#my boy tk clearly learned to fight from someone

[guardian-angle22]

Like Father, Like Son

[itsmadamehydra]

My Savior || Wayne McCullough

A/N: Just some teenage girl trying to write the story inside her head, hope u like it.

Pairing: Wayne McCullough x oc

Warnings: rape, intention of rape, harassment, blood mention, bullying, language (a little strong)

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I've always like to watch him by far, he just seems different from the rest (and oh boy, he is).

The first time I saw him I was in 7th grade. I was just one more girl of the many others that her tities just had started to show and my period started to visit me. I remember that day clearly, I was sitting at the hallway with my bestfriend at the time, eating infront of our lockers when I saw him.

"Am telling ya girl, the answer of number 5 was c." I said trying to reason with her about the science test answers "I told you that if u needed help to study, I could help ya." I smile at her and move my arm upward to touch her shoulder

"Yeah, yeah, I know...are you sure it was not D?" she said frowning her eyebrows once more. We stayed in silence for a sec before bursting into laughter and tears

Little by little our laughs started to fade, allowing ears to hear the background and aswell some loud voices, it sounded like an argument but by the hears of it a fight was going to start soon. "What you think is happening over there?" Cassie murmured, I stared at the end of the hallway where apparently was were the voices were coming from.

"I don't know..." my lips formed a thin line while I was thinking about what could have been happening in there, "You wanna, you know, go and see?" I looked back at my friend

"Freak yeah" she laughed grabbing my hand and running down the hallway to see the soon to be fight.

Once we got there, there was a mass of students surrounding what appeared to be the ones who where arguing. "Ugh, I can't see, I hate been so small." I said, "Hey, that smallness is beautiful and you know you can use that in your own benefit" Cassia said and winked at me.

"I mean, yeah but I can't-" my word stopped at the moment I heard a want sounded and I believe to be a punch in the face. "You saw that!?" Cassie said, "That was freaking awesome, please tell me you saw it!" "Um, nah Cassie, I cant see a crap" i said while trying to find a whole where to see through.

It was only a matter of seconds until more punches were heard. I started pushing people more frantically, I wanted to see what was happening. When I get pass a few amount of studens I almost slipped, looked sown to see what was it and it was stains of blood, only a few but still.

"Oh gosh, disgusting." When I look up only a few students are still in the cafeteria and a guy wearing a grey hoddie was just there, staring at the bloodie face of another guy. I stared back at the hoddie guy and noticed a little hammer in his hand, and the words just came out of my mouth without even noticing, "Why the hammer? Want to be a constructed or something?" He just stared at me and pass by me without saying a word and keeping a neutral face.

"Who the hell was that crazy ass weirdo?" I hear Cassie's voice behind me. "I don't know" I responded, "But I will know...one day."

"Ok,ok, am not going to get in between your little search thingi but am sure he is not good news." Cassie said, "You saw what he did, and he has a FREAKING hammer, y/n! Covered in blood y/n!" She grabbed my shoulders from behind, "I think we all understood the message, stay the fuck away from him, honey."

And I just smiled.

Months later I learned his name. Wayne, Wayne McCullough. Fits the ring if you ask me. Everyone was speaking about how violent, crazy and wierdo he was, about how he was going to show up at your house to beat the hell put of you.

I just observed him by far, well, I like to think that I noticed him. I noticed how he usually beats up those who are some assholes jerks that have only one brain cell as much. Noticed that he is not much of a talker and a shy boy. Noticed how he makes his lips thin when he gets lost in thoughts. How he closes his fist when he is about to do something. His strangely high pain tolerance. His pale skin and dark hair appeared to me to be very llamative and aswell his strength. He was and is skinny but somehow has a great strength, maybe do to the unincredible amounts of fights he gets in. Experience makes the master is what the say...right?

Years went by, we entered to highschool and the nervousness along with the fast beating, sweating and butterflies were still there every time i either tought about him or saw him walking around.

Cassie stayed with me for a while until she decided to join the group of nasty ass bitches with no brain cells who believed no one was better than them. While I...well, I stayed small for a big part I guess, always with good grades, teachers love me and try to be nice with every one I guess.

Everything was going great until Cassie along with some guys recorded me somehow while being drunk and them trying to overpass the boundaries, and let me tell ya.. that was just the start.

The had videos of me at the school bathroom, pictures of my underwear under my skirts and dresses, them trying to touch me. I had to learn to defend myself, stopped using skirts, dresses, shorts even do I loved wearing the. Replace my shoes with tennis and always had hair ties.

"Y/n, wake up! You're going to be late for school, don't think ama wait for you!" I mom yelled.

"Yes, mom! Dont worry, am up!" I run down the stairs with my backpack, went to the kitchen, grabbed an apple and went straight to the car.

"Oh for God sake, y/n" she said went she looked at me and noticed my new hair style.

"What? You don't like it? I just cut it a little." I satered at her innocently

"Your father is not gonna like it and you know it." She said and the stress lines appeared in her forehead, "You know this is his weekend and-"

She couldn't finish her sentence because I started taking, "Am not going to that dickheads house, mother." I said strainly, "Don't want to see his and face of that bitch he cheated you with..." i lowly said but loud enough to hear.

"I know, honey but you have to and besides you get to see your brother!" She patted my thigh, "Haven't seen him in a while right?" She said with a sad tone

"You should be the one seeing him...not me." I stared outside the window, there were just some trees and houses and garbage.

Mom and dad divorced a while back, he cheated on her. The house was a mess that day, screams and broken glass everywhere. Sammy was lucky, he was at grandma's but I was home...listening to every single word. That was also the first time a sneaked out and the first time I sort-of spoke to Wayne.

"What are you doing here?" I heard someone said behind me, I looked and it was fucking Wayne

"Just trying to have some quietness i guess..." I stared at my fingers and started playing with them because of my nervousness, "...What are you doing here?" I asked softly

And he stayed silent...the whole time after that. Either way, his company was nice and the side profile, ufff, amazing.

