I didn't mean for it to happen

[wearingthestars]

WHO: Billy, Tommy, Bucky/The Soldier, OTA
WHERE: Temba, YA House
WHAT: The aftermath
WHEN: Early June
WARNINGS: TBD



The Return & What Follows (for Tommy)

Billy screamed, and the world dissolved. The Shadow had shielded him from the worst of it, assaulted by those memories in a non stop barrage for however long they were in there, but now he remembered it all. He dimly registered he was back in his calibration room, hoping he'd managed to release the others before he collapsed heavily onto the floor. He shouldn't have been able to perform that level of magic here. And whatever had allowed it abruptly cut it off with his return, utterly drained from the experience.

He was unconscious, in and out of nightmares for days before he finally jolted awake in a cold sweat, practically tumbling from the bed in his race to the bathroom to retch.

What had he done?

Avoidance [OTA]

Even after he awoke, Billy didn't want to leave the house. He was ashamed and scared, and used the excuse of resting for far longer than was true.

A few faces managed to hunt him down there, and it wasn't like Billy could turn them away, eventually relenting and breaking down a few of those barriers.

After that it was a little easier to venture out. It took a few smaller outing before he was able to get as far as the Hospital, but there at least he could focus on work.

(For Bucky/The Soldier)

Billy knew he probably wanted to stay hidden away as much as he did right now, but after what they'd been through together in the other world, he trusted the man to help him with this. Tommy and the others would refuse, but he was confident Bucky would understand. And he needed to apologize.

His magic was still weak, but it led him to the general location where he was meant to be. Billy couldn't quite meet his eye when he found him, swallowing thickly and looking uncomfortable.

"...Hey. Could we talk?"

Apology- Network- Text

I can't begin to make up for what I put you all through this last month. I had no right, and I'm so sorry you all got caught up in this mess.

I know that doesn't begin to make it right.

They did something to me. Like Calibrations...but worse. I don't know how. And I'm not trying to make excuses for what I did but- I'm scared they'll do it again. To any of us. I thought people should know.

Comments

[thesepreciousthings]

Given everything, it was good to see him smile. Very good. Especially since from what she could tell, it seemed genuine: though maybe it was because she had come with a distraction.

"I've only got this one box, but if we've got anything either here or in the Soup-Lies room that might work, I can help you set them up. What kind of stuff do we have, here, anyway? I should probably familiarize myself."

[wearingthestars]

"This can be the prototype," he agreed. They didn't have what they needed to start mass producing them, but it was a good idea.

"Um- a lot of the usual stuff," he started, welcoming her over to start opening up cupboards, "Bandages, and painkillers and stuff. And there's the machines, a lot of them are for some Agrii specific things, I haven't really got to use a lot of it. We've been pretty lucky so far in terms of people getting sick or hurt."

[thesepreciousthings]

"Prototype, lookit you all official," she said, only half teasing as she followed him over to survey what they had in stock.

"It's startin' to get warmer," she said thoughtfully. "With everyone doin' constructions, renovations, that sort of thing ... we're gonna have to be careful of heat stroke. Is there anything that'd work like an electrolyte? Even a source of salt? I can come up with a cribbed sorta Gatorade if there is. We're gonna need it. You know what they say about an ounce of prevention."

[wearingthestars]

Billy flushed a little, and shrugged a shoulder.

"Mm, I think someone got a big block of salt once, it might be in the diner?" Billy considered, "If not I can uh-...magic something up I guess. And there's the canisters..." The data point had explained them, but Billy was still a little wary using them.

[thesepreciousthings]

"I wouldn't want you to exhaust yourself just making something we might be able to find," she said with a little shake of her head, perusing the shelves and taking down a few things: bandages, tape. "I'll check for the block of salt first. What are the canisters you mentioned? I don't think I've heard of them - was that part've the Medical data point?"

[wearingthestars]

He appreciated the concern, and nodded. It was probably better to start with the salt block.

"Yeah, there's a whole bunch of stuff here, machines and canisters. The data point explained them, but some of them are for stuff I don't even know if we've experienced yet, like I know there's cures in there for things I've never seen before."

[thesepreciousthings]

"Well, it's good to know they're here, at least, for if we do run into 'em. ... That reminds me, actually." She finally finds the canisters, tucked away in a cabinet, and gives a pleased little hum before continuing. "How d'you figure out if a fruit or an animal's poisonous here without finding out the hard way? Is there a sort of chemical test that's done here, or somethin'? I want to go out and forage for some new ingredients, but I have to make sure they're safe."