#Thad Thawne POV

[bluejaysandblackbats]

Almost There

Fandom: DC Comics, Flashfam

Summary: Everyone always knew Bart was eccentric, but the family becomes concerned when he starts talking to someone that doesn’t exist.

Chapters: 1/?

Characters: Bart Allen, Thad Thawne, Owen Mercer, Don Allen, Meloni Allen, Digger Harkness, Iris West, Barry Allen, Max Mercury, Helen Claiborne

Relationships: DonMeloni, BarryIris, WallyLinda

Additional Tags: Bart Allen-centric, Thad Thawne POV, No Powers AU, Imaginary Friends, Misdiagnosis, Blind Date, Hurt Bart Allen, Angst, Hurt/Comfort

Chapter One: We Were Six

We were six years old when Bart nearly died. Six. He was in the hospital for four days. It was the longest we’d ever been apart. I might’ve lost my mind if Owen hadn’t been there. I still feel like that sometimes when we’re apart… Like he’ll die and leave me missing the other piece of me. Bart’s never been careful, and I guess that’s why I’m sitting here writing all this. Someone has to write Bart’s story, and it should be me. Maybe it’ll help me be less afraid of losing him. Maybe it’ll make him more careful.

Okay. How do I start? Let’s try this:

We’re mirror-image twins. An extremely rare occurrence among twins. He was right-handed, and I was left. He had a birthmark on the left side of his chest at the bottom of his ribcage. I had the same birthmark on the right. Bart had a crooked grin where his lips curled up toward the right side of his face, and my grin curled up toward the left side. We did everything together, but we couldn’t be more different. I was shy, boring, and prone to emotional outbursts, while Bart was outgoing, odd, and unruffled. I wanted to be him sometimes. Absorb the best parts of him and walk around smiling his smile and laughing his laugh. But that’s beside the point. We’re mirror-image twins… And no one knows my twin better than I do. That’s why I know he’s not hallucinating. So don’t assume I’m writing this about my poor sick brother. I’m writing about the tragedy of strange gifts.

Bart was sick with pneumonia when we were six years old, and I was sure he’d die. I could feel it. It felt like the moment before you pass out, and your heart flutters and your head goes all fuzzy. I remember gripping the hospital bed's railing as the doctors tried to separate us. I couldn’t leave his side. The monitor beeped, alerting the nurses to his low oxygen level, and his eyes rolled back. I was twinless for eighty-five seconds. Eighty-five agonozing seconds. My body went cold, and Owen dragged me out of the room, kicking and screaming, but I couldn’t hear myself.

Then Grandpa Barry came out, and he rubbed my back. “It’s okay. Bart’s okay… They’ve got him back. He needs to rest, but he’ll be better once they stabilize him,” Grandpa Barry reassured me. He got us a pizza, and we ate in the parking lot that night because I refused to leave the hospital. Bart slept in a medically-induced coma for two days until the doctors said my brother could breathe without assistance, and I visited him on the third day. He sipped warm apple juice through a straw, and Mom held the cup.

None of us spoke. The room was eerily silent as we waited for Bart to speak. “Don’t go,” Bart rasped as he stared straight ahead. None of us moved. It was like he saw straight through us.

“Who’re you talking to, Bubba?” Dad asked.

“My friend… The lady,” Bart whispered, “She’s right there.”

Mom smiled and exhaled gently. “Oh, is she your age?” Mom questioned.

“No. My friend’s almost a grownup… Like Wally… Do you know her, Wally?” Bart asked. Wally knit his brows together and shook his head.

“Is she cute?” Wally asked. I couldn’t speak. They were all making jokes, and Bart was serious. I think he knew they didn’t believe him.

“She’s not laughing,” Bart muttered. I climbed into bed with him and laid my head on his shoulder.

“Bart? Do you want me to stay?” I asked. I wanted him to ask me, but I knew he wouldn’t. I wanted him to tell me he needed me, but he didn’t speak. He linked pinkies with me. That gesture meant everything to me. It was our I love you. It was our Never leave me.

It was the first time he mentioned his friend, but it wouldn’t be the last. To be honest, I was so preoccupied with being jealous of her that I never once doubted her existence. Bart didn’t get released from the hospital until the end of the week, but no one told me why he couldn’t come home. Not the real reason anyway. I was much older when Grandpa told me Bart had a brain examination. I felt terrible for all the years I joked about him getting his head checked.

Grandpa stayed home with Owen and me, playing games with us, while Mom, Dad, and Grandma stayed with Bart. We sat on the floor, gluing jigsaw puzzles with wood glue and small wooden boards. The jigsaws taught me a lesson. You start with the edges to see the picture. That was how people had to see Bart. Once you got Bart’s outer pieces, you could see him for what he was. And that’s how I managed to make sense of Bart’s gift my whole life.

Everyone thought he came back wrong, but no one would have known this was his gift all along. Even when the hospital discharged him, Bart didn’t get to come straight home. He got to stay with Uncle Max and Aunt Helen. Mom said he needed the extra attention and the wide-open space. I cried constantly during that time.

It wasn't until I stopped eating that they brought him home. I never had the words to say what I wanted from my parents, and it frustrated me to no end. Owen tried to understand, but no one knew the bond I had with Bart. No one could possibly understand how I felt. Not even Dad.

I had to be there when we picked him up at the airport. His eyes never fixed themselves on me. He always looked elsewhere. I wanted him to see me. Run to me. I wanted him to show signs that he loved me like I loved him. "Helen, she is real! You can't see her, but she's there! And she's not-!" I touched his hand.

"I missed you," I whispered, "Could you-?" I couldn't ask him for a hug. I was so terrified he'd say no.

"Let's go play," Bart replied angrily as he grabbed my hand. He led me away from the adults and toward the treehouse Grandpa built. We climbed up the ladder and shut the door. "They want to make her go away… I like her." He muttered something after that, but I couldn't understand it. To anyone else he would've seemed crazy, but I couldn't see him like that. It seemed strange to me that the adults were so frightened of Bart's friend. He liked her and they wanted her to go away. It didn't make any sense.

"Bart? Are you angry?" I asked. Bart looked away from me and nodded at the window before cradling my cheek and kissing my forehead. It was such a tender and compassionate gesture. Completely out of Bart's character.

That's how I knew she wasn't imaginary. I smiled our crooked grin and threw myself into his arms. "I can't see her, but I know she's there," I thought. I wanted to say it aloud, but I couldn't.

[isfjmel-phleg]

Since the trailer for the new A T L A came out, I've been watching a lot of analysis videos. This post is not about that, or A T L A really, but bear with me, I'm going somewhere with this.

Anyway, one video expressed some concerns with a potential change to a particular event, which, if indeed it will be altered, would omit an early instance of Zuko in a villainous role. And this, the video argued, would be a mistake because it is crucial that we see him first as a villain before we see him as a victim.

And I've been thinking about that. When I first watched A T L A, I went through the first eleven episodes with no particular investment in Zuko. He was an antagonist, that was it. And then I got to "The Storm," (Episode 12, which, if you haven't seen the show, presents his backstory), and I was like

Would I have felt so strongly if that backstory had been made evident from the start? Maybe not. The effect of establishing him as an antagonist, angry and rude and self-important (with hints of redeeming qualities, yes, but these are downplayed at this point), just long enough to make us think we understand all we need to know, and then at just the right time pulling out information that challenges our perceptions introduces a level of complexity that makes the character compelling. He's still a jerk, but now we know where it comes from and what he could have been if things had been different, and we start to want him to get the chance to grow and change. But he needs to be seen as a villain first before he can be seen as a victim.

To use another, less widely familiar example of this in action, the book The Candymakers. I love this book probably far more than I have a right to, and it's because it made me love the characters. But the one I love most of all (surprising no one here, I'm sure) is Philip Ransford III. He's one of four contestants in a competition, and from the time he's introduced through another contestant's POV, he is established as an absolute pill. He's arrogant, he's mean, he will stop at nothing to win. This is the Philip we see from the next contestant's POV, and the next one's...and then we get to Philip's POV, and everything changes. His entire character is recontextualized, and the reader has new sympathy for him. Would the story have been as effective if it had begun with Philip's POV, in which we immediately understand and sympathize with him? No. He needs to be seen as a villain first before he can be seen as a victim.

Another example: Thad Thawne/Inertia from the comic Impulse. When Inertia is introduced into the narrative, we do see his perspective from the start, but we see him in his lair scheming to take out our protagonist. At this point, we the readers have spent about fifty issues with Bart, we love him, and if anyone hurts him in any way, we are ready to get emotionally involved. Inertia's first plotline involves him fighting Bart and monologuing about his superiority to him and generally being an antagonist. It's a triumphant moment when Bart gets the better of Inertia and he returns sulking to his lair. We don't like this guy; he's the worst. But everything changes during the "Mercury Falling" storyline, in which it is revealed that Inertia has been successfully impersonating Bart, and we get access to the POV of Thad Thawne, unloved and created to be a weapon, realizing just how much he's been missing in life. And we pity this child. Would we so much if this had been fully evident from the start? No. He needs to be seen as a villain first before he can be seen as a victim.

All this to say--I am continuing to think about Book 3 of The Blackberry Bushes, which will involve the POVs of Tamett, Elystan, and Josiah. It will start with Tamett, who is the most grounded and normal of the protagonists and will provide the lens through which the reader will adjust to the world. The reader would already know Elystan from the previous two books. He's a little jerk, but we've already seen him as the villain to Amarantha in Book 2 and had that challenged, so he can be more sympathetic right off the bat here. But Josiah?

In light of these examples, I'm thinking about holding off on Josiah's POV for a while. I don't know when would be the best point to introduce it because I don't have most of the actual plot worked out, but it's important that we initially see him as Tamett and Elystan see him. He's domineering and harsh to Tamett, who is supposed to be his friend (paid companion, really, but still). He's an absolutely insufferable jerk to Elystan while they share a room (and Elystan probably has it coming, but still). He's a smug little brat, and if I play my cards right, you're going to want to smack him. But also the intention is to have a point where you start to see what's really going on with him, and hopefully you start to rethink things. He's still awful, but it didn't come out of nowhere, and he could be better. You might actually want him to be better. But he needs to be seen as a villain first before he can be seen as a victim.

[brown-little-robin]

@isfjmel-phleg​​

This is a bit of a gut-punch. Sorry. But here’s (All Flash #1) a bit of context for that dinner conversation in chapter 25, “Predator and Prey”. It’s in a DC reboot, post-Mercury Falling, so it’s not canon for this fic. But I’m using it for flavoring, playing with it in an angry kind of way. So here it is.

(This issue was published in 2007, by the way. I just found that out. What irony. The exact same year that I’m taking Thad out of the speed force in, gently reintroducing him to the world, giving him everything that was taken from him in this issue. But anyway.)

Thaddeus Thawne had gotten out of the speed force (unexplained) and killed Bart. Yes, actually succeeded. Killed Bart. And Wally West was grief-stricken and enraged. He hunts Thad down. That phrase, “an irredeemable sociopath with Bart’s face”, is Wally’s internal monologue. (so at dinner, think of this; think, Wally has been through something like this already; and he’s still trying to give Thad a chance. The Flash seems impervious from Thad’s POV, but he’s very traumatized.)

