Steve Rogers | OTA

[pursuitofcappiness]

WHO: Steve and You?
WHERE: Agrii ship in the water area
WHAT: A pool party!!
WHEN: Around debates time
WARNINGS: Not sure, will edit!

Steve has been trying to get in touch with the Agrii for days now without any luck. So far it's mostly just been hanging out by the water. And a few of them can really hold their breath a long time, it seems. They seem uneasy if he swims too far, so he sticks by the shallower bit of the pool for now.

If nothing else, the lush greenery is a nice change of scenery, and some days there's all this bountiful delicious food, such that he hasn't had better since before arriving here.

So, one day, after fruitlessly searching around by himself and not finding any better leads, he invites a few fellow He-Rows over for what appears to be a pool party. It's open to anyone who happens to make it through the thick botany, and he's definitely trying to encourage the younger Agrii to come play with them. Food and drink are just from the mess hall, and the games are simple ones like a hand-drawn deck of cards, and sitting on each other's shoulders trying to knock off your opponent.

If anyone wants to play that game with him, he'd definitely make a better root than pusher - don't worry, he'll be sure to keep his balance, so long as your character wants to keep playing.

Partway through he gets tasked with going back to get more ice or snacks or something, so feel free to bump into him then or in his yellow speedo (that he most definitely did not pick out himself) and towel, gathering supplies. You'll definitely score an invitation if you ask.

Then, when the 'party' starts winding down, Steve's maybe a little disappointed in not having made much progress, though he's sure a few of the younger Agrii might be coming around to them, so it's not entirely a fruitless endeavor. But he's gotten his hands on a piece of paper and graphite, and he might even ask your character to stand still for a second, as they look really nice under this foliage, and it'll just take a few minutes, if they don't mind.

[ OoC: Feel free to respond to any of the things Steve is doing or throw up your own toplevel so other people can tag you at the 'party'! ]

Comments

[doubled_speed]

Tommy sighs. Takes the time, studies the graph and the equation. Tries to right some figures out, but the math is probably wrong.

"I don't know that I love him. I do like him. I just know I shouldn't. So it is me who is ruining our friendship. I just..."

He's thoughtful.

"I don't know, man. But thank you. Because everyone else just goes 'the age thing is stupid' and they don't point out the other problems."

At least SOMEONE is pointing out that what Tommy's feeling is wrong. Sure it's new arguments for it, but it helps.

"Thank you," he says, and he sounds sincere.

[in_extremis]

Maybe if Tony knew how to handle that thanks more gracefully, he wouldn't have to argue, "The age thing is stupid." In fact, he thought it was stupid enough that they had swiftly moved passed it and it wouldn't occur to either of them again. He opened his hand in disbelief to express this. "You already said you were his best friend. If that imbalance is so significant, you should back off, let him connect with someone his own age so his brain can develop or whatever it is you're concerned about. You've already crossed that boundary."

[doubled_speed]

Oh come the fuck on. Tommy groans so much at the frustration that he tilts his head back. Like groaning out to the whole universe because someone just fucking stop this cycle.

"Dude, you just slippery sloped at me. Logical fallacy."

[in_extremis]

"What slope?" Tony demanded. "You said you were his best friend. It's just as weird for some middle-aged fella to be best friends with a fifteen year old as it is to try to get her naked. Friends, sure, they could have plenty in common, they could be doing math on the beach together. Best friends? You're the adult in that relationship then, of course he thinks you're the cool older guy giving him attention."

[doubled_speed]

Shit. He used the wrong fallacy. Stupid man. Fuck.

"Dude, he doesn't think I'm cool," Tommy promises, because he's laughing. "Not even by half. It's damn frustrating."

[in_extremis]

So far, it sounded like this guy didn't like Tommy much at all, making Tony a little slower to smirk along and counter than usual. He was back to calculating what this punishment could possibly be for. He had to venture, "Have you even met? Who has he been talking to?" and maybe it didn't sound so calculated when he finished, "What does he think about you?"

[doubled_speed]

"Nah, we've met," Tommy says with a smile.

As for what Billy thinks about him... Well...

"He trusts me," Tommy says, and he sounds a little impressed by that. "That's not a small thing with guys from our background I guess. And lets me see him vulnerable or take care of him. He respects me enough to learn to not use certain terms, like mutie, or freak. Smiles for and at me, and given he seems to be a grump, that's probably something. And..."

Should he? He's not sure.

"There was this... I don't know. This moment."

