Disclaimer: The views and opinions in this story are not intended to be viewed as those of the author. The following is a fan-written fiction. Gravity Falls, Star vs. The Forces of Evil, Kim Possible, and Big Bad Beetleborgs are property of their respective owners, creators, and publishers. Please support the official releases.
TW: This story will contain references to physical and psychological abuse, murder, and torture.
|Escapism|
"I bet it's something cool, like flight or turning invisible."
Jo said it without prompt or any kind of warning, alerting Drew to a conversation he didn't realize they were having until she spoke. They were back in town, walking down the sidewalk into the cul-de-sac of clay-tile roofed houses decorated with palm trees they called home. The sun was almost halfway sunk into the horizon and the streetlights were just beginning to turn on, but younger kids were still outside using up every second of daylight left.
Drew looked at her as she stretched her arms with her fingers interlaced and palms outward. She was in a good mood, having a lot to look forward to this weekend.
"What do you think?" she asked.
He felt his tension ease, "Flight would be cool, but wouldn't it be redundant?"
Jo shrugged her shoulders after dropping her hands to her sides. "I guess it would, invisibility though?"
Drew tilted his head from side to side as he mulled it over. "Yeah, that would be cool to have. Being able to sneak up on Jara, or Typhus? Maybe even Vexor."
"What about Noxic?" Jo asked as she broke into a little grin.
Drew managed a smile too. "What about Noxic?"
Jo chuckled as they turned and walked up the driveway. "Whatever it is it's gonna be cool, all right?"
He smiled a little more. "Thanks…"
The two entered their home, and barely had stepped past the doorway into the living room when they heard their father's voice. "I got a call from Mr. Pines. You two were helping him move furniture?"
Both turned to face their father, seated on a recliner, reading the screen of a tablet computer. He looked out the corner of his eye at them both.
"Yeah," Drew answered. "He's hosting a foreign exchange student, and her belongings arrived today. Roland helped too."
Mr. McCormick looked down at his tablet again as Drew spoke. "You're telling me you skipped school for that…"
Jo spoke up. "Performing acts of community service and charity is a valid reason to skip school. Especially if it's helping the elderly."
He set down his tablet. "I know that. This is just the second time you've skipped class to 'help out the elderly.' And I'm wondering if that's really what's going on."
Drew tried not to get defensive. "If you're so uncertain, talk to Mr. Pines and Nano."
"No, I'd rather not. I'd rather you not skip school. Not for assisting the elderly, especially if it's for Sherman Pines or Nano."
Jo wasn't having that. "Why?"
"Because Sherman's grandson punched out a kid in Nano's shop, right in front of the both of them, and no one's thought to do anything about it."
Jo lit right up. "Dipper punched him out because he was harassing Heather and Drew!"
Mr. McCormick leveled a withering stare at his son. "… He was harassing you?"
"Uhh… yeah, that's what Trip does. He messes with me all the time."
Mr. McCormick slowly shook his head, his blunt scowl shifting to a sneer of disgust before he spoke. "You're telling me that happened because you don't stand up for yourself."
"It's not his fault," Jo said.
Their father thought otherwise. "No, it is his fault." He singled out his son. "It is your fault. You're obsessed with those damn comic books and your superheroes, and you don't know how to actually stand up for yourself."
He shook his hand at Drew. "Now people are getting beaten up in broad daylight because of you."
"That's not even fair and you know it! You don't even know how messed up Trip and his brother are!" Drew shouted.
"I don't need to; I don't care whatever crap some rich punks get up to. They're not my sons, you are."
Drew rolled his eyes. "Then what, am I supposed to punch Trip out myself?!"
Mr. McCormick stopped and weighed on that. "I want you to start being a man. You're too old to be letting people solve your problems or cover for you when you mess up. Accept responsibility for your actions for once!"
Jo threw up her hands. "I'm gonna go do my homework!"
