See How My Garden Grows [Very Open]

[echoofaperson.livejournal.com]

He hadn't done much laying around as a teenager. He'd always been too busy, one social event to another.

After the Yeerks...well, Temrash had less love for being lazy than Iniss did, but neither of them were really set on protracted periods of inactivity. And there was always something Sharing related, or feeding related, or just...something. Rank play had been a major time suck in his youth, and needing to be somewhere every three days made planning anything else a bit of a suck.

He'd flopped down on the hill next to the garden he had spent so much time losing time in, one hand gripping Bobby's leash to keep the dog from running off, but eyes closed and body relaxed.

Too much stuff was happening, lately. He wasn't used to keeping up with it anymore. Jake was back and Sam was dating Xander and Dean and Kaylee had broken up. He wasn't even sure how to handle half of that, much less all of it at once.

No wonder the garden looked so well tended, the neat rows gave him something to do, something to think about, something that made perfect sense because plants needed like...two things, water and weeding, and they weren't much on demanding an emotional investment beyond that.

Bobby shifted, licking his hand and resting his head on his shoulder, watching the chickens and their chicks poke around nearby.

Why couldn't life just be this simple?

Comments

[vissernone.livejournal.com]

"We must tend our gardens," Eva says, pausing a little outside the garden, giving Tom his safe distance should he decline her presence. It's been a while since she's gotten to talk to him, and with the way the ship operates, she wouldn't be surprised if he's recovering from some crisis or other. Stacy never leaves anyone to rest on their laurels for long, even without the drama of the people involved.

"Your garden's beautiful, Tom."

It's something he clearly tends to regularly, with great care. Of course. It's easier to tend something else than yourself, and they all have their reasons to avoid looking inwards any more than they have to. Tom has more than most, for all his self-awareness.

She wishes she could make something grow, purely tended, like that.

[echoofaperson.livejournal.com]

"Yeah, they have a bad habit of not doing so well if we don't." He shifted a little to look at her, not rising from his sprawl. "I don't have as many flowers as you do. Thought it might be nice to do something useful..."

Bobby wagged his tail, head still resting on Tom's shoulder. This was their place and it was obvious they both knew it. A little corner of the world away from the hustle and bustle of the rest of the ship where Tom could pretend to be normal.

"My hands are all roughed up now. Guess that's sorta cool. I think the Tomatoes are getting ripe, the book said this was a good climate for them."

[vissernone.livejournal.com]

She's glad to see Tom sprawling. It's such different body language than the first time she saw him on the ship, saw him and not Iniss, when he'd been curled up almost fetal against the bulkhead, watching the stars.

"Well, flowers are infinitely less useful than vegetables. I may have to coax you into giving me something to cook. You remember my soups, right?" Tom doesn't seem to mind her here, so she wanders in, examining the plants.

[echoofaperson.livejournal.com]

"I remember. We're a bit short of meat, though." Bobby wagged his tail, but didn't move from Tom's side to investigate the chickens scattering at Eva's approach or the woman exploring the garden. Tom didn't seem to mind, and so Bobby didn't mind either. "And you can have whatever you want. It's not like we can eat all of it. Besides, you helped me shop for most of my plants."

It was easier to relax, easier to sleep when he was so tired he couldn't think.

[vissernone.livejournal.com]

"I could make vegetarian meals. They don't feel as hearty, but they're still better than the slop." She sits down next to him, reaching a hand out for Bobby to sniff. She knows better than to touch an animal uninvited. Every creature deserves the right to decline such an imposition. "Any of them not growing well? Some of the plants in my garden are trying their hardest to discourage me entirely. You should see what I did to those japanese maples."

[caringcassie.livejournal.com]

Cassie had come out this way with a purpose in mind. She wanted to opportunity to speak with Tom if he was willing, to see how he was doing now that he was free. Besides, this was the chance to actually get to know the real Tom. She'd never had that chance in her own time, but here it was different and this was a good type of different. Tom was alive, he was free, and that was all incredible to think about.

She spotted a figure who she assumed must be Tom, given that this was where he had been said to be, relaxing on the hill next to an animal of some sort in the distance and she jogged over, but paused as she drew close, now unsure that this was a good idea. He appeared to be relaxing and, while she wanted to talk to him, she didn't want to disturb him. Cassie took a deep breath and then bit her lip as she debated whether to speak up or turn back.

[echoofaperson.livejournal.com]

Bobby lifted his head from Tom's shoulder, making a soft almost-bark in warning. He didn't know her. But she wasn't acting threatening. So like any dog, Bobby warned.

Tom leaned a little to look at her, hand resting on Bobby's head and getting the half-grown alien dog to lay back down. He almost smiled out of reflex, uncertain what she might want or when she'd woken up or what she might have heard. "Cassie? I didn't know you had woke back up. Hi."

