revivalproject | Rage has such focus

Entry tags:

Rage has such focus

Who: Billy Kaplan, OTA
What: Return of the Rage Bugs
When: Before the Mermaid Event
Where: Temba (Various)
Warnings: Violence, TBD

Working on building the cabin meant a lot of time outdoors. Thankfully Billy was a lot more used to that than in the past. If the weather stayed nice, he might even get a tan. Less fortunately, a hidden nest of rage bugs had awoken to the pleasant weather as well, and one had ventured out and found itself a host. Billy didn’t feel the bite, and life carried on for a while. He was testier than usual, quicker to anger, and then abruptly the rage took hold.

Eyes a glow, he banished a tree, fragments breaking apart and disappearing piece by piece. However it had offended him was unknown, but it revealed his next target to him, eyes narrowing and lightening crackling at his fingertips as he sets his sights on you.

Maybe you know Billy. If you do, you know this is very out of character. Before you have long to think about it you better start dodging.

(ooc: Set before the mermaid event. There is a planned resolution/end to the thread, so anyone tagging in won’t be able to stop Billy, but they can try their best. If you want them to get hurt/not hurt please let me know and I can make that happen for you. Also feel free to encounter Billy in a different place/set up than the one started here, he'll be flying about causing havoc all over.]

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There’s a lot of reasons he could be at this cabin. Exploring, looking for some place else to live, all sorts of reasons. But he actually got word that a potential new trainer for him lived out this way. It’s Soldier, and while Billy had waited awhile because of his own hesitation to go with clearly older men that fit a role like his dad and also because there was the whole ordeal with Tommy, now was a good time to go looking for the iron armed man.

Or whatever the fuck that thing was made of.

He’s about to move around a tree when it simply disappears in a glimmer and there’s nothing between him and—

"…Kaplan?" Hargrove sounds confused, hands at his sides instead of going to the axe strapped to his back. A cigarette (his last one again), dangles against his lips. "I could’ve chopped that down and you could’ve had firewood instead of blipping it away."

The cigarette's ash burns red hot and quickly consumes itself

"There's plenty to burn," he snaps, and while the two of them haven't really spent much time together apart from when Hargrove first arrived, it's clear this is not his usual tone.

Hargrove's sleeve suddenly flickers with a quick spreading flame, one that's hard to extinguish.

The cigarette drops from his lips and Hargrove recoils from the heat of it. "What—"

The blond didn’t know Billy that well, with their only meeting being the one on the broken teenager‘s arrival, but this was a far cry from that guy. The magician, no, what did Tommy call him? The witch, that’s right, who had patched him up was more softspoken than whatever the hell this was.

Then his sleep is aflame, hot and spreading quick. "HEY CUT IT OUT!!" he yells, trying to pat it out in vain. Hargrove struggles against it and trying to get his axe off so he can get at his shirt. "I was just looking for Soldier!! The guy with the metal arm!!"

Finally he gets the weapon off and and divests himself of the shirt, wrapping a blistering arm around himself to keep Billy from seeing what he already knew was there. The other held the axe handle, hoping he wouldn’t actually have to use it against the guy.

Because he couldn’t. There was no way he was winning against someone that was a literal witch.

The remains of the shirt smolder with an unnatural blue flame before extinguishing, and Billy glowers at the mention of Soldier, an almost possessive growl in his voice.

"You stay away from him-" he warns, abruptly teleporting them away from the woods, and before Hargrove could properly reorient- a magical force pushes at him like a gale force wind.

What the hell was going on? He snatches up his shirt - what’s left of it - and straightens in time to hear that low growl from Billy. Hargrove pales before glaring. "He’s going train—"

But then they’re out of the woods, literally, and somewhere else in town. There’s no time to reorient as as he’s thrown back. There’s a yell that trails off and then another as he scrapes against the rugged rock that’s supposed to be the road. The axe skitters away, out of reach. "Kaplan! What the hell?!?!" He starts to get up, ignoring the blood starting down his arm, and the grit lodged in it. "What the fuck is your problem??"

He dashed to grab his axe, hoping to be able to use it as some sort of defense.

