Tommy Shepard (![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
doubled_speed) wrote in ![[community profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/community.png)
aterat2021-08-12 12:44 pm
doubled_speed) wrote in aterat2021-08-12 12:44 pm
Gotta Live Fast
Who; Tommy Shepherd, OTA
What; Tommy Adjusting to the town and work
Where; Markets, Hunters Lodge, Residence Square
When; Early to Mid August
Warnings; Tommy is prone to swearing
1. A Taste Of Family | Markets
Some days it was hard not to miss the people you loved. This was something Tommy was more than used to after his time as a captive of the Sphere. Most of the time he didn't know what to do with that tension that bubbled up in him, but today, he had an idea. Which was why Tommy, completely with Speedy's bag over his shoulder, was moving slowly through the markets. Slowly because he didn't really know what all he was going to do about sufficient food. So for now it was about conserving energy, walking the line between too much energy use to stay slow and too much energy use by going fast.
For now he was at a spice merchant, looking over some of their stocks. He needed to find the right spices, but he couldn't always remember the names, which meant a lot of careful sniffing. He had to figure out which ones went into paprikash so he could save up a bit of money and then buy what he'd need. Later. Because he couldn't indulge in spices right now.
"I can't tell if this is normal paprika or hungarian," he sighed as he straightened. This was impossible.
2. Do You Want Fries With That? | Hunter's Lodge
There was a new level of efficiency at meal times at the Hunter's Lodge. A young man with snow white hair and silver googles holding orange tinted lenses on. There would be only the space between a blink between someone settling at a table and Tommy's arrival, unless he was talking to another customer. And at his arrival there was definitely a mug of water set down in front of the person that wouldn't have been in Tommy's hand wherever he was before.
"Hey," he greeted. "Wanna know the specials? Or do you have a specific thing in mind already?"
When he wasn't serving tables he did hover by the kitchen door, though, waiting for new arrivals or people needing assistance, or just food that needed to go out.
3. If I Had A Quarter For Every Time I Counted These Coins... | Residence Square
Money. That really was always the start and stop of all problems wasn't it? Well, he supposed in this case it was less money and the fact that his stomach was... really needy.
These thoughts occurred to Tommy as he sat in one of the chairs that existed in the central courtyard between all of the colored residential buildings. Unloaded into his hand was a pile of coins, which he was counting in frustration not for the first time.
It was like being in high school again, before he stopped going to high school. When there was never enough, no matter how much he wanted there to be enough. He needed something more if he was to sustain himself here. The Sphere had done so much to take care of them...
"Not that I'm very good for being anything other than fast," he lamented to himself out loud. How was he supposed to make this work?
What; Tommy Adjusting to the town and work
Where; Markets, Hunters Lodge, Residence Square
When; Early to Mid August
Warnings; Tommy is prone to swearing
1. A Taste Of Family | Markets
Some days it was hard not to miss the people you loved. This was something Tommy was more than used to after his time as a captive of the Sphere. Most of the time he didn't know what to do with that tension that bubbled up in him, but today, he had an idea. Which was why Tommy, completely with Speedy's bag over his shoulder, was moving slowly through the markets. Slowly because he didn't really know what all he was going to do about sufficient food. So for now it was about conserving energy, walking the line between too much energy use to stay slow and too much energy use by going fast.
For now he was at a spice merchant, looking over some of their stocks. He needed to find the right spices, but he couldn't always remember the names, which meant a lot of careful sniffing. He had to figure out which ones went into paprikash so he could save up a bit of money and then buy what he'd need. Later. Because he couldn't indulge in spices right now.
"I can't tell if this is normal paprika or hungarian," he sighed as he straightened. This was impossible.
2. Do You Want Fries With That? | Hunter's Lodge
There was a new level of efficiency at meal times at the Hunter's Lodge. A young man with snow white hair and silver googles holding orange tinted lenses on. There would be only the space between a blink between someone settling at a table and Tommy's arrival, unless he was talking to another customer. And at his arrival there was definitely a mug of water set down in front of the person that wouldn't have been in Tommy's hand wherever he was before.
