Simon Maddox (madsimon) wrote in tukiparadise, @ 2022-06-07 20:27:00 |
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Entry tags: | simon maddox, skylar pitch |
WHO: Simon || Skylar
WHAT: First Impressions
WHEN: A few days ago
The waves were crashing exceptionally hard and people weren't exactly packing the beach at that moment. The sun was fading, clouds were rolling in, and the ocean seemed angry.
And it was beautiful.
There was something to be said about the traditional beautiful beach image with the blue skies and the peaceful ocean, but Simon preferred this. He felt that this version of the ocean was more honest and truthful. It displayed the power under the surface and was a reminder that everyone was, in fact, ridiculously small.
His feet were dug into the sand and he toyed with a small flower in his head absently, changing the color of the blooms and having it grow and shrink just a little, his mind a thousand miles away.
Being from California, surfing was ingrained in you from a young age. Swimming, sunshine, being outdoors. Skylar was no different. While he wasn’t as into the waves as his twin, he liked the refreshing feeling of being in the water and the freedom, the feeling of flying, that you got when you were coasting on top of a wave. So, when he found out about the surf shack and the availability of a familiar activity, he was there hanging ten with the best of them.
Skylar squinted as a strip of sun shimmered in his hazel eyes but his smile only grew. He thrust his arms out to the side for balance and glided along the crest of the wave with a precise expertise.
Eventually he hit the shore, carrying the surfboard beneath an arm. His free hand scraped back the moist strands of dark hair clinging to his face, dripping and sticking to his face. And then he tugged down the zipper on the front of the wetsuit, exposing a bit of his chest, down past his navel. Mostly letting the skin dry out a bit. He stuck the surfboard into the sand and stretched his muscles a little bit.
The movement close to him caused Simon to snap back to the reality of the moment. He watched as the surfer hit shore, appreciating the talent that he had. He was balls at the activity, and everytime he had tried he had went viral for all the wrong reasons.
So no thank you.
But he did enjoy watching the other people on the beach so it, at least the ones that were risking what could be an upcoming storm. But then again, there were better waves in the choppier weather.
When the man came close and stuck his board in the sand, he offered a pleasant smile. “It's a good day for it,” he said by way of starting conversation. “Seems it's always better when the ocean is a little angry.”
Being so in the zone, Skylar didn’t realize that anyone was there until the voice rang in his ears. He turned and saw the man sitting nearby. His smile grew immediately, it didn’t look like he’d gotten the guy wet which was good; that was always an embarrassing conversation.
“Yeah, angry water is definitely the best for surfing on.” Well, almost angry. Maybe angy? Hangry? Angry water could throw you.
He peeled his arms out of the top of the wetsuit, letting the top piece dangle around his hips. “Do you surf?”
He chuckled at his question, eyes searching out over the water. He watched as the other surfers all rode waves and made it look like it was second nature. And maybe it was to them, of course. But definitely not to him.
“Me? Oh no. Well. I mean, I’ve tried. It's never went very well, and the memes that came out of it each time will forever haunt me.” And he only wished that was an exaggeration but it was not. There was far too much proof that had been spoofed of his attempts online.
“Now I just sit on the beach and let it exist along with me.” He pulled his eyes away from the water and smiled at the surfer. “You were very good out there, though. From what I saw.”
Skylar looked at the gorgeous stranger, doing a small assessment. He had the build for surfing, powerful legs, the right set in his shoulders, but it was mostly about balance. He nodded and smiled, “There is nothing wrong with watching. I grew up in California, we sort of know how to surf before we are born.” He came to sit down next to the other man, far enough so he wasn’t crowding him but close enough to make talking between them easy.
“My twin loves to surf. I like to watch sometimes, too.” He wasn’t as passionate about it as Saylor but then they didn’t always have to like the same things. “I’m Skylar, by the way.” He smiled warmly, extending a hand out.
“See, I grew up in Detroit. Now, you need to know how to put a car together? I’m your guy.” Which was a lie, evident by how he laughed at himself. He gave him a small nod as he sat down; it would be nice to share the views with someone. And conversation was always a plus.
“You've got a twin? That's pretty awesome.” He wondered vaguely if that twin was also here, but that wasn't any of his business. Family could be complicated, after all. He leaned over, extending his own hand. “I’m Simon, it's great to meet you.