[caringcassie.livejournal.com]

With the decision made for her, Cassie smiled at both Tom and animal beside him. It looked like a dog, although its coloring made it clear that it wasn't from Earth. Still, it seemed to act like a normal dog.

"Hi," she responded softly, her voice still a bit hesitant. It was hard to get past what she knew had happened to him in her own time, but she was not going to let those sad thoughts interfere with their conversation. A bit shyly, she spoke up again and diverted her eyes, refocusing on the dog. Bending down, she offered her hand to the animal to allow for it to catch her scent. "I haven't been around for very long. I heard that you were here too though and I thought that I should stop by to say hello. How are you doing?" It was a strange feeling to be speaking to Tom like this, but very much welcome.

[echoofaperson.livejournal.com]

"Yeah. Most times I'm here, or with Sam and Dean...Or with Kaylee, but she's keeping to herself right now." He smiled, equally hesitant, and sat up, rubbing Bobby's ear and keeping the dog between them. Bobby was safe,and as long as the dog was between them, he'd be safe too.

"Did you wake up with Jake?"

Bobby snuffed her hand, giving her fingers a welcoming swipe with his tongue after a moment of curious sniffing.

"I'm...ok, I guess. Keeping myself busy."

[whyarewehere]

Grif had no business being down in the city, but that was because Grif didn't really have business being anywhere on the ship. Unlike most of the crew he just sort of drifted along doing nothing useful most of the time. That was what he was doing at that moment, too. Taking a walk in the city was an excuse to make himself scarce. People just gotten back from some godawful mission or another and he was pretty sure there were several of them that wouldn't be happy to see him and may or may not take out some of the god-awfulness on him.

Grif actually hadn't been down in the city very often. It didn't feel safe to him, especially after the incidents with the zombies and the Nightmare King. It was weirdly reassuring to see how... normal-ish it had become. It was still weird as hell and Grif was happy he had his rifle, but the crew had started to make an impact on the place. It was less imposing, more... lived in.

Like, say, that garden. He had to stop and look at that. It was maybe the most normal looking, sane thing Grif had seen since being stationed in Blood Gulch, to say nothing of the ship. It was mundane and boring and safe. He thought about that for a minute or two, just looking at the plants that somebody had put here.

Wait a second, someone else was here. He noticed Tom. Grif tilted his head and eyed the kid for a moment, then called out to him. "So, who're you hiding from?"

[echoofaperson.livejournal.com]

"The entire ship, how'd you know?" Tom smiled, cracking an eye open to see who was talking to him and then closing it again once he confirmed that it didn't look like an Andalite or something that might eat him.

"Just finished weeding, thought about taking a nap."

He liked the garden, liked just being lazy with Bobby, liked chasing the chickens all over everywhere and trying to find where they'd hidden their eggs. To figure out what exactly might be going on with the ducks.

It wasn't a complicated existence, but he liked it.

[whyarewehere]

"It's what the city's for, right?" Grif shrugged, spreading his arms a little to indicate the whole massive expanse of the place. "Avoiding people and naps?"

Well. It was also totally super dangerous, but Grif wasn't going to disturb someone who obviously understood the value of these two most crucial pursuits.

[echoofaperson.livejournal.com]

"Yeah. Pretty much. Nice place to visit, horrible place to live. Right?" He smiled, hand resting on Bobby's head.

"So which one are you here for, huh?"

[notadamnangel.livejournal.com]

It was a good garden. Dean had thought about having one by the house too. That was before. He thought about a lot of stuff before. He heard a yip before Bobby started running over to say hello, tail wagging.

"Hey boy, where's Tom hiding, huh?" he quietly said as he crouched down. Helped that Bobby wasn't exactly an Earth dog sometimes. Made it easier not to be reminded of hellhounds.

[echoofaperson.livejournal.com]

Bobby made a beeline back to the boy, and Tom, hearing Dean's voice, didn't even bother to open his eyes.

He'd come a long way since the Winchester brothers had first taken him in.

"I'm over here, Dean. Taking a break, all of the weeds have been concurred for the day. Did they finally let you out of security or did you just hand it off to Nightwing and run?"

[notadamnangel.livejournal.com]

Dean snorted as he wandered over to him, "I'm off the clock, kid." Even if he pretty much did the latter to poor Dick. He hadn't even stuck around to ask about the mission, figuring he'd hear about it later.

[echoofaperson.livejournal.com]

"Yeah, and how startled did Nightwing look when you handed him said check out report?" He cracked an eye open, grinning with some semblance of normal teenage glee up at Dean.