"Ok, we are here." I stared at the building for a sec before giving my mother a kiss in her cheek and entered to the building.

"Hey y/n! Nice ass!" That was the jerk of all jerks, Jonathan.

I turned around and stared at him, "Oh yeah?" He nodded, "Want to see me shop of your dick?" Changed my tone while saying that into a lower and more serious tone. He just stared at me with sealed lips and left.

I continued walking to my locker and I come to see tgat my freaking lock is broken, I search in all the spaces but nothing is missing.

"Come on! They had just changed me of locker!" I silently yelled. Started grabbing my books for the next few classes when I felt a hand in my shoulder, by instinct I grabbed the wrist, pushed the person against the locker and added pressure in the throat with my other arm.

"Hey y/n" Orlando smiled, "New move?" I chuckled and removed my arm, now, standing face to face I respond

"You know you shouldn't do that Orlando bunny." I laugh st the nickname I gave him a few time ago. Orlando was one of the few FEW people who talked to me, well, he talked to everyone but still.

"I know... I just forgot I guess man." He looked down, "Y/n...have your tities grown bigger?" His face looked confused.

I slapped his head and punched his shoulder, "Could you please stop looking and thinking 'bout tities when am around you?"

"I mean, yeah sure...and sorry about your lock." He points the locker, "Wayne thought it was still his but since-" I cut him off before he could continue

"Wayne?" I asked confused

"Yeah, Is tha-" i cut him off again

"Why did he tho?" I murmured staring at my lock in hand.

"It used to be his locker but oh well...he missed school for 3 weeks and yeah." He grabs his backpacks laces after explaining.

"Oh...ok, is he still here tho?" I looked at Orlando

"I guess..." he was about to say pther thing when the bell ring and we started to go toour classes, "See you later gorgeous!" He yells from the corner of the hallway.

I stayed there...just staring at my lock for a while, then order my things fast and left to class. What I didn't know was that someone was watching at me.

Three days later, i was walking back home and i heard s car going at full speed and nasty comments were started to be listend. I kept walking trying tk pretend they didn't exist when the car is suddenly over the sideway and infront of me.

"YOU COULD HAVE KILLED ME ASSHOLES!!" I yelled.

"But...you are bot dead right, bitch?" Jonathan said getting out of the car. There were five, 2 guys and 3 girls. "Don't prefer to suck my dick and be my slut, promise I'll pay a good amount." He said infront of me,

"She is already a slut baby." Veronica said

"I bet she has sleeped with half school, wouldn't surprise me if you haven been org*e or something." You know, comments are comments, you are the one who decide what hurt you and whats does not, but being Cassie the one who said that...broke my freaking heart.

I couldn't stand it anymore, wanted to leave the place so i came up with a plan very fast. I walked closer to Jonathan trying to be the most seductive I could, touched his chest, abs and got closer to his ear and said, "You are going to regret everything" Punched him with all my strenght in this genitiles, stomp on his feet, punched his nose and ran the faster I could out of there.

"You bitch!" I heard from far but i continued running, I couldn't stop, i was scared, didn't know what could happen if the get me. I could hear the car engines behind me, but i didn't stop.

I was close a bridge, ran underneath it, passed some houses but i could still hear the voices and car. My legs hurt, i needed to catch my breath, i could hear my heart beat, my body felt on fire. When I less expected am suddenly trapped, there were some abandoned buildings and warehouses but no way to get put of there. This was it, my end.

"Couldn't escape from me you nasty little bitch!?" I heard his voice, i was never one to pray but believe when i say i begged to God to save me. "You ain't going anywhere...bitch" he was behind me, I could sense it.

My hair was pulled, he pulls me by my hair to his car and i notice that it's just him and another guy. Am not getting out of here.

"We are going to have so much fun!" He licks my cheek and i try to kick him wherever.

"HELP!" I yelled, "SOMEBODY PLEASE, HELP!" my voice sounded horrific, like if i hadn't drank a single drop of water in ages, "please" y murmure my last pledge before he finally puts me over the capo of his car.

"No one's gonna help you, you slut." He says, the other guy was just watching and standing still, doing nothing.

I gave up, didn't even notice I was crying until I tasted the salt in my lips. I felt him over me, unbucking my pants and then...i didnt felt his weight anymore, instead, i heard a cry of pain, and then another cry, and another and another.

I lifted my head and there he was, grey hoddie and little hammer in hand...my savior. I smiled.

My smile just grew bigger and bigger every second I saw that boy swing that motherfucker hammer, every second that Jonathan's blood was spilled. I lool around in search pf the pther guy scared that he might try to grab but I get calm when i see him unconscious on the floor.

A few minuts later th cries stop and i look up, Jonathan was missing 3 teeths and face covered with blood, i think he could even have a brocken rib or something.

Am sitting on top of the car's capo when a feel a slight, fragile touch.

"You ok?" Wayne askes pulling a string of my hair behind my ear.

"...now I am." I smile to him and he returns a little small tiny one with a grin. I was about to say something else when he suddenly speaks

"Want to be my girlfriend or whatever?" He says looking exhausted, I chuckle

"Try a little harder and I might be." I say soflty with a small thin smile and he avoids my eyes but I still get to notice a small blush.

...................

Hey! So, yeah. This is my first ever published thing. Hope you enjoyed it and if you want a part two or to keep writing, am open to any suggestion! Am not very good with the warnings section so if you could help me with it, i would totally apreciate that!

Thank you for reading,

[221bsunsettowers]

TK/Carlos Royalty AU: The Kingdom Lights Shine Just for Me and You: Chapter 1: Never Thought I’d Meet You Here

TK Strand is a Prince who has given up on true love after having his heart broken.

Carlos Reyes is a Knight who longs for true love but must put his family's needs first.

Carlos just won a jousting tournament hosted by TK's father.

The prize?

An arranged marriage with one Prince TK.

This can also be read on Ao3 here. The entire story is already outlined as it began as a response to a headcanon request for Prince TK and Knight Carlos, and I’m feeling really inspired, so chapters should be added pretty regularly! Thank you so much to everyone who have already been so excited and encouraging!

