I don't own YA.

The Thing To Do For You

Time was a peculiar thing. It was almost tangible for some while incomprehensible to others. Some understood it, some simply knew of it, and them some could manipulate it as a child would play-dough. How ironic it was yet oddly appropriate that one Nate Richards, a young man from the 30th century who could travel through the time-stream was running out of time.

The Vision was thorough. The list of names he put together under the Avengers Fail-Safe program was extensive, and offered Nate many candidates to choose his allies-to-be from - allies to fight his future self and one of the greatest villains of all time - Kang the Conqueror.

Of course, candidates meant just that - possibilities, and not all worked out too well. Some wouldn't hear of it; some were terrified of their foe; some proved the Vision's list was out-of-date, as they had lost their powers, victims to the global tragedy known as M-Day.
And those were the ones who believed him.
Overall, things didn't look up. It was enough to make the stoic young man let out a rather hopeless sigh once he stepped into what became his secret base, his home out of time. He took off his helmet, eyes closed momentarily as he let the room's chilly air caress his skin.
There was one thing to draw comfort from, though. Possibilities, being what they were -

"Another bad day?"

Sometimes things worked out, Nate thought and smiled briefly when he looked at the teen frequenting his base often enough to be called a regular dweller, who was currently holding a bag of frozen foods to a rather swollen cheek.

"I can say the same to you."

"And you'd be right... but please don't."

His name was Billy Kaplan. For one whose name was on a list of people with ties to the Avengers, Billy was mundane to the point of boring. The son of two doctors, he lived a rather wealthy life without being greedy, perhaps because of his near-eccentric hobbies and preferences. He tried, like many others, to make it through highschool, only to be thwarted by what survived well into the 30th century - the thing known as "bullies".
Nate could relate only too well to that aspect of Billy's life. Perhaps that was why the two got along as well as they did, finding kindred spirits in each other. At the very least - it was something they could build on. He and Billy Kaplan - his very first teammate.

"I take it they turned you down?" Billy asked. He pulled the frozen bag from his cheek, poked his face, winced, and replaced the bag. Nate's chest tightened, but he refrained from commenting on it for the time being. Instead he put his helmet down and sat next to Billy.

"I never got to ask. I saw all I needed to know it was pointless."

"Another depowered mutant?" Billy asked at the end of a short silence. Nate nodded, a solemn look on his face.

"They make so much of the list... I suppose it makes sense. The Vision wouldn't really have had the chance to- to update his records."

Both looked down, Nate with pursed lips, Billy with a pained frown. The Avengers' disassemblance as well as the global depowering of mutants were hard to bring up, but Nate couldn't keep quiet about it anymore. He thus asked the same thing they both did inwardly.

"How come you didn't lose your powers, Billy?"

A shrug was the best the youth had to offer. He'd have hoped to keep it at that, but Nate seemed intent enough to make Billy feel uncomfortable enough to answer.

"I don't know. Not all mutants lost their powers, there's still two hundred or something left. Besides, the Vision's files say my powers are magic-based, right? I don't see a reason I'd lose them, then... I think."

Nate nodded slowly. Both explanations could apply just as well, even if there was much left to add, but Nate found that right then, he couldn't be bothered. Not when Billy touched his face again and let out another pained sound.

"What happened?" He asked, no longer able to keep his concern at bay. It beat thinking about his own miserable predicaments, at least.
Billy practically squirmed under Nate's gaze, obviously unwilling to answer. And yet there was something in the other's eyes, that knowing look that finally made Billy sigh and oblige. When he did, his voice was cold and bitter, and tainted with failed attempts at distance and indifference.

"They wanted a recreation of the miracle that let Fag-Boy put Big-Guy-Kess in the hospital." Billy huffed, only to lose what little bravado he had when he replaced the frozen bag on his face.
"Thankfully, they got bored before I joined him." He muttered and closed his eyes.
Nate figured it was something like that - he knew the scenario personally, after all, and recognized the signs. However, seeing Billy simply accept his fate like that made his blood boil.

"You should've protected yourself-"

"Yeah, I could've killed them, too!" Billy barked back, catching Nate off guard.
"You know I can't control it yet, Nate! What if I'd have hurt them badly? ...or worse?!"

Nate stared back in silence. He knew Billy had a point, one that finally made him look down in shame.
Yes, he knew well Billy could barely contain his powers. Any confrontation with civilians was likely to end with casualties. He knew that, and yet...
What a Kang-like thing to say, he thought and gripped one of his gauntlets. He ran away so as to not end up like that, yet it was the one thing that came to mind whenever he saw Billy in that condition.
He clenched his fist. He wanted to do something, now that he actually could, but Billy was right - they packed too much fire-power, were too strong... dammit! Wasn't there anything he could do for Billy?! He couldn't protect him, he could barely comfort him, then what-
His hand uncurled, his eyes widened. He stared at his open palm before looking up at Billy.
Yes, there was something he could do for him...

"What-" Billy managed to utter before he had Nate holding the hand with the ice-bag and pulling it away. Nate leaned a bit closer, carefully inspecting the damage. It didn't seem that bad, just painful. If he could just-

"Nate, what-"

"Ssh, close your eyes." He urged quietly with his other hand leveled with Billy's face. The other obliged for no other reason than that a soft light emitted from Nate's glove. For a moment Nate held his breath before he let out a gasped sigh when it became apparent Billy's injuries were healing. It seemed the armor could respond to non-violent thoughts, too; good. Relief washed over him, only to be soon joined by awe and care. It was amazing, really, to see the pain ebb away from Billy's features, its place taken by surprise and relief. Soon after came ease and a sense of calmness, and by the time Nate was done, Billy seemed - at peace.
Nate caught himself staring, taken aback by how well the expression went along with his face. It was enough to make his chest tighten.

"Nate?" Billy asked after a moment, his eyes still closed. Nate didn't reply - he could barely swallow around the lump in his throat. What was he feeling? What-

Billy opened his eyes.

Nate leaned ever closer.

A loud, blaring ringtone cut through the air, making the two stare at each other over the small space between them. Neither said anything or even moved for a while until finally both turned away, Billy reaching for his phone while Nate stood up.

"Hi, mom... yeah, on the way back... no, I already bought some of the stuff..." His fingers tightened around the frozen bag.
"Yeah... sure, I'll get that too. No, I have enough money. Sure... I love you too, mom."
He hung up and collected his things. Nate remained silent for a while but finally turned to look at Billy.

"Time to go, huh..." He asked, and was equally relieved and flustered when Billy looked back at him.

"Duty calls..." Billy explained and ran a hand over his face. He seemed bewildered for a moment before offering Nate a smile.
"Thanks. It doesn't hurt anymore. Also, that was cool as hell."

Nate's own lips curled into a smile, one that widened when Billy touched his own lips before lowering his hand.

"I'll see you tomorrow, then." Billy concluded and waved before taking off.

Nate let himself be lost in thought for a moment, the last few minutes playing in his mind in slow-motion before he finally shook himself out of that daze. A goofy grin on his face, he went over the list again, choosing the next day's recruitment candidate.