If You Can't Find Hands, Make Them

[doubled_speed]

WHO: Tommy Shepherd, Open
WHERE: Greenhouse, Diner, Civics Center Pool
WHAT: Preparations for the Agrii, Pool Boy Shepherd, Faking He's Okay
WHEN: March, mostly mid to late month
WARNINGS: N/A

1. If You Teach A Bot To Weed... | Greenhouse

New helper bots? You better believe Tommy was going to find a way to get them to help him. Not until he tried to name them of course. Give them a chance to be their own people. Life gets weird when you have a sibling and parent who are synthezoids. But anyway, here they were, Tommy and one of the droids that he'd basically affixed some of the Sh'Ka gardening tools to, and Tommy looked exceptionally frustrated.

"No! Not that! That's a good shoot!"

Maybe he was not the best at programming. Building? He was getting better there. But how did you teach a machine what was good and what was bad without being there the whole time.

"Dammit, this might have been a really stupid idea. Maybe the Agrii can do datapoints?"

He looks so frustrated though. And maybe still more than a bit tired. Maybe he wasn't doing this for the Agrii. Maybe he just wanted help.

2. Okay Maybe Just Cleaning | Diner

This, at least, had less of disaster written all over it. The bot seemed to already be doing so well at sweeping and was even wiping down tables well.

"What do you think of Roberto?" he called out to the little machine, which ignored that since it didn't have the right verbal input. Tommy sighed.

"I miss droids that would talk back," he says to himself before he returns to chopping salad at the counter so he can watch the bot work. "You're not really friendly even if you're friend shaped. Though I think some people would be offended at proper AI running things here. So much prejudice against sentient machines."

3. Pool Boy Shepherd Doing All Your Work | Civics Center Roof

Okay, maybe it's not fair to call him a poolboy. But hey, he's by a pool, he's in short shorts and a crop top and flipflops, and he's cleaning up the top of the Civics Center roof. Actually, Tommy's been at it for a few days now. If he's learned anything about the Agrii, it's that they like water, and he wanted to make sure there was a safe place to do that at. He had heard stories, he didn't remember where, that the remains of the flooded area that he and Vision and Katara had reduced back in their first days here could be dangerous. Who knew if the Agrii could handle that.

But hey, if Tommy knew one thing, it was what went into a fucking baller rooftop tropical getaway. He may have 'borrowed' those of wealthy people the world over more than a few times. So on any given day he could be seen at one of many kinds of work. One afternoon it's using a pump system to pump the less than clean water from the pool. Another it's scrubbing the thing thoroughly, usually with some sort of cleaning towels on his feet while he ran around it (friction was a good cleaning method). Another afternoon it's spreading some weird stinky putty stuff that would dry hard that the old guy Reeve gave him into cracks and holes and letting it try. And of course there's the trying to restore the tile work to it.

Frankly, he was giving himself a crash course in pool repairs.

And when he wasn't working on restoring the whole surprisingly deep thing (it made sense now that he knew some Agrii), he was working on the area around it. Some of the plants that had grown up over the top of the building he was carefully trimming back. In other places he was putting young potted trees with wide leaves to create cooling shade, and anchoring their pots down for safety. There were even some things that looked like his attempts at dragging some kinds of cushions up to the roof for reclining. He was trying, even if he wasn't certain exactly what was needed. And after his funk, he deserved applause for doing this much.

Comments

[doubled_speed]

"Well, I can't say no to a grilled cheese sandwich. Maybe I'll make some soup to go with it."

Because what would be the harm in that? Probably nothing.

[playingtough]

"Make enough soup that you could dish it out for dinner, too." He leads them down the stairs, one step in front of Tommy so they're not crammed next to each other and accidentally trip. Not that Tommy would let either of them fall.

"It's still spring, so what kind of soup you thinking?"

[doubled_speed]

"Wait, no personalized soup just to enjoy together? So lame," Tommy says with a smile and a laugh. He knows he doesn' tmind it at all.

[playingtough]

"It’s special because we get first dibs on it of course," he points out with his own grin. There’s a little squeeze to the hand and a little shoulder push.

"Wait do we have bread and cheese for grilled sandwiches anyways?"

[doubled_speed]

Oh, that's a fair point. Tommy laughs. What a dork his boyfriend is.

"Yeah. Now that I have regular wheat I'm making bread. I've got a sourdough starter going. My friends back home would laugh over how cottage core I'm getting."

[playingtough]

"Cottage core. Did you ever explain that shit to me? I remember you bringing it up some other time." Once down the stairs, he leads them outside, trekking towards the diner and one of their many homes away from home.

Does it mean that Tommy should be living in a cottage? Wait, that would mean Billy was beach core, right? Oh the future is confusing.

[doubled_speed]

Tommy snorts. No, he hadn't. Because he's enjoying keeping that adorableness from Billy.

"Nope. What do I get if I explain?"

[playingtough]

"What do you want for explaining?" he counters with. Then in a slick series of movements involving swinging their arms forward a little, letting go of that hand, then on the back swing with momentum, Billy swings his arm up to go around Tommy's shoulders. "I'd offer cuddles and kisses, but those are baseline at this point for us."

He taps his lip with his freehand as if in thought. "Maybe whatever spoon you wanna be when we sleep for a week?"

