hybrid_prince | Open Post

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."

Tommy can't see it. While Billy got angry and frustrated with Teddy, Tommy never could. He blamed himself and in doing so just kept putting Teddy as the guy who did his damnedest to be good to Tommy despite hating that he had to be there and feel the way the drugs made him feel. He might know Teddy well - flaws and all - but in this at least he can't see Teddy as anything but good, and loving, and lovable. How could he not be a great dad? He loved them that hard despite where they came from.

"I know. You hate what they made you do with me. It ruined you and Billy, and it made you do things you wouldn't have wanted to do. But you're ... you so you didn't hate me. Doesn't mean you wanted to have to be near me or look at me or talk to me. I don't blame you Teddy. They're probably better off not being around me anyway, right?" Maybe. Kids seemed to like Tommy okay, but then they'd never been HIS kids.

Tommy blinked and then he couldn't help it, he laughed a little, shaking his head. "Ted ... you're an alien. They do shit different. It's weird, yeah. But ... you know. Weird's not bad." They'd been locked up together for years. Tommy had learned to appreciate the things Teddy's body could do that weren't the norm. It was hard to change that attitude, eggs or no.

"Tommy, I don't hate you. It's the opposite."

Dammit, this was stupid. They weren't talking and they should be. And it sounded like Teddy had read it all wrong. So he moves forward and pulls Tommy into his arms.

"I love you, and that's wrong and I know you don't feel the same. But I always will. So I tried to protect you. And give our kids the best I could."

The opposite.

Tommy stared, but he didn't have time to burst into the kind of hysterics that answer demanded, since Teddy was grabbing him, and hugging him, and it felt like coming home in the most ridiculous fucking way possible.

He made a strangled noise that couldn't settle between a laugh and a sob and wrapped his arms around Teddy's neck. "You ASSHOLE," he said. "You sent me away. I love you. It's been almost three fucking years and I can't STOP. I still can't sleep right without you. I don't need you to protect me. I need you WITH me."

Yeah, well, what chance did Teddy have on that day to KNOW that Tommy would still want him? He had known, he had been TOLD just what had been done to them and why. That likely the only reason there was affection after seven months (and he'd thought it impossible that so little time had passed), was because of the chemicals in the air. That it would fade.

He'd been certain Tommy would HATE him. That his feelings would fade. But they hadn't. They wouldn't STOP. And Tommy saying that, MEANING that. Teddy just hugs Tommy closer.

"You love me? You love me? Oh god, Tommy. I could... If I'd known, if I could have even known, I would have begged you to come here with me."

God, Tommy wanted to just climb him and cling. "I didn't want to LEAVE you. Jesus, Ted. You weremywholeworld for two fucking years. I was FUCKED without you. I loved you. I STILL love you. I thought I was so fucked up, that you hated what they made us do and I just MISSED it because I had you there and once we were out, I didn't."

He drew a watery breath, still holding tight. "What about Billy? You were with him, that got fucked because of me and aliens. I don't know what I'm doing ... god, I missed you." Tommy breathed the last and gave in to what he wanted to do, pressing a brief but fierce kiss to Teddy's mouth.

"Two ye-," Teddy asks, utterly shocked. Of course that gets cut off by the mouth pressed against his, and Teddy can't help it. He picks up Tommy and after a moment is pressing him against a wall, like things hadn't changed a bit. That didn't change the fact that he was mad at Kl'rt. Apparently his guards hadn't told him that much.

At last he manages to pull his lips from Tommy's and take a breath, though he still held him against the wall.

"I'll be fair. I did hate what they made us do. Because they made us. Because we didn't get to decide. But that doesn't change the feelings that were there. And I've missed you. I can't think of how many sleepless nights I've had without you. Which, you know, happened more after the little ones slept through the night."

Billy. That's complicated. But come on, just let him love this.

"Tommy, I... Billy and I were falling apart before this. We had been. That's why you were there that night. Why we were talking. And come on, you think I couldn't see that ring he's wearing now? It's not the one I gave him."

Tommy grunted when his back hit the wall, but he just wrapped his legs around Teddy and wound fingers into his hair, kissing back and sinking into the feel of Teddy's mouth, the smell and taste of him. He'd missed this so much. He'd chased feeling just a little bit like this with so many other bodies and it never did anything for him, just gave him a moment or two, maybe a night of sleep if he was lucky. But this ... he'd tried so hard not to remember but he always did, and it just all came rushing back like he hadn't spent two years trying desperately to tamp down on what he felt.

"I hate that they made us," Tommy agreed. "But they didn't make you calm me down when I freaked out about being trapped, or when I was sick before they figured out they hadtoletmerun. They didn't make me want to try to figure out how to help you sleep without dreaming when you were having a rough night. They didn't fucking make me love you. That was me. I fell for you, and I fell apart when you sent me back. I kind of almost destroyed the universe with time knots or paradoxes or whatever the fuck you want to call it, like twice." Since Tommy thought that they MUST have told Teddy about the time difference, since the Skrulls were the one who confirmed it for David.

He dropped his head back against the wall, fingers coming up, tracing along Teddy's jaw, over his lips. "I ... fuck. I thought he'd come back here and you'd seeeachother. Remember you loved each other. And then David and you would fall for each other too and it would be you three and I'd be alone, and I'd still be fucking GLAD because I hate the idea of you out here, alone, without any of us. I hate it, Ted. I've hated it since the day I left. But I was so fucked up about watching it happen."

"I thought I was protecting you," Teddy insisted. But then he's stopping again.

"Time knots? Paradoxes? What? Tommy, you're not making any sense. I... Shoot, I promised the kids I'd be at dinner tonight. It's been a bad week. I need to wash my hands and get to the dinner table. But we need to talk about this. Are you... are you staying here while Billy and David help? I..."

He hopes his voice isn't too hopeful. Too scared of rejection.

"You could stay with me."

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