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."

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Billy snorts in amusement and shakes his head. "I think you're all done growing." Which means yeaaah, they aren't going to get any taller, no late term growth spurts to look forward to.

"Very cryptic," he notes, gesturing for him to go on, "What sort of plans?"

Which was sad. Pietro was taller than them, and Tommy had always wished he might get his uncle's height. But no. Wanda was small, so she'd wanted small children. What a shame. He was always going to have to look up to the guys he liked, wasn't he?

"Hardly cryptic. It's Sunshine's birthday at the end of the month, and I can tell he needs a good one. So I'm going to make sure I can make one for him. Too bad I can't find anywhere to surf here."

HE will absolutely be finding somewhere to surf here.

"Sunshine," Billy repeats with a knowing smirk, wondering when Tommy will admit he's crushing hard. You could see it from space.

"You need any help with that, or is it a personal mission?"

"You see the way everyone round here is treating Soldier?" he asks, toying absently with the chain round his neck.

What? The way his brother says it, the way he smirks, gets a curious look from Tommy. What the actual fuck is that supposed to mean, Billy? Explain it to him. Use non-magic words.

"He's a California boy who likes sun, beaches, and has bright blue eyes and light brown hair that is clearly going to have blonde highlights in the summer months. What other nickname would you suggest? I call him Curls and Chuckles too. Those going to make you give me that weird look as well?"

He remembered using it the first time, trying to bring Hargrove down from a panic attack. The way the guy had brightened up with it... Tommy had been right, he thinks. Will be right. When the guy isn't constantly laboring under his death or the trauma or the abuse, when he has a chance to grow, he might still growl but he's going to be sunny as fuck.

"It's a personal mission, but I'll take help. He... reminds me of me in more than a few ways, Billy. Me before you guys staged a jail break. I don't think he's had a good birthday all his life, and I'm going to fix that, like you guys did for me."

His first birthday with the Young Avengers (after Kate realized that maybe Tommy wasn't really ready to share his birthday with Billy yet) had made him feel like he had people to belong to, a place where people cared. Hargrove needs that too. And somehow, Tommy's going to manage it.

"Suppose I can talk you into magicking up a chocolate ice cream cake? He's never had one. I promised him one, at New Tick."

Because Hargrove had needed something good to look forward to and Tommy had tried to give it to him.

But speaking of his brother's crush, Tommy sighs and nods.

"Yeah. I think I saw a group milling around Keith too. It's a Fleet thing I think. But I don't get why they're doing it to Boss Scruffy," clearly Soldier's picked up a new nickname at some point. "It's almost like they aren't fully nervous around him. And the guy really looks at people like they should be scared of him and he doesn't understand why they aren't."

The defensive way Tommy responds really says it all, doesn't it? Billy tries to bite back the smirk, but it keeps growing, and he nods. "No, yeah- it makes total sense. It's nothing." It's something. But Tommy's way too stubborn to admit it until it's happened.

"I'm glad he's got someone who knows what that's like looking out for him then." Someone who understands. "Yeah, of course, I can do that. Any uh- design or anything? A message? Candles? Just let me know what day you need it, it won't keep too long."

The dog tags are tucked under his shirt, though as he toys with the chain there's the occasional glimpse of metal. He smiles fondly. "I think he could use less people being nervous around him." Though not for the same reasons as his latest fans. "...he acts different for them. More like Bucky. It's kind of weird seeing him like that."

Of course he's not going to admit anything. Hargrove's going to be all of nineteen. He's Tommy's best friend but he's, like, not a person to hit on. Duh. And the guy is straight, so whatever.

"Probably no design or anything needed. But candles. The number ones. For nineteen."

God, was he ever that young? Yes. So long ago.

"And the twenty-ninth. I'll message you on the day that matters. So, now that we've cleared that up, want to explain what's with the new jewelry? I already know why you're still fixating on the Boss."

People looked older faster in the 80s. Billy would've pegged the guy as older than them based off their first meeting. But it's kind of hard to gauge that stuff when you're trying to put someone back together.

"I can do that."

And oh. He quickly drops the chain, not aware he's been fiddling, cheeks a bit hot. "It's...just a necklace." Is it tucked away now? He does a quick double-check, yes. "Can I try some?" he asks, gesturing to Tommy's plate to try and distract.

Probably the smoking and tanning without sunscreen if they're honest. That and the fact that Billy and Tommy like their family age beautifully.

"The chain on that looks like the sort military use, Billy. But yeah. Just a necklace."

