Here we are again…just go
Max and Billy were home alone. Phoebe was out with Link and Cherry, Nora was over at Owen's and their parents had gone shopping with Chloe. Max had gone upstairs to look for something he might've left in Phoebe's room, but when he walked past Billy's door, he heard a strange noise. He put his ear up to the door and listened. He heard what sounded like a lot of kissing and giggling from the other side and knew what it could lead to.
"Billy! Open up, I know James is in there with you!" He yelled banging on the door.
He heard a muffled, "shit" from the other side before the door swung open and both boys were standing there looking nervous. "Hey Max. Something wrong?" Billy asked trying not to seem as casual as possible. James just waved and tried to mimic Billy's ease.
"Get out." Max told James pointing in the direction of the front door.
"Yes sir." James said, shuffling out of the room and heading downstairs to leave. Billy groaned and sit down on his bed pouting.
"You snuck him in?" Max asked.
"Yeah, so what?" Billy shot back at Max with more attitude than Max thought Billy had.
"So what? You two sounded like you were…well…."
"He's my boyfriend. Why can't I do what you and Allison do? Or what Phoebe and Link do?"
"That's different. You're only fourteen. You shouldn't have to worry about adult stuff yet." Billy turned away from his brother. "Look," Max sat down next to his younger brother and softened his tone, "I know you're excited about starting high school with us after summer, but you're still a kid. You got a boyfriend and that's great. All these new feeling popping up and everything, but you should focus more on staying a kid as long as you can. Promise me you and James won't bump uglies until you're old enough."
Billy signed and turned back around to face Max. "I promise. Sorry for yelling at you."
"Hey, it's alright. I'd react the same way." They hugged and Max got up to leave his brother's room.
"Max?"
"Yeah bud?"
"Thanks for keeping my secret."
"Of course, what are brother's for?" Max smiled and left Billy's room. Billy came out to Max during his senior year of middle school and made him promise not to tell their family. It's not Billy didn't trust anyone else, he was just scared they would look at him differently if they knew.
~three months later~
"Billy! Are you ready yet?!" Phoebe called upstairs while her and Max waited downstairs. They agreed to walk with Billy on his first day of high school. But, for once, we was going slow.
"Just give me two seconds!" He called back from upstairs. Sure enough, he was downstairs in a flash.
"Billy? What are you wearing?" He certainly looked different. His hair was slicked back, instead of his usual bright t-shirt, he wore a dark red shirt and had on a pair of black skinny jeans. But it was the last article of clothing that caught everyone's eye.
"Uh, I think it's called a leather jacket?" He asked sarcastically. "I wanted to change up my look."
"Barb, he's growing up in front of us. Do something." Hank Thunderman whispered to his wife, who was just as shocked as the rest of the family.
"Billy. Honey, just because you're in high school now doesn't mean you have to change." Their mom told him with an uneasy smile.
"I know Mom. I just like this look." Barb shot worried look back at Hank silently asking what to do next.
"Oh, just let him wear it." Max chirped in. He pulled Billy in close (not too close to look suspicious) and whispered, "James better not be making you dress like that."
"Nope, it's a surprise." Billy whispered back.
"Well, we better get going. Bye Mom. Bye Dad." Phoebe said walking out the door with her brothers behind her.
"Tell me how high school is Billy." Nora told her brother as he exited the house.
The trio walked outside to find James waiting by their mailbox. "Morning every…whoa." He couldn't stop staring at his boyfriend's new look. Phoebe was confused by the look on his face while Max was doing his best to hide his annoyance at James gawking at his brother like that.
"Hey James." Max said to break the silence. James blinked out of his trance and smiled nervously at Max. He knew Max didn't like him so, it was best to stay on his good side. "Let's just get going." The four of them started to make their way towards the school.
Billy and James hung back just enough so they could talk freely without Phoebe hearing them. "I love you're new outfit BillBill." James said, subtly putting an arm around his boyfriend.
"Thanks Jamie." I 'borrowed' this from Max's old clothes."
"You didn't even ask? Am I being a bad influence?" James asked amused.
"I think so. And I think I like it." Billy said giving James a flirty look.
