Video Broadcast - OTA (Post Storm)

[doubled_speed]

[Hey guys, look who it is. The bright and cheerful and constantly snarky kid. Who is smiling wide, though it looks a bit strained. Good news, his arm has healed since getting back. Bad news, Tommy looks nervous and maybe a hint of stressed as the video starts. But hey, he's in the greenhouse, which is obvious from the greenery around him. And his communication device is propped up against something, because his hands are in the shot, working at the soil around a lush Cyanana plant, clearly working fertilizer into the soil with care.]

So, like... Just because we've got the ships and stuff doesn't mean it's not important for us to maintain the greenhouse, right? We were gone for a while and not all the places in here did well while we were gone. And then I was walking around and realized that we're sorta scattered, the people working here. So maybe people with the skill should, like, coordinate? Because fresh food on the ships is good too. We can preserve shit and put it on the ships for variation.

I also wanna do, like, hydroponics on some of the ships. So if we gets spaced again for a while, we can have fresh stuff.

Guess...

[He sighs and his hand cards through his hair. Which means some dirt is now there in the perfect white strands.]

Guess I mean I'm willing to help organize. Map out the greenhouse, help us figure out schedules and when to work on different plants and that shit. Or not. Someone else can take that charge. I don't much care. It just needs done. Might also need an engineer to help with the ship part. And maybe people to okay adding it to other ships and to take care of the plants.

Anyway uh...

[Let him be useful. He failed as a hero in the storm. Disappointment and frustration flash across his face in the video and then it's gone.]

Thoughts?

Comments

[wearingthestars]

[The grin prompts an uncertain sort of reflexive smile in return from Billy, but it drops again after a moment.]

...Hey.

[doubled_speed]

[Well this is awkward. He's so fucking awkward.]

So how's Teddy doing? He a good roommate?

[Tommy had, of course, ditched out once his ankle was better. Taken his stuff and gone while Billy was out. Not that he was really staying anywhere.]

[wearingthestars]

[Super awkward.]

He's...good. Yeah. I-...you didn't have to-

[He flushes, not sure why it all feels so awkward now.]

It feels kind of weird without you, honestly.

[doubled_speed]

Yeah, I'm not living in Bonetown.

[Weird without him? Yeah, Tommy gets it. He LIVED with his brother for a change. Not even in a separate room like with Teddy at the Kaplan's place. They'd had each other in the night and Tommy felt... calm. And slept longer. And with less nightmares. But it's not the same now.]

[wearingthestars]

[Billy makes a face, but his cheeks grow hot.]

We do know how to control ourselves.

[But yeah, it's been weird. Not having him there. That almost easy closeness they were starting to develop...]

Still, I...miss you. Just 'cause Teddy's here doesn't mean we can't still... [He gesture's vaguely.]

[doubled_speed]

[The closeness isn't so easy with Teddy there now. Tommy was... he'd been a stand in for Billy. He was third or fourth fiddle doing his best.]

I don't speak hand gesture, dude.

[wearingthestars]

Do...the brother thing. The friend thing.

[doubled_speed]

[Oh. That. They're talking about it. Did they have to be talking about it? He doesn't want to be talking about it and that much is clear on his face.]

You don't need me here, not with him around.

[wearingthestars]

Why wouldn't I need you just because Teddy's here? I love you. I love both of you.

[doubled_speed]

[Come on, man, he's not stupid. Even his expression says that.]

You're all about Ted. He's like, your fate or something. I'm just, what, your past or something. Teddy is one step forward. I'm ten steps back.

[wearingthestars]

You think I'm going to ditch my parents too? And the twins? Just because I have Teddy doesn't mean you're any less important to me.

[doubled_speed]

[Of course he won't leave the Kaplans.]

You grew up with your parents. With the twins. I'm just... A spare. A runner up. Someone to be there when you can't get the real people.

[wearingthestars]

You're not- Tommy- you mean so much to me.

[doubled_speed]

[Tommy sighs. That's... half hard to believe. And all of his posture says it. After all, they're twins. Tommy's disbelief, his depression, looks much the same. He probably looks like a palette swap of what Billy was used to seeing in the mirror.]

Yeah, but you've got what you need here between him and Mom.

[wearingthestars]

[Yup, Billy knows that face well, and his own brow creases.]

You're not some stand in, okay? You're Tommy. You go in the Tommy shaped spot in my heart and no one else can fill that spot. No one else can give me what you give me. And I need all of you.

[doubled_speed]

[He doesn't give Billy anything, did he?]

You know we're the same shape. Maybe that hole is you.

[wearingthestars]

It's you. You're very distinct.

[doubled_speed]

[Tommy sighs and walks away a few paces, because he doesn't KNOW how to do this. And he doesn't want anyone around to hear the next bit.]

I... am not that important to anyone.

[wearingthestars]

[Billy shakes his head. And, okay, so he can't speak for EVERYONE but-]

You're that important to me.

[And to Teddy, and to all their friends. But Billy looks so damned earnest, praying Tommy will actually believe him this time.]

You're part of me. And I love you. And I LIKE you on top of that, which you don't always get with family.

[doubled_speed]

[Tommy takes another step back, nervous. How does he even...]

You... you always liked them more. Wanted them around more. Your team, your real family, Teddy. Even want Wanda more than me. I'm an extra.

[wearingthestars]

You're not. And I'm sorry if I made you feel like you were. I ...haven't been a great brother. Or a great friend. I'm...working on it.

[doubled_speed]

[Tommy is left frowning as he considers his twin.]

Maybe I'm... not the great brother?

[wearingthestars]

[Billy mirrors that frown and shakes his head.]

You've been amazing. Always.

[doubled_speed]

I left when you needed me.

[wearingthestars]

...That was... we were all messed up. It wasn't up to you to fix me when you were dealing with it too. I was the one so caught up in my head that I wasn't there for you or Teddy.