revivalproject | Buffets and Birthdays

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Buffets and Birthdays

WHO: Tommy Shepherd, Billy Hargrove, Otherwise Open
WHERE: Various Buffets, Station Hydroponics, various in closed starter
WHAT: Tommy eating his fill (and yours), Growing Things because of course, and showing Hargrove a good time (no they aren't dating what are you talking about)
WHEN: Throughout March, March 29th in closed
WARNINGS: None

I. Eating Your Fill

The advantage of places like this was that Tommy could always get as much as he wanted to eat without having to rely in protein paste to fill things out. And, well... There was always buffets. And man wasn't Tommy enjoying them now, getting himself steadily onto 'must pay double' or 'do not serve' lists. Which was fine with him.

One day might find him in an all you can eat salad bar, piling on all the alien vegetables and making notes on his comm device about what things he might want to get seeds or seedlings for. Another is a place specializing in a wealth of soups, where he's again taking notes (this time on flavor combinations for cooking). Or, if you're really lucky, you'll find him on a day where he's got three different mounds of noodle dishes in front of him, happily chomping his way through them while just sitting back and watching the alien species around him.

No matter which buffet you find him at, one thing is sure. The staff is giving Tommy a disapproving look of some variety or other, he's got a stack of dirty plates near him, and he's at his table alone. Maybe go up and talk to him. He'd be happy for a companion.

II. Growing Pains

Of course to keep himself fed and to stock up the greenhouses of the ships requires something important: some form of trading capital. And where else was Tommy going to find it than through the work he'd been throwing himself at for years? Sure, he could work as an extreme speed courier on a lot of planets they have ended up on, but the space station clearly doesn't need that. With the various types of transportation it's clear that he'd not be the best price per pound for transport, and it wouldn't learn him as much. Which is probably why anyone coming to take up Station Operations on the offer to do some work in hydroponics in exchange for seeds and cuttings will find Tommy there, at most hours of the day.

Today he's humming softly to himself as he goes through and carefully clips small handfuls of greens from some salad vegetable, meant for someone's dinner, or perhaps to prune things back for better growth. But he still smiles in seeing another He Row and waves them over.

"Hey, you here to be my new assistant? They said that there was someone new coming in to work today. I'm happy for a familiar face."

III. It's Not A Date, It's A Birthdatey | Closed to Billy Hargrove

Sometimes the best thing you can do for a bro is to make sure they have a good day. No, more than that. A great birthday. And it's something Tommy had started planning the moment they set foot on the station. Sure, he was fitting it all around his work, but he was meticulously planning something out.

And now here Tommy was, showing up at the hammock where he's more than once seen Billy sleeping near he water on the ship.

"Hey, Sunshine," he says, smiling as he nudges the hammock. "Get on your damn feet. We're going on an adventure."

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

"I'm a runner. My legs and ass are almighty. My brother may be the divine twink, but I've got a godly ass."

He grins and once they're out on the sand he walks over it, bare foot with no issue, toward a nearby little structure.

"They say the sand is a gypsum related thing, so it doesn't absorb heat, so you can walk over it all day with no problem," he explains with a smile. "And of course I brought your board. Billy, you deserve a good day."

Don't look at the ass. Or the legs. Don't think about it either. There was beach and waves to focus on anyways, so Billy thinks about that. All the things he can do with his board. "That's part of the fun of going to the beach though! If you're not burning your feet on the sand, you're missing a key piece of the experience."

He glances back at it as they get to the spot where they can buy some clothes for him. "I guess I do deserve a good day. I've been on pretty good behavior lately. Haven't even called anybody names. Totally reformed California bad boy right here."

"I'll remind you, Sunshine, my feet are my livelihood," Tommy laughs. He doesn't risk them to something so simple as heat, not when he can avoid it.

"You're still a bad boy, Curls. You're just not being a full ass. And that's fine too."

He smiles and opens the door to the small building, and it looks like a surf shop. Except it doesn't seem as full as it should be for different species.

"Apparently when you enter the stock changes automatically to suitable for your species, cool, right?"

"Not your juicy ass decked out in rhinestones?" He laughs as they head inside to look at the wares. Again, he's impressed. Everything looks too human in here to be right for an alien planet. It's the explanation that helps out and he nods a little.

"I wouldn't have guessed. How does it know? Something like a scanner, like in a sci-fi movie?" He is already looking around, trying to find something simple to wear. Which is easy - he finds some red shorts with white stripes on the sides and a white tank top that'd be loose on him. It reminds him of home and he aches for the life he can't have for a quick moment.

He picks out the clothes and a pair of sunglasses and holds them up. "This is all I need, Daisy Dukes."

"My ass barely gets me anything in life," he dismisses. "And don't ask me. I'm not the science guy. I do plants. Pick out whatever you want."

