riverviewlogs | i was lightning -

[What exactly does a courier for Orange Leaf Delivery Service deliver? Who cares! Certainly not Tommy; he's glad to have a job where he can put his mutant talents to use again. Not a bad way to see more of the quarantine area and get paid while he's at it. So maybe you've ordered something, and it comes delivered by a blur of green and white. You wanted it fast, right?]

[ In an effort to stem the spread of the disease that's been sweeping the Quarantine, some pharmacies had settled on a policy: if you were sick, you could call in, tell them what you needed, and they would charge you remotely, package everything up and send it by courier to your door. It was a smart move; sick people didn't have to leave the house and expose others, if they needed more cough syrup or what have you.

Which is why Cisco is waiting by the door, looking a little ragged with his PJs and his hair in a messy ponytail, for his medicine to arrive. He'd just sent for some over the counter fever-reducers; things aren't that bad, yet, and he's still clinging to the hope that after one more good night's sleep he'll be right as rain.

He is, of course, hardly expecting the delivery to be so prompt, or so... on foot. When Tommy runs up, Cisco startles, and then just stands there blinking at him for several moments. His fever's not that bad, right? He's not hallucinating right now? Is it really... ]

You're a speedster?

[ There'd been something off about that blur - not just the color, but something else. And Cisco doesn't recognize this guy at all. It'd be one thing if it was only Wally, but this is just too baffling for his somewhat compromised head right now. ]

[Poor Cisco. In fairness, Tommy is pretty impressive, or so he thinks. Still, it’s not often he gets recognized for his talents.]

Sure am, [he says, grinning as he holds up Cisco’s delivery package.] Name’s Speed. You heard of me?

[Probably not - not here, anyway. New York would be a different story. But a mutant can dream, right?]

[ Cisco takes the package from Tommy without bothering to look at it, his brow furrowed. This is just... a lot to process, and it probably would be even if he were't running 101 degrees or so. Maybe this is a dream. This seems like it would be a dream. ]

Nooooo, can't say I have. Your- your code name is just... Speed? For real?

[ That is just a can of Keanu Reeves jokes waiting to be cracked open. Cisco asks the question in all earnestness, eyebrows raised. The superpowers, the nickname - all of that he just accepts as if it's perfectly ordinary. And in his life, it is. ]

Uh, you ever heard of the Flash?

[ Who knows, maybe this guy is from the future of Cisco's own world, and he'll have heard of some history that'll make that clear. Or possibly he's from some other corner of the multiverse altogether. Gotta love that Quarantine uncertainty. ]

Yeah, f'real! Just one word - tells you all you need to know.

[He's quite pleased with himself for thinking that up, yes, thanks for asking. Cisco's question leaves Tommy rapidly drumming two fingers on the end of his chin while he takes 0.7 seconds to think - it certainly sounds like the sort of name another speedster would pick, based on the grand pool of two speedsters Tommy knows, himself and Quicksilver. It doesn't ring any bells, though, so Tommy shakes his head.]

Nah, should I?

[ Cisco shrugs; he'll grant that, it's definitely efficient. And considering the way the Quarantine works, it's possible this guy comes from a world where that movie doesn't even exist - though if he does that is a real tragedy and Cisco is going to have to remedy that as soon as possible. ]

If you were from my universe, yeah. But sounds like you're probably not.

[ It would be pretty difficult by this point to not have heard of the Flash. He had run right into the sky and closed a black hole, and that had been filmed by a whole lot of people. He was pretty much world famous by this point. That's not arrogance, it's just a fact. And Cisco thinks, as well, that if there were another speedster in his world, he would know about it.

He holds out his hand for Tommy to shake, remembers a moment later he is sick and pulls it back again, saying apologetically: ]

Shit, nevermind, I'm all germ-y. Uh. Cisco Ramon. Which you probably know from the delivery order, but. Nice to meet you.

[ He gives a little wave, instead. Despite the fact that Cisco is clearly not at his healthiest, there's a bright interest in his eyes. This is the first time he's met a speedster who wasn't at least aware of Barry, and he's very curious. ]

So are you a metahuman? Mutant? Wizard?

[ It's possible! Cisco has lots of magic friends now, okay? ]

[ The moment Wally sees a blur run by he taps into his own powers, the bluish-white lightning that comes with it crackling around him as he does, and chases after it. It's not like he doesn't know there's another speedster here, the two have talked on the network that one time, but he hasn't met them in the flesh yet and now seems as good a time as any.

It only takes him a fraction of a second before he is running alongside the younger speedster with a rather cheeky grin on his face. ]

Please don't tell me this is what you call fast.

This? [Tommy laughs, mirroring a grin right back.] Nah, dude, this is a cakewalk, I'm barely breakin' a sweat here!

[He does remember that conversation, though the other party didn't exactly spell out that they were also a speedster. Still, it's nice to find a fellow-feathered bird, even in a weird place like this. Tommy turns around so he's running backwards and increases his speed a small fraction. No sense in pulling out all the stops - not yet, anyway.]