He would have killed Thad outright if Thad had been anyone else. But he was a kid, a clone of Bart—“a piece of Bart”, according to Wally West’s narration—and Wally couldn’t do it, despite Inertia’s ugly glee at reminding him exactly how Bart died, with the now-infamous words “he screamed like a little bitch.”

Yeah, I don’t like post-reboot Thad. At all. The writers just obliterated everything that made him a sympathetic character. Which is their right, I guess, even if I hated it so much I went and started writing Strange Redemption... but I digress.

You know the rest of the story, because I’ve referred to it in the fic. Wally West stole Thad’s speed, but went further, drained him entirely, slowed him to a statue, and stuck him in the Flash museum.

Following the example of a few other Thad writers, I split the single canon character of Thaddeus Thawne II into multiple characters. My Thad is the main character of Mercury Falling, given seven years in the speed force. But still, in that dinner scene, I was very intentionally mirroring this.

(I was referring to Iris’s book, The Life Story of the Flash, too; she canonically wrote of Thad Thawne as “[Bart’s] own dark twin” and “a sick, corrupt clone”. Like you said: HARSH.)

Also, I’ll give you no more forewarning than this, but these panels from the same issue will also become relevant in the next chapter (26, Open Ocean).

I wanted a softer story. I wanted it so bad. I had to write it myself. But I couldn’t not deal with this, this incredibly awful yet pivotal moment—if only by creating a mirroring scene with a much different ending.

[ao3feed-birdflash]

by Creativecookiecrumb

A sequel to my jondami fic "Unresolved tension" Only now Eduardo's pov

Throughout the past year Eduardo has had to deal with the fact that the speedster he has had a crush on for so long will never be his. He's now tired of moping around a love that will never happen and instead focuses on his school, social, and job life. However when a new metahuman, Thad known as Inertia with fast abilities joins the youth center Ed works in and claims to be related to the speedster family, Ed has multiple questions. As Eduardo begins to learn more and more about Thad the more he is drawn to him. What he doesn't realize is that there is more to Thad than what he is revealing and some of those things could put them both in danger.

Words: 2309, Chapters: 1/?, Language: English

Fandoms: Young Justice - All Media Types, Young Justice (Cartoon)

Rating: Teen And Up Audiences

Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings

Categories: M/M

Characters: Eduardo Dorado Jr., Thaddeus Thawne, Bart Allen, Wally West, Jaime Reyes, Dick Grayson, Virgil "Static" Hawkins, Jonathan Kent, Damian Wayne, inertia - Character, El Dorado - Character, Tye Longshadow, Billy Batson, Aion (DCU), Eduardo Dorado Sr., Batfamily Members, Barry Allen

Relationships: Eduardo Dorado Jr/Thaddeus Thawne, Bart Allen/Jaime Reyes, Jonathan Kent/Damian Wayne, Dick Grayson/Wally West

Additional Tags: One-Sided Attraction, Falling In Love, Anger Management, Alternate Universe - High School, Getting to Know Each Other, Villains to Heroes, Teen Romance, Teen Angst, Alternate Universe - Teenagers

[ao3feed-bluepulse]

Unsettled sensation

read it on the AO3 at https://ift.tt/2LU3TVv

by Creativecookiecrumb

A sequel to my jondami fic "Unresolved tension" Only now Eduardo's pov

Throughout the past year Eduardo has had to deal with the fact that the speedster he has had a crush on for so long will never be his. He's now tired of moping around a love that will never happen and instead focuses on his school, social, and job life. However when a new metahuman, Thad known as Inertia with fast abilities joins the youth center Ed works in and claims to be related to the speedster family, Ed has multiple questions. As Eduardo begins to learn more and more about Thad the more he is drawn to him. What he doesn't realize is that there is more to Thad than what he is revealing and some of those things could put them both in danger.

Words: 2309, Chapters: 1/?, Language: English

Fandoms: Young Justice - All Media Types, Young Justice (Cartoon)

Rating: Teen And Up Audiences

Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings

Categories: M/M

Characters: Eduardo Dorado Jr., Thaddeus Thawne, Bart Allen, Wally West, Jaime Reyes, Dick Grayson, Virgil "Static" Hawkins, Jonathan Kent, Damian Wayne, inertia - Character, El Dorado - Character, Tye Longshadow, Billy Batson, Aion (DCU), Eduardo Dorado Sr., Batfamily Members, Barry Allen

Relationships: Eduardo Dorado Jr/Thaddeus Thawne, Bart Allen/Jaime Reyes, Jonathan Kent/Damian Wayne, Dick Grayson/Wally West

Additional Tags: One-Sided Attraction, Falling In Love, Anger Management, Alternate Universe - High School, Getting to Know Each Other, Villains to Heroes, Teen Romance, Teen Angst, Alternate Universe - Teenagers

read it on the AO3 at https://ift.tt/2LU3TVv

[bluejaysandblackbats]

Almost There

Fandom: DC Comics, Flashfam

Summary: Everyone always knew Bart was eccentric, but the family becomes concerned when he starts talking to someone that doesn’t exist.

Chapters: 2/?

Characters: Bart Allen, Thad Thawne, Owen Mercer, Don Allen, Meloni Allen, Digger Harkness, Iris West, Barry Allen, Max Mercury, Helen Claiborne

Relationships: DonMeloni, BarryIris, WallyLinda

Additional Tags: Bart Allen-centric, Thad Thawne POV, No Powers AU, Imaginary Friends, Misdiagnosis, Blind Date, Hurt Bart Allen, Angst, Hurt/Comfort

Chapter Two: Float

When Bart and I were eight, we went to the swamp to sail paper boats on the water. It was one of the rare times that Bart asked to play with me. We put on our rain boots and trudged through the marsh. I crouched beside the pond blowing on our boats to push them across the water. “Do you think they’ll stop beating me up if I stop bringing CRAYDL to school?” I asked as I reached up to touch the corner of my healing black eye. It didn’t hurt to the touch anymore, but that didn’t make a difference to Bart.

“They’re gonna stop beating you up because I told ‘em to stop. Mom said I could beat them up if they keep bothering you,” Bart replied as he dislodged a stone from the mud with his foot. He’d been working at it for a while.

“Dad says it won’t always be like this at school for me,” I replied.

“Yeah, if I beat them up-.”

“Why does everyone wanna fight all the time? Dad says we should fight with our minds-.”

“I’ll headbutt one of ‘em for you,” Bart replied, “Sometimes you gotta beat people up. They’re not being fair to you. They’re beating you up.”

“I guess you’re right,” I mumbled, “Still, I wish it wouldn’t have to be that way.”

He grew quiet, so I followed the boats around, twirling them in tiny circles. “Bart, why don’t you come close and play?” I asked. He didn’t answer, so I turned around, and he was gone. “Bart?”

My blood ran cold as my brain flooded with images of a certain child-eating clown. I shook as I grabbed our boats and tiptoed through the marsh alone. “Bart, please stop hiding… I don’t like hide-and-go-seek,” I murmured. I could feel someone watching me, but I was too afraid to look back. I walked a little faster. I couldn’t shake the feeling that someone was behind me. My stomach turned, and my feet stopped working.

I went cold as I felt a breath on my neck. I thought my heart would burst in my chest. “You’ll float too,” a clown-ish voice whispered in my ear, and I let out such a bloodcurdling scream that I threw up and wet myself. “Aw, man! Thad, I’m-.” I burst into tears, and Owen picked me up. “It’s alright. I shouldn’t have scared you so bad.”

His friend squealed with laughter. “It’s not funny, dingus! He’s crying! My mom’s gonna kill me!” Owen snapped. He kissed my temple. “Please stop crying, Bubba. I’ll give you-. Wait, where’s Bart?”

I started crying even harder. “I was looking for Bart! He disappeared!” I wailed. Owen rubbed my back.

“It’s okay. I bet you Bart went home or something. He couldn’t have gotten far. Let’s look together. Okay?” Owen reassured me. He hiked up the hill to the street, where Bart walked along the sidewalk. “Bart!”

He didn’t respond, but I heard him. I heard him speaking to someone. “Linda, wait!” Bart hollered as he ran across the street.

“Bart, no!” Owen screamed. He saw it before anyone else. The car hit Bart so hard it knocked his shoes off, and I threw myself out of Owen’s arms. I scraped my knees, and I crawled to him. Someone tried to grab me, but I screamed and fought. “Axel! Go get somebody! Go get my Mom! Get someone, please!”

Owen screamed and cried until the older boy got out of the car. He pushed him and wept. “You hit my brother! That’s my brother!” Owen shouted. The bakery was only three blocks from the swamp, but Axel was smart enough to use a pay phone at the corner to call Mom.

She ran there on foot with Dad and Auntie Dawn. Auntie Dawn pulled Owen away from the older boy and held on tight. Dad grabbed me from whoever held onto me.

“Thad, what happened? Why-? Why are you wet?” Dad asked. I couldn’t stop shaking or crying.

“Bubba, he-. Daddy-. I can’t breathe,” I panicked. Dad blew on my face like he did when I was little, but it didn’t help. The ambulance came, and they carried Bart away with Mom. Dad took Owen and me home. Dad ran me a bath, but I was in shock. I couldn’t move. He took a cup of water and sat it on the tub before supporting my neck in his palm and rinsing my hair. “It’s gonna be alright, Spud… I wish you-. I’m worried about you,” Dad whispered, “Please say something.”

“What happened to our boats?” I asked. “I had them in my hand.”

Dad wrapped me in towels and pulled the drain before placing two large dinosaur bandages on my skinned knees. “I can work with that. I’ll make you both ten boats each. I’m gonna make my world-famous Philly Joes. I won’t make yours sloppy… Okay?” Dad asked.

“Can you tell me what I am?” I asked.

“You’re my littlest human. You draw the best dinosaur pictures I’ve ever seen. You and I don’t use the t-word because you’re your own person. Aren’t you?” Dad asked. He gave me that little pep talk whenever I felt responsible for something that happened to Bart. I dressed and followed Dad to the living room, where Owen lay in his pajamas, flipping through channels. I lay beside Owen on the couch, and he draped his arm over me.

“Why would he do that?” Owen mumbled.

I didn’t answer. Owen tightened his hold around me. “What do you feel, kiddo? Is he alright?” Owen asked. He knew I felt things Bart did sometimes.

“Nothing but our heads hurt,” I replied. Owen kissed the top of my head.

“I’m sorry for scaring you,” Owen apologized, “That wasn’t funny. You didn’t deserve that.”

Owen wasn’t a bully by any means. He loved Bart and me. So, I knew he didn’t mean any harm when he scared me earlier. “It’s okay,” I whispered.

“My dad’s gonna come watch us tonight after dinner. Your dad’s going to the hospital to check on Bart,” Owen whispered. Owen must’ve been torn up about the car accident because he was always excited to see Digger. Digger wasn’t the most responsible grown-up I ever met, but he loved Owen more than anything.

