Tommy, Cal, and Bodi(whose feet were still off the ground) entered medical and were greeted by Narr, who was at the front desk. "Afternoon, Chief." Tommy added that it was the proper way to address her anyway, and he might've been on 'extended leave' from the Patrol, but he recognized protocol. "Afternoon, Sir! I assume you're here to see Kai." Tommy nodded; Narr was spot on; she knew that when Bodi was along, she had to implore unique tactics, "I have something for you!" She reached under her desk and pulled out a big bowl of-- "Candy!" Bodi screeched. He wriggled out of Cal's arms like a crocodile performing a death roll, and Cal dropped him. "Woah, are you okay? You... fell kind of hard right there." Cal asked, but Bodi was on all fours as he scurried to Narr's desk and shoved his hands into the bowl. Tommy grimaced; he still found the concept of eating disgusting, but there was no question that Bodi was the 'odd one' who ate food. They still had pancakes left over from that time the Trinity transferred 19 crates of the gunk just for Bodi.
Bodi returned with two lollipops in his mouth, a bunch of other treats stuffed into his pockets, and utility belt like it was the last of it on Omeocoon(because it probably was). The bowl was raided, save for what Bodi considered to be gross: peppermints, licorice, and those strawberry hard candies that one would get from their grandparents' place, even though his ability to taste was relatively limited compared to a G2. "Where did you get that stuff?" Tommy asked Narr, who was pleased that her bowl was almost empty. "I did some sightseeing in the cargo bay. It's amazing what those contracted workers leave behind. And it went untouched because no one here has a drive to eat." Narr's eyes smiled as she watched Bodi happily munching on his newfound treasures. "Yeah, it's like a goldmine down there sometimes. You never know what you'll find."
Tommy chuckled, shaking his head at Bodi's enthusiasm for candy. "Well, thanks for the snacks, Narr. I'm sure Bodi appreciates it." Tommy increased his volume to ensure Bodi heard that last part; he went back to talk to Cal when he turned around, his face and hands much stickier and more chocolatey than before. "Thank you!" He said happily, "You're welcome." Narr chuckled and embraced Bodi's gratefulness with a bow. Cal's gaze lingered on Bodi to ensure he was okay after the fall. Bodi and Cal joined Tommy back near the desk, "I love this stuff!" He exclaimed, his eyes shining with delight. Narr chuckled, delighted by Bodi's joy. "I can see that! Well, enjoy your treats, Bodi. Kai is in room two. He's been asking for you. He's ready to go today, actually, and he's itching to leave. So if you want to take him, that's fine too."
"Well... I'm sure he was thrilled to hear that. Where's... Cam?" Tommy replied, "He's sleeping... if that's the right term." Narr speculated, Tommy nodded, that was an acceptable term. "Too bad, I wanted to check up on him. See how our newest 'rehouse' is doing." Tommy was referring to the Kieran side of Cam. It'd been two years, and still, Tommy wouldn't let it go. "He's doing his best," Narr added under her breath with a nervous chuckle, but of course, Tommy was poking fun; at least, she tried to bush it off as poking fun, "I was just kidding." Tommy smiled blankly, with no emotion at all; it was clear that he was not being a funny guy at all. Cal furrowed his eyebrows and looked at the squirrel with concern, "No... you... weren't?" He said abruptly, and this paused the room. With the fear of being under a microscope, he dismissed the situation and moved toward room two; he was done wasting time talking to Narr.
Cal and Bodi followed and couldn't help but smile at Bodi's excitement as they walked. "You're the only person on the station that likes that stuff, you know that?" Bodi nodded enthusiastically, his pockets bulging with sweets. "Yep! And I'm gonna eat all of it!" Cal laughed again, shaking his head as they reached room two and entered to find Kai packing what little luggage he'd accumulated from his travels as an ex-adventurer. Bodi did not hesitate to tackle Kai with a ginormous hug. Kai grunted. He tried not to reveal that his entire body ached in pain as soon as Bodi came in for that hug. "Careful... I haven't been approved for Bode hugs just yet." Kai returned the gesture, hugging his younger brother like he hadn't seen him in decades. Bodi eagerly showed off his candy haul to Kai. Tommy couldn't help but feel grateful for the small moments of joy that brightened their lives, even amid uncertainty. Kai watched as Bodi and Cal entered the room. "Oh! I want you to meet someone!" Bodi pulled himself out of Kai's embrace and dragged Cal by his wrist, "This Cal! Tommy's boyfriend!"
