Chapter Two:
Tis' The Season
Its cold, the mid of December, and almost Christmas. Thad had been living with Max, Helen, and me for almost half a year now. Ever since he had tried to kill Max in the speed force and Max had been able to talk him into a better life.
Thad doesn't talk very much at school, but he does talk to Max, Helen, and sometimes me. He likes to talk about weird stuff that I don't understand, and he likes weird things that I don't get. Max and Helen get it, but I don't.
Max makes us share a room, and I hate it. Max said it would be good for me and that it might teach me a few things, but Max has never shared a room with his worst enemy. with the one person who wanted to kill you just a few months ago. And that one person had once had no other life than trying to destroy you.
It's weird because we share nothing really. We have two desks, two chests, two shelves. We have bunk beds, but that isn't anything really. He gets bottom, and I get top. The only that we 'share' is a closet and the radio. But he doesn't listen to the radio when I am around, so we don't really share it. It is mine.
The only thing that I hate about the room agreement is how he likes everything clean. I don't know why. But he does. Everything has to be perfect. There are even days where he makes my bed for me. I told you he was odd.
************
"Christmas is coming the goose is getting fat, please put a penny in the old man's hat! If you don't have a penny, a cookie then will do, and if you don't have a cookie, may God bless you!"
"I don't get it."
Bart cocked his head as he reclined on the sofa, stealing a look towards where Helen was teaching Thad a short Christmas carol as she and he decorated the small Christmas tree that sat out of place in the middle of the sitting room. His thumbs were worn from playing with the small game- boy so he decided to rest a moment and listen in on the conversation.
"What is not to get?"
Thad blinked at her, and then looked away. "I understand. it's just that the song is stupid. It doesn't have a meaning."
"Well, maybe not that particular song, but a lot do. It's just to get people in the Christmas spirit." Helen explained as she stood on her tiptoes, hanging up a small silver ball on a lofty branch.
"Yeah Thad, not everything has to be perfect." Bart let out. He paused for a short moment, and went right onto to another topic. "I am bored."
Helen looked at Bart for a moment, then at Thad who was looking at Bart with a slight glare. "Bart, why don't you and Thad. er, you both could check out the Comic Corral together."
Bart shook his head, sinking lower in the couch. "Don't feel like it."
"I don't like comics all that much, thanks for the suggestion though." Thad whispered lightly as he got to his feet and walked towards his room.
"Bart, don't you think you could help Thad fit in?" Helen hissed as she got to her feet and snatched away the Nintendo. "Thad wants a friend, and you aren't being one."
"He-len!" Bart complained with a lowered head, sliding to his feet as he etched across the room, towards his room. "You don't know what its like to try and become a friend to your mortal enemy!"
"Thad isn't your mortal enemy anymore Bart, hon. He is just a kid like you who wants to be friends."
Bart studied the woman for a moment, and then nodded rapidly, as if some emotion had come over him. Guilt was lined across his face as he allowed his bright eyes to grow larger. "I don't mean to be say that stuff Helen. I swear I don't! I don't know why I do even. it just comes out."
A twinge of amusement held the woman's lips for a moment and she shrugged her shoulders. "Welcome to the real world honey. You are jealous of Thad, which is normal. you are just lucky enough to have never really felt real jealously before. Thad does things different than you, and you might find some of that odd, but what you do seems just as crazy to Thad. Try and remember that, ok?"
There was a moment of silence and Bart shook his head. "M'sorry, I'll try to be nicer to Thad." Then with that the boy turned on his heels and headed toward his room, which he entered with a newfound perspective on the relationship between him and Thad.
Thad was stretched across the lower bunk, reading through his science book in pure silence, it seemed that nothing could break the small spell that he had cast. His blonde hair was creased back, and his yellow eyes slowly read through each word, confusing Bart, who stood, reading over his roommates shoulder.
"What are you doing?" Bart patiently questioned, timing each word with his tongue.
"We were supposed to read this chapter before tomorrow, I am reading it." Thad answered quietly as he looked over his shoulder at Bart. "Why haven't you read it yet?"
"No one reads the chapter assignment, you don't have to." Bart explained, feeling a moment of superiority in sharing his knowledge. "He won't quiz us, he never does."
"I am aware of that Allen." The way Thad let out Bart's last name was with a small amount of disgust. "Mr. Dingle told us to read it, and I and I am doing just that.it can't hurt your grades."