Owen tightened his grip on me so much it almost hurt, and he sat up, still holding me. “Don! Don!” Owen yelled. Dad ran into the room in his apron with latex gloves on.

“What’s wrong, kiddo?” Dad asked, half out of breath.

I felt water hit the top of my head. “Where are Bart’s rain boots? He had rain boots on, and they came off when-. They came off. Did somebody get his boots?” Owen asked as he started to cry.

Dad frowned and crouched in front of Owen and me. “Hey, the EMTs got his boots and put them in a plastic bag. I know it looked scary, but Bart’s gonna be okay-.”

“I should’ve paid more-.”

“You’re a wonderful brother, and I love you so much,” Don whispered, “You care so much… And I’m so grateful that you’re the oldest.” He messed up Owen’s hair.

[bluejaysandblackbats]

Almost There

Fandom: DC Comics, Flashfam

Summary: Everyone always knew Bart was eccentric, but the family becomes concerned when he starts talking to someone that doesn’t exist.

Chapters: 3/?

Characters: Bart Allen, Thad Thawne, Owen Mercer, Don Allen, Meloni Allen, Digger Harkness, Iris West, Barry Allen, Max Mercury, Helen Claiborne

Relationships: DonMeloni, BarryIris, WallyLinda

Additional Tags: Bart Allen-centric, Thad Thawne POV, No Powers AU, Imaginary Friends, Misdiagnosis, Blind Date, Hurt Bart Allen, Angst, Hurt/Comfort

Chapter Three: Swamp Quicksand

Bart snuck out of the house while everyone slept once he felt well enough to get his cast off. I panicked and crept into Owen’s room because I didn’t want to upset Mom and Dad. “Owen,” I sniveled, trying to hold back my tears. “Moo. Moo, wake up.”

He pulled me into his bed, thinking I’d had a nightmare. “Moo,” I cried. Owen groaned and sat up. Moo was what I called Owen as a play on his middle name. I couldn’t pronounce Mercer when I was little, so I used to introduce him as Owen Moo Sir.

“What happened?” Owen asked.

“Bart’s missing,” I cried into Owen’s shirt. He rubbed my back.

“Shhh, it’s okay. Go put on your jacket and shoes. Don’t wake Mom up,” Owen commanded as he climbed out of bed and slipped on his socks. I went to my room and put on my jacket and hat. Owen met me at the kitchen door, and we slipped on our sneakers.

Owen moved to unlock the kitchen door before offering a look of pity and wiping my face with the bottom of his shirt. He made a soft noise, and we crept outside. Owen let me hold his hand while we walked to the swamp and called for Bart. It was a scary place to be in the dark. Lots of dangers lurking in the marsh. I got caught in quicksand in the swamp once with Owen, and we nearly drowned. I started to cry at the thought of Bart getting stuck and drowning. “What’s the matter? What do you feel?” Owen asked.

“I don’t feel anything,” I wept, “What if Bart got stuck in quicksand?” Owen grabbed two large sticks from the ground and gave me one.

“It shouldn’t be deep… Don’t poke at the ground too hard, just in case,” Owen commanded. I started crying even harder, and he grabbed me. “Hey… Hey! Don’t you think I’m scared too?” Owen never yelled at me. So I ran off, leaving Owen alone in the swamp. I ran down the street to the park to sit in the grass. I thought I was alone.

I wept until I felt a hand on my shoulder. “Go away, Owen!” I shouted.

“You’re here,” Bart’s voice replied. He sounded happy. “Wanna fly my kite? You might feel better if you fly it with me.” Bart put the spool in my hands and sat beside me. “What’s the matter?”

“Owen got mad at me for crying when we were looking for you in the swamp,” I answered. Bart messed up my hair.

“You were worried about me?” Bart asked.

“Uh-huh,” I whimpered. Bart made me lie on the grass while we stared at the kite flying above our heads. It was one of his more tender moments with me. He was only attentive toward me when we were alone. Most of the time, he wouldn’t look at me or acknowledge that I existed. I didn’t mind because he was always extra kind to me when we were alone. “Bart?”

“I’m gonna go away soon… I heard Mom and Dad talking. I don’t want you to be shocked,” Bart confessed, “You’re gonna have to fight for yourself at school.”

I started to cry, and Bart grabbed the other side of the kite spool. “You gotta stop crying all the time. I’m gonna be okay as long as you’re okay,” Bart stated, “You’ll always be my baby brother no matter what happens, okay?”

I heard Owen’s voice in the distance, and Bart let go of the spool and turned away. “Bubba! Rusty! Rusty! I’m sorry, okay!” Owen shouted. I turned to look, but he scooped Bart and me up and squeezed us tight. “I’m sorry, Rusty.”

He was crying. “It’s okay,” Bart reassured him. “Moo, I need to tell you something… And you can’t tell Mom and Dad that you know.” Bart was uncharacteristically serious.

Owen let go and plucked leaves from Bart’s hair. “Hey, Bubba. What’s the matter?” Owen questioned.

“I gotta go away soon. Mom and Dad are gonna send me away,” Bart explained, “I don’t know where, but I know they’re sending me away soon. They don’t know that I heard them talking.”

“They can’t do that-.”

“It’s okay. Don’t be mad at Mom and Dad. I’m not mad,” Bart replied. Owen turned forward and wiped his tears roughly with his sleeve. He inhaled sharply and started to sob. It was the hardest I’d ever seen Owen cry. After he calmed down, he watched the sunrise with us and took us home.

Mom startled us with a relieved sigh as we walked in the door, and Dad took off our jackets and looked us over. “Owen, Bart, Thad? Are you kids okay?” Dad questioned. We all nodded. Owen pulled away and tried to rush to his room, and Mom grabbed him.

“Owen, what’s wrong? Don’s talking to you,” Mom stated. Owen opened his mouth to say something hurtful, and Bart grabbed his hand.

“Moo, don’t,” Bart begged. Owen pulled his hair, and Bart shook his head. “No.”

“What?” Mom asked. Bart reached for Mom, and she picked him up. “What’s wrong, Sunshine?” We were small for our age, so she could still pick us up. But nothing could’ve stopped Mom from carrying us if she wanted to.

“It was my fault. I wanted to fly my kite, and Owen and Thad got worried,” Bart confessed, “Mommy, I’m sorry.”

She kissed his cheek. “You have to tell people where you’re going, Bart… Okay? We all worry… And Owen, we didn’t mean to upset you. We’re sorry,” Mom whispered as she reached for him. Owen’s face twisted, and I could tell it took everything in him not to cry. “Owen, what’s the matter?”

I grabbed his hand and squeezed it. It scared me when he cried. He only wept when something terrible happened or when he was frightened. “Owen?” Dad questioned.

“We’re supposed to be a family!” Owen shouted before running to his room. I looked at my feet because I couldn’t face anyone. I knew I wouldn’t be able to look Mom and Dad in the eyes and tell a lie.

Dad went after him, and Mom took Bart to the living room to watch TV and talk. And I called Digger. He always picked us up when we didn’t want to be at home. “Digger?” I asked.

“Hey, Twinnie… Wanna make a few bucks?” Digger asked. “I could come pick you and the first mate up.” The first mate was Owen. Sometimes, he let us come in and work with him in the fish and chips shop he owned.

“Okay… Bart’s feeling better,” I replied.

“Yeah, but I think your mom and dad want to speak with him today,” Digger replied.

“He didn’t do anything bad,” I whispered.

“No, I don’t reckon he did. Bart’s a little sick right now… Don’t think he knows it… I’ll explain it to you and Owen once I talk to your mom,” Digger promised. And explain, he did. They got us out of the house so they could admit Bart to a hospital. He spent three weeks there the first time he went, but he’d be in and out of the hospital for the next six years. I wished I knew that moment with the kite was the last time he’d be lucid for years.

[bluejaysandblackbats]

The Brother Trap

Fandom: DC Comics, Flashfam

Summary: Owen wants to connect with his half-brothers for the first time. Luckily for him, they all go to the same university. Will bad blood between twins keep Owen from the family of his dreams, or is he the missing piece they've always needed?

Chapters: 16/?

Characters: Owen Mercer, Axel Walker, Thad Thawne, Bart Allen, Meloni Thawne, Deborah Morgna, Preston Lindsay, President Thaddeus Thawne Mention

Relationships: Owen Mercer/Axel Walker, Thad Thawne/Deborah Morgna, PrestonBart

Additional Tags: POV Third Person, College AU, Angst and Fluff, Family Dynamics, Family Issues, No Powers AU

Chapter Sixteen: Cookiecakepieorbrownies

Axel woke up to Owen. He knew it was him. The weight pressed down beside him and smelled like green apples. "Owen?" Axel whispered. 

"Hey," Owen whispered gently, "You want some soup? I brought some home from work..." Axel turned over to face Owen. 

"Owen—." Owen felt Axel's forehead and cheeks. Fever and embarrassment made Axel's cheeks rosy. 

"Can you eat?" Owen asked. Axel nodded. "You're speechless... You're hardly ever speechless." 

"Your mom was really nice to me," Axel whispered, "And it—. It felt like she meant it." 

"She does mean it. Come on, sit up. Let me get some soup and a pain pill in your stomach," Owen whispered. Axel obeyed and watched Owen walk to the kitchen and heat a bowl of soup. "Had to carry my brother to bed. He was slumped over a box." Owen chuckled. He turned on a light and grabbed a pill bottle. 

"Here you go," Owen whispered as he gave Axel the pill. "Don't take it yet."  

"I wasn't gonna... I'm not that bad off," Axel mumbled. Owen brought him a water bottle and the leftover soup from the restaurant. "Owen, could you do me a favor?" 

Owen grinned. "Uh-huh," Owen smiled as he sat beside Axel. Without thinking, he pressed kisses to Axel's cheeks and neck, and before he could kiss his lips, Axel turned away. 

"You're gonna get sick," Axel warned him. 

Owen kissed him. "Don't care if I get sick. I love you," Owen replied between pecks. The bedroom door opened, and Axel turned away. 

"Hey, Thad," Owen whispered. 

Thad rubbed his eyes. "Where—? Bart?" Thad muttered, still half-asleep. 

"Nope. This is your older brother, Owen. Need something?" Owen asked.  

Thad shook his head and returned to bed. "Relax, Owen. Want some of my soup?" Axel asked. Owen pulled a spoon out of thin air, eliciting a laugh from Axel. They sat together and ate the entire bowl. 

Axel took his pill and went to sleep, and Owen cleaned up before returning to his side. He draped his arm over Axel and lay awake, thinking about how he'd finally gotten everything he wanted. It terrified him. Axel started to toss and turn around sunrise. He always had nightmares when he was sick. "Shh... Hey, hey," Owen whispered, "I'm right here." Axel sighed. 

"Shit," Axel muttered as tears streamed down his cheeks. 

Owen frowned. "What was it?" Owen questioned. 

"I'm gonna get in the way—." 

"No," Owen smiled, "You've never been in the way. There is no way without you." Owen messed up Axel's hair. 

Meloni came out of the room and apologized. "I'll—." 

"No, Mel. It's okay," Axel mumbled as he pulled the blankets over his head. Meloni crouched down beside Axel. 