Panting heavily, Billy's not sure what the problem is himself, which is all the more frustrating. Just directionless rage that needs to get out. His features twist, trying to exert some control over himself. It doesn't last for long, electricity crackling at Hargrove's heels and his runs for his axe, and with a flick of his wrist, Billy lifts them both into the sky. He doesn't seem afraid of the axe, letting Hargrove keep ahold of it as he flies to close the gap between then.

"Everything-!" Everything was his problem. And normally he could end it all with a word, but this place limits him. Forces him to narrow his focus. "You."

He starts to drop him, catching him just before he hits the ground.

It’s a rage Hargrove understands because of the amount of times felt it. Been the one lashing it out like a whip to snap at anyone stupid enough to be in the way. It felt like being on the receiving end of breaking that plate on Steve’s head so long ago.

He practically tastes the electricity on his tongue but his focus is the axe. Get himself armed and somewhat on the defense. Oh Hargrove gets the weapon back but it’s for nothing.

There’s a scream as he’s lifted up into the air. He’s got the axed in two hands, holding it defensively even as Billy flies in close.

Hargrove pales. "Me?! What the hell did I even fucking do? I went out to find Soldier for traini—" The word gets cut as he’s dropped, and feels his body lurch at the force of being stopped. Blood drops to the ground below him. "Fuck off Kaplan, I didn’t do shit to you!!"

Was this how the others felt when he lashed out? Innocent bystanders caught in the flames of his temper?

Maybe it was karmic retribution. Maybe it was just wrong place, wrong time. Or maybe there was some underlying fear about his brother being hurt. Whatever it was, lashing out was the only thing that seemed to release that aching pressure in his head.

He lifts him back up like a yo-yo, higher this time. "You were there." That was enough, wasn't it?

Hargrove has no idea what’s going on. No idea how he angered Kaplan enough to have this kind of punishment laid out on him. What did he do?

What did he do?!

The next time Kaplan lifts him, the axe slips from his waning grip and clatters back down to the road under them. "…I didn’t do anything—"

He was there. For Neil, for Vecna. The nerves of his arm scream in pain, and his mind is terrified at being lifted so high.

"I didn’t do anything to your brother, I haven’t seen you since I showed up almost dead! I don’t deserve this!!"

Edited (Spelling error) 2024-05-09 21:20 (UTC)

"You will." It could be in answer to any number of the things Billy's said, but given the look on the Witch's face, it's most likely in response to Tommy.

He was unceremoniously dropped after that, no sudden stop to save him this time but the one that came from hitting the ground.

The Witch flies down to get a good look at him before hoisting him back up into the air without him this time, watching him grow smaller the higher he disappears. He lets him squirm up there for a moment or two, and then releases him again.

He will.

The idea roots itself in his head and it hurts far worse than anything Kaplan‘s done so far.

'You will.'

Because Hargrove knows he Huerta everyone he touches so it’s only a matter time, right? He’s powerless against Billy and all those powers, and it’s a thought that rushes out of him mind with the airbrushing past him as he’s dropped again.

But the lurching stop doesn’t come. Only a sickening crack of his already damaged arm under him, and maybe something else broken.

Hargrove doesn’t know.

All he can do is scream, the sound shifting as he’s pulled back into the air.

Kaplan‘s going to kill him at this rate. One arm hangs limply, everything hurts, and Kaplan was going to kill him.

Because he was there.

Because he would eventually hurt Tommy.

All Hargrove can do is scream as the ground rushes towards him again.

One thing they don't tell you enough when you get into heroics. There will always be times when you show up too late. Even if you can break the sound barrier, it always happens. Too late to save someone, too late to stop a disaster, to late to help someone you love.

Today Tommy is too late. But not so late that it is a total loss.

But at least his brother chose the right sort of place for this. There are still some buildings around, just tall enough. There is still space to build up speed. Still a chance to do something even if it scares him to be airborne.

Everything changes in a heartbeat. A gust of wind wrapping around Billy and coiling him in sturdy vines. A burlap sack that smells like tigertubers dropped over his head to mess up his vision just for a second. And then the burst of wind and silver-green light races for the nearby tower that once housed Echo. The blur races right up it, all the way to the tip. Then with all his speed and the full force of his legs, he kicks off.

