Disclaimer: I do not own Ben 10 or its sequels, spin-off and related characters. All is the property of Man of Action and Cartoon Network. I'm just borrowing them for some non-profit entertainment.
Growth
Chapter Seven: Perception Shifts
Standing by the car, his school bag over one shoulder, Devlin suffered another moment of sudden indecision.
After his discussion with Kevin last night, he was finally ready to start trying to look beyond his father's wicked past and get to know the man. He was finally ready to try being comfortable enough to sit in the front passenger seat next to him on the ride to school. But, at the same time, Devlin really wanted to sit next to Kenny. That could only be achieved in the back seat where there actually were two seats next to each other that weren't already reserved for the driver.
Not that Kenny would even sit next to him in the first place.
Kenny hadn't sat next to him since they came back from the Rooters.
What was the point?
From the driver's seat, Kevin sighed, "Well, come on. Its not brain surgery."
"Hey, I'm having an existential crisis, okay!" The boy snapped back. "Cut me some slack. This may seem silly to you, but its important to me. I want Kenny to like me again. Kenny's always's liked me. I seriously cannot remember a time in my life without him and the fact that he hates me now really, really bothers me."
"And this is preventing you from getting in the car, because…" The older man prompted, only pointing out the absurdity of Devlin's indecision. "Look, I said I'd help, but -speaking from experience- this isn't the sort of thing that can be fixed by an eleven minute car ride. Just sit next to me, Tiny Tennyson can ride in the back and when I pick you up from school later we'll all sit down and talk about our feelings."
The last word was said as if Kevin didn't actually feel confident in his ability to mediate between his son and Tennyson's boy. Truth be told, while it was true that Kevin did had plenty of experience with mending broken friendships, he did not have much experience with actually talking problems out. He was really more of a hands-on kinda guy. A real 'just fight and get it over with' type. Most of his broken friendships were mended through violence. Fighting their problems out, or teaming up against a common foe and being reminded of how well they worked together, or why they became friends in the first place. That was how Kevin fixed his friendships. He really had no idea how he was going to fix Devlin and Kenny -short of having the two beat the crap out of each other.
But he promised the kid he would. So he would try.
"Its Friday." Devlin reminded him. "Mom's taking us shopping after school."
"Tomorrow, then."
"I'm still going to the Weekend Academy." The younger Osmosian shook his head again. "Even if they are postponing my Psychological, I still have to finish the term."
"You're really not making this easy for me." Kevin huffed, leaning against the steering wheel.
Devlin opened his mouth to say something else, but that was the moment Kenny sprinted into the hanger. Backpack over one shoulder, a slice of toast clutched between his teeth, while his hands were occupied stuffing an abused textbook into his bag.
"Your shoelace is untied." Devlin observed, and without even thinking about it, he knelt down to tie his cousin's errant lace for him.
But Kenny pulled his foot away and took a half-step back. Freeing one hand to take the toast out of his mouth, he said, "Don't worry about it, Dev. I'll tie it in the car. I can tie my own shoelaces, ya know. I'm not five anymore."
Shoving the toast back in his mouth, Kenny moved around Devlin and opened the passenger side door. Throwing his backpack down, he plopped down next to Kevin and propped his foot up on the dash to tie his laces. Kevin looked at the sneaker tread up on the dash as if it were the most offensive thing in the world. Then he noticed the crumbs from the boy's toast that were quickly sprinkling all over the front seat.
"You are spot-detailing this car later." He growled. Then, to his son, "Devlin, your incidental crisis is over, get in so we can go!"
"Existential." Corrected the younger man and he climbed into the back seat with a dejected sigh.
…
School went as to be expected. It was the last day of the second-to-last week of school. That meant that every class was spent reviewing for Finals, or listening to lectures on academic integrity and why they shouldn't cheat on said Finals. Neither Devlin nor Kenny paid much attention. Public school had never been very big on either of their priorities list. Kenny would accept his Ds and Devlin would take his Cs, both knowing that they were bound to a higher calling -out among the stars, as Plumbers.
