A/N: Well. This is my first EVER romance story, so bear with me. Also my first ever Loonatics story. AND it's my first ever slash story. WOW. Lots of firsts. Sorry the title's not too stellar. Anyway, you people know the drill, I don't own Loonatics, although I wish I did because then it would have been a better show. Most of the reason I like it is because the original plots pale in comparison to most of the fanfiction. So it's kind of like a template to work off of, y'know? Plus there's a few other reasons too*cough cough Rob Paulsen cough*. So, that said, please enjoy the story!
By the way, flamers and homophobes will not be tolerated or even acknowledged. Seriously. A waste of your time.
-:-
"So, are we close, Rev?" Tech asked, not taking his eyes off of the expanse of desert below them. His peripheral vision caught Rev's eyes glow scarlet for a moment in the seat next to him. He was supposed to know where they were going regardless of his global positioning ability, but Tech supposed it never hurt to check.
"Yep-we-should-be-coming-up-on-it-in-a-few-minutes-or-so-about-five-to-six-more-specifically."
Tech gave a wordless nod. He was entirely unhappy about making this trip, but he tried not to let it show for Rev's sake. The roadrunner was in enough discomfort as it was.
Rev had been injured in their most recent battle; it was nothing fatal, but there was a sizable gash in his right leg. Tech had stitched it up as best he could, but he was a scientist, not a miracle worker. Rev needed time to recuperate, and most everyone agreed that it wouldn't happen at the tower. The avian could hardly walk, and someone would need to stay behind with him while everyone else went out on missions. Though he had immediately volunteered to do it, Tech had to accept that no one else knew how to use half of his inventions (save Rev, and he was already out of the picture), and they were a huge advantage in almost every major battle. No one else was really up to "baby sitting," as Duck put it, and Rev didn't want to be a hindrance. So the only other option was for him to go stay with his family.
This might have been the logical solution, but no one was particularly happy with it. Ace was worried that, as fast-paced as life at the Runner household was, Rev would be on his feet again too soon and injure himself further. Duck had grown up in an orphanage and never been very close to his adopted parents, so he always had mixed feelings whenever any of the other Loonatics dealt with their own family. Lexi and Slam were just concerned and protective. They didn't want to let Rev out of their sight. And Tech… He didn't want Rev to leave for a multitude of reasons. Rev was his lab assistant, training partner, and most of all best friend. On top of that, lately Tech had caught himself wondering if he might have the potential to be more.
True, Rev could be quite feminine at times, and Tech had never seen him express any interest in girls; but that didn't necessarily mean that he was gay, or that he would be interested in Tech specifically if so. That was what Tech was afraid of at least, and that was why he had been extremely careful to cover up his newly discovered feelings. It had been hard as of late, especially after Rev was injured. Losing him even for a few days, plus not being able to care for his wound as he himself saw fit, was at best undesirable to Tech. But Rev (obviously) wanted a speedy recovery, and staying at his parents' house was his best bet.
"Here-we-go-Tech; -right-up-there. -I'm-sure-you-remember-how-to-park-but-be-careful-Rip's-not-in-the-driveway-cuz-if-we-run-him-over-Mom-and-Pop-will-kill-me!" It was a good thing that he said something. Rip was indeed in the driveway, kicking some kind of ball against the side of the house. Tech set off the vehicle's sirens for a few seconds and the youngest Runner sprinted out of the way. Tech landed their transport easily and opened the doors as Rip came up to meet his brother. When Rev and Tech made their way out, the scientist practically carrying Rev because unfortunately it was necessary (not that he minded), Rip's demeanor changed from relaxed and inviting to wary and protective. He immediately tried to take Tech's place helping Rev into the house. Tech didn't particularly want to let go, but he allowed Rip to take Rev when he saw brotherly instinct in the young roadrunner's eyes.
"Rev, hey! You look awful." He exclaimed. "Let me do that, man, I got him. C'mon inside. Mom and Dad are going nuts about you." Tech followed the brothers into the house, bringing with him a small bag of personal things he had helped Rev pack from his room in the tower.
