hybrid_prince | Open Post

Does he know? Billy's embarrassed look says no. After all, it had only happened a few months back, and Teddy was so evasive on calls. Always dropping them abruptly when this one woman's voice came on the calls. Not that Billy knew what the woman was saying, he didn't speak Skrull or Kree.

"I'm not... I'm not going back to him, Tommy. When a guy dumps you to go off on his own and put insane distance between the two of you, twice, you don't just take them back. Not when you're engaged to someone else. I love Teddy. I will always love Teddy. But in a tight spot we either don't talk, or he bails."

And the relationship with David was clearly going better. Mostly because David was excessively good at communicating. Billy never got away with hiding things for long with David, who would sit him down and talk to Billy until he pried his way into Billy's closed, depressed, self-loathing mind and made it work again. Made them work.

"Guess I sorta need you there to keep me from just falling all over myself to forgive him. To take him back. I'm not going to hurt David like that. Not with David right there. Better you keep me sane and your friend unhurt, right?"

But Billy looks relieved. And then guilty.

"I could make you a charm. Just something to wear so that when you see Teddy you're brave, and the feelings don't get to you so much. Like... an anti-Teddy heartbreak charm?"

Tommy groaned. "Billy ... if you show up engaged he's still gonna hope he can talk to you. He LOVES you. He'll want to talk to you and if you still love him, maybe it can work with you and him and David. David used to be into him too. I don't know." Tommy was just a dumbass who liked stabbing himself in the face, he guessed. Or he just hated the idea that he ruined Teddy's life and wanted him to be happy. Both.

"I'll go," Tommy agreed with a sigh. "But if you get there and wanna forgive him, then that's between you and David to work out. I don't want anyone more fucked up. We all got it enough."

Tommy looked tempted, but then shook his head. "He doesn't have one to keep him from feeling sick if he sees me. I shouldn't get one just so I don't feel ... like I feel." Even two years and change out, Tommy still had trouble admitting he'd fallen for Teddy to his brother, even though Billy knew. It just felt so shitty to say.

Perhaps it was shitty, but all Billy had for Tommy was a look of concern. Billy had only experienced three years since Tommy and Teddy had disappeared from their lives. Tommy? He'd loved a man for two years and had him as his only comfort, and that was a strange sort of life time ago.

"When David gets home, I'll get us there," Billy promises, his hand coming out to touch Tommy's arm. "Tommy, Teddy and I are over. He... he chose to abandon me, and he's blown me off for too long for me to walk that back. So, uh... Go pack? I don't know how long we'll be there."

"Ask Noh-Varr," Tommy repeated. "Unless David thinks you doing it is a good idea." Since David was more sensible than either of them. Well, except for his taste in guys.

"Yeah," Tommy said. He didn't say that Teddy was alone there. Maybe he wasn't. It'd been years, maybe he found a Skrull he fell for. There was that woman they heard all the time. Gender wasn't really going to matter to Skrulls. But it still felt wrong, Teddy not having Billy. Like Tommy had somehow flipped the universe to a wrong setting just by getting himself taken with Teddy.

He went to pack, not bothering to rush since they were waiting on Teddy anyway. He just threw a spare couple changes of clothes and some essentials in, along with some of the nutrient bars David had made for him. It didn't take long anyway.

He went back out when he was done to sit and text Kate and wait with Billy.

"A single sling ring portal, even over those distances, is nothing," Billy counters. See, he's doing proper spells now, with the proper costs and reserving his other magic. They're Omega Levels, they have to respect what they can do. How they can fuck up reality, and the costs that comes with.

Tommy finishes packing a lot faster than Billy does, and soon it's Billy pacing with a nervous energy too, looking sorta scared as he mumbles to himself under his breath in Krakoan.

"My real question," he observed, "is how this kid's powers could be so bad that they need our help?"

"Need our help with what?" David asked, coming into the dome and looking TIRED. X-Factor had been out for days confirming a missing mutant hadn't actually been killed, just captured. They'd only just returned, and he looked ready to fall over.

"Why do you both have packs?"

Tommy still has trouble wrapping his head around that, most days. Being the twin that doesn't have that kind of power was part of who he was for so long, now that he does, he still doesn't know how to feel about it. Other than frustrated by how much harder it is to control than his speed.

Tommy shrugged, shoulder against Billy's. He didn't let anyone but Billy or David touch him outside of sex, so he tended to grab it from them whenever he could. More than one person had prodded David to ask if he was sleeping with both twins after they saw him with one propped against each side a few times when they watched TV. "Maybe it's some kind of electrical thing that's messing with their ships?"

