Jim hated mornings. As soon as he was available for assignments, he was begging for an overnight shift. There was nothing worse than waking up in the morning. It was with great reluctance that he managed to drag himself through his routine of showering, not singing, and dressing.
Sy was waiting at their table for him. Braxton stood guard with 628, their glares fending off anyone that may have considered asking Sy about yesterday.
"Good morning you three."
"Jim!" 628 beamed up at him.
"Hey Jimmy." Braxton nodded towards the line. "You two go get something to eat. We'll hold down the fort until Matt gets here."
"Thanks," Jim said before he turned his attention to Sy. "How are your hands? Think you can carry two glasses of juice?"
"I think I'm getting a coffee today. My hands are really hurting, and I had trouble sleeping." Sy said.
"Just don't go full Hogarth."
"What?"
"Nothing." Jim stepped into line behind a first year he didn't know. "Remember, look pathetic when you ask for bacon!"
"I'm not using my injury to cheat the system for you." Sy hissed back. "I have family here if you remember. I do not want them worrying about me more than they already do."
"They won't hear about it, I promise." Jim whispered. He slid their trays down the line and beamed at the cafeteria lady. "Good morning, Echidna."
"Good morning James. Extra crispy bacon?" The breakfast worker smiled at the boy who had become one of her favorite recruits. He was always so polite and friendly with her. And last year when he and his friend had been given service scrubbing breakfast dishes with her, he'd spent plenty of time asking her about her children.
"Yes please!" Jim held up both trays for their servings.
Echidna gave him the look of a reproachful mother. "You know you only get one serving, James." Though she was not above letting the boys on service finish off leftovers that would not save well.
"The second tray is not for me, ma'am! It's for my friend Sy! He's injured his hands and he just can't carry a tray himself. They bother him far too much."
"They're not that bad," Sy said as he elbowed Jim in the ribs.
"So modest," Jim cooed over his friend and stepped on his foot. "I know you're in a lot of pain."
Sy glared at Jim. Jim gave him his most exasperated look. Echidna set a single serving of bacon on each tray. "I'll see you boys later. I hope your hands feel better soon, dear."
Jim slid the two trays down the line. "What's the deal, Sy? You were supposed to act pathetic for extra bacon," he hissed.
"I told you I'm not doing that. I have family here. You want extra bacon, you look pathetic." Sy whispered back firmly.
Jim sighed as dramatically as he could. "You are lucky I'm not Matt, or I would be singing a long solo piece about how I'm so betrayed by your refusal to help me cheat the system for extra bacon."
"Speaking of Matt, he doesn't eat bacon, why don't you have him come down this line and get some?" Sy inquired.
"Not enough food he can eat. He can get the hard boiled eggs and," Jim nodded to the next section they were approaching, "whatever the day's fruit is." Jim grabbed them both a banana from the bowl and set one on each tray. "Other than that, there's just about nothing. Oatmeal, if it's an oatmeal day, but there's just not enough guaranteed to be safe for him. Pancakes or muffin?"
"Muffin, please. I'll grab it, you get your pancakes." Sy added as he saw Jim lifting his own tray.
The boys returned to their usual table shortly after. Matt was waiting for them. Braxton and 628 had already left to go get breakfast. Jim settled beside Sy and across from Matt. Sy rolled two eggs over to him before bowing his head over his meal.
Matt handed Jim a purp. "Here. They had some today. I'll take your banana."
"Really!? Matt, thank you!" Jim grabbed the fruit eagerly. "You're the best!"
"Well duh." Matt took Jim's fruit instead. "We get a better selection in the herbivore line. I'm telling you, you're missing out."
"I like bacon too much. But wow, thank you."
As he and 628 approached the table, Braxton was the one to notice Sy's confusion. "They're popular on Montressor, his home planet. Very high in vitamin C, long shelf life, native to some neighboring planets, basically one of the easiest and most important imports."
Jim bit into his fruit and retaliated around the juice, "and you get just as excited over that cheese from yours."
"Because it's the best cheese!" He ruffled 628's ears. "Fikky will be sending me some for Founders Day. Technically a little after, but it'll arrive in next month's post. You can try some then."
"My cousin loves cheese too," Sy focused on his breakfast as he spoke. "It's a big part of his culture. You'll have to let me know what it is, I'll message him the name so he can look for it."
"Oh, does he attend here too?" Matt beamed at the younger boy. "Who is he? You'll have to introduce us!"
Sy sputtered as he backtracked. "He's very busy, he's about to graduate. He has far too much he needs to focus on."
Jim exchanged a glance with Braxton. Matt shrugged. "It's cool, Sy. If you don't want your cousin to know you hang out with troublemakers, that's fine. We'll keep you around anyway."
Sy blushed hard. "It's not you guys, I promise. Jim, are you feeling better?" Jim blinked at him in confusion. Sy clarified, "from last night. I hated leaving you when we did, but with lights out…"
Jim nodded. "Matt stayed a while." He answered quietly so the other three wouldn't hear. "Thank you for checking, though."
Sy smiled at him. "You know you can always talk to me about things, right?"
"You can do the same," Jim replied seriously.
Sy brushed him off, though he smiled. "Just message me if you need something."
"I would, but I can't spell your name." Jim slid his tablet over to his friend as he made his confession. "Message yourself, that way I have your contact if I need it."
