[Young Avengers] These Aren't the Droids You're Looking For

Jul 20, 2011 16:37

Title: These Aren't the Droids You're Looking For
Fandom: Young Avengers/Teen Titans  
Characters/Pairings: Teddy/Billy and Tim/Kon
Rating: K+
Spoilers: None.      
Warnings: DCU/Marvel fusion. Fluff, kid!fic, adorable humor
Word Count: 2212
Summary: Teddy and Billy babysit little Tim and Kon for the day. Only problem is, Kon doesn't like Teddy very much.
Notes: This is my first venture in the YA fandom. Also, this fic was inspired by Julie's fanart. Enjoy :)


The hellspawn didn’t like him. That much was clear the second Teddy stepped foot into Billy’s house and saw the kid standing at the doorway; dark hair sticking up at the back and donned in a cute red shirt and blue overalls.

He barely reached Teddy’s knees, but he carried himself like he owned the place and looked at Teddy as if he was some sort of intruder; his arms were crossed over his chest, his blue eyes glaring and his mouth in a premature scowl.

In retrospect, Teddy figured this might be a problem. But at that second, he just thought it was amusing, adorable even. Then again, evil often wore cute faces to deceive the innocent and the unsuspecting. He’d watched all those horror movies before, so really, he didn’t have anybody to blame but himself.

Billy came out of the kitchen, carrying a child in his arms, who looked much smaller than the one blocking his path, and kept his arms firmly locked around Billy’s neck.

As soon as Billy saw he was there, his face broke into a smile. “Thanks for coming, T,” he said.

Teddy returned the smile. “No problem,” he said. Then he looked back down at the kid, who was still glaring up at him. “Is the little guy going to let me in or do I have to wrestle my way through?”

“Ah, Kon, it’s fine. You can let him in,” Billy said, addressing the child. “He’s not…ah… he’s not a Droid or an evil Jedi, Kon.” And then underneath his breath, he muttered, rather mutinously, “I told Tommy it was too soon.”

Teddy just smiled and bent down so he could meet Kon at eye-level. “Hey, Kon, I’m Teddy,” he said, extending his hand out to him.

Kon neither looked at the offered hand or took it. Instead, his frown deepened and his glare grew harsher. “I don’t trust you,” he said, his little voice full of dislike. “If you go near Tim, you’ll be sorry!”

With that he left Teddy, gaping and confused, at the doorway as he ran off to find Billy and Tim.

Yeah, Teddy really should have seen this coming. But he shrugged it off and figured Kon just needed time to warm up to him.

Tim-the other child that Kon had obviously been referring to-on the other hand, took to Teddy rather fast. He was quiet and shy and often mumbled things with his thumb in his mouth, but he sat by Teddy and showed him his story books; pointing at the pictures and reading the words that Teddy was surprised he already knew how to pronounce.

When Teddy told him this, Tim flushed, looking obviously pleased by the compliment. Meanwhile, Kon sat a few seats away, a juice box on one hand and a half-eaten cookie in the other, just glaring at Teddy.

“You’re really smart, Tim,” said Teddy, smiling. He gave Tim a little pat on the head (at which Tim just preened), but Kon obviously did not like this one bit and jumped off his chair at once, making a riot by stomping very loudly on the hardwood. He knocked Teddy’s hand away. “Don’t touch him!” he said, glaring again.

But before Teddy could say anything, Kon had taken Tim by the hand and pulled him elsewhere. And it went on like so for the next couple of hours.

It would seem that every time Teddy tried to talk to either Kon or Tim, Kon would give Teddy that angry scowl of his and drag Tim away again.

It made Teddy more confused. What had he done to make this kid-a kid he barely knew-despise him so much? As far as Teddy was concerned, he was nice and pleasant enough not to warrant such a cold behavior. He never had trouble with children before and they, in turn, had always adored Teddy, but Kon was like a whole other subspecies of infant. Trying to get Kon to warm up to him was like trying to melt a block of ice with a single matchstick. It wasn’t going to work.

