revivalproject | Wouldn't It Be Nice ~ The Beach Boys

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Wouldn't It Be Nice ~ The Beach Boys

WHO: Billy Hargrove and OPEN
WHERE: Beach
WHAT: Surfin' USA
WHEN: Daylight hours
WARNINGS: N/A

It should be a crime that he hasn't really used his board here in Temba until now. The pretty white board with green coloring around the edge really popped against his figure and the waves as Billy Hargrove rode them. It was clear there was skill, as he did well in the waves more often than not, with only a few wipe-outs. His board shorts are soaked through, along with his tank top - both gifts from his birthday ordeal Tommy gifted him with back on the spaceport.

If you know Hargrove, and how angry and prickly he is, this seems like a completely different side of him. One that Hawkins doesn't get to see because there's no surf. There's no sand, no sun, nothing that he has in his beloved California back home. And the aliens seemed to understand that giving him the board for the New Tick.

He goes out again, riding through the curl of a wave before he wipes out, coming back to the surface with a laugh before finally swimming back to shore and walking back up the purple sand with it under his arm with the free hand combing through wet curls to brush them out of his face.

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Water drips and sluices down his skin, carving paths for the new to guy to look over as Billy kicks his way through the sand up towards the guy. Interesting look, this guy. Faded looking tattoos that look like weird tribal signs or some shit.

"Cooler near the water and yet you're in pants. Long pants. Seems like you're not really dressed to get cooled down, newbie." He pauses a few feet away from him and works at getting his surfboard in the sand upright. Takes a minute, then he steps away to turn his attention back to the latest addition to the city population.

A snort. "Must be too hot. Your cheeks got color in 'em. Go take a dunk to cool off, Broody." It's the dark hair against the paler complexion that gives Billy this vibe that the guy liked to go haunt dark corners and brood about the darkness of the world around him.

"I don't have anything else," Alec replies though he doesn't know why he owes the guy an explanation. He's probably still just a little shell shocked because the guy is even more gorgeous up close. He's all wet and tanned and just.

Stop, Alec. Just stop.

"I'm fine." What's he supposed to do, strip down? That's definitely a bad idea. "Jeans take a year and a day to dry anyway."

Wet, tanned, and taken. Alec doesn't know that last part yet. He laughs. "Yeah, and we don't really have a laundromat around town, so you'll have to hang them out to dry at some point. You should ask around, see if anyone can make you some shorts. We've got a witch in town, you could ask him nicely."

A snort. "Don't look fine sitting in the sand like that. I'm Billy, by the way. Hargrove, not Kaplan. Kaplan's the witch I just mentioned."

"Pants are fine." Warm, but fine. Alec doesn't think he'd feel comfortable in shorts. Then again, it's not like he's ever worn them.

And maybe he's just feeling extra warm because this guy is standing here looking all gorgeous. It's a struggle not to let his eyes devour the sight, but Alec can't. He's not allowed to have that.

"Alec," he replies. Mentally, he filed away the names of both Billy's. He doesn't have anything with which to pay a warlock for his magic, but maybe he will in the future. Or he'll need a magical favor so strongly that he doesn't have a choice. "You look like a pretty good surfer out there."

If you say so buddy. "You should ask in town for shorts. It gets hot as hell here, but I think that's probably just because I'm around." Don't think he doesn't catch you taking a little peek, Alec. It's okay, he knows he's a good looking guy.

There's even a little grin to it.

"Of course I do. I look damn good at anything I do. But surfing is what I did back at home. Well, real home, not that shithole Indiana that my dad moved us to. My real home will always be California."

"Oh!" Alec's face gets really red at that, and he looks more uncomfortable from the implication than the weather. Can a big hole just open up and swallow him, right now? Please?? "Um, if you say so."

Why is this his life? Surely it's some kind of punishment for trying to be himself.

"California, huh?" Alec's never been. "Must have been on the coastal part then. Waves and beaches." Why is he continuing the conversation instead of running away? Clearly because he hates himself too.

Don't ask for something like that, the aliens might do it and you'd die, Alec. Sheesh. The grin only widens seeing Alec flush a noticeable red. "Duh, you should take my advice, because who else would have solid advice about staying cool in the heat than someone from the California coast?"

Billy's talking like that makes him a king or something, even if it doesn't really.

