Streets of Philadelphia (RP for tommyisabrat)

[starspangledcap]

Steve stepped down Market Street toward the Liberty Bell, feeling a little uneasy. The last time he’d been in Philadelphia, he was helping the survivors of a bombing that Bucky had been responsible for. It wasn’t the most pleasant memory to associate with the place, no matter how well the city seemed to have recovered from it

Comments

[tommyisabrat]

Tommy was confused.

He had a lot going for him. Cool place to stay (even if he did feel out of place). Cool new friend (even if he was too scared to admit he was excited to have a friend). He had powers (he didn't really know how to use), he was brilliant in school (what? he was!). He had Tony (sorta) (sometimes) (when Tony remembered). And now he had an awesome new side project all Cerenoing for his friend pretending to be Bats (which, awesome side project to the awesome side project, he was totally going to roll into meeting Supergirl).

But.

He also had Jean, his should-be-mom, talking dirty with Bats about Wolvie which was just freaky weird no matter how you slice it. And Wanda, his actually-is-mom, flinging herself at Bats one minute and starting rumbles over Bat Signals versus America Signals the next. Which is seriously? Just Fucked Up.

So, he was looking forward to seeing who he considered his only sane should-be-parent (even if he was supposed to be dead).

He appeared beside Steve with a rush of air. "Boo!"

[tommyisabrat]

Tommy scowled for a long moment. But he had to trust somebody someday. Steve was here. And trying. That counted for a lot.

"I don't fit in." Anywhere. "At school. They think I'm a freak. And a criminal."

He looked away.

"Nothing's wrong with Ty."

Except that he's forgotten me.

[starspangledcap]

"You're not a freak. Or a criminal." Tommy had spent time in juvenile hall for vaporizing his school, it was true, but that had been because of an accident involving his powers.

At least, Steve chose to believe, with all his heart, that it had been an accident.

"Maybe you just haven't found the right group yet. You haven't been there very long. And as for Ty - it isn't easy to see your friend choosing girls over you. I know from experience. But have you tried talking to him about it?"

[tommyisabrat]

"No."

God, what is it with adults and talking? As if that ever solves anything.

"I don't see him all that often. He lives in freaking Delaware!"

True, it was easy peasy for Tommy to get pretty much anywhere. Still. It would nice if he didn't have to be a freak just to see his friend.

"If Ty went to my school it'd be different. Hell, if Billy or Layla or even stupid Franklin went to my school it'd be different. But as it stands I don't have a crew to hang with and I don't see that changing anytimes soon."

[starspangledcap]

"Is there any other school you could go to?" Steve was loathe to encourage Tommy to disrupt his education, but if he was really as miserable as he sounded, maybe it would be for the best. "Billy's school, maybe, or even Xavier's? Sally is supposed to go there for some training."

[tommyisabrat]

"I dunno. You have to ask Tony. He picked it."

Tommy scowled again.

"Or his secretary did."

Okay, that was unfair. But Tommy is not known for being fair.

"And - Jean and Wanda are at Xavier's! They so don't want me there."

[starspangledcap]

"You don't know that."

But the words were weak, because Steve knew Tommy was right. Jean hadn't given any indication of wanting to be a mother to Tommy - and why should she? Wanda had pulled her into that role completely against her will. And Wanda... Steve couldn't say that Wanda didn't want Tommy around. But that was only because he couldn't say what Wanda wanted at all.

"I can't make any promises, Tommy," Steve said, changing tactics, "but if I'm able to return to public life again soon, I'm probably going to be staying in Stark Tower. And I think I could convince Tony to let you stay there, too, in those circumstances. If you wanted that."

[tommyisabrat]

Tommy looked away so Steve couldn't see his eyes tear up. He wasn't crying, anyway.

"Okay."

He wants his family. He wants to belong somewhere. He wants to belong to someone. He thinks it's impossible but he wants the impossible.

"I mean, if you think."

He turned back, maybe there are tears in his eyes. Maybe.

"I'd like that."

[starspangledcap]

Steve saw Tommy's eyes glistening. He didn't want to embarrass the boy by making a big show of things, but his instinct was still one of physical comfort. He reached out across the table and squeezed Tommy's shoulder.

"I'll do my best, son. I can promise you that much."

"Now," he added, raising an eyebrow. "What's this about Batman?"

[tommyisabrat]

Tommy didn't shrug off the comfort. Really, he was hungry for it.

"Eh. You know. Just some computer stuff I'm doing. Bats is a weird guy to work for but whatever."

If Tommy ever actually met Batman, he'd probably be terribly intimidated. But pretending to have met Batman made him very nonchalant.

[starspangledcap]

"What kind of computer stuff? How did you even contact him to begin with?"

It wasn't that Steve disliked Batman. But there was something off-putting about the man, and his villains - particularly the Joker - rivaled the Red Skull in viciousness. He didn't like the idea of Tommy putting himself in that kind of danger.

[tommyisabrat]

"Uh..."

They had a cover story, but if is half the guy Tommy thinks he is, he probably still noticed something was amiss.

"He posted a job notice and Ty saw it and I'm good with 'puters so. Easy. All we do is like watch the net for Bat related disturbances. No biggie."

[starspangledcap]

"Batman posted a job notice?" Steve couldn't help being skeptical.

But, then again, he had once had a network of teenagers working computers for him. And even before Steve had been unfrozen, the Teen Brigade had had their radio network. It wasn't an implausible story.

"And what do you do if you find a... disturbance?"

[tommyisabrat]

God, this was getting complicated!

"We..tell him. He decides if it requires his attention and we all go from there. It's real easy. Just, y'know, trying to be a super hero."

He grinned that 'C'mon, you love me' grin of his and hoped for the best.

[starspangledcap]

"'We' go from there? Who is 'we'? What do you do?"

Steve shook his head.

"I know you're a hero, Tommy. I'm not going to try to take that away from you. But Gotham is ten times more dangerous than New York. I couldn't bear to see you get hurt."

[tommyisabrat]

"Eh. It's not so bad."

Tommy's exposure to Gotham is hardly expansive. Tyler's house. Tyler's library. And hey, Wayne Manor. That's gotta count for something.

"It's really no big deal. I'm just, y'know, the techie. And 'We' is me and Ty and Bats. No biggie."