And what was worse were the little pranks Kon often pulled to make Teddy’s stay more difficult. He had poured water on Teddy’s lap, dumped food on his shirt or put them on his chair right before Teddy sat down; he even placed his toys all over the floor so that Teddy might trip on them (which he did a couple of times).

“I think Kon doesn’t like me,” Teddy sighed when had Billy put the kids in the room for a nap (Kon had made it clear that he did not want Teddy following them by glaring at Teddy from over Billy’s shoulder as they ascended the stairs). Truth be told, Teddy was somewhat relieved to be getting away. He didn’t know how many cheerios he had to fish out of his hair before he finally had enough to make his own cereal out of them.

But dislike was an understatement and hate didn’t seem to cover nearly half of it.

Billy took a seat beside him on the couch and gave his hand a squeeze. “Sorry, Ted,” he said, smiling sheepishly. “He’s just a kid. I wouldn’t worry about it.”

“I just don’t get what I did to make him hate me,” Teddy mumbled, wiping his face. “Aw crap,” he said when he realized he still had the green paint Kon had secretly smudged all over his hands, and had smeared his left eye with it.

Billy chuckled and took a wet cloth from the table. “Kon doesn’t hate you,” he said, wiping the paint off Teddy’s eye.

Teddy just raised a brow. “Well, I didn’t just get marker scribbled onto my pants for the hell of it, Billy,” he said wearily.

“Kon is just slightly… overprotective of Tim,” said Billy delicately.

“What’s he think I’m gonna do?” said Teddy, confused. “Kidnap Tim?”

Billy’s mouth twitched. “I think Kon’s just a bit jealous,” he said.

“Jealous?” Teddy repeated, exasperated. “Jealous of what?”

“Tim seems to like you,” Billy said, finally putting the cloth away and giving Teddy a grin. “Maybe a bit too much.” The smile widened.

Oh great, that was just great… Teddy thought, planting his palm to his face. That was why Kon was being so nasty towards him? Because he was under some bizarre impression that he, Teddy, was going to steal Tim away?

“I have no intention of running off with a five-year-old,” Teddy mumbled. “No matter how cute or smart he is.”

“I certainly hope not,” Billy said in mock-seriousness. He kissed Teddy on the cheek and then the corner of his mouth, his arms already sneaking around Teddy’s neck. “The kids don’t wake up from their naps for another hour,” he murmured against Teddy’s ear. “What ever shall we do to pass the time?”

This made Teddy smile, his arms slipping around Billy’s waist to tug him on his lap. “I think I might have a few ideas,” he said before pulling Billy down.

Two hours later and they were out by the park. Being outdoors made Kon slightly more pleasant. He didn’t glare at Teddy nearly as much, but that might be because the prospect of the monkey bars felt like a much better use of Kon’s time than sitting off to one side and giving Teddy the stink eye.

“C’mon, Tim, let’s go on the swings!” Kon shouted as he took Tim by the hand and led him to where the swings were.

But instead of immediately hopping onto one, Teddy watched as Kon took the time to help Tim onto a swing before giving him a gentle push.

Tim laughed, the sound louder than anything Teddy had ever heard when they were sitting together, reading stories.

“Higher, Kon, higher!” he’d say and Kon would comply, pushing the swing just a little bit harder, but not too hard that it would risk making Tim fall. Tim shrieked as his feet dangled in the air, his cheeks flushed red and his eyes bright. Kon’s eyes never left Tim the whole time, his eyes soft and his smile so wide it made the dimples on his cheeks stand out.

And when Tim wanted to get off, Kon used his body to stop the swing, his arms wound tightly around Tim as he carried him down.

Teddy had never seen a child be that gentle towards anything or anyone before. It was no wonder Kon was so protective over Tim or why he didn’t like strangers touching him or being near him for that matter.

“T-That was fun, Kon,” said Tim, breathless. “Thank you!”

Kon beamed, his chest puffing out in pride. “You’re welcome, Tim,” he said. “Hey, let’s check out the slide next!” He extended his hand out to the smaller boy and Teddy was not surprised at how little Tim hesitated in taking it. In fact, Tim seemed to bask in it.

