in_extremis: (Default)
Tony Stark ([personal profile] in_extremis) wrote in [community profile] revivalproject2021-12-23 07:05 pm

Trimming

WHO: Everyone! It's a mingle, get into it, bring your own winter traditions
WHERE: The diner
WHAT: A little winter celebration
WHEN: The solstice/end of the year
WARNINGS: Mark it if you get weird. I assume we're all a little busy, so if you want to use this to handwave some cordial introductions or a quick lore dump from Tony, just let me know.


There wasn't any official invitation or forewarning. In fact, Tony hadn't exactly planned to spend his day like this. Arriving at the diner, though, it would be difficult to ignore the acrid smell of burning, or the waft of coffee trying vainly to cover it. The scorched scent could have come from the brazier crackling outside of the diner door, spreading a ring of warmth that left a patch of the walkway cleared of snow, though the effect of that fire was more cozy, inviting anyone in the square near the fountain closer, with a sweet, woody smoke and an extra sharp, green scent from the lurid red and weirdly purple, piney boughs hung around the doorway. The burnt smell was stronger inside, anyway, clearly from a mishap in the kitchen, with another stack of those prickly branches on the diner counter not doing a convincing job of covering a black mark scorched into the surface. The rest of the room might have been distracting enough, though; red, white and pink glitter was dusted throughout the space, spreading from where it had been intended to be contained in clusters of flowers on tables, and colourful glass was hung from the ceiling in icicles or gathered into balls that all winked in the flicker of warm light. Where there weren't lumpy, grey-ish candles, hurriedly disguised with more glitter or brass bowls, there were small, woody shells like chestnuts dotted around the room, filled to teetering brim with a viscous sap that gave off a yellowish glow and left the whole diner shimmering.

Nestled in doorframes and above the counter where a spread of food that might be alluring to the particularly brave, were more lovingly crafted decorations: clusters of small, gold leaves in bouquets tied with red ribbons that chimed softly like bells if someone stood underneath them. The food on display did not give a great hint of what the disaster might have been. Rather, it was difficult to discern which dish would be the main culprit. There was a large bowl of a creamy, yellow liquid, with suspicious lumps and blackened flecks floating in it, with a stack of mismatched cups next to it for serving. The coffee pot next to it was probably safer. The foods that weren't cooked, per se, but sliced and piled onto plates were likely innocent, too, though it was entirely possible that some of those fruits should have been cooked to be edible. A tray of what kind of looked like pancakes looked trustworthy enough, assuming the worst of them didn't make it to the serving stage. In general, the decorations were clearly handled more competently.

The days had been dark and cold, and the diner was warm, bright, and ready to leave everyone full of dubiously edible cheer. If you stayed long enough, maybe Tony would even offer you one of those strange bundles he was fastidiously working on at a table, where an occasional crack sent a puff of smoke swirling up among the gently tinkling glass ornaments.
doubled_speed: (Default)

[personal profile] doubled_speed 2022-01-07 01:07 am (UTC)(link)
Listen, him bursting into flames had been an actual possibility. Don't tease him. He blushes and looks away from Kyle, trying to process that statement.

Someone other than his brother loves him. He hadn't even said that to David or heard it. He's loved. It's something that is so foreign that, before Tommy can help himself, a sob ripped from his chest, tears in his eyes. Love. Holy shit.
kyley_b: art uncredited - pm me if you know (snugs)

[personal profile] kyley_b 2022-01-07 01:27 am (UTC)(link)
Okay, not quite the reaction Kyle was expecting. A little bewildered, he hugged Tommy tight.

"It's not that bad," he joked.
doubled_speed: (Default)

[personal profile] doubled_speed 2022-01-07 01:28 am (UTC)(link)
No, it's not bad. It's probably the best thing that has ever happened to him. And he's mature enough to not flee it. He lets himself be hugged, his arms curling quickly around Kyle and holding him so tightly that he worried he might hurt Kyle. But he needed to as he fought to not cry.

No one should get to see the tears in his eyes, so he buries his face in Kyle's shirt.
kyley_b: art uncredited - pm me if you know (snugs)

[personal profile] kyley_b 2022-01-07 03:40 am (UTC)(link)
Kyle ran his hand up and down Tommy's back, keeping him close.

"It's okay," he murmured. "I was just kidding, it's okay, let it out."
doubled_speed: (Default)

[personal profile] doubled_speed 2022-01-07 05:54 pm (UTC)(link)
He doesn't want to let it out. He wants to hold it all inside because if it's inside no one can hurt him with it. But he lets it out. Because you're supposed to. Because Gar deserves it. And at last he mumbles against Kyle's shirt.

"No one's loved me before."
kyley_b: art uncredited - pm me if you know (snugs)

[personal profile] kyley_b 2022-01-07 09:21 pm (UTC)(link)
"I dunno about that," Kyle says, still rubbing Tommy's back. "But I believe you never knew it. Tommy, dude, you're actually totally loveable. Like you're a dick, sure, but you're not BAD. You've just had a really sad, lonely life in a lot of ways."
doubled_speed: (Default)

[personal profile] doubled_speed 2022-01-10 02:43 am (UTC)(link)
"Not by people who aren't family, man," Tommy mumbled. But damn, he feels so supported right now. How the fuck is this a thing that felt so strange? Well, it was.