"San Diego. Surfing was my favorite thing to do, when I wasn't driving my car. She's suffered some damage before she was brought here. Probably gonna use the winter to work on getting parts and paint to fix her back up." He motions with his head to a car shaped object covered by a tarp next to a beach house that has some observable repairs done to it.

Running a hand through those wet curls, he then extends it down to Alec to help him off the sandy beach.

"I'll keep it in mind," Alec says. He's not sure he can feel comfortable showing that much skin. Especially not around someone as nice looking as Billy. "Gotta admit, with the limited resources here it's not been a priority."

Not that Alec is any kind of a good example at prioritizing himself.

And hey, there's no one to complain about Billy acting like the king of the beach right now. Alec certainly doesn't mind, but Billy's being nice to him so far. Frustratingly beautiful, but nice. Which almost makes it worse, but that's Alec's problem, not Billy's.

"Huh." He looks at the tarp-covered shape, but Alec doesn't really know anything about cars to offer any kind of words on it. Still, it's interesting to see the car and the little beach hut. Almost like the guy lives out here. "I'm from New York. City," he adds, "so it's coastal but not really a place for surfing. Not how the west is supposed to be."

He's not expecting the hand though and it takes him a good minute before he takes it. Alec's own hands are strong, calloused from working with bow and sword. He's tall once he's standing, strong muscles and good balance standing in the sand.

While he waits for Alec to take his hand, he gives said hand an impatient little shake to spur the guy on. Just take the hand damn it! When he does, he helps haul Alec up with more strength than it probably looked like he had. Or maybe he does look like that. You still looking, Alec? Wet clothes plastered against him!

"Yeah, it's the shit coast," he points out like it isn't an insult. "No surf, all shitheads."

Granted, almost everyone on that side of the Rocky Mountains was a shithead.

Look, Hawkins didn't exactly charm him.

"New York City isn't exactly a place for a car like mine. She likes open roads, long stretches of highway. She's a 1979 Z/28 Camaro," and Billy doesn't care if those words in that order mean nothing to a guy like Alec. She was his pride and joy and she'd be whole again one day.

Oh Alec's still looking. And he's still blushing. But Billy looks damn good, all wet clothes and muscles and long hair and just. Beautiful.

And those muscles aren't just for show, he notes as Billy pulls him up. There's strength in the guy — probably has to be for surfing — and Alec wonders if that's where some of the attitude comes from.

"Guess so," he agrees. He's not really sure he can argue it, especially as he doesn't really know surfing. Or the west coast. The rest of it? Well, what could he even say? New York really is a mess more times than not. Billy just doesn't know the half of it.

"Yeah, it's all public transportation in the city. No one has cars they care about." No place for... whatever it is that Billy has. The make and model means nothing to Alec, but Billy's tone says enough. "But I guess around here there's plenty of open space and no traffic."

Edited (More words! Even more words!!!) 2024-08-19 02:13 (UTC)

Thankfully the wet clothes are dark colored, and the wrinkles in the shirt hide the raised scarring he was still self conscious of. But he hauls the other up and holds until he's stable in the sand.

He starts up slowly towards his shack, grabbing the board on the way. Yes, there's an expectation for the guy to follow. His towel is inside and he'd like to get dry out a little bit. Once he's up there, the board gets leaned against the wall.

"Yeah, none of that shit here. The roads are ripped to hell and back, like someone started to rip them up to put down new ones but got bored with the project." Stupid. "Bu you're right, no traffic. Takes forever to walk anywhere sometimes."

"What kind of world do you come from?"

Thankfully the wet clothes hide all the details. Seeing Billy's shape through cloth is quite enough right now, thank you. But at least Alec gets a reprieve from his gaze as the guy starts walking away.

No reprieve from that ass though; it looks amazing hugged by wet swim trunks. Alec decides in that moment that the aliens clearly brought him here as punishment.

At the shack, Alec steps carefully along the sand until he's in the shade cast by the building. He probably should have thought to take his boots off before walking; they're likely to have all kinds of sand in them. Not his most brilliant moment.

"I guess it's good exercise," Alec replies, with the tone of someone who doesn't think much of this forced exercise. He doesn't mind walking, has a speed rune to make his life easier, but the city is so big. He imagines it's going to take him forever to get back to the hotel tonight, and he just has to deal with that fact.

"Oh, uh, I'm from New York City. Earth," he adds, because he's learned that you can't be too sure in this place.

