Buffets and Birthdays

[doubled_speed]

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."

Comments

[doubled_speed]

"I can ask my brother for you," Tommy says. "It's how I get the product to keep my hair so amazing."

And his hair is amazing. Don't say it isn't.

"Alright. Give me a minute to finish, then we'll go back to the ship for your cake and gift."

[playingtough]

"Amazing but not the best." Another toss of those curls and after the waiter fills his glass one more time, he drinks half of it.

"Maybe I will bother Kaplan for good stuff when it comes to hair care. I’ll have to figure out what to give in return for it." He had no money and not much to offer, but it wouldn’t hurt to ask at some point.

[doubled_speed]

Give in return? Tommy snorts.

"Just tell him you'll keep me out of his hair and he'll probably be fine."

No he doesn't feel like he doesn't get to see his brother as much anymore now that he's 'seeing' some dude that's over a hundred or whatever. Nope.

"Maybe he'll tell you to behave at your doctor appointments."

[playingtough]

"Yeah, the hard part is catching you." But Billy laughs at the thought and how maybe that’s what Kaplan will ask him to do.

"Hey I’ve been behaving! You can ask Tae, I’ve been on better behavior." Always room for improvements with him though. He pulls the strap of his tank top to the side so Tommy can see the neat scar from her stitches. "The day the… portals were open, I went to her after I took a hit. And I was nice and she stitched me up without us fighting about it."

Which probably didn’t sound like improvement, but it was.

[doubled_speed]

"You assume that I wouldn't be happy to let you catch me," he says with a warm smile.

Though when he sees the scar he hisses, leaning in to let his hand hover over it. He looks... beyond distressed.

"Shit, Sunshine. I should have been there. I said I would protect you."

[playingtough]

Even this close, his skin radiates heat and Billy just holds the fabric. "Can’t protect me all the time, Shepherd."

And he had only needed protection while he was mentally going through it. When he couldn’t function in the alleyway next to the diner. Then he had gotten some sense talked into him, had helped protect Chrissy.

"Obviously I’m okay after all of it. As okay as someone like me can be anyways." There was a lot of mental baggage he as saddled with, and had to work through it a lot.

[doubled_speed]

"Sounds like a challenge, Hargrove," he counters as he lays a hand over the scar.

"I helped kill one of the big monster things. A few."

But he hadn't saved someone important.

"Sorry."

[playingtough]

"It's not a challenge," and that's said with a tone of seriousness. He feels his heart do that weird damn thump again at the touch. A touch that's so solid and warm against his skin that isn't meant to hurt or push or anything like that. His mind reels a little at the positive touch. "And don't say sorry. You don't have anything to say sorry for, Tommy."

He lets the tank top strap fall back into place. "Don't dwell on it. That's unhappy shit and this is my birthday. Now finish up, we've got cake to devour."

[doubled_speed]

Tommy's hand slides down Billy's arm, his skin impossibly hot because of his mutation, before he looks at his plate. Right.

"Don't blink."

And like that the plates are clattering and empty.

[playingtough]

The hand is still touching him. His heart is still doing that thing in his chest. Billy isn't sure if it's some sort of panic rising in his chest, or an urge to just grab the speedster by his shirt and pull him in for a kiss.

Then the touch is gone and everything shifts back to normal. Back into place where it should be. The urges go away and his heart gets back on track.

And by the time all of that happens, the plates are cleared. "Alright, let's pay and blow this popsicle stand."

[doubled_speed]

"I've got that. You get up and out of here. I'll come get you in a second. You okay with a high speed trip back?"

Because this time he doesn't mind a casual stroll, let their stomachs settle.

[playingtough]

"Alright," he agrees, and gets to his feet. His other takes him past Tommy and he ruffles his hand through the white hair. "I’ll meet you at the door then."

He walks past the chaos he caused with the aliens trying to console the sauced alien and figure out who had done it. And of course Billy saunters because of course he does.

[doubled_speed]

Tommy takes a few minutes to come out because he's got to pay for things, but once that's done he shows up at Billy's side, patting his back as he does so.

"Hey there Sunshine. Miss me?
'

[playingtough]

Billy is leaning against the wall outside. He’s getting antsy and had just pushed himself upright again when Tommy appears at his side. "Was getting worried that you got stuck in gum, Jersey Boy."

He gently smacks the back of Tommy’s head. "I’m okay with high speed travel - I want cake."

[doubled_speed]

"Takes more than gum to catch me. Trust me, I know," he says with a smile. And he lets the guy smack him. Just this once.

"Your stomach going to handle it? Actually, you know what, I'll go slow."

Because a guy shouldn't puke on his birthday unless he's drinking too much first.

[playingtough]

"I can handle it!" he pouts, like it’s a challenge. But he doesn’t want Tommy to use up all that energy he just digested so he allows for the walk. "That was a good dinner. Pretty fan-fucking-tastic day overall."

He smirks at Tommy. "A perfect day for a perfect birthday boy."

[doubled_speed]

"Well, it's not done just let, birthday boy. There's still your cake and gift," he says with a smile.

WIth that he picks Billy up and definitely smiles at him.

"Arms around my neck, Curls."

[playingtough]

"You already got me so much, you shouldn't have gotten me a gift, too." When Tommy picks him up, Billy reaches up to gently pinch his cheek as if to protest the very idea that Tommy did all of this and got him a gift.

But then he relents and throws his arms around the guy's neck. "You just like showing off your strength. Giving me new goals whenever I get back to the civic center, Daisy Dukes."

[doubled_speed]

"Didn't you hear me earlier? You're worth it."

And he wanted this to be special. But he smiles even in the face of the pinching and starts off at a light jog. He'll be gentle and make the trip last a few minutes so Billy can see the sights.

"I'm not all that strong compared to people in my field of work. I guess I could be stronger if I wanted to work at it, but my body? It's just built to be a sprinter. I work better without too many muscles, right?"

[playingtough]

"Oh I heard you. Whether I believe you or not is still up in the air." But Billy holds on as they make their way through, at a pace slow enough that he can look at stuff as they pass by. Nothing is as exciting as the surfing experience but it’s interesting to say the least.

"Gotta be lean meat to balance out someone like me with all the bulk." He flexes a little where he holds onto Tommy.

[doubled_speed]

"I'll find a way to prove it," Tommy grins. But he doesn't think it's going to be easy. Good things never are.

"Don't need balance as much when I'm running. If you tip me forward, I can just keep going with it."

[playingtough]

"I meant in the broader span of the world, Jersey Boy." Another little not-hard pinch to some skin he could reach. "Pik up the pace in case my cake melts. We can’t enjoy something when it’s goopy."

Even if he is enjoying being carried like this. Billy would absolutely never admit it out loud. It was like being held but without needing the relationship. When was the last time someone even really wanted to hold him.

He holds on a little tighter, dispelling those kinds of thoughts from his mind.

[doubled_speed]

"Magic cake isn't going to melt," he laughs, but he does pick up the pace. Just for Billy.

And just like that they're back on the causeway to the ship.

"You want to go through decom without me?"

Because with the surfing they really should make sure they're not bringing back shit.

[playingtough]

He huffs. "Why risk it?"

Billy holds on until they’re back on the causeway and gets to his feet again. There’s some pulling at the tank top to make sure it didn’t ride up and expose any scarred skin. "Yeah. I don’t want people to see me."

Not without his shirt on at least. Just thinking about Tommy seeing him shirtless made his nerves turn into little sea urchins all through his body. No, no one could see.

[doubled_speed]

"Got it," he says with a nod. "Clean up real good or my brother might complain."

He waves the guy through and lingers back for himself.