Dawn of New Change

PREVIOUSLY ON: Dawn of New Change

This is the first time that we get to see a bit more of Taeyong's past. He learns with the rest of us what his mother was like. What happened to her before she died and the only reason Taeyong has to find this out? Captain America and his team successfully take down Project Insight, but in doing so, uncovered undercover S.H.I.E.L.D.s files to the public. Which means everything about Taeyong's mom?

Now out in the open for the world, and himself, to see. 

Taeyong spent a lot of time with Johnny and Mark when he wasn't allowed in the Tower. There were still technical issues that had to be sorted out with the actual Tower itself and then finding space for Taeyong. Tony was planning on making a floor dedicated to each member of the Avengers, wanting to house them in his Tower for any missions in which they'd need to come together.

Taeyong had a feeling that his dad wanted some new friends and the Avengers meant a lot to him. It was a lot to Taeyong too, who was so incredibly sheltered, he felt like he wanted to expand his list of people to include the superheroes.

But he also wanted some sense of normalcy back in his life. So until the house in Malibu was finally built and returned to its glorious standing Taeyong tried his best to return to normal. That included his need to have sleepovers at the Seo's and telling everything that happened to Johnny and Mark.

Both of whom paid rapid attention to. Mark was always in awe of the stories that Taeyong told and Johnny added in his own tidbits when Taeyong recalled anything that he was included with. "Will we ever meet Haechan then?" Mark asked, sitting on the carpeted floor and staring up at Taeyong who was sitting up on the sofa.

Taeyong leaned over the edge and pouted, "hopefully. Haechan seemed nice, he also has a little sister. I think dad gave him some equipment for his lab."

"He has a lab!" Mark exclaimed.

"Ehh, it's really just an old shed that he's converted into his own labs. Haechan seems to like engineering though. Or at least he kept up with Dad whenever they talked about building stuff. Anyway, what about you Marky? I heard from Johnny that you're doing well in the smart department," Taeyong teased, hand reaching over to ruffle the younger boy's hair.

Mark blushed heavily, giggling in his nervously little way. "Not that type of smart stuff though. I like biology," he said. "Not like you though."

"Don't say that!" Johnny called from the kitchen. He walked back in with a tray of three glasses of juice. "Mark here got the highest score in his class and Eomma's been really happy. She even put up his result on the fridge and everything," Johnny explained, taking his own juice and sitting beside Taeyong.

"Mark!" the boy gushed. "That's so good!"

Mark shrugged, not liking the attention on him, "what about you though? What happened to the newspaper that you were reading. That guy you liked right? The one who wrote the really articles. I thought you would follow up with something like that?"

Taeyong and Johnny turned to each other, giving the other a solemn look. Taeyong leant back heavily on the coach and sighed loudly. "He died," he said.

"What?!"

"Yeah," Taeyong said. "Ben Urich died... it was sometime before I got kidnapped and stuff," he waved off.

"But it's not just that, he was murdered," Johnny said in a sure way. He drank his drink with a dark look that was almost serious but was countered with the flower pattern on the glass. "The news won't shut up about that Wilson Fisk guy and then there's The Devil of Hell's Kitchen."

"Oh yeah," Taeyong said, rubbing his eyes.

"You know..." Mark said, standing up and grabbing his own juice. "You don't have to know everything about what goes on in that City. We can just stay here."

Taeyong arched his brow, "I'm going to live there for the foreseeable future. I think I kind of have to look over the City. It's my duty-"

"As a superhero?" Mark arched his brow, now crossing his arms. Taeyong just thought he looked like a kid. "Has Johnny told you?"

Taeyong turned to look over at his friend. Johnny tried to look away but huffed and leant back against the coach. "We're moving to New York City too," he said.

"What?" Taeyong grinned widely, "You'll be with me?"

Johnny waved his hand this time. It was as if both boys were trying their hardest to look more mature than they actually were. "As if I'd ever leave you."

Taeyong couldn't seem to stretch his grin even more but he wanted to. This was great news! He turned to Mark who was also smiling, "grand then, boys. So... where are you guys living?"

***

The actual funeral of Ben's was in New York, the city he loved and tried hard to protect. Taeyong technically was not supposed to go and he doubted that his dad would be completely thrilled with the prospect of his leaving to attend the funeral of a man whose work he admired. Taeyong decided that there was never really an appropriate response to attend the funeral of a man you never met.

But, he argued that he at least admired Ben Urich. Which, if Taeyong had seen anything even remotely authentic in the TV shows he watched, meant that some people didn't. There definitely seemed to be a few people that had attended the funeral with little to know sadness in their eyes. But then again, he couldn't really account for their grief, which is a whole concept he was not ready to dive into.

For a 13 year-old kid that really wanted to convince people that he was 'older and mature' he did like to skip out on actual adult life.