Skylar laughed a little bit, too. “Hey, there is nothing wrong with being handy. I can’t fix anything.” It was almost as if he looked at something the wrong way and it broke on purpose. He was good at a lot of things but repairing anything with a motor was beyond his skill set.
He shook Simon’s hand for a moment and then let go. “Nice to meet you, too. And yeah, I have a twin! It’s cool until you have to share or someone mistakes you for the other person.” Skylar wrinkled the end of his nose in amusement. “Otherwise it’s nice. I always had someone my age to do stuff with.”
“We've all got our talents,” he said softly. Which was especially true here, on this island. “Though I have to confess I was just making a Detroit joke. I'm not quite that talented with vroom vrooms,” he said with a laugh.
“Oh I can imagine it has its set backs for sure. I've watched enough Sister, Sister to know that.” But then again, when age was brought up, he realized that Skylar may not know what Sister, Sister even was, considering he was quite a bit younger than he was.
Vroom vrooms. Skylar snorted a bit. Simon was pretty funny. “We sure do. Now I know who to come find when something breaks.” His smile widened with the tease. “Do they have cars here?” He hadn’t seen any which he didn’t think was too strange. All of the places you could go seemed to be reachable within walking distance but there was a lot of island outside of the resort to see.
It took him a second of thinking to understand the reference that Simon was making to the old Television show. “I was always more of a Fresh Prince type.” Reruns of course.
“Very few,” he said in regards to cars. Probably another way for the island overlords to control them, but he kept his mouth shut on that. No one wanted to hear his conspiracy theories, no matter how much sense they made. “So you shouldn't need my mechanical skills TOO much. Now plants? That I can do,” he said.
“Ahhh, west Philadelphia. I heard that guy was born and raised there,” he said, running a hand through his hair. “Not sure if he got into some trouble outside of the pool or not.” A shrug. Simon wasn't the most serious person ever. If he was, people might take his rambling seriously and that might not be the best.
Skylar was laughing lightly now. Simon was funny, and it was refreshing! “He met a couple of guys up to no good who were making trouble in the neighborhood.” Then he bit at his lips to stifle a giggle. It was nice to be so comfortable with someone when his time here was so slight.
“Plants?” He circled back around to what Simon had said. “What kinds of plants?” This was an island, it had to be chock full of fauna and flora the likes to which he had never seen before. Or maybe plants were what Simon could do, which would also make sense.
“Rumor has it, his mom got scared. So she sent him to this aunt and uncle said n bel air. Weird how that stuff happens,” he said with a shake of his head. “Yeah, never seen that show,” he said with a snort and wink that was directed at skylar.
At the mention of what kind of plants, he flicked his wrist playfully and watched as a small tendril of a vine snaked up the shore and tapped Skylar playfully. “All kinds,” another grin.
The end of his nose wrinkled with amusement and Skylar offered Simon a bright smile. “Nope. Looks like you aren’t a fan at all.”
He had not been expecting the vine and so when it tapped him, he almost jumped onto Simon before realizing what it was. “Woah, that’s cool!” He hadn’t met many people outside of the island (or really inside of it as he was still new) who could do things like that. Turning back to Simon, he grinned. “I bet this place is perfect for you, then.”
“Nope. Hated it. Terrible show.” He laughed and shook his head. “Maybe this place should host a tv theme songs trivia night….”
He shrugged a little. “Plants are everywhere. I’m just as home here as a forest or mountains. Even big cities, places like Detroit, plant life could be found. My dad always made sure we had access.”
A movie or tv theme song trivia night sounded like an amazing idea. Skylar had heard about some of the venues on the island and wondered if any of those had karaoke or some kind of cool trivia night for the guests. It wouldn’t hurt to look around and see. “You think you’re brave enough to get on stage and sing?” Skylar bit at his lip and wiggled his eyebrows in a playful, challenging way.
When Simon spoke about plants, his expression grew a bit more serious and he nodded. “Yeah! That makes sense. I mean, stuff can grow pretty much anywhere.” He looked around for a moment and then turned back to Simon. “That’s your thing? Plants?” He didn’t really know how to talk about it or get details considering he just realized the other day that he wasn’t the only person on the plant with powers.
