revivalproject | [Backdated] Storm: Our Lives On Display

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[Backdated] Storm: Our Lives On Display

WHO: Tommy Shepherd, Open
WHERE: Temba
WHAT: Two Stormy Memories
WHEN: During Storm Week
WARNINGS: CW: Child Abuse in starter 2

I. A Memory of Delight

Storms. Tommy hates the storms. In fact, if he could just have 100% less storms, he'd be very happy. The happiest a man can be. With the storms he's just... He's lesser. It's always upset him. Always hurt him. Always left him frayed around the edges. But hey, this time they were supposed to be spotty? So he tries to go about his life.

Problem is, this one hits when he's alone, and man if Tommy wasn't on his way back from the new Avengers manor or whatever Tony was calling it. Turned out he didn't like being in his room there, still a work in progress, when the storms and world felt so draining. So walking back was a thing.

And of course, that's when a storm rolled in over him. The second the rain started he felt his powers go and Tommy just cursed. Because, well, what the fuck was going on here? Why did the rain hate him in particular? Cursing one more time, this time in Polish just for good measure, he finds a bit of stone overhang and sits his ass down. If he doesn't move, logically he shouldn't have troubles, right?

Except there's something different today. Of course there is. The rain is getting thick enough that it's hard to see beyond his hand and for some reason... it almost looks like he's in his room above the diner, which makes no sense at all.

II. A Memory of Pain | CW: Child Abuse will be depicted in threads from this starter

That was an experience that was shaking, and for a while, Tommy just stays back in his room at the diner, cuddled up by the fire even though it made him too hot because it just reminded him of what was happening in the moment. It was safer. It was better.

It wasn't enough because anxiety was prone to driving Tommy out of comfortable situations. Which was why he was outside again, heading for the greenhouse. His other safe place. The one that made him feel like he was useful and had a place where he fit in. Even if he had no powers, he could help the plants, right?

What a mistake that was, going outside. Because while it was clear when he stepped out, by the time he made it across the square and was nearing the greenhouse, the rain started. And this time, well, the change comes quickly.

Too quickly.

Comes in the form of his feet stepping not on the road but on familiar worn down wood. He knows the creak his foot produces almost instantly. And there's the sound of a truck door closing.

Sure it's Tommy there, but it also isn't Tommy there, because to another person's eyes it's Tommy but younger. Tommy but with hair as dark as his brother's, not a hint of white in it. A younger, childhood Tommy who is flinching at the sound of booted footsteps nearing in the rain...

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Tommy wouldn't. Billy's trying to be a Good Boy and not peek and make his partner uncomfortable. He hears the squeak of the taps and turns his head towards the opening without looking in. Okay. Maybe one little peek in.

Just a peek.

"Probably because we share that memory it was easier for it to grab hold of me." There's a soft sound of him shrugging. "As much as I like holding your hand and cuddling, we couldn't do it out in the rain. Well, maybe we could, but it's not ideal."

Uncomfortable. Laughable. He'd love the distraction of flirting. As it is he takes the towel and wraps it around his waist. Mostly because he wants to be decent to not make Billy uncomfortable. Only then does he step out.

"I didn't feel the rain when I was in it. And that... wasn't the start of it. I was out there a while.'

Billy straightens up off of the wall he's been leaning on when Tommy reappears. "You looked like you had been." He moves in close, reaching up to cup Tommy's jawline in his hands. The hold is firm at first, then it loosens so he's not so rough.

He leans in to press their foreheads together. "When you snapped out of it... God, you looked so lost." Scared, even. Billy finds he didn't like that, but even he can't beat up a storm.

"I'm still lost," Tommy confesses, the words falling from his lips in spite of not wanting to admit it.

He doesn't want to seem weak in front of his boyfriend. But at the same time, he promised honesty. Openness. So he's trying. Though now he's also shaking, standing there being touched all gentle. He's shaking because he's broken.

"I'm always lost in the storms. I'm not me during these. I'm weak. I'm easily injured. My mind feels like it's in a fog. And I'm always terrified about what might happen when midnight comes. I should just... wait for things to clear up and head to the island and wait until people tell me it's passed."

"You're not lost when you're with me. Ride the waves, but hold onto me, okay?" Tommy's seen him weak, so this stupidly felt fair. It shouldn't, but somehow it does. A thumb sweeps at that cheek and he looks at Tommy, still keeping their foreheads together. "I got an idea, okay? You get dressed and I'll be right back okay? I'm not leaving the building, I'm just gonna go grab something."