As soon as they set eyes on their injured son, Ralph and Harriet Runner went into full fuss overdrive. "Oh-Rev-darling-sit-down-before-you-pass-out-sweetheart-would-you-prefer-the-couch-or-maybe-the-recliner-after-all-you-are-supposed-to-elevate-injuries-right?" Harriet yammered. Before Tech could even process it all, Ralph had started in.
"Son-it's-so-good-to-see-you-even-if-it-is-under-these-less-than-ideal-circumstances-do-you-want-a-blanket-or-a-pillow-maybe-your-mother-is-right-and-we-should-raise-that-leg-it-looks-painful-are-you-sure-you-don't-want-me-to-take-a-look-at-it?"
"Uhm. What about water? You want some water?" Rip asked, waiting until his parents had finished their verbal onslaught. Rev smiled at him and shook his head.
"Nah-it's-fine. I-don't-really-even-need-you-to-" He started to pull away from Rip, but wavered. Luckily Tech chose that moment to step in and steady him.
"No, you should sit down like everyone said. See, this is what Ace and I were worried about. You need to take it easy."
Ralph shot him an annoyed look as Rev sank gratefully onto the couch despite his earlier protests. "Well-you-certainly-don't-need-to-worry-about-Rev-anymore. -We-can-take-care-of-him; -we-never-would-have-even-let-this-happen-in-the-first-place. -Which-reminds-me-exactly-what-did-you-do-to-him-anyway-coyote?"
Tech growled, immediately on the defensive, but Rev interjected. "Tech-didn't-do-anything-besides-carry-me-back-to-the-tower-and-stitch-me-up-Dad. -Without-him-I-have-no-idea-where-I'd-be." He said earnestly, always the peacemaker. Tech couldn't help but smirk a little at the sight of Rev defending him for once.
"Hmph," Ralph grunted, glaring at Tech and grumbling something about, "untrustworthy-predator" before seating himself heavily in the recliner. Harriet perched herself on a loveseat, and Rip sat next to his brother. There was no space for Tech, until Rev scooted over a bit laboriously and patted the space beside him.
"C'mere, -we-can-make-some-room! Might-be-a-little-cozy-but…" Tech definitely didn't mind, but he didn't say anything. He felt both adult Runners glaring daggers at him as he took a seat.
"Thanks Rev, but maybe I'd better take off before too long. Wouldn't want to overstay my welcome." Tech said pointedly. He thought he heard one of the adults say, "Too-late-for-that," but he couldn't be sure. His fur was on end; Tech couldn't help but severely dislike Rev's parents, as they had never even given him a chance. He always tried to be as tolerant as possible, but it was especially difficult when Ralph kept provoking him. It was as if he was determined to needle Tech until he lost his temper, just to prove his point. Harriet was a little less purposefully offensive, but Tech presumed that was because she was a little more afraid of him. Rip didn't seem to have any problems, something Tech appreciated, but he wasn't much help against the adults either. Rev was always the referee, trying to keep things form escalating but never actually resolving the problem. Tech appreciated his efforts, though, because he knew how hard it was for Rev to stand up to his parents, his father in particular.
"Nonsense!" Rev laughed, again sounding nervous as he always did when Tech and his parents were in the same room. "You-can-stay-as-long-as-you-want."
"Rev-honey," Harriet began, but this was a rare time when Rev put his foot down. Maybe not so rare anymore… Tech had noticed Rev get slightly firmer with his parents about their coyote issues in the past couple of days, when talking to them on the phone for instance.
"As-long-as-he-wants-to-Ma." He confirmed. Harriet sighed a bit too audibly.
"So anyway, like, how did that happen?" Rip asked, indicating his brother's bandaged leg. Rev seemed grateful for the change of topic.
"Well-actually-it-was-during-a-regular-type-bank-robbery, -which-we-were-taking-care-of-because-the-police-on-that-side-of-town-have-been-getting-overwhelmed-lately," Rev started. Tech sat and just watched Rev talk, ignoring the dirty looks Ralph aimed his direction. The robbers in question had been, in Tech's opinion, actually pretty smart. They had only used regular weapons like guns to try and rob the bank. Everyone expected criminals to automatically be super villains these days, but not these guys. And yet it had worked out for them relatively well. The thug who slashed Rev simply stuck his knife out as the bird sped past. Tech had made sure he paid dearly for it, though.
