For Wearingthestars

[doubled_speed]

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.

Comments

[doubled_speed]

Well, Tommy laughs at that. The whole situation is so impossible, and once he finishes another bite and a drink, he flops back on the floor. Stares up at the ceiling and takes a deep breath.

"This is a hell of a few days, you know? I thought that place was going to have me forever and instead there you were, like magic."

[wearingthestars]

Watching him for a moment, Billy nods in agreement, powering his way through a few more pizza rolls. "...This morning I didn't even remember you existed. That's still so weird..."

Losing a whole person. It doesn't seem possible.

"...Teddy was helping me figure out why I had these gaps."

[doubled_speed]

"Didn't mean for you to even notice them. I'm sorry," Tommy sighs, shaking his head. "I just... I knew I'd done something really wrong. And I didn't want you getting hurt as part of that. I was trying to protect you."

[wearingthestars]

"I know," Billy accepts with an easy smile, "It's okay. I wouldn't exactly recommend that as your go to or anything, but I know." There's a brief pause, and then- "You know I would have tried to help you if I remembered, right?"

[doubled_speed]

"Yeah," Tommy agrees, with a sigh. "But... I almost killed a kid."

He remembers his crime.

"And you just wanted to help keep me out of jail. I belonged there. I thought I did."

[wearingthestars]

"Even if you did, that's not a real jail. You still have rights... What they did to you was wrong."

He hates that Tommy had to suffer alone for so long.

[doubled_speed]

"Yeah, I get that now. Thank... thank your team for keeping me from hurting anyone."

Because he wouldn't have been any better than the Shepherds then. He wouldn't have... Tommy shudders at the thought of them, small sparks leaping off his body.

"I can't go back, Billy. Not there, and not to the Shepherds. Whatever it takes, I can't go back."

[wearingthestars]

"Don't worry about it." After everything he went through, Billy understands the impulse. He's glad though that Tommy doesn't resent them from stopping him.

He winces sympathetically, and nods. "I won't let you. I promise. If we can figure it out legally then I'll do...whatever we have to make sure. I swear."

[doubled_speed]

Oh, Tommy has his own plans. He can teleport. If they come for him, he's going to Barbados.

"So why am I the one here tonight, and not Teddy? You said he suggested it, but shouldn't you be comforting him?"

[wearingthestars]

Billy frowns, rubbing at the back of his neck. "He wanted some space to deal with stuff on his own. And...I dunno...this is where she died. I don't...it makes sense. If he needs space, I can give it to him."

He clearly wants to be there for Teddy, but he's forcing himself to respect his wishes.

[doubled_speed]

Fair. Very fair point. And Tommy rolls over onto his side to look at the hero that looks so much like him.

"I want... I wanna try that DNA test thing. It won't come out that we are, but I wanna do it. Okay?"

[wearingthestars]

"Really?" Billy's face brightens, and he bites at his lip quickly to try and tone down that over eagerness, nodding. "...I'll talk to Dad, see if he can set something up that less...doctor-y? Would that make it easier?"

[doubled_speed]

Like Tommy even knows what does and doesn't work. But he shrugs.

"They're being nice, and I'll just try and do whatever they thing they need to do."

[wearingthestars]

"You don't have to do anything that makes you uncomfortable, just...remember that. We'll still help you, however you want us to."

Billy stretches out in a sort of mirror of Tommy. "I know this has all be kind of crazy. But...I'm really glad you're here."

[doubled_speed]

"Glad? You've got an escaped inmate who could electrocute you, or just do evil magic at you, lying on your bedroom floor," Tommy points out. "Seems something not worth celebrating."

[wearingthestars]

"You haven't done either of those things yet," Billy notes, shrugging a shoulder. "Do you plan to?"

[doubled_speed]

Does he plan to? No. Not at all. Tommy nervously reaches out, offering his hand to Billy.

"No sparks, see? I control them."

[wearingthestars]

Billy smiles softly, taking his hand without fear. "I'd still trust you even if you did spark me."

[doubled_speed]

Comfort. The touch still gives him so much comfort.

"Will... you judge me if I fall back asleep while we wait for dinner?"

[wearingthestars]

He shakes his head, smile spreading. "Never," he promises.

[doubled_speed]

"Good," Tommy whispers, and he can't help the weight of his eyelids. "Don't leave me here alone, okay?"

[wearingthestars]

"I won't, I promise. I'll be right here," Billy replies softly, "Nothing bad's going to happen."

[doubled_speed]

"You say that, but bad things always happen, Billy. They've had it all my life."

He squirms a bit closer toward Billy, just needing to be close. Closer than where he'd been.

"You're the only good thing in it. The only good thing that has ever happened to me."

[wearingthestars]

"You're going to have all kinds of good now, Tommy. Enough that you'll realize I'm pretty lame before too long," he teases.

[doubled_speed]

Tommy rolls his eyes. As he does so, there is a bit of green light in his eyes as he takes a finger of his free hand, now bright with magic, and taps Billy's nose with it. Should probably only tingle.

"You're mine."