Facade
"Because really, no one is ever really happy all the time." Character study.
Many people had misconceptions about Rev Runner. Many people wondered what he did for the team; Ace was the leader, Lexi was the second in command, Tech was the brains, Slam was the muscle and Duck was like the comic relief. "So what does Rev do?" some of them asked.
"That's easy," his fans replied, "he's the happy one."
But nobody is ever happy all the time, like people believed he was.
-x-
He wasn't sure if he really wanted a brother.
At first, the little two year old had been excited. But now that the baby -Rip, was home, he wasn't getting as much attention. Why didn't his mother hug him as much any more? Pouting he got into his big-boy bed.
-x-
A eight year old Rev tried to stop running, but he still tripped over the rock in the ground and scraped his knee. Tears leaked out of his eyes as his mother Harriet rushed over to him.
"Does-it-hurt-much-Revy-?" Harriet asked. Rev saw how worried she was and managed to smile.
"Not-much-mom-don't-worry-."
-x-
"Hey shrimp!" a person said.
Rev's heart pounded. Why couldn't these guys just leave him alone? It wasn't fair, he was only ten, they were thirteen. A heavy hand on his shoulder made him whirl around and into the kid's fist.
-x-
He went home with a black eye that day and refused to answer his little brother's questions. However, he couldn't ignore his parents'.
"Who-did-this-son-?" Ralph said, concerned.
"It-was-just-some-kids-fooling-around-," Rev said. He could tell his mom and dad didn't believe him, so he gave them a big smile. "It's-not-a-big-deal...honest-!"
His parents still talked with the principal, so at least the bullies stopped beating him up...physically that is.
-x-
It was the last day of grade five, and Rev was excited for summer, and for grade six, when finally those horrible bullies would be in high school.
All of the boys in his grade had decided to have a race at last recess. Rev had never really considered competing in races before, but one of his best friends Mary, convinced him too.
"You'll do great Rev," Mary assured him. Rev decided to listen to her.
He got in the line, and flew off as soon as the person said "Go!" He barely registered crossing the finish line, only Mary congratulating him and his other friend Jason saying "Good job." Rev, too caught up in his own happiness, finding out that he loved racing, didn't hear the bitterness in the other boy's voice, just the smile on his face.
-x-
It seemed like ice had frozen over Rev's heart. When he entered high school, he realized he had begun to have a crush on Mary. He didn't say anything about it, maybe it would fade. After all, small crushes barely last long. But apparently this wasn't just a small crush, because he still had feelings for her when he entered grade ten.
Finally, he decided to tell Jason.
"You better move fast Rev, she'll be asked out soon by somebody else if you don't." he advised.
-x-
Yeah, no kidding. Rev thought angrily. How could Jason have back-stabbed him like that? Deliberately asked Mary out right after he had confessed to the boy that he liked her?
Walking down the street, he kicked a rock on the sidewalk and watched it roll away.
For the first time, Rev felt alone. When he got home, he immediatly locked himself in his room to try to distract himself with sketching, polishing his racing medals and scanning Leonardo Da Vinci and Wright Brothers designs.
-x-
Once Rev could not ignore the growling of his stomach, he quietly opened his bedroom door and slipped into the hall, creeping along the hallway, past his parents' door, planning on heading to the kitchen, when he heard his parents say his name.
"Rev-seems-unhappy-I-bet-there's-something-wrong-." Harriet whispered to Ralph.
"Nonsense-he'll-be-back-to-his-usual-self-soon-.-But-agree-with-you-he-seems-odd-when-he's-unhappy-."
Rev's very patient, very mild temper finally peaked. So they think something's wrong with me, because I'm not happy! So I have to be happy in order to be myself, is that it?
-x-
Rev smiled at his family at breakfast the next day. They didn't notice it was fake.
-x-
Rev grinned at all his adoring fans, standing with the other Loonatics. He was sure that one of his teammates, Tech at least, would see his smile and know it was facade. That in truth, as much as he cared for his fans (who didn't even know the real him), that he just wanted to sleep, and felt a rush of gratitude at Tech when the coyote mouthed "don't worry, this'll be done soon".
Rev truly smiled then. Someone understood. Because really, despite what people think, no one is ever really happy all the time.
Angsty, I know. I hope you enjoyed this insight on Rev. After all, on the show, he's almost always smiling, but that's hardly realistic. I smile a lot, but I'm not always happy. There's always gonna be little things that make me, and other people, unhappy. Well, let me know what you think with a review.