There will be soft boys with emotional baggage! Strangers to lovers! Hurt/comfort! Angst with a happy ending! Near death experiences but everybody lives and no one dies! Minor appearances by other Lone Star characters! 

CW for medieval violence, mentions of overdrinking to the point of potential harm

Chapter 1: Never Thought I’d Meet You Here

There were a lot of words Prince TK Strand would have liked to use right then, but apparently they weren't befitting of royalty. So he just stayed silent, biting his tongue, watching a group of men compete for his hand in marriage.

Because clearly, TK thought to himself, adding in a mental roll of his eyes for good measure, that was going to fix every part of him that had been broken by Prince Alex. TK had thought that Alex was the one, even though his parents had strongly disagreed. They had pointed to the reports of Alex's reputation that already permeated the nearby lands, stories of multiple broken engagements layered upon tales of overworked servants and underfed subjects. But TK had been won over by Alex's sporadic assurances that TK was special, how well they would rule together, swayed so strongly that he was ready to propose marriage until Alex bluntly told him that he had been seeing Prince Mitchell for months and Mitchell's land was worth far more gold than TK's.

TK had drunk a lot of wine that night, so much he remembered nothing of what happened after Alex had left. Everything he knew from there was hearsay, what his mother and father had been able to get out at his bedside through their tears when he finally awoke. TK had lost months of his life to Alex's lies, two days of his life to Alex's cruelty, and he was determined not to lose any more time. He hadn't had a drop of wine since that night.

It was especially hard to fight the urge to numb the pain when he was subjected to this abundance of embarassment. His mother and father, the King and Queen of Austenia, having to hold a jousting tournament because their son the Prince couldn't make a match on his own. King Owen and Queen Gwyneth insisted that wasn't the case, that all that they wanted was their beloved son to be happy (happier than they found themselves was the unspoken message, as it was a poorly kept secret around the palace that Owen and Gwyneth retired to separate bedchambers every night). But all TK could hear resounding in his own head was that the only way someone would want to be with him was an arranged marriage that would at least bring them wealth and privilege.

Sir Carlos Reyes had always believed in true love. He grew up at the feet of his elder sisters, listening in awe to the fairytale stories they read aloud to him, knights going on dangerous quests to rescue a prince from a dragon, princesses finding their way through thorny curses to rescue their true loves, and he had believed that one day he would be in his own fairytale. He would rescue a handsome and kind prince, and they would live happily ever after.

No part of that tale had involved him in a jousting tournament, fighting for the right to an arranged marriage with a Prince he had never even met. All Carlos knew was his name-Prince TK Strand of Austenia-and the wideflung stories about Prince Alex's dastardly treatment of a now-heartbroken TK. Clearly the arranged marriage was not TK's idea, he was still hurting over Alex, perhaps even still in love with the man.

  But clearly, as much as Carlos dreamed so strongly of a love match, he needed to win this tournament. His family had a decent holding, a small but well run estate, but his eldest sister was in love with a man of higher stature, a man who also loved her dearly, but whose parents were insistent on him marrying a woman they considered of equal stature. If Carlos could win this tournament, secure his position of Prince, no parents could deny his sister's dream.

So here he was, at the invitation of King Owen himself. Carlos had assumed that everyone had been personally invited, but in speaking to a few other men, he had quickly learned this was not the case. Each man had boasted of defeating every other eligible man in their area to be allowed to enter the tournament. Carlos had quickly decided that, despite being a very honest man, the personal invitation would be information he would keep close to his chest. Something told him that sharing even a hint of something he himself did not even understand would place a very large target upon his back.

However, Carlos was determined not to hide anything else, particularly not his fighting skills. He might not be from as large an estate or as wealthy a family as the other men at the tournament, but his father had trained him to be a protector and defender, just like him. Carlos had put in his time as a squire, been dubbed a knight, and continued to hone his skills. By the time he mounted his horse and faced down his final opponent, Carlos could see the fear in the other man's eyes before they lowered their visors and charged.

It was over before it truly began. The other man flinched, leaned back slightly, but enough that Carlos' lance swept his aside easily, landing a hit hard enough to tumble the other man off his horse and to the ground on the first pass. Carlos reined his horse in, leaping gracefully off and hurrying to his opponent's side.

"Are you hurt?" Carlos asked in concern. The other man stared at him in confusion, but shook his head, taking the hand Carlos proffered to assist him back to his feet. "You fought valiantly," Carlos assured him, before turning to face the royal party, bowing low as he removed his helmet.

  Raising his head, Sir Carlos finally met the eyes of Prince TK.

Oh. Carlos felt all other thoughts fly from his head as he held TK's gaze.

Oh. TK's mind could do nothing else but unknowingly echo the very thought ringing through his now-bethrothed's mind.

Oh.

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[howtosingit]

Fic: She Reminds Me of You

Carlos finally meets his boyfriend’s mom.

*

A 2x01/season 2 spec fic.

1.7K | Also on AO3

A/N: This was a spur-of-the-moment morning free-write, so you can blame the ending on the fact that I had no plan and the boys took advantage of the situation.

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When Carlos knocks on the front door of the Strand household, fresh off an eight-hour shift and still in uniform, he’s not entirely expecting to be ushered inside by someone he’s never met before. 

The woman who answers the door is instantly recognizable. Carlos has always thought of TK as basically a younger version of his dad, but he sees now that his boyfriend actually shares a lot of traits with his mom, including his angular jaw and piercing stare. There’s a kind of intensity about her that he’s seen before in TK and never really seen in Captain Strand. It’s almost like a challenging nature, gentle but intentionally disruptive. Meeting her feels, in some ways, like sliding the last pieces of a very difficult puzzle into place.

“Hello, officer,” TK’s mom says, tilting her head to the side as she studies him. It’s so reminiscent of his conversations with lawyers at work that he forgets for a moment that he’s not being questioned, shifting uncomfortably from one foot to the other. “You know, usually when a cop knocks on our front door, I assume my son has gotten into some kind of trouble again. But, since he’s been complaining on the couch all day, I’m starting to wonder what Owen’s got himself into.”

