doubled_speed | For Wearingthestars

I wish I wasn't alone.

The words were whispered from inside the relative safety of the tiny closet in Tommy Shepherd's bedroom in Springfield, New Jersey. Whispered because there was no way that he wanted Frank or Mary, fighting in the living room, shouting and screaming, to hear them.

I wish I wasn't alone.

Repeated as Tommy held his hands out before him in the darkness palms up. He put as much conviction behind them as he put into anything he said starting with those two words. He had found rather quickly that whatever this power of his was, it came more readily when he framed it as a wish.

I wish I wasn't alone.

He repeated a third time. Three times always seemed to be the right amount when it came to willfully using his power. Even now he could see the faint green glow of energy radiating from his hands, trying to catch his words and shape them into whate he was asking for. At school he didn't always need it three times. He could feel the energy building in his gut like a tidal wave and crashing over him when he wished the bullies would leave him alone, or that he'd actually gotten a good grade so Mary wouldn't yell at him, or that the shirt that got torn up and bloody was clean so Frank wouldn't hit him for wasting good clothes.

Now, though, the words didn't seem to catch, and after a moment of held breath, the energy faded back, leaving behind only the briefest flash of sparks and static that he had to shake out of his hands. Apparently even magic, or whatever this was, couldn't help him.

It was a stupid wish, anyway, Tommy realized as he pulled his legs up to his chest and wrapped his arms around them. And then, of course, he flinched at the sound of a breaking plate. They were getting bad tonight. He didn't want to be alone, not with them shouting like that. Sometimes it turned into Frank driving off to drink. Sometimes Mary stormed to their room and locked the door, leaving Frank on the couch. The former tended to mean Frank not coming home at all that night, and when he did the next day he smelled like booze and some other woman's perfume. The latter tended to mean Tommy couldn't sneak some breakfast in the kitchen before school, or being caught if he tried and he really didn't want to be on the receiving end of Frank's belt.

“Dammit. All I wanted was someone to talk to.”

He feels the rush of power even as he feels his body go limp and the world go dark around him. It’s a strange mix between a sneeze and passing out. When the sensation passes things are weird. For one thing, he can’t feel his body. There isn’t the cold of his room or the rough drag of his scratchy wool sweater that is too small for him or even the gnawing in his belly. No, there is just the swelling feeling of his magic, a prickly energy across his skin, and this place.

This new place is nicer than his room. There is more space. There are nerdy decorations on the wall. There are no cracks anywhere or dents from fists or broken furniture. He hates seeing how much nicer this place is than his home. But he is more interested in why his magic brought him here. And in the soft green light everything around him seems bathed in. Tommy raises his hand, or maybe just the concept of a hand, and is faced with the scary truth. His whole body is green and transparent. Okay. That is a bit weirder than normal.

Welcome, Tommy Shepherd, to the world of astral projection. And Billy Kaplan? Meet the strange, glowing ghostly boy in your room.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only | Expand All

From:

wearingthestars

Billy really has lucked out with his family.

"'Cause- I feel bad," he tries to explain, not really sure how. He knows it's not his fault, but he still feels sorry.

"I wish things could be different."

From:

doubled_speed

"I’ve tried that one. It never works."

Maybe he doesn’t believe in a different life for himself. Still, this means Billy is a way better person than himself.

From:

wearingthestars

"Maybe it's just more complicated."

He's here now, isn't he? This could be the start to something different. A way out.

"Billy? Who are you talking to?" A voice calls from the hall, and Billy abruptly jerks away to brace against the door in case his mother tries to enter. "No one- Mom. Just...myself."

From:

doubled_speed

The voice shocks Tommy and like that he disappears in a shower of green sparks, a fucking movie CGI sort of disappearance that would be cool if he saw it. As it is, he's left shaking in his closet. That's... not cool. With a sigh he pushes to his feet and gets out of his closet. He should really finish his homework.

But it's not nearly as long before the next time Billy sees him. He gets it now, who he's going to, and his spell changes when he whispers it the next night, the transition to Billy's room is easier.

It's a Friday, though, and he half worries that Billy or his family will have plans that would mean he will be alone tonight. But he wants to try anyway.

From:

wearingthestars

Damn. The light show is impressive but disappointing, taking Tommy away with it, and Billy sighs, leaning against the door. When did life get so weirdly complicated?

The next night has him making excuses to go to his room, just in case. The last time Tommy didn't show up again for a while, but he wants to be there if he does show. Still, there's dinner, and Mom wants to talk to him, and he's only just making his way into his room when Tommy arrives, hurriedly closing the door behind him.

"You came back." Billy looks relieved.

From:

doubled_speed

"Of course I came back," Tommy says, like it's a given. Because for him, it really is. There's no one else who is happy to see him, and Billy is. In fact, he even smiles at his face-twin today. He moves to 'sit' on the edge of Billy's bed too.

"So it occurred to me, have you bothered to WORK on your powers?"

