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.

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From:

wearingthestars

The voice of his mother sounds a little strange like this. And Billy resists a little at Tommy's push, but a moment later he's back in his body, blinking in disbelief.

"...did we really do that?"

From:

doubled_speed

"How do you think I visited you?" Tommy asks, doing this little whole body shake as he opens his eyes. Man, he's tired now. "I am really not good at that so close. It's really brain messy to be able to see myself."

From:

wearingthestars

"You are seriously amazing. That was..." Billy still can't find the words, looking at his fingers and turning them over like he's still not sure he's here.

"...Come on. Let's go eat before Mom starts worrying."

From:

doubled_speed

"I didn't get to look up much, but astral projection is supposed to be super basic magic," Tommy shrugs, but he does follow Billy back out.

From:

wearingthestars

Billy gives him a brief look. No matter how he tries to compliment him Tommy's ready to shrug it off. As though everything he's done isn't literally world breaking and amazing.

"You really don't give yourself enough credit," he notes.

And then to his mother, "I don't think Teddy's gonna come tomorrow. It's too..." He trails off, sure she understands.

From:

doubled_speed

There's no credit to give. No, Tommy knows that he's mostly just trying his best even when he isn't certain that he's doing things right. What he knows he can do is manage electricity. What he knows he can do is fly. That's about it. Everything else is shots in the dock.

"I understand," Rebecca promises Billy as the boys join them. "Tommy, if you're willing to wait a moment, Jeff's grabbing some swabs from his kit. He wants to get those packed up. I'm also going to check to see if we still have that air mattress in the closet for guests."

From:

wearingthestars

As though that isn't what most people are doing all the time.

Billy frowns softly. "Can't we just share-?" he starts, before flushing. Maybe he is too old to feel so disappointed by the idea of the two of them sleeping apart.

From:

doubled_speed

Rebecca seems... frankly shocked by the very suggestion. Not 'that's weird' shocked, but 'I'm not sure where the suggestion is from' shocked.

"I'm sure Tommy would appreciate having space for himself tonight," she says at last, trying to be tactful.

"Thanks," Tommy answers. Though he's pretty sure he's going to either end up not sleeping, or going with Billy's plan.

From:

wearingthestars

Cheeks hot, Billy doesn't argue, nodding faintly. He knows how strange it must seem. Even if they are brothers, they barely know one another. It's the sort of request the twins might make, not a grown teenager.

From:

doubled_speed

Definitely not grown teens. They... aren’t going to be normal. Tommy already feels self conscious. In all the worst ways.

“How about you boys have pie,” Rebecca says after a moment. And then Jeff is there with some swabs with tubes on them. Fun.

From:

wearingthestars

Pie. Right. Billy's at the table in a flash, and abruptly looking as though none of that took place, looking over at his father as he arrives with the swabs. It looks simple enough.

"What kind of pie is it?"

From:

doubled_speed

"Apple," his mother answers as she walks off. And Tommy stares at Jeff, a bit nervous. Dude, where is the moral support?

"It's okay," Jeff says. "Watch, I'll do it first."

And he does. Just a quick rubbing of the swab all along the inside of his mouth. Then pulling the tube up and sealing it over the tip.

"And that works? That's just spit and stuff."

"It's lots of little cells naturally coming off. No pain, you only feel a bit of cotton," Jeff promises. "Here, Billy, you do one. Show him it's no issue."

From:

wearingthestars

Billy flashes Tommy a smile, and nods, returning from the table, and again offering Tommy a quick, covert squeeze. "You have have enough?" he checks, taking a swab from his father.

He goes through the same motions, and seals it back up with a hum. "The cotton tastes kind of weird. But it doesn't hurt," he promises.

From:

doubled_speed

Tommy watches carefully and it’s only when Billy gives a positive that Tommy finally mimics the action and hands the finished swab to Jeff.

“Not my fault if my mutant-ness messes this up,” he mumbles.

And Jeff just smiles.

“Either way our home is open to you, Tommy. We saw the news. Our Billy may not have gotten out of today alive without you.”

From:

wearingthestars

Now that it's done, Billy feels that same ache that always tends to plague him when he knows he has to wait. Even if Dad's connections can speed it up, best case scenario has a wait time that feels impossibly long.

Billy winces a little, but nods. "None of us would of," he agrees.

From:

doubled_speed

"They just needed a little more power," Tommy mumbles nervously as he looks to the pie. Is he allowed to have a slice?

"I'll get these packed away," Jeff says. "Help yourselves, boys. You earned it today."

From:

wearingthestars

Still way too modest.

"Come on," Billy encourages, returning to the table, "How big slice do you want to start?" he asks, trying to leave open the option to have more if he likes.

From:

doubled_speed

Tommy follows and considers the pie, then shrugs. He didn't have much room left.

"Start small? I mean, I've never had pie before, is it any good?"

From:

wearingthestars

"You've never had-?" Billy blinks in surprise, "Really? Never? Shit, uh, yeah, it's pretty classic, you should like it, hang on."

He cuts Tommy a small slice, and then one for himself, watching him curiously.

From:

doubled_speed

Dude the Shepherds really weren’t good people.

“Yeah. My school didn’t go in for desserts at lunch.”

And the whole family refusing to apply for the student free lunches or give him reliable lunch money.

But he takes what is offering and has a bite. And he literallly, actually moans. It isn’t even particularly good pie.

From:

wearingthestars

The reaction makes Billy smile, cheeks warm, and he's glad for him. Whatever he's missed out on, he can still experience it all. He tucks into his own with a pleased hum.

"Wait 'til you try pumpkin pie. Thanksgiving's going to be epic, you'll love it."

From:

doubled_speed

That he's definitely seen on tv.

"Okay, but tell me something. Pumpkins are really orange on the outside. How come the pies are brown?"

From:

wearingthestars

"Um, well it depends on the pie, I guess, for starters, some are more orange. But not like...as bright as the outside. The insides a lot lighter, and then you mix it with spices and stuff, and the baking?" Billy's kind of just making an educated guess. He's never really thought about it before.

From:

doubled_speed

Well, that's a better answer than Tommy expected so he smiles, nods, and works on finishing his slice of pie. Which is a small one. He doesn't even ask for more. Mostly because he knows he doesn't have any room. And he's starting to think the Kaplans won't kick him out first thing.

And before he even finished the piece he's yawning, and Rebecca is back, a wrapped up air mattress in her hands.

"Billy, if you could set this up for our guest." You know where the spare sheets are."

From:

wearingthestars

"Mm-" Billy nods, all ready up and taking it from his mother before she's finished asking.

"Where do you want it set up?" he asks, still hoping that at least will be his room, but after earlier he doesn't want to presume.