'whatever's living will yourself become' by attilatehbun (R/NC-17)

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Fandom: MARVEL COMICS (YOUNG AVENGERS)
Pairing: Billy Kaplan/Teddy Altman
Length: 7648 words
Author on LJ: attilatehbun
Author Website: bunsfoot
Why this must be read:

This is a gorgeous, slightly surreal look at Teddy - what it means to be a shapeshifter, (*born* a shapeshifter) and also a teenage boy in love (with an active fantasy life [grins]). attilatehbun's use of language is also quite lovely, a soft and winding voice that fits quite well with both the story and Teddy's personality. Added bonus - hot, fumbling teen!sex, a great (if brief) Eli, and an even better Billy.

Billy wears stupid t-shirts. He wears stupid t-shirts, and he bites his nails, down to the quick, practically bloody, and he runs at the mouth, but he smiles a lot, in an honest way, and when he learns what Teddy's powers are, he looks really thoughtful and says, "That must be, I don't know, tough."

Teddy blinks, and opens his mouth to ask what Billy means, but before he can speak, Iron Lad - or rather, Nathaniel - claps his hands together and says, "So, um, I guess we're all here now," so Teddy shifts back to Team Mode. It's new, different from what he used to think of as Team Mode, but he likes it, so he pays attention and resolves to see if he can't pull Billy aside later to find out what he meant by that.

whatever's living will yourself become