Yolo. Looks like I have more stuff to put up today! I can't say much but say...enjoy. :) Disclaimer: I don't own Big Time Rush or Young Justice: Invasion! I just happen to like both very much and thought to put them together for a bit! Kendall and the other guys will have some qualities of the superheroes they are in this story, but pretty much they're still the same four lovable dorks we all know and love! :)
"Keep your mind in the game, Impulse!" Black Canary repeated for the thousandth time as she threw out another kick, said blond managing a dodge but just barely.
Heavy pants escaped Kendall's parted lips, hot sticky sweat clinging to his forehead. He did a back-flip just as Superboy threw out a punch, trying to keep in mind that he couldn't use his super speed.
'This is hand-to-hand combat training, even Carlos can't fully dish out his Kryptonian strength.' He reminded himself wistfully, locking eyes with Blue Beetle.
The heavily armored teen gave a single nod; that alone got Kendall to turn just in time to nail Black Canary right in the stomach.
The long-haired woman fell backwards, hard, on her elbows. She took a deep breath to blow the stray lock of black hair tickling her nose before she met Kendall's bottle green eyes, sparing him a smirk.
"Okay, that's enough for today. Good job everyone." At those words the four now exhausted members of The Team, Impulse, Blue Beetle, Superboy, and Robin sighed in relief and dropped to the floor in heaps.
Kelly's training sessions were infamous for the long stretches and vigorous workouts. They've been at this since eight this morning. It was now twelve in the afternoon; a majority of the day was already gone.
Normally seniors of The Team, in this case Superboy (Carlos), didn't have to train for as many hours due to already having a decent record of experience out on the field. It was a different story however when he was leading the new freshies Impulse (Kendall), Blue Beetle (James), and Robin (Logan) as Team Gamma. They have survived the few missions they've gone on under Nightwing's eye, but they were still just rookies.
The Team and Justice League did not want to suffer anymore losses.
Black Canary (Kelly Wainwright) got up and brushed herself off, unable to hide the smirk on her lips as she departed from the training room, leaving the four teens alone.
"Man, this session was the toughest yet to date!" Logan said around his bottle of water, running a gloved hand though his short black hair. He winced at the musky smell clinging to his skin under the tough, flexible spandex of his suit.
As much as he was athletic and fit, Kelly always found a way to leave his whole body aching after training. He was use to such strain thanks to training under Batman and scheduled city patrols but The Dark Knight had a different way of doing this. Him, and Nightwing.
Carlos pulled off his usual black shirt and replaced it with a loose-fitting gray tank top, fingering the large red S shield. "Look at it this way, Rob: the fact that she's pushing us harder means we're getting considered to be reassigned as Team Alpha or Beta over Gamma. The League wants to be sure you freshies can handle bigger, more dangerous missions. It comes with the job of being heroes; it's either get stronger or stay on the sidelines."
Carlos wasn't that much older than them. While technically he was only six years old, physically he could pass off as seventeen or even eighteen. He was a senior Team member, one of the original founders. Before he was often led by his confusion and rage, but now he had more control over his emotions.
It was something he had to grow up with, that and having to deal with the fact that he was a clone of Superman originally created to destroy him. He wasn't a full Kryptonian though; due to his hybrid DNA, it wasn't as easy for him to tap into his powers as it was for his older, adult counterpart. That once bothered Carlos, but training the freshmen gave him an different outlook on his strengths and weaknesses. He wasn't weak compared to Superman, just had to follow a less traveled path to use heat vision or flight.
Kendall sighed and pushed up his visor, noticing James had moved to a corner of the roof, looking annoyed.
"I'm totally okay with being part of Gamma for the time being. Yes I am, yes I am! Yes I am!" Said brunet mumbled over and over in a hiss-like whisper, his armor retracted slightly to expose his handsome face. His hazel-green eyes were a smoldering golden-red: it was a sure-fire sign that he was being picked on by Khaji Da.
Khaji Da, the blue Scarab attached to his spinal cord. The piece of technology that transformed him into the hero known as Blue Beetle.
Kendall walked over, as best as he could, only to plop down beside the still bickering away boy. He offered James a smile, crossing his legs and resting one elbow on his right knee.
"Khaji acting up again, Blue?" He asked. James momentarily pulled away from his argument with the Scarab to smile back at the nickname, rubbing the back of his neck sheepishly.
