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

[wearingthestars]

"Tommy-" Billy winces, and while he could be at his side in a second to stop him, Billy's learned by now that's usually not the best way to de-escalate things.

He sighs, and looks to Teddy. "...I think he's...both not used to having someone, and...kind of...jealous?" he tries to explain, gesturing between the two of them.

"Life's been pretty unfair to him, and...and some how we found each other, and...now he's having to share and..." Yeah...Billy's not sure what to do. And not sure he's explaining it that well.

[doubled_speed]

Oh. Teddy doesn't look like he knows what to do with that. He, after all, sort of needs Billy right now, after all he lost. But...

"If you need to be with him, I won't stop you. Not right now."

[wearingthestars]

Brow softening, Billy shakes his head, hating this feeling of having to choose one over the other. They're both important. They both need him.

"That's not fair to you-" he argued, but he's touched by how sweet and selfless Teddy is to even offer, moving to hug him, giving them both a moment of stillness.

[doubled_speed]

Oh, Teddy definitely hugs him back. Holds him close, and tight. Lovely.

"You said he didn't have anyone who had you before, right?"

[wearingthestars]

Moments like this Billy's happy to let time stretch out, grateful each second feels like so much more, and he thinks he could stay like this forever.

He nods, finger stroking absently up and down Teddy's spine, just breathing him in. "...Right."

[doubled_speed]

For Billy, he can do it forever, or near enough. And that matters. Teddy shivers under the touch and then kisses his boyfriend's head.

"Go on. He's, like, your brother. Or near enough."

[wearingthestars]

"...I love you so much, T," Billy mumbles, looking up at him gratefully, and he rocks up to steal a final kiss.

"And he might just be for real. I'll be back soon. I promise. Thank you, Teddy."

And before he can change his mind Billy tears himself away and after Tommy. Catching up to him isn't difficult, even with the delay, but finding him still takes a bit, given how neither of them know their way around this place.

[doubled_speed]

Tommy, as it is, gets lost in the living room, and he looks Frustrated with that. Where the FUCK is Captain America?

He does, though, turn and throw up a barrier when he feels something approaching. Sorry, Billy, you disturb wind currents.

[wearingthestars]

Unused to anything really being fast enough to stop him, Billy is definitely not expecting the barrier, skidding and them slamming into it with a groan as he attempts to pick himself up like nothing had happened. Those red hot cheeks? They were always like that, what are you talking about?

"...Hey," he greets sheepishly, "...no luck yet, huh? You been that way yet?" he asks, picking a path at random.

[doubled_speed]

Okay, even Tommy's surprised that works. He stares at Billy in shock, and waves the barrier down.

"Sorry. I... apparently you generate a lot</> of static when you're moving. I sensed it."

[wearingthestars]

Rubbing at the back of neck, Billy tries to shrug it off, though he still looks surprised when Tommy says he sensed him. "...People can't usually do that," he notes finally, looking impressed.

"...You okay?"

[doubled_speed]

"Yeah, most people aren't electrokinetics who were trained to handle it as an assassin," Tommy shrugs. He didn't... he's shocked himself, but he's also a good bit scared. Right? SCary is a thing that can be.

"I'm fine."

[wearingthestars]

"You sure?" Billy presses, because...well, he hadn't seemed fine when he left, and Billy's brows twist apologetically. "...Come on, I'll help you find Cap. This place can't be that big. And hopefully they have some kind of security or something for people just magicking in. They probably know we're here all ready."

[doubled_speed]

"Yeah, probably," Tommy says, but he doesn't... seem pleased.

"Doesn't your boyfriend need you? Like, his family died or something."

[wearingthestars]

"...You both need me." And if Tommy insists he goes back to Teddy after Teddy insisted he go after Tommy, Billy might have an actual breakdown with indecision. Which seems pretty plain on his face. Teddy, with everything he was going through, had sent Billy to go after Tommy. He wasn't Tommy's enemy, or competition.

[doubled_speed]

"All I've got to do is talk to my asshole parents."

And he's scared. He's TERRIFIED.

[wearingthestars]

"And I promised I'd be there," Billy counters, "...I'm going to be here for you Tommy. From now on. I promise." That's what brothers do. They take care of each other.

[doubled_speed]

Tommy looks about ready to say something. Only there's Captain America walking into the room, fully suited up. And he slams his mouth closed and takes half a step away from Billy.

"We're here," Tommy says. "What now?"

"We need to take a trip."

[wearingthestars]

Billy turns quickly, and he frowns softly at how...right into Cap gets, but he's not quite brave enough to challenge him straight away.

"I'm coming too." The way he says it suggest he leaves no room for arguments, and he tries to look firm, not sure what he'll do if Cap refuses.

[doubled_speed]

Okay, that's not...

"You're not, Billy," Captain argues. "We're going to see Tommy's family and..."

"I'm not going if he isn't there."

[wearingthestars]

He tries to channel his mother, and not let himself be intimidated, standing firm. "I promised, Cap. I'm going. My father knows. Tommy's family, and he's not going alone."

God. He might throw up later. But he does his best not to let that fear shine through.

[doubled_speed]

Tommy can't help it. He reaches for Billy's hand and grips it. It's... Comforting.

And Cap stares at them for a moment, staring at them like it's a familiar scene. Like he's seen it before. Like he knows this. And that makes him uncomfortable.

"Fine," Captain sighs. "But Billy, you stay out of it."

[wearingthestars]

That grip ups Billy's resolve, and he squeezes Tommy's hand, standing firm and staring Cap down, perhaps the bravest he's ever felt in all his heroing.

And when Cap finally relents Billy lets out a breath.

He pointedly doesn't verbally agree to Cap's demand, giving a small hum, but his brow softens.

"...Thank you."

[doubled_speed]

“It’s like the Maximoffs all over again,” Steve grumbles. “If you boys have eaten, we can get in the quinjet now and...”

“I can teleport us,” Tommy offers. And Cap seems shocked.

[wearingthestars]

Funny that he should mention that. Billy glances to Tommy, and pointedly away again. It really is like someone just swapped one of their genders and mixed up their powers. Especially with the reveal that Tommy's capable of a lot more than they thought.

"...That's how we got here. Did you not- is it really that easy to break in here??" Billy wonders in amused surprise.