"Not Exactly Normal to Begin With", Part II

[queenitsy]

Title: Not Exactly Normal to Begin With [2 of 3; part one is here]
Author: queenitsy
Pairing/Character: Will/Warren/Layla (Warren POV)
Rating: PG
Summary: Warren has a revelation about his feelings for Will, and learns to cope with it.
-This chapter: Things get odder when Will shows up, and Warren's mom gives some good advice.
Spoilers/warning: The movie, in little detail
Note: Same as last time: beta read by harmonyangel, who is awesome. Feedback of all sorts is welcomed and appreciated.



Layla and I pulled away quickly. I stood up. "I should…"

"Yeah," she agreed quickly.

I genuinely had no idea who was going to be on the other side of the door, so I think the fact that I gaped openly at Will was obvious. And I found myself noticing again that he had great, puppy-dog brown eyes, and possibly the best smile I've ever seen. God. I was waxing poetic about my best friend, not even five minutes after making out with his ex-girlfriend. I think it's safe to say, it was the weirdest day I've ever had.

"Hi," Will said, when I didn't say anything.

I continued to not speak, but I moved so he could walk in and then I shut the door behind him, and noticed he was carrying a paper bag. He handed it to me. "Cookies. Mom saw your mom was off saving the world, so she sent me over with them. I told her you were sick, she said you shouldn't be alone."

"Oh," I said, and followed Will into the living room, where his reaction to Layla was about the same as mine had been to him.

"I believe the word you're looking for is 'hello,' Will," she finally said.

"I didn't expect to see you here," he answered. "What are you-"

"Same as you." She pointed to the Chinese food.

"You know, I'd just like to be clear that I didn't invite either one of you," I added, hoping that some of my usual bitterness might make the whole thing less awkward.

"Yeah, but you know our folks," Will answered. "They know you're alone here half the time anyway, and when your mom is out doing her thing, they want to make sure you're okay… so…"

Will awkwardly sat on the couch where I'd been before, next to but not touching-barely-Layla. I sat down on an armchair, opened my bag of cookies, and began to munch. Layla and Will both stared at me.

"You have your dinner," I pointed out to Layla. "And you had cookies at home," to Will. "So shut up."

"Neither one of us said anything," Layla pointed out.

"Whatever," I answered, my mouth full of cookie.

"So…" Will glanced around the room, kind of awkwardly. "Were you sick today?"

"Yeah," I said.

Layla rolled her eyes.

"It's not like I can fake it. Mom would know."

Will laughed. "Yeah, and if you are sick, she can just make it better before breakfast."

Layla cleared her throat. "But sometimes you just need a day off, right? So I guess it's convenient that your mom is busy."

"I was sick," I said again.

"Geeze, Layla, give him a break, he's sick," Will added.

"Yeah, I'm the one who came over to check on him without my parents telling me to."

"And there you go, doing that thing again." Will rolled his eyes.

"What thing, exactly, am I doing, William?" she demanded icily. Will didn't seem to notice her tone of voice, though I'm not quite sure how it was possible to miss it.

"You're being all self-righteous! Everything I do, you have to do better, even when it's just checking on my best friend!" Will yelled.

"He's my best friend, too!"

They glared at each other, then kind of stared at me. Yeah, like I was going to get in the middle of that.

"Look, not that this hasn't been just super fun and all, but if you two are going to fight, can you do it somewhere that isn't my living room? It's getting kind of old."

"Old?" Layla demanded (and it only occurred to me later that this time, I had totally missed the Layla-is-really-pissed tone of voice). "What's that supposed to mean?"

I started to answer, then stopped, a brilliant idea occurring to me. Layla, even if she did kind of like me, was in love with Will. Will, who would never like me, was still in love with Layla. And if they got back together, I wouldn't have to worry about how much I liked either one of them anymore. Sure, the feelings might have still been there, but with them both firmly off limits again, just the same as they were back when everything was normal and pretty happy, well, I couldn't think of a single reason it couldn't be normal and happy again.

So I did something very stupid.

"You two fighting is old," I said. "You two being broken up for stupid reasons is old. And you two being too stubborn to admit it is old. Layla, you told me-you told me-that you still love Will."

"Warren-" she started.

"No, seriously. And Will, don't pretend you don't still love her. It's pretty obvious."

"Warren, what are you talking about?" he demanded.

"What I'm talking about is you two being too stupid to get back together when everyone thinks you should. Do you still care about her?"

"I-"

"Yes or no question," I interrupted.

Will stared at me, then looked at Layla, who'd gone silent and a little pale. And he nodded.

"And Layla said-"

"I said that in private!" she yelled. "I trusted you!"