He'll handle paying for it. That's his purpose here. Facilitate a day that is so good that Billy can cling to it whenever he's hurting or sad. Though he does grab some shades for himself. No shirt though. Going to have to deal with bare and lean speedster grabbing some color to his skin.

"Well now I'm going to have that song stuck in my head all day. Thanks a lot, Cali-Boy. You really know how to thank a guy for a good time. Come on, let's get you paid for, kitted out, and in the waves."

"Plants can be science. It’s botany." He picks out another pair of shorts and a tank (black and blue this time, respectfully), to take over to Tommy. Once they pay and scamper out, Billy starts walking towards the cabana again with the intention of getting changed.

"I’m glad I picked the surprise first because this gonna work up an appetite. And probably better to not surf on an empty stomach anyways." He looks at Tommy. "What song did I get stuck in your head anyways? I’m guessing something beyond the eighties."

Okay, yes, that's not wrong. But wow, don't tell him he does good things. Instead he focuses on paying and following Billy out.

"Well, when you're done there will be food, and I got the cake I promised. But that's for tonight. ANd you don't have to share it unless you want to."

Which is something special and he hopes that Billy really enjoys it.

"Oh, Daisy Dukes. I think that's the name. There's a song in the nineties I think."

Cake? "You got me a cake too?" Billy shouldn't look as surprised as he does at this news. Food was one thing but he's really starting to feel like it's his birthday with everything Tommy's doing.

"I guess I'll share with you since you're going out of your way to make sure I'm having a good time."

Once they're back in the cabana, Billy moves in a little room to change quickly. He doesn't want Tommy to see the scars. They marred him so bad and made his skin ugly there. The Californian didn't want anyone to see them. Once changed, he heads back out.

"Nineties huh? I might have to get a tape made for all of these songs I'm hearing about from that era." Too bad he'll never get to hear it back in Hawkins or San Diego.

"The ice cream cake. I told you I would. Maybe you forgot because you were falling asleep."

But he did it because Billy deserves it. He deserves all of this. Though hey, he guesses he can take some ice cream cake too. So he waits, for now, for Billy to change.

"Yeah, there are probably people who would be better at suggesting what to listen to. Maybe Stark. He likes that sort of music that you do I think? Maybe? I don't know, he seems the sort."

When Billy steps back out Tommy smiles at him.

"Looking sharp, Sunshine. Now get yourself out on those waves. I need to work on my tan."

Because of course he hasn't learned to surf so this isn't for him.

"I don't remember anything about an ice cream cake." Funny, because that insinuates that Billy's mouth was still going after his mind was already going to sleep.

"Stark? Sounds like a tech guy. I'll have to ask him about it whenever we get back to Temba." He pulls the tank top in place and heads out into the sand. "Of course I look sharp. I'm me."

But he takes the command with joyful ease, grabbing the board and heading out to the waves with it. It doesn't take him long to get back into the groove of it, easily moving through and with the waves. One time he managed to get into the barrel of a wave, and Tommy probably heard that ecstatic whoop all the way back on shore.

And he's out there for awhile. It's abundantly clear that Billy loves this, even when he wipes out, he just goes back in for more. Like the ocean was a never-ending challenge he couldn't get enough of.

So he keeps surfing, sometimes waving to Tommy from the crest, and even sometimes putting on a little show for him as the surfboard carves through the water.

After what feels like hours (probably just closer to two), Billy finally returns to the sand to prop the board up in the sane and plop down next Tommy. "That's the best time I've had in years and we haven't even gotten to the food!"

Tommy's been enjoying the 'sun' and the sand, and yes, watching his friend. He had to admit it was pretty cool looking. When Billy returns Tommy just smiles warmly at him.

"You looked really cool out there. And happy. Which already makes planning this for the last week beyond worth it."

Sand puffs up around him as he lays back, arms crossed under his head. He's soaked, of course, but he doesn't care. Billy's having the time of his life. "Of course I look cool out there! Aside from my car, surfing is my favorite thing."

So when they moved to Hawkins, it was his only thing. So Billy had to carve out his place in the student body and put himself on top.

He turns his head to look at his friend. His best friend. "You spent a week planning this for me, Daisy Dukes?"

"I can see that. I mean, the way you moved... Made me think about when I run. How free it makes me feel. You're meant for the sea I think."

And that was beautiful, seeing people caught up in the thing they were most passionate about. Really, he was glad he'd figured this out for Billy. It was like he was giving the guy something special that no one else would know how to give him.

IT was like its own form of superheroism.

"Yeah man. Well, two weeks. But who's really counting?"

Billy feels his heart thump in his chest and suddenly the warmth doesn’t feel like it’s coming from the warm beach under him or the sun above. It’s a strange feeling, and makes him stare a little longer at Tommy than what’s polite.

"Two weeks. Above and beyond the call of friendship. You really are a superhero. I don’t think anyone else would’ve thought to do any of this for me." He gestures vaguely at the sand and surf that the superhero brought them to. "Maybe Max, but no one else."