Suddenly a tiny crimson splotch on Rev's bandages caught his eye. It was spreading gradually. Tech felt a pang of worry shoot through him. "Rev," he said sharply, and the other broke off.
"…Can't-stand-to-sit-still-for- What's-wrong?" He asked, looking slightly concerned at Tech's expression.
"You're bleeding. I think you might have popped a stitch." Tech explained.
Ralph had been looking for something to go off of from the minute Tech arrived, and now he had it. "You-said-that-you-sewed-him-up-yourself-coyote." He spoke the word like it was a filthy swear. "Did-you-purposefully-do-a-bad-job-of-it-just-so-you-could-watch-my-son-bleed? –Just-like-your-kind. –I'll-bet-you-licked-your-fingers-after you-"
"Dirty-horrid-evil-cunning-vile-nasty-mongrel!" Harriet shrieked all of the sudden. It sounded as if she had been keeping it in for a long time. "You-get-away-from-my-sons! You'll-never-touch-" Tech stood up, fangs bared.
"How DARE you insinuate anything, you ignorant fools!"
"STOOOOOOP!" Rev bellowed, freezing them all, even Rip, who had his hands pressed desperately on either side of his head as if trying to block out the whole room. "Mom-and-Pop? Sit down, please.Tech-is-coming-with-me-to-help-unpack. Then-he's-going-to-leave-and-we-will-have-a-civil-conversation. Would you me up please, Tech?" He asked coolly, holding his hand out. Tech made to pull him up, but Harriet opened her beak first.
"Don't-let-him-touch-you-"
"MOTHER. We-can-discuss-this-later. Right-now-Tech-and-I-are-going-to-talk-alone." They made their way slowly down the hallway with Rev's bag of things. They entered his room, which was as meticulously tidy as the rest of the house, and Rev sat down on the bed while Tech shut the door. Making eye contact, they stared at each other for a while. Tech was angry, tense and frustrated. He spoke first.
"That was absolutely ridiculous! They think I want to eat you for crying out loud! What is it, the 21st century? " Demanded Tech, pacing and gesturing wildly, almost knocking over a lamp. Rev leaned over and caught it. "Sorry," Tech added hastily at his friend's expression. He had never known Rev to be angry with him before. Frustrated, maybe, or annoyed. They had their little teasing spats here and there, but Rev had never been truly angry like he was now.
"Tech. I understand that my parents' behavior was unacceptable." Rev said, speaking slowly and clearly. He was most likely doing so to throw Tech off, and it was working. "However… Neither was yours."
"WHAT?" Tech shouted, throwing his arms up. "You're insane just like the rest of your family! What the heck was I supposed to do then, just sit there and smile like an idiot? Would that have been 'acceptable' behavior?" His fingers sketched sarcastic quotation marks around the word. Rev glared fiercely at him, looking so much like his parents it was uncanny. Somewhere in the back of his mind Tech knew he was digging himself deeper into a hole the more he kept talking, but he couldn't stop himself. He was too wound up. "By the way, thanks for being so helpful back there. I'm sure you would have stepped between your parents and me, if you could have stood up in the first place."
"You-don't-have-to-insult-me-you-know," snapped Rev, rapid-fire, losing his temper as well. "Next-thing-you'll-be-going-at-my-intelligence. –Not-like-that's-never-happened-before. –And-my-parents-Tech! –You-don't-get-to-say-things-like-that-to-them! –My-family-and-I, -we-might-not-be-super-geniuses-all-right? –But-that-doesn't-mean-we're-stupid, -so-stop-saying-it! –So-I-might-not-be-great-at-inventing-things-but-at-least-I-don't-have-an-ego-the-size-of-the-Orion-Nebula!"
"What's that supposed to mean?" Tech growled. Rev stood up, leaning heavily on his desk chair. Tech wasn't paying attention to that, though; all of his focus was on the anger coursing through his veins and pounding in his head.
