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You Will Surely Drown

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The first time Tommy used his abilities he hadn't meant to.

It happened one night when he and Billy were eight, their father had gotten home and for once wasn't drunk off his ass. But that didn't matter. He had gone for Billy, hands gripping tight into his brother's dark hair. Billy had whimpered, tried to get away, tried to protect himself from their father's violence. Thomas was frozen, couldn't do anything but hide. He hated himself for not helping. For not protecting William.

"Hng, stop!" The brunette had cried, begged and scratched at the arm that was holding him. A fist connected with his jaw, shutting him up as he slumped in their father's hold. Tommy couldn't take it, therage building up in him, that had been building in him for the last two years. And it was like everything turned slow as he'd sprinted the short distance to his father and just jumped, throwing all of his weight and power into his arm and hitting him straight on the nose.

"Fuck, you little freak," He'd stumbled back, dropping a limp Billy to the floor. Not caring, he never had. "What the fuck are you!" His father held his nose, trying to get away from Tommy. The white haired kid grabbed Billy and ran, ran back to their room and hid them under the bed. He never followed. Tommy realized what happened moments later when he watched his hand blur when he tried to touch his brother. He stifled a scream and tried to be completely still. But his joints were aching and he needed to move. He dashed from under the small bed, dashed out the room and out of the house and didn't stop running until he couldn't anymore. He was out of the city, in some long stretch of road. Tommy was shaking, shaking from fear of himself, of what he could do.

And for a short while, thought of never going back.

But Billy's weak body flashed through his mind and he felt guilty. He ran back, past his father's slumped body in the living room, and back into their room where a shaking William was crying, curled up in a corner. That pang of guilt filled his body and made him slow again, made him normal. He crouched next to his twin and hugged him tight.

"I'm sorryI''tleaveyouagainI'msorry."

The first time Billy used his powers he had meant to.

They were fourteen and not much had changed. But now he didn't have Tommy to protect him. His brother had been shipped off to boot camp at age twelve, being forced to leave him. William had cried for weeks. Their father's beatings never stopped, only seemed to escalade with Tommy's absence. It wasn't just hitting anymore. No. It was much, much worse.

"William, William where are you?" His father had slurred in that disgusting voice of his, vile rose in his throat as he buried himself deeper into the cupboard he was hiding in. Billy knew he'd be found sooner or later, he always was, and he shivered at the thought of what his father would surely do. He slowed his breathing, trying to calm down so Dave wouldn't hear his breathing. He needed to keep quiet in order to stay hidden.

Don'''tlethimseeme. He couldn't stop his thoughts from going faster, chanting the words over and over in some flimsy hope that it would work. He felt weak and small, like the frail child he used to be. He whimpered as the footfalls got closer.

"William don't hide from daddy!" Dave slurred, walking slower. Billy knew, sick dread filling his stomach, that he'd been found. He dried to blend into the wall, tried to do something to just get away.

Don'''tlethimseemepleaseohpleasedon'tlethimfuckingseeme.

The cupboard swung open, Billy held his breath. Why he held it, he didn't know. The smile on Dave's lips made him want to scream, but he kept quiet a he father's drunken eyes swept across him. But they didn't see him.

Don'tlethimseemedon'tlethimsseemeshitplease.

The words were ringing in his head as Dave's smile turned down into a scowl. His father slammed it back shut, the door bouncing, flying back open to only shut again. Dave cursed loudly before continuing his hunt for Billy. Unlike Tommy, Billy knew what had just happened, what he had done. He had powers, just like his twin, just like the superheroes floating around outside. Billy had control, he had real power. And it felt good.

"William, boy, stop hiding from me!" The harsh tone let Billy know Dave was getting frustrated. His father was sobering up, which meant he'd soon give up in favor for more alcohol. Billy kept quiet. No matter how much he wanted revenge,-sweet, sweet revenge-he wouldn't hit his father. He probably couldn't even if he tried.

