selfhelp | [Voice/Action]

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[Okay, so. Post-draft, he's given himself a few days of seclusion and bed-rest (apparently being infected with a zombie virus is exhausting), and even Billy can freely admit to himself that he's been pretty depressed lately, a fact for which he feels no shame considering that depression was well and truly earned. One can only spend so much time fretting, moping, and dwelling on one's own misery for so long, however, and today? He's decided that enough is enough. Billy will be going out today, limping around the village and visiting the people who were on the draft whose fate he's still uncertain of. The ones he can't find or has no reason to actually visit, he'll check with a light location spell, and he'll spend a few hours at Seventh Heaven people-watching out the window while he doodles in a book that Teddy had given him containing a series of patterns (much like this) that resemble inkblogs, and bit by bit Billy's turning them into something like this instead. It's been a tiring week, though, so you could always catch him napping on the table, instead.

At some point he'll attempt to find Peter, and when both a location spell and a teleport fails, he tries to teleport to the apartment he'd been staying at instead, finding it almost completely emptied. All he manages to dig up is a small cartridge that, after a moment of scrutiny, he identifies as a web fluid cartridge. His fanboyish glee at the discovery is tempered by the fact that the empty apartment means one more piece of bad news.

After his visits and window-watching is done, he'll return home to make the announcement, along with one more message-]

Hey out there... just wanted to let his friends know that Peter Parker went home. So... sorry. Yeah.

[Locked to Loki]

...We still on for tomorrow, or do you want to take a break? Because... you know. [Draft. Awfulness all around. He wouldn't blame Loki if he wanted to take a week off.

Later on in the evening he'll be over at Ben's barbeque, if anyone wants to bother him while he's there.]

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[Billy lifts his hands, eyes still closed, and feels his way up to brush his fingers over Teddy's arm, following the skin until it shifts into a texture not unlike hard leather, plated scales as tough as rock. He keeps his hand moving until he reaches Teddy's hand, he twines his fingers through Teddy's, squeezing firmly, showing no fear or concern when his skin brushes against talons, or the way his own small hand is dwarfed by the size of Hulkling's. His expression doesn't even change, looking as calm and content as he had the moment he made his request.

He holds Teddy's hand like that in silence for a bit, drawing comfort in the strength he can feel beneath that sturdy armored skin. Finally, he speaks up again.]

You remember that time during practice, back when we hardly knew what we were doing- when I lost control of my powers and fell out of the sky?

[He's almost tempted to shift his arm back, just because it seems like it might be easier on Billy if he had a human hand to hold instead of... this one. But he seemed to want this, so... Teddy keeps it this way, his own fingers closing around Billy's, and he can't help noting how his own hand is so much larger than the other's right now...

The way Billy would act around him while he was like this always awed Teddy, because he acted the same, like he wasn't huge and green and rough and intimidating. Even now, his expression didn't change at all, not even a twitch, and Teddy had been watching close. It never ceases to amaze him, just how much Billy loves him so much that he doesn't even care what form he takes. Within reason, of course.

The question brings back the memory; Nate and Billy in the air practicing air combat, and Teddy and Eli below doing their own ground combat routine. Nate had been further away, so he wasn't close enough to catch him when Billy's magic slipped out of his grasp, sending him towards the ground with a yell.]

Yeah. You scared the hell out of me back then. I shoved Eli away and ran as fast as I could to catch you.

[He can remember the way his heart pounded and how his chest seized with fear, even though they hadn't been together at the time. But Teddy was so head over heels that he knew even then that he never wanted to lose Billy, ever.]

Edited 2012-11-06 09:42 (UTC)

[The way Teddy continues the story without pause makes Billy smile- like that moment had made an impression on him just as much as it had on Billy himself. He'd been terrified, flailing and frantically chanting in mid-air to try and regain his focus, but inwardly all he could think was how he was going to die, not as a super hero but yet another stupid teenager being reckless, nothing more. But then...

...then, he'd been stopped before he hit the ground, caught and cradled in a pair of massive green arms, a shifted yet familiar face staring worriedly down at him. He'd been dazed from more than just the fall, he can remember. And that had been the first time he'd been held by someone so much larger than him and not felt afraid.]

You did catch me. When you were hulked out, too. Even though I'd been so scared of you at the start- like you were going to eat me for dinner.

[He rubs his thumb idly over the hard material of Teddy's hand, marveling at how different it felt from the skin of a normal human. That Teddy can do this so effortlessly is just- amazing. His eyes open, then, focusing on their joined hands, the contrast of white and green, human and alien, Billy and Teddy.]

[For Teddy, it wasn't just the fact that he got to hold Billy in his arms, or that they spent a second or two too long just staring at each other. No, for Teddy, that was the first life he'd ever saved a life. Sure, he'd done some good things before that, stopping a purse snatcher here, buying food for a homeless person there. But actually diving in and saving someone from imminent death... That was his first time actually doing that, even if the thrill and relief in his chest wasn't just from that.

The comment makes him let out a quiet snort, though his eyes remain on their hands. Yeah... Yeah, he remembers that, too.]

You kept staring at me like I was going to punch you in the face for moving wrong. Even though, out of us four, Eli was probably the one most likely to do that.

[God, and he remembers that they didn't even like each other at the start. Billy probably thought Teddy was too quiet and stone faced when Teddy was just having issues with trust just hours after breaking ties with his "best friend", and Teddy thought Billy was too jumpy and antisocial when he, too, was having troubles with trust as well as lack of confidence. And he'd been so scared of his Hulkling form; Teddy wasn't sure whether to be amused or insulted or even hurt. Back then, he thought they'd never be a team.