I rolled my eyes. "And I'm helping you out."

"You are not! I don't know why you think you have the right to just-If I told Will half of what you told me-I can't believe you, Warren!" She stood up angrily.

"Wait, you mean he was right?" Will asked, standing up too. "You still like me?"

Layla looked kind of horrified.

"Layla?"

She nodded, and she was lucky enough to get a smile from Will. A huge, beaming smile, like Layla's feelings for him was the best news he'd ever heard. Lucky Layla.

But then, she liked Will. Lucky Will.

"But Will, all the reasons we broke up are still-"

"I don't care," he said.

"I care, you act like such a-you-" She broke off, and took a deep breath. "I can't believe you'd do this to me, Warren," she said. "I thought you were my friend! I thought you said you cared about me!"

"Wait, Layla-" I managed to start, but it was too late. Layla was running out of the room, and a moment later my door slammed shut.

"Layla!" Will called after her, and started to follow, then stopped and turned to me. "What did she mean, half of what you told her? What were you two…" He looked at the doorway Layla had run through, then back at me, and he looked both confused and torn.

"Don't worry about it, just go after her."

"But-"

"If you don't go after her," I said, starting to get angry, "you're going to lose her. For good."

"What?"

My plan hadn't worked, and the only way to save it was to get Will to go after Layla. And considering everything I was feeling for Will, I really didn't want to hang around with him, alone, at my house. So I told myself, without taking the time to think it through, that what I really, really wanted was to get Will going after Layla, and make sure they got back together, so that I wouldn't have to deal with them anymore.

"Because I like her, Stronghold!" I yelled. "And she likes me, and we were making out before you got here, and if you don't go after her now, I will."

Will's face fell. And he turned and stalked out of my house, slamming the door even harder than Layla had, without saying another word.

At which point I realized that there was a serious flaw in my plan. Sure, Will and Layla get together, and they go back to being happy, and everything is normal. But my genius plan left Layla very mad at me for betraying her trust, and Will very mad at me for betraying his friendship.

And so it was my turn to stand and stare at the door, through which the two people I loved most in the world had disappeared. And as I stared, I got the sinking feeling that instead of fixing things, I'd screwed them up even worse.

*

It was a little after nine that night when my mom, having successfully saved the diplomat, found the poisoners, and brought them to justice, arrived home. She found me lying on the couch, staring up at the ceiling.

"Hey, honey, are you feeling any better? I brought pizza back from New York with me. Did you finish your homework?"

I didn't say anything, and she finally actually looked at me.

"So you're not feeling better, I take it?" she asked, sitting down next to me. "Which seems funny, since I was pretty sure you were faking it this morning."

"It's not fair that you can always tell," I mumbled.

"It's a gift." She smiled over at me. "And I can tell that you aren't sick, but you feel rotten."

"That's not one of your powers."

"You're right. It's more of a mom thing."

I rolled my eyes. Don't get me wrong, I love my mom and all. She's always been here for me, and raised me pretty much alone; my dad walked out when I was a toddler, and then he tried to take over the world, but everyone knows that story. And I know Mom was always worried about me not having a father figure, blah blah blah, whatever.

"So, do you want to talk about it?"

"No."

"Up to you, I guess," she answered, and put a hand on my forehead.

"Mom, don't-"

"I'm only taking your temperature," she said innocently.

Which was a lie. And I knew it was a lie, because I suddenly was feeling very calm and peaceful.

That's how Mom's powers work. Well, part of them. She can make people calm, and feel at peace, which is why they call her Dove. She can also do physical healing, like slowing the diplomat's biological processes until she could concoct a cure. And so she touched me and I felt oddly calm, and I knew that was her powers at work.

"So what's going on?" she asked.

"Well, for one thing, I resent you using your powers to try and make me talk about this," I answered, only so calm and rational about it because her powers were at work. She'd done this to me before, and it's always angered me, but by the time her powers wear off and I'm actually angry, it's usually become a moot point, because the advice she gives me is also generally correct.

"That's a very fair point," she agreed. "And if you'd like, I won't do it again. But you looked very upset, and I thought some peace might help."

I sighed. I did feel better, but I knew that my problems were still there, outside the peaceful haze of my mother's power.

"Will and Layla are both mad at me," I told her.

"Yeah?"

"I screwed up pretty bad."

"You want to tell me about it, honey?"

"Don't call me honey. And no. I…" I shrugged, still feeling hazy from the shot of Mom's power. "I don't know. It would be weird to tell you about any of it."

Which was the truth. Telling Mom about my crush on Layla would be a little odd, but she'd probably already guessed it. She's very perceptive, and I don't know if that's a super power thing, or a Mom thing. But telling her about my crush on Will? Telling her that her son, the tough kid who has a reserved seat in the principal's office, had a crush on a boy? I really didn't know how that would fly.

