There was something oddly comforting about bookstores. Billy had never been able to explain why. Maybe it was because they were one of the few places where everyone seemed to exist at their own pace. Nobody expected you to rush. You could wander for hours, pick up ten different books without buying one, or accidentally disappear into an aisle because a title caught your attention.

Which was exactly what had happened. He stood balanced on the bottom shelf, stretching just enough to reach a book that had somehow ended up shoved onto the very top shelf. Whoever organized this section clearly had more faith in the average person's height than Billy did. "Almost..." His fingertips brushed the spine. "So close..." The book shifted. Then three more shifted with it. Billy's eyes widened. "Oh, that's definitely not how gravity was supposed to work." Before he could catch them, an entire row of books slid free from the shelf. They tumbled toward him in what felt like dramatic slow motion, and instinct took over before he had time to think.

A flicker of navy magic shimmered around the stack, stopping the books inches above the floor. Billy blinked up at them. "...Okay, that was probably more dramatic than just letting them fall." A sheepish smile crossed his face as he carefully guided the books back into his arms instead. "I promise I wasn't trying to redecorate." He laughed quietly to himself, turning just in time to notice someone standing at the end of the aisle who had almost certainly witnessed the entire thing.

"On the bright side," Billy said with an apologetic grin, "at least I proved the books can fly." He glanced down at the title he'd nearly caused an avalanche retrieving and sighed. "And, naturally, it wasn't even the right one."

tommy could see where this was going the moment billy began to struggle with the books, looking at the scene unfold from his position leaning against a nearby wall, arms crossed. he considered, as the books began to fall, that he should probably help him out. luckily for him, billy had it handled before he could even move forward. “do you — oh, no. you’ve got it.” there’s an impressed expression as tommy steps back, a light hearted chuckle following. “i’m not sure when i’ll get used to all that.”

on a summer day like this, paradise pier is bustling with people. clouds adorn the sky as if they were painted against a backdrop of cerulean blue, with the sun shining brightly on the crowds. despite being above open water, they’re boxed in: by seaside food stands, bright attractions, and carnival game vendors — many of whom stand to benefit and have upgraded their prizes accordingly.

dipper knows well enough the tricks and trappings for these games, how most are rigged against the player from the start. but it’s a pair of sound-isolating headphones that catch his eye, which he desperately needs after leaving his only pair at the shack. first, he wonders what the stand’s budget is, if it can afford to stake studio-level gear.

and next, the gears in his brain begin to spin.

wind pressure, launch angle, the low and sagging canvas roof — dipper’s never been the most athletically inclined, but there’s a workaround. the brain is just as much of a muscle as biceps, and the work he’s put into the former can surely close the distance. not to mention, it’s been years since his last disaster at a carnival; he’s gained enough experience now to hopefully not give someone a black eye.

“you need a hand there, buddy? before you end up making a real enemy that is — although if i end up with a weirdly shaped head after that, i will get even.” he saunters up to the game dipper’s attempting, arms crossed and expression slightly judgemental. “what’re you trying to win?”

Kate had been halfway through a basket of fries and approximately three cups of coffee too deep when she hit the point where she couldn't stomach another fry. Without looking up immediately, she pointed a fry at him just as he nudged her. His name only partially able to come out of her mouth before a grin took over her lips. "I was about to ask if you wanted the rest of my fries.”

Only then did she glance over, catching the smile and the unmistakable restless energy radiating off him like he was about thirty seconds away from sprinting through a wall just for entertainment. It caused her to snort, “You've been here, what? Ten minutes? And you're already looking for trouble.” She leant back on the stool, studying him for a second with amusement drawn over her features. At this point, she was still trying to figure him out. New to Elias. New to the Young Avengers. New to her... She didn't mind teasing him, though. “Actually, no. That's not fair.” The raven-haired woman tapped her fingers on her mug. “You were definitely looking for trouble before you got here."