"Would you like to come with me? I'll set your room up so you can get some real sleep," Meloni offered as she pulled the sheet back and tapped his nose. Axel offered her a shy smile. "Come on, Sweetheart." Axel softened up. 

"I'll go get ready," Axel whispered. 

Once Axel was out of earshot, Owen grabbed Meloni's hand. "He's never had a mom before... So, thanks for being so nice to him," Owen confessed. 

"Hold onto this one," Meloni whispered, "He's special... I can tell." 

Owen grinned. "Believe me, I'm trying... Take good care of him for me, Mom," Owen whispered. Meloni nodded and messed up his hair. 

"I will," Meloni smiled, "Can I hug you? I just—. I still can't believe you're my baby boy." 

Owen wrapped his arms around Meloni and rested his chin atop her head. "Thank you, Mom... Thank you so much," Owen whispered. 

Meloni held onto his forearm, soaking in the affection and warmth her son offered. "You and Axel have given me so much... You don't have to thank me," Meloni replied, "I'm gonna put a sweater on and take Axel home. Take care of Thad." 

"I've got him," Owen replied. 

Axel left the bathroom, and Meloni grabbed his pillow from the couch. "Come on, sweetheart. I'll make you a grilled cheese," Meloni smiled. She led Axel toward the door, and Axel glanced at Owen. 

Owen nodded. "Bye, Axe. Bye, Mom,” Owen waved. 

*

Meloni sat beside Axel on the couch, watching Fight Club. “Moms watch this kind of stuff?” Axel questioned. Meloni chuckled. 

“It’s my favorite movie… Axel, can I ask you a personal question?” Meloni whispered. Axel nodded. “Are you living any of the dreams that you had as a child?” 

Axel blew out a breath and took a sip of his tea. “Wow, Mel… Um… I don’t think I had any dreams. Wait… I wanted to—. No, it’s dumb—.” 

Meloni turned toward him and sat on her feet. “No, please tell me,” Meloni begged, “I won’t think it’s stupid.” 

“When I was little, my first foster parents used to set up blanket forts and make hot cocoa and eat cookies with their kids, but I—. I wasn’t one of their kids. I guess—. I wanted to borrow someone’s parents for a day. I wanted to be—. Be their real kid for a day,” Axel confessed. Meloni smiled. “See—.” 

“No, Axel. That isn’t stupid at all. We can do that. It’ll be fun. I want you to like me… Oh, Axel, I really want you to like me,” Meloni replied. Axel laughed without meaning to. “Will you let me try?” 

Axel nodded. “Okay, sure,” Axel replied. Meloni paused the movie and jumped over the back of the couch. 

“You won’t regret this! I promise,” Meloni half-exclaimed. She skipped to the kitchen. “Axel! Cookies, cake, pie, or brownies?” 

“What?” Axel asked.

“Cookiecakepieorbrownies?” Meloni asked. 

“Brownies?” Axel answered. Meloni squealed, and Axel smiled to himself. He waited for her. At least, Axel tried to. He dozed off and woke up to Meloni carrying a stack of quilts downstairs. “Mel? That’s not safe. Let me—.” 

“It’s alright… Does your head hurt?” Meloni questioned.

Axel shook his head. “I’m alright. Mel? How long have I been—? You changed the living room around… How’d you move the couch?” Axel questioned. 

“You’re a heavy sleeper… Have you ever built a blanket fort?” Meloni asked. Axel shook his head.

“Owen used to joke about how we couldn’t afford to live like kids. I remember when he let me stay over the first time… I was so scared of him. I thought he was like everyone else, waiting for an opportunity to hurt me. He’s not like anyone—. Well, he’s—. He’s like you,” Axel explained. His eyes widened, and he softened. “How do we do this whole fort thing?” 

Meloni grinned. “Okay,” Meloni deeply inhaled. She dropped the blankets and quilts on the couch. She explained how she did things, and Axel carefully listened. Without warning, Meloni stopped mid-sentence to touch Axel’s forehead and cheeks. “I want this to be home for you. I know you’re an adult, but I want you to feel safe and welcome here.” Axel nodded.

[bluejaysandblackbats]

The Brother Trap

Fandom: DC Comics, Flashfam

Summary: Owen wants to connect with his half-brothers for the first time. Luckily for him, they all go to the same university. Will bad blood between twins keep Owen from the family of his dreams, or is he the missing piece they've always needed?

Chapters: 12/?

Characters: Owen Mercer, Axel Walker, Thad Thawne, Bart Allen, Meloni Thawne, Deborah Morgna, Preston Lindsay, President Thaddeus Thawne Mention

Relationships: Owen Mercer/Axel Walker, Thad Thawne/Deborah Morgna, PrestonBart

Additional Tags: POV Third Person, College AU, Angst and Fluff, Family Dynamics, Family Issues, No Powers AU

Chapter Twelve: First Fossick

Owen woke up to Bart hanging upside down over the bunk, and he bumped his head. "Bart? Jesus," Owen mumbled, "What are you doing?"

Bart pulled himself up before jumping down to the floor. "Sorry, I was waiting for you to get up... So, we're brothers?" Bart asked and sat across from Owen on the bottom bunk. Owen nodded. "Are you gonna call her Mom?"

"Is that gonna be weird for you?" Owen asked.

"Well... No, 'cause we're brothers," Bart replied matter-of-factly. Owen ran a hand over his face and scratched his head. "Is it weird for you?"

"A little. I'll try calling her Mom because I don't think I can call her Meloni," Owen whispered, "Where's Thad?"

"Probably in the living room... Did Mom give you a tour of the house?" Bart asked. Owen shook his head. "Good, let me show you around after breakfast."

"You don't have to be nice about being brothers if this is weird for you—."

"I'm being nice because I want to. Besides, it's kind of cool. You're our older brother," Bart smiled. He got up and got dressed for the day. Owen lay back down and took and stretched his arms and legs.

"What does Mom do for a living?" Owen asked.

"She's a geoarchaeologist. Mom used to travel in the summer for work, but now, she teaches Intro to Geology at the university," Bart answered, "She loves a good rock. You should ask her about her collection when you have the time."

"And your dad?" Owen asked.

Bart went to the bathroom and brushed his teeth without answering Owen's question. Bart still couldn't move himself to talk about his father. It felt weird to talk about someone who died when he was a toddler. Owen didn't pry. He brushed his teeth and got dressed after Bart, and they went downstairs to check on Thad and Meloni. When they got to the living room, Meloni and Thad sat eating cereal.

"Good morning," Meloni greeted them. Thad shrank down on the couch because he didn't know how else to react.

"Good morning, Mom. Good morning, Thad," Bart replied as he rushed past them to the kitchen.

Owen stood awkwardly behind the couch until Meloni insisted he sit with them. Owen sat on her other side. Thad set his bowl back on the table. "I'm gonna start going to therapy," Thad mumbled as he excused himself and went to the laundry room. Owen frowned.

"It's not you. It's just that things are so different now. Give Thad some time to adjust," Meloni reassured him. Owen didn't say anything. "Owen, how'd you sleep?"

Owen nodded. "I slept okay... They get up a lot during the night, don't they?" Owen whispered. Meloni chuckled.

"Bart wouldn't sleep until he could turtle with his dad. His dad used to hold the boys in his sweater when they were babies. But when they got older, he'd wrap a blanket around himself and Bart. It looked like a turtle shell," Meloni smiled, "Can I ask you about your childhood? Were they nice to you? Did you know that you were adopted?"

"I um... I knew I was adopted. I was always afraid to ask about it, though. My parents were great. They—. Mom was single until I was six, and my stepdad was cool... I didn't start getting into trouble until after they died. I was sixteen," Owen closed his eyes, "And then I met Axe, and he used to crash at my place when I got one—."

"You lived alone after your parents passed?" Meloni asked.

Owen nodded. "I looked for you before the process of being emancipated was finalized... I followed you into a grocery store. I wanted to talk to you, but I was too afraid to speak," he answered.

Meloni looked at him, and she mouthed something to herself. She couldn't believe Owen was so close without her knowing. "You've been alone all these years," Meloni whispered, "Owen, I know this might be weird for you to hear, but I love you so much."

Owen smiled softly. Meloni messed up his hair and took the dirty dishes to the kitchen, leaving Owen alone in the living room. Bart returned, rubbing his arm as if he'd made a mistake. "Owen, I'm not trying to be weird or anything... I'm just not ready to talk about my dad yet," Bart explained.

"I respect that," Owen replied, "But I want you to know you can ask me whatever you want. I just want to be close to you guys."

"It's gonna take a while with Thad, but he'll warm up to you again. It's just weird for him. I think he's still getting used to being twins," Bart joked. Owen chuckled. "And I think he's so distracted that he's doing my laundry for me."

"You're kind of terrible for that," Owen laughed.

Bart shrugged and giggled before tapping Owen's arm. "Let me show you around the house," Bart whispered.

Bart took him to the sunroom, the guest room, and the guest bathroom. Then they climbed the stairs to the second floor, and they stopped at the first door at the top of the stairs, and Bart swallowed hard. "What's the room at the end of the hall?" Owen asked to lighten the mood.

"So that end," Bart pointed to the left, "Is Mom's office. The room at the other end of the hall is her room. Her office is kind of cool if you wanna go in there... Thad usually knows the names of all the little rocks she has on display."

"Is she okay with us going into her office?" Owen asked.

Thad opened the office door, startling them both. "Mom won't mind," Thad answered, "Besides, she loves to show off all her MOPs and moonstones."

"MOPs?" Owen asked.

"Mother of pearls," Bart answered as they entered the office.

Thad memorized most of the stones in Meloni's office and could name them by heart. Owen couldn't hear Thad, though. He was too busy scanning over the pictures of Meloni's travels. Owen touched Thad's arm. "Where was this?" Owen asked, pointing to a picture of Meloni standing in a cave with a handful of green stones.

"Macon County," Thad answered.

"She said she passed out right after that picture was taken. That's how she knew she was pregnant with us," Bart added, "We were her olivines... You should ask her what gem you were."

"What do you mean? I already know my birth—."

"Not your birthstone. Your stone is the stone she found the most of when she realized she was pregnant," Thad interrupted. He seemed so far away when he said it, and Owen felt guilty.

[bluejaysandblackbats]

The Brother Trap

Fandom: DC Comics, Flashfam

Summary: Owen wants to connect with his half-brothers for the first time. Luckily for him, they all go to the same university. Will bad blood between twins keep Owen from the family of his dreams, or is he the missing piece they've always needed?

Chapters: 10/?

Characters: Owen Mercer, Axel Walker, Thad Thawne, Bart Allen, Meloni Thawne, Deborah Morgna, Preston Lindsay, President Thaddeus Thawne Mention

Relationships: Owen Mercer/Axel Walker, Thad Thawne/Deborah Morgna, PrestonBart

Additional Tags: POV Third Person, College AU, Angst and Fluff, Family Dynamics, Family Issues, No Powers AU

Chapter Ten: Game Day

Thad came in from the backyard to get the burger patties. "Mom, are we eating outdoors or indoors?" Thad asked.

