Genius Can Be A Lonely Fate (But Quality Is Worth The Wait)

Chapter 2: Tech's Perspective

Highschool wasn't easy for Tech E. Coyote, but one thing made it better; a fateful encounter on the first day...

Tech wasn't having a good day. He'd blown up the chemistry room (again), got an F because he disagreed with the Theory Of Relativity, and been openly mocked by his Maths teacher in front of his so-called 'peers'.

Needless to say, he was grumpy. And when he was grumpy, he didn't always notice what was going on around him. He yelped as something knocked into him, scattering the very important papers he'd been carrying.

He looked down at the blue and purple bird. The roadrunner looked back at him, eyes wide. "Aah! A coyote!"

"Aah!" Tech mocked, much too tired to deal with any sort of Avian. "A roadrunner..."

The roadrunner had the decency to look a bit embarrassed, gaze flicking to the floor. When he saw the papers, the bird got on the floor and started picking them up, beak opening and closing so fast it was almost a blur. "Oh-I'm-so-sorry-I-should've-been-looking-where-I-was-going-and-now-I've-made-you-drop-all-your...."

The bird trailed off, giving Tech a moment to try and work out what he'd just said. Super genius aside, it took a moment for him to catch up enough to realize the other was staring at one of his equations.

Oh, he was much too tired to be mocked.

"Give me that!" Tech growled as he kneeled on the floor, snatching the paper out of the bird's hand. The bird whimpered in fright, making Tech guilty enough to try to calm down as he gathered the rest of his papers. "Thanks, for picking them up, but I–"

"Did-you-write-that-yourself?" The roadrunner pointed to the page he'd been reading.

"Yes." Tech had places to be, inventions to make, detentions to avoid! He didn't have time for one of the ignorant masses to insult something they couldn't begin to understand. Someone they couldn't begin to understand. "But I'm afraid I really don't have time to explain it to you. I need to be go–"

"You're-a-genius!"

 Tech froze, slowly turning to face the bird. "E-excuse me?" He couldn't have heard that right, he must've missed a word. Of course, he was a genius, but no one else ever...

"You're-surprised?" The bird looked genuinely confused, as if he thought Tech's genius was obvious. But it had to be a trick, there was no way the other teen even understood what the equation wa– "You-completely-rewrite-the-Triple-Albatross-theorem-in-a-simple-elegant-revolutionary-way-and-you're-surprised-when-someone-calls-you-a-genius?! Boy-if-that's-not-self-confidence-issues-I-don't-know-what-is! Though-I-actually-do-because-my-cousin's-in-therapy-for-them-though-she's-doing-much-better-now. Have-you-ever-considered-therapy-or-are-you-not-at-that-point-yet? Or-are-you-from-a-culture-that's-against-therapy? If-you-are-I'm-really-sorry-for-suggesting-it-but-I-didn't-know-so-you-can't-get-too-angry-though-I-suppose-you-can-actually-do-whatever– ack!"

He hadn't really meant to wrap his paw around the other's beak, Tech just needed him to shut it for a second so he could think. Ignoring the utter gibberish, he was pretty sure... But he had to double check. He released his grip and asked, "You can understand this?"

The bird scoffed, rubbing at his beak. "Who-can't?!" Everyone who wasn't at least a college Physics major or super genius nerd. "Though-I could-never-rewrite-it-like-that! Again-genius!"

Tech turned away slightly, hiding a blush at the compliment. He decided to try to be a bit humble, "Um, well, I suppose it is a little genius. Nothing compared to my other work, though." Of course, humble was overrated.

Peering over Tech's shoulder to apparently read the paper, the bird gasped. "You-have-more?!"

"Yeah! You, uh..." This probably wasn't a trick, right? He sounded genuinely excited, it seemed like he actually understood what Tech had done. No matter how improbable that was. "You wanna see?"

"Oh! Can-I?" The roadrunner bounced in place, grabbing Tech's arm. Tech suppressed the urge to pull away, grinning at the other's enthusiasm. "Please????"

"They're in my locker, give me a moment to–" Tech paused, remembering how this conversation had begun. Their species didn't have the best history, he didn't want to spend time around someone who was uncomfortable around him. He tried to play it off as a joke, "Me being a coyote isn't going to be a problem, is it?"

The bird blinked, as if surprised. He smirked, "Are-there-any-roadrunner-traps-in-your-locker?"

"No." Not any that were identifiable as such, anyways.

"Then-I-think-we're-good." The bird nodded, then, "Now-show-me-show-me-show-me-show-me-show-me-show– ack!"

Tech kept a grip on the other's beak until his locker was open, meeting no resistance. He started sorting his mess organized-chaos of a locker, picking out certain schematics and equations.

"Oh-I'm Rev-Runner-by-the-way." The bird introduced himself.

"Tech E. Coyote." Tech answered cautiously. He still wasn't 100% sure this wasn't a trick.

"Tech?" 'Rev' repeated thoughtfully. He grinned, "Oh-that's-such-a-great-name-for-you! Perfect-for-a-genius!"

Caught off guard, Tech didn't have time to hide his second blush. He decided then and there that it didn't matter if it might be a trick, it was worth the risk to finally have a... lab partner. Even if it was only for a little while.

Little did he know that it wouldn't be just a little while. Through Rev's struggles with his day job to Tech crying over his criminal ex-girlfriend to both becoming mutant superheroes, they would always be there for each other. Lab partners, teammates, friends — and maybe more.