Her voice is different than he was expecting, a slightly husky rasp giving her a certain gravitas that makes Carlos want to straighten his spine, or turn and run. His own mother has her brand of well-practiced intimidation tactics that he’s learned to navigate over the years, but standing in front of TK’s mom feels entirely different, almost foreign, and he really doesn’t know how to respond.

Luckily, he’s saved by a shout from the living room, a familiar voice getting closer.

“Mom, drop the act, you knew he was coming,” TK says, finally appearing at his mom’s side. It’s only been a couple of days since they’ve seen each other, but Carlos still drinks him in, knowing that not only is it acceptable to do so now that they’re together, but appreciated as well. TK looks completely adorable in his customary sweatpants and a hoodie, his hair tousled from hours spent laying on the couch. “Hi, babe,” his boyfriend greets him, bright eyes locking onto Carlos.

“Hi,” he responds, feeling the way his face splits open at finally seeing his boyfriend in the flesh. They’ve texted a lot, and even talked for hours on the phone last night, but nothing beats TK Strand live and in-person. Carlos’s heart starts pounding in his chest - a normal reaction, at this point - and his left hand reaches out, seemingly of its own accord. His boyfriend doesn’t hesitate to take it in his own, linking their fingers together and squeezing gently. 

“How quickly I’m forgotten,” TK’s mom pipes in after a moment, and Carlos jumps, suddenly reminded of her presence. He knows she sees by the way her eyes twinkle and a smirk pulls at her lips. “And here I thought TK was bad, but I see that the heart-eyes are a mutual thing.”

“Mom,” TK whines. “Don’t.”

“Don’t what?” she asks, turning towards him, her eyebrow raised in challenge. Carlos is impressed that his boyfriend doesn’t back down, though not completely surprised - TK likes a bit of a fight. His blue-green eyes widen as he stares pleadingly back at her. “Oh calm down, Tyler, it’s not like I told him how you spent an hour showing me pictures of him on your phone.”

TK lets out a groan, dropping his face into his free hand. He squeezes Carlos’s hand tighter, almost as if he’s afraid he’ll try to escape. Carlos tightens his own hold, taking a step closer to his boyfriend as his heart rises to pound in the back of his throat. The urge to wrap him in his arms threatens to overwhelm him.

“Well, since my son is being rude, I guess I’ll invite you inside this house that isn’t mine,” TK’s mom continues, stepping back to let him in. He ends up at TK’s side, rubbing his thumb over the back of his boyfriend’s hand. TK steps closer, resting his head against his shoulder.

“It’s really nice to finally meet you, ma’am,” Carlos says, holding out his right hand to her. He wants to make a good impression. “Carlos Reyes.”

She smiles back at him, her gaze moving from his face down to where TK’s is pressed against his arm, and then back at him. “I almost feel like I’ve already met you, Carlos. My ex-husband and son won’t stop talking about you,” she replies, taking his hand in her own with a much softer grip than he was expecting. “And please, call me Gwen.”

Carlos nods, dropping his hand back down to his side. He unlinks his fingers with TK, instead bringing his left arm around his back to grip his waist, shifting to allow his boyfriend to curl further into his side. One thing that Carlos has learned about TK in the months that he’s known him is that he relies on touch to communicate most of the time. Carlos is only too happy to silently converse with him whenever possible.

“Well, Carlos,” Gwen says, turning away from them to grab her purse off the table by the door, “TK and I ordered takeout right before you got here, so I’m just going to run and pick it up. He made sure to put your order in, too.”

Carlos nods again, watching as she pulls open the front door once more. “I should be back in about 30 minutes,” she says, glancing over at TK again with what can only be described as a parental look. “Don’t do anything that might pull your stitches while I’m gone.”

TK groans for the second time in five minutes, burrowing deeper into Carlos’s side. Carlos tilts his head down to press a gentle kiss into his hair, dragging his fingers back and forth along TK’s lower back to soothe him. They’re quiet as Gwen leaves without another word, closing the front door behind her.

“Honestly,” TK says when they’re finally alone, shifting so that they are chest-to-chest as he wraps his arms around Carlos, pressing his face into his neck, “that’s the best first meeting my mom has ever had with a boyfriend of mine. And because I know you’re silently panicking about it, stop worrying, she likes you. If she didn’t, you’d be calling her ‘Gwyneth.’”

Carlos chuckles, his breath catching when he feels TK’s lips on his skin. He pulls his boyfriend closer to him, pressing his palms flat against TK’s lower back as he inhales deeply. 

“I like her, too,” Carlos admits, nuzzling into TK’s temple as they sway slightly in each other’s arms.

“You do?” TK asks, his voice hopeful.

“Yeah,” he whispers, pressing a kiss to TK’s forehead. “You have this intensity about you, and I finally know where you get it from.”

TK pulls back slightly, staring up at him with wide eyes. “You think I’m intense?”

“I think you’re everything,” Carlos corrects him, leaning in to rub the ends of their noses together. “I think you feel things so deeply, you’re so emotionally-centered and invested in everyone and everything around you, and I can’t get enough of it. It leaves me breathless.”

TK’s breath stutters, and Carlos watches as his blue-green eyes begin to shine. His heart hammers in his chest, overcome with emotion for the man in front of him; the man that he loves with his whole heart, even if he can’t say it out loud yet. He opens his mouth to speak, but TK doesn’t give him a chance to continue, pressing up to connect their lips in a passionate kiss.

Carlos sways towards him, magnetized by the pull of TK’s entire being. He drags both of his hands up TK’s back to cup his face, his fingers spreading out to cradle his angular jaw as their tongues connect, dancing around one another. 

It’s a kiss meant to consume him, and Carlos succumbs to the fire without objection. He feels TK all around him - his touch, his taste, his smell. Even with his eyes closed, he appears on the inside of his eyelids, the lines of his face and body clearly drawn from memory, as if he’s been tattooed onto every inch of Carlos’s body, both inside and out.

