[Calibrations] Calibrations Still Hurt

[doubled_speed]

WHO: Tommy Sheperd, OTA
WHERE: Tommy’s Calibration Room
WHAT: Calibrations
WHEN: June 10th to July 10th
WARNINGS: CW: Tommy’s Calibrations room potentially contains depictions of child abuse, bullying, and medical experimentation, and dogs used to threaten/harass a child. It depends on what you touch (each will have warnings in strike-through attached).

Arriving in this room means a literal arrival. A door opens, the one to Tommy's room here in Temba. No sooner does one step through the door than it closes behind the arrival, leaving them alone with a Tommy Shepherd who is lounging on a couch against the wall of a very messy room. Honestly, it pretty much relates to his own room at Temba's 'Young Avengers HQ'. At least there's an open window in the room to let in fresh air. The view is weird though as it's of the Las Vegas Strip at night, from a literally impossible angle. It's almost as if the window looks out into the middle of the road itself.

"Hey, welcome," Tommy says, kicking his feet over the arm of the couch. "Just give me a second."

He is flipping through a book, clearly reading. His fingers move quickly, until he seems to get to a good stopping point. Then he stuffs a bookmark in and sits up.

"Forgive the mess. Been busy lately."

And yeah, it's a mess. Not too hard to trip over a pair of goggles with orange lenses in the middle of what should be a walkway to the bed or the bathroom beyond it. Strangely enough even stepping on it owuldn't break them. It probably goes with the silver and green super hero costume slung over a low table stacked with books. Also on that table is a framed photograph of a house Baby Hands Reference.

The rest of the room is filled with scattered clothes, including a worn brown leather belt cw: physical child abuse too big for someone Tommy's size sticking out from under the couch. At least most of it seems to be Tommy's own clothes, but some of it includes shirts that are too small for him, or too big and far too yellow. Yellow definitely isn't as much his color so that's an interesting thing going on. Also on top of a pile of socks happens to be a mass of black and gold fabric that will prove to be a mask. Weird place for it, but okay.

Tucked under the pillow of the bed in the room is a strange metal collar cw: medical experimentation and dogs. It's mostly hidden under the pillow, almost as if to say 'out of sight, out of mind', and yet the placement might well mean it was on Tommy's mind any time he slept. Or maybe that's just reading into things. So maybe don't read into it so much and instead choose to focus on the old CRTV with built in VHS Player in the corner of the room. Is that some old western movie running right now? WHat's up with that?


[OOC: The secret to getting out of Tommy's room before the 'time limit' is to see the mess and volunteer to help clean up while talking to Tommy. Seeing a minimum of one memory can also cause the door to open and allow people to leave at any point. Also if you want a possible different memory or something specific, message me and we can talk.]

Comments

[doubled_speed]

"Yeah," he agrees. "Hard to believe people used to use these things. But I guess it's just something that happened."

But it was still sorta part of 'home' for him.

"Guess Mom left it behind there. I can't imagine Master P brought it."

[fatedsacrifice]

[He let the words go right past him until Tommy mentioned something that sounded vaguely familiar.]

Wait, did you just say Master P?

[doubled_speed]

Yeah. Master Pandemonium. He's okay now.

[fatedsacrifice]

I have to wonder what your definition of okay is.

[This whole place was so weird.]

[doubled_speed]

He doesn't hurt people. It's... like living with an older relative who has some memory and coordination problems I guess?

And he needs me. So I take care of him.

[fatedsacrifice]

[Noctis sighed.]

I guess that's a good point of view.

[But then he smiled slightly.]

You do have a habit of looking after other people.

[doubled_speed]

[Does he? Tommy looks truly shocked to hear that. AS if he cannot begin to fathom the idea that he does that.]

Since when do I do that? I mean, other than that there?

[fatedsacrifice]

[Noct smiled.]

Back when I first got here, I seem to recall you helping me out with the ropes of this place.

[doubled_speed]

That's true. But people don't come in constantly. And there's only so many ropes.

[fatedsacrifice]

[Noctis folded his arms over his chest with a sort of amused tone.]

So you're gonna deny it.

[doubled_speed]

Yep!

[Brightly and with a smile. Even in the domain of his own mind and dreams. This was one lie he could tell here.]

[fatedsacrifice]

That's..up to you.

[Noctis wasn't going to lecture the kid.]

[doubled_speed]

Thanks man. Come on, just sit down and take a load off. You don't need the baggage of my memories.

[fatedsacrifice]

[There was a smile from the older man and he nodded, doing as requested.]

Isn't that what this whole thing's about? Dealing with stuff that is.

[doubled_speed]

I don't know if it's about that so much as it's about making us miserable and letting people see what hurt us the most.

[Someone may have abused his mind recently.]

[fatedsacrifice]

[The king nodded sympathetically.]

It can't be easy to have pains in the past exposed, especially when they're on display for others to see.

[Still, he looks over at Tommy at that last bit, curious but definitely not asking.]

[doubled_speed]

Exactly. I just...

[He curls his legs up against his chest.]

He found all the painful memories. And I don't know what to do with someone knowing them.

[fatedsacrifice]

[Noct looked at Tommy sympathetically.]

Is that person a good person to trust with stuff like that?

[doubled_speed]

No.

[The word comes out as a cross between a growl and a pained sob. No, it hadn't been okay.]

[fatedsacrifice]

Noctis' face grew serious and he half raised a hand to place on Tommy's shoulder at the force of that 'no'.

But in the end he didn't place his hand anywhere and slowly lowered it.

"I'm really sorry."

[doubled_speed]

Yeah. Tommy is too. And it hurts, to have everything laid out like that. He just wants to scream in frustration. Instead he looks at Noctis and swallows his pride.

"Can I please have a hug?"

[fatedsacrifice]

Noctis heard that request and was completely taken with surprise. So for a long moment he sort of just stupidly stared and then his brain kicked in.

"Ya, ya of course."

It was a little awkward, but he managed to go slow and wrap his arms around Tommy. He'd hold on as long as the kid needed it.

[doubled_speed]

Tommy doesn't bother to go slow. He's just there and embracing Noctis. Because he needs it so much.

[fatedsacrifice]

Tommy had a good grip on him but Noctis didn't shy away. If this kid needed a hug all damn night, the king would sit here. He also wondered when the last time was that Tommy got a hug.

[doubled_speed]

The last hug was probably the last time he had the courage to admit to his brother that he needed one. Which was a long ass time ago.

"Thanks man," he says, muffled against Noctis's chest, even though he isn't letting go yet.