escritoireazul: (pyro destructive)
escritoireazul ([personal profile] escritoireazul) wrote2006-02-01 10:48 pm
Entry tags:

[XMM fic] on the road with disposable comestibles, Bobby and Hank

title: on the road with disposable comestibles
author: Carla
disclaimer: All characters belong to Marvel and Fox and a bunch of other people, I'm sure.
dedication: Written for Mecca for the 2005 [livejournal.com profile] xmmficathon. The request was Bobby/Hank and a twinkie run.
distribution: Escritoire Azul
author's note: This is terribly late even for a back-up fic, and I am so, so sorry.
rating: 13+, if that

summary: Twinkies make everything okay again. Except when they don't.



Twinkies make everything okay again.

Well, they don’t, not really, Dr. Grey is still dead, and Mr. Summers walks around the school with his head down, shoulders slumped (Bobby doesn’t even think he’s eating much anymore), and Ms. Frost is far more demanding in class than anyone else, and worst of all, Rogue still has that damn crush on Logan, and now she’s sent on missions with him because Professor Xavier thinks they team up well.

Bobby hates Logan, and calls him a jerk, but he knows he’s being an ass himself, if his biggest problem is Rogue breaking up with him when the world has gone crazy and people he knows are dead, or as good as.

But no matter what, processed sugar makes him happy again, and part of it is just the delicious food itself, but part of it is because Twinkies mean Hank, and that means a lot of fun. Sometimes it’s the type of fun which goes right over Bobby’s head, couched in words with ten syllables and mathematical equations filled with symbols he doesn’t know how to recognize, much less calculate, but it’s better than sitting around and feeling sorry for himself. All he’s lost is a girlfriend.

Well, a girlfriend and a best friend, and not in that cheesy she-was-my-whole-life kind of way. Rogue was the girlfriend, of course, and she was a friend, too, but she hadn’t been around very long, and they weren’t really close.

John, though, John had been there a long time, longer than Bobby. John was the first guy Bobby met when he arrived, and had showed him the ropes. (He’d also showed him lots of fire, how he could light something up and then pull the flames back before it could burn.) John watched tv with him, and played table hockey when they should have been doing homework.

If they’d been normal guys in a regular high school, they would have skipped school together (if they’d been friends, and maybe they wouldn’t. John liked to be the bad boy, act all tough, and Bobby really didn’t), but it was impossible to do it when they lived with their teachers and always had mind readers around.

(It’s like there’s a two-person minimum, just as soon as they got back from Alkali Lake, Professor X brought in Ms. Frost, and she wasn’t much like Dr. Grey, except she seemed to like Mr. Summers a lot and she knew everyone’s thoughts. She wore short skirts and tight shirts, and she smiled just a little too much whenever anyone stared. Professor X said he stayed out of their minds when it wasn’t necessary, and all telepaths should follow that rule, but Ms. Frost must have a different definition of necessary.)

The best change—the only good change—is Hank. First thing he told the whole school was not to call him Dr. McCoy, and though some of the little kids are scared of how big he is and all that blue fur, Bobby started spending time with him because he was new, and he didn’t mope around like everyone else.

Bobby understood the moping, it was part of losing someone, and even the people who hadn’t spent much time with Dr. Grey realized just how bad people hated them even though they were just kids, and for a long time all anyone could think about was how little they could do to protect themselves.

But moping made him feel bad, and Hank talked to him as if he could understand everything, even when he knew nothing.

Then they became friends.

Bobby showed him his favorite video games, and played music, but Hank’s favorite thing was junk food. Twinkies topped the list, but anything sweet or salty, soft or crunchy, and, most importantly, bad for them, was fair game.

Professor Xavier’s big on nutrition, and for a house full of kids, they have surprisingly little junk food on hand, but Hank keeps the lab stocked. Word gets out fast at a boarding school, and some of the others, the ones not afraid of him, sneak in and gorge whenever they can. Hank just laughs, turns his back, and buys more. It’s a great thing, like a sanctuary in the middle of the school, and everyone starts to feel a little bit safer, even though junk food isn’t going to save them the next time the government comes through with guns, and they all know it.

It’s great most of the time at least, but not when Bobby can’t sleep, heads to the lab for food and company, and finds only empty boxes and no Hank.

He curses and throws the Little Debbie box on the floor. It isn’t anyone’s favorite, and he hoped there would be at least one left, but it’s been ransacked too.

“Robert, such language only reveals a lack of intelligence and creativity.”

He’s told Hank a hundred times to call him Bobby, and sometimes Hank does, but mostly he does not.

“Yeah, well, intelligence and creativity don’t matter when there’s no more food.” Bobby kicks the box and turns around. Hank is wearing a big overcoat and a fedora pulled low over his forehead. It’s hot in the summer, even at night, and so much physical covering means he’s going out.

“Indeed. This is why I have prepared to journey into the city to purchase disposable comestibles.”

Bobby has to think about it for a minute.