“Oh my god,” TK gasps when they have to break away for air, his own hands coming up to grip the back of Carlos’s head. He feels his boyfriend’s fingernails dig gently into his scalp, the sharp sensation sending a shiver through his entire body. “Come on.”

TK moves fast, reaching for his hand and pulling him further into the house.

“What about your stitches?” Carlos asks as they make their way down the hall towards TK’s room.

“My, my, Officer Reyes, someone’s a little forward today,” TK teases, stopping in the doorway to fold himself into Carlos’s body once again, pressing a kiss to the corner of his mouth. “I just thought you might want to change out of your uniform, get more comfortable for dinner.”

“Oh,” Carlos says blankly, staring into TK’s blown pupils. “Right, of course.”

“And if you’d like a little help,” TK adds, rising up to whisper directly in his ear, “I happen to have two perfectly capable hands.”

Carlos can’t help it when a moan falls from his lips, ducking down to press an open-mouthed kiss under TK’s ear. He feels more than hears the chuckle that TK releases in response.

“We should get started then,” Carlos says, his voice gruff with building want, the blood in his head rushing south. “My uniform has a lot of buttons, and I’m careful with them, as you know.”

“Oh, you are,” TK agrees, reaching down to grab the buckle of Carlos’s belt and dragging him into the room. “I’m much less so, but I’m sure you’ll learn to adapt.”

Carlos laughs, completely enamored by the bright, wonderful man before him.  

“More than happy to, babe,” he assures him, reaching behind him to close the bedroom door.

You know, just in case time gets away from them.

[superman86to99]

Adventures of Superman #506 (November 1993)

Superman vs. Superboy! I mean, vs. Superman, since the Kid still insists that Superboy is definitely NOT his name and never will be. The two Supermen meet while the younger, radder one is dealing with some sort of deformed flying babies that are trying to kill him, which is the sort of thing that happens to you when you wear an “S” emblem on your chest.

These turn out to be deformed flying babies THAT EXPLODE, but the Kid is able to push them away with his (very non-Superman-esque) telekinesis powers. He then deduces that these things must have come out of Project Cadmus, the top secret genetic experimentation facility that created him, and brushes off the elder Superman to get back at those geeks by doing what he does best: being a brat on live TV.

So I guess the “top secret” part of Cadmus’ description is no longer accurate, thanks to the Kid. On the other hand, I kinda feel like the people of Metropolis deserved to know that there's a nearby government facility churning out genetic atrocities into their sewers.

The Cadmus gang sends Guardian to bring their wayward creation home so they can talk to him. Obviously the Kid isn't very interested, and for a while it looks like we might get the fight scene teased in the cover, but then Superman the First convinces Superman the Second that he should at least hear them out. And, while at it, ask Cadmus to tell him exactly what the hell he is. If he’s Superman’s clone, why does he have those weird TK powers? The Kid agrees, but... he doesn't like the answers he gets.

The Kid finds out that he's NOT a clone of Superman since, as established a while back, Kryptonians are damn hard to clone. So, since Cadmus was determined to create a new Superman after the original appeared to be dead, they instead took a clone of a regular, non-super man and genetically modified it to approximate Superman's powers (for instance, translating Superman’s “aura” into a telekinetic field). But who was that human DNA donor? Surely it was someone good and cool!

Just after the Kid wonders that, the quite evil and deeply uncool Director Westfield bursts into the lab and demands that this "super-punk" be taken into custody, probably so they can flush him down the toilet like Cadmus' other failed experiments. Superman makes Westfield see that making Cadmus' whistleblower disappear wouldn't look very good right now, but they can't just let him run around unsupervised. So, at Guardian's recommendation, the esteemed telepath Dubbilex is assigned to follow the Kid wherever he goes. I smell a sitcom! (Or a spin-off comic.)

As a last order of business, the Kid decides to give Superman his trademark to the Superman name, which his manager Rex Leech doesn't take too well. So what are they gonna call this teenage “S” emblem-wearing hero now? Superman has an interesting suggestion: SUPERBOY. Our young friend still isn't a fan.

But after storming out and thinking about it for a couple of pages (and trying out the name on some guys robbing a jewelry shop), the Kid realizes he's "earned" the title of Superboy and accepts it. Character development! And just in time for his solo series. ("That Non-Superman Clone Who Also Calls Himself Superman" wouldn't look good on a cover.)

Plotline-Watch:

The final page shows a shadowy figure shaped like the recently introduced Bloodthirst outfitting someone with a weapon-teleporting gizmo, then calling him "Bloodsport"... except that this dude is quite paler than the Bloodsport we met way back in Superman #4 (in an issue inked by current writer Karl Kesel, so you'd think he'd remember the character). This looks nothing like Idris Elba! What gives?!

Superboy is still bummed out because his friend Tana Moon left Metropolis without telling him where she was going, which is now known as "ghosting". In the end, Rex talks about sending Superboy on a promotional tour to establish his new brand, and the first destination of that tour will be... exactly where Tana went to hide from Superboy. This is now known as "time to get a restraining order."

Clark Kent is slowly morphing into a hipster the longer he rooms with Jimmy Olsen. For a long time I assumed all the bands listed in the panel below were made up, but turns out the only non-existing ones are “James Rock” and "Axel Rose". Luckily, Superboy was happy to give Clark's old apartment back to him (apparently only Pulitzer-winning journalists can afford it), so Jimmy won't hipsterize him for much longer.

Westfield gladly assigns Dubbilex to Superboy because it means there won't be a telepath at Cadmus to read his thoughts and find out about his evil plans (like sending the ugly flying babies after Superboy). Very clever, Westfield! Except for the fact that he thought that right in front of Dubbilex, who clearly "heard" the whole thing.

Incidentally, there's an apparent error in this issue when Superboy thinks "They won't take me without a fight!" and Guardian shows up and says "That's too bad, son. Because I don't want to fight you." How did Guardian know what Superboy was thinking? Obviously, Dubbilex patched Guardian through to Superboy's mind to assist in finding him. Now where's my damn Baldy Award?!