Well, if Alec decided to use his imagination, no doubt he could figure out what that toned body looked like. With his board stable against the wall, Billy opens the door and leans in far enough to get the towel he seeks so that drying off can happen.

"Yeah, good if not boring. There's a civic center in town that's equipped with a gym if you decide you want to try something new."

Billy decides to leave out that the building is where he goes to hide out during the winter to keep Max and Robin happy. And off his back.

"Heard decent things about NYC. Never been." 'Never will.' "Born and raised in California, but we moved to some shithole town in Indiana. Hawkins. I hate it there."

Alec's trying not to use his imagination. At least, not right now. That figure is going to haunt his dreams enough as it is.

At least he gets a little reprieve while Billy finds his towel, shoulders hunched and gaze on his boots.

The fact that there's a gym though, that's good to know. Alec doesn't have any of his weapons here but that's no excuse to let his skills lapse. "That's definitely good to know about. Right up my alley."

He doesn't know that he might encounter Billy there as the weather turns. That'll be quite the surprise.

"It's... New York. Dirty and loud, but it's home." The only home Alec really has. "You're probably not missing much if you don't like the city life. I don't know how it would compare to California."

Or Indiana, but Alec doesn't say that. Billy doesn't seem to like his second home, so it's not worth bringing up. At all.

Cramped, dirty, loud, almost everything that Billy hates in a city. Hawkins wasn't it either, too small and dull like color had been sapped out of the city. He wanted the open skies of California with the city of San Diego on one side, the coast on the other, with the open road splitting them from each other.

"If you think of bunking there during the winter months, stay off the top floor. That one's mine. My sister and Buckley won't stand for me to stay out here when it's snowing so that's our compromise."

Billy's leading the path back towards the main one that'll lead to the city. He's hungry, so it's diner time. "Unless you already found a place to stay?"

The best parts of New York, in Alec's eyes, are the magical parts. But he hasn't exactly told anyone here what he is, and he doesn't plan to. That secret is one best left unspoken, because how does he even begin to explain angel blood and runes and the shadow world. He's sound crazy, then where would he be?

Besides, he's not much use by himself, is he? A lone Shadowhunter with none of his weapons; how is he supposed to protect anyone?

"I wouldn't, I'm not going to intrude," he protests. "I wouldn't put someone out of their space." But he's not really thought of staying anywhere other than the hotel, where he was told to go. Logically it makes sense that there were other places that people preferred. Alec clearly needs to spend more time exploring.

He falls into step next to Billy, though not close enough to touch. Shoulders hunch in a little and Alec shoves his hands in his pockets. "Just the hotel. People told me to go there. That it was good for someone who has nothing."

Alec hasn't told anyone, and unless he gets suspicious, Billy isn't gonna ask. They have sentient turtles that walk around like bipedals for fuck's sake. Alec would be pretty normal by comparison.

"Just making sure you know when you go exploring. I don't like people taking what's mine," even if this a communal thing more than anything. Billy likes his privacy, his space. Clear with him being all the way out at the beach.

Billy doesn't mind Alec walking next to him, and ignores the absolute height difference. He's accustomed to people like Harrington and Munson, not this tall fucker. "Hotel is good. Lots of spaces for people without being on top of one another."

Interesting and yet also accidental choice of words since Alec was checking him out earlier.

"I got lucky that the beach shack was unoccupied when I got here.

Good point about the turtles. The whole concept of aliens is still weird too, and Alec hasn't really met the Agrii yet.

"I'll steer clear," he promises, and means of the whole place. It's probably for the best; Alec doesn't want to be accused of messing with anyone's things. Better if he's just not near it at all. Though he wonders if that extends to the beach too; maybe he shouldn't try to hang out there either. Too bad the map on his device doesn't have any notes about what places belong to what people. Maybe he can find a way to make some notes for himself.

Or maybe he could find a better way to be useful. People always like knowing a tall guy, right? For reaching to shelves and things?

"I'm not, I tried to find a room apart from people. I don't want to bother anyone." Alec's cheeks color a little at what could be an implication, and he's not looking at Billy when he replies. He hopes the hotel isn't the hook up place. Maybe he should look into leaving, if that's the case. It's not like he's been there long. He could probably find somewhere else to stay, right?

"Yeah," he echoes. "I guess it's nice in this weather, if you want to be by the water."