"I-dunno-figure-it-out. –I'm-not-supposed-to-be-the-super-genius-here." The roadrunner spat contemptuously. Tech had never seen him like this before; he was pretty sure no one else had either. Rev was never furious, never purposefully insulting; on the contrary. Rev was lighthearted and childish. Tech was aware he had crossed some kind of line, and if he continued he might not make it back, but he was too agitated even to care about that.
"No. You're not." He agreed curtly. "That must be a genetic thing. Kind of like the fact that you taste just like chick-" WHAP. Tech staggered; he hadn't been expecting the blow. Rev stared at his hand for a full ten seconds, as if it had acted of its own accord. Then he looked up at Tech, and the expression on his face was enough to make the scientist step back a couple paces before he even knew what he was doing.
"Get-out-of-my-house-you-imbecile. –Get-out! –You-heard-me!-GET-OUT!" Rev limped heavily forward, and Tech had no choice but to back up, out the door and down the hallway. It had taken up until now for the full impact of everything that had been said to sink in, and he wanted nothing more but to apologize, but it appeared he no longer had the option.
"Rev-" He tried.
"Shut-up!" Rev barked savagely. "Don't-say-another-word-just-GET. OUT." Tech shut up, trying to convey with facial expression what he couldn't with words. Rev ignored it. He just continued on backing Tech down the hallway and through the living room, looking positively murderous. Ralph watched the pair with a smirk of pride on his beak; he seemed to have won. Harriet looked flustered, uncomfortable, and lost. Right here, right now was apparently the very last singular place Rip Runner wanted to be; he looked like he wished for Duck's quacking power more than anything else in the world, even if he could only use it this once. A minute had passed in silence, and Tech decided to try one last-ditch-effort.
"Listen, can I just-"
"You-can-LEAVE." Rev stated, his voice like an icicle, cold and sharp. Tech closed his mouth and swallowed hard. The coyote stepped over the threshold, and SLAM! The wind from the door blew his ears back. For a moment he just stood there, dumbfounded, listening to the muffled voices behind the door. Finally, he fumbled for the little button in his suit pocket that would unlock the plane. The moment he pressed it he realized he had never locked the doors in the first place, and he unlocked them again.
Tech sat in the driver's seat numbly. What had just happened? He groaned and let his head fall forward onto the control panel. Rev had chosen a side at last in the ongoing "coyote issues" war. That side was his parents', and it was all because Tech had said a few things he neither meant nor had the opportunity to take back. That's the problem with making quick decisions; you never stop to consider the repercussions, he thought. For a super-genius, he never failed to amaze himself with exactly how stupid he managed to be. Tech had always thought Rev would be with him if it ever came to side choosing; had always assumed Rev would be for him no matter what, no questions asked. It was one of the many laws of Tech E. Coyote's universe. But now Rev was against him, and never, not even during all of his friendless years at Acme University, had he felt so alone.
Somehow he managed to start the ignition and lift off. Tech steered the plane towards Acmetropolis, catching a last glimpse of the Runner house in one of the rearview screens. It's a miracle I didn't fall off of the edge this time, he thought suddenly, almost laughing. Then, just as suddenly, tears welled up in his eyes. Would Rev even return to the tower after this? What would Tech do if he didn't? What would Tech say if he did?There went all hopes for them as a couple, right out the window. Tech would never be able to work up the courage to express his feelings after the catastrophe back there.
Everything was suddenly so complicated. Tech's cheek still stung where Rev had struck him (with a surprising amount of force, he had to admit), on top of the fact that he seemed to have a large hole somewhere in his midsection. Was he shaking? Tech's mind was racing faster than he could ever remember, and his heart was pounding in a way that was decidedly unhealthy-
"Gaaa!" The rock literally came out of nowhere. If he hadn't known better, Tech would have said it shot straight up out of the ground miles below him just so that he could run into it. By some miracle of reflexes, however, he maneuvered the vehicle out of the way in the nick of time, the bottom of the plane scraping the side of the rock and shaving off a layer of paint.
Tech was breathing heavily, even more adrenalin now present in his bloodstream. He decided to call Ace and let him know that he was on his way back, something the rabbit had told him to do in the first place. Keeping one hand on the controls, he pressed Ace's call button on his wrist communicator.