Is it me or is this page reminiscent of the cover to Superboy Prime's first appearance during Crisis on Infinite Earths?

Patreon-Watch:

Special thanks to your Patreon pals Aaron, Murray Qualie, Chris “Ace” Hendrix, britneyspearsatemyshorts, Patrick D. Ryall, and Samuel Doran, and welcome aboard to Bheki Latha (our first $6.50 patron ever!), Mark Syp, and Ryan Bush! You are all excellent. This month they got to read a long-ass post entitled 45 Things I Learned by Reading the “Death of Superman” Novel (Part 1), in which I talked about the stuff Roger Stern added to the canon in the first part of the Death and Life of Superman book. This includes Superman’s private thoughts on the JLI (and Guy Gardner in particular), what Lex Jr. calls Supergirl in bed, and Professor Hamilton getting romantic. Find out more at https://www.patreon.com/superman86to99

But now: the Don Sparrow show! Take it away, Don.

Art-Watch (by @donsparrow​):

The end of an era, at least temporarily, as Tom Grummett draws his last Adventures of Superman issue, moving onto Superboy (and I think still doing Robin at this time?) with Karl Kesel.  He’ll return for the quarterly Superman: Man of Tomorrow and other things, but it’s a long gap until he does.

A pretty good cover, with Superman and Superboy about to tussle.   Though it can be seen as cheaping out on the backgrounds, I always love radial rays as an effect.  

Inside the issue, we have a great splash page of Superboy getting attacked by botched clones, and I love the gesture here—having his head snapping away from the camera adds to the motion and action.  Great stuff. 

Though he won’t be drawing her again for a while, Grummett excels at the new, shorter-haired Lois in these pages.  Superman soaring to the skies is a great panel as well, and I especially like the way his cape and fist slightly break the panel barrier, giving it a sense of motion, again.

The sequence of Guardian acrobatically flipping from one ledge to another is very well drawn.  Ditto the splash on page 13, where Superboy loses his temper.  The body language in this whole sequence tells the story very well, as Superman is calm and patient, confident in his ability not only to reach Superboy with his words, but also withstand him physically.  

The way Superboy snaps the carpet, but controls it mentally with his Tactile Telekinesis is a great example of his unique powers in use.  It reminds me of a technique they tried on the CW Supergirl show (but almost immediately abandoned) where they made like the Kryptonian fabric of their capes was like “smart fabric” and could be used as a weapon.  

Lastly, the dreamy, child-like expression on Superboy’s face during the Peter Pan exchange is wonderful, and a fitting end for Tom’s run on the book. [Max: You mean the William Shatner exchange, Don.]

STRAY OBSERVATIONS:

I almost never like it when they reference pop culture stuff in Superman comics, particularly music.  Karl Kesel isn’t the worst offender in that department (that would be JM DeMatties a few years down the line, who had Clark Kent bizarrely asserting he loved the Beastie Boys) but Clark’s discussion with Jimmy about an apparently fictional musician working with a rolodex of early nineties names makes me cringe (as does trying to imagine how awful a “Hip Hop Lyle Lovett” or “Grunge Frank Sinatra” would sound).

The car poster on the wall of Jimmy’s bachelor pad looks for all the world like Robin’s Redbird, also a Tom Grummett creation.  (Fun fact:  Tom once told me he still gets {very small} royalty cheques from the Batman & Robin movie, because Robin’s motorcycle was called the Redbird, though that might no longer be true with Paul Levitz no longer in charge of such matters.)

Superboy (in no less than his third time calling those pink creatures “spuds”) references John Candy and Joe Flaherty’s “Farm Film Celebrity Blow Up” where the guests would frequently “blow up real good” and it does my SCTV loving Canadian heart good.  

It’s interesting (and a little sad) that they again note that Superboy knows things (pop culture, etc) without ever having experienced it.  I feel like there’s a lot they could do with this concept.

This issue reads very much like the end of the Superboy “Reign” issues, as Superman is more of a secondary character to the kid.  All of it begs the question of why Superman, or Guardian put up with Cadmus.  Superman has said in previous issues that he has moral problems with how Cadmus treats life with their cloning experiments, and they’ve attacked him in the past (and also stole his corpse!) so other than the fact that it’s a launchpad for Superboy’s series, there’s really no reason any of these heroes should associate with Cadmus.  Especially Guardian, who comes off as little more than an errand boy here.  He wants to bring Superboy in, but won’t promise Superboy won’t be harmed or imprisoned?  

Nice to see Superboy return to his “Slammin’” catch phrase!

An interesting bit of foreshadowing when Superboy asks Big Words whose clone he is, and who immediately enters but Westfield. [Max: That’s right, Westfield! Not Luthor! Sorry, sorry.]

[detectivecarlosreyes]

Academy Together, Friends Forever 9/10

Also on Ao3

(Beginning) (Prev Chapter) (Next Chapter) 

TK, Buck and Carlos have an evening together before everything comes to a head with Buck, who has reached his breaking point. His secret comes out, and so does Owen’s. (This chapter gets pretty sad and angsty pretty quickly in the form of one very bad nightmare) 

The tension that Buck had been sensing from Carlos since he picked them up had dissolved after they cleared up their misunderstanding and now he was finally getting to know who Carlos really was. Immediately, Buck liked his personality; he was charming, funny, and genuine. Basically, the complete opposite of TK’s ex Alex.

He couldn’t help but be pleased by that fact, because in the years that he’s known TK, Buck is pretty sure he’s never seen him as happy and comfortable than when he’s around Carlos, even if TK doesn’t realise it himself.

Halfway through the movie, Buck had briefly glanced over at TK and Carlos and caught sight of their hands joined together resting on TK’s leg with their fingers intertwined. And then by the end of it, Carlos had his head on TK’s shoulder. Really, he couldn’t help but smile at the cuteness of it all.

The hand holding continued even after the movie had ended and they started walking the streets to find a relatively quiet place to have dinner. As they slowly traversed the streets, Buck learned that Carlos was a cop, which he found made so much sense.  