Of course everyone on Team Gamma knew each other's real identities; months of working and training together has forged trust between them. They have seen each other outside Mount Justice numerous times, decked out in civvies with the other members. While in uniform everyone normally referred to each other as their hero titles, to prevent enemies from finding out crucial information, but it still slipped from time to time.
James and Kendall were pretty close despite knowing each other for only seven months. They had nicknames for each other: the dirty blond called James Blue while in uniform, James in return called Kendall Speedster. When it was just the two of them alone with Carlos and Logan however, they did break the mold to call each other by name.
"Yeah, apparently he knows how I really feel about being on Team Gamma." The taller boy replied with an eye-roll, air quotes around the whole thing. He growled again when Khaji Da made another smartass comment, though of course only he heard it. He shared a mental link of sorts with the foreign alien tech; sometimes he wished he could turn it off though, since the Scarab's suggestions usually involved brutally attacking, or eliminating, those around him.
A Jiminy Cricket with a bad attitude.
Kendall's facial expression softened. He's gotten a fair share of James's fights with the tech attached to him during missions, the two always butted heads because the brunet only used force when on the field. On a regular basis, he was at war 24/7 with the thing, since it could easily transform an arm into a plasma cannon if it sensed a threat to James's person. And James didn't even attach the Scarab to himself willingly; it had literally, like really literally, crawled around until its thin, metal legs had sunk themselves into the boy's spinal cord.
He's tried to get it off with surgery, but that and every other attempt has failed. The private doctor the League had gotten to look him over said that there was a slim chance of successfully removing the Scarab. A slim chance of removing it while James was alive.
That wasn't really comforting news to receive.
"He's probably just as eager to stop The Reach, Blue. We don't want you going on mode." James winced at this, fear now clouding his gentle eyes.
"Yeah, that too..." He said in return, getting to his feet and retracting his armor completely. He made a face of disgust when he felt his sweaty, no longer shiny hair and smelly, clinging clothes.
"Ugh, these long training sessions are so not doing it for The Face. Want to head to the showers, Kendy?" He asked, desperate to strip out of his sweats and tank top to feel warm, refreshing water run over his body.
Kendall let out a fake laugh and accepted James's hand, getting to his feet and following the brunet out of the training room with Carlos and Logan now in tow.
James was the only person Kendall knew who could switch from friendly yet serious to dramatic and crazy in less than a second. It came with being a hero: having two identities could be very stressful, especially on teenage superheroes.
Teenage superheroes from the present, and future.
-Page Break-
Kendall met James outside on Happy Harbor, said brunet sitting down and swirling his feet around in the cool water. He had changed into a pair of black skinny jeans and a gray hoodie after his shower, soft chocolate-brown hair a bit darker still from the wet. He looked sad but below the surface Kendall knew it wasn't just sadness churning inside.
'I shouldn't have brought up Dictator Blue of the future.' The dirty blond glowered at himself, landing a slap to his forehead as he trekked forward.
"James?" Said boy looked up from the soft waves to meet the slighter shorter boy's face, trying in vain to smile.
"Hey, are we free to go? I mean it's like we were only called down here for training, I want to sleep the rest of the day away. I need to catch up on my beauty sleep; eight hours is what I need to keep looking this good!" Even that comment lacked the James Diamond confidence the guy was famous for.
Kendall's guilt grew to the size of a boulder, crushing his lungs under its weight. "Dude, I made you feel the mode didn't I? I'm sorry, I shouldn't have brought up The Reach and that was a jerkish t-"
"Bro, stop just please stop." James cut the blond mid-apologetic banter, pushing some stray locks of hair from his face.
"But James I-"
"It's okay, really. You came back to the past, well technically my present, to make sure I don't go all traitor on the human race and join The Reach. No one else knows about Blue Beetle becoming the biggest, baddest baddie in a near wasteland future. It's between you and me. The Team just knows The Reach is up to something...not the part in which I join The Reach and help take over the world." James said this all in one breath, gaze locked with Kendall's and not about to drop. Said blond bit his lower lip, heart aching.
When he came to the past, the only objective he had was to prevent the Blue Beetle of present day from becoming the cruel, heartless monster that haunted Kendall in his dreams every night. He had been determined to stop him and do everything he could to make sure the future he's lived through didn't have a chance to be set in stone.