"Who-is-it? –This-isn't-a-good-time-"
"REV-ROAD-RUNNER-YOU-WILL-LISTEN-TO-ME-WHEN-I'M-TALKING-TO-YOU!" Harriet Runner screamed so loudly that Tech could hear her as if she had her beak pressed up to the little microphone. He had called Rev by mistake.
"THIS-COULD-BE-IMPORTANT-MOTHER!" Rev shouted back. "Don't-you-understand-that-I-have-a-job-to-do-and-WOULD-BE-DOING-if-not-for-"
"Don't-you-talk-to-your-mother-that-way! –What-are-you-trying-to-say-anyway, -that-you-would-rather-be-with-that-predator-"Tech hurriedly snapped out of his momentary horrified daze and cut the connection. Hearing Rev's voice had not helped things at all. Now feeling worse than before, he pressed the correct button and called Ace.
"What's up, doc? Everything go well?" Tech swallowed past the lump in his throat.
"I'm on my way back," he told Ace, carefully avoiding the second question. That conversation could wait until he arrived.
"Okey-doke! See ya in a little while!" Said Ace, and he disconnected. Tech sighed and stared out ahead, at the lifeless desert before him.
-GREEN TRIANGLE-
Tech stood in front of his teammates, taking in their facial expressions. He had just explained about the disastrous visit to the Runner household, sparing no grisly detail. Looking around at them all now, he half-regretted it.
Ace had sat patiently throughout the whole story, never taking his eyes off of Tech. His face was difficult to read, but the scientist detected disappointment. That wasn't surprising. Tech was disappointed in himself as well. Lexi looked a little bit incredulous, as if it was hard for her to believe any of it could have gone down the way it had. Tech could understand this feeling as well.
Slam was on Tech's side. He had exclaimed, indignant, when the coyote had told some of the things Rev's parents had said. This was probably because Slam was another carnivore, and had most likely encountered that kind of treatment before. Duck was, not unexpectedly, the first to break the silence and voice his feelings.
"Wow. You were a jerk." He said flatly, and took a sip form his soda can. Tech sat down heavily on the couch.
"Yeah. Pretty much," he agreed, sighing for what had to be the 30th time that day. More than a jerk, he thought. I was an ignoramus. Only a complete fool would just throw away someone like Rev.
Ace shot Duck a look. "Let's… Try our best to be supportive, shall we?" Duck raised an eyebrow.
"You mean we should encourage jerky behavior? How come I keep getting told off then?" He demanded.
Ace rolled his eyes. "No one's encouraging. But we're not going to make Tech feel any worse, either. Okay? So lay off a little." Duck nodded, closing his beak for once.
"Thanks, Ace," Tech said quietly, grateful. Ace nodded.
"Don't think I'm taking sides of any sort," he said sternly. "I'm disappointed. In both you and Rev, and Mr. and Mrs. Runner, come to think of it. If any one of you had stepped in and tried to resolve the problem… I would've done it before, but it wasn't my place."
Tech nodded solemnly. He hadn't expected full support from the rabbit, and once again he had been right. At least no one was shouting.
"This is insane," Lexi blurted out. Everyone turned to her. "It's just… We're superheroes. All of us work against crime and fight evil, right?" She continued, not waiting for an answer. "So then for crying out loud, you would think we could find better things to do than yell at each other!"
Ace sighed. There was a lot of that going on lately. "Good point Lex."
"Yeah," Tech agreed. "Now if only you could have made that point before we left."
"Grrrmflrgle blaragh flboo gazaahrah." Offered Slam ("That still wouldn't have changed the fact that Rev's parents are crazy").
"Maybe not, but it would've stopped me from saying a bunch of things I really wish I could take back." Tech explained dejectedly.
Duck sat up; Tech could almost see the (albeit dim) light bulb go on above his head. "Wait! You're a super-genius! Why don't you just build a time machine and then go back and redo it all?" There was a period of silence. "What?" Duck asked.
"Blarg mfoo durg." Slam muttered, shaking his head ("You moron").
