Disclaimer: ThunderCats is an American/Japanese animated television series, produced by Ethan Spaulding and Michael Jelenic. A reboot of the original 1980s TV series of the same name (which ran from 1985 to 1989), ThunderCats was developed by Warner Bros. Animation and Studio 4°C.
Notes: With thanks to my beta reader Hatashikitty. The title was inspired by the Switchfoot song by the same name.
"I Turn Everything Over" by karrenia
Lion-O had once thought that as much as their relationship, if you could call it that, involved nothing more than an unspoken agreement to antagonize one another at every turn, and even at some inopportune moments as well.
It took two to make an argument, did it not? So it had not been entirely his older brother's fault that the underlying sense of antagonism, competition, and jealousy had carried over from their kitten-hood into adulthood.
Ever since the fall of their beloved Thundera Lion-O had sensed a kind of irreplaceable need for order and stability that came with everything that he had once known, was gone. In the silence of his own mind, Lion-O realized that some of those things he had taken for granted; were gone, it was more than ever important, no not important, vital that they begin to rebuild.
In retrospect, he realized that his own grief and anger at the outset of their journey had blinded him to the actual steps necessary to rebuild; not just their home but perhaps more importantly, the dynamics within their own band of survivors.
He was supposed to be the lord of the Thundercats, and if he were being honest with himself he hadn't done too terribly at it.
However, it had to be more than the luck of the draw that had enabled to him to leap before he looked time and time early on during their quest for the Book of Omens; and he had still managed to land on his feet.
Lion-O was also painfully aware that even back in the old days everyone would forever be compare him to his older brother, sometimes favorably and then more often than not, not so much.
Frequently Tygra would come out on top in those comparisons. The elder prince had always been the more level-headed, better at almost everything; and while some of that was true he also had a rather aggravating habit of pointing it out.
Memories of the time leading up to that surprise attack on their home came flooding back to him. He recalled just how hurtful and defensive he'd been towards Tygra and how cutting and insensitive his blurted out comment had been: that how he had hoped that when he grew up that he would never turn out to be like his older brother.
While a great deal of time had passed since them, the memory of that chance, unthinking remark, still rankled. Tygra had bristled but had not responded with anything approaching the fury and injured dignity that Lion-O had expected.
Perhaps Tygra had felt that the remark had not merited a response, perhaps he just had better self-control, or whatever, but the memory was a still painful one.
At this late stage Lion-O had more or less accepted that their sibling rivalry, while acute, posed a severe risk to team morale, and if Tygra were willing than he'd been willing and welcome a chance to bury the proverbial hatchet.
And there were signs, in between the travelling, the searching and the fighting, when it seemed as if might be a chance for something approaching reconciliation.
Lion-O still did not quite how their venture into the Astral Plane in search of the Spirit Stone had affected Tygra.
Firstly, because Lion-O had never claimed to be either the most insightful or observant among them, he knew that something unexpected and telling had happened. What they had seen, felt, remembered had changed, and in a good way.
Now, sitting on a boulder, in their makeshift camp, watching his brother sleep, with one arm draped over Cheetara, both lying huddled together for warmth underneath the inadequate shelter of a cloak used as a cover, Lion-O felt a mix of jumbled emotions churn through him. What he felt most acutely was ambivalent.
There, that was a good word, was it not?
He still felt more than a little jealous that Cheetara chose Tygra over him, but then, he has accepted that he might as well make the most of it.
He had resolved to be happy for them, even though he had told Cheetara exactly that, through gritted teeth.
Lion-O shook his head and shuffled the toes of his boots into the hard-packed ground, balancing his weight on the boulder, so that he would topple off.
The knowledge that as the new lord of Thundercats, with everything that he's learned, or some cases, been forced to unlearn; not everything will be handed to him on silver platter just because of his title, or who he is; or more importantly who he wanted to become.
The fact of the matter, most importantly, he wondered if all of this wool-gathering is just his mind's way of telling him that Tygra is probably the closest thing he will ever have to a friend, despite their sibling rivalry. It's a heady thought and he did not want to let it go.