Tommy looked up, taking in David's exhausted appearance and hesitating, looking at Billy in silent question. It could wait until after David slept, maybe? At David's look he sighed. "Teddy needs help. He's got a Skrull-mutant kid with powers they can't control. He asked for you and Billy to come."

The difficulty may change in time, as Tommy and his power matured, to the point where he could alter time on a whim with only his words, just like Billy did. Probably not the best thing, but there you had it. Sometimes god-level powers just had to be developed.

"And we're going now," David sighs, fingers at his temples. "Billy, did you pack for me?"

"You know I did," Billy agrees, standing and pulling Tommy to his feet. "And if Teddy asked for help from us, it's not something that can wait. Everyone ready?"

The question was pointless. Billy was already raising a hand to a free bit of space, the sling ring on his fingers and tracing a circle in the air, which formed out of golden glowing sparks. He'd seen the Skrull flagship enough on video calls, and had enough pure force of will to follow it up to end up in the right place. Plus Teddy had sent pictures of an arrival hall.

Tommy felt a little guilty, with how tired David was. And Billy and David were good together - but David had to be a little freaked, going to see Billy's ex like this. So he gave David a rueful half smile as Billy pulled him up, and then squeezed his arm. "I told the group chat where we're going." So people knew, just in case they didn't come back. Tommy could get a little paranoid about that sometimes now. He'd accidentally reset time a week back and had to figure out how to fix it once when David didn't check in after a mission right away. "Maybe you can get a nap once we're there. Mission go okay?"

He watched the portal come up, and took a deep breath, still dreading this. But Tommy steeled himself and then followed them through the portal, pack slung over his back. He could do this. He'd just say hi, steer clear of Teddy, be there for Billy, and ... schedule being fucked up about it for when they got home.

The portal closed soon after Tommy was through it, and moments after there was a noise before them. Not the sort of noise one would expect of a formal delegation of people coming to meet the Emperor's honored guests. No, instead it was laughter. The laughter of children. And before Billy and David could do much more than laugh in confusion, two children, Skrull clearly, passed THROUGH the wall to Billy's left.

There was no doubting these were the children Teddy had called for help with. They were green of skin, without the distinctive Skrull chin ridges. Their eyes were a brilliant blue and snow white hair. And the second the children saw them they squealed with delight, talking in rapid Skrull, or Kree, or something. Hand in hand, the twin boy and girl threw themselves past David and Billy and wrap themselves around Tommy's legs. This meant they couldn't hold hands, but they clearly were clinging happily to the speedster.

"What in the world?" Billy asked in shock.

Tommy was dreading this. He knew he wasn't the only one. Billy had to be too, or he wouldn't have asked Tommy to come too. And it was hard on David, too. And Teddy - he didn't even know Tommy was coming. It was fucked up.

He was prepared for a bunch of Skrulls being weird and formal, maybe for some really uncomfortable moments of remembering his escape. But he wasn't prepared for a couple of laughing kids who flung themselves at his legs and chattered happily.

Tommy liked kids. He'd taken to paying with some of the ones on the island sometimes, and he'd bonded pretty quickly with Molly, back when she was a kid. But these were little alien kids, and he had no idea why they latched on to him like they knew him. "What the fuck?" he said, trying to pry himself free. These were probably the kids they were here to help, since they just ran through the wall, but that didn't explain what was happening.

"I guess our problem found us," David observes, frowning as he looks at the children, who keep chattering. The little girl backs up a bit and holds her arms up, giving a single word repeatedly. Sharply.

Clearly someone wants picked up.

Billy reaches out to pick the girl up but once he has her in his arms, she's still reaching for Tommy.

"Yeah ... Skrulls who can run through walls." Tommy just stared at the kids. The little boy showed no signs of letting go, and actually started trying to climb his way up Tommy's leg. Tommy looked from him to the little girl and then groaned, reaching to take her from Billy, since she was grabbing for him.

He pried the little boy off with his other arm and then nudged him toward Billy. The boy pouted, but accepted it, chattering again in that language that Tommy didn't understand at all.

"Where are we even supposed to go?" Tommy asked, bouncing the little girl against his hip absently as she stuffed her fist in her mouth.

The boy definitely doesn't look pleased with Billy, and Billy is definitely confused.

"I guess we should be seeing," David starts to say but then there noises of people running down the hall. "There it is."

A group of guards, Skrull and Kree, come from around the corner, and at their font a female Skrull, whose voice was the one always on the videos. She called out to the children and the girl held on to Tommy tighter, making a noise that had to be a refusal.

"Billy, a little understanding?" David mumbled in Krakoan, and there was a quick movement of the fingers of Billy's free hand and some golden sparks and mandalas that formed over them and settled warmly over their ears.

