Open to burning_youth

[brice]

Brice didn't really know what he was getting in to. At the school, he'd always been a background player. Family rich enough to keep him from the bottom, not powerful enough (yet) to be considered top tier. But still, he'd someone ended up in Warren's orbit and their texts back and forth had been fun. The idea of eating greasy food and watching a movie with him was enough to keep Brice's attention.

After shooting off his address in case War didn't have it, Brice fluttered around his parents' home, trying to decide what needed to be hidden or what deserved more time in the spotlight. This just left him not doing anything but he made sure the iced tea was ready to go as well as some sports drinks and sodas from the basement he moved up from the basement.

Unsure what to wear, Brice didn't want to try too hard or come off too desperate so he'd decided on comfy gray cotton pants and a larger-than-necessary long-sleeved shirt. He was used to hiding his physique, because it wasn't like anyone cared anyway.

At the knock at the door, Brice floated off the sofa in a rush and settled himself to walk to the door, heart hammering in his chest. He knew enough to ask, but if it was Warren, the door would swing open with no effort.

Comments

[brice]

"He had to follow the money. And I..." Brice shrugged, took a bite of burger and swallowed it before continuing, "I was rooting for him when he went from wrestling to acting. He's big, but still not Tom Cruise. Starting out, he was the underdog."

Like him. Like Warren. Like a lot of people at Sky High.

[burning_youth]

"Well, he IS Groot. I have to approve of that," he says with a laugh. It made sense to him.

But Warren, he gets it. That pull toward something else.

"Maybe... I want to be more like him, you know? Able to choose a path that isn't in my biology."

[brice]

"Oh crap, I totally forgot about that!" Brice glanced at Warren, pleased that his nerddom was showing. It made him more approachable, honestly.

"I think you can be whatever you want to be," Brice said without hesitation, eyes sliding back to the screen and finishing off his burger. "I mean, you could do a lot as a firefighter or a...librarian. Just follow your passion!" Brice's parents had plans for him, the first telekinetic in two generations, but Brice was stubborn and had plans of his own.

[burning_youth]

While his nerdom did lean toward literature, even he could admit to watching some superhero movies. Call it an occupational hazard.

"Tell that to my mom," he grumbles under his breath. She'd never approve. "She'd think dad got to me."

[brice]

"The go save the whales first, or something unrelated to your power." From what Brice knew of Warren, he could do anything he wanted to do. "Or open a restaurant, sell the best burgers and fries out there. Shakes extra." He smiled to himself, leaning forward, shifting away from Warren as he picked up a shake. It was heavy, heavier than the glasses of water that were untouched.

Popping the lid, Brice picked up a fry he'd saved and swiped it over the top. "Like this?" He asked, but didn't wait for an answer, popping it into his mouth.

[burning_youth]

"Of course like that," Warren says with a shrug. This wasn't complicated at all. Though he knows it's not that simple.

"I want to go into academia."

It's so not something that the son of Barron Battle and Lady Striker would ever be expected to do. And his mom could be so intense.

[brice]

The fry/milkshake combo was good, but not as mind-blowing as Brice had hoped it would be. Still, he made quick work of his extra fries before rummaging in the bag for a spoon. The shakes were thick.

When Warren admitted where his passion lay, Brice nodded, not really thinking much about it. "Pretty sure you've already proven everyone wrong about you at one point or another, so just go do what makes you happy. Keep surprising them." His attention returned to the screen as the mutated wolf action picked up.

[burning_youth]

Who needs it to be mind blowing when it can simply be good? Chocolate and salt go together well, and the savory fat of the fries goes with it too. Warren's actually having more of his own fries end up in the shake than eaten without it.

"It's one thing to defy expectations. It's another thing to have your mom give you the 'I'm disappointed' look."

[brice]

"Yeah, that look sucks," Brice thought about it as he idly swirled his milkshake with the spoon, attention cut between the television and Warren. "What part of academia though? Because maybe you could work in some nefarious plans, even if it's just talking about Hitler's atrocities or whatever." Brice was out of his depth, not real sure what to do with parents like that.

"But I have faith you'll figure out what's best for you, because that's really what matters, right?"

[burning_youth]

"English literature," he says with a shrug. "I'm a lame professor in training at heart."

Which is all pretty simple to want, but he doesn't really know how to purpose that. Mostly because it seems so impossible to reach for. He did, though, want to figure out how to pull it off.

"SHouldn't be a problem that I want to enjoy scholarship. I just have to figure it out.

[brice]

"Oh!" Brice exclaimed, stabbing the milkshake with his spoon so he could have a free hand to slap Warren on the chest with the back of his hand, that was how brilliant Brice thought his own idea was.