"Me too." He looked ahead at Max and Phoebe before giving Billy a quick kiss on the cheek. Billy blushed and leaned into James, resting his head on his boyfriend's shoulder. Billy quickly jumped to the side as they got the school so no one would see them like that.
Phoebe walked over to her locker and started chatting up with Cherry like any other day, while Max snuck up behind Allison, picked her up and spun her around. They were about to kiss when a tall and angry looking man walked up behind the two.
"Thunderman." Max turned around to see their practically useless principal. "You know, that name makes more sense with what happened last year." Their powers and secret were reviled to the whole city last year when Mrs. Wong started stalking them followed by an attack at their junior prom by Dark Mayhem.
"Bradford. Still jealous?"
"No." He responded quickly. "And you can't prove it anyway." He turned and walked down the hall passing Billy and James. "Oh and freshman are supposed to meet in the courtyard for orientation and class schedules."
"Is he always like that?" Billy asked Phoebe.
"No, he usually cries when he sees we didn't move over summer. Must've had a good morning."
"Well then, if you'll excuse me, I'll go fix that." Max said follow the direction Bradford went with Allison following.
"Wait Allison," Phoebe started. Allison turned around to face her. "I thought you hated Max pranking people."
"I make an exception when it's Bradford." She smiled and continued down the hall. Billy shrugged it off and followed James who had already started to make his way outside.
"So Link went back to Hong Kong?" Cherry asked.
"Sigh, yeah. He said he was lucky the hero league didn't fire him for leaving without permission to begin with."
"That sucks. It would've been nice to go on a double date with you two."
"How is Oyster?" Also at prom, Phoebe's friends hooked up with Max's band mates.
"Oh, you know….he's Oyster."
"Is it good or bad that I know exactly what you mean by that?" The girls both laughed and headed off to class once they heard the bell ring.
~after school~
Billy and James waited outside the doors for Max and Phoebe to get out of their classes. "At least we have two classes together." James stated breaking the awkward silence.
"Oh. Yeah." Billy responded while keeping his eyes transfixed on the ground.
"Something wrong, BillBill?" He asked, slightly. Billy was usually always in a good mood, seeing him like this was a rarity.
"Hm? Yeah, yeah. Just thinking about something." Also uncommon.
"Something…bad?" James pressed on.
"Not really. I'm just thinking about how I'm gonna come out to the rest of my family."
"You really wanna do it?"
"I have to. I can't live a lie forever."
"I know Baby, I know. It's just that…." The right words failed to come to James in that moment. "Older people don't always have an easy time understanding people like us."
"I guess you're right." Billy said with a sigh. James wanted so badly to kiss him right there, but it was too late. Max and Phoebe were within eyesight. Though he did feel a gust of wind and a kiss planted on him. He looked at Billy who appeared to have not moved, but was smiling at him.
"Hey guys," Phoebe said not reading the mood at all. "You know, you didn't have to wait for us." While Phoebe didn't know what was going on, Max, at least, knew Billy was upset about something from how still he was sitting.
"You two go on ahead," He said walking over to James. "We'll catch up." Billy hopped up from the bench and walked off with his older sister. James turned towards Max and tried to look tough even though being alone with Max terrified him. "What'd you do?" Was all he said.
"Nothing. Honestly. He's just worried about having to come out to everyone else." James said quickly, trying to avoid Max's death glare.
Max breathed in deeply and let out an almost relieved sigh. "Go catch up with him."
"Really?" James asked, confused by Max encouraging him to be around Billy.
"You make him happy right? Go do that." Max stated simply. James took off to go be next to Billy while Max walked at a steady pace behind.
Phoebe and Max entered their home first. Billy stayed outside to say goodbye to James without anyone else around. "There are my little seniors." Barb said as they walked inside.
"Okay, little and seniors really don't belong in the same sentence." Phoebe told her mom while hugging her. "Where's Dad?"
"I'm not sure. He was acting strange after we drove Nora to school and then said he had to go run some errands."
"Isn't that usually your job while he bonds with the couch?" Max asked.
"Guess it must've been important if he went himself." Their mom explained walking back into the kitchen. "Most likely possibility is that he went back to Mr. Evilman's furniture store."