Gotosleepgotosleepmakehimgotosleepgotosleep, he chanted in his head, hoping it would work like last time. The more he repeated it, the more he felt sleepy. He finally heard Dave slump to the ground and only crawled out of the cupboard when he heard soft snoring. His skinny limbs creaked as he stretched out, sore from the position he had held for too long. But it was better than the alternative, if he hadn't hidden, he shivered at the thought. Billy tiptoed around the fallen man and shuffled into his room. It was the same as it was when they were little, dirty white walls, old rusted metal bed frames with hard as hell mattresses. A small dresser that still had blood on it from the night Dave beat Billy's head against the side over and over again. William shivered. The difference was Tommy wasn't there. It felt lonely without Thomas.

IwishTommywashere

Billy could picture his brother, hair dyed to match his. The roots always came back white, infuriating their father to no end. He insisted it was unnatural, called Tommy a freak. And those brilliant green eyes, Billy missed those eyes. He gulped past a lump in his throat. He crawled into bed, body shaking from tears unshed.

"IwishTommywashereIwishTommywashereIwishThomaswashereIwishTommywashere," He whispered brokenly, hoping it would work better if he spoke it. But he felt exhausted and no matter how much he chanted, no matter how hard he wished, Tommy wouldn't appear.

The next time they met, three years later, both were different.

Tommy's hair was pure white, green eyes vibrant but cold. Billy didn't know what he'd expected, but it wasn't this. It wasn't this uncaring shadow of a boy in front of him.

"Tommy? I'm glad you're home," Billy whispered softly before seeing their father come out of his room. He was cleaned up today, but probably do to the lady standing behind Thomas, long bony fingers laying on Tommy's shoulder. Billy flinchd away from Dave's presence, eyes cast down on the floor. He didn't want to look at this new Tommy. He scared him.

"My boy, I'm so glad you are home now!" Dave exclaimed, reaching out and slapping a hand down on Tommy's other shoulder. He didn't flinch, didn't do anything. Just stood there like stone. Dave retracted his hand slowly.

"I don't know if he was like this before, but he hasn't been a much of a talker since he got to our facility." The lady finally commented, even her voice sounded practiced, fake. Billy watched her through his bangs, watched her own cold emotionless eyes befall him and he knew that this new Tommy was her fault, her facility.

"You must be William." He looked back down at the mention of his name. He wanted this to be over. He wanted to crawl in bed and hope school would come faster.

"Yes, this is my other boy, Thomas's twin." Their was a hand on Billy's shoulder and he flinched, trying to get away from that hold. He hated being touched, hated the memories that flooded him with such a simple gesture. He wanted to leave already, get away from this hell whole and never look back.

"He seems shy, so different form his brother. He must be a good kid, isn't he?" Billy couldn't think. He needed that hand off him, he could feel himself start to shake.

"He's the best son I could have ever hoped for," Lies, lies, lies! Billy couldn't do this, whatever it was. He needed to get away.

"I, uh, I need to go to the bathroom. Excuse me," He whispered, voice small and uncertain. Billy quickly got away, slipping into the small bathroom. He tried to lock it, only to remember it had been broken days before. He shivered again, remembering that night. He stayed in there, hearing the door shut a while later.

"William, come out here and help your brother," Was he trying to pretend he changed? What a joke, Thomas was smarted than that. Billy left the room anyways, watching Tommy stand in the middle of a slightly cleaner living room and Dave pulling out a beer. He shifted his eyes, looking at the two suitcases next to his twin.

"yes Dave," He whispered quietly. He gripped the handles tightly, chanting a small saying under his breath before lifting them. They were feather light now. "This way," He started walking to their room, straining not to look back at Tommy.

"He gets that room to himself. After your done getting him settled move your stuff to my room." Billy froze, stoping mid way to the room. He choked on a breath, tried to catch his mask, his façade. Tommy ran straight into him, muttering a curse and backing up quickly, unknowingly using his powers.

"what?" Billy let out, he'd tried to keep it in, tried not to let his fear over take him. And he failed.

"You heard me, William. Move your shit into my fucking room," Billy whipped around, seeing Dave was already on his third beer.

"I,"

"He's fine in staying with me, father." Thomas cut him off, looking over at Dave. Billy looked at him in surprise, he didn't think this new Tommy would care.