 They eventually stopped at a small Italian restaurant and found themselves a table in a corner near the window. Almost as soon as they take a seat, TK, clearly thinking about romance because of the movie and his relationship with Carlos, gives Buck a sly smile which immediately puts him on guard, “Sooo, how’re things with Eddie?”

Buck could feel a blush warming his cheeks and he brings the menu up to conceal his face, feigning nonchalance, “Eddie is fine.”

“Who’s Eddie?” Carlos asks, looking between them, confused.

“Oh, just someone that Buck works with, who he can never seem to shut up about, or his son for that matter.” Replies TK teasingly.

“I don’t know what you're talking about, Eddie and I are just friends.”

Oh come on dude, you’ve been on the phone with him every day since you’ve been here from what I’ve seen and from what dad tells me. You can’t tell me there’s nothing going on.” Buck shoots him a look but before he can respond, a waiter appears beside their table asking them if they were ready to order.

Buck looks up quickly and seizes the opportunity to change the subject by announcing that, yes, they were ready to order. He deliberates, before deciding on a salad which earns him an intensely concerned look from TK. Carlos, bless him, was not one for making things awkward when he noticed the exchange and ordered himself a seafood dish before ordering a carbonara for TK.

In no time the waiter was gone and with the teasing now forgotten TK changes the subject, wanting answers. “Dude, you okay? You’ve barely eaten at all today; only a couple pancakes for breakfast and then you missed lunch cause you were in the hospital and you barely had any popcorn at the movies either.”

TK wasn’t wrong. He had barely eaten anything today.

Honestly, he hasn’t really had a true appetite for quite some time. Not since the tsunami really. And it's not from the lack of trying, he does eat, mostly out of obligation more than anything because he knows that he can’t not eat in his line of work. But the thing was that he just wasn’t hungry, and he’s acutely aware that it’s because of the nightmares that plague his dreams and leave him nauseous when he wakes.

Looking between TK and Carlos before settling back on TK, he shrugs not wanting to elaborate on those thoughts in this moment, deciding instead on an equally plausible and simpler answer.

“I’m okay,” liar  “I’m just not feeling 100% from the cuts and the smoke inhalation, but I’ll be fine.”

“If you’re sure…” TK says hesitantly while looking at him with narrowed eyes.

“I’m positive, don’t worry about it.” TK gives him another long, considering look before deciding to trust him and drops the matter.

Carlos, who Buck is liking more and more as he has gotten to know him, breaks the awkward silence with a change in conversation and tells a story from his first day on the force.  After that, with the concern now forgotten, everything became light-hearted once again and soon enough their food had made its way to their table and into their stomachs.

Sure enough, the roiling in Buck’s stomach settled somewhat with dinner, but as he said to TK, he wasn’t feeling all that great especially with the amount of blood he lost. Really, he felt as if he’d just donated blood that day, except in this case it was much more pronounced.

His energy levels were flagging by they had all finished eating, so when he excused himself for a moment to use the bathroom, Buck also stops by the counter to pay the bill while also adding a couple of desserts to be sent out for TK and Carlos to enjoy. Upon returning, he leaned on his chair rather than sitting back down knowing it would take too much energy to get back up again, and announces that he was headed home for the night but that the two lovebirds should stay and have their dessert.

He couldn’t help but grin just a little bit at their confusion about the dessert before saying he’s already ordered something for them. He then ruffles TK’s hair and shakes Carlos’ hand before leaving. “I doubt I’ll see you again before I leave tomorrow but it was really great meeting you, Carlos.” He gives him a look, “Just don’t go breaking my boy’s heart.”

Carlos gives him an earnest smile in return. “Likewise, and don’t you worry, I’m not planning on it.”

Buck gives them both a nod and a wave before heading out the door and waits for the Uber he ordered. The car pulls up promptly and in no time at all, it was pulling up at the Strand house.

Thanking the driver, he yawns widely as he makes his way inside and quickly gets ready for bed before turning off the light and making himself comfortable under the covers. Feeling so exhausted from the day, he hopes that maybe for once it will be a dreamless sleep as he instantly feels the pull of sleep dragging him down into nothingness.

** ** **

Of course, it was never going to be a dreamless sleep, especially after the day he’s had.

Buck dreams of the tsunami. Lately, that’s all he’s been dreaming of. Of being tossed and spun around in the water, unable to tell which way was up. Like always, it feels like an eternity before he’s able to breach the surface, finally able to take in that breath that his lungs had been screaming for. Immediately his first thought is to find Christopher and he starts paddling to where he’s found him every other time only to find him missing. This is new. He calls out for him, swimming in a circle before he spots the fire engine and strikes out towards it only to find it empty as well.

Feeling despair welling up, he lets the wave drag him with it as the water recedes and finds himself being tossed back underwater before the it swells again and washes him up onto the footpath of a vaguely familiar street. Feeling the pavement scrape at his already raw skin, he drags himself up onto his hands and knees, panting, and looks ahead. It’s that house. The one from before with the father and son. Except this time, he can hear Christopher now. Coming from that house.

Picking himself up he gets to his feet only to immediately topple over. Looking down, Buck starts to hyperventilate, his leg from the knee down is gone. Missing. Amputated. Nonononono this can’t be happening, this has never happened like this. But before he has the chance to properly panic, Christopher’s voice breaks through to him, spurring him forward. He has to save him. He can’t let him down again.

Getting back onto his one foot, Buck starts hopping towards the house, and as he gets closer he can see Eddie being held back by Carlos, straining to break free to save his son. He hops once more towards the house only to nearly fall over in pain, feeling a lancing pain across his midsection. Looking down he can see blood seeping through his shirt.

With each hop, comes a new cut and by the time he makes it anywhere near the house he’s dizzy with blood loss and comes crashing down to his knees, too weak to be able to stand, screaming Christopher’s name. At some point Eddie’s voice cuts through his own, pleading for him to save his son. That it’s his fault. That he failed him. That he failed Christopher.

