central_librarylogs | Tommy it's your birthday (happy birthday tommy)

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Tommy it's your birthday (happy birthday tommy)

Who?: Ward, Kara, and Tommy.
What?: A surprise -ish birthday party.
When?: Backdated to January.
Summary: Ward and Kara talk, plan a party for his brother. Then there's a brother and a party. Feel free to stumble into the party accidentally on purpose. There's basically 2 threads.

The last party that Grant attended for any of his family was an electoral race just before they sent him off to military school. Apart from the disgruntled looks and annoyed, angry expressions cast in his direction all he'd done was sit and drink punch quietly in the corner worried that Christian would turn his eye to him.

That was years ago.

The last birthday party that he had been to for any of his family was lost to his rather fractured memory. That had motivated him to check dates - to ask Kara, to try and have something normal - only to realize that Tommy's birthday had passed. Just barely.

This - could not stand.

He walked back to his room, resolving to plan a party for him.

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[He never feels complete without Kara beside him. It's a marriage within itself and to have - someone who knows how it is to feel incomplete makes him want to - take care of others.

Sliding back into bed beside her he wraps an arm around her shoulders and leans in close.]

Kara?

[He strokes her hair] I love you.

[Still asleep, sleeping in perhaps, but she makes a soft purr like sound as she stretched, feeling him wrap around her. Leaning back into him she smiles, eyes still closed.]

Mmm-mornin' [She mumbled, sleepy toned. The small blackish pink octo-kitten is curled up in it's bowl beside the bed, ear twitching as they talk.] Love you too, baby.

[There's a chubby snuffling as buddy appears at the foot of the bed, huffing to hop onto Ward's feet.]

I was wondering if we could talk about my brother. His birthday's coming up, and I think we should throw him a party.

[She Mmm's again and rolls over a bit into him, spooning still, but turend enough to look over at him]

Yeah? Is he--[Okay? Is he okay, she was going to say, but the rest clicked in. Birthday. She smiled at that.] Do you think he'd like that? A birthday surprise I mean.

[Thinking back to the winter ball made ward's chest ache. He kissed her hair and watched buddy nestle on his feet and stare at the pink octo-cat. He reaches over and scratches her ears, jostling the puppy who makes a wuff noise.

He smiles a little sadly]

I can't remember the last time we had a party together - the last birthday I celebrated with him.

...I tried to find him someone at the ball and he just - stood against the wall.

[He's probably cuddling against her at this point]

[The little Octo-kitten just purred up a bit, yawned, and her lil legs wiggled around in the glass bowl, suckers visible on the glass, as it settled into itself again.]

[Kara raised a hand down to Buddy, trying to reach to give him a head scratch as well.]

He's pretty new still. I don't really blame him for hiding on a wall, Ward. He's been pulled from what he knows and placed here suddenly. He'll loosen up, after some time, love. Go slow. It's a lot to take in.

[He settled back, leaning against her shoulder.]

....We had it out. Before I - came here. He said I was a monster so it's - maybe partially guilt?

[He sighed.] Tommy was such a happy little kid. The happiest out of the two of us.

....I want him to be as happy as I am again. If that means, being happy here or me, getting him home.

[It's so ridiculous and silly but he's got bright lights strung up in one of the rooms of the library, streamers, balloons, a birthday cake.

And a case of the nerves.

He paces back and forth, dragging a hand through his hair.]

...Fuck this is a bad idea.

[This wasn't what he'd been expecting. He hadn't even thought anyone would know his birthday. He'd been prepared to let turning thirty pass him by quietly, but now. Now there was this, and he lingered in the doorway for a long moment.

He hadn't really had much of a birthday party in years. Sure, there were small office parties here and there, or a few drinks with friends. But this was different.]

Oh.

[Ward turns - sharply - to see Tommy standing in the doorway. there's cake, balloons, Kara - but no other guests as yet.

He scratches at his head. Oh. Then You're early, you're way too early I didn't say when to come - did I?