An idea? God what fucking idea could he have? Tommy bites his lip and doesn't grumble. He just nods. It's not like he could change quickly and follow Billy after all.

"Don't be gone long."

Just trust him on this one okay? Billy kisses his forehead. "It's just in the other room," and then he's off, jogging out of the locker room. He heads back to the door and picks up the bundle he had dropped somewhere outside. There's not really a lot in there, just his essentials. It gets taken upstairs to his room really quick, but then he's racing back down and jogging back into the locker room.

Right back over to Tommy. He doesn't even ask, just puts on the little 80s headphones that came with Max's Walkman and then pushes the play button. "It's one of Max's. Helps me sleep sometimes."

It was a Madonna tape from Max's first visit to Temba, and not this other Max's tape. Don't make him think about it too hard. What Billy doesn't realize is that the music isn't even playing. The play button is pressed, but the device just doesn't work. He doesn't realize it, thinking that maybe the volume is too low.

Edited (wibbly wobbly stormy warmy) 2024-07-14 00:56 (UTC)

Tommy is jealous about how confidently Billy's moving around without the power on. Not even kidding. He envies that. He'd be too scared to do so, too certain he'd fall and hurt himself. He's done it before in storms. Twice. He's got shit luck with them. So he is very cautious while he dries off and dresses.

Then Billy's back and putting headphones on and... Oh. Oh the sweet young man. Tommy's hands come up to take the headphones back off.

"Billy. Thank you. The sentiment is beautiful, babe, but... but it's an energy storm."

Why was Tommy taking them off? He frowns, until he's given an explanation. Shit. Right, energy storm. It's not gonna work.

Fuck.

More mental explictives.

Billy yanks the headphones back with more force than he means to. He's not mad at Tommy, but more at himself for forgetting. There's a whisper in his ear to throw the tape player, but he instead puts it on the bench instead. "Sorry. Forgot."

He breathes out, focusing on what Gladio's taught him about trying to control his anger, then runs a hand through his curls. "C'mon, I can take you upstairs and we can cuddle until the storm blows over." It's said less like a suggestion. Billy holds his hand out in offering for Tommy to take. "I can lead you, or I can carry you. Your choice, babe."

"It's okay. Hell, it's really good of you to think of me like that. To come up with a reasonable solution in another situation. Makes me think I should replicate some earplugs or something before the next time."

Thank you for not throwing it, though. Repairing it again would be sad. He does reach out, though, his own fingers joining Billy's in those beautiful, if damp, curls.

"Lead me. If there are stairs I'd feel we're both safer without the weight in your arms. But you can carry me around to compensate for it later, okay?"

"It's apparently a solution back home. After I..." Billy can't say it. Not right now. Don't focus on him when there's Tommy to help right now. He breathes out, feeling more of his anger dissipate as Tommy's hand goes through his curls. Okay, yeah, less angry now. He nods. "Okay."

He straightens up and takes Tommy's hand - it's clear his little rise of anger spooked him as he's so careful in the motion. Doesn't want to hurt his boyfriend. He remembers that one stipulation.

'But there's gotta be one rule. An absolute one. You can't hit me.'

The other hand reaches to take the tape player again, clipping it onto the waistband and then looping the headphones around his neck.

"Yeah? You better not time me when I do that. But I'll carry you from the diner to the beach house. We can cuddle on the sand, too."

Tommy knows exactly where that statement goes and of course he gets up on his tiptoes to kiss the guy's brow over it. Then and only then does he let their fingers curl together.

"Have I complained about your pace so far, Sunshine? I promise I won't. But that's a long walk. You sure you want to carry me that far? And if you carry me there, who is carrying the picnic lunch, or the blanket to sit on?"

The kiss helps. No thinking about his fate back home. He even leans into that kiss a little, chasing after it for a moment before they're fully holding hands. "No, you haven't complained. Not while I'm in earshot anyways. It's not that long of a walk."

He starts them out of the locker room, navigating the civic center with ease. Helps that he lived here during the winter months.

"Max's skateboard. Tie some rope to one of the trucks to pull it along while I carry you. And it'll cause chaos while she tries to figure out where it went."

"You haven't heard complaints because I know how to be my own best friend when I'm frustrated," Tommy points out. Which he has no shame in saying either. Not a fucking bit.

He does lean against his partner as they walk, fingers entangled. This feels... not perfectly safe, but good enough for now.