“Twinkies,” Hank prompts. “Would you care to accompany me?”

He’s only wearing boxer shorts and a t-shirt with a rip in the neck. No shoes. Stain on the bottom hem of his pants, from slopping cheese fondue into his lap. He’d frozen it before it burned his skin, but it stained anyway.

“Can we take the jet?”

“Absolutely not.”

“What about Cyclops’ bike?”

“Logan has already acquired it this evening.” Bobby scowls at that, and at the image of Rogue sitting behind him, holding him so she wouldn’t fall off. Not that he wants her to get hurt. It’s just all complicated. “If you like, we can take one of the convertible vehicles.”

“Yeah!” Bobby flushes, and moderates himself. “I mean, great idea.” He keeps a pair of sandals in the lab, slip-on Adidas, because the floor gets cold at night during the winter. They sit under the line of coat hooks attached to the wall where Hank hangs his lab coats. He buys them special order, because of his size, and in bulk, because he always manages to tear them up somehow, stains or rips or any number of things.

“Perhaps we will be able to come to an agreement on what film to watch while we eat.” Hank grins and it flashes a lot of sharp, pointy teeth. “As long as you do not insist on low-budget cinema in which the blood is actually poorly-disguised corn syrup.”

Bobby always wins, though, so he’s not too worried about it. Once in awhile he lets Hank choose, and he usually enjoys the movies they watch, sometimes only after things are explained to him, and he has to be in the mood to read the subtitles, otherwise he can’t pay attention, but sometimes.

Not tonight. Tonight he wants Twinkies and soda so the sugar buzz will last all night. He wants mindless action and horror with lots of fake blood. He wants to forget he’s a mutant and an X-Man and wants to pretend he’s just any other teenage boy.

He thinks he knows why John left—after all, Bobby’s family sold them out, his family let the police come for them, and that makes him angry and sad all at once, so he understands a little better why Magneto hates the humans and why John wants to use his power—but he thinks it was the wrong choice.

After all, he’s with the good guys, and the good guys will win. He hopes they’ll win, anyway, and he feels right about his choice. Not that he made a choice really, but he could have left too and he didn’t. He could try to go home and try to not be a mutant, but he won’t.

Things aren’t so bad. Kitty smiles at him sometimes, and he goes on missions, ones the Professor thinks will be safe, and he heard Mr. Summers laugh for half a second the other day at something Ms. Frost said. Things change, people heal.

And no matter if he’s feeling good or bad, Hank’s always there. John might have played games and joked around, but he never really listened to the heavy stuff (Bobby didn’t have a lot of deep thoughts back then, when life was still pretty rosy, but John wouldn’t have listened too well even if he had), and Hank does.

Plus he’s always willing to go get Twinkies, and all that processed sugar helps. It makes things okay again, at least as long as he’s eating them. These days, Bobby will take what he can get.

[identity profile] cabell.livejournal.com 2006-02-02 06:37 am (UTC)(link)
I really liked this--it's a nice character sketch of XMM Bobby, and of Beast, who is of course my secret boyfriend. And a nice little "in-between" story, touching on the edges of what was and what we know has to come without excessive foreshadowing. Yay!

[identity profile] escritoireazul.livejournal.com 2006-02-02 02:34 pm (UTC)(link)
Thank you! Beast is my secret boyfriend, too, so you know I jumped at the chance to write him. I actually wanted to put in more foreshadowing and have a build up to the Phoenix storyline, but then it ruined the impact of their friendship. I may have to try that other story again later.

Also, did you see the (very subtle) shout-out to the Janine/Jubilee story? (Really it's more a shout-out to Janine herself, and because of that I think about you whenever I think about Janine fanfic.) Because the title is a title Janine suggests to Claudia for her junk food artshow. So maybe it wasn't so subtle at all.

[identity profile] pressdbtwnpages.livejournal.com 2006-02-02 07:14 am (UTC)(link)
Aww. This is the first X-fic I have read in ever so long and I kinda cannot wait for the moive to come out now. *love*

[identity profile] escritoireazul.livejournal.com 2006-02-02 02:37 pm (UTC)(link)
Thank you! That's one of the sweetest compliments ever, that not only did you read this when you've not been reading fic in awhile but also that you're looking forward to the movie now. *love*

I can't wait for the new movie, though I'm also really, really leery. Beast is my favorite character, and has been my entire life, so I have much fear for his portrayal.

[identity profile] velvetandlace.livejournal.com 2006-02-02 08:10 am (UTC)(link)
God, I *adore* Bobby and Hank together. I love the adaptation to the movieverse (are you praying like me that they don't screw their best-friendship up?)

Such goodness, you. :)

[identity profile] escritoireazul.livejournal.com 2006-02-02 02:39 pm (UTC)(link)
Thank you! I love Bobby and Hank interacting, and I am terrified it will be screwed up in the movie (or, worse, completely ignored). What I like about writing in the movieverse is ease of canon coupled with the ability to bring in comic canon pretty much at will, as long as it's tweaked to make sense in the movieverse itself. For their portrayal in the actual movie, oh yeah, praying they don't ruin it. Bobby and Hank's friendship is awesome, and I will be broken-hearted if it's handled badly. (I also fear for Hank's character, full-stop.)