He yawned, reaching up to rub Bobby's ears when the dog laid his head on his stomach. "We've almost got tomatoes. We're like...one fourth of the way to a salad."

[thewunderkind]

Lash wasn't one to go to the places that had gardens or plants or anything that was in fact very green and alive. One could even argue that the open air made her sick, in some weird way and she lived off oil and the fumes of moving tanks.

Regardless, she came here on a mission, carrying a giant back with her that had all of the seeds she had stolen...er...borrowed for a prolonged amount of time from a planet that they would never return to. And hell like a kid raised in war would know anything about farming. There were better people for that. People who she had no idea who they were, but maybe yelling out,

"HEY! ANYONE HERE?!" right out in the open would be a good start.

[echoofaperson.livejournal.com]

Tom startled awake, rolling to his knees automatically and staring at the...girl?

Walking hair caddy?

Loud invader of his quiet space?

Bobby snorted, rumbling low in his throat in warning.

"Uh...if I say yes are you going to stop yelling? Or..."

[thewunderkind]

"I guess you must be in charge here," talking afro hair replied, walking up to him. "You take care of the gardens or whatever, right?"

She put the bag down. It was pretty heavy, but didn't reveal what was inside just yet as it was more fun that way. And who knew, maybe this was just a guy who had a tendency to be angry at people who went around being perfectly polite and totally not screaming.

"Name's Lash."

[echoofaperson.livejournal.com]

"I guess...?" He honestly looked confused, staring at the bag like it might suddenly explode. He wasn't sure why she was here, or why she'd been yelling, but she obviously didn't plan to go until he figured out what she wanted.

"Tom. I take care of this one." He chewed on his lower lip, motioning for Bobby to stay. "Did you..um...need something? Nothings really ripe just yet. Almost, if you like green tomatoes."

[magic-weaver.livejournal.com]

As much as Sandry had wanted to take all of Stacy in at much, exploration of the entire ship in one walking sounded overwhelming and completely out of the question. There was so much of it she didn't understand, and she knew that she would probably end up getting lost or under someone's feet while they tried to work...

The city was a better--and safer--place to begin. It was large and full of so many different places and times and stories about people that Sandry could hardly contain her excitement at seeing as much of it as she could. A house could mean so much, even hidden amongst the giant buildings and glorious temples, and Sandry found herself drawn to one in-particular as she neared the end of her walk. It wasn't much, rather plain, but the sight of a garden behind it caught her eye.

Fully aware of how rude it was to barge in on someone else's work, the mage carefully made her way along the fence, taking in every plant in sight. The garden was well-tended and cared for. Briar and Rosethorn, she thought, would have been suitably impressed. It didn't take her long at all to spot the tall young man flopped over in the middle of the garden, and the idea to congratulate him on his work carried her closer to the fence before she really had the time to think that the poor fellow might want to be left alone.

"I don’t mean to startle you, but you’ve a lovely garden. I have friends who would be very impressed with it, were they awake."

[echoofaperson.livejournal.com]

Tom shifted, blinking up at the girl with some confusion. "Uh, hi. Thanks?" He shifted, uncertain and awkward and not sure what to say to a girl giving him a compliment. Nobody had gone over this with him.

"I do it to pass the time, gardening is relaxing. You know? It's nice when you have something to do with your hands."

It let him remember they were HIS hands.

[magic-weaver.livejournal.com]

For a moment, Sandry seemed completely unaware of his discomfort, and continued on smiling and observing the garden quite happily. She might have missed how uncomfortable he was completely, if she hadn't looked at him, especially when he spoke about his gardening. He seemed content enough, and who wouldn't be in this garden? "I know exactly what you mean. I'm the same with spinning--ah, of the thread variety, not the other--" she spun her finger around in the air, "--oh, you know. Though there isn't a thing wrong with a bit of romping about, I suppose. I much prefer weaving and sewing..."

And then Sandry did look at him, and her smile faded into something a little more apologetic. "Ah, I do apologize. I tend to ramble on without a second thought." She stepped back from the fence, and gave what would probably have been a fairly elegant curtsy, had she had skirts. "I am Sandrilene fa Toren, though, if you please, Sandry suits me far better."

[echoofaperson.livejournal.com]

"You spin? And weave? We saw that at a fair once, Jake and me. It was pretty cool, I've never met someone who could do it, especially not my age. It's nice...when...when things get stressful or you just don't want to think. Something that requires attentiveness, so you don't have to think about anything but what you're doing." He glanced shyly at his garden, uncertain if he was even doing this right.

"It's ok. I don't...really talk much. Out of habit. I don't mind. I'm Tom." He scrambled awkwardly to his feet, uncertain what to do with himself now that he was standing. "It's ah...nice to meet you, Sandry."