Cal and Tommy shouted simultaneously, 'Woah!' Tommy went into a wild blush, which he couldn't control this time, and Cal tried to wave the idea away physically by putting his hands in the air. "I mean... do you?" Cal inquired, and Tommy scoffed, rolling his eyes at the notion... but perhaps. "No! We're just roommates. Just roommates." Tommy reinforced, and Kai thrust his hand out in front of Cal, "Well... whatever you are. It's nice to meet you. But I kind of already know you. Bodi talks about you a lot."
"Wait? How many times have you been here without me..?" Tommy nudged Bodi with his elbow as he opened yet another one of those cavities on a stick, "29! Well... I guess it's 30 now, counting this one!" Tommy was a little insulated by that; he wanted to get to know Kai, too. "Well, I wish you would've told me. You do realize that Kai is my family, too."
"Well, none of that matters anymore because he's coming home with us!" Bodi shouted. Everyone here grimaced because they possessed sensitive hearing. "He's a little hyper... sorry." Cal informed, "I can see that. Thanks for looking after him. I appreciate it. Bodi has special needs, and I'm thrilled he's found someone he likes. And it's challenging for me to turn him over to anyone. He's run off five babysitters when we were still in our tribe. So I really prefer to watch him myself."
Tommy could tell that even behind smiles and laughter and, 'no problems!' Cal was slightly disappointed by that... for someone who looked like he was a little standoffish at first. Tommy noticed that Cal seemed to... like children; in their first merge and second merge(when Bodi was outside of the room,) Tommy detected that Cal was particularly fond of kids, kids in general, not just Omeocoon extrusions. He liked Bodi, who'd yet to reach the age of ascension. He was still a kid, and he liked Kipp, too. Cal had many layers among that. He was also a scholar... a confusing creature indeed. Cam entered the room with a defibrillator. He was fresh out of a gooey regeneration state because his form wasn't solid. "What's going on?! I heard someone scream!"
"Better late than never." Tommy frowned. He sighed at the sight of Cam, and suddenly he felt like leaving. "Hi Cam!" Bodi was the first to say, then around the room, each of them greeted the medical specialist on duty, except for Tommy, who crossed his arms. "You shouldn't be screaming at frequencies only dogs can hear." Cam frowned, "I know... but I'm excited." Bodi continued, "Excited about what?" Cam asked; he was still waking up, so his half-solid, half-gooey form shifted slightly as he moved closer to the group.
"We're taking Kai home with us!" Bodi exclaimed, his enthusiasm bubbling over.
Cam's expression softened, a hint of warmth flickering in his eyes. "Oh... yes... That's great news, Kai. But I'm kind of sad you almost left without saying goodbye." Cam's tail moved, and Tommy's eye twitched at that.
Kai nodded, a faint smile tugging at the corners of his lips. "Yeah, I'm ready. It's been a long recovery, but I'm finally ready to go home. But, uh... I want to talk with you. In private."
Cam nodded in understanding, his form pulsating gently as he reverted to a solid, more presentable form. "That's fine anyway. I'll need to do one final check-up before you leave to ensure everything's in order."
"Of course," Kai replied, his tone grateful. "I appreciate everything you've done for me, Cam."
Cam waved off the gratitude. "It's my job. Just doing what I can to help."
Tommy watched the interaction with a mix of emotions swirling inside him. He couldn't deny that Cam had been instrumental in Kai's recovery, but some of him still couldn't fully trust the medical specialist. It could be the lingering distrust from their earlier encounters, or it could be something else entirely. As Cam began his examination, Tommy turned to Cal and Bodi. They left, but Tommy lingered around the corner out of sight, but he didn't need to see, just hear.
