[Closed] Family Matters

[doubled_speed]

WHO: Tommy Shepherd, Billy Kaplan
WHERE: Temba Young Avengers HQ
WHAT: Wanda is Gone
WHEN: Early December
WARNINGS: Probably emotions, cursing.

It had been easy to tell, when it came down to it. Setting up an early morning message to Wanda, asking if she might wanna join him for the last few days of Hanukkah because he hadn't had the courage to ask her earlier. Learning to embrace who and what he wanted to be wasn't easy. And none of it was easy.

But it was all gone. Her contact information, her name on the crew list, and after a quick search, her things on the ship. Which was when Tommy fled back to the home to barge into Billy's room.

"Listen, no fucking questions, no applauding me about fucking emotional competence or some shit. I need a hug."

Comments

[doubled_speed]

Man, Billy, was that suggesting Tommy didn't sleep but rather had a torpor state? Tell Tommy that and he will feel less guilty for how often he was staying with Kyle now that the guy was trying to deal with the loss of his hand.

"I hope she is. She loved him so much. I hope they're happier than our parents."

So yeah, that... that was a good point. So now Tommy was pulling away because he felt guilty for missing her.

[wearingthestars]

Billy smiled softly and nodded. He liked to think there was at least one version of them out there that were happy.

"I'm really sorry, Tommy," Billy said, feeling his own guilt for the less obvious bond they'd been able to achieve in her time here. "I know we don't really remember when we go back, but...maybe some part of us will hold onto all of this. Maybe you and Wanda can work on things back home..."

[doubled_speed]

Hell, Tommy would give a lot to know there was a happy version of himself out there. But he shook his head. He knew that there wasn't a chance that him and Wanda would be at full peace there.

She was too evasive for her own sons.

"Man, don't hope for things there. Our world sucks, Billy."

[wearingthestars]

"You don't miss it?" Billy thought he understood why that might be though. Tommy'd been able to set down roots here in a way he was pretty sure he hadn't yet been able to back home. There the knocks just kept coming for Tommy.

"...it's not all bad."

[doubled_speed]

Well, he did miss some things, and he hated admitting that.

"I miss David and what I have with him there. I miss that I won't get to know his boss more and finally get to talk Speedster shit with him. I miss talking with Sofia and Laurie and Noriko to learn more about how embarrassing David was when he was younger."

He missed the bits of life he'd set up there but...

"Other than that, things are complicated. Kate's still in the West, Cassie's been talking about going to join her but of course her dad and mom aren't cool on that, and sure it's nice that Eli's back in New York for school, but it's still... It's like no one is around much."

And they didn't make time for Tommy. Tommy had learned a lot about how important it was to make time for each other. To take their found family and hold on to it.