Just then the doors hissed open and there stood Rev, looking irritable, strained and exhausted. "Welcome, Rev Runner." The computerized female voice stated, pointing out the ludicrously obvious. Everyone gasped as if on cue. Tech started to stand and go to him, but thought better of it once he saw the look on Rev's face. It didn't seem to be directed straight at Tech, though… more like the whole universe. Still, it gave him an inkling of hope.
"Rev! You're back!" Lexi cried. Rev turned his uncharacteristic mood on her and she shrank back slightly. It wasn't that he looked angry exactly; just extremely frustrated and tired.
"I'm aware of that, Lexi." He sounded off, and it took Tech a minute to realize he wasn't speaking at his normal breakneck-speed pace. It was worrisome.
"What happened?" Ace asked. It was a good question. Rev's uniform was smeared with dust and dirt, and Tech wasn't sure but he thought he could make out a bruise around his left eye. Tech felt another pang of worry. He wanted more than anything to help Rev, force him to clean up, go rest, sit down at least, but didn't dare. Rev shuffled a little farther into the room before answering.
"My parents kicked me out of the house." Rev replied, both his face and voice devoid of any emotion. Tech suspected this was because he wasn't sure what emotion to express. Dropping his bag of things in the middle of the room, Rev made his way over to the couch, dragging his right leg. The once pristine bandages were stained with dirt and blood. It didn't look emergency-room-serious at least. Tech stood up quickly in case Rev didn't want to sit near him, but Rev waved a hand vaguely in his direction, avoiding eye contact. "Don't bother." He muttered, and collapsed onto the other seat. Tech sat back down tentatively, watching Rev closely.
Lexi had her hands over her mouth. "Oh no. Oh God Rev, no," she whispered, voice filled with sympathy.
"Oh God Rev yes," Replied Rev, raising one eyebrow. "I had to fly back. I crashed twice," he added in explanation, indicating his dust-covered suit. Ace winced.
"They really kicked you out- all hurt and stuff?" Duck asked, disbelieving. "I mean… You're their son." Even though he had grown up in an orphanage, Duck had a specialized idea of what "real parents" were supposed to be like. Rev's mother and father had fit the bill, at least up until now. Rev turned towards him.
"Heh. Not anymore I'm not." His laugh was weak and humorless, and he couldn't hold Duck's gaze. He stared at his feet. The instinct to put his arm around him was growing stronger in Tech by the minute, but he held off. Who knew where he stood with Rev right now? Duck's eyes widened at his answer.
"Whaddaya mean?" He questioned, confused and incredulous. If even Duck knew that Mr. and Mrs. Runner were out of line, then that made Tech feel a little better about himself, but even worse for Rev. They couldn't have renounced him, could they? He thought.
"Rabbah bluh gah frazie." Slam confirmed patiently ("It means they disowned him"). "Grrb bragh trozz prag." ("And that they're insane.")
"Whatever you wanna call it," Rev sighed. "I can't stay there anymore, anyway. I'm you guys' problem now."
Tech edged a little closer to him on the sofa, his heart rate speeding up a fraction from the closer proximity. "You're not a nuisance, you know." He said softly. Rev finally made eye contact with him, a little reluctantly.
"Don't lie to me," he said a little too nonchalantly. "With this gash in my leg I can't do my job. Which most of the time includes being a sideline boy, but hey, at least I get to watch the rest of you work your magic up close and personal." He didn't sound sarcastic; still, it must have been like a slap in the face to Ace. And as Tech knew from personal experience, Rev could hit pretty hard, whether he meant to or not.
Ace stepped forward. "Listen, Rev… If you feel like you're not part of the team, we… We don't…" He broke off, unsure of how to proceed.
Rev held up a hand quickly. "No, I'm sorry. I didn't mean it. Forget it." Tech could see plainly that Ace would certainly not just forget it, but the rabbit backed off all the same. Still Tech was confused about one thing. And he wasn't confused often.
"How come you got kicked out? I mean to say, what did you do? You don't have to answer if you don't want to," He added quickly, still treading cautiously where Rev was concerned.
Rev turned towards him, his face a little amused to the coyote's surprise. "Tech, I defended you."
"Seriously?" Tech asked before he could stop himself. He absolutely couldn't believe it. Rev smirked at him.
