Honorary Titan Fan Week 2021 Prompt 3: Communicator Summary: Thunder and Lightning finally receive a communicator at the final hour. While Thunder is elated, Lightning expresses his displeasure to the green one. Tags: During Canon, Missing Scene, Friendship, Making Up
Long Time No See
As his giddy brother cradled the communicator between his thick fingers, Lightning narrowed his eyes on Beast Boy. The visit had come out of nowhere. One minute, the twins were summoning rain for a land riddled with drought. The next, Beast Boy had popped in-between them on their cloud in the form of a crow and presented them with a communicator.
"...and that's what's going on. So, if you see any Brotherhood baddies, then ring us up," Beast Boy said, making a strange gesture by his ear. He extended his pinky finger and thumb and shook his fist, the meaning entirely foreign to Lightning.
"Call you, yes," Thunder said, nodding. A wide smile stretched into his cheeks, his delight palpable to the point where his skin tingled, the sensation felt by his brother.
But Lightning's lips curved into a scowl. He crossed his arms, gripping his elbows tightly. The changeling's show of bravado could have sickened him if he wasn't already so agitated.
Beast Boy uttered an uncertain hum when he noticed Lightning. He glanced from side to side, his eyes scanning the surface of the thick, gray cloud for anything that might have helped him. When he found nothing, he peered at Thunder, who asked to know what troubled him.
"What troubles me?" Lightning questioned in a calm, collected voice. He threw his arms out, sparks dancing between his fingertips as he bellowed, "Lightning will tell you what troubles him!"
Beast Boy shrieked, flailing his arms and leaping away from the crackling elemental. "Whoa, dude! Whatever I did to offend you, I'm sorry. I think?" He itched his neck, snickering. "I might be missing a few pieces of the puzzle here."
"You finally deem us worthy at the final hour?" Lightning shouted, jabbing his finger at Beast Boy's pointed nose. He advanced on him, Beast Boy backing away with each point. "As if Thunder and Lightning have not existed to you in so long, you bring us the title of Honorary Titans before the battle begins?" Gritting his teeth, he ducked forward, his face filling Beast Boy's vision. "Are you simply handing out communicators and prestigious titles these days, you-?"
Thunder snatched the back of Lightning's armor. Lightning hesitated, his eyes widening before uttering a yelp when Thunder dragged him away. Thunder smiled at Beast Boy, asking for a moment, which Beast Boy granted while catching his breath. Lightning did not resist his brother tugging him to the far side of the cloud, his legs cutting through it, but he made his displeasure known with loud, obstinate grumbling.
Straightening Lightning as if flipping a piece of paper, Thunder gripped his hips and whispered in a voice that could not be deemed quiet, "What are you doing?"
"What of you besides worshipping him?" Lightning countered, glaring over Thunder's shoulder at Beast Boy.
Thunder raised his shoulder, and Lightning tilted his head to the side to continue glowering at the green one. Rolling his eyes, Thunder raised his large hand, blocking Beast Boy out Lightning's view. The temptation to dart around his brother crossed his mind, but sensing the familiar aggravation splintering off him, Lightning sighed and raked his fingers through his hair.
His expression relaxed, settling into neutrality. "What is the matter, brother? Why do you disparage our friend?"
"What, I did not make myself clear? Should I reiterate myself?" he spat, and when Thunder's frown deepened, he growled, "Brother, are you not feeling at all disdainful at this long period of silence between gatherings?"
"No. I am quite pleased to be included as part of the Titans and-"
"That is the very issue!" Lightning interjected, raising his fists. He pursed his lips and swallowed his anger, reminded of a moment he'd rather forget. "To state the situation in a...calm manner, I do not believe the Titans treated us with fairness."
Footsteps squelched on the cloud. Beast Boy stumbled over to them, carefully maneuvering through the wet, spongy material. "Dang, this feels so weird," he joked, but grimness touched his features. "Um, anyway, Lightning, we didn't mean to make you two feel excluded. We just thought-"
"What? That we were undeserving? As you say, last-minute pickings?" Lightning snatched the communicator from his brother and shook it in Beast Boy's face. "We receive no word from you in many long months. During that time, my brother and I used our powers for good." He stomped on the cloud, parting it to show the rain falling onto the village and filling a dry, cracked river. "Which, mind you, we are still doing as you stand here like a fool."
"Lightning!" Thunder rumbled, wrenching the communicator back. "Your behavior must stop. The green one has our best interests at heart."
Lightning's tongue pressed against his cheek. He dug his fingernails into his palm, his molars beginning to ache from how hard he pressed down on them. Another word from Thunder to protect Beast Boy was like a punch to his gut. He had honestly thought Thunder would have at least tried sympathizing with him, as he knew Thunder also endured the same feeling in the many months that had gone by without hearing from the Titans.