But over time, that objective...has changed somewhat.
He was still determined to help The Team and Justice League in defeating The Reach and save the world. He still didn't want that future to happen. It's just...he didn't just want to save the future, but Blue Beetle himself.
James, he wanted to save James now above everything else.
'How can this sweet, funny, smart, crash guy be the same dictator that's beaten on me for practically my whole life?' Kendall has asked himself that question so many times since meeting the exotic-looking brunet, and so far still doesn't have an answer.
He just couldn't believe James turned evil in the future, with how he's been with him since meeting: kind of reserved at first, yet soon learning to open up and show his friendly side.
Someone so friendly he wouldn't swap at a pesky fly; someone so friendly yet fragile that he hid his most deep-rooted insecurities behind a million-dollar smile and fashionable clothes. Someone so friendly that he managed to keep a mellow attitude most of the time, even with an annoying alien Scarab attached to his spine. Someone so friendly, so so friendly that Kendall pitied the other freshmen; they deemed James crazy, thinking he wasn't really talking to Khaji Da but really to himself. They branded him crazy, sadly.
They branded "crazy" on someone so beautiful in an exotic, yet at the same time humble, way: silky smooth and soft chocolate-brown hair, rich dark skin like twisted bronze or caramel, wide, deep eyes that were sometimes a bright hazel-green, other times a smoldering golden-red. Eyes that still had a child-like wonder to them despite being sixteen going on seventeen, pearly white teeth that chewed at his warm, pale pink lower lip when he was nervous, a beautiful smart someone that didn't like to show that he was smart.
Kendall had branded this beautiful, smart, humble someone too. He didn't brand him crazy, but branded him evil before actually getting to know him.
He had to acknowledge the fact that this Blue Beetle and the future Blue Beetle were...different. They were the same person, even if James in the future was rarely seen out of his armor, but so different at the same time. The Reach made him that way, he wasn't "evil"; this guy was a BIG milestone from the Blue Beetle that had pushed Kendall around, laughed at his pain from the inhibitor collar and called him mean names like "Useless Meat" or "Meatbag".
And that's why Kendall had to make sure James didn't go on mode. He had to keep the brunet how he was right now: sweet, smart, beautiful yet humble.
He had to make sure the guy that...he's been feeling weird around as of late never changes. Never changes into that monster.
"Kendall, you there?" Said blond speedster blinked and met James's eyes, a light pink dust crossing his cheeks. He spaced out, again.
"Huh, oh yeah?"
"You were looking at me all weird. I mean I don't mind it and all, but one minute we're talking and the next silence. Like you say, 'So not crash'." James said, one foot still swirling about in the water while the other was bent upwards so his right cheek could rest on his knee.
Kendall sighed and plopped down beside the taller boy, hands at his sides for balance. "Sorry, I was just thinking."
"About the future?" James asked. He didn't ask to be rude; he was genuinely curious.
"No, about how to save you." Kendall replied, bangs over his eyes as he stared down at the waves below.
"How to what?" Confusion colored James's voice now.
"Yep, you heard me right."
"But you said I'm responsible for the disaster that your future right now is. We've tried everything to get the Scarab off me but you heard the doc, you were there in the OR with me. There is no way Khaji Da and I will be separated, unless I end up in a body bag." James began but soon Kendall snapped his head towards him, an annoyed expression distorting his pleasant, usually energetic facial features.
"I was wrong back then okay?! I totally misjudged you, James! When I came here, I had this vision in my head: Evil Blue, just younger and not as built like a brick monster. I sought you out the first chance I got and befriended you so I could keep an eye on you; I wanted to make sure Evil Blue could be cut down to size before he could ruin everything! But I was wrong, okay James? You're not...what I expected, at all. You turned out to be a really cool guy, retro even. You're really nice and smart, and I just want to say I'm sorry! I was wrong, about a few things: you didn't betray the human race because you felt like it, I don't think you wanted to at all. The Reach made you, I don't know how yet but they did and...you lost control. You had your control, your freedom stripped from you and got turned into their pet. I was wrong about you, James, on an epic level. I judged you, which was really not crash on my part, and...I'm sorry."
James's eyes were wide, a little than surprised at Kendall's riveting speech just now.