"Well, if that's what you want, that's fine," she said. "But remember that no matter what it is, and no matter what you do, I'm your mother and I'll always love you." She leaned over and kissed my forehead.

See what I mean about her being perceptive?

I sighed.

"And maybe, if you tell me what's wrong, I can help you figure out how to fix it."

I rolled my eyes.

"And maybe talking about it might help you feel better," she added.

"You're really not going to give up until I tell you, are you?" I asked.

"Honey, I've talked jumpers off of ledges and bombers away from the button. And none of that was as hard as high school."

"Promise you won't flip?" I asked, realizing that her power was still affecting me. Because otherwise, I'd never have done the big emotional talk thing. But she promised that she wouldn't get upset, and so I told her. I spilled everything, starting with my revelation about having a crush on Will, and ending with Will storming out.

The shot of peace power must have been wearing off by the time I finished, because she hugged me and I squirmed away. Much like discussing emotions, I'd have to be blissed out to hug.

"Warren, honey-"

"I've told you a million times, I hate it when you call me that!" Yeah, the peace was gone and the overwhelming misery was back.

"Warren. The first thing you need to know is that this sort of thing is… Well. I've been all over the world, I've healed all kinds of people. I know a thing or two about humanity. And I know that there's no such thing as normal. Not when it comes to the ways people relate to each other. And if part of how you relate to Will is sexual, well, that's something you're going to have to come to terms with, and your friends are going to have to accept." She patted my knee knowingly. "But they're your friends, honey, and they will accept it."

"Don't call me honey!"

"But you're so sweet." She smiled at me and I rolled my eyes.

"Is being corny another one of those mom things?"

"So what are you going to do, Warren?" she asked.

I shrugged. "I dunno. Stay home sick for the rest of the year."

"It's only October," she pointed out. "And no, you can't transfer to another school."

"Well, then I guess I'll just go back to having no friends. I did it for fifteen years, it wasn't so bad."

"Will and Layla care about you. All you need to do is talk to them and be honest."

"Yeah. Right."

"I'm serious, Warren. That's the only way to handle these situations. If you care about Will and Layla, you owe them honesty. And I'll bet that if you're honest with them, they'll be honest with you. And everything will be fine."

"Easy for you to say," I grumbled.

"Trust me, honey."

"Mom."

She smiled. Sometimes, I think she only calls me that because she knows it'll get to me.

"Why don't you head over to your friends' houses now? You'll feel better, I promise."

"What if they hate me?"

"They won't hate you."

"What if they do?"

"They won't. Warren, friends fight all the time. If you talk to them and explain to them, I'm sure they'll understand. Will and Layla both care about you too much to stay mad at you."

I grumbled a little bit, but stopped arguing. It can be very annoying to have a mother who's a super hero, an unlicensed therapist, and an optimist all in one. She beamed at me as I grabbed my jacket and stomped out of the house, pausing only to pick up Layla's forgotten dinner.

The trek to Layla's house was almost half an hour, but walking was my only option, since I failed driver's ed (something about road rage and being too aggressive), and I feel ridiculous on my old bike. I mean, leather coat, pyrokenetic… bike rider? It doesn't really fit the image. (And needless to say, my mom forbade me from getting a motorcycle. Now that would fit my image.) So I walked (stomped, really) up to Layla's door.

Layla's house is certainly interesting. It's half zoo and half greenhouse, I swear. Her father is a vet and her mother helps him out (she doesn't have a license or anything, but she can communicate with animals, which is probably more useful), and they have all sorts of cats and dogs and assorted animals wandering around at any time. I don't think they really own any of them; Layla's mom just sort of collects strays, and her dad would never turn a homeless animal away. And then, of course, there are the plants; every spare corner and nook and cranny of Layla's house has something growing. Overall, the effect makes the place feel kind of like a jungle.

Layla's father answered the door when I knocked, and raised an eyebrow.

"Is Layla home?" I asked, and it occurred to me that she might not be. She might be over at Will's, making up with him. Or maybe he'd be here. And even though I had to deal with both of them, I wasn't sure I could really handle them both at once. I just wasn't feeling up to it.

"I don't think Layla really wants to see anyone," her dad answered.

I took a deep breath. "It's really important," I said. "I kind of upset her earlier. I wanted to apologize." Which was true. I really wanted to apologize and make things right. Not that I was optimistic about my chances; if I were Layla, I wouldn't be feeling too forgiving. "And I brought her dinner," I added, holding up the take-out carton for him to see.

