for a while i’ve had this idea where teenage Balth, after leaving home when Evil Bratt was cancelled, ran into the Overkills - let’s say they live in the US after their defeat - and eventually found a home with them.
some ideas where Scarlet and Herb would be the best adoptive parents for him:
Scarlet helping Balth improve his combat skills in various ways
Scarlet secretly watching Evil Bratt episodes late at night to find out what went on in the show, to better understand what Balth would be feeling
Balth and Herb bonding over smart stuff
Herb helping Balth create/invent stuff
Balth and Herb challenging each other to crack the worst puns and make Scarlet roll her eyes up into her head
14/15yo Balth not wanting to go to school because a) he’ll be recognised and humiliated by kids and b) he’s already a genius, so Herb tutors him in anything he doesn’t quite understand
Scarlet trying to get used to Clive’s presence
(Scarlet, to Herb: it’s the eyes. i don’t like the eyes.)
Herb helping Balth make improvements to Clive, so when he does set out on his way as an adult, Clive can be his mentor/father figure
Scarlet trying to neaten Balth’s hair and getting brushes/combs stuck into the wax-and-gel mullet mess he doesn’t wash properly (because he’s a teenage boy lol)
Scarlet educating Balth on proper hair care because of the above
Scarlet helping Balth feel more confident with his appearance by teaching him how to mess with makeup
if the makeup the show had didn’t conceal the acne on his face, Herb making Balth makeup that’s thicker/doesn’t make his face break out
the three of them, and Clive, watching 80’s movies/Evil Bratt episodes on a Saturday night
Balth offering to reenact his favourite Evil Bratt scenes when Scarlet’s bored
Scarlet, being somewhat interested in Shakespeare (sort of evidenced in canon?), reading Shakespeare plays in her armchair while Balth sits on an arm and reads over her shoulder
Scarlet telling Balth of old heists she’s carried out (with a wine bottle in hand sometimes bc she’s an “alcoholic sometimes”)
Herb making Balth clear braces that align his teeth faster
Herb teaching Balth how to shave
Scarlet sitting up with scaredy-cat Balth who thought he could watch 80’s horror movies, like The Hitcher (1986) and Motel Hell (1980), but was freaked the heck out by the gross af themes in those movies that have me nauseous rn
Scarlet understanding why Balth feels so abandoned and rejected and, along with Herb, doing everything to help him feel wanted and loved
Herb and Balth having rubick’s cube solving battles
Scarlet catching Balth sneaking midnight snacks from the fridge
“Oh… Hi… Didn’t expect you to be awake….” “You need a bit more meat on you anyway” “Not to make me into frankfurts like in Motel Hell I hope”
Herb accidentally making Clive short circuit when he discovers his motherboard can’t handle in-depth brain teasers
Scarlet dropping Balth at the skate park to let him socialise and, when she hears other kids casing on him, is like “HEY THIS IS MY SON AND IF YOU SAY ANOTHER INSULT TO HIM I’LL BEAT YOUR LITTLE ASSES BLACK AND BLUE”
Balth being slightly embarrassed but also so relieved that Scarlet will stand up for him (and she called him her son!!)
Herb and Balth trying to beat each other’s high scores on the machines in the arcade
Herb and Balth rigging the pin-setting system at the bowling alley so Scarlet can win every game
Scarlet catching Balth holding an airkeytar session in his new bedroom, singing, and she waiting in the doorway for a moment to watch him having fun
Scarlet realising she is good parenting material after all
Balth accidentally calling the Overkills “Mom” or “Dad”, as a slip of the tongue thing, but eventually doesn’t correct himself
Balth eventually referring to the Overkills as his parents
Balth passing as the Overkills’ son in social situations, since he sort of resembles both of them and by the late 80’s, the Overkills are about mid-40’s (but use anti-ageing cream to stay youthful and beautiful because they’re vain lol)
Scarlet tucking Balth in on nights he’s a little down, and reciting poetry to him
if his overbearing, pageant-mom-style official foster mother i gave him actually does go looking for him after he left, the Overkills protecting Balth from her, refusing to let her take him, and eventually, and no doubt literally, shooting her out of Balth’s life
Balth accepting Scarlet and Herb as his parents when that happens
Balth coming out as gay/bi (he’s achillean, definitely) and Scarlet hugging him the moment he says “I’m gay/bi”
Scarlet and Herb feeling like they’ve succeeded in parenting him because he was comfortable with coming out
Scarlet excitedly helping Balth pretty himself up when he goes out somewhere, so “both girls and boys will think you a little stud!”
Balth leaving the Overkills to start his own life when he’s older, and taking polaroids of them all with him and sticking them to his lair’s bedroom wall (who is actually in those polaroids?? i wanna know)
alternate ending to DM3 where Balth is not defeated, but when about to face off with Gru after the Brattbot was destroyed, is stopped by Scarlet
Scarlet just appears (and Lucy’s like OH MY GOD IT’S SCARLET OVERKILL) and is like “come home with me, Balthazar. you’ve lost sight of what we’ve taught you”
Gru’s like “what the frickity is going on here?? Bratt isn’t gonna listen to her!” but Balth goes to her
Balth leaves bc he’s like “screw it, i’m done with you hosers, Mom, Dad better have cookies for me at home”
Herb helps him repair Clive (yayy he’s okay!)
but before that happens, back in the 80’s, Balth learning he is actually wanted and loved when he’s not acting as Evil Bratt, and realising a family can be himself, Clive, and two supervillains from the 60’s
i’m gonna eventually write this au!!
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