"Civic center is good for the gym like I said, and it’s got showers which is good too." It seems his threat to Alec to stay out of his room was heard, so that’s all that matters.

A little laugh. "I know a lot of the people in the hotel. Doubt you’ll bother them. If anything, two of them might bother you if you’re rooming too close. Find Robin Buckley and room next to her. You’ll be in a safe spot and she’ll harmless."

Except when she wanted to hit the Court of Buckley, but that wasn’t an issue (for now).

Billy misses Alec not looking at him when he answers, because he’s looking at the beach. "It is. A decent reminder of home. Almost wish more people came down here. There’s hot springs nearby too."

Even if Billy won’t go near them.

"That's good to know." And Billy had said he's only really there in the winter months, right? Maybe Alec can sneak in some workout time and take advantage of the shower facility before the weather turns. That should ensure he's not in the way, right? And that he won't run into a showering Billy, hopefully. Alec knows he shouldn't look. It's not a nice thing, objectifying someone else.

"No," he protests, "it's better if no one's immediately around. I don't want to disturb anyone." And if demons do show up here, a lone Shadowhunter makes an attractive target. He'd be putting everyone on danger. With that in mind, he should probably realistically move out of the place.

Maybe he should consider someplace out here, closer to the beach. He could enjoy the water when no one is around, and vacate when Billy wants to surf. It might be a good strategy to manage the summer heat.

"I don't think I'm a hot springs kind of person." What would Alec even do there? Enjoy the warm water, in the already warm summer? No thanks. "I guess the beach sounds more appealing, for bodies of water."

Honestly if Alec went into the civic center, Billy probably wouldn't even notice. If he's in his room, he's not looking to be social with anyone except his boyfriend - and Max, but that's usually an emergency if she's seeking him out.

"Look, you're gonna disturb people. It's called living in a community. Don't be a fucking hermit, otherwise you'll just upset those that know you or something," and he's speaking from experience. "Gotta be in places where people know where you're at so in case of emergencies they can get to you."

While Temba wasn't as a small as Hawkins or as big as San Diego, trying to get around was a little bit of a menace when you're trying to evacuate for a volcano or something.

"Is there anything you do like? You can go to hot springs any time of year, we're not stuck in summer all year. Jesus."

"I don't have anyone who knows me here." People he's met, sure. But no one who knows him, no one from back home like apparently some people have. "And I'm usually more of a night owl. I don't want to disturb people when they're trying to sleep."

Or likewise, be disturbed when he's resting. The hotel has plenty of rooms; Alec found one with no immediate neighbors. That works for him, at least for now. Maybe he'll eventually leave, find somewhere else.

"The weather has nothing to do with it." Alec just doesn't know if he can handle the whole idea of hot springs, of being mostly naked where other people could see — and where he could see other people. He's not quite sure he could explain it, even if he wanted to.

"Guess I'm just off balance," he muses. "I have a routine at home and it doesn't really translate to here."

"For now," Billy points out. He's sure that Eddie or Steve, whoever got here first, had similar feelings. That no one here knew him and all that shit. "Wow, real boy scout, aren't you?"

He has no idea if this guy even knew who the Boy Scouts were.

Billy gives a shrug as he finishes toweling off and whips the cloth around his neck to catch water from his curls. "Routines are lame. Just adapt it to this world. I have. Well, once I figured out I could still get cigarettes I adapted."

"I don't want to think about that." Would love to see his siblings, but not if it means they're stuck here too. It's complicated. "And maybe I just don't want to be disturbed if I'm sleeping during the day. What's a boy scout?"

Not a thing Shadowhunters have. But maybe it's a typical human thing? Alec has no idea.

As to adapting his routine, Alec's doing his best. But it's hard without his bow and blades, and he doesn't know if he can replace them. "Not that easy when the things you need aren't as readily available."

Billy bites off the retort of 'then don't think about it', when it would've been him that caused the thoughts in the first place. Instead, he rolls his eyes at yet another verbal pushback. Whatever. If the guy wants to be a hermit, that's not on Billy.

"A scouting program that nerdy tweens can join into. Camping, how to make a fire, basic shit like that. Thought my dad would've made me join that shit but he didn't." It's the little miracles, really. "Probably learn to make weapons n' stuff. Like bow and arrows from sticks and loose thread."

Wouldn't It Be Nice ~ The Beach Boys

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