Title: Peace Isn't Just A Surname
By: Bridget McKennitt
Pairing: Warren Peace/Will Stronghold, Warren Peace/Layla Williams
Rating: G
Word Count: 1718
Summary: It's not like Warren expected living with Layla and Will to be easy, but it's not like it's difficult either. He could get used to this.
Contains: No warnings in as far I know that can't be extrapolated from the header itself. polyamory, post-canon, established relationship, future fic, domestic
Disclaimer: Sky High is owned by other companies. They are used here without permission, and for entertainment purposes only. No challenge or infringement upon the copyright is intended, nor should any be inferred.
Author's Notes: Written for tagalongcookies for Yuletide 2009.
My name is Warren Peace. My father, Barron Battle, is a supervillain behind bars for several consecutive life sentences. I, however, am choosing a different path. A superhero path.
I just graduated from college and am moving into a place with my two best friends, who I also happen to be dating. We're going to form a superhero trio and fight crime. That is, if we can survive living together first.
***
Warren stumbled into the house with his arms full of a heavy box. "Will!" When his boyfriend did not answer, he dropped the box against the door and groaned. "I should have kept my eye on him and made him carry everything inside."
"You know Will, he's probably off saving the world and forgot that we're moving in today." Layla came in from behind him with her own box and gave Warren a peck on the cheek. "We only have a few boxes left. It shouldn't take us that long to get everything inside."
Warren took Layla's box and set it down before resting his hands on her waist. Her face was flushed from exertion and she looked lovely with her red hair tied back in a loose ponytail. "I can see why you dumped his ass our freshman year of college and got with a real man."
Layla laughed. "Indeed you are, Warren, but then you had to go and start dating him our junior year of college."
"I'm a glutton for punishment. That's why I'm dating two people."
"And now you're going to be living with them while fighting crime," said Layla cheerfully. "Aren't you the lucky fire starter? Now come on, stop procrastinating. I want to get everything inside so we can start unpacking."
The house was a graduation gift from Will's parents to the three of them. It was a simple two story house about a quarter mile away from the Stronghold home with a small backyard and a patio for barbeques. The basement was set up to become their inner sanctum, as Will's dad liked to say. While there were three bedrooms, Warren wasn't sure if one or two rooms would be used. It all depended on whether Layla wanted to share a room with him and Will or not.
A few hours later, they finished moving the rest of the boxes inside and Warren shut the door behind him. "All right, what do you want for lunch? Pizza or Chinese? I think I have the menus around here somewhere."
"Whatever. Don't forget to order me something vegetarian, okay? I'm going to go up and take a shower. I'm covered in dust." Layla flapped her arms against her side to emphasis her point.
"Sure, just don't use up all the hot water."
Layla wiggled her fingers as she headed upstairs while Warren dug into the small boxes by the kitchen counter. He found the menus tucked against the side of their cookbooks and reached for his cell phone. After he ordered a couple of pizzas, with vegetable toppings on one side of it and a salad as a side order, he debated whether or not to surprise Layla in the shower.
His decision was cut short when the door slammed open and Will stomped through. He spotted Warren immediately and came over to him with a big smile on his face. "Warren, you should have been there. I was on my way here when I spotted trouble in the city. It was Lash and Speed up to their old tricks again. I can't believe they were let out on parole in the first place."
Warren sighed with fond exasperation and welcomed Will home properly with a kiss. "I ordered pizza and Layla's taking a shower. By the way, so nice of you to show up when all the work's done."
"Hey now, it's not my fault that the city needed a superhero."
"Will, you're home. Just in time to do nothing." Layla stepped into Warren's line of sight with a green towel wrapped around her head and her light green pajamas. There was a fond smile on her face as she pinched his cheek before lifting herself onto the counter.
"You're both forgetting something." Will slung his arm over Warren's shoulder and Warren felt a warm glow at his boyfriend's touch. "We still have the matter of buying our first bed. It's going to be great having an extra large bed to fit all three of us."
"And a bed for me." Warren and Will glanced at Layla who began swinging her legs. "What? I'm willing to share a bed most of the nights, but I need time for myself too. Warren kicks in his sleep and I don't have super strength like some people to escape without bruises."