"You're worth the effort, Sunshine," he says with a smile. "Just wait until sunset. They've got it scheduled for every three hours. It just rises right after unless you pay extra for night surfing, but I don't know that it would be something you'd want."

Who knows what counts as 'night' here after all. So he thought it was better to just let it be what it will be.

"Also, you're worth thinking about like that."

"Nah. Moonlight doesn’t look as good on my curls and I can’t see that great. Makes surfing a little dangerous when I’m in a place I don’t know as well as my San Diego."

Finally Billy looks away and sits up to look over the waves. Already he feels the itch to go back out there but he holds himself here in this quiet moment. A quiet moment with a guy that gave him a chance right out the gate. Gave him that chance despite Billy beating him up in that room at Calibrations.

"You’re starting to make me feel worth it, Jersey Boy. Which is a word feeling." That’s what that thumping and warmth in his chest meant, right? It had to be.

With a grin, he turns to look at Tommy. Yep, his heart thumps and he feels warmth again. "Wanna see me surf with the sunset behind me? I’ll outshine it though, no contest."

"I disagree on the moonlight there, Sunshine. Silver and gold go together pretty damn good," Tommy says with a shrug. But that's an opinion he supposed.

And Tommy's full of opinions. Which he will share.

"You are worth it, California Dream. Now yes, I want to see you out there in the sunset. If that's what will make you happy. It's your birthday, man."

Billy is filled with them, too. He’s just having too good of a time to care about expressing them. "If you say so. I just know that gold looks good on me."

Sand shifts under him as Billy gets up and goes back to his board. "Looking good with the tan so far, too," and then he’s grabbing the surfboard to head back towards the water. The sunset was starting and if Tommy wants to see Billy with that backdrop? Fine with him.

It doesn’t take him long to find his speed again, going through the barrel a few times before riding that crest with the sunset behind him. It illuminates those blond, wet curls and his eyes almost seem bright like lights as he rides that wave like a professional.

Then he wipes out.

Billy finds the board and resurfaces with a laugh, then heads back up the beach.

Of course the sun agrees with him. Tommy had gotten a bit of his mother's skin tone, and it came out more with the sun. He went a real golden brown. He was going to look amazing once he was in his New Tick clothes.

"Go enjoy the waves, Sunny."

Then the he's smiling and watching. Because it's wonderful to watch him so overjoyed.

He too laughs when it's over. Because that looks like a rush.

Heading back up the sand to Tommy, Billy runs a hand through his wet hair, and flicks the water at the guy. "That was fantastic. Hell, you guys could leave me here for Temba and I’d be almost content."

Wait, almost? Billy let that out before thinking about it but there’s no taking it back now. Oh well.

"Think the aliens will let us come back here next winter? You’ve spoiled me. I’m no good to anyone anymore without the waves like this."

Planting the board back in the sand, Billy then offers his hand to help Tommy up. "Looking like me with that skin there, Daisy Dukes."

"What could get you the rest of the way to content? You deserve that on your birthday."

And Tommy would do what he could to fulfill it.

As for returning, Tommy shakes his head.

"Noth was the first time we returned anywhere. I'm not gonna hold my breath. Need a towel?"

He takes the hand and lets himself be hauled up. Because why not.

"My skin is a masterpiece and I have no shame. Except the scars. But we both get that."

Billy has to think up something quick - there’s too many new feelings he’s gotta work through to be able to answer it honestly. There won’t be spoiling anything on his birthday. "Just that cake and hanging out with my friend. And yeah, I didn’t think to grab any towels."

Another brush of his hair through those curls to drip water everywhere.

His expression does drop noticeably at the mention of scars. One hand rubs at the center of his chest for a moment. "Yeah. I get it."

"Hey," Tommy says, reaching out to brush a wet curl behind Billy's ear. "Any scar you walk away from. I'm glad my brother and that doctor patched you up. You make me feel less lonely, Sunshine. And that's not a bad thing. Thank you."

Which makes him smile.

A lot.

"So really anything that will be good for you, man. Oh, we could hit a bar and I could help you find someone pretty to impress later if you want."

"Don't get me wrong. I'm glad they patched me up. But this body before what happened to me? Perfection."

Then it all went to hell just because he was in the right place at the wrong time. Didn't even know he had been stood up that night.

"Just gonna be a long time before you'll even catch me shirtless, Jersey Boy." He tries to play it off like it's humorous. "So you'll have to rock the tan for the two of us."

A wave of the hand. "I just want cake. Knowing our luck, I'll be completely drunk and gotta pilot, or hungover like hell and have to pilot. Neither of those are going to be good outcomes, Daisy Dukes. Either way, this has been a fantastic day. I got to try out my board for the first time!"

Oh Hargrove, you're about to get what will seem like SUCH a non-sequitor.

"Have you ever heard of Kintsugi?"

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