They were just waiting out the time until they each turned eighteen and aged-up into the real Plumber's Academy at Galvan.
That was assuming they passed their Psychologicals, of course. Which was, in turn, assuming they were even allowed to take their Psychologicals in the first place.
Kenny poked at his food over Lunch and stared at Devlin from across the table. The older boy was likewise ignoring his own food, instead, distracting himself with reading. Since their conversation the previous day, the Osmosian started bringing a book to the lunch table as well as the breakfast table. Since it seemed they really weren't talking anymore. Kenny hesitated, thought, pulled a sheet of notebook paper out of his bag.
"I, uh, I made a list in history." He said, sliding the paper across the table. "For Kevin. Of everything I think he needs. Just things I've noticed might make living with him less awkward -like a robe for when he gets out of the shower, or slippers. Maybe a hairbrush. I mean, I know he's a grown-up and should already know what he needs. But unlike shirts and underwear, a robe is kinda something a person buys once and keeps until it falls apart around them. So, he might not think about it."
Devlin looked up from his book, first glancing at the folded piece of paper, then at Kenny.
"I just… thought it might help." The younger boy explained. "I wanna try and help Kevin get back to whatever he considers a 'normal' life. He saved Ally and Speedy from Servantis and he saved me from-" an awkward pause in which both boys made uncomfortably guilty eye contact "-and he saved me too. I wanna do something for him, but I don't know what, so… This is kinda it."
Reaching his hand across the table, Devlin took the paper. Kenny pulled his hand away before the Osmosian even got close to him. Devlin paused, looked at his cousin, but said nothing as he folded the paper smaller and slipped it his jeans pocket.
He looked at his hands. Then back up at Kenny. "You know… I'm not gonna try and absorb you. Not again. I- I don't know what I was thinking then. When I absorbed your Omnitrix. I just- -wanted to win…"
Kenny blinked, putting his own hands under the table. It had been several days already and Devlin hadn't yet seemed to notice that the faux-Omnitrix was absent from his wrist. Kenny wanted to keep it that way, at least as long as possible. "Why'd you wanna win so badly?"
"I donno." Devlin groaned, running a hand over his hair in sudden frustration. His pony tail flopped askew. "I guess… I just- Its hard to explain. After Kevin got out and everybody started falling into this sort of 'routine' like he'd always been there, but you and I didn't exist back when they established their routine and -I guess I just wasn't sure of my place."
Kenny thought about that for a moment. It wasn't all that different from his dilemma of trying to figure out what exactly Kevin's role was in the family. He didn't have the absolute authority that Dad, Aunt Gwendolyn, and Great-Grandpa Max had. But he clearly wasn't on the same level as himself and Devlin either. Kevin was Unquantifiable and hard to understand. That made interacting with him uncomfortable and awkward. But that was all it was. Uncomfortable and awkward. Those weren't reasons to go nutty, kidnap a family friend, absorb an Omnitrix, and try to kill a person. Kenny raised a skeptical eyebrow, waiting for Devlin to continue.
"Obviously, since Mom and Kevin are my parents, the role I should fall into would be Kevin's adoring son. But I don't wanna be Kevin 11,000's son. I've never wanted his shadow hanging over me. I could be Ben Tennyson's nephew, striving hard to live up to his uncle's shining example. But that would just be exchanging one shadow for another. And, Kenny, you can't deny that your dad casts an equally long shadow."
That was sure true. He knew that better than Devlin did. The great Ben 10,000 was a high expectation to live up to.
"I guess I just didn't want to live in anyone's shadow anymore and I thought I should go to any lengths to achieve that." Devlin looked down at his hands. "Guess all I really did was prove just how much like Kevin 11,000 I really am."
"T'ch, not really." Kenny scoffed.