"Hey," he greeted. "Wanna know the specials? Or do you have a specific thing in mind already?"
When he wasn't serving tables he did hover by the kitchen door, though, waiting for new arrivals or people needing assistance, or just food that needed to go out.
3. If I Had A Quarter For Every Time I Counted These Coins... | Residence Square
Money. That really was always the start and stop of all problems wasn't it? Well, he supposed in this case it was less money and the fact that his stomach was... really needy.
These thoughts occurred to Tommy as he sat in one of the chairs that existed in the central courtyard between all of the colored residential buildings. Unloaded into his hand was a pile of coins, which he was counting in frustration not for the first time.
It was like being in high school again, before he stopped going to high school. When there was never enough, no matter how much he wanted there to be enough. He needed something more if he was to sustain himself here. The Sphere had done so much to take care of them...
"Not that I'm very good for being anything other than fast," he lamented to himself out loud. How was he supposed to make this work?
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"Mom and Dad are, like, super heroes. They save the world. They fell in love doing that."
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"They never talked about how they met."
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"I'm not sure that I can really tell you the story either."
He watched as Speedy decided it was time to keep moving. With Billy still he let one leg let go of the chair to instead transfer to Billy's hand.
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"...we had a dog for a bit. Sparky," he offered, trying to think of what else he could tell Tommy.
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"Sparky, really? Huh, I thought that was Viv and Vic's dog. I guess that just proves it. We're definitely brothers, but we're not from the exact same Earth."
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"Vivian and Victor. They, uh..."
Shit, how did he explain them? Okay, clearly the answer is not fully explain them. He didn't want to hurt his brother. So he'd just go with the simplest answer.
"We have a little brother and sister. She's older than he is."
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He looked a little intrigued by the idea of younger siblings. "How much younger are they?"
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His hands are on little Billy's shoulders at that point, Tommy down on one knee so he's closer to the kid's height. Because he needs Billy to hear this.
"I promise you that you exist, and you'll exist. That's our fate. You're Billy Maximoff, and you're very special and very important."
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Billy looks into Tommy's eyes uncertainly, and tries to keep from reaching into his mind, though he still has very little control over it.
"...I'm scared to leave Mom all alone again," he admits, "...I'm scared to go away..."
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He's heard stories, from David and Billy and Teddy and Kate about the universes they went through. About all of the Billys they had seen. How they rarely ever found Tommys. And all he can think to do is hug his brother tightly.
"She's not alone, Billy. She'll never be alone because you'll always be there in her heart. You'll get back to her someday, I promise. Just like I did."
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"Does it hurt?"
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He was certain that even if Billy's real twin would tease him for the weakness, he'd still want Billy to feel comforted.
"Does what hurt?"
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"...Dying? I guess? I don't really know what it is-... But Mom and Dad were sad...and scared. I could feel it."
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HE was even more like the Wanda that had been Tommy's mother than he'd realized.
"I... Honestly, I dont' remember what it was like. I don't remember pain. So it probably didn't. If it did, that would stick with you, right?"
A truth, and a lie, all in one. "But of course they were sad. They were losing two of the coolest kids ever. But they'll find you again. I promise. Dad will watch out for you quietly, and Mom will find you, when you need her most."
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"Dad's going too," he corrected, "All three of us. As soon as the barrier closes, then it'll be just Mom...I dunno if Tommy knows or not- and now I'm not there-"
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"You'll go back one day, but it won't matter, because you'll come home to her," Tommy promises. "I swear it on my name and all I am. On the part of me that is the other half of your soul."
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"...I miss Tommy," he admits, clinging to the best source he has to remedy that.
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"I miss Billy," Tommy admits, something he never would have admitted to his brother. But in this moment, he believes it enough to absolutely say it. And to hold Billy close like he wishes he could hold his twin. "But you and me? Even worlds apart, we're family. So maybe I'm not your twin, but I could still be your big brother."
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