'It seems the Impulse isn't really as childish and irritating as he presents himself to others, James Diamond. Still, proceed with caution; I'm detecting abnormal biochemical changes occurring to our person.' Khaji Da's monotone, robotic voice bounced off the walls of James's skull. The brunet hissed a sharp "Shut up" in response, shaking his head as if to get water out of his ears.
"You don't have to apologize, Kendall. Really, I'm not demanding one from you, I would have reacted the same way. I'd be scared of me too, especially with...what you've told me about future me." James said, offering the shorter boy a small smile. It fell very fast though, when he noticed the guilty glint in those vibrant green eyes not die out.
"You're not asking for one, but I'm still giving it to you. You've become my best friend, James. I feel like you're the only one who gets me; I have Wally and Barry and Iris and Jay and Joan, but I can't really tell them about the future now can I? I know that...I must have made you feel horrible, you know with pulling out the friend card when I was really just keeping an eye out for Evil Blue but it's different now. You're not my 'mission' anymore, James. You're my best friend. I'm not playing good cop, bad cop here...I really am sorry. And whatever feelings I had before towards you, they've changed. They're not the same anymore, at all."
"Wait, what do you mean? You're not...afraid of me anymore?" James asked, voice breaking from the emotion that was slowly pouring forward on his face.
Kendall angled his body to face the brunet and tucked his legs under him, the scarlet red of his plaid shirt seeming to glow under the afternoon sun's striking rays.
"No. No, I'm not anymore."
-Page Break-
"Did we really have to fly here?" Kendall complained for the billionth time, James rolling his eyes once more.
"Dude, I'm not a speedster like you. You wanted me to hang out with you; flying is my number one go-to transportation in this suit, why don't like being the damsel in my arms?" James chided with a smirk, getting a light glare from the blond.
The two boys were in uniform, James's Blue Beetle wings stretched taut over their heads. His armor covered his face, Kendall's visors over his bright green eyes. James's hands were under Kendall's arms, a secure, firm grip to support his upper body while his long, lean legs moved along with the wind.
"Dude, birds fly and speedsters run; I need ground, not sky." Kendall deadpanned, a smile pulling at his lips though when he felt a laugh rumble with the taller's chest.
"We're on the same team, man. What if on a mission I'll have no choice but to carry you away from the scene?"
"Then next time I'll tie your wings up and slap you over my shoulder, carry YOU away."
"So touchy...!" Both laughed.
It didn't take them long to arrive; the beaches of Florida greeted them at ground level, they taking to the sands in Miami. It was getting dark, no tourists or residents were taking walks or splashing in the cool, blue-green waves. It was safe enough for them to be in uniform without getting hounded by the news reporters.
With The Reach trying to play innocent with the world, it was hard to trust anyone anymore.
"You staying at the mountain tonight?" Kendall asked, building a sandcastle faster than even what this year's champ could ditch out. James was sitting next to him, wings gone as he let grains of golden-colored sand fall between his fingers.
"Yeah, my mom's out of town for business so I won't have to make up some excuse as to why I was late home last week. She's been watching me like a hawk."
"Ever since getting Khaji Da on your back?" Kendall asked, James stretching out his strong, muscular legs.
"Yeah. You have it easy, buddy. You don't have to hide your secret identity from the Garricks. If my mom knew...she'd have my head." James said with light laugh.
"She'd get mad if she knew you were a hero?"
"Nah, not mad per say...just worried. She's been a single mom since I was like seven; my parents split at that age, and my dad went and married a lady fifteen years younger. He avoided child support, moved away and practically vanished off the face of the earth with his new wife. I haven't seen or heard from him ever since." James explained, his smile taking on a sad tint. Kendall dropped the seashell in his right hand and scooted closer to James, one hand landing on his shoulder.
"It's his loss, James. He's missing out on a pretty crash son." Said brunet chuckled at this; leave it to Kendall's unique slang to cheer him up.
"Yeah, Mom's been my mom and dad, best friend and disciplinarian, everything so...the idea of me getting hurt isn't the nicest thought she can have. I'm an only child; ha, you know something? My favorite color is green, I'm addicted to it yet I usually wear blue. Mom pointed that out one time, made me laugh. Weird, huh?" Kendall smiled.