And also perhaps with all that he had experienced during his own brush with death, the one thing that kept the wheels turning in his head is that simple declaration from Tygra when Lion-O had saved his fellow Thundercats in Mum-ra's pyramid.
Tygra had said that he would be willing to follow his brother anywhere, come hell or high water: it had been the most open and completely unguarded thing that Tygra has ever said to him.
At the time, flushed with both exertion and a sense of accomplishing the all but impossible, with only seconds to spare, and more than a little embarrassment, Lion-O simply gave thanks for the fact that he did not have to make a coherent response at the time; especially with all of the others looking on.
Speaking of embarrassing moments he still can ruefully recall that dratted love potion that he had intended for Pyumira.
Tygra had gulped it down, more for the sake of ticking him off than because he was thirsty.
'Well,' thought Lion-O shaking his head, "What was I expecting when I heard the words 'love' and potion' combined?'
He had been forced to offer Panthro and the others admittedly rather lame excuses for the subsequently goofy and again, completely unguarded remarks that Tygra had made and for his rather inexplicable behavior while under the influence of the love potion.
Even at this late remove he still could not tell if Panthro had bought his excuses, or under the circumstances had seen fit to not punch holes into it; considering they'd been too busy fighting for the lives or gathering more of the magical leaves to make the potion that they needed to subdue the hybrid creature that their most dangerous enemy had transformed into.
Lion-0- had been all determined and take-charge, rushing head-long into the battle, all the while trying to project an air of confidence and resolve as a good leader should.
While he thought he'd done a pretty good job of it, at the same time, he'd been trying to impress Pumyra. So maybe his concentration had been more than a little bit off at the time.
And you'd think that would bother him because he too had been acting almost if not more goofy and awkward around the newest addition to their small band, and he'd been thinking a lot about her from the moment they had crossed paths.
She had been through more than any one among them could possibly imagine,; any one than say Panthro, and she had had every reason to hate him, or rather hate what he stood for: the destruction of their former home and with it their entire way of live as they had once known it.
However, underneath that stubbornness and that fiery attitude he had believed that he could reach her, make her understand him in ways that she would see him as both a person and her king.
And, finally he had reached her that he was peeling away at all of those layers to a place where they had arrived at a kind of brittle understanding.
And honestly, he really was attracted to Pumyra and still believed that they could have something special given enough time and work. "Somehow," he ruefully muttered aloud.
"I just seem to keep falling for the stubborn, blazing bright, but still oh so incredibly beautiful types. I wonder why that is?"
Lion-O sighed and took another glance at his sleeping brother, as another rather startling thought flashed through his mind "Why have I become so preoccupied in brooding over how to start mending his proverbial fences with my brother?'
Lion-O rubbed his head over his left flank because his ribs still ached from that bone-crushing hug, but it's a good ache, for he knows it meant Tygra loves him; even if that stubborn tiger pride of did have an annoying habit of allowing him express how he feels.
In the back of his mind, Lion'O, thought: 'Well, damn that stubborn tiger pride of his, he never could admit when he was wrong. It's actually rather cute when it's not irritating as all get out.'
The fact of the matter is simply that he wants, no needs, for the relationship between himself and Tygra to become something better, something more permanent, and something that will last beyond this time of troubles and will allow them all to move forward into the future, together.
Even as this thought crosses his mind, another flash of realization hits him with all the force of a sucker punch to the gut, that love is love, and despite the gruffness and aloofness, and the barbed remarks, Tygra did love him, just in his own way.
Lion-O is rather determined to do whatever it takes to bring that out in him, to begin to heal all of the hurts, the slights, cover over the scars, both past and present, because it's what they both need; even if Tygra might never admit it.
Lion-O got off of the boulder and used his cloak as a pillow, figuring that he'd come to the best decision he could and that now he could get some sleep for what was left of the night.
He laid down, closed his eyes, then smiled.
Tomorrow would be here sooner than expected, but for the moment he would take it one step at a time.
After all, they had plenty of time to begin the healing and the rebuilding and then they would all take the first of many steps that would lead to a new beginning for everyone.
He allowed his breathing to relax, calmed his racing thoughts, and finally fell asleep.