He snorted and waved his hand dismissively. “My dear man, I was born for the stage and to perform.” Only maybe not, but he enjoyed it and he really didn't have the capability of being embarrassed. His father had always taught him to take pride in all things, and that included the silky side that loved to sing and dance and act a fool.
“Indeed it is. I run the observatory and manage the ground around here. Easy to do when I can look at a plant and get it right where it needs to be. Save the government a ton on plant food, too. Of course, they still need it. But my magic is a good supplement.” He cracked his knuckles, wiggling his toes in the sand playfully. “You see see how vines help me on stage too,” he said seriously. Though it was a complete joke, it would be hard to tell and he wondered idly if Skylar would see that it was.
That response made Skylar smile. “Now you have to go to karaoke night with me so I can see this for myself.” If there wasn’t a rendition of Pour Some Sugar On Me then things were going wrong. Being a director of films, he was curious to see the world in all perspectives.
As Simon listed the things he oversaw and did, Skylar lifted his eyebrows. “Wow. That’s a lot of responsibility. It’s so cool. I haven’t seen the observatory?” He didn’t know there was one until just now. His smile came back, “I’ll believe it when I see it.”
“Find a karaoke night beings hosted and I'm there. Because this ass was made for shaking,” he said with a small waggle of his eyebrows and a deep laugh. He was serious though - he would be down for a karaoke. He loved karaoke.
“It's my baby. It's a big expansive few acres. It's got any kind of plant life you'd want, perfect for a pick up game of ball or a picnic or even a nap, if you are my friend Preacher.”
Skylar also laughed when Simon did. There was something comforting about the other man that Skylar liked a lot. It wasn’t a quality you picked up on at first with just anyone and he was glad that, so far, the people here were nice.
His eyes widened a bit. “Really? Now I have to see it.” The morsel about Preacher made his smile flood with amusement. “I bet it’s a nice place to take a nap in.”
The storm of doubt and suspicion that swirled inside of him was kept at bay by the fact that he wanted to live life the way it should be lived; fully. If things crashed tomorrow, he would do his best to fight, but until and if it happened? He wanted to enjoy live.
“Yes really. It's huge and inviting and I've got so many plants that aren't native to this climate; it's nice since everyone is from wherever. It makes people feel more connected to home.”
“I believe you. I’ll come check it out.” It sounded like a great place from the description and maybe Simon could show him some cool things. There wasn’t any doubt that he would learn something new. Maybe it would get his creative juices flowing.
“It was really nice meeting you today,” he remarked softly. “Don’t let me hold you up from enjoying your day, though.” He had sort of encroached on Simon’s relaxation time and he wanted to be respectful even if Simon was a lot of fun to be around.
“Great. I think it helps the people here. Sometimes stepping away from the tropical paradise and getting lost in a small grove of cedar trees is just need; you know?” Or at least, hopefully he understood the sentiment.
“Oh trust me, the pleasure and honor has been all mine.” He shook his head at his next words though. “But you don't have to worry there. You aren't holding me up from anything. I'm just vibing. It's nice and easy to vibe with you here.” He shot him another smile. “So unless you got something to do or somewhere to go, I'm having a good time, personally.”
”
It really was a great idea, having all of those plants in a single place that weren’t native to the island. “That’s so thoughtful. I bet it really helps people feel better.” He was starting to really like Simon. Simon seemed to have good intentions and a really great heart for helping others.
His grin broadened and a bit of color flushed into his cheeks. “Oh good. I just didn’t want to feel like I was crashing your party or anything. I’m glad I’m not.” Then he shook his head. “I don’t have to work until later, so I have a little bit of time. Speaking of Preacher, I’m over at the Cafe. It’s a really great place!” It let him meet a lot of the island residents, too.
“It helps people. Some people have a hard time adjusting to how this place works. They miss their families. They miss their jobs. I know I still do. And if I can use these damn abilities to help someone I wanna, ya know? Because this place is overwhelming sometimes.”
He smiled at that, giving a nod. “I'm really glad to hear you say that man. I'm having a good time, and you aren't interrupting anything at all. I'm glad for the company.” At the mention of preacher he laughed, winking at Skylar. “Please be sure to give that old dog a hard time for me, okay? Guess I might have just found more of a reason to visit.”
