S P E E D.

“Woah, hey! I did not!” Gabby practically whined, dropping the tech to the ground in outrage as she shook her head. “You’re lying! He’s lying!”

Loki gripped her hand onto the tech, and it disappeared a split second after that, courtesy of her magic as she took a step towards Tommy and shook her head. “I suggest you stop while you’re ahead.”

“Do I look even the slightest bit amused to you? Those arrows are expensive, you know.”

“Are you… are you really accusing me of breaking my own laptop?” Daisy shook her head angrily as she slammed her van door shut and snapped back towards Tommy. “Why are you meddling?”

Felicia’s head quickly snapped around to face Tommy as she dropped whatever the piece of junk was that he’d dumped into her hands while she wasn’t looking. “You’re a little liar.”

“ — ahh sssshiitakke mushrooms. ”

“You wouldn’t have happened to see my dad around here, have you?” Cassie questioned the nearest person to her as she approached an area of tents with a bag of McDonalds in one hand and her phone in the other. Superheroes had to eat too, and she wanted to make sure her dad was at least eating if he was going to spend this much time out with S.W.O.R.D. 

“I was only gone for thirty seconds!” Daisy exclaimed as she rushed over to the computer where she had been working on trying to hack into some S.W.O.R.D databases that had some heavy firewalls. 

“I’ve you’ve got coffee, I’ve got time.”

the sensation of something touching him plummeted tommy back down from a catatonic like state. a sleep so deep it had cemented him to the bed for the better part of the last fourteen hours. consider it the speedsters version of a caffeine crash mid afternoon -- except in this one’s case, an entirely self inflicted forty either hours of no sleep. 

the sudden awareness of his own limbs hit him so fast he thought he’d been slammed into the mattress. it sent a sharp kick to his system, and with it, the rapid hum in his chest found its its usual rhythm. only now, still half out and barely aware of his own name, it felt like a jackhammer chipping through his sternum. as the weight on the bed near his legs dusted away whatever was left of his dream, tommy shifted a little, not yet willing to open his eyes and move from the mold he’d formed in the mattress. 

The brisk cold that encased them on the walk back to the compound did nothing to cool the heat that was coiled around his nerves, causing every step to send electric shocks up his spine. Whereas the ale had originally numbed his body out  — that kiss had flipped every switch in his breaker and he was on, lit up like the fourth of July.  What tension that existed between them at the arcade had been nothing compared to the awkward air that hung in the larger than normal space between their bodies as they paced themselves back home. Whereas they had almost brushed arms every time they’d walked to the subway, the way home had a good foot of distance, as if a lot of regret hung between them. Maybe there was – but as James stuffed his hands into his pockets and kept his eyes trained ahead, he couldn’t see the large buildings fade away to the encapsulated compound – couldn’t see the street lights or the cars passing by. He could only focus on how well they had fit together – Tommy’s body against his own, a natural sense of comfortability existing in their first kiss. First kiss. Kiss. James couldn’t stop replaying all of it, even though he knew it would never happen again.

He’d been so lost in his thoughts that he hadn’t even really registered the balmy heat that blasted his skin as they entered the compound and he followed Tommy silently, not registering that he needed to break away on the fourth floor. Instead, he followed Tommy to the sixth and the brakes didn’t come slamming down until he was standing in front of his door. As Tommy opened wide and stepped over the threshold, James’s brain threw up red flags, yelling at him to not follow him in. Wave a goodbye. Go to bed. Pretend like he hadn’t just kissed his only friend in this reality. Kissed. Kiss.

Fuck. 

It happened in slow motion for him – stepping inside, kicking the door shut, catching Tommy just as he turned to face him, his mouth swallowing his words as he resumed what the subway had interrupted. It wasn’t conscious anymore – James was no longer behind the wheel, his body too eager to explore whatever this feeling was – to figure out if what Tommy had done had been real or all in his head. Their bodies moved back until he’d knocked Tommy back against the dresser, hard enough that a few picture frames and knickknacks fell over or off entirely. He didn’t care. He wasn’t thinking past this anymore. 

you know there were few times he was grateful for living time through a slow crawl. dodging bullets? sure. shoving his teammates out of the way when bombs went off? totally. casual conversation-- waiting for people to slowly spit words out of their mouth that would make any normal person want to rip their hair out? hell no. but right now? catching the look on james face only after he’d asked the question?-- good god it about took him out. his mix matched eyes seemed darker, laced with a determination that struck a match to his nerves and lit a wildfire. tommy take a second to recover his breath while james’ long stride closed the distance. when he slammed him into the dresser, a low grunt escaped him, immediately followed by a sharp hiss of an inhale and he reflexively grabbed onto him for stability, hands landing at his waist, getting a fistful of his shirt.  

“I do make them on occasion. Now, can I have my helmet back? It’s not comfortable to wear anyway. A bit clunky.” 

“Current situation in consideration, I have to disagree.” She had no idea what their speeds were but Pietro didn’t seem like the type who liked to lose and Crystal was willing to take a gamble that she was right in this case. “Wanda. I only met her a few times.” All before Pietro had been resurrected, actually. The Inhumans and Avengers kept crossing paths. “Your family cannot stay alive at once, can it?” That sounded rude. Crystalia tried to halfheartedly walk it back. “What I mean to say is, I’m sorry. It’s tragic.”

“Listen, dude, it’s just a granola bar. I will pay you to give it back.”