From:

wearingthestars

The smile is almost immediately mirrored right back at him, and Billy moves to sit with him, head tilting in question.

"Work on them like how?" Enough to get a basic handle on them, but outside of that, Billy hasn't really been testing the limits.

From:

doubled_speed

Really? This kid is clearly a hero and powers nerd and he hasn't been seeing where that takes him?

"How fast can you go? How long does it last? Some speedsters are strong, so are you strong too? Can you only run fast or other things too? Come on, you've got to be looking into this stuff."

From:

wearingthestars

He flushes, knowing it sounds like he's been seriously slacking on that front.

"I mean...I've tried some stuff. But I'm trying not to get noticed and that kind of stuff kind of draws some attention."

From:

doubled_speed

"Your family let you out and about?" Tommy asks, as if it isn't common to have that happen. Because if so... "There are places outside the city you could go"

From:

wearingthestars

"I-" Billy starts to answer, frowning mid sentence at the connotation that Tommy's family didn't- "Y-yeah, of course. As long as I'm not watching the twins, or out late without telling them."

But Tommy has a point at least. People might see, but so long as he goes outside of his neighborhood no one should recognize him.

From:

doubled_speed

"Then do that. Find somewhere. Can't learn if you put yourself on a leash.]

Tommy doesn't bother to try, though. Too scared of repercussions.

From:

wearingthestars

He laughs softly, but nods. "Fair enough. What about you then? You practicing anything outside of coming here? Can you pull a rabbit out of a hat yet?" he teases with a grin.

From:

doubled_speed

He can't be caught. Can't be seen. No, even this is too dangerous. But Billy... He's worth the risk.

"Pretty sure I could if I wanted it hard enough. Let's see..."

Can he even use his power when he's like this? He doesn't know that he's used it on Billy before.

I wish Billy had a rabbit. I wish Billy had a rabbit. I wish Billy had a rabbit.

The green glow around Tommy only grows as he chants the words, and then it flashes bright and fades quickly. Leaving behind a green stuffed animal rabbit on Billy's bed.

From:

wearingthestars

For a moment Billy's afraid of what will happen if Tommy really does wish him up a rabbit, thoughts racing as to how he would take care of it, and keep it hidden from his parents, and what did rabbits even eat?? And then his worries fade when the stuffed rabbit flashes into existence, giving a surprised and relieved sort of laugh.

Billy picks it up, turning it over gently as though he's not quite sure it's solid, and he smiles. "...Well damn. Good job."

From:

doubled_speed

"I pictured a stuffed one. Didn't imagine the carrot on it. So you know, hit or miss."

Still, he seems overly pleased with himself. And now, beyond all doubt, Billy has absolute proof that Tommy is real. He'll always be able to just look at the stupid thing and know Tommy is out there somewhere.

From:

wearingthestars

"Oh the carrot sells it. Wouldn't be nearly as good without the carrot," Billy teases, and he relaxes a little, holding the rabbit loosely, fingers stroking over the fur almost absently. This is real. Tommy's not just in his head. Not some delusion he made up to make himself feel better. This is real and solid proof, and Billy smiles at the thing more fondly than he thinks he's looked at a stuffed animal in a long time.

From:

doubled_speed

It looks just like this stuffed rabbit toy that Tommy had wanted from a school fair when he was six. The sort of thing he'd asked for before he realized asking was useless. He looks half enviously at Billy, but it's gone quickly. At least quickly for a human. If Billy's brain was really already pushing fast, he'd definitely see the look.

"Well you might as well keep it. I mean, it's got to go somewhere."

From:

wearingthestars

The look doesn't escape Billy's notice, quick as it is to the human eye, and he hesitates a moment. He wishes there was some way to give Tommy something in turn.

"...it'll remind me of you," he agrees, petting over it's fur. "Maybe you can make a matching one back home so we both have one?"

From:

doubled_speed

"My parents would wonder where I got it," Tommy answers. More than that. His father might accuse him of stealing it. Or worse.

No, he doesn't want to risk it. So instead he wants Billy to relax some.

From:

wearingthestars

He frowns for a brief moment, but Billy nods. "Well, it's still impressive. You've got me beat. Clearly the smarter twin. Or...whatever we are." He flushes a little and flashes him a smile. Is that too weird?

From:

doubled_speed

Twin? Tommy doesn't know. But he sighs and shrugs it off. There is a lot to talk about right now. And maybe he shouldn't.

"How are you going to explain that to your parents?"

From:

wearingthestars

"The toy, or the ghost sibling?" he clarifies, shrugging a shoulder in regards to the rabbit. "I don't think they'll ask, but if they do I'll say it's a gift from a friend."

From:

doubled_speed

A friend? Yeah, Tommy can accept that. He really can. But he smiles. As best he can. What else could he want?

"Give me your phone number."

From:

wearingthestars

Oh. Billy's face lights up, and almost immediately he's up and darting away to collect his phone. He can never quite remember his number without looking, he doesn't have to give it out often. He returns to Tommy's side to read it out.

"Can I have yours?"