Devlin looked up, something akin to startled hope in his eyes. Was Kenny finally extending an olive branch of peace? Offering the comfort and support he'd been so needing recently. "You don't think I'm like Kevin?"
"No." The younger man shook his head. "Kevin went crazy and did crappy things for selfless reasons. He was trying to save the life of his son-" a pointed glare at Devlin "-or, at least, improve the quality of life for his son. When he was at the Rooters' base, he absorbed my Dad's Omnitrix to save his son again, not to mention Speedy, Billings, and Ally! Kevin might do bad things every now and again, but he's -essentially- a good person. You, on the other hand are a self-centered, egotistical ass, with a paradoxical case of a superiority complex and an inferiority complex and you do bad things for bad reasons!"
Devlin's face fell. "Kenny, you can't… you don't mean that."
Kenny stood. "Actually, Dev, I do."
"Kenny, you've known me all my life." Devlin also stood. "You know I'm not a bad guy! You know, I-"
"Except you were a bad guy!" The younger boy snarled back. "Almost two weeks ago by now! You kidnapped Speedy, and you tried to kill me! You tried to kill me, Dev! What the hell! I thought I knew you! I've known you all my life. I never thought you'd betray me! But you did! You betrayed me, you betrayed Speedy, you betrayed Ally! You are a bad guy, Dev. That's exactly what you are!"
"You don't mean that." Insisted Devlin.
"Don't tell me what I do and don't mean!" Kenny snarled. "I know my own mind. I know myself a hell of a lot better than I know you, apparently!"
Kenny picked up his backpack and turned to leave. Devlin moved to stop him.
"Kenny, wait!"
"Don't touch me!"
Perhaps that was a bit louder than was wise. Everybody on the lunch field within a ten foot radius turned to stare at them. Kenny Tennyson and Devlin Levin never fought. Kenny Tennyson and Devlin Levin were best friends -inseparable. Maybe it was true. What everyone was whispering in the halls. After all, if Kenny Tennyson was the school's resident superhero, then of course Devlin Levin would be his obligatory arch nemesis.
Both boys paused to glance at the gaping faces around them.
Then, Kenny moderated his volume and hissed, "Don't touch me, Dev. I don't want your nasty Osmosian hands on me." At an even lower volume. "-And it has nothing to do with you being related to Kevin."
He turned and stormed off.
Devlin watching his retreating back until Kenny turned and disappeared down on of the hallways, then Devlin looked up to glare at everyone who was still star gin at him. They all suddenly found their own lunches or notebooks rivetingly fascinating. Anything to avoid making eye contact with Devlin Levin.
Taking a deep breath to calm his nerves, Devlin reminded himself that Kevin promised to help him with Kenny. Maybe his help might actually be worth something since Kenny seemed to have some weird respect for the man now. Kenny would come back to him. They would be fine. Telling himself these things, Devlin picked up his discarded book and slipped it back into his backpack. Lunch would be over soon anyway. He should follow Kenny's example and start making his way to his next class.
It wasn't like he had anything better to do.
…
Later, when school finally let out for the weekend, Kenny walked right past Devlin, heading for the bus stop just off campus. Devlin had to sprit to catch up to him.
"Kenny, where are you going?" He demanded. "Kevin's gonna pick us up."
The younger boy shook his head. "No, Kevin's gonna pick you up and then you guys are gonna get dragged around department stores by Aunt Gwendolyn until you collapse. I'm going to the Weekend Academy."
"Why don't you come home with me?" Devlin tried to suggest. "We can go to the Academy tomorrow morning instead."
"No thanks, Dev." Kenny was quite determined. "As you reminded me at lunch, my own Dad casts a pretty big shadow, too. I gotta work hard to live up."
The bus pulled up and without another word, Kenny turned his back on his cousin and got on.
Feeling defeated, Devlin walked back to the front of the school where he saw Kevin was already waiting. Seeing his son, once again, alone and without Tennyson's kid, the older man leaned over the passenger seat to ask, "Tiny-Tennyson and Albright have another date or something? Hasn't anyone ever told that kid about the Three Day rule?"