"Okay, two beds. No big deal. We'll go after the pizza arrives and we eat. And since you guys moved all the boxes, I'll be the one to start unpacking. Deal?"
Warren rolled his eyes and tossed a wry smile at Layla who returned it in kind. He knew exactly what his girlfriend was thinking. She was going to have to redo the unpacking once Will got through it. "Deal."
The pizza arrived half an hour later and Warren went to set up the DVD player while Layla answered the door. He could overhear her giggling at whatever the pizza delivery boy said. Warren could have gotten up from the floor and stood behind Layla, intimidating the kid with his muscles and an angry gaze, but he was feeling far too mellow to scare anyone today.
Will, on the other hand, spotted Layla at the door as he came down the stairs and marched right next to her, slinging his arm around her waist. "Thanks for the pizza, kid. What's the total?" he said, his voice icy and a touch on the rude side. Over the years, Will had bulked up so his outward appearance matched his super strength. Warren didn't have to look at the delivery boy's face to know he was nervous.
The entire display was just that, a display. Warren knew Will had no designs on going after Layla. He was just awfully protective if it looked like someone was trying to steal Layla away from Warren.
Will paid the delivery boy and took the pizzas while Layla grabbed the rest of the items and brought them into the living room. While Warren sat with his back against the sofa, the two of them buzzed around him like bees as they set everything up with an easy rhythm that spoke of the times they've done this before. If he didn't know better, he'd say they were a couple.
However, that was something he never had to worry about, Will and Layla hooking up again and leaving him out in the cold. They loved him, and only loved each other as best friends. They were family, the three of them, and that would never change.
Will handed Warren a plate of pizza and sat down next to him while Layla curled up on the sofa above them with her salad.
Warren picked up the remote and turned on the television. "Hope no one minds I put on a classic Adam Sandlers' movie," Warren said as he hit play.
Layla chirped out, "Nope," while Will rubbed his hands together. Warren leaned back, his shoulder touching Will's shoulder and the back of his head touching Layla's leg, and took a bite of his pizza.
***
Warren walked side by side with Will as they entered the mattress store with Layla leading the way. She had specific ideas in mind and Warren wasn't going to dissuade her from her goals. He loved that about Layla and listening to her would only be to their benefit.
"We need something that won't be too hard on our backs, but not too soft either. Also something that will last us, especially considering Will here. You guys go and start testing out the mattresses. I'll go hail down a salesperson."
Layla walked away, leaving them alone. Warren glanced around at the mattresses and nodded to Will. "You heard Layla. Time to test out the beds."
"I didn't think you had a exhibitionist kink," Will said with a glint in his eyes. "Though I'm pretty sure Layla would kill us if we made a scene."
Warren rolled his eyes. "Obviously, I'm a masochist for putting up with you. Now sit down and start bouncing. If you break it, I'm telling your parents on you."
Will let out a bark of laughter, but obediently sat down on a nearby bed. Layla returned with a salesperson in tow. "Katie here is willing to help us out," she said as she gestured to the salesperson. "So play nice."
Warren stepped back as Will and Layla bombarded Katie with questions. He was content to leave the decision making to them. He didn't care all that much about what he slept on, just as long as he had something to sleep on.
He smirked as his boyfriend and girlfriend began arguing with each other about brands. They usually did when it came to big decisions, though there was no heat in their words and never would be. Sometimes, late at night when the lights were off and Layla was in Warren's arms, she'd admit it's why she and Will broke up. She could love him as much as possible, and he with her, but when it came to living together as one unit, they failed miserably.
It was why Layla had been hesitant to move in with him and Will, stating it'd be weird to be living with her boyfriend and his boyfriend who also happened to be her best friend, but Warren persuaded her. It wouldn't be right if their trio wasn't together.
"Guys," he called out, and the two of them turned towards him. "Let's get this one. It's big enough. Layla, go find a twin for your room."
Will laughed and led Katie away to talk about the finer details of payment. Layla rolled her eyes affectionately and kissed Warren on the cheek before slipping further into the store. Warren flopped on the bed and placed his hands behind his head, staring up at the ceiling. He loved being domesticated.
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