Ken 10 Universe. Spoilers for that episode. Based on the prompt: "How about something from the POV of the 10K-verse Grandpa Max? Maybe how he feels about Devlin?"Max reflects on adding Devlin to the family.

If you're wondering, "What's with all the Ken 10 fics?", I'm currently involved in an RPG where I play Ben's daughter. So that's where my head's been lately. I fully intend to write some more Alien Force stuff as soon as inspiration hits me.

Disclaimer: Ben 10 and its characters are owned by Cartoon Network, and I am using them without permission. Please don't sue.


Sins of the Fathers/Virtues of the Sons


It's a kick in the teeth when you realize your kids are better people than you'll ever be.

I know, I know: that's not the way it's supposed to be. You're supposed to have more than you did, and be better than what you are. I did, to an extent. I had always hoped that Carl and Frank wouldn't gain some of my less desirable characteristics.

But, see, humility has never been one of my strong points, and I didn't realize until these last few years just how flawed I really am. I always thought of myself as a pretty decent person.

You want your children to be better than you, but not completely show you up. Turns out, there is no comparison. I look at my sons and grandchildren, and know, without a doubt, they are better than I could ever hope to be.

Kenny at ten years old has more compassion in him then I did at sixty.

I wonder how Agnes Gonxha Bojaxhiu's parents felt about raising a saint.

Let me stop for a moment and clear up a common misconception: I am not responsible for causing Kevin to turn to a life of evil. He chose to ally himself with Vilgax, attacking us again, and ended up in the Null void. He got himself stuck there all on his own, just like he managed to get himself into all the other situations he managed to get into. "How could Max have knowingly trapped a child in the Null Void?" "No matter what he became, he was only 11!"

I didn't do anything. Which may have in fact been the problem to begin with. When confronted with an angry, violent, mutated child, I reacted to him as a threat, sure, but never as a person. I did nothing to help the child inside. I saw him only in terms of black and white. Kineceleran's don't change their stripes.

I was wrong. About Kevin? I don't know. But wrong not to try. I would say I was young and self-righteous, but only the latter would be accurate. I should have known better.

Kenny does. I don't know where my descendents got their ability to see the good in others, only that it wasn't from me. Ben has it, but it took him longer to mature into it. Kenny seems to have been born to it, and I'm all the more proud of him for it (if slightly jealous).

Devlin betrayed and used Kenny. He fought him, called him names, and attacked his family. Kenny forgave him. When he thought we'd trap the kid in the Void, he stood not by him, but in front of him, protecting him. Kenny was had no qualms with trusting the boy after all he'd done.

It took me decades to achieve that level of compassion.

It helped, of course, that Devlin had made the first move. He stood up to his father, a man who strikes fear in even the great Hero of Heroes heart, and defended us. As much as I don't know where Kenny gets his compassion, I really don't know where Devlin gets his sense of right and wrong. I can't imagine how much it cost the boy to make that kind of stand.

Since coming to live with us, Devlin has shown all the characteristics of a "normal" street child. One moment he's bragging to Kenny all the things he has done and seen, the next he's tentatively watching us, trying to pick up what to do with his plate after he's done eating or whether he should take off his shoes when he comes inside. He is especially cautious around Ben and myself, sticking by Kenny for protection and subconscious reassurance that he's safe here, despite what he did.

He is a tough kid, used to trouble, but not affection and trust. Tennysons are naturally affectionate, and Devlin tenses up when he sees Ben hug Kenny or ruffle his hair. He crosses his arms across him chest, trying to appear unmoved. It's only when you look closely that you can see the longing in this eyes. It is the same longing that must have caused him to accept the pain Kevin gave him and believe it to be actual love. He is now beginning to recognize the real thing, and that can't be as easy as it seems.

He's cautious, but seems capable of learning. He is a remarkably good kid, though he's trying too hard, trying to be perfect. As if if he messes up once, we'll send him away.

The scary part is, a few years ago, I might have been so inclined. I've recognized the mistakes I made with Kevin before, but it hits me even more strongly as I watch his son. It shows me starkly what Kevin could have been capable of if someone had taken a chance on him, as we have now with Devlin. Maybe Kevin could have made similar progress?

I don't know. But damn it, I should have tried.

"Mr. Tennyson?"

The subject of my thought appears at my side, obviously uncomfortable. His hands are fidgeting behind his back.

"Son, I told you to call me Max." I belatedly realize the use to the term will probably make him uncomfortable, but it came out unconsciously. "What do you need?"

"Mr. 10K, uh, I mean, Ben, he needs your help at the monitoring station."

"Thank you, I'll go see him then." I pat his shoulder as I stand; he successfully manages to not flinch and I know he needs the contact even if it makes him uncomfortable. "Want to learn how to use the computers down there while we're at it?"

"Ok."

I will try with this one.