Thank you so much!

[identity profile] karenhealey.livejournal.com 2006-02-02 11:34 am (UTC)(link)
ARGH OMG CARLA X!FIC!

I'M EXCITED!

[identity profile] escritoireazul.livejournal.com 2006-02-02 02:40 pm (UTC)(link)
OMG I LOVE YOU!

[identity profile] karenhealey.livejournal.com 2006-02-02 11:51 am (UTC)(link)
NNNNGH. NNNNGH. CARLA.

How do you do this? You just keep getting better.

I love this:

Not that he made a choice really, but he could have left too and he didn’t.

And this:

(He’d also showed him lots of fire, how he could light something up and then pull the flames back before it could burn.)

And this:

“Yeah, well, intelligence and creativity don’t matter when there’s no more food.”


And just every goddamn thing Hank says because OMG PERFECT.

*hugs this story*

Oh, also. I am writing the Bobby POV explanation for how Logan can be on so many teams. It is OBVIOUS when you think about it. Please say you'll beta!

[identity profile] escritoireazul.livejournal.com 2006-02-02 02:43 pm (UTC)(link)
OMG if I listened to you my ego would be GIGANTIC like GODZILLA.

That image of John lighting things up and then not letting them burn? I can't get it out of my head, that control, and then the way he abandons that control in X2 and I keep dancing around that image and one day will actually write a story which uses it well. (Not that I don't think this uses it well, but it's not John's story here, so it's not what I wanted to do.)

Thank you so much, I was worried about Hank's dialogue, because I love his character so much and I was nervous about writing him.

Oh. Yay! YAY! OF COURSE I WILL BETA! You do not even have to ask, just email it to me, anything, and I will squee and be happy and beta for you. No warning needed, and definitely you do not need to ask.

Now I am EXCITED! (And abusing capital letters, whee!)

[identity profile] apathocles.livejournal.com 2006-02-02 02:05 pm (UTC)(link)
Aww, that was sweet, and very in-character. I love friendship fic, and these two guys make for some of the best. *love*

[identity profile] escritoireazul.livejournal.com 2006-02-02 02:44 pm (UTC)(link)
Thank you so much! I was hoping I could transfer their comics friendship into the movieverse and keep them in character, so I'm really glad to hear it worked.

Friendship fic makes me happy, and I don't see nearly enough of it (not just in the movieverse, just in general, across fandoms). I like pairing stories, too, but some days I just want to read about people hanging out and being friends.

Thank you so much.

[identity profile] nikitangel.livejournal.com 2006-02-02 03:58 pm (UTC)(link)
Okay, I know nothing of this fandom so didn't read the fic, but that title has *got* to be a reference to BSC, right?!

[identity profile] escritoireazul.livejournal.com 2006-02-02 04:23 pm (UTC)(link)
Yes, it is! I was hoping someone would recognize it, so you've just absolutely made my day.

I couldn't help it, a super genius in a story with Twinkies? How could anyone resist?

[identity profile] nikitangel.livejournal.com 2006-02-02 06:46 pm (UTC)(link)
I know! When I saw "Twinkies" in the subject line, I had to think the title was on purpose.

Speaking of, have you listened to the commentary on Blue Crush? The girls become fixated on the Twinkie residue on Michelle's mouth at the gas station scene *g*

[identity profile] aphrodite-mine.livejournal.com 2006-02-03 08:49 pm (UTC)(link)
*blissful sigh* Okay. *continues to stalk* Yep. Very precious. I think you are going to make me like Bobby. Which presents issues. *screws up face* I don't want to like Bobby! Gah!

Plus, BABYSITTERS CLUB LOVE.

*dances over their gayness*

[identity profile] escritoireazul.livejournal.com 2006-02-04 05:24 am (UTC)(link)
Oh my god, you got the reference! I love you! Yay, yay, yay, yay, yay! (I get a little giddy when little things I throw into stories are recognized. Lovely.)

Thank you so much. I'm actually not a fan of Bobby either, at least not movieverse Bobby, but the more I write him, the more he grows on me. (Also, the more I write John and Bobby/John, the more they both grow on me.)

I have no idea why I keep writing characters I don't particularly like. Luckily, it seems to be turning out well.

I so need to write BSC stories. I keep intending to do so, but then don't.

[identity profile] wizefics.livejournal.com 2007-04-27 06:33 pm (UTC)(link)
Found this through remix and I must share my love. Really touching piece. I love Bobby and Hank friendship tales and this one was excellent. Right down to the twinkie run...

[identity profile] escritoireazul.livejournal.com 2007-04-30 04:22 pm (UTC)(link)
Thank you so much. I really love Bobby and Hank's friendship, and wanted to see it in movieverse. I'm glad you like the story.