Ward exhales and spreads his hands wide]

Happy birthday little bro.

This is - eventually going to be a lot bigger.

[There's lights and balloons and Ward approaches, tentative and unsure and worried as hell.]

It's...28 right?

[Thomas wasn't sure who would even be invited. He hadn't really made any friends here yet. He wasn't aware he'd arrived early, but he was here.]

I-yeah, sure. I can be 28 again. I liked 28. [But he'd liked being younger even better, when things had been a little easier. Before he'd known Grant was Hydra.]

Thank you.

[Ward grins broadly and claps his hands together.]

Kara's getting snacks and - we can just...have a party. Remember the sea monster birthday party we had?

[He nodded. Okay. He could handle this. Grant was...trying really hard, and the least Thomas could do was give him a chance.]

Vaguely? That was-a really long time ago. [How old had he been then? Seven? Eight?]

[he grins. There is a twinge of regret.]

...Oh. Which one was your favorite? Party wise.

[He didn't know, really. A lot of them were a blur, and the ones he could remember when he was older weren't so great.

He hesitated for a moment.]

Maybe the dinosaur one.

...We've got talking dinosaurs. Books about them at least. We could go and see one, or two -

[here comes buddy the puppy, budging up against Tommy's foot. The puppy wuffs, climbing onto Tommy's foot and snuggling against his laces.

He sniffs, nostrils flaring.]

Buddy wanted to come. I think he likes you.

Talking dinosaurs?

[He really hadn't been checking this library out well enough if there were things like that around.

He smiled when the puppy climbed on his shoe, and crouched down to scratch gently behind his ears. That was just fine with him, because he liked Buddy, too.]

He's really cute.

Go ahead and pick him up.

[Ward's smile is gentle - then he snaps his fingers.] That's what we'll get you, come on.

[He gestures.]

Kara? We're gonna go find Tommy an animal.

[Cuddling a puppy was definitely something he could work into his To Do List. He picked up Buddy gently, cradling him against his chest, and scritched his little tummy.

Wait, what.] An animal?

You can't tell me that you wouldn't want one.

We always used to talk about having animals. I had buddy -

[He takes a deep breath and looks to Kara] I had a dog, until Garrett made-

Until...he died.

[There's a lot of struggle over the words "he died". This isn't about him.]

It's not that. I didn't know we could get animals here.

[Well, he'd had a feeling, considering the puppy, but he didn't know where the animals came from. He hadn't seen any besides Buddy and The Cat wandering around the library.]

Sounds like a great guy. [Deadpan. Because no, Garrett sounded about the opposite of a great person.]

I'm gonna find you one bro.

[Ward flinches and stares at him.] ...He appealed to everything awful in me.

Okay.

[He couldn't turn down an animal, so long as it wasn't anything ridiculous.]

You deserved better.

[Ward doesn't say anything for a moment, he just stares at him with something like longing in his gaze before he smiles.]

...I found better. It just took going here to get it. Kara and I...

And you.

...Well.

[he shrugs then shakes it off violently, like a dog snapping a rabbit's neck before putting a hand on his brother's shoulder.] C'mon.

[He'll lead him down the stacks, looking for the non-fiction animals section.]

Remember how...remember how...

Shit we don't really have a lot of good memories do we?

[He gently rubbed the puppy's head while following Grant.]

No, not really. But that was mostly Christian's fault.

[He draws in a deep breath and studies him.] Just Chris huh?

[Fuck. But no, no this is Tommy's birthday. He brightens.] He's not here. So...

[They've found themselves in an aisle with books - golden books.] Pokey little puppy. I used to read this to you.

[It was more than just Chris, but he didn't want to get into things right now. It was his birthday and he had an armful of puppy.]

I remember that. I used to love that book.

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Tommy it's your birthday (happy birthday tommy)

Kara and Grant [/locked]

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Birthday Party. [Grant and Kara and Tom plus you?]

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