"...your father will be quite cross if... Oh my," the woman said, her eyes going large as she sees the group and realizes who is there. Immediately she bowed, and the guards offered the group the same salute that had been given to Teddy when they had been rescued. "Consort Maximoff. No one told us you were arriving today."

"Papa," the girl in Tommy's arms said, holding him. "No bath!"

Tommy turned his head as the group rounded the corner, more surprised to see Kree than anything else. Yeah, Teddy was here, but he didn't think more of them would be hanging out in Skrull central.

He leaned his head away from the little girl when she reached for his ears at the golden sparks, curiosity all over her little face.

Tommy winced inwardly. Consort Maximoff. Yeah, they definitely didn't know Billy was with David and that they were engaged. Shit, this was going to go so great.

Tommy looked from guard to guard, trying to figure out which one was "Papa" only to see the girl looking directly at him. "Papa!" the boy said, just as demanding. "No bath!" It turned into a little chant, intercut with giggles.

Tommy felt a headache coming on. "I'm not your papa," he said, but both kids just looked at him, frowning when they couldn't understand him.

"No bath," the children continued to chant and at last the woman started to approach.

"Children, please, your father would..."

"Your father really wants you to listen to your nursey," Teddy's voice came from around the corner. In Skrull, of course. More guards came around the corner first and then there was Teddy approaching. Hulkling actually, clad in a body suit of black and violet, his cape flowing around himself. And Teddy froze at the sight of the group. For a moment the confident emperor was gone, instead replaced by nerves and fear. Which is right back to focus and a projected aura of calm.

The children, not used to seeing both of their parents at once, look at each other with wide eyes. And then the chant grows louder.

"Papa, Dada, no bath!"

Teddy sighs as he moves past his guards, who don't seem pleased with this decision.

"Kitty Cat, Little Lamb, it's not a bath, it's washing your hands for dinner," Teddy sighs, moving forward to take the boy from Billy's arms.

It all happens without a peep from Billy and David, who are staring in shock.

Teddy looked ... not like his Teddy. Though Tommy guessed that made sense. Most of his memories were naked. He caught that moment of strained fear though, and looked down, bouncing the baby on his hip again, just because that was easier than ... everything else. Fuckfuckfuck. It had been YEARS. He was not supposed to already feel this fucking off balance.

The little boy went into his Dada's arms, but he reached to tug at his hair. "NoNoNO."

Tommy wasn't a fucking idiot. But it was hard to take in chanting kids calling him Papa, his ... fellow captive that he hadn't seen in years, and his own feelings all at once. The revelation that these were Teddy's kids got missed for a second. Until it didn't, and Tommy caught up.

His head jerked to look at the girl he held, and then at the boy. They were the same size. Same age. Teddy's kids. Teddy had kids. Tommy wasn't a great judge of how old shapeshifting Skrull kids were. But ... they were calling him Papa. They had white hair and mutant powers. And they were the same age. Twins.

Why do they just want us to fuck? Tommy had asked a million times when they were trapped together, because it never made sense. No one came to see them, no one asked anything from them. No one did an experiments or test. They just fed them when they had sex, or did something else deemed positive. Once they'd told him about the zoo, Tommy had figured fine, that was it. They wanted to watch. But he remembered the first day, when Teddy tried to be a woman for him. And how it was almost always Teddy who wanted to be fucked, Tommy who wanted to be inside him. He was a shapeshifter. He could be whatever he wanted. He could have kids.

Maybe he was wrong. Maybe Teddy meant some Skrull and had kids with them right away.

But Tommy didn't think so.

Shocked green eyes lifted to meet Teddy's eyes, a stunned question all over Tommy's face.

Yeah, Teddy sees the realization in Tommy's eyes, and can't help looking... ashamed of himself.

"Papa thinks it's bath time too," Teddy told the little boy in his arms. "Right, Papa?"

His eyes were on Tommy's, holding them.

"Holy shit," Billy whispered, staring at Tommy in shock.

"That... could explain some things," David observed, shaking his head. "I might need to sit down."

Tommy's stomached dropped. They were his. His and Teddy's. Teddy had made them recognize him, but he never told Tommy. He wasn't going to tell Tommy.

He hadn't wanted his kids to hate their other dad, but he didn't want anything to do with Tommy himself.

Tommy felt sick and confused. He had no idea what he was supposed to do or say. "Yeah. Bath time," he said hoarsely. Not that it did any good, since they still couldn't understand him.

He handed the little girl off to her nurse, prying her gently off his arm when she hung on. He waited until they were being taken away before he asked, voice choked. "What's their names?" He was struggling to remember to keep his powers contained, keep calm and focused. It didn't come easy, still.

"They've got a few," Teddy sighs before turning to his guards and waving them away. The guards definitely don't look pleased with that. But they still obey when he waves them away. It isn't until they retreat that Teddy speaks again, in plain English.