Tommy sails through the air, hoping his calculations were enough. Sails through the air, toward Billy but also toward the nearby lake. What remains of it since years ago Tommy and Vision and Katara did the repairs that shrank it.

They only shrank its limits. They could never drain its depths.

Gentle arms manage to find his target in the air and as he falls Tommy guides Billy close and tight to his body. One arm around his chest to hold them together the best he can while he twists them in the air.

"Close your eyes and hold your breath, babe. I've got you now."

The arm not around his Sunshine extends out and down toward the water. It's far enough that when they hit it, it will be like concrete. At least, if the water has surface cohesion that is. And just who out here has the seconds and powers to break up the water with small bursts of waves and ripples and almost detonations?

It won't be pleasant, but they will hit the water and pass through without smashing. Amazingly enough, Tommy does know what he's doing. Important step now will be hoping the guy in his arms listened and that Tommy can make it to the surface and get his brother's target to safety so he can try and defuse the rest of the situation he already suspects the cause of.

Some part of Billy is grateful for what happens next, but that part is quickly overshadowed by the rush of new found rage as he finds himself bound and blinded. By the time he can blast the vines and sack, his target is long gone. There's a loud concussive explosion that follows the discovery, and he doesn't approach the search logically. He could magic his way to where ever Tommy had decided to stash him, but that requires too much forethought, Billy instead taking flight in a random direction.

The falling feels slow. Or maybe his mind just can’t keep up. But one moment he’s falling, the next he’s encompassed in arms and going a different direction. It’s still down, but not towards the road.

Oh God. It’s Tommy.

No one’s ever rescued him like this before, never gone out of their way to do it. But he knows if he doesn’t listen, it’ll hurt more than everything already does. Tommy doesn’t even ask what happened, or what Hargrove did to piss his brother off. Saving first, he supposes, questions afterwards.

It still hurts, hitting the water, but they don’t crack against it like glass against concrete. Bubbles loose from his mouth and he clamps them shut as the plunge down through the water.

The hand not at he’d to the broken arm goes up to clench into Tommy’s arm wrapped around his bare chest. His ugly, scarred up chest.

Everything just hurts.

Yeah, it would hurt. His brother is a monster when he wants to hurt someone. Tommy knows. He has the scars. But for now he has to deal with the problem. The one of sinking. They splashed down deep and with Billy hurt and probably breathless and all the bubbles happening.

Tommy would curse if he could. Instead the hand he'd channeled his power through comes up, guides Billy's head into position. Tommy presses their mouths together, hopes Billy gets the point. And the moment those lips part even a little, he breathes into Billy's mouth. Expels all the air he thinks he can manage. Gotta get the guy something to work with.

Only then does he work on getting them turned toward the surface and he kicks for it with desperate speed. He needs to make it.

And you better believe once he does he takes a deep breath and starts to paddle toward the shore. Gotta get his pretty boy to the hospital.

Billys words have started to sink into his brain, telling Hargrove the same thing that he had told himself back on the ship. He wasn’t worthy to be with Tommy, and that he’d do the one thing he feared - that he would hurt him.

The words get muffled at the touch, silenced at the kiss. It take a moment to realize that’s not entirely what’s happening and he takes in some of the air. He still feels dizzy with pain throbbing through his body but maybe he won’t drown. He feels Tommy’s legs kick and he lifts his own as much as he can handle out of the way. God, did his leg break too?

Shit.

Once his head breaks the surface, Hargrove sucks in air like a man starving. Which he almost was. The blond can’t even offer to help swim right now, which adds to the pile of Bad he’s currently dealing with. "Tom— Tommy-" the first attempt at the name was choked off with water because now his brain is processing that his boyfriend is here. Saving him.

“You know, from your lips, Tom sounds nice.”

But his eyes? They’re busy darting around trying to figure out if his brother was still around. No lightning bolts. No glowing blue eyes. No immediate punishment. Good. Tommy kicks for the shore.

“Are you hurt? I can get you to the hospital and deliver one of the doctors to you. Then I have to go deal with the minor crisis we’ve got going on apparently. Shit, maybe I can find Jon. Though watching whatever Jon is going up against my godling brother would be terrifying. And we have no other telekinetics. Fuck.”