Bart looked down at his feet, then back to Thad. "So why are you reading it if you know he won't quiz us? Just 'cause he said so?"
"Sure, whatever."
The answer did not please Bart. "You don't have to, I mean, you could do something fun."
The book closed with a thud and Thad jerked his head towards Bart. "Listen Allen, I came to live here, I agreed to take up your last name, I agreed to have Max teach me, I agreed to share a room with you. all I want is a little space? Let do what I want? I don't make a big deal when you read your comic books do I?"
In a moment of panic, Bart felt his body flex slightly, his mind raced at the insult he had received. Thad did hate him. "You are the one who doesn't understand what a Christmas carol is!"
"What does that have to do with anything?"
"I was trying to be nice and talk to you, that's all!"
"The Christmas carol figures into this how?"
"If you hate it so much than you can leave!"
Thad smiled, amused at Bart's inexperience in fighting verbally. "I can stand it here, the question, Allen, is 'can you'?" Then with that Thad opened his book and began reading once more.
"I live here! This is my house!"
Thad gave no reply. Instead he let his thoughts concentrate on the book before him.
"If anyone is leaving, you are!"
Thad still gave no reply.
"I am not leaving!"
The doorbell rang, causing both boys to look up. They listened as Helen talked softly for a moment, then let out a sweet yell. "Thad, Carol is here!"
The boy got up and brought his backpack onto his back, smiling curtly at Bart. "See you tonight Allen, unless of course you want to come...."
Bart looked at Thad, and then lowered his jaw. "Where are you going with Carol?"
"A study session. Just a few of us from school decided to get together. nothing big." Thad looked at the door, sympathy across his face. "You can come. we just thought that you wouldn't want to because, well, you don't have the patience it takes to study for a good two hours."
Bart grabbed his books in a flash, his eyes small. "I can do that. I am coming!"
Thad shrugged as the two walked down the hall, looking at Carol who smiled at Thad.
"Hey Thad and Bart. you ready Thad?"
The boy nodded. "Bart wants to come, that ok?"
Carol's lip twitched and she laughed. "Hee-hee, Bart is just kidding Thad. he can't study for two hours without running off."
Bart cocked his head, hurt by her words. "I can too!"
"Ok, then. come on Bart, this is going to be something to see."
It didn't work out like Bart had planned, and after ten minutes the boy was back in his room, storming around. "I hate Thad! I hate him! Thad to hell, and Thad to any other bad place! Thad hates me and I hate Thad."
A door slammed and Bart could hear Max call to Helen about something, then there was an awkward pause.
Bart stuck out his lower jaw as he walked briskly into the sitting room, facing Max with his arms folded over his chest. "Thad has to go."
"Not again Bart." Max let out in a tired voice.
"I mean it this time, you can't change my mind. Thad doesn't like me Max, and I hate Thad."
"There is the problem." Came a grumble from the onlooker.
Bart pointed at the door. "He went off with Carol to a-a study session andtheydidn'teveninvitemetillthelastminuteandthatwasonly'causeIfoundoutonacc ident."
"That's horrible."
"I went and then they laughed at me when I tried to help and answered the question really wrong, and so I went back home."
"Sounds like you had a bad day. Helen, Matt just pulled into the drive!"
Helen rushed to the door. "Dinner is out, I'll be back soon enough, don't wait up!" And then she was gone.
Max walked into the kitchen and prepared a mug of coffee. Bart followed rhythmically and continued with his problem.
"He called me an Allen, and said that he needed space, so I told him he could move out and he said that I couldmoveoutandthenItoldhimIlivedhereand. he didn't say anything."
Max yawned, checking the time and taking out two bowls from the cupboard. "Is Thad planning to be here soon?"
"No, he said two hours."
"Oh." Max proceeded to fill the bowls with a well amount of macaroni and cheese that Helen had prepared. "What is so bad about being called an Allen? That is what you are."
"He doesn't like having his last name as Allen." Bart explained slowly, thinking about what else he could say that would get Max to see his point. "He said it with a lot of hate."
"Get out the milk Bart."
Bart proceeded to do so, setting it on the table, and continuing with his argument. Nothing seemed to catch Max's attention though. "Thad wants to kill me."
Max sat down, placing a bowl before Bart and keeping a bowl to himself. "You better be on your guard then. Just remember all I taught you and you should be ok." The man opened the newspaper and scanned through it.
"Max, this is serious."
"Not as serious as you are making it out to be. Thad is a good kid, and I don't see anything wrong with him."