"Underground banned book club. Oh man, you would totally rock that. You'd have a waiting list! You gotta do it, tell me you'll do it? Or, tell me you'll at least think about doing it when you're doing the professor thing. And like, indie stories, local authors, poetry slams, timed haiku competitions!"

The ideas just wouldn't stop but Brice settled back down, grinning, pleased with himself.

[burning_youth]

“Woah woah woah,” he says with a grin, putting his food aside. Then he’s getting his phone out so he can make notes on it. Because this is really cool to think of. “I could start it in undergrad too. ‘Underground’ being sort of an air quotes thing, I bet a library would be happy to give me space for it too.”

This is something he has to work on. It sounds really good actually.

[brice]

"Library for sure, or an independent book store. But library's a great starting point for something like this. Also, I saw on Tiktok where this guy would just write notes to people and then records their reactions and they're pretty poetic, but you wouldn't have to record it. Just call it 'Letter Bombs' or something and go to pars and stuff and make people feel, y'know?" Brice grinned, really pleased that Warren seemed to be taking his ideas seriously.

[burning_youth]

"The writing aspect is not something I am so big on. But I am happy to figure out the rest."

The movie is quickly being forgotten in the face of what planning he could make for the future.

[brice]

"Cool," Brice said, pleased that he'd given Warren some ideas that might be useful in the future. He picked up the shake again and tucked back in, turning the substance over on itself as he tried to think of more ideas.

[burning_youth]

"You have anything you're looking forward to in the future?"

Because he doesn't mind suggesting things for Brice too if he wants.

[brice]

At the question, Brice pausing, thinking about it, then shrugged. "I guess. Maybe try and go pro on skateboarding. I'm too short for swimming or basketball, but I know I want it to be something physical. Mom and Dad don't really want me to go into heroing, not that I blame them."

He took a bite of milkshake and then looked over at Warren. "Why? You have ideas for me? Underwear model?" He grinned.

[burning_youth]

Skateboarding? What an interesting thing to hear.

"There's no such thing as too short for swimming, if you've got the rest of what you need. Phelps has short legs, right? And insane arms."

It works out.

The underwear model thing makes him roll his eyes though.

"Don't be stupid. You said you want something physical."

[brice]

"He's also like, a mutant, genetically speaking. Me? I'm just me, everything's proportionate." Well, not everything, but Warren didn't ask him to specify.

"I'd have to keep in shape for that, though. I've never seen a tubby underwear model." Brice helped himself to another scoop of his milkshake. "But I think skateboarding might be the way. Get some endorsements, plus I really like it. It's the one time when I'm not using my powers that I don't feel clumsy." He realized he used a double-negative, so Brice rephrased.

"I mean, I feel clumsy except for when I use my powers. But with boarding, I don't need them to be graceful. I just...am.

[burning_youth]

"There should be. Everyone needs to know how underwear fits," Warren says with a shrug. He's not really impressed by the fashion industry. But given his sense of style, that's not too shocking.

"You ever do competitions?"

[brice]

"Yeah!" Brice answered, excited. He leaned forward to place the cup on the table so he could talk with his hands. "The games are are like off-broadway plays. They're just not as advertised as some of the bigger X-Games have been. I've been on ESPN Ocho a couple times, but they all aired around three in the morning but it was wild seeing myself on TV. I've placed and even won my last one, so that's convinced my folks that I might actually be able to pull it off."

It was evident that this was something Brice was actually excited about, and something he'd given a lot of thought to.

[burning_youth]

"If it's what you want, don't let anything stand in your way with it," Warren says. "Let me know the next time a local competition happens. I can go and cheer for you."

Because there's nothing wron with supporting friends. It's actually the best thing he can offer.

[brice]

Warren's offer warmed Brice's belly, but he just smiled and shrugged. "I've done my best when no one knows what I'm doing. Even at school, no one knows. So keep it quiet, please." It wasn't a no, but it definitely wasn't a yes, even if Brice appreciated the sentiment. It did feel nice to share his secret with someone, and it being Warren, who was - ironically - warming to it, gave Brice hope.

[burning_youth]

"Who the hell do you think I'm going to tell?" Warren asks with a roll of his eyes.

He wasn't exactly the most social person at the school. At all.

[brice]

The question was met with a shrug, Brice's eyes going a little wide as his eyebrows inched upward. "Your friends," Brice said, quietly. "But it's just something people say, I think. So, yeah." He leaned back into the couch, hands on his stomach as the alligator creature finally made itself known.