Callously, Lightning faced his brother and jeered, "Ah, yes, of course, you would create excuses for your dear friend instead of listening to your twin express his most just frustrations."
Thunder gasped. "My brother, that is-!"
"Wait!" Beast Boy stepped between them, hands extended. He looked to Thunder, then to Lightning, a plea in his voice as he asked, "Can I get a say in this?"
Lightning's heart slipped into his stomach. He glanced at the cloud, slowly loosening his fists. He dragged his hand along his forearm, gliding over the metal guards on his arm, and he nodded. The green one earned his keep.
Beast Boy went to speak only to pause. He fidgeted with the collar of his jumpsuit. The twins glanced at each other, their mutual worry for Beast Boy overpowering their differences, but before they could question him, Beast Boy closed his eyes.
"These past few months, it's…been a pretty hard time for me. Sure, there were lots of good times, but a lot of bad, too," Beast Boy began, his voice aching. Lightning's expression softened, morphing into one of sympathy as Beast Boy continued. "I lost a good friend not too long after I met you guys. After that, I almost lost two more friends. Now, an old enemy who wanted me buried six feet under has come back to bite me in the butt, and they're threatening everyone I care about, including you two." He rolled his shoulders back, meeting Lightning's gaze and holding it with the same compassion he had shown Thunder during their first encounter. "I'm sorry I haven't kept in touch. So much has happened that it's kept me from reaching out. I didn't mean to make you or Thunder feel neglected, but I could've done more to make you guys included." He glanced at the communicator still grasped tightly in Thunder's hand. "Which means I probably should've given you guys that after you helped defeat the flame monster."
"No!" both brothers blurted, closing in on Beast Boy, who shrieked again.
Thunder and Lightning stared at each other, briefly baffled by the other's shout. They tried to speak but interrupted each other. Rolling his eyes, Lightning pointed at Thunder, and then, he tapped his chest. Thunder nodded, Beast Boy entirely confused throughout their game of charades.
"We were not ready to accept that honor after the crime we had committed in the name of fun," Thunder said, dipping his head. "If you had, we would have declined out of remorse."
"You were wise to let us prove ourselves. With your lesson, we have been able to help many people in need," Lightning added, a smile tugging at his lips. "Yes, we did feel abandoned, but we also understand that you have been through a tremendous amount of pain, green one." He bowed, his arms centered in front of him. "Forgive my rude assumptions. I meant no harm."
"Whoa, dude! No need to be formal. It's cool," Beast Boy said, shaking his head. As Lightning straightened, he sucked in a breath. "And, um, no offense, but I can't exactly pop over and play a round of Mega Monkeys with you guys when you're always on the move if you catch my drift," he added, pointing both index fingers at the cloud.
The brothers paused to examine their cloud. Even now, it was beginning to move away from the village. They were constantly venturing in search of the next person to help and never settled on a specific region.
"Oh," they uttered, embarrassment coloring their cheeks.
"Yes, er, Lightning sees how this would be a concern to maintain a relationship," he admitted, lightly kicking the cloud.
"It would be difficult to find us since we are, um, constantly going where the clouds take us," Thunder said, fiddling with his helmet.
Lightning dragged his hands down his face, hissing out a sigh. If he hadn't felt foolish before, then it was currently eating away at his spirit. As Thunder laughed and patted his back, he groaned through his fingers and demanded his brother remove his hand.
Beast Boy chuckled, a high-pitched sound that the brothers enjoyed hearing. "Well, I'm glad we got that squared away, but seriously, be careful about the Brotherhood. They're going after all of us teen heroes."
The last word touched Lightning. He repeated it to himself, mystified. He had been called that term several times by people rescued by the twins, but from Beast Boy, it sounded like undeserved praise. He still felt like he could do more to prove himself, but Thunder thanked Beast Boy, resting his hand on Lightning's shoulder, reassuring him.
"We will be careful, green one. We wish you well on your journey to find more heroes like us," Lightning said, taking the communicator from his brother, "But we have one more question, please."
"Sure, dudes! What's up?"
Lightning pinched the communicator by the antenna and dangled it between them. "How do we use this device?"
"Uh…"
As Beast Boy launched into a confusingly thorough explanation about the communicator, Lightning smiled, all of his negativity melting into nothing. Hearing his dear friend's voice again and being in his presence comforted him. He wanted the moment to last longer than it did as he laughed with his brother and Beast Boy, but duty called.
They waved Beast Boy off as he flew off in the form of a hawk. When he vanished from their sight, they took turns examining the communicator and connecting with other Honorary Titans, far more triumphant than ever.