"I'm not going to piss her off. She's the other pilot and I like having a ship that flies right for a change!"

Billy gives him a soft nudge with his elbow, being playful with it, as he leads them through the dark. There's a little squeeze to that hand entwined with his. Then he laughs.

"She's got a temper like me, so it's not like it's hard to piss her off," or maybe Billy was really good at doing it. "We'll just make a different skateboard or find a cart to pull it then. If I want to carry my boyfriend out to the beach for a picnic, then we're gonna find a way for you, me, and a damn picnic basket to get out there, Tomothy."

Not surprising that Billy doesn't need, or ask for, clarification on the his own best friend thing. Tommy doesn't mind dropping lines like that once in a while, but he knows better than to linger over them.

"Tomothy," he snorts, more amused by that than any of the rest of the picture. "And am I the one making this theoretical picnic basket?"

Billy doesn't linger over them, since he's already focusing a lot on leading them through the dark. Reaching out with his free hand, he finds the handrail. "Found the stairs. You sure you don't wanna at least hold onto my back for this?"

As for the picnic basket, he snorts. "You could, and always surprise me with what you put in it. Or we could make it a boyfriend thing where we pack it together or some shit like that."

"Babe, I trust you on an intellectual level, but on a 'i'm a fragile baseline human who has broken his leg twice in a storm' fear brain level, I need to handle the stairs myself."

Very much a 'it's not you, it's me' but with good reason. It really is him.

"You a cook of some sort, Hargrove? Probably better than me at it if you are. I've had to learn it here, piecemeal, from other people."

"Afraid you won't be able to let go once we get to the top? Don't worry about it, I know I'm addicting." Sure, Tommy, you let you think that it's you, but Billy will just spin it into a win for him. He starts up the stairs, listening to both Tommy and his feet as he keeps the easy pace.

"Basics, really. Know the temp to cook meat at, know how to make stuff not taste bland or awful. Kind of came a bit with the territory back home." He glances over his shoulder at Tommy, though he doubts the guy will see him in the dark. "Yeah? You're the second best looking meal here."

Because Billy's going to still be egotistical and say he's the best. But it's also a tactic to get his partner's mind off of things. Hopefully.

"You're definitely a hit of something," Tommy agreed as he moved, slowly, carefully. His steps aren't sure, but he's sure as hell trying.

He does have to stop to laugh though. Heartily. God, Billy just makes him feel so good.

"And I thought I was a tall drink of water. I'll take a meal. Either way, I'm delicious."

"Sunshine. I'm a hit of sunshine," and he's grinning. Tommy could probably hear that grin. Billy keeps the slow and easy pace as they ascend.

"How about this. You be the meal, I'll be the tall drink of water?" It's teasing now, and what did Tommy call himself that night in the diner? A short king? Seemed fitting here.

"I've got sunshine. On a cloudy day," Tommy notes, smiling to himself. It's like a song.

"This is where I make a joke about being thirsty as hell. And you're not THAT tall."

Maybe he's pouting. Just a little.

A song that he knows! If he didn't know, that'd be sad. "You really do. All of Temba and we picked each other. That's called quality taste, babe."

A few more steps and they'd be at the top. "I'm taller than you. But you're faster than me. So it's a trade off. Even like this I bet you're way faster than me." Some ego mixed with reassurance. "And you get forever shotgun on being the little spoon."

Especially on dark and stormy nights like this one."

"I think it was just a good fit that we stumbled into. Which isn't bad either. Sometimes that's just how it works."

Yeah yeah, taller than him. Like that isn't a massive turn on for Tommy when it comes to guys. Like he isn't always into guys that are taller than him.

"I'm not sure I am. I wasn't... I wasn't exactly fast when I was a kid. I didn't start running until my powers came in... Thankfully that wasn't the memory you saw."

Okay, wait, no. There's not a rule that he has to be little spoon. He's small but he's feisty.

"Just for that, you're little spoon this time."

"Shhh, it's just quality taste." Another little squeeze to that hand. It felt ironic that Billy was younger but taller and Tommy was the opposite. He gets to the landing and makes room for his boyfriend to join him before moving onto the bedroom.

"Yeah? You were just lying in wait I bet. Ready to smoke anyone that tried to race you." It's only when Tommy mentions being the little spoon does Billy frown. "No! You're the one having the tough time and since my Walkman isn't working, I gotta find a different way! I'm the big spoon tonight!"

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