Simon was making a lot of sense. He was sure he would also go through that - missing his family and being out in the world - but he had a bit of hope. “Yeah, I can understand. You’re a good person.” Not everyone had the same positivity. Helping people was never a bad idea.
His smile brightened. “He’s been really great.” Sometimes bosses could be hard on people but Preacher wasn’t like that. He didn’t have to be to command the respect he deserved and needed for things to run smoothly. “But yeah, I hope you’ll come by.” Maybe not to just see him, that felt selfish and he scolded himself for it, but for the food and the atmosphere.
“Just doing my part is all,” he said as he wiggled his toes in the sand. He liked the way it felt when it cascaded between them. It reminded him of being a kid and playing in the sand box. “Plus it helps the ecosystem and helps the island stay self sufficient too.” He didn't have any proper schooling, but he had learned some science about plant life. How could he not?
“He's a good guy. We've both been here a while and we’re old…older than a lot of you youngsters seem to be,” he said. “We bonded early on.” He didn't frequent the cafe a whole lot - but for any particular reason, he just normally ate whenever and didn't follow Mrs schedules. “Oh definitely. It's been a bit. Give me a good reason to make Preacher’s day a little worse too, which is always high on my priority list.”
Skylar wrinkled his nose. “You aren’t old,” he said, shaking his head at Simon. Really. He didn’t look old at all although someone’s variation on old could be different than his. And what defined young? Maybe it was the Hollywood glamor that he put on. Then he laughed a bit, “Aw, don’t make his day worse. But yes, please come visit.” Between the busier times of the day, it could get boring in the cafe. He was the type to find something to keep himself occupied when things were slower, and while he wasn’t sure if Preacher would be one hundred percent okay with the distraction, it couldn’t hurt here and there. Right?
“Old by certain standards then,” he said with a chuckle. He didn't feel old, though. His body was still as spry as it had always been and he didn't feel like he was any slower than before. His bones ached when he woke up but that passed. So he felt good for his age.
“I definitely will. And I will try not to pester Preach too much. But he's so serious. I tell him his face is gonna freeze in a permascowl.”
Skylar couldn’t help the laugh that fell off of his lips. “Aw. Preacher is so nice though!” Being serious was a good trait when it mattered. “He takes good care of the cafe, and you can tell. It makes a lot of difference.” He didn’t know his boss well enough yet to have seen many other expressions but he was certain it wasn’t all scowling.
The idea of Simon coming to visit him at work, though, made his stomach twist a little bit with excitement. He wouldn’t lie and say those blue eyes weren’t captivating when they sparkled in the sunshine.
“He does. And he cares about the place. Which is nice. It's nice to care about what you do.” He smiled, thinking of his own job. He loved what he did, it gave him unlimited access to vegetation and flora, which made him happier than anything in the world.
He tilted his head. “When do you work again? I make my own schedule and can do whatever I want, basically,” he said with a chuckle. “So, ya know, I can be hungry next time you work and all that.”
“Lucky you,” Skylar said, playfully. “Making your own schedule and stuff. I work later on. The after lunch to just after dinner shift.” He didn’t mind picking up additional shifts or helping out in the kitchen if it was needed, either. He may have been a successful director, but that didn’t make him above pitching in or helping out when it was needed.
“You should come by. Maybe close to when I get off shift or something?” He was pretending not to be too expectant or anything, but really he hoped that Simon would come by and they could hang out more.
He nodded at that, thinking that was a brilliant idea. Simon was all about connections and making them and fostering them. He loved people and never skipped the opportunity to introduce someone new into his life.
And if he were being honest, there was an attraction to Skylar that he was doing a damn good job at ignoring, at least for now.
“Oh yeah that sounds great. You can definitely expect to see me there then.”
“Cool,” Skylar replied, trying to stay cool. Simon was a lot different than the few other people he’d met so far and he liked that. Not to mention he was stellar to look at. Skylar was around beautiful people a lot, but more often than not they were only pretty on the outside and so ugly on the inside. Simon seemed to have beauty radiating from his core and it was so refreshing and attractive.
“I’ll let you get back to enjoying your day, okay? I have a few more waves to hit before I run out of time but I’ll see you later?” Of course he would.
Skylar got up, brushed away any sand from his wetsuit and then he picked up the surfboard and ran back to the ocean with a renewed sense of purpose.