Cal and Tommy were sitting in silence on the upper level of the promenade. The view offered a decent angle of the busy, large, open area below. Tommy rested on the railing, his arms folded over the metal and his head resting on them as he was enveloped in his thoughts, his legs dangling over the edge as he watched the station's business. People seemed to return to normal after the unexpected election of Bodi as interim Chancellor. It may have been a little mean to say it— but no one expected Bodi to be the next leader of the Omeocoon; he refused to wear a religious robe or a sash like Kori and relinquish his silly, childish attitude. He refused to stop being Bodi. That was fine with Tommy as long as he could keep being a superhero and didn't have to take over as the leader of their planet. He did not want to be it. Thank goodness he'd found someone else. Kai was still resistant to it but had yet to express his concerns, he was too busy with the new shuttle.
Tommy knew that Bodi could do it. Bodi said he wanted to be a scientist, perhaps fueled by his early exploration with Kai. However, they all had to become something they didn't expect or even want to be; this was an apocalypse. Tommy wanted to be a DP hero but was here trying to keep his people together. Russell worked at this station under contract and was a prisoner in Kallum's tribe, and he did all of this, not knowing he would be up for Chief of Security. Maxion didn't know how to navigate the turbulent grounds required to reconnect with his mother. Still, he would try if it meant saving his people— but they were all willing to try for their people to step up to unprecedented roles. Bodi was young and intelligent, and his friendly personality made him likable. They didn't need a politician. They needed... a Bodi.
"Did you have time to think about it?" Cal asked suddenly, and this whipped Tommy back into reality. "Huh—?" Tommy managed. He turned his attention to Cal. Cal did not like to talk. He believed in non-verbal communication through merging and body language. He was a perfect companion for Tommy because they could perfectly understand each other when they merged. When Cal wanted to say something, it was always important. "Ollie and Kody?" Cal continued, Tommy's eyebrows stitched together in mild frustration at Cal's simplicity. Now, the non-verbal communication seemed more of a burden. "Who are Ollie and Kody?" Tommy resisted the urge to huff.
"The kids that Russell has in custody. They don't have legal guardians."
"So?" Tommy probed, wanting Cal to spit it out.
"So... I was thinking about what Russell was saying. You should— we should taken them into our custody. As a public service." Cal shrugged. This was undoubtedly one of those strange things that Cal seemed interested in. He liked the stars and the idea of serving something greater than himself, so he joined Omeocoon's military. But above all else, he wanted to be a father. Unfortunately, Tommy doesn't share such a passion. In 287 days, he would experience his first mucusus, which was more than enough to horrify him. Tommy planned to submit himself for Cam's experimental treatment, which was said to expel the tribal, ritualistic, violent behavior that an Omeocoon would experience when overtaken by the reproductive cycle.
Tommy was not interested in having kids, not in 287 days or now, perhaps not even in the future. "You'd be a great caretaker," Cal said, trying to keep the negotiations alive. "And I assume that when you take these kids into custody, you'll move into your own place?"
"Tommy..." Cal started. He tried not to get flustered, but he wasn't sure he could contain his disappointment. He was patient. Being in the military, he was subjected to a substantial amount of 'hurry up and wait,' so he was patient with Tommy. But eventually, that would wear thin.
"No! I'm serious. Are you actually going to move out? Because in case you haven't noticed, our room is a tad crowded. You can't just pretend that the quarters will suddenly expand because you want to bring new people in." Tommy used his hands to emphasize his point. Cal seemed to be focused on the room expanding. He'd forgotten that Tommy had moved from a larger room into this more compact section so that he could avoid unnecessary indulgence. He couldn't take it back now.
"You're snippy today," Cal observed with meshed together eyebrows, his frown deepened.
"I am not 'sippy,' I'm just furious because you keep trying to change my mind when I've already decided." Tommy started. He closed his mouth quickly after that. Before he could start an argument, he exhaled and wrinkled his nose, figuring his attention could once again be redirected to the bustling streets, hoping that his attitude would change. "Are you okay?" Cal asked, no verbal response. There was no response at all; he paused his artificial animations, not breathing or blinking, just a blank, angry stare. "Tommy... please don't shut me out. What is going on with you?" First Cam, Russell, and now Cal. "If you don't want to talk to a shrink... at least talk to me. Please." Cal smiled, but he was worried.
"This... is the day... my mother spit," Tommy said, burying his head in his arms, Cal was confused. "Correct me if I'm wrong, but the day of an Omeocoon's formation is cause for celebration, isn't it? I know you were a ward of the state... but someone cared about you."
"That's not why I'm angry. I'm angry because my brother was also formed on this day. He's the one who caused all of this. If he weren't born, none of this would be happening." With his face still covered, Tommy used a free hand to gesture to the crowd visiting shops, casinos, and various entertainment venues on the promenade. "Tommy... you weren't responsible for Kieran."
"But I am, if I'd visited him at that mental institution more and kept an eye on him," Tommy strained, now Cal understood.
"He still would've done it. You caught him in the act, and he literally went through with his plan while in Cloudy Heights. That's not your fault." Cal was intimately familiar with Tommy's history. It pained him to see his... 'friend' this way. It's primarily why he altered his appearance so he wouldn't look so much like Kieran. "You're a hero, saved our people, and still do it. Let go of that awful past. Your brother is in prison, and he can't hurt you anymore. You should focus on yourself."
Cal's tail moved closer to Tommy's. An invitation evidently, Tommy did not struggle. He let it happen. "Wanna... go back home and... fool around?" Cal proposed, a coy smile playing on his lips as he inched closer to Tommy. Tommy was receptive to Cal's merging attempt. It was the chance to connect further. They held hands as they walked away. When merged, Cal could finally understand what Tommy was going through recently and help ease the pain by carrying some of the weight.
As they were walking to their room, they talked about the issues of the day and some good things, too. Tommy did most of the talking, while Cal wanted to be an excellent listener. As they were on their way, a blue and white canine rapidly approached them, out of breath. Tommy was confused because, if he remembered correctly, he was supposed to be working on the shuttle. "What is it, Howie?" Tommy indulged the gooey canine as he tried to catch his breath. "They're back— the prisoners."
"What? They're back? That implies that they were released." Tommy was not aware that Russell had turned them loose. All without talking to him. "Just come on," Howie growled impatiently. He took Tommy by his wrist and forced him down the hallway. They traveled quickly, but he could, in theory, run forever when Tommy ran. Howie would be out of breath here soon enough. Cal realized Howie wouldn't wait for him to catch up, so the bunny ran after.