"Kathryn is older. Thomas is younger. And they're menaces. Intangible when they touch. They also seem to make illusions. But I'm terrified they're going to go through the hull and..."

The fear in his voice is horrible. The pain. His children, he clearly loved them.

"I'm sorry, I couldn't... use both the names you wanted," he whispers.

"Oh holy shit," Billy says, his voice full how disbelief. "You two have..."

Teddy runs his fingers through his hair.

"I need a moment with Tommy," Teddy interrupts Billy. "David, Billy, if you could... Just up and around the corner. The guards are likely lingering. Tell them I want you taken to a private room. I have to... I just need a moment."

Tommy could hear it, how much he loved those kids. Despite how they'd been made, how hard it was for him to even say two words to Tommy, Teddy still loved them with all his supersized hero heart. It was ... very Teddy, and hearing it stabbed Tommy right in the chest.

He ignored it. "You didn't have to ... ChristTed." Tommy looked away, taking in deep breaths, counting them for control. He'd named one after Tommy. Even with everything, he still named one after Tommy, like he didn't blame him. He didn't know what Tommy knew.

"You don't have to. I know you didn't want me to come. I get it," Tommy said quickly. I won't..." Try to talk to them? Try to get in the way? Tommy had no idea what he was saying.

Billy and David exchange a look. And Billy maybe pointedly takes David's hand to drag his fiance away. Soon enough only Teddy and Tommy are left.

"I didn't want you to have to look at me. I didn't want you looking at me in disgust after..."

After how important Tommy had become to him. Teddy wraps his arms around himself, as if seeking comfort. A gesture Tommy would absolutely be familiar with. It happened only when Teddy was scared or felt vulnerable.

"After what that place did to us. After what it made you do. Kl'rt and Ry'lin explained it to me. The place was a breeding program. To make rare and unique weapons, in addition to the zoo. They pumped the air full of these pheromones that trigger these ancient, Skrull mating urges. They must have done something similar to you. When they found us, I was already..."

Teddy blushes a dark green.

"You didn't want kids, and I knew you'd never be able to look at me again. And you'd never want kids who were... that came to be like that. So I came back here. Where they'd be among their people. Where they could be loved, by both their fathers. But I couldn't tell you. I didn't want you to hat them. They did nothing wrong."

More than two years and barely a dozen words exchanged since they left that room. And as soon as Teddy's arms came up like that, Tommy was stepping toward him to try to wrap his arms around him, kiss his face, stroke his hair, plaster against his back. He caught himself, flushing a little at how strong that instinct still was. Teddy had been Tommy's source of comfort, but Tommy had tried to be the same for him, too.

He rubbed his hand along his own arm instead. "Yeah ... I ... fuck. Ted. I'd never hate kids for that. Especially not your kids. Our kids. I hate that they took us and fucked up everything for you and that you can't even look at me now. I get it, but I fucking hate it. But I don't hate YOU. I wouldn't hate them, either."

Tommy took a deep breath. "If this is why you stay away ... Earth's your home too. You should come back. Visit, at least. I'll ... whatever you want me to do. Whatever makesiteasier. For you and then. I'm sorry. For ... I made it worse for us. I didn't know I was doing it, but I made it longer, and that's probably why you managed to be there long enough for it to work and for me to be a clingy asshole. So I'm sorry. I just want ..." Tommy stopped, swallowing again. He didn't know how to end that sentence. So he stopped trying. "Thanks," he said instead. "For making them know who I was. For not making them hate me."

"How could I hate you, Tommy?" Teddy asks, looking at him in shock. "I... I knew you'd hate me. Hate what I did. How I took advantage of you being there."

Wait, longer? Teddy looks confused at that. But no, he can ask later. Instead he needs to deal with this.

"Sometimes, I think they love you more than me, Tommy. They're... scared of me. I'm a shit dad when I'm not you."

"You drugged me and sent me away, you can't say more than two words to me on video calls. They put US there. You didn't do anything to me. You didn't take advantage of anything. It was ME. They didn't even fucking need the drugs. Not for me, not after a while. I figured you knew that and hated it."

Tommy shrugged. "They didn't look scared of you. And I saw your face, you love them. They don't know me, Ted. Maybe it's you pretending to be me, but it's still you. So they love you. How could they not? You're not shit at anything."

Oh no, he is bad at being a single father. Even with the nursemaid. Because he was so focused on them loving the father they wouldn't know that he didn't know how to make them love HIM. But that isn't his point right now.

"I didn't hate you. Tommy, I..."

How do you tell a guy you love them when the way you got there was so weird?

"I laid an egg, Tommy. That two babies hatched out of. There was no way you wanted a piece of that."

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