"Uh, obviously. I wanted to take back a bunch of the stuff I said. Figured you probably felt the same way, given that you were a way bigger jerk than me. I'm still a kind of annoyed at you, as you can probably tell… But, I'm not furious." Rev explained, shrugging.
Tech scooted closer still on the couch, noticing as he did that someone, probably Ace, and tactfully taken the rest of the team and left. "Can I apologize then? Because, really, my disagreement was with your parents, not you. And having you mad at me for just an hour was pretty bad, so… Forgiven?" He offered, smiling experimentally.
"We can't just go back to best friends, you know." Sighed Rev, and it was as if he had just twisted an ice-cold corkscrew into Tech's insides. "There's supposed to be a really long discussion about feelings, then a few days to mull things over. After that, we sit down, talk some more, maybe cry, then finally begin some sort of 'healing process' that just makes things even more uncomfortable." He continued, staring at he floor, then back up at Tech. "But between you and me… I'd rather skip it all. I already have Mom and Pop on my case, and I really don't want to be fighting with you too. Are you okay with that?"
As an answer, Tech wrapped his arm around him in a hug. "Fine by me," he murmured, holding his friend close. Maybe a little too close. He didn't know, he couldn't tell. How long was a "guy hug?" If it went on too long, would Rev catch on? The only problem was, Tech didn't want to let go.
"Thanks, Tech. I've been having a really bad day," whispered Rev into his ear. At least now it was clear Rev had no idea what was going on inside Tech's mind; otherwise he wouldn't have done that. It sent a jolt of electricity all the way to the tips of Tech's fingers and toes, and he felt his face heating up.
"I know, Rev. I know." He whispered back. Everything was moving in slow motion; part of Tech was urging, kiss him stupid, kiss him now! It'll be worth it! While the other part was insisting, stand up and walk away before you do something rash. If you kiss him you'll regret it forever.
Rev started to pull away. "Well, I think-" Tech could see his little window of opportunity shrinking into nothingness and decided to take a chance and stop being a coward. Rev was still talking, and so Tech tried a new method of shutting him up.
The kiss was awkward at first. Rev had a beak and Tech had a mouth, so it was hard to find that perfect angle. Once they did, however, and Tech discovered that impossibly, amazingly, indescribably, Rev was kissing back, it turned into something beautiful. This was the kind of kiss that made Tech feel both hot and freezing at the same time, made him fuzzy and lovesick, made him wish he was good at something creative like writing or art so that he could express just how wonderful it felt.
When they broke apart, it was as if the world had shifted somehow, and the very air was charged with static. At some point, Rev had ended up in Tech's lap. The scientist chuckled at his facial expression, eyes wide, beak slightly open. "Well?" He asked, raising his eyebrows.
"Sweet Sister Mary Francis. WHY-HAVE-WE-NEVER-TRIED-THAT-BEFORE?" Rev exclaimed loudly. Tech shushed him with one finger, smiling.
"Shhh. Quiet. What if the others hear?"
"The-others-nothing! I-wanna-try-that-again!"
Tech's smile grew wider both at Rev's cute childish mannerisms, and at the fact that he seemed almost completely back to normal. "I'm definitely not objecting to that, but how about we go down to the lab first and sew your leg back up? I thought you'd popped one stitch, but by now it looks more like all of them. Also maybe you could change out of your suit… It's filthy." Suggested Tech. Rev glanced down at his clothes, than back up at Tech, a mischievous glint in his eye.
"I-might-need-some-help-with-that."
Tech blushed furiously. "Whoa! Moving a little too fast now, aren't we?"
Rev rolled his eyes, laughing. "Oh-shut-up-I-was-kidding. –Besides,-what-else-could-you-possibly-expect?" They made their way down to Tech's lab, all details of their previous argument forgotten, and though the sun set on Acmetropolis, everything looked a lot brighter.
-Fin-
A/N: Sooooo... Sorry for the cheezy ending line, but I couldn't come up with anything better. For those of you who want more, assuming anyone actually read this, no worries because I have a sequel on the way. Please please PLEASE read and review! I worked HARD on this one.
~Reenie