"That is because he doesn't want to kill you!"
Max shook his head as he took a long drink from his coffee, eyeing Bart without a word. "He doesn't want to kill anyone," was his final reply.
Bart looked down at his meal and back at Max. "Where is the meat that Helen always mixes in with it?"
"Hotdog bits?"
There was a long pause, and Bart blinked stupidly at his mentor. "She always makes it with hotdog bits! Why didn't she tonight?"
"I don't know, if you want some then you can go in the freezer and make some, cut them up and add them." Max replied acutely.
"Never mind. I'll eat my macaroni and cheese without the hotdog bits." Bart let out.
"I am so proud of you." Max muttered under his breath as he flipped the page in his newspaper. "Maybe you will learn to like Thad too, huh?"
"He doesn't know about Christmas carols Max, the kid a freak."
Max clicked his tongue and looked up. "Sounds familiar doesn't it?"
"Not really."
Bart ate his food in a few gulps the shot up, going to his room, yet finding nothing to do there. He 'zwipped' over to the TV and began to play Nintendo, hearing Max washing the dishes from that night and putting away the food. "Max."
"What?"
"Are you going to make Thad leave?"
"No."
"Oh."
Thad arrived a few minutes later, smiling like he had made a huge discovery. His eyes glanced at Bart and acknowledged the boy. He went directly to his room, and stayed there, even when Max told him dinner was in the fridge.
Bart soon faced the doom of going back into his room and seeing Thad again. He was silent as he changed into his pajamas, and he was silent as he brushed his teeth. He was silent as he told Max goodnight. He was silent as he crawled into bed, and he was silent as he tried to fall asleep.
Thad was just as silent.
"Aren't you going to go to sleep?" Bart let out finally, irked at the light, irked at Max not caring about this view over the matter, and irked at Thad for being there.
"Oops, sorry. I was just trying to figure out this. I mean, night." Thad crawled out of bed and walked out of the room, flipping off the light and going to eat his dinner.
Bart listened for few moments and heard Max talk to Thad about something that Bart just didn't understand. Then Helen came home and they all laughed over something that Bart didn't hear, and then it was silent for a few minutes. Thad soon came back into the room and crawled into bed, breathing softly.
Bart shivered. He didn't like Thad.
Tis' The Season
Its cold, the mid of December, and almost Christmas. Thad had been living with Max, Helen, and me for almost half a year now. Ever since he had tried to kill Max in the speed force and Max had been able to talk him into a better life.
Thad doesn't talk very much at school, but he does talk to Max, Helen, and sometimes me. He likes to talk about weird stuff that I don't understand, and he likes weird things that I don't get. Max and Helen get it, but I don't.
Max makes us share a room, and I hate it. Max said it would be good for me and that it might teach me a few things, but Max has never shared a room with his worst enemy. with the one person who wanted to kill you just a few months ago. And that one person had once had no other life than trying to destroy you.
It's weird because we share nothing really. We have two desks, two chests, two shelves. We have bunk beds, but that isn't anything really. He gets bottom, and I get top. The only that we 'share' is a closet and the radio. But he doesn't listen to the radio when I am around, so we don't really share it. It is mine.
The only thing that I hate about the room agreement is how he likes everything clean. I don't know why. But he does. Everything has to be perfect. There are even days where he makes my bed for me. I told you he was odd.
************
"Christmas is coming the goose is getting fat, please put a penny in the old man's hat! If you don't have a penny, a cookie then will do, and if you don't have a cookie, may God bless you!"
"I don't get it."
Bart cocked his head as he reclined on the sofa, stealing a look towards where Helen was teaching Thad a short Christmas carol as she and he decorated the small Christmas tree that sat out of place in the middle of the sitting room. His thumbs were worn from playing with the small game- boy so he decided to rest a moment and listen in on the conversation.
"What is not to get?"
Thad blinked at her, and then looked away. "I understand. it's just that the song is stupid. It doesn't have a meaning."
"Well, maybe not that particular song, but a lot do. It's just to get people in the Christmas spirit." Helen explained as she stood on her tiptoes, hanging up a small silver ball on a lofty branch.
"Yeah Thad, not everything has to be perfect." Bart let out. He paused for a short moment, and went right onto to another topic. "I am bored."
Helen looked at Bart for a moment, then at Thad who was looking at Bart with a slight glare. "Bart, why don't you and Thad. er, you both could check out the Comic Corral together."
Bart shook his head, sinking lower in the couch. "Don't feel like it."
