He is an idiot for ever being jealous of Mark over William. That is the thought that strikes Rick on his fourth cup of depressingly decaffeinated coffee in the humble Clockwell kitchen. The cozy home currently functions as a sanctuary for him, his boyfriend, and their superheroic self-proclaimed chaperone.
Said superheroic chaperone is also William's baby brother. The two hare-brained trouble magnets dragged him last night into an unexpected adventure in the sewers under his university to battle a mad scientist that works as a professor also in his university.
"WILLIAM!" a thoroughly pissed off half alien roared somewhere from the second floor.
Right. Mark is actually half-alien. He knows a half-alien. He is friends with a half-alien now.
Maybe that is why he has the muscles Rick himself had to work his ass off to maintain. The guy had been blessed with a perfect body through his out of this world DNA. Bummer. He had been hoping to soften Mark's overprotectiveness through gym sessions and workout tips. He needs a Plan B to get into the good graces of William's baby brother. Maybe he could start by asking how did William got away with proclaiming Mark as his little sibling?
Oh wait. He has a half-alien brother-in-law now. His life has gone crazy.
Rick lets out a sigh and reaches for the coffee pot. He pours his fifth cup as a battle rages on the second floor. William's laughter echoing in perfect harmony with Mark's screeches - the pitch a tad bit higher than earlier. Perhaps his Plan B should be discussion about superpowers. "Do you have supersonic scream?" may be a good start.
Rick shakes his head at the silly thought. But then, a memory seeps into his consciousness as he gulps his coffee in one go. It was the inhuman scream Mark unleashed when they thought William was dead. Then there was that wet slick feel of blood between his fingers and an army of masked doctors and whispers of delirious promises that everything is going to be alright.
It is a fortunate thing that the sink was near the dinner table. It is what Rick thinks as he wasted five and a half cups of coffee. The decaffeinated abomination swirls down the drain and into the sewage.
Another memory of last night flashes - hands gripping wrists too tightly, a weak pulse, a plea for mercy. Rick feels his breakfast slowly climbs up to his throat.
He is about to hurl again when sounds of frantic footsteps goes down the stairs and into the kitchen.
"RICK!" William's yell is his only warning before a rumpled ball of jeans collided with his face. He splutters in confusion then unravels the projectile that hit him.
It is seems to be Mark's pants.
A human shaped blur tries to fly towards him but Williams tackles it to the ground.
"RICK, BURN IT! BURN IT NOW!"
"DON'T YOU FUCKING DARE!"
For the second time, the thought of him being an idiot strikes Rick. How can he be jealous of Mark? Williams bullies him mercilessly as a know-it-all brother would his snotty little sibling.
"THOSE PANTS ARE A CRIME AGAINST HUMANITY!"
"YOU THROWING ALL OF MY CLOTHES AWAY IS A CRIME AGAINST MY PERSONAL PROPERTY!"
"IT IS FOR A GOOD CAUSE!"
Rick feels a sense of doom when the squabbling on the floor stops. Then he makes a grave mistake. He glances down.
William is looking up at him expectantly - his lower lip in an exaggerated pout. Mark stares at him with two too big brown eyes - crocodile tears threatening to fall.
