awkwardly (like Ivan really should, because not being shifted just makes it extra weird since the only reason they're even doing this is to figure girls out.) Except he doesn't. He blinks a few times, looking down into Ivan's face, then seals his mouth over Ivan's again. The whole thing not really about girls anymore, but as Ivan's fingers twist and tangle in Edward's hair he figures that's okay.
Afterwards Ivan doesn't know if this makes them boyfriends or not. It's the one thing that they don't talk about, but then maybe it simply doesn't matter. They don't hold hands or whisper sweet nothings but Ivan still rests his chin on Edward's shoulder while they read the Hero magazines together and late at night they curl together just a little bit closer than before when they talk about whatever comes to mind. Edward occasionally pressing a kiss against Ivan's neck or the corner of his mouth and maybe that's more than enough.
Rated PG-16 for sloppy makeouts. Edward/Ivan.
[Tiger & Bunny isn't mine.]
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There is a place in Sternbild's Bronze Stage where parents can take their NEXT children and tell themselves that it's for the best and that everything will work out the way it should. A place where they can pretend that these different and strange little creatures don't exist anymore and although it's pragmatically called a "school" it's more like a halfway house for kids whose parents simply don't quite know how to deal with the changes or look past their own biases enough to see that very little is actually different or more difficult.
It's here that Ivan Karelin meets Edward Keddy. They're both thirteen although Edward has been there a little longer and is a little bit sharper for it. Sneaking smokes out back and eying Ivan critically when he asks, "So what can you do?" Ivan's response being to blush and fidget until Edward rolls his eyes and says, "C'mon. It's not a big deal here. You don't have to hide anymore. It's gotta be something cool, right? The only way kids wind up here is if they got something their parents don't know how to handle. Either that or they're crazy anti-freak. So which is it?"
In response Ivan changes and Edward finds himself looking into his own face, all narrow points and angles and a brittle sort of anger. A disconcerting moment that makes him drop his cigarette and then Ivan is back. All red faced and looking away and mumbling about how he can't control it, Edward unable to stop himself from coiling an arm around Ivan's shoulder while he laughs.
"So you'll learn. Because that is way too cool to let stagnate."
The whole point of the school is to help children develop enough control so they can pass for normal again. Some parents keep a close watch, asking for progress reports and the like, until things are stable enough to start over.
Neither the Karelins nor the Keddys ever keep in touch or come back, which is something that Edward has no problems with whatsoever. Or at least that's what he tells himself. He knows that he wants more than to just clamp down and ignore his abilities. He wants finesse and skill and he wants that for Ivan too.
Edward was already a bit of a troublemaker even before Ivan showed up. He's been hurt enough times in his short life that he acts like nothing matters at all (no matter how deep it may actually cut him) and his powers let him go damn near anywhere he pleases. He decides he likes Ivan because not only are they the same age and essentially abandoned, but because Ivan's powers are made for screwing with people, just like his are. Edward can go anywhere and Ivan can be anyone and together they make for something special.
At fifteen they start sneaking out after curfew, just to roam the streets and practice and see just how far their abilities can stretch. Ivan getting better at not having to carefully stare at and study people before he shifts into them and Edward slides through the ground with all the sleekness of a swimmer. Both of them fearless to a certain degree (although Edward is far more fearless than Ivan will ever be) because they're NEXTs and that gives them a certain edge over most of the regular thugs who lurk in the alleyways. Ivan has memorized a body that is about seven feet tall and mostly muscle that he wears in some of the rougher areas and if that isn't enough deterrent and things get dicey Edward has figured out how to pull someone else along with him while he makes his escapes through the earth. The pair of them becoming just a little bit braver every time they manage something risky.
"People out there call us freaks, but that's 'cause they're scared," Edward says one evening, cigarette in one hand and a magazine spread across his lap. Idly flipping through various interviews with Hero TV's finest. "Even the Heroes and shit they're scared of, but that makes for good entertainment so Hero types don't get bothered. Not like the rest of us stuck faking normal."
Ivan makes an absent little noise of agreement, his chin resting on Edward's shoulder so they can both read at the same time even if the smoke curling from Edward's cigarette makes him want to sneeze and cough. Eventually murmuring, "You think we could ever be like that?"
"Heroes? Nah. Not people like us, not with powers like ours."
"Your powers are good," Ivan insists, one hand reaching out to touch Edward's wrist. Partly to stop him from turning the page, partly to get his full attention, and Edward's head turns just enough for them to be eye to eye. "They're better than mine are. I'm sure they'd be useful...."
"My powers would be more useful in a break and enter than for actually helping someone," Edward cuts him off, his attention turning back to the magazine and he flips to the next page with a sharp sort of snap. "Guys like us don't become Heroes."
They don't talk about it again, although Edward still likes to lie around and read all the magazine stories about the Heroes. Actually watching the shows is frowned upon (everyone constantly reminded, "It takes a special sort of NEXT to become a Hero, you are likely not that sort") but Edward still manages to grab the magazines. Ivan usually curled up close and reading with him while they quietly debate the merits of their personal favourites.
Ivan doesn't quite know what to call what they have. They're best friends, sitting shoulder to shoulder in the dark, discussing everything and nothing, and one night (not too long after that talk about the implausibility of becoming Heroes) Edward whispers something about girls being confusing and Ivan's powers and "We could figure it all out together, don't you think?" That one simple statement making Ivan's chest go tight and his palms feel sweaty but it's a good idea (Edward always has all the best ideas) because they're comfortable with each other and if either of them does something stupid or embarrassing the other will never breathe a word of it ever.
So they flip through the glossy pages of a book that Ivan bought while shifted into the form of someone old enough to not be questioned about buying adult magazines. Edward points at one of the pictures, the woman all pale and coy and fine-boned, and after a few minutes (because Ivan's still not quite as good at working off a picture as he is when the person is right in front of him) Ivan is wearing the body of a naked woman and Edward is all red-cheeked and breathless in a way that Ivan has never seen him before.
It's strange and awkward. Ivan doesn't turn into women often, things always feeling off-balance whenever he does, and their teeth clack together the first few times they try to kiss. Ivan unable to stop these funny little whimpering noises from escaping his throat and Edward's breathing is this uneven sort of rasp every time their lips move apart.
At some point Ivan loses his concentration enough that his powers slip. Positive that the next time the kiss breaks Edward is going to pull away all awkwardly (like Ivan really should, because not being shifted just makes it extra weird since the only reason they're even doing this is to figure girls out.) Except he doesn't. He blinks a few times, looking down into Ivan's face, then seals his mouth over Ivan's again. The whole thing not really about girls anymore, but as Ivan's fingers twist and tangle in Edward's hair he figures that's okay.
Afterwards Ivan doesn't know if this makes them boyfriends or not. It's the one thing that they don't talk about, but then maybe it simply doesn't matter. They don't hold hands or whisper sweet nothings but Ivan still rests his chin on Edward's shoulder while they read the Hero magazines together and late at night they curl together just a little bit closer than before when they talk about whatever comes to mind. Edward occasionally pressing a kiss against Ivan's neck or the corner of his mouth and maybe that's more than enough.