That second question might have been meant as a joke, Devlin wasn't exactly sure. But he didn't care. Kenny had left him. That was all he was focusing on. Kenny -whom only enrolled in the Weekend Academy because Devlin did- would rather go to said Academy rather than spend time with Devlin. But then, after what he said at Lunch, what could Devlin expect? 'I don't want your nasty Osmosian hands on me.'
"No, lets just go." Devlin sat down next to his father.
"As anxious as I am to hurry up and go shopping with your mother-" he didn't sound all that anxious "-Tennyson would probably kill me for real if anything happened to that kid. So, if I'm not taking him home, what's he doing?"
"He's going to the Weekend Academy." Devlin supplied. "Without me."
"You two still not talking, I see." Observed the older man as he pulled out into traffic.
"You have no idea." Devlin groaned.
With a sympathetic sigh that had more than a dollop of understanding, Kevin took one hand off the wheel to pat his son on the shoulder in what he hoped was a supportive gesture. "Look, some relationships are harder to fix than others. It depends on a lot of things. How close you were before. How badly you messed-up to get like this. How much the other person was hurt… Some breaks are harder to fix than others."
"Is this you speaking from experience?" Devlin asked. "Because all of your friends seem pretty at peace with you and your actions. Mom certainly didn't waste any time jumping back into bed with you, and Uncle Ben was the one to suggest getting you out in the first place! Those relationships seemed pretty kriffing easy to mend. Why isn't it the same for me and Kenny? Kenny and I have known each other all our lives! I can't remember a time in my life when Kenny wasn't there. I mean, I know that there was a time before Kenny. I'm a little over a year older than him, so I lived at least one year of my life without him. But I don't remember that. As far as either of us remembers, we've always been together."
Kevin paused to consider that a moment. Then suggested, "You ever wonder if maybe that's why he's taking this so hard?"
Devlin lifted his head to blink at his father.
"The only people who know you weren't under mind-control with the other kids are in this car right now." Elaborated the older Osmosian. (Of course, Hector Servantis also would have known Devlin wasn't under his control, but Servantis was paralyzed from the waist down and confined within a penal hospital, so his knowledge of the fact was immaterial.) "So that can't be why Tennyson's kid is so mad. He's already forgiven Albright's girl and the Billings boy -Hell! He went out on a date with Albrihgt! So they're fairly tight. But not you. The only other thing that makes you different from them is how close you two were before the Rooters showed up."
Devlin thought about that. "And I tried to kill him."
"I imagine Kenny probably thought your bond would be stronger than any mind-control you might be under." Kevin finished. "That's always the way it works in movies and cartoons -two things I've noticed he and his father live their lives by. 'True love' winning over everything else. He probably thinks you don't actually care about him after all."
"But that's not true!" Insisted the younger man.
"I know that. And you know that." Kevin informed him. "But Kenny doesn't believe that anymore. The best way to fix what's broken between you two is to show him how important he is to you."
"How do I do that?"
"T'ch. Hell if I know!" Kevin scoffed. "I just met the brat less than a month ago! Now, this time, I'm telling you to move to the back seat. You're in your mom's spot."
Devlin looked up to realize they had come to a full stop outside of the Magical Control and Regulation Bureau, the building where Mom worked. She was a 'High Magus' ranked sorceress, but her official job was Liaison between the magical community and the Plumbers -since most Plumbers officers weren't equipped to handle magical situations, they outsourced to the MCRB. With a sigh, Devlin unbuckled himself and climbed over the center console to the back seat just was Gwen was coming out of the building.
"You could have used the door, you know." She informed her son as she opened the passenger side door and brushed some shoe marks off the seat. She sat down and flipped open the vanity mirror to look at her son when she spoke. "Alright, so, I know how much you absolutely hate shopping with your dorky old mother, so here's my deal: I buy you one new book for every bag of clothes you have to carry."