She turned and stormed up the stairs, leaving her older brother to stand alone in the face of their father's ire. Taking a deep breath, Drew nodded.
"Yeah, I can take responsibility."
"Then you're grounded for skipping school and making Jo do it with you. Twice."
Drew recoiled. "What?"
"You just said you were going to take responsibility. Are you going to walk that back now?"
"But I have stuff to do! I'm going to the dance on Saturday!"
His father shook his head. "No, you're not. Even if you weren't grounded, you're not. We both know that about you."
He adjusted his glasses again, this time with his ring finger, then pointed up the stairs. "You'll be off the hook Monday. Now go to your room."
Frozen for an instant, Drew let out a frustrated growl and all but sprinted up the stairs. Jo was standing just outside his door, looking down the stairs.
"The absolute gall! What's up his butt today?!" She whispered.
Drew looked back. "It could be half of LA for all I care. He's not stopping me from going out if the Magnavores attack and you guys need me."
Jo nodded in agreement. "I've got your back. I'll even help you sneak out so you can go to the dance if you want."
That took Drew aback some. "… Thanks…"
Looking down the stairs again, Jo shook her head. "Don't let him get under your skin, that's what he wants."
Drew didn't need to be reminded. "I'll just do what I always do."
At that, Jo sighed. "And I do not begrudge you for it."
Then she remembered and lowered her voice even more. "Don't forget to delete your messages for when he remembers he didn't take your phone."
"I swear, once I get enough cash I'm buying a burner," he muttered as he headed to his room.
Going into his room and shutting it behind him, he dropped onto his bed. After erasing his group chat messages, he started a podcast and flopped onto his back, letting his phone drop to his side.
"Hey guys, welcome to the next episode of Big Bad Beetle Bros podcast, where we talk about everything Beetleborgs. We got an update about the new director for the Big Bad Beetleborgs Movie, and the reshoots for the new actor of G-Stag, Ace Haley."
He looked around his room, on the walls were posters of the Beetleborgs, some carefully taped to the drywall while others were framed. On his desk, surrounding his own tablet, were neatly ordered comics, data books, and other miscellaneous literature about his favorite heroes. On the dresser across from his bed and the shelves next to his shallow closet were figurines and model kits of everything Beetleborgs, some boxed up to protect their value and others accurately posed.
"Reddles and Stags, if you haven't already heard? The man himself Robert Rodriguez, is going to be taking up the helm after Jerry Bruckheimer gave up on the production citing mental health–only to immediately sign on for the Kim Possible biopic."
Drew's gaze moved across the room, over every piece of Beetleborgs memorabilia and material satisfaction. Things he bought with his own hard-earned money or were gifted to him by Jo, Roland, and Nano.
His father was right about one thing, and this was all that he would give him: he was obsessed with comic books and superheroes. They were what got him a friend like Roland, what he and his sister bonded over, and the only thing he could talk to Heather about without tying his tongue into knots and looking like an idiot. Thanks to comic books, he had all the things in life that made him happy.
At least… until he wished to become his heroes.
"The crazy part about this is, Rodriguez has worked with each of the Beetleborg actors, Lucas Lee, Cindy MacDougal, and Ace Haley in three different film projects. It's like everything is coming together perfectly. Three different actors from three different roles, assembling to create a masterpiece."
Drew turned off the podcast and looked specifically at a poster of the Blue Stingerborg posing shoulder to shoulder with the hero underneath, Blue Beet. He had once thought about dyeing his hair blue, to be just like him… but was pretty sure his dad would make him shave it off even if it could be washed out.
Now he was more like him than he ever wanted.
He lifted his right hand up and held it above his face. The armor, the power, he was given everything Blue Beet had… even his enemies.
He let his hand fall onto his face with a soft clap.
Take responsibility? If he only knew what I was taking responsibility for. He has no idea what's my fault.
A/N: Thanks for keeping up with this fic. There is SO much lore and worldbuilding that I'm almost bursting to drop on y'all.
