calm before the - wait, what? [open]

[sharpes]

Characters: Brandon Sharpe and ~open~
Location: All over the place during the Storm System This is forward-dated a little to accommodate various timelines whoops!
Situation: Brandon is giving that Big Damn Hero thing a try. He's about ten shades of not sure if want.
Warnings/Rating: Brandon's attitude.
Notes: Not really anything. Fly at, have fun. PM me if you wanna hash out something a little more structured.





[So, maybe storms aren't the usual superhero fare, but Brandon wouldn't exactly be up for facing anything more threatening than the Condiment King (whoops, DC crossover) on a bad day at the moment. Between missing his team, the dead bodies on the altar, losing his shit for a week and all the really hard conversations he's had with Steph? He's sort of feeling the aster.

But when you're somebody that controls lightning, a little bad weather really can't get you down.

So maybe his suit's soaked and chafing in all the wrong places, but Brandon is out and about, helping people get to safety (still sort of weird) and diverting lightning strikes when he's in the area (less weird) and generally trying not to live up to Pym's expectations.

For which you can totally thank Stephanie Brown.]

Comments

Tommy and Brandon

[crotcharrow]

[Tommy had spent about an hour of being cooped up inside the giant converted treehouse apartment that had sort of become the Young Avengers HQ before he had to get out and run around. Now usually this wouldn't actually matter--he has to spend hours indoors on a regular basis--but the fact that he wasn't allowed outside because of something entirely out of his control was enough to send him nearly mad. So he'd left without telling anyone, donning his super suit and goggles to see if he could help out any of the kedan in the storm. The winds wouldn't be anything he'd not be used to, and he's run in the rain before so he figured he'd be able to handle it.

What he isn't expecting is the lightning and the thunder. And just how heavy and driving the rain actually is, and the way the shell floor got slippery when it is wet which makes running on it near impossible. Okay, so maybe there'd been a reason he isn't supposed to go out in this, but what use is he drumming his feet against the floor at home when he can be outside rescuing people? He lives for this kind of stuff. It is the only thing he's good at. But he's decided he really hates running in the rain.

He's busy trying to help some kedan out of a shop that had a tree fall into the front, trying to shout and direct them over the booming clap of some thunder that felt way too close for comfort as the storm rages on. His eyes and reflexes distracted as the kedan finally scramble to safety, a fork of lightning erupting from the cloud cover, headed straight for the speedster.]

[sharpes]

[There's always a sort of electricity in the air during a storm like this. Brandon's been working on his control to the point where he can sense (and disrupt, though he's been keeping that part on the DL) electrical impulses in the brain.

This? Is nothing.

So when he feels the electricity gathering, he skids down an alleyway and follows it. Hopefully he's not going to be too late, he's already seen a couple of buildings take damage, and the resultant blackouts are never pre--

He slides to a halt against the slick surface of the turtle's shell, throwing one hand behind him as he manages to drop right onto his ass. It's probably not the most elegant thing ever, but right now he's actually not concerned with looking cool because holy crap Tommy. He's a goddamned speedster, how can he not notice that?! He's too far away to hear him yelling in this wind, and Brandon doesn't even try.

There's a split-second of panic as the energy builds, and then Brandon flings out a hand and reaches. He's never shifted this much electricity this far away before, he probably can't just divert it, so he pulls it in, towards himself.

It's probably going to hurt like hell.]

[crotcharrow]

[If the wind wasn't howling and he wasn't practically being drowned, Tommy probably would have reacted in time. But he's never tried running and staying in a storm before--usually just running straight through--so he's not that great at reading the signs of an impending electrical strike.

But when the sky lights up and the lightning cracks way too close to him he swivels around just to see Brandon take the bolt into himself and then drop to the floor. Shit, what the hell just happened? He half-runs, half-skids over once the bolt is gone, trying to shove his rain soaked hair out of his face.

Brandon wasn't moving. Fuck. He thought he was good at manipulating electricity? Tommy isn't sure if he should touch him, if he was charged or whatever they call it, so he peers over him for a few milliseconds, before moving down onto his knees so he can grab Brandon's shoulders to shake him a little.]

Hey! Wake up!

[sharpes]

[Holy crap. Holy crap holy crap holy crap.

Being able to metabolize electricity is an awesome superpower never let anyone tell you otherwise. He aches all over like he's gone ten rounds with a PO'd Captain America but the unconsciousness doesn't last more than a few seconds and when he cracks his eyes open he feels pretty damn good.

Except for the whole 'getting shaken' part.]

What the hell are you doing here?

[Maybe Tommy didn't notice what he did. In which case you bet he's going to keep it that way.]

[crotcharrow]

[Tommy drops him the moment that Brandon opens his eyes, because really, he doesn't want to help him that much, and leans away, looking up briefly at the storm as it raged on.]

Me? What the hell d'you think? [he pushes his sopping hair out of his face for the millionth time.]

I'm saving people. What the hell are you doing, you idiot?

[sharpes]

[Brandon just... throws an arm out to wave Tommy away from him and pushes himself up with one hand, coughing a little when he does so. He's bouncing back and forth between feeling awesome and nauseous so fast he's not even sure what to do with himself.]

I'm--

[his brain's scrambled. he has to think of something to say that isn't 'saving your ass']

I thought I could control it. Will you get out of my face?

[But he does, grudgingly throw up an electro magnetic shield, slanted against the gale force wind and overhead to stop the goddamned rain. He's already soaked, so whatever, but he's sick of wiping it out of his eyes.]

[crotcharrow]

[Tommy moves back on his knees, watching him carefully. Not over any real concern for him but oh man Steph would murder him if something happened to Brandon on his watch.

He huffs a little at the comment but obliges, glancing up at the shield with a look of something that could be described as impressed, and then looks back down at Brandon. It's only occurring to him now that he's not even sure the entirety of Brandon's powers, just that he can control electricity.]

Well that was stupid. Why the hell would you want to?

[sharpes]

Because I'm an asshole.

[That comment is downright waspish, and Brandon drags a hand through his hair to try and dispel some of that damn rain.]

And you're an idiot. You should be more careful.

[crotcharrow]

[Tommy has all but given up on his hair, which is dripping pitifully against his face. He wrinkles his nose at that comment. Geez, why the hell was he even worried. He's obviously fine.]

Me? Says the guy who just took a lightning bolt to the arm!

[and then some cogs start working, and he frowns, staring at Brandon in almost disbelieve for a few moments. ...Yeah right. Like he would.]

[sharpes]

I'm immune to lightning. Jackass.

[Okay, it still hurt like hell, but he has no idea what it would do to a speedster in the first place.]

[crotcharrow]

[Tommy eyes him.]

Is that why you blacked out?

[sharpes]

For like three seconds. Do you have any idea how much electricity's in one lightning strike? It shorted me out.

[SO THERE.]

[crotcharrow]

[THREE SECONDS IS A LONG TIME OKAY.]

I try to not get hit by lightning, so no. I don't.

[sharpes]

It's enough to put a guy into cardiac arrest, okay?

[He is so not looking at Tommy when he's speaking, he just shrugs his shoulders and. Acts like he doesn't give a single fuck.]

That means 'stopping someone's heart' if you missed the memo.

[crotcharrow]

[Tommy scowls a little.]

I know what cardiac arrest is, I'm not a fucking idiot. The hell's your problem?

[sharpes]

Nothing. Nothing, god. I'm fine. Don't you have people to save or something?

[GOSH.]

[crotcharrow]

[Tommy snorts and then goes to stand up, immediately regretting it. Being under than barrier had been a nice break, and he's completely soaked in a matter of seconds again, the wind buffeting him a little.]

Now that you mention it, yeah. I do.

[sharpes]

[Brandon stands up as well, and... kind of hesitates. He doesn't like doing this sort of shit alone - no matter what he pretends, Brandon's a team player. And he misses having one. Damn, he hates saying that, but it's true. Not having Mettle and Veil and Reptil and hell, even Hazmat and Finesse is... it's weird.

He picks at his suit, which is pretty much superglued to his skin at this point, and... glances at Tommy with something that no one had ever better describe as 'shy'. But it is a little standoffish and wary, all the same.]

Listen. We'd probably make a better team.

[crotcharrow]

[Tommy watches him carefully, squinting through his goggles. He would be the same as Brandon, except. Well. He's been doing the solo thing for a few months now. He didn't like it, but it was better than hanging around the Kaplan's apartment all day, hoping that Billy would eat or say something.

And the thing with teams was that you trust them to have your back. Tommy isn't sure he trusts Brandon as far as he could throw him at this point.

He crosses his arms and raises an eyebrow.]

Huh. And here's me thinking you hate me.

[sharpes]

[Brandon stares at him for a moment and almost, almost says it -- so I guess saving your life is hating you, huh? But he keeps himself from just snapping it out. Instead, his jaw tenses in frustration.]

Hey, if you don't want to you can get lost.

[crotcharrow]

[Tommy drums his fingers on his arm and then shrugs.]

Can you even keep up with me?

[It's not a no.]

[sharpes]

Somehow I don't think you're getting awesome traction on the ground right now.

[It's also not a yes. Brandon's tone stays sort of defiant.]

[crotcharrow]

Hey, shut up. I'd like to see you run on wet turtle shell.

[sharpes]

[Eyebrow.]

I'm not the guy whose superpower relies on traction.

[so there.]

[crotcharrow]

I can do other stuff 'cept running y'know.

[SO THERE TOO. Huff.]