How're you doing that lightning stuff? [That's ... actually pretty cool.]

[ Wally good-naturedly rolls his eyes (and some people have the audacity of calling him a showboat) at Tommy's backward antics. ]

The lightning is all part of the speedster package back home.

[ A sign that one is connected to the extra-dimensional energy known as the Speed Force. It has been theorized that the Speed Force serves as the source of power for speedsters across the multiverse, but Wally doesn't sense any connection between it and the guy running alongside him. An interesting nugget for later.

But for now, Wally intends to see if Tommy has the goods to back up the talk. ]

Running backwards is a cute trick, kid. But speed is the name of the game. So let's see if you can keep up!

[ And with that, he zooms ahead of the other speedster at a pace that should still be easy to match if the previous speed was truly a cakewalk. ]

( Honestly, while she's super thankful that she has a job, Clarice could definitely do without working today. There's a persistent headache behind her eyes, and she can practically feel her bed calling for her from across the quarantine. What she wouldn't give to go back and climb under the covers. Maybe Zingo would come with.

But, she's here, because money. She wants money.

There's a long parcel in her arms as she exits the depo, hands already sparking with energy the minute she's outside. Clarice widens her fingers until the hole in space is large enough to fit through, the top of the package poking out into a faraway street. She's about to step through when a gust of wind suddenly blows past her and through the door behind. Between the shitty pain and the surprise, she loses control quickly, portal snapping shut. The parcel severs neatly, and Clarice is left holding a cardboard box that now has only half a lamp inside of it. )

Aw, man. Really?

( Goodbye, money. )

[Sorry, Clarice, Tommy's just too good at being fast. The portal is a neat trick - flashy, the sort of thing Billy might go for, if he gave up teleportation and took up portals as an alternate method of transportation. Neat trick, but it doesn't slow him down much, though he does return to the site of the attempted portal-ing once he has a new package in hand, smiling broadly as he whooshes up to Clarice and points to the air where the portal was moments before.]

Whoa. Did you do that? [Obviously, Tommy.] You a witch or something?

Edited 2018-06-05 15:11 (UTC)

No.

( There's a pause where she weighs up whether or not she wants to feel offended. She's been called worse, actually. But this is the first time someone's assumed it was magic rather than genetics. ) I'm a mutant. ( And Speedy Gonzales here, well. Let's just say Clarice has a feeling. ) It's my superpower. I make portals. And apparently destroy lamps.

( What is she gonna do with half a lamp now? This is ridiculous. She doesn't want to be the asshole who delivers broken items with the cheery, sarcastic sticker attached. )

You're the new guy, right? Timmy, or something?

[All work and no play makes anyone a dull boy, especially Tommy. Good thing there's enough in the way of nightlife to keep Tommy interested. He can be found frequently at the clubs and bars in the area, showing off that awesome dancing he's so well-known for (no, he isn't) and maybe even buying a drink for someone cute who catches his eye.]

( free time's an odd concept. having her schedule completely open — being free to go where she wants when she wants, to wake up early or stay up late, to do work or ignore it altogether — is strange for skye. naturally, she takes complete advantage of it as soon as possible, which means she's no stranger to the varied bar scene available in quarantine. tonight's selection happens to feature cheaper drinks and heartier bass, making it a perfect place to find a barstool and people watch for the evening. as she settles in, she tilts the neck of her beer towards the stranger to her left. )

Bottoms up.

[And the stranger on her left happens to be this guy - fairly young, despite the all-white hair, but maybe that's in fashion nowadays, who knows. Certainly not Tommy. He's just ... him, and he's also just getting started here, nodding appreciatively to the beat with a glass of Red Bull and vodka in hand but not cutting totally wild - not yet, at least. He smiles warmly at her and raises his own glass in return.]

Nice beats, huh?

[If he can be heard over them, sure.]

( her hearing's not great, but she's gotten better at sensing vibrational energy. it's basically been the one positive upside to her power explosion. the stranger's voice is lower than she'd expected, tickling her eardrum until she turns her head to get a better look. )

Yeah! ( the music is good. she's definitely willing to admit that. ) You planning on cutting a rug tonight? Or just wallflowering?

[ It's arguable that despite being behind the booth most of night, the DJ commands the most attention in any club. Rose is no exception, reading the crowd and receiving the occasional feedback to mix things up. Literally and metaphorically. She's good at what she does but landing steady gigs hasn't been as easy as she'd hoped.

She's just got to keep trying. Well, when she's back from break anyway. It's time to let a list auto-play for a bit and make her way through the crowd to the bar. While she doesn't drink a lot, she does partake just a little here and there to keep up appearances of a young 20 something having a good time. ]

Yo, dude. Enjoying the music?

[ So subtle, but. It's! Her!! Job!!! ]

[Wildcard option! Want something specific? Get me @

incendiarism/thoughtproblems#5852/here!]