[in_extremis]

That was unexpected. After everything else that Tommy had to say about this guy and what Tommy apparently deserved, Tony was more prepared for another wave of self-deprecation and how nobly Billy had resisted punching him at other times that he had been annoying. With his eyebrows raised, Tony could only echo, "A moment."

[doubled_speed]

"Dude's had a bad life, and it's familiar to me. So since I knew his birthday was coming up I decided to make it good. Found a place to take him surfing, picked a place out for food, asked my brother to magic up an ice cream cake."

And got him a gift that he'd seen Billy wearing ever since. But yeah, it's a whole thing.

"We ended up wrestling in the surf a bit and he got me pinned. And he looked at me, and for a moment I thought... I really don't know. Thought maybe for a moment he was looking at me different. And then he just distanced himself and all of that."

[in_extremis]

Tony narrowed his eyes as Tommy explained, pretty sure he would describe most of that more like 'a carefully orchestrated private dinner and wet grinding session' than 'moment', but maybe time worked for Tommy differently enough that isolating someone for their birthday like that really felt impulsive. Did time also work like that for Billy, up until the point that it sounded like he noticed? After a beat, the only rational response that Tony could have was repeating, "You should send him flowers," flatly like they hadn't already gone entirely in circles over the very suggestion.

[doubled_speed]

Oh come the fuck on! Tommy groans and buries his face in his hands. It's a really exasperated noise, okay?

"I promise you I can't do that. Maybe he's not afraid of gay dudes. Maybe his step-sister keeps making it sound like there's no way he's as straight as he claims. Doesn't matter. He's NOT the sort of guy that you get flowers for. I'm the sort of guy you get flowers for. Apparently. The sorts that have multiple uses so that you can eat them or something."

[in_extremis]

That noise was fully undeserved, and Tony protested with pursed lips and both hands spread open to receive any indication that it was his fault for being right this whole time. Tommy definitely wasn't producing any strong arguments, instead seemed to be debating for the wrong side. It wasn't that Billy was homophobic now, and it wasn't even that he was straight, and it couldn't be the age, it was just the broadly appealing choice of gift that Billy happened to not be impressed by. Tony complained, "Sure, it's my fault that I don't know your boyfriend's tastes intimately enough. Stay here, I'll go blow him, then we'll both be ready for this conversation."

[doubled_speed]

Of course Tony's right. Billy was right. Max was right. Everyone was right and Tommy was wrong, but that isn't what he wants to hear.

"He is not my boyfriend. He's my friend that's a... God that's a stupid fucking point. But it sands. And you aren't going to blow him. That WOULD be creepy. You ARE old enough to be his dad. Which he'd probably prefer to his actual dad, but if you even try I will steal all of your soldiering irons!"

[in_extremis]

Creepy could maybe be let slide, but old enough to be some legal adult's dad had Tony clutching his chest and looking wide-eyed at Tommy like he had been slapped. No one had ever said anything so cruel to him in his life, and most people thought he blew up babies for money. Abruptly, Tony was gathering himself up, only giving Tommy a hint of what he had just set in motion as he demanded, "He's on this ship, right?"

[doubled_speed]

What? What? Tommy reaches for Tony's arm, intending to anchor him down.

"No. You do not get to hit on him. Fuck no, Tony. Please."

[in_extremis]

While Tony stopped moving at that grab, he did not look entirely persuaded, still tensed like he would spring up at any moment. "I don't get to?" he repeated, challenging.

[doubled_speed]

No. There's desperation on his face. Fear even.

"Please. Don't."

[in_extremis]

That horror that was clear in Tommy's expression was more extreme than Tony expected. He was taken aback, until he realized jealousy had never really been the challenge. Even the God of Looking At Things hadn't wanted to perceive him anymore. When he shrugged his arm out of Tommy's hold, it was to gather a towel up over his shoulders, leaving him hunched over to keep his focus on the water again. "Steve thinks the Agrii are doing something down there," he finally answered. "You can see the kids coming and going sometimes. Maybe figure out what they're bringing down."

[doubled_speed]

How could it not be? Tony's fucking awesome. If Billy was into guys and if he liked older guys, well, who would pick Tommy over Tony?

"I was, uh, actually going to head back to my ship and check over plants."

[in_extremis]

"Uh-huh, I got this," Tony encouraged, flapping a hand for Tommy to do what he needed to do while Tony settled in for this stake out that he could totally be trusted with. Maybe one of the Agrii kids had a crush that Tony could try a different approach on.

[doubled_speed]

Tommy nods and gets to his feet, stretching a bit. He looks about ready to stop before he looks back down at Tony.

"For what it's worth? I hope I'm wrong. Life would be better if you were right."

And then he's gone in a burst of speed.