Building a House part 2
Title: Building a House Part 2: Structure
Universe: Young Avengers, House of M AU
Rating: PG
Summary: Because I can't seem to stop writing Billy and Teddy, and because this plot bunny won't leave me alone, and because I keep reading those god-awful romances at the library.
William hated his formal clothes. Too many fiddly bits for his taste. But as a Son of the House of Magnus, he had a duty to make a proper showing of it. "Gah, stupid jacket!" he growled, tossing the offending garment onto the bed. He raked a hand through his untidy black hair, glaring at the jacket as it sprawled across his covers. If he could have, he would have cheerfully skipped out on the ball being held in honor of the Skrull Emperor. He had yet to actually meet the man, and already William didn't like him.
Dori hadn't been there when he'd finally been able to go back to the roof.
Anyway, these fetes all went the same. William escorted his mother in, danced with her, danced with whatever girls his mother deemed suitable, made small talk with whomever Grandfather wanted him to impress, and otherwise tried to stay out of the way. If Mother didn't enjoy herself so much at these things, he might have hated them as much as he hated the quasi-military uniform he had to wear.
A glance in the mirror showed William in the stiff white shirt with it's Mandarin collar and the black pants with gold piping that went with the jacket, and his mother standing in the doorway. She had a faintly amused smile on her face, and it staid there as William turned to face her.
Princess Wanda strode across the bedroom, her brilliant scarlet skirts swirling about her legs with every step. William caught his mother's hands in his and brought them up to his lips in a quick kiss. "My lady, you look more beautiful every day," he declared.
He was rewarded with a smile and a laugh. "Flattery, my boy, will get you nowhere."
"It got you to smile, didn't it?" William pointed out impishly. Wanda ran a hand over his gravity defying hair, trying to smooth it down.
"My boy," she murmured fondly as his hair sprang back into place. Her bracelets jangled with every movement as she went over to the bed, picking up the discarded jacket. She shook it out twice and looked at William over her shoulder. "They are rather silly, aren't they."
"That's one way to put it," William said diplomatically as she handed him the jacket. He slipped it on, letting Wanda fiddle with the buttons until they all came together, save for the top one. The princess frowned at the button, it's hole, and the small sliver of white shirt collar between them.
"You've grown," she lamented, turning the offending collar down. "I'll have a tailor brought in tomorrow."
"I don't suppose skipping is an option?" William asked hopefully.
Wanda took a step back, looking her son over. She noted the cuffs that were just a little short, going along with the too tight collar. And the jacket was looking a little strained across the chest and shoulders. "You can get rid of the jacket, but you are going," the princess said.
***
William's grandfather had cast him a disapproving glance, but had otherwise ignored him in favor of the Skrull delegation.
William, meanwhile, acted as his mother's escort, dancing attendance on the woman until Uncle Pietro claimed her. The young prince gratefully took refuge amongst the buffet. Thomas was notably absent, though it wasn't the least bit surprising. His twin had long ago stopped attending this functions for any longer than he had to, and Grandfather was perfectly happy to see the speedster go before he got bored and did something stupid.
William was just about to get a good graze going when a familiar hand closed around his wrist. His head jerked up, and he met Dori's smiling blue eyes. "I'm sorry I had to leave," he said. "Duty called." The blonde dropped his wrist, and William took a step back to look him over. He was dressed in some kind uniform, and it took the prince a moment to realize that it bore more than a passing resemblance to the uniforms worn by the Skrull delegates. But Dori didn't look like a Skrull.
William realized he'd spoken the thought aloud when Dori said, "I'm half Skrull. My father's people were absorbed into the Empire shortly before my hatching. I'm told I look like him." He smiled shyly, then cleared his throat. "Do you often act as an attendant for Princess Wanda?"
"Well, actually..." William shifted his weight a bit. There was no way he was going to be able to avoid telling him. And that would be it. The end. Fineto.
The prince was snapped out of his thoughts by the approach of King Erik and the Skrull delegation. His grandfather's pale blue eyes switched from William to Dori, back and forth, his expression unreadable. William was beginning to wish that he could disappear, just so he wouldn't have to be under that inscrutable gaze. The Skrulls' faces were equally unreadable, save for the largest one's. He looked distinctly amused. "Your Majesty," the king of Genosha said, his eyes locked on Dori.
The blonde youth smiled politely at the older mutant, inclining his head. Only years of training kept William from gaping at him as his grandfather went on. "Emperor Dorrek, may I have the pleasure of introducing my grandson, Prince William?"
Dori inclined his head in William's direction. "I am honored to make the acquaintance of your grandson," he said.
Let it never be said that Prince William of the House of Magnus was ill mannered. He dropped into an appropriately low bow. "The honor is mine, Your Majesty."
***
William endured several uncomfortable minutes of small talk before being rescued by his mother, who claimed him for another dance while Pietro paid court to Queen Ororo.
"He's awfully young for an emperor, isn't he," she said conversationally, tracking William's glances in Dorrek's direction.
"Um. Yes, Mother." William narrowly avoided treading on Wanda's toes as he split his attention between her and the Skrull Emperor.
"You two were talking like you knew each other before Father stepped in."
'I had my tongue in the Skrull Emperor's mouth.' "I met him while he was missing," he admitted. "I didn't know he was the Emperor. I probably did something really offensive that'll screw everything up."
"William, relax. You're too well mannered to do anything like that."
'Well mannered princes don't kiss strangers.' William thought. But Dori hadn't felt like a stranger. They had only talked for an hour, but it'd felt like he'd known Dori forever.
And that kiss!
That kiss was the kind of thing dreams were made of, and not the kind of dreams you chatter about with your mother over breakfast. Good Lord, he'd been thinking about that kiss all afternoon.
"William, mind your feet."