[Tommy doesn't go back to the hospital, once Billy's comatose. He has a hard enough time standing still on a good day, and what would he do here, anyway? Bedside hand-holding's more in the boyfriend job duty description.

He also doesn't want to face the idea that Billy might not wake up. Despite how cool and aloof Tommy acts, Billy's pretty important to him. They don't really know what the cause of this sickness is, and does Tommy trust random doctors to find a cure? Nope. He certainly does not. The idea of losing his twin is ... not something Tommy wants to consider. Nuh-uh.

So it's better for both of them if he's just ... not around. That's what Tommy tells himself, doing his best to sweep the nagging sense of guilt under the proverbial rug.]

( it's been years since they found tommy. since they had their whole parent trap moment. identified how similar the two of them are face-wise. but that's--close to where their similarities end, as far as billy's concerned. tommy isn't good with addressing how he feels, how to handle . . any of this.

(billy isn't either, he just shows it in different ways)

tommy's fast and doesn't know when to stop, doesn't slow his roll when he's upset, which makes it harder to find him. luckily--while tommy can go as fast as he chooses, billy isn't absolutely terrible at tracking him down.

by the time he catches up to tommy, it's already late. the stars shine bright against the sides of his wiccan suit, hood pulled down low over his face and magic pulses around his fingertips--fingers he's reaching out to tommy, trying to grab onto him before he gets the chance to take off. )

Tommy.

[He’s out by the waterfall by the time Billy catches up to him - something about the river’s perpetual movement resonates with his own restless nature, gets him to stay still for a bit, and Tommy doesn’t acknowledge it, but it reminds him a little of Transia, of searching for Wanda with Billy and everyone else. It’s different from the cityscapes he’s used to, and different is ... good. Different means he doesn’t have to think about hospital beds and Billy lying comatose in one of them. Different and alone means he doesn’t have to work so hard at keeping up the facade he’s constructed for himself of a person who doesn’t have feelings.

Honestly, feelings are gross. Feelings take up attention and lead to brothers sneaking up on you as you’re sitting on a flat rock, slouched over with your head propped up in your hands, listening to the sound of the water as it rushes over the edge of the cliff. Tommy’s startled by Billy - of course he is, no one told him Billy was awake. He’s a blur as he shoots to his feet and whips around to face his twin, eyes wide with the shock of seeing him.]

Billy? What the - when did you - how?

[His tongue isn’t fast enough to keep up with his brain, and he ends up stumbling on his words.]

Edited 2018-05-16 04:29 (UTC)

( mind too fast to keep up with his mouth is new. tommy stutters over words but generally his speed helps his mouth keep up with them even if no one else can understand what the hell he's saying. it's fine--billy's used to this. used to tommy. ) I woke up a few hours ago. I've been trying to find you, but you're--you know.

( a little too fast too furious to keep up with, hard to track down when he's busy being an anxious mess because he has to keep moving. billy gets it.

and just like he had when tommy first appeared, he's quickly reaching out with both arms, moving to try and wrap them around his shoulders. give tommy an anchor of sorts, while anchoring himself down to him. )

I'm fine, completely cured--sorry.

You asshole. You said you were fine.

[Tommy's a little bit furious with Billy, actually, but at least half of that's misplaced, and almost all of it fades as soon as Billy pulls him in close. He sighs out a breath of deep relief, and a heavy weight lifts from his shoulders. He screwed up, but Billy's OK now, so he didn't screw up too badly. Tommy thinks for a fraction of a second about resisting and decides against it, instead leaning slightly in to the touch.]

Your boyfriend hates me now, by the way.

Edited 2018-05-31 00:58 (UTC)

I thought I was fine! I was wrong, I guess.

( hugs solve most things and hugs definitely solve problems here. tommy's stuck with this hug now, and billy's raising a hand up to gently press his palm into white hair, holding him close. still plenty of room for tommy to pull away, if he needs to. but he doubts he'll need it. )

Don't worry about him. He's overly dramatic about everything, he'll get over it.

If you say so.

[Tommy takes in a breath and exhales loudly, something that could pass for an irritated sigh but isn't - it's relief. He still isn't really used to these kinds of outward displays of affection, but he doesn't mind the hug as much, since it's coming from Billy. Also? No one else is around to see it, so. It's probably fine to reach an arm around the back of Billy's shoulder.]

I was gonna be real pissed at you if you didn't wake up.

Good thing I did wake up then, right?

( this hug is enough of a hug and he's pulling back after another moment. tommy doesn't do hugs and definitely not for long when billy does bully him into it, there's no need to push for more than is absolutely needed. especially since this is like the. what, second hug thus far? )

I've got a room for you, in the Sanctum. You can stay there rent free.

i was lightning -

just a young gun with a quick fuse

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

i was uptight, wanna let loose

no subject

pls forgive my late, rl exploded D:

welcome 2 the club

no subject

i was dreaming of bigger things

and wanna leave my old life behind >>> closed to billy.

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject