Semi Open//Running is the best medicine

[crotcharrow]

Characters: Tommy Shepherd, Kal-El, Molly Hayes, Natasha Romanoff and Rikki Barnes
Date: After this thread, backdated before the satellite event
Location: Turtles Edge, Metal Sector, Rikki's apartment
Situation: Tommy's trying to deal with the fact he might be a dad, and Molly needs to have a talk about the birds and the bees. And then Rikki comes back to talk to Tommy. It's like straight up teenage drama in here.
Warnings/Rating: Talk of potential pregnancy and explanations of sex through use of handpuppets. And most likely swearing.


[Tommy needed time to clear his head. And whilst running around the shell wasn't probably the best idea, he'd done it anyway, taking a bag of snacks with him. He hadn't known how long he was going to be, and he couldn't get rid of the pit in his stomach that was laced with guilt. Steve had already spoken to Rikki and to him in the least threatening way he could have mustered. Tommy wasn't sure if that made it ten times worse or better. Talking to Steve, about the possibility of there actually being a child had just soured his stomach and sent his head reeling. Why hadn't he just stopped and gone to get a condom? It had been his responsibility as much as hers. And he should be taking the full blame for this.

He knew if Steph was still here she would be pummelling him right about now. As would Brandon. God, he missed them both so much. He would have gone to them with this, gone to them for help even though they both would have smacked him sideways and called him an idiot. But he was stuck wandering the shell on his own, trying to make sense of it all.

He literally can't believe how stupid he'd been. It would have taken him seconds to go back and get a condom, but he'd been too wrapped up, and too convinced that it wouldn't happen to them that he'd not bothered. He was an idiot.

When Tommy reached the edge of the shell he skidded to a halt to watch the waves lap at the edge, flopping down so he can catch his breath and look out over the vast ocean to try and clear his head and figure out what the hell he was going to do.]

Comments

Kal-El

[crotcharrow]

[Tommy remained at the edge of the shell until the sun dipped below the horizon and the familiar glow began to light up around him that signalled it was night time. He'd spent the time catching his breath, refuelling, and trying to think things through.

So far? He's not really figured much out other than establishing he was an idiot, and that Rikki probably never wanted to talk to him again after all this blew over. Assuming she wasn't pregnant. He hadn't really thought about what would happen if she was. Thinking about that somehow made it seem like a more legitimate possibility. One that Tommy really didn't want to consider.

He decided that he's spent far too long on the shells edge for one day and gathers his things before starting to head back at a pace that is quite obviously dragging his feet (for a speedster anyway).]

[andaway]

[Kal had of course seen the post Rikki had made. He didn't exactly keep an eye on the network like he knew the bats did and he'd missed a post or two, but overall he liked to have a good idea of what was going on in the turtle. And a post like that was obviously going to get his attention.

But he hadn't looked for either of them. He had respect for Rikki but they weren't close, and Tommy... Tommy was complicated. He was a good guy, he really was- but he seemed determined to make himself look like he wasn't. And every time Clark had tried to approach him he'd ended getting rebuffed.

That didn't mean he wasn't going to approach him in a moment like this though, after stopping to put on the suit.]

Stopping to smell the flowers?

[crotcharrow]

[He's not expecting to bump into anyone--least of all Kal--so when he comes into sight, Tommy blinks in confusion. And then tries to swallow the lump in his throat, adjusting his backpack which had started to slip. He doesn't exactly stop but he does slow. It's not like he was in any hurry.

He wrinkles his nose at Kal, and moves past him, but he's walking. And for a speedster, that's pretty much stopping.]

Do I look like I stopped? [he rubs at his face with his free hand, trying to dispel the headache that had started to niggle at the back of his mind.] What d'you want?

[andaway]

[Well, now Kal isn't really sure what to do. Does he pretend he doesn't know what's wrong or does he tell Tommy he saw the post? He never knows how to act with him.

But when in doubt, the truth tends to be the best option in his experience.]

You look like you're worried about something. And what that 'something' is isn't hard to guess considering the post your girlfriend just made to the network.

[crotcharrow]

[Tommy does actually stop. His hand tightens on the strap of the backpack, and turns, looking up at Kal with a sort of pathetic expression.]

You saw that, huh?

[He wrinkles his nose a little and slumps, sliding the bag off of his shoulder, and buries his face in his hand. It's obvious he's not going anywhere.]

Worried is sort of an understatement.

[andaway]

[He shrugs a bit] I thought as many people as possible seeing that post so it'd reach someone who could actually help was the point. So yes, I saw it.

Well... [He tilts his head, curl bouncing] Do you want to talk about it?

[crotcharrow]

[It had been the point Rikki had been after he figured, but he would have liked to be warned before she'd posted it. Not that it matters now but.

He glances up at Kal and frowns, giving a rough shrug. His stomach is jumping around uncomfortably, and just thinking about it is making him feel sick.]

Augh, I dunno? Maybe? I mean, there's not a lot to talk about. I knocked up my girlfriend and now she could be pregnant and I'm no where near old enough to be thinking about this. That's pretty much it.

Molly

[crotcharrow]

[He's not expecting to come back to an empty apartment, but that's exactly what it is when he walks through the door. He's panting a little, and puts his little backpack down by the door, his cheeks flushed from the breeze from running here.]

Rikki? [He calls out tentatively, and moves into the kitchen with a frown, looking for any sign of her. It's then that he sees the note. Tommy heaves a sigh and picks it up to read, rubbing his eyes when he finishes it. She was gone. At least for tonight. For the same reasons he had disappeared.

With a groan, Tommy puts the paper back on the counter, grabs some food and goes to sink in the couch, to stare at the ceiling indefinitely.]

[animalhats]

[ Molly's been out, too, and it's not long after Tommy settles onto the couch that the door creaks open and Molly quietly lets herself in. She doesn't see any sign of Rikki and honestly she's pretty glad, because no sign of Rikki means that Cap probably won't pop up.

And, while she likes Rikki, she's kind of wanting to just make sure Tommy's okay. Tommy's family. Rikki's not quite there yet.

She doesn't say anything, just kicks her shoes off (in the middle of the floor), climbs onto the couch to curl up next to Tommy, and... steals a bite of his food. ]

[crotcharrow]

[He glances up as the door opens, straining to see who it is. His stomach settles when he sees it's Molly, heaving a relieved sigh. He doesn't have to talk to Rikki just yet. Good. There's a moments pause before he realises he'd been out galavanting around on the turtle's edge and left Molly all on her own. He had no idea when Rikki left that note, and guilt settles down on him as he watches her cross the apartment and crawl up onto the couch with him.

Tommy lifts an arm and puts it around her shoulder, not even complaining that she's stealing his food, and heaves a sigh.]

Hey, squirt. Where you been?

[animalhats]

[ She snuggles a little closer under his arm - cuddles are good. Cuddles are reassuring. ]

The park. I thought maybe Captain America would come back and I didn't wanna be here if he did.

[crotcharrow]

[He tugs her close, fiddling with the ears of her hat absently.]

Nah, I don't think he's coming back for a while. [He gives her a small smile, and pulls the hat off and puts it on himself. Pink really isn't his color.]

And I think he's more mad at me than you.

[animalhats]

[ Molly giggles a little at the sight he makes, wearing that ridiculous pink hat, and reaches up to straighten it ]

I know. But I don't like him.

[ she falls silent and looks around a little ]

Did Rikki go somewhere?

Rikki

[crotcharrow]

[Tommy had tried to wait up for Rikki. He really had. But with everything that had happened today, it was surprising he hadn't fallen sooner.

When she gets back, Rikki will find both Tommy and Molly asleep on the couch, Tommy more upright, holding his head up with an elbow as he lightly dozes, and Molly with her head in his lap, completely fast asleep.]

[withoutaworld]

[ Rikki's cautious as she opens the door, not sure if anyone's home, if they're asleep or what - people in this house keep weird hours at the best of times, and after a day like they've had... yeah, she's not at all surprised to find the two of them unconscious on the couch.

She smiles faintly, hesitating for a moment before tiptoeing over. She could let him sleep, but... she'd want to know right away, in his position, so she nudges his foot gently with hers, her voice soft so she won't wake Molly. ] Hey.

[crotcharrow]

[He doesn't actually stir until Rikki's foot connects with his, and then he starts briefly, blinking up at her in a sleepy haze. When he realises who it is, he rubs his head, and looks down at Molly, who had somehow wrapped herself around him. Who knows how that had happened, but it gets a brief smile out of him before he looks back up at Rikki, a bit nervously.]