Meloni handfed him a bite of loaded potato skins. "What do you think? I could use a different kind of cheese—."

"Mom, it's delicious. You don't have to worry about feeding anybody. We're just playing cards," Thad interrupted. He took another one from her baking sheet and popped it in his mouth. "How many people are coming?"

"Including your friends? There's Linda, Joan, and Helena. So it'll be an eight-person game," Meloni answered as she poured Thad a drink.

"Is there honey in this?" Thad asked.

"Yeah! It's a virgin margarita. Joan's recipe. Good, right?" Meloni asked. She put her hands on her hips proudly as he took another sip. Thad nodded. "Do you want water instead? You look peaked."

"I'm fine, Mom. Last night just caught up with me," Thad reassured her. He took another sip and took the tin pan to the backyard.

Bart took some of the finished dishes out to the backyard while watching a movie. "Mom, I know you said we'd talk about it later—."

"I remember. Um, I just want to talk tonight... Is that okay?" Meloni interrupted. Bart nodded.

"Do you have a snack for me?" Bart asked. Meloni smiled and offered him a potato skin. Bart smiled and made a soft noise. "Thanks." Meloni nodded and tried one for herself.

"You know what? I think I might've outdone myself," Meloni smiled. Bart grinned and took the platter outside. He plopped back down on the couch afterward to watch the rest of the movie.

The doorbell rang once around lunchtime, and Bart ran to open the door. "I've got it!" Bart yelled as he opened the door. Owen and Axel smiled and held up two six-packs each.

"We didn't know if you guys preferred pop or beer," Owen mumbled. Bart invited them in and told them to sit the six-packs on the coffee table. He took them to the kitchen, where Meloni scrambled to find a place to put her tray fresh from the oven. Owen moved a mixing bowl and used a kitchen towel to take the tray from her. "Here, I've got you."

Meloni turned around to thank him. Meloni was speechless the second they met eyes. She hugged him without thinking. "Sorry, um, that was weird... I'll be right back," Meloni whispered as she rushed out of the room.

Owen offered to follow her. "Hey, I'm not trying—. Do you know who I am?" Owen asked. Meloni stopped and nodded as she stood frozen on the staircase. She kept her back turned to Owen as she hugged herself. "Do you want me to go away?"

Meloni turned to him and shook her head. "No. I just—. I feel like such a horrible-. Can we go up to the attic?" Meloni asked. Owen nodded hesitantly and followed her up the stairs. The doorbell rang, and they heard the rest of the guests arrive downstairs. Owen closed the attic door, and Meloni retrieved her locked box and pulled out his picture.

Owen took the picture in his hands, and he swallowed hard. "I don't even know what I'm supposed to call you... Do you know what you're supposed to call me?" Owen asked. Meloni hugged her knees and fought the urge to reach for him.

"You can call me Mel or Mrs. Allen or Mom or whatever you want... I um—. I didn't get to name you, so I don't really know what to call you either," she let out an uncomfortable laugh as tears rolled down her cheeks.

"Owen Mercer," Owen answered. He didn't know what to think of her.

"Owen," she smiled as she said the word aloud, "That's perfect. You look like an Owen. Um... Did the family—? They promised—."

"They were okay people... They're gone now, but they were good to me. Can I ask why you gave me up? I'm only a few years older than the twins, and Dad said you weren't with their father..." Owen trailed off.

"Because Digger wasn't ready to be a father, and my dad—. Your grandpa gave me an ultimatum. I could move back with him and let him raise you, or I could give you up," Meloni confessed, "He never would've let you be a child. You would've always felt inadequate—. Owen, I never wanted to give you up. I just didn't want you to grow up the way I did."

Owen gave the photograph back, and he played with his earring. "Did you ever tell anyone that you had another child?" Owen asked.

"I told Don... The boys' father. He offered to help me find you, but you were almost three, and it—."

"I don't hate you. I just want to know you," Owen reassured her, "I don't know what to do. Please stop crying, Mom. I—." Meloni embraced him. Owen hugged her back.

"I was just thinking about you last night, and now you're here, and you're calling me Mom. It'd be weird if I wasn't crying," Meloni whispered. Owen let go and scratched his head.

"I'll stay quiet if you want. I don't wanna do anything to hurt any of you guys," Owen offered. Meloni shook her head.

"No, it's time I open up to them. I was going to talk to Bart and Thad tonight... I'd like all my sons to be there," Meloni replied, "But in the meantime, it would be nice if you kept this between us." Owen nodded.

"Of course, yeah. I um-. Can I ask you for something?" Owen questioned.

Meloni nodded. "Yes, anything. What is it?" Meloni asked.

"Can I keep a picture of you? It doesn't have to be that one. I just—."

Meloni looked through her box and gave Owen a picture of her with Digger. "This was the day I met him... Did he tell you about that?" Meloni smiled. Owen nodded. "You look so much like him. He must've liked that."

Owen chuckled and nodded. "Yeah, he really got a kick out of my smile. Dad said it was like seeing his face with your smile," Owen whispered. He was shocked at how easy it was to talk to her. She stood up, and they hugged once more before they went downstairs and introduced him to their guests.

[bluejaysandblackbats]

The Brother Trap

Fandom: DC Comics, Flashfam

Summary: Owen wants to connect with his half-brothers for the first time. Luckily for him, they all go to the same university. Will bad blood between twins keep Owen from the family of his dreams, or is he the missing piece they've always needed?

Chapters: 9/?

Characters: Owen Mercer, Axel Walker, Thad Thawne, Bart Allen, Meloni Thawne, Deborah Morgna, Preston Lindsay, President Thaddeus Thawne Mention

Relationships: Owen Mercer/Axel Walker, Thad Thawne/Deborah Morgna, PrestonBart

Additional Tags: POV Third Person, College AU, Angst and Fluff, Family Dynamics, Family Issues, No Powers AU

Chapter Nine: Sweetpea & Sunshine

The twins got home late, and their mom lay on the couch, fast asleep. Pictures of their father lay strewn across the table while a home movie played on the tv. Bart couldn't look at the home movies. It made their father too real. He went out to the car to get their laundry out of the trunk, but Thad stood frozen, watching the screen. Don played with them when they were babies on tv. "Where's my squish?" Don asked as a young Thad grabbed his face and kissed him. "I love you too, Theo."

"How do you know he's Thad?" a voice in the background questioned.

"Theo's a daddy's boy... I wonder if Dawn and I were like this," Don chuckled as he pulled a young Thad into his arms. Bart stood up and reached for Thad, and Meloni gasped in the background. Don looked over at Bart calmly and grinned. "Well, would you look at that."

The video stopped, and Thad wiped his tears away and sniffed. "How was the party?" Meloni asked, still half-asleep.

"Bart was the designated driver... I'm a little drunk," Thad mumbled. Meloni sat up and leaned over the back of the couch. Thad swallowed hard, and he walked into Meloni's open arms.

"What's the matter, Sweetpea? And before you answer, I love this new color on you," Meloni whispered in a sweet voice as she messed up his hair. Thad let out a broken laugh as he cried. Meloni knew what was bothering Thad, but she wanted him to say it.

"I miss him," Thad answered with a broken whisper.

"I miss him too, but he left me the two most important parts of his life... He left me you and Bart," Meloni reassured him, "Did you have fun tonight?"

Thad nodded. "Bart brought his own bag of pizza rolls, and there was a girl from—. I have a date with her. Bart sat with our friend, and we took him home and his boyfriend-. I think that's his boyfriend. We took them home. I think you'll like my friend—. Our friend. He's Bart's friend too," Thad rambled. Bart came back in with the laundry basket.

"Hi, M—."

"Can I hug both my boys or is it too soon?" Meloni asked excitedly. Bart and Thad embraced her. "I love you both so so much."

"Love you, Mom," they whispered in unison. Thad went upstairs to shower and get ready for bed, and Bart stayed behind.

"Were you waiting for us?" Bart asked. Meloni nodded. "I saw a picture of Grandma today... Your mom." Meloni turned back toward the tv and shut her eyes as if the mere mention of her mother caused her pain.

"You can use my bathroom... We'll talk tomorrow after cards, Sunshine," Meloni whispered. Bart went upstairs to use his mom's shower, and both boys were in bed within the hour.

Meloni turned the tv off and went upstairs to check on them. When she was sure they were asleep, she went up to the attic. Meloni opened the armoire and pulled out a small locked box. She unlocked it and sifted through the pictures and keepsakes inside until she stumbled upon a photo of herself in the delivery room with her firstborn son. It was the only picture Meloni had of Owen. She held it to her chest as she wept.

Sometimes she felt guilty as a mother for not raising all of her sons together, and she felt even worse for concealing her past. Bart came up to the attic, rubbing his eyes. "Mom?" Bart mumbled. Meloni closed the box and turned to him. "I'm gonna make some warm milk. Do you want some?"

"Um, no," she sniffed, "No, thank you."

"What are you hiding?" Bart asked.

Meloni tried to stop crying long enough to answer, but it only made her feel worse. "Can we talk about it some other time? I'm sorry," Meloni wept. Bart embraced her.

"See you later, Mom," Bart whispered.

He left her alone in the attic, and she went through her little box alone. She kept all her secrets in that little box. Everything she couldn't say or admit to out loud went in the box. The only other person that knew about it was Don. Finding Don's sweatshirts reawakened old memories. Her childhood, her young adulthood, and the loss of her eldest child all bubbled to the surface, and it made her feel more alone than she'd ever felt.

Meloni decided she'd tell the boys once they were old enough, but they argued so much. Now that they were getting along, it seemed like the perfect time to talk to them. That scared her. She could hear Thad and Bart's voices downstairs. She heard a loud thud and got up to see what was happening. Before Meloni could get to the door, Thad and Bart started laughing. Meloni let out a sigh of relief and pressed her forehead to the wall. She pulled herself together before going downstairs to their room. Thad and Bart sat on the top bunk together, whispering, using words only they knew. "Everything okay? I heard a noise," Meloni asked.

Thad and Bart chuckled. "I fell up the ladder," Thad explained. Meloni smiled.

"Mom, do you wanna sleep in here? You know? Like when we were little," Bart offered. Meloni nodded. She didn't realize that Bart told Thad that she'd been crying.

She climbed into the bottom bunk and drifted off to sleep, and Thad lay on the other side of Bart's bunk. "Bart?" Thad whispered. Bart made a soft noise. "I'm sorry about what I said this week..."

"It doesn't count. I said something just as bad," Bart whispered, "Besides, I can't remember what you said."

Thad chuckled and closed his eyes. He knew Bart was lying, but he loved him for it. Bart never forgot anything. An 'I forgot' was just as good as an 'I forgive you' to Thad.

[bluejaysandblackbats]

The Brother Trap

Fandom: DC Comics, Flashfam

Summary: Owen wants to connect with his half-brothers for the first time. Luckily for him, they all go to the same university. Will bad blood between twins keep Owen from the family of his dreams, or is he the missing piece they've always needed?

Chapters: 5/?