And look at them now.]

Edited 2012-11-06 10:38 (UTC)

Yeah, no kidding. And you never did- not once, not a single time, did you ever hurt me. Whether you were like this- [His thumb taps against the armored skin again,] Or not. You've never hurt anyone who needed your help. You're like the very definition of the gentle giant trope.

[He turns their hands together so that the back of Teddy's hand is faced towards him, then shifts them closer so he can press that same hand against his lips in a brief, tender kiss.]

Why would you ever think that you'd hurt someone else while trying to save their life?

Don't mention it. Maybe you should head home, crash somewhere more comfortable.

[So mandates the pot to the kettles.  And don’t think Pepper doesn’t see the way you’re watching, Tony.]

Which reminds me; I need to get in touch with the Welcome Center.  I might still be able to do some of the paperwork from here, if they give me housing updates.

[She says it more to herself, although Pepper somehow doubts Tony will be pleased to hear the news.]

None yet.  [Even if it’s not easy, it’s better than what they went through.  Pepper may be a little too eager to jump back in, and keep her mind occupied with something other than the memories.]  What about for you?

This is plenty, thanks. I didn't even have to order.

[Goldfish are addicting, though.]

I'm... somewhere between okay and bad, I guess. Not leaning one way or another at the moment.

[In a way that's more intimidating than anything he could have said, really. Still, Billy forges on.]

I put you in a bad spot, and I'm sorry for that, too. I made you promise to kill me... and instead, you saved my life.

[He lowers his head; in his position it almost seems like a bow.]

Thank you.

No, ah... it's okay. Maybe people-watching is just hypnotic.

[He rubs at an eye, squinting a bit.]

I was actually looking for you, too. I'm glad you're okay.

[Bliiiink. The business about the draft is shoved (happily) aside in favour of his favourite topic.]

Oh, you've met Teddy? He is pretty great, isn't he.

[This is the third time he's been thanked. He wonders if Billy will subsequently demand to know why since that makes the gratitude a little less fun. But it's still an oddly nice feeling. Because yes, he had done that, with strength of mind, rather than strength of arms.

Something to consider, not just as a matter of capital gained.

He smiles.]

You are most welcome. I... preferred that outcome to the other.

[The smile goes a bit crooked.]

Though perhaps in the future, remind me that all bargains and promises apparently include Teddy as well.

Met? No. Admired from afar? Yes. You do make for a painfully adorable couple, I must say.

[He can understand why Pepper would want to get involved again as soon as possible. It was so easy to dwell on memories here - and neither of them needed to do that.

He hasn't seen anyone he recognizes yet either, and considering some of the less pleasant surprises that have shown up in recent cycles? He is okay with that. So he just waits for Billy's answer. Any more Young Avengers popping up?]

[Ahaha... ha...]

...Well. You know what they say- no news is good news.

[In short? No Young Avengers to be found, or anyone else for that matter. And after the last draft, much as he misses them, he's glad of it.]

[Tony doesn't say anything, and Pepper hopes it's a good sign. He's been so worried, devoting all of his time to taking care of her. It's wonderful, but Pepper knows it can't go on too long.]

It's only just starting though. [For better or for worse. It's still entirely possible for more people from their worlds to arrive.]

[Not obsessed. Just sixteen.]

And there's no danger of it returning. We're sure about that. [Robin will totally be taking blood samples from himself and analyzing them for weeks once he's okay enough to settle back into his own space.]

[Tony can sympathize with Billy's words - the less people dragged here, ones they knew? The better. Especially consider what they all just had the special privilege of being a part of.]

Can't count our chickens before they hatch, now, can we?

[Pfft Zev, you'll make him blush.]

Oh, uh. Thanks, I guess. I could introduce you, if you ever wanted to meet him...

Because of the cure, right?

[Makes sense- unless the zombie-itus or whatever they're calling it evolves somehow, it's pretty easy to deal with should another instance of it crop up.]

What I'd like to know is where it really came from.

I'm just glad we made it back here. I never thought I'd be happy to see the place again, or... that I'd call it home.

[But he's said it a few times already, this week in particular- to flop down into bed and cuddle up with Teddy, to eat a decent, freshly-cooked meal instead of rations, to wake up in his bedroom instead of a dingy barracks in three-day-old clothes.

You can't fake relief like that.]

[He doesn't need to ask why; truth be told, he doesn't particularly care. Whether his motivations were pure or selfish, the result was good. And that counts for a lot more.

He's not seeing a downside here.]

I guess our contract could've stood to carry a few more details and conditions. Though in my defense, you didn't even let me ask, either.

[Not that he blames Loki for that. He hadn't even wanted to finish his request, nor had Loki wanted to hear it.]

How about instead we focus on not making any promises like that again?

I was asking. Reassure me. [Oh. Right. Food. Robin's finally reacting to the burning and busying himself with salvaging what he can. He misses mobility. :(]

It wasn't native to that enclosure? What else do you know about it?

[Clint's in the kitchen when Billy gets back, drinking coffee after having gone for a run. He should have known better than to want a few quiet days after the draft; see what happens when he tries to be optimistic?

He smiles when Billy comes back.]

Hey, want some coffee? I was just gonna put on another pot.

[Loki's eyebrows go up as if to ask really, is this a discussion you want to have? but thankfully Billy continues on.]

'tis a nice thought but the world is rather unpredictable. It is not as if we had an inkling that might be the case going in, for that matter.

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[Action] That's a lie.

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[Action] wow, rude, why would you ever doubt me

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[Action] You know why. You know exactly why. :|

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