"I don't like comics all that much, thanks for the suggestion though." Thad whispered lightly as he got to his feet and walked towards his room.
"Bart, don't you think you could help Thad fit in?" Helen hissed as she got to her feet and snatched away the Nintendo. "Thad wants a friend, and you aren't being one."
"He-len!" Bart complained with a lowered head, sliding to his feet as he etched across the room, towards his room. "You don't know what its like to try and become a friend to your mortal enemy!"
"Thad isn't your mortal enemy anymore Bart, hon. He is just a kid like you who wants to be friends."
Bart studied the woman for a moment, and then nodded rapidly, as if some emotion had come over him. Guilt was lined across his face as he allowed his bright eyes to grow larger. "I don't mean to be say that stuff Helen. I swear I don't! I don't know why I do even. it just comes out."
A twinge of amusement held the woman's lips for a moment and she shrugged her shoulders. "Welcome to the real world honey. You are jealous of Thad, which is normal. you are just lucky enough to have never really felt real jealously before. Thad does things different than you, and you might find some of that odd, but what you do seems just as crazy to Thad. Try and remember that, ok?"
There was a moment of silence and Bart shook his head. "M'sorry, I'll try to be nicer to Thad." Then with that the boy turned on his heels and headed toward his room, which he entered with a newfound perspective on the relationship between him and Thad.
Thad was stretched across the lower bunk, reading through his science book in pure silence, it seemed that nothing could break the small spell that he had cast. His blonde hair was creased back, and his yellow eyes slowly read through each word, confusing Bart, who stood, reading over his roommates shoulder.
"What are you doing?" Bart patiently questioned, timing each word with his tongue.
"We were supposed to read this chapter before tomorrow, I am reading it." Thad answered quietly as he looked over his shoulder at Bart. "Why haven't you read it yet?"
"No one reads the chapter assignment, you don't have to." Bart explained, feeling a moment of superiority in sharing his knowledge. "He won't quiz us, he never does."
"I am aware of that Allen." The way Thad let out Bart's last name was with a small amount of disgust. "Mr. Dingle told us to read it, and I and I am doing just that.it can't hurt your grades."
Bart looked down at his feet, then back to Thad. "So why are you reading it if you know he won't quiz us? Just 'cause he said so?"
"Sure, whatever."
The answer did not please Bart. "You don't have to, I mean, you could do something fun."
The book closed with a thud and Thad jerked his head towards Bart. "Listen Allen, I came to live here, I agreed to take up your last name, I agreed to have Max teach me, I agreed to share a room with you. all I want is a little space? Let do what I want? I don't make a big deal when you read your comic books do I?"
In a moment of panic, Bart felt his body flex slightly, his mind raced at the insult he had received. Thad did hate him. "You are the one who doesn't understand what a Christmas carol is!"
"What does that have to do with anything?"
"I was trying to be nice and talk to you, that's all!"
"The Christmas carol figures into this how?"
"If you hate it so much than you can leave!"
Thad smiled, amused at Bart's inexperience in fighting verbally. "I can stand it here, the question, Allen, is 'can you'?" Then with that Thad opened his book and began reading once more.
"I live here! This is my house!"
Thad gave no reply. Instead he let his thoughts concentrate on the book before him.
"If anyone is leaving, you are!"
Thad still gave no reply.
"I am not leaving!"
The doorbell rang, causing both boys to look up. They listened as Helen talked softly for a moment, then let out a sweet yell. "Thad, Carol is here!"
The boy got up and brought his backpack onto his back, smiling curtly at Bart. "See you tonight Allen, unless of course you want to come...."
Bart looked at Thad, and then lowered his jaw. "Where are you going with Carol?"
"A study session. Just a few of us from school decided to get together. nothing big." Thad looked at the door, sympathy across his face. "You can come. we just thought that you wouldn't want to because, well, you don't have the patience it takes to study for a good two hours."
Bart grabbed his books in a flash, his eyes small. "I can do that. I am coming!"
Thad shrugged as the two walked down the hall, looking at Carol who smiled at Thad.
"Hey Thad and Bart. you ready Thad?"
The boy nodded. "Bart wants to come, that ok?"
Carol's lip twitched and she laughed. "Hee-hee, Bart is just kidding Thad. he can't study for two hours without running off."
Bart cocked his head, hurt by her words. "I can too!"
"Ok, then. come on Bart, this is going to be something to see."