At this Teddy turned to his boyfriend, who was also watching the pair take turns at the slide, a little smile on his face. A soft feeling spread across Teddy’s chest, warming him deep until he felt it in his heart, the way it always did when he looked at and thought of Billy.

In that instant, Teddy thought maybe he understood Kon a little more.

After several goes at the monkey bars, the four began heading back to Billy’s apartment.

“Hey, Kon, can I have a minute?” said Teddy, loud enough for Billy to hear. Billy gave him an understanding smile, scooped Tim up in his arms and went off a little ahead to give them some privacy.

Kon stayed where he was, a little weary; the distrust still clear in his big blue eyes and the forming frown on his face.

“Look, Kon,” said Teddy, kneeling down beside him, “can we start over? I don’t want us to fight anymore.”

Kon eyed him, as if not sure whether to take his words as a sign of sincerity or a lie. Teddy felt the need to elaborate.

“I don’t want to steal Tim away from you,” he said, and resisted the urge to groan because he still couldn’t believe a five-year-old viewed him as a potential threat.

“You… don’t want Tim?” said Kon slowly, beginning to look less suspicious. “You don’t want to take him away and use Jedi-mind tricks to confuse him?”

Teddy was going to find Tommy… and kill him. And then burn all his copies of Star Wars.

“No,” he said firmly. “Kon, I know you like Tim-”

“You’re wrong,” Kon cut in, stomping his little foot down. Teddy blinked at the sudden outburst. “You’re wrong,” Kon repeated defiantly. “I don’t like Tim, I love him!”

Teddy just stared. Kon wasn’t smiling or looking away. He looked completely serious-more serious than Teddy gave him credit for, but he remembered the way Kon played with Tim on the swings, the gentle way Kon held Tim’s hand and the way Kon smiled when Tim laughed.

It made Teddy smile again. “I know,” he said, patting Kon on the head. “And he loves you too.”

Kon’s mask of anger and seriousness completely broke in the wake of those words. In its place, he looked delighted-just sheer, unabashed happiness shining so clear in his eyes. He broke into a wide grin.

“I know that,” he said.

Teddy chuckled. “Alright, let’s go catch up with Tim and Billy. What do you say?” He extended his hand out to Kon as a sign of truce.

Kon stared at it long and hard for a moment before pushing it away. “I want a piggyback,” he said, crossing his arms.

“A wha-”

“Piggyback,” said Kon, pointing at Teddy’s shoulders. As if realizing manners were important, he added, “Please?”

And well, how the hell was Teddy gonna resist that cute face? If it wasn’t downright embarrassing, Teddy thought he might have “bawwed” but for masculinity reasons he settled for a casual, “Sure” and hoisted Kon up high on his shoulders.

This is great, he thought as they started along the path again. It looked like Kon was starting to like him.

Teddy wondered when he became this naive and optimistic. Again, in retrospect, he should have figured giving Kon a piggyback wouldn’t be such a good idea. Evil wasn’t vanquished over night after all, and by the time they were halfway down the path, where Billy was slowly walking, Kon was yanking and pulling at his hair, kicking and demanding Teddy to hurry up.

“I want Tim now, Teddy! Giddyyap!” Kon said, tugging painfully at his hair again like Teddy was some kind of horse that was okay to abuse.

“Oh my god, can we swap? Or just get him away from ears,” Teddy said, exasperated once he reached Billy.

Billy looked momentarily alarmed; Tim was perfectly calm in his arms. “Why did you put him on your shoulders?” he said, steadying Kon from jostling too much.

“He was being cute,” Teddy mumbled. Cute was synonymous for evil, remember that, he thought.

“Teddy! Teddy! Teddy, make Tim sit on your shoulders too!” Kon demanded. “Teddyyyyyy!”

Teddy sighed. “I give up.”

Hellspawn indeed.

pairing: teddy/billy, fandom: dc universe, character: tim drake, pairing: tim/kon, fandom: young avengers, character: billy kaplan, character: conner kent, character: teddy altman

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