Characters: Owen Mercer, Axel Walker, Thad Thawne, Bart Allen, Meloni Thawne, Deborah Morgna, Preston Lindsay, President Thaddeus Thawne Mention

Relationships: Owen Mercer/Axel Walker, Thad Thawne/Deborah Morgna, PrestonBart

Additional Tags: POV Third Person, College AU, Angst and Fluff, Family Dynamics, Family Issues, No Powers AU

Chapter Five: Sportsmanship

Owen sat at the top of the bleachers watching the sunrise. He hadn't been able to sleep, so he thought it'd be nice to be out in the open air. Someone tapped his shoulder and startled him. He turned around to look Thad in the eye. "Jeez, how'd you—? Good morning, Thad," Owen whispered.

"Morning," Thad mumbled. Owen offered him some hot tea. "No thanks."

"Thad, is something bothering you?" Owen whispered. Thad nodded and looked straight out into the horizon.

Thad wanted to say something, so Owen stayed silent. He didn't want to risk cutting Thad off and having him shut down. "Bart and I have sleeping problems. He gets restless, and I have nightmares. Sometimes, I wake up from a nightmare, and I watch him until I can go back to sleep," Thad confessed, "I think it's the nicest thing he can do for me sometimes. It's the only time when I don't feel... Inferior."

Owen took a sip of tea and nodded, waiting for Thad to continue. When he didn't, Owen asked about his nightmares. "Sometimes my mom had to go away for work, and she'd leave us with family or friends of the family... But we're twins, and sometimes that can be a lot to handle, so we'd be split up for whatever time she was gone. I'd usually stay with our grandpa, and he'd go stay with our Uncle Max," Thad took a breath, "He's not really our uncle. He just cares about us... About Bart."

"Yeah, what's your grandpa like?" Owen asked.

"Well, he was rigid, competitive, cold. Nothing I did was ever good enough," Thad explained, "Bart and I were fourteen in track together. We used to do three events each. Our third was the relay. We were evenly matched back then, so we took turns being an anchor.

Grandpa showed up to watch us race, and everything was going great. I was the anchor, but our third was slow on the exchange, and I got second. I knew what Grandpa would say, and when Bart came to congratulate me after the race, I snapped at him. I hit him, and I'll never be able to take that back.

I have nightmares about losing him all the time, but I can't tell him that. I haven't earned the right to tell him that-."

"Thad, I'm no expert on siblings or anything, but maybe telling him about stuff like that'll make you seem more human to him. I was mentored by a guy a while back to keep me out of trouble after my dad died, and I hated him. I thought he was such a jerk. Then one day, I saw him fall apart at his desk. After that, he didn't seem so terrible. He seemed like a regular guy trying to make a difference," Owen explained, "Besides, I'm sure he wouldn't want to lose you either. Maybe he thinks you hate him."

"I don't," Thad blurted out, but he understood what Owen meant. "But if I tell him about that, I'll have to tell him how I put in the applications for us to be roommates."

"He'll get over it, but I'd open with that. Bart's got a pretty short attention span," Owen replied. Thad nodded.

"Are you gonna be here for a while?" Thad questioned. Owen nodded. "I'm gonna race Bart this morning..."

"Why?" Owen asked. Thad shrank down and pulled his hood up.

"Swear you won't laugh," Thad commanded in a feeble voice.

Owen punched him in the shoulder playfully. "On my life," he answered gently.

"I wanted him to show me how to play rugby. I didn't wanna tell you that I don't know how to play because I wanted to hang out with you," Thad confessed.

"I kinda figured you didn't know what rugby was... The thing is, I don't care what we do this week. I just wanted to hang out with you," Owen revealed. As the sun rose, they heard the loud snapping noise of skateboard wheels rolling over the cracks on the sidewalk.

"Bart's here," Thad whispered. Owen offered to hold Thad's jacket for him until he got back.

He watched as Thad rushed down the bleachers to the track and met with Bart. They exchanged words, and Thad pointed up at Owen. Bart waved, and Owen waved back. "Can you tell us when?" Bart yelled.

"Let me know when you're ready!" Owen yelled as he took his duffel and Thad's jacket down to the benches by the track. Bart and Thad stretched and took their marks. Thad looked serious, but Bart seemed beside himself with joy. "Well, you're already on your marks," Owen joked, "Get set... Go!"

The twins took off with a sprint, and Owen sat down on the benches. He took out his phone and videotaped the race, which worked out in everyone's favor because it was close. Bart won by a hair, but Bart didn't stop to see who won before embracing Thad. He picked him up and swung him around. Owen scratched his head and chuckled to himself.

Bart let Thad go, and Thad dusted himself off. He said something to Bart, and they waved Owen over. He walked over to the twins, and Thad invited him to breakfast. "Do you have morning classes today?" Thad asked.

"No, I was just here to watch the sun come up," Owen answered. They walked to the Big Belly Burger together, and the girl from the night shift was back at the register. "Hey, Thad, that's the girl from the other night." He gave Thad a gentle shove forward. "Go talk to her."

Thad approached the register, and the girl smiled at him. "I like your hair," she whispered.

"Oh, I was gonna fix it-."

"Don't," she whispered, "I'm Deb."

"Thad," Thad whispered. Deb smiled at him.

"Can I take your order?" Deb asked. Thad ordered breakfast, and she wrote her number on the back of the receipt. "Maybe I could spike it for you sometime."

"Huh?" Thad asked.

"Your hair," Deb clarified. She gave him three cups, and Thad chuckled and nodded on his way to the table. Owen nudged him, and his face reddened. He took the receipt and put her number into his phone before sending a text message. She pulled her phone out of her pocket and smiled.

Bart took two cups to fill up with soda, and Thad sat up as if he'd just remembered something. "My mom plays cards twice a month. Once with me and once with Bart... My mom wanted me to ask if you wanted to join us this weekend? It's an open thing-."

"Yeah, okay," Owen answered without thinking. He took a sip of his soda and immediately changed the subject. "You should ask that girl out."

"Yeah?" Thad asked. Owen took another sip of soda and nodded.

"What'd she say to you?" Owen questioned.

"She said she liked my hair," Thad whispered. Owen smiled. "I guess it's not that bad." Thad pulled at his bangs, and Owen chuckled.

Bart sat back down and brought their food over. He had a hashbrown in his mouth. Thad took the bag and chuckled. Bart and Thad didn't say much to one another. Owen didn't mind, though. He could tell they were getting along. "There's a party Friday night," Owen announced, "We should all go."

Thad looked at Bart. "Sounds good to me," Bart replied.

"Okay, I'm game," Thad agreed. Owen smiled and snapped a picture of them. Bart went back to eating, and Thad reached for Owen's phone. "Here, let's get one good one." The three of them pulled in and took pictures together. Owen sent them to his brothers, and he saved one of the pictures as his home screen.

[bluejaysandblackbats]

The Brother Trap

Fandom: DC Comics, Flashfam

Summary: Owen wants to connect with his half-brothers for the first time. Luckily for him, they all go to the same university. Will bad blood between twins keep Owen from the family of his dreams, or is he the missing piece they've always needed?

Chapters: 4/?

Characters: Owen Mercer, Axel Walker, Thad Thawne, Bart Allen, Meloni Thawne, Deborah Morgna, Preston Lindsay, President Thaddeus Thawne Mention

Relationships: Owen Mercer/Axel Walker, Thad Thawne/Deborah Morgna, PrestonBart

Additional Tags: POV Third Person, College AU, Angst and Fluff, Family Dynamics, Family Issues, No Powers AU

Chapter Four: Fire and Ice

Bart got to the dorm late in the afternoon and curled up in bed. Thad came in shortly after him and turned the tv on. "Turn it down," Bart muttered as he covered his head with a pillow.

Thad turned the tv down and looked over at Bart. "Can you clean your side of the room later?" Thad asked as he turned back to the tv. Bart groaned. "I'm just saying. Three people live in this room... And the majority of the clutter comes from you."

Bart got up and shoved his comic books under their roommate's bed. Thad clenched his fists. "That is not what I meant, and you know it," Thad replied. He wanted to yell, but he refused to be the one to start the argument this time. Bart pinched the bridge of his nose.

Preston entered the room and stared at them. "Please don't start fighting. I was hoping to get home and eat while you guys were still in a good mood," Preston mumbled.

"I told Bart he can't push his junk under your bed. He's cleaning his side of the room tonight," Thad replied. Preston started helping Bart clean up to keep the peace. "Bart, you can't keep expecting Preston to help you all the time."

Preston excused himself and left the room to go upstairs until things blew over. "I don't get why you have to be such a nag all the time," Bart mumbled.

"Better a nag than a waste of space," Thad replied. He figured he'd wounded Bart badly enough to end the argument before it could start. They both knew how to hurt each other, and they never missed an opportunity to do so.

Bart sucked his teeth and closed his eyes before turning to face the back of Thad's head. If they were kids, Bart would have hit him. But they weren't kids, not anymore. "This is why no one wants to be around you, you know?" Bart snapped back.

"And people just love sticking around for you, huh?" Thad raised his voice slightly.

"As opposed to being alone all the time?" Bart responded. By that point, they'd both wounded the other to silence. Neither one had anything else to say.

Bart finished cleaning his side of the room, and Thad turned the tv down. Thad lay on his stomach on the couch while Bart climbed back up to his bed. Bart curled up and watched the tv from his bed. They both wanted to apologize, but neither one knew how.

Preston came back a few hours later and sat on his bed. "I brought home ice cream this morning... I forgot to mention it earlier," Preston whispered.

"What flavor?" both twins mumbled. They were unphased by speaking the same phrase simultaneously.

"Butterfinger, pistachio, and birthday cake," Preston answered gently, "Everybody's favorites."

"Thanks, Preston," Thad whispered.

"Yeah, thank you," Bart chimed in. Preston fell asleep a little while after that. Bart looked over the side of his bunk and sighed. "Hey, Thad?"

"Yeah, Bart?" Thad whispered back.

"Would it be weird if Mom started dating someone?" Bart questioned. Thad sat up and looked at Bart.

"Is Mom dating somebody?" Thad whispered. Bart shrugged. "I mean, it wouldn't be weird if she did..."

"I told her the same thing," Bart chuckled, "Do you think Mom gets lonely?"

"I think maybe she does sometimes," Thad replied. They didn't apologize, but they talked about their mom for a while. It made them both feel better long enough to fall asleep.

Bart never slept through the night, though. He'd get up and eat or pace around the room until he grew bored enough to sleep again. Thad would sometimes wake up and watch Bart wander around. He'd never tell Bart, but he slept better when they shared a room. It felt like someone was keeping watch over him when Bart was up and about. Bart sat on the couch eating cold pizza and working on his laptop. Thad woke up from a nightmare and watched Bart's face in the dim light, and he seemed stressed about something. "What're you working on?" Thad whispered. Bart jumped in his seat and turned to Thad.

"Huh?" Bart asked softly.

"What are you working on?" Thad asked a second time.

Bart closed his laptop and set it aside. "Something for class... What are you doing up?" Bart questioned.

Thad wanted to tell Bart about his nightmare. He always wanted to talk to Bart about his nightmares, but he couldn't move himself to do it. They weren't close enough to talk about the things that mattered. "Why was Owen looking for you at that party? Why did he know your name?" Thad changed the subject.