Rolling onto his back, all Buck can do is look up at the sky and heave in panicked breath after panicked breath, listening to Eddie telling what he’s always thought and ends up repeating Christopher’s name over and over again between breaths until another, different voice breaks through the haze. A warm, firm touch against his face from an unseen force, startles him awake and he tearfully comes face to face with Owen peering down at him in concern, ashen face full of worry.

He can’t catch a breath, fighting against Owen's hold and looking around for Christopher and calling his name. Vaguely, through his panic, he can hear Owen talking to someone before a phone is being pressed up against his ear.

“Buck? What’s happening.”

“Eddie.” He manages to gasp out. “Tell me again.”

“You saved Christopher. He’s safely sleeping in his bed. What happened was not your fault, you couldn't have know a natural disaster would happen.” Eddie says calm and evenly, repeating a well-rehearsed set of sentences that they learned calmed him best. 

Hearing the words was like a balm to his panicked heart and he leans forward bonelessly against Owen who was still sitting on the edge of his bed. Letting his breath slow, he looks down at his arm and sees the bandages, reminding him of the cuts in his dream and leading him to remember his leg. He takes in a sharp breath as he reaches down to feel the part of his leg that was missing and sighs, reassured to find it where it should be.  

“Buck? You still there?”

“Yeah,” he replies softly, “I’m still here.”

“Are you good? Did you need me to…?” The question goes unasked, but Buck knew what he was offering.

“No that’s okay Eddie I don’t think I need to see him tonight. You go back to sleep.”

“Alright. I’ll see you tomorrow.”  

“Thanks Eds, see you.”

“Anytime Buck.” And then he was gone, leaving Buck to bring his attention back to Owen who was watching him carefully.

He waits for him to say something, ask him what all that was, but Owen doesn’t, instead, he shifts closer and opens his arms. And that’s all it takes to turn him into a sobbing mess, falling against his warm chest and buries his face into Owen’s shoulder. Through heaving breaths, he can hear Owen murmuring into his hair as he holds him tight and that’s when all his resolve goes out the window and he tells him everything.

“I lost him…. I lost Christopher, Eddie’s son in the tsunami. I had him and then he was gone. I looked everywhere for him, found his glasses but I couldn’t find him. And that’s all I dream about. It used to be the bombing or losing Maddie but ever since the tsunami, all I dream about is losing him over and over again. Every time I close my eyes, I’m back there, reliving that moment.” He pulls back from Owen’s embrace and wipes at his eyes.

“Tonight’s one was so much worse. The house fire from earlier, the kid, he reminded me so much of Chris. This time I couldn’t find him anywhere like I normally did and then I’m back at that house and Chris is calling for me and Eddie was there yelling at me to save him and I couldn’t do anything because my leg had been amputated and I got all these cuts all over my body. Owen, it was horrible.”

Owen pulls him back into a bracing hug, and Buck can’t help but fist his hands into the back of his shirt while pressing his face into his neck. Only then does Owen begin to speak.

“Eddie knows about the nightmares?”

Buck nods into his shirt before mumbling, “Only because I called him so many times after some really bad ones in a panic asking for Chris. He doesn’t know how often or what they’re about, but he’s got an idea.”

“This is why you barely sleep, isn’t it? You have nightmares every night.” Buck doesn’t say anything to that, instead nodding once again into Owen’s shoulder.

Owen sighs and pulls away, taking Buck's face into his hands. “I presume you haven’t told anyone else about this either.” Buck can’t bring himself to meet Owen’s gaze, confirming what the man already guessed. “Just promise me you’ll consider talking to someone about all of it. I hate seeing you like this. I just want you to be happy.”

Not one to be able to reject such a sincere request from someone he loves, Buck meets his gaze with a small nod, “Yeah, okay. When I get home, I’ll go see someone. I promise.”

Owen thumbs away a stray tear from his cheek and gives him a gentle smile, “That’s all I could ever wish for.”

Now that he’s had the time to calm down, Buck refocuses on Owen, taking in his haggard and pale appearance. Grasping Owen’s wrist and bringing his hand down into both of his, Buck finally voices his concerns.

“Owen, what’s been going on with you? I know something has been up with you since we had that talk in the car.” Buck gestures to his appearance, “Frankly, you look awful. Like you’ve been sick.”

Owen leans back and looks away, passing his free hand over his face as he does so. “That’s because I was throwing up in the bathroom before I heard you having a nightmare.”

“Owen, wh—”

“Buck, there’s no easy way of telling you this… but I’ve got lung cancer. I’ve known for a while, since we left New York actually. The chemo I’ve been getting has been making me feel nauseous lately, hence the throwing up.”

Buck sits there dumbfounded by the news but finds that he’s not as surprised by it as he thought he would be, mostly because he’d done a whole lot of research on 9/11 and its survivors some years back. Really, all he needed to know was two things.

“Does TK know?”

Owen rubs the back of his neck and looks away in discomfort, “Yeah, I told him a month or so ago now.”

Buck firmly takes Owen’s wrist in his hand and moves his head to catch Owen’s eye, “And you? How are you holding up?”

Owen huffs at his insistence but doesn’t complain, “The treatment is rough, but the doctor I’m seeing is hopeful and so am I.”

Buck nods, satisfied with the answer, and lightly claps his hand against Owen’s shoulder, holding it there, “We’re going to be alright.” It’s a statement, hopeful for what the future brings.

Owen gently pats Buck’s cheek fondly. “Yeah, we will be kid.”

And with that, he gets up with a groan, presses a kiss to Buck’s forehead, and heads out before pausing at the door, “Try to get some sleep.” He says over his shoulder before quietly shutting the door as he leaves.

Tag list: @judsonryder @bisexualbuck @buckleyevan @seaofashes @justsmilestuffhappens @diazbuckleysworld @diazsbuckley @confessions-of-a-shipperholic @spell-of-the-rain @novemberhush @black-forest-girl @bluebelle88 @adamngoodbuck @overtimeme @captain--sif @rachbabe007