"Sorry, Mother."
Universe: Young Avengers, House of M AU
Rating: PG
Summary: Because I can't seem to stop writing Billy and Teddy, and because this plot bunny won't leave me alone, and because I keep reading those god-awful romances at the library.
William hated his formal clothes. Too many fiddly bits for his taste. But as a Son of the House of Magnus, he had a duty to make a proper showing of it. "Gah, stupid jacket!" he growled, tossing the offending garment onto the bed. He raked a hand through his untidy black hair, glaring at the jacket as it sprawled across his covers. If he could have, he would have cheerfully skipped out on the ball being held in honor of the Skrull Emperor. He had yet to actually meet the man, and already William didn't like him.
Dori hadn't been there when he'd finally been able to go back to the roof.
Anyway, these fetes all went the same. William escorted his mother in, danced with her, danced with whatever girls his mother deemed suitable, made small talk with whomever Grandfather wanted him to impress, and otherwise tried to stay out of the way. If Mother didn't enjoy herself so much at these things, he might have hated them as much as he hated the quasi-military uniform he had to wear.
A glance in the mirror showed William in the stiff white shirt with it's Mandarin collar and the black pants with gold piping that went with the jacket, and his mother standing in the doorway. She had a faintly amused smile on her face, and it staid there as William turned to face her.
Princess Wanda strode across the bedroom, her brilliant scarlet skirts swirling about her legs with every step. William caught his mother's hands in his and brought them up to his lips in a quick kiss. "My lady, you look more beautiful every day," he declared.
He was rewarded with a smile and a laugh. "Flattery, my boy, will get you nowhere."
"It got you to smile, didn't it?" William pointed out impishly. Wanda ran a hand over his gravity defying hair, trying to smooth it down.
"My boy," she murmured fondly as his hair sprang back into place. Her bracelets jangled with every movement as she went over to the bed, picking up the discarded jacket. She shook it out twice and looked at William over her shoulder. "They are rather silly, aren't they."
"That's one way to put it," William said diplomatically as she handed him the jacket. He slipped it on, letting Wanda fiddle with the buttons until they all came together, save for the top one. The princess frowned at the button, it's hole, and the small sliver of white shirt collar between them.
"You've grown," she lamented, turning the offending collar down. "I'll have a tailor brought in tomorrow."
"I don't suppose skipping is an option?" William asked hopefully.
Wanda took a step back, looking her son over. She noted the cuffs that were just a little short, going along with the too tight collar. And the jacket was looking a little strained across the chest and shoulders. "You can get rid of the jacket, but you are going," the princess said.
***
William's grandfather had cast him a disapproving glance, but had otherwise ignored him in favor of the Skrull delegation.
William, meanwhile, acted as his mother's escort, dancing attendance on the woman until Uncle Pietro claimed her. The young prince gratefully took refuge amongst the buffet. Thomas was notably absent, though it wasn't the least bit surprising. His twin had long ago stopped attending this functions for any longer than he had to, and Grandfather was perfectly happy to see the speedster go before he got bored and did something stupid.
William was just about to get a good graze going when a familiar hand closed around his wrist. His head jerked up, and he met Dori's smiling blue eyes. "I'm sorry I had to leave," he said. "Duty called." The blonde dropped his wrist, and William took a step back to look him over. He was dressed in some kind uniform, and it took the prince a moment to realize that it bore more than a passing resemblance to the uniforms worn by the Skrull delegates. But Dori didn't look like a Skrull.
William realized he'd spoken the thought aloud when Dori said, "I'm half Skrull. My father's people were absorbed into the Empire shortly before my hatching. I'm told I look like him." He smiled shyly, then cleared his throat. "Do you often act as an attendant for Princess Wanda?"
"Well, actually..." William shifted his weight a bit. There was no way he was going to be able to avoid telling him. And that would be it. The end. Fineto.
The prince was snapped out of his thoughts by the approach of King Erik and the Skrull delegation. His grandfather's pale blue eyes switched from William to Dori, back and forth, his expression unreadable. William was beginning to wish that he could disappear, just so he wouldn't have to be under that inscrutable gaze. The Skrulls' faces were equally unreadable, save for the largest one's. He looked distinctly amused. "Your Majesty," the king of Genosha said, his eyes locked on Dori.
The blonde youth smiled politely at the older mutant, inclining his head. Only years of training kept William from gaping at him as his grandfather went on. "Emperor Dorrek, may I have the pleasure of introducing my grandson, Prince William?"
Dori inclined his head in William's direction. "I am honored to make the acquaintance of your grandson," he said.
Let it never be said that Prince William of the House of Magnus was ill mannered. He dropped into an appropriately low bow. "The honor is mine, Your Majesty."
***
William endured several uncomfortable minutes of small talk before being rescued by his mother, who claimed him for another dance while Pietro paid court to Queen Ororo.
"He's awfully young for an emperor, isn't he," she said conversationally, tracking William's glances in Dorrek's direction.
"Um. Yes, Mother." William narrowly avoided treading on Wanda's toes as he split his attention between her and the Skrull Emperor.
"You two were talking like you knew each other before Father stepped in."
'I had my tongue in the Skrull Emperor's mouth.' "I met him while he was missing," he admitted. "I didn't know he was the Emperor. I probably did something really offensive that'll screw everything up."
"William, relax. You're too well mannered to do anything like that."
'Well mannered princes don't kiss strangers.' William thought. But Dori hadn't felt like a stranger. They had only talked for an hour, but it'd felt like he'd known Dori forever.
And that kiss!
That kiss was the kind of thing dreams were made of, and not the kind of dreams you chatter about with your mother over breakfast. Good Lord, he'd been thinking about that kiss all afternoon.
"William, mind your feet."
"Sorry, Mother."