Title: Moving Pictures
By: Caroline Crane
Pairing: Speed/Tyler
Rating: PG
Summary: Follows "Variations On a Theme". He's part of something.

He hears laughter from the living room, muted like it's coming through a tunnel, and he makes his way toward the noise. They've only been at Tyler's parents' house for two days – not long enough for him to feel comfortable, but it's a lot less awkward than he expected it to be. They're nothing like his own parents, nothing like his workaholic father and his mother who never does anything that isn't for show. They're…nice, and he's not positive, but he's pretty sure they're happy to have him around.

It's been like something out of a movie ever since they got to Minnesota – snow on the ground, the Christmas tree trimmed and sitting right in the bay window, and Tyler's whole family laughing and telling stories about when Tyler was a kid. And it's kind of nice to hear what Tyler was like growing up, but he's not used to being around a family that actually likes each other. Being part of the family, at least if he can believe what Tyler keeps telling him.

There's a part of him that wants to believe it, the same part of him that kind of likes having his brother around. Because he likes Tyler's parents – and okay, they're a little too nice sometimes, just like his sister's a little too high-strung. But they seem glad that he's here, and he's pretty sure he wouldn't get the same reception from his own parents if he brought Tyler home to meet them.

So he's glad he took Christmas off – for the first time since he started at the lab – and he's glad he let Tyler drag him all the way to White Bear Lake despite the cold and the fact that he didn't even own a winter coat until a week ago. He doesn't even mind the snow, not really, because it's warm in the house and the fireplace is crackling and even that reminds him of one of those cheesy Christmas specials they used to show when he was a kid.

The TV's on when he reaches the living room, and it takes him a second to recognize the source of the laughter as Tyler, maybe ten years old and hamming it up for the camera. The real live adult version of Tyler's sitting on the couch, smile firmly in place and he looks away from what must be an old home video just as Speed walks in. And it seems impossible, but when Tyler sees him his grin brightens and Speed doesn't even think before he catches the hand that's stretched out toward him.

He lets Tyler pull him down onto the couch, glancing at the TV again as Tyler's sister appears onscreen and they break into a well-choreographed duet. They're pretty good, but he's heard Tyler sing a thousand times by now so he's not really surprised. He's not surprised that Tyler spends the entire time trying to upstage his sister, either, or that she doesn't let him get away with it. By the time the song ends they're practically on top of the camera, shoving each other out of the way to press their faces against the lens and he can't help laughing right along with everyone else in the room.

The frame freezes on a close-up of a grinning Tyler, and it's weird seeing him so young, but Speed would recognize that smile anywhere.

"Put in the tape from A Funny Thing Happened On the Way to the Forum," Tyler says, squirming a little next to Speed and he has to clear his throat to hide his reaction to that.

Neither of Tyler's parents seem to notice, though – they're already talking over each other, arguing about which tape is which and it all feels so comfortable that for a second Speed forgets to breathe. Then he feels Tyler's hand tighten on his own and he remembers that they're still holding hands, pressed up together on his parents' couch and it's strange how normal it feels. He thinks maybe he should pull away, put a little space between them while there are other people in the room, but as soon as he thinks it Tyler's pulling Speed's arm around his shoulders, fingers still firmly entwined and he doesn't seem uncomfortable at all about holding hands in front of his parents.

They're not Speed's parents, though, and they've known about this part of Tyler for almost as long as Tyler did. He never had to hide anything from them, never pretended to be what he thought they wanted him to be. He was always just…Tyler, and they always loved him for it. Not that Speed can blame them, because he loves Tyler a lot more than he ever expected to. Enough to sit in his parents' living room and watch home movies of some high school play, and when a teenaged Tyler steps out onto the stage he lets himself relax and enjoy the show.

"Nice toga."

Tyler looks away from the screen long enough to grin at him, and it's obvious from his expression that he's not even a little embarrassed. "I wouldn't have picked that color, but I do look pretty good, don't I?"

And it's not like Speed can deny it, because even at seventeen Tyler had dancer's legs. He had a hell of a voice, too, and even though it's just a high school production Speed finds himself getting caught up in the story. This isn't what he had in mind when Tyler asked him to go to Minnesota for Christmas – he envisioned a lot of awkward family dinners, questions about his job that people always asked and he never wanted to answer. But so far there haven't been any questions at all, and sitting in the Jensens' living room with Tyler leaning into him, he almost feels like part of something.