Kai sighed and closed his eyes dramatically. "We need to talk." Kai started seriously. Cam furrowed his brow in concern, sensing the gravity of Kai's tone. Cam made eye contact as he wrapped Kai's arm in a blood pressure reader. "What's on your mind? I hope it isn't serious. Is your heart okay?" Cam looked at Kai's chest; he was already jumping the gun. He was already getting ready to operate on him, but Kai laughed at that. "No, I feel amazing!"
"I was actually wondering if... you wanted to go on a... venture. We could go to the mess hall. Play a game of chess?"
Cam inhaled sharply and removed the blood pressure device from Kai's arm. "That isn't a good idea."
"Why not?" Kai smiled, "Because I've seen the inside of your chest cavity... sliced your heart in half, gave you physical therapy... and I operated on your bother." Cam listed factually, "All the more reason for you to get to know me. You've already seen my insides. Now you should get to know me, the outside me."
"That's a very disgusting way of putting that, Kai." Cam blinked, "Besides, a doctor shouldn't fraternize with a patient."
"You're not a doctor. You said it yourself!" Kai argued playfully. "I'm not exactly a stranger... we've known each other for a month."
"As doctor and patient." Cam set again. Kai smiled, "All right... all right, I'll be free tomorrow night... if you change your mind! I really hope you change your mind. I want to merge with you... if you want it? I think it'll feel terrific! And I can get to know you better." Cam felt a mix of surprise and uncertainty at Kai's proposition. Spending time with Kai outside of a medical context was intriguing and slightly nerve-wracking for him. Despite his initial reluctance, a part of Cam felt drawn to Kai's offer, a desire to explore this new connection and get to know him beyond the confines of their professional relationship... it had been a while since he merged with anyone, two years. Cam made the final notes on Kai's chart for hopefully the last time. "You really haven't been here in a while, huh? Your game is quite... crude, as Maxion would say." Cam snickered, and Kai shuffled off the hospital bed. He backed out of the room. "I left a piece of paper under the pillow. It has my comm channel on it." He departed, leaving Cam in a bubble of thought.
Then Tommy reentered; he was furious. Cam was worried, "Tommy, is there something I can—"
"Stay away from my cousin, you freak!" Tommy exploded; he turned over one of the instrument trays, leaving all the scalpels and tools clattering to the ground. "Woah, what is going on? Just relax!" Cam urged, but Tommy rushed over and backed Cam into a very uncomfortable corner, "I heard you. You're disgusting, and you're not slick! You better not date him, or the next patient on this bed will be you, do you understand me?" Tommy was serious. Cam knew he was still holding a grudge about Kieran, but he didn't think it would turn violent. Cam, not wanting to escalate the situation, nodded eagerly, "I understand, Tommy," Cam replied, trying to maintain his composure despite the situation's intensity. "I won't do anything to upset you or your family."
Tommy's anger seemed to simmer slightly at Cam's response, but he still glared at him with distrust and resentment. "You better not. I'll be keeping an eye on you. Other people may have forgotten what you did, but I haven't. I've seen into your head. Your little tricks and medical jargon don't impress me. I know you, Cameron! And I'm not like Maxion. I don't give out second chances! I might play nice in front of other people, but when it comes to my family." Tommy warned. Cam interrupted, "I get it! I get it!"
With that, Tommy turned on his heel and stormed out of the room, leaving Cam alone with his thoughts. He couldn't help but feel hurt at Tommy's accusations, but he knew he had to tread carefully to maintain the fragile peace on the station.
Taking a deep breath, Cam bent down to pick up the fallen instruments, his mind racing with conflicting emotions. He couldn't shake the feeling that Tommy's outburst was fueled by more than just concern for Kai's well-being. There was something deeper at play here that Cam couldn't quite put his finger on.
But for now, all he could do was focus on his duties as a medical specialist and hope that time would heal the rift between him and Tommy. With a heavy heart, Cam cleaned up the mess, his thoughts drifting to Kai and the promise of a potential rendezvous in the mess hall. Despite the tension in the air, Cam couldn't help but feel a flicker of excitement at the prospect of spending time with Kai outside the medical bay's confines. But he knew he couldn't. After all, the last thing he wanted was to cause more trouble for himself or anyone else on the station.