"He does like looking at couches without us." Phoebe stated. Billy walked in quietly after kissing James goodbye.
"Hi Honey, how was high school?" Barb asked from the kitchen.
"It was good Mom. I think I'm gonna really like it." He said, not mentioning that it was because he would be able to spend more time with James.
"So, see any cute girls you might like?" Barb teased. She'd begun doing that with both Billy and Nora once they were old enough to start growing crushes.
"C'mon Mom, really?" He asked with a laugh.
"Yes really. You can tell me." She added quietly as he walked into the kitchen and grabbed an apple.
"No. No one yet." He said sitting down at the table.
"You know, now that I think about it," Phoebe began, walking over to the kitchen table, "You didn't mention a single girl throughout three years of middle school. Is high school going to be the same?" She half-teased.
"Maybe. I don't know." Billy said, getting annoyed."
"Yeah, come on Billy. You can't name one person you saw that you found cute?" Max smirked, knowing Billy know he was talking about James. Billy looked at him angrily.
"It's been a long day. I'm taking a nap." Billy said coldly before speeding upstairs.
James opened the door to his house slowly and snuck inside, hoping not to alert his father to his presence. "You're late." James heard from the darkness.
Shit! He thought. "S-sorry. I was….uh…getting school supplies?" He hoped his father would buy that.
"You sure you weren't tormenting that poor straight boy again?" He father asked raising an eyebrow.
James's blood began to boil. "No father. I only spook when spoken to."
"Good boy. No get out of my sight little fag." He said turning his attention to the TV. James breathed heavily and headed up to his room. He closed the door and dropped to his knees and began to cry silently. His knew his father hated him for being gay, but he had nowhere else to go.
Max was down in his room tinkering around with one of his inventions when he heard the door to his room open and a beyond angry Billy slide down. "What's that look for?" Max asked not understanding what his brother was upset about.
"Max, what the fuck was that about?!" Billy shouted. Max's room was sound proof so no one outside would hear what they were talking about.
"First, what was what about? And second, where did you learn that word?"
"You and Dad say it all the time when you're mad. Am I using it right?" Billy said, a little calmer than before.
"Well yes, but you shouldn't say it."
"Why not?"
"Just don't, okay?"
Billy thought for a second. "Fuck."
"Billy," Max started to get annoyed.
"Fuck."
"Cut it out Billy."
"Fuck!"
"I SAID STOP IT!" Max yelled and telekinetically pushed Billy back onto his bed. Billy sat up and the two stared each other down before tears started to escape Billy's eyes and Max put his head in his hands and moaned. "Billy I…what'd I door upstairs."
Billy took a deep breathe before speaking. "You were edging me on, trying to make me mention James."
"What? No I was just teasing, I swear."
Billy took more deep breathes. "It's just hard, since you're the only one who knows."
"I know!" Dr. Colosso said joining the brother's conversation. Both of them gave him confused looks. "What? I was feeling left out." Both of them shook their heads and went back to talking to each other.
"I'm sorry I pushed you just now."
"I'm sorry I kept saying it." Billy walked over to his brother and the too hugged tightly and made up.
"Now get out. I have to do homework." Billy looked at him for a second before them and Colosso burst out laughing. Billy finished up laughing and walked upstairs.
James got up and walked over to the cluster of papers and parts on his desk. He was going through some of the parts and little inventions before he started to look a bit confused. That can't be right. Where is it? He started to look frantically for something. He opened the door and called down to his dad. "Hay Dad? Did you take something from my room earlier."
"Why would I enter your room of all places?" He yelled back. James rolls his eyes, but his dad had a point. He would never enter his room since he was out.
If someone took it, there's no telling what they could do.
Super President Kickbutt sat at her desk, in a good mode having a relaxing afternoon for once when a security guard bursts in to her office.
"President! We have an emergency!"
"Of course." She muttered to herself. "What is it?"
"It's Dark Mayhem ma'am. He's escaped!"
Her eyes shot open wide with fear. "What?! How is that possible?! He was de-powered."
"That's the thing. It looked like the cell door had been ripped clean off its hinges."
Dun, dun, dun…