"Not really, dude. I love green too, though Impulse probably wouldn't sound like a good name with green than red. Plus, red is like the trademark color for every speedster in the family...and, and you look good in blue."
James smiled shyly at this. He's use to compliments on his clothes, hair, face and eyes. He didn't always take the compliments in, though. "Thanks, red looks good on you too. Makes your eyes pop."
"Blue gives you a nice glow."
"Are we really telling each other that we look good?" James asked, he laughing along with the blond.
"Guess so, Blue! Let's see, what else looks good on you..."
"Dude, I was kidding."
"Nah, you challenged me! Okay...you look good in hoodies and jeans, casual yet stylish. And the armor isn't half bad either, even with the glowing yellow eyes!"
'This is pointless, James Diamond. You are to be resting and regaining strength, not entertaining the Impulse. He's causing biochemical changes in our person again, hormone levels rising and heart rate escalating. I suggest immediate departure, now.' Khaji Da hissed. James ignored him though, ducking his head to hide his burning cheeks.
"Dude, I'm going red in the face. Not crash, man." He retorted, Kendall biting his lower lip.
"But honesty is the best policy, right?" He asked, perching his visors on top of his head. James looked lost, a question on the tip of his tongue.
"Kendall...is this a date?" James hoped he didn't sound so sudden or too forward, evading the other boy's eyes.
A long, heavy silence now lingered between them; James was about to berate himself for the question but Kendall soon found his voice again, and it sounded very fragile.
Fragile, careful and...hopeful.
"I wish it was." At this James's eyes widened and locked with Kendall's; his heart practically melted when he saw that the other's was soft, longing and warm.
"Y-you do? Why?"
"Because I...we've spent a lot of time together, on and off the field, and we've gotten to know each other really well. You understand me, don't mind hanging out with the out-of-place kid from the future; you're sweet and nice and smart and I'm not going to lie, you're the cutest and hottest guy I've seen since arriving here. I mean Nightwing and Gar are lookers too, but you're different. I thought you were from another world as I got to know you, a really crash alien."
James's contagious laugh erupted from within his chest once more, he thankful his full body armor hid the bright blush staining his cheeks.
"Well my Scarab is alien tech, so you weren't too far off...but Kendall, you know what I'm suppose to become in the future thanks to The Reach. Future me hurt you...don't you see him in me?" Fear drained the brunet's face of all color, hazel-green eyes going a smoldering golden-red. He flinched away from Kendall's reach and curled more into himself, hiding his face (having retracted his armor) in his knees. His shoulders began to shake, soft tears most likely leaving his eyes.
"James..." Kendall whispered, soon wrapping his arms around the taller boy's shoulders. The brunet leaned into the comforting touch but kept his face hidden, light hiccups leaving his parted lips. The dirty blond tucked the taller boy's head under his strong chin, closing his green eyes.
"James, I use to see him in you. But it's not like that anymore, like I told you earlier my feelings have changed. I got to know you: you're crash, James. You're smart andsweetandfunnyandyoudon'tmindthatI'malwaysstealingyourfoodandwhatI'msayingisthatIreallyreallylikeyouand-"
"Kendall, dude you're going too fast!" James exclaimed with a short chuckle, face pressed against the shorter boy's chest.
"I said, that you're sweet and funny and you don't mind that I'm always stealing your food and what I'm saying is that I really, really like you. I fell for you, James Diamond. You and Evil Blue aren't the same; I'm not going to let you feel the mode, James. The Reach is going to have to try really, really hard to get you to be Big, Bad Blue. I don't see Big, Bad Blue; I see you, James Diamond AKA the hero Blue Beetle. I really like you, James..."
James tilted his head upwards so that their eyes finally met, his soft hair being played with by the light breeze as his armor more.
"I fell for you too, Kendall. I really like you. Even though at first I wasn't sure, and really confused about my feelings...I like how you're fun, and sweet and energetic. The side of you that is the real you, not the cover you put up for everyone else. I'm sorry for what future me did to you, and even though you say you see him in me...I'll spend the time I have in the world, in the universe to show you that I'm not Big, Bad Blue. I care about you, a lot. I care a lot about you, Future Boy."
Kendall smiled fondly at the nickname. "I'm crazy for you too, Retro Kid."
They let their noses rub gently against each other's, soft blushes on their faces before...their lips met in the dark.