"So, our usual agreement, then." Devlin nodded. He could think of a great many books that would feel right at home in his collection.
"What do I get for putting up with shopping with you?" Kevin asked, a suggestive smirk on his face.
"Our usual agreement." Gwen replied, an even more suggestive smirk on her face.
In the back seat Devlin suppressed a gag. "Ugh! If I'm gonna be forced to watch you two openly leer at each other, I'm gonna need more books."
…
It felt weird -entering the mess hall without Devlin. For the first time since enrolling in the Weekend Academy, Kenny was attending without his older cousin. It felt weird.
Ally sidled up to him in the chow line. "Where's Devlin?"
Kenny turned to look at her. Decided he didn't have anything to say and instead spooned some potato salad onto his tray.
"You still haven't spoken to him, have you?" She asked. Then her eyes flicked down to his wrist where she observed, "I see you're still not wearing the Omnitrix either."
"I don't need it while I'm here at the Academy." He reminded her. At the Weekend Academy, all lessons and excersizes were standardized for all cadets and cut out any use of powers a cadet might have.
With a sigh, Ally shook her head and selected some cuts of meat-like option onto her plate. "You are utterly hopeless."
They left the chow line and began scanning the mess for a place to sit. Ally's eyes fell on Dylan Billings sitting at a table alone off in the corner. He usually sat with a group of boys from his own year. Apparently, since the fiasco with the Rooters (an event that was not publicized, but cadets still at least knew that something happened if not what) his usual group didn't know what to make of him and he certainly wasn't going to volunteer any information. So, he must have moved tables to avoid their questions and curious stares.
"Look, there's Billings all alone." She said, holding her tray with one hand and pulling Kenny with the other. "Lets go sit with him."
"But Billings doesn't like us." He protested.
"No. Billings doesn't like Devlin. Us, he's ambivalent to. C'mon." She bragged her over to Billing's isolated corner table and set her tray down. "Hey. Is this an exclusive table, or can any loaner join?"
"Really? That's what you open with." Kenny scoffed. "That's terrible."
"What do you two want?" Billings asked.
"She's making me." Kenny assured the older boy.
"Making you what?" Billing's raised one thick eyebrow. Then he paused, noticing someone was missing from their entourage. "Where's Fake-Tennyson?"
"Ya know, I still haven't gotten an answer to that either." Ally reminded Kenny. "Where is Devlin? He's usually more of an Academy fanatic while you're of the casual, laid-back cadet. Why are you here and he's not?"
It was true. Joining the Weekend Academy, becoming a Plumber, those were all Devlin's goals. At least, when they first enrolled they were Devlin's goals and Kenny was just going along with them to protect and support his older cousin. But not here was Kenny at the Academy without Devlin. What did that say about them now?
"Dev's doing a thing with his parents." Kenny informed them. "He'll be here tomorrow."
"Pity." Billings muttered, going back to his food. Content to ignore the other two. After a few bites of meat-like option, he looked back up at them. "You still here?"
"Relax." Ally said, pointedly refusing to feel awkward. "Everyone needs to eat and no one should feel alone. Besides, just because we're here doesn't mean you have to talk to us."
"Good." Billings snipped. "Because we have nothing to talk about."
At that comment, Kenny looked up from his food. "But that's not true at all. We have a lot in common. We all were involved in that thing with Servantis and the Rooters, and we're all attending the same therapy Group because of it."
"And if I don't talk about it in Group, what makes you think I'm gonna talk about it with you people?" Billings growled.
"'Cause we were there." Kenny suggested. "And out idiot shrink was not."
"Hey, now!" Ally cut in. "Just because we have that in common doesn't mean we have to talk about it. We could discuss when they might give us our Psychologicals -since we won't be taking them next week with everyone else. Or if we're even gonna opt to take them at all. Or, how about plans for the summer. No school, no Academy…"
"You already know I spend every summer with my Mom." Kenny reminded her.