It didn't work out like Bart had planned, and after ten minutes the boy was back in his room, storming around. "I hate Thad! I hate him! Thad to hell, and Thad to any other bad place! Thad hates me and I hate Thad."
A door slammed and Bart could hear Max call to Helen about something, then there was an awkward pause.
Bart stuck out his lower jaw as he walked briskly into the sitting room, facing Max with his arms folded over his chest. "Thad has to go."
"Not again Bart." Max let out in a tired voice.
"I mean it this time, you can't change my mind. Thad doesn't like me Max, and I hate Thad."
"There is the problem." Came a grumble from the onlooker.
Bart pointed at the door. "He went off with Carol to a-a study session andtheydidn'teveninvitemetillthelastminuteandthatwasonly'causeIfoundoutonacc ident."
"That's horrible."
"I went and then they laughed at me when I tried to help and answered the question really wrong, and so I went back home."
"Sounds like you had a bad day. Helen, Matt just pulled into the drive!"
Helen rushed to the door. "Dinner is out, I'll be back soon enough, don't wait up!" And then she was gone.
Max walked into the kitchen and prepared a mug of coffee. Bart followed rhythmically and continued with his problem.
"He called me an Allen, and said that he needed space, so I told him he could move out and he said that I couldmoveoutandthenItoldhimIlivedhereand. he didn't say anything."
Max yawned, checking the time and taking out two bowls from the cupboard. "Is Thad planning to be here soon?"
"No, he said two hours."
"Oh." Max proceeded to fill the bowls with a well amount of macaroni and cheese that Helen had prepared. "What is so bad about being called an Allen? That is what you are."
"He doesn't like having his last name as Allen." Bart explained slowly, thinking about what else he could say that would get Max to see his point. "He said it with a lot of hate."
"Get out the milk Bart."
Bart proceeded to do so, setting it on the table, and continuing with his argument. Nothing seemed to catch Max's attention though. "Thad wants to kill me."
Max sat down, placing a bowl before Bart and keeping a bowl to himself. "You better be on your guard then. Just remember all I taught you and you should be ok." The man opened the newspaper and scanned through it.
"Max, this is serious."
"Not as serious as you are making it out to be. Thad is a good kid, and I don't see anything wrong with him."
"That is because he doesn't want to kill you!"
Max shook his head as he took a long drink from his coffee, eyeing Bart without a word. "He doesn't want to kill anyone," was his final reply.
Bart looked down at his meal and back at Max. "Where is the meat that Helen always mixes in with it?"
"Hotdog bits?"
There was a long pause, and Bart blinked stupidly at his mentor. "She always makes it with hotdog bits! Why didn't she tonight?"
"I don't know, if you want some then you can go in the freezer and make some, cut them up and add them." Max replied acutely.
"Never mind. I'll eat my macaroni and cheese without the hotdog bits." Bart let out.
"I am so proud of you." Max muttered under his breath as he flipped the page in his newspaper. "Maybe you will learn to like Thad too, huh?"
"He doesn't know about Christmas carols Max, the kid a freak."
Max clicked his tongue and looked up. "Sounds familiar doesn't it?"
"Not really."
Bart ate his food in a few gulps the shot up, going to his room, yet finding nothing to do there. He 'zwipped' over to the TV and began to play Nintendo, hearing Max washing the dishes from that night and putting away the food. "Max."
"What?"
"Are you going to make Thad leave?"
"No."
"Oh."
Thad arrived a few minutes later, smiling like he had made a huge discovery. His eyes glanced at Bart and acknowledged the boy. He went directly to his room, and stayed there, even when Max told him dinner was in the fridge.
Bart soon faced the doom of going back into his room and seeing Thad again. He was silent as he changed into his pajamas, and he was silent as he brushed his teeth. He was silent as he told Max goodnight. He was silent as he crawled into bed, and he was silent as he tried to fall asleep.
Thad was just as silent.
"Aren't you going to go to sleep?" Bart let out finally, irked at the light, irked at Max not caring about this view over the matter, and irked at Thad for being there.
"Oops, sorry. I was just trying to figure out this. I mean, night." Thad crawled out of bed and walked out of the room, flipping off the light and going to eat his dinner.
Bart listened for few moments and heard Max talk to Thad about something that Bart just didn't understand. Then Helen came home and they all laughed over something that Bart didn't hear, and then it was silent for a few minutes. Thad soon came back into the room and crawled into bed, breathing softly.
Bart shivered. He didn't like Thad.