"Listen up, Speed Boy," The corner of her mouth twitched upward just then, “The good news is there's plenty of places that aren't shiny and respectable. The bad news is most of them are probably places I'm legally obligated to tell a teammate not to visit.” She took another sip of coffee, her actions casual despite the conversation being held. “Which means I'm obviously going to tell you anyway.” Her words followed by her newfound glow, marking that she was not the best influence when it came to things like this.

“Actually, wait. Before I keep enabling you...” Kate turned slightly on her stool, giving him more of her undivided attention. “What kind of energy are we dealing with today?” She gestured vaguely at him. “Because there's a difference between ‘I need a fun distraction' energy and ‘I'm one minor inconvenience away from challenging a train to a race' energy.” For some reason, she was leaning towards the train bit, but wasn't entirely sure about how she came to that conclusion so fast.

he nods along as she speaks, occasionally eating a fry or two in between. it had been a while since he was a member of any kind of unit and he’d be lying if he said it had been an easy ride learning to be a part of one, but kate was the one he’d clicked with the most so far; the expectations felt less serious with her, it meant he could breathe a little. “yeah, yeah, i know. terms and conditions and promises to be on my best behaviour; signed and copied, i promise.”

“first of all, we both know i could beat any train to a race. second of all, it’s definitely just blowing off some innocent steam that will end in nothing but good memories, trust me. so, hit me with your best escape go-to and i’ll owe you one. what could go wrong?”

the diner was too cosy. before entering the establishment, he magicked his suit jacket to become a cashmere half-zip, and it was still appeared too corporate. not that anyone gave him any looks about it, save for the server giving him a once-over as if they'd never seen a suit before. much less in the middle of the night.

but a shift at inferno had just closed. and perhaps 'too cosy' was just what he needed —

no — wanted. to need was a fruitless endeavour.

and what he definitely wanted tonight was pie.

krit had just dug in to his slice (neatly, of course), when he was spoken to. good gods. but it was a decent question.

he made sure to have a bite of his pie before answering, savouring the deliciousness of it. "…i'll need some clarification, my friend, there are a lot of places that aren't well put together and shiny, but very few of them are up for entertaining the way you might be thinking of. so is it grit you're looking for, or entertainment?"

he pointed down at the pie plate with his fork. "get a pie before you decide. no decent decisions were ever made without pie."

"c'mon, you know, the type of places they don't put in the fancy brochures 'cause it makes them look bad. them being the people who want everything pristine and pg-13. i don't blame them, it's a good message to put out there, but pristine gets a little boring after a while. you get it, i'm sure you do."

the mention of pie makes tommy's stomach rumble for a second, a short pause interrupted the stream of conversation before he promptly nodded in agreement and held up a finger as if to say one minute.

with an interval of a small whoosh and blur, tommy soon returned to his seat, two slices of pie sat on a plate in his hand. he presents it to krit. "you want apple or kiwi? and, to answer your question, can't i have grit and entertainment?"

Ambrosius had been standing in front of the vegetable stand for nearly ten minutes. Not because anything was wrong. Not because he couldn't make a decision. But because somehow choosing what to make for dinner felt significantly more complicated than facing down a dragon. The market bustled around him, vendors calling out prices and children weaving between stalls while the scent of fresh bread drifted from somewhere nearby. Ambrosius barely noticed any of it. Instead, he stood with a basket hooked over one arm and a zucchini in one hand, studying it like it held the secrets of the universe.

"Right," he muttered to himself. "But what does one actually do with a zucchini?" The vegetable, unfortunately, offered no guidance. A tomato sat in his basket. Alongside it was garlic, potatoes, carrots, and what might've been enough onions to feed a small army.

In hindsight, he may have started shopping before deciding what he was actually cooking. With a thoughtful hum, Ambrosius set the zucchini down only to immediately pick up an eggplant. His brow furrowed. The truth was, he enjoyed little things like this. Normal things. There was something comforting about standing in a market deciding what to make for dinner. No battles to fight. No expectations to live up to. Just an ordinary afternoon and the possibility of a good meal.