"I work during my summers." Billings informed them. "We can't all have rich daddys who pay for everything for us."
Ally latched onto that. "Well, that's cool. What kinda work do you do, Dylan?"
"I didn't give you permission to use my given name, Albright. Also, none of your business!"
"I knew this was a bad idea." Kenny muttered next to her with a sigh. It was nice of Ally to try and reach out to him. But Billings wasn't the type to reach back.
"Well then, how about our Psychologicals?" She pressed, determined to make conversation and by extension, make friends. "When do you think they'll finally administer them to us, and will you even want to take them?"
"Will you?" Billings asked. "You already said you don't wanna be a Plumber anymore. What are you even still doing here at the Academy, Albright? If you've lost your stomach for this kind of work, why keep coming back?"
"I'm gonna finish the term." She informed him.
"Besides, she might change her mind!" Kenny reminded the older boy.
"Probably not." Ally muttered.
At that, Kenny turned to her, completely ignoring Billings' presence. He knew Ally was thinking about quitting the Academy, but he was kinda hoping she'd change her mind before they took their Psychologicals -not that any of them knew when their Psychologicals would be yet. But Kenny knew he would be continuing with the Academy. Not to protect and support Devlin anymore, but to make sure Devlin didn't go crazy again and try to kill someone else. Ideally he'd like Ally to be there along side him to. If not to consciously protect and support him, at least to be a calming presence that helped keep him balanced.
He couldn't tell her any of that, of course. Especially not in front of Billings. So, instead, he said, "But Ally…! Uh, think about it. Uh." He cast his eyes around the mess, looking for inspiration. Then blurted out, "Representation! Yeah. Look at everyone in this room. I see a bunch of mostly white guys! Yeah, there are a couple of girls here, and a few people of indistinct ethnic background. But they're almost all human. You are a female, black, half-alien. The Plumbers need you!"
"That's the dumbest thing I've ever heard!" Ally scoffed. "I don't have to do anything just because I'm black. What the kriff kind of messed up logic is that!?"
"I usually try to stay away from debates like this, but I'm not sure how much weight your opinion carries, Tennyson." Billings said. "In case you forgot, you're white."
"What? No I'm not!" Kenny blinked.
While at the exact same time, Ally exclaimed, "That has nothing to do with anything! A person isn't obligated to do anything just because they're this, that, or another thing,"
Billings sighed. "This is why I don't get involved in these kinds of debates." Then, turning his attention from Ally, he addressed Kenny again. "Tennyson, I've seen you're dad. He's white. You're white."
"No, I'm not." Kenny insisted. "I'm Navajo." He fished into his pocket. Pulling out his wallet, Kenny slid out a card and shoved it in Billings' face. "See? Here's my CDIB card."
Billings blinked at the piece of plastic shoved in his face. He didn't exactly know what a CDIB card was, but he didn't want to continue the conversation long enough to find out. He pushed Kenny's arm away. "Fine. Whatever. I- Is that really your middle name?"
"Yeah. Why?"
"No reason. Its just unusual." He stood and began clearing his tray to leave. "Well, I think I've had about as much of you all as I can take for one evening."
He left.
"Well, that was terrible." Kenny commented after he was gone.
"To be fair, you were the asshat in that particular exchange." Ally pointed out. "I'm not obligated to do anything just because I'm a half-alien black woman."
"Right. Sorry." He lowered his eyes. Admittedly, it was a terrible excuse he blurted out as to why Ally should stay at the Academy. It wasn't even the real reason he wanted her to stay. "I just… don't want you to quit the Academy. I… I'm staying because of Dev, and… and I want someone with me who knows what he's capable of."
"You know who else goes to this Academy, was also at the Rooters base, and knows what Devlin's capable of?" She asked.
"Who?" Kenny raised a skeptical eyebrow.
She nodded over to where Dylan Billings was scraping the last of his uneaten food off his tray into the trash. "That guy. Maybe you should try being his friend."
...