Taeyong watched as Urich's casket was lowered and then peered up at the sky. It was not raining and that was an interesting thought. Taeyong had assumed that it would be raining, that pathetic fallacy would add to the depressing touch to the funeral, but there was not even a little drop of rain.

Instead the weather was a cold and blank white and grey. There was not a hint of blue in the sky, it was all covered in clouds. Taeyong squinted up at the sky, still looking around for the blue but then he felt the presence of a person just walking ahead of him.

"Oh sorry," he mumbled, taking a step to the side for the man.

"No worries," he said, giving Taeyong a smile. "You close with Ben?" he asked.

Taeyong looked down at the casket that was slowly getting filled with dirt. He turned back to the man, noting his dark red sunglasses and cane. Was he- "Are you...?" Taeyong blushed.

"Blind?" he chuckled but nodded. "I am."

"Oh... sorry," Taeyong nodded, feeling his stomach clench with embarrassment. "I uh-" he cleared his throat and rocked back and forth on his heels. "I was uh- I liked his stories?" Taeyong said.

"Ben's?"

Taeyong nodded, feeling a little bit in his element. He was so young and still didn't understand the feeling of grief. Not fully, not consciously. Taeyong was so young when his mother died. He didn't care for Obadiah because the man was bad and he didn't fully comprehend his father slowly dying a couple years ago when the whole Whiplash fiasco happened because Tony kept it a secret.

Which is a long way to say that Taeyong was a refreshing presence in the eyes of the people attending that wedding. He knew to keep his respect, but Taeyong wanted to talk about the newspapers he read. The stories he liked to underline and repeat. "I found the story he wrote during the Battle of New York? With the Avengers? There were so many people that kept coming at my dad right? And Ben just wanted to talk about aliens and the Avengers. It was nice, I liked it," he said with a grin.

Taeyong continued to talk about the cool stories, the writings that made him feel safe. "I liked that Ben would write about things he liked. He didn't twist anything up because I think-" Taeyong waved his hands in the air trying to find the words. He didn't notice the stricken but fond looks other adults were sending his way. Gathering the listeners of some of Ben's closest friends, family and colleagues. "I think that he really loved this City, you know?"

"I know," the blind man nodded. "I love this City too."

Taeyong gave a shrug, "I'm moving here so I guess I'll have to like it."

"Oh yeah?" a woman asked, walking over. Taeyong looked up at her. She had red rimmed eyes and a pink nose that she wiped at, trying to keep the wobble from her voice. "I think you'll live it. New York City is like that, it's home to everyone no matter where you come from."

"Yeah?" Taeyong asked.

"Of course. I thought-" she sighed, wiping her eyes and then her blonde hair from her face. Taeyong reached into the inner pockets of his black jacket and held out a tissue. They were reserved for himself just in case he started to cry, but he didn't feel much. "Oh. Um.. thank you," she gave another wobbly smile.

Taeyong reached forward and patted her on the arm, "it'll be fine. Were you and Ben close?"

She gave a nod, "we were... work friends. On a case together."

"The Wilson Fisk one?" Taeyong asked. "The Mayor guy that's taken over the City? I heard that he was going to write a piece on him... do you think someone will?"

"Yes," another voice called. Taeyong, the blind man and the young lady, all turned to find the sullen look of a man that Taeyong did recognise. Mitchell Ellison. Well, don't ever let it be unknown that Taeyong does his research halfheartedly. Mitchell was a higher-up in the Newspaper business, so most likely the boss of Urich. "There will always be someone to read those stories and for more to come. Don't worry kid."

Taeyong gave a sniff, "I'm thirteen," he said. "Technically a teen."

***

When Taeyong returned to his temporary home in the new Stark Tower, or Avengers Tower as it was soon to be revealed, he found a certain red-headed assassin talking with his dad.

"Natasha!" Taeyong exclaimed, grinning widely as he dropped his bags to the elevator door and ran further into the room. Natasha spun in the barstool by the island and returned Taeyong's enthusiasm, matching him halfway to the room to envelope the young boy into a big hug.

Taeyong let her lift him up slightly and spin him around before he landed back on his feet. The younger boy clutched at her arms, giving them a soft squeeze. "You're here?"

"I am," she replied, voice softening for him.

"For how long?"

Her eyes flickered over to his dad but she smiled and bent down for Taeyong. "Long."

"Really?" he felt his heart flutter.

"Really." 

NEXT TIME ON: Dawn of New Change

Taeyong came quickly, a hand on Mark’s upper back as he blinked up at the lady. “Sorry to bother you…” he squinted at the little writing on her ID badge. “Miss May… wait- as in Melinda May?” Taeyong blinked, jaw almost falling slack.

“Taeyong Lee-Stark,” the agent nodded, before carefully taking the folders from Mark’s little hands. “Pleasure boys,” she said before leaving.