He frowned, staring at me, and I shifted awkwardly under his gaze. Layla's mom appeared behind him in the foyer. "Warren?" she asked, looking surprised.

"Hi," I answered.

Layla's dad glanced back at Layla's mom, who shrugged and nodded a little bit. So he stepped out of my way. "Layla's up in her room. Don't be too long, this is a school night and I'm sure she has homework."

I nodded and hurried past them, wondering if my mom had used some sort of superhero-to-superhero connection to warn Layla's mom that I'd be on my way over. They used to be on a superhero team together, the Justice Ladies. It was them and Will's mom, but she left when she got married, and the group broke up. Still, though, the three of them get together and gossip a lot, now that Will and Layla and I are all friends. And they can get very annoying, trust me.

I headed up to Layla's room, only tripping over a few cats on my way, and knocked on the door to her room.

"Go away!" she yelled.

So much for a warm welcome. "Layla? It's me. I-"

"I don't want to talk to you."

Never one to let other people's opinions stop me, I opened her door anyway, as far as I could. Which wasn't very far. I could see something big and green through the crack, so presumably she'd propped it shut with a very large plant.

"Layla, come on," I snapped. "Don't make me burn the door down."

"Don't you dare!"

Well, obviously I wouldn't really do it. Ever since the whole Royal Pain incident last year, even I don't want to take on Layla, really. And I can only imagine how pissed she'd be if I set her plants on fire.

"Then let me in!" I yelled back, throwing my weight against the door. It didn't budge. It's times like these I wish I had Will's power; plant or no plant, he'd have gotten in.

This clearly wasn't working, so I changed tactics. "I brought your dinner over," I said. "I just wanted to apologize."

There was a long silence from in her room, then, "Apologize for what?"

"Uh…" It figured that Layla would want specifics. "To apologize for being a jerk, and for telling Will that stuff, and for, uh… being a jerk."

There was another pause, and then some of the green behind the door disappeared, and it cracked open a little further. "You said being a jerk twice," she pointed out.

"I was a pretty big jerk," I answered, pretty sure that this was her relenting and she'd let me in.

"You were," she agreed, and finally the door opened.

I pulled out the carton of Chinese, heated it, and handed it to her.

"I had a long talk with my mom," I explained.

"She's home okay?"

"Yeah, she's fine. Anyway, uh, she gave me this speech about emotions and honesty and crap like that."

"It's not crap, Warren," Layla said, sounding a bit prim.

"Whatever. Anyway, she said… uh… that I should apologize. So I am. Sorry, I mean."

"Good."

"But I just… I meant it, Layla. I really like you, and I really like Will, but you and Will together would be so much better than me and you or me and him, and I really think you should-"

"Oh, so that's what you think," she said, and rolled her eyes. "Did you ever maybe wonder what I think?"

"Uh…"

"I think that you're being stupid. I know you care about Will and so do I, but, being happy together… I mean, Will and I weren't happy together, not for awhile before we broke up. It made sense to break up. And all the problems would still be there, even if we…"

"Yeah," I agreed. "But if you like him that much, isn't it worth working on?"

She shrugged. "If you like me so much, isn't that worth working on?"

"I don't know how to work on it so it won't hurt Will," I answered.

"Since when are you nice, anyway, Warren?" she sighed. "Concerned about other people's feelings?"

"I dunno," I answered. "I guess it started when I had friends who were actually worth being concerned about."

She sighed. "What really pissed me off was that now I'm going to have to hurt Will all over again, if he asks me out again."

"Which he probably will," I mumbled. "Oops."

"Oops?"

"Well, I kinda thought that you two should get back together so I kinda thought I should, uh, encourage Will to go after you."

"Why?" she groaned.

"I thought it would make you two happy."

She rolled her eyes, but did it kind of fondly. And after all, that was the truth. I wanted the two of them to be happy together… Sure, so that I wouldn't have to deal with a couple problems of my own anymore, but it did mean wanting them to be happy.

"So what did you tell him?" she finally asked.

"Um… I guess I kind of implied that if he didn't ask you out again, I would, and you might actually say yes."

She gave me a look that was almost amused. "Would you have?" she asked.

"I couldn't do that to Will," I answered. "But I'd have wanted to."

And then she smiled at me, just a little bit, and stood on her tiptoes to kiss my cheek. "That was a good answer," she said. "So now what?"

I shrugged. "I guess I should take your advice and go tell Will what's going on," I answered. Layla nodded, still smiling a little. She always likes it when people take her advice.

"Good luck," she said.

"Thanks," I mumbled. Because I figured I'd need it. My mom's assurances aside, I really had no idea what Will was going to say when I told him.

Next time: Will's reaction. :D