[doubled_speed]

"Oh, so many things," Tommy says with a teasing comment. "Maybe kisses while in your lap?"

That seems like a nice boost to their normal.

Though spooning is good too. He nods to consider that.

[playingtough]

"Straddling or side saddle?" Seems like Billy is on board with Tommy’s request. He leads them to the diner. The door gets opened and he lets Tommy go in first so he can hold the door like a gentleman.

He swings it closed behind them. "Maybe both that and the cuddling?"

[doubled_speed]

"Baby, I don't know that I could control myself if I was straddling," Tommy groans. His boyfriend is the worst sort of tease. And it was both delicious and maddening. Good thing Tommy could take care of himself.

"Of course I'll cuddle you if you're that desperate for it."

[playingtough]

"You've been in my lap before for makeouts," he points out with a teasing laugh. "And I know you're just as desperate to be cuddled, so it's a win situation for both of us."

He heads into the kitchen with the speedster, more comfortable there than he ever as in his home kitchen at Hawkins. Temba felt more like his home than his real life did at this point. "And I want you in my lap. Even if you..." Billy thinks for a good word for it. "... react to it."

[doubled_speed]

Yeah, he's groaning. He needs to focus on work and eating and all that stuff and instead his boyfriend is saying hot shit.

"Dude, you're killing me here. Focus on the sandwiches and not working me up."

[playingtough]

Easy to say hot shit when he knows he’s hot shit. Billy grabs and pulls Tommy to him. Pulls him close.

"Oh I’m focused but I don’t think it’s on sandwiches anymore." You’re not the only one getting worked up, Tommy. That’s a two way street here it seems.

[doubled_speed]

Shit. Shitshitshit.

"Babe, I love you, but if you keep me close, I'm gonna have some fashion issues. It will be embarrassing for being in a kitchen."

[playingtough]

Billy doesn't let go. "Saying others might show up and spy on us?" He licks his lips, trying to keep eye contact with his boyfriend. The boyfriend who's been trying to go at Billy's pace with intimacy. Who'd been respecting every boundary the blond put up like a test.

"If that's the case, maybe we hold off on making food for a.... moment." Yes, that's a suggestive tone. His hands are going to Tommy's waist. Not stopping. Going around to his back. Dipping further down. Slowly, in case there's a remark to stop.

[doubled_speed]

There wouldn't be a remark to stop. Except for maybe 'at least not in the kitchen'.

"More like chase us off with a rolling pin," Tommy says. If this is a game of chicken, he isn't losing this time.

[playingtough]

The rolling pin remark gets a grin from Billy with a huff of laughter. Then, glancing over to make sure there's nothing actually cooking, Billy starts moving towards the door that leads upstairs.

If this was a game of chicken, Billy isn't backing down either it seems. Not once is he letting go of his boyfriend. Not once does it look like he's being shy or second guessing himself. There's really only one guy on his mind, maybe one activity to join with it apparently. Even if they don't get super far with it.

[doubled_speed]

"Gonna be the death of me," Tommy mumbles under his breath as he lets the younger guy haul him to the door.

Amazingly he has the patience to not scoop Billy up and just carry him up the stairs.

[playingtough]

Billy doesn't hear that, instead focusing on the stairs and keeping some kind of hold on Tommy. "Shut up, let us have this. It's not like there's anything pressing, like a fucking storm or a volcano."

He flashes a cheeky grin over at his partner. "And you're getting the benefit just as much as I am." Then back to focusing on climbing the stairs until they get to the top. "Man, we gotta do something about those stairs. Install smaller ones on the side for us or something."

[doubled_speed]

"You could have asked me to carry you," Tommy says.

And when they make it into his rooms he closes the door behind him.

"So, you've got me here. What are you planning? Cuddle time?"

[playingtough]

"Could've. But I didn't." Once inside and the door is shut, Billy crowds right up against Tommy to sandwich him between himself and that door. One arm goes to support his weight against it, and the other holds Tommy's waist.

"Not that kind of cuddle." But there's no further explanation as he goes in for a kiss like he's trying to take all of Tommy's breath.

[doubled_speed]

Oh. Oh god yes. Pinned against a door, a hard body against his own, pressing against him, kissing him. Fuck he's been dreaming about this forever.

When he does get to breathe he gasps out a small request.

"Pinch me."

rated r for the boys getting f r i s k y

[playingtough]

"Rather kiss you," he breathes back. But the request doesn't go ignored, and he gives a little one to Tommy's side. His eyes are dark, looking over Tommy like he's the best thing he's ever seen since finding a mirror. "Tired of wearing kid gloves about this. That I might hurt you or that I'm not ready damn it."

He steals another rough kiss and absolutely leans his weight against Tommy. A knee pressed between those legs.

Re: rated r for the boys getting f r i s k y

[doubled_speed]

The moment might almost be enough for Tommy to learn to pray to a god. Or maybe sass in the name of one. But the only ones he knows personally are Thor and his brother so hard pass. Instead he groans as he rocks against that provided leg.

Only the lips against his keeps him from sassing the guy though. Billy couldn't physically hurt him without Tommy allowing it. Or he'd point out it was okay to not be ready.

At least he could trust himself to have good breaks if the word comes of course. Which it isn't yet. So he gets his hands up to tug against Billy's shirt, asking for permission.