He might have to roll out the directed assassination level explosions. Which he hasn’t practiced in forever. Shit. Shit.

This isn’t the first time this has happened between them. Last time… Last time there were people appropriate to handle the shit for them. To deal with the untold power that was a godling gone wild. Hell, even to deal with Tommy’s own rage bug issue. But this?

It sucks.

Doesn’t take Tommy long to find his brother, of course. He’s angry, he’s hurting, and he’s scared for Billy. No reason not to put on every last scrap of speed he can manage for this.

And then he sees him. Not all of him, but enough of thing happening to know it has to be his brother.

“Wiccanto, we need to have a little talk about how much bug spray you’re using. Or not using. How about we deal with this like responsible adults. I’d rather walk out of this without a scar this time.”

Damn it.

Billy stills from his attempt to bring down a building that seemed to have angered him and distracted him from hunting down his original target.

"Who says you'll walk away this time?" he returned, crashing a concussive wave into the base of the building and bringing it crumbling down around him. It throws up cloud of dust, obscuring sightlines, and the rational part of Billy prays his brother will either stay hidden or put him down before he hurts anyone else.

“Like I ever ‘walk’ anywhere.”

By the time Tommy’s said that he’s standing on top of the next nearest bit of ruins. He looks so bored, and tired.

Under that he’s hurt.

“Did you have to try and kill my boyfriend? Made more sense when you tried to kill me. Seriously, though. How do you keep getting possessed so much. This is, what, three?”

Well Hargrove doesn’t like it. It’s only Daisy Dukes or Tommy. Not Tom. He wants to say so many things, like how Billy thinks he’s going to hurt his brother, that he was just there, and he’s not supposed to go near Soldier, but nothing comes out save a pained noise.

"Hurts," is all he can get out. Maybe it’s not terribly clear that he’s only holding on with one arm because the other is just all blinding pain from the break to the gash. "Arm. Chest. Not supposed—" Another choke on water before he gets his head back up. "—to see—"

See what? Hargrove can’t get those words out either as they close in on shore.

"Just…just hurts."

Tommy hauls them out onto the relatively dry ground and takes a serious gasp of the cool air. That helps. Some. Not much, but some. He can definitely see that Billy’s favoring his arm, and it looks like… Fuck. He can see that there’s some real damage. Shit.

“Yeah, you don’t look great. Hold that thought for half a second.”

There’s a rush of air, and then almost as fast as it fades Tommy’s back, kneeling at Billy’s side and carefully lowering some supplies beside himself.

“Alright, we’re going to start with triage. Apparently me and medical datapoint work well enough. I’m going to do some on site care and then I’ll get you to the hospital, alright? Going to start by immobilizing your arm with splints and then using a sling to keep it close to your body. After that I’m going to check if there is any reason not to move you, though I think we’re okay there. Stay with me, okay?”

Billy attempts to freeze him in place with his magic since he's decided to stay so nice and still for him there.

"He was there," he supplies. It hadn't been targeted. "You talk too damn much. Always talking! Always whining!" There's a crack of electricity, one that seems designed to miss, ramping up the fear as the cracks draw nearer.

Dude, can’t even look at him before he’s in a new place, arms crossed over his chest.

“That’s no excuse, and you know it. It’s a ragebug again, isn’t it? I mean, we both know I talk a lot, but you whine more than me, so it’s really not a good point in your favor.”

The lightning does make him flinch from his new location, though. He still had that scar.

“Billy, you promised me you wouldn’t use those powers on me again. Are you going to let an insect break your word?”

There’s a yell he can’t muffle as he’s hauled back onto the ground. He wants to reach for his partner, but he’s gone with the hand halfway up and back just as he lowers it. With no shirt there’s already bruising creeping into his skin, matching the bruising around the break in his arm. There some on his knee too, but it’s not as quick forming as the others are. Maybe Hargrove got lucky.

That hand lifts again and he chokes on a sob. It hurts and Hargrove just doesn’t get why Billy wanted to hurt him so bad. Was it a warning? "…'m here. Not leaving. Hurts…too bad to move." At least the one side since he’s reaching for Tommy’s face with his other hand.

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Rage has such focus

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Cw: broken bone injuries

Cw: broken bone injuries

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Well this was bound to happen

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