The kiss was clumsy. Both were sixteen but didn't have much experience in this department; they did have a few ex-boyfriends and girlfriends, James a few more than Kendall, but even he had his insecurities about relationships. Their lips met in the dark, they had bumped noses and their first kiss had been sloppy but they were both laughing and flushed like tomatoes in the face. Even though Kendall had led the kiss, he was soon too lost in the mind-blowing experience to continue his dominant role. James took over with ease, not minding at all (the blond speedster seemed too innocent to be the dominant in a relationship) and drawing him in into another kiss.
Their soft, passionate lip-lock lasted until they had break apart for air, chests rising and falling. Both felt their faces and necks break out in matching blushes when they saw the intimate position they were in: Kendall on his back in the golden-white ground with his arms around the brunet's neck, James's hands lightly kneading those slightly curved hips.
"S-sorry I, I shouldn't have...!" James soon looked sheepish, rubbing the back of his neck and trying his best to ignore the once more hissing Scarab. Kendall smirked though and leaned forward to press a light kiss to James's unsuspecting lips, causing the exotic-looking teen to stop rambling and smile shyly again.
"Nice and a wild one, crash." That made James burst out laughing, despite himself before he dove in for another round.
-Page Break-
"We should probably head back to the mountain. We don't want to worry Logan and Carlos." James said lazily, pressing a light kiss to Kendall's nose.
The two were still at the beach though out of uniform now, shoes and socks off and pants legs rolled up to their knees. The waves tickled their toes, James flat on his back with one hand under his head, the other lightly stroking Kendall's right shoulder. The dirty blond was all content snuggled in his boyfriend's chest, one hand tracing James's rippling muscles. Their legs, really their whole bodies, were so tangled that in the dark it was hard to tell who was who.
It was the most calm, sweetest moment in time Kendall's had since coming to the past.
The blond speedster let a light pout touch his soft lips, the kicked puppy face making James's face break out in a blush. "Do we have to, Jamie? It's hard to get alone time in the mountain."
"I know but it's our responsibility as heroes, mi corazon. Plus we have been gone for a while now...Nightwing is going to kill us."
Kendall still looked a little disappointed but knew his exotic-looking boyfriend was right. "Okay babe, you win. We'll go but I'm staying close to you from now on." He said as the two got to their feet, raising a thick, bushy eyebrow in amusement when James began to laugh.
"You mean closer than you've been so far? Is that possible, even for a speedster?"
"Welp, that's what comes with dating right? Always there and protective?"
"Well to me, dating is just dating. It doesn't mean I'm in a relationship." James pointed with a wink, causing Kendall to blush and look away.
"So according to you, are we just dating or in a relationship?" He asked shyly, digging a small hole with his right toe. His voice sounded small again.
Kendall shivered when a thin, warm hand went under his chin. A tickle of the skin there prompted him to look up, his bright bottle green eyes meeting James's alluring, now, golden-hazel ones.
"We're in a relationship, carino. There's no one else I want to be with over you." He whispered giving the shorter boy a soft, loving smile.
Kendall fought tears as he smiled back and threw his arms around James's swan neck to reunite their lips in a quick but passionate kiss. James chuckled and kissed back until they broke apart once more, brushing the blond's long bangs off his face.
"Now come on, amor. We should head back."
"Yeah but not so fast, Blue. You brought me here, I'm taking you back to the mountain Impulse style!" James had a mixture of nervousness and confusion coloring his face now.
"What do you mean, Kendy?"
"I mean piggyback ride! No wings; it's pretty dark out, highly doubt anyone would see us plus we SO need to stop by that nice sandwich shop I saw earlier!" Kendall exclaimed with a grand throw of his arms up high; James couldn't help but blush and laugh at his new boyfriend's silliness, expression so surprised when Kendall soon hunched him up and over his back.
"A-amor!"
"Hey, I wasn't kidding about the piggyback deal! Hold on babe, there are no seat-belts on this ride!" With that Kendall grinned over his shoulder and kicked hard off the ground.
James barely had time to collect himself before he was moving at the speed of light, pressing his face into the shorter boy's back and snickering to himself. Kendall smiled at the laugh he was hearing at his ear, angling his back so that the brunet would be comfortable.
After all, this date was far from over.