Now they both have ammo. Except only Billy is crushing on someone.

"Didn't buy your own plate? Did you teleport? That's evading the cost of the buffet."

"..." Billy tries to think up a lie, flushing a little deeper as he gives up and tugs the chain out to reveal Soldier's dog tags. "...Soldier let me hold onto them for him." Not a big deal. Definitely a big deal.

"Guess I'm a criminal. You gonna tell on me?"

Yeah. He thought so. Don't start on him supporting his friend while your flashing your 'mentor's' tags. Tommy won't believe it.

"You're kidding, right? You're the only medic I trust. Maybe Rogers. So I need you there."

His fingers trace over the stamped letters, tucking them away again with a shy look. He's only omitting, it's different. Right?

He snickers softly, "You call him Rogers?"

Omitting? That's a form of lies, bro.

"Why not? There's another Steve now too. And he isn't quite Cap like Tony is Tony."

Maybe. He's not sure how exactly to broach it. They've been living together for a while now, it feels strange to suddenly...have some kind of talk about it.

"I guess that's fair. I just call him Steve at work. Which also feels weird, but you're right, he's not...CAP Cap."

"God, you work with Steve Rogers in a way," he laughs. A whole other way. "I don't know this one well. We met once I guess but just that."

He spent more time with younger people. With his work. And really, with Hargrove lately.

"How goes living with the Soldier?"

"I know, it's weiiird right? I mean- I guess we've fought together and stuff, but I always felt like a kid then. This feels different. He's pretty cool. Less uh...grumpy maybe than our Cap?"

There's that shy look again, but Billy flashes an easy smile. "...It's going really well. I think we're good for each other? You're still...okay with us not living together any more, right? You're doing good?"

"Our Cap has seen more," Tommy points out. He was out of the ice sooner. That much is clear.

As for living alone, Tommy does what he always does when he's alone. Puts on a brave face. Just smiles and nods.

"Less effort to get to work, no one bitching if it isn't flawlessly clean."

"Seems like," he agrees.

"Yeah?" Billy tries for a hopeful probing look. He feels guilty in a lot of ways. But they're both adults. Both sometimes exploring their own love lives...

"I didn't bitch," he adds with a laugh, "I...nagged. Lovingly."

"Does anyone ever nag out of love?" Tommy rolls his eyes.

HE doesn't sleep nearly as long as he did when he knew Billy would fuss over him. The space is more personal, it's more him, it's likely to be a home. But Tommy never does well alone. Hard to feel like he's not trapped if no one can see him.

"You can totally nag out of love. Mom did it all the time." You don't nag someone you don't love.

"Maybe you and Mr. Sunshine could be roomies. You know...if you're missing having someone around to nag at you."

Mary nagged Frank. Failure of use of the word 'don't'.

"Mister Sunshine is repairing the cabin Vizh and Katara made," Tommy says, and his voice sounds a little tight there. His best friend living in the home built by the closest thing to a father he ever had, brief as it was, and one of the better friends. "He's happy by the ocean."

Billy has a bit of a blind spot when it comes to a bad home life.

"And maybe he'd like a hand?" he pushes lightly, shrugging a shoulder. "Maybe you'd like the ocean too."

Yeah, well Billy's the one that the universe liked and found important enough to make sure that he had a good family. Of course he forgets about bad shit.

"Ocean isn't bad when there isn't the risk of storms sending me plunging into it when I'm on it," Tommy says. "And the guy deserves his peace. And I'm not cramping his style. Eventually some chick is going to show up, he's going to remember he's the second most handsome man on the planet, and he's going to want that privacy."

Because even Tommy can admit that Stark is stupidly hot.

"Maybe, but...I mean- have you asked? Maybe he doesn't like being alone either?" Cause, yeah- he can see past your grins Tommy. You need someone around.

And here Billy assumes Tommy means himself. Stark is very hot. But very firmly situated in the father figure category for Billy now.

"No, he's pretty clear about preferring that much. I mean, he left the hotel to get away from the people he know."

And he can live with being alone. He's done it most of his life. He's used to it, so why pressure for change?

"Pretty sure he'd be uncomfortable sharing the space with me anyway. He's from the 80s, Bee-Bee. The most closeted of times. Let's not get confused here."

"Yeah, but not to get away from you," Billy counters. Not that he knows much about the situation really.

"Thought you were just friends, what does the closeted-ness of the 80s have to do with you living together?" Is it 'cause you're not just friends?

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is the chain something tommy should notice?

:3 yes

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