...Hey. [He whispers it, trying not to wake Molly.]

[withoutaworld]

Um. Can you untangle yourself from the princess, or...? [ She shrugs a shoulder, with a glance to the kitchen. She'd prefer to talk out of earshot of Molly, even if she is unconscious at the moment. ]

[crotcharrow]

Yeah, just. Gimme a sec. [He gives a brief nod, and starts to squirm out from under Molly, moving her hands from his waist and lifting her head and putting one of the couch cushions under it so she doesn't drop onto the couch. He tugs the blanket over her some more, and then stands up, free. He has to stretch though, his spine cracking lightly from being in that position for so long.

He can't shake the pit that's forming in his stomach, but that was really inescapable all things considered, and starts heading into the kitchen, rubbing the back of his neck awkwardly.]

...So.

[withoutaworld]

[ She's ahead of him on the way to the kitchen, and barely makes it through the doorway before she swings around to face him, arms folded over her chest and shoulders hunched in awkward defensiveness. ]

So, uh... I got a doctor to check me out this morning. Turns out I'm not pregnant after all. [ She smiles nervously, eyes flicking up to his face. ] So... sorry for freaking you out, and making such a big deal of everything, and making Cap come give the talk over a false alarm. Really sorry.

Molly and Natasha (added in with permission)

[animalhats]

[ Before getting back home and talking to Tommy about it, Molly made like everybody else in their little family and took off to think. She didn't go far, just to the park area on the edge of the Metal Sector.

She's not really sure how she feels about Rikki and Tommy having sex. She knew they were snogging, and she thought it was gross but whatever - plenty of her little family back home were making out at some point and she'd gotten used to it. But sex was... different. It was more serious, and it was more grown up, and it made her uncomfortable to think about in general.

Not to mention that if Rikki really IS gonna have a baby, Captain America will come over even more, and that would suck.

So she's flopped on her stomach in a stretch of grass, frowning and pulling blades of grass up and watching them flutter in the breeze when she dropped them. ]

[tendnottoweep]

[ Natasha has her own business in the Metal Sector, and doesn't entirely look like the person Molly met on the beach - her hair's darker, pulled back in a way that makes the angles of her face look sharper, the impression added to by the careful application of cosmetics so you could almost believe she's kedan or otherwise non-human if you don't look too closely... but she's fond of Molly.

And so, as she notices her, she detours, wandering over to the girl and tilting her head curiously. ] The grass can't be that fascinating.

[animalhats]

I'm thinking. [ declared without looking up. She recognizes that voice and feels, honestly, a little relieved. Even if she doesn't actually know Natasha all that well, and she's a grown-up and everything. ] Grass is more interesting than looking at nothing. Plus I can see how far away I can blow it.

[ She twists to look up at her and frowns a little ] Your hair's different.

[tendnottoweep]

[ Natasha pauses, and then folds her legs and drops gracefully onto the grass in front of Molly. ] It changes a lot. [ Mostly when she's working. This was easier when she had wigs. And SHIELD's resources. ]

What are you thinking about? [ Ordinarily she wouldn't ask, but she has a face like she wants to talk. ]

[animalhats]

I change my hats a lot back home. 'Cause I've got a lot of them and sometimes I want to be a dinosaur or something.

[ She doesn't say anything at first, pulling up another blade of grass. Natasha's a grown-up. But she also played mermaids with her on the beach. So... ]

So, my sorta-brother Tommy and his girlfriend might be having a baby. And they're freaking out, and it's kind of scary 'cause they're Nico and Chase's age, but it might be kinda cool, too, y'know? I could be the big sister for once, instead of the baby.

And it means they had sex, which is super-gross. [ sigh ] Plus I think Captain America's probably gonna come over 'cause he's Rikki's grandpa's cousin or something, so I hadta leave for a while 'cause he's a jerk and I don't like him.

[tendnottoweep]

[ Natasha's silent for a moment or two, expression carefully blank. She hasn't been on the network today, but Bucky's granddaughter possibly being pregnant - in a place like this - does concern her a little. Still, it can wait until they know for sure, until she's talked to Bucky about it, until she's not talking to a twelve-year-old. ]

He can be a jerk, yes.

I'm sure once they calm down they'll work something out. If she really is going to have a baby. When you're that age... it's easy to panic over what turns out to be nothing.