"In all the ways. So thank you."
kyley_b: https://mcnuggyy.tumblr.com/ (hey)

[personal profile] kyley_b 2022-01-10 03:06 am (UTC)(link)
Kyle wisely decides to not argue the point for once. Some things will just never be believed.

He hugs Tommy again. "Don't thank me, dingus. Just like... yeah." He kisses his cheek.
doubled_speed: (Default)

[personal profile] doubled_speed 2022-01-10 05:44 pm (UTC)(link)
Of course he thanked Kyle. He's not a completely horrible boyfriend. At all. Mostly.

"I'm sorry I cried."
kyley_b: art uncredited - pm me if you know (snugs)

[personal profile] kyley_b 2022-01-11 04:16 am (UTC)(link)
"Don't be sorry. It's not bad to cry, Tommy."
doubled_speed: (Default)

[personal profile] doubled_speed 2022-01-11 04:34 pm (UTC)(link)
Yes it was.

"Crying is weakness. Guys don't cry," Tommy answered. It's stupid, but it's also true.
kyley_b: (be serious)

[personal profile] kyley_b 2022-01-11 06:06 pm (UTC)(link)
Kyle shrugs. "So. Am I weak, then?"
doubled_speed: (Default)

[personal profile] doubled_speed 2022-01-12 12:28 am (UTC)(link)
What? Oh, no, that isn't what he met. And Tommy looks guilty at that.

"You were hurt. That's okay. Like, it makes sense. But me? I can't cry like that. Frank..."

He stops himself, because he realizes what he was about to say. Fuck. Frank always got on him about it. This was stupid.

"Fucking hell, my trauma is showing ain't it?"
kyley_b: art uncredited - pm me if you know (snugs)

[personal profile] kyley_b 2022-01-12 02:10 am (UTC)(link)
"Yeah. Yeah, dude, it really is. But that's okay, too."

Another hug.

"I'm still hurt. I hate it."
doubled_speed: (Default)

[personal profile] doubled_speed 2022-01-12 05:43 pm (UTC)(link)
Yeah, hating it is reasonable. Hell, Tommy hates it too. They suck, feelign like this.

"The things I grew up knowing, they're wrong, aren't they? The whole 'guys shouldn't have emotions'? Damn, Gramps tried to warn me but..."

He had taken it as a joke.
kyley_b: https://mcnuggyy.tumblr.com/ (hey)

[personal profile] kyley_b 2022-01-12 10:52 pm (UTC)(link)
Kyle laughs softly. "Yeah, dude. Super wrong. Even I know that, and I'm not exactly held up as the most sensitive person ever back home."
doubled_speed: (Default)

[personal profile] doubled_speed 2022-01-13 05:45 pm (UTC)(link)
Not the most sensitive? Tommy frowns at that. Kyle was plenty fucking sensitive to Tommy's point of view.

"Are you sure? Because you're, like, so in touch with yourself."
kyley_b: https://mcnuggyy.tumblr.com/ (hey)

[personal profile] kyley_b 2022-01-13 06:14 pm (UTC)(link)
Kyle laughs. "Maybe, but I can be a bit of a dick if I'm frustrated. My point is that feelings are normal."
doubled_speed: (Default)

[personal profile] doubled_speed 2022-01-14 06:09 am (UTC)(link)
"Everyone can be a dick when they're frustrated," Tommy said like it was the most obvious thing in the world.
kyley_b: art uncredited - pm me if you know (snugs)

[personal profile] kyley_b 2022-01-14 06:21 am (UTC)(link)
"Yeah, but I'm just saying." He kisses Tommy's temple.

"Feelings are good."
doubled_speed: (Default)

[personal profile] doubled_speed 2022-01-14 06:40 pm (UTC)(link)
Feelings are good. Clarice would tell him. And he shifted to move so he could curl around his boyfriend.

"Dammit, I really do love you. You're so damn smart."
kyley_b: https://mcnuggyy.tumblr.com/ (hey)

[personal profile] kyley_b 2022-01-15 06:05 am (UTC)(link)
"I do okay," Kyle says dryly. Then he kisses Tommy's cheek.

"I love you too, dingus."
doubled_speed: (Default)

[personal profile] doubled_speed 2022-01-18 10:17 pm (UTC)(link)
Dingus huh? He can accept that. For now, though, he's still holding Kyle. It's better to just hold him. He feels more okay like this.

"You do better than okay. I'm just shit at this shit."
kyley_b: https://mcnuggyy.tumblr.com/ (hey)

[personal profile] kyley_b 2022-01-19 04:46 am (UTC)(link)
"No. You're just learning. You can't expect people to be good at shit they have no practice at."
doubled_speed: (Default)

[personal profile] doubled_speed 2022-01-19 07:52 pm (UTC)(link)
"People tend to expect me to," Tommy grumbled. He didn't know what to do with that. People just didn't understand that Tommy really didn't get it.

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