"No, no, you deserve your own room," a sinister grin spread across their father's face.

Tbc.. because I'm too lazy to type any more at the moment

Chapter Text

Tommy was suddenly in front of Dave, hands cenched in the old man's shirt.

"He stays with me," Thomas practicaly growled and it was so much like the old Tommy Billy would have laughed, if not for the situation. The only difference was Dave wasn't afraid of Tommy's powers anymore. No, he had to deal with Billy's powers for a while, when it was still just out of the brunette's control, before he had it wrapped in a tight ball inside him, product of many beatings.

"I'm not afraid of you, Thomas." Dave glared, wiping Tommy of him like a crumb, and wallked past the boy to the frozen Billy still standing in the hall. Billy flinched away from him, eyes cast down again. The suitcases dropped, weight coming back to them.

"Get away from him!" Tommy yelled, next to them in a flash Their father just laughed and pushed him into the wall. Tommy's head hit with a crude thud. He gripped onto Billy's arm and yanked him into the other wall. William magiced the pain away at once, but the bruises still formed along his arms.

"Tommy stop!" Billy yelled as he watched his twin charge at the older man. Thomas froze, body going completely stil. "Go," The white-haired boy turned to him, now able to move, eyes wide.

"What the," Tommy muttered quietly. Dave was slumped on the ground, Billy silently thanking his wish worked. He sighed and rubbed at this forehead tiredly as pain blossumed under his fingertips.

"Let's get your stuff to your room," The brunette muttered, picking up the suitcases again. He already felt drained, so he lugged the heavy cases to the next room, for he didn't want to exhauste his powers so early in the day. He would no doubtly need them tonight.

"How did you,"

"It doesn't matter Thomas, it doesn't matter," He whispered softly, cutting Tommy of. Finally unpacking Tommy's things, Billy let out a long sigh. He knew what would happen tonight, it always happened and Tommy's sudden appearance wouldn't change anything. Billy just wished Tommy wouldn't be here to witness it.

"Maybe you should go out, explore the city or something. You've been gone for years, a lot has changed." Billy turned around, a forced smile on his face. Tommy just gave him that blank stare again.

"Why do you want me to leave? Didn't I just get here?" His voice was as bland as his eyes.

"What do you mean? I wasn't, I mean I was just suggesting," Billy paniced, looking away Tommy.

"What has he done to you, Billy?" Tommy was suddenly hugging him, the closeness freaking Billy's senses out. He pushed his brother away, to scared to do anything but shake.

"It doesn't matter," I don't matter. That's why you left, right?

"There you go again Billy! It does matter! You matter, you knowthat, right? You're not just some toy for him to push around! What the fuck did he do to you?" Tommy yelled, hands clenched into fists, whole body vibrating. Billy opened his mouth to reply, but nothing came out.

"Don't you dare say it doesn't matter," Tommy growled. Billy looked around, trying to think of a way out of the conversation.

"You should go out, really, it's a nice day outside, you know how hard those are to come by," Billy finally whispered, looking out the small window in the old bedroom.

"I'm not leaving you here with that monster. You know, we could report him, call the police and turn him in. ou don't have t go through this Billy." Tommy seemed to be stuck on saving Billy. But he was past saving, he was so far past saving he didn't know how he was still living.

"We can't." Billy argued softly, hands clenching at his sides. But he wouldn't look at Tommy still, couldn't look at him.

"And why not?" Tommy was yelling again, pressing the issue with too much force.

"Because I'd rather take my chances here than in some foster home! Face it Tommy, we aren't old enough to live by ouselves, none of our relatives want us, and in care, in care we might get seperated!" Billy shook his head, finally looking Tommy in the eyes. "I don't want to be seperated Tommy. Who will protect and comfort me if your gone? What if I end up in a home just like this one?" He finished with a whisper.

"But Billy," Tommy was startled as Billy punched through the wall next to them.

"No," Billy growled, eyes quickly sparking blue. It was such a contrast to his normal brown that Tommy had to blink.

"Okay, okay. But won't you come with me and show me around town? I promise I won't tell anyone," Tommy's blank face took over again, even if his voice was causious.

"I'm not allowed to leave,"