Unfortunately, ordinary life came with its own challenges. Like eggplants. Ambrosius sighed dramatically before looking toward the nearest person. "Alright, I need an unbiased opinion." He lifted both vegetables. "Which one is easier to accidentally turn into dinner? And please answer as though my previous cooking experience consists primarily of not setting things on fire." His smile widened slightly. "A skill I'm very proud of, for the record."

“uh,” he started, unzipping his backpack to present ambrosius with its contents; bricks and bricks of microwaveable noodles stuffed between cans of whichever energy drink went for the cheapest. “if i were you, i wouldn’t take any nutritional advice from me.”

“i don’t think i even know what a zucchini is, but it seems like you and it had a lot to talk about.” tommy nods between ambrosius and the vegetable, zipping his backpack back up as he does so. “what’s go you so lost in vegetable gazing?”

📍 the entrance of hatchaway cemetery

it was the quiet hours of midnight when grim stood outside of the cemetary. it had become a habit of sorts since he arrived in elias. he never hovered around cemeteries before this, call him sentimental he didn't want to risk meeting any grieving family members or friends of the deceased.

but right now? he felt the pull to go here... maybe to atone for what he had been doing for hades.

the path was illuminated by the light from his scythe, which he set down for a moment to surveil the area. "alright," he warned sharply when he felt the presence of another. "step back from the scythe. it's not your property."

"what is the deal with it, though? aesthetics, intimidation, sale on at hot topic? i don't judge, i promise, but i'm probably going to stick around until i get some solid answers, so the choice is kinda yours how quick this little meet up is going to be." he pauses for a moment, holding up a hand and offering an 'apologetic' smile. "sorry, where are my manners? i should have thrown a please in there, sir."

Damian Hardung

Tommy Shepherd ✦ Speed ✦ Damian Hardung ✦ Marvel

KILL THE CHAOS, FIND THE BALANCE

CURRENT AGE: twenty six

SPECIES: human/re-incarnated soul of a demon

OCCUPATION: hero

AVAILABILITY: open

AROUND WE GO, TOMMY SHEPHERD

Tommy’s life didn’t start out with fanfare. Raised in the outskirts of New York by birth parents who were already overwhelmed, Tommy grew up knowing what it felt like to be “too much.” His powers, super speed, volatile and unpredictable, surfaced young. And instead of being met with understanding, he was met with silence. Fear. Neglect. The kind of quiet that teaches you to fend for yourself. He didn’t mean to cause trouble. But when you can outrun anything and no one really seems to care what happens to you? Trouble becomes the easiest thing to find. It wasn’t long before Tommy ended up in a juvenile detention center built specifically for powered teens; out of sight, out of mind. That’s where Billy found him. Told him they were twins. Told him he’d been adopted. Told him they were connected by something deeper than blood, soul, magic, destiny, Tommy wasn’t sure what to believe. But he felt it. The bond. And for the first time, someone wanted him. Chose him. He followed Billy out of that place without hesitation. Even if he said they were re-incarnated souls made from a demon by a witch mother. Sure. Cool. He found himself standing alongside him, Eli, and Kate as part of the Young Avengers. And for the first time in a long time, Tommy had people who gave a damn. He’s fast. He’s impulsive. He’s got a mouth that sometimes runs faster than his legs. But he’s also loyal. Protective. And quietly more thoughtful than most people give him credit for. Tommy’s especially close to Kate, his nail-painting partner-in-sarcasm and mischief. She gets him. The messy parts too. And while he still struggles to accept stability, he knows what he’s found with his team is rare. Real. When the Avengers offered them space at the Avengers Academy in Elias, Tommy didn’t blink. Wherever his family goes, Billy, Teddy, Eli, Kate, America, he follows. They gave him a reason to stay grounded. Now he’s learning what it means to slow down just enough to stay.

CONNECTIONS LOADING...