Sibling Talks

[demiurgency]

WHO: Billy kaplan
WHERE: House 58
WHEN: Afternoon 2/16
OPEN TO: Tommy Shepherd
WARNINGS: Nothing but gross cute stuff and sibling feels

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Billy's been up since early this morning, ever since Nida left the same way he came in (and honestly, was that ever weird to watch). He'd heard Tommy go out for his run, and he's been in the kitchen ever since, working on a not-quite-brunch. He needs to tell someone what just happened, and honestly, he should tell Tommy. Tommy deserves to know everything that's going on, and he should find out from Billy, not anyone else. It's only fair.

Which is why when Tommy gets back from his run, the house is full of the smell of fried potatoes and smoked meat, and the sounds of someone moving around in the kitchen. Billy sticks his head out at the sound of the front door closing, looking for his twin.

"Hey--you hungry? I've got food ready back here."

Comments

[expeditiousness]

Returning home from a run to find the house smelling of deliciousness is one of the best things, in Tommy's opinion. He's finishing off the run with some quick stretches but already planning to make the kitchen his first stop. When Billy comes into view with his question, Tommy grins, balanced on one foot while the other is pulled behind him to stretch his thigh muscles.

"Am I ever." Tommy may not have a speedster's metabolism anymore, but he's still a healthy, active teen, and he's still got a healthy, active appetite. "Your timing is excellent, little brother."

[demiurgency]

It isn't every morning Billy cooks, but also not so infrequent an event that it seems suspicious. Honestly, their schedules just don't always line up in the morning, and he's kind of glad for a morning like this anyway. Time with Tommy. He'd never made enough time for his twin before, always just assuming Tommy didn't want to be around him, assuming there would be more time, but there's a lot he's not taking for granted anymore.

Which is why even though he's still rolling his eyes at the comment, there's also plenty of affection in it. "Again--we're the same height and pretty much the same build, so I'm not 'little' anything, and you're literally five minutes older than me. You're lucky I love you. Wash up, I'll make you a plate."

[expeditiousness]

"Hey, man - five minutes is five minutes. It counts." For Tommy, at least. He throws up his hands in mock-defense and heads toward the bathroom, still jabbering away at his twin. "I could've acquired some really important knowledge about life and the universe and everything else in those five minutes, and you wouldn't ever know!"

His voice finally fades as the sound of running water takes its place, because even Tommy has to shut up when there's water covering his face. He emerges a minute later, toweling at the back of his neck as he wanders into the kitchen.

"Hey, you should come with me on a run sometime. I don't have the super-advantage here, so you'd probably be able to keep up."

[demiurgency]

"And you callme a nerd," he calls back, and despite the eye-rolling he enjoys it. Maybe it won't be so bad, the two of them living together when they get home. Tommy's right--they've survived together so far, they can definitely do this. And it's nice. It's really nice. He's just...really hoping Tommy doesn't get the wrong idea from what he wants to talk to him about.

When Tommy comes back in, there's two plates on the sideboard, Billy moving the heavy cast iron skillet off the front burner. He's gotten pretty good with this beast of a stove, the last three months. Nodding towards the drawer on the far side of the kitchen, he looks over. "Grab some forks? I'll grab these, we can eat in the dining room like actual humans." Instead of just standing in the kitchen, or perching on a stool at the counter. It's a little unusual, but not all that much so.

[expeditiousness]

“‘Cause you are a nerd - nerd.”

A little unusual, yes, but not so discordant as to raise Tommy’s suspicions that something’s afoot. Tommy hangs the towel around the back of his neck and retrieves the forks as requested, following his twin toward the dining room.

“Eating at the table, huh?” He grins, a sparkle of mischief in his eyes. “What’s the occasion? Wait - don’t tell me you’re pregnant?!” He feigns shock, but the question is entirely and obviously asked in jest.

[demiurgency]

"Dude," Billy protests with a laugh, both plates in his hands as he turns his head, half looking over his shoulder, and now it's his turn to roll his eyes at his twin. "This place is weird, but it isn't that weird. Also, still not sleeping with anybody." Except in a literal sense, apparently, and there's a faint flush on his cheeks as he turns back around in time to reach the dining room table, putting both plates down and turning.

"Want anything to drink? I'm gonna grab a glass of water." He knows he's delaying, but still.

[expeditiousness]

Tommy is pretty oblivious to the stalling act Billy's pulling, but he also doesn't know Billy's plan and what he wants to talk about. He distributes the forks next to the plates, then glances up to his twin.

"Water's fine for me, unless you've got a secret stash of energy drinks you haven't told me about." Grinning, he starts after Billy, back into the kitchen. "But I can grab it - you don't have to wait on me."

[demiurgency]

"You know I'd never keep a secret like that from you, you'd never forgive me." He is stalling, isn't he? It's dumb. He shouldn't be. After all, he and Tommy have done a lot of talking in the four months they've been here. A lot. It should be fine. So he doesn't answer right away. Instead, once he fills his water glass, he stands there at the sink a minute, hesitating, then heads back to the table. It'll be better to do this while Tommy eats.

Once Tommy comes back and sits, Billy finally takes a breath and goes for it. "Actually, I wanted to talk to you about something. It's...kind of related to the stuff we talked about a couple weeks ago, after we all came back from the mountain?" Because it...kind of all tied back to that, didn't it? Even if it had started before that.

[expeditiousness]

Glass of water in hand, Tommy returns to the table and folds himself into the chair. He glances up at Billy as he takes a sip, studying his twin with curiosity. With the sudden shift in mood, he knows the time for joking around is over.

“Yeah?” He sets the glass down and leans back against the chair, fingers quietly drumming along the edge of the table. “Something about Ted?”