Who Needs Sleep

[doubled_speed]

WHO: Tommy Shepherd, Billy Hargrove, Open
WHERE: Temba Greenhouse, Temba Diner, Temba Area
WHAT: Searching for Billy Kaplan
WHEN: First Day back on Temba, through all of February
WARNINGS: cw: abandonment issues, possible borderline self destructive behavior (in a physical sense)

I. Wearing Out Shoe Leather | Open

At first he let himself believe the absence wasn't an absence so much as the worst form of hide and seek ever. It would be just like his brother to do something like that after all. To have his communication device away from him, or to be talking to the Agrii and not looking it over, or maybe just his brother being temporarily unavailable. Hell, Tommy had even gone down into the under areas of engineering to try and check the tubes there.

And now that he was back on the surface of Temba, well, he was no longer having any damn fun with this game. Because... Because it needs to be okay.

Otherwise...

No. No, he's not going to think about the otherwise, alright? Instead there's a blur of speed throughout all of Temba. It stops here and there, like a humming bird flitting from flower to flower for food. Stops are brief, either to whip up a quick meal in the diner, or to search delicately through plants and trees and fragile ruins. All the while his voice tears through the air, calling the same series of names over and over, seeking, hoping, unable to give up.

"Billy! Billiam! Wiccan! Punk! Where are you?!"

Don't let him be alone. Please, don't... Don't let him be alone again.

II. Comfort In You | Closed to Billy Hargrove

He's tired. So tired. How long had it been since he'd eaten? Since he'd slept? Tommy frankly doesn't know. What he does know is that he goes to the only place that feels safe in his undeniable despair. On some level he remembers the feeling of sand on his bare feet, the result of him running enough to run his shoes to pieces. He remembers the door. Pushing it open. Moving to the bed. Collapsing onto it with a pathetic noise that he'll never admit he made.

Safe. His mind says he's safe. That Billy will be here, sooner or later. Not the one he sought. The other one. The one who will hold him and tell him he's not alone. That he won't be alone. Even if he was. Even if he had lost the other part of his soul (part of the other part of his soul), he would still have someone who cared.

So he needed this.

III. Burning the All Hours Oil | Open

Who needed sleep anyway? There was this whole fucking world to explore. Things to be done. Places to clean up or restore. Plants to be tended. The plants still needed him. People still needed him for food, right? Right. Yeah.

That's why it's three in the morning and he's hand examining every plant in the cumato area, checking the budding leaves for health. Nearby a few Funfronds seem to linger, trying to get his attention with their dancing, but he ignores them. Just focuses as he moves slowly from plant to plant. From spot in the soil to spot in the soil.

HE's been here for hours. Before this he'd been in the diner and cleaned every last surface and every last utensil. Before that it had been dusting in the Civics Center. Before that catching lobsters on the beach. Before that...

God he can't even remember. Hours were blurring together, as much because of his powers as because he was losing himself. His focus, his drive. Strange to think a lot more of it had depended on one person than he was prepared for. Two people now.

But the sleepiness is not good for him, clearly. Because the second he hears someone approaching he flinches. And flinching from a speedster isn't good. Why? Because between one moment and the next he's no longer standing where he was. He's several feet back, a trowel held up before him like it was a weapon meant to defend himself. His eyes are blurry, red from crying, and definitely not entirely there. Like he's lost.

Maybe he is.

"What do you want?" he snaps when he realizes it isn't danger that's facing him.

Comments

Comfort in You

[playingtough]

Luckily for Tommy, Billy's home. There's smoke curling up from the smokestack, and a couple of candle illuminating the window to indicate that. The axe is outside drying, with a bloody cloth and some toxic looking thing sitting in the sand away from the door. When Tommy enters - good to know the rock holding the door firmly shut doesn't work on him and only lobsters - Billy's only wearing his jeans and squatted in front of the fireplace.

In it, on what looks like a pan of scrap metal, cooks a lobster, already opened to get the glands out. But the speedster is more important than watching his food cook and he walks over as soon as he hears that noise. It means Something Is Wrong.

"Babe, what's wrong?" The bed dips under his added weight.

[doubled_speed]

They say that a burden shared was a burden halved. Strange how this one Tommy was certain would be an inescapable weight, even if shared. But there was still a weight at his side, and that could mean one thing.

He didn't have to be alone.

"He's gone," Tommy's voice said weakly, mumbled into a pillow.

[playingtough]

Billy doesn’t know how to comfort people well. Neil never did it for his mom, and she left. He does know that Tommy would probably appreciate that he tried, like he did the last time Tommy came to the beach house from a nightmare.

He leans over, trying to catch what was said, but it’s muffled. Damn. Whatever‘s going on is serious. Too cold to take him out to the beach like last time.

"I didn’t catch what you said with your head buried in my pillow. Wanna sit in front of the fireplace and tell me? I’ll share my lobster with you."

[doubled_speed]

Does he have to move? Lift his head? Exist? Tommy groans and turns his head just far enough to the side to be heard.

"He's gone. Billy. My brother."

[playingtough]

Hargrove likes that you exist, so yeah, gotta keep existing. For now, he stretches out on his side with his head propped up by one arm and hand. Leans a little to rest a careful hand on Tommy's shoulder. All of his actions are a little hesitant because he's not sure and he doesn't want to get tipped the wrong way and lash out.

He feels his heart dip a little. Kaplan was gone? While Hargrove had his own... reservations he was melting from last year about Kaplan, he knew how much the guy meant to Tommy. Close sibling bond or something. The lean turns into him laying on his stomach bumped up against his boyfriend. "Maybe it's not a permanent thing? Max says she gets sent to do things for the aliens a lot."

The hand on Tommy's shoulder moves to his back, rubbing up and down. He takes in the rest of the guy's look and frowns.

"Babe, where are your shoes at?"

Meant this had to be rough for Tommy if he wasn't even wearing his shoes.

I. Wearing Out Shoe Leather

[in_extremis]

There wasn't much in Billy's room. He hadn't actually spent much time at the University, leaving the room still smelling mostly of the sawdust and paint, undisturbed. Maybe that was supposed to be Tony's signal that this was another one of his bad ideas, and he could let it go without it blowing up in his face. He dropped heavily onto the mattress, letting it sag under what felt like the oppressive weight of his winter layers, tugging restlessly at his collar until he had opened it. It took a slow exhale before it occurred to him to bow over, head between his knees, peering under the bed frame. "Now, who's this little beauty...," he muttered as he twisted to slide the stack of paper out from their hiding spot. He never was good at letting something go.

It was obvious to Tony what he had found before he had them pulled out into the sliver of cold, winter sunlight. He knew the weight and glossy feel of a comic book under his hand, and thought he was prepared with a small hook of a smile as he hauled the stack of them up onto the blankets by his hip. It fell, though, at the sight of Captain America's perfect uniform glittering on the first cover. Tony spread the books out gingerly, blinking rapidly at the caricatures of his friends smiling, arms around each other, and punching evil in the jaw. He had to sniff to force himself to focus, finding what he was looking for easily, the paper thinner and the colours muted and misregistered. The rest, he tucked under the pillow for now, quickly wiping a hand across his cheek to put them out of mind.

[doubled_speed]

Hey, at least Tommy made use of his own room here, right? Decorated and everything. Was even about to be more decorated before this whole mess set in. But Tommy had come here first. Had come looking here while holding out hope. Hope against hope.

He does one thing here he hasn't done many places in his seeking. If he was asked why he didn't think he could explain why he did. But there was a simple truth to it.

Tony, at least, would get it. Tony too had lost many of their friends to this mess. Tony cared for Billy, had known Billy since Tommy's brother had started making an impression in the world, leaving his mark. Tony got it and he cared.

So there Tommy stood in the door, not bothering to hide the frustration, or the tear tracks on his face.

"You can't find him either, can you?"

[in_extremis]

In contrast, Tony had to take a breath to not look so guarded, shifting the tension out of his shoulders and assembling the sort of expression that he was supposed to have, something neutral that couldn't be used against him. He couldn't bring himself to meet Tommy's eye for long, though, letting his focus skate across the room and all of the signs Billy had been there as he answered, "Sorry, sweetheart. Nothing on the network." With another breath, he realized that didn't justify what he was doing here, exactly, and he abruptly pushed himself up onto his feet, keeping the comics tucked tightly to his side, raising the other hand to beckon to Tommy, reaching for his hair. "I was just deciding what to do with his things. You should take his clothes. Let's see if they fit."

[doubled_speed]

No. No no no.

There's a clear shaking to all of Tommy's form, a sort of soft blurring at the edges. Maybe Tony's used to seeing that from years of working with Pietro. Tommy wouldn't know. What he knows is that he's trying so hard to hold in how explosive his powers and to go. It hurts. He hurts.

"Mine. They're... I'll take care of it."

His brother. His next of kin. It should be his job, right? God, he never bothered going to look at what little Wanda had generated, but she wasn't really his form of his mother. Maybe she wouldn't have wanted that. Maybe Billy wouldn't either. But Tommy needs it.

[in_extremis]

Pietro didn't put much effort into actually holding himself back; he was extraordinarily shameless that way, so this repression was still a novel sight to Tony, who hesitated with his hand still raised as Tommy began to blur, not sure if he was about to halt that reaction or pull the pin himself. While Tommy didn't give him an indication either way, they couldn't both just stay standing there. Tony beckoned again, more so Tommy wouldn't be surprised this time when Tony combed through his hair to pull him closer for a kiss to his crown.

3;

[sinistral]

"A pepper."

The answer comes finally, the Soldier's head tipping slightly to the side as he studies Tommy. He can guess at the source of the agitation well enough. Or one source at least; he can't assume that Billy's disappearance is the only thing bothering Tommy.

And he's not really here for a pepper, though he'll make good use of one if he can get it. No, he's aware that Tommy's been running around like a human cyclone lately. Tommy had stopped into the cabin he and Billy were constructing, but hadn't stayed. And to the Soldier's knowledge, he hadn't been back.

He stands still, watching Tommy carefully. He won't be the one to make the first move; Tommy's far too high strung for that. But he also doesn't leave, where once he absolutely would have.

[doubled_speed]

Bullshit. They both know it is bullshit. Can Soldier see that awareness in Tommy's eyes? Probably. The guy was sharp as hell, and Tommy knew it. Hell, the guy had probably seen Tommy's earlier search. Of course the guy would show up now. To, what, claim that he was hurting too? Maybe he was, but could it be the same?

Could the guy understand the specific sort of hurt?

"He's not here," Tommy spits out rather than seeking the requested bit of food. "He's not anywhere. So don't bother looking. I already did."

[sinistral]

It's partly bullshit; he really would have used the pepper. But its importance lay less in flavoring and more in the excuse. The Soldier knows that Billy would want him to look out for Tommy, as well as he knows that Tommy will insist he doesn't need it. But getting eyes on the man is important and makes him feel that he is fulfilling at least part of what Billy would want.

"I know he's not." He'd known when Billy hadn't returned that night; they'd fallen into their little routines and it didn't take him long at all to realize that the breaking thereof had a reason. The Soldier had still looked, over the following days, but it only confirmed what he already knew.

And maybe it was cold, not looking for longer himself, but the Soldier had been the one taken enough times to recognize what this is.

[doubled_speed]

Oh, Tommy definitely needs looking out for. And he'd appreciate that his brother would want that for him. HE just also wouldn't think Billy gets to weigh in now that he's gone.

Still, Tommy's so angry and hurt that stopping hasn't been something he could begin to consider. Yet.

"Well then, what do you want?" he demands. Because he's going to make Soldier say it.

[sinistral]

"That pepper."

Because yes, the Soldier is fully capable of being an asshole when he wants to. He crosses his arms, still casual but also not hiding the way he sizes Tommy up.

"And following through on a promise I made to Billy."

Burning the All Hours Oil

[3wingedangel]

Sephiroth can't help looking amused. A trowel? Really?

But he quickly sobers again, especially seeing that look. "Radley is worried about you," he says. "He's looking for you and asked me to help."

[doubled_speed]

Listen, it was to hand, and he could probably be deadly with it.

"Can't see why he bothered," Tommy grumbles. "He can handle the place himself."

Don't get fond of people, his mind reminds him. They leave. They always leave. EVen family leaves. Especially family leaves.

[3wingedangel]

"Yes, he can," Sephiroth agrees. "He wasn't thinking about that. He's worried about you getting some proper rest."

Which Sephiroth probably needs to do himself.

[doubled_speed]

Proper rest. Tommy snorts.

"Got better things to do than sleep my life away like a snail."

[3wingedangel]

"Heh. Don't we all," Sephiroth remarks. "Unfortunately, sooner or later it starts to catch up with you. I won't try to force you to rest; I just came to find you and deliver the message that people are worried about you." A pause. "I've been looking for your brother as well."

Of course, he hasn't had any luck, but he wanted to express that he is aware of the disappearance and is trying to help.

Leather, pleather, shmeather... or is it rubber?

[tempredmental]

Their new-found 'freedom' was something definitely worth taking advantage of. It wasn't much, honestly... at least, not as much as Keith would have liked at the moment, but he appreciated being able to move around a bit more than before. Both with the ships and with his own mobility issues at the moment.

He'd been feeling better, honestly... the low impact exercises that he and Gladio had been working on were definitely doing him some good, and his last imaging follow up with Tae had shown his knee was progressing well. He'd likely be off the crutches completely soon, which would help a lot with quite a few things, like carrying his own stuff. Though, that was likely to wait a bit anyway until he could support more than just own weight.

Of course, being off balance definitely was not a good thing when a panicked speedster was racing around town trying to find someone. Checking all the normal haunts of course was a first round go to, but as those places ran out, the chance for overlap between Tommy's search locations and Keith's destinations went way up. They were bound to collide... well, maybe not physically... or maybe yes physically... but either way, Keith was not completely secure on his feet again, yet, and he was bound to end up on the floor, even just from the surprise.

Which was exactly where he ended up when the door to the civic center suddenly burst open to an unexpected blur of motion. Even Keith's quick reflexes at 100% had trouble keeping up with a speedster, let alone when he was off his game and leaving a rehab session, and he found himself on his back before he could even draw a weapon for defense.

He grunted as he landed... on said weapon, too... Maybe he should consider keeping his knife at his side instead of his back.

Kosmo put himself over Keith protectively with a growl and bared teeth almost instantly, but that only lasted a split second before the wolf caught Tommy's scent. He stopped growling, lowering his defensive posture and began to wag his tail.

[doubled_speed]

The growl was what got Tommy to freeze a few feet away. Normally he would just keep going, but it's a trauma response. He stops fully, hands up defensively, his skin white as a sheet. Even Kosmo relenting on the aggressive posture did little to drive the fear from him.

At least for the moment fear was overriding panic. He looked too terrified to consider moving, especially when faced with a teleporting wolf.

[tempredmental]

"Alright, buddy... c'mon. Lemme up."

Kosmo shifted, stepping backwards away from Tommy and moving from standing over Keith. Keith winced as he sat up, taking a moment to catch his breath.

"Tommy?" He quirked an eyebrow. "What's going on?"

Keith immediate thought was that Tommy was afraid of something else and running away from it, not that he was reacting to Kosmo's growl. They got along... surely he'd know that Kosmo wasn't going to actually hurt him right now that the wolf wasn't in protective mode.

[doubled_speed]

Didn't matter that Kosmo wasn't protecting. He'd gone from 'blue and fluffy friend' to 'threat' and Tommy was too nervous in his already messed up state to reclassify.

"He's gonna bite me," Tommy says, his voice a whisper of fear.

[tempredmental]

"Not if I don't let him," Keith said. "You know that." Keith knew that Tommy didn't really dogs that much, but he didn't know the details. That said, he nodded at Kosmo. The wolf lowered his tail, making a small almost confused sounding whine before heading outside on his own to wait on the front steps of the civic center.

Keith grabbed one of his crutches and moved it so they were both on the same side of him, and then rolled a bit to push himself up, awkwardly getting to his feet. It wasn't the most graceful way to get off the floor, but it would have to do for now with a stiff knee that couldn't bear full weight.

"What's going on, dude? Why are you racing all over the place?" He bent down to pick up the crutches.