Bart shrugged. "He said he saw me at a meet... But when he saw me at the gym, he thought I was you," he chuckled in reply. "What do you think of him?"

"He's okay. I'm supposed to play rugby with some of his friends this week, but I'm not really sure I get the sport," Thad whispered.

"Then why'd you say you'd go?" Bart questioned. He turned his body to face Thad's bed and looked him in his eyes. It always felt weird to Bart. Looking at Thad felt like looking into a mirror sometimes; it made his skin crawl.

Thad didn't like it much either, but it wasn't the similarity that bothered him. It was the difference. Bart always looked at everyone with wonder in his eyes, but he always looked at Thad like a bug under a microscope. It made him squirm. "I dunno... I guess I just wanted to hang out with him again. I thought if I told him that I didn't know what that was that he'd—."

"I'll show you the ropes," Bart interrupted. Thad smiled but only for a brief moment.

"What's the catch?" Thad questioned.

"I wanna race you tomorrow morning," Bart replied. Thad nodded seriously.

Thad hadn't raced Bart since they were kids. He turned over in bed and faced the wall. Thad didn't get the same rush that Bart got from running. He felt pressure, a crushing weight on his chest and he wanted to hate Bart for it. He wanted to hate Bart so much, but he just couldn't.

[bluejaysandblackbats]

The Brother Trap

Fandom: DC Comics, Flashfam

Summary: Owen wants to connect with his half-brothers for the first time. Luckily for him, they all go to the same university. Will bad blood between twins keep Owen from the family of his dreams, or is he the missing piece they've always needed?

Chapters: 1/?

Characters: Owen Mercer, Axel Walker, Thad Thawne, Bart Allen, Meloni Thawne, Deborah Morgna, Preston Lindsay, President Thaddeus Thawne Mention

Relationships: Owen Mercer/Axel Walker, Thad Thawne/Deborah Morgna, PrestonBart

Additional Tags: POV Third Person, College AU, Angst and Fluff, Family Dynamics, Family Issues, No Powers AU

Chapter One: Buzzed

"Bart!" Owen yelled as he followed the hooded figure out of the frat house. "Bart, wait! I need to talk to you!"

The hooded figure whipped around to face Owen in the rain. Owen stepped back and took a breath. "I'm not Bart! I'm not him!" Thad yelled. He stepped back and stumbled. "I'm just his twin! You know... Nobody! I'm just nobody!" Owen frowned as he scratched his head. He felt uncomfortable, being that he'd never heard of Thad.

"Well, I don't really need to talk to Bart. I didn't know you two were twins—."

"Yeah, we're fucking identical, which is part of why my week is going to shit," Thad let out a pained laugh as he yanked his hood off.

Owen's lips widened into a pained expression. "Oh... Well, it's—. It's yellow," Owen replied.

"Yeah? Well, that's what happens when you use cheap off-brand dye," Thad replied, "And now you're mistaking me for him. This night can't get any worse."

Owen shoved his hands in his pockets. "Listen, I um—. I'm sorry... I was gonna go get a burger," Owen mumbled, "Wanna come along?"

Thad pushed a hand through his wet hair and chewed on the offer for a moment. He nodded and followed Owen off-campus. Thad stumbled closely behind Owen and nearly walked into the street before Owen grabbed his arm. "Shit, be careful," Owen whispered. Thad's face twisted up, and he burst into tears. Owen sighed and pulled the hood over Thad's head, and he let Thad embrace him. "It's gonna be alright... Come on, the light's blinking. Let's go eat." Thad wiped his face and followed Owen across the street and into the restaurant.

"I want a kid's meal," Thad mumbled.

Owen covered his laugh and ordered two coffees with their meals so that Thad could sober up. The cashier looked at the two of them, and she smiled. Thad smiled back before turning his head away. Thad stumbled away and sat down at the table while Owen paid for the food. "He's so cute," she whispered, "Thad's in my psych class."

"Oh, yeah? He's my brother... He doesn't know it yet, though," Owen casually replied. She chuckled as if he were joking and gave him his receipt. Owen took it back to the table and waited for their number to get called.

Thad sat at the table with his face in his hands. "I'm not Bart... I'll never be Bart," Thad mumbled.

"Don't have to be Bart. Just be Thad. I just want to get to know you," Owen replied. Thad looked up at him, and Owen offered him a smile. The woman called their number, and Owen got up and brought the tray to the table. He urged Thad to drink the coffee before he started talking to him. "Thad—."

"Are we friends?" Thad asked.

"Yeah, sure. Drink your coffee," Owen whispered. Thad nibbled on his food. "You okay?"

Thad nodded. "Are you an only child, Owen?" Thad asked.

"I've got two brothers, but I don't know them yet—."

"Well, you're lucky. Brothers are not all that they're choked up to be," Thad interrupted as he ate another fry. Owen's shoulders dropped. "It's not that Bart's a bad guy. He's just a pain."

Thad shivered from the cold, and Owen nudged him. "Drink your coffee," Owen reminded him. Thad took a few sips of his coffee and held his face in his hands. "You good?"

Owen finished eating and put his garbage on the tray. "Can I sleep at your dorm?" Thad asked. Owen's eyes widened.

"I don't stay on campus, but yeah. Sure you can," Owen mumbled. Thad smiled and went back to eating. Owen drank his coffee, and he waited for nearly an hour while Thad nibbled on what remained of his kid's meal.

When he was done, Owen called an uber, and they drove to his apartment. Thad took off his jacket, and he crashed on Owen's couch. He lay down face first on the sofa, and Owen checked to make sure he was breathing. While Thad slept, Owen showered and changed into sweats. "Thad?" Owen thought to himself. He let out a breath of air as he went to bed. Thad made a soft breathing noise, and Owen lay awake, watching his brother sleep. "Nice to meet you, little brother," Owen mumbled.

Thad's phone rang, and Owen pulled it from his back pocket. He turned the ringer off and placed it face down on the coffee table. Owen looked down at Thad and wondered what it would've been like if they'd grown up together. Owen looked at the photo on Thad's phone case and chuckled. Thad seemed so happy in that picture with their mother. He wished he had the heart to tell Thad they were brothers, but the last thing he wanted was for Thad to shut him out.

Owen got back into bed and turned the tv on. He couldn't sleep. All he could think about was the similarities and differences in their looks.

Thad stirred a few times during the night, and at one point, he got up and stumbled around looking for the bathroom. "This is not my dorm," Thad mumbled to himself. Owen propped up on his elbows and squinted at Thad roaming around in the dark.

"You're in the kitchen. The bathroom is this way," Owen pointed out. Thad clumsily felt his way over to Owen's side of the apartment and closed the bathroom door behind him. Owen sat up and waited for Thad to come back. He wanted to talk, but Thad walked straight past him and passed out on the couch a second time. Owen thought it was funny that Thad didn't care that he was in a strange apartment. It made him feel like they'd grown up together. Thad didn't wake again after that, and Owen eventually drifted off to sleep.

[bluejaysandblackbats]

The Brother Trap

Fandom: DC Comics, Flashfam

Summary: Owen wants to connect with his half-brothers for the first time. Luckily for him, they all go to the same university. Will bad blood between twins keep Owen from the family of his dreams, or is he the missing piece they've always needed?

Chapters: 15/?

Characters: Owen Mercer, Axel Walker, Thad Thawne, Bart Allen, Meloni Thawne, Deborah Morgna, Preston Lindsay, President Thaddeus Thawne Mention

Relationships: Owen Mercer/Axel Walker, Thad Thawne/Deborah Morgna, PrestonBart

Additional Tags: POV Third Person, College AU, Angst and Fluff, Family Dynamics, Family Issues, No Powers AU

Chapter Fifteen: New Baby Boy

Meloni sat on the floor of Owen's apartment, wrapping his belongings in bubble wrap. "Owen, I know you didn't wanna ask me for help, but I'm so happy you did," Meloni whispered. Owen made two plates and took them to the coffee table.

"Mom, I'm not gonna be a burden. I'll cook, fix whatever you need me to fix—."

"Owen, what happened? Are you in trouble?" Meloni asked.

"No, it's nothing like that. Axel—. Before I tell you, Axel's everything to me. He's the only reason I didn't lose it after Dad died... But he's sensitive, and his roommate doesn't understand him. Axe does things sometimes without thinking and can really hurt somebody, but he's done great at controlling his temper—. He made a time-released paint bomb and set it off in his roommate's backpack causing three thousand in damages.

"He's helped me out before. So, I helped him. I love him, Mom. I love him more than I've ever loved anybody. He's the love of my life, even if he is a little rough around the edges," Owen confessed.

"Your dad would've said the same thing about me," Meloni smiled, "And I think Axel's a lovely young man."

"Mom... How'd you end up with my dad? I love him, but he was—. Dad-..."

"A criminal? Oh, I know. We stole from my dad a couple times when I was younger. We even vandalized his office once or twice," Meloni smiled. Owen's eyes widened as he ate his fish. Meloni took a bite. "Owen! Oh my—! You can cook."

"Thanks, Mom... Can we go back to the part where you said you committed crimes?" Owen asked.

"Only against my dad... It's weird because—. Owen, I understand what it's like to have a checkered past. We all do things for one reason or another, but that doesn't necessarily make us bad people," Meloni replied, "I—. Oh my god, you've gotta give me the recipe for this fish."

Owen laughed. "I'm glad you're my mom... I was so scared of you rejecting me, and I feel like you like me—."

"Correction. I love you," Meloni whispered, "What time do you go to work?"

"An hour from now... Mom, you don't have to keep packing after I leave... I'd feel safer if you—."

"Don't worry about me. Thad's coming over because he wants to watch a movie... And he likes packing," Meloni replied. Owen nodded. "What kind of fish is this?"

"Red snapper," Owen replied, "I mostly cook fish. I can cook just about any fish you could think of. Axe and I spent time on a fishing boat working under the table. This is basically code for: I was a cook, and Axe was my steward, and we slept on the floor between a mail crate and a water heater, which was illegal."

"What happened?" Meloni asked.

"I got pneumonia, and Axe had a cut that got infected and almost died... That and the company got sued, and we got a settlement... So, we took the money, got our high school equivalence done, and enrolled in school," Owen explained. Meloni smiled.

Axel came in with his duffel bag. "Sorry, I'm late. Hi, Mrs. Allen—."

"Meloni or Mel or Mom will do, Axel," Meloni interrupted. Owen stood up and made Axel a plate.

Axel put his bag down and washed his hands. "Mom?" Axel asked.

"Mhm. Are you alright? You look peaked," Meloni whispered before feeling his forehead.

Owen brought Axel his plate and kissed him on the cheek. "Mom's right... You look like you don't feel too good," Owen agreed, "Stay here with Mom and Thad tonight." He dumped the remaining food on his plate in Tupperware and put it in his lunch bag.

"I don't wanna cause any more problems than I—."

"You're not a problem. I've been dying to spend time with you," Meloni smiled.

Owen kissed Meloni's cheek. "Love you, Mom... Love you, Lollie," Owen whispered, "I gotta go to work." Then, he was gone.

"He calls you Lollie?" Meloni whispered. Axel blushed.

"He doesn't usually say it in front of people... His—. Digger didn't know," Axel replied, "It means a lot to him that you accept him as is. We talked at length about him being himself with you."

"Digger didn't know about you two?" Meloni asked. Axel shook his head.

"Wasn't an us two... I knew how Digger was, and I wouldn't—. I couldn't-. I love your son, and I would rather see him have a family than see him with me," Axel whispered.

"You don't have to do that. Axel, I see how Owen looks at you. He'd give anything to be with you. You should see how he looks when he talks about you. It's like you put the stars in the sky. It's beautiful," Meloni smiled, "How'd you two meet?"

Axel looked down at his plate. "Owen moved across the street from my group home... And we went to the same school for a while. So, he'd walk with me. I started staying there after school while he went to work. I'd break in and make myself something to eat... Then, he caught me. I expected him to beat me up, but he asked if I wanted a key.

"Eventually, we started hanging out on holidays and his days off... Then some stuff happened at the group home, and we started getting in trouble... Got mixed in with his Digger's friends, and then we met Digger. He was fun. Then, he died, and things got bad... And we ended up on that boat that almost killed us both..."

"Owen said you almost died," Meloni replied.

"I went septic fast, but I recovered faster than he did. He almost didn't make it," Axel replied, "But he always downplays how sick he was."

Meloni reached forward and moved a stray hair from Axel's face. "You two are gonna love each other forever... You know that?" Meloni whispered. Axel smiled.

"I hope so, Mrs. Allen," Axel replied, "As selfish as it is... I really hope so."

"Love isn't selfish if it's what the other person wants too... And call me Mel, Meloni, or Mom," Meloni giggled. She stood up and threw out her paper plate. "I'm so excited for you and Owen to come live with me... Even if it is for a little while... Axel, let me make you a cup of tea."

"Huh?" Axel whispered. Meloni reached into her purse and pulled out a box of tea.

"I carry everything in my purse. You never know when you're gonna get stuck somewhere... When I was pregnant with Owen, I once got stuck in a snowstorm in a cabin with nothing to eat but peanut butter and a can of sweet corn," Meloni recalled, "Does Owen eat sweet corn?"

"I thought he was insane when I first broke into his place because his cabinets were filled with cans of corn," Axel laughed. Meloni pulled out the couch bed and tucked in the blankets. "You're tired? I'm sure Owen'll let you take the bed."

"No... This is for you, sweetheart. You look like you don't feel well at all," Meloni whispered. Axel blinked hard.

"You don't have to be nice to me for Owen's sake," Axel whispered, rubbing his eyes with his palms.

"I'm not... I think you're adorable and charming, and I can't help but be a mom. I hope you don't mind me making you my newest little baby boy," Meloni half-joked.

"It's gonna take some getting used to," Axel replied, "But I like you, Mel... And I'm glad you're Owen's mom."

[bluejaysandblackbats]

The Brother Trap

Fandom: DC Comics, Flashfam

Summary: Owen wants to connect with his half-brothers for the first time. Luckily for him, they all go to the same university. Will bad blood between twins keep Owen from the family of his dreams, or is he the missing piece they've always needed?

Chapters: 14/?

Characters: Owen Mercer, Axel Walker, Thad Thawne, Bart Allen, Meloni Thawne, Deborah Morgna, Preston Lindsay, President Thaddeus Thawne Mention

Relationships: Owen Mercer/Axel Walker, Thad Thawne/Deborah Morgna, PrestonBart

Additional Tags: POV Third Person, College AU, Angst and Fluff, Family Dynamics, Family Issues, No Powers AU

Chapter Fourteen: Troubled Minds

Bart ran a few laps on the track before school to clear his head. That Monday was especially sad, but he didn't want to burden anyone with his feelings. He ran until he felt sick to his stomach, and he lay on his side on the field. "Are you okay?" Owen questioned. Bart smiled at him and offered a thumb's up. "I know you're lying because I've been watching you for the past hour."

Bart rolled onto his back and draped his arm over his face. Bart didn't feel like talking about his father and didn't know if he could explain that to Owen anyway. It seemed like it was too soon. He couldn't even talk to Thad about their father. "You know, my dad died too?" Owen asked. Bart stood up and staggered back to the track, where he vomited in a trash can. Owen wandered over to Bart and wrapped his arms around him. Bart pushed him, but Owen stood firm. "I'm sorry about your dad." Bart struggled to get loose, but Owen held on.

"Screw you. Let go of me," Bart growled. After a few minutes, Bart stopped fighting and burst into tears.

"Let's sit down, Bart," Owen whispered. Bart covered his face. Owen let go and messed up his brother's hair. They walked over to the bleachers and sat down. "How many years has it been?"

Bart swallowed hard and took a deep breath. "Twenty years today," Bart replied. Owen frowned and nodded.

"I'm sorry I made you cry, but it looked like you needed it," Owen apologized, "Our mom texted me last night telling me it was a weird time for you and Thad. She wasn't specific, but I put two and two together. Something told me you'd be out here."

"How'd you know?" Bart asked.

"Because it's where I'd be," Owen replied. He glanced at Bart. "Feel like skipping today? We can go somewhere... Just the three of us."

Bart nodded. "You can invite Axel too," Bart mumbled. Owen chuckled.

"I think he'd like that," Owen whispered, "What was your dad's favorite food? Like his absolute favorite dish?"

"Owen, what happened to your adoptive parents?" Bart asked innocently. Owen chewed his lip.

"They went on a date one night, the building caught fire, and they got trapped inside... They said they'd only be gone two hours... Three tops," Owen answered.

"I'm sorry," Bart apologized. Owen shrugged and offered him a solemn smile.

"I never would've found you guys if that didn't happen to me... Now I've got two little brothers, and I met my birth mom," Owen replied. Bart smiled and sniffed.

Owen's phone rang. "Sorry, hold on, Bart..." Owen answered his phone and took a breath. "Hey, Axe," Owen whispered.

"Owen, where are you?" Axel asked.

Owen scratched his head. "I'm at the track... You okay?" Owen asked.

"Are you busy? I wanted to talk to you. About the whole moving-in thing?" Axel asked. Owen frowned.

"Please don't give me any bad news, Axe—."

"No, no. I'm moving in. I am, but I wanted to know if I could move in sooner," Axel interrupted. Owen smiled. "But I need you right now..." Owen's smile faded, and he looked over at Bart.

"Send me your location right now. I'll come and get you," Owen replied.

Axel started hyperventilating and burst into tears. "Owen—."

"Your location, Axel," Owen half-yelled. Bart's eyes widened, and he sat up straight.

"What's wrong?" Bart asked. Owen started pacing.

Owen's phone made a high-pitched ding. "Owen, I'm sorry that I broke our promise... I'm so sorry, but—."

"I'm on my way right now," Owen replied, "Stay there." He ran to the parking lot, and Bart hopped up and followed him. Owen got in his car, and Bart got in with him. "Bart, you don't have to come—."

"We're family," Bart replied.

"You're with your brother?" Axel asked.

"Don't worry about it, Axe. I'm coming for you. Stay there," Owen replied as he put the phone on speaker. "Talk to me, Axe."

"Owen, I'm so sorry. Please don't be mad—."

"It's good. It's fine," Owen interrupted, "What happened? Take me through it. I can help you."

Axel sobbed. "No, I messed up... I messed—."

"We've been through a lot, and I've never gotten mad at you before. Come on, Lollie," Owen reassured him, "I'm a few minutes from your place. Wait on me... Alright. Take a breath and talk me through it."

Axel took a few labored breaths while Owen sped down the road to Axel's apartment. "I hate him so much, Owen. He deserved it," Axel replied, still crying softly. "I wanted to hurt him, Owen... I wanted to ruin him. I may or may not have-. Owen, listen—."

"Did you hurt him?" Owen asked seriously. "Axel, please tell me you didn't hurt him—."

"Three thousand in property damage," Axel replied. Owen let out a laugh. "You're not mad?"

"I'm stressed about how I'm gonna come up with fifteen hundred to keep you out of jail, but I think I can figure something out. This is no big deal. How'd you do it?" Owen asked.

"Time released paint bomb," Axel mumbled. Owen pulled over and fell into a fit of laughter. "Owen, if you wanna yell at me—."

"Axel, this is part of your charm," Owen smiled, "You're a pain in the ass... But you're my pain in the ass."

Axel let out a relieved laugh. "Owen, I'll pay you back as soon as I get enough—."

"Don't worry about it... I think I figured out how to get all the money together, but you're not gonna like it. You alright until I get there?" Owen asked. Axel made an affirmative noise. "I've always got you, don't I? Don't I?"

"You've always got me," Axel replied. Owen hung up, messed up Bart's hair, and drove toward Axel's place. Bart smiled at the affectionate gesture.

"How are you gonna get the money?" Bart asked.

Owen's smile faded. "I'm gonna pay rent this month. Then I gotta tell my landlord I'm out at the end of the month and spend my deposit and what I saved up for the following month on whatever Axe screwed up. I think that'd be three thousand altogether," Owen replied. Bart frowned. "I'll be alright, Bart... I've done stuff like this before."

Bart shook his head and called a number on his phone. "Hi, Mom—."

"Bart, no—!"

"Mom, you said if we ever needed anything to call you," Bart paused, "You meant that, right?"

"Bart, I swear to G—! Bart! Hang up right now!" Owen warned him. Bart put the phone on speaker.

"Mom, Owen needs your help, but he's afraid to ask you," Bart explained as he fought Owen off. "And he's about to do something really stupid—."

"Mom, ignore him. Ignore him. He's overreacting. I'm fine. Everything's—."

"Stop," Meloni replied sternly without raising her voice, "Owen. I have three sons. I've helped Bart and Thad out of some insane fixes. Let me help you. Let me be your mom too."

Owen sighed. "Would you mind if I came to stay with you for a few months? Axe and I can pay rent if—."

"Owen, why didn't you ask her for the mon—." Owen shook his head.

"I would love for you to move in... Of course, you can move in. And don't even think about paying rent," Meloni replied, "Don't worry about anything. You've been taking care of yourself for so long. Let someone else care for you for a change."

Owen ran a hand over the bottom half of his face as tears filled his eyes. "Yeah, okay. Thanks, Mom... I promise we won't give you any trouble. I know we don't know each other yet, but—."

"We're family," Meloni replied, "I love you, boys... And try to stay out of trouble. Okay?"

"Love you, Mom," Bart and Owen replied in unison.

Meloni hung up, leaving Bart and Owen near-speechless. "Bart, why would you do that?" Owen asked.

"Because we're brothers, and you weren't gonna ask her... Why didn't you ask for the money?" Bart questioned. "And where were you gonna stay if not with Mom?"

"Axe and I have been in situations like this before. We've made it on our own... But I guess I owe you a thank you—."

"No, you don't. Mom's happy, you're gonna have a place to stay, and this way, Thad and I still have you around," Bart interrupted. Owen smiled and blinked away his tears. "You'll fit right in. None of us know how to ask for help."